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Medical Education and Research Costs (MERC)
Annual Report on Program Implementation
March 1999
This report was prepared pursuant to Minnesota Statute section 62J.69, which directs the Commissioner of Health to provide the Legislature with an annual summary report on the implementation of the Medical Education and Research Costs (MERC) Trust Fund. This report provides information on the 1998 Trust Fund distribution and the status of the application and distribution process for the current year, state fiscal year 1999. This report also includes information on the work of the MERC Advisory Committee and subcommittees, the medical education and research studies directed by the 1998 statute, and ongoing issues and concerns regarding the financing of medical education and research in Minnesota.
Background Information
Medical education and research are vital activities affecting not only the health care community, but the health of every citizen and the economy of the entire state. Health care is the state's leading industry, employing over 200,000 Minnesotans and generating at least $16 billion of the annual gross state product. The state's medical education and research infrastructure significantly influences Minnesota's health care system and overall economy.
The Minnesota Legislature recognizes the importance of medical education and research to the state and its economy. As part of the 1993 and 1994 MinnesotaCare Acts, legislators directed the Commissioner of Health to study the costs and financing of medical education and research. A MERC Advisory Task Force was created in 1993, and the Department has issued annual reports documenting the issues faced by medical education programs and teaching hospitals in the competitive health care market.
In 1996, the Minnesota Legislature established the Medical Education and Research Costs (MERC) Trust Fund to fund a portion of the costs of the clinical training of selected medical professionals (medical students and residents, dental students and residents, advanced practice nurses, physician assistants and PharmD students and residents). Teaching institutions have traditionally covered a portion of these costs by setting patient charges above what they would be in a non-teaching environment. As competition increases, however, health plans are increasingly unwilling to pay this teaching "increment," leaving teaching institutions at a competitive disadvantage. With a shift away from inpatient care, and cuts to Medicare funding of medical education, teaching institutions are finding it more and more difficult to fund the costs of clinical training.
The MERC Trust Fund
The Medical Education and Research Costs (MERC) Trust Fund was created in1996 by the Minnesota Legislature and funded for the first time by the 1997 Legislature. Applications for funding from the MERC Trust Fund are submitted by sponsoring institutions, organizations that are organizationally and/or financially responsible for one or more teaching programs. Funds from the Trust Fund are disbursed to the sponsoring institutions, with explicit requirements to pass the funds through to the sites where clinical training occurs. Many entities in Minnesota are both sponsoring institutions and training sites, and many hospitals and clinics are training sites for several different teaching programs.
The MERC statute requires each sponsoring institution to submit the following data for each teaching program they are responsible for that wishes to obtain MERC funding: costs of clinical training, revenues associated with medical education, information on accreditation, information on the training sites used by the teaching program, and the number of full time equivalent (FTE) students or residents trained at each training site. The table below lists the sponsoring institutions who applied on behalf of training sites during the 1998 and 1999 MERC Trust Fund application process.
|MERC 1998 and 1999 Trust Fund Applications
|Sponsoring Institution
|1998 Teaching Programs
|1999 Teaching Programs
|Abbott Northwestern Hospital
|Allina Health System/United Hospital
|Augsburg College
|College of St. Catherine
|St. Paul
|College of St. Scholastica
|Duluth Medical Education Council, Inc.
|Hennepin County Medical Center
|Mankato State University School of Nursing
|Mayo Foundation
|Minneapolis Sports Medicine Center
|Regions Hospital
|St. Paul
|St. Mary's Hospital U of MN
|United Hospital and Children's Healthcare
|St. Paul
|University of MN Academic Health Center
|Winona State University
|Women's Health Care Nurse Practitioner Program
|St. Paul
The 1998 MERC Trust Fund Distribution
The 1997 Minnesota Legislature allocated $5 million from the General Fund and $3.5 million from the Health Care Access Fund to the Medical Education and Research Costs (MERC) Trust Fund for distribution in 1998. These dollars were matched through federal Medicaid financial participation, for a total of approximately $17.8 million. The first Trust Fund distribution was completed in early 1998 to 16 sponsoring institutions on behalf of 154 teaching programs and more than 300 training sites. (Appendix 1 shows detailed information on the 1998 funding distribution from the MERC Trust Fund.) The 1998 MERC Trust Fund was distributed based on a formula which reflected the number of eligible trainee FTEs at a particular site as well as the statewide average cost of clinical training for that provider type. The Trust Fund reimbursed a uniform percentage of clinical training costs for each of the eight provider types. For the 1998 Trust Fund, this percentage was 5.9%. The annual average clinical training costs per trainee varied significantly across the eight provider types, as shown by the table below.
|Provider Type
|Teaching Programs
|Eligible FTEs
|Average Cost Per Trainee
|Adjusted Total Costs
|% of Trust Fund
|Grant Amount
|Grant per Trainee
|% of Costs Covered
|Adv. Prac. Nurses
|Dental Students
|Dental Residents
|Medical Students
|Medical Residents
|PharmD Student
|PharmD Resident
|Physician Assistant
The 1999 MERC Trust Fund
The 1998 Legislature established ongoing base funding for the MERC Trust Fund through a $10 million appropriation for FY 1999 and a $5 million annual base appropriation starting FY 2000. In addition, the Legislature finalized the formula for the distribution of medical education funds removed from the calculation of PMAP and PGAMC capitation rates, authorized by the 1997 Legislature. Therefore, the 1999 MERC Trust Fund consists of two potential funding sources: the General Fund appropriation with its federal match, and accumulated funds transferred from the Prepaid Medical Assistance Program (PMAP) and the Prepaid General Assistance Medical Care Program (PGAMC) capitation payments.
General Fund Appropriation Distribution
The General Fund appropriation for the 1999 MERC Trust Fund is $10 million, which will be matched with $10.6 million through federal Medicaid financial participation. The Minnesota Department of Human Services has indicated that this $20.6 million will likely be transferred to the Department of Health in May or June, and we anticipate distributing these funds in June of 1999 upon completion of the application process. Funds will be distributed using the same formula utilized to distribute last year's Trust Fund, covering a fixed percentage of the average clinical training costs for each provider type.
Although it appears that there will be a $10.6 million federal match on the 1999 General Fund appropriation of $10 million, it is unclear whether the Department of Human Services (DHS) will be able to obtain a federal match on future MERC Trust Fund appropriations. Reduced federal Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payments, the Medicare "upper payment limit", and the medicaid charge limit interact to limit the ability of the state to continue to receiving federal matching funds on the General Fund Appropriation. The Department of Health will continue to work in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Human Services to attempt to obtain matching funds for MERC.
PMAP/PGMAC Fund Distribution
In the past, a portion of the public program payments to HMOs included an add-on to cover the incremental costs associated with medical education. It was assumed that HMOs were passing the education add-on to teaching institutions through their contracts with providers. The 1998 legislature approved removal of the medical education dollars currently included in the capitated rates of the Prepaid Medical Assistance Program (PMAP) and Prepaid General Assistance Medical Care (PGAMC). These medical education payments will be removed from health plan rates and will be transferred to the MERC Trust Fund, where they will be transferred directly to the programs and clinics that provide clinical training and serve PMAP, PGAMC, GA, and MA enrollees. This transfer of medical education dollars from PMAP and PGAMC to the MERC Trust Fund allows for a more direct and equitable payment of the public program educational dollars. It is important to note that these dollars from the public programs are not new dollars for medical education. Rather, they are existing medical education dollars that can be targeted more effectively by distribution through the MERC Trust Fund.
The Minnesota Department of Human Services has applied for a federal waiver to allow Prepaid Medical Assistance Program (PMAP) and Prepaid General Assistance Medical Care (PGAMC) medical education funds to be transferred from health plan capitation payments to the MERC Trust Fund for distribution. These medical education dollars will be transferred to the Trust Fund monthly beginning the first day of the month one full month after the waiver is approved. For example, if the waiver is approved on March 15th by the Health Care Financing Administration, the first monthly transfer will occur after May 1st and will consist of May PMAP/PGAMC funds. In this hypothetical example, in state fiscal year 1999, the MERC Trust Fund will only receive PMAP and PGAMC funds from May and June 1999. The Department of Health would distribute these PMAP and PGAMC medical education funds that have been accumulated through June 30th to sponsoring institutions by August 30th. The timing of this distribution most likely would be separate from the General Fund Appropriation distribution.
Because of the uncertainty surrounding the receipt of the federal waiver, it is possible that no funds from the PMAP/PGAMC carve out will be available for the state fiscal year ending June 30,1999. For example, if approval of the federal waiver is received after May 31st, the Department of Human Services would begin removing medical education payments from capitation rates no sooner than July 1st, after the end of the state fiscal year ending June 30, 1999. Upon waiver approval, the Department of Health expects to be receiving monthly transfers of the PMAP/PGAMC carve out funds from DHS for fiscal year 2000. MDH intends to distribute these funds twice annually to sponsoring institutions. Any funds accumulated from July 1999 through December 1999 will likely be distributed in January of the year 2000, and funds accumulated from January through June of the year 2000 will likely be distributed in July 2000. All fiscal year 2000 (July 1999 through June 2000) distributions will be based on information received on the year 2000 MERC application. A similar process will be used for future years.
As specified in statute, the formula used to distribute the PMAP and PGAMC funds will equally weigh clinical training costs and public program volume. Information on total PMAP/PGAMC/GA/MA revenues collected on the MERC application form will be used to proxy public program volume.
MERC Advisory Committee
The MERC Advisory Committee and its chair are appointed by the Commissioner of Health to advise the Commissioner on issues impacting medical education and research in Minnesota.
In 1998, the Committee participated in a number of activities including the following:
- Provided valuable input to the Department of Health to aid in the development of the 1999 MERC application, and to make the application process as efficient as possible.
- Successfully worked with the Department of Health to accomplish the distribution of the first MERC Trust Fund grants to sponsoring institutions, and training sites around the State.
- Further defined the issues affecting medical education, especially the effects of the 1997 Balanced Budget Act, and the ensuing Medicare cuts.
- Through its Research Subcommittee, worked to identify the areas of medical research that are at-risk due to increased competition in the health care market.
- Through its PMAP subcommittee, worked to reach consensus on the distribution formula for the PMAP and PGAMC carve-out for fiscal year 1999.
- Began the process of identifying primary care issues in rural Minnesota as a first step towards developing a strategy for workforce planning.
Research Subcommittee
Under Minnesota Statute 62J.69, the MERC Advisory Committee shall continue to study and make recommendations on: (1) the funding of medical research consistent with work currently mandated by the legislature and under way at the Department of Health; and: (2) the costs and benefits associated with medical education and research. To satisfy this legislative requirement, the MERC Advisory Committee charged the Research Subcommittee to meet in November 1998 to examine the effect of reduced patient revenues on medical research, and the need to develop the research component of MERC.
The Research Subcommittee concluded the following:
- It is difficult, if not impossible, to track the amount of patient care revenue that has been used to fund medical research, particularly because teaching, research and patient care are performed in unison. Past efforts to quantify research costs were unsuccessful and the subcommittee did not recommend renewed efforts.
- There is a need to strengthen Minnesota's ability to draw talented young researchers. We should examine ways to fund preliminary research and data collection activities that help to pave the way for NIH grants for young researchers.
- There appears to be unanimous support for the statement that managed care has resulted in increased demands on physician's time with a corresponding decrease in physician's ability to conduct or participate in clinical research. Research facilities are finding it extremely difficult to fund clinical research and recruit top candidates for clinical research in the managed care environment.
- There is a need for more translational research, in which medical advances resulting from research are introduced into clinical practice.
- There is a need to fund more physician-based research projects, which are less likely to be funded by the National Institute of Health (NIH), and yet directly impact patient care.
- Private/public/non-profit collaboration is required in order to leverage resources for funding research in Minnesota. The role of industry, providers, managed care and government needs to be defined. A collaboration is necessary to ensure adequate support for clinical research.
- Good research attracts patients to Minnesota, bringing patient care revenue to the state. The state also benefits from a manufacturing industry, which has grown as a result of medical research, thereby increasing employment and tax revenue.
