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Phylloxera is equal parts myth, legend, and complicated scientific lingo.
As you may have learned at your expense, it is also a word that so-called connoisseurs like to throw around like candy. To help you navigate the wine circles you might now feel comfortable to mingle with (you're welcome, guys), here is, in pure #antisomm fashion, a little 101 guide to learn the meaning of yet another prized wino buzzword: phylloxera.
1. Phylloxewhat? – Definition
When a dude or dudette is talking about the disastrous influence of phylloxera in Europe, you must first know that s/he is not trying to tell you about substance abuse among winemakers (why did your mind automatically go there, dude?). Rather, s/he most likely refers to a tiny bug that literally devastated the world's vineyards between 1860 and 1970. And when I say devastated, I mean more than70% French vineyards were completely destroyed! Yep, a global industry was completely paralyzed by a 2mm-tall bug. True story.
And how could they manage that, you ask? Well, they eat vines for a living!
Phylloxera actually lives and feeds on the vines' underground roots, leeching away nutrients that normally allow the vine to survive. 3 years post-infection, the majority of vineyards become all stunted and eventually die of starvation. Sad story, isn't it?
Just thinking about it I ball in my Merlot.
2. Where did phylloxera come from?
People wondered about that for a long while, and nobody ever saw it coming. After all, vines had been growing for centuries without a problem!. To make a long story short, it was once again America's fault (Thank, guys).
Indeed, phylloxera is a born and bred American delicacy. It lived on the continent for ages without causing any problem since the types of vines that grew here are resistant to it. However, as I discussed in my article on Quebec wines, European vines (vitis viniefera for those who went to private school) are generally considered more "noble", and tend to make the best wine. Savvy American winemakers therefore quickly decided to import European vines and plant them in California to get better product. The vines died quickly – phylloxera oblige – and no one really knew why. They just gave up, y'know?
Well, had it been only that nobody would still give a flying frog, right? The true issue came up, however, when some smart cookie had the opposite idea: Yay, let's take those funky American vines and plant them in France just for the hell of it! This obviously brought up some American soil containing phylloxera to Europe, and a few years later, millions of vines died and thousands of families lost their entire livelihood. Intense stuff, right?
Add this to the pile of lessons applying the principle of don't mess with nature, stupid. Here's to hoping we ever learn!
3. And how did we get out of it?
What may surprise you is that there is still no cure / insecticide / antidote to successfully get rid of phylloxera without killing the vine or make it toxic at the same time. Indeed, after more than a century, the scientific world is still unable to kill a 2mm bug without compromising the whole harvest at the same time.
Rather than geting rid of it, then, we learned to live with it. Some savvy winemakers ended up clicking on the fact that phylloxera was a problem only in European vineyards, and not in America. Since phylloxera lives, as we have seen, on the roots of the vines, they had the genius idea of grafting European vines onto North American roots. TADAH: European vineyards were now resistant to the parasite!
Obviously, many were afraid that the new roots would change the taste of the resulting wine. Experimental research fortunately quickly demonstrated that vines were a "neutral" component for grapes. Basically, this means that if you have a Merlot vineyard and you'd rather have Chardonnay, you just have to cut the trunks (named permanent wood in oenological linguo) and graft the roots onto the new variety. Cool stuff, right?
Obviously, we can easily imagine the astronomical costs of pulling off nearly all the vines of Europe to replant them on new roots – we're talking racks are racks on racks. Despite that, the industry managed to recover, and with new technological advances, the wine produced today is (probably) just as good if not better!
4. Conclusion
So that was my little lesson on phylloxera! Liked it? Enjoyed it? Any questions? Hit me up in the comments!


