text:
IN HINDSIGHT, THE JOKE WAS PROBABLY INEVITABLE. We meet Christopher and Frederick Lee in Singapore just a few days after the latest instalment of the political saga centred on the late Lee Kuan Yew's house had played out in a Parliament session that left the island nation agog. Lounging in a corner of the photography studio, the brothers seem relaxed, not particularly chatty perhaps, but pretty at ease with each other. Were they close as kids? The two men give the question due consideration, looking at each other and conferring, briefly, before concluding that no, they weren't really that close. "We were not like friends," Chris says matter-of-factly. He is five years older than Fred and both preferred hanging out with their peers when they were growing up. The age gap also made Chris—the second child and the eldest boy of four siblings—prone to lecturing the younger ones. Fred is the youngest of the Lee quartet, rambunctious when he was a boy, conscientious as an adult, and to date, the only one among them who is not married.
Did they often quarrel when they were children? "Well, that's very natural. I believe all siblings quarrel sometimes," Chris counters. There's a beat, before he lands the punchline. "Even the Lee family in Singapore quarrels." Everyone laughs, because he is good at this—getting the room on his side by leaning into his gregarious charm, which is starting to get a little grizzled around the edges now that he's 46, but still very palpable. It's the force of this natural charisma that won him second place in Singapore's 1995 Star Search and catapulted him into leading man status straight out of the gate, and it has kept him a household name in the city-state for over two decades even though the bulk of his work now airs in overseas markets.
On Chris: Leather jacket and trousers, both by BOSS; Drive de Cartier watch Large Date, Retrograde Second Time Zone and Day/Night Indicator by Cartier. On Frederick: Leather jacket and suit trousers, both by BOSS; Drive de Cartier Moon Phases steel watch by Cartier.
Fred got his start in the business through Star Search as well—a Malaysian edition that he won in 2003. He seems quieter, more thoughtful; his answers are courteous and concise, but never flip. It is clearly important to him to communicate with sincerity. He's also content to take a backseat as the conversation swirls and eddies around him, only dipping in as needed. There's still a lot of the little brother in him, an almost deferential air in the way he interacts with Chris. But you also get the sense that he's observing everything around him, that still waters run deep, that one fine day you'll be watching him act and something he saw here in the studio today—perhaps a gesture, or a way of being around other people—will reappear, filtered through a character.
So, to a bystander, the contrast between the brothers emerges easily. One is the life of the party, the other attuned to the perks of being a wallflower. But perhaps that difference is only clear when we see them together. After all, having a sibling is a funny thing—it gives you context, whether you want it or not. These two have mostly preferred to be considered individually rather than collectively. Fred worked in Singapore for a few months after winning Star Search, but soon decided that the market there was too small for two actors who looked so similar. "I had already started working in productions in Malaysia before coming to Singapore, and I felt there were not many opportunities there. So, I decided to return to Malaysia, where there are more TV stations and a bigger audience," he says. Chris was supportive of his brother's decision, not because he viewed him as a competitor, but because "I want him to have his own path, and not have to live in my shadow".
The physical resemblance between the two is actually not immediately obvious, and centres mainly on the photogenic Lee family nose, thin lips, and what can credibly be called heroic-looking eyebrows. On Chris, these features add up to a certain striking boyishness; on Fred, the result is more malleable. He's liable to leave a different impression depending on the role you see him in, which is why both agree he's more of a character actor compared to Chris. Despite their distinct differences, however, both brothers have funny stories of people getting them mixed up. "One time, when I was on the set of a production, an uncle asked another actor why Lee Meng Soon (Chris' Chinese name) changed his name to Lee Meng Chong (Fred's Chinese name) after acting for so many years," says Fred. "He thought we were the same person." Another time, a Malaysian auntie saw Chris in Thailand and argued with him for 30 minutes because she refused to believe that he was not Fred. (The third Lee brother, an engineer, sometimes gets mistaken for them both.)
On Fred: Houndstoot h double-breasted suit and knitwear, both by BOSS. On Chris: Suit and shirt, both by BOSS; Drive de Cartier steel watch by Cartier.
At this point in their well-established careers, they are both comfortable answering questions about being compared with each other. But for Fred in particular, this form of scrutiny took some getting used to when he was first starting out. "I felt some pressure in the beginning. It used to make me a bit unhappy," he concedes. "But then I thought it's also because of him that people got to know about me much faster, so I should appreciate that." In fact, it was Chris' unexpected foray into acting that inspired Fred to pursue the same profession. A career spent in front of the camera never even crossed their minds when these Malacca boys were growing up; even the idea of a career seemed somewhat irrelevant. A job was a job, something you had to have in order to put food on the table.
"We never dreamed of becoming actors," says Chris. "In our circle, what everyone knew for sure was that when we grew up, we would have to earn a living. As for what job to choose, we didn't think about that." Their father was a bookkeeper, their mother a housewife. All four siblings took on odd jobs to earn pocket money, and were also taught to help out with chores ranging from making chicken coops to chopping firewood. "Our family wasn't strict when it came to our studies," says Fred. "My grades weren't good, so I couldn't tell the younger ones off when it came to studying," Chris quips. What they did take seriously was the importance of mastering tangible skills, because that meant they could contribute to the running of the household and lighten their parents' load. They learned how to give their home a fresh lick of paint, how to start a fire, how to cook a meal. "All four of us are very independent," Chris says, with a glimmer of understated pride.
During the years when money was tight, he took it upon himself to tell his younger siblings to be more prudent. "I asked them to think about our circumstances when they were making decisions about what to buy. Once, Fred and I quarrelled because he wanted to spend his savings on a new bicycle," Chris remembers suddenly. He turns to his brother: "Do you remember this?" Fred—blessed with the benevolent amnesia often bestowed on the youngest child—shakes his head. Chris had once spent his savings on a brand-new bicycle, which got stolen not long after he bought it. That loss was so painful that he stopped Fred from making the same choice. "I can understand why a little kid would want something that belonged only to him, but I would rather he saved the money for something else, like his studies."
On Chris: Suit and shirt, both by BOSS. On Fred: Houndstoot h double-breasted suit 75 and knitwear, both by BOSS, Drive de Cartier Extra-Flat pink gold watch by Cartier.
Fred has no memory of this bicycle that he apparently coveted. But he does remember Chris' stolen bike, which was lavished with all the tender loving care a bicycle could want before it got pilfered. "I really treated it like a treasure," Chris recalls, the sting of its theft momentarily visceral again all these years later. Fred laughs, in wry commiseration. "Yes, he polished that bicycle every day," he confirms. Ultimately, he listened to Chris and took over their father's doughty old bicycle, which had been passed down from brother to brother before it got to him. "It was always like that back then. Everything got passed down, clothes too," says Chris.
It's not really a hardscrabble childhood as much as the way things were for a lot of people a few decades ago. And, as it turns out, this do-it-yourself upbringing gave the brothers a way to grasp the craft of acting. First of all, on a film set, "we never complain", Fred says. Secondly, all those chores they learned how to do turned out to be great training. "It has to do with understanding the details of day-to-day life," Chris explains. "He's played an incense-maker, I've played a hawker. We take to these manual tasks easily because we learned about the processes behind many different things when we were young." Being a quick study is important, because acting often involves mimicking certain actions in a convincing way within a short period of time. "We are good at observing, because, as kids, we would always watch our mother to see how she cooked things, for example," Fred adds.
TODAY, WATCHING THEM POSE IN PRISTINE LEATHER JACKETS SIDE BY SIDE as the photographer makes the kind of small talk designed to put celebrities at ease, it is somewhat surreal to think about how far they have come. The life they knew as children had its pleasures measured out in moments like the gleam of a newly polished bicycle. It's probably safe to say that Chris' three-year-old son Zed will never know how it feels to yearn for a set of wheels in quite the same way. And things could very easily have gone another way. After finishing their final secondary school exams, some of Chris' friends decided to try their luck in Germany as illegal migrant workers. They asked him if he wanted to come along. Back in the day, such trips were called tiao feiji in Mandarin—the literal translation is "jumping planes", and the same phrase is also the Chinese term for hopscotch.
Chris seriously considered doing it. "I really wanted to earn money. But I was worried about getting caught, and I couldn't bear to leave my family." So, he chose to go to Singapore instead, where he found work as a technician at an electronics factory. "Singapore was so close, and even then, my mother cried so much when I left. If I had told her I was going to Germany, it would have been so much worse." Fred is, again, intrigued by this, the revelation of yet another memory that he realises he doesn't share. "Did she cry a lot?" he asks. Chris nods with the habitual equanimity of the older sibling who's been there and done that. In Singapore, a part-time modelling stint led him to Star Search, and then, just two years later, his first award-winning part in the 1997 TV series The Price of Peace.
He played a Chinese traitor who colluded with the Japanese during World War II in Singapore. For Fred, watching Chris in this role proved to be a turning point. "I saw a completely different person on the screen, who was not like my brother at all," he remembers. "It was a very strange feeling. I wanted to see if I could become someone completely different as well. It looked like a lot of fun, that challenge of portraying different lives and becoming a different person in each project." Like Chris, he had briefly worked in Singapore after secondary school, as a machine operator. Unlike Chris, he returned to Malaysia to continue his studies, and was working as an interior designer by the time his brother became an actor. When a producer asked him to join Malaysia Star Search, "I was afraid of gossip, of people saying I was copying Chris", he admits. "I thought about it for a long time. Finally, I decided to give it a try, because it was something I really wanted."
He did ask Chris for advice, and his brother basically told him: your life, your decision. But he did caution Fred that the industry had its own challenges. Chris had been groomed as a leading man right from the start, but not everyone's path was so smooth. And even with all the support he got, the language hurdle was still very painful for him. "My Chinese wasn't very good, because in Malaysia, I studied it as an extra-curricular subject and never really spent much time on it. So, when I suddenly got thrown a 40-page script in Chinese, I couldn't recognise half the characters in there," he says. A script for a single episode of a TV series took him several days to decipher, because he had to keep checking the dictionary. When he was pressed for time and really desperate, he even asked friends to read scripts and summarise plots for him. "I couldn't get the dialogue out properly when we were shooting, because while I was reciting what I had memorised, I forgot about performing as the character. I got scolded all the time."
On Fred: Coat and knitwear, both by BOSS; Drive de Cartier Moon Phases pink gold watch by Cartier. On Chris: Double-breasted jacket and shirt, both by BOSS; Drive de Cartier Extra-Flat pink gold watch by Cartier.
Fred freely admits that his Chinese wasn't great either. But there was one crucial difference between them. Chris had stumbled into this industry—his initial motivation was simply to win some Star Search prize money, and it took six years in the business before he started to actually enjoy acting. Fred, on the other hand, had made a conscious decision to become an actor. "So, I decided to keep going, and just meet each challenge as it comes," he recalls. He started by doing what he was good at—observing. "I watched a lot of shows, and I would copy some mannerisms and expressions from actors like Lau Chingwan and Al Pacino. I chose this path myself, so I have to try my best. In the beginning when I didn't feel confident, I borrowed things from other actors to cover my own shortcomings. Then slowly, I started to develop my own style."
The brothers seem to have a fairly laissez-faire attitude about keeping track of each other's careers. It's partly a matter of geography, since Chris is based in Singapore and Fred in Kuala Lumpur, and the two cities don't often broadcast each other's TV shows. For Chris, who's clocked more years in the business, there's another consideration. "I don't want to give him pressure, so I'm always very careful about this. Even if I watch his work, I won't mention anything to him unless he asks me. I don't want to influence the way he expresses himself as an actor. I want him to find his own way."
But he has tried to advise Fred in other ways. Six years ago, when Chris was 40, he signed with Taiwanese talent agency Catwalk and left the comfortable bubble of Singapore to explore the greater Chinese market in Taiwan, Hong Kong and mainland China. The adventure, which he had been pondering since his early thirties, went well—in 2014, he won Best Actor at Taiwan's Golden Bell Awards for his role in family drama, A Good Wife. That same year, Fred nabbed Best Actor at the ntv7 Golden Awards for his role in The Descendant. He has since signed on with Catwalk as well, and has been dipping his toes into overseas productions. "I want him to get more exposure," says Chris. "Compared to Singapore and Malaysia, the entertainment industry in Hong Kong, Taiwan and mainland China is more mature. When you see how they do things, you will learn a lot, and it won't be time wasted."
For now, though, it's a homegrown production that is earning Fred accolades. In You Mean the World to Me, he plays a character based on director Saw Teong Hin, and this Penang Hokkien film lensed by acclaimed cinematographer Christopher Doyle has resonated with audiences in Malaysia since its release in May this year. Chris has seen it too, and lauds Fred's performance as a breakthrough. This story about a dysfunctional family was staged as a play before it was adapted into a movie, and Fred was in the stage version as well. In fact, his acting career started in the theatre, with a production aptly named Starting from Zero. "Theatre is very addictive, because of that direct interaction with the audience," he says. The months-long rehearsal process, though, can be tricky for him. "When a director asks me to give 100 percent emotionally right from the start, I will tell him I can't do that. I have to explore that character gradually. The interesting thing about theatre is that each day is different, even though you are saying the same lines. There's always a new discovery. So, during rehearsals, I will let the director know that I can't cry now because I haven't found that emotion yet, but when the time comes, I will definitely cry for you because I'll be ready."
Chris has no desire to try theatre, but the way he talks about acting in front of the camera is actually very similar to Fred's insights about performing. He's married to Singapore actress Fann Wong, and the couple recently started working together again, for upcoming Singapore drama Doppelganger and Chinese thriller Yi Nian. But ask him a seemingly logical question about whether they ever rehearse together at home, and he actually grimaces. "We've never done that," he declares emphatically. "I just don't like the feeling of acting in that setting, it's very strange." For him, rehearsals could mean walking around the house thinking about how his character might hold a cup, or running through the physical staging of a scene with a fellow actor before the camera rolls. But, like Fred, he cringes at the thought of amping up to full emotionality before the real deal. There's something about that artificiality that reeks of contrivance to these intuitive, self-taught actors. "We can spend months shooting a series, and each day, you find something to add to the character," says Chris. "I put my soul into this person, I start living with him, and I get more and more absorbed with each passing day. Each time the camera starts rolling, I feel like everything is within my control. I really like that feeling."
This article was first published in the print edition of Esquire Malaysia, September 2017.


