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01-18-2012 #1
Rusty Spinner we need a dam buster
The issue (if you can wade through the fecal material):
Board Message
The dam/damn owners:
1 Crystal Lake Beach Club, Oakland, NJ
I'm not sure, but you may have to join the forum to read at the first link.
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01-18-2012 #2
Re: Rusty Spinner we need a dam buster
Scratch that, I only got through the initial registration. A person/site admin needs to allow me access before I have permissions to view and to post. I'll circle back later, but I do see the thread in question (I just just can't open it yet).
A sinking fly is closer to Hell - Unknown
01-18-2012 #3
01-18-2012 #4
Re: Rusty Spinner we need a dam buster
Dam/damn, that dirty little trick worked to perfection. He got me, hook line and lead-free sinker
---------- Post added at 06:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:52 PM ----------
Pete - I wish you the best with this issue and you know you can always lean on me for info or help. I would say that 99% of the time in the end, the lake associations find a way to fund rehabilitation of their dams.
A sinking fly is closer to Hell - Unknown
01-19-2012 #5
Re: Rusty Spinner we need a dam buster
I was hoping to hear some TNT explode last night, and wake up to find the dam gone, and you with a bunch of boy scouts planting trees along the new stream bed.
I guess that's not going to happen....
Seriously, your input helped explain an alternative that no one had really considered, much better than I could.
Thanks again.
There's a meeting next Thursday night, at the middle school, where the lake association, is going to explain how they're going to make everyone in the general area pay to repair and maintain the dam.
It runs past my "bedtime", but I hope to stay long enough to find out what's going on, (before I say something that gets me thrown out). I'll know more then.
01-19-2012 #6
Re: Rusty Spinner we need a dam buster
Happy to help, Pete. As I said on that forum, this is common with weak lake associations who do not plan for dam maintenance. Sorry you have to deal with it. Been there, done that (twice).
A sinking fly is closer to Hell - Unknown
01-27-2012 #7
Re: Rusty Spinner we need a dam buster
I had to leave the "informational meeting" around 8:00 PM.
When I left the crowd was getting pretty angry.
The idea of breaching the dams was getting pretty popular. Turns out there are two Dams. Nearby Mirror Lake is also managed by the Lake association. It lies on a small tributary to the brook that feeds Crystal Lake. This brook actually has a chance to become a TP stream, but it's too small to support much of a fishery.
The association's Lawyer was blowing smoke about how we "should have known" what we were getting into. (some vague references buried in deeds and title searches). I appears she wants us to believe that every home buyer, since the '60s, was stupid, and all the lawyers that handled closings were negligent.
Dollar amounts of the proposed levy had not been mentioned.
In hindsight there's one thing I wish I'd said before I had to leave.
Their lawyer mentioned that dam removal costs would be in the same order of magnitude, as repairs.
I wish I'd pointed out that dam removal & stream remediation are a ONE TIME cost, but dam & lake maintenance lasts FOREVER!
There were at least three Borough Council members (maybe four) on the victim list, two of them were threatening lawsuits. One of these was quite outspoken about it.
I'm watching another forum to see if anyone reports what happened after I had to leave.
01-27-2012 #8
Re: Rusty Spinner we need a dam buster
So typical of when lawyers get involved. This one sounds like a real mess. Your thoughts after the mtg. were dead on, rehabilitation and liability costs are always in the picture if you own a dam. Remove it and both are gone for good.
Come to the Somerset Show tomorrow, have a beer or three with the motley cast of NEFF characters I met today, and forget about it for awhile.
A sinking fly is closer to Hell - Unknown
The Following User Says Thank You to Rusty Spinner For This Useful Post:
Pete (01-28-2012)
01-27-2012 #9
Re: Rusty Spinner we need a dam buster
Hopefully this dam removal in Milford won't go as bad!
Milford eyes cheaper plan for dam removal | NJ.com
---------- Post added at 07:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:30 PM ----------
....or this one on the Raritan. Interesting comments at the end of the article....
Fish will benefit from dam removal on the Raritan River, paid for by past owner of Tenneco plant in Raritan Twp. | NJ.com
01-27-2012 #10
Re: Rusty Spinner we need a dam buster
I'm working with both the town council and many citizens in Milford to not only see the town owned dam removed, but the stream restored through that town. Lots of good people are coming together to help. As for the Raritan dams, one has been removed and 2 more are slated to be removed under this settlement. NJ led all states in 2011 with dam removals with 11. Four of them on the Musky alone!
A sinking fly is closer to Hell - Unknown
The Following User Says Thank You to Rusty Spinner For This Useful Post:
quality time (01-31-2012)
02-02-2012 #11
Re: Rusty Spinner we need a dam buster
02-02-2012 #12
Re: Rusty Spinner we need a dam buster
Pete - interesting read. At least the worst case scenario is less than $400 assessment which everyone will be able to come up with although that certainly is not the point. If my deed did not list the fact that I was buying a share in the association, I would sue my deed preparer. Because there is so little in funding being asked of each homeowner, I doubt this will lead to massive lawsuits, but if it were in the thousands of dollars each I bet it would be a huge mess!
As for the guy trying to scare everyone by telling them a drained lake would be a messy swamp, tell him you know a guy that gets native trees and shrubs planted along streams from time to time
A sinking fly is closer to Hell - Unknown
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Rusty Spinner For This Useful Post:
Pete (02-03-2012), quality time (02-02-2012)
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I just blasted through this book in three days -- so good.
This coat would be perfect for spring
Etsy faves: This mermaid print, this bucket bag, these dainty earrings, and this kitty tote
These sunglasses would be perfect for Valentine's Day (+ a cute card and my favorite candle)
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This fruity sweater is so cute!
A 28 day creative project... project
Chris gave me this tiger's eye perfume for my birthday and I'm in loooove
The most popular reader comments on the New York Times
Asos is having a big sale! love this mint biker jacket and these classic booties
Would you match your hair to a Picasso?
I'm good with what I've got

subset: commoncrawl


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I hope you are all finding your Happy Holiday moods. Red velvet cake anyone? Mini hugs!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Have yourself a mini little Christmas...
I hope you are all finding your Happy Holiday moods. Red velvet cake anyone? Mini hugs!
21 comments:
- Marta said...
Amazing! It all looks so tasty ^^
See you!
- November 30, 2009 at 11:29 AM
- Marsha (Sassy Mini Dolls) said...
Delicious! I need to make a red velvet cake for Richard for his birthday.
Love the pastel Christmas cookies!!!!
- November 30, 2009 at 11:46 AM
- Debbie said...
Looks lovely Kim. Could do with a large slice of cake..xx
- November 30, 2009 at 11:55 AM
- Linda Carswell said...
It all looks fabulous....and the little christmas tree cookies are to die for.....BEAUTIFUL!!!
- November 30, 2009 at 12:20 PM
- Arantxa said...
uuhhh,it's delicious!!!
And the tree cookies are great!
- November 30, 2009 at 12:47 PM
- Patricia Cabrera said...
so perfect and so real, yum!*grin*
- November 30, 2009 at 1:02 PM
- rosanna said...
The tree cookies are simply wonderful and the red cake looks so yummy. It's not Christmas here yet. We'll make up the tree next week and may be we'll enter the right mood. Hugs Rosanna
- November 30, 2009 at 1:07 PM
- Christel Jensen said...
Would love a slice of the velvet cake Kim. Dieting when looking at these pictures are never a good idea. Lovely cookies too:)
- November 30, 2009 at 2:01 PM
- linsminis said...
mmm...yes please Kim! I've never had red velvet cake & yours looks so real! Mini hugs, Linda
- November 30, 2009 at 2:04 PM
A big bottle of Bailey's does for a mood! That or a teenager that thinks they know everything already. There's a mood too. I like your Christmas minis Kim:) I will need to purchase a wonderful pastry from you soon! Love your style!
Cathy McGhee
- November 30, 2009 at 4:34 PM
- dale said...
I've always wanted to try red velvet cake.
I love the pastel cookies, they're very sweet looking. :)
- November 30, 2009 at 4:58 PM
- Liberty Biberty said...
Oh! Kim those little cookies are the cutest!
Think I'll go look for a Christmas smelling candle tomorrow.
- December 1, 2009 at 1:12 AM
- Tiny Delights said...
I always say I love your work. But it's true:) You always do everything with a look so romantic, so beautiful, so tasty.
I love this Velvet Cake.
- December 1, 2009 at 6:46 AM
- PetitPlat Food Art said...
hmm sounds like a wonderful day :)
Gorgeous mini bakin!
- December 1, 2009 at 9:46 AM
- Whittaker's Miniatures said...
Such beautiful festive goodies Kim, wish i could come over to you for Christmas treats, bet you make the best hostess!! Katexx
- December 1, 2009 at 10:42 AM
- Angela Schiavone said...
Kim, I am such a huge fan of your work!! I'm so lucky to have a few of your desserts. Still, every time I see another creation, I want to buy more! You have wonderful, wonderful work.
- December 1, 2009 at 6:05 PM
- kimsminiatures said...
Thanks so much!
- December 1, 2009 at 8:11 PM
- Lize said...
I do not have any of your creations... yet. And you know the old saying 'good enough to eat'? Afraid, yours, even if it was real, it would have been enough just to stare at it... it is TOO GOOD to eat!
- December 2, 2009 at 5:13 AM
- Alexa said...
I already commented on Flickr, but these are just so cute I must comment again!
Wonderful, wonderful work! You and your minis amaze me!
- December 5, 2009 at 2:36 PM
- kimsminiatures said...
Thanks so much. I really enjoy everyones comments so much ♥
- December 5, 2009 at 3:44 PM
- Agnes Sim said...
awesome work here!! It's amazing!!
- December 15, 2009 at 12:39 AM


