text:
TOM: Coast to coast and floorboards to shingles, this is The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show. I'm Tom Kraeutler.
LESLIE: And I'm Leslie Segrete.
TOM: It is officially the first weekend of spring and that means it's time to get out and tackle a project. There's got to be one lying about your house that you want to do. Whether it's painting, roofing, decking, cleaning, we are here to help. No, we're not going to come to your house and help with your spring-cleaning project but we might have a tip or two to help make it a bit easier. You could help yourself first, though, if you pick up the phone and call us. The number is 888-MONEY-PIT, 888-666-3974.
And speaking of spring cleaning, if you'd love to get your house sparkling clean, you're going to want to hear this: there are places in your home that you might be overlooking, that aren't just dirty but they could potentially be dangerous when they're not clean. We're going to tell you where they are and what to do about it, in just a bit.
LESLIE: And do you think that you are a do-it-yourself superstar? Well, even if your do-it-yourself skills are mind-blowing, there still could be times when you need to bring in that pro. So we're going to have tips on how to find a good contractor for your money pit.
TOM: And this winter, did you get tired of paying those high heating bills? Did you think that perhaps you're losing most of your heat through your roof? Well, we have a solution you might not have thought of and it's got a lot of benefits: it's called a "living roof." We're going to tell you exactly what that is and how to grow your very own – yes, we said, "Grow your own roof" – in just a bit.
LESLIE: Oh, you mean I don't have to bring a couch up there and make it my new living room?
TOM: No. But you do – you can grow it but you don't have to mow it. I'll tell you that much.
LESLIE: Alright. Good.
And if you happen to have a new roof, why not add a beautiful, new floor to go with it? One caller this hour is going to get a great start on a new floor, because we are giving away a $250 gift certificate to Lumber Liquidators. They have got a huge selection of top-quality wood flooring at a great, low-price guarantee.
TOM: So give us a call right now and let's get to it. The number is 888-MONEY-PIT, 888-666-3974.
LESLIE: Barry in North Carolina is on the line and looking for some help with a sunroom. Tell us what you're working on.
BARRY: Well, we've got a 12×15 sunroom and it's just – it gets cold and it gets hot. It's double-pane glass, insulated and it's about 2 inches thick for the bottom part. But it's like all metal, all aluminum and it's just cold and hot. And I just want to know – and it is ducted; there's an air duct out there.
BARRY: And is there anything I can do to make it warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer?
TOM: Well, what's going on here, Barry, is you are not putting enough cool air or warm air in that space to deal with the heat loss that's going on. So, I presume now this – what you did is extended your HVAC system into this space? Is that how it's ducted, when you say it's ducted?
BARRY: Yes.
TOM: Alright. And this is typical. The HVAC system is not sized correctly for that area and for the heat loss in that area and for the heat gain in the summer. This is a perfect scenario, though, for you to add a kind of system called a "mini-split ductless." A mini-split ductless is basically three pieces: you have an indoor unit that hangs on the wall; you have an outdoor unit that's a very small, very quiet, very efficient compressor; and you have copper tubing that connects the two.
And you would buy one that's just big enough for this sunroom and what it would do is supplement the central heat or cold air that's coming through the duct systems and balance it out. It can have its own thermostat and can supply warm air in the winter and cold air in the summer and make that room totally comfortable. There's little else that you can do to insulate the structure. It's just a very cold structure by its very nature, a sunroom. But a mini-split ductless is a good product to install to balance this out.
You might want to take a look at this website: ConstantComfort.com. That's the website for the Fujitsu Company. I personally have a Fujitsu mini-split ductless in my office because the room, just like you say, it's too hot in the summer, too cold in the winter. And it's been the perfect addition to my HVAC plan, because it really makes this space comfortable.
BARRY: I've seen those units mounted before but usually they're mounted up high.
LESLIE: Yeah.
BARRY: Can they be mounted down low?
TOM: You know, I believe they can. But the higher the better, especially for the cold air so it falls.
BARRY: But there's only like 2½ feet of solid piece down below; the rest of it is all window.
TOM: Well, what about the wall against the house where the ducts come through?
BARRY: That's a point. I hadn't thought about that.
TOM: Yeah, see, it doesn't have to be on the exterior wall.
TOM: It can – and in fact, you would want to have it on the interior wall – against the house, where the ducts come through – and mounted up high. And you'll be amazed at how comfortable that space will be.
That website, again, is ConstantComfort.com. You can check out the Fujitsus there. And they also have an energy-efficiency calculator so you can figure out pretty much how much energy you save.
Problem is that we build these spaces and we add them on to our house. We try to extend the heating and cooling systems …
LESLIE: And it just puts too much pressure on the system.
TOM: Yeah, it's just not enough.
BARRY: OK. Very good. That answers my question then.
TOM: Alright. Good luck with that project. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
LESLIE: Now we've got Rebecca from Georgia on the line who has a question about her brick house. How can we help you?
REBECCA: I stained my house – oh, gosh – 20 years ago.
TOM: You stained your brick house?
REBECCA: And I have – yeah.
REBECCA: It's a brick house and I stained it in a dark color and I've never liked it. Is there anything I can do to get this stain out?
TOM: But it seemed like a good idea at the time.
REBECCA: Yes, it did. Yes, it did. It's an ugly brick and it just stood out. It just shouted at you and I was trying to just calm it down a little bit.
TOM: Right.
REBECCA: But it – I've never liked it. And I would like to – I wish I could get my natural brick back, is what I wish.
TOM: And now that you've been staring at it for 20 years, that's all you can stand and you can't stand it anymore.
REBECCA: Yes.
LESLIE: And you really don't like it.
REBECCA: My next step will be to paint it but …
TOM: Yeah.
LESLIE: Oh. Hmm.
REBECCA: I wish I can get that stain off; I really do.
TOM: Problem is that the brick is like a sponge.
LESLIE: Porous.
TOM: It's very porous.
REBECCA: Yes, yes.
TOM: And so I'm sure that whatever stain you used soaked right into it and since – not even like it's something that we can physically get to …
REBECCA: Exactly.
LESLIE: Yeah, because even if you paint brick and then years later you're like, "Bleh, I want to get rid of it," that would be something that's like a sand-blasting option. And you can get that paint that sticks to the surface off but once you get down to the brick, say you painted it white, you're still going to see a wash of white in all the pocking of the brick.
REBECCA: Exactly.
TOM: Yeah.
LESLIE: So with the stain, I don't even think sand-blasting would get that.
REBECCA: No.
TOM: And it'll destroy the brick, too.
LESLIE: Yeah.
TOM: Yeah.
REBECCA: Oh, I see. I thought about that.
TOM: Well, I think you should not stress about it anymore and I think you should think about painting it.
REBECCA: Yes.
TOM: But before you do that, think of any other things – and I'm going to ask Leslie to put on her decorator hat now – any other things that you can do to soften that dark color and do other things like the trim, the windows, the molding, any of those types of exterior …
LESLIE: Adding shutters.
TOM: Right, shutters.
LESLIE: Adding window boxes with lots of beautiful floral and greenery to hide some of that.
REBECCA: Yes.
TOM: Right.
LESLIE: Encouraging ivy to grow on the side of the brick.
TOM: But now, seriously, you can think about decorating around the dark color. It's like when you buy a house that's got a really old, 1950s bathroom and you hate the pink but it's rock-solid – it's a rock-solid tile project.
REBECCA: Yes.
LESLIE: She's like, "Wait, I have one of those, too."
REBECCA: You're talking about my house.
TOM: There you go.
LESLIE: Oh, God.
TOM: There's always a way to decorate around it, so I'd just like you to think about that because once you paint, you know what comes next?
REBECCA: Yes.
TOM: Repaint.
REBECCA: I know, I know. Yes. But anyway, I will definitely do what you said. That sounds good.
LESLIE: You are tuned to The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show on air and online at MoneyPit.com. Now you can call in your home repair or your home improvement question 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-888-MONEY-PIT.
Well, if you've been letting the cobwebs gather all winter, it's time now to throw open the curtains and give your house a good spring cleaning. We're going to tell you where serious dirt might be lurking, after this.
(theme song)
TOM: Making good homes better, this is The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show. I'm Tom Kraeutler.
LESLIE: And I'm Leslie Segrete. Pick up the phone and give us a call at 888-MONEY-PIT. One caller who gets on the air with us this hour is going to win a great spring-project prize. We're giving away a $250 gift certificate from our friends at Lumber Liquidators. And they've got some of the best selection that you can find in flooring, really, with a great price tag to go along with it. So give us a call at 888-MONEY-PIT for help with your project and your chance to win.
LESLIE: Adam in Iowa is dealing with a wet bathroom. Tell us what's going on in there.
ADAM: Well, I have condensation on my ceiling.
ADAM: We had our roof redone, oh, about three years ago and now it seems like when it gets cold out, we get condensation on our ceiling.
LESLIE: Do you have any sort of venting in your bathroom? Because it sounds like your attic is cool and you're in your shower and the bathroom gets super-hot and then there's no movement of air in that bath and that's what's causing that temperature differentiation.
TOM: So what happens is the warm, moist air strikes the underside of the chillier bathroom ceiling and condenses.
TOM: And so, if we were to warm up the bathroom ceiling by making sure it's insulated above, couple that with proper bathroom ventilation, then this problem will totally go away.
ADAM: Right. OK. So the vent we have for the shower is probably not significant enough for the bathroom itself?
LESLIE: And are you certain that the vent that you have in the bathroom is actually vented outside and not just venting into your attic?
ADAM: I believe it is. There is – I don't know. I'd have to look for sure but I think they did put it but it's not a very big vent itself.
LESLIE: OK. So you have some air movement but just not enough. It could be that you're just not getting enough of that moist air out or you're not using it in the proper way.
Traditionally, with a bathroom vent fan, you want, obviously, to have the vent fan on while you're bathing and then you want to continue to run it for about 10, 15 minutes once you're out of the shower, because that's when the condensation really occurs.
Now, if it's time for a new one – maybe your model's just not efficient enough or not moving enough of that moist air out – a great company to check out is Broan-NuTone. And if you go to their website, Broan.com – B-r-o-a-n.com – you'll find a ton of different models available with lights, without lights, ones that actually look like vent fans, one that looks like a ceiling high-hat that really conceals a bath vent fan.
And what's great is that a majority of their models are Energy Star-rated, because they're made so efficiently to be silent and to move a tremendous amount of moisture out of the bath. That's how they meet a lot of the Energy Star ratings. They're affordable. It's really worth looking into because if you're dealing with this problem over and over again, eventually you're going to get mold and mildew growth on your ceiling. You're going to have to repaint, repair. There's a lot that this is going to cause if you don't nip it in the bud right now.
ADAM: OK. And this is something I could install myself?
TOM: Yeah, absolutely. If you're a handy guy or you're a DIYer, you definitely could put in a new fan yourself. It's not terribly a difficult project to do: pretty much basic carpentry and basic electrical work.
ADAM: OK, guys. Appreciate it.
TOM: Well, no more excuses, folks. It is the official first weekend of spring and that means it's time for spring cleaning. And when you're giving your house that good onceover, take note: there are things in your home that you might be overlooking that could turn into, oh, shall we say a "bio-hazard"?
You know, one of the most common places to find that overlooked grime is your ceiling fan. Clean the top of the blades to make sure dust, dirt and who-knows-what aren't flying off onto you or your guests when you flip the fan on. Especially important if that fan is over, perhaps, your kitchen or dining room table.
Also, clean the top of your fridge. Unless you're super-tall, it's not a place that you might see every day but that grease, that dirt, that grime, it can really accumulate there pretty quickly. And it will also lead to germs and even a fungus or two, so that's especially important if you store anything up there.
LESLIE: Ugh. You're adding things to my to-do list, Tom. Stop.
And guys, you know those cloth, reusable grocery bags? They're great for the environment but do you ever wash them? Oh, my gosh. I don't know if I ever have. Remember that you've probably had raw meat in them and they really need a good cleaning after each use. So unless that bag says otherwise, wash them in hot water. I am going to do that this weekend.
Next, you probably love your morning shower but if you're not cleaning your showerhead, you could actually be bathing in bacteria.
Why do these spring-cleaning segments always give me the heebie-jeebies, Tom?
A study from the University of Colorado found, get this, 30 percent of showerheads had the bacteria on them that cause lung infections. Zoiks. Clean those showerheads.
And lastly, your trashcans. Unspeakable things can grow on the bottom of that trash bin from your leaking garbage. You may want to take them outside. You may want to use the pressure of a hose on them.
You want to follow these tips. This way, you can have a clean and safe spring. Now that you've thoroughly got the willies, take out your paper, make your list and then go do them.
TOM: 888-666-3974. Give us a call right now with your next spring home improvement project.
LESLIE: Ann in Iowa is working on remodeling a kitchen. Tell us how your project's going.
ANN: Well, we haven't started it yet but I have high hopes.
LESLIE: OK. OK, good.
ANN: I had a question. I was looking – my husband and I, we're remodeling to have an open floor plan between the kitchen and the dining room and the living area.
ANN: But we're having some differing ideas on where to locate the sink. And I just wondered what type of things – what considerations you guys might have for us, as far as – my husband is thinking put it on the counter against the wall, looking out a window. And I'm wondering if maybe it would be better on the island, overlooking the room.
TOM: For the sink? I think because most of the work you do at your sink is sort of the small, day-to-day stuff, it's always nice to have it near a window.
Some folks like to have a second sink in an island but that's more for like vegetable prep and that sort of thing, right, Leslie?
LESLIE: Mm-hmm. Or like a bar type of sink.
TOM: Yeah.
LESLIE: The main thing that you need to keep in mind is the functionality of the kitchen itself, Ann. And generally, people go by what's called a "working triangle": going from the fridge to your sink to your stove, so that it sort of triangulates between the three. And it doesn't have to be a perfect, normal triangle – it can be any sort of access of the three points – but it's just made for convenience.
An island is great. Some people put a cooktop in the island; some people will put a smaller sink. A lot of people also use the island as an additional eating, sort of sitting/dining area. You need to think, since you're in that open plan, the other thing is in the open plan, your sink tends to get kind of messy. You're going to have dishes building up there.
If you're like me, your husband never puts the dishes in the dishwasher, so you're going to be dealing with things sort of just building up and sitting around in that area, even if it's just for a minute, which could be kind of distracting should it be in the center of the space.
ANN: Right.
LESLIE: So it might be better to have it off on the counter but think about how you're going to traffic between the three areas. And put it really where it's going to best work for you guys.
ANN: Right. OK, OK.
LESLIE: With an island, sometimes people will – and I've done this for clients before – sort of build a two-level island. And I'm not talking about a crazy height difference but maybe a 6-to-an-8-inch step-up, so you'll have your work surface at the lower height, where you could have a sink.
ANN: Right. Right.
LESLIE: And then on that little step-up will be your overhang for your stools or your counter-service area. So that this way, if you're looking it at from the open-plan area, it does hide that mess a little bit. So if it's really something that you just have to have in the island, that helps.
ANN: How would that be, even if we didn't have a sink there? Would it be – the uneven island – would that be a good idea, even if we didn't have a sink or …?
LESLIE: It definitely helps, only because then you have an area to be a little bit messy and not be on showcase: the mess or the utensils sticking around or your kids' projects.
ANN: Right. Right.
LESLIE: It sort of gives you a little place to hide things from the main area.
ANN: Right, OK.
LESLIE: I think it's definitely beneficial. Think about – when you're planning the height, think about the stool height. You're sort of stuck at 28 inches and 30-something inches, so make sure you pick a height for that step-up that works with seating.
And then also think on the kitchen side, you're going to need something on that backsplash. So if you've got a certain tile in mind, think about two or three runs of that tile to give you the height that you need or whether you're continuing your granite or whatever your surface is, as the backsplash. Because those are some things to consider.
ANN: You've helped me make my decision, so I really appreciate it. I love your show, too.
LESLIE: Thanks, Ann.
TOM: Good luck with that project, Ann. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
LESLIE: You are tuned to The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show on air and online at MoneyPit.com. Well, you might think of fairy tales or extreme environmentalists when you hear the term "living roof." But it is, in fact, exactly what you're picturing: grass, flowers and more, right up over your head.
TOM: Green roofs are growing in popularity and they actually deliver benefits you might not know about. We're going to find out all about green roofs when we talk to an expert, next.
(theme song)