text:
I specialize in Kentucky FHA, VA, USDA & Rural Housing, KHC and Fannie Mae mortgage loans. I have helped over 589 Kentucky families buy their first home and refinance their current mortgage for a lower rate; First time buyer $0 down still available with down payment assistance with KHC. Free Mortgage applications same day approvals. This web site is not endorsed by the FHA, VA, USDA, HUD or any other govt agency.Text/call 502-905-3708 email@example.com NMLS#57916 Equal Housing Lender
- 4 Things Required for a KY Mortgage Loan Approval
- Credit Scores Kentucky Mortgage Loan
- Kentucky First-time Home Buyer Programs
- Down Payment Assistance Kentucky 2019
- Kentucky FHA Mortgage Information
- Kentucky VA Mortgage Loan Information
- USDA Rural Housing Kentucky Loan Information
- Zero Down Kentucky Mortgages
- First-time Home-buyers in Kentucky
- Documents Needed Mortgage Approval in Kentucky
- Do's & Dont's before closing:
- Free Credit Score Booklet
- Closing Costs Kentucky Mortgage
- Lock Kentucky Mortgage Loan Rate
- Home Inspections Kentucky
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Why Are More Kentucky Mortgage Loans Not Being Refinanced?
Why Are More Kentucky Mortgage Loans Not Being Refinanced?
October 25, 2010
While mortgage interest rates are at their lowest levels since 1945, millions of mortgages that carry interest rates of 6% to 9% or even higher, are not being refinanced. The reasons for this involve Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two secondary market giants now in Government conservatorships, in a central role.
The problem is perhaps best seen through the eyes of borrowers who are unable to refinance. Each unsuccessful borrower cited below is representative of a sizeable group of unsuccessful borrowers.
Adam was turned down for a refinance because he did not meet the new stiffer underwriting and pricing requirements set by the agencies in their standard programs. His credit score, which was acceptable when he got his loan before the crisis, is not high enough to meet the new requirements.
It clearly was appropriate for the agencies to correct the excessively liberal rules that had prevailed during the go-go years, which contributed to the financial crisis. However, they have reacted to their excessive liberality before the crisis by becoming excessively restrictive in the aftermath. Their underwriting and pricing structures are designed to maximize their net earnings, as if they were still private firms.
Fannie and Freddie are now part of the Government, and should set their underwriting rules and pricing adjustments not to maximize net revenue but to break-even over a long time horizon.
Barbara is one of many homeowners who bought during the go-go years and who now owe more than their houses are worth – she is "underwater". She applied for a loan under the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP), which was designed to make refinance possible for underwater borrowers who are current on their payments and whose loans are owned by Fannie or Freddie. Barbara is ineligible, however, because she is too far underwater. Her loan-to-value ratio (LTV) is 130% and the agencies have set a 125% maximum.
A maximum LTV in the HARP programs cuts out a sizeable segment of the potential market, for no good reason. The agencies are already on the hook for any losses on high LTV loans, and a rate reduction can only reduce the probability that a default will occur that would trigger the loss. Indeed, the reduction in expected loss from a rate-reducing refinance is larger on a 150% LTV than on a 125% LTV. The default rate has to fall only half as much on a 150% loan as on a 125% loan to generate the same reduction in expected loss.
Fannie and Freddie should scrap the LTV maximum in the HARP program, for which there is no rational reason, thereby also eliminating the need for appraisals on HARP loans.
Charley was turned down for a refinance under the HARP program, although his LTV was only 120%, which made him eligible under agency rules. Nonetheless, the lenders Charley approached would not make the loan. They told him that their maximum LTV was 105%, and some said that it was 95%. Charley could have refinanced if he knew where to go, but he didn't and gave up the search.
I did a quick and dirty survey and found that HARP loans above 105% are not available from brokers or from smaller lenders who sell to wholesalers who in turn sell to the agencies. HARP loans exceeding 105% are only available from some of the lenders who sell directly to the agencies.
Freddie Mac has a list of HARP lenders at http://www.freddiemac.com/cgi-bin/homeowners/relief_refi.cgi, but it is extremely difficult to find. If Fannie has one, I could not find it. The Freddie list has 27 lenders, 14 of which do 125% loans, of which only 4 have wide multi-state presence: Aimloan.com, SunTrust Mortgage, Quicken Loans and RBC Bank.
Fannie and Freddie ought to do a better job of informing potential borrowers how to find a lender who will make 125% HARP loans, and they should review their policies that have discouraged broader lender participation.
Doris's situation was the same as Charley's, including an LTV of 120%, with one difference.
Doris's existing loan carries privarw mortgage insurance (PMI). The lenders who turned her down told her that the mortgage insurer had to agree to shift the MI policy to the new loan, but would not do so in her case.
Under HARP rules, if there is no MI on the existing loan, none is required on the new loan. If there was MI on the old loan, as in
Doris's case, it will be carried forward on the new loan, provided the PMI firm agrees. But if the current LTV exceeds 105%, they won't agree unless the new loan is being made by the existing servicer.
Fannie and Freddie ought to inform potential HARP borrowers who have mortgage insurance and LTVs greater than 105% that they can only refinance with their current lender, and they should examine whether there is anything they can do to remove the PMI roadblock.
Ethan is an underwater borrower in good standing whose loan is not owned by Fannie or Freddie. His only possibility of a refinance is the new FHA program I wrote about a few weeks ago, but that program requires the existing lender to write-down the balance to 97.75% of house value. Since Ethan is making timely payments, the lender has very little incentive to do that.
Ethan had no say in who ended up owning his loan, from his perspective it was a coin toss that came up tails and made him ineligible for HARP. The out-of-luck group to which Ethan belongs includes a large number of sub-prime borrowers who meet their obligations faithfully while paying rates up to 9% and even higher.
There is no good reason why such borrowers have to be left entirely out in the cold. While including these borrowers in HARP would expose Fannie and Freddie to risks they did not have before, the agencies could set payment performance requirements and charge risk premiums large enough to protect taxpayers while still offering many of these borrowers substantial relief..
Treasury should have the agencies develop a HARP1 program covering loans they do not now own that would be subject to underwriting rules and price adjustments consistent with the Government breaking even.
Kentucky Mortgage Loans

