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I work as a doctor for a DHB and contribute 6 per cent of my salary to the superannuation scheme which I am able to access when I am 55.
What are the benefits and disadvantages of joining a KiwiSaver scheme up and over the superannuation scheme?
I believe that KiwiSaver is locked in until age 65.
I have spoken to a number of KiwiSaver providers who were not able to provide clarity on this issue and I got the impression they were only interested in management fees.
Hardly independent advice!
There is a little bit of data on the Medical Assurance Society site but still not specific enough to make an informed decision.
The pros of KiwiSaver include:
•When applying to KiwiSaver, you will take advantage of the following government initiatives and subsidies:
$1000 Kick-start - an initial retirement boost by the Government to help start investing for your retirement.
Member tax credits - the Government contributes 50c to every dollar up to $1042.86 every year you personally contribute to KiwiSaver.
Please note if your superannuation scheme was a complying fund - a scheme with a similar membership criteria to KiwiSaver including availability to access funds at 65 - you will be able to take advantage of the member tax credit as well.
•If you have been a member of KiwiSaver for three years you may be able to withdraw your total contributions for a deposit of a first home (subject to terms and conditions).
"If someone currently owns a home or land they are not eligible, but those that have previously owned a home may be eligible.
Check with your KiwiSaver provider to see if you meet the criteria to withdraw your KiwiSaver savings.
More information can be found here.
• The great thing about KiwiSaver is that it is portable from job to job.
One downfall of a superannuation scheme is that it is an employer-based retirement saving initiative - only you and your current employer can contribute.
Once you leave, you can only make voluntary contributions until you can access your funds unless you transfer the savings to another scheme or a KiwiSaver scheme.
Cons of KiwiSaver:
•A superannuation scheme may provide earlier access to your retirement savings, as young as 50 years old.
However, accessing your money before accessing New Zealand Super at 65 (New Zealand's government pension plan - not to be confused with the employer-based superannuation scheme) might be risky as the earlier you access your funds, the earlier your retirement funding will run out, unless you use your savings wisely.
•No insurance attached - as part of being a member of a superannuation scheme, you may also have access to death and total and permanent disability cover. However, you should seek advice from your authorised financial adviser about whether sticking to your policy is right for you.
•A lot of providers advertise to take advantage of both options (that is, a superannuation scheme and KiwiSaver).
The advantage is that you can diversify your savings across two different investment vehicles for a better retirement.
However, keep in mind:
•You will be paying fees to both funds.
•Your employer is not obligated to contribute to KiwiSaver if they are already contributing to a superannuation scheme.
•If the superannuation scheme is a complying scheme, you will still receive the maximum $521.43 MTC across both schemes.
*Lilith Bohler, CANSTAR research analyst.
This item has been changed from a previous version that incorrectly said someone who already owned a home could be eligible to access their KiwiSaver savings to purchase a home.
This should have said those that those who previously owned a home may be eligible. Any current owner of a home or land is not eligible.
My query is this: around the corner from where I live a lovely house has come up for sale listed at $360,000.
Currently my KiwiSaver is roughly just short of $10,000 which means I would have a deposit of between $7000 and $9000 and the house mortgage would need 20 per cent, that is $60,000 to $75,000.
Is it possible in this day and age to take out a 100 per cent mortgage to cover the $360,000, rent out the house to cover the mortgage and then pay my KiwiSaver fund directly to the bank to reduce the mortgage?
It seems win-win!
On the surface, based on the information provided, what you contemplate is not possible.
The KiwiSaver rules only let you take out money from KiwiSaver if it is to buy your first home and then only if it becomes your principal place of residence.
It looks like you will not meet one of the tests as you plan on renting it out, and if you also have an existing house you fail the other test.
Also, you will have seen in the media recently, there has been some discussion on the potential changes in mortgage rules where banks will not be able to lend 100 per cent of the value of the house.
*Michael Chamberlain, SuperLife principal
•Disclaimer: Information provided is stated accurately to the best of the respondent's knowledge at the time of publication. It is general in nature and should not be construed, or relied on, as a recommendation to invest in a particular financial product or class of financial product. Readers should seek independent financial advice specific to their situation before making an investment decision.
To have your KiwiSaver questions answered by the Herald's panel of industry players, email Helen Twose, firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Win! 17th February 2017 by Victoria Stokes
Planning a catch up with your besties this week? Whether you're looking for the perfect lazy weekend brunch, mixing up a day of shopping with lunch and a coffee, or cocktails with the girls after dark there's a restaurant for every occasion and craving.
With almost 30 eateries to choose from, including new additions Milano, Hudson Rooms, Cosmo and Prezzo, you don't have to look far in Liffey Valley for a seriously good food experience.
Start your day off right with barista coffee and breakfast at Noah&Co or order your flat white to go with a salted caramel at Butler's Chocolate Café.
If you're looking to fuel your day—or your evening—McKenzie's Chicken offers an extensive menu of 100% gluten-free chicken dishes, like piri-piri and Cajun chicken burgers. Got an international palate? Try out the sushi or the curry at COSMO or an authentic Italian pizza at Prezzo.
Finish off your day with catch ups and a cocktail or two on the luxury leather couches at The Hudson Rooms, uniquely decorated in the style of a 1920s Manhattan bar.
Don't worry, there's no Prohibition here!
But before you get too carried away planning your gourmet eats and cocktails, don't forget about your wardrobe updates. Liffey Valley is the ultimate destination for your fashion and entertainment needs, and with over 80 retail outlets and a cinema, you really needn't go anywhere else.
Fancy winning a girly dining experience with your friends? The Hudson Rooms at Liffey Valley are offering dinner for four plus a bottle of Prosecco to one lucky winner.
Want it? Here's how to enter…
Now, drop us your info so we can send you your prize if you're a lucky winner!
Let us know why you deserve a night with your three besties in the comment section below.
And that's it: good luck!

subset: commoncrawl


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Join the Anti-Oppression Committee!
Committee Platform
The DSA-LA Anti-Oppression Committee is primarily an internal resource committee working to make our chapter and all work carried forth by DSA-LA just, representative, and liberatory.
At our heart, we are a socialist organization. To that end, the Anti-Oppression Committee should serve as a place to generate and disseminate a class politics informed by anti-racist, queer, and feminist analyses. We recognize that capitalism exploits and alienates all workers from their labor. We further recognize the historical role capitalism has played in dividing the working class through the maintenance of racial, gender, and sexual categories of difference. It is our job as a committee to address the myriad ways workers are pitted against one another through ideologies of racism, sexism, transphobia, heterosexism, and xenophobia by the bourgeoisie.
Our political and historical moment demands that we recognize the role capitalism continues to play in dividing the working class. Doing so is not intended to occlude serious debate about the origins of the ideologies of racism, sexism, or heterosexism. Neither is it intended to argue that the end of capitalism will usher in a utopian, egalitarian society. Recognizing that capitalism weaponizes categories of difference is instead meant to inform the actions we undertake as a committee to unite the working class. Historically, the ruling class has divided the working class by fomenting racial hatred. Today, however, championing "diversity" is curiously comfortable in corporate boardrooms and around the brunch tables of white-collar professionals alike. While admirable, efforts to include a small number of diverse identities in the upper echelons of power paper over the stark reality that structural racism, sexism, and heterosexism grease the wheels of capitalism.
The Anti-Oppression Committee believes we should build bonds of solidarity through collective struggle. Through this collective struggle, we can begin to create a world which prioritizes the needs of the many and, in so doing, actively challenge the ideologies of bigotry which stand to divide us.
Mission Statement
Our mission is to ensure all organizers and participants in DSA-LA campaigns, events, committees, working groups, and communications are safe, visible, and heard. Capitalism, white supremacy, and patriarchy privilege the lives of a few. Our work must strive to achieve the equity of others including: women, people of color, indigenous people, LGBTQIA people, disabled people, seniors, and the working class. As a committee, we aim to:
Liaise between all formal DSA-LA committees and working groups to ensure these perspectives are being heard, prioritized, and integrated into work being done across the chapter
Curate, develop and facilitate workshops for all members around the specifics of capitalist, white supremacist and patriarchal oppressions and how we dismantle them both internally and externally (including informational workshops, facilitator trainings, and organizer trainings to name a few)
Formalize a program of mentorship (1-1, facilitator trainings, community-building events) for new and existing members to combat structural marginalization, thereby incorporating and encouraging leadership from oppressed groups that may not have major leadership or committee representation in DSA-LA
Support and coordinate actions and campaigns put forth by these groups and individuals
Practice sustainable and horizontal models of leadership by rotating responsibilities at meetings
Provide a safe space for dialogue and decompression, alleviate emotional labor often experienced by intersectional organizers
Cultivate relationships and solidarity with representative groups and organizations outside of DSA-LA