As the funding available for medical education and research declines and the costs associated with medical education rise, it is important to ensure that the quality and quantity of medical research performed at Minnesota's teaching hospitals and clinics does not decline. The MERC Advisory Committee and the Department of Health should determine how medical research can most effectively and efficiently be funded in today's changing healthcare market, and what the State's role in funding medical research should be. It is important that the Department of Health examine these issues and begin to draw consensus on the role of the state in funding research and identifying funding mechanisms.
PMAP Subcommittee
The 1998 Legislature approved the distribution of medical education dollars that will be transferred from the Prepaid Medical Assistance Program (PMAP) and Prepaid General Assistance Medical Care Program (PGAMC) to the MERC Trust Fund. The percentage carve-out from the capitation rates, which averaged 4.4% of the rates, was based on previous payments to providers under fee-for-service. Carve-out percentages varied by region, and the average was made up of a weighted average of the following carve-out percentages of the rates: Hennepin 6.3%, Metro Area 2.0%, Other 1.6%. The amount carved out of health plan rates will depend on Medical Assistance inpatient hospital fee-for-service direct medical education costs and Medicare percentages for indirect costs. MDH will receive monthly distributions from DHS commencing the 1st of the month, one full month after waiver approval.
There have been concerns that:
- The 6.3% carve-out for Hennepin County was based on the assumption that 6.3% of both outpatient and inpatient funds had been going to medical education, when in fact, only the relatively smaller inpatient portion had a medical education component. Therefore the carve out, based on 6.3% of both inpatient and outpatient funds, would result in a disproportionately larger revenue reduction for Hennepin County.
- For the two largest hospitals, Regions Hospital and Hennepin County medical Center, public program revenue is a large part of their business. The carve out would result in their getting less public program revenue than under current payment rates.
- Because the pending waiver application to the Health Care Financing Administration makes the timing of the carve-out uncertain, this presents problems in strategic planning and in negotiations between hospitals and health plans.
- Fee-for-service payments for medical education will not be part of MERC and will continue to remain direct payments to hospitals, and MinnesotaCare payments remain direct payments to health plans.
There have also been concerns about the existing MERC PMAP/PGAMC distribution formula, which currently weights both education and public program volume equally. There is the view that the carve-out funds were Medical Assistance medical education dollars, and should be targeted entirely to medical education. The opposing view, however, stresses the fact that these are public program funds intended to support medical education only in organizations that serve PMAP and PGAMC patients; therefore; the public program volume factor should receive greater weight than the education factor. However, in the end, there was consensus that the current formula was appropriate for the 1999 MERC Trust Fund application and distribution. In addition, the committee agreed that the carve out be preserved since it is not implemented without approval through the federal waiver, and that the federal match as a component of the rates was desirable.
Medical Education and Research Studies
The 1998 Legislature, while providing ongoing support for the MERC Trust Fund, did not provide the Department of Health with administrative funding to administer the Trust Fund and complete the other projects required by the statute. The Department has administered the MERC Trust Fund with existing staff and has chosen to focus current resources on the timely and accurate distribution of the MERC Trust Fund. It is the Department's intention to complete other projects directed in the statute as time allows. The Department of Health recognizes the importance of these studies, but also wishes to stress that adequate administrative funding is crucial to allow each of the following issues to be examined thoroughly.
Review of Eligible Provider Groups
The Legislature gave the Commissioner of Health authority to review the provider groups eligible for the MERC Trust Fund (Minnesota Statutes, Section 62J.69, Subdivision 5) to assure that the distribution of funds is consistent with the purpose of the statute, which is to support medical education in patient care training sites that have experienced a loss of medical education funding due to increased competition in the health care market. The Department of Health is currently reviewing the financing of medical education for chiropractors to determine whether market forces have resulted in a loss of patient care dollars that were formerly available for chiropractic education. In performing this review, the Department of Health and the MERC Advisory Committee are to consider the degree to which the training of chiropractors:
- takes place in patient care settings which are consistent with the purpose of the MERC Trust Fund;
- is funded with patient care revenues;
- takes place in patient care settings which face increased financial pressure as a result of competition with non-teaching patient care entities, and
- emphasizes primary care or specialties which are in under supply in Minnesota.
Advisory Committee Structure and Composition
In addition, the Legislature directed the Department of Health to conduct a study of the structure and composition of the MERC Advisory Committee (1998 Minnesota Laws, Chapter 407, Article 2, Section 98). The Department is currently reviewing the structure and membership of the MERC Advisory Committee to determine whether it equitably represents all of the stakeholders in the health care industry, including consumers. The Commissioner of Health will appoint committee members in the coming months.
Examination of the PMAP/PGAMC Medical Education Distribution Formula
As directed by the Legislature, the Department of Health, with the assistance of the MERC Advisory Committee and its PMAP Subcommittee, has begun to examine the current statutory PMAP/PGAMC medical education distribution formula to determine whether adjustments are necessary to ensure the equitable and efficient distribution of these funds (1998 Minnesota Laws, Chapter 407, Article 2, Section 98). Meetings of the PMAP Subcommittee have helped define the distribution formula issues. If any PMAP/PGAMC funds are available for distribution during state fiscal year 1999, they will be distributed according to the formula set in statute during the 1998 legislative session, which equally weighs public program volume and clinical training costs.
Additional Criteria for Consideration in the MERC Formula
Minnesota Trainee Retention Rate
The 1998 Legislature directed the Department of Health to study additional criteria for consideration in the MERC formula, including the criteria that the trainees practice medicine in Minnesota after graduation (1998 Minnesota Laws, Chapter 407, Article 2, Section 98). The perception was that the sponsoring institutions in Minnesota would be able to determine the percentage of their graduates who currently practice medicine in Minnesota by analyzing the practice addresses and license status of their alumni. Many sponsoring institutions, however, do not maintain records of alumni or have incomplete or inaccurate alumni data for several reasons. As physicians move, retire, or change occupation, they may not supply the sponsoring institution with updated information; thus, the data maintained by the sponsoring institution may not be accurate or complete, or necessarily consistent with the records of other institutions who utilize a different procedure to track alumni or have maintained records for differing time periods.
Since sponsoring institutions in Minnesota cannot determine the percentage of their graduates who currently practice medicine in Minnesota from the data they currently collect, the Department of Health asked the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice (BMP) to supply data to facilitate the calculation of the number of physicians currently practicing in Minnesota who attended each Minnesota sponsoring institution during an arbitrary time period utilized for data consistency (ten years). The sponsoring institutions were then asked how many physicians have completed their medical school or residency programs during the last ten years. One could then calculate the percentage of physicians currently licensed to practice medicine in Minnesota who graduated from each sponsoring institution by dividing the number of physicians currently practicing in Minnesota who graduated from each sponsoring institution during the last ten years by the number of physicians completing a program from that sponsoring institution during the same time period.
In the course of reviewing data from the BMP, however, the Department of Health discovered that it was of limited usefulness. The data from the BMP was largely incomplete. Out of about 4,700 physicians with practice addresses in Minnesota and licensed in the last ten years, 300 physicians did not identify their medical schools or location of residency program. Furthermore, half of the 4,700 physicians identified either their medical school or location of residency program, but not both. In most cases, it is impossible to tell whether a school is a medical school, a residency program location, or a sponsoring institution; or whether the physician graduated from the program or only attended the program for a short time. In addition, it is often impossible to tell which physicians graduated from Minnesota institutions because location addresses were not supplied and school names were indeterminate in many cases. Dates of program attendance or graduation were also not given for over 60 percent of the records, therefore license dates were used to proxy graduation dates. This resulted in inconsistency between BMP data and the data collected from sponsoring institutions to measure the number of graduates from each program in the last ten years.
Since the Minnesota Department of Health does not have knowledge of additional data sources at this time, it is impossible to determine with an acceptable degree of accuracy the percentage of physicians who remain in Minnesota after completing medical school and/or residency programs at Minnesota sponsoring institutions. Thus, it is not feasible at this time to include as criteria for the distribution of the Medical Education and Research Costs (MERC) Trust Fund the percentage of trainees who remain in Minnesota to practice medicine upon completion of medical school or a residency program. The Minnesota Department of Health, however, will continue exploring whether additional data sources or approaches are available to help address this issue.
Other Criteria for Consideration in the MERC Formula
The Department of Health recognizes the necessity of determining whether any additional criteria beyond the current statutory criteria should be utilized in weighting future distributions of the MERC Trust Fund, and plans to conduct further analysis in this area and to make this a priority for discussion in future MERC meetings. It is important that we consider the effects of the provider, specialty, and geographic distribution of the workforce of medical professionals on access to quality health care and the cost of healthcare for all Minnesotans. This may include not only providing incentives to programs which train medical professionals in shortage specialty areas, but also funding the education of professionals who will serve in Minnesota's under served geographic locations. In addition, there exists an increasingly problematic shortage of less specialized nurses, especially certified nursing assistants. Hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes often pay for the training of such employees, but due to financial constraints are unable to pay these providers high enough wages to retain them in a labor driven market. The extent to which the MERC Trust Fund dollars can be targeted to assist in alleviating workforce shortages should be examined.
Ongoing Issues and Concerns
The Department of Health should continue to identify the issues that affect the funding of graduate medical education, including the effects of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997.
A study conducted by the University of Minnesota indicates that the 33 percent reduction in Medicare Indirect Medical Education over the next five years set into motion by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 will cost Minnesota's teaching institutions about $100 million over the next five years. In addition, an increasing amount of patient care dollars are being lost as the health care market becomes more competitive, putting greater financial strain on teaching institutions. Teaching programs in Minnesota have indicated that a medical doctor in a teaching institution must see 25 percent more patients to receive the same revenue he or she did two years ago. Unless such institutions receive additional funding, such medical doctors must either spend less time with each patient, which would reduce the quality of care given to these patients; spend less time with residents and students, reducing the quality of education these students and residents receive; or reduce the amount of medical research he or she is able to conduct.
While the revenues available for medical education are declining, the costs of medical education are increasing, due to the increase in knowledge today's medical professionals are required to obtain, and changes in the health care delivery system. To meet the needs of today's medical professionals, medical education programs need to incorporate several areas of study that were not as strongly emphasized or not issues years ago, such as preventive medicine, nutrition, alternative therapies, advanced scientific knowledge and the operation of medical devises, managed care, information technology, and the business of health care. Such changes increase the costs of medical education. The costs of clinical training are increasing due to the move towards community based education necessitated by the change in Minnesota's health care delivery system. Clinical training is more expensive at smaller community training sites because such sites do not have the economies of scale that large training sites benefit from. It is important that medical education is adequately funded during these changing times to avoid an erosion in the quality of medical education received by tomorrow's health care professionals.
Continue to Examine the Needs of the Health Professional Workforce
In today's competitive health care market, teaching hospitals are increasingly unable to finance medical education and research because third party payers are unwilling to pay the higher costs associated with such activities. Without a stable funding source for medical education and research, teaching hospitals are forced to offer residencies in specialties that minimize their costs, which does not necessarily supply the specialty or geographic distribution of medical professionals optimal for Minnesota's population.
The Minnesota Department of Health therefore has concerns about the geographic distribution of providers, and whether there is an adequate supply of certain providers. It is the department's intention to analyze data from a variety of sources to further define workforce planning issues and how the MERC Trust Fund can be used to address any disparities.
Please note that the above report contained a number of appendices. For a complete hard copy of the report, please contact Diane Reger at email@example.com.