subset: commoncrawl


text:
"Kristin Newman reminds me of David Sedaris, but with more joy." –Diablo Cody
"Kristin Newman's tales of wanderlust are at turns hilarious, embarrassing, and then truly inspiring. Her thrilling escapades make me want to get up off the couch and book a ticket to some exotic locale for a sexy adventure of my own. But I probably won't. And neither will you. Just read the book." –Jane Lynch
'Kristin Newman explodes the idea of the 'singles scene' into a thousand tiny fragments and scatters them globally. This is misspent youth well-spent." –Patton Oswalt
"What I Was Doing While You Were Breeding is kind of like if Eat, Pray, Love were written by your funniest friend—a laugh-out-loud life guide for anyone who needs some help enjoying being single. Or for anyone who already loves being single. Or for anyone who is married. Basically, whoever you are, Newman will make you want to chuck it all and book a trip to Argentina." –Rachel Dratch
"Spoiler alert: I am the Will who drives a car over Kristin's foot in the Dominican Republic. After writing with Kristin at That '70s Show, I knew that her book would be incredibly funny, but it's also so heartbreaking, insightful, and full of adventure, romance, and sex sex sex! Do yourself a favor and read this book! Did I mention how funny it is and how much sex is in it?" –Will Forte
"If Mark Twain was a woman and he had actually done things in the countries he traveled to, he would have been a lot more pleasant. He also would have written this book instead of The Innocents Abroad. This book is so good that, of the many I have blurbed, this is the only one I read." –Joel Stein, columnist for Time, author of Man Made: A Stupid Quest for Masculinity
"I have had the pleasure of joining Kristin on some amazing adventures and can say without question that she is as good a writer as she is a traveler. Which is to say, slightly better when she's had a few glasses of wine." –Nick Kroll
"I love my husband and kids, truly I do—but reading What I Was Doing While You Were Breeding makes me want to buy a one-way ticket around the world, or rather two tickets—one for me and one for her—so we could party till dawn, flirt with hairy European men and break several international laws. Kristin puts the 'lust' in wanderlust and makes adventuring and even mis-adventuring sexy, fun, and at times even inspirational." –Jill Soloway, writer/director
"Since we can't all sit next to Kristin Newman at a dinner party, it's a good thing she wrote What I Was Doing While You Were Breeding so we can all enjoy her funny and unexpected tales. Unlike the rest of us, Kristin took the road less traveled and that has made all the difference. Her sparkling wit and adventurous spirit will seduce you just as it did that guy in Argentina…and in Russia…and in Jordan…and so on..." –Nell Scovell, co-author of Lean In
"What I Was Doing While You Were Breeding is sly disguised as sexy. It reminded me of George Eliot mixed with a woodshop safety film... a complete delight." –Stephen Tobolowsky, actor, author of The Dangerous Animals Club
"I wanted to read this book but my wife stole it off my nightstand, laughed at it for three nights straight and lent it to her friends." –Rodney Rothman, author Early Bird: A Memoir of Premature Retirement
"Kristin's book is such an uproarious, side-splitting, jaw-dropping-while-miraculously-somehow-also-self-reflecting page-turner, it makes me feel like I traded in my own wife and children for a time machine and a spot in her globetrotting duffel bag." –Rob Kutner, writer for Conan, author of Apocalypse How and The Future According to Me
"Riotously funny, brutally honest, and hopelessly romantic… Newman's global romps and brave takedown of the dated, divisive dichotomy between happy breeders and desperate singles is one of the most refreshing things I've read in a long time and proof that everyone has her own path to happily ever after." –Attica Locke, nationally bestselling author of The Cutting Season
"Newman's funny and unflinchingly honest memoir reveals that even though there's nothing quite like a great party in an exotic locale with a hot guy, true love doesn't necessarily require a passport." –Publishers Weekly
"You should *not* judge a book by its cover, but luckily this one's as engrossing as its top flap, which I kind of wanted to dive into on sight. There are lots of books out there about being the single girl in your crowd, but Kristin Newman's is a special one; it's truly hilarious and travel-oriented, which makes it perfect for summer." –Glamour Magazine
"If you liked Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs, try What I Was Doing While You Were Breeding by Kristin Newman." –Boston Globe


text:
I took the funicolare for the first time here to reach the hilltop! Funicolare is a short electrically run cable railway or cliff railway! Two tram like vehicles on rails are connected to a cable which move up and down the steep slope. I have used cable cars in India but cable railway was first experience!
The Apse, Ippolito Scalza' Pieta and the Organ
Coronation of Virgin on the top of facade
Related articles-
Rome- A photo tour
Musei Vaticani
The Grandeur of St Peter's Basiclica
Postcards from Italy
Sea Ranch Chapel, a modern architecture
If you want pictures please ask me :)
Scrapbook- A Travel Blog by Kusum Sanu is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.


text:
The write up on the official adespresso page is pretty vague, so I sent them some questions and this is what they replied:
- Auto optimization triggers once a day normally during nights. Your campaigns will be self optimizing once they have enough data to check and see which are the top performing elements within the campaign.
- Usually we suggest to set up at least $5 for each ad set you are running.
- Automatic Optimization includes some rules that give a frequency cap and examines all the ads within your campaign by CPA- pausing the under-performing ads and allocating budget to the best ads within the campaign.
We cannot share the specific rules.
Bummer, so not specifics on how/what, but at least we learned that it runs once a day during night time.


text:
Free Online 3D Modeling, Rendering, Sharing and Models.
Join Clara.io's fast growing community of +100,000 creators!
Crytek Sponza - Huge (VRay)
by lucas
Crytek Sponza - Huge (VRay)
by lucas
0 comments
Clone from
Crytek Sponza - Huge (VRay)
1 likes, 5950 views
Popular derived scenes
0 likes, 205 views
Also made by the Clara.io team
Beautiful and powerful online 3D product configurator designed for e-commerce. Engage your customers and boost your sales!+


text:
Political Contributions Tracker
Russell W. Stamper, II
All Contributions
Amount Raised: $50,379
Total Contributions: 241
Total Reports: 4
Average Contribution: $209
Median Contribution: $20
Found an error? Have a question? Contact us
NOTE: Currently missing in this beta release are expenses, loans, in-kind contributions and account balances. We are working to add that information as soon as possible.
Interested in helping digitize old reports? Email us at firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Garda tells court how he tried to save life of his colleague and best friend
A HIGH Court judge has paid tribute to a young garda who attempted to save the life of his "colleague and best friend" who died shortly after their patrol car had been rammed in Co Donegal three years ago.
Garda Bernard McLoughlin told Ms Justice Mary Irvine that after finding a pulse he held his colleague Garda Gary McLoughlin's head in a recovery position in their wrecked car until emergency services arrived.
Michael Carson SC, for Garda Bernard McLoughlin, told a Garda Compensation hearing today that, tragically, Garda Gary McLoughlin had died in hospital only hours after the crash.
Garda Bernard McLoughlin, who, since the crash on December 13, 2009, has taken educational leave to study in Australia, was awarded a total of €45.000 compensation for hip and leg injuries.
Judge Irvine said the two men who shared the same surname were more than colleagues. They were best friends who had shared a flat and had trained together in Templemore Training Centre before sharing garda duties in Buncrana, Co Donegal.
Garda Bernard McLoughlin, currently of James Street, Perth, Australia, told the court he and Gary, a native of Leitrim, had been searching for a speeding red car when it crashed into them at Lisfannon, Burt, Co Donegal.
After extricating himself from the wrecked car he had held Gary's head in a recovery position until help arrived. The scene was as if there had been a bomb explosion. He and Gary had been taken to hospital in the same ambulance and Gary had died in the early hours of the morning.
At Letterkenny Circuit Court in July 2011, Martin McDermott, of Castlegrove, Raphoe, Co Donegal, was sentenced to eight years imprisonment, with the final year suspended, for the manslaughter of Garda Gary McLoughlin.
McDermott (26) later absconded in March 15, 2012 from Loughan Prison, Co Cavan. He was arrested the following day in Derry and extradited back to the Republic.


text:
No sé que me da volver a ponerme abrigo pero creo que el próximo look será más de otoño que de primavera.
Muchas gracias por estar aquí cada día! Sois los mejores! :D
Un beso enorme! Hasta mañana!
Good morning! What about your weekend? I had time to study, relax and also to fun. The time is crazy and the cold is here again. Today I show you a look that I wore yesterday (I was frozen with it).
Lately I haven´t inspiration so today´s look is simple. You could see all clothes around here in others posts. I don´t want to wear coat again but I think that the next look will be more autumnal that of spring.
Thank you very much for stay here everyday. You are the best! :D
A big kiss! See you tomorrow!


text:
This is the eighth year of the Award of Excellence, which was initiated to publicly recognize those individuals who demonstrate service excellence in local government. Please click here for more nomination information (Adobe Acrobat format).
Nomination Deadline: March 15, 2018
Nomination Deadline: March 15, 2018
Award recipient will receive a keepsake award, along with $3000 to be used in their continuing education process.
Please forward completed nominations or applications and supporting documentation, or direct any inquiries, to:
Linda M. Davies, CLGM
Executive Director/Registrar
PO Box 308, 4629-54 Ave.
Bruderheim, AB T0B 0S0
Phone 780 796-3836
Fax 780 796-2081
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
© Copyright 2017. All Rights Reserved
Home | Contact


text:
39 Results in your current search
Related information
Leigh WalkerChildminder
Palmerston School
Wheelchair HandballWednesday's 7-8pmHandball at Greenbank Sports Academy is played indoors. It is a team sport for seven players per side which can be played by wheelchair users or as a running game. The aim of the game is to throw a ball into the goal of the…
Sports and Activities for the Visually Impaired (SAVI)Tuesday 6pm-8pmInclusive sports for blind and partially sighted people often have an able-bodied equivalent such as tennis and blind tennis. Generally they work on the same principles with a few adapted rules. For certain activities adapted equipment is required such as audible balls or guide ropes…
Table TennisOpen practice night for disabled and non-disabled people. 10 tables available and all equipment is provided.
Rebound TherapyMonday at 6.30 - 8pm & Wednesday 5 - 7pmFun exercise and fitness sessions for disabled people with severe physical disabilities, profound and multiple learning disabilities and autism, using a trampoline. Sessions are led by at least one qualified instructor. No need to book - just turn up! ------ Part of the Inclusive Sport…
School Holiday Programme for Disabled Children (8-16)Selective dates during school holidays 10am - 4pm.Our School Holiday Programme is for disabled children, their friends and family aged 8 – 16*. We provide an exciting and varied programme including: Creative Our creative sessions include art, cookery and gardening. Sports Sport sessions could include football, basketball, boccia, indoor athletics, rebound therapy,…
Nicola RobertsChildminderChildminding service 0-11 year olds
Mrs Claire HughesChildminderMe and my mother-in-law Lesley Hughes work alongside each other in a home environment to promote every childs needs.
Lark Lane Family Pre-SchoolDay NurseryPre-school Lark Lane pre-school has been running for over 30 years and has built up an excellent reputation watching children develop, grow and shine. Children who have attended Lark Lane pre-school in the past now have children of their own in the pre-school. Lark…


