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Hey, hey! It's time for fur faces. Aw yis.
In case you're new (in which case, welcome!): Favorites are chosen by one of the Snout Selectors (KrabbyPaddy, facw, Xyl0c41n3, Chuckles, CBG, k2b, and Hannibal), entirely on our own whimsy. WHIMSY. However, in the interest of solidarity, we try to select one dog picture and one cat picture (minimum!) each week. Other pets will also, of course, be considered. We love all your rats, bunnies, ferrets and other furry, feathery & finny pals. WE WILL NEVER DISCRIMINATE AGAINST CUTE. As always, we're happy to dismiss any pictures if you decide you want them taken down at some point.
If you don't have a pet of your own to feature this week, I highly recommend featuring and linking to any cuties who are available for adoption and looking for a home on Petfinder or any other shelter or rescue site. If you're like me, you probably know people doing some good rescue/foster/support work in your area, so please feel free to share the love and the fluff from your hometown.
In that sharing spirit, if you don't have a pet but want to participate, drop off your best Internet find of an animal .gif or meme or tweet in the comments. The more animal lovers, the merrier :) Speaking of sharing, feel free to share these posts anywhere in the Kinja-verse, because it has been scientifically documented that looking at pictures of cute animals reduces stress. So gather up your endorphins and prepare to squee as the curtain rises on our lovable talents!
Last week's edition can be found here:
Onto this week's!
capriciavi's parents got an adorable doggo named Bob:
Katy del Moxie's kitties are neatly organized.
Here is Tofutti Klein's Strudel tolerating Sugarbear.
Dr. Sattler's Liz is highly boopable.
Molly, diplodicus forgot his password's dog, is fabulous.
Flamingo83's bear of a dog Chiflado always kills me.
Now please to post your fur faces!


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Riding simulator INTERACTIVE
The next step up from our riding simulator, this interactive model comes with a pivoting neck and lateral action in all paces. Includes the addition of a widescreen TV screen and computer with several software options; choose from general riding, RDA or bespoke exhibition (POA).
A fantastic introductory model for those that would benefit from the mechanical movement of a simulator and allows the trainer to work closely with the rider enabling them to gain confidence and develop their skills.
The interactive options allow for a more immersive riding experience.
Prices from £38,250 +VAT (excludes delivery) Buy now
This is an excellent model for use in exhibition or installations with bespoke software tailored to your own business or environment. A wide variety of options are available.
Interactive software helps to keep the rider more engaged. Choose from 3 options including RDA, general riding or your own bespoke branded software.
A popular model for those who are using our simulators to promote a product in a tack shop or take on the road – excellent at drawing in a crowd at any event.

subset: commoncrawl


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Greenlee Wire Stripper - 20-10 AWG Solid Wire (Pkg. of 6)(Model # 1916)
Note: Picture may not represent the actual product. We are continuously working on improving our website and reserve the right to change specifications, availability, and pricing without prior notice.
- For use with solid wire
- Serrated nose grip for wire pulling and straightening
- Stamped from high carbon tool steel
- Heat-treated for long life
- Precision ground blades ensure consistent stripping and cutting
- Pivot joints have hardened steeel bushings
- Rust resistant black oxide finish
- Capacity: 20-10 AWG (.8-2.6 mm dia.)
- Comes in pack of 6
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Model # 45-715 Ideal Kinetic Super Wire Stripper, 10-18 AWG Solid$38.48


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FileMaker Pro
FileMaker Pro is the first software requirement for using SignAgent Pro™. The most recent version that is compatible is FileMaker Pro Advanced 17
Development is no longer ongoing for SignAgent Pro, so future versions of FileMaker Pro may or may not work.
For more information on which versions are compatible, check out this tutorial here: FileMaker Pro Compatibility
You can learn more here: FileMaker Pro Advanced
If you need a trial version to get started, you can find that here: FileMaker Pro 17 Trial


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- Our Web Address is now myahockey.com
- Welcome to the 20th Season of MYA Hockey
The McDonough Youth Inline Hockey Association (MYIHA) is a Henry County, Georgia hockey club that is a tax exempt, non-profit, family oriented organization in which every child who is a member can learn to skate.
MYIHA's objective is to teach skating skills and the fundamentals of the game, team effort, and good sportmanship.
Visit our new site for Fall 2017 Registration details.
MYA Hockey is completely organized and ran by volunteers. We are very proud of our new rink! Let's keep it clean. If you see trash lying around, please place it in the trash cans placed around the rink.
The scoreboard and concession stand are also ran by the parents. Please help by taking your turn. There is a schedule provided at the concession. Each game a parent from the HOME team should work the concession. Also, there is to be two parents from each team in the score booth for each game. One adult for the score sheet, one adult for the clock, one adult for each penalty door. Thank you for your help.
McDonough's own......
Avalon Park Hockey Rink is to be used only for hockey related activities. This is the only rink in Henry County, please help us keep it clean and in good shape. Please turn out the lights and lock up when done.


text: Watch Yaeji's dazzling new video for 'Raingurl'MusicMusic VideosThe Korean-American producer makes a splash with a killer new clip from her latest EP17November 2017TextAlex Denney Yaeji brings her brolly to the club in the video for "Raingurl", a highlight from her acclaimed new EP released this month. The New York producer has announced herself as one of electronic music's most exciting prospects this year, with a pair of EPs blending house and techno with softly-sung vocals in Korean and English. It's kinda like ASMR you can dance to. Yaeji describes "Raingurl" as a tribute to those moments in the club when you find yourself lost in introspection – watch the video below, and listen to a mix she put together for Dazed this month.


text: The Abu Dhabi Sports Council presents the inaugural Triathlon Festival at Al Hudayriat Island, the first of four triathlons this season. Protected swim course, open and spacious transition, a looped bike course with NO TRAFFIC and a run course with a twist. Choose from Super Sprint Individual and Relay, Sprint Individual and Relay or Olympic Individual.


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July 3-July 6, 2017
We have made reference over the years in our newsletters about how we depend on certain insects to combat the insects that prey on our plants. Let's take a closer look at some of the insectivores we raise at Elmwood Stock Farm, along with the herbivores, omnivores, fruits, and veggies. We grow flowering plants along with the vegetables and elsewhere around the farm to provide food and housing for these insect-eating insects and spiders, to encourage them to proliferate and rear their young. We also purchase some "bugs" from one of several insect farmers, complete with educational catalogues. You may want to consider seeding your own landscape with some of these beneficial insects.
Everybody's favorite, and most well-known, is the Convergent Lady Beetle, aka Ladybug. Adult females may consume as many as 5000 aphids in her one year lifespan, laying 1500 eggs as well. Ladybugs are unique in that the adult and the larvae are predacious, meaning they chew up and eat the entire aphid. The larvae look like little alligators and have a voracious appetite as they are growing so fast. The adults do tend to fly away as soon as all the aphids are gone, so periodic re-stocking may be necessary, but hey, they are working a wider area reducing aphids and other tiny plant pests around the farm. This is precisely why it is so important to have refuge habitat for them on the farm.
Aphidoletes aphidimyza sounds like it is an aphid rather than an insect that preys on aphids. The adults look like a mosquito and they are very good at locating aphid populations (that gets into the fascinating realm of pheromones). The legless larvae can eat 50 aphids per day. Actually they bite the aphid, inject a toxin, and then suck all the fluid out. The life cycle is about every 2-3 weeks, depending on temperature and other climatic factors and we may see 3-6 generations per year.
Adult lacewings are a fairy-like little winged insect that lays awesome eggs. Each egg is atop a hair-like structure about half an inch tall and scattered around the plant leaf or even on fruit, sometimes in a straight line. The larvae that hatch walk down the hair and begin eating any soft-bodied insect they encounter. For this reason, the eggs hatch at differing rates to prevent cannibalism. Sometimes on a just-harvested pepper or tomato, we can see the tiny stick structures. The adults require pollen and nectar from flowering plants, hence why we plant some. One of our favorite plants, buckwheat, flowers over a long period of time, and that sappy stuff on sunflower stems is actually great nectar as well.
Trichogramma wasps are so small, they lay their eggs in the eggs of other insects without harming them. However, when the larvae hatch inside the host egg, it eats the contents before emerging and flying away. It selects caterpillar type species as these have a long egg cycle, but if hatched, can devastate a crop. These are tricky to manage as they need the host eggs to be present, but if there are too many host eggs, these little wasps cannot parasitize all the eggs in a timely manner. We monitor this threshold and release them at the most opportune time. Scouting the fields, looking at the populations of the good and bad bugs and deciding where that threshold is, is part of what makes farming such a cool profession.
Many of the pest insects have one stage of their life below ground and we have some help down there as well. Beneficial nematodes are microscopic worms that eat some 250 species of insect's eggs, larvae, pupae, or adults. These are very effective against grubs that later would become Japanese Beetles. They can survive long periods with no host at all, and reproduce quickly when another food source becomes available. We have inoculated the fields with these over the years with great success.
Non-organic farmers may use some toxic chemical if the pest threshold is exceeded, eliminating all of the insects in the field, bad and good alike. Certified organic farmers have a few botanical compounds we can use on the herbivorous insects that have no effect on the insectivores. We are only allowed to use these sprays when all other means have failed and document this in our records for the inspector to see.
There are lots of other beneficial insects on the farm and we try very hard to harbor them and give them safe haven. By releasing fresh generations, we are augmenting our host population, and we are establishing a new equilibrium with the pest population, with a much lower threshold of pest pressure. So, you may consider adding flowering and nectar generating plants in your landscape, and who knows, maybe one of our Convergent Ladybugs may take up residence in your garden. – Mac Stone


