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WHAT BROUN CAN DO FOR YOU: Rep. Paul Broun, in conjunction with the Internal Revenue Service, is providing a free tax filing workshop from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. April 4 at the Athens-Clarke County Library, according to a Tuesday news release from his office.
According to the release, Internal Revenue Service representatives, as well as certified volunteers from the University of Georgia, will be available to provide guidance and advice on filing federal income taxes. The UGA volunteers will help individuals fill out basic tax forms, including the 1040 EZ and 1040 A.
Individuals seeking tax preparation help must bring proof of identification; Social Security cards for themselves, their spouses and dependents; birth date information, Forms W-2, W-2G and 1099-R, as applicable, from all employers; interest and dividend statements from banks or credit unions; records of earnings from self-employment and expenses related to the self-employment income, documents supporting itemized deductions, child or dependent care, where applicable and, if available, a copy of last year's federal and state returns.
Bank account numbers and routing numbers will be required from anyone who wants any refund deposited in their bank via direct deposit.
GREATEST SOUTHERN TOWN: Want Athens to get bragging rights as the Greatest Southern Town, at least as far as Garden & Gun magazine and the people who find its online "Southern Bracket" are concerned?
Well, go to the bracket website, <http://bit.ly/PJdZd6>, and cast your vote.
Athens made it through the first round of the competition, winning over Greenville, S.C., and is up against Charleston, S.C., in the second round, which runs through Thursday. Sadly, as of early Tuesday evening, Athens was trailing Charleston with just over 30 percent of the vote, to Charleston's nearly 70 percent. A second-round win would put Athens against one of two other Georgia towns, either Savannah or Thomasville, in the third round.
Interestingly, Garden & Gun's initial selection of 32 cities to vie for Greatest Southern Town didn't include my second-favorite city in the region, New Orleans, but it did include Key West, Fla., another of my favorite places. Key West, though, lost to Savannah in the first round.
TWITTER: I'm @Jim__Thompson, where I indulge in this sort of thing, only shorter, on a regular basis.


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subset: commoncrawl


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If you wrestle with the fact that the church isn't perfect, even though we follow the Perfect One, or if you don't know how to respond to people who want to know why Christians still mess up so much, consider this quote from Gregory the Great:
The dawn intimates that the night is over, but it does not yet proclaim the full light of day. Are not all of us who follow the truth in this life both daybreak and dawn? We do some things which already belong to the light, but we are not free from the remnants of darkness. It will be fully day for the church when she is no longer darkened by the shadow of sin. It will be fully day for her when she shines with the perfect brilliance of interior light. This dawn is an ongoing process. When the dawn has come, the day will retain nothing belonging to the darkness of night.


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The sixth Diamond Dynasty event in MLB the show comes out today at 3 p.m. ET and closes Monday, July 10th at 3 p.m. ET. This is going to be an interesting event to say the least. The event calls for a team of power hitters and Common pitchers. The hitters must have one power attribute of 70 or more and can be any tier player (Common, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Diamond). Only Common pitchers are able to enter this event so choose wisely. The overall limit for your team is 80. Here is how I'm going to set up my lineup. Note: I have not put money into this game so these are all players that I gained organically either through missions or random pulls.
Starting Pitchers:
- Brandon Finnegan L 69 OVR
- Amir Garrett L 68 OVR
- Robert Stephenson R 65 OVR
- Eddie Gamboa R 63 OVR
- Yohander Mendez 58 OVR
All these pitchers have good H/9, K/9 and velocity with the exception of Gamboa who is a knuckleball pitcher. It will be good to have a mix of lefty and righty pitchers. You'll be able to throw off opponents lineups with the mix even though most Common pitchers won't do well against the onslaught of hitters.
- Christian Bethancourt R 33 OVR
- Tony Cigrani L 67 OVR
- Enrique Burgos R 69 OVR
- Vidal Nuno L 69 OVR
- Jake Petricka R 68 OVR
- Ryan Tepera R 61 OVR
- Enny Romero L 65 OVR
Christian Bethancourt is the key to this team. His 33 overall will help bring down the team's overall substantially so you can add better players. He is also a good pinch hitter if you run out of position players to use. I chose most of these guys because their base velocities are over 80 which means they will sit around 95-97 give or take (with the exception of Bethancourt, Cingrani and Nuno). Most of these guys also have good H/9 which will reduce the PCI. The hitters are going to have a big PCI since they are going to be higher overalls so every little bit helps.
- Ian Kinsler R 97 OVR 2B
- Reggie Jackson L 94 OVR LF
- Victor Martinez S 94 OVR C
- Shawn Green L 92 RF
- Orlando Cepeda R 94 OVR 1B
- Charlie Blackmon L 88 OVR CF
- Evan Longoria R 96 OVR 3B
- Buddy Bell R 93 OVR SS
- Pitcher
Now comes the fun part. You get to build a lineup of pure power hitters who are going to rake against Common pitching. This is probably the best lineup that I can build with my squad and there are endless possibilities. The best thing to do is alternate between L and R hitters who still have good contact/power against the same side pitcher but who have higher contact/power against opposite handed pitchers. Most of these players are pretty good defenders as well with the exception of Martinez behind the plate which could lead to some downfalls on the base path.
- Freddie Freeman L 92 OVR 1B
- Yasmani Grandal S 85 OVR C
- Josh Donaldson 3B 94 OVR 3B
- Carlos Correa SS 91 OVR SS
- Andrew McCutchen 95 OVR CF
The bench is going to play a key role in your success. The biggest thing is to have players that mash against a certain side but can also be put in for defense. I try to do opposite batting handess to a starting player so that I can input the person on the bench if need be. Most of these players will do fine whether I need to start them or bring them in to play.
Note: All these overalls are based on the player's actual overall and not the inside edge for that day.
I hope this helps you guys out!


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The team is composed of people with common goals and ideals or purpose. They should complement each other. When you form a team it is a part of a very complex organization which come together to tackle common issues and create solution to whatever their task, goals or vision. The goal of the team should always be to win, to carry out successful task with strategies that reflect results that are tangible.
In life there are different types of team. However which one you might be attracted to is a matter of choice. There are independent teams and interdependent teams. The concept is what sets them apart; how we view them depends on our ideal of the team and the spirit with which we become attached. In my view teams should set themselves apart from the ordinary! They should be focus and steadfast and diligent in what they do. Be it independent or interdependent.
We all know of the power of sports and the individualistic nature in which we become ingrained with our support for the same. Everybody wants their team to win however it takes support and team spirit and effort for them to win. With much organization and guidance from a coach and manager the team will succeed. However team spirit is also important! If the members of the team is not in harmony and conflict is brewing there will chaos and division. This in itself will be the downfall of any structure since coöperation will be a thing of the past.
What are the qualities of a good team and how do we judge what we see or know about a team? I must take a look at a team that we might tend to overlook but I am most interested in knowing much about. Please pardon my bias but I choose to use this information for my reference. For three and a half years this fellow built a ministry and chooses twelve men who would go with him as trainee for future mission. How did they do? I would say very well under the circumstance which they work. These men were from different background and social status but they were able to put their differences aside and look at the bigger picture. They created such influence that it is still impacting the world today. They were interdependent and they knew the art of being a team player. However looking back on their influence, they accomplished such because of their team leader and their willingness to carry out the task assigned. These men acted with confidence and were willing to learn everything.
Whenever you have to choose a team member I believe it is important to look for persons who will fit the makeup of the team. Ask yourself; what are the qualities that fit the organization? Depending on what is to be accomplished you would make your choice base on the information that was presented.
First and foremost I would pick someone who I can count on; someone who is reliable and committed; one who follows through and finishes assignments. I was a part of a band that plays music; one of my greatest disappointments was dealing with members who were not committed. When there is no commitment it retard progress and eventually leads to abandonment of the vision.
If you want to be a good team player and a leader, you have to be willing to speak up and express your thoughts and ideas clearly, honestly, and with respect for others. In other words you have to communicate constructively!
I know this is an era when everyone wants to be heard and we are all clamoring for first place but you have to be willing to listen. Be a good listener! When I go on the job and I am given an assignment by the boss, I listen actively to understand the instructions given. Don't be quick to hear and slow to listen because you could miss the mark and fold up the instructions given. There are times when because of lack of understanding and communication arguments brews that could have been avoided if the team was actively listening. Listening first and speaking second helps to creates meaningful dialogues.
Looking back at the twelve men who turn the world upside down, one thing could be said of them; they were active participants. They followed instructions and fully engaged in the work of leading men and women to their leader. They help to make things happen; they were not sitting on the side line waiting to see who would make the first move. They shared everything in common. They were gatherers together and not separators. It was we and us instead of me and I!
Take a look at the contrast. Independent teams don't accomplish as much. Yes, they try and some have made huge success of their independence but you must always remember the saying: Two is better than one because if the other falls someone is there to pick him up! I would like to endorse the interdependent team because it helps to create a unique atmosphere for coöperation, progress and responsibility!
It might be said that they were only men of low esteem but they stock with their leader and help to make things happen. They traveled far and wide delivering the message of hope and love turning lives upside down. The crowd followed their every move some were even fed when there was not enough food to feed the crowd.
They cooperated in the work acting together to carry out the task they had to fulfill. I am sure they had their differences but they push those aside to make a difference with the team. They help to solve problems and stay in tune with their leader even under much pressure. As team players they remained flexible and adoptive to change! They were committed and engaged and they gave their very best.
My question is as always; are you a part of the team? This is the time to think about your commitment and get up off the fence to join forces. We are an army of survivors marching to the finish line. The battle is raging but the victory has already been won so join the team and take control of your destiny!


