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How To Build an AR-15 Rifle
Deciding which AR-15 to Build
Before you buy your first part, decide what kind of rifle you want. Will you be varmint hunting, plinking or competition shooting? Once you make this decision, you know what type of upper receiver and barrel you will use. The upper receiver and barrel you choose will determine the remaining parts needed.
Here are several types of stripped upper receivers, each with different features for different applications.
AR-15 A1 - Has a fixed carry handle, shell deflector and requires the installation of the forward assist assembly, ejection port cover assembly and the A1 sight assembly that allows only for windage adjustment. This upper is ideal to build a "Retro" civilian version of the Vietnam era M-16 Rifle..
AR-15 A2 - Has a fixed carry handle, shell deflector and requires the installation of the forward assist assembly, ejection port cover assembly and the A2 sight assembly that allows for windage and elevation adjustments. This is a popular upper to use for building a rifle for use in shooting matches.
AR-15 A3 - Has a flattop with picatinny rail, shell deflector and requires the installation of the forward assist assembly and ejection port cover assembly. This is the current military upper and is used to build a civilian copy of the M4 (carbine with 16" barrel) or M-16 A4 (rifle with 20" barrel). Also great for building any type of Varmint or Target Carbine/Rifle since any type of optic can be mounted to the Flattop.
AR-15 Flattop - Has many configurations for the upper receiver with various heights of picatinny rails for mounting scopes. These generally do not accommodate the forward assists or Ejection Port Cover assemblies or also known as the "Slick-Sided" uppers. The Flattop is great for building any type of Varmint or Target Carbine/Rifle since any type of optic can be mounted to the Flattop.
For your project, we decided to build a Varmint Rifle in 204 Ruger. Since we want to scope your rifle, we do not want an upper receiver with a carry handle, nor do we need open sights. That rules out the AR-15 A1 and A2. Therefore, either the AR-15 A3 or the Flattop will do. We chose the A3 because of its versatility. In addition, since we are building a Varmint Rifle designed for accuracy, we want to install a bull barrel with a free-float hand guard.
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Purchasing AR-15 Parts
Now that we have selected the type of upper receiver (A3), we know we need the forward assist assembly and Ejection Port Cover assembly. These parts would not be required had we selected a Flattop. In addition, since we are using a bull barrel with a free-float hand guard and without sights, we need a gas block but do not need a flash hider. Had we decided to use open sights, your front sight would have had the gas block built in. The free-float hand guard does not require the use of a delta pack or hand guard cap, as these are integral to the Free Float Tube hand guard.
Use our AR-15 Schematic for parts identification
Before You Build Your AR-15
Please remember these important things:
- Safety - Always remember to wear safety glasses. Pins and springs can (and probably will) fly across the room. A shop apron is also helpful to protect your clothing.
- Work Surface -Be sure to work in a well-lit area with plenty of clear, clean workbench area. Place a mat like the Tipton Gun Cleaning and Maintenance Mat over your work area to keep parts from rolling around or getting lost. The mat will also help protect your guns and parts from potential damage.
- Floor Area - Since we are working with several springs and small pins, it is likely some of these small parts will find their way to the floor. If you have a clean floor or even if you place a white towel or some plain covering on the floor, it will be easier to find these small parts. Nothing is more frustrating than having to delay your project because a $ 0.99 roll pin vanishes.
- Tools -There are several tools necessary to do a professional job. Please don't skimp here, as the quality of your work will suffer. Use the right tool for the job. Try to use brass punches whenever possible to reduce the chance of marring the finish.
Start Building Your AR-15
Make sure you have a good AR-15 schematic to use as a guide in assembling your upper assembly. The schematic is helpful in finding the correct names of parts and determining what they look like.
Spread out your Tipton Cleaning and Maintenance Mat
- Arrange all your tools on your workbench so they are easy to access.
- Arrange all your parts on your mat.
- Group your parts together by assembly or with related parts. Refer to the pictures to aid you in this grouping process.
Install Forward Assist Assembly on Upper Receiver
- Forward Assist
- Forward Assist Spring
- Forward Assist (Roll) Pin.
*NOTE: If you take off the spring, you can see a flat side on the Forward Assist - this is where the pin rides.
Forward Assist Assembly is now installed.
Install Ejection Port Cover Assembly on Upper Receiver
- Ejection Port Cover
- Ejection Port Cover Pin
- Ejection Port Cover Pin Snap Ring
- Ejection Port Cover Spring.
Ejection Port Assembly is now installed.
Assemble the Bolt Carrier Assembly
The Bolt Carrier Assembly consists of:
- Bolt
- Bolt Carrier
- Bolt Cam Pin
- Firing Pin
- Firing Pin Retaining Pin
Test the bolt to make sure it moves in and out of the Bolt Carrier freely.
AR-15 Bolt Carrier Assembly is now Complete.
Assemble the Charging Handle Assembly
- Charging Handle
- Charging Handle Latch Spring
- Charging Handle Latch Roll Pin
- Charging Handle Latch
Install Charging Handle Assembly & Bolt Carrier Assembly into Upper Receiver
To complete the assembly of the Upper Receiver, you can go ahead and install these parts to ensure proper fit. However, you will have to remove these parts to continue with the installation of the Barrel Assembly.
Slide the Charging Handle Assembly in only far enough that it will stay stationary on its own.
Push the Bolt Carrier Assembly and Charging Handle Assembly into the Upper Receiver until they click firmly into place. The Ejection Port Assembly should pop open.
Installing the Upper Receiver into the Action Block and tightening it in the Vise
Install the Barrel
Install Outer Receiver Nut and Inner Barrel Retainer Nut on Barrel Threads
*Note that these instructions are recommended by the manufacturer of the Free Float Tube Handguard that we chose. If you are installing another type of handguard, instructions may vary.
- Outer Receiver Nut
- Inner Barrel Retainer Nut
- Free Float Tube Handguard
- Flat Head Handguard Screws (7)
- Handguard Plug Screws (7)
- Sling Swivel Studs (2)
Unscrew and seperate the Inner Barrel Retainer Nut from the Outer Receiver Nut.
Unscrew the Outer Receiver Nut past one full rotation, stopping when the gas hole on the Outer Receiver Nut is lined up with the gas hole on the Upper Receiver.
Tighten Inner Barrel Retainer Nut with Takedown Wrench until snug. Do not over tighten. If you are not using Loctite, make sure you hold onto the Outer Receiver Nut so the gas holes stay in alignment.
Seat the Threads (recommended in the U.S. Marine Corps Technical Manual). If you are not using Loctite, make sure you hold onto the Outer Receiver Nut so the gas holes stay in alignment.
- Torque to 35 ft-lbs
- Loosen
- Torque to 35 ft-lbs
- Loosen
- Torque past 35 ft-lbs until gas holes are in alignment, making sure not to exceed 80 lbs.
NOTE: With this particular handguard, if you cannot line up the gas holes within the torque range of 35-80 ft-lbs, loosen the Inner Barrel Retainer Nut and loosen the Outer Receiver Nut another full revolution and try again. You cannot do this if you used Loctite.
Remove Upper Assembly from Vise and Action Block.
Installing the AR-15 Gas Tube and Gas Block
This assembly consists of:
- Gas Tube
- Gas Block
- Gas Tube Roll Pin.
*Note: You may have to polish the Barrel where the Gas Block goes and polish the inside of the Gas Block with 600 grit paper so it easily slides in place. This only takes a minute or two.
Tighten set screws.
Drive Gas Tube Roll Pin through Gas Block and Gas Tube.
Install AR-15 Free Float Tube Handguard.
AR-15 Upper Receiver Assembly is now ready to be attached to your Lower Receiver Assembly.
- `
Parts List
Tools Needed


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Contact: email@example.com
Phone: 269-471-3322
It had never been done before. Last week, March 6-9, sixteen Andrews University student callers raised a total of $31,750 in an extension of the annual fall alumni phonathon. Last fall, the alumni called contributed $129,000, the highest amount raised in the last five years. However, the student callers were unable to reach 5000 alumni households. The decision was made to contact these remaining alumni in the spring semester.
The students called from 6:00 PM until midnight on each of the four days (each time zone was called until 9 PM local time) and, in addition to the total dollars raised, attracted 91 new alumni donors. Donors were, "very encouraging," said Coordinator of Annual Giving, Dena King, organizer of the phonathon. "We didn't really know what to expect... the support of our alumni was very encouraging!"
Most gifts were designated for the Annual Fund, which provides for the day to day needs of the campus.
King said that the purpose of the phonathon is not simply to raise funds but also to update alumni records and establish personal contact with Andrews alumni.

