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Contact this programE-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com Telephone: (512) 719-3521 or (800)232-3162
Why is licensure required?What does the licensure law do?Must I become licensed?Is anyone exempt from licensure?When may I start using the titles and initials that indicate my license?Am I required to use licensure titles?Why do I have to use license title or initials? Where should my license be displayed?May I maintain my license if I am not working as a social worker or not living in Texas?What happens to my license if I retire?What if my license is lost or damaged?Are there other reporting requirements once I become licensed?What consumer information is available and where should it be displayed?I am licensed in a different state. Does Texas have reciprocity with other states?When I become licensed I would like to work independently, what is required to be recognized for Independent Practice?How do I get an application to become an approved supervisor?With all the changes, how am I supposed to indicate that I am licensed?
Why is licensure required? Social workers are the largest professional group providing mental and social health services to the public. Their actions and decisions frequently have permanent, life-changing effects on individuals, families, and groups. Because of this, the Texas Legislature determined that the public should be protected from incompetent and unethical social work practices. What does the licensure law do? Chapter 505 of the Occupations Code is the legal recognition of the social work profession in Texas. Provisions for specialty recognition, private practice, and three categories of licensure are included in the law. The law restricts the use of any social work title or designation to those individuals who meet the minimum qualifications and are licensed. Must I become licensed? Licensure is required if you identify yourself as a social worker by using titles or initials that create the impression that you are qualified or authorized to practice social work. This includes using any title containing the words "Social Worker" or initials such as LSW, or LMSW. The board may impose a civil or administrative penalty of not les then $250.00 or more then $5000.00 per day for each day an unlicensed individual holds them selves out to be a social worker. Is anyone exempt from licensure? You are exempt from licensure if you do not represent yourself to the public - directly or indirectly - as a social worker and do not use any name, title, or designation indicating authorization to practice social work. The only exceptions to this are: (1) related to social work students of a CSWE-accredited school of social work, and (2) faculty/teachers at institutions of higher education, if the person confines the person's activities to teaching and does not otherwise engage in the practice of social work. These two groups are exempt from requirements for licensure under certain circumstances. When may I start using the titles and initials that indicate my license? Once you have paid your licensing fee and been issued a licensed, you may use your license title or initials. Am I required to use licensure titles? You are required to indicate your license status by including your license title or initials in all professional uses of your name. This includes, but is not limited to, letters, business cards, and advertising. Why do I have to use license title or initials? The effectiveness of the licensure program is dependent on public awareness. The use of licensing titles or initials informs the public that the individual has met the minimum qualifications for licensure and is governed by the license regulations of the board. Where should my license be displayed? The law requires you to display your license prominently in each place of business. Board rules also require you to display a copy of the code of conduct providing the consumer with complaint information. May I maintain my license if I am not working as a social worker or not living in Texas? Employment in a social work position or residence in Texas is not required to hold an active license. However, inactive status is available if you are not currently employed in social work or are living outside of Texas. Inactive status may be requested in writing any time prior to the expiration of the license, and it requires payment of an inactive status conversion fee of $36. Inactive status requires biennial renewal. While you are on inactive status, no documentation of continuing education is required. If you are on inactive status, you may return to active licensure without penalty or reapplication by putting the request in writing and paying the renewal fee. What happens to my license if I retire? Persons 60 or older and disabled persons of any age who are not working as a social worker may apply for an emeritus license. An emeritus license is valid for life as long as you do not return to full- or part-time paid employment. No renewal fees are charged, and no continuing education is required. Submission of renewal Form B IS REQUIRED BIENNIALLY. When should I notify the board of an address or phone number change? It is your responsibility to notify the board in writing of any address or other contact information changes within 30 days. You are responsible for all penalty charges incurred due to failure to notify the board of an address change. Be sure to print or type all address changes. Include your name as it appears on your license, your license number, your new address, and home phone number. What if my license is lost or damaged? If your license is lost or damaged, you may obtain a duplicate license upon written request. There is a $10 charge for duplicate licenses. You are responsible for the use or misuse of a license issued to you. Are there other reporting requirements once I become licensed? Yes. You are required to comply with all licensing regulations and to notify the board if you have a change in name, employment or change in any of the terms of a board-approved or board-ordered supervision plan. You must report if you are arrested for any reason. You must also inform the board of any filing of criminal charges, investigations, convictions or deferred adjudication, other than a Class C Misdemeanor traffic offense (DWI must be reported); of any settlement or judgment rendered in a civil lawsuit filed against the licensee related to professional social work practice; or of any complaints filed against you or any action by any licensing or certification body or governmental agency related to health or mental health care services. What consumer information is available and where should it be displayed? A consumer information sign including the code of conduct and containing information clients need if they wish to make a complaint about a social worker. It is available in English and Spanish. You must display the code of conduct in your place of business at all times. Additional copies of this document can be obtained by downloading through this website. The brochure "A Consumers' Guide to Social Work Licensing" is also available through the board's internet website. I AM LICENSED IN A DIFFERENT STATE. DOES TEXAS HAVE RECIPROCITY WITH OTHER STATES? Does Texas have reciprocity with other states? Texas has no formal reciprocity agreements with other states. If you have been licensed or certified in another state and that license was granted based on an ASWB examination, you may be eligible for a waiver of the examination requirement for licensure in Texas. Complete the Verification of Licensure in another jurisdiction (Form II). You will need to meet all criteria for the category of licensure you are applying for. WHEN I BECOME LICENSED I WOULD LIKE TO WORK INDEPENDENTLY, WHAT IS REQUIRED TO BE RECOGNIZED FOR INDEPENDENT PRACTICE? Currently the board defines independent practice as: Independent Practice - The practice of social work outside the jurisdiction of an organizational setting, after completion of all applicable supervision requirements, in which the social worker assumes responsibility and accountability for the nature and quality of the services provided to clients, pro bono or in exchange for direct payment or third party reimbursement. There are two types of Independent Practice: Clinical and Non-Clinical. Only a person who is licensed and has been recognized by the board for independent practice is qualified for the independent practice of social work. (1) An LCSW may provide any clinical or non-clinical social work services in either an employment or independent practice setting. (2) An LMSW-AP or LBSW or LMSW recognized for independent practice must restrict his or her independent practice to the provision of non-clinical social work services. (3) A licensee must not engage in any independent practice that falls within the definition of social work practice (relating to definitions) without being licensed and recognized by the board unless the person is licensed in another profession and acting solely within the scope of that license. The person may not use the titles "licensed clinical social worker," "licensed master social worker," "licensed social worker," "licensed baccalaureate social worker," or any other title or initials that states or implies licensure or certification in social work unless one holds the appropriate license or recognition. (4) A licensee who is not recognized for independent practice may not provide direct social work services to clients from a location that she or he owns or leases and that is not owned or leased by an employer or other legal entity with responsibility for the client. This does not preclude in home services such as in home health care or the use of telephones or other electronic media to provide services in an emergency. How do I get an application to become an approved supervisor? The application is available on our "Applications/Forms" web page. With all the changes, how am I supposed to indicate that I am licensed?Answer: The following explains the license types and recognitions and how to indicate that you hold such. Making Sure the Public Understands Your License Some licensees have wondered how best to act in accordance with: §781.216. Advertising and Announcements. (c) All advertisements or announcements of a licensee's professional services, including website pages, social media communications, or telephone directory listings, shall clearly state the social worker's licensure designation and any specialty recognition, if any. The public has a right to know what license category a social worker holds. The public does not, nor should it be expected to, understand what the initials that social workers typically use to designate license categories actually mean. Therefore, professional social workers, in addition to displaying their licenses, should also spell out the license designation on professional letterhead, brochures, advertisements, business web sites, and (if feasible) on business cards. Once the category title is clearly spelled out for the public, a social worker may use the initials of his/her license. License Types: Three license titles are authorized by law: • Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker (LBSW) • Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) • Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) Specialty Recognitions: Some LMSWs may achieve one of two specialty recognitions: • Advanced Practitioner (available only to LMSWs) • Independent non-clinical practice recognition (available to LMSWs without the Advanced Practitioner specialty recognition) Some LBSWs may achieve a specialty recognition: • Independent non-clinical practice recognition Board-Approved Supervisor Status: People with any of the three license categories (LCSW, LMSW, LBSW), or the LMSW-AP specialty recognition, may also be recognized by the licensing board as a board-approved supervisor. If such an individual wishes, he/she may include on letterhead, web site, brochure, or card a line following the license designation saying "Board-Approved Supervisor". Social Work Degree: It is not necessary to put the initials of one's BSW or MSW degree in addition to the license title, since an individual, by law, must now hold the appropriate social work degree before it is possible to secure the related license. (For instance, saying "J.J. Jones, LMSW, MSW" is redundant.) Examples of Appropriate Advertisements: Here are some examples of appropriate protocol for initially identifying one's license: • J.J. Jones, Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) • J.J. Jones, Licensed Master Social Worker, recognized for Non-Clinical Independent Practice (LMSW-IPR) • J.J. Jones, Licensed Master Social Worker-Advanced Practice (MSW-AP) • J.J. Jones, Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker (LBSW) • J.J. Jones, Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker, recognized for Non-Clinical Independent Practice (LBSW-IPR) • J.J. Jones, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) • J.J. Jones, Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker, recognized for Non-Clinical Independent Practice (LBSW-IPR) and a Board-Approved Supervisor • J.J. Jones, Licensed Master Social Worker, recognized for Non-Clinical Independent Practice (LMSW-IPR) and a Board-Approved Supervisor • J.J. Jones, Licensed Master Social Worker-Advanced Practice (MSW-AP) and a Board-Approved Supervisor Use Caution! • Remember, it is important for the public to know your license category and to understand any specialty recognition. Social workers frequently have working titles like "Medical Social Worker" or "Therapist". While these short-hand designations are appropriate in informal communication, they do not substitute for the state-issued license title. Do not combine license titles with working titles. • Be scrupulous in using the correct title. It is illegal to refer to oneself as "J.J. Jones, Licensed Medical Social Worker", or "J.J. Jones, Licensed Children's Social Worker", since no such license titles are authorized by law. • Ensure that you use your license designation only when you are practicing social work. For instance, if you hold a license in massage therapy, you should advertise for your massage therapy business under the massage therapy license, not your social work license.
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Improvements to the Mission Flats gravity main could begin within a few weeks if council agrees to the $1.16-million price tag at a council meeting on Tuesday.
Only two bids were submitted for the tender and Acres Enterprises Ltd. Came in with the lower of the two at $1,157,523. This is the contract city staff recommends be awarded.
If council approves the recommendations the project will combine two separate projects – installing a chamber at the pulp mill station and the rehabilitation of the airport/pulp mill lift station. The bid for the combined projects comes in slightly under the approved budget for the project.
Emergency repairs were made to the sanitary trunk main in the summer of 2011 and by the end of 2012 permanent repairs were completed. If council approves the contract work is expected to begin in May and would be complete sometime over the summer.
The pulp mill lift station services 46,000 residents on the south shore of Kamloops.
A separate project will also see the force main leading to the station upgraded later this year.
To contact a reporter for this story, email firstname.lastname@example.com or call (250) 819-3723.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Bluegrass Plein Air Painters met at Frogtown Road off Parker's Mill Road close to Versailles Road - in case you ever want to go there. (Oh yes, and after painting for 3 hours we met at Ramsey's for dinner--really fun evening.) The creek that runs along the road is beautiful - small, but with the cleanest water I've seen in Kentucky. The creek apparently runs through only horse farm fields because it has no mud or silt in it.
Today, we finally had a decent summer day without the horrid humidity that we've had all summer long and the sunshine was bright creating long dark bluish shadows as it set with golden light.
This piece will probably get some touch up tomorrow after I'm away from it which always helps one see what really happens while working on it."The mountain is clearer from the plain." Kahil Gilbran
|"Frogtown Road creek" 8" x 12" pastel on Wallis paper


