text:
Friday, 3 October 2008
Halloween Contest
So how do you enter? Writing a comment will get you an entry. Mentioning the contest in your blog will get you TWO entries, just make sure that in your comment you link back to your blog. Thirdly, if you make a halloween-themed object during this month, leave a link on the comments and you get TWO entires. You can comment as much as you want (if you spam my blog, that will get you disqualified), you can make as many halloween themed stuff as you want.
So, you tell me, you want to know what the prize for this first week is, eh? I don't blame you! I'll give you a hint: It's inspired by Harry Potter (who I think is very, very Halloween-ish!).
So tell me, what are you planning to do During the Month of October, as the leaves change and the air gets crisp? What things are you looking forward to?
48 comments:
- Jeannie said...
Ooooo, yummy yarn! Thanks for the chance to win some of your beautiful yarn! I mentioned it on my blog, too: http://gildedbottle.blogspot.com/2008/10/win-some-handspun.html
I adore Fall. I live in the South now, so Fall is more subtle here, and sometimes too hot, but I still get the urge to make soups, stews, and chilis. I still put on sweaters and start crafting like there's no tomorrow. I drink hot tea and take long, quiet walks in the woods just to smell the leaves changing. Then, of course, there's Hallowe'en!! Fall:what's NOT to love? :D
- 3 October 2008 at 10:58
- Gigi said...
Thanks for the opportunity to possibly win some of your wonderful yarn. There's a lot to love about the fall..beautiful trees, costumes, and brisk morning.
- 3 October 2008 at 11:06
- Nittany Knits said...
Yeah, a contest with awesome handspun prizes!
I just mailed off my skeleton washcloth to my handmade washcloth and soap swap partner. You can ckeck it out here:
Thanks for the contest!
- 3 October 2008 at 11:22
- Becky said...
What I love most about October is the leaves turning and the weather beginning to cool. I love chilly nights curled up with a mug of hot chocolate and my knitting. Mostly, I love not pouring sweat all day like we do here in July and August.
- 3 October 2008 at 11:22
- Angie said...
As I get older, I am loving the fall more and more. I am looking forward to driving upstate to see the beautiful foliage. I am looking forward to apple picking, wine tasting and browsing craft sales. I am looking forward to buying yarn and spending time with my friends at Rhinebeck. I am looking foward to decorating for Halloween, and Thanksgiving. For some reason, the fall and winter seem so much more real to me than spring or summer. Strange, but that's how I feel.
- 3 October 2008 at 11:50
- Kristen said...
I live in MN and this weekend I will be volunteering at and spectating the Twin Cities Marathon ("the Most Beautiful Urban Marathon"). The leaves are changing and the weather is great for running. I have friends running the races and I'll be cheering for them. It's going to be really fun!
- 3 October 2008 at 12:47
- Brandy said...
I live in South Texas, where the weather for fall can range from 90 heat and humidity, to a coldness that could rival northern states (rare, of course). What I love most about fall is that first day when the sun is pleasant and there's a nice cool breeze and you just KNOW that it's time to pick apples and decide what knitted sweater you'll wear on that very first cold evening. Dusting off my lovely boots and buttoning up the cardigan. Ahhh. I get the craving for pumpkin pie just thinking about it.
- 3 October 2008 at 12:54
- Anonymous said...
Nice yarn. Whatever I choose to knit up with it, I'm sure that it will look gorgeous.
- 3 October 2008 at 14:23
- Jane said...
Wow! I love the yarn. Lets see, for October . . . I am taking my 4 boys to a fall festival tomorrow. We will be going to a corn maze next week with out church. I would like to go to a pumpkin patch but the closest one is 2 1/2 hours away. Of course, we will be picking out Halloween costumes and going trick or treating.
- 3 October 2008 at 15:40
- Kawano said...
That yarn is very lovely. I am mentioning it on my blog as well. Everyone should have yarn like that. :)
- 3 October 2008 at 17:13
- The Hale Family said...
Lovely, lovely stuff! Your yarns are gorgeous and I'm sitting here with spinning envy. Nope, I don't have a wheel or know anything about spinning, just am fascinated with starting at the raw product and ending with such scrumptious, soft fibers. Makes you want to just run your fingers through a great big pile of it. I'm weird, but I'd love to do it outside on a lovely fall day like we're having. Such a yarn nerd, I am, LOL.
- 3 October 2008 at 18:08
- Mariana said...
I LOVE October! It's one of my most favorite months of the year, filled with friends, family and festivities.
The month kicks off with the annual trip to my college homecoming in the mountains. We go back every year, see old friends, and meet their newest members of the family.
Then my son's birthday is on the 9th! We celebrate with all our local family and friends. We always get a crazy little pinata for the kids to attack.
The parties continue at both my sons' fall festivals and fall parties. I usually volunteer to do a bunch of baking, so my home retains the faint hint of pumpkin pie and cinnamon. Mmmm.
Our neighborhood celebrates October with a tradition called the "Giving Ghost". Someone "spooks" your home, leaving a basket full of goodies and treats on your doorstep and a little paper ghost on the door. Once you've been spooked, you pass it along as the Giving Ghost moves its way through all the homes.
Finally, on Halloween, our friends enjoy our yearly tradition of meeting at our home for a night of trick or treating followed by fresh grilled cheese sandwiches and homemade chili. Yum.
Then we sit at home for 3 weeks, bracing ourselves for Thanksgiving and the holiday madness!
- 3 October 2008 at 20:41
- Turtle said...
very very purty! October is my favorite month, seriously! hubby and i are taking a short weekend away as we celebrate 17 years together this month. Work for me slows down seriously this month with no spa related holidays or weather happening. I have began holiday gift prep's, finishing canning, making homemade mix's, soaps, knitting, figuring out what this years xmas card will look like and starting to make those as well....busy but i love it! i need to get outside withthe camera as well and finish staining the fence as well as breaking things down in the yard as winter approaches (garden, etc) Enjoy your fall!!
- 3 October 2008 at 21:15
- Angela said...
ooh, my hubby would love something out of that yarn! i'll mention your contest on my blog - www.larksongknits.com
what i love best about fall? two things - my daughter's birthday on halloween, and planting garlic that won't be harvested until next spring. oh, and of course knitting warmer, fuzzier knits for winter!
- 3 October 2008 at 21:45
- Krystal said...
Oh, cool contest! Thanks for the chance to win! I like your blog. :)
Sweet yarn too!
- 3 October 2008 at 21:48
- ikkinlala said...
I'm planning to write some midterms and a couple of essays and do a lot of homework assignments. I'm looking forward to (Canadian) Thanksgiving, when I'll get an extra day to relax a bit, I hope.
I realize that doesn't sound all that positive. I'm also looking forward to walking in the park with crunchy leaves underfoot, baking pumpkin pie, and teaching a friend of mine how to knit socks.
- 3 October 2008 at 23:34
- katerina said...
This Fall I've moved from the midwest to the south, so it'll be nice to actually be able to enjoy the Fall without freezing! I love the crisp clear feel of the air! Great sculpture! My hubby did his first sculpture for his plaster class this week too!
- 3 October 2008 at 23:39
- Bronwyn said...
I really love fall- it feels like it has been ages since I've really got to experience it properly; I was in college (you just don't have time to notice fall when you've got exams) from 2002-2006 and then the past two years I've been living in Montana in a city that I swear doesn't do anything fun for fall.
Now I'm back in New York and I'm just loving it- everything from the cool weather (but not FREEZING) I can go outside and wear a sweatshirt in, to the wonderful veggies and fruits at the farmer's market.
And the absolute BEST part is APPLES. I'm actually headed to an apple festival tomorrow and I'm so excited. I adore apples; I've got a degree in plant science and one of the most fascinating fruits in the world, in my opinion, is the apple; So having all sorts of wonderful varieties to choose from in the fall is absolutely THRILLING.
- 3 October 2008 at 23:50
- Carrie said...
Thanks for such a great contest! I posted about it on my blog: http://littleruffledfeathers.blogspot.com/2008/10/it-must-be-contest-season.html.
Fall for me means football watching-a perfect opportunity for lots of knitting), apple picking, and watching the Midwest trees turn into colorful works of art.
- 4 October 2008 at 08:56
- Jen said...
Definitely apple-picking, pumpkin-seed eating, and getting the big sweaters out of storage.
- 4 October 2008 at 09:17
- firstname.lastname@example.com said...
My son is in residential therapy right now and is slated to come home sometime late this month. :)
I'm looking forward to having a reason to make soups and stews and breads and to actually wearing all the warm things I've made this summer and put away...
- 4 October 2008 at 23:17
- erika~ the inspired mama said...
oh my, i LOVE me some handspun yarn! i also love autumn and halloween :) i am busy making costumes for my little goblins this month~ they are going as litte red and the big bad wolf! FUN!!
- 5 October 2008 at 02:02
- Jen! said...
What a wonderful contest! (And, might I add..what a wonderful blog. I just happened upon you for the first time.)
To me, living in Tucson, fall is the first day that the high drops below 90 degrees..and that's today! So yay October.
(Also boo to the highs going back up to the mid 90's this week.)
- 5 October 2008 at 15:38
- Michelle said...
The yarn looks great! I have yet to try spinning, so I am in awe of anyone that can spin their own yarn!
For me, October is a big month. Every year since I was a little girl, my mom and I take a trip to Amish Country for some good food and good shopping on Columbus Day (I always had the day off from school.) We have carried on the tradition with my kids. My girls are off school next Monday, and we have taken our days off work to make our trip! Mmmmmm....Amish country cooking...yummy! We also go to a near-by historical village for their apple butter churnin' festival, which is also next week. And, of course there's Halloween! We triply celebrate that day, as it also happens to be my oldest daughter's birthday, and I'm pagan, so it's a special spiritual day, too!
I gave you a mention on my blog, too! http://michellesstitchwitchery.blogspot.com/
Great yarn!
- 6 October 2008 at 09:30
- Anonymous said...
What a fun contest - and that yarn's gorgeous.
I adore fall - I grew up in Colorado, and there are 4 distinct seasons, beautiful aspens, crisp fall air. Moving into fall and pulling out the deep, lovely colored clothes, enjoying the outdoors and seeing snow begin to dust the mountains. Ahh. Being in Georgia, I so miss it!
- 7 October 2008 at 06:16
- email@example.com said...
Here's the link to my Happy Hallobeanie!
- 7 October 2008 at 12:32
- Angela said...
Beautiful yarn! October is also my favorite month so I will mention your contest on my blog as well http://needlesandmyotheraddictions.blogspot.com. My husband and I are planning a canoe trip on the Chicago river to enjoy the change in foilage. Hopefully it will not rain!
- 7 October 2008 at 12:33
- Kathy said...
I love the smell of leaves burning. I KNOW it is horrible for the environment, but I have to be honest. I love pumpkin decorations. BUT the newest thing I love is Grace's Witch Hat Tea cozy! She is at lovincomfortknits.blogspot.com
She'll post the pattern soon. I love this idea and will have to knit one!
- 7 October 2008 at 14:12
- Kathy said...
I love the smell of leaves burning. I KNOW it is horrible for the environment, but I have to be honest. I love pumpkin decorations. BUT the newest thing I love is Grace's Witch Hat Tea cozy! She is at lovincomfortknits.blogspot.com
She'll post the pattern soon. I love this idea and will have to knit one!
- 7 October 2008 at 14:12
- Allena said...
i love your yarn! beautiful!
i love fall too!
i'm going to post about your contest on my blog.
- 7 October 2008 at 14:45
- tammiemarie said...
fall is my favorite time of year, here in kansas. i am most looking forward to going to the sugar mound craft festival this weekend, soup weather, my birthday, and halloween with my three kids (ages 3,2, and 1). i also adore harry potter :)
- 8 October 2008 at 05:31
- adrienne said...
how fun to find that you are having a contest too!
i don't spin so am in awe of anyone who does.
i will post about your contest on my blog right now!
- 8 October 2008 at 12:21
- Knit Witch said...
Wow! You have had a bunch of comments for your contest! I too LOVE October - the crispness of the air and the fall colors are just wonderful. Now that we are living in the North Georgia mountains it is going to be spectacular!
I'll place a link to your contest on my blog for tomorrow!!
- 8 October 2008 at 12:36
- |chee-uh| said...
Congrats on starting you store! I've just bought a wheel a few months and hope to sell one day too. It would be great if I could support my hobby that way.
- 8 October 2008 at 19:30
- Awesomelynerdy said...
That handspun looks amazing!!!!! This fall is my first in Oregon, and I'm looking forward to lovely fall weather, not the freezing early winter I used to get in MN. I am also looking forward to wearing my Mrs. Weasley Sweater for the first time!! I just knit it this summer and have been dying for the weather to get cool enough to wear it!
- 8 October 2008 at 22:11
- Katie said...
For October I'm going to be trying to survive the remaining couple of weeks until it's November and I get a weeks holiday! I just started as a teacher and just like I was told, this first 8 weeks is a killer!
- 9 October 2008 at 02:50
- Miss Anne said...
Fabulous yarn!
Fall truly is my favorite season. From the smells, the changes, the holidays, it's what makes me really happy. I love digging out the sweaters after a nice hot summer as the weather turns cool. I love making homemade soups and having them fill the house with a delicious smell. And I love Halloween and Thanksgiving for the fun and gratefulness! :)
- 9 October 2008 at 13:59
- Anonymous said...
Hello! Lovely, lovely yarn. I hope I win!
Fall is a beautiful season, up north. I live in southern Florida, and this will be my seventh fall down here. I miss the way the leaves change colours a lot; it's so pretty! And I also miss how the weather would get crisp and cool, so you could use scarves and hats and sweaters. Pumpkins are one of my favourite things, because they're fun to eviscerate and carve!
It's usually pretty warm here in the fall, so we can still wear t-shirts and jeans. Also, as a member of the band, we don't freeze at football games (always a plus). My favourite thing of fall, though, is Halloween. I mean, even though I'm 16 now, I still plan to go trick-or-treating! I always love to. You're never too old for free candy, after all... Right?
- Cate
- 9 October 2008 at 14:43
- LizzieK8 said...
I am still looking forward to the weather changing and the air getting crisp. It's still in the 90s during the day here.
Yes, I am whining...why do you ask?
- 10 October 2008 at 09:14
- Anonymous said...
My wedding anniversary is this month, (today, the 10TH), our son's birthday is this month. He was born on Friday the 13TH.
- 10 October 2008 at 17:04
- Darcys Knotty Knitter said...
My Birthday is October 25th and this year my hubby let me go to a yarn harlot book signing last weekend.I collected fall leaves while I was in San Francisco and also made a halloween dishcloth heres the link:http://darcyknottyknitter.blogspot.com/2008/10/all-hallows-eve-swap-weekly-topic-4.html
Hugs Darcy
- 11 October 2008 at 02:53
- birdhousebooks said...
Throwing a Halloween party and decorating for fall!
- 11 October 2008 at 22:42
- Jeni said...
That is beautiful yarn! Makes me want to throw a HP movie day and knit some warm slippers or socks! Nice job and thanks for the chance to win that yarn.
- 13 October 2008 at 01:27
- OhAmyKP said...
Hi - found you by way of Wiknit blog. Thanks for the contest. I am planning to make the Jane Cobb hat (Firefly) and wear it for holloween. I couldnt decide between Kara (BSG), Callie (Firefly) and the Jane Cob Hatt, so i'm doing all three
I'm wearing an Overall (Callie's a ship machanic), Backward Skiny vest & Army boots (Kara's a military pilot, and I wear the Jane Cobb hat.
- 13 October 2008 at 12:26
- Sarah said...
I really love October. I love the cooler weather. I like looking at the pretty trees! I love going to the pumpkin farm.
- 15 October 2008 at 11:24
- Debbie said...
Hi and thanks for the contest. I blogged about it here http://arcticknits.blogspot.com/ Well for me, here in Alaska Halloween means snow and winter. I already have about 2" of snow on the ground. On Halloween night I'll be at work at my store and I'll get to see people dressed up to go to parties. Debbie
- 21 October 2008 at 19:37
- Sparrow F. said...
Fall is about knitting, food, and walks through the leaves. I love Hallowe'en - we live so far out in the boonies that the whole family drives in to the village, decorates the car, and I give out treats from the car parked in front of the post office while the kids go Trick or Treating with their Daddy. Then once the kids are asleep, it's time to send hugs and kisses into the afterworld to my own dad.
Apples. Pumpkin pie. Stew. Roasts. Yeah, fall's an awesome thing!
- 24 October 2008 at 18:30
- yarn-sitter said...
I'm so excited at the thought of winning yarn that I can't remember what I'll be doing for the rest of this month ... besides eating candy, of course!
- 26 October 2008 at 03:44