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I've been busy making some more knitting needle toppers. At the beginning they were quite hard to make separately from the needles, so the best method seems to be to just mould them straight onto the ends. The trouble is that this brings with it its own problems, but I should be able to sort them out through trial and error. Or so I hope!
So far the toppers include sheep, cupcakes and sushi rice balls. I like how they look and am thinking of some more designs that would suit these bamboo needles. Perhaps ghosts made from glow-in-the-dark clay, mushrooms or beehives with tiny bees would be good too. I'll give them a try next!


text: Jordan's House 0 Report post Posted December 1, 2008 Does anyone have an unused black NHL 2000 patch that they'd be willing to part with? I could buy or trade for one. Also, I know this one probably gets asked a lot, but does anyone know where I could track down a Capitals 9-11 patch? I've looked everywhere, including all of the sites mentioned in the previous posts, but I still can't seem to find one. Thanks. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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Yesterday, my senses failed.
I thought I was ready. I told myself I wasn't going lose my perspective just because the greatest Bronco of all time was now given the position of lower deity at Dove Valley. I was ready to watch the entire spectacle with a critical eye. I would not be fooled by the glitz and glamor of Elway's five Super Bowl appearances.
But then something happened. Elway stood up and showed enough enthusiasm to light the building on fire. He even said the magic words, "Mile High Stadium."
It was a pure mindfreak: a supernatural occurrence beyond comprehension.
I lost all perspective and objectivity. Hours later, drunk off the euphoria of hearing Elway talk about the championship days, I still couldn't bring myself to rational thinking.
I turned on the radio; I wasn't the only one.
Alfred Wlliams and Mark Schlereth were buzzing as well. This was suddenly one of the top ten moments in Broncos history, they surmised.
Who was I to argue? I mean John freaking Elway was now making decisions. The dude who once played an entire season and won a Super Bowl with a torn biceps tendon was going to be holding people accountable.
Suddenly, I couldn't bring myself to question why a general manager was hired with less ado about something; nor did I allow myself to wonder why Champ Bailey isn't wanted, dead or alive; I couldn't even muster los cojones to demand to know which personnel moves Brian Xanders has made in the last 24 months as chain-of-commander in chief.
The gleam off of Elway was too bright. I was blind and loving it. It would have only been better if someone had sprinkled me with Predominately Orange pixie dust. What were they going to announce next? Was Steve Atwater was going to head up the scouting department? Was Rod Smith going to be the new coach of the wide receivers? Was Simon Fletcher finally headed to the Ring of Fame after agreeing to teach Robert Ayers how to edge rush?
Josh McDaniels could take his hoodie and go right to fiery hell. I could have cared less if I ever heard his side of the story.
During the press conference, I did manage to gather some factual information. The Broncos, it appears, still had a slight hankerin' to run a 3-4 defense. And apparently, John Elway had not been infected with the H1N1-Tebow virus (symptoms include saying "god bless" at the end of every phone conversation) that has infected most Broncos fans in the last three weeks. Lastly, Elway actually did talk to Jim Harbaugh.
But facts really didn't matter. I was enraptured in the college pep rally atmosphere and embowered by Elway's motivational speech. I was only disappointed they didn't bring in the Broncos' cheerleaders--clad in white leather chaps and orange and blue pom poms--to gyrate to Lady Gaga's Poker Face.
Later I found out the rest of the country didn't care: ESPN hadn't covered the story or aired the press conference. They were too busy talking about Brett Favre and Tom Cable. You silly fools, I thought. You just missed Elway saying Woody Paige's name--more than once! You just missed the fact that Denver sits at over 8,000 feet!
Well, you know what, ESPN? You can just join Josh McDaniels right in fiery hell. How dare you disrespect the 1998 World Champions!
I wasn't having any of it. I didn't want to hear about draft picks or debate the merits of running the Colorado Crush. I didn't want to hear why Ron Rivera hadn't made the short list of coaching candidates. And I certainly didn't want to hear about Brian Xanders' statistically unsound research on the minor percentage spread between offensive and defensive coaches.
I wanted some pixie dust. So late last night I watched a CBS News 4 Poll in which 45% of viewers said they thought John Elway would lead the Broncos back to the playoffs within 1--2 years. I immediately went to the website so I could up that total. By the time I voted, the number had risen to 48%.
It seemed I wasn't the only Broncos fan who wanted to view the Broncos through blissful intoxication. To the contrary, it appeared as if most Broncos fans were ready to hold a kegger.
And why not? Broncos fans have had at least 5 seasons of being completely hung over--the pounding headache of blown draft picks, the dry mouth of busted free agents, and the nausea of Jay Cutler. They deserve a least a few weeks of partying, even if it takes John Elway to make it so.


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Rock of Ages is a 2012 musical comedy-drama film directed by Adam Shankman. The film is an adaptation of the 2006 rock jukebox Broadway musical of the same name by Chris D'Arienzo. Originally scheduled to enter production in summer 2009 for a 2011 release, it eventually commenced production in May 2011 and was released on June 15, 2012.
Starring country singer Julianne Houghand Diego Boneta leading an ensemble cast that includes Russell Brand, Alec Baldwin, Paul Giamatti, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Malin Åkerman, Mary J. Blige, Bryan Cranston and Tom Cruise, the film features the music of many 1980s Rock and Glam Rock artists including Def Leppard, Journey, Scorpions, Poison, Foreigner, Guns N' Roses, Pat Benatar, Joan Jett, Bon Jovi, Twisted Sister, Whitesnake, REO Speedwagon and others.
The film received mixed critical reviews and grossed only $59 million worldwide. However, Cruise was particularly lauded for his performance of "Pour Some Sugar on Me" and "Wanted Dead or Alive". The related film soundtrack also did critically well, certified Gold in Canada.


