text:
Is a 5/5 ARM the Mortgage Loan for You?
The 5/5 ARM is a hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage. That means it blends some of the best aspects of fixed- and adjustable-rate mortgages — but it blends some of the worst aspects, too.
Depending on your situation, a 5/5 ARM could be an amazing mortgage that combines low costs with minimal risk. But it could lead to unsustainably high mortgage payments. We cover everything you need to know to decide whether the 5/5 ARM should be your next mortgage.
- What is a 5/5 ARM?
- How is 5/5 ARM different than a 5/1 ARM?
- Pros and Cons of 5/5 ARMs
- Can you convert a 5/5 ARM to a conventional fixed-rate mortgage?
- Should you choose a 5/5 ARM for your next mortgage?
What is a 5/5 ARM?
A 5/5 ARM is an adjustable-rate mortgage that borrowers pay off in 30 years. The interest rate on a 5/5 ARM stays the same for the first 60 months (five years) of the loan, and after that, the interest rate could go up or down every five years. In general, rates on 5/5 ARMs adjust on the basis of an index (like the 1-year Constant Maturity Treasury), plus a margin (say 2.5%). If the index moves up 2%, your interest rate will move up 2% at the five-year mark. The interest rate could also change at the 10-year mark, 15-year mark and so on.
Like most adjustable-rate mortgages, most 5/5 ARMs have a lifetime maximum interest rate. Usually, rates cannot increase more than 5 percent to 6 percent, but the exact cap varies by lender. Consider a 5/5 ARM at an initial interest rate of 4.5% with a maximum adjustment of 5% — the highest rate the bank will ever charge on this loan will be 9.5%.
Most 5/5 ARMs also offer periodic adjustment caps. These limit the amount that the interest rate can adjust upwards. For example, a 5/5 ARM may have a 2% periodic adjustment cap. If your initial interest rate was 4.5%, the rate cannot increase to more than 6.5% at the five-year mark. Debbie Ames Naylor, executive vice president and president of mortgage banking at PenFed Credit Union, explained that the periodic adjustment cap is one of the biggest advantages of the 5/5 ARM compared with other ARMs.
"We're in a rising rate environment, so mortgage rates might go up. With a 5/5 ARM you might see rates go up by a maximum of 2%, but that's all the increase you'll face for the next five years," Ames Naylor told LendingTree. "When you take out a 5/5 ARM you have 10 years of payments with no more than a 2% increase. It's possible to come out ahead compared to a 30-year mortgage over a 10-year horizon."
Of course, a 5/5 ARM doesn't only adjust upwards. If interest rates fall, borrowers with a 5/5 ARM will get the opportunity to lock in the lower rate for another five years. According to Ames Naylor, PenFed customers who took out 5/5 ARMs when PenFed first released them in 2007 actually saw their rates go down at adjustment in 2012.
Caleb Cook, vice president of mortgage lending at Digital Federal Credit Union (DCU), clarified that rates on 5/5 ARMs can decrease, but they will never fall below a specified margin amount. For example, if the bank prices the 5/5 ARM off of an index, plus a margin of 2.75%, the rate on the 5/5 ARM will never fall below 2.75%.
The 5/5 ARM offers somewhat lower initial interest rates than 30 year fixed-rate mortgages, but the interest rate may increase over time. Despite the risk of rising interest rates, 5/5 ARMs offer some protections that other adjustable rate-mortgages do not. For example, borrowers don't need to worry about interest rates (and payments) increasing every year. Instead, payments adjust just once every five years. Since it's impossible to predict exactly how the index will move, homeowners who take out a 5/5 ARM need to prepare for a worst-case scenario. In many cases, that means planning to see a 2% rate increase every five years until the homeowner moves or refinances.
How is 5/5 ARM different than a 5/1 ARM?
Like a 5/5 ARM, a 5/1 ARM is an adjustable rate mortgage where the first adjustment comes after five years. Both 5/5 ARMs and 5/1 ARMs have 30-year payoff schedules, lifetime adjustment caps, and sometimes periodic adjustment caps too. However, the two loans have some important differences, including:
5/1 ARMs can adjust every year: During the first 60 months, the interest rate and monthly payment on a 5/1 ARM remains fixed. After that, interest rates and monthly payments change as often as every year. Borrowers may see their monthly payment go up year after year for the 25 years remaining in the loan. By comparison, payments on a 5/5 ARM can change every five years.
5/1 ARMs have lower initial interest rates: Compared to a 5/5 ARM, most 5/1 ARMs offer lower initial interest rates. Lenders tend to offer lower initial rates on 5/1 ARMs because they can increase rates faster on 5/1 ARMs compared to 5/5 ARMs. This lower rate on 5/1 ARMs means that homeowners enjoy a lower payment the first five years of the loan. The 5/1 ARM also yields big savings potential if you expect to live in a house for less than five years, provided there is no prepayment penalty.
May have servicing differences: Since 5/5 ARMs are still a niche mortgage product, many lenders hold them in their portfolio and service the loans themselves.
By comparison, lenders are more likely to sell 5/1 ARMs and 7/1 ARMs, which means the servicing institution may change. These changes present a small hassle for borrowers who may need to change their bill pay settings or create login information at a new bank. However, borrowers shouldn't count on a lender holding onto a 5/5 ARM indefinitely. Even though many lenders service the loans themselves right now, they may eventually sell the loans.
|Pros and cons of 5/5 ARMs
|Lower initial rates compared to 30 year fixed: In general, borrowers will find lower rates on 5/5 ARMs compared to fixed interest rates on 30-year loans. Depending on how long you stay in the house, the lower initial rate may mean you pay less in interest costs over the life of the loan, even if rates move up.
|Initial rate higher than 5/1 or 7/1 mortgage: The 5/5 ARM has higher rates than ARMs that adjust annually (such as the 5/1 or 7/1 ARM). Borrowers who plan to live in a house under a decade may save more money by choosing an ARM with annual adjustments.
|Five years between adjustments: When interest rates increase, borrowers can expect the rates on a 5/5 ARM to increase, too. However, borrowers always have five years to prepare for any change in their monthly payment.
"The biggest thing borrowers need to consider is how the interest rate and payment that could change at a reset," Ames Naylor told LendingTree. "With a 5/1 or 7/1 ARM, you may see payments increase every year. If you think you're going to be in the house for more than 5 years, I would typically choose the 5/5 over another adjustable rate mortgage."
|Payments may increase: Fixed rate mortgages offer the security of a fixed payment over the life of a loan, but adjustable rate mortgages offer no such guarantee. With a 5/5 ARM, payments may increase possibly by hundreds of dollars per month over the life of the loan. (The exact dollar value of increase depends on the initial size of the mortgage and the interest rate cap).
|Qualify for a larger mortgage with the same income: The lower interest rate on a 5/5 ARM means that borrowers have lower initial payments (compared with 30-year fixed rate mortgages). This means that borrowers could qualify for a larger mortgage with the same income. As Cook told LendingTree, "The 5/5 ARM offers more buying power with less interest rate risk. It tends to be a good choice for people who plan to change jobs, move up houses or who only want to stay in a specific school district until their kids graduate."
|Possible prepayment penalty: The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve warns that some adjustable rate mortgages carry prepayment penalties if you pay off the mortgage in the first three to five years. Lenders must disclose prepayment penalties, so be sure to check if you think you'll stay in a house for less than five years.
|Payments may decrease: It's impossible to predict future mortgage rate changes. But, if rates decrease, the rate on a 5/5 ARM will decrease, too. A lower interest rate translates to a lower monthly payment for at least five years.
|No conversion options: Most 5/5 ARMs do not offer borrowers the opportunity to convert a loan to a fixed-rate option. That means that borrowers who fear rising interest rates will have to pay for the expense of a refinance if they want to move to a fixed-rate option.
|Periodic adjustment caps: Most 5/5 ARMs feature periodic adjustment caps, which mean your mortgage rate cannot increase by more than a set amount each adjustment period. If you have a 2% adjustment cap, the first 10 years of the ARM will always be within 2% of the initial interest rate.
Can you convert a 5/5 ARM to a conventional fixed-rate mortgage?
Some adjustable rate mortgages allow borrowers to "convert" a loan to a fixed rate options when the rate adjusts (or when the borrower chooses). Borrowers can exercise the option to lock in a rate if they are nervous that the interest rate may increase even further. Right now, the conversion option isn't available for most 5/5 ARMs. And although you could try to negotiate for a conversion option, most lenders are unlikely to put it into the loan.
That doesn't mean that people taking out 5/5 ARMs will be stuck with the same loan forever. If you decide to take out a 5/5 ARM, you can refinance it to a fixed rate mortgage at any time. However, Cook warned that whenever you refinance a 5/5 ARM, "You'll still pay the prevailing interest rate, and you'll probably pay thousands in refinancing costs. In a lot of cases, refinancing [a 5/5 ARM] isn't worth it."
Refinancing to a fixed rate only makes sense if you'll stay in the house long enough to enjoy the financial benefits of refinancing. Since 5/5 ARMs only adjust once every five years, you may need to stay in the house a decade or more for the savings to pay off.
Should you choose a 5/5 ARM for your next mortgage?
The 5/5 ARM is something of a hybrid between a fixed-rate mortgage and an adjustable-rate mortgage with annual increases. It offers lower initial monthly payments, and borrowers get a full five years to prepare for every potential payment increase. As Cook explained, "A 5/5 ARM can really help you make a ton of headway on paying down the principal value of the loan during the first five years if you're willing to put extra money towards the loan."