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Fans of the acclaimed Ford brand will be treated with something completely new. With the arrival of new Ford products come some new infotainment features which will certainly make the passengers on the inside happy. One of them is the new 2018 Ford Expedition model which provides perhaps the latest that our technology can bring us in terms of onboard entertainment.
The new Ford Expedition which will start selling in 2018 will give its driver and passengers a completely new way of entertaining themselves while driving. They have managed to reinvent the way infotainment is viewed and have carefully analyzed how people consume media and decided to comply with it and offer it through this vehicle. So, in the latest sport utility vehicles, you will not have to miss out on your favorite events while being on the road or when traveling as all is available for you to watch right there and then.
According to some research, people's favorite pastime is to enjoy some of their favorite shows and events and luckily in today's modern day of age streaming services have become so much popular that they are available almost everywhere. Ford is bringing them right inside your car now. As they state they want to bring an entertainment system which creates an entirely new viewing experience within the car. Adding the smart TV Experience within the Expedition will completely change the dynamics of having a family trip together.
Thus, what they have decided to add in the 2018 Ford Expedition are two 8-inch monitors integrated within the headrests and making the rear seat entertainment possible for the passengers behind. The system allows you to stream live cable or satellite television using a SlingPlayer, which is directly in contact with your home cable or satellite system.
The video infotainment system is made so it could be viewed on three devices at the same time. So even the passengers who are sitting in the third row of the Expedition can enjoy watching what is being played. The driver or the people in the first row can monitor the content through the center stack using the Ford SYNC AppLink. This is great for parents as they can both monitor what the children in the back are watching and they can also disable the controls and restrict certain content if they want.
Besides using the SlingPlayer, passengers can also watch the content using other Android smartphones via Miracast. The SmartStream function can also be used by other Compatible Android and iOS devices as well. Aside from that, there are also offered USB and HDMI ports, as well as an SD card slot, so you can bring your entertainment with you and use the previously downloaded content if you wish.
Audio entertainment is also one of the priorities of the 2018 Ford Expedition and they have also addressed it as well. The car comes equipped with a 12-speaker B&O Play premium audio system. With it you also have your standard headphone jacks and two wireless headsets. So, if you are watching the same program, or even different ones, people will be able to hear their own sound clearly and not be bothered with the ones created from other passengers and what they are watching.
The final part is the wireless network hub which is a part of the entertainment system, completing your necessary setup. Thanks to it you can connect up to 10 mobile devices at the same time so the fun will never stop even on longer trips. A Wi-Fi connection is also available which ranges even outside the vehicle because the connection has a range of 50 feet.
Consequently, the 2018 Ford Expedition SUV will probably be one of the more fun to drive and fun to enjoy vehicles on the market. People with families and people who like going to trips should really consider having this car as your go-to model.


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It's fun to come across photos of the 509 in action across Facebook and other reenacting websites. This collection is from Canteen Cowboy, photographers of vintage lifestyle, food, and fashion located in Austin, Texas.
Check out the amazing photography on Facebook.
All images posted in this gallery are used with permission.


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Amazon S3 vs Glacier
- Amazon S3 is a durable, secure, simple, and fast storage service, while Amazon S3 Glacier is used for archiving solutions.
- Use S3 if you need low latency or frequent access to your data. Use S3 Glacier for low storage cost, and you do not require millisecond access to your data.
- You have three retrieval options when it comes to Glacier, each varying in the cost and speed it retrieves an object for you. You retrieve data in milliseconds from S3.
- Both S3 and Glacier are designed for durability of 99.999999999% of objects across multiple Availability Zones.
- S3 is designed for availability of 99.99% while Glacier has no percentage provided by AWS.
- S3 can be used to host static web content, while Glacier cannot.
- In S3, users create buckets. In Glacier, users create archives and vaults.
- You can store a virtually unlimited amount of data in both S3 and Glacier.
- A single Glacier archive can contain 40TB of data.
- S3 supports Versioning.
- You can run analytics and querying on S3.
- You can configure a lifecycle policy for your S3 objects to automatically transfer them to Glacier. You can also upload objects directly to either S3 or Glacier.
- S3 Standard-IA and One Zone-IA have a minimum capacity charge per object of 128KB. Glacier's minimum is 40KB.
- Objects stored in S3 have a minimum storage duration of 30 days (except for S3 Standard). Objects that are archived to Glacier have a minimum 90 days of storage. Objects that are deleted, overwritten, or transitioned to a different storage class before the minimum duration will incur the normal usage charge plus a pro-rated request charge for the remainder of the minimum storage duration.
- Glacier has a per GB retrieval fee.
- You can transition objects from some S3 storage classes to another. Glacier objects cannot be transitioned to any S3 storage class.
- S3 (standard, standard-IA, and one zone-IA) is backed by an SLA.
AWS Certifications are consistently among the top paying IT certifications in the world, considering that Amazon Web Services is the leading cloud services platform with almost 50% market share! Earn over $150,000 per year with an AWS certification!
Subscribe to our newsletter and notifications for more helpful AWS cheat sheets and study guides like this and answer as many AWS practice exams as you can.🙂


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With its impressive height and distinctive futuristic style, it is hard to ignore this multicolored architectural wonder. Calypso accommodates 407 flats, spaces for offices and shops, 500 parking spaces and even a modern church: Pauluskerk!
- Unique, futuristic style & bright colors.
- Located in the heart of modern architecture.
- Multi-functional architectural site.
Optical illusion – the building on fire!
The flaming red and orange Calypso shimmers in the sunlight and gives the impression that it is in constant movement. Designed with a sloping façade and panels of irregular glass, the light is being reflected on different sides giving the building its seemingly fluid structure.
Unusual design
It was built from 2009 to 2012 by Alsop Architects, a British architectural firm known for their distinctive modern buildings with futuristic and fantastical styles. One of the firm's signatures is to use bright colors and unusual shapes, which often ends up being the topic of hot discussion and debate by locals.
Nearby other inspiring constructions
The Calypso is centrally located at the intersection of Schouwburgplein and Mauritsweg. It is just a stone's throw away from other inspiring pieces of modern architecture such as the Café De Unie, Rotterdamse Schouwburg, De Doelen and Rotterdam Central Station.
Treat yourself to a sparkling sight and admire the ultramodern Calypso, as you discover this different and most exciting architectural gem Rotterdam has to offer.


text: Hot on the heels of Fox picking up New Girl and NBC ordering full seasons of Whitney and Up All Night, now CBS is chiming in with their first vote of confidence with a full season order for 2 Broke Girls, the comedy series starring Kat Dennings and Beth Behr. The two actresses play young, financially strapped waitresses working in New York and getting into adventures. Hijinks usually ensue. Ironically enough, this show was also co-created by comedian Whitney Cummings (star and creator of Whitney), but it sounds like this show may not be painfully mediocre (though I haven't yet seen it for myself). Either way, early fans of the show should be glad to have the series sticking around between How I Met Your Mother and Two and a Half Men on Mondays.


