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September 11, 2014
In Victoria, the law has until recently only required a limited list of prescribed professionals to report 'children in need of protection'. These included registered medical practitioners, nurses, teachers, school principals, members of the police force, youth or social workers, psychologists, youth parole officers and youth justice officers.[i] Notably, religious personnel were not 'mandated reporters' under the previous legislation.
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However, largely in response to community perception of institutional indifference to child sexual abuse, the Government has introduced the recent Crimes Amendment (Protection of Children) ("The Act"). "The challenges of child sexual abuse and violence have been thrust into the public spotlight over recent years," says Con Nottas, Partner of Hutchinson Legal. "A dramatic increase in community awareness of these previously "taboo" topics, backed up by significant media and community attention has definitely played a part in bringing about reform."
In 2012 the Victorian Government responded to community concerns by commissioning an inquiry into the issue, resulting in the Victorian Parliament's Family and Community Development Committee's report Betrayal of Trust: Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other Non-Government Organisations. [ii] Released in November 2013, the report included a number of recommendations thatultimately led to the drafting of the new legislation.
The new legislation has introduced a raft of measures intended to protect children from recurring and potential sexual abuse. Although predominantly aimed at persons of authority and responsibility within institutions, the reform also widens obligations under existing legislation to include a community-wide duty to report. The Act was recently passed by Parliament, and along with other minor changes, will add two new offences to the Crimes Act 1958.
Failure to Protect
The Act will insert a new section 49C into the Crimes Act 1958 entitled "Failure by person in authority to protect child from sexual offence." The offence imposes a duty upon relevant persons within an organisation to remove or reduce the risk of a sexual offence against a child by an adult associated with the organisation if they are aware that there is a substantial risk that such an offence may occur. The relevant persons include those who hold positions of authority in an organisation that exercises care, supervision or authority over children, and who have the power or responsibility to reduce or remove the risk. This could include, but is not limited to, schools, churches and other religious organisations.
It is important that persons in positions of authority in these kinds of organisations take notice of the legislative changes and begin to implement strict policies and procedures to ensure the safety of children in their care, if these protections are not already in place. Failure to reduce or remove the risk could amount to a criminal offence that may attract a penalty of imprisonment for a maximum term of up to 5 years.
The legislation recognises that the protection of children not only involves protecting victims from further abuse but also preventing abuse from occurring in the first place. Therefore, the Act provides that it is not necessary to prove that a sexual offence has actually been committed – the duty is to reduce or remove the risk regardless.
Failure to Disclose
The other major addition will be the insertion of a new section 327 into the Crimes Act 1958 entitled 'Failure to disclose sexual offence committed against child under the age of 16 years'. The section requires any adult aware of information that leads them to reasonably believe that a sexual offence has been committed against a child under the age of 16 years by an adult to report the matter to police as soon as practicable.
Although the requirement applies to all adults, there are some exceptions, such as where the person reasonably fears for the safety of any person (other than the offender). However, failure to disclose the information because of concern for the interests of an organisation or the person believed to have committed or been involved in committing the sexual offence is not a reasonable excuse.
Section 327 also excludes certain "privileged" or "confidential communication" from the disclosure requirements, including religious confessions by the offender and statements by the victim to a counsellor or medical practitioner. However, these definitions (Part 3.10 Evidence Act 2008 and s 32B Evidence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1958, respectively) are very narrow. For example, the exemption for confidential communication to counsellors is intended only to ensure that victims are not discouraged from disclosing information where such disclosure is part of the child's treatment or support mechanism.
Where an adult receives information from the victim about a sexual offence and the victim is 16 years or older at the time of providing the information, if the victim requests that the information not be disclosed, the adult is generally not required to report the matter (although some exceptions would apply, such as where the victim has an intellectual disability and does not have the capacity to make an informed decision about whether or not the information should be disclosed).
Organisations and individuals alike should ensure they are clear about what information they hold and whether or not they are required to report it to police, particularly in regards to information or knowledge dating back up to 16 years ago. The new legislation dictates that an individual who has knowledge or reasonable belief that a sexual offence has been committed against a child and that child is still under the age of 16 at the time provisions commence operation, the individual will have a duty to disclose the information to police as soon as practicable regardless of whether the knowledge was received or the belief was formed before or after commencement of the new section 327.
However, whilst the legislation may require an individual to report information they have held for years, that same individual will not face any penalty for having previously failed to disclose that information to police prior to the commencement of the new legislation.In short, a person will not face a penalty if they report an offence promptly after the commencement of the relevant sections, regardless of how long he or she had known about an offence in the past.
Protection of Those Who Report:
The Act also creates a new section 330 of the Crimes Act which provides that if any person makes a disclosure to police pursuant to Section 327, it is an offence for another individual to reveal to any other person (other than police or the Secretary of the Department of Human Services) the name of or any other information that could lead to identification of the person who made the disclosure. This is designed to protect the person who makes the disclosure from being identified. Further more, if a person makes a disclosure to police in good faith in compliance with the proposed sections above, they would be protected by statute against claims of unprofessional conduct or a breach of professional ethics. They would also be protected from any liability arising from the disclosure.
Although the legislation has been passed by both Houses of Parliament and given Royal Assent,it is yet to become operative. The new offences may come into force at any time, and will become operative on 1 July 2015 at the latest, if not before.
In the meantime, every organisation should ensure that it has a child protection policy that complies with legislation and guides it in fulfilling all legal obligations. Failure to uphold these new requirements could result in serious criminal prosecution.
[i] Children, Youth and Families Act 2005, s 182.
[ii] Family and Community Development Committee (FCDC) (2013) Betrayal of Trust: Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other Non-Government Organisations, November, Melbourne, Parliament of Victoria, viewed 16 July 2014, www.parliament.vic.gov.au/fcdc/inquiries/article/1788


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The ancient text on Ayurveda– the Chakra Samhita states that living beings are composed of food that they consume and the diseases are also caused by the food. Further, it emphasizes that for the development and maintenance of a positive health, proper food taken in appropriate quantities is crucial. Ayurveda– the science of longevity aims to grant holistic body, mind, and soul to all those who sincerely abide by this age-old practice. Regular exercise, optimistic thinking, and yogic diet play a significant role in keeping the health of a person balanced.
The concept of Ayurveda is centered around tri-doshas– Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Each person is a unique makeup of these energies that govern their physical, mental, and spiritual health. Ayurvedic teachings advocate preventive care and nourishment by harmonizing these doshas through the foods we eat. The seasons also affect the Tri-doshas in the body.
The long, hot, and leisure summer days are here. According to Ayurveda, summer is the pitta season. Depending upon your constitutional makeup the summers may aggravate your internal sense of harmony, and therefore, Ayurveda suggests that all the individuals, especially the pitta-dominated ones remain cool and not allow it to increase.
Foods consumed in accordance with the season helps promote saatva, detoxification, and rejuvenation of the body for longevity and ideal physical, mental and emotional health. Dr. Vasant Lad, one of the world's foremost expert in Ayurveda prescribes a list of foods such as apples, pears, melon, broccoli, etc., that a pitta prakriti person can eat in order to pacify the Pitta-dosha in summers.
Another Ayurvedic proficient Dr. Tanuja Nesari, highly recommends the inclusion of foods like pomegranate, sattu, fenugreek leaves, buttermilk, etc. that are easy to digest and are healthy.
Picture Credit Goes To- Shutterstock, iStock, Getty Image, Pexels, Adobe, Pixabay, etc.
Picture Credit Goes To – Vegan Liftz.
Incorporate these food items into your diet plan and enjoy your summers in a relaxing, cooling and healthy way.

