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In summary
You may have heard the state has the highest taxes in the country, or that Prop. 13 has saved or ruined California. But what's really true, or half true? Share your questions and we'll find out.
The tax season is upon us.
As you're calculating state and federal payments, you may be wondering: How much am I paying? What am I paying for? Or simply, where does it all go?
I can't answer the federal portion—we're not FEDmatters—but I would like to help you understand what happens here in California.
You may have heard proclamations about how the state has high, if not the highest, taxes in the country. Or declarations that Proposition 13, the landmark property tax control measure voters adopted in 1978, has either saved or ruined California. But what's really true or half true?
It's generally agreed the state has a progressive tax structure that's dependent on the wealthy, largely through income taxes. Some warn that our over-reliance on the rich has created a volatile tax structure that leads to multi-billion dollar deficits in a recession. Yet voters are making the choice: California twice passed income tax hikes on the rich—in 2012 and again in 2016.
So what can be done? Although changing the tax system is hard, a lot of proposals this year aim to do it.
In the Legislature, Democratic state Sen. Kevin de León of Los Angeles has proposed allowing taxpayers to sidestep the new $10,000 federal cap on state and local tax deductions—a GOP-pushed cap that which was widely viewed as a knock against progressive states with high taxes such as California. De León's SB 227 and SB 581 would allow taxpayers to make charitable contributions to public schools, state colleges and state parks and receive an 85 percent state tax credit for their contribution.
Republican state Sen. Jeff Stone of Riverside is proposing to tax California's wealthy property owners who live out-of-state. He recently introduced a bill requiring those property owners to pay a prorated share of their income taxes based on the amount of time they spend in California. Stone would like to use that money to give tax exemptions on the first $100,000 in income for individuals and $200,000 for joint filers.
And Democratic state Sen. Bob Hertzberg of Los Angeles has a bill to impose a sales tax on professional business services, from accounting to web design. His proposal calls for offsetting the new tax by lowering the state corporate and income tax.
Voters this fall may finally have a shot at modifying Prop. 13, often described as California's political third rail. A coalition of civil rights and community organizations is trying to put a measure on the November ballot to tax commercial properties at market values. Known as "split roll," the measure would generate between $6 billion and $10 billion annually for local government and schools while leaving Prop. 13 protections for homeowners untouched.
Some ideas will quickly fade due to a lack of political appetite or appeal, yet these ideas all suggest a fundamental need to reevaluate California's tax code.
In the next few weeks, I'll be working on a project to explain California's state and local tax system. I'll discuss what it looks like, where the money comes from and where it goes. I'll also decipher some of the odd interactions between the state and local governments as they divvy up different pots of money.
For now, I would love to hear from you. What would you like to know about California's tax system? What has confused or frustrated you?
For example:
- How do California taxes compare to taxes in other states?
- How much of the state tax burden does Silicon Valley shoulder?
- Where do state and local taxes really go?
We'll be sharing updates, and using the hashtag #cmtaxes.
My hope is to help residents understand what your taxes pay for, how the system got this way, and what it means to the state, your school and your community during good and bad times.


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Wednesday, November 7, 2012
The Prize
Simple. To be a part of something bigger and more noble than themselves, so that their lives can gain stature, and be uplifted by association, and by inclusion.
Look at the phenomenon of Stephen Ambrose and "Band of Brothers". Dr. Ambrose was a dedicated professional historian, and a skilled writer, but when he decided to tell the story of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment's E Company, he opened a floodgate of emotion and need in the United States.
"Band of Brothers" is the story of a group of men who were ordinary soldiers at the time - skilled, yes, but there were hundreds of other military units manned with competent citizen-soldiers, and dozens with an equivalent level of proficiency.
But what was ordinary then seems extraordinary today.
Dr, Ambrose recognized the innate nobility in these men, and the justice of the cause in which they fought, and in which some of them died. It's not that he made them ten feet tall; he just cleared away the underbrush of sad years that had grown up in the last half of the 20th century, so we could see their true stature.
I think we want that stature today. We want heroes, and causes of mythic proportions. We want to feel that we can be better than we think we are.
Better than we think we are. The real point that Ambrose (and Tom Brokaw, author of "The Greatest Generation") makes is that these men were 'common', that they came from every region and social class. They didn't see themselves as noble, and like Bill Maudlin's cartoon characters "Willie and Joe", many of them griped their way through the killing fields, wanting to get it done and go home.
People like us. They were caught on a cusp that forced greatness on them...but so are we all. Every one of us faces challenges in our lives that invite us to rise above what we are, above what we thought we could be. Challenges in action, yes, but also in compassion, challenges in forgiveness, challenges in duty, honor, and fair play.
We can be better than we think we are. We CAN be as good as we really are.
It's our choice. Every day.
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Education plays an essential role in the development of careers of people everywhere. However, this doesn't mean that one will learn all they need to know from the education system for their career paths. Experience is the key, and this is especially true in the career of nursing. Nursing is all about caring for the needs of others, and there are a wide variety of people that need help. At this point, new nurses are exposed to people of all ages, colors, religions, and etc. Inevitably, new nurses will meet people they will not like. But this doesn't change the fact that the patient will still need help, and new nurses will have to grapple with this idea for quite some time. It is difficult to be polite and stay calm in the face of people consumed by rage at the difficulty of their unfortunate situation, but it is never the less the job of nurses to do so.
Another thing that nursing school doesn't teach you is the essential qualities related to reporting. It is addressed in nursing school, but many new nurses are surprised at how important they become in real world situations. They are also difficult to write and as such consume a lot of time. Speaking of time, time management, multitasking and prioritizing are all skills that aren't exactly covered in nursing school. Nurses frequently have to attend to multiple patients in a single shift, and as such cannot spend too much or too little time on a single patient. However, some patients require more time than others, so judgement calls need to be made. It is most certainly a hefty job.
As a result, the stress levels in nurses reach an almost epidemic level. Many nurses turn to unhealthy habits to cope with the gruesome things they witness on the job. Witnessing death firsthand seems to be one of the most difficult things to encounter. By all means, new nurses are aware that this may happen right in front of them, but knowing and seeing are two different things. There is no way to be prepared for it, and it could take years of experience before one learns how to deal with the emotions witnessing death brings about.
Sometimes, dealing with the stress is as simple as overeating. Other times, it gets so bad that drug abuse seems warranted to many nurses. For new nurses, finding healthy ways to deal with stress in a moderate fashion is extremely difficult, but it must be done for the sake of their mental health.
Doctors are an essential part of the hospital workplace, but dealing with them is not really covered in nursing school either. Lots of doctors are overworked to the point of exhaustion, and cannot help taking out that built in frustration on a new nurse who is constantly messing up because they haven't got in the swing of things yet. Learning how to remain calm or use humor to defuse intense situations with them is just another part of getting acquainted with the job.
Lastly, nursing school will not teach one just how much of a life-fulfilling job nursing is. When the entire staff, one's new friends and family members all collaborate and work together like a well-oiled machine to save a life, it really does make dealing with all of the problems mentioned before bearable, because helping people and saving lives are the entire point of nursing to begin with.
Gary Wordsworth is a freelance writer who focuses on education, professional training, employment trends, the national economy, global economic trends, and other engaging issues; should you go for a nursing career, in addition to excellent training be sure to obtain first-rate nursing scrubs as they're essential for success.
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The care of biopsy and surgical sites should be with gentle cleansing with soap and water. Then either gently pat dry or air just a few minutes. The wound should then have petrolatum jelly (Vaseline™) or Aquaphor™ applied in a thin layer to cover the area. The last step would be to apply a bandage or other protective dressing. Unless they become dirty or damaged, the dressing should be changed once a day after cleansing.
While many have done this for years, we know that wounds really do heal more quickly and with less scarring when the care of gentle cleansing, a thin layer of petrolatum jelly, and a dressing are used each day. Very simply, new skin cells grow better this way!
While these products were used for many years, they are no longer recommended as they can cause an allergic reaction called contact dermatitis. This would be similar to a poison ivy reaction. Also, they do not really provide appropriate antibacterial (fight bacteria) properties. For these reasons, we no longer recommend them and prefer petrolatum jelly (Vaseline™) or Aquaphor™.
Wounds can at times be red from suture or inflammation from the procedure itself. It is important to watch for the signs of infection which may include: increasing redness, warmth, swelling, pain, or a purulent drainage. If you notice these changes in your wound, it would be important to call the office at 916-739-1505.
Our Board-Certified dermatologists are well-trained and have extensive experience in the diagnosis of conditions involving hair and nails as well as skin conditions.
Not only are our doctors all trained in treating all skin types, they have decades of combined experience in treating patients in the Greater Sacramento region, an area well-recognized for its broad ethnic diversity.
Dermatology is at times like "family practice of the skin," and our physicians see patients of all ages everyday---from newborn to centenarian (100 years old!). Our physicians enjoy seeing all ages including babies, school-age children, and teenagers.
At times patients become frustrated with treating acne. It takes time for medications to work and different patterns of acne require different treatments. We usually ask patients to recognize that at one month of treatment we want to see half as many "new" acne lesions, and that at two months 60-70% improvement is a good goal. When an acne treatment program isn't working, it is important to check-in and review with the doctor to make sure medications are being used correctly and/or another treatment plan needs to be considered. Our physicians are experts in selecting and developing a treatment plan for you including a range of topical and oral therapies. For difficult and resistant cystic or scarring acne, our physicians have decades of experience with isotretinoin (Accutane™).
The basic rule is: SPF 30 or higher, UVA and UVB protection, find one you like and use it! And to reapply the sunscreen every two hours, more often if you are in water or it gets rubbed off.
It is important to not only use sunscreen, but to wear hats with a 3-4 inch brim and sunglasses. Our dermatologists also recommend SPF or UPF clothing as it protects throughout the day.