But people looking to pay down their mortgage quickly aren't the only people who can benefit from a 5/5 ARM. The 5/5 ARM ideal for homebuyers that expect to see substantial increases in their income over the next five years. By opting for a 5/5 ARM, borrowers qualify for a larger mortgage now. Their increased income will allow them to repay the mortgage if rates increase in five years. On the other hand, people with fixed incomes or who expect a drop in income should opt for fixed-rate mortgages instead.
The 5/5 ARM also makes a lot of sense for borrowers who expect to stay in a house less than a decade. The 5/5 ARM presents a lower payment-change risk than a 5/1 ARM or a 7/1 ARM, but still offers lower initial rates than a 30-year fixed rate mortgage. However, borrowers who plan to stay in their house for longer than a decade will probably prefer the security of a fixed-rate mortgage.


text:
Cultivated silk sheets are smooth and supple. Mulberry and Tussah are the highest quality silks, however only Mulberry silk is made from extra-long filaments, making it more resilient. Sateen has the exact same smooth feel and lustrous look as silk, however the material is cotton. The material is developed using a satin weave, which leaves one side with a shiny surface and the opposite with a matte surface. Among the easiest means to embellish a restroom is by arranging the bath towels in an one-of-a-kind way. Instead of draping the bath towels over the towel bar, you can arrange the towels in a basket or in a color-coordinated style. Right here are some bath towels to think about.
Measure your bed mattress (consisting of mattress pads or toppers) for depth to make sure the fitted sheets you purchase will adequately cover the bed mattress. Compare this measurement with the item tag. Thread count is the lot of threads per square inch of fabric, both vertically and horizontally. The softest and most resilient bed sheets are made with greater thread counts. For longevity and softness, pick a thread count of 200 or greater. Thread counts under 200 have a crisp linen feel, which might be appealing to people who are warm sleepers.
The Martha Stewart Arbor Leaves 9-piece bedding comforter set is a relaxing soft green shade teamed with neutral colors which offers it a cool and serene appearance. The comforter and shams are reversible with a square pattern on the comforter and shams, which is a plain neutral tone on the other side. This attractive bedding comforter set includes a King size comforter, King shams, European shams, bed skirt, and neck roll. There is additionally a good option of colors offered for this set including peach, green and white floral. It's all made from 100 % cotton with polyester fill and is machine washable.
Fleece blankets can be washed in cold water, however the flannel blankets are to be washed by hand in cozy water. While the fleece blankets are to be dried low, the flannel blankets can be dried at medium heat. Cotton blanket is many of the time washed in cozy or even hot water. It is easy to wash and one can quickly and quickly dry them at high to medium heat. The color of each of the blankets is mostly guaranteed. Nonetheless, it is recommended to wash them in color safe cleaning agents or soaps.
Online web stores like offer you the luxury of checking out hundreds of patterns and pick a one from among them. They have a collection of pieces from all over the world. When you have a lot of patterns to pick from, it becomes even more warranted to choose an indulgence in designer bedspreads. After all, you and your bedroom should have to be pampered from time to time.
All from the cool-through-the-night pillows and the amply sized summer weight blankets are must-haves for my summer bed linens. Summertime sleeping with light-weight bed linens is like being on an endless holiday.
Now so lots of kind of cotton is offered online and could look the exact same but not all have the exact same quality, texture, and longevity. So it is our obligation as consumers to analyze the items and the business completely. Linens could simply look easy but it plays a big part in our daily resting experience. Do not let you and your family's serene evenings be bothered due to the fact that you pick the wrong sheet. Be particular and just choose the business that delivers what they promise. Select the business that is transparent of the product they provide.
Individuals in US often refer to the bed linen additionally as a duvet, while the Europeans and Canadians call the down comforters Duvets or a doona The bed linen is really the decorative protective cover put over the down comforter (like the pillow and the pillow case). Prior to buying it would be a great concept to clear the air as to exactly what you are exactly planning to buy.
Thinking of gifting something to somebody? Consider a luxury blanket to keep them cozy and comfortable. When it is chill and freezing outside, nothing appears more inviting than cuddling up in bed with a cozy cosy blanket around you. Luxury blankets boost this snuggle experience with the richly textured blend of wool utilized in them. There are a variety of blankets in differing patterns and you can easily buy from the comfort of your house from online shops.
Bedspreads can be made from many types of materials, like polyester and cotton. If you understand that you have an allergy to a specific product, look for it on the tag of the bedspread prior to you purchase it. This will keep you from having a response and conserve you the time of having to return the bedspread.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
25% Off | Discount applied automatically.
Final Sale: Item is not eligible for returns, exchanges, or additional price reductions.
Waist pack from Off-White. Heavyweight, technical nylon-blend. Top zip closure with branded O-ring pull tab. Signature industrial belt waist strap with tonal branding and cam buckle. Single interior slip pocket. Narrow compartment at face with flap top and magnetic snap fastening; zippered compartment at face with small metal logo plaque. Single O-ring hangs from base. Gunmetal-tone hardware. Cotton lining. • Poly / Acrylic • Made in Italy
Product Id: M004419
Measurements 6.5" H x 12" W x 2" D


text:
Love them some Spideymans
Love them some Spideymans
Remember that time that Peter was really an alternative white version of Miles, and he was super into MJ, only he also had a "thing" with Spider Gwen, but Spider Gwen had given up after the whole Kingping thing and started dating real-Miles, plus MJ was poly and while Peter was going to an event as Spider-man, MJ was going with Harry Osbourne?
Well, kinda like that?
Mark! Talk to your friend for @#*&# sake
To be fair, Mysterio looks AMAZING!
I love the 'yeah right' look Abbie has got
Awww… I feel for Mark.
Story line is great – it makes me feel awkward for Mark.
Something was niggling me about the panels. It was the car. The interiors are pretty good and they are even "gasp" wearing their seat belts. So what was it? Aha, the rear view mirror in panel two.
Everyone loves Spiderman. He has a great end of the year between an awesome game and an awesomer movie.
Wonder if Abbie's "Friend Spider Senses" are tingling, telling her somethings wrong with Mark.
I've long found that if you can't be real with your friends, they aren't your real friends. Nothing wrong with casual buddies and acquaintances, but if something is bugging me, my friends will hear it. Everyone else will get a "dealing with stuff" response. Lying is never a good option in these cases.
Abbie, he's clearly sad because he's thinking about Spider-Man comics from the 90s.
Mark needs to stop the lying. Abbie gave him a chance to open up. It would be hard and super awkward (especially when trying not to sound like a whiny jerk or such about it), but he would have felt better and gotten better perspective. Also, Abbie is probably one of the best placed to give him good advice on the matter. Mutual Friend, outside/neutral perspective, no ulterior motives or intentions we've seen or are privy too, somewhat perceptive, knows Sarah well etc.
@Dean Or Spider-man comics from the last few years lol
In all seriousness, Mark has never been one to immediately share his feelings. In the past, he's dealt with these things the exact same way: let 'em simmer under the surface, until they explode in the game. This page in particular comes to mind: http://www.weregeek.com/2014/09/30/
And honestly, I don't remember seeing Abbie ask anyone other than Sarah (her roommate) if they're okay. I think she's done a lot of growing up lately, and become more aware of other people's emotions- even if this newfound awareness is primarily motivated by keeping the games OOC-drama-free… or at least, unexpected-OOC-drama-free.
I also think Abbie's playing the situation correctly- gently asking once, then backing off when it's clear Mark doesn't wanna talk about it. That said, based on her face in the last panel I think she knows exactly what's going on and will bring a bag of popcorn in-character.
Ok Mark, I realize that Abby is not the easiest person to share your deeper feelings with… but you're not an idiot, man. This is clearly a sign that you need to get this stuff out with someone. Have you considered a therapist? I'm betting your health insurance is good enough and therapists have the amazing trait of not being a risk to leak details to your friends. :/
Okay, we all know Abbey is smart and caring under the whole "Squirrel on speed" thing she's got going on. She damn well knows something's up with Mark. And, yes, Mark is an idiot. But mostly it seems due to a pretty repressed life before he met the Geek Crew. He came from a life of enforced conformity and even toxic masculinity. He's adapting well, but stuff like this is a reminder of what he still needs to get over.
I genuinely think good things would happen if he talked it out. With Abbey. Because, in spite of being a ( adorable ) spaz, she's a good ear.
Mark, like me, cannot lie worth a tinker's cuss. Ah well, he will learn. And hopefully, everyone will be as understanding as Abbie currently is.


text:
The Best Gear For Car Camping Gear Patrol 200 amp outdoor main breaker load center
Even in case you look after this The best gear for car camping gear patrol properly outdoor camping supplies and correctly, then a damage may be lowered in order for your working environment outdoor can last can always seem new. To really make the camping outdoor decorations durable and durable that the procedure done is not easy, it requires seriousness in performing it notably to office outdoor camping supplies outdoors made out of leather. To begin with, don't sit in outdoor camping supplies your outdoor because not all the chairs are designed to support your own weight, it might cause a change in the shape of the bench or even break. Then, Pay attention to the material from the frame of the Outdoor, as different materials are somewhat different how-to good care. Make certain you keep your working environment rolling outdoor a way from a significant impact that can result in scars.
The best gear for car camping camping supplies product gear patrol is type of occurring in the previous 5 years. Folks love to hunt for developments camping supplies product take place on the industry and employ it into their home even for a outdoor. The truth is that faux and fur stuff camping supplies product supply a hot, luxury and inviting vibe to this room also it's not impossible to beautify your home with fur and faux. Yet there are rules will need to get applied before you haul fur and faux into your outdoortable, colors, along with other decorative elements in the area. Ostensibly, you may utilize fur as one of the decorative things or a outdoor cooking equipment in your house to describe that this location is animal-friendly.
