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Perhaps the single greatest tactic a frugal weirdo can employ in the campaign to save money is… drum roll… planning ahead. Yep, planning. Not fancy apps or bizarre investing schemes or diets consisting solely of tuna fish. Planning ahead.
There are different categories of planning ahead and different ways to apply this deceptively simple strategy to your own life. It's true that I'm a girl scout and Mr. Frugalwoods is a boy scout, so you could say that "be prepared" is something of a family motto.
Foreseeable Future "Emergencies": Zero Cost Planning Ahead
This is the first category of planning ahead and it is by far the easiest to master. After finding myself in the McDonald's drive-through angling for a strawberry banana smoothie due to near-death-by-thirst last summer, I realized this was nothing more than a failure to plan ahead. Thanks to this (and my many multitudes of failures to plan ahead) I've finally internalized the process by which I can effectively avoid spending money on a daily basis. Huzzah!
Planning ahead in this respect entails knowing yourself, knowing your routines, and preventing avoidable and predictable outlays of cash. Think through your typical week and identify every instance where you spent money because you didn't plan ahead. Don't berate yourself–this isn't a time to criticize–rather, it's a time to identify new opportunities for savings. I did this exercise with a typical weekday a while back and shared my results here.
Planning ahead can be as simple as making your own lunch and coffee everyday instead of eating out. It can be as easy as packing snacks for yourself and your kids when you'll be running errands all afternoon (and a thermos of coffee for momma if you're anything like me… ).
Planning ahead might be cooking all your dinners for the coming week on Sunday afternoon so that you don't have to race home from work to prepare a meal every night. Planning ahead–as I posited in my mega frugal food post–might entail stocking your freezer with pre-made meals to ensure you won't fall victim to take-out during hectic weeknights
The crux of planning ahead is accepting and acknowledging the stage of life you're in–not necessarily the stage you'd like to be in–but the stage you're in. Internalize the universal truth that in order to save money, you need to plan more than a day in advance. You need to know what you're going to need and what the constraints on your time will be.
Planning ahead for predictable events also makes it much easier to manage unforeseen circumstances. For example, when our daughter was unexpectedly in the NICU for a week after birth–something we hadn't planned for–we had the ease of a freezer stocked with meals we could pull out and warm up. This was doubly important since we were simultaneously buying our homestead.
While those compounding factors made our lives challenging that week, we didn't spend money because we'd pre-paid for our birth and hospital stay, we'd lined up a dear friend to watch Frugal Hound, and we'd cooked all of our food. By doing these seemingly simple things ahead of time, it meant that one of the most difficult weeks of our lives didn't cost us any money. Control what you can and the rest becomes less stressful to navigate.
These are not earth-shattering realizations, but it's astounding the number of convenience tools and services that await us if we've failed to plan ahead. Our modern economy is practically designed around the idea that we inferior consumers won't plan ahead. There are car services if we didn't allow enough time to walk or take the bus, endless food delivery options for every single meal we've failed to plan to cook, and more. Our failure to plan is quite lucrative for businesses and marketers.
I love this first category of planning ahead because it's largely a zero cost proposition. If, for example, you don't eat the snacks you took to work today, you can simply eat them another time. There's essentially nothing to lose by implementing this style of planning ahead in your daily life.
Plan Ahead With Free (Or Cheap) Second-hand Stuff
I'm a devotee of, and advocate for, finding free and cheap stuff: through Craigslist, garage sales, thrift stores, the side of the road, the Buy Nothing Project, and my very favorite: hand-me-downs. But, you cry, I don't have time for this, Mrs. FW! I need a dress for my sister's wedding next week!!! Aha, fear not, frugal friends, for it's possible to plan ahead even with your used acquisitions.
I rarely enter a thrift store or garage sale with an urgent need to find a specific item–that's a surefire route to frustration and failure. Rather, I go with my eyes peeled for stellar deals on items we're going to need in the coming months and years. Now I will caution that this is not a blank Frugalwoods check to go all supermarket sweeps and buy everything in sight. It's a careful balance of strategically spending when you find excellent prices on things you're certain to need.
Here are a few instances where I've purchased cheap, used items before we needed them:
- I bought a beautiful taffeta J Crew dress for $15 from a thrift store years ago without a clear idea of when I'd wear it. I just knew it was gorgeous, fit perfectly, and was ultra cheap. I've now worn this dress to countless weddings (4 maybe?) and will likely wear it long into the future. If you invite me to your wedding, I'll probably wear this dress. If you know you'll need a specific item of clothing (snowsuit, dress, boots) in the near future, buy it cheap when you find it. Waiting until the last minute almost guarantees you'll have to buy it new and spend a fortune.
- There were some excellent blocks in a little wagon on sale for $1 at a garage sale last summer, which I scooped up for Babywoods. At the time, she was way too young to play with them, but they're quality toys that I know she'll enjoy in the future.
- We found several pairs of snowshoes for $5 each at a yard sale last summer and bought them for use by our wintertime guests. I'm not sure exactly who'll wear these or when, but when the time comes, we'll be so glad to have them. Since new snowshoes are circa $150+ and since you need snowshoes to hike our trails in the wintertime, these'll come in handy for future guests.
I also like to plan ahead with free hand-me-downs and am a proponent of collecting items when they're offered to me, even if my need for them is a few months (or even years) away. A few examples:
Several years ago when my friend mentioned she needed to get rid of her children's crib and changing table in order to make room for big kid beds, I asked if I could take them off her hands. I wasn't even pregnant yet, but we hoped to be soon and I knew we'd need this furniture. She and her husband were delighted since they didn't want to disassemble and carry the furniture out of their house. We happily took it and Babywoods uses it to this day.
- After we closed on our homestead last January, we knew we'd be moving in May. And so, I began collecting free moving boxes and supplies that friends, neighbors, and my Buy Nothing group were offering. I had to store them in our basement for several months before we moved, but I didn't have to buy a single box or roll of bubble wrap for our entire move. On the day we moved, I had a stack of leftover boxes and bubble wrap, which I offered to my Buy Nothing group and someone gladly came to take them for his upcoming move.
Since I know Babywoods will need bigger clothes as she ages, I collect hand-me-down kids' clothes in larger sizes as they come my way and store them in boxes labeled by size in the basement. I also keep an empty box (labeled by size) in her closet and put all the clothes she outgrows into it. Anything we don't use, I put into a separate box to give away. Thanks to this system, at 14 months old, we have yet to need to buy a single item of new clothing for her. This also creates a pipeline of baby clothing for me to pass along to other parents.
The worst that happens in any of these scenarios is that you don't use what you've collected and you pass it along to someone else who can use it. I keep several give-away boxes in our basement at all times and put unneeded items in there. I'm an advocate for the circle of giving: I take free hand-me-downs and I pass along items we no longer need. There's a misconception that frugal people don't donate or pass along their hand-me-downs but that's patently false. Some of my greatest hand-me-downs are from fellow frugal weirdos. Everyone has something to give.
Since I do stockpile for the future, I frequently lend out items I don't need yet. For example, a friend gave us a hand-me-down toddler carseat for Babywoods, but Babywoods is still too small for it. And so, I've lent it to no less than two other families to use until we need it for Babywoods. Similarly, since I'm not currently pregnant, I lent a bunch of my second-hand maternity clothes to a pregnant friend.
Mid and Long Range Planning Ahead
While the first category applies to our more quotidian, daily needs and the second relates to the used market, it's also frugally advantageous to plan ahead for long range goals. The first two tenets of planning ahead are typically cheap or free propositions; conversely, there can be spending involved in longer term planning.
An example in this category: we replaced the main water valve in our rental house before we moved out. This is not something we had to replace at the time, but the valve wasn't working well and we posited it would likely break in the future.
Since we were moving out and turning the house over to tenants, we figured this was a prudent preemptive repair. We hope that if something terrible happens with the plumbing in the future, having a working main water valve will be the difference between a minor inconvenience and a major renovation project.
This category of planning primarily entails spending on repairs or tools or supplies that you anticipate will save you money in the long run. Preemptive repairs to stave off more costly renovations down the line, or other preventative measures where an influx of spending now will save a ton of spending later, are wise.
Beware of Justifying Spending In The Name Of Planning Ahead
On the heels of this water valve example, I'm compelled to point out that there lurks a danger of justifying spending in the name of planning ahead. I've heard countless stories where people spent massive amounts of money in service of the planning ahead god. It's a judgment call, and it's a call only you can make. However, there are some guidelines you can apply to determine if you're addressing a valid planning ahead instance or a fallacy.
Do not spend on "planning ahead" if:
- You'll be going into debt in order to do so
- You'll be spending more than something is worth
- You feel pressured–by society, by your friends, by family–into the purchase
It's a balance to determine when to spend in the name of planning ahead, but by following the above guidelines, you're likely to cut out a great deal of unwise spending.
One of the epitomizing examples of improperly justifying spending in the name of planning ahead is a car loan. There's a trope touted by our consumer culture that we need brand-new, shiny cars in order to ward against future car repairs and, crucially, to cart our families around safely. This, my friends, is nothing more than an epic myth peddled by car dealers. Justifying the purchase of a new car as "planning ahead" for safety and reliability is a fallacy of profound proportions since you can obtain the same result (reliable, safe transportation) for vastly less via the used market.
And now, please enjoy an example of where our failure to plan ahead ended up costing us more money:
Since we live in a winter wonderland, we need snow tires on our vehicles during the snowy months. However, snow tires reduce gas mileage and wear out. In light of this, we wanted to wait as long as possible before putting them on our cars this year. However, we waited too long… We had an early snowfall and couldn't get out of our driveway in our regular tires. And so, Mr. FW set about putting the snow tires on himself.
However, we don't have a garage and there were four inches of snow on the ground. Shockingly enough, the optimum time to put snow tires on is not when there are already four inches of snow on the ground… But Mr. FW wasn't deterred. He gamely got out there in the snow and tried to take off the regular times. He quickly realized that he didn't have a breaker bar with enough leverage to get the tires off. And so, we glumly had to pay a mechanic to do it for us. Lesson learned, money spent, and a failure to plan for our record books.
Save Money Now, Reap Rewards Later
The final instance of frugal planning ahead is purely financial in nature and is very much the heart of frugality: save money now so that you can afford both the opportunities and also the hurdles that life will inevitably throw your way.
While we often discuss the merits of building an emergency fund to cover our expenses in case of an emergency job loss, health crisis, or other unforeseen tragedy, there's also a great deal of joy in saving to buy things you want!
I'll tell you what, Mr. FW and I DID NOT expect to find our dream homestead while we were 9 months pregnant and we DID NOT think we'd be buying a homestead the week our daughter was born and we DID NOT think we'd close on our house in the middle of winter and then move there with a bitty baby. But, that's what was in our cards. And our frugality allowed us to seize this opportunity in advance of our original timeline and with quite a few unexpected factors (baby, winter) in our path. Frugality doesn't just stave off emergencies–it also allows you to pursue your dreams.
Mr. Frugalwoods and I planned ahead for our homestead for years. We mapped out a savings plan and how much money we'd need in the bank, we researched locations, we visited properties, and we read about life in the country. This long-term planning helped keep us motivated in our frugality. Everyday we were reminded of what we really want out of life, which made it all the easier to avoid short-term treats that would derail our savings rate. Thanks to this long-term planning, we were confident and decisive when we saw our dream property last October. We knew it was "the one" and we were financially and emotionally ready to take the plunge.
Speaking from personal experience, there's nothing more liberating than realizing you want to pursue an unusual dream and simultaneously realizing you're able to afford it. But getting to that place takes planning. If you want a granular, easy way to begin working towards this type of financial freedom, start tracking your expenses today (I recommend Personal Capital, which is free and easy to use). You can also sign-up to join the over 9,900 people taking my Uber Frugal Month Challenge–you'll start on Day 1 so you won't miss a thing.
You Can't Plan For Everything, But You Can Make Your Life Easier
While it's impossible to plan for everything in life, I like planning ahead for the things I can predict–and, as it turns out, there are plenty of these things! Planning for these easily-anticipated occasions makes it all the easier to weather the unanticipated emergencies that invariably crop up in life. Frugality and planning ahead reduce the number of variables you have to grapple with at any one time. As you probably already know, planning ahead isn't just a way to save money, it's a way to live a simpler, happier, less stressful life. And that, my friends, is what it's all about.