text: :Heh. I tried your suggestion and I used up 2.2 Gigs of disk space :and then got a (legitimate) 'disk full' error. ktrace.out had :grown to 2GB. : :The bmake of firefox usually runs for only five minutes or so :before crapping out with 'write error' -- so my gut tells me :that using ktrace probably prevented some race condition from :causing the 'write error'. But of course I'm only guessing. Welll.. were you writing the ktrace.out file to the same partition that bmake puts its objects on ? If there is really a bad sector on the disk, the existance of the ktrace file would have definitely changed the block allocations. -Matt Matthew Dillon <dillon at xxxxxxxxxxxxx>


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Summit Activation # 529
I operated today 80 minutes from the Dörenberg, DM/NS-036, and managed in this time 68 cw QSOs – on 28 MHz!
Okay – it was the DARC 10m Contest. Station was 40W and a horizontal polarized Delta Loop in about 8m height, Condx for groundwave were really good and I wondered about so many far distance QSos.
I heard, we had Meteor Scatter … that were the reason – but I do not know how to recognize that. It was uncomfortably cold and icy. In our area yesterday was freezing rain and it was no pleasure to go up the mountain. For the climb, I needed more than twice the time than under normal conditions.


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Paige Arnoff-Fenn began her marketing career in brand management at Procter & Gamble in 1990. She ran a joint venture within the Department of the Treasury for the 1996 Olympic Games as general manager of the commemorative coin program selling over $100 million of Olympic Coins in 45 countries around the world.
Paige was Assistant to Chief Marketing Officer Sergio Zyman at The Coca-Cola Company and was SVP Marketing at Launch Media helping the company go public in 1999 before it was sold to Yahoo. Paige ran marketing and e-commerce at Inc.com a spinoff of Inc Magazine that was sold to Bertelsmann and she also ran marketing and sales at Zipcar expanding the business from a local Boston firm to Washington, DC and NYC.
Paige chairs the Board of Trustees at the Sports Museum at the Boston Garden and is also Chair of the Alumni Board at Stanford University where she earned her degree in economics. She received her MBA from Harvard Business School.
What are you working on right now?
Lots of cool stuff:
Continuing my Listening Tour: Read NY Times article
Setting up Customer Advisory Boards for my clients so they can listen too.
Gearing up Sports Museum Board for our annual tradition event.
3 Trends that excite you?
Information Overload — how everyone is dealing with, how they filter, who they trust and go to.
Voice of the Customer — now that they are in control there is no turning back.
Back to Basics — recession has made people do more with less, appreciate and enjoy friends and simple things more.
How do you bring ideas to life?
Blood, sweat and tears! I have ideas all the time. I try to write them down so I don't lose track of the good ones. Hardest part for me is to focus and prioritize but once I do I just make lists and start crossing things off. Once I wrap my head around it and can see the vision, I have to make it happen. I'm very results oriented and love to turn ideas into reality. I'm very good at the 80/20 rule and just keep going until it is done then I come back and tweak it later to make it better but I have to see it first to know it is real even if it is not perfect.
What is one mistake that you made, and what did you learn from it?
I got burned by a former colleague who tried to cut me out of my own deal. I learned that I'd rather trust someone and be wrong than never to have taken the chance and that in the end the client referred more business to me and respects my sense of professionalism and ethics. He made a donation in my name to a charity for the amount my former colleague tried to steal away, a very classy move while she lost his business and his respect.
What is one business idea that you're willing to give away to our readers?
Mystery shop your own business when possible and set up your own listening tour with current, prospective and lost customers. You'll be amazed what you find out!
How did you come up with the name for your company?
I started getting lots of requests for help right after 9/11 when marketing was the first thing to get cut across the board. I had more work and clients than I could service by myself so I started calling the best people I worked with in my career. I jokingly referred to the women as the Marketing Mavens and the guys as the Marketing Moguls and for short I called them Mavens & Moguls, it stuck and here we are 8.5 years later still going strong!
What do you do for fun?
I love sports, movies and travel. Having grown up in New Orleans I am a huge Saints fan and now living in Boston I love the Celtics and Red Sox too. I chair the Board of Trustees at the Sports Museum at the Boston Garden. Any excuse to go to France or Italy, count me in! I was an exchange student in France in high school and Italy in college so am always looking for ways to practice my French & Italian! I just finished reading The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and hope to see the movie this week!
Paige Arnoff-Fenn's company: Mavens & Moguls
Paige Arnoff-Fenn on LinkedIn: LinkedIn
Mario Schulzke is the Founder of ideamensch, which he started a decade ago to learn from entrepreneurs and give them a platform for their ideas.


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Yes, 4 years ago today we held our first meeting. There have been 42 others since and number 44 will be on Wednesday.
While I've done most of the organisation there are many, many people who've been instrumental in making it a success. Whether that was with speaking, finding venues or helping on the day.
Thanks to:
Alan, Ali, Andrew F, Andy W, Apurva, Arivind, Arlene, Ashraf, Ben P, Boryana, Brandon, Cain, Chris S, Colin E, Dan S, Dan U, Daniel, Dave C, Dave H, David T, David W, Dean E, Derrick, Dominique L, George B, Gergely, Gill C, Glenn E, Glynn J, Hermit D, Hosain, Ian G, Iris C, Jaime K, James M, the other James M, Jay B, Jeffrey, Jim C, Johan, John C, Jonathan S, Laith, Lawrence, Lewis, Louis, Mark, Mark R, Martin B, Martin W, Melville, Michael J, Michelle, Mike H, Mike O, Mike T, Neil, Neil R, Ollie, Pat L, Patrick S, Paul F, Paul H, Paul L, Paul M, Pete, Pete V, Phil W, Rafe, Riaz, Rich, Richard C, the other Richard C, Rob F, Rob L, Sam, Sandra S, Sara A, Sebastian W, Sergey, Simon J, Simon R, Stuart H, Stuart L, Sumith, Tolu, Tristan, Wesley and Will
And probably many others I've forgotten/missed-sorry. You're all marvelous!
It just wouldn't have been the same without you all.


