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River planners and advocates come together around the Willamette's Central Reach
Question: What do a robust river economy, a healthy river and vibrant waterfront districts have in common?
Answer: The Willamette River's Central Reach.
All three ideas were topics of discussion at a two-day open workshop on December 4 and 5. More than 70 people participated in a series of facilitated sessions devoted to improving the Willamette riverfront area in the Central City. The results of the workshop will help staff develop a Central Reach Urban Design Concept, which will be incorporated into the Central City 2035 planning effort and the update to the Willamette Greenway Plan.
Based on feedback from each session, it's clear that Portlanders want to see more activities, uses and people engaged in the riverfront area. An overarching theme is to increase human access to the water for recreation, transportation and enjoyment. People view Tom McCall Waterfront Park as a major place for transformation. Think small commercial uses, recreation, cultural and historical attractions, including an urban beach for swimming. On the east side, the OMSI area has great potential to be an emerging waterfront district with the new light rail station and pedestrian/bike bridge over the river, which will draw many more people to the riverfront. Expanding this area with new shops, cafes, cultural and historical attractions like a maritime museum, a boat school and increased boat access could make this a popular destination for the region.
Participants also talked about the Downtown riverfront area as having an identity and sense of place that brings people together through a variety of land- and water-based activities that reflect the history, culture and natural environment. Commercial boating could become more prolific with cruise, excursion and river transit opportunities converging downtown. Clusters of uses such as retail, recreation, entertainment and other businesses could form destination points that add vibrancy to the waterfront. Acknowledging that new uses and associated development need to mitigate for environmental impacts, key focus areas indentified include the Rose Quarter/Convention Center, OMSI and the light rail station under construction, andWaterfrontPark.
Maintaining and improving habitat areas for fish, birds and other wildlife by enhancing river banks with native vegetation and maintaining in-water shallow habitat is a priority, especially in key areas in the Central Reach. The Hawthorne Bowl riverfront area could be reconfigured to support both swimming and fish migration habitat because these activities occur at different times of the year. Also, creating habitat wildlife corridors throughout the Central City will allow birds and other species to safely move through downtown and benefit humans. Finally, Waterfront Park could be a place where part of the seawall is replaced with a steps lined with native vegetation down to the river for easy access to swim, paddle or simply splash in the water.
So the area in and around the Willamette River in the Central City is poised to become much more of a playground for all Portlanders, regional residents and visitors. Find out more by visiting the project website or contact Debbie Bischoff at firstname.lastname@example.com .


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Ben and Sarah Steele of Zebulon announce the birth of their son Caleb Michael Steele at 4:30 a.m., Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at Spalding Regional Medical Center in Griffin.
He weighed six pounds, 12 ounces and was 19 inches long. He joins siblings Levi, 5, Abby, 4, and Jacob, 2.
Maternal grandparents are Robert and Christine Tomason of Williamson. Maternal great-grandparents are Joe and Wilma Miller of Marietta.
Paternal grandparents are Bob and Jan Steele of Zebulon. Paternal great-grandmother is Gloria Bird of Atlanta.
Caleb Michael Steele
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subset: commoncrawl


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For the third time in less than three years, Chris Martin's time at an FBS football program has come to an early and abrupt end.
Kansas head coach Charlie Weis announced Monday that the defensive end has been dismissed from the Jayhawks. The decision comes three weeks after Martin was one of three men arrested in connection to an armed robbery. Martin and two former KU players were charged after allegedly robbing cash and marijuana from victims at gunpoint at a house on May 13.
Despite the serious nature of the charges, the door was still open for Martin's return to the Jayhawks. Weis, though, intimated in his statement on the dismissal that another misstep may have been involved.
"Due to recent incidents Chris Martin was involved with, he was given a list of stipulations he was required to meet for him to remain a member of the Kansas Football team," Weis said in the release. "Because he did not follow some of those stipulations we have dismissed him from the team."
Martin was a five-star member of Cal's 2010's recruiting class, but transferred to Florida five months later. Less than a year later, he left Florida following an arrest for marijuana possession.
He spent 2011 and 2012 at the JUCO level before transferring to the Jayhawks and Weis, who Martin had committed to when he was the head coach at Notre Dame.


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Boston Beer buzz kill: Shares down 11%May 2, 2013: 12:19 PM ET
It's the morning after for America's biggest micro brewer.
Shares of the Boston Beer Company (SAM), maker of Samuel Adams and other craft beers, plunged nearly 11% Thursday.
The hangover comes a day after Boston Beer reported earnings that badly missed analysts' expectations.
Boston Beer earned 51 cents per share in the first three months of 2013, down almost 9% from a year earlier and well below the 62 cents a share expected by analysts.
Despite the drop in earnings, revenue rose 20% in the quarter as demand for cider and hard iced tea offset weakness in demand for the company's flagship Sam Adams beer.
Boston Beer blamed the drop in earnings on increased spending on advertising and marketing, as well as higher costs for certain raw materials.
The company maintained its outlook for full-year earnings, but acknowledged that the fast-growing market for craft beers is becoming increasingly competitive.
As demand for premium beers has exploded over the past few years, Boston Beer has seen its stock price soar. The stock recently hit a high above $170 a share, up from a low of about $25 in 2008.
Big brewers have also jumped on the craft-beer bandwagon. Anheuser Busch Inbev (BUD) launched Black Crown, a premium version of Budweiser, and MillCoors (a joint venture of SABMiller and Molson Coors (TAP)) has introduced Third Shift Amber Lager.
Meanwhile, the number of small breweries opening up shop continues to skyrocket.
Jim Koch, chairman and founder of Boston Beer, told analysts on a conference call that there are probably two new micro breweries opened every day. All told, he expects there to be a total of 800 new craft brews launched this year.
"It's just an extremely competitive landscape from above and below," said Koch. The good news, he said, is that demand for craft beers is still growing "in double digits," adding that Boston Beer will continue "riding that wave."
Related: AB InBev: King of beer stocks
Not everyone is that optimistic.
Caroline Levy, an analyst at Credit Agricole's CLSA, lowered her outlook for Boston Beer's earnings and downgraded the stock to under perform.
At the same time, she raised her price target for the stock to $170 a share from $165 a share. The company still has a leading franchise and strong sales, Levy said, but there's limited upside for the stock.
StockTwits traders were driven to drink over the disappointing results and dismal stock performance.
$SAM Anybody got a beer?
$SAM 20% short float...I'm going to need more than a beer 😦
Needless to say, short sellers were happy to see the stock take a dive.
$SAM covered @ 151.50. all done here thanx! might go long now lol
There was even a response to Boston Beer's decision to introduce a canned version of Samuel Adams later this month.
the market has voted. bottled beer > canned beer $SAM


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The Role of Voluntary Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosures in Increasing Shareholder Value
Professor Paul Griffin is a leading international authority in accounting and financial information and disclosures. In this blog, he writes about how CSR Disclosures affect Shareholder Value.
Do Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Disclosures Increase Shareholder Value? Will the momentum for voluntary CSR disclosure satisfy all stakeholders and really change the game?
As the buzz around CSR continues to grow, companies are beginning to understand the viability of CSR not only a means of accomplishing or enhancing corporate governance, but also as a measureable and concrete way to enhance shareholder value.
The movement towards making the connection between good corporate citizenship and increased shareholder value has been facilitated as a result of the length of time the information has been available, the intensity of the information that's been made available, and the ability to conduct research not only with voluntary disclosures, but also with mandatory disclosures in an effort to determine whether or not that link does exists too.
Recently, my work has focused on conducting research here with a team at UC Davis using data from CSR Wire. The research really relates to exploiting and understanding the way in which markets respond to voluntary CSR disclosures. Over time, I've been able to distill my research down to the following conclusions:
Information Asymmetry
With CSR, there are problems with informational alignment–the disconnect between certain kinds of information. Information asymmetry deals with the study of decisions in transactions where one party has more or better information than the other—in short, it's about what some of us we don't know. To the extent that you reduce information asymmetry, it will lower your cost of capital and directly affect and impact shareholder value.
Off-Balance Sheet Liabilities and Assets
Off-balance sheet usually means that an asset or debt or financing activity is not on the company's balance sheet. In relation to a the reduction of off balance sheet liabilities and increases in off-balance sheet assets, voluntary disclosure about CSR is going to do one of two things (or maybe both). The first is to reduce off-balance sheet liabilities, such as future climate change costs, and that's going to flow right into equity. The other is to increase off-balance sheet assets such as brand intangibles, and that's also going to flow right into equity. Ultimately, both of these effects show up in my work as explaining why CSR disclosures increase shareholder value.
Market Interpretation
In voluntary disclosures, there's always a risk that markets will misinterpret what you have, or a fear that you're giving away competitive information.
The answer is yes it does, because there's every indication that when managers make the decisions to release information, they're carefully considering the costs and benefits, and voluntary disclosures are only released to the extent that the benefits exceed the cost. This is clearly the case and the markets have to interpret that, and they apparently appear to be interpreting that information in the proper way.
Frequency of CSR
When we talk about CSR frequency, we already know that it has bearing in terms of improving shareholder value, but we also need to identify some of the factors associated with companies that are more frequent disclosers or more intense disclosers of CSR information. I've found that there are certain underlying factors that help explain CSR frequency. One in particular is political interests, and mostly the Democratic political interests of those within firms which contribute to various PAC committees.
CEOs that contributed to Democratic elected officials worked for companies that had a longevity and an intensity of voluntary disclosures and outperformed their peers. In other words, Democratic political interests explained the CSR frequency and the CSR frequency explained the superior market performance.
The second aspect which is newer to my work but which also is very interesting is that the CSR disclosure frequency appears to be related to social religious norms, in the sense that those in certain parts of the country that are more religious were observing that there's less CSR disclosure frequency. This suggests that one of the things that might help us understand the trend toward additional CSR disclosures is to understand the political and religious local views of managers and stakeholders, to see whether they're pro or con releasing additional disclosures.
There's always a discussion about how to get people to change and move towards a world in which there's more CSR and disclosure and more environmental disclosure. Part of that is going to be a in change people's fundamental beliefs, and getting them to understand that to voluntarily disclose information would cause their stock to improve in value.
What we're identifying in some of this work, which is in its early stages, is that some of these beliefs tend to be more on the political and religious versus the purely economic side. So, ultimately, it's a question of how you get society to change and where you direct your efforts to facilitate that change.
This blog is part of our Faculty Spotlight Series, highlighting GSM faculty members and their areas of expertise. The topics featured in this series introduce potential themes for UC Davis Executive Education Customized Programs.
UC Davis Executive Education develops custom education programs for leaders and executives. For more information on building a customized program, please contact Managing Director Wendy Beecham.


