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Compared to HIDs , LED headlights have several advantages such as lower energy consumption, performance and durability. However, going by the fact that the market is flooded with several varieties, selecting the best led headlights for your car may not be as straightforward as it seems.
This article compares the top 5 LED headlights on the market , highlighting their features , pros and cons.
The Best LED Headlights Of 2018
Below are the 5 best LED headlights that offers the best functionality and durability.
1. HIKARI LED Headlights Bulb conversion kit :
HIKARI's LED is one the most impressive bulbs you can get for your car. Made of solid materials, these headlights leave you with no question about quality. The LED bulb is made with class and style in mind; with its modern and advanced features this headlight will give you more than you bargained for.
One most interesting thing about the HIKARI LED is that it is the only one in the market that uses CREE XHP50 LED technology which ensures a clear beam pattern. The 12-volt headlights are also waterproof not forgetting the dominant heat dispersion.
- With HIKARI bulbs, your night traveling experience will never be the same. The 6000k bulb produces 9600 lumens which light up in darkness making you almost forget you are driving at night.
The headlights are kept intact and away from damage by the aluminum alloy casing. Its inbuilt fan keeps the system cool increasing its durability.
The HIKARI bulbs are made with variable frequency technology which enables the transfer of power to the LEDs to ensure that maximum brightness is produced. The bulbs can work in different weather conditions thanks to its intelligent control circuit.
2. Auxbeam LED Headlights F-16 Series :
If you want to convert your halogen headlight kit to LED, this is a great conversion kit for you. The kit contains excellent bulb size for headlights and fog light. Made of quality material doubled by aluminum gold finishing, this aux beam headlight is one of the classiest and stylish LED lights on the market. Its inbuilt turbo fan aids in faster cooling of the system ensuring durability.
This LED lights have a high power CREE that lights up immediately and its clear beam technology enables high visibility, especially in the dark. The chip emits white 6000k color temperature that is ideal for the DRL system. Its light is evenly dispersed without dazzling oncoming vehicles. Additionally, the soft white light can profoundly reflect road paint and signs, this way you have a clear road situation.
The IP68 water and dust seal improves the headlight performance and durability. Besides, the waterproof design enables consistent light emission each time.
This Auxbeam conversion kit is always accompanied by the CAN bus decoder and LED driver. With other brands of the LED bulbs, the error light appears on the dash, but with auxbeam LED F-16, the decoder takes care of all that.
The headlights work at a voltage of DC 8-48 on an operating temperature if -40 degrees Celsius to 150 degrees Celsius. With this kind of low energy consumption, auxbeam F-16 is undoubtedly one of the best-LED headlights.
The headlight installation is pretty simple. The first step is always to disconnect the factory harness from the halogen bulb and have it removed. Secondly, install the F-16 LED light in the headlight spot. Lastly, plug the factory harness to the F-16 light, and there you go!
- Classy modern finish
- CREE LED chips
- IP68 dust and waterproof
- Excellent cooling system.
- Emits clear light without obscuring the oncoming vehicles.
- Has a CAN bus, therefore cannot work with all car models
- Is not for reflector housing
- Does not provide clear visibility since it emits yellowish light.
- Its 6000 lumens do not cover much area, especially during the foggy season.
3. OPT7 Flauxbeam LED headlight conversion kit :
The OPT Fluxbeam has a combination of class and functionality. Being the only headlight in the market that uses the CREE MK-R LED, this headlight emits an excellent beam pattern that makes driving enjoyable and more relaxed.
This headlight can last for about 50,000 hours, thanks to its advanced cooling system. In addition to that, its water and dust proof driver housing can function properly even in harshly environment. The bulbs light immediately to achieve full 6000-kelvin brightness.
The flat beam headlight is highly compatible with any vehicle CPU. The headlights can generate even light that lasts much longer than that of other brands. It's advanced brighter LED design syncs with the driver for heat protection optimization.
- The beam headlights are replacements for H1 bulbs, they therefore, work to efficiently replace the foggy lights, low beams and high beams with excellent LED lighting.
Besides the headlights, the manufacturer package also contains capacitors to increase chances of compatibility with CAN-bus vehicles.
To back the above claims, fluxbeam headlights come with a two-year warranty and lifetime support from the manufacturer. If you happen to be looking for top quality, the OPT7 is the headlight bulb for you. For a long-lasting bulb, the OPT7 fluxbeam headlights are worth every penny.
- CREE MK-R LED on board
- IP67 rain and water resistant
- Clear glass lens without black spots
- 2-year warranty
- Costly
- Has potential fitting issues
4. Slimdevanma LED Automobile headlight bulbs
The slimdevenma LED headlights has a simple design that easily supports plug and play. It requires no external parts; yours is to plug into the factory housing simply. The slimdevanma is made of a unique design with excellent lighting pattern enabling acute visibility to the users.
The soft white bright light distributes evenly on the road without dark spots. It additionally reflects road signs and paints thanks to its 6000k bright light.
The conversion kit is easy to install. All it needs is a proper alignment of the headlight. You need to have the headlight against the wall and the car up to 20 feet, the screw behind the headline assembly, if turned clockwise, the lighting is lowered and if anti-clockwise the lighting is raised.
The input turbo fan ensures that the driver is accurately controlled to enable maximum heat dissipation. Its water and resistance feature improves the headlight's overall durability.
Slimdevanma is an easy to install conversion kit that comes with a two-year warranty and lives time customer support. Its performance and quality will not be a disappointment.
- LED chips
- A natural replacement for the HIP xenon
- Very clear and does not emit blinding glare
- Has dark spot removal technology
- Easy to install
- Has no external driver
- Has a two-year warranty
- One needs to purchase an anti-flicker harness for old car models. It is the only way you can take care of flickering issues.
- May not be as bright as one could expect.
- Does not fit HI3 sockets
- Too much light that may not be used unless it's foggy or excessively dark.
5. Glowteck LED headlights Bulbs Conversion Kit :
The best LED headlights list cannot be complete without talking about the glowteck LED headlight. From classy modern finish to adjustable beam pattern, the glowteck headlights have a lot to offer.
The lights have two forms of the cooling system, increasing the durability of the bulb. Additionally, the aluminum coated copper heat sink helps dissipate the heat. Have i mentioned that the glowteck bulb has an inbuilt Japanese ball bearing cooling fan? The cooling system prolongs the bulb lighting up to about 40,000 hours.
The 6000k light with an immediate start makes it perfect use for low beams, foggy weather and high beams. The 8000-lumen anti-glare body excellently projects light making it an ideal HID replacement.
The user manual is clear and precise; there is specific information on how to set up the lighting. Amazingly, it will take you only 20 minutes or less to install. Its two-year warranty gives the glowteck a powerful boost into our best-LED Headlights list.
- Water and dust resistant
- Excellent brightness
- Plug in and play installation
- CREE XHP50 LED chips
- Double cooling system
- Easy to install
- Adjustable beam to accommodate a variety of vehicles.
- Customer support not readily available
Our final thoughts
LED lights are of quality and durability. For this reason, it never hurts to spend a little more. The above reviews are to make you have a clear idea of what each headlight offers and its suitability. Regardless of your choice, we hope that these reviews were of help in making the best decision.
Related Buyer's Guide :
Hey Guys! , I am Daniel Coleman and I LOVE CARS. I'm a computer programmer by profession but when not writing code , you'd find me researching on new cars and keeping up with the latest automotive trends.
Say hello ! , message me on firstname.lastname@example.com


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Study Skills for Policing Students
This text provides an accessible and up to date guide to study skills for all those undertaking degrees and foundation degrees in policing. It will also be relevant to degree courses in criminology and criminal justice. Efficient study skills pave the way to successful learning. This book helps policing students with all aspects of their studies including identifying how they learn best, effective note-taking, how to be critical and analytical in their reading, writing and thinking, how to carry out research and writing a final dissertation.
Weiterlesen weniger lesen

subset: commoncrawl


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We offer all the second-hand branded goods for bargain prices. This goods is bought from inland retailers and then either sold to end customers (children, men and women clothing, utensils, handbags, belts, toys etc.) or worked up further (cotton, wool, feather, hollow fibre). The goods is sold per kilograms and in accordance to ranges. You can find the price list HERE.
Would you like to buy the sorted high-quality second-hand goods from us? Then contact our centralized warehouse in Opatov please. The best solution for you and for a better co-operation with Opatex is to fill in the form HERE to meet your requirements.
Our employees will be in touch with you as soon as possible and you can arrange purchasing terms and co-operation opportunities.
Along with sales of second-hand, which makes us the real European leader, we have also been involved in outlet stocks business since 2013. These mostly include clothing of well-known brands, which has not been sold in common retail shops, has been returned with light defects or because they did not fit the buyer.
Currently we neither sell the "outlet stocks" in our retail chain nor we offer them to end customers and we are not going to change this. We sell stocks just by containers (20',40',40'hq) and we ship as we get.
If you are interested in current offer of stocks (brands, quantity) please do not hesitate to contact our sales representative. You will be informed on stocks availability and possibility of supply, because apart from second-hand there may be some restrictions.
You can also read some news about Opatex on our Facebook profile HERE.