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By Ekta Singla, STAND Canada Policy Researcher and Special Guest Blog Writer
International aid programmes to war torn countries have been met with mixed reactions from human rights activists, NGOs and foreign policy researchers, as it promotes in dictatorial regimes a lack of responsibility for the poor living conditions of its own people, and hurts local resistance efforts towards change. However, lack of aid can also cause serious humanitarian crises, as was seen in 2009 Burma/Myanmar. It is the economically motivated purpose of aid, that I discuss briefly below, that takes precedence too often in the realm of international foreign aid policy. In Burma/Myanmar this has shaped National League for Democracy's (NLD) government and military reactions to counter human rights violations within the country.
In the post-colonial era, faced with political and economic instability and excess military spending with little to spare towards development; aid continues to provide some relief to the people in Burma/Myanmar. However donor countries have often used aid to push for their own interests while pressuring the ruling regime to accede to democratic and human rights policies. Burma/Myanmar has, with only a brief interruption following the coup of 1988, steadily received varying types of aid from countries like Japan, India, Thailand and China in the east and United States, Canada, France, Netherlands in the west, among others. ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian Nation), which Burma/Myanmar joined in 1997, adopted constructive engagement as a diplomatic stance to nudge the country to change its undemocratic policies.
Towards that end, in the recent times, there are palpable changes within the country with successful general elections held in 2010 and 2015 that ended the confinement of Aung San Suu Kyi and allowed her to participate in public political life. However, in reality the military continues to command local functions with a heavy hand with little change for ethnic minorities in the country e.g. dilapidating condition of Rohingya people.
In this situation, when countries should continue to hold Burma/Myanmar accountable for the treatment of its people, there are signs of negligence. The increased international aid, a nationally directed plan of investment and fund management in accordance with the Naypyitaw Accord for Effective Development Cooperation inspired by Busan Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation all point to international co-operation with an unaccountable regime that may well neglect the well being of its vulnerable communities. This diplomatic change is a result of global economic depression and changing geo-political interests that has diverted interest towards China's growing trade and political relations with Burma/Myanmar to gain control of Indian Ocean. Thus, countries like U.S and others are making efforts to amend its relations with Burma/Myanmar by lifting previously imposed economic sanctions without assessing the state of ethnic minorities in the country. This has resulted in little change in the already strained relations between the military and NLD government to improve the conditions of ethnic minorities.
In the end, aid continues to fulfil a larger geo-political purpose at the cost of human rights.
Please take a moment to check out STAND Canada's recent news conference on Parliament Hill where we presented the content of our #ReformILP #LiftTheBurden campaign and to read the news release we issued. With your support, we hope to bring about change to the Refugee Transportation Loan Program and help make refugee resettlement in Canada easier on both refugees and on Canadian communities taking them in!


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Size does not matter, this is true atleast for the Dell Mini 9 netbook. Such a versatile notebook, yes !, I use it as a notebook. For mac lovers, it is the easiest netbook that can be hackintoshed. If interested, check out the mydellmini website (http://mydellmini.com/).
Netbook is definitely an innovative product, I am experiencing the same myself. Tweeting, blogging etc are very easy through these netbooks, definitely a must have for KM 2.0 guys.


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|8-man Josh Pane runs off a quick-tap penalty.
Pictures courtesy of Elizabeth Pardee.
12 April 2015
By Peter Scamardo, STHS
St. Thomas was able to close out their regular season on Thursday with a win at home against the Cy-Fair Warriors. Similar to the Eagles' previous match with the Katy Barbarians, both teams came into the game fully aware that the loser would be eliminated from Cup-level playoff contention. Fortunately for the Eagles, they maintained their playoff hopes with a 42-11 win over Cy-Fair.
The Eagles were coming off a very easy win against St. Pius X, shutting out the Panthers 65-0. In that game, St. Thomas physically dominated the Panthers and took advantage of gaps in the Panthers' rugby IQ to emerge victorious.
Cy-Fair suffered a tough loss to the first-place Woodlands, their first defeat of the season. The Warriors may not have a completely healthy squad on Thursday night, but they were very game for their match against the Eagles, completely aware of the stakes.
The Eagles put points on the board early with tries by lock Charlie Vatterott and 8-man Josh Pane, giving them a 14-0 lead before the Cy-Fair fly half slotted a penalty kick to give the Warriors their first points.
A neck injury to one of the Cy-Fair props caused a long delay in the game due to an ambulance having to come onto the field. The action is believed to have been precautionary and, it is reported that the player did not suffer a severe injury.
The delay did not cause the Eagles to take their foot off the gas, adding two more tries from flanker Payton Pardee and lock George Michael by the end of the half. The coaches for St. Thomas kept a sense of urgency with the players, not allowing them to become complacent with the score. The players responded in suite with a pair of tries from Vatterott and flanker Griffin Maat. St. Thomas did not give up a try until late into the second half, and they only gave up one.
|Santi Gonzalez went six for six on his conversion kicks in the match
Santi Gonzalez, now at fly-half, ensured no points were left off the board, going six for six with his precise conversion kicks. A luxury the Eagles have not enjoyed all season.
Cy-Fair is a team greatly improved from last season, thanks in part to an extremely strong and powerful pack that has led them to many of their wins this season. St. Thomas' forwards were simply able to out-gain the Warrior forwards on the day, rarely allowing Cy-Fair to take advantage of opportunities they had when deep inside St. Thomas' half.
The backs for St. Thomas were able to move the ball deep when they got it but they never seemed to finish on good scoring opportunities. On defense however, they were superb; communicating as a unit and forcing turnovers off of pressure on the slow ball movement of the Cy-Fair backs.
After two straight losses on senior night, it was pleasing to see the class of 2015 sent off with a win.
|Senior captain Payton Pardee's attacking runs and a try helped lead his team to victory on Senior Night.


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District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray begins his second year in office with a federal investigation of his 2010 campaign still looming and more than half of city residents saying they disapprove of his job performance.
Nonetheless, Gray remains optimistic about what he can achieve in the next three years of his term. And he argues that if voters and the media look beyond the controversies, they will see his administration has done a good job.
Backers of the 69-year-old Democrat point to his work on school reform, reducing crime and stabilizing city finances. Others say he's failed to lay out a bold vision for the city.
"What we hope for is to be regarded in the way we should be, which is for what we've done," Gray said in a recent interview. "We were elected on the basis of certain commitments, and I think we've fulfilled those commitments, or are fulfilling them."
A Washington native, Gray ran a city department serving the homeless and at-risk youth before he was elected to the D.C. Council in 2004. He became chairman two years later, and in 2010 tapped into black community dissatisfaction with then-Mayor Adrian Fenty to oust his fellow Democrat after one term.
Gray took office pledging to unify the city after an election that exposed stark divides along racial and economic lines.
But he soon faced questions about the deliberate pace of his transition effort, and it was later revealed that he was paying inflated salaries to some of his top staff and that his administration had hired the adult children of several of Gray's top aides.
Then came the bizarre firing of Sulaimon Brown, a former mayoral candidate hired by the new administration as an auditor. The firing came a day after Gray had defended Brown as qualified for his $110,000-a-year job. A tearful Brown showed up uninvited at the press conference announcing his termination, and he later alleged that he had been paid and promised a job by members of Gray's campaign staff in exchange for making negative comments about Fenty during the 2010 campaign.
Brown said Gray was aware of the payments, and the U.S. Attorney's Office is investigating his claims. Brown has provided copies of money orders signed by a Gray campaign aide and the aide's son. He also turned over a list of talking points that he said Gray handed him to use against Fenty, The Associated Press has reported.
The D.C. Council conducted its own investigation and concluded that Brown was indeed promised a job. Brown was hired without a formal interview a day after Gray's aides found a position for him in the district's Department of Health Care Finance, and he was fired less than a month later.
Gray has denied all wrongdoing and said he's confident the investigation will clear him. Although he maintains he was unaware of any illegal activity by his campaign staff, he concedes that others could be swept up in the probe.
Asked if he was prepared for the possibility of indictments, Gray said, "I think we have to be." But he said he would try to avoid being defined by any future bad news.\
Gray has shaken up his inner circle several times in a bid to surround himself with the right people, replacing his chief of staff and communications director and bringing in a new deputy chief of staff.
The turmoil was reflected in a Clarus Research Group poll released last month that showed Gray with a 34 percent approval rating and a 53 percent disapproval rating. The poll of 500 self-identified registered voters had a margin of error of 4.4 percent.
Gray enjoyed a brief run of good publicity when he was arrested for sitting in a street in front of the U.S. Capitol while protesting a budget deal that included restrictions on how the city could spend funds.
Barbara Lang, president of the D.C. Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement that she still supports the mayor, but she expects to see improvement.
"There is a pressing need to right this ship," Lang said. "We must have a stable, trustworthy and honorable government so that D.C. can remain truly competitive in the regional market."
Councilmember Marion Barry, the former four-term mayor who represents the poorest District ward and remains a firm Gray supporter, said his constituents are voicing some frustration with the mayor.
"What people tell me in Ward 8," Barry said, is that Gray "was so busy trying to unravel all this stuff that was going on in the first few months that he ... has not focused enough on jobs."
Despite Gray's struggles and ethical challenges confronting the council, the city has continued to prosper in many ways. Crime is down, the commercial real estate market is booming and the city is in better fiscal shape than most if not all states.
Gray can't take credit for all of that, but it's a rebuttal to the dire predictions by some Fenty supporters that Gray would return the city to the Barry era of bloated, unaccountable government. Political consultant Chuck Thies, who occasionally advises the mayor, described the Gray administration's early struggles as a "momentary throwback" to old-school crony politics.
"This city continues to move forward. People are moving here," Thies said. "By and large, this is one of the best places to live right now, given the national economy."
Indeed, recent Census figures show the District gained more than 16,000 residents between April 2010 and July 2011, a faster rate of growth than any state over that period.
"Vince Gray may be the most underrated mayor in D.C. history," said Adam Rubinson, who managed Gray's campaign and is not a target of the federal probe. "Unfortunately, the much-publicized missteps of two or three people have obscured that he's moved forward aggressively on school reform, that he put our fiscal house in order ... and crime has gone down significantly on his watch."
Unlike the hard-charging Fenty, who made school reform his top priority, Gray has been criticized for lacking a signature issue or an over-arching view for the city. A year-in-review document circulated by his staff detailed incremental progress in a variety of areas. Gray is providing incentives to companies that hire city residents and has secured a new ink-jet manufacturing plant that will bring 300 jobs to the District's poorest ward.
His legislative agenda has been modest -- a contrast from his term as council chairman, when the District approved medical marijuana and gay marriage. Perhaps the most significant bill he's introduced is a package of reforms to the taxicab industry.
While the city is required to submit a balanced budget to Congress, Gray is especially proud of balancing the budget without dipping into reserve funds. The mayor often talks about his four-pronged agenda. When asked his top priority, he listed two goals.
"It's a bit arcane, but I want to be looked at (as) the mayor who brought fiscal stability to the city. That's huge for me," Gray said. "The other thing is being able to get people back to work and creating more economic development equitably across the city."
Gray Hopes to Move on From Year Marked by Scandal
Mayor remains optimistic about next three years
District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray begins his second year in office with a federal investigation of his 2010 campaign still looming and more than half of city residents saying they disapprove of his job performance.