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With communication mediums like email, text, and IM's becoming the standard in business industries worldwide, plan sponsors are becoming increasingly interested in abandoning paper processes for a more electronic means of communication with plan participants and beneficiaries. Since e-delivery is not an "all or nothing" prospect, this new approach presents itself as an accessible and easily implemented process with many advantages. However, utilizing the various forms of electronic communication raises a few important questions for today's plan sponsors:
- Which documents do regulations allow to be e-delivered?
- With myriad electronic delivery vehicles available to me, which am I allowed to use and how do I know I'm meeting the requirements mandated by law?
- Which participants am I able to communicate with electronically? Do I need their consent?
- What are the benefits of using electronic communications for myself and my plan's participants or beneficiaries?
Having the correct answers to these questions will allow you, the plan sponsor, to use electronic communications with confidence, effectively taking advantage of the inherent benefits they provide.
Common Participant Communications Acceptable via Electronic Delivery
Here are some participant communications that may be delivered electronically:
Summary Plan Description (SPD):
The SPD is the main vehicle for communicating plan rights and obligations to participants and beneficiaries. As the name suggests, it is a summary of the material provisions of the plan document, and it should be understandable to the average participant of the employer.
Summary of Material Modifications (SMM):
The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) requires that a plan provides an SMM to plan participants any time there is a material modification to the plan itself, or any time there is a change to the information that is required to be provided in the SPD.
Summary Annual Report (SAR):
The SAR is a narrative summary of the plan's financial status and summarizes the information on the plan's annual report (Form 5500).
401(k) Safe Harbor Notice:
A timely notice to eligible employees informing them of their rights and obligations under the plan, and certain minimum benefits to eligible employees either in the form of matching or non-elective contributions.
Blackout Notice:
This document notifies participants of a period during which they cannot affect changes to their account, such as investment changes, requesting distributions and loans. For example, a blackout notice might be issued if the plan were moving from one investment provider to another.
Fee Disclosure Notices:
This notice provides information to the participant on all fees paid by the plans assets pertaining to general plan services such as recordkeeping or legal and accounting charges.
Qualified Default Investment Alternative Notice (QDIA):
This notice explains to the participant that if they do not make an affirmative election regarding their investments in the plan, their funds will be invested by the plan's fiduciaries on their behalf.
Automatic Enrollment Notices:
Notification to all employees who are eligible to participate in the arrangement between 30 and 90 days prior to the beginning of each plan year. For plans that automatically enroll employees immediately upon being hired, an employer may give employees the notice on their date of hire. A description of the automatic enrollment process and salary deferral percentage is necessary.
404(c) Notice:
Notification to the plan's participants that the plan intends to comply with IRC Section 404(c). 404(c) requires information about plan investment options, performance, and fees be provided before initial investment and subsequently on at least an annual basis.
Acceptable Methods of E-Delivery and their Requirements
While the regulations regarding e-communications do not require the use of any specific form of electronic media the following electronic delivery methods are acceptable:
- Attachment to email
- Providing a link to documents posted on a website
- Provision of documents on magnetic disk, CD-ROM, or DVD
For safe harbor compliance, it is important for the plan sponsor to meet the following requirements:
- Take appropriate steps to ensure that the system for furnishing electronic documents results in actual receipt of the transmitted information (e.g., using return-receipt or notice of undelivered electronic mail features, or conducting periodic reviews or surveys to confirm receipt of the transmitted information). Undeliverable notices should be followed up with an alternative form of delivery.
- Provide notice to each recipient at the time e-documents are delivered regarding the significance of the document. Emails should be distinguishable from others in their inbox and, if you're posting documents to an intranet site, participants need to be alerted to their presence.
- E-documents must contain all required information and, upon request, participants must be provided a paper version of the document.
- The system must be designed to protect the confidentiality of the personal information of the participant who receives the information.
It is important to note that current regulations state that localized computer destinations which participants have access to, like kiosks, don't qualify for e-delivery because one can't ensure actual receipt, even if notification has been provided and the documents are available there. All in all, it's okay to use an assortment of electronic communication channels provided you can meet the requirements of the notice and verify the participants are receiving the information effectively and confidentially.
Participant Consent
For those who wish to comply with Safe Harbor e-delivery, the rules identify two categories of participants; those who are "Wired at Work" and those who must give "Affirmative Consent" to receive electronically delivered documents. Often times employees operate outside of the confines of an office setting. If you have employees that work from home, or perform a job without work related computer access, compliance for electronic communication may require prior consent from the participant.
To be considered "Wired at Work", the participant must:
- be able to effectively access e-documents at the location where they are expected to perform their duties; and
- access the employer's electronic information system as an integral part of their duties.
For those not wired at work, "Affirmative Consent" from the participant is required. In order for the participant to give consent, the following information is required:
- types of documents to which the consent applies;
- knowledge that consent can be withdrawn, free of charge, and the procedures by which consent can be withdrawn;
- be able to demonstrate the ability to receive e-delivered documents;
- the right to request paper versions of any e-document and the disclosure of any costs associated with it;
- all hardware and software required for accessing the e-delivered documents; and
- the participant must provide an electronic address for the e-delivery of documents.
In the instance where an employer has employees that work from a home office, electronic delivery is still a readily available option provided the acceptable methods of e-delivery and safe harbor compliance are met, along with the "without consent" parameters. If the criteria are met, then the participant no longer must:
- Have the ability to print out a paper copy where they have computer access.
- Consent to receive documents electronically.
The Benefits of Electronic Delivery
There are a multitude of reasons that you, and your plan's participants, may benefit from moving further into the world of electronic delivery. As internet access spreads, electronic delivery is becoming the norm in many settings. The growing advantages of electronic over paper delivery become more and more evident as technology inevitably evolves. Here are a few points to consider:
In a world equipped with computers, smartphones, tablets, and other devices, electronic communication provides flexibility and convenience of access to plan information immediately and continuously. So, e-delivery benefits the participants by:
- allowing participants to interact with their accounts anywhere they can connect to the internet and with the use of whichever delivery system they prefer. Plan updates and participant communications can happen instantaneously. Unlike paper notices, electronic information is easily filed and retrieved in an organized system, ready to referenced at a moment's notice;
- depending on the type of e-delivery used, participants also may be able to instantly retrieve documents that they have lost or neglected to save;
- e-documents easily adjust in font size, or can be read out loud via text to talk apps, for the visually impaired and even translated for those that call English their second language. In previous times, where inaccessibility to the internet for the poor or for minorities may have been a drawback, the breakdown of the digital divide regarding internet connectivity has happened more quickly than even that of the telephone. If increasing participation in the plan is important, this kind of accessibility is a key component to success.
Financial and Environmental Benefits
Simply put, utilizing an electronic platform to send and receive plan information means cost reduction and less waste. Using less paper means less overhead cost for producing, printing, labor, and postage. This all translates into dollars and cents and reduces the overall fees of maintaining your company's retirement plan. For those that think "Green," e-delivery greatly reduces the impact on the environment. Less cost to the plan and it's good for the environment? Sounds like a win/win.
Security and Recordkeeping
While hacking or data breaches are often thought to be a risky proposition in electronic communications, the truth is e-delivery is safer than paper-based delivery. Verification of accurate delivery and receipt using e-delivery supersedes that of standard mail and allows for better tracking and quicker correction of problems. A more complete set of security precautions surround electronic communication and easy access allows for updates and corrections as needed. Electronic delivery also allows the plan sponsor to immediately recognize bouncebacks, or undeliverable electronic messages. This doubles up as a convenient monitoring system for verifying that a participant is effectively receiving plan information and assuring that financial information isn't being mailed indiscriminately. It allows failed correspondence channels to be corrected and ensure prompt and dependable delivery of important information to plan participants and beneficiaries.
E-delivery is not just for retirement plan notices. It may also be used in the delivery of health coverage related correspondence such as COBRA notices, Qualified Medical Child Support Orders (QMCSO), and HIPPA Certificates. If utilized for this purpose, once again, the employer must take steps to assure compliance with HIPPA and other applicable laws governing the privacy and security of such information.
The substantial advantages today for the electronic delivery of important financial information illustrate how e-delivery is quickly becoming highly preferable to its paper counterpart. Due to technological advances and widespread access to the internet, a major shift toward a greater reliance on electronic delivery of required information is upon us. A variety of delivery methods, when instituted with proper compliance, represent a safe, efficient, and cost effective move towards better retirement plan communications.
For more information on electronic communications be sure to contact us.
This newsletter is intended to provide general information on matters of interest in the area of qualified retirement plans and is distributed with the understanding that the publisher and distributor are not rendering legal, tax or other professional advice. Readers should not act or rely on any information in this newsletter without first seeking the advice of an independent tax advisor such as an attorney or CPA.
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Dear Clients and Partners,
We're informing you that due to the public holiday in the United Kingdom (Late Summer Bank Holiday) on August 26th 2019, several instruments will be traded according to the changed schedule*.
Please, take into account these changes in schedule when planning your trading activity.
* – This schedule is for informational purposes only and may be changed by the provider.
RoboMarkets team