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Market Review Quarter 2, 2017
Second Quarter
Equity Markets % Change (in Cdn$)
S&P/TSX Composite -1.6%
TSX Energy -8.3%
TSX Financials -0.9%
Interest Rates June 2017 March 2017
Cdn 91 day T-Bills 0.68% 0.52%
U.S. 91 day T-Bills 0.95% 0.79%
Cdn 10 year Bond 1.73% 1.63%
U.S. 10 year Bond 2.13% 2.39%
Commodities (in U.S.$) June 2017 March 2017
Oil 46.32 50.81
Natural Gas 3.04 3.19
Gold 1241.50 1251.10
Portfolio Management Strategy
What Worked What Didn't
– Emerging Market Stocks – Energy Stocks
– EAFE Stocks – Canadian Stocks
– Canadian Dollar – Mining Stocks
Ready Or Not, Here They Go — NL
It was a tough time being a Canadian investor in the second quarter of 2017. We had the worst of both worlds. A poor stock market and a rising currency. The Canadian stock market, as represented by the S&P/TSX Composite Index, declined by 1.6% (total return), making it one of the worst performing major markets in the world. We did, however, manage to beat markets such as Russia, Qatar, and Brazil. Not exactly rarified company. How did this underperformance happen at the same time we are being told the Canadian economy is one of the best performing in the world? As I have pointed out in previous editions of Commentary, the S&P/TSX Composite Index bears little resemblance to the Canadian economy. As so many companies and whole industries in Canada are either privately owned or are owned by foreign companies, the Index is dominated by resource and financial stocks. If they are doing well, so is our stock market. If they are doing poorly (as they have done most recently), so is our stock market, regardless of the health of the economy in general. This is a definite warning to investors (and unfortunately there are quite a large number) who invest almost exclusively in Canada without thought to proper diversification. Proper diversification involves owning a number of companies in different industries based in different countries. We will typically own, for our clients, 35-45 different stocks and they will be based in Canada, the U.S., and internationally and while there may be, from time to time, some small industry concentration, they will encompass quite a number of different industries.
Also not helping Canadian investors was the Canadian dollar as it advanced versus the U.S. dollar during the quarter, eradicating almost all of the gains realized in the U.S. stock market. Great if you were a traveler, not so much if you were an investor. Long bond and rate/reset preferred share investors fared well. Long bonds benefitted from the flattening of the yield curve (short-term interest rates rising while long-term interest rates declined while rate/reset preferreds were helped by expectations of the Bank of Canada imminently raising interest rates.
Speaking of interest rates, The Bank of Canada (BOC) has finally decided that its emergency measures are no longer necessary and Canadian interest rates can begin to reflect the reality of the current Canadian economy. As you know from my comments in previous issues of Commentary, we have felt that interest rates at crisis levels were too low and were overdue to be increased. The oil shock experienced in late 2015 and early 2016 caused the BOC to reduce its already low Bank Rate to 0.50% and it has remained there ever since, despite oil recovering somewhat from its panic bottom and the ongoing positive numbers being recorded recently in both job growth and economic expansion. For the first time in almost seven years, administered interest rates have finally increased. The BOC has raised its Bank Rate by 0.25% to a still ultra-low 0.75%. As a result, all borrowing rates (Prime, mortgage, etc.) have been raised by the Chartered banks. Savers, however, should not be showing too much excitement. As banks feel the need to pad their already huge profit margins, savings rates will not be raised. At least, not at this time.
Individual Canadians are the most indebted in the world (much like their provincial governments). Spurred on by unnecessarily low interest rates and banks that are more than happy to shove money on to their personal banking customers (corporate borrowers have been less inclined to borrow so the banks felt they had to lend money somewhere to keep shareholders happy), Canadians have racked up historically unheard of debt loads from both spending and purchasing real estate. Home equity lines of credit (HELOC) and mortgages, both tied to the housing market, are the main avenues banks have used to funnel money to their customers. HELOCS are all at floating rates, as are many mortgages. Those borrowers will immediately feel the effects of the higher interest rates. Those with fixed mortgages will feel it upon renewal. The result of this 'easy money' in Canada has been, as noted above, a heavily indebted citizenry and real estate bubbles in certain markets such as Greater Vancouver and Toronto.
We do not believe the BOC will stop at just one rate increase. It appears that interest rates around the world have bottomed and are either poised to rise, or are already doing so. A whole generation of people in most developed nations have never experienced rising interest rates and, in Canada at least, are not prepared for its potential ramifications.
Rising interest rates are not bad, except when borrowers are overextended. Interest rates generally rise when economies are expanding, when the demand for credit grows, and when inflation increases. This is normal economics and is healthy. Usually central banks are late responding to these signals (called being behind the curve). At this point in time we believe the BOC is behind the curve (more so than the Fed in the U.S.) and will raise rates at least a couple more times in the next year in an effort to catch up. Rising rates are a problem when central banks are too slow to respond and growth, and especially inflation, gets out of hand due to credit being too cheap. We aren't there currently but the risk is there. Commodity prices are under pressure and are probably closer to a bottom than a top. Wages and their influence on inflation is something we will be watching closely. A combination of low labour slack in Canada (especially when compared to the U.S.) and pending huge increases in minimum wages in some provinces (and the resultant pressure on other wages) could also become worrisome. The degree of offset in deflationary impacts of technology remains to be seen.
What does this mean for investors? We believe it means that yields on fixed income (especially bonds) will be going up. That's great for investors once they get there but painful in the meantime, as prices on currently owned bonds will decrease to allow for yields to adjust to rates available on newly issued bonds. Because of that, we will continue to have a less than typical allocation to bonds for the foreseeable future. Many of our clients also own preferred shares. As noted in previous issues of Commentary, there are mainly two types of preferred shares. Perpetual preferreds have a set dividend that never changes. While these shares do respond somewhat to changes in interest rates (not as much as most investors believe, except in extreme situations) they actually respond more to changes in the perceived credit paying ability of the issuer. We own them in most fixed income portfolios because of their very attractive yields and the favourable tax treatment of their dividends in taxable accounts. Rate-reset preferreds recalculate their dividends every five years, based either on the current prime rate or the interest rate on 5-year Canada bonds. This means they hurt investors when rates go down and reward them when rates go up. Their dividends also receive favourable tax treatment. Since they were first introduced about ten years ago, they have mostly hurt investors as rates declined relentlessly but, if we are correct in our interest rate outlook, their day in the sun may finally be arriving. Once again, many of our fixed income portfolios own rate resets but unfortunately preferred shares do not have a lot of liquidity and are therefore difficult to trade.
We are happy that the Canadian economy, along with other economies around the world, are doing better. This should have long-term positive ramifications for stocks as their earnings increase along with economic growth. However, current stock prices are probably ahead of earnings and we will be awaiting better valuations to increase our commitment to them. Patience, while difficult, is important.
It Takes Longer Than You Think – RD
I have found myself mulling about the latest business and stock price disasters in the retail sector. The problems stem from changing consumer habits and the lagging transformative shifts in business models to keep up. However, I have been hearing the arguments to explain the current retail store woes for a long time. The predictions are so familiar. My recollection is that at the end of the last millennium I was going to be able to bypass the mall and click on my TV display to buy the coffee table on the screen or clothes a certain actor was wearing. Similarly, back then, grocery stores were going to have to shrink given that upstart on-line grocery stores were going to eat their lunch (I couldn't resist). In fact, in the early 2000's I gave on-line grocery shopping a try with Grocery Gateway. After a couple of deliveries I stopped as it didn't prove to be a better way of filling up my pantry after time, selection and cost was factored in. Many on-line shopping formats weren't actually very profitable, if they made money at all, and seemed to settle into the background or were purchased by a large traditional company.
On-line was expected, back then, to devastate retail stores. "All with a click of a button" and that's the story that surrounded the internet at that time. Now, so many years later, it seems that the forecast decline of some traditional brick and mortar retail stores is finally at hand, only it has taken much longer than thought previously. But I have still been perplexed with how 'sudden' the retail dominos have fallen to the internet. This past year we have read countless stories of retail store challenges. Store closings and or job cuts happened at Hudson Bay, Sears, Staples, Radioshack, Gymboree, Payless ShoeSource, Target, BestBuy (and the list goes on and on). It would appear that we have reached a tipping point, only over 17 years after the first shot across the bow. Other factors needed to be in place before this tipping point occurred. What these factors are is in debate. Faster internet speeds have helped but so too has the building of more efficient distribution networks, improved speed of delivery and lower delivery costs that were not available 'back then'.
In a case of back to the future, a company called Blue Apron came to market this last quarter issuing new stock. There was much hype (in my stock world) surrounding this company whose service is providing ready-made meal packages. Similar to former internet bubble stocks, this company does not make a profit. I was initially confused about the level of interest in Blue Apron but I thought if I did some research I would understand its appeal (and possibly even become a potential customer because I am all for making my life easier). However, the cost at $10 per meal soon stopped me short. An ongoing subscription with a thirty dollar cost for my family of 3 to eat one meal that I still have to cook is a non-starter, for me. Stocks need earnings growth or, in this case, actual earnings. The Blue Apron concept is likely to be used by a small slice of the population at best and this leads me to another area of perceived rapid adoption.
There was a splashy headline recently that car manufacturer Volvo was no longer going to manufacture internal combustion engines after 2019 in favour of electric. Wow! In full disclosure the Oldsmobile I am driving will be able to hang a heritage licence plate in a few more years so I am clearly old school when it comes to my ride. Having said that, this new technology will take longer to roll out than people anticipate. Traditional car companies have watched Tesla (electric car maker) stock rocket 60% this past year even though Tesla has not shown a profit. Yet, the traditional car companies have put their own electric plans into place. The big auto manufacturers are planning on selling millions of electric-only cars by 2025. This has huge implications, not just for Tesla and the other auto companies, but, eventually, for Canada's resource driven economy. But for all the ambition, subsidization and environmental arguments, given current battery life constraints and infrastructure requirements, I suspect it will roll out slower than people currently anticipate. Less than 1% of all vehicles sold in the US last year were all-electric. The next mass market step, including Volvo's, will be hybrid electric-internal combustion engines (and don't be surprised if current favourite lithium-ion batteries are supplanted in 10 to 15 years by something different before the fully electric car reaches a tipping point).
Companies have time to adjust if they are watching the shifts and have the corporate culture in place for change. Pepsi and Coke adapted to the decline in soda pop by becoming one of the top sellers of water in the world. GE is selling the consumer light bulb business it helped found 125 years ago. It has been undergoing a significant reconstruction from appliances and light bulbs to power turbines, medical equipment such as CT scanners and energy services, digitization and locomotives. Whole Foods (seller of expensive healthy and organic food) on the other hand couldn't adapt to the competition and has recently sold itself to Amazon. The changes these companies faced have been years in the making.
Just like ours is a different world than our parents, our kids will experience a different technological and consumer world than we lived through. My point is that the adoption of transformative goods and services usually takes longer than people think and the root causes of the tipping point will only be able to be interpreted by historians.
"It's Not What You Don't Know That Hurts You, It's What You Know That Just Ain't So" – AC
I recently joined Portfolio Management to oversee global equities and fixed income. I am pleased to assume the portfolio from Peter Walter and wish him well in retirement. I would also like to thank him for the smooth transition and support that he has provided to me. I look forward to continuing the strong track record that PMC has built over time.
Most equity markets have done quite well in 2017, with the notable exception of Canada, and we continue the search for solid companies in which to invest. Economies in both Europe and Asia have started to recover nicely and this is reflected in market prices. If we look at fixed income markets, they have also performed solidly with long-term yields falling and bond prices rising. Is this a Goldilocks scenario with low but stable economic growth and continuing appreciation of stock and bond prices? It is hard to know for sure, which brings me to some thoughts on some of my recent reading.
There was an article in the Financial Times entitled "You are not as clever as you think you are" by Anjana Ahuja, an award-winning science journalist. The point of the article is that in a world where information is easily available and can lead to overload, people tend to use intuition to make decisions. However, even intuition has its shortcomings. The article highlighted an interesting paper on "cycology" where psychologist Rebecca Lawson asked a simple question: could people draw the basics of a bicycle? This task is more complex than it seems. I tried it and encourage you to do so as well. How is the frame structured, how does the chain work, where do the wires from the hand brakes go? In fact, according to the study, around 40% found it almost impossible to draw a bicycle. What I found interesting was that many people in the study had ridden and seen bikes over many years, yet still had difficulty drawing the basic of a bicycle. However, if asked beforehand, many people would confidently say that they could draw a bike. The main lesson here is that a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing.
How does this all relate to investment management? Many people can have an opinion about a company, but it takes years of experience and understanding and a lot of diligence and hard work to uncover a solid investment idea. Deep fundamental research is essential in the investment process. I am delighted to join a firm where excellence in fundamental research is embedded in the culture.
Taking it one step further, this lesson of overconfidence in your level of knowledge can be extended to investing in international equities. Investors are able to identify, understand and appreciate the subtle and not-so-subtle issues when investing in markets they know. For example, investors who live in Canada or the U.S. are comfortable investing in their home markets. They look for companies that have strong management teams, solid balance sheets and high returns on capital. However, these investors may take for granted issues like robust corporate governance, transparent accounting and the rule of law because that tends to be the general backdrop in those North American markets. When you invest internationally, these issues can't be taken for granted. At PMC, a critical part of the investment process is to ensure that we aren't making subtle assumptions about companies we invest in that could hurt our performance down the road. Sometimes, "it's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you know that just ain't so".
June 2017