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Set at the southernmost tip of the African continent, South Africa teems with travelers' temptations: safaris, wine country, beaches, tribal culture and multicultural cities. The biggest dilemma for any visitor here is not in wanting for choice, but in making the tough decisions on just what to see! For cruisers, a leisurely coastal sailing puts forth a smorgasbord for sampling South African delights.
Most South Africa-based sailings operate out of Cape Town (and to a lesser degree, Durban), navigating through the notorious Cape of Good Hope. (Be forewarned: The seasick-prone need not apply!) Itineraries typically hop between ports along the country's southern and eastern coastline, before perhaps continuing up Africa's southeast coast to Mozambique, and even further still to destinations in Tanzania, Kenya, or Indian Ocean isles such as Madagascar or Mauritius.
While mainstream MSC Cruises maintains a presence in both Cape Town and Durban, offering shorter voyages (from three nights in duration), South Africa-anchored sailings are largely the terrain of upscale cruise lines, many of which embark on lengthy (as in two weeks-plus) itineraries. Silversea Cruises is the biggest regional player in that category (albeit with several shorter, 10-night sailings on the roster); they're joined by Cunard Line, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Oceania Cruises, Ponant and Crystal Cruises.
Our 10-day "safari cruise" with Silversea sailed round-trip from Cape Town, stopping at a handful of South African ports, as well as the port call of Maputo, Mozambique. Click through this slideshow for highlights and pictures of some of the most stunning nature, wildlife and urban scenes that we encountered along the way on our South Africa cruise.
--By Elissa Garay, Cruise Critic contributor
The loveliest and most sophisticated city in South Africa is mountains-meet-the-sea Cape Town, aka the "Mother City." Here, atop picture-postcard Table Mountain, visitors take in sweeping views over one of the world's most stunning nature-meets-city settings (perhaps akin only to Rio). It's easy to fill up days swimming and sun worshipping on golden shores, hiking in urban parks, wandering the pleasantly revitalized V&A Waterfront (which is walking distance from the port), visiting bountiful area vineyards, uncovering the country's complicated past at historical sites and museums, and exploring impoverished, but lively, proud and fascinating townships. Evenings, meanwhile, give way to terrific options for dining, drinking and live entertainment in trendy establishments.
Tip: Hiking or taking the cable car up to Table Mountain is the city's defining attraction (an excursion on offer by pretty much every cruise line that stops here), but it's also weather-dependent and subject to closures when cloud cover or strong winds deem it too dangerous for visitation. Plan your outing early in your trip so there's room to accommodate a Table Mountain visit later on, should it be necessary.
With many cruise itineraries starting and/or ending in Cape Town, use any extra time you have on either end of the sailing to get beyond the city center, out onto the southerly Cape Peninsula. This sliver of mountainous terrain dramatically gives way to wave-battered beaches, jutting out just near to the rendezvous point of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Wonderfully suited for a full-day diversion, the peninsula's attractions are plentiful, with much of the land preserved in national parkland. Highlights include sipping wine at historic Constantia vineyards, stopping for fresh-seafood lunches in charming coastal towns, hiking amid cliffs and coast at Cape Point, hanging out with the colony of penguin beach bums at Boulders Beach, driving the snaking roads of legendary Chapman's Peak Drive, and winding down with an oceanfront "sundowner" (perhaps at the famous Leopard Bar at Twelve Apostles Hotel).
Tip: Driving -- done on the left-hand side here -- can be a challenge for American visitors to South Africa, but the Peninsula's many charms are best explored by vehicle. While some cruise lines offer shore excursions on the Cape by coach, we recommend hiring a private guide/driver for the day to explore the delights of the Cape Peninsula at whim, free of herded groups and imposed time constraints. We had success with the excellent guides and private tours organized via PG Tops.
Hugging Algoa Bay, pleasant Port Elizabeth is a popular port, thanks to its proximity to the excellent Addo Elephant National Park. Often overlooked, however, the city itself is well worth a poke around, time permitting; cruise lines typically offer some sort of city highlights tour here, by foot or by coach. Beaches and watersports are omnipresent here, but don't miss the more interesting city center, where revitalization projects have revived lovely historic Victorian buildings and coated public spaces with intriguing public art projects.
Tip: On the southern tip of Algoa Bay, visitors can check out the pretty Cape Recife lighthouse, dating to 1851. For a closer look, as part of a private city tour independent of the ship, hook up with the fine guides at Alan Tours; it's the only tour company that can get you access to the charming lighthouse's interior.
The malaria-free "Big Five" (elephants, buffalo, rhinos, lions and leopards) reserve at Addo Elephant National Park is just a 45-minute drive outside of Port Elizabeth. It's a can't-miss excursion (all cruise lines and local tour companies are sure to offer safaris here) because it offers one of the largest concentrations of elephants within all of Africa; they've got more than 600 pachyderms here. You're pretty much guaranteed elephant encounters, and could stumble upon scores of them if you're lucky enough to find them congregating at a watering hole. Apart from the Big Five, also look out for hyena, zebra, antelope and warthogs.
Tip: Massive Addo is nearly 445,000 acres in size; it's South Africa's third-largest national park. Because it extends from the Karoo all the way to the coastline, it can uniquely market itself as a "Big Seven" park, factoring in the great white sharks and southern right whales that teem in the marine section of the park, off the Algoa Bay coast. Consider tacking on a "marine safari" boat trip to round out your experience.
Fronting the Indian Ocean, Mozambique's lush capital proposes an interesting architectural tapestry of rising modern towers, Soviet-style apartment blocks and fading Portuguese colonial-era buildings. Bustling and lively, Maputo is seeing an economic revival fueled by new natural resource-driven investments, a welcome reprieve following many hard years during the nation's brutal civil war (which ended in 1992). Sign up for a cruise line-run "city highlights" excursion to peruse a sprinkling of museums (don't miss the taxidermy and strange display of elephant fetuses at the Natural History Museum), visit historic sites (including a century-old train station and Portuguese fort), haggle in colorful marketplaces, and take in curiosities like the Gustave Eiffel-designed Iron House.
Tip: Note that all American visitors need a tourist visa to visit Mozambique; your cruise line will likely take care of the visa application for you right onboard the ship, for a supplementary fee. Additionally, Maputo falls within an area that is at risk for malaria; view the CDC website for up-to-date info, and discuss preventative measures with your doctor ahead of arrival.
Shoppers will delight in browsing the many lively markets of Maputo, where fishmongers present the day's catch; produce vendors push spices, fruits and veggies; and artisans display their handcrafted wares. One don't-miss marketplace is the recently renovated Municipal Market, dating to 1901, with its colorful piles of spices and produce, sold by local women dressed in vibrant sarongs and head-wraps. The FEIMA- Feira de Artesanato, Flores e Gastronomica arts-and-crafts fair is another solid bet, with its selection of handmade local batiks, woodcarvings, masks and more.
Tip: Haggling, especially at the crafts markets, is the norm; prepare for a bit of good-natured back-and-forth before settling on a price.
Set within the KwaZulu-Natal province, the industrial port town of Richards Bay itself offers little in the way of interest to visitors, but it is the gateway to some superlative wildlife reserves (including Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park and iSimangaliso Wetland Park), as well as to the land of the Zulu people. For a cheesy-but-worthwhile brush with the Zulu, consider a visit to the romanticized Zulu cultural village Shakaland -- a former set for the 1980s TV series Shaka Zulu, which depicted the fierce warrior of the same name. About an hour's drive outside of Richards Bay, guests on this popular ship-run shore excursion will experience a traditional Zulu dance performance, learn a bit more about Zulu cultural traditions and social structures, and have a chance to sample Zulu cuisine via a lunch buffet.
Tip: You'll have a chance to shop here for some traditional and inexpensive Zulu beadwork jewelry, with local vendors setting up makeshift shops on blankets. Be sure to ask your guide for tips on verifying the products' authenticity.
Tongue-twister it may be, the biologically diverse Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park (pronounced "shloo-shloo-ee im-fuh-low-zee") presents one of South Africa's top game reserves. The park offers a pleasing setting of steep cliffs and valleys, rivers and watering holes, and wonderfully diverse flora and fauna -- all about a 90-minute drive from Richards Bay. Visitors might encounter any or all of the Big Five here, along with a population of wildlife including giraffe, antelope and wild dogs.
Tip: The park is especially notable for its rhinos (black and white) -- in fact, due to the park's ongoing conservation efforts, it's one of the best places in the world to see them in the wild. For your best chance at seeing one, head out on a ranger-guided safari tour arranged by your cruise line (or a reputable local tour company) and express your interest in trying to spot one. Chances are that the ranger has the most up-to-date info on the animals' most recent movements within the park -- though keep in mind that when it comes to wildlife, there are never guarantees.
No one should leave Richards Bay without a visit to the neighboring iSimangaliso Wetland Park, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for the rich and varied ecosystems it encompasses. A two-hour nature cruise on Lake St. Lucia is a highlight here, bringing visitors face to face with groups of hippos, enormous Nile crocodiles and any of the hundreds of types of birds (including flamingoes) that congregate here.
Tip: Did you know the most dangerous animal in Africa isn't the lion or even the great white shark? Nope, it's the notoriously aggressive hippo! Steer well clear if should you stumble upon one in your path on land, though you'll be quite secure spotting them from the safety of the boat.
Multicultural Durban -- the busiest port and second-largest city in South Africa -- is known for its sun-and-surf setting fringing the Indian Ocean. Visitors that get beyond the beach will be well rewarded with glimpses of the rich cultural diversity of this city-by-the-sea. The Zulu people are the best represented, but there are plenty of descendants of European settlers and a sizeable Indian population, too. (Interesting fact: Ghandi once lived and practiced law here.) Visitors looking for unique cultural encounters can seek out experiences such as a stroll through the Indian District or a visit to a transporting traditional Zulu healing market.
Tip: For an authentic, slice-of-life look into Durban's animated street life, you'll need to get beyond the traditional and more mundane "city highlights" stops (botanical gardens, beaches) common to the cruise lines' shore excursions. Consider an engaging outing with local outfit Street Scene, which offers half- and full-day tours focused on off-the-path city highlights, township visits and/or visits to historical sites such as Mahatma Gandhi's onetime Durban home.


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Sunday, August 19, 2012
Sunday Ramblings…
It started out because of a reading slump. No reading = no reviews. Then there was a serious illness in my family that kept me out of town frequently and not really in the mood to blog. The situation has improved and thank you to the bloggers out there (you know who you are) who let me vent through this difficult time. I still can't believe how important you've all become to me. Seriously – some days you guys are the ones that help put a smile on my face or help me make it through a frustrating day.
On the plus side I'm really enjoying reading now and have caught up with most of my review obligations. That has taken an enormous weight off me and has allowed me to view blogging as a hobby again. I'm excited to get back to it. I also don't feel the need to post 7 days a week anymore or write deep, novel length reviews. I'm hoping to get back to my earlier spontaneous style of blogging. It was just more fun for me that way.
So yeah….that's my boring TMI Sunday Ramble for this week and now I'm going to link up a few earlier posts that you may have missed.
This Is Not A Test by Courtney Summers
52 Reasons to Hate My Father by Jessica Brody
Goddess Interrupted (Goddess Test #2) Aimee Carter
Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake
The Darkest Seduction (Lord's of the Underworld #9) by Gena Showalter
Discussion posts:
Book Blogger Confessions changes & Survey
Book Blogger Confessions: Making money off your blog
Getting over my reading slump....
Saturday Spotlight:
Susan Gabriel - The Secret Sense of Wildflower
Happening now!
Book Blogger Confessions topic for Monday 8/20!
The Ultimate Reviewers Challenge! – Keep linking your reviews for the month of August for a chance to win awesome YA Prize Packs!
Jessica Scott - Until There Was You & Giveaway! Ends Saturday 8/25
Just for a dose of oddness – this is a spam comment I got this week on an older review. Not sure why but it cracked me up.
"you're truly a good webmaster. The website loading pace is amazing. It seems that you're doing any
unique trick. Moreover, The contents are masterwork.
you have performed a magnificent process in this matter!
My web page –………"
Why thank you! lol Still not going to click on your link hahaha!
Have a great Sunday everyone!!
Source: someecards
6 comments:
i am so glad to hear the situation is improving with the illness in your family. i'm glad you are over your reading slump as well. summer is a difficult time to read a lot i think.ReplyDelete
I'm glad to hear things are looking up! And I love the spam comment. I leave them up b/c they make me giggle. Have a great week!ReplyDelete
I am so glad it has gotten better with at home. Hugs to allReplyDelete
I am so glad that things are better and that you are out of the slump. HugsReplyDelete
I'm glad you are enjoying reading and blogging again. I get my best feedback from the more spontaneous easy going posts. I should try to remember that.ReplyDelete
Blog to live, don't live to blog. Or something. Seriously, there's no point doing this if it isn't fun. Give yourself a break once in a while, and you'll come back better than ever.ReplyDelete


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Adventure and fun, this print is the one! Get lost in the wild with this cute bear and mountain fabric design. Hand drawn bears, mountains, and and numerous fine grass and flower detail make this design one of a kind.
My designs are offered on a variety of fabric materials to choose from (see details here) and available by the yard, fat quarter, and 8" x 8" sample swatch.
Print scale choices allow you to get the perfect design scale for any project. Please see second image, rulers displayed in inches.
Fabrics are printed on demand with an eco-friendly printing process using natural and synthetic fiber textiles.


