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January 23, 2017
By Brian Levy, PwC Deals Industries Leader
The waiting is over, now the wondering begins. As a new United States government gets down to business, how much campaign rhetoric and how many tweets will become policy? This is the first administration in a long time that is heavily focused on the US growth agenda – it's also built its reputation on the love of the deal. But what effect will it have on corporate deals?
Dislike for regulation signals a deal-friendly environment. But much talked-about measures, from import tariffs and redrawn trade relations, to immigration curbs, lower corporate and individual income taxes, and job-creating infrastructure programs could speed up and slow down the pace of deals.
For instance, tax cuts and higher spending on defense, bridges and highways might boost deals given expectations for topline growth, potentially increasing corporate values. However, valuations today are rich, given the expectation of higher growth. But this could drive up the deficit to fund new programs and also drive up interest rates, potentially limiting private equity and corporate funding. However, we would expect normal interest rate increases to be measured, therefore not hurting the appetite for deals. A new administration with limited political experience could potentially bring volatility, which creates uncertainty and risk – a pause-button for deals.
A proposed tax break for cash that companies bring back to the US from overseas could provide fuel for US buyers. That is if companies use a chunk of the windfall for strategic deals to position themselves to capitalize on or keep pace with rapid technology-driven change versus shareholder buybacks and organic growth investments. At the same time the corresponding outflow of funds from international territories risks slowing already fragile growth in international economies.
What's good for America might not suit the rest of the world. The new administration's policies favor the US and potentially create uncertainty in certain overseas markets. Plus, potentially chilly trade relations and regulatory scrutiny of overseas money in domestic business could make the Chinese, for instance, think twice about investing abundant surplus cash in US deals, despite a recent buying spree.
A hot start follows a lively finish
For all the uncertainty ahead, business is brisk right now. The first nine days of January saw $35.7B of M&A announced, according to S&P– the best start to a year since 2010 and more than twice as good as the same period last year1.
We're picking up where 2016 left off. The year's last month-and-a-half pushed US deal volumes past 2015 and 2014 levels, though values were still down, at around $1.7B compared to $2.4B in 2015 and $2.2B the year before. Global deals for Q4 reached $997B, comfortably outdoing Q3's $766B but still down on Q4 2015. And the late rally was too little to stop the $3.6T for the year being short of the $4.7T of deals done in 2015.2
Pent-up demand is a big factor behind the Q4 US bounce and the hot start to 2017. And for now, strategic necessity will likely remain a key driver of deals, irrespective of government policy. How long that continues will depend on how fast, and how dramatically, policy changes. Based on the signals so far, the coming months and years could play out very differently, depending on which sector you follow.
To show what I mean, let's look at two industries that demonstrate a dichotomy in prospects and cross-industry convergence: technology and automotive.
Non-tech needs tech
Technology is mainstream business for 'traditional' non-tech sectors like automotive and industrial products. Whether it's driverless cars or smart refrigerators, the Internet of Things and technologies like artificial intelligence are becoming an essential part of corporate fabric. The shift is happening so fast that instead of patiently growing their tech capability, corporates increasingly go out and buy it. In 2016, they bought a record $125B worth. Five years ago, it was just $20B3. As we've seen, the urge to disrupt rather than be disrupted saw non-tech buyers snap up 682 companies, compared to the 655 bought by other tech companies, according to Bloomberg4. That contrasts with the sector's own big players, who did very few major deals.
As boards and executives venture outside their comfort zones, the risk profile of deals increases, particularly given high technology company valuations. The right strategic assessment and robust due diligence are even more important in these scenarios. The trend seems self-driving, but government policy could still stimulate tech deals. A volatile political climate might convince potential stock market darlings – privately owned 'unicorns' worth $1B or more – that M&A, not IPO, is their best bet.
The tech sector's reliance on overseas brain power may also boost deals. If immigration curbs restrict the supply of foreign engineers, it could boost 'acquihire' deals as companies buy know-how rather than hire it.
Auto sector grinds its gears
The value of automotive deals in 2016 was down 34% versus 20155 and we expect car makers will be watching keenly to see whether the government does actually slap a 35% tax on goods made abroad. Major players servicing the US market from plants in Mexico will likely be nervous about the potential hike in costs and drain on profits and demand. But they're as likely to respond by looking for even cheaper labor as manufacturing returns to the US. In any case, deals may not be a priority.
Also, if measures like fuel economy standards tumble down the government's to-do list, it could again hobble deal making. Freed from their mileage targets, car makers might feel less need to acquire the powertrain and chassis suppliers or electronics companies that could help them build lightweight, alternative-fuel or zero-emission electric cars. These are the kind of auto sector deals that dominated in 2016. Irrespective, the convergence of technology into this sector is becoming increasingly important and strategic deals in the auto-tech space may continue unencumbered.
Other areas to watch
Cutting regulation could speed up deals in many sectors, notably pharmaceuticals, where established players are always looking for bright new biotech prospects and their differentiating technologies.
Global pharma deal value fell year-on-year by 31% in 20166. But we could see that trend change this year. Meanwhile health services' US deal value fell by nearly 60% in 2016, thanks to a dearth of megadeals7. It now faces early uncertainty as payers and providers await the likely repeal and possible replacement of the Affordable Care Act. The big players in the health industry are anxiously awaiting the outcome of potentially new regulations, however we would expect health-tech deals to remain unabated.
Sectors shaping up well for 2017 include aerospace and defense. Although 2016 global deal value and volume were down 43% and 27% respectively on 2015, Q4 value was up more than 250%8. That pace could continue if the US government makes good on promises to ramp up spending.
Engineering and construction, meanwhile, is plagued by worldwide uncertainty, with global deal value down 4.5% year-on-year in 20169. Government infrastructure plans could put a spring back in the sector's step.
Power and utilities dealmakers will be watching for policy signals, especially on the environment and interest rates, as they weigh up the prospects for infrastructure and generation assets.
Of course, this is just a selection of the year's highlights. We'll be watching all sectors closely through what's bound to be an eventful time.
For more detail on your industry's unique Deals Insights for this #PwCDeals Day, go to pwc.com/us/deals-industries for all our year-end reports.
Industry deal highlights
"After strong volume in Q4 2016, we are optimistic in 2017 that deal activity will likely recover and return to prior year levels as less uncertainty is expected. We expect that deal making to become more strategic focused rather than opportunistic in nature."
—Bob Long, US Aerospace and Defense Deals Leader
"Asset and wealth management sector is going through a major transition which will likely change the way retail investors are being advised and their savings are managed by the industry. This transition is expected to fuel M&A activity in the mutual fund and wealth management sectors over the next two years."
—Sam Yildirim, US Asset Management M&A Leader
"We no longer see consolidation driving M&A activity, today M&A activity is about expansion into new technologies, new services and new business models."
— Jeff Zaleski, US Automotive Deals Leader
"Uncertainty was a theme that hampered the deals market during 2016, with deal levels in the banking sector at their lowest level since the financial crisis. With a potential for a relaxed regulatory environment under the Trump administration and Republican-led Congress and proposed interest rate hikes by the Fed, we're hopeful this will provide a much-needed kick-start to banking deals in 2017."
— Dennis Trunfio, US Banking & Capital Markets Deals Leader
"We have witnessed several cross-border industry-altering megadeals that will likely change the landscape of the Fertilizers and Agricultural Chemicals and Industrial Gases subsectors significantly. While we do not expect a similar level of megadeals, we anticipate chemical deal activity to remain strong in the first half of 2017."
—Craig Kocak, US Chemicals Deals Leader
"Q4 M&A activity continued a trend seen all year: strength in small to medium-sized deals (reflected in a 23% increase in deal volume) with relatively flat (4% decrease) value. Despite a strong US economy, there remain a number of unanswered questions around the globe, which will likely have far-reaching implications on how 2017 trends."
—Colin McIntyre, US Engineering and Construction Deals Leader
Entertainment, media and communications
"The transformative deals that continue to resonate throughout the EMC sector are beginning to bifurcate the haves and have-nots, leaving certain players re-evaluating their strategy or existing portfolios and how they deploy capital in the market."
—Bart Spiegel, Partner, Entertainment, Media & Communications Deals
"Health Services M&A activity has been strong during the past several years with continued momentum being exhibited heading into 2017 across many sectors. However, attention should be paid to the evolution and implementation of the policies of the incoming administration as well as the outcome of the government's review of certain large mergers."
— Thad Kresho, US Health Services Deals Leader
"In 2017, Global Industrial Manufacturing M&A will likely be driven by market participants' desire to expand geographic, product, and technological reach to differentiate themselves in the competitive marketplace as was done with the Johnson Controls and Tyco merger in 2016."
—Paul Elie, US Industrial Manufacturing Deals Leader
"The Metals deals market showed signs of life in the final quarter of 2016. Overall, the value and number of deals outpaced the prior quarter and Q4 last year. With that said, on an annual basis, Metals still saw lower deal volume and values when compared to 2015, and much of the deals activity was concentrated in China."
—Brian Kelly, US Metals Deals Leader
"Despite a timid start in the first quarter, 2016 O&G M&A ended on a high note, mimicking increased optimism for the overall oil & gas sector. We expect this optimism, and corresponding increase in risk tolerance, to carry over into 2017 resulting in strong M&A activity as well an acceleration of IPO's."
— Doug Meier, US Oil & Gas Sector Deals Leader
"Some of the larger industry players continue to seek out new entrants into PLS that can provide enabling technologies or other tools that can differentiate and improve their capabilities."
— Dimitri Drone, US Pharma & Life Sciences Deals Leader
"As we look forward to 2017, we expect infrastructure and generation asset deals to continue to be a theme, with deal makers keeping a close eye on rising interest rates, potential tax reform, and environmental policies."
— Jeremy Fago, PwC US Power & Utilities Deals Leader
"While the new presidential administration's impact on trade and regulatory change is uncertain, factors such as innovation, competition, cross-border deal interest and the availability of cash reserves bode well for deal activity in 2017."
— Dominic Ricketts, US Retail and Consumer Deals Leader
Food and beverage accounted for the highest share in deal volume (23%) and value (29%) in 2016 as changing consumer preferences and an increased focus on health and wellness fuel activity. The sub-sector was driven by the Danone SA / The WhiteWave Foods Co. deal.
"2016 saw record-breaking Tech deal activity driven by demand from Tech and non-digital companies for cloud, AI, IoT and cyber technologies."
—Todson Page, US Technology Deals Leader
"Total T&L deal volume and value declined in 2016, likely impacted by uncertainties around the US elections and Brexit, but subsector dynamics could drive an M&A uptick in 2017."
—Darach Chapman, US Transportation and Logistics Deals Leader
Data and research sources:
1US dealmaking kicks off 2017 with biggest start in 7 years
2Thomson Reuters with PwC analysis. Data through Dec. 16, 2016.
3For Non-Tech Companies, if You Can't Build It, Buy a Start-Up
4For Non-Tech Companies, if You Can't Build It, Buy a Start-Up
5PwC Global Automotive M&A Deals Insights Year-end 2016
6PwC Global Pharma & Life Sciences Deals Insights Year-end 2016
7PwC US Health Services Deals Insights Year-end 2016
8PwC Global Aerospace and Defense M&A Deals Insights Q4 2016
9PwC Global Engineering and Construction M&A Deals Insights Q4 2016