subset: commoncrawl


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Remember Me
The Oaks Montessori School is dedicated to total quality education. Our mission is to provide a safe, nurturing, creative learning environment for the whole person. Children attending the school will be exposed to a method which will facilitate the growth of inner discipline and later complex reasoning through a free choice and organized use of didactic materials within an atmosphere conducive to these ends.
The school is located on the serene acres of "Range Village." The campus includes a Main House and cottages for primary and elementary classes, extended day club programs, and special event activities. Adjacent to the elementary playground is an edible garden lovingly tended by the children. An outdoor science center including a pond, root viewers, and observation centers is also on the grounds. There are two shady playgrounds complete with swings, trapezes, slides, tether balls, a four-square court, tricylces, and climbing equipment, as well as many natural resources for play.
Primary Program (2 1/2 - 4 years): Areas covered are Practical Life, Sensorial, Language, Mathematics, Science, Geography, Music, Foreign Language, Cultural Arts, Art and Movement Education. Kindergarten & Elementary (5-12 years): Everyday Living, Sensorial, Reading, Penmanship, Creative Writing, Language Arts, Mathematics, History, Sciences, Geography, Foreign Language, Computer, Art, Music, Dance, and Physical Education.
Parents are encouraged to participate in the Home and School Association. Parent orientation meetings, seminars, programs, etc. are offered for parent education. The non-profit organization provides parent involvement in school volunteer programs and in fundraising for equipment and improvement in the environment for the children. Parent participation is vital to quality education and to the "Montessori Family" established at the school.
OMS has a non-discriminatory admissions policy for children who are 2 1/2-12 years of age. Each prospective student is required to be interviewed by the Headmistress or Directress of the specific class. A class ratio of approximately 10 to one adult is maintained. Parents desiring to register their children for enrollment should contact the school office (985-345-8088) and make an appointment to observe our classrooms in action. You will then be given an application for enrollment, and a date and time may be arranged for your child's visit (interview). There is a $35.00 fee payable preceding the interview. (This fee is non-refundable and does not apply to the tuition.) Those accepted for enrollment are required to pay a $200 registration fee. This deposit assures your child a space in our school. The deposit is, however, non-refundable.
Copyright © 2009 Oaks Montessori School. All Rights Reserved.43283 South Range Road Hammond, Louisiana 70403


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Message Board
Sharon K. Garner Message Board
Talk about the novels, new and used books that Garner has written!
Author Garner's Book Reviews
Five Star, Feb 2004, 26.95, 206 pp. ISBN: 1594140979 Children's book illustrator Emily Noble takes a leave of absence from her work with Tot Press to travel from Upstate New York to the cerrados region of central Brazil. Her half brother international engineer James King is missing with his only message being to seek former mercenary Christovao Santos, owner of Abunancia Farm. However, she becomes his prisoner as he does not trust her, believ...


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Ableton Interview & Movie with Jazz Musician Praful
With a fresh combination of jazz improvisation, electronica, and Indian and Brazilian influences, Praful's music takes many exotic, technology-assisted turns. The German-born, Amsterdam-based performer on saxophone, flute and bansuri (an Indian end-blown flute) tours around the world using Live to accompany his ensemble. We talked with Praful about his use of computers onstage and how Live's flexibility complements a jazz performer.
To read the interview and to download a video showing Praful's Live setup, please visit: http://www.ableton.com/praful.


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Mention orchids, and most people think of stunning flowers. A conversation about dolphins invites comment on their intelligence. And the topic of thrushes inevitably leads to a discussion of beautiful songs.
A variety of thrushes live in our area, and almost all have incredible songs. The hermit thrush is considered by many to have the most beautiful song of any bird in North America. Take a short drive up into the forest on a May or June evening and you can judge for yourself.
My favorite is the song of the Swainson's thrush. The flute-like notes that spiral up in pitch in the fading light gave me great pleasure as I grew up in the Willamette Valley. Locally, visit the streams near Union Creek for this treat.
American robins concede little to the hermit and Swainson's thrushes. The Townsend's solitaire, another thrush, fills forest openings high in the Siskiyous with its rich and nearly endless song. You will have to travel to Europe to hear the song of another talented thrush, the nightingale.
This brings me to the western bluebird. Is there someone who will extol the virtues of the song of this thrush? Anyone? I can hear many birders asking themselves, have I ever heard a western bluebird sing? Do they even have a song?
The noted ornithologist Arthur Cleveland Bent wrote that he "never heard from the western bluebird's beak an utterance which deserves the name of a song." Two other noted naturalists, Grinnell and Storer, claim to have heard the song but were less than impressed.
The "song is a very simple affair, just the common call notes uttered over and over with monotonous persistence." The call note of the western bluebird is a soft, cooing sound. Pleasant but hardly noteworthy.
If you wish to hear this poor excuse for a thrush song, you will need to arise early. They sing in the cold hour before dawn in near-complete darkness. Or, so I have been told.
Birdsong serves many functions, chief among which are the attraction of a mate and defense of a territory. As a territorial advertisement, the soft notes of the western bluebird fail miserably. The call can barely be heard among the cacophony of other spring sounds. The same would seem to apply to mate attraction.
There are alternatives to singing. Visual displays involving plumage and behavior work for many species. Peacocks are showy, and cranes dance.
Among most thrushes, males and females are nearly the same in appearance. Male and female Townsend's solitaires and hermit thrushes are identical, to me at least. Male robins have a slightly darker head than the female. Most thrushes are also modestly colored. Browns of various shades figure large in their wardrobe.
Bluebirds again provide the exception in the family. Male bluebirds are bright and showy, and females are quite drab. Unless you catch the slight flash of blue in the wings and tail of the female, you could easily mistake it for some other bird.
Among thrushes at least, there appears to be a trade-off. The choice is either a fine voice or fine clothes. Apparently you can't have both. For the record, both mountain and eastern bluebirds have more of a song than our western bluebird, but not much more.
Stewart Janes is a biology professor at Southern Oregon University. He can be reached at email@example.com.
Thrushes fill the air with songs
Mention orchids, and most people think of stunning flowers. A conversation about dolphins invites comment on their intelligence. And the topic of thrushes inevitably leads to a discussion of beautiful songs.


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Al Coe (Feat. Shawty Shawty) - The Hip Hop Funeral [Unsigned Hype]
"Upcoming Artist Al Coe single "Body Bag" off The
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at datpiff.com
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ACParadise Network: American Cosplay Paradise American Cosplay Experience American Cosplay Snapshots
Staff writer for JapanCinema.net
Host for C^3 Convention Coverage
All around Japanese history nerd
You can find me online at:
I sell custom costume commissions on Etsy - search for Constantine Cosplay
Recent Updates
Newest Favorites
Newest Fans
Recent Comments
- Constantine says, "Thank you so much, Ammie!! <3"
- For Emma Frost from X-Men
- Ammie says, "Wow! Great Emma!! That corset is gorgeous!"
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Community improvements designed to keep the small-town feel.
Nokomis is a community of people who have better things to do than put on airs.
Almost 15 years ago, when told they could come up with ideas to revitalize their town, the top of their wish list was sewers.
Residents, many with low to moderate income, have long been attracted to this community just south of Sarasota by something as rare as a tourist with unbaked skin — the ability to enjoy a true Florida lifestyle at a bargain basement price.
"It's a chance for somebody of limited resources to get a place on the water," says Bruce Dillon, chairman of the now-defunct Nokomis Revitalization Committee, who worked for years to translate the people's wishes into a popular plan.
When some communities have the chance to revitalize, they look for ways to bring in bigger and better — more winter residents, waterfront hotels and fancy restaurants.
Nokomis, on the other hand, focused on ways to improve the quality of life for the people who already call it home.
"Families of folks who came here 50 years ago are still here," says Dillon.
The multimillion-dollar plan, forged through 11 public workshops in 1999 and 2000 and updated in 2010, was hashed out by about 40 civic associations' members.
Some people objected to parts of the plan that called for an arts and office district that would attract more people to the area.
The people are OK with some economic development, as long as code enforcement limits the size and scope of any projects.
For the past decade and a half, crews have worked at bringing the plan to fruition. Most of the priorities have been accomplished, although some sidewalks have to be built and a few sewer lines are still going in. But the work is almost over.
For those who have lived there for years and know the land like a sweetheart's face, the differences are striking.
"Colonia Lane used to be a two-lane road with no sidewalks," says Dillon. "Now you can look out and see mothers pushing baby carriages down the sidewalk."
Outsiders, however, might not notice many changes. Some are underground, underwater or not apparent to those driving through the area on U.S. 41.
After sewer lines and safe water, the next concern of residents was reconstruction, streetscaping and lighting of Colonia Lane, one of the major thoroughfares through town.
In recognition of boating as "part of the Nokomis way of life," according to the plan, next in importance was the dredging of Dona and Lyons bays and Shackett and Curry creeks. Nokomis, bordered by waterways on three sides and laced by private canals, needed more boat ramps, channel markers and canoe trails.
Also important to residents was to be part of the "Rails to Trails" project, utilizing an old railway corridor as a jogging and bicycle path. Called the Legacy Trail, it now covers 10 scenic miles with views of waterways from Sarasota to Venice on its southern border.
Other priorities were landscaping on U.S. 41, increased code enforcement and county-sponsored cleanup days.
Also new are a number of "pocket parks," small areas of green space, usually including a couple of benches and designed to benefit a nearby neighborhood.
Although many in Sarasota County might not be able to pinpoint just where Nokomis is, one county planner is impressed with how much the small community means to the people who call it home.
"The people there love their community," says Jane Grogg, Sarasota County's manager for neighborhood services. "There's a small-town feel to Nokomis, and a real sense of pride. They have a desire to improve things, and have worked so hard for it."