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The Indiana Sheriffs Leadership Camp, founded in 1980, was established by sheriffs in order to aid and enhance the development of the state's youth. Originally called the Indiana Sheriffs Career Camp, the camp's name was changed in 2003 to go along with a new curriculum.
The program is designed to achieve three basic objectives. First, the sheriffs want to foster a stronger relationship between our state's youth and the men and women who enforce the laws. Second, the sheriffs want to give children, who ordinarily would not have the opportunity, a chance for a summer camp experience. Third, to give youth a chance to build character and inspire leadership skills.
Sheriffs' deputies who establish positive and friendly relationships with campers are smoothly integrated into recreational learning experiences. Team sports are also emphasized as a vehicle to reach comradeship and discipline. These qualities, learned at a young age, can last a lifetime.
Sheriffs and deputies spend a great deal of time with the kids. Many of the deputies conduct demonstrations in the fields of boat and water safety, K-9 demonstrations, defensive tactics and leadership skills, just to mention a few.
As part of the program's emphasis on youth development and good citizenship, guest lecturers, who provide informative programs on how our government works and why our laws exist, are enlisted to speak to the campers. Other programs are geared to teach the campers of drug and alcohol abuse. It is the sheriff's goal to teach every child a healthy respect for our laws and our democratic process.
Download a Youth Leadership Camp Donation Form


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2012 KTM Motorcycle
Completely redone for 2012, the 500 EXC has a new chromoly frame to go along with its new engine.
Almost six pounds lighter than the previous 500 EXC, the engine has a lighter piston and connecting rod.
Fuel injection is employed to keep the 510cc motor humming. The suspension, front and rear, is provided by WP.
USD forks and a new PDS shock are employed; travel is just over 13 inches in the rear and a tad under a foot up front.The Euro version is shown here, without DOT accoutrements.
2012 KTM 500 EXC Quick Stats:
- ENGINE TYPE: SOHC single
- BORE x STROKE: 95mm x 72mm
- STARTING: Electric and kick
- TRANSMISSION: 6-speed
- WHEELBASE: 58.3 inches
- SUSPENSION Travel front/rear: 11.8″/13.2″
- DRY WEIGHT: 250 pounds
For a look into the entire 2011 motorcycle lineup, check out the Ultimate MotorCycling Digital Buyer's Guide.
Also, if you want stay up to date on the latest in motorcycle news, "Like" Ultimate MotorCycling on Facebook.


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In the sixth installment of our summer reading series, we spoke to Dr. Jehu Hanciles, D.W. and Ruth Brooks Associate Professor of World Christianity at the Candler School of Theology.
Dr. Hanciles' suggestion aligns with his own research interests and it even has a great Georgia connection! He highly recommends Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference, by Warren St. John (Random House, 2009). This novel explores the many changes that resulted in the community of Clarkston, Georgia, after it became home to a large and diverse refugee population in the 1990s. The story focuses on the work of a Jordanian woman who used the power of soccer to bring the disparate community together. The book is a culmination of the author's work as a New York Times reporter, and readers of all ages will find inspiration in its pages.
A wonderful companion volume to this non-fiction work can be found in Dr. Hanciles' own Beyond Christendom: Globalization, African Migration, and the Transformation of the West (Orbis Books, 2008). As the title suggests, Dr. Hanciles presents readers with a nuanced view of global Christianity, tracing the impact of migration in the expansion of Christian religious expression. According to Dr. Hanciles, "Christianity is the most migratory of religions" and as such, the current climate of South-North migrations will greatly impact both Western Christianity and Christian mission in general. This readable text is a superb addition to any bookshelf, and we enthusiastically recommend it!
Next week, we will hear from Dr. Susan Hylen, professor of New Testament at Candler, so don't miss it!


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Timo Werner suffered a dead leg, but Frank Lampard is hopeful the Chelsea forward will be fit to face Liverpool.
Chelsea head coach Frank Lampard hopes Timo Werner is fit to face Liverpool after suffering a dead leg, while Christian Pulisic has had a setback.
Werner won a penalty on his Chelsea debut as Lampard's side recorded a 3-1 win over Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League on Monday.
While the forward played 90 minutes, Lampard confirmed Werner had suffered a dead leg, although he expects the Germany international to be ready to face Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Timo took the knock when he won the penalty," he told reporters.
"It's more of a dead leg we hope so I wouldn't think too much in terms of next week there.
"But I would like to think if it's a dead leg we've got a bit of time for him to get back and right and he obviously finished the game from having that earlyish kind of knock."
While Leandro Trossard equalised early in the second half for Brighton to cancel out Jorginho's penalty, Reece James' stunner and Kurt Zouma's deflected strike sealed three points for Chelsea.
Chelsea were without Pulisic for the trip after he suffered a hamstring injury in the FA Cup final loss to Arsenal on August 1.
Lampard confirmed the United States international had a setback as he pushed to get fit for the clash with Brighton.
"Christian was training with us last week, but he had a little bit of discomfort a couple of days ago where he was trying to train with us and being in contention for today, it would've been a big ask for today," he said.
"But he's had to take a few steps back so we'll have to see so that's one I don't have big news on at the minute. We'll see."
Lampard set his Chelsea team out in a 4-3-3 formation during the match – with Werner in the middle of a three-pronged attack featuring Kai Havertz and Mason Mount.
The Blues legend revealed he was aware that he would likely need to experiment with a number of different formations to find the right fit for his players.
"I don't want to pin us down to one system. We have three or four players who want to play as a number 10 for us but I want us to be adaptable," he said.
"We have a lot of attacking players, I want us to be fluid, I want that movement. We weren't as fluid as we can be today but we will work on that.


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Not just any tree will do.
When I go to market, I pick the themes and ornaments that will adorn the Christmas tree first. Then I look for just the right type, structure, and color that will fit the decor that will be displayed on it.
What do I mean by this?
Depending on how large your ornaments are, you need room between the branches so that your ornaments hang straight. If you are using icicles, pay attention to how long they are and place them on the outer tips where they will show off hanging straight. Large blown glass laser balls are some of my favorite ornaments. For many years, I have always purchased these from Jim Marvin who does work for the White House Christmas every year. Displayed in the tree above, you can view them tucked way inside the tree. They fill many holes and therefore, give your tree a very full look.


text: An interesting article here on meditation in the school system. The 'balanced' tone of the article (adding voice to skeptics at the end) reminds me of articles on climate change a few years ago, before science overwhelmed the naysayers. Will the science that comes out of this project start to shift the tone of the dialogue around this topic ... ?


