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As we live in a highly connected world, it's likely that you've heard the words IOT or "The Internet of Things". But what it is, exactly, is not entirely clear to a lot of people as it's a highly technical concept. Nor are the changes it's going to bring about or how they will affect people on the proverbial street.
That's what this article aims to address: What is IOT "the Internet of Things", how is it currently being used, how could it change the world, and what are the dangers, if any.
Some basic concepts
A good starting place would be to establish a few basic concepts about our world today that have led us to this point: Technology is king, and humanity has wired the planet with all kinds of connectivity. Broadband internet is widely available, basic connectivity is becoming more and more affordable, and millions of devices are being connected to the internet every day – analysts say we could see over 50 billion devices connected to the internet by 2020.
Those devices are not only becoming smarter, but advanced sensors and WiFi capabilities are being built into all kinds of new and old devices, allowing them to connect to the wider internet, and to even talk to one another.
Smartphone penetration is on the rise, too, the costs of creating technological solutions are dropping, sensors are cheap to manufacture yet are incredibly sensitive to a wide range of inputs, and everyone and his dog is looking for the Next Big Thing to take humanity the next step forward in its development.
This combination of access to technology, lower-than-ever costs of developing and deploying technological solutions, ubiquitous connectivity, smarter sensors, and a thirst for innovation, means the time is ripe for new ideas to come out and take hold. And the one that's leading the pack right now is the Internet of Things.
So what is the IoT, exactly?
The basic idea of the Internet of Things is to connect any and every electronic device to the internet, embed sensors and some sort of intelligence in them, and/or allow them to talk to one another. If your mind is filling with images of everything from light switches to coffee makers to household appliances to headphones to smartwatches to pacemakers, you'd be 100% right.
Almost more importantly, the IoT concept sees this kind of intelligence and connectivity being built into machine components – the parts that make up an engine, for example, or the parts of an industrial press – in order to relay data to a central hub of sorts.
That hub can then interpret that data to establish things like the actual percentage of wear and tear on a component, the likelihood of a breakdown or failure, or any of a huge number of other useful data that can be used to improve performance, troubleshoot problems and more in a wide range of machinery. The hub can be anything from a CPU built into the device, to a cloud-based intelligence that processes the data and relays the results to the device over the internet.
In essence, then, the IoT is a massive, interconnected network of all kinds of devices, from the traditional to the emerging. "Things", in other words.
So that's the underlying concept; the question on your mind at this point could be something like "Okay, so what? Why do we need this?". The answer lies at the heart of the IoT and is the reason techies tend to get excited about it: With everyday objects talking to one another, we will be able to do so much more with technology than we already do today.
Smart Lights
Consider something as simple and everyday as lights: Ten years ago you simply plugged a light bulb into a socket and manually turned it on and off; today, if you kit your home out with a decent home automation system – the "brain" that can co-ordinate the intelligence built into other devices in the home - you can tell your lights when to turn on, how bright to be and what colour to use, and when to turn off with an app on your smartphone because everything is connected. And that's possible today, but it's also just the tip of the iceberg.
Areas of interest to IoT solution developers are pretty much everything society currently does. Healthcare, for example, already has plenty of IoT-based solutions in place. Wearable devices that monitor our health and physical activities are widespread, even here in South Africa (think FitBit, the Apple Watch, Samsung's Gear Sport, Garmin's Forerunner etc.), and there are even solutions that dispense and monitor the intake of medicines that are especially helpful for helping the elderly take care of themselves.
The retail sector is one sector that's arguably more enthusiastic about the possibilities offered by the Internet of Things than others, because there are just so many practical applications for it that can make the shopping experience that much simpler, faster, and better for shoppers, and the back-end system more efficient for retailers themselves by streamlining and refining their supply chains and warehouse management systems.
In the US, big retailers have adopted some of the earliest IoT solutions in a big way, and they are using IoT devices like RFID inventory-tracking chips, infrared foot-traffic counters, tracking systems that use cellular networks and WiFi, digital signage and kiosks, and even their customers' mobile devices to their advantage.
One example of the more impressive retail solutions you might not necessarily associate with the Internet of Things is Amazon's Dash buttons which re-order a customer's favourite product at – literally – the touch of a button. Once the WiFi-connected button is pressed, Amazon's largely-automated and IoT-driven picking and delivery system then kicks into action, and hours later, the customer has their product.
Ultimately, the efficiencies and improved shopping experiences facilitated by IoT all means more money for retailers, and retailers like money. Hence their enthusiasm.
But they shouldn't be alone in this – IoT can offer similar benefits for just about every industry you can imagine when the appropriate IoT solutions are developed and implemented.
The automotive industry is already embedding hundreds of sensors into every car manufacturers produce, in order to monitor everything from temperature to air pressure to wear and tear to the general condition of the engine. These sensors take thousands of readings every minute, which are fed back into the car's computer and interpreted for the user's benefit. They can tell owners exactly when to change the oil, when to get a service (and what parts need attention), and more.
The presence of a computer also enables things like being able to open the car remotely when a command is received from a secure app, rolling down windows, activating the alarm, and other functions. Cars are becoming so advanced, they can even be remotely controlled in this way.
An unlikely-sounding industry to get benefits from IoT technology is farming. But for years already, it's been possible for farmers to monitor the quality of their soil with sensors that report to an app that provides them with all kinds of useful information, and even automate some activities to make farming easier.
Farmers can tell exactly what additives their fields need, which parts of their fields are actually under-nourished compared to the rest, get timely information like when the best times to plant and harvest are, and monitor temperatures and humidity.
Irrigation systems are particularly ripe for automation, and several IoT-based irrigation solutions have already been made available; a quick Google search will show just how popular they are.
While farmers have developed their own systems over the years, largely based on a mix of experience, knowledge, and intuition, the IoT can provide a more solid foundation for them to operate from, leading to greater productivity and overall efficiency.
Smart cities
IoT will also be heavily involved with the "smart cities" of the future. By installing thousands of sensors, lights, and meters all over a city and connecting them wirelessly to a network, city administrators can collect and analyse all kinds of data that will allow them to improve the city's underlying infrastructure, its public utilities and services, and everything else administrators are responsible for.
As it's even possible to embed sensors into tar and concrete, it is theoretically possible that some day, a municipality could respond to things like developing potholes or poor conditions in a specific spot on a specific road without a citizen having to tell them, because the tar itself alerted them.
Traffic lights going out and the city doing nothing about them because they weren't aware of the outage could likewise be a thing of the past thanks to the Internet of Things, as those lights will, in the future, be a lot smarter than they are now. They might even be able to self-repair when a problem occurs.
The beauty of the IoT as applied to smart cities is that it really allows us to do more than just dream – it puts practical, useful solutions to many of the headaches of city living within relatively easy reach.
A realistic future scenario
In the future, when other "things" are connected and operated with some sort of intelligence, the possibilities become truly endless.
As a consumer, your day could go something like this:
Your alarm clock wakes you up at 6am, and on sensing that you're stirring from your bed, immediately tells your IoT coffee maker to start brewing. It could make the coffee stronger or weaker depending on how well you slept, which it can tell from the smart device you wore in bed which analysed your movements during the night.
While you brush your teeth, intelligence built into the mirror could bring up your calendar for the day, alerting you to your nearest appointments. It could also show the morning news by tapping into an online stream or displaying headlines from your favourite news sources.
Your connected car could analyse traffic and select the best route to your destination. Should the best route still not be good enough to reach your destination on time, the car itself could alert your meeting partner(s) that you'll be late, and by how long.
The canteen could pre-emptively prepare your favourite lunch based on your past purchase history, and you could pay for it with a contactless payment system.
Biometric doors at your workplace that have your profile on record could open for you automatically after scanning to make sure you're you.
On the way home, you could walk into a shop, pick up what you want, and walk out without going through a queue or tillpoint because the store has sensors that scan your chosen products and automatically debit your bank account when you walk out.
Before you get home, your house lights come on automatically, the TV is turned on and tuned into to your favourite channel, and the smart fridge has ordered the items you forgot to replace yesterday, and they are waiting for you at your front door.
Is there a "but"? Sadly, yes.
Sounds good, right? These scenarios and many more that we can't even imagine yet are what the internet of things will enable us to do, but of course, it comes with its own dangers.
Security is #1 through #100. IoT solutions will come with their own security features, but they need to be activated and deployed properly in order to keep hackers from co-opting them. Making sure this happens must be any IoT solution provider's #1 priority.
By most accounts right now providers are doing a good job of it, so it's just a matter of time before the IoT has an even more dramatic impact on lives across the globe.
First Distribution provides the building blocks, enablement, implementation and support for cutting-edge IoT solutions by offering access to IoT platforms from some of the world's largest vendors, including Amazon, Microsoft's Azure stack, Oracle, and more. Talk to us about IoT; we can help get your ambitions off the ground.


text:
The Shriver Center is in strong need of filling an OPEN Accounting Associate/Payroll Position. Please review the outlined qualifications listed in the position description. Applicants should have experience doing payroll.
The position closes THIS Friday, 5/20. The direct link to the position on UMBC's website is http://www.umbc.edu/hr/employment/more.php?number=2985
Please share with your networks!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Episode Description:
Host Jack Bevilaqua has an important and timely topic discussion with guest Kol Chu Birke, a Financial Behavior Specialist who provides viewers with easy, effective techniques to change spending behaviors and discover what motivates them to save more and spend less.
Episode Short Description: N/A
Downloads of This Episode: [SD File Downloads]: 48 [HD File Downloads]: 0 [Total File Downloads]: 48
[SD File Downloads]: 48
[HD File Downloads]: 0
[Total File Downloads]: 48
File Name of SD Episode: MT Test PEG 2015.mpg
Total SD Episode Video Runtime (hh:mm:ss): 00:28:34
File Size of SD Episode Video: 893,122,564 Bytes
Resolution of SD Episode Video: 720x480
Date SD Episode Video Uploaded: Wednesday, September 30, 2015 - 07:19
This episode has not been uploaded by the producer in HD format and is not available for download.
If you wish to have HD format, you can private message a request to the show's producer at Jennifer Napolitano.