ANNOUNCER: The Money Pit is brought to you by Quicken Loans. Call Quicken Loans today at 888-450-0024 or go to QuickenLoans.com to receive your free home-loan review. They'll give you their best possible mortgage at their best possible rate, in the shortest amount of time. That number, again, is 888-450-0024. Equal housing lender. Licensed in all 50 states. NMLS Number 3030. Call today. 888-450-0024.
TOM: Where home solutions live, welcome back to The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show on air and online at MoneyPit.com. I'm Tom Kraeutler.
LESLIE: And I'm Leslie Segrete.
TOM: Well, they aren't just from Middle Earth or Grimms' Fairy Tales anymore. Regular folks all around the country are opting now for a living roof.
LESLIE: That's right. You know, living roofs or green roofs are just what the name implies: they're roofs that are covered in vegetation. So why would the average person want this? Well, you'd be surprised at the advantages.
Emilio Ancaya, the president of Living Roofs Incorporated is joining us to explain.
Welcome, Emilio.
EMILIO: Thank you.
TOM: So my first question is: how do you mow your roof?
EMILIO: Well, most of these roofs aren't the type of roof that need to be mowed, so we're not putting typical sod.
TOM: That's good.
EMILIO: But that's a good question.
TOM: So, what is a living roof typically made of? Is it always grass? Are there other vegetations that are used? How do they kind of get installed and most importantly, how are they maintained? Because I think we think of anything that is vegetative as needing a lot of care.
EMILIO: Right. Well, to start out, most green roofs – the kind of modern-style, contemporary-style green roofs now – are not planted with grass. Grass is high-maintenance, as we all know: mowing and fertilizer and all that. So, really, what we're going after on a more modern-style green roof is low-maintenance-type plants: drought-hardy, they don't need to be mowed, they can grow in thin soils, lightweight roofs. So they're a lot less maintenance; they don't need to be cut. So that's really what the modern-style green roofs are planned with.
LESLIE: Mm-hmm. And Emilio, I've seen them, I would say, on more swanky hotels and urban environments that are kind of eco-friendly and trendy.
EMILIO: Sure.
LESLIE: And I mean is it a viable choice for any kind of location or is this really an urban phenomenon?
EMILIO: No, no. We see it everywhere. It's most common in urban settings and universities. Really, when we first started the business, most of our work was residential, I think, just because it was kind of a popular thing. It was written up a lot in garden magazines. But now that people are learning more about it, we're seeing more and more universities, real estate, commercial, downtown properties, condos, like you said.
But also, still, a lot of homes are doing it. So it's not just high-end, swanky-type places. We're seeing a lot of public buildings, as well, installing green roofs.
TOM: We're talking to Emilio Ancaya. He is the president of Living Roofs Inc.
And Emilio, what does it actually take to install a living roof? Does it impact the structure of the building? Is it something that you could do in a remodeling situation or do you really have to use this only if you're kind of building a new home or a new commercial building from the ground up?
EMILIO: No, it absolutely does best in a new construction, because that's the easiest way to go with – because you're able to design it in the design phase to hold that weight. Because, obviously, there is a lot of weight involved with a green roof.
But for retrofits, you absolutely can do it. Fifty percent of our projects are retrofits but you absolutely have to have a structural engineer get in there, look at the building structure and see if it can handle the added weight.
LESLIE: Mm-hmm. And is there a roof line or shape or style that is better suited for this application? Is it strictly a flat-roof application?
EMILIO: Yeah and in most – 90 percent of the projects are flat roof. And when we say "flat," they're not actually dead flat; there is some slope to it, so it still allows water to drain. So, usually, that's a ¼-inch per foot fall or very slight slope. So it's not strictly flat.
But that's really where we're seeing most of our projects and those are the – honestly, they're the cheapest way to do it. Once you get into a sloped roof where you have to incorporate all kinds of soil-retention systems and things that keep the material from sliding off the roof, then it gets pretty costly.
TOM: What kind of roof is actually installed as sort of the waterproof membrane under this? Is there a particular type of low slope or flat roofing that works better than others?
EMILIO: Yeah, there's a whole gamut of waterproofing systems out there. There's your single-ply-type systems, like you see in a lot of commercial roofs, like your TPO and PVC roofs that are like a white membrane-type roof.
There's also built-up systems, that other manufacturers have, that are more beefy, that have many more layers to them. So, there's a lot of typical waterproofing systems that are used with green roofs. It's not really anything special that goes with a green roof.
LESLIE: So, Emilio, I'm sold on the idea and I've seen it beautifully done in an urban environment. But as a suburban homeowner, is there anything that I can do myself to sort of implement this plan and reap the benefits and the beauty?
EMILIO: Yeah, absolutely. There is – something that we offer is something – is a plan set for garden sheds or small outdoor structures with green roofs. And basically, it's a plan set that any homeowner or anybody can buy and build their own shed. It's got all the material list, the design. They're properly structurally designed for the load of a green roof and then what types of plants you can use. So that's a great way to get your foot in the door, just to get some early education on green roofs at your home level.
TOM: We're talking to Emilio Ancaya. He is with Living Roofs Incorporated.
There are a lot of energy-saving benefits to installing a living roof, Emilio. I would imagine, in the summer, it can be particularly energy-saving because it's going to keep a lot of that heat out of the building, meaning that you're not going to have to spend as much in air conditioning. Is that correct?
EMILIO: That's right, Tom. You've got it. I mean it's – they significantly reduce heat that goes through the roof structure into the building. So if you can keep your building cooler, then you're going to have less to man on your HVAC system.
TOM: Excellent. You can see more of Emilio's work and read about green roofs on his website. That's LivingRoofs – that's roofs with an S – Inc.com.
Emilio, thanks for joining us and spreading the word about living roofs.
EMILIO: Thank you, Tom and Leslie.
LESLIE: Well, you've no doubt heard horror stories about contractors gone bad. Well, get this: there are actually plenty of great contractors out there. You just have to find them. So we're going to tell you how to do that, after this.
(theme song)
TOM: Making good homes better, welcome back to The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show. I'm Tom Kraeutler.
LESLIE: And I'm Leslie Segrete.
TOM: Pick up the phone, give us a call right now with your home improvement project. The number is 888-MONEY-PIT. If you do, you might just be the one caller who wins our prize this hour. It's a $250 gift certificate from Lumber Liquidators. That is plenty to get you started on your next flooring project.
Lumber Liquidators is great because they cut out the middle men and they buy direct from the manufacturer. That means savings for you on their gigantic selection of flooring. So pick up the phone right now, ask us your question and you might just win a $250 gift certificate from Lumber Liquidators. The number is 1-888-MONEY-PIT.
Well, you could be a star with a staple gun or perhaps you're a Houdini with a hammer. But unless you are a professional, there are times when you will need to call in a pro for some of your home improvement projects. If the project is dangerous, if it's over your head or if it's just going to take too much time to learn as you go, call in a pro.
And you've probably heard nightmare stories about needing to do that when they talk about contractors botching a project, taking way too long or even sleeping on the job. The good news is that there are ways to avoid that.
First, make a budget. You need to know as much as you can about the project cost before you get started. And this way, you'll be protected that no one tries to overprice the job.
LESLIE: Mm-hmm. Now, once you've done that, you want to start asking around. Word of mouth is really important in the contractor world. You want to ask your family and friends, you want to go on websites like Angie's List or ServiceMagic. And you've got to read what people are saying about different contractors.
Now, once you've sort of narrowed it down, start taking bids from the ones that you've selected. And remember, cheaper really isn't always better. I don't know if it's ever better. You want to interview the contractors that you've selected and ask for a timetable.
Now, most contractors, they want to do a good job and they want to use you for a reference. It's just a matter of finding that right one for you.
If you want some more information, Google "money pit find best contractor" and we will help you with the step-by-step there to find a good person in your area.
TOM: 888-666-3974. Give us a call right now with your home improvement question.
LESLIE: Dottie in Nebraska is on the line and needs some help with a flooring project. What can we do for you today?
DOTTIE: I'm replacing – will be replacing a vinyl floor in the kitchen. And I've never had a wood floor. I love the look of wood but I'm confused as to whether to go with wood or with laminate, because I want easy care.
LESLIE: OK. And this is strictly for your kitchen or does it …?
DOTTIE: We will be going into the dining room, too, we've decided. We'll be taking up carpet in there to extend into the dining room.
LESLIE: OK. So it's – is it an open plan or is there a threshold or is there a division between these two spaces?
DOTTIE: There is a counter between the two.
LESLIE: OK. Now, for kitchens, hardwood floors are beautiful but generally, even if they have a commercial type of coating on them, they're not really meant to stand up to the wear and tear and perhaps the moisture that could occur in a kitchen environment. I think a laminate is probably a better choice for you, just because of the way they are made. And the finishes on top of them make them more easy to clean, easier to deal with any spills that might occur and certainly more durable and of course, can look like anything.
I actually just put a laminate, in a home I redid in California, that was a 6-inch-wide plank that had a hand-scraped finish on it. So it certainly had that warmth and look and a quality of a traditional hardwood that you're probably looking for. And depending on the quality of laminate, you could get kind of close to a hardwood price but I think you can still keep it in your price range.
DOTTIE: Yes.
LESLIE: But you can find, certainly, beautiful options in the laminate. I think that's probably the way you want to go for a kitchen.
DOTTIE: OK. And see if you agree with this: I've been told that we have oak cabinets that are OK and not to try to match those. Is that right to go lighter or darker?
LESLIE: Absolutely. What color is the oak? Is it sort of natural? Has it been stained a different tone?
DOTTIE: It's pretty typical, warm oak: kind of a golden – kind of a medium brown.
LESLIE: I like the idea of a darker floor in a kitchen. I feel like it's more forgiving. I feel like it makes the cabinets sort of jump off and create a more put-together look for a kitchen space. I think with a lighter floor, you're always going to be trying to clean it and care for it, cover it up.
DOTTIE: OK. And as far – I have a friend who put – I think she said hers is cherry but I love the look. It's kind of a – the planks are a different shade; they're not all the same color. Is that something you think that I could find or would that look nice with the oak?
LESLIE: Now when you say "different shades," is it strikingly different? Does it look sort of patchwork-y or is it more tonal?
DOTTIE: No. No. More subtle than that.
LESLIE: More subtle. I mean I think it could be a very good look if you've got the right look for your kitchen. That tends to be a more – not a hippie-dippie but Bohemian, free-spirited sort of eclectic look that's very popular right now. So if you've got that look going in your lighting fixtures and in your tile work and in your countertops, then it could really tie it all in together.
DOTTIE: OK. And one last question. That floor that I like is laid on the diagonal. Do you do that much and do you recommend that?
LESLIE: Depends on the size of the space. Because if it's a tighter or a narrow kitchen, it could look very busy. But if you've got a good expanse and the kitchen is fairly wide, then it could play very nicely.
DOTTIE: Well, that's wonderful. That's what I wanted to know. I thought probably the laminate was better. I want it to look beautiful; I don't want it to look fake.
TOM: I'll tell you, Dottie, I have laminate in my kitchen and I've had it for about 10 years now.
TOM: It looks like stone floor and it's beautiful.
DOTTIE: Wonderful. OK. And no particular brand tips or anything like that? Maybe you can't do that. I'm really a novice here.
TOM: Well, I'll tell you, you might just want to – a good place just to kind of shop for it is LumberLiquidators.com, only because they have good prices and they have a whole bunch of manufacturers there on their website.
DOTTIE: Sure.
TOM: So that might be a good place to start.
DOTTIE: OK. I will do it. Thank you so much.
TOM: Alright, Dottie. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
LESLIE: You are tuned to The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show on air and online at MoneyPit.com.
Say, are you tired of a cold and sterile-looking kitchen? Well, nothing says "warm and cozy" like a country-themed kitchen. We're going to have some tips on how you can create one, after this.
(theme song)
TOM: Making good homes better, welcome back to The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show. I'm Tom Kraeutler.
LESLIE: And I'm Leslie Segrete. And what are you doing this first weekend of spring? Are you guys busy around your money pit? Are you following us on Twitter? Because if you're working around your money pit, you need to be. You can get the latest in home improvement news, you can join in on our discussion or you can just get tips directly to your mobile device. Just follow @MoneyPit and you'll get a ton of information.
And while you're online, you can post your question in the Community section of The Money Pit. And I've got one here from Sam in Delaware who writes: "My plaster walls aren't in the greatest condition, just because of age. I want to hang some pictures on them. Any suggestions on how to do this without a total disaster?"
TOM: Yeah. You can hang lots of things on plaster walls; you just have to be a little careful. If it's something that's super-heavy, the best way to do that is with a toggle bolt: a good, old-fashioned toggle bolt where you drill a hole right through that plaster into the stud bay behind it, pop in the toggle and then tighten things down. It can be quite strong. And frankly, it usually gets behind the wood lath that holds on the plaster, so that does a super-good job.
If you want to hang something really lightweight, you can drive a nail right through that using a standard picture-hanging nail. And in the middle, well, there's just tons and tons of fasteners that work on this.
There's a website for a manufacturer that makes probably more of these different types of picture- and wall-hanging things than anyone I've ever seen. It's called HangmanProducts.com. And they've got, for example, their picture- and poster-hanging kit that has these really cool screws that you can predrill, screw them in and sort of has a washer that stops it when it gets in just the right distance. And then you can hang something on the outside edge of the screw.
LESLIE: You know, I'm amazed, Tom. There's a whole sort of field of art hangers out there and I work with one locally when I have my own design clients. If there's a situation like, "Oh, I need to hang this thing on a staircase," and I need a tricky ladder and things I don't really want to do or things that are just too heavy – and I'm amazed at the arsenal of nails and hangers and security hangers like they use in hotels, where you get one piece that goes into the wall, one piece that goes onto the back of the art and a secret tool that sort of locks them together.
TOM: Right. Yep.
LESLIE: I mean it's amazing what's out there and Hangman is a great site to check out. So you'll find a lot of cool stuff there.
TOM: Well, nothing could be more warm and welcoming and cozy than a country-themed kitchen. The country style focuses on making the room warm and friendly while maintaining a kitchen that's really practical. Leslie has some tips on how you can design your own country kitchen, in today's edition of Leslie's Last Word.
LESLIE: That's right. It's classic and it's comfy and it can be practical, too. When you're choosing the materials for your country kitchen, you want to keep everything as natural as possible.
Now, hardwood flooring, that's a classic look but it doesn't always lend itself to the abuse a kitchen floor needs to handle. A stone tile floor contrasted with beautiful wooden cabinetry will really bring your room to life.
Now, with kitchen cabinets, a painted finish is a great look, especially if you use a pale color, which will allow that wood grain to show through. An island? That's a great feature for any kitchen but it really fits in particularly well with the country style. Open shelving on your island, that's also a great way to display your country-themed accessories, like maybe wicker baskets or tea kettles or enamelware. Anything like that will really show off the personality of a country kitchen.
And country colors and fabrics, they really can include everything from blues to yellows to gingham and toile patterns for your fabrics, depending on what sort of theme or style you're going with underneath all of that country genre.
Now, you can go with a modern country look and use these traditional colors and patterns in different ways. You can think about painting a gingham-checked focal wall or even stenciling a toile pattern on a wall, as well, or even on your backsplash.
Now, you can cook up your own country kitchen and you can have a warm spot for your family to gather for years to come. And let me tell you, nothing makes a happy home more than a beautiful kitchen, so get busy this weekend. It is spring, after all.
TOM: This is The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show. Coming up next week on the program, are you looking for an easy way to live in a totally green house? Well, you might want to consider a modular home. We're going to tell you about the changes in prefab homes, that are green and modular, on the next edition of The Money Pit.
I'm Tom Kraeutler.
LESLIE: And I'm Leslie Segrete.
TOM: Remember, you can do it yourself …
LESLIE: But you don't have to do it alone.
(theme song)
(Copyright 2012 Squeaky Door Productions, Inc. No portion of this transcript or audio file may be reproduced in any format without the express written permission of Squeaky Door Productions, Inc.)