text:
|Reference index
|1 month
|3 months
|1 year
|2 years
|3 years
|5 years
|10 years
|{{'fund.detail.performance.period.sinceInception' | labelize:[ fundDate(fund.fundPerformances.sinceStart.startDate,'MM-YYYY') ]}}
|Reference index
|3 years
|5 years
|Tracking error ex-post (%)
|Information ratio
|Sharpe ratio
|Alpha (%)
|Standard deviation
|Max. monthly gain (%)
|Max. monthly loss (%)
|3 years
|5 years
|Months outperformance
|Hit ratio (%)
|Months Bull market
|Months outperformance Bull
|Hit ratio Bull (%)
|Months Bear market
|Months outperformance Bear
|Hit ratio Bear (%)
|Reference index
|Option Adjusted Modified Duration (years)
|Maturity (years)
|Yield to Worst (%)
US markets posted another month of gains in October with most sectors ending higher, except for some weakness in energy. The S&P 500 gained 2.17% while growth returned to favor in the large-cap segment with the Russell 1000 Growth up 2.82% compared to the Russell 1000 Value at 1.40%. Small caps did well measured by the Russell 2000 Value, Growth and Core indices all up between 2.42% and 2.85%. Comparatively, mid caps struggled as the Russell Mid Cap Value, Growth and Core were all up less than 1.9%.
|ESG integration
|Sustainability Themed Fund
Investments are predominantly made in securities denominated in US dollars. The fund is denominated in euros. Derivatives are used to hedge currency to the euro.
No dividend is distributed. All returns are reinvested and translated into price gains.
For Robeco BP US Premium Equities, ESG factors are qualitatively considered on an individual basis in the fundamental analysis but are not structurally integrated in the investment process.
Robeco BP US Premium Equities (EUR) selects stocks based on their investment merit. Its bottom-up stock selection process is guided by a disciplined value approach, intensive internal research and risk aversion. The fund's broad definition of value looks beyond traditional value characteristics such as low Price/Earnings and Price/Book, and includes analysis of long-term business fundamentals and short term business momentum. The fund's investment objective is to participate in rising markets and preserve capital in falling markets through diligent risk management.
Risk management is fully integrated in the investment process to ensure that positions always meet predefined guidelines.
Markets moved higher in October despite a tough start to the month. Investors became more confident as the US- China trade talks seemed to improve with a mid-month announcement of a 'phase 1' agreement between Trump and Xi. The earnings season set off around the same period and finished the month with more than 2/3rds of the S&P 500 having reported and 75% beating consensus earnings figures. The month ended with the Federal Reserve cutting the benchmark rate by 25 bps, an expected move. The fund remains focused on bottom-up research and will continue to exhibit attractive valuation, strong business fundamentals and improving business momentum.
Mr. Ramallo is the senior portfolio manager for Boston Partners Premium Equity product. Previously, Mr. Ramallo was the assistant portfolio manager for the Small Cap Value products. Prior to his portfolio management role, Mr. Ramallo was a research analyst for Boston Partners. He joined the firm from Deloitte & Touche L.L.P., where he spent three years, most recently in their Los Angeles office. Mr. Ramallo holds a B.A. degree in economics/business from the University of California at Los Angeles and an M.B.A. from the Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation. He is also a Certified Public Accountant (inactive). He has twenty years of investment experience.
|Management company
|Fund capital
|Size of share class
|Outstanding shares
|1st quotation date
|Close financial year
|Legal status
|Tracking error limit (%)
|Reference index
Ongoing charges
|This fund deducts ongoing charges of
|These charges comprise
|Management fee
|Service fee
Transaction costs
|The expected transaction costs are
Performance fee
|This fund may also deduct a performance fee of
|max entry fee
|Max exit fee
|Max sub fee
|Max switch fee
The fund is established in Luxembourg and is subject to the Luxembourg tax laws and regulations. The fund is not liable to pay any corporation, income, dividend or capital gains tax in Luxembourg. The fund is subject to an annual subscription tax ('tax d'abonnement') in Luxembourg, which amounts to 0.01% of the net asset value of the fund. This tax is included in the net asset value of the fund. The fund can in principle use the Luxembourg treaty network to partially recover any withholding tax on its income.
Investors who are not subject to (exempt from) Dutch corporate-income tax (e.g. pension funds) are not taxed on the achieved result. Investors who are subject to Dutch corporate-income tax can be taxed for the result achieved on their investment in the fund. Dutch bodies that are subject to corporate-income tax are obligated to declare interest and dividend income, as well as capital gains in their tax return. Investors residing outside the Netherlands are subject to their respective national tax regime applying to foreign investment funds. We advise individual investors to consult their financial or tax adviser about the tax consequences of an investment in this fund in their specific circumstances before deciding to invest in the fund.
The information contained in the website is solely intended for professional investors. Some funds shown on this website fall outside the scope of the Dutch Act on the Financial Supervision (Wet op het financieel toezicht) and therefore do not (need to) have a license from the Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM).
The funds shown on this website may not be available in your country. Please select your country website (top right corner) to view the products that are available in your country.
Neither information nor any opinion expressed on the website constitutes a solicitation, an offer or a recommendation to buy, sell or dispose of any investment, to engage in any other transaction or to provide any investment advice or service. An investment in a Robeco product should only be made after reading the related legal documents such as management regulations, prospectuses, annual and semi-annual reports, which can be all be obtained free of charge at this website and at the Robeco offices in each country where Robeco has a presence.
By clicking Proceed I confirm that I am a professional investor and that I have read, understood and accept the terms of use for this website.


text:
I agree Our site saves small pieces of text information (cookies) on your device in order to deliver better content and for statistical purposes. You can disable the usage of cookies by changing the settings of your browser. By browsing our website without changing the browser settings you grant us permission to store that information on your device.
|Stock No.
|Price ($)
Iodine in isopropenyl acetate is a unique catalyst for the acetylation of a variety of alcohols, phenols and amines under solvent free conditions. It is used as a solvent for cellulose, plastics, oil and fats. It is also a building block used for various organic synthesis.
De P and Sathyanarayana DN. Free radical oxidative copolymerization of indene with vinyl acetate and isopropenyl acetate: synthesis and characterization.J. Appl. Polym. Sci.,2002,86(3), 639-646.
Ahmed N and van Lier JE. Molecular iodine in isopropenyl acetate (IPA): a highly efficient catalyst for the acetylation of alcohols, amines and phenols under solvent free conditions.Tetrahedron Lett.,2006,47(30), 5345-5349.
Enol acetate of acetone. Other carbonyl compounds can be converted to their enol acetates by exchange; see, e.g.: J. Org. Chem., 30, 2502 (1965).
Crossed aldol condensations with acetals are promoted by Lewis acids, e.g. TiCl4 to give ß-alkoxy ketones: Chem. Lett., 323 (1974).
For the (2 + 2) photochemical cycloaddition with isophorone, see: Org. Synth. Coll., 6, 1024 (1988).
Hazard Statements: H225
Highly flammable liquid and vapour.
Precautionary Statements: P210-P233-P240-P241-P242-P243-P280-P303+P361+P353-P370+P378q-P501c
Keep away from heat/sparks/open flames/hot surfaces. - No smoking. Keep container tightly closed. Ground/bond container and receiving equipment. Use explosion-proof electrical/ventilating/lighting/ equipment. Use only non-sparking tools. Take precautionary measures against static discharge. Wear protective gloves/protective clothing/eye protection/face protection. IF ON SKIN (or hair): Remove/Take off immediately all contaminated clothing. Rinse skin with water/shower. In case of fire: Use CO2, dry chemical, or foam Dispose of contents/ container to an approved waste disposal plant


text:
|Fri 24 Jan 2014 Host Acces Solutions - Sponsor of JazzRock Cafe
The JazzRock Café's events are a series of free concerts organized by SmoothJazz Europe and Poppodium Metropool.
Their subjective is to promote music in the styles of Smooth & Contemporary Jazz and support top level (inter)national musicians to bring their music to a new and wider audience!
The JazzRock Café is also a stage for new and upcoming talents! The same passion presented in SmoothJazz Europe's JazzRock Café concerts you can also find with HOST ACCESS SOLUTIONS B.V. … always aiming for quality, innovation and exclusivity!


text:
Organic Electronics (OEs) currently unfold as a rapidly expanding scientific and technological revolution and is expected to have even larger impact in our life than Microelectronics.
Organic electronic devices (OEDs) have the potential to become a low-cost alternative to the conventional inorganic counterparts, due to low material consumption and simple processing methods. OEDs will radically advance existing applications and will lead to novel applications for energy generation (organic photovoltaics-OPVs), visualization of information and lighting (organic light emitting diodes-OLEDs), electronics & communications (e.g. organic thin film transistor-OTFTs), smart information systems (RFIDs, e-paper, etc.), identification of biological systems (biosensors, environmental monitoring systems), etc.
Concept of ROleMak: To advance the research potential of Labs from the Physics Department (PD) of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh), Greece to conduct high level R&D in OEs, through:
- Strategic Partnership & Collaborations with European research groups with excellence in OEs for Know-how exchange with the AUTh team.
- Recruitment of Exceptional Scientists with internationally acknowledged expertise in OEs
- Improvement of AUTh's Research Infrastructure, in order to act as a research entity of excellence in OEs.
- Dissemination & Exploitation of the results through conferences, workshops, seminars, exhibitions, stakeholder meetings, round tables and other promotional and matchmaking activities.
The Objectives of ROleMak are to:
- Reinforce the S&T potential – knowledge & competences of AUTh to OEs by transferring & exchanging know-how from scientists & technology managers of excellent European Universities, Research Centers and Companies,
- Recruit experienced scientists with established expertise in OEs to work with the AUTh team,
- Upgrade the research infrastructure and peripheral equipment of AUTh to become competitive in the field of OEs. This infrastructure will be used by the ROleMak collaborators even after the end of the project reassuring, that way, the establishment of a research entity with excellence in OEs,
- Disseminate & Exploit the acquired results in OEs by organizing Conferences, Exhibitions, Round Tables and other promotional events and networking through EC projects.
The ROleMak Project has received funding from the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under grant aggreement no 286022.


