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"The Last Knight" Premier Edition Deluxe Barricade Toy Review
General Information:
Release Date: April 28, 2017 (US Street Date)
Price Point: $19.99 (Varies by retailer)
Retailer: General Release (Toys R Us, K-Mart, Target etc.)
Accessories: Blaster; Gatling gun; Baton
Barricade is one of the first Cybertronian characters fans were introduced to in the 2007 live action Transformers movie. His relentless pursuit of Sam, his barking voice and the irony of a Decepticon transforming into a police car all worked together to make him an unforgettable character in the films. It was largely assumed that Barricade had been destroyed along the way (though exactly when has been debated by many fans) so it was a bit of a surprise when Michael Bay announced the character's return in "The Last Knight"!
Barricade is one of the first Deluxe Class "Premier Edition" figures. The "Premier Edition" label separates this sub-line from the other parts of the series such as the Knight Armor Turbo Changers. This also meant the price point for the Deluxes went up for this line, averaging $19.99 at most retailers (though there was word Walmart dropped the price temporarily to around $16 when the figures were first released). The packaging was one of the methods Hasbro used to make the figure look like a premium item.
Instead of being carded, Barricade is in a plastic tray inside a box. The figure is packaged in robot mode. The box itself basically wraps around the tray. On the right hand side (if you are facing the box) is the vertical "Transformers" logo. Above that is the "Premier Edition" logo. On the left is Barricade's package art, which actually wraps around to the side of the package. The top features artwork of the Decepticons in a group shot. The back shows the figure in both modes touting an 11 step transformation. On the left are his cosells: Deluxe Bumblebee and Berserker who are also in this wave.
If there is one thing you can say about Barricade, he does not lack equipment to do battle. This figure comes with three accessories. Each of these can be seen in the Barricade artwork revealed last year. Here's a rundown:
- The most unique weapon is an eight barreled Gatling gun like weapon. While this version just clips on (and opens via a hinge in the middle) the 1 Step Changer Barricade actually had a version of this which spun like a gatling gun. This accessory wraps around one of his forearms but it does not spin like the one on the 1 Step Changer.
- Aligning with the Police motif of Barricade's vehicle form, he carries a baton (aka a Nightstick or Billy Club). This piece has a ridged handle section that Barricade can use to hold in his hands. The side has a tab that also fits into his hand. In another section there is a smaller tab that allows this weapon to attach to Barricade. This piece is cast in light grey plastic with no paint applications.
- Again going with the Police motif, Barricade has a blaster that looks like a futuristic pistol. This is cast in a dark silver color with no deco. On one side the blaster has a tab that allows you to attach it to Barricade's hip. Given where the handle winds up, it looks best on the right side.
Robot Mode:
First let's address the elephant in the metaphorical room: the size of this figure. Barricade roughly stands at about 5.5 inches (about 13.97 centimeters). This makes him smaller than his 2007 counterpart from the first live action movie. Keep in mind that the "Transformers" world and scales were different ten years ago when the first Barricade toy was released. Overall, figures were larger and contained more plastic and parts. Over the decade, rising costs and other factors changed the scale of the line (since roughly the "Fall of Cybertron" era). When weighing the two figures, the 2007 Barricade winds up being about 4.1 ounces while this figure hovered around 3 when I weighed it. That includes the accessories. It is a bit sad to see the results of this comparison but for the purposes of this review I will focus on what the figure is rather than what used to be.
In the first live action Transformers movie, Barricade had a very atypical form for the time. His upper body had the familiar "front of car as chest" feature, but his long arms with claw-like hands and relatively small, backswept legs gave him a twisted appearance that fit the character and tone of the movie universe. This time out, Barricade has a much more traditional Transformers body design. Once again the front of the vehicle forms the chest while the arms are more "standard" with regular hands. Even his legs are much more "normal", having more humanoid proportions to the rest of the body. Overall what really strikes me about this design is how stocky he looks. The 2007 Barricade had a lot of parts that were relatively small and/or thin compared to his torso area. Here everything from the arms to the legs look thick and powerful. In a word, Barricade looks brutal.
As of this writing "The Last Knight" has not yet been released so I cannot speak to how well this figure matches up with its on-screen counterpart. What I can go by is the artwork revealed last August. Comparing the two, I am very happy with how many features of this concept art are reflected in the figure itself. These details include:
- In general, Barricade's limbs are curved with what looks like machinery and armor wrapped around them.
- The head design follows the live action movie design philosophy of giving Decepticons insect-like heads. He has four distinct eyes and panels on his mouth area that look like mandibles. This gives him a creepy and unsettling appearance that I really like.
- The chest features the front of the vehicle mode including a cage overlapping the grille and four emergency lights.
- The arms have panels from the sides of the vehicle mode on them, though in the concept art they have folded and curved to press up against the shoulders and biceps.
- Each fist has "brass knuckles" on them (I'm guessing they're actually Transformium). The right side "knuckles" have the word "Protect" on them while the left has "Serve", which is full of irony.
- The knees have armor on them that seems to be partly based on riot control gear.
- The feet are sculpted to look like boots, complete with vertical ridges in the front that look like parts of a boot's "toe box" area.
While Barricade is fairly accurate to the concept art, there are some differences. First, a big chunk of his vehicle mode winds up on his back, so none of the back detail shown in the artwork is there. Also, the artwork shows that he has holsters on his hips for two blasters. The figure only comes with one, and there are no holsters. Instead the gun clips to the side using a plastic tab. Some fans are kind of annoyed by the big vehicle mode panel on his back. I personally don't mind it, but I have seen fans find a way to remove it and have him use it as a shield. Since it is pinned in and I don't like disassembling my figures I have not done this for this review.
Barricade is cast in black, dark blue, grey and silver plastic. The black and dark blue make up most of the figure, with the grey and silver used for smaller parts like his thighs and fists. Dark blue paint is used to fill out parts of the torso, legs and the head. White paint is used on the panels on his arms and the knee armor. The chest has some light blue on the headlights. In the middle are red and blue details on the lights that sit over the grille. The robot eyes are painted red and in a really nice touch, there is a purple Decepticon symbol painted right between the eyes, which looks great. This deco comes pretty close to the general look of the character in the artwork linked above. However that artwork features tons more intricate detail such as alternating colors on his legs that go between dark and light. The deco is not outstanding, but it does the job.
There are nineteen points of articulation in this mode. This includes five on each arm and four on each leg. I was very pleased to see the figure has wrist articulation, a rare feature nowadays. All the joints on my copy of this figure are nice and tight. As mentioned above, his club and blaster can be attached to slots on his hips. The "Gatling gun" weapon can wrap around one of his forearms or be folded out and attached to the panel that forms his back.
Transformation to Robot Mode:
- Detach the Gatling gun accessory and set it aside for now.
- Attach the blaster and club to the hips.
- Straighten out the arms and legs.
- Swing the chest panel up.
- Swing the front wheel well panels on the arms back.
- Push each arm on the hinge connected to the shoulders back a notch.
- Push each arm down using the parts that connect the arms to the torso.
- Swing the robot arms up, tucking them under the front of the vehicle.
- On the inside of each forearm, there is a gap. This lines up with small tabs on the section under the robot head.
- Rotate each front wheel well section up, and press it against the front half of the vehicle.
- Swing each foot up.
- Rotate the lower legs so the bottom of each foot is against the other.
- Swing the halves of the vehicle mode's rear section together.
- Raise the panel on the back.
- Swing the side panels of the vehicle down.
- Push the top/side panels section down.
Vehicle Mode:
When I reviewed the 1 Step Changer Barricade I covered the differences that figure had from the real life modified Ford Mustang in vehicle mode. Likely due to licensing issues, that figure did not have a licensed Mustang mode. At the time, I had hoped the Deluxe version would, but alas, it does not. You can see photos of the real life vehicle from my set visit here. Now, this vehicle mode clearly takes more inspiration from the Mustang than the 1 Step Changer, but it is still not accurate to the real life vehicle and that is already a shame in my book. I am a fan of the Mustang's aesthetics and I love it when Transformers use those aesthetics in their alt modes. Here is a rundown of how this vehicle differs from its onscreen counterpart:
- The front grille is a series of horizontal panels rather than the Mustang's honeycomb pattern.
- The hood features two vents, which is similar to the Mustang, but those vents don't go all the way back. Instead they angle downward towards the middle of the hood and then flatten out.
- On the sides of the Mustang,there are panels that flare out at the bottom of the doors. This vehicle mode does not have these details.
- The rear window does not have any panels on top of it the way the real life prop car does.
- The spoiler in the back is very small, but the real life vehicle has a large spoiler with several sections that sweep back to points.
- The Mustang's signature horizontal "three rear lights" have been replaced with a single vertical light.
- On the prop Mustang vehicle the back has several horizontal panels forming a vent like pattern on the back, on this figure there is a rectangle for a license plate instead.
- The Mustang has exhaust pipes on both sides of the vehicle. On this figure the two pipes are bunched together towards the middle.
Clearly the designers had to take the Mustang and then rework the design to avoid licensing issues, but it is a shame since the original Deluxe Barricade was a licensed Mustang in his vehicle form. Interestingly, the designers did try to incorporate some smaller details I had not expected. For instance, the shape of the headlights is similar to the Mustang. Also, under the headlights are rectangular details set at angles near the front wheel wells. The vehicle also has a cage in the front over the front grille complete with a "cowcatcher" type scoop. Also, the four lights on top of the grille are found on the Mustang from the film.
The black and dark blue plastic colors taking center stage here while the windows are all a smokey translucent grey. White paint is used on the doors. Red and blue are found in the front for the lights on the grille. Red paint is used on the rear lights. Some if the nicer details include the word "Police" on top of the white on the doors. Next to that is a Decepticon symbol. Over each rear wheel well are the words "To Punish and Enslave" in cursive text. On the top of the vehicle the lightbar is translucent grey plastic with red on the left side and blue on the right. And...that's it. Now, I do not want to imply that this deco looks bad. In fact, it looks pretty good. You have details going from the front to the back, even the oft ignored rear lights. His "To Punish and Enslave" motto is iconic so that needed to be included.
That said, there are some details missing including the number "867" on the front and sides of the vehicle. He is also missing the "911" tampograph near the front of the car on the sides. I know it seems nitpicky to point these out, but remember, this is supposed to be a premier edition figure, implying a premium deco. I would have hoped that tiny details such as these would have made it into the figure. This was done with the original Barricade when his "Premium Edition" figure was released and I had hoped this would have that level of detail.
The Gatling gun weapon can be folded out and then attached to the rear window section of the vehicle. I have seen fans find a way to jam it underneath the legs at the bottom. There is a pretty big gap there so it is not too hard to do.
Final Thoughts:
Barricade is a fun figure with a cool sculpt and good deco. The figure incorporates a lot of the details from the character's on screen model despite not having the officially licensed Mustang mode. Recommended, but do not expect perfection.
- Good robot mode sculpt that incorporates many elements of the on-screen character's concept art.
- Stocky, tough looking design in robot mode.
- Cool accessories.
- Not a licensed Mustang in vehicle mode.
- Deco is good, but not "Premium/Premier" level.