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2019 NAGAAA-LBC Rating Sheet.xlsx
Rules for the 2020 Liberty Bell Classic
REGISTRATION: All players must register prior to the end of round robin. If you do not register prior to the end of round robin, you will not be eligible to play.
PROTESTS: Any protests must be done prior to medal games for 1st, 2nd or 3rd place. Protest fee is $50 for the protest & $50 for each question. Monies will only be returned for protest questions won. If you protest 3 questions, $50 protest fee + $50x3 questions = $200. If you win 1 question, you get back the protest fee & $50 for one question: $100. A protest must be made by the team manager to the umpire before the end of the game. At the time a protest is made, the Tournament Director needs to be notified. A ruling of the protest will be made by the protest committee. Such rulings will be final (not subject to appeal).
ASA: Standard ASA rules to be followed for all games unless superseded by NAGAAA's rules or set forth otherwise herein.
BATS: All bats must be currently approved by ASA for play. Umpires will check all bats before the start of each game.
ARC - Pitching arc will be 6 to 12 feet (and contact must be maintained with the mound per ASA rules).
LINE-UPS: Teams must submit their line-up with player's names and numbers as well as subs and their numbers to the opposing team and the umpire on the line up cards provided before the start of each game.
HOME TEAM: Home team will be determined by a coin toss for round robin games. Double elimination games have the higher seed as the home team with the exception for the Championship Game. Home team for Championship Game will be the undefeated team. Home team for the "IF" game will be determined by a coin toss.
SCOREKEEPING: Scorekeeping is the responsibility of the home team.
GRACE PERIOD: None with the obvious exception of allowance for completion of ongoing game/or time for movement to a new field.
LINE UPS: You may use up to 12 batters, but not required. Team line ups must have at least 9 players ready to start at game time.
COURTESY RUNNERS: 1 per inning and can be any player on the roster.
BLOOD RULE: No player can play with a bleeding wound; umpires will make reasonable accommodations to tend to injuries.
JEWELRY: Must be removed before play. Small stud earrings may be taped.
TIME LIMITS: For all round robin games and double elimination games, no new inning to start after 55 minutes. If an inning starts, it is to be finished.
TIE GAMES: Ties will be allowed in round robin games. In double elimination games, the International Tie-Breaker rule will apply. The Championship Game will have no time limit and will be played with two umpires.
COUNT: All games will have a 1-1 count, with a courtesy foul. In the event of inclement weather, the tournament may revert to a one-pitch format at the discretion of the Tournament Director or his proxy.
MERCY RULE: 15 runs after 4 innings, 10 runs after 5 innings. This applies to all games round robin and double elimination games.
UNIFORMS: All teams must have matching uniforms with numbers clearly marked on backs. In addition, appropriate dress is required at all times. Revealing clothing for either men or women is not permitted. Umpires may ask offending players to change into appropriate shirts or pants/shorts.
GAME SCORES: Umpires are to record the scores for each game on the sheet provided. At the end of round robin, they are to provide the sheet to the registration table.
PENNYPACK FIELDS: Any ball that rolls onto or hits the parking lot shall be a dead ball and a ground rule double .
B Division
- All teams rated 180 or lower.
- No players rated over 20 are allowed on a B division team.
C Division
- All teams rated 140 or lower.
- No players rated over 15 are allowed on a C division team.
D Division
- All teams rated 110 or lower.
- No players rated over 12 are allowed on a D division team.
Team is defined as the top 10 rated players on a team- not the entire roster.
OFFENSIVE BEHAVIOR: Offensive Artificial noise makers are not permitted. This includes but is not limited to loud boom boxes, money shakers, horns, cow bells, and other such devices. Offending fans (either with offensive comments or noise makers) will be asked to stop, and teams may be subject to forfeit if fans are not kept under control. Umpires have the power to have offending fans removed. We are here to have fun and play softball!
Any issues with rule interpretations or issues that rules do not cover will be governed by ASA rules. If no rule is in place, the Tournament Director (Sean Joyce 267-973-5237) will have the final say in the matter. The Tournament Director may consult attending Umpires or others if necessary to gather information. The rules here govern everything so be familiar with this source.

subset: commoncrawl


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When NOT to Use Cloud?
During the July 4th long weekend, I got the chance to read the book "Delivering Happiness" by Tony Hsieh. It's a great book with many great ideas and lessons he learned from LinkExchange and Zappos.
So, how does this relate to cloud computing?
Time to learn how to "Google" and manage your VMware and clouds in a fast and secureHTML5 App
Here's what Tony wrote…
"It was a valuable lesson. We learned that we should never outsource our core competency. As an e-commerce company, we should have considered warehousing to be our core competency from the beginning. Outsourcing that to a third party and trusting that they would care about our customers as much as we would was one of our biggest mistakes. If we hadn't reacted quickly, it would have eventually destroyed Zappos."
In this paragraph Tony summarized the lesson from contracting eLogistics for inventory services in Kentucky, which turned out to be a mess and almost killed Zappos when cash flow became a big issue.
From a business perspective, cloud services are not much different from the inventory services. Both are all about outsourcing. The high tech nature of cloud doesn't change the business nature of cloud services. What happened to Zappos could potentially happen to any cloud customers.
The question your business needs to ask, and answer, becomes "Is IT your core competency?" Or, more specifically, "What part of IT is – and is not – your core competency?"
At face value, they seem like easy questions. When you dig down to the details of your business, however, you may find surprising or even counter-intuitive answers.
Let me give you an example.
Most of us know Paypal, now part of eBay.com, as an online payment service company. You may think the core competency is the web site itself. It's true. But the most important technical competency is not the web site itself. According to the founder Max Levchin, it's the ability to judge risk, or protect against fraud. That is why they built a software package called IGOR, which brought down the fraud down to one-tenth of a percent. Without this core competency, they would have been quickly out of business just like their competitors such as MoneyMail that had 25 percent fraud and burned through cash too quickly. (full story at "Founders at work.")
To decide whether an IT system is your core competency, consider these questions:
- Is your system a secret weapon in your market competition with others? By saying a secret weapon, I mean does IT give your business competitive advantages in increasing sales, lowering costs, or creating good-will in the community?
- Will you lose big money when the system is offline? You should look both internally for the impacts on daily operations and planning, and externally for impacts on sales and customer satisfaction. There are things that may be impactful in subtle ways.
- Are you OK with the system being breached? That includes illegal access, data corruption, and data stolen by malicious hackers. This may involve cash losses and direct legal consequences in the short term, as well as loss of customer trust in the long term.
- Will you have enough control of your systems to fulfill different business unit needs? IT systems have to support the growth of the business. Do you need to have control of the systems in terms of software configurations, maintenance, support, SLAs, and so forth? The last thing you want is to have your system become a hurdle of your growth.
Once you decide whether a piece of your IT is a core competency or not, you can plan accordingly. In future blogs, I will talk about when you should consider use cloud services.


