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Tenants won an RGB Rent Freeze for 1-year renewals (2% increase for 2-year renewals)
New York City Board Votes to Freeze Regulated Rents on One-Year Leases - NY Times
By MIREYA NAVARRO
The board that regulates rents for more than one million rent-stabilized apartments in New York City voted on Monday night for a freeze on one-year leases, an unprecedented move in its 46-year history.
The 7-to-2 vote by the city's Rent Guidelines Board was an acknowledgment of the precarious situation of many tenants whose incomes have not kept pace with housing costs. It also was the first decision on rent levels by a nine-member board appointed in its entirety by Mayor Bill de Blasio.
The board, one of the few tools the mayor has to directly influence the cost of housing in the city, also voted to increase rents on two-year leases by 2 percent, a historic low.
The mayor refrained from publicly calling for a rent freeze as he had done last year. But his housing plan aims at building new affordable housing while staving off the loss of existing affordable units — either through rent increases or the removal of stabilized apartments from regulation.


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Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration said Tuesday that it would provide free space in public school buildings to a dozen new or expanding charter schools, including 10 run by Eva S. Moskowitz, one of the mayor's fiercest rivals on the issue.
The city announced its decision on space requests for 24 schools, and while Success Academy, Ms. Moskowitz's charter network, agreed to delay its request for space to house six schools, none of the standing requests were rejected.
Specific locations have not yet been chosen for the 10 new or expanding Success Academies, which will open in the 2016-17 school year, and many of the districts may change, as well. But even for many schools that received a "no" on Tuesday, the process of finding space is most likely to continue.
Charter schools flourished and multiplied during the Bloomberg administration, which eagerly handed many charter schools — which are publicly financed but privately run — space in public school buildings free of charge. Mr. de Blasio, however, was critical of the addition of charter schools during his mayoral campaign, saying they siphoned resources from traditional schools.
Shortly after taking office, Mr. de Blasio denied three requests for space from Ms. Moskowitz, and was treated to a barrage of television advertisements in response, as well as a rally in Albany, in which Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo pledged his support to charter schools.
In March, the State Legislature passed a law granting broad protection to the growth of charter schools. It said that the city must provide them with free space or the schools can appeal to the state. If the schools win, the city has to help pay for the schools to rent private space, which can be an expensive proposition, especially in New York City.
Success Academy received the bulk of the good news on Tuesday, but two Icahn Charter Schools were approved for expansion, as well. The list of schools that were rejected included three from Achievement First, a large charter network, and Voice Charter School, a small school in Queens that has been praised by Chancellor Carmen Fariña.
"Our objective is to lift up every child, no matter the neighborhood they live in or the school they attend," Ms. Fariña said in a statement on Tuesday. "These decisions reflect our focus on ensuring there is necessary space for school children to thrive while continuing to provide an equitable education for all students no matter of the ZIP code they live in."
James Merriman, chief executive of the New York City Charter School Center, said that because the law requires charter schools to request space first, getting a "no" can actually be good news for those that would prefer money to help pay the rent. Some schools that were rejected Tuesday fall into that category, Mr. Merriman said, and over all, he welcomed the city's announcement.
"It's good to see that clearly the moratorium on charter school co-location has ended," Mr. Merriman said.
On Friday, the state Education Department issued its first decision on a space appeal since the new law passed, saying the city must help the Rosalyn Yalow School pay for private space.

subset: commoncrawl


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He found a likely corner and put on the little red hat. It was kind of a cliche, but people expected it. He set up the bucket and rang the bell. Somewhere time ticked by. One more coin, he promised himself. Then, he could get out of the cold. Someone tried to dip their hand in the bucket. He couldn't have that, So he ran out and jumped on the thief's head. There was a satisfying bop. Somewhere, a chime rang. That made a hundred coins. Which meant an extra life. The Save a Princess Foundation was finally getting somewhere.
Donations For Life
May 13, 2014
Writing Drabbles, Fiction, Gaming Leave a comment


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Published on February 18th, 2013 | by Dan0
KBMOD Livestream Schedule: February 18-24, 2013
Livestreams this week start out tonight with Dan playing two games: Thirty Flights of Loving followed by Night 1 of Alan Wake. Late Night with Nikon will be trying out Snapshot and Slender. Crysis 3 launches Tuesday with Nick Fenton and Dan taking viewer questions while playing Crytek's new shooter. Hex and Nick continue with their Saints Row the Third playthrough on Wednesday. Thursday Chezz will actually be delving into Max Payne 3 (for real this time). Week 2 of our new Midnight Emulation Station show with Blackliteattack will be featuring Super Mario World on Friday. Sunday starts out right with Dan in the morning and then Sunday night brings Episode 81 of the podcast with guest Jared Gerritzen!
As always, you can tune in to all these streams on our Twitch page. Make sure to follow our channel to get notified the moment we're going live! If you enjoy our streams and want to show your love for KBMOD, you can also become a paid subscriber to our Twitch channel! For $4.99/month, you get a completely ad-free experience on our channel and a special subscriber icon (and soon new emoticons!) next to your name in the chat.
Monday (2/18) @ 9:30pm EST – The Grind: Thirty Flights of Loving and Alan Wake (Night 1)
Monday (2/18) @ 11:59pm EST – Late Night w/ Nikon: Snapshot and Slender
Tuesday (2/19) @ 9:30pm EST– Launch Night: Crysis 3 w/ NFEN and Dan
Wednesday (2/20) @ 9pm EST – The Bearded Gamer w/ Hex and NFEN: Saints Row the 3rd Co-op Night 3
Thursday (2/21) @ 10pm EST – Church of Chezzus Worships in Max Payne 3
Friday (2/22) @ 11:59pm EST-Midnight Emulation Station w/ Blackliteattack: Super Mario World
Sunday (2/24) @ 10am EST – The Sunday Constitutional w/ Dan: Q&A and Random Games
Sunday (2/24) @ 10pm EST – KBMOD Podcast Episode 81 w/ Jared Gerritzen LIVE!


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I'm not sure how my belly can get any bigger! My belly button is stretched to the max, but thankfully hasn't popped out as of yet! Call it vanity, but I'm glad...
Anyways, here was week 34 taken on an afternoon walk on Mercer Island
And wow, dresses may feel super-comfy during pregnancy but it sure looks like I donned a tent and headed out! It looks like I could house 3 backpackers and their gear under there!
And this is from this morning, now at 35 1/2 weeks:
Sadly I've had to take off the ring I was wearing on my ring finger to stand in for my wedding ring. My fingers and toes (and wrists and ankles and everything else) are swelling up. What joy. Still not seeing what some women love about being pregnant...for me its been versions of sick, sicker, or just under the weather with some weird other symptoms thrown in. I'm hoping that the saying easy pregnancy = hard labor and visa versa holds true!
Tatum is running out of room to move around, so she's taken up cycling and boxing while in the womb. It feels like when a cat massages you with its front paws, but inside my belly.
punch punch punch punch
Maybe its the fightin' Irish in her...
In regards to what life looks like for the Palmers post-Tatum, everything is still in the air. We had thought Matt would apply for Greenville, SC, but that's looking to not be the best option for us now. I thankfully have a husband who's priorities are spending time with me and our baby girl and getting to see family over just making the most money he can.
So we're weighing a few other options and continuing to pray to see where God wants us to be. It feels like it changes every week, and has been a long waiting game...it would be nice to get a little clarity! I don't need to know the next 5 years, God, or even the next 3...but it would be nice to know about the next 3 months :-)


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Carter ♦ Pilgrim ♦ Stroud handles a vast array of legal issues you may be confronted with.
In all states, including Georgia, it is at least as serious to be charged with driving while impaired by marijuana or a controlled substance as to be charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. The DUI laws of the state include both categories of offenses. It is also worth noting that if you are convicted of possessing, distributing, or using an illegal, controlled substance or marijuana, if you were operating a motor vehicle at the time you may face driving restrictions.
If you have substances, other than alcohol, in your blood or urine that can impair your ability to drive, you may be charged with DUI even for taking prescribed medications or over-the-counter painkillers, sleeping pills, cough syrup or inhalants.
In addition, Georgia has a specific charge for DUI when the defendant is under the influence of both alcohol and drugs. If the police officer suspects that you have used alcohol and drugs in combination, you will likely face two or more DUI charges. Though the police may have pulled your vehicle over because of your speeding, lane changing, or disobeying other traffic laws, they will always also assess you for DUI.
Police officers are trained to look for signs of drug use in addition to being educated concerning signs of alcohol abuse. Common indicators they look for if they suspect drug use are:
If police report that you have provided observable evidence of drug use, if a witness has come forth who has firsthand knowledge that you have used drugs recently, or if you have failed to pass field sobriety tests and/or blood or urine evaluations, your attorney will be presented with a much more difficult task as he or she works hard to dispute the evidence.
If you are convicted of driving while under the influence of drugs in Georgia, you face potential:
Illegal drugs, drugs that have no lawful use, such as heroin or cocaine, subject their users to punishment as per se DUI if found in any amount. This means, simply the fact that the drug is in your system, there is a presumption that you are guilty of DUI. For drugs like marijuana and other drugs that can be lawfully prescribed, prosecutors typically have to bring a DUI charge of "Less Safe."
One of the strictest parts of DUI for drug use in Georgia is that a DUI drug conviction will leave your license suspended for a minimum of 1 year. During this period you will be forbidden to drive, with no exceptions made for work, school, or medical appointments. You should be aware that this punishment is separate from the administrative suspension of your driving privileges that will occur within 45 days of your arrest unless your lawyer appeals it.
Considering the severity of the punishments for DUI while impaired by drugs in Georgia, if you are arrested for this offense you should take it very seriously. It is essential that you engage the services of knowledgeable and savvy DUI defense attorneys like those at Carter Pilgrim Stroud. Having handled thousands of DUI cases in Gwinnett and Forsyth, both as prosecutors and defense attorneys, we have a unique perspective and a fine track record of success in defending our clients from DUI drug charges. Contact us today to set up a consultation with an Atlanta drug DUI attorney.
The Law Office of Carter Pilgrim Stroud is located in Suwanee, GA and serves Gwinnett County, Forsyth County, Cumming, Buford, Lawrenceville, Braselton, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Duluth, Norcross, Hoschton, Jefferson, Commerce, Dawsonville, Gainesville, and other surrounding areas.
© 2020 Carter Pilgrim Stroud, Attorneys at Law 3725 Lawrenceville-Suwanee Rd., Suite A-4, Suwanee, GA 30024 | Phone: 770-284-1319Service Areas | About Us | DUI Defense | Tests | Resources
Law Firm Website Design byZola Creative
© Carter Pilgrim Stroud, Attorneys at Law | Disclaimer 3725 Lawrenceville-Suwanee Rd., Suite A-4, Suwanee, GA 30024 | Phone: 770-284-1319Experience | DUI | Hiring a Lawyer | Suspensions | Sobriety Tests | Breath/Blood Tests | Process