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Full Name
Rangi Tonihi
From the Daily Post (Rotorua) 17th April 2010
A 22-year-old Rotorua man who robbed two female staff at a Rotorua takeaway shop at knifepoint, leaving them "emotionally upset", has been sent to jail. Rangi Tonihi was sentenced to three and a half years' jail on a charge of aggravated robbery when he appeared before Judge Robert Kerr in the Rotorua District Court yesterday.
Tonihi and Gareth Tynan Kingston aka Welch, 24, went to the Mitchell Downs Takeaway armed with a knife on September 28 last year. Tonihi robbed two staff members of cash and cigarettes valued about $1000 as Kingston sat outside in a car as the get-away driver. As Tonihi walked through the doors of the takeaway he yelled out "this is a hold-up" to the two staff and two young boys in the shop. Both Tonihi and Kingston pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated robbery at previous appearances.
The owners of the shop, who have since sold the business, Melissa Davies and Callan Hose told The Daily Post they were pleased with the sentence but the incident was one of the reasons they sold. The two girls working that night were only 18 and 20, Ms Davies said. "One of them was really affected. She wouldn't work on a Monday night after the robbery," Ms Davies said. "The police have been really great throughout and have kept us fully informed."
Prior to Tonihi being sentenced, lawyer Harry Edward handed a letter to the judge from his client telling the court he was sorry, and was trying to turn his life around. Judge Kerr said the robbery was frightening for the people involved. He also noted Tonihi had 28 previous convictions - two violence related. "I hope for your sake what you say is correct so you can turn your life around so when you are released you can get on with your life," he said. The judge said a jail term of four-and-half years was appropriate and took off one year for Tonihi's early guilty plea. Kingston will be sentenced next week.
Date of Birth
Born 1988
Armed robbery of a Rotorua takeaway shop in September 2009
He has 28 previous convictions including two for violence
Current Location
Offender Affiliations
Gareth Kingston
Gang Affiliations
none known
Sentenced to 3 years 6 months in April 2010
Additional Photos & Files
Associated Media Links
|Event Date
|Court Location
|Offence Type
|Offence Date
|Committed While
|Sentence Imposed

