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When it comes to overall health, maintaining stable blood sugar levels is essential. But what are the best ways to do that? And how do you know if your levels are unstable? Today, we're diving into all things blood sugar. Plus, the concept of net carbs. If you didn't know: net carbs and blood sugar are tightly bound. In this article, learn what is a net carb and why it's an important piece of a healthy diet. Whether you're managing diabetes, trying to balance your hormones, or simply want to make informed food choices, net carbs are a powerful tool. Let's delve into the science behind net carbs and discover their endless benefits.
Carbohydrates 101
Before we delve into net carbs, let's briefly touch on carbohydrates. Carbs are one of the three primary macronutrients (along with fats and proteins). They're an essential energy source, fueling everything from physical activities to cognitive function. Carbohydrates are found in various foods, including grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and sugary treats. When we consume carbs, our body breaks them down into glucose (sugar), which is used as energy—immediately or in the future. However, not all carbohydrates are created equal. This is where net carbs come into play.
what are net carbs?
Net carbs refer to the total amount of carbohydrates present in a food, sans dietary fiber and sugar alcohols. Unlike other carbohydrates, the body doesn't fully absorb dietary fiber and sugar alcohols. In turn, they don't significantly impact blood sugar levels. As a result, net carbs provide a more accurate representation of the carbs that affect blood sugar. If you're looking to manage your carbohydrate intake for health reasons, tracking net carbs is quite helpful. After all, it enables you to make more informed food choices.
Dietary Fiber and Sugar Alcohols
To calculate net carbs, we need to consider two important components in most carb-rich foods: dietary fiber and sugar alcohols. Ultimately, the more fiber and alcohol sugars in a food, the lower the total carbs.
Dietary Fiber
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate. However, rather than convert into glucose, fiber passes through the digestive system—relatively unchanged. And this is a good thing! Foods rich in fiber include leafy greens, broccoli, avocados, chia seeds, and whole grains. Since fiber doesn't impact blood sugar levels, it's often subtracted from the total carb count.
Sugar Alcohols
Sugar alcohols are another type of carb. Many sugar-free or low-carb products contain these alcohols. However, they also occur naturally in some foods (like berries). Unlike regular sugar, sugar alcohols are incompletely absorbed by the body. This results in a better blood sugar response. Just like fiber, sugar alcohols are also subtracted from the total carb count.
The Net Carb Formula
Now that you understand net carb basics, let's unveil the simple formula:
Net Carbs = Total Carbs – (Fiber + Sugar Alcohols)
So, if a packaged food has 40 grams carbs but 10 grams fibet, the net carb count is 30 grams carbs. Keep in mind that not all low-carb products are created equal, and it's always best to choose whole, nutrient-dense foods—i.e. fruits, veggies, protein, and healthy fats.
Why Do Net Carbs Matter?
First and foremost, it leads to more stable energy! Secondly, it supports blood sugar management. After all, it reduces the risk of sudden glucose spikes. Thirdly, it aids in overall fullness. By choosing foods with lower net carbs—and more protein and fiber—you will feel more satiated. This is particularly helpful if live a busy lifestyle or you're trying to manage your weight. Last but not least, for those exploring a ketogenic diet, tracking net carbs is fundamental.
Foods high in carbs
So, what are foods with high net carbs? Unfortunately, these ingredients can lead to a rapid increase in blood sugar levels. They may not be suitable if you're trying to manage your blood sugar levels, but it ultimately depends on your lifestyle, genetics, and health goals. A few examples:
White bread: Traditional white bread is notorious for its high net carb content. It can cause a rapid spike in blood sugar levels.
Rice: Most types of rice are relatively high in net carbs (especially when consumed in large quantities).
Potatoes: Potatoes—whether white or sweet—are starchy veggies with a higher net carb count.
Pasta: Traditional pasta is made from refined wheat flour and may lead to a quick rise in blood sugar levels.
Sugary cereals: Many commercial breakfast cereals are loaded with added sugars. This contributes to high net carb content.
Sodas and fruit juices: Sugar-sweetened beverages, including sodas and fruit juices, contain substantial net carbs.
Candies and sweets: Due to their sugar content, candies, chocolates, and sugary treats are high in net carbs.
Dried fruits: While fruits are generally healthy, dried fruits have a higher concentration of net carbs. How so? They don't contain the same water count as fresh fruit.
Processed snack foods: Many packaged snacks, like chips and crackers, are made from refined grains (leading to elevated net carbs).
Sweetened yogurts: Flavored yogurts often have added sugars.
Keep in mind that while these foods are higher in net carbs, they can still be a part of a balanced diet! In fact, if you're an endurance athlete or have a fast metabolism, you may tolerate these foods just fine. When possible, it's best to eat them in moderation and pair them with a source of fiber (leafy greens), protein (animal or plant-based), and healthy fats (nuts, seeds, avocado, olive oil, etc.).
Foods low in carbs
On the other end of the spectrum, here are examples of foods with low net carbs:
Leafy greens: Vegetables like spinach, kale, lettuce, and Swiss chard are excellent choices with very low net carbs and packed with nutrients.
Broccoli: Broccoli is a low-net carb vegetable that provides essential vitamins and minerals.
Cauliflower: Cauliflower is versatile and can be used as a low-carb substitute for rice or mashed potatoes.
Zucchini: Zucchini is another low-carb vegetable that can be spiralized into zoodles for a noodle alternative.
Avocado: Avocado is rich in healthy fats and has minimal net carbs.
Berries: Strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries are relatively low in net carbs and offer antioxidants and fiber.
Nuts and seeds: Almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, and flaxseeds are low in net carbs and provide healthy fats and protein.
Non-starchy vegetables: Veggies like bell peppers, cucumbers, asparagus, and mushrooms have low net carbs.
Cheese: Most cheeses have minimal carbohydrates, making them suitable for low-carb diets.
Eggs: Eggs are a low-carb and high-protein food that can be prepared in various ways.
Meat and poultry: Unprocessed meats and poultry, such as chicken, beef, and pork, have zero net carbs.
Fish: Fish like salmon, tuna, and trout are low in net carbs and rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
Plain Greek yogurt: Unsweetened Greek yogurt contains minimal net carbs and is a good source of protein.
Coconut oil: Coconut oil is a healthy fat option with no net carbs.
Olive oil: Olives and olive oil are another healthy fat with minimal net carbs.
to summarize
When it comes to monitoring certain health conditions, net carbs are a powerful tool. They also impact everything from your body composition goals to your daytime energy! Ultimately, calculating net carbs provides a clearer picture of how certain foods affect our bodies—and remember, knowledge is power. By incorporating wholesome, nutrient-dense foods, you can take better charge of your health.
Disclaimer: Consult with a Registered Dietitian or healthcare professional before making significant dietary changes. This article is for informational purposes only. It is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and we recommend that you always consult with your healthcare provider.


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Celebrity News February 01, 2023
Kyle Richards Calls Ozempic Weight-Loss Rumors 'Frustrating' (Exclusive)
"Extra" caught up with Kyle Richards at the 2023 Red Dress Collection in NYC, where she reacted to rumors that she uses Ozempic for weight loss.
Kyle called the gossip "frustrating," saying, "I cannot stand people saying that because people that know me know that I'm up every day at like 5, 6 a.m. at the latest… I'm in the gym for two hours. I really put a lot of effort into my diet and exercise and taking care of myself, so when people like to think I took the easy way out, it's frustrating."

subset: commoncrawl


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Victorian Door Knocker – Classic
An exclusive Victorian door knocker design known as Vida
Top bracket width: 25mm
Knocker stop width: 37mm
Material: Brass
Weight: 450g
Our door knockers are handcrafted so there may be some subtle variations from the images. Each piece is truly unique, engraved with our trademark and finished to order.
Please select your finish. Scroll down to view information about our finish options
This Victorian door knocker is based on the popular doctor's door knocker – a classic brass knocker design introduced in the 1800s. Named Vida, it's an elegant version of Winslow, the other Victorian door knocker in our collection. Vida is cast in a beautiful scroll shape and has a distinctive pattern engraved around the middle. It is smooth to touch and easy to knock. It suits any period door, even those with glass panels. A beautiful door knocker that communicates a sense of tradition and grace to anyone approaching your home. It looks particularly striking in a polished finish.
What we love…
- Classic design with a twist
- Elegant yet makes a statement
- Feels smooth to touch and easy to knock
- Made entirely by hand
- Beautiful pattern detailing
Fitting your door knocker
Fitted using an easy surface mounted fixing, there are no visible screws on either side of the door. Recommended for wood doors. Screws and fixing bracket supplied.
Additional information
Finish | Aged Brass, Polished Brass |


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Don't expect any snow in the Tri-County on Christmas morning, or maybe even through the end of the year.
"Basically, there's no appreciable chance that we'll have snow in the Peoria area by this weekend," said Daryl Onton, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Lincoln.
Despite the official arrival of winter on Tuesday, the NWS has only registered a trace amount of snow in Peoria so far this season. Normally, between 2 and 4 inches has accumulated by this point.
"There is some chance that we could see some mix of snow at times by the end of the year," said Onton. "But even that is not looking promising to see any significant amounts of snow until till the end of the year."
The extended wait for Peoria to see its first significant snow of the season is threatening a record that's stood for more than a century. According to the NWS, Peoria's latest first snowfall was Jan. 4, 1913.
No snow is forecast this week, which would put Peoria and Springfield into the top 5 latest occurrences of the 1st measurable snow of the season. The record at both locations is Jan. 4, 1913. Both cities have only had a trace of snow this season to date. #ILwx pic.twitter.com/POySP5laS8
— NWS Lincoln IL (@NWSLincolnIL) December 20, 2021
Onton said that although Wednesday's forecasted high in the mid 30s is slightly below normal, temperatures will be above average into the next week – reaching the upper 40s through the weekend and even "well into the 50s" on Christmas Eve.
"As we head farther out, more and more uncertainty creeps into the forecast," said Onton. "We are looking at probably above normal temperatures being more likely towards the end of December. As we get into the first part of the year, our outlooks are more towards near normal temperatures, which could end up producing some snowfall."
Peoria hasn't gone past Christmas Day without measurable snow in more than 80 years, and it's been five years since the last time the first snowfall came as late as Christmas Eve.
While conditions have been mild so far, Onton said that may change as winter progresses.
"As we get on into January, February and March, we project above normal temperatures and above normal precipitation overall," said Onton. "I think with the 'La Nina' conditions that we're expecting this year though, there's probably a good chance that we'll see some below normal temperatures, at least for a period during, February."