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Kevin B.F. Burt
For more than 25 years Kevin "B.F." Burt has been electrifying audiences throughout the Midwest dispelling the myth that true blues has no roots in Iowa. His soul-inspired presentation is unique which consistently get him compared to a range of artists like Bill Withers and Aaron Neville, with the ability to build an audience rapport that has been compared to B.B. King. Kevin "B.F." Burt was the big man of the 2018 International Blues Challenge as the bluesman representing the Central Iowa Blues Society, picking up three awards: First Place Solo/Duo, Best Solo/Duo Guitarist, and the Lee Oskar Award for Best Harmonica Player.
Kevin is a self-taught musician (vocals, harmonica, and guitar) whose smooth, warm vocal presentation sets a mood of relaxed exhilaration, with a welcome mixture of serious music and infectious humor audiences of all ages seem to enjoy. His voice and presence are powerful. His unique delivery ranges from the sweetest, fullest, juiciest come-on to the most playful growl. Though he performs between 325 and 400 shows a year, he holds nothing back night after night and audiences leave knowing that.
Kevin Burt has won many awards and played many festivals both solo and with his band, the Instigators. His awards include Best Entertainer in Iowa City (three times) Best Band in Iowa City (three times) Iowa Blues Challenge Champions, Named as one of the top 25 unsigned blues bands in the world by the International Blues Challenge Competition.
In a comparably short career, Kevin Burt has shared the stage in one form or another with a who's who in the music world. B.B. King, Koko Taylor, Buddy Guy, Albert Collins, Luther Allison, Bernard Allison, Junior Wells, Robert Lockwood Jr., David "Honeyboy" Edwards, Lonnie Brooks, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Wayne Baker Brooks, Blues Traveler, Head East, Molly Hatchet, Three Dog Night, Michael Hill's Blues Mob, Kenny Wayne Shepard, Chubby Carrier, Terrance Simieon, Dan Zanes, The Holmes Brothers, Tony Brown, Jerry Dugger, Ken Valdez.
401 Mason Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
United States


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« More Dingbat Kabuki! (Why Oh Why Can't We Have a Better Press Corps? New York Times Edition) | Main | What to Do in New Orleans? »
October 21, 2005
More Dingbat Kabuki! (Yet Another New York Times Edition)Daniel Gross finds yet more Dingbat Kabuki
Daniel Gross: October 16, 2005 - October 22, 2005 Archives : BABBLING BROOKS: Erstwhile smart social critic turned apparatchik David Brooks is excited at doings in Washington. On page A27 of today's New York Times, he writes:
"On the G.O.P. side, this is a moment of Republican glasnost. After years of following the leaders, Republicans are suddently rebelling and innovating on all fronts. Conservatives like Mike Pence and moderates like Mark Kirk are joining forces to battle the DeLay institutionalists to actually cut spending, including cuts in defense and veterans affairs."
Here's the headline from page A18 of the same paper: "House Republicans Put off Vote on Cuts." Carl Hulse reports: "Acknowledging that they were short of the necessary support, House Republican leaders Wednesday abruptly put off a vote on their plan to cut federal spending.... The leadership's inability to round up the votes for its initial plan to raise the broad target for spending cuts to $50 billion from $35 billion showed how difficult the specific cuts will be to achieve...."
By the way... the $50 billion in question is over five years, or $10 billion a year. In the fiscal year just concluded, total federal expenditures were $2.47 trillion. So these bold and highly divisive cuts, which the Republicans can't even bring to a vote, constitute four tenths of one percent of last year's spending.
Glasnost? Nyet.
Posted by DeLong at October 21, 2005 03:29 PM


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The Russian government posted a series of videos Monday which it said shows a United States "invasion" of Russia's diplomatic residences in San Francisco, and then the ministry flatly threatened to treat American diplomatic facilities the same way in Russia.
"Under the police supervision the US security service employees are breaking Russian diplomatic service door lock," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in part of a stream of tweets.
Other videos show men -- perhaps from a private Bay Area locksmith company called Pop-A-Lock, rather than the Secret Service, if a nearby van is any guide -- attempting to get through locks on the gate and the front door of the building. At one point a group holds up a blue tarp in front of the gate in an apparent effort to block the cameras' views.
In a statement posted to the Foreign Ministry's website, the ministry said the following (emphasis added by Code and Dagger):
Despite warnings, U.S. authorities have refused to listen to reason and abandon their illegal intentions. Today they seized the remaining premises of the Russian Consulate General in San Francisco -- the residential part of its administrative building, where the offices have been occupied for a month already by American special services, and the separate residence of the Consul General.
...We strongly protest this latest hostile act of the United States and reserve the right to respond. Reciprocity has always been a fundamental principle in diplomacy. As we see it, by breaking in into our foreign offices, the Americans have essentially agreed to the possibility of similar treatment of their representative offices in Russia.
In international relations, diplomatic property is considered the sovereign territory of the foreign nation, but Monday's apparent forced entry comes a month after U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to shut down Russia's San Francisco consulate, as well as a cancery annex in Washington and a consular annex in New York by Sept. 2, according to Foreign Policy. On Sept. 1, reports emerged of smoke billowing from the chimneys of the San Fransisco consulate -- which dating back to the Cold War has been a sign that officials were burning sensitive documents. According to Russia's statement Monday, the U.S. already had access to the administrative buildings for a month now, but the videos appear to show U.S. officials gaining access to linked residential property for the first time.
On a more lighthearted note, elsewhere on the Russian Foreign Ministry Twitter feed, the ministry tweaked the CIA over a recent recruitment drive in which the CIA appeals to Russian-speakers:


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Dardishi with: Nuhad Butros
Nuhad Butros is a 51 year old Jordanian artist of Palestinian origin who is currently based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. She's had a passion for art ever since she can remember, but she considers her practice to have most seriously developed in the past fifteen to sixteen years. Nuhad dardashat with Samar about her most recent venture into digital art, how she stays inspired when working creatively, and how she escaped the Egyptian revolution with cat in tow!
What was the first artistic medium you ever used?
I would say play-dough as a child, endlessly squishing and molding it into little figurines - loved the stuff! Later colouring pencils and coloured chalk on a blackboard. More seriously, though, oil on canvas.
Recently you've been creating a lot of digital artwork. How did you start?
Just this past Christmas I started using a program called Procreate - it's a whole new world. You open a page and paint away creating all sorts of things with help of the many tools it provides you with. My daughter Haya gave it to me as a gift this Christmas, along with the digital paint brush that comes with it!
Do you sketch your designs out on paper before working digitally?
I have always been an impatient person, so I do all my art free hand and hope for the best. One piece can change many times before I am done! Digital art allows you to go back in incremental steps, so you can always go back to the point in your drawing where you were happiest. I use both memory and sometimes photographs as my initial ideas.
Why portraiture? And are these portraits of people you know, or people you've seen before?
I do anything and everything depending on my mood. Having said that, I love watching humans and faces, elderly people fascinate me. Eyes are the windows to the soul. My heritage often pulls me back to my roots and I feel that my art gives me the freedom to experience and express all these emotions. Mostly they are not people I know but I have crossed paths with similar faces often in my life.
Has your family always been supportive of your creative endeavors?
Growing up, my family always believed that focusing on my studies was most important. Art was just a hobby. Years later when I started producing art, they were on board and became very supportive and encouraging.
What first encouraged you to make art?
When I was 12 my mother bought me a blue easel and I painted that whole summer. However, my artistic talent remained hidden until I moved to Cairo in 2000 as an adult. Living there and meeting the right people at the right time brought out the true artist in me. Being surrounded by creative souls, I tried my hand at everything from painting on wood, designing and making custom jewelry, oil on canvas and finally my true passion, watercolor. I call art my yoga, it brings me peace.
When you lived in Cairo, were you there when the revolution began?
Yes, my husband, two daughters and I lived in Cairo for eleven years between 2000 and 2011. We stayed in Cairo for the first few days of the revolution, but as time progressed we felt the need, for the safety of our daughters, to leave for a couple of weeks and go home to Amman.
What was it like?
It was a cultural shock to say the least but the cultural experience and exposure that we all went through during that time helped mould us into the people we have become today. We did experience the revolution and saw the nation rise and were very proud of the Egyptian people in the early days of the revolution. The days leading up to it were both thrilling and intimidating at the same time. The way the people came together and protected each other was amazing and inspiring and touched our hearts. In the absence of police, Neighborhood Watch groups were instantly formed and each group stood watch around the clock protecting their neighborhoods.
Was it difficult to leave?
That was no easy task since, apparently, all the expatriates in Cairo had the same bright idea! The whole family moved at that time, including our beloved cat Cocoa – there was no way that we could leave him behind. The airport was packed solid with people pressed together into what felt like a human wave. The hardest part was trying to take Cocoa with us; people, after all, were busy with a revolution; the last thing they cared about was our cat.
- Habiby Cocoa!
We always had Cocoa's papers ready and waiting just in case we had to go on a runaway adventure! We tried to get his papers stamped at the airport but it was such chaos at the time that it was impossible, so we just kept him with us and hoped for the best. It was a very long 14-hour ordeal at the airport with Cocoa in tow. Once we got to our gate we informed the airline that we had a cat with us. Naturally, they were not pleased. We were asked why we had not declared this at the check-in counter to which we replied that we couldn't reach a check-in counter, let alone find one to declare a cat. We were told that Cocoa can't leave the country and we should leave him behind at the airport – it was horrible. After a lot of crying and much begging for dear Cocaty's life, we convinced them to let Cocoa (who had all his legal papers with him and his immunization up to date!) be allowed to travel with us in cargo – usually no animals are allowed on board a plane in the Middle East anyway. My family and I, and our dear Cocoa, made it through that trip and back to Cairo two weeks later.
What is your advice to aspiring artists when it comes to staying inspired?
I explore and learn new techniques and experiment with different mediums. Of course, I have phases. Sometimes I paint every day and sometimes months pass by when I don't touch a brush. There are also many artists, musicians and authors that really inspire me. I love Monet, Dagas, Van Gogh, Banksy and Ismail Shamout. I also really enjoy authors like Jubran Khalil Jubran, Jane Austen and Mitch Albom. And of course, my favourite musicians are Um Kultoum and Fairouz. Oh and I also love Adele! I do my best art at home with my favourite music blasting away.


