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Decisions, Decisions: Small Sewing Spaces
July 29, 2011
I've been at a crossroads with the kids room. We're moving the girls upstairs into what was my old craft room. It's a rather large room 15'x15' which will accommodate all their toys, books, bunk bed, desks and sofa with room in the center for playing and their own half-bath. I'm sort of lamenting that we never did it sooner. It just felt weird to have them upstairs when our bedroom is downstairs. But now that most of their toys are moved it feels like the size of our house has doubled and keeping the living room and dining room clean has gotten 10x easier.
However, moving everything out and everything in has been quite a task with Brian working until 9pm every week day. All we need to do is move the bunk bed upstairs this weekend and it will be done! After which the next task will be setting up my new sewing room. It's been difficult not having a place to sew for a couple months.
Below Image via Little Miss Momma
The kids old room is very small about 12'x6' with an extra 6'x'3' space for the door opening and a 6'x3' closet. I was going to have this be my new sewing room. But now I'm trying to decide if I should move Eloise to the old girl's room and move my sewing room into her old room. Eloise's nursery (which is actually the sun room) is also small about 10.5'x6' with no closet. I'm just worried I won't be able to fit all the things I once had in the upstairs room. But it seems more appropriate to finally put the baby in a real bedroom.
I need enough floor space for my large 6'x5' table which can be split into two smaller tables if necessary, my sewing dress forms, ironing board, lamps and space to store extra fabric. I'm leaning toward the smaller sun room but I'm still unsure.
Whatever happens I'm looking forward to planning the new space. My old sewing room was big but it had a lot of unrelated extraneous furniture we stored upstairs which cluttered up the space. Do any of you have a favorite photo of a craft room you've seen on the internet for some inspiration? What are some of the most essential things you need in your sewing room?
23 {comments}:
- Ana said...
I hope you do a post about your new studio. I'm sure it's going to be beautiful. Our place is really tiny. My only sewing space in our house is a corner of our bedroom. It's kind of set up like the last picture you posted, but not as beautiful as that. I just need to have the basic sewing essentials, since that's all I can keep.
- July 29, 2011 at 12:12 PM
- KnitNat said...
I also have a small living space, so my little dining area is my sewing room. What I have found invaluable is my expandable dining table. It is maple but has a formica top to it, just perfect for crafting and it's really easy to pull out a leaf while I'm sewing to create an extra surface for cutting and pinning and such. I wish I could be as beautifully organized as you!
- July 29, 2011 at 12:21 PM
- Colin said...
I feel your pain. I have downsized twice now (unfurnished living room to sharing the guest room to sharing a tiny bedroom). Real live people come before sewing space, though, and I make do!
- July 29, 2011 at 12:48 PM
- banclothing said...
I would love to see photos after you are done. I have a relatively small sewing room and tons of stuff. I am trying to slowly organize it but I am surprised how difficult it has been.
- July 29, 2011 at 1:07 PM
- LLADYBIRD said...
i love organizing sewing spaces! i feel that having a smaller space makes one more mindful of keeping things neat & not creating giant hoard stashes (or maybe that's just me). here's my current sewing room (http://lladybird.wordpress.com/2011/01/24/my-sewing-room/), although i'm about to be moving again so i should have a new one in a couple of months! i'm not sure the exact size of this space; but as you can see it is very small & i only occupy about 3/4 of the room - and i didn't get the closet! i ended up putting my off-season fabric in the garage just to clear up space. maybe that's an option for you?
- July 29, 2011 at 1:18 PM
- Emily said...
The sun room sounds like it'd be awesome for a sewing room- I'm thinking lots of natural light. :) My current sewing "room" is the corner of the kitchen table. It's a bit of a hassle to pull the machine out and put it away so it actually stays on the table unless we have company. (bless my husband for putting up with it!!) My ideal sewing room would be well lit, have space for cutting (not on the floor haha), somewhere for an actual ironing board, a sturdy and comfy spot for my sewing machine and (imaginary) serger, and plenty of storage for fabrics, patterns, and notions. I LOVE how Maggie set up her cupboards!!! (oh to have an ikea nearby):
I'm sure your room will turn out beautifully, like everything you do! - July 29, 2011 at 1:53 PM
- Anna said...
My sewing room is in a walk-in a closet now. I moved my BIG studio space to accommodate the kids. I painted a wall a gorgeous green and put a fun multicolored FLOR down to make it interesting. The key has been tall vertical storage for all my fabrics and notions, and good lighting. You gotta do what you gotta do.
- July 29, 2011 at 4:08 PM
- KnightMare said...
My sewing 'space' is in the lounge of my shared house, and we dont even have a table in there just a knee high storage uni which the sewing machine fits on.
But it does have a lot of natural light during the day which is lovely.
And a large floor space for cutting :p - July 29, 2011 at 4:49 PM
- Author said...
Ugh...I know what it's like to have a small sewing space! Mine is a little desk in a closet! Kind of like that first picture, only way less organized. If I had those shelves, that would help. I've found that I don't need lots of room to sew, but it's hard to find room to cut the fabric. And lighting is a challenge as well. I use the kitchen table for cutting. It's not great, but it works for now!
- July 29, 2011 at 5:40 PM
- Peggy said...
I'm in the process of shifting my sewing space from a bedroom to our basement. I'll be closer to the washer and dryer and the ironing board, but I'm worried about it being so chilly in the winter that I won't want to sew! Additionally, I need to figure out where to put my desk so my computer has a home near the cable lines...
Can't wait to see what you come up with! You might want to check out pinterest and flikr for ideas. - July 29, 2011 at 9:28 PM
- sandi said...
my sewing closet is just that... a walk in closet in the children's playroom. it's about 6' x 4' and i use peg board on one wall above a small table for anything that can be hung (scissors, glue guns, yard stick etc). right now i cut fabric on the floor of the play room, not ideal but what i have to work with.
- July 30, 2011 at 12:06 AM
- CHOCAROME said...
"keep calm and carry on " pillow is amazing!
By the way, I really like your blog style, it's unique and I read your blog so often and I just wonder..if we could follow each other.. But even if your answer is "no" I'll be still your reader ♥
with love,
http://chocarome.blogspot.com/ - July 30, 2011 at 2:30 PM
- LadyLike said...
I also have a small space for sewing/crochet/knit items. I'm using 3rd bedroom that youngest daughter had. Sharing w/hubby when his weight bench and stationary bike is in there in the winter. Organized my storage bins...check out http://www.lady-like.net/blog
- July 30, 2011 at 11:24 PM
- Cleusa Nery said...
oiiiiiiiiiii,estou te seguindo,amei seu blog,vem me visitar.
- July 31, 2011 at 12:52 AM
- Cleusa Nery said...
oiiiiiiiiiii,estou te seguindo,amei seu blog,vem me visitar.
- July 31, 2011 at 12:52 AM
- sewfarandaway said...
There's a blog called CraftyStorage and I think she's highlighted several sewing spaces.
If only I could remember the ones that have come across posts that were small and great...if I do, I'll send it your way!
Good luck
There might be other good links from her blog too! - July 31, 2011 at 10:54 AM
- Brooke Cassell said...
Well I for one can't wait until you're all set back up. I love all of your daily posts but am really missing your sewing projects! I've been getting my fixes from Mena over at the Sew Weekly - thanks for that recommendation during your month of patterns. She and the site are fantastic! But having Grosgrain sewing inspirations back will be nice :-)
- July 31, 2011 at 2:51 PM
- Unknown said...
i'm sure it will be very cool! and switching rooms around is almost like moving...you pack up and get to sort through all the unnesessary stuff!
i did a little craft room redo a while back...it's not a very big space, maybe you could get some ideas from it??
anywho, here's the link and good luck!
http://alicia-lafamille.blogspot.com/2011/01/craft-room-redo.html - July 31, 2011 at 3:22 PM
- Unknown said...
