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Being your unit's treasurer does not have to be overwhelming. We have put together the following tools to make your job easy. Also remember to call the state office if you're having any difficulties or need additional forms.
First things first:
Your PTA Fiscal Year should be from July 1st through June 30th. Review Beginning of Your Term & Fiscal Year.
You are important to your Units Good Standing:
1. Membership Dues (at least the 1st installment) must be submitted with a Membership Remittance Form to the state office no later than November 1st. Dues are $5.25 per member and tax deductible. You will be working with your membership chair to complete this.
2. Annual Audits must also be submitted to the state office no later than November 1st. Audits must be preformed annually at the end of each fiscal year AND/OR before any new officer (who is a signatory on the account) assumes their duties.
What you need to know about Budgets:
1. A budget is an outline of estimated income & expenses that covers a 1 year period that should equal receipts/vouchers.
2. Funds should not be spent until you have an approved budget.
3. The budget is created by a finance or budget committee and presented to the membership for approval. It should be presented item by item to allow for discussion.
4. Budgets may be amended by vote of the association during the year. Additional expenditures not provided for in the budget must be approved by the membership.
You are responsible for Reconciling AND Reporting Finances to your membership monthly. **Make sure someone (who is NOT a signer on the account) signs your reconciled bank statement for insurance coverage purposes!
Wisconsin PTA Treasurer's Handbook – Your instruction book for all of your duties. This handbook covers all of the above, gives samples and much more!
National PTA Finance Quick Reference Guide
National PTA Electronic Commerce Guide
Defining the Difference Between Theft & Fraud
Defining Tax Deductible Membership Fees
Mismanagement of PTA Funds
Fund Raising & Finance Guide (Where should PTA dollars go?)
The Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) REQUIRE filing annually with them to maintain your tax exempt status.
Wisconsin Registration to Solicit Donations Info (with informational LINKS) – This registering needs to be completed each year by July 30th for all charitable organizations that collect over $25,000 in solicited or unsolicited contributions. This means you! Click the above link for forms and more information.
PTA Federal Tax Filing Info (with informational LINKS) – The IRS filing needs to be completed each year by November 15th. All non-profits are required by the IRS to file a 990 ANNUALLY. (Important! If you use an outside accountant, tax person OR auditor to prepare your Federal 990, make sure they are experienced in NON-Profits)
Federal Tax Exemption & State Sales Tax Exemption Info– Find out what allows you to be a tax exempt entity Federally AND avoid paying sales tax in Wisconsin. (It is an optional one time filing, which MOST units have already completed) Click the above link for forms and more information.
Don't forget to send a copy of the above filings into the state office for us to keep in your file. Last but not least….
- Tax revocation questions? Get your answers here
- Raffles – Your PTA more than likely needs a raffle licence to hold one. Information can be found on the Wisconsin Department of Gaming website.
- Copies of your PTA WI Sales Tax Exempt form can be obtained through the WI Dept. Of Revenue. If Wisconsin PTA has a copy of your form on file, we can also furnish it for you.
- Check out your legal requirements for obtaining movie viewing licences, music rights and more on our
Legalities to Know page.
- Incorporation – or being incorporated. This is not necessary but highly recommended to units. You may get documents to become incorporated at the WI Dept of Financial Institutions.
Treasurer Forms:
- Monthly Treasurer Report Sample (Can be customized-presented and filed at each PTA meeting to show current activity in regards to the budget)
- Receipt Report Form (blank-completed when monies are taken in at a PTA function for the permanent record)


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With a name like Echodrone and an album title of 'The Sun Rose In A Different Place', there will be no prizes for guessing which style of music this San Francisco-based act prefer. Formed by co-front person Eugene Suh and bassist Brandon Dudley, Echodrone borrow from various bands from shoegazing history and have presented a very solid first album.
'Sway And Drown' and 'Winter Station' are from the Slowdive school of angelic vocals and gently undulating melodies. 'Pack Of Wolves' is a real winner thanks to its strident rhythm section and the chilling lead vocals of Meredith Gibbons. After a lull at the middle of the record ('Adrift In A Metaphor' sets the controls for experimental noise but doesn't really do much else), there is the unusual treat of The Cars' 'Drive' redesigned as a shimmering pop gem. Then 'Gravity' again proves that Gibbons' husky tones are possibly the band's secret weapon.
Echodrone seem to cherry pick from various bands from the last twenty years and it's hard to find anything particularly distinctive about their music. Yet what stands in their favour is that they have crafted a strong set of songs that reveal them as fine exponents of the genre.
Web Sites:
Echodrone Official Site
Echodrone MySpace
Further Listening:
Slowdive, Engineers, Her Vanished Grace

subset: commoncrawl


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3 Casual Valentine's Date Looks (under $100)
When it comes to Valentines Day, there tends to be a stigma of dressing, one of which puts a great deal of pressure to find an outfit that might be worn only a handful of times (we're looking at you, red pencil skirt). This year we're choosing a low-key celebration and searching our closets to find styles to match - casual, yet still fun and festive! Added bonus: each piece costs less than $100!
For Dinner and Drinks at Your Favorite Neighborhood Haunt
One way to add a bit of sparkle to your outfit while keeping it subtle is to pull on something with texture, like a sequin top, in a darker hue. You can pair it with jeans (like above), to keep it casual, then throw on your favorite pair of heels to complete the look. (top, $16 ) (jeans, $80) (skirt, $20)
For A Date Night In
The perfect mix of festive and low-key! A casual everyday sweater, be it cotton or cashmere, can be paired perfectly with your favorite leggings or sequin pants. To Buy: sweater ($35) To Buy: sequin pants ($70 )
For The Day Date
While pinks and reds are hues that are usually associated with the holiday, mixing in a little minimalism with a fun shoe can be a great way to celebrate without overdoing it. If you're one to shy away from a bold color and like the idea of minimalism with a slight kick, this is the perfect casual (and comfortable) combination. To Buy: shoes, $80 To Buy: similar striped sweater top ($39) To Buy: jeans ($128)
p.s. Our go-to in outerwear this season? The oversized coat!


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Hey folks, quick one here! I just really wanted to share these photos of Lola's collar which was handmade by Needle and Hammer in Belfast. It's made from leather and has her name stamped into it. Johnny designed this for her and it's completely perfect! Her neck is so little (she's a miniature dachshund) we had her in a cat collar before this! We love it!
You can find Needle and Hammer as part of Blue Door Studio's stall at St George's Market, Belfast on Sunday or find their Facebook page here.


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Welcome to the Help Desk. Here you will find a collection of articles and online tutorials that are designed to make your visit to our community easier. Please don't hesitate to contact us and tell us how we can make your experience more fruitful!
Copyright © 2014 Emercy. Sitemap
HTML Versions of our most popuplar missions resources: Missionary Airfare, Home Schooling, Christian Drama and Mime, Missionary Fundraising, Medical Missions, Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL / ESL / TEFL), Missionary Training


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In recent news, Ecig Advanced's Klaus Kneale published an article saying that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is back to work pushing regulation forward on electronic cigarettes.
According to an email electronic cigarette trade organization SFATA sent out to its members, drafts of the FDA's deeming regulations have been sent over to the Office of Management and Budget at the White House for review.
The article goes on by saying:
If passed, the deeming regulation (as last claimed by the FDA) would classify electronic cigarettes as tobacco products. This would place regulatory control of the products in the hands of the FDA as part of its control of all tobacco products. Most likely this would also mean hefty taxes, testing and quality barriers, advertising and flavor bans, restrictions on who can sell them, packaging requirements, internet sales bans, and other elaborately designed obstructions. This would most likely ruin small (well, smaller than huge that is) electronic cigarette businesses and hand the industry almost entirely to the biggest three tobacco companies (Philip Morris, R.J. Reynolds, and Lorillard).
In my personal opinion, I want the regulation of the electronic cigarette industry, rather that be self-regulation or by government – my thought is some regulation needs to be in place because of ingestion and nicotine being in use. However, I'm not for electronic cigarettes being placed in a 'tobacco product' category.
Anyhow, you can read the full article here.


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-Shiga Prefecture
Enjoy the color of red leaves of the garden behind the reception hall of the temple.
This garden's name is "Seiryo No Niwa" means "Seiryu Garden" which have been designed as the scenic spot of the prefecture.
You can enjoy the stunning views of the autumn leaves of the garden from an observatory of the reception hall which is so splendid as if it were a painting.
■Tokugenin Temple (Seiryuji)
■Best period
Mid November~early December
288 Kiyotaki, Maibara shi, Shiga Prefecture
About 25-minute walk from JR "Kashiwabara Station"
▼Dear H.I.S.Thailand's social fans, did you have fun with campaign「Let's vote your favorite Japan's fall foliage destination where you'd like to visit !」?
ORIGINAL ARTICLE SOURCE : www.hisgo.com/visit-japan/


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On this episode, I talked about that dirty little word, success, and its cousin, perfectionism. Whether you like that word or not, if you are going to engage in anything creative or risky, you have an internal standard for what success is. The problem is that most of us aren't completely aware of what our definition for success really is. How we measure success is sadly usually rooted in something out of our control and illusory.
So, let's talk about success in a different way. One that brings freedom, and laughter, and joy.
Stuff I talked about on the show
I'm preaching at Imago Dei Church in Peoria, Illinois on January 24th. If you're nearby, I'd love to meet you! I'm preaching on the audacious belief that God is a verb, and therefore, so are we.
Teddy Roosevelt quote: "It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
Brene Brown wrote Daring Greatly, which was inspired by the quote above. Brene Brown is a shame researcher who is doing some of the best work on living courageously and wholeheartedly. I cannot recommend her book(s) enough.
Here's the link to my interview on the Drew Marshall Show.
Pre order Matt Bays' book Finding God in the Ruins
2 Timothy 4:6-7 (NRSV): 6 As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
What's Blowing My Mind
And finally, Lynne Hybels is such a hero, following her desire to help those who are in desperate need. Click here to access a list of trusted organizations who are doing really good work with Syrian refugees.
Click here to go to a page that highlights what Beginnings is all about, including a video I made, along with a link to read the first chapter for free. Feel free to share this page with friends!
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Order Beginnings now: Amazon | Books-A-Million | IndieBound | Barnes and Noble
Connect with me:
On Instagram, Facebook, Twitter.