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If you want to save your culture, this is all it takes:
All the bitching about how bad mainstream comics have become feels great, but while it's fun to complain the world needs viable alternatives. Anonymous here asked a neutral comic producer for a line of specifically right-wing comics, and was mildly rebuffed for his efforts. Clearly, he had not heard of Alt-Hero, which isn't exactly filled with GOP Uber Alles propaganda, but which does provide red meat for the red voter's soul.
The Alt-Hero books have been a lot of fun, a little uneven, and valuable addition to my entertainment cloud. With every issue, the quality goes up both in the writing and the art, and the somewhat disjointed nature of the first four entries can be easily forgiven as they represent an introduction to a wide ranging world with a wide scope of adventure.
The decision to introduce so much to the reader so quickly is a bold choice, and one that requires a lot of trust on both sides of the page. The reader has to trust that the author will bring the thread together in a satisfying way, and the author has to trust the reader to exercise a little patience and restraint. If both sides honor the other, the results can be spectacular for both sides. Having read some of Vox Day's prose fiction, I have faith that he won't betray my trust. Those poor souls that don't trust Vox as an author don't know what they are missing. I can only hope that the anonymous contact I recommended Alt-Hero to has the patience to stick around long enough to see the threads start to tie into a tight little noose around Captain Europa's neck.
And Alt-Hero delivers precisely the kind of fun and complexity that should be sparking a lot more conversation about the storylines than the politics surrounding its genesis. How loyal is Dynamique to the EU's superteam? We haven't seen her in action yet, what happens when she receives an order she doesn't like? What's the deal with Generation Identitaire – are they just protective muscle for the black and yellow mob, or do they have other goals? They seemed to take a non-lethal approach to holding off the official police forces of the globalists, so that's a good sign.
Part of the problem is that it's just too early. We can't really predict anything because we have such a large cast and we know so little about any of them. Perhaps in time that will change and we can talk more story about the stories.
For now, be the change you want to see in the world. Stop talking about Star Wars – it's dead and the mourning period had expired. Move on. Talk about what you love, what excites you, and look for those little moments where you can share your love of a piece of media with a stranger. Word of mouth is free, and it is such a powerful force for good that the social media companies are doing everything in their power to fight it – make them earn their hollow victory by drowning the internet in recommendations and discussions about the titles that interest you. That's how guys like you and me change the world, one small conversation at a time.
It's like Tecumseh said, "A single twig breaks, but the bundle of twigs is strong." That he culturally appropriated the concept of the fasces from the Roman Empire in no way makes his word less true.
Be the twig you want to see in the world.


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After that, you will still be able to join the club so we can boost your entire online presence and provide you with some analysis.


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The bonus of above freezing weather in winter here in Whitehorse is the great weather for hiking. The downside is soft snow as we discover after getting stuck on Grey Mountain Road. However, a second bonus of the nice weather is that there are plenty of people out enjoying the day who are happy to help push your vehicle back onto the road.
With the days getting longer, the weather getting fairer and the routine of work and play becoming more familiar, our family is quite possibly the happiest we've ever been. Last night I stood on on my deck under the stars while the Northern Lights rippled across the sky and I had the strong feeling that everything was how it should be.
Happiness is an odd thing. It is not necessarily achieved. You can work and search and strive for happiness while it eludes you, but when you find it, it's almost a surprise; as if it happened in the moment you forgot to look for it.
Walking in the sunshine yesterday, surrounded by the particular quiet you only get in a still, snow-laden world, I felt a peaceful kind of happy. Rich and I were meandering while Oscar and Maggie played in the snow. Around us were quiet massive views and cold clean air. Rich looked at me, smiling, and declared, "Right now, I am happy." And so was I.