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[Please note: This article is the second of two parts. The first part appeared in our last post, or you may read the entire article in our member magazine Venture Inward in the member-only section of our website (Jan-Mar 2013 issue).]
The challenge of working with ideals seems to be one in which we're encouraged to move beyond simply a personal intellectual exercise. That next step is to be able to map out strategically how our ideals will affect interactions with others, our surroundings, and even ourselves. Then, we've got to be ready to act on them, to put them to the test. The changes we're looking for in the process of working with ideals must be within ourselves. Even though our sense of an "ideal situation" or "ideal relationship" may include conditions changing or another person changing, Cayce emphasized that self-change is the key.
First, know thy ideal—spiritually, mentally, materially. Not so much as to what you would like others to be, but what may be your ideal relationships to others!
Edgar Cayce reading 1998-1
Many individuals have found that the key to making a spiritual ideal practical in their material lives is to work with a frequently mentioned concept in the Cayce readings: "Spirit is the Life; Mind is the Builder; and the Physical is the Result." That three-part sequence suggests a three-part way of setting ideals.
The first step is to take a sheet of paper, and draw two vertical lines to create three columns. Label the first column, "My Spiritual Ideal"; the second, "My Ideal Mental Attitudes"; and the third, "My Ideal Physical Activities." Although the Cayce readings encourage us to choose a challenging spiritual ideal, it's recommended that the spiritual ideal we choose be something we can understand, work with, and see progressively manifesting in our lives. Ultimately, a spiritual ideal is the highest "spiritual" quality or attainment that we could hope to have motivating us in our lives right now. The word "spiritual" has connotations of viewing life more broadly than just a materialistic perspective.
For some people, a spiritual ideal is most closely associated with the pattern for living set by Jesus. For others it might be a distinct quality, such as "love" or "kindness" or "forgiveness." Many people have found it useful to choose that quality or attribute which is currently missing or lacking in their own lives and in their relationships with others. As we look across the array of relationships and situations we now face, what quality is most deeply needed? For example, perhaps we may find that more than anything else we need to be more "forgiving" or more "understanding" in our interaction with other people. Of course, that's simply the quality needed right now more than any other one. As months and years go by, we change and grow. Quite naturally, the word or phrase we might choose would also change and evolve. That's the dynamic feature of working with ideals in the Cayce tradition.
Let's consider a more concrete example: Suppose that our spiritual ideal is currently going to be "forgiveness." We've chosen that particular quality because it seems so central to what we now need to improve a host of difficult situations. It also describes a sense of life that lifts us out of the material, cause-and-effect way of running our lives. We find that forgiveness is a spiritual quality because of this inspirational impact it can have on us. And so, the single word "forgiveness" would be written under the first column, which we previously labeled "My Spiritual Ideal."
Under the second column, we can begin to list "My Ideal Mental Attitudes." They are states of mind and ways of thinking which will help build that spirit of forgiveness into our relationships with others and with ourselves. What might some of these mental ideals be? Perhaps "compassion" is an attitude we want to work toward in relation to a frustrating parent; maybe "openness" is the mental attitude we want to hold toward a daughter with whom we've been having difficulty; and possibly "patience" describes that attitude to use with ourselves. Our ideals chart should list the key people in our lives with whom we need to exercise this spiritual ideal of forgiveness. And once we've finished making our entries, this second column will list the positive mental attitudes which are stepping stones toward being forgiving—that is, toward fully realizing our spiritual ideal.
Under the second column, we can begin to list "My Ideal Mental Attitudes." They are states of mind and ways of thinking which will help build that spirit of forgiveness into our relationships with others and with ourselves. What might some of these mental ideals be? Perhaps "compassion" is an attitude we want to work toward in relation to a frustrating parent; maybe "openness" is the mental attitude we want to hold toward a daughter with whom we've been having difficulty; and possibly "patience" describes that attitude to use with ourselves. Our ideals chart should list the key people in our lives with whom we need to exercise this spiritual ideal of forgiveness. And once we've finished making our entries, this second column will list the positive mental attitudes which are stepping stones toward being forgiving—that is, toward fully realizing our spiritual ideal.
But this still leaves the third column—physical ideals—the most detailed. It's the one place to write out all those physical activities we'll do in relationship to specific individuals or situations. Entries in the column labeled "My Ideal Physical Activities" should be linked to the mental attitudes to which we've just made a commitment. For example, with the relationship to ourselves and the mental attitude of "patience," perhaps each of the following would be ideal activities to help foster both patience and self-forgiveness:
- Stop saying (or even thinking) "I can't";
- Make a list of every instance where I have been forgiven for something;
- Begin praying that I will have the determined endurance to go forward.
For each ideal attitude and important relationship, we should have next to it a list of activities with which we'll be working. These are our physical ideals—our activities which can map out ways to bring the spiritual ideal into the material world. We'll know that progress has been made with our spiritual ideal when the mental attitude on the ideals sheet becomes our usual state of mind and the physical activity listed becomes our automatic and natural response. As we really begin to work with ideals, making them a part of who we are, we can then choose a more challenging direction—a brighter North Star toward which we can point our lives. The important thing is to work with our ideals because we'll discover what it is we should be doing in the situations where we find ourselves. Life is purposeful. Setting and applying ideals is the best way to uncover that purposefulness.
As we work with ideals, we'll discover that they need to be fine-tuned, becoming even more challenging with the passage of time. As an example, if one of our physical ideals is "gentleness of speech," we can find many ways to work with it—even across the breakfast table. Those intentional efforts continue until it becomes a natural part of us. Once our conversation matches up with "gentleness of speech," we could stretch ourselves a little more and reword that physical ideal to be "acting in a friendly way." Now we have a new set of challenges and room for further growth. This same kind of expansion can happen with each one of our physical ideals, our mental ideals, and even the spiritual ideal itself.
Ultimately, There Is One Ideal
Although the readings encourage us to "choose a personal ideal," they also assert that "there is only one Ideal." One individual was told,
There is one way, but there are many paths.
Edgar Cayce reading 3083-1
In essence, this suggests that each of us is moving toward an "ultimate ideal." Whether we want to label that ideal "perfection" or the "Christ Consciousness" or "God Consciousness" or whatever term is most comfortable, the ultimate ideal is the highest spiritual attainment possible. However, each of our smaller ideals (such as "love" or "service" or "kindness") can serve as building blocks toward that highest ideal.
Ideas vs. Ideals
Although each of us might have different ideas, plans, or goals about how things should be done, the readings advise that—in spite of all our differences—we can share a common why. Even during the turmoil and international chaos of the 1930s, the readings gave a "prescription" that could serve to bring all of humanity together. In spite of the fact that each nation had different ideas, Cayce suggested the world could share a common ideal. That ideal was his "answer to the world":
The world as a world ... has lost its ideal. Man may not have the same idea. Man—all men—may have the same ideal!... that can only come with all having the one ideal; not the one idea but 'Thou shalt love the Lord Thy God with all thine heart, thy neighbor as thyself!' This [is] the whole law, this [is] the whole answer to the world, to each and every soul. That is the answer to world conditions as they exist today.
Edgar Cayce reading 3976-8
Repeatedly, the readings encourage us to become aware of what we are building within ourselves. Ultimately we'll have the chance to meet it! As we work with a conscious ideal, not only is our direction made more clear, but the ideal becomes a living, breathing portion of who we are at a soul level. An ideal is like a personal tapestry that we create one stitch at a time. It can be worked with and ironed out and toiled over until the end result is something we can proudly share in our interactions with others. Each of us has the opportunity to consciously decide who we wish to become as well as how long it takes us to get there.
Thus the warnings that there be the sureness in self as to what is the ideal—not merely from a religious or theosophical or theological standpoint, but according to what is thy ideal of home, home life, friends, friendship, relationships with individuals, and the conditions as may surround the entity; physically, yes; mentally, to be sure; but above all spiritually.
Edgar Cayce reading 2428-1