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Calling all retailers, it's show time!
Icetackle*, our annual tradeshow is back and we're calling on all retailers to attend.
Taking place on 17th and 18th March at our Milton Keynes HQ, this is a chance to see all the latest releases coming for 2024, including some products that won't be launched until later in the year.
With exclusive show-only offers for all attending retailers, plus a chance to be at the top of the list on all new release orders, iceTackle* 2024 is a great opportunity to kickstart the year. Plus, you can chat to the team behind the products, talk to our marketeers about how they can help your business, and also mix with like-minded retailers to talk all things fishing.
To register for the event, simply head over to www.icetackle.co.uk and log in with your LeedaB2B details


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The destinations listed here include restaurants, pubs, bars, and water-pipe cafes. None of these charge a cover; but depending on the type of place you choose, it's perfectly acceptable to linger over mezes and raki, a cup of tea, or as long as it takes for the tobacco in the water pipe to burn down.
Taksim, Tünel & Beyoglu -- Taksim is undeniably the heart of this city's commerce, while the entire district of Beyoglu brings to mind characteristic back-street cafes, atmospheric bars, and stylish restaurants. While the tourists are shuttling between Taksim Square and Sultanahmet, the residents of Istanbul are making reservations in Beyoglu. Twenty years ago this was not so, when Istiklal Caddesi looked more like the pre-Disney 42nd Street than the open-air shopping mall it is today. But tucked inside this neighborhood of opulent 19th-century mansions and former consulates are some of the classiest bars in town.
Along the Bosphorus -- Istanbul's nightlife succumbs to the lure of the Bosphorus in the summer months (generally Apr until the end of Oct), moving alfresco and up to the seafront venues of Ortaköy and Kuruçesme. Names tend to change seasonally, but the locations and general theme stays the same.
The Rhythm of the Night
A certain rhythm predicts the way things roll out after dark in this great metropolis. The choices run the gamut to bars, restaurants, live music venues, dance clubs, tea gardens, water-pipe cafes (serving a menu of fragrant tobacco for use in a nargile or hookah pipe), and a variety of publike locales. More often than not, there is significant overlap. For example, the popular Bosphorus nightclub Reina has three restaurants and a number of bars on several open-air levels. At the traditional Türkü Evi, live Turkish folk music can more often than not be appreciated while dining on mezes, grills, and sautés. Tea gardens are often also water-pipe cafes.
Most restaurants move the dining upstairs to the rooftop in the warmer months. Some restaurants and nightclubs with locations "in town" (usually in Beyoglu) move the action up to a space along the Bosphorus in summer.
Cover charges ("küver") are customary for admission to nightclubs, but usually kick in only after 11pm or midnight. The cover charge is generally waived for guests with reservations at one of the in-club restaurants, which start serving dinner around 7pm. The atmosphere at this earlier hour is usually romantic, candlelit, and seductive. As the evening wears on, the music becomes edgier and louder. Most of the musical venues or concert halls also charge admission; tickets are generally sold at the box office or via Biletix (www.biletix.com), a sister company of Ticketmaster. As for closing hours, there rarely are any -- although a club may advertise a closing time of 4am, the truth is that sometimes the party just lasts longer.
So now it's 4am, your eardrums are busted, and you're ready to go home. Taxis wait outside the entrance to the Bosphorus nightclubs, but you can also ask inside for the manager or maitre d' to call you one. In Beyoglu, depending on the location and distance of your hotel, you can either walk or grab a taxi at one of the numerous taxi stands around the district. Taxi ranks in Beyoglu include those in Taksim Square and on Mesrutiyet Caddesi near the Pera Palace Hotel; you can also walk over 2 short blocks to the busy Tarlabasi Caddesi and hail one.
Nighttime in Sultanahmet is a bit more sober, although the restaurants, tea gardens, and water-pipe cafes provide more than an ample number of choices. By 10pm in the Old City, the streets have already gone quiet; it's pretty safe to walk around (or back to your hotel), preferably in pairs, but it's also best to stay in areas that are well lit. If "home" is in Beyoglu, the tram operates until midnight or 12:30. Unfortunately, the taxis waiting at taxi ranks, particularly in Sultanahmet, are predators, so best to have someone (a hotel receptionist, your waiter, your carpet salesman) call you one.
Safety for Single Men
Scenario #1: You're wandering around Taksim and pop into a bar for a quick beer or two. Before you know it, you're surrounded by lovely women and even doted on by the owner. But 2 hours and two beers later, the check arrives: $500. I wish that were a typo. Refuse to pay, and the big boys come out of the woodwork; you may even find your life and limb threatened. It's startling how many times this scenario plays out in seemingly innocuous-looking "establishments" around Taksim. One way to counter, I suppose, is to dispute the charge with your credit card carrier once the bill comes in. But the best way to handle the situation is to avoid it altogether. Stay away from anything with neon and the word "nightclub" or "club" in the sign. But sadly, there is no absolute guarantee. When in doubt, follow the advice of this guide, or stick to the hotel bars.
Scenario #2: You're taking an innocent evening stroll through the back streets of Sultanahmet. Suddenly, you are accosted by four young boys who identify themselves as police. Having done nothing wrong and always mindful that you are in a foreign country, you cooperate. They manhandle you (perhaps looking for ID, or even drugs) and then send you packing with a shove. It all happens so fast, except that now your wallet is empty. Unfortunately, with the migration of organized crime, nowhere is safe anymore. Don't walk anywhere alone, and avoid badly lit streets after dark.
Scenario #3: You're out and about or at a bar and you've managed to connect with some very friendly and cool locals. Next thing you know it's the next morning, and you're sans wallet, camera, or whatever, stranded and groggy in some sleazy hotel. You can avoid this by walling yourself off in a protective bubble, or you can never, ever let your drink sit unsupervised by you or someone you trust.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.