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SPECULATION AND THE PRICE OF OILProfessor Ferdinand E. Banks
August 26th, 2008
Some observers think that speculation is the cause of the escalating oil price ¢ an escalation that, as I have pointed out in many lectures and publications (e.g. 2007), is capable of cutting the ground out from under the international macroeconomy. Put another Āway, these æpunditsÆ (= self-appointed experts) believe that we are dealing with a bubble, which is a price movement Āunsupported by fundamentals
Among the gentlemen claiming that excessive speculation is responsible for the bad oil news being experienced by the buy side of that market, are the billionaire financier Mr George Soros (who admits that he is not an oil market expert, and that the oil price bubble has strong fundamental underpinnings), the influential television personality Mr Bill OÆReilly, and Lord Megnad Desai, who is a professor of economics at the London School of Economics. Many years ago Lord Desai and myself had a disagreement about the price of copper thatĀ terminated inĀ the select learned journal Econometrica. I donÆt recall Āhow the referees ruled on that dispute, although I do remember that with copper ¢ as at present with oil ¢ I took great care to avoid making embarrassing mistakes.
Nor do I intend to make one here. The steadily rising oil price that we have witnessed of late is basically explained by the relation betweenĀ æflowÆ supply and æflowÆ demand, where the term æflowÆ will be explained in the next Āsection; with or without speculation the result would be almost the same. ĀWhat has happened ¢ as you know as well as I ¢ is that ænormalÆ demand is tending to Āoutrun ænormalÆ supply, causing a fundamental supply-demand imbalance that is independent of speculative activities. ĀThis keeps inventories below the desired level, and leads to the earlier rather than later production of a certain quantity of oil, although later production could reduce the present value of ĀintertemporalĀ production costs by allowing a less intensive exploitation of high cost deposits. (Among other things, this might lower the rental rate for some production equipment, as well as reduce æovertimeÆ costsĀ for Āemployees.)
It should not be denied however that the financial market is now playing a more meaningful role than usual in the forming ofĀ (oil price) expectations, which is largely due to theĀ price of this crucially important commodity rising higher and/or faster than the great majority of observers thought possible. The result is the oil price being observed and thought about much more intensely than before. This mention ofĀ very close observation brings to mind Werner HeisenbergÆs uncertainty theory which, employed in financial economics rather than physics, means that false signals are often generated.Ā For instance, when the influential oil investor T. Boone Pickens stated that oil could surge to $150/b, prices immediately moved higher. This display of respect for Mr PickensÆ acumen was impressive, although the term æover-reactionÆ immediately flashed through my brain.
ĀI donÆt know if Lord Desai is familiar with enough academic energy economics to understand what is going on in and around the oil market today, but I am sure that George Soros has a superior insight, and Mr OÆReilly is probably ready to claim that he deserves to be honoured Āfor merely taking an interest in the topic. For instance, in l992 Mr Soros was responsible for a magnificently correct bet that the British government would be forced to devalue sterling. Ostensibly, SorosÆ Quantum Group of hedge funds had ten billion dollars on the table, and London wine-bar gossip then and later was prone to claim thatĀ a billion of the resulting Āwindfall Āended up in Mr SorosÆ pocket.
Mr OÆReilly, of course, Ādoes not operate at those heights, but not too long ago he blamed ōlittle guys in Las Vegasö for high oil (and motor fuel) prices. As Tina Turner might say, æwhatÆs Las Vegas got to do with itÆ, in that he not only was completely wrong,Ā but expressing himself in that carefree manner would hardly endear him to more sophisticated members of his congregation. ĀSimilarly, Senator Joseph Lieberman was considerably out of his depth when (in l990) he asserted that ōItÆs startling to think of oil prices being set by young guys on the floor of the exchange screaming at each other on the basis of rumoursÆ. Actually, it is so non-startling that ten years later, when Lieberman was Senator Al GoreÆs running mate in the U.S.Ā presidential Āelection, I forgot my allegiance to the Democratic Party and didnÆt bother to exercise my franchise.
A more important person on the oil price scene is Abdullah el-Badri, secretary-general of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), who last month summarized his thinking on the oil price by saying ōThe market is really crazyö. In a broad sense this is absolutely correct, because much of the craziness originates with politicians and civil servants in the oil importing countries, who until recently believed that OPEC would never get its act together, and as a result the oil price was destined to go south rather than north. If anything this incoherent behaviour has intensified, since as will argued below, there is a bizarre craving to believe that the OPEC countries would really and truly like to see lower oil prices. What they should believe is that very high oil prices provide these countries with the wherewithal to continue the diversification ofĀ their economies æoutÆ of the export of crude oil (and possibly gas),.
The chairman of BP (British Petroleum) offered some quaint remarks on this state of affairs recently in Stockholm, saying that ōthe (present) oil price has an influence on the world economy that is not positive. To deny this is silly.ö ĀAs Dave Cohen, who writes the weekly column for ASPO-USA (http.//www.aspo-usa.com) has pointed out though, the denial club still has many members.
What I want to do now is to Āsystematize, on a very elementary technical level, the most important aspect of short-run pricing in the oil market, even if it has been claimed that oil traders are altering their views and focus on the oil markets, shifting from short-term to long-term. This is not entirely false. You already know something about this topic if you are a careful reader of the financial press, or have watched BLOOMBERG and perhaps Fox News instead of the daytime soap operas. ĀIn elaborating on this matter the present Āsection also contains an original diagram that I forced on Āfirst year economics and finance students in Sweden. It Ātaught them somethingĀ about short-term commodity pricing, which in some cases enabled them to feel a cut above their colleagues.
A few years ago, in the Financial Times (November 4, 2004), the commodities page contained the following information. ōCrude oil futures moved lower in volatile trade, following a large increase in U.S. commercial crude inventories, signalling that the oil market is well supplied.ö LetÆs put this statement in equation form: the change in price (Δp) of physical oil is a function of the difference between desired inventories (DI), and actualĀ inventories (AI). If that equation is linear, then we could write Δp = λ(DI ¢ AI), where Āλ (or ælambdaÆ) is a constant, and Δp (ædeltaÆ p) is the change in price. ĀI wouldnÆt be surprised if I could explain this simple relationship to the students at the secondary school I attended in Chicago ¢ which, at that time, was one of the worst in the U.S. Ā
Both CNN and Bloomberg ¢ especially the latter ¢ Āconstantly Āmention inventories, but without explicitly referring to a relationship of the type presented above. That expression is also completely absent from mainstream microeconomics textbooks,Ā and the same is true ofĀ most books on energy economics. This is one of the reasons why many academic discussions of the oil and gas markets are without any scientific value.
We are now going to work our way up to the above equation again, and in the course of doing so look at my diagram. ĀThis diagram, which at first glance may appear difficult, is actually extremely simple. It is so simple that it should be Āexamined by all readers, but if they judge itĀ too abstract they can go to the next section in this paper! I can mention that graduate students in my course in oil and gas economics in Bangkok who could not reproduce and thoroughly discuss this diagram in the final examination were assured of a failing grade, and a similar promise was made to my first term, first year (i.e. Econ 101) Āstudents at the universities of Stockholm and Uppsala.
To begin however, I Āslightly extend the above discussion. Oil inventories (i.e. oil stocks) are a stock concept : they are defined in e.g. barrels, and measured at a certain point in time, but they lack a time dimension. They have been designatedĀ AI and DI. On the other hand, current production (s) and demand (h) are flow concepts: they are defined and measured in terms of a certain unit of time (e.g. million barrels of oil per day (= mb/d).Ā Microconomics 101 deals almost exclusively with flow variables.
Stocks and flows are closely related, since the change in stocks is determine by the net investment (or disinvestment) in stocks during a given period, or s ¢ h:Ā i.e. flow supply (s) Āminus flow demand (h). ĀMoreover, in this model we define that famous concept equilibriumĀ as the situation where desired stocks (DI) are equal to actual stocks (DI = AI), and the resulting æstate of restÆ (i.e. equilibrium) Āis characterized by Δp = 0.
ĀĀBut if the stock market is out of equilibrium, e.g. DI > AI (because of expectations about present or future demand), then in the flow market we must have s > h in order to close theĀ (DI ¢ AI) Āgap. To obtain s > h, Āprice must increase: the increased price raises flow supply (s) while decreasing flow demand (h). The Āsize of Ā(s ¢ h)Ā says something about how rapidly inventory holders want additional inventories. Hopefully, in the analysis, ĀDI will eventually equal AI, and Δp = 0. ĀPlease note that the equation, ĀΔp = λ(DI ¢ AI), or Āpt+1 ¢ pt =Ā λ(DI ¢ AI), Āis a simple linear relationship between excess stock demand and the price change, assuming λ is a constant. Now let us look at the diagram.
ĀThe current (or flow) supply (s) goes into stocks (i.e. inventories) and current (i.e. flow) demand (h). Price is formed by the relation ofĀ actual stocks (AI) to desired stocks (DI), with the flows playing a secondary (but important) role.Ā The equilibrium expression is AI = DI, and when this situation prevails, s = h, and price is constant (i.e. Δp = 0)! Put another way, a stock equilibrium implies a flow equilibrium, while a flow equilibrium does not imply a stock equilibrium. In this type of model expectations are very important because of their influence on desired stocks, and futures (i.e. paper) prices have some influence in forming price expectations in the physical market. Expected prices are undoubtedly more difficult to describe than via the simple implicit expression shown in the figure ¢ i.e. Āpe = f(p) ¢ Ābut the main thing to recognize is the non-trivial role ofĀ expectations Āin determining the oil price, even if it was only when the oil price moved past $100/b that they received their true weight in the scheme of things.
Students of electrical Āengineering should immediately note that the diagram (with its feed-back æcircuitÆ p↔DI) Ātakes on the appearance of a servomechanism, in which case very high volatility is perfectly natural. This volatility is one of the reasons why futures and options markets for oil are so important, because they have permitted buyers and many sellersĀ to hedge price uncertainty. For example, even though price spikes might be narrow, there are times when they can ruin Āunhedged buyers or sellers.
That immediately insinuates that a few comments about oil futures markets are justified. ĀIn l980 the volatility of physical oil prices became so large that a futures market became attractive to speculators as well as dealers in physical oil. ĀFor instance, , there was a decreased propensity by some categories of Āthe latter Āto hold inventories as a precaution against having to buy in a rising market. Instead, individuals and firms requiring oil in the future bought a number of futures contracts, which (as explained in my textbooks) Āenabled them to lock in the existing oil price. Later they went into the spot market to buy their oil, while at the same time making an offsetting sale of futures contracts. The markets for oil options and oil futures-options also functioned well. Without going into detail, the presence of these Āderivative markets contributed to restraining rather than increasing the price of oil, since theyĀ reduced the risks faced by buyer and sellers. They upgrade market efficiency by providing an increase in the quality and quantity of information and, as noted once by Professor Lester Telser, ōthey facilitate trade among strangersö. Well, so do some of the bars near the university where he teaches, but perhaps that subject belongs in another scientific discussion.