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WHILE THE CALIFORNIA BEER FESTIVAL... is still several weeks out, at least around Southern California, lovers of spirits and spicy eats can savor a party put together by the very same people behind the mondo, on-the-road foam fest. It's the Tequila & Taco Music Festival, it's been around for a few years now, and it lands in a city known for its strawberry and wine and fruit-forward parties: Oxnard, California. But for one big weekend -- Saturday, July 18 and Sunday, July 19 -- mavens of mezcal and meaty-cheesy-vege-filled pockets of tortilla goodness make for The Collection at River Park for the sampling of fine libations and the meeting of many of the makers behind the labels. Your first stop, if you're intrigued, should be...
FINDING YOUR PLACE TO STAY... so you the drive home can wait for the next day. The festival has information on how to do this, and recommendations, like a Tequila Weekend Package at the Clocktower Inn. You can also find a room at several area hotels, from the Marriott Ventura Beach to Four Points by Sheraton Ventura Harbor Resort.
AS FOR APPETITE-STOKING ENTERTAINMENT? Metalachi -- that's metal meets mariachi, oh yeah -- is one of the live entertainment choices during the weekend. Rock out to the offbeat fusion awesomeness on Saturday, July 18.
AS FOR A TOP SHELF TEQUILA TASTING? That's happening from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, July 18, alongside the serving of margaritas and posh craft brews. Sunday is more about the margaritas, but tacos shall reign supreme both days, with El Taco de Mexico, Tacos Biri's, Tacos Don Chente, Mom & Pop's Tacos, and an array of other street-savory creators of culinary goodness, the kind of cuisine that hits the spot with a salt-rimmed margarita. Have your hotels and ride lined up? Ready to sip some tony tequilas and nosh on stuffed tortilla yumness? Okay, start here.


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A star Connecticut high school football player is behind bars and is being held on $1 million bond after appearing on a murder charge on Friday.
Tarence Mitchell, the 18-year-old captain of the Bloomfield High School football team, is accused of fatally stabbing his 27-year-old boyfriend Ronald Taylor who apparently tried to blackmail him when he tried to end the relationship, reports WVIT-TV and the Associated Press. Mitchell initially lied to police and said that he and Taylor were attacked by two men. He later admitted his guilt and reportedly confessed.
Mitchell told police that the two had a sexual relationship and that Taylor gave him marijuana and alcohol over the last two years, according to court papers. When Mitchell tried to end their relationship at the end of last year, "[Ronald] Taylor posted a picture of him on Facebook that included a blog of bad things about him, including him being a Bloomfield gay football star," the documents said.
On Thursday, Taylor told Mitchell he was coming over, and Mitchell stuck a knife in his pocket in case he needed to protect himself, the papers said. Mitchell said the attack began when Taylor struck him in the face; Mitchell then stabbed Taylor five times with the knife, which remained in Taylor's back until he pulled it out himself, the papers said.
The relationship reportedly began about two years ago. Taylor threatened to tell Mitchell's Facebook friends and the his mother when the teen attempted to cut it off, adds the Hartford Courant.
About three weeks ago, Taylor posted a picture of Mitchell on Facebook along with a post that contained insults about Mitchell, Mitchell told investigators. Among other things, it referred to Mitchell as a "Bloomfield gay football player," the report says. Taylor left the post online for up to five hours before deleting it, Mitchell told police. Then, about two weeks ago, the report says, Taylor told Mitchell he would put the picture back up on Facebook — and make sure Mitchell's mother saw it — if Mitchell continued to distance himself from Taylor.
Mitchell also said Taylor became enraged when he texted girls and threatened him with a sword last week, according to the court papers.
Seduced a 16-year-old high school kid with alcohol and marijuana and attempted to blackmail him? Threatened him with a sword? A teen who thought his only way out was by killing the man? This story is operatic and tragic on so many levels.
Tarence Mitchell is charged with murder and his next court date for Dec. 3. Watch WFSB's report AFTER THE JUMP ...


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Describe a Time When Your Workload Was Heavy
During a job interview, you will likely be asked questions about how you managed your work responsibilities on your previous jobs. A typical question is, "Describe a time when your workload was heavy and how you handled it."
This question can come up in interviews for jobs at all levels, from entry-level to executive. Many jobs have times when the work piles up, and your answer will help the interviewer determine if you are a good match for the position.
Sample Answers to Heavy Workload Interview Questions
- While at the HKL plant, we were faced with a sudden order increase for the j-ball bearing from a new customer. I immediately sat down with the production supervisor, our materials/supply manager, and the union steward. We were able to lay out a workable plan that minimized hourly costs, guaranteed materials were available, and, with only a slight adjustment, met the production deadline. While it was challenging and involved long hours, the payoff was a signed contract with a new customer.
- When I was working on a software implementation team at ABC Company, we took over another company and had to transition many clients to a new product in a short amount of time. It took a lot of planning, time, hard work, and effort, but we were able to complete the project in a timely manner.
- When Judy was on maternity leave, I took over servicing her clients as well as my own. It was a good challenge to ensure they got the same amount of attention from our company as when both of us were on the job. At times when we had increased demands, I brought in George from accounting to assist in calls and tasks to ensure everyone got good service.
What to Include in Your Answer
Your interviewer is looking for employees who can react effectively to an increase in workload, without drama or a haphazard handling of the situation. There's no need to point fingers at coworkers or bosses, or even yourself.
The cause of the heavy workload should be stated in such a way that you aren't blaming somebody else for a delay or incompetence. If it was due to a co-worker being absent for illness or leave, this is acceptable to mention. Of course, if the heavy workload was due to some positive achievement on you or the team's part, be sure to include that information.
Explaining how you thought out a plan of action and worked together with others to ensure all contingencies were addressed is a good way to answer this question. Your potential employer will want to know how much of the plan was your idea.
If you or your team received a commendation or award for meeting the workload, you should definitely include that in your answer. It may feel like bragging, but it's important to note your achievements.
What Not to Include in Your Answer
Don't play the blame game in your answer. If the workload was heavy due to mismanagement, procrastination, or another type of failure, pass by the cause or only discuss it if asked further. Starting off your response by blaming someone else for the situation is a red flag to a hiring manager that you may not be a strong and positive team player.
If you were the cause of the problem that led to the work backing up, it's best not to discuss that element unless asked about it directly. "I overslept so I had to do eight hours of work in four hours, at least once a week," is certainly not an answer you want to provide.
Avoid too much drama in your answer. You don't want it to appear like you were in any way phased or stressed out by the challenge of an unanticipated workload. Rather than elaborating upon how difficult the situation was, simply provide a straightforward account of how you helped to efficiently and effectively resolve it.
More Job Interview Questions and Answers
The best way to feel confident before heading into an interview is to sit down and practice how you would answer the most common interview questions and answers. Doing so will help to ensure that you aren't blindsided by a question posed by a member of the hiring committee. If possible, have a friend or family member pose as the interviewer so you can practice answering the questions out loud.
It's also wise to prepare a list of questions that you would like to ask during your interview about the employer or the specific position to which you are applying. Hiring committees almost always ask the question, "Do you have any questions for us?" at the end of an interview.
The interviewer will expect you to ask a few in order to demonstrate your interest in their company and your enthusiasm for the job they're offering. If you're not good at thinking of questions to ask on the fly, take some time to think of your questions now.


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What happens when you mix kung fu, steampunk, comic books, video games, and dub step all together? You get the above trailer for the new film Tai Chi Zero, from director Stephen Fung.
The movie, which features fight choreography by the legendary Sammo Hung (Ip Man, Ip Man 2), is an odd but compelling mish-mash of genres that is reminiscent of such modern classics as Kung Fu Hustle (with a dash of Scott Pilgrim thrown in for good measure).
Here's the official synopsis:
As an uncommonly gifted child, Yang Luchan had a fleshy abnormality that holds tremendous power growing on his forehead. However, being teased as the town fool, Yang's mother spurs him to practice martial arts, and following her wishes, Yang travels to the distant Chen Village to learn TAI CHI. At this legendary village everyone practices TAI CHI and uses TAI CHI in every aspect of their lives. Nevertheless, it is forbidden for a villager to disclose TAI CHI to an outsider, which Yang learns the hard way.
Upon arriving at the village, locals discourage Yang by challenging him with fights. From the strong men to old ladies to children, everyone defeats Yang with their TAI CHI moves. After facing the toughest battle and being defeated by Master Chen's beautiful daughter Yuniang, Yang is determined to master the art of TAI CHI and goes in search of Master Chen. Little does Yang know, the poor strange man who he befriended is in fact Master Chen who had saved him from the duel with Yuniang. Master Chen realizes Yang's genius and disguises himself to secretly guide Yang to his self realization of TAI CHI.
One day, a frightening steam-powered machine comes to the village, lead by Fang Zijing, a childhood friend of Yuniang. He has bribed government officials to permit him to build a railway that will run straight through the village. Yang decides to join forces with Yuniang to defeat Fang Zijing and destroy the machine. This brave act may just win him the hearts of the villagers….
And check out an even goofier "Ultimate" trailer and two clips from Tai Chi Zero:
At its heart, Tai Chi Zero has a very traditional plot - an outsider wins over a small town by learning kung fu and helping them defeat a greater threat. But visually, the movie is all over the map (in a good way). It may not play well to general audiences, but this movie is tailor-made for not only kung fu fans, but all kinds of nerds.
Tai Chi Zero comes out in limited release this weekend, October 19th, 2012. If you're a kung fu fan, it's definitely worth checking out.