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Volunteer | Campus & Tabling Events
Benefits of Working a Table
- Women's Studies Students
You could be the reason a student chooses to become a minor in Women's Studies. As a volunteer, you will help extend the reach of our office. Become a volunteer and you will have the opportunity to gain experience of putting into practice that which you have learned as a student. Volunteers are needed to assist with tabling at various campus and community events (see list below for details).
What do I have to do?
Tabling at an event usually involves arriving ahead of time/staying late to help set up/take down promotional items for the table. You will work along side other students and staff from our program to help answer questions of potential students about campus life as well as Women's Studies general news, classes, and events.
Example of Events
- Red Raider Orientation (RRO) - (Summer) June | July | August
- Raider Welcome (Center for Campus Life) - (Fall)
- Back to School Fiesta - Community & College Fair (Fall) BSF registration form
BSF began in 2001 and has grown to reach over 5,500 members of the local and surrounding communities and their children.
- University Day (Fall)
Hosted by TTU Undergraduate Admisions
- New Faculty Orientation (Fall/Spring)
- University Student Staff Resource Fair (Fall & Spring)
Hosted by University Student Housing for their Community Advisor's
- Gender Fair (Spring)
Organized by students enrolled in WS 3334/COMS 3334
- The Vagina Monologues (Spring)
Hosted by the TTU Student Organization FMLA (Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance0
We will work with you, even if you can only provide us an hour of your day. Depending on the event, you do not have to commit to the whole time frame and there is not a limit to the amount of time you spend with us.
You are ready to volunteer...Now what?
To sign up to represent the Women's & Gender Studies at one or more of the above events, download the volunteer forms and email as attachements to Tricia Earl Women's Studies Coordinator or send to Texas Tech University, Women's & Gender Studies, Attention: Volunteer Forms, Box 42009, Lubbock, TX. 79409-2009
- Review Texas Tech University OP 70.21 "Volunteer Workers"
- Download and complete the following forms:
1.) Adult Volunteer Worker Application
2.) Volunteer Release Form
Women's & Gender Studies
AddressDRANE Hall 257-260 | MS 2009 | Office Hrs: M-F, 8-5


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And How Are You Today? (mini-update)
May 18, 2011
Keeping up with reading and writing a blog is taking a back seat to mentally and physically preparing myself for surgery in a few weeks. As DID thingies arise it's been a little easier to handle and I've been pleasantly surprised to understand just how well my coping skills are working lately.
As okay as this has been going the past few weeks I have been triggered by my mother's email-spamming (tons of stupid, usually christian, forwarded crap) and her personal emails to me. Following are her personal emails. I had thought about picking them apart and explaining the lies, stupidity, nonsense, etc., but I feel better simply posting them. It has been one year since I've spoken to my parents on the phone. I have never asked about them or any member of my family. I have never written them an email, only responded if necessary. So here goes the personal emails over the past month:
Apr. 18, 2011
Hi Lisa,
Just wanted you to know that we will be out of town today to wed , so if you need us for anything, you can call us on the tracfone.
We sent out the kids Easter baskets sat. Hope all is well with you and hope you two had a wonderful anniversary.
Love, mom and dad
Apr. 21, 2011
We went to see your dad's chest surgeon today and he had his CT scan of his chest before the appt and the doctor said that his chest now looks like that of a normal patient. No cancer and whatever it was that he had in the remaining lobes that the pulmonologist checked is no longer there. GOOD NEWS
Love mom and dad
Apr. 30, 2011
Good morning Lisa,
Today we are dropping you a line because you do not want us to call, to say we hope that [daughter] has a wonderful birthday and the day itself will be beautiful for her.
We were wondering also, how you made out with the storm, hope there was no damage. I was thinking about that area way in back of house that is like a swamp and if it filled up with water? Hope you all have a wonderful day.
Love mom and dad
****NB****I have never said that I don't want them to call****
May 4, 2011
Hi honey,
Just wanted you to know that this weather craps the bed
Love, mom
May 5, 2011
Hi honey,
Dad went to dermatologist yesterday and had 3 biopsy's of his head, they will let us know how they turn out. This man has had every part of his body biopsied.
How are you doing with your sugar and sleeping? Also your knee's.
The sun was wonderful today.
[daughter] enjoy her birthday, did she have friends for a sleep over?
Talk to you later,
Love you, mom
May 9, 2011
Howdy Lisa,
Hope you had a wonderful Mother's day, I got thinking about it and I envisioned [daughter] and [daughter] making your dinner, since you taught them both to cook. Did they? If so , what did they make. Hope it was a day of rest for you, you need it.
Your Dad went to your grandma's because I was sick. He got her a Jesus coffee cup that says Jesus saves and when you pour coffee in it , his beard comes off his face and it says Jesus shaves. She loved it.
Well , take care and I love you, Mom
May 12, 2011
Hello my sweets,
Wanted to let you know that dad biopsies , none were cancer.
Also, we will be leaving town tomorrow morning till Sunday. It's your dad's once a year golf trip with the boys and so I'm going away with Sue till Sunday. You can always get a hold of me on the track phone if something happens.
This is the kind of weather I like and we have been getting a lot of outdoor work done and gardens are looking good. We really hope you can come down this summer. Have you started your vegetable garden yet?
Love, Mom
May 16, 2011
We got back yesterday. It was raining here when we left,raining where we went,raining where your dad went and raining when we came home, it's unbelievable and it was pouring when we got up today. Unfortunately john and your dad got sick on their dinner Friday night, which curtailed their activity a little bit for rest of weekend. Sue and I had a very good time and everything went well.
Hope all is well with you. How are the girls and [son] doing?
I see your mother-in-law is having surgery, I sent her a note to let me know how she does.
Talk to you soon, Love Mom
I was trying and working really hard, but these emails brought out two new alters, night terrors, panic attacks, and a sensation of being choked that keeps coming and going. My hallucinations were going away until now and my psychiatrist is scheduling a CT brain scan in July and has tweaked some medications.
I don't delete these personal emails right away in case they are attempting to come to the house and sometimes it's difficult to tell by her subject line.
The new alters are quite talkative and sometimes it feels like they are riding on my shoulders wherever I go, but they feel safe and comfortable. That's what's important, too. We need to feel safe, comfortable, aware, accepted, loved, respected and validated.
I'm not ranting really. Those little girls wouldn't have come forward if they didn't feel it was time, and while my coping techniques are useful for many situations I see now where I need some extra stuff.
Everything just keeps building upon the last step. I want it to reach a landing so I can take a break for a while before continuing on this healing journey.


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Free PUBG Skins & Items Sites 2020
There's no better feeling than getting something for free. Free pizza, free beer, and so on. You just can't get enough.
Therefore we went out and tried to find the best method to get free PUBG skins and items. And we finally managed to find a solution that we can recommend. The site is called GameTame, and it allows you to obtain free PUBG skins and items for free.
Note that it is for free, but it does require a bit of your time. You basically complete tasks, and you are then awarded points, that you can exchange to PUBG skins.
How To Get Free PUBG Skins & Items 2020
- Go to https://gametame.com/pubg/
- Complete offers/tasks
- You are awarded points
- Exchange points for CSGO Items


text: Before you head-out to your dinner reservation, enjoy an afternoon guided stroll through the heart of Sonoma while sipping and tasting from some of our favorite tasting rooms on the Plaza. Sip by sip, explore Sonoma's downtown tasting rooms while learning about boutique and family owned wineries and winemakers as we guide you through this charming town. Relax and have fun with friends, and make some new ones, while enjoying the rich wine & history in Sonoma. Enjoy the luxury of a guided wine tour experience, from a local, without having to drive out to the wineries. Your Sonoma Wine Tour typically lasts two and a half hours and is a great way to get primed before a delicious night out for dinner.


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Lisa Zaran, American poet, essayist and the author of six collections; her poems have appeared in hundreds of literary journals, magazines, broadsides, anthologies and e-zines. Lisa is the founder and editor of Contemporary American Voices http://www.contemporaryamericanvoices.com/
Interview by Carol Smallwood; her over four dozen books include Women on Poetry: Writing, Revising, Publishing and Teaching, on Poets & Writers Magazine list of Best Books for Writers.
Smallwood: Please describe your website and your duties as editor/writer.
Zaran: Contemporary American Voices was created in the late evening hours of December 2006. As a writer who has submitted primarily online, I wanted to establish a place for poets I felt truly loved not only the craft of poetry but the music of language. My hope was and still is to create a space that is consistent, trusted and tasteful. A place where writers can proudly have their work displayed, where other writers and readers can discover voices with poignancy. My own life has been positively altered when I discovered a writer that was able to say something in such a way that caused me to shut up and pay attention. In the beginning I invited poets I admired, poets I wanted to hear more from, writers that articulated their thoughts into vision. CAV went live on January 1st, 2007 and published monthly through January 2013. The journal, unfortunately, went on hiatus, unexpectedly in February 2013. Without going into minute detail, life events took precedence and CAV simmered on a back burner. I re-established CAV in April of this year and the response has been significantly positive. My hope lives on and I plan to publish monthly, on time on schedule with some of the best writing to be found.
Duties as an editor, well, that's easy. I read the submissions that come in unsolicited. I give my time and attention to each individual submission, each individual writer. I read the biographies and I especially pay attention to the opening hello, those short introductions that give me a glimpse into the person behind the poem.
Duties as a writer is a little tougher to detail. I write when I can. I think more than I write and I can't write as quickly as I think, but I try.
Smallwood: Tell us about your own work as a writer.
Zaran: I have been attracted to poetry since childhood. I don't know why as a child poetry moved me, but it did, I felt a connection to the language, the music in poems. I used to write anonymously for years. It wasn't until my mid-twenties when I took the plunge and started submitting pieces I'd written. Those first few acceptances are what turned the page for me. I grew wings then and began submitting anything and everything I felt meant something. Most was rejected for various reasons, a few were accepted and that's what kept me going. This is a vicious circle. It still holds true today. Often times I'm surprised what has been accepted, for instance, a piece that took me two minutes to scribble out. A piece that took me weeks is rejected over and over again. It doesn't stop me. I write what I want to write regardless of an audience, although audiences are nice. It used to be very important to me to have a "book". I wanted that credit. Now, it is not as important to me. I feel that now at this point in my life I'm back to how it was when I first wrote. I'm that pre-teen sitting in her bedroom writing away without a soul as witness but it feels right.
Smallwood: What writers have influenced you the most?
Zaran: This is a loaded question. It often depends on where I'm at with my reading. I can say with absolute certainty that I was heavily influence by James Whitcomb Riley as a child, a favorite poem "He's Just Away". I will always adore Fernando Pessoa, Goethe, Bob Dylan. I discover daily writing that makes me stop in my tracks, from a song on the radio to an undiscovered author at the library. I find writers in people I encounter on a daily basis. They may not be writers but their language makes them a natural to me. I go through many phases. I can give you a list that would be unending here and my mind spins just thinking about it. I have also been heavily influenced by music, something I am so inept at, but that interests me to the degree I call musicians writers.
Smallwood: How has the Internet benefited you?
Zaran: Enormously. My own writing as reached places and people that it may never had if it weren't for the internet. When the digital age started really coming into fruition I was wholly onboard. My own work has been translated into multiple languages, been displayed in museums in other countries, performed in theatre groups, incorporated into translation courses in schools, turned into songs and performed by musicians in places I've never been, brought me invitations to speak in colleges across the country and into other countries. To be honest, it is invigorating but it can also be frightening. The internet attracts both the true and the truly questionable. I've had work plagiarized because of having it available online. For the most part, I've had great experiences and have made connections that I hope to maintain.
Smallwood: What classes have helped you the most?
Zaran: I have never taken courses on writing, if that is what is meant by this question, although I adored my high school literature teacher, Mr. Jacobsen. Life has assisted me the most, life experiences to be precise. Reading has been my greatest asset. I will always be a thinker first. Reading is extremely important to me. Writing is something I do and it always surprises me when I get a generous response. It's almost as if I am putting something "out there", like the world is my personal diary and when I receive a response it surprises me, but in a very good way. I smile and try.
Smallwood: What advice would you give others?
Zaran: If writing poetry is your passion? Just write. Read a lot, listen to those you trust but most importantly trust yourself, trust your own voice. Do not be indifferent to others' advice. You'll be amazed by how much other people know. Don't judge, don't criticize. Trust your voice, hone how you portray your words. If you're in the middle of a strong emotion write write write it out. Let it rest. Then revise. Trust your intuition. If you know something is right, it's right. READ. Research. Discover. Everyone has a story, every life is a poem.