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Thursday, August 20, 2015
Profiling the Russian Chupacabra
My new book, Chupacabra Road Trip, focuses primarily on my expeditions to seek out the legendary chupacabra across Puerto Rico, the United States, and Mexico, and from 2004 to the present day.
As I also note in the book, however, there is no shortage of reports of the Goat-Sucker from Russia – an issue that often gets eclipsed by the exploits of the far more famous Puerto Rican original.
Check it out.
7 comments:
This book looks so awesome Nick!! Can't wait to find it and read it 😀 congratulations!!!ReplyDelete
When is the release date? I'll have to be sure and mark it on my calendar :)ReplyDelete
About two weeksReplyDelete
September is going to be a busy month for you right? Best of luck with everything!!ReplyDelete
Got my copies of Chupacabra Road Trip and The Bigfoot Book today. Both look great!ReplyDelete
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Design Template Selection (Windows Embedded CE 6.0)
Platform Builder for Windows Embedded CE 6.0 provides basic design templates to use as starting points to create an operating system (OS) for a Windows Embedded CE powered device.
Design templates include the basic building blocks of the operating system architecture. With design templates, you can select the components that meet the needs of the device environment and offer product differentiation.
Design templates provide examples of how to develop an OS for a specific device category and can help reduce your overall OS development time.
After you select a basic design template, you can modify it to suit your specific needs.
The following design templates are available in the Windows Embedded CE OS Design Wizard.
|Design template
Provides a starting point for devices that play or store music, video, and other electronic media.
Provides a starting point for business terminals and transaction devices such as self-service kiosks, retail point-of-sale (POS) terminals, and electronic payment terminals.
Provides a starting point for portable Internet devices with a touch-screen user interface (UI) and a 640 x 480 or larger display.
To create an enterprise Web pad, you can do one of the following:
Provides a starting point for a gateway. A gateway is a network infrastructure device that provides connection-sharing services from a single Internet connection to several computers and other devices located on an internal private network.
Provides a starting point for industrial automation devices, such as human-machine interface (HMI) panels or programmable logic controllers (PLCs).
Provides a starting point for stationery, browser-based consumer Internet appliances, with a fixed display, such as a CRT or LCD, and a keyboard.
Provides a starting point for an advanced Internet-based telephone that uses Voice over IP (VoIP).
This design template supports an advanced VoIP telephone with a QVGA touch screen, Exchange integration, advanced provisioning through Active Directory, audio call conferencing, and presence.
Provides a starting point for a basic Internet-based telephone that uses Voice over IP (VoIP).
This design template supports a basic VoIP telephone with a two-line text display.
Provides a starting point for a range of mobile devices with a clamshell and keyboard design.
Provides a starting point for devices that connect to a television to display Internet and media content.
This design template includes the Windows Embedded CE Standard Shell with a browser-based TV user interface (UI).
By default, TV navigation functionality is on in the browser.
A typical application of this design template might be a video-over-DSL set-top box that has a browser-based TV user interface.
Provides a starting point for the smallest functional Windows Embedded CE run-time image.
Provides a starting point for a Windows network projector. This is an IP-based display device that displays the content from a Windows Vista-based operating system desktop onto a large screen display.
Provides a starting point for remote-desktop terminals and includes the functionality that is needed to support a remote desktop device. This includes a Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP)-supported constrained shell and Remote Desktop Connection.
Related Sections
Provides general information on how to develop a target device by using a design template. This includes information that can help you customize the OS design, download the built run-time image to a Microsoft Windows CE PC-based hardware platform (CEPC), debug and test the run-time image, and learn about migration, security, and registry settings.
Provides estimated run-time image sizes, in kilobytes (KB), built from design templates based on OS designs in Platform Builder.
In addition to Catalog items that you add to your OS design, some items are added during the build cycle because of dependencies.
After the build cycle is complete, the Sysgen variables for all Catalog items in the run-time image are in %_FLATRELEASEDIR%\SysgenSettings.out. For more information about dependencies, see Catalog Overview.
Because one Sysgen variable can be set by another Sysgen variable, not all Sysgen variables in the SysgenSettings.out file correspond to a Catalog item.
If you build from a command line, for information about how to view a list of Sysgen variables, see Build Demo Tool.


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Last week, stories on testing in public schools dominated education news nationally. On October 24, 2015, President Obama released a video on testing on his Facebook page and called for a 2% nationwide cap on the amount of school time devoted to testing. Two days later, the Council for Great City Schools published a report showing that students in their sample of 66 large urban districts spent an average of 1.8% of instructional time per grade per year taking tests, whether district- or state-mandated.[1] The two events added to the growing sound and fury over testing nationwide.
Here in Mississippi, the debate over testing has grown hotter over the past year as well with more and more local voices decrying testing. As an organization full of former teachers, Mississippi First understands the important role that testing plays in instruction. Teachers use assessments to determine how well students have learned material, what they still struggle with, and which students might need additional support to master concepts. Parents and students can use assessment results to determine how much progress they are making and what students might need to focus on. Statewide assessments are necessary to inform the public of the quality of our education system and to evaluate the effectiveness of various programs and reforms. The challenge for schools and policymakers is to find the sweet spot of enough testing to accomplish worthwhile educational aims without detracting from the overall learning experience of students.
But how much time do Mississippi students really spend taking tests? And how much time is the right amount? This fall, Mississippi First is working to answer those questions through a new research project.
Our preliminary research reveals that students in Mississippi public schools take a number of tests from the time they enter Kindergarten until they exit high school. Tests fall into three broad categories: teacher-created tests, district-mandated tests, and state-mandated standardized tests (including the ACT).[2]
- Teacher-Created Tests: Perhaps the most familiar form of testing, teacher-created tests are tests that individual teachers or groups of teachers in a school would write to gauge how well students have learned material taught in class. These types of tests could be as simple as a short, five-question test at the end of a class period to check for understanding or as complex as a long test at the end of a unit or semester. They could be multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, essay response, or task-related assessments, and they may occur at any point in the school year. Teacher-created tests have existed as long as schooling, and there is no easy way to gauge how much time students spend on teacher-created tests, as the time varies across teachers, even within the same school or district. Usually, districts have policies requiring teachers to record a minimum number of test grades, but teachers may count projects towards test grades as well as paper-and-pencil tests. Beyond recording a minimum number of test grades per year, teachers have wide discretion in the number and type of teacher-created tests that they administer.
- District-Mandated Tests: District-mandated tests have gained prominence in American schools over the last two decades. These tests—which may be written by a district curriculum coordinator or may be a purchased standardized test—are tests that a district has selected and chosen to implement in all of its schools for every child at a particular grade level or in particular subjects. District-mandated tests might be used on a specific schedule such as weekly, every nine weeks, or beginning, middle, and end. Some district-mandated tests are tied to a specific curriculum program, such as a computer-based remedial program, while others are used with whatever curriculum the district currently uses. Of all the testing categories, district-mandated testing has the most variants and is probably the least understood by parents and the public. District-mandated testing, because of its variety, may take up a substantial amount of instructional time per subject per student or it may not, depending on the district.
- State Standardized Tests: State standardized testing began nationally in the 1980s with minimum competency tests designed to ensure that students graduating from high school had attained a basic level of knowledge. These tests were phased out in the late 1990s/early 2000s and replaced with more rigorous high school subject area tests and more comprehensive state testing programs in elementary school through high school. State standardized tests that every child must take are the basis of the state accountability system, although not all required state standardized tests are part of the state accountability system. Today, students in Mississippi take a state-mandated standardized test in every grade, as shown in Figure 1. State Superintendent Dr. Carey Wright estimates that students spend approximately 1.6% of instructional time, or 3 days per grade per year, taking state tests. This estimate is comparable to both the new Council for Great City Schools report and a 2014 report from the Center for American Progress, which found average testing time in 14 districts in 7 states to be about 1.6% of the school year. The tests Mississippi public school students take are as follows:
a. Literacy-Based Promotion Act Testing: In grades K-3, students take the Mississippi K-3 Assessment Support System (MKAS2) at Kindergarten-entry and third grade exit as required by the Literacy-Based Promotion Act, also known as the third grade reading "gate." Schools can choose to use MKAS2 as their required literacy screener administered at the beginning, middle, and end of every school year in grades K-3 as well. (A literacy screener measures whether children are experiencing difficulty in learning to read.) Otherwise, students would take the MKAS2 only at Kindergarten-entry and third grade exit and a different screener for the middle and end of Kindergarten; the beginning, middle, and end of first and second grade; and the beginning and middle of third grade. Schools designated as "literacy target" schools are required to use the MKAS2 for their literacy screener. Originally, the MKAS2 was meant to serve as the "backup" assessment for passing the third grade gate, but due to instability in the state testing program (the transition from MCT2 to PARCC to Questar), the MKAS2 will be used through 2015-2016 as the primary assessment for third grade gate decisions.
b. State Annual Testing: Students in grades 3-8 take an annual, end-of-year test in English Language Arts and math. In 2014-2015, Mississippi used the PARCC exam, which featured both an end-of-year exam and an additional test called the Performance-Based Assessment. These two assessments will not be administered again in Mississippi. In 2015-2016, Mississippi will use the Questar test, which is only an end-of-year test. Students in grades 5 and 8 take an end-of-year test in science called the Mississippi Science Test. In grades 9-12, students take end-of-course exams in Algebra I, English II, US History, and Biology I; these exams are factored into students' grades for the courses, which students must pass to graduate. (Students who take Algebra I as eighth graders take the exam in the eighth grade. For these students, they must take both the eighth grade math test and the Algebra I test in the same year.)
c. ACT: Mississippi now administers the ACT to every high school junior in the state.
This preliminary review left us with a lot of unanswered questions, particularly about district-mandated tests and the time schools spend doing test-related activities outside of actual test administration. Before we can make policy recommendations about testing, we realized we needed a better understanding of what testing looks like from the classroom level across Mississippi. Our search for more information gave rise to Mississippi First's new testing research project which will take an in-depth look at testing practices in four Mississippi school districts. The districts, which will remain anonymous in the final report, are spread across Mississippi and represent both high- and low-performing districts. Our methodology includes district surveys, testing documentation (such as testing calendars) collection, and teacher focus groups. Mississippi First has already completed data collection at two of the four districts and expects to complete data collection at the other two districts by the end of November 2015.
Once the research concludes, we will use it to make informed policy recommendations to education leaders and policymakers in the state, including district superintendents, state education officials, and legislators. Already, the results are fascinating, and we believe the project will lead to meaningful and realistic recommendations. The complete report is scheduled for release in January 2016.
To donate to the testing project, go to http://www.mississippifirst.org/donate/. To request that Mississippi First add your district to future project phases, send an email to MacKenzie Stroh Hines at email@example.com with the subject line "Testing Research."
[1] This does not include time devoted to test prep, only time students spend actually taking tests.
[2] We focus on tests that every child in a particular grade might take, as opposed to tests administered to only a subset of students, such as tests for English language learners, or that might be voluntary, such as AP tests in high school.
One Comment on "MSF Launches Research Project on Testing in Mississippi Public Schools"
Looking forward to this research, believing that independent research lends itself to less bias informed empirical evidence. T