subset: commoncrawl


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- "Participating in BioEXCEL has been one of the best decisions that I have made during my time at Northwestern. I have said that since the beginning of my freshman year, and now during my third year at Northwestern, I still stand by that statement completely.
Through BioEXCEL, I made an amazing group of friends. The people that I met during this program have been such an influential and positive part of my experience at Northwestern.
I could not imagine my Northwestern life without the friends and staff that I met through BioEXCEL. It's a true family." – Yomaira Silva, participant in the summer of 2011 and residential counselor in the summer of 2013
- "By participating in BioEXCEL not only do you have the opportunity to bond and connect with a new group of your peers, but you enter a much larger community of resources and support from BioEXCELers from past and future generations.
BioEXCEL gives you a chance to challenge yourself academically and to grow independently before beginning the true college experience." – Iheoma Nkemere, participant in the summer of 2012 and residential counselor in the summer of 2014
- "Dr. Flores very carefully chooses the students and the counselors for the program. He chooses people who are committed to bettering themselves and helping others to do the same. He chooses people who demonstrate a love for gaining and expressing their knowledge. He chooses people who will appreciate the opportunities this program presents to them. I feel so lucky to be able to say that the people he chose this past summer are my best friends at Northwestern… I could talk for hours about this program and I could tell stories about every day and every moment because I remember them all. WhatI remember the most is that it all went by much too fast. BioEXCEL is so much more than a pre Wildcat Welcome summer program, and it has made me feel more supported in my time at Northwestern than I could have ever imagined possible." – Sarah Russin, participant in the summer of 2013 and social chair for the Leadership Council in 2014-15