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The Order of Omega – National Greek Leadership Honor Society honors the top 3% of fraternity and sorority members for leadership nationally. Founded in 1959 at the University of Miami (Florida) it has grown to over 300 chapters nation-wide.
To RECOGNIZE those fraternity men and women who have attained a high standard of leadership in Interfraternity activities, to ENCOURAGE them to continue along this line, and to INSPIRE others to strive for similar conspicuous attainment;
To UNITE outstanding fraternity men and women to create an organization which will help to mold the sentiment of the institution on questions of local and intercollegiate fraternity affairs;
To BRING TOGETHER members of the faculty, alumni, and student members of the institution's fraternities and sororities on a basis of mutual interest, understanding and helpfulness;
To help CREATE an atmosphere where ideas and issues can be discussed openly across Greek lines and to help work out solutions.
Membership selection takes place each semester and the members of Order of Omega select new members. New members are notified during a tapping ceremony at their chapter meeting. A one-time initiation fee is due prior to initiation. Those accepted are not members until the initiation fee is paid.
Members are selected by the current members each semester based on the following criteria:

subset: commoncrawl


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My mother's doctor wanted to test her vitamin D levels.
"Medicare doesn't pay for this lab test, Mrs. Smith."
"How much is it then?"
"369 dollars."
"OK. I think I'll pass."
What are the lessons here? Put yourself in the shoes of the lab that has a capital outlay for vitamin D testing equipment. Medicare stops paying. This lab is now face to face with my mother. She doesn't see the value proposition at $369. The lab has a choice. They can either drop their price or not do any more vitamin D levels. What do you think they will do?
The price tag for this test is in for a free fall. It will reach a level (the market clearing price) where the consumer and the producer are both happy and willing to interact. The poor, folks who would otherwise never be able to afford this test, will at some level find the price acceptable. Everyone benefits. The lab, offering the test to more patients, will make more money if they adopt the economies of scale that every other business in the world must adopt.
The absence of the price distortion caused by the mother of all third parties, the federal government, results in a lower price for this test. This is yet another example of the market at work, just as we have shown for B 12 shots in a previous post. Justifying lab prices to veteran shoppers and bargain hunters like my mother is a much tougher prospect for this laboratory than firing off a claim to a third party. The level of accountability for all of the actors dwarfs that of the previous arrangement with a third party intermediary. Consumers are not likely to demand that this test be unnecessarily performed as they are the ones paying for it, for instance.
Let's hope that Medicare refuses to pay for more and more care as this will move more of the medical economic system to the market where prices will fluctuate, sending the appropriate scarcity signals to the producers, leading us all to price nirvana, that place we have come to know as the "market clearing price." This price, achievable only through a free market will insure that vitamin D testing will always be available for those who need it.
G. Keith Smith, M.D.


text: Endangered Animal Rescue Fund – Zoo Animal Venezuelan – SAI Story Photos Summary Due to the current political and economic situation plaguing Venezuela, large amounts of zoo animals are dying or are malnourished. Many of these zoos have had their animals become endangered due to starvation and lack of medical care. There is not enough money or resources to feed and care for animals in these zoos. Challenge Due to current government corruption, there have been difficulties with the animals getting the help they need. The private zoos suffer because of the economic crash and lessening of tourism as a result of the crisis. The public zoos suffer the worst because of the lack of funds and corruption from the current regime. The challenge is being able to identify the needs of private and public zoos and getting food and medical treatment. Solution South American Initiative will step in to fill this gap providing food and medical care to neglected animals that are suffering in these zoos. We are presently working with two zoos and one animal refuge in providing food and medical care to these animals, and plan to work with many more. Long-Term Impact South American Initiative's long-term goal is to feed sick and neglected animals, providing them with the proper care and nutrition in zoos throughout Venezuela. With your support, we will save these animals and be able to expand our resources throughout the country. Donate To Help Venezuela Today Make a tax deductible donation to help Venezuela from our website. South American Initiative are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization commited to providing relief to the most poverty stricken people and areas of our beloved Venezuelan nation. Your secure online donation will help to provide necessary food, clothes, and more to Venezuelan orphans, hospitals, and more. Learn more about our organization when you visit our about us page. Previous Help Venezuelan Refugees | Assisting Relief Efforts Next Latin American Education Fund Share this campaign on:


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Like much of America, I anxiously awaited the results of the Mueller investigation with some hope that it would find evidence that Trump cooperated with or enlisted the assistance of Russia in order to gain the presidency. I had that hope because I'm in favor of anything legal that gets him out of office. Just … Continue reading Shell Game – Brilliant, Probably Unintentional
Author: Dan Wallace
Chickens Crossing Roads
Years ago, I received a humorous email containing made-up answers to the classic question, "Why did the chicken cross the road?" My favorite was attributed to FBI Agent Fox Mulder of the X-Files: "You saw the chicken cross the road with your own eyes! How many more chickens have to cross the road before you … Continue reading Chickens Crossing Roads
Start Your Year with a Smile – 2019
Welcome to the 8th Annual edition of this post. I started 2018 in Key West, which is an interesting place, and one that left me with a couple of things to report, but for which I wasn't able to get a picture. Actually, the first of those happened in Miami Beach. Katie and I were … Continue reading Start Your Year with a Smile – 2019
The Most Non-Partisan Thing You Can Do
A friend of mine keeps sending me emails staking out his strongly-held conservative positions, attacking and ridiculing liberals and Democrats. I feel very sad about this, but not because I think he's necessarily wrong. Like any of us, sometimes he is, sometimes he isn't. I'm sad because it's like watching someone trying to hit an … Continue reading The Most Non-Partisan Thing You Can Do
Ducks, Spades and Psychopaths. And a Little Anonymity to Boot.
When my clients are trying to solve a problem, one of the things I lean on them to do is get really clear what the actual problem is. Part of that is learning to use clear, unambiguous language. To call a spade a spade. To stop talking about "Centers of Influence" because that's fuzzy. What … Continue reading Ducks, Spades and Psychopaths. And a Little Anonymity to Boot.
What the Pope Could Have Said
I'm not a Catholic, far from it, but I want to like this Pope. That, however, is becoming increasingly difficult. Here's what he might have said upon his arrival in Ireland this week, but did not: "We are here to serve our flock. It is not the other way around. Nothing could be further from … Continue reading What the Pope Could Have Said
Second Chances – Part II
In response to my post a few days ago about the general misunderstanding of Second Amendment, I was steered to this CNN story, that simply presents the text exchange between two sisters, one of whom was trapped in the high school. https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/15/us/sisters-texts-florida-school-shooting-trnd/index.html?sr=twCNN021518sisters-texts-florida-school-shooting-trnd0853PMStory Please take a moment to read it. If it doesn't move you to … Continue reading Second Chances – Part II


