text:
Reads: 321 | Likes: 0 | Shelves: 0 | Comments: 0
Short Story by: Tuxie
Find out how he did it by reading this insider account of casino operations. All casino procedures written about are based on actual personal experience and were in use at the time the story was written.
"I want you to know that it was never my intention to rob the casino when I started working there."
That sentence was the introduction to one of the more engrossing interviews I've encountered in my twelve years as an insurance investigator. Three weeks ago I had looked upon this assignment as little more than a milk run to Spain. Alliance Risk Management, my employer, wanted me to close out an old case there.
I was sent to get a first hand statement from Mr. Thomas Wills, a thief that had stolen two million dollars from one of our customers. Alliance had investigated the case for two years without determining how the crime was executed, and it didn't seem likely that we would find out now. Mr. Wills' attorney had negotiated surcease of charges against him in exchange for the remaining three quarters of a million dollars, and I was the messenger boy sent to retrieve the funds.
It was a great deal all around; Mr. Wills was dying and wanted to return home, Alliance got back some of the money that it had long ago written off, and the State of California saved prosecution expenses. Everybody was happy…except me. I'd invested an enormous amount of time in the investigation but still didn't know how Mr. Wills had stolen the money. I was determined to find out. After my initial conversation with Mr. Wills, it became clear to me that he was not only willing to tell me how he did it, but was in fact eager to do so.
Casino robberies are not unusual, but they are usually for relatively small sums. A desperate player might 'take a shot' at a dealer's chip rack, or a blackjack team might elaborately set up a rig for a hundred grand or so. Wills' case was a rather dramatic exception, in that he'd taken two millions dollars, worked alone, and of course, had gotten away with it.
Now, as I sat next to the dying man inside the long term recovery unit, I waited impatiently for his story to unravel.
"Wait just a second Mr. Wills. I have your permission to record this conversation, right?"
"Sure, but you better get on with it while I still have the strength to talk to you."
"All right"
"This is John Miranda, representing Alliance Insurers of Nevada. Present is Thomas Wills, formerly of San Diego, California, and myself. This interview is taking place in Zaragoza, Spain, at a private care facility, 'Centro Asistencial'. Mr. Wills' statement is in accordance with an agreement negotiated by his attorney on his behalf, which stipulates in part that in return for the remainder of the stolen funds, estimated to be seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars, Alliance will drop charges against him. Do you agree that this is an accurate description of our agreement, Mr. Wills?"
"Mr. Wills, as you probably realize, my employer has a vested interest in learning how your theft was accomplished. Do you testify that you are willing to share these details, for no additional consideration beyond what is in the existing agreement?"
"I do."
"You claim that you had no intention of committing the robbery when you began your employment. When did you decide to become a thief?"
"I never 'decided' to become a thief, it just sort of happened. I do know when I first realized that I needed the money. It was soon after I was promoted to banker."
"You started working as a cashier and were promoted to banker, right?"
"Yes. When I was a cashier I rarely had any overages or shortages. I always double-checked everything I did, a habit I formed when I worked as an engineer. However, I saw how risky being a banker was one day when I got a job warning because of a thousand dollar overage I had at the end of my shift. I came very close to being fired because of it."
"They were going to fire you because you had an extra thousand dollars?"
"It almost seems funny now, but bankers are rated on the accuracy of their work. The casino didn't have a clue where the extra cash came from, so the blame was put on me. I assured them that I hadn't taken it out of my pocket and put it in the bank, but that didn't change anything. It never did show up, but I eventually figured out what had happened. A new cashier had recorded a customer's withdrawal of front money incorrectly. But that incident convinced me that I could lose my job at any time, because of events that I had no control over. My future would always be in doubt, no matter how well I did my job."
"So you stole the money because of lack of job security?"
"I was sixty-seven years old, and not too many jobs were available to me. I lived with a persistent fear, which was the knowledge of just how much depended on keeping my job. I already had the high blood pressure, diabetes, and kidney problems that brought me to this hospital, and if I'd lost my medical coverage at the casino I might as well have been dead."
"Do you blame your employer for your eventual crime?"
"No, of course not, that's just when the idea first occurred to me. At that point it was just a fleeting thought; I had no intention of actually following through with it. Then somehow it became an intellectual challenge. I found myself spending my idle time wondering how one person, acting alone under constant surveillance, could get away with some cash. There were at least 17 cameras always watching everything I did, and a dozen security guards, so it seemed like an impossible problem, and that just made it more intriguing."
"How long did it take you to come up with your plan and execute it?"
"Well, I was suddenly two million dollars richer about two years after that job warning. While I was still in the fantasy stage I worked out the basic requirements, and all the contingencies for each path the process could take. From my engineering experience I knew that no matter how well you planned something, no matter how many redundant systems you had, there was still always a course of events that could lead to failure."
"Would you say that you were able to accomplish this because you had been an engineer?"
"No. The engineering experience just taught me to think methodically. When you go to design something, you set parameters and break it down into logical steps. You work backwards from the parameters to determine the design requirements. My little project at the casino had three basic parameters: nobody was to get hurt, no one else was to be involved, and I had to have a way of calling it off at any time up to the moment of execution. I stayed focused on my design requirements, and never let greed get the best of me or let myself become impatient. I kept my objectives tight and fairly modest." "Modest in this case turned out to be two million dollars."
"True, but I got lucky. People occasionally do get lucky in casinos you know. It could just as easily have been two hundred thousand."
"Would you describe the responsibilities of your job that required handling those large sums of money?"
"Yes, the job was pretty straight-forward. Whether working in the main or auxiliary bank, my job was to keep the cashier's drawers stocked with money for the guests who would give the cashiers checks, chips and so forth in exchange for cash. At the end of the day I had to balance the bank. Occasionally, when I was working in the auxiliary bank, I was called upon to take the casino's deposits out to the armored truck."
"Please describe that process for the record."
"When a large deposit was being made, usually after a long weekend or on a Monday, I would be called in the auxiliary bank to bring the deep cart that was stored there over to the main bank. It was required to carry all of the bags out to the armored truck. I would bring them the cart, load the deposit in it, and proceed to the truck. I was escorted by casino security and the armed guard. After that I returned to the auxiliary bank with the empty cart."
"And it was during this procedure that you procured the two million dollars?"
"Yes, it was quite a challenge. Two million dollars takes up a lot of space, even in hundred dollar bills. Twenty bricks of hundreds. Beautiful, randomly serialized, well used hundreds. Like I said, though, I got lucky. It might have been twenties or tens. I probably wouldn't have gone through with it for fives; too much risk for just one-hundred thousand dollars."
"So you had the ability to call off your plan at any time if things weren't right?"
"Yes, patience was the essence of my plan. A whole series of events had to fall into place before I could attempt it, which is why it took me two years to succeed. It was sort of like all of the planets aligning, or an eclipse of the sun. It happens, but not very often."
"But you must have realized that even if you got away with the money, you would be immediately pursued."
"Sure, I knew it was only a matter of time until the money was missed, and I was the most likely suspect at that point. I didn't know how long I'd have, but it figured to be less than 24 hours."
"They discovered it in four hours, when the armored truck got to the depository bank."
"So, my preparations paid off, anything less than an hour and I would have still been on shift and in the casino. Once my shift was over, I could be on my way to the border while they were still trying to track me down. That was actually the biggest risk to the whole plan, my decision to work the remaining time after I already had the money. It was a risk I wasn't quite ready to take, but the California lottery convinced me that it was worth it."
"Would you explain that?"
"The California Lotto. They were running huge billboards all over the city talking about 'Upside' and 'Downside'. The upside was that you could win millions of dollars, the downside was that you might lose a buck. I got to thinking about my upside and downside. My upside was some excitement and a plush retirement for my final few years, my downside was a few years in a prison hospital before I succumbed to kidney failure. Framing it that way made the decision pretty easy."
"That quite a rationalization, Mr. Wills, but it appears that you assessed the risk correctly."
"I'm sure you've investigated the theft from beginning to end, have you figured out how I stole the money yet?"
"The video tapes I saw clearly show you taking the money from the armored car guard after he checked it against his manifest. The first package is hundred dollar bills, the two million you took. You put the bundle into the cart, and then walked back to the counter for the next bundle. As you did this the cart's lid fell down, which we figured was supposed to be a distraction. I re-ran that clip several times, but didn't see you do anything during that period. You loaded the rest of the money into the cart, locked it and took it out to the truck with the security officer and guard on either side of you. You removed the bundles from the cart and gave them all to the guard. The cameras show that the cart was empty. You wheeled it back inside as the guard locked the truck and left. I saw no opportunity for you to take it at that time. I've seen the tapes dozens of times, and you were covered by the cameras every step of the way. On top of that, we checked the video footage of you leaving the casino and there was no way you could have smuggled out a package that size. The driver and guard were our only suspects, however unlikely, since they showed up at the bank. Still, we wasted several hours questioning them and then concluded it had to be you since you were the only other person to come in contact with the money."
"You were right, of course. The package was about 1 by 2 by 3 feet. I had someone else carry it out for me."
"Didn't you say you worked alone on this theft?"
"Oh, my 'partner' didn't know he was carrying it out for me. I don't even know who actually took it out, but it did make its way to me eventually."
"I would like you to describe how you obtained the money before we talk about how you got it out."
"The solution to that problem occurred to me one day after taking a deposit out to the armored truck. I was taking the empty cart back to the auxiliary bank when I realized how to do it. The auxiliary bank was the key."
"Tell me about it."
"Before the last expansion of the casino and the conversion to coin-less slot machines, we needed two banks and cashier stations to service our customers. After that the auxiliary bank was only used occasionally on busy days and weekends. It was divided into two sections, the bank and the cashier's stations, with a wall separating them. The cashiers couldn't see into the bank. It was designed that way. That bank was so seldom used that it became a storage area for unused equipment and other stuff. The other bankers found it boring working there so no one objected when I volunteered to work there whenever it was used."
"We reviewed that area carefully. It was covered by surveillance cameras, just like the main bank."
"You probably noticed the old coin room then?"
"Yes. It was hard to see into it with the cameras, both lights were burned out, but it had little more than carts, bank equipment, and some trash cans."
"The burnt out lights were important"
"I waited months for both of those light bulbs to burn out. I guess you overlooked one other item in the coin room. It also contained a roll of thin aluminum. If you'd opened up the roll, you would have noticed it was the exact size of the inside of the money cart. Among the stuff stored in the bank were brochures and catalogs of most of the equipment the casino used. Ones of the catalogs had the exact dimensions of the cart. With that information I was able to cut a piece of aluminum at home to the exact size that I needed. I scrubbed both sides of it thoroughly with a wire brush, and put a few dings in it with a nail, until it looked like the inside of the cart. Then I attached some Velcro tabs to it. It was ready, but I still had to get it into the bank without anyone knowing about it. The next time I was scheduled to work in the auxiliary bank I wrapped the aluminum sheet around my leg and covered it with my pants. I walked into the casino a little stiffly that day, but nobody seemed to notice. Once inside the coin room I unrolled the aluminum and stowed it behind the shelves, then I pushed some carts against it to straighten it out. I then went out into the bank. I didn't want to stay out of camera sight for more than twenty or thirty seconds at a time because someone might get suspicious."