My sewing space is in my laundry room! I actually only have about 7x7 feet of space, but, believe me, if it HAS to work, it will! Here's my room:
Good luck Kathleen! Always fun to create a new space :) - July 31, 2011 at 4:34 PM
- Dree said...
My sewing "room" is technically the 6.4' x 11' dining room of our house. Please note this is also my husband's "office," where he does all of his class planning, prepwork, and much of his grading. My ironing board hangs into the living room, which is now the dining room/guest bedroom (er, couch). I think all of your options sound incredible--my stash is in a plastic bin in the bedroom. I can't quite imagine having my stash and machine and ironing board in the same room--especially a room that doesn't have kids and cats charging through all the time!
- July 31, 2011 at 8:17 PM
- Mel said...
I have space in my ever so tiny dining room, which works because we don't have a table in there. I did at one time but it is now in the corner of the living room holding all of hubbies gaming stuff, which is better than being a catchall for everything under the sun. Here is a post on my cutting table that I came up with after not having successful floor cutting adventures(kitty paperweights and fabric destroyers)http://odettedesigns.blogspot.com/2011/07/not-lot-lately.html
In some of the other pics you can see my lovely Kenmore sewing machine and to one side is the computer desk and the other side is a cabinet with my sculpting stuff inside. I have way to many hobbies. My closet is filled with 3/4 of my craft obsessions, spacebags are my very very best friends for yarn and fabric. Hubby now has no real idea of how MASSIVE my stash is and if i've added to it or not ;) Muwahahahaha. I need better space, someday it will happen. - August 2, 2011 at 3:44 PM
- kelepso said...
I have a sewing niche in my kitchen. It's approximately 15" x 6'. It works rather nicely. I used the floor as my cutting board. Here's a link to see it...http://kelepsodesignstudio.blogspot.com/2010/12/operation-sew.html.
It filled with lots of stuff now, including fabric. When you don't have the space, you'll make it work. I'm quite sure you'll do fine. Would love to see pics. - August 4, 2011 at 9:32 AM
- BlankenBlog said...
Great set up! Can you tell me, if you remember, what color you used for that table? It is so awesome, going to paint my baby crib that color! Thanks
- May 3, 2012 at 5:46 PM


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Abu Dhabi Airports, operator of the emirate's five airports, released its passenger traffic results today. The number of guests using Abu Dhabi International, Al Ain International, Al Bateen Executive, Delma Island and Sir Bani Yas Island airports tripled from 5.26 million in 2021 to 15.9 million in 2022.
Air Traffic Movements (ATMs) at the five airports, which totaled 194,667 for the year, were also reported on the sidelines of the World Cargo Summit in Abu Dhabi. It is clear from these figures that Abu Dhabi airports continue to serve both tourism and business travelers. In addition, they are becoming a popular destination for regional and international travelers.
Additionally, 583,949 tonnes of air freight were handled across Abu Dhabi and Al Ain International Airports, as airlines rebalanced their fleets between passenger and cargo aircraft. Several factors contributed to this positive figure, including increased shipments of express, temperature-controlled, and pharmaceutical products.
In Q4 2022, Abu Dhabi International Airport welcomed nearly double the 2.43 million passengers it handled in Q4 2021 with 4.78 million passengers. A growing network of 28 airlines serves Abu Dhabi International Airport, which serves more than 100 destinations as of December 2022.

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Five by Five
Where does the term 'five by five' come from? I first heard it on 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer', but have since heard it in a military setting. The context on 'Buffy' is:
How are you doing? Five by five!
I take it to mean something like 'fine', 'great' or something similar. Does anyone know how it came to be?
Submit Your Comment
That's military jargon, though I've read it in an old CB operations guide. There are two scales to measure how well you are hearing someone on the radio: Strength and clarity of transmision. Since its a five-point scale, a signal of 'five by five' would be the optimum values. Something worse would be 'two by two' for instance.
So the comment of 'five by five' in this case would indicate that they were feeling in the optimum best of health.
I first heard it in James Camerons' Aliens movie. The female transport pilot says the following during takoff,
"In the pipe, five by five."
It has since been used in the game StarCraft by Blizzard Entertainment. The pilots of the Human shuttle's are female and say this sometimes when you click on them.
Buffy was probably just using it because it became sort of a geek thing to say after the StarCraft inclusion.
all your base are belong to us!
take off every 'zig with liberty.
In Alien, Ferro, a dropship pilot, states "We're in the pipe, five by five."
This means in laymen's terms "We're on track and read you loud and clear."
It's usually a military term. There are 5 levels of reception, five being the best. People say stuff like: "Testing, testing, one two three four, five by five." (Or four by four, etc)
Brian and Michael have pretty much hit it on the head. Do note, however that I don't think it's necessarily military. It applies in all forms of radio communication. It is actually an officially documented expression for all licensed FCC radio communications, ham radio, aircraft communications, etc.
US Air Force lingo:
Q: What's your situation?
A: "five by five" or simply "5 by"
Meaning: in position and ready
It refers to signal strength and clarity, both rated on a five point scale.
The other commentators are correct about the 5 by 5 part. I do believe the, 'in the pipe' part refers to being in transit to land. I heard the term originally from Pilots referring to the visualisation produced by the client end of a TLS (Transponder Landing System). The TLS largely automates that landing process.
"Five by five", also used in french for instance ("Cinq sur cinq"), just means that you receives clearly a transmission. It is also used when you want to say that you understand an order.
I heard this in many many movies. *
But THE quote with this expression is in Aliens (Alien 2) "We are in the pipe, five by five". And used after in Starcraft in reference to Aliens.
It's also in the Freeverse game Wingnuts.
Yep, as mentioned above it's a radio comm phrase, but turned into slang (like everything else) by the military meaning something like "things are good"
When you answer a radio call you can report back how well you can understand the transmission. You use two ratings, both number from 1 to 5. The first number is the signal strength. The second number is the clarity (amount of static) aka (signal to noise ration).
So for a fair signal you might say 3x3, but if you can hear them loud and clear, then you say 5 by 5, or just 5by, or fiver or who knows what else since I was in.
GroundLimit Out. (not over and out, dunno where that came from ;)
There's a lot of knowledge here. I was a 31L-wiring systems installer, "Cable Dawg", for the US Army Signal Corps. Best job I ever had. Signal is your way of exchanging information. It is measured by Strength and Clarity. Both are rated on a 1 (low) thru 5 (high) scale. 5 x 5 would be as good as it gets. Hoo-ah!
Yeah well it could also kean 55 years old...the bestest age, lol
It comes from the early days of radio communications. The scale is 1-5. The first 5 means the signal strength is very good, and the second 5 means the signal clarity is excellent.
I was told if it won't matter in five years, don't waste five minutes worrying about it. In other words "chill".
"I understand you completely"
The term 5X5 is rooted in the communications within military forces through WWII to mean "I understand you perfectly." The first number represented the Signal Strength of a radio communication, and the second number represented the signal clarity on a scale from 1-5 -- 1 being the worst; 5 being the best.
It's a military meaning. Communications rating from 1-5. 5 being great.
My Grandfather used to say it and he told me it was a status check. You still had 10 fingers, 10 toes, & 5 senses which added up to 25 which is also the resilt of 5x5.
I was a CB radio enthusiast in the early 70s, the readability (comprehension of the spoken word) scale of the audio on CB was Zero (0) to Five (5).
the signal strength was on a scale of Zero (0) to Nine (9) so if you were a long distance away with a weak signa but your spoken words were clear the response could be reading you 3 (signal strength) by 5 (comprehension).
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Coldpress or Hotpress, Stonehenge Aqua is everything an expensive paper is without the expense. Because every artist deserves every possibility.


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Are you interested in KONE as a corporate business or a career opportunity?
Corporate site110 years of bold innovation for smarter people flow
Picture the Finnish cityscape, and you won't see any towering skyscrapers dominating the skyline. You might wonder how a country with such a low profile (of buildings) and small population is also home to a global company enabling many high-rise building innovations.
