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On a 25.650 m² area at the green district Zehlendorf a new stadium on behalf of the Berlin Rugby Club (BRC) is planned, that will host 1.000 spectators.
Aside from the stands, the two-storey building comprises sanitary facilities and changing rooms for the team players, a gym and an office. A restaurant with bar is also part oft he stadium.
The architecture´s materiality is dominated by exposed concrete and glass. The stadium's façade is set together by prefabricated shotcrete rectangles. All non-private areas on the second floor – office, restaurant and fitness room – come with glass façades and are formed as boxes to be slid-in under the roof of the stands, thereby making transparent their usage. The restaurant will be equipped with large-scale transparent sliding elements to be opened with warm weather. All sanitary facilities and changing rooms on the ground floor will be illuminated by natural light coming from skylights.
A steel frame construction makes the roof floating lightly above the slid-in glass boxes underneath.
Programm / Program: Sportstadion / Sports stadium
Fläche / Area: 2.625 m²
Auftraggeber / Client: Berliner Rugby Club
Competition 2006/ 2007 The Zoological Garden in Karlsruhe is adding a new elephant house and a new ticket office to its facilities. Furthermore the "Tullabad" an existing indoor aquatic centre located in the adjacent park is being added to the Zoo and converted into a vivarium for birds and reptiles together with a restaurant and a zoological education centre.
The symbolic design of the new elephant house and its location is creating a new urban context and a strong visual statement: - a plaza in front of the "Tullabad" to guide the visitor towards the entry on the east side of the Zoo - the expressive design of the new elephant house, the redesigned Tullabad and the digital media pavilion for the ticket office and shop define the space - the entry area widening towards the inside allows for a nice view across the park with the lake and the gardens, the restaurant terrace and the elephant house.
The design of the elephant house is derived from the natural habitat of the asian elephants that are being kept in the Zoo in Karlsruhe. It relates to the rainforest with its dense stock of trees and treetop canopy using it as an abstract image for the architectural concept. Load-bearing columns appear like tree trunks and skylights penetrate the solid roof, referring to clearings of a forest. The subtle irregularity of the construction elements creates a playful composition within a strict system. The interior and exterior of the elephant house including the water basin follow this design concept.
Visitors and elephants alike are situated in one room on the same level and separated only by the water basin. Without any vertical barriers acting as a separation the visitor can experience the space and the animals within. An exhibition space is located at the basement level from which aquaria-like panes of glass allow exciting views of the water basin from below and make it possible to observe elephants when swimming in the water. The essential service areas are located in a box-like structure that is placed as a freestanding object within the space.
A related but separate project is the conversion of the entire historic indoor aquatic centre into a vivarium. The pools are used for plant beds and water basins but are not recognizable as such. The visitors are being guided along raised "catwalks" which separate them from the animals making it possible to experience the animals and their habitat from close by.
Programm / Program: Gesamtkonzept Zoologischer Stadtgarten + Elefantenhaus + Umnutzung eines denkmalgeschützten Schwimmbades / New Concept for Zoo and Park + Elephant House + Redevelopment of old Swimming Hall
Fläche / Area: 4.800 m² Gebäude / Building
Auftraggeber / Client: Stadt Karlsruhe
In 1923 Walter Gropius developed an innovative building concept which was new at its time: Using a "large scale construction kit" a house is being build from numerous, standardized parts or units and fitted to the needs of its owner in a cost-effective way.
The Bauhaus Archive/ Museum of Design is in need of additional space for almost all of its departments: educational science, special exhibits, events and a more advanced visitor service. For the efficient operation of the facility an extension building is needed. Based on the initiative of the "Group 09 - friends of the Bauhaus Archive/ Museum of Design" a scheme was developed for the construction of a temporary pavilion. This temporary pavilion will be used until funds for the addition will be available. The temporary character of the building is being indicated by the use of "Euro Pallets" as the proposed construction.
The meaning of the term "pallet" is multifaceted: it stands for variety, assortment and sequence. And - pallets are being used to pack up goods. They are being used for transportation, similar to the temporary pavilion, which is being used as an intermediate stop for things that do not have sufficient space in the currently constricted rooms of the Bauhaus Archive.
A large room is being formed by stacked standardized Euro Pallets , which is not unlike the concept of the "Honeycomb-House" that was developed by Gropius. The gaps between the boards of the pallets provide the interior of the space with a suspenseful diffused light and give the internally illuminated building an interesting appearance during the night. On the exterior the Bauhaus-Box is being extended by means of a terrace, which allows for additional usage during summer and provides a nice outdoor space close to the water. Additional modular systems like tent structures or platforms can be used to provide space for large-scale events.
Programm / Program: Ausstellung + Veranstaltung / Exhibition + Event-Space
Fläche / Area: 200 m²
Auftraggeber / Client: Bauhaus-Archiv Museum für Gestaltung
International Competition, 2nd Place This prize winning competition design for the German pavilion at the Expo 2000 contains a 360° cinema, with 42 meters diameter, the related "Pre-show" and waiting areas as well as large exhibition spaces. It displays a highly symbolic image connected to the theme of the Expo "Humankind-Nature-Technology". The shape of the building, which is inspired by models from nature, is based on the central circular cinema, the innovative Green ventilation system and by strategies of visitor flow management. The resulting architecture with its dynamic expression is complimented by the rich and lively texture of the façade and is based on a precise geometry.
The shape of the building with it's imbricated façade functions as a type of "wind-paddle-wheel", a kind of static wind turbine, open in all directions. It provides a natural ventilation system using thermal and aerodynamic low-pressure systems, activating the thermal buffer effect of solid structural floor slabs. At peak times (Expo) additional mechanical by heating and cooling ceilings is used. The central rotunda with it's "Frisbee-roof" made of translucent pneumatically tensioned membranes acts as a thermodynamic ventilation stack, creating negative pressure even under light wind conditions.
Lightweight constructions are used for material and energy savings for the atrium and the rotunda roof. The large span entrance facades are built from tensioned membrane façade systems. Shading and darkening elements are made from local timber.
The holistic sustainable concept of the building allows for a commercial use after the Expo period, a building with a natural energy saving ventilation system and a unique quality of spaces. After removal of the specific Expo fit out a functional building with two atria is left for the future, suitable for a variety of office, research, educational or exhibition purposes.
Programm / Program: EXPO-Pavillion / EXPO-Pavillion
Fläche / Area: 18.000 m²
Auftraggeber / Client: Trägergesellschaft Deutscher Pavillon
The city library, on former railway land, was envisaged as the first public building of the "Stuttgart 21" Project.
The central design concept was the (re)interpretation of a library in the Internet Age as a place of meeting and interaction. To achieve this an open inner space, full of possibilities for experiencing and interacting, was created within a maximised built volume.
A glazed double skin facade was developed for the building, with inset horizontal wooden slats ("book-shelf", "horizontal hold' lines"), as well as an innovative natural ventilation design.
Programm / Program: Bibliothek / Library
Fläche / Area: 32.000 m²
Auftraggeber / Client: Stadt Stuttgart
Realisation competition The design for the modern gallery of the Saarland Museum, an extension to the "Galerie der Gegenwart", expresses a clear architectural standpoint in which space and design remain neutral vis-à-vis the art works and do not compete with them. At the same time, thanks to its object-like quality the architecture symbolises the art theme. With the simplicity and proportion of the large exhibition rooms, lit from above, it radiates great spatial power.