subset: commoncrawl


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The "1" button on everyone's keyboard is surely getting a good workout today. May I suggest being kind enough to split your usage between the "1" above your letters, and the "1" on your number pad. I mean seriously people, give 'em a break!
But that's not what I meant to talk about. I wanted to talk about lucky numbers, and then move into Veteran's Day. Ready? Here we go!
Okay first off, my husband's lucky number is 11. He always had it as a jersey number in school. Also, my birthday is in the month of 11. For that fact alone, I think we were meant to be together. Just sayin'.
Now then, let's use the hubby mention as a segway into the more important topic here.
Hubby and I just took a trip to the east coast to visit his maternal grandparents. They live near DC and neither of us have been there, so it was truly a wonderful experience. His parents flew in and enjoyed the trip with us, but his dad only stayed half the time. Perhaps the best part about it was going to DC with his parents, then coming back to gramma and grampas house to hear their stories. Gramma moved to DC at the age of 18, and showed us on a map exactly where she used to live. We visited and took a picture of it for her on our second day out there. The building was still there and looked exactly the same. She lit up when she saw it. Grampa remembered the place because that's where he first saw gramma. Back in the day, it was a girls only house. Boys were only allowed on the rooftop deck and the ballroom. It was a super cute story to hear and a wonderful way to enrich our experience. We also took a couple days to drive to the little rural town in North Carolina where Grampa grew up. We toured a portion of the farmhouse they lived in, saw the church where hubby's mom was baptized, and hung out with all the friends (well the ones that are left) that Grampa grew up with. The families have been there so long, that the streets are named after them. Four families of friends, with streets named after their parents and grandparents. It was really neat to see. And growing up in an urban community, I've long been fascinated with rural towns. It was so cool to see the miles of farm fields, the beautiful homes full of antiques and family heirlooms, and spend the nights hearing their awesome stories. It was also great to be immersed in the southern accent. My internal accent collector put their drawl in its pocket.
Hubby's parents were hippies. Well, his dad still is kind of. He's a vegetarian, peace-spreading, classic rock loving dude. He lives in t-shirts, shorts and flip flops and refers to himself as a pretty bitchin' guy. He is pretty cool actually. His mom, while still very in tune with her hippy self, is a self-taught computer geek who understands that life has a little more gray area in it.
Their son, in the 10 years that I've known him, has developed a mysterious fascination with war and weapons. When he has a hall-pass, you can often find him on the couch, enjoying a tv series like The Pacific or Band of Brothers. Let me clarify that he's already watched both of these at least five times. But he keeps renting them. I don't know what it is. It's not like he's getting all shoot 'em up crazy or anything. He is still the same wonderfully good-natured, incredibly sweet and peace-loving man. I think part of his fascination is the incredible sacrifice of our World War II, Vietnam and Korean War veterans. Not that neither of us recognize that there were (are!) other wars and other veterans deserving of praise. But those are the ones he seems to find most fascinating.
So on our trip, after the four of us had visited as many DC memorials as we could, and before we took the metro back to gramma and grampas house, we all sat down for a warm drink and a little reflection on the day.Unfortunately, this is where things went wrong. His father, a huge supporter of anti-war protests and movements, began ranting and raving about soldiers and going to war. In a nutshell, he found it dispicable that people voluntarily went to war, or did not flee when they were drafted. I was shocked and embarrassed to hear him say that he supported those that spit on the soldiers that came back from Vietnam. I think if anyone looked at my husband and I at that moment, you would have seen two people with their lips closed tightly, and cheeks bright red. We were both internally fuming. Now his dad can be extremely stubborn, so even trying to address his comments would have been a total disaster in public. So neither of us said anything. His mother, sensing our frustration, started a tangent about our trip that day.
The next day, his dad flew home, and by night time, his mother, being a little overwhelmed by her old parents, decided to come have a drink with us in our room after dinner. We must have all been thinking about it, because the first thing we did was to start talking about his father's comments. Essentially, the conversation began by hubby and I explaining the many things that disappointed us about his father's comments. Like how he said he was supportive of those that spit on the returning Vietnam soldiers, and how frustrating it was to hear him say that people that were drafted should have just fled the country. I couldn't help but add that not taking into account the myriad of reasons why people join the military in the first place (whether it was back then or now), is just simply ignorant. I've had a lot of friends come through our town that were in the military, and if it wasn't for the army/navy/marines, they would never have left their small town. For many of them, it was an opportunity to grow, learn and provide for their families. For others, it was the only option they had, having lived in low-income families, with little positive pathways ahead. I could see how it would be hard for him to see that though, having come from a suburban town with wealthy parents. I didn't say it so flippantly, but it was difficult to say it nicely. And to enjoy so much freedom in this country, only to turn a blind eye when it comes to protecting those freedoms! As an immigrant, I simply could not support the statement. It broke my heart to hear it in fact. I am so unbelievably lucky that my parents brought us here. And they did it to be free of political persecution, and so we can enjoy and take advantage of all the rights that veterans have helped our country obtain and RETAIN. Did he think that if everyone just fled instead of fighting for their country, that our enemies would just say, "Oh, ok! You guys don't want to play? Well then, I guess we're out, too. See ya!" I mean for goodness sakes! Did he think we'd still be here if that's how every draftee or volunteer played their cards?!
Hubby's mother totally understood, and for the most part, she agreed with us.
She explained that his father does in fact see things in black and white, and perhaps doesn't always consider the intricacies of the issues. Don't get me wrong, they are both incredibly intelligent people. But stubbornness tends to get in the way with papa bear sometimes. But the way she explained their experiences during the Vietnam War was interesting. Hubby's parents met in college, where he was the houseboy at her sorority. (I thought that was really funny by the way.) They both were relatively politically moderate. In fact, having grown up in a conservative household, his mother was mainly conservative. But when Vietnam happened, things changed for both of them. She remembered a time when she picked up a newspaper and saw a picture of a young mother and child, with horrific looks on their faces. It was clear to her, that they were one of the many civilians that would become victims of the war. For both of them, this was a turning point in their political beliefs. The lies they heard from our own American leaders were unbearable, and the fact that their own parents turned a blind eye, made them even angrier. So they turned their doubts and outrage into protests.
I have to say, I can understand that. While not everyone took part in massacres, there will always be bad eggs that will ruin the reputation of the masses. What I CANNOT understand, is why his father would take it so far. For such an intelligent man, how could he turn a blind eye?
Now let me be clear. In my humble opinion, war should ALWAYS be the LAST option. Unfortuantely however, just ignoring it or deciding not to take part, can lead to even more problems. As Americans, most of us will never know what it's like to have war on North American turf. We hear about it happening far away, and we see our friends go (and some unfortunately not come back) from some far away land. We send them care packages and talk to them on Skype. But most of us will never truly know what it's like. And then to have so many of our young veterans come back, with soul-less eyes and missing limb, with night sweats and seemingly weird triggers that send them off to a very different, dark place, and to see them practically abandoned in their own country, with not enough resources to support them and help them gently reenter the community – I consider this to be war on our own people.
Perhaps everything I've written in this post thus far isn't the best introduction to what I'm about to say. And there are probably some who will read this, then read where I'm originally from, and want to spit on ME.
But for what it's worth, I am proud to live in the US. I cannot imagine living in my country of origin, and not being able to experience all that I have in this country. Seeing families disconnected makes my heart hurt. And I cannot thank enough the veterans of the many wars that have helped make my life here possible; those that have made it possible for my husband and I, an interracial couple, to be married; those that have made it possible for my family to own businesses, become educated and have the freedom to walk down the street without fear of being chased by secret police.
Veterans – thank you so much for all you do. My heart goes out to you and your families, who sacrifice years of their lives in the name of this country. I will continue to try and give back to you in the form of services, care packages, and the like. With all the economic and political struggles people face today, "great" may not be the first adjective we use to describe America. But if we were asked to live somewhere else instead, I doubt many would go. It's more of an implied "great." Because deep down, I think we all know, there's nowhere else we'd rather be. And most of us wouldn't be here, if it wasn't for the many brave men and women in our lives.
Thank you (infinity).


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Saturday, July 1, at 1:00 pm, the Florence Community Library will celebrate Independence Day with a screening of the documentary, USS Indianapolis: The Legacy. Experience the story of the worst sea disaster in US Navy History, told by the men who lived it – followed by a Q & A that will include the film's director alongside Florence resident and Indianapolis survivor Adolfo "Harpo" Celaya!
Built around more than 100 interviews with family members, rescuers, and survivors, the documentary recounts the five harrowing days the survivors spent struggling against intense thirst, searing sun, and hundreds of sharks. After their rescue came another battle – a 54 year fight to clear the name of their captain, disgraced after taking the blame for the ship's loss. Set to a soaring original score, the story unfolds with rare World War II footage, previously unpublished photographs, and new footage from one of the last World War II-era heavy cruisers still afloat.
The screening will be followed by a Q & A that will include Florence residents Adolfo "Harpo" Celaya and Irene Daniel, as well as the film's director, Sara Vladic. For more information, or to sign up, please contact the library at (520) 868 – 8311.
USS Indianapolis: The Legacy was named: 2016 Official Selection at the GI Film Festivals in both Washington DC and San Diego; 2016 Official Selection at the Hollywood International Independent Documentary Festival; and 2016 Special Selection at the Heartland Film Festival in Indianapolis. Recently, the film was chosen as an official selection for the 2017 WWII Film Festival in Normandy, and was screened in Carentan during the D-Day festivities for an international audience. It is a Films by Serendipity production. To find out more about the film, visit www.FilmsBySerendipity.com or the film's Facebook page: @USSIndianapolisMovie.
The library thanks filmmakers Sara Vladic and Melanie Capacia Johnson for permission to screen this motion picture, honoring this critical event in American history.


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PHS (PHS) Class of 1993 Alumni List
Help us Update the PHS 1993 Class List by adding any names missing from the list below:
Registered Alumni
1993 Class List
- Melissa Berry
- Melissa Birt
- Angel Haller Burton
- Stephanie Davidson
- John Elliott
- Stacy Lawson
- Amanda Mc
- April Michaels
- Cynthia Patten
- Craig Schaffner
- Emily Scwhabaland
- Shane Smith
- John Topping
- Andrew Wagner
- Casey Zwiebel
Know PHS Class of 1993 graduates that are NOT on this List? Help us Update the 1993 Class List by adding missing names.
The most popular movie of 1993 was Jurassic Park which has grossed over $357,067,947 since its release. The TV series 60 Minutes was the most popular show of 1993.
Hit Songs From 1993
Hit Movies From 1993
Reunions and Piqua High School News
More 1993 alumni from Piqua HS have posted profiles on Classmates.com®. Click here to register for free at Classmates.com® and view other 1993 alumni.
If you are trying to find people that graduated in '93 at Piqua in Piqua, OH, check the alumni list below that shows the class of 1993.
You can share memories of those activities that you were involved with at Piqua HS and you can view other alumni and read what other former students have posted about the time they spent at Piqua.


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SRAM Level Ultimate Disc Brakes
The Level Ultimate adapts many of the Guide Ultimate's features with a minimalistic design that sheds unnecessary bulk and drops from four pistons to two, marking a clear delineation between the Guide Ultimate's all-mountain and enduro designation and the Level Ultimate's XC and trail focus.
Instead of the two-part body used by almost every other member of the newly minted Level family, the Level Ultimate houses its pair of 21mm pistons in a forged, single piece caliper for net gains in braking consistency and heat management. It's also the only Level model to include a carbon lever and titanium hardware, features that account for a claimed 38g weight difference compared to the Level TLM, the Ultimate's closest in-house competitor. The lever action is also smoother, as the Ultimate upgrades the TLM's bushings to full-blown bearings, making it the only Level brake with bearings.
The Level Ultimate also features the same heat-dissipating technology as the Guide Ultimate — most notably the stainless steel Heat Shields and the improved heat management of SRAM's DOT 5.1 hydraulic fluid. SRAM claims that the latest generation of DOT resists boiling for three times longer than its predecessor, DOT 4, and the Heat Shield inserts serve as a firewall to separate the brake pads from the calipers so that less heat overall makes it into the fluid system.
The Level's bleeding, bladder shape, and heat management all contribute to importing the Guide brake's consistent bite and lever feel, and the sealed bearings and SRAM's new timing port closure design ensure that the levers themselves maintain the smooth, one-finger operation we've come to expect from SRAM's new generation of stopping systems. The levers are MatchMaker and MMX compatible, and the PiggyBack Reservoirs let you run the brakes moto if that's your jam.
Sold as a set of front & rear brakes. Rotors and adapters are sold separately.