110 years of bold innovation for smarter people flow
To mark our 110th birthday in 2020, we went back to our archives to reminisce on the bold steps we've taken over the years to get us where we are today – and to reveal where we're heading next.
From a machine shop to a people flow pioneer
The transformation to a global leader in the elevator and escalator industry hasn't happened by chance. Active calculation, innovation and internationalisation have paid off.
In 1996, KONE MonoSpace® elevator marked a turning point in our history. The first machine-room-less elevator revolutionised the entire industry, giving us a new perspective on how to develop KONE going forward.
A mindset of courage and collaboration has driven our development. This is particularly true with how we leverage digital transformation.
110 years of bold innovation for smarter people flow
"With digitalisation and technological development things are happening so fast, we can't go it alone. We need to work closer with our partners and customers to create a whole ecosystem around KONE," says Sanna Kaje, Head of Strategy at KONE.
This approach has led to such game-changing innovations as KONE 24/7 Connected Services, which brings artificial intelligence to maintenance, as well as KONE DX Class elevators.
"With the DX Class elevators, we didn't just launch a product – we launched a platform," notes Tomio Pihkala, EVP New Equipment Business at KONE, adding that by inviting third parties and adapting to our customers' digital solutions, we're building an ecosystem around people flow.
Making cities smarter and more sustainable
When KONE was founded in 1910, elevators were modest, but they changed how people moved around in cities and buildings. Today, KONE exists to improve the flow of urban life. This also means a more sustainable and smarter flow in cities.
"Sustainability is the next big topic where KONE will reinvent and renew itself. This includes topics like environment, diversity and inclusion," lists Pihkala.
"There are many problems also related to urbanisation," adds Kaje. "Congestion, sustainability issues, health and wellbeing, and so on. We think we have a key role to play in tackling and solving these problems."
Here's to an eventful 110 years and counting. Watch the full video with Sanna Kaje and Tomio Pihkala below:
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May 9, 2024, Derby - EuroSite Power Inc. (OTCPK: EUSP), an On-Site Utility, offering clean electricity, heat, hot water and cooling solutions to hospitality, healthcare, housing and fitness facilities will release its financial results for the quarter ending March 31, 2024 before the markets open on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. The earnings release will be available in the "News Releases" section of the Company website at http://investors.eurositepower.co.uk/.
On-Site Utility EuroSite Power sells the energy produced from an onsite energy system to an individual property as an alternative to the outright sale of energy equipment. On-Site Utility solution customers only pay for the energy produced by the system and receive a guaranteed discount rate on the price of the energy. All system capital, installation, operating expenses and support are paid by EuroSite Power.
About EuroSite Power EuroSite Power Inc. is committed to providing institutional, commercial and small industrial facilities with clean, reliable power, cooling, heat and hot water at lower costs than charged by conventional energy suppliers - without any capital or start-up costs to the energy user - through our On-Site Utility offering. For more information about our unique efficient power solutions please visit www.eurositepower.co.uk and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.
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Investor Contact: Dr. Elias Samaras EuroSite Power Inc. +44 800 028 8001 firstname.lastname@example.com


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We deliver anywhere on Ambergris Caye and surrounding Cayes. We know all the local places to find you the best in produce, meats, fish and fresh groceries. We hand pick your products to insure you are receiving the best available products.
All of our perishable items are immediately transported to our high quality fridges and freezers for storage, when it's time for delivery they go into high quality coolers to ensure that the items remain as fresh and as cold as they were in the store itself.
Isn't it cheaper to shop for ourselves? Maybe! If you shop for yourself you'll either need to rent a golf cart or hire a taxi to drive you around and then there's the cost and hassle of getting your purchases to your rental unit. If you ever get the chance to see our delivery staff in action you'll know just how hard a job that can be. Unless you've visited Ambergris Caye many times you may also find yourself in one of the more expensive shops, which in itself could make the difference in the cost of our services.
Substitutions? If a requested item is not available we will substitute for an item of similar quality and price unless requested otherwise. We try to keep as many commonly available items as possible on our order form but day to day availability on most products means that sometime we never know what items might cross our paths. With that in mind, if you ask for it we'll look for it and if the price and quality are reasonable we'll purchase it for you. If we can't find an item we'll let you know.
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From Oct 1 2013 -- Oct 21 2013 there were 23 known hate-murders by blacks against 'minorities' in SA: bringing total of murdered whites and other minorities in hatecrimes by blacks to 188 in 2013
Killed thus far in October 2013: Fifteen Afrikaners and four English-South Africans (including *ten 'white' farmers who also included 2 German-South Africans. Also, in the hatecrimes targeting Indian-South Africans, one Indian bakery-owner was murdered execution style in the ongoing war for control of the lucrative SA bakery trade. All the perpetrators of these crimes were black males. Since January 1 2013 to Oct 21 2013, a total of 188 white people in South Africa have been murdered in black-racist hatecrimes. (In addition 2 white people were murdered by white people in xenophobic, robbery-related crimes.
(*Farm murders are listed separately at the bottom of this page)
Summary since Jan 1 2013 up to Oct 23 2013: murders of Whites by Blacks in SA during which hate-crime actions were recorded:
2013 January - 20 Murdered.
2013 February - 13 Murdered.
2013 March: - 10 Murdered.
2013 April: - 18 Murdered.
2013 May: - 24 Murdered.
2013 June: - 15 Murdered.
2013 July: - 16 Murdered.
2013 August - 17 Murdered
2013 Sept - 21 murdered
1 Oct - 21 Oct: 23 murdered.
Total Jan1, 2013 - Oct 23, 2013: 189.
- (for information specifically only on farm attacks, call Farm Watch at 033 7021143 or visit http://www.tlu.co.za)
September 2013 hatecrimes against whites by blacks:
What is a Hatecrime?
hate crime, harassment, intimidation, or physical violence that is motivated by a bias against characteristics of the victim considered integral to the person's social identity:This includes the person's race, ethnicity, or religion. Some relatively broad hate-crime laws also include sexual orientation and mental or physical disability among the characteristics that define a hate crime.
Unconfirmed: Steve Faure (71) murdered 2am Oct 23 2013 Rietondale Pretoria:
Confirmation of latest reported murder this month:
23. John van Staden 84: little grandchildren found him dead: murdered Oct 23, 2013
The SAPS has confirmed the murder of Mr John van Staden 84, who was found murdered at 6am by his 2 little grandchildren: Disa Street, Touwsrivier
22. Afrikaner KZN farmer Willem Weites 78, shot dead at farm store while rescuing daughter from knifemen:
21: English-South African Cocktail bar owner Kevin Launspach 37 executed with one head-shot Moseley Park, Pinetown KZN home
20: English-South African farmer Dan Knight (56) Underberg KZN – Bludgeoned to death
Being forced to watch while 5 blacks crush your partner's skull with a plumbing wrench is ordinary crime? KZN farmer Dan Knight was murdered because the company he hired to harvest timber did not pay THEIR black employees in time. His partner, Ms Beth Butcher, recounted her horror at being forced to watch the attack. By "forced", in a radio interview: her head was held and turned towards the victim by force, and her eyes were forced open by one of the attackers, so that she could witness for herself the sheer horror of Mr Knight's head literally being beaten to a pulp by his attackers and pulverized by a plumber's wrench. Multiply the above horrific, barbaric act of racist hate crime by 4,000+ dead and often-tortured farmers who have died during farm attacks, multiply this by countless white victims who have been raped, attacked, robbed, hijacked, murdered and tortured by hate-filled criminals from "other groups", and you start to get the idea of what is going on in South Africa. It can surely only be described as widespread, endemic anti-white hate crime, if not the beginnings of a genocide. http://praag.org/?p=11265
19: Scientec-RSA manager Peter Rassloff 72 murdered execution-style, Corfu Avenue, Capri Estate, Kommetjie
18: Mrs Susan Olivier, 60, murdered in her townhouse, Pellissier, Bloemfontein
Watch YouTube video:
16 and 17: De Villiers couple found with throats slashed at Barkly East farm house, son Dawie, 56 survives miraculously.
