text:
By Guilherme Mendes Thomaz – @guimendesthomaz
The mayor of Curitiba, Beto Richa received on Tuesday night (12th) in Washington the Sustainable Transport Award 2010 for the implantation of the Linha Verde (Green Line). It is the first time that a Brazilian city wins this award from the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP).
"More than an incentive, this recognition extends our responsibilities with the construction of a sustainable society, question that will not be equated without a public transport system characterized for the excellence of its quality" said Richa in his gratefulness speech.
The Sustainable Transport Award, is annually offered to the best public transport projects of the world. It is organized by the United States ITDP and a commission composed of more eight international institutions: the ONU Regional Development Center; Environmental Defense Fund; Transportation Research Board Committee on Transportation in Developing Countries; Clean Air Initiatives for Asia; Clean Air Initiatives for Africa; GTZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit); EMBARQ (The World Resources Institute Center for Sustainable Transport) and International Association of Public Transport (UITP).
"The awarding crown the hard work of some generations of the city and its citizens in the area of urban transport and now the Green Line is a new impulse", said Richa. "This international recognition proves one more time why Curitiba is the world-wide reference in public transportation and innovative urban solutions."
The mayor said that the permanent modernization of the public transport continues being a basic commitment in Curitiba and the adoption of new technologies will also extend and improve even more the public transport. "All this without forgetting the concepts associated to public transport, sustainability and life quality."
"With the Green Line, Curitiba continues the tradition of sustainable transport. Curitiba is one of the first and better examples of efficient and plain urban transport focused in the environmental sustainability" said Enrique Penalosa, president of the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy.
"The removal of the old BR-116 highway was a dream for the curitibanos and was cogitated by visionary urban planners already in the 60's" affirmed Beto Richa. "The Green Line is a reality into the city development and the advance of Curitiba's public transport system. "
"The Linha Verde impressed the members of the committee with a really modern transport corridor set up with traffic lanes, ciclovias, sidewalk and parking, forming a complete avenue", said Enrique Penalosa, ex-mayor of Bogota that also won the Sustainable Transport Award in 2005.
"Curitiba launched the innovation in the public transport. Everyone recognized that the Curitiba city deserved the nomination and the prize" said Kathryn Phillips, specialist in transport politics of the Environmental Defense Fund, in Sacramento, California.
The other nominees cities announced to run for the Sustainable Transport Award 2010 are Ahmedabad (India), Johannesburg (South Africa), Cali (Colombia)and Guadalajara (Mexico). All of them were also awarded for its projects inspired by the exclusive Curitiba's transport system world-wide known as BRT (Bus of Fast Transit). Click here to see their projects, its strengths and weaknesses.
"Three (Cali, Curitiba and Guadalajara) out of five nominee cities announced are important cities of Latin America, reaffirming the leadership adopted for this region in developing cleaner and more efficient transports systems", said Sergio Sanchez, executive director of the Clean Air Institute. "These examples must stimulate other places and cities of Latin America to continue constructing more competitive cities, at the same time improving the air quality and reducing gas emission."
The Green Line is the sixth transport corridor of Curitiba and its construction began in 2007. It was implanted in the old BR-116 and transformed into a complete and great traffic area. Besides ten traffic lanes, the avenue has exclusive BRT (Bus Rapid Transport) lanes, fast lanes, access lanes, parking lanes, bike lanes, pedestrian lanes, sidewalk and a leisure area is being built.
The Green Line allowed the implantation of new bus lines that connects some suburb areas to downtown faster .The first one to be created was Pinheirinho-Centro, reduced in 17% in the trip time. The line has also the first buses in Latin America to use biodiesel, made from soy base. For more information about it check the post "The First 100% Biodiesel Buses in Latin America Starts to Circulate in Curitiba!".
If you are coming to Curitiba and want to experience and see how the Linha Verde (Green Line) works, check out the tour "Curitiba like locals: Urban Planning".
http://www.fabiocampana.com.br/2010/01/richa-recebeu-em-washington-premio-pela-linha-verde/ – Translated by Guilherme Mendes Thomaz


text:
While Remco Industries Inc. strives to make the information on this website as timely and accurate as possible, Remco Industries makes no claims, promises, or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of this site, and expressly disclaims liability for errors and omissions in the contents of this site and it's mechanisms. No warranty of any kind, implied, expressed, or statutory, including but not limited to the warranties of non-infringement of third party rights, title, merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose or freedom from computer virus, is given with respect to the contents and use of this website or its links to other Internet resources.
Reference in this site to any specific commercial product, process, or service, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name is for the information and convenience of our customers and may be copyright protected. Thank you.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Dave & Buster's has 54 locations across the United States, each of which can host groups of 10-2,000 people. Amenities include theaters, private break-out rooms, 10 team-building programs and, of course, midway games.
Our Mission
PYM @ MPI seeks to empower the people who make meetings happen by providing best practices education, helping them forge strong business partnerships with suppliers and find mentors in the industry. We firmly believe that meeting and event planners are the movie producers of the corporate world. Meetings move us. Meetings mean business. When we meet, we can change the world.
2711 Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway, Suite 600, Dallas, Texas 75234


text:
If you thought that private, LEGO surveillance blimps were something from some kind of bizarre steampunk dystopia, you'd only be half-right. Two endeavoring LEGO tinkerers, Tyler Westmoreland and Chris Shepard, have brought such a thing into being using nothing but Mindstorms and a couple of balloons.
It's not the most menacing drone there ever was, but it's pretty cool for a DIY job. All the code for the blimp and its controller are open source too, so there's nothing stopping you or anyone else from preparing an army of the things. Strap a 1.8 gigapixel military drone camera on there and you're really in action. That last step might be a littlehard though. [Dexter Industries via Engadget]


text:
So last Sunday the talks went pretty Ok, but I don't think they'll ask us to speak again for a while. Dallas came home the next day and that was fun. We took him to the mall real quick, and costco and he wanted to do lunch at freekin Red Lobster (I'm not a big seafood fan and neither is Johnna. but it was ok.) I guess he started working at the ski resort the next day. We are going up for his homecoming in a couple weeks and I think I have Johnna talked into trying snowboarding!! wish us luck!
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Posted by Unknown at 10:29 AM
0 comments:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
It's hard to get excited about another drawn-out business meeting. Stiff chairs. A circle of equally bored faces. Maybe your leg falls asleep from all that sitting, and then what? You jiggle it silently in your seat and stumble gracelessly on your way out the door.
Listen up, bosses and interior designers: It doesn't have to be this way!
The Swing Table is a fun and fancy four-poster table, from which a GEO lampshade and eight hanging chairs are suspended, swingset-style.
Available in bespoke finishes and sizes, Duffy London's standard Swing Table (approx. $7,773.00) is made of Walnut veneer and powder-coated mild steel and measures 86.6 inches high by 92.5 inches long by 53.1 inches deep.
What better way to get your staff into the office than to lure them with the promise of playground equipment!?[DuffyLondon via IncredibleThings via OhGizmo]


text:
Left: United Nations Officials with an unofficial U.N. flag, 1947, Right: Anonymous members with flags in the UK from flickr, 2008
Anonymous operates under a well-designed logo. Does it belie their dispersed identity or siphon power from historical symbols to disrupt our own associations to them? The aesthetics of past revolutionary movements point more towards the second possibility. We see this link to history in the poster designs of Occupy Wall Street — new digital tools under visual constraints produce an early 20th century screen printer's aesthetic with formal motifs of the same era.
New technology and historical technique are converging, and so are the symbols being used to deliver the message. The visual traces of current aesthetics draw on the deep roots of history and the powerful associations images and symbols therefore possess, allowing us to make quick associations to the power of the Roman Empire or the strength of the Greek Gods all in a glance at a tiny logo. Turning back to Anonymous —What can we learn by systematically decoding their symbolism? And how do their aesthetics relate to their actions as international and anonymous activists?
Searching for these convergences online often reveals infinite Platonic shades of nearly identical images. But occasionally, if you sift past the first helping of results, you can uncover some remarkable connections.
Born in part from the image boards of 4chan, internet image culture was Anonymous' early stock-in-trade. But above the rabble of trollish GIFs and dinosaur ASCI art they have developed themselves into a brand. Their logo, which dramatically leads many Anonymous affiliated YouTube videos, is wrapped in screen interference, reminiscent of military surveillance cam signals, and backed by equivalently dramatic classical sound clips. On the AnonOps blog the logo lives in static forms; black and white, ironically layered against a sea of 1s and 0s, and as the favicon...


