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Chinese growth in 2011
by ilene - December 31st, 2010 7:24 pm
Courtesy of Michael Pettis of China Financial Markets
For the past two months there have been very strong rumors in the markets that next year's new lending quota was going to be set somewhere between RMB 6.5 trillion and RMB 7.0 trillion. For comparison's sake, total new lending last year amounted to RMB 9.6 trillion, and this year the quota was RMB 7.5 trillion.
But to me RMB 6.6-7.0 trillion seemed likely to be low (and "low" is a relative word here – compared to the years before 2009 these are actually very large numbers). We have been telling clients for months, for example, that even ignoring the reportedly large amounts of loans shifted off bank balance sheets this year, it was very unlikely that 2010 would end with new lending below the RMB 7.5 trillion quota. In fact by the end of November we were already over RMB 7.4 trillion, so I suspect we are going to finish the year with total new lending at pretty close to RMB 8 trillion. Add in the loans taken off bank balance sheets and we have easily blown through the 2010 quota.
Tuesday's South China Morning Post has an article suggesting that we may have been right:
China will probably target a limit of about 7.5 trillion yuan (US$1.1 trillion) in new loans next year, the same as this year's target, a leading official newspaper reported on Tuesday, an indication that policy could be slightly looser than expected. Control of credit issuance is one of the most important monetary policy tools in China and many in the market had assumed that Beijing would lower the new lending objective next year as a way of tamping down on inflationary pressures.
But the report on the front page of the China Securities Journal, citing an unnamed source described as authoritative, suggested otherwise. "The Chinese economy is very big now and a target of 7.5 trillion yuan in new loans will not trigger all-round inflation," the newspaper quoted the source as saying.
The quota hasn't been set, and may even be set at RMB 8 trillion, but even this number is, I suspect, going to be lower than the reality. It is proving very difficult to keep growth up in China except with massive increases in bank-driven investment, even though this year China got a lot of help from the surge in…
Credit Default Swaps PIIGS vs CINN Group (California, Illinois, New York, New Jersey)
by ilene - December 31st, 2010 7:14 pm
Courtesy of Mish
In response to European Sovereign Debt Crisis in Pictures; PIIGS Spreads to Germany at or Near Record Levels I received this chart from Chris Puplava at Financial Sense.
click on chart for sharper image
Chris writes "In addition to foreign credit risk (Greece, PIIGS), I'm seeing my CINN STATE (CA, IL, NY, NJ) Credit Default Swap (CDS) composite moving higher again."
European Sovereign Debt Crisis in Pictures; PIIGS Spreads to Germany at or Near Record Levels
by ilene - December 31st, 2010 6:35 pm
Courtesy of Mish
The sovereign debt crisis in Europe is still simmering. Country by country, spreads to German debt are at or near record levels.
Chart follow snips from German Bonds Climb in 2010 as Fiscal Crisis Roils Euro Area
German bunds climbed this year, the best performance since 2008, as the fiscal crisis that roiled the euro area's most-indebted nations drove investors to the safest fixed-income assets in the region.
Top-rated euro-denominated securities from Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland and France led gains in 2010, while the debt of Greece and Ireland, which sought bailouts this year, had the biggest losses among 26 markets tracked by Bloomberg and the European Federation of Financial Analysts Societies.
German bonds returned a profit of almost 6 percent this year, according to the Bloomberg/EFFAS data, compared with a 20 percent loss on Greek debt, a 14 percent slump in Irish securities and an 8 percent decline for Portuguese securities. Spanish and Italian bonds also made a loss as investors demanded increasing yields to own the debt of the euro area's high-deficit nations.
As borrowing costs climbed again amid a wave of sovereign downgrades that saw Greek debt cut to non-investment grade at Moody's Investors Service and Standard & Poor's, Ireland opted on Nov. 28 to follow Greece, accepting an 85 billion-euro bailout. That, too, failed to prevent the spread of the debt crisis, fueling investor concern that Europe's stronger nations may be unwilling or unable to foot the cost of future rescues.
The extra yield investors demand to hold Greek 10-year government bonds instead of German bunds, Europe's benchmark government securities, surged to a euro-era record of 973 basis points on May 7, and was at 953 basis points today. It started the year at 239 basis points. The difference in yield, or spread, between German bonds and 10-year debt from Ireland, Portugal, Spain and Italy also reached euro-era records.
Germany, Ireland, Portugal, Greece Sovereign Debt Yields
click on chart for sharper image
France, Spain, Belgium, Italy Sovereign Debt Yields
click on chart for sharper image
|Sovereign Debt Spread to Germany
|Jan 01
|May 07
|Dec 30
Zero Hedge's Top 10 Most Popular Posts In 2010
by Zero Hedge - December 31st, 2010 6:00 pm
Courtesy of Tyler Durden
As we wrap up 2010, the last thing left to do is to recall the stories that generated the most buzz on Zero Hedge. With stories touching on everything from the flash crash, to JPM's silver market manipulation, to the scramble for physical metals, to capital controls, to the manipulated (and successful) push to get Americans out of Money Market accounts, here are the top to stories of the past year (and stunningly all click-bait, slideshow free).
- In tenth place, with 80,842 reads, "The Hindenburg Omen has Arrived" is the story that Zero Hedge brought to the surface as soon as the H.O. was confirmed on August 12, and ended up making waves for the balance of the summer. According to some, it was the concerns about the Hindenburg Omen's self fulfilling prophecy that cemented the Chairman's resolve to proceed with the Wood's Hole speech two weeks later on August 27, which made QE2 a certainty.
- In ninth place, with 80,942 reads, "MUST HEAR: Panic And Loathing From The S&P 500 Pits" is the definitive, and most visceral, recollection of the terror that had gripped each and every single momo trader as the Dow briefly dropped by 1,000 points on May 6. One thing is certain: as the SEC has taken absolutely no proactive steps to address the conditions that generated the record Dow drop, this is just the first of many "flash crashes" for US stocks.
- In eighth place, with 82,232 reads, posted on February 11, and long before it became apparent just how insolvent Europe was, "Just How Ugly Is The Sovereign Default Truth? How Self Delusions Prevent Recognition Of Reality" – our summary of Dylan Grice's phenomenal analysis on the cognitive dissonance when it comes to that last bastion of backstops: sovereign insolvency. The analysis is even more relevant now than it was almost a year ago and we urge readers go through it one more time now that its argument has been fully borne out.
- In seventh place, read 82,297 times, and appearing almost a year ago, "This Is The Government: Your Legal Right To Redeem Your Money Market Account Has Been Denied" discussed the government's stealthy plans to force ordinary US citizens and corporations to force the move of as much money as possible out of money markets and into riskier
Bill Gross Telling Bloomberg To "Avoid Dollar Denominated Government Debt" Probably Means Bond Rout Is Over
by Zero Hedge - December 31st, 2010 4:57 pm
Courtesy of Tyler Durden
When Nassim Taleb and Marc Faber say that US government debt is a suicide investment, one can be allowed some skepticism. After all, they are likely just talking their book. On the other hand, when the manager of the world's biggest bond fund, whose flagship fund Treasury holdings amount to almost $80 billion goes on Bloomberg and says to "avoid dollar-denominated government debt" better known as US Treasuries, and instead recommends viewers invest in "stable" currencies like the Peso, the BRL or the CAD, then you know the bottom in bonds is in. So in addition to dumping fixed rate bonds (which means Pimco will again be able to buy on the cheap ahead of QE3, which as Larry Meyer has by now likely advised Pimco is a sure thing), Gross also told Bloomberg that his other two strategies are to buy floating rate debt (over fixed), and lastly recommend credit spreads over interest rate duration risk. For those who find something troubling with a $1 trillion fixed income manager talking down his investments, and are still wondering whether or not QE3 is coming, we suggest putting one and one together. And while at it, they should also consider that Pimco now holds over $100 billion in MBS: a notional amount last held just as QE1 was announced.
full clip after the jump.
Imax Surges on Sony Buyout Talk
by Option Review - December 31st, 2010 4:16 pm
Today's tickers: IMAX, HIG, VRGY, TOL & WM
IMAX - Imax Corp. – Earlier today you'd have needed more than just 3D-glasses to see the trail left behind by a near 20% surge in shares of the movie-theater corporation. Rumors have emerged that Japan's Sony Corporation is set to make a $40-plus bid for the company enamored by its growing popularity amongst movie theater-goers. With more films built using 3D-technology shares in the company had already tripled this year in anticipation of growing revenues. Earlier in the week we witnessed what appeared to be a delta-neutral strategy that would have benefitted perfectly from the surging share price, which has subsequently halved its intraday gain. An investor sold stock at around $25.00 and bought call options at the $30 strike expiring in March. As the shares jump in value, the delta on the option swells to give the investor a far-greater long exposure to the stock hugely eclipsing losses from the short position. But is looks like this trader is sitting pretty today as developments unfold and there is no action at that strike price. Rather investors appear to be more concerned with an imminent Sony bid and have targeted the January expiration $35 strike, which has traded in a range spanning 40-cents to $1.10 per contract as the share price digests today's news. Trading currently at 60-cents the contract would make money by expiration only if shares in Imax surged by more than 18.6% based upon a share price at $30.00.
HIG - Hartford Financial Services Group. – Earlier in the month it appears that an options trader took to a bullish call strategy on the multi-line insurer. December 8 was a high volume day for the stock but also saw around 7,500 calls expiring in January 2011 trade at a 55-cent premium. The strike price of $27.50 was above the closing share price that day by exactly 10%. Just nine days ago the share price hit home lifting the premium to 90-cents. Since then and…
Looking for Love in all the Wrong Places? Contrary Investor Examines Misguided Fed and Obama Admin. Efforts to Increase GDP Via Increased Consumption
by ilene - December 31st, 2010 3:42 pm
Courtesy of Mish
The latest Contrary Investor Subscriber Report contains an interesting set of charts and commentary that shows just how misguided Fed and Obama administration focus on supporting consumption as the means to improve GDP.
Their analysis is always well written, so inquiring minds may wish to take a closer look.
I have permission to do occasional clips so please consider this clip from Looking For Love In All The Wrong Places?
Looking For Love In All The Wrong Places?…You are all very much aware of the change in market tone and sentiment over the last four months. Strategists and investors fretting over rapidly deteriorating macro leading economic indicators (remember the ECRI reaching levels always consistent with recession?) and contemplating the possibility of a double dip has given way to these same folks now trying to one up each other in putting forth ever higher domestic GDP growth estimates for the new year. Goldman (Jan Hatzius) has been a poster child example of this about face, but they have plenty of company. The transition is not hard to understand. With the heavy POMO started in September, followed up by QE2, and now the tax cut extension legislation that should add about $400 billion of "new" fiscal stimulus in 2011, we better have an improved outlook. Certainly THE issue as we move into 2011 is the potential for organic economic growth, or otherwise. Personally, we just can't put a big "multiple" on marginal stimulus (read borrowed money) additions to macro near term economic expansion. But this issue will not become relevant until 2011 is well underway.
As we see it, one of the really big keys for economic and we believe ultimately financial market performance in the new year will be first, whether corporations spend their currently amassed "savings". It's more than well known that through both operations and borrowing in a generationally low interest rate environment, corporations are sitting on top of a boatload of cash at the moment. We're already seeing the M&A deals primarily in tech and health care sectors taking place. Secondly, again if QE2 is to be effective, corporations must spend their cash domestically, and not let that cash "leak" into foreign direct investment and/or capital markets. Preferably, corporations would spend their cash domestically on productive investment. Even we'll admit, that would be bullish. And crazily enough, it would be in stark
Guest Post: Just Where Is The Equity In All Of This?
by Zero Hedge - December 31st, 2010 3:38 pm
Courtesy of Tyler Durden
From the Contrary Investor
Just Where Is The Equity In All Of This?
Little Dent In The Story?...Recently demographer Harry Dent and Dave Rosenberg have been discussing the fact that as we look ahead over the next 12 years or so, the 45-55 year old population segment in the US is set to decline. It's the population wave coming after the boomers and before the gen-xer's. Of course, and as the graph below so eloquently displays, following the boomers in terms of a population bubble is one hard act as you can see what the boomers did to the 45-55 year old population segment in terms of growth from the early 1980′s until literally now.
For anyone who has been a demographics devotee, this should not be new news at all. As you know, Dent has made a very nice living as demographer and financial market commentator, basing his ongoing economic and financial market outlook on forward demographics. To be honest, there is a lot of validity in his approach and we suggest his comments be included as one tool in the greater toolbox of longer term decision making. As both Dent and Rosenberg have recently pointed out, and as the graph above unmistakably presents, the last time we saw a decline in the 45-55 year old US population segment was from the mid-1970′s to the early 1980′s. Specifically, this population group peaked in March of 1973 and then troughed in July of 1983 before literally exploding higher until just recently when we have again seen yet another peak for now. Dent expects a steady 45-55 year old population segment decline into the 2021-22 period. Both Dent and Rosenberg suggest investors focus in on this fact intently as it's the 45-55 year old age bracket that is the largest consumer segment, the largest investor segment, etc. If indeed nominal body count decline lies ahead, then just what does that say for the US economy and financial asset prices that theoretically are a reflection of the real economy?
In the following table, we basically singled out the period described above of covering the peak and trough of this population segment in the 70′s and 80′s. And what we are looking at is the increase in real US GDP over the 3/74 to 7/83 period. For a bit of compare…
ScotiaMocatta Sells Out Of Silver Bars
by Zero Hedge - December 31st, 2010 3:22 pm
Courtesy of Tyler Durden
And an appropriate story to end 2010 with: ScotiaMocatta, one the world's biggest bullion banks, is now sold out of all silver bars.
Carry on
h/t Omega3ala
by ilene - December 31st, 2010 3:18 pm
Courtesy of The Pragmatic Capitalist
Some excellent thoughts on the macro economy courtesy of Warren Mosler:
The relatively modest recovery remains on track.
Left alone, I see GDP in the 3.5%-5.5% range for next year, and possibly more.
Though they didn't add much, the latest tax adjustments did take away the down side risk of taxes going up at year end.
I do, however, see several negatives with maybe up to 25% possibilities each, meaning collectively the odds of any one of them happening are a lot higher than that.
The new Congress is serious about deficit reduction. The risk is they will be successful, and it seems they even have the votes to get a balanced budget amendment passed.
China could get it wrong in their fight against inflation and cause a pretty severe slump. In fact, I can't recall any nation that didn't cause a widening of their output gap in their various fights against inflation.
The ECB's imposed austerity in return for funding at some point reverses the current modest growth of that region. Not to mention the small but real risk the ECB decides to not buy any more member nation debt in the secondary markets.
While a less important economy for the world, the UK austerity looks ill timed as well.
The Saudis could continue to hike their posted prices which could reduce US demand for domestic output. The spike to the 150 level in 08 was a significant contributor to the severity of the financial collapse that followed.
There are also several lesser factors I've been listing the last few weeks that could cause aggregate demand to disappoint.
On the positive side is always the possibility of a private sector credit expansion taking hold.
Traditionally that would be borrowing to spend on housing and cars.
Federal deficit spending has done its job of restoring incomes and monetary savings, and will continue to do so.
Financial burdens ratios are down, car sales are showing some modest growth, and housing looks to have at least bottomed. And both are at low enough levels where there could be a lot of growth and they'd still be very low, especially housing.
I don't see inflation as a risk (unless crude spikes a lot higher), nor deflation (unless one of the above shocks kicks in).
And I do see the 'because we think we could be