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Societies Act Transition Workshop: Kelowna
Law for Non Profits
Monday, June 26, 2017 from 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM (PDT)
Event Details
The Workshop: There are more than 27,000 non-profit societies in BC, providing services and programs that touch virtually every citizen. All pre-existing BC societies need to transition to the new BC Societies Act. The Act includes many significant changes. There is a two-year transition period by which time all societies in BC will have to have filed a transition application. This workshop will provide your society with the information it needs on whether to make any bylaw or policy changes necessary for your society to transition to effectively function under the new Act.
Register with the HUB prior to the workshop. This workshop is organized for societies in the Okanagan catchment area who have registered with the Okanagan Transition Hub. you can do that here lawfornonprofits.ca/transition-hubs-okanagan.
Resources (click to open)
Legal Self-Assessment Tool
New Societies Act Webinar
The Facilitator: Martha Rans
Martha is the Project Lead of the Law for Non Profits and the Legal Director of the Pacific Legal Outreach Society. She has been a lawyer for over 20 years. Her Vancouver-based law practice specializes in the legal needs of non-profits, charities and digital creatives. She advises on charity law, incorporation, governance, privacy, employment, labour, health & safety and human rights. She spent 10 years as labour employment and human rights lawyer/mediator with the BC and Ontario governments. A recognized expert on the BC Societies Act, she has co-chaired the provincial Continuing Legal Education of BC Charities and Non Profit Law since 2014. (martharans.ca)
*Please note: due to funding from the City of Kelowna, the Central Okanagan Foundation and the South Okanagan-Similkameen Community Foundation, this event is open to any non-profit organization within the Okanagan catchment area.
Please add yourself to the waiting list. In the event a space is not available we will contact you as soon as any other events are scheduled.
When & Where
BDO Canada LLP - Landmark 6
#400 - 1631 Dickson Ave.
British Columbia
Monday, June 26, 2017 from 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM (PDT)
Add to my calendar
Law for Non Profits
The Pacific Legal Education and Outreach Society (PLEO) was founded to enable BC's non profit sector to better access legal information, education and advice. PLEO is the home of two initiatives: Artists' Legal Outreach and Law for Non Profits, which helps empower BC's 27,000 non profit societies with legal informaiton and education.
WE THANK the funders and supporters of Law for Non Profits:
- The Law Foundation of BC
- The City of Vancouver
- City of Kelowna and the Central Okanagan Foundation
- The Notaries Foundation
- Columbia Basin Trust
- BC Housing and the BC NonProfit Housing Association


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How to Rent Your Property with NO Hassle, NO Voids,
NO Fees, More Rent in Your Pocket!
Your rent is Guaranteed for at least 12 months even if your Tenant ends their Tenancy.
Your Rent is still Guaranteed even if your tenants becomes unemployed.
There are no fees or commissions payable within this Guaranteed Rent Scheme.
Complete Peace of Mind for the Property Owner/Landlord.
FREE Legal Action if your Tenant breaks the Tenancy
Your Property is returned to you in exactly the same condition GUARANTEED
We Guarantee to RENT Your Property within 29 days or we will pay the Rent for you ourselves
'We will exceed your expectations'
Here are 10 reasons to chose our Guaranteed Rental Scheme.
1. No Letting Agency or Rental Fees to pay.
2. No Late Tenant Payments.
3. No Voids.
4. No Utility Bills to Pay or Council Tax Charges.
5. No Letting Management Fees.
6. No Rent Insurance Premiums.
7. No Problematic Tenants
8. Any Eviction Costs are FREE of Charge.
9. Less Hassle, More Rent, Its a 'NO Brainer'
10. Free Detailed Inventory Report
Buy Sell Property can offer all Property Owners/Landlords a Guaranteed Property Rental for 1,3 and 5 Years in Barry, Rhoose, Llantwit Major, Sully, Penarth, Dinas Powys, Cardiff, and Rhondda Cynon Taff area.
Please register your details below so I can contact you and find out how much you property is worth on our Guaranteed Rental Scheme.
Guaranteed Rent,Guaranteed Rental,Rental Guarantee,guarantee rental scheme,guaranteed rent uk,no voids,no letting agency fees,no letting management fees,no agency fees,guaranteed rent scheme,no rental fee,no letting agent fees,Guaranteed Property Rental
There's no better feeling than knowing your rent is GUARANTEED for at least 12 MONTHS
3 and 5 Year Guaranteed Rent Options also available
We'd love to hear from you!
Adrian Hibbert - Property Professional - Call me anytime on 07966 871854


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At some point you'll probably want to know how to record acoustic guitar. Sadly, unless you have prior recording experience, chances are that the results will be underwhelming. In this post I'll give you some tips on recording and signal processing that hopefully will get you results you'll be happy with.
How I Record Guitar
Recording is one of my great joys, and even when it's not successful, it's still educational. Recording can be done for cheap these days, and as long as you don't have a large orchestra or choir, or an acoustic drum set to capture, you can easily make do with a spare bedroom.
More Tips for Recording Electric Guitar
In an earlier post, inventively called «Tips for Recording Electric Guitar», I wrote about things that I've found are crucially important for getting a good guitar sound on tape or disk. The post wasn't focussed on gear, as I felt that this had been sufficiently covered by others. I have now changed my mind, and […]
Tips for Recording Electric Guitar
Before I started writing this post, I did some searching on Google. I found that most of the stuff that's written on this topic is very equipment-focused. Yes, you need gear, and a couple of really good EQ and compression plugins (or the real thing, if you can afford it) will surely make the job […]


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"Beautiful things don't ask for attention."
Welcome to CalliRosa – Calligraphy and Custom Design.
My name is Charlotte Rosales, calligrapher and wedding stationer. I service the greater San Antonio, Hill Country (New Braunfels/Boerne/Helotes) and Austin area. I am very passionate about celebrating your milestones in life: no matter how big or small. As a firm believer in creating keepsakes, I love creating something tangible that you can look back on to commemmorate those precious moments.
If you are looking for unique custom wedding invitations or wedding calligraphy, you have come to the right place!
Please visit my Instagram feed for my latest work. You can also contact me here or request a quote for commissions or more information. We would love to help you celebrate the important moments in your life!


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Sony Mobile Communications
With the announcement of our stunning new pink Xperia Z5, we talked to designer Rikke Gertsen Constein about the inspiration behind the new colour and design in the world of technology.
Obviously, the first question is 'Why Pink?'
Looking at the entire colour palette, the shade of light dusky pink seemed to create the perfect composition of colours across the range. Adding pink to the Z5 series completes the palette in a nice contemporary way.
In some spaces Pink is associated with being saccharine or feminine but in the past it has also been used to represent stamina and power, what was your personal inspiration for the new Xperia Z5 colour?
The light dusky pink is simply beautiful. We wanted to find a pink that fits perfectly into your life without being intrusive. This pink works well across multiple design languages; fashion, graphic design and to a great extent in interior design. It is a colour that will fit wherever you are.
Do you have any processes you go through when choosing a new colour? (Is it user polling, brand identity, etc?)
It is not as simple as just adding a colour to the product. The material of the phone and the design of the curves and edges also has a great impact on which colour is best suited.
We knew we wanted to add pink to the Z series from our first moodboards and sketches. But to get the tone right with the frosted glass and aluminium frame did take some time. We researched many places in which the most beautiful shades of pink can be found, from nature and Japan's own Sakura cherry blossom right through to the colours in the sky during a beautiful sunset.
We wanted the colour to appear strong and modern. And here the material is playing an important role. It feels fresh, contemporary and modern in these materials.
How do you juggle the balance between user preference and your own inspiration?
Colour is very personal and individual. As a designer you need to trust your own instinct and antenna for what the future brings and what the future preference will be. The consumer might not know yet what they want one year from now.
Pink was one of the main trends in this year's London Fashion Week, do you think fashion trends like this affect the world of tech and product design?
I am very interested in fashion trends and the plethora of personal choices these trends give you. With fashion, you can wear a different style or colour to express yourself every day if you choose, however with your smartphone you keep the same style and colour for much longer. So when choosing the colours we have to consider that a smartphone is something you carry with you every day and will not simply change as freely as you change your clothes. This is why it was so important for us to find a colour that would easily fit in with your every day life and allow you to express your personality.
Keep checking with your local providers to find out when Xperia Z5 Pink will be available in your area. Let us know what you think of the new colour in the comments section or on Twitter.


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Professor Truijen's young staff made a self-confident start on a new plan for the degree programme, which would be put into operation in 1971 as the "Boerakkerplan". The core of the new plan comprised design exercises, supported by problem-analytical research. This approach was derived from the book entitled 'Structure of Design Processes' by the celebrated British design theorist, Bruce Archer.
"Although the association with Architecture was still new, the degree programme in ID quickly developed a very different character"
In the same year, the programme officially became independent and continued as a Bridging Department, now on the Ezelsveldlaan. Although the association with Architecture was still new, the degree in ID programme quickly developed a very different character. After all, product design involved massive differences in scale, manufacturing methods, types of use and thereby also a different debate. At this time, the Bridging Department was recruiting practitioners such as the graphic designer Wim Crouwel (1972) and the product designers Aat Marinissen (1971), Wim Groeneboom and Wim Rietveld (1973).
With the focus on product manufacturing and use also came a very different kind of research tradition from that which prevailed in architecture. In short, the greatest difference lay in the amount of attention paid to the relationship between products and people. With respect to this, the Leiden-based psychologist Hans Dirken was appointed to teach ergonomics (1972), and the Groningen-based historian Henri Baudet was given a lectureship that focused not so much on the cultural history of design, but on the social and economic aspects of the use of products. The first research carried out within the degree programme concerned the typological development of the telephone apparatus, a research theme that was to feature in the degree programme for a long time.


