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Every Sunday, The Simple Dollar reviews a personal finance book or other book of interest.
A while back, I wrote a post called "
Askers, Guessers, and Personal Finance" that proposed that bartering and negotiation are much easier for some people than for others, depending on their personality and the culture in which they were raised. I'm very much in the "guesser" camp, which means that I often have difficulty negotiating with others, asking for things, and bartering.
After that realization, I've spent some significant time focusing on improving my willingness to ask for and trade for things, and thus when I spotted The Art of Barter by Karen Hoffman and Shera Dalin on the shelf at my local library, I snatched it right up.
The book basically makes the case for bartering – in other words, offering one good or service in direct exchange for another good or service without cash in the middle – and discusses how exactly to go about it in many different situations. I myself have found bartering to be very useful and often do it with people I know – but will this book offer enough advice for me to attempt it in other situations?
1 | What Barter Can Do for You
The big advantage of bartering is (obviously) saving cash, because you can then conserve your cash resources for the things you can't acquire through bartering. The authors go on to argue, however, that bartering can also save you time or improve the quality of your time through swapping skills, as well as open the door to building friendships and other long-term relationships because of the intimate nature of bartering. Bartering also teaches patience, which is an absolute necessity for bartering and for successful living in other areas.
2 | The Barter Lurking Around Your House
What do you have to barter with? Your home is filled with things, from the unused stuff in your closet to the space itself. Quite often, I encourage people to clean out their closets and sell off unused stuff when they find themselves in a financially challenging place. Hoffman and Dalin carry it further, suggesting you constantly look at the stuff around you as a source of bartering and lending in order to maximize the value of your time and possessions and energy.
3 | Trading Like a Pro
Where can you go to start bartering? The authors offer a handful of suggestions, but the easiest place to start is online, starting with sites like Craigslist and PaperBackSwap that facilitate bartering over the internet and allow you to do the bartering from home. One key point: use photos and as much (honest) documentation as you can for the things you trade – and expect the same from the people you trade with, so it's clear exactly what you're giving and receiving in a trade.
4 | Trading in the Fast Lane
Here, Hoffman and Dalin suggest joining a bartering exchange, something I'm unfamiliar with (aside from some co-ops, there's nothing like this in my area that I've been able to find). The authors discuss many varieties of these, from swap meets to "time banks" (where people essentially trade their skilled time with others). How do you find such things? Start Googling, looking for bartering in your specific area.
5 | The Upsides and Downsides of Barter
The authors discuss some of the downsides of bartering here, and they mostly focus on patience (you've got to have it), taxes (you're going to have to pay them), and some inconvenience (everything you want won't always be available or convenient). Obviously, the impact of these things vary depending on your specific situation (for example, exchanges usually handle any tax issues for you – and I'll mention them more below), but the benefits of bartering almost always outweigh the drawbacks.
6 | There's No Place Like (Someone Else's) Home
Your home itself is often a great thing to barter. For example, you can barter a stay in your home for a stay in someone else's home, saving a great deal of money on family vacations. Another example: you can literally swap real estate with other people, saving a great deal on costs if you're willing to – or need to – move. The convenience of doing this can make up for a bit of inequity in property value, after all.
7 | Barter, Taxes, and You
First, the good news: you don't have to pay taxes on bartering if the barter was the incidental sale of personal property and the trades are not part of the way you earn an income. This covers most bartering that people will do. However, some people will try to trade items in such a way that they make a profit from it – buy an item for $20, trade it, trade that item, and then sell the item for $60. That's a net gain of $40, and you are required to pay taxes on that. The chapter outlines how you go about doing that – it's pretty straightforward.
8 | Charity Expands with Barter
The idea here is that you don't have to just donate cash to a charity – you can also donate your time, your talents, and specific items that you own that may be of use to the charity. Rather than just writing a check, find out what the charities you care about actually need and see if you can give that, instead. Think of charity on a broader scale, too – are there individual people you can help with your skills and time and energy and possessions?
9 | Child's Play: Barter for Kids
Get your children involved with trading as early as possible. In fact, my own children are starting to do this – they're about to sign up for their own PaperBackSwap account where they'll trade some of their books that they no longer read for other children's books that they might read, now or in the future. You can also encourage them to trade with family and friends – just be sure that all guardians and parents are aware of the specifics of the trade so there are no issues later on.
10 | Barter and Your New Small Business
There's no reason you can't barter to help your small business. Perhaps you can trade your rent for some services provided by your business, or accept some bartered items in exchange for items your business sells. In the end, the focus should be on maximizing your return at the end of the year – just don't forget that bartering can be a big part of increasing the value of your business without directly disrupting your cash flow.
11 | Barter as a Career
Bartering as a career? The authors discuss many niche careers for people who are very good at the social nuances of bartering, such as brokering or running a barter exchange. I can definitely see a role for this as a side business – for example, you set up a swap meet where people pay a dollar to get in and you do all the work of getting the space reserved and the tables ready.
12 | Barter to Your Health!
The final chapter discusses the sticky issue of bartering for health care, something that is fairly controversial in the medical community. Should doctors accept a barter for the medical care they provide? I think it's very much up to the individual doctor and should not ever be expected. Many doctors seem to accept limited amounts of bartering as a form of charitable work.
Is The Art of Barter Worth Reading?
More than anything, The Art of Barter felt like an encouragement to get out there and barter with others rather than a directly useful guide. Many of the topics seemed directed towards people who are constantly out there bartering and trying to make a profit from trading, which is a group that doesn't really include me.
However, if you're really into bartering and need a big dollop of good advice – or you're like me, just getting started and needing a little encouragement, The Art of Barter is a worthwhile and entertaining read.


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Rockets keep coming from Gaza, not that anyone noticeseditorial about it in Tuesday's editions (found here for those who don't have Journal subscriptions) and I thought it was worth posting.
As the U.S. Presidential campaign races to the finish, the Middle East continues to boil. Not that the world seems to notice. Last week, Palestinian terrorists operating from the Gaza Strip fired 21 rockets and mortars into Israel. That followed a three-day, 77-shell barrage, in which two civilians were seriously injured and thousands of people were forced into bomb shelters. More than 800 rockets and mortars have been fired into Israel from the Strip in 2012.Indeed.
If this incoming fire were landing in Texas from Mexico—or in southern Spain from North Africa—it would be a major story. Instead, the world has largely ignored the attacks while obsessing over a possible Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. Iran is a principal arms supplier to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which operates out of Gaza and is responsible for many of the recent attacks. Iran's war against Israel, in other words, has long been underway.
Gaza has been governed for over five years by Hamas, the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, which has done little to restrain the fire. In July, former Hamas leader Khaled Meshal met Egypt's new President in Cairo. "We have entered a new era in Palestine's relationship with Egypt," Meshal said after the meeting. "We were happy with what we heard from President Mohamed Morsi and his vision to handle all these issues."
Israel has been fortunate to suffer few fatalities so far from the Gaza attacks. Some of that owes to Israel's deployment of the Iron Dome air defense system, which recently intercepted eight rockets aimed at larger Israeli cities. But no defensive system is perfect and at some point a Palestinian barrage may take a large toll in lives, forcing Israel to respond in a major way.
When that happens, Israel will be urged to show "restraint" by the usual diplomatic suspects. We're writing this as a reminder of how much restraint Israel has already shown.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Gary LibbenBrock has reached across the country to fill one of its most important senior positions.Gary Libben, a scholar and academic administrator who is a leader in advancing interdisciplinary research, will move to Niagara this summer to become Brock's new Vice-President Research.Libben, who is currently Associate Vice-President (Research) at the University of Calgary, will assume his new position on Aug. 1. He will replace Ian Brindle, who is stepping down.The announcement was made by President Jack Lightstone, who said Brock is extremely pleased to have someone of Libben's calibre to fill big shoes left by Brindle."Strong leadership over the sphere of research is important to our future growth," said Lightstone, "and Dr. Libben's ability to expand activity and opportunity through interdisciplinary research bodes well for the University."Libben's key role will be to advance the intensity of research at Brock, and its impact not only in the academic world but in local communities, Lightstone said."He will ensure that the Cairns Family Health and Bioscience Research Complex accelerates Brock's transformation as a research-intensive university that values innovation, commercialization and knowledge transfer to all undergraduate and graduate teaching."A psycholinguist who studies how words are represented and processed in the mind, Libben was named in 2008 as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. He is a former President of the Canadian Linguistics Association, co-founder of The Mental Lexicon Journal, and was a founding director of the University of Alberta's Centre for Comparative Psycholinguistics. He has also been director of Words in the Mind, Words in the Brain, a Major Collaborative Research Initiative Project funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.Libben's international experience includes visiting professorships in Austria and the Netherlands.Before joining the University of Calgary in 2009, Libben (BA Psychology '76, Concordia University; MA Applied Linguistics '82, Concordia University; PhD Linguistics '87, McGill University) was at the University of Alberta from 1992 to 2008, where he was a professor of Linguistics. He also served as Associate Dean of Arts (Research) and chair of the Department of Linguistics.He began his academic teaching career at the University of Calgary from 1986 to 1992 as an assistant professor and graduate program director for the Department of Linguistics.In making the announcement, Lightstone said Brindle will remain in the Office of Research Services for five months to help his successor transition into the senior position."Dr. Brindle's perseverance and passion have been instrumental in helping Brock become a recognized centre of research. Ian's legacy cannot be overstated, and his work has been crucial in helping Brock secure the world-class Cairns Complex. This is a thank-you, but by no means a goodbye, I am happy to say."