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Faculty members from History, Natural Sciences, Sociology, Bioengineering and Music will reflect on the Power of Ideas at the next Scientia colloquium 4 p.m. Oct. 12.
The lectures will be in the Brochstein Pavilion Garden and are free and open to the public. In case of rain, the colloquium will be held in Herring Hall, Room 100. A reception will be held after the talks.
The speakers will be:
John Zammito, the John Antony Weir Professor of History, presenting "Mt. Fuji and Me." In an abstract of his talk, he wrote, "When I was 20 I had the extraordinary good fortune to be sent around the world on a study tour with a bunch of other bright undergraduates. Our first foreign stop was Japan. There were many transformative experiences for me there, but I wish to highlight one, my pursuit of Mt. Fuji, and the decisive role it had in shaping my intellectual orientation for the balance of my life."
Robert Curl, the Kenneth S. Pitzer-Schlumberger Professor Emeritus of Natural and University Professor Emeritus, who will present "I Didn't Do This By Myself." "When I look back over my life, I realize that I could never have accomplished what I have without the aid of many people, the nation, our institutions and values that our society supports," he wrote. "I had the great good fortune to be born when and where I was. I want to recognize those who fed me, clothed me, led me, encouraged me, taught me and especially those with whom I worked."
Elizabeth Long, professor and chair of sociology, presenting "Local:Global = David:Goliath." She wrote, "Field research this summer into how communities are affected by slick water horizontal hydraulic fracturing for natural gas introduced me to grassroots democracy in action, and showed me how important it is to preserve local autonomy when possible. This is especially the case in the face of global market forces, large corporations, and state and federal vulnerability to special interests."
John Boles, the William P. Hobby Professor of History and editor of the Journal of Southern History. He will present "Getting to Know President Lovett" and discuss how Rice founding President Edgar Odell Lovett integrated the newest information about the rise of the modern research university with his own experience in such a way as to be able to transform the vague founding charter of the Rice Institute into a blueprint for creating a distinguished university in 1912.
Rebecca Richards-Kortum, the Stanley C. Moore Professor of Bioengineering and chair of the Department of Bioengineering, presenting "Learning to Swim." She wrote, "There is a saying in Haiti: 'You don't learn to swim in the library. You learn to swim in the river.' I'm interested in how changing the way we teach can help students to become leaders in a global generation.
Robert Yekovich, dean of the Shepherd School of Music and the Elma Schneider Professor of Music, who will discuss "Turrell with Music." "James Turrell's Skyspace at the Suzanne Deal Booth Centennial Pavilion is among the most recent of his nearly 80 works in this genre," Yekovich wrote. "It is the first, however, designed as a venue for combining light and sound. The Shepherd School of Music now has a unique 'laboratory' where the faculty and students can explore the numerous ways in which music and light can be joined in artistically meaningful ways."
Scientia is an institute of Rice University faculty founded in 1981 by the mathematician and historian of science Salomon Bochner. The lecture series provides an opportunity for scholarly discussion across disciplinary boundaries; its members and fellows come from a wide range of academic disciplines. For more information on Scientia, visit http://scientia.rice.edu.


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The week began with the head of the CIA stepping down due to his extra-marital activities and the fact that it was becoming public knowledge. It's interesting to see smart powerful people who seem to assume that they can do whatever they want, however, in this case the Powerful Man was taken down because his gumar did some indiscreet things. All in all a sordid affair, and it just goes to show that Smut and Affairs will push all news off the front page every time.
Toyota is recalling a whole bunch of their Prius, so all those smug hybrid owners must go and get their super cars fixed.
There was also another Bloggers meeting with Preet Banerjee (media maven (soon to be seen on the Oprah Winfrey network)), Mark from My Own Advisor, Michael James, the Canadian Capitalist and myself and as usual a good time was had by me. There were a few aspersions cast on my ability to spin too many yarns (you tell one story about the FORTH programming language and astronomy and suddenly you are Grandpa Simpson), but other than that many interesting discussions.
Bad-ish news from the Federal Government as Minister Flaherty is saying that the Fiscal Cliff and the EU Zone cogitations, and lower prices of commodities means the Government's goals to balance the budget are not going to happen any time soon. The minister does look quite happy in the photo at the end of this article with his $20 bill, maybe he got to keep it?
Weekly Recap
No big storms this week, which is good, but still a lot of hot air from me:
- Remembrance Day 2012 , title really says it all.
- Why are there So Many Things to Worry about at 2 AM? The idea came from a discussion I was having with my mother, it is interesting how so many worries like to wait until 2 AM to really hit hard.
- Will You Be Able to Pay for Your Kids Education? Do you even want to do this? Many folks are leaving this to their kids to deal with, and maybe that is the right thing to do ?
- Bruised Credit and Nicefications do we have to be sensitive all the time or can we simply call a Spade a Spade? Yes, I realize I can be accused of being racist with that phrase too.
- Clean Up Old Accounts (redux) outlines why it is important to keep track of all accounts you have opened and might have forgotten
And thanks to those who added me on Twitter I am now over 1280 folks who follow me, wow! If you join my "Twitter Posse", you might notice I am also re-Tweeting some posts from the French Media as well (hell, if I am learning the language, shouldn't we all?).
Check out my Facebook page and find us on Google+ as well (but no I didn't buy Facebook stock). The page includes many different posts, not just my own (kind of like this Friday post, but all week-long), and I have changed it a little bit too (note the new background).
Links for the Week
It was a dark and stormy week this week, that is for sure, but hopefully our favorite authors can be a shining beacon of light for all of us:
Top Stories of the Week of November 16th 2012
The Can You Afford It ? Flowchart
Is a useful graphic from Financial Uproar, although the left side of the graphic is superfluous in my opinion.
Is This Blog More Powerful than Doubling your Salary?
That is the question Mr. Money Mustache is asking, however it is asking should you spend less or earn more? The answer is, BOTH!
Cut Back and Save Big
Is the advice from Gail Vaz-Oxlade, but remember to save that money you are putting back in your pocket (don't just go buy something else with the extra money).
|Your advertisement here send an e-mail for information to bigcajunman at canajunfinances.com !
October 2012 Dividend Income Update
Mark again bravely divulges how his plan for retirement financial strength, keep up the good work!
5 Common Myths About RRSPs
It is almost that season again, RRSP time is soon, and it's time to get back in the swing, thanks to Boomer of Boomer and Echo.
Article No Longer Available
Are Dividends Worth More than Capital Gains?
Michael James takes on a commenter who thinks that Dividends are by far much better than Capital Gains, lots of good math talk.
How To Save $100,000 For An MBA Or Other Higher Education
Mike at money.smarts doesn't really tell you how to save this, it is really an interesting discussion of the concept of education as an "investment". I may write about this myself (since I have "invested" in my daughters this way).
Tax Loss Selling – The 2012 Version
The Blunt Bean Counter says it is that magical time of the year, when folks look at Tax loss selling to round out their trading year (what you thought he was talking about Christmas?). As usual excellent advice.
Off-topic: Are you SURE you want me to drive your new BMW around a racetrack in the pouring rain?
Preet is back after a grueling filming schedule for his new TV show, and he treats us to what he does in cars in the rain. I know that nobody would let me do this!
Rogers tells client she owes $2 million in roaming fees
Ellen Roseman points out that Rogers treats former employees the same way they treat their customers. Customer Service is a bit of a misnomer isn't it?
Other Bookkeeping
Remember my RSS feed is available too, and I have added an RSS Comment Feed as well.
Have a look at my micro-blog on Twitter, where you can see a whole plethora of good articles and pithy comments by me as well. Twitter feed where I re-tweet many great articles by some of my featured writers (and make the occasional odd or off colour commentary on life (in 140 characters or less)). I am also on reddit, Tumblr, Pinterest and other Social Media sites (look for the BigCajunMan userid) as well.
If you have social media accounts, don't forget to vote for my posts (see the nifty dashboard on the bottom of each article, where you can cast your votes). As they say in Quebec, vote early and vote often!
This site is iPhone Friendly (and Android , iPod Touch and iPad Friendly), enjoy it on the go, in a readable format for the device. If you are reading with an iPhone or Android device, drop me a comment and tell me if this needs any improvements. This site is also in the Kindle US Blog list, if you are interested, not available in Canada yet (because no Blogs are available in Canada on a Kindle?!?).