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The information we collect from you may be used to provide services and other information that you request from us. We may also provide your information to third parties such as builders and independent sales agents to enable them to follow-up with you on information you request. We may also use your information for market research purposes, for project planning or for developing prospect lists for Greenwood Communities and Resorts communities and resorts. In doing so, we may reproduce, publish, broadcast or post such information to our affiliates and independent sales representatives.
We will not sell or rent your personally identifiable information to anyone. We will send personally identifiable information about you to other companies or people when:
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Other than as set out above, you will receive notice when information about you might go to third parties, and you will have an opportunity to choose not to share the information (opt-out). Greenwood Communities and Resorts may share aggregated, non-personally identifiable information about our users with builders for marketing and promotional purposes.
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In an endeavor to prevent unauthorized access, maintain data accuracy, and ensure the correct use of information, we have put in place appropriate physical and electronic procedures to safeguard and secure personal information we collect. We cannot guarantee the security of any information that you disclose online, and you do so at your own risk.
Greenwood Communities and Resorts incorporates security measures to protect our data from unauthorized use. Firewalls are utilized to protect our servers and network from unauthorized users accessing and tampering with files and other information that we store. All personal data sent to Greenwood Communities and Resorts is protected by Secure Socket Layer (SSL). It is an encryption method that safeguards any personal information given to us.
Although we take the utmost care to protect your information, we cannot ensure the security of any information that you disclose online and transmit to us.
Please assist us in keeping your information current by notifying us of changes to your name, address, title, phone number or email address. You may correct your personal information or select the option not to receive future Greenwood Communities and Resorts or Palmetto Dunes contacts (i.e., mailings, calls, etc.) by sending a request to email@example.com. In the event you elect not to receive any future contacts from Greenwood Communities and Resorts or it's affiliate companies, we will endeavor to remove your name from all of our contact lists; however, information is sometimes difficult, if not impossible, to remove from all data sources, and we can only promise to endeavor to remove you from any lists we control. We shall have no liability under this policy for our failure to accomplish this objective. If you have questions, you should direct them to email@example.com
Any services rendered are subject to the contracts signed before the service is rendered. This includes Golf, Tennis, Marina, and Resort Dining.
Refunds on our merchandise must be accompanied by an original purchase receipt within 90 days of purchase.
Gift cards are redeemable at any of the following Palmetto Dunes Resort operations:
1. Robert Trent Jones Golf Course
2. Fazio Golf Course
3. Arthur Hills Golf Course
4. Shelter Cove Marina
5. Palmetto Dunes Tennis Center
6. Hilton Head Outfitters
7. The Dunes House & Catering
8. Alexander's Restaurant & Wine Bar
9. Big Jim's BBQ, Burgers and Pizza Restaurant
All gift cards are non-refundable and not redeemable for cash. All sales are final.
Shipping methods for merchandise and gift cards are by USPS, UPS, and FedEx. The following guidelines are used when shipping:
Standard Shipping – 7 to 10 business days + processing time
Expedited Shipping – 3 to 7 business days + processing time
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Shipping charges are collected depending on weight, height, and length of package shipped. There are no shipping charges on gift cards that are sent standard shipping. For all other shipping information please call 1-888-322-8713.
This privacy policy is effective as of the date first written above. Greenwood Communities and Resorts reserves the right to modify this privacy policy at our discretion. If we decide to change our privacy policy, we will post those changes here. We encourage you to visit this section of our site regularly in order to remain informed of any changes. Changes to our privacy policy shall become effective as of the date they are posted to this site.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this privacy policy or our data collection practices, please contact us as follows:
Erica Sheets
Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort
10 Queens Folly Road, PO Box 5628
Hilton Head Island, SC 29938
Partly cloudy


text:
Hosea Ministry International
Hotel building construction is mostly done.
Close up photo of Hosea hotel building.
Pictured below is an upcoming project to build a hotel at Mamburao Mindoro island in the Philippines. Go to top to get link to get see the pdf.
Picture below is a past completed project in the Philippines on the island of Mindoro.
©2009-18 Hosea Ministry International Ltd


text:
SEATTLE — 10-year-old Amber Kelley, host of Cook with Amber has been selected as a finalist for Jamie Oliver's "Seach for a Food Tube Star with Uncle Ben's." She's the youngest of five finalists and she's also the only finalist from the United States.
Kelley appears on Q13 FOX This Morning weekly where she showcases easy, healthy recipes and encourages kids to live healthier lifestyles.
Oliver says he chose her "Teriyaki Chicken Lettuce Wrap" recipe because it's "simple, proper, tasty food that shows kids can cook in the kitchen."
To vote for Kelley, check out her video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWYBuTJvqEc The finalist with the most "likes" on their YouTube video wins.


text:
The Vampire Minecraft Mod 1.12.2 allows you to be a vampire in Minecraft gaining Vampire powers from different armours and weapons added in the mod. This scary mod also adds in horror and epic mobs like Vampire Assassins, Vampires, skeleton corpse, evil dogs, & The Invisible Man! The Vampire Mod also adds spooky building blocks made out of blood and in a future Minecraft update a new dimension, biomes, and even a Dracula boss and more scary mobs!
The first thing you craft is a blood ingotmix. This is a shapeless crafting recipe
So what do you do with a blood ingotmix? You smelt it?.
The next thing you do is?
The tools are easy
Blood axe
For 1.7.10/1.7.2
Credits: rockhamster


text:
Korenwolf B.V. is a Limited Liability Company owned and managed by ir H.J. Uilenreef.
The purpose of the company to deliver technical consultancy and -management services, such as:
-project management of technical projects
-process engineering
-contract management
-construction management
for the oil-, gas-, water-, environmental and greenhouse industry.
ir H.J Uilenreef had a broad experience in different roles in projects of various nature. His curriculum vitae is posted on LinkedIn and gives more details.
Korenwolf's recent activities include:
Project management and process engineering activities for the Road project in the Rotterdam Harbour area.
Korenwolf is responsible for the design and engineering of the on- and offshore CO2 pipeline that connects the EON power plant and the Road Carbon Capture and Sequestration plant with the Taqa P-18A platform in the Dutch part of the Northsea at a distance of approx. 20 km from Hoek van Holland.
Recent Publications:
- http://www.globalccsinstitute.com/publications/road-project-flow-assurance-and-control-philosophy
- http://www.globalccsinstitute.com/insights/authors/WebinarOrganiser/2014/04/15/compressor-reservoir-–-flow-assurance-and-control-philosophy-ccs-co2-operation?author=MTc1OTM%3D