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Inside '57th & 9th' – Sting's First Rock Album In Decades
How Prince's death, climate change inspired "impulsive" new LP
It's a perfect Saturday morning, but Sting, unshaven and scruffy, is lying on a couch in a darkened New York studio, taking a nap before starting work for the day. He's still recovering from playing New York's Jones Beach Theater last night, the third date of his co-headlining summer tour with Peter Gabriel. "That was a workout," he says. "I've been up since 5:30. I'm the son of a milkman."
Sting is working overtime to finish 57th & 9th (named after the intersection he crosses to get to the studio every day), which has him returning to the guitar-driven rock music he hasn't made in decades. "It's not a lute album," he says with a smile, a reference to 2006's Songs From the Labyrinth. "It's rockier than anything I've done in a while. This record is a sort of omnibus of everything that I do, but the flagship seems to be this energetic thing. I'm very happy to put up the mast and see how it goes."
Read the full article at http://www.rollingstone.com


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Welcome to the careers section of PT. Duta Abadi Primantara.
We are a trusted company that holds the leading bedding brands in the world as Serta®, and a market leader for the bedding industry in Indonesia.
Join us with more than 2000 employees in our company throughout Indonesia, where you will find a dynamic work environment, comfortable, challenging, career path and attractive
For those professionals who wish to join our winning team, please send your job application to email: email@example.com


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JOLIET – Tom Carstens brings an outsider's point of view as he takes over as executive director of the Joliet Park District.
Carstens started the $135,000-a-year job Wednesday.
He called it "a great opportunity" in large part because of the Joliet Park District's reputation, size and operations, which include golf courses, a water park, an athletic center, a stadium and even an airport along with its parks.
"I'm very excited. The staff here is good. They have a great reputation," Carstens said. "In the park and recreation field, the Joliet Park District is reputable."
That's good, because Carstens was brought in under somewhat disreputable circumstances.
Former Executive Director Dominick Egizio resigned in October after being put on leave following a complaint made by a woman employee of the park district and the threat of litigation.
Carstens said he does not intend to dwell on his predecessor's circumstances.
"My philosophy is don't look backwards. Look forward," Carstens said. "We'll be implementing a different culture and operating philosophy. From what I understand, staff is looking to move forward, and so am I."
Carstens comes to Joliet from the Frankfort Park District, where he was executive director since 2010. He previously was deputy director of the Bolingbrook Park District and, before that, he was superintendent of recreation at the Cary Park District.
Coaching style
Carstens started his career at the park district in Downers Grove, where he grew up and where his father, Dick Carstens, is a football coaching legend. The football stadium at Downers Grove North High School is named after Dick Carstens.
After his father's death in 1985, Tom Carstens was an assistant football coach at the high school.
His father and other coaches have influenced his management style, Carstens said. That style, he said, is to coach staff but not micromanage them.
Like many coaches, Carstens said there are key goals on which he focuses: professionalism, customer service and quality of life being a few.
"I think a park district has to look at ourselves as we're here for our residents," he said. "I'm big on improving the quality of life. Our staff will hear that from me a lot."
Carstens' focus on customer service was one of the qualities that stood out when he was selected for the job, park board President Glen Marcum said.
"His organizational skills and people skills is what really set him apart," Marcum said.
Carstens also has experience "with all facets of the park district," Marcum said, pointing in particular to his experience with the Pelican Harbor Aquatic Park in Bolingbrook. Attendance at the Splash Station Water Park at times is an issue in Joliet.
Marcum had said early in the search for an executive director that he expected to get good candidates in part because of the $19.5 million bond referendum that was approved overwhelmingly by voters in 2014 and has provided the park district with resources for improvements and new facilities.
"That was definitely an added plus," Carstens said.
But, he added, "I would have applied with or without the referendum because of the quality of the park district. ... It's a great opportunity to work for a park district like this because of its positive reputation."


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Are you sick and tired of cleaning your pool every month? It is a time-consuming ordeal, to say the least. Is contacting and hiring a professional pool and spa company each time seem like too much of an expense? While it's always a good idea to have a local pool and spa specialist available to answer questions and assist with repairs, hiring one to clean your pool regularly can be daunting to some people. But what other choice is there? One great option for homeowners is to purchase an automatic pool cleaner. Here are several benefits you should consider before making your purchase.
Fairly Priced
When it comes to pool and spa equipment, expense is always part of the equation. Luckily, automatic pool cleaners are relatively inexpensive. They are certainly more cost efficient overtime. Overall, purchasing an automatic pool cleaner is a great investment.
Various Models Available
Not only are automatic pool cleaners well-priced, but they also come in all shapes and sizes. You can pick the model that best suits your personal pool and spa cleaning requirements. Talk to your local pool specialist for recommended models.
Automatic pool cleaners are extremely efficient. If you're looking for a way to keep your pool water cleaner and more hygienic, there are few other pool and spa products worth considering instead. Not only will your pool be cleaner, but automatic pool cleaners are easy to program and will save you loads of time as well.
Think an Automatic Pool Cleaner is Right for You?
Do you think an automatic pool cleaner would be right for you and your home? Talk to a local pool and spa repair specialist at Neptune Pool & Spa to determine which model is right for you. You can learn more about our company and our 25% discount offer by visiting our website. Call us at (206) 900-9153 to set up an appointment today!
Automatic Pool Cleaner Product Supplier
Edited by Justin Vorhees
Caring for pools and spas in Snohomish and King counties, including Bothell, Brier, Edmonds, Kenmore, Kirkland, Lynnwood, Medina, Mercer Island, Mill Creek, Mountlake Terrace, Mukiteo, Seattle, Shoreline and Woodinville


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Yesterday was the first day back after Spring Break....was expecting to be busy and suffice to say the expectations were met.
Let's see...we had plenty of worried well: "My friend has the flu, and well, do you think I have it too?" (kid is seriously concerned but healthy as all get out)
We had a few of the stupid stunts result in pain: "Well, you know, when I was in Costa Rica for Spring Break, um, I don't think my sunscreen worked so well" (kid has a serious burn on her face, splotchy/patchy suggesting she might not have been paying attention when she put it on).
There was the "I started taking the pill yesterday and now I feel horrible" (called her mom who I immediately fell in like with...."Tell her to just s*ck it up, she begged to try this because her cramps are so bad...she needs to make up her mind...cramps or some adjustment to this med. Nobody ever told her life would be easy, plus, she's probably just tired because she wouldn't go to bed last night like told her too". Puking Princess gave us an Oscar worthy performance as she told us she was going to throw up...cough cough, nada nada.
Loads of stomach aches, head aches but nothing really all that worrisome....except the young high school junior, who says "Oh my, the baby was kicking me in my ribs all night. I'm just so tired of being pregnant". Ok, medically not so much worrisome....that was more of the mom-in-me worried....she's so young to be a mom.
And then it seems like word has gotten out to the staff that there is someone knew in the office: The Dean came by to ask me about his 2 yr old daughter's teething issues (which was hilarious, because he's this huge-no-nonsense tough as nails kind of man, and was very worried about his sick baby girl). The Special Ed teacher came by to have his hand looked at. (didn't get a great story out of that, but had a real feel good conversation as it is very likely this man will be working with Thing One in a couple years). A math teacher came by to have her bruised leg looked at (Spring Skiing is slick: ski vs. tree, the tree always wins).
Today I'm off....as the younger Thing is off track and my boss offered to find a sub for a couple of the times so I could still do the mom-thing with my son.
Have I mentioned lately how much I enjoy this job? Oh sure, I'm certain the job will get tiresome and the 0500 wake up alarm has already gotten old...but the conditions of the work and the support I feel from the school administration is rather heart warming. I think I'm gonna like this job!


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Thora Birch (born March 11, 1982) is an American actress. She was a child actor in the 1990s, starring in movies such as All I Want for Christmas (1991), Patriot Games (1992), Hocus Pocus (1993), Now and Then (1995), and Alaska (1996). She came to prominence in 1999 after earning worldwide attention and praise for her performance in American Beauty. She then starred in the well received film Ghost World (2001), which earned her a Golden Globe nomination.
Twenty years after his influential debut, Roger & Me, Michael Moore returns to his roots by pulling back the curtain on capitalism to reveal...
Starting our evening of films of teenage angst and disaffection is Ghost World. Based on a series of comic books of the same name, it follows...
Birthdate: 11th March, 1982
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, USA
These pages copyright Union Films, 2001-2019. All views expressed in these pages are those of Union Films, and are not necessarily those of the University Of Southampton, or the Students' Union. All logos and trademarks are property of their respective organisations.
| Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions. Movie images provided by themoviedb.org


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Paul Frederick Bosch
Born in Buffalo, New York. Graduate of Muhlenberg College, Pennsylvania
(BA) and Lutheran Theological Seminary, Philadephia St. Louis, MO (MDiv). Completed graduate work at Pennsylvania State University, Syracuse University and the Ecumenical Institute in Bossey, Switzerland. Ordained May 26, 1956. Served St. Mark's, Williamsport, PA, 1956-60; Lutheran Campus Ministry, Syracuse, NY, 1960-79; Immanuel, Amherst, MA, 1979-82; Lutheran Campus Ministry, Waterloo, 1982-89; Waterloo Lutheran Seminary, 1989-94; Berea College, KY, 1994-95; Wartburg Seminary, IA, 1995-96; Interim Pastor at St. Peter's, Kitchener 1990-92 and 1994-98. Has also served as President of Lutheran Society of Worship; Companion Laureate of Worship Arts; Emeritus Dean of Chapel; Committee on Church Architecture (LCA); Committee on Worship (LCA); Worship.ca contains all of 103 essays that he wrote. Married to the late Kathryn; father to Anna and Sarah.
Copyright 2010 lutheransynodseminary.
All rights reserved.
Items posted on presumption of grace.