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Lancashire is a beautiful county in the North-West of England, it borders Cumbria, Yorkshire, Cheshire, Merseyside and Greater Manchester and has two cities of Preston and Lancaster.
Lancashire is made up of many hidden gems…
Its not all grim up North. Although to many people, Lancashire might bring to mind our industrial heritage of mill towns, flat caps, pie eaters, football and cricket.
In Lancashire we are lucky to have the beautiful countryside of the Forest of Bowland, Pendle Hill, Rossendale Valley and the West Pennine Moors. As well as the coastlines of the West Lancashire Coastal Plain, the Fylde, Morecambe and Silverdale.
There are beautiful treasures to visit, historical houses and parkland, such as Lytham Hall in Lytham St Annes, Astley Hall in Chorley, Townley Hall in Burnley, Hoghton Towers near Preston, plus the National Trust properties of Gawthorpe Hall and Rufford Old Hall.
We also have some great market towns, such as: Garstang, Chorley and farmers markets such as the monthly market in the lovely setting of Hoghton Towers.
We have a wide range of interesting historical places that you can visit in Lancashire, such as the Roman Museum in Ribchester, the ruins of Whalley Abbey in Whalley, plus the English Heritage Sawley Abbey and Warton Old Rectory.
We are also lucky to have many museums, heritage centres and other places to visit in Lancashire. More Information…


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Pleased to contribute some of my in-progress research to a forum which examines the role of philanthropy in lessening inequality. Check the article here.
A preview: "In 2015, protection of black bodies from state sanctioned violence remains an unmet challenge for civil rights groups committed to racial equality. As many journalists and scholars have detailed, the elusiveness of this goal is due to a combination of interlocking factors including: a history of discriminatory economic policies, racist policing, and political policies that criminalize poverty. However, missing in these analyses is an examination of the role of wealthy funders in co-opting the agenda of civil rights organizations that were already focused on the issue of racial violence in the early 20th century and re-directing these organizations toward the question of segregated education.
If today's foundations play similar roles with civil rights organizations, they once again risk limiting the radical potential of these organizations."
See other contributions to the Philanthropy & Inequality forum.


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I've just received the following enquiry from Mary Lurvey who, like many other visitors to this blog, is researching her family tree.
Hi David,
I'm Mary, I think your pages on Pontypool and surrounding areas are brilliant, I however am interested in Griffithstown for the reason my grandparents Percy and Nell and father Peter Durman were living there. My grandparents may or or may not have stood out from the crowd because of their accents originaly from Taunton in Somerset.
My grandfather worked on the railways somewhere around Griffithstown in the later part of the 1920s and early 60s and I know they lived at 39 Oxford Street (which still exists).
My father was born in 1927 at a place named Ashley Cottage and I know my Grandfather was on the railways at that time.
I know this is going to be a long shot but does any of this info sound familiar to you? I only have this information because I'm researching my family tree. Would you have any memories or know of someone that would? "THANK YOU" for taking the time to read this email.
Kind Regards
I remember visiting a Great Aunt who had a shop near Oxford St, also from Taunton. Would this ring a bell? Again Thank you.
I can't remember anyone called Peter Durman. As he would be two years older than I it's possible he might have gone to West Mon the same time as me; but, of course, he might have attended another school. If any other visitors to this blog know anything about Mary's family, please email me with the details which I will pass on to Mary; or I can put you both in touch if you are both agreeable to this. I don't publish the emails of visitors who contact me unless I get their permission to do so. I'm sure you appreciate the reason for this.


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Sometimes you just NEED a sweet treat – and FAST. Sure, you can go buy some candy or pre-made baked goods from the grocery store – but that involves a lot – getting dressed, jackets, shoes, strapping the kids in the car, loading them into the cart, selecting the perfect treat – might not seem like a lot, but why go to all that trouble when you probably have all the necessary ingredients on hand to make these No Bake Oatmeal Cookies?
No Bake Oatmeal Cookies
(Recipe courtesy of Sugar Apron)
1/2 cup butter
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup milk
4 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoon vanilla
3 – 3 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
-Add the butter, sugar, milk, and cocoa powder in a saucepan
-Bring to a rolling boil, and boil for 1 minute
-Stir in the peanut butter, vanilla, and oats and drop onto parchment paper paper
-Let cool until set, about 10-15 minutes
I stuck mine in the freezer right after getting them onto the cookie sheet to speed up the cooling process (and the "getting it to my mouth" process) – so after about 10-15 minutes they were hard enough to handle and test out – and anyone who loves peanut butter and chocolate will surely love these – the richness of the chocolate and the texture of the oats is a winning combo in my book!
Oh and since they have oats in them – they are not only an amazing option for breakfast – but they are also "healthy" (ok jk – they aren't really healthy – but we can pretend, right?)
Pro Tip: make a double batch if you want them to be around for longer than a day (learned THAT the hard way)


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Healthy Marble Banana Bread
Imagine the benefits of a fruit and a vegetable combined into a delicious tasting treat. One of our family's favorite breakfast/snack/dessert breads is Marble Banana Bread. It has banana, a great source of natural energy, coupled with the antioxidants of chocolate. And yes, chocolate is a vegetable in my house. I came across the original recipe in a Cooking Light cookbook. However, I combined that … Continue reading Healthy Marble Banana Bread


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Archive | April 2019
You are browsing the site archives by date.
How To Choose Air Conditioning Contractor in Colorado Springs
By choosing the best possible cooling temporary worker in Colorado Springs, you can rest guaranteed you will be satisfied with the administration, learning and framework they give. These major will spare you time, cash and disappointment so you're not sitting in a sweltering damp home amidst summer! You'll need to pick a cooling contractual worker […]


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The highest number of miles cycled in an organised calendar Sportive or Audax event.
The entries have been verified and congratulations goes to Barry and Ann.
True Cycling Sporting Miles Award goes to Barry Atha for his entry of 1656.96 miles
Billie Fleming Sporting Miles Award goes to the reigning champ, Ann Howe who totaled 980 miles.
Congratulations to Ann and Barry. And a big thank you to all those who entered!


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Marcus is now making the transition to becoming the Account Manager for Oceania for Priva.
Marcus has been a long term employee of Powerplants, and his new role will see him continuing to work very closely with the Powerplants Team and Customers.In his new role Marcus will be responsible for giving Powerplants and all of our Customers assistance with Technical Support and Project Development for Priva Products and Services. As Powerplants are among the top 20 Priva Dealers in the world, Marcus will maintain a strong focus in assisting the
Powerplants Team.
For the next month Marcus will be undertaking training in The Netherlands with Priva but will still retain contact with customers and Powerplants if needed.
Powerplants have recruited two new Team members to take over from Marcus and broaden our offering, with Backgrounds in Controls Automation and Irrigation. Mark White, with a long background in Controls and electrical automation, has been undergoing training in Priva Systems and will continue to do so, while Tor Mann adds to his vast experience in Irrigation with Training in Priva and Powerplants Water Systems.
We are looking forward to working with Marcus in his new role to further develop a higher level of service and responsiveness for our customers.


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Introduction: Removing Chewing Gum From Clothes
Ever sat on (regrettably), trodden on or come into a nasty encounter with gum?...Look no further to get rid of the damned stuff!
Step 1: All You Will Need...
All you will need is some WD-40, it works a treat!!! I'm pretty sure most people will have some lying around.
Step 2: Simple
Just put a little WD-40 onto the chewing gum/fabric and rub...If you are trying to remove chewing gum from clothes then you can rub the WD-40 in-between a piece of clean fabric and the gummed-up fabric...Don't worry if it takes a while, it usually works.
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Lynne M. Woehrle eBooks
eBooks found: 1
Contesting Patriotism
Lynne Woehrle & Lynne M. Woehrle
Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, December 2008
Format: PDF
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Shoefly Public House of Indianapolis will be introducing Longbranch in August 2016 at The Delaware. Longbranch will be an Asian Cuisine / Craft Cocktail establishment.
With Shoefly such a highly regarded and reviewed restaurant, we can't wait to see what they are cooking up for Longbranch.
link: Shoefly Public House


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Kim Hyun Joong was chosen as the star who can save my life in the time of crisis during water sports. ^^ Definitely he'll top the list. For someone who knows swimming, diving, and most of all, the good-looking man, he will for sure be on my No. 1. ^^ When they played the song 'Because I'm Stupid' and showed some parts from 'Boys Over Flowers', I suddenly missed Jihoo again. The drama that started it all, which made me become a Triple S. ^^ 윤지후 보고싶어~ 저를구출 김현중. ^^
*Turn on the captions so you can see the subs.
credits: howlovelylala@yt


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With U.S. mobile advertising spending expected to reach $17.7 billion in 2014 (source: eMarketer), the ability to effectively engage mobile users is becoming crucial. It's one thing to serve impressions on mobile. It's another to create two-way engagement that provides measurable benefits to advertisers.
Thanks to digital audio services ranging from Pandora and Spotify to NPR, there are 140.3 million people that listen to Internet radio monthly (source: Edison Research) and more than 100 million listening via their mobile devices. While Internet radio on mobile is growing rapidly, it presents a particularly challenging advertising channel for consumer engagement, unless you can tap into the convenience and simplicity of voice.
Big Market, Challenges and Opportunities
Within the market of 100 million mobile audio listeners, we're seeing a new segment emerge that we call ultramobile consumers. There are currently 50 million people each month (Source: Edison Research, ClearVoice Research) who access audio content while their mobile devices are out of sight because they are multitasking. Since these consumers are driving, walking or exercising while consuming audio content, they are simply unable to interact with traditional visual mobile ads.
Radio is Different
What many people don't fully appreciate is that radio is different from other types of content consumption. Most media requires visual concentration to consume. From a consumer behavior standpoint, that means consumers are looking at a device and have an opportunity to interact with visual content to complete an action. Audio is typically consumed in the background with no immediate access to a screen.
We see an opportunity for marketers to bridge the gap between consumer attention and engagement as mobile devices become more ubiquitous in daily life and require less hands-on interaction. Marketers can tap into the power of interactive audio to motivate, engage and convert consumers while ultramobile.
Capture Attention and Motivate Action. Then What?
Marketers rely on advertising creative and targeting to breakthrough the clutter, capture consumers' attention and motivate action. Beyond motivating consumers, advertisers must ensure that the friction (or obstacles) to conversion do not exceed the motivation level. All advertising that reaches consumers will fall on a spectrum of motivation. Some will be highly motivated by the offer, while others will be lightly motivated or somewhere in between. The lower the level of friction to convert, the more of those consumers will be captured. This is where the method to maintain attention and convert comes into play.
Maintain Attention by Reducing Engagement Friction
Conversion methods often involve other stakeholders to execute them effectively. But ignore conversion friction at your peril. High friction in the conversion process reduces customer acquisition and renders the creative process ineffective. The question for every marketer should be: "What methods are you employing to make it easier for consumers to act on your message?"
In audio advertising, conversion friction remains high. For traditional radio, the only way for a consumer to engage with an advertised offer is to remember an 800 number or website URL. Internet radio reduces this friction somewhat by having an on-screen tile to click. However, the 79% of listeners (source: comScore) who use smartphones still must take the device out of their pocket or purse, key in their PINs, open the app and then click. It is neither convenient nor spontaneous, resulting in higher friction and fewer conversions.
Convert Spontaneous Interest Through Voice
Consumers today are fickle and overloaded with offers so even great creative that captures their attention often doesn't yield conversions. Advertisers have been missing a tool for audio that can easily turn consumer attention into conversion.
With interactive audio ads, ultramobile users can respond with phrases like "call now," "download app" or "send coupon" to instantly connect them with offers through call centers or actionable pages. This new audio advertising format provides marketers with a way to engage the ultramobile consumer who would not be able to interact with traditional mobile advertisements. Interactive audio ads reduce conversion friction and make consumer interactions simple, spontaneous and convenient. The ad format also fosters two-way communication that enhances the relationship between consumers and brands. Marketers can also measure the results and determine the ROI of various campaigns to continuously improve future marketing endeavors.
The possibilities for interactive audio consumption grow as mobile devices become more ingrained in all aspects of our busy lives. The better marketers can connect with consumers on their terms and find ways to seamlessly integrate advertising messages into everyday lives, the more opportunity there is to engage. Interactive audio services will pave the way for a new wave of mobile advertising that motivates interaction, maintains attention and facilitates conversion.