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KBB.com is renowned for getting consumers reliable information on a wide array of vehicles, including new Toyota near Orlando! They also regularly publish "best of" lists, as well as hand out awards to notable automotive manufacturers and different cars. For example, they recently named the 2013 Toyota Avalon and 2013 Toyota Prius v as "Best Family Cars" because of their spaciousness and safety features. They also gave another one of our family's new Toyota options an award – the 2013 Toyota Prius c was named one of the Ten Coolest Cars under $25,000… and you can find it at both Toyota of Orlando AND Toyota of Clermont!
The 2013 Toyota Prius c near Orlando is definitely deserving of a spot on the 10 Coolest Cars under $25,000 list. It's super compact and sporty (making it perfect for driving in crowded city streets), an eco-friendly hybrid, and packed full of new technology to keep its drivers connected no matter where they're headed. You'll be able to find it at Toyota of Clermont when they open this June, and this new Toyota dealership will have all four trim levels (One, Two, Three, and Four).
2013 Toyota Prius c near Orlando offers stylish hybrid option
The new Toyota Prius c is incredibly stylish! It's a compact hatchback, so you'll have plenty of space for whatever small cargo items you need to haul around (plus room for four friends). It has great features and options like:
- Projector beam halogen headlights, integrated fog lights, and LED stoplights in the rear
- A power moonroof with a sliding sunshade
- 15- or 16-inch 5-spoke alloy wheels, as well as a super sporty rear spoiler with an LED stoplight in the middle of it
- Power outside mirrors with turn signal indicators incorporated into them
- An optional SofTex interior – this synthetic material is almost identical to leather, but it's more eco-friendly (keeping in tune with the hybrid technology) and much easier to maintain
- A SofTex trimmed steering wheel with audio and Bluetooth controls mounted on it
Get cool technology in this new Toyota hybrid near Orlando
You won't just find looks on the 2013 Toyota Prius c, though. It's also got a ton of cool technological features and options to keep you connected, like:
- A sleek display audio system with a 6-inch touchscreen interface, Bluetooth wireless streaming, MP3 playback, iPod connectivity, and even Sirius XM Satellite Radio. You can also opt to include navigation if you get the urge to explore, or Toyota's Entune! This is a system of apps that connects through your smart phone to give you access to things like IHeartRadio, OpenTable, Movietickets.com, and other real-time information and apps!
- The Smart Key System – this awesome technology allows you to open your Toyota hybrid's doors when you get within three feet of the car, as long as you have the key fob on your person. You can also use a Push Button Start to get rolling!
Did we mention the money aspect? At both members of our family, the 2013 Toyota Prius c kicks off at just over $18,000 so it's ultra-affordable, and it'll save you big bucks after the fact with its 53 mpg in the city and 48 mpg on the highway!
Come see what this cool new Toyota hybrid has to offer you – visit Toyota of Clermont at their grand opening in June at 16851 State Road 50, or swing by Toyota of Orlando today at 3575 Vineland Road! Ask about new Toyota Prius c specials to help you save even more!


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Special Opportunity: Get IUD or Implant at No Cost
Intrauterine devices (IUDs) and contraceptive implants are available for many PPNYC patients at no cost!
These long-acting reversible birth control methods are great options for women of all ages, including teens.
An IUD is a little t-shaped piece of plastic inserted in your uterus. It will protect you from pregnancy for 3-12 years, depending on the type of IUD.
An implant is a tiny rod that's inserted under the skin of your upper arm. It's so small that most people can't see it in your arm. It will protect you from pregnancy for 3 years.
If you want to get pregnant, you can have an IUD or implant removed at any time.
Thanks to the generosity of public and private funders, PPNYC can make these birth control methods available to many of our clients who qualify for them.
You can book an appointment online for most services including an IUD or implant. Find a health center in the "Book an Appointment" box at the top or bottom of this page and then book your appointment online. If a service is not available online, call us at 212-965-7000.


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This is a super fast, very easy recipe that has plenty of spinach. Enjoy this healthy dish.
Yield: 4 servings
Place spinach on top and cover. Cook an additional one-two minutes until the spinach wilts. Toss with zest, juice and mustard. Sprinkle with herbs if using and serve immediately.
Nutrition facts (per serving) serving size 2 cups: calories 270, protein 28 g, carbohydrates 20 g, fat 9 g (saturated fat 1 g), cholesterol 20 mg, fiber 6 g, sodium 562 mg
Recipe courtesy of Jennifer Iserloh, the Skinny Chef.


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British utility BG Group has offered A$13 billion (US$12.1 billion) for Origin Energy, Australia's
second-largest power retailer, as it looks to establish itself as a major player in the Pacific region, sending Origin's shares up nearly 40 percent.
Origin said in a statement that BG's proposed offer, which it had yet to consider, was at A$14.70 per Origin share. That represents a 40.4 percent premium to Origin's Tuesday close of A$10.47, according to Reuters calculations.
"Its a pretty high price and premium. And it's all cash so its going to be hard for Origin to turn it down," said Sydney-based Jason Mabee, a utilities analyst at ABN AMRO.
Shares in Origin jumped as much as 39.4 percent to a life high of A$14.60, and traded 37.5 percent higher at A$14.40, indicating investors were not expecting a better offer.
"I would have thought it'd be hard to get competing interest. It's not as if it's a low offer putting it in play. This seems like a fairly full offer on face value," said Rohan Walsh, an investment manager at Karara Capital.
Two months ago BG paid A$664 million for a 10 percent stake in Australian coal seam gas producer Queensland Gas and some of its assets to start an A$8 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant near the Queensland port of Gladstone.
BG and Queensland Gas plan to build a single-train LNG plant with capacity of 3-4 million tons a year. Analysts said Origin's extensive coal seam methane assets in Queensland could provide gas for a second plant.
BG, valued at around $86.5 billion, is one of the world's most active LNG traders and has long voiced the goal of expanding its position in the Pacific Basin, where LNG demand has been forecast to grow strongly.
Origin advised shareholders to take no action pending further announcements from the company.
Rival Offer
Origin is the largest holder of coal seam gas resources in Queensland. It is also Australia's only vertically-integrated energy company with oil and gas production assets accounting for about a quarter of its revenues, which have helped offset tighter margins in its traditional retail energy business.
Local rival Santos, which also plans to build an LNG plant at Gladstone, could potentially throw in a rival bid for Origin, but the chances of that happening were fairly slim, analysts said.
"Santos could make a bid but it would be difficult for them to come up with a higher offer," said a Melbourne-based analyst who asked not be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue, adding BG had more financial muscle.
BG's offer for Origin sent Queensland Gas shares soaring more than 15 percent early on Wednesday, while coal seam gas producers Sunshine Gas and Arrow Energy, which also plan LNG plants near Gladstone, rose 3.6 percent and 8 percent, respectively.


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Joseph Terlumun Aondona aka Biggie Brown, artiste and 300 level undergraduate of Benue State University.
The afro pop artiste-hails from Gwer West local government area of Benue State-is a young fresh new artiste on the scene bustling with energy, lyrical dexterity, a killer-flow, splendid delivery and a superb voice that seals the deal.
He started writing afro pop songs in 2007.
He came into limelight a little while back with a parodied version of P-Square's Chop My Money titled "Return My Money" which had massive airplay in the middle belt area of Nigeria. He recently got signed to Remedy Records. He recently released a single - Go Down And now he presents the video to the single directed by veteran music video director, Akin Alabi. Please enjoy and leave your thought.


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Protect Your Home by Installing a Smoke Alarm
There are many cases when a fire broke out and people were unaware of it until it is too late. This is why each house and store needs to have a fire and smoke alarm. If a smoke alarm is… Continue Reading


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The Canal Walk in downtown Indianapolis is a promenade for walkers, runners, bikers and sightseers. Whether you're visiting to get a feel for the city or pass through downtown on your daily commute, finding a moment to destress is not always easy. Thanks to Soothe, our vetted massage therapists bring a spa experience directly to your Indianapolis neighborhood.
Long strokes, kneading, and circular movements to relax and energize.
Slow, forceful strokes to target deep muscle and connective tissue.
Focused stretching improves flexibility and muscle recovery.
Lessens pregnancy discomfort and alleviates pain and swelling.
All modalities can be performed as couples massage.
Decrease stress and improve productivity with in-office massage.
Our highly competent therapists have experience from numerous prestigious massage therapy institutions.
"I left work yesterday at 7pm and scheduled a massage for 9pm. What an amazing way to end my week. Incredible app and service. "Katie F, Los Angeles
"I feel so spoiled. The best part? I can relax at home and not have to deal with the outside world after my massage."Michael C, Los Angeles
"One of the best deep tissue massages I've had. I'll never waste time driving to and from the spa again."Alexandra A, Miami
As an independent contractor for Soothe in the Indianapolis area, you have the flexibility to work when it's best for you. We take care of all the details so you can provide clients with a relaxing massage.
Text me the app download link:


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'Stranger Things' Season 3 Might Not Debut Until 2019
Posted on Monday, December 11th, 2017 by Hoai-Tran Bui
It's no longer strange to hear that an acclaimed show might be taking longer to come back than anticipated. Game of Thrones pushed back its final season by a year. Westworld's second season was delayed for nearly two years. Now, Stranger Things season 3 may not see the light of day until 2019.


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Pray for Christian Orphans Abducted After Sharing the Gospel
|Several orphans from the Pa'O ethnic group were abducted by angry Buddhists in February 2017 after they distributed gospel tracts during a large Buddhist festival. The orphans, who live under the care of a Christian worker, had distributed gospel tracts in 18 Pa'O villages before being confronted by Buddhist monks at the festival. When the monks called for their arrest and attempted to shave their heads, the youth fled to their home with the Christian worker. But the monks sent villagers and Pa'O rebel army officers after the orphans, and four of them were taken. One managed to escape and return to his native village, while the other three were detained and had their heads shaved. After 10 days, another of the orphans was able to escape and return home. The two remaining boys are thought to be detained in a Buddhist monastery. Pray that the orphans will continue to grow in faith and that their evangelistic efforts will bear fruit and lead others to Christ. Also pray for the Christian worker as he cares for additional orphans and raises them as followers of Jesus.