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Sara and Mike Perfetti


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Mars is there, waiting to be reached.
— Buzz Aldrin
June 11, 2094
But at battered New Moscow, those allowed to two from the highest levels mapped the real love jungles of Antarctica.
Four extremist Martian cells. The Moderns of the Kremlin tried the forces in a common law.
They lost no time but couldn't shut out things.
Martian Liberation Front formerly owned by Al Aswad's enigmatic partner threw themselves on the cold trail commander.
Todd swore on her life & her loved one's four terrorist groups visit her in Irish orbit. Sophisticated love of her life there who died hideously.
She made and lost fortunes & helped a dying half German baroness mothering a beautiful half-caste.
Encounters she'd won in a game of craps. Then she'd fallen out with her powerful friend – the Selenite known to her True Family as Al Aswad – & arrived on Mars bankrupt.
Scenes from MGM's Forbidden Planet (1956),
first entirely electronic film score in movie history (by Louis & Bebe Barron).
Peter Bies © 2011


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I went to a very fast birth recently! Mom called me to tell me she was in labor, an hour later to say they were going to the hospital. I didn't believe from the tone of her voice that she was really so far along (although I just said, "Sounds good, see you there.")
I arrived at the hospital thinking she might be 4-5 cms, max. But when I walked into her room they said "You're just in time!" I said, "Just in time for what?" "For her to have the baby!" Yep, she walked in at 10 centimeters and pushed the baby out about 45 minutes later. Until she was checked she fooled just about everybody about how far along she was, including her husband and the midwife - everyone was shocked by how far along she was. Fortunately mom tuned into her own body and ignored the rest of us!
Because she walked in ready to go, and didn't want drugs anyway, mom really got absolutely nothing - no IV, no injections, nada. She just sat down on the bed and pushed her baby out. And after days of rounding with the LCs on a floor full of post-epidural babies, it was so striking to see a baby from a totally unmedicated labor! This baby was so alert from the beginning - eyes open, looking around - and latched on and nursed beautifully within half an hour. When I went in the next day it was the same story - awake, perfect latch, nursing frequently and effectively. This on a floor full of babies with bad latches, breast refusal, ineffective suck.
Birth practices affect breastfeeding. It just gets brought home to me over and over. The LCs all know it. They dislike epidurals and other interventions not in any holier-than-thou, you're-a-worse-mom way. One LC needed to have all her babies by c-section. But just like the others, she sighs in frustration over how all those meds are affecting the babies that she's trying to get onto the breast.
We so rarely see a baby who has experienced a physiologic birth, we forget what it looks like. This mom went into labor on her own, got zero meds, followed her body's urges to push (very minimal coaching), and when baby emerged it went straight to mom. Her placenta came out quickly, her uterus firmed up nicely, she began nursing, the end. Nobody did anything to speed her up or slow her down, and she moved and positioned herself however she wanted. Her body just did its thing. That's a physiologic birth! As a doula, I'm fortunate to attend more than my share. As an LC-in-training, I'm lucky to see them at all. All these nursing problems begin to seem normal...but they're not, or at least they don't have to be.
I don't want to sound all super crunchy, "Sure you can have your precious epidural...IF YOU NEVER WANT YOUR BABY TO BREASTFEED." Can you have an epidural and breastfeed successfully? OF COURSE! Can you have an physiologic birth and have feeding issues? Sadly, yes! I'm not talking here about individual choices - many birth-related feeding problems are transient and a determined mom can easily surmount them. But I'm speaking here from a public health standpoint. Not all moms are determined, or have the resources to draw on to overcome those problems. By messing with breastfeeding in any way, we tip more and more of those moms-on-the-edge right over it. And we're messing with breastfeeding big time via birth. Too many women see the fussy sleepy baby and/or the latch issues, and they just decide "This is not for me". Either we have to do something about how we provide pain relief for those who want it, or how we prepare and support moms who have high-intervention births.
A good first start, from what I've seen, is to make sure moms get two full days in the hospital with lots of LC (or other trained staff) assistance - instead of the hospital hustling them out the door. It's hard to fix or even wait out birth-related breastfeeding problems in just 24-36 hours. Yet all these moms are being whisked out the door because hospitals get paid the same for your postpartum care, whether you stay 1 day or 2 days. And of course there aren't enough LCs to give the intensive support some moms need. Sigh.
Doula, master's of public health graduate, new IBCLC, and feminist. I'm reflecting on my studies, reflecting on other people's studies, posting news, telling stories, and inviting discussion on reproductive health from birth control to birth to bra fitting.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Physiologic birth and breastfeeding
Labels: birth, breastfeeding, epidural, ibclc
2 comments:
- Jamie said...
I see the same thing with my doula clients. Those natural born babies know just what they're doing.
- October 3, 2009 at 3:31 PM
- Sheridan said...
I just attended my CAPPA Lactation Educator Training and we talked about this a lot! I think it is important for moms to know it can play a big role in success. It might encourage more moms to research natural birth!
Of course we need to get OBs, hospitals and nurses on board too and better support the moms who want tha.
- October 9, 2009 at 8:09 PM
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|Surprise sales are the best kind of sales! Come check out the sale of the day!
|Shoes? Clothes? Funky jewelry? We've got it all and you can get the best deals on it now through January 9th.
The holidays have come & gone and we've just begun a wonderful new year full of happiness and surprises. What better way to celebrate than by stopping by Arcadia for our annual Holiday Hangover Sale? Speaking of surprises, each day of the one week sale we will be having a surprise sale! What's the catch, you ask? No catch, all you have to do is follow us on Facebook and Instagram to find out what the sale of the day is. Or you can take a chance & come in to the store to be pleasantly surprised.
Hoping your year is full of health, happiness, love, chocolate, and style!
Happy New Year, here's to 2014 & how wonderful of a year it will be for us all.
Hope to see you soon!
-The Arcadia Team


text:
As football (soccer) approaches the medals round in Rio 2016, Arthritis Olympic Village wants to share some tips on how to prevent injuries and build muscles in this sport. The first component is to observe your form while you warm up. It will help to record yourself warming up, such as jogging for a couple of meters.
Sports Without Injury suggest you observe the following:
- Watch to make sure your hip, knee and ankle are in a straight line.
- Don't let your knee cave in or your feet whip out to the side.
- Don't let your toes point toward each other.
- You may also want to learn to strike the ground with the front of your foot, but it's important to build up your calf strength first.
- Shuffle sideways and run backwards and observe how you bend at the knees and hips
In the video above, former U.S. national midfielder Cobi Jones demonstrates proper backward and forward running form.
It is important for a football player to develop muscle strength in their quadriceps, hamstrings, hip muscles, gluteus and core muscles. These muscle groups will help protect your knees, ankles, groins, feet, calves, shins, Achilles tendons and everything below the waist.
Sports without Injury provide a good example of exercises you can do in the respective muscle.
- Hamstrings – This exercise, called the Nordic (or Russian) hamstring exercise not only strengthens the hamstrings, it strengthens their ability to do the eccentric contractions they make to balance the concentric contractions the quadriceps make.
- Core – An advantage of these core-building exercises is that they strengthen the muscles in the trunk without stressing the lower back.
- Hips – Hips move in multiple directions, and these exercises capture most of them.
Doing muscle strengthening exercises two or three times a week will make physical activity easier and more enjoyable. Please note not all of the above exercises may be suitable for someone living with arthritis. Always consult your doctor before starting a new exercise treatment plan.


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But seriously, lately, I'm sew crazy. (No, I didn't mean "so crazy", I really meant sew this time!) I have all these projects running through my brain, I get scared I won't remember them, so I take screenshots of them on my comp and jot down ideas and sketches of how to execute the idea... I got really carried away lately and spent over $200 in fabric and accessories... add a $150 rando sewing machine I bought to go through with all the ideas! That's a lot of money invested in a craft I've never done before... I was just determined to do, I didn't think about the practicalness at the time- but when do I ever? I knew my step-mom is a sewing pro, so I was going to learn from her... Only it ended up me just telling her my ideas and having her do them. I am ashamed to say I didn't learn a thing... I WILL THOUGH! One of these days, I will abandon my fabric glueing ways and teach myself a thing or too on those intimidating machines...
|goodness gracious
|2nd trip. oh my.
My Ideas:
Problem: Big dog + Small Apt = UGLY huge dog beds in camo print, forest green, or brown. Not enough room in my house to hide the ugly beds anywhere...
Solution: CUTE dog beds that can be shown off as ACCENT pieces in my house!
I know some places sell cute dog beds, but they're mostly for poodles and small teacup pups, and almost too frou-frou and cheesy to even consider bringing home. I have seen amazing fabric that I've thought to myself, 'I wish I could make that a dog bed'. I guess the generalization is most big dog owners are men, and most men like camo and dark neutral colors... WRONG!
Honestly, my biggest thing is, I wish I could make dog beds to match the flow of the house, like customizable. It's been an idea I've had for a long time now, and I guess I'm just now getting to it. I feel like I just have too many ideas, but I felt like I should start this one before I regret it. My dream is to have people email me pictures of their rooms/house and for me to email them back fabric swatches and work together to create the perfect, customized bed for their furry child. Almost like they created it, I just helped make it possible.
Don't make fun of me, but when I had the idea I decided to get it written down so I could make myself work on it. I even came up with my company name: Couture Bandit. Of course, Bandit had to make his way into the company's name. I even had 2 logos done. I'm working on my 3rd now... Just playing with ideas. My long time friend, Kat Wong, designs most of my last minute "ideas" and helps me bring my ideas to life. She is SO great to work with and I love sputtering my ideas and having exactly what I had in mind in my inbox later that night. She's Uh-Maze-Ing!
|Logo #1
|Logo #2
|Logo 3...
|Organic Dog Treats I Baked!
|Bandit, my model, exhausted. haha
|Our Dad, Showing Off
This is roughly what the first dog bed "prototype" looks like!
|The Finished Product. A dog bed that has my name all over it- One I won't want to hide!
I'm so excited about this!! I will keep everyone posted :)


