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Making a difference in the design and performance of a home's interior space has never been easier for local homeowners than with the All-In Clearance Sale occurring now at Floortech of Racine. During this sale, local residential customers have the chance to enjoy special savings of up to 50% on a wide range of tile, carpet, hardwood, laminate, and luxury vinyl flooring in Sturtevant, WI, as well as the option to finance with low interest for 12 or 18 months.
When it comes to remodeling the floors of a living space, homeowners need to know that they're getting the best value for their investment. With a wide range of floors that combine lasting performance with timeless style available now at the All-In Clearance Sale, local customers who visit Floortech of Racine can spend less while getting more for their investment. Shoppers of the flooring showroom have a special opportunity to boost the total value of their residential property while increasing the beauty and functionality of their home interior spaces. With the chance to take home a product from one of the top brands in the flooring industry at rates up to 50% off, there's no better way to start a home renovation. Local flooring shoppers also have the option to choose from a variety of complimentary benefits with the purchase of select products. Some of the benefits include free estimates and room measurements, as well as furniture moving and deliveries at no additional charge.
Residential property owners on a strict budget still have the opportunity to enjoy luxurious flooring without stretching their budgets with the purchase of a new floor during the sale. Another way for shoppers to save even more money during the sale is the option to finance with low-interest payments over a period of either 12 months for a rate of 1.99% or a period of 18 months for a rate of 3.99%. This exclusive financing program is only available on star-rated products, and enables customers to spread their investment over a more manageable and convenient timeframe. Those who utilize these opportunities will have the chance to take home a beautiful floor at an excellent value while staying within the financial limits they've set for their projects. By accessing the store's website before visiting the showroom, customers can see a preview of the styles available during the sale prior to making the purchase of a new floor.
Call (262) 456-5462 or browse the store's website to learn out more about the discounts available on select flooring. Floortech of Racine serves clients in Sturtevant, Mt. Pleasant, Racine, Somers, and Union Grove, Wisconsin, as well as the surrounding areas.
Media Contact
Company Name: Floortech of Racine
Contact Person: David Hawes
Email: email@example.com
Phone: 262-456-5462
Address:9950 Durand Avenue
City: Sturtevant
State: WI
Country: United States
Website: http://www.floortechinteriors.com/


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After a stellar freshman season with the women's soccer team at Le Moyne College, Christie Morano is featured on the Dolphins' athletic website, touting the athletic progam's accolades on and off the field.Starting 18 of 19 games in her rookie campaign, the former Highland standout led the Dolphins with a team-high 11 goals last season. This coming from a former Mid-Hudson Athletic League Player of the Year while with the Huskies.
In all, Le Moyne went 10-7-2 overall as a team in Morano's freshman year.

subset: commoncrawl


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by Chef Shaya
This recipe makes about 15-20 hors d'œuvre.
For the croutons:
1 Long thin French baguette
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Freshly ground Black Pepper
For the Champignon topping:
About 10-15 Cremini mushrooms (also sold as Baby Bella mushrooms)
Blended Olive Oil or Vegetable Oil
3-6 Cloves of Garlic
½ Bunch of Italian Flat-Leaf parsley (curly parsley is also good, but much harder to wash)
1. Preheat the oven to 350° F
2. Cut the baguette on a bias (diagonal cut), about ½ inch thick.
3. Place the sliced baguettes into a large bowl, and drizzle with olive oil, mix and combine the baguette slices to be evenly coated with oil.
4. Place some parchment paper onto a sheet tray or baking sheet, and lay the baguette slices in even rows, and place into the oven.
5. Lightly salt and pepper the oiled baguettes, ensuring they get evenly coated. Make sure to not over season the slices; you really want a very light and subtle seasoning.
6. Very lightly toast the slices, cooking them for about 5 minutes on one side, then flip them over and toast them for about another 5 minutes. You really don't want to brown them so much as get the outside crust a little bit toasty, and the inner white bread should only be slightly dry, but still have a level of softness.
7. When they're done, take them out of the oven and remove them from the sheet tray. They'll continue to toast on the hot tray, so put them on a cool plate. Also try not to stack them as the steam will soften the middle layers.
8. While the baguette slices are toasting, brush the mushrooms clean with a lightly damp towel, and then slice off the stem so you are left with the cap and a flat underside surface.
9. Cut the mushroom caps into quarters, and set aside. Larger caps can be cut into halves first, and then those halves into thirds.
10. Slice the garlic cloves into thin slices, and set aside.
11. Place enough oil to just cover the surface of a shallow and wide medium flat skillet, and heat under high flame.
12. Let the oil and skillet heat until the surface of the oil begins to shimmer, but before the oil begins to smoke – if it's smoking, then the skillet is too hot and immediately remove it from the heat and allow it to cool slightly.
13. Add the chopped mushroom caps, enough to loosely cover the surface of the skillet. You don't want to overcrowd the pan, so as to not allow the proximity of the mushrooms to steam each other, what you want to do is sauté the mushrooms by extruding the inherent moisture that mushrooms have and browning the mushrooms.
14. If you have too many quartered mushrooms to sauté all of them at once, sauté them in batches, making sure to evenly distribute the sliced garlic between the number of batches you will need to sauté the mushrooms.
15. After about 3 minutes of sautéing, add the slices of garlic to the pan, and mix the ingredients evenly together. Continue the sautéing until the mushroom get smaller and darken in color. Try not to let the garlic burn and if you feel like it's about to burn, lower the heat. You should sauté for about 7 minutes.
16. At this point, remove the sautéed mushrooms and garlic onto a cutting board, and with a chef's knife, begin to give the mushrooms and garlic a rough chop. You want small dice, but not mushroom purée. Transfer the chopped ingredients to a bowl.
17. Make sure to clean the flat-leaf parsley very thoroughly by soaking it in water at least 2-3 times, refreshing the water between each round of soaking. After you've cleaned it of all the dirt and sand, make sure to thoroughly dry the leaves, because when you chop them while they're wet they tend to get mushy and pasty.
18. When the leaves are dry, bunch them up under your fingers into a tight ball, and chop the leaves. You want to get a fine parsley chop to the leaves.
19. Mix the chopped parsley with the chopped mushrooms and garlic in a bowl.
20. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and make sure to taste the mixture until it is seasoned to your taste.
21. With a spoon, scoop up the mushroom mixture and top one side of the toasted baguette slice. Continue until all the slices have a topping.
22. You can keep the topped croutons warm in a 150°F oven until you are ready to serve.


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In the bay window, below, at the front of my home, facing the street, tiny front yard, and several houses.
Landscape design begins inside your home.
Your realm doesn't start outside.
Winter's tilt of the Earth, light hurtling through space, wrapping wavelengths tenderly around my garden, shooting as particles through the window panes, returning to wavelengths of light & shadow, seen perhaps merely in walking past, better, when there is lunch here with a friend, light & shadow caressing all they touch.
This is all about you. Choices. How do you want to live in your realm?
Lighting from the garden & views into the garden are interior design choices along with paint colors & wallpaper.
Sacred vs. profane. If you aren't making active choices in either direction, the choice is still made.
Garden & Be Well, XO Tara
Pic taken this week. Set of chairs a great find at estate sale nearby years ago. Tiger oak drop leaf gate leg table a delightful find at local junk shop, now out of business.
For a beautiful garden & home filling you with joy, become my client, local/on-line.
Award winning speaker, hire me for your group, local/out-of-state.
Books by Tara Dillard, Amazon
Tara Dillard & Associates Design: farm to city pied-a-terre.
Construction by Award Winning
Shaefer Heard Construction, licensed home-builder, renovation - new construction. Heard's Landscaping a unit of SHC. 3 decades of service.
NOTE to my gardening friends... look for changes to come.
Knew before computers/cell phones, sitting in Atlanta traffic on way to a client, 'I must reach a larger audience with the same amount of effort.' Soon after that epiphany I signed my CBS-TV, and, books contracts on the same day.
Then I read an article in the NYTimes about something called 'blogging'. Saved the article for a year before reading it. Studied all the blogs they mentioned, hired a computer expert they quoted, and attended a blogging seminar.
Blogging 2.0 has arrived, my knowledge is 1.0. A believer in copying the best historic gardens across the globe it flows into every arena of life. Watching Maria Killam grow her career/blog/life over the past 3 years made its impact. Signed up for a year's course with her blogging expert, Jon Morrow.
Changes will be slow, plodding is my adored method. Pulling triggers here/there is spice in the mix.
What do YOU want?
Nothing is too small, too big, or too ego crushing to mention.
Passion lies in sharing what has filled me to the depths of grace, joy & atonement, the best landscapes created over the last 2,000+ years.
Just so you know...
I welcome your input.


