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When post offices close Monday, the last victim compensation funds at Pennsylvania's Roman Catholic dioceses will also close, hours before lawmakers plunge back into a years-old fight over whether to let long-ago victims of child sexual abuse sue perpetrators and institutions that may have covered it up.
It comes more than a year after last year's landmark grand jury report that accused senior Catholic Church officials of hushing up the abuse for decades.
In the report's wake, the Philadelphia archdiocese and six Pennsylvania dioceses opened victim compensation funds while state lawmakers fought to a standstill over giving now-adult victims of childhood sexual abuse a legal "window" to sue.
Many victims lost that right under Pennsylvania law by the time they turned 20, while victim advocates say the dioceses have deftly used the delay to limit their civil liability, aided in recent years by the Senate blocking House bills that sought to restore it.
On Monday, victim compensation funds in Philadelphia, Allentown, Scranton and Pittsburgh will close to applications. The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing Wednesday, with testimony from victims of childhood sexual abuse, constitutional scholars and others.
The timing is coincidental, Senate officials say.
Based on partial information available from the dioceses so far, compensation fund administrators have offered or paid more than $35 million to roughly 240 people.
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
The offers require a victim to give up the right to sue later and average about $125,000, said Ben Andreozzi, a Harrisburg-based lawyer who represents dozens of victims of Catholic clergy.
The vast majority of people who received offers took them, but that doesn't make the compensation funds a success, Andreozzi said.
"For these survivors, this program was essentially jammed down their throat because they had no other option and they acted in desperation," Andreozzi said.
Faced with the threat of a lawsuit, a diocese would have paid roughly twice as much and, in bankruptcy court, about three times as much, he said.
Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson, who led the chamber's opposition to changing the law, said dioceses have provided significant compensation to victims without making them relive their abuse in court or pay attorneys' 30% fees.
"In my view, it's been successful," Scarnati said.
Scarnati argues that retroactively giving adult victims a window to sue is unconstitutional, short of changing the state constitution. Attorney General Josh Shapiro, whose office produced the grand jury report, maintains that a window is constitutional and the question, ultimately, would be up to Pennsylvania's Supreme Court.
The dioceses say the compensation funds are one of many ways they are trying to help victims who come forward, and that they have long since changed, now strictly referring new complaints to law enforcement.
John Delaney, who said he was raped as a 12-year-old boy by a priest in the Philadelphia archdiocese, said fund administrators offered him $500,000 and told him that it was the highest amount they would offer.
He said he turned it down.
Delaney, 48, doesn't begrudge anyone who took an offer: many victims of childhood sexual abuse are in a lifelong battle with addiction or other troubles, and can't say no, he said.
For Delaney, who has been sober for three years and is counseling victims of sexual abuse and people struggling with addiction in San Antonio, it was never about the money. It was about justice and getting into court where a judge can force church officials to testify under oath, he said.
"This compensation program does not hold anybody accountable," Delaney said. "It doesn't give us an admission of guilt on the church's part."
The Associated Press does not identify victims of sexual abuse by name unless they give permission as Delaney has done.
The Legislature has changed in significant ways since the Senate last blocked the House legislation last year.
A critical mass of senators might back legislation to restore the right to sue, but the House took a different tactic this year under a new majority leader, Rep. Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster, who opposes a window.
In April, the House passed a measure to amend the state constitution to allow victims of childhood sexual abuse to sue, even if they'd turned Pennsylvania's legal age limit, which is now 30.
Scarnati said he supports it. But amending the constitution couldn't happen before 2021 and requires passage by voters in a statewide referendum.
In the meantime, adults who were sexually abused as children outside of the Catholic Church still have no access to a compensation fund or to a court to confront a perpetrator, said Jennifer Storm, who heads the state's Office of Victim Advocate.
"So in the interest of fairness, we're asking the Senate to open that window to any and all survivors who come forward," Storm said.


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Article Highlights:
Charitable Itemized Deductions
Bunching Deductions
Qualified Charitable Distributions
Donor-Advised Funds
Volunteer Expenses
Household Goods and Used Clothing
Documenting Charitable Contributions
Your charitable contributions include a wide variety of tax-saving opportunities, some you may not be aware of and some that are frequently overlooked. And there are some contributions that you may believe are deductible that really are not. Being knowledgeable of what is and is not a qualified charity, a qualified charitable contribution, and charitable giving strategies can go a long way towards maximizing your charitable tax deduction.
To be deductible the contributions must be made to qualified charitable organizations, which generally only include U.S. nonprofit groups that are religious, charitable, educational, scientific, or literary in purpose, or that work to prevent cruelty to children or animals. You can ask any organization whether it is a qualified organization, and most will be able to tell you. You can also check by going to IRS.gov/TEOS. This online tool will enable you to search for qualified organizations.
Also, to be able to deduct charitable contributions, one must itemize their deductions. This means that to achieve any tax benefit from your charitable donations, you cannot use the standard deduction, which for example is $12,950 for those filing single, $19,400 filing head of household and $25,900 for married individuals filing jointly for 2022. The standard deduction is adjusted annually for inflation.
If the total of all your itemized deductions does not exceed the standard deduction amount for the year, then you are better off taking the standard deduction, but in doing so, you will get no tax benefit from your charitable contributions. Congress did revise the law to allow limited amounts of cash contributions made in 2020 and 2021 to be deducted without itemizing, but this was only a temporary provision and doesn't apply in other years.
Bunching – If your charitable deductions are not enough to bring your itemized deductions greater than your standard deduction, the bunching strategy may work for you. When employing the bunching strategy, a taxpayer essentially doubles up on as many deductions as possible in one year, with the goal of itemizing deductions in one year and then taking the standard deduction in the following year. Because charitable contributions are entirely payable at your discretion, they fit right into the bunching strategy.
For example, if you normally tithe at your church, you could make your normal contributions throughout the current year and then prepay the entire subsequent year's tithing in a lump sum in December of the current year, thereby doubling up on the church contribution in one year and having no charity deduction for church in the next year. Normally, charities are very active with their solicitations during the holiday season, giving you the opportunity to decide whether to make contributions at the end of the current year or simply wait a short time and make them after the end of the year. Be sure you get a receipt or acknowledgment letter from the organization that clearly shows the year when the contribution was made.
As a rule, most taxpayers just wait until tax time to add up their potential deductions and then use the higher of the standard deduction or their itemized deductions. If you want to be more proactive, here are some strategies that might work for you.
Qualified Charitable Distribution – If you are age 70.5 or older, you can make charitable contributions by transferring funds from your IRA account to a charity, which are referred to as qualified charitable distributions (QCDs). The only hitch here is the funds must be transferred directly from the IRA to the charity, meaning your IRA trustee will have to make the distribution to the charity. The tax rules don't set a minimum amount that needs to be transferred but your IRA trustee may do so. The maximum of all such transfers is $100,000 per year, per taxpayer. Also note that distributions to private foundations and donor-advised funds don't qualify for the QCD.
Thus, this strategy allows you to make a charitable contribution without itemizing deductions; since these distributions are tax-free, you can't also claim a deduction for them. Even better, QCDs also count toward your minimum required distribution for the year. Because QCDs are nontaxable, your AGI will be lower, and you can benefit from tax provisions that are pegged to AGI, such as the amount of Social Security income that's taxable and the cost of Medicare B insurance premiums for higher-income taxpayers.
Caution: Any IRA contributions made after reaching age 70.5 can diminish the tax benefits of this strategy. If any post-age 70.5 IRA contributions have been made, consult with this office before employing this strategy.
If you decide to make a QCD, check with your IRA custodian on the IRA's rules for how to request the QCD and be sure to give the IRA custodian ample time to complete the process if you are making the request toward the end of the year. Always get a written acknowledgment from the charity, for tax-reporting purposes.
Donor-Advised Funds – Contributing to a donor-advised fund is a way to make a large (and generally deductible) charitable contribution in one year and put funds aside to satisfy the donor's social obligations to make charitable contributions in future years, without incurring the expenses of setting up a private foundation and satisfying annual filing and other private foundation requirements.