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Nostalgia for past historical epochs is often due to people's desires for the future, rather than a true yearning for the distant past.
A good example has represented the American Wild West with its legends, cinema genre, TV shows, comics, museums, historical reenactments and tourist trap towns across the western US. Visitors want to see, smell and taste the real thing: a chuck roast baking over the grill, the old smell of black gunpowder, touching an old Colt six-gun revolver or a Winchester lever-action repeating rifle, the dilapidated wooden homes found in ghost towns and walking into a real live saloon with shutter doors, and a long wooden bar with lots of whiskey and sweet wine. The card tables now exist inside of casinos.
Some locals-touts in the tourist trap towns still dress that old way, with the cowboy boots, big rimmed hats, long overcoats, pants held up with suspenders, shirts done with bolo ties, and a few even have leather chaps and spurs, as if they just dismounted off a horse.
They even act their parts with the long hair, the long moustaches and the stubble on the chin. Meanwhile, the women have that late nineteenth-century Victorian style dress – inclusive of blouses, small vest jackets, heeled shoes, pant undergarments and corsets, with their long hair done up in those old Progressive era buns and curls. Both the men and the women like their whiskey and tobacco, but there is always one thing missing during the reenactments – the guns.
As a historian, I can definitely state that most people openly carried guns during the American Wild West days. Not all cowboys, ranchers, merchants and barkeepers carried weapons on them, but enough did to make life a lot more polite than our contemporary times. A lot more men than women carried pistols on their hips, but most farm women had their shotguns ready for action – if some bad guys came around the bend. This was especially true in the South and in the West.
About a hundred and forty years ago, not much time in the grand history of our planet, open gun carrying in the US was just about as common as putting on one's own clothes. It was not just the Wild West that had people carrying weapons, but also the big cities in America, such as New York City, Chicago and San Francisco.
What happened to those days? Well, the United States has become a mostly urban population base. The local dictator, urban politicians don't like having armed populations walking around – except for the city's police forces. Where there exists lots of monopoly capitalism, city hall corruption, high taxes, and police state injustice, all of which now thrive in those massive megalopolises, people feel alienated, angry, frustrated, and the rage begins to fry on high heat.
In order to strike fear into those urban populations, the local, 'elected' tyrants run prisons that resemble torture centers, while the local police act more like paramilitary forces. So far, this method of social control seems to have worked out just fine.
America's large urban populations survive as disarmed marks. Dastardly rudeness and institutional violence run rampant in those cities, and the regular citizens have to look over their shoulders when walking alone in the dark, crossing into an unknown area, or when entering their buildings. The urban politicians and elites get bodyguards, real police protection, and easy concealed weapons licenses, while the urban wage slaves can hopefully buy a spay canister of mace.
There are a few large cities in America where people can still legally open carry, but most police normally stop the open carriers and ask them for identification. A few times, the police have actually arrested the people and have taken away their weapons – never to return the weapons to the original owners. Type 'open carry detain arrest' on YouTube and you can watch the horrendous videos exposing such legal injustice.
Some businesses now ban open carrying on their premises, and the laws in many 'gun friendly' states often prohibit open carrying on school, government and post office properties.
I have even watched pro-gun guys with YouTube channels saying publicly that open carrying is stupid. Many Americans admire the days of the Wild West, yet open carrying has the reputation of an old, bygone historical era.
I believe that if we gun owners want to keep our cultural power inside of the United States, then open carrying must continue. If one lives in an anti-open carrying state, then the gun people can form an open carrying group to publicly walk around and hopefully change the law.
Like the days of the Wild West, people acted with a lot more prudence, and behaved with better manners. There were just as many rude nasty types, sinister outlaws in those days, just like in our current days. This is the reason for the nostalgia of the Wild West: people could defend their honor and their life without having to ask the State for permission. Only two social groups in the actual United States now have that freedom.
The first group represents the upper level economic and political elites, such as owners and major stockholders of multinational corporations, old money inheritance trust funders, high court judges, a few top celebrities, military generals and admirals, and top-heavy, well-connected politicians. The second group revolves around the state gangs, such as Federal government officials that carry weapons, such as FBI and CIA agents-spies, and the multiple law enforcement-police forces found across the land. Prison guards also have the right to use their arms with corresponding legal immunities, yet only when working inside the prison walls.
The rest of the population, meaning us, have to fear the terrible vengeance and brutal fury of the State.
The Open Carry of firearms is still a revolutionary act. It is open for all to see and it simply states that the armed person will defend him or herself. Most importantly, open carrying informs the non-gun owning public that we have history on our side. Guns have always been an important part of American culture – and we will make sure that they stay that way.
The less open carrying that regular citizens see on the streets, the more the fear of guns predominates within the general population, while the open carrying of firearms by police forces and government agents seems quite normal. If this status quo continues, the future of guns in American culture will find a notorious reputation.
Some of the non-gun owning public perceives guns through a dangerous black and white scenario: either the good guys, the cops, carry guns, or the bad guys, the criminals, use guns. We know that this is not true – but if the regular people never open carry, then this plot might become the actuality.
If we still have our Second amendment rights, then gun owners should exercise them. The most powerful method is the open carry of a loaded firearm on the hip. This includes a sturdy belt that slides into the holster. The holster needs to have a clip or a fastener in order to hold the firearm snugly inside the holster pocket. This type of holster keeps the firearm in place eliminating any fear of the firearm dropping, falling, hitting the ground or negligently discharging a round.
A firearm that drops out of a cheap, unfastened holster, falls down to the ground, and might negligently fire – and even kill someone, destroying the lives of both the open carrier and the victim. Anti-gun Liberal-Leftist fascists use those accidents to defame all of us. With this right to open carry comes the responsibility of handling a tool that terminates life on a trigger squeeze.
When we publicly open carry, eyes begin to glance at us, so we should not look too bizarre or eccentric. Whatever side our firearm is on, then we should not play around with that side or nervously dabble our fingers across the holster. The holster is simply another part of our clothes.
I personally place my keys and other stuff inside the other pants pocket that doesn't have the holster by it. I do not use the pants pocket on the side of the holster. When visiting a bar or any place where I plan to drink booze, I do not open carry. For me, alcohol, bar-restaruant patrons, and guns don't mix.
And finally, the Hollywood movie version of the double dueling desperado with the two-gun holsters on both hips is simply a myth. I'm sure a few outlaws might have used that method, but most of them probably didn't live that long to write about it.
I have only recently openly carried, and I have not had any problems with business owners or the police – yet. What saddens me greatly is that I live in a western state that has legal open carry of firearms, and I have seen very few people open carrying in the town that I currently live in. The few open carriers have been either the employees who work at the local gun store, or once and while, a guy just coming back from the range or hunting.
Open carriers ought to stick together, and hopefully with more visibility of open carry, we can invite other courageous people to join the open carry movement representing men and women, diverse ethnicities, creeds, and sexual orientations.
This last part is important because the anti-gun Liberal fascists in the corporate media like to stereotype us as a bunch of white male, super heterosexual, super macho, right-wing asshole, fat guys with genetically attached baseball caps carrying the symbol of ignorance magically stamped across our foreheads. The big city despots in America can curse us all they want, but we stand firm as free, courageous and armed people who are not scared to exercise our rights. Most importantly, we know our own history.


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S. Fresh "RedCupsAndAfterPartys" Vlog #3 (Houston Edition) [SSEnt. Submitted]
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With a fresh and unusual story line, this clever book drew me in immediately. A wealthy sheikh in the Yemen involves British politicians, a fisheries expert, and an estate agent into a project that seems very likely to fail. The Yemen is not suited nor sustainable in climate or environment to salmon, and yet the project to introduce them continues. But can improbability and impossibility stop a miracle from happening?
The story is about more than fish…there is hope, faith and love, and the characters are believable. Torday's style of telling the story through written narratives was effective, entertaining, and allowed for various points of view. My favourite parts of the book were the wise and hopeful reflections of the sheikh, like those in this trailer.
But the book did not have the Hollywood ending I was expecting, and perhaps that fits and is more realistic. Does the movie have a Hollywood ending? Now I have read the book I can find out!


text: Sijun Forums :: View topic - Dark Town & Blacksmith Log in to check your private messages Sijun Forums Forum Index >> Archive : Sep99 - Dec00 View previous topic :: View next topic Author Topic : "Dark Town & Blacksmith" RobTmemberMember #Joined: 15 Oct 2000Posts: 276Location: Boston Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2000 10:44 pm I have ben messing around alot lately with a different style. Something a little more painterly than I usually do. I did these two tonight for the fun of it. And this one. -------------- RobT www.gameart.com/mindstorm All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. [This message has been edited by RobT (edited December 30, 2000).] Back to top AhcrimemberMember #Joined: 23 Dec 2000Posts: 559Location: Victoria, B.C. Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2000 10:48 pm I like the first one, the second one's view angle is a bit uneven, but the atmosphere is great (for both of them) ------------------ http://gameart.com/ahcri heard that people with issues or problems in their lives that constantly complain grow more in depression and will eventually grow more angry towards little things in life that don't matter at all." --The "Wise" Man on the P.O.V. Back to top absinthememberMember #Joined: 15 Dec 2000Posts: 100Location: portland, or Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2000 10:50 pm your lighting effects are particularly good. i like them. Back to top vengeanceartsjunior memberMember #Joined: 17 Dec 2000Posts: 22Location: asia Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2000 11:02 pm nasty graphics dude! hahahahaha i like it! "the vengeance of the heavens r slow but sure..." http://vengeancearts.digitlarice.com Back to top RobTmemberMember #Joined: 15 Oct 2000Posts: 276Location: Boston Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2000 11:09 pm Thanks Achri. I like the first one better too. Absinth thanks. I'm glad the lighting looks alright. Vengeancearts I like your site. We seem to have the same fascination with skulls. ------------------ RobT www.gameart.com/mindstorm All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Back to top krisz1ojunior memberMember #Joined: 01 Dec 2000Posts: 1Location: Boston, MA Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2000 3:20 pm Very nice.... I like the new style. Its definetely ALOT different from your regular style and stuff... but this style works real good for you too! I look at both pieces and I get a feeling... the stone room makes me feel cozy. The barn piece makes me feel lonely and cold. KEEP them coming!!!! lilsis Back to top Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First Sijun Forums Forum Index -> Archive : Sep99 - Dec00 All times are GMT - 8 Hours Page 1 of 1 Jump to: Select a forum Digital Art----------------Digital Art DiscussionWork in ProgressGallery/Finished Work Miscellaneous----------------Random MusingsArchive : Sep99 - Dec00 You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forum Powered by phpBB © 2005 phpBB Group


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Each ladder is rated at 350 lbs. capacity. The standard climb angle is 58° (contact factory for pricing on optional 50° Easy-Climb angle). The handrail height is 30" from the steps and 34" around the top platform that includes a 4" toeboard. Each step is 24" wide by 7" deep. Choose either grip strut style or perforated style steps. Front wheels are 10" diameter. Side frame is constructed from heavy-duty rectangular tubing that offers maximum strength. Unique two-piece design allows ladder to separate for shipping and storage. Welded steel construction with powder coat finish. Manufactured in compliance with OSHA and ANSI A14.7 standards.
# of Steps 15
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Additional Information