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Richmond Museum, Natal Midlands, KwaZulu-Natal
The Richmond Museum is situated in the town of Richmond in KwaZulu-Natal and depicts the turbulent history of the Settlers, the local Amabhaca people who fled from king Shaka and the Zulu's, as well as the arrival of the Indian Community in the 1860s.
The Byrne settlers are commemorated in the displays of their hand made clothing, needlework, furniture and other memorabilia. Richmond Educational achievements are on on display as well as documented rebellions and the struggles of those who moulded the town of Richmond.
For more information call: 033 212 3038
The Richmond Museum is situated at 22 Victoria Street, Richmond, Kwazulu Natal
More info on the town of Richmond | More info on the Natal Midlands area |
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Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel has Mao Shan Wang afternoon tea
Writing about the Crossroads Buffet last year set a wave of nostalgia upon me, and it hit me once again to finally be back at Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel for afternoon tea. I say finally because the Lobby Lounge afternoon tea had been on a hiatus for a bit, and it's━finally━back.
What better way to bring it back than with a bang, and a Mao Shan Wang (MSW) bang at that. The Mao Shan Wang Durian Afternoon Tea is the first of Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel's themed afternoon tea sets, each of which will run for two months.
The afternoon tea buffet is priced at $48++ per person from Mondays to Thursdays, and $58++ each on Fridays to Sundays. The weekend menu also comes with Pan con Tomate with Joselito Iberico Ham. Joselito, just so you know, claims to produce the best ham in the world, made with a family recipe that spans six generations since 1868.
Durian season isn't quite here yet, so you can get your MSW hit here at the MSW afternoon tea from now till 31 May 2023.
Start with the Durian Chantilly Cream Pate au Choux, where a decadent Chantilly is generously piped into a small but mightily fragrant puff.
Another MSW powerhouse on your first tier of sweet treats is the Belgian Chocolate Durian Mousse Cake, where the milky sweetness of the chocolate rounds out the pungent notes of the King of Fruit.
It doesn't look like it, but the mini cupcake on this top tier is also durian-spiked: try it to find the MSW in this!
The durian treats don't stop with the top tier of your tea set: the second tier sees another two that are sure to satisfy any durian fan.
There's a Durian Panna Cotta with Gula Melaka, housed in a little glass jar that looks more like a mini terrarium.
Just in case all that durian was getting too jelak, there's bursts of fruity sweetness from lychee popping bubbles too.
Then, there's Durian Burnt Cheese Tart, encased in light, crisp layers of pastry.
My personal favourite was the Durian Mochi, with ultra soft, pillowy mochi wrapped around actual durian pulp.
The bottom tier of this Mao Shan Wang afternoon tea set features four baked treats both sweet and savoury.
There's Mini Chicken Pie, filled to the brim with a moreish, creamy chicken centre, alongside a mini Quiche of The Day, which on our visit was filled with spinach.
The Maple Pecan Danish pairs the earthy nut with blueberry jam.
No high tea is complete without some scones, and here you'll be presented with a Raisin Scone, paired with a duo of jams and whipped cream.
That's not all; there's more savoury bites on the menu, such as Truffle Egg Salad Waffle, with a lightly sweet waffle complementing the truffled egg mayo.
Follow that with Crab Vol Au Vent, an addictive morsel that you'll wish you had more of.
Come for the weekday set, and you'll be offered a free flow of TWG tea and coffee. Just $10++ more on weekends gets you an additional flute of champagne to boot, plus that serving of Pan con Tomate with Joselito Iberico Ham!
For the non-durian lovers, don't fret, because the next themed afternoon tea set, which runs from 1 June to 31 July 2023, will be a tropical summer-themed one. It'll have goodies including Soursop Mousse Charlotte and Passionfruit Eclair!
Book your MSW afternoon tea at Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel here!
Address: 320 Orchard Road, Lobby Level, Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel, Singapore 238865
Afternoon tea hours: Mon-Thurs 3pm to 5:30pm, Fri-Sun 2pm to 3:30pm, 4pm to 5:30pm
Tel: 6831 4605
Lobby Lounge is not a halal-certified eatery.
Photos taken by Tan Zi Hui.
This post was brought to you by Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel.
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Armenia's World Cup qualifier with Italy, which will take place in Yerevan on Oct. 12, has caused a real football "boom" (uproar) in Armenia.
Thanks to local news outlets, we in Armenia know nearly everything about the match — who will be watching, the approximate composition of our and the opponent's team, various players' opinions about this match, how much the match tickets cost, the condition of the turf on the playing field, and what the Italian players will be eating (since they brought their own chef with them to Armenia).
News outlets managed to inform fans even when it's a good time to arrive for the match (the Football Federation of Armenia, for some reason, advises ticket holders to come two hours before). Interest is great also because after a long hiatus, finally a match will be taking place in Hrazdan Stadium, a stadium much loved by Armenian football fans, where FC Ararat secured its glorious victories in the 70s.
We know the details of the upcoming match from not only television and newspapers, but also social networking sites — especially Facebook, where regular updates are posted on the Armenian National Team's official Facebook page. For example, we are informed who has become the Armenian team's captain after Sargis Hovsepyan's departure, as well as when the Italian team arrived in Armenia.
However, as commonly happens, this time too the "football fairytale" was not without an unpleasant surprise: According to replik.am [AM], the Football Federation of Armenia (FFA) refused media accreditation for Sport De Facto magazine and Kentron TV. This news was also conveyed by Director of Kentron's Political and News Programs Petros Ghazaryan on his Facebook page [AM]: "To our request to officially substantiate [their reason for refusing our accreditation], the FFA responded, that's what we want."
Ghazaryan further noted that Kentron TV was also permitted from attending neither the Armenian team's press conference nor the team's training sessions on the playing field that were open to other members of the press. Kentron TV was also not informed of UEFA President Michel Platini's arrival.
Sport De Facto, in turn, wrote on its Facebook page: "Today we found out that there's no room for our two journalists in a stadium that can hold thousands — FFA refused our accreditation when the Italian team has officially agreed to give us exclusive interviews. Asked to explain, FFA provides no explanation whatsoever — they've simply refused and that's it."
It became known that representatives of other news outlets were also denied accreditation, including Xsport.am and the Public Radio program "Sport Crossroad".
As reported by Xsport.am [AM], on Sept. 29, the FFA's press service issued the media accreditation procedure for events organized by the FFA regarding matches in which Armenian national teams will be participating.
"Written there was the procedure of how members of the press have to become accredited for covering football matches and events. In that 10-page document, […] the following two points caught my eye:
"4.3. The final decision to provide, as well as refuse accreditation rests exclusively with the FFA.
"4.4. The FFA is not obliged to provide explanations in case of providing, as well as refusing accreditation.
"What's the meaning of discrimination? Or perhaps some news outlets have the right to be deprived of the opportunity to fully cover the national team's match?" writes Xsport.am founder, Public Radio program "Sport Crossroad" producer and host Aram Manukyan.
It's interesting that during these heated days of football, the FFA is working to reduce its contact with the press. FFA President Ruben Hayrapetyan shut down his official Facebook page back in July and till today (on the eve before the Armenia-Italy match) hasn't reopened it. The FFA president explained he had opened his Facebook page prompted by the request of journalists and football fans, but "due to the lies, insults, and libel published by the media" decided to shut it down.
Until then, he'd sometimes open, sometimes close his Facebook page.
Being insulted or offended by criticism in general or journalists personally is seen as a little bit strange. No one has yet won the war declared against the media. And hindering the work of the media definitely won't help increase the FFA's rating.
It's understandable that the Armenia-Italy match has caused great interest among the press and it's hard to allocate space for everyone in the stadium, but the noted news outlets have always covered football news and currently likewise want to do their work.
Especially when an exceptional sporting event, indeed, awaits us all.
Tigran Hovhannisyan
The views expressed in the column are those of the author's and do not necessarily reflect the views of Media.am.


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By:brightwebtv.com/nana asare barimah
38 year old man from Malawi has committed suicide by hanging himself to death after being caught making love with his elder brother's wife.
It is reported that Tsoka Cheboko was in a secret love affair with his sister-in-law, whose husband is seeking green pasture in Zambia and on May 6, 2019, he was caught red handed doing sex with her.
According to Mchinji district Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), Inspector Kaitano Lubrino, Tsoka disappeared from the village until next morning where he was discovered hanging to a tree in one of the bushes whilst dead.
"Officers from Kamwendo Police Post and a medical practitioner from Mchinji District Hospital went to the scene to investigate the matter," he said.
Lubrino said post-mortem results revealed that Cheboko died due to strangulation.
Meanwhile, police in the district is appealing to members of the public to refrain from taking own life as a remedy towards problem solving once challenged but rather seek proper ways and advice.
Cheboko hailed from Chikomeni village in area of Traditional Authority (TA) Simphasi in Mchinji.