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Nowhere near as exciting as 2005 but not a bad series, what do you think?
Nowhere near as exciting as 2005 but not a bad series, what do you think?
Everyone wants to change the world, noone wants to change himself.
I've enjoyed it. It's been missing a real thriller of a game, a match that either side can win at any point. But it's been unpredictable and interesting to watch. A 6.5/10 series I'd say.
Good series, had its moments but the quality of cricket was pretty poor all round. Didn't help being compared every two moments to 2005 but whilst we are doing comparisons it's nowhere near Aus vs SA in Aus this year either and I hear the Pak SL series was pretty good.
Rest In Peace Craigos
I know a lot of people have criticised it, but it's still been a good series IMO. Much more competitive than I was expecting. There hasn't been as many big individual performances or close matches as '05 obviously, but it's still one of the better Ashes series I've watched.
Probably the second best series Australia has been involved in since '05, behind the home series against South Africa recently which had some excellent cricket. The home series against India was pretty good too but all the bull**** overshadowed the cricket.
It's cold on the outside they say
But the cold leaves you clear while the heat leaves a haze
Two evenly matched mediocre sides battling it out. The test rankings will reflect the "quality" of these teams.
The least bad team won.
It'll always be compared to 2005, which it was never going to match, but I've loved the series. Helped by an England win obviously, but it's been competitive, unpredictable and we've seen some excellent performances from players on either side. I'd give it an 8/10.
I'd rate it about 6/6.5 out of 10 too. Not a great series as far as quality of play goes, but there have been some decent matches to watch. England outplayed us in 3 of the tests to our two and deserve to win. The teams took turns playing mediocre cricket at times
R.I.P Craigos, you were a champion bloke. One of the best
R.I.P Fardin 'Bob' Qayyumi
Member of the Church of the Holy Glenn McGrath
"How about you do something contstructive in this forum for once and not fill the forum with ****. You offer nothing." - theegyptian.
"There's more chance of SoC making a good post than Smith averaging 99.95." - Furball
"**** you're such a **** poster." - Furball
I found it slightly above average. Nothing special, but was carried by the nature of the rivalry.
6/10 probably.
Both South African series were better IMO, as was Aust vs. India in Australia 07/08.
"I am very happy and it will allow me to have lot more rice."
Eoin Morgan on being given a rice cooker for being Man of the Match in a Dhaka Premier Division game.
Weirdest series i've seen since South Africa's tour to England in 2008. Jus tlike then ENG were the less superior team. But opposition inconsistencies & England ceasing KEY moments at crucial times was enough to do the job.
A trinsquillion out of 10.
Or something.
RIP Fardin Qayyumi (AKA "cricket player"; "Bob"), 1/11/1990 - 15/4/2006
The quality wasn't great, but it was thrilling because of the evenness and the importance of the rivalry. Reminded me more of the series in the 80s, lot's of poor cricket interspersed with bit's of brilliance.
Nowhere close to 2005, but what is?
Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes.
Walt Whitman
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Varnished dark wood desk on four legs. It has a sloped writing surface which levels out to a horizontal surface at the top. It is surrounded on three sides by a wooden barrier and divided into two sections.
This collection consists of 87 items from the New South Wales historical section of Australia Post. The items range from furnishings that were used for the opening of the Sydney GPO in 1874 to telephones, signs, posters, and postal boxes. The material covers a period of over one hundred years of postal service in Australia.
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By MIKE NORTON
TRAVERSE CITY – Astronomers and star-gazers of all kinds are expected to cluster in this northern Michigan resort town Oct. 4-5 for the inaugural Midwest Space Fest.
The festival – timed to coincide with World Astronomy Week — will feature two days of activities, films and talks – including a keynote address by Dr. Alex Filippenko, Professor of Astronomy at the University of California-Berkeley.
Carolyn McKellar, executive director of the new festival, said the event was founded to offer "a new, non-traditional way to experience astronomy and space sciences" that will appeal even to the scientifically impaired.
"You can look through telescopes at our amazing northern Michigan skies, enjoy a film, listen to music with a space theme or hear one of the greatest astronomers of our day talk about 'runaway galaxies,'" she said. "You can't help but leave with a new feeling of wonder about the universe."
Located on a deep bay of Lake Michigan, Traverse City is better known as an outdoor recreation center than as a "space town" like Huntsville, Houston and Cocoa Beach. Most of its many festivals revolve around cherries, horses, wine and beer. But thanks to its wide vistas and comparative lack of city lights (it's located near the International Dark Sky Park at the tip of Lower Michigan) it has always had a healthy contingent of astronomy enthusiasts.
McKellar is one of them. As a young student she was a habitué of the J.H. Rogers Observatory at Northwestern Michigan College, and during her senior year at Michigan State University she was named to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's volunteer "Solar System Ambassador" program. In 2012 she founded Magnetic North, a nonprofit organization devoted to creating educational events centered on the night sky, physics and space exploration.
"That's really what the Midwest Space Fest is," she said. "It's a big celebration of the wonders of the night sky."
The festival will begin in Traverse City's art deco State Theatre with a screening of the Emmy-nominated documentary film, "The City Dark," a "tour of the night sky" by Rogers Observatory director Jerry Dobek using fiber-optic "stars" installed in the theater ceiling during a recent renovation, and a discussion on light pollution by Mary Stewart Adams of the International Dark Sky Park.
Saturday's activities include a free solar viewing at the city's Open Space Park hosted by members of the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society (GTAS), free indoor exhibits and activities, culminating in Alex Filippenko's presentation on "Dark Energy and the Runaway Universe." A member of the National Academy of Sciences, Filippenko is best known for his many appearances in the popular History Channel series, "The Universe," and in the History Channel documentary, "STAR TREK: Secrets of The Universe."
The festival concludes Saturday evening at the Open Space with a public "Star Party" that offers participants multiple telescope viewings of the night sky.
Although it's always difficult to predict attendance at an inaugural festival, McKellar is expecting at least a thousand people to attend one or more of the events. Adult and student ticket prices are available for the film, party and astronomy presentation, and package ticket prices are also available on a first-come, first-served basis at www.magnorth.org. A Celestron NexStar 8se telescope will be silent auctioned at the event.
For order tickets and find out more about the festival, visit www.magnorth.org and find the Midwest Space Fest on Facebook and on Twitter: @MWSpaceFest.
To learn more about other fall events, festivals and activities in Traverse City, contact the Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau at www.traversecity.com.
*Content sponsored by the Traverse City Convention and Visitors Bureau.