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Camella Baliwag - LOCATION
Camella Baliwag is Located at DRT Highway, Brgy. Pagala, Baliwag, Bulacan
The location of the new development by Camella Homes in Baliwag, Bulacan is one of its strong selling points. Even though Camella takes pride in the quality and styles of their homes, it will be for naught if the potential home buyers won't find the location attractive enough to invest in it. By choosing to build a residential development project in Baliwag, it is sure to attraction potential homeowners.
Baliwag is one of the major municipalities in Bulacan. Moreover, it has seen tremendous growth over the past few years. Aside from agriculture, there are also new shopping centers and commercial establishments that have been developed over the past few years to bring a boost in the local economy. Therefore, Baliwag is no longer known as an agricultural municipality, but is a growing urban area with more growth expected in the next few years.
The colorful history and cultural identity is also alive until now. This municipality always maintains its tradition, in terms of religious and cultural celebrations. From fiestas to other religious activities, the people of Baliwag are highly involved in their community. This has also helped to build a tight-knit community among the residents. If you are looking for a residential development that has a strong sense of community, you will definitely find that when you move into Camella Baliwag.
This real estate development is close to major thoroughfares and highways in Bulacan. Hence, it should be easy to find a public transport system that can take you to school, work or some other destination. Whether you want to ride a taxi, jeep, FX or buses, you are sure to find one that will take you to some other parts in Bulacan or Baliwag. The development is also located close to various transport terminal stations such as Baliwag Transit Station, Victory Liner, Five Star, and more. If you are driving your own vehicle, Camella Baliwag is within a few minutes away from major highways and thoroughfares. It is 2 minutes away from C-5 Exit and about 10 minutes from Bonifacio High Street. Other major roads nearby are Old National Highway and DRT Highway.
Terminal Station:
- Baliuag Transit Inc. Ordinary
- Baliuag Transit Inc. Aircon
- Five Star
- ES Transport
- Victory Liner
- Mariano Ponce High School
- Baliuag University
- St. Marv's College of Baliuag
- Sagrada Familia School
The central location of Baliwag also provides residents of Camella Baliwag the opportunity to explore leisure and recreational facilities nearby. If you need to stock up on fresh meat and vegetables, you can head to the Tangos Mini Market or the Baliwag Market. If you need to do some shopping and strolling, there are quite a few malls to choose from including SM City Baliwag, SM City Marilao and Robinsons Place Malolos. If you are looking to dine out with your family, you can choose from any of the following: Hapag Kainan, Sun-Hee Korean Restaurant, Café de Apati, and Bulalo Republic. There are several of these restaurants to choose from, whether they are located inside malls or not. There are also several other notable landmarks and attractions nearby such as Baliwag Museum, Baliwag Clock Tower, Pinagbarilan Church, Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, and the San Agustin Parish Church.


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Delta state Commissioner of Police (Compol), Mr. Zanna Ibrahim has called on Nigeria's politicians to emulate the Delta state Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) for successfully conducting a rancour-freoooe, credible, free and fair elections to put in place a new executive to run the affairs of the council, even as he charged Journalists to be whistle blowers in the collective effort of the Federal government to expose corruption and recover looted funds.
The Delta CP gave this admonition when journalists of the Asaba Correspondents Chapel (ACC) and the Indigenous Correspondents Chapel (ICC) of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Delta State Council engaged him in a media parley at the Command's headquarter, Asaba on Thursday, August 10, 2017.
While congratulating the journalists on the success of the change of baton at the Delta State NUJ elections, he politicians to emulate the pace set by the journalists by conducting free, fair, credible elections that is rancour free.
The Police Commissioner commended the initiative of the Journalists for reaching out to the Command stating that the Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris, has always stressed on the fact that the Police must embark on a vigorous community partnership.
"The Policing system has had a paradigm shift from a Police Force that have always been seen as a monster to a Policeman that would be seen as friendly. The management has always advocated for community partnership in general terms. Either in relationship with the Press, the Traditional Rulers, or NGOs. It is only when we do that, that members of the public will now have confidence in us and will be friendly to us, then we will get credible information. But if we are seen as monsters, then will not be proffered with credible information. This is the partnership the inspector general of police is advocating and I must commend this initiative."
He called attention to the big task facing the country in the fight against crime and criminality. "It is against this background the press is a critical segment that should help to build an environment that is safe and secured, so that investment and development will thrive," Ibrahim said.
His logic was that investors could only be encouraged to come to Nigeria in an atmosphere of safety and security, because it is through such investments that employment opportunities will be created for the unemployed youths, even as he strrssed that when the youths are gainfully employed, it keeps them busy away from crime, and the result is safety and security of the environment.
The Delta Police Commissioner also charged journalists in the state to be proactive and objective in their reportage urging them to be Whistle Blowers in order to eradicate the ills currently ravaging the Nigeria Society.
"This is the era of Whistle Blowing, in whatever way you look at it, please be whistle blowers. What ever you see, say it so that this country will move forward. Nigeria has been stagnated for a very long time, countries like Saudi Arabia, UAE and Malaysia that were behind us, are far ahead of us today.It is the press that will change the fortunes of Nigeria, you must expose what is not correct, you must expose people who are not doing the right thing in Nigeria. You are not blackmailing anybody but let the truth be told," the CP stated.
He added that, Whistle Blowing should equally extend to the activities of the Police Force so that noticeable lapses will be laid off. "When I talk about whistle blowing, it is not just in the society, even in the Police Force. Whenever you see policemen going haywire, get us informed. That is why we have circulated our telephone numbers and through that, we can know our performance."
Compol Ibrahim also called attention to the many agitations in the country, pointing out that it is only the Press that can help the country to manage the information by helping to build through the publication of objective reportage of events and occurrences.
"We should tell the outside world about positive happenings in our state and country, so as to encourage investors to come in and invest. Let's propagate stories that will build," he said.
Speaking further Compol Ibrahim also called attention to the era the nation is in, saying that "This is an era of whistle blowing. Blow the whistle against crime and criminality so as to ease our country from vices that have stagnated our country," Ibrahim said.
He continued: "We must change. We must expose people who are doing incorrect things in the society. You are not blackmailing anybody by doing such. But we must know how we are doing, even in the police. Whistle blowing should be extended to the police so that we know how we are doing."
Ibrahim decried the do or die attitude of some Nigerians to seeking positions of power. He said: "People should not die because people want to occupy a position. Let us please report so that the political terrain is not over heated; because at the end of the day the bulk stops on the desk of the police as the arrow head for providing security and safety of society."
While pleading with Nigerians to avoid hate speech and that such speech should in fact not be propagated, the Delta Police Tzar equally acknowledged that the role of the Press cannot be overemphasized in any society.
"That is why people will willingly want to partner with you. And the IGP has charged us to observe democratic policing," Ibrahim said.
Rounding up his admonitions and commendations Compol Zanna Ibrahim said: CP Ibrahim who was elated by the forum, tasked members of the press to build and not destroy the society through their various reportage noting that It is only the press that can be able to help the police manage the situation in the country by being very objective for the betterment of the Nigeria Society especially in Delta State.
"We need development in this State, the resources are there but people are scared because of the picture the media paints to the outside world. The press is meant to help us build an environment that is secured so that development will thrive because if the society is not secured, nobody will come and invest. So you have a very important role to play in the society", he opined.
The Delta top cop then tasked Journalists to be proactive in Investigative Journalism and should not conceal wrong practices in the country even if found among Police Officers.
Earlier the Chairmen of the two visiting chapels, Comrade Bartholomew Ozah of ICC and Comrade Paul Osuyi told the commissioner of Police that they came to visit to establish contact with his Command so that the Correspondents will be informed when the command is holding media briefings.
"Incontrovertibly, you have collaborated with the press since you came on board but what is worrisome is the fact that journalists working with community based media, especially my Chapel have not been carried along especially regarding invitations to cover your press briefings and often treated as gate crashers during briefings.
"CP sir, the importance of community press cannot be over emphasized, we appeal therefore to always extend invitations to us whenever there is briefing," Comrade Ozah said.


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So many people are expected to turn out for the Oroville City Council meeting tongiht, February 20th, that the Open Session part of the meeting that begins at 6:30 p.m. has been moved to the Historic Oroville State Theatre, 1489 Myers Street, Oroville.
The meeting will allow the public an opportunity to provide comments to the City Council regarding a potential Cannabis initiative and a potential sales tax initiative.
The 5:30 Closed Session will remain located at City Hall, 1735 Montgomery Street.
Prior to the 6:30 p.m. Open Session of the City Council Meeting, from 5:30 P.M. to 6:30 P.M. there will be agendas and speaker cards available in the foyer of the theatre.
Questions regarding the meeting may be directed to the Assistant City Clerk at (530) 538-2518.
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Blaxland Riverside Park
- Client: Sydney Olympic Park Authority (SOPA)
- Principal: Co-Ordinated Landscapes
- Contract Superintendant: Brian Smithson
- Date: May – August 2012
Project Description
Northern Contracting Group was engaged to undertake an earthworks and drainage contract in the Blaxland Precinct of Sydney Olympic Park in Silverwater NSW.
The existing low laying area consisted of 10,000m2 of weed infested grass and various stockpiles of sandstone and topsoil excavated from other projects for SOPA. Prior to Northern Contracting Group commencing contract works a survey of the stockpiles was undertaken by a registered surveyor to determine if the volume on site would be enough cut and fill to the design RL's. The stockpile volume was approximately 3500m3 with the material required for cut / fill was 2500m3
From this Northern Contracting Group determined that there was approximately 1000m3 of surplus material. The client expressed that there was to be no cartage and disposal of surplus material from site therefore the design RL's were altered to facilitate this site requirement.