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BlizzCon Virtual Ticket Adding More Content But Not Increasing Price
Virtual Ticket buyers will get to see lots more content this year.
As is the case basically every year, BlizzCon 2017 is completely sold out for physical tickets. But you don't necessarily have to miss out on the event, as the BlizzCon Virtual Ticket is coming back this year, and the good news is Blizzard is adding more content to the package--and not raising the price. The cost is staying at $40.
This year's Virtual Ticket includes access to every single BlizzCon stage, not just a limited selection as was the case in previous years. The streams will include things like developer panels, community contests, art demonstrations, question-and-answer sessions, and the closing ceremony, among other things. The opening ceremony and BlizzCon's eSports events are free for everyone.
People who pick up the BlizzCon 2017 Virtual Ticket will also receive access to the BlizzCon All Access Channel, which Blizzard says gives viewers a "guided tour through the whole convention." This includes "behind-the-scenes action and areas like the Darkmoon Faire and Hearthstone Tavern, in-depth interviews with developers, community personalities, pro players, casters, and more."
"BlizzCon is a huge community event for us," Blizzard head of community development Saralyn Smith said in an interview recently. "We almost think of it as the biggest thank you we can give to the best gaming community in the world.
"Increasingly, our community is experiencing BlizzCon online. Year over year, we're having more people tune in virtually, so naturally we've been thinking about how we bring more and more of BlizzCon to than virtual audience."
Asked specifically about if there would be a price increase, Smith said this won't be the case. "We wanted to add value this year, so the price is the same as when we originally launched the Virtual Ticket," Smith explained.
If you get the BlizzCon 2017 Virtual Ticket, you also get the following content delivered in the eight weeks leading up to the show in November:
- Esports updates, so you can keep up with all the action.
- New video content every week for the entire BlizzCon season (8 weeks leading up to the convention).
- BlizzCon season includes on-demand content for Virtual Ticket holders, available on www.blizzcon.com, plus some free videos.
- The first episodes of the following series are available on day one:
- Advanced Cosplay: Follow experienced cosplay artists Jackie Craft and Jordan Duncan as they build their costumes and prepare for a journey to BlizzCon 2017.
- Inside the Blizzard Vault: Journey into the top-secret Blizzard Vault, where we preserve original art and important relics from Blizzard's history.
- Casual Cosplay: Discover how to create laid-back cosplay looks—a perfect starting point for those who want to dip their toe into the cosplay world.
- Artist's Journey: Blizzard artists share their stories and show their craft in action.
- …plus more to come in the weeks ahead!
And as was the case in recent years, Virtual Ticket owners will receive in-game content for Blizzard games such as Overwatch, Hearthstone, Heroes of the Storm, Diablo III, StarCraft II, and World of Warcraft. Note that the WoW goodie will become available when Virtual Tickets go on sale, while the rest will presumably come later.
BlizzCon 2017, the 11th iteration of the show, runs November 3-4 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. We'll report back with all the news from the show as it's announced.
Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email email@example.com


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Great job weatherman Lucas!
It all looks good for 5/6SC's BBQ on Monday.
However, I am not keen on the expected rain for the weekend.
Yeah it is going be a wet weekend!🌧
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Fashion & Accessories
Fashion and AccessoriesStyle and beauty have become inseparable parts of modern life. We are glad to offer you outstanding design and functionality in our responsive templates. Please take a look at live demo to see all the features by your own eyes.
New Runway Fashion Prestashop 1.7 Theme to make your webstore look even better. Functional theme with laconic design will enhance the beauty of your products. Try it, use it, enjoy it!
Simplicity. Glamour. Sophistication. These are the key notes we used while creating our newest responsive template. Jewelry Prestashop 1.6 Responsive Theme is meant for, well, jewelry stores unsurprisingly, but it's minimalistic enough to shine with any type of store. Have a look for yourself.
Any retailer running web stores on Prestashop 1.7 finds a new fashion theme rather stunning. Combining contemporary design, functionality, and simplicity, fashion theme gets your online shop prominent while the new built-in module called columns configurator compiles with customers' requests.
Any accessories web store is distinctive by design concept including simplicity and purity of images. Having applied a new Bejewelry Prestashop Responsive 1.6 theme, your clients will not be able to withstand the temptation to ransack your shop.
Amazing responsive Luxury Jewelry Prestashop 1.6 Theme will fit every jewelry business owner and will make website look glorious. Represent your products in the best way and enjoy the flexibility of the current theme. Perfect design plus rich functionality - that is the best combination for successful e-commerce.
Some people think that sunglasses are just an element that helps to protect eyes from straight and bright sun rays. But we can argue with that. Nowadays it's one of the most popular fashion accessory that became indispensable part of look and style. So you will rarely meet the person who doesn't use sunglasses at present time.
What do you expect from the online store that sells fashion clothes and accessories? I think that is a full and clear perception of the product. When a customer is 100% sure that the certain item perfectly suits him, he has no doubts whether to buy it.
THESHOP is the right choice of a theme for stores selling apparel and accessories. The theme's main strength is its powerful UI. On home page a customer can see Static banners and follow one to open a category. The theme is well adapted for mobile devices.
+ Bonus PSD included! + Extended User Guide by the link below.
Custom shoes, mass-produced shoes, simple shoes, any shoes. Put all of your shoes online with our new Shoes Store template. Or fill it with any other products – it looks good enough to contain any kind of stuff.
Glam Prestashop 1.6 Responsive Template perfectly suits for selling trendy clothes and fashion items. Minimalistic design and combination of soothing colors look stylish and serve as a perfect background to set off the store items.
Apparel and accessories stores – Rejoice! Our newest template yet is made specifically for you! Responsive, good-looking and functional. Easy to install and configure. Though don't ignore it with other store content – it'll make any product look good!
Mainly in pink and grey, our new Underwear Prestashop 1.6 Responsive Theme brings all essentials for an online lingerie store. Perfect colors combination and beautiful graphics with slideshow enhance visual effect and exquisite display.