While generally considered a tax strategy for those with an unusually high income for the year, donor-advised funds are available to everyone, although most such funds set up through brokerages have minimum donation requirements, often $5,000–$25,000. Although they may bear the donor's name, donor-advised funds are not separate entities but are mere bookkeeping entries. They are components of a qualified charitable organization. A contribution to a charity's donor-advised fund may be deductible in the year when it is made if it isn't considered earmarked for a particular distributee. The charity must fully own the funds and have ultimate control over their distribution. To document the contribution, the taxpayer must get written acknowledgement from the fund's sponsoring organization that it has exclusive legal control over the contributed assets. Although the donor can advise the charity, which generally will follow the donor's recommendations, the donor cannot have the power to select distributees or decide the timing or amounts of distributions. The charity must also ensure that all distributions from the fund are arm's length and do not directly or indirectly benefit the donor.
Example: Don and Shirley donate $25,000 to a donor-advised fund in one year. The $25,000 can be in the form of cash or even appreciated stock. Don and Shirley get a deduction for the full $25,000 as a charitable contribution on their return for the year of the contribution and can suggest the amounts of distributions from the donor-advised fund that should be made to various charities over a number of years. Thus, Don and Shirley achieve a large charitable contribution in one year that can be used to fund their charitable obligations over several years and can claim the $25,000 as an itemized deduction on their return for the year when they made the donation. They do not get a charitable contribution deduction when the funds are paid out from the fund to the various charities.
Volunteer Expenses - If you volunteered your time for a charity or governmental entity, you probably qualify for some tax breaks. Although no tax deduction is allowed for the value of services performed for a qualified charity or federal, state or local governmental agency, some deductions are permitted for out-of-pocket costs incurred while performing the services. The following are some examples:
Away-from-home travel expenses while performing services for a charity, including out-of-pocket round-trip travel costs, taxi fares, and other costs of transportation between the airport or station and hotel, plus 100% of lodging and meals. These expenses are only deductible if there is no significant element of personal pleasure associated with the travel or if your services for a charity do not involve lobbying activities.
The cost of entertaining others on behalf of a charity, such as wining and dining a potential large contributor (but the costs of your own entertainment and meals are not deductible).
If you use your car or other vehicle while performing services for a charitable organization, you may deduct your actual unreimbursed expenses that are directly attributable to the services, such as gas and oil costs, or you may deduct a flat 14 cents per mile for the charitable use of your car. You may also deduct parking fees and tolls.
You can deduct the cost of the uniform you wear when doing volunteer work for the charity, as long as the uniform has no general utility. The cost of cleaning the uniform can also be deducted.
Misconceptions - There are some misconceptions as to what constitutes a charitable deduction, and the following are frequently encountered issues:
No deduction is allowed for contributions of cash or property to the extent the donor received a personal benefit from the donation. Often, the IRS attributes at least some (if not total) personal benefit to amounts spent for items like dinner tickets, church school tuition, YMCA dues, raffles, etc. To determine the allowed contribution amount, subtract the FMV of the "personal benefit" item from the cost and deduct the remainder. Most charities now allocate the deductible, nondeductible portions.
Taxpayers who have purchased tickets for benefit football games, youth-group car washes, parish pancake breakfasts, school plays, etc., with no intention of attending these events, may think they can deduct the expense as a direct contribution to the sponsoring institution. The IRS does not allow such deductions. On the other hand, if the taxpayer returns the ticket to the organization for resale and does not receive a refund of the cost of the ticket, the entire amount paid for the ticket is deductible.
No deduction is allowed for the depreciation of vehicles, computers or other capital assets as a charitable deduction.
Example: Kathy volunteers as a member of the sheriff's mounted search and rescue team. As part of volunteering, Kathy is required to provide a horse. Kathy is not allowed to deduct the cost of purchasing her horse or to depreciate the value of her horse. She can, however, deduct uniforms, travel, and other out-of-pocket expenses associated with the volunteer work.
However, a taxpayer may deduct the cost of maintaining a personally owned asset to the extent that its use is related to providing services for a charity. Thus, for example, a taxpayer is allowed to deduct the fuel, maintenance, and repair costs (but not depreciation or the fair rental value) of piloting his or her plane in connection with volunteer activities for the Civil Air Patrol. Similarly, a taxpayer—such as Kathy in our example, who participated in a mounted posse that is a civilian reserve unit of the county sheriff's office—could deduct the cost of maintaining a horse (shoeing and stabling).
A taxpayer who buys an asset and uses it while performing volunteer services for a charity can't deduct its cost if he or she retains ownership of it. That's true even if the asset is used exclusively for charitable purposes.
No charitable deduction is allowed for a contribution of $250 or more unless you substantiate the contribution with a written acknowledgment from the charitable organization (including a government agency). To verify your contribution:
Get written documentation from the charity about the nature of your volunteering activity and the need for related expenses to be paid. For example, if you travel out of town as a volunteer, request a letter from the charity explaining why you're needed at the out-of-town location.
You should submit a statement of expenses to the charity if you are paying out of pocket for substantial amounts, preferably with a copy of the receipts. Then, arrange for the charity to acknowledge the amount of the contribution in writing.
Maintain detailed records of your out-of-pocket expenses—receipts plus a written record of the time, place, amount, and charitable purpose of the expense.
Household Goods and Used Clothing - One of the most common tax-deductible charitable contributions encountered is that of household goods and used clothing. The major complication of this type of contribution is establishing the dollar value of the contribution. According to the tax code, this is the fair market value (FMV), which is defined as the value that a willing buyer would pay a willing seller for the item. FMV is not always easily determined and varies significantly based upon the condition of the item donated. For example, compare the condition of an article of clothing you purchased and only wore once to that of one that has been worn many times. The almost new one certainly will be worth more, but if the hardly worn item had been purchased a few years ago and has become grossly out of style, the more extensively used piece of clothing could be worth more. In either case, the clothing article is still a used item, so its value cannot be anywhere near as high as the original cost. Determining this value is not an exact science. The IRS recognizes this issue and in some cases requires the value to be established by a qualified appraiser.
Remember that when establishing FMV, any value you claim can be challenged in an audit and that the burden of proof is with you (the taxpayer), not with the IRS. For substantial noncash donations, it might be appropriate for you to visit your charity's local thrift shop or even a consignment store to get an idea of the FMV of used items.
The next big issue is documenting your contribution. Many taxpayers believe that the doorknob hanger left by the charity's pickup driver is sufficient proof of a donation. Unfortunately, that is not the case, as a United States Tax Court case (Kunkel T.C. Memo 2015-71) pointed out. In that case, the court denied the taxpayer's charitable contributions, which were based solely upon doorknob hangers left by the drivers who picked up the donated items for the charities. The court stated that "these doorknob hangers are undated; they are not specific to petitioners; they do not describe the property contributed; and they contain none of the other required information."
Documenting Charitable Contributions – The IRS provides requirements for documenting both cash and non-cash contributions.
Cash Contributions – Taxpayers cannot deduct a cash contribution, regardless of the amount, unless they can document the contribution in one of the following ways:
A bank record that shows the name of the qualified organization, the date of the contribution, and the amount of the contribution. Bank records may include:
a. A canceled check,
b. A bank or credit union statement, or
c. A credit card statement.
A receipt (or a letter or other written communication) from the qualified organization showing the name of the organization, the date of the contribution, and the amount of the contribution.
Payroll deduction records.
Cash Contributions of $250 or More – To claim a deduction for a contribution of $250 or more, the taxpayer must have a written acknowledgment of the contribution from the qualified organization that includes the following details:
The amount of cash contributed;
Whether the qualified organization gave the taxpayer goods or services (other than certain token items and membership benefits) as a result of the contribution, and a description and good faith estimate of the value of any goods or services that were provided (other than intangible religious benefits); and
A statement that the only benefit received was an intangible religious benefit, if that was the case.
If the acknowledgment does not show the date of the contribution, then the taxpayer must have one of the bank records described above that does show the contribution date. If the acknowledgment includes the contribution date and meets the other tests, it is not necessary to also have other records.
The acknowledgment must be in the taxpayer's hands before the earlier of the date the return for the year the contribution was made is filed, or the due date, including extensions, for filing the return.
Noncash Contributions Deductions of Less Than $250 - A taxpayer claiming a noncash contribution with a value under $250 must keep a receipt from the charitable organization that shows:
The name of the charitable organization,
The date and location of the charitable contribution, and
A reasonably detailed description of the property.
The taxpayer is not required to have a receipt if it is impractical to get one (for example, if the property was left at a charity's unattended drop site).
