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PROPERTY LAW - FAQ's Back to home page
Generally, there is only one way in which the ownership of property can be transferred from the seller to the buyer: by the execution of a deed of transfer before the relevant Registrar of Deeds. There are deeds registries in Cape Town, King William's Town, Kimberley, Vryburg, Pietermaritzburg, Pretoria, Johannesburg and Bloemfontein. The documents that have to be lodged to secure registration of transfer must be prepared and signed by an attorney admitted as a conveyancer. The drawing up of deeds of transfer is a complicated and technical task making conveyancing work of a highly specialized nature.
Buying or selling property for many people will be one of the biggest financial decisions that person will make in their lifetime, and consulting with an attorney before signing on the bottom line could prove to be one of the best investments you can make. Avoid scams, illegally built structures, possible servitudes running through your back garden and bankrupt body corporates!
What is not well known is that as a first time home buyer, you may qualify for a subsidy, and you can read more here.
- What are the main steps in buying a home?
- What are some of the points to consider when selling property to non-residents in SA?
- What is contained in a deed of transfer?
- When is estate agency commission payable?
- What guidelines should I follow when buying a house?
- What guidelines should I follow when selling a house?
- What is meant by Sectional Title and how does it differ from freehold property?
- How is a sectional title scheme established?
- What is the function of the body corporate?
- How is the body corporate controlled?
- What are the functions of trustees?
- What are the duties of the owners in a sectional title scheme?
- What are the rights of existing tenants in the event a developer decides to have their block divided into units and sold by sectional title?
- Who must pay for damp or water problems in sectional title (ST) schemes?
- What is a Share-Block Scheme and how does it differ from Sectional Title?
- How are servitudes created and where are they registered?
- What are the different real and personal servitudes and how are servitudes terminated?
- Transfer Duty or VAT – which is payable?
- To enable property transfer, who has the duty to supply a Bore beetle Certificate and Building Plans for improvements done?
- Is compliance to FICA requirements compulsory for bond registration?
- Is an Electrical Wiring Certificate still a pre requisite for property transfer?
- What is the Electrical Fence System Certificate of Compliance (EFC)?
- Can I be held liable for historic municipal debts on my property?
1. What are the main steps in buying a home?
2. What are some of the points to consider when selling property to non-residents in SA?
- A new country
Coming to a new country is a daunting prospect for the visitor, with foreign customs, language and an unfamiliar legal framework that can be intimidating to someone who wants to purchase property here for the first time. "Being aware of a few basic points can make the property purchase much easier," says Wilhelm van der Vyver, practicing attorney and principal of Van der Vyver Properties.
- Illegal aliens
A person who is illegally in South Africa may not acquire property. This does not prohibit someone with a valid visa or residence permit from acquiring property; neither does it prohibit someone from acquiring a property while outside the borders of South Africa.
- Moving and repatriation of funds
- Moving money into the country for purpose of acquiring a property is normally done via the trust account of (preferably) the attorneys attending to the transfer or the estate agent facilitating the sale. Monies can be invested for the buyer's benefit in an interest bearing bank account until date of registration of transfer of ownership should the buyer request the same.
- Taking the money out of the country again should the property be sold is not a problem, as long as the documentation when the money was brought in (in particular the "Deal Receipt" issued by the recipient bank) was kept and can be supplied.
- Note that non-residents may take out a loan from a South African banking institution for up to 50% of the purchase price, subject to the bank's normal lending criteria.
- Capital Gains Tax (CGT)
The profit of property in South Africa is subject to CGT, and this is levied in the tax year of sale. The non-resident will therefore have to register with SA Revenue Service (Sars) as taxpayer.
Should the selling price be greater than R2-million the conveyance has to withhold 5%of the selling price and pay same over to Sars as pre-estimated CGT. The non-resident can avoid this by registering with Sars before registration of transfer and obtaining a directive for CGT.
- Signing documentation
Signing documentation outside the country can prove to be problematic, as documents signed outside the country to be submitted to the Deeds Offices have to be signed at either a South African Embassy or consulate or a notary (this can be quite expensive). Giving a relative or friend in South Africa or the transferring attorney power of attorney to sign on the purchaser's behalf may be a prudent course of action.
- Financial Intelligence Centre Act (FICA)
In terms of South African anti-money laundering legislation a prospective buyer of property will be required to furnish proof of identity and address to the estate agent and transferring attorney involved. The buyer will also have to declare the source of the funds used to purchase the property, e.g. savings, pension or inheritance.
3. What is a contained in a Deed of Transfer?
- The deed of transfer begins by recording the name of the conveyancer and the person for who he/she appears, as well as authorization for the conveyancer to appear.
- Next comes the name of the person to whom transfer is to be passed (the transferee), followed by an accurate description of the transferred property. The transfer does not necessarily need to have a diagram of the property attached, but will have a reference to the original deed of transfer that had a diagram annexed to it or a reference to a general plan of the township in which the property is situated.
- Thereafter, the deed of transfer will record the various conditions of title that govern the use of the property. These conditions will usually place restrictions on the uses to which the land may be put. There are often other conditions of title that differ from one property to another. For example, there may be a servitude granting the Municipality the right to construct a drain across your property.
- Once the deed of transfer has been executed before the Registrar of Deeds, the buyer becomes the owner of the property.
4. When is estate agency commission payable?
A problem that frequently occurs in practice and which is not easy to solve is whether an agent was in fact instrumental in bringing about the sale of property. It could happen that an agent introduces a prospective buyer, that negotiations for the sale do not succeed and that another agent succeeds in concluding the agreement. It is common practice for more than one agent to be instructed to find a purchaser. It could even happen that the seller is held responsible for paying commission to two agents.
An estate agent is not an agent in the strict sense of the word. His "mandate" is normally to find a suitable purchaser for the seller's property and not to sell on behalf of the seller. This is, however, not a contract in the usual sense where parties undertake reciprocal obligations. In fact, the agent is not obliged to perform his mandate. An estate agent will only be entitled to commission if he has a mandate from the seller; without the mandate he is not entitled to commission even though he might have been the effective cause of the transaction.
An estate agent will be considered to be the effective cause of the transaction when:
- He has introduced a willing and financially able buyer to the seller;
- A binding contract has been concluded between the parties; and
- The transaction takes place at the stipulated price or at a price acceptable to the seller.
-When several estates agents are involved in introducing the buyer to the seller it might be difficult for the court to determine which agent was the effective cause. For instance, when the estate agent A introduces the buyer to the seller but the buyer later purchases the property through estate agent B after B has persuaded the seller to drop the price. Estate agent A may have a sole mandate, but estate agent B introduced a willing and able buyer. The seller could then be liable for both estate agents' commission. A sole mandate usually stipulates that the agent is entitled to commission if the property is sold during the currency of the agreement, even if another agent introduced the buyer.
In another matter a prospective buyer was introduced and the house was inspected. The price was considered too high. A few months later the purchaser noticed that the house was still in the market. He then bought the property without any intervention from the agent at a slightly lower price than the he had rejected earlier. The estate agent was held to be entitled to his commission.
How much commission is an estate entitled to? The average commission ranges up to 7.5%, however there are no regulations as to how much commission an estate agent should be paid per sale. The commission should be discussed by the parties when negotiating the mandate.
Sole mandates that are given to the estate agents are regulated by the Consumer Protection Act. The duration of the agreement may not exceed 24 months. The seller has the right to cancel the agreement by giving 20 business days' notice in writing. If the mandate is not terminated by the seller on the expiry date it will automatically continue on a month-to-month basis.
Seller, be wary of these pitfalls when selling your property – they could be very costly.
5. What guidelines should I follow when buying a house?
When you do find a house you wish to buy and before you sign any deed of sale (sometimes called 'Offer to purchase') follow these simple guidelines:
- Examine the house thoroughly. Enquire about the roof; enquire about the roof, gutters, electrical wiring, foundations etc. Should you have any doubts at all, consult an expert to examine the house. Should there be any defects provide the deed of sale for their correction by the seller at his cost.
- Before you sign a deed of sale, give the document to your attorney to examine. Ask about anything that is not clear.
- Enquire about any additional costs, such as rates and transfer costs. Your attorney will have the answers. All provisions and promises must form part of the written contract. Verbal agreements are not enforceable. A document signed by you and then accepted by the buyer could become a binding agreement.
- Ensure that your finances are sound. Should you need a bond also make provision for the costs or valuation of the property and or registration. Your attorney can tell you about this.
- If you are not certain whether you will be able to obtain a loan to provide for the purchase price and other costs, make the sale subject to the obtaining of a loan.
- Ensure that the deed of sale provides for the issue of beetle-free certificate the expense of the seller in the Cape Provinces and KwaZulu Natal, and for certificate of compliance in respect of the electrical installation in all provinces.
- Does the seller require a deposit on the selling price?
- Should his be the case, arrange or payment in trust to any attorney pending transfer and for safekeeping in a special savings account until the house is in your name.
- With the consent of both parties the attorney may invest these monies subject to the condition that the interest earned will be for your own account.
- Take note of the date of occupation on the deed of sale. Should you move in before the house is in your name you would be expected to pay rent. Make sure who is responsible for the payment of taxes, levies and insurance premiums during this. Should the sale fall through after you have moved in, you would naturally have to move again with the attendant expense and inconvenience.
- If the seller wants to remove any items such as plants, cupboards etc, this needs to be explicitly set out in the contract. Any loose items (such as curtain, swimming pool equipment etc) must also be specified.
6. What guidelines should I follow when selling a house?
- Property is a major asset and the seller, buyer and estate agent all have important but different and potentially conflicting interests to consider when concluding a sale.
- So it makes sense for the seller to consult and appoint his/her own attorney (rather than the agent's attorney) before signing the contract so hat the property s transferred.
- Should you be planning to sell your house, do not lose he money earned by this investment by not knowing about the legal aspects involved.
- Keep our house and the premises eat and clean so that it is attractive to prospective buyers.
- Consult your attorney concerning our rights and obligations. As the seller you have he right o appoint your attorney to handle the transfer. Do not allow an estate agent to convince you otherwise.
- Approach one or ore estate gents of our choice to list your property. Do not give sole rights to sell the property to one agency without considering it very carefully.
- Your attorney will be able to advise you about this.
7. What is meant by Sectional Title and how does it differ from freehold property?
- One of the principles of South African law of property is that the owner of land on which a building stands is also the owner of the building. Because of this, it used to be impossible for anyone to own a single flat unless he/she was prepared to buy the whole block. This position was changed with the passing of the Sectional Titles Act, 1986. In terms of the act you can now own a part or section of a building, together with joint ownership of the land on which the building stands as well as common parts of the building that have been set aside for your exclusive use (in partnership with the other owners in the block)
- Your sectional title flat guarantees you security of occupation and investment in property. It also offers you the convenience of being close to schools, shops and places of employment. A sectional title flat - and other forms of high-density housing, such as cluster housing, duplexes and maisonettes – are attractive alternatives to free-standing homes.
- When you buy a home under sectional title, it is just as important to check over the whole building as it is to check over your particular part of it. As an owner you will be jointly liable for the upkeep of the building. It would therefore be unwise to buy a flat in a block clearly in need of major repair. A serious defect affecting the entire building could be very expensive to repair and your levy would probably be increased to meet the cost of renovations. In some cases 'special levies' are raised to carry out particular improvements or repairs.