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Lists, lists, and more lists!
EJ is a planner. He likes to know what's going to happen, when. When his day doesn't go as planned, he's pretty good at rolling with the punches. That's one reason I was struck so hard one day when I went into his room and actually noticed his walls. (The drawing is the shape of the animals' bowls.)
The list of names is from when we do devotions. EJ will draw a name for each of us to pray for, but when daddy falls asleep before we get that far, EJ will write down the name so we can pray for that person the next night.
Something he's studying right now and wants to remember.
Every one of these has to do with Minecraft.
He also finds posters and puts them up. Don't ask how he got that one all the way up there.
He found this poster in a book the other day and just decided to put it up.
He's gonna want a huge room in our next house, but not for the floor space.
Here is his collection of stickers. He's very proud of these.
Even his door isn't safe.
My favorite is this one. It normally starts with "where are dinosaurs mentioned?" and off he goes in his research. He's got his regular Bible, a concordance, a dictionary, a Bible dictionary, and a study Bible with cross references. Many times he will listen to a sermon while he researches.
He just got a package of colored sticky notes--the really skinny ones so he can keep multiple places in a book. I don't know how many times I have gone in to snuggle and he's got all ten fingers holding spots so he can show me something funny!
10/31/2015 10:21:21 pm
Leave a Reply.
Who am I, you ask?
In 2006 I had a stroke, and every day my husband encourages me to use my remaining brain cells to the best of my ability. I love to organize, make crafts, and go on adventures (safe ones). I hope that through my blog posts, you will be encouraged to accept and make the best of challenges God throws at your life.
September 2018


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The Tesla Man painted himself into a twitter box, last week; and found he isn't made of Teflon
It's late at night and you are fielding thousands of responses from people across the globe wondering what you will tweet next. Some folk will troll you, others will agree with you. Meanwhile share prices rise and fall on these "thinking-out-loud" moments. BUT you are not IMPOTUS Donald J Trump – rather, you are Elon Musk (pictured), the high-flying CEO and primary mover and shaker at EV manufacturer Tesla.
After his original assertion in mid-August that he intended to take Tesla "private", based on his presumption that he had lined up vast amounts of (ironically) petro cash from "middle-eastern interests" prepared to back the venture, the twitter feeds exploded with rumours. And when it turned out these guarantees ultimately lacked any real substance, it meant he had exposed himself to possible future charges of insider trading.
So, this via High Times:
"Tech mogul Elon Musk has clarified that his tweet on August 7 about taking his electric car company Tesla private was not related to "weed". In the tweet, Musk wrote that he had secured financing to take the company private at $420 per share. The quoted price led "some" to speculate it was related to 4/20 references from cannabis culture".
All this in turn led to his stunning admission in a subsequent New York Times interview, that he was not high on weed at the time of the tweet – but he did use the drug 'Ambien' in the wee hours. Amiens Street. Ambient. 'Ambien', which is this: "AMBIEN - (zolpidem tartrate) is a gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) A agonist of the imidazopyridine class and is available in 5 mg and 10 mg strength". So definitely not high, then.
Trolls these days, what, what?
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Thanks to the comments on my previous post, I learned that there is a much easier way to make some of the sets I described. To make the set, I originally suggested measuring a 60 degree angle. Here is a much better way.
Use the set that was built in the previous post, and place it on a different color of card stock grid paper.
Create a right triangle with legs 1 and . This makes the hypotenuse .
Use the rest of the set to make right triangles with legs 2 and , 3 and , 4 and , 5 and , 6 and , 7 and , and 8 and .
Cut them out, and you have a much easier set to put on your radical ruler.
You could use similar patterns to create other sets. For example, you can make a set by using your set. Make triangles with legs 1 and and their multiples, and you have a set.
Thanks again for all the feedback on that last post. You have helped make this activity even better.


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December 30th, 2010, 12:07 AM
Hey everyone, I'm on week 2 or 3 of my WO. I rinse my hair about every..5 days I'd say. Today I got out of the shower and my hair is really heavy, clumpy, barely will move. I feel like it'll break a lot if I try to move it, comb it or detangle it. Is this build up in my hair? It's getting pretty dry as it's drying and not soft.
Any solutions or suggestion for this?
Any solutions or suggestion for this?


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Tag Archives: Camille Seaman
The Last Iceberg: Camille Seaman
Camille Seaman's photography exhibition The Last Iceberg is currently on view at The World Affairs Council, in San Francisco. Camille approaches the images of icebergs as portraits of individuals, much like family photos of ancestors. She seeks a moment in … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Art Exhibit Review, Photography, San Francisco, SF Bay Arts Tagged Camille Seaman, Exhibition, icebergs, nature, photography, world affairs council Leave a comment
Camille Seaman's Incredible Cloud Scapes
We dropped into cruise thru some of the galleries at 49 Geary in SF and were arrested by the dramatic and beautiful photos of scenic landscapes by Camille, at Corden/Potts Gallery. The tumultuous clouds and eerie lighting – all printed in a … Continue reading