text:
What Kind of Palestinian State?
The U.N. should consider whether the world needs another nation that imports weapons and exports
Source: RON PROSOR, Wall Street Journal, 11-28-12
For more than a year, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has attempted to bypass peace negotiations with Israel by unilaterally seeking state recognition at the United Nations. Instead of pulling him back from this cliff, this week the U.N.'s General Assembly may push him over the edge.
Many countries in the Assembly are taking an approach to Palestinian statehood that is far more Pavlovian than Washingtonian. Perhaps this should not come as a surprise. For decades, the body has rubber-stamped any Palestinian whim no matter how ill-advised, ill-conceived or illogical.
The time is right to break this habit. It doesn't take an architect to recognize how poorly Palestinians have laid the foundations for statehood in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. U.N. members considering Palestinian statehood have a duty to inspect these foundations and ask: Exactly what kind of state are we voting for?
• A state with no control over its territory. The Palestinian Authority has zero authority in Gaza today. Out of concern for his personal safety, President Abbas has not even seen this area with binoculars since 2007, when the Hamas terrorist organization seized control of it in a bloody coup. Demonstrating their affection for Mr. Abbas, Hamas threw members of his political party off 12-story rooftops. While members of the U.S. Congress visit their constituents on a weekly basis, President Abbas hasn't laid eyes on almost half of the Palestinian population for six years.
• A terrorist state. States recognized by the U.N. must pledge to be "peace-loving." This month, Hamas showed its commitment to peace and love in Gaza by firing more than 1,200 rockets into Israeli cities. The terrorist group has used every resource at its disposal to repress its own population or attack Israel's. It has transformed Gaza into a haven for global jihadist organizations like al Qaeda. The family of nations does not need another member whose primary import is deadly weapons and whose chief exports are extremism, hatred and terror.
• An undemocratic state. Hamas has imposed brutal tyranny in Gaza, and Palestinian democracy in the West Bank is also far from Jeffersonian. President Abbas's mandate to rule expired three years ago. He continues to personally extend it without elections or consultation from his people. Mr. Abbas may have a flexible view of his own term limits, but his ideas about freedom of speech are more rigid. Journalists, bloggers and activists continue to be jailed and tortured in the West Bank for crimes such as "extending their tongues against the Palestinian President."
• A bankrupt state. Palestinian Authority institutions remain completely dependent on foreign aid, limping from crisis to crisis. Yet this year, as the PA threatened to delay payroll for many employees, it tripled payments to convicted terrorists. Today the PA devotes 6% of its annual budget to payments for imprisoned terrorists and the families of suicide bombers, and less than 1% to higher education. In mosques, schools and official media, the PA glorifies terror and promotes incitement against Israelis. Instead of using their budgets for nation-building, they use them for nation-sinking.
Before placing its seal of approval on a Palestinian non-state, the U.N. should consider the consequences. Virtual statehood might earn Mr. Abbas a better seat in the General Assembly, but it will not change anything on the ground. It would only raise expectations for the Palestinian people that cannot be met. In our very volatile region, the results could be tragic.
Israel is urging the Palestinian leadership to give up their destructive march of folly at the U.N. and work with us to forge constructive solutions at the negotiating table, which the PA leadership has avoided for years. The foundations for real Palestinian statehood and real peace can only be laid through hard work on the ground and direct talks with Israel.
When the foundations for lasting peace are in place, Israel will not be the last nation to welcome Palestinians to the U.N. We will be the first.
Mr. Prosor is Israel's ambassador to the United Nations.


text:
In our daily life, you may need a tally counter to do the countings at sport events or for any other tallying needs. A tally counter helps you avoid memorizing large numbers. It's neccessary for you to get yourself an easy-to-use tally counter to keep track of attendance, baseball pitch count, car parking tally, and anything that requires counting.
4 Digits Hand Held Tally Counter Numbers Clicker
This counter numbers clicker is made of stainless metal thus it is durable, its nice appearance and compact design gives you wonderful and comfortable feelings. It fits comfortably in the palm of your hand or can be mounted on the desk for convenience. It costs only $2.99 and no shipping fee. Get one now for all the statistics occasions!


text:
Fish-Shaped Cakes
When Margaret detailed how she garnishes her deliciously different cake with slices of citrus from the trees around her Southwestern home, our crafty cooks were hooked.—Margaret Pache, Mesa, Arizona
Total TimePrep: 1 hour Bake: 30 min. + cooling
Makes12 servings
- 1 package lemon cake mix (regular size)
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest, divided
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 1 package (3.4 ounces) instant lemon pudding mix
- 1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
- 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
- Red, yellow, green and blue liquid food coloring
- 2 black jelly beans
- 9 slices fresh lemon
- 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
- Prepare cake batter according package directions, replacing 1/2 cup water with milk. Add 1 teaspoon lemon zest and extract. Pour batter into two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans.
- Bake at 350° for 28-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
- Prepare pudding according to package directions; add remaining lemon zest. Cut cakes into large and small fish. Cut each fish in half horizontally; spread pudding on bottom layers and replace tops.
- Place fish on a large platter or covered board (about 16x22-in.) Combine the whipped topping and confectioners' sugar; set 1 tablespoon aside. Use remaining frosting to frost top and sides of each fish.
- On each large fish, place three separate drops of red food coloring on the top third, three drops of yellow on the middle third and three drops of green on the bottom third. Starting from the top edge of fish, use the tip of a spoon to form scales and blend colors into frosting.
- For eyes, form a 1-in. oval on each large fish with reserved frosting. Place a jelly bean in the center of oval.
- For small fish, blend one color of food coloring into frosting to make solid-colored fish.
- Cut four lemon slices in half; place two halves in the center of each large fish for fins. Push rounded edges of one slice into the back of small fish for tails. Cut remaining slices into quarters; place one or two on the bottom of each large fish for fins and two slices on each side of small fish for fins.
- Place coconut in a plastic bag, sprinkle 3-4 drops blue food coloring into bag and shake until color is evenly distributed. Sprinkle coconut around fish to resemble water. Store in the refrigerator.


text:
Market News
|October 29, 2013
Climate change pact signed by California, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia
|Saying that the West Coast must lead the way in battling climate change, the governors of California, Oregon and Washington, along with the premier of British Columbia, signed an agreement Monday committing the Canadian province and the three states to coordinate global-warming policies.
Each state and the Canadian province promised to take roughly a dozen actions, including streamlining permits for solar and wind projects, better integrating the electric power grid, supporting more research on ocean acidification and expanding government purchases of electric vehicles.
"You are witnessing a historic small-but-powerful first step," California Gov. Jerry Brown said during the event, held at Cisco's San Francisco campus.
"It's only the beginning. You just watch," Brown said. "Next year and the year after and the year after that, this will spread until finally we get a real handle and grasp on what is the world's greatest existential challenge -- the stability of our climate, on which we all depend."
It was clear, however, that the goals of the pact won't all be immediately achievable. California already has a cap and trade law, signed in 2006 by then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The law, which requires oil companies, factories and power plants to hold permits for the carbon pollution they emit, took effect last year.
In 2008, British Columbia passed a carbon tax that raised the price of gasoline but was offset by a cut in corporate taxes and personal income taxes.
The governors of Oregon and Washington announced support for cap and trade policies. But they must now persuade their legislatures to pass laws to put the policies into effect.
In Washington state, the state Senate is controlled by Republicans, who have opposed cap and trade.
In a wider sense, however, the agreement was a strong political statement. The three Western states and British Columbia have 53 million people and an annual GDP of $2.8 trillion -- representing the fifth largest economy in the world.
The Pacific Coast Action Plan on Climate and Energy also says that the signatories will agree to support new rules from the Obama administration setting limits on carbon emissions from new power plants, which will make it nearly impossible to build new coal-fired plants. The administration is expected to release rules next year on existing power plants -- which could raise electricity bills in many states that depend on coal.
The three governors, all Democrats, made the case that growing the economy is not incompatible with reducing pollution that the majority of the world's scientists say is heating the Earth, melting polar ice and raising sea levels.
"Along the West Coast, we have collectively recognized that a clean economy, energy efficiency and green building provides probably the only path that we have to a sustainable future," Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber said.
Added Washington Gov. Jay Inslee: "While the process in Washington, D.C., is strangled by climate deniers, there is no denying the fact that the West Coast is rip-roaring and ready to go."
Environmentalists praised the pact. "Where Congress is stalled, this shows that states can take the lead," said Dan Jacobson, legislative director of Environment California, a nonprofit advocacy group.
Industry leaders who fought California's regulations, however, took a wait-and-see attitude.
"What we really need is an announcement that these other states will put their economies under cap and trade like California," said Dorothy Rothrock, vice president of the California Manufacturers and Technology Association. "It will be hard for our manufacturers to compete until that happens."
Others said the agreement needs more specifics before its impact will be known. "The devil will be in the details, whether they do anything substantive or whether it turns out to be a time wasting exercise," said Jeremy Carl, a research fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution.
Afterward, Brown defended his support for hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, the controversial practice in which oil and gas firms inject water, sand and chemicals into the ground to fracture underground rock formations and release fossil fuels.
Asked by this newspaper whether fracking should be banned, as about 50 protesters carrying signs outside the event were demanding, Brown said: "What would be the reason for that?"
Brown noted that he just signed a law that not only regulates fracking but also requires an in-depth scientific study of its environmental effects. And he contended that fracking in the U.S. has helped the environment in some ways by increasing the supply of natural gas, which burns cleaner than coal.


text:
On any given day at Boubouki, a Greek food stand in the Essex Street Market, only eight people will get to try a slice of the olive oil pear cake. To get one, you'd better arrive when the stand opens at 10 a.m., because this silky, fluffy, layered cake sells out fast. CHOW.com Contributing Editor Liza de Guia filed the following report on August 6, 2012.
Eat along with Liza and Pervaiz! Follow the NY CHOW Report Foodspotting Guide.


