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Let's Build The Backyard of Your Dreams!
- "Rossitto and Sons did a great job rebuilding my wall.... read moreAllie JohannsenDid a fantastic job with over grouting our 2 fireplaces.... read moreTyler Applebom
- This was an amazing experience. While the price was a... read morePhilip Chernoff
Masonry In Poquonock
How to Find a Reliable Masonry Contractor in Poquonock CT
Do you need to hire a reliable masonry contractor for your Hartford County, CT home? Read these top tips.
If you are about to renovate your home, after researching and planning, you must have gotten a vision of what your Hartford County home transformation will look like. Now all you need is a professional Poquonock masonry contractor. How do you go about finding one in Connecticut? Also, how do you know they are experts for your home project?
Follow these top tips to be guided:
- While posting a request on local groups is ok, it sometimes aids spammy proposals from amateurs (especially when your project is huge). Asking family and friends for recommendations is better.
- For the successful undertaking of your Hartford County, CT home project, it is important you clarify details about materials and cost of what it will take. Be clear about who will provide materials before the project starts. If you are providing masonry materials, ensure it is on the ground before the project gets started.
- When you search Poquonock masonry contractor, the results will not be satisfactory as major experts that are related to your project may be missing.
Fortunately, Rossitto & Sons Masonry is a Connecticut based masonry contractor. They can handle your Hartford County, CT home project professionally. You can call 860-818-6505 for a free consultation to get started.
- Get 2 to 3 quotes concerning your projects so you can be clear about what needs to be done. This includes preparation, e.g for huge projects, ask for help concerning breaking it down, so you know what one or two levels cost and the completion time.
- Feel free to ask questions.
You can ask for samples or references to give you an idea of what to expect. Also, ask for clarification concerning steps to take or any part of the contract that seems unclear.
Common Signs of a bad Masonry Job
When you hire a masonry contractor to work on a project, you expect durable stonework to be done. However, that is not the case always. Non-reliable and less skilled masonry contractors can leave you with bad non-adjustable stonework or masonry work that starts to crack in a short time.
A bad masonry contractor is not just bad news for your Hartford County, CT home. It is also a sign that the masonry contractor might have cut corners somewhere. Ensure to go through the rest of their work.
Also, if you are having your Hartford County, CT home renovated or you've just had them remodeled, being able to detect the signs of a bad masonry job will help you decide when to disapprove of a process or make a complaint.
Signs to Look out for:
No Preparation nor Formal Planning of Material Utilization
For a masonry project to turn out well, there must be an adequate use of stones and bricks in the right proportion. This helps to increase the structure's thermal mass. Before mixing materials, a professional masonry contractor from Rossitto & Sons Masonry knows the right proportion of materials that works for Poquonock projects.
No License, Registration, or Insurance
Do not allow a Poquonock masonry contractor without a proper license to build or work on your Connecticut home project. The only exception is for very minor tasks that are precise to the capacities of a handyman. Although, hire a mason who has a registered company and related insurance.
Skills Don't Match Your Specific Masonry Project
Would you hire a dietician to treat a toothache? Not likely. While they are medically related, a dental issue differs from a diet issue. The same applies to masonry, hire skills that match your project. Rossitto & Sons Masonry have experts in a variety of fields.
Trouble Keeping Appointments
Lack of structure or lack of following due process makes a masonry contractor turndown appointment. Other times, it may be due to overworking. An overworked masonry contractor will have difficulty keeping appointments. Not keeping appointments means they are unavailable to commit.
Why You Should use Poquonock Masonry Contractors
You want to renovate your Hartford County, CT home, or just fix a minor masonry task, but can't seem to decide whether to hire a handyman or hire a professional Connecticut masonry contractor? Hiring an average handyman could save you money but there is no guarantee you'll be satisfied with the masonry job. Here are the top 4 reasons why you should hire Rossitto & Sons Masonry to handle your Poquonock masonry project.
Detailed to Perfection
With a professional masonry contractor at your service, the results of the masonry job are near perfection. Rossitto & Sons Masonry is known to pay attention to details. They will make sure they handle your Hartford County home project professionally while paying attention to small details that an unskilled handyman wouldn't think about. All these aspects are things you shouldn't compromise.
They Save You Time
There are a lot of things to do before and during masonry construction. If you hire a professional masonry contractor, you can relax while your home project is being handled. But, with an unskilled handyman, you have a lot of inputs to make here and there.
Excellent Project Delivery
There is bound to be a significant difference in the quality of a masonry construction done by a professional masonry contractor as compared to the results you get with a regular handyman. Rossitto & Sons Masonry have over 15 years of experience serving Connecticut residents in the following services:
- Chimney repairs
- Concrete blockwork
- Concrete flatwork
- Demolition and restoration work
- Patios and pavers
- Retaining walls
- Stonework
Above all, they can help you choose materials that are suitable for your Poquonock home.
Rossitto & Sons Masonry are Well Equipped
Masonry construction requires a lot more than just laying stones. For a professional masonry construction project to kick off, there is a need for specific tools to be in place to aid excellent delivery. Professional masonry contractors will take care of all your home improvement projects and provide great durable finishing. This will make your Hartford County, CT home look outstanding for years to come.
Contact Rossitto & Sons Masonry for Phenomenal Masonry Construction
For any masonry construction services needed in Connecticut, Rossitto & Sons Masonry is available to handle and maintain it. Got a unique masonry service or a picture of how you want your home design to be? feel free to call 860-818-6505 for a free consultation.
- Learn more about Poquonock, CT 06610
- Open a Poquonock, CT map
- Find the Poquonock, CT United States Post Office
- Locate nearby Poquonock, CT pharmacies
- View the current Poquonock, CT weather report
- Browse a list of Poquonock, CT public and private schools
- Poquonock, CT is located in Hartford county in Connecticut State


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Chuck Grassley: GOP Wont Filibuster Violence Against Women Act
Senate Republicans are irritated at Democrats' push to exploit the Violence Against Women Act for political gain but signaled today they aren't planning an effort to block or delay it.
As Senate Democratic women and Vice President Joseph Biden amped up their push to reauthorize the bill at separate events today, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) told reporters that Republicans don't intend to filibuster it, with the assumption that Democratic leaders will at least allow a Republican alternative to be offered for a vote.
"We're not going to extend this debate," Grassley said. "There won't be a cloture vote necessary, and they'll surely let us have a vote on our substitute."
The bill has 61 co-sponsors, presumably making a filibuster attempt fruitless, let alone the opportunity it would give Democrats to rail against GOP obstruction on a popular bill.
Grassley, the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, said the bill, sponsored by Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), expands the law too far and costs too much. Grassley pointed to new authorities for American Indian tribes and protections for battered illegal immigrants, gays and lesbians.
Grassley warned that the Democratic push to add all of those items could keep a long-term bill from the president's desk.
"All these things add up to things that are keeping a bill that could pass on a voice vote from being passed," Grassley said. "Violence against women except for these additions is noncontroversial. I'm afraid what they're doing here is they want a political issue — you know, 'war on women' — and they are going to end up with another one-year extension."
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), a co-sponsor of the bill, said that she would work with Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) on an amendment to strip the bill's new authority for tribes to enforce some domestic violence laws. Collins also said she was "offended by the blatant politics being played on this" by Democrats using the bill to attack the GOP.
She dismissed the charge of a "war on women" as "absurd."
Senate Democratic women, meanwhile, held a news conference urging Republicans to quickly join with them to pass the bill and not filibuster it, pointing out that in the past it has been a bipartisan one.
"I'm worried that a few Republicans are returning to the playbook of obstruction," said Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), who chairs the Democrats' campaign arm. "Women in America cannot afford political theater on this issue, not on this issue. Their lives depend on it."
"It is very important that it not be made political fodder," Sen. Dianne Feinstein said. The California Democrat added that the bill is not a new concept and has been expanded several times in the past.
"We all thought it was a no-brainer to extend it to everybody," she said, adding that it was a "big surprise" to her in the Judiciary Committee when the Republicans voted against it.
Presuming the bill gets through the Senate, it faces a more difficult road in the House.