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Paul Keown has not received any gifts yet
Posted on October 30, 2019 at 19:56 0 Comments 0 Likes
Social action is a powerful force. Every Labour weekend Radio New Zealand's Concert Program airs the results of its 'Settling the Score' poll. For the last few years, 'The Lark Ascending' has come in first. Some have become a little sick of this and felt a new number one was needed. …Continue
Posted on December 1, 2018 at 23:00 0 Comments 1 Like
My apologies to readers for a long break between postings. However, I have been using my non-posting time to do some serious reading about the relationship between values and some of the major and intensifying issues facing us all in the first half of the 21st century. My quest started while I was in Germany and the UK over winter visiting our five grandchildren of that side of the world. I thoroughly enjoy the privilege of reading the Guardian and the Observer newspapers on a regular basis.…Continue
Posted on July 31, 2017 at 21:30 1 Comment 1 Like
The programme "Whats Next" that ran in on TVNZ over 5 nights recently touched upon the importance of values in what happens in everyday life, in what we think about the past, and the present and the future. Values drive action or inaction on the issues that matter most, and even in those that seem quite trivial. The programme received mixed reviews but probably came out more on the positive side than the negative. A good overall review appeared in the …Continue
Posted on July 4, 2017 at 19:30 2 Comments 1 Like
In my last post I mentioned the World Values Survey (WVS). This is a fascinating long-term project conducted in a good number of countries around the globe. The Wikipedia Entry on the WVS is a good brief introduction to the study. The study is a European-based initiative and in 1981 when it started was focused mainly on more…Continue
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This is a work-in-progress I've had on hand for some time; it is by no means complete and likely to not be 100% verifiably accurate in its limited scholarship. It is, though, a quick look into one of the greatest opponents of the Church until the Reformation. There are far more in-depth studies, so regard this for what it is, simply a non-scholarly summary of Cathar belief and practices. I will update this from time to time for clarification or to add information left out of this original post; these will be marked in red for time.
(Note: The Cathars were a religious group that existed primarily in southern France during the 12th and 13th centuries. Their opposition to the Church led to their brutal extermination during the Albigensian Crusade mounted against them in 1280.)
Theology: Cathars hold a Dualistic view in that they recognize the existence of two primary forces in the universe, one being that of Good and the other Evil. The Good is represented by 'God' (as presented in the New Testament) and is the ruler of the spiritual realm, while Evil is represented by 'Satan' (as presented in the Torah, but masquerading as God) who rules the material realm. Cathar beliefs have some ties to Gnostic traditions, but these are tenuous at best and not dealt with in this limited document.
Cosmology: At one time, God and Satan both inhabited the spiritual realm; there was no material realm. In time, Satan fought with God for control of the spiritual realm and was defeated; one result of Satan's defeat was his ejection from the spiritual realm and his creation of the material realm where he could rule. Satan created the world and its creatures, and created servants- Man- but in order to make them 'work' he had to infuse them with the spirits (angels) he had created or captured from God during the war in the heavens.
The Torah (Old Testament) begins at the end of the war between God and Satan; in it is described, after a fashion, how the world and its creatures came into existence. The part that was not known at the time of its writing was that Satan was the deity in charge, and ruled using the name of God to hide his identity. It was not until the time of the New Testament that Man (and his inhabitant spirit combining to form a soul) was made aware of the deception and began to direct his efforts toward returning to the legitimate God.
In Cathar belief, the physical realm (the earth and the physical universe) will cease to exist when the last of the trapped souls (those originated by God) return to the spiritual realm. The thought is that being in possession of those 'God-spirits' is what gives Satan his earthly power, and when those are gone he is essentially done and is returned to the spiritual realm to face God and the old struggle between Good and Evil begins anew.
General Beliefs: In general, Cathars were opposed to the teachings of the Church, believing that the institution- as a creation of Man- was corrupt and led by those who would continue the deception that Satan was actually God.
As for more specific beliefs and practices, here are some examples:
Marriage: Marriage, as sanctioned by the Church, was worthless; the only true marriage could be between individuals in the sight of God. As all men and women were seen as equals- all inhabited by a divine spirit- there were no restrictions on who could marry whom.
Sex: There were differing views on sex among Cathars, but the prevailing one was that there was no reason to condemn any form of non-procreative sex. Some held that sex for procreation was bad in that it simply provided a vessel for another soul to suffer through in this world, while others held the view that it gave another soul an opportunity to gain strength and retun to God. Either way, sex itself was not considered bad and was encouraged as one of the few pleasures this world has to offer.
Material Goods: The less one had to do with the material world, the better. Living simply, renouncing luxuries, and recognizing that the world is an inherently evil place were basic tenets. (This was seen by others as a positive trait, compared to the wealth and gaudy trappings of the Church and its Priests.)
Our Bodies: The sooner we learn of our spiritual nature and strengthen our souls through study, prayer, and the rejection of this world the sooner our souls might be freed to return to the spiritual realm of God. Some Cathars showed their disdain for their bodies (as works of Satan) by exposure to the elements or fasting or periodic mortification of the flesh. As such, there was no stigma on one committing suicide; the only consideration was concern if the individual's soul was prepared enough to escape this world.
Jesus and the Resurrection: Cathars held that, as this world was evil by its very nature, God would not have sent his son into it. As such, Jesus could not have been divine and was considered to be just a man, but more enlightened than others. This being the case, upon his death there was no 'resurrection' of the flesh- only the escape of Jesus' soul to the spiritual realm of God.
Reincarnation: The Cathars did believe in a form of reincarnation- more specifically, the 'transmigration of the spirit'. In their belief, the ultimate goal was to strengthen ones faith and soul to the point where, upon the person's death, the spirit would be released back into the spiritual realm to return to God. If, on the other hand, the person's faith was shaky and their soul not sufficiently strong, upon the person's death their inhabitant spirit would essentially go 'back into the bucket' to be placed in a new human body at a later time, and the process of gaining faith and strength would begin again (it's not clear if they believed the 'memory' of spirits continued to build through successive lives, though). Some Cathars believed one's spirit might be placed in an animal the next time around, and this motivated some to avoid eating meat so as to not injure or offend a possible inhabiting spirit. (Fish were not considered suitable vessels for transmigrated spirits, though, so eating them was always okay.) (7.10.19)
Hell: To the Cathars this world IS Hell, created by Satan and fundamentally corrupt. This does not mean, though, that Cathars adopted a 'woe is me' attitude. Quite the opposite occurred: as this was what we have to work with, why not make it better and not worse? As a result the Cathars built a remarkably open, inclusive, and vibrant society in their lands and in that sense have been regarded by historians- despite the persecution by the Church- as one of the bright spots in an otherwise pretty bleak Europe of the times. Essentially, they didn't get bogged down with moaning about how bad the world was- even though they knew it was corrupt- and instead sought to thumb their noses at Satan by not giving in to despair. This view proved to be attractive to Christians, whose Church-provided alternative was eternal punishment and damnation if they didn't toe the line, and was a source of converts to the Cathar cause. (7.10.19)
Legal Matters: Cathars did not swear oaths to God, which created a dilemma for them in business concerns; as most common people could neither read nor write, contracts were often simply oral with the parties swearing to uphold their obligations. At best a Cathar could offer his personal honor, but swearing to God was out of the question. In criminal cases, Cathars refused to sit in judgement of others; when those nobles who were Cathars were presented with criminal cases, they would be likely to ship them to a neighboring non-Cathar ally for trial. (7.10.19)
Violence: Historically, Cathars renounced violence and sought to avoid hostile encounters, preferring to settle differences peacefully. However, given the dim view of Cathars by the Church and the various crusades mounted against them, it is an almost certainty that some Cathars did fight their oppressors. However, it is also known that many Cathars- in particular the Perfects- did not fight to defend themselves and willingly went to their deaths at the hands of the Church, secure in their faith that their soul was ready to see God. Sadly, many of these men and women met their deaths by being burned alive but to their credit almost none thus captured recanted. (Those who escaped the holocaust of death were forced to publicly recant and sew a yellow cross on their clothing to show they were former 'heretics'- and any display of their former faith meant immediate execution.)
Historical note: At the siege of Beziers in July of 1209, there were so many defenders mixed together- Cathars and their Christian allies- that the Papal Legate, Arnaud Almaric, uttered the now infamous order to his officers and nobles: "Kill them all, God will know his own".
Cathar Practices: The Cathars had very little in the way of ceremony or sacraments. This was in deliberate contrast to the pomp and pageantry of the Church. Historically there were two orders of Cathar, one being the Credentes (the Believers) and the other the Parfaits (the Perfects).
The Believers were the rank-and-file followers of the faith; they were required only to uphold the beliefs of the faith and to work towards strengthening their souls. A brief ceremony, the Consolamentum Minor (Minor Consolation) was performed and the new Cathar was then referred to as 'Brother' or 'Sister'.
The Perfects were those Cathars who had spent considerable time in study and practice of Cathar beliefs and holding themselves to a higher standard than that of the Believers. Perfects sometimes renounced all belongings and traveled, others renounced sex and avoided contact with the opposite sex, still others were simply more strict with themselves. To become a Parfait one had to demonstrate his or her commitment and pass on their knowledge and guidance to others. It was a general practice that only a Perfect could perform the Consolamentum Major and appoint a new Perfect, but when no other Perfects were available one could take on the increased responsibility themselves and be officially 'Perfected' at a later time.
One other ceremony, called the Solace, could be performed for someone who was in immediate danger of dying. The Solace conferred the status of Perfect to those who requested it, or for those who were too sick or badly wounded. If the person survived, the Solace was voided, but the individual was free to undertake the Consolamentum Major at a later time if he or she wished to do so.
A final practice was the Endura, being an individual's choice- when in terminally ill health or gravely wounded- to voluntarily end his or her life. This usually took the form of a self-imposed fast with the individual refusing all food and water until they expired. The Endura may or may not have been combined with the Solace or the Consolamentum Major, depending on the circumstances and the individual's wishes. As there was no stigma on suicide, this was considered an honorable way to end one's life.
There were no designated 'churches' for Cathars, as they preferred instead to meet in the open or at an individual's house.
As for religious services, the only regular community meeting was that of a monthly Confession, during which the Cathars confessed their sins in a simple call-and-response led by a Perfect (or a Believer if no Perfects were available).
Cathars wore no specific symbol of their faith; they regarded the cross as an abomination and an insult to God as the cross was an instrument of torture. They did, however, tend to wear dark-colored clothing (so as to not appear too worldly or ostentatious) and Perfects almost always adopted black garments. One of the few surviving Cathar artifacts is a dove carved from stone; some believe this might have been a religious symbol but proof is lacking. In modern times, though, Cathar sites in southern France are usually marked with the symbol of a dove. It is known that in honor of their Christian allies and protectors, Cathars would sometimes adopt the 'Occitan Cross' for identification, but not for a specifically religious purpose. (7.10.19)
End Notes: Unfortunately, there is little factual evidence of Cathar belief extant; only a handful of documents known to be of Cathar origin exist. Most of what is known of the Cathars is derived from the writings of Church priests and the notes of the interrogators of the Inquisition.
The Cathar influence on the church was no small feat, though; one of the Church's answers to the Cathars was to create various orders of monks and nuns in order to provide a 'Christianized Catharism' to those who wished to devote their lives to the church in a more significant way than the layman. The Inquisition, too, was created specifically to combat the spread of Cathar belief- but even some of those Inquisitors saw the merit in Catharism and joined them instead.
Following the extermination of the Cathars, other sects arose in opposition to the Church but were put down as ruthlessly as were the Cathars. It was not until 1517, when Martin Luther published his Theses that the Church was to face as credible a challenge to its power since the time of the Cathars.