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The Rezort
All the news, gossip and information about FrightFest 2016
Post Reply
Re: The Rezort
That did feel like an abandoned plot-line...
- TheDukeAbides
- Braaaains!
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Re: The Rezort
Obvious "twist" is obvious. But it was a fun by-the-numbers zombie film that didn't outstay its welcome.
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A dog saved a baby who wasn't breathing in Portland, Connecticut. On Oct. 16, Daily Mailreported that a dog named Duke woke up the Brousseau's to alert them that something was wrong with their baby. According to the report, Duke jumped up on the couple's bed and began "shaking uncontrollably." When they woke up, they went in to their daughter, Harper's, room and found that she was not breathing.
"If Duke hadn't been so scared, we would have just gone to sleep. He's the perfect dog, he was meant to be ours," said mom, Jenna Brousseau. Perhaps the most touching part of this story is the fact that Duke was a rescue pup. The Brousseau's got him from a shelter six years ago.
When a dog saves baby who isn't breathing, it is usually an amazing story. People often don't give pets enough credit for being so smart and incredible. There are plenty of instances where a family pet ends up being responsible for saving a life. Naturally, the Brousseau family is so thankful to their dog for waking them up and ultimately saving baby Harper's life.
After Jenna and her husband found Harper unconscious, they called paramedics who were able to revive the baby before bringing her to the hospital. Doctors believe thatacid reflux could have been the culprit of this serious scare.
Duke is the dog who saved a baby who wasn't breathing and he is certainly a pup-hero.


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Please contact us as possible if you wish to cancel, add or remove items from your order, either by email to: firstname.lastname@example.com or telephone: 0207 7365038 as it may be possible to do this prior to dispatch.
If you'd like to add products to your order, please place a new order for these items and where possible we will combine orders for shipping.
If your order has already been dispatched or delivered, then you'll need to follow our Returns procedure in the event of any unwanted items. You can also of course return them to us personally or by courier to our shop during normal opening hours.
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If your order has been dispatched but hasn't arrived within the expected time period, or is missing items please email to: email@example.com or telephone: 0207 7365038.
If your order arrives and the goods are damaged in transit, please contact us for additional information on our Returns procedure.
Returns procedure
We hope you'll love every Circa Vintage purchase you make; however you may decide that you need to return your item(s) for a refund. If you are in the European Union and you cancel and return your order within seven days after the day you get your goods, and you cancel the whole order, we will refund the standard postage and packing costs you paid as part of that order (if any), in accordance with the Distance Selling Regulations. If you paid for premium, express or international delivery, we will only refund the cost of standard UK delivery unless your order was damaged in transit for which separate procedures are in place. You will usually have to pay the costs of sending the order back to us. We will not refund any postage and packing charges if you cancel after the seven days allowed under the Distance Selling Regulations or if you only cancel part of your order.
We request that all returns are neatly folded and returned in a saleable condition with all store tags attached and free from odour; If items have been worn or damaged we reserve the right not to refund. This does not affect your statutory rights.
Depending on the size and weight of your order, you can make UK returns via our shop, Royal Mail, Collect+ or using MyHermes.
1. Returns via our shop
Simply take a print-out of your order confirmation or the delivery note and the item(s) you wish to return or exchange to our shop, Circa Vintage, 64 Fulham
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Please make sure you also take in the payment card you originally used to buy the item(s).
If you return your item(s) to our shop and you'd like a refund but don't have your receipt, order confirmation, delivery note or payment card, we'll give you a
credit note to the value of the original price unless we are running a promotion, in which case, we will adjust the value of the credit note.
2. Returns via Royal Mail or courier
Fill out your reason(s) for return on the back of the delivery note.
Enclose the delivery note with the product, and package up securely.
Use our Returns label from the delivery note and obtain a certificate of postage from the Post Office. We highly recommend sending all returns back
either by Recorded Delivery or Special Delivery for high value items.
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You can return via a Collect+ location. Collect+ is a distribution network operating from over 5000 small shops in the UK. To find your nearest Collect+ location, visit www.collectplus.co.uk
Please note that parcels must be delivered to our address and not to another Collect + shop.
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You can also arrange a home collection or parcel shop drop off; just contact myHermes.
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You will receive e-mail notification when your return is received; however, please allow 2 weeks from the collection or posting date for us to credit your account. We will refund the credit or debit card of the person who originally placed and paid for the order.
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Category Schools - SLP
Job Type Any Of These
Soliant has been asked to find Speech Language Pathologist for a school district near Winchester. This position will need to be filled for the 2020 2021 school year.
Primary responsibilities include working with children one-on-one or in groups to treat voice disorders, stuttering problems or learning disabilities. Also, preparing IEP for each student based on individually assessed needs in accordance with district procedures.
Job Specifications:
Job Qualifications:
If this position is of interest, please contact Austin Lanier at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Please call with any questions. 770-225-3010Apply Now
- Competitive Salary
- Weekly Paycheck
- Matching 401(k) Plan
- Extensive Medical Coverage
- Licensing Assistance
- Custom Housing
- Travel Assistance
- Professional Development Reimbursement