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I don't want to be here today. I really don't.
In a few hours since my last post, things are going downhill so fast. Worse news keep coming as if the last one we heard just minutes ago isn't bad enough. At this rate, I don't know what the total number would be at the end of the day. It looks very scary as no one is spared it seems. I don't think anyone feels 100% safe at this moment. And I don't think anyone is doing any real work today either.
But then again, there is no such thing as preparing for the storm is there?


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I see Brazil as a series of clashes -- clashes of culture, ethnicity and philosophies. Clashes that generate a terrible, and yet-to-be tamed energy that has been given life to a complex society. Among the skyscrapers of the megalopolis and the trees of the Amazonia forest beats the heart of a multicultural country that is progressively learning to exploit the power of diversity. Contemporary photography takes possessions of these elements and emotions, becoming a solid instrument for new generations and a language to document the multifaceted angles of Brazilian society, its contrasts and renewed identity.
Contemporary photography in Brazil is colorful.
João Castilho (Belo Horizonte, 1978) approaches documentary subjects such as family, life and nature with saturated tones, surreal atmospheres and a very personal point of view. A project that best represents his photography is Whirlwind, a beautiful phantasmagoric and colorful view of the Sertão, a sub-region of the northeast of Brazil. Color is also a fundamental element in the work of multidisciplinary artist and Magnum Photos member Miguel Rio Branco (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 1946), who favors strong poetic narration. He documents the colors of the Carnival, Bahia and the African heart of the country while approaching a large variety of subjects, from boxing to prostitution.
Contemporary photography in Brazil is conceptual.
The work of Rogerio Reis (Rio de Janeiro, 1954) can be viewed as an analysis over the image and its use in contemporary society. In Nobody's No Man, he explores the issue of image copyrights and public spaces on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro -- a theme he approaches with humor and a strong esthetic sensibility. Pedro David (Estado de Minas Gerais, 1977) also favors conceptual photography, focussing on the clash between nature and urbanization. The series Suffocation epitomizes his photographic outlook: a plantation of eucalyptus brought from Europe replaces and oppresses the indigenous trees, a metaphor for the relationship between autochthon cultures and those installed after Brazil colonization.
Contemporary photography in Brazil is urban.
Tatewaki Nio (Kobe, 1971) has lived in Brazil since 1998. His work investigates Brazilian urban contexts with a specific focus on the city of São Paulo, the country's economic center. His photographs narrate the contrasts and transformations of one of the largest megalopolis in the world, where colossal urban sculptures bridge the gap between old and new, life and death, reflecting the passage of time in the changing cityscape. On the other hand the work of photojournalist Daniela Dacorso (Belo Horizonte, 1969) depicts urban tribes and their rhythms, the culture of the body on Brazil's beaches, and the life in Rio de Janeiro's favelas.
Contemporary photography in Brazil is about a boiling society.
In Humanae, photographer Angelica Dass (Rio de Janeiro, 1979) focuses on the whole ethnic and cultural spectrum of society. Breno Rotatori (Sao Paulo, 1988) looks at urban and suburban contexts, while simultaneously addressing the changes in contemporary Brazilian society. The project Manelud, for example, is a dialogue of plans and counterplans between himself and Ludmila Sakharoff, an 82-year-old woman. The series is not only a document about the middle class but also a reflection upon photography, and what it means to photograph and to be photographed. As for Ana Carolina Fernandes (Rio de Janeiro, 1963), for the last three years, she has worked on social issues, gender and identity, through the eyes of a community of transvestites. Her photos -- full of colors, silhouettes and contrasts -- communicate the emotions of this sub-world.
Giuseppe Oliverio is the Founder and CEO of the Photographic Museum of Humanity


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Fashion watchers got an eyeful at Sunday night's Screen Actors Guild Awards when it appeared that Jennifer Lawrence's navy Dior Haute Couture gown had split open when she stepped onto the stage to accept her Best Actress award. But Dior was quick to put the rumors to rest. On Monday, a spokeswoman for the fashion house said, "The dress is made with different levels of tulle and satin and that is what the viewers saw when Jennifer lifted her dress slightly. It was not ripped and there was no malfunction.…It was the design of the gown."
Double and triple takes abounded on the red carpet with a few mini trends in play: Lawrence, Amanda Seyfried and Carmen Electra in strapless navy gowns (the aforementioned Dior, Zac Posen and Tony Ward, respectively); Lea Michele, Nina Dobrev and Freida Pinto in hot pink; Helen Hunt and Jennifer Garner in metallic sequin columns, and Naomi Watts, Julia Stiles, Jennifer Westfeldt and Katrina Bowden in shades of silver and gray. Standing apart from the crowd were Anne Hathaway (Giambattista Valli Haute Couture), Marion Cotillard (Dior Haute Couture), January Jones (Prabal Gurung), Rose Byrne (Valentino) and Julianne Moore (Chanel Haute Couture) with unique silhouettes and details.
For their part, the men managed to make statements apart from the classic black tuxedo: Eddie Redmayne opted for a brown velvet Boss Black tux, Cory Monteith a gray Calvin Klein Collection number, Tom Hooper a navy Dior Homme version and Justin Timberlake a checked suit.
Alex Newell of "Glee" stood out for channeling a fashion figure instead of a designer's vision. "I'm wearing a cross between a cape and a blazer; I call it a clazer," he said. "It's inspired by André Leon Talley. I made a reference to him on the show and I was like, 'Wait a minute, I am kind of like him.' "
It was a shame nobody else stopped to discuss their choices. Lawrence may have had the flu, but the rest of the pack had the photo op on the brain and skipped reporters altogether. The step and repeat was awkwardly stationed in the middle of the long carpet rather than at the beginning. As stars from Claire Danes to Kerry Washington dutifully lined up (and made fast friends with their neighbors), others, like Cotillard and Hathaway, somehow got fast passes to the front of the line, proving that when it comes to most things, including fashion, there is a pecking order.
Attendees at the Audi and Essie-sponsored Entertainment Weekly Pre-SAG Awards Party on Saturday night proved more talkative. Non-nominee Joel McHale admitted he attended in the name of fashion. "This is so I can get another free coat. And you think I'm joking!" he told fellow guest Eliza Coupe, though he failed to mention the label.
Ashley Madekwe also used the party as an opportunity to play dress up. Wearing a ladylike Monique Lhuillier number, the "Revenge" star seemed perplexed by the night's purpose. "Is there anyone here who is nominated? If I was nominated, I'd be at home right now and anxiety ridden," she said. Her plans for the big day proved equally low key: "I typically skip the ceremony after watching the fashion. Sometimes I'll DVR it and will skip to the good bits. Is that terrible?"
Bradley Cooper escaped photographers with a private entrance. Later, his "Silver Linings Playbook" costar Chris Tucker, fresh from the Producer's Guild Awards held nearby, swung by in a suit which he called, "Tom I-Can't-a-Ford."


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VP Bank in the BVI
Our subsidiary overseas
VP Bank (BVI) Ltd, situated on Tortola in the capital, Road Town, was established in 1995 as a wholly owned subsidiary of VP Bank Group. The company's full banking licence means it can offer the entire range of private banking services to private individuals, intermediaries and asset managers.
Our team of experienced, international specialists brings together a wealth of expertise in all areas of the finance sector and operates with the help of a modern, sophisticated booking and trading platform. Because of our worldwide infrastructure our clients have the flexibility to engage in delayed trading and enjoy full access to all the leading markets, with the option of paying in US dollars and most European currencies. This enables them to realise their full potential.
Core competencies of VP Bank in the BVI
- Private banking services for private individuals
- Services for intermediaries and asset managers
VP Bank BVI
Mo-Fr 8 am - 5 pm
VP Bank (BVI) Ltd
VP Bank House · 156 Main Street · P.O. Box 2341
Road Town
British Virgin Islands
Worth knowing about the BVI financial centre
The financial centre in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), a UK overseas territory in the Caribbean, is dominated by business in offshore financial services. Since the mid-1980s companies have been allowed to set up offshore entities on the islands. The registration and licensing fees for such tax-exempt companies now account for more than half the income of the BVI government. Banking confidentiality is embedded in local law. The local currency is the US dollar. The BVI is increasingly positioning itself as a responsible international financial centre.