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As important as it is to publish your music - to take advantage of licensing and royalties - there is one invariable truth that must be discussed: strong songwriting is the first and most important step to success as a songwriter in the music industry. No matter what actions you take to try to place your songs in all of the best opportunities presented to you, your success will ultimately boil down to the songwriting each and every time.
With the growth of a social-focused internet and an increasingly digital-focused music industry has come the advent of unlimited access to music that could be the right fit for any sort of placement. This means that for songwriters, the competition is now stronger than ever before to land lucrative placement deals. So how can you stay ahead of the competition - or at least remain competitive?
The answer is simply to make sure your songwriting is as good as it can be at all times. So, let's discuss some simple, cost-effective and time effective ways to improve your songwriting below:
1. Learn the basics
This is really the first and most obvious place to start when trying to improve your songwriting. There is no question that having a strong understanding of even the most basic principles of song form, chord structure, melodies and harmonies will help you to identify ways to improve your songs. You'll be amazed how quickly a melody can be transformed from bland into brilliant with a simple few note changes - getting there is as simple as understanding the chords you are working with and how notes both in and out of the chords can be interchanged to create interesting sounds.
2. Read lyrics
Everyone has a favorite band, songwriter or even lyricist that can be used as a source of inspiration for creating new songs. So a very simple way to improve your own songwriting is to take some time and actually read through the lyrics of your favorite lyricists and songwriters to try to determine common themes, trends and characteristics that make them your favorites. By figuring this out, you can then try to adopt these themes, trends and characteristics into your own lyrics writing style.
3. Learn cover songs
Just like reading lyrics as mentioned above, learning cover songs of your favorite artists can help you to determine the common themes, trends and characteristics of the song forms, melodies and harmonies that just seem to work so well. Learning one new song a week will give you a whole new appreciation for what makes your favorite songs... well, your favorite!
4. Write one new song every day for a week
This may be the most time-intense idea to improve your songwriting, but there is no question that it could be one of the most effective. The idea here is that practice makes perfect. By writing one new song every day, you are forcing yourself to hone your craft. While some of these songs, or even all of these songs may come out as unusable, it is still worth your time; this is more about the exercise of just doing it, just creating songs and honing your skills, than it is to create the perfect song every time.
5. Brainstorm new topics
Maybe your lyrics or song form don't actually need improving, but rather you just need to work on updating the topics of your songs to avoid your ideas becoming stale and overused. A simple way to do this is to keep a spreadsheet or notebook filled with basic topic ideas. These can be one word, or maybe there is a fully-fledged out story that you've written across a few pages that you'd like to turn into a song. Either case will help you! No matter how good a song may sound, if the topics are stale, the songs will feel stale too.
6. Collaborate with others
Every songwriter takes a different approach to their craft. A great way for you to improve upon your songwriting is to take some time to collaborate with others. Not only can working with another songwriter help you to overcome obstacles in your own individual songs - can't figure out a chorus? This can help! - but working directly with someone with a different approach to songwriting can be a way for you to hone your overall craft by learning new strategies and techniques.
7. Join local songwriting circles
Don't keep your songs to yourself! Join local songwriting circles and present your work to other songwriters who may be able to provide you with the right feedback to take your works to the next level. There are songwriting circles that happen all over the world, so do a quick Google search and local circle that you can attend. This can be one of the most effective ways to grow as a songwriter; it takes the ideas above like collaborating with others and brainstorming new topics and creates one incredible songwriting skill-building opportunity. If you are serious about your songwriting, this is a must!
How do you improve upon your songwriting?
As we've discussed, every songwriters approach to music is different, so honing in skills can be done in many different ways as well. So please contribute to the discussion by adding one or a few ways that you hone your skills as a songwriting in the comments section below.


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By Mark Preston
CNN Political Editor
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Democrats began the 2006 election cycle hoping to capitalize on Americans' discontent with the Iraq war. Heading into Election Day, the minority party continued to play on this dissatisfaction.
Many analysts predict Democrats will take back control of the House for the first time since the GOP charged into office following the 1994 Republican revolution. Across the Capitol, the GOP has better odds this year of retaining a majority in the Senate.
"There are no signs that the wave is ebbing," Amy Walter, senior editor of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, said of the sweeping changes she predicts will occur in the House on Tuesday. "The reality is, the list of vulnerable Republican seats continues to grow."
A CNN poll of likely voters released on October 30 showed 53 percent of Americans favoring a generic Democratic candidate in the election, while 42 percent prefer a Republican. The poll was conducted for CNN by Opinion Research Corp.
Republicans, however, dismiss such polls, arguing the midterm elections will be about two main themes: Fighting the war on terror and local issues. Democrats, by contrast, maintain that Tuesday will be a national referendum on President Bush, his stewardship of the country and his execution of the Iraq war.
War could tip balance
Poll believers, meanwhile, say Iraq appears to be the single-most important issue that could tip the balance of congressional power in favor of Democrats.
The CNN poll shows only 38 percent of Americans favor the Iraq war, while 59 percent oppose it. And Bush's handling of it has come into question. His approval rating is 37 percent, according to the same poll.
"The burden on the Republican Party now is to somehow change the national discussion away from Iraq and the president's shortcomings and over to the war against terrorism," said Stuart Rothenberg, publisher of the nonpartisan Rothenberg Political Report.
It has been a difficult year for Republican candidates, who have had to campaign against a backdrop of Iraq, an unpopular president, the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal and the resignation of four GOP House members.
Rep. Bob Ney of Ohio and Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham of California will be trading in their House seats for prison cells. Former Rep. Tom DeLay of Texas is fighting charges that he broke Texas campaign finance laws. And Florida Rep. Mark Foley left office after it was revealed he engaged in sexually charged electronic communication with teenage House pages. Foley is now in treatment for alcoholism.
Turnout is the key
Heading into Election Day, the federal investigations continue, but they are not exclusive to one party. Federal authorities are probing the official actions of another Republican, Rep. Curt Weldon of Pennsylvania. And a Democrat, Rep. William Jefferson of Louisiana, is under investigation for bribery.
Weldon and Jefferson are in danger of losing re-election. Weldon could fall to a Democrat, giving Democrats a pick-up. If Jefferson loses, it too would likely be to a Democrat and not cost his party a seat.
Ultimately, a win or a loss Tuesday comes down to one thing: turnout. Both political parties claim they have a motivated base that will show up at the polls. Who was right will be clear come Wednesday.
Quiz: Your political platform
Quick Job Search


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When I was little, I called them "director pants." Just throwing that out there :)
In short, jodhpur pants start in India and trickle on down to western sportswear and uniforms. They are primarily riding pants, but are seen worn as general sportswear through the early 20th century. Much like the riding habits of the 18th century, which weren't necessarily worn only for riding. Jodhs also are seen in uniforms. Aviators, motorcycle police, Dudley Do-Right, directors...
For a really detailed look at their history, check out this great article by V is for Vintage. It's full of lots of awesome pictures, too.
My pants, however, I do believe were actual riding pants. The seams are felled, and the crotch has an interesting patch that covers where the seams cross, which would make them more comfortable when in the saddle. They are also made of whipcord, a durable twill weave often seen in vintage equestrian clothing.
So, on to the pants...
Fun fact. These breeches were for riding astride, as opposed to side saddle. Breeches for side saddle riding have buttons on the outside calf of one leg, and inside the other, so they do not chafe as your outer calf rests against the saddle.
The leather knee patches help the rider two ways. They add grip and cushion your leg from the seam.
There is a crotch gusset, directed toward the rear seat, that I'm assuming adds some ease.
The waistband is interfaced with a woven material that feels like a cotton netting. By the way, I'm pretty darn sure these were home made. The stitches are a bit on the messy side, but who knows. Also, just a point of interest, the side seams were taken in at some point. I love to see alterations on old garments.
Inside out, you can see the crotch patch. Not too pretty, but I would want to sit on those seams either!
I love the waistband closure!
Unfortunately, these are too roomy in the waist for me, but when I get the time, I plan to draft a pattern from them. I love vintage sportswear.
Have a wonderful Thursday, everyone!