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Social Security's Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) program limits the amount of earnings subject to taxation for a given year. The same annual limit also applies when those earnings are used in a benefit computation. This limit changes each year with changes in the national average wage index. We call this annual limit the contribution and benefit base. This amount is also commonly referred to as the taxable maximum. For earnings in 2024, this base is $168,600. The OASDI tax rate for wages paid in 2024 is set by statute at 6.2 percent for employees and employers, each. Thus, an individual with wages equal to or larger than $168,600 would contribute $10,453.20 to the OASDI program in 2024, and his or her employer would contribute the same amount. The OASDI tax rate for self-employment income in 2024 is 12.4 percent. For Medicare's Hospital Insurance (HI) program, the taxable maximum was the same as that for the OASDI program for 1966-1990. Separate HI taxable maximums of $125,000, $130,200, and $135,000 were applicable in 1991-93, respectively. After 1993, there has been no limitation on HI-taxable earnings. Tax rates under the HI program are 1.45 percent for employees and employers, each, and 2.90 percent for self-employed persons. |
Note: Amounts for 1937-74 and for 1979-81 were set by statute; all other amounts were determined under automatic adjustment provisions of the Social Security Act. |


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One year later: What happened in the year following the Parkland school shooting?
Students have rallied. They've spoken to the nation's leaders and they've amassed huge followings on social media. The survivors of a Feb. 14, 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida continue to rise up to fight gun violence after 17 people were shot and killed by a former student.


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The following article will help you detect and repair the main problems in the kitchen and prevent water damage where it is likely to occur.
For the best Natural Stone Driveways Wexford, Kilkenny, Laois, Wicklow, Waterford company, call T. Morris & Sons Driveways & Paving.
To find the best Natural Stone Driveways Wexford, Kilkenny, Laois, Wicklow, Waterford company, click here for T. Morris & Sons Driveways & Paving.
The kitchen is often neglected even though it is often cleaned and warning signs of excess moisture and impending water damage are overlooked. Inspecting the following moisture sources will help in preventing damage where it is likely to happen. The following guide lines will help you keep your kitchen in good condition and to prevent damages caused by the refrigerator, the dishwasher and the dink and countertop.
Be thorough while performing these inspections and remember to do them every few months
The area behind the refrigerator is hardly ever inspected because it is relatively hard to reach. Inspecting this area will reduce the chance for water problems. water behind the refrigerator is a sign. Do not ignore it, fix immediately or hire an appliance technician. If you detect mold growth, clean it immediately. Locate the moisture and fix it. If you have an icemaker, check the hose to make sure it is sealed and attached to the water supply.
Sink and Countertop
The sink and countertop are highly watered areas in the house. Check regularly under the sink and remove the trash can and other stored items to search for leaks. A drip in the trap under the sink means drain problems and must be repaired fast. Look around the sink, slow draining pipes indicate a blocked drain. A dripping faucet must me repaired promptly. Pay attention to the countertop. If tiles are cracked or grout is missing, fix it to prevent water from pervading. Stained walls and floors around pipes indicate an internal leak that must be fixed to prevent additional damage.
If the dishwasher doesn't empty after use, the main filter may be blocked and must be released promptly. When the sink overflows, it is usually due to back-ups. This problem usually occurs when the drain line is clogged. Clean the drain line regularly. Look under the base of the dishwasher for leaks. If you find any leaks, there could be an unsealed joint or a damaged hose. Check the connection and fix as needed. Check the dishwasher hose under the sink for signs of leakage and fix if necessary. Consider installing steel-braided hoses on appliances such as the dishwasher.