Then why has the oil price been Ālingering around $130/b for the last few weeks? ĀTo begin, it is not ōlittle guysö in Las Vegas or big guys at the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex) or the International Petroleum Exchange (in London) who are responsible, Ābut changes that have taken place in the actual Āmovement over time of Ā(FLOW) supply and demand, as well as the expected movement (which is influenced to some extent by the price of futures ¢ i.e. paper oil).. As we all are aware, Āexpectations about the long run price are greatly influenced by the rapidly increasing demand of China and a few other countries, Āas well as the steadily increasing demand of many other countries (to include countries that are large producers and exporters of oil), and movements in short run prices. ĀThe latter now helps to emphasize the slow growth of readily accessible conventional and non-conventional oil supplies ¢ the simple fact that the supply response is no longer as flexible/spontaneous as it once was.
Barbara Lewis, in the International Herald Tribune (May 23, 2008), says that the change has been indicated by ōrecord-high oil prices for (futures) contracts stretching out to 2016ö. This statement is incorrect, because anybody who possesses a practical knowledge of the futures market would make a point of avoiding contracts of that maturity (8 years), for which there is hardly any liquidity, and therefore the price of the contract might be very unfavourable when the position is closed.Ā This matter of liquidity and maturities should never be overlooked by serious students.
Speculation means that there are some aspects of a bubble present. By way of Ābroaching this subject it might be useful to consider three famous bubbles, of which two were all bubble, or æextremeÆ phenomena,Ā and the third largely but not entirely bubble. I am thinking of the South Sea Bubble (æAn unnamed venture that will bring great richesÆ), and the Tulip Bubble (æBuying and selling simple tulips for fantastic pricesÆ) for the first two, and the 1929 stock-market crash for the third. My international finance book (2001), and GOOGLE can tell you about these. The bottom line in all three was mass irrationality and excessĀ greed that the market eventuallyĀ identified and punished. This suggests that in the long run, on average, markets are more intelligent than individuals, and because of technological Āprogress the long run is now much shorter.
What is going on in the oil market just now is no bubble, because if it was the market would have found out, and the bubble component of the oil price would have been liquidated. Instead, oil should be judged scarce on the basis of scientific predictions of the amount that will be demanded at both now and in the future, Āas well as the Āoptimal behaviour of the major oil producers ¢ by which I mean æBig OilÆ as well asĀ big producers in e.g. the Middle East. It is easy to give the illusion of an unstoppable æbullÆ market if there is a deluge of speculative Ābuying at the right time, as Edward Morse (of Lehman Bros.) said took place recently, but Āif Āoil Āprices did not feature an extensive fundamental component (or æbaseÆ), then if this buying weakens, as occasionally takes place, the price should Ārapidly Ādecline. This hasnÆt happened, because in considering fundamentals, ĀifĀ buying slackens, the producers of oil in the Middle East have the means and probably the intention to keep the price up by æadjustingÆ supply.
They definitely have the means, but suppose that in reality they do not have this intention. Speaking as a teacher of economics and finance, I would advise my political masters to always assume that they do have this intention until they obtain irrefutable proof that such is not the case, because the kind of economics that I study and teach leads me to insist that, theoretically, adjusting supply in such a manner as to keep the dollars rolling in makes all the sense in the world. For instance, at the Jeddah Summit that just ended, the oil minister of Saudi Arabia said that his country would not just raise output by several hundred thousand barrels per day, but achieve a total production ofĀ 12.5 mb/d by the end of next year. This may indeed be so, but it will not be sustainable production: instead, if it happens, 2 million (or more) of this will be due to surge capacity (that can only be maintained a short period of time).
In claiming that there is no Āpredominant bubble or scam in the oil market, I am also claiming that there is no irregular amount of speculation in this market. ĀThere is instead an evolving supply crunch, that features a disappointing non-OPEC supply.Ā But if this is so, why would people like George Soros and (Professor) Lord Desai come to another conclusion?
George Soros already has many billions of dollars, and if he makes the right bets on oil, he can easily Āpick up some extra lunch money. The right bet that I am thinking of is the one made after convincing Āother players that insightful speculation by high achievers (like themselves) could result in Āamassing more ægreenÆ then, for example, the Āconfused amateurs who rushed into Nymex a few weeks ago to buy long-term contracts for reasons that even a veteran psychologist would find it hard to comprehend. As most of those punters will soon discover, their net Āworth might never Āmeasure up to that of Mr Soros and his colleagues who, despite appearances, bet fundamentals rather than rumours or headlines.
What about Lord Desai? ĀIn a column written for the Financial Times, he informs his admirers that the oil market bubble must be ōprickedö before it results in some ugly macroeconomic damage. His recipe for dealing with this issue is for the (futures) marketÆs clearing house to increase Āmargin ¢ or æsecurity depositsÆ ¢Ā for all transactions in order to squeeze open interest, which he sees as a measure of speculation,
Normally I would hesitate before commenting on this suggestion, but not on the present occasion. It is theoretically possible ¢ though unlikely ¢ toĀ have a very high open interest in a market without any speculation at all! Furthermore, ceteris paribus, Āsqueezing open interest would reduce liquidity, and thus could make it more difficult for traders in physical commodities (i.e. non-speculators) to hedge price risk. Desai is also upset by the growing tendency to deal in contracts with a maturity of e.g. 8 years. I canÆt understand why, because on the basis of the open interest statistics now available, a market with an 8 year maturity is almost totally illiquid, and therefore is strictly for chumps. The oil futures market was and is a short term hedging and speculation tool.
In a Business Week article (January 21, 2008), it was stated that six Gulf States control sovereign wealth fund assets of about $1.7 trillion ¢ or as much as all the hedge funds in the world.Ā I consider the importance of hedge funds largely a dramatic myth where influencing the global macroeconomy is concerned, however I am prepared to admit that something that cannot be disregarded is the ability of money generated in that part of the world to influence the price of oil.Ā This is not the place to provide a comprehensive resumķ of that issue,Ā although I will say again thatĀ (ceteris paribus) the higher the oil price, the greater will be the pace of diversification (into e.g. refining, petrochemicals and tourism) by the major oil and gas producers of the Gulf (and Russia); and the more rapid this diversification, the more modest will be the intentions and effortĀ to produce and export larger amounts of oil and gas. ĀFor readers who intend to make a thorough study of oil market fundamentals, thisĀ should never be forgotten.
ōI donÆt think this is about financial investors,ö the U.S. Treasury secretary said a few weeks ago. ōItÆs about long-term supply and demand.ö Analysts at Barclays Capital and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission think likewise. And, as quoted by Barbara Lewis, Olivier Jacob of Petromax said that ōThe fundamentals rule, but the question is whether the futures market should reflect the fundamentals of the next few months or the next few years.öĀ It may be a question to him but not to me: after six months, and often less, the decline in liquidity in a futures market is precipitous, and longer maturities should be avoided. But recklessness and ignorance aside, Āthe fundamentals have always ruled in paper (i.e. futures) as well as physical markets. LetÆs put it this way: the professionals ¢ unless they have ulterior motives ¢ say fundamentals, while the amateurs and conspiracy theoristsĀ say speculation.
Finally, inĀ light ofĀ the above, I would like toĀ get the peak oil issue off the table (again) by repeating something I once wrote, and replay in all my lectures on oil, to include this one, as well as any and every conversation touching on that subject, regardless of how inappropriate the occasion.Ā Peak oil is not about the future ¢ itÆs about the past!. ItÆs about a (generally unspoken)Ā strategyĀĀ formulated many years agoĀ byĀ the mostĀ important countriesĀ in OPEC,Ā which features a stagnation or decrease in the output of their invaluable oil (and probably also gas) when they get the opportunity. The present high oil price has given them the opportunity!. ItÆs not onlyĀ about more money rather than less, but using that money to obtainĀ the kind of future that the oil importers thought that they had an exclusive right to. Readers can take it from there.
Banks, Ferdinand E. (2007). The Political Economy of World Energy: An Introductory Textbook. World Scientific: Singapore, London and New York.
______ (2001). Global Finance and Financial Markets. World Scientific: Singapore, London, and New York.
______ (2000). Energy Economics: A Modern Introduction. Kluwer Academic Publishing: Boston, Dordrecht, and New York.
______ (1980). The Political Economy of Oil. Lexington Books: Lexington Massachusetts.
Hicks, John R. (1939). Value and Capital. Clarendon Press: Oxford.
Lindahl, Bj÷rn (2008). æRekordpris trots fyllda oljelagerÆ. Svenska Dagbladet (Feb. 21).
Sarkis, N. (2003). ÆLes prķvisions et les fictionsÆ. Medenergie, No.5.
Professor Ferdinand E. Banks
August 26th, 2008
The University of Uppsala, Uppsala Sweden
The School of Engineering, Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok Thailand
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On November 14, 2017, the House of Representatives, on a vote of 237-189, passed HR 2874: The 21st Century Flood Reform Act to reauthorize and reform the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The bill meets all six of NAR's reform principles. Specifically, the Act:
- Reauthorizes the NFIP for 5 years;
- Limits maximum flood insurance premiums to no more than $10,000 per year for residential properties;
- Preserves the practice of grandfathering for property owners who built to code;
- Removes hurdles to the private flood insurance market, which often offers better coverage at lower cost than the NFIP;
- Authorizes $1 billion in pre-flood mitigation assistance grants to elevate, flood proof, buyout or mitigate high-risk properties;
- Doubles increased cost of compliance (ICC) coverage in the standard NFIP policy so policyholders may access up to $60,000 for property mitigation prior to a flood;
- Better aligns NFIP rates to flood risk, particularly for lower risk and value properties inland of the coast;
- Enables communities to develop more accurate and granular flood maps like North Carolina's,, and streamlines the map appeals process;
- Improves the claims process in light of problems experienced after Superstorm Sandy;
- Addresses issues with repeatedly flooding properties that account for 2 percent of NFIP policies but 25 percent of the claim payments; and
- Strengthens the overall solvency of the program over the long term.
Now that the House has completed its work, the focus shifts to the Senate where the Banking Committee has not marked up its version of NFIP reauthorization/reform legislation. With the December 8 deadline looming, NAR is urging the Senate to act quickly and will continue working with members of Congress to ensure that the NFIP does not shut down in the interim.
NAR's Letter of Support for the Bill