text:
There have been several surprises in the last few weeks, most of them deeply unpleasant. One surprise that has been simply that - a surprise - is that Rome and Hawaii have not been where my mind has wandered to, seeking a bit of peace.
Things suck here at my house. The kids are healthy, Stumpy's healthy… but in our wider family, things are… bad. Very, very bad.
There's been a personal tragedy, and there is really no end of sucking to it. There is no upside. It won't get better. It is not a case of a door closing and a window opening. If you say that everything happens for a reason, I will reply in a rudely honest way and probably delete your comment. I don't want Hallmark card theology for something horrible. It's horrible. We'll endure it and help one another as best we can.
But it still sucks.
And sucks.
And then, for no change of pace at all, it sucks some more.
I have been thinking a lot about tranquility – and places that where I have found myself at peace. I've been thinking a lot about the inn we just stayed at in Albuquerque (technically, in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque), because it is so deeply, surprisingly peaceful.
Los Poblanos.
We were lucky enough to be there when there were loads of baby goats on the farm, and we blissed out on the hilarious, wiggling, contenting fun of bottle feeding a squirmingly eager baby goat, and keeping the same wiggling, eager baby goats company while the chickens scratched and clucked, and the grown-up goats wandered over to see if anyone busy with the baby goats might be interested in scratching their neck, just a little. Under the extremely patient tutelage of the goat farmer, Curly learned to milk a goat.
Even away from the farm, which is on the grounds of the inn (although seriously, you would be crazy to ignore the smelly joys of the farm and its animals), the inn is remarkably tranquil.
The driveway alone is suffused with a leafy, tree-lined quiet. There's the low-slung adobe main building, with a burbling fountain in the courtyard that perfectly balances the Spanish influence in the architecture, and still speaks in the vernacular of southwest architecture.
There's a bocce court, which is always, always a score for our family – my sibs and I played as kids, and my own kids now love it. The court at Los Poblanos was somehow made for Curly, who won definitively, slaughtering all comers.
There's a point, as an adult, you realize you're really competing, and stop going soft on a kid. And even after we realized that, and really tried, the kid still creamed us.
There were the peacocks (sometimes on the bocce court, even), which added to the general atmosphere of calm beauty.
But, of course, being dipshit peacocks, they make a lot of noise after they roost at night.
We aren't bugged by animal noises at night (the inn provides earplugs for people who are), so mostly, the peacock noises added to the deep, settling sense of peace. I woke up at night – not woken by the peacocks – and heard them making their bird-brained cries, and found myself more reassured than bothered. They weren't setting up an unholy fuss because of something alarming, they were just chattering to one another in the night. Are you there? Yup. I'm here. Are you still there? Yes. Jesus. Go to sleep. But I wanna know if you're there? Yes. I said I was. It was like that. Chitter-chatter in the night – not enough to wake me up, although I heard it when I did wake up.
However, unless it sounds like an animal is about to come in and kill me (it's happened. Without, you know, the actual death part. Hey. Hippos and bears can be scary loud and really bad-tempered), I am not generally disturbed by animal noises in the night.
And then, of course, there are the breakfast. I don't generally eat scones unless… okay. Snotty confession? Unless I can smell them baking. In Britain or my own kitchen. Otherwise? Pass. So. Snotty. I know. I really do. Hopelessly snotty. Even I am put off by my own snotty pretentiousness about this. But... most scones suck. They're just not good, and that's without doing crazy-chick-diet-math (as in: "is this worth exercising for x minutes to work it off and make sure I stay a size 2 4ev-a?"). The scones at Los Poblanos are a fluffy, warm Platonic ideal of a scone. And that's without clotted cream, which helps prop up a whole lotta sub-par scones. Without any adornment, the scones at Los Poblanos are perfect. And they're still not the main course for breakfast – which, generally, you get to choose from a couple of options.
So overall, my kids were blissed out. Bocce, delicious breakfasts, nearby (so far unmentioned) walks along the Rio Grande, pretty gardens, peacocks, and best of all (as far as they were concerned): goats. Especially the baby goats. Especially feeding the baby goats.
In fact, for much of the road trip, there was much talk of what the baby goats could be up to and how big they might have gotten and whether or not the pregnant goat would have kidded before we went back (we stayed there at the beginning and end of our trip). I could make fun of the kids, but... I was just as blissed out as they were. Almost the entire time we stayed at Los Poblanos, I had the same feeling I have when I play hockey: thinking of nothing but what I was doing, and incredibly contented to be doing it.
As I said, often, when I want to escape mentally, I escape to Rome or Hawaii.
And yet in the last month, what I've thought of is Los Poblanos, of the lavender fields stretching out in the sunlight with the mountains behind them, of the quiet, sheltered courtyard with its cool, murmuring fountain, of the gardens and the food and the gentle hospitality. And yes, the goats. Because apparently goatie tourism is now a part of my life. But... their goats are really nice?
I really, really wish myself and my family in a calm spot, instead of a terrible storm right now. And right now, if I could take them to a quiet spot, and nestle them away, I would take them to Los Poblanos.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Rising costs and changing demand have left homebuilders struggling to capitalize on the biggest housing market that central Ohio has ever seen.
Last year, 2,607 new homes were sold in central Ohio, the best year since 2007, according to Binns Real Estate Services, which tracks the central Ohio housing industry.
But those homes accounted for only 7.9 percent of all central Ohio homes sold last year, the second consecutive year that new homes have accounted for less than 8 percent of the housing market, according to a Dispatch analysis.
New homes have accounted for less than 10 percent of central Ohio home sales for eight straight years, despite an enormous increase in demand and a shortage of competing new homes on the market.
By comparison, during the boom years of the early 2000s, new homes made up more than 25 percent of central Ohio home sales.
"We simply are starting only about half the number of units we need to keep up with household formation," said Jonathan Smoke, chief economist with Realtor.com.
In an effort to capitalize on unmet demand, central Ohio builders are rolling out new designs and locations.
They know, in general, where the sweet spot lies: new homes under $300,000 in good school districts close to the city. But land costs, home features, regulations and labor costs have made it all but impossible to deliver such homes.
The average price of a new home climbed to $334,000 last year, almost twice the median price of existing central Ohio homes sold last year.
The gap between new-home and existing-home prices is far wider in Columbus than elsewhere. Nationally, new homes cost about 33 percent more than existing homes, Smoke said.
In Delaware County, the gap is even more extreme. There, the average price of a new home climbed to $411,000 last year, the first time it has topped $400,000, according to Binns.
"Affordability is a big problem," said Jim Hilz, executive director of the Building Industry Association of Central Ohio. "When you look at the gap between new homes and the average price of existing homes, there's a big gap there, and prices aren't going down for new homes. ...
"When you can't build new homes for that first-time buyer, that's a significant market not being met."
The trade group is so concerned about rising costs that it has formed a committee to analyze the problem; the panel is to meet for the first time this week.
"At the price points we're at, we're simply not going to recover market share," Hilz said.
Labor and material costs have risen, but builders say the biggest obstacles to delivering affordable homes are land costs, utility fees and zoning restrictions, especially restrictions on density that prohibit small lots or require much of the land to be devoted to green space.
The average price of the lot for a new central Ohio home rose to $83,000 last year from $65,000 five years earlier. In Delaware County, the average new-home lot cost $100,000 last year, 22 percent more than just four years earlier, according to Binns.
Builders say that land costs are compounded by density restrictions that drive up prices and prohibit innovative communities that buyers might enjoy.
At a recent gathering sponsored by the Urban Land Institute, Robert Schottenstein, M/I Homes' chief executive officer, mentioned visiting two Orange County, California, developments featuring homes built close together.
"These were two of the most eye-opening projects I've ever seen — and you couldn't get them approved within 50 miles of here," he told the audience. "Regulations make it very difficult to do some of these things."
Compounding builders' problem are changing demographics.
The lion's share of today's home purchases are by retiring empty-nesters and millennials. But neither group is an ideal match for central Ohio homebuilders' bread-and-butter product: a $400,000 two-story with four bedrooms and 3 1/2 bathrooms in a suburban cornfield.
But those downsizing empty-nesters and young buyers coming out of apartments expect high-end touches, even in lower-priced homes, which adds to the cost.
"People living in these apartments today aren't living with vinyl flooring and laminate countertops and cheap light fixtures," said Jack Mautino, the Columbus division president of Westport Homes.
"They're living with hardwood, stainless, granite. They've become very accustomed to finer finishes. For us to get that buyer out of the apartment, we're going to have to do similar things and make it affordable."
Westport's answer: move well beyond the Outerbelt, where land is cheaper.
"We're having to chase ground further into the suburbs, the Pataskalas, Commercial Points, Lithopolises, Bloom-Carrolls, Sunburys and Delawares of the world," he said.
When Brandon and Amanda Hammond realized that they couldn't afford a home in Pickerington, they found what they wanted in Westport's Rolling Acres community in Lithopolis.
"I was trying to stay near where I grew up, in Pickerington, but we were shut out," Brandon Hammond said. "We couldn't afford there, so we looked in Lithopolis. It was more our price."
Using a Department of Veterans Affairs loan, the couple ended up paying $241,000 for a four-bedroom, two-story home.
Other builders are taking different approaches to capture elusive buyers. Many are targeting baby boomers, who builders universally agree are underserved in central Ohio.
The builder Romanelli & Hughes has found big success with patio homes in last year's Parade of Homes site, Verona, in Powell.
"Our whole first phase is three-fourths sold," said developer Gianni Romanelli. "We are definitely going to break ground on the second phase this year."
Jerome Village in Union County has targeted the same audience by opening part of the community to empty-nester builder Epcon Communities.
Central Ohio's largest homebuilder, Pulte Homes, recently opened its first retirement-focused community, the Retreat at Sycamore Creek near Pickerington, offering detached ranch homes starting around $200,000.
"I think we see the strongest opportunities for demand in that particular segment," said Jim Marcero, president of Pulte's central Ohio division.
Marcero said Pulte also plans to roll out a line of lower-priced homes this spring to try to get first-time buyers in the door.
Pulte's chief Columbus competitor, M/I Homes, has done the same by introducing what it calls its Smart Series line of homes at its new Village at Minerva Park. They will start at about $200,000.
That development, on the site of the former Minerva Park Golf Club, also illustrates builders' willingness to pursue sites they might have bypassed before in favor of Delaware County cornfields.
M/I plans to pursue an even more unusual development this year: 44 homes in a Harrison West location near Downtown.
"This will be a completely new series, for someone who doesn't need or want to be in the suburbs," said David Balcerzak, M/I's vice president of sales and marketing.
Finally, builders are rethinking the very idea of the subdivision in an effort to draw buyers.
Houses will start going up this year in Evans Farms, a 1,250-acre Delaware County development that will include custom-built homes in traditional styles nestled around a small downtown.
Even though lots won't be delivered until at least June, developers Dan Griffin and Tony Eyerman say that almost 100 of the 142 lots in the development's first phase have been spoken for.
"We're booming because we have diversity of product and a walkable community," Griffin said.
Charlie and Carrie Birch, who live near Evans Farms, had looked unsuccessfully for a new home before putting a deposit on an Evans Farms lot last year.
"Most of the new neighborhoods, if not all, were different variations of the same old thing," Charlie Birch said. "There wasn't anything that really enticed us to investigate further."
The development received approval for lots as narrow as 40 feet across, similar to lots in older neighborhoods such as Clintonville and far smaller than ones typically allowed in suburban projects.
But even with lot prices starting at $58,000, Evans Farms will be unable to deliver homes in the low $300,000s, as originally hoped.
"We just can't do it," Eyerman said. "Now, $325,000 will be the minimum."