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Federal wildlife officials announced they will allow wind producers in California's Tehachapi Mountains to kill endangered California condors without fear of prosecution. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said the free pass will apply only when wind power companies inadvertently kill or harass the large and highly endangered birds, but such harassment and deaths are a foreseeable and unavoidable consequence of "green" wind power.
Recovering Condors at Risk
The California condor nearly went extinct in the 1970s and 1980s, with the number of wild birds bottoming out at 25 in 1975. Wild condor populations have rebounded to 150 today, but the species is still highly endangered.
Environmental Groups Outraged
Conservation and wildlife groups worry an expansion of wind power production in California condor habitat will reverse recent condor population gains and kill them as regularly as turbines kill protected golden eagles in California golden eagle habitat.
Environmental groups including the American Bird Conservancy, Center for Biological Diversity, and the Audubon Society immediately criticized Fish and Wildlife's decision to give wind power companies a free pass to kill endangered condors.
"Allowing the legal killing of one of the imperiled birds in the United States threatens endangered species conservation efforts across the country," Kelly Fuller, a coordinator with the American Bird Conservancy, said in a press statement.
"I can't believe the federal government is putting so much money into a historic and costly effort to establish a stable population of condors, and at the same time is issuing permits to kill them. Ludicrous," Kerncrest Audubon treasurer Daniel Burnett told the Los Angeles Times.
Documented Environmental Destruction
California wind farms already present a killing field for endangered and protected birds. According to Save the Eagles International, more than 1,000 birds of prey die each year at California's Altamont Pass wind farm. Wind turbines are already the leading cause of death for golden eagles in the Golden State, and conservationists point out condors are larger and less agile than golden eagles, putting them in even greater danger from fast-spinning turbine blades.
Environmentalists have documented environmental damage already being caused by wind turbines in the Tehachapi Mountain area.
"All of this industrialization has taken its toll on the ecosystem. The nearby Pine Tree Wind project has one of the highest rates of golden eagle mortality per turbine in the country, and Next Era's North Sky River Wind project killed its first golden eagle in January—within weeks of beginning operations," reported the Mojave Desert Blog.
"The Alta East Wind project is expected to add to eagle mortality, although the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) admits that too little is known about the golden eagle population in the Mojave Desert to know if the deaths will result in the protected species' decline," the Mojave Desert Blog added.
Contradictory Policies
"The state of California allowing wind farms leeway in killing of condors and golden eagles flies in the face of reason," said H. Sterling Burnett, senior fellow for the National Center for Policy Analysis.
Burnett pointed out the hypocrisy of giving California wind turbines a free pass to kill birds by the thousands while the California legislature imposes onerous restrictions on other activities with much more speculative and indirect impact on birds in the state.
The California Senate just passed a bill to make the ban on lead ammunition a statewide law, to protect the very same animals turbines endanger," Burnett explained.
"In the eyes of California legislators and the Obama administration, oil refineries can be—and are—fined billions of dollars for offenses against protected wildlife, but it is OK to kill protected animals for the 'cause' of green energy," Burnett noted. "This is indicative of the administration's near-religious fervor for renewable energy despite the fact that the government has wasted billions of dollars on failed green energy companies."
Karen Dove ([email protected]) is a freelance writer in Bradenton, Florida.


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Learn how renewable energy storage tech has the power to turn solar and wind energy into a reliable source of electricity generation for U.S. utilities.
Storage makes renewable energy available when it's needed the most. Peak electricity usage happens in the early morning and evening, whereas peak production of solar energy is midday and at night for wind. Given the U.S. electric grid's lack of storage capacity, conventional power plants, including gas-fired ones, are utilities' most reliable source of electricity.
That could be about to change. In a new collaborative report, "An Underappreciated Disruptor," Morgan Stanley's Utility and Clean Tech analyst, Stephen Byrd and Shared Mobility & Auto analyst, Adam Jonas, argue that the price of both solar and wind energy, as well as new storage units, have reached a point where renewable energy can finally become a dependable rather than an unpredictable source of energy.
"Demand for energy storage from the utility sector will grow more than the market anticipates by 2019-20," the report posits. The demand for storage is expected to grow from a less than $300 million a year market to as much as $4 billion in the next two to three years, says the Morgan Stanley report. Ultimately there's about a $30 billion market for storage units, with capacity for around 85 gigawatt-hours of power storage. That's enough electricity to light up most of the New York City metro area for a year.
There will be winners and losers. Companies with gas-fired plants might suffer margin compression as utilities increase their use of cheaper renewable sources on tap in battery storage units. Energy storage will also release stored power during periods of high demand in the early mornings and evenings, when power prices are at their highest — another negative to the bottom line of gas-fired plant owners. "Storage effectively provides a low-cost source of power, eliminating the need for the highest cost, least efficient conventional power plant," says the report.
Companies creating the storage units are the likely winners, although new entrants will find it hard to compete with the two biggest market leaders, say the analysts.
Utilities will have good reason to want to buy the storage units. "We think utilities could deploy storage as a way to enable the growth of renewables and/or defer costly transmission and distribution projects," says Byrd. Having renewable energy on tap to supplement peak electricity periods will also reduce the likelihood of blackouts.
More affordable battery storage units could also lead to significant utility bill savings for customers with solar panels, as well as those in states where utilities add a "demand charge" to utility bills to recover transmission and distribution grid costs.
As for the grid, the proliferation of electricity storage could eventually transform it into a "plug and play" for the units, used by utilities, solar customers and electric vehicles.
"The grid of the future is becoming more complex, necessitating improved grid infrastructure to accommodate a proliferation of distributed energy resources," the report says.
For more Morgan Stanley Research on energy storage and related industries, ask your Morgan Stanley representative or Financial Advisor for the full report, "An Underappreciated Disruptor." Plus, more Ideas.


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"A great gentleman, a great writer, has gone." So concluded an obituary in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch of the journalist Bart Howard. Among the many newspaper writers to pass through Joplin on the staffs of the News Herald and the Globe, Howard is among the most prominent.
Bart Howard was born in Worchester, Massachusetts in 1871. As a boy he walked the privileged halls of Phillips Exeter Academy. He attended Williams College where he excelled at athletics. Howard did not graduate from the school, but left early after upsetting the faculty with a paper which mocked certain giants of Greek history. From New England Howard eventually made his way to Joplin around 1901 and found a job with the News Herald. He initially provided coverage of Joplin's triumphs and failures in the Missouri Valley baseball league. Howard had developed a love for the game in college, and briefly played professionally as a left handed second baseman as a means to supplement the meager income of a young journalist.
Howard did not remain merely a sports writer, but expanded to general news coverage. After a few years, the talented journalist was noticed by the owners of the Globe and they hired Howard away from their competitor and placed him on the editorial staff of the Globe. At the Globe, Howard rose to the position of managing editor, and oversaw Ben H. Reese, later a managing editor of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Wesley Winans Stout, later an editor of the Saturday Evening Post. It was also during his time in Joplin that Howard met and married Ann Picher, of the mining company Pichers.
For a number of years Howard worked at the Joplin Globe until once again his ability was noticed and this time hired by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. In the Gateway City, he worked as a journalist before a brief return to Joplin, then found work in Columbus, Ohio and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Ultimately, Howard returned to St. Louis and the Post-Dispatch and became an editorial writer. It was in this capacity that Howard won the Pulitzer Prize in May, 1940 for a series of four editorials entitled, "Europe's Emperor," "After the Battle," "The Golden Age," and "The Kingdom of Democracy." Not long after his win, Williams College opted to make their former student a Doctor of Humane Letters.
Howard was unable to enjoy his laurels. On February 12, 1941, he collapsed at lunchtime, dead of a heart attack. The Globe made sure to note the passage of its one time editor, a man who had traded the plush and privileged world of Massachusetts for the rough and tumble streets of Joplin. Howard may have also been one of the few professional baseball players to ever win the coveted Pulitzer. The Post-Dispatch printed summaries of the four editorials which had won Howard his great literary prize, and wrote lovingly of its former writer. An editorial by the paper said of Howard's writings:
"Behind his writings was, above all, a great and passionate love for humanity and for justice. It was a humanitarian sense, a warm affection for all his fellows, that embraced their every activity. He could breathe righteous indignation into his pages of copy paper, when oppression or intolerance or corruption came into the news. The leavening shaft of humor served to debunk the pretensions of the pompous, or to reduce a raging controversy to its proper teapot proportions, but Bart Howard had a flaming sword in that typewriter when there were wrongs to oppose."
The Post-Dispatch, as noted above, then concluded, "A great gentleman, a great writer, has gone."
Sources: Missouri Digital Heritage, St. Louis Post Dispatch, and Joplin Daily Globe.