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- Cycling
USADA: Lance doped during comeback
Lance Armstrong was doping after his return to cycling in 2009 and offered the United States Anti-Doping Agency money to bury their investigation into the disgraced cyclist and his United States Postal Service team, according to the agency's chief executive Travis Tygart.
The head of USADA stripped Armstrong of his seven Tour de France titles along with all results dating back to 1998 and banned him from cycling for life after exposing what it described as "the most sophisticated, professionalised and successful doping programme that sport has ever seen".
Armstrong, who retired after claiming his seventh Yellow Jersey in 2005, insisted that he had not doped on his return to the sport in 2009-10 during his confessional interview with Oprah Winfrey, but Tygart says they have scientific proof that fails to support that claim.
Speaking on CBS's 60 Minutes, Tygart said that Armstrong's claims were "just contrary to the evidence.
"The evidence is clear. His blood tests in 2009, 2010, expert reports based on the variation of his blood values from those tests, [make it a] one-to-a-million chance that it was due to something other than doping."
Tygart remains convinced that Armstrong had influence over the International Cycling Union that protected him from being exposed as a doper, something both parties have denied.
"I think their involvement was a lot deeper in him pulling off this heist than he was willing to admit to," Tygart said, before revealing that Armstrong had attempted to pay off USADA in a bid to quash the allegations, which Armstrong also denies.
"I received a phone call from one of his closest associates and they offered us the money," Tygart added.
USADA has offered Armstrong a deadline of February 6 to agree to a full confession under oath that might open the door to a return to the sport in the future, but Tygart believes Armstrong's claims of innocence are designed to avoid the possibility of criminal prosecution, because there is a five-year statute in fraud cases.
"He would have to come in just like all 11 of his team-mates did and testify truthfully about all of those who were involved with him pulling off this grand heist," Tygart said.


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Prairie State Pressure
Welcome to Illinois, the United States' fifth most populous state, where you'll find one fantastic fifth-gen Camaro. The boosted bowtie is a '13 1LE, loaded up with every option but a sunroof. Stock pony power quickly went to the wayside, when Mitchell Nelson implanted a Kenne Bell 2.3-liter liquid cooled supercharger, pushing 10.5 psi. Working alongside is Kenne Bell's Boost-a-Pump and 60-pound injectors to supply a steady supply of 93-octane. The Pekin based Camaro spun up 553 rwhp and 504 ft-lb of torque, growling the entire time through the custom cat-delete pipe. According to Mitchell, all of the work (minus the tune) was performed in a friend's garage, adding new meaning to the term peer pressure. Out front, the intercooler ever so slightly peeks through the ZL1 fascia, just hinting at the horsepower hiding under the hood.
Chinese DeliveryVirginia based resident, Dylan Higgs, has a 2001 WS6, mostly paid for from countless late night delivery runs, when he worked for a busy Chinese restaurant. With that in mind, Dylan's built 383 cubic-inch Trans Am has been completely revamped, and the rods, pistons, valves, and lifters have all been built. The custom grind 223/239 cam, ported 243 heads, and ported FAST 92 mm throttle body add to the aftermarket allure. The WS6 sits on a full tubular suspension by UMI performance that keeps the ride happy when Dylan launches the beast using the Monster stage 3 clutch, grabs second gear with the short shifter, and uses all of the Detroit Truetrac 4.10 gears out back. Any way you look at it, Dylan's hard work has paid off, and he loves every minute spent behind the wheel of his stealthy Street Heat worthy bird.
Texas RedEverything's bigger in Texas, especially with a turbo. Speaking of those pressure-pushing parts, check out Rudy Quiroga's 2004 Camaro. The Edinburg resident slapped a hefty boost buddy on the 5.3-liter, and with the 243-heads and custom grind 114 LSA cam, the Lone Star shark spun up a killer 643 horsepower and 600 ft-lbs of torque at 18 psi. The entire E85 friendly setup runs with twin Granatelli in-tank pumps, finding a way to handle the additional fuel. The current turbo driven setup is spooling up a Magnum Performance T70, sucking in air through an LS6 intake, eventually spinning Motive 3.37 gears and the Mickey Thompson 305s out back. If things get out of hand, Rudy can rely on the C6 Z06 front rotors with '10 Camaro Brembo calipers and the 6-point Wolfe roll cage. Needless to say, the Texas red Camaro is ready to race, and Rudy plans to upgrade to a Turbonetics setup any day now.
Family Fanatics
Let's introduce Tommy and Kris Bowen, from Burlington, North Carolina. Tommy's a lifetime performance car fanatic, and holds the keys to a beautiful '86 Buick Grand National. His GN is a survivor car with almost every option and just 75,000 miles on the odometer. He will gladly share that the only add-ons are a performance exhaust and Eibach springs. Tommy's nephew Kris thankfully inherited the need for speed gene, and shares a similar love for GM High-Tech rides. Kris is the proud owner of the '02 Camaro sitting next to his Uncle's GN, and the fourth-gen is an SLP SS (#6891). Likeminded performance car fanatics would definitely agree that being able to share the horsepower passion with a family member is priceless. Two generations of cars next to their human counterparts doesn't get any better than this!
Send high-res, digital photos and a description of your high-tech performer to:
firstname.lastname@example.com or mail to GM High-Tech Performance, 9036 Brittany Way, Tampa, FL 33619. All photos are presumed to be for publication, and GMHTP reserves the right to edit accompanying descriptions.