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Thursday, June 24, 2010
Joe's Pizza Project: South of the Border
Although Food Network has since been reinstated, Top Chef on Bravo is definitely a favorite of mine. Are there any Top Chef fans out there? I make a point to route for the wacky and slightly obnoxious contestants each season. Spike Mendelsohn from Season 4 was pretty fabulous. On top of working in world-renowned restaurants and opening his own eateries, he contributes to a variety of other food outlets, like food2.com and Food and Wine Magazine.
I found this healthy recipe for MEXICAN PIZZA in the latest Food and Wine. It's part nachos, part pizza and totally delicious. Pizza is the greatest after-work dinner. It comes together so quickly. My freezer is a stock pile of frozen whole wheat pizza dough from Whole Foods. If I'm looking for a quick fix dinner, pizza always fits the bill.
Instead of sauce, the Mexican pizza base is a delicious puree of black beans, roasted red peppers and spices. I was amazed at how much the puree tasted like refried beans with only a few vegetarian ingredients and very little salt. I was also surprised at how little cheese you needed to make this feel like a pizza. When I was looking at 3 ounces of grated cheese on my cutting board, I was tempted to grate more before even topping the dough with it. It just didn't look like enough cheese. But, you really don't need any more than that. The puree was rich enough without globs of cheese too.
The bean puree looks like a lot when you're spreading it on the dough. I was afraid the pizza wouldn't crisp up, so I shorted the beans. Next time, I'll go for the whole amount. The pizza was a little dry where the beans were spread too thin. I'll go for the gusto and follow what the Spike man says next time.
I did change up the method slightly. I abhor anything that resembles a stewed tomato. There's something about a wet, mushy tomato where the skins are all sliding off that just gives me the skeeves. Spike recommends topping the pizza with some chopped cherry tomatoes before cooking it. To avoid the soggy tomato situation, I threw the tomatoes on for the last 5 minutes of cooking so they softened up and heated through but still held their shape; just a personal preference.
The creamy beans with salty olives and cool sour cream make for a great combination of flavors and textures. It was "mexicany" without being an over-the-top, in your face, burrito fest. I cut the pizza in 8 slices (2 per person). I have to literally wrap up the leftovers and put them in the fridge before I even sit down to eat so I'm not tempted to over-do it.
* Get cooking. Let me know what you think. Love it? Hate it? I'm interested in hearing your feedback and suggestions.
5 comments:
I'm sorry but I abhor that photo. Maybe it's because I'm not "Mexicany" when it comes to pizza. But I don't care where you are in reference to the border, pizza is not supposed to have creamed bean paste spread on it. Blehhh.ReplyDelete
HA! Fair enough. I thought it was pretty creative and delicious, but to each their own!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJune 29, 2010 at 2:05 PM
Well, I think it looks (and sounds) delicious. I made a similar pizza awhile ago and it was one of the best things I've ever eaten. I say too bad for the people who aren't willing to be experimental when it comes to pizza. They're missing on some delicious treats.ReplyDelete
I actually blogged this recipe yesterday. I thought it was a fantastic pizza! I've been trying to incorporate more vegetarian dinners, and this is one I know I'll be making again soon. To the person who said they abhor it, who says pizza is not supposed to be like this one? Pizza can be whatever you want it to be, that's what's so great about it!ReplyDelete
Having eaten at Spike's restaurant in DC several times, I was surprised at all the healthy recipes he had in that issue of Food & Wine. I definitely do not feel healthy after eating there, but it sure is tasty. :)
Thanks for all of the positive feedback!ReplyDelete


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July 18, 2012
July 17, 2012
July 16, 2012
July 15, 2012
Fordham University BS '11 MBA '12
You're welcome. Great work!
Thanks for becoming a fan, Thomas! How are you liking writing for B/R? By the way, I really like your recent article on why it takes 8 men to win a championship. I was drawn to it at first by the image with Kobe and Nash because I'm a Lakers fan and, as you may imagine, stoked about the addition. Anyway, thanks again!


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Table 1-1.DSN Telephone Network Precedence System
Figure 1-3.Example of a telefax address label.
Aerographers Mate, Module 04-Environmental Communications and Administration
Page Navigation
Telephone Equipment
Most weather offices are equipped with multi-line
telephones to handle normal business. Multi-line
telephones contain six or more buttons in addition to the
normal keypad. Depressing a button will switch the
telephone to the number shown by the lighted button.
Incoming calls activate a flashing light corresponding
to the number of the incoming call. Normally, these
telephones are on unprotected circuits, and classified
information may not be discussed.
telephones are found in many
offices, and just about every weather activity has at least
one telephone
send and receive terminal.
Telephone Unit-Third Generation (STU-III) is a
system that meets the need for the
protection of vital and sensitive information over a
telephone system. The STU-III is a compact, self-
contained, desktop unit capable of providing the user
with both clear as well as secure voice and data
transmissions (fig. 1-2). The STU-III is unique in that it
works as an ordinary telephone and as a secure
telephone network to other STU-III terminals. STU-III
equipment may be used to provide secure
on all commercial and military
telephone networks. Full feature STU-III telephone
terminals are equipped with modems that also allow
clear and secure data transfer. However, some
telephone networks do not provide the high-quality,
low-noise circuits necessary for data transmission.
The STU-III is operated the same way as any
regular telephone. That is, you pick up the handset, wait
for a dial tone, and then dial the number of the person
you want to call. Calls on the STU-III are always
initiated in the clear voice mode. Once the party you
have called (at another STU-III terminal) has answered,
you have the option of talking to that person in the clear
voice or secure voice mode.
The STU-III terminal uses special keys with a
designator of KSD-64A. The KSD-64A is a plastic
device that resembles an ordinary key. Two types of
KSD-64A keys are used with the STU-III, the seed key
and the crypto ignition key (CIK). The seed key is
special keying material used for the initial electronic
setup of the terminal. The CIK is used by the operator to
activate the secure mode. CIKs work only on the STU-
III that they are issued with, and are unusable on all
other terminals. More than one CIK may be issued with
a terminal.
Calls are always initiated in the clear voice mode,
exactly the same as a normal telephone call. For users to
go from clear to secure voice transmission, both the
calling and the receiving STU-III terminals must have
the CIK inserted and turned a quarter turn clockwise.
Then either caller may initiate the secure mode by
pressing the "SECURE" button. Once a secure link has
been initiated, the two STU-III terminals begin
Figure 1-2.STU-III terminal.
Privacy Statement
Press Release
© Copyright Integrated Publishing, Inc.. All Rights Reserved. Design by


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Bone grafting is often closely associated with dental restorations such as dental implants. In the majority of cases, the success of a restoration procedure can hinge on the height, depth, and width of the jawbone at the implant site. When the jawbone has receded or sustained significant damage, the implant(s) cannot be supported on this unstable foundation and bone grafting is usually recommended for the ensuing restoration.
There are several major factors that affect jaw bone volume:
Initially, Dr. Saxe will thoroughly examine the affected area in order to assess the general condition of the teeth and gums. If periodontal disease is present or the adjacent teeth are in poor condition, these factors will be fully addressed before the bone grafting procedure can begin. Dr. Saxe will also recommend panoramic x-rays in order to assess the precise depth and width of the existing bone. On occasion, a CAT scan may be recommended to determine the bone condition.
What Does Bone Grafting Involve?
There are several types of bone grafts. Dr. Saxe will determine the best type for your particular condition.
Autogenous Bone Graft - Harvested from the patient's own body (usually from the posterior part of the lower jaw or the chin). This method is usually preferred because it produces the most predictable results.
Allograft Bone Graft - Cadaver or synthetic bone is used in this type of graft.
Xenograft - Cow bone is used in this type of graft.
The bone grafting procedure can often take several months to complete. Bone is typically harvested from your own body (or on rare occasions obtained from a "bone bank") and added to the affected site. This bone will fuse with the existing bone and the migration of cells will cause firm adhesion and cell growth. Supplementing the jaw with bone will result in greater bone mass to help support and anchor the implant(s).
During the surgery, Dr. Saxe will numb the grafting and extraction sites using local anesthetic. A small incision will be made to prepare the site for the new bone and it will be anchored into place. On occasion, a synthetic membrane may be used to cover the new bone. This membrane prevents soft tissue and bacterial invasions, and encourages new bone growth.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, please contact the office of Dr. Steven A. Saxe, D.M.D. in Las Vegas, NV via email or call (702)258-0085
-Anonymous 3/27/2013
Highly professional! Exceptional care!!
-Zachary Murdock 3/26/2013
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18 Nov Thread #68: The Big Picture
Posted at 00:00h in Podcast, Thread, Thread Season 2 0 Comments
It seems like the church in many places today has gone off message. Or maybe it is better to say that we have lost our core message from God and are scrambling around to find something that will appeal to the world and make them like us. Personal happiness, healthy marriages, success in life–all these are important things but are just an extension of the general "me-focus" that has poisoned the world anyway.
What was the core message of the ancient Christian movement? That message cut through all the clutter and caused even emperors to sit back and listen.


