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Erik pulled the Range Rover up to the valet stand and reached over to undo Melissa's seatbelt. She took a deep breath to steady herself as the valet opened her door. With a cool smile, she turned in her seat toward him. As she had fully expected, her cape gaped open, flashing him a clear view of her naked body underneath. She only wore high heels and a careful binding of thick, soft, black rope around her torso. The rope bound her arms behind her, although Erik had thankfully only tied those knots moments ago when he had stopped just around the corner. She was grateful because she was fairly certain that she couldn't have tolerated driving all the way into the city with her arms strapped behind her. Her shoulders and ribs were already too sore and bruised from today.
When the valet realized that she didn't have the use of her arms, he reached it to steady her as she stepped out. He clearly had some experience doing this before.
She made it to standing upright on the sidewalk without any stumbles. By that time, Erik had joined them. He took the ticket stub from the valet and thanked him. Turning to Melissa, Erik adjusted the thin fabric of the cape, so it fell closed once again in the front. Melissa thought his concern for her modesty was somewhat misplaced since the sheer black silk chiffon was ludicrously transparent in any case, but she was glad for at least the figment of modesty while standing out in front of the club.
Reaching behind her with one arm, Erik casually grasped her crossed arms through the back of her cape to steady her, then waved her forward with his free hand. Together, they walked inside.
Richard, the mâitre d', greeted them with a warm smile. "Master Erik, Slave Melissa, how wonderful to see you again."
Erik replied, "Always a pleasure to be here again."
"Master Michael and Slave Deborah just arrived a few minutes ago. I believe they are in the courtyard, looking at the maker's faire exhibits."
Erik was momentarily surprised. "I had completely forgotten that you're hosting the kink faire this weekend. Is everyone already set up?"
"Thursday night has become something of a Members Preview night, so almost all of the vendors are set up."
"Excellent, we'll join Master Michael and Deborah there first, before going to our table."
"Certainly sir. May I lead the way?"
"No need, Richard, but thank you."
"Certainly sir. May I take the young lady's wrap?"
"No, sometimes it's a bit cooler in the dining room… but perhaps I should turn it back while we're in the exhibit space." Erik lifted the black silk away from her front, sweeping both sides of her cape back to rest on her shoulders. The thin fabric draped nearly to the floor behind her, leaving her completely exposed from the front.
She had gotten to the point where being naked in front of strangers didn't bother her as much as it had at first, but she was very self-conscious about the thick black rope looping under her crotch, where the rope had pulled up between her labia. Even though Erik hadn't tightened the rope excessively, the pressure the rope exerted on her clitoris was very enjoyable. The public nature of her stimulation, however, was embarrassing. She found herself glad her arms were bound behind her. The bindings made it obvious that she couldn't do anything about how she was being displayed.
Erik guided her down the carpeted hall that she remembered from her first evening with him. They paused for a moment at the French doors opening onto the two-story courtyard with the faux night sky ceiling. All of the small wrought iron tables and chairs that had been in the courtyard during her first visit were gone, replaced by rows of rectangular folding tables covered in black draping. A smattering of guests wandered around, examining a wide variety of goods displayed on the tables. Vendors stood beside or behind their wares, answering questions and demonstrating items. A few tables were still bare or were being set-up by late-arriving vendors. Across the room, Melissa saw Michael and Deborah. Melissa choked back a laugh when she realized that Erik and Michael had conspired on plans for the evening. Deborah was bound with her arms behind her, using the same thick black rope. Melissa wasn't sure, but it looked as though the rope was looped and tied the same way across Deborah's body as her own. Deborah also wore a cape, with the front open and swept back across her shoulders, except her cape was made of a shimmering gold material. Her high-heeled sandals were gold as well.
Melissa thought Deborah made a more striking appearance than she did. The shimmering gold cape framed her dark hair and duskier Mediterranean skin tone. Melissa wasn't sure if the other woman's beauty made her jealous or horny, but she certainly felt a pang of something.
Erik guided her forward, toward the other couple. As they walked, Melissa could feel a fresh warm wetness on the rope between her legs. She smirked to herself about how her question of 'jealousy or arousal' had been answered so quickly.
Michael and Deborah noticed their approach and came across the room to meet. Both men were dressed in beautifully tailored, European-cut business suits. Seeing them together, Melissa realized their suits were also part of the night's costumes. Erik didn't wear suits often, but when he did, his tailoring was more American or British. Tonight, the men looked as though they had stepped out of a French movie. Melissa chuckled quietly, thinking she and Deborah were actresses in the same French movie, perhaps a remake of The Story of O.
Deborah surprised Melissa by gracefully descending to her knees on the tiled floor, then bowing toward Erik, saying only, "Master."
Melissa moved to kneel as well, although she hesitated, worried about losing her balance with her arms tied behind her. She felt Erik surreptitiously steadying her, which gave her the confidence to gracefully complete her kneeling pose. Matching Deborah, she bowed to Michael and said, "Master."
Michael raised an eyebrow toward Erik, who returned a small shrug. Both men shook hands and exchanged greetings. Stepping back, Erik reached down to help Melissa regain her feet. Michael started to offer Deborah a hand, but she rose smoothly to her feet without assistance.
Michael shook his head fractionally, a little bemused, then turned to talk with Erik about the latest twists and turns in the Sunstone situation. Melissa turned to Deborah to say hello but found the other woman staring blankly into the distance, as if she was devoid of free will or intelligence.
Uncertain what the protocol was for the evening, Melissa adopted a pose mirroring Deborah's.
The men noticed the women's silence and paused their conversation, turning to look at them. Michael nodded his head toward Deborah and told Erik, "Somebody was all pissy about having to leave work on time today. I don't know if she's being all SAMmy, or if she's suddenly taken an interest in high protocol."
Erik replied, "Well, we did dress for the whole Continental high protocol thing, so we could give her the benefit of the doubt."
Something about Erik's tone set warning bells off for Melissa, but Michael interrupted her thoughts by telling Deborah, "You may greet your friend and speak quietly with each other."
Deborah nodded a bow, "Thank you, Master." Then she stepped forward, pressing her naked body against Melissa's. Melissa looked down in surprise just as Deborah tilted her head up and kissed Melissa full on the lips. To Melissa's continued surprise, the kiss was not brief. Instead, Deborah pressed her tongue into Melissa's mouth, passionately kissing.
Melissa was confused. The situation seemed to be the sort of play-acting that was part of a 'scene,' and normally she would go along with it, but something didn't feel right. Uncertain, she didn't break away from Deborah's kiss, but she also didn't return it with the same ardor.
Michael pulled Deborah back, breaking her connection to Melissa. "Alright," he said, "I think we get the idea."
"But Master," Deborah cooed, "I thought you liked watching me make out with beautiful women."
Melissa winced internally at the mocking tone that underlay Deborah's words. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a quick grimace twitch the corners of Erik's mouth before he repressed it.
Michael looked off in the distance, unhappily, before abruptly turning on his heel and walking over to a vendor's table. Deborah returned to her blank stare.
Melissa glanced at Erik, puzzled. He gave her a small shake of his head, signaling her not to do anything for the moment.
Looking back at Michael, she could see he was buying a nasty-looking, thin whip. He handed the vendor some money and walked back, without waiting for change.
When he reached them, Michael grasped Deborah's bound arms from behind and firmly guided her over to an empty table. Erik and Melissa followed unenthusiastically.
In a low voice, Michael told Deborah, "You know I can't stand a SAM. Erik has even less tolerance. Why you decided to pull this shit here and now, I don't know. But what I am sure of is that you have a choice. Bend over and it's done. Or leave, and we're done, completely, done.
Deborah's looked down at the whip he was holding, and her eyes flashed rage.
Michael faced her impassively. He simply said, "Your choice. A half dozen."
Melissa could see the struggle in her friend's face. Melissa wanted to step forward and say something to make things right, but she didn't fully understand the dynamics of what was happening or what she could do. All she knew for certain is that Deborah hated being spanked or whipped, and the whip in Michael's hand looked particularly cruel.
Before Melissa could figure out what to do, Deborah visibly wilted and turned to lean across the table. Michael lifted her golden cape out of the way, then slashed the whip across Deborah's rear, without any warm-up. Deborah jerked and gasped. The impact of the whip raised an immediate red welt.
As Michael drew his arm back, Melissa looked wide eyed at Erik, pleading silently for him to do something. His face was edged in grim unhappiness, but he did nothing.
After the second stroke, tears began streaming from Deborah's eyes. She started quietly sobbing. Melissa looked around the room. Nearly everyone was watching, impassively.
After two more strokes, a thin keening came from Deborah's mouth. Melissa resolved to push forward and stop the punishment. Before she could move, however, Erik caught Michael's arm as it came back. Michael pushed back against Erik, but the younger man's grip was firm.
Erik said quietly, "You taught me to never, ever, top when you're angry. Remember?"
With a frustrated shake, Michael pulled back from Erik's grip, staring angrily at him. After a long moment, punctuated only by Deborah's quite sobs, Michael gathered greater control of himself. He turned the whip over to Erik, "Two more."
Melissa watched, appalled, as Erik stepped toward Deborah, his lips compressed into a thin, hard line, but his face otherwise a mask. He drew his arm back, then flicked the whip forward. It cracked against Deborah's marked buttocks, leaving another thin red line, only slightly less intense than the previous four.
Melissa closed her eyes, trying to shut out the scene. Her heart ached as the final swish of the whip ended in a crack.
Opening her eyes again, she saw Michael reach down to free Deborah's arms, then help her stand. She was still sobbing quietly. Michael held out his arms to offer an embrace. Without hesitation, Deborah leaned forward into him, laying her wet face against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her.
Erik gestured to Melissa that they should walk away. After a moment's hesitation, Melissa followed his lead. Once they got far enough away not to be easily overheard, Melissa asked in a furious whisper, "What the hell was that?"
Erik sighed, "Not good."
"No shit!"
"Deborah wanted to stay at work tonight. The BoJ is going to make an announcement that could screw with the Yen rates, but Michael leaned on her to come. She was pissed… and in full smart assed masochist mode."
Erik gestured at the other people in the room, then explained, "She deliberately embarrassed him in front of everyone. He… hates that, and she knows it."
"So he fucking whipped her? And you helped him? That wasn't some sort of playtime whipping. That was just plain mean."
"Mel, everyone lives their life differently. Michael and Deborah, these are their rules, and she accepts them. She could have safe-worded out."
"Yeah, except he threatened to end their relationship. Like that's fucking fair!"
"Please… please be careful about judging. Many doms and subs have relationships like this, where the dom is expected to punish the sub for misbehavior. This is something that Michael and Deborah negotiated at the beginning of their relationship."
Melissa stepped back from Erik, shocked. "You're excusing that? You believe that's okay too? That you have the right to punish me?"
Erik shook his head. "No. If you do something I don't like, we'll talk about it. I don't believe that being a dom gives me any right to punish you like that… and that's a hard line for me. But you also need to understand, that's not necessarily how other doms behave. Or what other subs expect."
"That's sick!"
"Mel, the first rule of living in this world," he gestured around the room again, "is not being judgmental. People choose to live their lives all sorts of ways. Lots of people out there," he gestured toward the street, "would say that what you like is sick."
"Yeah, well sometimes I'd agree with them."
"This rocked you hard, huh?"
"Yeah, it's just… wrong."
"I wasn't happy with how it all unfolded either."
"So how come you finished off whipping her? That was pretty damn cold."
"I stopped Michael from finishing, so by his rules… by the rules he and Deborah agreed to, that meant I had to finish her punishment. It's… it's like what I do in business. Sometimes, I have to be cold."
"You mean, sometimes you have to be a psychopath?"
"Hey, I'm not a psychopath. I'm a high-functioning sociopath."
"Say what?"
He smiled, "It's an old joke. It was a quote from a BBC show about Sherlock Holmes."
She shook her head, relaxing a little. "You're weird."
He chuckled, "That too."
Looking around, they both stiffened a little as they saw Michael and Deborah walking over to them. The two of them looked worn out. Deborah twisted a darkened handkerchief in her hands. She had used it to wipe tear-streaked makeup from her cheeks.
Michael said, "We're going to go back to my place. I'm very sorry about tonight."
While Erik reassured him that it wasn't a problem, Melissa caught Deborah's eye and asked, "Are you okay?"
Deborah nodded. "I'm really sorry for screwing up."
Melissa moved closer to Deborah and whispered, "Are you sure you want to go home with him?"
Deborah looked up at Melissa, startled. "He's my Master."
After an awkward moment, Melissa was able to give her a reassuring nod, and then Michael and Deborah left.
Once they disappeared through the French doors and down the hallway, Melissa blew out the breath she had been holding. "God, that's… I don't know what it is, but I don't like it."
Erik nodded. "It's part of the reason why she and I aren't together anymore."
Melissa shot him a perplexed look.
He explained, "She'd do stuff like that, to provoke me. I guess… sometimes, she wants a man who'll 'put her in her place.' Hell, I don't know… but whatever it is, it's a game I just don't want to play."
Melissa was silent for a while, before responding, "That's good. Me neither."
Erik nodded his agreement, then looked down at the whip in his hand.
Melissa asked, "Ah, can we throw that out?"
Erik frowned, "It's a hand plaited, kangaroo-hide single tail, made by Don Burgoo. Throwing it out would be… a sacrilege."
"Strongest leather in the world."
"Hippity, hoppity, cute little kangaroos?"
"They're not really all that smart, or cute. It's all the editing in the videos."
"Okayyy. Just don't use that thing on me."
"Ah, is my duly appointed sex slave telling me what I can and can't do?"
"In this case, damned straight."
Erik snorted, bemused. "I suppose I should respect that hard line from you." In a more serious tone of voice, he asked, "You do know that you can set hard lines, right? Make them clear and I will absolutely respect them. Every dom should. It's part of the safe, sane, consensual thing."
She nodded.
He continued, "When doms and subs get together in a relationship, or even just for play, there's always a careful negotiation beforehand, about what each one likes, doesn't like, and where their hard lines are drawn. I know we didn't do that, but this is all new for you, so I've tried to feel our way through our mutual kinks very carefully."
He nodded toward the door where Michael and Deborah had just left, "I wasn't kidding about them negotiating his right to punish her like that. Michael really hates SAMmy subs, and Deborah has that tendency, when she gets angry – sort of a passive-aggressive thing."