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Bloomington, Ind. - The Tigers volleyball team were stopped in both contests as they closed out play on Saturday at the Hoosier Classic. TSU (1-5) took a 1-0 lead with a 27-25 win, but dropped the next three 15-25, 21-25, 14-25 to the host team. Indiana (7-1) outhit the Tigers .376 to .204. In the second game of the day, Wyoming (7-3) was able to fend off the Tigers and hold on for a 3-1 win (21-25, 18-25, 25-21, 19-25).
Naomi Wells was named to the all-Tournament team for the second time in as many tournaments. The junior registered a double-double against Wyoming with 13 kills and 13 digs and added a team high 12 kills against tournament champions Indiana.
Setter Erika Moss recorded 79 assists on Saturday, with 37 versus the Hoosiers and 42 against the Cowboys.
Freshman Arijana Anderson notched her first two double digit kill matches with 10 in each contest.
The Tigers scored the first point of the match in the opener versus Indiana and held the lead throughout the game and found themselves locked at 25-25. Wells put the Tigers on top with one of her 12 kills. TSU would claim the first match 27-25 on an attack error by the Hoosiers. The two teams each hit .333 in game one.
The Hoosiers took control of the game after Anderson delivered a kill to tie the set at 10-10. IU would hit .379 as they outscored the Tigers 15-5 to even the match at 1-1.
In the third game, Indiana stormed out to a 19-9 lead, but TSU stormed back with two kills apiece by Anderson and Zoe Sostre to go along with a block by Anderson and Shauntia Carr to force a timeout trailing 22-16. After the break, Carr added a couple kills to continue the charge, but TSU ran out of points and dropped the set 21-25.
Indiana closed out the Tigers in the fourth set by knocking down 16 kills for a .500 hitting percentage. TSU could only manage eight kills in 25 attempts for a .200 average.
In the final match of the classic the Tigers stayed with the bigger UW squad, but 10 errors in each of the first two games provided low efficiency rates by hitting just .023 and .000, respectively. With the score tied 10-10 in game three, TSU put together two four-point spurts to open a 19-13 lead. The two teams would trade blows the rest of the way as the Tigers grabbed a 25-12 to force a fourth set.
The Tigers fell behind early and could not catch the Cowboys who delivered 15 kills for a .406 average. In the match, Wyoming out hit TSU .316 to .116 and had a 13-4 block advantage on the afternoon.The Tigers return to the friendly confines of Kean Hall for their first home match of the year. TSU will host Alabama A&M on Tuesday evening at 6:00pm in Kean Hall.


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Random Thoughts: Duplicity (the movie)
I've been critical of what I like to call the "Julia Roberts and Richard Gere desperately trying to duplicate the success of Pretty Woman" genre of film (cf. Runaway Bride). For many years, I've considered Clive Owen to be quite the bad ass. Think about it: Sin City, Children of Men, Shoot 'em Up. But now that Richard Gere has seemingly finally passed beyond "distinguished" into "just plain old" he's been replaced, but Clive say it ain't so:
You'll never be James Bond at this rate, my friend.


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Massachusetts securities regulator William Galvin on Monday charged a former broker with defrauding four of his former elderly clients, transferring nearly $500,000 of their assets to his personal and family accounts without their consent.
The administrative complaint against John Michael Babiarz of Peabody, Mass., seeks a full accounting and return to the investors of their losses, a permanent bar from the securities business in Massachusetts and an administrative fine.
Babiarz worked for three broker-dealers in Massachusetts between 2004 and September 2011 when he was terminated from one as a result of customer complaints that he had misrepresented the features of a certificate of deposit, the Massachusetts Securities Division said in a statement. He has not been registered with the Massachusetts Securities Division since then.
"This case is an egregious example of senior financial abuse, the sort of abuse my office is determined to root out in the securities industry," Secretary Galvin (right) said in the release.
The complaint charges that Babiarz told the defrauded clients — in their 70s and 80s — after September 2011 that he had become a broker-dealer agent of Fidelity Brokerage Services, but the address he gave was a place that rents out corporate office space at One International Place in Boston.
"Babiarz created multiple Fidelity accounts for a 72-year-old Boston woman, a 75-year-old Peabody man, an 81-year-old Swampscott man and an 83-year-old Danvers man. The accounts were opened in the victims' names but with Babiarz's contact information," the Massachusetts Securities Division says.
The complaint details how Babiarz shifted money from the investors' accounts to his, often the next day. "Some went to Babiarz's E*TRADE account he had opened with the investment objective of 'speculation.' No one else had trading authorization over that account."
The complaint also describes the cash withdrawals and spending from Babiarz for day-to-day purchases at stores, pharmacies, fast food outlets and restaurants, supermarkets, and service stations on the North Shore. "One check was for $1,000 for school tuition, another was $2,000 for his bankruptcy attorney, and a third was $1,000 for taxes to the City of Peabody."
The compliant also states that there were also a significant number of large cash withdrawals.
Upon receiving a complaint from one of the elderly victims, the Registration, Inspections, Compliance and Examinations Section of the Massachusetts Securities Division opened its investigation at the end of August. Babiarz was subpoenaed to appear before the Division on Sept. 12, but failed to appear.
Check out REIT Restitution, Round 2: 5 Indie BDs Pay Another $10.7M in Massachusetts on ThinkAdvisor.


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Without a doubt, finishing a project is one of the hardest parts of the creative process. Endless books, detailing different techniques, have been published in the vain attempt to help processes move to completion. But electronic file sharing and digital workspaces are helping people innovate.
Take the Capgemini Group subsidiary Sogeti High Tech. It has focused on helping other companies organize and process information since the the IT market was born. But new partnerships are forming to address the high-collaboration, on-the-go project management needs of today's mobile world. Last month, Sogeti agreed to use applications from Dassault Systemes' popular 3DExperience CAD design and system analysis package.
Sogeti offers consulting services for the aerospace, defense, energy, transportation, and mobility industries. In the next few months, it will convert the data of more than 150 products to work with the Catia, Enovia, and Simulia, applications in the 3DExperience platform. Sogeti CIO Laurent Rouchouse said in a press release that this new platform offers more capabilities, openness, and innovative collaboration functionalities that will help Sogeti employees and customers at 250 international workstations.
Coordinating tasks among developers, consultants, customers, and administrators is a daunting task, but Sogeti is so confident in Dassault's tools that it will be the first service company to make such a monumental shift.
Visteon Corp. also saw what the 3DExperience platform could do when the company was designing its electric vehicle, the e-Bee. From the beginning, the main goal was to revamp the creation process by incorporating input from strategic customers, key suppliers, and business partners simultaneously. Using Dassault Systemes' 3DSwYm social cloud application, e-Bee developers could share evolving design ideas and simulation results easily without added cost or special downloads or hardware.
The 3DExperience platform was used to design the e-Bee's exterior and interior design and its electronic systems and to model its climate control. Using 3DSwYm's "experience and demonstrate" capabilities, Visteon developers all over the world could communicate as if they were in a regular meeting, and they received feedback from customers, partners, and suppliers in seconds, not weeks. All this was done while lowering prototyping costs and improving efficiency and innovation.
The steps by which a project turns from ideas to realities are changing. Using the tools only the digital world can offer, people from many enterprises -- engineering and non-engineering -- are being included in projects that were mostly exclusive in decades past. Such collaborations hold much more potential than enticing the consumer, but we are just scratching the surface of development structures in the cloud.
Related posts:
- Autodesk Teams With IZOD IndyCar to Innovate the Racing World
- The Right PLM Solution Advances Cabela's
- My Opinion on PLM in the Cloud
- Autodesk Plugs Integration Holes in Cloud-Based PLM
- Siemens Technology Stack Takes the Sting Out of PLM
- TeamPlatform Spins Up Cloud-Based Design Collaboration
- Kenesto Takes an Un-PLM Approach to PLM


text: Jeremy Piper was born in 1971 in Paddington, Sydney and has been employed as a storeman and a builders labourer. Studying photography at High School and immersing himself in the darkroom at an early age led him on a path that hasn't changed direction. Beginning his career as a Copy Boy in 1989 at News Ltd in Sydney tutored him about life and the media, a long way from telling his father, a policeman and artist, that working for a newspaper was going to be "Taking photograph's of cat's up tree's". Working with the world's largest media outlets, government agencies and global corporation for the past two decades, Jeremy balances the struggles and wonder of daily life with his photojournalistic approach to his subject. His essay on the small outback town of Roma in Australia has been extensively exhibited in France and toured as part of the Oculi: Terra Australis Incognito major exhibition throughout Australia. His documentary photography of the National Waterfront Dispute in 1998 is held at the National Maritime Museum and has exhibited at the Sydney Opera House with his series "The Colonnade". Piper lives in Sydney and is a founding member of Oculi.