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2009–10 Malmö shootings
|2009–10 Malmö shootings
|Malmö, Sweden
|December 2009–October 2010
|People with dark skin and non-Swedish appearance[1][2]
Attack type
Non-fatal injuries
|Peter Mangs
The Malmö shootings were a string of attacks by serial shooter, right wing extremist[3] lone wolf terrorist[4] Peter Mangs in the southern Swedish city of Malmö between December 2009 and October 2010. The shooter apparently targeted people with dark skin and non-Swedish appearance. As of 23 October 2010, as many as 15 shootings were linked to the same suspect, whom the police had not been able to identify.[1][2]
The attacks, carried out with a 9mm Glock 19 handgun, started as early as in December 2009. At the same time, the fatal shooting of a 20-year-old woman in October 2009 has also been linked to the same perpetrator.[5] The woman was the only ethnically Swedish victim,[6] who was in the company of a friend of immigrant origin.[7] This murder has been linked to the other shootings through forensic evidence, showing that the weapon used was the same gun as the one used in several of the other attacks.[6]
The attacks soon spread fear among the substantial immigrant population of Malmö. "Many people are frightened at the moment", said Tahmoures Yassami, the leader of the Iranian-Swedish Association in Malmö, "especially families who have children."[8] The local police warned against panic, pointing out that the risk for any individual of being shot was very low.[9] At the same time, they cautioned people of ethnic minorities to avoid secluded areas after dark, which was when the attacks had been taking place.[10]
The shooter was compared to the likes of John Ausonius, dubbed the "Laser man", who committed similar crimes in 1991–92, targeting eleven men of immigrant origin in the Stockholm and Uppsala area, killing one.[9][2]
On 6 November 2010, Swedish police announced that they had arrested a man they suspected was the shooter.[11] According to Malmö police he was under suspicion of one murder and seven murder attempts.[12] The man arrested was a 38-year-old Swedish man, Peter Mangs.[13] He expressed strong anti-immigrant sentiments and admiration for John Ausonius.[14] Just like Ausonius, Mangs had an immigrant background himself via a father born in Närpes, Finland.[15] Mangs professed to feel alienated and frustrated with society. His lawyers argued that he suffered from Asperger syndrome.[16] Mangs suspected that he had the disorder since at least 2005, when he joined an association for people with Asperger syndrome, and was formally diagnosed in May 2009.[17] He had a very high score of 19 on the Autistic Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS).[18]
Mangs was found guilty on two counts of murder and four counts of attempted murder, and given a life sentence.[19] The Scania and Blekinge Court of Appeal denied an attempt by Mangs to overturn his sentence, convicting him of an additional three attempted murders, on April 25, 2013.[20] A further request for appeal was denied by the Supreme Court in June of the same year.[21]
List of suspected shootings[edit]
The following shootings have been connected to the same suspect:[22][23][24][25]
- 2003 - Mangs shot dead an Iranian man in his apartment.[19]
- 10 October 2009 – 20-year-old Trez West Persson is shot and killed while sitting in a car in Västra Skrävlinge Kyrkoväg, near Malmö Mosque. Her 21-year-old friend, who is dark-skinned, is seriously injured.
- 23 October 2009 – Several shots are fired against an apartment in Hyacintgatan.
- 31 December 2009 – Shots are fired against the Malmö Mosque on Jägersrovägen. No one is hit, but an imam is injured in the neck by broken glass.
- 25 January 2010 – A 17-year-old boy is shot in the chest and a 36-year-old man in the leg outside a store in Rasmusgatan. Police suspect the 17-year-old was the target, while the 36-year-old was shot by accident.
- 12 March 2010 – Shots are fired against a house in Hårds väg. The target is probably the 22-year-old who escaped the attack on 10 October.
- 16 March 2010 – A 21-year-old and a 22-year-old are attacked at close range while sitting in a car in Professorsgatan. The 22-year-old is hit several times, while the 21-year-old escapes unscathed.
- 19 June 2010 – Three African men are shot at while exiting a taxi in Regementsgatan. One is hit, but receives only a burn wound.
- 26 June 2010 – A 30-year-old man is shot through the window of a gym in Vendelfridsgatan. He is hit twice in the back.
- 27 June 2010 – Only 40 minutes after the previous shooting, a 29-year-old is shot in the shoulder while sitting in a car in Munkhättegatan.
- 24 August 2010 – A fast food restaurant in Köpenhamnsvägen is shot at. The bullet goes straight through the building and hits a car at the other side, but no one is hit. The owner claims to have seen a laser light immediately before the shot was fired.
- 25 September 2010 – A 31-year-old man receives a flesh wound to the head when he is shot outside of the university hospital.
- 10 October 2010 – A 47-year-old man is shot in the stomach at the bus stop by the intersection of Lönngatan and Norra Grängesbergsgatan. The bullet goes through his body, the injuries were serious.
- 19 October 2010 – In an incident similar to the one of 10 October, a 28-year-old man is shot in the back at close range while waiting for the bus by Eriksfältsgatan. The bullet pierces the victim's lung, leaving serious damage.
- 21 October 2010 – A 16-year-old boy is fired at by Hermodalstorget, but he is not hit.
- 21 October 2010 – On the same night, two women are shot through a window in Kroksbäck.
- ^ a b Nyberg, Per (23 October 2010). "Swedish police hunt serial shooter". CNN. Retrieved 24 October 2010.
- ^ a b c "Swedish police link 'racist' shootings to lone gunman". BBC News. 22 October 2010. Retrieved 24 October 2010.
- ^ "Mangs är en högerextrem terrorist". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Retrieved 2018-09-24.
- ^ Gardell, Mattias (2018-04-09). "Urban Terror: The Case of Lone Wolf Peter Mangs". Terrorism and Political Violence. 30 (5): 793–811. doi:10.1080/09546553.2018.1444796. ISSN 0954-6553.
- ^ "Swedish city on edge in shooting spree". MSNBC. 22 October 2010. Retrieved 24 October 2010.
- ^ a b Johansen, Anders Holth (24 October 2010). "Hun var den nye lasermannens første offer". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). Retrieved 24 October 2010.
- ^ Ohlsson, Per-Ola (24 October 2010). "Xhafer, 22, var med när Trez sköts ihjäl". Expressen (in Swedish). Retrieved 24 October 2010.
- ^ Adetunji, Jo (22 October 2010). "Swedish police hunt gunman targeting immigrants". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 October 2010.
- ^ a b "Swedish police hunt for gunmen targeting immigrants". The Daily Telegraph. 22 October 2010. Retrieved 24 October 2010.
- ^ "Migrants warned as race-hate killer brings fear to Sweden". Herald Sun. 22 October 2010. Retrieved 24 October 2010.
- ^ "Swedish police arrest man for Malmo shootings". Google. The Associated Press. 7 November 2010. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
- ^ Högström, Erik. "Åklagaren: Vi har gjort fynd som stärker misstanken". Expressen (in Swedish). Retrieved 9 November 2010.
- ^ "Malmo shootings: Swedish man charged". The Daily Telegraph. 9 November 2010.
- ^ "A Murder Trial in Sweden, With Echoes of Norway". The New York Times. 15 May 2012.
- ^ Gardell, Mattias (2015-11-09). Raskrigaren. Leopard Förlag. ISBN 9789173436151.
- ^ Wahldén, Christina (8 March 2012). "Förklarar sina handlingar med Aspergers". Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish).
- ^ "Serieskytten i Malmö ville ha aspergerdiagnos" (in Swedish). Sveriges Radio. 14 March 2012.
- ^ Palmkvist (2015), 75
- ^ a b "Swedish anti-immigrant sniper jailed for life". Reuters. November 23, 2012. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
- ^ "Sweden's 'racist sniper' felled for further crimes". The Local. April 25, 2013.
- ^ "Supreme Court denies 'Malmö sniper' appeal". The Local. June 25, 2013.
- ^ Engan, Øyvind. "Listen som ryster Malmø – VG Nett om Sverige". Verdens Gang (in Norwegian). Retrieved 24 October 2010.
- ^ "Skottdramer i Malmö 2010 – Google Maps". Sydsvenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). Archived from the original on July 17, 2010. Retrieved 24 October 2010.
- ^ Johansen, Anders Holth (23 October 2010). "Har jaktet på "den nye lasermannen" i flere måneder". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). Retrieved 24 October 2010.
- ^ Langset, Kristine Grue (25 October 2010). "Skåne-politiet trapper opp etterforskningen". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). Retrieved 25 October 2010.
- Palmkvist, Joakim (2015). Äventyr i Svenssonland: Seriemördaren Peter Mangs (in Swedish). Stockholm: Bonnier. ISBN 978-91-0-014568-2.
- Gardell, Mattias (2015). Raskrigaren: Seriemördaren Peter Mangs (in Swedish). Stockholm: Leopard Publishers. ISBN 978-91-7343-381-5.
External links[edit]
- Skjutningarna i Malmö, archive copy of site by the Swedish police (in Swedish).
- Map of recent shootings in Malmö, created by Sydsvenska Dagbladet (in Swedish).