subset: commoncrawl


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BRASILIA – Brazil's largest party announced on Tuesday it was leaving President Dilma Rousseff's governing coalition and pulling its members from her government, a departure that cripples her fight against impeachment proceedings in Congress.
The Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB) took just a few minutes to decide unanimously in a packed leadership meeting that its six ministers in Rousseff's Cabinet and all other party members with government appointments must resign or face ethics proceedings.
Under Brazil's presidential system, Rousseff will remain in office but the break sharply raises the odds she could be impeached in a matter of months, which would put Vice President Michel Temer, leader of the PMDB, in the presidential seat.
Rousseff has denied any wrongdoing and called the impeachment efforts a coup to oust her ruling Workers Party (PT).
The opposition is pressing to impeach her for allegedly breaking budget laws to boost spending in the run-up to her 2014 re-election.
Their efforts gained steam as more than 1 million Brazilians took to the streets this month to protest at the worst recession in decades and a vast corruption scandal at state oil company Petrobras that has reached the president's inner circle.
"We're going to try to change the country. The economic and social crisis is very serious," Senator Romero Juca, the PMDB's first vice-president, said after the rowdy meeting in which party members chanted "Temer President" and "Out with the PT."
The loss of Rousseff's main coalition partner may prompt smaller parties to abandon the government, leaving Brazil's first female president increasingly isolated as the impeachment process nears a vote in the lower house, expected in mid-April.
It would be Brazil's first impeachment since former President Fernando Collor de Mello was put on trial in the Senate in 1992 for corruption.
Rousseff's struggles are just a part of a broad crisis in Brazil, which was hailed until recently as one of the world's most promising developing countries alongside China, India and Russia.
Brazil's economy shrank 3.8 percent last year and is on track for the worst two-year recession in more than a century, according to economists. The government is also grappling with an epidemic of the mosquito-borne Zika virus as it scrambles to prepare for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in August.
Rousseff canceled a trip to a nuclear security summit in Washington because of the deepening political crisis, two government officials told Reuters on Tuesday.
She requires the backing of 171 members of congress – or one-third of the lower house – to block impeachment. The loss of the PMDB's 68 votes, means the PT – which has 58 members – must rely heavily on its smaller coalition partners.
Including allies such as the Progressive Party (PP), the Republican Party (PR) and the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the government believes it can muster 180 votes. However, the PP will meet on Wednesday to decide whether to withdraw from the governing coalition.
If the lower house backs impeachment, the Senate must then decide by a simple majority whether to put Rousseff on trial, at which point she would be temporarily suspended and Temer would become acting president. The Senate could vote on that as soon as early May.
Investors weary of Rousseff's interventionist economic policies and a deepening recession have cheered the prospect of her ouster, boosting Brazil's currency 8 percent this year as the benchmark Bovespa stock index rose 19 percent.
However, many analysts warn that impeachment could usher in a period of political turmoil, with several senior PMDB figures also targetted by the graft investigation.
Temer aides said he was ready to lead Brazil with policies restoring business confidence. Temer's plan is expected to include drastic cuts in public spending to close a fiscal deficit that cost Brazilits investment-grade credit rating.
Senator Aecio Neves, leader of the main opposition Brazilian Social Democracy Party, said he and the leaders of five other opposition parties were ready to back a transitional government led by Temer.
Rousseff's government is finished. The departure of the PMDB is the last nail in the coffin of a dying government."
-Aecio Neves, Leader of theBrazilian Social Democracy Party
Neves, who narrowly lost to Rousseff in the 2014 election, said within 10 days of the lower house decision the Senate would vote to suspend the president's mandate and put her on trial.
However, the speaker of the Senate, PMDB Senator Renan Calheiros, said that the Supreme Court needed to set the calendar for the process in the Senate. A senior PMDB senator told Reuters this month that the government lacks the votes to win a trial there.
Marina Silva, a environmentalist and political leader who came third in presidential elections in 2010 and 2014, slammed the PMDB for opportunism in severing its alliance with Rousseff's party.
"In just three minutes…the PMDB decided to jump from the government's coalition of which, for the past 13 years, it was the biggest beneficiary — without any explanation to the Brazilian people, and with no apology for being equally responsible for all the things that led to the current crisis," she said.


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|(2) Issued:
|(3) Volcano:
|Cleveland (VNUM #311240)
|(4) Current Color Code:
|(5) Previous Color Code:
|(6) Source:
|Alaska Volcano Observatory
|(7) Notice Number:
|(8) Volcano Location:
|N 52 deg 49 min W 169 deg 56 min
|(9) Area:
|(10) Summit Elevation:
|5676 ft (1730 m)
|(11) Volcanic Activity Summary:
|Satellite data obtained over the past two weeks indicates that growth of the lava dome at Cleveland volcano has paused or stopped. The recent period of eruption appears to have been predominantly effusive in character and confined to the summit crater. No significant ash emissions have been detected during the period of dome growth. For these reasons AVO is lowering the aviation color code/alert level from Orange/Watch to Yellow/Advisory. The lava dome could resume growth at any time, and explosive activity and ash emissions remain a possibility.
Without a real-time seismic network on the volcano, AVO is unable to track local earthquake activity related to volcanic unrest, provide forecasts of eruptive activity, or confirmation of explosive, ash-producing events. AVO will continue to monitor the volcano using satellite data as it becomes available.
|(12) Volcanic cloud height:
|(13) Other volcanic cloud information:
|(14) Remarks:
|Cleveland volcano forms the western half of Chuginadak Island, a remote and uninhabited island in the east central Aleutians. It is located about 75 km (45 mi.) west of the community of Nikolski, and 1500 km (940 mi.) southwest of Anchorage. The volcano's most recent significant eruption began in February, 2001 and it produced 3 explosive events that produced ash clouds as high as 12 km (39,000 ft) above sea level. The 2001 eruption also produced a rubbly lava flow and hot avalanche that reached the sea. The most recent minor ash emissions were observed in January and June 2009.
|(15) Contacts:
|John Power, Scientist-in-Charge, USGS
firstname.lastname@example.com (907) 786-7497
Steve McNutt, Coordinating Scientist, UAF
email@example.com (907) 474-7131
|(16) Next Notice:
|A new VAN will be issued if conditions change significantly or alert levels are modified. While a VAN is in effect, regularly scheduled updates are posted at
This website is supported by the U.S. Geological Survey under Cooperative Agreement Grant G22AC00137
Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute their endorsement by the U.S. Geological Survey.


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Technically, it's not "free," as you must spend $40 at clothing chain Old Navy. The retailer is also only giving out limited quantities of the game. Still, if your plans—or the plans of someone you know—include shopping here, it may pay for you to get there early.
Nintendo World News, citing the chain's Black Friday ad, says stores will have wristbands when they open on the Friday after Thanksgiving, and will give them out on a first-come basis. These wristbands can be redeemed for the game after buying your stuff and showing a receipt.
The chain has done video game offers in the past and all have been vaporized inside of one hour, so don't expect to bop on in at noon and pick up a free game.
Old Navy Giving Away New Super Mario Bros. U on Black Friday [Nintendo World News]