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via Cold Track Days
via Cold Track Days
As stated in the previous post, I'm totally jealous of the recent acquisition Alex made with his Honda RS125 track bike. Here's an excellent illustration of why the lightweight 2 stroke can make bikes with 3-4x the displacement look like amateur hour:
The super fast change in direction and razor sharp lines in this video make me an absolute believer in the bike Alex got, even if it's not quite the same model. But I'm eager to learn more about these and will report back when I know more.
My buddy Alex who is a contributing author on Rare Sport Bikes For Sale is about to pick a Honda RS125 for track days. What a great early Christmas present to yourself! He sent over this picture of the bike to show off his latest acquisition. I started staring at in Photoshop and ended up with these two versions of the image. The first one is more photo-realistic and the other has a filter applied for a more stylized look. I'm leaning towards the latter. Probably end up wallpapering one of my garage walls with a huge print out.
Congrats on the new bike Alex! Can't wait to see it in action!
I know my personal blog has really been neglected this summer, but I've been very busy consulting. And when I'm not helping out moto-clients with web services consulting, I'm working with a great team to really dial up the Rare Sportbikes For Sale site. Check out some of the sweet rides this week alone: MC28 NSR250 SE, CBR250R Hurricane, Huge Teaser for some OW01's, VF1000R, Bimota YB9, and well you get the idea.
If you're in a shopping mood, I'd subscribe as the best deals are always had in the fall and early winter.
Forgive me: I'm guilty of cheating on this blog with a number of other blogs. But before we get too far ahead, let's get caught up on some great looking German Cars and Rare Sport Bikes that have been listed for sale over the past several weeks.
|Beautiful 1983 BMW e21 320i For Sale in Oregon – Paul went so far as to say he was almost considering buying this car himself, but was instead inspired to continue the work on his own classic BMW after seeing Richard's car! Considering he's only asking $3200, someone should snap this up cheap!
|1983 Alpina B9 #312 For Sale in Florida – The $14.5k buy-it-now option seems like a pretty good deal. There are very few real Alpina's in this country anyway, and this one still has almost all of it's original details. While I'm not an experienced collector, I have to imagine that 5-10 years from now, this car will have appreciated considerably. Then again, with over 100k miles and an approachable entry price, maybe it would be better to enjoy immediately. Can you imagine the response at your next BMW club day when you roll up in this?!
|1985 Honda VFR400 NC24 – First things first, this is not an 85. According to this Wikipedia article, the NC24 wasn't introduced until 1987, and this bike definitely sports all the important features of the later NC24 model. But when I first saw the listing as an 85, it made me wonder if the 25 year rule works the same way it does for classic cars in the U.S. – no import or registration issues with models not previously imported. Anyone know for sure? Also, was there a Rothmans edition of the NC24? It's a cool bike for $3500 either way though!
|Irish Green Porsches for St. Patrick's Day – As you can probably gather by now, I think the 912 is definitely the better value; especially at $15k! Of course a 912 is not a substitute for a 911. But it's also not to be dismissed as anything less than a fantastic sports car. Add the fact that this one has an expensive rebuilt motor assembled with such focus and dedication, you can tell that this car is at least 85% of the experience of a 911 of the same era.
|Two Very Low Mileage M3's, $60,000 Each! – Not to play that overused 'economy' angle yet again, but these seem like high prices to me in today's market. On the other hand the owners clearly know the rarity of their cars and are counting on educated and wealthy buyers. Who knows when we'll see examples like these for sale again.
|1986 GSX-R 750R Limited (GSXR750 RG) – Don't you just love homologation specials?! The very best of everything and no expense spared. And when they're nearly 25 years old and never raced, AND hardly even ridden, they're truly a rare find. This one is currently at $12k (appears reserve has been met) with about 4 days to go.
|1988 BMW e30 M3 in Diamondschwartz – The owner even has a picture of him doing a compression test on the motor. Assuming the car needs a few things here and there and you had to drop two or three grand into it right away; could be a a really nice car in a pretty desirable color.
|Lovely and Original Alpine White 1991 BMW e30 M3 For Sale with 64k miles – You know me, I'm a sucker for low miles. Make sure the maintenance has been tended to with a thorough pre-purchase inspection by a qualified BMW technician. This car is already over $17k, reserve not met. With 3 days to go, make your predictions!
|1993 Honda CBR400RR For Sale in San Fran Area – It has the all important title, but with that kind of mileage is $5k too high? Leave a comment with your experience.
|Porsche 996 Prices are Dropping – It's no secret the 996 is not one of my favorite Porsche 911's. That said, I'm a big fan of the Boxster of the same generation; and when the the 996 and Boxster suddenly share the same price point, well let's be serious, which would you really rather have? My thoughts exactly.
|1985 Yamaha RZ500 with Clean U.S. Title – Wouldn't hurt to have a description on this listing, especially with the high opening bid of $12,500. This one is a bit higher than other RZ500's listed on this blog, but the pictures sure do look good! 4 days left, bid now!
|Not 1, Not 2, But 3 Wes Cooley Replica GS1000S Suzuki's For Sale! – $4900 doesn't really seem that bad for such a cool and historic bike. I got up close and personal with a GS1000S at the Barber Motorsports Park Museum earlier this year, and it was a standout for sure!
Stay tune for some more sweet news about where I've been hanging out other than on dancrouchblog.com…
After years of lusting after an S2000, I finally have one. I rule! In all seriousness, it was a tough call between this car and a Boxster. Regulars know that I've been on the lookout and waiting for the right time since I sold my M3. I was pretty certain I wanted Boxster as I had convinced myself it was more special. But all the examples that have come up for sale near me, that were in my price range, were all 97-99 models for the most part, and most had higher miles than I was comfortable with. There was also that little voice that kept telling me that I'd have to have a 2000+ in the 'S' variety — which in almost all cases was out of my range or would require a dedicated trip to source.
So I hit crazedlist.org for S2000's on a whim and I was shocked to see how much the values had fallen for these cars. 18 months ago, most clean and cared for examples were nearly $20k. Now the market is plentiful with lots of variety in the 13-15k range. Which is when I spotted my 01 in Medford. Only a 4 hour drive away, I just needed to find time to get down there! This proved difficult as I spotted the car before leaving on a trip to Georgia to see our man Ed for his birthday. Then I returned to catch up on work and my brother made a surprise trip out for two weeks. During that trip we made several trips to Portland and a long weekend in Seattle. Nearly 4 weeks later, the car was shockingly still available for sale! So we made another long weekend of it and drove the car. The previous owner is realtor and grandmother who only put 4k miles on the car in a little over a two years of ownership. And the owner before that must have hardly driven the car either as the car sits today with less than 35k miles on the clock! Combine that with the factory fitted hardtop and zero modifications, I knew we were going to buy.
And then we test drove the car. If you've been skeptical about this car from what you've heard or read, forget about it and find one to drive. This is a real sports car and Honda did an amazing job with this package. I keep describing it as focused and the best value out there right now. The motor is flat out amazing and perfectly matched in this balanced package. Plus we got 27mpg on the way home, with several spirited runs up the rev range!
As you can tell I'm smitten with the purchase and ready to drop the top this spring! I'll have the occasional update related to the S2000 on this blog, but I have also started a new S2000 blog that will detail the experience of ownership, the best of the aftermarket, and buying tips for those now in the market.
Click the pics for full size links.
Back from the dead, I'm wrapping up a little vacation to Georgia to see my buddy FastEddieGTi for his birthday. Having just ate an enormous steakhouse burger from the Vortex in Atlanta (kick ass burgers!), I have some downtime to catch up on some blogging chores while my food digests!
Without further ado, here are the catch up links to GermanCarsForSaleBlog and RareSportBikesForSale:
|1993 Honda NSR250 MC21 SE For Sale – At only $5500, this would be a cool addition for the track or the weekend backroads!
|Low Miles 1988 BMW M6 For Sale in Montana – $22.5k sounds like a pretty good deal with this kind of mileage, and documented maintenance and upgrades. And the blue on gray with the M5 rims… Yum!
|1985 Yamaha RZ500 For Sale in San Diego – At $7900, this falls right in line with other RZ500's listed previously.
|2001 Porsche Carrera Cabrio – Too Cheap to be True? – So why the skeptism? 996's of any variation start in the high teens, and those have at least twice the mileage of this car. But heaven forbid this is the real deal… well I just can't believe it is, but it's fun to imagine.
|A Pair of Ducati 900SS Superlight's For Sale – These are pretty rare bikes and I think it's an interesting opportunity for a prospective buyer to consider a well worn example or the museum piece.
|1993 Ducati 888 SPO: Yep Another One!! – With a $10888 asking (clever), this is one of the more expensive triple eights to be listed on this blog. While most Ducatisti will agree this where they should be, I think this seller may have a long wait before finding a buyer considering what other examples here in the states have been going for.
|Two More Titled MC 21 NSR250 Honda's For Sale in California – Judging from the pictures alone, I like the Rothmans replica better from the point of aesthetics alone. For around five grand, neither one seems like that bad a deal considering they both have titles!
|Is This The Cheapest Alpina For Sale in the U.S.? 1984 BMW Alpina 2.8 B6 For Sale – Now I'm sure "Big Ron" is a reputable guy and all, but I don't expect this car to be a real B6 considering it's condition and thorough listing on Craigslist. But if it is a Euro car, and it looks like it could be, and it has Alpina pieces, it's probably worth that much in parts anyway. Could actually be a really cool basis for a project car. And heaven forbid it's a real Alpina… It's probably the cheapest Alpina for sale in the country.
|1994 Honda CB400 Super Four – Now granted that's 47,845 miles and no title. But with all the 2 strokes that have been showing up with titles, surely it can't be that hard to pull off. This would be such a cool in-town commuter bike!
|1990 Ducati 851 Loaded With Expensive Upgrades – It's sacrilege to even suggest it, but parting this bike could probably turn a tidy profit. Of course that would be a shame because this bike looks so well sorted, and for $5k it'd be a real pleasure to the ride balls off of it!
|1991 Porsche 911 Carrera 2 For Sale in New Mexico – I'm having a tough time trying to decide between a Boxster and a 964. My thinking lately is that there are far more Boxsters than 964's, and that 964 prices might be more stable over the next couple years as a result.
|4 Special Edition Ducati Race Replicas For Sale Right Now – I'm really not knowledgable about the values of these bikes. But they are obviously collector examples that will command some premium in the market. Which one would you pick as best value?
|1991 Honda NSR250 MC21 For Sale in Vegas Baby – These are getting cheap enough that it's getting harder and harder to make excuses about why there isn't one in my garage. Obviously with the sheer numbers of 2 strokes listed on this site, you know I'm a fan. Talk me out of a gray market 2 stroke… or can you at these prices?
|2001 M Coupe For Sale in Virginia – 27k miles and an asking of $24k? What could possibly be wrong with this car? I like all the modifications, but they do tend to devalue a car in the eyes of enthusiast buyers. And it also has that terrible two tone interior, red and black leather. But at this price, I'd consider it a bargain purchase and have the leather dyed!
|1991 Suzuki RGV 250 VJ22 For Sale in California – $6k doesn't sound too bad, especially considering it's plated. And are those Arrow pipes? Yum!
|BMW 2002 with Dual Webers, 5 speed, LSD, and Genuine Alpina Wheels – For the asking price, and the pile of rare parts that come with it, this could be a great little driver, a potential fixer-upper, or maybe even a weekend racer project. In any case, it'll be a load of fun!
|1984 Volkswagen GTI For Sale: Clean, Original, and Affordable – As a long time MK1 and MK2 VW fan, I'd have to say it's been since high school since I saw a Rabbit GTi this clean and original. While $4500 may seem like a lot to some, good luck finding one this nice for less.
Looks like the NSX market isn't immune to the recession either. A scan of NSX Prime Marketplace (the place to surf NSX anything online) a year ago and you would've been hard pressed to find any NSX for less than $28-30k. There are at least 3 right now for less than that and with decent mileage. Both of these stood out to me because of the color combination's, decent mileage, and the somehow reasonable looking $25k price tags.
First up is this Black on Ivory NSX For Sale in San Diego:
quote from seller's NSXPrime listing:
5 speed
72,044 miles
Only mod is Flowmaster Exhaust, but it still looks stock with the original tips.
A/C Head Unit was replaced a few months ago.
Clean Title. Runs strong. Selling because it doesn't get driven enough.
Extra set of Stock 1991 Wheels+Tires Included.
Next is a Silver on Black NSX For Sale in Florida (I presume):
quote from seller's NSXPrime Listing:
1991 Acura NSX
5 Speed Manual transmission
Not in snap ring range
68,000 miles
Only 467 sebring silver cars ever produced!
Car has only ONE OWNER before me. It has never been in an accident.
I trailered the car to PA at the end of 2007.
All original with the exception of
-new koni adjustable struts (originals ones included)
-custom exhaust
-8000k philips HID (self installed)
-window film
-upgraded chrome wheels from 00 model (original ones included)
No issues except
-climate currently only blowing on high, needs hvac rebuilt
-super tiny ding on lowest part of front right fender
-front spoiler is scratched, I will include a new one, but you install.
Service Records
-When I was reviewing the records I left it outside overnight during a rain storm, all of them blew away and I had to go hunting for them. I believe I lost about 20 pages.
-engine serviced, timing belt and water pump around 55,000 miles
-clutch and transmission rebuilt around 45,000 miles
-lots of other work, 90% of work done at Acura of Pompano Beach / Rick Case Acura.
Buyer will have one choice of
1. chrome wheels currently on the car.
2. solaris silver wheels nearly perfect
I would soooo love to have an NSX in the garage. Even though a collision would bankrupt me, the rest of the package is so well balanced and reliable. As prices come down, it's even easier to justify the thought. I'd go with the black one for the great color combo, but that's getting a bit nit-picky as both are beautiful. I wouldn't kick either one out of bed for that price!
A short week since I was on the road with sporadic internet. But the rest of the week was pretty good! Check out these beauties:
Thanks for reading, and if you have an outstanding German Car For Sale or a Rare Sportbike, I'd love to list your ad for free! Just drop me an email.
I must apologize for the delay, but I'm in Springfield, Missouri this week and the internet at the hotel isn't stellar. In fact it sucks. And on top of that, I've been swamped at work, so there are fewer posts than there have been in previous weeks. I will work harder to make sure I'm better connected on the road in the future.
But without further ado, a summary of posts from other sites I blog on that I hope dancrouchblog.com readers will enjoy:
{update: Image thumbnails removed due to technical issues. I hate working from the road!!}
Thanks for reading at dancrouchblog.com and my other sites. Please let me know if there are vehicles or topics that you'd like to see addressed. Leave a comment!