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How Much of a CRPG Should Be "Optional?"
Posted by Rampant Coyote on March 1, 2011
I asked this on Twitter yesterday, with a couple of responses, but I thought I'd post this on the ol' blog as well, as I've noted that the masochistic folks who hang around here tend to be pretty educated on the subject of RPG design.
So today, I wanted to talk about optional content.
Generally speaking, in an RPG you have a start-point at the beginning of the game, and one or more final goals or conclusions. Maybe there's a choice at the end – destroy the evil wizard, or join him, or something, but the final "end" goals tend to be somewhat related and take you on a similar path. Now, that path is the key point. It may be pretty rigid and linear, as it is in most jRPGs, with events or tasks following in a pretty specific order. Or there may be a number of "checkpoints" that must be achieved in an order that is less rigidly defined to get you to the endgame. In some cases, not all the checkpoints / sub-goals need to be achieved – some may be mutually exclusive, or it may simply be a case of you needing to obtain X of the Y necessary steps.
And then, there are things to do in the world that are completely optional. They may help you towards your main goal only indirectly (by helping you to obtain more power / knowledge / items / troops, etc.) and add some story-based awards. But they can be safely bypassed by the player completely.
As a game developer, this is a little scary if you are developing any custom content for the optional areas of the game. Why would you spend all that time and effort making something that maybe only 10% of the players will ever see? If game-players were living in a vacuum, that would be a much bigger deal, but we gamers – contrary to how the media likes to portray us – tend to be pretty social. We talk. And we love games that allow us to compare different experiences.
But how much of that experience should be "optional?" The approach even among the classics are pretty widely varied. Even the games we celebrate as being so free-form typically had very little "interesting" content that was completely optional. If you found a dungeon in the game, there was usually some reason you'd have to visit it at some point in the game in your chain of tasks leading to the conclusion. That is, unless you have spoilers handy and are able to bypass certain vital clues / passwords.
In Shay Addam's book, The Official Book of Ultima, he records industry legend Warren Spector's surprise when joining the Ultima VI team:
… Spector ran into an unfamiliar problem, even for a game designer with such a varied background as his. "I was thinking in terms of how one would write a novel or a paper-and-pencil role-playing game — you know, with subplots and things that don't really related to the major task at hand." Spector had imagined being able to incorporate a diversity of characters who, though they added shading and nuance to the game world, were not essential to the main goal. Spector found it hard to believe that, as [Richard] Garriott had warned him, every single character they created would wind up playing a decisive role.
"I said, no, we'll have subplots, and it will be great," as Spector recalls. "We'll have little side quests that people can go on." But as their work progressed and they delved deeper into the process of turning the Ultima VI notebook into a full-blown game, it became clear to Spector that Garriott knew precisely what he was doing. "Everybody in the realm ended up being a crucial link in a chain that adds up to this immense, huge, wonderful, colossal world," Spector said, reliving an unmistakable sense of awe at having participated in the project. "It was a remarkably complicated process, and that notebook was the key to keeping it all together."
In some ways, this kind of backfired. In a retrospective play-through and review of the following game in the series, Ultima VII: The Black Gate, Noah Antwiler lampooned the convoluted chain of tasks that players must perform to accomplish one small, critical task. And a serious criticism fairly leveled at one of my favorites CRPGs, Vampire the Masquerade: Redemption was its extreme linearity, with pretty much zero optional content.
On the flip side, you have games like the Elder Scrolls and Fallout series, where most of the game seems to be made of optional content, and nobody will explore it all in a single play-through. With procedural content generation or mutually exclusive quest lines, it's often impossible.
And then you get everything in-between. With an additional complication that a first-time player, working without cheating, may not be sure what's optional and what isn't. And you have people who like to replay a game and make "100% runs," or speed-runs. And then there's how I became annoyed with Fallout 3 when I discovered that I was on the end-game track long before I was ready to give up exploring all the optional content, so I quit and went back to an earlier save-game deliberately avoided the final quest chain for a while. Particularly since, in that game, the final quest-chain pretty much SUCKED.
So in your view, how much of a CRPG should be "optional?" Are you a goal-oriented player who focuses on the main quest line, or are you the kind who kicks around and explores the game a bit, meandering around and following the storyline almost by accident? Or somewhere in-between? Do you like to fully explore the game and as much optional content (locations / quests) as possible on a single playthrough, or do you save that for a later replay?
Bringing it all home to why I'm asking these questions – Frayed Knights: The Skull of S'makh-Daon. I've found that I now have a significant number of dungeons and quests that are not required to complete the game. Hitting all the subquests and "mini-dungeons" may help you have an easier time of parts of the mid-game or end-game, but they can be completely bypassed. Part of this was by design, but part of it has just accrued over time as parts of the world have gotten more "fleshed out." Some of it provides alternative means of accomplishing tasks in the game. As an example of the latter, in the pilot, it's quite possible to bypass a whole bunch of rooms and make a beeline for the boss battle. You'll be in for a real tough fight (and a tough lock to pick) if you do this, but it's a viable alternative which I'm fairly pleased with.
But I get worried about the kinds of things Jeff Vogel recently noted about game difficulty. Not about combat difficulty per se, but about the realization of how different players will play – and possibly get stuck in a particular mode. Making a beeline for the ending, and then finding yourself poorly equipped and under-leveled for the final fights… will that make the game too difficult for some players who don't realize they should probably have taken a more scenic route? Or, particularly with tricks like drama stars or possible balance holes in my admittedly pretty complex game mechanics, will players find the optional spots completely unnecessary, the final conflicts relatively easy, and the overall game annoyingly short? Will they get stuck and pissed off on a puzzle that they don't realize can be bypassed via a clue given in an optional area?
I don't really expect an answer to questions above given in abstract, but it is the kind of thing I'm feeling out.
Filed Under: Design - Comments: 16 Comments to Read
Mark said,
There are related issues. It's possible to include optional content that feels mandatory (Mass Effect 2 loyalty missions come to mind), as well as mandatory content that feels optional (most of any given Dragon Quest).
The ideal ratio depends on several factors. The first thing to decide is whether you want the emphasis of the game to be on the setting at large or on the overarching campaign. Call these camps "existence-oriented" and "experience-oriented." A game can be both at different times.
How strongly do the results of the optional content feed back into the core experience? If it's weak (say, purely mechanical consequences, or a self-contained storyline), then use it to the extent that it's existence-oriented. If it's strong (say, it results in character development, or gives you hints about the endgame), then it's more appropriate for an experience-oriented game, and the reason to make it optional is not so that the player can choose not to do it, but so that they can do it in the order they want.
Another thing to consider is how far out of their way the player will have to go in order to do it. If it's short or can be done along the way, then it's a reward for players who take their time and pay attention as they ride your railroad. If you put the main quest on hold to go fuck off for in-game weeks on the other side of the planet with a sidequest that has its own climactic boss fight, then put it in an open-ended part of the game.
How early in the game does the optional content become available? If the concept of "early" is meaningless in your game, then I would estimate you'll shoot for about 80% optional content or more. If things open up gradually, then you probably don't want to go above 50% optional; with each new development, you give the player a choice: stick around and have a bit of fun, or press onward. If it's one of those cases where it's very linear in the first half and very open-ended once you've gone through what is essentially a tutorial, then pretend everything related to the first half or the ending is mandatory, and figure the rest makes up 20% or less of the game.
All of this is probably useless if you're trying to make a Dungeon Crawler with a capital D and a capital C, rather than a more general sort of RPG. If this is the case, I can't help you. That is one subgenre into whose groove I've not yet been able to get.
Ruber Eaglenest said,
Well, I think to have optional quests to grind power so fast players get his ass kicked, but could recover making that optional, is, by my book, good practice.
McTeddy said,
Hmmm… congrats… you have officially stumped me.
I can't give you any general rules that are best fit for everyone. So… instead… I will tell you how I play and how I tend to like it.
I am one of those people who usually follows the main storyline at an insanely fast pace. I've never enjoyed random violence so I am usually making a strong attempt at avoiding minor encounters.
Yes, that usually leaves me low leveled in the late game… but I, personally, understand that it is my own fault. I usually consider these higher difficulty battles to be more strategic, dangerous and entertaining. (And I wonder why people call me a masochistic gamer)
I do sidequests on a regular basis… but it's important to mention that I like them BECAUSE they are optional. If a quest doesn't play a major role in advancing the main plot… don't force me to play it. My time is valuable and I don't want someone else choosing where I waste it.
The only serious advice I can offer is just don't lock the door behind a player without suitable warning. If I am going to lose the chance to play though side quests or level up my character… have a message tell me "There's no turning back once we go through this door… Proceed?"
Otherwise, I will be locked into an area without any chance to level, arm myself and stock up on healing items. THAT drives me nuts.
Xenovore said,
My theory is that there are fundamentally two types of people: those that want full control over their destinies, and those that want (or need) everything handed to them (and on a golden platter, RIGHT NOW). (And I suppose there are those somewhere in the middle, but they are certainly moving towards one or the other type.)
So, when it comes to games, there are those that want everything to be optional, e.g. the more "sandboxy" the better, and then there are those that want to be led by the nose.
I am rather solidly on the side of "everything optional". I prefer games like Morrowind, Fallout 3, and Ultima Online; I despise games like Final Fantasy and Dragon Age.
And I definitely like "optional" when it comes to choices. E.g. "Do I turn in this magic ring for reputation? Or do I keep it because it makes me stronger? Or do I smash it with a hammer because I hate rings of all types?" That's the kind of "optional" I prefer.
Ultimately, how much optional content ends up depends entirely on what sort of players you're catering to.
Catering to those that want to do their own thing, explore, figure it out on their own, etc.? More optional stuff.
Catering to the other crowd? Less optional stuff.
Quote: "Why would you spend all that time and effort making something that maybe only 10% of the players will ever see?"
That's the sort of thinking that gives us games like Final Fantasy and Dragon Age! "Let's make sure the players see everything; railroad them from one end to the other! It's okay, we'll let them press buttons occasionally so they feel like they're interacting." =P
@McTeddy: The best option is to never lock the door behind the player.
Andy_Panthro said,
Time was I'd enjoy that endless slog through trash mobs, gradually grinding my way towards victory.
Now that I'm older, I view almost any sort of grind as being deliberately against me! With one thing and another, and especially work, I have less time for games. I want to be able to get to the meat of the game and story without endless trash mobs or equivalent in my way.
The best game that comes to mind that summarises exactly what I look for is Ultima Underworld. There are plenty of hostiles, but also friendly areas and you know that descent will lead to harder trials whilst returning upwards can give you a welcome rest.
In the other direction, you have Oblivion, which punishes you for grinding (unless you're aware of how to play against the game mechanics). The problem with Oblivion though is more about finding those gems within the otherwise lacklustre game. You could never complete the main quest and be better off for it. It's main problem in my eyes was that point made in the Vogel article you linked, if a dragon is as tough as goblin #0145 then it doesn't seem like an achievement.
Ultima VII, for all that I love the game, is rather an oddity. It gives the impression of being completely open and non-linear, and yet there is a path there which has been designed for you to follow. It is just a matter of how closely you decide to take that path. It didn't lose anything in my eyes for this, and I was never bothered by the poor combat either, as that never felt like the focus of the game (unlike earlier games in the series, which had rather punishing combat sections).
And now I've rambled on and kind of lost my thread.
Brian 'Psychochild' Green said,
I think RPGs should be 100% optional. Government enforcement of playing RPGs is going too far!
Er, wait…
I think there is no one right answer. I think the more optional content you have, the more the world feels like a living world. The less optional content there is, the more the game can fit a traditional linear story. So, it kind of depends on what your goals are of teh game.
Personally, I can enjoy both. I like exploring, but a good story is also fun.
Xian said,
Many times I see the optional quests not really being optional. If you go straight for the main goal without doing those "optional" quests, you find you are too underpowered to complete it . I ran into this with Borderlands a while back. After 30 hours or so in the game I decided just to stick with the main path and finish it. Nope, it wasn't going to happen without doing at least a good portion of those optional quests.
I usually do most of the optional quests. I can probably count on the fingers of one hand how many RPGs I have replayed, so that means do it this time or it isn't going to get done more than likely. Even the best RPGs I find have little replay value to me. Once I have explored the world and know the story I am done with it. Playing a different character might give me some alternate perspective, but most of the thrill is gone.
Quote: "Why would you spend all that time and effort making something that maybe only 10% of the players will ever see?"
That always reminds me of the decision by SSI not to include the end cinematic in the PC version of Eye of the Beholder. It would have required another floppy and they reasoned that very few people would ever see it so why go to the expense? After defeating the beholder it drops you straight to DOS with a single line of congratulations – the Amiga version had the proper ending included.
Xenovore said,
@ Andy_Panthro:
I'm not sure what you're saying there… Are you equating having more optional content with grinding? I don't think there's necessarily a correlation there. Grinding can be purely optional, or in a game like Aion or Lineage, almost necessary. It goes both ways.
And I associate "grinding" only with game-play that is boring and repetitive. There is no reason optional content has to inherently be boring. In my experience, games like Oblivion or Fallout 3 have plenty of optional content that is quite the opposite of boring. (And sometimes more fun and interesting than the primary content.)
@ Brian:
Quote: "I think RPGs should be 100% optional. Government enforcement of playing RPGs is going too far!"
Quote: "…the more optional content you have, the more the world feels like a living world."
Totally agree.
Rob said,
Quote: "Making a beeline for the ending, and then finding yourself poorly equipped and under-leveled for the final fights…"
This is the first problem. One way of avoiding this is obviously level scaling. Oblivion's implementation was pretty much hated by everyone, yet it was way too easy to become powerful in Morrowind. Fallout 3 & especially Fallout NV did a better job. But the problem I have with level scaling is that it is never explained. The monsters just get more powerful for no apparent reason other than the fact that the player is getting more powerful. This breaks immersion as the player is now once again at the centre of the world rather than just a part of it.
Usually these games have a central plot which involves a big bad guy amassing an army to take over the world. This creates a second problem for players who like to explore and complete all side quests before taking on the main branch – the false sense of urgency. Why am I helping an old woman find 10 herbs for a magic potion to heal her wounded goat when there are thousands of orcs lead by an evil wizard just over the horizon waiting to do much more than just wound a goat?
The solution to both problems is level scaling. However, the level scaling should be integrated into the plot and explained to the player though the plot. It shouldn't be tied to the players level directly, but to events they encounter as they progress.
A player who heads straight for the big bad guy will arrive much earlier than a player who likes to explore. So the big bad guy has had less time to prepare and amass his power and army, meaning that the player doesn't need to be as well equipped and leveled to defeat him. First problem solved.
Conversely, a player who likes to explore should encounter successive events that inform them that, while they've been wasting time healing goats, the big bad guy's army has been increasing in size and/or power. Perhaps he has discovered a spell which unleashes demons from another dimension. A new, more powerful unit has been added to the game and explained through the plot, rather than just mysteriously appearing. The player also now knows that the more time they spend on unrelated side quests, they more time the big bad guy has to create his army. Of course, the player has also been levelling during this time, so his ability has increased to match, but by not tying the two together directly, the sense of urgency is more real. Second problem solved.
Andy_Panthro said,
I'd read the Vogel link after the blog entry, so my thoughts turned to that rather than the subject at hand, which lead to a slightly odd posting perhaps.
I'm generally pro-optional areas, so long as they don't interfere too much with the flow of the game (or the game specifically allows for such non-linearity).
As for Oblivion/Fallout 3, I would suggest the lengthier optional content is almost always better than the primary. Which is why I mentioned in my earlier comment that you could be better off (have a more enjoyable experience) in Oblivion without ever touching the main quest.
True sandbox style games like that are generally rare though, and most have a linear path to follow.
Optional areas in that case can be useful distractions from the main quest, or provide ways to level up more without grinding. I suppose all that beta testing and whatever is there to make sure an optional area is not required to complete the game (otherwise it ceases to be optional).
BenD said,
I am a completionist. If I can play your game at all (I would need a Windows machine, not in my current repertoire of objects) when it's released, I will play all of it. If it's impossible to play all of it in one run, I will do one run 'blind' and naive to the roads not taken… and then FAQ/walkthrough my way to achieving my own personal sense of 'I have seen everything in this game.' That personal sense may or may not always be accurate and a sense of doubt is often what prompts me to go looking for a walkthrough.
Long story short, I like optional content, particularly when the game is strong and the experience is enjoyable. I prefer it when optional content is related to the main story, but also fairly self-contained – as much as I like the idea of optional content affecting the main story in huge (optional) ways, in practice I find that it tends to weaken the main story to do that. Please do go ahead and prove me wrong!
DGM said,
I already touched on this with you in e-mail, but since you ask in public I'll repeat my position here.
I actually don't much care about the ratio of mandatory-to-optional content. I enjoyed Morrowind, but I can also enjoy a purely linear JRPG if it's done well. I guess you could say that, to me, optional content itself is entirely optional.
My real concern isn't with how MUCH content is optional, but with what KIND of content is mandatory. I don't think it's fair to change the basic rules on the player mid-game without his consent. Any basic type of gameplay mechanic that the player will be required to deal with should be introduced early and used regularly, so the player learns quickly what he's expected to deal with and what kind of skills he needs to develop to win. Establish these things near the beginning and DON'T pull the rug out from under the player later on. At least, not in the main quest.
Optional content, on the other hand, is where you as a game designer should feel free to go completely nuts. Break your own rules and offer something completely different if you like – the variety might just keep the player hooked if he starts to get bored with the main quest. Just leave him free to opt out if he doesn't like it.
Felix Pleșoianu said,
My favorite CYOA book as a kid was one from the Car Wars series. I used to be intrigued by the way an obviously linear story played out so differently between read-throughs. So one day I grabbed pen and paper and graphed its structure. Guess what I found.
Easy: the story branched into parallel (and mutually exclusive) paths right after start, then converged again into a checkpoint, then branched again, converged again… and so on until the end. That way, no player was going to see all the paths in one play-through… but every little path was virtually guaranteed to be visited by some of the players, or even the same player at different times — the replayability value was enormous.
As the saying goes, there are only solutions.
Mart said,
I'm not really bothered by the whole side-quest to main-quest ratio. But I do love RPGs who let the PC roam the lands when the main quest is done, free to complete the unfinished side quests. One thing that bothered me about Baldur's Gate 2 is that sometimes side quests are gone when you transition to the next chapter. Although it could be central to the overall plot, losing being able to attempt those quests kinda bothered me a bit.
I like RPGs that show the side quests having some sort of impact, small or large, on the main quest. I'm not just talking about gaining more experience or levels that allow the main quest to be easier, but providing extra options as to how to complete the main quest when some side quests are done.
adorna said,
as a gamer, I like having a strong main quest and small optional sidequests. The perfect balance for me was FF: Crisis Core with all the optional quests being accessible from the savepoints.
If there is lots of optional content I always feel like I'm missing crucial parts of the game and then I go and find myself in the middle of a fetch-quest-dynasty-of-horrors and completely loose sight of the main quest, sometimes even giving up without completing the game.
I feel like a questaholic trying to break free:)
I love DGM's idea about going nuts in the sidequests, though. Usually, players (I at least) do side quests when they need a break from the main storyline and mechanics – so it would really be nice to do something different then, not more of the same. And even though programmers like dungeon masters seem to think they have to trick players to do things right: please give the player (me) a chance to know what they get into. If you have an ingame tutorial – perhaps give a hint that certain things are optional. Give a hint of the scope of the sidequest sometimes, maybe I'm strange but I like it when a game is nice to me instead of evil 🙂
Kimari said,
Personally, I'm a player-agency nut, so I'd say at least make 50% of the game optional. But then again, I'm basing that number on how *I* would design the game's pacing and difficulty (or at least try to).
Let me explain my reasoning a little further:
Basically, I'd go for a main quest line that can be powered through with little to no sidequest dabblings. It's not particularly *easy* to do, since the player would have to know what tactics to use in each major battle, but it can be done.
Then the sidequests would consist of 30% content designed to let the player level-up so they can power through the main quests, while the other 20% is there primarily to provide a challenge for those players that either love a challenge or are revisitng old content just for the sake of exploring.
In my opinion this basic (and a little vague) design has some virtues that I'm always looking for:
* Choice: Letting the player choose is always a good thing in my book.
* Replayability: Since the main quest line is only half of the game, it encourages players to play through a second time. A new game+ feature wouldn't hurt either.
* Tailored difficulty: You want it easy? Just grind a little. You want it impossibly difficult? Try some of the harder sidequests.
Though the major problem with this design is that you'd have to make it abundantly clear which sidequests are easy and which ones are harder than counting your hairs while wearing boxing gloves.
(I do realize that I'm playing the part of backseat game designer here, I just wanted to share my 2 cents) 🙂