The L-shaped new building grows, without subordinating itself to it, from the logic of the high-quality existing building, complementing it to a new building form and creating an internal sculpture court. In town planning terms the new building relates to the height of the surrounding buildings and upgrades the pathway to the riverbank. The design of the facade, with its polished white concrete panels (with light-coloured aggregates), picks up the visual structure of the natural "Nagelfluh" stone used in the old buildings and at the same time contrasts its colour effect to that material. The new building develops a particular luminosity.
The spatial concept consists of dividable rooms on a grid of 2.1 x 2.1 m, in which flexible dividing walls can be fixed at floor and ceiling, making possible a great variety of exhibition concepts. At the same time, this concept creates a comprehensive new route through the exhibition rooms of the old building and the extension. The exhibition area for the collection in the upper floor cantilevers over the existing building. Underneath there is a new comfortable, glazed foyer for the museum complex, giving a clear view from the street of the newly created sculpture court. The foyer provides areas for the ticket desk, museum shop and restaurant, as well as lift and stairs to the exhibition space on the first floor and to the special exhibition area and the old building. The old and new buildings are also connected on the lower floor by opening up a central axis. On the lower floor are cloakrooms and WC's for the public as well as workshops for restoration work, offices, technical areas and logistics rooms.
The ambient air quality in the rooms, which is important for maintaining the collection, is ensured by an energy-saving combination of a minimized ventilation system and concrete core activation, and based on the latest air conditioning technologies.
Programm / Program: Museum / Museum
Fläche / Area: 4.875 m²
Auftraggeber / Client: Stiftung Saarländischer Kulturbesitz
International Competition, 6th place, 2000 The situation in a central industrial area of Turin, its uses as library, theatre and cultural institute, all suggest an inward-looking building. Its presence becomes the city's new landmark. The prominent, city-facing "atrium" serves as a meeting place with an exciting experiential quality, an observation platform and as a symbol, which is effective from far away. It functions, together with the two large inner courtyards, as the central circulation zone and forms, with its double glass skin, the "thermal engine" of a natural ventilation system. The clear, structured design of the building complex, which has a variety of sequential spaces, takes its vitality from the interplay between transparent and closed surfaces.
Programm / Program: Kulturzentrum / Cultural Centre
Fläche / Area: 43.270 m²
Auftraggeber / Client: Commune di Torino
Planning Competition 2009 The cultural centre in this smallish city in the industrially productive south-western part of Germany acts as a unifying element between the two main urban elements of the location: The town hall with its tower and a market place with its connection to the lake and the adjacent park. The building base with a "Colonnade" façade defines a new space edge for the market place. This evocative architecture is reminiscent of the ancient Greek "Stoa" a place of culture and debate amongst intellectuals. It not only serves as an entrance to the building but as a communicative place. The new library forms a high point. Large metal sliding elements function as solar shading panels. The pixel pattern lasered into the sliding panels is a digital representation of literary texts, translated into binary computer language.
The building is based on a passive, energy saving ventilation and cooling system. This system can generate the ventilation of the building between 50 and 70 percent of the year without additional cooling or heating energy and without significant mechanical support of ventilation. Within this period of the year reasonable temperature conditions can be maintained in the premises by natural means.
The main engine of this thermodynamic passive ventilation system is the double skin façade of the library cube. The air between the two sealed façade layers obtains a sufficient temperature through thermal gains as to create a natural stack effect. This stack effect creates a low pressure extracting the air from the building base and the library cube up over the roof. The air supply is streaming through a labyrinth of ducts through the basement of the building, which is tempered by the constant temperature of the adjacent soil.
Programm / Program: Kulturzentrum mit Bibliothek, Theater, Festsaal / Cultural Centre including Library, Theatre, Banquet Facility
Fläche / Area: 12.380 m²
Auftraggeber / Client: Stadt Kornwestheim
A new large landscape park, called "Longtou Temple Park", has been created in the heart of the Chinese City of Chongqing. CollignonArchitektur in cooperation with IBO have designed two landmark buildings serving as showcase projects of sustainable building design. Considering the local climate with temperatures well about 30 °Celsius we have created a climate friendly, energy saving, innovative concept for these buildings.
The entrance building marks the gateway to the Park. A flexible, L-shaped office building encloses an open L-shaped atrium and the square conference block, a cube made of corten steel plates. Architecturally the building is a composition of this rough steel cube, a golden wing on the roof of the building and the visual abstraction of the timber lamella façade of the offices.
The south facing office façade is equipped with multilayered sun protection measures, designed to limit the energy transmission to between 30 and 8 percent. The outer layer consists of sliding panels with mechanically adjustable wooden slats, adjustable to the position of the sun and the desired daylight inside. An adjacent water pond following the full length of the office façade is equipped with spray fountains creating natural cooling by evaporation.
The office, conference and atrium areas are ventilated naturally. The large wing above the atrium has been aligned to the prevailing wind direction. Following the principal of an airplane-wing, the passing wind creates an area of low pressure, which extracts the air, supported by the natural thermodynamic airflow through the atrium. Fresh air streams into the building through earth channels, which are chilled by the natural low temperature of the surrounding soil. In peak climate conditions the ventilation and air-conditioning can be supported mechanically. As a source for cooling and heating energy the system has solar panels on the roof of the building.
Programm / Program: Büro + Einzelhandel / Office + Retail:
Fläche / Area: 3.200 m²
Auftraggeber / Client: IBO Concept GmbH
A new large landscape park, called "Longtou Temple Park", has been created in the heart of the Chinese City of Chongqing. CollignonArchitektur in cooperation with IBO have designed two landmark buildings serving as showcase projects of sustainable building design. Considering the local climate with temperatures well about 30° Celsius we have created climate-friendly, energy-saving, innovative building concepts. The sports facilities building houses a restaurant, teahouse and shop at the park level. This is the only above ground accommodation. Below ground are changing rooms with sanitary facilities serving the nearby sports fields, a yoga and fitness area with a 25-metre outdoor-pool and public toilets.
The basement section with its access and its open space is formed like a trapezoid-shaped ditch in the landscape. The "Pavilion" with gastronomy and shop area spans this ditch like an autonomous building structure. With its large terraces and transparent façades, it opens itself to the south, overlooking the park. The wide sweeping roof protects the inside of the building from solar heat gain and shades the terrace.
The dynamic architecture is inspired by the movement of sports and has an aerodynamic function. Aligned to the prevailing wind direction, the sloping cantilever deflects the wind down into the lower floor and also into the ground floor areas. The perimeter of the basement is cooled by the adjacent soil. A generous stair gives access to the basement. This is accompanied by a water cascade and spray fountains, which are creating adiabatic cooling of the incoming airflow and the entrance space. In peak climate conditions or adverse wind directions the ventilation and air-conditioning can be supported mechanically. As a source for cooling and heating energy the system has solar panels on the roof of the building.
In cooperation with IBO
Programm / Program: Sporteinrichtung / Sports Facilities
Fläche / Area: 2.500 m²