text:
Please stop sending those ridiculous agenda emails as default.
78 votes
Anonymous shared this idea
Thank you for the feedback. We're working on improving the overall experience with daily Agenda Mail to make it more relevant and personal. If you prefer not to receive your agenda in mail, you can opt out by going to Outlook.com > Settings > Calendar > Agenda mail.
1 comment
Arelis fonseca commented
Buen trabajo


text:
New Income Tax Deduction Under Section 80C For FY 2018-19 And AY 2019-20
Deduction Under Section 80C in the financial year Budget 2018-19 has not removed the burden of much tax from the common people.
It has proved rather a boon for senior citizens.
Latest Income Tax Slab Rates For FY 2018-19
Tax payer can only take maximum rs 150,000 Deduction Under Section 80C .
Tax rates in FY 2018-19
Nothing has changed in the FY 2018-19.
If your total or taxable income is less than or equal to 5 lakhs, then 5% tax rate will be applicable on income after 80C deductions.
Tax payer can claim REBATE of rs 2500,if he/she has taxable income less than or equal to 3.5 lakhs.
Here taxable income is the income after deducting 80c savings from gross total income.
Changes in the budget 2018:
Two changes have taken place in the budget 2018-19:
- One is cess increased from 3% to 4%.and it will be called health education cess.
- IT Dept has proposed a New section 80TTB for senior citizens.Under 80TTB They can claim Income Tax Rebate of rs 50,000 on interest income from saving bank accounts, cooperative banks or post office accounts.
- Expenditure on health problems under Section 80D increased from rs 30,000 to rs 50,000.only for senior citizens.
- Interest income from FD AND RD ARE ALSO NOT TAXSBLE UPTO RS 50,000.
How to calculate income tax for FY 2018-19 and AY 2019-20
SUPPOSE YOUR gross salary for FY 2018-19 is 5 lakh.Deduction Under Section 80C rs 150,000.
Thus your taxable income becomes rs 3,50000.
Now deduct first 250000 rs from 3,50000.So remaining amount will be rs 1,00000.
Hence 5% of 1,00000 is 5000.Now deduct rs 2500 Rebate under section 87A.Because your taxable income is 3.5 lakh.
So 5000-2500=2500.Further get 4% health education cess of 2500.
Which becomes rs 100.So add 2500 and 100.
Finally your income tax is rs 2600.
Suppose your age is greater than or equal to 60 yrs and less than 80 years.
How to calculate income tax for senior citizen.
Let us suppose your gross salary is 500000.
And Deduction Under Section 80C is rs 150000.
So your taxable income will become rs 3.5 lakh.
As you know in case of a senior citizen there is no tax on first 300000.
So deduct 300000 from 3.5 lakh.
Remaining amount is 50,000.
5% of 50000 is rs 2500.
As your taxable income is 3.5 lakh after 80C deductions.
So deduct rs 2500 Rebate us 87A from rs 2500 which becomes zero.
Hence there is no tax in this case.
IF YOUR AGE IS 80 years or greater then you are super senior citizen.
And there is no tax on taxable income 5 lakh.
Finally we can say that There is no change in tax slab for FY 2018-19 except increase in cess from 3% to 4%.
And Deduction Under Section 80C remains same.


text:
- Home
- Shop By Flower
- Carnations
Shop by Category
The humble carnation, once thought of as an old lady flower, has sprung back into the popular flower scene and is killing it with a new range of colours from mauves, dusty pinks, salmon, burgundy, peach, cream, whites and everything in between. When many people imagine beautiful flower arrangements, chances are high that they are thinking of carnations. Known as "The Flowers of God," these beauties come in a wide variety of colors, each conveying a different message or meaning. From Mother's Day celebrations to stunning wedding bouquets, you can't go wrong with carnations. Botanique is proud to provide stunning flowers to Gold Coast customers, offering the best assortments, gift hampers, and same day delivery. Shop now to find the perfect online flowers to match your unique occasion!


text:
Most Popular Product
Designer Micro Coated Door Paper Print
Product Code : B31
Price And Quantity
- Minimum Order Quantity
- 500 Piece
- Price Range
Product Specifications
- Product Type
- Designer Micro Coated Door
- Material
- Wood
- Surface Finishing
- Matte
- Application
- Floor, Furniture Decoration
- Color
- White, Brown
- Size
- 3-7 Feet
- Feature
- Non-Dust, Environment Friendly
Product Description
Backed by a team of experienced procuring agents, we are involved in supplying an exclusive array of Designer Micro Coated Door Paper Print. This is beautifully designed by our diligent professionals by utilizing the finest quality materials and sophisticated techniques. Offered print creates an enjoyable experience for walls. Clients can avail this Designer Micro Coated Door Paper Print from us in different designs, colors, patterns and sizes at affordable prices.
- Waterproof and attractive look
- Ideal to add an extra ambiance to home decor
- Colorful pattern and mesmerizing design
Trade Information
- Payment Terms
- Cheque, Cash in Advance (CID), Cash Advance (CA)
- Supply Ability
- 10000 Piece Per Week
- Delivery Time
- 2-3 Days
- Sample Available
- Yes
- Sample Policy
- Sample costs shipping and taxes has to be paid by the buyer
- Main Export Market(s)
- Africa, Middle East, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, South America, North America, Central America, Australia, Asia
- Main Domestic Market
- All India
BLUE SIGN All Rights Reserved.(Terms of Use)
Developed and Managed by Infocom Network Ltd.


text:
Sami Schalk
press release:
OFFSITE A Room of One's Own book launch at EVERYDAY GAY HOLIDAY
Room is delighted to join author and professor Dr. Sami Schalk at Everyday Gay Holiday on Atwood Ave for a book release party in celebration of Bodyminds Reimagined: (Dis)ability, Race, and Gender in Black Women's Speculative Fiction!
Come celebrate the official release of Dr. Sami Schalk's first monograph, Bodyminds Reimagined: (Dis)ability, Race, and Gender in Black Women's Speculative Fiction, published by Duke University Press. Dr. Schalk is an Assistant Professor of Gender and Women's Studies at University of Wisconsin-Madison.
A Room of One's Own bookstore will be on site for those wanting to buy a copy. Dr. Schalk will talk briefly about the book and sign copies around 6:30pm. Afterward, everyone is invited to stay and celebrate. Light snacks will be provided, drop in any time. The venue is wheelchair accessible for entry. Please come scent-free to this event.
This event is free and open to the public! Seating is first come, first seated.