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Thursday, November 1, 2012
Dodgers name Bob Engle Vice President of International Scouting
The Los Angeles Dodgers today named long-time international scout Bob Engle as Vice-President of International Scouting. The announcement was made by Dodgers' General Manager Ned Colletti.
Engle, who served in the same capacity for the Seattle Mariners since 2004, has been in Major League Baseball since 1974 and has been instrumental in the signing of four Cy Young Award winners.
"Bob Engle and his knowledge of the international landscape is a great addition to our scouting team," said Colletti. "Our new ownership's directive is to strengthen the Dodgers' scouting, both domestically and internationally. Developing future players through heightened scouting is paramount to the long-term success of the Dodgers' organization."
Engle, who also has worked for the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays, played a key role in the scouting and signing of Cy Young Award winners Roy Halladay, Chris Carpenter, Pat Hentgen and Felix Hernandez.
Hired as Midwest Scouting Supervisor by the Orioles in 1974, Engle moved to the Blue Jays two years later and spent the next 24 years with Toronto. He was hired by the Blue Jays in 1976 as Eastern Scouting Supervisor, promoted to Eastern Regional Scouting Director in 1982, and to Director of Scouting in 1990. He continued his advancement in the Blue Jays organization, becoming Assistant General Manager in 1995 and Senior Advisor, Baseball Operations in 1997.
Engle joined the Mariners in 2000 as Senior Advisor to the Vice-President and General Manager of Baseball Operations. He was named Director of International Operations in 2004 and was promoted to Vice-President, International Operations in 2007.
Voted East Coast Scout of the Year in 2011, Engle is a member of the Pennsylvania Hall of Fame. A graduate of the University of Colorado, Boulder, Engle and his wife, Barbara, reside in Tampa, FL.
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News that a consortium of mostly Chinese companies will seek permission to use exclusively Chinese labour for underground work in four proposed B.C. coal mines has blown the lid off a simmering debate over the dramatic increase in the use of Canada's temporary foreign worker program.
The Harper government, which only last spring announced measures to boost the already record-high use of TFWs, has announced a program review in light of the public backlash and court challenges over the Chinese mine plan.
The controversy has put a spotlight on a program which employs workers in occupations ranging from the skilled trades and domestic and farm workers to nursing, the fast-food industry and the ski business.
Proponents argue the program, which is hugely popular with many Canadian and particularly B.C. employers, helps Canada fill a critical labour shortage. They say the program doesn't hurt Canadian workers because employers are supposed to prove the workers can't be found in Canada and that newcomers are paid a competitive wage.
But critics say TFWs are vulnerable to exploitation, have little to no recourse if they are mistreated by their employers and, according to economists on both sides of the political spectrum, their presence depresses wages and job opportunities for Canadians.
And while Canada hasn't yet experienced the critical problem facing the U.S. and Europe - of "temporary" workers who go underground rather than return when their permits expire - some experts warn of a ticking time bomb in April of 2015.
That's when a four-year maximum imposed last year on permit extensions expires. Given the current pace, there will be well over a half-million foreigners in Canada on TFW permits that year.
Immigration Minister Jason Kenney dismisses much of the criticism that TFWs suppress wages and job opportunities for Canadians, suggesting that the program's detractors - especially the NDP and unions - are engaged in "demagogy."
But he acknowledged some concern about some TFWs potentially overstaying their welcome when a huge number of permits expire for good in 2015.
"Look, I can't say I'm not without concern about this issue, but so far we have not seen signs of problems in terms of overstays in the program," he told The Vancouver Sun on Friday.
He expressed confidence that the recently beefed-up Canada Border Services Agency, and new entry-exit border controls brought in under the Canada-U.S. perimeter security agreement struck earlier this year, will help track down migrants who go underground rather than leave.
The TFW program began in 1966 when the seasonal agricultural worker program was established, and expanded in 1981 with the live-in caregiver program. Special streams for low-and high-skilled workers were also added to the program.
Over time, the TFW program has become the federal government's main tool to help businesses find workers, overtaking the traditional immigration program.
While the number of permanent economic immigrants has remained relatively constant since 2005, the number of TFWs has soared 56 per cent to 190,842 last year from just over 122,000 seven years ago.
In B.C. the number of TFW permits grew by 66 per cent over the same time period. B.C. also receives a disproportionate share of TFWs, accounting for almost a quarter of the national total (24.3 per cent) despite having 13 per cent of Canada's population.
The B.C. government argues that the province has a "population gap" rather than a skills gap, and standard sources of labour - from local training to interprovincial migration to traditional immigration from overseas - can't fill it.
"Our expectation, based on a retiring workforce and the creation of new jobs, is that one million jobs will open up over the next decade," according to Jobs Minister Pat Bell. "We expect around 650,000 people to enter the workforce from B.C. schools in the same time period. Even after we're 100-per-cent successful in training people, we still have a population gap."
Fast-food chains such as Wendy's and McDonald's are some of the biggest employers of temporary foreign workers in the country. In the case of McDonald's, many are hired to work in remote areas and resource-industry towns in northern parts of the country, company spokesman John Gibson said. The top three source countries for TFWs in this province between 2008 and 2010, including both newcomers and those with ongoing permits, were the U.S., Australia, and Mexico, according to the B.C. government. China was a distant 15th in 2010, with just 538 TFW permits issued.
In B.C., temporary foreign workers are most likely to be employed in agriculture, fast food or construction, but are by no means limited to those industries. Blueprint Events, which brings in DJs, artists and their crews to play in local nightclubs, was one of the province's biggest users of the temporary foreign worker program last year.
The artists and crews mostly come from the U.S., said owner Alvaro Prol, but also from Europe and elsewhere.
Whistler Blackcomb, which employs many youth from Australia on temporary work permits, and film production companies were also frequent users of the program.
One of the big B.C. users is Chilliwack-based bedding plant supplier DeVry Greenhouses. In the spring, the busiest time of year, the greenhouse employs about 100 workers from Mexico who make up roughly half its workforce, said owner Pete DeVry.
Without the "amigos," he is quick to add, his business could not function.
DeVry, like all employers, is required to post positions locally before offering them to foreigners.
When DeVry's operations manager Henk-Jan Roos did so a couple of months ago, he interviewed about 60 per cent of the applicants and hired six. Only one is still with the company, he said.
"They need work and as soon as they see something that looks ... a little better, boom, they're gone," Roos said, adding that local workers sometimes only give a few days' notice when they leave. "Those things make it impossible for me to plan for - never mind next month - the next day."
"Consistent, reliable work is what we receive from this program," added Pauline McLaren, DeVry's temporary foreign worker program liaison.
Jesus Bernardino, 38, has been working at DeVry's greenhouse for six years. The father of two from Mexico spends eight months a year working in Chilliwack and returns to his home in Querataro, near Mexico City, each Christmas.
Bernardino is in charge of making sure the poinsettias get the right amount of water. Too much or too little can be fatal for the delicate plants, which are finicky to grow in the Fraser Valley's cool, wet climate, and different varieties require different treatment. Bernardino is aware of all these things as he moves carefully throughout the seemingly endless rows of red, white and pink flowers that fill the greenhouse.
His day starts at about 5: 30 a.m. He lives at a nearby motel, which is paid for by DeVry, and takes a company bus to the greenhouse, where he starts work at 7 a.m.
These days, he finishes around 3 p.m., but in the busier spring season 55-or 60-hour weeks are not uncommon.
For this, he is paid the minimum wage of $10.25 an hour and is not paid extra for overtime (which is legal for farm workers). Seasonal agricultural workers pay CPP, EI and income tax, leaving Bernardino with about $1,000 every two weeks, out of which he pays for his groceries and personal items. The rest he sends home to Mexico to support his wife, eight-year-old son and four-year-old daughter. His earnings are the main source of income for the family and he will return to Mexico to join them on Dec. 15, on a flight that is paid for by the company.
Being separated for eight months of the year takes its toll on his family, Bernardino said.
"It's really hard, but this is the only way to make something for them," he said. "They always ask me, can they come with me?" He has to tell them no.
He said he would love to settle in Canada permanently and bring his family here, but the laws make it difficult.
Lucy Luna, the Abbotsford coordinator for the Agriculture Workers' Alliance, said one of the program's major flaws is that it gives employers far too much power. The workers' residency in Canada is contingent upon working for one employer, and not all are as responsible as DeVry.
Farm workers contact Luna when they need help understanding Canadian laws or tax requirements, but also when they run into problems with their employers.
This year alone, Luna has heard workers complain of not having access to running water in their homes, being beaten by their supervisor with a stick when they don't work fast enough, and living 27 to a house.
"When they come to me, they come desperate," she said.
They can complain - to police, the municipal government or the federal human resources department, depending on the situation - but doing so often means the employer will not ask them to come back the following year, Luna said.
The same applies for workers who get sick or injured and claim benefits through workers' compensation, she added. Once she explains the consequences of making such a complaint, very few choose to pursue them.
Kenney argued that Canadians have a distorted view of TFWs due to union criticism.
"I think there's a widespread misconception, created by labour unions, that the bulk of TFWs are low-skilled people who are in dangerous or in bottom-end jobs who are easily exploited," the minister said.
He said by far the largest single component is the youth exchange program, which brought in 55,000 last year, mostly from advanced economies like Britain, France, Australia and New Zealand.
"These are the Kiwi and Aussie lift operators at Whistler," Kenney said.
The next largest is the seasonal agriculture program, with 24,134 permits in 2011, while 18,530 are professionals, managers, investors and other business visitors who came last year.
That compares with 15,538 in the low-skilled category.
Leading the charge for more temporary workers are business lobby groups such as the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, which argues the Canadian economy is being held back by a "skills crisis" caused partly by the retirement of baby boomers.
The B.C. Business Council issued a report last year saying the province will experience a continuing shortage of engineers, tradespeople and health care workers, including nurses.
An increased use of TFWs "will be one element, and perhaps an increasingly important one, of a broader strategy to address future labour and skill shortages," the Business Council concluded.
The acceleration of the TFW program has created an odd-couple pairing of prominent economists normally at opposite extremes in public policy debates - Jim Stanford of the Canadian Auto Workers and Simon Fraser University professor emeritus Herb Grubel, who writes frequently for the conservative Fraser Institute.
"The aggressive expansion of the TFW program is part of a deliberate effort to undermine the bargaining power of Canadian workers, whether they're in a union or not," Stanford said in an email.
"It is part of a broader strategy to suppress wage growth and widen profit margins - not just in northern Alberta, but in any province and any sector. The workers who come in under the program are exploited, and treated as second-class citizens.
"Canada needs more immigration, that is clear. But immigrants have to come in with full rights and freedoms, not as quasi-indentured migrants."
Grubel describes the TFW program as effectively a business subsidy that lets frequent users avoid increasing wages to attract workers, invest in training, or automate production to boost productivity.
Canadians shouldn't "swallow this argument made by employers who would rather hire immigrants than pay higher wages," Grubel argued in an email interview.
In recent years some TFWs have started to challenge their employers through the courts and the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal over issues such as discrimination, payment and working conditions.
In a precedent-setting case before the B.C. Supreme Court, a group of former Denny's Restaurants workers from the Philippines is suing the company, alleging breaches of their employment contract.
Immigration economist Arthur Sweetman has argued that there is evidence the TFW program improves Canadian economic efficiency by bringing in foreigners with needed skills.
But he's among several in the field who say the TFW program's intake of low-skilled workers is particularly problematic for low-skilled Canadian workers, and especially new immigrants, who are squeezed out by the TFWs.
He argued the program is effectively a government subsidy for employers, who he says face an excessively low "hurdle" in terms of proving they sought domestic workers before searching overseas.
"More transparency on this program is needed, and that would improve the program's value for all of society - and not just for employers," he said in an email.