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Bio: League Member Elana Johnson
Name: Elana Johnson
YA dystopian title: Possession (Simon Pulse, Summer 2011)
Short Plot: In a world where Thinkers control the population and Rules aren't meant to be broken, fifteen-year-old Violet Schoenfeld does a hell of a job shattering them to pieces. When secrets about her "dead" sister and not-so-missing father hit the fan, Vi must make a choice: control or be controlled.
Favorite dystopian/sci fi works: The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson. Candor by Pam Bachorz. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Scott Westerfeld's Uglies. And The Giver by Lois Lowry. Oh! And pretty much anything by Ursula LeGuin. I mean, she's like a genius, right? Right. As far as movies go, The Terminator is at the top of my list.
Why Write Dystopian? Dude, this could go anywhere -- which is exactly why I write dystopian! You can do anything! The world can be anything. The possibilities are limitless, and I kinda like that. Plus, I don't like to research, so anything I can do to just make stuff up brings me happiness.
Whimper or a Bang? Uh...I guess a whimper. I've never really thought about it much. I sorta think it's neither. It's like dirty laundry. The end of the world just sort of edges closer, ever closer. And no one really sees it, you know? Like all of a sudden you'll wake up and realize that you're living in a post-apocalyptic world. Like you walk by the hamper and realize there's this mountain of laundry. Yeah, I think the end of the world is gonna be sneaky like that. Like dirty laundry.
Online @
Elana's Blog
Elana Tweets!
Elana on Facebook
Elana at Goodreads
Email Elana
The League of Extraordinary Writers is a group of debut YA authors who write science fiction and dystopian works. The ten of us have works that run the gamut of near-future mind control to far-future space travel, but they do have one thing in common: a future where the Earth we know now is twisted, gone. |
22 comments:
- Stina said...
I'm so excited, Elana, that you've joined the League Writers. :D
- May 24, 2010 at 8:59 AM
- Jonathon Arntson said...
I was wondering what all that cryptic language about a mysterious fifth member was. I shouldve known, duh!
- May 24, 2010 at 9:05 AM
- Janet Johnson said...
Too funny! Love the laundry comparison. Which reminds me . . . I have a pile waiting.
It so makes sense you would be the hinted at person. LOVE it! - May 24, 2010 at 9:07 AM
- Christina Lee said...
GO Elena!
- May 24, 2010 at 9:59 AM
- MBW aka Olleymae said...
Sounds like an awesome story. I can't wait to see it on the shelves!!
- May 24, 2010 at 10:02 AM
- Lisa K. said...
I, too, have a penchant for dystopian fiction (though for some reason I can't seem to type that word this morning without difficulty!) This looks like a great blog. I'm so glad I followed your link here.
- May 24, 2010 at 11:10 AM
Woot! So cool. Congrats, girl!
- May 24, 2010 at 11:19 AM
- Mary Aalgaard said...
The Giver is one of my fave books. I admire this type of writing, but don't envision it myself. Write on!
- May 24, 2010 at 12:00 PM
- T.J. Carson said...
Wow your story sounds fantastic! I write dystopian/urban fantasy too. It's my passion! I would love to read your novel when it's in print! It sounds BEAST! (synonym for epic) :) haha. But then their is also FIERCE (another fav of mine) Fantasmic rocks my socks too. ahaha hope these help replace EPIC for you
Congrats! You do great work Elana! - May 24, 2010 at 1:08 PM
- CL said...
Anything by Ursula LeGuin! I agree. I've read The Earthsea Trilogy so many times. And will again.
- May 24, 2010 at 1:51 PM
- Angie said...
Gee, I wasn't following before. I am now though. Love the dirty laundry analogy!
- May 24, 2010 at 2:25 PM
- feywriter said...
End of the world laundry pile = so appropriate. Your book sounds very cool. I'm looking forward to seeing it on shelves.
- May 24, 2010 at 2:51 PM
- Cynde L. Hammond said...
Congrats, Elana!
I'm following now.
Cynde's Got The Write Stuff - May 24, 2010 at 3:47 PM
- Julia said...
YAY! You are here! :^D
- May 24, 2010 at 4:20 PM
- Dana Elmendorf said...
#1, I'm writing down the books you listed. #2, end of the world is like dirty laundry. I laughed so hard I cried.
I love dystopian. It is my current WIP and I LOVE the freedom.
thanks for starting this blog. I'll be back lots. - May 24, 2010 at 6:45 PM
- Karen Lange said...
Congrats, Elana:)
- May 24, 2010 at 8:26 PM
- Rachelle Christensen said...
Awesome! Good luck with your new blog, this should be fun.
- May 24, 2010 at 9:55 PM
- Jennie Englund said...
Wahoo, you AUTHOR, you!!!
- May 24, 2010 at 10:19 PM
- Elana Johnson said...
Thank you, my peeps! Glad you all clicked over. :)
- May 25, 2010 at 10:28 AM
- Annette Lyon said...
It wasn't until recently that I realized that The Giver falls under dystopian--because the genre wasn't really a full-blown genre then. LOVE that book--and I'm finding more and more dystopian books I fall for. (Never in a million years thought I'd like a book about zombies. But Carrie Ryan? BRING IT ON!)
- May 25, 2010 at 10:58 AM
- Karen Harrington said...
I'm just here to offer a big congrats to you, Elana! I just read the news on Shannon O's fine blog. Much continued success to you!
- May 26, 2010 at 1:21 PM
- Alden said...
Congratulations on getting published!
Besides the more recent Uglies, City of Ember, and Giver YA series, looking back I have read more dystopian fiction than I realized - The Godwhale & Half Passed Human (TJ Bass), Clockwork Orange (Burgess), Logan's Run (Nolan), the Sunset Warrior series (Eric Van Lustbader), 1984 (Orwell), When the Sleeper Wakes (HG Wells), Brave New World (Huxley), the Abbey of Saint Leibowitz saga (Walter M Miller, Jr), Deus Irae (Roger Zelazny & Philip K Dick), and other Philip K. Dick novels which would probably fall under this genre all come to mind as I think about it.
I am sure there are others I have read that I am passing over, but I look forward to adding yours to this list.
I am glad I followed the link over from elanajohnson.blogspot.com. - May 27, 2010 at 6:25 PM


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Breakthrough or beginner
Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type. Can introduce themselves and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as where he/she lives, people they know and things they have. Can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.