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Mercedes-Benz Amg Gt | GT C 2dr Auto
Mercedes-Benz Amg Gt Overview
I would like all maintenance and service costs included
Initial Rental (Personal)
£22,420.80 inc VAT
Initial Rental (Business)
£18,684.00 ex VAT
Contract Length
48 Months
Processing fee
£199.99 ex VAT
Standard Options
- Electric front windows, one touch / obstruction sensor
- Green tinted glass
- Heated rear window with timer
- Rain sensor windscreen wipers
- 3 stage electronic stability programme
- Acceleration skid control
- Active braking assist
- Adaptive brake assist with hold function and hill start assist
- AMG high performance braking system - 390X36mm front brake discs and 360X26mm with rear brake discs
- Anti lock braking system (ABS) with brake assist
- Auto hold function
- Brake assist (BAS) with brake servo assistance
- Brake calipers with AMG lettering painted in red
- Electric parking brake with automatic release when moving off
- AMG floor mats with AMG lettering
- AMG Ride Control sports suspension with adjustable damping system
- Bluetooth interface for hands free telephone
- Active distance assist DISTRONIC
- Active lane keeping assist
- AMG Dynamic drive mode selector
- Attention assist - Monitors steering behaviour and long journey fatigue
- Blind spot assist
- Collision prevention assist plus
- Cruise control with variable speed limiter
- DYNAMIC SELECT with driving programs (Slippery, Comfort, Sport, Sport , Race and individual)
- Front and rear parking sensors with camera
- Parktronic audio/visual front and rear parking aid
- AMG drive unit centre console in V8 style with touch display switches, large surround in silver chrome, inner area finished in matte black
- Contactless boot opening
- ECO start/stop function
- 10.25" media display
- 12.3" digital instrument cluster display
- Brake wear warning display
- COMAND HDD navigation with touchpad, CD/DVD/Radio, media interface, linguatronic, lane assist, Wifi hotspot online
- Mercedes connect me with remote online
- Mercedes me connect including emergency call system, accident recovery, breakdown management and maintenance
- Multi function trip computer
- Outside temperature gauge
- Service indicator (ASSYST)
- Smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay
- Traffic sign assist
- Body colour door mirrors
- Exterior mirrors heated and electronically adjustable
- Lithium-ion battery
- Petrol Particulate Filter
- 2 USB ports
- Bluetooth audio streaming
- Burmester 10 speaker surround sound system
- DAB digital radio tuner
- Steering wheel mounted remote controls
- AMG bodystyling
- AMG Performance exhaust with switchable two trapezoidal twin tailpipes
- AMG side sill panel inserts in matt iridium silver
- AMG specific radiator grille
- Body colour bumpers
- Dynamically - shaped side sill panel in vechicle colour with matte aluminium silver inserts
- GT C lettering on boot lid
- Horizontal fins in side air inlets - silver chrome
- Rear aerofoil electrically extending
- Retractable rear spoiler
- Solid paint
- Sporty diffuser with trim strip in matte iridium silver
- Sporty front apron in jet wing design with front splitter in silver chrome
- V8 BITURBO lettering on front wings
- Wind deflector
- Adaptive brake lights
- Automatic headlamp activation
- High beam assist
- Integrated LED indicators in door mirrors
- LED High performance headlamps with adaptive highbeam assist
- LED tail lights
- Air quality control system
- Airscarf
- Thermotronic automatic climate control
- Soft top - Black
- 12V socket in centre console
- 2 cupholders in front centre console
- 3 spoke AMG Performance flat bottom steering in black nappa leather/Dinamica microfibre/silver aluminium gearshift,touch control,12 o'clock mar
- AMG aluminium gear shift paddles
- AMG emblem embossed in front centre armrest
- Black fabric rooflining
- Driver and front passenger seat armrests
- Front and rear AMG brushed stainless steel illuminated door sill panels with AMG lettering
- Lockable/illuminated glovebox
- Nappa leather upholstery
- Steering column electrically adjustable for height and reach
- Storage compartment in centre console
- touchpad
- Interior light
- AMG Night pack - AMG GT Roadster
- AMG Silver chrome pack - AMG GT Roadster
- Anti theft protection pack - AMG GT
- Memory pack - AMG GT
- Mirror pack - AMG GT
- Airbags - driver and front passenger
- Automatic front passenger airbag deactivation
- Black seat belts
- Driver and front passenger side airbags combined thorax/pelvis
- Drivers knee airbag
- First aid kit
- Passenger knee airbag
- Pre-safe system
- Tyre pressure monitoring system
- Warning triangle
- AMG sports seats with integrated head restraints and optimised lateral support
- Heated front seats
- Integrated front head restraints
- Alarm system/interior protection/immobiliser
- Keyless Go access/ignition system
- Keyless Go starting function
- Remote central locking
- AMG electronic rear axle limited slip differential lock
- AMG rear axle steering
- Sunvisors with vanity mirror, illuminated and pivotable side window
- Summer tyres
- 19" front / 20" rear forged AMG 10 twin spoke design matt black alloy wheels
- TIREFIT with tyre inflation compressor
Technical Options
- HC+NOx: N
- Noise Level dB(A): 72
- NOx: 0.018
- Particles: 0.0003
- Standard Euro Emissions: EURO 6
- Bore: 83
- Catalytic Convertor: True
- Compression Ratio: 9.5:1
- Cylinder Layout: V8
- Cylinders: 8
- Engine Layout: NORTH SOUTH
- Fuel Type: TWIN TURBO
- Gears: 7 SPEED
- Number of Valves: 32
- Stroke: 92
- Valve gear: DOHC
- EC: True
- EC Combined: 22.6
- EC Extra Urban: 28.5
- EC Urban: 16.9
- WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Medium - Max: 19.3
- WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Medium - Min: 12.7
- WLTP - MPG - Comb: 11.2
- WLTP - MPG - Comb - Max: 12.1
- WLTP - MPG - Comb - Min: 12.9
- WLTP - MPG - Low - Min: 12.9
- WLTP - MPG - Medium: 12.9
- Any aspect of the vehicles safety cause concern?: Data Not Available
- Based On ID: N
- Coin Description: N
- Coin Series: GT C
- Man Corrosion Perforation Guarantee - Years: 30
- Manufacturers Paintwork Guarantee - Years: 3
- NCAP Adult Occupant Protection %: N
- NCAP Child Occupant Protection %: N
- NCAP Overall Rating - Effective February 09: 557
- NCAP Pedestrian Protection %: 4.0
- NCAP Safety Assist %: M1
- Service Interval Frequency - Months: N
- Special Edition: Data Not Available
- Special Order: Data Not Available
- Standard manufacturers warranty - Mileage: 999999
- Standard manufacturers warranty - Years: 3
- This vehicle is classed as a car for VED purposes: 12
- Timing Belt Interval Frequency - Months: N
- Timing Belt Interval Mileage: N
- 0 to 60: Data Not Available
- 0 to 62: 3.7
- Engine Power KW: 410
- Engine Power RPM: 5750
- Engine Torque LBS.FT: 502
- Engine Torque MKG: 69.3
- Engine Torque NM: 680
- Engine Torque RPM: 2100
- PS: True
- Top Speed: 196
- Alloys?: True
- Space Saver?: Data Not Available
- Tyre Size Front: 265/35 R19
- Tyre Size Rear: 305/30 R20
- Tyre Size Spare: TYRE REPAIR KIT
- Wheel Style: 10 TWIN SPOKE
- Wheel Type: 20" ALLOY
- Height: 1260
- Height (including roof rails): N
- Length: 4551
- Turning Circle - Kerb to Kerb: 12.1
- Wheelbase: 2630
- Width (excluding mirrors): 2007
- Width (including mirrors): 2075
- Boot Capacity Saloons: 165
- Fuel Tank Capacity (Litres): 75
- Gross Vehicle Weight: 1940
- Luggage Capacity (Seats Up): N
- Max. Roof Load: N
- Max. Towing Weight - Braked: N
- Max. Towing Weight - Unbraked: N
- Minimum Kerbweight: 1735
- No. of Seats: 2
- Payload: 205
Mercedes-Benz Amg Gt OPEN TO EXCITEMENT (55/100)
The Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster looks to be a deeply desirable open-topped supercar if you're the kind of buyer who wants a real experience at the wheel. Jonathan Crouch looks at what's on offer.
Ten Second Review
The AMG GT Roadster is a classic open-top supercar that builds purposefully on the heritage of its SLS predecessor. It's uncompromising, intoxicating and very, very fast.
The first Mercedes was a racing car. Ever since, the brand has had competition in its bloodline, drawn upon throughout a rich history of motorsport-orientated coupes and convertibles. Cars like this one, the Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster. Mercedes-AMG is a brand that enthusiasts may now be used to, its primary focus being the creation of high performance versions of usually mundane Mercedes models. Every so often though, this Affalterbach division gets let off the leash to do its own thing and on the first occasion that happened, we got something very special - the SLS of 2009. The follow-up to that car was the Mercedes-AMG GT coupe model of 2015, which aimed to replicate its predecessor's level of excellence at lower prices and with much greater production volume. Here, in the form of this Roadster model, we've got the open-topped version of that car.
Driving Experience
As with any AMG model, it's the engine that defines this car, a 4.0-litre biturbo V8 offering 476bhp in the base 'GT' model, 522bhp in the 'S' model and 557bhp in the 'GT C' variant. It's a glorious-sounding powerplant with a lavishly intoxicating soundtrack that will never let up as you power to 62mph in around 4s en route to a top speed that would be around 190mph on a track or an empty autobahn. All this frantic potential is harnessed by an 'AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT' 7-speed paddleshift auto gearbox with transmission toys that include a 'RACE START' launch control feature and software that blips the throttle on downshifts to the evocative accompaniment of popping and banging from the switchable AMG Performance exhaust system. The exhaust note is one of the parameters influenced by the various settings of the car's 'AMG DYNAMIC SELECT' driving mode system, this being one of those set-ups that can alter throttle response, steering feel, gearshift timings and stability control thresholds to suit the way you want to drive. On a 'GT C' variant, the set-up controls the damping too, courtesy of an 'AMG RIDE CONTROL' adaptive damping system we think you'll need to keep this car in check at speed over bumpier surfaces. It's on roads like these that you'll also appreciate this car's rear axle differential lock, a feature that's electronically-controlled in the 'GT C' model for quicker response.
Design and Build
Any supercar must be an eye-catching thing. The old SLS Roadster certainly was and, like that car, this GT Roadster model makes quite an impression at first glance. It's shorter and narrower than its predecessor, with aesthetic aggression that's ramped up several more degrees. Get one of these in your mirrors and you'd move over. Quickly. The fabric roof gives the GT model's profile a subtly different line when raised, but the look is still handsome and the hood can be lowered in just 11 seconds to fold neatly away beneath the rear deck. Take a seat behind the wheel and the SLS underpinnings are betrayed by the way the designers have had to retain that car's huge over-sized central transmission tunnel, which comes in a choice of chromed, high-gloss or, as in this case, carbon finishes. In a nod to the V8 engine up-front, it features eight 'AMG DRIVE UNIT' control buttons laid out in a V-formation. The AMG performance front seats are optionally available with the AIRSCARF neck-level heating system, which makes open-air driving enjoyable even in low outside temperatures. The air vent is seamlessly integrated into the seat's head restraint area. To meet the individual preferences of customers, the temperature of the warm airflow can be set in three stages.
Market and Model
Expect to pay a premium of around £12,000 for this Roadster model over the standard Mercedes-AMG coupe. This means that by the time you've allowed for a few well-chosen extras, you'll need to work with a budget of around £114,000 for the base GT Roadster, about £127,000 for the GT S version and around £142,000 for the more potent GT C model. Both models of course are very well equipped. Whichever one you choose, you can expect to find LED High Performance headlamps and heated sports seats trimmed with nappa leather and featuring electric adjustment and memory settings. Plus there's THERMATONIC' climate control, an electrically extending rear aerofoil, an anti-theft protection package and an 'AMG Performance' exhaust that can be made louder by opening flaps inside the system at the touch of a button on the centre console. You also get an 8.4-inch centre dash screen via which you operate the standard COMAND Online' system, which includes a DAB radio, a CD and DVD player, satellite navigation with 3D mapping and 'Live Traffic Information. The system will access various Mercedes apps, has connections for USB sticks and SD cards and includes integrated wifi with links to Facebook, Google Maps and weather updates.
Cost of Ownership
You'd expect this Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster to be more efficient than its SLS predecessor. It's around 100kgs lighter, with an engine 2.2-litres smaller and a power output that's up to 91bhp down on its gull-winged predecessor. Nevertheless, you might still be surprised by just how much the engineers from Affalterbach have achieved here, given that they were tasked with creating an open-topped supercar that would be just as quick as the one it replaced. Some stats will help illustrate the point. The kind of returns the old SLS Roadster delivered - around 20mpg on the combined cycle and well over 310g/km of CO2 - remain better than those you'd get from a Maserati Gran Cabrio of today and these kinds of figures remain close to the sort of readings you'd also still find with some of today's Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Aston Martins. Even the supposedly more efficient powerplants you get in the latest McLarens or Audi R8s still put out CO2 figures in the 260 to 270g/km bracket and can't crack 25mpg on the combined cycle. It's possible to share Mercedes-AMG's quiet satisfaction then, in readings that see the standard version of this GT Roadster delivering figures that aren't really very much different from those of the C 63 Cabriolet model that shares its same 4.0-litre V8 biturbo engine. Think 30mpg on the combined cycle and 219g/km of CO2 from the base GT version.
The second Roadster designed and built by Mercedes' AMG division is very different from the first. The old SLS drop-top could be both supercar and a Continental cruiser, but with this AMG GT, you sense from the beginning a refining of priorities. It's raucous, raw and uncompromising in its driver focus. As one writer put it, 'it's Merc's Mustang'. You'll either like that or you won't. If you don't, your Mercedes sales person will walk you gently over to the other side of the showroom where you can take your seat in the brand's more laid back SL roadster, the Benz that's freed up this car to be the road racer it is. The SL's a very nice machine, but it can't provide the memorable, white-knuckle, thrilling experience that it's possible to enjoy in a GT Roadster. It's the kind of car that enthusiasts will still be talking about a century from now. There isn't anything more than that that needs to be said.
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Project Success in Complex, Pan-European Payments and Cash Management
by Gregory Cronie, Head of Sales Cash Management Corporate Clients Netherlands, ING Commercial Banking
In the last edition of TMI, Peter van Rood and Gerrit Gramser of AkzoNobel described their process for defining their cash management objectives, appointing regional banking partners, and implementing the first stages of their payments and cash management project. ING was delighted to be appointed as AkzoNobel's European cash management bank and is proud to be supporting AkzoNobel in its transformation project. In this article, we look at the AkzoNobel cash management project in more detail, illustrating how we work with our multinational clients with implementation needs in multiple countries.
ING received AkzoNobel's request for proposal (RFP) for European cash management in December 2008 and we submitted our response in March 2009. Over the next few weeks, we provided clarification on our products and services, and provided details of reference customers. As a consequence of this process, we were included in a shortlist with four other banks, and presented our solution as part of a 'beauty parade' in June 2009. The shortlist was reduced further and we conducted a series of workshops with AkzoNobel addressing specific aspects of our solution. ING was then appointed as AkzoNobel's European cash management bank in June/July 2009.
For ING, fulfilling a client's needs and expectations starts at the point of first engagement. Therefore, on receiving AkzoNobel's RFP, we put together a deal team comprising professionals from sales, relationship management, implementation and project management, supported by senior management, who would be able to manage AkzoNobel's project from bid to implementation. This proved a highly successful strategy, not only to ensure that AkzoNobel received all the information they needed to support their initial decision, but to facilitate a rapid implementation. The cash management project had to be aligned with other elements of the treasury transformation project, specifically the in-house bank and SAP implementation, so we had to start immediately in order to facilitate an April 2010 live date. Without the deal team in place right from the start, it would have been difficult to bring the necessary individuals up to speed in time to support the project timescales.
Scope and complexity
The project includes local and overlay cash pools that will allow AkzoNobel to centralise its cash across 27 countries. In addition, the payment factory is being extended from four countries to cover commercial payments in 27 countries, and support both local and central services. SWIFT is being used as the bank communication platform across the group.
A project of this scope and complexity inevitably brings challenges, one of which is how to manage the payment factory and cash management requirements at a pan-European level, whilst also ensuring that local needs are accommodated. It quickly became clear that although the pan-European elements of the project had been defined, there were additional requirements that were not fully clear during the RFP phase. To address this, ING took a flexible approach, and undertook a series of scoping sessions covering each location, involving local controllers, to understand the specific issues in each country. This then enabled us to formulate a detailed project scope that satisfied the needs of group treasury and local business units.