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For a guy who laughs so much, Jeff Bezos has been looking awfully sheepish lately.
Amazon.com recently reached over the airwaves and deleted copies of 1984 -- yes, the science-fiction novel which brought us the term "Big Brother" -- from users' Kindle electronic-book readers. Cue the Orwellian references: People compared it to Borders breaking into your home and removing improperly sold books from your shelves. For the second time in months, Amazon's founder and CEO launched an abject apology to customers of his online megastore:
This is an apology for the way we previously handled illegally sold copies of 1984 and other novels on Kindle. Our "solution" to the problem was stupid, thoughtless, and painfully out of line with our principles. It is wholly self-inflicted, and we deserve the criticism we've received. We will use the scar tissue from this painful mistake to help make better decisions going forward, ones that match our mission.
U.S. & World
Sound familiar? This is exactly the kind of abject scraping-and-bowing behavior Amazon.com engaged in after getting caught mistakenly categorizing gay and lesbian books as "adult" material ineligible for its all-important sales rankings.
The real problem here isn't that Amazon makes mistakes, or how Bezos apologizes for them. It's how he does it.
In the age of Twitter, users expect instant answers, not processed press releases days after the event. In both the Kindle controversy and the gay-books brouhaha, Amazon representatives responded far too slowly.
Ironically, Amazon was a pioneer in social networking, buying a nascent startup, PlanetAll, in the '90s, which formed the basis of the site's social features. (A PlanetAll executive, Owen Van Natta, went on to become COO of Facebook and is now CEO of MySpace.) The company's customer reviews are a vital example of how focused social networking can boost sales. But the company has never embraced the notion of interacting with the outside world in real time.
That's where Amazon's recent $840 million purchase of Zappos, a competing online retailer, may really pay off. Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh was an early, enthusiastic embracer of Twitter, and he still runs the company's Twitter account, answering customer-service questions personally as they pop up on the message-broadcasting service.
Hsieh has said he plans to stick around after the acquisition. Jeff, may we suggest that you put Tony to work as your personal Twitter tutor? There's no reason a company which shifts millions of packages around with incredible finesse can't be just as nimble in handling online critics. If the company has any sense, next time, Amazon's apologies will be tweeted.


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- Olive GroveAdventurous travelers can experience eco-luxury at its finest with a stay at this incredible private residence in Malaga, Spain. Situated a stone's throw away from the beautiful Mediterranean Sea, The Olive Grove is a luxury rental property set on the edge of a nature reserve with views of the mountains and the sea. Best of all, the owners are dedicated to offsetting the home's carbon footprint and have incorporated a wide range of green features throughout the breathtaking property.1
- Olive GroveThe unique farmhouse is designed in the traditional Spanish style and is packed with Spanish antiques, tapestries, authentic furniture and area rugs. Built to celebrate the natural allure of the surrounding landscape, the home has many open-air areas.2
- Olive GroveAn outdoor kitchen allows visitors to dine al fresco and indulge in the local fare. The property owners are committed to cutting down on transportation costs, so they stock the kitchen with produce grown right on site. Additional food is bought from locally sourced vendors from the nearby historic Moorish markets. They compost all left over food scraps on site as well.3
- Olive GroveThe back patio and pool are perfect for relaxing and taking in the views. The edge of the outdoor pool blends right in with the vista, creating a truly tranquil experience.4
- Olive GroveAll of the water in the house and pool is heated with a series of solar panels.5
- Olive GroveThe owners recycle all of their grey water, part of which goes to water the plants on the property, which are sustained with a water-saving irrigation system.6
- Olive GroveThe house is outfitted with low-energy lighting, high-efficiency appliances, and a wood burning heater. They owners also seek to give back to the land by planting indigenous trees along the hillside, which once was a forest. The amazing residence allows eco-conscious vacationers to experience Spain in quaint luxury.7