text:
SafeComs is a niche information security consulting and services firm, with branches in Cambridge (England), Sydney (Australia), and Bangkok (Thailand). SafeComs was awarded Best Startup Company of the year 2007 by the Belgian-Dutch Chamber of Commerce in Thailand. SafeComs was runner up for Best SME of the year 2008 with the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Thailand and won the 2009 Thailand ICT Award for best application software with the product Peppercan – Enterprise Management tool.
Organization History
SafeComs was founded in Sydney in 1999 by a small group of like-minded consultants. Initially, SafeComs' focus was on leveraging technology (primarily gateway security devices) to improve the state of security at client sites. SafeComs then developed a comprehensive range of services and consulting capabilities, ranging from highly technical (such as in depth testing of web application security) through to "people and process" oriented activities such as ISO 27002 auditing, tailor-made software applications, and compliance projects.
Following the successful growth in Australia, the Thailand and UK branches of SafeComs have been established to expand the company's operational reach.
Organization Structure
Within SafeComs, a largely flat organizational structure is maintained. The UK, Australian, and Thailand SafeComs' divisions each have an executive team who holds overall responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the business, and for managing business development. Each division has a wide base of security knowledge oriented on network infrastructure and web-based software applications, as well as special services and talents that are delivered to clients across all divisions.
This breadth and depth of knowledge enable us to deliver a wide range of quality services without a monolithic organizational structure.
Partnerships with software and hardware vendors
SafeComs has engaged reseller partnerships with the following software and hardware vendors:
- Microsoft Certified Partner: SafeComs is a certified partner to resell Microsoft products.
- Trend Micro Incorporated: a global leader in network antivirus and Internet content security software and services. Its products are well positioned to protect its customers against an expanding range of threats that silently endanger business operations, personal information, and property. SafeComs uses Trend Micro's antivirus product as part of the security solutions we offer to our clients. Over 1000 of our clients' desktops and servers are secured with Trend Micro's antivirus.
- SonicWALL, Incorporated: a recognized global leader in the small and medium business markets which designs, develops, and manufactures network security, secure remote access, Web and e-mail security, continuous data protection, and policy and management solutions. SafeComs resells SonicWALL Firewalls as part of its network security and management control solutions.
- Ingram Micro Incorporated: The world's largest technology distributor. SafeComs resells Ingram Micro's numerous hardware and software products from companies such as IBM, Cisco, Adobe, AutoCAD, Lynksys, APC, Intel, and Dell.
- ScriptLogic Corporation: a leader in network administration software for Microsoft Windows-based networks. ScriptLogic solutions virtually eliminate administration errors, shrink overhead and manage system updates faster and more efficiently – improving enterprise productivity and freeing scarce IT resources to be applied to more business-critical tasks. SafeComs resells ScriptLogic's Desktop Authority, a powerful desktop management solution.
- Netcore Solutions Pvt Ltd: a global provider of spam filtering solutions. SafeComs resells Netcore's Emergic CleanMail; a 'Managed Email Security Service', which protects Email infrastructure by operating at the Internet level by perishing ' threat of disruption'. ECM filters all messages in seconds before Email delivery to your network. Over 1000 of our clients' mailboxes are protected by Netcore's spam filtering solution.
SafeComs Services Portfolio
SafeComs engineers spend an enormous amount of time researching and designing computer security solutions in our research center in Thailand to ensure that customers will benefit from our best security systems at a price they can afford. We watch all the new trends in Security and attend the most important exhibitions in the world.
We also focus on ease of use to guarantee a smooth operation without requiring intensive training for clients' staff. Every computer security systems that we design for their security is developed with the user in mind and we always guarantee immediate results without any painful learning curve.
To make our solutions affordable, we build everything on open source software from the ground up. We adapt open source software to fit clients' organization and give them the flexibility and security matching proprietary computer systems security. There is no trade-off in our solutions, but the best security with the exact features you need.
When a customer purchases from SafeComs Thailand a Computer Systems Security Solution, not only do they get quality hardware and tailored affordable software, but they also benefit from our complete friendly support team of Internet security experts to support their organization with competence and determination to help them get the best out of our Computer Systems Security Solutions.
SafeComs is constantly researching new ideas and developing new models to make our customers' lives easier and their company and systems safer. The Internet and Network Security is our charter and we want to constantly improve and expand our Security offering.
SafeComs is a Board of Investment accredited Company.
As a Board of Investment Thailand accredited company we have developed the following array of services and solutions:
1. Computer system security solutions
- SafeBox – a fully outsourced, secured, automated online off-site data backup service for servers and computers.
- SafeNet – a service to remove spam, viruses, worms, and hackers before they get to your systems and to monitor your web and Internet traffic.
- SafeDesk – a remotely managed Desktop Support solution to proactively prevent desktops experiencing downtime
- SafeServ – a remotely managed Server Support solution to proactively prevent servers experiencing downtime and system failure
- Anti-Spam – a managed spam filtering solution that intercepts spam email at the internet level before it reaches the customer's network
- Anti-Virus – a managed systematic and ongoing desktop and server protection against the latest malicious viruses, worms, Trojan horse programs, and spyware.
2. Consulting Services
- Information Security Audit – an audit service following ISO 27002 security guidelines giving clients a professional, expert evaluation on the computer and network security systems. It also rates the adequacy of the controls in their information systems and related operations to ensure their IT systems are reliable and cost effective.
- Software Compliance Audit – an audit service to check to what extent clients are compliant with legal software usage regulations.
- Network Design Service – SafeComs designs and installs secure, dependable communications networks designed for performance that makes use of the latest technologies. Our network consultants support with network design, network audit and network upgrades, internet connectivity troubleshooting and setup, and network best practices management projects.
- Project Management & Consulting – Our Project Managers and consultants leverage best industry practices to deliver projects on time and on budget to our customers.
- IT Outsourcing – All solutions and services mentioned above are part of the IT outsourcing services we provide to our clients. With our remote and on-site support, we provide clients a peace of mind as they can focus on their core business and we take care of their IT needs.
3. Peppercan – Enterprise Management Tool
A professional suite of enterprise management tools for small to medium sized business with a focus on ease of use and short implementation time. It features applications covering contact management, sales force automation, document handling, comprehensive project management and collaboration, e-marketing, quoting, web expense, work-flow management, asset tracking and complete integration with major accounting packages such as MYOB, Quickbooks etc. Peppercan has recently won the prestigious Thailand ICT Award 2009 and will compete for the Asia Pacific ICT Award later this year in Australia.
4. Customized software applications
SafeComs has a dedicated team of experts who specialize in customized software development in Thailand that supports critical activities for any business. Our software is web-based and can be accessed from any computer with an internet connection through the browser, including PDAs and devices like the iPhone. There is no requirement to purchase hardware or software licenses. The services are totally outsourced, everything is offered on a rental basis and we take care of the management of the software, the servers supporting the application and all data backup.
For diverse clients we have developed the following applications:
– Quoting system
– Web Expense system
– Publication and advertising management system
– Bangkok Networking Calendar
– Food by Phone: a new concept for ordering over the phone & on the Web.
5. Digital Marketing and Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SafeComs has a dedicated division that constructs professional looking websites using a Content Management System (CMS) method. Moreover, by using Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques we get clients' websites on top of Google, MSN, and Yahoo.
SafeComs' Customer Base
SafeComs has a current base of around 100 clients, of whom 50 have a monthly service contract with us. Foreign multinationals account for 90% of our client base, which we support in various countries. Below lists a selection of our monthly IT outsourcing clients and Appendix I has a selected list of clients with one of our other services
1. Regional Offshore Manufacturer Ltd.
Complete IT outsourcing for 3 country locations (Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia) including the following services:
– Desktop Management (SafeDesk), 120 desktops
– Server Management (SafeServ), 10 servers
– Network Monitoring (SafeNet), 4 network firewalls
– Maintain Enterprise Architecture Blueprint
– IT Project Management & Consulting
– Vendors management of corporate approved suppliers
– Provide weekly debriefing on IT projects to management
– Provide monthly reporting on service provided, issues solved and issues pending
2. International Architect Firm
Complete IT outsourcing, including the following services:
– Desktop Management (SafeDesk), 100 desktops
– Server Management (SafeServ), 3 servers
– Network Monitoring (SafeNet)
– Online Data Backup (SafeBox)
– Anti-Spam
– Anti-Virus
– Network Design
– IT Project Management & Consulting
– Information Security Audit
– Provide weekly debriefing on IT projects to management
– Provide monthly reporting on service provided, issues solved and issues pending
3. Asia Magnetic Winding Co.
Complete IT outsourcing, including the following services:
– Desktop Management (SafeDesk), 120 desktops
– Server Management (SafeServ), 3 servers
– Network Monitoring (SafeNet)
– Provide monthly reporting on service provided, issues solved and issues pending
4. Large Energy group – Asia & Middle East Co., Ltd.
Internet Gateway security and Intrusion Prevention services:
– Network Security Monitoring (SafeNet) – 2 networks Bangkok & Dubai
– Provide monthly reporting on service provided, issues solved and issues pending
5. Baker Tilly Thailand
Complete IT outsourcing for 2 office locations, including the following services:
– Desktop Management (SafeDesk), 50 desktops each location
– Server Management, 2 servers
– Network Security Monitoring (SafeNet), 2 networks
– Online Data Backup (SafeBox)
– Anti-Spam
– Provide monthly reporting on service provided, issues solved and issues pending
6. Delegation of the European Commission to Thailand
Full-time onsite engineers, performing the following services:
– Desktop Management (SafeDesk), 70 desktops
– Server Management (4 servers)
– Network Security Monitoring (SafeNet)
– Antivirus solution
– Provide monthly reporting on service provided, issues solved and issues pending
7. Golden Foods Siam Limited
Consulting services and Project Management for IT restructuring
– Desktop migration, 400 desktops
– Server Management (36 servers)
– Network re-design (10 network segments)
– Quality Assurance
– Provide monthly reporting on service provided, issues solved and issues pending


text: Driving in the rain is fun, but it can be a little tricky as well. Reliance General Insurance shares tips and tricks that should be used while driving your car in the rainy season. Also, always carry your car insurance while driving. For details related to car insurance you can visit : https://www.reliancegeneral.co.in/Insurance/Motor-Insurance/Car-Insurance.aspx