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In the 1980s, Wolfgang Puck put salmon, chicken and expensive mushrooms on a pizza. It made him famous, and now he's a celebrity millionaire. Here in Texas, there are people in the culinary arts doing with tacos what Wolfgang Puck did with pizza. And they're having a lot of success with the gourmet taco. Tacos are one of the hottest restaurant trends at the moment.
But I've tried these trendy tacos, and I have to say, I don't get it. Much as I could live with New York-style peperoni pizza every time, I think tacos are fine the way they are.
Torchy's Tacos, which started out in one of the food trailers in South Austin, opened an outpost at Preston and Forest, and I was anxious to try it. After all, if it's cool in Austin, it must be really cool, right? Well, you know what else is cool in Austin? Frat parties.
Maybe this is dumb. But I'm mad about fancy tacos, and not in the Bette Davis way of being mad about something that is simply divine. I'm mad in the Howard Beale way.
At Torchy's, I tried the fried avocado taco, and why this seemed appealing, I will never know. It's an unseasoned avocado deep fried in a bland batter inside a tortilla with refried beans, lettuce, tomato and cheddar/jack cheese. It tasted like a lot of mush. No flavor. So I poured on the poblano sauce, which actually is ranch dressing. Ranch dressing! On a taco! For shame, Torchy.
The pork carnitas taco with queso fresco and a mild, smoky salsa was better, but for that same $3.50, I could have three unfussy tacos at La Paisanita, El Tizoncito, El Si Hay, La Michoacana or just about any Oak Cliff taquería.
My total at Torchy's, for two tacos and a drink, was nine dollars and twenty cents, and I'm not gonna take it anymore.
Other trendy taco joints — Fuzzy's Taco Shop and Rusty Taco, for example — are not as expensive. Fuzzy's has a taco salad I like. Rusty Taco is in a really cool converted gas station on Greenville. And people love Torchy's the way most American women love Oprah. But from now on, I'm keeping my taco dollars in the 'hood.