- Always ask to inspect the financial statements of the body corporate to ensure it is financially sound before investing in sectional title property.
8. How is a sectional title scheme established?
- Before a developer can establish a sectional title scheme, he/she must first get approval from the local authority, who will not approve a sectional title scheme unless it is completely satisfied that the scheme does not conflict with any proposed or approved town-planning scheme.
- Once a sectional title scheme has been approved, a draft sectional plan prepared by a land surveyor must be submitted for approval by the Surveyor General. If permission is subsequently given the developer must apply to the Registrar of Deeds for the registration of the sectional title plan.
- The developer, when applying for the opening of the sectional title register, can impose a condition conferring rights to the use of exclusive common property on the owner(s) of a particular section or sections in the block.
- Once the scheme has been approved and the sectional title register opened in the Deeds Registry, the buildings on the land are deemed to be divided into sections and common property as shown on the sectional plan.
- The owner of a particular section has exclusive rights to this section-that is, the dwelling unit in which he/she actually lives. In the case of the corridors, parking lots , driveways and gardens , which also form part of the block (even though they are not part of the individual dwelling sections), each owner of an integrated dwelling section has an undivided share in that common property.
- The Act refers to a section, together with its undivided share in the common property, as a 'unit'. Ownership of the unit can be transferred from one person to another by an endorsement made by the Registrar of Deeds on a sectional title
9. What is the function of a body corporate?
The Act creates what is known as a body corporate to control and manage the property, and to attend to matters of common interest to all flat owners. Mangement of Sectional Title schemes are governed by the Sectional Title Management Act.
- When a person other than the developer buys a unit in a scheme, they become part of the body corporate as soon as the unit they have bought is registered in their name. In fact, a body corporate is simply the representative of all the registered owners. The developer is a member of the body corporate until the last unit is sold (unless of course the developer retains one or more units for themselves or repurchase any of the units )
- In law, a body corporate is viewed as a 'separate person' capable of suing and being sued in its own name. The Act specifies certain duties that the body corporate must perform as regards the management, administration and maintenance of the common property, and the insuring of the entire building against fire and other risks.
- In terms of the Act, a body corporate must establish a fund big enough to pay for the repairs, upkeep, control, management and administration of the common property. Reasonable provision must also be made for future maintenance and repairs as well as for the payment of other expenses.
In addition to this the body corporate can:
- Employ a person or persons to look after the property
- Maintain lawns, gardens and other facilities on the common property
- Ensure that the building is cared for in the mutual interest of the unit owners
- Purchase extra land, and
- Designate part or parts of the common property to an owner or owners – provided the whole body unanimously agrees.
10. How is the body corporate controlled?
Participation Quota
- The size of flats in a block often differ considerably. Some people have large, spacious flats and others tiny apartments. It is for this reason that the Act provides for unequal votes among members of the body corporate.
- Members with bigger units have greater voting powers than those with small apartments. This demarcation is known as the participation quota and it determines the value of the vote of the owner of his/her section and his/her share in the undivided common property.
- The participation quota also determines how large a share of the administration and maintenance expenses each owner must bear and, if the body corporate cannot pay its debts when it is called upon to do so, each owner's share of the debt.
- The rules for determining the participation quota can be changed by a unanimous decision of the body corporate.
11. What are the functions of the trustees in a body corporate?
- The number of trustees for a sectional title block is decided upon by the body corporate at a general meeting at which no fewer than 2 trustees should be present. Nominations must be in writing and must include the written consent of the person nominated.
- Trustees hold office until the annual meeting, at which point they must vacate their positions. They may however stand for re-election. A managing agent may not serve as a trustee.
- Generally, a trustee, agent or other representative of the body corporate is indemnified against all costs, losses, expenses, and claims that may be incurred whilst performing their duties – provided that these are not incurred through negligence.
- A trustee of a sectional title scheme has similar duties as, say, a director of a company - they control the day-to-day running of the business and are vested with certain powers of decision-making by the body corporate.
- Any documents of the body corporate must be signed by a trustee or managing agent, or, alternatively, by two trustees when a certificate is issued in respect of monies paid to the body corporate on the transfer of a unit.
12. What are the duties of the owners in a sectional title scheme?
Because the owners of the various units live closer to each other than they would have had they been living in free-standing homes, certain limits have been placed on their rights. For instance, the body corporate can force an owner of a unit to comply with its rules – by application of a High Court interdict if necessary.
Other rules that an owner may have to observe include:
- Allowing any person authorized in writing by the body corporate to inspect his/her section at reasonable hours and enter it for maintenance purposes
- Maintaining their section and using the common property without unreasonably interfering with the use and enjoyment of it by other owners or persons lawfully on the premises
- Not using their section or permitting it to be used in a manner that creates a nuisance for the occupier of another section
The body corporate can make other rules governing the conduct of owners of units. Generally in terms of the rules in the Act, an owner of the unit is bound to heed the instructions of the trustees in various circumstances:
- He/she cannot keep or do anything on the common property after being instructed not to do so by the trustees. For instance, not keeping an animal in his/her section or on common property if asked not to do so.
- He/she cannot use their section for any other purpose for which it is intended. For example, you cannot open a shop in a residential section.
- He/she cannot allow their section to be used for any purpose that may be injurious to the reputation of the building.
13. What are the rights of existing tenants in the vent a developer decides to have their block divided into units and sold by sectional title?
- The Act stipulates that flat tenants must be given time to find a place to stay. Furthermore the developer must give the tenants written notice of a meeting at which either he or his agent must inform them of the particulars of the scheme and their rights. All reasonable questions put by the tenants must be answered at this meeting.
- These conditions are there to ensure that the developer does not offer a flat for sale while it is occupied by a tenant – unless of course, the developer has made a written offer to sell it to the tenant and the tenant has refused the offer within 90 days, or has not accepted the offer at the end of that period.
- Even if the tenant refuses the offer or the period in which he can accept has expired, the developer must wait another 180 days before he can offer to sell the flat to another person for a lower price. If however, he offers it to the tenant at the lower price and the tenant refuses, he need wait only 60 days before offering it to someone else.
14. Who must pay for damp or water problems in sectional title schemes?
- Water can usually only get into ST units and cause damp or mould problems through the roof, the foundations or the outside walls and as all of these are parts of the common property, the responsibility for fixing them lies with the body corporate. Any section owner who suffers damage to the inside of his or her section as a result of water seeping in from common property is thus entitled to claim the costs of repairs from the body corporate-or more usually from its insurers.
- On the other hand if a leak that causes damage originates in another unit, the owner of that unit will be responsible for the costs of repair. Common sense also dictates that a leak originating inside a ST unit, or damage caused by such a leak, is the sole responsibility of the unit owner.
- But sometimes the source of the leak is not obvious. It could for example, be from a pipe in the slab that forms the floor of one section and the ceiling of another, or in a wall between two sections. In such cases, if the pipe is in 'transit' from one part of the building to another, or if one pipe serves more than one section, the body corporate may be responsible for the cost of repairs.
- If the pipe contains hot water, however. The owner of the section being served by the hot water is responsible for repair of the pipe as well as any damage caused by the leak.
15. What is a Share Block Scheme and how does it differ from Sectional Title?
Long before the introduction of the Sectional Title Act in 1971 attempts were made to give flatdwellers a legal right to own their flats, of which the best known example is the 'share block' system, which gives a shareholder in the company owning a block of flats the right to occupy a specific section of the building.
Under this scheme, however, the shareholder does not actually take ownership of the section of the building he/she occupies: the owner of the property retains ownership.
Another major weakness of the scheme is that, should the company go insolvent, the shareholders will be left with just worthless shares in an insolvent company.
Unless it was stated as an intention at the time the shares were offered, a share-block company may not increase its loan obligation without the approval of at least 75% of the shareholders holding at least 76% of the number of votes.
Under the Share Blocks Control Act, provision is made for the conversion of rights under the share-block system to sectional title – only by converting the scheme to sectional title can a member of a share-block company acquire title to the unit.
16. How are servitudes created and where are they registered?
A servitude is a right that one person has to use or enjoy the property of another person –other than by means of a lease or similar disposition.
- A real servitude always involves two pieces of land that are separately owned. A personal servitude grants certain rights to an individual for a specified period of time (at the longest, for hi/her lifetime) If you have the right of servitude to drive your cattle across a neighbouring farm that does not belong to you, your farm is the 'dominant tenement' and the other is the 'servient tenemant'.
- Servitudes are registered against the title deeds of the properties in the Deeds Registry, and unless this is done will not be binding on subsequent owners of the property unless they were aware of it.
- Personal servitudes usually come into being as a result of a will or contract. Real servitudes may also be created by the state, as in the case of land on which a road or railway line is built. Most real servitudes are the result of an agreement between two parties on the extent of the servitudal rights, the amount to be paid by the dominant party to the servient party in consideration for allowing the creation of the servitude, and the period for which the servitude is to remain valid. The servitude comes into existence as a right only when it is registered against the title deeds of the servient property.
- A servitude may be acquired by prescription: for instance, a landowner may show that for a period of 30 years he has openly used his neighbour's land – say by driving cattle across it – without a dispute. He would then be entitled to have the servitude registered against the title deeds of the servient property.
- Either party is entitled to sue the other for damages if it is considered that the rights of the agreement have been exceeded or if one has suffered loss. If no actual loss can be proved, an interdict may be obtained to prevent further breaches of the agreement. Either party may apply to court for a declaration of rights.
17. What are the different real and personal servitudes and how are servitudes terminated?
- Although many rights can be registered as restrictions against title deeds, there are restrictions – the most important being that the servient owner cannot be obliged to do anything, such as erecting or maintaining a building, for the benefit of the dominant owner. All positive action must be on the side of the dominant owner.
- Real servitudes can be divided into rural and urban servitudes although this distinction simply reflects the different activities with which the servitude is concerned and they are basically the same.
- Important rural servitudes are those relating to right of way – such as the right of a farmer to cross the property of another. The dominant owner must exercise his right in a reasonable way and not, for instance, drive cattle through a field on the servient farm simply because this is the shortest route. A right of way used by a dominant owner is also open to his family, employees and visitors and neither party may change the right of way without the other's consent.
- Another form of right of way is the 'way of necessity' which does not require the consent of the servient owner, but will be granted if 'absolutely necessary'. If a farmer has no reasonable access to a public road other than by crossing the property of another landowner, he may claim a way of necessity.
- Water servitudes permit the dominant owner to draw water from the servient property and to lead it across that land by means of furrows or pipes. He may also have the right to water livestock on the servient property and to build a dam there. It all depends on what is registered against the title deeds.
- Grazing servitudes may provide that a certain number of cattle may graze within a particular area of the servient property. Other examples of rural servitudes include the right to gather or cut wood, to outspan cattle and to discharge water into the servient property.