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Lizzie is a fighter, a determined, brave, courageous, strong willed, hard headed fighter. She rolls with the punches and like the Energi*er Bunny, just keeps on keeping on.
Lizzie was listed as a "special needs" child because of her hands and feet.
Well, let me tell ya, she is special all right!! Her hands and feet are beautifully made and as far as they go - she has NO need!
At VBS recently, a little girl who was playing with Lizzie noticed her hands and asked Lizzie what was wrong with them. I was
Right baby girl, so very, very right!
and then she just kept on keeping on!
The other night before bed, I was clipping the girls' finger nails when Em asked if I could clip her toe nails as well. When I was done with Em, she looked at Lizzie's feet and said, "Wow, Liz, you don't have toe nails on 2 of your toes!"
Lizzie looked down and surprised, said, "WOW, you are right Emmeline!"
That sweet questioning face looked up and me and honestly y'all, all I could come up with was, "Well, that is 2 less toe nails that I have to clip!"
I held my breath for a moment and waited for a reaction.
In true Lizzie style, she just laughed and said, "Yeah! That's right! Cool!"
That's my girl!
She hopped into bed, ready for sweet dreams and happy cause Momma only had to clip 3 toe nails on her foot!
She just kept on keeping on!
However, there is one thing that was NOT listed as a "special need" for my Lizzie and that need is something that, every now and again, she struggles with - we struggle with.
That need is something that she has a harder time just rolling with and it breaks my heart when I see her struggle - cause Lizzie just hardly ever struggles.
This need is a need of the heart and it is not always evident but it is always there. We only see it every once in a while but when we do, the tears flow - from both of us and it normally surfaces when we watch movies.
Lizzie (like me) can be hard to watch movies with. She does not like sad movies, me either, but she just does not want to watch any movie that has any part in it that is sad. I do try and help her with this by not making her watch the movies that she thinks are sad but there are times when it is hard to get around.
Last night we watched Toy Story 3. We had seen it last summer and I cried but Lizzie seemed unaffected so we watched it again, only this time, my baby girl was affected, very affected and that special need was so completely evident.
Toward the end of the movie as Andy was going off to College, I looked next to me and there sat my very strong, very courageous baby girl with silent tears streaming down her face.
It - broke - my - heart!
Toy Story is all about abandonment and loss and it was just too much for my Lizzie.
I was crying too but this kind of sadness from a 5 year old is tough.
The good part is that once she starts crying, we talk, really talk and she knows that it is ok to be sad every now and again and that her momma is sad for her sometimes too and that together, we can handle the sadness and celebrate the happiness.
Cause that is how my Lizzie rolls!
The girl makes lemonade out of lemons and that is how I know that she will be ok - better than ok! My baby girl is gonna rock this world and even though our happiness together came as a result of a great sadness, she knows that we are here for her - always.
So, we snuggled together all night last night and I held her a little closer and watched her sleep a little longer and prayed that the Lord would continue to comfort her heart and help that beautiful heart to heal.
My Lizzie is strong and brave and courageous and has a huge heart and while that heart might need to heal, she has an amazing capacity to love and to show compassion and to laugh and to just keep on keeping on!
We will keep watching movies but we will also keep the conversation going and she will know that it is ok to feel that sadness and that we will love her through the happy and the sad - FOREVER!
To see more Sunday Snapshots, go here,


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In the vein of other sites we've mentioned – Luxury Wafers, Daytrotter, and Black Cab Sessions – They Shoot Music – Don't They is a Viennese site dedicated to bringing high-quality, impromptu performances by new and established artists to the masses. Their mission, as they describe it, is a pretty simple one:
Why are you doing this?
1) We all feel strongly connected to sub culture in one way or another and we enjoy being productive.
2) We all agree with the fact that Vienna is a great town but also lacks fresh representation platforms when it comes to music scenes and media projects. So we will tag the urban space of Vienna with soundscapes from indie artists and document that on our website. The combination of act and location is also meant as a guide for people who want to know more about relevant subcultural spots in Vienna.
The site features a wide-range of artists (see some after the cut), who are all chosen through a simple mechanism: "We have no strict guidelines for that [choosing]. If we like an artist we contact him or her. If the artist likes the idea of working with us we seal the deal and schedule a session." The site features videos in Flash. However, if you sign-up for a free account, you can view things in higher-quality divx. And I highly recommend you do. You can also visit them on Twitter and Last.fm. But for now, let's look at some of their excellent handiwork around Vienna:
Continue reading "Other Stuff You Might Like: They Shoot Music – Don't They"


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Something for the latest festival of climate obsessives to ponder as Syria gets called out in no uncertain terms.
The Department of State issued a withering and blunt critique Wednesday of Syria's decision to join the Paris agreement more than a year after its initial draft, reports the Daily Caller.
"If the government of Syria cared so much about what was put in the air, then it wouldn't be gassing its own people," State spokeswoman Heather Nauert said about allegations that the war-torn country used sarin gas to put down rebel uprisings.
Syria has been bogged down in a vicious civil war since 2011 and is subject to European and American sanctions after President Bashar al-Assad reportedly used chemical weapons on rebel fighters. Reports from earlier this year show that he lodged sarin attacks on Khan Sheikhoun, which killed more than 80 people.
The delegates did not explain why the country switched positions. Syria contributes a tiny fraction of carbon emissions to the climate. Activists appear to indicate that U.N. leaders instigated the move to exert more pressure on the U.S.
Nauert made her comments after a Syrian delegate at a climate panel in Germany announced that the Middle Eastern country is preparing to send its ratification to the United Nations.
Continued here.


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|Top Online Data Backup Rankings
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA – March 10, 2016 – /BackupReview.info/ — Intermedia, a one-stop shop for cloud IT services and the partners who serve them, announced today that CRN®, a brand of The Channel Company, has once again named Curt Mark, Vice President of Channel Sales, to its prestigious list of Channel Chiefs. The influential executives on this annual list represent top leaders in the IT channel who excel at driving growth and revenue in their organizations through channel partners.
Channel Chief honorees are selected by CRN's editorial staff on the basis of their professional achievements, standing in the industry, dedication to the channel partner community and strategies for driving future growth and innovation. Each of the 2016 Channel Chiefs has demonstrated loyalty and ongoing support for the IT channel by consistently promoting, defending and executing outstanding channel partner programs.
As a member of the 2016 CRN Channel Chiefs, Mark continues to demonstrate his enduring support for the channel by creating, promoting and executing effective channel partner programs and strategies. With over 16 years of experience in channel sales and development, Mark has played an integral role in the growth of Intermedia's partner program. Under Mark's leadership this past year, Intermedia has grown its active base to 6,000+ partners. Simultaneously, the company has dramatically increased the number of partners that sell multiple cloud service to their customers.
"We are honored to present the 2016 lineup of CRN Channel Chiefs, comprised of outstanding executives who move our entire industry forward by cultivating exemplary partner programs and executing cutting-edge business strategy," said Robert Faletra, CEO at The Channel Company. "They represent an extraordinary group of individuals who lead by example and serve as both invaluable advocates and innovators of the IT channel. We applaud their incredible strides and look forward to following their accomplishments in the coming year."
Mark proactively and continuously solicits and acts upon the feedback of Intermedia's channel partners. During this period, he has championed the addition of many new product capabilities and programs to help support partners' sales and marketing efforts. A few of these new solutions include VoIP Scout network test solution which enables partners proactively address customer network issues that could prevent high-quality VoIP service, and a dedicated, private cloud offering to help partners address the security, mobility customization needs of medium to large businesses. Mark drove new and expanded programs include turnkey marketing-campaigns-in-a-box and on-demand courseware within its Intermedia University training platform. Mark also enabled thousands of partners to take advantage of the industry's most generous Not for Resale (NFR) program, with offerings such as SecuriSync now free for partners.
Mark also spearheaded the development and implementation of an end-to-end strategy that helps Intermedia partners address key industry verticals – healthcare, legal and finance. These programs include bundles of products that address the specific security and compliance needs of each industry, as well as packaged go-to-market tools for partners.
"While other vendors have decreased partner commissions and margins, under Mark's guidance and leadership, Intermedia has enabled its partners to increase both," said Doug Johnson, Senior Vice President at Intermedia. "This considerable feat has been achieved through strategic investments in our private label reseller program, along with marketing tools and educational resources. Mark continues to be instrumental in our efforts to improving our partners' profitability and ease of doing business with us. We congratulate Mark on this prestigious recognition for the second year running."
To learn more about Intermedia's Partner Program, visit https://www.intermedia.net/resellers
The 2016 CRN Channel Chiefs list is featured in the February 2016 issue of CRN and online at www.crn.com/channelchiefs
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About Intermedia
Think of Office in the Cloud as your "Business Cloud Platform." Intermedia's services are integrated into its HostPilot® Control Panel. There's just one login, one password, one bill and one source of support, which creates significant cross-service efficiencies for both users and IT administrators. Intermedia offers enterprise-grade security, a 99.999% uptime service level agreement and 24/7 phone support with typical hold times of less than 60 seconds.
Intermedia serves over 70,000 businesses and has 6,000 active partners, including VARs, MSPs, telcos and cable companies. Its award-winning Partner Program lets partners sell under their own brand with control over billing, pricing and other elements of their customer relationships. Intermedia is the world's largest independent provider of Hosted Exchange.
Intermedia has over 700 employees worldwide who manage numerous datacenters to power its Office in the Cloud—and who work to deliver customers and partners a Worry-Free Experience™.
For more information, visit Intermedia.net
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CRN is a registered trademark of The Channel Company, LLC. The Channel Company logo is a trademark of The Channel Company, LLC (registration pending). All rights reserved.
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According to Luke : The Gospel of Compassion and Love Revealed
Rudolf Steiner, Robert McDermott (Einleitung), Catherine E. Creeger (Übersetzer)
Find this book at buch7.de | eurobuch.com | buchhandel.de | books.google.com ASIN=0880104880, Category: Philosophy, Language: E, cover: PB, pages: 224, year: 2001(1909).
This lecture cycle presents the most accessible and illuminating of Steiner's revelations with regard to Christ, and his significance for humanity's spiritual development. He discusses the link between Buddha and the life of Christ, a description that unites Buddhism and Christianity, not in theory but in perceived spiritual deeds of these two figures. Utilizing a historical overview, revealing the relationship between the great religious traditions, and how they have conspired together for the good of humanity, Steiner never loses sight of the Gospel's great inner meaning, as echoed in the Gospel of St. Luke: "The revelation of the spiritual worlds from the Heights and its answering reflection from the hearts of men brings peace to all whose purpose upon the evolving Earth is to unfold good will."


