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AMERICANS LIVING IN CANADA – SMILE, THE IRS IS WATCHING YOU by David A. Altro & Jonah Z. Spiegelman is now available. Click here to receive your copy.
There are well over a million US citizens residing in Canada. Additionally, there are many Canadian citizens who were born in the US, or who have lived and worked there and later returned to Canada. Over the last few years the US government has stepped up its pursuit of Americans residing abroad who are not tax compliant. AMERICANS LIVING IN CANADA – SMILE, THE IRS IS WATCHING YOU, provides a detailed review of the tax compliance requirements, consequences and opportunities & pitfalls for US persons living in Canada.
AMERICANS LIVING IN CANADA – SMILE, THE IRS IS WATCHING YOU addresses many issues that may be affecting you or your clients. The book has four sections:
• Income Tax Compliance
• Living and Dying with US Transfer Taxes
• Trust and Estate Planning for Americans in Canada
Owning U.S Property – The Canadian Way, 3rd Edition by David A. Altro is now available. Click here to receive your copy.
For decades, Canadians have been seeking refuge from the harsh Canadian winters by heading south to the sunny skies and sandy beaches of Florida, Arizona, California and the other Sun Belt states. Buying and owning U.S. property for a Canadian resident can be confusing, stressful and filled with uncertainty. Owning U.S Property – The Canadian Way, 3rd Edition provides answers to tax, estate planning and real estate issues on both sides of the border.
Owning U.S Property – The Canadian Way, 3rd Edition addresses many issues that may be affecting you or your clients:
• Probate and incapacity planning
• Ownership options for U.S. real estate
• Inheriting U.S. assets
• State Specific: Arizona, California and Florida
• New Rules for Same-Sex Marriages
• Estate and Tax planning
• Children living in the U.S.
• Analysis of the new U.S. tax rules
• Moving to the U.S.
• Doing Business in the U.S.
• U.S. Citizens Living in Canada
Praise for Owning U.S. Property – The Canadian Way, 3rd Edition
"I have known David Altro for several years, and when I contemplated purchasing property in the U.S., my first call was to him. Much like he does in his book, David explains all of the cross-border issues to consider, and does so in an extremely helpful, authoritative manner. The end result for my family was a seamless, comfortable transaction. I recommend David's book as an essential tool for anyone considering purchasing U.S. property."
David Agnew
Chief Executive Officer of RBC Wealth Management Canada, Toronto, ON
"When you do the hard things, life gets easier. So, do the hard things. First, buy the book & READ it. Then, recognize and FOLLOW THROUGH on the areas that pertain to your situation. Life just got easier.
This book is a must-read (and follow through) for Canadians investing in the U.S. to make your investment easier and stress-free because you'll know everything is taken care of."
Bob Gainey
NHL Player, Coach, GM (Montreal/Dallas) and Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame
"This book is a helpful guide, addressing a wide range of issues surrounding the purchase of US real estate – income tax, estate tax, transfers of property, insurance, asset protection, incapacity, probate, and much more. There's a lot of information here, in a nice, concise, very readable package."
Kevyn Nightingale, CA, CPA (IL), TEP
US and Canadian Tax (Individuals) Partner at MNP, LLP Chartered Accountants
"This is a great book that will broaden your mind whether you are a Canadian resident who already owns real estate property in the U.S., or whether you are contemplating such a purchase. It raises your awareness to key considerations."
Mary Holenski
Industry Expert, Toronto, ON
"David Altro knows the law as it applies to Canadian property owners in the U.S. inside out. Time spent with him is well worth it."
John H. Tory, Esq. & Barbara Hackett
Investors, Toronto, ON
"U.S. tax rules, cross border structures and/or U.S. probate fees are not concepts most of us are familiar with, but for any Canadian citizen and resident who wants to buy a U.S. property they are nevertheless important issues to consider in order to avoid making costly legal mistakes.
I never thought I would be able to write this about a book that deals with tax rules: this book is absolutely fascinating to read. All anyone would want to know and understand about how to make a sound investment in a smart way in a U.S. property is there. These sometimes very complex concepts are explained in a very simple manner and with concrete examples that make it almost impossible not to understand.
The cardinal rule to be successful in law is to be clear, precise and accurate at the same time. In Owning U.S. Property the Canadian Way, 3rd Edition,
David A. Altro has done just that."
Honourable André Wery
The Associate Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Quebec
"In the third edition of his book, Owning U.S. Property the Canadian Way, David Altro and the team at Altro Levy continue to show their high level of expertise with cross border issues. If you are in the early stages of considering purchasing a property in the U.S., bringing in David and his team is the best move you can make. Altro Levy llp will absolutely save you and your family or business partners time, reduce headaches surrounding such a big decision and save you thousands of dollars. A must-read."
Réal Bouclin
President, Groupe Réseau Sélection
"An excellent primer for Canadians pondering a property purchase in the U.S. and/or a move south of the border."
Paul Delean
The Montreal Gazette
"As a long term trusted legal partner, I know David as a true professional who has a deep knowledge and expertise of his area of practice. David has always been committed to educate people and the 3rd Edition of his book is just another way to share his expertise with anyone who wants to better understand cross border issues and more importantly how to address them.
One quality I admire about David is his communication skills; he can bring clarity in simple terms for complex cross border legal and tax issues on a personal and business standpoint. If you own U.S. assets…this book is a must read!"
Alain Forget
Head of Sales & Business Development at RBC Bank, Boca Raton, FL
"David's experience, knowledge, and practical perspectives on cross border issues shine through in this book. This is a must read for any Canadian looking to buy property in the U.S."
Joe Calabrese
President at Harris myCFO, Inc., Chicago, IL
"We have been dealing with David and his group for over 10 years and his expertise and knowledge of this specialized area is unprecedented. In this current economic climate, opportunities in the U.S. are increasingly becoming available, and having a person like David to make sure our clients are taken care of properly, is extremely important to us. I highly recommend this book."
Stive Farronato, CA, CFP
Financial Planning Advisor at Assante Financial Management, Mississauga, ON
"In his new book, Owning U.S. Property – The Canadian Way, 3rd Edition, my old friend and fellow Florida attorney, David Altro, offers an informative and valuable primer on Canadian-U.S. cross border planning for owners of real property. David's book will help many people plan effectively and efficiently."
Jeff Baskies, Esq.
Partner at Katz Baskies LLP, Attorneys, Board certified in Trusts and Estates, Boca Raton, FL
"Cross border attorney David A. Altro's Owning U.S. Property – the Canadian Way, 3rd Edition, is a timely, authoritative and important resource for Canadians buying or owning U.S. real estate & other investments, moving to the U.S. or doing business in the U.S. As a Business Valuator involved in many cross border transactions, I highly recommend this new book to Canadians who are planning to move to the U.S. and/or invest in U.S. property. It provides critical information about the many complex issues in cross border income tax, estate and financial planning. Author David Altro shares his in-depth and extensive knowledge and experience with readers in a clear, intelligible and analytical manner, providing them with numerous valuable suggestions. The book is written in a style that is geared to Canadian owners of U.S. property and other investments, and is also an important reference source for professional advisors. The book is definitely a must-read."
Richard M. Wise, FCA, CA.IFA, FCBV, FASA, MCBA, CVA, C.Arb, TEP, FRICS
Chartered Business Valuator & Partner at MNP LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants, Montreal, QC
"If you buy or own foreign assets as many of us do, you will want to own them in a manner that will minimize future taxes. Having David's book in your possession will ensure that ownership is properly planned and set up. Using David's expertise in several cases helped me, as an accountant, to better service my clients."
Louis Grossbaum, FCA
Regional Managing Partner at MNP, LLP Chartered Accountants
"As an ultra high net worth private banker, David's book is invaluable to many of my clients who have US assets and/or children who live in the US. Many of my clients have benefitted from his insights and saved themselves from adverse consequences on both sides of the border. "
Nancy Hoi Bertrand, LL.B., CFA
Director at Citi Private Bank
"An indispensable reference for anyone contemplating a US property purchase. This combined with David's extensive experience with cross border real estate transactions and estate planning makes this book a must read."
James Salem
Executive VP and Treasurer at RBC
"As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and Regional Director of a Canadian-based private bank in Florida, I recommend that every Canadian THINKING about buying a property in the United States read the third printing of David Altro's book. Not only does David touch on the issues that Canadians may contemplate and their most common mistakes, but then demonstrates specific examples which establish a solid basis for each of the recommendations. This book emphasizes the needs for planning the most complex issues in a comprehensive and concise tome."
Mark Davis, CFP®
Vice President & Regional Director of Banking at BMO Private Bank
"The strategies described in this book are both smart and practical. We often refer to them when assisting our clients with their cross-border planning.
"Beyond the book, the author and his firm are diligent in assisting clients with both highly personalized planning and then detailed implementation of their selected plan."
Jonathan Levy, CPA, CA
Partner at UHY Victor LLP
"Cross border estate planning is a very complicated business. It involves knowledge of tax and property laws in multiple jurisdictions, financial acumen and sensitivity to family relationships. Altro Levy has all of this under one roof and that hugely simplifies the process. David and his colleagues know their business and will help you get it done properly and effectively."
Marshall Cohen
Barrister and Solicitor, Former Deputy Minister of Finance for the Government of Canada, Toronto, ON
"David's legal qualifications in both the U.S. and Canada provide a rare combination to help Canadians solve cross border estate planning concerns which can be extremely complex and costly if not executed correctly…The Red Flags are great, they bring out the key important things Canadians need to watch for."
Robert F. Keats
President at KeatsConnelly & Author of The Border Guide, Phoenix, AZ
"In our more than ever changing world, with the intermingling economies, with the local policies and the rapidity of adjustment needed to do the right things at the right time, David Altro's advice/guidance is excellent/comforting.
His understanding of this complex reality and his ability to explain it clearly, practically and quickly make him a unique reference."
Guy Breton, MD, FRCPC
Montreal, QC
"Altro Levy has provided my family and I with invaluable advice and legal services for almost seven years now. Beginning with the purchase of our Palm Springs recreation home, completion of our Family Trust and the finalizing of U.S. citizenship for both my wife and son. This successful relationship is continuing on an ongoing basis. We are not only satisfied with the detailed work provided but with the personal attention and concern which has evolved into a true friendship."
Brian Kowall
Vice Chairman at Royop Development Corporation, Calgary, AB
"David Altro's knowledge of cross border issues for Canadians is unprecedented. This book is a must read for all Canadians owning U.S. property or holding U.S. securities."
Allen Quallenberg
Investment Advisor, Vice-President & Director at RBC Dominion Securities Inc., Montreal, QC
"David Altro has done an outstanding job of distilling many of the complex issues involved in purchasing real estate in Florida in today's difficult economic environment and explaining them in a very practical and sometimes humorous style."
David Shear
Attorney at Law at Arnstein & Lehr LLP, Miami, FL
"As a chartered accountant and advisor to our private clients, I have encountered countless situations where Canadian residents find themselves in a quandary as to how to deal with their U.S. properties, and in my 20 years of experience I have not come across anyone who surpasses David's knowledge in this cross border minefield. His real life approach to dealing with our mutual clients is both effective and enjoyable."
Josh Miller, CPA, CA
Partner at Fuller Landau LLP, Chartered Accountants, Montreal, QC
"David Altro leverages his specialized cross border expertise to help financial advisors and their clients who either currently own U.S. property or are considering making a purchase south of the border. This book will help you identify the issues and develop a sophisticated, flexible strategy that is straight forward and easy to live with."
Shaun Pawluk
Senior Client Advisor, Private Banking at RBC Wealth Management, Saskatoon, SK
"I have been working professionally with David for over 15 years in a number of legal challenges that have faced my clients, both domestically and with their foreign property exposure. Given the nature of my private client business, most of my clients have property, dealings and family living in the U.S. With David's guidance, we have found effective solutions to their tax and administrative problems. David's book represents the compilation of his extensive experience in the area of cross border planning. I would highly recommend it to anyone owning (or considering the purchase) of U.S. property or those with family members in the U.S."
Jay Welsford
Vice President and Portfolio Manager at Connor, Clark & Lunn Private Capital Ltd., Montreal, QC
"Owning U.S. Property – the Canadian Way, 3rd Edition, is an indispensable resource on relevant tax information and related matters for Canadians with cross border issues. The text will be a valuable tool for professionals such as myself in advising clients effectively on cross border issues."
Mel Leiderman, C.A.
Managing Partner at Lipton LLP Chartered Accountants, Toronto, ON
"Whether it be help with my Florida real estate transactions, or tax and estate planning issues, David and his team handled all my needs. Throughout the entire process, complicated legal concepts were explained, ensuring that everything ran smoothly. The service was impeccable!"
Joseph Kaback
Businessman, Montreal, QC
"When we dealt with David on our acquisition in the U.S., he demystified the issues in a clear, concise, easy to understand manner and we couldn't be happier with the results."
Eddy Rosenberg, FCA
Vice President & General Manager at Kaba Lodging Systems, Montreal, QC