Noncash Contributions Deductions of At Least $250 But Not More Than $500 - If a taxpayer claims a deduction of at least $250 but not more than $500 for a noncash charitable contribution, he or she must keep an acknowledgment of the contribution from the qualified organization. If the deduction includes more than one contribution of $250 or more, the taxpayer must have either a separate acknowledgment for each donation or a single acknowledgment that shows the total contribution. The acknowledgment(s) must be written and must include:
The name of the charitable organization,
The date and location of the charitable contribution,
A reasonably detailed description of any property contributed (but not necessarily its value), and
Whether the qualified organization gave the taxpayer any goods or services because of the contribution (other than certain token items and membership benefits).
Noncash Contributions Deductions Over $500 But Not Over $5,000 - If a taxpayer claims a deduction over $500 but not over $5,000 for a noncash charitable contribution, he or she must attach a completed Form 8283 to the income tax return and must provide the same acknowledgement and written records that are required for contributions of at least $250 but not more than $500 (as described above). In addition, the records must also include:
How the property was obtained (for example, purchase, gift, bequest, inheritance, or exchange),
The approximate date the property was obtained or—if created, produced, or manufactured by the taxpayer—the approximate date when the property was substantially completed, and
The cost or other basis, and any adjustments to this basis, for property held for less than 12 months and (if available) the cost or other basis for property held for 12 months or more (this requirement, however, does not apply to publicly traded securities).
If the taxpayer has a reasonable case for not being able to provide information on either the date the property was obtained or the cost basis of the property, he or she can attach a statement of explanation to the return.
Deductions Over $5,000 – These donations require time-sensitive appraisals by a "qualified appraiser" in addition to other documentation. When contemplating such a donation, please call this office for further guidance about the documentation and forms that will be needed.
Caution: The value of similar items of property that are donated in the same year must be combined when determining what level of documentation is needed. Similar items of property are items of the same generic category or type, such as coin collections, paintings, books, clothing, jewelry, privately traded stock, land, and buildings. For example, say you donated $5,300 of used furniture to 3 different charitable organizations during the year (a bedroom set valued at $800, a dining set worth $1,000, and living room furniture worth $3,500). Because the value of the donations of similar property (furniture) exceeds $5,000, you would need to obtain an appraisal of the furniture to satisfy the substantiation requirements—even if you donated the furniture to different organizations and at different times during the year. The IRS has strict rules as to who is considered a qualified appraiser.
Do not include items of de minimis value, such as undergarments and socks, in the deductible amount of your contribution, as they specifically are not allowed.
Please give this office a call if you have questions or would like to develop a charitable contribution strategy.
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subset: commoncrawl


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IT Rocks St Gallen!
Leica Geosystems is a leading employer in the St Gallen Lake Constance Area in Eastern Switzerland. As an innovative company, we are always looking for interesting opportunities to capture the attention of highly skilled professionals seeking a new opportunity.
The "IT Rocks St Gallen" initiative is a joint venture which has been initiated by Information and Communication Technology companies like ours, and the St Gallen Bodensee Area organisation (SGBA). The SGBA is a collaborative effort between the four cantons of St Gallen, Thurgau, Appenzell Innerrhoden, and Appenzell Ausserrhoden, which actively promotes the region to both industry and individuals. With almost 2,000 ICT companies employing around 15,000 people within this area alone, it makes the region one of the most attractive locations for the industry.
Leica Geosystems actively promotes the region as the ideal location for those who want to kick-start their career as an ICT professional and maintain a great quality of life. "IT Rocks St Gallen" showcases images of real people who choose to live and work in the region, including Software Engineers, Product Managers, System Engineers, Project Managers, Web Design Engineers, and IT Consultants.
Leica Geosystems employs over 500 Engineers in the region, half of which are working in Software Development and IT disciplines. They have the opportunity to work with the latest technologies as well as 3D Imaging and Computer Vision, real-time applications for high precision instruments, and developing smart solutions for the processing of huge datasets. This is an initiative we are proud to support and we encourage more ICT professionals to look at career opportunities in the region.
Further information about this initiative can be found at the IT Rocks! St Gallen website and IT Rocks Brochure. If you would like to learn more about embarking on a career at Leica Geosystems, please visit the Leica Geosystems Careers Page for more information on a wide range of opportunities available in Switzerland and around the globe.
Urs Nef
Human Resources Manager


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Guest poem sent in by Sashidhar Dandamudi
(Poem #1212) Deadline The night before war begins, and you are still here. You can stand in a breathless cold ocean of candles, a thousand issues of your same face rubbed white from below by clear waxed light. A vigil. You are wondering what it is you can hold a candle to. You have a daughter. Her cheeks curve like aspects of the Mohammed's perfect pear. She is three. Too young for candles but you are here, this is war. Flames covet the gold-sparked ends of her hair, her nylon parka laughing in color, inflammable. It has taken your whole self to bring her undamaged to this moment, and waiting in the desert at this moment is a bomb that flings gasoline in a liquid sheet, a laundress's snap overhead, wide as the ancient Tigris, and ignites as it descends. The polls have sung their opera of assent: the land wants war. But here is another America, candle-throated, sure as tide. Whoever you are, you are also this granite anger. In history you will be the vigilant dead who stood in front of every war with old hearts in your pockets, stood on the carcass of hope listening for the thunder of its feathers. The desert is diamond ice and only stars above us here and elsewhere, a thousand issues of a clear waxed star, a holocaust of heaven and somewhere, a way out. |
January 15, 1991 Keeping with yesterday's Owen's submission, I add two more cents to the gory word heap. Kingsolver, better known for her essays, captures the landscape of the impending Gulf War perfectly. Since folks are back at it again: same place, almost same time, same villains and same heroes, only this time with "smart" bombs, perhaps smarter than those that flung "...gasoline in a liquid sheet, a laundress's snap overhead, wide as the ancient Tigris, and ignites as it descends." These lines bring up image of Kim Phuc, and her photograph as a little girl, her clothes seared from her body by a Napalm bomb, running screaming from her burning village, arms are outstretched in terror and pain. This in Vietnam. Then the last two lines, "a holocaust of heaven/and somewhere, a way out." resonate strongly with Bob Dylan's "All along the Watchtower": "There must be some way out of here," said the joker to the thief, "There's too much confusion, I can't get no relief. Businessmen, they drink my wine, plowmen dig my earth, None of them along the line know what any of it is worth." If poets are "jokers", whose duty, as Lucille Clifton at a poetry reading here said is "to comfort the afflicted, and to afflict the comfortable.", then I think this poem does that very well. There must be some way out of here... to peace! Sashi Links: Kingsolver's Web Page http://www.kingsolver.com/home/index.asp Bob Dylan's lyric http://www.bobdylan.com/songs/watchtower.html Nick Ut's Pulitzer Prize winning photo of the girl http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/museums/images/pgallery/gallery2.htm


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"What I always try to do is marry good architecture with good business," says Costas Kondylis, architect of Manhattan Place, "You have to propose design solutions that increase the value of the building."
Architectural History
Manhattan Place's 35 story, bronze-glass and brown-brick tower was completed in 1985, and features a large West-facing plaza with an impressive, tiered fountain designed by famous, urban landscape designer, Thomas Balsley. Its angled orientation was chosen to maximize views for residents.
Over nine years at the firm, Philip Birnbaum & Associates, Costas Kondylis grew immensely as an architect and his first design was Manhattan Place. Philip Birnbaum is credited with being the almost anonymous architectural hand behind many of the most imposing apartment towers in New York City.
What made him so popular among developers was the efficiency of his apartment layouts. There was virtually no wasted floor space in his units, meaning that builders could fit more apartments on a floor. Because he tried to eliminate interior hallways, occupants also got more usable room. He said he designed for the people who lived in his buildings, not the elite. Manhattan Place is among some 300 buildings designed by Mr. Birnbaum, alone or in association with others.
people need to have their own open space, even in a city of high-rises
He would say, 'Let's use the roofs for the common good,
I wanted 'Manhattan' because Manhattan is the best place to live
In the building boom following World War II, Mr. Birnbaum did a great deal of work in Forest Hills and Kew Gardens, Queens, much of it for the developer Alfred L. Kaskel. Over the years, his practice was known as Philip Birnbaum, the Office of Philip Birnbaum or Philip Birnbaum & Associates.
Mr. Birnbaum also designed the Doral Beach Hotel in Miami Beach and the Doral Country Club in Miami, but most of his major projects were in Manhattan. The 47-story Excelsior, at 303 East 57th Street, was for a time New York's tallest apartment building.
Other significant apartment towers besides Manhattan Place included 45 East 89th Street, at Madison Avenue; the Bromley, 225 West 83d Street; Le Chambord, 350 East 72d Street; the Promenade, 530 East 76th Street and the Horizon, 415 East 37th Street.