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Developers Continue Cash for Council Race Favorites
Development-related contributions continue to pour into the coffers of candidates for next week's Berkeley city council election, with Mayor Tom Bates in the lead both in total and sector-related contributions.
Tom Bates
Mayor Tom Bates continues to corral the lion's share of development dollars, clocking up at least $9,249 in new contributions from builders, their clients, consultants, their representatives and officials who make land use decisions.
That total amounts to 40.9 percent of contributions reported since Oct. 1, a figure that dwarfs the comparable numbers for his competitors in a campaign rife with arguments about the future shape of the city.
The $22,621.95 in contributions he received in cash between Oct. 1 and Oct. 18, plus $500 in non-monetary contributions and the $5,250 he had loaned himself earlier, brought the mayor's total campaign chest to $72,718.75.
Adding the $13,650 in earlier development-related contributions to the new figures yields a total of $22,8999-or 31.5 percent of his campaign chest.
Current period development-related gifts include:
• Don Medley, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory director of government and community affairs, $250;
• Would-be Richmond Point Molate casino developer James D. Levine, $250;
• Steven oliver, oliver and Company Construction, $250;
• Dion Aroner, AJE Partners, community relations for developers, $250;
• Dena Belzer, Strategic Economics, development consultants, $250;
• Yuval Bobrovitch, real estate investor, SB Pacific Group, $250;
• Barbara Ellis, AJE Partners, community relations for developers, $150;
• Dave Fogarty, city economic development staff, $250;
• Igad Safraty, real estate investor, SB Pacific Group, $250;
• Dorothy Walker, retired UC Berkeley development executive, $100;
• Raudel Wilson, Mechanics Bank and former DAPAC member, $50;
• Christopher Barlow, Wareham Developers partner, $250;
• Judith Briggs Marsh, real estate appraisals, Marsh and Associates, $250;
• Denis Clifford, trusts and estates attorney, $200;
• Caleb Dardick, public who represents development projects, $350;
• Richard Friedman, president Carpenter and Company, hotel developers, $250;
• Cassandra Gaenger, Wareham Developers, $250;
• James Goddard, Wareham Developers, partner, $250;
• Thomas Gram, attorney, real estate law, $100;
• Fred Harvey, real estate lawyer, $50;
• Dan Kataoka, Berkeley Bowl general manager, $250;
• Isaac Kos-Read, Townsend Public Affairs (clients include developers), oakland, $250;
• Roy Nee, developer, $250;
• Ryan Ripstein, developer; $250;
• Nancy Robbins, Mill Valley, wife of Wareham development partner, $250;
• Geoffrey Sears, Wareham Development partner, $250;
• Eric Zell, lobbyist whose clients include Wareham, Chevron, and Alta Bates, $100;
• Mark Rhoades, Berkeley city planning official turned developer, $250;
• Don Solem, Solem and Associates, publicist with development clients, $250;
• Walter Armer, SNK Development, $250;
• Carolyn Herst, wife of Douglas Herst, West Berkeley developer, $250;
• Ali Kashani, developer, partner of Mark Rhoades, $250;
• Jonathan Kaufman, Solem and Associates, publicist with development clients, $100;
• Donald Peterson, SNK Development, $250;
• Toby Taylor, Emeryville developer, $99;
• Felicia Woytak, real estate investor, $250;
• Denny Abrams, developer of Fourth Street, $250;
• Glenn Yasuda, owner, Berkeley Bowl, $250;
• Jack Gardner, John Stewart Company president, $250;
• Barclay Simpson, a building supplies manufacturer who is also the namesake and major donor for the UC Berkeley gym now under construction west of Memorial Stadium, $250;
• International Union of Painters and Allied Trades PAC, $250;
• Teamsters Joint Council No. 7 PAC, $250;
• Bruce Riordan, a transportation planning consultant, $100.
The $500 of non-monetary contributions came in the form of food. An employee of Berkeley's largest developer, the University of California. office of the President Manager Nancy Stevenson and spouse Ronald were the donors.
Shirley Dean
By contrast, former Mayor Shirley Dean, in her run to recapture the seat she lost to Bates six years ago, has attracted little money related to developing or managing property.
Her total campaign intake had reached $35,368 by Oct. 18th, including a $5,000 loan. Her total share from the land use-related sector, including $1,700 received in the latest filing period, comes to $2,748, or 7.8 percent.
During the previous 17 days, she taken in donations of $11,514, with the land use sector including:
• Marilyn Braiger, property manager for Howe Street Apartments, $50;
• Michael Drew, Drew Properties manager, $250;
• Dan Kataoka, Berkeley Bowl, $250 (matching his gift to Bates);
• John Koenigshofer, Elmwood Realty, $250;
• Marley Lyman, CSM Properties owner/manager, $250;
• Grubb Company real estate broker Bebe McRae, $250;
• Mary oram, ERI Property Management, $50;
• James Peterson, development consultant, Villa View Properties Development, $250;
• Mori Wei, apartment manager, $100.
other candidates
Kahlil Jacobs-Fantauzzi, a third mayoral candidate, listed no contributions when he filed paper of organization for the Kahlil 4 Mayor campaign on the oct. 23.
Write-in candidate Zachary Running Wolf had filed no statements, though he has posted signs.
The other race where developer dollars may play a key role is the race for the City Council's 4th district, representing the heart of downtown.
Terry Doran
By Oct. 18, current Zoning Adjustments Board and former Berkeley school board member Terry Doran had received $29,294 in contributions, $2,224 coming in the prior 17 days.
Of that sum, only $5,100 came form the land use sector-though developer Ali Kashani told fellow developers last week that Doran had urged them to hold off with their cash to avoid bad publicity until he had changed his mind because of the publicity generated by this paper for his leading opponent, Jesse Arreguin, whom the paper has endorsed.
While Doran denied Kashani's account, developers came to a Sunday party for the candidate, and those donations had not been reported as of this writing.
Before the party, only 17.5 percent of his cash had come from the land use sector, including $1,000 received five days before the party, in the form of four $250 donations from developer John DeClerq, private sector urban planner Peter Calthorpe, and matching checks from West Berkeley project developer Douglas Herst and spouse Caroline.
Two days before the party, Doran received $100 in donations from two architects, David Trachtenberg and Rebecca Hayden, for a total of $200;
Other sector contributions reported during the oct. 1-18 filing period include;
• Development planning consultant David C. Early, who is also the founder of the Livable Berkeley "smart growth" lobbying group, $100;
• Construction finance planning consultant David Cobb, of Davis Langdon LLP, $150;
• Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1555 PAC, $250;
• Chamber of Commerce CEO Ted Garrett, $250.
In preceding periods, Doran had received contributions from:
• )akland city planner Michael Bradley, $250;
• Retired UC Berkeley development executive, Livable Berkeley activists and DAPAC member Dorothy Walker, $100;
• UC Berkeley planning professor Frederick Collignon, $100;
• Barbara Hendrickson, Red oak Realty, $250;
• Real estate syndicator Maxim Schrogin, $100;
• Mortgage broker Samuel Fishman, $100;
• Albert Nahman, Nahman Plumbing and Heating, $100;
Among the officials donating who are involved in land use decisions are:
• Mayor Tom Bates, $250;
• City economic development planner Dave Fogarty, $250;
• City councilmember Gordon Wozniak, $250;
• City councilmember Darryl Moore, $250;
• City councilmember and real estate broker Laurie Capitelli, $250;
• City councilmember Max Anderson, $50;
• Planning commissioner and council candidate Susan Wengraf, $100;
• Planning commission chair and retired architect James Samuels, $50.
• Will Travis, executive director of the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission and former chair of the Downtown Area Plan Advisory Committee (DAPAC), $200;
• Planning commissioner David Stoloff, $250;
• ZAB member and architect Bob Allen, $250.
Jesse Arreguin
opponent Jesse Arreguin, the leading fund-raiser among Doran's opponents, had raised $13,424, less than half as much as the cash leader. In the most-recent 18-day filing period, Arreguin received from people identifiable as involved in land use issues:
• Environmental planning consultant Juliet Lamont, $250;
• Real estate attorney Maryland Cleveland, $150;
• Donald Jelinek, an attorney who has handled real estate cases, $100;
• Timothy Hansen, a project manager for Goldstone Management, $250;
• Architect Kris Eggene, $100;
• Rash Ghosh, who is currently in a legal battle with the city after his building was seized by the city in a nuisance action, with $50.
He also received contributions from city officials making land use decisions:
• City councilmember Kriss Worthington, $250;
• Planning commissioner Gene Poschman, $250;
• Zoning Adjustments Board member Sara Shumer, $250;
• Transportation commissioner Rob Wrenn and spouse Mary each gave $75, for a total of $150;
• Transportation commissioner Wendy Alfsen, $100;
• Landmarks Preservation Commissioner Anne Wagley, also a Daily Planet editor, $250;
• Landmarks Preservation Commissioner and Design Review Committee member Carrie olson, $200.
L A Wood
L A Wood, a community activist and videographer, has taken in $3,467.99, including a $250 loan from himself.
one development-related contribution came from Polly Quick, a project manager for ICF International, which does some transportation planning, and a second came from Mark McDonald, a welder and mechanic for Skylight & Sun, who gave $50.
Susan Wengraf
Susan Wengraf reported only two development-related donations in the current filing period, accounting for only $300 of the $2,224 received between oct. 1 and 18. They are:
• Maria Jarvis, Urban Land Institute (motto: "connecting the global real estate industry"), $50;
• Timothy Sarre, Sema Construction engineer, $250.
Her total contributions had reached $29,294 by oct. 18, with $4,050 coming from the land use sector, or 13.8 percent.
Phoebe Anne Sorgen
Wengraf's opponent, Phoebe Anne Sorgen, received $1,499 in the same period, bringing her total to $13,370, which includes an earlier $10,350 loan from herself.
Her only donor with involvement in land use issues is Anna De Leon, who fought a long and ultimately successful legal battle with the city and developer Patrick Kennedy over the Gaia Building, winning a ruling that the city council had wrongly voted to implement standards governing use of the city's cultural bonus at the Gaia Building.
De Leon's contribution of $100 amounts to 3.3 percent of Sorgen's total contributions, much less if her loan is included.
Laurie Capitelli
In a district where the incumbent is real estate broker Laurie Capitelli, it's not surprising that he has received the heftiest hunk of property-related donations, including many from members of his own firm, Red oak Realty.
He reports $6,030 in contributions for the current reporting period, including these from Red oaks staff:
• Peter Campbell, $100;
• Patrick Leaper, $250;
• Mark Lederer, $250;
• Schuyler oliver, $250, and
• Marsha Quick, $100.
other development sector contributors include:
• Private sector planner Michael Fajans, $100;
• Electrician Scott Bannister, $250;
• Real estate lawyer Frederic Harvey Jr., $100;
• David Clahan, Caledecott Construction, $250;
• MPR Financial mortgage underwriter Tjendrawati Karwita, $100;
• Marisita Jarvis, a consultant whose activities include teaching real estate industry figures to teach planning as volunteers in public schools, $50.
• Capitelli also received a $5,000 loan from another real estate industry figure, himself.
Capitelli's total contributions thus far had reached $29,120 (including his loan), with a development-related total of $8,125-not including his loan to himself—or 27.9 percent.
Sophie Hahn
By contrast, of the $4,610 in contributions received for the current period by Sophie Hahn, only two have readily identifiable development connections, for a total of $500:
• Janet Riley, spouse of San Francisco real estate investor Clint Reilly, $250;
• Tomas Schoenberg, Swig Company commercial real estate, $250.
Her total contributions have reached $35,270, with a land use share totaling $2,500, or 7.1 percent of the total.