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Monday, March 03, 2014
Carry on Jersey
A lot of carry on has been going on in Jersey since my last post at the end of November 2013. I'm not sure whether the island has lurched towards independence, but certainly there are things going on that should not be acceptable in any civilised society.
I'll try and fill in developments below under a few relevant headings.
Stuart Syvret
When we left Stuart, he was languishing in La Moye prison, serving a sentence of three months for contempt of court. His contempt was not removing some thirty specified posts from his blog, and also, of course, not doing the court the courtesy of turning up for the hearing.
So, technically he was jailed for contempt. But that is like saying that Gandhi was jailed for disrupting the traffic. You have to look behind the civil disobedience to discern the cause that is being pursued. In Gandhi's case this was getting rid of the British and in Stuart's the exposure, and ultimately replacement, of a corrupt oligarchy which, inter alia, was responsible for decades of perpetration and coverup of child abuse on the island.
Stuart served two of the three months and is currently out of jail. The contempt basis, which could have allowed him to be rejailed at the drop of a hat, is now somewhat in doubt as his blog has been taken down by its host, Google, on foot of a very dubious legal piece of paper which the Jersey administration waved in front of them.
Stuart was asked to take down about thirty specified blog posts and when he did not, Google suspended his blog. In forwarding him the request, Google inadvertently revealed that the Jersey administration had been attempting to get the blog taken down since 2008, which was when Stuart posted the affidavit of suspended Jersey Police Chief, Graham Power, QPM. So this has been a long war of attrition, and it's not over yet. It remains to be seen if Google will see through the stroke that's been pulled on them, where the Jersey legal firm Appleby appear to have served a court judgement based on libel whereas the whole case was brought under Data Protection Legislation, an entirely different matter.
Stuart's blog, minus most of the comments, has mysteriously popped up again in the newly created blog of Erlan Verhooten, and work is underway to have the full thing hosted again via a safe ISP, and formally outside of Stuart's control, though he would, of course, envisage continuing to post on the new blog.
As far as timing is concerned, the administration appear to have desperately wanted the blog out of the way before the beginning of the Committee of Inquiry into "historic" child abuse on the island. The devastating evidence in Stuart's posts, along with other documentary evidence in his possession, promised to make for a very uncomfortable inquiry for the administration. They are also in the process of trying to bankrupt him before the general election in October 2014 so that he will be disqualified from standing for election, should he wish to do so.
Deputies Pitman
As we saw in November, Deputies Trevor and Shona Pitman were effectively bankrupted when they unjustly lost their libel case against the Jersey Evening Post for publishing a cartoon stating that they only entered politics for the money. Since then they have been refused leave to appeal to the UK Privy Council by a Jersey court. Funny thing that.
Visiting UK Parliamentary Justice Committee
The report of the vising UK Parliamentary Justice Committee has now been published, and, as expected, it says that all is rosy in the garden that is Jersey and, if anyone has any complaints, they should take them up with the Jersey authorities. The Committee is thus referring all complaints back for judgement by those against whom the complaints are made. This is, in some strange way, supposed to be a manifestation of the British monarch taking seriously her duty to ensure good governance on the island.
The Vulnerable Lady
The vulnerable lady, who was the principal subject of my last post, is still on the run on the mainland. She has had some temporary "relief" from her life outdoors and has moved into accommodation, but, as a result of the trauma inflicted on her earlier, she is not adjusting well to this indoor existence and is feeling the need to go back to her homeless outdoor life.
She has been working hard on her blogs since November and the experiences she is revealing, sometimes in graphic detail, are quite horrific. They would make you very angry on her behalf and make you wonder how she's still there at all. But, as I said before, for all her afflictions, she is a tough lady and is, so far, toughing it out. She is intelligent and articulate and has a flair for descriptive writing, so her journals are a good, if tough, read, and her descriptions of happier times would make you cry for what she has lost, or, more correctly, what has been taken from her.
The constitutional crisis, precipitated by revelations of how she was treated, rumbles on. The Dean has been restored to his palace after Bishop Dakin was clobbered by a combination of civilian and clerical enemy fire, and the Jersey Deanery has been transferred, supposedly pro tem, to the Canterbury archdiocese, and put under the wing of the Dean's friend, Bishop Trevor Wilmot.
The Steel Report, commissioned by the Winchester diocese, is presumably completed but has not been published, having become embroiled in some lagal wrangle, which may never be sorted out.
Teresa Rodrigues & Curtis Warren
Now this is a very strange one. Out of the blue, a former Portugese drugs counsellor at La Moye prison, has claimed that she had an ongoing sexual relationship, or mushy mushy time as she described it, with jailed drug smuggler Curtis Warren. This has given rise to a storm, in which she is both praised and criticised, but, more importantly, raises questions about the running of the prison some years ago.
It is said that she raised the matter, in a national newspaper, in order to pre-empt some worse stuff that was about to come out. That poor unfortunate Ian Le Marquand is, again, the minister in the firing line and he has so far been true to form as his coy and confusing self. This one will rumble on awhile.
The BBC (UK) has been re-running the 1980s TV detective series "Bergerac", but in response to all the Savile stuff and given that most of the series was set in Jersey, with police HQ in the notorious then recently almost vacated Haut de la Garenne, the Corporation has decided not to rescreen almost three quarters of the series. This is supposed to indicate the Corporation's sensitivity to the feelings of abuse survivors, but it seems to me more like a big Savile funk and an attempt to stay below the radar.
The local branch of the BBC in Jersey has been most reluctant, one could even say absolutely refused, to rock the boat on the island, particularly in relation to Haut de la Garenne. This is only one of the institutions which were being investigated by the former police team, Lenny Harper and Graham Power, with no help from the Corporation. Power was sacked and Harper rubbished by the administration in an attempt to stymie the first real investigation of abuse in decades.
In a recent interview, John Nettles, Bergerac to you, has suggested the BBC are going over the top in postponing screening of most of the old series. He has referred to the "debacle" of Haut de la Garenne, by which he means not the abuse but the stymied investigation. He also gives the impression that he thinks this whole Savile thing is overplayed. I wonder why.
Just in passing, it is worth mentioning that Emma Martins, the Jersey Data Protection Commissioner, is Nettles's daughter, and it was she who orchestrated the recent court case against Stuart Syvret which led both to his imprisonment and the taking down of his blog. She has publicly admitted to taking advice from her father relating to her professional duties.
I am not a Nettles fan, but was impressed by his recent book on the German occupation of the Channel Islands during WWII. How he can have such a cavalier attitude to a matter of such import as systematically covered up child abuse is beyond me. History, which he claims to respect, will judge him harshly in this.
Leah McGrath Goodman is primarily a financial journalist. She came to Jersey from the financial angle but became interested in the area of child abuse and is currently writing a book about the Jersey set up. She has recently published the first instalment of a three part series on the island in Newsweek. It is written with great understanding and care, and the next two parts promise to be as riveting as the first one. Assuming they are not spiked.
She had started a blog but appears to have given it up. This is not surprising as blogs are very time consuming and the Jersey bloggers are doing a fantastic job in that area in the face of both overt and covert opposition.
While I only intend doing the odd post in this series, I am inclined to poke more regularly at my page of Jersey cartoons, where the illustrations are accompanied by descriptive text.
You can stay up to date by keeping an eye on these cartoons.
Which reminds me that they are also due an update now.
As I have now done a few posts on Jersey and don't intend repeating myself, I have assembled these in a single new blog for the convenience of my readers.
3 comments:
- Church Survivor said...
The vulnerable lady is blushing at the description :)
- 4 March 2014 at 00:08
Brilliant, insightful and honest appraisal of this corrupt rock!
- 4 March 2014 at 17:38
- Póló said...
No need to blush. I mean all of it. You are to be admired for keeping hacking through that awful jungle. My wish for you is serenity, though that may take some while yet.
Praise from the island is praise indeed. Thank you.
- 4 March 2014 at 19:44
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I suppose you can call me a struggling "Mompreneur." *CRINGE* I know, it's one of those words I thought I would never use.
One reason I have a problem with it is that it's uttered too loosely.
There are some extreme mompreneurs out there, busting their behinds running their own businesses, often from home, with three kids attached to the hip. Go moms! Now that I have a baby, I am humbled by these women. I have a whole new perspective on just how hard it is to be a mom while trying to find a work/life balance.
Then there are the hobbyist mompreneur mom bloggers, who live in glamorous places like San Francisco or Manhattan, where the cost of living is higher than Seth Rogen on a Sunday, and yet these moms can still afford to stay home without an income. They call themselves "mompreneurs" because they've figured out how to sell something on Etsy a couple times a year. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with focusing 100% on your kids. In fact, if you can afford to do that, I'm envious. Keep it up. "They hate us 'cuz they ain't us"* is all about you. But…
…Let's be real. "Mompreneur" is a colloquial term that combines "mom" and "entrepreneur." An entrepreneur launches his or her own business and manages to make cold hard stacks of cash. So if there's no real money involved, you're not really a mompreneur.
The second problem I have with the word is the implication that if you are not a mompreneur running your own business, but are instead a woman pursuing a career in the corporate world, you are not giving the appropriate attention to your children at home. There are some seriously hard-working moms who pound the pavement to provide for their families, and have to leave their children at a daycare center for 40+ hours during the work week. Then they go home to job#2, being mama. There's nothing wrong with that either. As one of those, free-spirited artsy types who has only liked two jobs in my life (all my other jobs were soul-sucking cages), I'm jealous if you've found long-term fulfillment within a company…or can even just tolerate your job for more than two years.
Whatever kind of mom you are, that's fine by me. As long as you are taking care of your children financially, or physically, or both… I respect you. Being a parent is the hardest thing I've done, and I've barely begun. When you're a mom, it's a challenge to accomplish anything for yourself. Case and point: I've had to breastfeed and change four diapers while attempting to write this blog post.
(My view at work)
I guess I like to think of the term "mompreneur" as someone who works mostly from home (probably with a baby on her lap, like me right now), but who is legitimately making money from her business ventures. Her business model is likely inspired by her children, and she has found a way to profit from that inspiration. She is probably creative, and has something valuable and unique to contribute to the world.
That is what a mompreneur is to me and who I'm striving to be. I'm trying to continue my freelance graphic design gig at home (as I can't afford to be at home without working), but I'm also trying to launch my own online business inspired by my son. More on that later.
*The best part of The Interview is when Eminem makes a cameo.