Video of Afrikaans interview with daughter Dr Christiana de Villiers:
Double-murder accused Thulani Khentane 22 picketed by angry multi-racial "Red October" protestors at Barkly-East magistrate's court:
15: Mrs Elize Douglas: funeral service Carltonville 18 October 11am: was shot dead with head-shot in front of Absa Bank Carltonville Oct 14 2013
13 and 14: Groblersdal Oct 7 2013: German-born Michael 61 and Heidi Foltin 57 murdered execution style on their orchid-farm.
The SAPS immediately pronounced it 'suicide' but did not investigate any further: a neighbour, Stoffberg, had received their frantic emergency call when they were being attacked and had rushed to the farm - only found the couple both shot dead. He had notified the SAPS. They took one look and told the news media it was a suicide...
12. Afrikaner resident Eugene van der Merwe 61, was beaten to death and his young son 13 badly hurt in fierce attack by two blacks on KZN Midlands farm:
11. Sought for murder of Kraaifontein Afrikaner Dennis Kleynhans 65:
Above: A black gangster named Oscar Khayalethu is being sought by the Durbanville SAPS for the execution-style murder of Mr Kleynhans - (not previously identified as a murder-victim by the SAPS)
10. Mr Gerhard de Beer 81, beaten to death with a plank, farm house Spioenkop near White River
October 12 2013Widow badly traumatised, suffered stab wounds in a hand -
Dirk Hermann of Solidarity trade union: https://twitter.com/SolidariDirk
9. Maria Erasmus 52, found dead in Queensburgh Park, Mount Vernon, Durban
8. Indian bakery owner in Johannesburg South Mr Amir Bashir assassinated, his mother critically injured:
7. Elderly mother 84 and daughter 64 found handcuffed, murdered, townhouse Bruma Cleveland nothing robbed - awaiting details.
5 and 6. Hennie van der Schyff 73 and husband Frans 76 murdered farm Morester Klerksdorp NW
Above: Two black men were arrested for this unmotivated double-murder of the elderly Afrikaner couple: arraigned in Klerksdorp magistrate's court October 14 2013. Mr Van der Schyff died in hospital a week after the attack. http://platinumweekly.co.za/articleA303.html
4. Afrikaner Deon Bezuidenhout caretaker of La Paradise complex Garsfontein murdered by black gunmen in his home
3. Unnamed Afrikaner man gunned down in cold blood, killed for his car RedVWpolo1.6Comfortline reg HLR584NW Rustenburg
2. Afrikaner Professor Daniel Meyer Wybenga 69: face horribly mutilated by torture: son could only identify him by his hands Clarens FS
1. One of the last few remaining private timber farmers Paul Mason shot dead execution style Oct 3 Sabie
Farm Attacks 2013 as compared to 20123 -
Farmers run more risks of being murdered than do SA police officers, say the Transvaal Agricultural Union and the Institute for Security Studies (ISS)
. Oct 23 2013 - Thus far in 2013 there were more farm attacks in the past 10 months than the entire year of 2013, says Henk van de Graaf of the TAU-SA.
"A farmer has four times as much chance than any ordinary citizen to get murdered and twice as much chance to get murdered than does a SA police officer," says dr. Johan Burger, senior researcher of the Institute for Security Studies.Their comments follow on the recent wave of exceedingly cruel farm attacks especially in KZN, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and North West. Burger said based on the SA crime statistics and the Stats-SA population numbers, it shows that 31 out of every 100,000 SA citizens are murdered - as compared to 54 out of every 100,000 police officers (see chart above).
Above: The TLU-SA admits that they maintain 'very conservative' farm attack archives: they only record them if the victims' names are known, the town and the police case number.
But 120 out of every 100,000 farmers are being murdered -- more than double the number of police officers murdered. And certainly farming (in normal societies) should be much safer than policing.' TAU-SA maintains records of every farm murder for which they can find a town name, a police case number and the names of victims. Thus far this year there have been 181 farm-attacks - (2013: 171 by this time last year). During those attacks 54 farmers have already been murdered (compared to the entire year of 2012).Especially the farm attacks in KZN showed a dramatic increase. "Before this year's attacks, the last farm attack in KZN was in 2007. This year there have already been 21 attacks and nine murders,' said Van de Graaf. In the East Cape there were no farm murders last year but thus far this year nine have already been recorded there. In OKTOBER 2013 alone there have been 19 farm attacks and twelve farm murders countrywide. "One can only summise about the reason for this increase. However we at ISS believe that the fact that Julius Malema recently gained massive media attention with his comments about land-expropriations creates a climate for such attacks,' he said. Especially the extreme cruelty which accompanies many of these attacks against white farm families, angers the TAU. "It is absurd that people are tortured and their skulls beaten to a pulp just for a few cellphones. To us this is not just another 'ordinary crime'. Burger agreed that the government and the SAPS give far too little attention to preventing farm attacks. "SAPS minister Nathi Mthethwa held a conference last year because he was worried about the number of police officers killed. It makes no sense not to hold a similar conference about farm murders when it's clear that farmers are being murdered at twice the rate of police members'. All of the requests lodged by the TAU-SA that the SAPS appoints a special investigation team to establish the motives underlying these farm murders, have fallen on deaf ears. Van der Graaf: Meanwhile the courses being offered in self-defence and security measures are booked solid. People want to know how to protect themselves...'
Read more at http://www.censorbugbear.org/farmitracker/reports/view/1716


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Themed to reflect the style and culture of the South Pacific, the resort is divided into several 'longhouses' as well as the Great Ceremonial House, which serves as the resort's main reception area. With a 3-story high atrium, a rich tropical color palette and a warm sense of hospitality, the Great Ceremonial House introduces guests to the Polynesian adventure that awaits them. The theming continues throughout the grounds of the resort with white sand beaches, torch-lit walkways, lush landscaping, and waterfalls throughout. The resort's position on the shores of the Seven Seas lagoon gives it a prime location from which to view the nightly fireworks at the Magic Kingdom, as well as the Electrical Water Pageant.
When dealing with 'themed' resorts, one measurement of success can be how well it carries its overall theme into its rooms. The rooms at the Polynesian have recently been redone and have a Moana theme. You can spot some of the characters from the film around the space.
Handicap Accessible Rooms: Garden View: 26, Lagoon View: 2, Theme Park View: 3 Note: Handicap-specific room locations differ according to the disability being accommodated
Room Categories: Garden View, Lagoon View, Theme Park View
Approximate # of Rooms in this category:
Maximum # people: 5 people
Square Footage: 404 sq. ft.
Standard rooms at the Polynesian have several options in terms of the view: Garden view, lagoon view and theme park view. Rooms with a lagoon or theme park view have two queen beds and one day bed (sleeping 5). Rooms with a Garden view have two queen beds only (sleeping 4). All rooms come with an alarm clock with mp3 player, mini fridge, ceiling fan, coffee maker with tea and coffee setup, evening turndown service, hair dryer, ice bucket, safe, iron and ironing board, pool towels, table and chairs, telephone, and television. Rooms located on the third floor have balconies, while rooms on the first floor have patios. 2nd floor rooms have no outside access. Note: Bed boards/rails, Pack N Play cribs, microwave, international electrical adapter and rollaway bed available upon request.