"Yes, I recall seeing you come out."
"The next time I worked in the auxiliary bank, I attached small bits of Velcro to the inside of the hinged lid of the cart, in the same positions as those on the aluminum sheet. At home I'd figured out exactly how much Velcro would hold the sheet to the lid but still release it when I needed it to. I had painted the Velcro gray to match the cart lid and blend in. I ran just one test of my system inside the room. I'd run through it enough times at home to be confident of my setup, but I had to make sure it worked in the cart. I fitted the sheet against the lid and left the lid open; it looked natural to me. Then I knocked the lid down and reopened the cart. My false bottom had fallen to the bottom of the cart and was indistinguishable from the real cart bottom. I pulled it out and stowed it away again, ready to use whenever an opportunity presented itself."
I hoped my chagrin wasn't evident to Mr. Wills. I'd spent months of effort investigating his "elaborate" crime, which seems to have been accomplished with only a roll of sheet metal.
"That's far simpler than I would have imagined"
"That's a left over from my engineering training, the most basic of which was the Kiss principal. Keep It Simple, Stupid. Leave the elaborate gizmos and convoluted schemes to Hollywood, they only create more points of failure."
"So at that point you were ready to execute you plan?"
"The only thing I still had to do was smuggle some small, black trash bags in, which I just stuck in my pockets. Once everything was in place, I began to wait. I left the fake cover in place on the cart with the lid open, facing the wall. There was no way the cameras could distinguish it from above. The first time I was called to the main bank with the false bottom in place my heart was racing like crazy. An empty cart always had to be moved through the casino with the cover open, so I just let the false bottum hang on the inside of the cart lid. That left the thin sheet of aluminum, about a thirty-second of an inch thick, visible. But it was almost impossible to see from above. Once in the main bank I placed the cart next to a wall with the cover open and leaning against the wall. The guard had a bag of 'ones' in his hand, so I knew that this was not an opportunity for me. I loaded the money into the cart and was careful to close the lid softly enough so that the Velcro would not release. This was the first of many dry runs. The first few times I did this I was nervous, but when I got away with it repeatedly, it became routine."
"So you waited for your opportunity?"
"Yes. Months passed, but there was always something that wasn't quite right. One time when I was going to do it, the guard handed me a bag of 'fives' first, not worth the risk. Another time too many people were standing close to the cart to chance it. Then one day everything was perfect. I knew it when I walked into the bank and the guard said that we had to hurry because he was running late and still had other stops to make. I looked at the counter and saw at least fifteen deposit bags, the one with hundreds in the guard's hand as he checked the bag number against the manifest. I placed the cart near a wall, opened the lid, and carefully rested it against the wall. When he handed me the package of hundreds I turned, walked over to the cart and dropped it in. I was now facing the wall, my back to everyone in the bank. I quickly pulled on the side of the lid and it came crashing down. Everyone turned and looked at me. I just shrugged my shoulders. That kind of thing happened all the time. There were a few laughs and we went back to loading the cart."
"You didn't check to see if the false bottom came down, that's why I didn't suspect anything."
"No, I knew that that would be too risky. I had to trust my design. The next package was full of twenties. I took it from the guard and walked over to the cart. I lifted the lid slightly and looked inside. My aluminum sheet was perfectly covering the package of hundreds. I lifted the top all the way and rested it against the wall again, and then I quickly dropped the package of twenties into the cart. Nobody noticed anything. The rest of the loading went quickly, surveillance was called and we went out to the armored truck."
"The surveillance cameras followed you all the way out and recorded everything."
"But they didn't record our conversations. The guard opened the truck door and I handed him two or three of the smaller bags that were on top of the cart. I asked him why he was running late, and he told me he had been delayed at his previous casino stop. I made small talk while handing him the rest of the bags. If he was counting them I wanted to confuse him. Then I gave him two of the medium sized bags at a time, and finally the larger packages. We were finished. That was the critical moment. I started to walk away with the open cart and he glanced into it, then he turned away and closed the truck's door. Nobody said anything. I don't think I breathed all the way back to the auxiliary bank, but I made it without any problems. I placed the cart in the coin room and proceeded to fill the orders that the cashiers had left in the window for me."
"So you didn't remove the money from the cart immediately?"
"No, I had established a certain routine for the day, and I stayed with it. I wanted everything to look as normal as possible. After I gave the cashiers their money my day was almost over. I then balanced out my draw and cleaned up the bank. This consisted of cleaning up the mess that the cashiers made when they counted into their carts and left their money straps all over the place and on the floor. I had been making it a point to collect a lot of trash in the small waste paper baskets and then empty them into the big black trash bags that the maintenance people would take away. Security checked these with a metal detector to make sure no coins accidentally fell in, so I normally made sure that there were no paper clips, staples, or other metal in the trash that would set of the detector. This time I intentionally put some paper clips into two of the bags, which I set aside. I had seven or eight baskets full of straps, paper, and other trash, which was all that I needed. I took one of the big black trash bags into the coin room and opened it. I then took a waste paper container and emptied it into the bag and came out into the bank with the empty basket. I picked up another one and carried it into the coin room. Then I quickly removed the sheet-metal cover and cut open the package of hundreds. I grabbed two bricks and dropped them into one of the small black opaque bags I had brought in, and then covered the bag with trash. It only took about fifteen or twenty seconds. I repeated this until all of the money was in the large trash bag and completely covered with garbage. I pulled the Velcro strips from the lid and aluminum sheet and threw them in the garbage bag. I also dropped in a small, plastic radio transmitter that I had purchased. Then I checked that none of the money showed through. After that I swept the floor and dumped all the dust and grit on top of the bag. The last thing I did was roll up the aluminum sheet and place it into a corner behind some equipment."
"So the money went out with the garbage?"
"Yes. I had made it a point to be friendly with the maintenance people that picked up the trash. They were mostly from Mexican and South American backgrounds, and I often practiced my high school Spanish on them. We would have small conversations as the security officer checked the trash bags with his wand. When he finished I would hand the bag to them and they would place it in the large wheeled barrels that they used to carry the trash out. Sometimes I put the bag directly into their barrels, which pleased them."
"So, you 'buttered them up' in advance."
"That day I made sure to hand the guard the bags with the paper clips in them first. When his detector went off he had to stop and open the bags, find the metal and remove it. After that happened twice he was in a foul mood and in a hurry to get out of there. I held the bag with the money in it in front of him and he quickly scanned it and waved me away. I didn't want anyone to notice that the bag was heavier than usual, so I placed it directly into the wheeled barrels myself and received a 'gracias' from the maintenance people. Some smaller garbage bags were then piled on top of it and I knew that I was home free."
"So your 'silent partner' was the sanitation service. You did work alone the whole way through."
"Sure, if I had to rely on somebody else, that would have increased my risk enormously. The trash guys followed a predictable routine, which I had carefully researched, and that day after work I went to their dump site and used a receiver to locate the trash bag. I dressed as an itinerant in case anybody caught me fishing through the garbage. Then I carried the cash out of the dump along with a pile of trash to cover it up. I had a second car stored nearby, since the casino had my primary car's license plate on file. That's the car I drove across the border to Mexico. I took a luxury cruise ship to Acapulco, and from there to Europe. They were used to high rollers on the ship, so I used the ship's casino to gamble and gradually swap the big bills for smaller bills. I spent a year and a half living the good life, staying in the best hotels, and of course, gambling! I took the money from a casino and most of it went back to casinos. It was a lot of fun and a nice way to spend my last active years."
"When did you decide to call it quits?"
"I had myself examined by doctors in each country I visited. When it became clear that my kidneys weren't going to support me much longer, I had a lawyer get in touch with you guys."
"What was your motivation to contact us?"
"When I realized I had less than a year to live, my ego kicked in. 'What should I do', I thought? I had pulled off this great theft and nobody knew about it. I would die alone and unrecognized in some strange country. It was unthinkable."
I shut off the recorder. "Mr. Mills, while I obviously can't condone your actions, I can tell you that what you pulled off is pretty rare in this industry. Alliance is happy to be getting back even the three-quarters of a million. They had written off the entire two million and given up on discovering the method. You're not going to be famous, but a lot of people in the insurance industry will know your name."
"Then that will have to do. The key to my storage locker is sitting on the table. Don't spend it all in one place."
"I see you've kept your sense of humor."
"Goodbye Mr. Miranda. Please ask my doctor to come in on your way out."
"Goodbye, Mr. Wills."
* * * * * * * * * *
"Dee da, dee dee dee dum, dee dee dee da, I did it my way!
"I see you're feeling better Mr. Wills. I liked it better before you tried to sing."
"That stuff you gave me is wearing off doctor. I feel like a fog lifted. In fact, I feel like a million bucks. Miranda is gone, right?"
"I saw him drive off."
"Did he ask to see the X-rays and test results?"
"Yes, he was most insistent."
"He was fine with them?"
"Of course, they were real, they just weren't yours."
"Then I guess I'm off to beautiful San Diego."
"Let me thank you now for your contribution to my new clinic. Did you keep enough to live on?"
"That depends, how long do you think I have?"
"If you continue to watch your health the way you have been, fifteen to twenty years."
"I guess I can stretch out a million that long. I left a suitcase with that amount back in the States hoping I'd be back some day to pick it up."
"Then what have you been living on?"
"Mostly blackjack winnings. If you have deep enough pockets and a good head for numbers, it's not a bad way to get by, as long as you don't mind spending time in a casino."
"You don't think very highly of them, do you?"
"I learned the truth about casinos a long time ago. They're a place that people bring their dreams and leave with their sorrows. I'm lucky to have been able to reverse that equation, but I'm a rare exception."
"Is blackjack the only game you play?"
"Yes. Playing it properly can reduce the house advantage down to a half of one percent, the lowest of any casino game. Baccarat is next with a little over one percent, but they kill you with ties, which are over fourteen percent. Keno is the worst, with a house advantage of twenty five to thirty percent."
"So, there's nothing you can do to put the odds in your favor?"
"No. Do you play bridge doctor?"
"Yes, fairly well I am told. Why?"
"Supposing that you have the points for a grand slam, but you are missing a king. Would you bid it?"
"If the king can be finessed you can make it, otherwise you can't."
"Yes, a fifty-fifty chance."
"I'm not sure what I would do."
"Go for it! Those are the best odds you'll ever get in life."
"So, you are a philosopher as well as a gambler and a thief."
"Yes, the last of the Renaissance men."
"What will you do in San Diego?"
"Visit the casinos, of course. There were more than twenty of them when I left, and Vegas is only a few hours away. I might even go back to the one I worked for. It seems only fair to give them a chance to get some of their money back."
© Copyright 2018 Tuxie. All rights reserved.
Add Your Comments:
More Mystery and Crime Short Stories
Short Story / Mystery and Crime
Short Story / Mystery and Crime
Short Story / Mystery and Crime
Short Story / Mystery and Crime
Short Story / Mystery and Crime
Short Story / Mystery and Crime
Short Story / Mystery and Crime
Short Story / Mystery and Crime
Short Story / Mystery and Crime
Short Story / Mystery and Crime
Short Story / Mystery and Crime
Short Story / Mystery and Crime
Short Story / Mystery and Crime
Short Story / Mystery and Crime
Short Story / Mystery and Crime
Book / Fantasy
Poem / Romance
Booksie Popular Content
Other Content by Tuxie
Short Story / Religion and Spirituality
Essay / Editorial and Opinion