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A pioneer of colour photography in the 1960s, photographer John Bulmer began his photographic career in Cambridge, where along with Peter Laurie Brendan Lehane and Adrian Bridgewater they founded Image. The magazine's aim was to provide its photographers with experience to work as professional photographers in London and Bulmer duly joined the Daily Express in 1960.
Bulmer was a devotee of the new photographic technology and quickly embraced the 35mm format. This enabled him to work with greater flexibility and faster than his other Fleet Street colleagues who were still shooting on Rollei cameras.
From the Express, Bulmer started freelancing for Man about Town, later renamed Town, working alongside Terence Donovan, David Bailey and Don McCullin and it was here that he shot one of his most celebrated works on the North of England and in particular his documentary of the town, Nelson.
Tag Archives: Photography
Les étranges photos de Vera Lutter
Les étranges photos de Vera Lutter
Vera Lutter, à la galerie Xippas (jusqu'au 24 octobre) mérite d'être mieux connue en France. Elle réalise des photos camera obscura de très grand format, la chambre étant en fait un caisson ou un conteneurainer placé in situ et la photographie finale étant aux dimensions mêmes de cette chambre. Le container est positionné devant des paysages urbains ou industriels, l'objectif reste ouvert du matin au soir, et l'image ainsi impressionnée est révélée en général chaque soir. L'artiste se trouve dans le container, observant la lumière qui impressionne le film, réglant la luminosité et prenant des pages et des pages de notes sur son expérience : on pourrait s'approcher de la performance, mais ces notes, jusqu'ici, restent confidentielles, ne sont pas exposées, et le travail de Vera Lutter se veut photographique avant d'être conceptuel.
Charles Gatewood photography show in San Francisco
Charles Gatewood photography show in San Francisco
For four decades, Charles Gatewood has trained his camera on underground scenes, from the Beats and the dark alleys of 1970s Mardi Gras to modern primitives and extreme sexual fetishists. He is a photographic anthropologist at the fringes of Western culture.
Scenes from the Violent Twilight of Oil
Scenes from the Violent Twilight of Oil (Slideshow)
Oil may be making its long goodbye, but twilight or not, the Oil Age still defines our world.
Impression du jour
0815 Impression du jour
Source: A Chronicle of New York's Darks and Lights, Captured by Savvy Street Photographers (NYT)
Command a Room Like a Man
I can only think of one person who would find this post useful (and in the same time remotely flattering) but I doubt he's a reader of fireEXIT. Be that as it may the reason this feed caught my attention was that the photo looked so very familiar and yet I had never seen it before.
Credits (and more) here.
We've probably all seen those men who can enter any room and instantly command it. I'm not talking about the loud and boisterous dolt who makes a scene with obnoxious alpha-male jackassery. I'm talking about the man who exudes a silent magnetic charisma that electrifies the entire room just by his presence. People feel better when this type of man is around and they want to be near him.
The benefits of being able to walk into any social situation and completely own it are innumerable. The man who can command a room is more persuasive in his business presentations, easily meets and makes friends, and attracts more women. While many men are born with the ability to charismatically command a room, it can also be learned. Below we've provided a few tips to get you started on being El Capitan of any social or professional situation.
Walk in boldly. Many men walk into a room timidly because they don't want to appear presumptions or self-important. While you shouldn't barge into people's home, once you're invited in, walk in with a bit of pep in your step. You're supposed to be there, so act like it.
Theodore Roosevelt was a master at walking into a room boldly. In 1881, Roosevelt was elected to the New York Assembly at the age of 23. Accounts from fellow assemblymen on Roosevelt's first day in office all describe the impressive entrance of the young man. (…)
More photos by Nat Farbman here. I found the details in a couple of them particularly spooky.
The Evolution of the College Dorm
The Evolution of the College Dorm
From the monastic rooms of world's first campuses to today's luxury residence halls, TIME examines the ever-changing ways that students live.
Watch the slideshow here.