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The scandal surrounding the manipulation of LIBOR sets raises a number of issues. In the first part of the two part piece, the known facts are outlined. In the second part, the broader implications of the episode are discussed.
Depending on context, the word "fix" can mean "set" or "determine", "manipulate" or "rig" as well as "repair" or "correct". "In a fix" means to be in difficulty. In colloquial use, "fix" is a dose of an addictive substance that is habitually consumed. The current furore surrounding manipulation of money market rates contains all these meanings and more.
An objective mechanism is needed to set money markets rates used in a variety of instruments. A number of traders at leading banks submitted false rates seeking to manipulate the outcome. Banks are in a fix. If the current arrangements are unsatisfactory then it will be necessary to repair the mechanism.
In a Fix…
In June 2012, UK and American authorities fined UK's Barclays Banks £290 million (US$450 million) for manipulating key money market benchmark rates, such as the London Interbank Offered Rate ("LIBOR") and Euro Interbank Offered rates ("EuroIBOR").
The settlement follows a lengthy investigation into fixing money market rates by regulators, under way for at least 2 or more years.
In 2011, Swiss bank UBS disclosed that as part of the investigation it had received demands for information on "whether there were improper attempts by UBS, either acting on its own or together with others, to manipulate LIBOR rates at certain times". The Wall Street Journal in May 2008 published a study suggesting that banks might have understated borrowing costs. An academic study published the same year found that LIBOR had remained low whilst bank risk was increasing. Individual bank's rate quotes remained very close, surprising given divergences in perceived credit quality.
The exact circumstances remained unclear until the UK Financial Services Authority ("FSA") released detailed evidence indicating that Barclays had manipulated rates. Barclays' Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") Robert E. Diamond Jr. and Chief Operating Officer Jerry del Missier were forced to resign. Barclays' Chairman Marcus Agius resigned but agreed to remain temporarily to find a new CEO.
An unknown number of traders and inter-bank brokers have been dismissed, suspended or put on leave by their employers as a consequence of the investigations. Institutions affected allegedly include Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan Chase, Royal Bank of Scotland and Citigroup.
The Fix…
LIBOR stands for the London Interbank Offered Rate. This originally reflected rates at which banks in the Euro-dollar market lent surplus liquidity to each other. As the market grew, an accepted pricing benchmark was required.
In the 1980s, the British Bankers' Association ("BBA") working with major global financial institutions and regulators, primarily the Bank of England ("BoE"), created the BBA rates. Initially, these were standard only for interest rate swaps (known as BBAIRS terms). Demand for a standard benchmark for instruments based on money market rates led to the creation of the BBA LIBOR fixings, which commenced officially around 1 January 1986 following a trial period commencing in December 1984.
LIBOR is defined as: "The rate at which an individual Contributor Panel bank could borrow funds, were it to do so by asking for and then accepting inter-bank offers in reasonable market size, just prior to 11.00 London time". Each bank must submit a rate accurately reflecting its belief about its cost of funds, defined as unsecured interbank cash borrowings or fund raised through issuance of interbank Certificates of Deposit ("CDs"), in London as at the relevant time.
There are 150 different LIBOR rates published every day, covering 10 currencies (including US$, C$, A$, NZ$, Euro, £, yen and Swiss Francs) and 15 maturities (ranging from overnight rates to 12 months).
There are between 8 and 20 banks on each currency panel. Each bank provides its quote. The top and bottom 25% are ignored and the remaining quotes are averaged (the inter-quartile mean) to arrive at the quoted LIBOR. The process is overseen by the BBA but daily calculations are undertaken by Thomson Reuters, which publishes the rate after 11:00 a.m. generally around 11:45 a.m. each trading day London time.
The rates are a benchmark rather than a tradable rate. The actual rate at which specific banks will lend to one another varies. The rate also changes throughout the day.
LIBOR is used for loans, bonds (such as floating rate notes ("FRNs")) and derivative transactions. Derivatives that use LIBOR to determine payments include various futures and options contracts, forward rate agreements, interest rate and currency swaps and various interest rate options.
The exact volume of transactions using LIBOR is unknown, as most are over-the-counter ("OTC") bilateral transactions. Estimates suggest that LIBOR is used to establish the interest costs of $10 trillion of loans, $350 trillion of OTC derivatives and over $400 trillion of Euro-dollar futures and option contracts traded on exchanges.
First Fix….
Pre-2007, Barclays manipulated rates in order to obtain financial benefits. Subsequently, during the global financial crisis ("GFC"), Barclays manipulated rates due to reputational concerns.
The pre-2007 episode relates primarily to mismatches in banks' asset and liabilities. For the most part, banks simultaneously borrow and lend money. In derivatives, they both receive and pay the same or similar rates.
For example, a bank may have borrowed 1 month money to finance a loan where the rate is based on the 3-month rate. Derivative traders may receive 3-month LIBOR but pay 6-month LIBOR. Mismatches arise from timing differences; a bank may have a transaction pricing of 3 month LIBOR on one day offsetting a position pricing off 3 month LIBOR the next day or a few days later.
Mismatches may be deliberately created to increase profit. Mismatches also result from the natural flow of customer transactions.
Mismatches (known as reset risk) can be managed by entering into transactions such as reset swaps. A bank might pay 1 month LIBOR against receiving 3 month LIBOR. Hedges are expensive and not always readily available.
The incentive to manipulate rates for profit arises from these mismatches. The evidence is consistent with this pattern of activities.
On 13 September 2006, a trader in New York writes: "Hi Guys, We got a big position in 3m libor for the next 3 days. Can we please keep the libor fixing at 5.39 for the next few days. It would really help. We do not want it to fix any higher than that. Tks a lot". On 13 October 2006, a senior Euro swaps trader states: "I have a huge fixing on Monday … something like 30bn 1m fixing … and I would like it to be very very very high ….. Can you do something to help? I know a big clearer will be against us … and don't want to lose money on that one". On 26 October 2006, an external trader makes a request for a lower three month US dollar LIBOR submission stated in an email to a trader at Barclays "If it comes in unchanged I'm a dead man".
Traders sought to fix the rate sets to increase the firm's profits and ultimately their own bonuses. Following the request of 26 October 2006, Barclays submitted a 3- month US dollar LIBOR quote that was half a basis point lower than that the day before. The external trader thanked the Barclays' trader: "Dude. I owe you big time! Come over one day after work and I'm opening a bottle of Bollinger".
Second Fix….
During the GFC, the FSA alleges that Barclays sought to manipulate LIBOR to minimise reputational concerns about its financial position.
Money market conditions were extremely difficult from late 2007 until early 2009 when massive central bank intervention alleviated funding pressures. There was little or no trading in money markets, especially beyond 1 week.
Individual bank funding activity and LIBOR quotes were intensely scrutinised. There was focus on any banks which were accessing emergency central bank funding, such as the BOE's emergency standby facility. During this period, a high LIBOR post was interpreted as a sign that a bank was struggling to raise deposits leading to withdrawal of money market limits exacerbating funding difficulties. Equity markets too reacted savagely, selling bank stocks at any sign of funding stress.
The uncertainty was evident in the excess reserve balances held by banks with central banks as institutions assumed the worst about their peers. It was also evident in the difference between 3 month dollar LIBOR and the overnight indexed swap rate, which is an indicator of banks' willingness to lend to each other. This spread peaked at a record 364 basis points on 10 October 2008, compared to an average of 10 basis points in period 2003-2008 and 45 basis points since 2008.
Banks also found it difficult to accurately calculate exactly rates because of illiquid money markets. Submissions became a guess of the level if a market existed, based on discussion with other market participants and checking competitor's previous submissions.
The FSA Report refers to media reports that Barclays had been posting high LIBOR rates and market concern about the bank. The BoE was also concerned leading to a number of discussions between official and Barclays' management. BoE concern is understandable given the difficulties of other major UK banks, such as RBS and Lloyds/HBOS.
An October 2008 file note written Barclays' CEO Mr. Diamond (curiously one of only 3 he ever wrote) states that BoE Deputy Governor Paul Tucker advised that the bank's high LIBOR submissions were gaining the attention of "senior figures" in Whitehall. Mr. Diamond recorded that Tucker felt Barclays did not need to keep posting such high LIBOR fixings, intimating that "it did not always need to be the case that we (Barclays) appeared as high as we have recently".
Barclays would have been concerned that incorrect price signals could set off panic and massive funding pressures.
In a Bloomberg Television interview in May 2008, Tim Bond, a former Barclays Capital executive, indicated that banks routinely misstated their borrowing costs in the BBA process to avoid the perception that they faced difficulty raising funds during this period. This is consistent with a 2008 Bank for International Settlements ("BIS") report which questioned the accuracy of LIBOR quotes, stating that they could be influenced by "strategic behaviour" with banks "wary of revealing" information that could signal stress.
While the banks manipulation for the purposes of financial gains is indefensible, Barclays' officials argue that during the crisis it acted with the explicit or implicit agreement of the BoE.
While there is little doubt that incorrect rates were submitted, the effect is more difficult to establish. A single high or low quote would be eliminated from the calculation.
Collusion between the banks could affect the rate. The FSA Report suggests that Barclays worked with other banks. In court filings, Canada's Competition Bureau disclosed that one bank had confessed to participating in a conspiracy to manipulate LIBOR to affect the price of derivatives globally, involving employees of HSBC, Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan, RBS and Citigroup as well as a money market broker ICAP.
Even without collusion, small changes in submissions can affect the LIBOR set. Setting rates very low or very high may ensure that the bank's submission is excluded, allowing another rate to be included in the calculation. If a bank sets rates very low then it ensures that lower rates are included in the calculation decreasing the average. Similarly, setting rates higher pushes higher rates into the calculation increasing the average.
The ability to manipulate rates depends on the number of banks on the panel and the dispersion of the original submissions. A small panel makes the rate easier to manipulate. Where the submissions are highly dispersed, it may be easier to influence the final outcome, even without collusion. The differences between rates around the cut-off point for inclusion are critical. It is helpful to know what individual submissions are, although the previous day's quote may provide a reasonable proxy.
Table 1 sets out an example which illustrates how rates are affected.
Table 1 sets out an example which illustrates how rates are affected.
Table 1
Effect of Submission Manipulation
In the following example, assume quotes are as follows:
Quote 1 – original bank submissions.
Quote 2 – Bank 5 manipulates the quote by increasing its submission.
Quote 3 – Bank 5 manipulates the quote by decreasing its submission.
In all case the top and bottom 3 quotes (25% each) are ignored with the LIBOR rate being determined by the arithmetic average of the remaining 6 quotes.
Differences are given in percentage and dollar amounts calculated for a full year assuming a principal of US$ 1 billion.
In the first case, dispersion (range) of 2 basis points between top and bottom quotes is assumed.
If the dispersion decreases (increases) the effect on LIBOR similarly decreases or increases. The following Tables assume dispersion of 0.5 and 5 basis points respectively.
If there is a large difference (jump) between rates around the cut-off point for inclusion, then the effect on LIBOR is exacerbated. The following Table assumes a dispersion of 2 basis points respectively but larger difference around the relevant points than the previous example.
Small changes have a material impact in dollar terms where large sums are affected. A 1 basis point change on US$ 1 billion is equivalent to US$100,000 per annum. Assuming a total of US$800 trillion of affected transactions, the potential amount is US$80 billion per annum or $220 million per day. Actual damages would be significantly lower.
Rates fixes are for shorter term, 1 or 3 months. Where they reflect spread between say 1 month and 3 month rates, the amount involved would be smaller.
Damage & Damaged…
LIBOR is not used for all financial transactions. They are primarily used in wholesale loan transactions and derivative transactions. Retail or small business loans are based on the bank's own base rate reflecting its funding cost. Bank retail deposit rates are rarely based on LIBOR.
According to the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the proportion of US mortgages priced directly off LIBOR is estimated at around 2-3% of all mortgages, about 900,000 loans totalling $275 billion. The proportion of UK mortgages priced off LIBOR is similar. In the US the predominance of fixed rate mortgages makes a money market benchmark like LIBOR irrelevant.
BBA LIBOR is not used in some markets at all due to history or differences in market convention such as settlement protocols. Derivative and loan transactions in Australia are priced off the indigenous A$ bank bill rate (BBSW). Transactions in the US use a variety of rates including US Prime Rate or US Commercial Paper rates.
Manipulation could indirectly affect interest rates. Changes in a bank's wholesale funding might affect its lending and deposit rates. Retail mortgages and credit card loans are refinanced through securitisation transactions, which are linked to LIBOR.
Determining the affected parties is also complex. During the GFC, low rates benefitted borrowers but penalised depositors. Low LIBOR sets penalised payers of fixed rate in an interest rate swap but benefitted receivers.
In derivative transactions, there may have been transfers of value between banks. One swaps trader states that a large bank is on the other side of a fix with opposing financial interests. Individual desks or traders within a bank may have different interests in a particular LIBOR set. There will also be differences between banks that contribute to the LIBOR fix and those who do not.
End-users, corporate or retail borrowers and investors, would be the major parties affected.
A perverse outcome is likely in litigation. As banks act as intermediaries in the main, there would be a transfer of wealth between parties. Losers will sue banks who will be unable to recover their losses from the parties that may have benefitted.
Clients suing banks is now passé. The sight of banks suing each other seeking compensation promises ribald entertainment. Goldman Sachs (who do not contribute to the fix) claiming that they were innocent victims and unsophisticated investors may provide a suitable coda to the episode.