Approximate # of rooms in this category:
Maximum # people: Garden View, Lagoon View, Theme Park View and 1 Bedroom Suite: 5 people, Honeymoon Room: 2 people, Princess Suite, Ambassador VP Suite and King Kamehameha Suite: 8 people
# Handicap Accessible: Garden View: 4, Lagoon View: 3, Theme Park View: 2, Princess Suite: 1
Note: Handicap-specific room locations differ according to the disability being accommodated
At Disney's Polynesian Village Resort, the Concierge Service is found in the Hawaii and Tonga longhouses. The main Concierge lounge is called the King Kamehameha Club and is located in the Hawaii building. There is also a club lounge for suite guests in the Tonga longhouse. The lounge is open from 7am-10pm daily. Coffee is available starting at 6:30am, with morning service (pastries, cereal, etc) from 7am-10:30am. Afternoon service is from 12:00pm to 4:00pm and includes a selection of snacks and soft drinks. Evening service is from 5pm to 7pm and includes hot and cold hors d'oeuvres, cheese, veggies, as well as a limited selection of wine and beer (available by request). The late evening service is from 8pm to 10pm and includes a selection of desserts and cordials (Amaretto, Franjelico, etc).
Concierge guests can check in here and have refreshments upon arrival. Concierge service includes making your dining reservations, arranging for Lightning Lane, planning outings, ticket purchases, transportation arrangements, filling requests for special dining or accommodation needs, daily newspapers and use of the lounge. The concierge has even been known to secure an autographed picture or two of your favorite characters!
The Tonga longhouse
is home to the suites at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort. Most
suites have a kitchen area and a sitting area. They also
offer 2 queen size beds, or 1 king size, and possibly
2 Sico beds (that pull out from the wall). The bathrooms
have lovely marble tubs. The furniture, in accordance
with the South Seas theme, is bamboo and cane with stone
table tops. Other benefits of staying in a suite include
speaker telephones with a second line, bathrobes, an iron
and ironing board, some special Polynesian stationery
and a nightly turndown service. These amenities
are also available in the standard concierge rooms.
Presidential Suite (King
Kamehameha Suite) - 1863 sq ft ($1805.00 to $2490.00 per
night - appx)
This suite has two bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, with a parlor.
This is a two floor suite, with the main living area on
the first floor, and the two bedrooms on the second floor.
The mini kitchen here includes a small refrigerator, ice
maker, small microwave and sink. There are also
standard connecting rooms availalbe that could make this
a five bedroom suite.
Ambassador Suite - 1513 sq
This suite has two bedrooms, 3 baths and a parlor area.
Mini-kitchen includes a small refrigerator, ice maker,
small microwave and sink. There are two suites in
this category.
Princess Suite - 1212 sq.
This suite has two bedrooms, each with two queen beds,
along with a day bed in the parlor. This suite also
includes a wet bar and small refrigerator.
1 Bedroom Princess Suite - 760
sq. ft
This suite has one bedroom with two queen beds, and a
day bed in the parlor.
In-Room Dining
In-room dining is available 24-hours daily. From 11:30 a.m. to midnight, salads,
hot sandwiches, appetizers and hamburgers are offered.
For dinner, from 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., appetizers,
barbecued ribs, sweet and sour chicken dishes, shrimp
and pasta, pork tenderloin, filet mignon, steak,
and desserts are offered.
To place an order, press "Dining Options" on your in-room phone. An 18% gratuity, $3.00 delivery charge and 6.5% sales tax will apply to all delivery orders. A minimum order may apply.
TIP: For breakfast, fill out the card found in your room and hang on your doorknob before retiring for the night.
Lava Pool area - the resort's largest pool features a waterslide in the volcano, a large infinity hot tub, an expansive pool deck and an interactive water play area for kids, the Kiki Tikis Splash Area.
An additional quiet pool area is entirely separate from the Lava Pool area. It is nestled behind the Rarotonga and Niue longhouses. Pool towels are available in both locations.
A number of poolside activities are scheduled each afternoon. Ranging from hula hoop games to arts and crafts, there is a broad spectrum of games and challenges for families to participate in while they enjoy the water area.
Jogging Trail: Seven Seas Lagoon (1 mile)
Volleyball Courts: Located between the Hawaii and Tahiti buildings. Complimentary volleyballs may be checked out from Mikala Canoe Club Marina with your MagicBand or card.
Outdoor Campfire and Movie: Each night there is a complimentary showing of a Disney film. Located at the beach, the feature film changes daily (consult recreation calendar given upon guest check-in for time, location and particular movie).
Guided Fishing Excursions: For a fee, an expert guide will host your group during a catch-and-release fishing trip in some of the lakes on Disney property. Available times are 7am, 10am, and 1:30pm. Reservations required (407) WDW-BASS or visit the Concierge desk.
Mikala Canoe Club Marina: Guests can rent Sea Raycers, Boston Whaler Montauks, and SunTracker pontoon boats at the resort marina. For more information, click HERE. Reservations can also be made for a Specialty Fireworks Cruise for parties up to 10. (407) WDW-PLAY
Celebrate Polynesian Culture: Free hula dance lessons are given in the resort lobby on designated days.
Electrical Water Pageant: Viewing area located on the beach.
Spa and Fitness: Disney's Polynesian Village Resort does not have its own fitness center. Guests of the resort do have access to the fitness center at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, which is a short walk away.
Bou Tiki: Open 8am-11pm (Polynesian-themed apparel, resort logo souvenirs, luggage, jewelry, MagicBand accessories, Disney character home decor)
Moana Mercantile: Open 8am-11pm (children's souvenirs, autograph books and pens, snacks and beverages)
Disney's Polynesian Village Resort is on the Monorail route and the station is located on the second floor of the great Ceremonial House. The Resort monorail stops at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, Magic Kingdom Park, Disney's Contemporary Resort and the Transportation and Ticket Center as well.
Magic Kingdom: Monorail; Walk/Monorail (walk to the Transportation and Ticket Center, board the Magic Kingdom monorail); Boat (available 30 minutes prior to park opening on standard days and one hour on Extra Magic Hour mornings until 45 minutes after park closing)
Epcot: Monorail (take the resort monorail to the Transportation and Ticket Center, transfer to the Epcot monorail); Walk/Monorail (walk to the Transportation and Ticket Center, board the Epcot monorail)
Hollywood Studios: Bus (available 45 minutes before park opening until 2 hours after park closing);
Animal Kingdom: Bus (available 45 minutes before park opening until 2 hours after park closing)
Water Parks: Bus (available 30 minutes before park opening until 1 hour after park closing)
Disney Springs: Bus (available from 9am-2am) Transportation and Ticket Center: Monorail
Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa: Monorail; Boat (available 30 minutes before park opening on standard days and one hour on Extra Magic Hour mornings until 45 minutes after park closing)
Disney's Contemporary Resort: Monorail
Note: The bus stop is located outside of the Great Ceremonial House with buses departing approximately every 20 minutes. The boat dock is near the beach with boats departing approximately every 20 minutes. The monorail station is located on the second floor of the Great Ceremonial House.


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For which sequences of positive integers do tight fusion frames exist?
In this talk, I will discuss joint work with K. Luoto and M. Bownik where we explore this problem. In particular, we give a combinatorial characterization in terms of nonvanishing Littlewood-Richardson coefficients. This connection between algebraic combinatorics and frame theory yields several interesting results in both fields of mathematics.
This talk will begin by surveying several examples of these monoids and then explore representation-theoretic aspects of their monoid algebras. This involves mixing combinatorial and algebraic tools: poset topology; Leray numbers; and cohomology and classifying spaces of small categories.
This is joint work with Stuart Margolis and Benjamin Steinberg.
This is joint work with Alex Yong.
- quasisymmetric Kostka numbers
- skew quasisymmetric Schur functions
- a quasisymmetric Littlewood-Richardson rule and
- an analogue of Young's lattice.
This is joint work with Christine Bessenrodt, Jim Haglund, Kurt Luoto and Sarah Mason.


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Every year, first-time home buyers venture into the market and make the same mistakes that their parents, siblings and friends made when they bought their first houses.
But today's novice buyers can stop the cycle. Here are 12 mistakes that first-time home buyers make — and what to do instead.
1. Not figuring out how much house you can afford
Without knowing how much house you can afford, you might waste time. You could end up looking at houses that you can't afford yet, or visiting homes that are below your optimal price level.