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Ian Oliver Mausner is a successful entrepreneur who has worked in financial advisement and money management for over thirty years. He enjoys working with investments and wealth management, and he has helped countless clients eliminate debt, save money and pave the way to financial security.
Tips like those below will give you an idea of how a professional like Ian Mausner might help you start eliminating debt and saving money, which are the first steps to building wealth and investing securely:
- Pick a Plan.
Some people believe in putting everything into debt repayment before you begin saving, others recommend the opposite, and each side has valid points. What matters is that you find a plan that works for you.
Research debt repayment and saving strategies so that you can make an educated choice on how you would like to go about it.
- Cut Costs.
It might seem annoying to cut costs so that you can put that money into savings or to paying off debt, but it's a necessary step if you want to achieve financial security as quickly as possible. Whether it's eliminating Netflix or downgrading your phone plan, cutting other spending will help you reach your goals sooner.
You can also cut costs by negotiating on insurance payments, cable bills and phone bills.
- Automate Everything.
Once you've decided how you want to go about your debt repayment and savings, and you've cut down on spending, automate your payments so that human error doesn't get in the way.
This simple step can be the difference between plan success and plan failure.
Speak with a professional near you for additional assistance. Even professionals like Ian Oliver Mausner seek outside advice because, when managing wealth, two heads are better than one.
Also can read: Ian Oliver Mausner: Eliminating Debt and Saving Money


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Tag: Last Train To Trancentral
MU is a Japanese exclusive 5-track mini album. A possible remix version was listed at one point but was never finished, though rough demos of an alternate Make It Rain remix eventually appeared almost 25 years later.
Stadium House (The Trilogy)
The Stadium House Trilogy is a video collection featuring the first three singles taken from the White Room album, as well as a 14 minute making-of (UK release only). Even though videos for What Time Is Love? and 3 a.m. Eternal already existed The KLF created new clips for their…
Last Train To Trancentral (Meets The Moody Boys Uptown)
12″-only remixes of the Live Of The Lost Continent version by The Moody Boys. As with previous Moody Boys singles both the 808Bass and 120 Rock Steady mix bear little to no resemblance of the original track, with the former featuring Maxine Harvey's vocals from the refrain of the unreleased…
Last Train To Trancentral (Live From The Lost Continent)
Following the chart success of 3 a.m. Eternal The KLF released Last Train To Trancentral (Live From The Lost Continent) in April 1991 which marked the third and final entry in the Stadium House Trilogy. The track's origins can be traced back all the way to Go To Sleep, though…
Go To Sleep
Go To Sleep is an unreleased single from the White Room Soundtrack. It was first listed as a standalone single (KLF008T) in Nov 1989's Info Sheet, then The Cartel's Jan 1990 wholesale catalogue (KLF012T/R). At another point it was announced as a possible B-side of The Lover's Side. However, neither…
E-Train To Trancentral (Pure Trance)
Alleged unreleased fifth entry in the Pure Trance series. Originally scheduled 12 Dec 88, rescheduled Sep 89 according to Lazlo's discography. The existence of A/B-side labels as well as proper sleeves (pink on black "Pure Trance 5 – The White Room" and sea-green/black "E-Train To Trancentral") has been confirmed.
Last Train To Trancentral (Pure Trance Remixes)
One of the rarer KLF releases as 2,000 copies of Last Train To Trancentral (Pure Trance Remixes) were pressed of which around 1,000 got warped and were destroyed. Bootlegs regularly appear on eBay so make sure to check our FAQ to spot the differences. The track itself is based on…
The White Room
The White Room is without a doubt the album that finally catapulted The KLF into mega-stardom, spawning three hit singles of which one (3 a.m. Eternal) got them to Number One in the UK (their second after Doctorin' The Tardis).
Chill Out
In Febuary 1990 the KLF released their ambient house concept album Chill Out, an aural retelling of a fictional trip through the American deep south.