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LOONA recently treated fans to more information about their impending comeback! On February 11, the group took to their official Instagram account to share an image of member Vivi and announce their comeback album ' XX ' is now available for presale. They then went into what fans can expect with the release. "While [previous album] ' + + ' portrayed a basic addition of each other, 'XX' is an applied multiplication of each other," they explained before offering behind stories for five tracks off the album - title track " Butterfly ," " Satellite ," " Curiosity ," " Colors ," and " Where You At .". Through the Instagram post, they also revealed that the 'XX' album will be available in four d... Full story
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Hi, there!
I attended the TUG meeting this last Thursday and was curious if you could list links to some of the resources that were mentioned during the meeting.Some I recall so I will list here, but was hoping someone could fill in the blanks.
1. NASO National Officiating Survey
2. Bureau of Labor of Statics (BLS) - ??? Something was mentioned here regarding those how use this type of data for work
3. Alteryx for Good - Alteryx Community (Free, limited Alteryx Designer license for non-profits)
Hi, Melissa--
I'll send out connections to both presentations, which will hopefully have references for the resources that were mentioned.
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United States Court of Appeals, First Circuit
August 8, 2017
CHRISTOPHER HAYDEN; DENINE L. MURPHY, a/k/a Denine L. Hayden, Plaintiffs, Appellants,v.HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee for Wells Fargo Asset Securities Corporation Mortgage Asset-Backed Pass Through Certificates Series 2007-PA3; WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., Defendants, Appellees.
MASSACHUSETTS [Hon. Denise J. Casper, U.S. District Judge]
F. Russell, Jr. and Glenn F. Russell, Jr., & Associates,
P.C. on brief for appellants.
R. Higgins, Y. Frank Ren, and K&L Gates LLP on brief for
Lynch, Kayatta, and Barron, Circuit Judges.
Circuit Judge.
March 2007, Christopher Hayden and Denine Murphy ("the
Haydens") borrowed $800, 000 from GN Mortgage, LLC
("the lender") to purchase a property in Rehoboth,
Massachusetts. The Haydens executed a promissory note
memorializing the loan and a mortgage identifying Mortgage
Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. ("MERS") as
the mortgagee, acting "solely as a nominee" for the
lender and the lender's successors and assigns. The
mortgage also granted MERS, and its successors and assigns,
power of sale over the property. In January 2008, MERS
assigned the mortgage to HSBC Bank USA, N.A.
("HSBC") as trustee for WFALT 2007-PA03. In
February 2010, HSBC reassigned the mortgage to itself as
trustee for Wells Fargo Asset Securities Corporation,
Mortgage Asset-Backed Pass Through Certificates, Series
Haydens defaulted on their loan in 2008. They then filed
several bankruptcy petitions and requested injunctive relief,
thereby delaying foreclosure until 2016.
After HSBC provided notice of a foreclosure sale in June
2016, the Haydens sued HSBC and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
("Wells Fargo"), the mortgage servicer, to enjoin
the sale. They now appeal the district court's decision
to deny their request for a preliminary injunction and to
grant HSBC's and Wells Fargo's motion to dismiss
under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6). Specifically,
the Haydens challenge the district court's dismissal of
their claims that (1)
cannot foreclose on their property under Mass. Gen. Laws ch.
244, § 14, and (2) the mortgage is obsolete by operation
of Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 260, § 33.[1]
review the district court's order of dismissal for
failure to state a claim de novo. Lemelson v. U.S. Bank
Nat'l Ass'n, 721 F.3d 18, 21 (1st Cir. 2013)
(citing Artuso v. Vertex Pharm., Inc., 637 F.3d 1, 5
(1st Cir. 2011)). The district court properly dismissed the
Haydens' claim that HSBC cannot foreclose on the property
on their view that MERS's assignment of the mortgage to
HSBC was invalid. As the district court found, this claim is
foreclosed by precedent, which holds that MERS can validly
assign a mortgage without holding beneficial title to the
underlying property, see Culhane v. Aurora Loan Servs. of
Neb., 708 F.3d 282, 291-93 (1st Cir. 2013), and that
borrowers do not have standing to challenge a mortgage
assignment based on an alleged violation of a trust's
pooling and servicing agreement, see Butler v. Deutsche
Bank Tr. Co. Ams., 748 F.3d 28, 37 (1st Cir. 2014)
(citing Woods v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., 733 F.3d
349, 354 (1st Cir. 2013)).
decision in Dyer v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., 841 F.3d
550 (1st Cir. 2016), which was issued approximately six weeks
after the district court issued its decision in this case,
provides further support for this finding. Dyer
reaffirmed Culhane's holding that a mortgage
contract can validly make MERS the mortgagee and authorize it
to assign the mortgage on behalf of the lender to the
lender's successors and assigns. Id. at 553.
Dyer also disposed of the claim that the
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court's ("SJC")
decision in Eaton v. Federal National Mortgage
Association, 969 N.E.2d 1118 (Mass. 2012), renders
Culhane noncontrolling where, as here, the
foreclosing party holds both the note and the mortgage.
See Dyer, 841 F.3d at 553-54 & n.2; see also
Eaton, 969 N.E.2d at 1133 n.28 ("[A] foreclosing
mortgage holder such as [the nominee's assignee] may
establish that it either held the note or acted on behalf of
the note holder at the time of a foreclosure sale by filing
an affidavit in the appropriate registry of deeds . . .
."). In fact, many of the arguments advanced by the
Haydens' counsel, who also represented the borrower in
Dyer, mirror the arguments that we rejected in
district court also properly dismissed the Haydens'
obsolete mortgage claim, which has no basis in the plain text
of the statute or in precedent. Under Massachusetts's
obsolete mortgage statute, Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 260, §
33, a mortgage becomes obsolete and is automatically
discharged five years after the expiration of the stated term
or maturity date of the mortgage. Nothing in the text of the
statute supports the Haydens' assertion that the
acceleration of the maturity date of a note affects
the five-year limitations period for the related
mortgage. Their citation to the SJC's decision
in Deutsche Bank National Trust Co. v. Fitchburg Capital,
LLC, 28 N.E.3d 416 (Mass. 2015), is inapposite because
the decision makes no mention of the impact of an accelerated
note on the obsolete mortgage statute's limitations
agree that the Haydens failed to state a claim, substantially
for the reasons articulated by the district court. Without
adopting the district court's opinion, we summarily
affirm. See 1st Cir. R. 27.0(c).
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Gascón to wipe out thousands of pot convictions
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San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón announced Monday that his office will wipe out more than 9,000 marijuana convictions dating to the mid-1970s as part of a program to retroactively apply Proposition 64, which legalized adult use of the drug.
Last year, Gascón teamed up with Code for America to develop the program.
At a February 25 news conference at 850 Bryant Street, Gascón announced that his office had successfully completed a review of all marijuana convictions, dating back to 1975, that were eligible for dismissal and reduction. The project was completed five months ahead of schedule, he said.
Gascón said San Francisco thus becomes the first county in the state to clear and reduce all eligible cannabis convictions under Prop 64, which legalized the possession and recreational use of marijuana for adults ages 21 years or older. It also allows convictions to be expunged.
According to a statement from Gascón's office, Code for America used "the principles and practices of the digital age to improve government services — to reimagine the record clearance process and leverage technology to proactively review criminal convictions that qualify for relief" under Prop 64.
Jennifer Pahlka, Code for America founder and executive director, said the nonprofit used "Clear My Record" technology, which is a computer-based algorithm, to identify eligible cases.
The program is now preparing to expand statewide, according to Code for America, which will form a pilot cohort of California counties also looking to automate their review and dismissal process for marijuana convictions.
The announcement drew praise from Erich Pearson, a gay man who is founder and CEO of SPARC cannabis dispensary. In an email to the Bay Area Reporter, Pearson wrote that "District Attorney Gascón and those in his office should be commended for their proactive approach to righting the wrongs of the drug war."
"As we begin to approach drug use as a conversation of health and not crime, it's important that we look back and fix the damage we've caused, especially to communities of color, who have been — and still are — disproportionately affected by this war," he added.