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What Leap Day Celebration would be complete without an homage to accidental off roading? In a happy timing coincidence, moron Scott Calderon managed to crash his Chrysler Town and Country yesterday, but the circumstances have us smacking our foreheads in disbelief. Mr. Calderon was driving on the highway and swerved to miss a utility truck and barricade on a closed bridge. We're not sure why he had to swerve to miss a clearly marked bridge that was out, but follow along and you might get a little insight.
What happened next can be called nothing short of utterly retarded. Mr. Calderson's pet Chihuahua somehow managed to get stuck under the cars brake pedal and the hapless owner could do nothing to dislodge him. 'Why,' might you ask, 'was he unable to do anything?' Well Mr. Calderson had a cell phone in one hand a cup of coffee in the other, thus eliminating dexterous appendages with which to remove the dog. We would have booted that little bastard out of there, or actually not had a loose chihuahua in the car in the first place. Anyway, as a result of the brake free situation, the car leapt off the road, down the embankment and into the river, where the airbags deployed and the car stayed upright enough to prevent Calderson from drowning. The utility crew and later emergency services saved him from the situation. [via KATU.com]


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Anyone who's seen Blade Runner — which should be all of you, by god — should remember the scene where Deckard goes backstage at a night club to interview the exotic dancer Zhora, who comes in with the synthetic snake she just used in her dance. The dance itself was never filmed... until now. Actress Joanna Cassify, who played Zhora in the 1982 film, decided to just up and record the scene a little while ago, complete with movie accurate make-up and snake, and then posted it for her fans. A few thoughts:
1) Given that the movie is over 30 years old, Joanna Cassidy has aged remarkably well.
2) Her house's entryway looks nice.
3) I'm going to go out on a limb and say this is not the music Ridley Scott would have chosen for the scene had he included it in the movie. Hopefully.
4) I would like to assume Cassidy has a smoke machine going at all times in her house.
[Via The Mary Sue]


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Rochester Middle School
Around RMS
Clubs and Organizations
The RMS Ski Club is being revived. There will be four trips to Gunstock Ski Area on Thursdays in January. The cost is approximately $50 per trip, depending on the number of students who sign up. There is an signup list in the main office. More information can be obtained by contacting Mr. Choate at email@example.com or Ms. Femino at email@example.com.
The Student Council hosted a grade 7 dance on Oct. 19, from 7-9 p.m. Billed as a "White-out Dance" – the cafeteria was decked with black lights and UV decorations. Approximately 50 seventh graders attended this new style dance. The eighth graders get their chance on Friday, Nov. 16. Mrs. Nelson is hoping for a greater attendance by the eighth graders, as this will be a sign of their interest in the grade 8 Semi-Formal Dance in June.
The cross country team will attend the annual Pumpkin Classic Meet at Barrington Middle School on Monday, Nov. 5. This meet was postponed from Oct. 30.
Last week's Sports section had a summary of the third annual Trick or Feet 5K Race sponsored by RMS, written by University of Kentucky English teacher Lea Marshall. The article had all the highlights from the race. There were many RMS connections to the runners in the meet. For instance, the overall winner Tom Doherty, is the husband of Jen Doherty, grade 8 specialist for the Kentucky team. The top female finisher, Ahna McCusker, runs with the Dover Middle School cross-country team, and her mother is a teacher in the Excel Program at RMS. There were several members of the RMS cross-country team competing, including Jeremy Lang, 6th place overall; Arie Breakfield, 8th; Andrew Gosselin, 21st; Lauren Noble, 23rd; Taylor Gray, 25th; Sydney Todd, 26th; Connor McLain, 32nd; Natalie Noble, 33rd; Aiden Stanton, 34th; Chloe Eames, 37th; Alicia Oumsang, 42nd; Jaxson Libby, 44th; and Jay Manzi, 57th. Special mention goes to RMS XC coach Norm Sanborn, in 12th place. Other RMS students running included: Matt Roy, 17th; Alex Munoz, 50th; and Spencer Wiles, 67th. Anna Noble, from the Spaulding High School XC team, placed 7th.
Many RMS staff members participated, too: Sierra Faist, 22nd, Dartmouth history teacher; Caryn Costello, Florida social studies teacher; Kristen Sturtevant, Florida science teacher; Jen McLain, administration secretary, and parent; Ken Daynard, B.U. English teacher; Vicki O'Donnell, SMU language arts teacher (and whose husband Mike also ran); and Valerie McKenney, RMS principal. Treat or Feet organizer Katie Taylor's husband Josh ran for the first time. Other members of the RMS extended family running in the race include: Bruce Demers and son Keegan Demers, Ambra Breakfield, Megan Williamson, John Noble, Sara Eames, Christine Breakfield, Izzi Eames, Holly Boston, Amanda Libby-Rowell, Tammy Lang, Brenda Lang, Beth Manzi, Mary Noble, Will Manzi, Michael Wiles, Matthew Sturtevant, Christine Wiles, and Elaine Dupuis. All results can be found at www.coolrunning.com.
Ms. Geisler has this report on the end of the volleyball season: "The RMS girls varsity volleyball team came ready to play this weekend at their end of the year tournament. The girls played together and stayed focused throughout the day and finished 1st in their pool. They then continued on all the way to the Championship game but fell short to St. Elizabeth Seton School, ranking them 2nd place overall. The girls had a great season and improved as a team."
Nov. 1: Picture re-take Day.
Nov. 2: Merit Club movie, after school.
Nov. 2: Reports cards distributed.
Nov. 5: Early release day.
Nov. 6: Teacher workshop, no students.
Nov. 9: Veterans Day assembly.
Nov. 12: Veterans Day, no school.
Nancy Loud School
It was Red Ribbon Week! All the kids had great fun dressing as super heros and wearing their rock star hair and cool hats. We learned the sound of the letter "S" in language arts and all about symmetry in math. We are having a fantastic week in first grade. The students enjoyed dressing up in team shirts, practicing their math facts and visiting different stations in the room. We are enjoying writing about ourselves and the cool air now. Wow! So many good things, so little time!
Chamberlain Street School
Chamberlain's dance team will begin their first session, Tuesday, Nov. 13 and will run through Dec. 18. If you would like to join, please fill out a permission slip and return it to school by Friday, Nov. 2. Students must be in grades three through five to join. They will learn popular styles of dance and will give demonstrations throughout the year and participate in the district wide talent show at the end of the year. The first dance will be an Irish inspired dance.
Chorus is meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings from 8:15-8:40 a.m. for fourth and fifth grade students. Having chorus before school will enable students to fully enjoy the chorus experience missing the least amount of academic instruction. This year Mrs. Abbiati, our music teacher, has 35 students participating in chorus.
Fourth grade Family Math Night was a great success! Many family members attended and learned math games to play with their children and learned what actually goes on during math lessons.
Please take some time to look through the rack of clothes that has accumulated in our lost and found. The rack is now located in the cafeteria.
St. Elizabeth Seton
By Makayla Thomas
This week was very exciting for St.E lizabeth Seton School. On Tuesday our eighth grade class spent the whole day visiting St. Thomas Aquinas High School. On Wednesday we had early release and parent teacher conferences were held. On Friday our kindergarten through fourth graders dressed up in their Halloween costumes and had their Halloween celebration. Then on Saturday our varsity volleyball team competed in the Championship Tournament at Dover Middle School and won! They end the season undefeated! We are very proud of our girls!
School Street School
Grade 2: The students have been busy working away this month. We've been learning that contractions are words that put two smaller words together and the apostrophe takes place of the missing letters of the word. We've also been working on being reading detectives by looking for clues to see if a story is realism or fantasy. We've even written our own realism and fantasy stories.
In math, we're learning to become time telling masters. We also reviewed our coin values and skip counting. Everyday we practice our fact fluency. As a school, we're scaring away germs in the bathrooms by having a clean bathroom routine. We're competing girls against boys. Here we go teams! We also celebrated our Family Fun Night last Thursday. We were able to dress up in costume. We participated in a wonderful story telling, face painting, making our own monster slime, and a creepy craft.
Nute High School and Library
By Alana Hodson
Though Nute may be a small school, it offers students many extracurricular options to further their learning, pursue a hobby, help the community, or get more in depth with a particular career choice. Students can take extended learning opportunities (ELOs), which provide education outside the school, often with occupations with on-site locations, to learn more about a particular career field, or they can take career and technical education (CTE),that will provide students with the option to take classes that are not offered at Nute, such as engineering or cosmetology. However, there are also several clubs that students can join that take place within the school and occur after school hours. These include the Yearbook Club, Business Club, Project Search, Stride to Pride, National Honors Society, Chess Club, Student Council, Elite Scholars Society, Ski Club, Drama Club, and the Ram Pack.
One of the most popular associations here at Nute is the National Honors Society which teaches students the value of keeping their community clean and providing aid to their community members. Currently, juniors and seniors whose GPAs have met the requirement have been invited into the society, and the induction ceremony will be held on Nov. 13. As a member of the NHS, each student must plan and conduct a community service project and complete 10 hours of community service. NHS gives students "opportunities to find out where their community needs help," explained Miss Chrissie Henner, advisor of the NHS at Nute. Some of the upcoming events for the NHS are gift wrapping at the Milton Elementary School in December and the annual blood drive, which will be held in May.
For those students who wish to contribute to their school within its walls, there is the Yearbook Club, which is an essentially student-run organization in which students work on producing this year's high school yearbook. The Yearbook Club is currently locating last year's prom pictures and is hard at work on the senior pictures and write-ups portion of the book, as well as adding the Class of 2013 "looking back" picture. The making of the year book is a team effort, not only by the members of the club, but also by the students of each class. "The more people who make a contribution, the better the book," said advisor, Mrs. Julie Davis.
The Business Club is also a great way to contribute to the school, and it is also perfect for students who wish to own a business or acquire a career in marketing when they are older. In this club, "students learn about entrepreneurship, marketing, and team-building," stated the head of the club, Ms. Penny Baker. The Business Club is in charge of "Rams on the Run," a school store that sells school supplies and seasonal items, such as Halloween-themed pencils. To promote school spirit, the Business Club also sells Nute apparel, featuring purple and gold sweatshirts, t-shirts, and sweatpants embroidered with our mascot, the ram. With the money raised throughout the year, the club then sponsors Nute's Got Talent, a school-wide talent show that showcases students' abilities, enhancing their self-esteem and encouraging others to pursue their dreams.
A club fit for students with a dramatic flair and a passion for the arts would, of course, be the Drama club. Drama is actually a class during the fall and a club during the spring. As a club, drama is also open to middle school students, successfully unifying two groups of students who usually see each other only while passing in the halls. Currently, the drama class, many members of whom also participate in the spring club, is in the process of producing a play called Happily N'ever After. Aside from learning the technical aspects of drama and theater, students learn life-long skills such as leadership, communication, coordination with others, adapting, planning, and the importance of following protocol. "Because the class is set up so that students run rehearsals, they are really living the drama experience," commented the producer and advisor, Mr. Douglas Decker. What students do in the class and club is what they would be doing if they were working on the set of a professional play.
These clubs and many more are available to the students of Nute, not only educating them on the specific subject of that club, but also teaching them social skills that they can apply to their lives like communication, collaboration, leadership, and being active participants in their community.
School news roundup