He paused, shaking his head sadly, "Some doms and subs love the whole smart assed masochist thing. The sub plays a brat, who has to constantly be punished. You and I even joke around like that sometimes. But when Deborah gets in her pissy mood, she puts a real 'fuck you' anger in her brattiness, which slams into one on Michael's biggest hot buttons. His ex-wife was horribly passive-aggressive. She tormented him for years about his kink… about everything… about anything. So, SAM behavior really sends him over an edge."
"SAM means smart assed masochist, right?"
"Yeah, I'm sorry. Inside baseball."
She snorted, "I've never seen you watch sports."
"Yeah, it's a lack of time and interest. Plus, I have other hobbies."
"So I've noticed, Master."
"See, you didn't completely forget protocol."
"Well, Master, it is difficult to forget, when I'm standing here all tied up and naked."
"Naked? That's a perfectly serviceable cape."
"Yes, Master." Melissa curtseyed. The rope running past her clitoris unexpectedly slid back and forth as she did. She struggled to hide her shudder.
Erik gave her a sly grin, then added, "To be serious for a moment, are you okay with the whole thing that happened here?"
"Not really 'okay with it,' but I understand it better. As long as it's not something you'd ever do, I guess… I'll live with it. The whole thing still feels ugly, though."
"It was ugly. I agree. Although, to tell the truth, what I did in the shower the other morning was a much worse screw-up, and I really am extraordinarily sorry. Unlike tonight, where what happened was something that Deborah had agreed to beforehand, in the shower I was just being an asshole – an abusive asshole. I was very angry with myself later on, and I never really adequately apologized. I'm sorry."
"Ah, okay. I'm not sure what to say, but thank you for apologizing."
"So, sorry for making tonight such a downer. I had such wonderful plans."
She commiserated, "Alas, a dom thwarted. His careful plans in ruins all around him. But – he still has his dutiful slave, naked and tied, eager to do his bidding. So all is not lost." She gave him an encouraging smile.
He laughed, the accumulated weight of the evening seeming to slide off him. Cupping her face in his hands, he said, "See, that's why I love you so."
He gave her a quick kiss, then straightened up to look around. "Anyway, I am hungry, but we can look around a little more before going into the dining room."
She stood silently for a moment, desperate to ask him what he meant by 'I love you.' His tone felt far too casual to mean a 'forever and ever' love, but that didn't stop her heart from pounding. She struggled for words, before finally answering, "Yes Master, I would like that."
They walked together over to a nearby table. The woman vendor's strange clothing and heavy makeup reminded Melissa of goth girls back in high school, but Melissa was startled when the she smiled at them, revealing an incredibly realistic set of vampire incisors. Erik simply nodded and smiled back, then looked down at her table, to inspect her merchandise. Melissa steeled herself to act more casually and joined Erik in looking at the goods arrayed on the table.
Unsurprisingly, all of her offerings were related to vampire lore in one way or another. Erik complemented her, "Beautiful craftsmanship." Then he asked, "Nothing Lycan?"
She snorted in disgust and pointed at a collection of fur pieces painted with a brownish red edging to look like dried blood, "Their pelts. Otherwise," she turned to glare across the room, "ask Marcus."
Melissa followed her glance and saw a middle aged male vendor, dressed in black leathers. When he saw the female vampire looking his way, he bared his teeth back at her, revealing wolf-like canines. Looking closer, Melissa realized he was very hirsute, so much so that she wondered if some of his 'fur' was fake.
Erik said, "No, the pelts are quite impressive." He looked to Melissa to verify she was ready to move on, then turned back to the vendor to say, "Good hunting."
She replied, "Thank you, Master," as they walked away.
Once they got out of earshot, Melissa asked quietly, "Oh my God, did she file down her teeth?"
Erik answered her in a low voice, "Some sort of custom dentistry. It looks permanent."
"Wow, that's just… a little hardcore."
"I bet she startles people when she smiles out on the street."
"Yeah, well, she's a goth. She doesn't smile."
"Ouch, that was a bit catty."
"Meow. Phewt, phewt."
"So I guess you're not into vampire stuff?"
"Not really. Certainly not enough to get dental implants or whatever the hell that was. Uh… how about you?"
"Nope. Never been a big draw."
Melissa released some breath that she had been holding, "Okay, that's good."
He looked around. "This is a great opportunity to check out what else might stir your loins."
Melissa began to repeat incredulously, "Stir my…" but when Erik shot her a warning look, she quickly shifted to, "Yes, Master. Absolutely, Master. Stir away. No need for you to worry about any purple glowing things, not when there are so many other loin-stirring opportunities all around."
He smiled, "Wonderful, glad you agree." He waved her over to a different table, surrounded by racks of clothing. "For instance, what do you think of these?"
They walked over, and he nodded to the vendor. After studying the clothing options for a moment, he reached in and pulled out a French maid uniform on a hanger from one rack. After inspecting it for a moment, he held it up to her appraisingly. Since Melissa's arms were still bound behind her, she simply stood still while he considered the outfit.
He set it down on the vendor's table and asked her, "What do you think of it?"
"As my Master wishes, but I believe I already have something similar to it in my closet."
Erik snapped his fingers, "That's right, I already got you a perfectly wonderful French maid uniform, and you haven't even worn it yet. When we get back, we must remedy that, right away."
"Yes, Master."
"That's what I like, enthusiasm."
"Uh, yes, Master!" Melissa said more energetically.
"Capital!" Erik went back to studying the clothing selection. He reached in again and pulled out a Victorian gown. Holding it up in consideration, he said, "Now, I know you don't have anything like this in your closet."
"Yes, Master, but doesn't it provide rather more coverage than is your usual wish?"
"True, true, all too true. Drat." He put it back on the hanger and sorted among the other options before finally pulling out a long red silk Chinese-style dress.
Melissa thought the dress was beautiful, but she was momentarily surprised at his selection since it had a high Mandarin collar with even more coverage than the Victorian dress. Then she saw that there were slits on each side of the dress that seemed to reach to somewhere above the waistline.
"Oh Master, it is quite beautiful, but how would we know that it fits? I should be happy to try it on, but I appear to be a little tied up at the moment."
Erik waved away her objection, "Not a problem." He turned to the vendor, "Maurice… is it?"
"Yes, Master Erik."
"Maurice will be delighted to do a custom fitting and create a bespoke gown in this style for you."
"Absolutely, Master Erik."
Erik reached into his suit jacket's side pocket and took out one of his engraved business cards. "You may contact me here to arrange a fitting."
"Yes, Master Erik. Thank you, sir."
Erik nodded goodbye to the vendor, then led Melissa away.
Once they had moved far enough away, Melissa whispered, "You didn't ask how much it cost."
Erik sniffed, "Of course not."
Melissa rolled her eyes.
Erik intoned, "Proper young women do not roll their eyes."
"I fear I am not entirely a proper young lady, Master."
Erik stopped and turned, his eyes sweeping up and down her naked form, from head to toe. "Quite so." Then he led her on to the next table.
"Oh look," he said in an ordinary tone, "Leather… latex… and rubber. Some of my favorite materials."
Melissa struggled with how to tell him that latex and rubber were so tight and unforgiving that she had looked disgustingly fat in them. On the few occasions when she had tried on clothes like the ones on display, she had hated the way she looked. Then she paused, glancing down at her naked abdomen. In just a couple of weeks, Mistress Amy's harsh conditioning techniques were already making an enormous difference. In another few weeks, she might actually look good in some of the things on display. She was suddenly eager to get to the point where she was that fit. Going clubbing in a latex dress and having men fall all over her had always been a secret fantasy. The reality, however, had never seemed possible. It was exhilarating to think that she might actually be able to, with Mistress Amy supplying the self-discipline that she had never been able to sustain by herself.
Erik sensed her shift in interest. He gave her a questioning smile.
She told him, "Perhaps not right now, Master, but in a few more weeks…"
He nodded, picked up one of the vendor's business card from a stack of cards, and slipped it into his pocket. As they walked away, he told her quietly, "Those pieces were beautifully made. It's a new store in town that I didn't know anything about. Richard is great about finding up-and-coming suppliers. We'll pay them a visit in a couple of weeks."
"Thank you, Master."
"I'm looking forward to it."
They had wandered around to the table where Michael had purchased the whip that Erik was still carrying. Erik's eye lit up as he said, "Ah, Don Burgoo. These are special."
Melissa wasn't too certain what made the collection of floggers and whips on the table different from the wide variety that Erik had at home, but they certainly looked well made. As Erik reached out to caress the leather of a tawse, she did her best to ignore the jump in her heart rate, as well as the sudden increase in lubricity around the rope that ran between her labia.
The vendor nodded hello to Erik, and he replied in kind. Melissa quietly took a deep breath to steady herself, while their attention was distracted.
Leaving the broad straps of the tawse behind, Erik reached over to pick up what seemed to be a tiny riding crop, smaller than his outstretched hand. Still feeling nervous, Melissa asked humorously, "What would you ever use that for? Swatting fruit flies?"
The vendor turned to give her a baleful look, which made her immediately regret her attempt at silliness. Erik, however, smiled and snorted quietly at her comment. He held up the diminutive crop and mused aloud, "Perhaps we should show her exactly what this little thing can do…"
"Ahhh, I meant no disrespect, Master."
"Certainly. So, what do you think this could be used on – what sensitive part of the body might benefit from its stimulation?"
"Ummm, nipples? Sir."
"I suppose it could be employed there, but it was lovingly made by Don Burgoo here for a somewhat different sensitive spot."
Melissa blanched, "Oh my god no, Master. Not my clitoris?"
"Oh good. You got it in one."
"Oh shit… sir. That's… oh my fucking God."
Erik smiled broader, "Your enthusiasm is absolutely beguiling. So, shall we see if Richard has a private room available?"
"Or… there's this empty table right here…"
Resigning herself to the inevitable, Melissa's shoulders slumped, and she bowed her head. "As my Master wishes."
Erik told Don Burgoo, "Put it on my account," as he led Melissa over to the empty table. He untied her wrists, but left her elbows tied to her sides, so she could only move her lower arms. Then he helped her to sit on the edge of the table.
Reaching up to his suit's breast pocket, he pulled out what had looked like a black silk handkerchief square, but it proved to be a wide silk ribbon when he shook it out. He reached up to tied it around her head, and she realized that it was actually a blindfold, which he had hidden in plain sight.
Supporting her back, Erik eased her to lie back on the table, and then he lifted her legs up. One at a time, he retied her wrists to her ankles, so she was trapped with her sex exposed to everyone, unable to move or close her legs.
He slid a finger underneath the rope that ran between her legs and lifted it up, pulling it out of the warm wetness where it had laid between her labia. She whimpered involuntarily as he laid the rope back down, to the right of her labia, exposing her clitoral hood. She whimpered again as he drew the flat head of the crop slowly down her belly, then down across the thin flap of skin trying to protect her aching clitoris.
She gasped as she felt the head of the crop pull away, waiting, knowing that the blow would soon come. She tried to repress her trembling as she desperately wanted to flinch away, but she was tied too tightly, and he held her folded right leg firmly in his left hand.
She screamed. The intensity of the stimulation was overwhelming. It wasn't all pain. It was something more. The pain seared her to her core, but the warmth of that pain radiated outwards, saturating her senses. She was terrified of the next blow, and craved it. If he had asked her, she would have begged him to continue.
But he didn't ask. Instead…
The flat head of the miniature crop landed squarely on her clitoris again. Her scream was more guttural this time, torn from somewhere deep inside.
Vaguely, in the distance, she heard Erik and Don Burgoo discussing whether she might be disturbing the diners in the dining room down the hall.
After a long pause, she felt a cool, smooth shape pressing down on her lips. She was confused, but as the pressure continued, she opened her mouth and accepted the ball gag. It felt uncomfortably large. As Erik fastened the strap behind her head, she heard him apologizing for its size, but it was the smallest diameter the gag and collar vendor had brought tonight. He reminded her that her safe word with a gag was a repeated, "Ahr, ahr, ahr, ahr, until he stopped."
He asked if she understood. When he asked a second time, she was able to focus enough to nod her head, yes. Even through the large ball in her mouth, a whimper escaped.
There was a cool silence, during which she clenched as tightly as she could.
The gag turned her scream into a growl. The fiery heat radiating from her sex seemed uncontrollable.
Her back arched as everything in her body tried to pull away, while some traitorous part of her wanted to give him a better angle for the next…
It wasn't an orgasm, not in any usual sense. It was simply a level of stimulation that was impossible to contain. Some part of it was an orgiastic release. Some part of it was her brain overloading and simply shutting down. She went away for awhile, floating somewhere else.
She was only vaguely aware of being untied and having the ball gag removed from her mouth. When Erik lifted her in his arms, she was conscious enough to pull into him, so she didn't hang off him like a rag doll, even though it would have been easier.
She had no idea how long it took her to swim back up toward awareness, but she eventually registered that they were sitting on a couch in a small, dimly lit room. He was holding her on his lap and stroking her hair.
She tried to speak, but her throat hurt and didn't work properly. Finally, she croaked, "How long?"
"Not long."
"Need water. Food."
She felt a straw against her lips. Taking it into her mouth, she felt her jaw muscles complain. She sucked cool liquid into her mouth. It was sweet and salty. The salt burned her raw throat, but she drank it down eagerly.
Finally sated, she flopped back against him and snuggled in.
She woke up again, badly needing to urinate. "Uh, sorry. How long was I out?"
"A couple of hours."
"A couple of… shit! I'm sorry."
"You needed some downtime."
"Uh, I really gotta pee. Is there…"
"You can pee on the couch if you don't want to move yet."
"Um, unless you want me to pee here, I'd really rather use the bathroom."
"Good, me too." He helped lift her up, then got up a little stiffly himself. "This way." He led her to a door in the corner of what was a small bedroom, where there was a well-appointed bathroom.
She sat down gratefully on the toilet, releasing a loud stream into the bowl. A smile spread across her face as she sighed in relief. In front of her, Erik took off his jacket and undid his pants.
He asked, "Are you going to be awhile?"
She nodded, as her stream continued. He looked around the bathroom.
"Sink," she suggested. Then she sat back, "Or you can pee on me…"
He snorted in amusement, but lifted up his penis and started to play a stream of yellow across her bare torso. The warm fluid felt good, and she lifted her hands up to catch it and rub the warmth across her abdomen.
He lifted the stream to wash across her neck. She dipped her head forward to take some in her mouth. His flavor was stronger than she wanted to deal with right now, so Melissa let it all dribble back out as she slumped back against the toilet.
She wasn't sure why she had invited him to pee on her, or why he had; it had just seemed like something to do.
He chuckled, "You've been hanging out with Deborah too much."
"Hey, I peed in the toilet. You're the one who peed on me."
"You seemed to have enjoyed it."
"Yes, Master," she sighed, "all yours."