text:
Welcome to the first article in our series, an initiative of HopgoodGanim Lawyers' Manufactured Homes team designed to provide operators and developers with information about the requirements for establishing and operating a park, from its acquisition and development, through to its sale. The series will also provide information about the employment, discrimination, and privacy laws particular to the operation of a manufactured home park.
The current manufactured home park model has come a long way from its humble mobile or relocatable home park beginnings. Now, home owners want to be part of a lifestyle community, whether that be within a park with basic amenities or those with luxury resort-style facilities, and manufactured home parks provide a solution, at various levels, for that demand. Home owner demand and attractive potential returns for park owners are driving increasing interest from established and new operators in the development and operation of manufactured home parks across Queensland.
Part 1: Acquiring an established manufactured home park – what you need to know
The acquisition of an established manufactured home, caravan or mixed use park is a significant transaction, and one that should be the subject of a thorough due diligence investigation.
Whether the buyer intends to continue park operations unchanged, or undertake changes or expansion, this article, authored by Special Counsel Anthony Pitt, Partner Tracey Rundle and Associate Janelle Metcalf, details some of the matters that should be considered in any potential acquisition.
4 things you need to think about:
Contract negotiations
In any transaction, it can be difficult to renegotiate terms once a contract has been signed and, as such, the terms of the purchase contract should be the subject of specialist advice from the outset.
The specific issues to be addressed will vary depending on the characteristics of each transaction, but advice may be required in relation to property, planning and environment, employment, structuring, financial and tax matters, as well as specialist manufactured homes advice.
There are a variety of searches that are able to be undertaken with the Council, as well as other government agencies in respect of the land, and also the business being undertaken on the land.
Examples of some of the searches that may be undertaken include:
- Land titling matters
All aspects of land title should be carefully investigated.
- Planning approvals
- A search of current planning approvals should be undertaken to reveal what conditions have been imposed, including any ongoing restrictions or requirements for the operation of the approved use, or any outstanding obligations.
- Any planning approvals also need to be considered in light of other planning instruments, including State environmental planning policies, and other Council overlays and policies.
- Building approvals and certifications
- Searches should be undertaken to ascertain what building and plumbing approvals and certifications exist.
- The consideration of building approvals can be a complex matter, as the age and character of each structure can affect a number of matters, including:
- whether or not approval or certification is required;
- whether the correct type of approval and certification has been obtained for each structure; and
- whether the physical structure, or the use of any area within the structure, has changed over time, and if so, whether these changes have also been the subject of further approval or certification (where required).
- Other approvals or permits
- It is important to check that an accommodation permit is current, and to confirm exactly what type of accommodation is approved and what conditions apply.
- Recreational and other facilities on the site may also require approvals or permits, such as a pool safety certificate for all pools, and registration of plant and plant designs under the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld) for specified plant and equipment etc.
- Searches should also be undertaken to ascertain if there are any environmentally relevant activities being undertaken on the property, and if so, what conditions attach to those.
- Physical inspections of the property and structures
- Physical inspections of the property and any improvements are very important, and should be undertaken and considered in conjunction with the results of the above 'paper' searches.
- Physical inspections, as best as possible, of each of the structures subject to a tenancy within the park are very important so as to ascertain their correct legal classification in terms of whether they are a "manufactured home", a "caravan", a "converted caravan" or something else. Generally speaking, this classification dictates what legislation applies to each tenancy arrangement, regardless of what form of agreement has been entered into to document the tenancy. This is important to ascertain exactly what form of tenancy arrangements and liabilities will be taken over upon purchase.
Site Agreements and other tenancy documents
Depending on the mix of accommodation types in the park, there may be a range of agreements in place for site occupation at the park, including site agreements under the Manufactured Homes (Residential Parks) Act 2003 (Qld), tenancy agreements under the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008 (Qld), as well as short term or holiday rentals.
A thorough review of the existing agreements, and a cross-check of those against the physical structures (as discussed above), is essential as these can significantly impact a number of matters in the ongoing operation of the park, including:
- Site rent – the amount payable, how and when reviews may be undertaken, and whether reviews have been regularly undertaken to date.
- Outgoings and financial contributions – whether home owners/residents are liable to contribute to outgoings (e.g. water, electricity etc), or pay additional costs or charges for extra services or in specific circumstances.
- Repair and maintenance obligations – whether home owners/residents are required to repair and maintain items, and if so, in what circumstances and to what standard.
- Other rights and obligations of both the park owner, and home owners/residents in various circumstances.
Any Park Rules and Home Owners Information Document (HOID) should also be reviewed to provide a complete picture.
Other matters
Other matters that should be considered include the following:
- Unregistered agreements
These agreements can relate to any aspect of the property or business, and generally are unable to be searched in any public record. Therefore, it is essential that the purchase contract oblige the seller to fully disclose all such agreements and include suitable warranties relating to such disclosure.
- Land tax and age discrimination exemptions
The buyer should investigate whether the vendor park owner currently holds exemptions for:
- land tax, and whether the new park owner is likely to qualify for an exemption following acquisition; and
- age discrimination under the relevant State or Federal legislation.
- Financial documentsand matters
An accountant or other suitably qualified person should review the financial performance of the business, including any employment contracts and entitlements if employees are also being transferred.
- Structuring of acquisition
The buyer should carefully consider the best way to structure the acquisition to achieve the best possible outcome in terms of tax, liability and asset protection, etc.


text:
I'm not a fan of predictions. I have a hard enough time getting the past straight. The future, sadly, is not mine to see.
On the other hand, it's important to at least understand what questions the public might face in a given year, even if their likely responses aren't clear.
So here are 14 questions for '14. We'll know the answers by '15.
• Will Republicans pick Kansas City for their 2016 convention? The city is working hard on a bid, but presidential politics and behind-the-scenes infighting may damage the effort.
• Will Boeing will build a new aircraft in Missouri — or Kansas? Both states have made offers, but it's still an even bet the company will keep its assembly plant in Washington.
• Will Kansas City Mayor Sly James face a serious re-election challenger?
Hard to believe, but city elections are a little more than a year away.
• Will voters will be asked to approve a single-terminal airport? If the vote doesn't come this year, it probably won't be on the ballot until 2016.
• Will Hillary Clinton run for president?
• Will Kathleen Sebelius continue to run the Department of Health and Human Services?
• Will Kansas or Missouri expand Medicaid? If not, expansion in both states may be dead for some time, since the feds only promised to pick up the full cost of the added patients for three years and two of those years will be down the drain.
• Will Missouri cut taxes? The mistakes and drafting errors that doomed the 2013 tax cut won't be repeated, and Gov. Jay Nixon may not be able to win a veto battle two years in a row.
• Have the Kansas tax cuts worked? Gov. Sam Brownback promised more jobs and more residents if the legislature slashed tax rates. A year later, the results are mixed, to say the least. A year from now the verdict will be in — on the tax policy, and on Brownback.
• Will the Kansas Supreme Court provoke a showdown with the legislature over school funding?
• Does Jay Nixon have a political future, and if so, what might it be?
• Will Pat Roberts run out of conservatives to whom he can pander?
• Can Kansas Democrats still be considered a major political party? They have a candidate for governor but have struggled to find well-qualified candidates for other important races.
• Can the Royals make the playoffs? Can the Chiefs win a playoff game?
Sports reporters will bring you the answers to those last questions, of course. I'll try to keep an eye on the other stuff.


text:
|Support Texas Libraries
Our Texas libraries need your support!
There are many ways you can support libraries!
The Texas Library Association invites you to be a contributor to the Library Endowment & Advancement Fund (LEAF).
Contributions are tax deductible.
|Donation Levels
You may direct your gift to:
- Area of greatest need
- Christina B. Woll Fund for library grants to purchase children's books
- Disaster Relief Fund to aid Texas libraries struck by catastrophe
- Elizabeth Crabb Fund for legislative efforts to improve library services statewide
- Glen & Jerre Hetherington Fund for leadership development of librarians throughout the state
- James Love Fund to provide grants to small public libraries
- June Kahler Berry Fund for TALL Texans scholarships (promotes excellence in leadership in librarianship)
- Legislative Reserve Fund for advocacy efforts to benefit library services throughout the state
- Patricia Smith Endowment for Excellence
- Scholarship & Research Fund for Janeway Grant
- Spectrum Scholarship Fund for minority recruitment to the profession
- Texas Bluebonnet Award Endowment Fund for TBA activities (supports a love of reading among children)
- Wayne Williams Fund for library grants to purchase children's books
- Whitten Fund for defense of intellectual freedom
For additional information, contact Patricia Smith [8].


text:
She's old, fat but still knows how to have a great time! Bohunka is naked in her exercise room and she listens to music while doing her fitness. Look how good she feels and how much fun this granny has. She has more energy then a young chick and we wonder... how good she is in bed with a big hard, young cock.
Join Old Nanny for only 29.95$ 19.95$ This offer ends in:Please leave the link to our site! Thank you.


text:
After a dramatic final race of the season at Silverstone, George Brewster emerged as the 2011 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Pro-Am2 class champion, the Celtic Speed driver fighting back from an unscheduled pitstop to secure another points for the title.
The Scottish racer was took eight wins from nineteen races in the class, but was unable to secure the title before the final race. In the deciding race, contact on the opening lap caused Brewster to spin, before he had to pit to change a rear puncture. Returning to the action a lap down, Brewster fought back to take fourth in class and with it the title.
Brewster, who finished second in Pro-Am2 in 2010, said: "There have been so many highs and lows this season. We started on a high with a double win at Brands Hatch and kept up the momentum from there. Then we hit a mid-season blip and we went to the Nurburgring and got taken out after 20 seconds. We had small problems at Thruxton and Snetterton and all these little things cost you.
"I'm very pleased how it has all turned out. It's been well worth it after a disappointing 2010. The competition is absolutely intense but I've thoroughly enjoyed it. The championship is very well organised; there is a great bunch of guys and the racing is very hard and very competitive. I don't know what you have to do to get to the front of this championship and so I'll settle for Pro-Am2!"