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NAACP Commends Agreement to Close Chicago Coal Plants
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) leaders commended the agreement between Midwest Generation, Chicago officials and environmental groups that will lead to the closure of Fisk Generating Station and Crawford Generating Station. Fisk and Crawford ranked as two of the worst environmental justice offenders in an NAACP report released last year.
The report, "Coal Blooded: Putting Profits Before People in Illinois," analyzed emissions and demographic factors " including race, income, and population density " to rank plants' "environmental justice performance." Fisk and Crawford both received an "F."
"This agreement means a cleaner, healthier environment for the communities around these coal plants,"stated NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous. "Environmental justice is a civil rights issue, and the NAACP is committed to strong regulation and monitoring of toxic coal emissions. For too long, Fisk and Crawford have been literally choking some of Chicago's most diverse neighborhoods, and some of its poorest.
"Coal-fired power plants are disproportionately located in low-income communities and communities of color, and Fisk and Crawford represent two of the most egregious offenders,"stated Jacqueline Patterson, Director of NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Programs. "The Little Village Environmental Justice Organization and Mayor Emanuel were effective in raising the health concerns felt by so many Chicago citizens. Though it was a long time coming, it is heartening to see Midwest Generation take the socially responsible path.
"The 600,000 Chicago residents living within three miles of Fisk or Crawford have suffered long enough,"stated Rose Joshua, President of the NAACP South Side Chicago unit. "This is a true victory for grassroots democracy " a group of citizens who refused to be marginalized and spoke up for the health and wellbeing of their families and their environment.
Proximity to coal emissions can lead to a variety of respiratory diseases, including asthma and bronchitis, and can lead to premature death. The average income within three miles of Crawford is $11,097, and 83.9 percent of that population is composed of people of color. In the three miles surrounding Fisk, the average income is $15,065, and people of color make up 83.1 percent of the population.
About "Coal Blooded"
"Coal Blooded"was a coalition effort initiated by NAACP, Little Village Environmental Justice Organization, and the Indigenous Environmental Network.
About NAACP
Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities, conducting voter mobilization and monitoring equal opportunity in the public and private sectors.


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Recently I've been in the mood for stories with a little more action, danger and some mystery to keep the plot going. I think this is because I love me some Investigation Discovery and crime procedural TV.
Since I'm reading romance for this blog it seemed appropriate to look into some romantic suspense. I started with The Ideal Man which was. . . just far from ideal for me. One of the reasons being because of how blah the heroine was portrayed.
I knew I wanted a heroine who wasn't just helplessly swooning over a dude with a badge who is going to save her. I wanted the heroine to have some agency and a stake in the "crime" part, so I figured finding a book with a female enforcement figure would be a good bet. I did some Google-fu and Eve Dallas from J.D Robb's In Death series showed up over and over again.
Naked In Death felt like send up of hard-boiled detective and film noir stories. Robb uses a lot of that 40's style slang that you might not be able to place, but somehow know it when you hear it. Eve is this lone wolf determined detective with a dark past. Her job is her life and she is a cynic due to an abusive childhood, she can barley remember. Eve is a lot rougher around the edges than a lot of female characters I've read, which made her unpredictable.
When a serial killer starts going after prostitutes, Eve's investigation leads her to the famous Irish self made billionaire (with a B) Rorake (one name like Prince or Madonna). There is something about Rorake that Eve just can't seem to shake, she just has to hope he's not the killer.
Overall I found the mystery got way to Law and Order SVU-ish towards the end. This is a darker book than I wanted and I really could have done without the extend scene about the prostitute who specialized in pedophilia fantasies. Just no
Robb actually does something clever with her Eve's name that I instantly caught on to. Eve's name was given to her when she was found (get it Adam and Eve) as a child in Texas (I'm guess . . . Dallas). All Eve is, all she thinks she can ever be is a good cop. Her job is her identity because she doesn't have much else.
Let me back up here. The In Death series takes places in the future "In a time and place where technology rules the world". One of the gets of this book is that it takes place in the future. A future with advanced communication, smart computers and gadgets galore. This book was published in 1995 so as you can imagine it doesn't exactly age well.
Not that it doesn't age well but it ages oddly. Eve uses computers and terminals to gather data, she has a communicator and video conferencing and messages. (. . .and something called a 'link, that now that I think about it I'm not sure how it's different from something called a communicator ).
As a modern reader you kind of glaze over this because we use technology like this everyday. You sometimes forget this book is supposed to be "in the future". To readers in 95' this probably added to the world building to a modern reader not so much. I mean if you replace every made up gadget in this book with "iPhone" or iPad" we'd be good to go.
Speaking of future world building, I liked the way Robb lays out the politics in this world. It's a great example of show don't tell. We slowly learn that in this future we've used up all our natural resources and certain foods are luxuries, guns are completely outlawed but murder still prevails, prostitution has been legalized and is heavily regulated but women still aren't safe.
Susan Ericksen (who has done the audiobooks for the past 20 years) has a deep sarcastic voice and she gives Eve this sly pulpy narration. Ericksen adds to the atmosphere of the book by giving the side characters thick New York accents.
On her website it explains that J.D Robb's secret (She's Nora Roberts, did I mention that) wasn't officially revealed until 2001. So, did people think J.D was was a man when this was first published ? There was just something about how the book handled legalized prostitution and female characters that I could tell this was written by a woman.
I'm really curious to see how this series has changed in 20 years and the mystery behind Eve's past keeps me coming back for me. I just wonder how long it will take me to read all 49 books/novellas.


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VANDALIA — The competition is fierce and the events a little odd – but that's what makes the Vandalia Corporate Challenge a fun and entertaining way to network, unwind, and have fun under the motto, "Work Hard, Play Hard!"
The Challenge, now in its 27th year, pits teams from Vandalia companies in various competitions over a week-long period that began on Saturday, June 6 with bowling and billiard tournaments at Thunderbowl.
Nearly 300 employees of 12 Vandalia companies compete for the glorious title of Corporate Challenge Champion.
"This is a great opportunity for businesses in Vandalia to come together in an atmosphere outside of work to participate in a wide variety of athletic and non-athletic events," said Jeff Kreill, Vandalia's Recreation Superintendent.
Other competitions include a punt, pass, and kick football contest, basketball competitions, corn hole, euchre, frisbee relays, sand volleyball, and others. The week winds up witha Trivia contest and cook out at the Vandalia Sports Complex on Friday night.
Each team also competes in a team fight song/cheer for bonus points as well as creates a spirit banner and team t-shirt for bonus points.
Competing in this year's Corporate Challenge are Coors Tek Medical, Crossroads Rehab and Nursing, Delphi, Ge Aviation, GE Aviation TDI, Inteva Products, Johnson Electric, Kentner Sellers, PSA Airlines, Waibel Energy Systems, the Vandalia-Butler City Schools, and the City of Vandalia.
Complete results will be published in next week's Vandalia Drummer News.


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UMTRI research drives publication of SAE Recommended Practice J2944
August 13, 2015
SAE International recently published SAE Recommended Practice J2944, Operational Definitions of Driving Performance Measures and Statistics. SAE J2944 is a foundational document providing driving performance operational definitions for on-road vehicles operated by a driver, automatically driven (self-driving), or operated by shared control.
It is based on other foundational documents such as the AASHTO Green Book, the Highway Capacity Manual, and the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices, and is supplemented with more than 300 references.
UMTRI research professor Paul Green is the lead author of this standard.
"This Recommended Practice was written to advance global mobility, which is SAE International's core mission," said Green. "Progress in science and engineering depends upon having a common language for exchanging ideas, be it the metric system, or this recommended practice."
J2944 defines more than 80 terms related to driving, such as lane departure, gap and headway. The definitions enable researchers and OEMs to avoid misleading, inconsistent or confusing use.
Read the SAE news release.


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Lorna Hollifield
Lorna Hollifield is a blogger, and novelist living in the Charleston, SC area. Lorna was born in Asheville, NC in 1986. Her biggest passion in life is writing, which she's been doing recreationally since she was about 4 years old. She began her professional writing career in her early twenties after her time at UNC Asheville, and was picked up by Pen Name Publishing in 2016. Her first book, Tobacco Sun, took the literary world by storm in 2017. You can get your hands on your own copy on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
Lorna loves living in the Holy City, and enjoys sharing her experiences with local businesses, personalities, and attractions with the world!
When Lorna isn't writing, she is either soaking up the rays on one of the barrier islands, spending time with her incredible husband and pup, or binge watching The Golden Girls! Learn more about her at http://www.lornahollifield.com.
About Tobacco Sun
Lorna's debut novel took the literary world by storm in 2017. You can get your hands on a copy on Amazon or at Barnes & Noble.
"The year is 1947. The war is over, Jackie Robinson has just integrated baseball, and Frank Sinatra breezes in over the fuzzy airwaves. A sense of relief is finally sweeping the nation…everywhere except Tobaccoville, North Carolina."
Beyond the rural fields that are pregnant with decades of secrets, a mysterious Hollywood pin-up is jailed for murder while her facially birthmarked half-sister may hold the answers as to why.
The two girls, estranged for years, share a haunting past, a shell-shocked love interest, and maybe even a cruel destiny. Through mountains of lies, the truth that inevitably comes pouring out of the tobacco leaves will come to light. Will this light reveal the path to the siblings' foreordained destruction, or their long-awaited deliverance? Will they realize they each hold the power to set the other free before it's too late?
A story of heritage, hurt, and somehow, hope; Tobacco Sun keeps you on the edge of your seat while you find yourself rooting for redemption."
Follow Lorna on social media!
Official Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorlornah
Fan Page Twitter: https://twitter.com/fanslornah
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lornahollifieldwriter/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebookishblondechs/
Lee Odum
Lee Odum, another LowCountry-loving "bookish blonde," is a Walterboro, SC native, avid equestrian enthusiast, and devoted mother to Hartman! On top of penning her first novel, volunteering at Charleston Collegiate Academy, and participating in a plethora of local charitable events, Lee has decided to dedicate her time to celebrating women who are doing incredible things in her world! Look for Lee's stories to include lots of beautiful and fabulous things, and also nods to nature, love, lifestyle, and motherhood…the things she knows best!