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It was the Baron himself who nailed up the poster in Midlam the town square.
WANTED: LADY WILDWOOD and sundry associated gang members - For Murder, extortion, petty theft and highway robbery. REWARD - 10 Gold Coins for Lady Wildwood and 1 Gold Coin per gang member.
Speculation and rumour was rife! Who were these new Bandits that were plaguing Midlam? Who was the mysterious and dangerous Lady Wildwood? It seemed that the town had been under siege, first from Captain Grief's Gang and then the Hobgoblin Rainding Party, and now this gang of merciless women!
Bounty hunters muttered in dark corners of Inns, looking for information and squads of Town Guard regularly marched out into the surrounding countryside in their pursuit.
But still the robberies and raids continued...
Waylaid by Bandits Volume Two
A gang of eleven 28mm scale bandits, thugs and ruffians, lead by the Notorious Lady Wildwood, for all of your fantasy miniature games.
Waylaid by Bandits Volume One
You can also, should you wish, include our first bandit gang with your pledge. Captain Grief's Gang is a series of of eleven 28mm scale bandits, thugs and ruffians, including the original stretch goal 'George the Grind'. You could then mix and match your bandits or have them as deadly rivals!
Waylaid by Bandits Volume One
It's only an 11 day project, so hury up and back.
By Corsair
This one ends tomorrow. It looks pretty neat
By SamuraiJack
<link here>
Tomb Guardians over the past year has been asked to release our miniatures in a resin/plastic material because a lot of you do not like metal. So for nearly a year we have discussed and researched the best way to produce a high quality, high detail miniature that is far above the current standard on the market. We are happy to announce that we have found a method and decided to release all our 28mm monsters in a High Resolution Resin. These miniatures will come with a 1 year guarantee, if you break one we will replace it for FREE! Just mail it back to us. Bobby Jackson, Jason Weibe, Gene Van Horne and Patrick Keith help create these amazing creatures. We hope you enjoy our Monsters and want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
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Chipman Design is one of the leading restaurant designers servicing Oak Park Heights, MN. Its experience has been proven across the country, from McDonald's 24,000 square feet flagship location in Chicago to Frida's Mexican food in Los Angeles, Houlihan's in Kansas, or Weber Grill in Indiana and Illinois.
Chipman Design Architecture's restaurant designers have set new design standards and prototypes for Buffalo Wild Wings (a franchise with 415 locations in the US), Jason's Deli (230 restaurants), Noodles & Company (over 300 locations in the US) and Red Robin (450 locations).
The foundation of Chipman Design since its inception more than 30 years ago has been the specialization as retail and restaurant designers. It provides full architectural services, from planning and conceptual design through construction administration to occupancy.
Chipman Design offers unique solutions that respond to demands for inspiration in restaurant design, functionality in operation and market responsiveness. From creating the ultimate QSR concept for Chick-fil-A to crafting the perfect fine dining experience for RPM Italian, our restaurant designers work in the background organizing the kitchen. With efficiency and functionality in mind, they deliver the best in kitchen planning and design.
If you are reviewing restaurant designers serving Oak Park Heights, click here to browse our restaurant design portfolio. Have a question? Click here to contact us.
Chipman's restaurant designers enjoy creating an inviting ambiance where your brand is the protagonist. And through research of the property's location and surrounding area, they incorporate local craftsmen and artisans, interweaving the community's influx with the branding.
The firm's restaurant designers also use the latest in digital visualization to develop virtual immersive prototypes, speeding up design reviews and saving you significant budget by sparing full-scale physical mockups.
Chipman integrates sustainable design to the maximum extent feasible. It is a Green Building Council member, led by LEED-accredited Principals, with USGBC and LEED-registered staff and engineering consultants.
Browse our restaurant design portfolio, and you will discover why we are considered leaders in prototype management for restaurant projects. Chipman has taken numerous national and regional corporations through their growth process. Being licensed throughout the US and several Canadian provinces, Chipman Design offers exceptional restaurant design and construction management.
The firm has received over 40 awards, including "AIA Interiors Award" Flatlander's Restaurant and Brewery and "Top 5 Restaurant Design Firms" National Ranking 2013, 2014, 2015 (Commercial Construction Magazine)
Jay Miranda joined Chipman 15 years ago and has taken the lead on the firm's retail and restaurant design prototypes. He is an expert in expanding corporate programs for clients such as Houlihan's, Chick-fil-A and Cucinova as well as the renewed food court at O'Hare's International Terminal by Areas.
Daniel Tessarolo's career spans over 20 years. He lends his invaluable experience to the firm, supervising national accounts and directing project teams to achieve the clients' vision within schedule and budget. He has successfully completed multi-unit restaurant design projects.
Matthew Lynn's 15-year background in Chipman has proven his outstanding project management skills on important national restaurant programs. He helped create many innovative prototypical designs, leading our restaurant designers through dynamic program expansions, launching several flagship locations throughout the United States and Canada
Janina Kojs has been 19 years with Chipman Design and coordinates many of its national expansion programs. She is currently in charge of the restaurant designers team for Noodles & Company, a group of talented professionals that can work on 50 projects in parallel, yearly.
Ariel Delao is masters codes and municipal regulations affecting restaurant design in the US and Canada, and brings a high level of expertise in kitchen layout and space planning. He has worked with corporate clients on their expansion programs including Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews, Chick-fil-A, Epic Burger, Boston Market, Mongolian Barbecue, Kinko's, Gateway Computers and Blockbuster Video.
Below, you will find examples of our work as restaurant designers across the US – one of our client's locations may as well be in Oak Park Heights, MN.
Sleek, stylish and sophisticated are at the very core of Chicago's new RPM Italian. The voluminous 8,000-square foot space features a 100-seat lounge with an adjoining 120-seat dining area juxtaposed behind elegant slices of lighted cream walls. Restaurant designers at Chipman Design led this project whose development was chronicled on Bravo TV's Giuliana & Bill reality show.
Having opened their first restaurant in Hapeville, Georgia in 1946, Chick-fil-A has become the second largest quick-service chicken restaurant in the United States. Chipman's restaurant designers were asked by Chick-fil-A to help manage their current prototype. In addition to the standard drive-thru model (found primarily in suburban areas), Chipman helped them transition to an urban style restaurant tailored for pedestrian traffic. This style has since been implemented in multiple major metropolitan markets.
For over ten years, Chipman Design has been a fundamental part of Red Robin Gourmet Burger's national expansion program. The firm has acted as Architect-of-Record for the majority of their restaurants, at the same time managing their restaurant prototype and assisting with the evolving design of their concept. Typically more than 6,000 square feet, they feature an indoor dining and bar area opening onto an outdoor patio. Having earned the "Best New Commercial Development" Award from the City of Chino, California Planning Commission, the firm is also evaluating Red Robin restaurant prototype for submission for LEED certification.
Shake Shack is a modern day "roadside" burger stand serving a classic American menu of premium burgers. With its fresh and simple, high-quality food at a great value, Shake Shack is a fun and lively community-gathering place. The company has expanded to more than 85 locations in the United States and needed restaurant designers to materialize further ideas.
Combining Asian, Mediterranean and American cuisine, Noodles & Company has successfully expanded to hundreds of stores nationally. Chipman Design has provided prototype management services for sites throughout the country, addressing exterior restaurant design as well as interior trade dress. Carryout and catering were added to the 80-seat restaurants, further broadening the Noodles national brand. Chipman restaurant designers are familiar with building permits for restaurants in Oak Park Heights, MN or anywhere in the US.
Created by Chef Rick Bayless, Tortas Frontera features hand-crafted tortas, fresh-made guacamole and hand-shaken margaritas, in a new standard for quick-service food. Tortas Frontera is located in high transit O'Hare Airport. Chipman Design restaurant designers had to convey its Mexican style and attract customers very quickly.
Restaurant designers at Chipman worked on O'Hare International Airport's food court, which involved Big Bowl, Frontera Grill, Hub 51, Kofe-Intelligentsia, RJ Grunts, Tocco, and two restaurants that received awards from the Airports Council International: Urban Olive and Wow Bao.
With over 415 company-owned and franchised free-standing pad site locations in 36 states, architectural designs have evolved for the past 34 years in response to customer preferences. Our restaurant designers created a design concept that offers elements of quick and casual dining, plus take-out service. The open layout of the restaurant prototype offers dining and bar areas with distinct seating choices to accommodate parties of various sizes.
Collaborating between Kellogg's, Journee's Anthony Rudolf and award-winning chef Christina Tosi, Chipman Design Architecture's restaurant designers were challenged to envision and elevate the comforting experience of enjoying your favorite cereal amidst the energy of Times Square. Inspired by the automats of the 1950's, the restaurant architects designed an experience that was also reminiscent of opening your kitchen cabinet to grab the ubiquitous box of cereal. Chipman developed the configuration for the Cubbies as well as operations for both front-of-house and back-of-house.
With a restaurant design concept based on a 1950's retro diner with a modern twist, mid-century modern furniture was chosen and specified in addition to the use of white painted brick and clean-lined, red light fixtures to tie the space back to the Kellogg's brand.
Providing full architectural and interior design services, Chipman Design collaborated with the client from the firm's Chicago and New York offices. Implementing full due diligence services including code and lease review as well as performing a site survey of the proposed space, the Chipman Design Team worked on the concept for the restaurant design while utilizing the firm's Visualization Studio to create in-house, photoreal 3D renderings to communicate the design intent to the client. Chipman then further developed the design, completing the Construction Documents and performing full Construction Administration services.
Following a new prototype design established by its new leadership in 2012, Houlihan's Restaurants, Inc. developed a modern, warm restaurant design with a laid-back setting, an open kitchen, prominent bar, and relaxed outdoor patio. Chipman Design Architecture provided design development, construction documents, and construction administration services to meld the prototype design with the city's appearance guidelines and the existing development's exterior. To accomplish this, our restaurant designers utilized brick veneer on the building's façade; the patio was intentionally located over an existing water easement, and the trellis imitates one on the opposite side of the property's courtyard.
With a warm, clean and classic look set by a reclaimed wood interior design, Cucinova offers delicious flavors of Naples, Italy, with a fresh, modern twist. Chipman's restaurant designers worked with property owner Sbarro over this artisan pizza concept, in Columbus, Ohio.
Regional Epic Burger introduced the "more mindful burger" in 2008. After their impressive initial success, they found in Chipman's restaurant designers the assistance they needed with the architectural development of a bold metropolitan expansion program. The ensuing collaboration on a series of four more restaurants translated the wholesome burgers and fresh-cut fries menu into an interior environment that delivered an ambiance of affordable, trustworthy and "all natural deliciousness."
Named after the restaurateur who made himself famous for his impeccable hospitality, J. Gilbert's prides in serving honest food made with quality ingredients. A sophisticated, yet cozy ambiance is the setting for wood-fired steaks and seafood, all served with flawless care. The warm atmosphere includes dining by the fire, surrounded by rich wood and brick restaurant interior design.
Chipman's restaurant designers work on Sophie's at Saks Fifth Avenue, a beautiful bar with views into the kitchen, a sophisticated dining room and a private area suitable for business and social events. An outdoor bar provides a laid back setting. The restaurant can fit people 50 seated, and 120 for receptions and the private rooms can host 18 people seated and 20 for receptions.
The 850-unit pizza chain's new restaurant prototype focuses boldly on pizza by removing any distractions. Placing the cooking equipment close to the public allows them to have a close-up view of the pizza making action.
Chipman used advanced 3D technology to help Sbarro to visualize all changes. Restaurant designers placed the prototype into an immersive 3D virtual design experience; a green screen room called the Cube. Sbarro's managers were able to walk through and explore the idea at full scale, checking the separation between counters, user traffic patterns and more. This cost them just a fraction of what traditional, iterative 3D renderings cost.
We can make your project a success. Let us become your restaurant designers in Oak Park Heights. Click here to browse our restaurant design portfolio. Have a question? Click here to contact us.