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Train Berlin → Stuttgart
Duration 5h04 - From $38
- Departure station : Frankfurt main hb (Im Hauptbahnhof 60329 Frankfurt)
- Arrival station : Stuttgart hbf (Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof 70173 Stuttgart)
At the gates of modernity
At the gates of modernity Berlin 2012. To get from east to west you need not dig a tunnel, hide in a car trunk or hop on a hot air balloon. Simply take S bahn from Friedrichstrasse (the border station) or just walk through the Brandenburg gate. Today's Berlin is a city of contrasts. Bullet scarred buildings from WWII provide a juxtaposition against an ultramodern metropolis. The four-year-old Berlin Hauptbahnhof (main train station) is one such example. Combining striking architecture with the mobility requirements of 21st century travelers, the station is one of the largest and most contemporary in Europe. And speaking of contemporary, Berlin's modern art scene is truly thriving. Set in an old train station, the Hamburger Bahnhof may have an old façade, but inside holds a collection of works from the 1960s to the present. Past exhibitions have included Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg and Cy Twombly. And there lies one of the many contrasts. You can see modernity flourish in art and architecture, but it's hard to ignore the city's solemn history. You can step back in time at the Mauer Museum on the same site as the former checkpoint Charlie. The DDR museum featuring artifacts from the former East Germany. The Jewish museum contains a history of German Jews. The Berlin Holocaust Memorial, located one block south of the Brandenburg gate, provides a grim, emotional reminder of a time that no one can, nor should, forget. Learn more about Berlin
Rev up your traveler engines
Rev up your traveler engines Stuttgart, the capital of Baden-Wurttemberg (although many still call the area Swabia, its pre-World War II name), is known the world over as the "cradle of the automobile." It was in Stuttgart in 1871 that Gottlieb Daimler invented the first car. This creation is so ingrained in the city's heritage that the Stuttgart coat of arms is the same that graces the hood of every Porsche. Stuttgart was not always the industrial powerhouse it is today. Way back in the 13th century wine was the city's first source of income. Wine remained Stuttgart's leading source of revenue well into the 19th century. Even today, with more than 800 acres of vineyards, this industry continues to help the local economy. Such so, that the annual wine festival "Weindorf" celebrates this fruit of the vine. Learn more about Stuttgart
Book your journey from Berlin to Stuttgart From $38 $61
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Another Update May 2018!
Another update
Hello again and here is another major update as I have been busy lately & again neglected my little slice of the web here at davecarreera.com, of which i hope to correct now.
Come Monday 21st May 2018, 1 year ago, seems longer for all the right reasons, I joined Freemasonary & started on my personal path within it.
Over the last year I have been privilidged to visit about 6 other lodges across West London and UGLE in London as an EA to experience as much as I can at my level, which has been an incedably nice experience meeting brothers from all walks of life, all eager to help me along my path.
I have also been priviledged to be a Caster for the Masonic Fishing Charity which is for me one of the most enjoyable things I have been involved with in my life and am looking forward to helping in the coming years.
1 year ago if you asked me to stand up in front of people and from memory, recite some scripted lines I would of had to think long and hard as speaking in public is not a strong point of mine.
Never in 30+ years of playing drums have I ever had "stage fright" but the thought of standing there without the protection of my drums and delivering a speech filled me with dread.
But what a difference a year makes. On Monday 21st I will be delivering something called the "Working Tools" for a very good friend of mine, who is taking his first step and joining our lodge www.ru382.ork.uk.
After plucking up the courage to do this bit of the ritual for my friends initiation, my fellow brothers at RU382 have helpped me with thier kindness and patience, tips and advice and now I am brimming with confidence, hopefully not to much, and am eager to deliver my part confidently and creativley adding positivly to my friends initiation.
I am also giving my very 1st toast at the meal afterwards, still have to write this which I will do after this blog, and since I know I can deliver the tools, my confidence is high that I will deliver a nice, heart felt taost to my friend and soon to be brother.
So what has Freemasonry done for me in my first year ?
Well i think you can guess already that the main thing is belief in myself and my lodge brothers, but also that the fraternity of Freemasons world wide are in some way behind me, which bolsters my confidence even more so over the coming years, I become a better man and Freemason as was laid out at my initiation.
What will my friend get out of Freemasonry, or you if you join ?
I honestly do not know, as we all take and find our own path in Freemasony wherever and however it leads us which for me is just one of the exciting things about Freemasonry.
Wishing you well as always
DC x
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.


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How to deal with boils
A boil is the skin's way of cleansing itself of unwanted toxins. Boils can develop in any hairy area of skin due to friction or sweat.health-and-fitness Updated: Jul 03, 2012 16:40 IST
A boil is the skin's way of cleansing itself of unwanted toxins. Boils can develop in any hairy area of skin due to friction or sweat.
Boils are red, painful and usually appear suddenly. If not treated, a boil will eventually open, drain, and heal within approximately one to three weeks. It is important to know that boils are contagious.
Do not allow the pus to ooze and come into contact with skin in other areas. Avoid scratching as it can cause the infection to spread. If a boil spreads to other areas, the condition is then called a carbuncle. The treatment for boils and carbuncles is similar. Carbuncles mostly occur on the back of the neck or thighs.
Causes of boils
1. Skin conditions that may cause you to scratch and damage the skin.
2. Obesity.
3. A poor immune system.
4. If you are a 'carrier' of Staphylococcus bacteria.
Treatment of boils
To prevent boils from forming:
1. Good bowel movement is important. Constipation can make skin problems worse. Drink at least two to three litres of water a day and eat plenty of fibre.
If you feel your immunity is poor, then consider going on an immunity boosting diet. Make sure your diet consists of fresh, whole, unprocessed foods that include juices, fruits and leafy vegetables. Any diet aimed at reducing boils needs to focus on improving your immunity.
Zinc is an important mineral for boosting immunity and is essential in the treatment of boils. Along with zinc, foods containing vitamin A (fish and dairy products), vitamin C (fruits and vegetables) and vitamin E (nuts and seeds) are helpful in strengthening the immune system.
Other methods
1. Give special attention to personal hygiene.
2. Wash your hands with soap and water after touching the body folds or your nose.
3. Wearing loose cotton clothes and keeping cool is also helpful.
If you have recurring boils and you're otherwise very healthy, then you or someone in your family may be a 'carrier' of the Staphylococcus bacteria. If you are a 'carrier' yourself, then you tend to be more prone to skin infections and boils.
Treatment using antibiotics and / or antibiotic nasal cream may clear Staphylococcus bacteria from 'carriers' and reduce the chance of boils.
Dr Anjali Mukerjee is a nutritionist and the founder of Health Total, a nutrition counselling centre.


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Matthew R. Kelly
30 Under 30: Matthew R. Kelly
Matthew R. "Matt" Kelly is a Ph.D. candidate in mechanical engineering, but he could ace a major in leadership if such a degree were offered.
Kelly, 24, of River Forest, IL, led his senior robotics team at the University of Notre Dame (South Bend, IN) where he earned a bachelor's of science degree in mechanical engineering, the same school where he's pursuing his doctorate; was elected president of his local chapter of the Indianapolis-based College Mentors for Kids and also captain of his dormitory's basketball team; and is guiding a group of undergraduates who are carrying on the research he started as an undergrad.
"I definitely have taken to different leadership roles," said Kelly. "I do naturally fall into those roles due to my ability to analyze and sit back and then make the best decision for a team."
A die-hard fan of the Discovery Channel's documentary series "How It's Made," which inspired him to become an engineer, Kelly's was the lone hand raised when one of his undergraduate professors asked the class why aluminum foil is shiny on one side and dull on the other.
"By the time I graduated high school, I watched almost every episode of 'How It's Made'," Kelly wrote in a personal statement to support a grant application. "In the process, I realized I wanted to be a mechanical engineer with a future career in manufacturing."
If a Discovery Channel documentary were to be made of Kelly's life it might be called How It Should be Made, because he's not content with the status quo.
For example, when there were more mentees than students in his College Mentors for Kids chapter, Kelly collaborated on an email and direct marketing campaign to increase the number of mentors from 90 to 126. Later, he helped establish the first graduate student branch of the nonprofit program.
In addition, Kelly's research as an undergraduate, and now his dissertation work, focuses on how to improve linear friction welding so that it can be applied on an economically competitive scale to help lightweight automobiles.
As it happens, this type of welding is ideal for use in the automotive industry, where traditional welding can't be used for joining steel and aluminum because of the metals' different melting points. They can be joined with a mechanical weld, but that adds weight.
The downside to linear friction welding is that the machinery made to carry out the process is prohibitively expensive for widespread use.
During his undergraduate research, Kelly created a library of various welding materials at Manufacturing Technology (South Bend, IN), a friction welding company. He continues to work at the company on his research, the only student ever allowed to operate its manufacturing equipment.
After graduation, Kelly wants to pursue a career in advanced manufacturing to help restore the United States' position as a nation of makers.
"He is exactly the kind of person that can lead the manufacturing industry into the future," wrote his nominator, Steven R. Schmid, professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering at Notre Dame.
— Advanced Manufacturing Media, July 2016 edition of Manufacturing Engineering magazine. Read all of the 2016 30 Under 30 Profiles.