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Disney XD Unveils Kick Buttowski Premiere Schedule
Disney XD will premiere its new animated series Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil with two episodes to air Saturday, Feb. 13.
The 2D animated series follows Clarence "Kick" Buttowski, an extraordinary kid living in the world's most ordinary town. Determined to become the world's greatest daredevil, Kick rebels against the mundane and knows that when life throws him an obstacle, his only choice is to jump it.
The series will debut on Feb. 13 with an episode at its normal time slot of 8:30 a.m., followed by a second at 9:30 a.m. Episodes of Phineas and Ferb will air at 8 a.m. and 9 a.m.
Free full episode previews will be available through iTunes starting Jan. 29 and on Disney XD VOD on Feb. 5. After episodes air on XD, they will be available online at DisneyXD.com.
'This series embodies the new Disney XD brand. It delivers the perfect mix of action and comedy that our audience wants,' said Eric Coleman, Senior Vice President, Original Series, Disney Television Animation.
The series is the creation of Sandro Corsaro, with Chris Savino serving as executive producer and director. The series is produced by Disney Television Animation and features the voices of Charlie Schlatter as Kick, Matt L. Jones, Danny Cooksey, John DiMaggio and Eric Christian Olsen.
Leading up to the premiere, DisneyXD.com will launch a "Kick Buttowski ' Suburban Daredevil" show page featuring action-packed games, activities and videos including "Loco Launch-o," a high energy game where users help Kick perform the ultimate daredevil jump. Beginning Feb. 13, kids can create their own Kick Buttowski catch phrase by submitting their favorite saying customized with a selection of backgrounds, props, sound effects and graphics; some of the catch phrases may be selected to appear on-air.


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Today, at 26, I am in a place - literally and metaphorically - I never planned for, even as little as 2 years ago. Right now, I'm working on that whole being-in-my-twenties thing by living life as I can. Some days, it's an adventure of exhilarating reaffirmation that I exist, and other days it's the kind of soul-rending, mind-enfeebling, heart-crippling "What Am I Doing With This Life" wandering that - obviously, and appropriately - plagues all twenty-somethings. I think we sometimes feel like we've reached a point at which we believe we know what we're doing (or believe we should) because - quite simply - each new day, we're the oldest and wisest we've ever been. We have only hindsight to teach us and hope to guide us. We are careful to keep old wounds closed and learn to analyze the scars, pouring over the lines as if they will map out the future. I expect this is a notion that can carry us well into our old age, right up until death, when all our oldest, wisest-ness will be just a comfort, if we're lucky. Maybe we should take comfort now in knowing what we can, feeling what we do, and putting the pieces together as we find them.
Today, you are your oldest and wisest. Let's all have a drink and take it a day at a time, because our days are quick to build the lifetimes we may never see coming.


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This article is part of our Subprime Survival Guide.
This isn't a great time to be a homebuilder. When even the inspirationally upbeat National Association of Realtors declares that 2007 will be the first year with a national dip in home prices since the Great Depression, it's only natural to fear the worst.
However, the same can't be said for companies with a dot-com foothold in real estate. From online brokerages that are expanding while their offline peers scale back, to a thriving marketplace enabling commercial real estate transactions, there's still hope in cyberspace.
Let's look at some of the major players' strengths and weaknesses:
Company Name
Market Cap
Change from 52-week high
$123.1 million
$785.3 million
$11.0 billion
$160.2 million
$614.4 million
Zillow (privately held)
- CAPS rating: *
- Strategy: HouseValues.com is a website designed to provide leads to real estate agents by having prospective home sellers fill in online forms to have their homes appraised. Its newer HomePages.com site showcases Realtor listings on a map.
- Key markets: Real estate professionals who will pay for extra leads, and information-hungry home sellers and buyers.
- Outlook: HouseValues has hit a rough patch lately. It recently exited the mortgage business to focus on its residential real estate stronghold. After initial profitability, HouseValues posted a loss last year. It's expected to stay in the red until at least 2008. The company's healthy cash balance will see it through, though its model has been as exposed as shaky. Realtors are hungrier than ever for leads, but the company's not thriving; consumers are fancying less intrusive sites like HomeGain and Zillow to get initial reads on what their homes are worth.
- CAPS rating: *
- Strategy: Formerly the scandal-riddled Homestore.com, MOVE operates several housing sites including Realtor.com, HomeInsight, Moving.com, HomePlans.com, Top Producer, and the Welcome Wagon service, which provides sponsored offers to new homebuyers.
- Key markets: The popular Realtor.com has more than 3 million home listings on its site. MOVE's emphasis may seem to be on the consumer's need to find new homes (to rent or buy), architectural blueprints for new construction, or moving-related services, though naturally they all result in leads for the eventual providers.
- Outlook: Revenue and profits were higher for MOVE in 2006. Analysts expect growth to continue. MOVE's diversified reach has allowed it to tap into the steadier rental and relocation markets, helping to offset the weakness in mainstream home buying.
- CAPS rating: ***
- Strategy: IAC is better known for its non-realty businesses like Ticketmaster, Home Shopping Network, and the Ask.com search engine, yet IAC has its fingerprints all over the real estate industry. In addition to RealEstate.com, it owns HomeLoanCenter, Lending Tree, and Service Magic.
- Key markets: IAC's realty-based sites serve as Lending Tree subsidiaries, indicating that its strength lies in hooking up homebuyers with mortgages. However, ServiceMagic is a popular lead-generating service for home-improvement contractors.
- Outlook: RealEstate.com is beginning to inch its way into the residential brokerage business. It entered the Portland and Denver markets last May, yet it still counts nearly a quarter of the 500 largest real estate brokerage firms as members of its network. IAC's financials are strong -- and growing -- above and beyond its real estate aspirations. The company generated $130.7 million in lending, real estate, and home services revenue last quarter, just 7% of the company's total revenue pie.
- CAPS rating: *
- Strategy: ZipRealty is hoping that the public is sick of the 6% solution. As old-school outfits like Realogy
(NYSE:H)rely on charging home sellers 6% of the final selling price in commissions, ZipRealty charges as little as 4.5% to 5% in commissions. ZipRealty will also reward buyers with 20% of the commission it's set to receive. More than just a discounter, ZipRealty's strength lies in its Web savvy. It's turned heads with some of its techniques -- like allowing folks to post property reviews on listing pages -- but that Web 2.0 tactic is now being aped by Zillow.
- Key markets: ZipRealty is still expanding into different metropolitan markets, but it clearly attracts thrifty online users.
- Outlook: Of all of the public companies in this profile, ZipRealty is the only company not expected to improve on its bottom line in 2007. However, the deeper deficit results from the company's decision to introduce its brokerage services into eight to 12 new markets this year. So ZipRealty still expects to grow revenues by 10% to 15%, despite the wobbly-kneed nature of the residential real estate market.
- CAPS rating: *****
- Strategy: Commercial real estate has held up better than the residential market, and LoopNet shareholders are grateful for that. The site boasts $395 billion worth of properties on its site for sale, and 3.2 billion square feet of lease space. It's attracted nearly 2 million members to an online marketplace that's as close as you can get to the eBay of commercial real estate.
- Key markets: Commercial real estate, of course.
- Outlook: LoopNet is on a roll. Revenue soared 52% last year, and the company expects its top line to surge 34% to 37% this year. Earnings won't grow as quickly, yet the Rule Breakers recommendation recently guided 2007 profit guidance higher, to a range of $0.42 to $0.45 per share.
- CAPS rating: N/A
- Strategy: Privately held Zillow rocked the world as a consumer-friendly site providing rough -- occasionally quite rough -- home valuation estimates, without prying for user contact information. The company claims to be drawing more than 4 million unique visitors a month, checking out the more than 70 million homes in its database.
- Key markets: Of all of the real-estate-related sites, this one often appeals to folks with no intention of giving up their homesteads. They're mainly curious to see what neighboring homes would fetch, and to track the estimate -- the Zillow-branded "Zestimate" -- of their own place's value. Features like "Make Me Move," where homeowners can enter prices which would prompt them to sell, are unrealistic, but still add to the recreational flavor of the site.
- Outlook: The recent transformation of Zillow is making the site more Realtor-friendly. Realtors and real estate agents are now encouraged to include their listings on the site, participate in ongoing property discussions, and pay for targeted ads by ZIP codes to reach a wider audience. According to Zillow, 150,000 real estate agents visited the site last month. If the market climate improves, an IPO is more than likely.
Homepage, sweet homepage
There's clearly a disconnect between homebuilders and the websites that thrive on real estate transactions. Nearly every single land developer is expected to post a slide in profitability this year. Wall Street is more upbeat when it comes to virtual land development. Every public company here, save for ZipRealty, is projected to improve its bottom line. And ZipRealty's wider deficit owes to aggressive market expansion.
From a website that specializes in commercial transactions to those that bank on generating leads for providers of home equity loans, property listings, and moving services, this is a dynamic space. And I've just touched on some of the more logical plays. Obviously, there are plenty of real estate deals being struck through sites like eBay and Craigslist, along with other promising but still private sites like Zillow.
Realtors may be bracing themselves to suffer this year, but the open houses in cyberspace are really just getting started.
Related Foolishness:
HouseValues is a Hidden Gems stock pick, while LoopNet is a selection in the Motley Fool Rule Breakers research service. eBay is a longtime scorecard favorite in the Motley Fool Stock Advisor community. You can check out all of the three services with free 30-day trial subscriptions. Consider it a very long, and enlightening, open house.
Longtime Fool contributor Rick Munarriz loves to visit real estate sites, even when he's not in a mood to buy or sell. He does not own shares in any of the companies in this story. He is also part of the Rule Breakers newsletter research team, seeking out tomorrow's ultimate growth stocks a day early. The Fool has a disclosure policy.