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Why Go to College? an address
Publisher Description
This is a study book. If any young man to-day goes through Harvard lonely, neglected, unfriended, if any girl lives solitary and wretched in her life at Wellesley, it is their own fault. It must be because they are suspicious, unfriendly or disagreeable themselves. Certainly it is true that in the associations of college life, more than in any other that the country can show, what is extraneous, artificial, and temporary falls away, and the every-day relations of life and work take on a character that is simple, natural, genuine. And so it comes about that the fourth gift of college life is ideals of personal character. To some people the shaping ideals of what character should be, often held unconsciously, come from the books they are given by the persons whom they most admire before they are twenty years old. The greatest thing any friend or teacher, either in school or college, can do for a student is to furnish him with a personal ideal.


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If you drive all the way north up Custer Road, you'll come upon The Grove Frisco, a new 735-acre master-planned community by Newland. About 120 homes have been sold or are under construction in what Newland, the community developer with more than five decades of experience, calls a modern village. As you turn off Custer Road onto Gartner Road, The Grove Frisco feels different than an ordinary builder community under construction and it's all about the trees and The Orchard House.
Recently, Newland's Grove Frisco was named the Best Residential Community of the Year by Dallas Business Journal and The Orchard House was named Best Community Amenity by the Dallas Builders Association. The Orchard House is a modern farmhouse-styled clubhouse with fitness center, two pools, splash pad, and locally-owned Swirl Cafe & Bakery. (more…)


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Agency Problems and the Fate of Capitalism
Randall Morck, Bernard Yeung
NBER Working Paper No. 16490
---- Acknowledgments ----
Partial financial support from the SSHRC is gratefully acknowledged. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Bureau of Economic Research.
National Bureau of Economic Research, 1050 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138; 617-868-3900; email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Contact Us
Contact Us


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To make the Occasion of Eid even more happier for the people especially for women the fashion experts had started work even more efficiently and made a lot of the new fashion trends for the fashion lover according to their demand and requirement of the market as the demands of new trends are also increasing with the increase of interest of people in the fashion. Well among a lot of the new fashion collection of the time here i am going to present you a very beautiful and attractive fashion collection which have been launched by the on of the most famous fashion brands of the Pakistani Fashion Industry.
The collection i want to introduce to you for the occasion of Eid is named as "Bareeze Eid Collection 2013 For Women And Girls ". In this beautiful collection all the articles have been made especially by keeping the personality of the girls in the mind that they can enjoy their personality with the same perfection as she wants to be. It seems that the designers of Bareeze were working on this beautiful collection from a long time and now they have launched what they have created for us.
As every designer is keep on launching their new ideas for fashion trends and style it is getting quite difficult to launch something new and stylish for designers but the designers of Bareeze have beautifully grabbed the mind by presenting them with a totally new and stylish fashion collection of the year.
The designers have tremendously shown their command over the beautiful color combination and patterns which they have featured on the dresses. So if your want to get any of the dress from the Bareeze Eid Collection 2013 For Women And Girls you must have a look over the collection by your self and select by your self according to your taste and moods.


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We are passionate about protecting the rights of everyday people. We fight for each one of our clients, and we take on the fight as a team and as a family. We welcome you as part of our family at Atnip & Associates, PLLC, and we handle your legal claim as we would the case of a family member.
You get side-by-side legal counsel and guidance at our law firm. Our representation provides you with access to the full resources of the firm with your lawyer by your side every step of the way.
Based in Rochester, Michigan, we also have an office in Escanaba, in the UP. Each of our locations is suited to fit your legal needs, and your attorney is always just a phone call away.
In the UP and metro Detroit, our team of award-winning attorneys is at your service, bringing over 35 years of legal experience to your case.
Specializing In Catastrophic Motor Vehicle Accident Cases
You need a personal injury attorney who can be there for you when you have suffered significant damages or lost a loved one. We will be proactive advocates for your case, and dedicate ourselves to securing the maximum compensation you deserve for past, present and future damages and losses.
Our attorneys are leaders in the legal community, respected by the judges who may preside over your case and well-known by the medical experts who are essential in establishing the fair value of your damages and losses.
Please read more about each of our attorneys by following the links to their profiles.
Heather J. Atnip's Speaking Engagements
|Conference Name
|Provider Cases in the No-Fault Arena
|Relationship Between the Medical Provider and Attorney
|MAJ Annual Ski Seminar
|Obtaining Attorney Fees in No-Fault Cases
|Annual No-Fault Seminar
|Cross Examination of Neuropsychologist
|MI Annual No-Fault Seminar
|Large Verdicts
Please call our firm today at 248-599-1607 to schedule a free consultation with one of our lawyers. We are also available and respond promptly by email. We look forward to speaking with you about your legal options.


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Taking NPH insulin at bedtime may reduce or eliminate the blood glucose spike that many people experience during the predawn hours. Timing the insulin to peak when blood glucose spikes can, however, be difficult.
Learn more about the health and medical experts who who provide you with the cutting-edge resources, tools, news, and more on Diabetes Self-Management.
About Our Experts >>


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A Dunadry woman has reached the final of Northern Ireland's ' Greatest Scone' competition.
Siobhan Donnelly from Dunadry has been recognised as a finalist in the 'Golden Cow Softer Scone Competition following a search to find Northern Ireland's greatest scone recipe.
To celebrate the launch of its new 'Golden Cow Softer', Golden Cow collaborated with the experts at Belfast Cookery School to embark on a search to find Northern Ireland's best scone.
Entries were whittled down to just three finalists who were invited to Belfast Cookery School where they created their signature scones under the watchful eye of the judges and battled it out to win the coveted title of Northern Ireland's greatest scone recipe.
The judges chose three finalists who all brought something different to the table. Siobhan Donnelly from Dunadry baked her original recipe for an amazing Classic Scone, Pauline Dixon from Newcastle in County Down created Raspberry and Lemon Drizzle Scones with her own unique twist, and overall winner Lynne Crowther created savoury Posh Cheese Scones.
Ian Hunter, mentor and chef at Belfast Cookery School said: "We were delighted to partner with Golden Cow to find the best scone recipe in Northern Ireland and we were really impressed by the standard of all the entries that we received.
"The three finalists created amazing scones and they all should be very proud of themselves for getting this far in the competition. With three very different scones, it was extremely difficult to choose a winner. Siobhan and Pauline both baked scones that tasted phenomenal but Lynne's savoury cheese scones were technical perfection."
Speaking at the final Bronagh Clarke, Marketing Manager, Golden Cow said: "All three finalists today really demonstrated the passion that there is for cooking and baking in homes across Northern Ireland."
As runner up, Siobhan received vouchers for Belfast Cookery School and all three finalists took home a hamper of brand new 'Golden Cow Softer' so that they can continue to bake their signature recipes, with the same award winning Golden Cow taste, to share with their families and friends.


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New Spring Beauty Routine – Part 1
When I asked for your comments, you told me how you lighten up your skincare and beauty regime for the warmer weather. Sohnee has also decided…Read More
When I asked for your comments, you told me how you lighten up your skincare and beauty regime for the warmer weather. Sohnee has also decided…Read More
Part of a healthy beauty routine is a workout routine…but…I'm really bad at sticking to a workout routine. I hate to admit it but…Read More
Ah Winter! We love to complain about it don't we? I actually don't mind Winter – I'd prefer snow to rain any day! The…Read More
Many of us are scared to wear bright clothes especially to the office. If your work place is uber conservative then you may want…Read More
The weather has been so strange lately. Warm and sunny one day and windy and rainy the next! It can be really confusing these…Read More
I don't have very many investment pieces. Call it a state of mind or how I was "trained" when I was growing up but…Read More
Sometimes there's nothing wrong with basic jeans, t-shirt and a denim jacket right? I'm not sure if I can really pull off the Canadian…Read More
This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Express Canada. All opinions are 100% mine.Remember when I attended the Express Canada Grand Opening…Read More
One of my favorite brands, L'Oreal, is a proud sponsor of this year's TIFF and they threw a fun party last week to show…Read More
Back when I was running my previous blog Curls and Pearls I was contacted by a company called eShakti to do a review on…Read More


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From 5 to 20 November 2014, ICIMOD and partners will carry out an expedition to Yala Glacier in the Langtang Valley, Nepal. The expedition is part of the Cryosphere Monitoring Programme, funded by the Government of Norway.
The objectives of the expedition are to provide hands-on training on glaciological field measurements on Yala Glacier, take glacier mass balance measurements, and download ground temperature data for a permafrost study. The training is conducted for the partner institutes that comprise Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Government of Nepal, Water and Energy Commission Secretariat, Government of Nepal, Tribhuvan University, and Kathmandu University (on invitation only).