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United Kingdom
Oscar-winning actor and director Kevin Costner attended the London premiere of his new action thriller movie Criminal last Thursday.
The movie sees Costner playing ex-convict Jericho Stewart who has the memories and skills of dead FBI agent Bill Pope (Ryan Reynolds) transferred into his brain by a neuroscientist played by Tommy Lee Jones.Most of the film was shot on location in London with a number of set-piece stunts taking place with the British capital's landmarks as a backdrop. "I think this was an appropriate place to show it because we were all over the place — literally all over this town. I don't know it the way you guys do but I was charmed by it," he said. Asked about what drew him to the film, Costner said: "The level of violence and spontaneity that was, that was kind of authentic that I thought that I would try to bring to it, you know the look. It's not something on paper I think someone attaches my name to, just when you read the thing, you know. But there was a moment in time when I knew I could play this guy." Asked about what he made of the U.S. Presidential race and Donald Trump in particular, he said: "I have a take on politics but right now I am going to deal with the movie so let's do one thing at a time." Criminal also stars Gal Gadot as the grieving widow of Bill Pope. She said the very first scene she played with Costner was memorable. "The first day I came on set I had to do a scene with Kevin. And Kevin walked to me and he said 'Hey, I'm Kevin nice to meet you' and I said 'I am Gal, I am a big fan of yours'. He said, I hope you're ok with it but we're going to shoot our first scene, I am going to try to rape you right now'. I said, 'That would be lovely, yes, let's go for it' and that was our welcome first day scene," she said of the shoot. Israeli director Ariel Vromen explained what he thought was interesting about the idea of someone having another's memories implanted into their brain. "You know, we are who we are because of our memories, so what if we scrap those down and get new memories, then who do we become. So I think that is a core idea for the film. It was a real intriguing point for me to join in. Because I am really… I am carrying some memories from the past, I think you too, so you know if we can scrub those and get some new ones may be we would be better people," he said. The film will be released in the UK on April 15. Euronews


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On a trip to Israel in October of 2017 with my church group, we visited the little town of Cana, where Jesus performed his first miracle of turning water into wine at the wedding feast. A church has been constructed at this site and inside the church, on either side of the altar stood 3 stone jars of the type and form that were used during Jesus' time. Here is a photo of what they looked like:
The jars really caught my attention and I knew that they would make a great subject for a quilt.
I began by making paper shapes of the stone jars and arranging them on my design wall. I imagined the jars to be painted different colors and started building them one by one using fabrics in a collage method.
Next post will show the remaining jars and the finished quilt.


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Yellow-gold pocket watch with winding key, white enameled dial, Roman numerals, trotteuse at 6 o'clock, anchor escapement, dial-metal balance with compensation, monogrammed ground.
Minor dents and accidents on the dial's enamel.
Diameter: 48 mm (1-4/5 in.).
Provenance :
- Item(s) quantity: 0
- Weight in g : 10 g
- Expertissim Reference: 471207
- Note : Please note that timekeeping accuracy has not been verified and Expertissim can not be held liable for any repair costs.
- Material:


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My God, my God, oh why?
Have you forsaken me?
Are you away and cannot aid?
Or hear my groaning plea?
Lord all the night I cry,
And also all the day.
Pray, was your ear bent forth to hear,
Enthroned of Isreal's Praise?
Our fathers set a cry,
You saved them from their plight.
Yes, they did trust Jehovah just,
You made them stand upright.
Yet like a worm am I,
Reproachful unto men.
At me they mock and sneering scoff,
Despised as dirt to them.
They say, "He trusted, see!
Then let God rescue him!
He trusted God – a frail facade,
Does God delight in him?"
Did You not form my mind?
And claim me as I nursed?
While in the womb, my God was true,
He caused and kept my birth.
O Lord, Great Adonai,
My trouble now is near.
Lord, do not leave or me bereave,
When everything looks drear.
Though death may face my eye,
And beasts of hell come haunt,
Yet I will laugh and joy still clasp,
Though all my bones pull taunt.
The dogs and bulls in might,
Encompass me around.
My limbs they piece with anger fierce,
And lift me from the ground.
Yet though my body die,
I'll always trust in thee.
In you is life, my God – my Christ.
You bled to rescue me.
You were the one despised.
You took it in my stead.
I need not fear, Lord, you do hear,
Forsakenness is dead.


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This appears on the NBA Philippines website
For Kobe Bryant, he should learn from NBA history.
For Kobe Bryant, he should learn from NBA history.
by rick olivares
Just opening night for the new NBA season and there are fireworks, game-winning buzzer-beaters, affirmations of contenders status and reminders of who are works in progress.
The one that takes the cake is that argument between the Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant and the Houston Rockets' Dwight Howard. With 7:07 left in the match and the Rockets ahead by 25 points, Howard pulled down a defensive rebound while Bryant tried to poke the ball away. The two stood for a few seconds with Kobe poking with Dwight trying to clear space until he nailed the Laker guard with an elbow immediately earning a technical foul. As officials and teammates separated the two, Kobe jawed at Howard and called him "soft" and urged him to "try me."
While Howard "started" it, it is but the latest in a PDD (Public Display of Dislike) by the two and that had me thinking of an article where Henry Abbott cited anonymous sources about players refusing to play alongside Bryant for his reputation of fighting and putting down teammates. That came barely a day or two after he was ranked at the NBA's 40th best player by ESPN that prompted Bryant to call the media network as a bunch of "idiots."
While I may not agree with the ranking, if Howard was said to have an opportunity to take the high road in that scrum with Bryant, Kobe also had the opportunity to do the same. Instead, as Lakers beat reporter Ramona Shelburne Tweeted, "(Recently retired New York Yankees star Derek) Jeter never made a "second story." Never added logs to the fire. Kobe tries the same but can't help say something interesting."
And, "Reading through @kobebryant quotes tonight shows diff between him and Jeter (to whom he's oft compared – aging legend, iconic franchise)."
As everything unfolded with Kobe backtracking somewhat and saying it was merely "trash talking," I thought of Michael Jordan and how his career went from being bookended with the shot at North Carolina and the shot at Chicago to being cut at Laney and being cut at Washington which is actually his last act as a NBA player.
In his final season with the Washington Wizards, he alienated every single player that no one gave him a send-off. Michael Leahy chronicled that final year with the Wizards in the unflattering book, "When Nothing Else Matters." I'd say that goes hand-in-hand with Sam Smith's "The Jordan Rules" the first book to demystify Jordan.
Kobe, who makes no bones about His Airness as his basketball idol should learn from that. Despite what is a Hall of Fame career and one that will see him named as one of the ten best NBA players of all time, Bryant is headed down Jordan's road. In fact, he is one of the most polarizing players ever to lace up a pair of sneakers.
The 1998 NBA All-Star game foreshadowed Bryant's career. In what was then believed to be Jordan's last in the mid-season classic, Kobe waved off screens and teammates to take on Jordan and took the most shots from the Western Conference squad. Not a few basketball analysts point to this episode as a portent of what was to come – taking a volume of shots and putting himself above the team.
Kobe's response to criticism has shocking and infuriating. In a game against the Sacramento Kings in 2004, he took one shot in the entire first half after LA coach Phil Jackson pointed out that he shoots too much at the expense of the team. That prompted then teammate Gary Payton to ask before the next game, "Are you going to play or not?"
Incredibly, he did it again. During Game 7 of the First Round match up with the phoenix Suns during the 2006 playoffs, Bryant took only three shots in the second half. It is seen as not only quitting on his team that lost a 3-1 series lead but also his petulance when criticized for taking too many shots.
Earlier this 2014, he was in the center of a social media storm when he ruffled feathers about the Trayvon Martin case. That also didn't endear him to LeBron James who could have joined the Lakers but opted to return to Cleveland after his contract with the Miami Heat ended.
For the record, I am a fan of both Jordan and Bryant. But it is tough being a fan of both. I still cringe when I think of or even see video of the Black Cat's Hall of Fame speech. Hopefully, Bryant doesn't do the same.
Bryant's days on the hardcourt are numbered. I'd rather he just let his game do the talking. And if anything, he should be grateful that he is back and unlike teammate Steve Nash, whose body has betrayed him to the point where his acquisition by the Lakers is seen as one of the worst in league history (only because he didn't play too much due to injury), he has the opportunity to go out on his terms.
Now if he only doesn't add more logs to the fire.