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REV'IT! Launches New Expedition H2O Adventure Boots
Serious off-road protection in a comfortable waterproof adventure boot.
ADV boots are a big ask. Like the bikes we ride, we need boots that come with a split personality, offering MX-level protection for all the off-road journeying, as well as flexibility and comfort when we're ready to explore the waypoints.
Enter REV'IT!'s very ambitious Expedition H2O. Claimed by REV'IT! to be the most technically-advanced adventure boot on the market, they are also one of the highest priced at $769.99. So what do you get for all that dough? Well, according to the manufacturer, just about everything.
Let's start with the protective features. REV'IT! has wrapped the heel and ankle quadrant of these boots with a Dynamic Control System, which creates a supportive, yet energetic connection by using pivot points between a heel cup and calf support frame. It's a hybrid of sorts, protecting the ankle from its most common demons – torsion and hyper extension – while allowing for more flexibility than a traditional moto boot. The under-heel portion of the plastic DCS system introduces some stiffness into the great-for-walking three-layer lament Vibram Apex soles, which should help reduce fatigue during long goes standing on the footpegs.
In addition to the DCS frame, another prominent features of the H20 Expeditions is the beefy TPU shin plate, backed by REV-IT!'s CE level Seesoft foam, intended to disperse energy in the event of footpeg and rock strikes. The uppers on the black boots are a combination of cowhide and SuperFabric, a puncture- and abrasion-resistant material created by laser welding tiny ceramic plates together. (If you opt for the sweet-looking brown version of these boots for the same price you will forgo the SuperFabric in exchange for the sheer sex-appeal of a full suede-look upper.)
Another cool component on the Expeditions is the use of the Boa fastening system, old news in the snowboarding scene and something REV'IT! began introducing into mainstream moto in 2017 with the Discovery Outdry boots. Just slip your foot into the boot, click the dial and turn for an infinitely adjustable fit. When you want to get out, click the dial again for full release. A swatch of hook and loop inside the shin flap seals the deal.
Touted as a four-season boot, the Expeditions are of course claimed to be H20-proof, utilizing REV'IT!'s own waterproof breathable Hydratex membrane. The felt-backed SuperFabric is said to retain heat in cold weather, making us wonder how these husky boots will feel on a hot summer day. At least the silver-ion antibacterial 3D mesh lining will help quell any funk.
On paper these pricey kicks tick every box for serious adventure riders, including RTW-ready good looks. And yeah sure, it might feel like you're buying two boots for the price of two boots, but then again, how many can you wear at a time?
• Boa closure system
• Rubber abrasion edge
• PP insole with integrated shank
• Vibram apex sole
• Multi-density EVA shock absorbing midsole
• Silver-ion antibacterial 3D mesh lining
• Double cuff closure
• Gusseted tongue
• Reinforced heel and toe
• Rubber gear shift pad
• Seesoft protection at tongue
• DSF (Dynamic Support Frame)
• External TPU Shin Plate
• Waterproof
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I don't care how good they are; I am NOT paying $800 for a set of boots. All of Rev'It's stuff is way overpriced. My Sidi Adventures which cost me $300 are awesome.
Definitely agree ! I'd imagine that is US$ price tag so tag on another 35% for the Canucks up North ! I'm not into doing a fashion statement so I slap on a pair of topof the line, Made in the USofA Redwings. Haven't had a issue with snake bits lol or rouge mutts chew'in on my ankles in 7 years
There are a lot of great boots out there for $250 -$400 so no thanks Rev'It! My Forma Adventures I got for $220 are an awesome value.
800$ lol… nope! plus the fact all it takes is that very thin little wire to snap on a branch or rock and the entire boot falls off!!
What you call "a very thin little wire" is the well-proven BOA system that has been implemented for many years now in professional snowboarding boots. In addition these are made out of aircraft stainless steel. Also, once you close the system the wire is basically flushed against the boot.


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Icebreaker is the revolutionary brand that decided, seventeen years ago, to let a new designer lead their clothing sportswear company—Mother Nature. Instead of trying to create the latest synthetic technical fiber, Icebreaker adapted merino wool into a lightweight system of all-season garments, creating every type of base layer and outwear imaginable. Nature is an astonishing designer. Everything it creates is simple, efficient and beautiful…therefore, so is everything that Icebreaker produces.
Icebreaker merino wool is breathable and warm wool without the itchy, I-can't-stand-it-against-my-skin wool that you grew up with. It's fantastic comfort and functionality—soft and non-itch, warm in the cold and cool in the heat. It breathes to prevent clamminess, and it has a miraculous ability to ward off stinkiness – you can run a marathon and still smell as sweet as if you just stepped out of the shower.
When you live in the city, it's easy to feel distanced from nature. Icebreaker is a bridge that reconnects you with nature, and protects in all climates and environments.
The merino is one of the world's most ancient breeds, and one of the toughest. Very different to a regular sheep who chews grass in the lowlands, merino sheep live in the extremes of New Zealand's Southern Alps. Regular sheep would freeze to death up there, but the merino's fleece is built for extremes – making anyone in Icebreaker gear pretty much invincible.
We fell in love with the Women's Cascade Hooded Jacket and its soft, indulgent, lightweight warmth. Perfect as a base layer or in between season jacket, it's an addictive fitted hoodie that makes you a thing of beauty in the cold. Extra hidden pockets are perfect for Metro cards, lip gloss, or carabineers.
The Men's LS Chase Zip is a flawless combination of form and function. Design details like flatlock seams and eyelet gussets give freedom of movement and increase ventilation, while the collar and sleeve binding provides extra protection against winter weather. It also looks fantastic as a semi casual date sweater, and is possibly the ultimate travel shirt—odor resistant and wrinkle free.
Wearing something as versatile as an Icebreaker garment makes you feel like you can conquer the world…you know the sheep felt as good making it as you do wearing it.


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Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has stated that people can 'expect' Paul Pogba to still be at Old Trafford next season.
His words follow months of speculation about the midfielder's uncertain future, which has further been fed by his lengthy absence through injury.
At one point, Solskjaer and United appeared to be on collision course with Pogba's outspoken agent, Mino Raiola, although the war of words cooled when Raiola appeared to climb down last month and admitted that he and his client would be open to new contract talks.
As things stand, Pogba is under contract at United until the end of next season, with the club also holding an option to extend that deal by another 12 months until 2022.Pogba1RashfordWho is older?
Earlier this week, it was claimed that despite a previous desire for a new challenge – he expressed that sentiment early last summer and hasn't personally reiterated it since – Pogba actually sees his long-term future at United.
Solskjaer backed up that report when he asked about Pogba after United thrashed LASK 5-0 in the Europa League last 16 first leg on Thursday night.
"Paul's our player and he's got a year plus an option of his contract. So, you can expect Paul to be here," the United boss is quoted as saying by the Manchester Evening News.
Solskjaer was also quizzed on the future of loan signing Odion Ighalo after the game in Austria, with the Nigerian scoring his fourth goal for the club in spectacular fashion. He hinted that a permanent deal is in the offing as United will still need the attributes Ighalo has next season.
"Odion has come in really well and he will improve and get better. But he has qualities we saw in him and needed and we need those qualities for next season," Solskjaer said in further post-match comments published by the Evening Standard.
"He's a goal-scorer and a striker. He doesn't worry too much about build up play. He knows his job and role in the team, and he's very good with his back to goal. He's a great link player, but maybe the best thing about him is his personality. He's got the whole lot really."
Source: 90min


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New Series "Shelter Me" Is This Month's Must-Watch TV!
There's a lot to love about PBS' new television series "Shelter Me." For starters, it shares uplifting shelter stories to encourage prospective pet owners to adopt their new best friends. It also features tons of adorable dogs and cats, and heartwarming stories that are sure to make you smile—and happy-cry, so have your tissues at the ready!
The sixth episode of the series is hosted by Kristen Bell—actress, long-time animal advocate, dog foster parent, and shelter volunteer. The episode follows Patrick McDonnell, creator of "Mutts," the charming daily comic that captures the lives of a dog and cat duo—and the occasional snail, squirrel or human. Patrick recently launched "Shelter Stories," in which he hopes to encourage people to support their local shelters and adopt animals. The episode follows Patrick on his hunt for inspirational stories at Animal Care Centers across New York City. The resultant cartoons feature Patrick's distinctly minimal artwork and perfectly capture the powerful bond that exists between a pet and their human.
This episode also checks out the very first Cat Café in the United States—Oakland's Cat Town Café. Learn more about the Cat Town Café here.
The series premiered this month, and the first five episodes are now available to stream for free at ShelterMe.TV and have already featured celebrities Jon Hamm, Jane Lynch, Allison Janney, Katherine Heigl and Edie Falco. Or, head to ShelterMe.TV for local TV listings.
"Shelter Me: Hearts & Paws" - Episode 6 Trailer from Steven Latham on Vimeo.


text: In article <3lc215$51r at newshound.uidaho.edu>, kellogg at raven.csrv.uidaho.edu (Scott Kellogg) writes: >Try the following: > >OD550 = (1.0315e-8)(cell number/ml)+1.7633e-3 > >The r-squared for this regression is 0.9997 and the data are for the >genus Vibrio (taken from Primrose & Wardlaw, 1982, Sourcebook of >experiments for the teaching of microbiology, p. 151). This equation is >valid only for ODs from 0.02 to 0.50, and in general one should be use >ODs less than 1 for accuracy (so dilute). > > >Wayne A Sargent (wsargent at badlands.NoDak.edu) wrote: >: I would truly appreciate a formula for converting an OD reading >to #bacterial cells/ml. > If possible, I too would love to be able to use this formula for converting an OD reading into cell concentration. I am doing an experiment with about 15 different bacteria and was planning on generating an OD vs cell count curve for each one. You mentioned that the data that generated the above formula was for Vibrio. How applicable is it to other Genera? I don't need to be incredibly accurate for the experiment I'm doing. Sure would be great not to have to generate all those curves. Thanks for any comment, A.J. McCardell