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Stratton Library is an integral resource within the school community. Students and staff are welcome throughout the day to find books and information, and to read or work quietly in the study area.
Access to the internet and school intranet provides students with the ever-increasing wealth of information found online, including additional access to online journals.
Classes visit the library during lessons, spending the hour undertaking research, reading independently or as a class. The weekly lunchtime reading and chess clubs are very popular, bringing together students from all year groups.
The library staff are always happy to help anyone find the information they need, or to suggest something they might enjoy reading. The aim is to encourage students to open their minds to the knowledge available to those who search for it, to find pleasure in reading and to share their own experiences.
- Library Search (catalogue of resources) networked across the school
- internet access
- school network access
- information (non-fiction) books to support the curriculum and wider interests
- fiction books at all levels
- newspapers and magazines
- DVDs
- information files
- Staff Library
- links to other library collections
|8.45am – 4.00pm
|8.15am – 4.00pm
|8.45am – 4.00pm
|8.15am – 4.00pm
|8.15am – 4.00pm
Miss D Braybrooks – Head of Library and Communications
Mrs A Gaspar – Library Assistant


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Write a News Story
Meet a Pioneer Pilot
Amelia Earhart Home
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Amelia Earheart
By: Annemarie M.
California, Age 11
It was a bright and sunny day in 1937 when Amelia Earheart firt lady of flight was about to fly acrros the atlantic ocean.While she waved goodbye to her family and frenids little did they know this was the last time the would see her again.Somewhere over the ocean Amelia and her plane dissaperd and they have never seen her since.Nobody knows what happened but there are many therios.the things that we know for a fact are that Ameila was an experenced flyer and her plane was an espeilly equiped electra. now the therios are tthat A melia and Fred were held prisoner by the japaness.Others belive that Amelia and Fred were spys. oher people belive that they crash landed in the ocean. We may never know what happened but we do know that Amelia was a GREAT rolmodle for all woman!!!
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Style # 207439
Millie Spike Heel Ballet Flat is rated out of 5 by 1.
Rated 5 out of 5 by Texanfashionista from Very nice flats. I don't usually wear flats but this one got my attention. They look so different and interesting I know I will get a lot of compliments.
Date published: 2013-02-22


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Real Salt Lake welcomed Arturo Alvarez into camp for the first time on Wednesday, and there was one word to describe the league veteran's performance in his RSL debut: outstanding.
At least, that's according to Real Salt Lake general manager Garth Lagerwey, who was one of a number of onlookers to report back with positive reviews of his club's highest-profile offseason acquisition.
"Everyone here seemed to welcome me with open arms," said Alvarez.
RSL's newest attacking player missed the first days of training camp while he was with the Salvadoran national team competing in the Copa Centroamericana. Alvarez and La Selecta accomplished one of their main objectives by qualifying for this summer's CONCACAF Gold Cup.
[inline_node:310720]However, the former San Jose Earthquakes winger experienced some personal disappointment, missing two penalty kicks in the tournament. The final one came in the penalty stage of the third-place match against Panama, when his strike was saved en route to a 5-4 loss.
Alvarez was visibly upset after the match and admits that the miss "hurt," but has begun the process of getting beyond it.
"It happened and I've moved on," he said. "And hopefully it won't happen again. I'm looking forward to that next game with El Salvador."
That next game comes soon, as El Salvador will host a friendly match against Haiti on Feb. 9. Aside from the brief time away expected for that match, Alvarez is focused on integrating with his new club squad.
"It's just like anything – your first day on the job, or your first day on a team, you really don't know anyone," Alvarez said. "When you step on the field with them, you want to show them why you are here. It was a good first day of training, definitely."
While the first impressions of Alvarez were universally positive, it wasn't a one-way street. Alvarez has played professionally since age 17, and liked what he saw from his first introduction to Real Salt Lake's camp.
"I thought that everything was way more organized," he said. "We weren't waiting around to move into the next workout. We didn't waste any time waiting on the coaches to run a different drill. It's ran very professional, which is a good environment to be in.
"The attitude of the team is to have a lot of fun on the field, but to work hard, and definitely that winning mentality comes out."


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The Sesamoids Can Be a Pain
By Deborah Pate, DC, DACBR
The first metatarsophalangeal joint includes four bones. The most readily apparent portion of the joint is the articulation between the concave-shaped base of the proximal phalanx and the convex, rounded head of the first metatarsal. The plantar surface includes the two sesamoid bones (fibular or lateral and tibial or medial) and the joint capsule. The joint capsule is reinforced on its plantar aspect by both a fibrocartilagenous plate and the plantar accessory ligament. The flexor hallucis longus and flexor hallucis brevis attach on the plantar aspect, along with the abductor hallucis muscle and the adductor hallucis muscle. The hallux MTP sesamoids are embedded in the tendons of flexor hallucis brevis.
Acting as a pulley for tendons, the sesamoids help the big toe move normally and provide leverage when the big toe "pushes off" during walking and running. The sesamoids also serve as a weight-bearing surface for the first metatarsal bone, absorbing the weight placed on the ball of the foot when walking, running, and jumping; or as a shock absorber for those 4" heels. They are subjected to the stresses of muscle contraction and MTP joint movement, and also to ground reaction force.
Pain involving the great-toe sesamoids is not common in the general population; however, it occurs more frequently in runners and other athletes whose sports require sprinting. There is also the confounding factor of whether or not there is a fracture as multipartite sesamoid, which can occur up to 13 percent of the time. Only 25 percent of the time does this occur on both sides.
A comparison X-ray can sometimes be helpful in determining if a fracture is present. If the bipartite appearance is present bilaterally, there is a greater chance that the sesamoid is truly bipartite and not fractured. Clues of fracture include irregular and jagged appearance of the separated fragments.
Types of Sesamoid Injuries
Turf toe: This is an injury of the soft tissue surrounding the big-toe joint. It usually occurs when the joint is extended beyond its normal range. Turf toe causes immediate, sharp pain and swelling. It usually affects the entire big-toe joint and limits the motion of the toe. Turf toe may result in an injury to the soft tissue attached to the sesamoid or a fracture of the sesamoid. Sometimes a "pop" is felt at the moment of injury. This is not an uncommon injury for football players.
Fracture: A fracture in a sesamoid bone can be either acute or chronic. An acute fracture is caused by trauma – a direct blow or impact to the bone. An acute sesamoid fracture produces immediate pain and swelling at the site of the break, but usually does not affect the entire big-toe joint. A chronic fracture is a stress fracture (a hairline break usually caused by repetitive stress or overuse). A chronic sesamoid fracture produces long-standing pain in the ball of the foot beneath the big-toe joint. The pain, which tends to come and go, generally is aggravated with activity and relieved with rest. Runners and basketball players frequently incur such injuries.
Sesamoiditis: This is an overuse injury involving chronic inflammation of the sesamoid bones and the tendons involved with those bones. Sesamoiditis is caused by increased pressure to the sesamoids. Often, sesamoiditis is associated with a dull, long-standing pain beneath the big-toe joint. The pain comes and goes, usually occurring with certain shoes or certain activities. Wearing high-heeled shoes can cause this problem.
Diagnostic Considerations
Others problems can complicate proper diagnosis. Osteoarthritis involving the sesamoid-MT joint may be a significant cause of pain in an osteoarthritic 1st MTP joint. Other causes can be overload, which might be a separate syndrome, associated with a plantarflexed first ray, without a stress fracture. Of course, diabetics may have a neuropathic ulceration that can involve one or both sesamoids.
Patients usually complain of pain under the 1st MTP joint and can often localize it, usually to the tibial sesamoid, with a finger. However, some clinicians may attach a vague label, such as "bunion," "arthritis" or "metatarsalgia" because they may not aware of the entity of sesamoid pain.
There is often a history of dorsiflexion or local impact trauma, or a change in activity leading to greater forefoot loading. However, some patients have a spontaneous onset of pain. It is also important to ask about systemic arthropathy and neurological disease including peripheral neuropathy.
Examination may show a plantarflexed first ray, with or without significant swelling. Sesamoid problems may be more common in patients with hallux valgus. There may be evidence of degenerative change throughout the MTP joint (hallux rigidus). A callus is often present under the MT head. There is usually point tenderness over the affected sesamoid, which may be exacerbated by compression or friction against the metatarsal head.
One could make the diagnosis with examination and correlating history; however, imaging with plain films is important to rule out fracture and the treatment will be different if there is an occult fracture. Standing AP and lateral forefoot films will demonstrate bipartite sesamoids and OA, but a better view is usually obtained with an axial skyline view of the sesamoids with the MTPJ in dorsiflexion.
An isotope bone scan will usually show a stress fracture and may be more accurate than an MR, although there is no real comparative data. MR will show articular problems in the MTP joint and any soft-tissue element to the problem, but this is often not relevant.
Treating Sesamoid Injuries
Acute care should include PRICE: Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. Restricting activity and offloading the first MTP joint, which usually involves an insole with a cut-out or pad or a modified rocker shoe, will help most patients. Of course, explanation and simple advice about shoes and analgesia should also be given.
If there is an occult fracture, more aggressive treatment will be required, including a period of immobility accomplished by placing the foot in a special boot to take all the weight off the forefoot. Some patients will need to be on crutches. Any exercise program should be delayed during the healing process. Anti-inflammatory meds may also be needed to reduce the inflammation.
Physical therapy can be used to bring increased circulation to the area and limit inflammation and pain over the long term. Functional orthotics with special accommodation to offload the sesamoids (the same as patients with a simple stress fracture) can be used once the patient is sufficiently improved to be out of the boot. In some cases, cortisone injections can be used to reduce the inflammation around the bones. Most patients will respond to conservative treatment, but will need orthotics to protect the injury from recurring.
Turf toe, sesamoiditis and hallux rigidus are a functionally interconnected set of injuries. These problems can impair the ability to run. In severe cases, a patient may consider giving up their sport permanently. Surgery may even be needed if the patient does not respond to conservative treatment.
Click here for more information about Deborah Pate, DC, DACBR.