text: Transport to/from Torp Airport How to travel between Oslo city centre and Torp Sandefjord Airport. The Torp Sandefjord Airport is located approximately 110 km south-west of Oslo, in Vestfold county. IATA airport code: TRF Map showing the location of Torp Sandefjord Airport More information about Torp Sandefjord Airport You can travel between Torp Sandefjord Airport (TRF) and Oslo city centre by bus, train or car: Train Torp–Oslo You can take the train from Torp Sandefjord Lufthavn to Oslo. The station is located between Stokke and Sandefjord. The journey takes about 1 hours 45 minutes. There is a shuttle bus service between the airport and the train station, which is included in the train ticket. the train usually departs once every hour.Click here to see the prices for the Torp-Oslo train Children (4-15 years) and seniors (67 and older) are entitled to a 50 % discount on this price. Students with a valid student ID get a 25 % discount. There is no discounted roundtrip ticket. Click here to find the departure times for the Torp-Oslo train To find the departure times, enter where you are travelling to and from, and the weekday if you are not looking for today's departure times. Bus Torp–Oslo The Torp Express bus service corresponds with most international flights to/from the airport. Buses arrive Oslo Bussterminal (appr. 2 hours travel). Click here to see the prices and discounts for the Torp Express bus Click here to find the departure times for the Torp Express bus (choose direction and date to find the times) Car Torp–Oslo With private car you follow E18 to Oslo. From Oslo to Torp Airport; follow E18 direction Drammen, and stay on the E18 until exit to Torp Sandefjord Airport.