subset: commoncrawl


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savannah + george // Marcy Casino WeddingFiled in weddings shot by Ayres Photography on at
Savannah and George's wedding day was so lovely in every way. I'm a huge fan of photographing classic Buffalo landmarks like Marcy Casino and Hoyt Lake, so I really enjoyed the locations they chose. I also LOVE a good sparkler send off, so photographing S and G as they ran through a tunnel of sparklers along the lake was one of the highlights of my entire season! Also, guys, check out the amazing florals by Wild Blossom Hollow!! Is she incredible or what?! I'm always stunned by her talent. That ceremony arbor is just incredible!
It's so wonderful to work with couples who really understand and value what we offer. The most important thing to Savannah and George was to end up with photographs that capture all the emotion of the day, the beautiful human connections taking place all around them. In my opinion, that's the very best part of every wedding day. I love what we were able to capture for these two adorable people, and I love the words they shared to accompany the photos! If you're able to take the time to read their words as you scroll, it'll be worth it!! :)
Savannah: "It was a beautiful, slightly cloudy day on June 18, 2010 in Buffalo, NY. I was hanging out with my friend Sally getting ready to go to Rockin' at the Knox at the Albright Knox Art Gallery. Sally and I ended up getting 4 free tickets but due to such short notice we couldn't find any of our friends to accompany us. We decided to eat dinner at Delaware Park to hopefully find someone to give those extra tickets to. That's when Sally saw 2 guys walk by (George and his brother, Joe) and [we invited them to go in with us]. It was so adorable when George and I started talking, like something out of a movie, because we were sitting under a tree listening to the band play and just really connecting with super great eye contact and smiles! As the concert was winding down we all decided to go to the Tudor Lounge to have a few more drinks! I drove and I can still remember like it was yesterday, looking in the back seat at George and his huge arm muscles leaning on the car door thinking that he was the most handsome man I've ever seen! Before leaving the bar, George quickly asked me for my phone number and without any hesitation I gave it to him! I knew I wanted to get to know him better and couldn't stop smiling the rest of the night! A couple weeks went by before George ended up calling me. I actually had to think about who 'George' was when he told me who he was on the phone. When I remembered I immediately felt butterflies in my stomach, knowing it was the start of something great!"
Savannah: "I knew looking at pictures online that Morilee by Madeline Gardner would be the designer I would choose. All the dresses she makes are super romantic and the Alencon lace she uses is spectacular! I also always had a feeling that I would find my dress at the Bridal Chateau. As a young girl driving around with my mom, every time we passed that salon I couldn't help but stare and wonder what wonderful dresses they have inside. The first shop I went to had some good contenders but nothing was 100% right. Bridal Chateau was the second salon I ended up at with my mother-in-law and my Maid of Honor. Even just seeing the dress hanging up in the dressing room before I even put it on, I already knew it would be my dress! I didn't cry that first time I had it on but I didn't want to take it off! Me being the picky person I am decided to check out another salon before making my final decision but every dress I was putting on I was comparing to that one at the Bridal Chateau. I went back there with my dad, tried on a couple more before putting that one back on and then immediately knew that was the perfect dress for me! Morilee by Madeline Gardner dress #2820!!"
Savannah: "We really wanted to concentrate on each other and our love for one another so sticking to traditions wasn't too important to us. I just wanted to make sure that I had a picture of my mom and dad in a locket that I could wear the whole night to feel like they were celebrating with me!"
Savannah: "It wasn't a complete surprise when George proposed. We went ring shopping a few month's before he popped the question. He proposed on Tuesday, October 25, 2016 and that morning I knew something was up. We were trying to save all the money we could for our move to Hawaii and before I even started getting ready for work he asked me if I wanted to go out for a fancy dinner that night. I just had that feeling that he was going to ask me and I was so nervous that I forgot my badge to get into work, painted my nails on my lunch break and couldn't concentrate on anything that whole day! When I got home we headed out to the Roycroft Inn in East Aurora for the most romantic dinner ever! We ended up getting a seat right in front of the fireplace and the food was delicious! I really thought he was going to propose there but he didn't. On our way home he asked me if I wanted to take a walk at Delaware Park which I immediately said yes to even though it was FREEZING outside! We parked on Nottingham Terrace so we could walk over the twisty bridge to go near Hoyt Lake. I was surprised when George suggested to go to the left in the darkness but agreed. When we came around the bend I noticed some lights on the ground near the water. I asked George what that was and when we got closer I could see that it was tea lights that spelled out "Will you marry me?" and they were FLOATING in the water!!! It was seriously the cutest thing ever!!! He took my hand and started saying some really cute things to me and told me that I am the best part of his morning and the best part of his day when he gets home and how he really loves me and wants to spend the rest of his life with me! Then he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him! After that moment his sister popped out of her hiding spot (she took a couple pictures) with 3 glasses and a bottle of champagne so we could toast to our engagement!!! It was such a magical night!!!"
George: "After hectic morning setting up the seating for wedding, I got ready and meet up with my groomsman and headed to the hotel for the First Look. My bride, who was running behind, had me waiting, but it was worth it to finally see her in her dress. She looked beautiful."
George: "Before Savannah was about to walk down the aisle I could see her threw the trees at the top of the stairs, and got a rush of excitement for what was to come."
Savannah: "The actual act of marrying George was the most special thing I've ever got to experience! Seeing George waiting for me as I walked down the aisle was the best feeling in the world! In that moment, there were no doubts or fears, just pure joy and excitement that I was about to marry the most perfect man for me!"
Savannah: "When I look at George I see such a strong, caring, devoted man who really only wants the best for me and everyone he really cares about. He's always looking out for my best interest. Being together for so long we have this unconditional, family type of love and I don't know what I would do without it anymore!"
George: "When I look at her I see one of the purest hearts, and I want that in my life forever."
Savannah: "I really enjoyed the alone time my husband and I got while walking around Delaware Park with Jenn and Ben to take pictures after the ceremony. It's definitely worth it to steal those moments for yourself! It was especially special for us because we were able to walk to the spot where George proposed and relive those moments we shared together!"
Savannah: "We value love a lot! If you can't have love in your life it doesn't feel complete. We also value adventure and believe that experiencing new things really helps you grow as a person and as a couple!"
Savannah: "We choose to dance to Tim McGraw, 'Watch the Wind Blow By'. It took us a while to find a song that really fit us as a couple and couldn't have been happier with how we felt dancing to it! It's so true that all we wanna do is let it be and be together to watch the wind blow by!"
Savannah: "Being able to dance with my long lost friends who made it out to celebrate with me was such a fantastic feeling! With good true friends, it honestly doesn't matter the amount of time spent apart because when we get together again it's like nothing changed!"
Savannah: "Even though it was a little rushed to get everyone down by Hoyt Lake to do a sparkler send off, I'd have to say that was one of the best memories I have of that night! George and I were so scared about being set on fire that we literally ran through the bridge of sparklers the first time!"
Savannah: "The one piece of advice I would give to couples planning their own wedding is to make sure you have a good, well thought out plan on how you're going to get the space decorated. It might seem a little overboard to map out where everything will go in pictures and diagrams but we honestly wish we would have been a little more on top of things for our venue. Less is not more when it comes to this aspect of planning!"
Some kind words from Savannah about working with us: "It was very easy to work with Jenn and Ben! They are both the nicest people and have such a creative eye! The photography was honestly the one thing I was not worried about after finding Ayres, and the results are fantastic!"
Do you love sparkler send offs as much as we do?? Click here to check out more of our favorite sparkler moments!
Wedding Vendors Include:
Getting Ready Location: Reikart House Hotel
Makeup Artist: AmandaLee Shamrock of Teez Salon and Day Spa
Hairstylist: Ashley Fletch
Dress Shop: Bridal Chateau
Dress Designer: Morilee by Madeline Gardner
Bridesmaid Dresses: David's Bridal
Groom's Look: Men's Wearhouse
Ceremony and Reception Venue: Marcy Casino
Officiant: Michelle Snyder of YellowBird Wedding
Invitations: Shutterfly
Florist: Wild Blossom Hollow
Cake: Ohlson's Bakery
Cake Topper: Etsy
DJ: H&H Entertainment


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For the first year ever, our founder has decided to take orders for her amazingly adorably and unbelievably precious custom horse ornaments!
These ornaments are custom, one of a kind ornaments that are hand made to order, using your own horse's tail (or mane) and are painted to look just like your horse! They are a wonderful keepsake and way to keep a part of your horse with you at all times, whether they're still with you, or have gone on to greener pastures! <3
They make wonderful gifts, for yourself and other horse lovers and can either be hung on your Christmas tree or displayed year round as a photo holder, holding a picture of you and your favorite equine!
Visit on the web at www.hearthorsecustoms.com