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Moroglu Arseven is a full-service law firm with broadly demonstrated expertise and experience in business law. The firm engages heavily in foreign investment projects, commercial and investment arbitrations, complex commercial and corporate litigation, structured financial transactions, as well as construction projects. Clients include national, foreign and multi-national commercial, industrial and financial enterprises.
The firm's primary purpose in representing and advising clients is to provide and implement clear, applicable and pragmatic solutions, focusing on the specific needs of our clients' transaction, legal question, or dispute. This includes attorneys adopting a holistic approach to the wider legal and commercial situation, integrating individual expertise and collaboration between corporate advisory, intellectual property, tax and dispute resolution teams, among other practice areas.
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May 13, 2013
Taxes and Politics: The IRS Befuddled
2 comments:
- Jonella RoseMay 13, 2013 at 8:57 PM
This is the most intelligent and in-depth comment about this issue I've seen since it came up. Chris Hayes' report also covered some of what you said.ReplyDelete
Thank you. I appreciate having a better understanding of the situation having read your piece.
- AnonymousJune 1, 2013 at 10:58 AM
I agree with Jonella Rose's comment above and thank you for clarifying this issue and laying out its history.ReplyDelete
Notwithstanding the evolution of the 501.c.4, my sense is that with respect to their handling of 501.c.4 applicants the IRS comported themselves very sloppily. I understand it is standard for the IRS to function as watchdogs to identify and examine 'areas' of possible misuse and/or inconsistent use of the tax code. To that end they have identified and will continue to reduce abuses and save $$$. I believe the majority of 'tea' organizations that the IRS examined for their 501.c.4 - status cf actual activities proved to be predominantly engaged in political activity. This is what we, as citizens of the US, expect the IRS to do on our collective behalf. Howver, in internal correspondence employees were 'sloppy' in wording their activity. There is always the possibility that the 'sloppiness' was intended so that it would be ripe for the press and political pundits to run with.


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Sony NW-S23 Download Drivers
Home >
sound cards >
Available 1 files for NW-S23
Sound Card & Multimedia & MP3
Sony NW-S23
Operating Systems
Windows Me-2000
Size Driver
File Name
System RequireMents
The computer and system software must Meet the following minimum requireMents.
IBM PC/AT or compatible (Please do not use this software with Macintosh.)
* CPU: 200MHz Pentium processor or higher
* RAM: 64MB or more
* Hard Disk Space: 20MB or more depending on the size and number of sound file that store.
* Sound Board: Sound Blaster 16 Compatible
OS: Microsoft® Windows® 2000 Professional, Windows® Millennium Edition, Windows® 98 or Windows® 98 Second Edition
* IBM and PC/AT are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation.
* Microsoft® and Windows® are trademarks of Microsoft® Corporation, registered in the U.S.A. and other countries.
* Apple and Macintosh are trademarks of Apple Computer Inc., registered in the U.S.A. and other countries.
Pentium is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation.
All other trademarks and registered trademarks are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.
Digital Voice Player Version 2.03 For Windows® 98/98SE/Me/2000
Prior to downloading this software, please read the Installation instructions to make certain comfortable with the process.
When users can not stand by them and get to be occurred soMe defects, the Sony Corporation (hereinafter referred to as Sony) can not take responsibility for them.
Installation Instructions
After downloading the DVPsetup203E file, please follow the steps below to download to install this utility.
1. Close all open programs that are running to prevent possible interference with the Installation of this utility. The Taskbar should be clear of applications before proceeding.
2. Double-click the following utility.
3. At the WelcoMe! screen, click Next.
4. At the license agreeMent screen, and read the agreeMent. If users agree it, click I Agree.
5. At the Choose Destination Location screen, verify that the download folder displayed is where the Digital Voice Player Version 2.03 will be installed.
If users would like to be installed it in the different folder than the displayed folder, click Browse and locate the correct Installation folder.
6. Click Next to continue.
7. At the Select Program Manager Group screen, click Next.
8. At the Start Installation screen, click Next to begin the Installation.
9. At the Installation Complete screen, click Finish.
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After the computer has restarted, the Installation is complete.
How to use
For detail usage information, please refer to Help items on this software.
* Please follow the procedure, and download make proper use of this program.
* This program is only for Digital Voice Player Version 2.03.
* This program is only for Windows® 98/98 Second Edition/2000/Millennium Edition.
Click here to access Official Website Sony >
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This was the promise I desperately clung to for 212 days: '…Don't be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you. The Lord Himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.' (Exodus 14:13-14)
This had been the fortune: 'You will be rewarded for listening in the next week.' — a fortune cookie opened on Tuesday, July 29th, 2014.
The following chronicles the events of the next week, a week we wont soon forget:
Continue reading (Week 6) A Reward For Listening (In The Next Week)


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Pitchfork disliked this L.A. bunch before, so they've got to be hating hard on the band's newfound refried-radio-pop-ness, confines within which this LP has worked some minor miracles. I'd check, but I've mostly sworn off Pitchfork and their tendency to take 5,000 precious words to relay such basic information as "rudimentary Strokes ripoff" when they're not twisting themselves into pretzels interrogating bling samples for content. Maybe ATE ripped off Arcade Fire and whatnot here and there, who hasn't, but here they've reinvented themselves as a cultural vacuum cleaner bag, touching on Bruce, Neil Diamond, Lords of the New Church, Gavin Rossdale, U2, Goo Goo Dolls, Big Country, and Simple Minds, almost everyone who's ever "mattered" while wafting a somewhat dark edge — if Cold War Kids had been an '80s band that dug Joy Division, this could've easily come of it. These guys really could become the next Goo Goos, come to think of it — neither a live guest shoot on the Today show nor a danger-quirk-indie-movie montage spot would seem out of place.A
—Eric W. Saeger


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Road trips can be full of fun and excitement with the anticipation of reaching a brand new destination ahead. Your vehicle is all packed with essentials, the music playlist is ready to go and you're on your way! "You couldn't have planned this trip better", you say to yourself. You're feeling good, confident and you're on your way.
Discovering new paths and never before seen sights are just some of the many advantages of a travel adventure. Yet just like on any road trip, the route we had outlined in our lives at times can suddenly change. Sure, we may have the directions and some form of GPS device to help us get there, but what lies ahead really no one knows. Life can take us through uncharted territory and learning how to navigate through this, might be part of the unknown 'new plan'. So you thought you had your life goals completely planned out but you quickly come to learn that it doesn't always work out that way. Sure, there are some exceptions to this and yes there are some people who are able to plan out their lives and are able to accomplish most of the goals in the way they sought to do them. That's pretty impressive sure and how great for them, but for the rest of humanity, it may not necessarily always work out that way. So what do you do in this case? First, you accept the fact that you have to take a new approach and make some tweaks and changes to your roadmap. Assess what your options are and be ready for some changes along the way. Perhaps you were originally on a faster lane but now you will have to take a local path and your estimated arrival time will be a bit delayed. You may experience some detours, swirls and speed bumps which are masked as life's frustrations, anger and disappoint and that is completely okay. Those emotions and circumstances are actually the fuel and battery jumper cables that you need in your tool box. They will help you move forward through life with greater wisdom and strength. It will empower you to dust yourself off, gain perspective and keep going. Before you know it you're on a new road, appreciating the views along the way and finding the beauty of a new adventure.
The bottom line is that you have the power to make any endeavor whatever it is that want to make it. That scenic route may just have the answers you were looking for all along. Embrace it and enjoy the ride!


text: Guldeniz Karadeniz Cakmak, MD, FACS, a breast and endocrine surgeon at Bulent Ecevit University School of Medicine Zonguldak, Turkey, was recently selected to receive the 2018 American College of Surgeons (ACS)/American Society of Breast Surgeons (ASBrS) International Scholarship. Dr. Karadeniz Cakmak works to improve the quality of care for breast cancer patients and to expand patient access to information and treatment. Her $5,000 award will subsidize her attendance at the annual meeting of the ASBrS May 2−6 in Orlando, FL. She also will visit the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers located at the ACS headquarters in Chicago, IL. The next application deadline is anticipated to be in November 2018 for attendance and participation at the 2019 ASBrS annual meeting.