text: Bacon Salt: The Review Eick August 31, 2007 Condiments, Reviews 6 Comments As readers of my blog know, I discovered Bacon Salt right as I was launching this blog. I previously wrote about it to both critique the concept and praise their online marketing strategy. The creators of Bacon Salt were kind enough to provide me with a sample pack of their Original, Hickory and Peppered Bacon Salt. Of course I won't be the first to review the product. You can find many bloggers who have already reviewed it HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE. But I figured after two weeks of sampling it on my food, it was time to weigh in with a review. When I first received it in the mail, I had just eaten, but I immediately sprinkled some into my hands to taste. Sure enough, it tasted like bacon, and the flavor was strong and pure. Be warned though, they call it Bacon SALT for a reason. I was expecting a bacon flavored powder, but it is a seasoning salt and is very salty in taste. Another thing I noticed was the extremely powerful smell. People 10 feet away from me were turning around after detecting the smell of bacon. Needless to say, if you sprinkle some into your hand to taste, be sure to wash your hands before you go outside. If you don't, you will definitely be attacked by a pack of stray dogs. The next morning I tried it on my eggs and some homefries. It went ok with both, but I began to realize, I like the taste of eggs, if I wanted them to taste like bacon, I could just get a bacon omlet. Plus I was beginning to realize that while the original and hickory tasted good, I wasn't really a fan of the peppered. Over the next few days, as I began to try Bacon Salt on different foods, my initial hesitation turned to excitement. I mixed a healthy amount of the hickory into some burger patties I made and the flavor of the burgers was astounding. I put an ample amount of the original on some cheese fries and loved it. Bacon Salt on my corn on the cob proved to be fairly good, as did butter and Bacon Salt on my mashed potatoes. But then, came the moment that made me a Bacon Salt fanatic. After mentioning to Dave that I wasn't a fan of the peppered, he suggested that one use for it is to add it to Bloody Mary's. It just so happens I am a huge fan of bloody mary's and make them all the time, morning or night. Four nights ago I made my regular bloody mary and added in some Peppered Bacon Salt. Ladies and gentlemen, what I tasted that night was a whole new world of flavor excitement. I love, love, love bloody mary's. But now, I had a way to make them even better. I experimented with the amount of bacon salt I used, trying bloody mary's with both overpowering and weak bacon flavor. Once I found the right balance, I was in heaven…a tasty bloody mary gets that much tastier with a subtle hint of bacon flavor. Bacon Salt has its limitations…I don't think just dumping it on eggs or potatoes without thinking is a wise use. But as I discovered with myself, everyone can find a niche recipe or use for this that is going to add a fantastic bacon flavor to a food they already love. So after some initial skepticism, consider this the first So Good stamp-of-approval, Bacon Salt is definitely worthy of your time and money. The following two tabs change content below.BioLatest Posts Eick Latest posts by Eick (see all) Fast Food Bracket Round 1: Jack in the Box vs. Five Guys, KFC vs. Checkers - March 3, 2016 BK's "Polygameat" Campaign Shockingly Similar to Wendy's "Meatatarian" Campaign - September 16, 2014 Surge Wins Discontinued Foods Bracket! - April 12, 2013 6 Responses Cindy December 13th, 2008 I've been looking for this type of salt also known as the red salt. It's not red it's white just like any other salt but when you add it on to the meat the meat turns into this beautiful red color and when you grill it it looks even redder and absolutely added this nice red delicious look on your grilled meat. Any idea? don't know who is the maker of this salt. My sister said she got it from a local market in North Carolina. She only gave me the salt she threw the bag away. Reply Jake October 16th, 2009 I like J&D's but I would like to recommend Stephanie's Seasoning Blends, it is my favorite salt seasoning . It tastes good and is all natural with no sugar, additives or MSG. Here is the website: http://www.stephanieseasonings.com Try it out! Reply MSG April 13th, 2011 It just tastes so good because it is MSG. MSG with artificial bacon flavor. Yuck. If I want bacon flavor, I'll eat bacon. Reply Leave a ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. Current ye@r * Leave this field empty


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Cloud computing may have overtaken SOA as the trendy technology term du jour, but the two concepts can be paired to bolster service deployments, industry experts say. With cloud computing, enterprises can access services hosted on third-party servers over the Internet. In SOA, enterprises use integrated application services in a more lightweight fashion than traditional application platforms.
Recently, analyst Anne Thomas Manes of the Burton Group wrote a controversial "obituary" for SOA, panning the acronym, while still endorsing the need for service-oriented architecture. SOA, she said, was survived by "offspring," including cloud computing, BPM, mashups, and SaaS.
[ Go beyond the hype. Learn what cloud computing really means. | Follow the cloud with whurley's Cloud Computing blog. ]
Where SOA and the cloud connect
"Certainly, the SOA conversation is starting to shift to the cloud," says Steven Martin, senior director for developer platform technology at Microsoft. "The cloud is a logical hosting environment for services," he says. "Service orientation is a way to build applications, whereas 'cloud' refers to the infrastructure as well as the delivery model for that application."
"SOA is an architectural style for building applications, loosely coupled, allowing composition," says Jerry Cuomo, CTO of IBM's WebSphere business. "Can we build a datacenter infrastructure on SOA principles? Yes, and that's the cloud, so it's a service-oriented infrastructure," he adds. "It's taking that architectural principle of SOA and applying it to an infrastructure."
Adopting SOA can prepare an enterprise for cloud computing, says Tim Hall, director of SOA products for Hewlett-Packard's software group, by showing what challenges an organization faces internally in supporting service components -- challenges that using cloud services will exacerbate. The service orientation in SOA and the cloud make for similarities, he says, such as both concepts requiring a governance layer and a strong understanding of processes.
Both the cloud and SOA determine what are some of the major reusable components and what are the right technologies to run large-scale components over open networks, says Rob Helm, director of research at Directions on Microsoft. An organization that has moved toward SOA in a modular fashion is in a better position to move modules to the cloud, he notes.
The cloud serves as a good way to deploy services in an SOA environment, says Sanjiva Weerawarana, CEO of open source SOA software vendor WSO2. He notes that SOA and the cloud support each other, but are not based on the same ideas: "Cloud computing is a deployment architecture, not an architectural approach for how [to] architect your enterprise IT [as SOA is]."
SOA could have a role to play in the integration of cloud applications back into legacy systems, says Lew Tucker, Sun Microsystems' CTO for cloud computing. (Sun plans to unveil its cloud plans on March 18.)
Will the cloud suffer the same downfall as SOA?
Another connection between SOA and the cloud is the enhanced buildup of the terms, Hall says. "People overhype it and then it goes through [a period] of disillusionment," he notes -- something that has already happened to SOA. Afterward, a technology is used in a more pragmatic fashion.


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Every day we offer FREE licensed Android apps and games you'd have to buy otherwise.
This giveaway offer has expired. Multi-Screen Voice Calculator Pro is now available on the regular basis.
Multi-screen calculator with voice input for everyday use!
ATNSOFT Calculator lets you:
✓ Instantly enter numbers and mathematical expressions using an ergonomic on-screen keyboard and voice input (currently supports English, Chinese, Croatian, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Thai, Turkish and Vietnamese). Just press the mic button and speak the expression (for example, 74 point 5 times 4 plus 37 = 74.5 × 4 + 37 = 335): it will appear on screen and the result will be calculated immediately!
✓ Make two or more calculations simultaneously. To do this, you can switch editing screens with a horizontal swipe along the top edge. You can give names to screens by tapping the screen number.
✓ Quickly copy the result to the clipboard simply by tapping it. There is a special button for pasting from the clipboard.
✓ All calculations are recorded in the calculations history, from where you can insert the expression and result into the editor. These records can be instantly deleted with a horizontal swipe. Any record from the history can be tagged with text by tapping the date or time.
✓ Execute mathematical operations with incredibly large numbers and expressions.
✓ Raise to the n-th power or extract the root of the n-th power (for example: 5 cubed = 5^3 = 125; the cube root of 27 = 3√27 = 3).
✓ Percentage calculations (for example: 200 + 10% = 220; 10 % 200 = 20).
✓ Convenient, user-friendly settings that can be opened by swiping from the left edge of the screen or using a menu button. The settings include: vibrate on click, full-screen mode, keep screen on, and other options.
✓ The result is always displayed naturally, without incomprehensible E's, dashes, and numbers.
✓ Easily work with many memory cells, and easily switch between them. You can set a name for each cell, letting you intuitively use the memory for a specific field of activity.
✓ Quickly switch themes.
Important: For voice input to work without the Internet, the appropriate voice baselines must be turned on in the Android settings. However, voice recognition is more accurate and higher-quality with an internet connection.
If voice input doesn't work, then in the Android settings select: Language & input > Voice input > Basic Google recognition.
4.0 and up
I've been using the free version for some time. This is a nice gift. Works great and does what it says.