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For many people in the U.S., taxes have never been so exciting. Recent historic changes to federal regulations have opened up a whole new category of tax benefits to same-sex couples. In 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court decided to strike down a portion of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), a decision that led the federal government and the Internal Revenue Service to recognize same-sex couples who are legally married.
The move gives couples in same-sex marriages the same federal tax benefits as couples in heterosexual marriages, such as standard deductions, employee benefits, filing status, personal and dependent exemptions, and credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit. Overall, this could mean a reduction in the amount of taxes owed by legally married same-sex couples.
How does that play into federal taxes? If you have been legally married in a U.S. state or foreign country that recognizes same-sex marriage, the federal government recognized your marriage for federal tax purposes — no matter where you live in the U.S. [source: Barnes].
Understand the 'Place of Celebration' Rule
If you're not already familiar with the term "Place of Celebration," then you probably will be soon. The Place of Celebration refers to an IRS rule that recognizes same-sex unions for federal tax purposes.
Basically, the Place of Celebration rule means same-sex marriages will be recognized by the U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS if the union was legal where it was officiated or "celebrated." Importantly, the Place of Celebration rule allows same-sex marriages that fall under these guidelines to be recognized all over the United States, whether or not the couple lives in a state where same-sex marriage is legal. In effect, it makes a legally married same-sex couple's federal filing status immutable no matter where they live — or relocate to — in the U.S.
The Place of Celebration rule applies to any same-sex marriage legally performed in any of the 50 states of the United States (in which it is allowed by law), the District of Columbia, a U.S. territory or a foreign country, but does not apply to domestic partnerships or civil unions. The ruling is important at tax time because, for the first time, legally married same-sex couples are afforded access to the same deductions and credits as heterosexual couples [source: U.S. Department of Treasury].
Consider Claiming a Dependent
Beginning in 2013, same-sex married couples can file jointly and claim their dependents, just as heterosexual married couples have been able to do for years. Being able to claim a dependent can make a big difference on a couple's federal income tax bill. For starters, it reduces the amount of taxable income and the overall tax liability. In tax year 2015, for example, simply claiming a qualified dependent on your federal income taxes will gain same-sex married couples filing jointly an exemption up to $4,000.
According to the IRS, a dependent is someone for whom you provide support who is either under the age of 19 or who is a full-time student up to age 24. During the tax year, you'll need to have provided more than half the support to this child, who also needs to have lived with you for a significant period. Qualifying dependents include your child, a sibling, stepsibling or another relative. Foster children also are eligible. Keep in mind that if a same-sex couple decides to go the married filing separately route, only one can claim the child [sources: Cussen, Morah].
Check Your Tax Filing Status
All legally married same-sex couples are required to file their federal income tax returns using one of two filing statuses: married filing jointly or married filing separately.
Before this happens, though, it will be important to understand marriage criteria in the eyes of the IRS. A same-sex couple is considered married if they were joined in a legal union on or before the last day of the tax year. For example, a same-sex couple married on Dec. 31, 2014, in a state that recognizes same-sex marriages, will need to file a joint return for the 2014 tax year.
It's also important to compare the benefits of married filing jointly versus married filing separately. In general, married filing jointly offers greater tax benefits, but there are some instances in which spouses will want to file as married filing separately, such as when a spouse's refund will be taken by the government.
Married filing separately status also limits deductions and credits that would otherwise be available under a married filing jointly status. These limitations include the inability to deduct student loan interest, tuition or fees, and the inability to claim a Child and Dependent Care Credit or Earned Income Credit.
In addition, when spouses enter a married filing separately status, both must make the same deductions — either by claiming the standard deduction or by itemizing their deductions [source: Wicker].
Beware the Marriage Penalty
A Supreme Court decision that resulted in federal recognition of same-sex couples ushered in a new era of tax advantages and, for the first time, required legally married same-sex couples to file federal income taxes as married.
The requirement for married same-sex couples to file federal taxes together was an about-face from previous years; previously, these same couples were required to file federal taxes separately. This was the case even if same-sex couples were legally married according to state law.
This federal equality for married same-sex couples was, for many, a leap ahead. However, it also made them vulnerable to a costly tax situation known as the "marriage penalty."
For some, this caused some "sticker shock" because it also meant paying significantly higher taxes. The combined incomes of a same-sex couple filing as married often placed them in a higher tax bracket. For example, a couple that earned a combined $150,000 a year would be taxed at 28 percent, when just a year earlier they had filed singly and were taxed in the 25 percent bracket [source: Lavery].
There's not really a way around the increase in taxes that sometimes comes with filing as married, but a variety of other tax breaks may help offset the cost.
Don't Get Double-taxed for Premiums
If you're a same-sex married couple, you may be able to take advantage of health insurance benefits at tax time, and all year long.
According to the IRS, beginning with taxes filed in 2014, spousal health insurance benefits may be excluded from income. This also means health insurance benefits may receive pretax treatment, a move that could save hundreds — if not thousands — of dollars a year.
Previously, a same-sex couple (even if they were married in certain states) were considered by the federal government to be in a domestic partnership, a move that cost a same-sex couple an average of $1,069 more per year in taxes. The increased tax cost occurred because when one spouse received benefits through the other spouse's employer-sponsored health plan, it was purchased by after-tax dollars. In short, the benefits were treated as income and were therefore subject to federal tax. In addition, pretax dollars couldn't be used to pay for coverage of the non-employed spouse.
Now that the federal government recognizes same sex marriages, spousal health insurance benefits are eligible for pretax treatment and income exclusion. In general, you can file amended returns for the past three years to recover income taxes paid on premiums [sources: Human Rights Campaign, MacDonald, IRS].
In the next section, you can learn more about filing amended returns.
Amend Past Year Returns
Married same-sex couples may want to consider amending previous years' tax returns if it will be financially beneficial — and it certainly could be, given the recent requirement to file joint tax returns.
In general, any taxpayer can amend past federal tax returns going back three years. For same-sex married couples, this might be particularly advantageous now that they may file as married. For example, it could net a refund for couples that previously paid after-tax health insurance premiums or who missed out on other tax deductions or credits, like the Earned Income Tax Credit.
For example, a same sex couple legally married before 2009 — but unable to file as married because of federal tax limitations — may want to consider filing an amended return for tax years 2010, 2011 and 2012, enabling them to receive any refunds that may now be owed to them.
While you aren't required to amend your returns, you may want to recalculate them to see if doing so will offer a refund or other tax advantages. Generally, if one spouse was the primary earner, filing an amended return will work in your favor [source: Lankford].
Know Your Gift and Estate Exemptions
When it comes to filing your taxes, be sure you aren't overpaying on gift and estate tax. As of 2013, legally married same-sex couples can make monetary gifts to a spouse or a leave a spouse an estate without paying a gift or estate tax. Previously, married same-sex couples were not granted these exemptions.
Keep in mind that there is not a limit on how much money you can give your spouse. This is known as a lifetime marital deduction. However, you may need to pay taxes — or invoke limits — on the amount you gift to other people.
In 2015, the annual gift exemption limit was $14,000. Any amount given over the $14,000 in a single calendar year will require you to pay a gift tax on it. In addition, you'll need to file a gift tax return (Form 709), whether you exceeded the limit or not. That way, the IRS can keep track of the gifts you are bestowing on others.
Although you can give an unlimited amount in your lifetime to your spouse, including passing an estate to your spouse, your other gifts will go toward a lifetime exemption limit of $5.43 million [source: TurboTax].
Understand the Tax Implications of Divorce
Legally married same-sex married couples sometimes divorce, and this can exact a number of complications onto your tax preparation. For starters, even if you are living apart, you will still be considered married on the last day of the year if there isn't a legal decree of divorce or separate maintenance in place.
When it comes to filing a federal tax return, however, it pays to look at all your options. First, you could opt to file as married filing jointly, just as you normally would. For the most part, this allows you to pay fewer taxes and claim the most credits and deductions. Sometimes, however, even the thought of saving money isn't enough to salvage a contentious disentanglement.
If the divorce is becoming acrimonious, it may make sense to file federal taxes as married filing separately. Although this will probably mean you pay more taxes in the end, you'll also be offered some protections from your spouse (and any potential wrongdoing on that person's tax return) if you file separately. Plus, you'll now be able to deduct alimony payments [source: Wicker].
If you are legally separated, you may choose married filing separately or, if you have at least one dependent, you may elect to use a head of household filing status [source: Cussen].
Check Out Child Tax Credits
Beginning in 2013, claiming a Child Tax Credit became a little simpler for married same-sex couples. Previously, it was difficult — if not impossible — for one partner to claim Child Tax Credit or Earned Income Credit on the other partner's child, even if they were both raising the child together. The non-biological or non-adoptive parent struggled to establish a legal connection to a child that wasn't his or her biological or adopted child.
For example, Maria works full-time and provides nearly all the support for her wife Linda's biological child, Corbin. Because Maria is unable to prove a legal tie to Corbin, she cannot claim him as a dependent. Likewise, she cannot claim a Child Tax Credit or Earned Income Tax Credit. Because she cannot claim these credits, her wife Linda needed to file federal income taxes to do so.
Now that the federal government recognizes same-sex marriage, it no longer hampers a married same-sex couple's ability to get these tax credits. They are able to file jointly, just as any other married couple [source: Bernard].
Capitalize on Capital Gains
Married same-sex couples, get ready for some capital gains good news. Now that you can file taxes jointly because the federal government recognizes your union, you also can experience the benefits of larger capital gain exclusion. Before 2013, when you were considered by the federal government to be single — even if you were legally married in a state that recognized same-sex unions — if you sold your principal residence, you didn't have to pay federal income tax on gains up to $250,000. However, now that you are married and filing jointly, you can exclude up to $500,000 of capital gains. You won't need to pay a bit of federal taxes until those gains reach $500,001.
Another benefit of being able to file jointly as a same-sex married couple is balance — at least when it comes to capital gains and losses. For example, if Jim experiences a significant capital gain in a tax year by selling his dry cleaning franchise, these gains are offset to the extent that his husband, George, shuttered the costume emporium he owned at a loss [source: Bischoff].
4 Year-End Money Tips to Lower Your Tax Bill in 2020
Many Americans don't think about their tax bills until the new year. But there are things you need to do before Dec. 31 if you want to pay less later.
Author's Note: 10 Same-sex Marriage Tax Filing Tips
Following federal tax code is complicated enough, but for many years same-sex couples have been filing separate returns and often incurring additional costs along the way. The ability for a married couple to file a single tax return simplifies not only the process, but makes a greater variety of credits and exemptions available, too.
Related Articles
- Barnes, Robert. "Supreme Court Strikes Down Key Part of Defense of Marriage Act." Washington Post. June 26, 2013. (Nov. 12, 2014) http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/supreme-court/2013/06/26/f0039814-d9ab-11e2-a016-92547bf094cc_story.html
- Bell, Kay. "Estate Tax Issues of Same-Sex Marriage." Bankrate. Aug. 31, 2013. (Nov. 12, 2014) http://www.bankrate.com/finance/taxes/estate-tax-issues-same-sex-marriage.aspx
- Bernard, Cara Siegel. "Some Tax Breaks Unavailable to Same-Sex Couples." New York Times. April 16, 2012. (Nov. 12, 2014) http://bucks.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/16/some-tax-breaks-unavailable-to-same-sex-couples/
- Bischoff, Bill. "Tax Tips for Same-Sex Married Couples." MarketWatch. April 29, 2014. (Nov. 12, 2014) http://www.marketwatch.com/story/tax-tips-for-same-sex-married-couples-2014-04-29?page=1
- Cussen, Marc. "Tax Issues for Same-Sex Spouses." Forbes. Feb. 7, 2014. (Nov. 12, 2014) http://www.forbes.com/sites/investopedia/2014/02/07/tax-issues-for-same-sex-spouses/
- IRS. "Answers to Frequently Asked Questions for Individuals of the Same Sex Who Are Married Under State Law." (Nov. 14, 2014) http://www.irs.gov/uac/Answers-to-Frequently-Asked-Questions-for-Same-Sex-Married-Couples
- Lankford, Kimberly. "Amending Tax Returns for Same-Sex Couples." Kiplinger. Jan. 23, 2014. (Nov. 12, 2014) http://www.kiplinger.com/article/taxes/T056-C001-S003-amending-tax-returns-for-same-sex-couples.html
- Lavery, Sean. "For Many Same-Sex Couples, Equality Comes at a Cost." The Boston Globe. Feb. 16, 2014. (Nov. 13, 2014) http://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2014/02/16/for-many-same-sex-couples-equality-comes-cost/nKXC1v99uEa36DLLVIVYaJ/story.html
- Human Rights Campaign. "The Williams Institute and Center for American Progress: Unequal Taxes on Equal Benefits." (Nov. 13, 2014) http://www.hrc.org/resources/entry/the-williams-institute-center-for-american-progress
- MacDonald, Jay. "After DOMA: Gay Marriage and Health Insurance." Bankrate. (Nov. 13, 2014) http://www.bankrate.com/finance/insurance/doma-gay-marriage-ban-health-insurance.aspx
- Morah, Chizoba. "How to Claim a Dependent on Your Tax Return." Investopedia. (Nov. 12, 2014) http://www.investopedia.com/articles/tax/09/claim-a-dependent.asp
- U.S. Department of Treasury. "All Legal Same-Sex Marriages Will Be Recognized for Federal Tax Purposes." Aug. 29, 2013. (Nov. 12, 2014) http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl2153.aspx
- Wicker, Alden. "Tax Time: Should a Married Couple Ever File Separately?" LearnVest. Feb. 26, 2014. (Nov. 14, 2014) http://www.learnvest.com/knowledge-center/when-should-a-married-couple-file-alone/2/