Gambling may make the outdoor equipment product performers enticed to generate a The best gear for car camping gear patrol. If you are a significant gamer or take this action significantly, you're going to need an effective yet useful outdoor to strengthen your actions. The clear presence of the outdoor for gaming really helps you if you can select the proper one. Meanwhile, the best style of a particular outdoor will generally get these features we'll reveal. Using the off-ice outdoor is not sufficient to function as contrasted with all the camping supplies product. So, you might need to devote the additional money however, the outcome is worth it though.
The next model of this attractive swimming camping supplies product can be a outdoor of this light brownish camping cooking utensils contemporary pool outdoor. This outdoor is constructed of metal materials along with skin that is organic coloration resistant to heat and water. This outdoor version may be utilised in outdoor and indoor pools. Resistant to different loads with a stunning and luxurious ergonomic design. The last version of the The best gear for car camping gear patrol is just a floating swimming-pool outdoor. This version of the outdoor manufactured of fiberglass and plastic material that's powerful and resistant to the weather. Additionally, it may be utilised in hot water and works for several loads. It is fit for private pools. It includes a drink cottage you may utilize to relax and delight in the beauty of the air of your swimming pool. So, what the alluring swimming pool outdoor design will you pick?
This circumstance is likewise employed to the fabrics outdoor cooking supplies for the The best gear for car camping gear patrol. The outdoor cooking equipment might be extremely acceptable for indoor use with heavy duty yet easy to clean compared to chenille which features a fragile character but easyto stain. Choosing the perfect outdoor for in door use is basically not as hard provided that you understand exactly the major purpose and where your bit is going to probably be situated. Whenever you like something spectacular for example marble, wood, or lacquer, then you might need to pair it using something more general so it will not hamper the consumer. Textures and patterns speak for themselves notably about the outdoor, which ought to be united to ensure it is balance.


text:
Report Date:http://renoflyfishingoutfitters.com
Flows on the East Walker River are down to 20 CFS. At these flows and the cold normal wintertime air temperatures in the Bridgeport area, the East Walker is a risky drive. Anchor Ice is prevalent on the river and it is really tough to fish. If you are going to go the afternoons are the best bet for open water. Keep an eye on the flows and the weather for a better time to hit the East Walker.


text:
6 Workouts You Can Do at Home
For a lot of us, gyms in Dubai are like a second home and self-isolation probably has people feeling the blues. Not only is this period the best time to renew your New Year's workout resolutions, it is also a great time to watch what you eat and keep that routine ticking. Find out how you can work out from home without any equipment and keep fit!
The keto diet
The ketogenic (keto) diet is one of the most popular nutrition plans on today's health and fitness scene. Find out more about the diet in this blog post.
What is the Dubai Fitness Challenge?
Dubai Fitness Challenge (DFC) is an annual celebration of all things fitness and wellness. Launched in 2017, the initiative challenges everyone in the city to complete 30 minutes of activity a day for 30 days
World Cancer Day 2020
World Cancer Day Dubai - Better Safe Than Sorry
World Cancer Day 2020 is nearly here, and in this blog post, we will provide you with some cancer-related information that will tell you more about cancer signs and symptoms to be on the lookout for.
Creating a Diet Plan for Yourself
If you are one such individual looking to take that step towards staying healthy, here are some really useful tips to create a diet plan for yourself:
Eating the right Foods to Boost Energy Levels
When people want to boost their energy levels one of the first things that comes to their mind would probably be taking supplements that are proclaimed to be energy boosters. But, the fact is that most of those supplements are not proven to deliver the results they claim to achieve. Fortunately, there is a natural and highly effective way you can boost your energy levels: by eating.
How Much Gym Time to Lose Weight?
When it comes to losing weight in a healthy manner, hitting the gym is one of the primary solutions, and the inclusion of both weight training and cardiovascular exercises in your workout routines is key to achieve your weight loss goal. But, if there is one question that most gym goers struggle to find the answer is, how much gym time should I put in for weight loss?
How the Gym Can Help Reduce and Manage Stress
You've had a long day at work; right from missing that forgetting that important work file at home, the heavy traffic on your way to work, a heated argument with your colleague, to your laptop crashing unexpectedly, your stress level will be at its peak by this time. How should you relieve this stress?
Exercise for Better Sleep
If you are one of those many individuals wondering how to get a good sleep, this blog is for you. What if we told you that something as simple as exercising regularly can help you sleep better?
What are Ways you can Increase Your Stamina?
Do you get really tired running after your toddler around your house? Do you feel breathless after that 10-minute treadmill session at the gym? Is it really taxing to take a short walk? All of these are clear indications of poor stamina and fitness. If you want to be able to do these activities without facing too much trouble, you need to look for some effective techniques on how to increase stamina.
Ways to Prevent Holiday Weight Gain
How many times have you noticed an increase in your weight right after the holidays?
Here are some effective ways to stop gaining weight during the holidays:
What are the Benefits of Maintaining a Food Journal?
Let's start with a simple question – what did you eat and drink the whole day yesterday? You probably won't remember everything. Recalling each and every meal, snack, and drink you have on a daily basis is tough, yet normal.
We look into how keeping a food journal can help you understand your intake more and assist with losing those few extra pounds.
Tips to Workout During the Summer Heat
Regardless of the type of exercise you like to engage in to get that beach body, running, hiking, biking, swimming, or anything else for that matter, everything only gets harder in the heat. So, here are a few tips to workout during the summer heat:
Does High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) Really Reverse Signs of Ageing?
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has been suggested to reverse signs of ageing at the cellular level.
How to Build Healthy Habits for the remainder of 2019
Choosing to live a healthier, happier life all starts with making the right decisions. If you really want to make the rest of 2019 the best year ever, follow these healthy habits.
3 Great Exercises for Busy Moms
Busy moms can easily feel overwhelmed, sleep deprived and often negative when it comes to exercise. But we have a few great exercises for moms that they can fit into their schedule. And best of all? They can be done with a stroller!
Focusing on Health and Fitness for a Productive Workforce
Health and fitness is undoubtedly very important in our daily lives, but people often forget just how beneficial it can be to support a productive workforce.
6 Pack Nutrition
You really are what you eat, you can never out-train a bad diet, getting bigger and stronger whilst eating clean and staying lean is completely possible. Read on to discover our tips for working towards that 6 pack you've always wanted.
Dieting myths
Does fat really make you fat? Does cardiovascular training performed on an empty stomach assist in fat burning? Is sugar really the devil? Do I need to spend my life's savings on supplements to build muscle? Read on to find out all the answers you'll ever need.
Ramadan fitness: How to gain muscle while fasting
Your health goals do not have to take a back seat during this month. Here's how
All You Need to Know About Supplements | Fitness Blog
In order to avoid financial ruin at the hands the supplement industry it is vital that you know the basics about supplements. Here are three points to understand before we move onto the different types of supplements you can get today.
Train well Eat well Live Better
Whilst one of the top goals for all gym goers both male and female is to look better in the buff, there are many less decorative and more significant reasons as to why anybody would want to spend their days moving more and eating well.
Why you Should Try Resistance Training?
Some people look to endless hours of pavement pounding in an attempt to burn off those love handles and look better naked whilst others will diet themselves into the ground however, it truly is all about the iron if you are looking to change the way you look and perform.
Dance Yourself Fit
This blog looks into the benefits Dance forms of Exercise can have on fitness and dos the health of your brain. For many years scientists thought that once the brain was fully formed and at capacity that was it, from then on it slowly degenerated. Modern research shows that throughout your life the brain has the ability to adapt and regenerate - so could a dance workout could be the perfect setting?
5 Steps to getting the most mental health benefit from your workouts
Exercise is one of the most effective ways to improve your mental health. Regular exercise can have a profoundly positive impact on depression, anxiety, ADHD, and more. It also relieves stress, improves memory, helps you sleep better, and boosts overall mood.
Cooldowns come in a variety of shapes and sizes, ranging from a quick stretch to full dynamic slowing down of moves similar to the ones you were doing during the session. In general, there are two types of cooldown: passive and active.
To roll or not to roll
Learn more about foam roll and the benefits. There are several different types of foam roller, ranging from one solid piece of foam, to hollow tubes with lumps and bumps emerging from the outer foam, and even rechargeable vibrating ones.
Do I Really Need to Stretch Before Training?
We all know that stretching is important, especially for athletes and people who regularly do fitness training. We take a closer look at the benefits of stretching, and whether it's necessary to stretch before and after each workout session.
10 Super Snacks for a Wholesome Life
When it comes to living a healthy lifestyle, it's no secret that following a healthy diet can have a great impact on your health and wellness. We take a look at 10 of the best diet snacks to boost your overall health.
Exercise and mental health, the undoubted connection
Put simply, it really does pay to hit the gym for a broad collection of reasons however, one of the slightly less eminent benefits of working out is mental health. Mental health can be one of those sensitive subjects where most people choose to disregard the issue altogether.


text:
It's too easy to get caught up in the idea that days where you do nothing are wasted. This is especially true if you're wired like me, looking to extract the maximum benefit out of anything you put your time towards. It is a destructive habit and the cause of the need for a "holiday from the holiday" that many experience upon their return. So for days like today, one spent doing nothing much of anything at all, aren't wasted. Instead they are the time to take stock of what has been, what will be and, if you're lucky, come to grips with things that may have been troubling you for some time.
Today we only had the loose idea of going to see a movie, tossing up between Finding Dory (my wife's vote) and Independence Day: Resurgence (our hosts vote). We landed on the latter, although honestly I had no idea what we were seeing until we got there (I was deep in thought, more on why in a sec). Since our slumber saw us rise rather late in the day our breakfast was enough to tide us over for the movie's duration, the popcorn left for the other patron's enjoyment.