text:
I'm starting to integrate a bunch of new stuff into the Startup Revolution site now that I've finished book #2: Startup Life: Surviving and Thriving in a Relationship with an Entrepreneur.
I'm looking for someone with web design chops who has experience with WordPress to work with me on some stuff. I'm using the TechStars HackStar model – I'll pay a modest amount of money for a full-time or part-time and will plug you in aggressively to the TechStars and Foundry Group portfolio after three months if your work is awesome.
If you are interested, send me an email along with links to examples of what you've done. You don't have to be in Boulder, but it's an advantage if you are in or near one of Boulder, Boston, New York, Seattle, or San Antonio as it makes it easy to plug you into the network.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
How to Register
Registering for PaySpan Health is quick and easy. Online enrollment takes about 10 minutes. During this process, you will set up a brief profile of your practice, specify bank accounts (multiple accounts if desired) and indicate other preferences for management of checks, EFTs, ERAs or online presentment of claim payment information.
Please follow these steps to register:
- Go to PaySpan Health's website
- Click the "Register Now" button
Providers will be prompted to enter their TIN, NPI and billing ZIP code as a prerequisite for EFT & ERA registration. A match on all three components will result in the ability to register without having to contact the payer or PaySpan Provider Services.
The existing "legacy" registration process will resume if the match on TIN, NPI and billing ZIP code occurs. A registration code is created internally and will not be displayed to the provider during the registration process. PaySpan will automatically register all available registration codes for providers if multiple registration codes exist for the TIN, NPI and billing ZIP code match.
You will receive an email from PaySpan Health upon completing registration. In a few days, you will need to verify with your bank that a minimal deposit has been made by PaySpan Health. This deposit amount will be used to confirm your electronic payments are set up. The deposit does not need to be returned to PaySpan Health. Once your test deposit has been confirmed, all subsequent payments will be sent electronically.
If you have any questions about the registration process, please contact PaySpan Health via email or by phone at 1-877-331-7154.