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Frida's Jail Paintings
Dreamed 2010/11/19 by Wayan
My friends and I see FRIDA, with Selma Hayek playing Frida Kahlo. How accurate it is, I don't know--affairs with Leon Trotsky and Josephine Baker? But it is moving. Such a short, hard, fiery life.
The Office of Homeland Security considers this girl a revolutionary terrorist. She's just a natural performer. Dances and sings a sexy show she wrote. She's short, slender, cute, with a long neck and round face. Wears only purple panties with ridiculous ruffly lace, and a string skirt dangling amethyst beads every inch or so.
Homeland Security cops come drag her offstage! Stick her in a drafty cell, with nothing but her stage costume. Brr. Her girlfriend or sister, a painter, visits. Photographs her and paints a whole series of lush oils of her in prison. They're both lesbian pin-ups AND scorching propaganda. See the Public Danger! (Or is it Pubic Dancer?) See the Panties of Menace! See the Beads of... uh... Badness!
Her paintings are very good. Lush, sexy, yet show the atrocious conditions the Office imposes: the rough stone walls and floors, the wicker pallet for a bed, the lone mangy blanket. The Jail Paintings become notorious.
The Officers of Homeland Security do read the news. Everyone's sneering at them. But freeing her would mean admitting they were wrong; so instead, they redecorate!
But cops aren't good decorators. Visitors to their Office, willing or not, just don't feel Homy or Secure.
When will they face that they have to free her?
World Dream Bank homepage - Art gallery - New stuff - Introductory sampler, best dreams, best art - On dreamwork - Books
Indexes: Subject - Author - Date - Names - Places - Art media/styles
Titles: A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - IJ - KL - M - NO - PQ - R - Sa-Sh - Si-Sz - T - UV - WXYZ
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com - Catalog of art, books, CDs - Behind the Curtain: FAQs, bio, site map - Kindred sites


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Also I'm starting a "Picture a Day" Starting RIGHT NOW. If you want to see the experiment on the year long journey go HERE.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
The Day After
So last night I graduated! Cool 'eh? Like I said my mom was able to attend that was a nice surprise. Right after graduation Jacob and I went to D&W (grocery store) to get some Sobe/Monster Energy drinks and some donuts. On the way back from D&W in all of my excitement I had forgotten to turn my head lights on. I got pulled over. The cop asked the normal questions and flash lighted my eyes to make sure I was wearing contacts. Then we were let go, no ticket no this is your warning or anything. :D Well here's a picture of me with my diploma.
Posted by Cody Ryan Hough at 10:56 AM
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text: Rans S6ES SOLD Oct 5, 2016 14:55:10 GMT Quote Select PostDeselect PostLink to PostMemberGive GiftBack to Top Post by john on Oct 5, 2016 14:55:10 GMT My Rans S6ES G-CCJN is now SOLD. The permit was renewed on the 16th August 2016 and expires 15th August 2017. The aircraft first flew in July 2005 and is powered by what has been a reliable Rotax blue top 582 oil injected engine so no premixing required. Check GINFO for full ownership details. The aircraft has 240 hours total time and all services and records are up-to-date. I purchased G-CCJN in May 2013 while undertaking my conversion from flexwing to 3 axis. I have flown this aircraft for over 100 hours now and can say it is a well co-ordinated machine. Performance is subjective however as I fly from Causey Park Farm where our runways are about 250 metre long with obstruction at both ends of the runways G-CCJN STOL characteristics are excellent. Cruise speeds are about 65 – 70 mph @ 5000 rpm using about 13 litres per hour. The aircraft can be viewed either weekdays or weekends just give me a call on 07847416506 if your want to view. I am asking £9995.00 ono.John Murphy


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veteransday2017 quoteswishes
Designer, Artist, and Architect in Texas
Sharing Veterans Day Images with Quotes is the best thing to welcome and cheer the most happening event of the year Veterans Day along with your close buddies. Also you can share these awesome and illustrious Veterans Day Images 2017 on Facebook, Whatsapp, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Tumblr and Pinterest. So download and save these patriotic Veterans Day Images and enjoy the day with lot of love and gratitude along with your close ones.
Source : Happyveteransday.com


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Contact us:
Phone: 216.659.5431
Support WRCF by donating to our scholarship fund!
It is our mission to make WRCF an inspiring learning experience that is also accessible to students of all backgrounds. Consider making a tax deductible donation to WRCF to help us continue to provide this incredible learning environment for all of our students.
WRCF is part of a non profit 501c3 organization and your donations are tax deductible.


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PreventaPest has just Qualified for Business of the year 2016 with the best of Carmarthenshire.
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This week the Dungeon Master of Social Media talks about being personal.
Tips from Bricks: Being Personal
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text: A House Party Get-down at The Sinclair: The Knocks Jared Steinberg March 5, 2019 Concert Reviews, Reviews Pumping out summertime kickback jams with hip-hop heart and a disco shine, The Knocks thawed out an icy cold Boston crowd into a college house party sweat. 2/21/19 – The Sinclair In an homage to their breakout album, '55, fans wearing black satin bomber jackets were out in force, forming glossy silhouettes against the Sinclair's vintage brick walls. A robotic voice came on the loudspeaker and said in monotone: "If you have drugs, now is the time to do them." Two giant, 6-foot tall penguins in sunglasses then inflated on opposite sides of stage, and the crowd erupted as The Knocks supplied the perfect cocktail of disco dance and hip-hop house party to promote their latest album, New York Narcotic. A disco ball ironically hung unlit overhead as the New York City duo, Ben "B-Roc" Ruttner and James "JPatt" Patterson performed in front of wall of spotlights, the outer edges glowing yellow, reminiscent of the classic gold rings from the old Sonic the Hedgehog video game for Sega Genesis—a subtle 90s throwback much like their sound. Chains and dog tags bounced off JPatt as he spun with a glittered face and bright smile. B-Roc never stopped moving, even shaking a tambourine in his right hand when it wasn't needed on the wheels of steel. The Knocks filled the air with their carefree, party jams, like "Classic" and "Ride or Die" ft. Foster The People. Having perfected the modern get-down-with-your-bad-self dance jam, the Knocks harness the magic behind the most beloved 90s hip-hop dance jams, and modernize it through an electro-pop lens. What sets the Knocks apart is that instead of simply recycling popular 90s rap songs into mashups or minimally altered remixes, they build their own, unique songs from scratch, honoring, but not copying the high-energy rap beats and vocal ear candy disco hooks sampled on those rap songs for today's nostalgia-stricken listeners. This appreciation of the classics is what gives them the ability to create such celebratory, wedding-level dance jams with sunny, melodic vocals, and beats that knock. Fans reacted to the songs the way you might at a college house party when your favorite throwback banger comes on. The Knocks knew this is what the audience came for, so they played it up by intermittently dropping surprise snippets of 90s hip-hop party bangers by artists like Rob Bass and Fatman Scoop to which the crowd jumped like they were seeing an old friend. The audience appeared most responsive to older hits like the Wyclef Jean collaboration, "Kiss The Sky" and, "Dancing with the DJ," which was The Knocks' first release ever and official announcement to the world that they were proudly taking disco back. The evening reached its sonic height when they played "Goodbyes" ft. Method Man, when the claps and hi hats were at optimal crispness, and the Sinclair's house system kicked out a pounding bass you could feel in your chest. Instrumentally, the real standouts were the two guitarists shredding in glittery disco bodysuits, including New York City DJ and bassist Blu DeTiger, who commanded the stage with a superhero power-stance and effusive facial expressions to match. JPatt spoke some endearing words to the crowd near the end of the show saying, "Boston, we're the Knocks and we're from just down the street…New York City…and we only ask that you dance and be good to your neighbors." It was a warm moment that felt like The Knocks, as individuals, are as inclusive as their music. Share this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window) Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.


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IELTS Online has been announced as a finalist in the 2016 Premier of NSW Export Awards: National Education & Training category.
Exporters from across NSW compete in 12 industry categories. The awards aim to celebrate business excellence in international trade.
The awards ceremony will be held on Wednesday 26 October.
Click here to read the full article and to see the full list of deserving finalists.