subset: commoncrawl


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The College operates as two sub-schools, the Middle School (Years 7 to 9) and the Senior School (Years 10 to 12) which serve the different learning needs of adolescents. The College is committed to providing a holistic, rigorous and global curriculum that seeks to create independent learners.
According to the learning philosophy developed by all stakeholders at the College, students who graduate from Corpus Christi College have been provided with educational programs that reflect development in eight learning attributes, which together, form the Corpus Christi College Learner Profile.
The Learner Profile is the College mission statement translated into a set of learning outcomes applicable for the 21st century and our long-term vision of educating each child. The Learner Profile is a set of ideals that can inspire, motivate and focus the work of students, parents and teachers uniting them in a common purpose. It describes a list of attributes that promote academic rigour and the establishing of a personal value system leading to a more moral and ethical, service oriented, peaceful and sustainable globalised approach. The College's pastoral care system maximises the opportunity for a graduating student to reflect these attributes.


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Area growers expecting a good cherry crop
CENTRAL LAKE – Despite the late winter, Central Lake fruit producer Greg Shooks said this week that he and his family are expecting a good sweet and tart cherry crop, an assessment MSU Extension Horticulturist Nikki Rothwell said she believed was true of all of this year's crop across northwestern lower Michigan.
Of his family's 120 acres of tart cherries and 140 acres of sweet cherries on their property north of Central Lake, the grower said, "Our tart crop will probably be down a little from last year, and it's a little early to tell with the sweets, as the trees still need to go through the 'June drop,' when the unpollinated cherries fall from the trees, but, overall we're in good shape, with a healthy crop in good condition."
Regarding the farm's tart cherries, of which Shooks Farms has several different varieties that are harvested at various times throughout the summer, Shooks said he wasn't sure why the tart cherry crop would be down by as much as 25 percent this year.
However, he suspected that recent warm weather, not the late winter that dragged on until the first part of May, may have been responsible for a short bloom of cherry blossoms that may have affected fruit set.
Read the full story in our regular edition of The Review. To subscribe to the paper for just $34 a year, which includes access to our full online e-edition, please go to the subscription page on this website at: http://www.antrimreview.net/subscribe/


text: Jason Petrie, the man behind the design of LeBron James' wildly successful shoe line, found himself in some hot water for sending out some not-so-funny tweets regarding Derrick Rose's torn ACL. He has since apologized, and his employer Nike released a statement regarding the furor. Per Fox Sports: "Senior footwear designer Jason Petrie tweeted Rose '#shouldasignedwithNIKE' after the reigning MVP suffered the knee injury in the Bulls' playoff series opener against the Philadelphia 76ers in Chicago on Saturday. Rose signed a career deal with Adidas in February worth a minimum of $185 million over 13 years. Petrie, who designed the sneakers worn and endorsed by Heat star James, made a comparison between his man and Rose, who he referred to by his family nickname, 'Pooh.' 'You got one guy only getting stronger, and one guy breaking down before our very eyes. You chose poorly Pooh… #shouldasignedwithNIKE #GWS [get well soon],' he tweeted. […] Nike released a statement on the issue. 'As a brand that is passionate about sport, we recognize the intense level of play that every athlete has engaged in during this basketball season and respect the dedication it takes to compete,' the statement said. 'One of our basketball footwear designers posted comments online that we feel are inappropriate, and he has since apologized. We wish anyone who is injured a speedy recovery.'"


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Compeat Appoints Will Archer CTO
Austin, TX – January 27, 2016 - Compeat Restaurant Management Systems continues to expand and reinforce its senior executive team with the appointment of Will Archer as the company's Chief Technology Officer. Archer will work directly with Compeat President and CEO, Jeffrey Stone, to oversee product development strategy and identify opportunities for advancement. Read the full release


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Standout Style Moments at The Cannes Film Festival 2017
The Cannes Film Festival is one of the most prestigious events on the French Riviera. This year's Cannes Film Festival will run from May 17 to 28 and we can expect A-listers from all over the world to attend. The invitation-only festival started in 1932, previewing new films of all genres.
May is definitely one of the most fashionable months of the year. After admiring the fashion statements at the Met Gala that happened at the beginning of May, now it's time to feast our eyes on the red carpet standouts of The Cannes Film Festival.
Although it's very early to say who stole the show this year, we would like to take a moment to admire the mesmerizing gowns that we had a chance to see so far. Today is the second day of the Cannes Film Festival and we already had a hard time deciding who should be on our list.
Enjoy the breath-taking looks from the 'Ismael's Ghosts' screening and Opening Gala at The 70th Cannes Film Festival.
Elle Fanning
Elle is not just "Dakota's little sister" anymore. After appearing on the covers of many prestigious fashion magazines and becoming the new face of L'Oreal, Elle is fiercely building a status of a fashion icon. Her strapless silk, satin, unicorn-inspired gown by Vivienne Westwood amazed both fashion critics and the audience.
Bella Hadid
After wearing the tight catsuit at the Met Gala the model decided on a more comfortable outfit for the Cannes 'Ismael's Ghosts' screening and Opening Gala. If you think that the sheer beaded catsuit is way more comfortable than a satin dress with a thigh-high slit, don't forget that Bella was sewn in from the top of the catsuit at the Met Gala. Bella complimented the mesmerizing dress by Alexandre Gauthier with an effective necklace and pastel strappy sandals.
Emily Ratajkowski
Bella's fellow model Emily shined on the Cannes Film Festival red carpet in custom Twinset dress. The beige satin silk thigh-high slit gown with a train looked amazing on Emily's toned curves. The massive necklace was the perfect accessory to break the simplicity of the dress.
Hailey Baldwin
This year's Cannes red carpet brought probably the most mesmerizing satin silk gowns. Hailey showed up on the 'Ismael's Ghosts' screening & Opening Gala red carpet in an astonishing deep blue shiny dress by Twinset exclusively made for her.
Araya Hargate
The actress Araya "Chompoo' Hargate attended 'Ismael's Ghosts' screening & Opening Gala in a divine white ball gown by Ralph & Russo. The Thai actress is 5 months pregnant and the beautiful gown was a perfect choice for a mom-to-be. Araya upgraded her maternity style with a coordinating silk cape covered in crystals and feathers.
Eva Herzigova
The Czech model and actress shined in an embellished gold dress by Roberto Cavalli Couture. The dazzling dress raised the standards for Cannes Film Festival's glamor and immediately placed Eva in the center of attention. The thigh-high slit showed off Eva's runway toned legs. She paired the gown with strappy heels and a gold matching clutch. Lastly, she went for diamond encrusted chandelier earrings that gave the entire look an elegant feel.
Sara Sampaio
The stunning Portuguese model Sara understands the power of a deep red gown. The dramatic creation is a piece of art by Zuhair Murad. Sara complimented the gown with diamond chandelier earrings, bracelet and ring.
Uma Thurman
Uma Thurman was another celebrity that treated us with a thigh-high slit. The pastel pink gown by Atelier Versace that Uma wore on the red carpet won our hearts with its simplicity and elegance. The actress paired the gown with strappy gold sandals and Bulgari jewelry.
Naomie Harris
Naomie's Gucci tulle gown upgraded the red carpet princess style. The actress wore astonishingly dazzling jewelry that hides a meaningful story 'Äö√Ñ√∂'àö√ë'àö√Ü Naomie's crystal and diamond-studded strand necklace and statement droplet ring were part of Swarovski's 10th-anniversary collection and their first fine jewelry one. The production process, according to the company, has a lower impact on the environment while offering high-quality jewelry.
Fan Bingbing
One of the world's highest paid actresses opted for a mesmerizing light blue gown. Fan is one of the eight jury members at the 70th Cannes Film Festival. She complimented the shiny blue gown with a dazzling necklace, matching chandelier earrings and a glamorous gold belt that was hugging her waist.


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Seafoam (Divinity)
Seafoam (Divinity)
A 14oz of our original recipe Brown Sugar Seafoam or Vanilla Seafoam. A light airy confection that has been a customer favorite since we began. Also known as divinity, this treat is believed to have originated only 15 years before Forbes open its first kitchen. Includes pieces of fresh pecans. Best kept in airtight container.
Attention: If temperatures are above 70 degrees, you must purchase an ice shipper to go with this product (Click Here To Add) Every three products/boxes will need an additional ice shipper.
Forbes Candies will not ship chocolates in hot temperatures without this box. If you do not add this box to your order we must cancel your order.
* Please note: Forbes Candies Inc takes all appropriate measures to ensure your chocolates arrive in the same quality they are made. However, we do not guarantee the arrival quality of chocolate shipped in warm weather. Please keep that in mind.


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Search Florence, Alabama Real Estate Listings & New Homes for Sale in Florence, AL. Find Florence, AL houses, townhouses, condos, & properties for sale with RE/MAX Alabama.
Listing information is provided in part by the Multiple Listing Service of the REALTORS® Association of the Muscle Shoals Area, Inc. All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. Such information being provided is for consumers' personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing.


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Joining the FoxRadio Listener Club has many advantages. Once you join, you are registered to play any of our FoxRadio On-Air contests. You also receive exclusive information and special access to concerts and special activities. You'll also find it PAYS to be a Fox Listener Club Member. Find out why soon!
It's easy to Join just click Register Link below and follow the directions, be sure you enter a valid email address. Once you click Register you will receive an email with an activation link. Be sure you activate or your account will be deleted in 30 days. The Fox Listener Club connects you with everything you need for more Fun and Winning from FoxRadio.


