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Florida Leaders Organized For Water (FLOW): The word is out, "Our water is critical to all of us."
Columbia County, FL (Posted March 14, 2012 09:05 am)
The audience had thinned from previous meetings, but the spirit was there.
For two hours and twenty seven minutes Florida Leaders Organized For Water (FLOW) met in Columbia County's main auditorium to talk about and listen to folks talk about water: water that comes out of the sky, out of the ground, water in the rivers, water in the springs, water used for recreation and water that is used by farmers to grow the food you eat. One thing on which everyone could agree – the water level in the aquifer is going down.
FLOW began its existence on November 29, 2011 when, to a packed house, then Columbia County Commission Chairman Jody DuPree said that the water management districts and the Department of Environmental Protection "are failing down in their responsibilities to protect our waters and ecosystems." There were no dissenting voices.
Since that November 29th meeting both the SRWMD and the SJRWMD have admitted they fell down on the job and that they will be doing better.
The 800 lb gorilla in the room, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, has admitted to nothing.
This past Monday, March 12th, FLOW met again. The crowd had thinned out, but the spirit was still there as this group finds its sea legs works to make a difference.
After the introductions, the meeting kicked off with Ann Shortelle, the Director of the Office of Water Policy for the DEP, making a few brief remarks. Dr. Shortelle made no mention of expanding the stakeholders in the newly forming advisory committees to North Florida Regional Water Supply Partnership to include representatives from tourism and homeowners, something she said she would take under advisement at the conclusion of the water supply partnership meeting in Alachua the week before.
Representatives of the water management districts made brief presentations, followed by a rapid fire presentation by Scott Koons, the executive director of the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council.
Mr. Koons said the Planning Council will be increasing its coordination with the counties. He told the group that the Planning Council only advises and coordinates and does not set water policy. He said local government comprehensive plans must be consistent with the regional plan and added that the regional plan contains goals and policies addressing natural resources of regional significance, including water resources.
To the presenters, North Florida's disappearing aquifer was not new news
Bob Knight came to the microphone and told the gathering: You feel like you are running out of water because you are. We need to get to a sustainable level. We need to put a water shortage plan in place.
Jackie Host of the Lake Area Water Alliance: We all need to take responsibility.
Paul Still of the Bradford Soil and Water Conservation District: More important how much we put back, not what we take out. SRWMD has over permitted the district. I have a hope that the new model will put the science into it. It is real important to look at the recharge side, not the withdrawal side.
Mary Helen Wheeler of Santa Fe Lake Dwellers said she was excited about the group: It is not enough to go to meetings. We need to take action. We have to watch that the merging of the two districts isn't the forerunner to all groups turning into one group.
Annette Long of Save Our Suwannee: Please keep doing what you are doing. Florida's water management system is ruled by politics. Our springs are the canary in the coal mine.
Merrille Malwitz-Jipson of Our Santa Fe River, Inc.: Sink holes are a result of water extraction from the districts. Stop excess consumptive use permits. We are at a crossroads and we must be aware of a moral and ethical obligation to reduce our use for the next generation.
Jacqui Sulek, Audubon of Florida was the last speaker: We do policy based on sound science. Our history goes way back to the Everglades – boy, do we know about water. I want you to understand the talent you have in this room. We need water to live. Until we take it seriously, there is no fix.
Ms. Sulek was the last speaker.
After all the talk of flows and levels from the scientists, environmentalists and conservationists, the farmer, Jack Byrd had his say.
Did you eat today?
Flow board member Jack Byrd from Lafayette County listened all evening then he asked Ms. Sulek, "Did you eat today? Did you have meal today?"
Ms. Sulek, "Yes sir."
Mr. Byrd: You were talking about agriculture. I'm here representing agriculture people. If we take away the water from the agriculture, where are you going to eat after tomorrow? If you cut your farmers out – we have to think about that. (Mr. Byrd mentioned conservation measures implemented by farmers) We have to make sure we don't get rid of our farmers, because they are the ones who feed our country. I know we waste a lot of water and I will protect every drop that we can. There is water being misused for other things besides agriculture.
Ms. Sulek, "I totally agree and I didn't mean to insinuate that agriculture was the problem. We all as a society need to come to understand that our water is critical for all of us."
Folks are watching, listening, talking and exchanging ideas – a dangerous condition for the entrenched Floridian bureaucrats.
This should be a wakeup call for the 800 pound gorilla, DEP, and all water management districts across the state.
The plain spoken lifelong country farmer, Jack Byrd, and the urban Jacqui Sulek in their brief exchange crystallized an evening's worth of ideas. "We need water to live – Our water is critical to all of us."
Flow's message is getting out.


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3 thoughts on "On Hoyt Fuller & Black Aesthetic of the 70s"
Peace Rhone,
I was googling Hoyt Fuller (the subject of my dissertation) and came across your blog. Nice work.
Jon Fenderson
So, let me get this straight, you believe the two party system is oppressive because your participation has not resulted in handing over every reparation or amenity you demand? This is akin to changing the game entirely because you cannot successfully knockout your opponent with the current rules. Obama's platform has not changed and his intentions were fully recognized. This is a democratic society, not a socialist dictatorship. To expect a sweeping mandate without resistance was pure fantasy on your part. 50 years has amassed many changes and programs, some good and some bad. The de-regulation of credit and federally pushed homeowner programs such as ACORN are directly responsible for the current economic plight affecting the poor and minorities today. They changed the rules, circumvented solid financial thinking, to gratify some fraudulent idea that home ownership was wealth handed over. Unless a home is paid for, it is a liability, not an asset. This type of nonsense will keep the poor and minority buried. In a capitalist, two party system, business, and participation are essential. Business is the only true means of wealth. The employed are merely paid slaves of a business idea. If you want wealth, power, and equality, I suggest you focus your revolution on developing Black owned business, not handouts and fraudulent ideas. The whole scope of the black aesthetic is self-reliance and pure identity is it not? I suggest reading Gaines, "The sky is Gray". Octavia has a lesson or two I find up lifting. The difference between that story and now, the changes have been made, opportunity exists, but where is Octavia, James, and The Boy, in this dissertation? Did Oprah or Obama ride the socialist train to wealth and power? How can you possibly justify your argument for this agenda and maintain any self-reliance or identity? Are you disqualifying Obama because the reality of his position challenged some fantastical mandate? His platform for candidacy had goals to pursue and he has pursued them. You can't make a soup and declare the beans a non-participant. Whether your floating or drowning, your still part of the soup, unless your ideals follow eradication to isolate the beans. Is war and genocide part of the grand plan, or are you going to admit that participation is essential? Isolationism, self-imposed, is indifference to the system, leaving you without power. Purity contrived through distillation makes a finer product that will retain value only if it does not turn collecting dust. Our system is described as "The Melting Pot", it contains soup, stir it and see what floats, otherwise, it will burn.
Thank you for the debate ANONYMOUS. In this blog entry I'm only clarifying the definition of Black Aesthetic and showing counterexamples of it. So I'm unclear about the relevance of socialism. To your fundamental point about needing Black owned business, that route has been tried and the amount of wealth and power amassed by the Federal Reserve now makes sure that only those who obey the oppressive two party system will keep the capital they need to survive. Especially now that wealth is more concentrated in the news, commercial and investment banking industries. I mentioned Obama as a counterexample to the Black Aesthetic because of his obvious retreat to the right during his first term. He promised in 08 that government whistleblowers would be protected yet he sanctions the torture of Bradley Manning. The list goes on. Obama's 08 platform was based on misleading voters to believe he was more progressive than he actually was. Please listen to my interview with Paul Street also on my blog:
What I am endorsing in this entry is the Black aesthetic, not isolationism as you call it. Many powerful Blacks have to decide to what degree will they plead while the basic power structure remains the same. The Black Aesthetic is simply warning those whose art is dedicated to fighting race and class oppression to be careful that the mainstream does not affect one's anti-imperialist, anti-racist and anti-sexist artistic vision. It really applies to artists and I believe, as president, Obama plays a role as an artist. It is a very difficult role because he always has to appear "safe" in front of the white normative gaze, while at the same time "get things done" like he feels he did with healthcare and the repeal of DADT. The Black Aesthetic was a very necessary standard by which artists judge their work, and I think it still should be. -RF.
Comments are closed.