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You know how important it is to safeguard your most significant investment, especially if you're one of the 73% of Michigan residents who own their homes. And there's no better way to do so than with a Michigan home warranty.
This blog post will discuss the best home warranty companies in Michigan, the average cost of home warranties in Michigan, how a warranty for your home can benefit you and your family, and if you should look into an extended warranty.
Liberty Home Guard | Best Home Warranty Company
Liberty Home Guard has the most extensive list of add-ons in the market. This includes rarely covered items such as gutter cleaning. This fact alone makes them Our #1 Pick.
So, keep reading if you want to learn how to get home appliance protection plans and apply online for coverage fast!
More Of The Best Home Warranty Companies In Michigan Below:
American Home Shield (AHS)
Best For HVAC
American Home Shield is the pioneer of this industry and has some of the best HVAC coverage making them our #2 pick.
Select Home Warranty
Best For Roof Coverage
Select Home Warranty has some of the best roof coverage is our #3 pick when it comes to home warranty plans.
First American Home Warranty
Best For Appliance Only Plan
First American Home Warranty saves its customers an average of $180 million per year, and is our #2 Pick for best home warranty.
AFC Home Club
Best For Any Contractor
America's First Choice Home Club is our #4 pick because they allow you to choose your own contractor, and, the repairs are guaranteed.
How Much Does A Home Warranty Cost In Michigan Per Month?
The average monthly cost of a home warranty in Michigan is $56.00 per month or $672 per year. This covers the most common appliances in your home, such as your refrigerator, oven, dishwasher, washer, and dryer. However, keep in mind that this is just an average. Your final cost will be influenced by several factors that I line out below.
What Factors Influence The Cost Of A Home Warranty In Michigan?
Many variables will affect the cost of your home warranty in Michigan, such as the size and age of your home, the number of appliances you have, and the type of coverage you choose will play a role in determining your monthly fees and premium.
However, a few general guiding principles can help you estimate how much a home warranty will cost in Michigan.
The Age Of Your Home – First, the older your home is, the more expensive your coverage will be. This is because older homes are more likely to have systems and appliances that need repairs or replacement.
The Size Of Your Home – Second, the larger your home is, the higher your monthly premium will be. This is because larger homes generally have more systems and appliances that need to be covered.
The Type Of Coverage You Choose – Finally, the type of coverage you pick will also affect your monthly cost. For example, suppose you choose a plan that covers more systems and appliances or provides additional coverage like pool and Spa protection. In that case, you can expect to pay a higher monthly premium.
Keep these factors in mind when shopping for home warranty coverage in Michigan. To get the most accurate estimate of how much your coverage will cost is to get quotes from multiple companies and compare their rates and service fees.
Home Warranties made easy!
Agents not required.
Get quotes and sign up online without talking to an agent. But, we are here if you need us.
Unbiased, expert advice.
Get unbiased insurance education from licensed experts and also avoid dodgy sales calls.
Coverage in minutes.
You can get a home warranty within minutes of getting your quotes and applying online.
Types Of Home Warranty Plans In Michigan?
Systems coverage, appliance coverage, and combination coverage are the three most common varieties of home warranty coverage In Michigan.
System plans – Whole-home systems like your air conditioning, your heating system, ductwork, electrical, plumbing, water heater, garbage disposal, smoke detectors, ceiling fans, and doorbells are all covered by system plans.
Appliance plans – Will cover your refrigerator, refrigerator ice maker, dishwasher, range, oven, stove, built-in microwave, clothes washer and dryer, garage door opener, and freestanding ice makers. These major appliances may be covered under this type of plan.
Combination plans – Covers both systems and appliances. Some of the best home warranty providers will allow you to customize your basic plan and choose the items you want to be covered under your home warranty contract.
What Does A Home Warranty Company Cover In MI?
In Michigan, home warranties usually cover the following major systems: air conditioners, heating systems, plumbing, electrical systems, water heaters, refrigerators, dishwashers, and most home appliances. Your washer and clothes dryer are among the items that may be covered by some plans. However, if you're thinking about purchasing a home warranty plan to help take the sting out of these scenarios, be sure to actually read your policy so that you understand what is covered.
Below we review a more detailed list of things a home warranty in Michigan can cover:
You can also purchase additional, optional coverage for things like:
Each policy will be different depending on the types of product that you choose, so always read the policy specifics.
Do Michigan Home Warranty Companies Offer Extended Warranties?
Yes, many people are unaware that home warranty companies offer extended warranties for your home. Extended warranties are often valid for five years or more. They can be purchased for either a one-time fee or an annual premium. Additionally, it is essential to read the fine print carefully to fully know what is covered under the warranty's extensive coverage.
Can You Get Roof Leak Coverage In Michigan On A Home Warranty?
Yes, you can get roof coverage on your home warranty; however, it's usually at an extra cost and can include exclusions. For example, you'll likely be covered if the roof leaks are caused by a structural issue. However, if the leak is caused by a problem with your gutters or flashing, you may not be covered.
Do Michigan Home Warranties Come With Free Roof Leak Coverage?
It depends on the company; some companies offer free roof coverage that covers roof leaks, which are not typically covered by homeowners insurance. Roof leaks in single-family homes caused by normal wear and tear, lack of maintenance, or improper installation, can be covered, though there are some exclusions. However, most home warranty companies will not cover pre-existing conditions, so if your roof was already leaking when you purchased your policy, it's unlikely that you'll be covered.
What Do Michigan Home Warranty Providers Not Cover?
Most people know that a home warranty provider covers the repair or replacement of major home systems and appliances. However, a home warranty does NOT cover everything, and we list some of them below:
Improperly Installed Items Or Improper Maintenance Repairs
Michigan home warranties do not cover repairs needed due to improper installation or maintenance. Furthermore, most home warranties have a list of "exclusions," including faucets, light bulbs, filters, and batteries. So before you purchase a home warranty, be sure to ask about what is and isn't covered. That way, you can be prepared for any unexpected repair bills.
Normal Wear & Tear
A home warranty does not cover damage caused by normal wear and tear, negligence, or abuse. For example, if your child throws a baseball through the window, that would not be covered by a home warranty.
Damage Caused By Animals Or Pests
If you have animals or pests that damage your home, a home warranty will not cover the repairs. For example, if you have termites that eat through your wood floors, you would need to pay for the repairs yourself or see if the loss is covered under your home insurance policy.
Known Pre-Existing Conditions & Code Violations
A home warranty will not cover known pre-existing conditions or code violations. So if you have an electrical system that is not up to code and it needs to be repaired or replaced, you would need to pay for those repairs yourself.
Will A Home Warranty Cover Unknown Pre Existing Conditions?
Yes. Suppose a house inspector couldn't discover an issue, and there was no way to detect if there was something malfunctioning with the system or appliance 60 days before the home warranty began. In that case, the home warranty will cover the pre-existing condition.
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Home Warranty Regulations In Michigan
Are Home Warranties Required By Law In Michigan?
No, home warranties are not required by law in Michigan, and they aren't even necessary when you acquire a new home in the state. However, having a home warranty is a wise method to safeguard one of your most significant assets. Because it typically covers items that won't be covered by your homeowner's insurance policy, such as "normal wear and tear." While a home warranty is not required by law in Michigan, it is definitely worth considering.
Michigan Home Warranties Vs. Michigan Home Insurance Vs. Michigan Home Appliance Insurance
When it comes to safeguarding your home, you have a few different options. The most popular are home warranties, home insurance, and home appliance insurance. But what's the difference between them? And do you need more than one type of coverage? While each product was made to protect your home, they work in completely different ways, as we'll see below:
Michigan Home Warranty
A home warranty plan is what you'll need if something goes wrong in your house and needs to be fixed. These plans will cover a wide range of situations similar to those listed above.
However, a home warranty will not cover your appliances if they are deliberately or inadvertently harmed on purpose or through error. Contact your home warranty company if your dishwasher stops operating or begins behaving strangely.
Call your homeowner's insurance provider if your dishwasher is stolen during a felony or destroyed due to a house fire.
Michigan Homeowners Insurance Policy
Homeowners insurance is the best defense you can give your family from a disaster destroying your home. Unlike a home warranty plan, your homeowner's policy will only cover your property if it is devastated by a covered loss and usually covers:
- Personal Property
- Personal Liability
- Medical Coverage
- Loss Of Use Coverage
- Other Structures Coverage (like a swimming pool)
- Structure Coverage
If you're wondering if you should get a home warranty or homeowners insurance, my personal and professional opinion is that you need both. A home warranty will help when things go wrong with your appliances and systems. In contrast, homeowners insurance will help if your home is destroyed by a covered event.
Michigan Home Appliance Insurance
Think of home appliance insurance as just another name for a home warranty. Certain home warranty companies may even brand their products as a home appliance warranty plan or even home repair insurance. Still, these offerings are all functionally the same thing.
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How To File A Home Warranty Claim In Michigan?
Filing a Michigan home warranty claim can seem daunting, but it doesn't have to be. The first step is to review your warranty and understand the coverage limits. You can initiate your claim once you've done that by requesting a service visit. In either case, following the below steps will help you get the issue resolved as quickly and smoothly as possible:
Review Your Warranty & Understand Your Coverage Limits
The details of your home warranty plan are specified in the contract. The coverage overview section of your agreement, for example, will explain the problems covered by the warranty, how the warranty company will handle repairs or replacements, and any exclusions to coverage. You'll also see payment policies and procedures. The coverage overview also explains what the warranty company will and won't do regarding things such as replacement costs.
Initiate Your Home Warranty Claim By Requesting A Service Visit
As soon as covered equipment or a system goes down, make a service call to your home warranty service provider immediately. The phone number is generally included in your contract and may be found online. Customer websites will frequently offer client portals where you can submit a service request using a form.
When you call for service technicians, the warranty claims procedure is started. While on the phone, the warranty firm may do a preliminary evaluation to see if resolving the problem might suffice instead of a service visit. When describing the issue, be as detailed as possible and be ready to answer questions about the faulty appliance or system, including its age, status, and
Pay The Service Fee And Any Repair Expenses That Aren't Covered
The technician will charge you a service fee when they come to repair your item. That fee is usually between $30 and $125, depending on your service. In addition, if some part of the repair is not included in the service contract, you'll need to pay for that part of the service as well.
For example, some home warranty companies cover refrigerators but not water dispensers, ice makers, or electronic controls. Or they'll protect your stove, but not the clock or the glass door.
Before you call, a careful review of your contract can prepare you for any additional out-of-pocket expenditures you'll have to pay, such as a service call fee. When submitting your claim, the representative from the business should also go through any costs that may not be covered.
When Should I File A Home Warranty Claim?
When a covered appliance or system breaks down or needs repair, you should file a home warranty claim. Although home warranty firms generally provide 24/7 claims assistance, it might take up to 48 hours for the company to contact a service professional. Then you'll have to wait for the contractor to get you and set up a convenient day and time for the repair. This could mean your refrigerator, oven, or heating/air conditioning system has been out of commission for days. The warranty company may try to speed up your claim, but there's no assurance.
Mistakes To Avoid In Filing A Home Warranty Claim
When utilizing a home warranty, consumers' most common blunder is not knowing what is covered and what isn't. You may save a lot of time and aggravation by reading the conditions carefully before purchasing the insurance to ensure that it covers everything you need.
How Long Does It Take To File A Home Warranty Claim In 2022?
Filling out a claim should only take a few minutes. Wait times will differ if you call the customer service line. On their websites, most home warranty companies provide an online claims form. Furthermore, they all have a customer support number that you may use to request service, ask questions, and submit claims.
How Long Does It Take To Pay Out A Home Warranty Claim?
On Average, it takes about 10 days; however, depending on your policy, you will be responsible for paying the service charge when the contractor finishes the repair. If you don't, your payment may be delayed. Any future warranty claims will be denied until your account is in good standing. Read the conditions and limitations of your contract to discover how long it takes to receive a claim payment.
How To Buy The Best Home Warranty In Michigan?
There's a lot to consider when buying a home warranty in Michigan. But if you know what to look for, you can find a great home warranty that fits your needs and budget. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you're shopping for a home warranty:
- 1Make sure the home warranty covers the systems and appliances that are most important to you.
- 2Read the fine print carefully to understand what isn't covered.
- 3Get quotes from several companies to compare prices and coverage options.
- 4
Choose a company with a good reputation, impressive customer service, and will be there when you need them.
Taking Action
There you have it! The definitive guide to finding the best home warranty in Michigan. No matter what your needs are, there's a home warranty that's perfect for you.
You can click here or on any of the above buttons to compare Michigan home warranties and get covered.
There are a lot of companies in the home warranty industry out there, which can make it hard to determine which one is the best for you and your home. As a licensed insurance agent with over 14 years of experience, I've researched and selected the best home warranty companies that offer excellent customer service, competitive pricing, and coverage options. To arrive at this conclusion, I looked at dozens of customer reviews, compared pricing structures, and compared the comprehensive coverage amounts offered by each company. In the end, I was able to narrow it down to the top-rated home warranty companies that I believe offer the best value for your money.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cheap Michigan Home Warranties
How much does a Michigan home warranty cost per year?
In Michigan, a typical home warranty costs $672 each year. This covers the major appliances in your house, such as your refrigerator, oven, dishwasher, washer, and dryer. Keep in mind that this is only an average; your ultimate cost will be determined by various other factors.
What are the best home warranty companies in Michigan?
Michigan's best home warranty companies are Liberty Home Shield, American Home Shield, First American Home Warranty, Select Home Warranty, America's First Choice Home Club, and Choice Home Warranty. We also would like to give an honorable mention to the team at 2-10 Home Warranty.
Is a home warranty worth it in Michigan?
In Michigan, a home warranty is worth it because so many things can go wrong with your home and its appliances. For example, your air conditioner could break down in the middle of summer, and you would have to pay for the repairs yourself if you didn't have a home warranty. A home warranty gives you peace of mind knowing that if something breaks, you're covered.
Will a home warranty replace an old HVAC?
It depends on the warranty itself. Some home warranties will replace your old HVAC unit with a new one, while others will only cover the cost of repairs or help with discounts to purchase a new one. So it really just depends on what kind of home warranty you have.