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Graduate Professional Council gives students opportunity to share student loan stories with Missouri senators
By having students share their stories, GPC hopes to spread awareness about student loans.
Mar. 04, 2018
The Graduate Professional Council ran a booth in the MU Student Center on March 1 that allowed students to call Missouri senators regarding student loans.
Student loans are not subsidized, which means they accrue interest while the student is in school. Mike Hendricks, GPC director of state affairs, said graduate student loans also have higher interest rates than undergraduate student loans.
"The government is making most of its student loan profits off of graduate and professional students," Hendricks said. "Graduate and professional students have higher interest rates on their loans and are not subsidized. Graduate students are only 13 percent of the borrowing population while the government receives 77 percent of its student loan profits from graduate and professional students. GPC and [the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students] have been working on several initiatives to equalize the undergraduate loans with graduate and professional student loans."
Rachel Owen, GPC director of national affairs, said there were two things GPC was trying to accomplish by having students call Missouri senators: spread awareness and empower students.
"We are trying to make sure that students are aware of the changes senators and representatives are proposing to make with student loans and the repayment programs in Washington," Owen said. "So awareness is our number one goal."
By motivating students to make phone calls, Owen said senators and representatives in Washington will hear personal stories from the students about their loans.
"If the students are not telling their stories, then there are not a lot of other people who are," Owen said. "We are trying to empower students to be able to make their voices heard."
This push for student empowerment and awareness stems from the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.
HEA is legislation in Washington that sets policies for student loans, student loan repayment plans and campus safety, Owen said.
In order for the government to make decisions on HEA, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions requested stories and statements about policy reformations. The GPC and the Office of Graduate Studies worked together to develop a statement that will be passed on to the committee.
The statement calls for the establishment of "procedures that support master's, doctoral and professional students in making informed financial aid decisions to reduce their borrowing and debt."
The unequal student loan interest rate, in addition to the longer time spent in school beyond undergraduate education, makes life after graduation harder for graduate students.
"When graduate and professional students graduate, due to the debt from their loans, it makes it harder for them to buy a house, a car or pursue other big financial decisions because they are in so much debt," Hendricks said.
Kristofferson Culmer, director of external affairs for NAGPS, said the cap on student loan interest rates for graduate students is 9.5 percent, while the cap for undergraduates is 8.25 percent.
Culmer compared the home loan interest rate, which is between 3-4 percent right now, to the interest rates for graduate students, which he said is currently at 5.5 percent.
"We would just like to see education loans at the same interest rate," Culmer said. "The government can still make their money back in this way at a much lower rate."
Owen and some members of GPC will be traveling to Washington this week to talk to Missouri senators and representatives about the statement.
Further plans for the GPC include enacting a larger campaign on campus to raise awareness among students in regard to what is happening with the HEA and undergraduate and graduate loans.
Edited by Skyler Rossi | firstname.lastname@example.com
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Under the Frangipani
by Mia Couto
Enjoy the magic realism of Africa. See how an armadillo and a frangipani tree affect the lives of those around them. Walk with ghosts and spirits. Investigate a murder. Everyone should discover the marvelous Mia Couto.
This was the first time I was going to leave death. For the very first time I would be able to,listen to human voices in the refuge, free of the earth's filter. To hear the old folk without them being aware of me.
Translated by David Brookshaw
The Famished Road by Ben Okri
The Fanatic by James Robertson


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Let's Honestly Face It!
Faith is a highly dynamic force in our hearts, minds and souls.
As time goes by we may move to a greater understanding of God. Just look as how our conception and perception of the Almighty have evolved through the ages from polytheism to monotheism. Now our knowledge of the cosmos compels us to redefine God the Creator. Cosmologists think that in the infinite universe new Big Bangs (the moment something comes out of nothing) recur; the universe keeps on growing and expanding. There are billions of galaxies and in each galaxy there are billions of stars (each star being a sun) around which planets revolve. In the vast expanse of the universe there may be billions of life-sustaining planets. We can no longer believe that the universe is what is described by Genesis, the first book of the Bible.
We agree that the Almighty is omnipresent, omnipotent and onmiscient. His power is not located only on planet Earth, in our solar system or in our galaxy known as the Milky Way. His power shines all over the billions of stars in the billions of galaxies; all over the universes within the Universe.
Do life and intelligent life exist only on this puny little planet called Earth? Is there not intelligent life elsewhere? We like to flatter ourselves into believing that God has made us to His image. Is it right to give to God anthropomorphic features, the result of millions of years of evolution? Worse O worse! Is it right to call Him Father? Is not the Almighty mother and father at the same time? Should we not get rid of the sexist image which some of us have of God. It is worthwhile noting in this respect that in the gospel according to Mathew Jesus uses a maternal image to describe his mission: "How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings!" (Matthew 23:37)
According to what we know now God is Supreme Cosmic Eternal Intelligence. The more science discloses about the Universe and nature, the closer we may get to the mind of God. To better grasp the true essence of God we need to study science, philosophy and theology.
Rituals are closely related to faith but must not be confused with it.
What are rituals? They are the paraphernalia of religious worship. According to Wikipedia a ritual "is a stereotyped sequence of activities involving gestures, words, and objects, performed in a sequestered place, and designed to influence preternatural entities or forces on behalf of the actors' goals and interests. … Rituals may be prescribed by the traditions of a community, including a religious community. … Rituals are characterized by formalism, traditionalism, invariance, rule-governance, sacral symbolism and performance. … There are hardly any limits to the kind of actions that may be incorporated into a ritual. The rites of past and present societies have typically involved special gestures and words, recitation of fixed texts, performance of special music, songs or dances, processions, manipulation of certain objects, use of special dresses, consumption of special food, drink, or drugs, and much more."
At best rituals are the scaffoldings of faith but if mismanaged they often become closer to superstition rather than fulfil their intended purpose – to lead the person towards spiritual search.
If faith demands constant search for the ultimate truth, rituals across all faiths need constant reform. Of course orthodoxies will be against but the struggle must go on.
* Published in print edition on 28 February 2014