text:
Burning of carbon based fuels since
the industrial revolution has quickly expanded concentrations of air carbon
dioxide, increasing the rate of global warming and causing anthropogenic
environmental change. In December 2015, after years of negotiations, 195
countries pledged to work together to address global climate change. The
objective of the Paris Agreement was to limit warming between 1.5C to 2C during
this century.
To achieve this
ambitious and important objective, sufficient funds must be used to strengthen
the developing countries.
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Human activities
not just in developing countries but worldwide are altering the natural
greenhouse. Over the last century the burning of fossil fuels like coal and oil
has increased the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide. This happens
because the burning process combines carbon with oxygen in the air to make CO2,
also the clearing of land for agriculture, industry, and other human activities
has increased concentrations of greenhouse gases.
The majority of
actively publishing climate scientists agree that the key reason of the present
global warming trend and climate change is human growth of the greenhouse
I used the data from
World Bank to generate a line graph on excel. The graph shows that the growth
rate in emissions over the past decade is faster than that of previous decades,
indicating carbon dioxide emissions have accelerated in recent years, from 24.7
million in 2000 to 36.1 million in 2014. Companies and countries make choices over
emissions without considering the consequences to other firms, or organisation who
are not directly involved in the transaction.
Mass production of carbon has resulted in market failure, without an effective
intervention, the harm caused by pollution has reached a level where the
advantages from reduction in production were substantially higher than the
advantages of constant abating.
Science organizations around the world have issued public
statements which led to in the creation of the Kyoto protocol of 1997. It was
supposed to keep greenhouse gas emissions from human activity at a certain
point where experts believed would offer the best chance of averting calamitous
climate change.
The Kyoto Protocol was a vital first step to a truly global emission reduction
regime that would steady GHG emissions.
Kyoto Protocol was adopted in December 1997
in Kyoto, it required developed countries to cut their greenhouse gas emissions
by at least 5% in the period 2008-2012 compared to 1990. Many developing
countries have also signed the agreement, but only the rich countries are
legally bound to cut.
The failure of the Kyoto Protocol, and the
difficulties of forging effective follow-up regimes, was largely due to
free-riding. Free-riding occurs when a party receives the benefits of a public
good without contributing to the costs. In this case,
countries have an incentive to rely on the emissions reductions of others
without taking proportionate domestic abatement. Enjoying the gains from
other countries' cuts while ignoring its own obligations. Abatement, a country
can't limit the benefits of clean air (non-excludable) and their consumption of
clean air does not decrease theirs (non-rivalrous). It is a public good.
For example, two countries, China and the
U.S. Scientists have warned both countries that without reductions in carbon
emissions, negative costs will arise. Both countries recognise this, but
abatement efforts are a public good. China cannot exclude the U.S. from the
benefits of China's abatement efforts, nor the other way around. This can be
observed in the figure below.
Each country can abate or pollute. The boxes
describe the net payoff (benefit- cost) to each nation in each of the four
outcomes. Outcome 1, both countries can abate and receive 75 each. Outcome 2,
China abates and U.S. ignores, China gets -50 and U.S. gets 100. This is
because abatement is costly. Outcome 3, U.S. abates, China ignores, U.S. gets
-50, and China gets 100. Outcome 4, both ignore, both get -25. The socially
optimal decision is for China and the U.S. to abate. It is socially optimal
because it creates the highest overall benefit. In this scenario, the problem here
is free riding. If the China knows USA will abate, then the best decision for
China is to ignore. And similarly, for the U.S. with over 100 countries, all
nations have a comparable pay-off matrix, they have an incentive to rely on the
emissions reductions of others without taking domestic abatement which will lead
to an outcome in the Nash Equilibrium of zero abatement.
It committed 37 industrialised nations to
reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to below 1990 levels and provided
financial help to developing countries to accomplish the task.
Some nations were on track to meet or exceed
their Kyoto goals by 2011, but other large nations were falling behind. The two
biggest emitters, the United States and China together emitted more than enough
greenhouse gas to erase all the reductions made by other countries during the
Kyoto period. China emitted 22.3% and the U.S emitted 13.4% in 2011. USA's lack of participation meant that many considered
the agreement to be in error. Some countries did not find the Kyoto Protocol
economically such as Canada, they ratified the protocol but later withdrew in
2011. Canada was not on track to meet its targets as emissions increased while
the economy grew. This allowed Canada to avoid paying penalties of up to 14 billion
Canadian Dollars for missing its targets. The Canadian environment minister,
Peter Kent said in 2011 "The Kyoto protocol does not cover the world's
largest two emitters, the United States and China, and therefore cannot
work," He believed that Kyoto did not represent the way forward for Canada
or the world. Thus, it is clear any notion of free-riding makes it impossible
for international arrangements to work as they rely on shared responsibility,
countries need to be sure all other countries are doing their part to cut
The Kyoto Protocol failed due to the
distribution of emission reductions between countries. Nations that have
historically been exposed to moderate emissions, such as India and Brazil, were
not affected by the requirements of the agreement, even though emissions in
these countries were and still are today increasing strongly. Developing
countries ratified the protocol, but it did not require them to make any cuts.
The protocol did not attract any new members from developing countries. As a
result, there was significant attrition in the coverage of emissions under the
protocol. Also, emissions grew more rapidly in non-covered countries, particularly
developing countries.
Other mechanisms used to prevent climate
change such as the EU Emission Trading system have also been proved to be
equally flawed. The EU ETS puts a cap on the carbon dioxide emitted by
corporates and creates a market and price for carbon allowances. It covers
airlines and more than 11,000 industrial sites, accountable for around 45% of
EU greenhouse gas emissions currently around 2bn tonnes of CO2 equivalent. Through
emissions trading system, countries could trade emissions permits, the
agreement allows countries to follow up their obligations in other ways than
simply cutting domestic emissions, by assigning property rights to abate, the
costs of emissions are now internalised, incentivising countries to decrease,
hence a step closer to the social optimum level of emission. Furthermore, an
industrialised country can pay for measures that reduce emissions in another
industrialised country. The country that pays has the right to let out more at
home, while the host country can drop out correspondingly less.
The EU Emissions Trading System failed due
to poor management of the carbon market which led to an overflow of carbon
permits that reduced the price of permits to a level that it was an
insignificant cost to the industry, hence to this point not cutting down
emissions, the agreement did not include international shipping and air
traffic, which accounts for a significant part of global emissions. In addition, the EU Emission trade system has not been
cost-effective and has funded polluters at tax payers' expense, The EU ETS has
constantly seen firms pass on carbon costs to customers that were never
incurred in the first place. A large amount of companies has gained billions of
euros in unjust way.
it was not until in Paris 2015 that
countries decided to agree on a new climate agreement that could replace the
Kyoto Protocol. The Paris Climate Change Conference is quite different from
that in Kyoto with a more rational expectation and a more realistic attitude of
all members. In addition, global economic development, the advancement of
technology, low-carbon development and the international community's awareness
and attention on climate change have undergone important changes. As a member
of the EU and host country, France was also in active contact with the parties,
which reflects the strong political will of countries to address climate
The target was to
reduce their emissions as quickly as possible, limit warming to 1.5 to 2
degrees and continue to present national climate action plans describing their
future targets for combating climate change The agreement also specifies the
principle that future national plans must be at least as ambitious as the
current ones that will significantly reduce global emissions. There have been
some critics, for instance, Jørgen E. Olesen, a former member of the UN's
Climate Panel (IPCC) believes that it can be a bit difficult for politicians
and others to understand that climate change is not dependent on what we are releasing
right now and here, but what we have totalled over time. We have not yet seen
the final impact on the climate of the emissions we have had so far. Before and
during the Paris Conference, countries presented comprehensive National Climate
Action Plans aimed at reducing their emissions. The government agreed every 5
years to present their contribution to more ambitious goals, they also agreed
to inform each other and the public about how to achieve their goals to ensure
transparency and overview.
Under the Paris
Agreement, the INDC became the first Nationally Determined Contribution when
the countries ratified the agreement. Once the Paris Agreement was ratified,
the NDC became the first greenhouse gas targets under the UNFCCC that applied
equally to both developed and developing countries On 3 August 2016 China and
US ratified 2015 agreement on INDC. Together they both create 38% of total
global emission, with China's alone emitting total of 20%.
The INDCs will be crucial to the success of the UN's
climate deal in the future. It is the first time that all countries, whether
rich or poor, have been obliged to come forward with pledges to manage their
greenhouse gas emissions. The promises made between now and December will,
therefore, act as a barometer of where the world stands on tackling climate
Analyses of the INDCs submitted by countries
conclude that, while they are moving closer to the 2-degree goal, they are not
ambitious enough to achieve it. An analysis by the Climate Action Tracker, a group
of research institutions, concluded that the INDCs, if fully implemented, could
result in warming of 2.7 degrees Celsius, which would be 0.9 degrees lower than
without them.
it is the flexibility of the INDCs which
could prove to be the Paris agreements greatest asset. the absence of a penalty
being imposed on a nation if failing to meet their specified INDC may have
allowed the Paris agreement to achieve such high levels of participation. No
risk of penalty enables ambitious INDCs and it is expected that this would have
a positive impact on countries to submit similarly ambitious targets. For example,
the U.S. pledged a domestic reduction of 26% to 28% in greenhouse gases by
2025, compared to 2005 levels, working towards the 28% target. This includes
the land-use sector and excludes international emissions credits. The USA's participation
meant that many considered the agreement to be accurate. Therefore, the high
levels of participation may prove an effective way to prevent or reduce the
free riding problem. More countries find that the INDCs is economically
As all countries face a similar pay-off
matrix, they all have the incentive to abate thus reducing free-riding. With
more countries involved in the agreement the pay-off involved in the figure
above, countries abate is significantly greater. In comparison to Kyoto
protocol, the US raised the issue that, developing countries such as India and China
were allowed as free-riders and no cuts in emission was required from them. Their reason for lack of participation was
due to the failure of the Kyoto Protocol to include all countries, as one of
the largest emitters, China and India were not included. With the Paris agreement, it has managed to
include the biggest emitters to reduce its emission, both developing and non-developing
countries. India is set to reduce its emissions intensity per unit GDP by 33%
to 35% below 2005 by 2030 and China by 60% to 65% by 2030 on 2005 levels.
The INDC agreement is not legally binding,
countries must constantly report to the UN on what they're doing, there's no
one who will come after them with sanctions if they don't keep their
promises. The INDCs is voluntary which
means the long-term impact of the agreement may be uncertain. The fact that nations
will not be penalised if they fail to live up to their promises could be the
biggest weakness in the agreement.
Climate Finance:
The main purpose of the Paris Agreement is
to limit warming to 1.5C to 2C during this century. To achieve this ambitious
and important goal, sufficient funds must be used to strengthen the developing
countries. Article 9 of the Paris Agreement states that developed countries
shall provide financial resources to assist developing countries. rich nations will
continue to contribute climate financing to help poor countries both reduce
emissions and build resilience to the adverse effects of climate change. However according Oxfam, they estimated that
just 16% of the $100 billion a year that was promised by wealthy countries in
2009 to aid poorer nations cut carbon emissions has been paid. To partly
rectify the agreement, the COP decided that the $100 billion per year from 2020
goal will continue through 2025, and that from 2025.
Tracy Carty, Oxfam's policy adviser said "We
need to see specific commitments in Bonn to increase adaptation finance and for
that money to be spent supporting small farmers who are on the front lines of
the climate crisis" she believed that there is lack of commitment to developing
countries, also warning that the issue "cannot be kicked down the road"
In conclusion, the
Paris agreement is a step in a longer process of fighting global warming. The
advances that it has made upon its predecessors such as Kyoto is impressive. Unlike
the Kyoto protocol, all nations in the Paris agreement must do their part, with
no exception for developing nations. However, it cannot be denied that the
agreement has its weaknesses. Because the accord is voluntary, the deal doesn't
need to be ratified. Nations do not have to obey the agreement of reduction in emission,
they can pollute while all other countries abate. One way to ensure that
countries obey with their commitments is if there was an effective consequence
to not obeying, this could act as a warning to the free-riding behaviour of
countries. If the penalty is reliable as a threat, it would be enough for
countries to incentivise compliance. However, many countries would be opposed
to the strict enforcement of sanctions. On the other hand, the Paris agreement
could be argued that it has produced the best possible outcome in the short
term, without an international agreement, it will be harder, if not impossible,
to lead international cooperation to counteract climate change. In the long
term, it is too early to assess the impact of the agreement, especially as it
does not come into force until 2020. For now, I believe that the Paris
agreement can be viewed as a success and it is on the right track