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Milord, Fitts Village, St.James
3 Bedrooms - Beachfront - Plunge Pool - Staff: Cook / Housekeeper
This stylish three bedroom, three bathroom beachfront villa is in Fitts Village, St. James.
Recently renovated and refurbished, it is a light and airy two-story property, with two bedrooms upstairs and one downstairs.
Professionally decorated in an elegant colonial style using contemporary tropical furnishings, there are high ceilings throughout (9 ft. downstairs, 15 ft. upstairs) allowing for natural light into the villa. The louvered windows and doors allow natural breezes to flow, with ceiling fans and a/c in the bedrooms for additional comfort. Both bedrooms upstairs open out onto a covered terrace with magnificent 180 degree views of the beach and Caribbean sea.
The kitchen and living area are open plan, with a dining room connected through archways. The living area opens out to a covered veranda, sun deck and large paved patio with steps leading down to a gate, which opens onto the beach.
There is a reef in front of the villa with good swimming on both the right and left of the house.
- Cook
- Housekeeper
- Security Guard
- Internet Access - Wireless
- CD Player
- Stereo
- Fully Equipped Kitchen
- Air Conditioning - Bedrooms
- BBQ / Grill
- Ceiling Fans
- Hair Dryer
- Safe
- Cable TV Service
- Television


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Gallery and art, Exhibitions Gunilla Krohn has been painting aquarelle/watercolors for about 15 years, she thinks it's a wonderful hobby. If you visit her website you can see examples of her paintings, and ... Read more
Gallery and art, Design, art and handicraft My studio can be found on a charming courtyard in the northern part of Skillingaryd. I have no regular openinghours, but are happy to open if you are passing. Call me before! He... Read more
Gallery and art, Design, art and handicraft My name is Christina and have a small personal studio in a charming garden just between Vaggeryd and Bondstorp. I have handmade jewelry made of real leather, metal parts are p... Read more
Culturehistoric enviroments, Museum Already in the 1600's they held military exercises Skillingaryds military area, today it is a cultural area of national interest, the buildings in the area are also K-labeled. W... Read more
Walking, Ancient remains , Culturehistoric enviroments Munkaleden is a 40 km long hiking trail that crosses the beautiful historic ground between the old medieval nunnery in Byarum and the Friary of Nydala. Along the trail there utm... Read more
Other, Ancient remains , Homesteads [...] This historic road winds through southern Sweden from Byarum in Småland to Örkelljunga in Skåne. Wherever you stop along the way, you can find something to do! Read more
Ancient remains , Culturehistoric enviroments Are you interested in history and ancient monuments? Then this could be something for you! Explore our ancient burial sites from the Iron Age, stone circles and other important ... Read more
Culturehistoric enviroments, Museum, Exhibitions Call for openingtimes and a private tour! Sometimes they have a café in the cottage. Read more
Museum, Nationalparks and naturereserves, Exhibitions Welcome to the Visitor Centre Naturum The Visitor Centre Naturum at Store Mosse Nationalpark you will find information about the nature of Store Mosse National Park. Naturum ar... Read more
Museum, Exhibitions Gunnar figures are available today in over 20 countries and he has had many visitors from near and far in Bissefäll outside Skillingaryd. He also became known through exhibition... Read more
Walking, Nationalparks and naturereserves The municipal nature reserve are: Brokullen, Gärahovs Storäng, Hatten, Lilla Kungsbacken, Lyngemadssjön, Mässeberg, Tjurhults Mosse and Östermoskogen Read more
Culturehistoric enviroments, Museum, Exhibitions Now Miliseum, the Military History Center in Småland has finally opened to the public. The museum shows the history of the "regimental heath" and the old division armys (1600-18... Read more
Gallery and art, Exhibitions, Design, art and handicraft You are more than welcome to the studio which is located in a very inspiring garden a few kilometers outside Skillingaryd. During the week I usually get together in my studio, b... Read more
Activities, Tourist attractions, Shopping [...] Call and book a time! You can follow her work on http://lottaskeramik.blogspot.se/ Read more
Gallery and art, Exhibitions, Design, art and handicraft Welcome! In the scenic Häradsö Village, we offer our own production of lambskin. Read more
Culturehistoric enviroments, Design, art and handicraft, Farm shops The fire is burning and the hammer strikes at Pålskog forge almost every day and have done so for over 150 years. It is manufactured and sold beautiful appliances for homes, pub... Read more
Gallery and art, Exhibitions, Design, art and handicraft [...] Closed for the season! Open again in the Spring 2014! Also arrange private tours upon request. Welcome! Read more
Other, Exhibitions, Design, art and handicraft Here are knowledgeable and helpful staff who are happy to give you information and tips on attractions and activities. Under the same roof: Furniture and interior designs, pain... Read more


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My dearest Mabel,
I feel rather depressed lately. I am very sorry I upset you at your
visit. You do not look as you used to, you look much too thin in
the face, the result of worry or starving. It seems the letters are
more slow lately, it takes a week to come.
I am sorry to disappoint you as I see you expected to see me in
a better state of mind. I try to smile but it seems too hard at
times. I have had no letter from you this week.
It will be 12 months away from you by the time you get this.
A wasted year of my life never to return.
Thank you for the butter, milk and cake. It seems to me if
I took it from your mouth.
Good bye my dearest with fondest love
and lots of kisses to you and the babes.
Benny Cseh
Extracts from letters, June to July 1916


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The Screen of Green Growing Method
What up GreenBox Growers and welcome back to the most lit cannabis growing Channel! Now today's video is all about SCROG Nets and how to effectively use the screen of green growing method to Max out your cannabis plants and their yield. Now I am dedicating this video to Growers lab and I want to give them a huge thank you and a shout-out for hooking me up with one of their double-layered SCROG Nets, as well as some of their smell proof baggies.
So these SCROG nets are really cool because it's one-size-fit-all so you can adjust them to fit any size grow tent that you are using and they fit almost all sizes. So I'll be using this in a grow series, actually a deep water culture grow series that is coming up here and I will be in a 4X4 Tent. Now I do have these products listed on my website so you can go and buy them from Growers lab, and I also have a 10% off coupon code which is right here on your screen. It is GreenBox420, just enter that once you are on the checkout page and you will get 10% off your entire order.
So I will be showing you guys in this video not only how to Effectively use a SCROG and why it is so effective and useful for your cannabis plants and increasing their yields. But I will also show you guys on my website where you can purchase these scrog nets from and how you can enter that 10% off coupon. Now before I get started also want to remind you guys that I do already have a full SCROG series up on my website under the premium Content Library.
So if you guys want to check that out and watch it, you can sign up for free and you did a two-week free trial. Just visit this link right here and scroll down on the page to the Subscribe button overlaid on the videos and that is where you can sign up and automatically get that two-week free trial. All rights and now that you guys know what we are doing in today's video let's go get the SCROG net setup and a tent so you guys can see what that looks like!
So here we are in my bedroom and I am actually going to be demonstrating this inside my stealth grow room, which I converted inside of my closet so you'll see I've got the big 2X4 veg and flowering tent right there and then I've also got a nice Little Seedling tent right over here and I've actually got some Gorilla Glue Autoflower seedlings in there right now that are about to be moved over into this bigger tent. So there will be a full stealth grow series, a how to series on how to do a stealth grow with growing cannabis at home. So be on the lookout for that it'll be coming out soon here. So here you go I've got the two-layered scrog net, sometimes also referred to as a Trellis net, setup here.
And you can see it is adjustable so it can go as big as a five-by-five tent this again is a two-by-four, so I didn't actually need to use all of the square so I kind of just doubled them over and then you will see it easily Clips onto the corners of the tent. So what this is going to do is first of all you'll be using this because the goal is going to be trying to keep all of the branches on your cannabis plant at the same height. Now when growing, usually a cannabis plant Just has one main Cola growing up the middle. But you'll know if you use LST and topping and other sorts of training methods, that will allow for the plant to grow several new tops.
So what you'll do is when one of those tops grows up through the scrog, you will pull it back down and then out horizontally to a wider Square. So first what that will do is open up some space below the canopy so light can get down there and then what'll happen is more branches will be able to grow up and catch up to that height at the main top. And what will end up happening is you will have a bunch of branches and tops that are all at the same height through each of these squares at the same level kind of Forming that table top shape. And what that's going to do is expose them all to equal amounts of light so none of them are blocking each other or shading them from light. So what you can get as maximize yield from your plants
Now it is always good to trim below the canopy and under the scrog so there isn't a bunch of dense foliage down there because it's not going to be too much light penetrating through that. But if you do remove it it will allow for Bud development all the way down those branches. What is really cool about the double-layered trellis or scrog net is that your plants will continue growing through there especially during flower, so if they stretch a decent amount you can retrain them Andrey level them out in that second layer.
So to summarize, a scrog net is great because it's going to allow you to train the taller branches and keep them shorter while the other ones catch up in height making it to the light is exposed to all the different men colas the same amount allowing them to all get maximized size and yield. So now let's go head out into the garage to check out my NukeHeads grow which is about 3 weeks into flower right now. And I'm going to show you what a grow looks like without a scrog net and I'm going to demonstrate how it could improve those plants if you were to ever used one.
Alright so here we are out in the garage with that NukeHeads grow series, and again this is part of the premium Content Library so if you are interested in this gross series feel free to head over to the greenbox grown website to check that out. But anyways these guys are in 2 week 3 of flower it is day 2 of week 3 here, and they are looking tremendous already. But growth is already taking off and we've got buds filling out pretty much from the tops of the branches all the way down like three feet.
So that is really nice, but what you can really see is the tops are at all different heights and distances from the lights. So summer towering over others such as these guys in the back, these two tall ones they are kind of towering over the rest. I have done a lot of Defoliation to open up light below that canopy. and then you can see ones like this that are kind of lower below the canopy they are not as fully developed as the ones that are really high up and closer to the lights.
So that is kind of one of the downsides of not using a scrog, I didn't use one with this groceries because I wanted to see how good of a yield I could get without one. But like I was saying I will be doing more serious with scrog Nets in the future so you can see what it looks like to have that even canopy all the way across. It will form more of a tabletop shape where you have tots all at the same height going across.
Opposed to at all different heights like these ones here, you see some that are really low and then some like the ones in the back of course that go all the way up so that is a good example of how a scrog could help out and increase your yield in a grow tent. So now let's go check out out on the website where these scroggs are listed and how you could get that 10% discount.
Alright so we are on the greenboxgrown.com homepage, and all you have to do is go to the starter kits Tab and go down to the miscellaneous button. And that will be the page that I have the scrog listed on, as well as those smell proof baggies. So you can see those right here, we've got the the adjustable one-size-fits-all scrog and then I've got the ounce smell proof baggies as well as the quarter ounce baggies.
So you will see here you just click the link and it will redirect you over to the Growers Lab website. And you can add any of these products to your cart once in the car just hit check out, and then you will be able to enter that coupon which again is going to be where that discount code and that GreenBox420, And the Caps doesn't matter, it can be lower case or whatever. But then just hit apply and you will see you'll get your 10% or $2 off disorder discount. So that is all you got to do to get that discount and again the code is GreenBox420.
Alright GreenBox Growers, so that is everything you need to know about scrog gnats and how to effectively use that screen of green growing method so you can increase your yields for your cannabis plants. Now don't forget to use that 10% coupon code right here with GreenBox420 and you will get 10% off any of the scrog nets and smell proof baggies you want to buy through Growers Lab. And also don't forget to check out that free two-week trial to our premium Grow video library, which you can sign up for right here at this link. And again I already have a screen of green groceries up on that website so you guys can watch that from seed all the way to harvest and learn exactly what you need to do with the scrog net to maximize your yield. As always thank you guys for watching, I hope you enjoyed today's video in until next time…
Happy Growing!!!
Dylan @ GreenBox Grown