For many first-time buyers, the goal is to buy a house and get a loan with a comfortable monthly payment that won't keep them up at night. Sometimes it's a good idea to aim low.
How to avoid this mistake: Use a mortgage affordability calculator to help you know what price range is affordable, what's a stretch and what's aggressive.
» MORE: Calculate how much house you can afford
2. Making a down payment that's too small
You don't have to make a 20% down payment to buy a home. Some loan programs (see item No. 5) enable you to buy a home with zero down or 3.5% down. Sometimes that's a good idea, but homeowners occasionally have regrets.
In a survey commissioned by NerdWallet, one in nine (11%) homeowners under age 35 agreed with the statement "I should have waited until I had a bigger down payment." It was one of the most common regrets that millennial homeowners had.
The key is making sure your down payment secures an affordable monthly house payment.
How to avoid this mistake: Figuring out how much to save is a judgment call. A bigger down payment lets you get a smaller mortgage, giving you more affordable monthly house payments. The downside of taking the time to save more money is that home prices and mortgage rates have been rising, which means it could become more difficult to buy the home you want and you may miss out on building home equity as home values increase. The key is making sure your down payment helps you secure a payment you're comfortable making each month.
» MORE: Down payment strategies for first-time home buyers
In another survey commissioned by NerdWallet, millennial homeowners described how long it took to save for a down payment. Among millennials who had bought a home in the previous five years, it took an average of 3.75 years to save enough to buy. So if it's taking you three or four years to save up, you have plenty of company.
» MORE: How to figure out the right down payment amount for you
3. Emptying your savings
If you buy a previously owned home, it almost inevitably will need an unexpected repair not long after. Maybe you'll need to replace a water heater or pay a homeowner's insurance deductible after bad weather.
"That's a growing pain for the first-time homeowner, when stuff breaks," says John Pataky, executive vice president of the consumer division of EverBank. "They find themselves in a hole quickly" if they don't have enough saved for emergencies.
» MORE: How to save for a down payment
How to avoid this mistake: Save enough money to make a down payment, pay for closing costs and moving expenses, and take care of repairs that may come up. Lenders will give you estimates of closing costs, and you can call around to get estimates of moving expenses.
» MORE: Calculate how long it will take you to save for a down payment
4. Not looking for first-time home buyer programs
As a first-time home buyer, you probably don't have a ton of money saved up for the down payment and closing costs. But don't make the error of assuming that you have to delay homeownership while saving for a huge down payment. There are plenty of low-down-payment loan programs out there, including state programs that offer down payment assistance and competitive mortgage rates for first-time home buyers.
Yes, 11% of millennial homeowners say they regret not making a bigger down payment. But the vast majority don't express such a regret.
» MORE: Learn about first-time home buyer resources in your state
How to avoid this mistake: Ask a mortgage lender about your first-time home buyer options and look for programs in your state. You might qualify for a U.S. Department of Agriculture loan or one guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs that doesn't require a down payment. Federal Housing Administration loans have a minimum down payment of 3.5%, and some conventional loan programs allow down payments as low as 3%.
» MORE: Find a first-time home buyer program that's right for you
5. Ignoring VA, USDA and FHA loan programs
A lot of first-time home buyers want to or need to make small down payments. But they don't always know the details of government programs that make it easy to buy a home with zero or little down.
How to avoid this mistake: Learn about the following loan programs:
- VA loans are mortgages guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. They're for people who have served in the military. VA loans' claim to fame is that they allow qualified home buyers to put zero percent down and get 100% financing. Borrowers pay a funding fee in lieu of mortgage insurance.
» MORE: The basics of VA loans - USDA loans can be used to buy homes in areas that are designated rural by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Qualified borrowers can put zero percent down and get 100% financing. You pay a guarantee fee and an annual fee in lieu of mortgage insurance.
» MORE: What you need to know about USDA loans - FHA loans allow for down payments as small as 3.5%. What's more, the Federal Housing Administration can be forgiving of imperfect credit. When you get an FHA loan, you pay mortgage insurance for the life of the mortgage, even after you have more than 20% equity.
» MORE: All about FHA loans
6. Getting just one rate quote
Shopping for a mortgage is like shopping for a car or any other expensive item: It pays to compare offers. Mortgage interest rates vary from lender to lender, and so do fees such as closing costs and discount points.
Mortgage applications within 45 days count as one credit inquiry.
But according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, almost half of borrowers don't shop for a loan.
7. Not checking credit reports and correcting errors
Mortgage lenders will scrutinize your credit reports when deciding whether to approve a loan and at what interest rate. If your credit report contains errors, you might get quoted an interest rate that's higher than you deserve. That's why it pays to make sure your credit report is accurate.
How to avoid this mistake: You may request a free credit report each year from each of the three main credit bureaus. You may dispute any errors you find.
8. Not knowing whether to pay discount points
Mortgage discount points are fees you pay upfront to reduce your mortgage interest rate. Interest rate savings can add up to a lot of money over the life of a mortgage, and discount points are one way to gain those rate savings if you're in the right position to purchase them.
How to avoid this mistake: If making a minimal down payment is an accomplishment, the choice is simple: Don't buy discount points. If you have enough cash on hand, the value of buying points depends on whether you plan to live in the home longer than the "break-even period." That's the time it takes for the upfront cost to be exceeded by the monthly savings you get from a lower interest rate.
» MORE: Calculate whether you should pay for discount points
9. Applying for credit before the sale is final
One day, you apply for a mortgage. A few weeks later, you close, or finalize, the loan and get the keys to the house. The period between is critical: You want to leave your credit alone as much as possible. It's a mistake to get a new credit card, buy furniture or appliances on credit, or take out an auto loan before the mortgage closes.
Wait until after closing to open new credit accounts or charge big expenses to your credit cards.
Here's why: The lender's mortgage decision is based on your credit score and your debt-to-income ratio, which is the percentage of your income that goes toward monthly debt payments. Applying for credit can reduce your credit score a few points. Getting a new loan, or adding to your monthly debt payments, will increase your debt-to-income ratio. Neither of those is good from the mortgage lender's perspective.
» MORE: Why debt-to-income ratio matters
Within about a week of the closing, the lender will check your credit one last time. If your credit score has fallen, or if your debt-to-income ratio has gone up, the lender might change the interest rate or fees on the mortgage. It could cause a delay in your closing, or even result in a canceled mortgage.
How to avoid this mistake: Wait until after closing to open new credit accounts or to charge furniture, appliances or tools to your credit cards. It's OK to have all those things picked out ahead of time; just don't buy them on credit until after you have the keys in hand.
» MORE: What not to do during mortgage approval
10. Shopping for a house before a mortgage
It's more fun to look at homes than it is to talk about your finances with a lender. So that's what a lot of first-time home buyers do: They visit properties before finding out how much they are able to borrow. Then, they are disappointed when they discover they were looking in the wrong price range (either too high or too low) or when they find the right home, but aren't able to make a serious offer.
» MORE: Calculate the estimated value of a home you're interested in
How to avoid this mistake: Talk to a mortgage professional about getting pre-qualified or even preapproved for a home loan before you start to seriously shop for a place. The pre-qualification or preapproval process involves a review of your income and expenses, and it can make your bid more competitive because you'll be able to show sellers that you can back up your offer.
Neal Khoorchand, broker-owner of Century 21 Professional Realty, in the South Ozone Park neighborhood of Queens, New York, pre-qualifies his clients before showing them properties.
"If you're qualified for a one-family house for $500,000, we're not going to show you a one-family for $600,000 — it would be a waste of time," he says.
» MORE: What a preapproval is and why it matters
11. Underestimating the costs of homeownership
After you buy a home, the monthly bills keep stacking up. This can come as a surprise if you're not ready.
"It's not just your mortgage payment," says Seth Feinman, vice president of Silver Fin Capital, a mortgage brokerage in Great Neck, New York. "You're going to have the oil bill, the gas bill, you're going to have a cable bill, you're going to have all these things that the bank doesn't care about when qualifying you for a mortgage."