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This was published 6 years ago
Rain in outback helped extend world's carbon sink, finds paper
A burst of growth in the wake of drought-breaking rains across inland Australia in 2011 helped to turn the country into one of the world's biggest carbon sinks, new research has found.
While oceans and land typically absorb about half the carbon emissions caused by fossil-fuel burning and land clearing, the unusually strong La Nina weather event and associated heavy rains resulted in land vegetation alone accounting for 40 per cent of the CO2 take-up that year.
Australia contributed about 60 per cent of the additional worldwide carbon sink, revealing a larger role for semi-arid regions than previously known, the lead author of a paper published on Thursday in Nature journal, Benjamin Poulter, said.
''Semi-arid regions have been overlooked in the carbon cycle because they have low productivity and because they store low amounts of carbon in vegetation and soils in comparison with tropical or boreal systems,'' said Dr Poulter, now an assistant professor at Montana State University after leading the study at France's Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et l'Environnement.
The research also found Australia has been on a greening trend, with vegetation expanding 6 per cent since 1981. The carbon uptake of plants has apparently become four times as sensitive to rainfall.
However, the scientists wrote that while drier regions could rival rainforests in carbon take-up, the more transitory nature of the vegetation meant its role as a sink could quickly reverse.
''The carbon that was stored in vegetation in 2011 was relatively quickly returned back to the atmosphere because of annual mortality of semi-arid grasses or because of increased fire activity consuming the greater fuel loads,'' Professor Poulter said.
''Changes in the behaviour of dryland systems in the global carbon cycle are very short-lived, and contribute mainly to larger inter-annual atmospheric CO2 variability,'' he said.
An indication of how temporary those carbon gains are may be on display in the coming year. The Bureau of Meteorology confirmed on Tuesday that an El Nino event had at least a 70 per cent chance of forming this year.
El Ninos, the flip side of La Ninas, typically bring drier and hotter than usual conditions to eastern and southern Australia. Bushfire seasons also tend to be more eventful.
Professor Poulter said dryland vegetation appeared to be expanding in part because of climate change but also because of changes to fire management.
Increased atmospheric levels of C02 were also affecting the physiology of plants.
''Openings on the leaf surface, stomata, tend to decrease in either density or in size, and so plants are able to reduce water losses in enriched CO2 environments,'' Professor Poulter said.
Policy changes, such as land clearing laws in Queensland and NSW, also influence the amount of dryland vegetation growth, he said.
Peter Hannam writes on environment issues for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.