The skilled architectural design of Manhattan Place, impressive amenities,
smart apartment layouts and great staff continue to attract buyers from all
over the world. Historically, Manhattan Place has not only been a great place
to live, but also a smart investment
- Architectural Firm: Philip Birnbaum & Associates
- Architect: Costas Kondylis
- Developer: Glick International Development
- Awards: National Association of Homebuilder 1984 MIRM Awards. Five Gold Awards (including Best Overall U.S. Project). Two Silver Awards
Sources: The New York Times, Miami Haute Living, The NY Observer, Glick Development website.
If you'd like more information on Manhattan Place, or if you are interested in buying, renting or selling an apartment, please contact Tony Sarcone. I'd be happy to assist you with no obligation nor pressure.


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I am 51 and have been running since I was 21. In the last years, I have had repeated discomfort while running, mainly with my Achilles tendon getting swollen and my Sciatic nerve becoming problematic after 30 minutes run.
When I learned about ChiRunning, I found the philosophy and the technique very interesting and intelligent. I did a workshop that confirmed that this was for me. Since then, I have changed my way of running and I try to put something in practice in each run.
I can definitely say that the Achilles tendon and the Sciatic nerve are settled. I run faster, longer, and more than anything else, I enjoy every run.
I am very thankful to Hyongok Kent who introduced me to ChiRunning and who is a constant reminder that each run is a journey toward improvement and focus.
Monique D


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Elk Grove Village, IL, October 20, 2017 –(PR.com)– APC Postal Logistics, a leading provider of international ecommerce and mail delivery services, has expanded its presence in the Midwest with the opening of a new processing facility in Elk Grove Village, IL. Located minutes from Chicago's O'Hare Airport, it is one of three sortation and distribution hubs in the company's portfolio spread strategically across the continental U.S.
"We are next door to O'Hare, a major international gateway, which means we can provide more efficient and faster uplift to customers in the heart of the country to any destination worldwide. And with our proximity to points north, we can also reduce transit times for materials outbound to Canada," said Brian Fleisher, SVP & GM of the Chicago facility.
The launch of the new facility is part of the company's ongoing efforts to continually improve delivery standards for customers. "In the increasingly competitive landscape of cross-border commerce, shipping speed and costs have become major factors in consumer loyalty and decision-making," said Michael Galianos, COO and Co-Founder. "We have years of experience optimizing export delivery lanes and we can provide our clients with reliable and fast delivery options at a reduced cost."
For more information about APC Postal Logistics' new Chicago-area facility, please contact [email protected] or visit www.apc-pli.com.
About APC Postal Logistics
Founded in 2001, APC Postal Logistics is a leading consolidator and distributor of international parcels and mail providing ecommerce clients and volume mailers with efficient cross-border delivery services to over 200 countries worldwide. Headquartered near JFK International and Newark Liberty airports, with operational facilities in Los Angeles and Chicago, and sales posts throughout the country, APC Postal Logistics supports over 3,100 active clients.
Contact Information:
APC Postal Logistics
Jerry Conrad
Contact via Email
Read the full story here: http://www.pr.com/press-release/733327
Press Release Distributed by PR.com


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Last month, a week of winter weather cut power to hundreds of thousands of people in the Seattle area for several days.
A lot of those people were left pondering an old question: Why are their neighborhood power lines strung aboveground?
Nobody seems to have a complete answer.
Weather and tree branches cause 40 percent of power outages in the U.S. Another 8 percent are caused by traffic accidents, like cars hitting poles. Forested suburbs are especially vulnerable. Washington — the Evergreen State — routinely ranks among the top 10 states for total number of outages.
"It's only recently I realized, when all the power was going out, that we still have the lines near all the trees," said Pete Mirage, as he picked up branches outside of his church in Renton, Wash., after the latest winter storm. His mother in suburban Tacoma, Wash., had no power for two days after the storm.
Mirage just moved back to the U.S. from the Caribbean, where he was used to storm outages. But he was surprised to find the same problem here. "Power going out was something I experienced in the third world, not in the first world," he says.
Too Expensive To Change?
Other industrialized countries have more of their neighborhood power distribution underground. David Lindsay, an expert at the Electric Power Research Institute, says places like Western Europe have an edge because they rebuilt their cities after the war.
"A lot of the infrastructure there is much younger than it is here," Lindsay says. "Infrastructure in general here dates to before World War II, and it was just added on and added on and added on."
American cities could upgrade by putting wires underground, but that's an expensive proposition.
"The general rule of thumb we use is a factor of 10. Installation costs, construction cost is a factor of 10 difference between overhead and underground," Lindsay says.
Tom Schooley, with the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, says storm outages sometimes get communities talking about moving their lines underground, but it doesn't last long. "Whenever people mention it, or some municipality wants to do it underground and they see the expense, they say, 'Oh, well, never mind,' " he says.
Repair Costs 'Not Part Of The Conversation'
We never get to [the issue] until there is some ... crisis when the wires come down, and we're saying, 'Why do we do this? Why do we keep doing this?'
So there's a barrier in the upfront cost, but what about the long-term savings? Storm after storm, there's overtime pay for out-of-state repair crews, not to mention what outages cost businesses.
"It's an interesting question, and I have to say, it's literally not part of the conversation people have," Schooley says.
Stephen Hammer, a professor of energy planning at MIT, says he's searched the literature in his field for any analysis of what it costs us to keep fixing those overhead wires.
"Some things are just never raised," he says. "And I think [that's] touching on an issue that we just never get to until there is some ... crisis when the wires come down and we're saying, 'Why do we do this? Why do we keep doing this?' "
Not Enough Cost-Benefit Analysis
One exception is Florida. The state has told utility companies that next time there's a hurricane, they should track the expense of fixing aboveground lines so it can be compared to the maintenance costs of underground lines.
And the result could go either way. Schooley, of the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, says it's important to remember that underground wires are not foolproof. "Undergrounding doesn't mean it's totally safe or totally uninterrupted," he says. "It may have different interruptions; it might survive a storm, but it doesn't survive a backhoe."
So the bottom line is — nobody knows the bottom line. Nobody's gone past the cost side of the cost-benefit analysis. Even if cities like Seattle had the money for undergrounding, there's no way to know if it's a good investment, and they have little incentive to change how things are done.
After another storm, a friendly lineman with Seattle City Light named Scott Rice lashes one pole to another with what looks like piano wire. He says the pole broke off because a tree hit the phone lines. But he doesn't wish all of that were underground.
"Well, no; then I wouldn't have a job," he laughs.
And as things stand, Rice doesn't have to worry about his job security.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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- Home
- VM-50 Active 5" Monitors & Floor Stands Package
VM-50 Active 5" Monitors & Floor Stands Package
Our Pioneer DJ VM-50 & Floor Stands Package is supplied with two high quality 6m XLR to XLR leads to give you a nice balanced connection between your DJ gear and the speakers. Hook them in and fire them up for high quality plug and play sound.
Based on a classic design the VM-50 Active Monitors feature the latest technologies and high quality components to produce clear audio with fast attacking, punchy bass. The speaker can be tuned to suit the characteristics of any room, making it perfect for recreating a club sound when you're DJing or providing a flat frequency response when you're producing music in a home or professional studio setting.
High-quality components
Each VM-50 speaker includes two Class D amplifiers with 96 kHz sampling DSP to enable wide-bandwidth audio reproduction. Their highly efficient performance results in low distortion and high-energy sound. The 4-mm-thick rigid aluminium front baffle further suppresses resonance and vibrations, delivering sound that's authentic to the original source.
Fresh, professional design
The brand-new design of the hexagonal aluminum front baffle brings a fresh look, as well as improved sound quality and durability. It cuts down unwanted vibrations for lower distortion while the tweeter protective guard reduces the risk of damage to the high-frequency diaphragm. And the Alumite treated brushed texture gives the speakers a professional finish so they look right at home next to Pioneer DJ gear.
N.B. Monitor stand brand subject to change due to stock availability.
- Woofers & Tweeters
Aramid fiber woofer cones and Vortex Bass Accelerator
Aramid fiber woofer cones provide outstanding punch that you'll feel in the bass and low-mid frequencies. These newly developed cones are 30 percent lighter than conventional paper-lined Aramid cones, making them stronger and faster with deeper sound. The Vortex Bass Accelerator ensures that low-end audio is tight and free from unwanted vibrations, as ribs in the bass reflex port mean that air flows freely from the speaker to deliver pure sound.