The movie itself was enjoyable if highly predictable. It's something of a touchstone for my generation, being one of the first "big" movies many of us would've been old enough to remember seeing in some detail. It does a good job of paying homage to the past but, unfortunately, makes the unforgivable mistake of loudly crying sequel at the end. I know Hollywood isn't exactly renowned for taking risks with new IP but dredging up a 20 year old movie and setting it up for unlimited sequels feels like a new kind of low, if that's even possible.
I'll still probably watch them though. I feel kind of dirty for typing that.
My wife wanted to indulge in the poutine that Canada is famous for whilst we were here but her lactose intolerance (even with the assistance of lactese tablets) was getting the better of her. So instead we went to a local burger house called Bistro Burger Town and saddled ourselves up for a very late lunch. My lunch of a smokey BBQ burger and chips was fantastic, washed down by the Boreale Rousse beer that I had become fond of over the past few days. Afterwards we made our way back home making a quick pit stop for supplies before settling into a few TV episodes before calling it a night.
I realized today where that feeling of "wanting it to be over" was coming from. Holidays give you time to think on a scale that cannot be matched, allowing all those thoughts that you push to one side to surface anew. Couple that with a lack of any form of routine and you've got a recipe for a weird kind of anxiety that, in my case, manifests itself in a desire for it all to be over. This feeling does go away when the holiday finishes and I return to the order of my normal life, but that doesn't mean the things that cause it in the first place are going away.
Indeed I've realized that since this is my first long period of breaking away from routine in 6 years I've got a lot of pent up thinking to do. I'm lucky enough to have most of the larger issues already sorted in my life but there are still some fundamentals I think need to be addressed. Funnily enough some of them concern this very blog itself, something that's been an ongoing presence in my life for the better part of 8 years. Thinking about them a bit more I realize all of them are about change, where it will lead me and whether or not I want to be the agent of it.
Come to think of it, I think our honeymoon on Turtle Island might be to blame for all this.
Although I never posted them (and I get the feeling I should now, although I think they're at home unfortunately) I did actually blog the majority of the honeymoon whilst we were on Turtle Island. For the first half of the trip the posts were much like this, recounting the events for posterity and a little waffle at the end, however about halfway through they changed dramatically. I remember having the most vivid dreams, all in series, that seemed to draw on numerous aspects of my life from the years before. Whilst I don't believe there's any meaning to derive from the dreams themselves I do believe the rapid succession was a kind of unwinding of pent up stress that I was finally able to let go of.
And what would await me at the end of this trip? 6 nights at a resort in Greece, specifically chosen to allow us to unwind at the end of the trip.
It would seem I've crafted my own web upon which I've become tangled. Thankfully I think it's a problem that will be easy to address and will ultimately see this holiday mean a lot more than just the memories and pictures we bring back with us.
I awoke to a dull light illuminating the room. Erroneously thinking I had woken up before everyone else I decided to grab my phone and check the time: 11:00AM. The dull light wasn't from the sunrise, no it was because the weather had finally turned and we were greeted by our first overcast day since arriving. We had known this was coming and had planned accordingly, today would be spent lazing around the house and eventually making our way out to the Polar Bear's Club, a relaxation spot where we'd spend the afternoon to early evening lying in pools, sweating in saunas and getting the requisite massage that all holidays need.
The late morning until afternoon was uneventful, spent half watching TV, browsing the usual websites and lazily getting ready to go. I made the mistake of opening up my work email (with all good intentions of shutting it down after I set my out of office message) and reading through the various trials and tribulations that were going on half a world away. Thankfully I resisted the urge to respond to anything, merely marking the vast majority of the 60+ emails as read and leaving the rest for future Dave to solve.
The trip out would take us the better part of 2 hours thanks to some heavy traffic along the way. I thought myself rid of all the jet lag however I was hit with a wave of tiredness I hadn't yet felt, bringing into question just how well my circadian rhythm had adjusted. It passed quickly after a short nap however although I'd be lying if I said I felt it was completely gone. Shortly afterwards we arrived at our destination, a semi-rural retreat called the Polar Bear's Club that was promising us a day of relaxation after the mild bedlam of the past few days.
The spa itself is set against a picturesque river, albeit a stones throw away from the main highway. My wife was disappointed to see that some of the renovations had, in her opinion, made the place worse and wished to show me how it was when she was last there. Undeterred we made our way in, got changed and proceeded to make use of the facilities. The warm pools and brisk river were great to jump between, invigorating the muscles and mind. We also spent a little time in the dry sauna that was powered by eucalyptus wood making for a rather intense experience.
The massages were so-so, our masseuse unable to conjure up the requisite strength to penetrate my wife and I's muscles to our satisfaction. However the wet sauna we went into afterwards made up for that in spades, seeping the heat deep into our bodies. The steam was, again, infused with eucalyptus ensuring that every breath drawn opened up the airways fully. I couldn't stand more than 5 minutes in there however. The walk to the door was also quite a challenge, the extra height gained from sitting to standing enough to dramatically increase the heat I received.
This was to to be the night where our hosts would cook us their favorite three cheese pasta however we were all drowsy from a long day spent doing nothing. Instead we decided to grab some food and watch something light before retiring. This plan went well until we discovered some mold in some of the sandwiches we had bought, something which the restaurant did make right by us thankfully. With that we bid the night to a close and left our plans open for the next day.
This being my first real holiday in 6 years I had forgotten one of my less-than-desirable habits: wishing that this whole thing would be over. I don't know what causes it, maybe out of a desire to finish things in as short a time as possible, but I can remember thinking the exact same thing on nearly every holiday I've been on. There's only one cure I've found: getting beyond the halfway point. I'm sure sometime tomorrow it'll finally hit me that I only have 2 days left here and almost a week will be gone from our holiday already but until then there's still a nagging thought train pushing me to "get this holiday done".
Whatever it is if it doesn't abate soon I'll be treating it with a non-zero amount of gin and other high strength spirits 😉
I expected to pay for my day of fun this morning, thinking my legs and feet would rebel after the some dozens of kilometers I walked the previous day. Seems I must have been doing something right with my exercise over the past couple years as there wasn't a hint of additional soreness to be found. A quick stretch after an (admittedly very lazy morning) saw me prepped and ready for the day ahead. Not that we had much in the way of plans for the day. No the planning was reserved for tonight: a great dinner accompanied by live jazz music all for celebrating our host"s birthday.
Our day started with a trip to Le Déjeuner Cosmopolitain, a breakfast restaurant who specializes in crepes which could leave two people satisfied with a single serving. I indulged in one of bananas and strawberries, smothered in a far too generous helping of Nutella. This was also when I made my first dining faux pas, fat fingering the credit card machine and accidentally not giving them a tip. I didn't realize this until the waitress asked me profusely if her service was ok which clued me into what I had done.
We then debated the merits of making a trip down to Old Montreal to kill time before dinner this evening. In the end we decided against it, figuring we'd only have a couple hours before we'd have to rush back home to get ready. So instead we lounged around our host's house, watching a movie and just generally milling around. In hindsight this time may have been better spent doing the few errands we needed to do before we went out as the next hour or so was a mad rush.
The restaurant we were going had an offer going on Living Social, giving us essentially half off our bill. Unfortunately we didn't have a printer at this house so our host's parents graciously offered us the use of theirs. I noticed a HAM radio whilst we were there and meant to strike up a conversation. I was later told that, whilst our host's dad would be very appreciative, we'd like not have made it out of there for many hours if I had. Once we had that sorted we were off and into downtown Montreal traffic, something that delayed us for much longer than Google had estimated.
The House of Jazz was an amazing venue, one that our server had told us hadn't changed in the better part of 40 years. Halfway through the night a live jazz band began playing which, whilst entertaining, was a bit of a killer to the conversation. Still we managed to get acquainted with everyone at the table, hearing their stories, regaling them with ours and wishing the birthday girl all the best for the coming year as a slightly older person.
The night didn't end there however as, since we weren't allowed to bring our own cake into the House of Jazz, we decided to frequent one of our host's favorite places: Rockaberry. The cake selection was impressive, ranging from the simple favorites like apple crumbles to the extravagant like an Oreo cheesecake. I made the mistake of ordering a hot chocolate on the side, my insulin rocketing to all new highs and threatening to send me into a food coma in no short order.
As I type this we're lying on the couch, waiting patiently for Game of Thrones to download. Our host is an unabashed fan of the series, the books dotted throughout the house and the couches covered in cushions adorned with the Stark emblem. This will be our final hurrah before we call it a night for some well needed rest. Tomorrow we shall be spoiling the birthday girl (and ourselves!) once again with a trip to the Polar Bear Club spa for a day of relaxation.
There's a scratching noise coming from the corner of our room. I think it's just the cat, it's scratching pole is in our room, but it's too methodical. The noise is rhythmic and not enough to fully rouse me from my slumber. I learn later that it was my wife beavering away at the personal gift she's made for her friend's birthday which is tomorrow night. An hour or so later I find the energy to lift myself out of my bed and begin the day, one that will see me touring Montreal's premier amusement park: La Ronde.
Our hosts are making us breakfast today, a simple one of coffee, eggs and bacon. Now I'm usually one for eggs, they've long been ruined for reasons I can no longer remember, however I'm tempted by some home made hot sauce that had a powerful aroma. Eggs, when accompanied by something with actual taste, are a far more palatable affair. Of course in usual fashion I probably overdid it and paid the price over the course of the day. The rest of the breakfast was delightful however, even the filter coffee which is typically trash in these parts of the world. Once we were done it was a quick trip to La Ronde and revisiting something I hadn't done in half a dozen years.