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Marinated Steak Italiano
- Prep Time 5 minutes
- Marinate Time 3 hours
- Cook Time 20 minutes
Ingredients Serving Size: 8
- 3/4 cup Wish-Bone® Italian Dressing, divided
- 2 lbs. boneless sirloin steak, T-bone, or top loin steak*
- 12 cups mixed salad greens
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- Pour 1/2 cup Wish-Bone® Italian Dressing over steak in large, shallow nonaluminum baking dish or plastic bag. Cover, or close bag, and marinate in refrigerator, turning occasionally, 3 hours.
- Remove steak from marinade, discarding marinade. Grill or broil steak, turning once and brushing frequently with remaining dressing, until steak is done. Serve over mixed salad greens and tomatoes.
*VARIATIONS: Use 2-1/2 to 3 pounds chicken pieces OR 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/2 lbs.) OR 2-1/2 pounds pork chops (about 1 in. thick).
Also terrific with Wish-Bone ® Robusto Italian Dressing, Wish-Bone ® House Italian Dressing, Wish-Bone ® Light Italian Dressing or Wish-Bone ® Fat Free! Italian Dressing.


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Trump's Do-or-Die Deal
Sterling briefly spiked above $1.25 when yesterday's Retail Sales for February smashed expectations even though inflation drove sales down by 1.4% over the 3-month period. The fall in the value of the pound has made UK cars pre-Brexit bargains, driving auto exports up to the strongest February sales figures in 17 years.
Trump's struggle to get his first bill passed concludes today after lawmakers delayed yesterday's vote in hopes of garnering enough support for their promised Obamacare replacement. Under the threat to do the deal now, or never, Trump's presidential power is tested by Congress today.
Pound Sterling – UK Markets
The pound has settled in slightly lower today, making some adjustments after analysts from Standard and Poor termed its rapid rise 'an aberration.' Yesterday's Retail Sales release boosted the pound against the weak US dollar, showing inflation can have its upsides, too. Rising petrol prices made shoppers buy less in terms of the volume, but that's been good news for grocers as prices are finally rising. On the flip side, the 18.7% rise in petrol and diesel in February when compared to prices a year earlier was blamed for the 1.4% decrease in sales over the 3 months up to February.
Yesterday's automobile manufacturing release showed the strongest February production for 17 years. With 8 out of 10 of the cars made in the UK sold internationally, the figures reflect what Bank of England's deputy governor Ben Broadbent called the fleeting 'sweet spot for exporters.' In a London address titled: 'Brexit and the pound', he discussed the temporary trade benefit British business is enjoying ahead of any tariffs that might soon be imposed after Britain leaves the EU. The pound's fall in value helps exports, but there's concern about the risk of Brexit tariffs and trade barriers. Yesterday, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders urged Prime Minister Theresa May to maintain Britain's access to the single market. Calling the British automotive industry 'the jewel in the crown' of British manufacturing, Britain's largest trade union, Unite, chimed in on the request to protect the UK's unfettered access to trade.
US Dollar – US Markets
The US dollar is tied to Trump's political prowess and so, if he fails to push through his bill to replace Obamacare, today, the dollar and markets will drop. With an election in 2018, Republicans are being pressed to vote for a bill many dislike, and which their Democratic constituents strongly oppose. A recent poll showed only 41% of Republican voters approve of the bill. The Congressional Budget Office calculated that, compared to Obama's plan, 24 million fewer would have healthcare coverage by 2026. The House delayed the scheduled Thursday vote, with Trump saying they must either approve the bill today or perhaps forever lose their chance to repeal Obamacare. After a frenzied week of negotiating, the deal maker-in-chief has delivered an ultimatum, saying he's now moved on to his budget and tax reform plans.
The dollar was at a multi-month low, yesterday, after the weekly initial jobless claims showed an unexpected additional 15,000 people filing for unemployment benefit. The figure of 258,000 is more than expected, but the labour market remains strong, as jobless claims have stayed under the threshold of 300,000 for 80 consecutive weeks. This is a record-long stretch that hasn't been seen since 1970 when the US labour market was much smaller. Any hope that Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen's speech would lift the dollar was dashed when her address kept firmly to the topic of preparing youth for future employment.
Euro – European Markets
The single market currency slipped against the pound on yesterday's good retail and auto export news, but the situation has reversed itself after the Eurozone was the recipient of today's good news data-wise. The euro gained strength against the pound after this morning's releases show the EU's 2 largest economies are performing remarkably well. France's March Manufacturing and Services Markit PMI were much stronger than expected. Coming on the heels of February's massive manufacturing improvement, this is now the highest French industrial growth figure in 67 months. These Purchasing Managers Indexes are a key indicator that France, like Germany where PMI's sailed past expectations, are both showing the strongest private sector growth in 6 years. The Netherlands' GDP ticked up a modest 0.6% from 0.5% for the first quarter of the year, rising to 2.5% when compared to the previous 1st quarter reading of 2.3%, for one more bit of happy news on a Friday.
Greece anticipates an unprecedented 30 million tourists this year with Greek bankers announcing their expectation that tourism will play a key role in Greece's economic recovery. The picture is muted, because while it provides jobs- one in 5 Greeks is employed in the tourist industry-tourists are spending much less. Last year, arrivals increased by 5.1%, but revenue fell by 6.4% as tourists from EU countries and the US opted for budget holidays, according to the Bank of Greece.
Other Currencies – Highlights
The Canadian dollar strengthened slightly against its American counterpart on the release of a Canadian budget plan with a decidedly tentative feeling to it. Canada's Liberal government is staying the course, waiting to see what shape US President Trump's evolving trade and tax policies will take. Given the possible risks ahead in trade, economists soundly praised the rainy-day budget reserve of C$3 billion a year. The US's increased production of crude oil has already cut the price of oil, one of Canada's largest exports, by 0.3% a barrel. This recent glut, due to increased US fracking and rigs, has driven crude oil prices down below the key $50 a barrel mark for the first time since November.
The Canadian economy has steadily recovered since the fall in oil prices in 2014, and the Bank of Canada's Deputy Governor, Lawrence Schembri, said that recent economic data was 'largely consistent' with the bank's expectation that Canada would steadily strengthen. He was referencing this week's retail, wholesale and manufacturing sales which soared past expectations. It was expected that January retail sales would grow by 1.1% but actual sales climbed by 2.2%, with an impressive value of C$46 billion. The bank isn't expected to raise its key interest rates from 0.5 %, given the uncertainty regarding the US president's trade policies. The central bank will be keen to see the key inflation figures due this afternoon which promise to keep the loonie in flight. Will it rise or descend?


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A Very GRANT MORRISON Christmas with KLAUS: CRISIS IN XMASVILLE
Nothing says it's the holidays like Grant Morrison, are we right?
The veteran writer, known for some of the most surreal, self-referential comic books of all time, sees not one but two major projects out Wednesday – the new Klaus and the Crisis in Xmasville special from BOOM! Studios, featuring the latest installment in his fantasy Santa-as-superhero series with artist Dan Mora, and the premiere of Happy! on Syfy, adapting his Image Comics miniseries with Darrick Robertson about a corrupt ex-cop (Law & Order: SVU's Chris Meloni) who finds himself guided to save a little girl from a serial killer by a little blue horse (voice of Patton Oswalt), in a tale done with Crank co-writer and director Brian Taylor.
It might not be safe for kids.
With all this holiday cheer involving aliens, flying horses and more, we got on the phone for a quick chat with Morrison about his new special, going to TV, and some of his favorite Christmas moments.
Newsarama: Grant, you're having a very good week –
Grant Morrison: Very busy week for me!
Nrama: We want to start off by talking about Klaus… have to say, personally, this is one of the craziest ones I've seen yet. It reminds me of The Tick cartoon where he fights "Multiple Santa," and I think you found a way to make that even creepier.
Morrison: [Laughs] God knows we tried.
Nrama: What inspired this particular Klaus story?
Morrison: Well, every year we try to do a Klaus Christmas special, and one of the big inspirations for me was the Doctor Who Christmas shows and also old Superman annuals. So I wanted to do something kind of big and insane, and the images kind of came to me - the ultimate evil in the universe trying to steal imagination, and Klaus as the superhero trying to stop it.
And then, because I'd mentioned in the previous special that there were some previous stories, including Klaus' battle with the Pola Cola Company, this evil soda corporation, I knew there was a way to tie this new story to that older idea, and we could actually see Klaus dealing with Pola Cola, not necessarily that battle, but the company decades later trying to come back from it and battling Klaus again. And also, the notion of the soda company trying to co-opt the image of Santa, creating their own, which has happened in the real world - but there was something about making that very concrete and literal.
Nrama: There are a couple things from that I want to discuss – one is that I want to see that war, so you can have a bigger version of Santa Claus vs. the Martians -
Morrison: We have that reference in there! "We fought the Martians - "
Nrama: That's what I saw! I want to see your Santa Claus War of the Worlds!
Morrison: Well, hopefully we're building up to something like that - these specials, they have the building blocks toward a much larger story if you stick around.
Nrama: You're doing these specials annually, kind of checking in with Klaus once a year, and I want to ask about what that's like for you as a writer, as you have new perspective each year, and what it's like with Dan, seeing his art evolve with each new story.
Morrison: Dan's been changing it up since the first book - always trying new styles, and this is his first watercolor take on the character. And I love that! I love seeing each new style, because each new story has kind of a different feel. And each time, Dan touches up the art to go along with that. He's an amazing collaborator - one of the ones who just get my style.
The whole idea - the last couple are kind of big, plot-driven story, with Klaus as kind of a superhero who doesn't go through much growth and change. Each one leads to the next one, so the next one might be a new take, more character-driven.
Nrama: I was also curious if there was any influence from - and this is not a piece of popular culture I am proud of myself for remembering - the 1985 Santa Claus: The Movie that was done by the Salkinds, who produced the Christopher Reeve Superman films. Because that's also Santa vs. an evil millionaire who wants to take over Christmas, and Dudley Moore's an elf for some reason and lord that was not a good movie. You ever see that?
Morrison: I didn't! I do remember it, though. I haven't seen a lot of Santa Claus movies, actually - not even Santa Claus is Comin' to Town, which I understand has some overlap with the origin story in Klaus.
Nrama: We're too short on time to go through recommendations, but do try The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, where Rankin-Bass adapts the L. Frank Baum Santa Claus origin, and there's kind of a phantasmagorical Lord of the Rings-type battle with monsters in the climax. Buam's book was also adapted into a graphic album by Mike Ploog, which is worth checking out. So, there's some crazy Santa stories out there if you're willing to do the looking.
Morrison: Yeah! You know, once I've gotten ahead on my work, I need to go back, see what other stories people have already done with the character. I remember he was in the Justice League for an issue!
Nrama: That would be JLA #60.
You talked about some of your influences earlier with the specials and annuals and such, but thematically, what were some of the major inspirations for this story? Because you have a tale that is literally about trying to destroy imagination, and fighting back with imagination in turn.
Morrison: Yeah. I think that's always been a major theme in my work - a big part of what I do. I'm always about imagination, and you have these aliens here who have lost their imagination, and can't imagine a future, and they're headed for extinction, and they have to try and steal imagination from younger, more upbeat races, including our own. So, I feel it's important to emphasize how important imagination is, and how important it is to be able to dream of better future and better worlds for ourselves.
You can see that in a lot of my work - you can see it in Final Crisis, you can see it in a lot of the things I've done, even the darker stuff, that emphasis on the importance of imagination. That's why I love comics, why I love science fiction and fantasy stories, because they emphasize that, and remind us of what we're capable of.
Continue on to part two of this interview with Morrison talking about Happy! on Syfy.


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The famous Miami Swim Week had dawned upon us and all of Miami Beach will be decorated with trendy and beautiful people. Walking around South Beach during Swim Week is a fashion show in itself. Part of all the Miami Swim Week rage is spending time at all the popular Miami Beach destinations. This week, the streets of SoBe will light up with numerous parties and events that you can find here.
What better to enjoy a nice time out on Miami Beach than with some good company and tasty drinks? Stop by our Miami Beach liquor store and pick up something refreshing before hitting the fashion scene! Many of the fashion week events are closed to the public but you can find several that you can attend here.
This update is provided by 710 Liquors. We sell a variety of beverages including liquors like Hennessy and Ciroc, champagne, wine, beer, as well as cigars and cigarettes. Our Miami Beach liquor store is open every day from 12 pm to 12 am. Call 305-397-8202 or visit our store at 710 Washington Avenue for all of your liquor needs.