text:
Recovery efforts from Hurricane Sandy continue in Haiti and Cuba, two countries severely hit by the late October hurricane. Dozens were killed in the Caribbean by the storm, which crippled a number of affected areas. In Cuba, for example, more than 188,000 homes were damaged and the eastern city of Santiago de Cuba was particularly devastated.
In Haiti, Sandy was viewed as far worse than Hurricane Isaac earlier this year, with devastating flooding, including northwest Haiti, where CWS has supported the work of agricultural cooperatives. Severe flooding from Sandy in Haiti damaged and blocked infrastructure/roads, damaged/destroyed houses, caused loss of livestock and severe damage to agricultural fields.
Of particular concern in Haiti is the pressure put on a country still recovering from the devastating January 2010 earthquake, with food security particularly threatened, given the extent of damage already occurring during Isaac's landfall in August. "Children go to school hungry and weak," said CWS program officer Margot de Greef, based in Haiti, after a recent visit to the food cooperatives in northwest Haiti which CWS supports.
Livelihoods in highly vulnerable rural areas have been lost, and the affected communities have limited capacity to recover without external support, the ACT Alliance reports.
CWS response:
++ HAITI: More specifics about assessment of needs and the planned response by one of our CWS partners in Haiti, the Christian Center for Integrated Development (known by the Haitian Creole acronym SKDE), is still being developed. But Margot de Greef said this following a recent assessment visit with Food Resource Bank to the affected region and the CWS-supported food co-ops:
- The co-ops were clearly affected a lot by hurricane Sandy and explained how hard it has been for them to go through a drought and then two hurricanes. If (residents) had 100 Haiti gourdes (Haitian currency) before the hurricanes, then now they only have 50 left.
- The wind blew down trees, damaged houses, blew away tin roofs, destroyed their harvests/gardens and killed their animals. Animals died especially at the coops where they are tied (up outside)…. They don't have enough safe shelter for people, let alone for animals, as they explained.
- (Residents) explained how the drought first caused their crops to fail and then when it started to rain a little they planted new crops, which then were destroyed in the hurricanes. Now they don't have any seeds anymore to plant again. Children go to school hungry and weak. In (affected area) Baie-de-Henne, they had to evacuate people due to the rising sea level, with the water invading people's houses."
In short, the recent assessment confirms that the co-operatives were severely damaged, with loss of buildings, gardens and livestock, SKDE reports. "These represent the bank account (or wealth) of the poorest," said the Rev. Herode Guillomettre, who heads SKDE.
CWS is supporting initial efforts with $50,000, which will focus on re-establishing food security efforts in the co-ops.
++ CUBA: CWS is supporting $50,000 of the full ACT Alliance appeal of $450,000, with support going to assist with emergency family food packages and water provision as part of initial recovery efforts. Our long-time partner, the Cuban Council of Churches, has also identified shelter construction as a key priority. The CWS-supported response includes emergency relief to 210 families initially with food and water, and then supporting 1,000 families with psycho-social activities, shelter (reconstruction) and livelihood restoration.
Food security work will include supporting 210 families from the community of Rancho Cruz, with food distribution and then a second phase of restoring livelihoods through the provision of agricultural tools and seeds. Recovery of an irrigation system with the restoration of 10 acres of land with planting short-cycle crops will also occur.
In the area of shelter and settlement, the CWS-supported work will include selecting 145 houses in Rancho Cruz, which will be reinforced with the construction of steel columns embedded in concrete bases, girders and a covering of zinc aluminum being installed. In the community of Rondon, the project will provide the installation of a proper roof for 204 houses. The project will be implemented by a mutually assisted- constructive process. Each working group will have masons, mechanics, welders and electricians.
CWS has also provided the CCC with a shipment of material goods that was in process before the hurricane. The shipment, valued at $176,490, includes 3,300 CWS Blankets; 9,000 CWS Hygiene Kits; 1,125 CWS Hygiene Kits; and 1,500 CWS School Kits.
TOTAL OF CUBA AND HAITI RESPONSE: $100,000. Further additions or expansions of this appeal are possible.
How to help:
Contributions to support CWS emergency response efforts around the world may be made online, sent to your denomination, or to Church World Service, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN 46515. (REF: HURRICANE SANDY APPEAL {CARIBBEAN} # 6766)
PLEASE NOTE: This appeal is separate from the US domestic Sandy appeal, which is # 627 W.
Church World Service is a member of the ACT Alliance, a global coalition of churches and agencies engaged in development, humanitarian assistance and advocacy.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Where will Conduit 2 take you when it launches next month? You and Mr. Ford will take a campaign across the world, visiting not only North America, but Europe, Siberia, China, and even the Bremuda Triangle! There's bound to be online multiplayer maps based on each one as well.
You'll be able to check out all these environments and the rest of Conduit 2 starting April 19th when the title launches exclusively on Nintendo Wii.