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I wouldn't say that life with two under two feels like drowning, but it's easy to get tired treading water. This is hard to admit, though, especially when you're in survival mode and focused on your kids more than yourself.
I just admitted this truth to myself last month. The past two years have been tough. Without an endless budget and available family, the days turned into weeks and I found myself gasping for air. I felt like I was running a marathon and had just left the starting line while everyone else was finishing.
Have you ever felt like that? You don't even have to answer because I already know.
I know you've felt this way because life is hard, life is busy, life can be unmerciful and ungracious. There are ups and downs, mountains and valleys, and it often feels like life is one long valley. And that's okay.
It's okay to recognize the difficulty, acknowledge the darkness, even sit in sorrow, but don't linger there. Don't let the valley cloud your vision and affect your faith.
Unfortunately I started to linger in my valley. I started to affirm the fact that life was hard too often, and neglected the Truth that the Lord was enough. I hurt myself, my relationships, and my children by checking out, by choosing to focus on the valley I was in rather than the light peeking over the mountain in front of me.
Armed with B-vitamins and new perspective, I've been focusing on making the small moments count, and it's working. I haven't "fixed" anything, but it's working because the process of making those moments meaningful is the end goal. Living with purpose and fulfilling my call in the right here and right now is what counts as it "working." Not being super-mom at the end of the day, or the next big author, or the best neighbor on the block. Results mean nothing – obedience to my call means everything.
And right now this looks like paying attention – to my husband who should be my first priority, to my children who are my full responsibility, to my family and friends who God has given me to serve, to my neighbors who God has placed in my life for me to reach faithfully, to the strangers that cross my path during the day. This looks like a lot, and it feels like a lot, and the pressure to live missionally and purposefully and intentionally and successfully starts to weigh on my chest, and then I'm back in my valley with clouded vision and no motivation.
I know you've felt that way too, so let's look at it differently. Don't look at the big picture, look at the small one.
I opened the refrigerator this morning and we were out of milk. Thankfully, there's a grocery store less than a mile from my house, so I strapped the kids in the stroller and we set off to get milk and a 70 cent blueberry bagel. I pushed play on one of my favorite podcasts as we headed out the door. An hour later we were back home with a gallon of what we needed and so much more.
I moved, I listened, we soaked up the sun, we said hi to our neighbors, we practiced our growing vocabulary on the way as we identified birds, trees, the grass and the sky. We engaged strangers as we checked out at the store, squeezed our double-wide stroller through aisles, and ordered a treat.
It may seem silly to spend an hour on such a trivial errand, but look at what we accomplished? The gallon of milk wasn't our goal. The blueberry bagel wasn't even our prize.
Doing, going, listening, talking, walking, sharing, being. These are the moments of obedience to our call that "work." These are the intentional actions that make up the work we do in the valley. It seems so menial, but when your perspective changes, doesn't picking up a gallon of milk at the store look so beautiful?
What looked beautiful to you today? Did you have a beautiful errand?
Comment below or share your thoughts on Facebook.
If you need more help looking for small victories and fulfilling your call in the mundane, sign up for my Newsletter here to receive weekly encouragement sent straight to your inbox!


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When I get interested in something, I tend to obsess. At present, my obsession is anything The Mighty Boosh related. Other things may slip in once in a while, but mainly you will find this site to be fairly single minded, focusing on one subject! I have a tendency to include Boosh stuff into everything I do these days, so instead of including them in my other Blogs, I thought I would deposit them here. This way, I can have my favorite videos, pictures, gifs, etc. all in one place!
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Andy Murray The Movie: Part 1 | Stand Up To Cancer
Just a bit of fun from Richard Ayoade and Andy Murray with Michael Sheen, Pharrell Williams, Cess Fabregas, Dara O'Briain, Dynamo, Ed Sheeran,....
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text:
Got Storks?
Entries Tagged as 'cabbage patch'
Free Family Movie! Storks
February 25th, 2017 · Comments Off on Free Family Movie! Storks · Ages 0-2, Ages 2-3, Ages 4-5, Ages 6-13, Children, City Library, Events, Grades 3-5, Grades 6-12, Grades K-2, Movies, News, Teens, Trustees, West Branch
Tags: cabbage patch·manchester·Manchester City Library·N.H.·new hampshire·storks·West Manchester Branch Library


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How cool is today's date?!
Especially cool because it is a Saturday and it is my weekend off! 🙂
Kickd it off with a dinner with some friends from work last night – I had fun, but it has been a looooooong week and I was exhausted – home time at 11pm! I felt a bit bad for putting a slight downer on the evening, but I psychically couldn't stay awake any longer!
We did enjoy some amazing cocktails though…
Then I was up early this morning and on the train back to Plymouth for the weekend.
I don't have many plans as of yet, but am going to take Maisie out in a minute to enjoy this amazing weather!
What are you doing with your weekend? Enjoy it!