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Keith's Positions
The Purpose for Term Limits
April 10, 2015
The premise for term limits is fundamental to the proper function of our United States Government.
Anyone who opposes the concept of term limits is disagreeing with the purpose of our American Revolution. We do not want to be lead by a king, we want to be managed according to the way the owners of the country agreed to, the U.S. Constitution.
Government is the biggest single business in any state or this country. This huge business is owned by "We the people..." who hire managers to run this business responsibly.
The management positions in our Government have titles like president, senator and congressman. They are not leaders. They are the managers that "We the people" hire to provide security, infrastructure and make rules known as laws. This system of government built by our forefathers, who were geniuses, was designed in a way that any idiot can run. It is not more complicated than that.
The objective of these managers is to do their job and then 'get out of the way' and not leave a mess. Most of these managers think they ARE leaders and insult us by thinking we can't get along with out them. The fact is they are leaving a mess and it is a form of job security. Like the bookkeeper who has all the passwords, so they can't fire her.
The best way to dispose of these inept proceduralists is term limits. Three terms for Congressman, two terms for Senators and Presidents and Governors.
Thank you for reading my opinion and I will do everything I can to promote term limits.
Living in a country with a Church and a State
December 2014
In this country we live by the principles of the founding fathers, who fought a revolution against England and King George III who was a dictator. We did not want to be lead, we wanted to rule ourselves as evidenced by the statement "We the People". We make this statement because WE own the country and hire the managers we call politicians to take care of the country's business with the constitution the objective of their job description.
In this life we have a GOD which we acknowledge and try to understand. In this life with GOD we do not own anything. We are simply stewards of gifts that GOD has given each of us and all that GOD asks is we give back a portion of what HE gave to us.
These facts are difficult to internalize and compartmentalize. This is because we live in a country with freedom of speech and expression, but in a life with GOD as the leader and with a Pope who is GOD's representative. We are only servants to GOD and to our fellow man. We have no voice, or elections. We can not debate or question. We can only do his will in His honor and glory.
This is a difficult situation to live within because in one case we own it all and in the other case we own nothing and the 'rules' we live by in each situation seem to be in contradiction. Is this what the founders of our country were thinking when they declared 'separation of church and state'? Is this what they meant by 'One Nation Under God'? Is this a challenge the founders gave by saying "Indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all"?
I can only pray, that regardless of what happens in our lives, the underlying purpose is do his will and thank the Lord for giving us the 'tools' and wisdom so we know how to use those tools and teach others to do the same by setting a good example which is the only true definition of leadership.
Keith Kube
December 2014
July 2014
There are two fundamental misunderstandings in our society today:
1. We do not live in a democracy and
2. We do not elect leaders in this government we hire managers (by popular vote)
These two basic misunderstandings lead to a multitude of problems in how the country is managed and who is really in charge of this country.
The apathy in our society today is at an all time high and as a result the country is 'ripe for the picking' for those who want to employ the preachings from a well known book that liberal politicians use titled Handbook for Radicals. I am reluctant to name the author as to not give him undue credit, but it is Saul Alinsky.
The 12 tactics in the book are not possible if the two basic misunderstandings mentioned above are internalized by the silent majority of our society who are too polite to say anything to disagree or argue.
Leadership. The most misunderstood word used in the description of our country and how it handles its affairs. The great leaders of the word usually did not want the position or be identified with the noun. It is like a baseball player. It is not obvious when individuals are lined up and one is asked to pick the good ones. Not until they make a 'baseball motion' of throwing or catching does the eye/hand coordination demonstrate itself to have the good ones identified. It is the same with a leader. They are not obvious to us until they do something. The great leaders, lead by example.
The greatest leader in the Christian world is, arguably, Jesus Christ. He did not write a sign book or position paper, yet there is not a single person in the history of our planet about which more books have been written. They are writing about the example he set and how he lived his life.
Who are the leaders in this country? The preamble of the constitution makes it very clear...."We the People of the United States....". The leaders of this country is us! Thus, if we are not satisfied with how the country is running or have an attitude of indifference or resign ourselves to the idea that we can't do anything about it, who do we have to blame? We have only to blame ourselves because we hired them. We do not hire leaders. We hire managers. We hire those people who think and act like we do.
If you own a ranch and hired someone to drive your cattle to market and he shows up the following morning, riding a horse, you would probably be confused. If he thought he was going to use his horse to 'drive them' as it was done 100 years ago, you would wonder about the decision to hire him. Then if you point to the vehicle that will be used to drive the cattle to the market and he admits that he has never driven a truck before, that is cause to reconsider the decision of the hire.
The same goes for our 'so called' leaders of our country. We hire leaders-managers who know how to run a business. After all, government is the biggest in the state or country. If they don't know how to do the job we should know that before we hire them. If they say "I can learn", the response is the same as the rancher....."You ain't gona to learn with my truck!"
The true irony is we call the president or governor a leader, but as soon as they make an executive orders or circumvent the constitution, we challenge them about their charter to take that action. The mind set of the president is "you asked me to lead and I did" but the fact of the matter we do not like to have our employee tell us what to do. We call that a insubordination or a dictatorship depending on the chain of command.
The position of Manager is also misunderstood. The manager is like the driver of a car. He does not work very hard to guide it down the road, but if there is a pot hole or if evasive action is necessary, it needs to be made immediately.....no consulting the staff or vote necessary. The other thing the manager does is, like in a car, watch the gauges. This is to make sure things are under control and we don't run out of gas or the oil pressure drops. These gauges are meant to give information so the correct action is taken. The same in government or business. The numbers are watched and corrections are made before we stall. The real beauty of both systems is the were both built by geniuses that any idiot can run.
Position Paper on Taxes and The system of application
May 18, 2014
The tax system in this Nation is inherently backwards and the root of many of the problems we face today. It penalizes success and reward inefficiencies and unproductive activities.
The tax code today finds all the areas in the economy where money is being generated and 'fines' them for doing a good job. This causes four steps to happen:
- The taxed entity will look for ways to cut that tax cost.
- Change to an 'abnormal business practice'.
- Taxes accumulate to a central government where lobbyists and congress salivate over how to use it 'to their political advantage'.
- Resulting in more bureaucracy to enforce laws on ways to spend, trying to the solve symptoms of society, not the problems.
There are 5 basic problems in our society;
- Economy
- National security
- Environment
- Education
- Welfare
There are numerous symptoms resulting from these 5 basic problems:
- Unemployment
- Poor health
- Poverty
- Crime
- Corruption
- Waste
- Unsecure boarders
- Decaying infrastructure
- Poor educational results
- Others to numerous to mention
The true purpose of any tax system must be to encourage activity that solves the problems listed above, not to cause a central government to continue to 'throw our money at the symptoms'. The gridlock we have is because they accumulate money and then argue over how to spend it.
The new result would be:
- Smaller central government receiving as little as possible in tax revenue.
- The tax payer would be incentivized through the tax code to solve the problems.
- Money would not make the 'round trip', taken from the citizens then redistributed.
- Fewer lobbyist to influence spending because the money is not in a central location.
- Fewer agencies making regulations, instead of monitoring efficacy.
Problems are solved by everyone doing their part, continually. Not by one entity dictating to everyone what they must do, resulting in resentment and indifference.
The change to the tax code would be relatively simple. Currently, each section of the code starts with how much money was made, than a chart tells how much to send to the IRS. The revised code would still start at the same place, but money spent to address a problem would reduce the amount of tax paid. The current bureaucratic activity would monitor the activity for compliance. The private sector would now do that activity resulting in a reduction in taxes paid.
May 2014
The only function for any enterprise or business is to make a profit. It is a system that is managed with gauges and controls, headed by an individual who is a benevolent dictator. The aspect of democracy is not a part of business. It is the responsibility of the manager that the operation does not do things that are detrimental to the survival. It hires people and uses resources to provide a function or service that gives more money back after all the expense were paid than was spent.
The function of business is not to hire people who are paid a good wage along with benefits and security, to do 'something or anything' to keep them busy and then demand the owner keep it functioning regardless of how much money is remaining after the exercise. As obvious as the is that it is not sustainable or fair, many in society and government thinks both should run this way.
The function of government as per our constitution is to do fundamentally three things:
- Provide for the security of the borders and from internal lawlessness
- Provide infrastructure for the common good of the society such as roads and public buildings in an effort to promote commerce
- To provide laws to allow fair commerce to take place. Essentially to be a referee.
The temptation of our managers, is to think they truly are leaders and do things that are outside of good business practice. This tendency is a result of the propaganda that says the function of business and government is like the example that describes what is not the function of a business....it is not there to great jobs or provide health insurance and guarantee a retirement. It is there to manage the affairs of the country and its citizens who want security, infrastructure and fair laws.
Practically, without exception, when a government tries to do things outside of the three basic functions is when problems occur. I can't think of anything that was done outside of the three functions, that work better than if the private sector did it.
The permission to go beyond the three function comes through the interpretation of the law making function. The wrong title, 'leader' gives law makers the impression they are to spend money, and not like in the business model, invest it.
When money is spent by those who do not understand the difference from investing, there is no limit to the imagination and gratification that is garnered to please the masses in an effort to take someone else's money to get your vote.
The expectation of education is also misunderstood. It started when the fundamental function of any business forgot it was for the production of food. The entire animal population of the planet, including humans, has a basic responsibility to itself and its species. The responsibility is to feed itself. That is what 'making a living' means.
As the industrial age evolved the function of food production gradually took a back seat to other 'higher functions' of work and production. All work is based on the need to feed one's self. As modernity evolved the connection of work to food is becoming further removed and disconnected. The result is we forget our food does not come from a grocery store. It comes from the most basic of all work, agriculture.
When education forgets this purpose, the focus is lost and we generate a society that is effort oriented and task driven. They forget the basic function of our education system is to teach them self reliance. The wrong objective seems to 'teach them how to work for someone else". The real objective must be to "teach them how to work for themselves".
With this, schools must teach what true success is. Success is not money. It is surprising how many of us want to be successful, but the can not tell me what it is. If the do not know what it is, how can you have it as a goal? Money is not success, it is only a way of keeping score. The subjects are all necessary but they are only the tools used to navigate through life and make fewer mistakes. The truly successful people in the world are SELF RELIANT. They know how to be secure without money, or if they get sick or if it doesn't rain. They know how to work within the system of our society without depending on the government or someone else.
Green Energy Position
December 2014
The most important point to make is: being against green energy does not mean one wants a dirty world, unchecked pollution or wasting our precious natural resources. Being against it means stopping the dishonest agenda of wealth distribution and socialist governments which the green movement is indirectly promoting.
The movement for green energy evolved from the environmental movement stated in the late 1960's with the start of the first "Earth Day". This movement was based on the concern of uncheck economic development through the exploitation of natural resources that evolved from the start of the 19th century. The movement was hi-jacked into a liberal anti-capitalistic cause.
The movement was based on the following conclusions:
- Wealth was something that was always acquired at someone else's expense
- The use of natural resources was a form of stealing from society
- Capitalism is anti-social and harmful to a harmonious society
- The only fair result is to redistribute the wealth equally to society claiming it belongs to everyone in the first place
Explanations for the misguided conclusions:
1. Since the dawn of the industrial age and the growth of the union movement, there is a bias against business and industry as cold heart, greedy people who do not care about anyone but themselves. Of course there are examples of this and the human tendency for competition (push it as far as one can before being stopped) is ever present in our DNA. The moral aspect of the 'good neighbor policy' along with the speed of the media exposing these injustices, along with anti-trust laws, is minimizing this perception today. Regardless, the need to keep this perception alive is necessary for the liberal movement to advance. The capitalistic system is not a 'zero sum game' and modest population growth is necessary for any economy to grow.
2. The use of natural resources is the foundation of civilization. Nothing happens anywhere unless it comes from the ground. From agriculture to mining, everything in the economy happens only after the food or mineral is taken from the earth. As technology advances the need to non-renewable resources will be minimized as it happened through out history. But to have these resources and not use them is as good as not having them in the first place. The true conservationist is a saver, through recycling and innovation, of what has already been produced. It is not someone who wants everyone to live under a rock and eat roots. These people want everyone to be equally miserable.
3. Capitalism is a system where true success can be achieved. The only irrefutable definition of true success is not the money one accumulates but the degree that one can survive without it. True success is being self reliant, as our ancestors were. They were able to figure out how to take care of ones family and provide security when things don't go exactly according to plan and not expecting the government to take care of them by spending money they don't have or taking it away from someone else, who tried to be self reliant.
4. In the redistribution of wealth scenario, it the clearly un-sustainable. If no one is producing there is nothing to give away. The only thing we can truly give is only that which we already possess. We can't give what we don't have! And, the government forcing everyone one to give is not charity but robbery.
The movement evolved to a liberal movement with these conclusions:
- That civilization is inherently bad for the environment
- That population growth was the cause for environmental decay
- That population control was necessary thus birth rate must decline
- That pro-choice movement would address the birth rate most directly
- That GMO were exacerbating the population growth problem
- That organic foods are the safest way to feed our population
- That animal rights movement would assist in controlling the protein in the food supply
- High fossil energy prices would cause less efficient alternatives to become viable
- The carbon contribution from industry is the primary cause for climate change
- The climate change movement is a redistribution of wealth movement
Explanations for the liberal bias that is needed for their cause to have an opportunity to succeed.
1. The fact is this is a civilized world with people in it, that possess the human conditions of competition and ingenuity. There will always be those who remember how things were and want to go back to those times. It will not happen! The secret to surviving in this civilized world is the "good neighbor policy". It doesn't need to be codified, it is a natural law.
2. Completely eliminating civilization is what extremist in the environmental movement would like. The only way is the 'good neighbor policy' with the understanding that we are individually a part of the problem or a part of the solution. We must individually decide to be part of the solution otherwise we ARE part of the problem. If we take every human being that every lived on this planet from the beginning of early man, that biomass would fit in a hole one mile cubed (one mile, by one mile, by one mile).....actually not a very big hole considering the planet contains 7.2 trillion cubic miles of volume. Man is really a small part of this planet, but we must respect it.
3. & 4. Since the human population is deemed to be the problem, the next logical thing to do would be to control that population growth. Thus the pro-choice movement. The reduction in the consumption of resources is the end they are trying to achieve, thus reducing the number of mouths, is the most logical approach. Putting the 'genie back in the bottle' will never happen as the natural part of life is reproduction.
5. & 6. The aspect of genetically modified organisms (GMO) is the other thorn in the side of the food production that undermines the population control movement. The fact that these scientific discoveries and their application has cause food production to increase over 10% with genetic modifications to over 30% with genetic pesticide modifications through the use of GMO while using the same amount of water and fertilizer.
The other aspect is the organic movement. This has caused food production to be reduced by as much as 50 % on the same ground area while using the same amount of water and labor, not counting the poorer quality and the increased risk of E-coli because of spoilage.
7. Animal rights movement is another attempt to control the production of protein by working against the modern methods of animal husbandry. The issue is the imposition of human creature comfort standards upon animals during their production cycle. The fundamental fact is a comfortable, healthy animal produces more protein with less energy and feed than an animal that is subject to the natural elements of life during that growing cycle. The true issue is not concern for the animal as much as making food more expensive and less available to the population with the result being a starving population that will naturally die off.
8. A normal expectation of the environmental movement is to violate the laws of physics by imposing standards of efficiencies and claims that are impossible to meet. With the fundamental efficiency a function of cost per unit of energy, it is important that a fossil fuel alternative be as expensive as possible for the competing alternative to have a chance of being accepted. This explains the anti-pipeline and/or anti-drilling mentality, to reduce supply to make the price go up. Regardless of how environmentally minded one is, it still comes down to cost per unit. The production of wind/electricity is about 17c/KW (compared to 11c/KW from public utilities) without the artificial supports from tax incentives and taking into account the reliability.
The maximum output from a square foot of solar panel is about 100 BTU/Hr/sq ft. with a BTU equal to a paper match....how many matches would it take to heat your house?.....about 125,000 per hour! That means a collector the size of your house with the sun shining all the time during the winter. How often does that happen at night?
9. The fact is the climate is changing but not caused by man. The need for "man made climate change" to be believed, is the foundation for the house of cards used for much of the socialist agenda. The science regarding it was fabricated from the early 1970's when it was acid rain. It changed to global cooling when it was explained to the environmentalist that rain is naturally acidic and needed to dissolve the minerals for the production of plant life. After global cooling was disproved it went to the ozone hole which since disappeared. It then went to global warming until the winters were colder than they remembered, to the climate change mantra professed today. The main green house gasses are water vapor 60% to70%, CO2 15% to 20%, Methane 5% to 9%, and Ozone 4% to 7%.
The amount of CO2 generated annually by man is estimated at 7 billion tons (a cubic ft of CO2 weighs an ounce). The entire biosphere of the earth up to fifty miles above the earth weighs 5 with 15 zeros (5 Quadrillion) tons. This ratio of man made CO2 relative to the biosphere is equal to one can of beer in an Olympic sized swimming pool. Is that causing climate change when over 75% of the other green house gases are gases are not CO2? It would be difficult to call man made CO2 the smoking gun. The other facts are the sun's intensity from winter to summer varies over 7%. That is a considerably larger heat source fluctuation that easily dilutes any change in heat retention from CO2 increases.
The last point is: There was over $20 billion dollars spent in reducing man made CO2 emissions over the past 10 years, yet the world CO2 level increased. That is a difficult fact to over come if all that money was spent and nothing happened.....in fact it became worse. The bottom line is: it is very difficult, if not impossible, to show actual facts that man made CO2 is causing the climate to change.
10. Without the belief that Climate Change is man made, it causes alternative energy to have little chance of being used, it will not causes first world life styles to change, it doesn't make first world countries feel guilty for using energy and there is no logical reason to force the redistribution of wealth to other countries that are not friendly to the United States.
The last fact was concluded in the 1970's. It was found that the amount of scientific information in entire world doubled from the time of Christ to 1000 AD. It doubled again from 1000 to 1500, again by 1750, again by the civil war, again by WWI, again by WWII, again by Viet Nam to a current rate of about 7 years today. It is thought it will be doubling in 6 months by 2025. The optimistic view of society is, with technology advancing so rapidly, the discovery of energy sources like fission from lasers that makes more fuel than it uses or ways of producing hydrogen from the resulting abundance of electricity will make fossil fuels obsolete by that time. That will leave about 90% of all the fossil fuel in the ground today to remain there for the rest of time.
A final observation is the price of oil. The news was making such an issue when it was $150 per barrel and how it would ruin the economy. The news today is making an issue at $70 per barrel and how it will ruin the economy. The conclusion is; it is what it is and the reporters who say these things must make every story a 'bad news' story otherwise it isn't news, in their opinion. The best way is to not listen to any of it and think through, to our own conclusions. It is simply the opinions of people who nothing about the subject. After all they are only reporters with no training other than in putting words into sentences with the correct syntax.
A position paper on Principles and Core Values
April 5, 2014
There are two kinds of elected officials: one runs to serve and the other runs to be re-elected. In our democratic republic we must make laws that reflect the popular support of the voters. This means the compromise of some principles are necessary. I will consider compromising principles but I will never compromise my core values of Honesty, Integrity, Fairness and Sustainability.
Principles or societal norms, are the items of 'give and take'. It is a 'good neighbor policy', compromised in the spirit of harmony and good will. All decisions and legislation involves the consideration our principles to solve problems and the result is never perfect. It is the best of the alternatives available, of which some are not very desirable.
Core values, in comparison, are those ideals on which our country was founded. Things, if compromised, would cut the threads of which our Nation of liberty and justice was woven. This distinction is very important because expecting one to compromise means understanding their principles and knowing their core values.
- Honesty: This simply means not to lie. Honesty and lying are not natural skills. Both take a lifetime of practice to be effective at either. That is why no one can be really good at both.
- Integrity: It is the thing we pray for. It is known as a 'good moral compass'. "Untested virtue is of little value." Would we do exactly the same thing if no one were looking or if no one would ever find out!
- Fairness: This is the foundation of all good legislation. The test is if a decision or compromise is reached and the sides were reversed, would the decision be the same. It is fair when this is true.
- Sustainability: Can it survive over time. There are two purposes in life. One is to save your soul and the other is "leave the world better than you found it". This means what we build in life, and the systems we develop to do the business of life, must operate without me. This is the objective approach, where the expected result is known and not task driven where each step seems illogical or difficult to follow with no clearly defined goals. The task driven approach is the procedures of government that frustrate us as citizens….the red tape of bureaucracy!
If these are your core values, I would like your vote and support. You will always know where I stand without asking. If we have the same core values our decisions would be the same. This is why you elected and an official who internalizes YOUR core values.
This is how I think. I am Keith Kube, candidate for the Nebraska Legislature.
A position paper on Government systems by Keith Kube
March 31, 2014
There are two kinds of people in our country: One kind is part of our national problem and the other kind is part of the national solution. We, as citizens, should live by the statement that John Kennedy made at his inauguration: "ASK NOT WHAT OUR COUNTRY CAN DO FOR YOU, BUT WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR YOUR COUNTRY?" I do believe that a majority of our fellow citizens would wholeheartedly agree with this statement but, the encouragement to follow it is not internalized or professed enough in our schools, work place or campaigns for public office. The tendency of our politicians is often to cast the 'victim blanket' over a segment of the population in attempt to convince them to invert the statement to "Ask not what you can do for your country, but what can your country do for you?"
The Electoral College system for voting in our national elections was designed to reduce the danger of having politicians 'give away the store' to be elected. Any attempt to undermine this safeguard must be resisted. LB 1058 seems to increase this danger. We do not have a democracy in this country. We never did and hopefully never will. We have a Democratic Republic. The government would have collapsed long before the civil war if we did.
Our forefathers realized that if the 'pure democracy' form of government were instituted, the natural human tendency would be to vote in ways that would loot the national treasury and the result would be bankruptcy in two generations. This why the continued attempts to expand the social safety net is such a concern. The need to care for the less fortunate is vital and "Christ Like", but to use it as a tool to solicit votes is often disingenuous and not sustainable.
The use of the tax code to encourage social support through incentivizing has shown to be considerably more effective and efficient, as well as encouraging our society to follow John Kennedy's statement. The current tendency is to discourage such generosity. The argument is the government can do it better and that it is a loophole for the more fortunate. The underlying reason is to stop undermining the power of government in using social spending to gain votes. If the needy receive more money from the party in power, these needy will probably continue to vote them into power. This will happen until the money runs out.
There are also two kinds of politicians: One is running to serve and the other is always running for re-election. The real job of the elected official is to look in the mirror every day and ask: "Which kind of elected official am I going to be, and will I do the right thing in legislation to assure we are doing the right thing for the country for future generations?"
Our young political science majors are choosing politics as a career choice at a rate higher than ever before in the history of our republic. Colleges keep statistics regarding which degrees typically produce various occupations. They do this for obvious reasons. 2012 was the first year where over 50% of the political science majors stated they wanted to make politics a full time career, with the percentage of law students choosing politics falling. After all what does one do with a degree in political science other than teach future politicians or run for office themselves?
This means our future leaders will consist of people who have no practical business experience. This problem already exists with our politicians gaining office without ever have to make a living doing a real job. Even lawyers have a way of providing a useful service outside of government.
Political science teaches the procedures of government. These are procedures that were effective in becoming elected and advancing an agenda that insures they will continue to be reelected until the money runs out…..'The people will vote themselves into bankruptcy'.
This is procedural-ism. A mindset that teaches that government will put systems in place that will solve all our concerns and problems. This always entails a bureaucracy that is expensive, redundant and impossible to eliminate.
The argument is that experience in government is necessary because we need these seasoned politicians to get stuff done. This has been the main argument against term limits. This argument is very hollow. Look at what has resulted: a government bogged down in regulations, disingenuous agendas and gridlock. The result is proceduralists building systems so complicated that only the bureaucracies who put it together can operate. The staff necessary to run it is nearly impossible to eliminate and the problem never seems to be solved, only prolong or made more complicated. This is a form of job security, and sold as a way of creating jobs. The object always comes first in the business world, and like that of our forefathers, to put systems in place built by geniuses that any idiot can run.
The basis of our Constitution is to use an objective approach to management, not the task approach. The objective approach is missing. When the pleading voice of compromise is heard, it is important that we realize the difference between principles and core values. I will always listen to the voice of reasoning and varying principles. I will evolve opinions based on this reasoning. I will not compromise core values. I will not compromise those values that were common to the construction and survival of our nation. These core values helped us survive wars, the depression and resulted in an economy that leads the world. We have done some things right, but to compromise a core value is like insisting:
2+2 =6 and then being asked to compromise on 5
I feel that business and engineering experience in problem solving, geared to specific objectives, is the missing ingredient in our government. I feel the ability to explain and expose these deliberately imposed inefficiencies is vital in dealing with these growing concerns.
We all hear the saying 'use common sense', but it is really not that common. Common sense is simply looking at a problem and finding where similarities lay. The concerns we hear about what we call problems are actually complaints, not problems. They are gossip about things that happen outside of what we planned or expected…..they are the differences. To solve a problem we cannot focus on what is different or out of the norm. We should focus only on what has worked in the past, the similarities. This foundation allows the problem to be fully defined. It can then be compared to what has worked, reducing the temptation of retrying things that did not work. As simple as that sounds…. common sense is obviously not that common.
This 'common sense' business-thinking approach can not be taught. It is learned through experience. This is the reason why non-professional politicians, with real world experience are vital for efficient and effective government. There is no other way. This is evidenced by the way our government functions now. This is why debate never ends and 'the proverbial tin can is always being kicked down the road'. Our politicians are trapped in the 'one day at a time' mentality with the conviction that the future will never be something THEY have to deal with.