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Thursday, 2 October 2008
I Have A Pair Of Hands . . .
I have a pair of hands, and although they are something I have taken very much for granted in my life, they have served me well. They are starting to look a bit older now. I can't really put my finger on it but, they just don't seem to look as youthful as they used to. The skin seems somehow less taut and perhaps they are a bit more wrinkled looking. No age spots yet, but I am dreading those, for I know they can't be too far in coming. They have been a great help to me in my life, and seen me through many times, both good and bad.
I've used these precious tools to reach out and grab hold of life. As an infant these hands helped me to reach out beyond the sphere of my existence and explore and learn about the world around me. My fingers were one of the first things I learned to put in my mouth, followed by my hand. As I got a bit older my hands were what helped to prevent me from getting really hurt when I was learning to walk and would fall upon the floor. They were important tools in helping me to learn how to feed myself and become independent.
As a very small child my mother taught me how to put my hands together, bow my head and pray, so they have been instrumental in helping me to commune with my Lord, and even now when I listen to a very spiritual piece of music that touches my heart I like to raise them in the air and somehow feel as if I am able to touch the hem of His garment. They have helped me throughout my life to feel closer to my God.
With them, I learned to tug on my clothes, and do up my buttons and tie my shoes for the very first time.
With a pencil or a crayon or a needle and thread I have learned to create and make tangible the songs of my heart and the inspirations of my soul. My nimble fingers have produced many a thing of beauty, be it a story to tell my children, or a cake or a meal to celebrate a special day or occasion.
I've used these hands to stroke the cheek of my lover's face and to hold him close to me. Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I loved and was loved. As I got older they helped me to comfort and hold my newborn child, and then to teach and guide my toddlers and then teens, however clumsy and inept they might have seemed at the time. These hands have been tender and firm, strong and sometimes weak.
These hands have written letters to family, neighbours and friends, stories for my children, and now my grandchildren.With these hands I write to you each morning and share with you the secret ponderings of my mind and my heart.
I've used these hands to wave goodbye a thousand times, never knowing if I would ever again see the person I was waving too. I have held them up in joyous greeting after long separations and in grand reunions.
My hands have held lovers and children and now grandchildren. They've wiped the tears from a child's tender face and heart. They've consoled family and neighbours and friends. They've shaken with anger and fear and covered my face in sorrow and despair.
These hands have been dirty, and cut, scraped and swollen, tender and sore, yet still they serve me.
They have a good number of years left in them yet. They still have many miles to go and many trails to follow, many experiences and trials still to help and guide me though. They were with me in the beginning helping to lead the way and they will be with me at the end helping to lead the way. They are the mark of where I've been and the signpost of where I'm going, and they will be what I reach out and touch the hands of the Saviour with when he finally leads me home . . .
I hope you didn't mind me sharing this with you today. It's a post I wrote previously over on AOL journals last year. Since AOL has decided to shut down their journals people are scrambling to try to save what they have written on there before it disappears forever. I am much the same. Some of my best writing is stored on there and I am trying to figure out how to save it. A lot of work . . . it would be a shame to see it dissolve into thin air . . .
Of course that means I am trying to save recipes and food photos as well. This is a lovely dessert I make often in the fall. We like to have Cream spooned over it, but Ice Cream works very nicely as does Custard!
*As Good As Apple Pie Dessert*
Serves 6
I love to make this delicious dessert in the autumn when the apples are ripe and fresh and full of flavour. Being surrounded by orchards the way we are, we are inundated in the autumn months with windfalls and this is a great way to use some of them up. Easy and quick, this will become a firm family favourite.
Crumble base and topping:
½ cup cold butter, cut into bits
½ cup caster sugar
1 ½ cups plain flour
¼ tsp salt
5 cups peeled and sliced apples
½ cup caster sugar
2 TBS plain flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
Pinch of salt
Freshly grated zest of ½ lemon if desired
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F. Lightly butter an 8 X 8 inch baking pan orglass casserole dish and set aside.
Measure the flour, salt and sugar into a bowl. Stir tocombine. Drop in the bits of butter and rub the butter into the flour mixture until resembles fine crumbs. Divide the mixture in half and press half of it into the base of the baking pan. Reserve the other half.
Slice the apples into a large bowl. Stir the sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together. Stir this into the apples along with the grated lemon zest if using. Pour this mixture over the crumb base and press it down a bit with the back of a spoon.
Sprinkle the remaining half of the crumb mixture evenly over top. Pat lightly in place.
Bake in the heated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until bubbling and nicely coloured on top. Remove from the oven to cool a bit before serving.
Serve cut into squares with some pouring cream , custard or ice cream. Delicious!
22 comments:
- Anonymous2 October 2008 at 06:09
THIS HAS TO BE ONE OF MOST BEAUTIFUL PIECES OF WRITING I HAVE EVER READ..YOU ARE SO TALENTED AND WRITE SO BEAUTIFULLY..I ENJOY YOUR BLOG SO MUCH EACH DAY..AND YOUR RECIPES TOO..MADE THE LUMBER CAMP APPLE PIE TODAY..YUMMY..VALReplyDelete
That apple dessert looks delicious Marie! When I read your post it reminded me of the Primary song "Two Little Hands". I remember singing that as a child. Isn't amazing all the things that we do in life using our hands? Thank you for your beautiful post!ReplyDelete
This apple dessert looks so yummy maybe I will make it tomorrow and take it along with my apple pie to the temple pot luck.ReplyDelete
I love this post. I think you do amazing things with your hands....more than most anyone I know...you bless all not only those around you with the work of your hands..but many of us around the world as well. You are in deed a "hand maiden of the Lord"
I loved a poem I heard once that said that God has no hands but our hands to do his work here on earth. You do is work everyday.
Thank you for all that you do dear Marie. You bless my life. Thanks too for your concern and prayers. I love you for both. Love, Lura
- Anonymous2 October 2008 at 08:27
Good Morning Marie, Yes it is sad to lose all we have written but there is word it can be transfered over we will have to see the date is supposed to be the 7th oct. I see why you wanted to save this piece of writing you could never do it the same again and that would be a shame.Hope you visit me on http://joansnewmusings.blogspot.cReplyDelete
Beautiful, Marie :)ReplyDelete
What is caster sugar? I've got to make this....it looks so good!ReplyDelete
This is the loveliest ode to hands, Marie! What beauty and meaning...And what an inspiration you are! This apple dessert is gorgeous...We still have lots of apples left this would be great to make with them! Will you have time today for a chat? I'll be online later this afternoon and look for you on MSN! :o) Happy Day, dear friend Love & ((HUGS))ReplyDelete
A crumble base AND topping!! Yum!ReplyDelete
What a beautiful post. You are such a lovely person. Did you get to hear women's conference this last weekend? It made me think of Presint Uchdorf's (spelling?) talk about the need to create. Like Jen Jen it also reminded me of I have two little hands.ReplyDelete
Your dessert looks delish!
I too was thinking of Pres. Uchtdorf's words when I read your post! You are a creation of God, and you have nurtured your gifts and talents and have shared them with us all. Your words, your pictures, your recipes and your wisdom. thank you!ReplyDelete
i agree with the comment from val-WOW, this post was just amazingly beautiful. ours hands do so much, so many things i hadn't really thought of until i read your post!ReplyDelete
Dear Marie, so lovely post dear, and look my hands now and really,, are you know, clean of course you know when we cook wash our hands all day , but the nails and some little cuts well, well, but you have reason with these hands we plants flowers, we love, we cook,yes Thanks God we have these hands, lovely post.ReplyDelete
Marie this recipe is that I need today a lovely and yummy apple desert, thanks have a lovely day, xGloria
What a lovely post. I love your flowers, and this apple pie dessert looks so good, perfect for this time of year.ReplyDelete
Oh Marie...this recipe is going to be utilized in 2 weeks when I'm in New England with Andrew-let's hope that there are still some apples for us to pick!ReplyDelete
Custard, gotta be custard! I am seeing my hands age before my eyes and it is scary! I have large hands, but they are very capable. Great post! Much love, Raquel XOReplyDelete
- Anonymous2 October 2008 at 19:05
Marie, you amaze me every day with your beautiful thoughts, I never come away from reading your page without feeling uplifted, it is so inspiring, and you are such a talanted and loving person to share this with us. Thank you so much.ReplyDelete
Hi Marie how I have missed your beautiful recipes ~ so glad to have caught up with you again ~ Ally xReplyDelete
Hi Marie :)ReplyDelete
This apple dessert looks wonderful...also wanted to mention I found Dorries Cookbook on line and my hubby ordered it for me :) I can't wait to try some of the recipes :)
Marilyn In Miami :)
The photo of the rose hips really struck me. I've been walking around our neighbor, seeing how autumn is displayed in Yorkshire, & been amazed by how HUGE many of the rose hips are.ReplyDelete
Your shot perfectly shows off an English garden.
HI Marie, we have our livesimply lunch at church on Sunday, I'm going to give your apple dessert a go as a parishioner has donated apples from her tree...I'm amazed that there is no eggs in this recipe...which is great, even simplier (is that a word?)ReplyDelete
This looks so good Marie!!I love apples and love to find new ways to bake with them!ReplyDelete
- Anonymous3 October 2008 at 19:05
I just love your blog. I read it first thing in the morning. You give me inspiration and are a blessing. I moved from Cincinnati Ohio area a month ago to the Adirondack Mts in Lake George and went apple picking a few wkends ago and I made your apple dessert last night. I used macoun apples and my family loved it! I think I will make it again this wkend! Amanda
Your comments mean the world to me, and while I may not be able to address each one individually, each one is important to me and each one counts. Thanks so much!