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Good things are happening for novelist and Erie native Alan DeNiro.
But then, when your novels are as creatively titled as his -- "Skinny Dipping in the Lake of the Dead" (Small Beer Press, $16) and the recent "Total Oblivion, More or Less" (Ballantine Spectra, $15) -- perhaps it was only a matter of time.
DeNiro will be on hand Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Erie Book Store, 137 E. 13th St., to sign copies of his novels. He'll be joined by local writer Paul Jessup, who will sign his own new science-fiction book, "Open Your Eyes."
"Total Oblivion" tells the story of what happened the summer between Macy Palmer's junior and senior high school years in Minnesota. In brief: the total oblivion of DeNiro's title.
Scythians, Thracians, and other ancient European tribes have invaded the Midwest and have had their way with America.
Macy and her family find themselves in a refugee camp outside of Minneapolis and attempt a desperate flight down the Mississippi River.
The reviews have been good, even though the Los Angeles Times found its science-fiction rule-breaking frustrating.
Kirkus calls it "part Huck Finn and part bizarro-world Swiss Family Robinson." Karen Joy Fowler, author of "The Jane Austen Book Club," says it's "chock-a-block with adventure, suspense, and surprise. Apocalyptic family values, too!"
DeNiro now lives near St. Paul, Minn., with his wife Kristin Livdahl, three cats, and a dog.


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What You Need to Do to Get Your Emotional Support Animal
When you have anxiety or the psychological disorders, it is wise that you look for emotional support animal to assist you to get over your condition. Having an emotional support animal will ensure that you are calm even when flying abroad as you can travel with it after registration. Below are the ideas that you can work with to ensure that you find the most suitable emotional support animal.
Register to Find the Emotional Support Letter
When you are planning to fly with the emotional support animal, you must prove to the authorities by giving out a letter to indicate that your suffering from anxiety or depression. For you to get the letter, you can work with a qualified medic to help you sign the letter to ease your travel.
Ensure That You Find A Trained Animal
When you are going for the animal you should ensure that you go for the one that understands to interact with you. There are multiple sites that sell the animals that are trained to ensure that they interact with you better when you are facing any kind of distress. When you have a pet, you can consider it to be trained for the emotional support strategies to ensure that can feel comfortable.
There Are A Variety of Animals That You Can Select for The Process
You should research on the animals that can offer the kind of support that you need. Some kinds of reptiles such as the lizards and snakes or even birds can be used for the emotional support. Once you've acquired the legitimate ESA registration letter from the doctors, you will have an easy time in flying around with any kind of emotional support animal.
The Doctors Must Verify That You Need the Animal
Before you are given the authority to travel with an emotional support animal, the doctors will have to do the tests. You should be willing to work with the doctors for quite sometimes before they can suggest the best options that you can use to manage your social issues.
Find Out about The Services of The ESA Registration Online
If most of your local doctors are unwilling to give you the ESA letter, you can find a different kind of doctors online. Ensure that you answer the questionnaires that will be asked by the doctor to examine your situation and to advise on the best animal to use.
When you're facing hard times to be happy, it's advisable that you get an emotional support animal. It is advisable that you get the best kind of doctors that will sign up your ESA registration letter to keep on moving on with your life during tough times.


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If you bought January's issue (issue 6) of Craftseller then maybe you spotted me on page 77? "Guest Expert" never thought I'd read that of myself :) but sure enough there is a picture of me, the cover of my first craft book, one of my clutch bags and a purse and more importantly my #SBS Winners badge.
Also watch out for me in issue 39 of Sew Hip magazine which goes on sale February 29th.


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Here is my list of some of the best Valentine's Day restaurants in Chicago. Make your reservations today for a romantic culinary adventure!!
1. The Lobby Restaurant of the exquisite Peninsula Hotel at 108 E. Superior Street offers an amazing afternoon tea and brunch with a chocolate buffet. The Shanghai Terrace features a 1930's vibe with Shangainese and Cantonese specialties. Order the 6 Course Chef's Tasting Menu. Make reservations at 312-573-6695. Check out The Sky Rink if you are up for a romantic ice skating adventure from Friday through Sunday on The Terrace. All proceeds benefit The Lurie Children's Hospital #PenSkyRink. The Rink is open to the public until March 3rd.
2. Sepia is a delightful restaurant in Chicago. The dining room is located in a former 1890's print studio and it is filled with photography memorabilia. Executive chef Andrew Zimmerman graduated first in his class at the prestigious French Culinary Institute and it is reflected in his Meditterranean influenced cuisine. The urban eatery has exposed brick walls and is located at 123 N. Jefferson Street in Chicago just east of the Kennedy Expressway between Washington and Randolf. I love the porchetta.
3. NAHA is located at 500 N. Clark St. where executive chef Carrie Nahabedian merges her Armenian roots with Mediterranean influenced flavors that earned her a Michelin star. She was the former executive chef at the Four Seasons Properties in Beverly Hills and Santa Barbara. I love the braised Mishima Ranch "Kobe" Wagyu Beef Brisket with Beluga lentils, bacon roasted parsnips and carrots. For dessert I ordered bananas with vanilla mousseline and salted caramel.
4. Pelago Ristorante at 201 East Delaware offers upscale Italian dining in a very romantic setting. Mauro Mafrici offers an amazing Chef's Tasting and authentic culinary journey through Italy.
5. Le Colonial has one of my favorite French-Vietnamese inspired menus. It is located Rush Street and is housed in a two-story vintage townhouse decorated in the millieu of 1920's Siagon. I indulge in the Cha Gio for starters; these fried spring rolls are outstanding! Follow up with the "Bun Thit Nuong"; BBQ pork served over angel-hair noodles. For dessert try, the crispy banana wonton.
6. Schwa's Chef Michael Carlson worked under Spiaggia's chef Paul Bartolotta. He turned down the position of sous-chef at Alinea. Since then he has earned a string of prestigious press: he graced the cover of Food & Wine magazine as one of the Best New Chefs, won the Jean Banchet Award for rising chef of the year, GQ magazine did a nine-page feature on Schwa and Chef Carlson saying that Schwa was "The Most Revolutionary Restaurant In America" and in 2010 he got a "Best Chef" nomination from the esteemed James Beard Foundation. Schwa is at 1466 N. Ashland in Wicker Park seats 26 people; good luck getting in. There is no liquor license or wine list. Just amazing food! Call 773-252-1466 for reservations.
"Our Philosophy – A restaurant that is part of a new movement; a community of chefs who work collaboratively and share openly. A house with no front or back; a house where chefs are servers, and serving is about creating dialogue. A menu that moves with the seasons; a menu designed to illustrate the diversity of a dish and highlight how one ingredient can be presented in a variety of ways. Taking the unusual and making it enjoyable. Taking the rustic and making it unforgettable." http://www.schwa.com
7. The elegant Atwood in the Chicago Loop at 1 West Washington has a beautiful dining room located in the historic 19th century Reliance building across from Macy's on Washington.
8. Critically acclaimed Blackbird is Executive Chef Paul Kahan's award-winning restaurant at 619 W. Randolph.ll 312-715-0708 for reservations.
9. Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak and Stone Crab at 60 E. Grand is the Chicago outpost of Miami's legendary Joe's Stone Crab. For dinner have a cup of chowder of bisque with crab claws, king crab legs or steak and don't leave without indulging in the famous key lime pie for dessert. Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab is the culmination of a partnership between Lettuce Entertain You and Joe's Stone Crab with an extensive selection of seafood, flown in fresh daily, to complement the world's finest Florida Stone Crab claws. Joe's also features signature prime steaks, hand-carved by master butchers. Try the 24 oz. Bone-In Rib Eye.
10. Terzo Piano is an upscale, contemporary Italian-Mediterranean hotspot on the 3rd floor of the Art Institute at 159 East Monroe Street. You will love the signature cuisine of James Beard Award Winner Chef Tony Mantuano of Spiaggia and River Roast. Call 312-443-8650 for reservations.
11. Alinea has 3 Michelin stars at 1723 N. Halsted where chef Grant Achatz creates amazing cuisine in 3 unique dining experiences. Then head over to The Aviary for cocktails in the Fulton River District at 955 West Fulton.
12. You can never go wrong at Piccolo Sogno at 464 N. Halsted. It is one of my all time favorites Italian restaurants in Chicago! I love the Pappardelle con Cinghiale. Tony Priolo and Ciro Longobardo also own Nonnina ans Maillard Tavern. Call 312-421-0077 for reservations.
13. For high-end French cuisine, head over to Les Nomades in a lavish Streeterville brownstone at 222 E. Ontario. You will never be disappointed by Roland Liccioni's secret hideaway!
14. Gibsons Italia is a swanky Riverfront high-end Italian steak and pasta hot spot with an amazing view of the Chicago River's architectural gems at 233 N. Canal. For reservations call 312-414-1100.
15. Swift and Son's is a premier steakhouse at 1000 West Fulton and offers an amazing Beef Wellington for 2. Call 312-733-9420 for reservations.
16. Bavette's Steakhouse at 218 W. Kinzie is an intimate steakhouse with plenty of French flair where you'll find red leather banquettes and a well-curated wine list. Call 312-624-8154 for reservations.
17. Monteverde in the West Loop where Chef Sarah Grueneberg's trips around the world influence her amazing Italian Menu with hand-made Pastas at 1020 West Madison in Chicago.
Happy Valentine's Day!
Dr. EveAnn Lovero writes Travel Guides @ www.vino-con-vista.com
Salute and Buon Appetito


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The OfficeServ ivr platforms are OfficeServ7030, OfficeServ7100, OfficeServ7200 and OfficeServ7400.
These ivr platforms put you in control of your communications be they traditional TDM or pure IP. They also allow you to interact with your callers in a manner that they'll find acceptable. We've all called utilities and become fed up with waiting endlessly, haven't we? You do need to plan your ivr platforms and services carefully – we'll guide you at TelephoneSystemsDirect. ivr_platforms.pdf
Telephone Systems Direct prides itself on delivering quality telephony solutions and that's part of the reason that we received the SME Reseller of the Year trophy recently. As a Samsung Platinum Partner you're assured of our best support and implementation for your ivr platforms as this manufacturer jealously guards its product brand through thorough education of sales and engineering knowledge of the applications and ivr platforms features and facilities.Â
The 7030 and 7400 have been rated GOOD VALUE by "What to Buy for Business" magazine and with our 25% discounts you can be certain that rating increases to incredible value!
To learn more about these products and ivr platforms dial 0800 652 8052 now.