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Justia Rhode Island Supreme Court Opinion Summaries
Articles Posted in Bankruptcy
In re Kapsinow
The Supreme Court answered a question certified to it by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District Court of Rhode Island by holding that R.I. Gen. Laws 9-26-4(11) permits a debtor to claim an exemption for an inherited Individual Retirement Annuity (IRA).Lynette Kapsinow filed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition seeking, under Rhode Island law, to exempt an inherited IRA pursuant to section 9-26-4(11). The inherited IRA was inherited by Kapsinow from her late mother. The bankruptcy court certified to the Supreme Court the question about the availability of an exemption in bankruptcy with respect to the inherited IRA. The Supreme Court answered that a debtor may claim an exemption in an inherited IRA, including one inherited from a non-spouse, pursuant to section 9-267-4(11). View "In re Kapsinow" on Justia Law
Posted in:
Reynolds v. First NLC Fin. Servs., LLC
Plaintiff executed a promissory note secured by a mortgage on his property. After Plaintiff defaulted on the loan, foreclosure proceedings commenced. Plaintiff subsequently filed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition. Then then-holder of the mortgage sought relief from the automatic stay imposed by bankruptcy law. Relief from the stay was given in two bankruptcy cases filed by Plaintiff, the second of which was initiated after a foreclosure sale had been completed. Plaintiff then filed an action seeking a declaration that the foreclosure deed was void and that he owned the property in fee simple absolute. The superior court granted summary judgment against Plaintiff based on the doctrine of res judicata. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that Plaintiff was precluded from raising issues regarding the foreclosure again in the superior court after the propriety of the foreclosure was examined by the bankruptcy court and the foreclosure sale was declared valid.View "Reynolds v. First NLC Fin. Servs., LLC" on Justia Law
Multi-State Restoration, Inc. v. DWS Props., LLC
DWS Properties (DWS) owned rental property. The sole member of DWS was Dustin Shore. After a pipe burst at the property causing substantial damage, Shore executed contracts with Performance Adjusting Public Insurance Adjusters (Performance) and Multi-State Restoration (Multi-State), in which Performance agreed to provide public adjusting service relative to the loss, and Multi-State agreed to perform emergency clean-up work at the property. Performance and Multi-State (Plaintiffs) were never paid for the services they provided, and after Shore filed for personal bankruptcy, Shore's debts to Plaintiffs were discharged. Plaintiffs subsequently filed suit against DWS, seeking damages for book account, breach of contract, quasi-contract, and unjust enrichment. DWS filed a motion to dismiss, which the hearing justice converted into a motion for summary judgment and granted, reasoning that Shore had signed the contracts in an individual capacity without making any reference to DWS. The Supreme Court vacated the judgment of the superior court and remanded, holding (1) summary judgment was inappropriate on Plaintiffs' contract claims; and (2) the fact that DWS was not explicitly named on the contracts did not entitle it to judgment as a matter of law on Plaintiffs' equitable claims. View "Multi-State Restoration, Inc. v. DWS Props., LLC" on Justia Law