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FC Underground 2014-'15, No. 36 (VIDEO)
Campus news via video, vlog format
This is the 36th episode of "FC Underground, 2014-15," covering the week of March 23-27, 2015. Senior Callista Fries is a third-year host and broadcasts the video news alone normally. FC Underground is a weekly segment hosted by Fries, filmed and produced by junior videographer Tim Nyberg.
Lunch Schedule:
Monday: No Lunch
Tuesday: No Lunch
Wednesday: No Lunch
Thursday: Chik-fil-a
Friday: Pacifica Pizza
The Feather won a Gold Crown at the CSPA conference at Columbia University, this is the third Gold Crown in a row for the feather staff, if you seen any staff member in the hall way, be sure to congratulate them.
CSF has a meeting at lunch on Wed. March 25 in room 626.
Sports for the week:
Softball has a home game, starting at 3:30 p.m.
Tennis has a home game starting at 3:30.
Baseball has an away game, starting at 4:00.
The annual Night Of The Stars is on March 28, tickets are being sold at lunch and in the office for $60. Pictures at NOTS starts at 5:30 p.m, Location is Wolf Lakes.
The Feather will be down, starting March 27, and will be up, sometime in May, so please forgive us for the temporary freeze on the Feather.
For these and other events, read The Feather Online announcements at the Daily News. The FC Underground segments consist of news, interviews, profiles and comments on campus life. Each episode is between two and three minutes in length.
"FC Underground" first ran in the fall of 1997 and continued until the spring of 2001. In the fall of 2009, editor-in-chief Suzanna Quiring , '10, resumed the series, which was then produced by Paige Powell, '10. After Quiring and Powell graduated, Brooke Stobbe and David Casuga took up the job until the end the 2011-'12 school year. Now, Fries and usually junior Tim Nyberg continue the segments.


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Are you ready to take a dive into a world of underwater gambling fun? Then put on your flippers and swim with the mermaids to discover the Secret of Atlantis. This fun online game offers a variety of slot machine fun that makes it well worth the time of anyone who wants to have fun with slots or who is looking to make real cash.
Secret of Atlantis Theme
If you're into underwater adventure fun, Secret of Atlantis is the game for you. Its underwater theme, which features an engaging introduction showing off a gorgeous underwater city, is fully executed and beautiful to experience. Each symbol is a unique underwater creature, such as a crab or an oyster, making this game very closely knit to its concept.
Sound effects include fish swimming, bubbling water, the swishing tail of the beautiful mermaid guide, and appropriate underwater music. It's very easy to get caught in the simple colors and excitement of this game while playing. Fans of The Little Mermaid or those who simply love underwater life will fall in love with this game.
Available at Netent, it can also be played at other online casinos like Betsson and Mr. Green. Free spins no deposit bonus mode lets you use digital currency to play for fun while real mode gives you the chance to invest real money and cash out on the big bucks.
Betting Options and Other Functions
Netent typically does a good job with its betting options and Secret of Atlantis is no different. You can bet up to 200 on up to 10 different lines. Fun players start out with 5,000 and can tweak their bet amount from 0.10 per line to 1.00.
Max Bet"allows them to just bet as much as possible every time while "Auto Play" sets up automatically play. All in all, a typical Netent set up and one that is easy to control and adaptable for your betting needs.
Secret of Atlantis Slot Features
Gameplay in Secret of Atlantis is a five-reel, four-row, and 40-line variety that allows a variety of possible winning combinations. Beyond matching 3,4, and 5 icons to win, you can also use the Highlight feature to spot specific tiles, Nudge Wilds to activate the bonus round, Colossal Re-Spins, and Win Both Ways. Three options make it possible to win and win big.
During play, there will also be a mermaid character appealing sporadically who stretches over the middle three vertical reels. When she shows up, she will help you complete winning sequences. She can be substituted for any other icon when she appears, making her a useful tile to roll.
Our Take on Secret of Atlantis
Our resident Ariel fan went nuts over this game because it tapped into her inner fantasies about mermaids, Atlantis, and she couldn't stop playing this game. The rest of us really enjoyed diving in and trying to win some pearls alongside the gold. Try it out by clicking on the link above: you'll dive right in and love it, we promise.


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Speech language pathology (SLP) is an important service within Covell Care and Rehabilitation to help people become more independent in their daily life. Speech therapists (ST) assess, diagnose, treat and help to prevent disorders related to speech, language, cognition, communication, voice, swallowing and fluency.
Communication is a huge part of connecting to others, getting our needs met and discovering information. Communication impairments can create enormous amounts of frustration for the person with the difficulty as well those they are attempting to communicate with. Speech therapists specialize in restoring communication or finding ways to enhance communication if it can not be restored. This includes training with assistive technology devices and communication equipment.
Dysphagia (discomfort and/or difficulty with swallowing) can be a severe condition affecting life and health of clients we work with. Our speech therapists specialize in improving dysphagia to make eating and swallowing safer, more enjoyable and manageable.
Insurance plans typically cover speech therapy services.
If you have questions about ST and the plethora of services available, contact our office.


text: Jetradar compares prices for airline tickets to Suriah with 728 airlines from all over the world. We do not sell airline tickets ourselves, but you can use our service to find the lowest prices and special offers with no additional fees or mark-ups. Find the cheapest flights to Suriah with Jetradar. The population of Suriah is 22,198,000. The official currency is Syp (SYP).


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The Plantmad Nursery & Garden Blog
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Sunday, March 27, 2016
Monster Grafts!
A couple of weeks ago we grafted some variegated Aralia for the first time on our callus bed system. Initial results look promising and we potted them up yesterday!
Saturday, March 26, 2016
Back in Service
After an 8 year hiatus Greenhouse #7 has been recovered and returned to service....
More potting Chiyoko :)
Sunday, March 20, 2016
Witch Hazel Grafting
We spent the day grafting Witch Hazels at Plandmad on 2016/03/19
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
Grafting some old Cherry Trees.
On a previous visit last December we found that 3 of the old trees were still at least partially alive! We contacted the land owner (Friends of the Gorge) & asked if they would be interested in us trying to propagate these old trees for them and received a positive answer. So we headed up there to collect some scion wood, unfortunately we were about 3 weeks too late and the buds of the trees had started to push. While this lowers our chances of success we still considered it worth a try. Fingers crossed!
Saturday, March 5, 2016
Time for a new Broom!
One of today's projects was custom grafting scions of this newly found Douglas Fir Broom. Always something new & interesting with plants!
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Last Wednesday, I posted "My 'Maury Povich' Moment with DNA." You have to read it to understand this update. In a nutshell, after 21 years, with clues from oral history and genealogy research staring me in the face all that time, DNA is confirming that a man named Prince Edwards (born c. 1830) of Panola County, Mississippi was likely the father of my mother's paternal grandmother, Sarah Partee Reed (1852-1923) of Tate County (Senatobia), Mississippi. Then, my cousin, Dr. Jeffrey O. Green Ogbar, sent me turning flips with excitement because of the African history he had uncovered about the Edwards Family. Details are in "My 'Maury Povich' Moment with DNA."
Hooked up with cousin Dr. Jeffrey O. Green Ogbar this past Saturday to rap about our 3rd-great-grandfather, Ogba(r) Ogumba (Luke Edwards Sr.) and future research and DNA verification plans.
Last night, I was able to finally talk with one of my close DNA matches, who had been in my Mom's relative database in 23andMe for over 2 years. Andre shares 70 cM (0.94%) across 4 segments with Mom, 81 cM (1.09%) across 5 segments with my uncle, and 93 cM (1.26%) across 6 segments with my aunt, with a predicted relationship of 2nd to 3rd cousin. After talking with Andre and his father Albert last night, I see why Andre shares a lot of DNA with us. Albert's real paternal grandfather's father was Uncle Square Partee, one of Grandma Sarah's brothers! Therefore, Andre and my Mom are second cousins twice removed.
When I discovered that Prince Edwards was Grandma Sarah's father, I wondered if he was the father of her three younger brothers, Judge Partee (1854), Square Partee (1858), and Johnny Partee (1864). There may have been another brother, Dock Partee (born c. 1855), but his relationship is presently unconfirmed. They were all the children of Polly Partee, who was known as being the cook on Squire B. Partee's plantation in Panola County, Mississippi during and after slavery. She was born somewhere in North Carolina around 1832. Again, DNA is coming to the rescue to provide a partial answer to my question – was Prince Edwards also the father of Grandma Sarah's younger brothers?
One of the close DNA matches in 23andMe that confirmed my family's connection to Prince Edwards was Elmer Edwards of Alberta, Canada. Both he and his daughter Sandra took the 23andMe test. After Sandra accepted my sharing invitation in 23andMe, I was able to see her father's profile and compare him to my Mom and her siblings. Elmer was the great-grandson of Peter Edwards (born c. 1835), who was one of Prince's brothers who left Mississippi and settled in Oklahoma. Elmer's father, Jefferson Edwards, left Oklahoma in 1911 and migrated to Alberta, Canada. More details are in "My 'Maury Povich' Moment with DNA."
Well, Andre is also a DNA match to Elmer! In fact, they all share DNA on chromosome 16 on overlapping segments, which means that they all share a common ancestor(s). This DNA match is strongly indicating that Prince Edwards was also the father of Uncle Square Partee. To add to this claim, Andre and Elmer have the same paternal haplogroup, E1b1a7a. Paternal haplogroups are Y-chromosome haplogroups, and Y-chromosomes are passed down in tact from father to son for many generations. Therefore, two men, whose fathers were brothers (born to the same father), will have the exact same paternal haplogroup. This was the paternal haplogroup of Luke Edwards, Sr. (aka Ogba[r] Ogumba / Agba Akumba), the proposed father of Luke Jr., Peter, Prince, Jeffrey/Jefferson/Jeff, Jerry, Monroe, Jack, and York Edwards.
One of the matching segments is on their chromosome 16, where they all match in the same location.
I mentioned an unconfirmed brother named Dock Partee. Well, Dock moved to DeSoto County, Mississippi after 1880. I had found him in the 1900 census. Check this out. Someone named John Edwards was living in his household. I ignored this the first time I saw it, but now it is of great significance. John was 25 years old. The relationship was not given but rather John was reported as being a "servant". Hmmmm…….
Dock's age was reported as 27 in 1880. Then, in 1900, his age was reported as 55. I guesstimate that he was born around 1855. Interestingly, he also named a daughter Hattie.
Source Citation: Year: 1900; Census Place: Beat 4, De Soto, Mississippi; Roll: 807; Page: 20A; Enumeration District: 0028; FHL microfilm: 1240807