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Honors College (HC)
Contact InformationUniversity of Vermont
Honors College
100 Allen House
Burlington, VT 05405
Phone: (802) 656-9100
Fax: (802) 656-9009
Email: email@example.com
The Honors College (HC) offers an intensely focused, academically challenging environment for some of the university's most outstanding undergraduate students. The Honors College involves a broad cross-section of the University community, existing not as a cloistered academic enclave but as a vital part of that larger community. The Honors College is above all a community of scholars -- students and faculty -- committed to the ideals of excellence in scholarship, academic rigor, and intellectual inquiry and engagement.
Admission to the Honors College
Admission to the Honors College is based on prior academic performance and students are admitted in one of two ways. First year students are invited to the HC based on the strength of their application to the University; no additional application is required. Up to 100 first year students are admitted each year.
Because the College exists to recognize and encourage academic excellence, it also welcomes the applications for sophomore admission from students who were not in the HC in the first year, and are among the top performers as first year students at UVM. Sophomore admission requires an application form, a 3.4 grade point average at the end of the first year, letters of recommendation from UVM faculty, and a brief essay. Up to 100 sophomores are admitted annually.
Academic Standards
Students whose overall GPA falls below 3.2 will be given one semester to raise it back over this level. Failure to do so will make them subject to dismissal from the HC. The Dean will have discretion to take personal considerations into account prior to dismissal for low achievement. Students will be subject to dismissal from the HC if they receive grades below C- totaling more than 8 credits of coursework. Students with a Major Academic Offense, determined by standard University procedure, will be dismissed from the HC. Students with a Minor Academic Offense, determined by standard University procedure, will be given a warning of dismissal in the event of another Major or Minor Academic Offense.
The Honors College curriculum is designed to supplement and enrich the offerings of the "home" schools and colleges with multidisciplinary courses and seminars that broaden intellectual horizons and stimulate discussion, debate, writing, research and reflection. Enrollment in Honors College seminars is limited to Honors College students. Students who complete all Honors College curricular requirements in addition to the degree requirements of the home school or college graduate as University Scholars. Honors College courses are taught by distinguished faculty drawn from the range of academic disciplines at UVM.
The First Year Seminar
"Making Ethical Choices: Personal, Public, Professional": This seminar provides a common experience (3 credits each semester) for all first year students in the Honors College. It is multidisciplinary: taught by a core faculty with additional lectures given by faculty drawn from across the University, including but not limited to: animal sciences, biomedical technologies, business administration, computer science, education, engineering, environmental studies, nursing, and women's studies. It is designed to incorporate classic works by philosophers such as Plato and Mill and the contemporary writings of distinguished philosophers like John Rawls and Peter Singer and is taught in small seminars (about 20 students in each section) intended to promote intellectual discussion. The seminar is writing intensive, requiring multiple drafts of papers that encourage students to develop their reasoning and focus their writing and is designed to guide students in thinking rigorously about ethical problems in many applied contexts. The course is supplemented by plenary lectures (7-8 throughout the year) by University faculty and administrators to which the entire University community is invited.
Sophomore Seminar
Sophomores take two three-credit special topics courses, one in the fall and one in the spring, selected from an extensive slate of offerings created for HC students by faculty in schools and colleges University-wide. Special topics vary from year to year.
Junior and Senior Years
In the junior year, students take one three-credit seminar in their home college or school that prepares them for their senior year honors project. Senior students complete a six-credit research thesis or senior project approved by their home school or college. Requirements will vary slightly in different schools and colleges. Students should consult with the advisor in their home school or college.
Residential Component
The Honors College will soon be moving to a new residential complex at University Heights, providing housing for HC students, as well as permanent office space for the HC administration and staff. In addition, the new complex will include seminar, lounge, and meeting space for the Honors College. Students are strongly encouraged to live in the Honors College residency.
Co Curriculars
All UVM faculty and students and the general public are invited to participate in frequent Honors College-sponsored events such as lectures and symposia presented by faculty, students, and distinguished visiting scholars and artists.


text: Film historian Walter Kerr said "No comedienne ever became a truly important film clown." Well a new festival in London that is screening screwball comedies from the silent movie era is trying to change that perception. Clowning Glories and Screwball Women highlights the careers of Mabel Normand — aka "Madcap Mabel" — the first woman to throw a pie at Charlie Chaplin, and Marion Davies, best known for being the mistress of print baron William Randolph Hearst, but a fantastic comedienne in her own right. (Fun fact according to the Independent: "Davies is harshly caricatured in Orson Welles' Citizen Kane [as] Kane's mistress Susan Alexander...In a 1989 article in The New York Review of Books, Gore Vidal suggested that 'rosebud' (the mysterious phrase on Kane's lips as he dies) was what 'Hearst called his friend Marion Davies's clitoris'.) Though the acknowledgment of these funny females is long overdue, the article about them in Britain's Independent ends on a sour note: "How come, pre-1920, there were more women film-makers working in the industry than now?" the article asks. We wonder the same thing! [Independent]


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quote:Originally posted by Cool87: Hey, haven't you already met her Elizabeth ?
quote:Originally posted by Heather: And Elizabeth, you're a big silly.
quote:Originally posted by Heather: (I confess, I cannot stand L.A. and avoid it like the plague. I won't even visit friends there. So, it's not even someplace I considered. Sorry!)
quote:Originally posted by BiGoddess: Alas, I don't live in the city anymore. I'm in the suburbs now. But I'm a San Franciscan a heart, for sure. Anyways, yeah. You can just hop on BART to get from San Francisco to Berkeley. You can get a round trip ticket from pretty much anywhere in the city for under ten dollars, so it's pretty reasonable.You'll let us know when you're coming 'round, yes?
quote:i hate LA, too. but c'mon dearie, couldn't you help make this town suck just a little less?