- Urban servitudes – window right is probably the most typical urban servitude giving the dominant owner the right to have a window or opening in a wall which is on the servient owner's boundary. Other servitudes prohibit or restrict buildings or 'any actions' on the servient property that would obstruct the view from, or interfere with lighting reaching the property. The right of support of buildings allows the owner of the dominant property to build a wall on the servient property or to rest a structural beam on it, and the servient owner is obliged to keep this wall in good order.
- Restrictive covenants are a form of servitude regulating the use to which land in developing townships may be put. It might be stipulated that the area should be solely residential, or there may be restrictions on businesses.
- Personal servitudes apply to a specific person and are constituted for a fixed period – until a future happening or for the lifetime of the beneficiary.
- Usufruct or 'use of the fruits' is the most common personal servitude. It is frequently granted in the terms of the will allowing, for instance, a surviving spouse full use and occupation of a house or farm for the remainder of his or her life, although the actual ownership has been bequeathed to another. A good example would be if a father left his farm to an eldest son, but gave his widow the right to live on at the farm. Usufruct may be over movable property or even money. In this case the usufructuary is entitled to receive interest on an investment but not make use of the capital which will revert to the owner. A servitude of habitation allows only personal occupation.
- A personal servitude ends with the time specified and the parties to a real or personal servitude may end it by mutual agreement by any time. A real servitude is ended by the destruction of one of the properties, or when the need to exercise it no longer exists. If the owner of the dominant property buys the servient property, the servitude ends and does not automatically come back into being if one of the properties is later sold.
18. Transfer Duty or VAT – which is payable?
Very often the question arises as to whether the purchaser must pay transfer duty on a particular transaction or whether there is no transfer duty payable as the transaction is in fact a VAT transaction. This question can arise where:
- the seller is registered for VAT but the purchaser is not • the seller is not registered for VAT and the purchaser is registered for VAT
- or both parties are registered for VAT or neither party is registered for VAT.
The answer is usually easily determined by looking at the status of the seller.
- As a general rule, if the seller is in fact registered for VAT purposes, VAT is payable on the transaction and no transfer duty is payable by the purchaser in the transaction.
- If the seller is not registered for VAT purposes, then transfer duty is payable on the transaction by the purchaser.
- There are a few technical exceptions to the general rule but an exception to the general rule happens so seldom that it does not serve any purpose in discussing such exemptions in an article of this nature.
The other question which arises is whether VAT is included in the purchase price or not.
- As a general rule in South Africa, any purchase price must be VAT inclusive. Accordingly, if the transaction is a VAT transaction, then the purchase price will be inclusive of VAT unless the contract specifies that VAT is excluded from the purchase price. One must therefore be very careful in calculating the purchase price where the seller is a VAT vendor as very often the VAT vendor does not take into account that the selling price of the property includes VAT and the seller is upset when the seller discovers that a portion of the purchase price which the seller has received from the purchaser must be paid to the Receiver of Revenue by way of a VAT payment.
- From the purchaser's point of view, the fact that the purchase price includes VAT and the purchaser does not have to pay transfer duty should mean that the purchaser should be willing to pay a higher price for the property being purchased as effectively the purchaser is getting the amount which the purchaser would have paid as transfer duty as a discount on the purchase price for the property.
- If the sale of the property is one which is a VAT transaction and the purchaser is registered for VAT purposes, the purchaser is entitled to claim the VAT which forms part of the purchase price of the property as a VAT input. This effectively means that the purchaser will get a credit for this amount from the Receiver of Revenue on the purchaser's VAT when the purchaser submits the purchaser's next VAT return. The Receiver of Revenue may conduct a VAT audit on the purchaser before allowing the input particularly if any monies are to be paid by the Receiver of Revenue to the purchaser. Sometimes the audit does not take place if there is no actual payment of monies from the Receiver of Revenue to the purchaser.
- If the purchaser is a VAT vendor but the seller is not registered for VAT, the purchaser is entitled to claim the transfer duty which the purchaser has paid on the transfer of the property as a VAT input. Effectively therefore the purchaser will recover the amount of the transfer duty from the Receiver of Revenue. Again the same will be by way of a claim for a VAT input on the purchaser's next VAT return and again the Receiver of Revenue may decide to audit the same prior to allowing the claim or paying a refund. Normally the Receiver of Revenue will not allow the claim unless he has received proof that the transfer has actually taken place and would normally require a copy of the transfer duty receipt as proof that the actual transfer duty was paid. One should therefore make arrangements with the conveyancing attorneys to expedite the relevant documentation after the transfer has been registered in order that the purchaser can obtain the relevant documentation as soon as possible to support a claim for the return of the transfer duty in the form of a VAT input.
- In the event that the property forms part of a business and the business is sold as a going concern, if both the purchaser and the seller are registered for VAT purposes, then VAT will still be payable but the transaction would be zero rated. In other words effectively no VAT or transfer duty would be payable on the transaction. To qualify however the assets which are necessary to carry on the enterprise must be disposed of by the seller to the purchaser and the enterprise must be an income earning activity on the relevant effective date.
It should be emphasized that if one is in doubt one should always first discuss the matter with an attorney as incorrect advice could be harmful for the parties involved. (see the Transfer Duty Act, 1949).
19. To enable property transfer, who must supply a Bore beetle Certificate and Building Plans for any improvements done?
Bore beetle Certificate
- Banking institutions, with regards to beetle borer certificates, now tend to render beetle certificates to be a prerequisite, suspensive condition to be furnished to the bank before bond registration proceedings will be resumed.
- If the furnishing by the seller of a bore beetle certificate is not a condition of the Deed of sale then it is the purchaser's responsibility to obtain the same & the purchaser bears the costs thereof.
- The reason being that the suspensive condition was duly fulfilled upon the purchaser qualifying for the same & the final bond grant being issued. The specific terms & conditions of such bond grant are irrelevant to the seller unless specifically provided for in the Deed of sale.
- See infra (below) a proposed clause which clearly sets out that the purchaser is responsible for any conditions that need to be fulfilled in terms of his/her bond grant
"This entire agreement is conditional upon the Purchaser or the Agent on behalf of the Purchaser being issued with a quotation (as referred to in the National Credit Act 34 of 2005) by a Financial Institution for a loan in the sum of R.......... or such lesser amount as the Purchaser agrees to in writing, on or before the ........ Such loan is to be secured by a mortgage bond to be registered over the property or any other property as indicated by the Purchaser simultaneously (or before in the case of another property being the subject of the mortgage bond) with transfer. This condition shall be deemed to be fulfilled upon notification by the Financial Institution to the Purchaser or his Agent of a quotation having been issued regardless of any conditions attaching to such quotation or attaching to the loan agreement that follows the quotation between the Purchaser and the financial institution, the purchaser undertakes & accepts liability for any conditions that need to fulfilled in terms of such quotation. The purchaser undertakes and agrees to do all such acts that may be necessary to obtain such loan and in particular to complete the necessary application for such a loan."
Building plans – recently the High Court ruled that a purchaser can expect that all improvements are in accordance with approved building plans. In terms of this decision the court held that Sellers give an implied warranty that improvements are in accordance with approved plans - in other words even if the deed of sale is silent on this point, approved plans must be in place. Should the bank call for approved plans the seller will be obliged to give his co-operation to obtain the same and if necessary do whatever is required to have the said plans approved. It is therefore important that a seller ensures that approved plans are in place when marketing his property.
20. Is compliance to FICA requirements compulsory for bond registration?
- It is essential to remember that the acceptance criteria of the banking institutions in terms of FICA are more stringent & non-fulfilment of the same will result in lodgement not taking place.
- Before the bond registration Attorney can lodge, all the signed documents & FICA must be submitted to the bank for approval. Should documents be incorrectly signed and or FICA documents are outstanding, the bond attorney will not be able to lodge therein resulting in a delay in registration of transfer.
- Copies of id's, marriage certificates, proof of address & anti nuptial contracts must be made by making a copy from the original Id document (no faxed copies are permissible).
- Estate agents are independently required to call for FICA documents at the outset of marketing the said property and or liaising with prospective purchasers'.
- All related parties (i.e. the banks. Estate agents & attorneys) are all required to obtain the said FICA documentation. The legislation regulating the FICA requirements render the duty & responsibility thereof as independently being fulfilled. In other words the estate agent, mortgage consultant & Attorney need to have attended to obtaining the FICA documentation.
21. EWC: Is an Electrical Wiring Certificate still a pre requisite for property transfer?
- In terms of the new Electrical Compliance Certificate regulation, which came into effect on the 1st of May 2009, the previous transferring of EWC from seller to purchaser (provided that no alterations had taken place) has fallen away
- The onus remains on a property owner to have a valid EWC. The only exemption is, for an owner of a property, where the property existed prior to 23 October 1992 and where there was no change of ownership since 1 March 1994. Remember however that such an owner will still have to furnish the purchaser with a valid certificate should the owner decide to sell.
- The owner can now contract with a lessee that the latter takes responsibility for the certificate, provided this issue is clearly dealt with in terms of the lease agreement.
- The certificate will remain valid for an indefinite period but with the important change that, should an owner decide to sell, the certificate may not be older than two years.
- The certificate will also lose its validity once any change or addition has been effected to the property. A new certificate incorporating the changes will have to be issued.
- The test certificate now has to accompany any new EWC.
- The purchaser (or bondholder) cannot demand a new certificate. Remember however that parties remain free to contract in this regard. In other words, a purchaser can still make it a condition of his/her offer that the seller has to provide a new certificate (even if a valid certificate is in place).
In summary then ensure when you market your property that:
- a valid certificate not older than two years is in place covering the whole installation
- a test certificate accompanies a new certificate
- it is clearly stipulated in the deed of sale if a new certificate needs to be issued.
22. What is the Electric Fence System of Compliance (EFC)?
It is common knowledge that a seller must provide the purchaser with an electrical certificate of compliance, before the property can be transferred. What is less known that since 1 October 2012 that if the property being sold has an electrical fence system, then a separate electric fence system certificate of compliance must be issued to the purchaser by the seller – if therefore you intend purchasing a property with an electric fence, include reference to the electric fence certificate of compliance in the Offer to Purchase.
In terms of the legislation, an electric fence certificate of compliance will be required where:
- a new system is installed, an upgrade or repair is effected to the system or
- there is a change of ownership of the property on which the system exists and
- the new installation, upgrades, repair or change of ownership takes place after 1 October 2012.
- it is not required that a new certificate be issued each time the property subsequently changes ownership, unless an upgrade or repair has been effected to the electric fence system since the issue of the previous electric fence system certificate.
- Body Corporates can do inspections on behalf of the owners and issue certificates to all the owners, who can then transfer the certificate to the purchaser, provided that the Body Corporate confirms that no upgrade or alteration has been made since the issue of the certificate.
23. Can I be held liable for historic municipal debts on my property?
Yes, according to a recent Supreme Court of Appeal decision property owners can be held liable for historical municipal debts dating back 30 years. A local authority can now take legal action against the current owner of any property for any municipal debt incurred by any previous owner over the last 30 years with respect to property rates, refuse and sanitation charges, and 3 years in respect of electricity and water supply charges.
This legal action can go as far as attaching the property and selling it to recover the debt that is being claimed. Legal commentators have expressed the hope that this decision by the SCA that this ruling wil be overturned by the Constitutional Court. Consult with a lawyer to find out whether there are any historical municipal debts associated with the property you may be considering buying – and indemnify yourself (as the purchaser) against any historical municipal debts before taking transfer.