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Older e-News
Amherst Students Challenge Williams Counterparts to Haiti Fundraising Contest
In an altruistic spin on a nearly 200-year-old rivalry, students at Amherst are challenging fellow undergraduates at Williams to a friendly competition to see who can collect the most money in support of earthquake relief efforts in Haiti. Starting Friday, Feb. 5, the two liberal arts schools will engage in a weeklong fundraising contest with the final results being tallied at halftime of the men's basketball game between the colleges at Amherst on Feb. 12.
February 4, 2010 e-News
ElBaradei, Tilghman to be Honored at Amherst Commencement
May 7, 2008 e-News
The director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the president of Princeton University and five others making an impact today—including Robert H. Brown Jr. '69, Henry A. Freedman '62 and Saraswathi Vedam '78—will receive honorary degrees during the college's ceremonies May 25.
Amherst Renews Commitment to Financial Aid Policies
In a letter to students, faculty and staff on Jan. 26,, President Marx updated the campus community on the college's budgetary process and made clear the Board of Trustees' continued support for financial aid.
February 4, 2010 e-News
Physics Department Receives Grant for Electron-Beam Evaporation System
A $350,000 NSF award will enable Professors Jonathan Friedman, David Hall '91 and Larry Hunter and UMass physicist Mark Tuominen to conduct research in quantum computing, ultra-low-temperature physics, materials science and nanoscience.
February 4, 2010 e-News
Top Guns
Rain was lashing the plane's windshield, lightning crackled in the distance, and the students were about to undertake a perilous mission. Read the latest Campus Buzz to see how a liberal arts education prepares you to land a Boeing 737 in less-than-ideal weather.
February 4, 2010 e-News
Anthropology Professor's Book Quoted in New Zealand News Article
Deborah Gewertz's Cheap Meat was discussed at length in a piece about whether regulation and/or public health education are needed in particular Pacific nations in order to limit consumption of high-fat lamb and mutton cuts.
February 4, 2010 e-News
Cleveland Plain Dealer Publishes Student's Op-Ed
In the piece, Charles "Alex" Hurst '12 opined on new Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown's election victory and what he thinks the Democratic Party's strategy should be going forward.
February 4, 2010 e-News
'08 Grad Blogging for Huffington Post
Law student Daniel Cluchey channeled the Commander-in-Chief himself to write his first post— "The Speech I Had Hoped to Hear from President Obama" —for the online publication.
February 4, 2010 e-News
Women's Basketball Sets Records with Victory at Colby College
Less than 24 hours after winning on Bowdoin College's home court for the first time ever, the Amherst team defeated Colby by 21 points to set program records for the longest winning streak and best start to a season (19-0). The victory put the Lord Jeffs at the top of the week's national ranking—another program first.
February 4, 2010 e-News


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After starting the machine and passing through reference points, the MDI does not execute command M 03 / M 04 / (which mean rolling respectively clockwise and counterclockwise) and M 19 / spindle orientation /. Also, the tool holder, which is situated in the spindle, can not be unlocked even though the hydraulic system works.
Otherwise, the movements on the XYZ axes in the same MDI mode are executed.
The management system is Fanuc 6M-B
Year of production: 1986
If someone has had a similar problem, please cooperate!


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Rulers and nations will determine their own destiny by how they respond to what G'D does for Israel, … G'D has revealed clearly in His Word that He intends to restore Israel, and that He requires all other nations to cooperate with His purpose. Any nation that rejects the revelation of G-D's Word has, in effect, rejected G'D Himself, and must suffer the consequences.
Derek Prince
'The Destiny of Israel and the Church'
Christians from Gentile backgrounds owe their entire spiritual inheritance to Israel. One appropriate way for them to acknowledge their indebtedness is to stand by Israel in the midst of their present pressures, and to uphold them with faithful intercession.
Derek Prince
in 'The Destiny of Israel and the Church'
G'D is restoring Israel. And G'D is judging the nations.
Derek Prince http://www.internationalwallofprayer.org/ A-250-Derek-Prince-Love-of-G-D-Lover-of-ZION.html
To pass off the restoration of Israel as a political accident is like believing that the world is flat!
Derek Prince
http://www.goodnewsforisrael.com/ why_focus_on_israel.htm http://www.icej.org/ data/images/File/News/swords.pdf
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Recently I was asked to speak at the Artful Teaching Conference Putting Creativity Into Practice at the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute. Thanks to Anne Kraybill (school programs manager at Crystal Bridges) and Hung Pham (arts integration specialist for the UA Razorback Writers Program). The conference focused on ways of integrating the arts in education. My lecture Teaching Through Graphic Novels focused on various ways graphic novels and other forms of visual narrative can be utilized in the classroom with applications ranging from developing literacy and visual skills, collaboration, analytical and critical thinking, and teaching a wide variety of concepts and disciplines outside the language arts such as understanding scientific theories, physics, psychology, mythology, and classical studies, as well as historical and contemporary events. Comics can be used to enhance learning, motivate younger and reluctant readers and introduce various technologies and multimedia applications. The interdisciplinary act of creating and constructing graphic novel content maybe used to develop not only literacy and media skills but also composition, rendering, computer, and research skills. My nonfiction, documentary graphic novel What Follows Is True...Crescent:The Baker Years currently in development utilizes many of the interdisciplinary approaches mentioned.
Graphic novels are one of today's fastest growing categories in book publishing. The scope and diversity of graphic novels has broadened in recent years to include much more sophisticated subject matter, including nonfiction, biography, literature, and compelling stories melded from on-the ground reporting and research from the world's latest war-torn regions.
Public schools are proving to be viable markets for graphic novels and with the advent of a more serious and ambitious body of nonfiction work, high school, middle schools, college and university librarians are bolstering their graphic novel collections. The latter half of the 20th century has experienced an alteration in the definition of literacy. The proliferation of the use of images as a communicant has been propelled by the growth technology that requires less in text-reading skills. Visual literacy has entered the panoply of skills required for communication in this century. Graphic novels are at the center of this phenomenon.


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Latest News
If I were the King of Golf
It's that time again.
The Bermuda rough is suddenly swallowing your ankles and your Titleists. Ball marks speckle every green except those on 200-yard par-3 holes. Every golf outing is a scramble, which means it's made for non-golfers.
While the game has survived for centuries, it can still be improved. Therefore, here are some of the rules changes I would make if I were king of golf. It's not the first time I've proposed these but they bear repeating.
It's a working list. Feel free to submit your own suggestions to me at firstname.lastname@example.com.
1. It's golf, not brain surgery.
Greens fees will be directly related to your pace of play. A round of golf should take no more than 3 hours, 45 minutes. They do it in Scotland and Ireland - without carts.
The longer it takes, the more it costs. (Note to novice golfers: Don't take three practice swings before every shot. You're already going to swing it more than anyone else, cut yourself and everyone else some slack and hit the ball).
Speaking of brain surgery, true story: I once worked at a golf course and when a brain surgeon came in after a day in the operating room, he remarked on how, during surgery, he had a new swing thought pop into his head he wanted to try out. Hmmmm....
2. Front, middle and back.
Courses don't need six sets of tees. We're going to have three sets and your handicap - not your sex or your ego - will determine which set you play.
If you can't break 80 from the middle tees, you sure as heck don't belong on the tips.
3. The out-of-bounds rule.
Back when golf was played in the great wide open perhaps the stroke and distance aspect of the out-of-bounds rule was reasonable.
It's not any more. Make out-of-bounds a lateral hazard like it once was. God didn't put those condos 30 feet off the fairway. Some misguided developer did.
And have you noticed that people who don't play golf buy the houses at the corner of doglegs and they wind up putting a net across their yard so they can sit on their patio without fear of getting beaned by a runaway Bridgestone?
4. Discount the price.
If greens have been aerated within the past 10 days, greens fees should be reduced.
If carts are required to stay on the path, cart fees should be reduced. And if it hasn't rained in two days, carts should be allowed on the golf course. The grass will survive.
Give people a reason to come back - even if they could really stand to walk.
5. Putt 'em out.
If you hit your first putt, or your second one, within three feet of the hole, you can't mark your ball - even if you're standing in somebody's line. Knock it in or close enough to knock it away.
Don't spend all day lining up putts. It's 90 percent speed, 10 percent line, anyway.
And please don't plumb-bob. It makes the rest of us feel stupid because we can't do it.
6. Post your scores - good and bad.
Handicaps only work if they're accurate and that means posting your scores, especially the good ones.
Here's the rule: If you play 18 holes and don't post a score, the pro shop or your buddies will do it for you - even par from the tips. No exceptions.
8A No one getting 10 shots shoots 73.
Remember, handicaps don't reflect your average score. They're what you should shoot when you play your best. You should play to your handicap less than 25 percent of the time.
7. Free drops from footprints in bunkers.
Let's see how good Phil Mickelson is from the sand when he's playing from the trench left by Vijay's size 13s.
C'mon people, take a second and rake the bunkers.
8. Repair two ball marks on every green
And do it the right way. It's not that hard and you could use the exercise.
9. No cars, fountains or signs in water hazards.
The only things allowed in water hazards are whitecaps, algae, Titleists, disobedient putters, ducks, rocks and bass.
10. Play ready golf
If you're ready, hit it.
One caveat: If someone has birdied the previous hole, don't jump them on the next tee. Let them have the honor. If it's a par-3, that allows you to discreetly peek into their bag to see what club they're hitting.
Don 't be that guy who doesn't figure out his yardage or pick a club until it's his turn. Be ready, please.
11. Caps forward, shirts tucked.
Before you tee off, look at what you're wearing and ask yourself a simple question: What would Golf Digest fashionista Marty Hackel say about it?
I'll leave the question of white belts open, though I tend to believe if your waist or age is higher than 34, leave the white belts to Rickie Fowler.
12. No cell phones or Blackberries:
I admit to violating this rule but it doesn't mean I'm right. I love places like Sage Valley that ask you to leave your phone at the gate house or in your car when you arrive. It's a nice idea, anyway.
Submit your own suggestions to Ron Green Jr. at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Share Your Story - An Invitation
Yesterday I sent an email to the email subscribers here at the collective. I mused a bit about blown tires, a soon-to-arrive baby, and the goodness of this present life. I then opened it up to the email readers, "share a bit," I asked them. Stories beget stories. Art begets art. Several took me up on the invitation, shooting emails back telling the group their most recent stories. I sat in my living room, reading aloud to my wife, laughing a bit (thanks for the beard story Hamster), pondering a bit (thanks for the southern story Abby), and watching my wife cry a bit (thanks for the mother imagery Erika). Stories evoke so much.
Today I give you a brief invitation. Every month, I'll be giving a bit of a behind the scenes peek at my life to the email subscribers. I'll ask them to take a little and give a little, sharing a bit about their lives with the group (if so inclined). It's a really grand thing, this sharing of testimonies. If you'd like to be a part of the monthly exchange, subscribe via email. There's a box over there in the upper right-hand side (see it).
And if you are already a subscriber to the RSS feed, leave a comment letting me know you want in! I'll put you on the subscribers list.
Thanks again to those who shared. It made for a good Lord's day exercise.