Constant directivity horn
Mid and high-frequency sounds are delivered with power thanks to the constant directivity horn, which also creates a broad, uniform listening space. The shape of the horn and the woofer edge are specially designed so the flat playback frequency crosses over to the tweeter easily, resulting in a natural sound.
- DSP Control
DSP control
All VM series speakers are voiced flat to ensure you hear the natural sound of the music. To help you tweak the output and find the sound that's perfect for the room you're working in, each speaker includes DSP settings. On the rear panel, you'll find 2 knobs: Low EQ and High EQ. Without needing to look, you can click the knobs into 4 different positions each, giving you 16 possible EQ settings that are simple to engage. Choose the one that sounds best for DJing or producing music in your home or studio, depending on the shape, size, and construction of the room.
Use this to adjust the bass, depending on the location of your speaker and the kind of sound you want for DJing or producing music.
L1: ROOM 1 – This setting reduces the bass (6 dB HPF applied at 63 Hz) and is effective when your speaker is near a wall or at times when you don't want heavy bass, e.g. late at night.
L2: FLAT – Flat frequency response for a true sound. This is the most popular setting for producing music in an acoustically treated room.
L3: ROOM 2 – This setting increases the bass (2.5 dB boost using a bell EQ at 50 Hz) and is ideal to use when you need some extra punch, e.g. in a large space.
L4: CLUB BASS – More power in the bass (5 dB boost using a bell EQ at 50 Hz, and 2 dB boost using a bell EQ at 200 Hz), for a club-like sound. This setting is the best to use when you want as much bass as possible, e.g. for parties.
Use this to adjust the treble, depending on the location of your speaker and the kind of sound you want for DJing or producing music.
H1: ROOM 1 – This setting reduces the volume of high frequencies (3 dB reduction using a high shelf EQ from 3.5 kHz to 12 kHz) and is effective when the room is reverberant and the high frequencies are overpowering.
H2: FLAT – Flat frequency response for a true sound. This is the most popular setting for producing music in an acoustically treated room.
H3: ROOM 2 – This setting increases the volume of high frequencies (3 dB boost using a high shelf EQ at 7 kHz) and is ideal for generating brighter sounds in a room or space where the treble seems to be lost.
H4: BRIGHT TREBLE – This setting can produce a clearer sound (thanks to a 1.5 dB boost using a bell EQ at 4 kHz and a 3.5 dB boost using a bell EQ at 8 kHz) and help the details of individual musical instruments to stand out. For example, the outlines of the sound of guitars, cymbals, trumpets, etc. can be heard more clearly.
- Specifications
Maximum Sound Pressure: 107 dB
Width: 198 mm
Height: 300 mm
Depth: 265 mm
Weight: 5.5 kg
Frequency Range: 40 Hz - 36 kHz Hz
Power Supply: AC 100-240 V, 50 Hz / 60Hz
Amplifier Output:
Class D with 96kHz DSP
Impedance: 10 kΩ
High EQ: 4 selective EQs
Low EQ: 4 selective EQs
Cross Over Frequency: 3 kHz
Enclosure: Bass reflex
Enclosure material: MDF vinyl laminate
Baffle material: HIPS with 4mm Aluminium Plate


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Electra Crush It! Twister Bike Bell
This item is currently not available.
Twist to the left, twist to the right
Whichever direction, it's the perfect way to say 'Hello.'
The Twister Bell provides a pleasant ringing sound all around town.
Let people know you're coming through. And do it in style.
- Ambidextrous style designed for both righties and lefties
- Includes attachment hardware


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Langsoond DK Yarn – Fresh Air
Double Knit (light worsted weight)
Woollen spun
Dyed with Fustic and Indigo
100% Shetland wool
100g / 220m (238yds)
Recommended needle size – 3.5mm – 4.5mm
Yarn from Shetland sheep reared in Burra Isle, Shetland. Clipped in Burra, June/July 2019. Spun in the UK.
This yarn has been been dyed with natural plant dyes. The colour has been fixed and rinsed well but to make sure there is no colour run, especially when making a garment with more than one shade, it is recommenced the yarn is rinsed in lukewarm water before use and hung up to dry.
A note about Indigo – You will probably find as you knit with yarn that has been dyed with indigo that your hands will become tinged with blue. This is perfectly normal and is due to the fact that the indigo molecules physically attach to the yarn rather than chemically like other dyes. You should avoid it coming into contact with light surfaces as the colour may rub onto it. You should also avoid using wooden needles unless you don't mind them turning blue! This natural process will lessen over time.
If you are planning to knit a sweater or other large garment, please ensure that you buy the quantity you need at one time, as due to the nature of natural dying it is virtually impossible to replicate the colours exactly.


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Name of Smaller authority: Corscombe, Halstock and District Parish Council
Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 Sections 26 and 27 The Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/234)
1. Date of announcement TUESDAY 2OTH JUNE 2023 (a)
2. Each year the smaller authority's Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) needs to be reviewed by an external auditor appointed by Smaller Authorities' Audit Appointments Ltd. The unaudited AGAR has been published with this notice. As it has yet to be reviewed by the appointed auditor, it is subject to change as a result of that review. Any person interested has the right to inspect and make copies of the accounting records for the financial year to which the audit relates and all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers, receipts and other documents relating to those records must be made available for inspection by any person interested. For the year ended 31 March 2023, these documents will be available on reasonable notice by application to: (b) Clerk Teresa Safadi Myrtle cottage 2 Barrow lane Corscombe DT20NX Tel: 01935 579783 clerk@firstname.lastname@example.com chdpc.org.uk commencing on (c) Wednesday 21st June 2023 and ending on (d) Tuesday 1st August 2023 3. Local government electors and their representatives also have:
The appointed auditor can be contacted at the address in paragraph 4 below for this purpose between the above dates only. 4. The smaller authority's AGAR is subject to review by the appointed auditor under the provisions of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014, the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 and the NAO's Code of Audit Practice 2015. The appointed auditor is: BDO LLP Arcadia House email@example.com 5. This announcement is made by (e) ) Teresa Safadi Parish Clerk and RFO_________________________________ |
(a) Insert date of placing of the notice which must be not less than 1 day before the date in (c) below
(b) Insert name, position and address/telephone number/ email address, as appropriate, of the Clerk or other person to which any person may apply to inspect the accounts (c) Insert date, which must be at least 1 day after the date of announcement in (a) above and at least 30 working days before the date appointed in (d) below (d) The inspection period between (c) and (d) must be 30 working days inclusive and must include the first 10 working days of July. (e) Insert name and position of person placing the notice – this person must be the responsible financial officer for the smaller authority |
Please note that this summary applies to all relevant smaller authorities, including local councils, internal drainage boards and 'other' smaller authorities.
The basic position
The Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 (the Act) governs the work of auditors appointed to smaller authorities. This summary explains the provisions contained in Sections 26 and 27 of the Act. The Act and the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 also cover the duties, responsibilities and rights of smaller authorities, other organisations and the public concerning the accounts being audited.
As a local elector, or an interested person, you have certain legal rights in respect of the accounting records of smaller authorities. As an interested person you can inspect accounting records and related documents. If you are a local government elector for the area to which the accounts relate you can also ask questions about the accounts and object to them. You do not have to pay directly for exercising your rights. However, any resulting costs incurred by the smaller authority form part of its running costs. Therefore, indirectly, local residents pay for the cost of you exercising your rights through their council tax.
The right to inspect the accounting records
Any interested person can inspect the accounting records, which includes but is not limited to local electors. You can inspect the accounting records for the financial year to which the audit relates and all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers, receipts and other documents relating to those records. You can copy all, or part, of these records or documents. Your inspection must be about the accounts, or relate to an item in the accounts. You cannot, for example, inspect or copy documents unrelated to the accounts, or that include personal information (Section 26 (6) – (10) of the Act explains what is meant by personal information). You cannot inspect information which is protected by commercial confidentiality. This is information which would prejudice commercial confidentiality if it was released to the public and there is not, set against this, a very strong reason in the public interest why it should nevertheless be disclosed.