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On the 4th of July, the entire country will celebrate America's birthday with fireworks, cook-outs and concerts. The 4th of July will be filled with activities in Mercer County for the entire family. Here is our guide for the best celebrations in southern West Virginia:
The town of Bramwell will host children's activities on July 4 from 12 p.m.-3 p.m., at the train depot on Main Street. (There will be no fireworks this year.)
Nothing says Happy Independence Day like baseball and fireworks. Come out to the Bluefield Blue Jays game at Bowen Field against Burlington on July 3 at 7:05 p.m. Fireworks will start at the end of the game. Be sure to grab a seat early!
Princeton Speedway hosts the 2nd Annual Freedom 30 on Tuesday, July 3, with a night of open wheel racing followed by a fireworks spectacular.Call 304-425-9429 or go to www.princetonspeedway. net for a full racing schedule and ticket prices. General admission will be $20 and the pits will be $35. Watch drivers race for cash prizes!
This post was last updated on July 2, 2018


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Auckland City Centre Housing First Programme
Contact Maxine Keremete, Housing Specialist | firstname.lastname@example.com | 09 302 8169
The Auckland City Centre Housing First Programme is a partnership between Lifewise and Auckland City Mission. Airedale Property Trust (APT) is a property arm of the Methodist Church of New Zealand. We are a social enterprise, or 'for good' business; all profits generated by APT go towards supporting the social and community work of its sister organisation, Lifewise. For more information please visit our website or contact Amanda directly.


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The legendary hip-hip trio De La Soul and Usher unite for this powerful and imagery filled record "Greyhounds." This record is the perfect combination of substance, non-sugarcoated lyrics and soul.
De La Soul raps:
Suggest a few apartments never hints to the home / That's what he wanna do
She just want a new zip code for an old dream
Lost in the appetite now the big apple might find her a habit of a Queen
Build her an ego that's filled with illegal maps road destination unknown
Check out their latest single below.


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Commodore's Corner Brief Update for August 2019
https://youtu.be/4MboA-TvIGQ I an not sure yet how Commodore's Corner is going to work (would love to hear your thoughts on what you'd like to see, send your ideas via email to twcook at seascout.org). In the meanwhile, here is a quick update on a few topics that need...read more
Meet National Commodore TW Cook
New National Commodore TW Cook discusses the state of Sea Scouts and his plans for the term with National Boatswain's Mate Ryan Trefny.read more
May 2019 – National Flagship, Positions of Responsibility, Long Cruise Incentive
In his final edition of the Commodore's Corner, Commodore Wurster answers some questions, shares news on new programs, and reflects on the progress we made over the last ten years.read more
April 2019- Safety, Maritime Explorer Clubs, Insignia
This month's Commodore's Corner includes a marine safety alert for VHF radio interference, and answers questions about the Maritime Explorer Club program, developments with the US Coast Guard Auxiliary Partnership, advancement, and badges of office.read more
March 2019 – National Boatswain, CG Auxiliary, Videos, IOWLS
This month's Commodore's Corner answers questions about the National Boatswain selection, the Auxiliary pilot program, and the IOWLS roll out.read more
January 2019- "Myth Busters," Applications, Two-deep Leadership, Uniform/Insignia…
Commodore's Corner- January 2019 News you can use: There is a new video titled "Sea Scout Myth Busters" that shows a Sea Scout Ship (unit) can be established anywhere in the country. You can view the video at https://youtu.be/XWcyD2h4S8M. Please share with...read more
November 2018 – Salutes, Maritime Explorer Club, Neckers
Commodore's Corner - November 2018 Should Sea Scouts salute when uncovered? Yes, any time a salute is appropriate while in uniform, a Sea Scout youth or adult should use the three-fingered Scout salute with pride and respect, whether covered or uncovered. That...read more
October 2018- New Commodores, CG Auxiliary MOA, Uniforms/Insignia
Commodore's Corner- October 2018 News Flash - New Commodores Named We're pleased to announce that Curt Ware, Prairielands Council, Illinois, has been named Central Region Commodore; effective immediately. Curt previously served as the Central Region Vice Commodore of...read more
August 2018- Coast Guard Auxiliary MOA, Sea Scouts in Action, Uniforms and Insignia
Commodore's Corner- August 2018 What are the recent changes to the Memorandum of Agreement with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary? The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary (CGAux) and the Boy Scouts of America recently completed the update of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA). The...read more
May 2018- Transition of the National Sea Scout Director, Clarification of Time-Based Requirements, Den Chief Opportunity
Commodore's Corner- May 2018 News item: Keith Christopher, National Sea Scout Director, to retire at the end of May. Keith Christopher has served as National Sea Scout Director since the fall of 2008, almost ten years. As he nears retirement we all wish him well. ...read more


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When I first heard that proposed tax was done on a per gallon basis, I had to think a minute because we presently tax gasoline on a per gallon basis. Levying the tax as pennies per gallon instead of a percentage of cost is partly why we no longer have the revenue to sustain our road network. Taxing liquids on a per gallon basis requires consumption to increase to sustain revenue increases. However, if you tax liquids as a percentage of price, the natural inflation of prices increases your revenue along with consumption.
At our Town Hall Meeting the other night, Senator Puller pointed out that another side effect of converting our existing excise tax into a per gallon tax is that is have regressive effects.
For example, I hopped on Google and noted that I could by a 1/5th (750ml) of Grey Goose Vodka for $29.00 from a store in California. I can buy a 1/5th (750 ml) of good ol' Virginia Bowman's Vodka (formerly made in Fairfax County, VA (Reston or Sunset Hills for you history junkies like me) for $5.99 in Chester, NJ. For whatever it's worth, they cost $33.90 and $7.20 at the Virginia ABC store.
Under the Governor's proposed exise tax consumers would pay a $3.50 tax on both bottles (750ML = 0.20 Gal. x $17.50 = $3.50). In other words, the tax on Bowman's Vodka would be more than half of the cost of the bottle, but the tax on the Grey Goose would be about 10%.
If the tax were levied as a percentage - say for example 20% - then the Bowman's drinker would pay a tax of $1.20 in taxes and the Grey Goose drinker would pay $5.80 in taxes for the same quantity of alcohol.One more thing to think about in this ABC privatization debate. You can also read my column with other questions by clicking here.