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This Digest was prepared for debate. It reflects the legislation as
introduced and does not canvass subsequent amendments. This Digest
does not have any official legal status. Other sources should be
consulted to determine the subsequent official status of the
Passage History
Main Provisions
Contact Officer & Copyright Details
Taxation Laws Amendment Bill (No. 4)
Date Introduced:
30 May 2002
House: House of Representatives
Portfolio: Treasury
The majority of the
Bill commences on Royal Assent, however the various measures have
differing application dates which are detailed below.
As there is no central theme to the Bill the
background to the various measures will be described below.
Thin capitalisation refers to the rules relating
to the allowance of interest deductions on borrowings and acts to
disallow deductions to the extent that borrowings exceed the
allowable ratio to capital. The rules aim not only to discourage
excessive borrowings but also to prevent artificial arrangements
where principally foreign corporations arrange their affairs so
that their Australian operations have high debt levels to take
advantage of the available deductions.
From 1 July 2001 a new thin capitalisation
regime was introduced which extended the regime to domestic
Australian companies and extended the definition of which debt is
covered by the rules. The basic rule for general (other than
financial companies) is that they may claim a deduction only for
the interest on borrowings which is less, or equal to, a 3:1 ratio
of debt to capital.(1)
The measures contained in the Schedule
1 of the Bill are of a technical nature and reflect the
first years experience of the operation of the new regime and do
not implement new policy. In particular, Schedule
1 inserts definitions of controlled foreign entity debt
and equity which are to be used when calculating the overall
position of the entity claiming the deduction. According to the
explanatory memorandum to the Bill the measures will prevent
revenue loss of $50 million in 2002-03 and $30 million annually
from 2003-04 onwards.(2)
The explanatory memorandum to the Bill provides
a description of the technical amendments contained in
Schedule 1 of the Bill.
Owners of capital plant and equipment are able
to claim a deduction for the cost of the item based on the value of
the item and its effective life. There are also special provisions
which allow for accelerated depreciation allowing a greater
deduction than would otherwise be available.
The effective life of an asset is based on
either the taxpayer s claim or the Commissioner s ruling as to the
effective life of an asset. In either case the determination is to
be based on the period for which the asset could be used having
regard to wear and tear, assuming normal maintenance. The Income
Tax (Effective Life of Depreciating Assets) Amendment Determination
2002 (No. 2) proposes to increase the effective life for a number
of assets acquired after 1 July 2002. The assets include cars;
aeroplanes and helicopters; gas distribution and transmission; gas,
oil, condensate, LNG, LPG manufacturing; and assets used in gas and
oil production. The determination substantially increases the
effective life of such assets, reducing the amount of depreciation
which may be claimed each year.
On 14 May 2002 the Minister for Revenue and
Assistant Treasurer announced that statutory caps would be placed
on the effective life of the assets mentioned above to ensure
depreciation deductions .remain appropriate following reviews of
the effective life of these assets by the Commissioner of Taxation.
(3) It was also stated:
The new statutory life caps will provide
certainty for the industries concerned, and provide an appropriate
balance between meeting the needs of those industries as well as
maintaining the integrity of the effective life depreciation
The statutory caps range from substantial
increases compared to the current effective life for some goods, eg
aeroplanes, marginal increases for others and others which are the
same as the current life. According to the explanatory memorandum
to the Bill the statutory life amendments will increase revenue by
approximately $825 million between 2002 and 2012 compared to
current effective lives but result in a cost to revenue of
approximately $2.2 billion over the same period when compared to
the ATO proposals.(5)
Division 40 of the Income Tax Assessment Act
1997 (ITAA97) deals with capital allowances and provides for
an entity to choose to depreciate an asset either by the life
determined by the Commissioner or that determined by the taxpayer
(section 40-95). Part 1 of Schedule
4 of the Bill will amend section 40-95 and related
sections to provide that:
the new owner is required to use the new
effective life calculations contained in proposed section
Application: From 1 July 2002 (item
A recommendation of the Review of Business
Taxation A Tax System Redesigned (Ralph Report) was that
certain income of people who are working in Australia on temporary
entry visas, of 4 years or less, be exempt from tax. The major
recommendation was that income from foreign sourced assets owned
prior to their residence in Australia be exempt.
The recommendation was designed to enhance the
position of previous non-residents who had come to work in
Australia, such as high level executives, and so improve the
chances of such people taking up employment in Australia. The Ralph
Report stated:
On taking up residence in Australia executives
and other key personnel are likely to own overseas assets and
housing that will produce income that will be taxable in Australia
even if the executives are here for less than four years. Taxing
the income from these pre-resident investments at Australia s top
rate of personal tax could increase the overall tax burden and
deter executives from taking up opportunities in
A contrary argument is that if the overseas
executive is to provide a benefit to an entity, principally
companies, it is the responsibility of that entity to provide
sufficient conditions to attract the desired person to match the
benefit they would provide. Whether it should be the Commonwealth
revenue which effectively pays to make the Australian position more
attractive to the non-resident is open to debate.
After initially endorsing the recommendations
contained in the Ralph Report, the Treasurer announced on 15
October 2001 that the exemption from tax would be extended to cover
foreign sourced income of eligible temporary residents from assets
regardless of when they were acquired (ie. the exemption would
apply to income from foreign assets acquired while the person was
working in Australia). The Treasurer also announced a number of
related measures, including that no capital gain or loss would
arise from the disposal of assets which did not have a sufficient
connection to Australia. The measures were seen as assisting to
attract skilled foreign workers and assisting in retaining and
attracting corporate headquarters to Australia.(7)
The explanatory memorandum to the Bill estimates
that the measures will cost between $40 and $50 million per
Item 9 of Schedule 3 will
insert a new section 51-52 into the ITAA97 to
exempt the foreign sourced income of temporary residents from
income tax. The exemption will not apply to foreign income earned
as a result of employment undertaken or services provided while a
temporary resident.
Item 11 will insert a
new section 118-575 into the ITAA97 to exempt
capital gains and losses for temporary residents derived from a
source outside Australia. As well, the gain or loss must not have a
necessary connection with Australia . This term is defined in
section 136-25 of the ITAA97 and, in addition to things with a
physical attachment to Australia, includes shares in resident
public companies and units in resident unit trusts where the shares
or units represent at least 10% of the value of the company or
Application: From 1 July 2002 (item
Roll-over relief involves relief from capital
gains tax (CGT) when assets are transferred from one ownership
structure to another without there being a change in the underlying
interests in the ownership of the assets or the income from the
assets subject to the roll-over. The concept is not new and, for
example, currently applies for the transfer of interests from an
individual, trustee or partnership to a company where the company
is wholly-owned by those who had interests in the former body and
there is no change in the ratio of those interests (Division 122 of
the ITAA97). The result of the roll-over relief is that a capital
gains tax event does not arise on the disposal of the entity which
transfers assets to a company and the cost base and indexed cost
base are transferred to the new company to determine any future
capital gains tax liability.
As part of the government s response to the
Ralph Report s recommendation for the introduction of an entity
taxation regime (the introduction of which appears to have been
postponed indefinitely), it was announced that roll-over relief
would be made available where assets are transferred from a fixed
trust to a company, provided that all assets were transferred and
the trust ceased to exist after the transfer was
The explanatory memorandum to the Bill estimates
that the measure will have a small but unquantifiable impact on
Schedule 2 of the Bill will
insert a new Subdivision 124-N into the ITAA97
dealing with roll-overs from fixed trusts to companies. To be
eligible for roll-over relief:
Both the trust and company must chose to have
the roll-over relief apply (proposed section
If roll-over relief is elected, capital gains
and losses are to be ignored, the cost base of an asset transferred
and pre-CGT assets will retain their CGT exemption
(proposed section 124-875).
Application: The amendments will apply from 11
November 1999, the date of the original response to the Ralph
Report (item 17).
This paper has been prepared for general distribution to
Senators and Members of the Australian Parliament. While great care
is taken to ensure that the paper is accurate and balanced, the
paper is written using information publicly available at the time
of production. The views expressed are those of the author and
should not be attributed to the Information and Research Services
(IRS). Advice on legislation or legal policy issues contained in
this paper is provided for use in parliamentary debate and for
related parliamentary purposes. This paper is not professional
legal opinion. Readers are reminded that the paper is not an
official parliamentary or Australian government document.
© Commonwealth of Australia 2002
Except to the extent of the uses permitted under the
Copyright Act 1968, no part of this publication may be
reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including
information storage and retrieval systems, without the prior
written consent of the Parliamentary Library, other than by Members
of the Australian Parliament in the course of their official
Published by the Department of the Parliamentary Library,
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There's a sense with three games left in the preseason that the roster spot for WR Sam Hurd could be up for grabs if he doesn't start to play better and show something.
Receiver Sam Hurd's calling card in the NFL is his special teams play but do the Cowboys really want to keep a special teams ace who earns a base salary of $1.8 million? With that in mind, speculation has increased that Hurd's roster spot could go to 2009 practice squad member Jesse Holley after coach Wade Phillips said Holley "has been a dominant special teamer" in practice and the preseason "and I think it helps his case a lot." So does the fact Holley's base salary is $320,000. Hurd, a Brackenridge graduate, said he understands he needs to do more as a receiver, but he seemed surprised at the notion his salary might enter into the equation and that it might be better if he were making less money. "Now, if they say that, then that's mean," Hurd said. "I hope they would never say that. That's mean as heck. Let us all eat. Everybody wants to eat. They're eating. Why can't I?"