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- 2 The Outdoors
ACROSS WNY- A hike in the outdoors is a peaceful and beautiful experience, but it always pays to know your surroundings. There are a lot of things in the environment that can cause harm if one is not careful,and many of these organisms are hiding in plain sight, so awareness is key.
Poison Ivy is a perfect example. Dave McQuay of NY State Parks says the plant is abundant throughout the region, and learning to identify it is a must for anyone spending time outdoors." They always say leaves of three let it be, and often Poison Ivy takes on different forms, it can be a small plant, it can be shrub like, or it can vine up trees.If it vines up, you want to look for the hairy roots going to the bark, usually brown in color."
Coming in contact with the plant is not fun. Damaging the leaves or stem releases an oily compound called Urishiol which can cause a serious rash on those who are allergic to it. " The oil leaches out of the leaves" says McQuay " and absorbs through the seven layers of your skin, your body reacts to that,and it actually causes inflammation and your body produces a rash if you're allergic to."
Native to North America,the plant has been thriving for centuries. Throughout the years, Poison Ivy has been both bane and benefit to different cultures. McQuay explains." One of the first infections a European got in North America was Captain James Cook coming down with a case of Poison Ivy. Native Americans used it, they had different ways to develop immunity,they would use the flexible vines to make baskets, in California they would smoke salmon with the skewers made from Poison Ivy."
As nasty as it can be to the human species, McQuay says the exact opposite is true with many animals. " Over sixty species of birds ingest the berries, Black Bears, White Tail Deer, rabbits and muskrat love to eat the seeds . Woodpeckers, warblers and thrushes relish the berries, so it is used by wildlife."
Poison Ivy also is beneficial to the environment in other ways, so eradication is not feasible. Unfortunately, studies have found that due in part to climate change, the toxic oil that can cause so much damage is also becoming more potent. " With the increased levels of carbons in the air, the Poison Ivy is becoming five percent stronger in Urishiol oil, which will cause the rash. McQuay continues " Poison Ivy is definitely getting stronger as our environment changes and warms."
All of this information is not meant to terrify, only to educate. As with much of our environment, knowledge goes far to keep from turning a hike in the woods to trip to the hospital. " Learn to identify it, learn to avoid it like you would a poisonous snake, it shouldn't stop you from going out there and enjoying the great outdoors, and be aware on sunny edges and stream banks and things it can grow there, and that's a spot you really want to watch for it."
See the original article here:


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Travel Diary: Day #7 (Chicago, Austin)
I love my breakfasts. But when I'm at home, I don't usually get to them until late—11 or 12, if I'm writing. (Some writers drink. Some do drugs. I find creativity via coffee on an empty stomach.) And I eat cereal. Or oatmeal/porridge. Milk should always be somehow involved with breakfast, I feel. The hearty, American-style breakfast of egg and bacon and sausage and hash browns is a little too much for me, especially early. If you ask me, there's something a little immoral about cooking anything before noon but toast.
This is why I'm having a little difficulty with the hordes of people in line for pizza at 8am at the airport. And "breakfast tacos!" You can't just put the word "breakfast" in front of something as if that makes it okay! No! There are no breakfast pot roasts, are there? Breakfast buffalo burgers? Breakfast prime rib steak?
It's raining in Austin. But that's okay, because I have to stay in and do my washing. Originally, my plan was to have the hotel dryclean some clothes for me. But I'm never long enough in one place for this. So I fill up the bathtub, toss in some soap, and wash a load of shirts and underpants, old-school. Then I wring them out, arrange them on hangers, and distribute them around my hotel room. It really adds something to my luxurious hotel room; a certain third world ambiance.
I call home, and we get the webcam thing happening. Jen puts Fin on her lap, and Fin sees my picture and smiles. I sing nursery rhymes to her through the phone and she grins and claps and says, "More?" when I finish. It's wonderful. Being able to see them, even in jerky low-resolution, makes me feel much closer to home.
On a geeky note, I'm very pleased with my laptop computer. It's the first time I've left home with a Linux-powered machine (it's running Ubuntu), and thought I might hit problems trying to hook up with the internet services of various hotels. But nope: everything's worked perfectly.
Today's amusing email:
im doing a book report on your book "Jennifer Government" and i need some books that contain information about you as an author. my stupid english teacher insists that i find at least 3 books that contain information about you as an author, even though it seems to be impossible.
i also need to know if you are "respected" as an author in the writing community because it is part of my paper.
please please help me
That's a good question, whether I am respected. Who knows what those bitchy other authors say about me behind my back?
I wonder if authors ever go on tours together. That would be cool. All this travelling would be more fun if there was somebody else. I should go with Paul Neilan, because I'm recommending his book at every stop. It feels good to recommend Paul's book here, because back home, every time I tell someone how great it is, I have to add, "But you can't buy it here." This makes them disappointed and angry. But it's not my fault no-one's published it in Australia. I don't control the world. But here, at readings I can say, "And it's available in the US!" Then we all look at the bookstore person, who says, "I don't think we have that."
At tonight's reading, a girl named Jessica asks whether Chuck Palahniuk and I hang out together. She says that she read online that he's a fan of my work, and I hyperventilate for a few seconds before realizing that she's confusing Chuck with the webmaster of chuckpalahniuk.net, Dennis. So I guess Chuck won't be calling up any time soon and asking if I want to come over and shoot some pool, or, you know, murder some puppies or something. Whatever, Chuck. I'd be up for it.
Jessica has an adorable accent and says "y'all." It's so strange to hear actual "y'all"s. I kind of assumed they were just in movies and Jerry Springer. For some more local flavor, a guy—I want to say Mike, but my notes aren't clear, sorry—gives me a "Fightin' Texas Aggies" T-shirt, from Texas A&M University. He helpfully advises me not to wear it in Austin, though, because it may prompt locals to beat me up. I'm glad he mentioned that. I hope it doesn't cause any problem with airport security tomorrow.


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On This Day...
Born in 1721 to a prominent and influential Virginia family, Randolph graduated from the College of William and Mary before attending law school in London. Upon his return to the colonies, Randolph took up a private practice and was later named attorney general of Virginia. In 1754, Randolph was elected to the House of Burgesses, which was Virginia's official legislative body. As the colonies grew more in favor of independence from Great Britain, Randolph resigned his post as attorney general in 1766 due to a conflict of interest between serving both the British crown as attorney general and the people of Virginia in the House of Burgesses.
Randolph continued to work in favor of independence from Great Britain by presiding over Virginia's Committee of Correspondence, which worked to communicate with other colonies to form a united resistance against Britain's parliament, from May 1773 to August 1774. In September 1774, the first Continental Congress was formed in Philadelphia in response to the British enactment of the Intolerable Acts. It was at that first meeting of the Continental Congress that colonists discussed a united resistance to British rule in America.
On September 5, 1774, Randolph was elected by unanimous vote as the first president of the Continental Congress. He resigned as president in October 1774 to attend a meeting of the Virginia House of Burgesses but remained a powerful and influential figure within Congress. He returned to Congress in May 1775 and was again elected president, but was forced to resign less than one month later due to his failing health.
Randolph briefly returned to Congress in September 1775, but died just one month later in Philadelphia. He did not live to see America achieve independence, a goal toward which he had worked for most of his adult life.


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Um,
Out of curiosity, 'Gunz! is in there right? No matter how many times I tested it, it didn't show up. :/ I believe I put the info in. But I may need to get you a better image. Anyway, it looks really good! Way to go!
------------------
OOO, look a' me forum! 'Tis there, i 'tis.
Bull, the Dragun, says, "Visit this comic or I'll fry your potted plants and small furry creatures, human!"