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Aided by coded engravings and historical and geographical clues, participants must make their way through six cryptic wooden puzzles in this sequential series of Sacred Myths and Legends. Puzzle #1 - Break the codes which will help recover the Secret Scroll that is entombed within DaVinci's greatest mystery, unearthing the clues to Puzzle 2...'The Equation'.
Sliding Tile Puzzles have been testing and teasing puzzle
enthusiasts since the 1880's. Whether tasting or touring, wine country is a splendid place to spend your time. Our gorgeous series of wine-themed tile puzzles are as lovely to look at as they are to play. They make perfect host and hostess gifts.
Let's make a toast to trivia! Fifty fascinating facts on wine: pairings, grape varieties, wine customs and wine movies. Test your knowledge on everythinggrape.
Board games, card games and dice games all add up to FUN with NUMBERS!
Ideal for classrooms or living rooms, these great games enhance math
skills in all who participate.
The next time you are invited to a friend's home for dinner, bring along their favorite bottle of wine locked within a perplexing wooden puzzle.
Spark conversation and bring smiles and a bit of perplexity to the
dinner table with 4 available editions. PLEASE USE THE STORE LOCATOR AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE TO LOCATE INDIVIDUAL ITEMS FROM THE GROUPING OF BOTTLE PUZZLES.
When the lifeless body of a retired notary and promoter is found, you and your guests partake in the
investigation to solve the case. Everything included for an evening of
intrigue. AVAILABLE FROM Editions Gladius FOR CANADIAN MARKET.
Millionaire Holden Goldman
has been found stabbed to death aboard his luxurious yacht. You and your dinner
guests are sequestered together to solve the crime. Everything included for a
captivating caper. AVAILABLE FROM Editions Gladius FOR CANADIAN MARKET.
Using speed and accuracy, children
flip over their animal cards, winning
the hand if they flip the largest
jungle animal.
Using strategy, deduction and logic, two players race to see who can be the first to correctly guess the opponent's secret square. Guess wrong and lose,but solve the secret square correctly and you've got Telepathy.
Invite your friends to partake in 30 thirst-quenching drinking games that will keep everyone amused, entertained, challenged, and satiated. Ping pong & straw pastimes as well as popular card and dice games will keep the good times rolling, making you the life of the party every time you uncork the Guzzler™ game! MAY BE PLAYED BY YOUNGSTER USING POP, JUICE, WATER...
Let the games begin; six hilarious party games and 216 cards will have your dinner guests asking for second helpings of fun! Charades, Say
Whaat, CDs and LPs humming game, Yadda Yadda Yadda, It's A Living
and DoubleDouble Talk are fun-filled treats for all.
Gather round for an after-dinner trivia treat. Six titles and 216 question cards on Motown Music, Wine, Food, Sports, Where on Earth and X-treme trivia will have guests asking for second helpings of fun!
In Puzzle #6 - Map your points carefully to expose 'Carta Blanca's mysterious hidden clues.
a new word each and every time you add a letter tile into the game. If you place an N
next to an O, you spell ON and NO - mark
them down and score a point for each word. If the next player adds a T, to
spell TO, NOT and TON, they mark them down for 3 points. Making words has never been so fun!
Cow! Pour 3 letter dice from
the milk carton then watch players get muddled as they try to be the first to
yell out a word that includes all 3 letter. And with multiple levels of play,
this boisterous, quick-thinking party game will have you playing 'til the cows
come home.
Roll the 9 dice and see how many times you can spell TEN or ONE in each roll. You get 10 points for the T and 1 point for the O. But if you make the decision to roll again and cannot spell either word, you lose ALL your accumulated
points. Addictive family fun.
For group and family game play or solitaire puzzle play, the multi award-winning Tantrix™ line has something for everyone. Two game packs are offered in the game series.
Aided by coded engravings and historical and geographical clues, participants must make their way through six cryptic wooden puzzles in this unique sequential Sacred Myths and Legends™ series.
An assortment of games specifically for youngsters. Each games is contained in a durable tin, instructions are included with each. Get ready for giggles as your kids decide who's the daddy of the gaggle, what they want to do when they grow up or who's the best at barking a song!
Five popular trivia topics test your knowledge on sports, food, the
world, x-tremes
comic book heroes & villains. 50 question and answer cards per tin.
Using strategy, memory,deduction and logic, kids race to correctly guess the secret sweet treat that the other player or team has chosen before their own square is guessed. Guess right and win, guess wrong and you've got a Brain Freeze!
Toss your bags at the 9 keys on the floor unit in an attempt to flip them to achieve three X's or O's in a row. This is a game you'll flip over!
Stand back and take aim at the 4 pockets in the fabric target. Each has a different score value so try to get your bags right in the middle pocket for the highest score!
Mini Table Top Pool Table brings real life action right into your home. Featuring two return compartments in the center, this 20 inch long tabletop version is lightweight enough to stow away when not in use and requires no assembly.
Mini Table Top Foosball brings real life action right into your home. Featuring 4 rows of 3 players – two rows per team, and easy ball return, this 20 inch long tabletop version is lightweight enough to stow away when not in use. Everything included for easy assembly.
The name says it all! You earn the money and the Sort-o-matic bank automatically sorts it for you, no batteries required. Holds over $20.00 in coins. Using a cool lever, coins can be dispensed one at a time for your spending convenience. BLUE ONLY.


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Don't buy those companies, says Mr. Mad Money, buy this company.
From Jim Cramer's This Market Has a Terrible Case of Attention Deficit Disorder:
Now this morning JP Morgan' s Apple analyst posited a host of acquisitions that could keep that service stream flowing: Activision Blizzard (ATVI), Sonos (SONO) and Netflix (NFLX) being the most prominent.
I was a bit surprised at this. I know I, for one, pushed hard for Apple to buy Netflix at $25. They didn't want it. I doubt they want it at $349.
Activision Blizzard has had a series of surprisingly weak quarters and I can't think about why they would want to ally themselves either with the declining Activision programs or the video games themselves as that business seems to be slowing.
Sonos? Doesn't move the needle. I think the idea to buy a house sound system company for a couple of billion would be poorly perceived. Maybe desperate even.
If Apple wants to buy something to fulfill Tim Cook's vision of saving lives with the Apple watch he should do something that gets that handshake going between the medical establishment and the watch itself. A partnership with Johnson (JNJ) on A-Fib or with Mayo Clinic on congestive heart failure would be terrific and you would pay $10 a month for that but I just want all my medical records from all different hospitals to talk to each so they can be on my watch. We've talked about this before. Now, though given the stock is well above where it was [on Jan. 8] when Cook talked to us — up $20 to be precise — we have to hope that something's going on besides the trade talks.
UPDATE: Cramer apparently forgot that he had a healthcare play he wanted to pump. So he added this video:
Cramer Remix: Apple's next move in health care could be with Dexcom from CNBC.
My take: I'd love to be a fly on the wall when a segment like this gets pitched. Where do these ideas come from? What kind of due diligence is done? Who has final say?
Dexcom, by the way, makes continuous glucose monitoring systems for diabetes management. The stock had a nice January and responded well to Cramer's plug yesterday.


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Butterfly House provides a prepared and facilitated Montessori environment for children aged 1-3yrs and their parent/carers. Modern neuroscience confirms that the most wiring of the human brain happens in the first 3 yrs of life. This forms the scaffolding upon which everything else is built. Understanding the needs of the developing child during this time is paramount.
A Montessori environment for this age group honours and nurtures the child's innate drive towards independence, allowing them to participate in and practise many activities that foster independence and the natural development of the child.


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I don't have any illusions when I write this blog, I know it's not going to bring me fame and riches and I think I'm fine with that.
To get fame and riches you have to tow the line and I've always been lousy at that so I just write whatever the hell I feel like writing because as long as I'm doing that, keeping the posts up, maybe making a few people laugh here and there, I feel like I'm making some kind of progress, slow as that might be.
I also learned pretty early on that when it comes to a blog site, the very most you can ask of people is that they hit your site. Not even necessarily read your stuff, just hit the site so your numbers tick over.
Anything more than that is an added bonus, something unexpected, which is why I value the comments people leave here so much because that's the highest level of engagement you could ever ask for on a blog site.
As sad as it might sound the hard truth of the matter is that on the interwebs people wouldn't piss on you if you were on fire and I'm not saying that in an angry or bitter way, I'd be a hypocrite if I were because I wouldn't piss on anyone if they were on fire either.
Ironically, all this preamble is of course leading to the moment where I ask you guys to help a Tiger out, as futile as that might be, so let's just skip the foreplay and get down to it.
The gig I had writing for Pulpmag.co.za has unfortunately come to an end. They'd still love to publish my content but due to lack of support from advertisers, can no longer afford to pay me for it and that news couldn't possibly have come at a worse time.
J-Rab is between jobs at the moment and the money is drying up fast.
I need to land something in the next three weeks, a couple of somethings ideally, so that I can bring home a little extra bacon, so I'm firing this out there into the ether to see if you or anyone you know is looking for a writer, doesn't matter what it is, I'll write the shit out of it.
Hit me on firstname.lastname@example.com if you know of anything. I can't really give you anything in return, but I'll put in a good word with the universe, we go way back
Yours in soon to be abject squalor,


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And that, by the way, is perhaps the most important difference between Christianity and all other religions: that in Christianity God is not a static thing—not even a person—but a dynamic, pulsating activity, a life, almost a kind of drama. Almost, if you will not think me irreverent, a kind of dance. The union between the Father and the Son is such a live concrete thing that this union itself is also a Person. I know this is almost inconceivable, but look at it thus. You know that among human beings, when they get together in a family, or a club, or a trade union, people talk about the 'spirit' of that family, or club, or trade union. They talk about its 'spirit' because the individual members, when they are together, do really develop particular ways of talking and behaving which they would not have if they were apart. It is as if a sort of communal personality came into existence. Of course, it is not a real person: it is only rather like a person. But that is just one of the differences between God and us. What grows out of the joint life of the Father and Son is a real Person, is in fact the Third of the three Persons who are God.
C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Well Said: Best explanation of the Trinity I've ever seen
4 comments:
Even as a cradle Catholic, this quote was a huge lightbulb moment for me! Even more so because as a Texas A&M grad and "cradle Aggie", it was a double whammy as a better understanding of the Holy Spirit and the Aggie Spirit clicked home at once.ReplyDelete
I would go with Frank Sheed's Theology and Sanity as the best explanation I have seen. Not to belittle C.S. Lewis.ReplyDeleteReplies
Hi Jeff ... what was that explanation? I seem to recall reading one in his Theology for Beginners which blew my mind. Literally. I had to stop thinking about the Trinity altogether for a while because I'd had it so wrong, but also because Sheed's was so difficult to absorb.Delete
Also, I was not speaking theologically actually, but as to my own personal grasp of the concept at all. So Sheed may resonate better with you and Lewis with me. Depending on what Sheed said. :-)
- Anonymous5/14/14, 9:04 AM
I agree with Jeff. Check it out.ReplyDelete