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Even if you absolutely love your business, when you are an entrepreneur it can be difficult to find daily inspiration and motivation. However, when you can wake up each day excited and ready to go, your business and your personal life will thrive. There are tremendous benefits to finding inspiration and motivation every day. Here's how to get it done:
#1 Gratitude
Gratitude accomplishes amazing things. One way to wake up motivated and inspired is to create a habit of gratitude. Journal the things you're grateful for at the end of every day. Or wake up and before you get out of bed, journal what you're grateful for today. Create a habit of gratitude and you'll establish a positive and energetic mindset. There really is so much to be grateful for.
#2 Set Small Goals
Long-term goals are great. However, when a goal is far off in the future, it's tough to find motivation to achieve them. However, smaller goals can be inspiring especially for an entrepreneur. You can set smaller daily or weekly goals to spur inspiration and motivation. Remember to set goals that get you excited. If you're not a money-motivated person, for example, then a monetary goal isn't going to motivate you.
#3 Do What You Love First
It's easy to get into a ritual rut. You wake in the morning, have your coffee, check your email and start working. The thing you love to do most is often down on your priority list. This makes starting your day less than exhilarating. However, if you rearrange your daily routine and do what you love first, then getting out of bed is easy and exciting.
#4 Affirmations
Mindset is powerful. An affirmation is a positive statement that helps you create inspiration and motivation. Affirmations help reaffirm and inspire a positive mindset. Determine what's preventing you from feeling motivated and inspired each day and create an affirmation that supports change.
#5 Reward Yourself
Some days are just tough to get through and even more challenging when you are an entrepreneur. Instead of trying to avoid them or forcing yourself to push through them, reward yourself. Rewards help you stay focused on the end result and the silver lining. Additionally, a reward doesn't have to be huge. Sometimes a simple reward like your favorite coffee drink at the local coffee shop can be enough to help you stay positive and inspired all day long.
#6 Surround Yourself
One great way to stay inspired and motivated is to surround yourself with inspiration. Listen to inspiring music. Create a home office that you enjoy spending time in. Surround yourself with the things you love. It'll make each and every day so much more enjoyable.
#7 Take Time Off
When most people think about taking time off, they look at annual vacations. However, it's important to take more time off than just a week or two a year. Consider taking time off each week or month. Even a few hours or a day or two can really make a difference, as an entrepreneur large blocks of time out of the office usually don't happen. It gives you time to recharge and find that original source of inspiration and motivation.
Building and growing a business is difficult. Finding inspiration and motivation can make the difference between a struggling business and discontent to a thriving business and joy. Use these seven tips to help find inspiration and motivation each and every day.
Whether you are marketing a business, service, or yourself learning new marketing and communication strategies and implementing social media tools can help give you that 'edge' to succeed.
Using new media marketing can help you stand out from your competition and exceed your goals. Want more marketing strategies that can help you maximize new media? Visit New Social Media.com for more new media marketing tips and and communication strategies today!
You can also copy and paste http://www.NewSocialMedia.org into your web browser. Thank you for taking the time to read this article.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Theresa_Delgado


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VCU Tech Fair on April 8 and 9
March 28, 2014
Technology Services and VCU Libraries present the 2014 VCU Tech Fair on Tuesday, April 8, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Richmond Salons University Student Commons and on Wednesday, April 9, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Tompkins-McCaw Library for the Health Sciences. The event is free for all university faculty, staff and students, and no pre-registration is required. The event Features "hands-on" demos, presentations, free light lunch and giveaways, including Samsung ChromeBooks, Google Chromecasts and Google Nexus 7 courtesy of vendor contributors. For the full schedule of activities and additional details, visit the Tech Fair website or contact Thelma Mack at 828-0017 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Transform your photos into one-of-a-kind, hand painted masterpieces!
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Our shower curtains are made from 100% polyester fabric and include 12 holes at the top of the curtain for simple hanging from your own shower curtain rings. The total dimensions of each shower curtain are 71" wide x 74" tall.
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Lockwood & Lynn was founded from the rich history of fine art created in Europe and America. The Gallery\'s hand selected pieces are a tribute to those who need art in their lives and in a platform of their choice. At Lockwood & Lynn, we believe art is freedom. And that freedom is yours. Designed to engage and inspire, our collection has been curated to make fine works of art accessible to all people, from all walks of life. Please click \"follow us\" as we will be adding more exciting pieces to our offering.
Our return policy is very simple:
If you're not happy with a purchase that you made on FineArtAmerica.com, for any reason, you can return it to us within 30 days of the order date. As soon as it arrives, we'll issue a full refund for the entire purchase price. Please note - Fine Art America does not reimburse the outgoing or return shipping charges unless the return is due to a defect in quality.
Fine Art America sells thousands of pieces of artwork each month - all with a 100% money-back guarantee. We take great pride in the fact that hundreds of thousands of artists have chosen Fine Art America to fulfill their orders, and we look forward to helping you select your next piece!
All shower curtains ship from our production facility within 2 - 3 business days of your order.


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One thing with rain is this, it could ruin your day and frustrate your well-laid plans.
So, you planned to go out and chill with friends, or take your partner out to a social event, or maybe go get some work done, but you know, as is often the case during its season, rain has other plans.
Don't fret, though. You could turn it around, get a lot done and still have maximum fun without leaving the confines of your home.
Wondering how you and your partner could stay indoors and make the best of the rainy day?
Worry no more, below are the very best ways to enjoy the best of a rainy day with your partner.
1. Talk
You both have been very busy all week, and there hasn't been much time to talk. Now is the time to. No rush, no hurry. You're in each other's arms on a cold wet day; now open up your hearts and communicate. Tackle an issue that's been bugging you. Relax. Have a conversation.
2. Dance
Play a nice slow song and Waltz to it. Wande Coal's 'Ololufe' is a timeless song that you'll find useful here. And if you prefer something a little more upbeat just so you could include some grinding to this exercise, just go on and do your thing. I think you might find 'Darlin' by Stan Iyke and Tiwa Savage of great use. The point here is to just be close to your lover as much as possible.
3. Netflix & chill
Dim the lights. Turn on a good movie. Just make sure it's really a good one. Rom-coms are highly prescribed on days like this.
4. Cuddle
Snuggle up to each other as the rain beats the roof. Let hands and legs intertwine. Share body warmth. Nothing beats this feeling, and cuddles are best shared when it's cold.
5. Have sex
There's pretty much no avoiding this, and all other activities you have shared will only serve to heighten the mood.
Rain is said to be really romantic, so make the best of it. Light candles. Make the kisses linger... slow and passionate. Take your time and extend your pleasure.
If by now the rain has not subsided, please just repeat the whole process again. *wink*


text: Question: Is it legal for a defensive player to pin an offensive player, who has possession of the ball, against the boards in the following scenarios a) the offensive player's back is to the defender, and b) the offensive player is facing the defending. I am asking this question because recently, in a men's league, I pinned a player, against the boards whose back ended up facing towards me and was called for holding. For the first time, I was told I could only pin a player against the boards if they were facing me. I did not think this is correct.


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I'm terrified of needles. I have two tattoos however. The first I got while I was drunk at 16, the other I was on a ceremonial hallucinogen that every Venatori is required to take and the tattoo to get..
But since I have had a few talks with my father over the past ten years he's let slip several tidbits of things he's seen in my future. I don't know what any of the images mean. But I've been drawing them a lot lately. The lastest drawing is in the back of my current sketch book. It's a tree much like the tattoo pictured, with those objects entwined in the bar limbs or roots of the tree or just idly setting around it. IF and that's a bit if, I were to ever go under the need again that's what I do. Left side of my chest wrapping around to my the limbs trailing up my shoulder.