subset: commoncrawl


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I have to say that Mrs. Piatt and I are having so much fun with this Flat Aggie Project. The kids really do look forward to her reports on Fridays and they actually say they miss her! This week is the first of Flat Aggie's East Coast Adventures, she will have another one in May. My friend Alicia showed her New Hampshire agriculture. I just love how I am learning right along with the kids. It is funny how we can know what we produce so well, but know so little about other types of farming. -KFM
Mrs. Piatt and class,
I work for the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture and spend my time going to different farms. Aggie got to follow me around to some of the different stops that I made.
NH's climate is ever-changing and we experience all four seasons. However, our winters are long and cold and our summers are short and relatively cool. This makes our growing season very short (about 120 days) and limits the types of things that we can grow. New Hampshire is known as the "Granite State" and our soils are very rocky and contain limited amounts of nutrients again making it hard to grow a lot of plants.
There are just over 4,000 farms in the state of New Hampshire. These range in size from someone who may just grow some vegetables for a roadside stand to the largest dairy farm in the state which milks more than 1,000 cows (dairy products make up 1/3 of NH's total farm income and is the biggest livestock industry in the state). Greenhouse and nursery products make up the biggest amount of total agricultural sales in NH.
The first stop Aggie and I made was to a tree farm. Tree farms are a part of agriculture that is unique to the Northeastern United States. They serve many different purposes. Some tree farms are in place to protect forest land from being harvested.
However, others are used to grow a specific type of tree for use for timber or even Christmas trees! The tree farm that Aggie and I visited grows Northern Red Pines which are harvested to make wood for building things like houses.
Some tree farms in NH are made up of sugar maples which are grown to produce the sap that makes maple syrup.
Next Aggie and I went to a Blueberry Farm. Berries and fruit trees are popular crops in NH.
Because a huge part of our economy is thanks to tourism, many of these farms are PYO (pick your own). At this farm, people can come and pick their own blueberries in the summer months or buy a container of ones that have already been picked. This particular farm is a NH Farm of Distinction; only the highest quality farms in the state receive this recognition.
After we left the blueberry farm, we went to explore some hay fields. This time of year, the snow has just melted from the fields and they are very soft and wet.
Aggie got to see some of the equipment that we use to cut and bale hay, like a tedder and rake.
Hay is the primary field crop grown in NH; it is used mostly to feed livestock within the state.
Finally, it was time to head home for the day and Aggie got to see my farm. I raise pigs and have been doing so since I was eight years old. New Hampshire raises a very small number of pigs each year, only about 3,000; compared to pig production in a state like Iowa which has more than 20 million pigs! Aggie helped me do chores and feed the pigs, like I do every day when I get home from work.
She even hung out with one of the sows (mommy pigs) while she ate her dinner.
Aggie peeked in on the baby pigs, piglets, but we decided not to take her picture with them so we didn't upset the babies or their mommy.
It was a blast having Aggie around to help me do my work and to teach her about New Hampshire's agriculture. While we may produce a lot less than other states do, we keep most of our products local and agricultural is still a very important part of our culture and economy.
Thank you so much Alicia! This is the second time that Alicia has been gracious enough to write a guest post for me. She also shared Caramel Apple Pork Chops with us back in October for Pork Month. If you would like to follow and learn more from Alicia here are some of the ways you can find her online:
Folks can follow me (Alicia MacLean) on Twitter @NHPorkDork (www.twitter.com/NHPorkDork) and on the very new blog that I co-author, Animal Agriculture Advocate (www.animalagadvocate.blogspot.com).
Would love it if they followed me via NH Pork Producers Council on Facebook (www.facebook.com/NHPorkProducersCouncil) and on Twitter (www.twitter.com/NHPorkProducers).
-A Kansas Farm Mom
-A Kansas Farm Mom
Be sure to check out Flat Aggie's other adventures in American Agriculture:


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Huffington Post et al
|Hey everyone,
I've spent the whole day trying to fix my laptop, but I've been LOVING all the beautiful letters from readers of Baby Love. Really, they make it all worthwhile. If you feel the urge, post some of those great thoughts on the Amazon.com review page for the book. Those short reviews really have a lot of impact, and sometimes the not so nice people get there first!
Also thought you all might be interested in a blog entry I wrote for the Mothers and Daughters feature on the Huffington Post site. Let me know what you think. I'm happy to be in great company, including and especially that of asha bandele, author of The Prisoner's Wife, one of my favorite memoirs.
So, more to come. I've got a review of another great book, When She Was White, coming up in the Washington Post Book Review, and a few other pieces in the hopper. Stay tuned.
Peace and love,
Labels: asha bandele, Huffington Post, Washington Post Book Review, When She Was White


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From The Cube Electric Bikes Range
Product Description
FRAME Aluminium Superlite, Gravity Casting, Tripple Butted, ETC 4-Link, ATG, Boost148, Tuned Drive Position, AXH, FIB
FORK Fox 36 Float GRIP, 3-Position w/Micro Adjust, Tapered, 15x110mm, 170mm
HEADSET FSA 1.5E ZS, Tapered, Top Zero-Stack 1 1/8" (OD 44mm), Bottom Zero-Stack 1 1/2" (OD 56mm)
STEM Race Face Ride 35
HANDLEBARS Race Face Ride 35, 760mm
GRIPS CUBE Race Grip 31, 1-Clamp
REAR DERAILLEUR Shimano XT RD-M8000-DGS, ShadowPlus, 11-Speed
SHIFTERS Shimano XT SL-M8000-I, Direct Attach
BRAKE SYSTEM Shimano XT BR-M8000, Hydr. Disc Brake (203/180)
CRANKSET Race Face Aeffect, 165mm, 15T
CHAIN KMC X11e Turbo
COLOR black´n´grey
SHOCK Fox Float DPX2 EVOL, 200x57mm, Open(Adjustable)/Medium/Firm Mode
CASSETTE Shimano SLX CS-M7000, 11-46T
FRONT HUB Shimano XT HB-M8000, 15QR, Boost, Centerlock
REAR HUB Shimano XT FH-M8010-B, 12mm, Boost, Centerlock
RIMS CUBE EX30, 32H, Disc, Tubeless Ready
REAR TIRE Schwalbe Nobby Nic 2.60, Addix Speedgrip, Tubeless Easy, Super Gravity
SADDLE CUBE Race EXC 145
SEAT POST Fox Transfer Performance Elite 31.6mm (16": 359x100mm; 18": 409x125mm; 20", 22": 456x150mm)
SEATCLAMP CUBE Screwlock, 34.9mm
BATTERY Bosch PowerTube 500
DRIVE UNIT Bosch Drive Unit Performance CX (75Nm) Cruise (250Watt)
DISPLAY Bosch Purion
FRONT TIRE Schwalbe Magic Mary 2.60, Addix Soft, Tubeless Easy, Super Gravity
SHOCK HARDWARE Top: 30x8mm, Bottom: 30x8mm
WEIGHT 23,7 kg
Is it possible to improve upon near-perfection? To their designers, that's just another challenge. The brand new Stereo Hybrid 160 SL takes the concept of an enduro hybrid one step further, blending a newly developed aluminium chassis with a choice selection of components for even better performance than before. With its sleek looks, integrated battery, Bosch CX drive unit and Shimano XT 11 speed transmission, it's a force to be reckoned with in the mountains. Add the rock-swallowing travel provided by a Fox 36 Float Performance 170mm fork and Float DPX2 Performance EVOL shock and you can see why they're so excited by this bike. The Fox Transfer Performance Elite internal dropper post is the icing on the cake. opening up even more line choices for the adventurous rider. You only live once. Shouldn't your bike choice reflect that fact?
A bike designed to tackle tough trails at speed needs a strong backbone. They went right back to the drawing board for the Stereo Hybrid 160 SL, designing a brand new one piece, gravity cast down tube to join the tapered head tube and Bosch CX motor's custom housing in the most rigid way possible. Housed inside this marvel of engineering is the new Bosch Intube battery, protected from the elements by a sealed, splash and dirt-proof cover. It doesn't just look great - it's also practical, since you can recharge without removing the battery from the frame. The elegant rear end features a Boost hub and short chainstays for the best possible handling, while internal cable routing means you'll be spending time enjoying your bike's clean, crisp shifting instead of maintaining it. They reckon they've thought of everything... so you can just ride.
Additional Information
|Frame Size
16″, 18″, 20″, 22″


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Cha and Barretta to Lead Ladies at Mezz Classic
By Sally Lee
Women pros Yu Ram Cha and Jennifer Barretta will headline a select number of female talent to play the men at the Mezz Classic Aug 6-9,2009 at Corner Pocket Billiards in Orlando,FL. The Mezz Classic will feature two pro events with the Mezz Classic Straight Pool Invitational and The Mezz Classic 10-Ball Invitational which is presented by sponsor Ozone Billiards.
Ozone Billiards will also once again host the 4th Annual Ozone Billiards US Amateur Open which will coincide with the pro events. Brunswick Billiards, Simonis Cloth, Aramith Balls, Master Chalk, Laser Rack, and House of Billiards are top sponsors.
Other notable female players playing are Jeannie Seaver and Cristina De la Garza. Seaver is a numerous Florida Women's Pro Tour Player of the Year and De La Garza was a recent winner of the BCA Open Women's 8-Ball winner. Barretta, sponsored by Mezz Cues, was formerly ranked in the top 10 in the USA and winner of the Empress Cup in Korea, and is back on tour full swing after a 2 year break.
All eyes will be on the 22 year old Korean phenom Yu Ram Cha. Cha made a huge impact in her rookie year on the womens pro tour scene with a slew of top 5 finishes including a 3rd at the US Open where she defeated former #1 Karen Corr on ESPN. More notably, Cha is very seasoned against men pros defeating notable top men players such as Shane Van Boening, Tony Crosby, and Ronnie Wiseman. Cha will be a tough draw in the Mezz Classic for any player.
Spots are still open in the pro events and players wishing to enter pro events can email email@example.com . Amateurs can email email@example.com Fans can purchase tickets at the door at Corner Pocket Billiards during the Pro Straight Pool event and the Pro 10-Ball event . There are limited number of VIP seats available. All info on events please call 1-407-782-4978 Corner Pockets at (407) 282-5894 All info and flyers can be found on www.dragonpromotions.com