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Free energy on weekends appears to be too good to be true. You do, however, have options. Our article will show you How To Take Advantage Of Free Electricity? Saving you hundreds of dollars.
How to Take Advantage of Free Electricity: A Glimpse into Tesla's Vision
In today's world, the dream of free electricity is often associated with the genius Nikola Tesla. Over a century ago, Tesla envisioned a world powered by clean and free electricity.
He believed in harnessing the Earth's "fluid electrical charges" to generate an inexhaustible power supply.
Despite his groundbreaking inventions, such as the alternating current (AC) and innovations in radar, electric cars, and robotics, Tesla faced significant opposition from powerful entities that saw his vision as a threat to their profit-driven models.
Fast forward to the present, the fossil-fuel industry, rooted in old-world technology, often resists the transition to renewable energy.
However, with advancements in pumped hydro, wind, solar, and commercial battery storage, the dream of free electricity is closer than ever.
Modern solutions like South Australia's Tesla battery showcase the potential of renewable energy sources in reducing carbon emissions and providing cleaner energy.
For those looking to take advantage of free electricity, embracing renewable energy technologies and understanding the potential of innovations like rooftop solar systems can be a step in the right direction.
As we transition to a more sustainable future, it's essential to remember Tesla's vision and the possibilities it holds for a cleaner, greener world.
Ways To Benefit From Free Power
Depending on who pays for the electricity, using it for commercial purposes could get you in trouble.
Businesses that rely on energy as their primary source of revenue typically have narrow profit margins, meaning they may not generate much more money than the cost of electricity.
Take, for example, Bitcoin mining. In a sense, this is a method of converting electricity into cash. The banks of silicon chips that mine bitcoins consume a lot of electricity.
The electricity may be worth more than the bitcoins produced, depending on the prevailing price and the market price of electricity in the area where mining is done.
Indoor marijuana cultivation is another business with the same problem.
Large amounts of power are necessary, and producers cannot be certain that the marijuana they produce will be worth more than their electricity.
Another disadvantage is that it is prohibited in some regions and may require a permit.
Consider an industry where you resell electricity rather than converting it to something else: electric car charging stations.
Because charging station consumers are prepared to pay for the flexibility to charge where they want, for-profit companies providing vehicle charger services will nearly always demand a higher price than electric home rates in their area.
How Can I Make Money With Free Electricity?
Mining Bitcoin! You almost certainly have a computer that you can use to mine bitcoins. Bitcoin mining is a popular way for people to make money.
When you mine bitcoin, your computer generates hashes (an important feature of a cryptographic currency) and sends them to servers.
Because mining bitcoin requires a lot of electricity, most people don't make any money from it. They only get paid if their machine has a high per-watt performance.
Some websites calculate these figures to determine whether or not you are profitable. Since you are not paying for electricity, you may as well leave it on full power.
The amount of money you make is determined by the processing capability of your computer; if you have a GFX card, take advantage of it.
However, without a GFX card, I believe you may earn around $300 per month. Upgrade your hardware and generate some quick cash (it won't get much easier).
Save Money On Energy By Getting Free Electricity On Weekends
If you're wondering how to receive free electricity on weekends, here are several legitimate options.
Although many power providers provide a variety of free night and weekend programmers, you must be cautious when choosing one.
The phrase free electricity is daunting and appears too wonderful to be true. However, there may be some doubts about the plan's validity in providing free electricity on weekends.
Most suppliers employ this strategy to either attract customers or encourage them to switch.
On the other hand, electricity providers have a different narrative to tell.
These service providers claim that they provide free electricity on weekends to move the load to off-peak times.
Furthermore, because the cost of electricity is lower on weekends, the provider may be able to present such incentives to their consumers.
Because it is not practical to store electricity (though there are certainly energy storage technologies), it is critical to maintain a correct supply-demand balance. That is the goal of grid operators.
Electricity supply companies provide these plans for this purpose. However, as a consumer, you should examine the advantages of signing up for free electricity weekend plans.
Although you have options for choosing an electric provider, making a decision may seem tough.
We have discussed how to receive free electricity on weekends to assist you in making a decision.
How Do Free Electricity Plans Work?
Free power on weekend arrangements, often known as Time of Use Plans, is very common. The electricity companies employ a smart meter to estimate your home's use.
They take a task every 15 minutes to determine consumption and provide customized programmers based on your usage.
These free electricity plans might sometimes cost you much more. They charge hefty fixed charges for providing free electricity on weekends and nights.
The rate may be double what you're used to. You gain an edge in the form of free electricity at specific periods.
This strategy may be suitable for folks who work and spend most of their time outside the home throughout the day.
This strategy makes sense, but you'll have to conduct some math independently.
You should know how much electricity you use during the week and weekends. Free electricity on the weekend plan, for example, begins at 6 p.m. on Friday and ends at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday.
As a result, if your electricity consumption is high on weekends, you can save money. Learn more about utilizing a prepaid power plan to save money on electricity.
Electricity Rates Calculated By Providers
Electricity companies offer complimentary power programs after assessing their clients' projected demand. They will also consider consumption over the weekend.
According to some estimates, power consumption during the free hour could account for up to 35% of overall consumption.
As a result, you must determine whether you use that much energy during your free time.
You must keep an eye on the plan details and determine how much electricity you may consume based on the power company's projections.
As a result, knowing how much electricity you use right now is critical. You must complete your homework before receiving free electricity on the weekend plan.
This implies that you must carefully consider whether or not this type of plan will be advantageous to you. To alter your usage, you must also make certain lifestyle modifications.
On the contrary, if you ignore these factors and purchase a plan hastily, you will pay much more than before.
It is possible to get the most out of these programs if you use more electricity on weekends than the usual consumer.
For example, you can take advantage of the free weekend plan by staying outside of town and returning on weekends.
How To Compare And Purchase Free Energy Plans?
You can compare different free electricity programs by visiting the websites of different providers. You will see what types of plans electricity companies have to offer.
Depending on your demands, you can pick between one-year and two-year options.
You can outline different features of such programs by looking at some of the free power on weekend plans. Indeed, it would help if you had a good understanding of how free electricity weekends function.
It will simplify you to choose the best option for your requirements. The energy supplier explicitly states the time when the free power weekend begins and finishes.
The smart meter gives you all the information you need about your daily usage. It also tells you how much energy you use at different times and nights.
As a result, weigh the uses and drawbacks of this type of plan before deciding. You can get the most out of a plan if you know exactly what type of plan is appropriate for you.
After hearing a lot of the word free electricity, you could be feeling more secure about the plans mentioned above for free electricity on weekends. If this is the case, read the lines below carefully.
Before learning How To Take Advantage Of Free Electricity? It's important to understand why corporations give or plan such deals. The main purpose is to provide an incentive for consumers to pay attention.
Energy providers encourage their customers to use the most energy during off-peak hours by offering free nights and weekends. It assists the supplier in achieving the ideal supply and demand balance. As a result, you know that corporations that provide free electricity to their customers are only thinking about themselves.
Nothing in this life is unrestricted, so why are you thinking of consuming free electricity on weekends? Indeed, because of the way energy companies advertise their free electricity programs, individuals begin to imagine the benefits of having free electricity all weekend. Consumers are only considering one side of the story.