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I've been depressed for a while now. It didn't seem like depression because it was a process, an extenuation and worsening of the negative side of normal. I would have caught it sooner, I think, if it hadn't been for my inner Pollyanna and her relentless cheerleading. She works hard to keep me going, but part of her snappy patter is refusing to believe things are That Bad. Well, sometimes they are, and finding the upside of a crummy situation results in continuing the crummy situation rather than saying WHOA, this is fucked up, time to start changing things. It dovetails nicely with the Puritan farmer mentality I grew up with – but unfortunately, both of those are geared to help you ENDURE hard times rather than solve the problem. In short, it helps you put up with shit rather than fix it.
My attempts to get back on track have all failed. This is probably due to not addressing the cause of the problem. Pressuring myself to do better is just adding pressure if there is zero motivation for change. Add shame to the mix. Sometimes I would have a balanced moment and acknowledge that I wasn't trying to change right now but that I recognized the need to take better care of myself. But most of the time, all I could do was chide myself and hate myself and concoct schemes to jump start my motivation. Unfortunately, false starts and dead ends and restarts get me down – way down. Failure might light a fire under some fannies, but not mine. It drains me of motivation and makes me hate myself more when I try and fail and try again and fail again, despite the well-known quote from Samuel Beckett, as seen in a thousand earnest tattoos.
Over the holidays it got worse – more food, more drink, more escapism. I got fatter, and that made me sad, even though I had applied myself so diligently to those activities that make me fat. After the new year, the depression didn't get worse, but things happened that made me turn to my recently cultivated Bad Habits™ to cope. Alan Rickman died, David Bowie died. My favorite patient, the person I've worked with longest, died, as did another patient a few days later. These things did not help. One of my aunts is still dying, and that's sad enough without factoring in the effects on her brother and childhood best friend, who happens to be my father. The three-year mark passed since my husband had a job. My own work stress accrued. A new boss started at my work, and the change stressed me. She seems very nice, but there are perhaps a dozen reasons why I can't stand her. The capper: because I have Teacher's Pet Syndrome, I need to please her and I can't seem to, ever (only another Teacher's Pet will understand how vexing this is.) And then there is the SCA. Stopped playing before Thanksgiving, so no breaks, no socializing, no dressing up, no letting off steam. It's for the best, given the local crowd, but like work, it's one more coping tool that's not working for me, while food and beer and Netflix are.
And then there was the PMS. And the perimenopause. And the hideous problems that come from stuffing myself like a Strasbourg goose: constipation, skin breakouts, lower libido, snoring loud enough to wake the neighbors, hormone changes, headaches, poor sleep, and other effects from clogging my system with excess matter. I have been eating so much that it has overwhelmed my magical machine for processing and filtering and fueling and eliminating. Poor old wagon, overloaded, and trying so hard to keep me going.
My house is dirty. This says more than anything else. And I'm hairy: hairy pits, hairy legs, unpolished toes and fingernails. These are all signs, for those who know me. And Honey knows me better than anyone, but he accepts me wholly and without judgment. If I want hairy legs, he supports me in that. The problem is that I don't – but I have zero motivation to shave. All I can do is lie here, hating myself, and occasionally wondering what that rustling-leaves sensation is between my calves when I walk. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry when I realized it was the fluffy leggings I grew myself. I have known gorgeous brunette girls with dark, straight body hair that looks sleek and strong and which lies flat against the legs. Mine is sparse and nearly invisible and sticks straight out every which way. My legs look downy, like a baby bald eagle's. Now I can laugh, but there was great disappointment in myself when I realized that this was yet another one of the ten thousand things I was neglecting, wrecking, or half-assing.
Sunday was my iron wedding anniversary with my darling man, and this summer will mark 15 years together. All in all, this is delightful, although my pleasure was dampened severely by my feeling more and more certain that I am a worthless sack of shit as a human being. On Sunday I called home to talk to Mom — it had been longer than usual, maybe a lot longer — and after chatting a bit, I asked if she was feeling well because she sounded kind of croaky. Mom said that was a little bit of news: she was done fasting.
Ten years ago January, my grandmother died, after a long and painful deterioration. Her birthday is coming up in a few days, and I always try to be extra supportive of Mom from Jan to March. When Grandma was dying, I had no idea what was happening. Long distance bills were still a thing and I was earning too little to call. And Mom was too busy to talk. She was working with Grandma's husband in shifts to perform personal care during her final weeks. Round the clock feeding and cleaning and soothing and medicating, and the emotional attrition wore them both down, and out. They would have qualified for respite care if they had put her in a home, but they sacrificed their time and health and well-being to help Grandma die at home. This is everything to me, since I remember my Great-Grandma begging to die at home and her children not allowing it. I like to think they were hoping for a miracle, but she knew, and I am still horrified to think of her dying in a sterile ward instead of in the home she and her brothers built by hand just after World War I.
Mom, in the process of caring for Grandma, neglected herself; and having no time to prepare her own food, relied on nutritional supplements for all those skipped meals. Then Grandma died. Mom still couldn't eat more than supplements, couldn't sleep more than an hour at a time. Mom had to put Grandma's house in order, make all the funeral arrangements, deal with the insurance and banking and paperwork and wills and deeds and titles and taxes. Weeks passed and still no solid food. I came for the funeral and stayed a month – but I had to retreat to my aunt's house for part of the visit. I don't know if it was dust or stress or pet dander or constantly being choked up, but I literally could not breathe. I had never had an asthma attack or shortness of breath and it was terrifying.
Mom took this personally and wanted to fight about it all the time. She accused me of everything from giving place to demons to hating her so much that I couldn't stand to be around her. Every word hurt like hell, but I was too busy gasping for breath to fight or defend. In retrospect I feel it might have been Mom blaming herself for Grandma dying, Mom taking her grieving anger out on me, but I know my gasping scared her and my moving out wounded her and made her feel abandoned all over again. By the time I returned to my own home in February, Mom still hadn't resumed eating food — she would drink coffee but nothing else hot. No solid food. No broth or real food liquefied, either. The Lord told her not to; the Lord told her to fast. The Lord told her to rely on nothing other than the little jars of nutritional supplements she had been living on since Christmas.
At one point, some months later, my sister called me outside of Mom's hearing, to talk about the fights they had about it. There were even larger fights in following years. My sister and I spoke with a different aunt about an intervention, even calling the county to do a wellness check. It never came to pass. Eventually we just accepted it.
Last week Mom asked the Lord what to do about this cold that's been plaguing her, and asked a peer to pray for her. Her throat was so bad that she couldn't swallow her nutritional supplements and she was getting weaker. The peer told Mom out of the blue that God told her that Mom's fast would be done when she could no longer drink "those things", but she didn't know what that meant. Mom did. She started with a little chicken soup and the next day she had a poached egg on toast. She said it was the most delicious thing she'd ever eaten.
Just writing this makes me weepy, and I was choked up on the phone. This didn't last long, of course, because our joyful chatter turned into a bigger argument than we've had in months (catharsis?) and a period of banal conversation to normalize things afterward. I was still upset and stayed upset for many hours, taking refuge as I usually do, in eating too much, drinking too much, and planting ass firmly in cushion. I figured I felt terrible because of the argument, and the physical symptoms of my PMS. It didn't occur to me to consider that I might be getting sick, too. But I was freezing and aching and my throat was sore, and my weeping was also mucky eyes. Not exactly typical for Hormone Hell Week.
Woke up at three a.m. drenched in sweat, but weirdly euphoric. I took a shower and tried to rally for work, but still felt another wave of miseries coming on and breaking over me. Between the continued symptoms (especially the fever) and the VERY short night, I felt justified in calling in. But despite the physical horridness, I still felt peaceful, even cheerful; as if a burden had been lifted. I felt free to make good choices because I actually wanted the better choice and wanted the better outcome for myself, rather than knowing the right answer and not wanting it but choosing right out of guilt or shame or "should".
I felt like I wanted to take care of myself again, not because I had to (and *need* to — I have neglected myself for ages, really given up) but because I felt, deep in my bones, that I was worth caring for and doing maintenance on and even nurturing. I can't tell you the last time I felt that way. And I didn't feel hungry! Didn't feel the desperate urge to go fill myself with food. I can't tell you the last time I felt that way, either. For ages now, I've been an insatiable glutton, all binge and no purge. And it's not that I don't have a larder full of tasty treats. It's just that I didn't feel that anxious and urgent need to eat myself tranquil.
Other strange feelings: I wanted to take out my earrings. Three steel hoops in each ear, and I've not taken them out since having them pierced four years ago, almost to the day. I didn't, but I keep feeling the urge. I would do it right now, but I don't have a place to put them to keep them separate, keep them safe. (If I didn't organize them properly, I'd never be able to put them back in due to screw direction and so forth. But once I find the wee bags, out they go.) One thing I did really want to do was cut my hair. So I took off over 12 inches of it. I weighed myself and have hit a record high that I recognize as needing to be addressed sometime, like remembering to take an old suit to the cleaners. I feel light as a feather.
The reason why Honey and I chose 3/20 as our wedding date was because it's Nowruz, Persian New Year, as well as the first day of spring. Fresh start. I will celebrate any new year designated on the calendar and deeply feel that every day is a new opportunity to change. But this morning I didn't wake up thinking I needed to change. I woke up feeling that I already had.
I am just doing what I feel supports the change. I don't want that feeling to go away.


text:
Understanding your Data Privacy Obligations
The way we do business in Australia has changed significantly over the past few years.
Our increased use of the online environment has exposed the security of everyone's personal information.
To better protect Australian businesses and their customers, the federal government has made a number of amendments to the Privacy Act.
Changes have been introduced that fundamentally alter how you must handle personal information and what you need to do to ensure your business is compliant.
This 25-page downloadable eBook provides clear, practical guidance to make sure your business complies with privacy laws. It covers a range of topics, such as:
- Use or disclosure of personal information
- Developing and implementing your privacy policy
- The Australian Privacy Principles
- Dealing with unsolicited information
- Direct marketing
- Anonymity and pseudonymity
- Best practice and opting in
In an environment where information has become so easy to source and to share, it's more important than ever that you understand your specific privacy requirements.
Priced at just $49.00, Understanding your Data Privacy Obligations is an essential guide to managing data privacy and ensuring the personal information of your customers and staff is protected.