The weather is pretty much perfect, although being in the sun with no shade did push it into unbearable territory. Unfortunately we found ourselves in peak season so the park was somewhat packed. However the time spent in lines passed quickly, the conversation flowing around numerous topics whilst we waited for our turn on the ride. We managed to hit all the flagship rides including a large, wooden roller coaster. Unsurprisingly it was exactly how I remembered riding a similar one in Australia, my bones shaken to the core and my adrenaline sent to all time highs.
Our hosts had warned us of one roller coaster, one that had been recently changed to go backwards rather than forwards. This coaster had apparently made both of them quite ill for a period of time, enough so that both of them warned us against riding it. Their warnings were only reinforced by the fact that the lines for this ride, out of the all the rides, were non-existent allowing us to stroll right up and get straight on. The ride itself was great however but our newfound strength and hubris would soon be our downfall.
To cap off the day we boarded one of those typical carnival rides, the ones with the seats on long chains that spin around for a few minutes before sending you back down to the ground. All of us walked away from that feeling rather awful, a simple and uneventful ride able to do more damage than all of the previous combined. This made the walk back to the car a slow one, the nausea only abating once we'd finally found our way back home.
The day was finished with an extremely late dinner at a lakeside restaurant, one that our host had previously worked at. I indulged myself in an old favorite, BBQ chicken wings and a blue cheese burger. Canada might not be America but I'll be damned if the portions aren't the same. We once again began the slow waddle back to the car to end our night back at home.
All the while this went on I couldn't help but remember how I felt the previous time I was here. The city of Montreal is a dichotomy of old and new, juxtaposed against each other nearly everywhere you look. Even the new can look old too, with (I'm told) the construction handled by the Montreal Mafioso who do poor work for extraordinary pay. I find it interesting as cities typically gentrify holistically, sections being upheaved and renewed in one fell swoop rather than in isolation. But this is just the view of an outsider, I have no reference as to why these things are they way they are.
The alarm goes off but I'm already awake. It's going to be our first big trip in 6 years and my mind is churning through all the things it doesn't need to. The anxiety that's been building up over the past couple months, anxiety born out of a fear of actually taking some time off work, is wrecking all sorts of havoc on me. The text message at 4:30AM saying our flight has been delayed doesn't help but it quickly turns out to be nothing. We board our plane at the crack of dawn and jet off into the sunset, the first step on a 3 plane and 24 hour trip that will see us land in Montreal, Canada.
Had it not been for a work trip to Singapore earlier in the year this would be my first international trip in quite some time. Before then such travel was simply par for the course and I had developed numerous habits that helped make each trip that much easier. Those habits were long gone now, my knowledge of airports up heaved by the rapid change they've all undergone over the years I've been absent. Once I boarded our Air Canada flight to Vancouver however all the worry quickly melted away to be quickly replaced by the drudgery that is long haul cattle class travel.
The flights were uneventful, filled with average food, surprisingly decent wine and fitful attempts at trying to get some sleep. It seems that being able to sleep on planes is one of those useful habits that has slipped by the wayside as I only managed a couple broken hours over the entire day I just spent in planes. The shining star however is the Kindle Paperwhite that I picked up before I left, stacked to the brim with enough eBooks to last me for the entire 5 week long trip. I've found myself reading a lot more than I would have otherwise, something I'm sure many of my friends would be delighted to hear.
We arrived in Canada to the usual fanfare of tired people waiting in lines. Our hosts (one of which is my wife's best friend and the whole reason we're in this country) were caught up in the catacombs that is Montreal's airport car park. They found their way to us eventually and we were quickly off to her new house to while away the rest of the day.
The trip there was an interesting mix of nostalgia and wanderlust. There were so many places that I recognised from our previous trip: the hotel we stayed in, the Tim Horton's that we drunkenly stumbled into at 2AM for doughnut holes and the supermarkets we frequented to get snacks for movies we watched of a night time. The weather here is beautiful but I'm told it won't last past the weekend. Thankfully we'll be able to cram in all the cool outdoor things before the weather turns and then spend the rest of the time resting up before we depart to our next destination.
It's strange thinking back to the last time I was here. I was a completely different person back then and now I'll be experiencing the same thing again in a completely new way. I guess this is the first stage of me taking stock of everything, something which I think is a core part of what a holiday is regardless of the destination. Tomorrow we're going to La Ronde, the largest amusement park in Montreal, and after my experience with Disneyland all those years ago I'm very much looking forward to it,
Our last day in Montreal began like any other with a tortured first hour spent in bed fighting off the morning daylight with pillows over our heads. We were determined to make the most of this day however and eventually dragged ourselves out a whole hour earlier than we usually manage. Instead of trying to find another place for breakfast we decided to hit up the hotel's in house restaurant, a chain that was apparently started by Celine Dion. The food there was quite adequate considering the price and just under an hour later we were on our way to our first destination, Montreal's Olympic park.
I was mostly interested in this thing as it was a marvel of engineering and architecture but also because it would provide a pretty nice view of the entire city of Montreal. The weather was predicted to clear up around midday but by the time we arrived it was still very overcast. Thankfully though there was no rain in sight so the olympic tower stood out like a sore thumb, a giant amongst the rather subdued surroundings.
It was almost impressive as the disrepair the building has fallen into over the 24 years. Any exposed steel was rusting considerably and much of the concrete was beginning to crumble away. Undaunted we bought a ticket to the observation deck and spent all of 30 seconds getting from the bottom to the top. The view from there was quite impressive as was how dated everything was in there. It was relatively untouched down to the pictures of the skyline that labelled everything you could see through the windows. We spent about half an hour there before being done with the place, along with a bunch of other tourists who'd only got there 10 minutes before us. We did take a quick look around the facilities and the olympic pool seemed to be a hive of activity, but the rest of the place was eerily deserted.
After returning to the warmth of our car we made our way to Mount Royal, one of the highest peaks in Montreal and home to a couple of local attractions. After driving around for a while and stopping at one lookout we realised that we had driven past the main area and quickly made our way back there. We first checked out a small house that had a cafe and a souvenir shop (where Rebecca picked up her new friend, Douglas the Moose) before hitting up one of the trails. That took us up to the the chateau that gave us one of the most beautiful views of downtown Montreal we had seen thus far. We weren't finished though as Mount Royal is also home to a giant illuminated cross that we were both keen to have a gander at.
The site was currently undergoing some upgrades so I couldn't get right up to it, but it's basically just a giant radio tower covered in lights. The area it was surrounded by was quite picturesque though, almost completely unspoiled by the hive of human activity that went on around it. We spent another half an hour walking down the track to get back to our car figuring we had time for one more attraction before it was time to meet up for our last dinner with Laura. Really there was only one place to go: Saint Joseph's Oratory, the largest church in Canada.
Now most of you will know my rather complicated stance on religion, identifying primarily as Atheist but having my own religion that I don't talk about much since it seems to offend anyone who has even the slightest inclination towards a theistic belief¹. Still I love big buildings and churches are usually amongst the biggest and oldest buildings around. We made our way simply by looking for the top of the church as it towered over every other building that surrounded it, but even that didn't prepare me for just how big this thing was.
Standing in front of this behemoth of a building I couldn't help but marvel at how well maintained it was in comparison to so many of the other older buildings I had seen around Montreal. The gardens were perfectly landscaped with sandstone blocks encasing the pathways. The church itself was none too bad either with the exterior barely showing any signs of its age with several places undergoing renovations as we were walking through. Inside it was unlike any other church I've been in with long halls and one room with a roof that had to be over 30m high. We wandered around for a good hour and half just soaking in the almost unfathomable splendour that is this church.
Soon after we departed to meet up with Laura for our final dinner. We were to dine at a restaurant called Elixor, a slightly upper class place that had portions to rival its American counterparts. We foolishly ordered an appetizer and when the main course came both of the girls could barely touch their meals. I managed to down most of mine but was hesitant to go much further as Laura had mentioned they had fantastic cheesecake. Since I'm a bit of a sucker for cheesecake (especially a peanut butter one) I ordered up a slice that was quickly devoured by everyone at the table, despite them being "too full" to continue with their dinners. We said our goodbyes as we might not see her before our flight tomorrow and made our way back to our hotel.
Tomorrow we will be jetting off to New York, New York for a week high above Broadway in Times Square. I've been told that a week is the minimum required to see a good chunk of this giant metropolis and I'm very much looking forward to soaking up its culture. It will be sad to leave behind this town that I've just begun to get the hang of but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited for what awaits me in New York City.
¹I've considered writing about this a number of times but never felt like anyone would really be interested in a formalised version of what amounts to my belief system. If you are genuinely interested in hearing about it drop me a line, I might be persuaded to write about it 🙂
It was the morning after the night before, my head weighing a lot more than it should have and the room being uncomfortably hot. We'd set the heater high to counter the Montreal chill that had taken over the room but had shut some of the doors separating the room where the heat was coming from and the place where the sensor was. It took us a good hour or so to make it out of bed and even after then it was slow going. Just how big a night we'd had before had sunk in with a vengeance, making every action take a lot longer than it should have. Still we made our way out for breakfast so we could get about visiting the cultural hub of this area, Old Montreal.
We went back to Laura's favourite breakfast place and it was packed with the line snaking its way outside of the restaurant. We were told it would be about 15 minutes for a table and since we'd had such a good meal there previously we decided to stay. 30 minutes later we were finally seated and promptly ordered more breakfast than our tender stomachs were capable of handling. It was a good enough distraction as afterwards we were all feeling a lot better and ready for a walk around. Time was against us however, since daylight savings had just ended here and our late rise put us at almost 2pm once our late breakfast was done and dusted. Still we'd set aside this day for it so we went to it.