text:
Marble Stone Medallion Amlink Amd-701
This is a custom design of marble medallion, showing a pattern of a running horse. Standard dimension 48"D, customizable. Waterjet cut. Amlink Marble specializes in design, prodution and import of marble medallion and other stone pattern. Custom designs of stone floor patterns such as entire foyer and hallway are available.


text:
The interpersonal competence for a first-line manager would include the ability to A) communicate well. B) motivate others. C) understand employees needs. D) work well with people. E) all of the above
Review from student
Brown University
1271 Tutors
California Institute of Technology
2131 Tutors
Carnegie Mellon University
982 Tutors
Columbia University
1256 Tutors
Dartmouth University
2113 Tutors
Emory University
2279 Tutors
Harvard University
599 Tutors
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2319 Tutors
New York University
1645 Tutors
Notre Dam University
1911 Tutors
Oklahoma University
2122 Tutors
Pennsylvania State University
932 Tutors
Princeton University
1211 Tutors
Stanford University
983 Tutors
University of California
1282 Tutors
Oxford University
123 Tutors
Yale University
2325 Tutors


text:
Services for Julian Simmons, retired director of public relations for the Mercantile Bank and Trust Co., will be held at 11:15 a.m. tomorrow at the Brown Memorial Park Avenue Presbyterian Church, 1316 Park Ave.
Mr. Simmons, who was 71 and lived in St. Michaels, died Wednesday at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center after a blood vessel burst while he was in the Baltimore area visiting a son.
He moved to St. Michaels in 1982, after retiring from the bank where he had worked for more than 20 years. Earlier, he sold heavy equipment for the Alban Tractor Co. and the International Harvester Co.


text:
Pensions have one very important advantage - they're incentivised by the taxman. In fact, the taxman is very generous when it comes to personal pensions, adding to your pension every time you pay money in.
Every £80 you pay in is topped up to £100, giving your savings an immediate boost of 25%. And higher rate taxpayers can get even more.
Plus, on top of the tax relief you receive each time you pay into your pension, the money you've saved grows virtually tax free over the years*.
Please remember future governments may increase or decrease the amount of tax relief you get.
*There's a tax on dividend income from UK shares which pension funds aren't able to reclaim. Please note, this information is based on our current understanding of taxation law and HM Revenue & Customs practice in the UK. The amount of tax relief you receive depends on your personal circumstances and may change.
You can get a personal pension whether you're employed, self-employed or out of work as long as you are:
If you want to retire on more than the state pension but don't have a company pension at work, a personal pension is a great option.
Firstly you can't get your hands on your pension until you're at least 55 years old, which is good because it gives you time to build up a bigger pension, without the temptation to dip into your savings.
When you take your benefits you can normally choose to take up to a quarter of your benefits as a tax-free cash sum.
You may want to use the rest of the money you've saved in your pension to buy an annuity. An annuity is an investment that guarantees to pay you a regular income for the rest of your life, no matter how long you live.
Please remember, the amount of income provided by your pension will depend on a number of factors, including investment returns and annuity rates when you retire.
A little now makes a big difference later- the golden rule is to invest the most you can afford, and the earlier you start the better. Even a modest amount saved now can make a big difference later.
You get tax relief on everything you put away, up to 100% of your annual earnings (and also subject to an upper annual allowance of £40,000*).
Even if you're a non tax payer you can still pay into your personal pension, and get tax relief on up to £2,880 of contributions each year.
*Please note, you don't get tax relief on payments above £40,000, in fact you will be taxed on them. If you have unused allowance from previous tax years, you may be able to pay in more than this. To find out more, please see Questions & Answers. Also remember, this information is based on our current understanding of taxation law and HM Revenue & Customs practice in the UK. The amount of tax relief you receive depends on your personal circumstances and may change.
You can pay in anything from £1 upwards. You get tax relief on everything you put away, up to 100% of your annual earnings (subject to an upper annual allowance of £40,000). If you are able to save more than £40,000 a year, you don't get tax relief on payments above that, in fact you will be taxed on them. If you have unused annual allowance from previous tax years, you may be able to pay in more than this. Please see below.
Yes, but any contributions above this will normally be taxed.
You may be able to avoid this by carrying forward any unused annual allowance from previous tax years. There are some rules around this, you can only go back three years, you must have been a registered member of the scheme in the tax year you are carrying forward from and you can only carry forward up to the £40,000 limit in each tax year.
Don't forget this includes any contributions from an employer and increases in value of any other pension savings you may have.
If you'd like to find out more please seek advice from a tax specialist or financial adviser before investing - to ensure you don't incur tax charges you weren't expecting.
Yes, their payments would form part of your total contribution limits.
If you'd like your employer to contribute, just let us know and we'll send you a form making it easy for them to do.
Yes, you are allowed to save in as many pensions as you like. There used to be rules concerning company directors and occupational schemes and salary limits, but these have now been removed.
If you already have a pension which you could make further contributions to, you should speak to an IFA.
Yes, you can transfer other pensions into a new pension, however, you would need to make sure it was the right thing for you to do. If you would like more information please contact us.
Yes, you can. But if you haven't started a pension yet and are hoping to retire within five years time, we strongly recommend you seek independent financial advice, so you can decide on the best options available to you at this time.
Whether you are employed, self-employed or not employed, we claim basic rate tax relief for you and invest it in your pension.
If you pay income tax at the higher rate (or additional rate that applies for those with an annual income above £150,000) you can claim any extra tax relief you are due from the HMRC in your annual tax return.
The first thing is to find out if your new employer offers a company pension, and whether they contribute to it. If so, you should join, so you don't miss out on any payments they're offering. You can also keep your personal pension, and keep paying into it if you wish.
If you become self-employed or your new employer doesn't offer a pension scheme, it's a good idea to keep paying into your personal pension so your retirement savings stay on track.
Whatever you choose to do, please let us know if you've changed jobs.
If you're off work but are still being paid (e.g. paid maternity leave or sick leave), you can continue to pay into your pension and you'll still receive tax relief on your payments (on up to 100% of your annual earnings and also subject to an upper annual allowance of £40,000). If your employer is paying into your pension, you'll need to check with them whether they'll continue to contribute while you're off work.
If you have time away from paid work, remember you can stop payments into your personal pension if you need to. You can start saving again whenever you wish. If you do make payments into your pension you'll still receive tax relief on up to £2,880 of payments each tax year, even if you have no earnings for that tax year. You can pay in more than that if you wish but you won't receive tax relief on the extra amount.
Even if you're not earning you can still pay into your personal pension and receive tax relief on up to £2,880 of payments each tax year. You can pay in more than that if you wish but you won't receive tax relief on the extra amount.
If you can no longer spare the money you can stop your payments into your pension. You can start saving again whenever you're ready.
They will be paid to the beneficiaries you named on your application. If you need to update your beneficiaries at any time, please contact us.
The earliest you can currently take your private pension is your 55th birthday, but state pensions will vary and you should check with directgov.com as to what age they will be able to claim state pension. You can retire at any age but only draw pensions at specific ages.
You can normally take up to a quarter of your savings as a tax-free cash sum. The rest is may be used to buy you an income in retirement, called an annuity.
Investing in stock market shares is not without its risks. They can rise significantly in value over many years, go into periods of decline, or fall suddenly in value, with no guarantees you will get back the full amount you invest.
The key point to remember is that saving into a pension is a long term investment, and the longer you remain invested in the stock market the better you tend to do.
A pension is a long term investment. The fund value may fluctuate and can go down. Your eventual income may depend upon the size of the fund at retirement, future interest rates and tax legislation.
A conventional annuity is a contract whereby the insurance company agrees to pay to the investor a guaranteed income either for a specific period or for the rest of his or her life in return for a capital sum. With a guaranteed annuity, income is paid for the annuitant's life, but in the event of early death within a guaranteed period, the income is paid for the balance of the guaranteed annuity period to the beneficiaries.
The capital is non-returnable and hence the income paid is relatively high.
Income paid is based on the investor's age, i.e. the mortality factor and interest rates on long term gilts.
Income is paid annually, half yearly, quarterly or monthly.
Annuities can be on one life or two. If they are on two lives the annuity will normally continue until the death of the second life.
If the annuitant dies early, some or all, of the capital is lost. Capital protected annuities return the balance of the capital on early death.
Payments from pension annuities are taxed as income.
Purchased life annuities have a capital and interest element - the capital element is tax free, the interest element is taxable.
Types of annuity include the following - Immediate; guaranteed; compulsory purchase; open market option; deferred; temporary; level; increasing or escalating, short and fixed term.
The purchase price is paid to the insurance company and the income starts immediately and is paid for the lifetime of the annuitant.
Income is paid for the annuitant's life, but in the event of early death within a guaranteed period, say five or 10 years, the income is paid for the balance of the guaranteed period to the beneficiaries.
Also known as open market option annuities, these are bought with the proceeds of pension funds. A fund from an occupational scheme or buy-out (S32) policy will buy a compulsory purchase annuity. A fund from a retirement annuity or personal pension will buy an option market option annuity - an opportunity to move the fund to a provider offering better annuity rates.
A single payment or regular payments are made to an insurance company, but payment of the income does not start for some months or years. This may be suitable for an investor funding for retirement or school fees.
Often used for school fees purposes. The annuity is paid for a fixed period either immediately or after a deferred period, irrespective of the survival of the original annuitant.
A lump sum payment is made to the insurance company, and income starts immediately, but it is only for a limited period - say five years. Payments finish at the end of the fixed period or on earlier death.
The income is level at all times. This of course does not keep pace with inflation.
The annuitant selects a rate of increase and the income will rise each year by the chosen percentage. Some life offices now offer an annuity where the performance is linked to some extent to either a unit linked or with profits fund to give exposure to equities and hopefully increase returns.
The amount of pension income provided by your retirement fund will depend on a number of factors, including age, investment returns and annuity rates when you retire
Jonathan Hales
Independant Financial Advisor