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We've recently announced an exciting new extension which is the Social Media Publisher.
The Social Media Publisher for Web Content Manager is an extension to Web Content Manager that allows businesses to promote their web content on social networks such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc.., It also provides some basic statistics about the promoted content.
There is a short video about the extension now on Youtube:
For the download or product documentation, please refer to this link below:


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Defeat defending champion Scott City 47-28 in dual meet
Dane Edwards, Santiago Garcia and Connor Kinkelaar all closed out their home careers with the Dodge City High Schoool wrestling team with victories to lead the Red Demons Thursday night to a 47-28 dual win over defending state champion Scott City.
Each of the three seniors who won used different ways to create their magic moment at the DCHS Fieldhouse.
Edwards, who is the top-ranked Class 6A wrestler at 138 pounds, made short work of his opponent with a win by pin at 1:22. The senior captain is now 27-2 on the season and set the tone before the match by encouraging his teammates to do their best in their final home action of the season.
"I was very excited about tonight," Edwards said. "It was my last home dual and I wanted to go out with a bang. Definitely, losing is something I didn't want to do. Before the dual even started, I was with the wrestling team and I told them for us to go out with a bang and win our home dual big. Scott City is returning state champions as a team and we wanted to beat them."
Garcia took a little longer in dominating his opponent in the 152-pound match, winning by a 17-2 technical fall. Garcia (13-16) hasn't had the season he would have liked, but he feels Thursday night's victory will help give him confidence for the later matches.
"I plan on finishing this season with a good note," Garcia said. "I feel great and I'm glad I won. I wanted to remember that I won my last match at home. This is going to get me pumped up for regionals and I'm excited for it. I feel I'm ready for it this time around and I'm ready to go to state."
Kinkelaar (9-18) was kind of the surprise victor at 195 by recording a reversal and a near fall in the last 10 seconds to win his match 8-4 when it looked like that battle would go into overtime.
"I just had seen that he was up high and he was tired, so I got him to flop on his back and just held him there. I didn't know how much time was left," Kinkelaar said. "I just knew I had to do something. I'm just glad I won my last home match in my high school career. It was unique because there were opens at 220 and 285, so I was the last person to wrestle at home this year. All the team was counting on me to win and I'm glad I didn't let anybody down."
The Red Demons (9-3 in duals) started strong by winning the first four matches with Clay Weil's 9-1 major decision victory over the Beavers' James Jurgens setting the tone. Weil (32-7), ranked third in Class 6A, never let up against Jurgens (ranked fifth in Class 3-2-1A). Jaden McRoberts (31-10) pinned his opponent in 48 seconds at 113; Howard Johnson (16-11) won by a 17-2 technical fall at 106; and Jaquan Graves (15-12) won by forfeit at 120.
Wyatt Knopp scored the first team points for the Beavers (8-6) with a pin in the 132-pound match before Edwards and Jhett Ostrom (16-16) recorded first round pins and Garcia scored his technical fall victory.
The final points for the Red Demons came from Cristian Torres' forfeit victory at 220 pounds.
Scott City also got wins from Warren Kropp at 160 (17-1 technical fall), Raleigh Wishon at 171 (pin at 3:06) and Cooper Griffin at 182 (19-3 technical fall). Michael McEarchen won by forfeit for the Beavers at 285 pounds.
The Demons have one more dual before the Class 6A regionals at Hutchinson with a Western Athletic Conference dual next Thursday at Liberal. DCHS head coach Lars Lueders said the team is already working on getting ready for the regionals despite the lay-off.
"To come out and handle and win decisively over (Scott City) was big for us," Lueders said. "I feel a lot of our guys have improved on their technique that we have worked on throughout the week. What we have been doing is that we started our championship schedule on Monday. We have our varsity guys in there for the majority of practice and our non-varsity guys going in there and rotate on them.
"We're basically putting them in the grind and making them mentally tougher and shape up a little bit. We back off just before regionals and that seems to peak our kids as they are ready for the postseason competition."


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Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories
The First Niagara Foundation and Willie Hutch Jones Educational and Sports Programs are partnering to provide instruction for local children, at no cost, in fundamental life skill development, sports skill development, as well as academic support in science and math.
The First Niagara Foundation is providing $10,000 in grant funding to provide access to various instructional programs and character-building activities.
The Willie Hutch Jones Educational and Sports Clinic has been in existence for more than 29 years providing free educational and sports programs in Buffalo and Lackawanna. Each summer, the program offers 16 sports clinics, including, basketball, football, baseball, crew rowing, volleyball, tennis, soccer, swimming and more. During the school year, the program offers an afterschool program, which includes homework assistance, computer labs, STEM math and science program, and extracurricular activities such as acting and tap dancing lessons, chess club, steel drum instruction and personal finance.
"When we heard about the Willie Hutch Jones Educational and Sports Programs, we knew it was an opportunity for First Niagara to help make a real difference in the lives of young people," said Buford Sears, First Niagara Buffalo market executive. "We are proud to provide the support needed to help our community's children develop the life skills necessary for independence and success."
"We thank First Niagara for not only investing in our program, but also in the future of the kids in our community," said program namesake Willie "Hutch" Jones. "More than 10,000 students have graduated from our program in the past 29 years, participating in sports and academic curriculums, opportunities that may not have been readily available to them and certainly not free of charge. It's been an absolute privilege to serve the community in this way."
Program administrators at Willie Hutch Jones said hundreds of children participate in the educational opportunities they offer every year. These programs encompass a full range of learning, which translates to higher test scores, self-esteem, motivation and respect for self, others and community.
The mission of the Willie Hutch Jones Educational and Sports Program is to provide underserved children, at no charge, equal opportunities to engage in the highest quality program and to offer character-building activities through academics, sports and the arts.


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AT&T is the king of exclusive phone launches, and this week they announced the LG Optimus G Pro would be available exclusively from their stores, for $199.99 with a two-year contract beginning May 10. We know why carriers love exclusive devices — they generate foot traffic in their retail stores, but why do hardware OEMs keep agreeing to limit their flagship devices to a single US carrier?
We assume that AT&T made some kind of deal with LG to spend a couple million on advertising the new Optimus G Pro. This might benefit LG by raising consumer awareness of the device, but the majority of US customers will still be unable to use the device since they are not on AT&T.
History has shown that carrier exclusive devices rarely sell well. The only major exceptions were the Apple iPhone and Verizon's Droid series. The LG Optimus G Pro is an awesome device, but it doesn't have the brand recognition of the iPhone and people will not be switching to AT&T just to buy one.
Samsung has proven that US consumers will buy smartphones with huge displays larger than 5-inches, so the LG Optimus G Pro could possibly sell pretty well if it was available across the four largest US carriers. The Galaxy Note II is still a great device, but the newer Optimus G Pro has a better camera, faster processor, and higher resolution display.
LG has a great product on their hands, but they appear to be shooting themselves in the foot by limiting the Optimus G Pro to a single US carrier.


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I loved the safari edit in Burda Style February 2016, having always been fascinated with both utility pants vibes and summer carefree style.
The good news is style doesn't have to die during winter! Throw on some tights and make up this pattern in a thicker fabric such as corduroy.
The pattern used here is: Shorts 111 A in 2/2016
The deck on my room was covered in hail the other day and stormy weather portraits are some of the best, so I bit the bullet and stood out in the hail – anything for the art!
It isn't obvious in photos but the tights are magical and sparkly and the shoes are deep green velvet. <3


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Primitive Man
Mixing primitive, elemental materials and decor with a spare, modern interior has a calming effect that probably touches on something that's bred in our bones. Here, let's take a look at a few examples:
• 1 A 15th century house renovated by Christian Speck.
• 2 from Tyler & Sarah's Primitive Modern Retreat
• 3 Rondo fireplace by Germany's Redwitz
• 4 Lower East Side loft by Anima, image: Chuck Choi
• 5 A reclaimed railroad tie mirror from Hobble Creek Trading Co., $454
• 6 oak shop stools at Modern Fifty, $245
• 7 Tribal, 1996 by Rosalie Gascoigne
• 8 Raft Table by André Joyau
The Inside Man is our guide to interior style for guys. All summer long we'll be sharing inspirations, ideas and projects. Check out our Inside Man page for more details.


text: Mike Stefanik is a driver in something called the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. I don't really know if the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour is a big deal or not, but I do know that it involves funny looking race cars. Anyway, Stefanik participated in some kind of race on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour circuit last night, and things did not go his way. After the race, someone from the Speed Network attempted to interview Stefanik about a crash that apparently caused Stefanik to finish in 13th place. The reporter suggested that the crash was maybe "just one of those racin' deals." Stefanik's salty response, quivering lip, and furious gaze let everyone know that he did not agree with that assessment. This was not "just one of those racin' deals." This was bullshit (sniffle).