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Simple Favor, A R
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A SIMPLE FAVOR, directed by Paul Feig, centers around Stephanie (Anna Kendrick), a mommy vlogger who seeks to uncover the truth behind her best friend Emily's (Blake Lively) sudden disappearance from their small town. Stephanie is joined by Emily's husband Sean (Henry Golding) in this stylish thriller filled with twists and betrayals, secrets and revelations, love and loyalty, murder and revenge.
1 hr. 57 min.
Opened September 14th, 2018
Rated R for sexual content and language throughout, some graphic nude images, drug use and violenceCastAnna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Henry GoldingDirectorPaul FeigWriterPaul Feig
Jessica Sharzer


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By Reuters
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In the Middle East there is no shortage of rich individuals and governments who suddenly feel they need a little extra protection
In a workshop in a dusty industrial area on the outskirts of Dubai, engineers are stripping down a Toyota Land Cruiser to install armoured plating, bullet resistant glass and run-flat tyres.
In the aftermath of the 'Arab Spring' revolts and with the wealth gap and social unrest rising in many parts of the world, there is no shortage of rich individuals and governments who suddenly feel they need a little extra protection.
For companies such as Canada's INKAS, Britain's Jankel and Germany's Transeco, it has been a lucrative decade. Even with the Iraq and Afghan wars - the conflicts on which the industry grew - winding down, there are still deals to be done.
Newer entrant Ares Security Vehicles - founded in 2010 but largely staffed by industry veterans - says it has a strong and growing order book.
"This batch of vehicles is going to Iraq," says Marc Rouelle, a Belgian engineer now chief executive officer of the Dubai-based firm. " And the one behind is going to Russia. We are awaiting delivery tomorrow of 30... destined for Libya."
With spending cuts around the world, industry consultancy IHS Jane's says the market for conventional military vehicles is contracting by more than four percent a year. But the demand for armoured sports utility vehicles and limousines - visually indistinguishable from regular civilian vehicles but protected against small arms fire and grenades - is on the up.
The gold standard, perhaps unsurprisingly, is set by the US president. Barack Obama's Cadillac limousine - dubbed "the beast" by the US media and Secret Service - is believed to weigh several tonnes and include its own defensive weaponry and air supply in the event of chemical attack.
Several major carmakers, including Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Jaguar Land Rover, produce their own armoured versions of key brands.
Most of the industry, however, is made up of companies who fit armour to regular new or second hand vehicles. Not only are they often considerably cheaper, but sales of vehicles built outside Western Europe and the United States can be less constrained by complex export regulations.
The conversion trade is far from new. Britain's Jankel - which also builds armoured riot control vehicles for police and militaries - has been fitting armour and rebuilding limousines for heads of state and other clients since the 1980s.
But the scale and breadth of demand in recent years, industry watchers say, has been entirely new. Particularly in those countries affected by the "Arab spring" analysts say demand from government, individuals and firms is sharply up.
"It's a murky market and it's hard to get any exact figures," says Jon Hawkes, senior analyst for military vehicles at IHS Jane's. "But companies are talking about a 30-40 percent increase in sales in the last four or five years. The big auto manufacturers are increasingly realising there is money to be made but the main area of growth is probably at the other end of the spectrum."
Prices vary, but an armoured Land Cruiser can sell for US$150,000 or more, more than three times the cost of a non-armoured vehicle.
In the entrance of its Dubai workshop, Ares proudly displays one of its most heavily tested vehicles - a Land Cruiser subjected to heavy gunfire on a test range in Germany. Given enough time, the company says it can convert almost any vehicle - but the Toyota Land Cruiser has emerged as far and away the favourite.
The Dubai plant now produces two such vehicles a day, CEO Rouelle says, still primarily for shipment to Iraq and Afghanistan but increasingly also to other buyers elsewhere.
The Middle East emerged as a major centre of the industry because of its proximity to those two war zones and other markets. At the height of the Iraqi and Afghan wars, more than a dozen companies were operating in the United Arab Emirates alone producing what industry insiders said could be 400 vehicles a month.
That demand, industry insiders say, has fallen off somewhat lately. In part, the drawdown of Western troops has meant fewer foreign personnel on the ground. At the same time, workshops have sprung up in both Iraq and Afghanistan capable of doing their own conversions to add armour.
Several companies, including Ares, have set up operations elsewhere. Jordan, with its land border with Iraq, is a particular favourite.
For Rouelle, however, Dubai, still offers an appealing base. As well as an easily tapped migrant workforce, it charges little tax and is well located for the other growing markets of the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
"The UAE is an attractive base for our main operations," he says. "European engineering, tested and certified in Germany, made in Dubai."
Multinational companies, particularly oil firms, are big buyers, finding such vehicles a useful tool to bring down rising insurance premiums. Rich people in emerging economies hope they will offer protection from kidnapping and street violence.
But the real money, those in the industry say, still lies with large government contracts.
At last week's IDEX arms fair in Abu Dhabi, Ares and several other companies exhibited their wares alongside more conventional defence suppliers. The bullet-riddled Land Cruiser, they say, attracted more than a little attention.
"We've had a lot of interest," says John Lashmar, director of marketing and business development at Ares. "Interior ministries, presidential protection details, companies and individuals in the Gulf and beyond."
In the Middle East and North Africa in particular, secret police and government security forces have ramped up their resources.
Saudi Arabia, one source said, had bought several dozen armoured land cruiser-type vehicles recently as it worries over potential trouble along its border with Yemen and minority Shi'ite dominated areas in its oil-rich east. Qatar had bought a similar number, suspected to be for delivery to rebels in Syria.
Some manufacturers are also expanding into military-style riot control vehicles, another growing market where they believe they can compete with larger, established defence companies.
With many nations seeing an uptick in riots and unrest since the financial crisis, such vehicles are in mounting demand. Jankel's armoured police vehicles were credited with helping restore order in London after its 2011 riots.
The strangest request he has had so far, Rouelle said, was from somebody looking to armour a Porsche sports car. He declined, preferring to concentrate on the firm's existing strengths.
Other firms, however, will offer just that service. One US-firm, Lasco Group, says it will armour a Ferrari for US$100,000 plus the original cost of the vehicle. Its armoured aluminium, however, would only be proof against handguns.
"Sometimes it can be seen as a lifestyle item," says Hawkes at IHS. "These buyers are much less concerned about exactly how bullet-proof a vehicle might be."