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16 June
Jun 16, 2013, 11.34 AMby Ruffles Gazebo
ALSO! are you going to enter the tessuti award this year? I am a bit errrr about the theme poop. I dont wear much black….but all red is so intense! I dont even know if i will have time while studying tho…hmmmm
2 Replies
Jun 16, 2013, 08.40 PMby freakusbzzz
Morning! I was going to message you too about the Tessuti awards and ask you what you thought.
I was expecting a Great Gatsby theme but this one sucks!! I don't want to wear polyester. If it's red hot and black we should be able to make irt out of any fabric we like.
Jun 16, 2013, 11.10 PMby freakusbzzz
You should leave a comment on the site, i did, saying i want to choose from all their lovely fabrics, not just 2 choices of blagh fabrics, we may as well just make one out of muslin.
30 September
Sep 30, 2012, 06.23 AMby thecuriouskiwi
I know exactly how you feel, I've been stewing away myself for a while too. It's so frustrating how the site is all about making money and selling patterns, everything is sponsored this and sponsored that, give us your money and we might try and inspire you, or maybe not…
I get so annoyed because I feel like their popularity is all a lie based on how the site used to be and it's as if they've taken advantage of their member input from back then to build it up, then they go and change the rules completely.
I used to spend so much time on here and now every time I log on I just get so annoyed at the lack of caring and the craftsy stuff being celebrated over 'real' sewing, member projects are hard to find. I don't know why they even bother to have a "bug tacking" or "request a feature" area in the forum because it's not like they do anything with it.
Their offshoot site Kolaborra is just as bad, all advertising and sponsored paid patterns. I uploaded my first project just to see how it works and you don't even see member content unless you specifically tick a box each time (and it's not an easy box to find, I only saw it because I was trying to work out where my upload was) otherwise it's all just sponsored items, grrr.
I miss David and Alison too…
Feels good to rant to someone else who understands though :)
4 Replies
Sep 30, 2012, 08.47 AMby freakusbzzz
Hooray!! I'm glad I'm not the only one.
I also used to love coming here.. seeing what the new article was on the front page every day, Featured member projects under that too. Now they are hidden away.
Every featured member project is a Burdastyle project too.
You can see how that is effecting peoples projects, they are all putting Burdastyle pattern in the project title so they are noticed.
New people will never know there are free patterns in amongst the projects.
I want the old site back!!
They can make money through competitions, they charge $15k!!! for a company to host a competition.
I haven't heard about that other site. I'll check it out
Are there any other good sewing forums?
Sep 30, 2012, 07.51 PMby thecuriouskiwi
$15k for a competition? I did not know that, and then they don't even allow international entries alienating most of their members :(
I know, I see all these new members gushing about the site and I want to yell at them, "No! It used to be so much better, you have no idea!" and I have noticed a drop in members caring too, back in the day (old site) if you commented on someone's project they would go check out your page and returned the favour or thanked you vice versa, and if you answered their question the forums they come back and thank you too. I helped someone out big time by even scanning something I had to help them and never heard boo. Now it's just radio silence. Ah, maybe I am getting too old, wanting too much ;)
Actually funny you should ask about other sites because I have been thinking (and collecting) other sites to try out and posted my newest project to them but I know they are not nearly as popular as BurdaStyle. My list so far is:
http://sewing.patternreview.com/ (I know it's an oldie but never really tried to get involved previously, the page design makes me cringe so baaaad!)
http://circle.sewweekly.com/ – based on the ning.com site – they have a blog too: http://www.sewweekly.com/ – probably the best one so far in terms of serious members and serious sewing
http://yourstylerocks.com/ is a new site, seems like a lot of younger members but has regular competitions for pattern ideas, then they turn the member voted winning entry in a free download! So it's more about the competitions, not forum of project posts.
http://www.365daysofsewing.com/ has just relaunched but I haven't had much time to check it out yet but it could be promising.
…that is pretty much it!
Oct 2, 2012, 07.43 AMby freakusbzzz
Thanks for the links.
I REALLY want to like Patternreview but yes the site design and layout is awful.
It's just one big mess.
Jun 16, 2013, 11.27 AMby Ruffles Gazebo
I agreeeee :'(
I have never seen them implement anything from those forums….EVER.
It used to be so member focused and featured members and their projects were such a big thing. Now so much of it is them just promoting themselves. Sad times, I really used to spend hours on this website everyday!
2 April
Apr 2, 2012, 11.34 AMby schnui
I don't very often have anyone to take photos for me either, so I bought a dressmakers mannequin and she is very happy to be dressed and photographed, plus she likes to be fitted with my latest project!!!
2 Replies
Apr 3, 2012, 05.27 AMby Julia Morley
I don't have anyone either, but I was able to set my camera up to take a photo every couple of seconds – so I put it on a tripod and let it snap away while I act like a fool in front of it :-)
Apr 3, 2012, 07.59 AMby freakusbzzz
I did the tripod and they are all horrible and fuzzy.
1 April
Apr 1, 2012, 11.48 PMby freakusbzzz
Thanks Julia, very sweet of you to say so. it funds my fabric addiction :)
Apr 1, 2012, 10.10 PMby Julia Morley
Just went to see your seam allowance guide website, that's seriously brilliant!! So excited for you!
12 March
Mar 12, 2012, 02.59 AMby Adriana Orozco
My dear Hollie!!! I have to write to you here, because I do not have a message box on your new proyect!!! I must tell you that I love your black blouse with the white trim on it, and that you look wonderfull wearing it!!! Your son also looks so cute and happy with the spark lite!!! I must tell you that I wrote a note to you a few days ago!!!!!! and have not received answer……….:( Please be well, and take good care of all of you°°!!!! Much love for you and the kids, all the way from the rainforest!!!
1 Reply
Mar 12, 2012, 03.05 AMby freakusbzzz
Good morning beautiful lady.
I was thinking I had to reply to your email this morning. I am so sorry for not getting back to you earlier.
I still only have 2 hours of free time a day with Monty at school just for mornings. We tried new medication this weekend and it was disasterous so I am very upset as I was hoping it would work. He may not be able to go to proper school.
I have no time to sew now!
Love to you and thanks for thinking of me xxx
1 March
Mar 1, 2012, 02.01 PMby Adriana Orozco
Congratulations my dear friend!!! wish you all success!!!! much love to you and the children, from me, in the rainforest
19 February
Feb 19, 2012, 07.51 PMby Timea Schmidt
No you are not!!! At least you don't look 40!:))) But Happy B-day anyways:)
1 Reply
Feb 19, 2012, 10.34 PMby freakusbzzz
Thanks xxxxx
17 January
Jan 17, 2012, 04.56 PMby janene
Your status made me laugh…. good for you! x
1 Reply
Jan 17, 2012, 07.47 PMby freakusbzzz
Thanks :)
It's important to get our priorities right.
7 December
Dec 7, 2011, 01.27 PMby anajan
Congrats on the win! :) And thanks for the nice words on the Mermaid dress.
3 December
Dec 3, 2011, 10.17 AMby safiab123
Congregations (?) on your non-sewing news? Safia.
2 December
Dec 2, 2011, 12.57 PMby Jodi Wade
Your non-sewing news makes me smile :)
30 November
Nov 30, 2011, 09.28 PMby schnui
Hi Hollie, I have just purchased your seam allowance guide via Jodie the Haby Goddess, and spent yesterday afternoon busy cutting out quite a few projects to sew in the next week. The guide is fantastic and while I have learnt over the last 35 years to have a good eye for the 1.5cm seam allowance, your little guide made it all so easy. I can't believe that I never ever thought how I could solve this seam allowance problem. Good for you and I hope it is a great success for you. Many thanks, Marjorie(aka schnui)
1 Reply
Dec 1, 2011, 08.37 PMby freakusbzzz
Hi Marjorie,
How lovely are you! Thanks so much for the sweet comments.
21 October
Oct 21, 2011, 05.52 PMby threadsquare
re: status update – major congrats!!!
3 October
Oct 3, 2011, 12.44 PMby anajan
Hi Hollie, how are you? I'm a bit late with my reply – the site has had some problems lately. Thanks for your nice comment on my sailor pants. I've been quiet for too long, I think I haven't sewn any new garment for more than 2 months! A pair of nice, cozy pants really moved my mojo and now I feel like I'm back to saddle.
1 Reply
Oct 3, 2011, 11.29 PMby freakusbzzz
lovely of you to reply!
I am so addicted to sewing at the moment. I have abuot 6 things now to take photos of and 2 fails.
I forgot to get my ex to do it when he came over to see the kids last week.
I hae a sewing day today (kids at day care). 1 more item nearly finished.
I like that you have so many every day wear clothes. I need to build my wardrobe up.
Oct 3, 2011, 12.44 PMby anajan
Hi Hollie, how are you? I'm a bit late with my reply – the site has had some problems lately. Thanks for your nice comment on my sailor pants. I've been quiet for too long, I think I haven't sewn any new garment for more than 2 months! A pair of nice, cozy pants really moved my mojo and now I feel like I'm back to saddle.
18 September
Sep 18, 2011, 10.17 AMby Klandestino-Atelier
Thanks! You can see more photos!
3 August
Aug 3, 2011, 08.13 PMby Passiona Cottee
Tessuti 3 day remnant sale starts today. I am thinking city store after work
26 July
Jul 26, 2011, 03.38 PMby domestic-divaonline
I searched the web and there is a guide for the Olfa. Actually I had one in my sewing drawer. Don't know where it came from and didn't know what it was for. I went to the Olfa site and learned how to attach it. Thank you! If it weren't for your new product, I wouldn't have known what I had!
1 Reply
Jul 26, 2011, 09.25 PMby freakusbzzz
well how 'bout that!!
24 July
Jul 24, 2011, 05.20 PMby domestic-divaonline
Visited your site. Bravo! The seam allowance guide is brilliant and will save many hours of measuring! I cut out my patterns with a rotary cutter. Any plans for a version of the guide to work with that? Good luck with sales!
1 Reply
Jul 24, 2011, 09.34 PMby freakusbzzz
Thanks so much!
I think there may be one already for a rotary cutter by olaf, not sure though, I'll look into it.
27 June
Jun 27, 2011, 02.02 AMby Timea Schmidt
Wow, you are an amazing dressmaker, seamstress, designer, whatever you prefer. Your clothes are amazing. Where do you wear all that gown? I'm so jealous, I don't know the last time I had a chance to wear a decent dress since we moved to the country! Maybe I should start to design stylish gardening clothes:))
1 Reply
Jun 27, 2011, 02.49 AMby freakusbzzz
Thanks so much, it's very sweet of you to say.
I definitely wouldn't classify myself as a designer, I struggle trying to come up with creative things. I am just a hobby sewer and absolutely love it.
The two recent gowns I made were for the Tessuti awards. I have never worn them and most likely never will. Although I would love to wear the black one.
Ihave ust started making every day clothes but still hard t wear tose too as I am always climbing trees with my kids. Perhaps when they are a little bigger.
Your sewing is perfection.
17 June
Jun 17, 2011, 01.00 AMby Passiona Cottee
Thanks for the call. FYI – here's the link to the event on meet-up. meetup
Turn on 'updates' to stay in touch with the group.
16 June
Jun 16, 2011, 12.50 AMby Passiona Cottee
I wrote on Sandara's wall to invite her along next Thursday. Are you coming this Saturday arvo – did you get the meet-up details?
1 Reply
Jun 16, 2011, 12.52 AMby freakusbzzz
Didnt get any details! When where and what is it?
15 June
Jun 15, 2011, 11.47 AMby anajan
Hi Hollie, how are you? How's your business going? I've had a great response on the SAG from my readers who won it :) I wanted to thank you for the nice comments you left on my creations, you're great! :)
1 Reply
Jun 16, 2011, 12.32 AMby freakusbzzz
Hi Anjan,
Your clothes are always lovely, you know what suits your figure and you seam to make every day clothes look more special.
SAG is going very well. I have a distributer for stores in Australias, he is doing test stores first and then in the two big stores if it goes well.
They have access to stores world wide too and my nephew in the States is trying to get it into Walmart and JoAnns too.
Thanks for asking, x
7 June
Jun 7, 2011, 01.34 AMby Passiona Cottee
great to hear of the success with your latest projects. I LOVE your seam allowance guide. And used your how to finish a zip on a client skirt last night. June 23 is my b'day…. hhhmmmm…. mebbe I will lick-a-split school for the day :/
1 Reply
Jun 7, 2011, 02.02 AMby freakusbzzz
Excellent. so thats the thursday?
17 May
May 17, 2011, 09.16 PMby loyl8
very cool your SA guide. great idea very inventive.
1 Reply
May 17, 2011, 10.07 PMby freakusbzzz
Thank you!
11 May
May 11, 2011, 03.34 PMby Holy Button Glory
Hi! thanks for the tip! i really did find it in the learning section…
3 May
May 3, 2011, 08.53 PMby alisondahl
Hey freakusbzzz! I got your package today and can't wait to try out your seam allowance guide! I am always looking for faster, easier ways for making pattern-making for efficient. Maybe you can create a tutorial for us featuring your new tool! Best, alison
1 Reply
May 3, 2011, 10.28 PMby freakusbzzz
by freakusbzzz
Hi Alison,
That would be fantastic to do a tutorial! ~leaps with excitement~ . I will get someone to hold my DVD camera for me and also do one with pictures.
BTW, I watched your season of Project Runway recently, of the 4 or so seasons I've watched I think you could possibly have been the only contestant without an ego. It was nice you stood by Keith too, I quite liked him too.
24 April
Apr 24, 2011, 08.52 PMby freakusbzzz
Hi Almatinka!
For the top layer I did a rolled hem and then did a narrow hem on the serger for the bottom two layers. ot sure why though, I should have done a rolled hem. I also used wooly nylon thread. x
23 April
Apr 23, 2011, 08.57 PMby freakusbzzz
thanks so much Kenzie. let me know if the nstructions were clear if you can? When do you find out about your auditions?
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Open Thread: Talk About What Matters Most to You
Discuss and debate the issues that mean the most to you.
I feel like I'm having gender whiplash this week.
In Multnomah County, Oregon, history has just been made by the county board, which put through an executive order requiring: "single-occupancy, gender-neutral bathrooms in all new construction projects for the county." Businesses are not required to make conversions under this framework (which would have opened up grounds for an undue burden suit), but if you are building something new for the county and there is going to be a toilet in it, by gum, it needs to be gender-neutral.
This may only apply to county-owned and leased facilities, but it's still a huge deal. As always with moves like this, in addition to making things safer and healthier for people, it also sparks conversation, and it's getting a lot of attention from across the United States. Gender-neutral bathrooms just make sense.
Meanwhile, in Florida, 14-year-old Chris Martin decided to wear some makeup to school and was chastised for it. This isn't the first time this has happened, of course -- in 2008, Matt Allsup (13) was actually banned from school for wearing makeup, and he's far from the only teen boy who's faced this kind of treatment.
In other words, gender-neutral bathrooms, yay! Boys wearing makeup, nay!, apparently.
Obviously, Multnomah County, Oregon and St. Petersburg, Florida are two very different places. (One gets a lot more sun, for one thing.) But these two stories really highlight the tensions the United States is experiencing as it goes through the pangs of gender pains -- gender pangs? Growing pains? I'm not sure what to call them, but they're obvious and everywhere as gender becomes a more fluid thing, and a more openly discussed thing, and this seems to terrify people.
Let's start with the basics, here: Wearing makeup doesn't tell the people around you anything about your gender or sexuality. All it means is that you're wearing makeup. The way you wear your makeup might be performative -- for example, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence have a very distinctive makeup style -- but makeup itself doesn't necessarily have to mean anything.
Lots of girls do not wear makeup. Some boys do. Some people who aren't either of those genders do and don't wear makeup.
But because makeup is so gendered, thought, it often becomes a form of gender expression, and it's often used in gendered performances. It tends to be associated specifically with femme identities, for example, despite the fact that it can be used in a wide variety of gender performance, or simply because it's fun.
Chris, the Florida student who was punished for wearing makeup, pointedly hasn't said anything about his gender or sexual identity (not that these things are anyone's business). Tellingly, his mothers didn't think there would be any problem with his wearing makeup to school, and even helped him put it on -- femme mentoring forever! -- not even considering that the school would get on his case about it.
We don't know why he chose to wear makeup that day; experimentation, fun, self-expression, a dare, a genuine desire to pop on some lipstick and eyeliner for the day. What we do know is that when he went to school, he was told the makeup was a dress code violation and he would need to wash it off. But, as his mother Katelynn Martin notes, was this about the dress code or about the desire for gender conformity?
Boys are not supposed to wear makeup (sorry, Tynan), and thus a boy wearing makeup is a threat to the established order. As discussions about gender force people to realize that gender is far more complicated than previously understood, they seem to be getting more and more uneasy. The idea that gender is not fixed and may in fact be fluid and changing seems to upset people who experience their own genders as highly stable; as though the fact that people with non-normative gender expressions and trans experiences exist negates the experiences of cis people who feel very comfortable inhabiting familiar norms.
There's no wrong or right way to do gender; gender just is, and people live it and experience it in different ways. That's totally a-okay for everyone, as long as people don't feel the need to go around telling other people how to do it.
It's kind of like being an omnivore, seeing a vegetarian at the next table, and insisting that the vegetarian is somehow infringing upon your existence. Is the problem here with the vegetarian, or with the fact that you've just been exposed to the fact that not everyone eats (lives) like you do?
Chris' makeup was pretty mellow and toned down, so you can't claim that a girl would have been treated in the same way; he wasn't wearing distracting makeup that might have interrupted class. The problem here wasn't with the makeup, but with who was wearing it.
Of course, the district is quick to defend itself with a claim that there's "more to the story." Forgive me if I raise a considerable eyebrow here, because, honestly, lots of districts committing discrimination against students with non-normative identities rush to explain that discrimination with comments like this. And the fact is that almost 60% of LGBQT students report feeling unsafe in their school environment in the United States, which is a huge number.
Part of that lack of safety comes from moments like this, where students are condemned for the way they perform their gender and sexuality. Because Chris didn't perform to satisfaction, he was told he was doing something wrong, and that he needed to get back in line – to straighten out, if you'll forgive me. What does this tell not just Chris, but LGBQT students in his school, let alone those in other regions?
I defend the right of boys as well as anyone else to wear makeup to school and anywhere else they feel like wearing it (though I don't recommend wearing it into the OR if you're the patient). More than that, though, I defend the right of people to express their gender identity and sexuality in a way that feels natural and comfortable for them -- and the right of people to just wear some damn makeup without all that loaded baggage behind it.
Because, honestly, while I've never worn makeup, it looks kinda cool. And one of the reasons I'm afraid to play with it is not just that my hand tremors would make any self-applied makeup look ghastly, but also that I'm terrified of the gendered implications behind wearing makeup. Which is a pity, because people do some really amazingly cool stuff with makeup, like these super-cool miniature scenes created on her eyelids by self-taught Swedish makeup artist Sandra Holmbom.
Katelynn is calling for tolerance training at Chris' school, but I'd say more than that is needed. We need a comprehensive LGBQT orientation and training program for all educators and administrators across the United States to protect students and promote full inclusion of LGBQT students in educational environments. Makeup and all.