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Retainer Agreement for Clients Purchasing Real Estate in Ontario - Last Revised March 10, 2020
Congratulations on your upcoming Real Estate Purchase and thank you for
choosing Mandani Law for your legal needs!
Please do not hesitate to contact our office at any time if you have any
questions as the transaction progresses. We will need to meet shortly
before you take possession to your property to review the entire
transaction, sign the documents and arrange for funds. Someone from our
office will contact you to arrange such a meeting closer to when this date
Please review this agreement thoroughly. This agreement establishes the
solicitor-client relationship (i.e. lawyer and client). If you do not
understand any of the terms or language, please contact us and we will
gladly explain any questions you may have. This agreement sets out the rights and responsibilities between our law firm and you the client.
At this time, Mandani Law have not been retained to represent you generally
or in connection with any other matter. We will not be able to advise you
on tax matters as we do not practice tax law but we can work with tax
professionals you retain, to obtain advice that we can incorporate into the
relevant documentation. By agreeing to this Retainer Agreement, you, the client(s) shall hold Mandani Law Professional Corporation, it's lawyers, staff, agents, heirs and successors harmless and shall indemnify them from all claims and liabilities relating to taxes liabilities and concerns.
During the retainer, we have authority to act for and on behalf of you in
connection with such matters and to conduct such matters in all respects.
Except where you have specifically instructed otherwise, we may act on your
behalf and bind you in all necessary and related legal forms and procedures
within reason and we will be expected to take all steps reasonably
necessary to further and protect your interests.
The closing date of your transaction will be listed in the Agreement of Purchase and Sale and may be amended by an amendment form agreement to the original Agreement of Purchase and Sale. Your real estate agent should be able to assist with any amendments to the closing in the early stages of your transaction. Please keep our office informed of any delays or changes in the closing date.
Additional Fee For Delays Caused By Client
If any delays are caused by you as a result of not having adequate
financing or funding available on the closing date or other reason in your
control, then we reserve the right to charge an additional $350 plus HST
per extension.
Our legal fees for completing a standard real estate purchase transactions with resale homes
are $999.00, plus HST, and all applicable disbursements and taxes. We charge $999 plus HST for a standard new build house closing and for condominium closings. To process new build occupancy closings, our fee is $350 plus HST which is in addition to the closing fee. For Commercial Properties, we generally charge by Rashesh Mandani's hourly billable rate.
New Build Homes and Condominiums
For new build homes, we require a $250 plus HST deposit for the review of the initial building documents. If you do not continue with the closing, the deposit will be retained as our fee for reviewing the new build home documents. If you continue with the purchase of the new build home, the deposit will be kept in our trust account and will be applied to the final closing. For clarity, if you choose to continue with the closing, the deposit will not be an extra fee in any way and will simply form part of the legal services we normally charge on closing. Prior to reviewing your builder documents, you must accept this retainer agreement and email transfer or provide a cheque made out to Mandani Law Professional Corporation, in trust for the $250 plus HST deposit ($282.50).
For new build homes and condos, builders will require you to take occupancy of the unit prior to the legal closing. The occupancy closing usually requires cheques to be provided to the builder, administration fees paid and occupancy agreements to be signed. Depending on how much work your builder requires to deal with an occupancy closing, we reserve the right to charge for our time. Any courier fees or bank fees will be charged to you as disbursements.
Changes in Fees
Mandani Law reserves the right to amend its fees at any time in accordance with rules of professional conduct.
Rural, Commercial, Farms and Agricultural Properties
Rural properties, cottages, commercial properties, farms, agricultural and other types of properties are subject to additional fees given their complexity. Please contact us for a detailed quote on these types of properties. If you are purchasing one of these types of properties and are intending on making changes or additions to the property, please advise us ASAP as we may need to contact relevant authorities such as conservation authorities to inquire about restrictions on the property.
In some real estate transactions, there may be unforeseen issues, complexities, and/or difficulties that arise as a result of matters beyond our law firm's control. Mandani Law reserves the right to increase fees to reflect any additional time expended with the completion of your transaction and will contact you to discuss same.
In addition to these fees, you are required to pay on closing Land Transfer Tax (LTT) to the Province of Ontario. Please contact us and we can help calculate how much LTT you will be required to pay on closing. If you are a
first-time homebuyer, please contact our office and advise us of same as you may qualify for the first-time homebuyer rebate.
Before your closing date, you must therefore provide Mandani Law with
sufficient funds by certified cheque, bank draft, money order or wire
transfer to complete your transaction. These funds include the amount owing
to the vendors plus legal fees, disbursements and adjustments for extra
expenses and taxes as outlined above. We will advise you prior to closing
of the total funds required.
What Are Disbursements?
Disbursements are expenses that your lawyer charges you for out-of-pocket
expenses that you would otherwise be required to pay if you handled the
transaction yourself. Because your lawyer generally pays these expenses,
the lawyer requires you to reimburse them by including these items in their
account. Examples of disbursements include but are not limited to:
Under the Ontario Solicitors Act, bills for fees and disbursements
remaining unpaid more than 30 days after the bill is delivered, will bear
interest at a prescribed rate as specified on the bill. Payment is due on
all of our accounts when rendered. If any account is not paid within 30
days, interest will be charged on the outstanding balance at a rate of 5% per annum from the date of the account, until paid.
You must know the manner in which you wish to take title to your new
property. You must provide us with the legal name or names you want on the
Transfer (please note that initials cannot be used) as well as the dates of
birth for each. There are several options as to how title to the property
may be recorded. Where more than one person's name is to be recorded on
There are several options as to how title to the property may be recorded.
Where more than one person's name is to be recorded on title, choices
include "Joint Tenancy" and "Tenancy-in-Common".
If you choose joint tenancy, in the event of the death of one of the joint
tenants, the survivor(s) will own the entire property by right of
survivorship. For a married or partnered couple, this is the most
convenient way to deal with a house when one of the spouses or partners
If you choose tenancy-in-common, then upon the death of one co-owner, that
person's interest will pass to his or her beneficiary under his or her will
or in accordance with intestacy legislation if there is no will.
Ensuring you have financing and all the required funds for closing in a
timely manner is of utmost importance. Ideally, you should attempt become
pre-approved from a lender prior to firming up real estate closing. This
helps ensure you have enough money on closing to close the transaction.
Failure to have enough funds on a firm deal can lead to you breaching the
Agreement of Purchase Sale contract which may lead to the loss of your
deposit and potential legal liability as the vendor will have the
opportunity to sue for damages caused by the failure to close. This can
include but is not limited to legal fees, real estate fees, financing
charges on mortgages and bridge loans of the vendor, losses from selling
the home to a third party for a lower amount after the breach, and more.
BRIDGE LOANS - If you are buying and selling properties where the purchase occurs before your sale and you are relying on sale proceeds to pay for the purchase, you will need to obtain a bridge loan to cover the difference that you need to close the purchase file if you do not have personal funds to cover the difference before the sale.
If you are closing a purchase and sale on the same day where you will be relying on the sale proceeds to pay for the purchase, we strongly recommend that you look into obtaining a bridge loan from your lender just in case your sale is delayed or fails to close on time. If you do not have sufficient funds to complete your purchase as a result of a delay or inability to close your sale file, you will be in default of your purchase closing and you may incur significant losses as a result.
Mandani Law charges an additional $150 plus HST and disbursements for each bridge loan.
Please ensure that Mandani Law receives mortgage instructions from your
lender as early as possible since a majority of your file cannot be
processed until we have a full understanding of financing and the
requirements of the lender.
Additional Fee - Late Mortgage Instructions
Please note, we charge a $350.00 plus HST fee premium if we receive the lender
mortgage instructions less than 48 hours before the closing date. If mortgage instructions are received with less than 48 hours, our office is forced to delay other files by diverting staff resources and/or we are required to spend time outside of working hours to rush to complete all the required legal tasks prior to closing. A large number of documents and tasks related to the closing rely on having mortgage instructions in hand for important information. As such,
please ensure that you finalize your financing with your lender as soon as
possible before the closing date to ensure we receive mortgage instructions
in a timely fashion.
Additional Fee - Class "B" Lenders And Private Mortgages
We charge an additional $300 plus HST fee premium for mortgages that are
from "B" Lenders. "B" Lenders generally are smaller financial institutions,
lending companies and investment companies that are not chartered banks.
Some example lenders include but are not limited to Home Equity Bank,
Equitable Bank, Hometrust, small credit unions, etc. These lenders usually
have easier requirements to get qualified for a mortgage or may offer a
lower interest rate than those offered by the larger class A lenders.
We do not charge a premium for the large chartered Canadian banks and class
"A" lenders such as TD Canada Trust, Bank of Montreal, National Bank, Royal
Bank, Bank of Nova Scotia (Scotiabank), etc.
The reason for this premium in fees is because, generally, smaller lenders
usually do not have physical branches, and usually ask for many more
requirements and documents to be processed by our law firm as compared to
the larger class A lenders. Our premium is to cover the extra resources we
need to invest for files with mortgages that request more information than that of
a standard file.
If you have received a survey from the vendors, please provide us with a
copy as soon as possible. Please also let us know whether you are aware of
any physical changes, additions or alterations to the building(s) on the
property. Without the benefit of a current survey of the property, we are
unable to comment on any changes, additions or alterations to the buildings
and we are unable to ascertain the location of any subsequently constructed
structures and possible encroachments such as fences, buildings, hedges or
If you would like us to obtain an up-to-date survey for your property,
please advise us as soon as possible to discuss the cost and any time
constraints. An up-to-date survey may not be required if you obtaining
title insurance with your purchase - see the next section below.
Lawyers acting for purchasers in Ontario are required as part of their
responsibilities to advise their clients as to their options with respect
to insuring the title to their property. You may opt for a lawyer's opinion
on title or you may choose to purchase a title insurance policy from one of
the various title insurance companies operating in Ontario.
OPTION 1 - Lawyer's Opinion on Title
If you opt for a lawyer's opinion on title, after your transaction has been
completed, you will receive from us an opinion as to whether you have good
and marketable title to your property. The opinion will be based on the
title and off title inquiries that we make on your behalf and the
availability of an up to date survey showing the location of the buildings
and boundaries. Our opinion of course will be subject to the accuracy of
the information that we am provided with from the various governmental
offices, and the currency and accuracy of any survey provided to us(which
we have already discussed above) for review. Unlike a title insurance
policy, which is discussed below, we cannot provide you with any opinion or
protection from losses with respect to title fraud.
OPTION 2 - Title Insurance
Your other option is to purchase a title insurance policy. In that case, we
do not provide you with a lawyer's opinion on title; instead, we provide
the opinion to the title insurer who in turn issues a policy to you.
A policy of title insurance will insure you against losses resulting from
the various covered matters in the policy-including the matters that we
would otherwise be giving an opinion to you such as:
There is also coverage for many survey related matters, including
encroachments (other than fences and boundary walls) and violations of
municipal set back requirements. With certain exceptions, such as for
post-policy date title fraud, coverage for losses applies to the extent
that these matters exist as of the policy date (being the date your
Transfer is registered) but that are unknown to you at that time.
In addition, the benefits of a title insurance policy include:
As with all insurance products, title insurance does not cover defects
which you are aware of prior to the closing of the transaction (such as
adverse circumstances disclosed in a home inspection report or seller
property information statement) or which you may have agreed to in your
Agreement of Purchase and Sale. All policies are subject to exclusions and
exceptions, including, but not necessarily limited to environmental matters
and native land claims.
In the event that title insurance is obtained, there are a number of off
title searches that we will not be performing as most losses related
thereto that exist as of the closing date, but are unknown to you at that
time, are covered in your title insurance policy. You will save the
disbursement costs related to these off title searches. However, in certain
circumstances, such as where the size of the property is important, or if
you are planning on adding onto an existing structure, or changes to the
use of the property are contemplated, we recommend that certain off title
searches be done even if title insurance is being purchased. If this is the
case, please advise our office as soon as possible.
We recommend that your transaction is completed by way of title insurance,
and in the event that our firm does not hear from you to the contrary, we
will be ordering a policy from either Stewart Title or Chicago Title for
closing. You will sign an Acknowledgment confirming the manner in which you
have chosen to insure your title and confirming our right to disclose
relevant information to the title insurer, in relation to your transaction,
for the purposes of obtaining a title insurance policy.
Should you wish to discuss in further detail your options in this regard
(including the option to purchase title insurance from another company) or
if you wish to receive a sample title insurance policy, please contact us
as soon as possible, as your decision will affect the manner in which we
proceed with your transaction.
Please advise us as soon as possible if your plans for the property include
uses other than owner-occupied residential (e.g. rental property) and/or if
you plan on making any additions and/or substantial renovations.
If your property is to be tenanted on closing or if your Agreement of
Purchase and Sale provides for multi-unit use, you may be assuming prior
obligations of the landlord to the tenants. Subject to the limitations in
the agreement, purchasers usually protect themselves by relying on
warranties from the vendors and acknowledgments from the tenants. If your
agreement provides for such documentation, we will ensure that we obtain
same from the vendors' solicitor on closing. If your agreement does not so
provide, we will not be making any further inquiries and you may want to
consider making your own inquiries directly with the tenants in this
It should be noted
that neither a title insurance policy nor our opinion will cover fire
retrofit issues (that is, the property, as it sits today, would pass an
inspection by the Fire Marshall); the only way to obtain such an assurance
would be to have the Fire Marshall inspect the premises some time prior to
closing, or at least rely on the services of a qualified home inspector.
Please advise immediately if you would like usto pursue either of these
avenues (additional costs will apply). Furthermore, a title insurance
policy does not cover legality of rents or lost rental income.
Please also advise as to whether the property is located on a
waterfront, highway, ravine, escarpment, or is subject to or near any
hydro installations.
This information may affect the scope of the enquiries we may need to make
on your behalf.
Prior to closing, you must arrange for fire insurance to be placed on the
property as of the closing date.
Protecting Your Lender
If you are obtaining mortgage, the lender must also be noted as loss payee
on the policy and you will want to ensure that the policy provides for
"guaranteed replacement cost" as this is a requirement of most lenders.
Your insurance agent will need to provide uswith a Binder Letter or
Certificate of Insurance showing that the insurance is in place. Please
make the necessary arrangements for this as soon as possible.
We cannot use mortgage proceeds on closing unless we first verify the fire
insurance policy is in place and the lender is listed as an additional
insured on your insurance policy.
You will need to contact utility authorities (electricity, natural gas, hot
water tank rental, water, internet, phone, TV, and satelitte) to create new
accounts in your name for closing and to advise of your closing date and,
where applicable, to request that the meters be read on the closing date.
Advise them that you will be the new occupants and that you can be reached
at the property. As a precaution, we advise that at least one week before
your closing date, you should also contact the local utilities and phone
company directly in the event they require further information to set up
your new accounts.
We will receive the keys to your property on closing, but it may also be
convenient for you to arrange to obtain them from the vendors or your real
estate agent directly. We are unable to release the keys to you until all
the appropriate documents have been registered with the local Land Registry
Office. We cannot guarantee when this will occur. While we assure you that
we will do what we can to ensure the timely closing of your purchase
transaction, it is not uncommon for the keys to not become available until
close to 5:00 pm on your closing date. As such, please ensure that you make
the appropriate moving arrangements to account for the delivery of your
keys at that time of day.
We will meet with you shortly before your closing date to review your file
and to have you sign documents. We will need to meet with each person whose
name will appear on the Transfer. If any person whose name will appear on
the Transfer will not be available at that time, please advise us as soon
as possible as alternative arrangements may have to be made. If you require
a lawyer, such as Rashesh Mandani to travel and visit to you, Mandani Law
reserves the right to charge a travel fee to cover the lawyer's time.
The Law Society of Upper Canada and your mortgage lender require us to
verify your identity. We must also ensure your matter doesn't conflict with
another matter or client.
At our meeting, we will require each person, to bring two pieces of
identification, one of which must be Canadian/Federal or Provincial
government-issued photo identification such as a driver's licence or
passport. Unfortunately, a health card is not acceptable identification. If you
have any questions about what is an acceptable form of identification or if
you do not have Canadian/Federal or Provincial photo identification, please
contact us as soon as possible.
Buying a property is one of the most significant purchases that most people make and it Mandani Law's goal to ensure that your transaction proceeds smoothly and that you obtain good title to your property. If we can be of any assistance prior to your closing date, please do not hesitate to contact us.
By you, the client
You have the right to terminate our services to you upon written notice to our firm.
By us, the Solicitor(s)
Subject to our obligations to you to maintain proper standards of
professional conduct, we reserve the right to terminate our services to you
for good reasons which include, but are not limited to:
· if you fail to cooperate with me in any reasonable request;
· if our continuing to act would be unethical or impractical;
· improper behavior or aggression;
· if or retainer has not been paid;
· you are dishonest; or
· if you fail to pay our accounts when rendered.
If you terminate our services or we withdraw our services, you would only
have to pay fees, disbursements, and expenses up until the time we stopped
acting for you.
We would also have to withdraw our services if we learned of a conflict of interest that would make it unethical for us
to continue to act for you. A conflict of interest occurs when what is best for one of the clients of our firm somehow is not best for or hurts another of our clients. If we have to withdraw our services for you because of a
conflict of interest, you will only have to pay our fees and expenses up to the time we stopped acting for you.
Fees Collected On Terminated Or Cancelled Matters With Flat Rate
Please note for matters that have flat rate fees such as Real Estate
closings, we reserve the right to charge for our time and resources spent
up to the termination of the solicitor-client contract.
Terminations may also occur upon a client's failure to close as a result of a lack of funds or other breach of contract. Mandani Law shall have the right to charge for its time and resources on files that are terminated as a
result of client negligence. For clarity, Mandani Law shall have the right to charge for its time and resources for if a flat rate closing file fails to close for any reason. For clarity, Mandani Law shall have the right to charge for its time and resources for if a flat rate closing file fails to close for any reason.
Mandani Law's regular office hours are 10 AM to 6 PM, Monday through
We aim to manage and prioritize our clients files depending on the nature and need of each matter. As such, please allow us to return your emails,
phone calls and faxes within one business day. We appreciate your patience and understanding that we are maintaining and dealing with numerous files for multiple clients at any time. Emails, calls, and faxes received on holidays or weekends will be responded to the following business day. Please only leave a maximum of two messages a day on our voicemail, email, or fax systems.
By entering in your information below and by clicking "I Agree", you are
acknowledging that you have read this retainer agreement in full and that
you agree to abide by the terms set out above.
If you do not agree to this retainer agreement, there is no solicitor-client relationship. Do not fill out the information below and submit this form agreement if you do not agree to these terms. Please advise us immediately of any questions, concerns, comments or if you do not agree to this retainer agreement.
To help speed up your file, you can upload relevant documents relating to your property and
closing below. You can also email us documents or bring them with you when you visit our office. You can upload scanned documents or photos from a smartphone.
If you don't have a scanner but have a smartphone you can try to use a free
scanner app such as Adobe Scan: Mobile PDF Scanner (Available for
Apple iOS
) which allows you to capture documents into a PDF using your phone's
Here's a short video to help you learn how to use the app.