text:
Which one is better?? GU SOG or Mini zinger Winger
Which one is better?? GU SOG or Mini zinger Winger
Their respective websites list approximate throwing distances. I prefer ZW's latch/release system by far over GU, I cuss GU every time I load one. Other than that there are pretty much the same machine.
Daren Galloway
FTCH AFTCH HRCH Hank's Settin' The Marsh On Fire
My GU SOG seems to have an issue everytime I went to use it. Broken wire on servo motor connection, loose parts, parts falling off etc. I gave up on it and bought custom made wingers.
I have two GU SOG that I have owned for over 3 years, numerous launches and never a problem. I have replaced the rubber twice since I have owned them but that is the only maintenance I have performed, no complaints from me on GU. Can't speak to ZW as I have never owned them.
i kind of thought i would get more opinions then just two.
My GU SOG has been fine (with Dogtra electronics.) Replaced elastics, that's it. My guess is that Zingers are just fine, too. Get one or two of each.
I love my Zinger Winger II G4 (Dogtra release). It is light weight, throws a bumper a long ways and does pretty well with dead ducks. I am saving my $$ for another.
Last edited by Dave Farrar; 03-01-2014 at 07:07 PM.
DUCKDAWG'S MAC'S MAGICAL MR. OCTOBER SH -- Reggie
I just set up my Zinger Winger Mini Z's today for the 1st time, (Dogtra Releases), and I was extremely happy with the performance of them. I got very good launch distances using dokken deadfowl redheads & mallards. I would say they launched them easily 25-30 yards. Easy set up and take down and light but durable. I was like you, confused as to which to get, I asked a few retriever trainer friends and one in particular said that they had the Gunners up and sold them and bought Zingers due t not being happy with the GU. I bought mine through Joe Dutro of Team Take 'Em look him up on the web and give him a call, he will give you honest feedback. He is very impressed with the mini z's.
Last edited by Pipe Creek Retrievers; 03-01-2014 at 07:45 PM.
I prefer Zinger for a number of reasons, but there are as many folks who prefer GU. Sort of like trucks, pros, etc.--the folks that use one aren't going to say anything bad about them. From using both, there are some things that are better on one versus the other but either generally gets the job done.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Italia :Flash Back 1990
With annual exams over, I was excited for Maradona, and so were most of my friends. However, at the end of the event, though the tournament had its moments, we all agreed that both World Cup and Maradona were a disappointment.
Most of the fault didn't lie with him. Poor guy wasn't simply allowed to play. Hardly he stood on his legs, he would be pulled down. At the end of it, his would have been some swollen knees.
Virtually, the whole World Cup was played on defensive. Many Results were decided on penalty kicks. What more, it started with a shock when minnows Cameroon piped defending champions Argentina.
Cameroon were surprise stars, with Roger Mila stealing the show. He returned back from the retirement to become the oldest man to hit a goal in the World Cup's history.
But his performance against Columbia in the pre-quarterfinals was interesting. Columbia's goalkeeper Rene Higuita was a maverick of sorts. He use to spend more time outside the penalty box than inside. He even used to take penalty kicks for the team.
Since Columbia was practicing off side trap, his misadventures outside the box could have proved dangerous. And it did. During one such misadventure, Roger Milla snatched the ball from him, and virtually escorted the ball to the nets with the hopping Higuita on his heels.
Columbia were knocked out despite having star players like Carlos Valderrama. Unfortunately, defender Andres Escobar would be killed by betters(as in bet) after scoring own goal in the next world up.
Cameroon juggernaut came to end in the quarterfinals where they lost to England, after leading 2-1 till last 10 minutes, due to two controversial penalties given against them, both hit home by the star English striker Gary Linekar.
Whenever any Football World Cup starts, English media always declares England a strong contender. This, till recently, was true for Wimbledon and Cricket World Cup too. But they never live up to the hype, at least in the period I have been following sports.
England were in the group of death - having star studded but listless Holland, competitive Ireland, and excellent Egypt to compete with. One would have imagined to witness exciting Football. On the contrary, it was the group which scored least goals, and played most draws.
In fact, Holland was ousted in the round one itself despite having stars like current coach Marco Van Basten, hippy haired Ruud Gullit, and Frank Rijkaard.
Number 3 Italy played exciting Football those days, unlike defensive now. Striker Salvatore Schillachi ran amuck in that event and won both Golden Shoe and Golden Ball. Young, promising Roberto Baggio was in their ranks, and so was Paolo Maldini. Walter Zenga, Italy's fashionable, poster boy goal Keeper had an envious record of not conceding a single goal, that is, till semi finals.
Ironically, the semi final against Argentina was a different story for him. Zenga was eclipsed by the third hero(Milla & Schillachi, the other two)of this world cup - Argentinean goalie, Sergio Goycochea.
Goycochea was incidentally the number two Goalkeeper of the team. He replaced fractured Nery Pumpido for late matches. And boy, what a replacement that was. Goycochea was instrumental in keeping formidable Brazilians at bay and knocking them out in the last sixteen.
Goycochea's heroics helped Argentina beat Yugoslavia in quarter finals in the penalty shoot out, and he was the key again with yet another shoot out
against Italy in semi finals. Fancied Zenga was piped, and Goycochea was the unlikeliest hero.
His luck, however, ran out in the finals against Germany, who had defeated England in another penalty shoot out in their semi final.
Germany had more than their fair shares of stars in the team with Captain Lothar Matthaeus, current coach Juergen Klinsmann, former coach Rudi Voeller, Andreas Brehme, Juergen Kohler, Thomas Haessler and not the least, the legendry Franz Beckenbauer as the coach.
But final was bit of disappointment. Three Argentinean players, including the prolific scorer - Claudio Caniggia - were forced to sit out of the main eleven because of two yellow cards in the previous matches.
In the later half, they were playing with only nine players. And to add insult to the injury, referee awarded a very controversial penalty in last five minutes which was duly scored by Brehme.
That brought some what defensive Italia 90 to the end. However, I enjoyed it nevertheless with the typical kid's exuberance.