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Latest News
New Marui Products! (2006-05-19)Exciting new products from Marui are on the horizon and are expected to be released this summer / fall season! First up is the new desert camo M1A2 Abrams tank which is highly detailed and shoots 6mm plastic BBs just like the previous models in this lineup! Marui is also releasing a new AEG - the Type 89 as used by the Japanese army. A new mechanical design for burst mode shooting will be incrporated in this new gun, which we hope will be carried through to other AEGs in Marui's lineup (we really hope to see a burst mode MP5 sometime soon!). Also much anticipated in the lineup is a single stack 1911 Gas blowback. This last pistol should be interesting as it will challenge WA's lineup of 1911 framed pistols on price and performance!
But what's even more exciting is what Marui has planned on the horizon based on it's already successful Automatic Electric Pistol (AEP) technology as used in the new MP7 released several months ago - and used in more upcoming SMGs. Marui will be carrying this over to their upcoming Ingram M11, Scorpion, and TMP! On the pistol front, they will also be releasing a Beretta M9 and USP AEP! We simply can't wait to see their release!
In Stock: Tokyo Marui M1A2 Abrams RC Tank


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Tabb graduate Corey Patrick has added to the large list of Bay Rivers District baseball players to reach the Division I ranks in recent years. Norfolk State University announced on Tuesday that Patrick is part of its 13-man 2013 recruiting class.
Patrick played this past season for Patrick Henry Community College, batting .370 with 10 doubles, a triple, a home run, 24 RBI and seven stolen bases. Patrick, an outfielder, was an All-Bay Rivers District and All-Region I first team selection at Tabb as a senior, when he batted .393, hit seven home runs and stole 11 bases.
"Corey has the ability to cover a lot of ground in the outfield," Norfolk State coach Claudell Clark said in a release on the recruiting class. "He has also hit well at every level that he has played on, and led Patrick Henry in hitting this past season.
"As he gets at-bats and gets comfortable on this level, we feel that he can be a mainstay in our lineup and drive in runs consistently."


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Gold LED Light Up Girls Wing Sneakers
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Gold LED Light Up Girls Wing Sneakers *Pattern Type: Solid *Closure: Velcro *Upper Material: PU *Feature: Breathable *Gender: Girls *Lining Material: Cotton Fabric *Insole Material: Rubber *Outsole Material: Rubber * Imported...
Following the developments related to - Corona Virus - COVID-19, we would like to inform you that we are working around the clock to ensure that there are minimal delays and interruptions of our services. Accordingly, depending on the origin and destination, you may experience a delay in delivering your orders. We are closely monitoring the new regulations and policies set by government and transportation authorities which may have an impact on our normal operations, and we will keep you updated. The health and safety of our customers and our team is our highest priority, and we are taking the necessary measures following the recommendations of the World Health Organization and local public health authorities, to ensure we continue to serve you with zero compromise on the well-being of all parties. * All items in the stock in store and health and beauty collections are available "in store" and can be sent out immediately. Please allow 2-3 working days for delivery. *All other clothing items are imported and usually takes up to 7 to 10 working days for delivery. As there are currently a global shortage of available international cargo flights, we can't give an estimated delivery time frame at the moment but there will most definitely be delays. * All other clothing items ordered during or just before the lockdown has already been packed and ready for dispatch form our warehouse abroad. All orders will be shipped out immediately from the warehouse as soon as international flights comes available. PLEASE be patient, we know it is extremely frustrating - we ARE trying our best to get your items delivered ASAP. * Our online store still remains OPEN for ALL orders. Thank you for the continuous support and THANK you very much for your patience and understanding in these difficult times. We will do everything in our power to get your orders to you as a matter of urgency. For any questions and queries, please email us on email@example.com - we will get back to you ASAP. Take care and stay SAFE!
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text: SALE -50% Amazing Lace Red - 100% Cotton €2.50 €5.00 Printed cotton fabric. Ideal for crafts, displays, table decoration and as a dress fabric. Width: 110cm. Pattern Repeat Dimension: 21cm x 21cm. Material: 100% Cotton. Prices and quantity shown are per quarter metre. Include 4 in the box to... Add to Cart


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Scoop OTP's calendar of events features the best happening around the northern suburbs of Atlanta from Acworth, Alpharetta, Canton, Cartersville, Cumming Marietta, Roswell, Woodstock and more. You can add your event for FREE – just go to the green post your event button below. All events are subject to Scoop OTP approval. OTP is the place to be with fun adult and family friendly events. What to do this weekend? Check on Scoop OTP's calendar! Want to plan ahead? Check Scoop OTP's calendar! Where to take the kids, the in-laws, a date? Check Scoop OTP's calendar! We also have a Forced Family Fun category that has useful Scoop too. Thank you for following Scoop OTP as we are the insider's guide to living outside the perimeter.
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Pennsylvanians know that former Governor Ed Rendell (D) is not one to mince words.
On Tuesday, he bluntly told President Obama to "man up" and take a position on gay marriage.
"I think he should do exactly what Michael Steele said he should do, he should man up and say 'this is what I believe,'" Rendell said, in response to a question from host Thomas Roberts on MSNBC.
President Obama has said he opposes legalized same sex marriage, but also has said his stand on the issue is "evolving," and that he supports equal civil rights for gay couples. Most analysts to believe that the president cannot openly support the change for fear of offending conservative Democrats and independents in swing states such as North Carolina.
In addition, polls have shown many African American voters oppose same-sex marriage. Obama needs a huge turnout of black voters if he is to reassemble his winning coalition from 2008.
An amendment banning gay marriage is expected to pass easily Tuesday in North Carolina. Earlier, Obama had canceled a planned primary day speech in Asheville, N.C. The president did travel Tuesday to Albany, N.Y., where lawmakers and Gov. Andrew Cuomo legalized same-sex marriage last year.
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Obama would not be harmed politically if he came out in support of marriage equality, Rendell maintained. "I don't think he's going to lose any African American voters," the former governor said. "And the people who vote solely on this issue, a single issue voter, gay marriage, none of them are voting for Barack Obama now, and they're not going to vote for him whether he says he's against it."
Roberts said to Rendell: "Take a look at this though, because President Obama is attending a $2500 a plate LGBT fundraiser Monday in New York City. It's hosted by Ricky Martin. There's the invitation there, I've got one in my hands right here. The Washington Post is reporting today that certain LGBT donors are withholding money from the president's campaign. Governor, I'm going to ask this of you, with some pushing to have this put on the DNC platform at the convention, how does the President walk this political tightrope?"