text:
All survey respondents in Austria (100%) reported domestic payment delays. This is the highest percentage in the region, significantly higher than in 2017.
Based on the survey results, 2018 brought many changes in Austria – more frequent payment delays, an increase in the proportion of overdue B2B invoices, a longer invoice to cash turnaround and a higher proportion of uncollectables. A notable percentage of respondents reported that their businesses have been impacted by late payment. To manage the impact, they had to pursue additional financing, correct cash flow, or postpone their own payments to suppliers. 18.9% of respondents reported that past due B2B invoices led to revenue loss.
Regular customers more likely to be offered credit
The proportion of total B2B sales made on credit in Austria is stable at 27.2% (26.5% in 2017). Like most of their peers in the region, Austrian respondents used credit in a higher proportion of sales to domestic B2B customers (on average, 32.1%) than to B2B customers abroad (22.3%).
Most respondents offer credit to domestic B2B customers because they are familiar with domestic business practices and for the loyalty of return customers. Austrian respondents also mentioned their wish to develop further locally. When confronted with poor payment behaviour and with financially weak customers, respondents in Austria do not grant trade credit to their domestic B2B customers (mentioned by 40.5% and 21.4% of respondents).
We trade on credit with regular customers, with whom we have built long-term partnerships and whom we trust. New customers are granted trade credit only if we believe that the business relationship will last longer.
Companies in Austria grant trade credit to their foreign B2B customers for the same reasons: regular customers whom they trust and because credit sales are common practice in the sectors they operate in. The top reasons for refusing to grant trade credit to foreign B2B customers are: a lack of information on the customer's business and payment performance (mentioned by 32.5% of respondents) and high economic and political risk in the customer's country (mentioned by 35.0%).
We trade on credit with foreign B2B customers because it is a common trend in the market.
The second consecutive year with an increase in past due receivables
The vast majority of respondents in Austria (95.0%) reported frequent late payments by their domestic and foreign B2B customers. This was the highest percentage in Western Europe and a higher percentage than in 2017, when it stood at 91.5%. Moreover, all survey respondents (100%) reported domestic payment delays.
The proportion of domestic and foreign overdue B2B receivables in Austria increased for the second consecutive year and stands at 42.0%. The average proportion of foreign past due B2B invoices was slightly higher than that of domestic past due B2B invoices.
The Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) figure in Austria is 32 days on average and 2018 marks the third consecutive year of decrease (2017:34 days). 67.3% of respondents said that they do not expect changes in their company's DSO over the next 12 months. 18.8% foresee an increase and 13.9% a decrease.
Additional financing needed to manage the impact of payment delays
Domestic B2B customers of respondents in Austria are given, on average, 23 days to settle their invoices. This is two days shorter than in 2017. In contrast, foreign B2B customers are given, on average, 27 days to fulfil their payment obligations – two days longer than in 2017. The average payment terms recorded in Austria are in line with the averages recorded in Western Europe overall.
52.8% of respondents in Austria said that they are most likely to differentiate payment terms between domestic and foreign B2B customers. 33.3% said that they would give their domestic B2B customers less time to settle payments, while 19.5% said that they would extend longer payments to domestic B2B customers. The main reasons for differentiating payment terms in Austria are industry practices, the economic situation in the export country and the financial risk related to the export transaction.
B2B customers of respondents in Austria have delayed payments for a longer time in 2018. An increase of two days was reported in respect to domestic B2B customers (on average, 22 days) and an increase of three days in regards to foreign B2B customers (on average, 23 days).
In Austria, payment delays by B2B customers occurred mainly because of insufficient availability of funds and because of buyers using outstanding invoices as a form of financing. 53.4% of respondents in the country stated insufficient availability of funds in regards to their domestic B2B customers and 49.1% in regards to their foreign B2B customers. Both these percentages are higher than those registered in Western Europe overall. The second most frequently cited reason for payment delays in 2018 – buyers using outstanding invoices as a form of financing was cited by 38.2% of Austrian respondents in regards to their domestic B2B customers and by 37.0% in regards to their foreign B2B customers. Once more, these are higher than those registered at regional level.
Among the Western European countries surveyed, Austria had one of the lowest percentages of respondents (38.3%), who reported that payment delays did not affect their businesses significantly. To manage the impact of overdue invoices, 22.8% of respondents in Austria mentioned the need to pursue additional financing and 20.0% said that they needed to take specific measures to correct cash flow and postpone their own payments to suppliers.
The majority of Austrian respondents are invoicing online
67.9% of respondents in Austria said that they are invoicing their domestic and foreign B2B customers electronically. While this shows that the majority are invoicing online, Austria's percentage is in line with the regional average. Of the Austrian respondents who have not migrated to online invoicing, 10.7% stated their intention to do so in 2018. 18.6% of respondents said that they are not using this method of payment and a low 2.8% that they are no longer invoicing electronically.
Asked about the effect of electronic invoices on payment duration, the majority of respondents (54.8%) said that they received payments faster. In contrast, only 4.1% stated they have experienced slower payments and 41.1% of respondents believe that e-invoicing has no noteworthy effect.
Austrian respondents fear deterioration in global growth due to US protectionism
Like their peers in Western Europe, respondents in Austria perceive US protectionism turning into a trade war as the most significant potential risk to global development (more significant than misguided Fed policy, China's 'hard landing' and geopolitical risk). The 40.4% of respondents in Austria citing this as the main threat to global growth is slightly lower than the regional average of 44.8%. Additionally, 27.5% rated US protectionism as a significant risk – although they don't believe it will hamper global growth the most.
22.0% of Austrian businesses considered Fed policy to be the second most significant risk to global growth.
A minor increase in uncollectable B2B receivables
In 2018, the proportion of uncollectable B2B receivables stands at 0.9%. This marks a minor increase from 0.7% last year. Despite this, Austria's proportion of uncollectable B2B receivables is under the regional average of 1.3%.
In Austria, uncollectable receivables originated most often from B2B customers in construction, consumer durables, services and business services. Top reasons for writing off B2B receivables as uncollectable were the customer going bankrupt or out of business (mentioned by 64.8% of respondents), the inability to locate the customer (mentioned by 27.6%) and failure of collection attempts (26.9%).
Construction and consumer durables – problematic sectors
Suppliers in Austria gave their B2B customers in the paper and construction materials sectors payment terms longer than the 25 day average. B2B customers in the paper sector had, on average, 85 days to fulfil payment obligations while those in construction materials received 46 days, on average. In contrast, B2B customers in the agriculture and chemicals sectors had some of the shortest average payment terms (on average, 17 days).
Austrian suppliers reported that B2B customers in the construction and consumer durables sectors generated some of the longest payment delays, on average 24 and 23 days late respectively.
The most frequently reported reasons for payment delays in the construction sector are buyers using outstanding invoices as a form of financing (55.0%) and insufficient availability of funds (48.0%). Austrian suppliers reported that payment delays from B2B customers in the consumer durables sector occurred mainly because of the same reasons. 33.0% of respondents stated buyers using outstanding invoices as a form of financing and 30.0% insufficient availability of funds. Additionally, 30.0% of Austrian respondents in the consumer durables sector stated delays because of the formal insolvency of the buyer.
Austrian respondents stated that they foresee changes in their B2B customers' payment behaviour over the coming 12 months. 34.0% of respondents in the construction sector expect deterioration and a lower 11.0% improvement. In the consumer durables sector, 24.0% foresee deterioration and 18.0% improvement.