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Just call Sherman 'Captain Clutch'
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Richard Sherman
Just what Richard Sherman needs – another nickname. And one handed out by the Cartoon Network, at that.
But you can call the Seahawks' All-Pro cornerback "Captain Clutch" after Sherman picked up the award that comes with the name at the Cartoon Network's Hall of Game Awards on Monday night. It was, according to reports, the most prestigious of the honors that were decided by 100 million on-line votes.
Sherman also presented an award – the "SI Kids Sportskids of the Year" to 14-year-old Jack Wellman, who took to coaching after sustaining an injury while playing.
The Seahawks also took the awards for "Best Foes Forever," which they shared with their NFC West rivals, the San Francisco 49ers; and "Fanatic Fanstars," which went to the Seahawks, but actually belongs to their 12th Man fans.
It was Sherman's deflection in the end zone on the 49ers' final play – the "Immaculate Deflection," as it has been dubbed – that iced the Seahawks' six-point victory in the NFC Championship game. Sherman also had a pick-six in the fourth quarter to tie the Seahawks' Week 4 game against the Texans in Houston, which the Seahawks then won in overtime. It was one of Sherman's NFL-high eight interceptions.
In the "Best Foes Forever" category, the Seahawks bested the Miami Heat and Brooklyn Nets, tennis players Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal and Alabama and Auburn in college football. In the "Fanatic Fanstars" category, the Seahawks topped Texas A&M, the Golden State Warriors and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
In addition to Sherman, middle linebacker Bobby Wagner, wide receiver Jermaine Kearse, and fullback Michael Robinson represented the Super Bowl champion Seahawks.
Seahawks.com | Clare Farnsworth