Renters often pay these kinds of bills, too. But a new home could have higher costs — and it might come with entirely new bills, such as homeowner association fees.
How to avoid this mistake: Work with a real estate agent who can tell you how much the neighborhood's property taxes and insurance typically cost. Ask to see the seller's utility bills for the last 12 months the home was occupied so you have an idea how much they will cost after you move in.
» MORE: Calculate the real costs of owning a home
12. Miscalculating repair and renovation costs
First-time home buyers are frequently surprised by high repair and renovation costs. Buyers can make two mistakes: First, they get a repair estimate from just one contractor, and the estimate is unrealistically low. Second, their perspective is distorted by reality TV shows that make renovations look faster, cheaper and easier than they are in the real world.
How to avoid this mistake: Assume that all repair estimates are low. James Ramos, owner of Re/Max Bay to Bay, a real estate brokerage in Tampa, Florida, recommends doubling the estimates to get a more realistic view of costs.
Seek more than one estimate for expensive repairs, such as roof replacements. A good real estate agent should be able to give you referrals to contractors who can give you estimates. But you also should seek independent referrals from friends, family and co-workers so you can compare those estimates against ones you receive from contractors your agent refers.


text:
You've got to spend money to make money. But that's not the way Texas, and a handful of other states, are looking at the 2020 census. Officials in Texas have decided not to spend any money or make statewide plans for the census, despite the fact that the state experienced massive population growth in the past decade.
With federal dollars at risk, the state's major cities, business leaders and even nonprofits say they are being forced to step in instead.
Across the country, states are spending millions on making sure they get a better head count of their residents. For example, California officials announced they are investing as much as $154 million in the 2020 census.
But not all states are making investments, or even coming up with statewide plans to improve the count.
This year, Texas lawmakers failed to pass legislation that would have created a statewide effort aimed at making sure all Texans are counted. Measures that would have ensured millions of dollars in funding for the census in Texas also failed.
"California is eating our lunch on the census," says Ann Beeson, the CEO of the Center for Public Policy Priorities in Austin. "And what that's going to mean is more representation and more dollars for California than Texas."
Beeson said this is particularly concerning because the state's population has continued to explode. In fact, many of the country's fastest-growing cities are in the Lone Star State.
By some estimates, Texas is set to gain three to four congressional seats after the census. But that's only if there's an accurate count, Beeson says.
"Texas is already at a high risk of an undercount," she says. "That is because we have a higher percentage of what are considered hard-to-count populations."
That includes low-income populations, immigrant families and young children, Beeson says.
"We have a particularly high risk of an undercount of young children because we have so many," she says.
The Center for Public Policy Priorities estimates that a mere 1% undercount could cost Texas $300 million in federal funding a year.
That's much-needed funding, Beeson says, that would pay for education, transportation and health care programs in the state.
In the absence of state action, though, local officials in Texas say it's up to them now to make sure people are getting counted.
"So much in the state of Texas relies on local government stepping up," says Bruce Elfant, the tax assessor and voter registrar for Travis County here in Austin.
Elfant is a member of the city's Complete Count Committee, which is a city-led group focused just on improving the census in Austin.
"This is a time where local government is going to have to step up again, and I am really proud of what we have here in Travis County," he says.
Elfant says school districts and other municipal government — as well as local businesses — plan to pitch in. In fact, he says the city plans to create a fund for the census. He says that fund will largely rely on money from the private sector.
And nonprofits say they are also gearing up to fill the gap left by state inaction, says Stephanie Swanson with the nonpartisan League of Women Voters of Texas.
"We realized that basically is going to be up to us," she says. "We will have to rely on our cities, and it will also fall on the shoulders of nonprofits and the community to get out the count."
Swanson says she and others are trying to get nonprofits across the state — and especially trusted community groups — to make this a priority.
But she says it's not going to be easy.
"We have a lot of work that we have to do," Swanson says. "We are still in the initial phases, and I am not quite sure if that really has sunk in with the population here in Texas."
The biggest hurdle, she says, will be funding large-scale education programs.
Texas has one of the largest immigrant populations in the country. That means talk of a possible citizenship question on the census has large swaths of the state nervous about answering the census, even though that question will not be included.
"That's something that we are still struggling to find a good way to talk to people about," Swanson says. "We don't want to scare them, basically."
So far, the state's biggest cities, including Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin, all have citywide efforts. There are also various small towns and suburban counties.
Beeson says it's a good thing there are people starting to take this seriously. However, it would be ideal, she says, if state officials had a statewide plan to make sure that everyone here is counted. Beeson says many rural counties in Texas probably won't have the resources big cities do to make sure their residents are counted.
"As a proud Texan, that kind of makes me mad," Beeson says. "I feel like we kind of need to step up to the plate and really get on the ball and make sure that we are getting counted just like those Californians are getting counted."


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The Bachelor Missions
Kristian Clark and the Agency Trap Series Book 1
by Jes Drew
Genre: Speculative Thriller, Espionage Romance
The good-guys, the bad-guys, and the wild card- it's the ultimate game of
cloak and dagger…
Kristian Clark, private eye, thought his days
as a special agent were behind him, but when he's drafted into
action, he finds himself reunited with his old team- and painful
memories of why they broke up in the first place. But as he plunges
into mission after mission- from a 'holy heist' to babysitting a
young hacker to going undercover in a cult- Kristian find that
everything he tried to leave behind is coming back to haunt him with
a vengeance, and then some. First there's the mysterious woman who
knows more about Kristian- and his past- than makes sense while using
science fiction weapons that don't make sense period. Then there are
the shady powers-that-be who are responsible for drafting him back
into this world to satisfy their own nefarious agendas. It's all
Kristian can do to keep from being pulled into their games as he
tries to figure out who to trust and what to fight for, even as the
trap put in place to destroy him is set with a ticking clock.
When did espionage get so complicated?
**FREE June 11th – 15th!!**
In the Rogue
Kristian Clark and the Agency Trap Series Book 2
The classic game of cat and mouse- but who's the cat and who's the mouse?
Kristian Clark is still reeling from his accidental
marriage to his rookie, Susan Deanna, when NEO anarchists attack
their agency and they have to go on the run with his- their?- two
adopted children. But the NEOs aren't the only ones who are after
them- the strange agency that seems straight from the pages of a
science fiction novel is hot on their tails. But are they going after
Kristian? Or Susan? Or both?
But as they work to stay one step
ahead of their pursers, secrets begin to come to light about their
enemies, their friends, and even each other. Things are in play that
are beyond any of their understanding or attempts to control. Even if
all reality seems to be a fabrication, will Kristian be able to face
his calling? What if everything you knew was a lie?
Ruptured Reality
Kristian Clark and the Agency Trap Series Book 2.5
I'd tell you I love you…
But then you'd make me change the baby's diaper.
Kristian Clark can go undercover for months on end,
combat multiple enemies at once, and even teleport through
dimensions. He should be ready for everything. But having a newborn
child… is a little outside his skill set.
And the universe
isn't ready for little Shannon either. The tentative layers of the
universe begins to peel apart and his adopted son gets pulled through
a portal in the hospital.
Along with an angry wife and
reunited best friend, Kristian travels the dimensions to find his son
and somehow find a way to save reality without giving up his little girl.
Also includes seven other stories.
All profit goes to charity.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAhubl_JE-A?feature=player_embedded]
Agents Adam and Eve
Kristian Clark and the American Agenda Book 1
Dream not of other worlds…
They call him agent and he answers.
They tell him conquer and he does. But there's something they don't
know. He's beginning to remember. His name is Kristian Clark. He has
a wife and four children. Or he did. But he will find them again,
whoever is left, wherever they are, and whatever it takes.
They call her the Aisling. She does their missions only as far as it helps
her accomplish her own: to find and rescue the children of a fallen
woman. And she will not let anyone get in her way- most certainly not
the brainwashed father who has for so long been an unthinking weapon
for the government. To save the innocents, she will not hesitate to
do whatever it takes- no matter how much it condemns her.