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Canada geese are a modern success story for wildlife management. At one time, numbers of Canada geese were in serious decline. However, the actions of various wildlife agencies have brought their numbers in North America to an estimated 5,600,600.
Unfortunately, this dramatic increase in population has resulted in some negative consequences. Large numbers of geese leave large quantities of feces. A single goose can defecate every 20 minutes up to 1.5 pounds of feces each day. This problem is magnified when we realize that approximately 67 percent of those geese are non-migratory or resident geese. In other words, land and lakes frequently do not get a sustained rest from geese presence. If large numbers of geese congregate, one must wonder if there is a health risk related to the feces left on ground and in the water.
Research has shown the excrement of geese contains a wide variety of pathogens capable of infecting humans. The feces are more than just a nuisance on our sidewalks, playgrounds, ball fields and golf courses. The feces also pose health risks. Here are a few:
• Cryptosporidium is a parasite that causes an enteric disease called cryptosporidiosis. Canada geese have been found to be carriers of cryptosporidium.
• Giardia. The cysts of giardia have been found in the feces of Canada geese. Giardia is a protozoan parasite that causes gastrointestinal infection in humans.
• E-coli. Canada geese can transmit this disease to humans and the agent is viable in goose eggs. Infected birds shed the bacteria through feces and nasal discharge.
• Listeria. Listeriosis is a serious medical threat, as infection can cause abortions in pregnant women and result in septicemia and meningitis.
• Pasteurella multocida. This bacterium that causes avian cholera. It is transmitted between birds via direct contact, breathing of droplets (e.g. when they sneeze) or through contaminated water.
• Salmonella. Salmonella can survive for up to nine months in the environment. Picnickers should wash their hands before handling food and before eating when in areas where geese droppings are present.
• Avian influenza. Canada geese are members of a group of birds that have been known to contract avian influenza, more commonly known as fowl plague. The infection is transmitted through the birds' mucous membranes and is shed in the feces
• Histoplasmosis. This fungus causes the disease histoplasmosis. The fungus grows in soil enriched with bird droppings, including those from geese.
Nancy Bednar is an Erie resident.


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We offer a wide selection of kayaks to fit a variety of paddling needs.
Whether you're kayaking in lakes, streams or the ocean we have a good fit. We carry recreational, touring, sea kayak and sit on top kayaks.
Explore our options below and feel free to give us a call with any questions. We would be happy to help you find your next kayak.


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Cd. Juárez, Mexico
The Virtual Dinner Guest Project was born from connections along the US-Mexico Border.
Cd. Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico
Getting ready for the first ever Virtual Dinner... connecting Cd. Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico to Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
Nogales, Mexico
Mexico-US Border
Martyr's Square, Beirut, Lebanon
The former "green line" during the 1975-1990 Lebanese Civil War.
Virtual Dinner from Beirut, Lebanon
Beirut connects to students at Yale University in the US.
Syrian Refugee Camp, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
Filming interviews for a Virtual Dinner Guest Project between Lebanon and The Netherlands
Cairo, Egypt
Virtual Dinner Guest Project between Cairo, Egypt and The Hague, in The Netherlands.
The evening skyline in Old Cairo
City skyline on the Nile
... But this is actually Yemeni food. Super delicious!


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After the Taste of Ravenswood, a tour of restaurants and breweries right in the Northwest Chicago neighborhood I Heart Keenwah calls home, we were totally blown away by how many truly unique brewing companies are operating right here in Chicago.
We decided to send our co-founder, Sarah, an avid home brewer, on a mission to learn more about some of these breweries, and to pair our quinoa snacks up with their beers. We'll be releasing the video on St. Patrick's Day, but in the meantime we're excited to introduce you to Arcade Brewery!
Arcade Brewery was founded by Chris Tourre and Lance Curran. One peek at their labels and the influence of comic books, video games and offbeat artwork is apparent. The guys specialize in ales, and brew up a variety of seasonal beers highlighting that malty profile.
We loved how community-oriented Arcade is - evident most recently in a collaboration with Gene's Sausage Shop, a famous Chicago beer-and-meat mecca. (Disclaimer for vegan readers: our own vegan expert Natalie frequents Gene's for their wide variety of fancy mustards.)
It's all the details that makes Arcade so fun - like their token bottle caps that you can actually trade in at participating bars for t-shirts and other swag, and their crowd-sourced label art that gets the whole community involved in every beer they brew.
We had tons of fun hanging out with these guys and hearing more about their approach to pairing beers with snacks. Stay tuned for the video featuring some of Chris' favorite pairings! Learn more about Arcade Brewery at ArcadeBrewery.com.


text: The Tempest September 12, 2013 "The Tempest"16" x 20"Acrylic on wrapped canvas I felt compelled to paint something tempestuous tonight, so I put a large canvas on my easel and squeezed out a limited palette of acrylic paints. I directed my frustrated bewilderment into this very fluid and tumultuous piece, and within two hours I felt a lot better. I like how this turned out, so I'm going to try it in oil, possibly tomorrow. Carol Dailypainters.com Dailypaintworks.com email@example.com


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Fairfax County Consumer Affairs: Coupon Workshop with BeltwayBargainMom.com
Fairfax County Consumer Affairs
Monday, September 24, 2012 from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM (PDT)
Event Details
In celebration of National Coupon Month, Laura Harders, author of BeltwayBargainMom.com and a Savings.com DealPro, will teach this 2-hour Grocery Coupon Workshop. Following the workshop, attendees will leave with a better understanding of how to shop with coupons using strategic couponing and menu planning techniques and achieve savings of 50% or more!
Please RSVP in advance via Eventbrite to ensure your spot is secured.
Tickets are free, but seating is limited.
Topics discussed in the workshop include the following areas:
Strategic Grocery Shopping
Learn how to avoid common marketing traps at the grocery store, and shop smarter!
Realistic Couponing
See exactly how coupons work, how you can use them to save at least 50% on your groceries, understand your stores' policies, and keep all those awesome coupons organized!
Meal Planning Made Simple
Get practical help with how to plan out your menu to save the most money while providing healthy meals for your family!
You will receive a workbook to take lots of valuable notes during the workshop. So come prepared to learn, discuss and connect with others who are excited about saving money too!
Fairfax County is committed to nondiscrimination on the basis of disability in all county programs, services and activities. Reasonable accommodations will be provided upon request. For information, callConsumer Affairs, 703-222-8435 TTY711.
This workshop is part of theSavings Nation network, fueled by Savings.com, the place to go for the best deals on everything you want. Visit Savings.com to join millions of members that have already saved more than $500 million.
When & Where
Fairfax County Pennino Building, Room 206A
12011 Government Center Pkwy
Monday, September 24, 2012 from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM (PDT)
Add to my calendar
Fairfax County Consumer Affairs
Fairfax County Consumer Affairs
facebook: facebook.com/fairfaxcountyconsumer
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Phone: 703-222-8435 TTY 711
Reasonable ADA accommodations available upon request.


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We welcome corporations to procure public art created through our youth employment program, transforming lives while activating spaces.
The program provides NYC teens and young adults with work experience and job skills as well as creative skills development. Our apprentices are guided by professional teaching artists and executive staff from initial concept development through client presentation, to final brush stroke and public unveiling.
|"I encourage everyone who's not involved with Creative Art Works to get involved... it's an organization that directly helps teenagers and young adults in our city, and creates and provides outstanding art for us all to enjoy."
– Edward J. Guiltinan, Vice President, Development and Leasing, The Rockefeller Group, at the unveiling of Gardens of Steel
Noteworthy clients have included The Rockefeller Group, JP Morgan Investment Management, Morgan Stanley, AXA Equitable, NY Family Court, Columbia University, NY State Parks, and the Harlem Community Development Corporation; other supporters and longtime stakeholders include a myriad of prominent real estate companies such as Boston Properties, Structure Tone, Gensler, MKDA, Cushman & Wakefield, CBRE, RXR, Tishman Speyer, and Hudson Yards. Art partners have included MoMA, The Studio Museum, El Museo del Barrio, Pop International Galleries and Art in Flux Harlem.
If you are interested in similar opportunities, please email Brian Ricklin, Executive Director & CEO at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Want to see more?
A virtual tour of CAW murals and reproductions can be found on Culture Now's 'Museum Without Walls' site.