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Hi Sue
Got my newsletter from Crop Stop and OMG, how many new goodies are there? Love all the Sizzix Folders still to be released. I see Hero Arts have also jumped on the bandwagon with their matching dies for their stamps. Not so sure about those. What do you think of the Hero Arts Stamps with matching Embossing Folders? Think I and a few more may have to restrain come September when it all comes on the market.
Margaret ( Scotland)


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Tim Gunn on His Guide to StyleMatt Richenthal at . Comments
Tim Gunn has a new reality show coming out, aptly named Tim Gunn's Guide to Style.
The fashion maven talked about it with Us Weekly...
Usmagazine.com: With so many makeover shows for viewers to choose from, what makes Guide to Style unique?
Tim Gunn: For one, our show is not an intervention. These women have self-declared their need for help - they share being in a fashion rut. We're not telling [participants] what to wear. It's really an education about who they are, with whom they interact and how they want the world to perceive them. It's the semiology of dressing. It's all about the message that our clothes send and how the world perceives that.
Us: What wardrobe pieces are essential to complete the perfect fall look?
TG: If you don't have a basic black dress, you'd better get one. And you can certainly do that for $200 or under.
Us: Which Project Runway designer could most benefit from your fashion know-how?
TG: That's a great question. God, I don't know - maybe Diana Eng from season two. She's our little math and science nerd and she kept saying that her own personal style wasn't a priority for her, but if you're going to be in fashion and especially if you're going to be a designer, you'd better send a message about what you can do for your customer.
Us: Do you keep in touch with any of the Runway designers?
TG: Austin Scarlett and I spoke recently, Daniel V's doing really well. Robert Plotkin is working for Laundry. I'm in touch with a lot of them â€" those who want to stay in touch. We have our own Alumni Association now!
Us: Lastly, what can we expect from season four's crop of designers?
TG: I love the fact that people will be surprised this season, and what I'll tell you about this season is that there were 120 semi-finalists, and any one of the 120 could have won the whole season. I don't think anyone in the audience is really going to know - challenge to challenge - who's going to win and who's going to be out.
Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.


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Darpa has a well-earned rep for some of the most ambitious, over-the-top research programs of all time. But this might be the most over-the-toppest of all. The very first step? Create a unified mathematical language for everything the military sees or hears.
The armed forces are overwhelmed by all the data its various sensors are sniffing out. They want a single data stream that combines drone video feeds, cell phone intercepts, and targeting radar. Darpa's solution, found in the brand-new Mathematics of Sensing, Exploitation, and Execution program is to design an algorithm that teaches the sensors how to interpret the world — how to think, how to learn and what data, accordingly to collect.
Sensors "process their signals as if they were seeing the world anew at every instant," Darpa laments in its call for algorithms. To put it in Philosophy 101 terms, existence is, to a sensor, what William James called a "blooming, buzzing confusion": an unmediated series of events to be vacuumed up, leaving an analyst overloaded with unsorted data. Wouldn't it be better if a sensor could be taught how to filter the world through a perceptual prism, anticipating what the analyst needs to know?
That's the specific military application of MSEE. But to get there, Darpa takes a rather unconventional path. To get the "economy and efficiency that derives from an intrinsic, objective-driven unification of sensing and exploitation," it wants to create an "intrinsically integrated" algorithm for the machines to interpret reality. "All proposed research must describe a unifying mathematical formalism that incorporates stochasticity fundamentally," Darpa tells would-be designers.
In other words, one mathematical formula has to teach machines how to create order out of the chaos of the world around them, and to use that common ontology to develop a "learning capacity and expected rate-of-learning." Naturally, human interaction is to be limited: the sensors should "learn in unsupervised or semi-supervised fashion" instead.
"Specifically excluded is research that results primarily in evolutionary improvements to the existing state of practice," Darpa writes. You think? It even italicizes that passage in its bid. If you're going to teach an infrared sensor pod how to make sense of the shapes it observes, there's no half-stepping allowed.
By the time the MSEE's produced a prototype — about three and a half years (!) — multiple types of sensors ought to be able to orient themselves using the algorithm. Specifically, Darpa says that an MSEE prototype has to "furnish sensor output products" from imagery and video, communications intercepts and the tracking of a moving target. If your algorithm can train those very distinct sensors how to determine for themselves what relevant data is, you'll have gone a long way to draining oceans of data into a customizable kiddie pool for military analysts.
Oh, and you also may have introduced a new kind of artificial intelligence to machines used to track people and deadly weapons of war. At the least, you'll have designed a mark-one Cylon, one that might recognize other sensors as its kin. Darpa — notably! — is silent on the most critical question of all: what will reality look like to a sensor?
See Also:
- Darpa's Butterfly-Inspired Sensors Light Up at Chem Threats …
- Secret New Sensors Sniff For Afghanistan's Fertilizer Bombs …
- Troops in Afghanistan Will See Through Walls in 2010
- Pentagon Explores 'Human Fear' Chemicals; Scare-Sensors …
- Beyond Surveillance: Darpa Wants a Thinking Camera


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Create lyrics explanationSelect some words and click "Explain" button. Then type your knowledge, add image or YouTube video till "Good-o-meter" shows "Cool" or "Awesome!". Publish your explanation with "Explain" button. Get karma points!
Andy Williams – You'll Never Walk Alone lyrics
When you walk through a storm hold your head up high
And don't be afraid of the dark.
At the end of a storm is a golden sky
And the sweet silver song of a lark.
Walk on through the wind,
Walk on through the rain,
Tho' your dreams be tossed and blown.
Walk on, walk on with hope in your heart
And you'll Never Walk Alone,
You'll Never Walk Alone.
Lyrics taken from http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/a/andy_williams/youll_never_walk_alone.html


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Seattle, WA (PRWEB) May 05, 2014
Sports Marketing Partners is pleased to announce that Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin will be bringing back his live video chat series, branded Fresh Files Live, using the Spreecast platform on Wednesday, May 7, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. PST.
This will be Baldwin's fourth episode of "Fresh Files Live," an extension of his Fresh Files series on YouTube.
Baldwin's prior three Fresh Files Live installments have been very popular, garnering over 10,000 views for the nearly 25-minute sessions.
During Fresh Files Live, Baldwin takes time to answer questions on air from fans, who can enter the session by creating an account and posting their questions inside the platform.
The Super Bowl champion answered a variety of questions, ranging from life in the NFL to personal preferences and Seahawks-related matters.
Baldwin incorporated a new feature in his most recent Fresh Files Live, bringing fans on camera with him to ask questions. He will allow fans the same opportunity in the fourth session on May 7th.
Baldwin thinks it's a great way to connect with his fan base and is excited to return to the camera.
"All of my experiences with Spreecast have been very positive and the fans react to the chats with enthusiasm and excellent questions," Baldwin said.
Baldwin, who is entering his fourth season in the NFL, is an avid social media user, with active Facebook, Twitter and YouTube accounts.
A replay of Baldwin's most recent Fresh Files Live can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8Fg6MsYOms.
In order to participate in Fresh Files Live on May 7th, users must create a Spreecast account. However, people can watch the live video as a guest without creating an account.
Sports Marketing Partners, better known as SMP, is a sports marketing and consulting company based in Redmond, WA. SMP has expertise in athlete brand building and endorsements, digital and social marketing and sports content creation and management.
SMP has worked with Baldwin, among other athletes, on his brand management since 2013.


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Magical, memorable music is the most powerful and fun way to inspire pupils to love learning. Most Teachers worry that they are not musical or fear that would quickly lose control if they were to use music in their classroom.
You don't need to be able to sing or even have a rhythmic bone in your body!
The truth is, everyone can use music as a medium for teaching. You just need to apply Ollie's simple rhythmic techniques and you'll be amazed how easy it is to keep your pupils fired up and focused in their learning.
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