They are the root of a conspiracy that would bring two worlds together,
for good or for evil, for better or for worse, for life or for death.
Their choices shall echo throughout all eternity.
Advanced Praise for Agents Adam and Eve:
"Agents Adam and Eve is
the kind of book you can't put down, the kind that has you laughing
and crying. Jes Drew successfully keeps you turning the page and
renders you longing for more when the last page has been
turned."~Karsyn Shae, Creative Writer
"Kristian Clark is back in an all-new duology after the birth of his twins. Are
he and his wife finally able to enter parenthood safely without the
threat of anarchist groups, or will Kristian have to sacrifice
everything to save those he loves?"~Allyson Kennedy, author of
Speak Your Mind
"I love the story! It felt so real and very intense!
I felt like I was in the story with the characters!"
-Shine, author and blogger of Hauntingghosttown
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gwwJ2UU_Rc?feature=player_embedded]
Jes Drew is the author of the Ninja and Hunter trilogy, the Howling
Twenty trilogy, the Kristian Clark saga, and the Castaways trilogy.
She lives with her mom, dad, younger sister, four younger brothers,
and two dogs, obsessing about her true love, Captain Steve Rogers.
There is a possibility that she may or may not be a superhuman, but
she hasn't discovered her powers. Yet. Also, she might be a spy, but
that's classified.
Follow the tour HERE
for exclusive content and a giveaway!


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[This is an old review which I'm bumping because Open Letters has recently republished this book, for which I am grateful. It has stayed with me as one of the greatest Communist allegories I have read.]
Ludvik Vaculik has very little in common with Milan Kundera, or Ivan Klima, or Josef Skvorecky. Those are three of the biggest names in modern Czech writing, and they all combine a historical awareness with a fondness of heavy allegory. All deal with political subjects explicitly, but the material isn't polemical, especially with Kundera.
The Guinea Pigs is different. It shuns any specific realism and has a surrealistic streak that has more in common with the samizdat literature of Czechoslovakia, like that of Lukas Tomin, but it is handled with such steely calm that surrealism doesn't predominate.
Very little predominates over anything else; Vaculik applies Kafka's style of ambiguous symbolism to totalitarian allegory with huge success. Next to the more explicit and/or fanciful allegories of Koestler, Makine, Pelevin, and others, Vaculik's book is more intimate, less graspable, and far more striking. Kafka wrongly gets posited as a political or humanitarian allegorist, when his stories are rather personal series of images and processes that cannot be conclusively unlocked. Vaculik really is an allegorist.
Vasek, the narrator, works as a bank clerk in Prague, where people regularly steal money to make their living. He buys some guinea pigs for his children, but becomes obsessed with them himself: specifically, with their responsiveness (or lack thereof), their tolerance for adverse situations, and their seeming absence of personality short of gut reactions (like biting).
Halfway through the book, he is torturing them. The tortures aren't beastly; what makes them acutely discomfiting to read is the narrator's sickly mental state:
As the water rose, the guinea pig rose too, although it ordinarily doesn't stand around on its hind legs, but rather squats like a hare or a rabbit. Now it stood on its hind legs, though, and raised its body above the water level. "Well, how are things?" I said gently. "Not so hot," it replied, and rocked slightly in the waves. But it was still standing on its feet. It raised its head, up, in my direction.
I turned off the water. The silence was a relief. Only the sewer gurgled. I became aware of a pressure in my skull, a drunken excitement that I had never known before, a tremor of the nerves. I reached into the pit. With my miraculous power, I lifted Ruprecht into the air, he grabbed my hand with all his claws, he hung on. I picked him up to my cheek and I could hear his tight, thin, wheezing breathing. I also whispered to myself, "We're saved."
Vaculik walks a very fine line between a symbolism that is too schematic and intrinsically arbitrary, on the one hand, and an overdramatization of the Vasek's treatment of the guinea pigs, on the other. Sometimes he loses control and takes the easy way out, as when Vasek tells his wife that he's turning into a guinea pig. But much of the time he carefully piles on the ambiguities and mysteries.
Vasek's strange relationship with his workplace and his superiors, including the venerable Mr. Maelstrom, whose name signifies the slow degradation of the surrounding environs, as money disappears after it is confiscated from the workers who stole it, as the guinea pigs meet random fates in the face of Vasek's disinterested curiosity, and as Vasek meets his fate as he loses all his emotional capacities.
The end of the book is an explicit reference to the end of The Trial, and there are other segments that resemble it, like Maelstrom's discourse on circulation, which could be a first cousin to the speeches of the lawyer and the priest of The Trial. The flow and process of the book is not as effortless as in Kafka, but Vaculik manages a stricter version of a process Kafka never fully embraced, that of removal. It's not there in his novels, and the two short stories in which the process of removal predominates–"The Metamorphosis" and "A Hunger Artist"–are actually atypical. By placing the senseless guinea pigs front and center, Vaculik sets his aim quite early, and follows the arc without error. What remains at the end is not language, as with Beckett, but a physical void.
Books like these that strive for an almost noetic effect can have an initial impact that is not lasting, but guardedly, I will say that it ranks far beyond any of the other Czech writers mentioned, and alongside Kleist and Gogol.


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First he re-scheduled the Christmas season. Now, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro essentially nationalized an electronics chain in order to "protect the middle class."
"When the bourgeoisie feel powerful, they take from the poor to make themselves rich," Maduro said on Friday, according to El Universal. Maduro then ordered the "occupation" of a five-store chain called Daka and said his government would reprice its products so they were fair.
"We're going to comb the whole nation in the next few days," he said, according to Reuters. "This robbery of the people has to stop."
The AP reports that this morning, Venezuelans made long lines at Daka stores, hoping for a deal. The wire service reports:
"Jose Solano, shopper number 223, sides with Maduro and blames an 'economic war' waged by enemies of the socialist revolution started by the late Hugo Chávez for pushing up prices beyond reach. With his son, he plans to spend the night sleeping in line so they can purchase a 46-inch, Sony plasma TV at a quarter of the 54,000 bolivar listed price still visible through the glass store front. The TV costs $8,571 at the official exchange rate and about $1,000 at the black market rate.
"'I heard the owners of this store don't even live in Venezuela, they're in Miami,' said Solano, a 49-year-old salesman of engine varnish.
"'They import at 6.3 but then sell it to the people and six times the amount,' he said, referring to the gap that has opened between the dollar exchange rate some companies are able to import goods at and the black market one used to set prices for everything except the most basic, price-capped goods. 'We can't allow this to continue.'"
Telesur, a news station funded by ALBA states, gives an example of the kind of price gouging the government says is going on: A laptop the store bought for $601, TeleSur says, was being sold at one location for $4,125.
Meanwhile, La Verdad newspaper showed pictures of what it said was a ransacked Daka. But a senior Venezuelan official immediately tweeted that in other parts of the country, the stores were totally normal.
El Universal reports that the owners of the stores have been detained and that Maduro also said that his government is preparing a "special operation to protect the right of our people to buy themselves a little car."
As we noted when we reported that Maduro had started the Christmas season early by decree, his motivations may not be entirely altruistic.
Maduro's party is facing hard-fought municipal elections in December, so he decided to hand out the Christmas bonus just before Venezuelans went to the polls. He said the occupation of this electronics chain is also an effort to protect those bonuses.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Half Hour City Cruise
Map Unavailable
Date/Time (Single Event Page)
Date(s) - 19/10/2018
11:00 am - 4:00 pm
A tranquil cruise along Chester's beautiful River Dee, with two departures an hour (weather permitting) every day. We'll head upstream, under the suspension bridge, past Grosvenor Park and the Earl's Eye, then we'll follow the long sweep of the Meadows to the city limits before returning you to The Groves. A truly unique view of the city, its buildings and its wildlife.