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HOTSEAT- Aprés Turner: Apprey takes quiet command
Maurice Apprey still remembers the exact words that UVA VP Pat Lampkin used to get him to take over as interim dean of the Office of African-American Affairs: "They're hurting, and they need healing."
The pitch was irresistible.
That was last July, after fiery former dean Rick Turner pleaded guilty to lying to federal prosecutors about a drug dealer and abruptly retired from the university.
The soft-spoken Apprey, originally trained as a psychoanalyst, had just finished his second Ph.D.– this one in executive leadership. After 25 years working in administration in the Med School, he was ready to become provost at a small college, but he accepted Lampkin's offer.
Apprey sees his job as mentoring and providing a comfort zone where students can succeed, a skill that comes naturally. Growing up in Saltpoint, Ghana, he witnessed his grandfather counseling people behind closed doors.
"You can help people without anyone ever knowing," he says.
Another reason he chose psychoanalysis: "I wanted a profession that had a connection with literary theory, philosophy, symbolic anthropology and other humanities," he explains. "I'm a very interdisciplinary person."
Apprey has been amazed at the goodwill he's encountered since taking on the Office of African American Affairs. "In the Med School," he explains, "there's no drama attached to what we do; everyone is very matter of fact."
He's giving a state of the African American Affairs address in the Rotunda February 1. But he draws the line at being the university's spokesman on racial matters.
"I avoid that like the plague," he says. "I want this office to be a climate to thrive. My politics are a private matter. The top priority is academic achievement."
Age: 59
Why here? When I completed my child psychoanalytic training in 1979, I went to Portugal to present a paper, where a NIH director invited me to work with her when I returned to the US. Unfortunately, my full-time research position had become a half-time position, so I came to teach half-time in the Department of Psychiatry here. After a year, both positions became full-time. I chose to stay here.
What's worst about living here? No direct flights to anywhere I want to go
Favorite hangout? The Kennedy Center in Washington
Most overrated virtue? Behind the tain of the mirror, all virtues have a shadow that potentially conceals something incompatible. As a result, I'm often amused by excessive manifestations of virtue.
People would be surprised to know: I travel around the world attending performances of Wagner's operas; I suppose you can call me a "ring head."
What would you change about yourself? After years of studying, thinking and writing, it is time to have more balance in my life.
Proudest accomplishment? Some years ago, a patient of mine was on the roof of a London hospital, threatening to jump. In the heat of the moment, I climbed the fire escape ladder to the roof. Within three minutes, she was back in safe hands: a quiet, private satisfaction! Publicly, my proudest achievement is the education of scores of clinicians and pre-med students, and my work with disadvantaged children who have turned their lives around.
People find most annoying about you: I'm working almost all the time when I'm in town and unavailable to hang out with friends.
Whom do you admire? People who do things for others they don't have to do.
Favorite book? Bachelard's The Flame of a Candle– I love it for its poetic meditations. And I'm revisiting Husserl's The Paris Lectures and Cartesian Meditations to write a paper.
Subject that causes you to rant? Any extreme position both amuses and annoys me.
Biggest 21st-century thrill? My exploration of the underground cities in Cappadocia, Turkey.
Biggest 21st-century creep out? Hanging chads in Florida in our very civilized world
What do you drive? Toyota Camry
In your car CD player right now: A selection of classical choral tunes
Next journey? To teach psychoanalysis to trainees in Istanbul on Memorial Day weekend. And metaphorically, to help raise my grandson.
Most trouble you've ever gotten in? I deserved to be chided by my late wife for refusing to shake the hand of a politician I did not respect. That name will remain a secret– this is a very small town. Thankfully, that sort of situation has occurred only once in my life.
Regret: The tragic death of my wife in a hit-and-run. However, the meaning of the resurrection sustains me: one can always start afresh. This same precept is embodied in my craft as a psychoanalyst: an instrument for a fresh start in one's own way.
Favorite comfort food: An assortment of white chocolate with liqueurs, almond, or strawberries
Always in your refrigerator: More often than not, fruit drinks and /or a bottle of white wine
Must-see TV: BBC news
Favorite cartoon: None whatsoever
Describe a perfect day. I've facilitated the work of transformation in a four-year old child, mitigated an adolescent's turmoil, helped to reconfigure an adult's personal narrative that is impeding his or her development, and in the case of students, enhanced their academic achievement in one form or another.
Walter Mitty fantasy: A very dull one: teaching Latin, French, or English literature in a very good high school like Exeter or Andover by day and at night teaching under-served youth decision-making skills so they can prosper in life.
Who'd play you in the movie? Laurence Fishburne, Forest Whitaker, or Denzel Washington might be able to bring some life into this dull fantasy.
Most embarrassing moment? Going to a class totally unprepared, by my standards, and still getting through– but privately thinking "Whew! I shall never make that mistake again."
Best advice you ever got? As a 16-year-old, I had a tendency to bring all sorts of friends to the house. My concerned mother admonished me: "A friend is like a bird; it sings one song inside the house and sings another song outside the house. So, son, be careful."
Favorite bumper sticker? "Better be late, Mr. X, than the late Mr. X."
Maurice Apprey


text: A new law will limit access to credit until kids turn 21 -- unless a parent co-signs. Here's why you shouldn't give in. By Janet Bodnar, Editor-at-Large July 20, 2009 Come next February, young people under the age of 21 will either have to provide proof of income in order to get a credit card, or have a parent or someone over 21 co-sign their application.The idea, of course, is to make it tougher for young people to get credit (or get in trouble because of it). But that solution raises another big question: Should you sign for your child's credit card? For years in this column I've advised that you not mix your credit record with your child's. New law or no, I haven't changed my opinion. As long as kids have Mom or Dad to fall back on, they're unlikely to take full responsibility for using a credit card. As one parent once told me, "My kids never learned how to manage credit until they had to pay the bills themselves." Sponsored Content If your kids screw up, your good credit record is on the line. Advertisement College students under 21 don't really need a credit card. A checking account with a debit card will do, and is a great first step toward learning how to manage credit. In fact, Visa recently reported that measured by total dollar volume, purchases made using a Visa debit card surpassed credit-card purchases for the first time. Over the years I've gotten a fair amount of pushback from parents who disagree with me. I'm well aware, for example, that debit cards aren't the perfect solution. But kids can get into far less trouble paying a $30 overdraft fee than running up a credit-card balance of several hundred dollars or more. And if they first learn how to balance a checking account and avoid overdraft fees, you can be pretty confident that they can be trusted to pay their credit-card bill on time. Advertisement There's also a feeling in some circles that kids should get a credit card as early as high school, when parents can supervise their behavior. I'm all for parents discussing credit and other financial topics with their kids. In fact, a recent study by researchers at the University of Arizona found that parents have more influence over their children's financial knowledge, attitudes and behavior than work experience and high-school financial education combined. But there's no need to rush kids into becoming debtors-in-training. I just don't think there's any reason for a 16-year-old, say, to be using a credit card. Kids that age have enough trouble juggling schoolwork, extracurricular activities and possibly a job without keeping tabs on credit-card bills. Parents who go this route need to be willing to spend time and energy monitoring their kids' spending and payment patterns. Yet a recent study by Sallie Mae found that about one-third of college students rarely or never talked about credit cards with their parents -- and they were more likely to be surprised at their account balances than kids who did discuss credit. Then there's the argument that if you co-sign a card with your kids, they'll get the benefit of your presumably good credit rating when they apply for a card on their own. Advertisement But you don't owe your kids your credit rating. I'd rather have them apply for a card independently once they've proven they have the maturity and experience to handle it. Even if they have to pay a higher interest rate initially, they'll learn that credit is a privilege, not an entitlement. Details to come Specific regulations regarding the new law have yet to be written, and it's not clear what the effects will be. For instance, what will qualify as a student's income? How will issuers market cards to kids and their parents? Will they introduce new types of cards geared toward 21-year-olds? Sensitive to criticism, issuers probably won't bombard students with offers this fall. But there could be a get-in-under-the-wire mindset. Until the details become clearer (and even after), I'd recommend that both students and parents exercise caution. And I wouldn't be too quick to sign on the dotted line.