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Any industry is sure to have its ups and downs, and nowhere is that more evident than in real estate. However, the benefits of real estate are something you can build an entire life out of. William Morales talks to Anne Amagrande, the CEO and Managing Investor of Grande AMA & Associates LLC, about how to navigate the industry with grace. Everyone's story begins somewhere, and if you're ready, you could start a life in real estate quite comfortably. Let William and Anne take you through the ups and downs of the industry to let you see if it's something you want to take a plunge in.
Listen to the podcast here:
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly Of Real Estate With Anne Amagrande
The Ups and Downs Of Real Estate
I've got Anne Amagrande. Thank you so much for being here. How are you?
I'm doing wonderful. I'm excited to be here. I know that we've had great discussions in the past and I'm looking forward to this.
Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into this into real estate? Did you know early on that you had that entrepreneurial spirit?
Honestly, I've always had an entrepreneurial spirit. I grew up with a family of entrepreneurs. My grandparents were entrepreneurs. My parents are entrepreneurs. Two of my sisters also in their own businesses. This is in our blood. I always knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur, but I never knew exactly what I wanted to do. I just knew I didn't want to work for "the man," which is what we all get stuck in. When I was actually working in my corporate job, I had a friend approach me who had been flipping homes for a while and he said, "Why don't we flip a couple of properties together?" I said, "I'm not happy about working 90 hours a week for somebody else and have not seen a ton of benefit from it. Let's see where this goes."
In my off time for the first eight months or so, we flipped a couple of homes and I realized that I was good at it. I come from a background in operations and logistics. I'm great at building systems. I'm great at managing employees. I'm great at all of these different things. This was such a great transition for me because I took what I knew from logistics operations and applied it to real estate. Going forward, honestly, it was having no emotion about the actual aspect of real estate. I took a lot of, "We're going to create a system and we're going to execute it and then we're going to be done." It was nice because it took a lot of that emotion of, "I like this house. This would be beautiful if we did X," but we're never going to be living in these homes. Especially if you're a wholesaler, if you're flipping a home, if you're renting a home, these are not homes you're going to live in. You need to remove a lot of that emotional aspect out of it. I was good at doing that. This was such a great transition for me to get into real estate.
The people that are jumping into business, if they had created the systems and not just go to these guru classes but work on their business, "This is what I'm going to do for A, B and C," and have everything in place before they jumped the gun. Because I think a lot of these guys that I interview or I talked to are getting through wholesaling, but I don't think they know what they're getting into. We've talked about this, you're talking to a seller, you're going to try to talk them from $100,000 down to $40,000 and they're going to try to make a $20,000, $30,000 fee. Anne, as a wholesaler and you flipped houses, isn't it more complicated than just offering the seller $0.30 on the dollar, $0.40 on the dollar? Can you give us a couple of steps that should be in place before you make these types of type of offers?If you're flipping or renting a home, you need to remove the emotional aspect out of it because these are not homes you're going to live in. Click To Tweet
I think that's huge. There are so many people that because of the capital requirements, they can't jump directly into flipping and buy and hold. This is why a lot of people start with wholesaling. I think it's such a fantastic place to start. There's a very low capital requirement to get into wholesaling. This is a great place, especially if you have never done this before because if you lose $500 because one of your contracts fell through, it's $500, it's not $50,000. This allows people to learn the terminology, get to know those other investors and what those individuals are doing. I love it when people tell me they're wholesaling. "How long have you been doing it?" If they said they've been doing it for five, ten, fifteen years, I don't believe that that's a great long-term strategy personally, but I think it's great when you initially got started because wholesaling is not going to create income.
This doesn't create cashflow for you. This is something that you have to actively work your business. This is part of what I wanted to talk about, the good, bad and ugly, and this is the ugly side of it. When you have a business model that constantly requires your attention on a day-to-day, on a week-to-week and a month-to-month, you can't take vacations. You're missing time with your family because you're actively running the business. This is why we've decided to focus more on that buy and hold side to create cashflow for ourselves and cashflow for our investors because this is what the ultimate goal is. If you are constantly wholesaling, if you're constantly flipping homes, you're never going to be able to retire. What we need to do is find a way to create a cashflow.
This is why a lot of people invest money. Why we have investment accounts is because ultimately your IRA or your 401(k) or your pension plan is going to create a consistent income for you. All we're doing is we're translating that into real estate and creating a more beneficial area. If you love real estate, you already know how to do the buying. If you've done flipping, you already know how to do all the renovations. All you need to do is translate that into how can I create consistent and constant cashflow. This is where buy and hold comes in.
That's a good point. The topic is the good, the bad and the ugly. We've talked about the ugly side. It's true because if you do wholesaling and you got to constantly send out mail or get on the phone and do cold call, driving for dollars, you have a job. This business model is good maybe for short-term. What would be your recommendation? Because you do have a job. You're working 9:00 to 5:00 or pretty much all day and you can't take a vacation because you've got to have constant classes coming in. What would you suggest this business model should last?
I don't necessarily think that it's a time frame per se. It's more about how much education you're giving yourself. If you're driving for dollars once a week versus driving five days a week, you're going to get five times the exposure of that. Are you going to your local REIA? Are you connecting with other investors? Are you trying to get information? Are you listening to podcasts? Are you becoming educated? There's a huge stigma around viewers. I don't have any problem with individuals that have done this in the past that now do mentoring. What I have a problem with is individuals that have done this one or two times and now they claim to be an expert. I have worked with a multitude of different what I call mentors versus doers. I don't work with gurus. When people say guru, you automatically have that stigma around it. My biggest suggestion is always find somebody that is doing what you want to do. If that's wholesaling, find somebody that's already successful in wholesaling. It doesn't even have to be in your own state, but you need to connect with your peers.
This is what I love about your show. This is connecting individuals that want to learn. If you want to learn about wholesaling, find somebody that's already doing it and doing it well. We don't want to learn from somebody that's doing one wholesale deal a month. We want to learn from somebody who's doing 20, 30, 50 wholesale deals a month. It's because they've got their systems in place and they can actually show you exactly what's going on. It's the same thing with flipping. I learned how to do my buy and hold strategy from one of my mentors. It's been fantastic for me because they already have the systems in place. If you work with somebody that has been doing this for a long time and has a successful business model, we're not talking about an accessible strategy, but an actual business model around what you want to do. Your learning curve is going to be so drastically shortened versus if you try to do this all by herself.
I understand the people I deal with, they might be shy. They don't want to go up to anybody. Go to a meetup group. There are plenty of meetup groups all over the country. Here in New York, there's probably about 100. Go to Meetup.com and just type in real estate investors or wholesalers, you will find something. If you're the shy type, then you go online. You can find Anne and you can find me, you could go to BiggerPockets. You can go to tons of other online sources. There are the sources and the people are out there. You just got to take the leap of faith and go out there. Talk to people. Invite them to lunch. You don't want to just take, but offer something in return to these people that have been doing it for a few years or you're doing 20 to 30 flips a month. It's a valuable lesson to work with someone that has the experience. For me, when I wanted to learn about creative financing, I never met my mentor per se, but I met him online and I talked to him. I followed his videos. I followed his podcast, I bought the books. The education is out there. It's taking those step-by-step and implementing and sacrificing the three hours of watching TV. Use those hours to work on your craft. What do you say to that, Anne?
For the first year and a half, I worked seven days a week. At the beginning, before I left my corporate job, I was working about 90 hours a week and then on my days off, I would go out and flip homes. I realized that I didn't want to constantly have to flip for the rest of my life. I looked forward into my life and I'm a huge planner. I always look to the future. What is this going to look like? What is the strategy and model going to look like when the recession hits? What does it look like when I'm 50? What is it going to look like when I get pregnant? Am I still going to be able to swing sledgehammers? Probably not.
I started looking forward and when I'm 70 years old, I don't want to continue to flip. This is when I had the realization that I wanted to do something that created passive income. This is why we started transitioning getting into passive income, acquiring and buying whole properties. The first thing that I always tell any investors is you need to do a little bit of soul searching and determine, do you want to be an active investor or do you want to be a passive investor? The distinction between those things is if you want to be an active investor, you need to truly understand what that means for your life. If you have a family, that means on Saturdays you're not going to soccer games. You're going to be flipping a house.
You need to look out what this truly means. If you need to be active at the beginning, that's great. If you can transition and have somebody else working for you, you can expand your bandwidth where somebody's working in managing your portfolio in real estate while you're off doing another venture and making more money somewhere else. That's fantastic. This is what we always try to talk with our investors. We take them through an entire vision process about where they want their life to be. We work backwards and we reverse-engineer and figure out what they need to do in order to get to that vision.
I love that motto, "If you're not planning, you're planning to fail." For you, the investors that you deal with, if somebody comes to you when they're young, they got good years to work out their kinks in terms of finances. If you run into someone that's older, in their 50s and 60s, can you help them out also?
Everybody starts at a different time in their life. We worked with some individuals in the medical field that are just starting out as doctors and they still have a ton of student debt. They're like, "I want to get this paid down. How can we create some cashflow once my business starts getting up and running?" We've got individuals that we work with that we'll help them set up 401(k)s and things of that nature on the initial onset. We also work with individuals that have pension plans. They are working toward retirement and they're like, "I'm 59 years old. I can't take this out for another six months. Can we start building out a plan and a strategy for one week can move that over into a self-directed account from my 401(k) or from my pension plan?" There are a lot of different ways, but it all goes back to the vision. If you're 30, when do you want to be retired and what does that look like? What steps and actionable items can we take to get you to that point? We help them to build this vision and also learn about what their vision is and then we can create and help them to build a plan for what that's going to look like as far as real estate is concerned.There's so much passive income to be made from acquiring and buying whole properties. Click To Tweet
We talked about the ugly side of it, which is a wholesaling. What would be the bad side of real estate, then we'll finish off with the good side?
There are many bad sides, but there are many upsides. I would say that the bad side is some of the learning curves that you go through that were unanticipated. There've been many times where we bought properties that looked good and got the inspection. You then get into the home and you're like, "There were so many more problems than we initially thought were going to happen." This is why it's important to make sure you get your inspections, to make sure that you understand the neighborhoods. We've had this happen multiple times and what we do is we will hold on to the property for a few years. We rent it out.