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Have you entered yet? Enter this month's door prize drawing... there's always a new promotion next month! We invite your comments
Best Finds & Holiday Ideas
... this month's winners share their ideas
During October and November we invited readers of the Design Cafe list and Design Cafe Forums to write in and share their most important or favorite discoveries during 2007. We'll be continuing the theme through until December 15th. We also asked for favorite or interesting holiday greeting card or promotional ideas -- but only had ONE. Here, take a look:
BEST: Vector your Raster images online
Bill writes:
"This is a GREAT web-based application that turns photos and other bitmapped images into vector images... cleans up rasterized logos... and it is easy to use... it's a cliche, but you really have to see it to believe it! try it out!"[END QUOTE]
Bill design professional from Lititz, PA
BEST: Send huge files online safely
Judy writes:
"To send files to that are too large to go through e-mail to clients and associates, I use the free FTP digital delivery service at YouSendIt.com. You can upload files up to 100 MB in size, and a file can be downloaded as many as 100 times. They send a notice to the sender as well as to the recipient with instructions about downloading the file.
YouSendIt.com also has paid subscriptions available for increasing levels of service, but the free service has been a lifesaver for me when I had to get large files to another city in a hurry.
I work on a Mac Pro, and my favorite software is Photoshop. Thanks!" [END QUOTE]
Judy design professional from Fayetteville, Ark.
BEST: Ultimate software for screencasts
Janette writes:
"Camtasia by TechSmith is awesome! It allows you to make sweet, rocking tutorials by recording your screen and audio. I've used these to make many video tutorials for my web design students and I love this produc!
It's user-friendly, it's reliable, and it's reasonably priced.
While I'm at it, check out one of TechSmith's newest projects called Jing. It's similar to the above, but is a combo of webware/software. All movies/tutorials you make are stored on their server, and once you make the tutorial/video they give you an Url to send to others or post on your blog/website so you can share with others." [END QUOTE]
Janette trainer in education from Arvada, Colorado
Robert's "Holiday" card concept
Robert writes:
"Top of card: Santa sitting down with george bush on his lap.
President bush asking Santa for Bin Laden.
Bottom of card: Santa sitting down with Bin Laden on his lap.
Bin Laden asking for all americans.
Inside of card: Christmas uplifts the greatest hunger in humans.
Merry Christmas!"
[END QUOTE] Robert graphic Illustrator from Aurora, IL, Visit Robert's Portfolio
WOW! Do you suppose Bin Laden even knows about Santa? Probably so.
And, that about wraps it up for this month. See'ya next month.
We invite your comment.
Now, back to Creative Networking, or The Design Center Lobby
Participate in your Design Center
Lots of fun and information for all... don't forget, any community is only as good as the participation of its members. We invite your tips, tricks, comments, suggestions and camaraderie.
- Ask for the DT&G Monthly: to receive DT&G newsletter each month, happenings in the Design Center and regular columns like the "Mail Bag" and "Cool Sites"
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Revival Em Scythe Button
You know, after seeing the 1.25 inch diameter Revival Em Scythe Button you'll come to a realization...that more people need to use scythes. Seriously! Where does it say that the Grim Reaper is the only one allowed to have a monopoly on the harvesting tool / weapon? I guess the Amish have a franchise with Death too now that I think about it. Anyways, I definitely wouldn't want to mess with the Revival Em Scythe Button...would you?
More Details
- Sku: pinrevemscythe
- Color: Grey-Light
- Licensor: Tim Seeley & Mike Norton
- Style Attributes: Gift Bag, Exclusive
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POISON Emerald & Black Cat-Eye Sunglasses
Sparkly jewellery just isn't enough ;) extend your glitz to your 'shades' and protect your peepers with some VV sunnies for real sparkle power! :)
Our cat-eye sunglasses are purrrfect for vintage Betty's and anyone 'rockin' the Rockabilly look.
VelvetVolcano sunglasses are lovingly crystal encrusted by hand with a strong adhesive to make sure your sparklies stay put - please do take care when wearing however as they're not indestructible ;) and make sure to store in a case when you're not displaying them on your glorious head :).
'POISON' features Emerald Green rhinestones on black cat eye frames for classic glitz and a touch of spookiness.
UV 400 Protection
Total frame width: 14.5cm
Lens width: 5cm
Total frame height: : approx 5.5cm


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In my commentary last month, I talked about the "Insurance Gap" and how many advisors are missing a significant opportunity in their practice by not including insurance as an integral part of their client's financial plan.
This month, I'll take a look at the breakaway advisor who is in the best possible positions to incorporate insurance into their firm with a proactive and well planned approach from the onset.
As the breakaway movement continues to gain momentum with wirehouse advisors moving into the independent space, the product and service solutions available are becoming more diverse and sophisticated. Compliance, marketing, and technology are well established and are on the top of most advisors' checklist. However, insurance is still often viewed as an afterthought for many breakaways who often take a figure it out as I go approach. Unfortunately, these temporary 'band aid' type solutions seldom serve the firm or client's best interest in the long run. As an example, one of our client's solutions when initially launching their firm was to handle insurance internally until they figured out something better. Fast forward five years, and one of their two assistants was spending 60% of her time on insurance related issues, while insurance only accounted for 3% of their revenue. This scenario is not uncommon.
Furthermore, many wirehouse advisors are used to having internal departments to handle their clients' insurance needs. Once moving into the independent model, the value of duplicating this service is often missed. Advisors who attempt to handle insurance internally, without the proper infrastructure, find themselves buried under a pile of paperwork and illustrations. The right insurance solution can save advisors time and money.
So, where and how does one begin planning to incorporate insurance in their new firm? Being aware and educated of the options available is a good first step in the process. I recommend one of two options, on the surface they may seem similar but they have distinct differences:
Insurance Experts or consultants work closely with your firm on all insurance matters, not just new policies. Consider them an "insourced" insurance department for your firm. They will review existing policies, provide ongoing service for all policies and oversee the new business process including preparing presentations, applications and the entire underwriting process. The expert may be brought in for client meetings to present analysis and recommendations that the advisor has reviewed and agreed to in advance.
This relationship has the benefits of control, oversight and having your clients interact with a professional whose primary goal is not to make a sale or drive commissions. It is similar to bringing in a trust and estates attorney or a CPA. They are experts who provide consultation for your clients in the areas of insurance. Meanwhile, the relationship adds no work to you or your team and assumes all the back office and servicing requirements for your client's insurance policies. If you are licensed and wish to receive commission, a revenue share can be arranged.
Brokerage General Agency, generally referred as a BGA, can be an excellent solution for licensed advisors who simply need access to insurance information from carriers and underwriting support. Advisors working with a BGA will get 100% of the commission and overrides, but will be responsible for all interactions with the clients and servicing all policies. BGA's provide varying levels of analyses and back office support including; complete analysis preparation, existing policy inquiries and analysis, recommendations, medical exam scheduling and underwriting. Greater service and back office support is generally offset by lower override payouts. For advisors who can handle the bulk of the insurance internally, a BGA with limited servicing and higher payouts might be a better fit.
When evaluating BGA's you want to understand their support levels for underwriting, case management and how frequently they update you on case status. Compensation models will vary depending on levels of production and service and generally all comp models are negotiable.
The matrix below will help you decide the likely best solutions for your firm.
To help you get started in properly integrating insurance into your new firm, here are 5 basic steps to consider:
- Determine the appropriate structure for your firm; working with an expert or BGA.
- Assess the various partners to determine who best shares similar insurance philosophies to you, your firm, and your clients.
- Develop a customized service and analysis process with the chosen partner that meets your firm's need.
- Announce the new service to your clients in segmented groups of 10-20 (This allows you to assess the relationship overtime.)
- Incorporate insurance reviews as a standard operating procedure in all client review and prospect meetings.
As you set out to launch your new firm, make sure that you've considered insurance as part of your checklist. Advisors who research and plan for insurance as a key component to their practice can create a significant advantage in both differentiating their firm and better serving their clients.
Kellan Finley is Managing Director for Insurance Decisions www.in4fa.com, providing insurance resources for Registered Investment and Independent Advisors.


text: Hi. I suppose this question could be directed to Thomas Lindren, but I thought I'd share with a wider audience. Is there a way to avoid these errors (due to introducing temp variables by the parse transform) when a record initializer contains something other than a simple term? ./foo.erl:0: variable '_0' in record definition ./foo.erl:0: variable '_1' in record definition ... in a module like this (using the R11B-5 compiler, at least): -module(foo). -compile(export_all). %% -record(foo, { item = 0 }). % works -record(foo, { item = -1 }). % doesn't work %% -record(foo, { item = erlang:now() }). % doesn't work %% -record(foo, { item = now() }). % works func() -> #foo{}. "Simple term" is a bit misleading, because -1 appears to be a simple term in my book, but the hyphen confuses the parse transform. Much of the code I'd like to use with smart_exceptions uses negative constants, unfortunately. -Scott