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Janette Dalgliesh is the Identity Shift Ninja, using her unique blend of hardcore brain science and esoteric training to help people figure out what they want and get it. She describes her work as a blend of soul archaeology, brain whispering and joy navigation.
Janette is a gifted coach who uses her powerful skills in numerology and astrology to reveal her client's most powerful and authentic selves, and then brings LOA, positive psychology and neuroscience to the mix to create practical, real-world strategies tailor-made for each client.
Based in southeast Australia, she has received LOA Leaders Awards for both of her best-selling "Your Everyday Superpower" books. You can find her at www.identityshift.ninja; or grab her no-strings audio training at www.identityshift101.com.


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Why Your "Healthy" Soup Is Unhealthy
Soups are the ultimate comfort food, they are warm, tasty and filling. But, are they healthy? Soups are not only sought out on a cold day, but many people also turn to them as quick and easy food when they are trying to lose weight. What is often overlooked, is the fact that soups can contain ingredients that are unhealthy, some we may think are healthy and others we are not even aware of. Here are some ingredients that are making your soups unhealthy, per the Eat This, Not That!
1. Heavy Cream
Cream-based soups, such as chowders and bisques, are loaded with calories and saturated fats that make them unhealthy. Replacing the heavy cream with vegetable or chicken broth is a healthier option.
2. Added Sugar
Sugar is a common ingredient in French onion and tomato soups. Added sugars are unhealthy when over consumed. Make an effort to keep these added sugars out of your soups and out of your body. A CDC article states that Americans should keep their intake of added sugars less than 10% of the total daily calories, but instead about 14% of their total daily calories are being taken up from added sugars.
3. Beef Broth
People choose beef broth for their soups in order to achieve the meaty flavor. But, what many do not realize is that it is laced with caramel coloring. This coloring is a carcinogenic compound. One may look to using organic broth to keep the compound out of your soup and body.
4. Ground Beef
When it comes to the additions you put in your soup, many turn to meats. In soups like chili, people often choose ground beef. However, ground beef is a fatty meat. The consumption of fatty ground beef can lead to belly fat. Fatty ground beef can be replaced by lean beef to keep your metabolism in control.


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The number of people evacuated from their homes on Japan's Kyushu island due to floods.
More than 50,000 people have been evacuated from their homes on Japan's Kyushu island due to record rainfall. According to Global Post, at least 17 people have died, and the numbers are expected to rise.
"Unfortunately, we believe the numbers (of dead and missing) will rise as we get more and more information from the field," a spokesman from Kumamoto prefecture told AFP.
The island is experiencing the heaviest rainfall in its history, and mudslides are burying houses and blocking roads. Some places have seen as much as four inches of rain an hour. And more rain is on the way, along with alerts for additional flooding.
Photo by Kyodo/Reuters


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**press sample**Hi guys! Today I have the Tis the Season Collection from Ever After Polish to share with you! It is a six piece collection consisting of a mixture of holos, jellies and cremes...oh and glitter!
Mulled Wine is a purple holo filled with silver and purple flakies! So beautiful! For my photos I did just two coats plus topcoat! Amazing glossy, but look at it matte!
Princess Christmas Cake is a medium pink holo filled with silver flakies! Beautiful color! I'm not generally into pinks because they can have formula issues; ie. being a tad thick. This one was nice and smooth and opaque for me in two coats!
Baby It's Cold Outside is freaking amazing! It is a gorgeous blue holo filled that flashes a super cool green/gold color! This one is also filled with flakies! Another two coat beauty that looks amazing matte!
The Naughty List is a dark charcoal crelly! This was almost opaque in one coat and probably could be if the coat is on the thicker side. For my photos I did two regular coats plus topcoat!
Pining for Treats is a great pine green crelly. This was opaque for me in two coats, though depending on your application you may need three.
Twinkle All the Way is so freaking sparkly It's a clear jelly base filled with micro glitter and shimmer that gives it a silvery appearance. Then is has various sized hex glitters in red and green metallic. Here I did three thin coats plus topcoat. You may also being able to wear this as one thin coat over a base.
Available in Ever After Polish's shop Friday, November 27th!


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You Will Never Starve on Grenada The Spice Isle
The next stop on our tour of the islands of the eastern Caribbean was Grenada. We were booked to do an 8 hour bus tour of Grenada. We wondered if there was really that much to see on Grenada – even for a country known as a "Grenada the Spice Isle"!
Boarding the little bus as Lewis put on his headset, we were not sure what we had gotten ourselves into. I was able to snag the front seat beside Lewis to try to snap pictures out the window. There were many times when I looked out the front window as we went along narrow country roads, up steep inclines or around hairpin turns that I was very glad that I did not get car sick or have a problem with heights.
Lewis drove us all the way to one end of the island along the Caribbean side, headed back down the Atlantic side and then cut across the middle of the island to get us back to the cruise dock. He was a great font of information about Grenada – from politics to trade to agriculture. Everywhere we drove, we could see the colours of Grenada – red, yellow and green!
It was noted that unemployment was high (approaching 36%) and particularly an issue for the younger generation who no longer wanted to work the land. We stopped many times for Lewis to show us the local produce that was readily available – bananas, mangoes and soursop. Most families had their own little plot and some had enough excess to sell. In some places the produce was left in open fields and available for anyone who wanted it. While unemployment was high, Lewis was adamant than nobody should ever starve in Grenada!
If it was not fresh produce it was "free" fish. Large nets are cast out into the bay and people congregate to help pull in the nets for a share of the fish!
Being Canadian I only vaguely recall that there was some kind of US involvement in Grenada. Lewis gave us more information about his local view of the "intervention" of the US in 1984 and showed us the spot where the US Seals landed and the abandoned airport being built by the Cubans that sparked the US involvement. One small wall was dedicated to "thanks" to the Americans for their help.
When visiting Grenada the Spice Isle, one of your stops must be a spice producing plantation. The Dougaldston Estate spice factory and the whole spice industry was much smaller than it had historically been due to a number of devastating hurricanes that hit the Island (Janet then Emily then Ivan). We were shown how the cocoa pods (red, black or green) were split to reveal the white seeds inside that were dried and processed. We also saw the nutmeg pod that grew on trees until it split and was harvested. We were told that Grenada was the second largest producer of nutmeg in the world. We learned that cinnamon was actually harvested from a tree branch that was dried on large drying trays. You could smell the cinnamon even when the bark was stripped. It was an interesting view into the origin and processing of many common spices we use ever day.
Grenada Rum – Made the Old Fashioned Way
A stop at River Antoine, the island's only factory still producing rum the same way for 200 years, was interesting. We saw the large piles of sugar cane that had been harvested by hand and tied into bundles. The sugar cane bundles went into a press to squeeze out the sugar juice and were sometimes passed through several times until the last juice was extracted.
The press was driven by a massive water wheel and the sugar cane waste was kept to be used as fuel.
The sugar juice then went into a series of boiling vats to remove the water and finally ended up in an open settling vat.
From here the thickened juice went to boilers to distill out the vapour and would make different grades of rum. The end product was either 69% or 75% Royal Grenadian rum or made into a rum punch (16%). Most of the rum was sold on the island. We were not sure we could get past the open settling tank image and actually buy this rum.
A long stop at Belmont Estates for lunch gave us a respite from the bouncing bus. We tried hot banana soup that tasted mostly of a combination of spices and not bananas. The buffet included nutmeg paste as a condiment and some people even tried the nutmeg ice cream for dessert. Having seen cacao processing earlier in the day only whetted David's appetite to find some Grenada chocolate to take home.
Looking Down From the Heights Of Grenada
Heading higher from there we passed the highest point in the region at 1910 feet and stopped for a panoramic view from Grand Etang where we could look out over the rainforest and the inland lake. We watched for the monkeys but never saw any.
The next stop was at the small waterfall at Annandale Falls. Fighting our way through the vendors we arrived to see a small waterfall coming out into a deeper pool. For a "generous" donation, you could see someone scale the cliff and jump into the pool under the waterfall.
We headed back to the central part of Grenada through the rainforest and stopped on the high hills overlooking the town of St. George's. There were several forts up on the hill but we kept going to the top for a stop at Fort Frederick.
We could walk around the outside of the fort and get a 360 degree view back to the rainforest we had just visited and to St. George where out to the bay our ship was docked. By this time we were all pretty wrung out and we probably did not give the fort or the history lesson the guide provided as much attention as it deserved.
All shaken up and exhausted from being crammed into the small bus (4.5 hours on bus, 3.5 off bus), we departed the fort. The quick trip back to the ship through St. George gave us only a quick glimpse of this port town.
We had a great day exploring Grenada and seeing the colours of the island but 8 hours was a long time on a little jitney bus! I had planned to return to town after the tour to wander around but instead crashed for a short nap. We would be in Barbados the next day for another bus tour. Too bad it was too late to just lie on the beach!
Have you been to Grenada the Spice Isle? What was your highlight?