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Kratos' long journey for vengeance reached its bloody conclusion in 2010 with God of War III. With the Greek pantheon and Titans dead, Kratos ended the original God of War trilogy in the most un-Kratos way possible, giving hope to the world. In God of War, we find Kratos in a new land seeking his own kind of hope as he attempts to raise a son and control his rage. With a shift to Norse mythology and several tweaks to the established formula, God of War seeks to chart a new course for the beloved franchise. Does God of War successfully give Kratos a new lease on life or should he have been left dead atop Mt. Olympus?
God of War takes place long after the events of God of War III with Kratos settling in Midgard, re-marrying and bringing a son, Atreus, into the world. Following the death of his wife and the arrival of a mysterious man, Kratos is spurred into action to honor his wife's final wishes. With Atreus at his side, Kratos embarks on a new journey to take his wife's ashes to the highest peak in all the realms. Along the way, the duo faces numerous obstacles that threaten to expose Kratos' history as the Ghost of Sparta.
God of War stories are typically violent tales of vengeance with Kratos seeking a tool to kill someone that has wronged him. While compelling, these stories have left little room to develop Kratos into a well-rounded character with his only defining feature being rage. God of War changes this with a thought-provoking tale of a man learning to control the hate and anger that had defined him for so long. While Chains of Olympus and Ghost of Sparta provided a taste into the kind of relationship Kratos has with his family, God of War places its entire focus on the evolving relationship between Kratos and Atreus. The dynamic between the two is compelling with many of the emotional beats revolving around them.
It's the father-son dynamic that mostly carries the plot, turning a simple journey into a more profound story than any previous God of War game has told. God of War can get considerably dark, but a colorful cast of side characters help breathe some much-needed comic relief into the proceedings. The game is wonderfully written with fantastic performances from the main cast. While the lack of Terrence Carson can be off-putting at first for longtime fans, Christopher Judge delivers a solid performance as an older Kratos.
While the story hits all the right notes, it's not perfect. Plot threads are brought up and dropped, ominous warnings end up going nowhere and a few mysteries never feel like they get the payoff they deserve. Worst of all is God of War's main antagonist. For a franchise that's given us great antagonists like Ares, Zeus and the Sisters of Fate, God of War's antagonist is a dud. With a bland design, little motivation and even littler screen time, the main antagonist doesn't provide the epic introduction to Norse mythology that Ares did for Greek mythology.
Despite the change in setting, God of War is, at its core, a God of War game. Though Kratos may no longer wield his signature blades or do battle with the monsters of Greek mythology, God of War retains much of what makes the franchise so fun to play all while incorporating new gameplay mechanics. God of War's combat mechanics are still about chaining light and heavy attacks together to create combos, dodging and parrying incoming attacks. The most prominent changes here come from button placement with light and heavy attacks assigned to R1 and R2 and dodging assigned to X. Kratos' shield replaces the Golden Fleece but functions the same. It'll block nearly all incoming attacks from the front, and when activated at the right time, parries attacks. While it may take a few fights to break the Square, Square, Triangle rhythm of past entries, God of War's combat is as fun, fast and brutal as previous entries.
The Leviathan Axe stands as a worthy successor to the Blades of Chaos. Kratos swings it like a champ, effortlessly cleaving apart enemies. Coated in permafrost, the Leviathan Axe can slow enemy movement and dealing additional damage per each consecutive hit. Like in previous games, the axe can be upgraded multiple times to unlock additional combos, though the process is different. Specific items are dropped after completing important moments in the plot that can be used to upgrade the axe. Meanwhile, Kratos can also collect different light and heavy ruins that can be equipped to give the axe special moves. An additional weapon becomes available later in the game to add additional variety. While the axe is different from the blades, it's just as fun to use against draugrs, trolls and all other manner of Norse beasties.
Probably the most significant change to the core combat loop is the introduction of Atreus, Kratos' son. Rather than just being a nuisance, Atreus actively helps Kratos in combat by attracting enemies, tripping them or even jumping on top of them. Players can also order Atreus to fire arrows at the press of the button, which not only deals damage but also increases their stagger bar. Once fully staggered, Kratos can unleash the brutal takedowns he's well known for. They're as bloody and visceral as they've ever been.
Quick-time-events, which pervaded previous games, are completely gone. While players will have to perform contextual actions every now and again, they won't need to press random buttons or jiggle the joystick while in battle. Players also get full control of the camera in God of War, which is both good and bad. It's great to have control finally, but the current camera doesn't give a useful overlay of battles. While a compass does clue players into where an off-screen attack is coming from, it's still too easy to take damage from enemies off screen. The fixed-angle camera of past games may have taken control away, but it was easier to keep track of all enemies.
A great new addition to the formula is the RPG mechanics and gear system. Players level up Kratos by acquiring and upgrading new equipment. Every enemy Kratos faces on his journey will have a different colored health bar and number indicating how powerful they are with green being the easiest and purple being the hardest. Weapon upgrades, gear, enhancements and rune stones can all be purchased at shops or scavenged in the world, which you'll need if you want to uncover all of God of War's secrets.
In a significant break from the previous games, God of War's levels are much more open with a lot more secrets to discover. While the story and progression remain linear, a large area does open up during the game that allows for freedom and exploration. Side quests, bonus fights and hidden treasure are there to discover, and specialized portals make traveling back to already discovered locations a breeze. While you don't have to interact with any of this extra content to complete the main game, engaging with it has the potential to turn a fifteen-hour journey into a thirty-hour one. This is easily the most content-rich God of War game yet.
Santa Monica Studios is well known for pushing hardware to its limits to deliver a stellar presentation. Every God of War game has been a technical masterpiece and God of War is no different. The game is stunning with superb lighting, detailed character models and textures and well-crafted environments. The artistic vision used to bring the world and creatures of Norse mythology to life is astounding and its simply breathtaking traveling around the different realms. PS4 Pro users are in for an even greater treat thanks to enhanced resolution and performance modes that really do enhance the experience. God of War is a showcase piece of software for the platform. Rounding out the presentation is a stellar orchestral soundtrack that incorporates strings, brass and a choir singing in the old Norse language. Music in the God of War franchise has always been about using big instruments with a Latin choir. For this entry, Santa Monica swapped out the Latin for Old Norse and the results are a treat for the ears.
Closing Comments:
Vengeance may not be what Kratos seeks anymore, but that has done little to stop the God of War franchise. Santa Monica Studios have successfully transplanted the Ghost of Sparta to a new world with a new mythology and given the formula the revamp it needed. God of War retains many similarities to its predecessors, but the gameplay feels refreshing thanks to the inclusion of Atreus, the Leviathan Axe and the integration of RPG mechanics. While it's nice that players have control of the camera, it's too easy to lose track of enemies and take unneeded damage. The focus on the relationship between Kratos and Atreus adds depth to the character that previous entries only hinted at all while delivering a solid story. The main antagonist is dull and some plot threads are dropped, but they do little to pull away from the character-driven plot. Olympus and the pantheon of Greek gods are gone, but God of War stands tall outside their shadow.


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P.S. 76 Boys Overnight Trip to Penn State
We're excited to highlight a new collaboration with State College Warriors Lacrosse and the Penn State Men's LacrosseTeam!! Three weekends ago, the HL-P.S. 76 Lacrosse program was hosted by State College Lacrosse families for an incredible weekend of enrichment, community, and lacrosse. HLers were treated to a visit to the Nittany Lion Shrine, a tour of the Penn State All-Sports Museum, a clinic hosted by the Penn St. Men's Lacrosse Team, and a chance to stand on the field with the Nittany Lions during the National Anthem!! A huge thanks to Coach Tambroni and Coach Hogan from Penn St. and Tim Woolsey from the State College Warriors for providing an incredible experience for HL student-athletes. Looking forward to coming back soon!


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The term settle has multiple meanings. It can mean resolving or agreeing on something. You can "settle down" somewhere and become more of a permanent fixture in an area. You can also settle by becoming comfortable in a situation. I want to reflect a little on the last meaning, associated with comfort.
Comfort is not a bad thing and by its very nature, brings peace and harmony into our chaotic lives. We are always doing so many things and our involvement can cause stress across several areas of our lives. The stress can be crippling and this idea of comfort brings forth positive feelings, a good sense of purpose if you will. It allows us to wake up in the morning and have something to look forward to.
As good as comfort is in regards to how we settle, what if that same comfort cripples you? What do I mean by this? Say you are in a difficult place in your life and you are gasping for air. Maybe things are not going your way right now and the only thing you want is to catch some form of break. You think to yourself "If one thing will go my way here, everything else will fall into place". This is not an unreasonable way to think and oftentimes, a single thing can make a difference. What you need to consider is how temporary comfort can be and how important listening to your gut is. No amount of temporary comfort in the world is worth the regret you can feel by not listening to your gut. If your gut tells you to be uncomfortable for a little longer so you can settle into a better situation, listen to it.
My world is not the same as it was before. As of last weekend, I entered a new chapter of my life and I am in the midst of trying to set myself up in a new place. The next few months are going to present some difficulties (i.e. finding somewhere to live, finding the right job, planning a wedding, being away from home, and building new connections), but what I need to remember is how important my gut really is. I cannot settle on a place to live because of its convenience. I cannot settle on a job and view it as a stepping stone to the next thing. I cannot rely on temporary comfort to ease my nerves because it will all fade just as quick as it got here. I need to listen to my gut and act upon what it is telling me, even if it means struggling or being in the dark for a little longer. I need to have faith and trust in my journey. I need to settle in the right way.
What are you struggling with now? What do you feel like you are "settling" in? What does your gut tell you to do? When you are in a tough place, ask yourself these questions. Be honest with yourself, even when you are not a fan of the answers that come back. More than anything, know that you are not alone in your struggles and that we are here to listen. Settling is good if it is done in the right way. Settle the right way.


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Have you ever searched online directories for local products and services? If so that puts you with about 92% of the population. Now what if I told you that nearly half of the information in those hyperlocal directories is incorrect, out of date, or incomplete? Sounds like a major problem, right? Then my next question is, what about your business? Is the online information for your business current, complete, and correct? Chances are, there is bad information on the web about your business. Incorrect information leads to lost revenue, and unhappy customers, and who wants that?
5 Things You Need to Know About Digital Directories:
- There are hundreds of digital directories that share information about your business with potential customers who are actively searching for your products or services.
- It is time consuming for businesses to manually update and manage these listings. Checking and updating just the most popular directories can take 10 to 15 hours.
- There are tools available for managing online directory listings, ranging from free to a few hundred dollars. However some of these tools are complicated to use for beginners. It's also important to remember that, as in most things, you get what you pay for.
- Managing your information in online directories is an ongoing process as your business grows and changes. It makes sense to invest in a solution that will work for your business for the long haul.
- The bottom line is, that understanding and managing your information in hyperlocal services and online directories brings rewards, so make the decision to do it right.
Lowcountry Media Solutions has extensive national and international experience in business driven internet marketing. We offer solutions for your company's internet marketing needs, including managing your business information in online directories. To get started today with a digital directory management solution, please contact us or check how you're listed.