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'Chromosomal catastrophes' have been found to occur along the evolutionary timeline of colorectal cancer development, according to new research led by Queen Mary University of London.
The findings are published in Nature Ecology & Evolution.
Lead author Dr William Cross from Queen Mary University of London said: "Our results change the way in which we understand how bowel cancers develop. Although the classical model of colorectal cancer development appears correct in some cases, our results suggest that we need to rethink certain aspects of it."
Prof Trevor Graham from Queen Mary University of London said: "Bowel cancer is one of the most common cancers in the UK. Our study gives more insight into how bowel cancer develops, and provides a foundation that we can build upon to develop tools to predict who is at risk of developing the disease."
As tumours grow, different cells acquire various genetic changes that allow them to adapt to their environment. The cells that acquire changes that confer the best chance of survival and growth within the environment are favoured, and so increase in number. This is the basis of cancer evolution. In this way, numerous populations of cells with different genetic codes build up, creating tumours that are highly genetically diverse or heterogeneous.
Understanding how cancers develop and change over time is a big challenge. For obvious reasons, scientists can't simply sit and watch a cancer growing in a person. The researchers from Queen Mary's Barts Cancer Institute were part of a collaborative team that set out to identify when particular genetic changes arise during bowel cancer development.
By comparing the genetics of benign and cancerous bowel tumours, the international team - led by Prof Trevor Graham (Queen Mary University of London) and Prof Ian Tomlinson (University of Oxford and the University of Birmingham) together with co-investigators from the Institute of Cancer Research, University of Helsinki, University of Bern and other international centres - revealed that the benign growths were more heterogeneous than the cancerous tumours.
In addition, the team identified some other striking differences between the genetic makeups of the two tumour types. Unlike the benign samples, the cancerous tumours appeared to have largely rearranged chromosomes (structures that carry our genetic information in the form of genes), with sections of the genetic code being lost or gained.
Using mathematical modelling, the researchers were able to determine when these rearrangements occurred in the timeline of cancer development. Surprisingly, they found that the majority of the genetic alterations occurred very close together in time, possibly even in a single incident referred to by the researchers as a 'chromosomal catastrophe.' This event appeared to be associated with the transition from benign to cancerous tumours.
On the National Health Service, bowel cancer screening is offered to individuals aged 55 and over. When pre-cancerous growths are found within the bowel, they are removed during endoscopy; however a risk of cancer development still exists in some cases. Currently, there is no way of determining which individuals are likely to develop cancer in the future.
With a growing understanding of the genetic events that result in the evolution of malignancy, the team hypothesise that by examining the pre-cancerous tissue removed from a patient, it may be possible to identify genetic features associated with the progression towards cancer. Patients at high risk of developing cancer can then be monitored accordingly.
The research, supported by Cancer Research UK, The Wellcome Trust, Bowel and Cancer Research, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, and other funders, has provided insights into the evolutionary timeline of cancer progression and the team hope that the findings may aid in the identification of individuals at high risk of developing cancer.
To build upon the findings of the current research, the team endeavour to identify the cause of the chromosomal catastrophes. Knowing the cause of these vast genetic rearrangements may provide a means of predicting cancer risk and, if this event could be prevented, may provide an avenue that could be exploited for the development of novel cancer therapies.
For more information, please contact:
Joel Winston
Public Relations Manager (School of Medicine and Dentistry)
Queen Mary University of London
Tel: +44-0-20-7882-7943 / +44-0-7970-096-188
Notes to the editor
* Images are available here: http://bit.
* Research paper: 'The evolutionary landscape of colorectal tumorigenesis'. William Cross, Michal Kovac, Ville Mustonen, Daniel Temko, Hayley Davis, Ann-Marie Baker, Sujata Biswas, Roland Arnold, Laura Chegwidden, Chandler Gatenbee, Alexander R. Anderson, Viktor H. Koelzer, Pierre Martinez, Xiaowei Jiang, Enric Domingo, Dan J. Woodcock, Yun Feng, Monika Kovacova, Tim Maughan, The S:CORT Consortium, Marnix Jansen, Manuel Rodriguez-Justo, Shazad Ashraf, Richard Guy, Christopher Cunningham, James E. East, David C. Wedge, Lai Mun Wang, Claire Palles, Karl Heinimann, Andrea Sottoriva, Simon J. Leedham, Trevor A. Graham & Ian P. M. Tomlinson. Nature Ecology & Evolution (2018)
Available here: https:/


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The Wet Hot American Summer franchise is like a tin can that's overstuffed with vegetables. That's a roundabout way of saying it has more cast members than it knows what to do with–but then again that's the point, so therefore it actually does know what its doing. This show is built to carry the combined weight of dozens of comedy superstars, and any attempt to thin the herd doesn't work because those characters just claw their way back from the grave.
That's what happened in Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later, the latest installment in the Wet Hot epic. Eric (Chris Pine) and Greg (Jason Schwartzman), the two characters that bit the dust in 2015's prequel mini-series First Day of Camp, are revealed to be alive and well and groovin' ten years after the wild summer of '81. But how? Both of them were shot! Greg got a bullet in the forehead and Eric was shot in the chest, fell off a building, and was run over by a military vehicle! How did they survive?!
The first clue that Eric had slipped through death's fingers came at the end of First Day of Camp, which saw Chris Pine's rocker decked out in cowboy garb, hitchin' a ride on the side of the road. Ten Years Later elaborates on that reveal, and it of course involves cyborg assassins.
By episode six (titled "Rain") of Ten Years Later, Mitch (H. Jon Benjamin's camp director-turned-can of vegetables) and Vietnam vet/chef Gene (Christopher Meloni) have recruited Eric and Greg to save Camp Firewood from Ronald Reagan and nuclear weapons. Gene finally asks the question viewers have been asking–or maybe not, since resurrection is actually plausible compared to, you know, nukes under Camp Firewood.
This opens up Eric's mind, which is covered by a few pounds of Adam Duritz dreads, and he digs into a flashback that honestly could be its own 90-minute Netflix original movie.
Journey back to the finale of First Day of Camp, which saw Eric get pumped full of bullets and mangled under government tires. It turns out all of that was expertly staged by the U.S. government! With dozens of Firewood and Tigerclaw counselors present, secret agents used a cassette tape of prerecorded "gun sounds" and a red "blood" stain stick-on to create the illusion that Eric had been gunned down. Then, Eric took a dive off the roof and onto a mat, also placed there by men in black. While the rest of the counselors were in shock and screaming out plot points, Eric was abducted and replaced with an incredibly detailed mannequin.
Looks just like him.
If you're wondering how Schwartzman's character survived getting assassinated by The Falcon (Jon Hamm), then Greg has an answer for you.
Mystery solved!
Eric and Greg then found themselves in the plot of a late '80s Jean-Claude Van Damme movie, basically. The two characters, who never interacted during First Day of Camp, were taken to an underground C.I.A. training facility where they became guinea pigs in the government's quest to merge machine and man into lethal cyborg assassins. With their transformation and training complete, the C.I.A. dispatched Agents Eric and Greg on covert missions to take out hostile world leaders.
With those sword hands, Eric could shred more than just a guitar! But a life (or, knowing WHAS, probably just a day) of killing on behalf of the United States took its toll on the two of them. As Eric said, all of that murder began to murder them "on the inside." So they quit the C.I.A., and that's where that First Day of Camp coda comes in. It turns out the guy that picked up Eric the hitchhiker was, in fact, counselor-turned-cyborg Greg.
Freed from the shackles of government-endorsed killing, these two cyborgs started a two-man jam band called Soul Glimmer. But Soul Glimmer wasn't destined for big time fame in 1982, and Eric quit the band because he couldn't handle major label rejection. Eric got a job as a copywriter at an ad agency called Saatchi & Saatchi, where he quickly rose through the ranks thanks to his work selling the latest in high tech appliances.
But much like murdering foreign officials, the advertising game started to murder Greg on the inside. An ad with the slogan "follow your dreams and never stop rocking" jolted Eric out of his ad man stupor. He knew what he had to do: grow some dreads and reconnect with Greg. From that point on, Soul Glimmer was back in action and together they danced that silence down through the mornin' (sha la la la la la la la yeah).
Their story doesn't end there, of course, as Mitch and Gene pulled them back into the high stakes drama of Camp Firewood. That was a smart move, because if you're going up against an ex-president and a nuclear bomb, you want a cyborg jam band on your side.


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September News
Ukrainian Business Forum 2019
Everything entrepreneurs need to know about taxes, law, finance and investing. The Ukrainian Business Forum will be held on 24 September 2019 in Kiev and it will feature discussions on the legal, financial and investment trends, uniting more than 300 delegates, top managers, attorneys, bankers and immigration experts.
Stella Strati, General Manager of Pagecorp Group and Partner-Corporate Finance at Patrikios Pavlou & Associates LLC, will be joining the panel to discuss the Cyprus International Trust as a useful tool for wealth management and asset protection.
Join her on: http://www.chamber.ua/en/Events/Event/11008
Amendment to the Special Defence Contribution Law
On the 26th of June 2019 an amendment to the Special Defence Contribution (SDC) Law was effected, pursuant to which the SDC rate applicable on interest income received by Cyprus tax resident domiciled individuals from corporate bonds is reduced from 30% to 3% – in line with the SDC rate applicable on interest earned from Government bonds.
This amendment is applicable as from 26 June 2019 and it does not affect Cyprus tax residents but not domiciled individuals.
Stella Strati completed the Advanced Diploma in International Taxation
Stella Strati, General Manager at Pagecorp Group and Partner-Corporate Finance of Patrikios Pavlou & Associates LLC, successfully completed the Advanced Diploma in International Taxation (ADIT), the advanced level designation in cross-border tax, provided by the Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT), the UK's leading professional body for tax advisors.
Being an ADIT professional and an International Tax Affiliate of the CIOT, Stella is identified as an International Tax Specialist and a member of a growing network of tax professionals, able to provide robust tax advice in multiple countries and international tax subjects.
Association of International Tax Consultants' Annual General Meeting
Stylianos Trillides, Supervising Manager of Pagecorp Group and Senior Associate at Patrikios Pavlou & Associates LLC, attended the Annual General Meeting of the Association of International Tax Consultants (AITC) in Utrecht to discuss the latest tax developments and corporate news.
We are extremely pleased that our affiliated law firm Patrikios Pavlou & Associates LLC will be hosting next year's Annual General Meeting in our hometown Limassol.
Looking forward to seeing everyone next year! More details to follow.