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LOS ANGELES -- I've never set foot in a PetSmart and haven't owned a critter since my family's beloved boxer, Archie, slobbered off this mortal coil sometime during the Nixon years.
So that $38.28 payment to the pet store jumped off the screen as I did my online banking a few Saturdays ago.
There, on the signature line of Check No. 3512's electronic image, was a big, flowery, cursive rendition of "Kim Christensen."
My name, but not my signature. Not only had my mark been forged, but judging from its feminine flourish, it was by someone who assumed, like untold others before, that Kim must be a girl.
I yelped (about the forgery thing, not the girl's-name thing, which I'm pretty used to by now): "Someone stole one of our checks!"
Then I spotted a check to a Huntington Beach, Calif., business I had never visited, and it hit me: Someone had stolen all of our checks -- 150 to be exact. PetSmart was only the first stop on a weeks-long tour of hot-check hell.
A couple weeks earlier, I had ordered checks and had no way of knowing that some lowlife got to them before we did.
The bank says it mailed them, so it appears that perhaps our letter carrier left the box on the front porch when it didn't fit through the slot in the door.
Like millions who pay bills online, I rarely write checks anymore, except for the yard guy and miscellaneous expenses.
In 1995, U.S. banks processed 50 billion checks. By 2003, the latest year tallied by the Federal Reserve, the number dipped to 37 billion. This year, look for a slight uptick, thanks to larcenous check-writers .
Banks lost $711 million to check fraud in 2005, according to the Fed's most recent study, but no one has good numbers on the billions more it costs consumers and merchants each year.
Fortunately, Wells Fargo & Co. answers phones on Saturdays and an agent froze our account so that no other checks could be cashed. That Monday, I went to the bank, opened a new account, signed an affidavit of forgery for the two cashed checks and got a full refund of $222.18.
I also asked major credit bureaus to place alerts on our files, so no new accounts could be opened .
Unfortunately, the thief kept writing checks, which soon were bouncing from La Canada Flintridge to San Clemente, Calif., with our names and address on them.
Report needed
Google "check forgery" and "police report" and you'll learn that if you're a victim of the former, you'll need the latter to prove your innocence.
Good luck.
A Long Beach police officer listened to my story, put me on hold, and then said he couldn't take a report. Because it involved the mail, the theft was a federal case, not a police matter.
"You'll need to report this to the U.S. Postal Inspector," he said.
Well, thanks, but I was determined to get my exculpatory police report, and nothing less would do.
At police headquarters the next morning, I was primed to demand a report be taken. But if I've learned anything in 30 years as a reporter, a good bit of it spent in police stations large and small, it's this: The squeaky wheel in the lobby almost never gets the grease. Arrested, maybe. Favorable treatment, not a chance.
I walked in ready to throw myself on the mercy of the public servant behind the glass, but I didn't have to.
He flipped through a fat paperback copy of the California Penal Code, reckoned that my complaint fit under "forgery" and sent out an officer to interview me.
"Thanks a bunch," I said afterward. "When can I get a copy of the report?"
"Usually in about three weeks," he said.
Three weeks? Are you kidding?
Only by the grace of a sympathetic supervisor in the records department was the wait time cut by about a week -- and none too soon.
Six checkbooks
Without leaving my home, I had written checks at a CVS pharmacy in Seal Beach ($63.21), a Wal-Mart in Long Beach ($193.41), a Sports Chalet in La Canada Flintridge ($200), a couple of Marshall's stores and a string of Vons, Ralph's and Albertsons in Los Angeles and Orange counties.
Just knowing that someone has six of your checkbooks and a ginned-up ID to use them is enough to spark alternating currents of infuriation and helplessness.
The cops have lots bigger fish to fry, so it came as no surprise when I called the forgery section after a dozen checks had bounced and was told not to bother forwarding any new information because it would get a very low priority.
Since tracking down people is part of my job, I also tried the do-it-yourself route. But it's not easy to nab a crook when the only suspect's name you have to go on is your own.
On some, the forger listed our real phone number, which is in the book, but with no address. On others, he or she apparently made up numbers or picked them at random.
I'm still looking, but the odds are long. Not so for the aggrieved merchants and their collection agencies, which have had no trouble finding me. For a while, demand letters came in every day.
Most took a polite tack, such as one from Kroger Co., parent of Ralphs Grocery Co., which got stuck with two bad checks.
'Call me'
"We certainly understand that an occasional error does occur and we thank you in advance for correcting this matter promptly," it read, asking for $84, but, please, no personal checks.
Others were more strident, including a check-clearing company that wanted Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s $193.43 right now, plus a $25 fee.
For sheer creativity, though, kudos to the "collection affiliate" who left a recorded message on our answering machine.
"Hello, this is Ed Taylor," he said. "I'm calling you today to attempt to advise you that your status has changed. I need you to call me as soon as you receive this message, as this matter commands your immediate attention. ... This is not a sales call and we need to hear from you immediately."
Turns out Ed is with a company named ClearCheck and was calling me about the CVS forgeries.
A woman who answered the phone said Ed had just stepped into a meeting, but she insisted he really exists and transferred me to his voice mail to prove it. Sure sounded like Ed, but still no callback.
This much is true about ClearCheck and the other companies I've dealt with: They've all been very professional, and easy to get along with.
The key is to provide solid documentation: a brief cover letter, a police report, a notarized affidavit reflecting the account number and range of stolen checks, and a "To Whom It May Concern" letter from the bank, stating that the account was subjected to fraud.
I keep copies of everything, always follow up to make sure the bad-check recipients got my paperwork, and then call to request a letter saying they've scratched us from their most-wanted lists.
Still out there
So far, I've cleared our names on all 20 or so of the checks that have surfaced.
Another 130 of the little ticking time bombs are still out there, so chances are it's not over. Still, there's been a lull in the action, three weeks since the last dunning letter. Maybe the other Kim has given up and gone straight.
Or maybe I'm away on a really expensive vacation that nobody has told me about yet.
Kim Christensen writes for the Los Angeles Times.
What to do
Banks lost $711 million to check fraud in 2005, according to the latest study by the Federal Reserve, and estimated losses to consumers and businesses to be as high as $20 billion a year.
Here's what to do if you become a victim of forged check:
Immediately report the theft to your bank, close your account and open a new one.
Obtain a notarized affidavit of forgery from the bank showing the range of stolen check numbers.
File a police report and get a copy.
Place credit alerts on your files at major credit-reporting bureaus so that new accounts can't be opened without your knowledge.
Respond promptly to payment-demand letters from businesses and collection agencies with a brief cover letter and copies of documentation showing your checks were stolen.
Follow up with collection agencies to ensure that your name has been cleared from their bad-checks lists.
[Sources: Federal Reserve Bank, Nilson Report, Times research]


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So I spend more time than I'd like in chat rooms and reading articles on running an online side business. One of them (by and for Japanese sellers) highly encouraged international shipping. They pretty much had me convinced to open up to international sales. But then I read another thread with horror stories about shipping and claims and lost packages and insurance, yada yada yada, that had me convinced otherwise.
Well, sometimes I learn best by liberal strikes to the face with a two by four. We shall see. So I peppered my online shops with "WE NOW SHIP INTERNATIONALLY!!!" and waited for the mayhem to begin. It was inevitable then when a client contacted me, saying "I don't see anything on your website that says if you ship internationally. Do you?" Cut to an aside of me breaking the fourth wall by staring at the camera.
Did you know it's actually cheaper to send a package to Spain from Iwakuni than it is in the States? Well, with visions of packages and envelopes in a wooden cart being pulled by a nose-ringed cebu through a rice paddy somewhere between Cambodia and Kazakhstan then languishing on the floor of a Spanish post office while some guy with a pencil mustache sexually harasses his female co-workers during the two hours of his daily shift, I intrepidly packed up my first international order and took it to the post office.
I had carefully chosen a plastic bubble-wrap envelope for this order, not knowing what elements it would be exposed to, only to realize that the address I had painstakingly written on the plastic smudged with the slightest provocation. Cut to a montage of me covering the envelope in sticker labels and then wrapping it in layers of clear tape.
So now I'm officially an international seller. The cool part? The DAY I shipped that off, someone contacted me to have a pen stylus custom-made for themselves in Taiwan. Awesome. Now I get to repeat that exercise, this time with Chinese writing on the envelope!I want to know! What different or unusual things happen in your work, hobby or interest? Comment below. Check out my current inventory at http://www.articents.com/HopeAndGracePens


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Technical problems with Google indexing have made it desirable to re-post all of our material. I hope you will find interest in reflecting with me, on the history of the Church over the centuries and during the life of the Blog which began on 14th December 2009. This post first appeared on 4th November 2010.
"The Letter speaks of deeds; Allegory to faith;
The Moral how to act; Anagogy our destiny."
What is it all about? Catholics have long held that there are Four Senses in which Sacred Scripture can be understood: Literally and Spiritually which latter can be divided into Allegorical, Moral and Anagogical. This Catholic concern for the whole meaning of Sacred Scripture is part of the many things that separate fundamentalist organizations from the Church founded by Christ. (They are ultra literalist.)
The Catechism teaches us that the Holy Spirit has inspired and directed the human authors of Sacred Scripture, and in seeking to interpret the Scripture we must do so in the light of that same Spirit. To do so intelligently, we must take into account the culture and times of the authors, the literary genre they have adopted (e.g. historical, poetic, prophetic or apocalypse)
Vatican II also tells us that we must always consider that every part of Sacred Scripture must be considered in relation to the content and unity of the whole of Sacred Scripture and "the judgment of the Church which exercises the divinely conferred commission and ministry of watching over and interpreting the Word of God." The Council also tells us that we must read Sacred Scripture within the Living Tradition of the whole Church, and also in a manner consistent with the coherence of the whole of the faith of the Church and the total plan of Revelation.
The Four Senses of Sacred Scripture are
Literal – that is to say, the direct meaning of the words discovered by exegesis and sound interpretation.
The Spiritual sense is of course based on the literal and has three divisions: the
Allegorical – in this sense we see the significance of past events in the light of Christ's life: e.g. the Crossing of the Red Sea as a type of Christ's victory or, alternatively of Christian Baptism.
The Moral Sense reveals the inspiration in the events of Sacred Scripture for us to act justly.
The Anagogical Sense can lead or inspire us toward Heaven e.g. seeing the Church on earth as a sign of the Heavenly Jerusalem
St.Augustine gets the last word: "But I would not believe in the Gospel, had not the authority of the Catholic Church already moved me..."