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An extraordinary experience in a Bailey Pursuit at Focus
Turning up to a huge open field campsite, we spotted the new Pursuit 550-4 glistening in the sunshine, and were immediately impressed… the generous proportions and styling setting this apart from a host of other caravans sited nearby.
This was the start of the Focus festival, and we, on behalf of the charity we run had been asked to speak at the event. Bailey of Bristol had kindly provided the caravan for the week, and had even delivered it to the site, making arrival and set-up an easy process for us.
Now for those of you who are not acquainted with the 550-4, this is a 4-berth van, with a good size lounge/dining area which converts to a big and comfortable double bed, twin beds, a compact but functional kitchen, and a generous shower room with sink, toilet and wardrobe… perfect for our family of 4.
As it turned out, the position it had been sited was not quite right, but with the help of a few other festival-goers and 2-minutes of arm power, it was quickly and easily re-positioned. Five minutes later the legs were down, it was all level, and ready to use. Bailey had also provided a Prima Deluxe Air Awning 390 from Prima Leisure for use with the 550-4, a helpful addition adding useful living space for our stay.
Now the awning is best erected by 2 people, but I had to do this on my own, a task that slightly concerned me having never done it before, but I should not have been worried. As soon as it was attached, the easy to inflate main struts and cross struts quickly went up, guy ropes went in, and in 45-minutes it was ready to use… a fact that seriously impressed the other caravan users around us.
Stowing away all of our clothes, food, bags and laptops (yes this was a work trip) was quickly done, there are cupboards and storage compartments a plenty, and it soon felt like home.
Due to the position of the pitch we did not have an electric hook-up on the site, so were using the gas to power the fridge, hot water and heating, and electrics were running off the battery. We were careful about usage, but even so we cooked and made the most of using the van throughout the week without needing to get more gas or switch to the 2nd battery (Bailey had made sure there were two!)
The weather during the week was changeable, to say the least, but we enjoyed some beautiful sunshine, and comfortably endured some heavy storms, barely noticing strong winds and torrential downpours in the caravan. The awning struggled a bit with the weather, with some of the struts bucking under the weight of pooling water, but with a few pumps into the struts and some re-positioning of guy ropes, all was back to normal.
Over the course of the week, the caravan coped brilliantly with our busy lives. There was always enough room for the four of us, in fact when friends stopped by, and numbers swelled to nine, there was always enough space, and the 550-4 never felt overloaded, something many caravans could not boast.
So as the festival ended, my children waved, tears in eyes at the caravan, as it rolled off the site… (being pulled by a Freelander, not literally rolling away) We had come through the week, the rain, the mud, the sunshine, with many happy memories, many new friends, and a love for the 550-4, which my wife now wants to own!
Andrew Clark-Coates (CEO of the Mariposa Trust)
News & Events


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Our Work
Bikes for free
In conjunction with Saint Thomas Aquinas Church in Philadelphia, Project Rescue Earth has donated over a dozen bikes to the attendees that live on lower incomes. Many of the kids who attend the church are not able to afford bikes or any form of transportation and we hope that this will provide them a better way to get to and from school. In addition, adults, who show a need, receive bikes in hopes it makes their lives easier.
Save the shores
Project Rescue Earth works closely with the local Delaware government in order to help clean and reduce trash build up in the Delaware bay. This helps preserve the ocean and helps Delaware retain its beautiful shoreline.
Pictures for life
Our network of volunteers are given the opportunity to go out for hours and take pictures of nature at their local parks in order to receive hours of service in return. This collaboration with student volunteers provides state parks with an extensive and up-to-date data base of the park's health over a period of time.


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From June 15 to September 28, 2014 Pescheria- Foundation Visual Arts Center Pesaro
Saturday, June 14, Foundation Pescheria Visual Arts Center, is pleased to announce a solo show by Marco Tirelli (Rome, 1956) entitled Observatory, curated by Ludovico Pratesi, who will present an unpublished work, created especially for the museum's spaces Pesaro.
The exhibition consists of a site-specific installation inside the nave central plan which characterizes the Church of the Intercession in which the museum transformed by the artist into a sort of point of observation material and dreamlike fragments object and signs-symbols recovered from astronomy and geometry, from science and nature.
Marco Tirelli makes a personal observation of images that emerges from personal memory to be seeing in the dark. Large circles painted on the high walls of the Church, as if they were blacks holes of junction between the earth and the universe, not only as a macrocosm, but also as a microcosm of the 'inner life, they give life to making himself ocular lens through which to view
the sites of MPs' imagery collected from the artist's memory.
Exhibition Centre is conducted through a Socratic method that projects the perceived darkness over light, structured as a line of sight device visual images and volumes recovered from the unconscious and memory and escaping , found by the thought of the beholder.
's visual archive of Marco Tirelli is formalized finally on the walls of the long loggia of the museum, which houses large paintings and drawings, developing in this way a valuable collection of pictures and shapes, figures and representations, once again borrowed from the archive iconographic material and mental artist, by the accumulation of visual perspectives that make up the mnemonic of Marco Tirelli, reworked to evoke something other than itself, through an imaginative dimension and concrete at the same time, referring to a reality poised between subject and object, between recollection and perception.
In the course of the exhibition will be accompanied by a catalog, containing images of the exhibited works, a text and an interview by Ludovico Pratesi.


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Spicy food makes you lose weight?
Spicy food. All the spice. Hot sauce on tacos. Red peppers. Siracha. Serranos. Tomatillos. Hatch Chiles. Jalapeños. Habaneros. Bell Peppers. Poblanos. Bananas Peppers. Uh oh. Maybe, probably don't do Ghost Peppers. I hear they're deadly. Also, probably don't eat all of these at once.
Good news. Food with spice actually does speed up your metabolism. But hey! Remember to be careful, because too much of anything isn't good for you. And sometimes spicy things can give you indigestions and heart burn. So just take it easy, mm-kay.
Spicy, why does it speed up your metabolism?
Because it raises your body temperature, making you sweat, making you burn more calories. It's like "Hot Box Yoga" in India with curry, but without the yoga, and with eating all the yummy spicy things. I mean seriously, who wants to eat and lose weight! I DO! Hello!
Which spices specifically?
Capsaicin, ginger, black pepper. What actually is capsaicin? It's the active ingredient in chili peppers. YOW! Cayenne pepper is great too. Even fresh red, yellow, green peppers too. Jalapeños. Yes please.
Lose more weight!
No I'm not kidding. Lose more weight than you were expecting BECAUSE these also help suppress your appetite. WHAT??? No really, the spice actually makes your brain think it's not hungry any longer. So, go ahead, eat all the chips and salsa before your meal, because it will make you think that you aren't as hungry (Click to read about peppermint, too, on this blog!). And then, you know, save your dinner for lunch tomorrow. Awesome. Spicy fajitas for lunch! Get your protein, and sweat the calories off because they're so HOT, and eat less because you're not as hungry!
Okay so it burns calories, burns fat, and helps you eat less. Get ready for Taco Tuesday!!!
~The Spicy Life with Dance Fitness with Jessica


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Inland Empire Council for the Social Studies Bringing Social Studies to Teachers in the Inland Empire A California Council for the Social Studies Affiliate
California Department of Education
H-SS Statewide Update November 2019
The monthly state H-SS Newsletter begins with a legislative update, beginning with the Bill updating the Ethnic Studies course. One of the most important legislative articles is on AB852 relating to the update of curriculum standards. There is information on civic education and lists of professional learning resources and professional development opportunities.