text:
|Home | About | Contact | Vitamins for Schizophrenia
I was able with family help to pay for the power amp. I now need to pick it up. So finally I have upgraded my PA to stereo. This is not a bad business to be in and does not take a lot of my time. I am continuing to work on setting up a home studio. I cleaned up my office for about half an hour tonight. I also cleaned the living room. My wife did the recycling on Thursday and also has been keeping the dishes clean.
I bought some Playstation Portable UMD movies last night and also watched a Stargate episode with R. This reminds me I need to write up some Stargate episodes on my studies blog and I would like to open a new blog where all these entries are catalogued. But I think I can do that with a web page collection.Posted by petert at September 10, 2005 12:16 AM


text:
The decision to file for bankruptcy is often one of the hardest choices that a person has to make in his or her lifetime. Poor planning can often make the process even harder. It goes without saying that filing for bankruptcy should generally be a last resort, and should only be done when all other methods of satisfying one's financial obligations have been exhausted.
When you are charged with a crime, regardless of the outcome of the case, society tends to view you in a negative light. Our criminal defense firm, however, takes a very different approach; we base our mission on the ideal that each accused person is innocent until proven guilty. With this principle serving as the foundation of our work, our attorneys work tirelessly to defend clients charged with criminal matters ranging from minor misdemeanors related to drug possession to felony charges for homicide.
Regardless of the charges against you, we will work aggressively to defend you in a court of law.
© 2018 McGuigan Law, PLLC | Disclaimer 24750 Lahser Road, Southfield, MI 48033 | Phone: 248-356-9100Family Law | Child Custody | Child Support | Divorce | Divorce Mediation | Legal Separation | Parenting Time | Property Division | Spousal Support | Other Practice Areas | | Attorney Profile | Firm Overview
Law Firm Website Design byAmicus Creative
© McGuigan Law, PLLC |
Disclaimer | Law Firm Website Design by Amicus Creative
24750 Lahser Road,
48033 | Phone: 248-356-9100


text:
Maybe it's a good thing I didn't feel the urgency to write about Sunday's "Mad Men" finale right away — it means I won't go crazy with waiting for the next season to begin, right? (Probably not; my must-see TV has just become "The Daily Show" and… that's it.)
I can say with certainty that episode was not what I expected. I know many were disappointed by the pace, and I think I was one of them. I'm still not sure. I don't think every single episode should have characters who commit suicide or prostitute themselves for new accounts, but the whole thing, on first viewing, felt like a dud to me. This show has episodes that sneak up on me on second or third viewings, so maybe this will be one. I heard it described as an epilogue, and that seems accurate.
I'll get my gripes out of the way first. If I had a wish list:
- MORE PEGGY. (Caps-lock intentional.) The theater scene was sweet, but the Peggy subplot feels to me, still, like the abrupt abandonment of a main character. I'm always concerned — at work, in my personal life, in society — with equitable allocations of resources. The last episode had way too much Glen time; this one had too much everything else time. Probably Megan. Not that those story lines aren't important, but I feel there's a tendency to linger on them, when lingering isn't really necessary.
That's not to say I'm not on board with Peggy's decision to leave and grow in a new place; I am. In that sense, abruptness was a benefit to the storyline. As much as we saw the hints this season, we felt as blindsided as Don did by her decision. Beyond that, though, Peggy's growth has been absolutely fascinating to watch, and I'm fairly certain her growth didn't stop as soon as she stepped on the elevator at SCDP that last time. We had a glimpse, one small glimpse, of a new grown-up Peggy in a red power suit, and it'd better not be the last we see of Peggy in her new office.
- Less obviousness. I thought the scene at the hospital where Pete visits his mistress was nicely acted, but too much exposition. This show has always been good about showing, not telling, but I think this season that's changed a bit. What saved the scene for me was how nicely it was written and how well Vincent Kartheiser and… that Gilmore Girl performed it. (I'm too lazy to look up her name, but I think she is one of the most beautiful people in the history of people. No wonder he's smitten.) Pete Campbell — what a year! On that note, electroshock therapy. Really? I know it was being done, but anytime a show, a book, or a movie resorts to amnesia subplots, I jump ship. Lazy writer's way out.
- Fewer Adam sightings, or at least more subtlety with them. The first few were affecting; the last, at the dentist's office, just seemed too weird. Or maybe it just didn't move me because the show already has gone down this road of Don's visions before. No new ground.
All in all, though, I disagree with the "nothing happened this episode" comments I've heard thrown around on Twitter. A lot of setup happened, maybe too much. "Change isn't good or bad; it just is," Don said once, but how much change can one man handle? How much guilt? "You had no right to fill a man like that with ambition," Lane's widow tells him. We don't get any indication beyond the unintelligible Adam Whitman sightings that her words are having any effect.
As with most things on this show, I suppose the lack of exploration is intentional, and we'll be paid off for our patience next season. Maybe it's meant to show that Don has shoved the recent events into the deep recesses of his mind where he shoves all bad things — toothache, anyone — but how long will that tactic work for him? We have Joan's stiff upper lip quivering until she finally breaks down for a minute in Don's office, but really, I hoped for more this episode about how Lane's associates are dealing with this.
One thing did clarify for me during this episode: Roger Sterling is too much a hedonist to leave this earthly life behind willingly. (I was among those worried last season that Lucky Strike, midlife crisis, etc. would prove too much for ol' Rog, and he'd take a dive off SCDP's tall tower.) When he lures Megan's mom to his hotel room, he comments about suicide: "You'd have to be so sure you were going someplace better. I think that place is here."
I don't have any speculation about what the (beautifully shot) closing scene of Don leaving Megan's shoot and winding up in a bar filled with beautiful women means, but I'm looking forward to Season 6. Overall, I thought this season was fantastic, but I'll admit I'd love if the next season was a little lighter. I'd love to be able to sleep again on Sunday nights!
Disagree with me in the comments, and if you want recaps that are always better than mine, I highly recommend NY Magazine's Vulture blog.
Edited to add: I would be remiss if I did not mention how much I enjoyed the closing song — and Roger's trip. 🙂


text:
After creating your account, please allow up to one full business day for your password to be activated and to gain access to our site.
If this is your first purchase from Capsmith, Inc. please click the "Continue." button to get started.
Forgot your password?
All prices are in USD.
Copyright 2018 Capsmith, Inc..
Sitemap |


text:
Uptown Theater
Uptown Theater is a historic downtown landmark that has been restored to its 1950's glory and serves as home for local productions by Grand Prairie Arts Council as well as regional and national touring acts including concerts, dance and theatrical performances.
The Theatre at Grand Prairie
The Theatre at Grand Prairie, former Verizon Theatre, the 6,350-seat live performance hall, hosts sell-out crowds to popular concerts, shows and events. Located 1/2 mile north of I-30 on Belt Line Road, Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie is one of the most technologically sophisticated indoor theaters in America. The venue hosts a wide range of shows from music concerts to comedy, magic, corporate events and more.
Local Movie Theaters
Cinemark Movies 16
220 East Westchester Pkwy.
Grand Prairie
Seventeen screens of the latest offerings from Hollywood.
The Grand Prairie Premiere Lux Cine & Pizza Pub
510 E. Westchester Parkway
Grand Prairie, TX 75052