We were like, "This probably just isn't a great property and this probably isn't something that we want to hold for the long-term." We turn it around and we ended up selling it and we'll 1031 it into another property. This is what's great about working with an expert like our company. You don't need to do these things on your own. You're not stuck because you're like, "I bought this property and it's taking a whole bunch of time. What would I do? I don't have the time to list the property, sell it and then try 1031 exchange." This is what's great about being on that passive side where you work with companies like ourselves that help you through initial problems and through these initial things.
That's part of the bad. There was a property in Phoenix that the roof blew off because of sandstorms. We had two sandstorms within three days. This was during August, so this is when we got all of our monsoons and we had three additional monsoons that were coming through. The adjusters were so backed up because of so many different areas of the Phoenix Metro area that were devastated that it was going to take them a week and a half to get there. I was up on the roof with a resident during one of the lightning storms. We were up on the roof covering up the roof with a tarp to prevent additional damage. These are some of the things that some of our investors are like, "I'm 78 years old. I don't want to jump up on a roof and do that." I'm like, "That's what I'm here for." I'm a young buck and I've got no problem jumping up on a roof.
You don't anticipate that. Mother Nature can wreak havoc on our professional and personal lives. Can you tell us the good about real estate?
This is something that we want to talk about into the future, the creative side of real estate. There are over 90 different ways that you can acquire a piece of real estate. Our absolute favorite one is to do subject-to. We love subject-to properties. If we're talking about baseball terms, that's like our grand slam. Finding a sub-to, you get in for a very low cost. You're able to help some people out of a bad situation. We've got seller carry. We love seller carry. We acquired our last property down in Texas as a sub-to. We were able to help them get out of a bad situation. We gave them money to move so they can restart their life. We're helping to rebuild their credit. There are a lot of different things that we can do to help the individuals.
What I love about it is because we do the buy and hold versus the flip, we're able to offer more money because it doesn't affect our bottom line as much as it potentially could in other types of wholesaling or in flipping. Because we're doing buying home, we can offer a little bit more. There is so much money to be made in real estate investing. We don't need to be greedy. If I can give somebody an extra $5,000 and that would make a huge and positive impact in their life at that current moment, if we can make the numbers work, I'm going to do that. Because I know in the long run we're going to make a lot more money.
Anne is planning to come to New York City. We'll do a show about creative financing and we'll go over what subject-to is, what seller carry back is and at least some of the other ways to acquire properties because I'm a big proponent of creative financing. We've talked about the good, the bad, the ugly. Where do you want to see your company go? Also as an add-on question, do you guys do the United States? Do you guys invest in certain cities, certain counties or are you just particular in the West Coast? Where do you guys usually invest?
We started out in the Phoenix Metro area because that's where we live. We know pretty much every single street. If you give me an intersection, I can tell you about how much I'm going to pay for the house and what the approximate rent is going to be. This is what that driving for dollars does. It helps you to better understand your market. That's what I love about the wholesaling side. We've expanded into other parts of Arizona. We're expanding nationally. There are a lot of different markets that we're looking into, especially as we look forward into the next recession. Because it's never if, it's always a when.
We're already doing our due diligence on which markets we going to try and target when we get into that recessionary period. We're on a national scale and we're looking to have 100 properties under management. That is with our investors. We are looking to work with larger funds because we are looking to expand into Europe as well because their economy is slightly behind ours. Once we had our recession, we know that theirs is coming. This allows us to do a little bit more of that planning. It's something that we've discussed internally on where we see our expansion going.
I'm learning so much from you, especially the planning side. One area of weakness of mine is planning. I love talking about the planning side. What I like about what you're doing is you're helping investors out from all ages, which is great. Because I always see that the people that are over a certain age, I don't hear about them. Everybody's always in their 20s and 30s, but what happens to the people that is in the 50s, 60s and 70s that might not have that chance because of a full-time job. You're expanding your business model to include everybody, which I love. I think that's a great business model and you're helping other people out.
There are so many individuals in the 2008 recession that lost pretty much 50% of their portfolio. A lot of them had to go back to work. If we can help them to create a scenario where they can rebuild some of the wealth that they ended up pulling out of the stock market, we would love to help them to do that. Real estate is not discriminatory. You can be 30 years old and you might've had a relative hassle and you have some money. What are you going to do with that? The best thing is to create a scenario where that can continue to give back to you. That's what we like to educate. This is where we love to help individuals that still want to maintain their full-time job and still want to get promoted within that company, but wants something on the side that they can either enhance their lifestyle or they can enhance it for their retirement and possibly retire early.There are over 90 ways you can acquire a piece of real estate. Click To Tweet
You hit it right on the head. I think in this day and age, especially here in the New York City area where the rents are supposed to be stabilized. For a student, you might put $3,000, which is crazy. More and more people are looking to get that side hustle and real estate is one of them. Maybe having a podcast or anything else, but I think real estate is definitely the way to go. Before I let you go, Anne, I wanted to ask you one more question. How do you find your deals? What's the best way for a beginning wholesaler or any investor to look for deals? Do you go to the MLS or do you send out letters? Because we always taught to send out letters to absentee homeowners. What do you think?
I would say everything. I am a fantastic networker and that's one of my strengths. I will talk to anybody about anything. What I love to do is I go to our local REIA. I put out ads on Craigslist like, "If you're a wholesaler and you've got a great market, these are the numbers that we're looking for. Please contact me." I've had so many different individuals contact me that are virtual wholesalers. I've got a couple of great virtual wholesalers that contact me on a weekly basis that says, "I've got to sub-to in Pittsburgh. I've got to sub-to in Texas. I've got a sub-to here. I'm going to sell and carry in this area." We give them specific areas that we're currently targeting and then they all flood that market.
This allows us to be the first individual in the door on a lot of those deals. What I always tell them is, "If it's not something that I'm personally interested in, either it's not the right market, it's too far away. It's not quite the home demographic we're looking for. I said, "I'm going to refer you to my network and I'm going to pass it along to them. I'm not looking for a finder's fee or anything. I just want you to get paid because you've done the work." This is not about me taking off a little bit of their money because I'm making the introduction. I want my employees to get paid. I love to help other people. He's done the work. I haven't done anything except pass on a phone number.
I always make the assertion of, "I'm going to give you this person's information, but I want you to know that I still want to be the first person you're sending all of these deals to. I'm going to continue to connect to you, but if I find out that you're sending these to other people that were within the network that I gave to you, our relationship will be done and you'll have no more communication with us." We need that loyalty. We need that integrity with the individuals that work with us because we give it back to them.
I'm a proponent of going to actually meet people. I'm not an online guy. I always get invited to be in these Facebook groups. I'm not going to spend two hours online. I'd rather spend two hours at a networking event so I could talk to people, gauge their emotions and see what they want to do. What is it that they looking for? Why are they getting into this space? I think that doing online networking, to me personally, it doesn't work. Be out there and meet with the people, shake their hands, have a drink and have that connection.
What I always tell people is you make a better impact. I've always made a better impact in person than I do over the phone. If you send somebody an email, how memorable are you going to be? They get 1,000 emails a day. I've been traveling a lot because I like to go out and visit other investors in other parts of the country. All of these connections that we've made, family offices, venture capitalists. I want to get my face in front of them so that they know that I'm serious. If you're just a name and a phone number, it's not going to make as big of an impact. I'm a face-to-face person. I've always been told I've got an old soul.
To me, I think that's the right way to do it. I believe in meeting people, and I keep on saying that your networth is determined by your network. I even get different ways to meet people, whether joining a chamber of commerce or meetup. For online people that are shy, you have to get off that shyness. I was that too. I was very shy. I didn't like going to these things. You are forced to network because you're running your own business. Real estate is a people business. You're going to meet realtors, contractors, attorneys, title companies. You need all these people on your team eventually.
This is honestly how you create a lot of trust with people, is having this face to face conversation. Sitting down and putting the phone away and having a real conversation with a real human being.
Anne, you said it all. Thank you so much for being here. If somebody wants to look for you, what's the best way to contact you?
Honestly, the best way to reach out to me is via LinkedIn. You can find me, Anne Amagrande. I'm on Facebook. You can reach out to me directly at my email, which is firstname.lastname@example.com.
Thank you so much, Anne. I can't wait to meet you in person so we can talk about the creator side of real estate, which to me is going to be a big hit with my audience.
I'm glad to be here.
Important Links:
- Anne Amagrande
- Meetup.com
- BiggerPockets
- Anne Amagrande – LinkedIn
- Facebook – Anne Amagrande
- firstname.lastname@example.com
- https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/anneamagrande/
- https://royallegalsolutions.com/?ref=6
- P2PRE.com/p2p60
- P2PRE.com/p2p50
About Anne Amagrande
Anne was born and raised in a small southern California town outside Pasadena. Her Parents and Grandparents were entrepreneurs so she and her 3 sisters never had a chance, it was in their blood to be bold, creative and challenge the status quo. Anne gained a sense of business acumen at a young age while working in her parents' and grandparents' printing business.
After College Anne worked in Retail Logistics and Operations, working with one of the largest retailers in the world and later became certified as a Global Logistics Specialist rising through the ranks and landing in Distribution Center overseeing operations of Inbound freight for 63 stores in Southern California.
In her spare time, she found time to work within her true passion of Real Estate, Economics, and Finance. Upon entering Real Estate, Anne began flipping homes. After a while, she realized that it was not feeding her true desire to help others. Anne changed direction and sought a way to create a Win-Win-Win scenario. Along with her team, Anne created a truly unique system designed to create a Win-Win-Win model for Investors, Long term Residents, and locally owned and operated preferred Vendors, all while maintaining a profitable model for her business. Anne's motto: "When everyone wins the world is a better place".
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The partners of Dutch fighter pilots who were active in Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania in 2017, were harassed at home during this period. They received repeated, unpleasant phone calls from people with a Russian accent who asked whether their men should not rather leave the area, among other things, the Telegraaf reports.
Military intelligence service MIVD told the newspaper that it is familiar with this practice, but would not say anything further about it.
According to the newspaper, the women often received these calls after their husbands or boyfriends called them from their personal phones. The person on the line, "with a Russian-sounding accent", asked things like what their husband was doing there, what she thought about it, and whether it would be better if he left the area. (end of excerpt)
Click here for the full story, on the NL Times website.