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Who is the one person who has consistently undermined our Constitution and our way of life? What person would do whatever they can to get their way to enforce their sick and twisted agenda? Who will go down in history as the Obstructer in Chief? It would HAVE to be the Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell.
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With this article, I'm introducing a new blog post category called #MobileUX. This will consist of articles related to anything and everything UX for mobile.
Leaders in e-commerce like Amazon, Walmart, etc., have all adopted mobile pretty early. What caught my attention while doing research was, they all use the wonderful hamburger menu as their navigation solution on mobile devices. Now, I don't mean to say that it's not the best solution, but it's definitely not the only solution.
The other kind of menu that I see widely used is the tabbed menu. Facebook, Pinterest and Medium (recently update) are some great examples of that. But, these are all social sites. There are hardly any e-commerce apps using the tabbed menu.
Hence, I decided to spend some time toying with the idea of tabbed menu for an e-commerce app and below is a rough wireframe that I ended up doing.
Introducing the tab menu
The idea here is pretty straightforward. You are on the home screen and at the bottom of the apps screen, you have the tabs for shop (home screen), cart, store locator and account. On the header of the app you have the branding, search and browse (by category or subcategory).
By using tabs for navigation, I am not hiding away the most important actions that I want my users to take, which are browsing and searching for products, viewing cart and updating/viewing account. They are available to my users at all times, leading to (much) higher engagement ratio and conversion rates.
Hamburger could be a great way of saving space, but at the expense of causing frustration to your users, higher bounce rate and lower conversion. By saving space and hiding navigation in an off-canvas drawer, you are adding unnecessary secondary items and way too many nested levels of navigation.
So, why is it that we haven't seen tabbed menu (which has existed for quite a long time), used by e-commerce shops? What do you think?
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Press release: Meeting of the Board of Directors of RCS MediaGroup
Results at 31 March 2019 approved[1]
Consolidated revenue € 206.2 million
EBITDA € 22.6 million[2], € 16.1 million net of IFRS 16 impact
Positive EBIT 9.92 million, € 8.9 million net of IFRS 16 impact
Profit € 4.9 million
Net Financial Debt € 158.2 million (€ -29.4 million versus 31.12.2018)
Milan, May 9, 2019 – The Board of Directors of RCS MediaGroup met today under the chairmanship of Urbano Cairo to review and approve the consolidated results at 31 March 2019.
Income statement (€ millions)
Consolidated revenue
Net result
Statement of financial position (€ millions)
Net financial debt1
The Group's consolidated net revenue at 31 March 2019 amounted to € 206.2 million, down by € 10.1 million versus 31 March 2018. The change is attributable to publishing revenue of € -4.5 million and advertising revenue of € -6.2 million, as a result of the performance of the advertising market, in Italy in particular, weaker than forecast. Other revenue was up instead by € 0.6 million versus the same period of 2018. Digital revenue, which totaled approximately € 38 million, increased by approximately 8% versus the same period of 2018, with a percentage on total revenue of 18.4%.
Advertising revenue came to € 77.8 million versus € 84 million in the same period of 2018. The decrease was due mainly to Newspapers Italy (€ -3.3 million[3]), Unidad Editorial (€ -2.2 million3) and Magazines Italy (€ -1 million3). Advertising revenue from Sporting Events, instead, bucked the trend (€ +0.7 million). Total advertising sales on online media amounted to € 28.3 million, up by approximately 6.5% versus first quarter 2018.
Publishing revenue amounted to € 101.5 million versus € 106 million in the first three months of 2018. The decrease is due basically to the fall in sales of add-on products (€ -3 million versus first quarter 2018) and the drop in circulation of print products in the Unidad Editorial and Magazines areas. Circulation-wise, the dailies Corriere della Sera, La Gazzetta dello Sport (ADS January-February), Marca and Expansión continue to lead their respective segments, while El Mundo was once again the second most popular general daily in Spain. The figures published by EGM (Estudio General de Medios: last update April 2019) confirm Unidad Editorial's leadership in the daily newspapers segment; through its brands, the daily reaches approximately 2.6 million readers/day, approximately 700 thousand readers more than its main competitors. In March, the total active customer base for Corriere della Sera (digital edition, membership and m-site)was 137 thousand subscribers, up by 22% versus the same period of 2018.
Other revenue amounted to € 26.9 million versus € 26.3 million in the first three months of 2018.
The RCS Group continued its efforts in 2019 to beef up its publishing products on both the digital and traditional channels. In Italy, the quarter under review saw the restyling of Amica (out on newsstands on 19 February 2019) and the new Corriere Milano (6 March 2019); the Motors column of La Gazzetta dello Sport was expanded (7 March 2019), economia.corriere.it, the new website of the business-related section of daily Corriere della Sera was launched (25 March 2019), Corriere del Mezzogiorno-Puglia e Matera made its debut (26 March), while 28 March saw the kick-off of the wide range of activities of RCS Academy, the Business School launched in January 2019. In Spain, the quarter saw the creation of BeStory, a digital content production area for social networks also involving marketing influencers, the restyling of Telva (20 February 2019) and the unveiling of the El Mundo website (4 March 2019).
After the end of the first quarter, the new Gazzetta dello Sport (renewed and improved in graphics and content) was launched (May 7, 2019), gazzetta.it new website was released (May 8, 2019), the new weekly supplement out on Thursday Corriere Salute was launched (9 May 2019), and the new 7 is expected on newsstands (10 May 2019).
As a result of the adoption of IFRS 16 from 1 January 2019, the following income statement amounts for first quarter 2019 are not immediately comparable with the corresponding amounts for the same period of the prior year.
EBITDA amounted to € 22.6 million. Net of the effects of the new standard, pro-forma EBITDA (€ 16.1 million) fell by € 4.1 million versus € 20.2 million in the first three months of 2018, due also to the effect of net non-recurring expense and income (€ -2.9 million the overall effect since they were totally negative of € -0.7 million at 31 March 2019 versus € +2.2 million positive at 31 March 2018, attributable mainly to a non-recurring income of 2.6 million made for a settlement agreement). Moreover, RCS's seasonality factors generally impact on the results of the first and third quarters of the year. The ongoing commitment to efficiency in the first three months of 2019 produced benefits on operating costs of € 5.6 million, of which € 2.7 million in Italy and € 2.9 million in Spain.
The table below shows a breakdown of the trend in revenue, EBITDA and pro-forma EBITDA (i.e. net of the effects of the new IFRS 16) relating to each business segment.
- The adoption of IFRS 16 as from 1 January 2019, without restating the balances at 31 March 2018, led in the first three months of 2019 to an improvement in EBITDA of € 6.5 million, resulting from the reversal of lease payments.
EBIT in the quarter amounted to € 9.9 million. Net of the effects of IFRS 16 (€ 1 million), the period saw a decrease of € 2.3 million, due also to the effects of net non-recurring expense(€ -2.9 million) and income described above, partly offset by lower assets' amortization (€ 1.8 million).
The Group's profit in first quarter 2019 amounted to € 4.9 million (€ 6 million at 31 March 2018) and reflects the overall performance described above.
Net financial debt stood at € 158.2 million (€ -29.4 million versus 31 December 2018). The improvement was propelled by ordinary operations, which came to € +34 million (€ +30.8 million at 31 March 2018), only partly offset by outlays for capital expenditure incurred in the period (€ 4 million), and by the amount paid for net non-recurring expense (€ 0.6 million). Net financial debt improved by € 101 million versus 31 March 2018. Mention should be made that the Shareholders' Meeting of 2 May 2019 approved the distribution of a dividend of € 0.06 per outstanding ordinary share, gross of tax, with coupon detachment date on 20 May 2019, for a total of € 31 million. At 31 March 2019, these amounts were still included in the Group's equity reserves and net financial position. Total net financial debt, including financial payables from operating leases pursuant to IFRS 16 (mainly rents), amounting to € 186 million, stood at € 344.2 million.
Business outlook
Against a persistently uncertain backdrop and shrinking main relevant markets, the Italian advertising market in particular, which performed weaker than forecast, in first quarter 2019 the Group continued to generate positive margins and cash flows and achieved its targets to gradually reduce financial debt.
In consideration of the actions already implemented and those planned and currently being defined to develop products and revenue, as well as for the ongoing pursuit of operating efficiency, in the absence of unforeseeable events at this time, the Group believes that it can confirm its target of achieving, in the following months of 2019, operating margins and cash flows basically in line with those achieved in 2018, allowing a further significant reduction in net financial debt.
However, developments in the overall economic climate and in the core segments could affect the full achievement of these targets.
Under paragraph 2, article 154-bis of the Consolidated Finance Law (TUF), Roberto Bonalumi, in his capacity as Financial Reporting Manager, attests that the accounting information contained herein is consistent with the Company's document results, books and accounting records.
RCS MediaGroup is one of the leading multimedia publishing groups, active mainly in Italy and Spain across all publishing segments, spanning from newspapers to magazines and books, from TV to new media and training, as well as being one of the top players in the advertising market, organizing iconic events and prominent sports formats such as the Giro d'Italia. The RCS Group publishes the daily newspapers Corriere della Sera, La Gazzetta dello Sport, El Mundo, Marca and Expansion, and numerous magazines, the most popular including Oggi, Amica, Io Donna, 7 and Telva.
For further information
RCS MediaGroup – Investor Relations
Arianna Radice – +39 02 2584 4023 – +39 335 6900275 – firstname.lastname@example.com
[1] For the definitions of EBITDA, EBIT, net financial debt and total net financial debt, reference should be made to "Alternative performance measures" in this press release.
[2] The interim report at 31 March 2019 incorporates the new IFRS 16 – Leases, which came into force as from 1 January 2019.
For the adoption of the new standard, the Group followed the modified retrospective transition method (i.e. with the cumulative effect of the adoption recognized as an adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings at 1 January 2019, without restating comparative information). The income statement figures of first quarter 2019, therefore, cannot be immediately compared with the corresponding amounts of the same period of the prior year.
The application of the new standard at 31 March 2019 resulted in:
- the recognition under property, plant and equipment of rights of use for a total of € 170.8 million;
- the recognition of a financial liability (financial payables from operating leases pursuant to IFRS 16) of approximately € 186 million;
- an improvement in EBITDA in the quarter of € 6.5 million, resulting from the reversal of lease payments, offset by higher amortization and depreciation of € 5.5 million and higher financial expense of € 0.9 million, with an impact on EBITDA, EBIT and profit for the period of € +6.5 million, € +1 million and € +0.1 million, respectively;
- a decrease in initial equity of € 11.1 million, net of the accounting effects of the tax component, the latter recorded concurrently under non-current financial assets and other assets for € 4.1 million.
[3] Includes advertising revenue generated through the Group's ad agency.