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Uzma Jalaluddin
Uzma Jalaluddin is a Canadian writer, celebrated for the successful debut of her first novel, Ayesha at last, which has been favourably compared with Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.[1][2]
Jaluluddin writes a column for the Toronto Star.[2][3] She is also a high school teacher, an occupation she shares with the protagonist of her first novel. During an interview, fellow novelist Ausma Zehanat Khan described her writing circle, the Sisterhood of the Pen, that include Jalaluddin and S.K. Ali.[4]
Jalaluddin described loving reading, and always wanting to write, but finding it hard to find novels about people who looked like her, and deciding to write a novel about people who looked like her.[5] Jalaluddin started the novel while pregnant with her son Ibrahim, shelved it, then dusted it off, and finished it, after telling seven-year-old Ibrahim about it.
The popularity of the highly successful film Crazy Rich Asians, earlier in 2018, is said to have triggered a greater interest in Hollywood acquiring other novels from writers with an Asian background.[6][7][8] Film rights were acquired by Amy Pascal's production company, Pascal Pictures, which produced the 2016 Ghostbusters, Spider-Man: Homecoming, The Post and Molly's Game.[9] Pascal Pictures acquired the rights in August, 2018, less than four months after the novel's Canadian and UK debut.
Awards nominations
Ayesha at last was one of ten titles under consideration for the 2018 Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour.[10]
In May, 2019, Ayesha at last was one of six books short-listed for a Kobo Emerging Writer Prize.[11]
Reviews of Ayesha at last
On April 8, 2019, Asian Images wrote "This version of the well-loved novel is innovative, relevant and so very relatable."[12]
On April 11, 2019, The Sydney Morning Herald described the novel as a "positive, optimistic, generous-hearted take on a multicultural world."[13]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Piali Roy. "Ayesha at last". Quill and Quire. https://quillandquire.com/review/ayesha-at-last/. Retrieved 2018-09-24.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Chelby Daigle (2018-07-09). "Muslim Canadian Novelist Uzma Jalaluddin will be in Ottawa This Wednesday". Muslim Link. https://muslimlink.ca/news/muslim-canadian-novelist-uzma-jalaluddin-will-be-in-ottawa-this-wednesday. Retrieved 2018-09-26. "Uzma Jalaluddin, a high school teacher, writes Samosas and Maple Syrup, a regular column about modern Muslim life for the Toronto Star. She's also been a guest on the TV show Cityline, speaking on the Muslim experience."
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Ryan B. Patrick (2018-06-28). "Uzma Jalaluddin's novel Ayesha At Last subverts Muslim stereotypes in its look at romantic love". CBC News. https://www.cbc.ca/books/uzma-jalaluddin-s-novel-ayesha-at-last-subverts-muslim-stereotypes-in-its-look-at-romantic-love-1.4702800. Retrieved 2018-09-26. "One of the biggest things that happened in my life was I had a great opportunity to write a parenting column for the Toronto Star. What that did was give me the discipline of deadlines. I had to write a new 700 word column every two weeks — it had to be edited, polished and ready for publication."
- ↑ Nick Douglas (2018-11-28). "I'm Novelist Ausma Zehanat Khan, and This Is How I Work". Life Hacker. https://lifehacker.com/im-novelist-ausma-zehanat-khan-and-this-is-how-i-work-1830386248. Retrieved 2019-05-18. "I also have a little writing circle. We jokingly call ourselves the Sisterhood of the Pen. (We've also tried out the name #blahblahplot). Uzma Jalaluddin and S. K. Ali share useful career advice, Uzma reads my work as I go along and helps me figure out what's working and what isn't, and we just generally enjoy each other's company and love chatting about writing."
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Uzma Jalaluddin (2018-06-06). "Climbing the mountain, becoming a writer". Toronto Star. https://www.thestar.com/life/opinion/2018/06/06/climbing-the-mountain-becoming-a-writer.html. Retrieved 2018-09-24. "My first attempt at writing was a picture book titled Icy Water's Bad Day. It was about the life cycle of an ice cube. By the end of the book, Icy Water is melting in someone's stomach, so actually it may have been a dark comedy about existential despair. I wrote it when I was 8, so I can't be certain."
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Tony Wong (2018-09-08). "Why Canadian authors are hot in Hollywood". Toronto Star. https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/tiff/2018/09/08/why-canadian-authors-are-hot-in-hollywood.html. Retrieved 2018-09-24. "Jalaluddin's novel has been described as a Muslim take on Pride and Prejudice, as Hollywood looks for the next big racially diverse comedy in the wake of Crazy Rich Asians."
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Jane van Koeverden (2018-08-28). "Film rights to Uzma Jalaluddin's Ayesha at Last acquired by Pascal Pictures". CBC News. https://www.cbc.ca/books/film-rights-to-uzma-jalaluddin-s-ayesha-at-last-acquired-by-pascal-pictures-1.4801933. Retrieved 2018-09-24. "The film rights to Uzma Jalaluddin's young adult novel Ayesha at Last have been sold to Pascal Pictures, the production company behind blockbusters like the Ghostbusters reboot, Spider-Man: Homecoming, The Post and Molly's Game, Deadline reports."
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Chelby Daigle (2018-07-09). ""Crazy Rich Asians" Buzz Gets Muslim Canadian Novel "Ayesha At Last" Acquired by Hollywood Execs". Muslim Link. https://muslimlink.ca/news/crazy-rich-asians-ayesha-at-last-uzma-jalaluddin-muslim-canadian-pride-and-prejudice. Retrieved 2018-09-24. "Pascal Pictures, founded by Amy Pascal, has just optioned "Ayesha at Last", a modern Muslim Canadian retelling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice published by Harper Collins Canada."
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Mike Fleming Jr. (2018-08-27). "Pascal Pictures Acquires Uzma Jalaluddin Novel 'Ayesha At Last'". Deadline magazine. https://deadline.com/2018/08/ayesha-at-last-pascal-pictures-uzma-jalaluddin-novel-1202452912/. Retrieved 2018-09-24. "The novel was shopped as interest swelled in Crazy Rich Asians, and it was helped by an appetite to tell a fun story focused on historically underrepresented characters."
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Ten finalists for Leacock Medal for Humour revealed". Orillia Matters (Orillia). 2019-04-24. https://www.orilliamatters.com/local-news/ten-finalists-for-leacock-medal-for-humour-revealed-1388408. Retrieved 2019-04-24. "The board of directors of the Stephen Leacock Associates announced its 2019 longlist for the 72nd Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour today."
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Ryan Porter (2019-05-02). "Tanya Tagaq, Kate Harris, and Uzma Jalaluddin among shortlisted authors for Kobo Emerging Writer Prize". Quill and Quire. https://quillandquire.com/omni/tanya-tagaq-kate-harris-and-uzma-jalaluddin-among-shortlisted-authors-for-kobo-emerging-writer-prize/. Retrieved 2019-05-03. "The winners will be announced at an event in Toronto on June 27. Each winner will receive $10,000 and marketing support."
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Umbreen Ali (2019-04-08). "'Ayesha At Last' by Uzma Jalaluddin". Asian Image. https://www.asianimage.co.uk/news/17541911.ayesha-at-last-by-uzma-jalaluddin/. Retrieved 2019-04-24. "In the 200 years since Pride and Prejudice was published, it is delightful to see a Muslim version, complete with cross-culture nuances, wit, humour and classic romance."
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Kerryn Goldsworthy (2019-04-11). "Fiction: Ayesha at Last, The Woman of St Germain and two other novels". The Sydney Morning Herald. https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/fiction-ayesha-at-last-the-woman-of-st-germain-and-two-other-novels-20190411-p51d98.html. Retrieved 2019-04-24. "The unlikely romance proceeds slowly through various sharp observations about the problems and prejudices encountered by Muslims in the West, including family troubles. As with other clever Austen adaptations, the reader will have fun following the parallels of plot and character"
- ↑ Laura Beeston, Jackie Hong (2017-03-08). "Toronto women on the future of feminism". Toronto Star. https://www.thestar.com/life/2017/03/08/toronto-women-on-the-future-of-feminism.html. Retrieved 2018-09-26. "The way forward is not just to lean in but to lean on each other. Once we realize that (it will) make us feel our voices are heard and empower us. Instead of being exclusionary, now is the time to welcome and celebrate what we all bring to this movement. The idea of not discounting people who don't look like us or talk like us is so important, especially in Toronto."
- ↑ Alexandra Alter (2018-07-07). "The Changing Face of Romance Novels". New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/07/books/romance-novels-diversity.html. Retrieved 2018-09-26. "The landscape is slowly starting to change, as more diverse writers break into the genre, and publishers take chances on love stories that reflect a broader range of experiences and don't always fit the stereotypical girl-meets-boy mold. Forever Yours, an imprint at Grand Central, publishes Karelia Stetz-Waters, who writes romances about lesbian couples. Uzma Jalaluddin's debut novel, "Ayesha at Last," takes place in a close-knit immigrant Muslim community in Canada, and features an outspoken Muslim heroine who falls for a more conservative Muslim man, a Darcy to her Lizzie Bennett."
- ↑ Sheila Kumar (2019-05-18). "'Ayesha at Last' by Uzma Jalaluddin: The Bennet bibis of Toronto". The Hindu. https://www.thehindu.com/books/ayesha-at-last-by-uzma-jalaluddin-the-bennet-bibis-of-toronto/article27158152.ece. Retrieved 2019-05-18. "The various Austen characters are easily recognisable, the oft-quoted homilies appear flavoured just that bit differently enough to make the reader smile in appreciation."
- ↑ Marie Louise McConville (2019-05-18). "Sorry you had to stand Lulu but get used to it, good manners are a thing of the past". Irish News. https://www.irishnews.com/lifestyle/familyandparenting/2019/05/18/news/sorry-you-had-to-stand-lulu-but-get-used-to-it-good-manners-are-a-thing-of-the-past-1620430/. Retrieved 2019-05-18. "Ayesha At Last by Uzma Jalaluddin tells the story of Ayesha Shamsi, who has a lot going on. Her dreams of being a poet have been overtaken by a demanding teaching job. Her boisterous Muslim family, and numerous (interfering) aunties, are professional naggers. And her flighty young cousin, about to reject her one hundredth marriage proposal, is a constant reminder that Ayesha is still single. Ayesha might be a little lonely, but the one thing she doesn't want is an arranged marriage."
- ↑ Ashly July (2019-05-01). "Tanya Tagaq, Kate Harris and Terese Marie Mailhot shortlisted for $10K Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize". CBC News. https://www.cbc.ca/books/tanya-tagaq-kate-harris-and-terese-marie-mailhot-shortlisted-for-10k-rakuten-kobo-emerging-writer-prize-1.5117416. Retrieved 2019-05-18. "Other shortlisted titles include the memoir Son of a Critch by comedian Mark Critch and Ayesha At Last by Uzma Jalaluddin, which is a finalist in the romance category."
- ↑ "Why Uzma Jalaluddin wrote a Muslim, modern-day update of Pride and Prejudice". CBC News. 2018-09-03. https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thenextchapter/full-episode-sept-3-2018-1.4806201/why-uzma-jalaluddin-wrote-a-muslim-modern-day-update-of-pride-and-prejudice-1.4806544. Retrieved 2019-05-18. "Set in a tight-knit Muslim community in Toronto, Uzma Jalaluddin's debut novel Ayesha at Last is a love story in the vein of Jane Austen's classic novel Pride and Prejudice. Ayesha, a teacher who dreams of being a poet, belongs to a rambunctious family and is surprised when she finds herself attracted to a traditional, conservative young man named Khalid."
- ↑ Laura LaVelle (2019-05-01). "On Our Bookshelves – Ayesha at Last". News Whistle. http://newswhistle.com/on-our-bookshelves-ayesha-at-last/. Retrieved 2019-05-18. "This is a terrific book—Uzma Jalaluddin, a high school teacher and newspaper columnist, has knocked it out of the park with her first novel. A love letter to Jane Austen and William Shakespeare, a sweet, touching, and very funny romance, and a clever bit of cultural ambassadorship—Ayesha at Last is a delightful and contemporary spin on the Pride and Prejudice story, set in a Muslim immigrant community in a Toronto suburb."
- ↑ Kerryn Goldsworthy (2019-04-11). "Fiction: Ayesha at Last, The Woman of St Germain and two other novels". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 2019-04-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20190412160244/https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/fiction-ayesha-at-last-the-woman-of-st-germain-and-two-other-novels-20190411-p51d98.html. Retrieved 2019-05-18. "This positive, optimistic, generous-hearted take on a multicultural world in the 21st century is accurately described on the cover as ''a modern, witty Muslim salute to Pride and Prejudice". It says much for Jane Austen that so many variations on her themes are still possible and effective over 200 years after her death, and this is yet another new angle. Ayesha Shamsi, transplanted from India to Canada after her father's death and now a happy young woman in a boisterous extended family, has little time for the judgmental Khalid, born in Toronto but raised as a conservative Muslim man. The unlikely romance proceeds slowly through various sharp observations about the problems and prejudices encountered by Muslims in the West, including family troubles. As with other"
- ↑ "20 books you could give your mom on Mother's Day". CBC News. 2019-05-09. https://www.cbc.ca/books/20-books-you-could-give-your-mom-on-mother-s-day-1.5128121. Retrieved 2019-05-18. "If your mom loves Jane Austen, try Ayesha At Last by Uzma Jalaluddin."
- ↑ Ryan Porter (2019-05-02). "FOLD 2019: Amid education cuts, five writers for young people say public schools need to encourage developing readers". Quill & Quire. https://quillandquire.com/omni/fold-2019-amid-education-cuts-five-writers-for-young-people-say-public-schools-need-to-encourage-developing-readers/. Retrieved 2019-05-18.
- ↑ Susie Dumond (2019-03-23). "What to read before and after surgery". Book riot. https://bookriot.com/2019/03/23/reading-before-and-after-surgery/. Retrieved 2019-05-18. "Retellings of classic novels are another great choice. If you've read the book that inspired a retelling, you probably have a pretty good idea of where it's headed. For example, Ayesha At Last by Uzma Jalaluddin is a modern Muslim retelling of Pride and Prejudice."
- ↑ Rachel Brittain (2019-03-19). "6 DIVERSE JANE AUSTEN RETELLINGS". Book riot. https://bookriot.com/2019/03/30/diverse-jane-austen-retellings/. Retrieved 2019-05-18. "This heartwarming P&P retelling set in the Toronto Muslim community is already getting all sort of buzz–and it's definitely deserved! Ayesha at Last is coming out in the U.S. soon, but the movie rights have already been snagged, which is telling. So if you want to get on board before this book turns into your next favorite rom-com, go ahead and add this one to your TBR."
- ↑ Rachel Brittain (2019-30-27). "6 books to read before they're made into movies". Book riot. https://bookriot.com/2019/03/27/books-to-read-before-theyre-adapted/. Retrieved 2019-05-18. "This modern Pride and Prejudice retelling set in a Toronto Muslim community was optioned for film even before its release in the U.S. (June 4th for anyone wondering)."
- ↑ Kamrun Nesa (2019-03-24). "Books dismantle stereotypes, invite debate: Novels prompt discussion about cultural traditions". The Columbian. https://www.columbian.com/news/2019/mar/24/books-dismantle-stereotypes-invite-debate/. Retrieved 2019-05-18. ""The Marriage Clock" joins a number of other South Asian novels out this year, including Sharma's "The Takeover Effect"; a modern-day Pakistani adaptation of "Pride and Prejudice" called "Unmarriageable," by Soniah Kamal; "Ayesha at Last," by Uzma Jalaluddin — another modern-day "Pride and Prejudice" adaptation; and "The Matchmaker's List," by Sonya Lalli. All richly diverse and complex, many of them analyze gender stereotypes, tradition and double standards through the lens of young women pressured by their family and culture to get married."
- ↑ "Book Club: Retelling Jane Austen". WGBH-TV. 2019-04-05. https://www.wgbh.org/news/arts/2019/04/05/book-club-retelling-jane-austen. Retrieved 2019-05-18. ""Ayesha at Last" by Uzma Jalaluddin and "Unmarriageable" by Soniah Kamal are our April selections for "Bookmarked: The Under the Radar Book Club.""
- ↑ E CE Miller (February 2019). "'Pride & Prejudice' Retellings Prove That Jane Austen's Themes Translate Across Cultures". Bustle magazine. https://www.bustle.com/p/pride-prejudice-retellings-prove-that-jane-austens-themes-translate-across-cultures-15917316. Retrieved 2019-05-21. "But while the romantic underpinnings might mirror those of the original novel, the Islamophobia that both characters face, and their disconnect over Islamic fundamentalism, definitely adds a new layer to Jane Austen's foundation"
- ↑ Kamrun Nesa (2019-03-11). "Misconceptions about arranged marriage abound. Romance authors are here to help.". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2019-03-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20190311184545/https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/misconceptions-about-arranged-marriage-abound-romance-authors-are-here-to-help/2019/03/08/7b1ff8e4-41bf-11e9-a0d3-1210e58a94cf_story.html. Retrieved 2019-05-21. "'The Marriage Clock' joins a number of other South Asian novels out this year, including Sharma's 'The Takeover Effect'; a modern-day Pakistani adaptation of 'Pride and Prejudice' called 'Unmarriageable,' by Soniah Kamal; 'Ayesha at Last,' by Uzma Jalaluddin — another modern-day 'Pride and Prejudice' adaptation; and 'The Matchmaker's List,' by Sonya Lalli. All richly diverse and complex, many of them analyze gender stereotypes, tradition and double standards through the lens of young women pressured by their family and culture to get married."
- ↑ Rachel Brittain (2019-02-15). "Judge a book by its cover: 10 gorgeous cover redesigns". Book riot. https://bookriot.com/2019/02/15/judge-a-book-by-its-cover-10-gorgeous-cover-redesigns/. Retrieved 2019-05-18. "The recently released U.S. cover for Uzma Jalaluddin's upcoming modern reimagining of Pride and Prejudice (on the right, available June 4th) and the original Canadian and UK version (on the left) are both lovely. But I've gotta say, the bright purple pop of the hijab with that gold background just really catches my attention!"
- ↑ Mikaella Clements (2019-02-14). "Eight romance novels that are subverting the genre in 2019". Dazed digital. https://www.dazeddigital.com/life-culture/article/43306/1/romance-novels-reading-list-2019-permissions-sugar-run-willa-hesper. Retrieved 2019-05-21. "It is a truth universally acknowledged that most years will see at least a couple of Jane Austen rewrites. We've had Curtis Sittenfeld's 2016 novel Eligible, and 1995's beloved Clueless; there was a brief sweep of monster additions to the Austen canon, and a fair share of erotica. This year, I've already counted three upcoming novels that retell Pride and Prejudice alone, but my favourite of the bunch is Umza Jalaluddin's Ayesha At Last, a charming, heartwarming update of the story that stays true to Austen's feeling for community, family and begrudging attraction."
- ↑ "14 Canadian books to read on Valentine's Day". CBC News. 2019-02-14. https://www.cbc.ca/books/14-canadian-books-to-read-on-valentine-s-day-1.5017395. Retrieved 2019-05-21. "Ayesha At Last, Uzma Jalaluddin's debut novel, tells the story of a young Muslim woman who aspires to be a poet, but must balance what her family expects of her with what she wants for herself. Things get tricky when she falls for Khalid, a young conservative man who is set to marry someone else. Ayesha At Last is a fun, contemporary twist on Jane Austen's classic Pride & Prejudice."
External links
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- Lakshmi Gandhi (2018-10-17). "Why South Asian Authors Continue to be Inspired by Jane Austen". The Teal Mango. https://www.thetealmango.com/culture/why-south-asian-authors-continue-to-be-inspired-by-jane-austen/. Retrieved 2018-10-25. "One of the most anticipated novels of 2019 is "Ayesha at Last" by Pakistani-Canadian author Uzma Jalaluddin. Already released in Canada, the book centers on Ayesha Shamsi, an unconventional young woman in the middle of a loud and boistrous South Asian family."
- Will Sloan (2018-06-11). "An evening with Alan Cumming, a creepy crawly ROM show and five other things to see, hear, read and do this week". Toronto Life magazine. https://torontolife.com/culture/evening-alan-cumming-creepy-crawly-rom-show-five-things-see-hear-read-week/. Retrieved 2018-10-25. "It's an uproarious romp, filled with farcical cases of mistaken identity, disastrous proposals and a big Bollywood wedding."
- "The scoop on summer reads: the 46 coolest books of the season". The Globe and Mail. 2018-06-15. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books/article-the-scoop-on-summer-reads-the-coolest-books-of-the-season/. Retrieved 2018-10-25. "Come for Darcy reimagined as a hyper-conservative young man and Elizabeth Bennet as a wannabe poet frustrated by family obligation; stay for Uzma Jalaluddin's warm portrait of life for twentysomething Muslims in suburban Toronto struggling to honour their heritage while pursuing their dreams"
- Kate Gardner (2018-08-27). "Things We Saw Today: Amy Pascal Options A Modern Re-Telling of Pride and Prejudice With Muslim Leads". The Mary Sue. https://www.themarysue.com/things-we-saw-today-ayesha-at-last/. Retrieved 2018-10-25. "In the wake of Crazy Rich Asians decimating box office records, Amy Pascal's Pascal Pictures has optioned the rights to Ayesha At Last, a novel by Uzma Jalaluddin"
- Carol Mann (2017-07-13). "Global hijabista style, from the Afghan burqa to the cover of a fashion magazine". Catchnews. http://www.catchnews.com/international-news/global-hijabista-style-from-the-afghan-burqa-to-the-cover-of-a-fashion-magazine-71307.html. Retrieved 2018-10-25. "Uzma Jalaluddin models a hijab style which she calls the triangle hijab. (Photo: Melissa Renwick/Toronto Star via Getty Images)"
- Chelby Diagle (2018-08-28). "Uzma Jalaluddin's "Ayesha at Last" bought by major Hollywood production company.". Muslimlink. https://muslimlink.ca/news/crazy-rich-asians-ayesha-at-last-uzma-jalaluddin-muslim-canadian-pride-and-prejudice. Retrieved 2018-10-25.
- Uzma Jalaluddin (2018-10-18). "Success is more complicated than I ever realized". Toronto Star. https://www.thestar.com/life/opinion/2018/10/10/uzma-jalaluddin-is-a-novelist-at-last.html. Retrieved 2018-10-25. "Sometimes I wake up at dawn and write. Sometimes I run around last minute because I'm late for everything. Some weeks, I feel like I can do this, wear all the hats all the time. Other times, I catch a stress cold and want to run away somewhere warm, like my furnace room. I know I have high expectations for myself, the kind that are hard to reach, which means that I also have to forgive myself when I fall short."
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Watch Dogs walkthrough guide: They Can't Hide to Backseat Driver
Information is power. When you're moving through the city of Chicago and hacking into its systems, you need all you can get your hands on. Get the download with our Watch Dogs walkthrough guide and hack your way through these missions: They Can't Hide, Big Brother, Foresight, Backstage Pass, Hacking Contract, and Backseat Driver.