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|25 Aug 2011.
For immediate release.
"The public must ask the question: 'What are camera partnerships trying to hide?'. For years we have been trying to get proper statistics out of them and have invariably come up against a brick wall. The government eventually politely requested information without putting in place any demands to produce the full data needed for a proper analysis2. Some of the camera partnerships have reluctantly complied by publishing the minimum of data they can get away with and others haven't published at all. Quite clearly, if the data showed cameras in good light, the partnerships would be proudly shouting the full facts from the rooftops. Their reluctance says it all."The ABD urges journalists to fully investigate the figures released and to demand the full data as listed in ABD PR 751 below.


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Office for Women: reflecting on the year that was
Office for Women: reflecting on the year that was
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
There are many highlights for the Office for Women to share from 2015.
The announcement of the Women's Safety Package to end violence against women and their children was just one of many significant achievements for the Office this year.
With Christmas fast approaching, the time has come to reflect on the successes of the Office, and turn our sights to what the next year will hold.
This year, combatting domestic violence against women and their children, establishing more leadership pathways for women in business and boosting women's economic security were all high on the agenda.
Reducing violence against women and their children
In 2015, elevating the issue of violence against women and their children to the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agenda is due to collective leadership and efforts by all government leaders. The establishment of the COAG Advisory Panel on Reducing Violence against Women and their Children added expertise and momentum to this national issue. Support offered by the Secretariat helped the Chair, Mr Ken Lay APM, and co-Chairs, Ms Heather Nancarrow and Ms Rosie Batty, amplify their voices in the community and directly affecting policy outcomes in this area.
4 March
A new $30 million National Campaign is announced, focusing on reducing violence against women and their children, and in partnership with states and territories.
2 April
The COAG Advisory Panel is announced to reduce violence against women and their children.
24 September
The $100 million Women's Safety Package to reduce violence against women and their children is announced.
25 November
The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women aims to raise public awareness and mobilise communities to make change and end this violence. The Government released confronting research highlighting the need for all Australians to challenge the negative attitudes that can lead to violence against women. This research will help inform the national campaign.
Mr Ken Lay APM, Chair of the COAG Advisory Panel on Reducing Violence against Women and their Children, also makes a powerful speech that is widely acclaimed.
11 December 2015
Government Leaders at COAG, make further significant steps to address violence against women and their children by agreeing to: introducing a national DVO scheme; implementing national perpetrator standards; actions to limit technology-facilitated abuse; and hosting a national summit in 2016.
Women in Leadership Roles
Encouraging women to become leaders in their communities and chosen careers was another key focus of 2015. The Government made a number of exciting announcements to progress women in leadership roles, particularly in encouraging more women onto boards and paving the way for more women to be leaders in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) professions.
29 April
Minister Cash announces a further 40 scholarships for women pursing a board career, in partnership with the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
6 October
55 scholarships are awarded to CALD and ATSI women under the Board Diversity Scholarship Programme, aimed at equipping women for leadership roles.
8 October
Business and Government roundtable is held to discuss how to better support Australian women to attain leadership roles.
19 October
BoardLinks program is strengthened with the announcement of new BoardLinks Champions to help increase the number of women on Government boards.
1 December
Announcement of 16 joint Chief Executive Women scholarships and fellowships to support women's participation and leadership in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) industries.
Women's Economic security
Women's economic empowerment and opportunity are essential to ensuring women's long term economic security. This past year has seen the Government take practical steps to ensuring more women feel confident to enter the workforce and are supported in the workplace once they are there.
25 May
The Government announces a new Women's Money Toolkit, developed in partnership with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission to help women manage their finances and achieve their financial goals.
30 July
Minister Cash launches a website and online resource centre to help overcome discrimination faced by pregnant women in the workplace, and parents at work.
7 December
The Government announces $13 million over five years to encourage women to choose and stay in STEM fields, start-ups and entrepreneurial businesses.
9 December
54 female school students are chosen from across Australia to attend a STEM Summer School.
We congratulate the Office for Women on the advancements that have been made this year, and anticipate an even greater 2016.


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Stráwberry. n.s. [fragaria, Latin.] A plant.
It hath a perennial fibrose root: the leaves are veined, growing upon each footstalk; the stalks trail upon the ground: the cup of the flower consists of one leaf, divided into ten equal parts, and expands in form of a star: the flower consists, for the most part, of five leaves, expanded in form of a rose, and having many stamina in the middle, round the base of the ovary: the fruit is globose or oval, and consists of a fleshy eatable pulp, full of protuberances. The species are seven. Mill.
The strawberry grows underneath the nettle,
And wholesome berries thrive and ripen best,
Neighbour'd by fruit of baser quality. Shak. Henry V.
Content with food, which nature freely bred,
On wildings and on strawberries they fed. Dryden.
Strawberries, by their fragrant smell, seem to be cordial: the seeds obtained by shaking the ripe fruit in Winter, are an excellent remedy against the stone. The juice of strawberries and limmons in spring-water is an excellent drink in bilious fevers. Arbuthnot on Diet.