text:
Monitors developments in the law of evidence and provides litigators with resources on a variety of trial practice topics.
Trial Evidence & Practice
The Section's home for litigators interested in trial evidence and trial practice.
Join Committee
Customize your Section membership. Explore leadership opportunities, suggest a program topic, participate in a working group, or simply enjoy specialized content delivered right to your inbox.
Join TodayUpcoming Events
Recent Committee Content
Committee Leadership


text:
V.Lite 145
Sale price
Regular price
The Eye racket range is extensive in weight, balance and string formation ensuring there is a racket to suit players of all standards.
All Eye's products are developed by Pros who advise and test extensively.
This ensures you get the most playable and most durable squash products on the market.
Eye offer a one-year warranty on all rackets.
- Made from 100% premium graphite.
- Pre-strung with high quality, multifilament strings
- Control pattern (14x18 strings) provides more control when you hit without cut (spin)
- No heavy bumper strip which reduces weight by 16% (bumper strips do not help in 96% of breakages anyway)


text:
Events (Submit)
Featured: Dutch still life site stillevenschilders.nl
Number of painters: 177
Last update: Saturday Sept 17, 2022
DANIEL GREENEDaniel E. Greene, N.A. is a former instructor of painting at the National Academy of Design and the Art Students League of New York. He is the author of "Pastel" that was in print for 25 years and "The Art of Pastel," which were published in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian and Chinese. In 1969, Mr. Greene was elected to the National Academy of Design. Portrait Society Gold Medal Gold Medal presented in 2001 by the Portrait Society of America The Encyclopedia Britannica considers Mr. Greene the foremost pastelist in the United States and in 1983, the Pastel Society of America elected him to the Pastel Hall of Fame. In 2003, the Pastel Society of the West Coast named Mr. Greene a Pastel Laureate. In 1989, his work represented the United States at the first International Biennial of Pastel in San Quentin, France. In 1992, he was awarded American Artist's magazine's first Lifetime Achievement award in the category of oil painting and the Oil Painters of America Society named him to their Hall of Fame. In 1995, the American Society of Portrait Artists presented the John Singer Sargent award to Daniel Greene for lifelong dedication to the achievement of excellence in portraiture. In May 1999, Mr. Greene was the recipient of the Benjamin Clinedinst Medal of the Artist's Fellowship at a presentation in New York City. In 2001, he was awarded the Gold Medal of the Portrait Society of America. On May 26, 1994 in a special White House ceremony, Mr. Greene presented to Hillary Rodham Clinton a pastel portrait of Eleanor Roosevelt. In 2003, Mr. Greene was the annual honoree of the Salmagundi Club and was presented their Gold Medal. Mr. Greene's paintings and pastels are in over 500 public and private collections in the United States and abroad. He has been the recipient of the Elizabeth T. Greenshields Foundation grant and the Anna Lee Stacey grant. A retrospective exhibition of Mr. Greene's paintings and pastels was held in 1987 at the Hammond Museum in New York. Four highly successful exhibitions of Mr. Greene's subway series appeared at Gallery Henoch in New York and were featured on ABC-TV, Fox News, PBS, CNN, New York 1, NHK TV Japan, and in over 50 international magazines and newspapers. His recent exhibition "Subway Paintings" at the New York Transit Museum at Grand Central Terminal was the inaugural event in the centennial year of the New York subway. Mr. Greene has been the featured artist in American Artist magazine 15 times. Articles about his work have appeared eight times in the Artist's Magazine. Favorable reviews have appeared three times in Art News magazine. In February 1999, Mr. Greene's paintings were featured in a cover article of the International Artist magazine. In 1998 Daniel Greene was interviewed in the Academy Award nominated documentary "Ayn Rand, a Sense of Life" and was recently the subject of the cable documentary "The Genuine Article" as well as a PBS documentary featuring his subway paintings. Mr. Greene's figure and still-life paintings are handled by John Pence Gallery in San Francisco, and Gallery Henoch in New York. Highly regarded as a portrait artist, his subjects include leaders of government, banking, education, and industry. A few of the early works include Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, astronaut Walter Schirra, author Ayn Rand, and William Randolph Hearst. Some governmental portraits include Governor Scott of North Carolina, Governor Laxalt of Nevada, Governor Beliles of Virginia, Governor Lehman of New York, as well as two mayors of New York City. Some later portraits include Dave Thomas of Wendy's, Governor Fob James of Alabama, commentator Rush Limbaugh, Congressman Billy Tauzin, composer Alan Menken and Bryant Gumbel of CBS. Some recent portraits include john and Adele Lehman for Harvard, Eric Widing of Christie's and Governor Benjamin Cayetano of Hawaii. A partial list of sitters includes the chairmen of the boards of Honeywell, Coca-Cola Company, Dupont Corporation, American Express, the New York stock exchange and IBM. Mr. Greene has also painted the deans and presidents of: Tufts, Duke, Columbia, North Carolina, West Point, Delaware, New York, Princeton, Rutgers, Yale and Harvard universities. Source: https://www.danielgreeneartist.com
Paintings Painters Galleries |