text:
Monsters University Costumes Will Be Everywhere This Halloween
Who is Sulley?
He's a big guy with bright blue fur and purple polka dots. When both people and monsters first meet James P. Sullivan, he is a force to be reckoned with. He is a loyal friend who often goes out of his way to help Mike, who lacks a both organization and the world of the obvious. It is his naiveté that brings out the protective side of Sulley.
Originally the top scarer at Monsters, Inc., he changed his ways after falling for a little girl named Boo who snuck into his world. Monsters were taught that children were contagious, and that made them afraid of little ones and made them work even harder at scaring them for the energy they needed for their city. After spending time with Boo and seeing that she is not contagious nor anything to fear, Sulley realized that making children laugh, not scream and cry, was a much better way to live.
At the end of the original movie, Sulley uses children's laughter to power the city in which he lives, not their scares. And everyone is happier for it.
Monster's Inc. Outakes Featuring Sulley
An Amazing Mask!
Amazon Price: $9.80 Buy Now
(price as of Jun 22, 2016)
Who is Sulley?
When we meet Sulley in the prequel making it's debut June 21st, he is a younger and slimmer version of whom we saw in the original film. Even though he is slimmer, he still can scare anyone who first meets him simply because of his size.
Monsters University is the Sullivan family alma mater. Sulley thinks that because of his family legacy and his natural abilities to scare, he does not have to work as hard as his classmates. In fact, he likes to play more than he likes to study. This attitude jeopardizes his chance to get into the prestigious Scarer program that his family all graduated from. Will he be the first to not get into it because of his lackadaisical attitude? Or will he hunker down and finally do what he needs to be the top of his class?
The Sulley costume on the right is for younger children. This blue jumpsuit with purple polka dots has a detachable tail and a headpiece that permits children to see and breathe.
Sulley Costume for Girls
Amazon Price: $34.53 Buy Now
(price as of Jun 22, 2016)
Monsters University Sulley Costume for Adults
Both men and women can wear this!
Kids aren't the only ones who are fans of the movie! Adults who love Disney also get to dress as their favorite characters, as they have costumes made just for us. Why should kids have all of the fun?Credit: www.halloweenmall.com
This two piece costume comes with a plush shirt that you can wear alone or over another shirt if the area you live in is chilly during Halloween. The headpiece has two horns sticking out and permits you to see your little ones while still remaining in character.
Monsters University Sulley costumes will be a hit this trick or treat season. Pair up with your child who can be dressed as Mike and you will make an adorable duo!
Toddler Costumes Available for Little Ones
Amazon Price: $25.93 Buy Now
(price as of Jun 22, 2016)


text:
9 Seconds in Poland… (Part 2 of 2)
Editor's Note: This is the second installment in our coverage from Poland of the World's Fastest Audi S4. Please click here to read the first installment if you have not done so already.
Drag racing in Poland is a relatively recent phenomenon. With only one racetrack in useable condition in Poland, interest in road racing is relatively low. In the past those interested in cars and tuning typically gravitated towards illegal organized street races held in large cities such as Warsaw. Given the road and traffic conditions in Poland, this proved to be a relatively dangerous proposition. It could also turn out to be an expensive proposition as the result of frequent police intervention.
In 2003 one such group of street racers banded together to promote a safer (and legal) form of racing. This group led by Arek as the President and Michal as VP – called themselves
The SSS holds about six professionally sanctioned events each year on rented airstrips throughout Poland. These events attract more than 15,000 spectators and hundreds of competitors. For the equivalent of just a few dollars anyone with a street legal car can participate. Classes are broken down by engine size, drivetrain layout, and fuel type. At any given event spectators can expect to see something as brilliant as a massive turbo AWD equipped C3 Corvette running deep in the 9s to a Polish built Polonez taking more than 30 seconds to run the quarter mile.
Although the SSS organization is a great start for drag racing in Poland, the club is still in its early years and has a long ways to go before reaching its ultimate goals. For starters, the airstrips which are used for the races are in very rough shape by race track standards. The pavement is choppy and broken, making traction a coveted commodity. No VHT traction compound is used. As a result powerful 2wd cars, even when equipped with large racing slicks, cannot find traction at these venues. No 2wd car has ever run faster than 10 seconds in the SSS series. This is precisely why an AWD car like an S4 is crucial to success. The club has plans to build a dedicated racetrack which would be FIA approved to host many types of professional events. However, at a starting cost of over $1M US to do this correctly, the idea remains more of an aspiration than a reality right now.
The week prior to the Polish 1/4 mile championships we received word from Arek that his new motor setup had run very well on the MAHA dyno (approximately 1,000 hp all turbo with no nitrous assist), but was found to have a broken valve afterwards. As this was just a short time before the race weekend, the Kreator Mocy team elected to use their old motor setup with the new turbos. This lower reving engine (8,000 vs 10,000 RPM) had done them well for the first 5 races of the Polish season.
The new engine setup employs cylinder heads which have been converted to solid mechanical lifters. This means that not only are the new parts lighter, but the outgoing self adjusting Audi hydraulic lifter parts become unstable above 8,500 RPM, not a desireable behavior, so the benefit is twofold. The solid mechanical lifters ultimately will offer a higher rev range, but require a more finite adjustment to take up any wear tolerances throughout the valvetrain. This means the new system will have little room exactly what the broken valve had demonstrated to the team. These types of problems are to be expected for a team pushing an engine platform to performance levels never seen before, and Arek took the minor setback in stride.
Soon we find ourselves in Warsaw for the second time. Michal picks us up from the hotel at a very early 6:00 AM and we make our way to the airstrip on the outside of town. The first thing we notice upon entering the event grounds was the seemingly ridiculous amount of security present. Busload-upon-busload of SWAT team riot gear-equipped security officers were patrolling the event to ensure that everything would remain calm and under control.
This is Poland, says Michal with a shrug.
We had shown up early since Michal, being the clubs Vice President, had a considerable number of responsibilities to attend to through out the day. This gave us the opportunity to wander though the pits and crowd area at our own pace.
Slowly but surely, spectators and competitors begin to show up and fill the areas assigned to parking and pit areas. The wide spectrum of vehicles at the event was quite intriguing. As would be expected, the vast majority of cars were of European origin. American cars were fairly rare, while Audis were strongly represented. Two other B5 S4s were present in addition to Areks monster S4. A few highly modified Audi S2s were around, as well as an Audi 200 with a VW Touareg V10 biturbo diesel engine swapped in. Michal ran his own tuned A3 1.9 TDI turbo diesel to take in a few low 15 second timeslips. An interesting non-VAG car in attendance was a slick turbo/nitrous C3 Corvette which had taken on the AWD system from a GMC Typhoon/Syclone.
Although the pavement conditions leave much to be desired, the timing system for the series is top notch. A professional team is hired with a computerized TAG Heuer optical measurement system to manage timing from start to finish. Even though the intermediate splits and trap speeds are not measured, the start to finish times are undoubtedly accurate. Eventually, Michal would like to expand the timing system to measure 60 foot, 1/8th mile and trap speed measurements as are typically done in the US. Looking at past results, it becomes very clear that AWD is absolutely mandatory to run respectable times at this venue. A twin turbo C5 Z06 Corvette was seen later in the day spinning its DOT drag radials well past the half track point and netting a somewhat laughable 14 second timeslip.
Soon after we arrived, the serious cars started to show up on the back of trailers. This included Areks S4, the Corvette with a comically large pumpkin sized turbo and a handful of cars from the Polish tuner VTG aboard a semi truck. Areks car was quickly unloaded and one of his Kreator Mocy mechanics gave it a final check to make sure all was good to go. We immediately noticed a few changes which had been made to the car since our last encounter. Red painted Garrett T28RS turbos were no longer peeking out though the hood, but instead had been replaced with larger Precision Turbo PTB-300-5032 model turbochargers. The new turbos were residing underhood (partially!) and were completed by Tial external wastegates. The exhaust pipes for the wastegates were now pointed straight up and shot though the hood. We expect an absolutely exotic sound.
Luckily enough for us we are about to find out first hand. Although Arek had plenty of other official SSS club duties t hat day he took a few moments to give us a ride in his wicked S4. Actually he invited us to jump in for the cars shakedown run.
Jump in! Arek shouts, and dont worry about the seatbelt just hang on real tight.
At this point we know that the whole hold on real tight thing clearly goes without saying! With the old motor setup and lower ~8,000 RPM rev limit, the car was making in the neighborhood of 800 hp without the nitrous. Arek cleanly rolled the car out and short shifted 1st and 2nd gears. Once in 3rd and spinning about 3000 RPM on the tach, he finally punches it.
At first, not a whole lot seems to happen. The car accelerates somewhat briskly, but its quite obvious its longing to be a little further up in the rev range. A few short moments later, the tach is rounding 5,000 RPM and thats when the real fun begins.
At this point the unfiltered open turbos scream a violent shriek as the tachometer, boost gauge, and speedometer shoot though their ranges at roughly the same rate as our insides to the back of the seat. Holy Hannah! Mothers, secure your children. To be honest, riding in a car this fast is something one cannot prepare for. We knew it was going to be intense and we prepared our body for it, but it was still an overwhelming experience.
We can do nothing but hold on tight (as previously directed) and break into a smile. Instantly the turbos spooled with a bang as the four quattro-driven Hoosier slicks officially lose their battle to fully harness the power at hand. Our clenched cheeks can clearly feel the car crab slightly since complete traction is nowhere to be found on the weather beaten airstrip.
Traction problems at 100 mph? You bet!
Just after the tach is completely buried past 7,000 RPM, Arek slams the shifter home into 4th. Hes quick, so quick the large turbos dont have time to fall off of spool. A quick chirp proves the Hoosiers still arent up to the task at hand. 4th gear pulls just about as hard as 3rd though we finally get the feeling that the tires are hooking up.
By the time we are ready for 5th gear were past the end of the quarter mile trap area and going well over 140 mph. Arek grabs the stock brakes which do a respectable job of slowing the significantly lightened car down. Following a quick U-turn we blast back towards the starting line. The complete lack of sound insulation, large open exhaust piping, and open wastegates just a few feet in front of us equate to a tremendous sound that nearly matches the violence of the acceleration.
The performance is truly mind blowing. How fast? 0-60 mph comes in under 2 seconds. 100 mph flys by somewhere around 6 seconds. If all goes well, this S4 will trip the quarter mile traps at about 9.7 seconds at a speed over 145 mph. Arek is happy with the shakedown run as we pull back into the pits.
Pages: [1] [2]