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For a first look at the latest rock fall in Yosemite National Park, I offer two nearly identical perspectives of Ahwiyah Point: I didn't predict the rock fall! I was able to crop a shot of Half Dome from a trip in 2004 that included Ahwiyah Point and almost match it from a shot taken today. The release point is on the left side, near the top of the cliff. The scar of the rock fall is visible from many, many points in the valley, including perhaps the most famous at the Wawona Tunnel. The appearance of Yosemite Valley is changed forever, even if in a relatively small way (small from a distance, anyway; it is greatly changed from up close)!
Details are starting to emerge about the event, including seismic information. The rock mass fell some 1,800 feet, and more or less exploded on impact, causing an airblast that spread pulverized granite dust throughout the area. The rocks and blast knocked down hundreds of trees, according to a preliminary note from the park geologist, Greg Stock (from the park's daily report at http://www.nps.gov/yose/parknews/upload/daily.PDF). Thankfully, no one was injured.
More pictures soon!


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SEC tells banks to improve structured note disclosures: filings
The Securities and Exchange Commission told five big Wall Street banks last year to improve disclosures about structured notes that are mostly sold to retail investors, and criticized use of the term "principal protected" in marketing materials.
The SEC sent letters to JPMorgan Chase & Co , Bank of America Corp , Citigroup Inc , Goldman Sachs Group Inc and Morgan Stanley on April 12, 2012, with 14 comments about their marketing, pricing and distribution practices for structured notes that the banks issued from April 2009 through March 2012.
SEC staff said that using the term "principal protected" for structured notes should also come with disclosures about risk.
The correspondence between the banks and the SEC were released this week.
Structured notes are unsecured bonds that are paired with derivatives, which guarantee the return of an initial investment, as well as some portion of any profits that come from the derivatives trade. However, the investments are not entirely risk-free: repayment of the bond is based on the credit-worthiness of the note issuer.
For instance, when Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy, holders of its "100 percent principal-protected notes" were treated like other unsecured creditors. UBS AG , which sold those notes to its brokerage clients, lost a series of related arbitration cases before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.
"Note titles using the term 'principal protected' should also include balanced information about limitations to the principal protection feature," the SEC said, adding that issuers should "clearly describe the product in a balanced manner and avoid titles that stress positive features without also identifying limiting or negative features."
In responses to the SEC, all five banks said they do not currently use the term "principal protected" and will continue to review titles of structured notes to ensure they reflect risks as well as positive attributes.
The SEC also pressed the banks to disclose more information about the pricing of structured notes, saying that some issuers inflate prices above fair value for a limited period of time after an offering, and then change those values later. The agency also said that issuers offer "better" prices to certain investors, and asked the banks to disclose more about their pricing and distribution.
Banks said they offer discounts for investors who buy the notes in large quantities, but that otherwise prices are set according to market demand.
Structured notes can be a meaningful source of funding for banks.
As of December 31, 2011, JPMorgan had $35 billion worth of structured notes outstanding, representing 13.5 percent of its long-term funding; Bank of America had $38.6 billion worth of structured notes outstanding at December 31, 2011, representing 10.4 percent of long-term funding; Citigroup had $26.3 billion worth of structured notes outstanding as of March 31, 2012, roughly 8.4 percent of its total long-term debt.
Goldman Sachs had $21 billion worth of structured notes at December 31, 2011, representing 9.4 percent of its unsecured funding. The SEC granted Morgan Stanley's request to keep its structured note issuance data confidential.
(Reporting By Lauren Tara LaCapra; Editing by Bernard Orr)