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French Sporting goods retailer Decathlon has opened a new concept store at Union Station in the heart of Downtown Toronto as part of its ongoing Canadian expansion.
The 3500 sq. ft. "Decathlon City" location features a smaller footprint than a traditional Decathlon storefront and offers a 'top-seller selection' that draws from the 7,000 total products offered by the retailer.
"We are very excited to be able to meet downtown Torontonians exactly where they are with this new concept store," says Bjorn Bosmans, Ontario leader for Decathlon Canada. "It is a great way to introduce our brand to people who live, work or commute in the downtown core."
The store will allow for shoppers to explore a selection of Decathlon's most popular products in the experience-driven location.
"We want to get Torontonians moving through this central hub acting as a point of connection, a place for events, and see where this experience can take them," says Bosmans. "Union Station provides us with the perfect access point for our new City store experience, and we look forward to meeting people and bringing the community together to stay active, uniting under the banner of sports."
Decathlon City Union Station will employ 15-20 staff to start.
"Decathlon City is part of the ecosystem of Decathlon around the world," shared Marie-Lou Blais, Director of Communications, Decathlon Canada. "It's a smaller footprint store, but in the heart of where the community and people are, as we'd like to make sports accessible to the many."
"Decathlon is a sports brand, but it's also for active living. We're in the hub of where people go to, from work and go home…a lot of people live here. I think we fit the Union Station vision of making people active, unique retail, and we offer easy to buy products that will make a difference in your life."
"The exciting part is that we want to build a community and we want to be there for a community that already exists – people that are active. So people are going to come into the store on opening day and they're going to see golf, swimming, jackets. We will adapt and change the store as time goes to be able to answer the demand. We want to be customized to the customer who visits us."
"With 7000 products in our system, it can all be available here," shared Blais. "The area is smaller, but we are also developing our Click and Collect offering. As time goes on, we can see what people are ordering online for Click and Collect and be able to bring those items into the store."
With the new store being in the heart of the transit hub and connected to Scotiabank Arena and short walk to Rogers Centre, the store has an opportunity to be flexible.
"I think we're opening the store with the current situation and we'll be able to adapt by way of the number of staff and the hours."
Decathlon has been on a cross Canada expansion, which currently sits at twelve locations.
"We're opening a Flagship store in Markham at the end of the year," shared Blais. "We're growing around the GTA area. We have a lot of opening plans next year, more towards the second half of the year. We really want to be where the populations are, where the communities are. We have a lot of followers on social media, asking for locations and we love that, as then we can plan."
With more than 1,700 stores in over 60 countries around the world, Decathlon is a world-renowned brand that designs, manufactures, tests, and sells apparel and equipment for over 65 different sports. Decathlon teams provide a complete sports experience through in-store gyms, product test areas and sports classes, as well as physical and virtual activities for the community.
Decathlon Canada, represented by real estate advisory firm Oberfeld Snowcap, has twelve current Canadian locations.
Toronto based Beauleigh Retail Consultants has been working with Osmington through the creative process to conceptualize and implement and execute on the retail vision and strategy for Union Station, throughout this redevelopment.
"Decathlon is yet another example of a major international player choosing Union Station and believing in the vision," asserts Jean-Francois Nault, Partner and COO, Beauleigh. "Their inclusion is testimony to the partnership between Beauleigh and Osmington whose teams have both been laser-focused on delivering something unique and compelling to the station. And, there's so much more to come."
Union Station recently saw the opening of the LCBO, Sephora and Tao Tea Leaf. The transit hub will be welcoming Liberty Entertainment Group's Blue Bovine restaurant concept, The Queenston restaurant concept, Japanese-based % Arabica coffee shop – with more to be announced.
Related Retail Insider Articles
- Liberty Entertainment Group to Open 10,000 sf Restaurant Concept at Union Station in Toronto [Exclusive]
- LCBO Marks 95 Years as it Opens Newest Storefront at Toronto's Union Station [Photos/Interview]
- Sephora Opens 1st Retail Store in a Canadian Transit Hub at Union Station in Toronto [Interview/Photos]