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The Inside Scoop on Mommy Blogging, ft. Terra LaRockMay 31, 20170 comments
Photo by Brittany Renée Photography
Lately, it seems as though mommy bloggers have been taking the world by storm! But with all of the work that goes into building a successful blog, you've probably found yourself wondering how these busy mamas and bloggers find time to do both.
Well, wonder no longer! We recently had the opportunity to chat with the amazing mommy blogger herself, Terra LaRock! Read along to get to know Terra and learn her tips & tricks for building an online presence in the Q&A below:
Let's start off by you telling us a little bit about your background. How did you get to where you are today?
My background is actually in psychology. I currently work as child, family and school psychologist and have always been fascinated with how people connect and relate. When I became pregnant for the first time, the connection was instant with my daughter, Winter, and I wanted to document all the emotions associated with my journey to motherhood.
I started to take photos and post them to Instagram just for fun. I was the first one out of my friends to have a baby, so I was pleasantly surprised when I started connecting with other women, from all walks of life, who were also mothers on the Instagram platform. I began journaling and pairing my candid emotions with the photos that I was posting. When my captions began to resemble sort of a novel, I knew that I needed another platform to capture my thoughts in their entirety. That's when Love & LaRock was born.
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When did you know that your family was complete? Working on a post for tomorrow about the size of our family. It's been something that's been on my mind for a bit now and I'd love to know what factors you considered when determining it. 👨👩👧 . . ||📸 @brittanyreneephoto|| My new diaper bag from @skiphop #shareskiphop
What inspired you to start blogging?
I am an open book, an emotional sponge and never ashamed to "tell it like is" so to speak. I am often intrigued by those who are more private about their life but tend to gravitate more towards those who are also open books.
When I decided to expand my social media repertoire to include a blog, I knew that I wanted to capture all the aspects of being a a wife, mother and human being for that matter. From my shortcomings and celebrations as a wife and mother, insights on how to live a mindful life and to documenting the real, honest and, sometimes, raw and uncomfortable bits of my postpartum depression experience, nothing is off the table.
As a psychologist, I ask people on a daily basis to open up to me, and I think it's one of the coolest things we can do as humans to relate to one another and share experiences. I learn so much from others and if I can help just one more person feel not so alone in this world, then I am happy to share it all.
Tell us a little bit about Love & LaRock. What do you hope to accomplish through your blog?
My last name is LaRock and my husband calls me a "love nerd" (I am a hopeful romantic), so the name for my blog is a combination of the two. I started the blog back in March 2016, but really didn't start posting consistently until the New Year.
I never started blogging to achieve a specific goal. While I always had the intention of my blog being for-profit, meaning that I would partner with brands from time to time that compensate my work, I hope that the writing is and will always be the main focus of my content. I strive to write about topics that start conversations and challenge the status quo of motherhood. I would be even more humbled if my posts help others feel more understood. I will never stop advocating for those experiencing postpartum depression, or any other mental health condition for that matter, and I hope my blog continues to reflect that.
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ON THE BLOG: I have opened up quite a lot on this platform about my marriage, revealing what's it's been like for Perry and I after having a child. I am constantly learning and evolving, discovering new ways I can better myself and our marriage. Read more about our disagreements, mishaps and how we are moving forward. 😍
What has been the most rewarding experience in your blogging journey so far?
By far, it has been having an article I wrote published on Huffington Post. In the thick of my postpartum depression, I scoured the internet looking for anecdotes of others who have had unwanted, intrusive thoughts and couldn't quite find anything that described what I was experiencing. So, I wrote it myself. And boy, was I nervous to push the publish button (I didn't eat dinner that night). I had never been so candid about what it was really like for me as a new mother.
Despite my reservations about sharing, I was blown away with the support of the online community and was shocked when I woke up to Huffington Post asking to republish my article. Honestly, posting that article helped me heal in so many ways and I don't think anything else can compare to hearing "oh me too" from hundreds of other women who also experienced mental health complications after birth.
Most challenging experience?
While I love blogging, I am always searching for more time. Between working full-time, raising a family and nurturing a marriage, there isn't a lot of time for me. I often ask myself what I would be doing with my time if I didn't blog. I would likely play more piano, paint more often and definitely read; but, words are my love language and right now, I am getting so much joy from writing. I will continue to write until it no longer serves me.
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Tomorrow at 7 PM MST I will finally be opening up about my postpartum hell on the blog. I have been nervous all week about this but it's about time I release this part of my journey and tell it like it was. . . I ask that if it resonates with you or if you think it would be helpful for someone that you know, that you please share it with others. I must preface that this is not for personal gain. I honestly wouldn't care if it was my last blog post I ever wrote. But here's the thing…I felt so alone and if I can reach just one more mama with your help then the agony, isolation, fear and anger I felt for months would seem a little more worth it. Thank you from the bottom of my ❤
Take us through the process of writing a blog post. Where do you find your inspiration?
I am the epitome of organized-chaos. I am definitely not type-A, so you can find my ideas for blog posts written on the backs of bills, on sticky notes in the car and buried deep in my purse written on receipts (but, by golly, I know where every one of them is located).
Now with the blog picking up steam, I have had to hone my organizational and executive functioning skills. Currently, I try to keep an editorial calendar of what I might want to write about and try to stick to posting to the blog twice a week and Instagram at least six times a week.
I pull a lot of my content from what is relevant in my life and most of the time, when I sit down to write, the words just fall out of me. I sometimes stew on a topic for weeks before I write it and other times I just think something up. When I am working with brands, I typically look at my ideas journal and see if there is a topic that would fit. For example, I wrote a post on the size of our family and if we were thinking about having another kid while partnering with a diaper bag company. I tend to have a few topics in the cue, so it's always nice when we get a sponsorship that aligns with what I want to convey.
What tips do you have for other mommies wanting to start a blog of their own?
I have definitely fallen into the trap of comparing my success to those around me. There are many other moms on Instagram whose accounts grows faster, get more likes and comments and who have blogs that have just seemed to magically explode with success overnight. I would hate for anyone to look at my numbers and think the same. Remember that behind the tiny squares on Instagram or high-resolution blog posts, there is a human. A human who is not perfect despite what numbers may be indicating on a computer screen.
Now instead of comparing, I always close my phone or computer at night after working and say out loud what I am grateful for. Did I finish a blog post? Make a new friend? Smile at the photo? Or laugh at a comment or caption of others?
I am trying my best to live by example for my daughter and when I play the comparison game, I feel like I am failing us both. There is enough space here for everyone. So just remember to be you and keep at it.
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I think motherhood and marriage are so similar. There are many downs, moments where you take deep breaths and decide to take the high road. Yet, the lows are only temporary and somehow manage to swing in the other direction just when you need it the most. I don't think I could ever appreciate these highs without experiencing some of the lows too. . . Andddd, I said I wasn't going to post anymore from this series. But look at her face! #sorrynotsorry
You have quite the following on Instagram! Tell us a little bit about social media's role in your career and how you have been so successful.
Connect. Connect. Connect. My husband used to make fun of me when I first started because I would spend so much of my time talking to my "imaginary friends" on Instagram. I would leave them comments, send them direct messages and respond to those who engaged on my feed.
Now, two years after starting to post to Instagram, I have 30K followers and counting. These so-called imaginary friends have become real ones and we are always helping each other out by giving advice on how to handle clients, approach brands, and give advice on the creative direction of our blogs. It's been amazing to grow alongside my mommy blogger friends. Try to connect with those that are starting out just like you and then reach out to a few other bloggers that you admire to pick their brains as well.
When you're not busy blogging or being a mommy, what can we find you doing?
My husband is a landscape architect and I used to help out my friend as a florist, so when we both aren't at a computer, you can find us in our garden, going on long walks while foraging for wild flowers, or escaping to the mountains for fresh air.
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Parenthood is a messy, bumpy ride but I am just so darn thankful. The day started off with the sweetest cuddles from Winter (more in stories) and is finishing with her napping for 2.5 hours and counting! It's a record! Happy Thanksgiving you crazy turkeys! 🦃 . . P.S. A few of you asked about nursing friendly dresses: Use LOVEANDLAROCK40 for a 40% discount on anything @loyal_hana (Runs tomorrow through Monday).
Where do you hope to see yourself in 5 years?
Oh good question. I hope that I can create a life where I can work from home at least part of the time. I hope that Love & LaRock continues to advocate for those struggling with mental health issues and that I am very involved on both a professional and personal level with organizations that take a stand on women's health issues.
I hope to guest write for larger online magazines and to eventually learn how to shoot film to make videos. But blogging aside, my true five year goal is to look back on today and feel proud and content that I was able to inspire and connect with others and grow as a blogger, mother, and wife.
Special thanks to Terra for taking the time to answer our questions!
Wanna learn how to start a blog of your own? Snag a seat in our upcoming webinar, How to Start a Successful Blog! We'll be joined by a special guest from WordPress.com to tell you all you need to know about killin' it the blogging world!


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Dare to Be a Kid
Think of the last time that you truly in awe of something.
For me, it was when the doors to the sanctuary in Michigan opened to reveal Sarah in all of her bridal glory!
Goodness! 😉
Shortly after that, we experienced some awesome sights in Mexico, but since then, I've been hard pressed to be impressed.
Sometimes I tease Sarah a bit when she experiences new things because of the face that she makes when she's really enjoying something, and she seems to be more easily impressed than me (that's a good thing). Like the time when we went to the auto show (the auto show!) and she was walking around like a kid in a candy store! Then, I took her on her first trip to Wrigley Field. If you've never been, it really is magical, I promise. She still refers to it with excitement, and can't wait to go back this summer.
Have you ever wondered why Jesus uses children as an example when He talks about faith? I mean, children are naive, still learning what it means to be a person, and some don't have a solid grasp of reality – why on earth would we want to be childlike in our faith?
Now, I've never been myself, but I've heard plenty of stories of adults who suddenly become kids when entering Disney World. I'm not talking about adults like me who are kind of kid-like often, I'm talking about well mannered, mature, educated adults that experience a sudden transformation upon entering the magic land of Mickey. The wonder and awe of the childhood returns as they relive the experience of the cartoons that helped shape them growing up.
Maybe this is just a taste of what Jesus is talking about when it comes to our faith. Where every experience we have of God is in awe and wonder, not lifeless and boring. I remember the times when I would "go exploring" out in the woods and the mystery and excitement of it all would enrapture my imagination. How often do I let the awe, mystery, wonder and excitement of God's Word take my heart and mind to new places? Where my time with God is not just "that thing Christians do" but instead becomes the most exciting place during my day where my learning, growth and exploration become thrilling and meaningful! Jesus also says that our faith should be like that of a child. See kids are "not smart enough" to know why something isn't going to work, or why something isn't magical, they just believe something to be true and it becomes true for them. Well, imagine a God who can do anything asking you to step out in faith, not knowing what the outcome can be. With that small, innocent, childlike faith, we can move mountains!
Ok, then! Let's learn to be kids again (some of you are thinking that "again" shouldn't apply to me) and follow Jesus wholeheartedly with excitement, awe and wonder! In Mark 10:14-15 Jesus says, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." Children accept a gift with openness and wonder, accept God's gift and continue on in the wonder of who He is!