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Apple's legal battle with Samsung currently under way in federal district court in California has yielded a treasure trove of inside scoops about iPhone and iPad prototypes and future devices that may soon be on store shelves.
After just a week of courthouse drama, public documents have shown Apple's designs for an iPhone with curved glass and an iPad with a kickstand, as well as discussions about an iCar and a 7-inch iPad. Samsung isn't immune to scrutiny either, with indications the Galaxy device maker has a 12-inch Retina-like slate headed your way. We should note, also, that both Apple and Samsung wanted to seal much of this evidence from public view, but Federal District Court Judge Lucy Koh nixed that early, saying that redactions would be few and that parties should assume the court records were open.
Here's a look at five product highlights from the Apple-Samsung legal tussle.
Curved iPhone
In mid-2011 rumors were circulating that Apple would launch an iPhone with curved glass, which turned out to be wrong when the iPhone 4S launched in October.
But Apple considered such a design for the original iPhone. Former Apple designer Christopher Stringer said Apple intended to produce an iPhone with curved glass, but gave up on the design due to cost concerns. Check out Network World for the complete story.
iPad Surface
Microsoft's built-in kickstand concept for its upcoming Windows 8-based Surface tablets may not be so innovative after all.
Apple was considering a similar idea for the iPad based on prototype photos The Verge dug up from court documents.
The biggest difference, however, is that Apple was evaluating a single rod-style of a kickstand similar to a tripod leg or a bicycle kickstand. Microsoft's Surface kickstand is a bar of plastic that folds neatly into the back of the device.
7-inch iPad: Jobs Was into It
Speculation continues that a 7-inch iPad is on its way to compete against devices such as the Amazon Kindle and Google's Nexus 7, but the mini Apple tablet has yet to be announced.
Nevertheless, we now know Apple has at least considered selling such a device based on a January 2011 e-mail from Apple executive Eddy Cue that appears in court documents.
What's more surprising, however, is that Cue claims in the e-mail that Jobs was receptive to the idea. The former Apple chief famously derided 7-inch slates in 2010 saying the smaller display sizes were not big enough to create quality tablet apps.
It's not clear just how far this idea got, but following the success of the iPod, Apple executives went crazy with ideas for products that could take Apple beyond computers.
One idea was an Apple-branded car, according to court testimony from Apple executives. The news follows public comments in May from Apple board member Millard Drexler, who is also the CEO and Chairman of J. Crew. Drexler said that Jobs had hopes of designing a car before he died in 2011. Fast Company has video of Drexler's comments.
Samsung P10
Samsung may soon launch an 11.8-inch Android-based slate with 2560 by 1600 resolution at about 256 ppi, according to court documents uncovered by The Verge. The device's high-res screen would put make it a Retina-like display similar to the newest iPad model. Code-named P10, the unannounced Samsung slate could launch in late 2012 or early 2013.
The one thing that has yet to leak from court documents is Apple's plan for the next iPhone expected to debut on September 12.
Connect with Ian Paul (@ianpaul) on Twitter and Google+, and with Today@PCWorld on Twitter for the latest tech news and analysis.


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This is Ken Block practicing a sport called gymkhana, which is sort of the Mario Kart version of rodeo barrel racing.
The build-up is way too long...the good stuff starts at about 1:10 and the crazy-ass shit starts at 3:00. The move right at three minutes in is just absolutely fantastic as is the 360 sliding thing he does through a building. (via clusterflock)


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Update - Zarhym confirmed the F&F Alpha.
Cataclysm Friends & Family Alpha
The Cataclysm Friends & Family Alpha just started. The banner below was taken from the official site where people eligible for the alpha can already copy their character. Let's roll.
Important: The Friends & Family Alpha is restricted to employee's friends and family, the only way to enter this phase of the alpha is to have a Blizzard employee request a key for you personally. Any mail you receive about a potential Cataclysm beta is a scam.


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Moffitt Cancer Center researchers study childhood melanoma characteristics
Melanoma, newly diagnosed in more than 76,000 Americans in 2011, is the most common and dangerous form of skin cancer. Melanoma is rare in children, accounting for 1 to 4 percent of all melanoma cases and just 3 percent of pediatric cancers. Just as adult cases of melanoma are increasing, pediatric melanoma is rising at the rate of 1 to 4 percent per year.
The physicians and staff at Moffitt Cancer Center have a special interest in melanoma and related conditions occurring in childhood, and recently published results of their experience with cases of pathologically confirmed childhood melanoma. They found evidence that the disease manifests differently in children than in adults, particularly with regard to the likelihood and significance of lymph node metastases. Metastases to the lymph nodes, particularly the sentinel nodes, were found more frequently in children with melanoma than would be expected in adults with the same stage of disease, yet with aggressive surgical and medical treatment, stage-for-stage the survival in children was better than expected for adults.
The study is published in the August issue of the Annals of Surgical Oncology.
"We really don't know why young children are getting melanoma, although for older children the risk factors – fair skin, sun exposure and especially sunburns – are similar to those in adults. Children with melanoma have higher rates of metastases to sentinel lymph nodes than adults, but they tend to do very well with aggressive treatment," said senior study author Vernon K. Sondak, M.D., chair of the Department of Cutaneous Oncology at Moffitt and an expert in the treatment of melanoma in children and adults. "There is suggestive evidence that the biology of melanoma in children, particularly young children, may be quite different than in adults. Importantly, the diagnosis of melanoma in children can be quite difficult, and consultation with an expert pathologist is often necessary to be sure that we are in fact dealing with melanoma and not some type of atypical mole. Our most recent study focused only on patients where our pathologist verified that melanoma was present, atypical tumors were excluded."
In this study, Moffitt researchers and colleagues at the University of South Florida and All Children's Hospital retrospectively reviewed 126 patients who were diagnosed with melanoma before age 21. One aspect of the study was to determine outcomes of childhood cases of melanoma where the patient had sentinel lymph nodes positive for metastases. The sentinel lymph node directly drains the skin where the primary tumor arose and is almost always the first node affected as a melanoma spreads. Primary tumor characteristics that may predict sentinel lymph node metastases in pediatric patients have not been extensively studied. Sentinel lymph node biopsies were performed in 62 cases, with 18 having a positive node. In the other 64 cases where a sentinel lymph node biopsy was not performed, the reasons were usually because the stage of the melanoma was not appropriate for the procedure.
"We observed a 29 percent positive sentinel lymph node rate," said Sondak, noting that the rate fell within the 25 to 40 percent rate found by other studies done in children, but higher than the 12 to 15 percent rate typically found in studies in adult melanoma. "We found that patients with positive SLN had significantly thicker melanomas when compared with SLN negative patients."
The researchers also found that pediatric melanoma patients with positive SLN had significantly worse recurrence-free survival and melanoma-specific survival rates. However, although lymph node metastases are seen at a higher rate in children, survival is comparable to – or even better than – what has been reported for adults with melanoma. According to Sondak, as the incidence of pediatric melanoma rises, it is important to gain a better understanding of the unique clinical characteristics of melanoma in children.
"We feel that most pediatric patients with clinically localized melanomas should be offered sentinel lymph node biopsies," concluded Sondak and his co-authors. "It is also noteworthy that a significant number of recurrences and melanoma-related deaths are seen more than five years after initial diagnosis. Thus, long-term follow-up is necessary as these children become young adults. Most of all, our study should remind people how important it is to protect children from the sun and from sunburn, starting from birth."
Source: H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute


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The Baltimore school system is paying bonuses to teachers and administrators at struggling schools that reduce suspensions, drawing criticism from union leaders who say the program could provide a financial incentive to ignore problems and jeopardize school safety.
In addition to cutting down on suspensions for nonviolent incidents, the program pays bonuses for helping to reduce truancy and absenteeism.
The school system has moved away from zero-tolerance discipline policies — a nationwide trend aimed at disciplining students in school rather than keeping them out through suspensions, which have risen in Baltimore over the past two years.
But the effort has been contentious as city educators grapple with using out-of-school suspensions only as a last resort while maintaining a safe learning environment.
Marietta English, president of the Baltimore Teachers Union, said she fears that the bonuses could exacerbate the problem of educators feeling pressure to keep suspension numbers down, sometimes at the expense of maintaining order in the classroom.
"I'm worried about the safety of our teachers," English said. "When you offer a bonus for something like that, you are putting a price on what's going to happen around safety in a school. Money changes people."
The program has doled out bonuses ranging from $5,000 to $9,500 to 72 teachers and assistant principals and $3,000 to two principals.
"We understand this program is controversial," said Tisha Edwards, chief of staff for the school system. "But we have consistently said in this administration that kids need to be in school, and this program supports our theory of action."
The program launched in January 2012 using $695,000 in federal Race to the Top funds that Baltimore received from the state to attract and retain quality teachers and administrators in the state's worst schools.
The bonus program only pays out to teachers with satisfactory evaluations and attendance rates. Teachers also had to agree to return to their schools the following year.
Some outside education experts cautioned against a rush to judgment about the financial incentives, saying they could encourage teachers to learn the reasons behind a child's bad behavior.
"It's really hard work to take out time to figure out what's going on in a child's head, and anything that jump-starts that is a good thing," said Jane Sundius, director of education and youth development programs at the Open Society Institute in Baltimore.
"In the beginning, a teacher may not want to suspend a student for the money," she said. "But if they're not doing anything to change the child's behavior, they'll decide very quickly that it's not worth it."
Edwards acknowledged that city educators have struggled with the changes, but pointed out that test data show the achievement of students who are not in school lags their peers.
For example, students who attended school regularly scored 22 percentage points higher in math and 17 percentage points higher in reading on the 2012 Maryland School Assessments. Out-of-school suspensions are also tied to high dropout rates and low graduation rates.
"We've had this conversation every year," Edwards said. "It's a tension all the time. We just have to keep working at it."
English said that while she doesn't support using suspension as a first resort, a string of school violence in recent months served as a painful reminder that "there are some children who need more help than teachers can give."
English said she believes teachers across the district are under-reporting incidents, even "hard offenses," such as physical abuse, that trigger automatic suspensions.
"To me, verbal abuse is worse," English said. "The reality is that you cannot get away with these things when you go out in society. We're setting children up for failure when there are no real consequences for this behavior."
Targets are set
For teachers and administrators to receive the bonuses, their schools had to meet district-set targets in truancy and chronic absenteeism — and increase the number of families who return school climate surveys that ask questions about safety and learning.
Only nine schools, called "turnaround schools" that have faced federal and state intervention for historically low performance and high suspension rates, were eligible for the bonuses.
The suspension reduction targets applied only to nonviolent offenses like cutting class, inciting or participating in a public disturbance, classroom disruption, insubordination and disrespect.
Of the schools eligible for the grant, only two — Calverton and Commodore John Rodgers Elementary/Middle Schools — met the targets, and leaders at both said the program increased a sense of shared responsibility and accountability among teachers and students.
"The grant made us prioritize what's important," said Tanya Green, principal of Calverton, a long-troubled school that has noted significant progress in recent years. The district "never said not to suspend kids but rather be smart about what you're suspending for."
When she took over the school in 2008 and overhauled its administration, Green said, one of her key strategies for cutting the school's suspensions in half was changing staff attitudes about student behaviors, which also helped the school meet the program goals.
Last year, the school met its target of reducing "soft" suspensions from 23 to nine over six months. It rewarded good behavior and used alternative punishments, such as lunch detentions, that keep kids in school.
Teachers and school staff also made home visits, which contributed to a combined 4 percentage-point reduction in truancy and absentee rates.
Green said teachers were skeptical of the program at first.
"We asked them to imagine the impact they could have on a student where instead of saying, 'Get out of my classroom,' you say, 'You're going to eat lunch with me,' " she said. "We all had a lot more patience by the end of the year."
The principals said they also paid bonuses to every staff member in the school, though only teachers were eligible, including attendance monitors and others who were integral to meeting goals.
"It's probably one of the things I'm most proud of, because when you're talking about a school-wide effort, it takes a team," said Marc Martin, principal at Rodgers, which reduced soft offenses from 15 to six over six months, and the absentee rate by 4 percentage points.
In addition to alternatives like Saturday school detention, the school provided hourly updates to some families about their students' behavior, negative and positive, as a reinforcement strategy. And teachers picked up truant students every day.
Martin said that while the money mattered, Rodgers' staff is accustomed to taking on additional work with difficult students.
"The worth and the value of the program is that it put front and center what our goals were," Martin said. "But we aren't in a profession where we receive bonuses for meeting targets. It made everyone feel valued."
Suspensions vary
Under schools CEO Andrés Alonso, the system has sought to reverse a trend of using suspensions as a first resort, as was the case when the district logged 26,295 suspensions in the 2003-2004 school year.
The number fell precipitously in the years that followed, to 14,744 when Alonso arrived in 2007. Under his administration, the number dropped to a low of 9,712 in the 2009-2010 school year, before rising to 11,068 in 2011 and 11,394 in 2012.
In addressing principals at the beginning of the school year, Alonso threatened a moratorium on all suspensions for "soft offenses," which he said had been driving the uptick.
But Jimmy Gittings, president of the city's principals union, said district officials often reject principals' requests for suspensions, a requirement for longer-term suspensions. He said he believes that attaching a financial incentive will make school leaders less likely to even request them.
"In most cases, the students who need to be suspended from schools are not suspended," Gittings said. "They don't do what the principals are requesting, and it is causing mass disruption in the schools."
The district is using a new strategy this year called "climate walks," in which independent evaluators help school administrators and teachers understand their suspensions through data and observations about relationships, teaching and learning, physical environment, and safety.
Karen Webber-Ndour, who oversees the district's office of student support and safety, said the strategy has been successful in demonstrating that little things — like the way staff communicate with each other — can make a difference in student behavior.
"When students see how adults talk to each other with respect, display kindness, they amend their behavior accordingly," she said. "It is so elemental on some level, but it is time to get back to basics."


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The flu season is picking up steam, with about 7 million Americans having been struck by a strain of the flu virus.
By Steven Reinberg, ealthDay News
The flu season is picking up steam, with about 7 million Americans having been struck by a strain of the flu virus, health officials said Friday.
Almost half of those folks went to a doctor, while between 69,000 and 84,000 people have been hospitalized for flu-related illness, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a new release.
As of Jan. 5, 15 states and New York City were reporting high flu activity, and it was widespread in 30 states.
The most common type of flu around is still the influenza A strain H1N1. That strain has been circulating and was pandemic in 2009 and in 1918.
In 1918, H1N1 flu killed 50 million people around the world. But the current vaccine works exceedingly well against H1N1 -- it is up to 65 percent effective, which is highly effective for a flu vaccine, according to the CDC.
"H1N1 is the most common [strain] in most of the country," Lynette Brammer, head of the CDC's domestic influenza surveillance team, said last week. "But it's odd that in the Southeast, the H3N2 virus is more common."
The influenza A H3N2 strain is the one that made last year's flu season so severe. When that strain predominated, nearly 1 million Americans were hospitalized and 80,000 died.
According to the CDC, flu activity was widespread in 30 states -- Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and Wyoming.
The CDC doesn't track adult deaths from flu, but they do keep tabs on pediatric deaths. As of Jan. 5, that total was 16.
"There's still a lot more flu season to come," Brammer said last week. "I expect activity to continue for several more weeks."
The best way to protect yourself and those around you is to get a flu shot, and there's still plenty of time to get vaccinated, she said.
"Anybody who hasn't been vaccinated should go and get vaccinated," Brammer said. This year's vaccine is well matched to the circulating strains of flu and a lot of vaccine is available, she added.
The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older get vaccinated. Getting your kids their flu shot is the best way to protect them and prevent deaths from the complications of flu, Brammer said.
Getting a flu shot should be at the top of the list for those at high risk for flu, including the elderly, pregnant women, and people with heart disease or lung disease.
Getting vaccinated won't guarantee that you won't come down with flu, but if you do, your illness will be milder, health experts say.
If you get the flu, antiviral drugs such as Tamiflu and Relenza can make your illness less severe. But if you're sick, the CDC recommends that you stay home so you won't infect others.
Brammer can't predict when the flu season will peak, but it most likely won't be until the end of February or March. So there's still a long way to go, she said.
More information:
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more details on the flu.