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Gathering on the 52nd anniversary of the Southern Christian Leadership Council in the city where the organization was founded, civil rights activists met Saturday to recall historic victories and to address lingering problems, including poverty, poor education and what they described as a lack of pride in New Orleans' role in the civil rights movement.
To honor the organization that helped the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. lead the charge for equality, SCLC members met at Evening Star Missionary Baptist Church in Carrollton and called to mind the group's earliest days.
King had gained national fame for leading a yearlong boycott of segregated buses in Birmingham, Ala., when on Feb. 14, 1957, he met with local civil rights leaders in Central City. The group established the SCLC and named King president.
"Many people don't know that it was founded here," said the Rev. Samson "Skip" Alexander, who was present at the SCLC's founding and worked side by side with King as the movement gained strength nationally. "Even though most of my work was done basically outside New Orleans, (the SCLC) was founded here in New Orleans."
The Rev. Byron Clay of Kenner is national vice president of the SCLC and has been serving as interim president since the group's leader resigned two weeks ago.
History also has largely forgotten New Orleans' role in Plessy v. Ferguson, the Supreme Court segregation case that upheld the idea of "separate but equal," the activists said. The landmark case originated with the arrest of Homer Plessy, a light-skinned Creole shoemaker, in New Orleans in 1892 for trying to board a railway car designated for white people.
Other major players in the movement of the 1960s, including education champion Oretha Castle Haley and preacher Ernest Wright, hailed from New Orleans.
"Ernest Wright preached civil rights in Shakspeare Park for 40 years," Alexander said. "He was arrested 63 times. Anytime you got more than 10 blacks together talking about civil rights, the police started circling."
New Orleans has not adequately promoted its role in the movement, which harms the heroes of the past as well as future leaders, members said.
"We hardly see any monument to African-American achievement in this city," said the Rev. Norwood Thompson, president of the New Orleans area chapter of the SCLC.
"They don't have any museum here like they do in Atlanta, where the kids can go to see what their ancestors did to improve this country," Alexander added.
Whether or not New Orleans touts its role in the fight for equality, racism persists in the city among white and black residents, and fighting poverty, poor education and ignorance or indifference are the only cures, members said.
"We need to really dialogue, communicate," the Rev. Elay Kasongo said. "We need to vent our pain from the past. And a lot of people don't realize that there's a lot of pain in the white community. When we can all talk, vent and listen to each other, things will start to get better."
Molly Reid can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com or 504.826.3448.

subset: commoncrawl


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Physical Description:
Nickname: Those under his command call him Lock or Sir.
Gender: Male
Age: 43
Physical Appearance: Standing 6' 2" and weighing 223 pounds, Lock is by no means a lightweight. His body seems almost primal with muscles all arranged in just the right place to make him look like a beast of combat. Although he does have a bit of a gut, Lock is still fully capable of running long distance (although his armour does slow him). He has rich brown hair that is untamed, much like his beard. His skin is tanned due to many years in the sun. His right eye is a deep brown while his left is a sickly milk white due to injury. In fact Lock has many "trophies of battle" in the form of scares. All this gives Lock a very barbaric quality about him.
Warfare School and Class: Melee - Defensive
Team and Role: Lock is the stern leader of the Red Lancers. In addition he is a very capable melee combater able to defend from most attackers. Despite his all out rage when attacking Lock's favoured tactics are the usage of traps and psychological warfare.
Abilities: Lock has been around the block more than a few times so he knows most tricks in warfare. However the thing that has allowed him to survive so long is the fact that Lock is extremely stubborn and dislikes giving into pain or the will of others. As such his courage is so great that in fact Lock is fearless.
Lock is far from a saint. In fact the things that he has done rank him pretty high in the sinner ranks. That said he looks after his own and every since Lock found a home in Dome M3 he has began to do right and to find people worth fighting for.
As a leader Lock is often silent and if there is a flaw in his leadership style its that he tends not to "raise morale". That said, in the heat of battle he has a cool head and in combat Lock is truly terrifying to face.
Lock's pride and joy is his hammer he calls "Juggernaut". It is a large adamant hammer that is much more like an oversized mace. The hammer head pulses an electric burst upon hitting a target (that needs to be recharged after 5 strikes). This coupled with the sheer weight of it means that even a glancing hit is a sure fire way to down a person.
In addition Lock uses large adamant tower shield that is tarnished dark black. It has many dents, but is thick enough to deal with most firearms and melee weapons. That said Lock doesn't just use it for defence, he also uses it to perform quick rams that take his enemy by surprise.
Lock wears adamant full plate armour. Needless to say he is a hard man to down. However this comes at the price of speed and Lock often stays behind allowing his quicker, stealthier teams mates do the scouting before he steps a foot near a combat zone.
Lastly Lock also carries various traps including snares, trip wire and stun mines. He also carries tear gas grenades and gasmask. Lock only employs these equip when he has time to prepare the battle field.
Lock was born into a group of raiders that had used a bunker as there base. They used Lock as a child to sneak into places. He spent his entire childhood being kicked around by his so called "family" and being shunned by everyone else. It was only at the age of 12 that he actually found out he was kidnapped by the raiders after his parents were killed by them. For many years after that he planned revenge against them.
At the age of 15 he finally killed every last one of them (mainly through poison). After that Lock wandered the wasteland looking for who he was. He didn't even have a name at this time. Surviving in such a way for many years had left him social awkward and at time monstrous. Knowing nothing of right or wrong he simply went around robbing, murdering and destroying things.
However one day, when he was 18, he passed out due to exhaustion. When he came round an old man and his granddaughter had nursed him back to health. They brought him to there harvest city. He spent many years living there and realised much about the true nature of the human spirit. Lock soon became part of the community and even got to see the wonder that is a dome.
However the harvest city was attacked by the spawn. Lock was the first to fight and due to his childhood experience he did not fall. However the rest of his friends did and he was forced to flee as he was overwhelmed. Lock returned many times to them ruins to wait for the Dome. However it never came.
After wandering the lands for another 4 years, at the age of 29 he was caught in a conflict between two warring fractions. Confused at why they weren't finishing off the defeated, he approached the winning side. That is when he learn about "The League of Origins". The concept seemed odd, but after experiencing the wasteland first hand he was willing to try a different way to solve disputes. Soon he found himself working for a Dome with much influence and military power. However, he soon found out that they were also corrupt and cheating at the tournament. Not wanting to outright betray his friends he simply left one day with his equipment in hand.
At the age of 25 Lock stopped off at a dome named Aequitas. After staying their for a few months he realised how much they needed soldiers and proper training so he stayed their in hopes of protecting them against the spawn. Lock soon became well known as an expert at dealing with the spawn and various other dangerous situations. Although he never took direct command in any large scale conflicts, Lock was one of the trainers of the army. In addition he would often be involved in delicate small scale conflicts where he lead a small team of elite soldiers.
However at the age of 40 his men were sadly killed in a particularly bad spawn attack. After this he focused much more on training soldiers. When the teams were being form he was a natural choice since this was exactly the combat he was used to. Thus Lock was given command of the Red Lancers. A role he takes very seriously.