text:
Right Hair, Right Now
This story appears in the March 2000 issue of . Subscribe »
While working her way through Clark Atlanta University by styling hair, 26-year-old Fatima Sokera kept running into a problem. When she removed artificial braids or other hair extensions that had been in a customer's hair for months, the client's real hair was often matted and full of glue. Since she was studying for her bachelor's degree in biology and a minor in chemistry, Sokera put her learning to work. The perfect solution to the problem was a cream she later dubbed Take Down. The wonder product dissolves and removes glue and other attaching media while loosening tangled hair.
While still in school, Sokera started her business by following a simple three-step process that can work for any underfinanced inventor:
1. Prove that consumers will buy your product in a test market.
2. Persuade people in your industry to support the product.
3. Get major distributors or buyers to purchase the product.
Don Debelak (firstname.lastname@example.com) is a new-business marketing consultant who has been introducing new products for more than 20 years. He is the author of Bringing Your Product to Market (John Wiley & Sons, $19.95, 800-225-5945).
Prove Your Product
At first, Sokera used Take Down only on her customers, but soon other stylists in the salon started calling her "Take Down girl" and sending customers to her whenever they wanted hair extensions removed. Sokera knew she had the only cream on the market that helped remove extensions.
After several months of success in the salon where she worked, Sokera bottled a small quantity of Take Down and hit the streets, calling on salons all over Georgia and neighboring states. To build de-mand, she left samples with salons and passed out fliers about her product to friends and family, as well as strangers on street corners and in supermarkets. In the end, an average of four out of 10 salons liked her product and started to buy it on a regular basis.
In 1997, her first year, Sokera sold just $15,000 to $20,000 worth of Take Down through her company, Fatima's Beautiful Braids Inc. Small as this figure was, it proved that customers would not only buy her product, but they would also reorder it. This step was essential because distributors are usually reluctant to take on unproven products, fearing they'll get stuck with unwanted inventory. Initially, Sokera tried to sell Take Down to beauty product distributors, but she couldn't get them to take her seriously. Such early rejection is common. Distributors and retailers see dozens of small, one-product companies disappear every year, so they prefer to wait and make sure a company lasts a year or two before buying its products. That's why you have to forge that small initial market with your own sales effort.
Make Contact
Sokera couldn't survive on $20,000 in sales per year, but she wasn't sure how to get wider distribution for her product. She called a Doraville, Georgia-based beauty products distributor, Jinny Corp., explaining she was a college student wanting to learn how to get a new product on the market. Roscoe Thomas, vice president of purchasing, met with her and explained the ins and outs of the business. He then gave Sokera a key contact, Chester Cavil of Target Marketing Group, a major manufacturers' representative in the Southeastern beauty products business. (Manufacturers' representatives are independent sales agents who take a 10 percent commission on sales they generate.)
Cavil was happy to meet with Sokera because Jinny Corp. was one of his biggest accounts. The first question he asked Sokera was, "Does your product work?"
"Of course," Sokera answered. Then she explained that salons were using and reordering her product. She didn't realize it at the time, but that's the only answer Cavil would believe. Proving a product will sell is all-important when starting a relationship with a broker.
Cavil felt the product's price needed to be raised to $8.99 to make enough money to pay all the industry middlemen and still support an advertising program. He took some samples and put them in 25 beauty supply stores in the Atlanta area to see if people would pay $8.99 for an 8-ounce bottle. The product sold, and salons soon wanted more. With Cavil's help and positive word-of-mouth, Sokera's 1998 sales soon hit $60,000--setting the stage for greater success.
Get The Big Accounts
In 1999, Sokera and Cavil started calling on bigger distributor accounts and began to pick up some small initial orders. Of course, Sokera would have liked to get big orders right away, but that's not what typically happens with new specialty items. Each salon would buy only a limited amount of Sokera's product simply because each salon was an independent business.
The only cost-effective way for Sokera to reach multiple salons was to work through a distributor who sold a variety of beauty products. When distributors first agreed to take on Sokera's product, they placed small orders because they hadn't yet built up a demand. Over time, however, the distributors convinced more and more salons to handle the product, which in turn allowed the distributor to steadily increase its orders. Cavil also got Sally Beauty Products, one of the nation's largest beauty supply chains, to carry the product line. While the small initial distributor and retailer orders weren't making Sokera rich, they were a key step toward building a substantial sales base. In 1999, Sokera's sales reached $150,000.
While everyone wants immediate success, if you're like most inventors, you don't have the financial resources needed for a large product launch. Instead, you probably need to follow Sokera's example and go through the three-step product introduction process. The benefits of the process are substantial. First, you can get started with a minimum investment; second, your reliance on assistance from others in your industry minimizes the number of mistakes you'll make; and third, you can still end up with a substantial business.
Don't get discouraged if success seems a long time coming. When it comes to introducing a new product, in many cases, slow and steady wins the race.
On The Q.T.
Sokera's formula contains natural, readily available ingredients. It's not processed in a particularly innovative way, and Sokera was told it probably would have to be altered to be patented. Unwilling to change the formula, she protected her idea by keeping it a trade secret--the same tactic KFC has used over the years to protect its "finger-lickin' good" chicken recipe.
A trade secret can be any formula, pattern, device, idea or process. In order to be considered a trade secret, it must: 1) give its owner a competitive advantage in the marketplace, and 2) be the subject of reasonable efforts for protection from outsiders. "Reasonable" is a vague term, but generally, you will keep an idea a trade secret if you get employees to sign nondisclosure agreements regarding the secret, and if you share no secret information with outsiders unless they sign nondisclosure agreements.
While trade secret status is not as powerful as a patent, trademark or copyright, it still offers some protection for your idea.
One advantage to trade secrets: Unlike a patent, they have no time limit. A utility patent expires after 20 years, while a trade secret can last forever. So keep those great ideas hush-hush!
Start Gabbing
Use publicity TO find your initial customers in business-to-business marketing. Trade magazines aimed at retail stores have extensive new-product sections that are usually just press releases from companies and inventors.
A published press release will definitely benefit your business. First, it's an effective sales tool. Showing that your product has been in major magazines gives you credibility when talking to potential customers. Second, you'll get a list of prospects from the magazine. Trade magazines contain response cards that readers can send in to request more information about products in ads or press releases. Often, new-product sales are made primarily to the people who respond to initial press releases.
To get the word out, check out these books:
- Bulletproof News Releases by Kay Borden (Franklin Sarrett Publishers, $18.95, 770-578-9410)
- The Complete Guide to Publicity by Joe Marconi (NTC Contemporary Publishing Group, $19.95, 800-323-4900)
Contact Sources
Fatima's Beautiful Braids Inc., (770) 424-8189, http://www.millesucres.com/takedown
Jinny Corp., (770) 734-9222
Target Marketing Group, (404) 2411506


text:
Pope's Curia Reform Council Reflects Church's Universality
Pope Francis has chosen eight cardinals from a variety of backgrounds to reform the Curia.
VATICAN CITY — The eight cardinals Pope Francis has chosen to advise him on Church governance and reform of the Curia come from a variety of backgrounds and countries, bringing with them diverse views and realms of experience.
Paolo Gherri, a professor of theology and canon law at the Pontifical Lateran University, told Catholic News Agency April 16 that he believes it is significant that only one adviser is Italian and all advisors are residential archbishops who do not work in the Roman Curia.
Gherri said the announcement of the advisory council shows that there is "a sort of think tank working on new guidelines of ecclesiastical policy."
Bishop Marcello Semeraro of Albano, Italy — the group's secretary — said that the choice of advisers from various parts of the world allows for "enriching and amplifying the forms of communion in the highest echelons of the Church institutions," The Washington Post reports.
The Roman Curia is the Vatican-based administration that helps the Pope carry out his ministry. It has long been the target of criticism for inefficiency and is sometimes accused of corruption.
Though Italians traditionally have disproportionately high representation in the Curia, only one of Pope Francis' advisors is from Italy: Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello.
Cardinal Bertello is president of the Vatican city state governorate and a former apostolic nuncio to Rwanda, to the United Nations in Geneva, to Mexico, to Italy and to San Marino. He has been a cardinal since June 2012.
The only other adviser from Europe is Cardinal Reinhard Marx, archbishop of Munich and Freising in Germany. He is the current president of the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Community.
A cardinal since November 2010, he has served on the Congregation for Catholic Education, the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and the Congregation for the Oriental Churches.
Two advisers come from the English-speaking world.
Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston has spent much of his time as archbishop of Boston helping the archdiocese to recover from the clergy sex-abuse scandals that led to the resignation of his predecessor. He has been a cardinal since March 2006.
He is a member of the Congregation for the Clergy and of the Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.
Cardinal George Pell, archbishop of Sydney, Australia, has served on the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments and has been a member of the Pontifical Council for the Family and the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. He has been a cardinal since October 2003.
In addition, two of the advisers are from Latin America.
Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz Ossa is archbishop emeritus of Santiago, Chile. He was president of the Latin-American Episcopal Council (CELAM) from 2003-2007 and a past superior general of the Schönstatt Movement. He has been a cardinal since 2001 and has served on the Pontifical Council for Culture and on the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.
He is joined by Cardinal Oscar Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga, archbishop of Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Cardinal Maradiaga is a member of the Salesian religious order. He was president of CELAM from 1995-1999 and is currently the president of the Episcopal Conference of Honduras.
He has served on the Vatican Congregation for the Clergy, the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.
In June 2007, he was elected president of Caritas Internationalis, a Catholic charitable agency that performs relief work around the world. He became a cardinal in February 2001.
The lone Asian voice on the council is Cardinal Oswald Gracias, archbishop of Bombay, India. He has been a cardinal since 2008 and heads the Asian bishops' conference. He has served on the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, the Congregation for Catholic Education and the Pontifical Council for Social Communication.
The final adviser comes from Africa: Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya, the archbishop of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo. A cardinal since November 2010, he has served on the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, the Pontifical Council for Culture and the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.
The advisory group will hold its first meeting Oct. 1-3. It will have no legislative ability, but it will serve in an advisory capacity about Curial issues.


text:
"I was working freelance, as were my friends in our respective fields," said Kermizian. "We grew tired of it and decided to just go with our dream and take the risk to open the bar."
Barcade is a lofty-like space with plenty of room to sit back and relax. There are 30-plus arcade style games – which cost only a quarter - along the walls and cheap, draft-only American beer from breweries in the Northeast.
"The idea of the place was to combine craft American beers with vintage games, hence the name Barcade," added Kermizian.
Barcade has a beer menu that changes daily, but some brands are on a constant return. Kirmizian added that the goal of the rotating menu is to keep customers up to date on the many different beers and specific brewers. And just like the menu, the arcade games change as well.
The owners all live in Williamsburg, so it makes coming to work an easy process. The bar tends to attract people in their late 20's and early 30's, or as Kermizian says, the types of people who grew up on the games Barcade features. And their varied selection of draft beers is also a key role in bringing customers back.
"Our many different beers and classic-style gaming attracts a great, mixed crowd," said Kermizian.
(Daniel Fabiani)
Barcade is located at 388 Union Avenue. More information can be found here.