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Jessica's Style: #AlwaysSneakers
Oh sneakers. Wonderful, comfortable and stylish sneakers. You look good with everything and I literally, can't get enough. Or trainers, if you're me actually. To be honest, it does feel weird calling them sneakers, I had my love for kicks first ignited seriously when I lived in the UK way back in 1998, and there, they are trainers….
I'd always loved trainers, but when I arrived in the UK as a doe eyed 15 year old, that was when that love got serious. As a teenager, I spent a lot of time hanging out with my friends in skate stores, checking out the latest shoe releases, working out how we could beg the shop owner for us to have access to the newest ones first (with our friends staff discount of course, because we were broke as hell, living on toast) before the full price paying customers could get a look in. Needless to say, it didn't often go in our favour.
Jump to being in my early 20's and back in New Zealand, I refused to go anywhere for a night out, unless they would let me in with trainers on. Don't get me wrong, I love a high heel, dressing up and being girly; but back then, a night out meant being on your feet for 8 hours dancing your ass off. Trainers, are what you want. While other girls were drunk and hobbling with their heels in their hands with some serious blisters, I was strolling to the next bar (usually Rakinos (RIP) or Khuja Lounge, which for those in the know, that is a hike and a half, up hill, then the stairs of death) and I would arrive, fresh as hell ready to grab a drink and dance. I would style my white kicks with tailored black Ricochet pants and blazer, with something sheer and feminine underneath.
Fast forward to now; in my early 30's, I'm self employed, I'm doing my own thing, marching to my own drum and in doing so, I need some practical footwear that is stylish as hell. Yes, I spend more money on sneakers than I should. Yes, the thrill of seeing 'purchase successful' on a fresh pair of sneakers the day they release and they actually had a pair in your size is addictive. Yes, I have more white trainers that one person probably needs, BUT, I still want more and will no doubt keep buying them. I wear them every day, especially now I no longer live in the city. It's totally justifiable. I'm not quite at camping on the side of the road for sneakers, only because they almost never have my size available, so I wouldn't shoot the idea down completely. Anyway, I digress. You get the point. Sneakers + Me = a good thing.
So, you can wear sneakers to work, you can wear sneakers to give your presentation to a client and you can wear sneakers out to dinner with your Bae. It's all about how you accessorise what you are wearing, here are my life long style tips:
- SKIRTS & DRESSES: These look best kept at mini length or above your knee with most skirt styles. For a midi length, this looks best as a fitted, pencil skirt. Having it fitted keeps your femininity seeing as you are losing the height.
- COMPLIMENT, DON'T COMPETE: If you want your shoes to stand out i.e. they are brightly coloured, keep what you a wearing simple and unpatterned.
- NOT FANCY ENOUGH? ADD A BLAZER OR JACKET: a fitted leather jacket should be a wardrobe staple regardless of your footwear, but pop on a tailored jacket and you instantly lift what you are wearing.
- SIMPLE JEWELLERY: Layered fine necklaces, simple studs and a few rings will finish off what you are wearing, the icing on the cake
- NOT ALL TRAINERS ARE TRUE: What you wear to the gym, probably won't work for everyday styling. Look for a slim fit, classic style like the New Balance 996, leather and suede will always keep your feet looking polished, just remember to protect them with a leather protectant/sealant.
- TAILOR + TRAINERS = SUCCESS: In the end, you need to look polished. Your trainers need to be clean, unscuffed and perfect. Whatever you are wearing needs to fit you, be tailored, if you have that then you will feel confident and look your best! Confidence is half the battle.
Now, excuse me while I go and put my credit card in the freezer. I'm banned from using it for a little bit.
Style Inspiration
1. New Balance 996 in White with silver detail (I wear these all the time) 2. Georgia Jay Mini Dutch Clutch 3. Tahlia Tank in Grey Marle from Decjuba 4. Winter Drape pant from Witchery (just bought these and they are a firm staple already) 5. Cream drape leather jacket from Max 6. Layered necklaces instantly update your look, inspiration here 7. The Horse watch from Paperplane 8. Reebok Classic Leather Clean Exotics from Loaded 9. Waterfall Leather Jacket, instantly raise your sneaker based outfit with this puppy 10. Federation track pants from North Beach, just got these puppies for a winter staple!
11. 12. 13. 14. style inspiration


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The Leeds Way
Our values
Our goals
Our people
The Leeds Way is who we are and what we believe. It defines how we work to deliver the best possible care and outcomes for our patients. The Leeds Way is about listening and being inclusive and taking on board the very best ideas out there.
The Leeds Way was developed by our people, using the latest crowdsourcing technology to undertake our largest staff engagement programme.
There are well recognised links between engaged staff and improved patient care so we needed all of our staff to believe in our vision and values to help us achieve our goals. We asked them to describe the behaviors and leadership they believed were needed to be the very best and to achieve our vision. The strength of The Leeds Way is that it has been created by our people.
The Leeds Way is embedding well across the Trust and we are incredibly proud to see how people have truly embraced the values and associated behaviours in their day-to-day work.
Our nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals have also launched 'Caring The Leeds Way' making a professional commitment to live our values in caring for our patients.


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Stockholm is the largest city and capital of Sweden. It is the site of the national Swedish government, the parliament, and the official residence of the Swedish monarch. The almost total absence of heavy industry makes Stockholm one of the world's cleanest metropolises.
Stockholm-Arlanda Airport (ARN)
50 - 75 minutes
Standard Time GMT +1; Daylight Saving Time GMT +2
Swedish Krona
230V 50Hz
Summer weather is mild and usually sunny, while winters are cold, dark and often snowy.
Djurgarden, Gona Lund Amusement Park, Vasa Museum, Kungstradgarden, ABBA Museum


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There's a story on the wires today that Citigroup is splitting off its credit card business. If that's the case, here's some advice for Steven Freiberg (who will likely run the newly independent business) that is very similar to advice that I gave to Vikram Pandit, Citi's CEO: Fix Citi's customer experience problem. Why? Because it's good business.
To start with, I just published a report that examines the linkage between customer experience and loyalty. It turns out that there's a strong connection in credit cards. Consumers are much more likely to buy another product from a credit card issuer and be more reluctant to switch from that issuer if the firm delivers a good experience.
Our research also shows that credit card experiences, especially at Citi, are broken:
In Forrester's 2007 Customer Experience Index, Citibank's credit card business was ranked 61st out of 112 firms and came in 7th out of the 11 credit card issuers on the list.
In June 2007, Forrester released its 2007 customer advocacy rankings of 53 large banks, brokerages, insurers, and credit card issuers. Citibank (credit cards) came out in 49th place.
In May 2007, Forrester analyzed the cross-channel experience of four large credit card issuers. Citibank came in last place.
In February 2007, we looked at consumers' perceptions of different financial services brands. Compared to the other 13 large banks on the list, Citibank was one of the BOTTOM TWO for the following brand attributes: "leading-edge," secure," "honest," "friendly," "family-oriented," "helpful," "accessible," and "convenient."
In a research report that just went live late last week, Customer Relationship Snapshot: Credit Card Providers, I looked at credit card relationships across generations of consumers. It turns out that credit card firms have the biggest problem with consumers younger than 40; so that's probably a good place for Freiberg to focus Citi's attention.
The bottom line: Splitting the business is an opportunity; hopefully Citi's credit card business is up to the challenge.