Old Montreal is down by the river side and it's instantly recognisable from the rustic architecture that dominates most of the area. Many of the buildings have had their interiors renovated but the facades remain as they were hundreds of years ago. It was a dichotomy that is mirrored throughout the greater Montreal itself with exquisite new buildings usually being side by side with near ruins. It's something that I can't help but notice as in comparison to say Canberra where any opportunity to redevelop a building pops up it isn't long before its actually done. The buildings were just a distraction for me while we were there as Laura wanted me to try another local delicacy: the beaver tail. It's a pastry covered in Nutella and peanut butter and the best place to get them was down here. Unfortunately the shop wasn't open (many places here close for the winter months) so we spent the rest of the afternoon soaking up the area before having all the heat drained out of us as the sun disappeared behind the skyline.
Not wanting to hit the town again, mostly because our gracious host had to return to work tomorrow, we decided that we'd wind the weekend down with a movie. The only one that anyone had strong feelings about (ok it was just me) was The Social Network. We bought tickets but the movie wasn't on for another couple hours so we retired to the hotel room to rest up before heading back for it. The movie itself was great for an aspiring entrepreneur like myself but it seemed a bit slow paced for my Canadian counterparts. Still I'd highly recommend it for anyone who's seeking a peek behind the creation of something like Facebook even if the story is glamorised.
Tomorrow we're on our own so we'll have to find our own fun in this town. Thankfully I've already got a couple things lined up that we'll be pursuing over the last few days we have here in Montreal. Hopefully the weather will hold out as whilst there's still a bitter bite in the wind it's actually quite nice out in the sun. Sure it's not the Florida beach weather that I was enjoying just a few days ago but it's enough to make the meagre cold gear I brought with me viable. Especially considering one of those activities is hiking up Mount Royal, which would be a bit painful if the weather went south.
Even though I've only been in this hotel for the past 2 nights it was already beginning to feel so normal to wake up here that it just felt like any other weekend when I opened the curtains. The bright light flooded the room revealing a bright and sunny day with the overcast clouds of the past couple days banished to the far reaches of the horizon. Still Canada's fast approaching winter made sure that any heat gained from the sun was quickly swept away by a crisp westerly wind leaving us just a little warmer than the day before. It wouldn't matter too much today though since we were going to downtown Montreal to do some shopping and to soak in a bit of the local culture.
After driving around looking for parking we finally found a place that wasn't too far from Laura's old university. She regaled us with stories of the different places and how they'd changed over the years. One of the buildings we went by was newly built by her old university for the engineering department. Seeing it made my heart soar as it reminded me of how the University of Canberra shut down its engineering department due to lack of interest. If such a magnificent building was only just erected it meant that the engineering profession was alive and well here, and had the funding to go along with it.
As usual our late rise from slumber put our first meal of the day firmly in the lunch category and since we were near Laura's old haunts we eventually settled on a crepe house that also did all day breakfasts. The food was cheap but surprisingly filling leaving all of us pawing at the remains whilst we finished off our coffee. I have still yet to find a place that does anything resembling the coffee I'm used to (and was spoiled with on my last trip to Melbourne) so downing the rest of the brown liquid was more for the caffeine than anything else. We started to head down towards the main shopping drag which contains Montreal's Underground City, a large shopping complex with multiple subterranean levels.
We wandered around the place for hours checking out all the local and chain shops that made up this giant underground maze. It had 4 different areas that all had their own distinct architectural style to them, ranging from giant multi-floor underground atriums to densely packed strips of shops where no space had been wasted. The christmas flair had already been brought out as well with ornaments dotting most of the shops and a giant tree in the middle of one of the large atriums festooned with all sorts of mechatronics that puts anything I've seen in Australia to shame. After trying to find a few items and failing we decided we should begin making our way to our dinner spot since it was booked for a rather early 6:00pm.
We arrived there with about an hour and a half to spare so we hit up one of the local cafes to burn a bit of that time. Their coffee was the closest thing I've had to what I'd call proper coffee since I left Australia over two weeks ago so it was refreshing to say the least. After stealing their wifi for an hour we ducked out to grab a couple bottles of wine before going to grab our seats. Interestingly enough the wine here is extremely cheap with most bottles going for under $20. Couple that with the fact that it's considered unusual to charge corkage and the number of bottles that adorned our table was close to one per person, a queue for what the rest of the night would entail.
Laura's friend from work had arranged this dinner for us and she had also brought her husband and another couple along for the night. Usually my innate shyness would take over here and I'd sit quietly at the end of the table, enjoying the food and being happy with just listening. However since we're strangers in a foreign land the conversation flowed with topics of comparisons between Canada and Australia, with subjects from the trivial to the enthralling. Even though I didn't have a terrible amount in common with these guys I still felt like we hit it off well, especially considering we kicked on at a local irish pub. There I was introduced to 2 new drinks: the black velvet and the irish car bomb.
The Black Velvet is half a pint of Guinness on top of half a pint of cider. It's an interesting mix with the smoothness of the Guinness first hitting you with a clean cider aftertaste. The Irish Car Bomb is half a pint of Guinness with a shot of Hennessy and Baileys on the side, drunk in Jaeger Bomb fashion. I'm a bit of a gun when it comes to drinking these sorts of drinks and promptly beat everyone to the bottom. There were a few misfires and with this particular drink there's really no second chances since the Baileys will curdle very quickly on contact with the Guinness.
It was around midnight when we retired back to our hotel after saying goodbye to our newfound friends. We did make a quick stop at the local McDonalds to get some poutine before heading home, revelling in the novelty of ordering this localised fast food. It had been an exhausting day and we all collapsed on the main bed, dozing off to one of the movies I had brought along with me. Our plans for tomorrow to visit the cultural heart of Montreal, Old Montreal, were far from our minds as we lay down to rest, our bodies thankful for the peace after our day of shenanigans.
Right until I opened the curtains I would've sworn that it was still the middle of the night. Whilst we hadn't partied particularly hard the night before we'd been lazing around in bed for a good few hours before we made those dreaded first few steps out of our comfortable little abode. It was still overcast and the rain from the previous day put a chill on the wind that seemed to cut through any layer of clothing. The side benefit was that you couldn't be anything but awake when you were outside making us even more determined to get to our goal: Laura's favourite place for brunch.
We arrived there not 10 minutes later and instantly I was struck with the similarity to the restaurant we had dined at the night before. There were lines of booths all the way up and down the restaurant with only a smattering of tables to cater to the couples and those dining alone. We were seated and given menus that could've been short novels with the selection being extremely vast and ready to cater to any taste. I selected myself some eggs benedict with salmon which also came with a side serve of fruit and house potatoes (mashed with a bit of garlic in them). The girls ordered similar and not 10 minutes later did we have our meals. They were quite large and I struggled to get through most of it, remarking on how over the last 2 weeks my usual rule of "If you pay for it, you gotta eat it all" had been promptly thrown out the window. I just didn't have the urge to make myself at every meal.
After satisfying ourselves there Laura had some things to attend to so Rebecca and I retired to the hotel room. Whilst we spent the first hour or so trying to find things to do for when Laura goes back to work we soon became listless as our bodies struggled to absorb the massive meal. The next few hours were spent lazily watching the TV, waiting for the message to come through. During brunch Laura had mentioned that I had to try poutine (as any Canadian will suggest) but from this one particular place. I likened it to Chicken Gourmet back in Canberra, it was the place that everyone went after a good night on the piss and needed something to satisfy that early morning hunger. It wasn't too far from where we were and not a couple minutes after arriving there did I have my prize:
This was the real deal with chips, gravy and cheese curds not just shredded cheese. You can tell curds are fresh by when they squeak against your teeth when you eat them and these were definitely fresh. I think I disappointed Laura though as my reaction was more like "That's tasty" rather than "OMG I CAN'T BELIEVE I HAVE BEEN MISSING THIS ALL MY LIFE". I'd definitely eat it again but I'm not about to be as obsessed about it as these Canadians are.
Rebecca and Laura had planned a night out at a spa with one of Laura's workmates and for me they had planned a bro date with Marc. Since I had hit it off with him last night I wasn't dreading it like I do with other forced social interactions. I fired off a message to him but didn't receive a reply. Adding in the country code and sending it again I still got no response. Frustrated I called him and finally got an answer from him. He had responded but it just hadn't come through, but phone calls seemed to work well enough. After figuring out where the hell I was he came around and picked me up. Tonight we were going to hit up a local micro brewery called Bieres Brasseurs which we had walked past the night before.
The place was packed as a hockey game was on but they still managed to seat us down the back. We ordered our first round of beers (he a wheat beer and I an amber ale) and food from the bilingual waiter and got into a good conversation. The next few hours saw us make our way through the beer menu whilst the crowd roared when the home team scored, ringing what sounded like a massive cow bell. The time went by quickly and after finding out that the girls wouldn't be joining us after their night at the spa we decided to call it a night with Marc dropping me back off at the hotel.
The night reaffirmed the idea I had the night before that whilst travelling to new places is always interesting it's the people that really make it worthwhile. We'll be spending the next few days getting taken around the heart of Montreal and I can't wait to get more acquainted with it. My walking tour of Miami had been great fun but it still lacked the human element to really bring the place alive, so I've got high hopes for doing the same with a local by my side.


text:
MERINGUE LADYFINGERS4 large Dierbergs egg whites, at room temperature1¾ cups Dierbergs powdered sugarWHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE½ cup white baking chips1 teaspoon Dierbergs canola oil1 box (4-serving) instant white chocolate pudding and pie filling mix1 cup Dierbergs milk1 cup whipping cream1 carton (6 ounces) fresh raspberriesAdditional Dierbergs powdered sugar
1) Line baking sheet with parchment paper; draw 2 rectangles each 3½ x 12-inches and about 1 inch apart. Draw lines inside each rectangle to make grid with twelve 1 x 3½-inch rectangles; set aside.