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Pictures of Backyard swimming pool ideas is created to be the inspiration of for you. This image was published on May 29, 2017 and published by this is fall into the category
Garden , the size of image is 630 x 364
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The mineral in the above pictures is calcite, a common mineral in earth's crust that is the main component of the sedimentary rock limestone. The stack of samples (top) exhibit a physical characteristic known as cleavage. The cleavage of calcite causes it to break into a rhombus-shape (see picture).
Cleavage is the tendency of a crystalline substance, such as a mineral, to break along parallel planes that reflect the internal arrangement of the atoms in the crystal. All crystals, by definition, have a uniform atomic arrangement. To illustrate this property, I've included a second picture (bottom), borrowed from Dr. Cathy Sutton, that shows an extremely magnified calcite crystal. The repeating rhombus-shapes in the picture are individual calcite molecules. Basically, cleavage is the outward expression of the internal structure of a mineral.
The samples on the left were collected from Midwest Lime Quarry, Batesville, Arkansas.


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Does anyone know how to dye (the tips) of your hair with Jell-o? I have no clue how to do it, but it seems pretty inexpensive.
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Hey there! It's jell-o nowadays, huh? When I was in high school, it was kool-ade... And that didn't really work, either. Unless you have light blonde hair, it won't take at all... That means you'll have to bleach it first. But all you do is add hot water (not boiling) to the mix, a lot stronger than the package says (proportional to the amount of hair you're dyeing), then soak your hair in it. I assume you're doing it this way because you want it to be temporary? Speaking as someone who used to have neon hair, I suggest using a real dye- Especially since you're just doing the tips. You can always cut them off after you're tired of having it bright pink or whatever color you're aiming for. Just don't use manic panic- it'll dye your neck as soon as you sweat or get caught in the rain. Or at least it used to... :) Happy coloring!
be careful- my daughter has blonde hair and her dad was away for a few days and i let her put blue jello in her hair. after at least 10 washings it still had dye in it, but it looked like she had gray hair. It was a LONG time before she was blonde again. I think she was 10 or so at the time
I first heard about fying your hair with jello straight from a rave kid, and she did it blue. I just recently tried to do my hair platinum blonde, but since it had red in it before it kinda, failed. So now since my hair is bleached. I figure I can put any colour I want on top of it.
I'm going to do a test with a bit behind my ear and see how it turns out over the course of a few days. Maybe if I remember I'll post again and say how it turned out. Doing it blue, by the way.
I dye by hair with kool-aid singles to go packets it is easy and cheap! all you have to do is put kool-aid in a microwave safe jar and put it in the microwave for four minutes and wala!! It works best if you dip a tooth brush in the jar and then use it to highlight/dye your hair!
i love it
We used to use Kool-aid for ours. It worked better for those who had naturally dry hair or damaged hair. We would shampoo our hair and rinse well, then mix the Kool-aid, 1 or 2 packs of unsweetened, in a little bit of conditioner, put it on with or without heat (wrap in plastic and sit under a dryer for 10-30 min), then rinse and go.
Okay. My daughter is a brunette and she was devastated that it didn't work on her hair. She was really looking forward to doing it as well. All her other friends did it, but they are blonds. What should I do to make it appear?
Despite all the warnings about it not washing out. I tried to dye my goatee which is very grey, and left the jello on for 20 mins. It totally rinsed out with out a trace of color. Any help for someone would be cool. I have really bad reaction to any other dyes perm or temp ones.
I'm trying to the the same thing. But just the tips and I only want it for tonight.
I use Kool-Aid, I have never used Jell-O. I just mix 1-2 packets of UNSWEETENED Kool-Aid with about 1 capful of conditioner. Mix REALLY well and apply to hair. Leave it in your hair covered with plastic wrap or foil for 4-5 hours. It really works! Try it!
Someone help! I have brown ish to dark blond hair. I want to dye the tips red. It's not working. What can I try?
I have wanted to do this for a while and my mom thinks it is safer to do it with jello, so I need tips on exactly how to do it. I have dirty blonde colored hair and I want to do red or green or both for the holiday season.
What will happen if I dye the tips of my hair with SWEETENDED Kool-aid? What will it do? Does it still work? HELP!
Me and my mom are going to dye my dogs (short) hair with jell-o, but I don't know how to do it? Should I just mix everything together, and dye it, or just mix it and put plastic on him? I have looked everything on line that is possible but I can't find out what to do with him!
Please help us! Thank you "sooo much"!
There are two ways and it depends on what your hair color is, if you have light brown hair it is easy or even blonde hair. If you have brown hair light or dark you will need to use this method, warning if your hair is black it won't work so you want to bleach your hair.
You will need 1/2 cup warm water, 1 pack of jello, paintbrush, bowl, spoon for mixing, hair cap, hair tie, hair clip.
1. Mix jello with water, longer hair might require doubling this recipe,if you're hair is a bit darker than light brown you will have to double this recipe.
2. Apply the thick liquid to your hair.
3. Tie your hair into a bun the top of your head and put on a shower cap.
4. Leave the dye in your hair for at least ten hours.
5. Then rinse your hair till the water runs clear, style as normal.
If you have blonde hair it is super easy you will have to use this method if you're hair is red or orange you will have to look up a color on the Internet that will show up on your hair.
You will need, 1-2 packs of jello depending on your hit length, hair conditioner, bowl, mixing spoon, old towel or Halloween costume cape, gloves you don't mind getting stained.
1.Mix the jello with the hair conditioner.
2. Apply to hair, if you want to dye your whole head massage it all and put a shower cap over it also if your doing your tips put a shower cap over it it you want to do strands wrap it in aluminum foil.
3. Leave the dye in your hair for an hour if you want the color to be stronger leave it in even longer.
4. Rinse your hair thoroughly the color will last about seven to ten washes.
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On 19 March 2019, the Danish parliament adopted a legislative proposal (no. L 166) which extends existing EU-rights for British citizens in Denmark and their family members in the event that the United Kingdom leaves the EU without an agreement called the Danish Brexit act.
The Danish Brexit act will only enter into force if the United Kingdom leaves the EU without an agreement.
The Danish Brexit act is a temporary scheme and will apply until replaced by a permanent solution. The Danish Brexit act applies to British citizens and their family members, who are legally residing in Denmark on the withdrawal date in accordance with EU-rules on free movement. The law will also apply to frontier workers who work in Denmark on the withdrawal date while residing in another EU/EEA-country.
The Danish Brexit act will secure your student rights according to EU law during the transition period, which means that you will have the same access to the Danish higher educational system as EU citizens have according to EU law. You will only have to pay tuition fees for education in Denmark where EU and EEA citizens pay tuition fees.
You will also have the same access to Danish student grants for education in Denmark and abroad as EU and EEA citizens have according to EU law.
Further information regarding student grants, loans and support go to the website of Ministry of Higher Education and Science: How does Brexit affect you?


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Any member who owns shares in Widecells or Stockholm IT Ventures are now welcome to join our new SITV Stock Pool.
REVIEW – last stock pool
The SITV share price has been very volatile over the last few weeks and has only recently risen above the € 0.065 cents per share.
Today the stock is trading around €0.05 cents
We have opens two pools for SITV one with a low of €0.065 and the other at €0.05 cents
Widecells has also opened with a low of £0.12 p per share


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It is evident from the current fallen state of the human race, that we do not live on a planet that resembles paradise, where harmony exists and where death is absent. This is because two people, Adam and Eve decided to disobey God, even after all that God had provided for them, an awesome home (Earth), a beautiful garden with abundant food, the ability to procreate and have dominion over it all.
People alive today have the same choice as Adam and Eve that is to obey God or reject Him and face the consequences of separation from God, only this time forever, with no second chance.
Jesus , the Son of God , gave Himself as a sacrifice for the payment of sin, not just for Adam and Eve, but for the sins of everyone who ever lived. We, therefore, have a choice to repent of our sin (disobedience) and accept Jesus offer of a new life with Him as Lord and Saviour or stay separated from God forever.
Today, instead of just one fallen angel deceiving two people, we have Satan and his demonic forces as well as two billion people who are against Jesus and deny God. There are global media corporations, government schools and universities that promote the theory of evolution and mock religion. Despite this seeming overwhelming force against God the choice is still the same, it's a choice of heaven or hell, whether you believe it or not.
The stakes are high because we all face judgment and then eternity in a new heaven and earth with your Creator God or eternity in hell without Him.


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American (USAAF) Second World War period flying jacket. Originally introduced in 1934, the B-3 was a standard flying jacket by May 1943, superceded by the later AN-J-4 type.
The Simmons Bilt Type B-3 is available in both 25 and 15mm North American sheepskin in seal brown and Redskin. Leather trim and zipper options are available.
We request your measurements for all our jackets so we can select the best size for you from our standard size range. Sleeve and Body length can be adjusted if required.
Due to the nature of the natural raw materials we use and the traditional method of manufacture we employ it is not always possible to meet exact measurement requirements. The products we build are not designed to be tailored like a suit, they will after a "break in" period soften and mould to the shape of your own body, our jackets are built to be worn.
We do not use a production line system or have racks of jackets ready to ship, each and every jacket is made to order, individually handcrafted here in Scotland by one of our specialists.
Bespoke patterns can be created if preferred, please contact us direct with specifications for a full quote.