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They should be ashamed.
I watch The Passion of the Christ by Mel Gibson at some point during Holy Week each year. The movie, whatever the much-publicized weaknesses of its producer, is deeply meaningful to me.
This year I ended up watching it late, late Good Friday and early, early Holy Saturday, after my family had gone to bed. Earlier in the day I had shared a meal with one of my dearest friends. This lady is a cradle Catholic who doesn't analyze the Church, she just believes it. She also uses her computer for work and turns it off. She's not an internet junkie. Since we are blessed to live in a diocese where the bishops have always allowed women's feet to be washed along with men on Holy Thursday, she had never encountered the discussions about this that float around the internet.
During our conversation, I told her about the happenings on Public Catholic, including the debate about washing women's feet on Holy Thursday. When I mentioned that some people don't think that women's feet should be washed, she stopped and stared for a moment, then said, "Reaalllllyyyyy?"
It was the first time in all the years I've known her that I've ever seen this woman, who once thought about becoming a nun, angry over her faith. Why? Because she understood instantly that this attitude put her, as a woman, outside the circle of grace that the servant priesthood and the eucharist are meant to create for all humanity.
I explained it as best I could and moved on to other topics.
Later that night, as I was watching Jesus, standing before the Sanhedrin, something changed in me. Specifically, it was that moment in the film where He is condemned to death and the mob begins spitting on Him, hitting him and pummeling Him. He is surrounded, almost lost in the mob, fists coming at him from every direction. It was, as He said earlier that same evening, "Satan's hour."
I wasn't thinking about my conversation with my friend. I wasn't thinking about the outrageous attacks on the Holy Father because he had the temerity, by his actions, to include women in the whole of the humanity the Church serves. It was as if all the pieces clicked together by themselves with an almost audible snap.
This blog is a Catholic blog. I am a Catholic woman.
If you want to put the "teachings" of self-annointed internet magisteriums ahead of the legitimate authority of the bishops and the pope to determine the order of the mass and the liturgy, I can not stop you. But I will not publish you. This behavior is harming my Church, and I will not open my house to anything that furthers it.
You do not have to love the Holy Father to comment on Public Catholic. But you do have to refrain from disrespecting him, including posting links to those who are trying to make themselves his teachers in the rubrics of the mass.
I am not expert on this, but I've read that the girm that these people claim cancels out the teaching authority of the pope and bishops (not to mention the Gospels) was written around 50 short years ago in the 1960s. If I understand it correctly, the bishops have clear authority to modify certain things (including this one) in the girm, as part of their pastoral calling. I've read that Cardinal O'Malley of Boston specifically queried the Vatican about this issue after he was appointed to the Archdiocese of Boston and that this was the answer. He subsequently allowed women's feet to be washed on Holy Thursday.Presumably, other bishops, who had years more experience in this office than the Cardinal did at this time, already knew this. I know that (then) Bishop Bevilacqua asked the USCCB to clarify this issue as long ago as 1987, and got the same answer as Cardinal O'Malley received from the Vatican later.
I would guess that if I'm aware of this, the self-annointed internet magisteriums of which I speak are also aware of it. Since they're making what is probably a very good living based on their supposedly superior knowledge of what they imply is the absolute and infallible dogma of the girm, they certainly should.
This fixation on one word and the obvious misogyny that fuels it are both serious problems for the people who are encouraging it. I mean they are serious spiritual problems for them. They are leading people away from obedience to their bishops and the pope in the name of the girm. They are appealing to the dark temptations of self-righteousness and clannish cliquishness that destroy community, limit faith and — worst of all — deny the core message of the Gospels.
I've been warned that by criticizing these people I am making myself the target of on-line attacks and defamation. If that doesn't tell you that they are not of the Lord, then what does?
They should be ashamed of themselves.
Here is an excerpt from a Washington Post article describing the picayune grievances against the Holy Father by these people. Read it and weep.
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis has won over many hearts and minds with his simple style and focus on serving the world's poorest, but he has devastated traditionalist Catholics who adored his predecessor, Benedict XVI, for restoring much of the traditional pomp to the papacy.
Francis' decision to disregard church law and wash the feet of two girls — a Serbian Muslim and an Italian Catholic — during a Holy Thursday ritual has become something of the final straw, evidence that Francis has little or no interest in one of the key priorities of Benedict's papacy: reviving the pre-Vatican II traditions of the Catholic Church. (More here.)


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The Magical, Mythical Lapland
Finnish Lapland is as close as reality gets to those who dream of a winter wonderland. Contrasts are a key factor in the allure of Lapland where 24-hour sunlight in the summer replaces the dark winter days. The hustle and bustle of towns and ski resorts is just minutes away from the peace and quiet of the wild wilderness.
Lapland in figures
190 000 reindeers
749 fells
1 Santa Claus
Where to go
Click map to explore
- 1Rovaniemi-Ranua1 1
- 2Levi2
- 3Ylläs3
- 4Saariselkä-Ivalo-Inari4 4
- 5Ruka-Kuusamo-Posio5
- 6Sea Lapland6
- 7Utsjoki7
- 8Enontekiö8
- 9Kilpisjärvi9
- 10Muonio-Olos-Pallas10 10
- 11Salla11
- 12Pyhä-Luosto12
- 13Kemijärvi-Suomu13
- 14Syöte-Taivalkoski14
Explore Lapland by Car
See below for some self-guided tours of Finland's many natural attractions.
Doze off under the northern lights
The more traditional ways to go Aurora spotting are snowshoeing, cross-country skiing or snowmobile and sled dog touring. If gazing at the dark sky in crispy winter air is not your thing, you can simply add comfort. See the slideshow above for places that have made it very easy to keep cosy and sleep well under the Aurorae.
magic of the midnight sun
Two thirds of all of world's people living in areas graced by the Midnight Sun reside in Finland. Above the Arctic Circle, in the northernmost parts of Finnish Lapland, the sun stays above the horizon for over 70 consecutive days.
ruska in lapland
Autumn leaf color occurs in all of Finland, but gets more vibrant the further north you go. We recommend hiking trips to Lapland in the autumn if you want to witness this spectacular natural phenomenon.
down-hill and cross-country
Finnish Lapland is a skier's paradise. Whether you are into the thrill of downhill or prefer the more solitary experience of cross-country, the vast, silent fells and many ski resorts with their well-maintained ski tracks make sure you will find the ideal place for you.
REInDEER RIDE
Why did Santa choose reindeer as his means of transport? Why not find out!
somby – THE rocking SÁMI band
The Sámi people of Lapland, like the American Indians, are strongly associated with myths and legends, and the mention of their name conjures up stereotypical images of a simple indigenous folk, living in a rudimentary lean-to and always dressed in traditional Sámi costume. A Sámi rock band Somby aim to trash that image!
There is a reason why Santa has chosen Lapland as his home.
You might also enjoy these
Finnish Lapland - its barren, beautiful natural landscape has an irresistible charm.Read More
Lapland is the perfect place to rest and relax, and the further up north you go, the better you understand the uniqueness of Lapland.Read More
They're cute and they're fast; a husky tour is an exquisite way to see the Arctic wilderness in Finland.Read More
Take a look at the geographical shape of Finland and you'll see why people call her "The Finnish Maiden". At the tip of her thumb is the only part of the country where peaks rise 1,000 metres above sea level. Nestled in those peaks you will find a tiny village called Kilpisjärvi, home to roughly a hundred year-round residents.Read More
Lapland gives an astonishing backdrop to a delicious restaurant scene. Here are our picks of Lapland favorites from traditional to modern cuisine.Read More
Lapland is the land of myths and dreams where the white months of summer meet the dark aurora nights of winter. Listen to the sounds of Lapland and relax.Read More


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The US Department of Interior will decide early this year if it has legal authority to grant a reservation to the Mashpee Wampanoag, an essential requirement before the tribe can open a casino and one of the major questions hanging over the Mashpee's plans for a Taunton gambling resort.
That legal determination may be months away, and finalizing a reservation would take longer and could result in a court challenge, but the tribe argues that it is making progress and the state should not permit a commercial casino in Southeastern Massachusetts.
The Department of Interior offered the timeline in a letter to the Mashpee dated Dec. 31 and signed by Kevin Washburn, assistant secretary of Indian affairs. The tribe released the letter on Sunday.
"It supports our position toward saying that within the very near future, the Mashpee will have their [reservation], and will begin this destination resort casino," said Cedric Cromwell, Mashpee chairman, in an interview.
Cromwell predicted that the Department of Interior will take land into federal trust for the tribe, creating a reservation eligible to host gambling, by "roughly around the end of spring, midsummer."
Casino development in Southeastern Massachusetts has been muddled since the passage of the state's 2011 gambling law, which opened commercial bidding for casino licenses in Greater Boston and Western Massachusetts, but delayed commercial casino development in the southeast to give the Mashpee time to make progress on a tribal casino. Tribal casinos are approved under federal law and do not need state licenses.
The challenge for the Mashpee has been a federal law stipulating that tribal gambling can only take place on sovereign Indian land, and the Mashpee have none.
Tribes can buy land like any other group, but they must persuade the US Department of Interior to take the land into federal trust to make the land eligible for a casino. That process has been hampered for the Wampanoags, and other tribes, by a 2009 Supreme Court ruling that the department can only take land into trust for tribes that were "under federal jurisdiction" when Congress enacted the 1934 Indian Reorganization Act. The Mashpee were not formally recognized by the federal government until 2007.
The tribe is trying to satisfy the Supreme Court requirement by submitting documentation to demonstrate a long connection to the federal government. It will argue the relationship is tantamount to formal recognition.
"We're confident and comfortable that upon [the Department of Interior's] analysis of the information we submitted they will give thumbs up and take this land into trust," said Cromwell.
Meanwhile, the state gambling commission, which controls commercial casino licenses, has been waiting for signs of progress from the tribe. The commission has the authority to open the southeast to commercial casino bidders if the commission concludes the tribe will be unable to get a reservation. The commission appeared ready last month to move toward a commercial casino in the southeast, but put off a decision until at least March to give the tribe "a last shot" at making progress toward a tribal gambling resort, said Stephen Crosby, commission chairman, at the time.
The commission is concerned that the longer it waits for the Mashpee, the further the southeast may fall behind the other two regions. However, should the commission go ahead and license a commercial casino in the southeast, it runs the risk of someday having two casinos in the region, if the Mashpee are able to get land into federal trust. State officials believe more than one casino in the region would undermine the gambling market.
Crosby said on Sunday that the commission would welcome any guidance from the federal government on the Mashpee's application for a reservation. "But without knowing what the content of such guidance would be, there's no way for us to respond further," he said. "It's purely speculative how long it will take to get land, even if the department believes it has the authority."
Mark Arsenault can be reached at email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter @bostonglobemark