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Baby school at the pumpkin patch
With everyone's first Halloween fast approaching we decided to have a baby school field trip to the pumpkin patch. The babies had a great time exploring the pumpkins and trying to eat the straw.
Our little pumpkins in the pumpkin patch left to right are: Kaden, Evie, Aidan, Kelton, Maya, Arthur and Maya.
Here are Evie, Maya and Aidan in the pumpkin patch and then Kaden inspecting the geese. Finally there's Arthur saying hi to Kaden with their mommies Zoey and Karn.
Here are the mommies with babies in the pumpkin patch. The first is a posed photo taken by Karelle, the second is a behind-the-scenes view.

subset: commoncrawl


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Prime Air
Amazon readies unmanned 'Prime Air' delivery drones
Amazon has announced that it is testing unmanned delivery drones capable of shipping goods in just 30 minutes. The service – dubbed 'Prime Air' – is said to be ready as soon as legislation allows drones in public airspace.
Prime Air headlines
Prime Air latest


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CROSS-AUS (Confidential Reporting on Structural Safety - Australasia) is a confidential reporting scheme to capture and share lessons learned from structural safety issues which might not otherwise have had public recognition, with the aim of preventing future failures.
CROSS-AUS depends on individuals and organisations to submit reports in confidence of safety issues which they have experienced.
Reports submitted to CROSS-AUS are completely confidential and neither personal details nor information that could be used to identify a project or product are seen by anyone other than the Designated Persons.
CROSS-AUS maintains a database of anonymised reports and publishes quarterly Newsletters on our website containing anonymised reports with comments from the CROSS-AUS Panel of experts.
Analysis of the reported safety issues can provide insight into how the safety concerns or events occurred and spur the development of measures to improve public safety.
CROSS-AUS is the only independent organisation for collecting and publishing structural safety related reports in Australasia and is linked to CROSS / Structural-Safety in the UK established in 2005 (www.structural-safety.org).
The implementation of CROSS-AUS is an initiative of the Australia Regional Group of The Institution of Structural Engineers.
A brief description of key members of CROSS-AUS, including the Designated Persons, can be found on our People page.
A confidential system allows safety issues to be reported while avoiding potential concerns, including being reprimanded or disciplined for actions that led to the safety issue, pressure from co-workers to keep quiet, possibly affecting professional membership, loyalty to client/employer or being concerned about insurance issues.
The confidential reporting techniques used by CROSS-AUS were first developed by NASA for the aviation industry in the USA.
The reporter's personal information and any identifiable details, such as a project, product, individual or organisation, are completely confidential to CROSS-AUS and are not shared with anyone.
Reports are welcome from anyone involved in the buildings and civil engineering industry, including structural engineers, civil engineers, designers, contractors, clients, inspectors, maintenance and operation teams, project managers, local authorities, statutory authorities and government.
Reports are also welcome from others who have an interest in structural safety.
Have you or a colleague ever learned a lesson from reading a CROSS or CROSS-AUS report which has improved the safety of the projects you are involved in? Well, that was only possible because someone, just like you, decided to submit a report to CROSS-AUS so that others could learn from their experience.
Do you know of a safety trend in the industry but can't quantify it? Or maybe there is a safety issue which has not been spotted yet. Submitting reports to CROSS-AUS helps to identify and quantify trends in the industry.
For more details, visit our Confidential Reporting page, or to submit a report, visit our Submit Report page.
Although CROSS-AUS handles submitted reports confidentially, and completely anonymises any material published as a result of the submission, initial contributions must be identifiable. This is necessary in order to verify (and therefore validate) the subject matter.


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Dec 7 2014
Attention LAMALUGers!
We will NOT have our regular meeting in December. Instead, we'll again join other tech groups in the area for DemoCamp. But please note: it will be on FRIDAY, December 18—the day after our usual meeting.
One important notes before I get into the other details:
Tickets are limited and some are already gone. So I recommend signing up NOW. Click here for tickets.
Use the "General Admission – User Group" category, select a Quantity from the column on the right, and click the green "Register" button. Then print out your ticket.
The event will be at:
The Michigan Historical Museum and Archives
702 W. Kalamazoo St.
Lansing, MI 48915
DemoCamp Lansing is a social, un-conference style event where developers, designers, students, and entrepreneurs show cool stuff they have created. They come to inspire, educate, and entertain the audience. It has a healthy representation of all types of communities including programming groups (Adobe, Microsoft, Web, etc), Technology Enthusiasts (MiTN, LAMAUG, Lansing Girl Geeks), and entrepreneurial focused groups.
There will be food and drink, and judging by past events, it'll be some very good fare.
Techsmith, Adobe Groups, Microsoft, O'Reilly User Group, and MSU Alumni Association are sponsoring this year's Democamp. Thanks to you all!
Jonathan Stars


text: Issues: Natural Resources <Back to previous page Welcome to Tearfund Learn's blog. It's a lively and diverse forum where voices from around the world share their stories, learning and insights. Love our Blog? Sign up to Tearfund Learn to get our latest blogs, learning and resources. Subscribe Active Filters: By Chris McDonald, 24 April 2018 Five survival strategies for drought-affected livestock herders in East Africa For many people in East Africa, the current drought is the worst in living memory. Pastoralists have been hit particularly hard by this drought,… Read More Load More Posts


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An Oregon rancher and his son who helped inspire an armed anti-government protest at a remote national wildlife outpost surrendered Monday to federal prison authorities in San Pedro.
Dwight Hammond, 73, and his 46-year-old son Steven turned themselves in at the Terminal Island federal correctional facility after spending time with relatives in Southern California, authorities said.
The ranchers were convicted three years ago of starting brush fires on federal property that they said were designed to prevent larger wildfires and to halt invasive plant species.
They served short federal prison sentences, but a judge ordered them back to prison for four years after finding that the time they served did not meet minimum-sentencing laws.
The occupation at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge began Saturday after an estimated 300 protesters marched through the nearby town of Burns, Oregon.
Ammon Bundy, a rancher who is leading the occupation, said the Hammonds – – whose attorney said "respect the rule of law" and have not endorsed the occupation — were persecuted because the federal government wants their land.
Bundy and his son have called on militia members from across the nation to join their occupation.
Their father, Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, spearheaded a standoff with the government over grazing rights on federal lands in 2014.
– Wire reports
>> Want to read more stories like this? Get our Free Daily Newsletters Here!Follow us:


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Back in late 2010 (or early 2011, not sure), I began seeing a massage therapist who promoted natural, green living. She kept chickens in her backyard (in the city), grew her own herbs, had a compost pile, collected rainwater, walked instead of driving when possible, and didn't wear a bra. She was extremely friendly and genuine. Looking back, I'm almost certain she was Wiccan or at the least Pagan, which is cool. Anyway. She lent me a book that helped open my eyes so that I could see the corruption and abuse around me. It discussed things like how fluoride came to be put into the public's drinking water (it didn't have anything to do with dental health), the effects of pesticides and insecticides on human health and our environment, and so many other things. It was all very new and overwhelming to me at the time; parts of me were skeptical, but the more I observed and experienced in life the more I knew the information was true (the book's sources and more research on my part were a big factor, of course). The truth about what is in public water has weighed heavy on my mind ever since. The things we ingest on a daily basis, when consuming public water, are far from safe. Rather, the chemicals and such in our water are poisonous to our bodies. Small children, infants, and fetuses are especially susceptible to these toxins. Fluoride may or may not be beneficial for teeth when used topically, but it is NOT beneficial to ingest it. Even the ADA is beginning to recognize this fact. Wikipedia's page on dietary minerals says, More
Clean Water, At Last!
12 Mar 2013 Leave a comment
in Environment, Food, GAPS Diet, Health, Hot Issues, Personal Tags: change, chlorine, clean water, fluoride, GAPS, guilt, health, poison, toxins, water


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If you carrying too much body fat, you won't get the results you deserve even if you are training hard. If you are really serious about shedding the weight and getting better race day results then you need this ebook. In it I walk you step by step through the process I use with my clients to help them to become leaner and lighter so they can go faster.
Only £9.99
Available as a downloadable PDF.


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Integrated gas and electric company Dominion Resourceson Thursday it will seek to buy back about 55 million common shares, or nearly 16 percent of its outstanding stock, using part of the proceeds from its asset sales.
Shares rose more than 4%.
Dominion expects to start a modified Dutch auction self-tender by mid-July. Shareholders could tender some or all of their shares at prices from $82 to $92 per share, said the Richmond, Virginia-based company. The company then will pick a price and buy shares tendered at that level or below.
The share buyback program is part of the power company's plan to use the proceeds from the sales of most of its oil and natural gas exploration and production (E&P) assets.
"As we have stated previously, we intend to use proceeds raised by the E&P divestitures to reduce debt in a range of $3.2 billion to $3.5 billion. Every dollar not used for debt retirement can be committed to the repurchase of common stock," said Chief Executive Thomas Farrell in a statement.
The company said it expects to buy back more shares in the future. The debt repayment and share repurchases would be independent of the timing of the divestiture of its natural gas local distribution companies, said Farrell.
So far, Dominion has agreed to sell $11.84 billion of its E&P assets. It is still shopping its mid-continent gas assets, which analysts said could fetch between $1.7 billion and $2 billion.