text:
The 'Britain Alone' scenario: how Economists for Brexit defy the laws of gravity
There is a degree of consensus among economists that a Brexit will make us worse off. The exception is recent work by Economists for Brexit. Their forecast of income gains from Brexit contrasts with all other economic analysis, explain Thomas Sampson, Swati Dhingra, Gianmarco Ottaviano and John Van Reenen.
The possibility of the UK leaving the European Union (EU) has generated an unusual degree of consensus among economists. Acrimony and rancour surrounded debates around austerity and joining the euro, but analysis from the Bank of England to the OECD to academia has all concluded that Brexit would make us economically worse off. The disagreement is mainly over the degree of impoverishment (for example, Dhingra et al, 2016a; OECD, 2016; HM Treasury, 2016; PWC, 2016; NIESR, 2016).
Perhaps the one exception is the recent and much publicised work of 'Economists for Brexit' (2016). Since any coherent economic case for leaving the EU was been largely 'missing in action', it is refreshing to get some clarity over the Leave campaign's vision of the UK's post-Brexit economic arrangements.
The only modelling details provided by Economists for Brexit come from Professor Patrick Minford of Cardiff University (Minford, 2015; 2016; Minford et al, 2016). He argues that Brexit will raise the UK's welfare by 4 per cent as a result of increased trade. So where exactly does he get his numbers from and why are they so different?
The 'Britain Alone' Policy: A hard political sell?
Minford's policy recommendation is that following a vote for Brexit, the UK should not bother striking new trade deals but instead unilaterally abolish all its import tariffs (let's call this policy 'Britain Alone'). The UK would simply pay the tariffs imposed by other countries on UK exports. This is usually the worst-case scenario that other economists have examined.
This would be a pretty hard sell to UK citizens. Minford admits his model predicts that the policy would cause the 'elimination' of UK manufacturing and a large increase in wage inequality. But although he is relaxed about these outcomes, we suspect that voters in Port Talbot and elsewhere in Britain wouldn't be so impressed.
Indeed, we know of no cases where an industrialised country has ever implemented full unilateral liberalisation – and for good reason. Persuading other countries to reduce their trade barriers is easier if you can also say you're going to reduce your own as part of the deal. If we're committed to go naked into the world economy, other countries are unlikely to follow suit voluntarily.
But putting political reality aside, standard economics does suggest some benefits from 'unilateral trade disarmament'. For example, in our work back in March (Dhingra et al, 2016a, Table 2) we also look at what would happen if the UK eliminated all tariffs after Brexit. Looking solely at the short-run static effects, we find that if the UK trades under World Trade Organisation rules following Brexit, but maintains import tariffs, income per person falls by 2.6 per cent. Under the 'Britain Alone' scenario of unilateral liberalisation after Brexit, UK real incomes still fall by 2.3 per cent. In other words, there is a gain of only 0.3 percentage points from eliminating tariffs compared to just trading under WTO rules and the British people are still considerably worse off as a result of Brexit. The mystery is why Minford can generate effects thirteen times are large.
Method a la Minford
There are basically two steps in Minford's analysis. First, he assumes that feed from EU trade protectionism, prices paid by UK consumers for manufacturing and agricultural goods would fall by 10 per cent under 'Britain Alone'. Second, he feeds this fall in trade costs into his 'Liverpool model' to come up with a GDP increase of 4 per cent.
The 10 per cent number does not come from looking at the actual level of tariffs, which are only around 3 per cent. Rather, it comes from looking at the differences in guesstimated producer price levels between the UK and some other countries using data that is 14 years out of date, and arguing that these higher prices are entirely due to EU trade barriers.
This is really far-fetched. Cross-country price differences are due to a number of factors, particularly different tastes and quality. For example, say Europeans put a higher premium on high-quality clothing compared with Americans. It will look like Europeans are paying more for their clothes, but in reality, the higher average prices simply reflect a different mix of purchases (Deaton, 2014). He ends up comparing apples with a bunch of Boris Johnson shaped bananas across countries.
Minford misunderstands the nature of regulations and product standards. The idea of the Single Market is to have common rules so that a product sold in one EU country can also be sold in any other. If there are 28 different sets of rules governing the sale of a good, it will be harder to sell these products across all EU countries. Minford sees the harmonisation of regulations as a pernicious plot by vested interests to raise prices. But playing by a common set of rules is what has helped increase trade and competition in the Single Market.
It is true that tougher European standards for product safety and quality keep out some trade. For example, if after Brexit the UK reduced the levels of safety in children's toys to those sold in the Chinese mainland, the average price of children's toys would surely fall. But this is because the safety standards would deteriorate – quality adjusted prices would not change much. It is hard to believe that parents would welcome this kind of saving.
How Minford defies the laws of gravity
Trade flows between nations increase as the economic size and average wealth of each country's grows, and decrease with rising costs of trade between them caused by import tariffs, transport costs and other trade barriers. This is an empirical regularity called the 'gravity' relationship and it is the statistical bedrock of modern trade models.
Minford uses a 1970s style trade model in which all firms in an industry everywhere in the world produce the same goods and competition is perfect. There is no product differentiation – a German-made car is identical to a Chinese-made car. Importantly, trade does not follow the gravity equation – everyone simply buys from the lowest cost producer.
As a consequence, after Brexit, the UK does not care about the tariff barriers exporters face in accessing the EU Single Market as they can sell as much as they like anywhere in the world. The fact that France is closer than Fiji essentially makes no difference in the Minford world: there is just one fictional world market into which all goods can be effortlessly sold.
If this sounds crazy, that's because it is crazy. In reality, the UK will still continue to trade extensively with the EU as our closest geographical neighbours. It's just that the higher trade barriers mean that we will do less of it.
Comparing Minford's approach with modern trade models
Modern trade models like the one we use in Dhingra et al (2016) are 'computable general equilibrium models' like Minford's. But they build in the gravity relationship, so do not have the extreme magnifying force of welfare gains from unilateral trade liberalisation. This is why we find that his 'Britain Alone' policy only generates modest offsets to the losses of trade with our main partners.
All models simplify. But when the simplifications imply that the EU has created no new trade, despite the abundance of evidence to the contrary (e.g. Magee, 2008; HM Treasury, 2016), it is the theory that must go back to the drawing board, not the data.
Our work and that of the other economic studies relies on data that show what has actually happened to trade after joining the EU, rather than just asserting what should happen in a theoretically dubious model. Minford's style of work was popular in some quarters in the 1970s. In those days, economics did not need to be well-grounded in facts and data, and could rely on highly simplified theories. The revolution in recent years has been the explosion of data and empirical techniques for its analysis.
Minford's attitude seems to be that if empirical work is imperfect, it should be ignored. Of course there are issues with all empirical work. Some of these problems might mean we over-estimate the EU's effect on trade and foreign investment; some might mean we under-estimate it. But to take the position that since no econometric work can be perfect, all inconvenient facts should be ignored is poor scholarship which leads to bad policy advice.
Summing up
Alternative economic models have different advantages and drawbacks and are suited for different purposes. Unfortunately, Minford's model is inconsistent with two basic facts about international trade: first, that trade satisfies the gravity equation; and second, that the EU has been trade-creating, not simply a tool for trade diversion.
This implies that the model will give very unreliable predictions of the consequences of Brexit for trade and living standards. When we analyse the same scenario considered by Minford using a more realistic assessment of how UK 'unilateral trade liberalisation' could actually work, we find (alongside just about everyone else) that Brexit still leads to a decline in UK living standards.
Minford's 'Liverpool model' with its 1970s vintage of perfect markets everywhere has a bad track record when it comes to policy analysis. For example, in 1997 the model predicted that the proposed national minimum wage would mean millions more unemployed. Subsequent evaluations of the minimum wage have shown that the actual effect was rather less – zero, in fact (Metcalf, 2008).
Like the other 1970s hit, we Won't Get Fooled Again.
Notes: This article is based on the authors' paper Economists for Brexit: A Critique. and was originally published on the LSE Business Review. This piece represents the views of the authors and not those of Democratic Audit or the LSE. Please read our comments policy before posting.
Thomas Sampson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics at LSE. He holds a PhD in Economics from Harvard University and an MSc in Econometrics and Mathematical Economics (with distinction) from LSE. He has worked as a consultant to the World Bank, a fellow of the Bank of Papua New Guinea and other organisations. He has published papers in a number of leading academic journals. His research interests are in international trade, growth and development.
Swati Dhingra is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Economics at LSE. Her work has been published in top economic journals including The American Economic Review. She is Associate Editor of the Journal of International Economics, and was awarded the FIW Young Economist Award and the Chair Jacquemin Award by the European Trade Study Group for her work on firms and globalisation. Swati is a member of the Globalisation group at the LSE's Centre for Economic Performance, and has made regular contributions to work on economic policy.
Gianmarco Ottaviano is Professor of Economics at LSE and an associate at LSE's Centre for Economic Performance Trade Research Programme. His research interests include international trade, multinationals, economic integration, immigration and economic geography. He holds a PhD in Economics from the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium.
John Van Reenen is a Professor in the Department of Economics and Director of LSE's Centre for Economic Performance. He received the European Economic Association's Yrjö Jahnsson Award In 2009 (jointly with Fabrizio Zilibotti), as the best economist in Europe under the age of 45. In 2011 he was awarded the Arrow Prize for the best paper in the field of health economics. His research focuses on the causes and consequences of innovation, the measurement of management practices and their impact on productivity across firms and countries.


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Azure App Registrations can only be deleted if they aren't shared.
Some app registrations have a settings screen that lets you change the shared flag, while some do not.
For those that don't the fix is fairly easy:
Go to Azure AD in portal.azure.com, find the App registration you're having trouble deleting.
- Click the manifest button
- Change "availableToOtherTenants" to false
- Click Save
Now you'll see the 'delete' icon will 'light up' (turns from gray to black, indicating that you can use it now.
Hope this helps!


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When a blocked drain is more complex than typical problems such as drains clogged with a build up of scale or fat, a cctv drain survey will help analyse and plan a solution. Our Sunderland drain surveys will often find problems such as a collapsed drain or a wedged solid object.
With the exact position of the drainage problem our qualified and professional drain cleaners can solve the issue with little disturbance to your domestic or commercial property.
These systems allow for narrower pipes than normal to be used to transport waste away from a property, usually installed because refitting the drainage system would be a more expensive option.
A macerator uses a rotating cutting blade to liquefy the human waste and toilet paper, and then pumps the liquefied effluence out using a pump system. This system is also used where the toilet is on a lower floor to the drain system (i.e. a basement toilet). "Saniflow" is a brand of macerator.


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No Legal Advice Intended. This website includes general information about legal issues and law practices. Such materials are for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice or counsel. Information may not reflect current legal standards. For legal advice specific to your needs, contact an attorney licensed in your jurisdiction. Do not rely on any statement on this website for any reason whatsoever.
Furthermore, the information contained in this website is for informational purposes only. It is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice or representation. Your review or use of this web site, its information and links does not create an attorney-client relationship or an attorney-client privilege between this law firm and you. Statements made to this firm before the formation of an attorney-client relationship may not be privileged and confidential.


text: In order to provide good info here, I've been testing various phone & tablet Apps for RA, Pain Tracking, Self Monitoring et al. Also part of my evaluation, is that Mr Rock (aka my rock star husband) can write apps, because he's, amongst other saintly, creative, musical and handy things, a programmer and has several apps out in the market... no not Angry Birds, wow, WISH we'd thought of that one, I'd have minions writing this blog, or fund something great for fellow sufferers... anyway, back on track. (I have been diagnosed with adult A.D.D by the way, but I think … [Read more...]