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The pirate on the inside: in conversation with Our/Vodka's Åsa Caap
Our/Vodka is looking to solve the age old problem of how a business with global ambitions creates genuine meaning and relevance at a local level. Åsa Caap is CEO and co-founder of Our/Vodka, a business operating as pirate within the navy that is Pernod Ricard. We chat with Åsa about the insights that led to the idea, being the outsiders on the inside, and their similarities with Michael Phelps, the Olympic swimmer.
It's early days, but how is the business doing?
We have five distilleries up and running, and we have three more currently being built. We have Berlin, Amsterdam and London, Detroit and Los Angeles, and we are working on New York, Miami and Houston. Berlin has been open for three years, and we broke even there this year, which is according to plan. So we are doing really well there, which is a good indicator for us, and then we are just about started in all the other cities. Everything is more or less happening the way that we hoped.
Take us back to the genesis of the idea?
I was working as Global Innovation Director for Absolut. It's fantastic because you work with the best trend forecasters there is, and you get exposed to all these emerging trends - it's like a candy store for somebody like me. The key trend at the time, six years ago, was the local and craft movement. This trend was emerging and the signs were it was coming on strong. For a brand like Absolut, which is produced in a little village here in Sweden but also exported as a big global brand, it wasn't a trend we could delve into or develop ideas for. We would have to put all the local insights aside and work on other areas.
That must have been quite frustrating. What gave you the encouragement to persevere?
I felt frustrated on two levels, firstly because an idea of trying to do something both global and local spoke to me as a person, but also because it became apparent that it was a trend that wasn't going away. There were local brands of course, and the craft movement was becoming huge, especially in the US, but there was nothing that was interconnected globally. The global brands that had attempted to tap into the trend would often go wrong by neglecting the local part, and that is the tricky part. The assumption of traditional global brand building was also that people are supposed to perceive the brand the same way wherever in the world it is experienced, but we wanted to do something different.
What was your solution? What was the model you proposed for Our/Vodka?
The model for Our/Vodka was for us the parent company to make the capital investment, build the distilleries and enable the sharing of knowledge, but then we would make regional partnerships with local entrepreneurs who would run the distilleries in each city for us. We would then share the profits with them so they are rewarded for their own investment of time and labour.
I showed it to my boss, who thought it was a great idea, but told me it wasn't applicable for Absolut and it wasn't in my role to develop new brands. I then became obsessed by the fact that no one was doing this and I couldn't get rid of the idea. I started working on the project in my free time and then presented it to two other entrepreneurs and they became as excited about the project as I was so we began working on it together from my house, in our free time. I had no money to pay them, but it was just the joy, we had the feeling of finding treasure and we couldn't let go. It was just passion driven, completely.
Did you consider setting it up on your own? How did Our/Vodka end up in the Pernod Ricard portfolio?
We found investors who were willing to invest in Our/Vodka, but I felt it was right to first give Pernod Ricard the opportunity to invest. If it wasn't for Pernod Ricard I would never have been exposed to all this trend material in the first place. It took two years to convince them of the idea, but then it's a complex business and building distilleries is not something you learn overnight. The legal aspects of producing and selling alcohol are also complicated, so there were huge benefits to having access to Pernod Ricard and their expertise in certain areas.
How have you looked to create an Our/Vodka identity and culture inside Pernod Ricard?
We have our own corner of the building here, and we've really made it our own. Creating this space that looks and feels very different to the rest of Pernod Ricard has been crucial for us being clear on our own identity, but also for our small team to stick together and really be the outsiders on the inside. If I could start over, and our investors agree, I would have pulled Our/Vodka out earlier to work more on the side of the parent company, but being here and part of a wider network has also brought us the benefits mentioned.
Business model aside, what are some of the other conventions you've broken with? The bottle is very different to that of other vodkas?
We couldn't understand why people would need such a big bottle of vodka. We produce 35ml bottles rather than the traditional 70ml size. It's been problematic for us though, because the industry is very traditional. The trade ask when we are releasing our larger bottle and we have to tell them we are not. Whenever we ask their opinion though they say " We like it, it's so different". That's how people are! The guy who designed the bottle had never designed a product in his life but it's turned out well for us. The intention was to have a very low-key bottle, but it has become, in its own way, very iconic.
How are you building awareness? What is Our/Vodka's idea of marketing?
There is no marketing really, or the whole thing is marketing. We're building the brand and the story as we go, so I see us as story-doers. What people get interested in is how it works, why the partners are involved, that they are real people with different backgrounds that are all connected, that I built this together with my co-founders on our free time from my living room, and that it's for real.
My manager at Pernod Ricard once asked me if we can speed the process up if they doubled the budget. It was tempting of course, but then what would I do with the money? That is not the way this brand works. There is no big marketing button, this is built the other way around. That's why I believe when it's successful it will be more grounded and solid than those using the traditional model.
Do you have any other activations planned if you're not launching traditional comms?
We are filming a documentary, that's the only investment that we have made from a global perspective. We've had many requests for filmmakers, but everybody who wanted to make a documentary on us has always wanted to stage something, and that was just not us. The last request we turned down, which was hard and stupid maybe. We decided we would film the documentary on our own because it's important for us that it is genuine and real.
What advice would you give to other pirates within larger organisations?
A start-up is not a smaller version of a big company, it's a different breed. There are so many smart and talented people here at Pernod Ricard that could be interested in working for Our/Vodka, but you really need a purpose fit team. The skills needed for a corporate job and a start-up are very different. You need people who are up for a challenge because their job description will change daily. You also need to set the rules straight with the parent company from the beginning. You need a long term commitment from them about the end goal, with flexibility around how you get there. There's no straight road. If you're a challenger brand, there is no handbook. You're breaking new ground so you can't ask because nobody's been there before, that's the whole thing.
There's a real sense here that it's what you do on the inside, what is intrinsic is what's important, does that ring true?
Completely. Somebody showed me the sportswear commercial featuring Michael Phelps, the swimmer. It's beautiful. How hard he trains and how hard he works to win all these gold medals. The quote and essence of the film is 'it's what you do in the dark that puts you in the light'. Somebody said they thought about us when they heard this and I watched it and fell in love with that quote. Look – I get goose bumps thinking about it. It's what you do in the dark that puts you in the light. I guess that's true.


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If you've poked around our website (ptonline.com) you might have noticed a few new things. Last month we started a blog, and both I and Executive Editor Matt Naitove will be regularly contributing our observations based on what we are hearing and seeing in the world of plastics processing. Please accept my invitation to participate in our postings. We want to open a dialogue among us, you our readers, and suppliers to the market. A blog is certainly one forum in which to do so.
The blogs that Matt and I will contribute will be complementary in nature. By and large, I will be opining on overall business matters and what I feel North American plastics processors need to do to survive and thrive in the years ahead. Matt, for the most part, will be offering commentary on news developments and new technologies that come across his desk every day. With nearly 40 years worth of reporting on plastics processing at his disposal, Matt is uniquely equipped to contextualize these developments and hone in on those that will help truly help processors compete globally.
Featured Content
You can navigate to the blog from a link on our home page. Or bookmark it by saving ptonline.com/blog in your browser's Favorites folder.
Speaking of our website, you may also have recently noticed a prominent display on our home page of what we are calling Knowledge Centers. Here, visitors can get up to speed on new technology, best practices, and troubleshooting tips on very specific topics. Right now we have Knowledge Centers (they are actually mini-websites built within our site) on Resin Drying and Conveying. In development and coming soon will be KCs on Feeding, Blending and Dosing, and Sheet Extrusion. Again, you can navigate to the Knowledge Centers from the ptonline.com home page.
We are also in the process of tweaking our Research Zones. In these Zones, visitors can research articles we've written about specific topics, find suppliers, view multimedia presentations, and more. Last year we added a Zone on Testing & Quality Control. More recently we've added a Zone on Robots. Coming soon will be Zones on Thermoforming, Film/Sheet Extrusion, Hot Runners and more. We know you value your time, and realize that you don't have much of it in the first place, so the idea behind the Zone structure is to get you to where you need to go as soon as possible.
While on our site, give our PLASPEC Global Materials Selection Data Center a whirl. For free in our PLASPEC Basic version, you can search and print out datasheets of thousands of resins by doing searches by resin family, supplier, trade name, and the like. You can even scope out our new biopolymers database. For a subscription charge of $149/yr, you get access to our PLASPEC Complete offering, where you can compare attributes of multiple materials, or do detailed engineering analysis of different material characteristics. Bookmark ptonline.com/plaspec.
On the matter of electronic products, this year we've also unveiled webinars, which are basically online seminars that you can attend without leaving your office. As I write this, we've held five of them, and another dozen are currently in the offing. If you want to register for these, shoot me an email at email@example.com and I will add you to our list. We also archive these webinars for viewing after the fact. Bookmark ptonline.com/webinars.
Hopefully by now you are aware of our two monthly e-newsletters: The PT Insider and the PT Materials Insider. Check out the archives of both these e-newsletters, and register to receive one or both, by going to ptonline.com/newsletter/signup.html
Any questions or comments? I am all ears.


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A Bit of Baltimore/
Isn't it kind of funny how we forget to explore our own home town?
I'm from the suburbs of Baltimore, and while I am a diehard Ravens and Orioles fan (and always will be no matter what city I live in), I've spent way more time truly exploring all of the other cities that I've lived in. That has always been my M.O. when I land in a new place: walk around. Get to know the area. People watch. It's one of my favorite things and I don't really do it very much in Maryland. Nor in D.C. (Which will be the focus of a future post since it's also so familiar and close to home that I owe it some love too.) I've only started to appreciate the fact that Baltimore has been a bit neglected in my eyes and deserves some time and photographic attention.
Baltimore's inner harbor has always been one of my favorite places. I have vivid memories of it growing up.
It always seemed so big back then. Now I recognize that the physical space deemed The Inner Harbor is actually quite compact.
I'll always remember this incredible science and nature store located in one of the harbor buildings. I don't remember its name, but I'll never forget the feeling I got when I walked in: Other-worldly. As if I had stumbled inside a fantasy novel. I'd fallen through the closet into Narnia.
That store is long gone, its rooms having undergone multiple owner transitions between the 90's and now.
Still I love that sensation. It seems to be one of those unique experiences so common in childhood that as adults we yearn to have again. I believe it is entirely possible to be utterly in awe of the world around us as an adult, but it is certainly less common. As children, the world feels infinite. As adults, sometimes we lose sight of the enormity of the universe and forget to be impressed.
That is why it is wonderful to go someplace where the city lights don't block out the stars, to travel to areas of the planet that look nothing like our hometowns, and to step inside museums and art galleries to behold some of man's and natures's most beautiful creations.
And then it is wonderful to revisit our hometowns with fresh eyes.