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The issue likely won't get onto the transportation committee's agenda until early next year, but in the meantime, Councilmembers Phillip Kingston, Adam Medrano, Jennifer Staubach Gates and Scott Griggs have scheduled a town-hall meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4 at Arlington Hall at Lee Park to discuss transportation and transparency as it relates to the Uber debate at City Hall.
Back in August the anti-Uber ordinance sneakily made its way onto the city council's consent agenda at the last minute, before it was removed.
According to the Dallas Morning News, interim City Manager A.C. Gonzales, at Yellow Cab's demand, reportedly tried to slip in a proposal that would make it much harder for services like Uber to operate — services that have been welcomed and successful in other major cities. Cab and limo companies here, however, argue that because a technology company like Uber is not subject to the same taxes and fees, that it could put traditional services out of business. The city council aims to reach a balance that can work for both sides.
Uber allows riders to call one of its signature cabs or SUVs using a smartphone. They also can pay (and split fares) with their smartphone, so it's cashless. Similar services include Lyft and UberX. Rumors are circulating that even more of these companies are eying Dallas.


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The process of: We got our flat!
Nowadays many couples actually decided to go for BTO first before getting married. Mainly because the increase of HDB. And well... Boyfriend and I had actually balloted a flat last November 2011. After a long wait, we finally settled all our HDB stuffs. Decided to blog about it.
It wasn't a rash decision. We went down to HDB Hub a few times to ask regarding our financial and eligibility first before we actually decided to ballot one. You may find out if you are eligible to buy a new HDB here. Because we weren't really sure about the procedures. And we are now talking about a few hundred thousands. Of course we will want to know more details first before throwing our $10 to ballot. Right? Haha. We are very cautious about it. Will blog about the procedure later.
And it was actually our second time trying as our first timer. The first time round we decided to drop out because of the weird inner layout that it is being designed. The first flat that we balloted was Punggol Waterway Terrances II, yeap, the very famous one if you know. Haha. We balloted for the 3 rooms instead. (Because at that time, my boyfriend is still in the army but is waiting to ORD) Our ballot result was really bad! It is like 99/118 if I don't remembered wrongly. Not sure why, though we had already opt-in the staying-near-parents scheme. And because of the poor ballot result, we didn't managed to get a river view. The 3 room flat price was ranged $307 000 to $390 000. Quite expensive uh. And we decided to give up after struggling. haha!
Punggol Waterway Terraces II
After we gave up our Punggol Waterway Terraces II, we followed up with their launches every month. You may want to check out their monthly sale launches here! Finally Punggol Waterway Ridges and Punggol Waterway Banks have launched and we decided to give it a try. We wanted Punggol/Sengkang area because in the near future, my family will be moving to Sengkang and his family is staying at Punggol. So it will be a perfect location for us. However, it has been such a struggle for me to move to Punggol/Sengkang area as I have been living in the town for the past 20+ years! I can walk to Bugis in 10 minutes, reach Orchard in 15 minutes, reach any town area within 30 minutes or so. Can you feel me? Lol.
Anyway, we got a number of 800+ out of 1000+, seriously not really a fantastic number. We really puzzled how people actually can get a better queue number when they are just like us, young couple, yet didn't even opt for stay-near-parent scheme. Well, luck play an important role, you see. =\
This time round, since both of us are working. We decided to opt for a 4-Room instead. Boyfriend insisted to have a 4 rooms instead of 3 rooms. We are interested in Punggol Waterway Ridges initially. But because this time round, they actually combined both of them together. Meaning if Punggol Waterway Ridges and Waterway Banks have a total of 1100 units, and in this case we got a queue number of 800+, we actually have a chance to take either Punggol Waterway Ridges or Waterway Banks. This is beneficial for those who have a good queue number as they can choose which to get, but for people like us, we are stuck between Punggol Waterway Ridges and Waterway Banks. Really a disadvantage for us =]
Punggol Waterway Banks (Standard Flat)
Standard Flat is very simple. Standard Flat does not come with the finishes and fittings at all. Meaning you have the choice of your own to install the desire finishes and fittings. Another meaning, an empty flat for you to decorate loh. haha! However, you have a choice to opt in the floors and doors given as an optional from HDB. But many say that the quality will be lousier than Premium Flat. I cannot confirm this. But many choose to opt it (Like Me!), cause it is cheaper from the contractor outside as it is payable through CPF. Why not? It will help you to save a lot of money, you see. Furthermore, most Standard Flat provides 3/4 length window in the living room and 1/2 length window in the rooms. For the location wise, some says that Standard Flat normally is more "wulu" than Premium Flat. But it is not that "wulu" as you think. And of course, Standard Flat is cheaper.
Premium Flat. Everything is fixed here. Even if the finishes or fittings look like sucks, you also have to face it and take it. That's Premium Flat. Everything is done and given to you. Because of it, it is much more expensive than Standard Flat. And also, some Premium Flat provides Balcony and most of them have full length window in their living room OR even rooms and also 3/4 length window in the rooms. And for the location wise, normally it is nearer to the MRT/LRT as compared to Standard Flat. Maybe in Premium Flat, you will require to walk 2 minutes to the MRT/LRT while Standard Flat will require you to walk 5 minutes or so? That is what I mean by "it is not that wulu as you think" Yup. And that is why it is more expensive than Standard Flat. Reasonable?
For the procedures, these are what I have did during the whole process of doing our HDB. My personal procedure that I have did. You may want to take a look :)
1. I applied for HLE first
I know many of them will ballot a flat first before applying a flat. But for my case, because we would like to know how much my boyfriend and I can loan from HDB. The figure might not be accurate. But at least we know that we are able to get a loan and a certain amount of loan. It makes us much more comfortable and go ahead with our plan to ballot for a flat.
2. Sign up as their HDB Alert.
You may want to subscribe through here. We got sms/emails when they start their new launches every month :)
3. Sale Launches
After we received an email or sms saying that the sale has launched. We visited their website at here. Click on the month sale launch banner and it lead us to a new window with all the introduction of the BTOs. Look through our desired flat in details in the HDB Website. Look at the estimate cost of the number of rooms that we are getting. We sat down and discussed first, making sure that we can afford and etc...
4. Ballot
After much consideration, we decided to throw in our lucky $10 for the Punggol Waterway Ridges and Waterway Bank. After that, we prayed hard that we can get a good queue number. As for the steps to submit a ballot, Don't worry! , there will be steps to guide you on how to ballot. It will only take 5-10 minutes for you to complete an submission.
5. Ballot Result
We waited for around 2-3 weeks (Depends) for the ballot result to release. The waiting period is the most killing one. Ballot Result will emailed to you. So make sure when you submit your ballot, the email that you have given is valid! Tentatively, you may check in your my HDBpage for the result. Normally email will be faster. myHDBpage will take up some times to release the queue number.
6. Search for your flat Facebook Page
haha. I came upon my flat Facebook Page and I joined their group. It is very useful. The chief of the group will always upload the status of the queue number and whatever they have found. It helps you to choose your unit better through their evaluation. And most importantly, you know your neighbours before the flat is build! HAHA!
7. Received flat booklet.
We received our booklet around 1-2 months (depends) after we have received our queue number. The detail of the booklet is something like what you have seen in the website, however, it is stated with all the prices and etc.
8. Date of Selection
For what I have gathered from forums. Most of them said that selection will start with the 4 rooms first, followed by the 3 rooms then 5 rooms. You will know your date of selection through my HDBPage, again, it is the first-hand news. Other than that, they also will send you a letter regarding your appointment date and time. What we did is, when it is close to my selection date, we will sit down together and discuss our desired units that are still available. But take note, you will suffer a disappointment every now and then when you see your desired units taken away. That's why I suggest you to select when your selection date is closer :)
9. Selection appointment
Finally, our selection appointment is here! 02 March 2012. Oh ya! Before you went for your selection appointment, make sure that your HLE did not expire. If your HLE expired, you may have to reapply again.
2. Identity Cards for both of the parties
3. Marriage Certification (if you have)
4. latest 3 months payslips
5. Letter from employer
When we were there to select our desired unit, we were quite nervous and excited. Nervous because we were so afraid that before we went into the room to select our unit, some people might took our unit away. And excited, because we are first step closer to build our future! haha! When we went in, the officer is quite friendly. She filled us in with a lot informations. Things like: what is this document about, what are the things we should take note and etc. And I remembered we signed a lot of the documents. Then she asked us if we would like to opt in for the flooring and doors, and we agreed. And because we are qualify for the AHG (Our average gross monthly household is below $10K), the officer helped us to apply for the AHG. By then, we did not know how much we are granted because they have to process it. They told us that it might take a few months, that's long, I know. But she somehow said that most likely we will be granted, how much, she cannot confirm. You may want to know more about AHG here. After all the signing procedures, we were asked to pay our option fee of $2000 at level 3, then back to the office again. The whole process took 15-20 minutes. And tadah, we are happy to be the owner of Punggol Waterway Banks! :D
10. AHG letter
I still remembered the time that boyfriend excitedly whatapp-ed me when I was in Taiwan (June). He told me that our AHG letter has arrived and we got a total of 30K grant! That's really a good new! It is because we have been waiting for this AHG letter for almost 3 months. 30K were granted to us, 15K each to our account. You don't have to do anything to it. Just be prepare to see another addition 15K to your CPF account :)
11. Signing Agreement for lease
Most of them said that, when you have received the AHG letter, the date to sign for the lease will be around the corner. True enough, after I am back from Taiwan. I quickly went to check my HDBpage to check our date. On the 21 June 2012, we went down to sign our agreement. And the officer told us that the option fee will be credited back to our account. We paid a total of 5% of our total cost, which is around $14900, this amount was deduct from the 30K that the government has granted to us. As for the stamp and legal fee, it cost about $2-5K, almost forgot the exact figure, but these amount are deduct from our CPF account. After this process, we are officially the owner for Punggol Waterway Banks!
Phew! It took us 7 months to complete these process! Our flat will be ready by November 2014, most of them said that it will be 6 months earlier so I guess May 2014 it will be ready for collection. 2 more years to go! We are excited for our new flat. And well, lots of preparation to be done within these years and yup, we are working hard on it :) It is a wonderful process to go through together with your partner. And this is just the first step. To those who are getting a flat, congratulation! Enjoy this wonderful experience. Let's work hard for our first home :)