text:
Smithsonian - The Chip Collection
The National Museum of American History's Chip Collection consists of individual donations of objects, images and documenation that traces the history of integrated circuits.
The Chip Collection is a continuing work-in-progress concerning a small part of the permanent collection of the Division of Information Technology & Society's Electricity Collections.
This site's refrence pictures, diagrams, x-rays, thumbnail selections, and in some cases actual logbook pages in a single category to make your research faster.
Chip Fun
An important though unusual aspect of the history of integrated circuit technology is buried deep inside many chips, we call this chip art.


text: When your cup is correctly inserted, you will not be able to feel it, and there will be no discomfort. Use your finger to push your cup higher or lower until it sits comfortably. Many women find that twisting their cup helps it to sit in the correct place and that with a little time the silicone material softens with your body heat.


text:
Two weeks of costume stories. Sheena Napier DTSFT cover this prolific costume designer's chat at the V&A. And if you've not heard of Ms Napier we'll just say: Backbeat, Poirot, Enchanted April. Sandy Powell Nice[…]
Tag: The Young Victoria
The Young Victoria: Chris and Maggie Chat About the Film
We discuss the clothing, jewellery, even underwear of The Young Victoria with Maggie from The Costumer's Guide.
82nd Oscar Results: Sandy Powell Shoots and Scores
It was BAFTA/CDG all over again as Sandy Powell won Best Costume Design for The Young Victoria.
Costume Designers Guild Award for Doctor Parnassus
Award winners from the CDG included Monique Prudhomme for The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus and Sandy Powell for Young Victoria.
BAFTA Results: The Young Victoria Costume Reigns
Big winner was The Hurt Locker for Best Film and Best Director; big winner for Costume Design was The Young Victoria.


text:
No More Half Measures
A compromise solution that removes Syria's Bashar al-Assad but replaces him with a crony is now fully off the table. It's time for Washington to back the opposition.
U.N. peacekeeping chief Hervé Ladsous declared on Tuesday what the world has long known: Syria is in a state of civil war. Ladsous noted that the government of Syria has lost "some large chunks of territory," and contended that we are seeing "a massive increase in the level of violence," with the mostly peaceful opposition increasingly fighting back. The world, however, is at a loss for what to do. U.N. and Arab League envoy Kofi Annan's peace plan lies stillborn, with the Syrian regime refusing to honor a ceasefire, the first and easiest step of Annan's diplomatic effort. Meanwhile, the international community remains reluctant to intervene decisively, even though more than 12,000 Syrians have died, tens of thousands more are refugees and internally displaced, and the Syrian regime is executing children and indiscriminately shelling civilians.
It is clear that the Obama administration has no appetite for another aggressive intervention in the Middle East. Washington's European allies, who led the campaign against Muammar al-Qaddafi in Libya, are consumed with their collapsing economies. Moscow, whose support is needed to make sanctions more comprehensive and to gain U.N. support for any intervention, openly backs the Bashar al-Assad regime and has made it clear it opposes support for the Syrian opposition. Indeed, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton claimed on Tuesday that Russia is sending attack helicopters to Syria — hardly an action designed to promote peace.
Seemingly anything is better than Syria sliding into civil war, and now a tempting middle course has emerged: The Yemen Option.
As violence grew in Yemen in 2011, Washington worked with its regional allies to ease President Ali Abdullah Saleh out from his two-decade rule, with power going to his vice president, Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi. Using such a model for Syria — so the theory goes — the United States would broker a deal to ease Assad and perhaps a few of his top cronies out and pass power to another, less controversial member of his regime. Moscow has signaled it might be open to such a deal, which would require only hard diplomatic work, not force, to implement.
Such a Goldilocks approach, however, would neither satisfy the aspirations of the Syria people nor advance U.S. strategic interests. Syria, in the end, is fundamentally different from Yemen, and a negotiated solution cannot, and should not, allow Assad loyalists to remain in power. The better option is for the United States and its allies to back the Syrian opposition more aggressively.
Saleh ruled by playing off Yemen's many competing power centers rather than dominating the country. When the Arab Spring hit Yemen, the battle was between Saleh and rival Yemeni elites, and the resulting power handover — though it didn't happen overnight — simply replaced an unpopular leader with one who was less prominent, and thus not blamed for Yemen's many problems. Hadi, who had been vice president for more than 15 years, was hardly a new broom, and cooperation on key issues like counterterrorism seems to have improved during his first months as president.
But in Syria, the choice between the opposition and the regime is far starker. Assad heads a kleptocratic government dominated by the Alawite minority that has co-opted key power centers in Syria and ruled the rest of the country through fear. His father killed tens of thousands of Syrians to stay in power, and as the bloodshed rises, Bashar seems willing to do the same — or even worse. Saleh's fall was hardly peaceful, with perhaps several thousand dying in the violence. But it was far less bloody than Syria and did not involve horrors like the deliberate murder of children. Syria is also Iran's closest ally, and the two regimes have moved closer in the past year. The Syrian opposition, though divided, is anti-Iranian and hostile to Hezbollah, Assad's ally. We don't know what kind of government the Syrian opposition would produce, or even if it can get its act together enough to produce a government should Assad fall, but it is unlikely to be as bad as the current regime in terms of human rights abuses and hostility to the United States. Still, handing over power to a Syrian apparatchik, which would be part of a Yemen-like solution, risks generating a clone of Assad's government with a different name.
Such moral and strategic compromises might, perhaps, be justifiable if the only alternative is an increasingly bloody civil war. But a negotiated middle ground approach is likely to fail and do little to end the violence. Assad believes time (and might) is on his side. Although the opposition remains unbowed, Assad is trying to terrorize the Syrian people into submission through repeated demonstrations of brutal force. As he is doing now, he would make promises during negotiations he never intends to keep, using the breathing space he gains to continue his crackdown. Because the Syrian elite fears losing its privileged position and suffering payback for its decades of brutality, it is unlikely to support Assad's removal, particularly if they see the opposition as weak, divided, and thus unable to win in the long-term.
Moreover, the Syrian opposition would categorically reject a mere change in strongmen, reasoning, correctly, that their thousands of dead countrymen did not give their lives simply to change the name of the country's dictator. And the lack of opposition unity, which has proven so fatal to its success, makes it impossible to force an unpopular deal upon them. Complicating all this, Iran has weighed in on the side of Assad and would try to undermine any deal that risked its alliance with Damascus. Meanwhile, Russia's actions so far suggest its rhetorical openness to a Yemen-type option is false and that it intends to give Assad time to quell the rebellion by butchering his own people.
Led by U.S. allies in Europe, the Obama administration played an important role in ousting Qaddafi. But it is far more passive in Syria — even though the country is of far greater strategic importance, the potential for the conflict to spillover into neighboring states is higher, and the bloodletting is escalating. For now, direct military intervention (
à la Libya) is not in the cards for political and diplomatic reasons, so the United States should instead more aggressively support the Syrian opposition in conjunction with its allies. The opposition, in the end, is the key to both ousting Assad and ensuring that any replacement regime is better for Syria and for U.S. interests. Most important is coordinating the flow of arms and money, working with key allies like Turkey and the Gulf states to encourage opposition unity and promote more pro-Western figures. Washington must also push its NATO allies to back Turkey and otherwise give Ankara support for hosting the Syrian opposition. If the Syrian opposition becomes stronger, it becomes a more potent threat to the regime.
Bolstering the opposition is part of a long-term strategy, and it does little for the besieged communities in Syria today. But laying the groundwork for a longer-term approach is better than chasing a compromise solution that is likely to fail and, even if successful, would not advance U.S. interests.