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I. Restoration of Civil/Firearms Rights
A. Civil Rights
"Persons who are incarcerated in a correctional facility due to a felony conviction" may not vote. Mass. Const. Amend. Art. 3 (as amended in 2000). A person sentenced to imprisonment for a federal or state felony forfeits any public office he currently holds. Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 279, § 30. Otherwise, conviction presumably does not affect the right to run for and hold future public office.
B. Jury service
Persons are disqualified if convicted of a felony within the past seven years, or in the custody of a correctional institution (including misdemeanants). Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 234A, § 4(7). The right to serve on a jury is automatically restored seven years after completion of sentence for felony offenders, and upon release for misdemeanants. However, a person convicted of a felony may still be challenged on voir dire.
C. Firearms
Anyone convicted in any jurisdiction of a felony or serious misdemeanor, or of a violation of any drug law, may not obtain a license to carry a firearm, or a rifle or shotgun. Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 131(d)(i) (prohibition applies to anyone "convicted or adjudicated a youthful offender or delinquent child for the commission of (a) a felony; (b) a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for more than two years; (c) a violent crime as defined in section 121; (d) a violation of any law regulating the use, possession, ownership, transfer, purchase, sale, lease, rental, receipt or transportation of weapons or ammunition for which a term of imprisonment may be imposed; or (e) a violation of any law regulating the use, possession or sale of controlled substances . . .") Any person prohibited from obtaining a license under § 131(d)(i), except someone convicted of trafficking in a controlled substance or a violent offense, may be issued a Firearm Identification Card necessary to possess a rifle or shotgun five years after conviction or release from confinement, whichever is later. ch. 140, § 129B(1). Sealing does not remove state firearm disabilities. ch. 140, § 122; Rzeznik v. Chief of Police of Southampton 373 N.E.2d 1128, 1132 (Mass. 1978). Partial restoration of state firearms rights is insufficient to relieve the federal bar in 18 U.S.C. §922(g). See Caron v. United States, 524 U.S. 308 (1998).
II. Discretionary Restoration Mechanisms
A. Executive pardon
The pardon power, except in cases of impeachment, is vested in the governor, who may grant a pardon only with the advice and consent of the Governor's Council. Mass. Const. pt. 2, ch. II, sec. I, art. VIII. The Massachusetts Governor's Council, also known as the Executive Council, is composed of eight individuals elected from districts statewide, and the lieutenant governor who serves ex officio. Mass. Const. pt. 2, ch. II, sec. III, art. I, amended by Mass. Const Amend. Art. 16. If the offense is a felony, "the general court [i.e., legislature] shall have power to prescribe the terms and conditions upon which a pardon may be granted." Art. VIII, supra. Public reporting:
The governor shall, at the end of each calendar year, transmit to the general court [legislature] . . . a list of pardons granted with the advice and consent of the council during such calendar year, together with action of the advisory board of pardons concerning each such pardon, and together with a list of any revocations of pardons made under this section.
Every petition must be filed with the Parole Board, acting as the Advisory Board of Pardons, which makes recommendation to the governor and Council. Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 127, § 152. The Advisory Board sends all favorable recommendations to the governor, who may accept them only if the Council approves. Id. See also Ladetto v. Comm'r of Correction 369 N.E.2d 967 (1977) (requiring "concurrent exercise" of pardon power by both governor and Council). The Advisory Board functions as "gatekeeper," and effectively also has a veto over pardon cases insofar as it does not send the governor ones it disapproves. ch. 127, § 154. The Parole Board is composed of seven members appointed by the governor to five-year terms. The Board is composed of full-time salaried employees; the chair is chosen by the governor. ch. 27, § 4. An overview of the pardon process is available at http://www.mass.gov/eopss/law-enforce-and-cj/parole/exec-clemency-unit/executive-clemency-overview.html.
Shortly after assuming office in 2015, Governor Charlie Baker rescinded all clemency guidelines put in place by his predecessor, Governor Deval Patrick, including those implementing special procedures for "particularly meritorious clemency petitions." 1 Under Governor Baker's new guidelines, the waiting period remains the same (5 years for misdemeanors; 10 for felonies), but the standards for consideration have changed significantly. See Office of the Governor, Executive Clemency Guidelines 4 (Dec. 10, 2015), available at http://www.mass.gov/eopss/law-enforce-and-cj/parole/exec-clemency-unit/executive-clemency-overview.html; "Standards for consideration," infra.
The Baker clemency guidelines are analyzed in this article: William Cosmas, Jr., A Clear View of a Narrower Path: Examining the Baker Pardon Guidelines, Boston Bar Journal, May 11, 2017, https://bostonbarjournal.com/2017/05/11/a-clear-view-of-a-narrower-path-examining-the-baker-pardon-guidelines/
The governor, upon granting a pardon, orders the records of a state conviction sealed; thereafter, the records of the conviction may not be accessed by the public, and its existence may be denied for most purposes. Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 127, § 152.
Such sealed records shall not disqualify a person in any examination, appointment or application for employment or other benefit, public or private, including, but not limited to, licenses, credit or housing, nor shall such sealed record be admissible in evidence or used in any way in any court proceeding or hearing before any board, commission or other agency except in imposing sentence in subsequent criminal proceedings and when a person has subsequently been charged with certain crimes against the person.
Id. An applicant may deny the existence of the conviction on an application for employment, or in any other circumstance, and licensing authorities are prohibited from disqualifying the application based on his record. "The attorney general and the person so pardoned may enforce the provisions of this paragraph by an action commenced in the superior court department of the trial court." Id.
Standards for consideration
The Advisory Board of Pardons considers favorably where a petitioner establishes, by clear and convincing evidence:
- a specific compelling need for such pardon relief;
- a substantial period of good citizenship subsequent to the criminal offense for which such pardon relief is requested, and
- that the ends of justice will be served by the granting of such pardon relief.
120 Mass. Code Regs. 902.01. The Clemency Guidelines, supra at 2, describe pardon as an "extraordinary remedy … mainly intended to remove barriers that are sometimes associated with a criminal record, thereby facilitating the reintegration of the petitioner into his or her community."
"Absent compelling circumstances, a petitioner seeking a pardon should demonstrate both good citizenship and a verified, compelling need." Clemency Guidelines, supra at 3. "Good citizenship means living a responsible and productive life and contributing to one's community in a positive manner." Id. at 4. In determining good citizenship, the Board "should make all reasonable efforts to investigate and verify, among other things:"
- Whether the petitioner has been the subject of any civil lawsuit, including any restraining order, during the period of claimed good citizenship;
- the circumstances surrounding any criminal charge that resulted in a noll prosequi, dismissal, or finding of not guilty.
Id. at 4. Denial of employment or licensure based on conviction may suffice to demonstrate a "compelling need" with appropriate documentation (including evidence that a pardon would likely result in issuance of a license and/or an explanation as to why sealing is not an adequate remedy for employment denial). Id. Denial of a firearms license may also demonstrate a compelling need if certain conditions are met, including 15 years without certain violent/civil rights convictions. Id. Petitions based on firearms licenses must also include a letter from licensing authority stating that a pardon would result in issuance. Id. Where a petitioner has other adequate administrative or judicial remedies, such as sealing, the need for a pardon will not generally meet the "compelling" standard." Id.
The Clemency Guidelines list and explain the following general factors to be considered in executive clemency determinations:
- Nature and circumstances of the offense
- Character and behavior of the petitioner
- Acceptance of responsibility
- Pending appeals and other litigation
- Restitution to victims
- Substantial assistance to law enforcement
- Military, public, or charitable service
- Prior petitions
The Board "shall not review the proceedings of the trial court, and shall not consider any questions regarding the correctness, regularity or legality of such proceedings, but shall confine itself solely to matters which properly bear upon the propriety of the extension of clemency to the petitioner." Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 127, § 154.
The regulations provide for a public hearing that is a matter of public record, and decision by a majority of the Board. 120 Mass. Code Regs. § 902.02-.12. The application form can be found at http://www.mass.gov/eopss/docs/pb/2016pardonpetition-finalwithforms.pdf. The Parole Board must process applications in accordance with procedures set out in Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 127, § 154, which include referral to concerned officials (including the attorney general, district attorney, and the sentencing court) for recommendation, and notice to the victim. 120 Mass. Code Regs. §§ 902.05, 400.04. See also Clemency Guidelines, supra at 2 (Board required to solicit input from victim, DA, and law enforcement). If an application has merit under statute and Clemency Guidelines, a hearing will be scheduled. 120 Mass. Code Regs. § 902.06. (Proposed denials also go to governor.) Hearing procedures are the same as in a parole hearing under tit. 120 Mass. Code Regs. § 301.06. Id. at § 902.08. Hearings may be conducted by a panel of the Advisory Board or by a single member. Id. at § 902.09(1). The panel reports to the full Board, which in turn sends its recommendations to the governor and Governor's Council. Id. at § 902.10. The majority gives reasons, as does any dissenting minority. Id.
The Board must make its recommendation to the governor within 10 weeks of original submission, unless a hearing is deemed by the Board to be required, and in no case more than six months. Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 127, § 154. Sensitive parts of a recommendation may be kept confidential, but "in all cases a statement containing the facts of the crime or crimes for which a pardon or commutation is sought, the sentence or sentences received, together with all conclusions and recommendations shall be made public when the report is submitted." Id. A second level of review is in the Council. If no action is taken within a year, the application will be deemed denied. 120 Mass. Code Regs. 902.12(2). See also Clemency Guidelines, supra, at 6 (if governor takes no action on a recommended denial within 90 days, the application is deemed denied).
Under Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 127, § 152, once a petition is filed with Parole Board it becomes a public record.
Payment for assistance in obtaining a pardon is prohibited, except for proper legal services. Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 127, § 166. Representatives must register with the state secretary, stating that services are only legal, and detailing those services. ch. 127, § 167. Violation is a criminal offense. ch. 127, § 168.
The governor may revoke a pardon if there is a misstatement of fact in the application, or if it was procured by fraud or misrepresentation. Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 127, § 152.
Frequency of Grants
Pardons in Massachusetts have been rare in recent years, only 57 since 1990. See William Cosmas, Jr., From Here to Clemency: Navigating the Massachusetts Pardon Process, Boston Bar Journal, April 22, 2015, https://bostonbarjournal.com/2015/04/22/from-here-to-clemency-navigating-the-massachusetts-pardon-process/. Governor Baker has issued no pardons since taking office in 2015. Governor Patrick approved four pardons on November 10, 2014, the first grants during his tenure, and the first since 2002. All of the recipients had been out of prison for a number of years.2 Patrick also approved one commutation, for a woman serving a 7 ½ year sentence for drug distribution. Two more pardons followed just before Patrick left office in 2015, including one to True-See Allah, who was convicted of armed assault with attempt to murder for his participation in a 1989 shooting that left the victim paralyzed for life. See Maria Cramer, As 2 felons earn pardons, time for others runs short, Boston Globe, https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/01/02/true-see-allah-granted-pardon-vote-governor-council/yO6t9mXHlGwIfNGgKA70AK/story.html (Jan. 2, 2015). The trend toward fewer grants in Massachusetts started in the 1990s under Governor William Weld. Governor Mitt Romney issued no pardons during his tenure, Governor Swift granted seven pardons, and Governor Cellucci granted 20.
Julie Ching Pease
Executive Clemency Unit, Massachusetts Board of Parole
12 Mercer Road
Natick, MA 01760
phone: 508-650-4542
email: email@example.com
B. Judicial sealing and expungement
1. Sealing of misdemeanors and felonies