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My Hobie Wave is missing the rudder assemblies. I know H17/H18 will fit. What other castings will fit the Hobie Wave? (perhaps not even Hobie?) I have called around looking for a used set and have been disappointed at the prices, at some of those price points I can wait it out and find a trashed out H17/H18 to cannibalize. It's a Wave guys, cheap is the name of the game.
Texas Gulf Coast
'82 Prindle 16 (Badfish)
'02 Hobie Wave (Unnamed Project)
'87 Hobie 18 (Sold)
'89 Hobie 17 (ill-advised project boat, Sold)
Hobie Wave rudder options
That's what I did. Took a long time, searching. The castings, and rudders will fit, you can cut down the tiller connector, Hobie makes a kit (1957?) for the tiller connectors. You have to buy, or maybe luckily find, the tillers from a pre 2005 Wave.
Good luck. I mean that sincerely not sarcastically. I had the time and I thought it was all fun. I took my castings all apart and rebuilt them with new cams. When it got to the boat it was better than new.
I would think if you're willing to relocate/replace the gudgeons, you could probably make just about any rudder system work. However, with the gudgeons in the factory position I believe you are correct - only the H17 style and the new EZ Lock rudders feom Hobie will fit.
Would they? Because the wave doesn't use a separate gudgeon pin.
I have been trying to find a side by side comparison of old vs new lower castings.
Texas Gulf Coast
'82 Prindle 16 (Badfish)
'02 Hobie Wave (Unnamed Project)
'87 Hobie 18 (Sold)
'89 Hobie 17 (ill-advised project boat, Sold)
Bottom gudgeon on the old style 18 castings gets mounted lower than on the new style. When doing the retrofit on an 18, the lower gudgeon had to be moved. I see no reason why it would be any different on a Wave. Actually, you would probably need to replace the Wave gudgeons (pintles actually) and replace them with gudgeons that use a separate rudder pin if using the old style 18 castings. I don't think the old style 18 casting would work with a pintle due to the way the bottom of the lower casting fits around the gudgeon, it would need a separate pin.
Edited by Dogboy on May 19, 2019 - 07:08 PM.
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Nestled in the countryside & beautiful township of Holland in Hunterdon County, this sprawling 50-acre farm is perfectly suitable for the equestrian, agriculture or subdivision potential. While the existing structures are in disrepair, there is significant value, as the 2 family home allows zoning for an established multi-family structure.The barns are within the grandfathered setbacks & the land has utilities & access in place.This property boasts 2100 feet of road frontage & an R5 zoning, which is seamlessly suitable for permissible subdivision.The possibilities are endless with this remarkable quantity of land as the location offers both convenience to commerce as well as an escape into nature.
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Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Copyright © 2020 Garden State Multiple Listing Service, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
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This information is being provided for Consumers' personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties Consumers may be interested in purchasing.
Listing information last updated on August 15th, 2020 at 8:48am EDT.


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NRAS rental properties are available for low and moderate income households - people who may find it hard to pay market rental rates. To be eligible to rent an NRAS property, potential tenants will need to provide Real Property WA with the following:
written evidence of their gross income;
a complete Department of Social Services NRAS Tenancy Demographic Assessment (TDA); and
an application to enter into a residential tenancy agreement.
Please be aware that the gross income for your household for the previous 12 months must not exceed the income limits below:
The 2017-18 household income eligibility limits are:
*Please note that existing tenants must not exceed the income limit by more than 25 per cent over two consecutive years to remain eligible.
If you're thinking about becoming an NRAS Tenant with Questus Realty, then try Real Property WA's income calculator below to assess your eligibility. Please be aware that the calculator is only an indicator of your potential eligibility, and in no way assures acceptance or rejection as an NRAS tenant.
If more than 6 people are going to be residing in the property, then please contact us directly


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They say it takes a village to raise a child, and that may be true, but I can tell you for sure that it takes a village to put on a Steubenville youth conference.
Every weekend, 140-ish staff members and volunteers begin their service to God's kids at SteubySTL by converging on O'Reilly Catholic Student Center at 10 am on Friday morning, as we did this morning. We gather to pray before we get to work.
Our church teaches that the Eucharist is the "source and summit" of our faith, which means that it is the most powerful thing we can experience (because we receive Jesus) and it is also the point from which all of our inspiration and energy flows. So, we began our conference with Mass.
Our priest for this weekend's ministry team is familiar to many of us: Fr. Chris Martin. He is the pastor of St. Clare of Assisi Parish, and prior to serving there he was the director of the Office of Vocations for the Archdiocese of St. Louis. He has attended many SteubySTL conferences, and we always love having him with us.
In his homily today, Fr. Martin shared with us the analogy of the body, and said that we Christians are like the blood of the body: to give energy and nutrition to the body, we are sent out. And while we are out, we might get beat up, and can get infected with pollutants, but then we are always sent back for cleansing and rejuvenation. That rejuvenation happens anytime we draw closer to Jesus, who wants to then send us back out again.
Father Martin shared with us a very powerful quote from St. John Vianney who said,
"I will suffer anything for the conversion of my parish."
He encouraged us to be willing to suffer and take upon ourselves small sacrifices so that the young people attending this conference can be drawn in closer to Jesus.
He closed with this quote from Mother Teresa,
"The amazing thing is not the work that we do, but that we do it joyfully."


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Randy Thompson: Why Californians Are Really Leaving the Golden State
I was born in Santa Monica, California, raised in the San Fernando Valley, went to Robert Fulton Jr. High, Van Nuys High School, Pierce Jr. College, Cal State Northridge (BS degree), and then USC (MBA).
In other words, dude, like I have California-creds, bro.
That said, I never learned to surf, I never drove a lowered '62 Chevy, and I don't rap. But I've always liked guns, pickup trucks, and country music. Sometimes I think maybe I was born in the wrong place. But I got here fast as I could. Lately, however, there seems to be a lot more transplants like me. And that's got me a little worried.
While the Toyota move has gathered the most attention, the Summer 2015 Dallas-Fort Worth Real Estate Review documented many others who have chosen to pick up their businesses and leave the Golden State behind. Why? When I was out in Rialto, California, recently, wrapping up an industrial project there, I gained some insight into the reasons, and I thought my readers might like to know what I learned.
There were two, big-deal news stories making the rounds out there that I noted with interest. The first: Mobility Plan 2035 in Los Angeles. And the second: taxes. (I know, in California? Taxes? Really?) Let's take a brief look at each.
First, Mobility Plan 2035 calls for the closure to automobiles of some of the most congested, widest, and longest stretches of roads in greater Los Angeles. Why? Because, studies have shown (and I kid you not, someone actually paid to develop this data) only 5 percent of those hit by a car going up to 20 mph die, while over 80 percent of those hit by a car going 40 mph die.
Get it? Slow moving car = less damage. (I know, go figure.)
But rather than lower the speed limit to 20 mph, the City of Los Angeles has decided to close the equivalent of Midway Road, Preston Road, Northwest Highway, MLK Boulevard, Coit and Jupiter Roads, among others, limiting their use to bicyclists, rollerbladers, pedestrians, speed-walkers, and public transportation (think buses but not Uber). As a result, the already crowded streets will get even more crowded and effectively lower the speed limit for autos.
Of course, the underlying idea here is to encourage more Angelinos to hang up their car keys and hop on a Huffy. That may sound grand to the wine-sippers out west, but here in Texas we live in Practical-ville. The idea of peddling to work from say, Richardson to Las Colinas, in a business suit, in August, is just plain dumb. But this initiative was approved by the Los Angeles City Council on a 12-2 vote. U-Haul is going to need to send some more moving vans out there when this thing goes into effect.
The second issue raging in California is taxes. California boasts the country's highest state income tax rate (13.3 percent) and the highest state sales tax rate (7.5 percent). According to Forbes.com, California is the second worst state in which to own a car (average five-year cost for the car payment, fuel, maintenance, license, etc., is $52,377), and the state ranks No. 46 on the list of best places to run a business. (For those of you who may be math-challenged, that means there are 45 better states for business!)
But, dad-gum, they still can't make ends meet in California. So now, they're proposing an all new tax. Watch close.
At $.66 per gallon, gas taxes in California are the second highest in the nation. And the revenue generated from these taxes are used to repair and build roads, bridges, and freeways. However, perhaps you have heard about the Toyota Prius, the Nissan Leaf, the Tesla and others. Trust me on this, out in California, people love these things. Granted, even out in Granola-land, electric vehicles only account for a small percentage of the total cars on the road, but they are a fast-growing segment. Why? Like I said, California has the second-highest tax rate on gasoline in the United States! And electric vehicles don't use gasoline. Get it?
So somebody out there realized that all these environmentally friendly electric vehicle owners are not paying their share to keep up the roads. And we can't have that! So guess what's working its way through Sacramento? If you guessed California has plans to use event data recorders (think black boxes) to track every mile driven by every motorists by 2025, thus enabling the state to charge drivers by the mile, congrats, you're right! Hold on now, no one will sit idle and allow the government to track where they go, will they? Well, in Oregon, state officials have already signed a contract with San Jose-based Azuga, which makes tracking devices that plug into a car's dashboard. When the public protested, Oregon backed down slightly, suggesting those who feel this is an invasion of privacy could keep handwritten notes, or 'driver-diaries,' or maybe a smartphone app to report their miles driven.
Oh sure, that'll work, right?
But trust me on this, the politicians in Sacramento are keeping a close eye on what their northern neighbors are up to and won't be far behind.
So there you go, Texas. When you see more and more California license plates running around town you'll know why.
And for my fellow defectors who recently left the left coast behind, please-oh-please remember why you decided to move here. We like Texas the way it is and want to keep it this way: low taxes, business-friendly, good public schools, sweet tea, brisket, big hats and all.
Don't mess with Texas. It's about all we've got left.
Randy Thompson is senior managing director at Cushman & Wakefield Inc. Contact him at firstname.lastname@example.com.