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Alpha Group Named Global Master Toy for 'SpongeBob'
Nickelodeon has tapped The Alpha Group LLC — a wholly owned subsidiary of major Asian animation, toy and entertainment player Alpha — as global master toy partner for the network's iconic animated comedy series, SpongeBob SquarePants. A brand-new product line, including toys, collectibles, plush and novelties, is expected to begin rolling out worldwide in 2019.
"It's an honor for Alpha to partner with Nickelodeon for a new SpongeBob product line that will excite and unite a full spectrum of kids, teens and millennials" said Brehan Maul, Vice President Marketing, The Alpha Group LLC. "Kids all around the world have grown up with this beloved, iconic character. This is an amazing opportunity and we are planning a full range of SpongeBob collectibles, plush, novelties and playthings. Stay tuned for what's in store."
"SpongeBob SquarePants is a timeless, iconic character whose humour and optimism resonates with fans of all ages around the world," said Jon Roman, Senior Vice President, Toys, Nickelodeon. "Nickelodeon is thrilled to be working with The Alpha Group on a brand-new global line of products as SpongeBob's 20th anniversary approaches in 2019."
New products designed to engage with kids as well as the millennials who grew up watching SpongeBob will be introduced by Alpha Group in the coming months. Now a global phenomenon, the series was created by Stephen Hillenburg and began airing on Nickelodeon in July of 1999. SpongeBob SquarePants has been the most-watched animated program for more than 15 straight years; it airs in more than 208 countries in 55+ languages.


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Ystrad Rhondda RFC players awards for 2019/20
Stars in your eyes winners
Best Dressed = Liam & Adam Wiggins.
Best performance = Mitch Auger.
Top Points = Rhys Truelove
Top Try Scorer = Jarrad Llewellyn
Most Improved Player = Thomas Jevons
Mick Chick Young Player of the Year = Iestyn Haskins
Supporter of the Year = Ian Parry
Supporters Play of the Year = Jarrad Llewellyn
Players Player of the Year = Thomas Jevons
Coaches Player of the Year = Jarrad Llewellyn
100 Appearances (Tie) = Mitch Auger, Harvey Connelly, Tom F.....
The Welsh Rugby Union wants fans to vote for the 'Greatest Ever Welsh Try' in a new social media competition.
Fans selected 16 tries from the 1,607.....
Get behind Wales U20 and Wales Women in their final Six Nations match.
Wales Women and Wales U20 face Scotland at Cardiff Arms Park and Stadiwm Zip.....
Jason Strange has named his team to face Scotland this Friday in the U20 Six Nations match in Colwyn Bay (20:15).
In all, 15 players could make the.....
Six uncapped players have been named in Wales' squad for this Friday's Women's Six Nations match against Scotland in Colwyn Bay (18:00)......
Ystrad Rhondda RFC @YstradRFC09/08/2020 18:04:03Thanks very much for the quality work @_katierclark Awesome gift ideas 👏🏻 https://t.co/UUAdDRNzHL
Ystrad Rhondda RFC @YstradRFC09/08/2020 18:02:43Great news. Keep fighting @gerwyndavies83 👍🏻💙 https://t.co/uUhoMCpmjy
Ystrad Rhondda RFC @YstradRFC07/08/2020 17:52:03HQ Reopening 💙🏉🍻 #COTY https://t.co/yc45689nPI
Geraint Jones @geraintjones06/08/2020 23:01:22Through our strong #Ystrad partnership @dig4health @swpRCT PCSO @cher_pryor & @elvislyviv @YepsRCT @InterlinkRCT se… https://t.co/ThZcPbbLTeRetweeted by
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WASHINGTON — The House Democratic campaign arm is nearing open warfare with the party's rising liberal wing as political operatives close to Speaker Nancy Pelosi try to shut down primary challenges before what is likely to be a hard-fought campaign next year to preserve the party's shaky majority.
Progressive Democrats were infuriated last month when Representative Cheri Bustos of Illinois, the chairwoman of the campaign arm, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, moved to protect centrist incumbents by formally breaking committee business ties with political consultants and pollsters who go to work for primary challengers.
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Democrat of New York, who owes her seat to a successful primary challenge, went so far as to encourage her 3.8 million Twitter followers to "pause" their donations to the campaign committee in protest. She also started a fund-raising push on her official Twitter account for Representatives Jahana Hayes of Connecticut, Katie Hill of California and Mike Levin of California. That initiative, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez said on Twitter, raised $30,000 in roughly two hours. She also helped raise money for Representatives Katie Porter of California and Lauren Underwood of Illinois.
The open hostilities are just the latest in the rising tensions between an experienced party establishment focusing on what is possible in the short run and a group of young liberals chafing at such restraint. House Democrats have divided over single-payer "Medicare for all" versus incremental legislation to bolster the Affordable Care Act and over Ms. Ocasio-Cortez's Green New Deal versus less ambitious climate change policies. Liberal Democrats and more moderate newcomers from Republican-leaning districts have fought over Republican procedural motions.
And divisions on health care, climate change, military spending and tax policy convinced the House Budget Committee chairman, John Yarmuth of Kentucky, last week to give up on drafting a budget that would have laid down a broad legislative agenda for the new Democrat-controlled House.
Now that tension has migrated to the mechanics of the 2020 campaign.
Ms. Bustos's rule prohibits Democratic consultants and vendors working for a primary challenger to an incumbent from receiving work from the committee. It comes as ardent liberal organizations like Justice Democrats, emboldened by a pair of high-profile wins in 2018 — Representative Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Ms. Ocasio-Cortez — are aggressively gearing up to challenge centrist or old-line Democrats with liberal candidates.
In the latest swipe in a fight that has erupted into open hostilities, a coalition of progressive groups on Friday introduced an online database of go-to vendors for insurgent candidates emblazoned with the heading, "Despite the D.C.C.C.'s bullying, we're still going to work on primaries."
One group, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, said Friday that it was exploring a challenge against Representative Richard E. Neal of Massachusetts, the chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, because he has not committed to holding hearings on the single-payer health care system known as "Medicare for all." At the helm of that panel, Mr. Neal has been on the front lines of conducting oversight on President Trump's finances, and last week requested six years of his personal tax returns.
"We reject the D.C.C.C.'s attempt to hoard power, which will only serve to keep that talent pool — and Congress itself — disproportionately white and male," María Urbina, the national political director for Indivisible, a progressive grass-roots group, said of the campaign committee. "Incumbents who engage fully with their constituents shouldn't fear primaries and shouldn't rely on the national institutions like the D.C.C.C. to suppress challenges before voters ever have a say."
Party leaders and the campaign arm have stood by Ms. Bustos's moves, arguing that the committee's mandate is to protect the new majority by protecting incumbents — and that putting a longstanding rule in writing simply increases transparency. Primary challenges, even in solid Democratic districts, harm the mission of holding the majority, they argue, because incumbents fighting a primary challenge cannot raise money and help other Democrats in more marginal districts.
"I support the notion that the primary purpose of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is to elect Democrats in tough districts, so we can either win the majority or hold the majority," said Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the No. 4 Democrat.
A spokesman for the committee said that Ms. Bustos, who hails from a Midwestern district that voted for Mr. Trump in 2016, was fulfilling a campaign promise she made to Democrats that as the chairwoman, she would support incumbents. And some at the campaign arm are frustrated that the codification of the longstanding policy has received more attention than the enforcement of a new rule that requires vendors to meet certain diversity standards, including employing more racially diverse, veteran, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or disabled staff.
The new policy is unlikely to change. But the ire from the left flank may only grow.
"Primaries are often the only way that underrepresented and working-class people are able to have a shot at pursuing elected office," Ms. Ocasio-Cortez said. "I think that it can reduce the odds of us getting really strong representation. We need to have kind of a farm system for the next generation."
Other House Democrats, such as Representative Mark Pocan of Wisconsin, a leader of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, are taking a cooler tone. But on Thursday, he could not resist a jab at Ms. Bustos on the radio program "The Bill Press Show."
"We were trying to keep this in the family, but unfortunately this morning, I saw Cheri Bustos, after she asked us not to do it publicly, came out and decided to talk about it," he said. "The progressive caucus doesn't go out and recruit people to run against incumbents, but I think it looks awful for the Democratic Party to be undemocratic."
"It's the wrong path for us to be taking," he continued. "This was a misguided action, and rather than review it, she's trying to double down on it."
The decision has pleased moderates and veterans in the more centrist New Democrat Coalition, in the Blue Dog Coalition, a fiscally conservative group of Democrats, and in the Congressional Black Caucus, who have been angered by some of the incumbents that outside liberal groups have chosen to target. Many of the candidates wooed in the last campaign cycle by Justice Democrats would have run in districts that lean Republican. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee had to work hard to beat those challenges back, worried that a triumph by Justice Democrats in the primary would have cost the party a possible victory in the general election.
Defending the campaign arm's decision, Representative James E. Clyburn of South Carolina, the majority whip, recalled a past primary against Representative Bennie Thompson, Democrat of Mississippi.
"An African-American got in the race against him running to his right and then he looked up and there was this Democratic pollster working for his opponent," Mr. Clyburn told National Journal. "He's paying dues to the D.C.C.C., who's giving a contract to that person and then that person ended up working for that opponent. There's something wrong with that."