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Meskwaki Nation (Sac & Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa) has selected Caliber Public Safety to provide an RMS for the Meskwaki Nation Police Department. Caliber will provide its Iowa Flagship Records Management System, including the unique data required by the local Tribal Council and Federal BIA. The system will generate internal reports for confidential Meskwaki residents information by tribal category, Racial Profiling reports for Police activity, and Tribal Court required statistical data – directly within the Caliber full-featured RMS. The system will also interface with the Tama County Sheriff's Office CAD system for seamless processing of Calls for Service from Tama County Dispatch. The project is scheduled to go live in Q3 of 2017.
Meskwaki Nation Signs Contract with Caliber Public Safety
By AlexD|2017-06-30T15:17:13-04:00June 30th, 2017|Client Announcements|0 Comments


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Taipei, Gro Harlem Brundtland, the first female prime minister of Norway, on Monday described the #MeToo campaign against sexual assault and harassment as a "watershed" moment for women and predicted the emergence of a new culture in which women will be believed when they speak out.
There is still male harassment of women in the workplace and the people who have tried to speak up have been silenced because it is an uncomfortable topic to discuss, the 78-year-old former Norwegian prime minister, who is visiting Taiwan to attend the Gro Brundtland Week of Women in Sustainable Development, told CNA in an interview at the Tang Prize Foundation.
Speaking with Norwegian broadcaster NRK in November last year, Brundtland revealed that she too had been sexually harassed when she was a young doctor by an assistant physician 10 years her senior.
She told NRK that the man, who was married with children, began to tickle her on the ear and neck while she was analyzing urine samples in a laboratory.
Aside from this incident, Brundtland told CNA that she has not been exposed to other instances of sexual harassment, perhaps because she became a leader of her Labour Party at a young age and people "don't dare" harass a leader.
Since the #MeToo movement, however, Brundtland said she has become aware of the prevalence of sexual harassment and believes that the movement marks a "watershed" moment for women.
"It will now be possible to have another culture developed, and to have the whistleblowers listened to. And then things will change," she said.
Brundtland served three terms as prime minister of Norway (1981, 1986-1989, and 1990-1996), and worked to introduce gender parity in her Cabinet and promote women's participation in politics.
Her Labour Party adopted a rule in 1983 requiring that 40 percent of its candidates for public office be women. In her second Cabinet term, she appointed eight female Cabinet members out of 18.
When asked what advice she has for the Taiwanese government, which is now led by a female president but still has a low percentage of female ministers, Brundtland said that when she was prime minister, she felt that it was her responsibility to increase the number of women in her government.
"This is what needs to be done," she said, adding that qualified female Cabinet members can be found not only from inside parliament, but from outside as well.
When told that female legislators account for more than 30 percent of all legislators in Taiwan -- in fact, Taiwan now has a record percentage of women legislators at 38 percent following the 2016 elections -- Brundtland said the number is enough for Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen (???) to bring more women into government.
"You have to complain about that and tell the president that she needs to take more women," she said.
Brundtland, winner of the 2014 Tang Prize in Sustainable Development, is visiting Taiwan to attend the Gro Brundtland Week of Women in Sustainable Development, which honors female researchers from developing countries and Taiwan.
Five female researchers from South Africa, Kenya, India, the Philippines and Malaysia will receive the 2018 Gro Brundtland Award at a ceremony to be held April 3.
Brundtland is a former chairwoman of the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED), which coined the term "sustainable development" in a 1987 landmark report titled "Our Common Future."
The 1987 "Brundtland Report" by the WCED lays the groundwork for the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which produced a global action plan for sustainable development known as Agenda 21 and initiated the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the lead-up to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol -- the predecessor of the 2016 Paris Agreement.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel


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Sat 10 Nov 2012
FOUND: The Cloth-Covered Extension Cords from Best Made
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In the realm of design and function (which I drone on about here often) there is no more utilitarian object in my life that annoys me than the power cord. In the increasingly "wireless" life we live there is still a ton of wires and cords and for the most part they are ugly.
As I have discovered vintage items, like old radios, telephones and toasters, I have seen some lovely old cords covered with cloth. Most of these old electronics are not the type of thing I would leave plugged in while away from home, but I have had the thought about using our modern (safer) wiring and cover them to make them more attractive.
Well, of course none of my thoughts are particularly original and someone else had the same idea and actually produced something. The folks at Best Made offer Cloth-Covered Extension Cords and they are just great.
About the Cloth-Covered Extension Cords from Best Made: "Our cloth covered extension cords are woven in Massachusetts using three copper wires, each stranded and covered in PVC insulation. The wires are twisted together, padded, and braided with a durable cotton weave. Cords are then assembled in New York using solid brass plug blades that are set in a rubber plug (which will resist chemicals and stay flexible in extremely low temperatures). Includes a Phillips combination slot mount with terminal screws which meets all U.L. 498 requirements."
I love these Cloth-Covered Extension Cords from Best Made. I just love Best Made in general. I mean you have to love a pace that sells 25 different styles of axes.
See the Cloth-Covered Extension Cords, axes and everything else Best made offers here.


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In this issue:
- Vietnam's Statutory Payroll Requirements
- Emerging Challenges in Vietnamese Payroll
- Expert Commentary: Understanding the Benefits of Payroll Outsourcing in Vietnam
As companies establish new operations in Vietnam, one of the first tasks for businesses is to put employees on the new entity's payroll.
This will allow new market entrants to engage local workers and bring in managerial staff from overseas. But payroll administration can quickly become a significant undertaking, even for those who are well versed in market expansion. Payroll compliance and the ever-changing regulatory environment are a challenge for any expanding business.
From individual income tax calculation to ensuring proper social security contributions, companies are required to conduct a variety of monthly compliance tasks to ensure that they are up to take with their statutory obligations. These areas of compliance can often be quite complex and take significant time to master, navigate, and implement effectively.
On top of regulatory complexity, Vietnam's rapid growth and desire to attract investment has led to a steady overhaul of the country's regulatory infrastructure. While this bodes well for the long-term prospects of investment within the country, staying up to date with relevant changes can become a continual struggle, particularly for small and medium sized enterprises.
In this edition of Vietnam Briefing, we discuss Vietnam's current statutory requirements regarding payment, social insurance withholdings, and individual income taxation. We go on to explain the areas where compliance is likely to become a concern for HR managers. Finally, we describe the importance of payroll processing, touching on its adoption in Vietnam, the benefits of outsourcing, and the options available to those seeking to utilize payroll processing services.


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I thought I was getting good photos of an American Robin collecting nesting material. Then I looked and the legs were grotesque--like they were made of cottage cheese. Disgusting!
I believe that this is a scaly leg mite infection. It is cause by small mites--spider-like insects barely visible to the naked eye. They burrow under the scales on the leg. Mite infections are frequent among poultry and parrots and spread bird-to-bird or infest cages where birds are kept together.
|American Robin with scaly mite leg infection. Click for larger view. Escondido, California. April 15, 2016. Greg Gillson.


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The Nativity scene is a treasured part of many families' Christmas traditions. Whether yours is a family heirloom or an unbreakable, child-safe display, we invite you to join in the fun of sharing your family's Nativity scene with us!
Take a moment on Wednesday, December 21 beginning at 5 AM Pacific to show us your nativity scene.
We'll be using the hashtag #CMnativity on social media. You may join in by posting your photos with that hashtag and by linking your blog posts, Instagram photos, Facebook photos or tweets!
The linkup will remain open through Epiphany (January 8, 2017) to give you plenty of time to share your photos and posts.
Copyright 2016 Barb Szyszkiewicz, OFS