text:
Monster 'enslaved his wife and disabled teen daughter for nine years in house of horrors where he fathered his own grandkids'
The suspect's daughter is now pregnant again after giving birth to two of his children
A DEPRAVED dad allegedly enslaved his wife and disabled 'sex slave' daughter for nine years inside his home where he fathered his own grandchildren.
In a gruesome case which bears a striking resemblance to that of Josef Fritzl's house of horrors in Austria, Miguel Ubaldo Reynoso, 55, has been arrested by cops in Argentina.
The suspect is believed to be the father of his own grandchildren aged 11 and five after repeatedly raping his disabled daughter Joana, now 25.
Brave Joana is reportedly pregnant with her third child after being rescued for the living nightmare.
Reynoso's alleged crimes were discovered when his son Brian Reynoso, 24, visited the house in the town of Canuelas in eastern Buenos Aires.
Finding the home locked but with his mother and other relatives inside, he broke down the door and rescued them.
His father was arrested in the nearby city of Florencio Varela, where he fled after his dark secret was uncovered.
The suspect's wife Marcela Alejandra de Este told police of the horror she had suffered for almost a decade.
She said the ordeal began nine years ago when she reported her husband for sexually abusing their vulnerable daughter Joana, then aged 16.
The eldest grandchild is aged 11 which would suggest that the sexual abuse started at least two years before Joana and her mother were taken captive in the home.
Marcela added that the incarcerated family had only been allowed a tin to use as a toilet and had been threatened with death if they told neighbours or relatives about their terrifying ordeal.
After the rescue, Joana was rushed to hospital due to pains in her abdomen and later learned that she is once again pregnant.
The nature of her disability has not been reported.
Marcela told police that her daughter said to her some months ago that her father had raped her in a bathroom.
Miguel Ubaldo Reynoso has been charged with offences including kidnapping and coercion. The investigation is ongoing.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at firstname.lastname@example.com or call 0207 782 4368


text:
Firm Overview
At PIONEER Construction, Inc. clients are treated to a unique partnership approach and are rewarded with a company that is committed to providing the experience, expertise and resources to ensure quality construction projects on schedule and within budget every time.
From the beginning, PIONEER has developed a reputation for dealing fairly and getting the job done right. Our skilled craftsmen and experienced team of professionals promise with each project to ensure client satisfaction through honesty and service after the sale.
PIONEER uses all available resources to provide our clients with a quality, professional product that they can be proud of. Our focus is customer satisfaction, and our ability to self-perform work during each project allows us to achieve this goal.
PIONEER utilizes state of the art technology to assist our estimators and project managers. This programming allows our team to seamlessly estimate, schedule and bill each project in an efficient and accurate manner.
From health care facilities to financial institutions, to manufacturing plants, PIONEER has the construction expertise to successfully complete any project. Include the highest financial and bonding credentials available and PIONEER is positioned to deliver all of the industry resources necessary for a successful construction project.
PIONEER is a locally owned small business committed to supporting WMBE firms in the Savannah area through sub-contractor and supplier opportunities.
PIONEER Construction…A Unique Approach to Building.


text:
Typically I do Monthly Favorites posts but since I'm struggling with blogging lately I'm keeping this incredible short. However I may change it so all my Monthly Favorites are like this, more of a list rather than a lengthy explanation for things. Anyways here are my latest obsessions:
-Cinema Sins
-YouTube in general
-Wholly Guacamole
-Bejeweled Blitz (you guys, it's a literal addiction)
-Not being sick, because currently I am
-Really Don't Care by Demi Lovato
-Demi Lovato in general
-I finished the Divergent series and I can't decide what to say about it... but I want to see the move again
-Catching Fire, just want to see it again!!!
-Taking baths or showers in the middle of the day
-Doing nothing the rest of the day
-Writing in my book
-Family Guy, sigh, I have a problem
-Lying out by my apartment pool
-Eating dried fruits
-Putting my hair in a bun... every day.
-Bumblebee from Transformers (honestly I have a crush on him, it's totally not weird...)
-But not the new Transformers movie
-Texas thunderstorms (seriously, they are awesome and frequent)
-Getting too excited for the Forth of July even though I have to work (See below)
-Getting even more excited my family is coming to visit me in Texas!!!!
-Chris and I are now primary workers?
-Making money (which sounds petty but honestly we were really struggling before this)
-Sunshine and summertime!!
-Working on my beach body... and failing and eating donuts
*About working on the Forth of July: I think it's wrong for things to be open on our Independence Day. We close everything for Christmas but we can't do it for the Forth of July? Jesus's birthday, yes, that's totally understandable. But America's birthday, where we gained independence to become a wonderful country that gives us so many opportunities... who cares leave everything open, make it seem like a normal day that isn't actually important in any way. I think everything should be closed on Independence Day, except of course the necessities. Just have fairs and celebrations, make it one big party!! Exploiting Independence Day for sales is awful. I know I'm being kind of weird but I just generally hate the fact that America doesn't respect itself enough to make Independence Day more important. It seems to me like it should be much more important.


text:
Motorworks Clean Vehicles, Inc. adds Vantage Vehicles to its Clean Vehicle Line
Motorworks Clean Vehicles, Inc. is now offering additional alternate fuel solutions for low speed light duty fleets.
Motorworks Clean Vehicles, Inc. in Amityville, Long Island, New York has added the Vantage Vehicle Group to its popular lines of Zero and Low Emission Cars and Trucks. Gary Birke, the President of M.C.V. states "We are pleased and excited about offering the Vantage line of vehicles. The ability to offer E85/Flex Fuel pickup trucks, cargo and passenger vans will help us offer more solutions to our fleet customers who may need additional range and frequent air conditioning on some of their vehicles. The pickup trucks and vans are also available in All Electric with advanced design AC motor technology. Our fleet customers are excited to be offered flexibilty in alternate fuel powertrains."


text:
New Territories 2010
- The List
- 10 February 2010
The cutting edge dance and performance festival returns to Glasgow for its tenth outing. This year's programme of specially commissioned work by international artists includes premieres of work by Australian performance installation artist Fleur Elise Noble (pictured) and Slovenian contemporary arts project Via Negativa, while returning artists include French performer Catherine Diverres and Japan's Hiroaki Umeda, whose dance is influenced by digital and electronic material. A vocal sonics programme features Simon Thorne Music and Melanie Pappenheim with Rebecca Askew.
For full details and listings see www.newmoves.co.uk
Various venues, Glasgow, Tue 2–Sun 21 Mar.


text:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MS, Chemical Engineering, 2000
Thesis: Fabrication of a Tethered Epidermal Growth Factor Tissue Culture Substrate and an Analysis of its Effects on Mammalian Cells
Wayne State University
BS, Chemical Engineering, 1996
Associate Teaching Professor in Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley (2013-present)
Courses include:
• Cell Biology Laboratory for Engineers
• Biological Mass Transfer Phenomena
• Biomechanics
• Ethical and Social Challenges in Translational Medicine
• Introduction to Signal Transduction Kinetics
• Introduction to Biomedical Engineering
• Introduction to Bioengineering
• Professional Development for Bioengineering Graduate Students
Lecturer in Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley (2001 – 2013)
iGEM advisor, University of California, Berkeley (2008 - 2013)
Advisor for UC Berkeley's International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) program.
Lecturer in Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (August 2000 - January 2001)
Taught the course Introduction to Computer Methods.
Engineer and Engineering Intern, Engineering Labs, Inc. (September 1996 – September 2001)
Research engineer on various projects, including automotive plant utilities modeling, novel food preservation, and ballast water electroporation treatment.
Anne Mayes, Linda Griffith, Darrell Irvine, Pallab Banerjee, and Terry Johnson, "Comb Copolymers for Regulating Cell-Surface Interactions," Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Patent US Serial No. 60/081,596.
Robert Chen, Harneet S. Rishi Vladimir Potapov, Masaki R. Yamada, Vincent J. Yeh, Thomas Chow, Celia L. Cheung, Austin T. Jones, Terry D. Johnson, Amy E. Keating, William C. DeLoache, and John E. Dueber, A Barcoding Strategy Enabling Higher-Throughput Library Screening by Microscopy, ACS Synthetic Biology, 2015.
Kyle Kurpinski, Terry Johnson, Sanjay Kumar, Tejal Desai and Song Li. Mastering Translational Medicine: Interdisciplinary Education for a New Generation. Science Translational Medicine, 2014.
Mimi Y. Zhang, Philip J. Lee, Paul J. Hung, Terry Johnson, Luke P. Lee and Mohammed R. K. Mofrad. Microfluidic environment for high density hepatocyte culture. Biomedical microdevices, 2007.
C. Scott Swindle, Kien T. Tran, Terry D. Johnson, Pallab Banerjee, Anne M. Mayes, Linda Griffith and Alan Wells. Epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like repeats of human tenascin-C as ligands for EGF receptor. JCB, 2001.
Terry Johnson, Darrell Irvine, Anne Mayes, Alan Wells, and Linda Griffith, "Tethered Ligands in Tissue Engineering and Cell Biology," presented at the American Institute of Chemical Engineering 1999 Annual Meeting, Dallas, Texas.
Terry Johnson, Darrell Irvine, Anne Mayes, Alan Wells, and Linda Griffith, "Stimulation of Neural Differentiation with Tethered Epidermal Growth Factor," presented at the American Society for Cell Biology 1999 Annual Meeting, Washington, DC.
How to Defeat Your Own Clone: And Other Tips for Surviving the Biotech Revolution, Kyle Kurpinski and Terry Johnson, Bantam, 2010
Ask a Biogeek column, io9.com, 2008
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab affiliate (2012-present)
Synberc Affiliated Investigator (2013-2016)
SERVICE (continuing)
Vice Chair for Undergraduate Programs (2015 - present)
Committee on Courses of Instruction (COCI) committee member (2018-present)
BioEngineering Scholars' Program (BioESP, formerly BEGROw) faculty advisor (2014-present)
ChemEd working group (2014-present)
Regents' and Chancellor's Scholarship Interviewer (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018)
Pioneers in Engineering judge (2011-present)
Liaison to the Bioengineering Honor Society and the Biomedical Engineering Society (2009-present)
Head undergraduate advisor (2010-present) and undergraduate faculty advisor (2008-present)
Undergraduate transfer admissions committee (2011-present)
Undergraduate Awards committee (2011-present, as chair, 2015-present)
Bioengineering undergraduate curriculum committee member (2007-present)
SERVICE (completed)
Graduate Council's Advisory Committee for GSI Affairs (2016-2017)
Special Faculty Advisor to the UC Berkeley Center for Teaching and Learning (2014-2016)
iGEM executive judging committee (2015), judging committee (2013-2014), North American region head judge (2013), and judge (2011 - 2014)
NSF Multi-Site Public Engagement with Science - Synthetic Biology - Building with Biology advisory committee (2015)
Masters of Translational Medicine (MTM) program founding co-director (2010), academic advisor (2010-2015), and project selection committee (2010-2015)
Bioengineering Masters admissions committee (2010-2015)
Masters of Engineering (MEng) academic advisor (2011-2015)
Jacobs Design Curriculum ad hoc committee (2014)
Berkeley Big Ideas judge (2011-2014)
Berkeley Engineering Initiative faculty advisor (2013, 2012)
Graduate affairs committee (2012)
BioChIP REU program engineering advisor (2012, 2011)
Advisor and co-lead for the undergraduate FUBEC II bioengineering program improvement committee (2009)
Associate editor at the Journal of Visualized Experiments (2008)
UC Berkeley Distinguished Teaching Award (2013)
Golden Apple Award for Outstanding Teaching (2010)
Lecturer Teaching Fellow (2013/14, 2009/10)
iGEM Judge's Award (2013)
Minner Fellow (2013)
Synthetic Biology Engineering Research Center (SynBERC) Science Education Leadership award (2011)
Tau Beta Pi Outstanding Instructor of the Year (2011)
Tau Beta Pi Eminent Engineer (2011)
Bioengineering Honor Society Outstanding Faculty (Spring 2011, Fall 2009, Spring 2008)
Lecturer's professional development award recipient (2003)
Edward R. Merrill Distinguished Teaching Award (1999)
INVITED TALKS, PANELS, AND OUTREACH (*scheduled)
Chi Omega faculty dinner (Mar 2016)
Silicon Valley Comic-con Science of Science Fiction panel (Mar 2016)
Society of Women Engineers mini-university (Mar 2016)
STEM career lunch talks at Berkeley City College (Mar 2016)
Society of Women Engineers mini-university (Nov 2015)
Professor Passtimes with TBP (Nov 2015)
National Student Leadership Conference talks (July, August 2015)
Nerd Nite Silicon Valley premiere speaker (June 2015)
How to Give a Scientific Presentation" for Cloyne (April 2015)
NOVUM invited talk (Aprll 2015)
Regents' Overnight Host Program (ROHP) invited (March 2015)
Thriving in Science invited talk - "Lies, Damned Lies, and Academic Narratives" (Feburary 2015)
Nerd Nite SF invited talk (Feburary 2015)
California Academy of Science - NightLife speaker (October 2014)
BAHFest West 2014 (October 2014)
Reddit AMA on Synthetic Biology (October 2014)
Berkeley D-lab workshop on Inclusive STEM Classrooms (September 2014)
BioBuilder workshop speaker (July 2014)
National Student Leadership Conference Biotech program invited speaker (2014, 2015)
Cal Alumni nature cruise faculty speaker (July 2014)
UC Berkeley New Parent reception host (June 2014)
Leonardo Art Science Evenings (LASER) invited talk - "Synthetic biology: teaching old cells new tricks" (May 2014)
Wondercon talk - "Science in Science Fiction" (2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010)
Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) invited talk (April 2014)
Society of Women Engineers New Admits engineering lecturer (April 2014)
Synthetic Biology Leadership Excellence Accelerator Program (LEAP) steering meeting participant (March 2014)
Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) invited speaker (Spring 2014)
Stem Cell and Society DeCal invited speaker (Spring 2014)
RCSA Overnight Host program speaker (Spring 2014)
California Academy of Sciences Nightlife invited speaker (October 2013)
Pioneers in Engineering PiE Prep Day invited speaker (Fall 2013, Fall 2012)
Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) invited talk (Fall 2013)
Berkeley Engineers and Mentors (BEAM) keynote speaker (Fall 2013, Fall 2012, Fall 2011, Spring 2011, Fall 2010)
Fall Teaching Conference plenary talk (August 2013)
Nerd Nite East Bay talk (May 2013)
Piedmont High School biotech course - guest lecture (May 2013)
Society of Women Engineers New Admits keynote speaker (April 2013)
Society of Women Engineers mini-university keynote speaker (April 2013)
Tau Beta Pi Engineering Day keynote speaker (Spring 2013)
Let's Have an Awesome Time Doing Science invited speaker (April 2013)
Pioneers in Engineering keynote (March 2013)
ISPE talk - "How to prepare and present a scientific poster" (February 2013)
Brilliant!Science: Decoding Human Health - California Academy of Sciences/Gladstone Institutes invited talk (January 2013)
Science and Entertainment Exchange consultant - Zero Hour (2012)
Nerd Nite SF talk (November 2012)
Tau Beta Pi Engineering Day keynote speaker (Fall 2012)
Asian Pacific American Medical School Association (APAMSA) annual meeting invited speaker (Fall 2012)
SynBERC retreat Teaching and Workforce Needs panelist (Fall 2012)
Regents' and Chancellor's Scholarship Association 7th Annual Inter-UC Conference invited speaker (Spring 2012)
Writers with Drinks reading (May 2012)
Society of Women Engineers mini-university invited speaker (Spring 2012)
Mission and Tenth V3 invited essayist and panelist (March 2012)
Tau Beta Pi undergraduate research panelist (Spring 2012, Fall 2011)
Upward Bound keynote speaker (Spring 2012, Fall 2011)
Biomedical Engineering Society fall reception keynote speaker (Fall 2011)
Tau Beta Pi advice for graduate school panelist (Fall 2011, Spring 2011, Fall 2010)
CUIR undergraduate research panelist (Fall 2011)
Haas Scholars talk - "Presenting Scientific Results" (Fall 2011)
Science@Cal invited talk "Synthetic Biology: Beating the Cell at its Own Game" (June 2011)
UC Berkeley Rube Goldberg competition guest judge (2011)
Engineering 4 Kids day invited speaker (Spring 2011)
Cal NERDS talk - "On the Process of Becoming a Great Scientist" (Spring 2011)
Biomedical Engineering Society grad school/fellowship talk (Spring 2011, Fall 2010, Fall 2009)
Biomedical Engineering Society rush week talk (Fall 2010)
Biomedical Engineering Society general meeting invited speaker (2010, 2008, 2009)
Bioengineering Honor Society banquet speaker (Fall 2007)


text:
Free NZ delivery on orders over $100*
We welcome enquiries from retail outlets who may be interested in stocking Devonport Chocolates products.
Thank you for signing up to our newsletter
Looking for the trade login?
Your password has been reset, please check your email inbox.
Your account has been created!