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My neighbour here in UK threw a sharp chicken breast bone into my garden, luckily I saw dog chewing and took it off her. Didn't see neighbour throw it over but know it was her as she's very strange, nasty and pervasive in covert ways.
I've said nothing but it's worrying.


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The X-Files: Case Files—Florida Man #2
Writer: Delilah S. Dawson
Artist: Marco Castiello
Penciler: Elena Casagrande
Colorist: Arianna Florean
Inker: Silvia Califano
Letterer: Shawn Lee
Publisher: IDW
Review by Anelise Farris
So, The X-Files is pretty much one of my favorite things in the world. So, when IDW announced that they would be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the show with a new comic series, I was stoked. And The X-Files: Case Files—Florida Man does not disappoint; just check out my review of issue #1 here.
This two-part arc began with Scully and Mulder travelling to the small Florida town, Halpadalgi, to investigate a mystery involving bath salts. While the sheriff attributes all of the strange events to the hallucinatory effects of the bath salts, it is clear that something more sinister is going on—like a gator cult (it is Florida after all).
The X-Files: Case Files—Florida Man #2 picks up right where the last issue left off: Scully having killed a man (clearly high on bath salts) in order to protect a pregnant woman. As if that's not enough, Mulder becomes interested in the strange brand on the man's body. Consequently, both Scully and Mulder set out to investigate where the strange salts are produced. Mulder goes to a trailer park, Scully to a church. And, it turns out you shouldn't follow a gospel choir through the swamp. I'll just leave it at that.
The writing in The X-Files: Case Files—Florida Man #2 is fantastic. You can just hear Mulder's and Scully's characteristic tones through the dialogue. And the story moves along at a terrific pace, wrapping up in classic X-files fashion. As I said of the first issue, the art balances minimalism with just the right amount of detail. And the soft colors capture Florida in August beautifully—you can basically feel the humidity.
Verdict: Buy it.
Reading The X-Files: Case Files—Florida Man #2 is a tactile experience. You hear Mulder and Scully through the writing, and you experience Florida in late summer through the art. Also, definitely take a look at the variant covers of both issues; they are down-right gorgeous.


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Custom Cabinetry – Quality/Style
Custom Cabinetry
Quality and style, by design
Cabinet styles are as individual as our clients, so we don't work with just one manufacturer of fine custom-made cabinets. Our favorites are those whose levels of quality and customer service are as high as their commitment to keeping up with the latest trends in finish, color, and style, so you are guaranteed the right fit, the right quality, and the right style for you, in any room in your home.
Cabico Custom Cabinetry
Cabico Custom Cabinetry puts a human touch on the entire design and manufacturing process of making custom cabinetry. From working closely with you and your designer, to hand-finishing your new custom cabinets, that human touch is how they fulfill your aspirations while delivering a perfect balance of style, function, durability and budget. In 2016, Elmwood Cabinets joined The Cabico Group; building on shared values of engagement and quality, Cabico is proud to offer the Elmwood Series.
Plain & Fancy Custom Cabinets
Plain & Fancy Custom Cabinets is a family-owned company who has been handcrafting cabinetry in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country for more than 45 years with time-tested construction methods. Cabinets are proudly finished by hand, one by one. Their artisan-rendered hand finishing, paired with state-of-the-art finishing technology, creates a flawless finish that will be beautiful for years to come.
Mouser Cabinetry
Mouser Cabinetry has provided the highest quality custom cabinetry for over 60 years. From their Kentucky location, they still bring the same devotion to product quality and excellence. Every cabinet they manufacture is custom-crafted from the finest select woods, then is finished and protected with oven-cured catalyzed sealers and topcoat. Timeless designs and fine craftsmanship are characteristic trademarks that set Mouser Cabinetry apart from all others.
The Galley
The Galley was inspired by a desire to find solutions to problems in the way kitchens worked, (or didn't work.) The Galley was invented by an award-winning kitchen designer whose vision was to create a central workstation hub where every task could be accomplished. Today, the Galley has grown to be an entire line of super-functional, smart and stylish workstations where one can prep, cook, serve, entertain, and clean-up, all in one convenient place.


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Appraisal ReviewsAs stated in an announcement by the Federal Reserve (click here), "financial institutions must have an effective, independent real estate appraisal and evaluation program" and that appraisers performing reviews have to "have the knowledge and expertise to assess compliance with the Federal Reserve's appraisal regulations and guidelines." At Coastal Residential Appraisals LLC, we provide appraisal review services that are independent, expert, professional and compliant with the Federal Reserve's regulations.
A review appraisal should ascertain: whether the original appraisal or evaluation is relevant for the transaction, the liability inherit in the transaction, and whether the methods by which the collateral valuation is rendered ensures independence and quality. They must also announce whether the appraisal or evaluation report is true to the letter of engagement, which gives an account of the depth of the appraisal assignment. Lastly, the Federal Reserve notes that "some banks supplement routine reviews with post-funding evaluations of appraisal quality for some of their higher-risk or greater-value transactions as a control to assist in detecting valuation problems".
In addition to tailoring our work to the regulations and guidelines of our review clients, there are four Fannie Mae forms that are generally used for review services, and we'll produce an appraisal review on any one of them. They include an appraisal "desk" review, a "field" review, a "short" form and a "narrative" form. Here at Coastal Residential Appraisals LLC, we're experienced in every type of appraisal review, review practice and the obligations of review appraisers.
We are familiar with what represents a quality appraisal and what the most prevalent errors are, specifically when it comes to our local housing market. Concurrently, the professionals at Coastal Residential Appraisals LLC are sufficiently skilled to admit that our competition in our market are skillful in doing a good job. The Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice, or USPAP, govern appraisal reviews as well as appraisal reports, and you can rely on Coastal Residential Appraisals LLC to objectively look over appraisal reports carried out by others. And those others may be reviewing our work, too!
You can count on Coastal Residential Appraisals LLC for our neutral judgment, because we offer professional, objective, ethical appraisal review services for our customers. Contact us for more information about our qualifications, expertise and service offerings.
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Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has laid bare the problems facing Eskom which have manifested in prolonged load shedding.
South Africans have managed to avoid the terror of rolling blackouts for almost a decade. The last time the country suffered consecutive bouts of load shedding was back in 2008. Then, the electrical grid shuddered and spluttered, disrupting the lives of millions of South Africans.
While things are not quite that bad today, the same darkness which embattled the local economy ten years ago threatens to reappear in calamitous fashion as a result of Eskom's operational incompetence.
On Thursday afternoon, Gordhan held a media conference at Eskom's Megawatt Park headquarters. Flanked by Eskom's senior executives, the Public Enterprises Minister revealed why the power utility was failing and what emergency procedures would be implemented to mitigate load shedding and further operational malaise.
Load shedding: A multifaceted problem
While the deterioration of Eskom's potential has been analysed and publicised ad nauseam, Gordhan reiterated that corruption, nepotism and general mismanagement have led South Africa's most vital state entity down a road of destruction.
Gordhan explained that Eskom's misgivings were directly related to state
And while Eskom's dire coal shortage has been defined as the greatest danger facing the utility's power production, Gordhan explained that the current wave of load shedding resulted from poor maintenance, saying:
"When you capture an entity like this, you don't do it for fun. You capture it because you can extract resources from it. We all know that recapturing institutions that were under state capture is not the favourite thing that people want.
We have to strengthen our capacity for monitoring and understanding."
As reported by EWN, Gordhan pointed to serious budgetary constraints which enveloped the power utility in 2010 as a cause for the disastrous maintenance plan which has now manifested in load shedding, saying:
"As a result if you had another 2,500 of what they call the reserve margin, in other words, that's the safety that needs to be kept all the time in order for the system to work, then we are unable to meet the current demand of about 29,000 megawatts, which is what you have in summer.
The Department of Public Enterprises should have a handle on what's going on, but we have one energy expert so we have no capacity."
"Let's call it sabotage"
The Public Enterprises Minister also referenced the presence of nefarious elements hellbent on destroying Eskom infrastructure. While the minister only eluded to sabotage without mentioning names, Eskom has been embattled by ongoing industrial action undertaken by employees and trade unions. Protest action reached a fever pitch earlier in the year when it was first revealed that disgruntled factions had damaged the electricity grid. While trade unions have always strongly denied their role in the alleged sabotage, Gordhan explained that these acts have severely undermined the company's operational capabilities, saying:
"We are not sure yet whether there's an element of undermining of the power system as well, let's call it
Gordhan's plan to get Eskom back on track
Gordhan has promised to implement emergency strategies which would minimise the risk of load shedding. The aim, Gordhan says, is to retract load shedding cycles before Christmas. For that to happen, Eskom needs all hands on deck.
As a result, Gordhan has cancelled festive season leave for all of Eskom's senior executives and plant managers, saying:
"All senior managers of Eskom have been asked to cancel their leave.
There'll be a very intensive look over the next 10 days, that's part of the action plan to understand exactly what the nature of the problems is, which ones are easily fixable and which ones will take some time to fix.
We will need a week-by-week plan in terms of who is taking responsibility for what. And consequence management – someone must take the fall for it [prolonged load shedding]."