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Sunday, 21 February 2010
houndstooth cardigan
I have been so busy recently that I totally forgot to post about my pattern in the last issue of Yarn Forward. It is influenced by the Autumn/Winter 2010 trend for houndstooth and checked woven fabrics, which I translated into a simple yet effective all over Fair Isle pattern. It also has pockets which you can wear hidden or as a plain garter stitch contrast to match with the collar and edging, which isn't shown fully in the spread.
Alexander McQueen's collection especially was a great inspiration here and I was extremely saddened to hear of his untimely death this month. I for one will miss the anticipation of wondering what he will do next in his theatrical catwalk shows.
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St George Airport Infrastructure Upgrade Popular
- Council: Balonne Shire Council
- Fund: Remote Communities Infrastructure Fund
- Category: Road and Transport Infrastructure
- Round: 1
Safety will be improved for the Royal Flying Doctor Service and Angel Flight, especially in poor weather and at night, as well as for the twice-weekly passenger services.
- $170,000
- $170,000
- 0.5
- Completed
- May 2016
- September 2016
* Average number of Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) jobs supported by project construction (based on Queensland Treasury's Guidelines for estimating FTE jobs directly supported by the capital works program).
Project benefits
- This upgrade will ensure the airport meets Civil Aviation Safety Authority requirements.
- Improved drainage means there will be less maintenance required on the airstrip due to it not holding water for a longer period of time after rain or a flood.
- Enabling the continued operation of the Royal Flying Doctor Services and Angel Flight to provide essential health services for the town and surrounding areas, and of passenger services, ensuring connectivity with other regions.
- A more energy-efficient LED lighting system will make the runway lighting system more robust and capable of withstanding power surges.
- Drainage upgrades including surface ditches, inlets and an underground system will avoid the impacts of flooding and erosion, and improve the operations of the airport after a severe storm event.
Solutions delivered
- Surface ditches, inlets and an underground storm water drainage system.
- Runway lighting upgraded to a LED system.
- Resealing the general aviation apron.
- Repainting all line markings.
More information
Read more about the benefits of the St George Airport Infrastructure upgrade ( 225 KB).
Disclaimer: Information on this page may change over the life of the project. Funding amounts referenced are as approved.