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Inaugural Year: 1901
Stadium: Yankee Stadium (50,291 Capacity)
Yankees fans, get ready for the next big Yankees game with some of the awesome Yankees apparel here at Fanzz! Fanzz has the best selection of New York Yankees merchandise, so you can make sure you are wearig the right colors from head to toe. Our shop has a great selection of Yankees hats. With tons of color and style choices to make, you'll be guaranteed to find the perfect hat. For the colder weather, you're going to want to check out our hoodies, so that you have something to keep you warm. If you are the ultimate Yankees fan, then you're going to want to get on of our Yankees jerseys, which come in different colors and feature your favorite player's name. Whether you are looking for a Yankees uniform or a t-shirt, Fanzz has sizes for youth and women. But don't just stop with Yankee's clothing, be sure to head over to our Home & Office section, where you can find an awesome selection of Yankees memorabilia to fill your home with. If you know the ultimate Yankees fan, then don't forget about our Yankees gifts section, where you can find the perfect gift in any price range.No matter what Yankees gear you are looking for, Fanzz has you covered!.
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SSA Publication No. 05-10176, January 2004, ICN 469044 [OMB Approval Number: 0960-0554 Expires 12/31/2016]
An agreement effective October 1, 2002, between the United States and Australia improves Social Security protection for people who spend part of their working life in both countries. It helps many people who, without the agreement, would not be eligible for monthly retirement, disability or survivors benefits under the Social Security system of one or both countries. It also helps people who would otherwise have to pay contributions to both countries on the same earnings.
For the United States, the agreement covers Social Security contributions (including the U.S. Medicare portion) and Social Security retirement, disability and survivors insurance benefits. It doesn't cover benefits under the U.S. Medicare program or the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program.
For Australia, the agreement covers "Superannuation Guarantee" (SG) contributions that employers must make to retirement plans for their employees. (Australia's Social Security program, which is separate from the SG program, is supported by general tax revenues not covered by the agreement.) Australian Social Security benefits covered by the agreement include the Social Security age pension, disability support pension for the severely disabled, pensions payable to widowed persons and carer payment.
This document covers highlights of the agreement and explains how it may help you while you work and when you apply for benefits.
The agreement may help you, your
family and your employer
- While you work–– If your employment is covered by both U.S. Social Security and Australian SG, you and your employer would normally have to pay contributions to the U.S. program and your employer would also have to pay SG contributions for the same work. However, the agreement includes rules that eliminate double coverage so that contributions are paid to just one country. These rules are explained in the section titled "Eliminating dual coverage for employment". If you are self-employed, see section "Eliminating dual coverage for self-employment".
- When you apply for benefits–– You may have some Social Security credits in both the United States and Australia but not enough to be eligible for benefits in one country or the other. The agreement makes it easier to qualify for benefits by letting you add together your Social Security credits in both countries. For more details, see the section on "Monthly benefits".
Eliminating dual coverage for employment
Before the agreement, employers could, under certain circumstances, be required to pay both United States Social Security contributions and Australian SG contributions for the same work.
Under the agreement, if you work as an employee in the United States, you normally will be covered by the United States, and you and your employer will pay Social Security contributions to the United States and no SG contributions will be required. If you work as an employee in Australia, you normally will be covered by Australia and your employer will pay only Australian SG contributions and neither you nor your employer will have to pay U.S. Social Security.
On the other hand, if your employer sends you from one country to work for that employer or an affiliate in the other country for five years or less, you will continue to be covered by your home country and you will be exempt from coverage in the other country. For example, a U.S. citizen sent by a U.S. company to work for that company or an affiliate in Australia for no more than five years will continue to pay U.S. Social Security while working there. The U.S. employer will also pay to U.S. Social Security (the employer's share), but will be exempt from Australian SG contributions.
Summary of agreement rules
The table below shows whether your work as an employee is covered under U.S. Social Security or the Australian SG program. If you are covered under U.S. Social Security, you and your employer must pay U.S. Social Security contributions. If you are covered under the Australian SG program, your employer must comply with the SG contribution requirements. If you are covered under one country's program, "Certificate of coverage for employment" section explains how to get a form from that country that will prove you are exempt in the other country.
You are subject only to the laws of:
You are working in Australia:
For a U.S. employer who:
|For a non-U.S. employer
You are working in the U.S.:
|For an employer in Australia who:
|For a non-Australia employer
If this table doesn't seem to describe your employment situation and you are:
Write to the U.S. address in "U.S. certificates" section for further information.
Contact the Australian Taxation Office at www.ato.gov.au/super for further information.
NOTE: As the table indicates, a U.S. worker assigned temporarily to Australia can be covered by U.S. Social Security only if he or she works for a U.S. employer. A U.S. employer includes a corporation organized under the laws of the United States or any state, a partnership if at least two-thirds of the partners are U.S. residents, an individual who is a resident of the U.S. or a trust if all the trustees are U.S. residents. The term also includes a foreign affiliate of a U.S. employer if the U.S. employer has entered into an agreement with the Internal Revenue Service under section 3121(l) of the Internal Revenue Code to pay Social Security taxes for U.S. citizens and residents employed by the affiliate.
Certificate of coverage for employment
A certificate of coverage issued by one country serves as proof of exemption from Social Security or SG contributions on the same earnings in the other country.
U.S. certificates
To establish an exemption from Australian Superannuation Guarantee (SG) contributions, your employer must request a certificate of coverage (form USA/AUS 1) from the U.S. at this address:
Social Security Administration
Office of International Programs
P.O. Box 17741
Baltimore, Maryland 21235-7741
If preferred, the request may be sent by FAX to (410) 966-1861. Please note this FAX number should only be used to request certificates of coverage.
No special form is required to request a certificate but the request must be in writing and provide the following information:
- Full name of worker;
- Date and place of birth;
- Citizenship;
- Country of worker's permanent residence;
- U.S. Social Security number;
- Date of hire;
- Country of hire;
- Name and address of the employer in the U.S. and Australia; and
- Date of transfer and anticipated date of return.
In addition, your employer must indicate if you remain an employee of the U.S. company while working in Australia or if you become an employee of the U.S. companys' affiliate in Australia. If you become an employee of an affiliate, your employer must indicate if the U.S. company has an agreement with the Internal Revenue Service under section 3121(l) of the Internal Revenue Code to pay U.S. Social Security taxes for U.S. citizens and residents employed by the affiliate and, if yes, the effective date of the agreement.
Your employer can also request a certificate of U.S. coverage for you over the Internet using a special online request form available at opts.ssa.gov.
When the Social Security Administration issues a certificate of U.S. coverage, it mails two copies (one for the employer and one for the employee) to the requesting employer. The employer should retain a copy of the certificate and present it to the Australian authorities only when requested to do so.
Australian certificates
To establish your exemption from U.S. Social Security contributions during temporary assignments in the United States, your employer in Australia must request a certificate of coverage (form AUS/USA 1) from the Australian Taxation Office. This can only be done over the Internet using a special online request form that is available at www.ato.gov.au/super.
Certificates of coverage issued by Australia should be retained by the employer in the U.S. in case of an audit by the IRS. No copy should be sent to the IRS unless specifically requested by the IRS.
Eliminating dual coverage for self-employment
Under U.S. law, self-employed workers are covered by U.S. Social Security if they are U.S. citizens or U.S. resident aliens. The agreement does not have any effect on the coverage of self-employed U.S. residents—they remain covered by U.S. Social Security. Since self-employment is not covered under Australia's SG program, self-employed U.S. residents (including Australian citizens) do not need any documentation to show that they are exempt from SG contributions.
The agreement exempts self-employed U.S. citizens who reside in Australia from U.S. Social Security coverage. As a result, if you are a self-employed U.S. citizen and reside in Australia, you do not have to pay U.S. Social Security contributions on your self-employment income. To document the exemption from the payment of U.S. Social Security self-employment contributions, you must get a letter of exemption from the U.S. Social Security Administration by writing to the address in "U.S. certificates section."
Be sure to provide the following information in your letter:
- Full name;
- Date and place of birth;
- Citizenship;
- Country of permanent residence;
- U.S. Social Security number;
- Nature of self-employment activity;
- Date the activity began; and
- Name and address of your trade or business.
You should attach a photocopy of the exemption letter to the Schedule SE you file with your U.S. income tax return each year as proof of the U.S. exemption.
Effective date of coverage exemption
The certificate of coverage or letter of exemption you receive will show the effective date of your exemption from paying U.S. Social Security contributions or your employer's exemption from paying Australian SG contributions. Generally, this will be the beginning date of your temporary assignment in the other country, or the beginning date of your self-employment activity there, but no earlier than the effective date of the agreement. To avoid any difficulties, your employer (or you if you are self-employed) should request a certificate or exemption letter as early as possible, preferably before your work in the other country begins.
If you or your employer request a certificate of coverage or exemption letter, you should read the Privacy Act and Paperwork Reduction Act statements at the end of this booklet.
Authority to collect information for a certificate of coverage
Privacy Act
The Privacy Act requires us to notify you that we are authorized to collect this information by section 233 of the Social Security Act. While it is not mandatory for you to furnish the information to the Social Security Administration (SSA), a certificate of coverage cannot be issued unless a request has been received. The information is needed to enable SSA to determine if work should be covered only under the U.S. Social Security system in accordance with an international agreement. Without the certificate, work may be subject to taxation under both the U.S. and the foreign Social Security systems.
Paperwork Reduction Act Notice
This information collection meets the clearance requirements of 44 U.S.C. section 3507, as amended by section 2 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. You are not required to answer these questions unless we display a valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. We estimate that it will take you about 30 minutes to read the instructions, gather the necessary facts, and write down the information to request a certificate of coverage.
Monthly benefits
The following table shows the various types of benefits payable under the U.S. and Australian Social Security systems and briefly describes the eligibility requirements that normally apply for each type of benefit. If you do not meet the normal requirements for these benefits, the agreement may help you to qualify (see section "Benefits from the U.S").
- As the table shows, you need a minimum number of work credits to qualify for U.S. benefits. Under U.S. Social Security, you may earn up to four credits each year depending on the amount of your covered earnings. For example, in 2005, you get one credit for each $920 of your annual earnings up to a maximum of four credits for the year.
- Under the Australian Social Security system, you must usually have resided in Australia for a minimum length of time to qualify for benefits. Also, most benefits are subject to income and assets tests.
To simplify the information in the table, U.S. work credit requirements and Australian residence requirements are shown in years.
This table is only a general guide. You can get more specific information
about U.S. benefits here on our web site or at any U.S. Social Security
office. You
can get more detailed information about the Australian system by writing
to the Australian address in "For more information" of this document
or by visiting the web site of "Centrelink,"
Australia's social security agency, at www.centrelink.gov.au or by calling Centrelink toll-free
at 1-866-343-3086.
NOTE: Since the benefit provisions of the agreement don't apply to Australia's Superannuation Guarantee (SG) legislation, benefits arising from SG contributions are not included in the table.
Monthly benefits and eligibility requirements
United States
Australia *
|Worker-Full benefit at full retirement age. Reduced benefit as early as age 62. Required work credits range from one and one-half to 10 years (10 years if 62 in 1991 or later).