text:
Bela & Chris head to Lexington 9/11 to play the Lexington Opera House! You are not going to want to miss this show! For tickets, click here
Chris & Bela head to CT!
Bela Fleck and Chris Thile head to Western Connecticut State University on September 10 at 6PM to play Ives Concert Park! Tickets
Bela and Chris Thile on tour now through July 20
Bela hits the road with Chris Thile this week! 7/12 – Holland Performing Arts Center – Omaha, NE 7/13 – Door Community Auditorium – Fish Creek, WI 7/14 – Interlochen Center for the Arts – Interlochen, MI 7/15 – The Smith Opera House – Geneva, NY 7/16 – Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival – Oak Hill, NY 7/17 – Prescott Park …


text:
15 avril 2010
STEMMER IMAGING has developed an image processing system based on the GigE
Vision standard for a major academic institution in the UK. More than 250
cameras match components that are crucial for the successful conduct of
research. The customised system meets high standards for the extensibility,
adaptability and maintainability of the entire system.


text:
Went to this gig at the Classic Grand in Glasgow last nite. Very confuddling! tix said 7pm but doors were at 8 and there was a venue next door hosting a 'fashion show', so I spent a while looking distinctly badly/under-dressed in the wrong queue ;-) Anyways....
Support was from Endor who decribe themselves as indie/folk/rock and I would say they're probably right.
...next up were Super Adventure Club and they really defy ANY sorta genre-izing! Any band that has song titles like 'Hip Hop Hot Pot Pot Noodle' and 'Tommy Sheridan' has to be good - and they are!
Super Adventure Club
But of course the main reason I went, was to see A Band Called Quinn
and they didn't disappoint, apart from the usual complaint that the set wasn't long enough ;-) here they perform DIY from the excellent 'Sun, Moon, Stars' CD.
DIY - A Band Called Quinn


text:
The 82-year-old Nobel Prize Winner Yang Chen-ning's (
"This is a common dream shared by every man of 82," legislator-elect Li Ao (
"A man who dares to marry a woman 54 years his junior requires competence in all aspects and meanings of the word," said Li, whose wife is 29 years his junior.
Yang, a US physicist, was born in China and educated in the US. He shared the Nobel Prize for physics with another Chinese-born US scientist Lee Tsung-dao (
Yang's marriage plans with Wong Fan (
Chiang, as publisher of the Taipei-based magazine "Review of Knowledge" (
According to the e-mail, Wong was born in Guangdong and Yang and his wife first met her in 1995 when Yang attended an international seminar in a Guangdong city.
Wong, at that time a first-year university student in English, served as Yang's guide during the conference. "Both my wife and I liked her at first glance," said Yang.
After the conference, they kept in contact occasionally, said the e-mail, and after graduating from university, Wong got married but divorced few years later.
They resumed contact in February when Wong sent Yang a letter.
"This is God's last present that allows my old soul to return to youth," Yang said in the e-mail.
"I know I am old in terms of age, but I still keep young spiritually. I also know this is partially why Wong Fang finds me attractive," Yang told Chiang in the e-mail.
Yang and Wong were engaged Nov. 5 this year and plan to get married in January.
"Yang knows very well that his upcoming marriage may cause a stir, but he is ready to face it," Chiang said yesterday.
Though the local newspapers' approach toward Yang's upcoming marriage has been quite liberal, many have called in to TV talk shows to express their ill feelings.
"The local newspapers' easygoing attitude toward Yang's marriage plans just showcases the fact that male chauvinism still prevails in this society," one woman on a show said.
"I want to know whether the media would be as relaxed if a 82-year-old woman were to marry a 28-year-old man," the woman said.
Josephine Ho (
"If we all admit that marriage is a matter of individual freedom, then we should all shut our mouths," said Ho, who is also a professor of National Central University.
"Don't forget this is a matter co-decided by two adults. People tend to question other people's ability to choose," Ho said.
According to Ho, this marriage made news simply because the protagonist is the well-known Nobel Prize winner.
"Some people tend to question an 82-year-old man's sexual ability. Marriage is not just about sex," Ho said.
When asked how society would react to a marriage of a 82-year-old woman with a 28-year-old man, Ho said it was not a question of sex, but a question of freedom.


text:
The Biennale des Antiquaires was held with the usual fanfare this year in its usual venue in the Grand Palais in Paris. It was my first visit to the Biennale and I loved the magnificent setting of the Palais, a fitting foil for the magnificent exhibits on show. My head was turned by the variety of the exhibitors, but of course I went to see the jewellery. Some of the big names were conspicuous by their absence, but there were a couple of newcomers, young companies who were outstanding: Cindy Chao and Nirav Modi.
In no particular order, the pieces I would have taken home:
Rose Petal Earrings by Cindy Chao.
A truly original pair of earrings which epitomises Cindy's fascination with nature. Like in nature, no two are exactly the same and this is reflected in the asymmetric nature of the piece. The earrings are fashioned in titanium- a very laborious process which nevertheless makes them very light to wear. The mosaic pavé work of the different sized stones is a masterclass in the art of stone setting.
2. Padparascha Sapphire Lotus Ring by Nirav Modi.
The central stone is a rare, unheated padparascha sapphire of peerless quality. It is surrounded by beautiful D coloured diamonds that have been so finely set they look like they float on the hand. Nirav Modi is opening his new showroom in Bond Street in London this month and we wish him every success
3. Art Nouveau Pendant by Georges Fouquet, exhibited by Epoque Fine Jewels.
This Belgian company is well known in the high end art fair circuit, but I only came across it for the first time at the Biennale. It specialises in very beautiful, very unique Art Nouveau jewels of museum quality- the value of these jewels lies in the piece as a whole, not the constituent parts. This woman's head pendant particularly took my fancy and would leave any true jewellery connoisseur drooling.
4. Pink and Blue Diamond Necklace by Cartier, exhibited by Véronique Bamps.
This exhibitor had also been honoured by being awarded a coveted place in the Salon d'Honneur. While many jewellers today would be tempted to overdress such an important stone such as this one, this necklace showed classic Cartier restraint and good taste. The very pale pink pearls on which the pink diamond was suspended is a triumph of colour matching.
5. Platinum and Diamond Tiara, probably by Chaumet, exhibited by Alain Pautot.
I couldn't go to a jewellery show in Paris and not be taken in by a diamond tiara... Although not signed, this superb piece is thought to be by Chaumet, made at the turn of the century. It is a lovely example of a Garland Style jewel and not difficult to see why Chaumet supplied anyone who was anyone with glittering headgear during the heady days of the Belle Epoque.


text: I love cream eye shadows! They can be used as an eye shadow base or as eye shadow. I prefer always packing a cream shadow with a powder shadow to secure and have it look the best but they are great to use alone in a pinch for shadow. I am trying these new Maybelline mousse feeling creams.. So we shall see how they work. They are nice and pigmented which gives a great effect on color! I like my shadows to be true to color and not fade and these seem to have that quality... I will be using these over the next couple days and seeing how the wear throughout the day and how my powder shadows work with them.