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As we celebrated President Barack Obama's second inauguration (well, at least some of us did), the stark contrast between his progressive, humanitarian agenda and the agenda of the GOP was again brought home.
Republicans, and the conservatives who support them, seem incapable of dealing with the changing social and economic demographics of this country. In fact, it appears that they are dedicated to transporting us backward, trying to hold on tightly to the days when rich white men controlled everything to their advantage, to the detriment of everyone else.
Thankfully, it appears that we can finally see the light at the end of that tunnel, and I sincerely hope that the GOP will take a hard look at what it stands for so it can at long last cooperate with Democrats to ensure a bright, safe and inclusive future for America.
Gary L. Jones Berea


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MOBILE, Alabama -- The job of school counselor is changing as more districts, including Mobile County, are allowing them to take leadership roles to help improve their schools.
Kathy Smallwood, a counselor at Grand Bay Middle, talked about some of these changes this week during a webinar with a group of education journalists from across the country through the Education Writers Association.
"We have truly transformed counseling in Mobile County," Smallwood said before detailing how she helped improve students' performance in math at her school last year.
A challenge, she said, is that most school counselors meet with a select few students who have immediate needs. And, in doing so, they overlook the majority of students who need support academically or otherwise.
But, she said, if counselors dig deep into test scores, attendance and other data, they can spot problem areas and come up with a plan to fix them.
That's part of the focus of the National Center for Transforming School Counseling, which the Mobile County Public School System has been working with for the last couple of years.
Through the program, run through The Education Trust, Smallwood stepped up and helped Grand Bay meet the state's academic standards last year. Here's how:
First, she looked at the data and found that eighth-grade math was a big problem at Grand Bay, where 60 percent of the children are poor, which statistically means they struggle academically.
"Our children were not passing pre-algebra, and when they were in the ninth grade, they weren't passing algebra," she said.
In fact, only 56 percent of the Grand Bay's students were passing pre-algebra.
The school, with Smallwood's help, set a goal to have at least 65 percent of its students pass by the end of the year.
Smallwood and others at the school looked at attendance data and identified a group of 29 students who were most likely to have unexcused absences, tracked them and offered awards for coming to class.
Then, they looked at test scores. Every student who did not perform up to grade level on standardized tests was put in remediation. Smallwood redesigned the master schedule to add 22 remediation classes throughout the day.
"We grouped our students by areas of need, so that we were better able to meet their needs," she said.
Smallwood held sessions with parents to train them on how they could help their children at home. She monitored individual students and wrote up progress reports.
As a result, 70 percent of students passed pre-algebra, which was even greater than the original goal.
"Counselors have to be involved in the analysis of data," Smallwood said. "I'm one person in a group of 804 students. I can't possibly know what every student needs. But the data doesn't lie."
A recent survey by the College Board of thousands of counselors and school administrators across the country showed that while most principals believe they are fully utilizing their counselors, most counselors feel they are being under-used.
Oftentimes, said Peggy Hines, with EdTrust, an education reform group based in Washington, D.C., counselors are not involved in school reform efforts as they should be. Most counselors have specialized training and master's degrees that aren't utilized when they're stuck with some of the more clerical jobs, such as administering standardized testing and scheduling students.
"They're seen as ancillary," she said. Yet, there's a unique set of knowledge and skills that counselors bring to a school.
"They're the experts on resistance in schools," Hines said. "They are trained to deal with resistance, to lead groups, to understand changes. There are many, many things, knowledge and skill sets that literally they are the only person in the building that has that."
They can tell which students are being served well in school, and which ones are not. And they can teach students life skills that will help them academically, such as time management, goal setting and problem solving, she said.
"Counselors must be willing to step up to the plate," Hines said, and that can be scary. But, she said. "Counselors have to be held accountable" for the success or failures of a school.


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Jobs Report
The November jobs report showed significant movement that – in the end – is difficult to interpret. Not surprisingly, politicians from different sides of a deeply divided party line are interpreting the report from completely different viewpoints.
According to the November 2011 employment situation report released last week, our nation's unemployment rate dropped to 8.6 percent. The unemployment rate decreased a full 1.2 percentage points below the rate for November of last year, bringing our jobless rate to levels not seen since March 2009.
Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis contends the report shows that the Obama administration's economic recovery efforts are picking up steam, with consumer confidence on the rise and 1.9 million private sector jobs added over the past year.
However, U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson (R-Ohio) noted that the unemployment rate has remained above 8 percent for 34 consecutive months, which is "unacceptable." Johnson said that instead of working with House Republicans to create jobs, President Obama has hit the campaign trail demanding support for his jobs bill – one that is "filled with more spending and tax hikes."
The November jobs reports shows a significant drop only because 315,000 Americans have given up their search for employment and weren't counted among those seeking employment, the congressman stressed.
Johnson said Republicans in the House have passed more than 20 jobs bills that would create much-needed jobs immediately. Unfortunately, the Democrat-controlled Senate has failed to consider these bills and the president has threatened to veto them, Johnson said.
In her statement regarding the most recent jobs report, the secretary of labor argued that Congress must act immediately to extend emergency unemployment benefits for the long-term unemployed before 5 million Americans lose their benefits next year. Extending payroll tax cuts and unemployment insurance works, she contends, noting that America must continue making smart investments in the economy.
Both sides argue that inaction in Washington is slowing progress, but finger-pointing over partisan issues is doing nothing but creating more stalemates. Perhaps if leaders on either side of the aisle would put politics aside and work together as public servants, we wouldn't have to debate over these issues – because we probably wouldn't be in such an ugly situation in the first place.


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They now begin their 60 hours of volunteer service to obtain Master Gardener certification.
These graduates are: Vineland residents Marc Bostrom, Denise Case, Helen Horsey, and Fernanda Kee; Millville residents Juliet Hoilett, Gilberto Matos, Doris Morgan, and Dee Shiell; Bridgeton reidents Stefanie Modri and Danielle Pla; Mauricetown resident Kathy Hoover; Elmer resident Patricia Lerch; and Alloway resident Carol Wentzell.
Contact the South Jersey Times at 856-935-1500 or 856-451-1000 and email@example.com


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I know I am too busy. I do. And the moment things slow down, I promise to take a hard look at my life and cut some things out.
In the meantime, I will make lists.
I'm not going to bore you with all the details of the things I need to do this week -- finishing one job and preparing for another, revising an essay, judging a writing contest, doing several radio interviews, starting the homeschool year with new curriculum, finally getting to the post office to mail my mother's birthday present. . . .
Oh wait, I wound up listing all the details anyway. Sorry about that. Lists are something of a habit with me, and it's hard to shut it down.
A few years ago I discovered my diary from when I was eleven years old. Amidst the embarrassment of reading about all my various crushes (was I really that boy-crazy?), I was amused to discover a number of to-do lists. Apparently even in the sixth grade I realized the value of breaking tasks down into little steps. That skill remains a life-saver today.
I've tried a couple of different iPhone programs for my to-do lists, but wound up reverting back to the old standby of scrawled memos on post-it notes. It bugged me that in the computer programs, once I had accomplished a task it would simply disappear. I get a ridiculous amount of satisfaction from crossing something off with a flourish, so to see those completed tasks vanish into the ether felt strangely anticlimactic. (I have also been known to start my list by writing down and crossing off a couple of tasks I've already accomplished, which is idiotic but oddly satisfying.)
So as we near the end of our month of gratitude, I submit to you the simple list. It remains the single-best time management skill in my arsenal, beating out even the kitchen timer in its organizational prowess. I'd be lost without it.
The image of a disarmingly empty to-do list is used with permission of Shutterstock.com.