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Umpires enthusiastic at the 1st European GamesThree referees, 20 umpires and two racket testers from 20 associations were on duty
Outstanding atmosphere in Baku Sports Hall
Players from 35 European countries played at the table tennis events at the 1st European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan. Also 25 officials were invited to take part at this prestigious tournament. Three referees, 20 umpires and two racket testers from 20 associations were on duty.
"A first memorable moment was the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium, where the history, culture and the fast economic development of Azerbaijan was shown by more than 2000 volunteers. A great spectacular; the stage was set to deliver an outstanding tournament," said Michael ZWIPP, Referee at the 1st European Games.
The Baku Sports Hall was completely renovated before the Games and offered excellent conditions for players and officials in table tennis. The best players of Europe provided table tennis of its highest level. Fighting for the medals, the Olympic spirit was felt by everyone be present.
"Great impressions will be kept in our memories: Best conditions in the Baku Sports Hall, enthusiastic spectators, professional organization of all logistics, perfect support from nearly 100 volunteers, straightforward performance from the umpires, good sportsmanlike conduct from all athletes and, most important, fantastic matches during all days of competition. All those elements have contributed to an outstanding atmosphere, which was transmitted via TV-broadcasting to many countries in the world."
All umpires appreciated their stay in Azerbaijan.
"We valued the outstanding hospitality and friendship of the local people. It was impressive to experience the special culture and development of a modern country. It's a pity that there was just a short time for sightseeing, so it was not easy to say "good bye"! However, we learned a lot and we are proud having been part of the 1st European Games," stated Michael ZWIPP.


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I love dancing. Love it. Which is truly unfortunate because I am a horrible dancer. Nowadays I've limited my rug-cutting to weddings, bar mitzvahs and the occasional late-night bus party. However, when I was in college, I was a well established train-wreck on the dance floors of San Diego. Dancing was my chance to become a part of the song itself. I could lose my mind in the rhythm and let the song take over. this was my moment of release: in the ocean of sound around me, I could set myself free. Maybe a little too free.
Yes. Probably too free. To begin with, the faces that I make while dancing are, well... let's just say I've seen some pictures. It's comparable to a high-speed-crash: you have to look at the footage in slow-motion to really understand what went wrong. As far as I can tell, I employ four main looks in my dancing ensemble:
1. The white-man's-overbite
2. The confused-constipation-face
3. The fancy-eyebrow-dance
4. The blurry-baby-face
All of these compromising visages could be put in the general category of "unnecessary". No, I never did drugs, but I'm sure I would have a hard time convincing the officer on duty that I wasn't tripping on something while I was dancing.
Which is why I play rock and roll. It's a whole lot easier to say you've got moves like Jagger than say you got moves like Michael Jackson or James Brown. My Jr. High Led Zeppelin cover band illustrates my point: We might not have sounded great but we looked the part. Later on, (in my angst-y, high school, suburban, punk-rock phase) my friends and I would head down to SOMA to see our favorite Epitaph bands. The "dancing" at SOMA was easy to learn. Throwing my fist in the air with the rest of the pubescent throng, I found that I could fit in just fine. The pit at SOMA was built around conquest rather than finesse. Sure, folks were enjoying themselves but the goals were dominance and aggression, not really the stuff you see on Glee.
Throwing elbows and shoulders around, shoving bodies out of a circle -- an eight-year-old on the playground could do the same. This was not an elevated art form; this was more of a drawn out, musical scuffle. A visceral ritual of conquest and defeat. But at 16 it made a lot of sense to me, at least a lot more sense than dancing. In a fight, the stakes are obvious. There's a clear winner and loser. There's very little subtlety involved: the bigger and stronger one usually wins. Again, I'm not talking about Mohammed Ali here, I'm talking about the teenage angst of a suburban 18-year-old during a Pennywise song. I'm talking about the playground bully working his troubled home-life out on the rest of the awkward, acne-ridden youth around him.
Yes, it's a dog-eat-dog world, and dogs don't dance. In fact, most of the creatures here on the planet can fight, very few can dance. We humans have the rare honor of rising above the fight of natural selection and choosing to seek a higher good than mere survival. I could choose joy instead of the fight. Unfortunately, the fight still seems to be the rut that I (and the rest of the human race) fall into. It's sad but true. We struggle better than we salsa. The habit of the fight seems easy to explain: Dominance is easier to achieve than friendship; consumption is easier than love; and objectification is easier than empathy. Certainly, I desire to enter into the dance of happiness and joy. But, all too often I'm distracted by the fight: sidelined by the little battles along the way.
My pattern of thought goes something like this: I begin by looking for the joy, something that will move me -- let's call it the dance. I search for it everywhere. I begin to see success as desirable. Yes, success might even give me some form of joy, so I begin to look for victory. I fight for it, I struggle for it. And somewhere along the line I get so caught up in the competition that I forget my initial goal of happiness. At this point I am so focused on the immediate victory that I ignore the joy that I initially desired. In fact, happiness could be within my grasp but I would never see it. I am led blindly forward in my absurd pursuit of victory, the very victory which will no longer give me joy. Needlessly fighting when the joy of the dance is within my reach.
My wife is much better at dancing. She rolls with the punches that life throws her way. She dances her way through. When a predicament arises, she is light on her feet. She laughs and she waltzes through it. She makes light of the situation. On the other hand, I tend to make the situation heavy. I slam my full weight into the "problem" and try to fix it. Rain? A flat tire? A last-minute guest? My wife sees each hurdle as a riddle, a brainteaser of sorts -- a dancing partner rather than an opponent. She empathizes and tries to find peace in the moment. She looks for the joy in the situation. I tend to single out my objectives and attack. I face each setback as a combatant and try to obliterate my foe.
I think back on some of the arguments we've have had over the years. There have been so many times where a few dance steps could have saved the evening. After all, my wife and I are struggling for the same thing. A happy home, a strong marriage, an abundant life filled with joy and purpose. We are both fighting to achieve the exact same goals. In fact there are innumerably more similarities between us than there are contradictions. Why not approach these differences as a dance rather than a struggle? After all, my fighting stance probably only leads me further from the peaceful afternoon I was hoping for. In almost every situation, the fight to win these little battles of mine usually only impairs my ability to achieve my larger goals. A few dance steps could keep things light.
But alas, I cannot dance. When I dance I make funny faces. I struggle. I push. I fight. I have an easier time fighting than dancing. And maybe I'm not the only suburbanite American man that has a hard time with this -- maybe our nation in general has a hard time dancing. It's just a hunch, but I'm pretty sure Walmart sells more gun-racks than dancing shoes. That's right, we might be winners or losers, but we are certainly not dancers. In sports, in the corporate ladder, even in every Hollywood action movie, the goal is dominance. Not necessarily joy or happiness. And definitely not the dance. We might even have a hard time enjoying ourselves in a world where no one wins or loses. Fútbol is a great example. In the U.S., we view 90 minutes of scoreless soccer as an insult to the spectator, about as exciting as a catnap competition. However, the rest of the world sees the beautiful game as a dance with incredible displays of athleticism and finesse. "Zero to zero? Really?!" We shake our heads. What's the point? Why bother? We want a winner and a loser, not a tie.
It might sound absurd, but there have been crucial moments of my life where I would have preferred an insignificant victory or defeat over true happiness. In these regrettable instances I'd prefer to be darn-right rather than enter into the give-and-take of the dance: I'd rather fight than be happy. It's a ridiculous way to live, but this sort of dogma makes for great advertisements. "Never settle." "Have it your way." "Accept no substitute." I saw a car commercial yesterday that said, "We don't compromise." It's a mindless slogan that looks great on a bumper sticker, but has no meaning in the real world. Compromise is absolutely essential in all of life. Every car sold is a composite of compromise, a give-and-take with gravity, inertia, the cost of materials, and the varying sizes and tastes of the human consumer. At the very least, we all hope the dealer compromises a bit on the price when he sells us the vehicle. Compromise is the dance of any friendship or creative endeavor.
Of course I'm talking about a deeper dance than negotiating a good deal on a car -- an understanding of joy that doesn't depends on circumstance. Anyone can dance when everything is going their way, but there are those who find joy and meaning even when things are going horribly wrong. I'm talking about a dance that exists in the bad times. How can Viktor Frankl and Corrie ten Boom speak of joy and meaning against the backdrop of Nazi terror? How can they say that contentment can be found almost anywhere? Why is it that the poor are almost always more giving than the rich?
Yes, momentary happiness might be found on a championship ring or a gold record: a desired victory finally achieved. But this momentary happiness rarely lifts me as high as the depths of defeat bring me down. Maybe joy is found in the constants, not in the transients. Perhaps joy is a choice, not a result. Our hopes and fears are the past tense versions of our successes and failures. These wash over us like waves: they come and go. But this deeper joy could be the rock that remains unmoved.
We want our lives to count, that there would be value in our life and death. We search the world around us for happiness and meaning. We see beauty and worth and we try to affiliate our existence with these meaningful objectives. We attach ourselves to that which we believe holds the highest value: to objects and persons of worth, to the victory itself. We fight. We strive. We struggle for physical pleasure, financial security, respect, relationships, or other victories to give us success. But these smaller pursuits sideline the primary desire: joy. We chase these miniscule dreams around us to the detriment of the larger goal: a life worth living.
Yes, dancing is absurd. There is no logical reason to dance. It's awkward, especially for folks like myself. Dancing won't end global poverty. It doesn't stabilize the price of oil or fight to dethrone evil dictators. But does dancing bring you joy? Does dancing remind you of your humanity? Does dancing makes you laugh? Heck, my dancing in particular can certainly lighten the mood. I'm tired of fighting my way through life; I want to dance. To head back out on the dance floor of life armed with my four ridiculous dance faces and the intention of finding joy in the journey, finding happiness in the song along the way. Certainly, there are times to fight. There are times to challenge injustice, hatred, racism, and corruption. But most of life is not meant to be a fight. It's meant to be a dance. Victories and defeats will come and go but the joy of the dance is always available.