text:
Home > Eyeglasses > Tom Ford > FT5295 (002)
FT 5295 is available in 8 additional attractive styles
Size and availability
Free outbound and return shipping
30-day money-back guarantee
Low prices
Free outbound and return shipping
30-day money-back guarantee
Low prices
FT5295/002 Eyewear
With these designer eyeglasses, you are always perfectly dressed. The FT5295 is available in the Edel-Optics online shop in other styles from Tom Ford collections 2018 and 2019.
With no frills and state-of-the-art materials and craftsmanship, these men's glasses stand for stylish design and self-confidence. Wearing full rim eyewear, you make it unmistakably clear that you are going the whole hog. The square frame is a classical shape, highlighting the straightforwardness of the personality. Plastic frames like these combine durability and are comfortable to wear. The FT5295 is a very snug fit on the ears and nose. Black is one of the undisputed classics. It can be combined with any outfit and simultaneously radiates elegance and naturalness.
Moreover, we can also provide you with the correct prescription lenses at an incredibly low price. The only thing you need to provide us with are your current dioptre values determined by your ophthalmologist. Together with our digital dispensing optician, you can choose between reasonably priced brand lenses from Germany or premium brands such as Seiko, Hoya and Rodenstock. Edel-Optics' plastic lenses have many features such as anti-reflection coating, lotus effect, cleaning coating, antistatic and hard coating at no extra charge.
The model is in stock. If you order now with the express shipping option, we can even guarantee the time of delivery. If you buy at Edel-Optics you get the best price, because "in the sale" is our standard.
Don't hesitate to call us at
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text:
One Thing Everyone Wants from You and 20 Ways to Give It/
Many people may say that they don't want anything from anybody, but there is one thing that everyone you meet wants from you.
Everything changes with time and nothing stays the same, with the one exception being God.
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore." - Hebrews 13:8
The One Thing
I know your dying to know the one thing.
"Everyone wants recognition."
It's quite normal for us to look for recognition after completing various tasks, especially if that task is of great significance. Which leads to the question of, "Are we driven by recognition?"
There is a reason behind every human action. Subconsciously, many people are looking for recognition. Does that mean that we should seek out recognition?
I firmly believe no one should seek the praise of another man. Regardless of our motives and intentions, we are all in need of some form of recognition. Recognition is just another form encouragement if done the right way. Recognition and encouragement is very helpful whether we are able to give it or receive it.
Here are some positive words of recognition that you can use to help recognize those things done well by people in your life:
Positive Words of Recognition
1. Thank You!
2. You are Great!
3. Excellent Job!
4. You are Amazing!
5. Fabulous Work!
6. You can Do It!
7. Exceptional Job!
8. Thank you for your advice.
9. You are a blessing.
10. I admire your strength.
11. Thank you for your insight.
12. You are an inspiration.
13. Great way of masterfully completing your task.
14. Outstanding!
15. Great Commitment.
16. Beautiful Imagination.
17. Great Passion!
18. Great Tenacity!
19. Exceptional intuition!
20. You are a masterpiece!
I know some of these phrases are a little corny, but use one of the phrases to recognize or encourage someone. Furthermore, make up your own words of positive recognition.
Question: How do you give positive recognition an encouragement to those who deserve it? Leave your comments below.
Peace and Prosperity, Bryant MTN Universal, LLC Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Follow us on Interest


text:
Quite literally, in our case! And a bout of heavy rain showed up a few problems which needed immediate attention, and which looked to scupper some of the hard work we'd put in up until this point.
We'd been making great progress upstairs, as I've discussed in my previous update, and started mist coating all of the walls. Well, after a few days' worth of heavy rain those freshly painted walls were covered in unsightly yellowing damp patches, showing up a leak in the roof and some porous brickwork which needed dealing with before we could go any further.
I'm not going to lie; walking into Ted's bedroom and seeing a huge, yellow damp stain covering one corner of the wall and ceiling left me feeling absolutely gutted; even more so when I saw the extent of the problem in the middle bedroom on the chimney wall. We'd already gone to huge lengths in totally stripping and fully replastering, rather than just skimming, and to see that brand new plaster already damaged was so disheartening.
Luckily, we were able to get to the root of the problem quite easily; if you looked from the outside, the roof was showing some damaged tiles in exactly the place where the damp patch had appeared in Ted's room, and with regards to the chimney wall, well the chimney had still been open during the heavy rain as Paul and his dad had not got round to capping and finishing it off the weekend previously like we'd hoped to. There was also evidence of blown bricks on that elevation which Paul thought could have been sucking moisture through to the inside walls.
We still had scaffolding up from the previous chimney repairs so Paul was able to get his scaffolders to just move it over a bit so we could strip back and repair the roof damage. Paul also gave the exterior brickwork a good few coats of brick sealant to help stop any moisture coming through that way, and the chimneys were both capped off and finished to prevent any rain coming down.
It seems to have done the trick – fingers crossed! – and with a bit of stain blocker and some damp proof paint the interior walls are thankfully back to their gleaming whiteness.
It just goes to show that, even when you think you're making good progress, things can crop up to set you back. But that's the nature of the beast; I think you have to be prepared to expect the unexpected and roll with it to find ways to fix things quickly and efficiently.


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€3 for Baked Potato for 1 with Choice of 3 Fillings at Saburrito
– Dangerously delectable baked potatoes at Saburritos.
– €3 for a baked potato with three fillings.
– €5 for two baked potatoes or €14 for five.
The Best Bits
– Enjoy a fluffy baked potato.
– Heaped with three tasty fillings of your choice.
– Choose from pulled beef, ground beef, chilli con carne, grilled chicken, pulled pork, chorizo or vegetarian options.
– Valid for Epicurean Food Hall, just off Henry Street, or Liffey Valley Shopping Centre.
About Saburritos
In addition to satisfying your cravings for burritos, Saburritos also dish up quesadillas, tortas, chilli con carne, fiesty fajitas and hit nachos. With two locations in the city centre and one northside (Swords) and southside (Clondalkin) location, they're got the city covered when it comes to great Mexican dining.
Saburritos – Epicurean Food Hall, Dublin 1 & Liffey Valley Shopping Centre
Epicurean Food Hall, Liffey Street, Dublin 1
Liffey Valley Shopping Centre, Dublin 22
Opening Hours
Liffey St – Monday-Sunday: 11am-6:30pm) // Liffey Valley – Monday-Wednesday: 11am-5:30pm, Thursday & Friday: 11am-9pm, Saturday & Sunday: 11am-5:30pm (subject to change)


text: It's hard to know what to believe these days. Marco Bello/Reuters May 18, 2017 Venezuela has a fake news problem too Miguel Angel Latouche, Universidad Central de Venezuela The president has fled the country. An activist has died in jail. A military coup is afoot. Fake news is dividing Venezuelans, making a peaceful end to its profound crisis ever less likely.


text:
- Instrument:
- Ensemble:
- Format:
- Publisher:
Snares Ahead - Full Score
By Thomas A Brown
Percussion Ensemble - Digital Download
Composed by Thomas A Brown. Concert. Percussion Ensemble. 4 pages. Duration 185. Published by Hal Leonard - Digital Sheet Music (HX.314200).
Item Number: HX.314200
About Digital Downloads
Digital Downloads are downloadable sheet music files that can be viewed directly on your computer, tablet or mobile device. Once you download your digital sheet music, you can view and print it at home, school, or anywhere you want to make music, and you don't have to be connected to the internet. Just purchase, download and play!
PLEASE NOTE: Your Digital Download will have a watermark at the bottom of each page that will include your name, purchase date and number of copies purchased. You are only authorized to print the number of copies that you have purchased. You may not digitally distribute or print more copies than purchased for use (i.e., you may not print or digitally distribute individual copies to friends or students).
Buy Together
Snares Ahead - Full Score
Digital Print Deluxe Binder
Buy both for $13.95