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Authorities are looking for a thief who took a car with two toddlers strapped into their car seats from outside an Orlando hotel parking lot.
The children - ages 1 and 3 - were found on a sidewalk about a mile away Sunday night - still buckled in their car seats. The thief and the car were gone.
Police say the children were not harmed and have been reunited with their mother.
The car was taken from a Ramada Inn off John Young Parkway in Orlando. No further details were immediately available.
Orlando police are asking anyone with information to call Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS.
Copyright AP - Associated Press


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Bisons fall in trip finale
The Bisons threatened Indianapolis in the eighth and ninth innings Friday at Victory Field but couldn't put across the tying run.
In the ninth inning the Bisons got Michael Fisher into scoring position, but Indians Leftfielder John Bowker made a diving catch and a great throw to second getting Fisher sprinting back to the base ending the game in dramatic fashion, 3-2.
The Herd got within one in the eighth but were stopped short of a tie when Indians second baseman Josh Harrison made a diving stop and then a quick throw to get Valentino Pascucci.
The Bisons hit into three double-plays in the first four innings of the game allowing Indianapolis starter Rudy Owens to face one batter over the minimum through the first four innings. Owens went seven innings giving up seven hits and striking out two.
It was Owens longest start of the season since his first start on April 11 against the Toledo Mud Hens, and got his first win since April 16.
The Indians threatened to blow the game wide open in the third inning after Bisons starter D.J. Carrasco gave up a single to Bowker and walked Andrew Lambo and Dusty Brown back-to-back loading the bases with one out.
Tribe third baseman Andy Marte doubled into right-center-field scoring Bowker from third. Lambo was thrown out at home by Michael Fisher, leaving Dusty Brown on third and Marte on second with two outs.
Raul Chavez picked Brown off third base to escape the third inning and limit the damage to one run.
Carrasco kept the Bisons in the game until the fifth inning when he gave up a soft-single to Brown. Marte followed Brown with a homerun over the left-field wall making the score, 3-1.
The Bisons scored their second run in the eighth inning with three consecutive singles. Luis Figueroa scored on a single by Kirk Nieuwenhuis. Figueroa scored both of the Bisons runs.
Game Notes: The Bisons are just 7-16 in their last 23 games against Indianapolis…D.J. Carrasco has not allowed more than three runs in any of his four starts…The Bisons finish the road trip, 3-5.


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Catalina Camia leads the OnPolitics online community and has been at USA TODAY since 2005. She has been a reporter or editor covering politics and Congress for two decades, including stints at The Dallas Morning News and Congressional Quarterly. Follow her at @USATOnPolitics.
USA TODAY's Jackie Kucinich (@jfkucinich) and Fredreka Schouten (@fschouten) also contribute to the OnPolitics blog.