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Annual Conference Focuses on the Human Rights of People with Disabilities
Sep. 16, 2013
ST. LOUIS - Webster University's 2013 annual Human Rights Conference will focus on the rights of those with disabilities, many of whom are legally discriminated against, abused and shunned in countries around the world. The conference, which is hosted by the College of Arts & Sciences Institute for Human Rights and Humanitarian Studies, will be held on Oct. 9 and 10 on the Webster Groves campus.
"Almost ten percent of the world's population has physical or mental impairments, yet discrimination against persons with disabilities is the norm rather than the exception," said Andrea Miller, a fellow for Webster's Institute for Human Rights and Humanitarian Studies. "In many countries, persons with disabilities are warehoused in degrading and dangerous conditions, apart from their families and friends. The abuse of persons with disabilities, sometimes reaching the legal definition of torture, goes largely unseen or unacknowledged."
Sight-impaired human rights activist Chen Guangcheng, who escaped from house arrest in China last year after several years of imprisonment and torture, is the keynote speaker.
The two-day conference will bring together issue leaders and pioneers in the struggle to recognize disability rights as an international human rights issue. They will discuss numerous topics, from conditions around the world to the failure of the United States to sign the United Nations' Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Convention, modeled in ways on the Americans with Disabilities Act, set a new standard for legal equality and equality of opportunity worldwide, but numerous countries have failed to ratify it.
"People often think about human rights issues as problems that happen 'out there,' in far-away places," said Lindsey Kingston, director of the Institute for Human Rights and Humanitarian Studies . "We want to stress that individuals with physical and mental disabilities face discrimination and various challenges at home and abroad. This year's focus on Disability Rights provides us with the space to talk about disability in a human rights context, and that includes discussing problems as well as solutions."
Speakers and special guests at this year's conference include:
Chen Guangcheng, who began his human rights advocacy working in rural China with people with disabilities. He first petitioned the Chinese government over taxes levied against the disabled, including himself. Guangcheng, a self-taught lawyer, was arrested in 2006 and was sentenced to more than four years in prison. Upon his release in 2010, he was placed under house arrest and subjected to beatings and harassment. Guangcheng escaped to Beijing in April 2012, where he requested asylum at the United States embassy.
Marca Bristo, president and CEO of Access Living, an organization that helps develop independent living skills, supports public education, and advocates for those with disabilities. She helped create the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and served as the presidential-appointed chairperson of the National Council on Disability from 1994-2002. She was also influential in negotiations for the United Nations' Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Sofía Galván Puente, director of Disability Rights International for Mexico and Central America. Galván has worked in both branches of the Inter-American Human Rights System: the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Galvan emphasizes protecting the right of children with disabilities.
Raúl Montoya Santamaría, executive director of the Colectivo Chuhcan, which was the first organization of people with psycho-social disabilities in Mexico. Santamaria stresses the importance of fully integrating people with disabilities into society, as well as the importance of reforming laws regarding the guardianship of institutionalized people with disabilities.
Jean-Francois Trani, an assistant professor at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in Saint Louis. His work lies at the intersection of mental health, disability, vulnerability, and poverty. Trani's research has contributed to the policy papers of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Public Health in Afghanistan regarding disability issues.
Also appearing will be the DisAbility Project and Common Threads Dance Company, an organization of performing artists that empowers individuals, honors their stories, sparks imaginations, fosters community, encourages civic dialogue, and enhances public awareness about disability through innovative theater of the highest quality.
This is the sixth annual Human Rights Conference held at the University's Webster Groves Campus. Previous events have focused on women's rights, refugee and migrant rights, and the rights of indigenous and stateless people.
For more information about this year's Human Right's Conference or to register online, visithttp://www.webster.edu/humanrights.