When smaller authorities have finished preparing accounts for the financial year and approved them, they must publish them (including on a website). There must be a 30 working day period, called the 'period for the exercise of public rights', during which you can exercise your statutory right to inspect the accounting records. Smaller authorities must tell the public, including advertising this on their website, that the accounting records and related documents are available to inspect. By arrangement you will then have 30 working days to inspect and make copies of the accounting records. You may have to pay a copying charge. The 30 working day period must include a common period of inspection during which all smaller authorities' accounting records are available to inspect. This will be 3-14 July 2023 for 2022-23 accounts. The advertisement must set out the dates of the period for the exercise of public rights, how you can communicate to the smaller authority that you wish to inspect the accounting records and related documents, the name and address of the auditor, and the relevant legislation that governs the inspection of accounts and objections.
The right to ask the auditor questions about the accounting records
You should first ask your smaller authority about the accounting records, since they hold all the details. If you are a local elector, your right to ask questions of the external auditor is enshrined in law. However, while the auditor will answer your questions where possible, they are not always obliged to do so. For example, the question might be better answered by another organisation, require investigation beyond the auditor's remit, or involve disproportionate cost (which is borne by the local taxpayer). Give your smaller authority the opportunity first to explain anything in the accounting records that you are unsure about. If you are not satisfied with their explanation, you can question the external auditor about the accounting records.
The law limits the time available for you formally to ask questions. This must be done in the period for the exercise of public rights, so let the external auditor know your concern as soon as possible. The advertisement or notice that tells you the accounting records are available to inspect will also give the period for the exercise of public rights during which you may ask the auditor questions, which here means formally asking questions under the Act. You can ask someone to represent you when asking the external auditor questions.
Before you ask the external auditor any questions, inspect the accounting records fully, so you know what they contain. Please remember that you cannot formally ask questions, under the Act, after the end of the period for the exercise of public rights. You may ask your smaller authority other questions about their accounts for any year, at any time. But these are not questions under the Act.
You can ask the external auditor questions about an item in the accounting records for the financial year being audited. However, your right to ask the external auditor questions is limited. The external auditor can only answer 'what' questions, not 'why' questions. The external auditor cannot answer questions about policies, finances, procedures or anything else unless it is directly relevant to an item in the accounting records. Remember that your questions must always be about facts, not opinions. To avoid misunderstanding, we recommend that you always put your questions in writing.
The right to make objections at audit
You have inspected the accounting records and asked your questions of the smaller authority. Now you may wish to object to the accounts on the basis that an item in them is in your view unlawful or there are matters of wider concern arising from the smaller authority's finances. A local government elector can ask the external auditor to apply to the High Court for a declaration that an item of account is unlawful, or to issue a report on matters which are in the public interest. You must tell the external auditor which specific item in the accounts you object to and why you think the item is unlawful, or why you think that a public interest report should be made about it. You must provide the external auditor with the evidence you have to support your objection. Disagreeing with income or spending does not make it unlawful. To object to the accounts you must write to the external auditor stating you want to make an objection, including the information and evidence below and you must send a copy to the smaller authority. The notice must include:
- confirmation that you are an elector in the smaller authority's area;
- why you are objecting to the accounts and the facts on which you rely;
- details of any item in the accounts that you think is unlawful; and
- details of any matter about which you think the external auditor should make a public interest
Other than it must be in writing, there is no set format for objecting. You can only ask the external auditor
to act within the powers available under the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014.
A final word
You may not use this 'right to object' to make a personal complaint or claim against your smaller authority. You should take such complaints to your local Citizens' Advice Bureau, local Law Centre or to your solicitor. Smaller authorities, and so local taxpayers, meet the costs of dealing with questions and objections. In deciding whether to take your objection forward, one of a series of factors the auditor must take into account is the cost that will be involved, they will only continue with the objection if it is in the public interest to do so. They may also decide not to consider an objection if they think that it is frivolous or vexatious, or if it repeats an objection already considered. If you appeal to the courts against an auditor's decision not to apply to the courts for a declaration that an item of account is unlawful, you will have to pay for the action yourself.
For more detailed guidance on public rights and the special powers of auditors, copies of the publication Local authority accounts: A guide to your rights are available from the NAO website. | If you wish to contact your authority's appointed external auditor please write to the address in paragraph 4 of the Notice of Public Rights and Publication of Unaudited Annual Governance & Accountability Return. |


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70,000 people have descended upon a very bleak stretch of Nevada's Black Rock Desert for what is perhaps the largest celebration of hedonism on the entire planet. Burning Man has been described as a "dystopian hellscape", and that description is not too far from the truth. From August 25th to September 5th (Labor Day Monday), revelers from all over the world will dance, carouse and "express themselves" in a temporary city that has been created entirely by its citizens. This festival is part Mad Max, part Woodstock and part Eyes Wide Shut, and many "Burners" look forward all year long to these eight days of completely unrestrained hedonism.
30 years ago, Burning Man began as a small beach gathering in San Francisco. Initially held during the Summer Solstice, it quickly took on a life of its own and was moved to Nevada in 1990. Ever since then, this eight day party has not stopped growing, and people literally fly in from all over the world to witness one of the most bizarre spectacles in America.
To say that Burning Man is "weird" would not be doing it justice. In this very isolated corner of the Black Rock Desert, you will find nudists (lots of them), palm readers, neopagans, "ecosexuals", witches, sorcerers, shamans, New Age gurus, "goddesses", Satanists, "polyamorists" and just about every type of fetishist that you can possibly imagine.
The reason why the festival is called "Burning Man" is because of the gigantic effigy that is burned toward the end of the eight day celebration. Nobody is physically harmed during the burning of this enormous "wicker man", but it does seem to parallel the human sacrifices that the Druids would do in ancient times. The following comes from Wikipedia…
While other Roman writers of the time, such as Cicero, Suetonius, Lucan, Tacitus and Pliny the Elder, described human sacrifice among the Celts, only Caesar and the geographer Strabo mention the wicker man as one of many ways the Druids of Gaul performed sacrifices.[6] Caesar reports that some of the Gauls built the effigies out of sticks and placed living men inside, then set them on fire to pay tribute to the gods. Caesar writes that though the Druids generally used those found guilty of crimes deserving death, as they pleased the gods more, they sometimes used slaves and innocent men when no delinquents could be found.[7]
And even today, the burning of "wicker men" is very much associated with neopaganism. Here is more from that same Wikipedia article…
Wicker men are set ablaze during some neopagan festivities. A female effigy of wicker or other materials is burnt at the stake for the annual Danish celebration of Sankt Hans aften (Saint John's Eve). Typically, Celtic neopagans, Neo-druids, are those who use such a motif in their festivities because they, unlike other neopagan groups, are either inspired by, or follow a reconstructed form of, Celtic paganism[citation needed]. At other times, neopagans do not burn wicker men, but keep them as idols for protection, often merging them with the Green Man. Neopagan wicker men range from life sized to huge, humanoid, temporary sculptures that are set ablaze during a celebration, usually toward the end of the event. They are constructed with a wooden frame that is woven with flexible sticks such as willow often used in wicker furniture and fencing. Some wicker men are extremely complex and require days of construction.[9]
Of course the organizers of Burning Man strongly deny that it is an overtly occult festival, but it is undeniable that thousands upon thousands of occultists from all over the planet are drawn to this celebration each year.
However, there are many others that go to Burning Man just for the sex, drugs and techno music.
During these eight days people openly and freely use illegal drugs, and the authorities don't seem to mind. Public nudity is also constantly on display, but once again law enforcement is nowhere to be found. Actually, if they are there it is usually to participate in the debauchery.
The biggest draw of all, however, is the casual sex that is absolutely rampant at Burning Man. And it isn't just one on one sex that we are talking about. That would be way too boring. This is how the Daily Mail described what goes on during these eight days…
Sex between 'Burners', as festival-goers are known, is known variously as 'dust love' or 'tent trysts', and old hands suggest it is simply 'selfish' to stick to monogamy. Public nudity, especially by women, is actively encouraged, while orgies — or at the very least partner swapping, if not threesomes — have become just as much a feature of Burning Man as the ceremonial torching of a huge wooden effigy of a man to celebrate the summer solstice.
Group sex is actively encouraged at so-called 'theme camps' — giant tent complexes where free bars encourage visitors to loosen up and participate. A popular venue is the so-called 'Orgy Dome', run by a group calling itself And Then There's Only Love, though conventional notions of love are hardly what's fostered inside its giant dome tent.
If the "Orgy Dome" is not your style, there are definitely other kinky activities available…
The Orgy Dome is hardly alone. There is also a 'Group Sex Bus', the 'Sex Libido Lounge', and a Canadian-run club with an unprintable name where judges give points to amorous couples for 'style' and 'inventive poses'.
To some of you reading this article, this may sound like paradise.