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Rachel // Tacoma Senior Photography
One of my goals this year is to blog more so I'm kicking it off with my first portrait session of 2017!
I love it when I have seniors who do ballet! They are always naturals at posing and it's such a fun thing to incorporate ballet into a photo session! Rachel, with her gorgeous hair, was no exception. She says that dancing is a stress reliever for her and you can tell how at ease it puts her, even when it's an impromtu show right in the middle of a photo session!


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Twas the last night of summer…
I technically don't have to report back to work until Wednesday, but as many of you know that means you have to go in anyway to get started on your own thing. Once I report back, it is all staff meetings and group planning- very little time to sit in my quiet room and work! I have gone in a few times in the last two weeks, but always with my kids in tow, and therefore I never get much done. So tomorrow is my self designated first day back at work!
The baby sitter is booked, the diaper bag is packed. The girls are sitting next to me having a water fight in the bath. I spent over three hours today cooking. I shredded and chopped and mixed and bake and froze. I cooked about 6 meals today, and only one of them was to eat today! It is so wonderful to know that I have a freezer stockpiled with food so I don't have to do much prepwork when I get home in my post work stupor!
I am almost finished sewing what I plan to be my first day of school dress, and am headed to the dry cleaner to drop off all my teacher clothes this week. My high heels are getting excited to go outside after a long summer of hibernating in my closet.
Tonight my husband and I are going to watch a movie and finish off what is left of his Birthday Carrot Cake. (It's heavenly!)
I had such an amazing blessed summer, and I am sure going to miss it. But I am looking forward to getting back to work!
Well, off to get ready for bed… after all it is a school night!
I hope your summer is winding down nicely also and that you are as jazzed about B2S as I am!
Posted on August 14, 2011, in Back to School. Bookmark the permalink. 1 Comment.
Have a great year Jules!


text: Some wrongly measure God's approval of them by their obedience; and thus never feel like they measure up to God. Believer, you must look at your day through a gospel lens. That is, focus in upon the precious atoning work of Christ. When you do this, everyday is a good day no matter your performance and good works. It is the best of days because your sins are forgiven in Christ.


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Niihka servers were restarted Oct. 13 between midnight and 2 a.m. because of a bug in the Turnitin website that was allowing students to view other students' graded work via Niihka.
There are several tools within Turnitin, but the bug occurred within the integration tool where papers are graded and returned, said David Scoville, learning systems coordinator.
"There was a certain setup where in certain cases if a student were to click on the grade-mark button on the Turnitin site, they could see the grade-marked papers of other students," Scoville said.
The issue was brought to IT Services' attention by a professor who had been alerted by a student that this was occurring. Scoville said they investigated the situation and found this was possible.
"We discovered this a couple of days before we fixed it," Scoville said. "Those couple of days were spent finding where the problem was and how we could fix it. It could be that they could have been able to see this since the beginning of the year."
There was nothing that professors or students could have done to prevent this, it was just a glitch in the system, according to Scoville.
"We test applications the best of our abilities, but things like this will certainly crop up," Scoville said. "There's no way to test every possible case, the best we can do with this is we enroll ourselves as student users and run tests."
Senior Director of Strategic Communication and Planning Cathy McVey agreed that while these sorts of issues aren't common, when they do occur IT Services works hard to fix it as soon as possible.
"It's really quite rare," she said. "But as soon as it's brought to our attention, we try really hard to test it and fix it as soon as possible."
In addition to logging on as student users to test the problem, Scoville said they also have community discussions about issues pertaining to glitches in the systems.
"We also keep tabs on the community discussion board so to speak which is where we can find information on these bugs that crop up," he said. "There is a large community discussion that makes people aware of issues like this."
Even though students' privacy was accidentally breached, some students said they believe that glitches in the system are bound to arise and students shouldn't panic.
"I feel like it's unfortunate, but there's no way they could have foreseen it," junior Valerie Volkman said. "Yes, it's a big deal, but people shouldn't freak out about it, especially because it was fixed."


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Get all 10 SeaStar releases available on Bandcamp and save 20%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Sinners and Angels, Solstice 2017, Never Go Back, North Winds, Almost Home, SeaStar Home EP, SeaStar - Live at the Lyon's Den, SeaStar Black, and 2 more. , and , .
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They have traveled to many places with their music and cannot wait to share some stories with you! ... more
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The mission of CYO sports is to help develop our Catholic youth through healthy & enjoyable competition. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of many people, past and present, Philadelphia CYO track & field and cross country have grown to be among of the largest and most competitive programs in America. This is not an official website of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Terence O'Connell is solely responsible for the content of this blog.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Final Registration Listing
Here is the final Penn Relays team listing, with any corrections that were requested. Please take a look and let me know if there are any errors/omissions.
Posted by Terry O'Connell at 3:44 PM
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I got inspired about the book after my friend Rachel bought it. It comes from the http://www.titus2.com/ website, which has lots of great resources that SAY they're for homeschoolers but are really just great tools for alll parents.
- Get kids to school
- Weekly appointments
- Choir practice
- Prayer meeting, etc.
- Monday -desk day (budget, bills, calls, business)
- Tuesday - laundry day & projects (I do laundry other days, but this is the biggie)
- Wednesday - errands day & church
- Thursday - teaching day - all day
- Friday - home blesssing (cleaning) & family night or date night
- Saturday - Kid chores & church prep
- Sunday - worship, rest & blog
- am....
- Breakfast cleanup/sweep floor
- One load of laundry
- Feed dogs
- pm....
- lay out everyone's clothes for tomorrow
- pack lunches
- quick house straighten
(I realized as I started typing how much my routines have grown and become a part of me. cool)
4. Schedule 15 minutes of decluttering or deep cleaning in your Flylady zone. (www.flylady.net). Over the years, I have adapted mine from flylady's suggestions to fit our home better.
There are lots of other things to add, some of them necessary, some of them extra:Practice with all the kids, read-aloud time with kids, walk & pray, kid bath time, cleaning car, meal prep & cleanup, family devotions....if you're lucky - time to brush your teeth and wash your hair.
- Week 1 - Dining room/office
- Week 2 - Kitchen
- Week 3 - Kids Rooms
- Week 4 - Master Bedroom & Bath
- Week 5 - Living Room
But if you put in the first 4 things above, you will create a framework for the week.
I am trying to do my schedule a little more "scheduled" now. But that in itself can create some frustration when the day turns on its head. I have also been amazed that that even on days when I follow the schedule almost perfectly, I can get to the end of the day and look around and wonder why things don't look better. So these ideas are not perfect or magical, by any means. But they have sure helped. And goodness knows this mamma needs all the help she can get.


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There are over 30 restaurants in the White Mountains and each month we will be featuring a restaurant that catches our eye and, of course, our taste buds. If you have a restaurant that you would like to see featured, send your submissions to email@example.com.
Q: What is the name of your restaurant?
A: The name is What's Cooking Kitchen & Bakery.
Q: How long have you been in business?
A: We just opened on July 6, 2015.
Q: What menu items are you known for in your town?
A: We are known for our Thai Beef Noodle Soup and our Pastrami Sandwich. Our Pastrami is made on site and is absolutely delicious.
Q: What is something unique about your restaurant that people don't know?
A: Soupy is our wonderful Chef and she is from Bangkok, Thailand.
Q: Has anyone famous walked through your doors?
A: Not that we know of…yet.
Q: What is one thing you want customers to say about your restaurant?
A: We want all of our customers to say that our food is AWESOME, of course!
5171 Cub Lake Rd, Suite A0120
Show Low, AZ 85901
(928) 537-0673
Website is under construction at this time.
Facebook Page