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It's long — at some 4,500 words — but I can highly recommend the debate between George Soros and Hans-Werner Sinn about what Soros calls The German Question.
Felix Salmon
Adventures with reprofiling, Lee Buchheit edition
It's always illuminating to sit down with Lee Buchheit. He's the dean of sovereign debt restructuring, he's living through by far the most interesting period of his career right now, and this week I got the rare opportunity to ask him a bunch of questions on the record. Argentina, sadly, was ruled off-limits, but that just meant we had more time for Europe, where Buchheit was very, very interesting.
When peace does not mean prosperity
The timing of the Nobel Peace Prize announcement was set in stone a long time ago, of course, but I love the way in which it comes just two days after EADS and BAE — two European arms-dealing behemoths — announced that their greatly-desired merger had been killed by European political infighting. Here's the Nobel announcement:
Subordination in Spain causes very little pain
Sony Kapoor has a very good post on the Spanish bank bailout today, explaining that when Spanish credit spreads rose in the wake of the bailout, that had nothing to do with the fact that bailout funds were senior to privately-held bonds, and everything to do with enforced austerity.
George Soros and the two choices facing Europe
There's a good reason why the likes of Paul Krugman, Joe Weisenthal (twice), Cullen Roche, Ezra Klein, and everybody else are raving about George Soros's analysis of what went wrong in the Eurozone: it's really good. The big theme is that the European-unity project is a bubble, which could burst at any minute. But it's the granular analysis in this 4,400-word speech which really makes it worth reading.
European dysfunction chart of the day, Greece vs Germany edition
Mark Dow has found an astonishing set of results from a February opinion poll in Greece; it's hard to imagine that Greek attitudes to Germany have improved since then. Here's just one of the 13 slides:
Addressing Europe's risks
What exactly does the EU's José Manuel Barroso mean, when he says today that the EU should move towards "a full economic union", which would include "a banking union with integrated financial supervision and single deposit guarantee scheme"? In a simultaneous EC report, there was also talk of "direct recapitalization by the ESM (European Stability Mechanism)" when banks run into solvency issues.
Will Grexit topple Obama?
One of the hardest questions to answer, when people ask about the European crisis in general and the Greek crisis in particular, is "why should we in the US care?" The simple answer is that well, this is an important part of the world, and it's big news. But if you only care about news insofar as it directly effects the US, then the answer is harder.
How Europe's banking crises threaten the eurozone
The size of the run on Greek banks is not at all clear: while it seems that something on the order of €1 billion has left the banks of late, it's less obvious whether that was over the course of one day, three days, or two weeks. The big picture, though, is unambiguous:


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Amid Angst and Cries of 'Banker Mischief,' Kansas FOM Bill Signed by Governor
TOPEKA, Kan. -- Kansas has a new landscape for credit union growth, and the affected are still fretting over the outlook.
"I do agree that we got a law that is not the best but not the worst either--we could have had new Kansas taxes and CRA," declared Lee Williams, CEO of Central Star CU in Wichita.
As it turned out, Williams, a member of the state's Credit Union Council, had one of the ringside seats to the legislative drama that played out the last three months in the Kansas legislature, climaxing in the enactment of the restrictive field of membership-merger law by Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.
The Democratic governor, as expected and without comment, signed on April 11 the amended FOM bill that was originally drafted by banking interests. It takes effect in two phases, the first on July 1 with rules on how and where CUs can open new branches or pursue mergers based on metropolitan statistical areas with population of one million or more, principally Kansas City, Wichita and Topeka.
The second phase, effective Jan. 1, 2009, requires nine CUs with statewide branching operations to curtail their programs and to expel members, particularly those acquired through indirect lending.
Many of the provisions contain grandfather clauses, and on that front, attorneys were meeting with CU boards and state examiners to go over the fine print to determine the limits based on CU structure, whether occupational, association or geographic.
As for Williams, who heads a $60 million CU with an FOM covering five counties, there would be no change for the interim because the contiguous counties are grandfathered. But she emphasized that in the long run there are negatives.
For one, "consumers will suffer," she said, for lack of choices and now such options are so important considering "we seem to have the perfect storm" of a mortgage meltdown, a credit crunch and a declining stock market at a time when the pubic needs the financial cushion that CUs can provide if they were not shackled by the new law.
"For the most aggressive credit unions in Kansas," she said the law is indeed a setback, but for others it is bearable but perhaps "down the road" we'll find CUs stymied by "banker mischief."
She said the law has a plethora of public notice and application requirements that could open the door to the banking lobby to block CU expansion plans. That is a point raised by the Kansas Credit Union Association, which reluctantly agreed to the FOM law in the face of costly litigation.


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About This SiteThis site offers a daily column on current events, and unlike other blogs, in long form. Short posts pointing to this and that and saying "Oh my!" seems a bit lazy. Columns here are an attempt to think things through. If you'd like to come along for the ride, fine. If you have neither the time nor patience for that, that is also fine - you can click on the LINKS tab at the top of the page and visit the sites that offer quick hits. Those provide the raw material for the analyses here.
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Monthly Archives: July 2010
The World Gone Mad, Or At Least Very Angry
The last trip to France was more than eight or nine years ago – two weeks in Paris in December in the cold rain, as the quiet solitary observer. Kicking around on your own, left to your own devices, is … Continue reading
Posted in Anti-Muslim Fervor, Christian Nation, Religious Intolerance Tagged ADL Opposes Ground Zero Mosque, Aetherius Society, All European Life Died in Auschwitz, Anti-Defamation League, Anti-Muslim Fervor, Book-Burning for Jesus, Charles Martel and the Battle of Tours, Dove World Church, El Cid, French Backlash against Muslims, International Burn a Quran Day, Islam Is of the Devil, Mount Baldy, Muslims in Europe, Muslims in France, Religious Intolerance, Temecula Mosque Protest 1 Comment
Cats on Hot Tin Roofs
July is an unpleasant month, and it's just as well it has ended, as this one was exceptionally unpleasant, given this sort of thing: "A comprehensive review of key climate indicators confirms the world is warming and the past decade … Continue reading
Posted in Party of No, Republican Obstructionism, Republican Tantrums, Republicans – Party of the South Tagged Anthony Weiner, Burn the House Down, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Depending on the Kindness of Strangers, Filibusters and Holds, Hottest Decade on Record, Hottest Year on Record, James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2009, Party of No, Phytoplankton Disappearing, Poison Pill Amendments, Republican Obstructionism, Republican Temper Tantrums, Republicans Block Obama Court Nominees, Republicans Block Support for 9/11 Responders, Republicans Block Support for Small Business, Tennessee Williams, Washington Summer Leave a comment
The Discreet Charm of Incorrigible Stupidity
Americans don't much care for history – Henry Ford famously said it was bunk – and most kids merely endure their history classes that started in the seventh grade and never seemed to stop. And once released from the surly … Continue reading
Posted in America's Disinterest in Policy, American Superficiality, Anti-Intellectualism, Political Deadlock, Republican Denial of Reality, Republican Obstructionism Tagged American Manhood, Anti-Intellectualism, Bush as Forrest Gump, Bush Tax Cuts, Dumb-Is-Charming, Dumb-Is-Righteous, E. J. Dionne, Embracing Stupidity, Fiscal Responsibility, Forrest Gump, Hollywood and the American Male, Jim Carrey, Jimmy Stewart, John Wayne, Judt on Words, Raising Taxes, Senate Dysfunctional, Stimulus Package Worked, Stupidity and Manliness, The Deficit, Tony Judt Leave a comment
In Media Res
Being a teacher you get used to the whining from the kids. Yeah, yeah – this makes no sense and that is needlessly confusing, and why do I have to know this – it's stupid – and life is not … Continue reading
Posted in American Childishness, American Superficiality, Conservative Thought, Republican Implosion, Republicans in the Wilderness Tagged American Whining, Arizona SB 1070, Collapse of Conservativism, Collapse of the Republican Party, Current Political Landscape, Deus Ex Machina, Euripides, Expecting Interventions to Save the Day, Greek Tragedies, In Media Res, Life is Unfair, Medea, Perpetual Adolescents, Republican Solutions, Stimulus Package Worked, Teaching English Leave a comment
It's Always the End of the World Somewhere
We live in apocalyptic end-of-the-world times – but we always live in apocalyptic end-of-the-world times. That's just how we think, and maybe we're all just drama queens, fighting our quite ordinary and cyclical rather meaningless woes by pretending they are … Continue reading
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Knowing Things
That last day in the classroom was a long time ago – June 1981 – and then it was goodbye to teaching English at the prep school in upstate New York, selling most everything, and then heading off to the … Continue reading
Posted in Afghanistan, AfPak, Pentagon Papers, WikiLeaks Afghan War Leak Tagged Afghanistan, Daniel Ellsberg, Fred Kaplan, Hughes Space and Communications Group, Keeping Secrets, Leaking Classified Information, Massive Leak of Classified Documents, Northrop, Pakistan, Pentagon Papers, Rand Corporation, Southern California Aerospace Industry, War in Afghanistan Unwinnable, WikiLeaks, WikiLeaks Afghan War Leak, WikiLeaks Data Dump 1 Comment
Raging Against the System
It's a strange thing. Over the last ten years or so political commentary was opened to the masses. It seems that the internet was not just for shopping and amateur videos of that cat playing piano or whatever, and for … Continue reading
Posted in Political Blogs, Political Discourse, Political Posturing, Politics of Grievance, Populist Rage Tagged Anonymous Bloggers, Anonymous Opinion, Batocchio, Blogging, David Brooks, Digby, Explaining Your Position, Explaining Yourself, Hiding Your Name, Hilary Bok (Hilzoy), Hullabaloo Blog, Inchoate Rage, Political Commentary Opened To the Masses, Populism, Rage Against the System, Richard Einhorn (tristero), The Game is Rigged, The Vagabond Scholar 3 Comments