text:
Will Regulators Damn Keystone XL? – OpEd
By OilPrice.com
By Daniel J. Graeber
Starting Tuesday, U.S. regulators will hold regular meetings on oil and natural gas pipeline safety standards. A series of pipeline issues, ranging from a deadly gas pipeline explosion in California, to a massive oil spill in Michigan, have brought pipeline safety to the forefront of the American energy debate. The safety meetings, scheduled in Virginia, come days after environmental regulators in Nebraska end a public comment period for Keystone XL, one of the most contentious U.S. pipeline issues.
The U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration scheduled hearings beginning Dec. 11 in Virginia. During those meetings, safety committees are expected to review proposed rules related to pipeline damage prevention. PHMSA described the committees as " statutorily mandated advisory committees that advise PHMSA on proposed safety standards, risks assessments, and safety policies for natural gas pipelines and for hazardous liquid pipelines."
In October, the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality announced it was finished with its draft evaluation report for the proposed reroute of the Keystone XL pipeline through the state. In its 600-page draft, the NDEQ found that TransCanada's new proposal "avoids the region that was identified as the Sandhills by NDEQ, which is based on extensive research conducted by various state and federal agencies several years ago."
NDEQ closed the period for written testimony on the reroute Friday. Bold Nebraska, an advocacy group opposing the pipeline, said this week that TransCanada's route remains problematic, however.
"TransCanada (NYSE:TRP) is still risking our aquifer and still risking the fragile sandy soils of our state," said Bold Nebraska's Executive Director Jane Kleeb in a statement. "When TransCanada first submitted their route to the U.S. State Department, their designation of the Sandhills was much larger and much more accurate to the reality of the Sandhills region."
Nebraskans get about 85 percent of their drinking water from regional aquifers, a November report published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology states. The study found few published groundwater case studies on the fate of tar sands oil, the type of crude designated for Keystone XL, but noted there may be a residual impact. The report recommended for the pipeline a "risk-managed route." That route targets a section of the state that was "intensely spray-irrigated, row-cropped (and) underlain by contaminated groundwater." This route, the report finds, would provide easier access should any emergency response be needed for Keystone XL.
Supporters of Keystone XL say the project is needed to ensure U.S. energy security and support jobs. U.S. Rep Fred Upton, R-Mich., chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said the pipeline could "create an estimated 100,000 or more direct and indirect jobs" for American workers. Detractors, like Bold Nebraska, however, said any potential benefits far outweigh the risks.
The journal report finds that pipeline spills have declined considerably during the past 10 years. While it's unclear what action the PHMSA may consider in its safety review, it's clear that, despite high-profile concerns like the so-called fiscal cliff, regulators are taking pipeline issues seriously as the North American energy boom gains steam.
Source: OilPrice.com


text:
Fast and Free Shipping
99% of orders ship the same day for free.
As musicians, we've shopped at a lot of online stores and experienced every extreme of customer service, cost, and service imaginable. So we asked ourselves how we could create a better experience for you, our customer. The answers were pretty obvious — provide you with the best gear at the best price and get it to you fast! We hope by treating you to the shopping experience we'd love to have, we can make your musical world just a little bit better.


text:
Sport league manager for your league, sport tournament, team and club
Complex solution to build a sports web site. Developed since 2009 JoomSport offers the features essential for any sports site – sports league standings, sports teams with description and stats, players with their profiles, photos and personal achievements, fixtures analytics and match results with score and game details, and finally all this put into well-structured seasons and leagues.
READY solution for UEFA EURO Cup Statorium package! *Requires pro version
Check complete overview on JoomSport.com!
Check Statorium sports API service connected (pro edition)
Main features
- Robust structure – allows you to create different types of Leagues with chronologically organized Seasons that consist of one or several MatchDays with Matches inside.
- Single and Team competitions mode that allows you to run both single players and teams sport league
- Responsive and professionally designed pages based on bootstrap framework
- Team and Player profiles with comprehensive statistic
- Round robin and knockout (pro edition) matchdays used in football, hockey and other sports leagues or tournaments
- Venue page with maps and description
- Extra fields that allows you adding more sport data
- Persons to add information about team coaches, sport game referees and other personnel involved (pro edition)
- Team and player moderation (pro edition)
- Match / Schedule generator (pro edition)
- Flexible CSV data import (pro edition)
- Integration with Statorium.com sports API
- Integration with Mobile App service
- and a lot of others…
Check the full features list on JoomSport.com
Product Demo
View Pro edition DEMO
Complementary products
- Statorium.com sports API integration. Helps to import public leagues data automatically.
- Sport Mobile App
- Sport predictions WordPress plugin
- JoomSport Achievements – solution for such sports as Racing, Gymnastics, Athletics, Skiing, etc. It is based on structure where many players compete with each other simultaneously
Themes with integrated design
- Real Soccer by GoodLayers
- Alchemists by dan Fisher. Available on request.
- Splash by StylemixThemes. Available on request.
- Kodiak football sport by BearDev.
Professional edition available
We offer fully functional commercial edition that delivers large number of extras and actually provides our development team investments to improve the product features significantly. Browse Pro edition demo or buy from our shop.
Sports JoomSport known to be used for
- European Football, Soccer (e.g. Champions league, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, UEFA EURO 2020, English Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga)
- Ice Hockey and Field Hockey(e.g. NHL, KHL, AHL)
- Volleyball (e.g. FIVB)
- Rugby
- American Football (e.g. AFL, NFL)
- Basketball (e.g. NBA)
- Futsal (known as indoor Football)
- Darts
- Handball
- Billiard
- Snooker
- Table Tennis, Ping-Pong
- Tennis (e.g. US Open, ATP World Tour)
- Water Polo
- eSport games (Counter Strike, WoW, Fifa, Dota)
- Chess
- Lawn bawls
- Softball
- Badminton
- Golf
- Martial arts (Karate, Boxing, Judo, Taekwondo, Kickboxing, etc.)
- any other sport where there is a match/game between two participants…
Features roadmap
We have huge number of sport features planned and we listen to our customers – just take a look at our features feedback portal
Check translations available on translation page
Valuable links
- Statorium.com sports API integration. Helps to import public leagues data automatically.
- JoomSport documentation
- JoomSport project site
- Professional edition demo
- Read our Sport technology blog
- or find BearDev on Facebook & Twitter
Our Moto
Discover new level of your sport project
Our Global Goal
We are changing the sport industry by creating comprehensive software infrastructure for sport league management
This plugin provides 1 block.
- Example: Basic
Do I lose my data during update to Professional edition?
During migration from STD version to PRO all JoomSport data will be saved. Just in case we recommend to make a back-up before that operation.
Contributors & Developers
"JoomSport – for Sports: Team & League, Football, Hockey & more" is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin.
Contributors"JoomSport – for Sports: Team & League, Football, Hockey & more" has been translated into 21 locales. Thank you to the translators for their contributions.
Translate "JoomSport – for Sports: Team & League, Football, Hockey & more" into your language.
Interested in development?
Browse the code, check out the SVN repository, or subscribe to the development log by RSS.
* Added seasons drop down on season page
* Ability to add flag (season featured image) in live scores shortcode
* allow upload photos for team moderators option
* Ordering leagues in screen options
* Add live status for vertical view in matches shortcode
* Make default slug for matchday unique
* Changed how matches search behaves on calendar page
* fixed favorite icon in live scores shortcode
* save permalinks after plugin install to avoid 404 in some cases
- departed checkbox for player on season related tab to maintain better squads
- extra field added to matchday view makes it impossible to add matches – fix
- PHP 8.0 compatibility – warnings fixed
- pro version – save knockout critical fix
- PHP 8.0 compatibility
- Plugin install vulnerabilities fixes delivered!
- Vulnerabilities found. Critical fixes delivered!
- Minor fixes (paging in matches tab, warnings, notices, etc.)
Features added:
* The new live scores shortcode
* Complete the new aproach for team moderation via shortcode (pro version)
* time ticker for matches connected with Statorium data
* Team stats widget and shortcode
* Match title configuration – improve your SEO
* New icons for stats
* The ability to order matchdays within selected season – ordering applied for dropdowns
* Starting Line-ups, minutes, played matches stats added on team level
* Ice hockey. Minimum value in automatic game stage can be 0
* changed the default settings for image sizes
* CSS changes for selected items
* Deafult column orders in season, on team page in overview section
* 64-256 teams knockout view improved (pro)
Bug fixes:
* save shortname of the standings column
* paging in calendar
* tabs links
- player stats view fix
- matchday save fix
- search matches fix
- pagin fix
- critical standings fixes
- critical matchday fixes
5.1.6 – 5.1.8
- vulnerabilities fixes
- new team adding pending status
- empty season player list with paging = all
- (Pro edition) sorting h2h matches in fixtures
- (Pro edition) RTL h2h block
- all items filter in calendar paging
- matchday shortcode CSS
- (Standard edition) featured image feature greyed out
- double save for match required to recount table bug fix
- Menu visibility bug for new installations
Features added:
- Compatibility with WordPress 5.6.
- Club oriented plugin – links for players – highlighted team only
- Game stages with automatic player events division, applicable for penalty shootout
- Integration with https://wordpress.org/plugins/logo-slider-wp/ So you can create team logos slider automatically.
- New Matchday shortcode
- Option: Disable featured image for team
- 3 new options for match divider
- The new date format added
- Add ability to filter custom status matches in Widget and shortcode
- add legend to standings shortcode as a column option
Changes applied:
- Team Moderation fixed
- Speed improvements for many JoomSport blocks and pages
- H2H analytics now pro version feature
- The new way to display horisontal matches on mobile
- showing league name once adding season to menu
- removed tooltips for speed reason
- Many CSS fixes
- RTL fixed
- Sorting last 5 matches in analytics
- Prediction blocks are not displayed when analytics is enabled
- Changing settings in events
- Remove notices on standings post
- Box score is not displayed if extra field is assigned to the season
- Missed div in Matches widget
Features added:
- Powerfull match fixtures analytics, Head 2 Head (Pro version)
- The new match page design
- Custom match status for match shortcode filters
- Season options- Spanish ranking rules added
Changes applied:
- Improved mobile views
- Club layout design
- Tabs naming changed
- Person menu for other languages
- Hiden image for team page
- Match page speed issue
Features added:
- Improved SEO: new URL form method for season post
- Improved SEO: add league name for season post name
- Improved SEO: new URL form method for match post
- Live match: update player events, lineup and substitutes without page reload
- New design for player events block
- Ability to add featured image for season post
- Brazilian data format added
- Gutenberg blocks support
- Extra time score in a separate block on match page
- Ability to drag and drop player events to order them
- PHP 7.3.8 support
Changes applied:
- Default list of columns once creating season
- Add matchday name on match page
- Sort standing legend by places
- Do not show table for season with playoffs only
- Minor CSS fixes
- fix URL in help section
- cleaned many warnings and notices
- Match widget with group filter
- Live status filter fix for undefined season inside shortcode
- Safari support
Features added:
- Related stats, e.g. assists
- Live status with special display on match widgets, Shortcodes and season fixtures
- Live updates of the match page score without page reload for live matches
- New default fields for player (short name, home country name)
- New default fields for team (short name, Middle size name)
- New system field "Player number" that connected to season and team
- New option to display player names all over the front pages
- Flexibility to show different Team names in Shortcodes
- Flexibility to show different Player names in Shortcodes
- Flexibility to show different Team names in Widgets
- Flexibility to show different Player names in Widgets
- Ability to add match time in 45+3 format
- The new way to display own gloas inside the player events block
Changes applied:
- Integrated themes CSS
- Remove column names if icon exists for player stats tab in player profile and on season player list
- Roster image CSS improvement
- CSv examples integrated (Pro version)
- Show system player number next to the team name on player profile
- Custom status to display on matches page
- player events are not displayed on Match FE if minute is not specified
- Deleted match is counted into Played matches for Player
Features added:
- Delete players and teams in bulk
Changes applied:
- Scroll matches CSS
- Integrated themes CSS
- Roster image CSS improvement
- Security vulnearbilities fixed. Update is highly recommended!
- Played match stat counting for Substitutes
Features added:
- Playoff matchday – matches that are not counted towards standings
Changes applied:
- Standings displayed without matches added
- Standings CSS
- Roster CSS
- Integrated themes CSS
- CSV import tool – extra fields import
- Error on match page edit
Features added:
- Integration with soccer data API provider (Pro)
Changes applied:
- Performance improvement for number of pages
- The new Bonus points format
- Roster CSS
- Integrated themes CSS
- Responsive CSS
- Manual points on Match page didn't work
- Error on match page edit
- Error on match page edit
Changes applied:
- Significant performance improvement for all major pages
- Player stats widget added to standard edition
- SEO improvements
- Styling improvements
- Mobile styles improved
- Delete matchday now will recount tables
- Knockout 7 and 77 score issue (Pro)
- Team overview – all matches are Away
- Moderator without team can edit any match (Pro)
- Using the selectors to enter a zero score messes the fixture up
- Search on Calendar is not working for Mobiles
- Matches order incorrect on Calendar once generated by Match gen (Pro)
- Remove Team column from Player stats page for singles
Changes applied:
- New icons set
- Knockout redesign (Pro)
- Player list ordering option
- Countable events stats added to player list
- Added Team column to player list
- Shortened name for Rank column on standings
- Logo for standings widget
- Improved design of all matches shortcodes and widgets
- Group by matchday on Calendar mobile view
- Improved design for Calendar mobile view
- Improved active tabs view in FireFox
- Minor CSS improvements
- CRITICAL HOTFIX (Pro) – WordPress 4.9.2 compatibility – Knockout delete function clears all season matches.
- https links in link type extra field are not working
- Removed inline CSS from matches widget
- Group by in roster is not working when field is not displayed on player list
- Removed non-functional registration button on season layout
- Current form custom name is not applied
- Custom shortened names are not applied for standings shortcodes and widgets
3.0 – 3.0.1
Features added:
- Persons (Referees, coaches, etc.)(Pro)
- Display persons in roaster (Pro)
- Ability to change slug (Pro)
- Date extra field type for age, birthdays, etc.
- Color legend
- Default season columns
- Date range filter for matches shortcode and widget
- Improved design of ranking colors
- Optional season hierarchy
- Display winner in knockout tree
- Empty season when no played matches
- CSS styles adjustments
- Enable search for players and venues
- Display box score from deleted match
- Season container fixes
- Empty raw for players statistic in STD version
- Box score is not displayed if not grouped by extra field
- Master Slider plugin compatibility
- HOTFIX – Compatibility with WordPress 4.9 – Matchdays saving.
Features added:
- Flexible CSV data import (pro edition)
- Team Roster with group by ability
- Player list shortcode
- Matchday shortcode
- Berger algorithm for Match Generator (Pro)
- Extra field display in player list
- Player stats shortcode moved to ST edition
- Seconds for player events. Welcome Hockey!
- Emblem for standings shortcode
- Redeveloped shortened names for standings
- Add columns to Squad list
- Ranking colors for standings shortcode
- Knockout match statuses issues
- CSS styles adjustments
- Box score and statistics views and blocs fixes
- Matches widget and shortcode issues
- Demo data errors
- Season bonus points were not applying
2.0 – 2.0.2
Features added:
- ST/PRO features pack review
- Box score statistic (Pro)
- Redesigned player events statistic (Pro)
- Demo data wizard
- Shortened responsive names for standings
- Add columns to Calendar
- Menus renaming and design
- Match generator (Pro edition)
- Ideas collecting widget added
- Redesigned player/match events edit
- Other minor improvements
- CSS styles adjustments
- Stage results filled for one side
- Update link for pro ver.
- Matches widget logic
- 2.0.1 Regression bug – create season fix
- JavaScript menu error in admin interface. If the new menu design loads ok on your site there is no need to update to 2.0.1 from 2.0.0
1.3.0 – 1.3.1
Features added:
- Basic moderation options – create sport teams or players, assign to season, create or edit matches (pro version)
- Match date added on matchday quick creation page
- Season Groups moved to Standard edition
- Missing menu in localized versions
- Language strings
- Date format
- Ranking with equal points
- Highlighting teams limitation
- Language strings corrections
- Default venue picture
- Venue order in lists
- Deleted matches don't count in standings
- Display stages with 0 score
- Team page – logo CSS changes
- Calendar pagination
- Do not show standings table for knockout matches
1.2.1 – 1.2.3
Features added:
- Improved translations
- Disconnected team inside the match when changing match status
- Hierarchical seasons
- Use match results inside the groups from previous season
- Complex matches in Knockout
- Bug connecting player to selected season inside the team
- CSS styles adjustments
1.0 – 1.1.0
Features added:
- Insert logos in standings shortcode
- Reverse order for home / away matches
- Compatibility with Yoast SEO plugin
- CSS styles adjustments
- Add ability to group by matchday in matches shortcode
- Translation compatibility
- Compatibility with Pro version Knockout tournaments
- Season creation Error
- Current form for last 5 matches
- Sort player events by minute scored
- Do not show bonus points and manual points in knockout
- do not show players that are removed from season
- Season errors
- PHP version error