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POP .10cts Diamond Bracelet/Anklet - White/Rose Gold
$ 189.00
- Impressive VS2-SI1 quality with near colorless G/H diamonds
- .10 ct diamond in classic bezel setting
- 1 mm braided water-resistant POP cord, guaranteed not to break, stretch or fade
- Bracelet adjusts from 6" to 7", Anklet adjusts from 8" to 10"
- Finish available in sterling silver yellow gold, rose vermeil or black ruthenium
- Cord available in a large selection of colors
Simple. Stunning. Stylish. This unique POP Diamond piece is fine jewelry designed for everyday wear in today's busy lifestyle. High quality diamonds that look great from the beach to the boardroom, the tennis court to carpool. Wear just one or collect and stack them for a truly impressive look.


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Delaware Franchise Tax Specialist
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December 18, 2013
Highlights from the Dec. 10 Faculty Senate meeting
Highlights from the Dec. 10 Faculty Senate meeting:
• There were no guest speakers at this meeting.
Open discussion period — by senators from the floor
• No discussion at this time.
Consent agenda:
• Course and curriculum changes as presented in the consent agenda were approved.
Standing committee and Student Senate reports:
• Academic Affairs: Senator Andy Bennett brought forward a discussion agenda item: a new minor in Arts and Sciences, which was approved. He also brought forward for a vote the transfer credit policy. He provided background information as to how this came about. Questions were answered regarding the policy. The policy was approved.
• Faculty Affairs (FAC): Senator Betsy Cauble brought forward for first reading the Post Tenure Review Policy, which was a mandate from the Board of Regents. She related the background as to where this policy came from. A task force met in spring 2013 and forwarded recommendations to Faculty Affairs. FAC reviewed the recommendations and some modifications were made. In depth discussion was had regarding various aspects of the document. This will come back for a vote in February.
• Professional Staff Affairs (PSA): Senator Danielle Brown, committee chair, reported the committee continues to gather information; working with Planning and Analysis on figures and numbers.
• FSCOT: Senator Ann Knackendoffel, on behalf of Don Crawford, briefly updated senators about transition to Microsoft Office 365 email system. Again, university employees who have not already transitioned will do so on January 6. Migration of data is now taking place internally to provide a smooth transition. Therefore, if you have not already cleaned up in your email folders, it is best to simply wait until after the transition date since data is already being transferred and you may then have to clean up again.
• FSCOUP: Senator Barbara Anderson reported that FSCOUP met with Sue Peterson at its most recent meeting and discussed the upcoming legislative session and what it may hold. FSCOUP also discussed other safety issues on campus. Lengthy discussion ensued about consequences of budget cutting.
• Student Senate: President Keen updated senators on behalf of Senator Kyle Nuss. Union renovation was discussed. Not all modifications proposed can be afforded; therefore, students will have to select what items to move forward with. Tuition strategies committee is meeting as well.
• President Keen updated senators on the activities of the University Budget Committee. At this point they are not actively working on next year's budget; however, they will know more in January.
• President Keen announced there has been an Appendix M hearing requested, which will be in the spring. She will again notify senators in the spring of the results of that hearing.
• President Keen reported the dates for the Spring open forums with the university president and provost: Jan. 31, 2014, in Salina and Feb. 6, 2014, in Manhattan.
• President Keen also informed senators of the date of Cats in the Capitol, Feb. 19, 2014, and indicated she needs 12 faculty members to attend that event in Topeka. One from each college. This is an opportunity to interact with those in the capitol. There were many suggestions from the body about how to better handle this on a yearly basis. These suggestions will be discussed in the Governmental Relations committee.
New Business:
• None
For the Good of the University:
• President Keen wished happy holidays to all and their families.
Julia Keen, P.E., HBDP, PhD
Faculty Senate President
Associate Professor
Architectural Engineering and Construction Science
Kansas State University
248 Seaton Hall
Manhattan, KS 66506


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The Alma has been, for more than 20 years, one of Louis Vuitton's most emblematic bags, on first-name terms with women the world over. Its origins, however, go much further back in time – indeed, the Alma has quite a tale to tell!
The Alma's ancestry can be traced to the end of the 19th century, with its most direct forebears taking the rather humble form of a linen bag and a night bag – two simple canvas pouches designed to keep trunk drawers tidy. In 1901, their functions merged, giving rise to the Steamer bag, the essential companion of transatlantic passengers. Its elegant trapezoidal design concealed discreet compartments to separate clean linen from that already worn. In 1934, Gaston-Louis Vuitton further refined this smart yet practical shape to create the more compact Squire bag. In 1955, it in turn spawned the city-chic Champs-Élysées, which announced its arrival by adopting the name of the world's most famous avenue.
This, then, is the lineage of the Alma, which still betrays hints of its Art Deco heritage and which, ever since 1992, its official birth date in Monogram canvas, has been distinguished by its combination of elegance and charisma.
The Alma has turned out in every rainbow shade of Épi leather, gone graphic in Damier, and shone in glossy Monogram Vernis. It has appeared in every format, from BB to XXL. It has even lent itself to artistic inspiration, welcoming the graffiti of Stephen Sprouse and the cute characters of Takashi Murakami. Already Louis Vuitton's most frequently revisited bag, the Alma has recently been reimagined in a red on black Monogram version by Nicolas Ghesquière.
Through all these different guises, however, the Alma remains the perfect bag, gliding through every age and every season with the same serene and timeless style.


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- Story by Maggie Jackson Photography by Don Denton
Kathryn Fudge has been making her own clothes, cooking, drawing, painting and other creative activities since she was 10 years old. Her creativity blossomed into an earlier career as a seamstress.
It also came in handy when she helped her husband with renovations on their family home.
From the mid-1990s until 2006 she worked in a studio and taught classes in tole painting. In early 2008 she learned about a class in Paverpol.
"I signed up, took the class, loved it and called the instructor and asked what was next. It was the instructors course, so I did that and ran with it," Fudge said. "I've never been one for colouring inside the lines and with Paverpol I really had to let go. I had to learn how to work with it and not control it. I love Paverpol because it's non-toxic, environmentally friendly and easy to work with. Plus it air dries and it's soap and water cleanup."
Paverpol is a liquid polymer used as a textile hardener and can be used as a mixed media medium. It works with natural materials like, cotton, silk, linen, wool, hemp, and wood.
Paverpol requires natural material so it can be absorbed into the fibres. Fudge asks her students to bring upcycled 100% cotton T-shirts to her classes, so they too can create fun sculptures.
The front, back and side yard of the Fudge home have strategically placed Paverpol creations scattered throughout. "Mostly I create sculptures of women," she said. "But I do have a 7' giraffe and a few fairies."
When she's not teaching classes at the Coast Collective, she's involved in her duties as the acting Executive Director there.
"Creating art is so ingrained in me," Fudge said. "Some people go to the beach to relax and unwind. I can spend a day in my studio creating and time stops. It's so fulfilling and satisfying, and I come out rejuvenated.
I go downstairs, start working on something and before I know it – it's dark out!"
When it comes to the Coast Collective, she loves how it brings art and community together. "We do a kids' show and a student art's show every year. It's really important to have art in the community, in your life, in your house, in your yard. It all starts with the kids, if you don't expose them to it early on, they don't do it. But it's easy to get them involved."
Her dream is to have an arts centre on the West Shore. "I've lived on Vancouver Island since 1992 and in Colwood since 1995. The arts scene on the West Shore needs serious support from the councils and the communities in general. I would love to see an arts centre on the West Shore, with a performing arts theatre and an art gallery and a centre like what we have at the Coast Collective."
To see more of Kathryn Fudge's work and classes, visit paverpolvancouverisland.blogspot.com and/or . coastcollective.ca/courses/instructors .