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The Kentucky General Assembly authorized building a new Breckinridge County Judicial Center in 2006 and approved its funding in 2008. The total project cost is $13.16 million. The building will be approximately 33,000 square feet and is expected to be completed in fall 2011.
The Brandstetter Carroll Inc. architectural firm of Lexington designed the Breckinridge County Judicial Center. Codell Construction Co. of Winchester is the construction manager for the project and Ross, Sinclaire & Associates is the financial agent.
Ray Powers, Chair
James Henning, Magistrate
Bruce Butler, Circuit Judge
Connie Brumfield, Circuit Court Clerk
Shan Embry, District Judge
Robert Alexander, AOC Representative
Charles Allen Wilson, Citizen at Large
Tom Brite, Kentucky Bar Association Representative
Ronnie McCall, AOC Division of Capital Construction
Construction Manager, Codell Construction Co.,Winchester, KY
Architect, Civic Consultants Inc./Jill Lewis Smith Architect, KY
Financial Agent, Ross, Sinclaire & Associates, KY
Bond Counsel, Rubin & Hayes, KY
State Senator Carroll Gibson
State Representative Dwight Butler
Joseph Powers, Jr.
Danny Gedling
James Henning
Edwin Moore
Joe O'Donoghue
Ronnie Robinson
Charlie Hay


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Sunday 30th June 2019
Koilani Village
Giorti tou glytzistou (traditional sweets festival)
A celebration full of sweets and tradition, organized by the Community Council of Koilani and the Women'sInitiative Group of Koilani. This year's celebration is scheduled for Sunday, June 30, and the housewives of the village have many surprises for us.
During the event, everyone has the opportunity to taste the traditional sweets of our country, which are made with special care and tradition by the village women, while the museums and wineries of the village are open to the public.
And of course free sweets! And in case you do not know, learn that Glytzista were called the sweets made by housewives in their homes and had the shape of a lozenge and were made with a thin elongated leaf that was packed with shredded almonds, cinnamon and sugar.
Make sure you book your Cyprus airport taxi. Click here for a free quotation


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NLA offers its members a wide array of services which are continuously being developed/upgraded:
Public Sector Advocacy
NLA provides a committed, proactive platform to help shape public-sector policies influencing the logistics industry. Members can actively sound shared concerns via the established chambers, which represent sub-group interests. Topics of concern are then addressed by the association to the relevant public authority.
Group Benefits
Members will benefit from negotiated group discounts from key suppliers to the industry, such as fuel companies and medical & pension funds.
Training & Capacity Building
NLA strives to enhance industry capacities in line with international standards by offering an array of training courses customised to the needs of the industry. NLA also organises presentations by local & international guest-speakers on issues relevant to the industry.
Further details can be accessed under the Meeting & Training Schedules.
Facilitation of business linkages
(NLA-X Supply Form / NLA-X Demand Form)
Market Intelligence
Through its quarterly e-Newsletter (MOVE), latest industry news and trends are communicated to members. Incoming national and international business opportunities are forwarded to members via eMail.
Marketing Platforms
The NLA's marketing platforms offers the opportunity to market various industry related products, services, events, opportunities etc.
(eNewsletter Advertisement Form / Website / Direct Marketing Advertisement Form)


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A Message To
Real Estate Professionals
We Are Part Of Your Team
We are there as design professionals to assist you with the client and do a thorough walk-through to create a staging strategy. We will ensure that the home owner is aware of the things that should be done before the house goes on the market. By partnering with real estate professionals, make sure that the house will look its best to create a quick and profitable sale.
In cases where the house has already been listed and has not sold, we will help solve the problems holding it back. We will create a staging strategy from buyers' feedback to address any concerns and/or issues that have come up.
Let's Work Together
Our Referral Program
For Real Estate Agents, Builders, Contractors & Developers
We understand you can choose any staging company that you want to assist with your listings. We are grateful for repeat business. To show our gratitude, we have developed a referral program that rewards repeat business.
How It Works
As our client, you will receive 5% of the cost of the staging in "Staging Bucks" which can be used toward any future stagings. They can also be accumulated.
If you refer a client to us and they book a staging, you will receive 2.5% of the cost in Staging Bucks. In cases where the realtor and builder split the cost, each party will receive 2.5% of the value in Staging Bucks to put towards any future stagings.


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At a recent Bwog event, one staffer found herself in a familiar position: surrounded by shocked faces once she announced her love for former Barnard president, Debora Spar. In a haphazard effort to justify her unpopular opinion, Bwog Staffer Megan Wylie gives to you: the defense of DSpar.
When I first arrived at Barnard, DSpar's tumultuous reputation was unknown to me. It was only when I expressed that I "worshipped her" did people inform me of their hatred of her. The realization happened gradually– she would walk in with her assistant in tow, and my admiration was drowned out by the groans of my student body.
I don't blame them, DSpar has made some questionable decisions, such as maintaining her board seat at Goldman which probably made her more popular amongst CC econ students than the Barnard community. But I swear guys, she's not that bad. Did she embody corporate feminism? Probably, but did she also do great things for Barnard? In my opinion, yes. The Georgetown School of Foreign Service/Harvard Business School Alum had all the prereqs to launch Barnard into a new stage of its existence.
While she is often seen as just another econ professor, she has done a significant amount of work analyzing the relationship between modern reproductive technology and capitalism, as well as studying the societal implications for women in high-powered positions. She translated this work at Barnard by creating the Athena Institute, and made women's leadership initiatives a core mission in her administration.
DSpar also spearheaded the new core for Barnard students, which does a great job of making students aware of the city with its 'thinking locally' category. She also worked at bringing high profile speakers to the school, and as a result of her boosting Barnard's public profile and endowment, applicants increased 50%. Moreover, in case you couldn't tell by the fact that I have not been able to avoid construction cranes or overpasses on my way to class for the past two years, she attached her legacy to the Milstein Center (and our library being in a gym).
While I may be blinded by my perception of her as the cool, sophisticated, bougie and influential mom on campus, I understand others grew frustrated with her attempts to combine a guise of activism with a corporate agenda. I just happened to have a positive experience, which was probably heightened by the fact that I only spent a year under her leadership. In many ways, she is representative of a slightly outdated feminist icon, whose once liberal ideals have become more traditional in recent years. Even though I feel a bit abandoned by her passing up Barnard for the next big thing, and her ultimate untimely departure from said role, I still look back fondly on my time with DSpar serving me french toast sticks at midnight breakfast and making me take a selfie with her. Maybe it's my obnoxious desire to disagree with people all the time, but I like being the sole advocate for DSpar on campus.
Photo Courtesy of Barnard College


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Taking advantage of the venue's outdoor terrace, with unbeatable views across the Thames, the BBQ can be fired up for private and corporate events as a fun and informal alternative to a sit-down dinner.
The food is cooked by The Deck's chefs and features dishes such as roasted free range Caldecott White Rock chicken marinated in garlic and lemon; harissa cauliflower burger with baba ghanoush; and seabass baked in banana leaf seasoned with Thai spices, served with cucumber and pineapple sambal.
Flatbreads are also available and include mouth-watering fillings such as Moroccan slow-roasted lamb meshwi and vegan charred aubergine with fig and miso vinaigrette. Alongside this feast, guests can enjoy an array of salads and sides.
The al fresco experience is completed with The Deck's cocktail menu featuring summer staples such as Pimms and Aperol Spritz plus the venue's signature sip Skyline; a refreshing mix of Hendrick's gin, St Germaine, Noilly Pratt, Fever Tree soda and cucumber.
Since its launch last summer, The Deck at the National Theatre has quickly become the venue of choice for London event planners looking for a flexible, modern space with brilliant views and facilities.
Set within one of London's most iconic Brutalist buildings, the National Theatre offers a seriously cool setting for summer events. Stark urban architecture and statement concrete backdrops are gorgeously juxtaposed with the sleek, contemporary interiors. Sliding glass doors allow the event space to open up onto the terrace, flooding the entire venue with natural light and showcasing panoramic views of the London skyline.