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- Imprint: Amulet Books
- Publication Date: September 1, 2012
- Price: $17.95
- Trim Size: 5 1⁄2 x 8 1⁄4
- Page Count: 400
- Format: Hardcover
- Rights: World/All
- Additional formats:
Historical fiction at its best, this novel by bestselling author Marissa Moss tells the story of Sarah Emma Edmonds, who masqueraded as a man named Frank Thompson during the Civil War. Among her many adventures, she was a nurse on the battlefield and a spy for the Union Army, and was captured by (and escaped from) the Confederates. The novel is narrated by Sarah, offering readers an in-depth look not only at the Civil War but also at her journey to self-discovery as she grapples with living a lie and falling in love with one of her fellow soldiers.
Using historical materials to build the foundation of the story, Moss has crafted a captivating novel for the YA audience. The book includes a Civil War timeline, archival photos, a glossary of names, and a detailed note on sources.
Praise for A Soldier's Secret
"A female Civil War soldier is brought alive for readers...Moss convincingly but never gratuitously portrays the gore, horror and boredom of war. An intimate look at a soldier's life from a compelling, historical perspective."
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"A captivating piece of YA historical fiction."
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Moss combines fiction with biography in this compelling account…Many battles are graphically described, and the novel is crammed with atmosphere and detail."
—Bay Area News Group
"Whether a valiant soldier or angel of mercy, Sarah is a brave and loyal historical figure, well deserving of readers' attention."
—School Library Journal
"Moss' novel offers a fascinating, first-person portrait."
"The novel is well-written, vividly capturing the drama of Edmonds' story as well as larger wartime realities."
—Library Media Connection
About the author
Marissa Moss has written and illustrated many books for children, including the popular Amelia's Notebook series, the picture book Nurse, Soldier, Spy, and a middle-grade novel, The Pharaoh's Secret. She lives in Berkeley, California.


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Jets assistant offensive coordinator Mike Bloomgren is departing for a position on the Stanford coaching staff, a person with direct knowledge of the move confirmed. That person requested anonymity because the school has not announced the hiring yet.
The news was first reported by the New York Daily News.
Bloomgren has been with the Jets since 2007, starting as an offensive assistant and quality control coach. He was promoted to assistant offensive coordinator last season.
He will join the staff of new Stanford head coach David Shaw.
Jenny Vrentas: email@example.com


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Since there are several variations of this game, newlywed game questions can vary. It can be played either with one couple (where the husband and wife are competing against each other), or with two or more couples where the couples are competing against each other as teams.
If you are just looking for something super quick at this point, I'd suggest buying and printing the newlywed game questions you see on the left, which will definitely get your party started! But if you've got time to do all the legwork yourself, read on.
I think the best version of the game I've seen is at my sister Emily's wedding. There were three couples on stage: Emily and Brendan (the bride and groom), Emily's parents, and Brendan's parents. Each couple sat back-to-back, and each of the six people held a small whiteboard and marker for writing the answers on.
The MC read out the newlywed game questions, and each person wrote down their answer, and then held up their board to show the audience. (Having the couples sit back-to-back prevented them from cheating, since it was each couple playing against the other two couples.)
Each time the couple wrote down matching answers, they scored a point. The more difficult the question, the more points it was worth.
All of the newlywed game questions were meant to be answered with one or two words, so it was funny when the bride's mom (who is also my mom), would answer with whole sentences.
For example, one of the questions was "What is your husband's shoe size?". Her answer was something along the lines of, "Size 11, but if they're small-fitting then it would be a size 13, and if they're European shoes then size 44.5." Okay mom, settle down :) (I really don't know how she even had time to write all that.)
In the end the bride and groom won… pretty amazing seeing as they'd only been married for about 3 hours, and technically the two parent teams should have known each other a lot better by then. Maybe it was rigged? Who knows.
Have 2-4 couples sitting on stage. These couples can either be the bride & groom, married for a long time, or a combination. Each couple should sit back-to-back (so they can't see what each other is writing). The MC reads one question at a time, and each person writes their answer on a small whiteboard, then holds it up for the audience to see. Each couple who has matching answers to each other, gets a point.
For example, if the question is "Where did you go on your first date?," if couple A both answer McDonald's, couple A gets a point. If couple B's wife answers The Olive Garden but couple B's husband answers Burger King, couple B does not get a point.
When you're making up your newlywed game questions, try to come up with questions that are specific to the couple. For example, if they've done an African safari together, ask specifically about that, such as "What was the name of the first village you came across on your safari?"
Remember, it doesn't matter if you know the answer to the questions, because they're the ones answering them.
You should also assign a value to each question, as some will definitely be harder than others, and therefore deserve more points if they're answered correctly. For example, "Who is your wife's best friend?" would (hopefully) be easier to answer than "What did your wife wear on your first date?"
Finally, remember that you can make up some questions about the husband, some about the wife, and some about them together.
You may find these questions are pretty tame… feel free to spice them up depending on how non-conservative your couples and audience are.
Newlywed Game Questions About Him:
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Have some unique newlywed game questions to add to the list? Or another variation of the game? Do share.
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Need plans Friday night that will take care of your wine shopping needs? Consider the Harlem Wine Gallery in Harlem's Hamilton Heights. They're having a party this Friday evening, Dec. 21st that includes discounts on wine. Check out the details below and if you're planning on attending don't forget to RSVP.
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Bill would make wiretaps easier
Honolulu Advertiser | March 20, 2005
By Derrick DePledge
When Honolulu police wanted to crack a sports-betting ring seven years ago, they got court approval for a telephone tap at a Kapi'olani Boulevard golf shop that led to successful raids across O'ahu at the peak of the pro-football playoffs.
State and local authorities apparently have obtained only one court-approved wiretap in the past seven years because of concerns about Hawai'i's wiretap law.
State law requires an adversarial hearing where a defense attorney is appointed to argue against a wiretap. A bill approved by the Senate, now pending in the House, would eliminate the hearing requirement but still would require investigators to show probable cause.
Federal judges in Hawai'i have approved 54 wiretaps for federal investigations since 2000.
The raids were memorable because it likely was the last time that state or local law enforcement agencies have opted for a court-approved wiretap. Investigators, convinced that Hawai'i's electronic surveillance law is useless, have instead worked with federal investigators who are bound by a less restrictive federal wiretap law.
Hawai'i's law requires investigators to make their case before a judge in a closed, adversarial hearing where a defense attorney is appointed to argue against the wiretap. Prosecutors believe the hearings increase the risk that information might leak to the target and endanger informants or undercover agents.
"We use it next to never," Honolulu prosecutor Peter Carlisle said. "We're not going to risk putting people in danger."
Prosecutors have wanted expanded wiretap powers for the past several years, but state lawmakers, often citing Hawai'i's distinct constitutional right to privacy, have not agreed. This session, the Senate has passed new wiretap legislation that would end the requirement for an adversarial hearing, but the bill is in doubt in the House of Representatives.
"I'm just not sure," said Rep. Sylvia Luke, D-26th (Punchbowl, Pacific Heights, Nu'uanu Valley), the chairwoman of the House Judiciary Committee. "It's an issue I think we have to invest a lot of time in."
Wiretaps are considered the most intrusive law enforcement tool because of the potential for secretly capturing intimate and private information that may have nothing to do with criminal activity.
Federal law generally recognizes wiretaps as a last resort for investigators who have exhausted other means of obtaining information about serious crimes.
The federal law was expanded through the Patriot Act after the 9/11 attacks to include terrorism-related crimes and roving surveillance against terrorism suspects. But federal investigators still must obtain U.S. Department of Justice and court approval before using wiretaps.
According to the U.S. Courts, which compiles an annual report on wiretaps for Congress, state and federal wiretaps jumped by 25 percent in 2001 but have otherwise remained relatively stable over the past several years. In 2003, the latest report available, judges nationwide authorized 1,442 wiretaps — 578 for federal investigators.
In Hawai'i, U.S. District Court judges have granted 54 federal wiretaps since 2000.
Electronic surveillance, prosecutors and police say, can be invaluable in penetrating shadowy drug, gambling and organized crime operations. "I feel it is a very important tool," Attorney General Mark Bennett said.
Last September, in what was called "Operation Tap-Out," federal agents and Maui police used wiretaps to help break up a drug ring that apparently brought crystal methamphetamine — or "ice" — from Mexico to Maui and Lana'i. In October 2003, in "Operation Shave Ice," federal agents and Big Island police used wiretaps to interrupt "ice" and cocaine distribution rings on O'ahu and the Big Island.
The Senate bill eliminates the adversarial hearing but would still require investigators to show a judge probable cause for a wiretap, much like the process for getting a search warrant. The bill also requires investigators to show probable cause for mobile tracking devices or pen register and trap and trace surveillance — which is similar to caller identification features on many telephones.
Wiretap investigations can be expensive and involve a lot of manpower, so police say they would continue to partner with federal investigators even if they get new wiretap powers. Local investigators would likely use wiretaps on significant drug or gambling activity that falls short of federal interest.
"We want the option," said Capt. Evan Ching of the Honolulu Police Department's narcotics and vice division. "But it's got to be a really good case."
Public defenders and defense attorneys oppose the bill as both unnecessary and contrary to the state's history of preserving individual privacy. The Hawai'i Constitution was amended in 1978 to include a right to privacy that goes beyond the protections of the U.S. Constitution.
Keith Shigetomi, the defense attorney who appeared at the adversarial hearing for the sports-betting wiretap seven years ago, said the existing wiretap law is not very onerous. Attorneys are not representing the targets of the wiretap, he said, but are asked to look at the evidence and raise any concerns to the judge.
"It was not an unreasonable process," Shigetomi said.
Other defense attorneys also rejected the idea that attorneys would leak information they learn at the hearings to suspects, which would be illegal. Police, however, referred to a Honolulu attorney convicted in federal court last May of trying to smuggle "ice" into Halawa prison as an example of the security risk.
"It's a very weak excuse," said William Harrison, a defense attorney who also works with the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawai'i.
Harrison said prosecutors and police should have to explain why they have not tried to make the existing law work before the Legislature approves any new wiretap powers. The adversarial hearings, he said, force investigators to justify a wiretap before a defense attorney and judge.
"If you're telling the truth," Harrison said, "why wouldn't you want a third party to test it?"
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Travel from Las Vegas through Utah to San Francisco and visit the region's fabulous natural beauties
Venture into the USA's wild western heartlands on this remarkable two-week adventure from Las Vegas to San Francisco. Experience the brazen brashness of the world's most famous gambling city, then take in the dramatic desert landscapes of the Arches National Park. Marvel at the surreal rock formations of Monument Valley, take a refreshing dip in the winding waterways of Lake Powell and brave a walk across the scorching plains of Death Valley. A corner of the world replete with astounding natural wonders, this jam-packed journey will leave an indelible impression of the United States' sheer beauty.
- Start
- Las Vegas, United States
- Finish
- San Francisco, United States
- Countries
- United States
- Themes
- Explorer
- Code
- Experience the south western corner of the USA in depth, visiting the iconic national parks, lesser known gems, as well as the glamorous capitals of California and Nevada
- Towering granite cliffs, cascading waterfalls, redwood forests and epic night skies - Yosemite National Park feels like utopia. While other tour groups breeze through in a day, you'll spend two nights in the park, allowing for a full day of hiking and exploring
- For many, Death Valley conjures up images of a flat and barren wasteland. Be surprised by the park's ethereal landscapes of sand dunes, water-sculpted canyons, extinct volcanic craters and, in the spring, fields of wildflowers
- From the stone hoodoos of Bryce Canyon to the hanging gardens of Zion National Park, see a diversity of landscapes all within a short drive of each other
- As well as the famous must-see attractions on this trip, visit some lesser-known but no less spectacular national parks, such as Dead Horse Point and Arches National Park
- The iconic sandstone formations of Monument Valley have played backdrop to many a cowboy western. Learn about Navajo culture and history during a jeep tour of the park, before spending a unique night in a traditional hogan hut
Day 1 Las Vegas
Las Vegas may be the gambling capital of the world, but there's plenty to do if gambling isn't your thing. We recommend you arrive a few days early to make the most of this exciting city. Hit the shops, feel your stomach drop on a rooftop roller coaster or simply stroll along the Strip, soaking up the glitz and gaudiness. In the evening, perhaps feast on an 'all you can eat' buffet, check out one of the many shows on offer or party the night away in a Vegas nightclub.
Day 2 Zion National Park
Day 3 Bryce Canyon National Park
Day 4 Moab
Day 5 Moab
Day 6 Monument Valley
Day 7 Lake Powell
Please note that while there are several operators running tours of Antelope Canyon, we only work with a select few who have satisfied our safety criteria. As a result, it can sometimes be difficult to get bookings for this activity, and it therefore cannot be guaranteed. If you particularly wish to do this activity, please speak to your leader on day 1 so that they have the best chance of getting a booking.
Day 8 Las Vegas
Day 9 Las Vegas
As this is a combination trip, your leader and the composition of your group may change at this point. There will be a group meeting to discuss the next stage of your itinerary. You're welcome to attend, as this is a great chance to meet your new fellow travellers. After the meeting, you'll be free to enjoy your last night in this energetic city.
Day 10 Death Valley
Day 11 Yosemite National Park
Day 12 Yosemite National Park
Day 13 San Francisco
The trip finishes on arrival into San Francisco and no accommodation is provided tonight. The arrival time depends on each group, but if you decide to fly out on this day, please don't book a flight before 9pm. This will give you enough time to catch a shuttle from the hotel to the airport and be there two hours before departure. If you are staying in town for the evening, perhaps head out for some dumplings in Chinatown or pasta in North Beach. If you do wish to spend extra time in San Francisco we'll be happy to book additional accommodation for you (subject to availability).
Meals1 dinner
TransportPrivate vehicle
AccommodationCamping (with facilities) (8 nights), Hogan (1 night), Hotel (3 nights)
Included activities
- Zion National Park
- Bryce National Park
- Arches National Park
- Dead Horse Point
- Jeep tour & overnight experience
- Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
- Death Valley National Park
- Yosemite National Park
There are currently no departures for this trip.
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Contact us to arrange an alternative departure for you
Important notes
Trip notes
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Our Utah, Nevada & California trips score an average of 4.5 out of 5 based on 2 reviews in the last year.
Utah, Nevada & California , September 2015
Stephanie McCann
This trip has the opportunity for lots of hiking, take good shoes! A headlamp is helpful for the camp sites. Take refillable water bottles, the tap water is safe to drink, and there are refilling stations at most of the parks! Ear plugs and eye masks are good too, for bright or noisy camp sites, or just to catch some zzz's on the long drives.
Review submitted 25 Sep 2015
Utah, Nevada & California , June 2015
Nadine Halter
Intrepid tours are a great way the get to know a country, to met new people and to collect some unforgettable memories.
Review submitted 08 Jul 2015