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Seabrokers engaged in ship broking, property development, facility management, construction, sea surveillance and secure lifting operations. They own and operate several buildings in western Svanholmen in Forus, Stavanger, Norway. Their first major project on the plot area was an atrium building with interesting architectural elements, which is the head office of Aibel as.
Staff at Aibel works largely with projects, and therefore the office had to be flexible in terms of moving the walls and similar. The building also had to be energy efficient and have a good indoor climate.
Light and ventilation are fully automated and on-demand. Areas not in use has basic ventilation and motion sensors detecting when people come in, after which ventilation increases automatically. If it gets warmer/colder than the user of the office has registered that he want, it would be adjusted. Ten minutes after the office is vacated, the ventilation moves to the basic level, while the lights are turned off.
The air is fed quietly and without draft, thanks Caverion's own patented ClimaCeil. Fresh air is supplied via channels in the traditional way, but controlled through pressure valves, so that the channel pressure remains the same across the channel migration. The ceiling has a curved "pool", which is made of a thin metal plate. In the pool, the cold air is lying on the plate, where it is heated by the hot air in the room. When the old air is warm enough, it rises up and discharged into the room through a narrow slit in ClimaCeil. The ceiling is consistent throughout the building, and is divided into modular chambers. Therefore, cell offices can easily be changed into landscape without having to make changes in the ventilation and temperature system.
Svanholmen 14 is a pioneer in building energy efficiency. The energy consumption first year was 108 kwh per sqm.
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Bicyclist flown to hospital after falling off bridge
Click here for updates on this story
Plainfield, CT (WFSB) — A Central Village man was rushed to the hospital after police say he fell off a town bridge Friday night.
According to Plainfield Chief of Police Michael Surprenant, first responders were called to the vicinity of 16 Water Street around 9:05 p.m. for a report of an injured bicyclist.
It was later determined that a 27-year-old Plainfield man was riding down the train tracks when he tried to cross over a railroad bridge and lost control of his bicycle, causing him fall about 30 feet off the side of the bridge by the Moosup River.
Chief Surprenant says the bicyclist was taken via LifeStar to Rhode Island Hospital with, what are believed to be, serious injuries.
This crash remains under investigation by the Plainfield Police Department.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.


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Brooks Lincoln Straight Stairlift Enquiry Form
Our straight stairlifts are built to last, with low maintenance and high reliability. They run on maintenance free DC power packs, which are automatically recharged at the end of every trip. This type of power ensures that the stairlifts are safe to use, are whisper quiet when in use and are incredibly smooth.
Safe and Easy
Brooks Lincoln straight stairlifts come with all the necessary features and a few extra ones, as standard. Thanks to all of the available features, the Brooks stairlift is safe, comfortable and easy to use.
- Whisper quiet
- Soft start and stop system - no sudden jolts
- Ultra smooth ride quality
- Easy to use joystick control
- Remote control system - means no messy wiring
- Low voltage operation - eliminates risk of shock
- Electro mechanical braking with failsafe overspeed governor
- Delivered fast - delivered in days, fitted in an hour
Guarantees and Warranties
All Brooks straight stairlifts are guaranteed for a period of 12 months from the installation date. The guarantee covers you for all mechanical failures through defects in manufacture of the straight stairlift.


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Navicula by David Trubridge
Thirty years ago, David Trubridge sold his belongings and undertook a sailing voyage across the globe, seeking design inspiration in natural materials. The results have led to one of the most refreshing takes on modern lighting today, showcasing incredible designs born from earthy inspiration and made with sustainable materials.
David Trubridge found inspiration for Navicula in the underwater universe of Diatoms which are the base of the entire oceanic food chain. They take more carbon out of the atmosphere than all the world's tropical rainforests. Through photosynthesis they liberate enough oxygen for our every fifth breath.
Navicula, by being derived from nature, highlights the environmental philosophy and commitment of David Trubridge, while being itself an illuminating masterpiece with a sense of frozen movement. The thin curved pieces of CNC-cut bamboo plywood create a flowing skeletal structure that also casts magical patterns.
This lighting is lit from within with a row of LED pin-point lights, and available in three sizes.