text:
« Transsexual Freakazoids Sue Plastic Surgeon in Canadian Kangaroo Court | Main | Responding to the Gray Lady's Tears »
February 17, 2008
Psychiatrist Confirms: Liberalism Is a Mental Disorder
As a clinical and forensic psychiatrist, Lyle Rossiter has treated over 1,500 patients and examined over 2,700 civil and criminal cases. Turning his hand to political psychopathology, the author of The Liberal Mind: The Psychological Causes of Political Madness, has diagnosed an alarming percentage of the population as suffering from the grotesque form of mental derangement known by some as moonbattery.
Among Rossiter's observations:
Based on strikingly irrational beliefs and emotions, modern liberals relentlessly undermine the most important principles on which our freedoms were founded. Like spoiled, angry children, they rebel against the normal responsibilities of adulthood and demand that a parental government meet their needs from cradle to grave.
A social scientist who understands human nature will not dismiss the vital roles of free choice, voluntary cooperation and moral integrity — as liberals do. A political leader who understands human nature will not ignore individual differences in talent, drive, personal appeal and work ethic, and then try to impose economic and social equality on the population — as liberals do. And a legislator who understands human nature will not create an environment of rules which over-regulates and over-taxes the nation's citizens, corrupts their character and reduces them to wards of the state — as liberals do.
The roots of liberalism — and its associated madness — can be clearly identified by understanding how children develop from infancy to adulthood and how distorted development produces the irrational beliefs of the liberal mind. When the modern liberal mind whines about imaginary victims, rages against imaginary villains and seeks above all else to run the lives of persons competent to run their own lives, the neurosis of the liberal mind becomes painfully obvious.
Basically liberalism is a willful failure to mature beyond adolescence that can have catastrophic consequences for society. With luck, the official diagnosis of this disease by a mental health professional will facilitate the search for a cure.
On tips from Jimbo and Hutchrun.
Posted by Van Helsing at February 17, 2008 11:08 AM
This comes as no surprise to anyone whose seen a Code Pink/World Won't Wait demo, or read comments on a left-wing blog.
Posted by: V the K at February 17, 2008 12:19 PM
God knows the liberals include plenty of nutjobs, but overall I think of liberalism more as a character defect. Those espousing seem to feel that the world should be the way they think it should be, and that they should have whatever they want, without working for it, simply because they want it. And when they don't get their way, rather than deciding to work harder next time, they feel some great injustice has been done to them, and that some greater power should intercede on their behalf.
It's childish on their part, and embarrassing to others to encounter such views.
Posted by: Jay Guevara at February 17, 2008 2:10 PM
Nice. How much did you conservatives have to pay this guy to bend his research to fit this, or are you just making it up completely?
Posted by: Anonymous at February 17, 2008 2:22 PM
Jay: No doubt you're right, that the majority of these poor, pitiful creatures (Liberals) are merely defective either in character or basic morality, but there are more than a small minority of these demented crazoids, the Code Pinkers among them, along with the Daily KOS and D.U., who are absolutely, certifiably insane (and should be committed, but won't be, of course). Those are the ones we all have to watch out for, since should they or their surrogates (Clinton or Obama) come to power, this nation will be destroyed, utterly, in their fanatic desire to impose "change" (read: Marxist-Leninist Communism) upon all things American.
Posted by: jc14 at February 17, 2008 2:24 PM
Anon. -- To quote the psychiatrist, Dr. Rossiter:
"When the modern liberal mind whines about imaginary victims, rages against imaginary villains and seeks above all else to run the lives of persons competent to run their own lives, the neurosis of the liberal mind becomes painfully obvious."
Sounds like that fits you to a "T."
Posted by: jc14 at February 17, 2008 2:27 PM
"How much did you conservatives have to pay this guy..."
He's on a handsome retainer. He and all the "global warming is a farce" scientists are paid from the same kitty. Members of the vast right-wing consipiracy take up a monthly collection to pay them.
Nitwit. Nice example you are.
Posted by: Jimbo at February 17, 2008 2:33 PM
Now we need a cure.
Any ideas?
Posted by: UCA at February 17, 2008 3:04 PM
I just knew this infectious problem was a certifiable disease!
The lads and I have decided to pull all of our funding out of Africa and bring it to the states in hopes of finding a cure. Once liberalism is eradicated in America it can begin strengthening itself back to it's rightful place. With America on top of it's game she will be better able to end poverty in 3rd world countries.
It's a Beautiful Day!
Posted by: Bono at February 17, 2008 3:44 PM
Now we need a cure.
Any ideas?
A good famine or plague would solve the problem. Moonbats can only survive because our society is prosperous enough to permit them to survive. If Code Pinkos had to work for a living, they wouldn't have time to protest Marines. If our society was reduced to the basic necessities, we wouldn't have the money to employ gender studies professors or transgender awareness facilitators.
Moonbats aren't equipped to survive any kind of harsh environments. One of the few benefits of a total societal collapse would be the rapid extermination of moonbats.
Posted by: V the K at February 17, 2008 6:25 PM
V's absolutely right. Someone who has to expend actual effort to keep body and soul together dries out in a hurry, and thereafter takes a very dim view of leftist crap. Agonizing over whether some prospective element of the diet is "vegan" or not is a non-issue if you're really - and I mean, really - hungry. In that case, the diet is determined solely by what you can outrun or outwit. (g)
Posted by: Jay Guevara at February 17, 2008 7:16 PM
Afterthought: I'm always intrigued by how leftists, such as our friend above, attribute pecuniary motives to all and sundry. It apparently never occurs to them that some people might perfectly legitimately (and rightly or wrongly) disagree with them, without being bought off.
Posted by: Jay Guevara at February 17, 2008 7:35 PM
"Anonymous at February 17, 2008 2:22 PM"
Did the good doctor mention anything about 'paranoia'?
Look Liberals, we don't HATE you, we just don't UNDERSTAND you! But we're trying.
Posted by: KHarn at February 17, 2008 7:47 PM
yes, there is a cure.
unfortunately it involves bending knees and every tongue confessing...
Posted by: nanc at February 17, 2008 8:46 PM
This piece by a recognized psychiatrist is going to send droves of Moonbats into the arms of Scientology...
Posted by: BUUUUURRRRNING HOT at February 17, 2008 11:45 PM
Leftist Blogger: The Culture and topography of flyover country caused the NIU shooting. Yeah, it had nothing to do with the shooter being a drugged out, left-liberal sociopath.
Posted by: V the K at February 18, 2008 6:47 AM
A study funded by the US Government's National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health has concluded that conservatism can be explained psychologically as: a set of neuroses rooted in "fear and aggression, dogmatism and the intolerance of ambiguity".
A study by NYU and UCLA published in the Journal Nature Neuroscience shows liberals have a greater cognitive ability to problem solve and cope with changing conditions than conservatives who are more "persistent and structured" and are more reliant on "habitual responses." From the study:
"Liberalism was associated with stronger conflict-related anterior cingulate activity, suggesting greater neurocognitive sensitivity to cues for altering a habitual response pattern."
Essentially, conservatives tend to rely on 'persistence' in a 'habitual response pattern,' despite signals that this response pattern should change... (i.e. "stay the course")
Posted by: William at February 18, 2008 7:29 AM
William, so liberals don't stick to anything. Why am I not suprised?
BTW how much were these guys paid to come up with that conclusion? Oh crap...a liberal's argument used against them. Cognative dissonence. What to do.
Posted by: baldeagle390 at February 18, 2008 8:43 AM
William: So liberals don't stick to anything. Who would have thought?
Posted by: baldeagle390 at February 18, 2008 10:11 AM


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If only it were as simple as putting on a sensual song and slipping into something "more comfortable" to feel "in the mood" as a woman.
If you come to us for counseling you have learned all about emotional intimacy and have probably experienced a deepening of your relationship bond in a short amount of time. But sometimes couples still struggle sexually.
Sometimes it's a biological struggle, sometimes its dietary, and yet sometimes it's just simply a matter of preparing the mind for an encounter with our spouse. If you are a woman and find that you struggle with getting in the mood or enjoying sex maybe a natural stimulant will help. If this is you check this out.
According to the Journal of Sexual Medicine 30% of women experience pain during intercourse but "sizable proportions of Americans never even tell their partner when they're in pain". If we don't talk about this then what are we communicating?
It's this lack of communication that keeps us from changing the issues that are causing the pain. So here are a few ways to make communicating about sex easier.
1. Track the Cycle
So if you've worked with us at all you know about the negative cycle. It's a foundational aspect of building trust and intimacy both emotionally and physically. When you find sexual intimacy difficult maybe there's relationship strife keeping you from connecting and it's messing with you're ability to get close. So clear the air. Track the cycle and talk about how the negative cycle has kept you from feeling close. Tackle the negative cycle together as a team and that will do wonders to help you draw closer to each other. Remember you're talking about the rigid patterns of interaction that have kept you arguing or avoiding issues NOT about how you or your spouse personally bother each other. Stay focused on the cycle.
2. Ask good questions
It's so easy to assume we know what our spouse is thinking. Truly it's tempting for us all! So ask good questions to draw real answers out of your spouse. You can ask your spouse, "what would make you feel more loved?" or "What can I do to serve you today?" or even something as simple as, "tell me about your day? These little interactions make a big difference in our overall feelings of connection with our partner. When we are interested in them it makes it easier for them to be interested in us. That's true for business and social relationships but it's also very true for our love relationships as well. Sometimes we have to be the catalyst for change by first setting aside our hurts and inviting them in.
3. Create your own "normal"
According to a 1994 University of Chicago study, "The Social Organization of Sexuality: Sexual Practices in the United States," almost 80% of married couples have sex a few times a month or more. 32% reported having sex two to three times per week while 47% reported having sex a few times per month. What do you and your partner consider normal? What would you like ideally? Just talking about numbers can help - and give you something to work towards together. Also, numbers can be intimidating and depressing for some. If you're experiencing a time where you have to abstain from sex maybe after a surgery or baby give yourself some grace and take it slow.
4. Be Intentional
Take the time to be. Just "be" with each other. Turn off your cell phone and do your best to put the kids to bed early or have someone watch them for a little while to connect with your spouse. Sometimes just some alone time can help increase physical intimacy. Just 15 minutes can make a huge difference in your intimacy.
5. Actively Listen
It can be so hard to really listen when our attention is often pulled in so many directions. A good exercise for listening is to ask at 3-5 questions in a row before you respond with "I" or any other personal pronoun. In fact, just try to relax and stay quiet while they respond to your thoughtful question. Practice nodding and looking then in the eyes while you concentrate on their answers. Ask follow up questions so they feel heard and are encouraged to continue sharing with you. Face them and turn off any distractions. Active listening will help your partner connect with you and will likely increase your intimacy.
6. Come to therapy
Sometimes we just get stuck in a rut and we need a professional to help us out of it. That's what we're here for. We're human just like you with needs and hopes and desires. We can relate to you but we also have answers because we successfully help couples pull out of the rut every day. That's basically all we do.
7. Write it out
If you are like many people who struggle with sharing their intimate needs with anyone try writing it down. Write a note to your spouse. Write love notes to them letting them know how you feel about them. Sometimes it is much easier then trying to find the words in the moment. What a great way to increase sexual intimacy! Through the written word!!
8. Break out the board games!
Laughing together and having fun can be a wonderful way to connect and fall deeply in love with your spouse. It's a great way to initiate foreplay as well.
9. Natural Solutions Can Help
If you find that you've tried all of this and it's still difficult for you to get into the mood then there are various natural options available. Here is something we have found to be helpful for some of our clients. It's always a good idea to consult with your doctor before trying anything.
If you're ready for couples therapy complete our free online orientation HERE and check out our Healing Broken Trust podcast.


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Startups in Residence (SiR's) is a concept being piloted by the IgniteU NY program. SiR's are further developed startup companies that can provide advice to the core startups from the experiences they've had during their development. SiR's get the same benefits as the core startups in exchange for their advice and program support. SiR's serve as role models to the teams, they act as a point of contact for the teams during the eight week program by handling questions and staying updated on their progress.
Synerji is creating harmony among companies and their data to maximize information-driven results. Leveraging from high performance computing, our technology transforms big data into actionable insights for decision makers. They have licensed a machine learning product that has been developed and validated by the Air Force Research Laboratory for government operations. Now, Synerji is seeking a strategic partnership to take the technology to the commercial industry and revolutionize the way value is discovered in data. More Info
Coast Designwear is a lifestyle brand embracing the dual cultures of New York and Los Angeles. Coast was born out of a passion to create individuality of style in the eyewear, accessory, and apparel markets. They place a special focus on natural, sustainably sourced materials and organic designs, and understand the natural affinity we as humans have to such goods. They currently offer premium eyewear and iPhone skins handcrafted from a variety of exotic woods. Coast constantly seeks to take the ordinary and make it unexpected - and they ask you to join us on this journey. More info.
ReVivo Medical is an early-stage medical device company dedicated to improving treatments for back and neck pain through innovative design solutions. Based on decades of surgical experience, ReVivo has developed a family of spinal implants which are designed to improve long term outcomes, reduce complications, decrease operating room time, and diminish overall costs- qualities that are critical with the passage of the Affordable Care Act. ReVivo's products improve cervical spine fusion by optimizing implant bio-mechanics and integrating features which offer value to all stakeholders: the patient, the surgeon, the hospital, and the healthcare system. More Info.
SmartKids NY wants to spark early interest in STEM and boost the number of STEM-inspired students entering middle school by accelerating the introduction of entrepreneurs and innovators into elementary schools. Their program keeps STEM current and hands-on for kids, provides them with real role models, and supports classroom teaching with content and program materials that are standards based, aligned with Common Core and the NYS Science Standard, and offer a cross-curricular component tying together ELA, math, science and social studies. More Info
Glauconix is a contract research organization providing glaucoma drug screening services to the biopharma industry. Glauconix service uses a proprietary technology that quickly identifies the most effective glaucoma drugs saving time and money.
More Info.