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Photographer's Note
Lake Uluabat (Turkish: Uluabat Gölü and Apolyont Gölü) is the name of a freshwater lake in the vicinity of Bursa, Turkey. It is a large lake, covering an area of between 135 and 160 km² depending on the water level, but very shallow, being only 3 m deep at its deepest point. The lake contains eight islands and one other that is sometimes an island and sometimes a peninsula. The largest island is known as Halilbey Island. In the southwest the lake is fed by the Mustafakemalpaşa River, which has formed a silty delta. Water leaves the lake by way of the Ulubat stream,[citation needed] flowing to the west, and reaches the Sea of Marmara via the Susurluk River.
Nobody marcou esta nota como útil
Critiques | Translate
GiovanniG (3846) 2013-09-11 2:38
Ciao Coskun,
Splendid capture of this fisherman in wonderful golden back light. Well accomplished and rendered.
Warm regards,
subhendu_bagchi (26091) 2013-09-11 2:41
wow, what a shot. Excellent composition. Love the sunset colours with those silhouetted figures of boatman and those hills at back. Great colour tone and good depth. Superb one. Tfs.
pyffepa (625) 2013-09-11 7:17
Merhaba Coskun,
A very nice palette of colors, I appreciate the feeling of quietude your photograph communicate.
Iyi aksamlar,
resat1972 (7586) 2013-09-24 12:24
harika bir görünüş ve uygulama
Photo Information
- Copyright: Coskun Tezic (Tezic) (17867)
- Genre: Lugares
- Medium: Cor
- Date Taken: 2013-09-01
- Categories: Natureza
- Camera: Nikon D3s, Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED-IF, AFS VR
- Versão da Foto: Versão Original
- Date Submitted: 2013-09-11 1:57


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The Annual SVDP Top Hat Dinner will be held on December 7, 2014 at the Croatian American Cultural Center, 3730 Auburn Blvd., in Sacramento.
Hors d'oeuvres and a no-host bar will be held from 4-5:30 p.m., followed with a buffet dinner.
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2011-12: Enters her sophomore year as a key cog in the Spartan lineup ... is a strong, versatile player that is not afraid to mix it up in the paint ... is an outstanding rebounder that has a great nose for the ball ... has the ability to go to the basket and finish but can also step out and shoot the perimeter jump shot ... is an outstanding defender who puts herself in good position and who isn't afraid to take a charge ... fits in with the pressure defensive scheme the Spartans want to employ ... is a player that brings an intense fire to the Spartan lineup.
2010-11: Had a significant impact on the Spartan line up as a freshman ... played in 26 games with 25 starts as she missed three games due to a mid-season injury ... finished the campaign averaging 10.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game ... shot 45.1% from the floor, 31.4% from three and 63.9% from the free throw line ... went to the line 133 times, tops in the CAC during the year ... had 36 assists and 26 steals during the campaign ... had her best game of the year at St. Mary's as she poured in a career-high 28 points and pulled in 13 rebounds for her first career double-double ... had a career-high five assists in the November 20 win over Rosemont ... set a career-high with 10 free throws made (10-for-13) against Mary Washington on January 8 ... reached double figures 15 times during the year and scored at least one point in 24 of her 26 games ... grabbed at least one rebound in all 26 of her appearances during the year ... had at least one assist in 17 games.
Personal: Is the daughter of Tim and Nancy Mihalko ... born October 25, 1991 ... is a biology/pre-med major ... had a strong first year in the classroom as she finished with a 3.57 GPA including an appearance on the Dean's List in her fall semester ... earned a spot on both the CAC All-Academic squad and the York College Athletic Honor Roll as a freshman ... played for the Mid-Penn Motion AAU squad . . . was a two-time Pennsylvania State Champion at York Catholic High School while the Irish were State Runner-ups twice . . . won the district championship in all four years at York Catholic . . . was a 1,000 career point scorer for York Catholic . . . was the ESPN 1350 Player of the Game five times during her high school career . . . earned the MVP of the Irish Holiday tournament.


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Otto's mind takes him back to finding his mother at the Serbsky Institute.
Inmates had jittered and made signs at him as he made his way through the corridors. "Please help me," he heard from some and, "They have me here because of my political beliefs," from others. They'd reached out to him as he passed, and his insides had quaked. With the stench of piss and shit everywhere, revulsion filled him. But he'd felt no compassion for these people. He hadn't given a fuck about them. Only his mother mattered.
"This way," the nurse had said. "She's through here."
He found her in a large open room. She sat on the only piece of furniture in it. The chair was pushed back against the wall and she rocked slightly, staring blankly into nothingness. Spittle leaked from her mouth and she was barely recognizable as the woman he loved. Her long, luxurious, oily-black hair had been shaven to the skin. Her teeth had somehow been removed and her formerly full face had caved in because of it. Like a corpse, she was yellowed and sunken. Only 47 years old and she looked twice that. He'd wished he hadn't found her and cried bitterly – in front of those sadistic bastards that called themselves nurses.
More like prison guards. And in reality, that's what they were. Soviet dissidents ended up in places like Serbsky, out of harm's way. In mental hospitals where they could be abused and broken. Somewhere to extinguish credibility. He'd seen those inmates beaten, teeth punched or kicked from their faces. And if they still didn't bow to the might of the people, enforced lobotomy wasn't unheard of as a final step.
With desperation, he'd hoped his mother hadn't suffered such cruelty.
And now, somehow, she'd made it through to 60. Why, oh why had she lasted this long? All those years, and still she rocked on that old wooden chair and stared at nothing. How could life be this cruel?
He remembered the first time he'd visited the asylum in full Spetsnaz uniform. After calling several of the nurses together, he said, "I know you all have military connections. On that basis, I won't explain this uniform. Each of you has some sort of responsibility to my mother. The good news is you're about to receive an extra income. The bad news: if you don't look after my mother properly and see she gets the kind of care and nourishment she needs, I may have to call on my KGB colleagues. I hope we all understand what that could mean."
Memories dissolved as he entered the large open room. On his instructions, her hair had been left to grow. But now it was too long and no one had shown it a comb. Still she rocked, gazing into nothingness with the expression of a lunatic on her face.
The burly warder turned to leave but Otto grabbed his arm. "We have an agreement. Next time I come here, I expect my mother to be presentable. Look at her, her hair hasn't had attention for who knows how long. She needs a bath and a change of clothes. She looks like she's just puked down them."
"I err…," the nurse spluttered with a voice too high for his size.
"Fuck you and your errs. Why do I pay you people so much? I'll say this once. If I'm not satisfied with the way she looks next time I come, I'll personally see to it that you have teeth to match hers. And each time after that, I'll take you a step further down that road. Clear enough?"
"Yes, Captain. I'll see to it myself."
The nurse left and Otto looked at his mother. His heart brimmed. The only woman he'd ever loved – could ever love. He got down on his honkers, and took her hand. No sign of recognition, but at least she didn't pull away.
"Hello, Mother, how are you today?"
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Toshiba makes laptops like Volvo makes cars: sturdy, well-featured, but not always inspiring. Midsize Toshiba Satellite laptops tend to blend together in terms of design, and the Satellite M645-S4055 falls into that camp. Yet, it's also a higher-end midrange laptop that focuses on what Toshiba seems to do best: namely, offer high-quality audio and video in a package with good hardware specs.
If you're looking for a laptop that doubles as a portable home theater and game center, the Satellite M645-S4055 is worth a look. At $1,049, it's not cheap, but its specs are very competitive with offerings from other manufacturers. An upscaling DVD player, fast graphics, and excellent built-in speakers almost make up for a lack of Blu-ray player or Intel Wireless Display (we'd expect one or both for the price), and an underperforming included battery also mars the package a bit.
The thick chassis of the Satellite M645-S4055 shares a lot in common with other Toshiba Satellites of late, using a slightly new design template. Both on the outer lid and throughout the keyboard deck, a raised patterned texture on the black plastic (official called Fusion X2 Finish in Charcoal) gives the unit a slightly glossy look without attracting too many fingerprints. The look seems to work better on the outer lid than on the inside, where the busy texture clashes a little with the LED-lit media keys and touch pad. Still, the patterned texture felt good under our palms; in fact, the raised palm rest seemed cooler and more comfortable than in other recent Satellites.
A raised Chiclet-style keyboard, originally seen on Toshiba Netbooks but now an across-the-line standard, feels great when typing, and is also backlit. On the negative side, keys are slightly small and tightly positioned, with a glossy finish that doesn't offer great traction. A line of dedicated right-side keys for home, page up/down, and end also shorten the Enter and Shift keys, making them harder to find.
Next to the power button, a row of touch-sensitive media keys positioned between the speakers control start/pause, volume, Wi-Fi on/off, and an energy-saving mode toggle. The volume button is nice to have but is not quite sensitive enough, as touch volume controls often are.
The matte multitouch touch pad has good sensitivity and felt comfortable under our fingers, midsize and perfectly adequate–although it exhibited the same slightly laggy multitouch we find on many Windows 7 laptops. An odd LED above the touch pad did nothing but distract. Curved buttons on the bottom were well-sized and had a solid click.
The 14-inch LED-backlit glossy 16:9 LCD display on the Satellite M645-S4055 doesn't stand out at first glance (it has a native resolution of 1,366 x 768 pixels, standard for this size), but its colors seem true, and graphics seem to pop a little more than normal. Viewing angles are also better than average; it's a very good screen.
Even better are the Harman Kardon stereo speakers, situated above the keyboard. Boomy, rich, and very good for music, they're easily some of the best we've heard on a midrange laptop. Simulated surround actually works, and the whole audio package makes this Satellite an excellent little home theater.
There's even a bonus for travelers looking for a portable speaker system; it's called Toshiba Sleep and Music. When activated, this laptop can be used as a portable speaker system for a connected music player such as an iPod, activating its speakers even when the laptop's sleeping or turned off. It's a clever trick that makes the most out of those Harman Kardons.
The Satellite M645-S4055 doesn't have a Blu-ray drive, but it has a slot-loading DVD burner located on the front left side of the system. A small physical button beneath ejects discs, and the included Toshiba DVD-playing software upscales content to look better than on most systems.
A 640×480-pixel Webcam offered crisp-looking resolution for video, but contrast levels favored the background and often led to overly dark faces.
As befits the price of this laptop, there is an above-average collection of ports and connectivity features. Bluetooth is included, as are less-common extras such as an ExpressCard slot and an eSATA combo USB port. That port also acts as a sleep-and-charge port for recharging devices when the laptop is asleep or turned off.
The CPU and GPU on this Satellite are both above-average, too. A speedy Core i5 processor handles nearly every task thrown at it pretty speedily, and offers excellent video streaming. This laptop also has an Nvidia GeForce GT330M GPU, which gave us some of the fastest-performing graphics we've seen outside of a "gaming" laptop. Unreal Tournament III ran at a blazing 105.4 frames per second at native 1,366×768-pixel resolution, beating out the HP Envy 14 by comparison. This Satellite also has Optimus automatic-switching graphics technology, which powers down the dedicated graphics automatically when not in use to conserve battery life. It's a useful trick that we're seeing in more and more laptops with graphics, and though it's nothing you'll notice (it's an invisibly working technology, after all), for laptops with graphics it's a nice add to have. We wouldn't call this Satellite a gamer's laptop, but it handles mainstream gaming extremely well.