In fact, some of you might be thinking that you may want to attend Burning Man next year.
But the truth is that there is such an emptiness to this kind of reckless animal behavior. People "let loose" to try to give meaning to their otherwise meaningless lives, but any pleasures that are enjoyed are quite fleeting. In the end, many participants return to their "normal lives" feeling even emptier than before. This is how an editorial in the New York Post put it…
Sure, it looks fun to spend a few days enjoying a gift economy, listening to techno, cooling off in refrigeration trucks and gawking at surreal sculptures or taking in offbeat performance art. But, according to Daniel Yudkin, a social psychology Ph.D. candidate at New York University, as reported by Quartz, the eight days of decadent hedonism provide once-a-year opportunities for attendees to experience bona fide connections with others. All the other non-Burning days of their lives? Not so much.
Rather than reflecting how much fun Burning Man is, the reality of people spending thousands of dollars — on travel, accommodations, tickets and drugs — serves as proof that their non-Burner days are pathetically empty. "I think the fact that people invest so much of their own resources and time and energy to going to Burning Man suggests that there's something missing, that there's something Burning Man fulfills for them that they don't get in day-to-day life," Yudkin says.
Ultimately, the truth is that you are not going to find meaning in life through sex, drugs, public nudity, weird art and loud techno music.
You can try every pleasure under the sun, but it is still not going to fill that hole that you feel deep inside of you.
In America today, there is a greater spiritual void than ever before. People are searching for meaning and purpose in all sorts of places and not finding it.
Unfortunately, I think that this helps to explain the popularity of Burning Man. Multitudes of Americans are deeply dissatisfied with their regular lives, and they are searching for something real.
Sadly, the revelers at Burning Man are not going to find anything real to soothe their aching hearts. Instead, they will only find more pain, more frustration and more emptiness.


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As you may recall, many of us here at Hackaday are big fans of any activity involving robot competitions. One of the better known events that fits that description would be the Robogames, an international event where robots can compete in 50 different events. Granted, not all of them are as visually exciting as the ball of fire and twisted steel shown above, but they are interesting nonetheless. The event is happening this weekend, April 20th, in San Mateo California. Unfortunately, none of the Hackaday staff will be able to make it this year, but we're really looking forward to seeing all the cool pictures that seem to flow out of the event.
If you happen to make it to the event, we'd love to see your pictures and videos.
Join us after the break for a short video that gives a taste of what the games are like.
Continue reading "2012 Robogames This Weekend In San Mateo California"


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CAIRO — A drone attack Sunday on an open market south of Sudan's capital, Khartoum, killed at least 43 people, activists and a medical group said, as the military and a powerful rival paramilitary group battle for control of the country.
More than 55 others were wounded in the attack in Khartoum's May neighborhood, where paramilitary forces battling the military were heavily deployed, the Sudan Doctors' Union said in a statement. The casualties were taken to Bashair University Hospital.
The Resistance Committees, an activist group that helps organize humanitarian assistance, posted footage on social media showing bodies wrapped in white sheets in an open yard at the hospital.
Sudan has been rocked by violence since mid-April, when tensions between the country's military, led by Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, commanded by Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, burst into open fighting.
The RSF blamed the military's air force for Sunday's attack, though it was not immediately possible to independently verify the claim. The military, meanwhile, said Sunday afternoon that it didn't target civilians, describing the RSF accusations as "false and misleading claims."
Indiscriminate shelling and airstrikes by both factions are not uncommon in Sudan's war, which has made the Greater Khartoum area a battleground.
The conflict has since spread to several parts of the country. In the Greater Khartoum area, which includes the cities of Khartoum, Omdurman and Bahri, RSF troops have commandeered civilian homes and turned them into operational bases. The military responded by bombing these residential areas, rights groups and activists say.
In the western Darfur region — the scene of a genocidal campaign in the early 2000s — the conflict has morphed into ethnic violence, with the RSF and allied Arab militias attacking ethnic African groups, according to rights groups and the United Nations.
Fierce clashes ensued over the weekend in al-Fasher, the provincial capital of North Darfur province, following an attack on a military facility by the RSF, local media reported.
Clementine Nkweta-Salami, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator in Sudan, expressed concerns Sunday about the clashes in al-Fasher. Writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, the U.N. official called for warring factions to stop fighting "so that humanitarians can bring in food, medicine and shelter items to those who need them most."
The war has killed more than 4,000 people, according to August figures from the United Nations. However, the real toll is almost certainly much higher, doctors and activists say.
The number of internally displaced persons has nearly doubled since mid-April to reach at least 7.1 million people, according to the U.N. refugee agency. Another 1.1 million are refugees in neighboring countries, according to figures released last week by the International Organization for Migration.
Chad received about 465,000 refugees, mostly from West Darfur province where the RSF and its Arab militias launched scorched-earth attacks on non-Arab tribes in the provincial capital of Geneina and its surrounding areas, according to the U.N. and rights groups.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Tim Arpin is toned and tanned, with shoulder-length brown hair and brooding eyes. He bears a striking resemblance to Antonio Banderas, circa 1995. He's such a hunk, the 30-year-old Georgia native is in the running to be Cosmo's bachelor of the year.
Arpin is one of 50 men who appears on the magazine's website sans shirt and flexing his best assets. The finalists hail from different states and backgrounds, but they all have the same answer for one question: do you manscape? Every dude that's asked says—enthusiastically—yes!
"I'm a pretty hairy guy," admits Aprin, a real-estate investor. He says he shaves his chest and stomach weekly with a standard Gillette razor. Since he'd rather not risk nicking his private parts with a straight blade, Arpin whittles down his crotch hair once a month with a safety-guarded electric trimmer. "I like the way it looks," he says, adding, "And I think a girl would appreciate it." A Southern gentleman, Arpin carefully avoids crude references. Only after being nudged does he admit that general upkeep makes sex better. "Too much hair can be distracting and take away from the moment," he explains.
The Atlantic reported this month that female pubic hair in America is on the road to extinction, but that's a bit like noting the spotted owl is an endangered species. Grooming and waxing experts say the latest trend in pubic hair removal isn't targeted at women—it's for the guys. There's evidence of this all around us (if you dare to look). The most startling aspect of seeing Anthony Weiner's penis in a leaked iPhone sext earlier this year wasn't its size, but that it looked like a plucked chicken. The same is true of other celebrities' trimmed full-monty shots, from football player Brett Favre to Fall Out Boy Pete Wentz.
In ancient times, removing male pubic hair had less to do with aesthetics. Egyptians did it to stave off fleas and lice. Romans removed adolescent boys' body hair as an initiation into adulthood. In the 16th century, Europeans were aghast when Michelangelo's statue of David featured a sculpted tuft above his penis; they thought it looked ungodly. The modern manscaped man is a product of today's post-metrosexual society, where even the alpha male indulges in spa treatments and $50 Diesel boxer briefs.
"Part of it has to do with shared roles," says Nicole Caldwell, the editor of Playgirl, who has seen such a steep decline in male pubic hair recently that she has to remind her models not to shave everything off. "I don't want to say there's no distinction between men and women, but it's more acceptable for them to share a space. Guys can occupy salons and it's not totally bizarre."
Robert, a 25-year-old investment manager from Massachusetts, trims his pubes with an electric razor—"the kind that barbers use for shaving heads," he says. Just as he prefers a woman to be groomed when he performs oral sex ("the less hair, the better"), he imagines girls don't want a bush in their mouths either.
While little scientific research exists on male hair-removal habits, a 2008 study conducted by researchers at Flinders University in Australia concluded that "hairlessness is rapidly becoming a component of the ideal male body." Of the 228 heterosexual males who participated in the anonymous survey, 66 percent said they had removed their pubic hair at least once, in comparison to 82 percent of homosexual males.
Manscaping has gone so mainstream that stores like Kohls and Bed, Bath & Beyond stock body trimmers right next to facial ones. "The Mangroomer Private Body Shaver is one of our best-selling products," says Mike Gilman, co-owner of the Grooming Lounge in Washington D.C., an upscale Barber Shop that serves scotch to its clients. Brian Boye, fashion and grooming editor at Men's Health, agrees that body-grooming products have flooded the men's market in recent years. For only $8, you can treat a razor-burned scrotum with luxurious "Calm Balm Soothing Skin Salve," by ballsBALM.