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The country music fan's guide to the CMA Music Festival
With a Nashville car rental, music lovers can take advantage of all the events and activities that make up the annual CMA Music Festival. This highly anticipated event takes place during four days in June in the heart of the metropolis LP Field, but there are shows and special activities scattered all throughout the city, from little known venues to the beloved Grand Ole Opry. Tens of thousands of people from every corner of the world come to this Tennessee locale to see some of the biggest names in the industry produce twangy rock and heart-turning melodies. Get ready for a long-weekend of excitement by learning about Nashville's beloved festival:
History of the festival
Started in 1972 by the Country Music Association (the same organization that runs the Country Music Association Awards), the CMA Music Festival is one of the largest fests of its kind, which is why it's been dubbed the "World's Biggest Country Music Festival in Downtown Nashville." But it wasn't always a massive affair. Initially a small fan fair of about 5,000 people, the fest managed to garner some of the best musicians in the genre, such as Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn.
With time and growing popularity, the festival expanded and began introducing more than great live music. For example, 1975 saw the first All-American Country Games, which feature musicians competing in sports games and has become a CMA Music Fest tradition that has prospered to this day. Since its starting days, the event has lured in country stars including Garth Brooks, George Strait, Randy Travis (though he was just a little-known musician at the time), Carrie Underwood and Toby Keith.
About the CMA Music Festival
With its massive crowds (2013 broke CMA Music Fest history with some 80,000 people), Nashville's downtown area is astir with cheering country fans. Guests can take a shuttle to LP Field or get a parking pass in advance to reserve a spot for your Tennessee car rental at the festival grounds (public parking may also be available throughout the city). In addition to live music by hundreds of bands and solo artists who play a role in the genre, including rock and roots musicians, the event has a plethora of other features. You can stroll the grounds of the family-friendly fair, take part in meet and greets and watch celebrities go head-to-head in sports competitions and get autographs from performers (autograph signings are huge at the fest, and stars have been known to pen their names for several hours at a time).
Use your CMA Music Festival car rental to visit The Belt, an expanse along Broadway covering three city blocks. This lively area is where you'll find people singing karaoke, dancing and enjoying refreshing brews. Walk about to sample free food and drink by local producers and join in on a game that lets you compete with other CMA Music Fest patrons.


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Brackley Town Saints face a replay in the FA Vase on Tuesday at Leighton Town.
The two sides finished all square at 3-3 in Saturday's preliminary round tie at St James Park where Mark Smith earned a late replay for the visitors.
Saints dominated for most of the game and will be contemplating missed opportunities and several errors that saw them go two goals behind at halftime.
The visitors had found it difficult to get out of their own half. But two goals in four minutes just before the break from Matt Bateman and Ben Gallant left Saints with it all to do in the second half.
Saints again dominated possession in the second half, creating more opportunities, and were rewarded when Matt Hammond reduced the deficit. Saints continually pushed forward for the equaliser but Leighton were always a danger on the break.
Saints' defence held firm and Johnson levelled late on to take the tie into extra-time.
Chris Jordan put Saints ahead in the first period but the hosts created more chances which they were unable to convert and Smith took the game into a replay.


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Are you currently lucky enough to come with an waiting for interview for any Dental school? Do you experience feeling that you're only a couple of steps from your childhood dream? When the solutions to these two questions are yes, then you need to start planning for the special day. The pleasure of penetrating the horde of competing medical students can't be described in words, it needs to be clearly experienced. However the finest challenge is based on reaching the A-listed Dentistry institutions. Till today, you simply considered dealing with patients together with your set of skills and medical understand how. But soon your day comes when you'll certainly admit with a top ranking Dentistry schools. Of all professions, the profession in Dentistry is regarded as the noblest one. Based on John C. Maxwell- dreams aren't effective unless of course you need to do, so this is a golden opportunity to help make your dreams become a reality.
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Check out this great website for Nadia Kiderman.


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Last Wednesday, we finally did it: we hiked Boiling Lake. It's a five hour long hike through the mountains, up and down, through the Valley of Desolation, to the world's second largest boiling lake, formed in a volcanic crater. It was intense and amazing, and we've spend the remainder of the week let our ridiculously sore legs recover.
We survived Boiling Lake!
Images by Clare Wilkinson for C Squared W.


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Six months of work to a roundabout near Stonehenge in Wiltshire has started.
New lanes are being added to the Longbarrow roundabout, at the junction of the A360 and A303, and its centre is to be realigned.
|The work is part of a £27m project to build a visitor
centre and close the A344 beside the monument
The Highways Agency says the work is needed in preparation for the closure of the A344 which runs beside the Stonehenge monument.
It is part of a £27m project to build a visitor centre and also grass over the stretch of road near the stones.
The 3,500-year-old World Heritage site receives more than one million visitors a year.
Once the A344 has been shut, the northern and eastern approach to the roundabout will need to take the extra traffic caused by the closure.
Mark Arberry, from the Highways Agency, said: "This is an important contribution to the long term management plan for Stonehenge to improve the setting of the monument and ensure its preservation as an iconic World Heritage Site."
Full article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-20202498
Stonehenge Tour Guide


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Lead generation has eluded you previously, but you're about to learn how to take control. That is why you found this article and you are now prepared to get educated on doing it right. Check out the information shared here and get the leads you desire.
Always remember the buying cycle in your attempt to generate leads. They may consider an offer, wish to learn more about it, and then decide on whether to buy it or not. Target your offers to this cycle and you will be successful.
When pursuing online advertising , use landing pages to your advantage. Landing pages for specific ads are better than linking to the main website. This gives the exact information that is being looked for. You can generate leads better if you include a contact form.
Buying incentives can be valuable in lead generation. For instance, offering something people need anyway often steers them toward your pitch. Provide them a bonus for being loyal to your business and watch your leads grow.
Be clear on issues regarding opt-out and privacy. Make certain you are aware of the leads that have chosen not to receive incentives or other offers. Otherwise, you may develop a reputation as a spammer.
Always verify that your leads are original. It is easy not to notice duplication when purchasing or gathering leads. You'll end up with the same lead over and over again. You want to be as diverse as possible so that you can maximize the opportunity.
Are there any planned events that you know of that pertain to your industry? For instance, if you sell real estate, you could visit an upcoming wedding show. Get a table at the event to let customers know you are there. Look at the classified ads for events which will be in your local community.
Speaking with businesses with similar interests can help with lead generation. If personal organizing is your niche, then discuss with businesses how they can better organize their offices. Yoga instructors can give tips for easy stretches that can be done quickly through the day. Perhaps your expertise is even valuable to professionals.
Look for online lead organizations to see what they can do for you. If the business you have is mostly local, you will find help from these groups. While Bob in Peoria can't help Caroline with her pest problem, he can provide your name and number to her so you can, and vice versa.
Target your campaign to those who are interested. Getting generic leads may work, but not as well. Provide information regarding the specifics of your business for best results.
A solid plan is always important. Monitor the campaign you are running and see what is working. If you have a budget that's tight, you should watch things carefully so you can allocate money where it's needed most.
Find out how current customers discovered you. Google Analytics can help with this. Did they come from a social media site? Did a forum post mention your website and drive visitors to you? No matter what it is, you can find ways to get more leads.
Your website isn't going to bring in many leads unless it's paired with a social media site. From Twitter to Facebook, you must try these avenues to bring in leads. Your campaigns should be diverse, so you can see which tactics are successful, as well as those that are not.
Make sure your traffic is being led right to a lead generator. It doesn't matter what type of page you create. Without a way to deliver potential clients, you simply cannot build a list of leads. You need to find a way to get traffic to your page to build your business.
Don't become hyper-focused on contests. If people only think they'll win something by contacting you, they won't contact you otherwise. Optionally, try only a couple of contests a year. This will generate more buzz than the weekly contest.
Avoid buying Twitter or Facebook followers. Though you will have more leads, the validity of them may be in question. Many times what you're getting here are not valid accounts. You could be sending promotions to accounts that are empty.
In order to build your SEO, who can you swap links with? Consider your suppliers, customers, related companies in other fields and even businesses in a different geographic area that only serve the locals.
Now that you have read this piece, you know what to do to be successful. Start using this knowledge and improve your business. Doing things the right way will make your goals more achievable.
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Politics & Government
Judge won't change title of gay marriage amendment
A ballot label that declares that Proposition 8 "eliminates (the) right of same-sex couples to marry" will remain intact after a Sacramento County judge on Friday dismissed a challenge by supporters of the measure.
Sponsors of the Nov. 4 ballot measure had argued that Attorney General Jerry Brown's formal title and summary of the measure were prejudicial.
But Sacramento County Judge Timothy Frawley disagreed that Brown acted in favor of opponents of the measure when he changed the ballot title -- "Limit on Marriage" -- that was on petitions circulated last year to qualify the ballot measure.
"Petitioner has failed to explain why the term 'eliminates' is inherently argumentative, while the term 'limit' is not," Frawley, who heard arguments in the case on Thursday, said in a ruling rendered today.
The judge also rejected the contention of opponents that the measure's title and summary is misleading because it fails to distinguish between the initiative's "purpose" and "effects."
"The Attorney General is not required to make any such distinction, and even if he were, petitioner has not shown that a meaningful distinction exists between the purpose and effects of this particular initiative," the judge wrote.
Read the full story at sacbee.com.