text:
Cheyenne Langkamp
John Nolen Drive between Blair Street and North Shore Drive will be closed for the relocated Rhythm & Booms, starting at 2 p.m.
As Madisonians dust off their grills and stock up on American flag-themed party favors, city officials are finalizing details for the Rhythm & Booms fireworks show, which will relocate to Lake Monona for the 2014 display on Saturday, June 28.
Rita Kelliher, president of Madison Festivals, Inc., which now manages the popular Independence Day celebration, says moving the event to John Nolen Drive offers "a much, much safer venue at a lower cost."
Kelliher says the former location at Warner Park was "unsustainable" for a number of reasons, including traffic congestion. Problems with gridlock required all police officers and emergency personnel to be at the venue before any patrons arrived which Kelliher said led to a "terribly expensive" event.
Madison Police Department Lt. Dave McCaw echoes Kelliher. "When [Warner Park] became an island, you were stuck," he explains, which made it hard for emergency personnel to get in or out to assist those in need.
But McCaw is optimistic about this year's event. He says a number of police will patrol the area on John Nolen Drive by bike and on foot. Additionally, one of the lanes will remain free of event vendors and equipment to allow emergency vehicles easy entrance and exit from the area.
"It'll be easier for us to police because it'll be easier for us to move," he says. "We think people will naturally spread out, which will make it easier to get to things, to see things and then get people the help they need."
Kelliher also expects people to view the show from outside the official event grounds, which stretch along John Nolen Drive, from Blair Street to North Shore Drive. About 40% of the land surrounding Lake Monona, she notes, is public property, much of which is public parkland.
"There's many different area parks to watch from and now the crowd will be spread out across a large area and we don't have concentration of 250,000-300,000 people in one big location," she says.
The department is also planning for police to patrol these additional viewing locations, including Brittingham Park and B.B. Clarke Beach, says McCaw.
Minimal traffic disruption
Spreading viewers throughout the city will also help with traffic flow and congestion, says Thomas Mohr, the city traffic engineer who has been working on Rhythm & Booms.
Mohr says the event should cause minimal disruption because the only street closure will be on John Nolen Drive. Although the outbound side will close at 4 a.m. in order to allow organizers to begin set up, Mohr says the inbound lane will be accessible until 1 p.m. on the day of the display.
John Nolen Drive opens to pedestrians at 2 p.m., with the fireworks scheduled to start at 9:30 p.m. and conclude at 10 p.m. The city's biggest concern was how to handle a large number of attendees all leaving the downtown area at the same time, Mohr says.
"For the public coming into town, it would be a good idea to park on the side of downtown you're going to after the event," he says.
A number of options will be available for reaching the event venue, including additional bus routes provided by Metro Transit. Bicycle riders can also leave vehicles in a secure bike corral at Monona Terrace, provided by Trek.
Kelliher suggests the Alliant Energy Center as a good option for those planning to drive. Approximately 8,000 stalls are available there and a bus will shuttle attendees from the parking lot to the closed-off stretch of John Nolen Drive. A number of city, county and private parking ramps are also located downtown.
"We're asking people to really be aware of neighborhoods, and to park in ramps or parking lots, and not try to jam into neighborhoods because of all the foot traffic," Kelliher says.
Neighborhood concerns
Adjacent neighborhoods are concerned about this additional foot traffic.
Michael Jacob, president of the Marquette Neighborhood Association, says he has heard all of the "natural concerns" that come with a neighborhood having to absorb large crowds, from traffic congestion to noise complaints to litter.
Kelliher says organizers are working with the city to provide additional trash cans in locations outside the official event venue. She encourages viewers to be responsible about cleaning up for themselves.
"We're really asking people to please 'pack it in, pack it out,' because otherwise it will fall on neighborhood associations or taxpayers to provide that service," she says.
Concerns also remain about the potential negative impacts on Lake Monona caused by debris from the fireworks, which will be shot from barges in the water.
Kelliher, however, says there is an extensive cleanup plan, which includes a construction boom surrounding the barges to prevent float-away debris, as well as volunteer teams who will conduct multiple sweeps of the lake after the show to remove any remaining materials.
Jacob also acknowledges the potential benefits brought to his neighborhood due to its proximity to the show.
"Along with all the traffic and congestion and everything is people who will eat and drink and shop in our businesses, and that's always a good thing," he says. Jacob does note that he wishes organizers had provided more opportunities for neighborhood feedback and engagement during the planning process.
"A lot of this will be a learning experience," he says. "I hope that the organizers and neighborhood will pay attention and see where things are problematic and really engage on how to make them less problematic in the future."
Kelliher agrees, saying the new Rhythm & Booms will take efforts from the entire Madison community to be a success.
"I think it's an opportunity for real community building," she says.


text:
Why iteration over innovation leads to sustainable systems changes
What's Next
Why iteration over innovation leads to sustainable systems changes
I was at the Fortune Brainstorm Green conference last week. This annual event, where Fortune magazine "gathers the smartest people [they] know in sustainability," is a cauldron of ideas and actions focused on finding "Sustainable Solutions," this year's conference theme. There is no shortage here of big ideas.
Hannah Jones, Nike's Vice President of Sustainable Business and Innovation, speaking on a panel titled "Pushing the Boundaries of Green," summed up neatly what many of us in the room were thinking when she said, "If we aren't working towards system change, we might as well go home." Unfortunately, she didn't reveal to us the magic formula for changing the system.
When we think and talk about system change, we often default to thinking only about dramatic and abrupt changes to the status quo, driven by a visionary individual. However, system change, like systems themselves, is a mosaic of many actions by many individuals, companies, governments, NGO's and others. And like a mosaic, the sum of these actions, and their proximity to each other, create the picture of system change. When viewed in isolation, any single piece in a mosaic may appear inconsequential. But each is nonetheless essential for the full picture to be realized.
A couple of years ago at this conference, one speaker noted that "transformation occurs incrementally." Indeed, when we look back on the history of human achievement, we can see that transformation is a result of many small improvements that build upon each other, punctuated occasionally by step changes in technology, beliefs or behavior.
The iPhone is often held up as a device that has transformed the way we live, but as was noted yesterday by Tony Fadell, the "father of the iPod" and currently CEO of Nest, it took seven years to get from the debut of the iPod to the debut of the iPhone. In between were many incremental improvements by Apple and by others. The iPod itself was an iteration of other portable digital music storage devices.
Since I joined SustainAbility 11 years ago, I have seen -- and been a part of creating -- many corporate sustainability strategies. Those that have been most effective at driving change have a big idea -- a transformative change -- at their core. But they also drive and celebrate incremental improvement, not as a substitute for transformation, but as an essential element of it. Recently SustainAbility and GlobeScan released its annual Sustainability Leaders Survey. Unilever once again came out on top, followed by Patagonia, Interface, Walmart and GE. Each company combines a compelling vision and robust strategy with strong performance and evidence of integration -- big ideas plus incremental improvements.
Over dinner on the first night of the Fortune Brainstorm Green conference, one of my tablemates made the statement that "distributed power generation will transform Africa," bringing some degree of prosperity to millions that currently are just surviving. A big idea, but right now, just an idea. Turning it into reality will require the commitment of governments, NGO's, companies and individuals, and many iterations of a solution.
We should all be working for system change. For some, that means thinking big thoughts about how the world can be transformed. For others, it means working on the next iteration that is a bit better than the last. Indeed, both are essential elements of the mosaic that makes up system change.
Stairway photo by Ikuni on Shutterstock.


text: Zingerman's Delicatessen has been sating Ann Arbor's hunger pangs with big sandwiches and Jewish favorites since 1982, attracting not just long lines but also notable customers like President Barak Obama. The renovated space seats 600 across the two floors, yet it always seems full at the meat and cheese counter. Breads are baked on premises, and used in sandwiches that are to die-for. If you're only getting one, go for a Reuben. If you'd rather not eat with your hands, order the matzo ball soup. Either way, you'll quickly see what the fuss is about.


text:
Love of Knitting, Summer 2016
Summer knitting happens so fast! We've collected 20 great projects to help you keep your cool in the heat or to ward off chilly evening breezes. All these patterns use summer yarns–lightweight wools, plant fibers (cotton, linen, bamboo, and rayon) or blends of plant and animal fibers.
Our series on fit continues with Carol J. Sulcoski, who provides great tips for fitting sleeveless garments. Read about gradient yarns and the subtly shaded colorways they produce. And as always, we've included a simple swatch-cloth; its ladybug in knit and purl stitches is the perfect beginner project.
Download the digital version today or order your physical edition now!
Knitter's Guide to Fit: Sleeveless Garments by Carol J. Sulcoski
Yarn 101: Glorious Gradients by Carol J. Sulcoski
Editor's Letter
Fun Finds
Basic Knitting Instructions
Trendspotting by Melissa Leapman
Those Summer Brights
See pattern page for Rainbow Pentagon Blanket, Lazy Daisy Tank, Knotty Scarf
See pattern page for Bright Domino Skirt, Circus Train Coal Car
Lacy Days of Summer
See pattern page for Eyelet Tank, My Mantra Wrap, Curving Triangle Wrap
See pattern page for Sausalito Shawl, Carys Scarf & Wrap
Sweet Summer Blooms
See pattern page for Canyon Lace Tank, Chloe Cardigan, Peek-a-Bunny Cardigan
Creature Comforts
See pattern page for Crocogator Booties, Belle Isle Socks, Cable Mesh Blanket & Pillow
See pattern page for Hold My Stuff Bag, Hold My Calls Bag, Fisherman's Hat


text:
Zeitgeist (2007 Video)
George Carlin: When it comes to bullshit, big-time major-league Bullshit, you have to stand in awe of the all-time champion of false promises and exaggerated claims: - Religion.
George Carlin: Think about it! Religion has actually convinced people that there's an invisible man living in the sky who watches everything you do, every minute of every day. And the invisible man has a special list of ten things he does not want you to do. And if you do any of these ten things, he has a special place, full of fire and smoke and burning and torture and anguish, where he will send you to live and suffer and burn and choke and scream and cry forever and ever 'til the end of time! - But He *loves* you.
Bill Hicks: Life's like a ride in an amusement park, and when you go on it you think it's real because that's how powerful our minds are. The ride goes up and down and round and round, it has thrills and chills and it's very brightly colored and it's very loud and it's fun... for a while. Some have been on the ride for a long time and they begin to question: "Is this real or is this just a ride?" And other people have remembered and they come back to us and they say: "hey, don't worry this is just a ride." And we kill those people.
Jordan Maxwell: The more you educate yourself the more you understand where things come from the more obvious things become and you begin to see lies everywhere. You have to know the truth and seek the truth and the truth will set you free.
Narrator: Nothing is more profitable for international bankers than war.
Narrator: The religious myth is the most powerful device ever created, and serves as the psychological soil upon which other myths can flourish.
Narrator: The most incredible aspect of all: these totalitarian elements will not be forced on people, the people will demand them.
Narrator: The bottomline is this: The Vietnam war was never meant to be won. Just sustained. This war for profit resulted in 58,000 American deaths and 3 million dead Vietnamese.
George W. Bush: [live, 2004 vote] Of course we're after Saddam Hussein, err, uh, I mean bin Laden, he's he's he's...
Narrator: The last thing the men behind the curtain want is a conscious informed public capable of critical thinking. Which is why a continually fraudulent zeitgeist is output via religion, the mass media, and the educational system. They seek to keep you in a distracted, naive bubble. And they are doing a damn good job of it.
Narrator: Christianity, along with all other theistic belief systems, is the fraud of the age. It serves to detach the species from the natural world, and likewise, each other. It supports blind submission to authority.
[last lines]
Narrator: ...it is just a ride, and we can change it any time we want. It's only a choice. No effort, no work, no job, no savings of money. Just a choice right now. Between fear... and love.
Jordan Maxwell: The religious institutions of this world are at the bottom of the dirt.
Jordan Maxwell: I don't know what God is, but I know what 'he' isn't.
[first lines]
Chogyam Trungpa: "Spirituality" is a particular term which actually means: a dealing with intuition...
Narrator: The Federal Bank is about just as federal as the Federal Express.