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Nervous that you may pick the wrong outsourcing vendor?
Of course, you ought to be (because you'd hear more horror stories than fairy tales)!
We'll be your wise counsel. A real human will assist you in finding the right vendor, no matter how long it takes and you don't need to pay us a penny!
You and your team have done an EXCELLENT job! This site definitely is what I was looking for – cutting edge and freaking cool!!!!…AGAIN – Great job!!!! Another great site from Synamen.
The content and the structure looks fantastic. I can see a lot of features in this new design. The gallery looks great as well. Thanks to the entire team for the superb work.
Your team is highly talented and professional. All team members have been able to find the right solutions for all our business needs in the developing e-commerce system. We have a lot of respect for your team's members because they fulfilled all their commitments and delivered everything on time. Thanks a lot for all the hard work and helping us launch our portal on time and on budget. We enjoyed working with you!!
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- A Birmingham City Council committee this evening endorsed incentives to bring a hospital call center's expansion to downtown along with an expected 250 new jobs.
A joint meeting of the Budget and Finance and Economic Development Committees approved the agreement under which the city would give Accretive Health $210,000 in incentive money to locate here. The full council is expected to vote on the agreement next week.
Birmingham competed with Pensacola and Nashville to land the company, said Tracey Morant-Adams, the city's economic development director. The city's money would be paid in equal installments of $70,000 for three years.
Accretive Health provides appointment reminders, registration, insurance verification and customer billing and collections services to hospitals, doctors and other health care businesses. The center will service multiple hospitals from its new Birmingham office in the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex's Medical Forum.
Eric Kachin, the company's senior manager for customer management, said Accretive expects to have its first 90 employees in the first 12 months with average pay at $17 an hour.
Under the agreement, Accretive will hire 250 employees within five years. The company would forfeit part of its incentive if it fails to reach its goal and retain those jobs for an additional five years, Assistant City Attorney Jim Stanley told the committee. a
In addition to the city's contribution, Accretive has secured $250,000 from the state along with building improvements from the BJCC.
"A lot of that is driven by job creation," Morant-Adams said, explaining the reason for the multiple contributions."Accretive Health is one of the nation's leading service providers to the health-care industry, and the competition among cities in the Southeast to bring Accretive's new business technology and customer call center was intense," Mayor William Bell said in a written statement. "The city's partnering with the BJCC enabled us to provide a package of incentives that won the project for the city of Birmingham, resulting in 250 new jobs and significant new revenues for our schools and the city's operations."


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I was debugging a new site I have created in ASP.Net and noticed that Page_Load was called twice. I was a bit worried because with all the new bells and whistles, I didn't know how easy it would be to debug why this was happening.
Fortunately, a quick Google search revealed the problem. An image tag with a # symbol for the href.
Anyway, what happens in HTML 5 is that you are still not allowed to use blank but if you use a # symbol or a slash at the start, then the browser treats it has a relative image source. That's pretty dumb, I mean if I was pointing an image source at the same location as the page itself, I would be doing something wrong probably. I'm guessing that the problem is related to shared URL resolution code i.e. not treating the image src url any differently but since the need for empty images at start up is present and the need to load from the current page is probably not, it would be nice if the spec allowed some special way of saying, "don't load the image".
I could of course create the image element when the image is loaded but I think that is more messy compared to having the image sized correctly waiting for the image to load. Everything else would be a workaround.
I realised I had to use a small blank image (1x1) just to give the tag a valid image source but get this: the 1x1 white png in 8 bit colour is a whopping 963 bytes! I tried GIF and BMP and both were similar so either the formats are very bulky or Paint.Net is saving a load of information I don't need with the image.


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Featured Properties
Specializing in prestigious Montana real estate with this site's emphasis on Stock Farm LLC and Arrow Hill Ranch, we seek out the finest properties in the West. We will search for holdings that are superior in location, water, access, acreage and that will meet or exceed your every requirement. Whether your interest lies in conservation, recreation, ranching, or development... we can find you the property of your dreams.
"The Last Best Place"
"The Last Best Place"
for Homes, Ranches, and Land.
Stop in for a visit!
At PureWest Real Estate (formerly: Diamond Bar-S Land), we take pride in building lasting relationships with our clients and do so by creating a friendly and comfortable atmosphere. Please also feel free to stop by to discuss any of your real estate needs or concerns. We offer a full-service office at The Mill.
Stop in for coffee and a chat!


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Thu, 14 February 2013
Dr. J...Jennifer Morse...is coming to Iowa..."It Takes a Family to Raise a Village". Then, stealing your own car back? Rev Carlos Jayne...Iowans for Gun Safety...says its time for some more gun regulations. Great conversation ensued. :) Oh, and here's the link to the Katrina video. Please pass it around to everybody. Or monitor my Facebook.
Direct download: mickelson-2013-02-14.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:20pm CST


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NAB Wealth Proxy Voting Principles
Shareholder voting is a means by which shareholders can influence a company's operations, its corporate governance and activities of social responsibility. Proxy Voting is where a vote is cast on behalf of a shareholder.
MLC1 represents it's investors in matters of corporate governance through the proxy voting process. The process is designed to protect and enhance the investment value of our fund'share investments, recognising the strong link between good corporate governance and investment value. MLC applies the Financial Service Council ("FSC") Standard and Guidelines on proxy voting to its operational processes where applicable.
Proxy Voting Principles
The guiding principle when MLC votes on a resolution is that our voting decision must be in the best interests of our investors. MLC believes that corporate governance creates the framework within which a company can be managed in order to provide the greatest possible long term return.
MLC's general position with regards to corporate governance is reflected below:
Long term value
We believe that there is a strong connection between good corporate governance and the creation of long term shareholder value. Therefore we believe that the Board of Directors should be held accountable for ensuring high standards of corporate governance.
Remuneration - Alignment of Management and Shareholder interests
Remuneration paid to management should be linked to company performance to align to shareholder interests of seeking increased value for their investment. There should be an appropriate balance between performance based short term and long term incentives in addition to base salary for management and employees.
Board size and composition
Board size and composition is important. Board size should be reflective of the size and complexity of the company. There should be a sufficient number of directors to ensure that depth and breadth of experience, diverse background and skills exists amongst the independent directors.
Independent directorship is key in order for the Board to make objective decisions which protect shareholders and create value over the medium to long term. In reviewing director's independence, there should be no familial or material business relationship with the company executives and other directors which would impact the director's decisions or create a material conflict of interest.
Effective disclosure
Information impacting operations and financial performance should be disclosed in a timely and transparent manner. This includes performance metrics used to determine executive compensation and why these metrics have been used.
Board responsiveness to Shareholder concerns
Where there has previously been a significant number of shareholder votes against a meeting proposal, the Board should take action to address shareholder's concerns by performing an appropriate level of engagement to identify the underlying issues which will be representative in management's recommendations.
NAB Wealth Proxy Voting Policy
Proxy Voting Principles
The Proxy Voting Policy outlines that MLC assess and vote all proxies for every resolution in respect of holdings beneficially owned by MLC entities in companies publicly listed in Australia, excepting entities for which MLC has no discretion to vote. That is, MLC aims to vote at 100% of the annual and extraordinary shareholder meetings for Australian Listed companies we invest into and where we have the voting authority to do so.
MLC's decision to assess and vote all proxies in which we have discretion to vote represents a large commitment to encouraging these companies to be accountable for their actions and to uphold good corporate governance.
By exerting influence on corporate policies through discussion with company management and the exercise of proxy voting rights, we can achieve our goal to enhance shareholder returns.
Every resolution is considered and voted upon according to the Proxy Voting Policy. Resolutions that are not considered contentious are voted according to standing instructions. For non-contentious items, the general rule is to vote For management and Against shareholder proposals.
Where resolutions are assessed as contentious they are generally referred to a Proxy Voting Committee for consideration on the exercise of the vote.
Proxy Voting Committee
The MLC Boards have delegated their voting authority to the Proxy Voting Committee (PVC). The PVC is made up of senior management within MLC. Changes to PVC membership and to the PVC charter require Board approval. The objective of the PVC is to:
(a) protect and enhance the investment value of the assets held by the MLC funds;
(b) ensure that the interests of investors are represented in accordance with applicable requirements of the Corporations Act; and
(c) recognise the strong link between good corporate governance and investment value.
The PVC must always act in the best interests of investors. This includes giving priority to the interests of investors over the interests of NAB in the event that there is a conflict of interest.
The PVC reports directly to the MLC Boards and performs the functions and responsibilities that are outlined in the PVC Charter in respect of holdings in entities or trusts listed on Australian exchanges only.
Consideration of contentious matters
The proxy voting approach places an emphasis on contentious shareholder resolutions. In considering contentious proxy voting items, the Principle Investment Advisor will seek advice from a range of sources including:
- independent advisors
- appointed investment managers
- MLC portfolio managers
- market information
- PVC members
MLC take into consideration market information and reports from independent corporate governance groups such as Glass Lewis & Co. that provide comprehensive details on the following: resolution background, analysis, commentary, discussions with company representatives and voting recommendations.
MLC also receive commentary on any nominated resolution from MLC's appointed investment managers holding the related security in the MLC funds that they manage. Investment managers may also speak to the PVC directly on complicated matters or where the PVC requires additional background regarding a resolution. MLC believe that our investment managers provide highly valuable insight into contentious resolutions, as it is their responsibility to perform ongoing in-depth analysis on company decisions and speak to companies directly regarding matters of concern.
Contentious issues can include (amongst other things) any of the following:
- Executive remuneration, including whether there are any performance hurdles to be met (share price or company specific), the options/shares/rights are granted at an unreasonable discount to market price, and whether retention incentives are being offered
- Option issue resolutions where the hurdles are not relative (absolute share price only), or hurdles not clearly stipulated, or measurable
- Option issues for non-executive directors
- Changes to the voting rights of ordinary shareholders
- New share issues or placements if the rights or standing of existing shareholders are impacted.
- Takeovers, schemes of arrangement and business restructures
- Share buy-backs, if preference is given to any shareholder or group of shareholders over others.
- High profile general meetings
- Group shareholder action
- Re-election of directors and board composition.
Proxy Voting in Foreign Markets
In respect of beneficial holdings in foreign companies, given the number and diversity of the overseas companies in which MLC invests, we view that our international equity managers or their appointed representatives are best placed to represent the interests of investors. Therefore proxy voting of international holdings has been delegated to MLC's international equity managers. The international equity managers themselves assess and vote proxies on all international holdings within their portfolios. This obligation is included in the investment manager's Investment Management Agreement. For some foreign markets, there will be instances where we refrain from voting as the expected costs of voting exceeds the expected benefits of voting, or voting would result in trading restrictions for the fund.
MLC also considers:
- best practice standards of corporate governance such as the Financial Services Council Bluebook, the ACSI (Australian Council of Superannuation Investors) Guidelines and the ASX Corporate Governance Council recommendations when considering the voting decision and reviews its processes on an ongoing basis.
- historical data on previous resolutions and company policy/practices.
The Proxy Voting Principles and Policy have been approved by the MLC Boards. Proxy voting is carried out without regard to MLC's or NAB's relationship/business with the company concerned.
FSC Standard 13 requires that no later than three months after the close of the financial year we publish a summary of our proxy voting activities on our website at www.mlc.com.au.
|Proxy Voting Summary FY 2018
|PDF – Proxy Voting records – 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018
1. 'MLC' collectively constitutes: MLC Investments Limited ABN 30 002 641 661 and Navigator Australia Limited ABN 45 006 302 987. 2. Only resolutions for which the Scheme Operator has discretion to vote are included.