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Septic System Inspection Service in Dayton, MN
One of the best pieces of advice you can take is to make sure a septic system inspection is preformed prior to the sale of a home that has onsite waste water treatment. Though not required by law, many realtors and experienced property owners will highly suggest you do so. Custom Septic Inc. offers affordable septic system inspection services in Dayton, MN. Our septic inspections can offer you insight into how long the septic system may last, any red flags, the quality of past maintenance, ensure it is safely working and most of all, confirm if it is compliant or not compliant. All of the above can help you make an informed decision as to when you should expect maintenance, projected costs and if your new to the 'septic world' we are more than happy to share some knowledge with you and maintenance tips for your specific property.
Dayton Septic Compliance Requirements
After a professional inspection is performed by a certified contractor you will receive either a Certificate of Compliance (COC) or a Notice of Non-Compliance (NON). These two terms have been established for the safety and health of the public and environment. Other than buying or selling a home, some other reasons for having a professional inspection performed by a licensed and qualified company can include new construction, septic replacement, or home additions. There is no state-wide requirement, so it's important to use a certified inspector when acquiring or servicing a Subsurface Sewage Treatment System (SSTS).
– Certificate of Compliance
Receiving a Certificate of Compliance does not guarantee anything or act as a warranty of any kind, it is a state regulated certification that is valid for three years. Some local governments require and enforce certifications for a variety of reasons. Getting a COC means the system on your property is performing within the performance standards and it's currently safe for the health and safety of the public and environment.
– Notice of Non-Compliance
There are two different Notices of Non-Compliance: Imminent Threat to Public Health or Safety and Failing to Protect Ground Water. Each NON will also include a timeframe for repair, upgrade or replacement services which need to be complied with.
Who Can Perform A Certified Septic Inspection In Dayton, MN?
In order to perform an inspection and to receive a locally recognized Certificate of Compliance the compliance inspection must be completed by a business or employee licensed and certified by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Custom Septic Inc. is fully licensed and certified to perform Septic System Inspections in Dayton, and has the required forms that must be used and submitted within 15 business days after the completed inspection.
Minnesota Septic System Inspector
If you're in need of a Certification of Compliance or you just want to feel better about the property your purchasing contact the septic professionals at Custom Septic Inc. to set up an appointment at (763) 218-4769, or (218) 564-5800.
Where do I find even more information?
For additional information, please visit the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency website at:www.pca.state.mn.us/programs/ists/
Back to Septic Inspections MN


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Audionamix Has Processed Over 400 Clips Across Nine Seasons of the Show
LOS ANGELES, April 4, 2019 – For the remastered high definition release of the long-running hit series Baywatch, produced by Fremantle, Audionamix was called upon to remove music and provide isolated dialogue tracks.
Replacing original music versus relicensing it often proves to be a more cost-effective solution for content owners looking to update or repurpose their catalog. Audionamix has developed proprietary AI technology, which allows for the separation of elements from a master recording. Armed with this technology, the Audionamix Professional Services team is able to separate music from dialogue, even when the original components are no longer available.
"Having used our separation services in the past, Warner Bros. came to us with a need to replace some of the music from the original Baywatch show so that the remastered release could reach a global audience," says Stephen Oliver, senior product and services specialist at Audionamix. "However, stems were no longer available for many of the foreign language mixes, only the full composite mix."
The Audionamix Professional Services team processed French, German, Italian, Spanish Castilian, Spanish Neutral and select English language clips for nine seasons of Baywatch.
"We provided the Audionamix team with a conformed English composite and an English dialogue stem, plus the music stem conformed and phased separately for each of the foreign languages," says John Yanez, Supervisor of Archival Mastering at Warner Bros. "They delivered extracted foreign language dialog, with unique attention to the challenges that varied from language to language. They were a collaborative partner that delivered nine seasons on schedule."
About Audionamix
Since 2003, Audionamix has established itself as the global leader in audio source separation. Based on years of audio signal processing research, the company developed the revolutionary, patented ADX Technology, and continues to pioneer audio solutions for the film, broadcast and music industries. Audionamix has demonstrated technical expertise in isolating and separating elements from master recordings to empower producers, engineers and artists to create exciting new productions, and unlock television and movie assets for worldwide distribution. For more information, please visit audionamix.com.


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Washington, DC – The US Air Force continues to back French air operations in Mali through refueling efforts, logistical movements, troop transport and information sharing, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said today (January 29).
"Since French operations began Jan. 11, the US has been sharing intelligence with the French," Little told reporters. The United States has provided airlift support to the French army since Jan. 21, he added, and began refueling support for French air operations Jan. 27.
As of Jan. 27, the US Air Force had flown 17 C-17 sorties, moving more than 391 tons of equipment and supplies and nearly 500 French personnel into Bamako, Little said.
One refueling mission has been conducted so far, Little said, when a KC-135 Stratotanker provided about 33,000 pounds of fuel to French fighter aircraft. More refueling missions are expected to take place today, he added, noting that the United States is in constant consultation with France on their operations in Mali.
Following a phone call between Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and his French counterpart, the United States also has agreed to support the international effort by providing airlift to countries in the region, including Chad and Togo, Little said.
Further French requests for assistance will be reviewed, Little said, noting that the US strongly supports French operations in Mali against al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb.
"AQIM and other terrorist groups have threatened to establish a safe haven in Mali, and the French have done absolutely the right thing," Little said. "We will continue to assess their needs and what our support might be in the future."
Panetta has stressed the need to go after al-Qaeda wherever they are, Little said, including its various branches in south Asia and Africa.
"AQIM poses a threat in the region, and I can't rule out the possibility that AQIM poses a threat to US interests," he said. "This is a group that has shown its ability to demonstrate brutality and to conduct attacks. And it's very important that we work with our partners in the region and our allies to thwart them."


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If you are female and you want to learn how to make websites, we have good news for you! We are holding a one-day workshop for beginners!
It will take place on 18th February 2020 in Windhoek, on the first day of PyCon Namibia 2020, which gathers a number of talented programmers. It will be at the NamPower Convention Centre.
We believe that the IT industry will greatly benefit from bringing more women into technology. We want to give you an opportunity to learn how to program and become one of us - female programmers!
Workshops are free of charge and if you can't afford coming to Windhoek, but you are very motivated to learn and then share your knowledge with others, we will try to help you with travel costs and accommodation.
Don't wait too long: you can apply for the workshop only until February 14th!
We are trans-inclusive and welcome applications from all women and non-binary people.
If you are a woman, know English and have a laptop, you can apply for our event! You don't need to know any technical stuff – our workshop is for people who are new to programming.
As a workshop attendee you will:
Do I need to know anything about websites or programming?
No! Workshops are for beginners. You don't need to know anything about it. However, if you have a little bit of technical knowledge (i.e. you know what HTML or CSS are) you still can apply!
I am not living in Namibia, can I attend?
Of course! Workshops will be in English, so if you have no troubles with speaking and understanding English - you should apply. If you need financial aid to get to Windhoek or you need assistance with booking flights or hotel in Windhoek - let us know. We will try to help you!
Should I bring my own laptop?
Yes. We have no hardware, so we expect you to bring your computer with you. It is also important for us that you will take home everything you'll write and create during workshops.
Do I need to have something installed on my laptop?
It would be helpful to have Django installed before workshops, but we wouldn't expect you to install anything on your own. We will make sure that one of our coaches will help you out with this task.
Is the Computer Day conference good for a total beginner?
Yes! Even if you are new to programming, a conference is a good place to meet many interesting people in the industry and find inspiration.
Is food provided?
Yes. Thanks to Computer Day, snacks and lunch will be served during workshops.
We couldn't be here without the support from amazing people and organizations who donated money, knowledge and time to help us make this a reality. If you want to contribute and support our goal, please get in touch: [email protected]