text:
Moose Lake Fishing Pond
The Moose Lake Fishing Pond has become a great place for the kids to experience fishing success - and a few parents and grandparents have been known to drop a line in Moose Lake too. The lake is privately owned, but open to the public.
An attractive feature of the pond is the two pathways that lead most of the way around the north and south shorelines - however, they do not connect. Approach the pond carefully as moose are known to frequent the lake. You may also be able to spot an elusive wood duck on the pond or an occasional osprey circling above.
Moose Lake's location within the beautiful forest of Huckleberry Bay creates the perfect environment for a day of fast-action fishing for young and old alike. The pond is liberally stocked with trout twice yearly by Idaho Fish & Game. Benches and a picnic table are also available - so bring a lunch and enjoy. Please remember, this is private property and access rights can be withdrawn if the pond is abused with litter, etc. - PACK-IT-IN PACK-IT-OUT. Idaho fishing regulations apply at the pond.
Moose Lake Fishing Pond is located just off the Eastshore Road approximately ½ mile north of milepost 16. A road sign clearly marks the turn-off to the parking area, which is located a few yards off the main roadway. The pond is approximately 1/4 mile south of the parking area via a marked trail.


text:
Listings in Collaboration, Information Governance, Archiving/Preservation and Change Management in Los Angeles
VDS (Vendor Direct Solutions)
in Taxonomy and Metadata, SharePoint and O365, Records Management, Process Automation, Information Governance, Content Integration and Migration, Archiving/Preservation
VDS is a software solution provider focusing on Information Governance related challenges. We provide the technology, people and process in order to ensure that you are complying with your record retention schedule.
515 S. Figueroa St, 1900
Los Angeles, California 90071
United States


text:
NORTHWOOD — Even though Brandie Valentine doesn't shoot a lot of 3-pointers in games, she practices them a lot in her spare time. The extra work came in handy on Thursday night for the Coe-Brown Northwood Academy girls basketball team.
Valentine hit a 3-pointer midway through the fourth quarter that capped a comeback for the Bears and put the dagger in the heart of rival Oyster River in a 48-36 Division II win.
"I'm not really good at 3s, so that was kind of surprising," Valentine said. "But I've been working hard at practice and working on my 3s outside of practice, so I'm glad that went in."
Valentine's timely trey capped a 14-3 run by Coe-Brown from which Oyster River could not recover. Coe-Brown outscored the Bobcats 25-13 in the fourth quarter and made five 3-pointers on the night to the visitors' none.
"This was big for us," said Coe-Brown senior forward Liz Peabody. "Our fast break is pretty much our offense, so when we know they're getting close, it's a last-minute thing for us where we know we need to push."
Jenny Schlim scored 17 points to lead the Bears, and was the only scorer in double figures. It was a game both teams needed to win in order to avoid falling too far off track before the halfway point of the season. Coe-Brown, which was coming off a pair of close losses, improved to 3-4 while the Bobcats fell to 2-5.
"We could easily be 5-1 at this stage," Coe-Brown coach Dave Hartnett said. "We're just learning how to play. We're coming off a tough loss, but I think we'll be a team to reckon with when February comes around."
Oyster River led by four (27-23) entering the final frame and tied it on baskets by Schlim and Peabody. A layup by Claire Salmon put the Bobcats back on top by two, but Schlim tied it again on a pair of free throws.
Coe-Brown's Brier Brooks then came up with a steal right under the basket and scored to give the home team a 31-29 lead, its first advantage since midway through the second quarter. Schlim scored on a transition bucket to expand the Bears' lead to four, then Sarah Curtin hit a 3-pointer that made it a seven-point lead. That set the stage for Valentine's 3, which put the Bobcats in too deep a hole to rally.
"We were intimidated by their size," Hartnett said about his team's mood entering the final stanza. "We had a game plan and told the kids to execute it. They did and did a good job doing it."
A low-scoring first period saw the Bears take a 9-6 lead, and things picked up offensively for both teams in the second. A putback by Claire McCarthy gave Oyster River its first lead (12-11) with 4:15 to go in the frame, but Schlim answered with her second 3-pointer of the game and Coe-Brown was back on top. The Bobcats, however, closed the frame on an 8-0 run, including six straight transition points, and took a 20-14 lead into halftime.
Each team scored nine points in an uneventful third quarter, during which Peabody picked up her third personal foul. Brooks drained a 3-pointer with 4:25 to go that cut Oyster River's lead to 23-22, but the Bobcats led throughout.
"We thought we had them in a little bit of trouble, then we let them right back in the game," Oyster River coach Dave Nichols said. "Peabody got her third foul and I don't know if they thought the game was over when that happened or what. We didn't get the ball in our end for a couple of minutes it seemed."
It was the first of two scheduled meetings between the two schools, which will meet again on Feb. 20 in Durham. Coe-Brown's home-court advantage on Thursday, with its loud pep band and boisterous fans, was not lost on McCarthy.
"Once they got going, the crowd got kind of crazy," McCarthy said. "They get pumped up because the crowd is so intense. It's a good atmosphere."
Both teams return to action Tuesday. Coe-Brown hosts Hanover while Oyster River visits John Stark.
Coe-Brown, 48-36
OYSTER RIVER (36) — Kolter 0-0-0, Harris 0-0-0, McQuade 0-0-0, Comeau 1-1-3, MacDonald 0-1-1, Miller 0-0-0, Attisano 0-2-2, Mistretta 5-1-11, Messler 4-0-8, McCarthy 8-1-9, Salmon 1-0-2, Drum 0-0-0. Totals: 19-6-36.
COE-BROWN (48) — Brooks 3-1-8, Schlim 6-3-17, Ahern 0-0-0, Curtin 1-0-3, Ruth 0-0-0, Steffen 2-2-6, Valentine 1-2-5, Stowell 2-0-4, L. Peabody 2-1-5, Riley 0-0-0. Totals: 17-9-48.
Oyster River (2-5) 6 14 7 9 — 36
Coe-Brown (3-4) 9 5 9 25 — 48
3-pointers: C-5 (Brooks, Schlim 2, Curtin, Valentine); O-None.


text: Montague was founded as a business that sold pots, pans, and general hardware, and has since grown into a manufacturer of world-class commercial cooking equipment. Valuing quality above all else, the company offers Montague ranges, Montague ovens, Montague stoves, Montague broilers, counter equipment, fryers, gourmet pizza ovens, and more. Prioritizing customers' needs and opinions, the Montague has integrated exclusive features as a direct result of feedback.


text:
Once, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies was going to be a collaboration between producer/star Natalie Portman and director David O. Russell (The Fighter). Then, Portman not to star (staying on as producer), and Russell dropped out. Lionsgate hired Mike White (Year of the Dog) to replace Russell, but at this point there are no stars for White to direct.
Scarlett Johansson, Bradley Cooper, Mia Wasikowska, Tilda Swinton, and Catherine O'Hara were rumored for roles awhile back. Two more have thrown their name into the hat: Anne Hathaway and James McAvoy. Details after the jump.
According to Pajiba, Hathaway is under consideration to star as Elizabeth Bennett, while McAvoy would play Mr. Darcy. The earlier report mentioned Johansson and Wasikowska for Elizabeth, Cooper for Darcy. It is not clear if Hathaway and McAvoy now top the shortlist, or have merely joined it. However, it is noteworthy that a Hathaway/McAvoy pairing suggests an entirely different approach to casting than Johansson/Cooper.
Pajiba also clarifies their report on Hathway's involvement with the Barbarella remake. She is indeed interested, but the film will have a tough time breaking out of development hell. Though Robert Rodriguez and Robert Luketic were each attached to direct at one stage or another, the project currently has no director.
Here's the synopsis of the source material for Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, a novel by Seth Grahame-Smith that inserts zombies into the Jane Austen classic:
"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains." So begins Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, an expanded edition of the beloved Jane Austen novel featuring all-new scenes of bone-crunching zombie mayhem. As our story opens, a mysterious plague has fallen upon the quiet English village of Meryton and the dead are returning to life! Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet is determined to wipe out the zombie menace, but she's soon distracted by the arrival of the haughty and arrogant Mr. Darcy.
What ensues is a delightful comedy of manners with plenty of civilized sparring between the two young lovers and even more violent sparring on the blood-soaked battlefield as Elizabeth wages war against hordes of flesh-eating undead. Can she vanquish the spawn of Satan? And overcome the social prejudices of the class-conscious landed gentry? [Amazon]