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Brits and Irish and any other EU national anywhere in Greece are covered by reciprocal health agreements with the Greek government and any need for assistance from Greek public hospitals is provided free of charge. None the less private health cover insurance is recommended by the British and Irish Embassies in Athens. (Download full information on British Government advice in its "Notes on Living in Greece" here.)
Greek Doctors working in the national Greek health care system are renowned for being some of the best in the world and in my experience I would not argue with this, however there is conditional post operative treatment but little system of after care if a stay in public hospital is required. You would need to call on another family member or relative to come in and look after you bringing food, water, toiletries and the like. There are full time "helpers" around the wards than can also be hired for a fee to feed and take care of patients.
If an emergency arises during your stay in hospital then obviously a nurse or doctor will be on call and available, but for the basic daily routine such as feeding yourself, bathing and being kept clean, change of pyjamas etc your nurse would need to be a family member or relative. There are local ward helpers - "freelance staff" who are available for hire by patients who need help and do not have relatives or good friends at hand.
Privacy in Cretan hospitals is not of paramount importance. When a friend had one of 3 blood tests they said they felt like they were auditioning for the part of a blood test patient, as there were about 10 people sat outside the blood testing clinic watching as the needle went in. Despite this they said that the test was the least painful they had ever had and did not leave a big bruise like the Blood Tests experienced at the hands of their local GP in the UK.
At Crete's public hospitals, we have found the level of medical skill and attention to be on a par, if not better than, treatment and care in the UK. The speed with which you are diagnosed can be astounding. Mostly it is an efficient system of having tests, x-rays, bringing in consultants on duty and other necessary back up support and not a case of sitting around in waiting rooms for hours and hours.
The National Center for Emergencies - the state ambulance service is known as EKAB. Telephone 166 from a fixed line telephone.
On the island of Crete the four prefectures have a main hospital each. In Heraklion there are two hospitals. Many senior government doctors also operate their own private practices. Be on your guard not to be drawn into the private health care route when being treated in the public sector. If however you are faced with an operation or major procedure you are 'expected', although not obliged, to show your appreciation for services rendered, and I do not mean just a basket of fruit or bottle of Scotch Whiskey.
There are public poly clinics but knowing where they are located and are they close enough is another matter. Perhaps a private clinic, doctor or hospital is more handy. Wherever you find yourself, as Crete is a large island, do be sure to know where emergency facilities are located in proximity to your residence or place of stay.
For emergencies that do not require hospitalisation the privately run clinics, such as the Cretan Medicare Centre in the Heraklion and Hersonissos area is where you would need to go, but it will cost you. Often private facilities such as the Cretan Medicare Centres will be found in tourist resorts due to their high usage in the summer months by visitors. One example: to have 18 Sea Urchin spikes removed from a heel cost in a simple procedure cost €60!! Private medical Insurance is therefore recommended and is a legal requirement in self employment.
Schools for Foreign Children
Being part of the EU, Greece through state organisations has sponsored Schools for Foreign Children, including the EU, European School Heraklion. A true experience of bringing the kids over in "Making the Leap with Kids".
Public Utilities
Public Utilities - Electricity and water. Explanation of billing.
Living in Winter is Different
Crete - you know the weather is good that is why you come to Southern Greece but Crete also has a winter climate and its house heating implications.
Healthcare :: Public and Private
Essential reading, including the private Cretan Medicare Centres.
Cretan Culture
Retaining language and customs yet making foreigners feel inclusive along with choices in local TV Viewing.
Cost of Living 2016 Update
More important direct feedback from those experiencing settling in Greece or who have been there awhile. In the chatter, they mention the differences in supermarket prices and where to obtain favourite goodies, edibles and household products from "back home". All in all, it is a good barometer of the cost of living when on a fixed monthly income when resident in Greece.
Save Water When Staying on A Greek Island
Water is a scarce resource that dwindles each year. Our helpful page on conservation of water lists a number of invaluable tips, ones that are common sense in reality. These tips show how easy it is to make the water that you use go further without investment or extra effort. The tips go a long way to help keep your garden and plants well watered thus ensuring they are green and healthy in a Mediterranean setting.
Stores and Supermarkets Grocery Shopping
From small village stores, to large supermarket chains, like Carrefour and Lidl, Crete has it all. A Quick guide to what is available.
Citizens Advice Bureaus in Greece (K.E.P.)
Your short cut to the Ministries and who is responsible for what.


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info @ archimuse.com
our Mailing List.
published: April, 2002
Willy Lee
Willy Lee is the Webmaster at The Minneapolis Institute of Arts and the primary technical developer for ArtsConnectEd, a joint project of The Minneapolis Institute of Arts and the Walker Art Center. He has led the technical development of several award winning sites including Modernism
Willy will present Crit Room - Second Session


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* C$ ends at 97.48 U.S. cents, 9th straight up day
* Backtracks after hitting highest level since October
* Increased view that C$ could test parity
* Bonds fall as eyes on supply calendar (Adds details)
By Ka Yan Ng
TORONTO, March 10 (Reuters) - The Canadian dollar ended stronger for a ninth straight session against the U.S. dollar after touching its highest level in almost five months on Wednesday, helped by talk it is set to test parity with the greenback.
Boosted by firm oil prices and the prospect of rising Canadian interest rates, the currency extended as high as C$1.0216 to the U.S. dollar, or 97.89 U.S. cents, before retreating.
It closed at C$1.0259 to the U.S. dollar, or 97.48 U.S. cents, up slightly from C$1.0264 to the U.S. dollar, or 97.43 U.S. cents, at Tuesday's close.
For the last nine sessions, the Canadian dollar has tested the stronger end of the roughly C$1.02 to C$1.07 trading band it has held for the past five months. Analysts said this may signal the Canadian dollar has momentum to head higher.
"If we look at the intraday lows (in U.S. dollar terms) during the last few days, everyday it's a lower low than the previous day, which suggest that there's still a willingness to take the Canadian dollar higher," said Matthew Strauss, senior currency strategist at RBC Capital Markets.
Market players are next eyeing the C$1.0207 level, the highest level reached in October, to set up a move towards parity with the greenback. The last time the Canadian dollar was on equal footing with the U.S dollar was in July 2008.
Speculation the Canadian dollar will reach parity with the U.S. currency has increased recently.
CIBC World Markets forecast on Wednesday that the Canadian dollar would soar above par with the U.S. dollar by September, a reflection of its view that the Bank of Canada will hike interest rates a full six months ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve.
Scotia Capital also said it expects a slow grind higher against the U.S. dollar.
"It's only a matter of time before we see the parity level tested," said David Bradley, director of foreign exchange trading at Scotia Capital.
Government bond prices slipped on data from China that added evidence the global recovery was underway.
Chinese exports and imports grew faster than expected in February, underlining the momentum behind the world's third-largest economy. [ID:nSGE6290A5]
Canada's C$3 billion auction of 2-year bonds met with robust demand, surpassing expectations and falling in line with the view that Canadian bonds are in favor internationally. [ID:nN10147800]
"The auction itself went reasonably well," said Eric Lascelles, chief economics and rates strategist at TD Securities.
"There's some caution simply because Canada's bond market generally has simply sold off so aggressively recently that there's a reluctance to go too aggressively long into the short end with so much rumbling about the Bank of Canada."
Canadian government bond prices have been on the decline since the central bank sounded a hawkish tone on interest rates.
In Canadian new issue news, the province of Ontario reopened a 10-year bond with a C$600 million offering, while Manitoba sold C$250 million of bonds due in 2020. NEWISSUET
New U.S. supply was also in focus as after Wednesday's sale of re-opened 10-year Treasury securities. Next up is the auction of re-opened 30-year Treasury securities on Thursday.
The two-year Canadian government bond CA2YT=RR fell 4 Canadian cents to C$99.92 to yield 1.541 percent, while the 10-year bond CA10YT=RR was off 18 Canadian cents at C$101.66 to yield 3.537 percent.
Canadian bonds mostly outperformed against their U.S. counterparts, except in the 10-year issue. The difference between 10-year yields widened 0.2 basis points to 18.5 basis points. (Reporting by Ka Yan Ng; Editing by Jeffrey Hodgson)


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Timothy D. Snyder (born August 18, 1969) is an American historian. He is a Professor of History at Yale University, specializing in the history of Central and Eastern Europe, and the Holocaust. For the academic year 2013–2014, he has been the holder of the Philippe Roman Chair of International History at the London School of Economics and Political Science He is also affiliated with the Institut für die Wissenschaften vom Menschen in Vienna and the College of Europe in Natolin, Poland. Mr. Snyder is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Original: http://en.wikipedia.org/