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After years of attention on the "bigger and better" end of the displacement range, the most interesting action is now taking place among small and middleweight motorcycles. The latest development is the news that Honda is bringing its CB650F stateside.
Based on the same platform as the CBR650F, the CB650F is the same naked version that has been on sale in Europe for the past three years. The CB gets a slightly taller handlebar than its sportier sibling and loses the fairing. From what I can tell, based on the limited news release, the performance should be the same as that of the CBR650F.
This is not the first time Honda has tried importing a naked middleweight to the U.S. market. Redubbed the 599, Honda brought its Hornet stateside in 2004. It used an earlier version of Honda's 600 cc supersport engine and had minimal bodywork, a more upright seating position, a handlebar instead of clip-ons and more leg room. By 2007, the bike was removed from the U.S. lineup.
The Hornet remained a solid performer in European markets, however, and in 2014 it got a facelift, as well as updates and a bump in displacement, and was redubbed the CB650F, which is now coming to America as a 2018 model. European outlets like Motorcycle News called the CB650F "A peerless 'bike for all reasons' at a value price that'll disappoint no-one."
Yet Honda didn't bring the bike to America in 2014, and now, three years later, it is peerless no more.
More options in the middleweight class
What's changed between 2014 and now is that the naked middleweight segment has taken off in America. In 2014, the Triumph Street Triple and Ducati Monster line (which included two smaller displacement options, the 696 and 796) were selling well but there was no real competition from the Big Four. Kawasaki had pulled its ER6n from the U.S. market in 2011, Suzuki had replaced the SV650 with the ill-received Gladius, and Yamaha didn't offer any middleweight nakeds in the United States. But that was all about to change.
In 2015, Yamaha introduced to the American market the FZ-07, a naked bike powered by an all-new 689 cc parallel twin. It quickly gained a reputation as a fun, lightweight, zippy machine. It had enough power to satiate experienced riders yet was mild enough for newer riders to tame. Its success was a clear indicator that the tide was shifting toward more practical street offerings and it left other OEMs scrambling.
By the middle of 2016, I found myself in Southern California testing Suzuki's 2017 SV650 and six months later I returned to ride an all-new Z650 from Kawasaki. One of the main takeaways I have noted from the marketing research provided by the manufacturers is that today's consumer looks at faired bikes and naked bikes very differently. Kawasaki discussed this when I attended the Z650 launch.
Even though the Z650 was nearly identical to the Ninja 650 from a mechanical standpoint, they were positive that sales of the Z650 would do little to cannibalize sales of the Ninja 650. While their sport segment showed no signs of a decline (or an incline for that matter), interest in their naked bikes was dramatically spiking.
Maybe Honda was looking at the same information when it decided to bring the CB650F to the U.S. market, as a 2018 model, alongside the faired CBR650F. Both are powered by the same 649 cc engine. Honda claims 86 horsepower at 11,000 rpm and 46 foot-pounds of torque at 8,000 rpm. In addition to the more relaxed riding position, the naked CB650F shows off those four sexy exhaust header pipes that harken back the original 1970s CB400F Super Sport.
Those pipes emphasize what sets the Honda apart from the current crop of naked middleweights. In a world of singles, parallel twins, and L-twins, Honda will have the only middleweight naked with an inline four (assuming that we consider bikes like the Yamaha FZ-09, Triumph Street Triple, and Kawasaki Z900 to be in a larger class). If European specs remain the same, it'll sacrifice a bit of low-end torque but will have class-leading horsepower.
While price has yet to be announced, based on European pricing and the previous $8,499 MSRP of the CBR650F (for 2018 the MSRP of the CBR is TBD), I am guessing it should debut in America somewhere around $8,000.
Climbing the displacement ladder is easier
These are exciting times for naked bikes in America. More so than in recent years, riders have more choices and can take progressive steps up the displacement chain. There are friendly yet fun bikes around the 300 cc to 500 cc level. Bikes like this new Honda, the SV650, the FZ-07 and the Z650 fill the gap and offer riders a transition to more powerful machines just shy of a liter. Plus, we still have the liter-plus knuckle-dragging brutes, some of which are being outfitted with similar technologies to those found on fully faired race replicas.
Honda, in particular has expanded its lineup with lots of smaller displacement options and the CB650F fills in a noticeable gap in the family of naked sport bikes. The real question is how this bike will fare against the existing crop of naked machines already dominating the market.
With a release date set for August of 2017, we shouldn't have to wait long to find out.