text:
How to Create Your Very Own Financial Vision Board
What if there were a fun, free, creative project that could help you reach your financial goals faster?
Well, there is. And the holidays—when there's no shortage of catalogs lying around—are the perfect time to whip out the scissors and glue, and kick off the new year right by creating a financial vision board.
What is a vision board? Basically, it's a poster or bulletin board you fill with images and words that illustrate your ideal life. You can tear photos from magazines, put up cards or print Google images, or draw whatever it is you need.
The goal is to choose five to ten goals you want to focus on. Maybe your board will include a new job and a perfect house, a dream wedding and a healthy baby, or you, smiling because you've finally gotten out of debt or saved up an emergency fund. Then again, maybe it will be filled with all of the above.
The benefits of this exercise are twofold: Not only can mapping out your priorities help you determine where your money should go, tapping into your deepest desires can set you on a path to achieving what may seem out of reach today.
After all, just the simple act of writing down your goals helps you focus your energy on making them a reality.
What You'll Need:
–Poster board or corkboard
–A glue stick or rubber cement (plain old glue tends to cause magazine pages to
ripple) or, if using cork board, thumbtacks
–Catalogs and magazines. The more variety, the better.
–Peace and quiet.
How to Create a Successful Vision Board:
1. Daydream
We've been conditioned to want the things we see around us. Designer clothes, a bigger house, a shinier car. Those things are all well and good, but now is the time to think about what would truly make you happy, even if it's not the tried and true. Before you begin combing through magazines, takes some time to daydream and picture yourself living the life you want. Remember, you needn't choose "things" only: A financial vision board should reflect your ideal reality, whether that's a strong marriage, a mortgage paid off, or, okay, a new car.
2. Collect
Start flipping through your stack of magazines and indiscriminately tear out anything that speaks to you. Words, phrases, images—whatever catches your eye. You'll sort through them later, but for now, anything goes. Maybe you'll spy your perfect rustic cottage in an Anthropologie catalog, or tear out a woman enjoying an idyllic yoga retreat during her comfortable retirement.
3. Edit
Once you've got a sizeable collection of images and words, it's time to edit down to the five to ten goals that are most important to you. Start by arranging the scraps of paper on your board, but don't use glue yet. Think of this as putting the pieces of the puzzle together. How does it all fit? You might get rid of a few images as you go, and that's okay. Keep the placement of items free form if you want, or organize them by timeframes (1-year goals, 5-year goals., etc.), or by theme (health, finances, fun).
4. Commit
The next step is to cement your visions by gluing them down. Use this time to mentally commit to the goals you've chosen. If climbing Mount Everest is something you really, really want to do, then start telling yourself you will. It may feel weird at first, but this is the first step toward making your dreams a reality.
5. Revisit
The most powerful part of creating a vision board is identifying your goals, both big and small, but keeping them front of mind is helpful, too. If you can, hang the board somewhere you'll see it every day. Or consider taking a photo of your board and making it your background on your laptop or smart phone.
6. Plan
Now it's time to make your finances reflect your goals. To start, you might choose one goal to focus on this year. Then find creative ways to fit it into your budget: Maybe you make a jar labeled with one of your goals and drop all of your loose change in it, or decide not to spend $5 bills, but save them here instead. One easy way is to create a folder for your dream in the LearnVest My Money Center. Even if you only allocate $10 from each paycheck, the important part is that you've created the goal, and you'll be directing energy toward it on a regular basis.
If there's one thing we've learned, it's that nothing big happens without first dreaming the dream. And that's especially true when it comes to money. Before rolling up your sleeves this year, make sure you've set your sights right.
More From LearnVest
Find easy ways to save with our Cut Your Costs Bootcamp!
Putting fancy shoes on your vision board? If you're going to splurge, here's how to splurge right!
Don't overstress yourself with financial to-dos! Check out these 13 signs you're too busy.


text:
I've procured a digital copy of the Fifty Shades trilogy even before Twilight moms went raving about it, catapulting it to the New York Times' Best Seller List. After spending a month on my iBooks library, I decided to finally give this highly controversial series a chance, and, boy, did it give me an eyeful.
As much as I don't want to admit it, the first book was surprisingly addicting. There is something about the mysterious, rich, handsome and sparkly perfect male love interest falling for the seemingly mediocre girl next door with self-worth problems. Sounds familiar? It should. The premise has already been published internationally, garnered millions of screaming hormonal fans and gave birth to an equally ridiculously successful movie franchise.
Twilight-inspired BDSM fanfiction. This is ultimately what the whole series is. Anastasia Steele is precisely Bella Swan in ropes with her self-abhorrence, exasperating quirks and irritating dislike for expensive gifts. The same way Christian Grey is Edward, minus the superhuman strength, blood cravings and literal sparkle.
Having read and written too many fanfiction chapters for my own good, for me, this literary serving came from the McDonald's fastfood chain of greasy fiction. Not much seasoning, full of unwanted calories and prepared for the non-choosy masses. There are countless of better places to dine in, however, it still sells and people keep coming back for more.
It's like reading crack. You know it's bad for you and you could even feel your neurons wasting away but you can't seem to stop. At least for the first book (Fifty Shades of Grey), I've had this experience. However, with Fifty Shades Darker, the only thing that got darker is one's view of the plot. Because there was none. It felt like reading endless fanfiction chapters of fluff and smut with no direction whatsoever. Even the graphic sex scenes, which, let's face it, are a big contribution to the success of the trilogy, were toned down to make way for cuddles and never-ending professions of love.
Whether I will find the will and the patience to start and finish the latest installment of this runaway hit, I don't know, although one thing is clear. People reading these books should throw away the paperback novel and stick to their obscure iPads, Kindles and iPhones ebook versions because if I were to spot someone reading this book on the LRT, mental snickers would follow.
You'll know what I mean.
Orchestr-o-meter: B-


text:
Frequently asked questions.
On this page you will find frequently asked questions about PITT cooking. Is your question not answered on this page? Do not hesitate to contact us via email@example.com, or by phone via +31(0)88 088 7070. We are happy to help and/or assist you!
What is PITT cooking?
PITT cooking: a gas cooking system where gas burners can be placed directly in your countertop. The concept originated out of the limitations of the traditional cooking apparatus. Thanks to smart use of space and absence of a rectangular cooking plate, there is sufficient space to use all burners at the same time. Even with big pans.
PITT cooking is available in 20 different models and can be bought in a large number of countries around the world.
How does it work?
The technique behind PITT cooking is not very different compared to a traditional cooking plate. The biggest difference is the fact that the technical parts are placed beneath the surface of the countertop, out of sight. Using round recesses, the gas burners are installed within the countertop. Beneath the countertop, you can find the technical module including electric and gas connection.
Why should you choose PITT cooking?
PITT cooking offers many advantages compared to a traditional cooking plate:
- Thanks to smart use of space, there is always sufficient space for your pans;
- Easy to clean: The different parts of the burner can be separated and cleaned. No raised corners, just a flat countertop to clean;
- A distinguishing, unique kitchen;
- Powerful, efficient burners give you professional cooking results in your own kitchen;
- The possibility to create your ideal cooking set-up that fits the available space in your kitchen and your personal cooking style.
I don't have a gas connection. What to do?
In case you do not have a fixed gas connection, it is always possible to connect our cooking system to a gas cylinder. This may also be relevant, for example, when a PITT cooking system is placed in an outdoor kitchen or garden shed.
PITT cooking is only available as a gas cooking system.
What is the power of the burners?
All models in our product range consist of three different types of burners:
- Small burner, a minimum of 0,3 kW up to a maximum of 2 kW;
- Medium burner, a minimum of 0,3 kW up to a maximum of 3 kW;
- Combined simmer-/ wok burner, power minimum 0.2 upto maximum 5kW. These burners with double rings can be used to simmer as well as cooking in a wok. Operated with one button.
For more information about our burners, please visit this page.
Where to buy PITT cooking?
We only sell through (kitchen) retailers and not directly to the customer. Any kitchen store, carpenter or interior designer can contact us for an offer or an order via firstname.lastname@example.com. We also process requests and orders from countries in which PITT cooking is not yet active.
Are any accessories available?
In September 2015, we launched the first official PITT cooking accessory: an innovative wok ring, specially designed for our combined wok-/ simmer burner. The design has been accomplished in collaboration with our partners from Asia and it ensures efficient distribution of flame, without loss of heat or energy. More information about the wok ring can be found on this page.
Where is PITT cooking produced?
PITT cooking is a typical Dutch product: created and designed in our very own country. And we are proud of it! Every PITT module is carefully assembled by hand in our factory in De Meern. No machines are used.
Can I choose all the positions of the burners myself?
Going entirely by the needs of the consumers, we have put together our collection of 20 different models. But you can always combine models within this collection. So with various separate 1-PITTs, for example, you can create a totally customized model, or place a separate wok burner next to an existing 4-PITTs model. Design your ideal cooking setup, with your personal cooking practices and the available space in the kitchen as the starting point.
How many gas hobs do I need?
The number of burners desired depends entirely on your personal cooking practices and your home situation. A significant advantage of our cooking system is the generous layout of the burners: in contrast to traditional stovetops, with PITT cooking it is possible to use all burners at the same time. Even with large saucepans. So the number of burners you decide on is actually the number of burners you can have at the same time.
Which countertop material is suitable?
PITT cooking burners can be can be installed in composite, granite, concrete, terrazzo, glass, ceramic, Solid Surface, Green Core, Tope Core and stainless steel worktops. Our cooking system CANNOT be integrated into solid wood worktops or worktops with an HPL top layer.
If you're unsure you can always contact us via email@example.com to discuss the options.
Will it affect my countertop?
PITT cooking burners are tested extensively. The temperature remains low during use and there is minimal heat transfer, so our burners have no effect at all on your countertop. Preparation of the countertop and installation of the PITT cooking module must always be carried out according to our directions. Bear in mind that PITT cooking is a consumer activity, in an often "greasy" environment. Some worktop materials are more susceptible to splatters/stains than others. This is no different from a traditional stovetop. So make sure you're well informed beforehand through your worktop supplier/kitchen store as to the qualities of the worktop.
What size does my countertop need to be?
Countertop depth
A minimum worktop depth of 600 mm applies to every model in the PITT cooking product range.
Cabinet width
The minimum cabinet width depends on the model type and goes from 300 mm for the separate 1-PITTs to 1200 mm for our largest/widest models. Check each model for the minimum cabinet width required.
Other dimensions
For any other dimensions, please refer to the Downloads page. You will find all necessary documentation under the heading "Design/Countertop".
How are the burners installed in the worktop?
All of our different models from our collection are fitted onto one fixed module, with one permanent gas connection. From underneath the countertop the module is held in place through the recesses and fastened by screws on the upper side of the worktop. Two supplied joists provide support underneath the module and are mounted on the inside of the kitchen cabinet. Download the installation manual via this page.
Is it safe?
PITT cooking's burner have been tested extensively. Using PITT cooking, the temperature stays low and there is minimal heat transfer. This means the burners do not effect your countertop. All burners consist of a safety valve and we received the official KIWA Gastec Certification.
What kind of guarantee does PITT cooking come with?
PITT cooking comes with a full 5-year warranty on every unit. With no unexpected costs. We ask each user to register his or her unit online so that in case of any malfunction we will be able to offer the right service quickly and efficiently. This can easily be done on this page.
How do I keep my burners clean?
Burner caps and pan supports
We recommend that dirty burner caps and pan supports be soaked for about an hour in a liquid soap and baking soda mixture before being rubbed with a cloth or soft sponge. The silver-colored scratches that sometimes appear on the pan supports are caused by the base of your pan(s). Higher-grade pans definitely have a softer base and the material can sometimes rub off. With the rough side of a (scouring) sponge you can remove this.
Aluminium burners
Aluminium burners can be left to soak in cleaning vinegar overnight and then cleaned with a sponge and a little soap. Note: the aluminium parts must not be cleaned with baking soda as this can attack the aluminium.
How do I keep my worktop clean?
The best way to maintain your countertop depends entirely on the type of material. For the correct advice regarding maintenance, we recommend that you contact the worktop supplier or kitchen store from which you purchased the countertop.
Can the burners be put in the dishwasher?
Unfortunately, the various components of the burners are not suitable for cleaning in a dishwasher. The open structure of the cast iron can cause soap residue to remain in the material, resulting in a dull appearance.
What happens if I let something boil over?
An essential basic component of the PITT cooking system is the heat shield: the round part that the pan support rests on. This component is multifunctional: not only is the heat from the flames conducted upwards, but it also serves as a drip plate. Because of the wide dimensions of the burners, most of the boil-over and/or spattering will go straight onto the heat shield. This is easy to clean with a cloth.