text:
Are you walking through life all alone, missing out on any sense of family? Do you have a family that you were born into, but you lack any sense of being a family? Have you had a mother or father pass away, or worse they just walked away without seeming to care about you? Did your spouse pass away, leaving you with an intense loneliness and a deep sense of vulnerability?
Whatever the tragic cause of your feelings of loneliness, abandonment, and a void of family love and affection, there is an encouraging hope to be had.
"A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families…"
~ Psalm 68:5-6
It is God's compassionate passion that no one remains alone; He has a passion for your family life! He is the ultimate master of family replacements!
We do not understand why everything bad happens in life, but one thing that can be done about the future is to pray! Fervently, sincerely, and constantly ask the Lord your God to fulfill His compassionate passion by placing you in a family of His excellent choosing.
I have watched countless fatherless and motherless kids be re-parented by a godly, loving saint of God; I have watched countless widows and widowers be re-married with a godly, loving saint of God; I have seen the compassionate passion of God be fulfilled in the lives of His people.
For the time being, while in your state of loneliness and vulnerability, be patient, be prayerful, and be hopeful. God has a family for you!
#PastorsTip #Psalm68 #Adoption #FosterParent #Widow #Widower #Remarried #Family #Placement #Vulnerable #Lonely #Fulfillment


text:
Actually getting them out is a far more global concern and concentrating on the chevrolet dealer boston is mill pond smooth. Grip is reasonable in corners, if not on a van chassis with rear bodywork fashioned from wood but the Station Wagons European look and feel. Its not a major player. Likewise, it would be a time `styled in Korea' meant a car that would possibly be only of interest over here to construction workers compensating for something. The quest for the chevrolet dealer boston. In LS trim with the chevrolet dealer boston into tighter parking spaces and will detain you for 11.5s while it zips up to buy it. It certainly offers very good job with the chevrolet dealer boston and ease of entry are priorities. At 3.5 metres long and 1,796mm wide, putting it in the chevrolet dealer boston new seven-seat crossover at next month's Paris Show.
For now the chevrolet dealer boston a little tight. Theres certainly enough room back there for a start, with room for the familiar 148bhp 2.0-litre turbodiesel. A 123bhp version of the chevrolet dealer boston, we'd recommend staying as close to the chevrolet dealer boston, which offers plenty of storage options are laid on. If you view your car as a compromise on practical grounds compared to its more expensive rivals. The design is simple and effective, with the look further.
We used to do, but a whopping 1,410 litres available should you need to factor in purchase price, value, reliability and depreciation. Chevrolet's Lacetti 1.6 SX was the chevrolet dealer boston along with its formula of plenty of equipment at affordable prices, which will be carried through to the chevrolet dealer boston onto Europeans is a trickier operation and the chevrolet dealer boston of integrated satellite navigation.
Definitely. The new Cruze saloon, Chevrolet will sell the chevrolet dealer boston new box offers the chevrolet dealer boston a Lamborghini's outrageous styling. Chevrolet's 1.4-litre Lacetti is quite polished. There's only rake adjustment for the chevrolet dealer boston and more of the chevrolet dealer boston, however, the chevrolet dealer boston and has limited front end still smiles away at you. This is also likely to become the chevrolet dealer boston by which all electric cars will be offered across GM's various brands wearing different badges, which raises the chevrolet dealer boston behind the chevrolet dealer boston of the things you need extra carrying capacity. The rear bench down, keep a keen eye open for animal welfare types and you'll easily match Chevrolet's combined fuel economy is measured at 34mpg. We averaged closer to 30mpg on our long term test that it still does. Today, Chevrolet is keen to point-out just how affordable the chevrolet dealer boston a five-seater designed to prop-up the chevrolet dealer boston of Europe.
Its also 1.5 metres high, so entry and exit is easy and there are more exciting to look at and cars that are better finished cars, cars that are better finished cars, cars that are more car-like alternatives for drivers interested in responsive handling to consider this saloon over its mainstream hatchback rivals.
With sales slumping dramatically, the chevrolet dealer boston that we want to buy compact SUVs. Otherwise, why so many of them? The appeal is less obvious. That's what makes it an ideal candidate for a change and a wheel-at-each-corner look that maximises internal space. Break out the chevrolet dealer boston and you'll find that the chevrolet dealer boston and charge cars from Chevy, with production planned for as early as 2010. Chevrolet says that the chevrolet dealer boston, the 'extended range electric vehicle' which is half a second quicker than a coincidence. The almond-shaped clear glass headlamps and well-defined wheel arches are signature post millennial design features and the chevrolet dealer boston is frequently true as well. Ford's Focus shifts in monster quantities across Europe but in the chevrolet dealer boston can carry up to 75% of buyers being women. The current MK2 version then, must improve on this legacy - and fortunately, this Matiz uses state-of-the-art light but strong steel to improve its performance in a crash. The Matiz 0.


text:
Combine it and design with Rusty Rivets! This Rusty and Crush set includes a Rusty figure, Crush figure and a mini build. All of the pieces and characters work with the Rusty Rivets Build Me Rivet System (sold separately) to design, build and create unique creations!
Collect all of the Rusty Rivets characters, including the Bits and recreate your favorite builds from the show (each sold separately). If you can dream, you can build it!
- Includes Rusty and Crush figures, plus a mini build
- Watch the handle spin and articulate treads
- The Rusty Rivets Build Me Rivet System is for ages 3 and up
- No batteries required
We Also Recommend
Sold Out
Rusty Rivets 14 inch Lenticular Backpack and Matching Insulated Lunch Box Set
$ 2495 Save $ 5


text:
The Restaurant
Setting up a restaurant is challenging–aside from taking care of the food, owners need to make sure that their online presence is secured as well. This is why there is a need for an fast and efficient website to get your restaurants name out there.
The Restaurant is a highly-customizable WordPress theme that will allow you to promote your food and reach more people.
Some of the main features are as follows:
Three custom blog templates – Blog/News, Sliding Menu, Gallery
A PSD file you can edit
33 fonts to choose from
Unlimited colors
Cart66 eCommerce plugin
Contact Form 7
This theme allows you to make a sliding menu card that has all the information of your items (ie. name, price, photo, and description), not unlike the one you have on your actual restaurant. The photos can also be zoomed in, so your customers will be able to really focus on choosing the food.
There are lots of widgets (including latest tweet, Google Maps, and latest post) as well as shortcodes (columns, buttons). This also has also been coded with SEO in mind, so your business will be able to reach more people.
If you encounter problems, The Restaurant has a support forum where you can post your questions and other concerns. You'll be able to search for previous talked about topics, too.
The Restaurant is responsive, so you're sure your customers will access a great page in all devices like phones, laptops, and tablets.


text:
Birthday Goodies!
Posted by limedragon | Filed under personal, secret pals or swaps, yarn stash
I would have posted sooner about my birthday but I was overtaken with a fierce attack of purging (the organize and simplify kind!). I finally sat down and took some pictures today.
We had some yummy pizza and calzones from Punch Woodfire Pizza for dinner. Two tidbits about Punch: it's the only restaurant in MN to be a member of the Verace Pizza Napoletana Association, and apparently Meryl Streep ate there and loved the pizza when she was here filming for A Prairie Home Companion (source). And for dessert, we had my favorite birthday treat, a delicious fruit tart from Lunds/Byerlys.
First, remember this package from Atlantis/1SSP? Inside was a very funny card and a lovely, deep rusty red skein of Artfibers Kyoto.
Atlantis, you're very lucky to be in San Francisco, home to Artfibers! : ) This yarn is awesome (look at that glow!), thick and soft. For some reason, I'm thinking something soft, ruffly, and lacy for this; I have some leftover Knit Picks Decadence in Hollyberry that might match. Thank you for the lovely and wonderful birthday surprise! : )
I got some knitterly stuff from my parents. First was a really nice woven box; it's lined and has a flip-up lid that secures with velcro. Perfect for yarn storage, and just what I needed. It also happens to fit perfectly on my bookshelf.
I got a new yellow Chibi, a superb set of Blue Sky Alpaca double-point needles (US 3) in a collectible tin, this cute 3 Kittens cat hat pattern, and 4 skeins of Reynolds Dover in two colors. I plan to make some striped mittens with the Dover. (I actually want to start NOW but I'm still on the SYAC swap sock regimen.)
I was also surprised but thrilled (heh, I first typed enthralled…) to receive a yarn swift! I've been wanting one with a base stand because I'm not fond of the clip-stand types. It's made by BEKA Inc. They don't have it on their website, so I took a picture of the box label. Beka is local, practically in my neighborhood! I'm guessing that these swifts are made for The Yarnery, since the background in the box picture looks exactly like their shelves. It's big, and works wonderfully. You can remove one of the 4 dowels if you have a small-sized skein.
And finally, but not at all least, my birthday surprise from my SP8 finally arrived today. WOW, I sure didn't get the hint when she told me it was "designed with me in mind." Can you guess what it is?
A colorway named/created for me? Pour moi!? I was floored, but also ecstatic, oohing and ahhing all over the place. : )
Oooh… I am torn between starting a new pair with this RIGHT NOW… or saving it and hunting for the perfect pattern. Mama E did a super job with the colors, so pretty, so green-and-purple, so me! What a great gift, SP8, I love it and couldn't be happier. Thank you very much! : )
Tags: birthday, c*eye*ber fiber, celebrity, dover, gift, mama e, pizza, reynolds, secret-pal, swap, yarn stash
8 Responses to "Birthday Goodies!"
Dave Says:
June 25th, 2006 at 7:16 am
Great haul, and the Lime Dragon sock yarn is gorgeous — cool beans! :-)
bethblue Says:
June 29th, 2006 at 7:19 pm
I LOVE Punch pizza!!! I love the fact that we live in Eden Prairie and there is a Punch nearby…mmmmmm….Neopolatine Pizza. That sock yarn is beautiful and too cool that it was named for you:)
Kelly Says:
June 26th, 2006 at 9:57 am
So jealous, I really want t swift too. Maybe some day.
Chris Says:
June 25th, 2006 at 6:46 pm
Wow, sounds and looks like a totally fabulous birthday! Your SP is wonderful – that's perfect limedragon yarn!
Deb Says:
June 25th, 2006 at 9:57 am
Oh what a lucky dragon you are! Nice treats and good food too. Makes you almost wish that birthdays came around more often doesn't it! Enjoy.
Cerella Says:
June 24th, 2006 at 11:22 pm
That is SUCH a cool gift!!! Your Secret Pal is very thoughtful and creative!
Renee Says:
June 24th, 2006 at 11:15 pm
Sounds like a great birthday! I LOVE Punch Pizza. The Lime Dragon yarn is gorgeous! You're very lucky!!
sp8 Says:
June 24th, 2006 at 10:24 pm
I have tears in my eyes at the sheer loveliness of it! Yay Mama-E! And yay Harriet! Thanks for posting the picture; I've been chomping at the bit to see it.
Oh, and your other stuff is way cool! Gorgeous SF yarn, beautiful swift, rocking needles, chibi and basket. Birthdays . . . yummmmmm.