With certain exceptions, including firearms offenses, crimes by public officials, and crimes "against public justice" such as perjury and resisting arrest convicted persons are entitled to have their records sealed upon application to the department of probation if they can demonstrate a period of law-abiding conduct: 5 years for a misdemeanor and 10 years for a felony. Mass. Gen. Law ch. 276, § 100A.3 Records of conviction for decriminalized offenses may be sealed immediately "except in cases where the elements of the offense continue to be a crime under a different designation." Id.4 Sex offenses are subject to a 15-year eligibility period. Firearms offenses, crimes by public officials and employees, and crimes "against public justice" such as perjury, witness tampering and resisting arrest, are never eligible for sealing.
Effect of sealing
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 276, § 100A describes the effect of sealing:
Such sealed records shall not operate to disqualify a person in any examination, appointment or application for public service in the service of the commonwealth or of any political subdivision thereof; nor shall such sealed records be admissible in evidence or used in any way in any court proceedings or hearings before any boards or commissions, except in imposing sentence in subsequent criminal proceedings . . . .5
Sealing does not expunge a record, however, and it remains available to law enforcement authorities. Sealing does not restore state firearm disabilities. ch. 140, § 122; Rzeznik v. Chief of Police, 373 N.E.2d 1128 (Mass. 1978). The purpose of the statute is rehabilitative, to ensure privacy after a period of time, not to defeat law enforcement interests. See Com. v. Doe 648 N.E.2d 1255, 1258 (Mass. 1995) (statutes "protect individuals from unnecessary and overbroad dissemination of criminal record information"). The records of conviction of public officials and employees may not be sealed. ch. 276, § 100A.
Standard for sealing
In 1995, relying on precedent upholding a First Amendment right to access court records, Massachusetts Supreme Court held that records of closed criminal cases may be sealed by a court only if there has been an individualized finding that sealing is necessary to effectuate a compelling state interest. Com. v. Doe, 420 Mass. 142, 648 N.E.2d 1255 (1995). Some two decades later, the Massachusetts high court held that a lower standard of "good cause" was more appropriate in light of the concerns expressed by the legislature in intervening years about "the negative impact of criminal records on the ability of former criminal defendants to reintegrate into society." See Com. v. Pon, 469 Mass. 296, 297 (2014). The Pon court noted several legislative developments in the intervening years that weighed against adhering to the strict standard announced in Doe:
Since our Doe decision in 1995, there have been significant changes in the availability of CORI records. These changes indicate a strong legislative policy of providing the public, and particularly employers and housing providers, with access to certain criminal records in order to make sound decisions while also enabling the sealing of criminal records where so doing would not present public safety concerns. . . . First, the Legislature extended access to official CORI records to a broader group, creating several tiers of access. Second, the Legislature implemented procedural protections for defendants seeking employment by limiting when employers may ask about criminal history and requiring employers to share criminal history information with applicants. . . . Third, the Legislature made changes to the sealing provisions by enabling earlier automatic sealing under G.L. c. 276, § 100A, and expanding discretionary sealing to a broader class of nonconvictions.
Given these clearly expressed legislative concerns regarding the deleterious effects of criminal records on employment opportunities for former criminal defendants, and the explicit expansion of opportunities for sealing to minimize the adverse impact of criminal records, it is apparent that the test articulated in Doe, 420 Mass. at 151, serves to frustrate rather than further the Legislature's purpose by imposing too high a burden of proof on the defendant and articulating unhelpful factors for the defendant to determine how to meet his or her burden. Consequently, it is proper for us to revisit the meaning of "substantial justice" to ensure that we are interpreting the statute so as to give effect to present legislative intent.
469 Mass. at 303-305. In assessing whether good cause has been established, a court must balance the public's "general right to know" with the interests of the defendant and the state in keeping the information private. The Pon Court established factors relevant to this good cause balancing test:
At a minimum, judges should evaluate the particular disadvantages identified by the defendant arising from the availability of the criminal record; evidence of rehabilitation suggesting that the defendant could overcome these disadvantages if the record were sealed; any other evidence that sealing would alleviate the identified disadvantages; relevant circumstances of the defendant at the time of the offense that suggest a likelihood of recidivism or of success; the passage of time since the offense and since the dismissal or nolle prosequi; and the nature of and reasons for the particular disposition.
Id. at 316.
Effect in Employment
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 276, § 100A:
An application for employment used by an employer which seeks information concerning prior arrests or convictions of the applicant shall include the following statement: "An applicant for employment with a sealed record on file with the commissioner of probation may answer 'no record' with respect to an inquiry herein relative to prior arrests, criminal court appearances or convictions. An applicant for employment with a sealed record on file with the commissioner of probation may answer 'no record' to an inquiry herein relative to prior arrests or criminal court appearances. In addition, any applicant for employment may answer 'no record' with respect to any inquiry relative to prior arrests, court appearances and adjudications in all cases of delinquency or as a child in need of services which did not result in a complaint transferred to the superior court for criminal prosecution." The attorney general may enforce the provisions of this paragraph by a suit in equity commenced in the superior court.
2. Deferred adjudication ("Continuance without a Finding")
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 278, § 18. Relevant procedure is explained in detail in Commonwealth v. Powell, 453 Mass. 320 (Mass. 2009). Courts (including municipal and juvenile courts) may dismiss a valid indictment, in certain circumstances, after accepting a guilty plea, even over the government's objections, by continuing the case without a finding, and imposing conditions. This disposition avoids prejudice to the Commonwealth by accepting the defendant's guilty plea before placing him on probation, so that a violation of the terms of probation would result in an adjudication of guilt and imposition of sentence. See also Commonwealth v. Cheney, 440 Mass. 568, 571 (2003) (explaining the CWOF procedure).
General "in the interests of justice" standard, but certain offenses are ineligible. See Powell, 453 Mass. at 326, n. 7, 8. In addition, CWOF is not available after trial. See Commonwealth v. Norrell, 423 Mass. 725, 727 (1996).
Information about pending CWOF charges may be obtained on the same basis as final convictions. See Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 6, § 172(a)(3). However, under the 2010 changes to the sealing laws, immediate sealing is allowed in CWOF cases once probation has been successfully completed. See 2010 Mass. Acts ch. 256, § 131 (amending Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 276, § 100C), available at http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/seslaw10/sl100256.htm.
3. Pretrial Diversion
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 276A, § 2 et seq. authorizes pretrial diversion for first offenders between the ages of 17 and 21.
4. Juvenile records
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 120, § 21:
Whenever a person committed to the department by a court upon conviction of a crime is discharged from its control such discharge shall, when so ordered by the department, restore such person to all civil rights and shall have the effect of setting aside the conviction. The conviction of such a person shall not operate to disqualify him for any future examination, appointment or application for public service under the government either of the commonwealth or of any political subdivision thereof . . . . A commitment to the department shall not be received in evidence or used in any way in any proceeding in any court except in subsequent proceedings for waywardness or delinquency against the same child, and except in imposing sentence in any criminal proceeding against the same person.
Records on file with the office of the commissioner of probation must be sealed upon request if 3 years have elapsed since any court appearance or disposition in the case (including commitment supervision, probation and parole), and the person has not been adjudicated delinquent, found guilty of a crime (with exception for some motor vehicle offenses), nor been imprisoned or committed to custody in the preceding 3 years. Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 276, § 100B. Upon sealing by the commissioner, court records are also sealed:
When records of delinquency appearances and delinquency dispositions are sealed by the commissioner in his files, the commissioner shall notify forthwith the clerk and the probation officer of the courts in which the adjudications or dispositions have occurred, or other entries have been made, and the department of youth services of such sealing, and said clerks, probation officers, and department of youth services likewise shall seal records of the same proceedings in their files. ….
Such sealed records of a person shall not operate to disqualify a person in any future examination, appointment or application for public service under the government of the commonwealth or of any political subdivision thereof; nor shall such sealed records be admissible in evidence or used in any way in any court proceedings or hearings before any boards of commissioners, except in imposing sentence for subsequent offenses in delinquency or criminal proceedings.
5. Non-conviction records
Records that do not result in conviction may be sealed if the defendant is found not guilty, or a no bill has been returned by the grand jury, or a finding of no probable cause has been made by the court. Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 276, § 100C.6 Sealing is also available by court order where a case is nol prossed or dismissed if "it appears to the court that substantial justice would best be served." Id.7 See Comm. v. Gavin G, 772 N.E. 2d 1067, 1073-74 (Mass. 2002) (citing Commonwealth v. Doe, 648 N.E. 2d 1255, 1260 (Mass. 1995)) (court may order immediate sealing only if it appears that substantial justice would best be served, and the interests of confidentiality and avoiding harm have specific application to the defendant; otherwise, a defendant denied request for immediate sealing may still request sealing after requisite waiting period specified in § 100A).
Sealed non-conviction records shall not operate to disqualify a person in any examination, appointment or application for public employment in the service of the commonwealth or of any political subdivision thereof. Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 276, § 100C. An application for employment used by an employer which seeks information concerning prior arrests or convictions of the applicant shall include the following statement: "An applicant for employment with a sealed record on file with the commissioner of probation may answer 'no record' with respect to an inquiry herein relative to prior arrests or criminal court appearances." Id.
6. Effect of pardon
Conviction is automatically sealed by pardon. Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 127, § 152; see Section IIA, supra.
III. Nondiscrimination in Licensing and Employment:
A. Fair Employment Practices
Massachusetts' general fair employment practices law makes it unlawful for any covered employer, public or private, to request any information from an employee or applicant for employment about: (1) an arrest without conviction; (2) a first conviction for misdemeanors such as simple assault or minor traffic violations; and (3) any conviction of a misdemeanor that occurred five or more years before the application date. See Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 151B, § 4(9) (It shall be an unlawful practice for an employer "to request any information . . . regarding: (i) an arrest, detention, or disposition regarding any violation of law in which no conviction resulted, or (ii) a first conviction for any of the following misdemeanors: drunkenness, simple assault, speeding, minor traffic violations, affray, or disturbance of the peace, or (iii) any conviction of a misdemeanor where the date of such conviction or the completion of any period of incarceration resulting therefrom, whichever date is later, occurred five or more years prior to the date of such application for employment or such request for information, unless such person has been convicted of any offense within five years immediately preceding the date of such application for employment or such request for information"). The law is enforced by the Massachusetts Commission against Discrimination, and procedures are set forth in Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 151B, § 5.
While Massachusetts' general nondiscrimination law applies only to misdemeanors, a "direct relationship" test applies to consideration of felony convictions in some licensing schemes. See, e.g., Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 112 § 52D ("The board . . . may [discipline] any dentist convicted . . . of a felony related to the practice of dentistry"); ch.112, § 61 (board may discipline holder of medical license for "a criminal offense which is reasonably related to the practice of the profession"); ch. 112, § 189 (real estate appraisers may be disciplined based upon conviction of "a crime which is substantially related to the qualifications, functions, and duties of a person developing appraisals and communicating appraisals to others, or convicted of any felony").
The only general limitation on consideration of a felony conviction by employers and licensing boards is where a person has received a pardon and their record has been sealed. Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 127, § 152.