text:
Directed by Erich von Stroheim Foolish Wives is a silent film also written by him.
The silent drama is set in and around Monaco where Villa Amorosa is leased out for the season. The three Russians who occupy the villa are frauds and they are there to make a killing and move on before the season ends. Count Wladislaw Sergius Karamzin (von Stroheim) is a cad of the deepest hue whose forte is in compromising rich heiresses and milking them while his cousins run a private casino to bilk the unwary who are taken in by their pretensions to nobility. Naturally passing around counterfeit notes is part of their trade.
Of these three the role of Stroheim looms larger,- and he is almost in every scene, but his riveting performance as an actor and as an auteur make this film a great experience. The character that he assays here is typical of other roles he has handled, and indeed he is the man you love to hate. But what a character! Before we see him mixing with the high society and holding his own with cold aloofness of a Count we are given a clue to his baseness.
Von Stroheim shows a world that lies to itself, where swindlers and rich people mix, and where the heroine reads a book called Foolish Wives . The writer-director deals with false appearances: the titles of Count Wladislas Sergius Karamzin and his two princess cousins are fake (von Stroheim himself was not an Austrian aristocrat as he would have us believe during his lifetime, but the son of a Jewish hat-maker), the money is counterfeit, and the sentiments are fraudulent; Karamzin playing at love to seduce his maid, the ambassador's wife, and an idiotic 14-year-old girl are all put on and fake, like impasto on the canvas of high society as the royal pretensions of Grimaldi might strike the House of Windsor or of Hohenzollern. This hypocrisy of the social game is set in the context of World War I, which had just ended: an armless veteran, a nurse pushing a soldier in a wheelchair, a little girl on crutches, a boy playing with a military helmet are all daubs that add to the overall effect.
As the film progresses depth of his villainy is indeed mind-boggling. He shall not spare even the servant maid's life savings if he could lay hands on it and his comeuppance of course would come from that quarter, and before the film comes to an end we see of what his panache and sense of honor amount to in a critical moment.
The bulk of the film is taken up how the three cousins lay traps to compromise the honor of Helen Hughes (Miss Dupont) the young wife of the American envoy and its unraveling with unexpected consequences to the three.
Before release there were both censorship and length problems. In the wake of Fatty Arbuckle's scandal the company decided to delete the most provocative shots; after screening a rough cut of six and half hours, it took the film from von Stroheim's hands and asked Arthur Ripley to reduce it from 30 reels to 14. Ultimately it ran only ten reels.
The film began director von Stroheim's reputation as a "manic perfectionist," a huge money spender, and as a director that needed to be brought under control.
Started on 12 July 1920, the shooting ended almost one year later on 15 June 1921. The costs were soaring as von Stroheim insisted on the veracity of every detail. The main facades of the casino, the Hotel de France, and the Cafe de Paris were built by Richard Day (his first assignment) on the backlot of Universal. During filming, the costs for the film soared. While the budget was slated at $250,000, according to von Stroheim, it ended at $750,000. At the end, Universal Studio, estimated the costs at $1,225,000. During the production, Carl Laemmle, the head of Universal, appointed 20-year-old Irving Thalberg as head of the studio. Right away the new studio chief started clashing with von Stroheim, whom he considered a spendthrift.
Actor Rudolph Christians died on February 7, 1921 from pneumonia during production, and his part was taken over by Robert Edeson. Edeson only showed his back to the camera so as not to clash with shot footage of Christians that was still to be used in the completed film.
Original prints reportedly had hand coloring of certain scenes by artist Gustav Brock.
In Retro:
Even with all the difficulties the film is one of the most stunning of the silent era. It also exercised a major influence on future directors, including Renoir, Buñuel, and Vigo.
In Foolish Wives von Stroheim also gives the final—and most brilliant—touch to his portrait of the cynical seducer, equally eager for money and sex. His physical appearance is as recognizable as Chaplin's, with his military cap, his whip, and his monocle.
Even as we look back at the silent era with rose-tinted glass and smile tolerantly at its naïveté, this film stands out as a shocker. Its originality and boldness ran against the grain of films that were to come out of the MGM studios several years later. I cite this studio because the boy genius, who headed the studio was to thwart the artistic independence Stroheim demanded and Stroheim had to pay the price for his artistic integrity.
"If you live in France, for instance, and you have written one good book, or painted one good picture, or directed one outstanding film fifty years ago and nothing else since, you are still recognized and honored accordingly. People take their hats off to you and call you "maître". They do not forget. In Hollywood—in Hollywood, you're as good as your last picture. If you didn't have one in production within the last three months, you're forgotten, no matter what you have achieved ere this."
Stroheim's unwillingness or inability to modify his artistic principles for the commercial cinema, his extreme attention to detail, his insistence on near-total artistic freedom and the resulting costs of his films led to fights with the studios. As time went on he received fewer directing opportunities.
He is perhaps best known as an actor for his role as von Rauffenstein in Jean Renoir's La Grande Illusion (1937) and as Max von Mayerling in Billy Wilder's Sunset Boulevard (1950).
For the latter film, which co-starred Gloria Swanson, Stroheim was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Excerpts from Queen Kelly were used in the film. The Mayerling character states that he used to be one of the three great directors of the silent era, along with D.W. Griffith and Cecil B. DeMille; many film critics agree that Stroheim was indeed one of the great early directors. Stroheim's character in Sunset Boulevard thus had an autobiographical basis that reflected the humiliations suffered through his career.
'De Mille as early as 1919 brought to the American screens a mixture of spice and sex but within strict moral limits. Von Stroheim, however, through his unsparing vision of human psychology, his probing of hidden motives, and his harsh realism made the American cinema (particularly with Foolish Wives ) enter the 20th century, away from the Victorian and romantic sensibility of Griffith. Chaplin would soon follow with A Woman of Paris (1923) and Lubitsch with The Marriage Circle (1924). "Lubitsch shows you first the king on the throne, then as he is in the bedroom. I show you the king in the bedroom so you'll know just what he is when you see him on his throne."
Foolish Wives anticipates two subversive works that open and close the 1930s: Buñuel's L'age d'or and Renoir's La règle du jeu .
In 2008, Foolish Wives was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
Ack:michel Ciment/film reference,wikipedia-foolish wives,Stroheim)
(also see cinebuff.wordpress.com)


text:
How we treat your Information:
SHAD.co.uk does not disclose your information to any other parties, our policy is to keep the personal information we receive from our site completely confidential. The details you register with us will be used by SHAD.co.uk alone to improve our communications with you.
We reserve the right to cancel any order by the customer, at any time and for any reason, if we need do this we will refund you in full within 7 working days.
By placing an order with SHAD.co.uk you are agreeing to the implied and express terms as listed above and in our main terms and conditions. Your statutory rights are not affected.
Please see our terms and conditions for further details
SHAD.co.uk is a trading name of Internetology Ltd.
VAT Registration: 762 952 307
Your Rights Under General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
You've probably heard about these new data regulations which came into force on 25th May 2018. Every business in Europe will need to comply, and you will probably have had many emails about it already. SHAD.co.uk holds very little data about you and we do not process data about you, so if you want to know how these new regulations affect you in detail when you buy from us here's what you need to know:
1. The right to be informed
2. The right of access:
4. The right to erasure:


text:
Scotty McCreery's High School Friends Star in New 'The Trouble With Girls' Video
Scotty McCreery is the main focus of his new 'The Trouble With Girls' video, but it's his hometown high school and fellow classmates that star in this just-released clip. McCreery borrowed the hallways and classrooms of Garner Magnet High School in Garner, N.C. and invited his friends to get in on the fun.
It shouldn't be surprising that a group of high school seniors could so effortlessly pull off looking like a group of high school seniors, but anyone who's ever had a role in a school play knows that acting naturally is very difficult under the bright lights. Director Roman White does a great job of recreating a genuine high school experience, down to the goofy giggling and unsophisticated flirting. The science experiments, baseball games and hallway chatter all take a backseat to the memorable moments and jokes shared between friends.
White adds an artist's brushstroke with solo McCreery shots on the baseball diamond at night and alone in the high school's hallway at dusk or dawn. These pensive moments are also part of the high school experience. Each scene feels familiar in its own way. Perhaps the one unwanted result of the new video is that it's sure to fire up the McCreery rumor mill once again. Who is that dark haired cutie he shares so many scenes with? Their chemistry certainly seems to go beyond the science lab.
Watch the Scotty McCreery 'The Trouble With Girls' Video


text:
The Environmental Protection Agency recently announced the Lead: Renovation, Repair and Paint (RRP) Rule, which concerns renovations on homes containing pre-1978 lead paint. The regulation requires clearance testing to detect the presence, or lack, of lead following any home renovation…. Read More
Posts Tagged 'Dangers of Lead Paint'
Senators Seek More Limits on the Lead Paint Rule
- June 16th, 2011
- Posted in Uncategorized
- Tags:
Tags: Advance Mold Remediation, Affects on Economy, asthma, black mold, cleaning mold, Clearance testing, contractors, Dangers of Lead Paint, ductwork, Economic affects, Economic effects, Economy, Effects on Economy, electricians, Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, fungus, hidden mold, Home, House, humidifier, humidifiers, humidity, IAQ, indoor air quality, Lead Paint, Lead Paint Controversy, Lead paint Dangers, Lead: Renovation Repair and Paint (RRP) Rule, Lead: Renovation Repair and Paint Rule, Maryland, mildew, moisture, mold, mold allergies, Mold Allergy, mold elimination, mold growth, mold infestation, Mold Maryland, mold prevention, mold remediation, mold remediation maryland, mold removal maryland, Mold removal Washington DC, mold sickness, mold spores, mold testing, molds, Office of Management Budget, OMB, painters, plumbers, Regulation, Regulations, Remodel, Remodelers, removal, Renovate, Renovations, RRP, RRP Rule, Senators, Senators Seek More Limits on the Lead Paint Rule, Washington DC, Water Damage, Water Restoration, window installers


text:
Vanity Fair: A Novel without a Hero (Modern Library Classics) (Paperback)
Out of Print - Sorry!
A marvelous, incisive social satire that gleefully exposes the greed and corruption raging in England during the turmoil of the Napoleonic wars through its tracing of the changing fortunes of two unforgettable women. It is a comic masterpiece that still resonates today.
"Re-reading Vanity Fair, one realises what a brilliant innovation this was in the English novel," remarked V. S. Pritchett. "Thackeray is like the modern novelists who derive from James and Proust, in his power of dissecting (and of desiccating!) character."
Generally considered to be his masterpiece, Vanity Fair is Thackeray's resplendent social satire that exposes the greed and corruption raging in England during the turmoil of the Napoleonic wars. Subtitled "A Novel Without a Hero," it traces the changing fortunes of two unforgettable women: the scheming opportunist Becky Sharp—one of literature's most resourceful, engaging, and amoral heroines—and her foil, the faithful, naive Amelia Sedley. Thackeray's subversive, comic attack on the hypocrisy and "dismal roguery" of an avaricious world resonates 150 years later with implications for our own times.
"Thackeray is an urbane nineteenth-century guide and commentator in a portrait gallery that is for all time," observed Louis Auchincloss. "He is the restless inhabitant of a prudish age, nostalgic, discursive, anecdotal, sentimental, worldly-wise, now warning us, now making fun of us, now reproving us .... Thackeray's harshest criticism of humanity is simply the point where ours commences. His perception of self-interest in every act is the ABC of modem psychology."
About the Author
About the Contributor:
Joanna Trollope is the author of THE BEST OF FRIENDS, OTHER PEOPLE'S CHILDREN, and most recently, MARRYING THE MISTRESS, among other books. She lives in England.
William Makepeace Thackeray, whose satiric novels are often regarded as the great upper-class counterpart to Dickens's panoramic depiction of lower-class Victorian society, was born on July 18, 1811, in Calcutta, India. His father, a prosperous official of the British East India Company, died four years later, and at the age of six Thackeray was sent to England to be educated. After graduating from the Charterhouse School in London, he entered Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1829 but left the following year without taking a degree. After reading law for a short time at the Middle Temple he moved to Paris in 1832 to study art. Although he eventually abandoned the idea of painting as a career, Thackeray continued to draw throughout his life, illustrating many of his own works. When financial reversals wiped out his inheritance, he resettled in London and turned to journalism for a livelihood. By then he had married Isabella Shawe, a young Irishwoman with whom he had three daughters.
Thackeray's earliest literary success, The Yellowplush Correspondence, a group of satiric sketches written in the guise of a cockney footman's memoirs, was serialized in Fraser's Magazine beginning in 1837. Catherine (serialized 1839-40; published 1869), his first novel, parodied the crime stories popular in Victorian England. Under the name Michael Angelo Titmarsh, the most famous of his many pseudonyms, Thackeray turned out The Paris Sketch Book (1840) and The Irish Sketch-Book (1843), two popular volumes of travel writing. The Luck of Barry Lyndon (1844), which chronicles the adventures of an Irish knave in eighteenth-century England, marked his first serious attack on social pretension. In The Book of Snobs (1848), a collection of satiric portraits originally published in Punch magazine (1846-47), he lampooned the avarice and snobbery occasioned by the Industrial Revolution.
Vanity Fair, Thackeray's resplendent social satire exposing the greed and corruption raging in England during the turmoil of the Napoleonic wars, brought him immediate acclaim when it appeared in Punch beginning in 1847. "The more I read Thackeray's works," wrote Charlotte Bronte, "the more certain I am that he stands alone—alone in his sagacity, alone in his truth, alone in his feeling (his feeling, though he makes no noise about it, is about the most genuine that ever lived on a printed page), alone in his power, alone in his simplicity, alone in his self-control. Thackeray is a Titan. . . . I regard him as the first of modern masters."
From the eBook edition.
Praise For…
"I do not say there is no character as well drawn in Shakespeare [as D'Artagnan]. I do say there is none that I love so wholly."
--Robert Louis Stevenson
"The lasting and universal popularity of The Three Musketeers shows that Dumas, by artlessly expressing his own nature in the persons of his heroes, was responding to that craving for action, strength and generosity which is a fact in all periods and all places."
--Andreé Maurois


text:
As adult children, it's human nature to view our aging parents through rose-colored glasses. After all, they are the wise, strong-bodied individuals who nurtured us, then became our friends and confidants as we grew. Often, we see what our heart wants us to see; however, as our loved ones age, it's imperative to their health and well-being to look through a more objective lens, to evaluate whether they are safe and secure in their current living environment. Is Mom able to manage the demands of the family home? Is Dad lonely? Are the activities of daily living too overwhelming?
When these questions begin to surface, families need to broach the subject of appropriate senior living scenarios. Sometimes it's clear that a parent needs to make the move; chronic health conditions, falls, or memory loss are more obvious signs, but sometimes the indicators are more subtle. How can you know when it's time to investigate other living options? The following are five telltale signs that a loved one may be ready:
1. Is dad becoming forgetful? Is he missing taking medications, not filling his prescriptions, or taking his medications inappropriately?
2. Is mom eating properly? Is she still preparing meals for herself, purging the fridge and shopping? Or, is she saying she has no appetite, doesn't want to eat alone or showing signs of weight loss?
3. Is dad neglecting his appearance? Does he shower regularly, or is he wearing the same clothes and avoiding basic grooming? Is the house clean?
4. Are mom's bills being paid on time? Are checks bouncing, or is she making multiple payments or missing payment deadlines?
5. Are your parents having social difficulties? Are they isolated, not seeing friends, and less active than they used to be? Do they complain of being too tired to do things?
While these are certainly not the only red flags, a large change in routine and attitude may signal it's time for a conversation about a new living arrangement. Assisted Living communities can provide a life-enriching environment that promotes independence and freedom from the burdens of chores, meal preparation and home maintenance. Some communities, like Gurwin Jewish ~ Fay J. Lindner Residences, offer care options like medication monitoring or assistance at mealtimes, giving families peace of mind knowing that their loved is living an independent lifestyle while receiving the extra personal care they might need when they need it. Being a member of an assisted living community can open up doors to new experiences and new friendships for your loved one; for many, it is the beginning of a new and exciting chapter in their lives.
For information on Gurwin's assisted living community, call Staci at (631) 715-8537.
For more information about the Gurwin Family of Healthcare Services, visit www.gurwin.org.