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Stylish Birthday Banners Up for Grabs
Want to do something special and unique for your child's birthday? Want to make your child's birthday memorable? For a change, try and display a heartfelt birthday wish on a banner for your child. Now, at Plus Display, build beautiful banners and convey your heart's messag. There's nothing more rewarding than seeing tears of joy well up in the eyes of your loved one because of your thoughtfulness. Here's how you can steal the heart of your dear one.
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We created it as 'artful and urban' and also social and approachable which is perfect for this highly social, highly tech savvy renter.
Winter Park, FL (PRWEB) April 27, 2014
Award-winning design firm, Beasley & Henley Interior Design has completed Modera Prime 235 a luxury multi-family project in St Petersburg, FL for high-end developer Mill Creek Residential Trust ( MCRT). Beasley & Henley, with its long history of award winning projects, was specifically selected by MCRT to create the urban and trendy community's design. During this two-year design project, Beasley & Henley provided the detailed amenity space planning, concepted and specified all finish materials and designed the furnishings package.
The design of the luxury for-rent project is touted as 'Artful' and 'Urban' on their site http://www.millcreekplaces.com/community/modera-prime-235-in-st-petersburg. Modera Prime 235 is a 309-unit, urban mid-rise multifamily development just two blocks from the waterfront and the popular Beach Drive entertainment district.
"The location of Prime allowed us to really have fun with the design we wanted to create for this clientele," explains Design Principal Troy Beasley. "We created it as 'artful and urban' and also social and approachable which is perfect for this highly social, highly tech savvy renter. We had a great time putting it all together for Mill Creek."
Beasley's designs include an entry area, modeled on a boutique hotel, spaces screened with architectural metal curtains, cyber café in an urban library design, funky light fixtures, two-story glass conference room overlooking the lobby and other features. Beasley & Henley also designed two apartments at the project with interesting, transitional interiors.
Beasley & Henley Interior Design is a boutique interior design firm creating luxury model homes and private residences across the US. Their services include interior detailing, specifications, drawings, interior design and furnishings. For more information on Beasley & Henley Interior Design or any of their award winning interiors, including Sand Dollar Awards, please call 239-774-1005 or visit 2241 Tamiami Trail E, Suite 2, Naples, FL. http://www.BeasleyandHenley.com


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Insiders predict that anything between
10,000 and 15,000 pink slips are anticipated to be given in 2017-18,
with the brunt likely to be borne by the center-level management. Due to
the cash influx to the federal government, there might be large Pune Pre Launch Residential Projects
investments within the infrastructure of the country, thus enabling
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Lohegaon, the venture was launched in January 2014 with 388 housing
models in 1, 2 and 3BHK configurations.
In NCR, Zaidi mentioned the smaller ticket dimension, inexpensive housing projects in Better Noida and Yamuna Expressway have executed nicely, although many developers are ready. Since its inception, the company has grown Pre Launch Housing Projects In Pune enormously and is successful in offering consolation to its prospects by way of its wonderful projects. The week noticed a number of vital developments - from start of a new partnership to break-up of a promising one, from launch of a new SUV to a shocking rise in cess on big vehicles. Pre Launch Properties In Pune is preferred by a lot of the consumers as a result of the investors should spend a lot lesser sum of money in booking them. Within this area it's possible you'll discover properties in Katraj Pune within Nibm Highway,different and Moshi. But be careful whereas choosing the challenge as delayed projects could not have aggressive appreciation potential in the long term. The fact that builders had to re-work their venture specifications (upcoming as well as on-going unapproved initiatives) resulted in important undertaking delays. Meanwhile, the realty agency additionally seems to take a position Rs 2,a hundred crore within the next three yr within the 6 new projects that it has deliberate for the present fiscal. Kalpataru Amoda Reserve is an expensive villa challenge located in Lonavala, West Pune.
Erica NIBM Street ,a new launch residential venture by Nyati Group
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actual estate Market is comes as the easiest need of Pre Launch
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Chennai, Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune. We've got
magnets inside the satellite, so that while stabilizing in orbit it's
going to align with the earth's poles," explains Mugdha Bondre, a 2015
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sales and income for the three months ended March, as a result of lack
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Flat Mumbai Thane.


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GALVESTON - The Galveston Island Park Board of Trustees approved giving almost $997,838 to the Texas General Land Office as part of the local match on a $4 million project that will reconstruct 2,000 feet of beach at the west end of the seawall.
"That's the highest rate of erosion on the island, and it's the area where erosion is encroaching on FM 3005, which is the only evacuation route from the West End," said Kelly de Schaun, park board executive director.
In addition to building out the beach, the project will also build a large dune that will help protect infrastructure.
"One of our big problems with beach nourishment projects along the Texas Coast is that we're what's called a sand-starved system, so it's difficult to find sand," de Schaun said. "It has to come from a sand source where there's an abundance of it. That's usually in the water somewhere."
The land office has found a source for the sand. The plan is to begin the reconstruction on October 1 and complete it by the end of the year.
Our twice-weekly e-newsletter provides a quick overview of Texas real estate markets. Because your time is valuable.


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Mom gets angry over football game
My mom was watching the Seahawks vs. Packers football game on Thursday. She takes sports really serious so I decided to record it. She knew she was being recorded but didn't expect me to upload this, she acts like this every time and it's definitely not staged.


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Job Description
£150 - £200 per day
Our client, a highly impressive and well regarded global organisation, is looking to source an immediately available Data Analyst to join its talented team. You will be inspired by the recognition and expect plenty of opportunity to develop your career.
- Work on complex projects of broad scope that require an in-depth and broader understanding of problem identification, analysis and resolution
- Analyse existing data records, summarise quality and recommend solutions for compliance, cost saving and standardisation opportunities
- Partner with team members in various business units and functions to understand business practices and support/improve new and ongoing business reporting, analytical and training needs
- Define, develop and implement score card metrics and measurement tools
- Develop presentations and effectively communicate results to business partners
- Perform data analyses using analytical models and mathematical analysis
- Ad hoc work as required
The successful candidate will have a technical background and a keen numerical interest. You will have at least 2 years' experience managing databases, providing timely user support and writing reports. You will have advanced quantitative skills with proficiency in data analysis (SAP), modelling and presenting. You will be skilled in ETL tools such as SQL, VBA and Alteryx.
Our client will provide a structured and supportive working environment and a culture that is known to foster a great mix of social and professional interaction.
Vitae Financial Recruitment Ltd is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy.


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"He then laughed and said 'I don't believe that for one second!' and then proceeded to say that he believed they were all likely burning in Hell. I was horrified, as you could imagine, and my mother had to talk to me after the service and remind me it was only his opinion." --byrdman "Among the worst sermons I ever heard was one in which Christians were compared to bacteria set loose in the body of the world. The LCMS minister even exhorted us all in his closing remarks to 'Go out and infect the world with Christianity!'" --LoveIsTruth
"The minister announced that the church was falling behind on its payments and there would be fundraising events that morning to help. He then proceeded to put the young women up on stage and auction them off all the time preaching on the 'freely give' topic." --smartgirl
"My childhood pastor, preaching at the funeral of a toddler who'd died in a farm accident, noting that the child hadn't been baptized and that s/he was now probably in hell because the parents (backslidden church members) were so careless about their child's eternal future -- something to the effect of, 'Hope they've learned their lesson.' Not only is this sucky theology, it was just MEAN and unacceptable." --tawonda
"One day the pastor was preaching about the Rapture, and said something to the effect of: 'Some of you sitting here will be left behind. When that happens, come here to the church/parsonage. We keep supplies in the basement, and there will be instructions for you on what to do. Eventually you'll run out of food, but that's why we keep our dogs.'" --rhcmom
"Listening to a guy go on and on about how TV was evil and that this was going to be one sad Christmas for our kids with Harry Potter toys and we were all going to hell and the clincher for me was when he actually told us that if he had a gun he would go to the Middle East and shoot people because 'after all it says an eye for and eye in the Bible'! ...and then after listening to him rant and rave he had the audacity to do an altar call!" --ab14
"The pastor began to go on and on about the dangers of giving in to idolatry... What I didn't expect was that he would begin to scream at the women in the congregation who were wearing jewelry (including me)! He called us all idolators and proceeded to have the ushers pass around collection plates and demanded that we all take off our jewelry and put it in the collection plate." --ToyaS
"When I was in the 6th grade, I attended a large charismatic church in Indiana. One time a fellow came and gave some talks about rock 'n roll music. Of course, he was arguing that ALL forms of rock music were Satanic. He pointed to the tragic deaths some rock stars have faced (granted, some who took their own lives, but also others who just died from accidents such as plane crashes) and would say, 'See! When the devil gets through with you, he kills you!'" --lindenmeadow
"Part of this church's doctrine was a belief that December 25 was NOT to be celebrated as Jesus' birthday, because it was not specifically mentioned in the Bible. The minister used to preach pretty much the same sermon every year the Sunday before Christmas telling everybody why it was not scriptural to celebrate Christmas as the birth of Jesus. One year when I was still young, he decided to go one better, and told all the children in the audience that there also was no Santa Claus! You can imagine the scene...how he kept his job is beyond me." --byrdman
"I watched a young popular pastor on television... His sermon was, I'll assume, supposed to be about stewardship and blessings. The majority of it was taken up with his chastisement of lower-income members who put his church's bumper sticker on their 'ratty out-of-date heaps'! You read it right! He said that if they were good stewards G-d would be blessing them and they would be driving better cars. And as such, it reflected poorly on his church to project that image into the community." --vcell