|Worker-Age Pension payable at age 65 for men and age 62 for women as of 2002. (Age requirement for women will gradually increase to age 65 in 2013.) Normally requires at least 10 years of residence between age 16 and retirement age, including a continuous period of at least five years.
|Disability benefits
United States
|Worker-Under full retirement age can get benefit if unable to do any substantial gainful work for at least a year. One and one-half to 10 years credit needed, depending on age at date of onset. Some recent credits also needed unless worker is blind.
|Worker-Benefit payable if permanently blind or if disability will prevent work, training and rehabilitation for at least two years. No minimum residence requirement if disability occurs while a permanent resident of Australia. If disability occurs outside Australia, must have at least 10 years of residence, including a continuous period of at least five years.
|Family benefits to dependents of retired or disabled people
United States
|Carer payment-No provision.
|Carer payment-Payable to a partner who provides constant care at home for a person receiving either an Australian age or disability pension.
|Wife-Full benefit at full retirement age or at any age if caring for worker's entitled child under age 16 (or disabled before age 22). Reduced benefit as early as age 62 if not caring for a child.
|Wife-No provision since July 1995.
|Husband-Same as Wife's.
|Husband-No provision.
|Divorced spouse-Full benefit at full retirement age. Reduced benefit as early as age 62. Must be unmarried and have been married to worker for at least 10 years.
|Divorced spouse-Parenting payment if caring for at least one dependent child under age 16. No minimum residence requirement if couple was residing in Australia on the date of the divorce. Otherwise, couple must have been Australian residents and in Australia for at least two years.
|Children-If unmarried, up to age 18 (age 19 if in an elementary or secondary school full time) or any age if disabled before age 22.
|Children-No provision. However, supplement payable for dependent children under age 16.
|Survivors benefits
United States
|Widow or widower-Full benefit at full retirement age or at any age if caring for the deceased's entitled child under age 16 (or disabled before age 22). Reduced benefit as early as age 60 (or age 50 if disabled) if not caring for child. Benefits may be continued if remarriage occurs after age 60 (or age 50 if disabled).
|Widow or widower-Parenting payment if caring for at least one dependent child under age 16. No minimum residence requirement if couple was residing in Australia on the date of death. Otherwise, widowed person must have been Australian resident and in Australia for at least two years.
|Divorced widow or widower-Same as widow or widower if marriage lasted at least 10 years.
|Divorced widow or widower-Same as widow or widower.
|Children-Same as children of retired or disabled worker.
|Children-Supplement payable to person receiving widow or widower benefit for dependent children under age 16.
|Lump-sum death benefit-A one-time payment not to exceed $255 payable on the death of an insured worker.
|Lump-sum death benefit-A one-time bereavement payment of 14 times the difference between a single and couples pension payable to the surviving partner of a pensioner couple. A bereavement allowance equal to age pension rate for single person payable for 14 weeks to surviving partner not entitled to a pension. No minimum residence requirement if couple was residing in Australia at time of death. Otherwise surviving partner must have been Australian resident and in Australia for at least two years.
*Normally, a person must be resident and physically present in Australia to file a valid claim for Australian Social Security benefits. Benefit amounts are generally reduced if income or resources exceed specified levels.
How benefits can be paid
If you have Social Security work credits in the U.S. and periods of residence in Australia, you may be eligible for benefits from one or both countries. If you meet all the basic requirements under one country's system, you will get a regular benefit from that country. If you do not meet the basic requirements, the agreement may help you qualify for a benefit as explained below.
- Benefits from the U.S—If you do not have enough work credits under the U.S. system to qualify for regular benefits, you may be able to qualify for a partial benefit from the U.S. based on both U.S. and Australian credits. Australian credits for this purpose include your periods of residence in Australia between age 16 and retirement age during which you were covered under the SG program or you were employed or self-employed. To be eligible to have your Australian credits counted, however, you must have earned at least six credits (generally one and one-half years of work) under the U.S. system. If you already have enough credits under the U.S. system to qualify for a benefit, the U.S. cannot count your Australian credits.
- Benefits from Australia—As noted in the table, you must normally be resident and physically present in Australia to file a valid claim for Australian benefits. But the agreement lets you file a claim from the U.S. and certain other countries that have agreements with Australia. Social Security credits from both countries can also be counted, when necessary, to meet the eligibility requirements for Australian benefits. Unless you are in Australia, you must have at least 12 months of residence in Australia—at least six months of which must have been continuous—to be eligible to have your U.S. and Australian credits added together.
How credits get counted
If we need to count your credits under the Australian system to help you qualify for a U.S. benefit, we will get the necessary information directly from Australia when you apply for benefits. However, you will need to provide evidence of the periods when you worked in Australia or were covered by Australia's SG legislation. The Australian authorities will provide us with a certification of the periods they can verify. If Australian authorities need to count your U.S. credits to help you qualify for an Australian benefit, they will get a copy of your U.S. record directly from the Social Security Administration when you apply for the Australian benefit.
Computation of U.S. benefit under the agreement
When a U.S. benefit becomes payable as a result of counting both U.S. and Australian Social Security credits, an initial benefit is determined based on your U.S. earnings as if your entire career had been completed under the U.S. system. This initial benefit is then reduced to reflect the fact that Australian credits helped to make the benefit payable. The amount of the reduction will depend on the number of U.S. credits: the more U.S. credits, the smaller the reduction; and the fewer U.S. credits, the larger the reduction.
Computation of Australian benefit under the agreement
If you are outside Australia and your Australian benefit becomes payable as a result of the agreement, Australia may reduce (i.e., pay at a proportional rate) if you have less than 35 years of Australian working life residence. Remember Australia may also reduce your Australian benefit if you have income or assets that exceed the amounts Australian laws specify.
An Australian pension may affect your U.S. benefit
If you have earned enough work credits in the U.S. to qualify for a regular Social Security benefit and you also qualify for an employer-provided pension from Australia, including a pension that your employer is required to provide under Australia's SG program, the amount of your U.S. benefit may be reduced. This is a result of a provision in U.S. law which can affect the way your benefit is figured if you also receive a pension based on work that was not covered by U.S. Social Security. Receipt of an Australian Social Security pension, which is based on residence in Australia rather than work, will not affect the way your benefit is figured. For more information, get the factsheet, Windfall Elimination Provision (Publication No. 05-10045). If you are outside the United States, you may write to us at the address in "For more information" section.
What you need to know about Medicare
Medicare is the U.S. national health insurance system for people age 65 or older or who are disabled. Medicare has two parts: hospital insurance (also called "Part A" Medicare) and medical insurance (called "Part B" Medicare). You are eligible for free hospital insurance at age 65 if you have worked long enough under U.S. Social Security to qualify for a retirement benefit. People born in 1929 or later need 40 credits (about 10 years of covered work) to qualify for retirement benefits.
Although the agreement between the United States and Australia allows the Social Security Administration to count your Australian credits to help you qualify for U.S. retirement, disability or survivor benefits, the agreement does not cover Medicare benefits. As a result, we cannot count your credits in Australia to establish entitlement to free Medicare hospital insurance.
For more information about Medicare, visit Medicare's website at www.medicare.gov.
Claims for benefits
If you live in the United States and wish to apply for U.S. or Australian benefits:
- Visit or write any U.S. Social Security office; or
You can apply for Australian benefits at any U.S. Social Security office by completing application form AUS/USA 4 and form Mod (i).
If you live in Australia and wish to apply for U.S. or Australian benefits, contact
- The Social Security Division, Veterans Affairs Regional Office, American Embassy, 1131 Roxas Boulevard, 0930 Manila, Philippines, to file for U.S. benefits; or
- Any Centrelink Customer Service Center.
You can apply with one country and ask to have your application considered as a claim for benefits from the other country. Information from your application will then be sent to the other country. Each country will process the claim under its own laws-counting credits from the other country when appropriate-and notify you of its decision.
If you have not applied for benefits before, you may need to provide certain information and documents when you apply. These include the workers' U.S. Social Security number, proof of age for all claimants, evidence of the workers' U.S. earnings in the past 24 months, and information about periods of residence and work in Australia. You may wish to call the Social Security office before you go there to see if any other information is needed.
Payment of benefits
Each country pays its own benefit. U.S. payments are made by the U.S. Department of Treasury each month and cover benefits for the preceding month. Payments under the Australian system are made by Centrelink. If you live in Australia, payments are made every two weeks for the previous two weeks. If you live outside Australia, payments are made every four weeks for the previous four weeks.
Absence from U.S. territory
Normally, persons who are not U.S. citizens may receive U.S. Social Security benefits while outside the U.S. only if they meet certain requirements. Under the agreement, however, you may receive benefits as long as you reside in Australia regardless of your nationality. If you are not a U.S. citizen and live in a country other than the U.S. or Australia, you may not be able to receive benefits. The restrictions on U.S. benefits are explained in the publication, Your Payments While You Are Outside The United States(Publication No. 05-10137).
If you disagree with the decision made on your claim for benefits under the agreement, contact any U.S. Social Security office or Australian Centrelink office. The people there can tell you what you need to do to appeal the decision.
The Australian Social Security authorities will review your appeal if it affects your rights under the Australian system, while U.S. Social Security authorities will review your appeal if it affects your rights under the U.S. system. Since each countrys' decisions are made independently of the other, a decision by one country on a particular issue may not always conform with the decision made by the other country on the same issue.
Authority to collect information for a certificate of coverage
Privacy Act
The Privacy Act requires us to notify you that we are authorized to collect this information by section 233 of the Social Security Act. While it is not mandatory for you to furnish the information to the Social Security Administration, a certificate of coverage cannot be issued unless a request has been received. The information is needed to enable Social Security to determine if work should be covered only under the U.S. Social Security system in accordance with an international agreement. Without the certificate, work may be subject to taxation under both the U.S. and the foreign Social Security systems.
Paperwork Reduction Act Notice
This information collection meets the clearance requirements of 44 U.S.C. section 3507, as amended by section 2 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. You are not required to answer these questions unless we display a valid Office of Management and Budget control number. We estimate that it will take you about 30 minutes to read the instructions, gather the necessary facts, and write down the information to request a certificate of coverage.
For more information
To file a claim for U.S. or Australian benefits under the agreement, follow the instructions in "Claims for benefits" section.
To find out more about U.S. Social Security benefits or for information about a claim for benefits, contact any U.S. Social Security office. If you live outside the United States, write to:
Social Security Administration
OEIO - Totalization
P.O. Box 17769
Baltimore, Maryland 21235-7769
For more information about Australia's Social Security programs:
- If you live in Australia, contact your nearest Centrelink office or call Centrelink toll free at 131673;
- If you live outside Australia and want information about benefits,
write to:
Centrelink International Services
GPO Box 273
Hobart, Tasmania, 7001
- If you live in the United States, you may call Centrelink toll free at 1-866-343-3086 or e-mail Centrelink at firstname.lastname@example.com.
- If you need information about paying Superannuation Guarantee (SG) contributions, contact the Australian Taxation Office.
If you do not wish to file a claim for benefits, but would like more information about the agreement, write to:
Social Security Administration
Office of International Programs
P.O. Box 17741
Baltimore, Maryland 21235-7741
For more information about Australia's Social Security agreements and other useful information about Social Security in Australia, go to www.facs.gov.au.
For additional information visit our website: www.socialsecurity.gov/international.