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Generally referred to as the center of the home, the kitchen is a spot to arrange and cook dinner meals and entertain guest. The fundamental idea of a Scandinavian style kitchen is fairly easy: open, relaxed, simple but versatile. Look how this modern kitchen is transformed to a brand new stage of consolation with the rough wooden ceiling beams. Our kitchen was small, so that was good, however we wanted it to make some kind of design statement on the identical time. If you need assistance navigating the world of prospects in kitchen remodeling , our designers at Alure Home Improvements are here to offer you all of the kitchen ideas that you simply want before beginning work in your home. If there's enough room for it, set up a few prepare dinner books or kitchen ornamental accents on display. You want the advice of a professional Kitchen Designer earlier than you make any assumptions or make a compulsive equipment purchase by yourself. One sensible tip when redecorating your kitchen is by makes use of any spare shelf house.
So it is by no means waste to seek out out a few of useful Kitchen Design suggestions because it offered right here. In case you love a kitchen design it's vital to know in the event you can execute your ideas on the budget you may have. In case your kitchen wants a makeover, there are many completely different styles and trends you may incorporate to mesh with the overall theme of your home. Start saving some of your favourite kitchen ideas to ideabooks and soon you'll discover learn how to put collectively the perfect kitchen for you and your home. These all have specific details that dictate the involvement and advice of a certified Kitchen Planner. It's me, Patricia Bennet and now I'm going to show 1 wonderful kitchen idea and snapshots that you just did not need to miss. Picket counters, uncovered brick, and retro bar stools make up this rustic farmhouse kitchen.
MissOlive – A kitchen makeover can be so rewarding as we spend a lot time in that room. Her kitchen is very country complete with the copper counter tops but the crowning glory is her coordination of the roosters full to the change plates. Lastly, take into consideration the overall kitchen colour scheme and add ending touches with kitchen accessories comparable to colored textiles and utensils to complete your kitchen design.
An easy method to upgrade your kitchen is as simple as updating your kitchen cabinets and alter the kitchen hardware. Without needing to be too trendy, the modern kitchen ought to however be contemporary, and especially accommodate the wants of those who dwell in smaller, urban spaces. Discover 50s kitchen magnets and place them in your refrigerator…there are a TON of kitschy and basic 50s kitchen fridge magnets to be found online and elsewhere. One particular frequent challenge you may encounter when you change up your kitchen's design is your appliances for the kitchen. The stove hood was removed and spray painted black with Rustoleum shiny paint – an outside job! Hold your kitchen objects from getting lost in the dead of night, black hole in every different type of nook cabinet with nook house saving drawers.
It is me, Patricia Bennet and at the moment I would wish to share 1 gorgeous kitchen idea and images which you didn't wish to skip. Discover the very best ways to add storage to your kitchen in this information or use this guide to kitchen cupboards to get you started. Having a ground plan that 'works' is simply important for a kitchen that is welcoming and purposeful. Given how highly efficient this utilitarian design is, definitely take it into consideration when contemplating kitchen designs. In addition we include a handful of Kitchen Design ideas and hints that we really feel shall be useful to you. Most kitchen designs are lacking in storage – and particularly in usable and convenient storage. When it comes to kitchen design ideas, you'll find inspiration in the many fashionable choices obtainable in flooring.


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Modern bikes and clothing on the historical route of L'Eroica, these are the highlights of Nova Eroica.
From 24 to 26 april, at Buonconvento, in the countryside around Siena, the beauty of fatigue will meet the beauty of the territory for a sporting and cultural experience to be remembered.
Nova Eroica is open to gravel bikes, ciclocross and modern road bike on the permanent route of L'Eroica that takes you from the Crete Senesi to the Chianti area.
The tour operator Anima Toscana proposes a three-day package to live the experience of Nova Eroica and enjoy one of the best region in Tuscany, taste local food and wine, for an unforgettable holiday on bike.


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Brief update
Sorry for the long delay in posts, but I'm trying to help finish a big package of stories for the Innocence Institute. Other than that, I've been doing radio appearances about the institute's work and specifically the Ernest Simmons case on a few Pittsburgh stations. And last week, we had some coverage in Point Park's student paper, the Globe, about the Simmons case. More later about the institute's big eyewitness ID project, which should be appearing in the Post-Gazette in the coming weeks.


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PAUL KRAKE: Where's the inflation?
Paul Krake
Where's the inflation?
For each of the last four years, Q1 has had a consensus. This consensus revolves around the return of inflation, sharply higher yields and a more aggressive Fed. The reasons have been different. Q1 2017 was about commodity inflation; 2018 was about wage pressure, but in each of the past four years, the market has quickly turned around and said, "Where is the inflation?"
For each of the last four years, the market has dramatically overestimated the potential for a permanent inflation jump, with expectations generally peaking in Q1. The pattern appears to have repeated itself in 2018, with US wage inflation remaining under control and Chinese CPI and PPI heading lower.
The onus is not on the inflation doves like myself to continue to prove that inflation pressures remain muted. It is up to those who believe that we are entering a bond bear market to show the rest of us that inflation has returned. The market continues to under-estimate the strength of technology and western demographics as structural disinflationary forces.
Our best tactical trade for the quarter was buying US 10-year bonds with yields above 2.90%. While sitting in the tactical bucket currently, I remain convinced that long dated yields will not move above 3% over the course of the next several years. The disinflationary forces that are capping yields are here to stay.
The Fed remains a side show, with a strong likelihood that we will only get two more hikes in 2018. This scenario would be very supportive of global risky assets for the balance of the year and cap the back end of developed market yield curves. I could easily see a scenario where 2's / 10's get close to inverting as we approach the end of the year. This would be less of a sign of a pending recession and more of an indication that the world is chronically short of quality yielding assets.
Paul Krake
Founder, View from the Peak
IND-X Advisors Limited
Please refer to the terms and conditions section for further information.


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In order to create a more uniform system for the administration
of taxes in South Africa, section 191 of the Tax Administration
Act, 2011 (the "TAA") has effectively
replaced various refund and set-off provisions which appeared in
respective tax acts.
Section 191 of the TAA now provides that all tax debts that are due must be set-off against refunds, including the interest thereon, due by the South African Revenue Service ("SARS") to that taxpayer.
Section 191 has, since 2011, regulated refunds subject to set-off. It provides as follows:
"191. Refunds subject to set-off and deferral
(1) If a taxpayer has an outstanding tax debt, an amount that is refundable under section 190, including interest thereon under section 188 (3) (a), must be treated as a payment by the taxpayer that is recorded in the taxpayer's account under section 165, to the extent of the amount outstanding, and any remaining amount must be set off against any outstanding debt under customs and excise legislation.
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to a tax debt—
(a) for which the period referred to in section 164 (6) has not expired or suspension of payment under section 164 exists; or
(b) in respect of which an instalment payment agreement under section 167 or a compromise agreement under section 204 applies.
(3) An amount is not refundable if the amount is less than R100
or any other amount that the Commissioner may determine by public
notice, but the amount must be carried forward in the taxpayer
The provision, however, does not provide SARS with the discretion or power to withhold tax refunds in order to satisfy future tax debts (ie tax debts that are as yet not due). Further, there is no application process or written submission process that a taxpayer may utilise to request SARS to retain a refund which is currently due, to satisfy future tax debts. The power of SARS, in this respect, is therefore limited to the set-off of a refund (due to the taxpayer) against outstanding amounts of tax.
To the extent that refunds have been determined to be due to the taxpayer in respect of specific taxes, for specific tax periods, that refund must only be set-off against outstanding tax debts that are currently due.
Section 190 of the TAA and the limitation on the withholding of refunds
Section 190(1) of the TAA provides that a taxpayer has a right to any refund due to it by SARS, however, this right is limited by section 190(2) of the TAA, ie, where the verification, inspection or audit of the refund has not yet been finalised, SARS may withhold such refund. The limitation in section 190(2), however, only relates to the verification, inspection or audit in respect of the particular refund that is due to the taxpayer, and not any verification, inspection or audit under a tax act:
"190. Refunds of excess payments
(1) SARS must pay a refund if a person is entitled to a refund,
including interest thereon under section 188 (3)(a),
(a) an amount properly refundable under a tax Act and if so reflected in an assessment; or
(b) the amount erroneously paid in respect of an assessment in excess of the amount payable in terms of the assessment.
(2) SARS need not authorise a refund as referred to in subsection (1) until such time that a verification, inspection or audit of the refund in accordance with Chapter 5 has been finalised.
(3) SARS must authorise the payment of a refund before the finalisation of the verification, inspection or audit if security in a form acceptable to a senior SARS official is provided by the taxpayer.
The Explanatory Memorandum on the Objects of the Tax
Administration Bill, 2011, provides further clarity on this point,
and states that:
"Furthermore, a refund need not be authorised by SARS until such time that a verification, inspection or audit of the refund has been finalised [ie not an audit in respect of any tax, rather it only refers to an audit in respect of that particular refund]. A taxpayer will remain entitled to interest from the later of the effective date or date that the overpayment was made, to the date of the payment of the refund by SARS after finalisation of the verification, inspection or audit. SARS must authorise the payment of a refund before the finalisation of the verification, inspection or audit if security in a form acceptable to a senior SARS official is provided by the taxpayer"
SARS is, therefore, not permitted to withhold a refund in
respect of one assessment, because a different assessment is under
verification, inspection or audit. For example, SARS may not
withhold an income tax refund because a securities transfer tax
assessment is under audit. SARS would only be able to withhold the
income tax refund because the audit in respect of that refund is
still on-going, and no sufficient security for that refund has been
given to SARS (sections 190(2) and 190(3) of the TAA).
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.