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Drill Sharpener Helps Shop Hone Competitive Edge
Bringing drill sharpening operations in-house saved both time and money at this Chicago-based manufacturer. However, the sharpener itself, Darex's XPS-16, provided additional benefits—with high accuracy and consistent results, the machine helped the company maintain precision and quality.
These days, many shops likely find themselves competing for less work. Even in good economic conditions, however, successful manufacturers tend to be those that can process work more quickly, accurately and cost effectively than the competition.
At Chicago-based job shop Swiss Automation, ensuring that employees have the equipment to compete effectively is a critical responsibility of foreman Marc Moran. Having identified long wait times for outsourced drill sharpening as a source of inefficiency, Mr. Moran pressed the company to bring that operation in-house. Darex's XPS-16 high speed, CNC sharpening machine not only reduced costs and downtime, but also aided the shop's efforts to maintain precision and quality.
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Housing more than 100 employees who perform all types of precision machining, Swiss Automation's recently expanded 44,000-square-foot facility boasts a variety of production, inspection, programming and toolroom equipment. The 40-year-old shop manufactures primarily hydraulic/pneumatic, electrical, medical and custom components. Commonly machined materials include aluminum, brass, phosphor, bronze, stainless and titanium.
Swiss Automation is busy shop—its 88 CNC Swiss machines run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Such a grueling production schedule can take a toll on tooling. Industrial drills, especially, can become dull quickly when continually exposed to excessive heat, tool pressure, lack of lubrication and other elements. Additionally, the shop's bustling schedule leaves little time to wait for drills to return from independent sharpening services, which could often take as long as 6 weeks. Sharpening drills in-house with the XPS-16 is not only more expedient, but also significantly reduces perishable tooling costs, Mr. Moran says.
The XPS-16 is designed to reproduce the complex, high-tech points found on premium HSS and carbide drills. The machine can sharpen HSS or carbide ranging from 1/8 to 5/8 inch in diameter and from 2 to 8 3/4 inches long at angles ranging from 118 to 150 degrees. Once the user presses the cycle start button, the machine automatically detects the drill's length, diameter and web thickness with fiber-optic sensors before proceeding to sharpening with superabrasive, plated grinding wheels in one continuous process. For carbide, it includes an automatic cycle to hone the cutting edge. This allows users to choose whether to hone at the end of the cyle or to disable other steps and perform only honing.
Like other CNC machines, the sharpener allows users to make minor geometric adjustments to a drill by "offsetting" the grinding wheel. It also monitors the load on the grinding wheel and adjusts feeds and speeds accordingly to keep the drill cool during the sharpening process. Furthermore, the interface is said to be intuitive enough for operators to learn to use the machine in minutes. "We are saving money on tooling, and our downtime is reduced because all resharpening is done in-house," Mr. Moran says. "The machine paid for itself in a short period of time."
Additionally, the machine enables employees to save individual program files for each drill, which can be defined with either the original geometry or custom geometry. "When the operator needs to sharpen a drill, he or she recalls the custom program for that drill, and within a few minutes, the drill is ground to the pre-determined geometry," Mr. Moran explains. "Consistency from drill to drill, day after day, week after week, is crucial to knowing you will obtain repeatable results in a production environment."
The shop had tried in-house sharpening before with a different machine, but with customers submitting increasingly difficult parts with ever-tighter tolerances, Swiss Automation couldn't settle for just any sharpener. In addition to its consistent results, the Darex model's high accuracy aided the company's efforts to maintain precision and quality.
In fact, the accuracy to which a drill has been ground is equally as important as the sharpness of its cutting edge, Mr. Moran notes. This is especially true for split-point drills. Designed to avoid "walking," a phenomenon in which a drill rotates off-center, these drills can eliminate the need for center-drilling. To get the most out of the tools, however, it is imperative to ensure that the rotational split, depth and center of split are appropriate for the material being drilled.
"The earlier sharpening machine we tried was never perfect. The drill was not on center half the time, and you could never get the split point right," Mr. Moran says. "When resharpening on the XPS-16, we can meet the maker's standard cutting edge. Sometimes, we actually get better results than the original manufacturer with the Darex machine."
Accurately regrinding split-point drills allows the company to eliminate center drilling operations. This reduces the number of tools used on the job as well as the cycle time. Lower cycle time means more parts can be produced per hour, reducing overall costs and providing a quicker return on investment.
"This machine exceeds our expectations, makes our job easier and faster, and works at a consistent, precision performance level all the time," Mr. Moran concludes.
Related Topics
Non-Traditional Methods For Making Small Holes
Consider these alternatives when conventional drilling can't do the job.
Tool Considerations for High Speed Cutting
Fast CNC processing and high-pressure coolant contribute to removing metal at dramatic rates. But what should a shop know about cutting tools in high speed machining?
Successful Application Of Ceramic Inserts
Applying ceramic inserts is not a simple substitution of one cutting tool material for another. There are significant process considerations that shops should examine carefully in order to realize performance and tool life expectations from ceramic inserts. Here's a look at some of the ways they are used.


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FBI Identifies Suspected 'Bucket List Bandit'
ERIE, Pa. (AP) — Authorities have identified a suspect dubbed the "Bucket List Bandit" who's believed to be responsible for bank robberies in nine states.
According to an arrest warrant issued Thursday, 54-year-old Michael Eugene Brewster has been charged with a robbery that took place Monday in Erie.
He was nicknamed the Bucket List Bandit after allegedly telling a Utah bank teller he had only four months to live.
The warrant says a confidential informant contacted the FBI office in Erie and provided Brewster's name.
Authorities then reviewed surveillance video from various robberies and found an "obvious likeness" to Brewster. A bank teller also identified his picture.
Brewster is also a suspect in robberies in Missouri, Colorado, Arizona, Idaho, Utah, North Carolina, Tennessee and Illinois.


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The arrival of the sakura, or cherry blossom, has long been a profound yet simple Japanese lesson about the nature of human existence. For centuries, poets have fired off reams of haiku comparing the brief but blazing lives of the flowers to those of our own – a tragically fragile beauty to be treasured and contemplated.
In Japan, spring sees the country gradually coated in a light pink shade, soft petals slowly clustering on their branches as if puffed through by some benevolent underground spirit. The sakura-zensen, or cherry blossom front, flushes like a floral wave that laps the country from south to north; this is followed ardently by the Japanese, who know that when the advancing flowers hit their locality, they'll only have a week or so to enjoy the annual gift to its fullest. This desire is most commonly expressed in the centuries-old form of countless hanami parties – the word literally means "flower viewing" in Japanese – which take place in the rosy shade of the sakura-zensen throughout the entire duration of its course. The existential contemplation is often over in seconds, before the party's real raison d'être: consumption. Female members of the group are expected to provide the food, and then, of course, there's alcohol – hanami are often convenient ways for grievances to be aired in highly conservative Japan.
Hanami are typically friends-and-family affairs taking place in the most convenient location to the partygoers – often a park or river bank. Some of the most popular places are illuminated at night, and many are atmospherically decorated with red-and-white paper lanterns. Of course, the coming of the blossom can be enjoyed in any way you see fit; among the best places to go are Kiyomizu-tera, a gorgeous temple in Kyoto, Tokyo's Ueno Park or the castles in Osaka or Himeji, all of which are lent a dreamlike air by the arrival of the blossom each spring. A hanami party may even be possible in your own country – hunt down some sake, roll up some rice balls and become one with the nearest flowering cherry tree.
Though the exact dates vary each year, the sakura usually blossoms in late March or early April.
Top image © Shutterstock
For hundreds more ultimate travel experiences, get Rough Guides' Make The Most Of Your Time On Earth


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Niteflux is a company from Australia that makes high end lights that are a little bit different from the US mold. We find it very cool to have fresh ideas from all over the world so we're always excited to see what they have to offer.
This year, they were excited about their PMini12. It's a 214 gram light (installed) that has a claimed output of 1000 lumens. It is designed to be installed on the helmet with the light near the front and the battery just strapped on to the back.
It is a tiny light head so we were surprised to see so much light come out of it. The beam pattern is big and consistent with now hotspot. It's not 1000 lumens bright but it's one of the lightest 200 gram headlights that we've ever tested.
The radical innovation on this light is a wireless infrared light switch. It weighs 9 grams and can be strapped on anywhere, usually on the handlebar. Remote switches are not usually that useful for bar lights but for a helmet light, it improves ergonomics quite a bit. You never have to be fumbling by your helmet again, feeling around for that light switch. The battery also has a switch that will work in with or without the remote switch.
Run time is at 1:45 at full power so that is truly impressive for a light of this power and weight.
- Price: $500.00
- Claimed Lumens: 1000 Lumens
- Light Head Weight: 56 grams
- Installed Weight: 214 grams
- Run Time: n/a Hours
- Measured MTBR Lux: 62 Lux
- Measured Lumens: 660 Lumens
Helmet mounting is done with simple straps in the front. There is dual sided tape to assist in keeping the light in place for very rough conditions. The lights are mounted near the fron of the helmet so the height is not increased at all. The battery can be put in a pack or mounted right on the helmet. At 214 grams complete, it's perfectly reasonable to mount the battery on the helmet.
The light switch can be mounted right on the grip so it's easily accessible.
Related Links
Mtbr Lights Shootout Main Page »
2012 Bike Lights Shootout »
Backyard Beam Pattern Comparisons »
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Mtbr Lights Reviews »
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Recovery TimelineBy Edward Cone Print
Cantor Fitzgerald and its electronic trading subsidiary eSpeed lost 700 employees, including 180 members of technology staff. The response of those still on the job: Restore service to customers in less than two days.
8:30 am Decide to take day off after fishing trip canceled.
8:47 am The north tower of the World Trade Center is hit by airplane. Data center could be affected.
8:50 am Receive call from Jim Coffey, manager of enterprise systems group. He's on his way to Rochelle Park, N.J., mirror site.
8:51 am Call London office over tie-line connection on 103rd floor of the trade center. Communications to data center still live.
9:03 am The south tower is hit by another airplane.
9:50 am The south tower collapses.
10:29 am North tower collapses; connection to London and data center is lost.
11:00 am An emergency team of IT staff is dispatched to Rochelle Park to assess the situation. A virtual private network connection to Rochelle Park data center established. Cable-modem service, cell phones, land lines used to direct restoration operations.
12:00 pm First milestones for bringing eSpeed back on line are set. Search for missing technology staff members continues.
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After a week's worth of speculation and rumor, the first Nittany Lion has jumped from the listing Penn State ship.
In a press release, North Carolina State announced that safety Tim Buckley has transferred from the Nittany Lions to the Wolfpack Because of the NCAA sanctions, Buckley will be eligible to play immediately in 2012.
Buckley played his high school football in the state, so the move is a homecoming for the defensive back.
"I am excited to be a member of the NC State Wolfpack," said Buckley in a statement. "The opportunity to come here and play at my state university, so close to home, was something that I couldn't pass up."
Buckley, a two-star member of PSU's 2011 recruiting class, took a redshirt as a true freshman last season. He will have four years of eligibility remaining.
In addition to Buckley, running back Silas Redd is expected to announce at some point this week — perhaps as early as Tuesday — that he will be transferring to USC. Suffice to say, the loss of Redd would have a much bigger impact than Buckley's departure.