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TCE Ch4
Time Changes Everything
Chapter 4
Steve was dumbfounded. He was shocked by Mia's outburst. The Mia he knew would've never spoken with such venom. He was also confused by what she had said. He never made the decision of abandoning her. His father had sent him and his sister to the mainland for their own safety and his father had promised to talk to Mia about this. He needed to know exactly what her father had told her but now he had other things to focus on, like keeping WoFat behind bars and figuring out who or what Shelbourne was.
Steve was interrupted from his thoughts by Kono's question, "What was that boss?" asked Kono with a raised eyebrow.
He turned to see the rest of his team standing a few feet behind him obviously having witnessed his confrontation with Mia.
"You two know each other? What do I mean you two know each other, of course you do. What I want to know, no let me correct that, what we want to know is how you two know each other. I mean there must be some kind of past between you two that did not end very well, if I'm allowed to guess, by the way the two of you were not so subtly arguing," Danny finished his rant, the whole time expressing himself with his signature hand gestures.
"Impressive work detective," answered an unimpressed Commander. Steve was not in the mood nor did he want to deal with another of Danny's rants and his teams questioning looks so he turned around making his way towards the Camaro's driver's seat. Turning towards the rest of the team he asked Danny, "Are you coming or what? We do have a job to do."
Danny turned towards Chin and Kono with his hands in his pockets and raised eyebrows, "See you guys at the office," he told them as he made his way towards his car before the driver decided to take off without him even if it was HIS car. "You do know this is MY car right?!" he loudly reminded Steve as they sped off as soon as Danny had closed his door. "I do not know what happened back there but do not take it out on MY car Steven," he continued holding on for safety, "and if that argument was any indication that working with Agent Summers is going to be a problem, whoa slow down! Then you better speak up now so we can come up with a solution and avoid any more of your famous aneurysm faces!" he finished keeping a fierce look on the road.
"We dated."Steve stated a few seconds after Danny was done talking looking briefly to his left outside the window trying to avoid Danny's questioning stare, a clear indication he wanted to know more but that was something he did not want to get into now until he spoke to the person responsible for his sudden foul mood, Miss Mia Summers, or as she was known as now "Special Agent Mia Summers.
"That's it?" questioned Danny. "You get to probe into my life and get all the details but when I try to probe into yours and try to figure out what's wrong with you, because as a friend I am concerned about you, all I get is a "we dated"?!"
"Look Danny I don't want to talk about it now because frankly I don't even know what HER problem with me is. I haven't seen or talked to her since I was sixteen, when my father sent my sister and me to the mainland. I never thought she would take it this bad. I mean I thought she would understand when my father explained to her that it was for our safety," argued Steve.
"Wait, so YOUR dad talked to her, not you, your dad?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Why? Let me tell you why my friend." Stated Danny getting comfortable to start another one of his famous rants to which Steve simply rolled his eyes. "When you plan on leaving the place where you grew up, where you have your friends, and your GIRLFRIEND for a loooooong time, possibly even forever, you don't have your dad say your goodbyes for you. You tell them PERSONALLY!"
"There was no time Danny. I really tried talking to her but my father put us on the first flight out to the mainland."
"What about, and this is just a suggestion I'm not saying it actually happened, but what about if your father never got around to talking to her? What about if he got so caught up in keeping you guys safe that he just forgot?"
"No, I know for a fact that they talked because she mentioned something about it today, something about my father making it perfectly clear."
"Well then buddy I suggest you talk to her if we want to keep the workplace as peaceful as possible."
And with that Danny left Steve to his own thoughts.
Later on in the day, while Steve was alone in his office, he couldn't help but think about what Mia had told him. Those words about "leaving her when she needed him the most" kept bothering him because he didn't know what she meant by that.
"I had a wonderful time and you definitely kicked some ass on that field tonight," Mia told Steve as they made their way holding hands towards the front door of Mia's home.
"Me too," he said as they stopped at her door.
"Do you want to come in? Don't worry my mother isn't home and she won't be home until tomorrow morning," she quickly assured him having noticed his apprehension, "and don't worry I have forgotten about your surprise but if you want to see it you have to come inside with me," she finished with a smile.
"Alright, alright," smiling he followed her inside.
Once inside Mia led Steve upstairs towards her room. When they were in her room Steve couldn't help but take in the romantic setting. There were candles and rose petals everywhere. He turned to look at Mia but before he could say anything she started nervously talking not looking him in the eyes.
"I know how this all looks cheesy but you know I'm a big romantic at heart and with a little help from Savi I was able to pull it off." Taking a deep breath she looked at Steve in the eyes and said, "I love you Steve and I don't want to wait anymore. If I'm ever going to be with someone for the first time I want that person to be you. I love you and I trust you."
Steve was speechless. He had never pressured her into anything and he knew he wanted to be with her too. He just wanted her to be positive.
He reached for her, held her face in his hands, and whispered to her "I love you Mia but I don't want to pressure you into something you're not completely positive about. I can wait if you want…"
Mia interrupted not wanting to hear him make excuses for her. If he kept going she knew she wouldn't be able to go forward. She wanted this not only for herself, but for Steve too. She knew it wasn't Steve's first time but it was hers and even though they were both young, she really hoped they would be together for a long time. "No Steve. I am one hundred percent positive. I want this as much as you do," she said leaning up to kiss him on the lips, "please," she whispered in between kisses.
That was all the encouragement Steve needed. That night he made love to her being careful not to hurt her and trying to make that night unforgettable for her.
As Steve and Mia laid there in the afterglow of their love making, they knew their relationship had changed that night. They had taken the next step and now they had to wait and see where it led them to.
Steve held Mia in his arms, her back to him and quietly asked her while he kissed her neck and shoulder, "Are you alright?"
Mia felt like she was on cloud nine, literally glowing. Steve had been amazing, he was such a gentleman making sure to fully please her and make her first time something very special. When she heard his question she turned in his arms to face him and while drawing circles on his chest she looked up at him and smiling answered him, "I love you and tonight was one of the most amazing nights I've ever had. Thank you," she whispered the last part and leaned up to kiss him.
Returning the kiss he said, "I love you too and it was my pleasure. I just hope I didn't hurt you too much." Steve lay on his back and pulled Mia towards him never letting her go.
Mia gave a contented sigh as she snuggled up into Steve's strong arms. Forgetting about the time or where they were, they both fell into a very peaceful sleep.
Steve woke up to something bothering him, the morning light. Slowly opening his eyes he realized it was morning already, they must have fallen asleep without realizing it. Suddenly it hit him. Morning. Shit his father was going to kill him, if he didn't already have the whole police department looking for him all over the island. He tried sitting up but realized something, or better yet someone, was preventing him from doing so. Mia had her head on the crook of his neck, her left arm over him, and her left leg intertwined with his.
"Babe, wake up," he whispered kissing her on her forehead.
"Hmm," was the only reply he got as she moved closer to him.
"Mia, come on wake up," he tried once more shaking her a bit and turning to look at the door making sure it was locked. "It's morning, babe, I need to get home and your mom is probably home already."
At the mention of her mother Mia bolted up clutching the sheet to her body, "Oh my god what time is it," she asked not waiting for a reply as she looked at her alarm clock and noticing it was 7:15 a.m.! "Shit, shit, shit," she said getting off the bed and wincing a little bit at the sudden movement. She was a bit sore.
Steve noticed this and immediately rushed to her side, "Hey, hey, you alright?"
Mia blushed remembering the cause of her soreness and simply nodded at him giving him a shy smile, "Yeah don't worry, but you need to hurry up. Gosh we fell asleep and completely forgot about the time. Your dad is going to kill you. I'm so sorry I should have put my alarm or something." Mia kept going on and on as she helped Steve locate his shirt, finding it at the foot of her bed under her jeans. Handing it to him she looked into her drawers to find some pajamas.
"Don't worry about him. I'll deal with it when I get home." As he finished putting his shoes on, Steve reached out to her and looked her in the eyes, "Are you sure you're alright?" he asked concern written all over his handsome face.
Mia nodded, got on her toes and kissed him, "Yes, I told you already. I'll be fine. Now hurry up before it get's more late or my mom wakes up."
Steve nodded, kissed her one more time, and quietly left her house.
*end of flashback*
Steve would always remember that night as one of the most wonderful nights of his life. He remembered the look in Mia's eyes full of trust and pure innocence. Nothing compared to the coldness and hatred he saw in them today directed only at him. He needed answers and he knew the only person who could give them to him was her. He made some calls and after locating where she was staying at he was on his way to get the answers he needed.


text:
I did rather well at the advertising agency. It feels like I'll get work of some sort, hopefully lucrative. I might get Martin Kantor to do a folio for me.
With the hundred dollars given me by The Ears, I have organised all the finances for the flat. I'm just am waiting for Carol and her gay friends to move out.
I have an appalling case of diarrhoea.
Been staying at Phillipa W----'s a great deal. I like her. She has very soft skin. After Inflation on Monday was where it (probably) really began. We'll see …
The new group is sounding good, like it will be a success. Again, we'll see … We may call it 'The Hat', and I may dress as a vicious Mongolian from the Dark Ages.
Went to the Philosophy Club tonight and had coffee with Cathy Denny.
Why, oh why, didn't we call it 'The Hat'?
I think 'faggot' is more of a pejorative term now than then. Whenever I come across it in these diaries, I feel obliged to change it to gay or queer. Back then it was much more endearing.
The subject of Martin Kantor actually came up the other day, by way of my friend Tanya. It seems that they've moved to Byron Bay and spawned a small daughter. I went to uni with Martin and he used to take some great band photos. I was always particularly impressed by the fact he worked for The Truth. Remember The Truth?
I recall listening to one of The Church's early singles on the cassette player by the bed in Phillipa's room and having a good long think about it. From their discography, it had to be Unguarded Moment, as its follow up, according to Wikipedia, hadn't been released.
The Philosophy Club is a subject in itself. It wasn't really a club, it was The School of Philosophy and I went there at the behest of my crazy friend George.
Remember those ads in Saturday's Age? Back when there were two parts, instead of thirteen? On the front page of the second half, there was always an ad simply titled 'Philosophy' with a block of text beneath. It may still be appearing, for all I know, and the School of Philosophy may still be with us.
Not unsurprisingly, given George's involvement, it turned out to be sinister cult. They appeared almost normal. They held public introductory meetings ran six week courses, but the men were required to wear dark suits and the women long skirts. The chairs at these meetings were wooden and hard because, George told me, it helped concentrate the attention. They sourced texts like The Gita, The Upanishads, The Bible, all the great wisdom of the world regardless of creed, but once you started going to their weekend retreats they would practise sleep deprivation and other mind control techniques, and would encourage you to expand your intellectual horizons by deeding them your house.
Diaries - 1981
And lastly, a picture from The Ears' rehearsal last Sunday.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
* June 18 1981 Thursday 11.45pm
I did rather well at the advertising agency. It feels like I'll get work of some sort, hopefully lucrative. I might get Martin Kantor to do a folio for me.
Posted by sam sejavka at 10:56 AM
Labels: 1981, GEORGE, SCHOOL OF PHILOSOPHY, THE AGE, THE CHURCH, THE EARS
2 comments:
- Marshall-Stacks said...
"encourage you to expand your intellectual horizons by deeding them your house."
oh I'm falling about with laughing Thank You for that.
MIFF has an extra screening of DogsInSpace on 9th Aug - tickets are available.
- July 28, 2009 at 2:18 PM
- casjumbo said...
It's such a small world. Martin Kantor used to share a house with my husband. Years later through different circles we became friends with his sister Julie and had dinner with her just last week.
I missed the movies on the weekend due to being interstate, I will buy the DVD at the Corner, am really looking forward to that gig. Tix arrived today :)
- August 3, 2009 at 8:26 PM


text:
ALBANY - People interested in employment as lifeguards at New York State Department of Environmental Conservation facilities next summer will be given free lifeguard tests in the Adirondack throughout the winter.
"There are many great employment opportunities available in DEC campgrounds and facilities across the state," said commissioner Peter Grannis. "The tests for qualified candidates will be offered free of charge again this year to give all those interested an opportunity to work as a lifeguard at one of these sites this summer."
Candidates must pass the examination to be considered for employment. The test is open to those aged 16 and older. It includes an in-water demonstration of lifesaving skills and techniques and performance of the Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation single rescuer procedure. Candidates will be evaluated on a pass or fail basis. Pre-registration is required.
At the time of employment, all DEC lifeguards must:
•Be at least 16 years old.
•Possess a valid American Red Cross (or equivalent) certification in Waterfront Lifeguarding, and CPR for the Professional Rescuer.
•Have successfully completed the New York State DEC lifeguard exam.
•Have attended one of the DEC lifeguard orientations.
•Have completed a personal interview with DEC.
•Submit a current certification of the applicant's physical ability to perform lifeguard duties.
The exam may be taken at any DEC testing location convenient to the applicant and the results will be forwarded to the preferred work location. To pre-register for an exam, or for further information, contact DEC by phone at 457-2500, ext. 1, e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com , or visit the Web site at www.dec-campgrounds.com.
Exam locations will be open one hour prior to exam start time for candidates to become familiar with the pool and testing equipment. Exams will begin promptly and on time. Late arrivals will not be accepted.
The following is a list of upcoming exam locations in the area:
•SUNY Potsdam, Maxcy Hall Complex, Potsdam; Saturday, March 28 at 9 a.m.
•Moriah Central School, 39 Viking Lane, Port Henry; Sunday, April 5 at 9 a.m.
•Paul Smiths College, Route 30, Paul Smiths; Saturday, April 26 at 9 a.m.