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Most of the first-degree heart block cases may not need treatment, while the second-degree heart block patients may need a pacemaker. Third degree heart block, also known as complete heart block, needs immediate medical attention.
Heart blockage (coronary artery disease) occurs because of a build-up of materials within the arteries, which over time cut off the blood supply to the heart. It is characterised by disruption of electrical pulses that control the beating of the heart. It may show up as chest pain or shortness of breath.
There are three levels of heart block – first degree heart block, second degree heart block and third degree heart block. Most of the first-degree heart block cases may not need treatment while second-degree heart block patients may need a pacemaker. Usually, the most serious type of heart block (third degree) causes symptoms, also known as complete heart block, needs medical attention.
[Read: How to Keep Heart Stroke at Bay]
Treatment of Heart Blockage
Heart blockage does not always require treatment, unless there are some serious symptoms. Most cases of acquired heart block need to receive treatment, which is either a case of Mobitz type 2 second degree heart block or third degree heart block. The treatment options of symptomatic heart blockage include:
Transcutaneous pacing (TCP)
Transcutaneous pacing (TCP) is the treatment procedure that restores your normal heartbeat. During TCP, pads are applied on a patient's chest to deliver the electrical pulses which help restore your heart rate. The medical procedure can make you feel uncomfortable, so you may be sedated before the procedure begins. You will be given medication so that you have no awareness of what is going on around you.
Temporary transvenous pacing (TTP) is an alternative to TCP in which a tiny wire is fed into the heart and linked to an external pacemaker. Once it restores your heartbeat, a permanent pacemaker may be recommended.
It is a device which generates tiny electrical signals and replaces the function of your natural pacemaker. A pacemaker is a tiny device, run by a small dry cell battery. It is linked to up to 4 wires that are fed into your heart through one of the veins for heart beat restoration. It is inserted under the skin of your chest and sends regular electrical pulses to keep your heart beating regularly.
A little balloon is inserted into the clogged section of the artery. Then, it is inflated to widen the artery and increase blood flow. As angioplasty alone is not enough to take care of the heart blockage completely, stents may be used in combination with angioplasty. A stent is a tiny metal coil inserted at the point where the artery narrows.
Read more articles on Heart Health.
All possible measures have been taken to ensure accuracy, reliability, timeliness and authenticity of the information; however Onlymyhealth.com does not take any liability for the same. Using any information provided by the website is solely at the viewers' discretion. In case of any medical exigencies/ persistent health issues, we advise you to seek a qualified medical practitioner before putting to use any advice/tips given by our team or any third party in form of answers/comments on the above mentioned website.


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'MAA', the first word that we utter when we are being thought how to speak. Out of seven beautiful words discovered in English, mother is one of them. A mother is she who can take the place of all others but whose place no one else can take in our lives.
This Tamil short film which reflects over teen pregnancy is must watch for parents. This movie is directed by KM Sarjun after releasing his short film Lakshmi. Maa, from Ondraga Entertainment, is a story of 15 year-old girl playing around her cherubbish days gets pregnant, which is an interdiction topic in our society. Yet it is not something which can be ignored, but there's always a way to handle immature incidents happening around us rather than taking assertions on women sexuality outrageously. The film is about the relationship between a mother and a daughter, when her daughter reveals about her having unprotected sex with her schoolmate, result is pregnant and her reaction over her child's teen pregnancy. The entire short film reflects over mother's decision where she is glued between the two worlds, one in which she has to keep up her conservative thoughts and respect regarding her family and the other where she has to put in her trust into her daughter and support her in her crucial days. yet journey's end aren't found with easy journey's beginning, because Ammu's(Anikha) father was a middle class man, college lecturer who had regressive beliefs about his daughter wearing shorts during hockey practice and fraternization among girls and boys inside and outside the college. The role played by Ammu also depicts importance of sex education and adult sexuality among the adolescent brains. These days, we somewhere lack in providing knowledge where it has become must among young minds due to drastic change in generation. The huge generation gap between a parent and child has to be filled to find the connectivity among themselves so that they can educate their children without harming their emotions and provide protection to them.
The most interesting here is when ammu asks her mother to bring child into this world, patiently replies to her that one must bring child in this world only when one is ready. A child shouldn't be in an atmosphere of fear and hate when he/she open her/his eyes. Maa is a fabulous movie that supports emotionally, physically and provides support that an adolescents require when they grow up. The mother shows her anger but also expresses her love, trust and feelings in her child. At the end, she teaches her daughter that when you commit a mistake you must always think 10x,but if you are girl, you must think 100x, this shows where our society teaches us that a girl has to face all the flaws when the story is been created from both the sides. The short film has also upheld the emotions by showing the response of the boy(Hari) who makes Ammu pregnant by making him feel sorry towards her. But his life carry's out to be the same, so her mother teaches her to move on, live her life freely without being held back at home in shame.


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The Work
What? Work? YEP!
Our initiative doesn't exist in a bubble. It has to work within the current system and its less-than-ideal reality. As community members, however, we can create better lifestyles for ourselves while working to transform that reality through the creative use of resources. We already have the land at Finca Astoria. We already have our co-working co-living hub at Villa Astoria with reliable internet. Putting on our thinking caps, there are tons of opportunities for eco-employment – using our resources to their best advantage while generating useful products and income from our existing assets.
Community work
In addition to income generating work, we all work for the community a few hours each day as part of our commitment. This will be specified in the community statutes and is a fundamental principle of intentional communities. Members of some well-established communities don't need to do 'outside' work, they work only for the community and receive a stipend. We're not at that stage of community building yet — we're in the "roll up your sleeves and get down to it" stage. So, we need to work in order to pay for normal daily expenses and we need to work to build the community.
Income generating work
There are many ways to earn income doing something you love and many of these can quite easily be done here. We welcome people with 'location-independent' jobs that are compatible with our ethics, vision and mission, especially if they can be creatively combined with or can help enhance the necessary work of the community. This is the perfect place for someone who already has (or wants to develop) an online business or is a writer. The peace & quiet of the Finca, combined with the great beauty of the place & the comfortable accommodations and fast internet connection at the Guest House is very supportive of this kind of work.
- Self-employed or Digital Nomads: If you already do internet work or have a job that travels well, this is a great place to be. If you're not location-independent yet, you can always start here! The guest house offers a comfortable co-working environment.
- Writers, Researchers, etc.: The very tranquil environment is ideal for any profession where a great deal of quiet time is required. And there are plenty of potential research topics – from natural ecosystems to transition communities.
- Healing Modalities: We could offer special detox and food transition holidays, yoga, meditation, reiki or other modalities that serve to heal and bring us back into balance with ourselves and nature. If you're trained in healing modalities – we offer an ideal place to establish your healing business.
See more examples of income-generating work here.


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Stephanie has researched and published widely on gender, global production, employment, decent work, trade and labour standards, corporate social responsibility, fair trade, and ethical trade.
One of the University's growing number of Sustainability Enthusiasts. Find out more about the initiative here.
I have a strong interest in conservation biology and field course teaching and I have taught on field courses for over 10 years. Much of my field work is done in the neotropics as part of conservation and development projects. I am a certified Senior Ecologist (ESA) and a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society.
I am primarily interested in plant physiology in terms of plants' responses and interactions with the environment. I am especially keen to work on gas-exchange (photosynthesis, respiration and transpiration) and also resource-use efficiency across environmental gradients.
While doing my PhD I have investigated the effect of urban trees on adapting our cities to the urban heat island by measuring their growth and transpiration across environmental gradients. I have also attempted to carry out comparative ecophysiological studies on simulated changed climatic scenarios.
I am interested in the stores, behaviour, fate and transport of pollutants in the environment. Much of my work addresses the hydrological and biogeochemical processes that affect trace metal and nutrient cycling. I work in a range of systems including peat bogs, forests and urban environments. My research involves, catchment scale process work, laboratory and field experiments, analysis of spatial and temporal monitoring data, and GIS/statistical modelling.
Research interests: (1) Structure and function of fungal communities in soils and plant litter, (2) Biogeochemistry of Arctic and Antarctic soils, (3) Techniques to characterise the structure and function of the soil microbial community.
Green roofs and air pollution.
Urban vegetation is increasingly being recognised as an adaptation method for cities prone to the predicted effects of climate change such as increased temperatures, increased air pollution and a higher incidence of high precipitation events. Space is at a premium in cities, however, so an ideal place to implement urban greening programmes is on rooftops, which can constitute up to 35% of the urban area.
From Unilife Magazine, 2/12/13:
Our Environmental Sustainability: Becky Burns
The University of Manchester
Oxford Road
Manchester M13 9PL