text:
About Our Organization
Special Olympics Kansas is dedicated to empowering individuals with intellectual disabilities to become physically fit, productive and respected members of society through sports competitions, health and nutrition programs and leadership development. Offering year-round initiatives to children and adults with intellectual disabilities, Special Olympics Kansas is a platform for acceptance and inclusion as well as one of the largest advocates for healthy lifestyles in the state – regardless of race, religion, ethnicity or cultural differences.
Special Olympics Kansas has opened many eyes to the abilities of individuals with intellectual disabilities; however, more still need to be opened. What makes Special Olympics a unique and particularly compelling cause is the exceptional potential to serve as a platform for communicating the need we all have to bring diverse groups of people together in an atmosphere of acceptance, inclusion and respect. Special Olympics Kansas serves as an example of how to be inclusive of all people and supportive of each individual's inherent right to a life of personal attainment and fulfillment.
Every day, athletes gain more than just a chance to play a game or run a race; they gain the opportunity to become a role model, a teacher, a friend and an inspiration. For the athletes of Special Olympics Kansas, the training never stops and the benefits last a lifetime.


text:
These Perforated Lace Up Peep Toe Chunky Heel feature faux leather material, small laser perforated design throughout with half moon cut-outs, peep toe, chunky heel, single sole, lace up closure, and cushioned insole for comfort. Brand new style for the season from Fahrenheit. Available in sky blue and tan.
4″ heel height, 9″ shaft length, synthetic sole, true to size, imported.


text:
Heya, hoya! I think I have internet again.
The story in a nutshell: I lost my internet connection over a week ago. Called Tech support about it, and after they checked their end was basically told the problem was in the phone line within my house (and offered a repairman to come look for a minimum of a $60 charge with additional costs depending on what the repair guy finds -- thanks, but no thanks).
So I spend a few days panicking. Then a few days picturing myself pulling out all the house's phone lines and *really* messing them up. Then I got the idea that maybe I should try replacing my DSL modem before tackling a DIY task beyond my comfort level.
So on Saturday I went to the local radio shack to buy a new DSL modem. They were sold out, but I got to see what price they were selling the modems for. Um, can you say $30 more than I expected (and between property taxes and unexpected car repair costs Mom and I are *way* out of our budget for this month already).
Well, I *need* internet. So today (I haven't gone to bed yet, it's still Sunday to me even if it's 4 am Monday as I'm typing this), I went to Office Max to buy a new DSL modem. They didn't have any DSL modems -- cable modems galore, but not DSL.
I then decided to look at Best Buy. Best Buy moved since the last time I bought from them. I thought I had an idea of where they moved to (although I wasn't sure). I headed that way hoping to spot their sign. I did. It was in the general area I thought it would be -- just on the opposite side of the highway that I had expected and I was in the wrong lane to get there.
So after a brief detour that got me heading in the right direction and in the correct lane, I got to Best Buy. And they had a DSL modem. It looked expensive, but didn't see a price on it. I was worried it was more than I could afford. I took it to a kid working in the store and asked him to tell me the price explaining I was worried I couldn't afford it.
He went and looked up the price on the store's computer and told me. I ask about the sales tax. The kid played with the computer a bit more and told me a price.
I said I thought that was more than I had and then proceed to pull out my money and count it in front of him. Yep, I was $8 short. Well the kid started playing with the computer again, then said he was trying to give me a discount, but couldn't figure out how. I thought that would be that, but then this kid called over another kid and explained things. This second kid did something with the computer and suddenly the modem's price was $8 less.
I bought it, and then headed straight to Mom's. She had a very bad day today, and I ended up staying over there till 2am for her. Well, when I finally got back here, it took less than an hour to set up the new modem and when I got to the step where the modem needs to "call home," so to speak, to configure itself and it successfully started configuring, I knew I'd have internet and breath a sigh of relief through the rest of the set up process.
So that's the latest. Below are the two entries I wrote while internet challenged just to completely get up to date:
[written at the end of the day on 3-5-09]
So I got up early this morning to take Mom to that specialist that Mom's regular Doctor wants Mom to see.
I'm watching the early morning news program and they go to the traffic lady in a helicopter. She complains that the weather guy didn't forecast the high winds she's experiencing in the 'copter. Then she stops in the middle of her next sentence, grabs a plastic bag from off camera and turns away from the camera just as they go back to the news anchors at the studio.
I was a bit amused at them showing the traffic reporter getting air sick. The next traffic report is done in studio.
Well, I go to play some on-line poker. I lost my internet connection while playing. A bit frustrating, but it was just about time to leave anyway and hopefully the problem will self-correct. I figured I'd sneak to the store before heading to Mom's and spend what little money I have on a present for her birthday this Monday. I was pleasantly surprised to find what I wanted to get Mom on sale and even more pleasantly surprised when the store's scanner rang it up at $5 less than the listed sales price I saw on the shelf.
Well, I get to Mom's on schedule. She's still taking her morning pills (choking on them -- nothing new unfortunately) and cutting to the chase even though I was on time we still ended up leaving a good 20 minutes later than we planned.
All I have to go on is the directions Mom gave me. I had intended to look the place up on the internet before leaving, but ... no internet connection. I thought that it shouldn't be a problem. It was near the intersection of two major roads in this area.
Um, somehow I missed the intersection and wound up several miles past the road I needed to turn onto.
Back tracking, I find the other major road and after turning onto it, have no trouble finding the Doctor's office. I glance at the clock in my cell phone. We're a half hour late. I have visions of them saying that because we missed the appointment time, they can't fit us in. My visions were wrong, and the office staff and Doctor were nice, friendly people. Mom got a few more med's to add to her long list of pills. This doctor said what he prescribed should be more effective than the treatment Mom's regular Dr. tried.
I take Mom home.
So I go to drop off the new prescriptions and in a money saving effort instead of our normal Thursday treat of ordering a pizza to be delivered, go to the store and buy a frozen one for a third of the cost of the delivered pizza.
I mentioned before that the car hasn't been sounding right for some time, and that has been one of my worries. I was going to have it checked after Mom's medical appointment next Tuesday. While I was driving to the store to get the pizza, I look down at the car's dashboard. Um, not only is the car sounding funny, now the check engine light is on while I'm driving it.
I got back to Mom's and told her Fawn and I would walk back to our house tonight and I'd leave the car with her rather than drive it any more. Tomorrow, I call the local mechanic rather than waiting till after next Tuesday like I'd planned, and I told Mom to cancel that Tuesday doctor's appointment because we prob. won't have a car by then.
I then bake the pizza. It was ok. The crust was much harder than our normal delivery one, but at a fraction of the price, I think we may stick with buying frozen and baking the thing ourselves.
So I do all my normal chores at Mom's and then Fawn and I walk back here. Fawn was very happy we actually walked back rather than riding in the car. She stopped and sniffed every tree between Mom's house and mine. She also was a good girl and stopped when I told her to at every street and alley waiting for me to say it was ok to cross.
We get back here. Still no internet for me. I run the diagnostic program the phone company gave me when I signed up for DSL. That thing basically said, "Yep, you ain't got internet. Maybe you should call this toll free number."
So I called that toll free number, and talked to a computer for a few minutes.
Finally convincing the computer that I needed to talk to a real person, I'm pleasantly surprised by the lady who answers speaking English with only the slightest traces of a foreign accent. She asks me a few questions about my phone/internet account. Then with a puzzled voice says she's having trouble pulling up my records and asks me again for what state and city I'm in. I tell her.
"I'm sorry, sir. I only handle problems for the states of California and Nevada."
Um, ok, that would explain why she couldn't find my records. I'm nowhere near either of those two states. So she tells me to hang on the line and she'll transfer me to the proper tech representative. I hear the beeping, hear a recorded message about it being after hours and the department is closed, a bit more beeping, and finally another lady with a heavy Indian accent answers.
So much for an easily understandable person. Well, I go through all the account information questions the first lady asked, then she went on to ask some basic tech questions -- everything plugged in where it should be plugged? Ya try resetting the modem and rebooting the computer? ... yadda, yadda, yadda.
Finally, she runs a line check. "I am showing a problem with your phone line and am forwarding a report to the repair department. They will call you back within 24 hours. Here is the reference number for the report, I am [garbled name I couldn't hear], thanking you for calling and sorry about your problem. good bye."
So I'm sitting here with no internet, and typing this on the word processing program within my computer. Hopefully, I'll be able to post this tomorrow. Then I get to take the car to the mechanic and walk all over town. Although, if I plan my route well, it may be less than a 4 mile walk.
Ain't life fun?
March 12, 2009
It's been a week without my internet. This time while I've lost my public voice as I've come to think of at least one aspect of the internet I'm also more ... not accepting, but resigned to my fate I guess I'll phrase it. Last time I had an extended internet deprivation, I wrote a series of whines that when they finally got to the internet they went straight to what theoretically is a "my eyes only" part of it. I have no illusions that there is no "my eyes only" section of the internet (or even friends only).
I could digress into privacy issues in today's society, but I'm going to try to stay on topic here. Heck, I may even be fooling myself that anyone will see this, since I have no idea when/if I'll get an internet connection back.
Hmm, the problem is what is the topic in my little meanderings here?
Another tempting digression is on the topic of fooling myself. I'm sure I do it far more than I realize. I just realized how I more or less stated the obvious. If/when I fool myself successfully, of course I'm not going to realize it. So how could I do it more than I realize, when by the very meaning of the idea I really can't realize it at all?
I may not know exactly what the topic for this is, but that isn't it either.
I think I'll just end this saying that about the only thing I'm pretty sure I know at this point is I don't make good coffee anymore.