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So I'm finally making the move from my old blog http://www.slowtrav.com/blog/joden to comfy, easy to use, just perfect for an old broad, Blogger!
I usually blog about our trips, mostly to keep an record for myself (for when I'm too old to remember what the hell we did, what the hell we ate, and where the hell we went) and to stay in contact with friends and family when we are away (the better to make them envious of all our wonderful trips ~ although they probably wouldn't be too envious if they saw our bank balance when we come back!). I'll actually try to update the blog in between since I'm kind of going through a mid-life crisis these days and it may do me good to get some stuff off my chest (but then again, I may have to limit access to too many colleagues and family if I get really honest with myself!).
I'll start off by posting our memories and pictures of our last trip to Paris in November. I'll also add some pictures and thoughts about our trip to Cuba with Seb and Danielle and Paul's wedding in Vegas this May (2011).
This is just by way of practicing for our big trip in 3 weeks ~ we are going to Greece for the first time for 2 glorious weeks and back to Paris for 1 week (thank you, Air France, for the seat sale with the free Paris stopover!!)
Ok, that's it for the first post ~ let's see if it worked!


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The frank truth about Frankie
There's one thing you can say about Frankie Goes To Hollywood, and that's that they're not afraid of being controversial.
The video for Two Tribes, their number one smash hit anti war song made Russian officials at their London embassy see red, and brought yet another ban from The Beeb.
And to top it all they've put both Boy George and Duran Duran in the shade by selling a staggering four million copies of their first single Relax throughout Britain and Europe, six months after it was banned by Radio One.
But did you know that:
Bass player Mark O'Toole and guitarist Brian Nash are cousins? They were still working for Liverpool Council as a carpenter and an electrician one week before Relax was banned and had to get time off work to appear on Top of the Pops.
Mark, Brian and drummer Paul Gill share a London flat with an aquarium filled with deadly Piranha fish.
The group annoyed Boy George once by phoning him up in a London studio and suggesting that he starts placing a regular order for a magazine called Slimmers' Monthly.
Holly Johnson's previous occupations include pizza chef, cloakroom attendant and labourer on a building site in Wapping, a job which lasted just one week.
He secretly harbours an ambition to become a ventriloquist.
He used to earn six pence a week singing in a church choir in Liverpool.
Paul Rutherford used to share a flat in Liverpool with Boy George's arch enemy Dead Or Alive singer Pete Burns. Paul and Pete are still very close buddies.
The group have never been to Hollywood. They based their name on a magazine article about Frank Sinatra resuming his singing career.
The first record that Holly ever bought was Blackberry Way by The Move. The first rock concert he ever attended was one given by David Bowie at Liverpool Empire on June 9, 1973.
Paul Rutherford has a twin sister living in America. He lived with her for a short time when he shared an ambition to become a dancer.
Holly's first group was Big In Japan which also featured Siouxsie and the Banshee's drummer Budgie and Echo and The Bunnymen's manager Bill Drummond.
Holly Johnson's favourite Hollywood actress is Judy Garland. He used to dye his hair red, wear lots of make up and dress up like her when he visited Liverpool's clubs whilst still at secondary school.
His mother regularly turns up to all of her son's gigs with flasks of coffee and sandwiches for the entire group.
Paul Rutherford, like the group's bass player Mark O'Toole, is absolutely terrified of flying.
Over 750,000 copies of Two Tribes were sold in the first two weeks of release. The record outsold any other single in the charts by two to one.
Holly Johnson goes swimming for half an hour each morning at the public baths near his Chelsea home.
Relax is the first record to reach the number one spot after being banned by The Beeb since Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg went to the top with Je T'aime in 1969.
Holly Johnson was christened William Holly Johnson. Before joining Frankie Goes To Hollywood he recorded two singles under the name of Holly called Yankee Rose and Hobo Joe, neither of which were hits.
When Relax was banned Mark O'Toole's father sent Mike Read a petition signed by over 2,000 neighbours and friends in Liverpool.
Holly Johnson was brought up near Penny Lane, the legendary street in the Beatles' song in Liverpool.
Last year he was selling Dennis The Menace T-shirts to supplement his income from the dole.
John Lennon, The Beatles and Elvis Presley are the only other artists ever to have records simultaneously at number one and number two in the charts.
Holly Johnson's dad is a taxi driver and his mother works as a nurse at a heart clinic in Liverpool.