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Empire of Silver by Conn Iggulden
I had no idea this one was coming, and it was a very pleasant surprise to see it in the bookshop the other week. I love the Genghis trilogy, and this one continues the story by focusing on Subedei, Genghis' general who is responsible for what is known to Europe as the Mongol Invasion in one of the most remarkable sustained campaigns of history.
All told in Iggulden's blistering style, this was yet another great read.
Bones of the Hills by Conn Iggulden
The Genghis Khan trilogy wraps up with this book. That was a shame from my perspective as I was hoping for more books. Personal bias there, as I find the Mongols of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries quite fascinating.
The saga of the Mongols in their conflict with one of the pre-eminent military powers of the day, the arrogant Khwarizm takes centre stage in this book. All is not well at home for Genghis and his close family members are either under threat, or a threat to Genghis. Conn Iggulden ends a great series with a neat twist.
Lords of the Bow by Conn Iggulden
The second Mongol book by Iggulden shows first hand just how ruthless and effective their way of war was. With an army comprised of hardened men, all mounted, all expert archers, the Mongols lay waste to the armies of the more civilised and advanced Chinese. With their defeat of the main foreign power on their borders, it seems the Mongols are free to expand until their empire is bordered by the sea on all sides.
As he has done with Caesar before this, Iggulden vividly brings to life this period of history. Turning historical account and tribal memories into characters and events to keep the pages turning is no mean feat, and Iggulden excels here. Lovers of history and fiction alike will find this series to be a great read. Readers of historical fiction may believe they have died and gone to heaven. You haven't it's just a very good series. The final, Bones of the Hills is out now.
Historical Fiction: Five of the Best
Historical fiction is another area if ascendancy right now. Just as the 'hard sf' writers are making that genre interesting, so the 'hard historical' authors are writing believable well-researched fiction that remains true to its time. As with science fiction, there's a lot to choose from here.
1. Quicksilver by Neal Stephenson
Along with its sequels, The Confusion and The System of the World, Stephenson's Baroque Cycle is a stunning achievement, and more importantly and excellent story to boot. Set in the time of change and revolution, this saga spans the time of years just after the English Civil War (1645) to the ascension of the House of Hanover to the throne of England in 1714. This series is not entirely concerned with England, with much of the action taking place elsewhere, and as such shows much of the world as it was at that time.
2. Temeraire by Naomi Novik
Hornblower with dragons. I can't be the first to say this, in fact I suspect Novik was when she first pitched the series. An eminently readable series set in Napoleonic times. The same players are at one another's throats – England, Prussia, revolutionary France, however this time each country has dragons as well as an army and navy on its side. The role of a true air force has not been realised, with most countries using their dragons as fast messengers, or to intercept the dragons of others. However Napoleon was always known as a master tactician…
3. Jonathan Strange and Mister Norrell by Susannah Clarke
As with Temeraire this novel is set in England during Napoleonic times. However this novel covers the last two magicians in England, and their dealings with one another. I enjoyed the pace of this novel, but others who have read it found it too slow.
4. I Claudius / Claudius the God by Robert Graves
What Quicksilver does to the seventeenth century I, Claudius does for ancient Rome – brings the time period to life with stunning clarity.
5. Wolf of the Plains by Conn Iggulden
This series covers the rise of Ghengis Khan in the thirteenth century. So far it has two books, but a third is on the way – next year, maybe? Already this is a great saga.
The Devil's Horsemen by James Chambers
James Chambers expertly tells the riveting tale of the Mongol invasions of Europe. This book is a real page turner, as the Mongol battles with the Khwarizm empire lead Ghengis to decide that no nation on his own borders should ever again be strong enough to threaten the Mongol empire. To that end, he send a couple of his generals to scout the western extent of the great steppe. And so it begins.
What in Europe was remembered as a calamity from the clear sky was merely a patrol in force, scouting the edge of the grasslands. Easily able to outfight superior numbers of troops given their greater mobility and tactical ability, the Mongols swept aside all defences, and then promptly disappeared. To the Europeans it was a deliverance from God. In fact, the Mongol general's allotted time was up, and they returned to report back on what they had found.
Chambers' book really brings the Mongol empire to life, giving them their proper place in world history, as the pre-eminent empire and military force of their time. Sending out the patrol across the steppes was one of Ghengis Khan's last acts, and he died soon after. The five thousand mile round trip taken by his general Subedei is something still studied today by military tacticians.
Wolf of the Plains by Conn Iggulden
Last year I enjoyed reading through Conn Iggulden's quartet of books about the life of Julius Caesar. This year, Ghengis Khan gets the Iggulden treatment.
Tracing the life of the Mongol tribes in the early thirteenth century, Iggulden brings a vivid picture of tribal life in a harsh land. Surrounded by enemies or potential enemies, each tribe must fight to hold on to what they have, and raid other tribes to prove their worth. Tribal life is harsh, but far worse is that of the tribeless wanderers, in twos and threes dotted around the landscape, they must be constantly wary. There is no tribal justice for these outsiders.
Young Temujin of the Wolves finds himself and his family cast out of their tribe, with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Fighting to survive, Temujin has still greater plans.
As with the Caesar books, Wolf of the Plains contains notes from the author about the real historical story, his research. These notes include details of the areas where he changed things, either compressing events of bringing them forward by a few years, or characters whose names have been changed or simply left out of the story for one reason or another. The notes themselves are fascinating and are a testament to Iggulden's research which complements his storytelling abilities.


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24 Hour Course
Show Course ID: 0
Course ID: 25149, 26111
Approved By: Louisiana Department of Insurance
This course provides all 24 hours of CE that you need! This course will review key concepts and principles of Property & Casualty insurance. This course includes 3 hours of ethics, 3 hours of NFIP content and the mandatory exam.
Topics we'll review include dwelling policies, homeowners' policies, personal and commerical auto policies. After that we'll move on to flood insurance, renter's insurance, toxic mold, and money-laundering issues, beofre finishing up with the final exam. We won't charge additional reporting fees.
LA Department of Insurance ID: 25149, 26111


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Albert Einstein
Smartest man of his time.
Albert the Scientist
Albert was the most famous scientist of his time era. He was so intelligent in science and math that most people didn't understand what he was saying. Einstein would go on to do many great things and discover new things such as E=mc2. He said that if things moved at the speed of light weird things would happen such as time going by slower. He also said that even the smallest grain of sand has unimaginable energy.
Albert as a Kid
Albert was born on March 14, 1879 in Ulm Germany. As he got older he started school he excelled in math and science but other subjects he struggled. He would linger over his answers and repeat them in his head many times. His teachers thought he was very odd. His parents invited a medical student Named Max and He and Max became friends. Max would give Albert math books and he would finish them all quickly. He is forced to join the military but get sick and is given permission to leave. He later went to college and eventually got married. He went on with his studies and had many discoveries.
Odd Boy Out Young Einstein by Don Brown


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Skill Challenges: the Skill Challenge sequences were an entertaining way to handle the investigations. There were a lot of creative use of skills, and the henchmen got to join in the party.
Supervillains: because we had so many no shows, I didn't use a fraction of the Irish Supervillains I had created, alas.
Action Shot 1: The players use a howitzer to ambush Lt. Riley's armored car:
Monday, June 26, 2017
Wednesday, June 14, 2017
Skill Challenges
Colville Skill Challenges
Here's a description of how the investigation will play out:
For Each Investigative turn spent looking for clues, follow this procedure.
- The players divide into any number of groups, larger groups mean better chance of success, smaller groups means greater possible number of clues discovered.
- Draw 1 Consequence Card per group
- Each group undertakes a Skill Challenge. Each player draws a card, and then in initiative order they pick one skill and describe how they are using the skill to look for clues. Cycle through each member of the group, rolling for skill success. Repeat, with each player having to switch skills after each cycle, until either 3 Failures or 5 Successes are made, with a Raise equaling 2 successes.
- If 5 successes are achieved before 3 Failures, the team gets a Clue, For each additional 3 successes that accrue before 3 Failures, grant an additional Clue Card. But, once 3 Failures total arise, the turn is over.
- Drawing a clue card which will eliminate 1 hideout location or 1 Holy Ghost identity. (If the first turn proves too easy or difficult raise or lower number of successes needed in subsequent turns). Certain powers can be substituted for a skill check, but again, no repeats.
- On Turn 12, Doctor Valiant will get to one of the objectives first
Thursday, June 1, 2017
The Future of the Gotham Campaign
- The Goal of the Gotham City Restoration Project is to eliminate 5 of the gangs or factions that threaten the city. The Wound Ravens only need a strong shove to go (could be in a single session), the Disciples of the Bound Devil are pretty close (could go in 2 sessions).
- When 5 gangs are eliminated, then you should all see behind the curtain as to who Mr. Cheavers and the Committee that he answers to really are.
- Then we can have a grand finale where we fight the mysterious puppet-masters that have pushed the gangs to become so dangerous that Cheavers and his crew had to intervene.
- If we don't eliminate 5 gangs by January 1 1935 (2018), then we've lost and the terrible consequences unfold.
As to returning to Gotham, I don't think that that is a question we need to even bring up now. If we want to come back to Gotham, we can, and when the spirit moves us we can follow its lead.
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A Cinderella Moment
This weekend felt like a true Cinderella moment for myself. You've already seen photos on my IMATS recap of this outfit, but I received so many questions about my tulle skirt that I thought it deserved its own blog post. A couple of months ago when I purchased my ticket for IMATS I also began my search for the perfect outfit. A tulle skirt is feminine, sweet and let's face it -- what writer doesn't want to have their Carrie Bradshaw moment?
Finding the perfect tulle skirt became my obsession and after countless online searches I came across Space 46 Boutique. From the moment I browsed their tulle skirt collection, I knew nothing else would compare. Their tulle skirts are available in different lengths, colors and prints. The details of how this skirt was made are absolutely perfect and has just the right amount of fullness.
Tulle Skirt Details: The Wendy
Length: 25" (I'm 5'2 if that helps)
Color: Blush
Size: Small
This skirt is without a doubt a show-stopper. I styled it with a lace crop top and tie-up heels. The rest I kept pretty simple wearing a pair of studded earrings, delicate bracelets and the Chanel Perfume Bottle iPhone case every has been loving (makes a cute little side purse). After IMATS I stopped by the Hoboken pier in NJ to enjoy the rest of the beautiful day and snap some photos. I also enjoyed a sweet little treat at my favorite spot -- The Melting Pot with my boyfriend (aka my photographer). It was the perfect ending to the perfect Cinderella day.
The rest of my outfit:
Lace Crop top Forever 21 (similar)| Alex & Ani bracelets| Chanel Perfume Bottle iPhone 5s case Rich Chicks Jewels| Heels AMI Clubwear| Luxury For Princess hair extensions in Chestnut Brown 260g (Code melissa5 gets you a discount)| Cream purse Forever 21|
This skirt proved so much that a change of clothes and makeup has the ability to transform not just your physical appearance, but your attitude as well. Every girl deserves a Cinderella moment (or several of them x0). I can't wait to style this tulle skirt again!


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Mac Duggal 40535
Mac Duggal 40535
Your summer glow will be showing in this hot two-piece prom dress that everyone is talking about. As one of the most popular styles from the Cassandra Stone Collection, the sexy crop-top bodice features mesh cap sleeves that give further emphasis to your unique style. Your simple yet sophisticated look will be taken to another level, as the comfortable crop top wraps around your figure to the zipper enclosure back.
The crop top separates from the long jersey skirt in more ways then one with a cool bohemian chic geometric print. The flowing skirt then falls into a sweep train in the back that is sure to complete you show-stopping entrance.
Black/White Size 10