text:
State of Rhode Island
Department of Health
To improve or maintain your health, we all should engage in more moderate or vigorous activity. New physical activity guidelines let you customize a physical activity plan to suit your lifestyle and preferences. Small changes in how active you are can control weight, improve mood, maintain strength and mobility and reduce the risk or impact of chronic conditions.
The reasons that we might not get enough exercise and the ways to overcome them are personal. Here are some suggestions to help you overcome those barriers.
30 minutes (or more!) of movement for adults and 60 minutes for kids on most days can help keep you in shape and feeling good. Can't find 30 minutes at once? Break it up throughout the day! Be an active family 10 more tips
Most Americans spend 3 hours or more every day watching TV or on the Internet. Not only is that time when you are not moving, its also time when you may be more likely to snack on high-calorie foods. Use some of that screen time for a little physical activity.


text:
Top 3 Things to Consider When Buying Tax Preparation Software
July 2, 2014 by Dr. Letitia Wright
Filed under Featured Articles, Front Page
There a lot of different tax preparation software to choose from. Do not base it on cost alone. You need the best you can afford. When I asked my clients about why they choose to use the software that they did, most of them replied that they like the simplicity. They find it stressful to go into an office and some just don't have the time it would take for the visits. Rarely is your tax visit a one time thing. You may need to back and forth if you forgot something. If you are already at home the most you have to do is run into the next room for any forgotten information.
Here are the top 3 things to consider.
1) 3 Versions- many of the tax softwares have a basic, premium and deluxe version. Look carefully at each one to make sure you buy what will really help you. For many people the basic version will not be robust enough to save them money and handle all of their life details.
2) Guarantee- does the software have one? What will you do if you get audited? They need to state clearly how they will assist you.
3) Can Your Computer Handle it- there is nothing worse than buying software , only to come home and find out you can not install it. If your computer can not run the software you are out of luck. Many places will not give you a refund on software.
Using the online software or purchasing it from the store, the do -it- yourself tax preparer must think about these these thing before they buy. You can take the misery out of doing your taxes if you just stop for a moment. There are millions of people doing it every day.
For more information click here https://www.sigmataxpro.com/


text:
Moon Haze, LG HI-MACS - 13" x 81.25" x 1/2"
Product Details
Minimalist elegance meets exacting function
HI-MACS® is extremely hardwearing and durable and transforms the kitchen or bathroom throughout the day into universal function spaces. Comfortable, easy to care for handle and clean. This stunning and highly functional installation of HI-MACS® combine both elements into desirable living spaces.
The surfaces in your home are much more than a place where meals are prepared and served. They're where life happens. Meals are shared, games are played, milestones large and small are celebrated. Homework gets done. Cards are shuffled. Friends gather to talk. Cookie dough is rolled out. Mail is opened. Life is lived. All of it, right at home, right on your countertop. When you think about it, countertops are focal points in your home.
Surfaces Materials Story
LG Hausys surfaces are designed and created with the idea that a countertop is more than a place where meals are prepared. It's where life happens.
LG HI-MACS makes beautiful surfaces that are durable enough to withstand every demand life throws at them. HI-MACS® Acrylic Solid Surface is available in a wide variety of colors and designs, making it easy to find what's right for your home, your style, your life.
Brand | HI-MACS |
Length (inches) | 81.25 |
Width (inches) | 13 |
Thickness | 1/2" |
SqFt | 7.34 |
Price/Sqft | $44.41 |
Batch Code | N/A |
Product Customizer | 0 |
Minimum Qty Purchase | 1 Sheet minimum |
Production Status | In-Production Color |
Material Composition | 100% Acrylic |