We've come a long way from the days when Steve Carrell comically winced while waxing his chest in The 40-Year-Old Virgin. In this year's 50/50, when Joseph Gordon-Levitt's cancer-stricken character shaves his head, he borrows an electric trimmer from his bearded buddy (played by Seth Rogen), who confesses after the fact that, yes, he uses it to shave his balls. The subtext here suggests that if a guy as unkempt as Rogen tends to his hair down there, so should every other American bro.
For those seeking a silky-smooth undercarriage, there's always the waxing option. In London, the Strip: Ministry of Waxing reports that one out of every three male customers requests a "Boyzilian."
"I have guys who come in every four to six weeks just to wax their butt cracks," says Cande, a laid-back wax aesthetician at Strip's New York City outpost. Most of her male clients are in their late 20s or early 30s, she says, and many claim they were encouraged by their significant others to get the "BSC"— a provocative procedure that involves waxing the "back, sack, and crack." One young man confessed his fiancée sent him in after he told her to "take care of her bush," though he'd clearly never considered trimming his own hedges.
"There have been a couple of serious scenarios," Cande says in reference to a few of the thicker shrubs she's pruned. Some particularly hairy (and forthcoming) men complain about the necessity of showering every time they do their business. "Waxing keeps it cleaner back there," says Cande. "Once they feel the difference, they become addicts!"
Kirsten, the manager at Strip NYC, notes that men of all ages and demographics are increasingly more open to the idea of waxing where the sun doesn't shine. "Last week, a man in his late 50s came in to get a BSC while his daughter got a Brazilian," she tells The Daily Beast. "I can't imagine that scenario taking place two years ago."
Martha Frankel, who co-wrote Brazilian Sexy with Janea Padilha, one of the founding members at Manhattan's infamous J Sisters salon, is bowled over by the manscaping boom. According to Frankel, waxing used to be a strictly gay phenomenon, particularly in Brazil, where gay men strolled the beach in barely-there banana hammocks. Today, she hasn't come across a single straight guy under 25 who doesn't trim, shave or wax.
There are many factors driving the trend, but both experts and average Joes agree that pornography officially made manscaping de rigueur. Peter Walters, a 23-year-old from San Francisco, says porn inspired him and his friends to trim their pubic hair as freshmen in high school. "Most of the guys in these videos were completely bald, as were the girls, so we all experimented."
John Marsh, who owns the company that produces videos for Fratmen and Fratpad, porn sites geared toward a gay audience, says virtually all of the straight men they recruit for their films shave their pubic hair, and they all fall between the ages of 18 and 22. "They claim they do it because the girls want it that way, but I don't think that's the case," Marsh argues. He's convinced most of them do it to make their members look bigger. "These guys also like their girls to be hairless, so they assume the girls want the same thing from them."
Au contraire, says Shallon Lester, who stars on MTV's reality TV show, Downtown Girls, and recently released her second novel, Exes and Ohs. When one of her real-life exes came home with a Boyzilian, Shallon was revolted. But she thinks man bushes are icky, too. Men (and women) should "just keep things in check."
Dave Rubin, an openly gay comedian and cohost of the Sirius XM radio show The Six Pack, has similar views about pubic-hair extremes: "It doesn't have to be anything major, but I think everyone appreciates a little clean-up operation. In fact, I should probably go trim after this conversation."
But when it comes to more extreme manscaping, the most vocal critics are—perhaps surprisingly—gay men. Models who don't have pubic hair are often criticized by their gay fans for looking too feminine. Just ask Benjamin Godfre, a 24-year-old model based in California who has starred in fetish videos and been "professionally tickled."
"My girlfriend in high school liked it when I shaved, and I kind of liked it too," says Godfre, who stopped two years ago. Once he became an obsession on gay blogs, photographers urged him to grow out his pubic hair. "I'm a 180-pound normal dude. I have a more masculine look, so I like to keep it natural looking down there. I try not to shave it anymore," he says. Otherwise, "I just look too teeny-bopper."


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Hello again everyone! It's THAT time again!! The Design Team has voted & I have correlated the results! THANK YOU so very much to every one of you for playing along!! There were SEVENTY EIGHT entries this month, from TWENTY FIVE different countries! So although we are down 4 entries from last month we are up 6 countries! The word is spreading!! Summer holidays are upon many of you (in the Northern hemisphere) & here down South we also have a holiday period so many of you are travelling or just enjoying family time & a scrappy break, but we still had such a good turn out - woopity woop!!
Please don't forget to include your country (we have 19 entries without countries stated so if I don't know where you're from I can't include you in our "stats" - which I think are fun :-p) This month the Aussies are in the lead with the most entries, followed by the Europeans, then the Americans! Asia, South America, Eastern Europe & South Africa are also in the running & we have a few Canadians & New Zealanders too!! Keep it up girls - we LOVE to see your work & we all do our best to make it over for a visit, but word verification is slowing us down, so please consider comment moderation instead - thanks!!
This month our 1st Place goes to Lisa Griffith from the USA
with this layout (from her very first blog post!!)
with this layout (from her very first blog post!!)
Huge congrats to you Lisa! What an amazingly delicate & beautiful page!!
It had us all dumbstruck & speechless for a while - pure perfection!
Please email me at firstname.lastname@example.com with your postal address for me to
pass onto Aida at 13arts so you can recieve your wonderful mixed media pack prize!
{we will also discuss your GUEST DESIGNER offer!!}
2nd place goes to Linda Eggleton from Australia!
WHAT a truly awesome page! This was a firm favourite among us all!!
Please email me with your postal address Linda, so I can get Aneta from
Studio 75 to get your paper collection to you as soon as possible :)
3rd place goes to Sanna Lippert from Austria! - I think!!
What an awesome take on the sketch & such WOW factor too!!
Sanna please get in touch so I can get your details passed onto Sofie
at Scrapmatts & you can receive some LOVELY chipboard!!
4th place goes to Heather Jacob from Australia!
Another great take on the sketch, turning it on it's side & as usual
wowing us with your awesome techniques & inimitable style Heather!
You have won your choice of Flairs from A Piece of Cake designs -
woohoo!! E mail me your postal addy & your selections please :)
Now moving on to our Honourable Mentions...
These will only be ready by the end of the month but all
honourable mentions from May & June are free to SNAG 'EM &
FEATURED ladies free to exchange your featured badge to a "Top 4"!!!}
Another EIGHT very beautiful & deserving layouts that came THIS close
to getting featured, but decisions, decisions, this is no easy task!!!
The standard of entries really was incredibly high this month & we would
hate for you to lose motivation when you are turning out such stellar work!
hate for you to lose motivation when you are turning out such stellar work!
{We did say last month that we would feature a VARYING AMOUNT
of honourable mentions each month, depending on the votes,
but we wouldn't exceed 10% of our total entries}
Isn't this layout completely ADORABLE!
Be still my beating heart - I see a PINK camera!!
WOW!!!!! Amazing page! Such an individual style!!!
Yum, yum, yum!! Beautiful colours & inspired page Nicolle!!!
This layout was a firm favourite!
This is just so light, bright & stunning!!
Sheer textural delight!!
Wonderful attention to detail!
A very beautiful classic shabby page!
WOW!! You girls are giving us on the Design Team a run for our money!!
I am already getting so excited about selecting the new team for next
year so expect to see the call in March 2014 & remember :-
year so expect to see the call in March 2014 & remember :-
1) you need to have played along at the site to be considered.
I'm all about keeping it real around here, but of course there are many other factors to consider.
2). Geographical location (so we throw the net out wide!).
3). English speaking ability (from a practical viewpoint for our Facebook group)
4). Popularity/Followers (as the more people that read your blog the more chance of some of them playing)
5). Great work & great photography (of course!)
6). A commitment to all aspects of the team (in other words behind the scenes co-operation, commenting etc, there is more involved than simply contributing one layout a month no matter how awesome it is!).
Po was one of our Honourable Mentions last month & as you can see she
played again & created another lovely & highly artistic creation!!
Po please email me at firstname.lastname@example.com so I can pass your
postal address onto Anupama & she can send out your 3 stencils!
I can see that you will definitely use & enjoy them - congrats!!
All winners are required to contact me within one week to claim their prizes -
please put SCRAP AROUND THE WORLD PRIZEWINNER in the
subject line (you really don't want to know how many emails I have
in my inbox & I want to be able to find yours easily!)
Come back on MONDAY to check out Challenge 3!!!
Remember it's not only about winners - we want you to have fun & "make good art!"
Don't forget to leave some LOVE for all these lovely ladies -
we are all about encouragement & mutual support around here!!!