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Lilly is the thickest stepslut of all time. She sneaks out, drills men, and doesnt ensue mommy and daddys rules. It seems like theres only one voice of reason in her life, and thats her large stepbro.
He attempts to steer her in the right direction, but Lilly always finds a way out of it. Her brutha is not the most stern, and every time she puts her throat on his pink cigar he lets things slip.
The 2nd he thinks hes strong, she embarks juggling on his dick and taking him for a rail. Our boys stepsis might be incorrigible, but goddamn is she a fine boink.
We cant believe this sibling fuckery, and neither will mother and daddy.
This finer be our little secret……


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A noble material, the leather of Lizard, associated with its strong black colour. Simply chic
LARUZE offers a 2 years warranty from date of purchase. See our details and conditions.
Free standard shipping in Metropolitan France in 1 to 7 working days
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Republican mayoral candidate Elinor Carbone will not be interim mayor of Torrington
TORRINGTON >> Republican mayoral candidate Elinor Carbone said on Friday that she is withdrawing her name from consideration for interim Mayor of Torrington.
"It was a tough decision," Carbone said Friday afternoon. Mayor Ryan Bingham announced in August that he would be stepping down Oct. 1, two months before his term was set to end. According to the city charter, a member from the same political party must be selected to fill the vacancy for the unexpired term to serve as interim mayor.
Carbone, who currently serves on City Council, is the Republican Town Committee's endorsed candidate for the November mayoral election.
"I feel that, while I am qualified to step up to this position now, accepting the appointment would only serve as a distraction to the office and the essential work that remains to be done in the final weeks of the current administration," Carbone said in a news release.
She said her proper role leading up to the election should involve meeting as many voters as time allows to listen to their ideas and concerns.
"My best role going forward in the next 52 days is to talk to voters," Carbone said.
She said she deliberated with her colleagues and met with council members at least twice in the last two weeks to reach a decision. She also discussed her decision with her family.
"I certainly didn't want to jump shoot on any decision after hearing word of the mayor's resignation," Carbone said.
In the release, Carbone said it's within the best interest of the city for one of her fellow council members to step into the "very important role of full-time interim Mayor."
Carbone added that she felt that if she accepted the appointment there could be a "perception of whether this was manipulated or orchestrated, which it isn't."
Carbone is one of four current Republican council members who are eligible to fill the position until a mayor is elected. The three other members eligible are Drake L. Waldron, Gerald Zordan and Gregg G. Cogswell.
Cogswell, who also serves as Republican Town Committee vice-chair and Carbone's campaign chair, said he will be supportive of whomever is elected for the role. He said most people expected Carbone to take the role of interim mayor after Bingham's announcement.
"When she called me this morning, her reasoning was very sound," Cogswell said. "She feels like she needs to be a full-time candidate."
Zordan said Carbone's decision makes sense to him. He said after her announcement, he said being named interim mayor, "is something that I am giving some consideration at this point." He added that he is the only Republican council member not running for office; Cogswell and Waldron are both running for reelection for their council positions.
Both Cogswell and Zordan said they feel ready to step up to the role if chosen as interim mayor. Waldron was not immediately available for comment on Friday.
During her announcement to run for municipal office in June, Carbone received Bingham's endorsement. He confirmed on Friday that the council will vote on the interim mayor during their next meeting on Sept. 23.
Bingham said he supports Carbone's decision to focus on her campaign.
"Obviously I think she would be a great mayor; I think she is going to be a great mayor," Bingham said.
A vote for the interim mayor would require a decision from the six council members and is treated like a typical council motion, Bingham said. Bingham only votes in the case of a tie, which he said he does not expect will occur during the process.
Carbone's challenger in the mayoral race is Democrat George Craig, who won his party's primary election on Tuesday. Independents Giulio Romano and Jacque Williams, who is running as a write-in candidate, are also vying for the city's highest office.
Municipal elections take place on Nov. 5. A lottery drawing to determine the order of names on the November ballot is taking place on Sept. 16 at 3 p.m. in the Registrar's Office, according to the city's website.
Reach Esteban L. Hernandez at (860) 489-3121, ext. 328.


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Maquis, Machair, Mearc
You can just see the snowdrops coming out in the garden, and there is a blink of yellow in the witch hazel buds, though I think it will take another week of warm weather for them to develop. And according to the forecast, we're not getting that any time soon. So I have been thinking…
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Elizabeth January 25, 2015 0


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Sass'd Bootstrap Even Better
Posted on 11/14/2011
A while back I wrote a post on how to use the Sass version of Twitter's Bootstrap toolkit in your Rails 3.1 app. You had to clone a repo and copy a bunch of files over, blah, blah, blah. That's so last week.
Now there's a new, much better way to include all the Sass and Bootstrap goodness. Here's how it works:
1) Add the bootstrap-sass gem from Thomas McDonald to your
Gemfile like so
gem 'bootstrap-sass'
2) Update your bundle
3) Add this line to your
*= require bootstrap
4) High-five yourself
That's all it takes and you're up and running with the Bootstrap styles. What's that you say? You want the Bootstrap JS libraries also? No problem. Just add them to your
application.js like this
//= require bootstrap
Or if you want to pick and choose which JS to include, like this
//= require bootstrap-scrollspy
//= require bootstrap-modal
//= require bootstrap-dropdown
Very nice.


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(CBS) The wait is over.
New president of baseball operations for the Chicago Cubs, Theo Epstein, was formally introduced during a press conference at Wrigley Field on Tuesday morning.
"I've waited a few weeks to say this, but it truly feels great to be a Cub today," Epstein said as he was introduced.
Epstein stressed that "baseball is better when you win" and promised "sustained success."
"It will be a lot of work, but we are ready and we are hungry," Epstein said.
Epstein thanked a number of people, including chairman Tom Rickets, Crane Kenney, Jim Hendry and the Boston Red Sox organization.
Ricketts opened up the press conference by speaking for a few minutes, admitting that he knew Epstein was the perfect guy for the job.
"I simply cannot imagine a better person for this job than Theo Epstein," Ricketts said.