text:
From Nordstrom and Macy's to Johnny Rockets, Sacramento, Calif.'s Arden Fair Mall is a destination as well as a retail and dining community on its own. Thanks to Steve Reed, it is also a safe and secure family-oriented 77-acre facility. Reed, the mall's director of security and guest services, went from VHS-based cameras a decade ago to today's sophisticated in-house security operation boasting high definition cameras, network video recorders (NVRs) and a Segway or two.
Moving east, with a stop in downtown Columbus, Ohio, the Arena District is a 75-acre mixed-use development with a variety of stores and restaurants, exciting entertainment venues as well as office developments and residential housing. For Jay Beighley, AVP, corporate security with Nationwide Insurance, security video plays a key role to provide a comfortable environment. The Arena District is developed, managed and marketed by Nationwide Realty Investors, the real estate development affiliate of Nationwide Insurance.
A next stop is busy New York and New Jersey, where Pat LaFrieda Meat Purveyors is the world famous family-owned and -operated provider of meat and poultry to restaurants, hotels, banquet facilities, and retail outlets. As an essential player in the retail food supply chain – by the way, it created a custom burger blend for last year's U.S. Open – CEO Patrick "Pat" LaFrieda, Jr., recently moved the operation to North Bergen, N.J., near the Lincoln Tunnel and, with the help of integrator Ralph Tisei, president of VisionTec Solutions, brought in megapixel cameras as part of an intelligent video management system. No easy design, some cameras had to operate in meat coolers or under extreme humidity conditions.
Crime Prevention and Business, Too
Retail operations ranging from big box chains, fast food stores to mom and pops and their suppliers now embrace security video. The technology applies to shoplifting, sales associate theft, organized retail crime and even inventory loss. Thanks to ever-smarter video analytics and forensics of stored and retrieved video, retailers also are seeing value in business uses of the image-based information. Check the March 2011 issue ofSecuritymagazine or go to
www.securitymagazine.com for a feature article on video analytics and retail.
For retail security executives and their integrators, when it now comes to video, things are getting easier, more integrated and – in some ways – less expensive. Think "interoperability." At this month's ISC West in Las Vegas, for example, two somewhat competing organizations, the Open Network Video Interface Forum (ONVIF) and the Physical Security Interoperability Alliance (PSIA), each separately hosted so-called plugfests, which showed off their work on video and integration standards stressing interoperability among vendor products.
Another movement of interest to some retail security leaders is the HDcctv Alliance. It features a standard for transmitting 720p and 1080p video over coaxial cable uncompressed and non-packetized as compared to IP-based video. The technology is based on work for broadcast studios, and behaves much the same way analog does: Video starts streaming out of the source line by line to a receiver with next to no latency.
Still, no matter the interoperability of components, the openness of the systems and infrastructure ranging from Ethernet to coax, retail applications are calling for greater image quality through megapixel and high definition cameras.
There are plenty of business bottom line benefits.
Take, for instance, Arden Fair Mall. Using technology from Avigilon, there is a mixture of two, five and 16 megapixel cameras, an 180° panoramic HD dome camera, analog video encoders for existing cameras, NVRs, all controlled through network video management software.
Auto Thefts Down, Prosecutions Up
Reed has reduced the mall's rate of auto thefts by 60 percent and boasts a 90-percent prosecution rate due to video image clarity, zooming capabilities and ease-of-management. The technology's performance in low light conditions also improves the mall's ability to capture usable footage at all times of the day and night.
Managed by Macerich, an owner, operator and developer of major retail properties across the United States, Arden Fair Mall has created a well-designed and maintained shopping and entertainment environment to meet its customers' changing needs. Committed to excellence in customer service, it has taken the industry lead by developing an advanced security program that is anchored by the surveillance system.
A former Sacramento Police Department officer, Reed joined Arden Fair in 2000. At that time, "the mall wasn't adequately monitored, with only 19 VHS-based cameras to monitor the entire property. Macerich is now uniquely positioned as the only mall operator in the United States to have security operations in-house, demonstrating its commitment to the safety and security of its patrons."
In early 2007, Arden Fair upgraded to an analog DVR-based system and, at the same time, installed license plate readers on two staff vehicles to monitor activity in its parking lots. Before HD, the mall experienced an extremely high rate of auto theft; incidents were either missed entirely or if captured, were so grainy that the footage was inadmissible. That has been trimmed impressively with a high rate of prosecutions, too.
In addition to security officers on foot, Segways, bicycles and by car, and under the watchful eye of Nick Novo, assistant security and guest services manager, security video is now key to the mall's success in reducing risk and preventing incidents. "While all our security personnel have access to the system, Nick has taken the lead in its design and is the real system expert, keeping us at the top of our game," adds Reed. The technology also addresses liability issues. For example, three NVRs store 40 days of continuous surveillance footage as compared to one to three weeks of footage in the past.
Since time wasting is a money waster in retail, "with [the system's] time syncing abilities, I can instantly view an incident in real-time or recorded mode to gain a complete picture for faster resolution," Novo says.
Protecting the Beef
For Pat LaFrieda, megapixel security video is an essential tool which more securely connects his business to retailers of his product, many who have become Food Network stars for their steaks, chops and burgers.
In the firm's butchering and distribution operations, LaFrieda needs to know who is where and if food handling and storage mandates are being met. In addition, the firm closely guards its proprietary burger and meat blends made for the top Manhattan restaurants.
The security video tech solution at the new North Bergen facility includes 23 megapixel cameras from Arecont Vision as well as NUUO NVRs.
In retail, distribution and wholesale operation where there are food coolers and freezers, there is the additional requirement for cameras to operate in harsh and sometimes low light condition while still providing quality images.
Back in stores, security video is basically a loss prevention tool, and one that is growingly popular. According to results of the annual National Retail Security Survey and the every-two-year Retail Security Barometer, cameras, recording and monitoring systems require an initial investment from the retailer, but they prove to be one of the most effective loss prevention tools available. Probably the biggest bonus these systems have to offer in lean times is that they pay for themselves quickly in loss prevention benefits.
And there is that ability to go beyond loss prevention. If you pair up with an integrator with retail security experience, there is video help to reduce return fraud and organized retail crime. There are connections into point-of-sale. And the shared information helps break down the silos in retail.
Video also can cross other business boundaries.
Jerry's Nugget in Las Vegas, a facility steeped in gaming history, has committed to an all-IP environment with gear from Basler Vision Technologies employed for the casino as well as retail stores and parking for the operation.
For retail and property management executives more generally, security video is a force multiplier as Nationwide's Beighley sees it. "There are shrinking payroll budgets. Before it was security officers." Now it is security video that's adding value to organizations. Greg Allen, security management program director at Bellevue University, agrees. Allen, who directs one of the most influential educational programs specific to security, explains that "retail security must be more efficient in the face of shrinkage and lack of manpower" compared to the days where store detectives used to roam a store's floor. "It's also a matter of sharing information" within retail operations and the need to reduce liability from such incidents as slip and falls.
When it comes to applying security video in the retail sector, Allen advises that decision makers need to know clearly what their mission is. "What are you trying to accomplish? What end results do you need?"
In A Transition
Helping answer those questions, security video – especially as it moves from viewed image to information – depends on the transition from analog. Tom Brodsky of Honeywell Video Systems says that the bandwidth has become more manageable. The information more valuable with data mining, people counting, trend analysis.
The firm, by the way, has its own Open Technology Alliance, a group of global security manufacturers that collaborate to increase interoperability between third-party IP systems and help businesses more easily secure and protect their facilities.
No doubt, the future of retail use of security video is "door busting" to mimic a phrase from store sales during the holidays.
According to Peter Boriskin of UTC Fire & Security, the focus will be on leveraging security management systems by layering on intelligence and analytics. Some applications can enlarge the secured perimeter to after-hours deliveries, for example. And predictive analysis is approaching, says Boriskin. And, he adds, there is a level of theft going out the back door, too.
So retail security executives should expect more IP-based video door phones.
So far, "very few companies currently offer a full IP video door phone system, and the majority of companies that do are not key players in the video door phone market," says IMS Research analyst Emma Chapman. "Most of the established players in the market are either still developing or just launching an IP product."
With the use of IP systems maturing throughout the security sector, the opportunity for experienced IP video surveillance, VoIP and intercom companies to "leapfrog" the entrenched video door phone manufacturers has presented itself, according to Chapman. Furthermore, IP video door phones offer added functionality to the user such as remote access, improved image resolution and the ability to integrate a range of devices with the video door phone.
Video's Role in Next Gen Emergency Communications |
In 2004, the world began a transition from the existing E911 systems to what is referred to as the Next Generation 911 or NG 9-1-1 system, according to Walt Magnussen Ph.D., director for telecommunications and director of Texas A&M University Internet2 Technology Evaluation Center. At a high level, the major difference between the two networks is that NG 9-1-1 is based on the Internet Protocol or IP. While this is one difference, it barely scratches the surface of understanding where we have been and where we are going. The existing architecture did a good job of dispatching first responders to telephone callers with a fixed location. But the NG architecture promises to provide first responders not only information containing voice, but video, text and even telemetry as well. The new architecture also provides location-based routing capabilities so that it will no longer matter where the caller is or how he or she is connected. While the existing architecture also was used to connect 911 call centers called Primary Safety Answering Points, the new network will connect the call takers with the first responders, hospitals, and many other types of emergency services providers. In the NG 9-1-1 architecture, the call process begins with the caller placing a call to 911 for emergency services. The network uses the Session Initiated Protocol or SIP to place all calls. SIP is the Internet standard for voice calls often referred to as Voice over IP or VoIP. SIP was selected as the signaling protocol since it is standards based and it supports all forms of media including voice, video, text and whatever form of communication may come in the future. That means that when the call is transferred to the first responder, he or she can also choose to connect to a camera using either a mobile data terminal or view the camera over a Public Safety LTE network on a handheld device in the future when they exist. The potential for the video to assist first responders in doing their jobs is staggering. |


text:
Continental Contisportcontact 5 Suv Tyres Available in BRADFORD ON AVON
Contisportcontact 5 Suv
- Excellent road grip and handling with safety when cornering
- Shorter braking distances in all weather conditions
- Reduced fuel consumption and high mileage
Excellent road grip and handling with safety when cornering
- The ContiSportContact™ 5 adapts to the road surface, giving improved grip and handling when accelerating and cornering.
Shorter braking distances in all weather conditions.
- Featuring Black Chili Technology. the ContiSportContact™ 5 is reactive, giving shorter braking distances on wet and dry roads.
Reduced fuel consumption and high mileage.
- The unique tyre composition ensures considerably reduced rolling resistance – for higher mileage and reduced fuel consumption.
Sorry, we currently do not have any tyres with the Contisportcontact 5 Suv pattern in stock.
Contact us to see if we can order these in for you.