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Situation: Middle-aged couple wonders if they can have 40 years of holidays without working Strategy: Live on investment returns and government pensions, deal with rising costs of living abroad
A couple we'll call Victor and Suzy have decided to drop out of the struggle to make money. Ontario residents ages 50 and 48, respectively, they have no children or other dependents, no debts and they are frugal to a fault. Their plan, already in process, is to quit their work and enjoy life. As a result, their incomes have slumped to what amounts to subsistence — together they bring in just $20,000 per year.
[np_storybar title="Five costs retirees may encounter when heading south for winter" link="https://business.financialpost.com/2013/09/06/five-costs-retirees-may-encounter-when-heading-south-for-winter/"%5D
Trying to escape Canada's colder months? Here are five things you might not have calculated into your snowbird plans.
Continue reading.
They are not without resources, however. When they worked – Victor was an engineer for two decades and Suzy an administrator in a small company – they generated a low six-figure total family income and saved zealously. With good fortune in their investments, they built up financial assets of $817,159. That nest egg will have to hold them for what could be four or more decades. Yet they worry that their substantial personal assets may not be enough for the next few decades of living.
"Our goal would be to use the next 20 to 25 years of healthy living to do what we want," Victor says. "We just haven't been able to figure out what that means, except we know it means as little work as possible and a warm climate. We don't plan to leave an inheritance to anyone."
Family Finance asked Caroline Nalbantoglu, head of CNal Financial Planning Inc. in Montreal, to work with Victor and Suzy.
Capital erosion
The problem, as the planner sees it, is that Victor and Suzy are burning up their capital. Their present spending is $3,243 per month, including what they spend in the months away from Canada but not including savings. Their earned income from Victor's occasional consulting work, about $1,667 per month, requires they subsidize expenses out of their savings to the tune of $1,576 per month. If they do nothing about the deficit and if their non-registered savings generate 2% per year over the rate of inflation, they will have nothing left but their RRSPs by the time Victor is 62. Then they have to start withdrawing funds from their RRSPs, Ms. Nalbantoglu estimates.
If they each withdraw $11,500 from their RRSPs, take about $10,000 from non-registered investments and continue to earn $10,000 each per year in total, then they should be able to maintain an after-tax annual income of $43,000 until Victor is 65 and can begin receiving estimated CPP benefits of $6,420 per year.
Then he will stop working completely. Their income will dip for a few years. They can subsidize it by making withdrawals from their non-registered assets. In their mid-sixties, Victor's withdrawals from the RRSP will have to rise to $15,500 per year. Suzy's CPP benefits at age 65 will be $5,820. When each is 67, Victor and Suzy will be entitled to full Old Age Security benefits. At present, those benefits are $6,660 per year. Those government benefits plus their RRSP withdrawals will total $41,060 and if they continue to take both their RRSP withdrawals and their government benefits as described, they will be able to maintain an indexed income of about $40,000 indefinitely.
When Victor is 75, they expect to sell their condo and to move to an assisted-living facility. Their RRSPs at this point will be about $523,000. Money from the sale of their condo would cover any reasonable gap between income and the cost of the arrangements they envision.
A life of no work
Will this long-range plan work? Ms. Nalbantoglu suggests that their stays in warm places, probably the U.S., will cost more than the $10,600 per year they anticipate spending. "This is the price of vegetating in the sun, not doing things,' she says. "Eventually, they will want to be more active and activities cost money. What do they intend to do with all that free time for the rest of their lives?"
The question is not just rhetorical. The cost of out-of-country medical and hospital insurance will increase dramatically as they grow older. Moreover, if they overstay their tax-free welcome in the U.S., they could wind up having to prove they are mainly residents of Canada. The paperwork is demanding and cumbersome.
What do they intend to do with all that free time for the rest of their lives?
Even to generate a subsistence income, Victor and Suzy will have to adjust their portfolio. The 2% return after estimated 3% inflation is modest, yet the present allocation in their portfolio is 64% cash and fixed income. That will not support the 5% gross return they need at a minimum. Victor and Suzy would have to raise equities to 64% and drop fixed-income to 33% to achieve a 5% pre-tax investment income.
The risk of retiring early and depending on savings is enormous. Predictions of returns on savings are based on current economic conditions, but those assumptions can change. Interest rates could soar, equity returns could slump. The longer the period during which people do not earn income, the more they are at risk of having unforeseen events defeat the plans. Thus early retirement, as Victor and Suzy are doing it, puts them at substantial planning risk.
Dropping out at their relatively young ages and coasting for four decades on savings is a risky plan. They have a few choices. They can:
• Hold a high cash balance and avoid short-term risk to their portfolio, accepting instead the guaranteed outcome that they will be swamped by inflation in a few decades;
• Rotate their investments to two-thirds stocks and one-third bonds or other fixed income and take higher short-term market risk; or
• Go back to work at least on a part-time basis, raise their pre-tax salary income to perhaps $30,000 per year and wait until their 60s before making a complete break with the drudgery of work.
This last choice is the safest, Ms. Nalbantoglu adds.
In the end, Ms. Nalbantoglu says, they can live on $40,000 a year and spend four months of the year in a warm place. "Their retirement objectives are achievable. I just don't think they are realistic," she says.
Financial Post
Illustration by Andrew Barr/National Post
E-mail firstname.lastname@example.com for a free Family Finance analysis.


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Protein phospatase (PP2A) from ZEU-INMUNOTEC is the best choice for okadaic acid and microcystins detection
Recently, two papers have been published in Talanta and Analitical Chimica Acta comparing protein phosphatases (PP) from several sources (ZEU-INMUNOTEC, Millipore and GTP) and origin (recombinant or natural). A colorimetric in vitro assay was used to compare phosphatases in solution or entrapped within either a photoploymer or an agarose. Authors showed that the phosphatase from ZEU was the most sensitive to microcystins with a detection limit of 0.0039 ug/L and an IC50 of 0.56 ug/L for MC-LR in the assay conditions. In the case of okadaic acid toxins, phosphatase from ZEU had a detection limit of 0.012 ug/L when phosphatase was used in solution. Analysis of real samples (mussels) using the ZEU´s phosphatase showed also a very good repeatability (RSD = 1-6%). These results show that phosphatase from ZEU is the best choice for the detection of okadaic acid and microcystin toxins. ZEU-INMUNOTEC uses its own phosphatase to produceOKATEST (a kit for the detection of okadaic acid toxins in molluscs, recently UE-validated) and MICROCYSTEST (a kit for the detection of microcystins in water, evaluated under the ETV program in agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency).
Etiquetas:microcystest, okadaic acid, okatest, phosphatase, protein phosphatases, toxins


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You may download any of these ebooks anytime, as often as you wish.
Each ebook is available in PDF format. Simply click on the title you wish view, download or print.
- Google SEO Tips
- 101 eBay Power Seller Secrets
- 101 Romantic ideas
- How to Achieve Success with Your Own Newsletter
- Twenty Great Ideas for Pro-Basing your figures
- Newlywed's Guide to Happy Marriage
- 77 Ways to Get Traffic


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Asthma & Allergy Associates PC
Medical / Health Care Facilities
Call (607) 733-5086Directions
Get directions to thisWebsite
location on Google Maps.
location on Google Maps.
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Asthma & Allergy Associates P.C. has been in business for over 37 years! We strive to provide you with friendly and efficient allergy and asthma care.
Business Hours
Monday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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6 June 2014
The English Premier League remains the most lucrative in world football, according to a new survey by consultants Deloitte. It's calculated that revenues at the 20 Premier League clubs will have grown by 28% over the last season, to 5.4 billion dollars. But high wage costs mean that most of that money will have been paid to the players.
Theo Leggett
Click to hear the report
The wealth of the English Premier League was boosted this season by new domestic television deals, which are expected to generate nearly 6 billion dollars over three years. Commercial revenues, from sponsorship and merchandise sales have been growing rapidly, especially at Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool.
However, wage costs have also been increasing. In the 2012 to 2013 season, they accounted for 71 percent of overall income, while the money spent on player transfers grew by nearly a third, to 1.2 billion dollars.
As a result, although the Premier League is the richest in Europe, it is not the most profitable. That title goes to Germany's Bundesliga, which operates strict cost controls and limits the share of income which can be spent on players' wages.
Click here to hear the vocabulary
- boosted
- deals
financial agreements
- generate
make (here, money)
- revenues
- merchandise
goods and products
- accounted for
part of the total (of something)
- profitable
that results in money being made
- strict
strongly controlling the behaviour of something


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5 Hot New Wedding Trends for 2016
1. Long tables for a more intimate dinner vibe.
The experts at Bridal Guide are saying round tables are out and long tables are in. Any setting that creates less of a banquet feel and more of an intimate gathering is on trend in 2016. We love this shot by Lisa Rigby Photography, that highlights an amazing feature of this unique Provincetown wedding: a long table down a dock. For this table we created an array of varied arrangements with vintage milk glass and textural blossoms.
2. Loose, organic florals continue.
2015 was full of blooming, organic florals and the bloggers at StyleMePretty predict that 2016 will be no different. Bring on the garden roses. Bring on the dahlias. 2016 here we come.
3. Metallics, Metallics, Metallics! Specifically, Rose Gold is going to be a popular color for 2016.
As time has shown, metallics never get old! The color predictors at Glamour, are saying rose gold is in. Metallics add the perfect touch of fun and sophistication to any event. We love this shimmery rose gold sequin linen featured on the sweetheart table at one of our weddings. It made the perfect pop of glamour.
4. Grand Exits!
Whether it's sparklers, flags, kazoos or confetti, grand exits are just as fun as grand entrances! Exits make for a perfect photo opp with a more casual + fun feel because the night is in party mode! As HuffPost Weddings explains, it's a great way to keep guests engaged 'til the end. Also, fun ideas after the exit like food trucks or takeaway items are always an extra treat for guests!
5. Relaxed Setting.
Hello, bare feet. Hello, beachy vibes. Bloggers at Brit+Co suggest zen is the key to weddings in 2016. Keeping it easy and casual, by having a wedding in a laid back setting makes it easier on couples and their guests. More fun, less stress.
Check out these fun pew markers we make for one of our beach weddings!