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Repairs to the Bell Common Tunnel on the M25 are now underway near Waltham Abbey following a 'major' lorry crash.
Emergency services are at the scene of the collision, which happened at around 11.30am inside the Bell Common Tunnel on the anticlockwise carriageway of the M25 near Waltham Abbey.
The crash initially closed three lanes causing 75-minutes of delays, before the full carriageway was temporarily blocked for recovery to get underway.
Highways England say that two lanes remain closed and all emergency services, including police, fire and ambulance, are at the scene.
An Essex County Fire and Rescue Service statement said: "Crews were called to a road traffic collision on the westbound M25, in the Bell Common Tunnel, Epping.
"On arrival firefighters reported that a lorry was involved and one person was trapped.
"Firefighters released the casualty by noon."
A Highways England tweet has now revealed that repairs to the Bell Common Tunnel are underway, including a damaged electrical box.
The tweet reads: "M25 anti-clockwise J27 - J26 BellCommonTunnel #Epping. Traffic has now been released and 2 of (4) lanes are now open. Contractors are on scene to make safe a damaged electrical box. Please allow extra time for your journey as delays of 2 hours remain on the approach."
Drivers heading in that direction should use alternate routes to avoid the M25 while the vehicles are recovered.
Join this Facebook group for the latest on Essex's roads
Join the Essex Traffic and Travel group on Facebook for the latest on the roads, airways and train lines.
The group is to provide information to other members on the latest traffic and travel updates from across Essex - from the A12 to the Dartford Crossing to Greater Anglia train updates.
Please feel free to comment with any updates you have, as well as invite your friends.
To join, click here.
Prefer Twitter?
Get traffic updates in your Twitter feed by following @EssexTraffic here.
Anyone that has not reached the M11 or Brentwood junctions yet should leave the M25 and use alternate routes to pass by the crash scene.


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What is an E-Commerce Website?
The world we live on is getting wider and wider, do you think the people have time and energy to go shopping? Ya you are right everyone wants to do the work the easy way nowadays online shopping is at the top ecommerce website is an virtual 'shop window' which allows users to shop online from the comfort of their own home.
The continuous change of trends in market with the rapid growth of businesses online has increased the necessity of shopping cart software which is effective. Now, more than billion e-commerce websites are on the World Wide Web. Wide range of E-Commerce websites in the World Wide Web implemented the open source web applications and succeeded, and so the open source technologies have pulled in major importance, because of the easy installation and simple configuration. By customizing, you are bound to make better business websites that can rule the world of online shopping. In fact, open source technology has a lot of significance in e-commerce industry with customization features that allow the developers to create software according to their requirements.
With a verity of e-commerce platforms like Magento, Zencart, Opencart, Prestashop, etc. producing winning e-commerce software looks to be easy. But, it's really not that simple, as it sounds, without the help of professionals.
Open source E-Commerce Service from Shakthisoftsolutions
Shakthisoftsolutions, gained experience, by creating e-commerce websites with invoking feature. With a proven track record of victory in various e-commerce website projects, we provide assistance in developing and creating different types of commercial ecommerce websites, by customizing e-commerce solutions. With a team of highly skilled and experienced professionals, we are the best company which offers open source e-commerce solutions.
With Shakthisoftsolutions, you can run a successful online virtual store that meets your sales requirements. Experts at Shakthisoftsolutions are well trained in tailoring the various e-commerce websites, to assist you in acquiring your targets and enhancing your profits. Shakthisoftsolutions, with around the clock client support team, will make sure you get an absolute e-commerce solution with which you can sustain your presence online, holding the existing customers and carrying large leads.


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33rd Street Industrial, Airport North, Audubon Park, Azalea Park, Baldwin Park, Belle Air, Boggy Creek, Bryn Mawr, Busch, Callahan, Camellia Gardens, Carver Shores, Catalina, Central Business District, Clear Lake, College Park, Colonial Town Center, Colonialtown North, Colonialtown South, Conway, Coytown, Crescent Park, Delaney Park, Dixie Belle, Dover Estates, Dover Manor, Dover Shores East, Dover Shores West, Eagles Nest, East Central Park, Engelwood Park, Fairview Shores, Florida Center North, Haralson Estates, Hibiscus, Holden Heights, Holden/parramore, Johnson Village, Kirkman North, Kirkman South, Lake Cherokee, Lake Como, Lake Davis/greenwood, Lake Dot, Lake Eola Heights, Lake Fairview, Lake Formosa, Lake Frederica, Lake Mann Estates, Lake Mann Gardens, Lake Nona, Lake Richmond, Lake Sunset, Lake Terrace, Lake Underhill, Lake Weldona, Lancaster Park, Lawsona/ Fern Creek, Lockhart, Lorna Doone, Malibu Groves, Mariner's Village, Mercy Drive, Metro West, Millenia, Monterey, New Malibu, North Orange, Orlando Executive Airport, Orlando International Airport, Orwin Manor, Palomar, Park Central, Pershing, Pine Hills, Princeton/ Silverstar, Richmond Estates, Richmond Heights, Rio Grande Park, Rock Lake, Rose Isle, Rosemont, Rosemont North, Rowena Gardens, Seaboard Industrial, Signal Hill, South Division, South Eola, Southern Oaks, South Orange, Southport, South Semoran, Spring Lake, The Dovers, The Willows, Thornton Park, Timberleaf, Ventura, Wadeview Park, Washington Shores, West Colonial, Westfield
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Hardware Tools & Services Commercial & Industrial Vehicles & Machinery
Free consultation for criminal and delinquency cases
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Deal code: cs-15455960-3844


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New Jersey Governor Chris Christie signed into law last week a bill that specifically adds pregnancy to the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (NJ LAD) and requires employers to offer reasonable accommodations to pregnant employees who request accommodation. The new law, which was passed unanimously by the state Senate and with just one dissenting vote in the state Assembly, makes several major changes to existing law. Employers should be mindful of this new law because it strengthens the already tough NJ LAD and goes farther than the federal Pregnancy Discrimination Act.
The new law defines pregnancy as "pregnancy, childbirth, or medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth, including recovery from childbirth." This definition is significant because it is likely broad enough to cover a range of conditions and ailments and specifically includes recovery from childbirth as being within its parameters. The new law prohibits an employer from treating any female employee that the employer knows or should know is pregnant less favorably from other non-pregnant employees who are similarly situated in their ability or inability to work.
The new law also imposes a requirement that employers offer pregnant employees a reasonable accommodation unless it would cause the employer an undue hardship. The law includes examples of some reasonable accommodations: "bathroom breaks, breaks for increased water intake, periodic rest, assistance with manual labor, job restructuring or modified work schedules, and temporary transfers to less strenuous or hazardous work." Accommodations are required by the new law if three conditions are met: the accommodations are for needs related to the pregnancy, the employee requests the accommodations based upon the advice of her physician, and the accommodations will not cause an undue hardship for the employer. When accommodations or leave are provided under this section of the new law, they cannot be provided less favorably when compared to accommodations or leave given to non-pregnant employees who are similar in their abilities or inabilities to work.
Employers do maintain some protections within the new law. First, the undue hardship exemption will relieve employers of their obligation to provide accommodations for pregnant employees in some circumstances. Second, the law specifically declares that it "shall not be construed as otherwise increasing or decreasing" any existing statutory rights to paid or unpaid leave in connection with pregnancy. Earlier versions of the bill failed to include either of these protections for employers, but the protections were added during the committee process and included in the final version signed into law.
Regarding the undue hardship exception, the law lists five factors to determine whether an accommodation would pose an "undue hardship on the operation of an employer's business":
Again, employers should note that the new law goes farther than the federal Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA). The PDA prohibits employers from refusing to hire pregnant applicants due to their pregnancy or from firing pregnant employees because of their pregnancy, but the PDA only requires employers to provide the same treatment for pregnant employees who become unable to work as it does for other temporarily disabled employees. The PDA still applies to New Jersey employers, but the new law now requires reasonable accommodations for pregnant employees (if those employees meet the requirements and there is no undue hardship).
With the enactment of these new protections for pregnant employees, New Jersey joins a number of other states — including Texas, California, Illinois and Connecticut — that have recently adopted laws addressing pregnancy discrimination. With the new law taking effect immediately, employers in New Jersey should review their leave and accommodation policies and ensure that they reflect the new requirements.
(215) 665-7267
If employers have any questions or concerns, they should contact a member of Cozen O'Connor's Labor & Employment Department for more information about this decision.
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Barbara Ortiz Howard, Susan Ades Stone
Barbara Ortiz Howard (left), Susan Ades Stone (right). | Ethan Hill for Politico Magazine/Redux Pictures
In the summer of 2012, Barbara Ortiz Howard, owner of a construction business in Yonkers, New York, began an email to several friends "HI SISTERS!" Howard had engaged in little activism since marching against the Vietnam War and for civil rights decades ago, but after spending so much of her career in a male-dominated field, she found herself wondering why another male-monopolized domain had been so little questioned: America's paper money. She asked her contacts which women they would like to see on paper bills, and among those who responded was journalist Susan Ades Stone, who soon joined Howard in creating the nonprofit group Women on 20s to lobby for a female face on the $20 bill by 2020, the centennial of the 19th Amendment granting women suffrage.
Howard and Ades Stone figured the $20 bill was their best chance, given Andrew Jackson's mixed legacy in the White House, and they were optimistic about getting support from President Obama, who in 2014 had called a young girl's plea for a woman on U.S. currency a "pretty good idea." In an online campaign that went viral, Women on 20s shared videos and ended up soliciting more than 600,000 nominations for the new face. Just a month after Harriet Tubman was named as the public's top pick, the women got a call from officials at the White House and Treasury Department one day in June: The next day Treasury Secretary Jack Lew would announce that his department was soliciting suggestions for the redesign of the $10 bill, which he said would feature a woman.
It wasn't the denomination Howard and Ades Stone had hoped for, and Alexander Hamilton will still stay on the $10 bill in some form. ("Never, never give a woman what she asks for," a commenter wrote on Women on 20s' Facebook page.) Still, after learning Lew's plan—in which he thanked the Women on 20s campaign for speaking up—Ades Stone told the New Yorker, "I do believe they took pages out of our playbook."