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Adobe Connect Meetings
- How can I test if my computer is ready to connect to an Adobe Connect Meeting?
- I am getting disconnected from Adobe Connect Meetings and/or am having playback issues with video
- I need the phone conference details for my virtual meeting - where can I find it?
- Where can I download the Adobe Connect Meeting add-in?
- Technical Requirements


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Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2005
- Messages
- 2,556
- Location
- Arlington, Texas, USA
So I heard on the local news tonight that the additional $2B has been burned through already and they're cancelling the program, I assume indefinately.
The federal government, acknowledging that the "Cash for Clunkers" program was running out of money, declared it a success Thursday and killed it off, effective 8 p.m. Monday.
After just a week, the program, which began July 24 and was expected to last until as late as Nov. 1, ran out of the $1 billion originally appropriated by Congress. An additional $2 billion was approved two weeks ago, and it was supposed to last until Labor Day. Now that's almost gone, too.
In his radio address on Thursday, President Obama said the program, designed to stimulate auto sales and production and get gas guzzlers off the road, had "been successful beyond anybody's imagination. And we're now slightly victims of success because the thing happened so quick, there was so much more demand than anybody expected, that dealers were overwhelmed with applications."
With the end in sight, many dealers are preparing for a flurry of last-minute customers over the weekend, and some are calling and e-mailing customers who were on the fence, perhaps threatening a surfeit of business.
"It's not clear at all if there's enough of the $3 billion to last through the weekend," said John McEleney, chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association. "My concern is if we go past the $3 billion between now and Monday." He said, however, that he had been assured that the government has done calculations to make sure there is enough money left to get through the weekend.
Dealerships have been swamped with consumers wanting to trade in their clunkers for a voucher worth up to $4,500 toward the purchase of a new, more fuel-efficient vehicle. The demand set off increased production runs at General Motors, Ford and Toyota, and meant that some factories called back laid-off workers.
The program also raised complaints from dealers that it was poorly managed because they weren't getting reimbursed quickly for the vouchers. Car buyers complained that they weren't able to find popular new vehicles at dealerships -- on lots that only a few months ago had been overflowing with too many new cars.
Transportation officials said paperwork representing 457,000 transactions, worth about $1.9 billion -- or about $4,000 on average for each trade-in -- had been turned in to the government as of Thursday.
Just under 40 percent -- or 170,000 -- of the applications have been reviewed so far. The government has paid out about $145 million on applications that have been reviewed and approved. A large number of applications are incomplete or have inaccurate information, which means the application is sent back to the dealer to be re-submitted, according to a senior administration official who briefed reporters on Thursday.
"It has been a whirlwind," said Tammy Darvish, the area director for the NADA. "It has been a lot of late nights. It's been a lot of uncertainty with the rules. We submit paperwork and we submit. And we just keep hoping we'll get paid. And then they end up ditching it after 30 days."
Obama was reassuring on that score. "I understand dealers want to get their money back as soon as possible, but the fact of the matter is this is a good-news story; they are seeing sales that they have not seen in years," Obama said. "And they will get their money, but we've got to process it properly."
He called it a "high-class problem to have -- that we're selling too many cars too quickly and there's some backlog in the application process. It is getting fixed."
In response to complaints, the government had said this week that it was tripling the number of employees processing claims, to 1,100. General Motors said on Thursday that it would help cash-strapped dealers waiting for clunker repayments by advancing them a 30-day interest-free loan until their rebates were processed.
Some dealers, including about 200 in the greater New York area and one in Bowie, pulled out of the program earlier this week because of the reimbursement issue. Marc Cannon, a spokesman for Auto Nation, the biggest auto dealer in the country, said it is owed about $45 million from the government for the roughly 10,000 trade-ins it has taken at its 160 dealerships that are participating in the clunker program.
Darvish, who owns more than two dozen auto dealerships in the Washington area, said she's only received reimbursement from the government for five vehicles. She said that she is owed nearly $5 million and is worried about when she'll get the payments.
But "Cash for Clunkers" has also stimulated some private enterprise. Brian Benstock, who has three Honda dealerships in New York, said he and 40 dealers across the country started their own version of cash for clunkers -- with looser terms than the government's -- at http://www.autostimulusplan.com.
He said the government had helped him sell more than 200 cars, and he got his first $4,500 repayment on Thursday. But he had been unhappy with the fits and starts of the federal program
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This has to be my favorite news of the week, and I'm just going to let Lee Tae-hoon of The Korea Times take it away:
U.S. defense giant Lockheed Martin will face a penalty unless it formally offers an apology for misleading statements over Korea's plan to purchase fighter jets for 8.29 trillion won ($7.3 billion), multiple sources said Tuesday.
Senior officials at the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said that Lockheed Martin has undermined the credibility of the government's plan to purchase 60 advanced jets in a fair international competition.
The company has been cornered over a report by Dusty Ricketts of the Northwest Florida Daily News that claimed Stephen O'Bryan, vice president of Lockheed Martin's F-35 program integration, told reporters in early February that Korea had already agreed to purchase F-35 jets.
Many media outlets here churned out articles suggesting that Rickett's report confirmed the ruling Saenuri Party lawmaker Song Young-sun's claim that that President Lee Myung-bak promised Barack Obama to purchase F-35s in a summit in Washington on Oct. 13 last year.
Rep. Song told The Korea Times that she still suspects a shady deal might have occurred during the summit, but does not have "hard facts," nor any witness to back her claim.
Senior DAPA official said the agency sent a letter of complaint to Lockheed Martin on Feb. 15 regarding Korea's next-generation fighter acquisition bidding in which Boeing and EADS are also participating, but it has yet to receive any response.
They warned that the more Lockheed Martin postpones making a formal public apology, the more it will have to lose.
"If Lockheed Martin hesitates to respond to the South Korean government's call to make a formal apology, possibly in an attempt to save face, it will suffer a harsher penalty for its role in misleading the public," a senior DAPA official said.
DAPA has yet to obtain an audio file of O'Bryan's media briefing on Feb. 1 at the Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, but it claims that circumstantial evidence indicates that the Lockheed Martin official made a slip of the tongue.
Ricketts, known for accurate reports among fellow journalists, quickly made corrections in his article upon the request of Lockheed Martin, saying "Korea and Singapore are also interested in the jets and will hold open competitions."
Ricketts, who claims to have taped the session but deleted it, said he agreed to make corrections because he did not want O'Bryan to be in trouble because of a slip of the tongue and that he could not recall what exactly he stated about Korea.
Three other local reporters attended the two-hour session, but none of them have an audio file of the briefing.
Melissa Nelson, AP correspondent, claims to have taped it on her i-phone but accidently deleted most of it, while Laura Hussey, a reporter at WEAR TV ABC Channel 3, and Del Lessard from the Bay Beacon newspaper say they did not record it.
O'Bryan said none of the four Lockheed Martin officials at the briefing taped the session, making it virtually impossible to prove his exact wording that day.
"Since I give media briefings all around the world more than 100 times a year, it is very unlikely that I made such a blunder," he said.
The four reporters claimed that O'Bryan tried to paint a rosy picture about the prospect of F-35 sales at the session, and that they saw no Lockheed officials recording the event.
Nevertheless, Lessard provided his report that also suggests that O'Bryan mentioned that Korea had agreed to purchase F-35s. (www.ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00099641/00160).
"Other countries, including Japan, Israel, Korea and Singapore, have committed or will soon commit to purchasing F-35s through the Foreign Military Sales program through the U.S. government, he said," Lessard wrote, referring to O'Bryan's remarks on Feb. 1.
Lockheed Martin's promotion agency in Korea made the case even worse by providing a media release that claimed that the U.S. defense giant checked an audio file of the Feb. 1 session and found out that Ricketts' report was wrong.
An official of the agency acknowledged that he made the false assumption that Lockheed Martin had an audio file when he worked on the Korean version of the rebuttal. (Source: The Korea Times)
South Korean Lawmaker Song Young-sun's assertions that President Lee Myung-bak has already promised to purchase F-35s from the U.S. could either be taken as the claims of a military crusader looking out for the Republic of Korea's forces, or as political grand-stander looking out for her own ambitions, depending on your opinions of Rep. Song. Dusty Ricketts' report lends some amount of credence to the former.
It is INCREDIBLY strange that in this current world of hyper-mass media and over-recording of events that we would be completely without any record of Stephen O'Bryan's comments from the Eglin Air Force Base Event and that all reporters present would have either forgotten to take accurate records or mysteriously lost them.
If truly a mistake, Mr. O'Bryan's statements appear completely unnecessary for the context of the event, which was to assure an Air Force Base that they'd be flying F-35s in the near future. If he'd been speaking to investors, a bit of hyperbole would have made more sense, though I hope he's an experienced enough businessman to not count his chickens before they're hatched.
Rep. Song's accusations, Mr. Ricketts' article, and the completely reactionary, North Korea-esque "apologize or suffer wrath!" response to Lockheed from South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) makes me think that perhaps this entire attack is Seoul's own way of saving face and escaping scandal.
Needless to say, this FX-III Fighter selection race just keeps getting more interesting…
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Craig was born & raised in the United States, having recently returned there after over five years in Asia. He is currently pursuing further education in the realms of East Asian Studies and Politics. Craig is an avid fan of the political, economic, and military machinations occurring throughout the Asian continent and how those turning gears affect the rest of the world. He's currently covering both North and South Korea for Asia Security Watch, enjoying shedding light on to this far-too-often ignored slice of Asia.
Craig Scanlan has 82 post(s) on Asia Security Watch