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Sequester could hurt crime prevention
White House outlines where funding would be cut
The political budget fight in Washington, D.C., could have a negative impact on crime prevention according to police and others in western Pennsylvania.
Allison Hall is the executive director at Pittsburgh Action Against Rape, or PAAR. The group provides advocates to help victims find the courage to testify against their attackers like they did in the trial of Arthur Henderson, who was convicted earlier this month of attacking women in the North Hills.
"(We need the funds) because we want these people to be convicted and we want these people to be sentenced, because then they're off the streets, because then they're not perpetrating on future victims," said Hall.
Moon Township Police Chief Leo McCarthy, said, "I would hate to see them lose funding because helping a poor victim of a rape, encouraging them to testify in court, that's extraordinarily important."
PAAR estimates the sequester would mean a 37 percent cut in its budget, which also pays for efforts to stop child sexual assault.
"We educate parents about the grooming signs of perpetrators," Hall said. "We're talking about education dollars to educate college students, men and women on the role of alcohol and how important consent is, and then you're also talking about services for victims."
The White House also said this week that funding for crime prevention would be cut if congress and the president do not come up with a budget plan. Local police chiefs are trying to be optimistic that both sides can come to a compromise.
Rep. Tim Murphy, R-18th District, represents a big chunk of western Pennsylvania. He said the lights will not all go off on Friday if the sequester happens.
Some worry about defense cuts. In our area, that could mean civilian furloughs at the Air Force Reserve base in Moon Township. There are 312 civilians at the 911th Air Lift Wing who could be furloughed. One hundred sixty-six of those are reservists not currently deployed.
Murphy said there are "a lot of places the pentagon can cut. The White House is using the sequester to frighten people. These are scare tactics."
The 911th Airlift Wing is already under consideration by the U.S. Department of Defense to be eliminated. Murphy has lobbied the Department of Defense to keep the base open.


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DUI charge for future SF archbishop
He tells of 'shame' after San Diego arrest
The man set to become the next archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco was arrested Saturday in San Diego on suspicion of drunken driving as he was taking his elderly mother home after having dinner with friends.
Oakland Diocese Bishop Salvatore Cordileone, 56, was headed along San Diego State University's southern edge when he encountered a sobriety checkpoint, said Officer Mark McCullough. Cordileone was amiable but appeared intoxicated and was arrested at 12:26 a.m., McCullough said.
The bishop was released from jail shortly before noon after posting $2,500 bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned on the misdemeanor charge on Oct. 9.
Cordileone issued a contrite statement Monday, saying he "was found to be over the California legal blood alcohol level."
"I apologize for my error in judgment and feel shame for the disgrace I have brought upon the Church and myself," the bishop said. "I will repay my debt to society and I ask forgiveness from my family and my friends and co-workers at the Diocese of Oakland and the Archdiocese of San Francisco."
Visiting friends
Cordileone said he had been visiting friends with his 88-year-old mother and was driving her to her residence near the university after a meal together.
"I pray that God, in His inscrutable wisdom, will bring some good out of this," he wrote.
The area where he was arrested has a large number of fraternity and sorority houses, and police routinely run checkpoints on weekends. McCullough said 10 others were arrested at the same checkpoint that night.
"He was very calm, somewhat apologetic at the time," said the officer, who ran the checkpoint that morning. "He said he'd been drinking. But he wasn't a stumbling, falling-down drunk."
The archbishop-designee's driving record is clean except for one ticket he got on Dec. 23 for failure to stop at a stop sign, according to the California Department of Motor Vehicles. If convicted of this latest offense, he could be sentenced to three years' probation, a fine of $1,800, two days in jail and sobriety counseling.
A DUI conviction alone, however, does not appear to be enough to disqualify Cordileone from carrying on with his current job or his next one.
"There's no canonical reason for him to not continue as archbishop," said the Rev. Thomas Reese, a visiting scholar at Santa Clara University, a Catholic university run by Jesuits.
Over the decades, other bishops have been arrested on DUI charges, but many had other criminal charges at play as well. Bishop Thomas J. O'Brien of the Diocese of Phoenix was convicted in 2004 of leaving the scene of a fatal accident. He resigned.
The most comparable example to Cordileone might be that of St. Paul and Minneapolis Archbishop John Roach, who pleaded guilty to a drunken driving charge in 1985. Like Cordileone, Roach was contrite.
Clergy 'in shock'
Clergy in the Diocese of Oakland were stunned.
"We're all kind of in shock about that, actually," said the Rev. Jayson Landeza, associate pastor at St. Felicitas Church in San Leandro, who has known Cordileone for seven years. "It's sad. My heart goes out to him. He's a good man. I'm in his corner for whatever he needs."
Cordileone has been bishop of Oakland since 2009 and was named in July by the Vatican to take his new archbishop post on Oct. 4.
He has deep roots in San Diego. He was born there, studied at the St. Francis Seminary there, and served as an official for many years in its diocese. Cordileone was appointed auxiliary bishop of San Diego in 2002, was ordained a bishop later that year, and then was appointed bishop of Oakland by Pope Benedict XVI.
Support for Prop. 8
The bishop was a leader in the successful campaign in 2008 to pass Proposition 8, the California initiative banning same-sex marriage.
He told The Chronicle when his appointment was announced that he didn't mind being a conservative voice in the liberal Bay Area, but that he was "kind of frustrated" that his opposition to same-sex marriage drew heavy notice.
Cordileone's gay critics said they hope his arrest will make the Vatican think twice about his role.
"You'd think they'd want to appoint someone who more closely represents the Bay Area as archbishop, but instead they pick this off-the-charts, right-wing guy," said attorney David Waggoner, former president of the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club. "Maybe they should consider withdrawing the appointment."
San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Matthai Kuruvila contributed to this report.
Kevin Fagan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: email@example.com


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In the second part of our Winning the Fastnet series, top navigator and meteorological consultant Mike Broughton walks and talks you through the 608-mile course of the Rolex Fastnet Race...
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Registration Packet
Complete a registration packet at the school or download the packet in English or Español complete it ahead of time.
School Age
Idaho law requires children to reach the age of 5 years on or before the first day of September of the school year in which the child is to enroll in kindergarten.
Address Verification
Documentation is needed to show your residence is in the school boundary. (i.e. Power Bill, Rental or Purchase Agreement). Or an Enrollment Waiver (Español Renuncia) is needed if you want your student(s) to attend a school outside of your school boundaries. Read the Waiver Policy for more information.
Proof of Birth
Idaho law requires that upon enrollment of a student for the first time in an elementary or secondary school, the parent or guardian must provide either a certified copy of the student's birth certificate or other reliable proof of the student's identity and birth date. Other reliable proof of the student's identity and birth date may include a passport, visa, or other government documentation of the child's identity.
Legal documentation of guardianship is needed if you are not the biological parent.
Idaho law states upon first admission and prior to attendance in public schools, valid immunization records must be provided for a student, or sign an exemption. View current requirem