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Have interest and click the website to consult:
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Media Contact
Company Name: Airwheel Holding Limited
Contact Person: Eric
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Phone: +8618651968700
Country: United States
Website: http://www.airwheel.net


text:
Locations|Contact Us|Careers
The site navigation utilizes arrow, enter, escape, and space bar key commands. Left and right arrows move across top level links and expand / close menus in sub levels. Up and Down arrows will open main level menus and toggle through sub tier links. Enter and space open menus and escape closes them as well. Tab will move on to the next part of the site rather than go through menu items.
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Horizon Bancorp, Inc. is an independent, commercial bank holding company serving Indiana and Michigan through its commercial banking subsidiary, Horizon Bank. Horizon Bancorp, Inc. may be reached online at www.horizonbank.com. Its common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol HBNC.
Michigan City, Indiana (NASDAQ GM: HBNC) - Horizon Bancorp today announced its unaudited financial results for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2012. All share data has been adjusted to reflect Horizon's three-for-two stock split announced on October 16, 2012 to be paid on November 9, 2012.
"Throughout the Horizon organization, our employees continue to be successful in identifying and targeting opportunities to expand deposits, make new loans and increase our banking relationships with customers," said Craig M. Dwight, Chief Executive Officer. "In a lackluster economy, achieving growth targets has required diligent effort, and the Horizon team has demonstrated it's up to the task."
"A key goal of ours has been to increase our commercial lending portfolio and build multi-service relationships with small and mid-size businesses. Horizon is making good progress in achieving these goals, and we are particularly pleased with the contributions made by our Kalamazoo, MI and Indianapolis commercial loan teams. In addition, our success in Indianapolis recently prompted us to hire three new mortgage loan originators to serve this growth market."
"The acquisition of Heartland Bancshares expands Horizon's ability to serve Central Indiana, including the Indianapolis metropolitan area. This is a very promising and well-suited area for the services and products Horizon offers as a community bank with a talented and local team."
Dwight noted that the integration of Heartland's locations was completed during the third quarter and all data, technology and operations have been centralized in Horizon's Michigan City, IN headquarters. "The integration was completed on time and went very smoothly, and we're looking forward to developing a uniform level of efficiency and productivity throughout our expanded franchise. The quick and successful integration speaks well of the positive attitudes, work ethic and organization of both the Heartland and Horizon teams who worked on this endeavor," he explained.
Dwight further stated that Horizon's efficiency ratio was 62.99% for the nine months of 2012 and 65.35% in third quarter 2012. "We feel this is a good indication that, despite the acquisition and related costs, we were successful in keeping our expenses in line."
Acquisition Details
The third quarter 2012 results included approximately $1.0 million of one-time costs related to the acquisition and reflected cost reductions post conversion. The nine month operating results for 2012 included approximately $1.5 million of one-time costs. One Heartland branch location was closed on August 31, 2012. In the Heartland acquisition, Horizon recorded $19.7 million in capital, retired approximately $7.2 million of Heartland's TARP CPP preferred shares, and recorded a $2.3 million core deposit intangible and recorded $13.8 million in goodwill.
At September 30, 2012, $5.3 million in non-performing, $20.0 million in substandard and $4.6 million in delinquent loans were the result of the Heartland acquisition. The Company has deployed a seasoned expert in handling troubled loans to address these challenged credits and Horizon is already starting to see progress from its loan collection efforts.
Performance Highlights
Net income for the third quarter of 2012 was $4.8 million or $.54 diluted earnings per share, which reflects a 50% increase over the $3.4 million or $.36 diluted earnings per share in the third quarter of 2011. Net income for the first nine months of 2012 rose to $14.4 million or $1.75 diluted earnings per share, which reflects a 67% increase over the $9.3 million or $1.05 diluted earnings per share in the first nine months of 2011. This is the highest first nine months of net income in the Company's history.
"Horizon is focused on creating shareholder value, both through retained earnings and its long-standing practice of paying dividends to its common shareholders," explained Dwight. "We believe our strong earnings performance drives shareholder value and is supported by Horizon's long-term organic and acquisitive growth goals."
The net interest margin was 3.79% in the third quarter of 2012, up from 3.76% for the three-month period ending September 30, 2011 and the same as for the three months ending June 30, 2012. The net interest margin was 3.80% for the nine months ending September 30, 2012, up from 3.67% for the same period in 2011. The increase in the margin in 2012 compared to 2011 was primarily due to the reduction in the rate paid on interest bearing liabilities reducing more than the decline in the yield on interest earning assets.
During the third quarter of 2012 residential mortgage loan activity generated $4.4 million in income from the gain on sale of mortgage loans, an increase of $2.3 million from the same period in 2011.
Lending Activity
Total loans increased by $171.9 million from $983.2 million at December 31, 2011 to $1.2 billion at September 30, 2012. Commercial loans increased by $95.0 million, mortgage warehouse loans increased by $35.9 million, consumer loans increased by $21.5 million and residential mortgage loans increased by $19.4 million compared to December 31, 2011 loan levels. The acquisition of Heartland increased total loans by $114.6 million, and Horizon generated an additional $57.3 million in net organic loan growth during the first nine months of 2012.
The provision for loan losses was $1.0 million for the third quarter of 2012, which was $500,000 less than the provision for the same period of the prior year. For the first nine months of 2012, the provision for loan losses was $1.8 million ($2.6 million less than the provision for the same period of the prior year). The lower provision for loan losses was primarily related to a decrease in charged off loans.
"We believe Horizon's non-performing assets and loan loss reserve ratios are rapidly moving toward the level expected from a strong and growing organization with a healthy balance sheet," explained Dwight. "We have a strong culture of risk management, underwriting, and credit quality, and we understand the markets we serve. We feel these skills enable us to be very competitive in identifying and pursuing quality lending opportunities."
The ratio of allowance for loan losses to total loans decreased to 1.58% as of September 30, 2012 from 1.89% as of December 31, 2011. The decrease in the ratio was primarily due to the increase in total loans from the Heartland acquisition which were recorded at fair value with no allowance allocated to them at September 30, 2012.
Non-performing loans totaled $24.4 million on September 30, 2012, up from $20.8 million on June 30, 2012, and $23.6 million on September 30, 2011. The increase was due to the Heartland acquisition. Excluding Heartland, non-performing loans declined to $19.1 million from $20.8 million at June 30, 2012. As a percentage of total loans, non-performing loans were 2.08% on September 30, 2012, up from 2.07% on June 30, 2012, and 2.52% on September 30, 2011.
Other Real Estate Owned (OREO) totaled $2.6 million on September 30, 2012, up from $1.0 million on June 30, 2012, but down from $3.6 million on September 30, 2011. During the quarter, five properties with a book value of $431,000 were sold, four properties with a fair value of $405,000 were acquired from Heartland, and twelve properties with a book value of $1.6 million as of June 30, 2012 were transferred into OREO. One of the new OREO properties is a retail/warehouse building with a book value of $629,000. On September 30, 2012, OREO was comprised of 21 properties. Of these, ten totaling $1.9 million were commercial real estate and twelve totaling $716,000 were residential real estate.
Expense Management
Total non-interest expense was $5.1 million higher in the first nine months of 2012 compared to the first nine months of 2011 and $2.5 million higher in the three months ending September 30, 2012 compared to the three months ending September 30, 2011. Salaries and employee benefits increased $3.5 million for the first nine months compared to the same period in 2011 and were $1.8 million higher for the three months ending September 30, 2012 compared to the same period in 2011. These increases were primarily the result of changes to annual merit pay, employee benefits costs, commissions earned and bonus accruals. In addition, compensation expense was higher due to the Heartland merger. As stated above, included in the first nine months of 2012's non-interest expense was approximately $1.5 million of transaction expenses related to the Heartland acquisition and approximately $1.0 million in merger expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2012.
Dwight concluded: "We firmly believe there is tremendous opportunity for the community banking model to succeed. Although challenges are posed by regulatory uncertainty, pressure on margins due to a low interest rate environment, and increased requirements for capital, we feel Horizon has demonstrated that it's possible to achieve year-over-year and quarter-over-quarter growth despite these obstacles."
"We steadfastly maintain our commitment to provide superior products and services to the communities we serve, while generating value for the shareholders who support us."
Horizon Bancorp is a locally owned, independent, commercial bank holding company serving Northern and Central Indiana and Southwest Michigan through its commercial banking subsidiary, Horizon Bank, also doing business as Heartland Community Bank. Horizon also offers mortgage-banking services throughout the Midwest. Horizon Bancorp may be reached online at www.accesshorizon.com. Its common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol HBNC.
This press release may contain forward-looking statements regarding the financial performance, business prospects, growth and operating strategies of Horizon. For these statements, Horizon claims the protections of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements in this press release should be considered in conjunction with the other information available about Horizon, including the information in the filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements provide current expectations or forecasts of future events and are not guarantees of future performance. The forward-looking statements are based on management's expectations and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. We have tried, wherever possible, to identify such statements by using words such as "anticipate," "estimate," "project," "intend," "plan," "believe," "will" and similar expressions in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially include risk factors relating to the banking industry and the other factors detailed from time to time in Horizon's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those described in "Item 1A Risk Factors" of Part I of Horizon's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011. Undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Horizon does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to publicly release the result of any revisions that may be made to update any forward-looking statement to reflect the events or circumstances after the date on which the forward-looking statement is made, or reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except to the extent required by law.
Contact: Horizon Bancorp
Mark E. Secor
Chief Financial Officer
(219) 873-2611
Fax: (219) 874-9280