text:
Executive Vice President and general manager of ARM Processor Division, Mike Inglis, today commented on the acquisition by Texas Instruments of Cortex-M3 microcontroller developer Luminary Micro.
"Luminary Micro was the first licensee of the innovative Cortex-M3 processor and has to date introduced a wide range of Cortex-M3 microcontrollers winning many significant designs. The acquisition by TI is a clear demonstration of the growing momentum behind the Cortex-M3 processor in the MCU market and the strides that Luminary has made."
"The MCU market is consolidating around standards, and it is clear that the ARM Cortex-M3 processor is rapidly gaining traction," said Reinhard Keil, Director, MCU Tools, ARM. "TI and Luminary are both significant players in the MCU market with complementary strengths and this acquisition will take the Cortex-M3 processor into a broader range of markets."
Cortex-M3 processor-based microcontrollers (MCU) are available today in many different product families from an increasing number of chip vendors including Luminary Micro, NXP Semiconductors, STMicroelectronics and Toshiba. In total there are now almost 250 Cortex-M3 processor-based MCUs available running at up to 100MHz. These devices contributed to an increase in ARM processor-based MCUs shipped during 2008 of more than 95% to 255million units. ARM expects many of its other Cortex-M3 licensees to have devices available during 2009, in a broad range of markets and applications including automotive, MP3, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, motor control and industrial microcontrollers.
The ARM Cortex-M3 processor was specifically developed to provide a high-performance, low-cost platform for a broad range of applications. From the lowest cost version (at US$1) with basic functions, to devices with a large number of peripherals and a lot more memory, or from devices that are targeted at industrial applications, to products that are focused on consumer electronics.
ARM designs the technology that lies at the heart of advanced digital products, from wireless, networking and consumer entertainment solutions to imaging, automotive, security and storage devices. ARM's comprehensive product offering includes 32-bit RISC microprocessors, graphics processors, video engines, enabling software, cell libraries, embedded memories, high-speed connectivity products, peripherals and development tools. Combined with comprehensive design services, training, support and maintenance, and the company's broad Partner community, they provide a total system solution that offers a fast, reliable path to market for leading electronics companies. More information on ARM is available at http://www.arm.com.
ARM, is a registered trademark of ARM Limited. Cortex is a trademark of ARM Limited. All other brands or product names are the property of their respective holders. "ARM" is used to represent ARM Holdings plc; its operating company ARM Limited; and the regional subsidiaries ARM Inc.; ARM KK; ARM Korea Limited.; ARM Taiwan Limited; ARM France SAS; ARM Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.; ARM Belgium N.V.; ARM Germany GmbH; ARM Embedded Technologies Pvt. Ltd.; ARM Norway, AS; and ARM Sweden AB.
Alan Tringham
+44 1223 400947
Charlene Marini
+1 408-576-1131


text:
A6 Journal with elasticProduct code: A6 108
This A6 Journal with elastic is from the
Fabulous Beasts range
A6 casebound book, with 192 blank pages. Includes co-ordinated printed endpapers, fine quality paper stock, neat rounded corners and a matching elastic binder.
Size: 94mm (w) x 152mm (h)
Delivery is to UK mainland only. Free shipping on orders over £30
If you are unhappy with your purchase for whatever reason you can return it for a refund (shipping not included unless we're at fault).