text:
I am registering a vehicle for the first time in Florida. Is automobile insurance mandatory? Yes. If you own a vehicle with at least four wheels and are registering it, you must have Florida insurance.
What type of insurance is required to purchase and maintain a Florida license plate and registration?
Florida's minimum coverage is $10,000 personal injury protection (PIP) and $10,000 property damage liability (PDL) as long as you have a valid Florida license plate.
What is "Personal Injury Protection" (PIP) insurance?
Also called Florida No Fault Insurance, Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Insurance covers you - regardless of fault (i.e. whether or not you cause the crash) - up to the limits of your policy. Your PIP will also cover your child, members of your household, certain passengers who lack PIP Insurance as long as they do not own a vehicle. People riding in your vehicle who carry PIP will receive coverage under their own PIP for their injuries, and certain licensed drivers who drive your vehicle with your permission. PIP also covers your child if he or she suffers an injury while riding on a school bus. PIP coverage protects you while in someone else's vehicle, as a pedestrian, or bicyclist if you suffer an injury in a crash involving a motor vehicle. The Florida Motor Vehicle No-Fault Law, requires all owner/registrants of a motor vehicle with four wheels or more to carry a minimum of $10,000 of Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and $10,000 of property damage liability (PDL) if you own a motor vehicle in Florida. Florida law requires you to maintain PIP/PDL insurance continuously throughout the licensing and registration period.
What is " Bodily Injury Liability" (BIL) insurance?
Bodily Injury Liability coverage pays for serious and permanent injury or death to others when you cause a crash involving your automobile. Your insurance company will pay for injuries up to the limits of your policy and provide legal representation for you if you get sued. In particular, your company pays for injuries caused by you or members of your family who live with you, even if they were driving someone else's vehicle. It may also cover others who drive your automobile with your permission. This coverage also provides you with legal defense in the event you are sued by the injured party.
What is "Property Damage Liability" (PDL) insurance?
This coverage pays for damages you or members of your family cause (and are liable for) to other people's property in a crash involving a motor vehicle.
What is meant by "Florida Coverage"?
Florida coverage is an insurance policy delivered or issued for delivery in Florida by an insurance company licensed by the Florida Department of Financial Services.
Can I maintain my current policy issued in my previous state of residence?
No. The minimum required insurance must be issued through a Florida agent with an insurance company licensed to sell in Florida. Most insurers have Florida agents and are licensed to issue policies in Florida. Just ask your agent to transfer your current insurance to Florida when you register a vehicle in Florida.
What if I fail to keep insurance on my vehicle that I have registered in Florida?
The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles is authorized to suspend your driving privilege, including your vehicle license plate and registration, for up to three years or until proof of Florida insurance is provided, whichever is first.
If my driving privilege is suspended because I am not properly insured, is there a penalty to reinstate my license?
Yes. A reinstatement fee of $150 up to $500, for subsequent violations, must be paid and you must provide proof of current Florida insurance.
I live outside Florida for six months a year. When not in Florida, my vehicle is in storage and not used. Must I maintain automobile insurance?
Yes. Any vehicle holding a valid Florida license plate and registration must be covered by a Florida insurance policy throughout the entire registration period. When you leave Florida, you may surrender your license plate and registration at the nearest driver license or Tax Collector office to avoid maintaining your policy. You can always register your vehicle upon your return to Florida, at which time you can provide proof of Florida insurance.
I am not a resident of Florida but I have business that keeps me in Florida sometimes for several months at a time. Must I comply with Florida's insurance laws?
Yes. Any person who has a vehicle in Florida for more than 90 days during a 365-day period must purchase personal injury protection and property damage liability insurance coverage. The 90 days do not have to be consecutive.
I own multiple vehicles. Some are not used for different reasons, but the county I live in requires that the vehicles remain registered. Must I maintain insurance coverage on these vehicles?
Yes, as long as you have a valid Florida tag, then you must maintain continuous Florida insurance on the vehicle. It does not matter if the vehicle is being driven, but because there is a valid registration for the vehicle, it must be insured.
What can I do to avoid a driving privilege suspension when I choose not to insure a vehicle?
To avoid a driving privilege suspension, surrender the vehicle's license plate and registration at any Florida driver license or Tax Collector office, prior to canceling your insurance policy.
If my driving privilege is suspended for no insurance, will I be granted a temporary driver license for Business or Employment purposes?
No. There is no provision in Florida's motor vehicle insurance laws for the issuance of any sort of temporary or restricted driver license for financial responsibility suspensions.
I am self-employed as a taxi driver and the only vehicle I own is registered as a taxicab. Must I carry automobile insurance?
Yes. You must carry Bodily Injury Liability (BIL) coverage of $125,000 per person, $250,000 per occurrence and $50,000 for property damage liability (PDL) coverage.
I am moving out of state and will not be registered in Florida any more. Can I cancel my insurance?
Do not cancel your insurance until you have registered in the other state. Florida insurance is required as long as you are registered in Florida, regardless of whether you drive in Florida. Once you are registered in the other state, you can cancel Florida insurance and comply with the insurance requirements of the state you have moved to. If you are retaining the same carrier, they can switch you simultaneously with registration change.


text:
Latvia is a multidenominational Christian nation.
Lutherans are its largest community, followed by 25%-35%. It predominates in the Western and Central Latvia.
Catholicism is the faith of 20%-25% of Latvia's inhabitants and the prime religion of Latgale (Eastern Latvia).
Russian Orthodox faith (18%-22%) is mostly followed by Russophone Soviet settlers and their descendants.
Old Believers (schismatic Orthodoxes who came as refugees to Latgale ~17th century) have ~1,7% as their followers.
There are many smaller, mainly protestant Christian denominations that are all together followed by 1,5%-2,5% of Latvia's population.
Largest non-Christian faiths are neo-Pagan Dievturi, Jewish and Muslim (in that order) but they are each followed by just 0,01%-0,05% of total population.
Under the Soviet occupation, atheism was promoted by the state, while the religious were discriminated against. This hit some communities more than others, with the Lutheran, Old Believers, and Jewish shares declining the most. In total, ~18% of Latvia's population is now irreligious.
Note that the Latvian censae do not record religion and the official statistics are based on self-reporting by religious organizations, which may use different systems to record the numbers of their followers. As such the percentages may have a big margin of error and vary among sources.


text:
As the Republican presidential candidates tour Iowa hoping to lock up the 2012 nomination, they will hear an assortment of questions on energy policy. Some of them, ThinkProgress has learned, will be planted by the oil and natural gas lobby to steer the candidates toward pro-Big Oil policies.
A recent campaign stop by Rick Santorum reveals at least part of the strategy. During the question and answer period of an event last Monday at the Pizza Ranch in Ames, Iowa, Santorum was asked by a man if he would pledge to support the Keystone XL, an oil pipeline currently under construction to bring crude oil from Canada through several states to refineries in Texas. Santorum disregarded the question, and spoke for a few minutes about problems encountered by the fracking industry in his home state of Pennsylvania. The man interjected and again asked whether Santorum would say definitively if he supports the pipeline. Santorum, looking slightly annoyed, relented and said yes.
During the event, two young people in the back of the room handed out cards and pamphlets from a new organization called the Iowa Energy Forum. "We're a grassroots group," said Connor Reed, one of people sporting Iowa Energy Forum t-shirts. The website for the forum says it is simply "a growing community of concerned citizens committed to two goals – achieving energy security for our country and holding our elected officials accountable for shaping energy policies." The website highlights Canadian tar sands and the importance of the Keystone XL pipeline, as well as the need for more domestic drilling.
Rather than being a grassroots organization, the Iowa Energy Forum is a slick, new creation of the oil and gas industry. The group is financed by the American Petroleum Institute, a trade association representing Chevron, ExxonMobil, BP, Transcanada, Shell Oil, and other oil industry heavyweights.
After witnessing the spectacle at the Santorum event, ThinkProgress observed Iowa Energy Forum staffers attending various Iowa Tea Party events and Herman Cain campaign stops. Iowa Energy Forum trackers have pressed their issue to Mitt Romney and other 2012 candidates.
Daniel Weiser, a partner at the Iowa lobbying firm Capitol Strategies, told ThinkProgress that his company helped set up the Iowa Energy Forum. "We're lobbying for them down in the capitol, got the legislative task forced signed up," Weiser said. Weiser's firm helped recruit about 40 people so "theoretically when a presidential candidate comes, we have people to speak to them." The goal, Weiser said, was to press the candidates on supporting domestic energy production, including renewables. However, Weiser admitted that fossil fuels are the priority. "Drilling for oil and natural gas, those are the biggies."
However, the main drivers of the front group appear to be linked to LS2g, a corporate public relations and lobbying firm based in Des Moines. Chuck Larson andKaren Slifka, former Republican Party operatives, manage the Iowa Energy Forum and the LS2g office serves as the group's headquarters.
In addition to astroturfing candidate events, the Iowa Energy Forum has pushed to defend billions in targeted subsidies to the oil and gas industry. The group recently hosted American Petroleum Institute economist John Felmy, who blasted attempts by Congress to repeal such giveaways. The group has managed to snag notable politicians, including Gov. Terry Branstad (R-IA), to appear at their press conferences.
A new profile of American Petroleum Institute head Jack Gerard sheds light on the purpose of groups like the Iowa Energy Forum. Gerard's lobbying strategy has focused on boosting the public perception of big oil. Gerard has dedicated millions of dollars worth of ads promoting his industry, but he has also organized fly-ins of African American and Hispanic oil workers, bused in workers to hold large public rallies in pivotal states, and recruited unlikely allies to press his case, including labor unions. He even hired one of the Nature Conservancy's top officials to help build his pro-oil army.
The oil industry's brazen attempt to manipulate the Republican primary isn't necessarily a new strategy, however. In 2008, the coal industry sent staffers posing as grassroots activists to campaign events for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton to hawk "clean coal." The fake activists would press the candidates to support coal industry priorities, and then once they went on record, the video would be used in coal industry advertisements.
Countdown is on: We have 3 days to raise $31,000
Truthout has launched a necessary fundraising campaign to support our work. Can you support us right now?
Each day, our team is reporting deeply on complex political issues: revealing wrongdoing in our so-called justice system, tracking global attacks on human rights, unmasking the money behind right-wing movements, and more. Your tax-deductible donation at this time is critical, allowing us to do this core journalistic work.
As we face increasing political scrutiny and censorship for our reporting, Truthout relies heavily on individual donations at this time. Please give today if you can.