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CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order at 7:10 p.m. by R.E. Ed Leubner.
R.E.REPORT: Ed welcomed all to the October meeting and started by asking for a motion to accept the September 9, 2015 meeting minutes as they appear on our web-site. Mike Donofrio so moved, Mick Levy seconded, motion carried.
Ed said that he had recently visited the new racing facility in Palmer, Mass with Jon Coffin. He said it was like a roller coaster with up to 190 feet of elevation change. Little exists in the form of paved areas and there are no garage facilities. NER has run an event there.
Ed discussed the fact that NER has around 2,700 members and divides their activities into three basic groupings, SOLO, Club Racing and Rally Cross, with each having separate meetings vs. a single meeting for the entire region. They also operate with separate budgets for each group and appear to average from 100 to 110 members in attendance per group meeting.
The members were reminded of the upcoming Mini-Con in Saratoga, NY on Nov. 14th. Roger Johnson will be there to discuss SOLO track layouts. There will also be a Safety Steward Training seminar.
Various fees apply depending on the venue members plan to attend and vary from $40 for lunch on Sat. to $100 for dinner Sat.
ASST. R.E.REPORT: Mark Bizzozero was absent. Jim Quattro said Mark wanted fellow members to know that he attended our recent SOLO event and enjoyed it and also thanked Jim Quattro for letting him borrow his car for the event.
TREASURER REPORT: Jay Cartini said we currently have an adjusted bank balance of $5,360.29 with little to be added to that until our spring, 2016 SOLO season starts up. The Rally Cross program basically broke even for the season which was an improvement. Jay said our main source of revenue for the winter will be from member dues. He will be sending out bills for our SOLO sponsors early in 2016. Jay said there are still some outstanding SOLO bills and he is waiting for the statements along with weekend membership statements.
Suggestions were asked for regarding potential equipment purchases and ideas for additional income such as sponsorship logos for our SOLO van/or/trailer plus Jay would gladly accept any unsolicited donations from members to go toward equipment for the various region programs.
SECRETARY REPORT: Bob Holcomb mentioned he had the 2016 tentative southeast SCCA race schedule if anyone was interested. Other than that he had nothing new to add.
ACTIVITIES REPORT: Ted Barbuto was absent but it was agreed that we need to finalize the date for our annual January awards dinner, which had been tentatively discussed as Sunday, January 24th at our Sept. meeting. There may be a conflict with Rally Cross on this date and Jim Quattro will check on that.
SOLO REPORT: Scott Newton said our last 2 events went well. The Cherry Valley Enduro on Sept. 27th allowed each participant a total of 3 runs of 5 laps each. Kyle Rashford had a slight off track excursion but all issues with that were deemed repairable. The Oct. 11th Cherry Valley event had 33 entrants and no incidents. It was noted that 16 of those entrants were weekend memberships.
Scott said he had heard, unofficially, that the Cherry Valley facility is for sale and an eye will be kept open for information regarding that. The karting track near Ogdensburg, NY was also rumored to have been sold recently.
Scott mentioned that Jay Cartini finished our 2015 SOLO season running G Street in the top 10.
Scott will be sending out an end of season survey requesting feedback on likes, dislikes, scheduling, etc.
He is also researching the cost of a trailer to hold our SOLO equipment, including size needed, type of construction, etc.
RALLY CROSS REPORT: Jim Quattro said we need new banners for Rally Cross.
Jim has a double event planned for the weekend of Oct. 24th and 25th. Saturday the 24th will be at the Walczyk farm located in Weedsport and is due to start at 3 p.m. and run until 12 midnight. Sunday the 25th will be held at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park and is due to start at 8 a.m. and run until 3 p.m. Rumor is that NER and WDC regions are sending numerous entrants for the event. Jim said that it is a divisional event and the last of the NE Rally Cross series for the season, which has seen around 11-15 average attendees or a total of around 35 competitors.
Ed Leubner asked that Jim get as much information in as possible regarding the event for to put on our web site newsletter.
Jim mentioned he had 2 old helmets to dispose of, one of which may belong to Lee Hidy and date back to his days of running National SOLO events.
F&C REPORT: Mick Levy said he recently attended an event at Lime Rock, with New York Region folks and it had some good racing. There was also a Drifting event which was somewhat de-clouded when it started raining mid-day.
Mick also discussed the repaving at Watkins Glen, where some turns appear widened, the turn 8 gravel trap cut back and numerous changes in the pit area, all giving speculation that NASCAR may decide to run The Boot in the future.
For 2016 the SCCA Majors will be the end of June and the Six Hours on July 4th weekend. Further dates listed as they become available. Mick also said he will be snow birding Jan, Feb & Mar of 2016.
Ed Leubner said you can still pull results from the Runoffs at Daytona from the SCCA web-site.
CNYRP: Jim Quattro said that CNYRP has been awarded Super Dirt Week for 2016 but must have the dirt oval completed by Memorial Weekend of 2016 to get financial aid from the state. Supposedly the paved areas will be completed by summer and should be available for CNYR SOLO events.
Jim said that Glen Donnelly has a goal of getting the grandstands for the dirt oval completed by winter.
Jim said he is promoting a Rally Cross event for August, 2016 at the facility and there is a tentative date of Sept., 2016 for the road course to be paved.
Naming rights for the facility have been given out to an energy company based in Europe with a Texas based home in the US.
OLD BUSINESS: Ed Leubner asked Rex Franklin if he had heard any more from anyone interested in the SOLO van and Rex said he now has 2 individuals interested in it although neither has seen it as of yet, so no price has been established.
NEW BUSINESS: Ed Leubner asked that any information, articles, photos, etc. for our newsletter be sent in by Oct. 21st at the latest.
Rex Franklin said he will have the names of candidates for office at our Nov. meeting.
Our November meeting is schedule for Wed. the 11th, which is Veterans Day. Ed Leubner checked with the American Legion and our meeting will still be held at their post on Cypress St.
ADJOURN: Lee Hidy moved the meeting be adjourned, Rex Franklin seconded, motion passed, meeting adjourned at 8:16 p.m.
Submitted by:
Bob Holcomb, Secretary


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D.W. Freedom
My father decided to migrate to the US because I was not good at studying, and my father wanted to give me another chance to go to college. I had a hard time learning English and making new friends in the U.S. I am still learning English and now I am trying to make American friends because it helps me to improve my English skills.
In Korea, most high school students study so much for exams that they do not have enough time to get any exercise. Students in Korea only have one opportunity as a senior to take the college entrance exam, so there is a lot of pressure on this one test. Being a senior in Korea is very difficult because they even go to school on Saturday to prepare for the college entrance exam. Recently, I saw pictures on Instagram from my friends in Korea, and they all posted pictures of stopwatches that showed how long they studied. They studied 15 hours in school and 4 hours at home. When I saw those pictures, I felt so relieved because I have a better life in the US.
Studying was very hard in Korea, but I had more freedom there to hang out with my friends when I wasn't studying because they have a strong public transportation system and it's safer. I would study hard on the weekends, but I would usually hang out with my friends after class. That was so fun because there are so many things to do such as karaoke and PC rooms (public computer rooms where you can play games), and I didn't need a driver's license to go anywhere. I really miss how easy it was to hang out with my friends because I could use public buses, the metro, and taxis. Here, I am limited because I do not have a car or a driver's license, and Auburn has a weak transportation system. In addition, Korea feels safer than Auburn because people can walk at midnight without fear since no one has any guns, and there are lots of street lamps. I never see people who walk in the dark street at midnight in the U.S. These are the things I miss most about Korea.
My life was simple because every day I had a similar schedule. I went to the school in the morning; I ate lunch and played soccer in the afternoon; I took extra evening classes because some test questions came from material covered in evening classes; I ate dinner with my friends at school; and then we sometimes had evening independent studying. Evening independent studying is not a requirement, but many students do it. I got home at 10 PM, but some of my friends didn't get home until midnight or later. Nothing in my schedule ever changed; if I did not have evening independent study, I went to the academy.
In the U.S, students have many opportunities to retake the SAT and ACT. I feel that the US system is much fairer because I recently saw a story in the Korean news about the college entrance exam. A student wasn't feeling well on testing day, and he messed up on his test. He committed suicide after the test. When I heard this news, I felt bad because one test killed a student who had dreams and hopes. In the US, some students study hard, but many students don't. And many students participate in after school activities instead of only studying. When I came to the US, I thought after school activities were awesome. We have clubs in Korea too, and I was on the school soccer team there, but we didn't play much because studying was always more important. I was also really surprised when I heard that in the US, people who participate in after school activities sometimes get advantages for college applications because in Korea, colleges only give advantages when you perform at a high level academically.
When I see pictures on Facebook or Instagram, I sometimes envy my friends because they get to graduate this year, but I have two more years. They also get to hang out often, but I do not. However, if I could go back to past, I would still come to the US because the things I don't like can be overcome in the future and I am satisfied with my life in Auburn.