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Dr. James Calvin Schaap, a professor and author, will be the keynote speaker at this year's Dutch-American Heritage Day celebration. The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. with a reception, followed by the dinner and program at 6:45 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 15, at the Pinnacle Center, 3330 Highland Drive.
The annual event strives to keep Dutch history and culture alive for future generations. Dutch-American Heritage Day also celebrates the strong ties between the Netherlands and the United States. The event will feature traditional Dutch-inspired music, costumes and food. Tickets for the celebration cost $15 and can be purchased by calling 616-726-8010 or emailing firstname.lastname@example.com. Visit wmdutch-americanheritage.com for more information about the event.
Joining Schapp on the program will be Dr. Gaylen Byker, president of Calvin College from 1955 to 2012; and Dr. James E. Bultman, president of Hope College.
Schaap is the author of more than 20 books and dozens of articles and stories, many of them about the Dutch Reformed individuals in North America. A few of his most recent titles include the short story collections Paternity and Startling Joy: Stories for the Christmas Season, and the novel Touches the Sky. Most recently, he published devotional books Honest to God, Sixty at Sixty, and Rehoboth: A Place for Us, a book of stories about families associated with Rehoboth, New Mexico, a 100-year-old mission of the Christian Reformed Church. Schaap recently retired from Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa where he taught literature and writing.
The winner of this year's Dutch Heritage essay contest will be announced during the event. Students from West Michigan submitted essays prior to the Oct. 31 deadline in hopes of winning the top prize of $500, or $250 being offered to the second place winner. The top two winners' schools will also receive cash awards of $1,000 and $500, respectively.


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Cory Thomas says he went to Tuscaloosa last weekend "with a chip on my shoulder."
The McAdory defensive lineman left with an offer from Alabama.
Thomas (6-6, 270), a three-star prospect according to both Rivals.com and 247Sports, had 12 other offers, including several from SEC schools like Florida, Mississippi State and Tennessee, but he didn't have an offer from Alabama, which had been following him since his sophomore year.
He even went so far as to tweet, out of what he says now was "frustration," that he "will NOT be goin to college in the state of alabama."
"I would say it was kind of frustration. I felt like I was supposed to have an offer from them," Thomas said Monday. "I went down there with a chip on my shoulder. Alabama was one of the first ones to start recruiting me. I've got 12 offers and I had to go take that one down there."
Thomas was one of several linemen who earned offers at the camp, a list that reportedly also includes three-star Woodbury (Minn.) East Ridge center J.C. Hassenauer, four-star Plaquemines (La.) defensive end Davon Godchaux and 2015 Atlanta-Mays offensive guard Dallas Warmack, the brother of former Crimson Tide All-American Chance Warmack.
Thomas, who projects as an end in Alabama's 3-4, said his camp began with drills and some instruction on using his hands from Alabama defensive line coach Chris Rumph. Thomas put those techniques to use in a one-on-one session he described as "successful," and afterward met with Crimson Tide defensive coordinator Kirby Smart and, finally, head coach Nick Saban.
Thomas said Saban told him he'd gotten bigger and faster since he camped at Alabama a year earlier, as a 6-4, 250-pound rising junior, and then offered him.
"With me being born and raised in Alabama, it was such a great feeling," Thomas said of the offer.
Thomas, who is still awaiting ACT results, said Alabama's offer puts them "definitely up there in the top five." Other favorites include Florida, Florida State, Miami, Tennessee, Clemson and Mississippi State.
He has visited Tennessee, Mississippi State, Auburn and Kentucky and plans to camp at MSU next month. He also plans to visit the Florida schools and expects to take some officials before committing.
"When I commit, I want to be 100 percent," he said.
Godchaux (6-4, 270) told Rivals.com Alabama will also be in his top five when he releases it later this summer.
"They are the national champions," Godchaux told Rivals. "Coach Saban does a great job with the team. He wins championships. There isn't much more to say. It's Alabama. It speaks for itself."