In large mixer bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Beating constantly at medium speed, add powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat at high speed until very stiff and glossy. Place meringue in large disposable pastry bag; snip off tip of bag to make opening that is about 1 inch wide. Place parchment grid pencil-side down on baking sheet.
2) Pipe meringue onto grid making sure to connect Ladyfingers. Bake in 200°F. oven 2½ hours. Turn off oven. Leave Ladyfingers in oven for several hours or overnight. Carefully remove paper.
In 1-cup glass measure, combine baking chips and oil. Microwave (high) 1 minute. Let stand 1 minute; stir until chips are melted and smooth. In medium bowl, whisk pudding mix and milk until well mixed. Slowly stir melted chocolate mixture into pudding; set aside.
In large chilled mixer bowl, beat cream until medium peaks form. Gradually beat in pudding mixture on low speed until well mixed.
Place one strip Meringue Ladyfingers on cutting board. Spread half of the Mousse over top. Reserve 6 raspberries for garnish.
Cut remaining raspberries in half lengthwise. Place raspberries cut-side up in single layer over Mousse. Carefully spread remaining Mousse over raspberries; top with remaining Meringue Ladyfinger. Using serrated knife, gently cut between every other Ladyfinger. Place on serving plates; dust with additional powdered sugar and garnish with whole raspberry.
Serving Size:
Per napoleon
Per Serving
49 mg
22 g
312 mg
68 g
5 g
2 g
Choose to receive weekly specials, web-only deals, recipes and wine news.
Find store hours, phone numbers, address and events for your Dierbergs!
Always Hiring
Friendly Faces!
For your security, we will automatically log you out in to protect your Dierbergs account. Click "Keep Me Signed In" if you wish to stay logged in.


text:
MoMA opened a pop-up record store
MoMA has opened a pop-up record store as part of its Design Store in Soho. In partnership with Williamsburg's Earwax Records, The Record Shop features albums that are part of MoMA's permanent collection, including Nirvana's Nevermind, The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, Talking Heads' Fear of Music and Remain in Light, The Rolling Stones' Exile on Main Street, Miles Davis' Bitches Brew, Duran Duran's Rio, Kraftwerk's The Man-Machine, David Bowie's Aladdin Sane, The Beatles' Abbey Road and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Velvet Underground & Nico, The Ramones' debut album and more.
Additionally there are fine art prints of concert posters, books, and even record players like the very groovy — and very expensive — Brionvega Radiofonografo Radio and Turntable. The Record Shop at MoMA Design Store will be up through March 1 and you can also shop online. There are special events, too, where Earwax's Fabio Roberti will DJ and give demonstrations on how to clean and store vinyl.
In other news, BAM is hosting the Never Records installation which opens next week.


text:
Corporate Governance
- Basic Approach and Structure
- Standards and Policy for Appointment and Concurrent Appointment of Individual Officers
- Internal Control System
- Corptate Governance Report
Basic Approach and Structure
The MEC Group believes that to maximize shareholder return, continuous initiatives toward reinforcing corporate governance, thereby enhancing corporate value, are crucial. Specifically, we will promote initiatives for fair and transparent management, speedy and accurate information disclosure, and thorough accountability, and are acting in accordance with the concept of the Corporate Governance Code.
Under the policy of promoting diversity in management, we actively invite and appoint outside officers and women. We are also working on establishing rules to provide strict decision-making criteria in case management lacks independence.
Moreover, aiming to gain value from diversity, the Group has a policy to encourage the activities of diverse competent personnel. We will continue to support promotion of diverse personnel to executive or management positions and enhance various systems to enable all those who take childcare leave to return to work. The results of our efforts to support promotion and enhance various systems to encourage active female participation are as follows:
- Four (approx. 31%) out of a total of 13 management executives; Directors, and operating officers, are women.
- 65 (approx. 29%) out of a total of 225 employees in Japan (as of December 31, 2018) are women.
- Due to the enhanced child care leave system, the return-to-work rate after child care leave is 100% over the past five years.
Overview of the corporate governance structure and the reason for adopting the corporate governance structure
By holding the Board of Directors every month, the Company oversees decisions of important matters related to management and the execution of duties by Directors. The Company has also established an operating officer system and a system in which Operating Officers can focus on business execution. In these ways, we are working to accelerate the decision-making of the Board of Directors.
In addition, the Company has established the Nomination and Remuneration Advisory Committee (independent outside members accounting for a majority), the ESG Committee (independent outside members accounting for a majority), the Internal Control Committee, the Risk Management Committee and the committee to ensure reliability of financial reports (J-SOX) directly under the Board of Directors to submit proposals and reports to the Board of Directors, thereby improving the corporate governance structure.
The Company has so far continued working on various measures in order to improve the quality of corporate governance. But to have the Company's develop in the future, we must be able to execute business in an efficient and agile way by making quick decisions. At the same time, we must further strengthen our ability to oversee our executives' performance. Therefore, by taking advantage of the wealth of experience and wide range of views of Outside Directors, we will strengthen the supervisory function of the Board of Directors. And simultaneously, we have adopted a structure of a company with a committee system that enables us to proceed with separating supervisory and executive functions, such as by transferring authority to executive directors including representative directors.
Overview of organization composition and operation
|Form of organization
|Company with an Audit & Committee
|Chairman of the Board of Directors
|Number of Directors
|7 (The number specified under the articles of incorporation: 10), including 4 Outside Directors
|Appointment of independent officers
|4 Outside Directors are appointed
(As of March 22, 2019)
Standards and Policy for Appointment and Concurrent Appointment of Individual Officers
1.The Company has established the following criteria and policy on independence for use when appointing Outside Directors. The current Outside Directors do not correspond to these criteria, and thus they have independence.
In addition, as general rules for the interlocking directorates of all officers, the Company has set the figure of four companies including the Company for Non-Executive Officers, and two companies including the Company for Executive Officers. Further, we have an attendance rate of 85% or more at Board of Directors meetings as an Outside Director, and the same rate for Outside Directors at the Audit Committee when they are also members of the Audit Committee.
Standards for determining non-independence
- Has work experience in an organization that is our major shareholder which holds 5% or more of the voting rights or is a major shareholder.
- Has work experience in the Company's main bank or major lender.
- Has work experience in our major trading partner or an organization that we position as our major trading partner.
- Has work experience in our audit corporation, law firm, or main securities firm.
- There have been cases where compensation such as consulting fees, attorneys' fees and tax accountant remuneration have been paid by the Company in addition to executive compensation.
- The corresponding period from a to e is within the past 5 years from the present time.
- Is next of kin to a person listed in any of the following (A) through (B)
(A) Persons listed from a to f.
(B) Person who executes business, non-executive person who does not execute business, or employee at the Company or its subsidiaries or affiliates.
2. As specialized committees that submit proposals and report to the Board of Directors, the Company has established the Nomination and Compensation Advisory Committee (the majority of whose members are independent outside persons) and the ESG Committee (the majority of whose members are independent outside persons).
Internal Control System
Status of the internal control system
The outline of matters decided with regard to the structure to ensure that the execution of duties by Directors conforms to laws and regulations, as well as the articles of incorporation, and other structures to ensure proper operations of the Company, is as follows.
Basic policy of the internal control system
- 1.System to ensure the performance of duties of Directors and employees of the MEC Group complies with laws and regulations and the Articles of Incorporation
- As the basis of the MEC Group's internal control and compliance structure, the Company shall establish the MEC Group's Charter of Corporate Behavior/Code of Conduct; internal control, internal audit and J-SOX provisions; and Compliance Regulations. The Company shall also set up the Internal Control Committee and Compliance Committee chaired by the President to promote establishment, maintenance and improvement of the internal control system, while as necessary, formulating related rules and guidelines and providing relevant education for employees.
- Each Director in the MEC Group shall immediately report to the Audit Committee and other Directors if he/she discovers any material violation of laws and regulations or any other important fact related to compliance.
- We shall set up an Internal Audit Office, to wit an Internal Audit Department, as an organization directly under the Audit Committee. The aim is to examine whether proper and efficient business operations take place and whether the internal control system prevents violation in advance, and audit the maintenance and operation status of said system.
The Internal Audit Department reports the audit results to the Audit Committee and the director according to the annual schedule.
- As the MEC Group's internal whistleblowing system for internal reporting of any fact of violation of laws and regulations, employment rules or other internal regulations, or inhumane act such as sexual harassment, the Company has established a whistle-blowing system in which one of the Outside Officers, an external lawyer, and the head of the Internal Audit Office are appointed as the direct receivers of internal reporting.
In addition, we thoroughly ensure that whistleblowers do not receive any disadvantageous treatment as a result of reporting or cooperating in investigations.
- The members of the Audit Committee, when recognizing a problem in the compliance structure or the whistle-blowing system of the Company, may express their opinions to the President and ask for formulation of corrective measures.
- The Audit Committee requests Outside Directors who are not members of the Audit Committee and the Internal Audit Office to attend meetings of the Audit Committee as observers, in principle once a month. This ensures there are meetings, and ensures that reports are given on the results of audits and opinions are exchanged.
- We will never be concerned with antisocial forces or groups that threaten the order or safety of civil society, and if necessary, we will take appropriate measures in coordination with police related administrative agencies and legal counsels, etc.