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Take a look at the quality work that we have done for clients in the past. If you think that your house could benefit from one of our skilled installations get in contact with us today.
For professional loft conversions and balcony installation in Wirral and Cheshire, call 0151 6325179


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In a dark, shadowy forest barely lit by an eclipsing blood moon, a young girl walks through the trees towards distant candlelight and voices. As she approaches, her wedding dress turns black. The clearing is filled with relatives and family acquaintances, eagerly waiting. In the middle there lies a large leather-bound book: The Book of the Beast, in which she needs to sign her name away to the devil. This is the night of Sabrina Spellman's dark baptism.
When I was little, I wanted to be a witch. I ran around the woods next to my house with my best friend and pretended I was flying on a broom, fighting magical enemies. I fell asleep chanting spells. Any animal I came across was a potential familiar to bring me to the magical world.
A witch is not simply the female equivalent of wizard. There are witches who do not carry wands and who conjure up very different kinds of spells. Witches who were burnt at the stake and caused mischief around them. I wanted to be that kind of witch too. I wanted to be like Sabrina Spellman, both from the original sitcom and the animated spinoff "Sabrina the Teenage Witch."
Sabrina went to a regular high school and dealt with normal, human problems. Except her powers granted her options that normal humans didn't have. She tackled her bullies with spells and had a talking cat who gave her advice. The magic world offered her an escape from school drama. Who wouldn't love the liberty of ditching their homework to deal with an evil clone? I wished my name was as cool as Sabrina's or my hair as pretty. Except, my cat wasn't even black, let alone talking.
Sabrina remained in the hazy realm of childhood along with my bubbly fantasies of magic. I knew that watching the show again would bore me. Her problems were too trivial now; she wouldn't have fulfilled my teenage cravings for moral ambiguity.
In October of 2018 Netflix treated me to a welcome surprise, announcing an original show based on a much darker iteration of the goofy witch story, called "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" (CAOS). Sabrina had grown up. After all, the devil himself was listed as a character. I decided it was time for Sabrina to catch up with me.
Once the show released, I couldn't tear myself away from the screen. Once again, Sabrina had managed to bewitch me.
Today's supernatural stories are almost synonymous with escapism. Fantasy either seduces us into an idyllic image of an alternative past or introduces a different universe hiding in the midst of our realities. Either way, its landscape is far removed from our own. Even if its issues echo those we face, the means to resolve them are unrealistic, bordering on wish fulfilment. Fantasy veils the magnitude of the real world problems with magical solutions that we can never physically access.
Except Sabrina of CAOS is, as pointed out by the actress playing her, "a woke witch." This show about witchcraft has an overt political agenda in line with modern feminist messages. The first episode has Sabrina instating a female empowerment club at her high school, which she says is based on a witches coven.That storyline continues throughout the show, but becomes overshadowed by the development of the main plot: Sabrina's upcoming "dark baptism" and her following indoctrination into the witch realm.
It quickly becomes apparent that the witch world is a stringent patriarchy. Absolute devotion to Lucifer is required in exchange for supernatural powers, with a scene of a witch kissing his hooves. Sabrina hesitates to sign her name and soul away, saying "Why does the Dark Lord get to decide what I do with my body?" Her dark baptism uses the language of marriage, stating that she needs to save herself, physically and mentally, for servitude to a powerful male figure. She struggles with the system she is placed in because she wants to have both freedom and power but her society makes the two mutually exclusive. "The thought of any of us having both terrifies him", another witch explains to Sabrina. "He's a man, isn't he?" The same words could ring just as true for women in many offices and government cabinets, far removed from the fantastical world of the show.
The enduring myth of witchcraft has long been one of female power. By becoming a servant of the devil rather than one of god, a woman could hope to take control and agency, even if that freedom came at the price of giving up traditional religious promises of a peaceful afterlife and instead surrendering one's soul to the devil. According to "The Witch in History" by Diane Purkiss, such a myth was perpetuated more by women. It helped them to express the unspeakable, which was their desire to overcome social constraint. Witches transcend limitations. They are scary precisely because they do not obey traditional conceptions of morality.
In late October I was on a train to a small town in the Czech Republic. My boyfriend and I rushed into the car minutes before departure and struggled to look for free seats. Eventually, we came across three vacant spots, two of them next to each other. As we settled in and took out our travel snacks, the door opened. A man walked in and stood in front of me. He pointed at the vacant seat across, signaling for me to move. As I looked at him, I saw anger in his half-closed drooping eyes. The more I lingered, the more I worried he would hit me. He was bigger than me. He looked at me as if I were a dog who had taken a shit on his carpet. I silently switched seats. The rest of the train ride was spent in silence as I hid the tears streaming down my face with a book. I wished I could have said something. I wished I could have harmed him.
At our destination, Kutna Hora, we visited a church famous for being decorated entirely with human bones. As we stood among crucifixes and chandeliers assembled from the remains of over 60,000 people, I found myself thinking of the man on the train. He would too, one day, become no more than bones. The entirety of his being, including the reasons for his seeming entitlement, will boil down to a set of gray objects that could be rearranged as the base of a lantern.
Witches also embody a fascination with death. A contract with the devil allows them to learn otherwise inaccessible control over the afterlife. While traditional religion promises heaven or peace on the condition of following a certain moral standard in life, witchcraft allows for a certainty about a postmortal destiny without further restriction after the initial deal has been made. Witches don't have to fear death, and because of that, they don't fear killing. In mainstream Western culture, traditionally the deceased is dressed in his or her best clothes and treated with a notion of respect as the corpse is put into a coffin and lowered into the ground. Witches, much like the (surprisingly, Catholic) person who arranged the bones in Kutna Hora church, feel no need to treat the dead with reverence. Life can be taken away at whim and the body is an object of ritual. Even postmortem, the dead are sacrificed for the comfort of the living.
When dissatisfied with her principal, Sabrina sends an army of spiders into his house at night,
knowing that arachnids are his greatest fear. In her world, enemies are obstacles to be eliminated. The powers of a witch come with the liberty to control the fate of others. I couldn't help wishing, in the moment, that I could destroy that man on the train and watch him join the pile of skulls at the church. If I were a witch, I might not have hesitated to take revenge when disrespected. But I couldn't. And I am glad.
Power does indeed come with responsibility. CAOS is conscious that power can be abused. Sabrina's heroism is dangerous and often at odds with the show's reality, harming those around her. Her pretty rhetoric claiming that rules can be circumvented for the sake of her wishes has to give in to the weight of consequence. Sabrina constantly acts in the name of rebellion and yet fails to notice how often her actions serve the system rather than oppose it.
The fantastical doesn't have to be synonymous with escapism, and CAOS demonstrates that pop culture is catching up with a better use for these narrative tools. Witchcraft has been entangled in battle with mainstream social norms through a lot of Western history and this show pays tribute to that legacy. However, simply because something is counter-culture does not mean that it is devoid of problems that it attempts to criticize. Mindless opposition may be just as dangerous as blind acceptance, and while Sabrina may believe in herself as an agent for radical change, even her power comes at the expense of something else, be it freedom or humanity.
Gaining supernatural abilities does not excuse one from moral responsibility, even if it can cloud perception of it. A cat talks only if he is a cursed warlock or a recruited demon, and a witch who kills is still a murderer. Even a magical world has consequences, and I don't think I want to be a witch anymore.
Diane Purkiss. The Witch in History: Early modern and twentieth-century representations.
Image from Wired


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Stacked column chart are good for comparison between categories and each category to whole. In stacked column chart each bar represents the total.
Here we are creating a clustered-stacked chart by which we can easily do the comparison between two categories (for e.g. below Planned and Actual scores of 2012 and 2013). Click Here to download the workbook.
Step 1) Create your stacked bar chart. (Select your data, click Insert Tab > click Column Chart (under chart Panel) > click stacked column(under 2-D column)).
In the above chart, we can easily compare the Actual and Planned scores for 2012 and 2013. It helps us in comparing the sum, but it not suited in comparison of each category against each other.
1) Let's do a little bit of data manipulation and create the clustered column chart, which will help in comparing data categories wise.
i) Rearrange the data table in the below format (insert few blanks series).
ii) Select the data and create the stacked chart as we created above.
iii) Let's do the little bit beautification in the chart to make it more readable. Reduce the gap between the bars. Select the data series > do right click > select format data series > reduce gap width to zero.
iv) Change the color of the data series to make it more readable and easy for comparing.