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I went into Come And Find Me, the latest film from Zack Whedon, expecting an overdramatic weepy about lost love. Much to my surprise (and short-term delight), what I discovered was something far more thrilling. Unfortunately, the thrills wear thin before the credits begin to roll.
David (Aaron Paul) has a peculiar dilemma. After a seemingly perfect night with the love of his life, Claire (Annabelle Wallis), he wakes to discover his live-in girlfriend is gone. She didn't leave a note or send a text, and none of her friends have any idea where she might have gone. David immediately goes to the police for help, but all they can offer is a missing person's report and a stack of fliers urging the public to send in tips.
A year later, an old friend of Claire's comes to visit. After a hard night of drinking and catching up on old times, the men get into a scuffle when David discovers the other man tearing up his home in search of something Claire allegedly hid before her disappearance. David has no idea what his girlfriend could possess that would drive someone to such lengths, but he soon discovers a roll of film buried in his garden that leads him to believe there may be more to Claire than she initially let on.
Read more: The Good Neighbor is a captivating mystery disguised as a horror movie
The mystery of Claire is a good one, and for a little while Come And Find Me seems to be setting up a kind of Gone Girl-like crime-thriller. David stops cooperating with police as soon as he can get the film developed, but every photograph is just another clue as to where Claire may or may not have gone. There is no rhyme or reason to the actions of the person David thought he knew better than anyone, and with each new piece of information he is tasked with accepting the fact that the woman he has been searching for may not be who he believes her to be. Even if she is, there is no guarantee she is alive or that she wants to see him.
How David decides which leads to follow is not something Zack Whedon believes we care about. Instead of helping us understand the mindset of a man who cannot resist the nagging desire to search for his missing girlfriend a year after her disappearance, Whedon chooses to splice glimpses of the couple's relationship in between thrilling moments in the hunt for Claire. Some add weight to sequences that follow through with foreshadowing or metaphor, but the majority come and go with weak dialogue that does nothing to help the story. If anything, these sequences actually stall an otherwise slow-burn build toward the film's violent climax.
Aaron Paul hasn't found a ton of luck in his post-Breaking Bad roles, but Come And Find Me does serve as the best showcase of his talent since that popular series came to an end. David is the only interesting character in the entire film, and his struggle to stay focused while trying to keep his grief at bay plays right into Paul's own skill set. There must be shots of his eyes brimming with tears every ten to fifteen minutes, and every time you believe they are real. It's not enough to make you love the film, but it is enough to reaffirm Paul's presence as a talent still very much on the rise in the modern entertainment landscape.


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New, streamlined order entry integration deployed across Europe
Fujifilm Europe today announces a new partnership with Aleyant, an innovative leader in providing robust software services to the graphic communications industry, involving its Aleyant Pressero™ web-to-print solution. This partnership has evolved out of the very successful results that the Fujifilm North America Corporation has achieved since introducing Pressero™, and both Aleyant and Fujifilm Europe are working to replicate those results.
John Davies, Business Strategy and Marketing Manager for Print Production Workflow Solutions, Fujifilm Europe comments: "We are excited to be bringing this new, full service offering to our customer and prospect base across EMEA. The tools and technologies in the web-to-print space have undergone a significant evolution, and we did our homework to find the best approach – not only for today but for the future. We have been impressed with the quality of the Pressero™ solution, Aleyant's team and vision, and how easy it has been to work with them in getting this integration completed." Implementing web-to-print successfully requires carefully guiding customers through the process and Aleyant has demonstrated that it has the required personnel and skills to deliver this.
In addition, Aleyant has created a special web-to-print integration for Fujifilm's XMF Workflow. The powerful integration enables automated transmission of job data from a web storefront directly into the XMF Workflow, enabling automated production and job submission, including the selection of an appropriate imposition template, for improved operational efficiency, reduced errors and faster time to market.
"We are pleased to expand our growing library of integrations by partnering with Fujifilm Europe," said Greg Salzman, Aleyant's President. "Fujifilm has an impressive installed base in the commercial printing industry across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and we will work with its customers to help develop an even more efficient workflow, more effective customer-facing web interface, and the ability to respond more quickly to customers in order to maintain a competitive advantage."
Pressero™ Web-to-Print
Aleyant Pressero™ is a comprehensive but affordable and easy-to-use cloud-based B2B or B2C online storefront solution that can quickly and easily be customised to individual client needs. This includes a 'mobile-first' design for branded sites for use on any viewing device. Core components of Pressero™ include eDocBuilder™, a web-based and online design and variable data publishing system built specifically to easily integrate into Aleyant or third-party web-to-print or MIS solutions. eDocBuilder™ features advanced typography control, imposition, scripting support, PDF workflows, rapid template creation, Excel merge capabilities and more.
Aleyant's Automated Workflow Integrator™ (AWI) uses a rules-based approach to automate such processes as file renaming, unzipping zipped files, or sending files and metadata directly to a RIP for processing, eliminating multiple steps in the workflow. Finally, Aleyant PrintJobManager™ is MIS/ERP simplified. It uses a new mobile, cloud-based approach to MIS that includes a fast means of generating market-driven pricing, job management, inventory control, planning and estimating.


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Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration
Office of Audit
Issued on July 10, 2012
Highlights of Report Number: 2012-10-074 to the Internal Revenue Service Deputy Commissioner for Operations Support.
On February 18, 2010, a single-engine airplane was intentionally flown into an IRS building in Austin, Texas (hereafter referred to as the Austin incident). The IRS responded by implementing business resumption plans that contain specific procedures for managing such events. While the Austin incident displaced approximately 200 IRS personnel who worked in the building, the costs incurred as a result of the Austin incident caused no adverse budgetary impact on the IRS's ability to provide taxpayer services or enforce tax laws.
The overall objective of this review was to determine the costs to the IRS resulting from the Austin incident from the date of the incident through September 30, 2011.
The IRS spent more than $38.6 million from February 18, 2010, through September 30, 2011, as a result of the Austin incident. The costs the IRS incurred included approximately $6.4 million for immediate local incident response and business resumption activities and approximately $32.2 million to evaluate and enhance employee safety and physical security at IRS facilities nationwide. The IRS used $31.7 million in a combination of user fees (fees collected by the IRS to help offset the costs of providing services to specific taxpayers) and carryover funds (appropriation funds not yet obligated for an authorized purpose to pay for unplanned expenses), and $6.9 million in Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011 appropriated funding to pay for costs related to the Austin incident. The majority of the $6.9 million in appropriated funding came from the IRS's Operations Support appropriation. The Operations Support account provides funding for functions such as infrastructure and information services.
The IRS advised us that the costs incurred as a result of the Austin incident caused no direct budgetary impact on the IRS's ability to provide taxpayer services or enforce tax laws. However, the loss of an IRS employee and the injuries sustained by 13 others is immeasurable.
While the IRS timely issued a special accounting code to track the Austin incident expenditures, not all costs resulting from the incident were captured under this code. The miscoding of some costs resulted from the IRS omitting a key individual responsible for coding these costs from the information distribution list.
TIGTA recommended that the Deputy Commissioner for Operations Support ensure that communications relating to the use of special accounting codes to track costs associated with unforeseen events are distributed to all IRS personnel involved in coding incident-related expenses.
In their response, IRS management agreed with our recommendation and plans to create a form letter to be kept in the Incident Management Planning Toolkit and distributed at the time of an emergency event that gives instructions for use of the internal code. A designated space will be available where the code can be displayed.
To view the report, including the scope, methodology, and full IRS response, go to:
E-mail Address: email@example.com
Phone Number: 202-622-6500
Website: http://www.tigta.gov


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Thursday, June 19, 2008
Challah For Refuah
Several of Rochie's friends and classmates have committed to perform this special women's Mitzvah in her Z'chus this week. Thanks Shoshi for coordinating this effort. Please post here if you've joined this initiative.
Women in London and Manchester, England are networking to create groups of 40 women to bake Challah and have Rochie in mind L'Refuah Shleimah.
10 comments:
I will, bli neder, do hafrashas challah this Erev Shabbos with Rochie in mind for a speedy refuah shleimah.
- June 19, 2008 at 9:21 PM
- Esty Marcus said...
i will also make challah this shabbos.
- June 19, 2008 at 9:44 PM
I will keep Rochie in mind when I make Challah every Friday until she has a Refuah Shlaimah Bekarov Mamesh!
- June 20, 2008 at 12:49 AM
I wasn't going to bake this week because I was tired and not really in the mood... But in the zchus of Rochie I did. And my challahs came out better than ever!
- June 20, 2008 at 6:24 PM
- faigierabin said...
I made Challahs this Shabbos as well and they also come out very well.
- June 21, 2008 at 7:19 PM
I also will make challah in honor of Rochie for a refuah schleimah!
- June 25, 2008 at 4:27 PM
another challa maker here...for a speedy recovery NOW!!!
- June 25, 2008 at 10:07 PM
The Zalmanovs baked Challah for a Refuah Shleima for Rochie, may it be right NOW!
- June 27, 2008 at 1:44 AM
This week the Shluchos all over the world baked Challah for a Refuah Shleima for Rochie.
(Through the "Shluchos Network")
- June 27, 2008 at 1:49 AM
As Mindy said this past shabbos when i took challah as part of the shluchos, i gathered my children and we all said for a refuah shelimah for rochie iyh quickly.
in the zechus that she came far out and spent one of her summers with us on shlichus to do the day camp with a perfect smile and gave over so much to the children may all the zechusimadd up quickly for a complete and true refuah
- June 30, 2008 at 1:52 AM