text:
Provide Full Reimbursement for All State Mandates and Expenses
Published on November 18th, 2011
Until recently, the state's Mandated Services Reimbursement (MSR) program has provided 100% reimbursement of the costs incurred by schools in compliance with state administrative mandates. For the last several years, agency officials have not permitted schools to claim 100 percent of their expenses – nor have lawmakers provided sufficient funds to reimburse schools for those expenses. In addition, in 2009, lawmakers bailed out the beleaguered Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) by imposing a payroll tax on all employers in the MTA region – but have provided reimbursement to only public schools.
Restore the standard of reimbursing 100% of actual annual expenses incurred by religious and independent schools in administering state mandates and programs and include religious and independent schools in the MTA reimbursement mechanism established for public schools.
The Mandated Services Reimbursement (MSR) program, enacted in 1974, requires the Commissioner of Education to reimburse religious and independent schools for the actual costs they incur in complying with certain state administrative mandates and participating in state programs. An important component of the MSR program, referred to as Comprehensive Attendance Policy (CAP), involves reimbursement for the recording and reporting of attendance data and the tracking students throughout the day. However, lawmakers have failed to fully reimburse religious and independent schools for these costs. Specifically, 1) budget cuts have reduced reimbursement to less than 100 percent; 2) there has been no reimbursement for CAP expenses incurred in the 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05 school years; and 3) state education officials changed the CAP reimbursement formula to cover up an error that the State Education Department made in 2007, costing schools $15 million each year since then. It is estimated that the State owes more than $300 in delinquent reimbursement to schools – more than $600 per student.
To make matters worse, in order to bail out the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), state lawmakers imposed a new "payroll tax" in the 12-county MTA region in and around New York City. The MTA payroll tax is costing religious and independent schools located in the 12-county region approximately $8 million. Public schools, on the other hand, are reimbursed for their MTA tax burden.
The actions of lawmakers and agency officials have forced tuition to rise and services to be cut. Tuition-paying parents deserve and can tolerate neither.
The Conference urges the Governor and legislators to meet their obligations under the MSR / CAP reimbursement programs and to include religious and independent schools in the MTA reimbursement mechanism established for public schools.
You can download this document, Provide Full Reimbursement for All State Mandates and Expenses, in PDF form.


text: August 6, 2013 at 8:37 PM Constantine rolling; few surprises in other King County races Posted by Alexa Vaughn King County Executive Dow Constantine breezed through Tuesday's primary election with 76 percent of the vote. Civil engineer Alan Lobdell was leading the challengers with 12 percent of the vote counted Tuesday, while Everett Stewart had 7 percent and Goodspaceguy 4 percent. The top two vote-getters advance to the November general election. There were few surprises in… More Comments | More in Politics Northwest | Topics: dow constantine, King County Council, King County District 1


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There is a lady at my work that was convinced she would win, and her confidence helped my confidence... and our confidence helped four other ladies confidence. Our only problem? The fact that Utah doesn't believe in having a lottery because gambling is against the law here. Well luck just had it that I was heading up to Idaho the day of the drawing. Tickets are only $1 each. So each lady gave me $10 and sent me on my way to the big city! And when I say big city... I mean Idaho Falls, Idaho, just so your imagination doesn't run too wild. Driving into town I passed Malad, the first town over the border, and the line at the gas station to buy lottery tickets was AN HOUR LONG! What the!? This isn't the Peter Pan ride at Disneyland people... but then again, $640 million could buy you a house and season tickets to Disneyland for life, so maybe waiting an hour for lotto tickets was a good idea. Anyway, I decided to wait until Idaho Falls for my tickets. On my way to the prelims of Miss Idaho's Outstanding Teen I stopped at a gas station, jumped out of the car in my cocktail dress, ran inside, got in the lotto line, and when I got up to the counter I said, "I need $60 worth of tickets!" And the man next to me said, "60?!?" To which I hurried out my story, "Yeah... I live in Utah... no lottery.... everyone at my work wants to win... they sent me with money... I am in Idaho!" He looked confused, but I know I made sense. Anyway, the machine spit out a bunch of random numbers, I had 60 lotto tickets in my hand, and I ran back to the car.
Me holding the 60 lottery tickets so I could send proof to my co-workers...
they wanted to make sure I didn't run away with all their dollars!
Come on people. Where is the trust there days!?
So there I am... Happy as a clam for those few hours with 60 possible winning tickets! After a night of watching pageants, I received a text message with the winning numbers from my co-worker. I scrambled through out tickets. Not a winner in sight. It was a good go though. And plus, my chances with a ticket were higher than my chances without a ticket!
Find the original post here.


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Bobby Backpack Review // The Best Anti Theft Bag for under $150
Are you looking for the perfect day bag for your next overseas trip or perhaps the best carry-on for your next long-haul flight?
Do you want to combine this with making sure all your valuables are safe when travelling too?
Well now you don't have to compromise!
Yep, the new trend sweeping the backpack world is actually bags that have the technology to help protect your gear from pickpockets and thieves, as well as knocks and drops.
And no, I'm not joking!
This means anti theft backpacks are the new way to go when it comes to choosing your next travel bag.
Whether you're heading to somewhere a little risky like Central America or a European city renowned for its pickpockets, having an anti theft bag is going to save you a whole load of stress and quite potentially a whole load of cash too!
And how do I know all this?
Because I just took the jump and bought an anti theft bag myself just a few months ago … and wow, has it changed my travel life or what?!
Related Posts
- The 5 Best Backpacks for Travel
- The 6 Best Backpacker Sleeping Bags
- The 3 Best Headlamps for Backpacking
This page contains affiliate links meaning Big World Small Pockets may receive a small commission on any purchases at no extra cost to you.
When You Need to Keep Your Technology Safe
Being a blogger, it's a sad fact that I now have to carry more and more technology with me when I travel these days – from laptops to cameras, hard drives to power banks, there's a ton of valuable stuff I just can't set sail without anymore.
And even if you're not a blogger, chances are you're going to be travelling with some pretty expensive kit too right?
Laptop? Phone? Gopro? Kindle?
Yes technology is just a fact of travel life these days and so we've got to move with the times when it comes to our luggage too people!
Best Anti Theft Bag for under $150
And that's why I invested in the amazing Anti Theft Bobby Backpack.
I mean I say invested, but let's be honest here, we're hardly talking huge amounts!
As a diehard budgeter, I was hardly going to go and spend the earth on a piece of kit and that's where the Bobby Anti Theft Backpack's $100 price-tag really caught my eye.
Yes, this is one of the cheapest anti-theft bags around and yet it's also one of the best and most reputable.
Bobby Backpack Features
I mean, just take a look at the features …
Water Repellent
Shock Proof
Hidden YKK Zips
Hidden Quick Access Pocket
Weight Balanced
Advance Storage Design
Integrated USB Storage Port
Adjustable Open Angles
I think we can all agree that's a lot of features to cram into one bag costing less than $150!
In fact, it was so many features, that it really convinced me an Anti Theft Bobby Backpack was what I needed in my travel life.
After all, there's so many other backpacks around for the same price that don't even have half of what this one does!
Anti Theft Bag Style
The other thing I liked about the Bobby Backpack compared to other bags in both its price range and the anti theft market, was that the Bobby looks good.
I like its sleek urban design.
I like the textured look of the side grey panels and I like its simplicity.
I mean there's no unnecessary bulk here. Everything is streamlined and compact, which of course helps with the anti theft properties too.
Straight up, you can see there are no zips or pockets on the front of the bag – the part that's not against your back that is. That's because this is an easy position for pickpockets to target – clever huh!
So instead, the Bobby Anti Theft Backpack has a reflective strip on the front, which even makes this bag road safe too for all those cyclists among you!
So … Does it Work?
But the question is really whether the Bobby Anti Theft Backpack works.
I mean, is it anti theft?
I bought this backpack purposefully for my summer trip to Europe, because I wanted something I could take as carry-on with my valuables well-padded and protected inside.
I also wanted something that I could walk around European cities wearing, with my valuables again safely stored away from any prying hands!
And finally I wanted something that was going to last and that I could take backpacking to some further-flung destinations afterwards too.
And I'm delighted to say – the Bobby Anti Theft Backpack ticked all 3 of these boxes!
For a start all my sacred technology items stayed safe and damage-free – even those temperamental hard-drives during some crazy air turbulence!
For seconds, I didn't get robbed in Paris or London or Amsterdam.
Ok, so maybe this would have been the case anyway (I do put on a mean city face when I travel!) but I think the proof for me was when – at every single security checkpoint I went through (be it Eiffel Tower entry, Amsterdam airport or London's Natural Portrait Gallery) – no one could find the entry to my Bobby Backpack!
Yes even the trained security guards at all of these places could not work out how to get into my bag … and that's while they had it in their hands!
My deduction therefore was, that anyone trying to get into my bag slyly and quickly, would literally have no idea where to begin!
Practical and Comfortable
Being in London also gave me the chance to put the water-repellent feature of the Bobby Backpack to the test (of course!)
And it passed (of course!)
I can also confirm that the Bobby Anti Theft Backpack is extremely comfortable to wear … even after some 12hr sightseeing city days. It's that weight balancing technology you see!
I also love the fact that the Bobby Anti Theft Backpack opens right up, meaning you can easily get to stuff at the bottom of this bag without having to take everything out first – literally a game changer for me!
But perhaps best of all, are the segmented and padded pockets in the Bobby Backpack, specially designed for your laptop, portable chargers, hard drives and more.
If you're OCD on organisation like me, this is a dream.
What I Love About the Anti Theft Bobby Backpack
So to recap, this is what I love about the Bobby Anti Theft Backpack …
Number 1, it's incredibly well-priced
It has a ton of features that are actually useful
It securely protects your important documents and technology while travelling, be it walking round a city or up in the air
It looks good
It's light, comfortable and well-made
It's water repellent – crucial if you have technology in there
It's easy to pack and find things in
It allows you to be super organised
It creates stress-free travel, knowing your stuff is safe from knocks, bumps, drops, thieves or pickpockets.
So the only real question is, what's not to love?
Let me know if you have any answers … otherwise what are you waiting for?
Oh yeah, and I forgot, the Bobby Anti Theft Backpack also has an integrated USB charging port in-built, so that you can charge your electricals from right within or outside the bag quickly, simply and easily – genius!