B. Limitation on Access to Records
Rather than directly limiting consideration of conviction in employment and licensing decisions, Massachusetts limits the availability of conviction-related information through the Criminal Offender Record Information System (CORI). Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 6, §§ 168, 172. The CORI system was reformed in 2010 to increase employer access to records but at the same time to limit the extent to which the employer may inquire into an applicant's criminal record, to change the procedure by which employers may obtain and rely on criminal records, and to give employers who rely on CORI records protection against negligent hiring. See 2010 Mass. Acts, ch. 256, § 21, available at http://www.malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2010/Chapter256. See also Com. v. Pon, discussed supra; Massing, CORI Reform—Providing Ex–Offenders with Increased Opportunities Without Compromising Employers' Needs, 55 Boston B.J. 21, 22, 24 (2011).In general, employers and licensing agencies will not have access to sealed records: five years in the case of misdemeanors and ten years for felonies. See above.8 Section 172 sets both a tiered system of access, with law enforcement and the subject of records given full access; requesters authorized or required by law to obtain criminal history information have access necessary to comply with their obligations; requesters seeking records for employment or licensing purposes (including volunteers) have access to pending charges, felony convictions for 10 years and misdemeanors for five years if there have been no intervening convictions; and members of the general public somewhat more limited access. See § 172 (a)(1)_through (5). Other entities are specifically authorized to obtain records, such as housing authorities and schools, and facilities caring for vulnerable populations. See § 172(a)(6) through (30). Employers and others will still be able to access indefinitely information on certain convictions, including those for murder, voluntary and involuntary manslaughter, and certain sex offenses, unless sealed. § 172(b). Employers who wish to question an applicant about the results of a CORI records check must first provide the applicant with a copy of any criminal record that it has obtained. § 172(c). If the employer decides not to hire an applicant in part or in whole because of the applicant's criminal history record, the employer must, if it has not already done so, provide the applicant with a copy of the record. Id.
C. Protection against Negligent Hiring Liability and Exposure to Discrimination Claims
No employer or person relying on volunteers shall be liable for negligent hiring practices by reason of relying solely on criminal offender record information received from the department and not performing additional criminal history background checks, unless required to do so by law; provided, however, that the employer made an employment decision within 90 days of obtaining the criminal offender record information and maintained and followed policies and procedures for verification of the subject's identifying information consistent with the requirements set forth in this section and in the department's regulations.
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 6, § 172(e). This provision also protects an employer who relies on CORI records from being sued under the nondiscrimination laws based upon erroneous information. Id.9
D. Prohibition on Employer Inquiry into Non-conviction and Misdemeanor records
Under Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 151B, § 4 (9) it is unlawful for an employer to inquire into arrest not resulting in conviction, a first conviction for a variety of misdemeanors ("drunkenness, simple assault, speeding, minor traffic violations, affray, or disturbance of the peace") or any other misdemeanor conviction after five years, unless there are intervening convictions
E. State-wide "Ban-the-Box" Policy
In 2010, public and private employers were made subject to a "ban-the-box policy" that prohibits inquiry into criminal records on an initial job application, unless the particular job is one for which a convicted person is at least presumptively disqualified by law, or the employer "is subject to an obligation imposed by any federal or state law or regulation not to employ persons, in either 1 or more positions, who have been convicted of 1 or more types of criminal offenses." See Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 151B, § 4(9 ½). Even when no exception applies, employers will still have the right to inquire into an applicant's criminal history at any time after the initial application, such as in a job interview.
The City of Boston and several other Massachusetts jurisdictions have adopted even more stringent policies for their vendors and other private contractors, requiring them to determine whether particular positions are sufficiently sensitive to warrant a background check, and obligating them to give reasons to people who are turned down for employment because of their conviction record. Of special significance, Boston's City Council ordinance, effective July 1, 2006, applies not only to hiring in city jobs, but also to the hiring decisions of an estimated 50,000 private vendors who do business with the City. See Ord. 2005 c. 7 (codified at 4-7), available at http://www.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll/Massachusetts/boston/chapterivcontracts?f=templates$fn=default.htm$3.0$vid=amlegal:boston_ma$anc=JD_4-7. The successful campaign to reform Boston's hiring policy was backed by a broad community coalition called the Massachusetts Alliance to Reform CORI (MARC). See Michelle Rodriguez, Beth Avery, National Employment Law Project, Ban the Box 16 (April 2016) available at http://www.nelp.org/content/uploads/Ban-the-Box-Fair-Chance-State-and-Local-Guide.pdf. According to the ordinance, the City of Boston and its vendors cannot conduct a criminal background check as part of their hiring process until the job applicant is found to be "otherwise qualified" for the position. Ord. 2005 c. 7, supra. This critical protection ensures that everyone is first considered for employment based on their actual skills and experience before the employer takes into account the presence or absence of a criminal record. The ordinance also requires that the final employment decision, which includes information about the individual's criminal record, also considers the age and seriousness of the crime and the "occurrences in the life of the Applicant since the crime(s)." Id. In addition, the Boston ordinance creates important appeals rights for those denied employment based on a criminal record and the right to present information related to the "accuracy and/or relevancy" of the criminal record. Id.
F. State Employment Bars
A sweeping bar on employment of people with convictions in state and state-funded human service jobs, issued by Governor Weld in 1996, disqualified certain offenders for life (violent and drug offenders), and others for periods of 10 and 5 years. The bar was modified by Governor Swift in 2001, and further limited by Cronin v. O'Leary, 13 Mass. L. Rptr. 405, 2001 WL 919969 (2001) (striking down lifetime bar on constitutional grounds, and requiring a hearing to determine fitness).
- See Steve LeBlanc, Associated Press, Baker Rescinds Ex-Gov. Patrick's Clemency Guidelines, CBS Boston, http://boston.cbslocal.com/2015/01/15/baker-rescinds-ex-gov-patricks-clemency-guidelines (Jan. 15, 2015). Governor Patrick's guidelines made it easier to obtain a pardon by lowering waiting periods and by fast-tracking petitions where a person made "extraordinary contributions to society." See Executive Guidelines for Particularly Meritorious Clemency Petitions (July 17, 2014), available at http://www.mass.gov/eopss/docs/pb/executive-guidelines-for-particularly-meritorious-clemency-petitions-7-17-14.pdf; Maria Cramer, Governor Patrick may grant his first pardons, Boston Globe, https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/10/09/gov-patrick-says-ready-grant-pardons/bdC51zgZf7QqxAGmiMf4QO/story.html (Oct. 9, 2014). The fast-track guidelines were primarily created to expand consideration for persons unable to demonstrate a "compelling need." See Colleen Quinn, "Board recommends three pardons, Wall sees more coming," WWLP.com (October 3, 2014), http://wwlp.com/2014/10/03/board-recommends-three-pardons-wall-sees-more-coming. Petitioners facing "deportation that is unnecessary for public safety [and] especially harsh or unfair consequences" were also considered for a gubernatorial pardon under those guidelines. See Guidelines for Particularly Meritorious Clemency Petitions, supra.
- The grants are described at http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/11/10/closer-look-governor-deval-patrick-commutation-and-pardons/cIZTlJtROBaMTGiUJZmiZI/story.html?p1=Article_Related_Box_Article. See Karen Young, Clemency for Criminals Increasingly Rare in Mass., Portland Press Herald, July 7, 2012, http://www.pressherald.com/news/Clemency-for-criminals-increasingly-rare-in-Mass.html?pagenum=full
- Prior to May 2012, these time periods were 10 and 15 years. See 2010 Mass. Acts ch. 256, § 128, available at http://www.malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2010/Chapter256.
- Recent low-level marijuana possession convictions are now eligible for sealing with no waiting as a result of decriminalization legislation enacted at the end of 2016. See ch. 94G, § 13(e).
- Exceptions for certain civil family law cases were added to the law in 2010 when the waiting periods to seal convictions were last reduced, including abuse prevention, divorce, paternity, separate support, guardianship, termination of parental rights, and care and protection cases related to a child.
- The automatic sealing provisions of § 100C were held unconstitutional in Globe Newspaper Co. v. Pokaski, 868 F.2d 497, 506-07) (1st Cir., 1989) (sealed records must be made available to media unless there has been an individualized finding that sealing necessary to effectuate compelling governmental interest). In Comm. v. Doe, 420 Mass. 142 (Mass. 1995), the Massachusetts Supreme Court extended the holding of the Pokaski case to judicial sealing of closed criminal cases.
- 2010 amendments to § 100C struck the parenthetical phrase ("except in cases in which an order of probation has been terminated") after "dismissed," to the effect that cases "continued without a finding" may now be sealed immediately upon completion of probation. See 2010 Mass. Acts ch. 256, § 131, available athttp://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/seslaw10/sl100256.htm.
- Prior to the 2010 reforms, criminal justice agencies could see that a sealed record existed, but they needed to petition a court in order to view its contents. See Quirion & Russo, Sealing Criminal Records 8 (Mass. Cont. Legal Educ. 2009).
- See National Employment Law Project, States Adopt Fair Hiring Standards Reducing Barriers to Employment of People with Criminal Records 3 (August 2012), available at http://www.nelp.org/page/-/SCLP/ModelStateHiringInitiatives.pdf?nocdn=1 ("The bill uniquely tackles the issue of inaccurate commercial background screeners by creating an incentive for employers to use the state's criminal history database, which then limits the length of time that criminal history information is available. It also ensures that a denied applicant receives a copy of his or her record, paralleling one component of the federal consumer protection law, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, which applies to commercially-prepared background checks.").
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Financial Accountability at Epic Missions
Because the Lord supplies us with resources for ministry through individual donors, we recognize our accountability both to Him and to our donors. We have a responsibility to be faithful stewards and to maintain integrity and openness in our financial practices. Therefore, we are committed to fulfilling the following standards:
- Our financial statements are prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The organization has conducted a formal third party financial audit for every fiscal year. Financial audits are available upon request.
- Our Board reviews the annual Financial Review.
- We seek to conduct our activities with the highest standards of integrity and to avoid conflicts of interest. Because we believe that it is God's place to prompt a response to our fund-raising appeals, we shun high-pressure or manipulative fund-raising tactics.
- Our fund-raising appeals clearly identify the purpose and programs to which donations will be applied, and we ensure that donations are used for the purposes for which they were raised.
- Our Board has directed that all contributions designated for specific projects shall be applied to those projects. Occasionally, we receive more contributions for a given project than can be wisely applied to that project. When that happens, we use these funds to meet a similar pressing need.
- It is our ministry goal to remain debt free as God provides. We do not believe it is in the best interest of any Christian to be in debt. To that end we paid off all mortgages in 2015!
- Contributions to the ministry are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Epic Missions Inc is fully approved by the United States government as a 501(c)3 not for profit with the IRS. In order to help our donors determine the tax-deductible portion of their gifts, we receipt all donations showing the fair market value of any goods or services provided to the donor.
- We will not operate this ministry with indebtedness that dishonors the cause of Christ and hinders the work of the Gospel. When we make a purchase, we pay the approved invoice as soon as financially possible. We do not intend to use the vendor's money. While we may occasionally borrow funds for capital expenditures, we promptly repay those loans. Exclusions from this rule may be mortgage financing or the financing of major capital purchases such as a vehicle. In those cases we intend to pay back the amount borrowed according to the terms of the loan or sooner.
- Out of respect for individuals' privacy, we do not sell or rent our mailing list to other groups wishing to use the names and addresses of our supporters. We maintain tight security on our list of friends and supporters.