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Stairway to Our Future Annual Event - Saturday, March 14, 2020
Contact Us
Drueding Center renews lives and restores hope by working with homeless women and their children to create two generations of self-reliant adults.
The Sisters of the Redeemer founded Drueding Center in 1987 as Project Rainbow. We serve the most vulnerable, helping them recover the dignity of standing on their own. We are unique among Philadelphia's transitional housing organizations in the length of time we stay involved with families—up to seven years after they leave Drueding Center—and in the quality and breadth of our interconnected programs.
Drueding Inspires Me To Do Better
Read Alicia's Story
Everyone Here Believes In Me
Read Mary's Story
I See Things In A Different Light
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We serve
500 families annually
, 58 in our Residential Program.
Families can live at Drueding Center for up to two years.
Since 1987, we have served
625 families and 1,250 children.
© 2011-2020 Holy Redeemer Health System, All Rights Reserved |
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Kay Miner and Wes Enderson, both of Estherville, were joined together in holy matrimony on June 25, 2010, at Gull Point State Park.
The bride was escorted to the altar by her brothers Craig and Doug Miner. The bride's mother is Shirley Miner of Okoboji and father is the late Eldon Miner of Estherville. The groom's parents are Charleen and Terry Enderson of Milford.
The bride's maid of honor was Debra Peterson of Okoboji. Bridesmaids were Kim Storey of Spirit Lake, and Shiela Ross of Estherville.
The groom's best man was Jay Iverson of Spencer. Groomsmen were Boston Miner (son of bride) of Estherville and Trace Iverson also of Estherville.
A full reception and dance at Gull Point followed the ceremony. The two-layered pedestal cake was made by the groom's mother and sister and the champagne was provided by the bride's brother and fianc.
Kay and Wes Enderson reside in Estherville.


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Title 16
238.0 Bait advertising defined. 1§ 238.0 Bait advertising defined. 1
1 For the purpose of this part "advertising" includes any form of public notice however disseminated or utilized.
Bait advertising is an alluring but insincere offer to sell a product or service which the advertiser in truth does not intend or want to sell. Its purpose is to switch consumers from buying the advertised merchandise, in order to sell something else, usually at a higher price or on a basis more advantageous to the advertiser. The primary aim of a bait advertisement is to obtain leads as to persons interested in buying merchandise of the type so advertised.


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Do 0% credit card deals really mean free money?
- 0%25 interest is once again being offered by credit card companies
- It may be a sign that the worst is over for the economy
- Offers are going to people with good credit
Credit card companies are once again offering free money — or it sure looks free when you see a huge 0% plastered on the envelope.
Open that new plastic, buy now and get 0% until August 2014? Yes, you're not imagining things. Credit card experts say we're seeing the best promotions for plastic ever since the Great Recession.
"It was free money to me in some sense," said Donald Grimes, an economist at the University of Michigan.
Grimes jumped at a 0% deal that runs 18 months to buy an Apple laptop. But he plans to pay off the purchase before an 18% annual percentage rate kicks in, retroactively on this deal, if the purchase is not paid off in 18 months.
"I've played that game, and I know how to do it," Grimes said.
The latest run of 0% offers — including 0% financing deals at stores and 0% introductory-rate major credit cards — is one more sign that the worst is over for the economy.
"The economy is definitely coming back, and the credit card industry is definitely making a bet on that," said Tim Chen, CEO of NerdWallet.com, which compares everything from credit cards to checking accounts to airline fees.
More jobs mean more people can pay their credit card bills. Credit card issuers are able to offer 0% rates to a significant group of consumers now because the expectation is that interest rates will remain low and the unemployment rate won't climb dramatically through the end of 2014. If that's correct, economists say, it would be awhile before rates increase appreciatively.
Banks also have so much in additional reserves that they have a good deal of money to lend, as well.
Yet do all those 0% deals mean we're heading back to the oh-too-easy credit days, when borrowers basically went on a bender? Not there yet, economists and credit card experts say.
The 0% offers are going to people who have good credit and are likely to make their payments, according to Greg McBride, senior financial analyst for Bankrate.com.
The deals aren't just for six months any more — again, indicating more optimism that the worst may be behind us. Some 0% rate deals can be strung out for 15 months, 18 months or even 21 months, depending on the offer.
But Grimes, senior research specialist for the U-Michigan Institute for Research on Labor, Employment and the Economy, said he is concerned about potential problems ahead after seeing the personal savings rate drop to 2.6% in the first quarter, compared with 4.7% in the fourth quarter last year.
Consumers could be stretching more, he said, to deal with a 2 percentage point increase in the payroll tax that began Jan. 1. Will some be tempted to borrow too much?
Right now, though, 0% could be a great deal for those who want to borrow and pay down old debt sensibly.
Better deals for consumers include:
• Slate from Chase is offering a 0% introductory rate until Aug. 1, 2014, on both purchases and balance transfers. More important, for a limited time, Slate also is offering a $0 introductory balance-transfer fee for balance transfers during the first 60 days the account is open.
• The Citi Simplicity Card has a 0% introductory rate for 18 months for purchases and balance transfers. The balance-transfer fee is $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer.
• Capital One Prestige Card is offering 0% on balance transfers and purchases through August 2014. Balance-transfer fee is 3%.
• The Discover "It" card offers an introductory 0% rate for 14 months from the date of opening the account.
What's the best deal for you?
Will you be going out to buy new patio furniture with that 0% card? If taking on new debt, consumers would want to know what the payments would be each month so that they would be able to pay off their debt at 0% before the offer ends in 15 months or 18 months.
Simple math: Take the amount of the debt and divide by the number of months you have at 0%. So if you spend $6,000 on the card, you'd want to pay $400 a month to have that debt paid off in 15 months.
Are you struggling to take care of some old debt? If so, how much will you pay to transfer a balance if tackling an old balance is part of your strategy?
"The balance-transfer fee plays a big role," said Odysseas Papadimitriou,CEO of CardHub.com.
One reason the Slate from Chase offer is so appealing, Papadimitriou said, is that there is no transfer fee for the first 60 days the account is open. After that 60 days, the fee for future balance transfers is either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
"It's very easy to get distracted by the length of the 0% offer," Papadimitriou said.
But typically, he said, an 18-month offer with a 3% balance-transfer fee is going to be more costly than a 15-month offer with no balance-transfer fee.
The balance transfer would add up to $150 if you'd transfer $5,000 with a 3% fee on some cards.
Make sure you understand what kind of debt can be transferred to a card, too. Slate from Chase will not allow consumers to transfer balances from store credit cards, such as a Macy's credit card.
And remember these cards can still go from 0% to 20%. Much of that will depend on your creditworthiness. The Capital One Prestige Card, for example, offers variable rates ranging from 10.9% to 18.9%. Those are variable rates that could go up once interest rates overall climb higher.
Consumers need to look at the big picture of credit, too.
If you are looking to refinance the house this spring or take out a new car loan now, think twice about jumping at 0% offers. You typically don't want to open a new credit card before applying for a major loan in the next 12 months, McBride said.
Understand that 0% on a credit card is not the same as making no payments for 18 months.
To keep that 0% rate, a card holder would need to keep up with making at least the minimum monthly payments, McBride said. If you are 60 days delinquent, you would lose the 0% rate. Ideally, you'd want to pay much more than the minimum payment to pay off that debt before higher rates hit.
The 0% rate could be a break for some consumers. But the trick is will they make time to pay off that debt?
"Use the 0% card to get out of debt faster, not as an excuse to spend more," Papadimitriou said.
VIDEO: Credit or debit: Think before you swipe


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Innumerable documentaries have explored the essence and cultural legacy of such universalized strands of Brazilian music as sambaI> and bossa nova; Finnish director Mika Kaurismaki's Brasileirinho) represents the first to unearth and dissect the highly regional Brazilian musical strain known as choro. This indigenous genre - its title translating from Portuguese as 'To Weep' - blends the simple percussive foundation of roots music with highly sophisticated and progressive clarinet and guitar riffs in the foreground - so sophisticated that they invite constant comparison to classical and jazz music. Kaurismaki travels to Rio de Janeiro with his cameras, not only for on-site demonstrations of this style, but for extended conversations with choro musicians. They speak openly and colorfully, with a far greater emphasis on the nature of the music per se than on individual musical legends and their contributions to the Brazilian cultural landscape. Running subtopics include: the most sophisticated ways of playing choro instruments such as the pandeiro and the 7-string Brazilian guitar, as well as the politics of Brazilian music as it descends from a history of slavery. Throughout, Kaurismaki also interpolates in-concert footage of Brazilian choro musicians playing in picturesque locales throughout Rio - thus creating a rare and precious record of a cultural legacy not generally seen outside of South America. Featured musicians include Elza Soares, Teresa Cristina and guitarist Yamandú. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
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"Hey Wal-Mart, it's time to just dig in" (In Our Opinion- August 26) was great!
Recent news that Wal-Mart is considering opening its very first store in Spring Creek, Brooklyn could be the start of something big for 8,000,000 consumers residing in all five boroughs.
Elected officials who oppose Wal-Mart need to read "The Wal-Mart Revolution" by Richard Vedder and Wendell Cox published by the American Enterprise Institute. It explains the success story of Wal-Mart from a small independent Mom and Pop store in Arkansas to America's largest retailer and employer.
All public opinion polls have consistently shown that New Yorkers would like the opportunity to shop at Wal-Mart. Construction of a new Wal-Mart provides work for construction contractors and their employees. Once opened, there are employment opportunities for many workers.
Ten percent of New Yorkers including students, housewives, heads of single family households, senior citizens and ordinary people currently out of work could find employment. All of these companies and their employees are our neighbors.
Wal-Mart is the nation's largest private sector employer with over one million two hundred thousand employees and growing each year. Tens of millions of Americans including many fellow New Yorkers own stock in Wal-Mart. The same is true for the various retirement and pension plans many people participate in.
Starting pay is several dollars up to double above the minimum wage for new employees around the nation. Promotional opportunities including training for higher paying managerial positions are common. They also offer health care and other benefits. Wal-Mart may actually pay higher salaries and offer more benefits than some of their competitors.
The free enterprise system made our nation great. Economic growth and the creation of wealth comes from businesses- small and large. Consumers shopping at Wal-Mart get a better bang for their buck by being able to compare prices, quality and service to other stores.
Many New Yorkers- poor, working class, single household, fellow middle class people and especially seniors- can't afford to pay extra. They need the great prices, good quality merchandise, affordable food and drugs that Wal-Mart offers.
Consumers have voted with their feet all over America making Wal-Mart the number one retail merchant success story it is today. It is time to allow Wal-Mart the opportunity to compete in the NYC marketplace as well.
Larry Penner
Great Neck