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2 responses
You have spoiled us with these spectacular videos, thank you very much, keep it up, many people follow you.
October 19, 2014 at 10:02 am
The adventures that you, Roman, Moe, and Forrest record for everyone are pretty special. Thanks for sharing the adventures, it's much appreciated.
December 21, 2014 at 5:05 pm


text: Still mounting your GoPro on a helmet? Get with the times. There's like, a zillion other ways to mount that thing. Your choice is getting even bigger, too, as the action-cam behemoth has just announced a new "Blackout" housing ($49). As the name suggests, this is all about stealth filming. The dark, matte-finish case not only hides the shiny silver camera, but it also conceals all the LEDs, making it ideal for situations where lights or reflections can ruin a shot (such as startling wildlife). Bonus: It's also waterproof to over 130 feet. If you prefer to show your GoPro off in all its glory, then maybe the updated "Frame" housing is your thing ($39). As before, it's a minimal frame-like housing, but with the ports exposed for easier access. A new latch mechanism also makes it easier to lock in and release the camera. Lastly, remember that funky dual-case that allowed two Hero HD cameras to be combined for 3D footage? Well, a new version of that is incoming too, updated for the Hero 3 and Hero 3+ models. No price and date on that, but hopefully you'll have enough time to save up for a second camera to go along with it.


text:
- Animal Care and Control
- How to Help
- Volunteer
Animal Care Volunteering
Maricopa County Animal Care and Control is proudly the Number 1 lifesaving open-admission shelter in the Valley. The generous support of our volunteer force has made this possible. Volunteers provide care for our homeless animals from walking dogs to matching a family with their new kitten. It's easy to become a volunteer:
- Complete and submit this Online Volunteer Application
- Watch the Online Orientation (Below)
- Volunteer Opportunity Locations
- Attend Buddy Day (Hands On training opportunity - scheduled individually)
- Volunteers must be at least 15 years of age
Volunteer Job Descriptions
- Adoption Counselor: Provide great customer service by facilitating meetings between potential adopters and pets.
- Kennel Assistant: Seeing to the needs of the animals, which includes spot cleaning, walking/socializing, watering and providing bedding.
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- Photographer: Making sure all animals have a quality photograph on their file so that our online customers can easily find the pet they're looking for and lost animals can be reunited with their owners.
- Groomer: Washing, trimming coats and nails. Some tools are provided, but may need some of your own.
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- Day Foster: Take one of our dogs out for a day, a half day or just a couple of hours for a much-needed break from the shelter.
- Laundry and Blanket Helpers: Depending on the time of year, our animals need blankets for warmth and comfort, which generates a lot of laundry. This is a perfect job for those folks who might not be suited to working directly with animals. Also, gather and/or sew blankets and pillows for our animals. Very little training commitment is required for this job duty.
Volunteer Time Requirements
- Training: Training will take approximately 6-8 hours, depending on the capacity in which you would like to volunteer. This can be spread out over 2-3 visits, or most of it can be completed in one day, depending upon your scheduling needs.
- Volunteering: We ask for a minimum of 8 hours per month. This can be 2 shifts of 4 hours, or 4 shifts of 2 hours, or anything else. We are completely flexible. If your schedule demands much from you, we will happily accept fewer hours, as long as you are able to make it in every month. Volunteer hours are from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the shelter locations.
Online Orientation
Please view the following videos (click links). Once finished, email Volunteer Manager Misty Weaver at firstname.lastname@example.com and she will set you up an on-boarding (orientation) date; after that, you will be assigned to shadow a staff member or senior volunteer.
- Welcome to our family
- History of Maricopa Animal Care and Control
- Hands-on, Hands-off opportunities
- Your opportunities
- Reading a Kennel Card
- Kennel Assistant
- Alternative Placement
- ASPCA Canine Body Language Seminar
Contact Us
For more information on volunteering at MCACC, please call 602-506-8133 or email Volunteer Manager Misty Weaver at firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Wordless whatever day it is.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
|Click if you
11 comments:
Sunsets at sea. I have seen so many!ReplyDelete
Glad to 'sea' you are still around!!!ReplyDelete
Beautiful! and Wednesday!ReplyDelete
Must be a sunset - can't see you up at sunrise!ReplyDelete
So pretty, it is just so grey here :(ReplyDelete
Wish I was there with my feet up and a glass of wine in my hand! Oh yes, chatting or not chatting with you!ReplyDelete
So.....I think I know where you are....are you going to tell us?????ReplyDelete
I love comments, so please leave a comment and please make sure you have reply email set up so I can reply to you.
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text:
The International Cross-Cultural Seminar is a two-week encounter in a Latin American, Middle Eastern, African, Asian, or Eastern European setting, intended to generate an appreciation of social, political, economic, and ecclesial otherness within MDiv students.
The Cross-Cultural Seminar begins the semester before the trip with preparatory meetings. After the trip there is a retreat for reflection, a debriefing, and a presentation to the Seminary community. The Seminary Dean selects the destinations.
Cross-Cultural Destinations
Mexico – 2018, 2015
Kenya – 2017
Haiti/Dominican Republic - 2016
Israel/Palestine – 2014, 2010
Egypt – 2013, 2009
Caribbean - 2012
India – 2011, 2008, 2004
Thailand - 2011
South Africa -2008, 2002
Central America - 2007
Turkey & Lebanon - 2006
Ghana - 2005
Cuba - 2003
Students are required to expose themselves to and reflect upon social and economic otherness; national and cultural otherness; racial and ethnic otherness; ideological otherness; ecclesiastical otherness. Such experience and reflection include what otherness means personally and vocationally, and also for the church, its nature, vocation, and ministry.
The International Cross-Cultural Seminar is open to students at the 200-level of the MDiv program (after the 2nd year for those in the weekday program and after 3 years for weekend students). Travel expenses (hotel, meals, and transportation) are included in the MDiv tuition.
Exceptions and alternatives to the International Cross-Cultural Seminar can be found in the Student Handbook. Click here for the information


text:
Beech Grove is a community of 60 bungalows, a flat and communal facilities set in a residential estate around a mile from the town centre.
Beech Grove provides 54 1-bedroom and six 2-bedroom bungalows, plus a 2-bedroom flat, located on Jubilee Cresent, Keddington Crescent and Beech Grove. All properties are unfurnished and fully self-contained with their own bathroom, kitchen and lounge. Around half of the bungalows have wet rooms while the rest, including the flat, have showers over a bath.
The properties all have central heating and are fitted with an emergency alarm system to summon help in an emergency.
We have a community centre on site with a communal lounge and laundry, surrounded by attractive gardens. We also have a guest suite where visiting friends or relatives can stay overnight.
Local shops and a post office are close by, and there is a regular bus service for travel around the surrounding area.
The Residents Association organises regular activities including a weekly lunch club, coffee mornings and sales, bingo and barbecues. There's also lots going on at the local community and leisure centres.
Our scheme manager is on site from 9am to 4pm every day from Monday to Friday. Emergency assistance is available 24 hours a day through the central control alarm system.
Louth LN11 0BN
Call our contact centre on 0345 600 6055 for more information or to apply


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text:
Former famous person Tara Reid partied the night away in St. Tropez yesteday ... kissing men, women and even geriatric former astronauts.
Included in the 34-year-old "The Crow: Wicked Prayer" star's suckfest were some random chicks, her ex-fiance Michael Axtmann (lower left) and 80-year-old Apollo 11 moon walker Buzz Aldrin (center).
Houston, we clearly have a problem.
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text:
- Get Parts
About the John Deere 870
The John Deere 870 Tractor was manufactured between 1989 and 1998. Sold initially at a price of $14,000 (1998), the John Deere 870 Tractor had a few price variations, so if you got it for less, you found a great deal! We have all the parts you need for your John Deere 870 Tractor to keep it running. Be sure to look for any serial number comments in the part fit notes. In some cases, the John Deere 870 Tractor parts you need depend on your serial number. You can find the serial number on the rear of tractor, below PTO. Serial numbers include 1001 from 1989 models, 1626 (gear) from 1990, 2746 (synchro) from 1990, 100001 from 1991, 110001 from 1992, 120001 from 1993, 130001 from 1994, 140001 from 1995, 150001 from 1996, 160001 from 1997, 170001 from 1998. Some John Deere 870 Tractors have a 4x2 2WD chassis, but there are also some with a 4x4 MFWD 4WD (optional), hydrostatic power (with synchro) chassis, all equipped with manual steering. They also have differential wet disc brakes. The type I 3-point hitch is very reliable. It is used with a position control. It is also worth noting that the live (two-stage clutch) rear PTO runs at 540 rpms. The John Deere 870 has an open center hydraulics system with a 5.5 gal [20.8 L] capacity. The pump does the job pushing 8.1 gpm [30.7 lpm] fluids in the hydraulics system.
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text:
Sunday brunch, that deliriously American blend of calories and leisure, has been elevated to an art form at two of O.C.'s better restaurants.
Ramos House Cafe, tucked behind San Juan Capistrano's Amtrak depot, has a brick patio graced by a mulberry tree, a huge cactus and rustic wrought iron furniture. On a quiet Sunday morning, there's no more pleasant spot for miles.
Having impressed diners for years with his New American salads and sandwiches here, chef-owner John Humphries has begun expanding his culinary horizons. He's instituted monthly wine dinners, and recently he kicked off a lavish prix-fixe Sunday brunch.
Probably the first thing you'll encounter at brunch is his baking powder biscuits with fragrant apple butter. I always get in trouble with them; they're so rich and flaky they don't need dairy butter. Be warned. Eat more than one and you may not have room for much else.


text:
US$4.1 billion pledged to address global environmental issues at GEF
Friday, 2018-06-29 12:47:50
NDO - Twenty-nine countries pledged a total financial package of US$4.1 billion to fund a number of projects over the next four years to deal with global environmental issues.
The pledges were made at the 6th Global Environment Facility (GEF-6) which wrapped up in Da Nang on June 28.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in coordination with the GEF Secretariat held a closing ceremony for the GEF-6 in the central city after two days of working.
Senior leaders, international organisations, and representative from environmental agencies of more than 180 countries worldwide gathered at the event to discuss world environmental issues for the next four-year term of the GEF.
Emerging problems such as ocean borne plastic waste, biodiversity loss, and climate change were notable issues discussed at the event.
The GEF-6 also reached important agreements on solutions to global environmental issues including the transformation of key economic systems; the conversion of food and land use systems; the transformation of energy system to switch to a circular economy, among others.
Axel van Trotsenburg, World Bank Vice President, Development Finance, and co-chair of the replenishment meeting said that the endorsement of a US$4.1 billion financial support package for the next four years expressed a strong vote of confidence of the international community in GEF.
The renewed fund will help GEF to continue its important role as an impact investor in environmental programmes around the globe, the WB official noted.