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The Fit Right NW Fall Cross Country Series kicked off on Saturday at Lents Park in SE Portland. The crisp, dry weather was ideal for racing, and led to several p.r.s and near p.r.s. While the overall men's and women's winners, Jonathan Marcus and Carrie Strickland, established substantial leads early on, there were some tight races throughout the rest of the field, and some exciting close finishes.
Here are the top three open and masters finishers:
Men's Open
Jonathan Marcus, 24, 15:25
James Gerritsen, 33, 15:43
Bret Kimple, 38, 15:47
Women's Open
Carrie Strickland, 24, 17:33
Wendy Terris, 38, 18:12
Erin Skourtes, 28, 18:41
Men's Masters
Danny Gonzalez, 45, 16:03
Chuck Coats, 48, 16:25
David Terris, 43, 16:42
Women's Masters
Nikki Rafie, 45, 19:59
Dee Ann Dougherty, 49, 22:05
Sherri Sims, 41, 22:05
For overall results click here.


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NORTH BERGEN — The township Planning Board continues to mull the fate of the proposed Riverview development on River Road.
The planning board has held multiple meetings for the development that would include three nine-story condominiums and a 577-space parking garage between 8200-8516 River Road.
At a meeting at Town Hall on Thursday, about a dozen local residents showed up, and a couple of them voiced concerns that vehicles heading into the proposed complex would cause traffic to back up onto River Road, creating an unsafe condition.
"There is no (traffic) plan that addresses all the problems this project causes," said Jeremy Raben, a Boulevard East resident. "I feel that anything that impacts the speed of cars entering the building should pertain to a traffic engineer."
Nicholas Verderese, the developer's project traffic engineer, said Raben had no reason to worry.
"Realistically, the entrance we have here could comfortably have 120 visitors come in the building in one hour," Verderese said, noting each driver's interaction with a security guard would be no more than 30 seconds.
John Lamb, an attorney for Bergen Ridge homeowners, argued one security guard couldn't possibly handle all the visitors to keep traffic from backing up onto River Road, especially when a social event was being held at the development.
Verderese again disagreed, citing studies showing that even during rush hour, River Road would be unaffected by visitors to the proposed complex.
Board members announced that the fate of the project would again be deliberated at their meeting on June 20.
At least one local resident felt the over six-year long struggle would end in disappointment.
"The board is ultimately going to approve this, but we can't take that lying down," said Jody Jamieson, who lives on Boulevard East.
The Department of Environmental Protection first issued a permit in 2006 for the Riverview Development, which would have been built along River Road near Bulls Ferry Road. It was to include a 120-foot-high building, 23 townhouses, and a 577-space parking garage.
However, that permit was revoked in June of last year.
The permit was rescinded because the development would generate too much traffic along the narrow waterfront, DEP officials said.
The development would also have had the longest portion of the building run parallel to the river instead of perpendicular a violation of state laws, DEP officials said.
The decision was in response to a lawsuit filed by the NY/NJ Baykeeper and Bergen Ridge Homeowner's Association against the DEP for what the two organizations claimed was an improper permit approval in 2006.
At a meeting at Town Hall on Thursday, about a dozen local residents showed up, and a couple of them voiced concerns that vehicles heading into the proposed complex would cause traffic to back up onto River Road, creating an unsafe condition.


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Windows keeps lists of programs that it should automatically run when Windows first starts. Many programs add entries to these lists so that the program can run in the background, providing easy access to the program, to operate at all times, and/or to perform tasks at scheduled times such as checking for updates.
Malware also needs to automatically run when Windows starts in order to function in the way that the attacker wishes.
If an Unknown program tries to set itself to automatically run when Windows starts, Online Armor will alert you to this behavior, giving you a chance to Allow or Block it.
Autoruns List
Once a program has been allowed to or blocked from creating an Autorun entry, it will be added to the Autoruns list. You can access this list by opening the Online Armor Control Panel and selecting Autoruns from the Main Menu.
Above the table, on the right-hand side opposite of the tabs, is a drop down menu. This menu will allow you to filter the list to show only Programs, Components, Drivers, and Other. Selecting one of these options will hide all entries in the Autoruns list that do not match the specified criteria.
The Autoruns list is organized using a table with the following columns:
- Status – Shows whether the Autorun entry was Allowed or Blocked
- Program Name – Shows the file name of the program on your hard drive that is set to automatically run with Windows.
- Name – Shows the name of the program that is set to automatically run with Windows.
Each row is color coded to indicate whether the program is Trusted (green), Not Trusted (red), Unknown (salmon), or is no longer present (gray).
A legend showing the colors and their corresponding status can be displayed by clicking on the Legend link above the table.
Underneath the list are the following buttons:
- Allow All – Sets all Autoruns in the list to Allowed.
- Allow – If an Autorun has been Blocked then this button will be enabled and will Allow the selected program.
- Block – Blocks the selected program from automatically running when Windows starts and configures Online Armor to automatically Block any attempts to create the Autorun entry again in the future.
- Delete – Removes the Autorun from the list. Deleting the item will cause Online Armor to pop up again if the program attempts to create the selected Autorun again in the future.
Online Armor does not show Trusted programs by default to keep the Autoruns list more manageable. Remove the check next to the "Hide trusted" box to the left of the buttons at the bottom to see the Trusted Autorun programs in the list.
Autoruns List Context Menu
You can right-click any item in the Autoruns list to access the following additional options.
- Show file information – Shows any information about the file that was included by the maker of the program. In addition to the information included by the programmer, is the exact path of the Autorun's key in the registry. If the program has a valid digital signature, the words "Signed by:" will be displayed in green text, followed by the name of the signer. You can also click More to be taken to the Online Armor website for any information Online Armor has collected about this particular program.
- Jump to – Takes you to the exact path of this Autorun's key in the registry.
- Find – Allows you to perform a search in the Autoruns list to find a particular program.
- Autosize columns – Sets the Autoruns list to automatically resize all columns in the table to accommodate the longest string of text in each column.


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For the ladies who use dopplers
I was just curious as to what it sounds like when the baby moves. I have a doppler that I use and I can lay perfectly still, and not move my arm, the doppler or anything, and I keep hearting these little blips. I think it's baby moving, but I'm still to early to feel it.
So I can listen to my baby's heartbeat.
Quoting musicaldoula:
Why are you using dopplers?
That could be the baby moving, it could also be from the other things going on in there. Cord pulsing, etc.
my little guy moves a lot, so when we are listening to the heartbeat, i often hear thumps and strange noises like turning an old radio dial. reminds me of cheesy sci-fi sound effects.


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It's getting uglier and uglier. When do we take them at their word?
Watch this video: What does this remind you of?
Iran warns Europe against sanctions AP via Yahoo! News
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad threatened unspecified economic retaliation against European countries that follow the U.S. in imposing unilateral sanctions against Iran, state radio reported Thursday.
Iran preparing to take over in Iraq MEMRI
Middle East Racing to Nuclear Power - Dan Murphy
This week Egypt became the 13th Middle Eastern country in the past year to say it wants nuclear power, intensifying an atomic race spurred largely by Iran's nuclear agenda. "To have 13 states in the region say they're interested in nuclear power over the course of a year certainly catches the eye," says Mark Fitzpatrick, a former senior nonproliferation official in the U.S. State Department who is now a fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London. "The Iranian angle is the reason." "The rules have changed on the nuclear subject throughout the whole region," Jordan's King Abdullah said early this year. "Where I think Jordan was saying, 'We'd like to have a nuclear-free zone in the area,'...[now] everybody's going for nuclear programs." (Christian Science Monitor)