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I cannot believe that it is July 1st already!! Where I live in Upstate New York, it seems summer is JUST getting here (it was 50 degrees last night!) and before we know it, Fall will be here.
As much as we (meaning ME) whine to get a pool for the two weeks of unbearable hot , we could never justify it. I would love to have friends over to lounge and sip cool beverages, or take an afternoon and read poolside.
Alas, I do not have a pool to relax by or kick off my July 4th weekend BBQ.
BUT, I do have a BETTER way to start my Summer…announcing the next Blogger of the Month!! Woo-hoo!
Please join me in welcoming Gigi of Kludgy Mom!!
I met Gigi last summer through a guest post she wrote on Scary Mommy. It was a post about how to vacation with kids and I think she may have mentioned a pool…definitely elevator buttons and the fighting that ensues over who gets to push the up or down button. I laughed right along with her nodding my head in agreement as I read through her post, then clicked over to her blog.
And have been a faithful reader and fan ever since.
For a year, I have been calling her "Kludge-ee" not realizing I was saying it all wrong! I recently learned that it is supposed to be pronounced "CLUE-GEE" !! So glad I learned that before ever meeting her in real life!! And I so hope I get the chance to meet her someday…
I really enjoy reading her posts which are filled with humor, recipes, and sports! She even shares her soft side too, with beautifully written posts on parenting that are insightful and touching. On top of all these wonderful topics, Gigi is a master at sharing bloggy tips and tricks and all things techie. She has created a place where she blogs about everything and it totally works for her!!
I am so excited to have her here for the month of July!! You will absolutely LOVE her!!
Here's a little Q & A that we recently did:
MGB: How long have you been blogging? What started your blogging journey?
KM: I started blogging in late 2008. Like many, we were hit hard by the economic downturn and I was forced to start cooking at home every night instead of eating out so much. I began my first blog as a way to chronicle my learning to cook. I expanded my blog to include parenting stuff in March of 2010, and KludgyMom was born in May of 2011. What a wild ride it has been.
MGB: Do you have a favorite post? Why is it your favorite?
KM: Wow. I've written SO MANY Pulitzer-worthy posts, that it's hard to choose just one. I mean, really? Come on. It's like asking me which part of my perfect body I like best
But seriously, while my humor posts are my favorite, the post that has stuck with me the most is one I actually wrote just this past May on my son's 8th birthday. It's called The Quiet. With as busy as my life has become, I am feeling all too acutely right now how quickly my children are growing away from me. This post is one that I think I will read over every year and say, yes, that's still so true, I still feel that way. It captures more than just a moment, I think it captures motherhood.
MGB: You have taken on so many projects , do you find it hard to juggle all the pieces? Have you ever had to say no to a project?
KM: I find it very hard to juggle everything. I feel like every day, I go to bed not having done 5 things I wanted to. And yes, I've said no to many projects because I physically had no more time left in my day, or I felt like the opportunity was not going to be the right fit for what I wanted to do, or it didn't pay well enough. So far, there's not been one project I said no to that I've later regretted!
MGB: Have you ever completely unplugged from social media? Why why not? How did it feel?
KM: I have not been completely unplugged from social media since I started blogging…aaannnnd that's pretty pathetic. Anyone who's done any level of social media work professionally quickly realizes it's not a 9 to 5 job, especially when you're working for a client. Even if it's just responding to one thing on Facebook over the weekend, you're never really able to completely disengage. At the end of this month, though, we're going on a family vacation to a place that has no wi-fi. So I will be forced to unplug for part of the trip. I have to say, I'm equal parts mortified and thrilled over it!
MGB: You are a fellow foodie; what is your go-to snack/beverage for the unexpected guest?
KM: If the guest is unexpected these days, they're probably going to end up having a cup of dried oats and a half-full bottle of water, 'cause mama's not cooking much with a full time job anymore! But when I have just a weensy bit of time to prepare, I usually do a fresh cherry tomato salad with a little onion, dressed with a drizzle of oil, salt, pepper and oregano, or goat cheese drizzled with olive oil and chopped rosemary. And always, always, Cupcake Vineyard wine. I live for that shizz.
MGB: Where do you see your blog in one year?
KM: That's hard to answer, because I'm in kind of a transition phase with work keeping me so busy. I guess I foresee continuing to write about the four things I love best: technology, blogging, kids and humor. I hope I still have readers because I read so few blogs myself right now (which makes me sad!)
I have no fear of Gigi reataining readers!! She is just Da-Bom!! If you do not follow Gigi yet, I urge you to do so. She is one cool gal!
You can find Gigi's fab writing and blogging awesomeness at Kludgy Mom. Keep up with her funny tweets on Twitter or what's new on Facebook.


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Website Redesign
Do you have a website, but feel that its appearance doesn't mirror the professional standards of your company? Is the appearance of your website out of touch with the nature and theme of your products? Has the appearance of your website been neglected over time, and you now think its time it had a makeover? We can help!
Re-modelling may include some or all of the following:
We offer a complete web redesign or re-modelling service that will regenerate the appearance and functionality of your website, whilst retaining key components that make your website unique to you and your company. We will redesign your website, not re-brand it.
We understand and appreciate that there are certain elements of your website that make you stand out from your competitors. That's why we will endeavour to incorporate traditional brand concepts of your company into a redesign. In essence, keeping things exactly as they were; but vastly improved behind the scenes!
There are a variety of reasons for needing a redesign of your website, below are just a few examples that you may be able to relate to:
Keep it Simple
- If your website was designed years ago it may not necessarily look bad in its appearance; but recent developments in coding may make your website run and load in a smoother, faster way. We improve your site by editing the way in which the website code is all tied together out of public view – this in turn affects how the public view your website and how they can interact with it. Lengthy and unnecessary coding can prove to be a navigational nightmare, it can reduce your website's visibility and slow the functionality. We can quickly improve simple things, such as how pages link to one another and ultimately make your website more user friendly.
Improved Functionality
- Again, it may not be the case that your website needs to alter its image, but you want to improve features of your website through the addition of a forum, news blog, or online shop. These can be added without the need to disturb the original site. Integrating an simple ecommerce package can quickly convert an existing catalogue and information site to a functioning shop. Websites that are not built on an ecommerce platform can be converted to include ecommerce elements. Internet Assets Ltd will create an SQL database and shop front that can be easily populated by the buyer and developed to take advantage of the boom in online sales. A news blog (or article generation can build a contacts database and a forum can get you closer to your customers and allow them to discuss issues about your business sector.
Stay Ahead of the Competition
- In most cases, the content of a website is spot on; after all, it's what you do! However, the appearance of a website can often cheapen and tarnish a company's reputation; failing to instill potential customers with a sense of trust which can be highly detrimental when you then lose those customers to a competitor! As touched upon above, it is vital that the appearance of your website appropriately reflects the professional standards of your company. There is little point in having great content if the platform upon which it's presented pales in comparison. Especially if it pales in comparison to another company! Image is everything.
New Product? New Presentation!
- If you're launching a new product, then now may be the right time to overhaul the image of your website to give it a brand new look to go with a brand new product. Keeping things fresh will entice customers to visit your website again. A sudden change in appearance underlines that new products are available, and the customer doesn't then have the browse through pages of products to find out what's new.
Does your website need a makeover? Review our work rates below, and contact us to find out more!
Work Rates
We will probably charge a lot less than you think. We are open to imaginative payment solutions.


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Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits sex discrimination in federally funded education programs and activities.
The law states: "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance."
In this context, sex discrimination includes sexual harassment, sexual assault and sexual violence by students, employees or third parties. Sexual violence is defined as a sexual act perpetrated against a person's will or when a person is incapable of giving consent.
Cleveland State University is committed to providing an environment free from discrimination on the basis of sex. Resources are available for students and employees to address concerns pertaining to sex discrimination, including sexual misconduct.
Title IX Coordinator Yulanda McCarty-Harris, J.D. has the primary responsibility for the resolution of discrimination complaints by faculty, staff and students, including Title IX complaints.
For information on community support, educational resources and filing complaints, click here.


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I recently wrote about turnovers and posted my apple turnover recipe. I love apple turnovers, but also adore cherry. Unlike apples, however, cherries are only in season for a very short time each year, from about June through July. If you want to eat cherries the rest of the year, you need to use frozen or preserved. Although cherries are amazing when fresh, and fresh cherry turnovers are beyond compare, you can make delicious cherry turnovers with some frozen cherries and jam. I also use these same ingredients when making cherry pies out of season.
Here's the recipe. It's easy, fast and yummy.
Cherry Turnovers
Makes: 9 turnovers
Turnover Ingredients:
1 sheet frozen puff pastry 2 cups fresh or frozen cherries
1/2 cup cherry jam or preserves
1/2 cup bown sugar
2 Tbsp flour
1 tsp lemon juice
Topping Ingredients:
1 egg scrambled
2 Tbsp white sugar
1. Bring puff pastry to room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Place frozen cherries, jam, lemon juice and sugar in a bowl and mix thoroughly.
4. Roll out pastry dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12- by 12-inch square and then cut it into 9 equal pieces.
5. Scoop cherry mixture onto the lower half of each square, being sure not to overfill.
6. Turn the upper half of the dough over the cherry mixture and pinch the ends. If the dough doesn't seal, you can lightly coat the edges with an egg wash and then press them down.
7. Lay the filled dough onto a baking sheet and coat each turnover with an egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
8. Place the baking sheet in the oven for 12 – 18 minutes, or until golden brown.
9. Serve immediately or store for later use.