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Scalloped Potato Loaf
featured in Fulfilling Homemade Potato Recipes
Indulge in this mouthwatering Scalloped Potato Loaf that's perfect for any dinner table. With layers of creamy, cheesy goodness and a crispy top, this dish is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Tasty Team
88% would make again
Inspired by tasty.co
for 8 servings
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large white onion, chopped
- 1 lb lean ground beef (455 g)
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 14 oz diced tomato (395 g), 1 can
- 6 cups fresh spinach (240 g)
- 5 russet potatoes
- 13 slices mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Nutrition Info
- Calories 389
- Fat 11g
- Carbs 42g
- Fiber 5g
- Sugar 4g
- Protein 25g
Estimated values based on one serving size.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until golden, about 5 minutes.
- Add the ground beef and break apart, then cook for 3 minutes until the meat is no longer pink. Add the pepper, salt, garlic powder, paprika, and tomatoes. Mix thoroughly.
- Add the spinach and cook until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and set aside until ready to use.
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F (180˚C).
- Peel the potatoes and cut into ⅛-inch (3 mm) thick slices.
- In a 9x5-inch (23x13-cm) loaf pan, arrange overlapping potato slices on the bottom of the pan so the entire bottom is covered. Line the perimeter of the pan with overlapping potato slices.
- Place 2 slices of mozzarella over the bottom layer of potatoes. Cut 5 slices of mozzarella in half. Place 2 half slices of cheese against the potatoes on both of the longer sides of the pan and one half on both of the shorter sides. Place one half in each of the corners of the pan.
- Spread ⅓ of the beef mixture on top of the cheese. Arrange another layer of overlapping potato slices over the beef mixture. Place 2 more slices of cheese on top of the potatoes.
- Spread another third of the beef mixture over the cheese, then add another layer of potatoes. Place 2 more slices of cheese on top of the potatoes. Spread the rest of the beef mixture on top of the cheese.
- Tuck potato slices around the sides of the pan until all of the gaps are filled. Place the last 2 slices of cheese on top of the beef mixture. Cover the cheese with overlapping potato slices.
- Bake for 90 minutes, until the top is golden brown and crisp. Let cool a bit.
- Place a cutting board over the loaf pan and invert the loaf.
- Slice and garnish with parsley.
- Enjoy!
- Don't just wing it -- plan it! Use our meal planner tool in the Tasty app. Download here.
Inspired by tasty.co


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Pete Buttigieg is the latest example of the woke left's obsession with culture wars and their complete disregard for the basic needs of everyday Americans.
The former South Bend mayor and current Secretary of Transportation has been an abject failure in his role and a huge embarrassment for the Biden administration.
From supply chain crises that have made it hard to get everyday essentials, to mass delays and cancellations at Southwest Airlines over the holidays, Buttigieg has failed in his duties. He has even taken taxpayer-funded private jets rather than commercial planes at least 18 times since he was inaugurated into office.
But what's worse is Buttigieg's focus on culture wars rather than actual issues that matter. During an interview with The Daily Show's Desi Lydic, Buttigieg mocked Republicans who are concerned about men playing in women's sports, arguing that their focus on the issue is "getting in the way" of repairing bridges and increasing transportation safety.
"That was the priority for the House GOP that day," Buttigieg declared. "So these things really are getting in the way of our ability to get work done. We're literally building bridges, and they are literally banning books."
This is an insult to the hardworking Americans who rely on safe roads, bridges and transportation infrastructure to get to work and live their lives. It's clear that Buttigieg simply doesn't care about the welfare of the American people and is more concerned with pushing his own agenda.
Secy. @PeteButtigieg tells the Daily Show: House Republicans' bill restricting transgender participation in women's sports is "really getting in the way of our ability to" repair bridges & railroads.
"We are literally building bridges, and they are literally banning books." pic.twitter.com/oAOOaBvJXg
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) April 26, 2023
Senator Ted Cruz summed it up perfectly: "What in the hell does Pete Buttigieg have to do to get fired? Like in the history of this country, has there ever been a transportation secretary who has screwed more things up?"
It's time for Buttigieg to go. We need a secretary of transportation who is focused on the safety and welfare of the American people, not on culture wars and woke agendas. It's time for the Biden administration to put an end to this embarrassment and get serious about transportation needs.
Erica Carlin is an independent journalist, opinion writer and contributor to several news and opinion sources. She is based in Georgia.


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The Phoenix Suns beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-107 on Tuesday night. Cam Johnson scored 29 points and seven 3-point shots; it was their fifth straight win.
Johnson shot 7 of 11 from beyond the arc and 10 of 17 overall. It was another excellent game for the former bench player, now a starter.
According to OKBET, the Suns (6-1) have now won five games in a row. Center Deandre Ayton was out with a sprained right ankle, but that didn't stop them from winning.
Johnson helped his team when Devin Booker was having a stormy shooting night. Booker still had 18 points, but only 2 for seven from the 3-point range and 6 for 18 overall. He did get seven boards and give out five assists, though.
Anthony Edwards hit a 3-pointer in the middle of the fourth quarter to bring Minnesota within 87-85. But the Timberwolves turned the ball over six times in their next seven possessions, and after that, the Suns were never in danger.
Update on Wainright
Ish Wainright, a Suns player, lost his father on Monday. Calvin Wainright was a basketball coach and mentor in Kansas City for many years. He was 68 years old when he died. Ish Wainright has been hurt in the back since the start of the season. And hasn't been with the team in recent days.
When his players heard the news, coach Monty Williams said, "They were all shocked by it, but they stood by him like they always do."
Nash Out
Williams said he felt terrible for Steve Nash, a great player for the Suns and no longer coaching the Brooklyn Nets after a rough time there.
"It's hard all the time. "I think we all know that these jobs can be hard," Williams said. "No one has done so in recent years and has had to deal with more non-basketball stuff than he has. It's hard to see from a distance."
Timberwolves: G Jordan McLaughlin played after missing two games because of pain in his right heel. He got nine points in the end.
Suns: F Torrey Craig came back to play for Phoenix after hurting his left heel. The second game of the season for Dario Saric. He didn't play in 2021-22 because he tore his ACL in the NBA Finals of 2021. Craig scored four points in his six minutes on the court, and Saric made a 3-pointer, which got a loud cheer from the crowd.
Read More: Warriors' Late Comeback isn't Enough to Beat the Nuggets


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Residents return home after gas leak in a Massachusetts city where explosions happened a year ago
Residents returned home Friday after a natural gas leak forced evacuations Friday morning in Lawrence, Massachusetts, one of the communities hit last year by a string of gas explosions that killed at least one person.
Power was cut overnight to 1,900 homes in the city, about 30 miles north of Boston, due to the gas leak, National Grid spokesman John Lamontagne told CNN. About 80,000 people live in Lawrence.
The gas leak was traced to a line that was installed last year, though the leak's cause wasn't immediately known, Columbia Gas of Massachusetts President Mark Kempic said Friday morning.
Only 27 properties remained affected on Friday afternoon, utility officials said, and service was being restored.
No injuries, fires or explosions were reported, Lawrence Fire Chief Brian Moriarty said.
About 146 meters were affected, Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera said. About 100 people are taking shelter at a school, he said, adding that none were impacted by last year's natural gas blasts.
The Friday incident began around 3 a.m. ET, the Lawrence Police Department told CNN. National Grid got a request to cut power at 4:30 a.m. ET, Lamontagne said.
Poor oversight caused 2018 blasts, NTSB finds
At least one person was killed last September when a string of gas explosions hit Lawrence and two other towns north of Boston. Nearly 40 homes and business were affected by the explosions and fires, and at least 22 people were taken to hospitals.
The "probable cause" of those blasts was inadequate management of a construction project by Columbia Gas, the National Safety Transportation Board announced this week. Also a factor was inadequate protection of a low-pressure natural gas distribution system, the agency concluded.
"Columbia Gas of Massachusetts' weak engineering management … did not adequately plan, review, sequence, and oversee the construction project that led to the abandonment of a cast iron main without first relocating regulator sensing lines to the new polyethylene main," NTSB's Managing Director Sharon Bryson said Tuesday.
"Contributing to the accident was a low-pressure natural gas distribution system designed and operated without adequate over-pressure protection," she said.
Columbia Gas' findings align with those of the NTSB, the utility said in a statement.
"We welcome today's action by the NTSB because it will help us, our industry partners, the public, and others learn from this tragedy. As we've said since that tragic day, we take responsibility for what happened," the statement said.