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Most of us can tell a story of an experience as a child when we were told we either couldn't draw or paint or very quickly we decided that for ourselves. The interesting thinking about drawing is that most of us have huge expectations and when they are not met, we quickly give up because of the lack of trained skill.
Creativity is something we can develop through life, it's true there may be many people who are natural at it but then isn't that true of many professions where some people excel and others are mediocre at best.
But drawing is something that is available to everyone and it's a skill that can be very rewarding and relaxing because it kick start our creative thinking. I once took a friend who hadn't painted for 30 years to an art club where you could experiment with ideas. She got started and slowly began to relax and create something that a pizza restaurant would be proud of but it didn't matter, because she had started to unlock her creative side again. But very soon the fact it really did look like a pizza got stronger and she gave up and never came back because she was so unforgiving of her painting, yet most people don't give up when learning to walk or talk, mainly because we don't know how to.
We learn to give up and some people get really good at it but if you look back at some of the ancient drawings, they may not qualify for the National Gallery but through them we have been able to listen to an unspoken story of the past and what a tragedy it would be if those people had thrown the towel in.
So in March when the sun starts to shine and we creep out of the dark slumber, get yourself a small sketchbook and start drawing again but think about something specific and that is start drawing the story of your life, in pictures. Drop the judgments because the more you do the better they will become and forget the fact that they may not be hung in the Tate Modern. Start to tell your story for this generation and the next, be remembered for living, you never know where that little sketch book will end up and perhaps it will tell our future generations a story. Imagine in 20 years time sitting down with one of your family, friends or grandchildren and telling them the stories.
You see we all have a creative story teller within us we just need to find them and give them an airing.
You can read more about getting creative in my ebook 'Walk On The Grass', click here to read more and enjoy a great discount this month.
I remember the day when I spoke those immortal words to Andy my partner, who has probably been a fisherman well before he could walk! I only went up to Scotland for this weekend for a three day chill out in Scotland, and that included the 11 hour train journey to get there. British Rail should really improve the Spa arrangements on their trains!
I arrived in Forsinard and before I knew it, was whisked off to the Melvich Hotel to find myself having dinner with two English and five Spanish fishermen. The conversations were full of incredible passion about their sport as I listened to the tales of near misses, of triumphs and just darn bad luck, I was enthralled. Within an hour they had me captivated, I knew I shouldn't have asked questions but I couldn't help myself and there was no going back. I showed far too much interest and the Spa's and Shops were fading into the background, being replaced with a fishing rod and a pair of wellies.
The following morning I was kitted out with fishing clothes, apparently high heels are not great for wading in. The clothes were so big I needed a belt to keep them up, looking like a cross between a Hobo and someone from the Australian outback.
Apparently the bright turquoise jacket wasn't the best choice of colour, which I gather is the reason they wear dark green to blend with nature; they was no blending me in that outfit. On the way to the river Andy gave me some advice, "Be careful you don't hit the power lines with the rod and don't fall in the river, the first will kill you and the second gets you soaked". Classic advice that would serve me well, as I bolted in the opposite direction but I was captured and told not to worry. Then my ghillie (the bloke that knows what to do) also known as Andy, demonstrated how to cast a line out. "Can you give me any advice on how to catch a salmon" I naively asked. "Yes he said "if the hook is in the river, you have a chance of catching a salmon, if it isn't, you've no chance".
I think his advice was in relation to me treating the rod and line more like a yoyo than a fishing tool. Well it seemed fun flicking the line in and out, apparently that's called casting. After 20 minutes I felt the line pull and I was positive that I had hooked the otter on the opposite bank, well I didn't like the way he was scowling at me and I was aiming for him! Then I thought the hook must be stuck on bramble, that was until the end of the fishing line leapt out of the water and on the end of it was a 5lb salmon.
I was speechless as I thrust the rod into Andy's hand; "Nope" he said "You caught it, you land it". At this point his friend arrived, Andy's that is not the salmon's and they proceeded to have a chat about where to eat later that night. It was reminiscent of the scene in Men in Black when Will Smith gets thrown about by the alien baby in the car whilst Tommy Lee Jones carries on with his conversation. Needless to say the odd word of "tighten the line' or "let the line go" in between the restaurant discussions reassured me that I was doing ok.
After a few minutes I landed the salmon and Andy unhooked it and made sure it was ok before setting it free to swim off again.
I was dumbstruck by the whole experience, people go fishing for twenty years and never catch a salmon and here was I after 20 minutes.
The real lesson for me was how creative salmon fishing really is, I learnt that day how much emotional creativity is used in the process, and it wasn't all bravado, which I had anticipated. It was explained to me how to feel at one with a fishing rod and that it was just an extension of me not a piece of wood and metal. It was about clearing your mind and being in nature, and if you were lucky enough to catch a salmon then it was a real bonus but you could still enjoy the whole experience regardless.
I think everyone should have an interest that involves being outdoors; because we spend far too many hours within buildings and it can have such a grounding effect getting back out into nature.
Why not make a promise to yourself this week to get out more and not just to dash about in life but to really experience the beauty that is all around us that we don't always appreciate until we stop rushing around.
The funny thing is my name will apear in the Trout and Salmon in October, all because I broke one of my own rules, which was not to go fishing.
Will I do it again? Yep I'm hooked!
The hotel chain, Crown Plaza's launched an initiative for one week only to install real grass in three of their meeting rooms to improve the creativity of their guests. With all the press coverage of the last few days I think the biggest surprise to me has been the total lack of awareness and negativity by some of the so called 'Creative' experts.
If someone is really in touch with their creative intelligence and has a high level of emotional intelligence then negativity has no place in the equation. Perhaps we should question some of the ethics of the creative salesmen on the internet who are selling their wares on creativity, yet they take the first opportunity they can to slam the innovative thinking of Crowne Plaza's initiative.
It intrigued me even more when one of our leading lights on creativity, was asked who inspired him, he replied "No-one". That raises a question to me "Is it time to reflect within and set the computer to reboot" because clearly if you have lost the ability to be inspired by anyone in life then in my opinion you are on the decline in your own creative awareness.
Sure it's not conventional what Crowne Plaza have undertaken but if we all followed what we should do rather than what we can do, we'd still be in caves and the wheel would be a distance dream. Creative people who are in touch with their emotional intelligence will embrace change and whether the initiative succeeds or fails in inspiring the organisations who use the rooms, no lives have been lost in the process so I would encourage the creative critics to lighten up and come down from their ivory towers. Life is there to be enjoyed, to be experienced, to be lived, not to spend it pummeling ideas that may actually make all the difference.
I spent last weekend supporting a friend's art exhibition locally and was actually even more convinced of our creative decline when I went out into the streets asking people how creative they were. It gives me firsthand experience of how out of touch we really are with our creativity, people between 25 and 65 years old were shocked at the thought of being creative and went immediately into denial telling me they weren't creative in the slightest.
The only person out of dozens that I asked admitted she was very creative and then went on to thank me for acknowledging her presence in the world because no-one had done that all week. A sad reflection of our times that shows we could do with spending unproductive time helping others to just enjoy life more.
I would say to the people who spend their time looking for what doesn't work rather than what does, to go out and create something worthwhile, after all if the last thing you created was mayhem, it's not a good impression to leave.
We are truly driven by rules we set ourselves or are imposed on us by others so maybe the time is right to walk on the grass; the fresh air would be good to blow out some of the self indulgent hot air that some of our so called creatives are full of.
You can read some of the coverage here:
Try this little exercise before we discuss these two attitudes;
Imagine you've left for work and half way there you've realised that you don't have your mobile phone with you. You have left it at home. Now consider, what would you do? What action would you take? Write the answer here …………………………………
A great many people fall into this category. The number of 'what ifs' could easily build to the size of a mountain. Once we begin with 'what if' the permutations are endless, backed up by all the usual horror stories of failure, recession and unwarranted risk. A very close cousin to the 'what if' is the 'I told you so', always waiting there in the wings to remind you of the uselessness of even attempting to change. If you decided to turn around and go back for your mobile phone in the exercise above, then you are likely to be in this category.
'What if' people remain steadfastly rooted where they are. It is virtually impossible for them to move on. They are highly creative in the inexhaustible supply of excuses they can fabricate in order to prevent action. So much so, that if they applied even a small percentage of that creative energy to the finding of solutions, they would probably surprise themselves. Typical examples of 'what if' thinking with the mobile phone exercise may be as follows:
The truth is that if you have a phobia or irrational fear in relation to anything at all, then you are probably harbouring 'what if' tendencies. You may not be consciously aware of them, but they are clearly present within you.
The 'whatever' people reside in an entirely different mental landscape; they have one statement that covers every eventuality.
Whatever happens I'll deal with it and the thoughts that go with it:
Their philosophy is that simple, that straightforward. They believe: 'whatever life dishes up, we'll take it on board and 'deal with it'.
Usually 'whatever' people have a number of different strategies they use to deal with life and are likely to have a PLAN B, if something is likely to go wrong then they will have an alternative solution. Ultimately they'll keep going regardless.
To get past the 'what if' mindset you have to step into and then over the river of discomfort, and really start to notice what is happening in your mind and body. Mentally you may feel stressed and even panicky and physically you could find you have a faster heart beat or sweaty palms. Bringing your awareness to what is really happening is key to change. Start recognising the effects and they start to lose the power and control they have on you.
We regularly run Emotional Intelligence Workshops to build your self awareness, contact us at email@example.com to go on the waiting list for our next event..
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TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- The editor-in-chief and two reporters from The Crimson White, the University of Alabama's student newspaper, have been awarded the 2013 College Press Freedom Award for breaking the story of racial discrimination in the campus's sorority system.
CW editor-in-chief Mazie Bryant and the story's reporters, Abbey Crain and Matt Ford, will share the award, which is given annually by the Student Press Law Center and the Associated Collegiate Press to students who have "taken on difficult stories in the face of adversity," according to an SPLC press release.
"Confronting and calling out the Greek system at the University of Alabama on society's most sensitive social issue – race – required exceptional journalistic courage, especially since some of these students are themselves a part of the Greek system," said Frank D. LoMonte, executive director of the SPLC, in a press release.
After the CW's article, The Final Barrier, broke, the story quickly spread to national outlets like CNN and the New York Times.
Gov. Robert Bentley commented on the situation and a group of students, frustrated by UA's slow response to the coverage, began organizing a demonstration to show solidarity with the rushees and sorority women who spoke out against the system.
After hundreds of students marched on campus from the university's main library to its administration building, UA President Judy Bonner announced that the continuous open bidding process would be used to allow houses to offer bids to whomever they wanted.
"All this happened because Mazie, Abbey and Matt doggedly pursued a story that had gone ignored for decades on campuses throughout the country. Their reporting was so airtight that, although the story has provoked harsh criticism, not one critic has been able to shake the veracity of what they revealed. The work of The Crimson White is the envy of professional newsrooms everywhere, and it exemplifies the public-service journalism that college students are creating regularly with little-to-no pay and in the face of continual threats and intimidation," LoMonte said.