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fat, fatty, food, fried, government, nhs, obese, obesity, overweight, tax
In a time when we all need to tighten our belts, it seems the government is planning to definitely bring forward a plan to tax us on the fatty life style. So what does this mean? Well if we are to follow the route of our European neighbours we can all look forward to even less money in our pockets. Will it actually stop people from buying fatty and junk food? Probably not. Will it raise the chancellors trove? Certainly! If we're talking about a few pence per portion, are we really going to miss those couple of pence?
We've had the carrier bag charge for a while here in Wales and sure, there's been a decrease in usage, but we still use them! At the end of the day we don't mind paying 5p for another one. The bill to the environment was estimated at 31 million and is hoped will recoup around 5 million by applying this charge. That's about one sixth, so why didn't they put the charge at 30p per bag and not 5p ? Was it a serious attack on all us terrible bag throwers? For sure we would think twice about using a bag twice if it were more expensive to buy a new one. So the same 'charge' is thrown at the fat tax; if they really had a serious concern for our welfare then why not ban fast food outlets, sell healthy food only. We obviously all need to eat and a penny or two charge is not going to be paid by the restaurants or take aways, it will be passed on to us. If McDonald's is the only place that sells food in a town where there's nothing else around, we'll eat there, guaranteed, regardless of what content or the price!
In a strange comparison, in the mass advertising campaign for anti smoking, the pictures on the fag packets, the reduction of advertising on billboards and public places, maybe a pointer to how raising prices and charges simply does not work. It simply makes the poor poorer yet again. There has hardly been much of a dramatic slow down in the number of people who smoke over the last few years after all that campaigning, but of course, still been steady tax rises. This can really be an indicator to where the fat tax is actually heading. Will all proceeds from the Chinese takeaway really be thrown towards the NHS to help thin it's own expanding waist line? And if by some miracle it does have an effect on putting us off fatty foods, then where next? With no money coming in – as everyone will be eating healthy, what do they tax next? Exercise machines, joggers, cyclists ? Surely they'll think of yet another worth while cause we all have to contribute to. Maybe a smiling tax! It will be very interesting to see where this extra money is actually allocated. Looking into the future, if there's less fat people to serve, and lets face it, that's what we're talking about, like some alienated zombies from another planet, there will be less required on NHS treatment, but then less tax collected. The cost of obesity for the NHS, employers and related services is only a tiny fraction of the cost of alcohol related incidents, illness and associated crime, but that still seems to go relatively unpunished – yet again no rise in the budget. Of course this doesn't affect just fat people, it will make all of us a victim of another tax. Cigarette smokers pay their tax, carrier bag users pay there's, but we're all going to be paying a fat tax, even the thinnest and healthiest of us. Now that doesn't seem right.
It is without doubt that some fatty food is in fact good with us and although a burger and chips is considered unhealthy, there are a proportion of good nutrients in all kinds of meals. So will the fat tax really help contribute to the cost of the snorter porker to the NHS? Doubt It! It will probably have to be reallocated to people who will become homeless, malnourished and anorexic due to their lack of affordability to eat. Another winner!


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By Terry Scruton, Land Line Now senior correspondent
OOIDA Member Katherine Malveaux of Houston, TX, would like to send out some ROSES to Kenneth Becker and his wife, Elisabeth.
Katherine's husband, OOIDA Member Curnest Malveaux, passed away in December after a long illness. She called OOIDA a few days later for help in figuring out how to get Curnest's truck back home. Kenneth and Elisabeth – who are both OOIDA members – volunteered to drive it.
The trucks had been parked for a while and wouldn't start. Katherine said the Beckers waited for hours until the truck was up and running.
Kenneth then drove the truck to a nearby service center for repairs and returned a few days later to bring the truck back home to Houston. Katherine said she offered to pay Kenneth. He refused saying, "You don't owe me anything. You have been through a lot and all I want to do is help you."
How about some big, juicy RAZZBERRIES for Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, whose family also happens to own Pilot Corp.
Since taking office, Haslam has refused to disclose how much money he makes from the family business or from other sources. In fact, he's even gone so far as to sign an executive order that does away with a requirement to disclose personal finances.
Oh, and it gets better. Apparently Gov. Haslam also delayed some new environmental rules requiring new fuel tanks. Gee, we wonder what company would have to spend a lot of money replacing its underground fuel tanks if that law went into effect. Hmm.
Haslam claims he didn't know about the rule and that it was part of a number of regulations he froze just four days after taking office.
Don't you wish you had that kind of power? Don't like something? Don't want to do something? Just change the rules. To paraphrase Mel Brooks: It's good to be the governor.
RAZZBERRIES to the U.S. Department of Transportation for its "concept document" detailing its plans for opening the U.S. border to Mexican-domiciled trucks.
After more than two years of promises from Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood that the proposal would be coming "sooner than soon," the DOT unveiled the document back in January.
At a time when jobs are scarce and many in the government are crowing about the need to do something to create more jobs, unveiling this program is a slap in the face to every U.S. truck driver on the road.
Though the program did outline some proposals for safety requirements, OOIDA's Todd Spencer called the idea of meeting those requirements a "pipe dream," given the current state of affairs in Mexico.
Hey DOT, here's a "concept" for you: Let's worry about America's transportation needs first before we go flooding our highways with potentially unsafe trucks.
These frosty RAZZBERRIES go out to the states of New Jersey and New York for their snow-free vehicle pursuits.
New Jersey began enforcing its snow-free law late last year, and earlier this year the New York State Legislature began considering a law of its own. Proponents say the laws address a safety hazard to other drivers on the road.
Funny how nobody seems to be too concerned with the safety of the truck drivers who have to climb on top of these slippery vehicles to remove the snow and ice.
Considering how few documented wrecks the snow and ice causes, it's obvious that lawmakers are far too willing to throw truckers under the bus – or on top of the icy truck – to solve what amounts to a PR stunt.
Cheryl King, wife of OOIDA Member Cale King of Rutland, OH, sends out some RAZZBERRIES to author Stephen King, who we're assuming is no relation.
In his recent novel, "Under the Dome," King wrote some rather unflattering words about a truck driver. He describes the truck itself as a pulp truck that was "loaded well past the legal limit with huge logs. It was also rolling well past the legal limit."
He goes on to describe the driver as, "maybe high on pills, maybe smoked up on meth, maybe just young, in a big hurry and feeling immortal."
It's important to note that this truck driver is a minor character and pretty much irrelevant to the rest of the story. So why does King, an otherwise good writer, resort to such tired stereotypes about truck drivers? LL


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have been sort of sick these last couple days. a little lethargic, dizzy and with a weird pressure inside my head. this afternoon I felt a little more energetic and could almost finish a portrait I've been working on these last weeks. better go to the doctor if this thing continue on. if I had some help around here it would be so great... sometimes feel just too exhausted.
Portrait of Lucy - work in progress
I'd like to have a place far from home only for working. work has been getting more intense in the last few months and it's becoming very difficult to harmonize it with house chores. when you work at home there will always be something that will take you off from your work, and that bothers me a lot. I've been thinking for a while in finding somebody who wanted to share a studio, so I'd have a place where I could almost exclusively focus on work (and on my baby, of course, at least until she is able to go to school.)
Thursday, December 17, 2009
sick and working
categories: life, portraits, work in progress
Mused by Patricia Ariel at 8:40 PM
1 comment:
- ruthie said...
dear ariel, i haven't visited in so very long, where does time go to? so sorry to hear that you haven't been feeling well, it is hard to stay focused and creative when feeling tired & ill. I have been feeling exhausted lately and its a struggle to keep sane sometimes even lol. I so hope things improve for you very soon. I understand the idea of wanting a studio elsewhere, i have the same problem, working at home presents many distractions etc!
I am (as always) in awe of your beautiful work x
- December 18, 2009 at 2:09 AM
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Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Aurora Wings Challenge - No Lines or Colour Bingo
5 comments:
- DonnaMundinger said...
This is just gorgeous, Debbie! Sure looks like no lines to me and your colors are expecially beautiful on thouse flowers and wings. Kudos to you for trying something new. I love it! xxD
- June 17, 2014 at 2:34 AM
- Mitzi Sato-Wiuff said...
Debbie, I think you've done an amazing job with the no lines technique with this image. Going with rainbow colors is tricky enough, but you pulled it off in such a beautiful way. Love, love, LOVE this! The sentiment is so lovely, too. All around so inspirational! I'm just so happy that you're on my team. Thank you always for your beautiful contribution. Hugs, Mitzi xx
- June 17, 2014 at 2:36 AM
- Lorraine said...
This is so beautiful Debbie, I just love the pretty colours and the beautiful embellishments too.
Huge Hugz, Lorraine xx
- June 17, 2014 at 4:20 AM
- downrightcrafty said...
Debbie the colouring is fabulous love the wings especially and a gorgeous card
Hugs Kate x
- June 17, 2014 at 4:48 AM
- Danni said...
This is so pretty!
- June 17, 2014 at 7:06 AM