text: About a dozen Hezbollah fighters were seized during the conflict Israeli state prosecutors indicted the men in the Israeli city of Nazareth on Tuesday. According to Israeli justice ministry officials, the men were captured during an army offensive in southern Lebanon after Hezbollah seized two Israeli soldiers on July 12. Mahmud Ali Sulaiman, Muhammad Sarur, and Mahir Qurani, appeared before a civil court in the northern Israeli town of Nazareth and will not face a military tribunal. Using the criminal trial is seen as part of Israel's refusal to recognise Hezbollah as a legitimate fighting force. Micky Rosenfeld, a police spokeman, said the men were accused of having trained in Iran, and Sulaiman was charged with taking part in the cross-border attack. Israel is believed to have detained about a dozen Hezbollah fighters during the month-long war. Captured reservists Convictions could complicate any future swap deal for the two Israeli army reservists who are still being held captive in Lebanon. Israeli soldiers have complained of poor planning and tactics An internal inquiry by the Israeli army has found that Military Intelligence knew that Hezbollah was planning to capture Israeli solders shortly before July 12, according to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. The information, if properly handled, could have prevented the capture of Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser, but was not analysed and passed on to troops in time, the inquiry concluded. The Israeli army refused to confirm or deny the report, saying the issue was still being investigated. Israel's cabinet has appointed a commission to investigate the way the government and the military handled the Lebanon war, but rejected calls for an independent inquiry. Ill-prepared campaign Ehud Olmert, the prime minister, has been criticised for what is seen by some as an ill-prepared campaign in Lebanon that failed to crush Hezbollah. Israeli reservists who fought in Lebanon have complained of poor planning and tactics. Thousands of Israelis have joined protests to demand an independent inquiry into the war by a so-called state commission whose members would be appointed by a supreme court judge. Olmert has said such an investigation would be too time-consuming and instead Eliayhu Winograd, a retired judge, and four other people will examine how political leaders and military commanders conducted the war. Outside the prime minister's office, dozens of veterans held a demonstration calling on Olmert, Amir Peretz, the defence minister, and Lieutenant-General Dan Halutz, the military chief of staff, to resign. Israeli media said the panel would begin work on Monday. SOURCE: Agencies


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Some might call this a Christmas candle but it's so much more! This festive multi-wick candle fills your home with a crisp, just-cut forest fragrance that is a staple for any holiday celebration. This candle is a glowing focal point for entertaining and makes the perfect hostess gift. Our non-metal wicks provide a clean, pure burn time of approximately 60 hours.
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Better Than A Christmas Tree
I use the Frasier fir candle every Holiday season to give my house the smell of a fresh Christmas tree. It is a beautiful and realistic scent, like a fresh cut tree. I look forward to it every year.
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Fave Fragrance
This is my all-time favorite scent. It's fresh and subtle and a great scent year round. I had one that I burned in my classroom to help with musty odors. Even my students loved it and one of my male students asked for a frasier fir candle for his 15th birthday!! I receive many compliments from people...both male and female...over this scent. You can't go wrong! Great for gifts, too. And they're available in many sizes and different price points.
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Best Christmas Candle Ever
Every Christmas I make sure to have this candle, it give the best fragrance for the house and office space.Make sure to buy some for friends and family as make a perfect Christmas gift!!
It's Christmas!
My daughter introduced me to your Frasier Fir scent years ago when she gifted me one of your candles. I have never before or since found anything else that captures the divine essence of Frasier firs (my favorite Christmas tree) like your amazing products. I have since tried your hand wash, other candle designs and the wicks - all are fabulous. Ever since, my daughter gets me some form of Frasier Fir product for Christmas, knowing it's by far my favorite. She continues to buy them for herself, as well.
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Amy H
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My absolute favorite candle to burn starting the day after Thanksgiving until well after New Year's. Your house will smell like the most fabulous Christmas tree, EVER!!!! You won't be disappointed. Fragrant till the very end.
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Stream of consciousness:
*What's the light in the hall? A mere security blanket wrapping the kids in peace as they sleep. Does the light serve a functional purpose at 3am? Only to quiet the fears of a child awoken by a dream. A stream of far of places, of monsters and dragons. The light anchors them back to reality. It reminds them of the here and now. It quietly declares to them that dreams are stories that stay in the mind, only to be released by those who dare reveal their secrets.
*It happens in slow motion in my brain. My foot catches on the cord, the leg locks back, the food goes flying forward as I stretch to the pain to retrieve it to no avail. I go down. Slowly to my knees. Slowly to my arms. My belly hits, followed by my head. The world starts moving at regular speed, like a film that has glitched for a fraction of a second. I look around from my setting on the floor. The world is slightly canted, much like a snapshot of my life during this season. The food has flown off the plate, hitting the wall with gusto. The plate is missing, swallowed up by the darkness past which I can not see. The only sound is that of distant canned laughter coming from the television in the room down the hall, and the whirring white noise of the drier on the back porch. I take a quick mental assessment of my situation to see if I am hurt beyond my pride. I will be bruised, but that is nothing new. Beyond that, I think I am whole.
*The television is on, but it is more of a distraction. I couldn't tell you what is on, nor could I name the channel on which it has landed. It's just noise. I need the noise. It helps the memories, anger, regret, and sadness stay at bay. It buries the madness below the surface, not allowing its voice to be heard. Noise. It covers me in a blanket of safety, keeping the unwanted away for a spell.
*The lady turns around and glares at me. I am confused, even a bit frightened maybe. Her demeanor does not fit the situation, and my body immediately senses the fracture in the atmosphere. I stop placing my items on the conveyor belt, but they continue to move forward, guided by an invisible electrical force. What happens next is like a bad dream coming to a head. …..


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Conservative News & Commentary
On first glance the results of last Tuesday night's election might seem puzzling. How could a conservative like Tom Mallams lose by a 2-to-1 margin and yet conservatives like Linthicum and Reschke win by wide margins? Why did the Predator Control ballot measure pass and the marijuana one fail? Those were some questions we wrestled with until we looked closer at the races and the data. Below are some truths that will help make sense of what happened in May's primary election.
Principle #1: Voters preferred non-incumbent candidates in non-partisan races. Whether it was the two Commissioners' races or the Sheriff's race, it was clear that voters preferred someone new over someone currently in the job. Current Commissioners Mallams and Bellet were both beat by political new-comers Boyd and DeGroot. While Mallams was significantly outspent, the only difference in the Position #1 race was that Boyd was able to secure over 50% of the vote and not have to run again in November. DeGroot is the favorite against incumbent Bellet. It will be interesting to see if the trend of "throw the incumbents out" in non-partisan races continues this fall and onto 2018.
For the Sheriff's race Martin Rowley was seen as Sheriff Skrah's substitute. Voters clearly preferred the two outsiders: Kaber and Lewis. Kaber and Lewis will have run-off election in November to see who our next Sheriff will be.
Principle #2: Voters preferred incumbents by wide margins in partisan races. Just the opposite was true in partisan primaries. From Walden, to McLane, to Linthicum and Reschke (seen as the replacements/incumbents for the Whitsetts), these Republican incumbents enjoyed large-margin victories. Even though Linthicum and Reschke were outspent between 4-5 to 1, the Republican voters were clear in wanting to keep the status quo for U.S. and State offices.
Principle #3: Tax Levies continue to succeed when they are tied to public schools or farming. While we at KlamathNews.net have been strong advocates for a "No New Taxes" policy, voters continue to squeak by public school and farming based levies. As new buildings are built and farming/ranching expenses are passed along to the tax payer at large the overall disposable income of Klamath residents continues to drop. The consequence of such policies is that Klamath becomes a less attractive marketplace for new businesses and entrepreneurial ventures.
So onto November we go. Will these trends continue or will they change? Only time will tell.
5 Comments
If the Republican party and or the Conservative PAC will not Financially and politically oppose measures such as the predator control, or the support of a conservative candidate the liberal tide will continue to turn the face of Rural Politics. We will regret non partisan entrants into local politics such as Sheriff and Commissioner . Steve Souder
I find it amazing that the local businessmen/farmers want to pass a direct expense of their business on to the rest of us property tax payers in the form of "preditor control". I have deer herds literally parading through my back yard in the suburbs destroying my plants and trees and I have to accept that. Yet a cougar, wolf or other neucence creature that is destroying the farmers property can be dispatched now at my expense. This was the most amazing new tax on property tax payers I have seen passed. I'm still trying to figure this one out.
I was hoping that most folks in the Klamath Basin felt they were paying enough in taxes. I'm sure another levy for schools would pass because "it's for the children". Once the levy passes, we see money being spent foolishly. If the general public only knew what goes on behind the scenes and how difficult it is to deal with the school administrator's (both city and county) they might think twice about providing money that should not be given to the school districts.
The election results weren't puzzling at all. Malllams lost for two reasons: he's proven he serves his own interests over the taxpayers', and Donnie Boyd ran a far more effective campaign. Linthicum and Reschke won because they had help from the Whitsetts to rig the election, not because they exemplified conservative values over their fellow candidates. I have no doubt that, if elected, Linthicum and Reschke will be one-term politicians because the same thing that happened to Mallams will happen to them. And I really hope they prove me wrong, because I don't want them to screw up this region's chances at success just because they can't stop harping on dam removal.
Ryan - I disagree on your comment about Mallams. While his case was being reviewed by the OWRD, he was allowed to continue using water. Call the OWRD if you'd like... those are the rules. Just because the local paper had an agenda against Mallams and misreported the facts in order to sell papers, doesn't convict Mallams.
Anyone who knows Tom, knows he is an honest honorable man. As a county we will be far poorer without him in the commissioner's seat -- someone who stands on principle, not the easy way out in order to stay popular.