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About Macomb County
Comprised of 27 local units of government, Macomb County is characterized by dynamic urban clusters, expansive networks of industry and commerce, pristine natural features and bountiful agricultural lands. From the densely-populated southern cities to the rural northern villages, Macomb County possesses a wealth of assets that make it a desirable place to live, work and play.
Located in southeast Michigan, Macomb County is 483.7 square miles. Adjacent counties include Wayne (south), Oakland (west), Lapeer (northwest) and St. Clair (northeast). Lake St. Clair lies directly east of Macomb County, with 32 miles of coastline comprising part of the county's eastern border. Thirty-one miles of the Clinton River traverse through the county.
Macomb County is Michigan's third most populated county, boasting a population of more than 865,000 residents and growing. Thirteen people each day choose to make Macomb their home. The county is home to three of the 10 most populated communities in the state: Warren (No. 3), Sterling Heights (No. 4) and Clinton Township (No. 8).
Financial Integrity
Through reorganizing departments, instituting multi-year budget cycles, leveraging realistic forecasts, managing unfunded liabilities and cultivating new revenue, Macomb County government has instituted an optimal financial system. These strategic financial decisions have led to five consecutive years of balanced budgets resulting in strong ratings from Standard and Poor's (AA+) and Moody's Investor Services (Aa1).
Economic Development
Macomb County is home to a dynamic network of more than 18,000 businesses that are fueling the county's economic resurgence. With sound infrastructure and a skilled workforce, Macomb County supports growing industries in advanced manufacturing, automotive, defense, health care, retail, agriculture, food processing and more. Learn more at MacombBusiness.com.
Quality of Life
The county features more than 17,000 acres of parks and recreational spaces and is equipped with more than 155 miles of non-motorized trails. Fishing, boating and kayaking opportunities abound on the Clinton River and Lake St. Clair. Great entertainment can be found at Macomb County's spectacular golf courses, popular retail destinations, delectable restaurants, top-notch breweries and local festivals. Learn more at Living.MacombGov.org.
Diversity and Inclusion
Macomb County is committed to welcoming all people. As the county gains in population and cultural diversity increases, initiatives such as OneMacomb strive to cultivate a community that embraces all people and celebrates their unique contributions. Through collaborative community-based activities, Macomb County is promoting multiculturalism and inclusiveness. For more information on OneMacomb, visit Diversity.MacombGov.org.


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Heroines & Hellions: An Urban Fantasy and Fantasy Collection
Publication date: January 2nd 2018
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy
NO DAMSELS ALLOWED! @nodamselallowd #heroinesandhellions #urbanfantasy http://heroinesandhellions.com/
22 Kickass Heroines.
22 Exclusive, Full-length Urban Fantasy and Fantasy Novels.
0 Damsels in Distress.
Do you like your leading ladies to save the day…or raze it?
No matter which you prefer, this set is brimming with 20 magical stories (many BRAND NEW) told by some of the leading voices of urban fantasy and fantasy in the industry, including several New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors!
If you want strong female leads who strike back against the captivating worlds of vampires, elementals, fiends, and paranormal monsters, then you're ready to charge into the adventures of HEROINES & HELLIONS, a pure Urban Fantasy/Fantasy collection!
Grab your stake, silver bullets, and your limited edition copy of HEROINES & HELLIONS today!
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text: We are currently seeing cases of chickenpox, a viral illness that is caused by a very contagious virus, varicella zoster. To contract chickenpox, a child usually is exposed to another child with it. Then, in about 2 weeks, the child develops a mild fever and an itchy, bumpy red rash. The red bumps turn into very small blisters. The blisters eventually crust over and scab, and then heal back to normal skin. There is a very effective vaccine to prevent your child from getting chickenpox, and most children who have not had chickenpox should receive the vaccine at any time after their first birthday.See also: Chickenpox | Doesn't look like chickenpox, see Rash or Redness - Localized


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Babies are born with the ability to digest lactose, the sugar found in milk, but most humans lose this ability after infancy because of declining levels of the lactose-digesting enzyme lactase. Most mammals also do not drink milk after weaning.
So did maintaining a high level of lactase confer an evolutionary advantage - reaping the nutritive benefits of milk - or is lactase persistence (lactose tolerance) simply due to dairy culture shaping?
A new study
in the American Journal of Human Genetics constitutes the largest investigation ever of lactase persistence in geographically diverse populations of Africans and investigated the genetic origins of this trait and offers support to the idea that the ability to digest milk was a powerful selective force in a variety of African populations which raised cattle and consumed the animals' fresh milk.
Previous research had shown that northern Europeans and people with northern European ancestry, as well as populations from Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and Central Asia with a tradition of fresh milk production and consumption, continue to express the lactase enzyme into adulthood. Some of these earlier studies had traced the genetic origin of this trait in Europeans to a particular mutation that regulates the expression of the gene that codes for lactase. And in 2007 a study by Alessia Ranciaro, a postdoctoral fellow in Penn's Department of Genetics in the Perelman School of Medicine, and Sarah Tishkoff, a Penn Integrates Knowledge Professor, and colleagues examined African populations and found three addition genetic variants associated with lactase persistence that had not been previously identified.
"But these variants didn't completely account for the reason why some Africans were able to digest milk," Ranciaro said.
To try to reconcile these apparent discrepancies between genotype, the genetic basis of a characteristic, and phenotype, the characteristic itself, Ranciaro, along with colleagues, led field studies to often-remote areas of Kenya, Tanzania and Sudan to collect blood samples and perform a lactose tolerance test on people from diverse ethnic backgrounds.
"The idea was that we wanted to sample as many populations, and as diverse a set of populations, as possible," Ranciaro said. "We included pastoralists, agro-pastoralists, agriculturalists and hunter-gatherers, so the four major subsistence patterns were all covered."
The Penn researchers worked with African collaborators and local district offices and tribal chiefs to spread the word and recruit volunteers for their study.
"This was a very challenging test to do in the field in remote regions," said Ranciaro. "We were careful to make sure that people understood why we were doing this study and that they would need to commit to the hour or more of time needed to do the test."
The test reveals whether someone has the ability to digest lactose into glucose and galactose. It requires participants to fast overnight, have their blood sugar measured, then drink a sweet beverage containing the equivalent lactose of one to two liters of cow's milk and subsequently have their blood sugar tested at set intervals.
To look for genetic variations among the populations' abilities to digest milk, the team sequenced three genomic regions thought to influence the activity of the lactase-encoding LCT gene in 819 Africans from 63 different populations and 154 non-Africans from nine different populations in Europe, the Middle East and Central and East Asia.
They also examined the results of the lactose tolerance test in 513 people from 50 populations in East Africa.
Their sequencing and phenotyping efforts confirmed the association between lactase persistence and three known single–nucleotide polymorphisms, or SNPs, places where the DNA sequence varies in just one "letter." But they also identified two new SNPs associated with the trait located in regions that are thought to regulate lactase gene expression.
Their analysis revealed strong evidence of recent positive selection affecting several variants associated with lactase persistence in African populations, likely in response to the cultural development of pastoralism. The distinct geographic patterns in which these variants were present correlate in many cases with historic human migrations, mixing between populations as well as the spread of cattle, camels or sheep.
For example, they found the variant associated with lactase persistence in Europeans, T-13910, in central and northern African pastoralist groups, suggesting that these groups may have mixed historically with a non-African population. The age of this genetic mutation is estimated to be 5,000-12,300 years old, coinciding with the origins of cattle domestication in North Africa and the Middle East. And a variant, G-13915, found at high frequencies in the Arabian Peninsula, and also present in northern Kenya and northern Sudan, dates to roughly 5,000 years ago, around the time that archaeological evidence suggests that camels were domesticated in the region.
Another variant, G-13907, was identified in the northern reaches of Sudan and Kenya as well as in Ethiopia. The researchers speculate that the mutation may have arisen in Cushitic populations in Ethiopia, who later migrated into Kenya and Sudan in the last 5,000 years.
They observed still another variant, C-14010, in Tanzania and Kenya as well as in southern Africa. This variant is believed to have arisen 3,000 to 7,000 years ago, a timing in line with the migration of pastoralists from North Africa into East Africa. The researchers' analysis suggests that this variant spread more recently into southern African, perhaps only in the last 1,000 years.
"We're starting to paint a picture of convergent evolution," Tishkoff said. "Our results are showing different mutations arising in different places that are under selection and rising to high frequencies and then reintroduced by migration to new areas and new populations."
Even with the new variants the Penn team identified, there were still patterns that the genetic data couldn't explain. Some groups that appeared to be able to digest milk lacked any genetic sign of this ability. The Hadza, nearly half of whom had the lactase persistence trait, are one example.
"This raises the strong possibility that there are other variants out there, perhaps in regions of the genome we haven't yet examined," Tishkoff said.
Another possibility is that commensal bacteria in the gut could offer humans a helping hand in digesting milk. The team is now assaying Africans' gut bacteria to see if that might be the case.