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What a letdown! After a promising homestand at the Oracle Arena against 2 top-teams like Miami and Orlando (Golden State defeated Miami after being trailed by 17 in the 3rd quarter and hold their own against the Magic, losing only down to the wire), the Warriors tackled last night the 1st game of their road trip in Charlotte. So needless to say, considering the weakness of the Bobcats, that the expectations were high for Warriors' fans! Actually, those hopes came to an abrupt end: the game turned out to be a real disaster for the team who, to put it mildly, got trashed. Down by 13 after the 1st quarter and down by 20 at halftime… and a final loss 112 – 100.
First and foremost, how can you expect to win a B-ball game when you let your opponent score 38 pts (yeah, 38 pts!) in the 1st quarter? When you don't defend like that, you walk into a buzz saw and you just screw everything up. 112 pts for the Bobcats at the end of the game, not bad for a team who didn't score in triple figure since 6 games, but luckily for them, the GSW came into town last night.
Second issue for the Warriors: Monta Ellis had an awful night, converting only 6 shoots outta 26 attempts. Maybe Monta's worst game ever in his life? It sure looks like it! Bad shooting nights can happen to any player, but when his shot is off, Ellis doesn't seem to be able to adapt his game and concentrate on other things that could help his team on the court: assists, rebounds, steals, positive attitude, strong defense, draw some fouls by driving to the basket instead of always trying to hit the mid-jumper or a 3 pt shot with 2 defenders stuck in his sneakers… I don't know but there's got to be a way not to be harmful for your own team when you are gifted with huge athletic skills like Ellis. No, he just kept shooting the ball and never tried to involve his teammates. When you hit your shots, it's okay to play individually, but if you struggle on the offensive end, you got to figure out another way to help your team. For instance, you can defend like a leech, which he obviously forgot to do because his direct opponent, Kemba Walker, tallied 23 pts, his career record! Definitely a demoralizing night.
To wrap this article up, I'd like to point something out. Not that it really matters, but since the season kicked off, I've noticed coach Jackson always has his hands in his pockets… not a very inspiring attitude for his players in my opinion. I don't know what message it can send to his players, but not a tough one, that's for sure! When you're a coach, you got to show some toughness and body language is truly fundamental.
Today, the team heads to Detroit to take on the Pistons who have also been struggling so far, so let's hope GS can wipe the slate clean and come up with something good defensively-wise. As a general rule, wins can only stem from a strong defense, so that'd be a good start.
And please make sure the game isn't already over at half-time… that'd be greatly appreciated!


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Latest Cancer News
HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, April 3 (HealthDay News) -- Advanced prostate cancer patients who are given drugs aimed at lowering their testosterone production to slow the spread of tumors don't get much benefit if the drugs are given only intermittently.
A large international study suggests that the treatment, called intermittent androgen deprivation therapy, may actually do more harm than good, although the numbers are vague and the regimen may temporarily reduce some side effects.
"It's not clear whether there is a benefit to intermittent therapy," said study lead author Dr. Maha Hussain, co-leader of the Prostate Cancer Program at the University of Michigan. However, she added, "in terms of survival, it's not superior."
At issue are patients with prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. Their prognosis is typically grim, and as part of their treatment, many receive hormone-therapy drugs aimed at stopping the body's production of testosterone. The treatment is either continuous or is intermittent to give patients relief from side effects of the therapy.
The treatment, a form of castration via medication, isn't easy to tolerate. It essentially causes a form of male menopause, Hussain said. "You end up getting symptoms that are quite distressing, such as hot flashes, weight gain, reduced muscle mass and impotence, and libido goes down," she said.
But it does slow the spread of the disease in about 90 percent of patients, Hussain said, although at some point most patients become immune to the treatment.
In the new study, researchers analyzed the experiences of more than 1,500 men with newly diagnosed, metastatic, hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, who were assigned to continuous or intermittent treatment with testosterone-lowering drugs and tracked for a median of more than nine years.
Men with a stable or declining PSA level equal to or below a cut-off of 4 ng/ml were randomly assigned to continue or to discontinue the hormone therapy. The therapy was resumed for those in the intermittent group when the PSA climbed to 20 ng/ml.
According to the findings, there was a 10 percent increase in the risk of death with intermittent therapy. Average survival was 5.8 years for the continuous group and 5.1 years for the intermittent group.
But the study called the findings "statistically inconclusive" for figuring out which treatment helps men live longer. And men who took the intermittent treatment did report better quality of life and mental health three months into the study, but not afterward.
Hussain said continuous treatment should remain the standard if the focus is on extending life. But those worried about side effects could still consider the intermittent treatment, she added.
The study, which didn't examine how much each kind of treatment costs, appears in the April 4 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine.
Dr. Bruce Roth, a professor of medicine in the division of oncology at Washington University in St. Louis, said the standard of care should probably remain the continuous approach. Some doctors are currently experimenting with the intermittent approach, he said, although there has been a shortage of high-quality research to support it.
The good news, he said, is that physicians are moving closer to turning prostate cancer into a chronic yet treatable disease, like high blood pressure and diabetes.
Copyright © 2013 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


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50th Anniversary Celebration Free Lectures, Salt Lake City, Utah, October 10-11, 2013
Everyone is welcome to attend these lectures held in the auditorium of the Church History Museum (located next to the Family History Library). Pre-registration is suggested by emailing firstname.lastname@example.com or calling 801-240-4950.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
10:45 a.m. to noon: BCG Certification Seminar with Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL and F. Warren Bittner, CG
1:00 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.: It Takes a Human: Genealogists and Writing by Jeanne L. Bloom, CG
2:30 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.: Should You Believe Your Eyes?: Sizing Up Sources and Information by Laura Murphy DeGrazia, CG, FGBS.
4:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.: Write While You Research: Let the Joy of Research Infect Your Writing by Barbara Mathews, CG.
KEYNOTE ADDRESS, Thursday, Oct. 10th, 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. "Kinship Determination" with Thomas W. Jones, Ph.D., CG, CGL, FASG, FNGS, FUGA
Friday, October 11, 2013
9:15 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.: Complex Evidence: What it is, How it works, Why it Matters by F. Warren Bittner, CG.
10:45 a.m. to noon: Proof Arguments: For the Next Generation by F. Warren Bittner, CG.
1:00 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.: Reach for the Power Tools: Record Transcription & Analysis by Rev. David McDonald, CG.
2:30 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.: Bringing Josias Home: Using Circumstantial Evidence to Build a Family by Judy G. Russell, J.D., CG, CGL.
4:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.: Baker's Dozen Steps to Research Reports by Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL.
The public is also welcome to a banquet to Celebrate 50 Years of Standards, Saturday, October 12, 2013, Joseph Smith Memorial Building, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Judy Russell, J.D., CG, CGL, aka The Legal Genealogist, will speak on "We've Come A Long Way, Baby" - Standards for the 21st Century. From no formal standards to the Genealogical Proof Standard, the field of genealogy has come a long way in establishing criteria by which excellence can be measured. And we face a long and perhaps even more daunting road ahead as we consider the 21st century challenges posed by technology, DNA and more. For more information on where to send your banquet check ($40 per person), please see http://bcgcertification.org/


text: Better yet, Patricia Wells from her book Bistro Cooking speaks of a bistro:"Where ever its origins, everyone agrees that whether it's a café, a small unpretentious restaurant, or simply a place to enjoy a glass of wine and a simple yet hearty sandwich, a bistro is a place for good times with friends." We want Sophie's to be a place where one could have a good, hearty meal (comfort food), simple and unpretentious, at a fair price. Our goal is to produce an atmosphere where people can come for lunch, a full dinner, a late snack, a glass of wine or a big cup of coffee and feel comfortable and at home. Our menu is diverse enough for everyone, yet simple enough so the average person will not get overwhelmed with numerous menu choices and complications. Our basic premise is to provide quality food and good service at a fair price in an unpretentious atmosphere. The décor is modeled after classic French Bistros. French country antiques, large open shuttered windows, dark woods, soft pastel colors and walls covered with family pictures make Sophie's an intimate cozy environment


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Vu-Easy is Vutec's high quality fixed frame wall screen. It's permanently-tensioned, easy-to-install and is available in a choice of seven screen surfaces to suit any viewing environment. Vu-Easy's standard features include a black velvet beveled frame, the VTS™ system for easy installation and is available in 4:3, 16:9 and 2.35:1 formats to compliment any size viewing room. Vu-Easy is also available in Vutec's award-winning acoustically transparent SoundScreen, that allows speaker placement behind the screen for an optimal sound experience.
- Easy to assemble frame
- Extruded 2 1/2" black velvet finished frame
- Standard VTS™ (Vutec Tensioning System)
- Installer friendly
- Tubular stand legs
- Custom sizes available


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Missing red panda from National Zoo found in DC
Animal found in nearby neighborhood
Animal keepers from the National Zoo captured a red panda in a Washington neighborhood Monday after it went missing from its enclosure at the zoo.
The male named Rusty was captured in a bush in the Adams Morgan neighborhood on Monday afternoon, said National Zoo spokeswoman Pamela Baker-Masson. The animal was being taken to the zoo's animal hospital for a checkup.
Unlike giant pandas, red pandas are not members of the bear family. Red pandas are slightly bigger than a domestic cat and look similar to a raccoon. They are listed as vulnerable in the wild.
Rusty arrived at the zoo in April from a zoo in Lincoln, Neb., and was in quarantine for several weeks until he went on exhibit in early June. He will turn 1 year old in July.
Red pandas are highly territorial, so zoo officials did not believe he would have traveled far. Rusty, it seems, wanted to explore his new city.
Animal keepers discovered he was missing Monday morning and started searching the zoo at 8 a.m. Residents in the surrounding neighborhoods may have been on the lookout as well as photos were posted on Twitter just before the animal was caught.
The zoo began sending out messages about his disappearance Monday morning on Twitter in case someone saw him.