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1code is a revolutionary social media networking application for engaging in the most intuitive way with people, organizations and events.
Our mission is to make the smartest phonebook application ever.
We at 1code believe that we can only solve problems which we deeply care about and that is why we are extremely focused while also being extremely creative in our approach to finding solutions that are simple and effective.
24/7, Real Time Up-to-Date Information of News, Social Media and Events
1code is a smart phonebook and revolutionary calendar. It simplifies the way you share, organize, update your contact information and set up meetings with your contacts. Why go through the effort of exchanging mobile numbers, e-mails, business cards, QR codes, LinkedIn, and other social media usernames when you can simply share your 1code?
Create your 1code now. You can choose a preferred name, existing Gmail, or Twitter username as your 1code and start sharing!
To know more about our product, please read the features below.
Access and organize all your contacts in one place. You can organize your contacts by groups–friends, family, business, or colleagues– and subgroups, which you can personalize any way you want. You can even customize the privacy settings of each contact detail, only sharing certain contact details to particular groups!
Your 1code is like your username. It's the only thing you need to share with your existing contacts or when meeting someone new. You can store all your up-to-date contact information on your 1code profile. Update or make changes to your contact details and your 1code contacts will have the updated version automatically once you make changes to your profile.
Scheduling a meeting shouldn't be so complicated! All we need is a solution to schedule meetings easily. Unlike your existing calendar, 1code gives you the ability to share your calendar with your contacts of your choice, so that they can see when you are busy or available. Save time on scheduling meetings.
I was at a networking event, opened my 1code app and quickly scanned a business card, I was amazed how easy it was to save that contact and the auto invite email that was sent to that contact! That's what I call an easy connection!
I love 1code! Saves me tons of money on business cards by sharing with everyone my 1code, no need for business cards anymore.
My business meeting went much smoother with 1code! We exchanged information between 10 people attending the meeting using the bluetooth feature, it was so fast I was blown away!
Trending events feature is great. It saves me tons of time and helps me find most valuable information
Calendar feature in trending event was really nice
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KavaCafe.com is for sale!
A backlink for a given web resource is a link from some other website (the referrer) to that web resource (the referent). A web resource may be (for example) a website, web page, or web directory.
A backlink is a reference comparable to a citation. The quantity, quality, and relevance of backlinks for a web page are among the factors that search engines like Google evaluate in order to estimate how important the page is. PageRank calculates the score for each web page based on how all the web pages are connected among themselves, and is one of the variables that Google Search uses to determine how high a web page should go in search results. This weighting of backlinks is analogous to citation analysis of books, scholarly papers, and academic journals. A Topical PageRank has been researched and implemented as well, which gives more weight to backlinks coming from the page of a same topic as a target page.
Search engines often use the number of backlinks that a website has as one of the most important factors for determining that website's search engine ranking, popularity and importance. Google's description of its PageRank system, for instance, notes that "Google interprets a link from page A to page B as a vote, by page A, for page B." Knowledge of this form of search engine rankings has fueled a portion of the SEO industry commonly termed linkspam, where a company attempts to place as many inbound links as possible to their site regardless of the context of the originating site. The significance of search engine rankings is pretty high, and it is regarded as a crucial parameter in online business and the conversion rate of visitors to any website, particularly when it comes to online shopping. Blog commenting, guest blogging, article submission, press release distribution, social media engagements, and forum posting can be used to increase backlinks.
Websites often employ SEO techniques to increase the number of backlinks pointing to their website. Some methods are free for use by everyone whereas some methods, like linkbaiting, require quite a bit of planning and marketing to work. There are also paid techniques to increase the number of backlinks to a target site. For example, private blog networks can be used to purchase backlinks.
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Two Great Greyhounds on Steve Caporizzo's Pet Connection
If you missed "Pet Connection" today on the " Sean and Richie Show", here is another chance for you to take a look at a couple of great pets up for adoption. We would love to thank our sponsor The Animal Hospital in Guilderland for their help in getting these pets new homes. Let's take a look at the pets featured today.
Nova is a beautiful, 2 year old white & fawn greyhound, about 75 pounds.
He is a mellow fellow, a quiet greyhound who knows his name. As easy going as Nova is, he tested as not tolerant of cats. Small dogs are fine. Nova gets nervous when he goes into a new environment and it takes him a day or two to feel comfortable. He does still pull on the leash a bit and could use some work on this.
He likes his crate and has no problem going right in and making himself comfortable. He rides very well in a vehicle. He lays right down and relaxes. Nova would do best in a home with other dogs, especially greyhounds. He would do better with a fenced yard rather than having ONLY a leash walk option. Once he is settled, he is very sweet, loving and absolutely perfect in the house. No marking, no chewing or tearing anything up. He is a complete gentleman and a total love sponge! Nova has been trained in basic obedience in a Florida state prison for 12 weeks.
TIMOTHY, is a looker, and a dear little soul. He is only 2 years old (B.D. May 1, 2009) but he is very calm and stoic for just a young pup.
He is a beautiful Red color with dark muzzle and weighs 74 lbs. TIMOTHY is shy and reserved at first until he gets to know you. He loves his crate and pretty much prefers to be in it most of the time. He's on the quiet side and does not get too excited over anything.... a nice mellow boy.
He does not jump up on people and is very gentle. Timothy tested cat safe, had not one iota of interest in the 2 separate cat tests with different cats. And, he gets along very well with other dogs of all sizes. TIMOTHY would do best in a home with a fenced yard. He has no problem going outside and coming in when he is called. You can visit TIMOTHY at one of our regular events or in his foster home by appointment.
For more information on these and other great pets contact, Forever Home Greyhounds at 518-428-3254. Or visit their website at, www.foreverhomegreyhounds.com


text: ACCESSION NUMBER:00000 FILE ID:96022803.LAR DATE:02/28/96 TITLE:28-02-96 COLOMBIAN, ECUADORIAN URGE UNITED FRONT ON DRUGS, CORRUPTION TEXT: (Serrano, Zavala speak at Symposium of the Americas) strngr (700) By Michael Malone USIA Special Correspondent MIAMI -- The director of the Colombian National Police and Ecuador's customs director both told a conference Feb. 27 that only a united front and international cooperation could combat the scourge and penetration of the drug industry and corruption in the hemisphere and thereby open the door to free trade. "To effectively battle the narcotraffickers requires that all countries recognize the problem is international and that no country blames another for the problem, because every country -- absolutely every one -- must shoulder some of the responsibility," said Gen. Rosso Jose Serrano, who headed Colombia's anti-drug police from 1990-93 and has served as director general of the National Police since 1994. Serrano, nicknamed the "druglord hunter" in Colombia for his success in arresting the heads of first the Medellin, then the Cali cartels, received a standing ovation by the hundreds gathered at the two-day Customs/Trade/Finance Symposium of the Americas organized by the U.S. Customs Service and the private sector. The director general called 1995 a "brilliant year" in his country's long-standing fight against narcotics trafficking. In addition to the efforts in Colombia, he lauded the United States, citing the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) specifically, for the cooperation they lent in tracking down drug fugitives. "They gave us information they had compiled in Miami, New York and other U.S. cities," Serrano said. "We were surprised by our rapid success, but in less than six months time, we were able to capture the leading members of the cartels." The director general said that high rewards offered for the capture of drug barons proved a successful strategy in Colombia and might be used in other countries. Colombia offered the equivalent of $5 million in reward money for the capture of Pablo Escobar Gaviria and other drug kingpins. After many years of eluding authorities, Escobar was surrounded and shot to death in a shootout with Colombian police in December 1993. Serrano called the fight against narcotics trafficking "never-ending," and speculated that in Colombia and other countries future drug operations would be smaller than the massive cartel operations of recent years. "Drug traffickers are most hurt when hit in their pocketbooks and wallets," Serrano said. He added the industry that supports the drug trade, from the users to those in the government that have accepted their bribes, has penetrated every strata of society. The cost of lives lost in Colombia has been horrendous, Serrano said, citing the 3,500 police officers, four presidential candidates, eight magistrates, four judges and one attorney general targeted and killed in Colombia by the drug traffickers in recent years. Jorge Zavala Egas, director general of customs in Ecuador, lamented the vicious cycle of corruption that has plagued customs in his country over the past 60 years but said that computerization and the involvement of the private sector in customs operations in past years has eliminated about 92 percent of corruption. In Ecuador like in many countries, importation tariffs generate a substantial percentage of national revenues, Zavala said, a reality that leaves the customs administration a target for graft and corruption. Ecuador has eliminated about 250 government workers from the customs department, transferring those services and jobs to the private sector, both domestically and internationally, and cutting corruption in the process, Zavala said. Widespread public outcry finally forced a "full-fledged fight against the political powers" that maintained and prospered from the corruption, the customs director said. The customs administration in Ecuador presently receives no monies from the national treasury. Zavala spoke at a morning session, "People and Products: Keeping Ahead of the Flow," on the final day of the two-day symposium. The conference, which grew out of the Summit of the Americas held here in December 1994, was first held last year. NNNN