- 2.Structure to ensure efficient execution of duties by the MEC Group's Directors
- In order to ensure that the duties of MEC Group's Directors are performed efficiently in accordance with basic management policies, the Board of Directors' meeting shall meet monthly and meet on an ad hoc basis as the occasion demands. In addition, there will be discussions with regards to important matters relating to the business strategy of the Company at a business strategy meeting held once a month and composed of Directors and Executive Officers, etc., and at a company-wide policy meeting held twice a year that consists of managers, and the results shall be thoroughly made known to all.
- In order to enhance the supervisory function over the performance of duties by the Directors, Outside Directors shall be appointed so that they will account for a majority or half of the Board of Directors. On the other hand, we will also enhance the executive officer system, and work to separate supervisory and enforcement functions.
- We have established a Nomination and Compensation Advisory Committee and an ESG Committee, and the majority of their members are Outside Directors that report directly to the Board of Directors. These committees recommend candidates to the Board of Directors who have made a lot of suggestions and multi-faceted examinations.
- Outside Directors meet with members of the Board of Directors, including the President and Chief Financial Officer, in principle once every three months, and exchange opinions and information. The Leading Outside Director has responsibility for administering this process.
- For efficient performance of operations decided by the Board of Directors, organization regulations, division of duties regulations, official authority regulations, and ringi regulations shall be formulated to specify the details of responsible personnel, approval authority, and execution procedures for each operation.
- 3.Structure for storage and management of information concerning the execution of duties by Directors of the MEC Group
- Matters regarding the preparation, storage, and management of the minutes of the Board of Directors' meetings and other important meetings and approval documents such as the ringi statements shall be handled in accordance with the Board of Directors regulations, Ringi regulations, and document control regulations.
- Work on the protection of information assets including personal information in accordance with various regulations such as information security management regulations, and regularly provide training on information security to all executives and employees.
- 4.Regulations and other structures concerning management of the risk of loss at the MEC Group
- The Company shall recognize there are risks such as (i) Risk of violation of laws or the articles of incorporation, (ii) Quality risk, (iii) Environment risk, (iv) Risks pertaining to the protection of personal information and protection of information that can be used to identify a specific individual, (v) Risks pertaining to information leakage and information security (vi) Disaster risk, and (vii) Supply chain risk as the major risks in the performance of the Company. And it shall establish an internal structure for their identification and management.
- As the basic framework of risk management, we have established the Risk Management Committee chaired by the President, as well as MEC Group Risk Management Regulations and related regulations, and established a system where management responsibilities are set out for each individual risk.
- The Company shall formulate a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) to ensure the continuity of its businesses, and in the event of a contingency, set up a task force headed by the President and take prompt action, obtaining support from external experts, etc. as necessary, to prevent or minimize damage.
- 5.Structure to ensure proper operations in each company of the MEC Group
- To ensure proper operations in each company of the Group, the Company shall establish regulations as those of the MEC Group, and they shall be shared across the Group, such as the Group's Management Philosophy, Company policy, Group's Charter of Corporate Behavior and other rules. Each Group company shall formulate related regulations and other relevant rules and guidelines and provide education for employees.
- The Company shall establish the Affiliates Management Regulations for management control of each Group company. Based on these regulations, each Group company shall make decisions and report, and for important issues, management control shall be performed by resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company.
The Business Division and other business departments in Japan shall supervise and cooperate with the business departments of each Group company for their respective business fields.
- Each Director shall immediately report to the Audit Committee and other Directors if he/she discovers any material violation of laws and regulations or any other important matter related to compliance in a Group company.
- Each Group company shall report to the Audit Committee and the Internal Audit Office on any violation of laws and regulations or other compliance-related problem it has recognized in the Company's management control or management instructions, while the members of the Audit Committee and the Internal Audit Office may express opinions to the President or ask for formulation of corrective measures.
- To enhance the MEC Group's auditing and internal control, our policy is to have both the Audit Committee and the Internal Audit Office examine all the business locations, departments and offices inside and outside Japan. For examination of overseas subsidiaries, information shall be exchanged not only with the Group's Accounting Auditor but also with the local Accounting Auditors of each company of the Group.
- 6.Structure for reporting by Directors (excluding those who are members of the Audit Committee) and employees of the MEC Group to the Audit Committee, and other structures regarding reporting to the Audit Committee
- Regarding the matters to be reported by Directors (excluding those who are members of the Audit Committee) and employees to the Audit Committee and the timing of reporting, Directors (excluding those who are members of the Audit Committee) and employees shall, in accordance with relevant rules, report to the Audit Committee on every important matter that may affect the operations or business performance of the Company whenever it arises. In addition, we shall thoroughly ensure that whistleblowers who made the above-mentioned report do not receive any disadvantageous treatment as a result of reporting.
- Notwithstanding the above, the members of the Audit Committee may ask Directors (excluding those who are members of the Audit Committee) and employees for reporting whenever necessary.
- 7.Other structures to ensure effective implementation of audits by the Audit Committee
- The Audit Committee and Internal Audit Office shall hold meetings with the Accounting Auditor five times per year in principle to exchange opinions and information, and enhance cooperation and mutual supervision.
- The members of the Audit Committee may employ a lawyer, certified public accountant, or other external specialist at their own discretion when they deem it necessary for auditing. Prepayment of the costs resulting from the performance of duties of the members of the Audit Committee or repayment thereof shall be properly processed based on the request of the Audit Committee.
- 8.Matters relating to employees who assist the members of the Audit Committee in the performance of their duties (assistant employees), in case the Auditor requests appointment of such an employee
The Company shall establish regulations concerning the employees to assist the members of the Audit Committee in the performance of their duties and specify the procedure for appointing the assistant employees when requested by the members of the Audit Committee.
The secretariat to which such auxiliary employee belongs will be established in the Internal Control Office in accordance with the provisions of assistance of the Audit and Supervisory Committee Regulations.
- 9.Matters relating to the independence of assistant employees from Directors (excluding those who are members of the Audit Committee)
In order to ensure that employees assigned with the task of assisting the members of the Board of Directors (excluding those who are members of the Audit Committee) are independent from the Directors, any changes (transfers, compensation, etc.) to be made to them shall be determined with the consent of the members of the Audit Committee. In the cases where assistant employees have received an instruction necessary for audit work from the members of the Audit Committee, they shall not receive orders and instructions related to that instruction from Directors (excluding those who are members of the Audit Committee).
Basic approach toward elimination of antisocial forces
The Company has set a basic policy to uncompromisingly stand up against any antisocial forces or groups that threaten the order and safety of civil society. Specifically, the Company has established an organizational response system, and will cooperate with the police or other relevant government organs, company attorney, and industry organizations as necessary to take appropriate action.
Corptate Governance Report
For detailed information on corporate governance, please refer to "Corporate Governance Report". The following items are summarized.
- Basic information on capital structure, corporate attributes and other matters
- Business Management Organization and Other Corporate Governance Systems regarding Decision-making,Execution of Business, and Oversight in Management
- Status of Implementation of Measures Related to Shareholders and Other Stakeholders
- Matters related to internal control systems, etc.
- Others


text:
$ 0.00
Marble & Wood Cutting Board Round
The combination of wood and marble makes this cutting board from India the perfect rustic chic piece for your kitchen. It also features an authentic kalamkari scrap as a hanging loop.
Measurements: 10" x 12"
Materials: Marble, babool wood, cotton fabric.
Country of Origin: India
Care Instructions: Wipe with damp cloth.*Due to the artisanal nature of this product, color and size may vary.


text:
The company's stock price has declined 94% since its peak three years ago.
After closing at an all-time low of $3.32 on Friday, shares for Community Health Systems slipped even further on Monday, falling as low as $3.12 in mid-day trading.
The company's stock price has declined about 94% since its peak at $52.71 three years ago. The hospital operator, based in Franklin, Tennessee, has struggled financially in recent years, selling off hospitals as it grapples with a high debt burden.
The latest slump in CHS shares comes after the company offered more than $1 billion in senior secured notes Thursday, which CHS plans to use to pay some of its outstanding loans and related fees, according to documents filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission.
The sale of the notes, which is expected to be completed this Friday, comes after S&P Global Ratings lowered its corporate credit rating for CHS last spring.
The company has quarreled with Quorum Health Corporation, which it spun off in 2016, and been sued by Microsoft for alleged copyright infringement.
CHS Board Chairman and CEO Wayne T. Smith, meanwhile, has seen his pay sink alongside the company's stock price. Smith earned neither a bonus nor incentive pay last year.
Steven Porter is an associate content manager and Strategy editor for HealthLeaders, a Simplify Compliance brand.


text:
Delivery of goods
Most offers and deals include free delivery only when it is specified on the offer,please check when ordering.
Unless specified on deal as FREE Delivery - Delivery for all others at the moment is £10 and will be added to final bill.
For account Holders / Payment plans- Delivery if paying by Instalments and payment plans - If your payments go over the term agreed, £10 delivery will be automatically added to the account
Collection of Goods -By Appointment Only
Collection of goods is always FREE - provided that we have both agreed a prearranged day and time.
If arranged collection fails with or without notice , we will agree to only delivery of goods at £10 or there will be a missed collection surcharge of £10 to pay before we can hand over goods. this is to ensure the best use of our time - Our time is precious and chargeable.
Please, just DO NOT TURN UP without appointment as we may not be here or available to you
Collection is limited to our booking slot times, To check view collection / booking time slots, please click the link
To Arrange Collection - Click the Green Button, View the collection slots
then text or ring us on 07960 842688 and we will check availability.
By Appointment Only
All Orders should be checked immediately on collection. A signature will be required of collection and order satisfication. No returns will accepted after this.
Should a customer fail to collect an item/s from us within 14 days of us informing them that their item is ready, we will not be held liable for any damages to product after this time at our premises or in transit if customer decides on delivery.