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From Radio Insight:
Entravision Communications conducted a massive round of restructuring and layoffs at its radio and television properties across the country last week. Most of the cuts came from television where the company is eliminating most of its news departments in Denver, Las Vegas, Reno, Washington DC and other markets and outsourcing production to another market. Similar cuts were made last month in other markets such as Laredo. There were also cuts made at many of their radio properties. In Sacramento morning co-hosts Yaya Martinez and Jay Marzz are gone from Rhythmic CHR "Hot 103.5" KHHM. Sugabear remains in the slot by himself. Night host Doug Bowe is out at Classic Rock "92.3 The Fox" KOFX El Paso. While we cannot verify other names, most station websites have been gutted of all night and part-time on-air talent. RBR.com adds that 27 radio staffers were let go from the company's Los Angeles operations and ten total in El Paso. Today was my last day on air with these two crazy kids at Hot 103.5, yall saved my sense of humor when I popped up 2 years ago. Thank you to all the listeners who tuned in and made our mornings, what they were. Gonna miss you the most. ?? pic.twitter.com/AohEJVvDsU — Yaya Martinez (@YAYAMARTINEZ) April 7, 2018 So hows your Friday going? Lol A post shared by jaymarzz (@jaymarzz) on Apr 6, 2018 at 4:30pm PDT
The post Entravision Makes Massive Cuts Across The Country appeared first on RadioInsight.


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Here's a new Rob interview with Capricho
Robert Pattinson arrived at the luxurious Four Seasons hotel, in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, very much like himself. Beard, jeans, white shirt and hat turned to the back. Before we started the interview, he passed by me carrying a dog bed and left it in a room, at the end of the hall, where Bear was. Yes, Rob's dog always joins him in his business commitments, ever since his owner adopted him, during Breaking Dawn filming.
The English actor came back laughing and not even caring that I was there seeing everything. Rob is exactly like that: a simple guy that makes sure to always be himself. In 4 years of the Twilight saga, the most famous actor in Hollywood, never let success go up to his head. He was never involved in scandals and doesn't like talking about his personal life – even his relationship with Kristen almost goes unnoticed. Rob's secret? To have his family and his "few true friends" always around him. In this exclusive interview to CAPRICHO, Robert Pattinson also talked about what he felt while shooting 'Breaking Dawn': he said he only got scared during the wedding scene when saw Kristen walking dawn the aisle towards him, and that he was terrified to hold a real baby. Ah! Notice the loving way he talks about his girlfriend.
It was so cool to see you talking Portuguese…
I wonder what the fans thought of me. They think I did it all wrong.. Honestly, I was just repeating the words people were saying to me. (laughs)
What did you feel when you saw Kristen wearing the wedding dress?>
She looked amazing. To me, it was a very easy scene. I didn't have to hide, like Kristen, because of the dress. She was so stressed, sitting inside the house, waiting for the paparazzi helicopters to leave. I was great, until I saw her walking in my direction. When I saw her terrified look, I realized that it was my scene too, that I was going to have to do something.(laughs) It was my time to freak out. But it was a beautiful scene.
Read more after the jump!
And the sex scene? Was it difficult to shoot?
No. That was easy! (laughs). The hardest thing was that, in normal movies, when you're doing a sex scene, people don't pressure you a lot because the director doesn't want to intervene and suggest how he would do that. (laughs) But in Breaking Dawn, it was different, there was too much expectation. How to make all the people, that were waiting for that moment, happy?
Do you think you did well?
I think all the merits go to the director, Bill Condon. Because there weren't many ways to film a nice sex scene with a PG-13 rating. You can't show too much. It can't be "complete", with everyone naked. (laughs)
Was there anything that made your life easier during that time?
Actually, nothing made things less weird. (laughs) There were three men to break the bed. I was trying to do a sex scene and there was huge guy laying on the floor, looking at me and telling me what to do.
How was your attitude torwards Kristen
I was worried about protecting her because, you know, in that situation, everything is more complicated. But in the end, she was more comfortable with her body than I was with mine. (laughs)
Were you embarrassed to be shirtless
(Laughs) I was trying to keep the sheets covering us during the breaks between scenes. But it was more because of me than Kristen (laughs). Have to be judge by how I look like is terrifying. — I avoided that the whole saga. —
Did you work out to film those scenes
Yes. But, as soon as I filmed them and didn't need to be shirtless, I stopped working out. (laughs)
The birth scene is so dramatic. How was to shoot that?
I read the script and didn't understand it. It didn't look like a Twilight scene. To see Bella almost dead and have to do a c-section with my mouth. I thought: "How are they going to film that?"
And Kristen? She was okay with it?
She's very commited to the role and was really involved in Bella's story. She was so intense in the scene, I don't know, I think it brought out an emotion in me. For the first time during the saga I was nervous. There was no other way to shoot that. It's a scary scene.
Taylor Lautner said Kristen looked really sexy as a vampire. True?
(Laughs)Of course, a sexy goddess. She looked amazing. It was funny because Bella is that girl that is always tripping on things, and then, she turns into this elegant woman, like a vampire queen. Kristen had the best twist in the plot!
Did the movie make you think what kind of father would you be?
I never really thought about that, but during the second part of the movie, we were filming with 2-3 weeks old babies, and I was terrified. You have no idea how small they are. (laughs). I was scared to death to break them.
Do you want to be a young dad?
I think that would be nice, because I don't have a lot of friends. (laughs) Sorry, I don't have a younger brother, my idea about kids is kind of immature. (laughs)
How do you define love?
Wow. (laughs) I think it's to be with someone and let that person to be herself. Each one has to live their own lives, but with the support of the other person. And you need to be able to do what you want. This is one of the definitions of a couple in love, because love is about so many other things.
Have Kris, Tay and you really become friends?
We went through this moment in our careers together It's nice to be around people that were going through the same thing. It's easier to keep your ego and sanity under control. Like, any of us would judge the other if he/she changed. And the fact that we are still friends, after five movies, is amazing. We were lucky.
How would you describe Kristen?
She's great. Ok, that was awful (laughs) She's ambitious.I like that obsessive determination she has to be herself. She's amazing. She takes the things she says too seriously, kind of like the opposite of me. (laughs)
What have you learned in these four years in Twilight
The importance to keep my feet on the ground. Ever since I became an actor, I saw people who with just a little fame, lost it. But the majority of the people I've worked with in Twilight didn't, just like the actors in Harry Potter. Having family and real friends around me helped me a lot. That makes the difference in life.
Four years ago, you were shocked with fame. What changed?
Everything. It's strange being the subject all the time. You feel powerful and think that you can do anything you want. You want to remember your original dreams because it all gets confusing and distorted when you have a million people telling you what to do. You feel that you are being judged, no matter what you do. I still believe in what I used to believe
Have you given up on being a musician?
I stopped doing gigs because who goes to see me wants to see the famous person. It's nice to play to people that just want to have fun and don't care about who I am.
But do you still make music?
Yes. I've made millions of songs. (laughs) I play the guitar, piano and cello.
You play paino in 'Breaking Dawn – Part 2', right?
I teach Renesmee how to play the piano. It's nice. I shot the scene with a 4 year old girl that played better than me. (laughs)
At 25, what do you want from life?
I don't know, to become an adult? I still feel like I'm 12. I hope to grow up. (laughs)