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Title 16
23.13 Misuse of the words "flawless," "perfect," etc.§ 23.13 Misuse of the words "flawless," "perfect," etc.
(a) It is unfair or deceptive to use the word "flawless" to describe any diamond that discloses flaws, cracks, inclusions, carbon spots, clouds, internal lasering, or other blemishes or imperfections of any sort when examined under a corrected magnifier at 10-power, with adequate illumination, by a person skilled in diamond grading.
(b) It is unfair or deceptive to use the word "perfect," or any representation of similar meaning, to describe any diamond unless the diamond meets the definition of "flawless" and is not of inferior color or make.
(c) It is unfair or deceptive to use the words "flawless" or "perfect" to describe a ring or other article of jewelry having a "flawless" or "perfect" principal diamond or diamonds, and supplementary stones that are not of such quality, unless there is a disclosure that the description applies only to the principal diamond or diamonds.


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4697 Makwa Drive
Hersey, Michigan 49639
Listing information updated 11/22/2020 at 1:42pm
Listing Office: RE/MAX TOGETHER
Disclaimer: The data relating to real estate for sale on this website comes in part from the Broker Reciprocity Program of SWMRIC, LLC. Real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than @properties are marked with the Broker Reciprocity thumbnail logo and detailed information about them includes the name of the listing brokers.
The village of Hersey is in Osceola County, Central Michigan. It has a small population of 350. It began as an early lumber town, and provided much of the materials used in the rebuilding of Chicago after the fire in…Learn More
School information is provided by the National Center for Education Statistics. This information should only be used as a reference and does not warrant or guarantee enrollment. Please contact applicable schools or school districts directly to verify information and enrollment eligibility.
No Nearby Public Transportation Found


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Sep-13-06 DCA Awards Shared Services Grant - $250,000 COUNT Grant to Benefit Somerset County Business Partnership
"Sharing services is an integral part of increasing government efficiency as well as a vital component of Governor Corzine's property tax reform plan," said Commissioner Levin. "The Somerset County Business Partnership is a great example of how sharing services can lead to efficient local services at lower costs to tax payers."
Somerset County Business Partnership will receive $50,000 this year and $100,000 in 2007 and 2008. The grant will allow the Partnership to expand its role in planning and facilitating a new level of shared service initiatives among the Somerset County Administration, the county's 21 municipalities and 19 school districts, the County Vocational & Technical School and Raritan Valley Community College.
COUNT Grants offer state financial assistance to help county governments facilitate, study, develop, or establish new shared and regional services. The program is designed to support county-developed initiatives to meet the shared service needs of the county and its constituents.
Somerset County is the fourth county to participate in the program.
More information on the COUNT program can be obtained by calling 609-984-7764, or by going online at www.nj.gov/dca/lgs/.


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Country Save is proud to show you the results of a test performed by Sterling Laboratories, of Sylvania, OH, an independent lab. Experience tells us the accumulated build-up of undissolved solids in your clothing is responsible for many skin irritations and the accelerated wear that many types of clothes demonstrate after months of washing. You may draw your own conclusions from the test results below. Country Save Powdered Laundry Detergent has been formulated to leave virtually no un-dissolved solids in your clothing.
PROJECT: Solubility Swatches /CS-00089. 5 swatches total are shown.
TEST: To show un-dissolved solids in each of five different
powdered detergent products when mixed with water per manufacturer's
specifications for a full load of laundry. Each sample was then
processed through Japanese Black Cotton to catch solid materials.
Country Save wishes to make the following points clear:


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*Disclaimer - This product was sent to me for free in exchange for an honest product review. All thoughts, opinions, and comments are truthful and are my own. *
After testing out, and loving Eden's Semilla Jojoba Oil a few months ago, I was so excited when another email popped into my inbox regarding their essential oils. I love essential oils. I use them in the bath, in the shower, in my diffuser, wherever I possibly can; and where I would normally use the oils from Mystic Moments (which can be found on Amazon), I have now completely switched to using the oils from Eden's Semilla. Here's why...
The first oils I tried out were from Set 1, from Amazon, and included Tea Tree, Lemongrass, Rosemary, and Frankincense. Although the instructions on each bottle suggest adding 4/5 drops to a bath or vaporizer, or using a few drops as a massage oil once diluted, I've been using them a little differently.
For example, the Tea Tree oil I've been using at night on my face to help get rid of spots and acne. I'll usually use just 2 drops and dilute it with cold water and then apply to my face and neck using a cotton pad. Although I generally get quite oily skin, using an oil on my face hasn't made my skin any more oily than usual, and actually, my skin's cleared up since using it to get rid of spots.
I've been using a lot of the oils in the shower, a little trick I discovered from snapchat. I'll use the more vibrant smelling oils in the morning to wake me up, and the calmer scents like Lavender and Rosemary in the evening to destress.
For example, this morning I poured about 6 drops of the Lemon-Grass oil into my shower, away from where the shower head was directly hitting, then after a minute I'll hop in and the entire bathroom will smell of the oil I'm using. It's really great if I'm not feeling too well as it will always clear my head and leave my bathroom smelling really nice.
The total cost for the four oils in my first set came to £6.75 as Eden's Semilla were running a 10% off offer. They are still currently running discounts as of 02/10/16, allowing you to save £4.45 on Set 1 for example.
The second set of oils I received was from what I like to call the 'pick and choose,' listing on Amazon. I chose Pine Tree, Lavender, Bergamot, and Cinnamon and each bottle has 10ml of oil with the total cost of the four oils being £8.46.
I've been using the Lavender and Bergamot in the shower in the evenings to reduce stress, but I have also loved using the Pine Tree oil in my diffuser instead of burning a candle as the oil is completely pure whereas candles have a tendency to be filled with chemicals.
The third set of oils was from Set 3 on Amazon and was £7.50 with the 10% offer which is still running. I received Sweet Orange, Eucalyptus, Sandalwood, and Peppermint. My favourite out of these four oils is probably the Eucalyptus as that is the one that I've been using most out of this set as I'm coming down with a cold and it's honestly one of the best natural remedies to help clear it up.
I would be completely willing to spend my own money on these and I will probably be repurchasing them once I run out. I'm completely in love with these products and I would recommend them to anyone. If you are planning on purchasing some of these please don't miss out on the offers, as essential oils can become very expensive and of course it's best to save wherever you can!
If you have any questions please leave a comment or email me, and links for the oils and the Eden's Semilla website are below.
Shop This Post -
Choose 4, 10ml bottles - Pine Tree, Lavender, Bergamot, and Cinnamon - cost a total of £8.46 on Amazon.
- 11:17
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Export 11 results:Author Title [ Type] Year
Filters: Author is David Fridley [Clear All Filters]
Prospective Evaluation of the Energy and CO2 Emissions Impact of China's 2010 – 2013 Efficiency Standards for Products. 2016. LBNL-1005921..
International Review of Frameworks for Impact Evaluation of Appliance Standards, Labeling, and Incentives. Berkeley: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 2012. LBNL-6003E..
China Energy and Emissions Path to 2030. . 2013. LBNL-4866E..
Business Case for Energy Efficiency in Support of Climate Change Mitigation, Economic and Societal Benefits in China. 2011. LBNL-5031E..
Assessment of Energy Use and Energy Savings Potential in Selected Industrial Sectors in India. LBNL, 2005. LBNL-57293..
Journal Article
"Modeling India's energy future using a bottom-up approach." Applied Energy 238 (2019)..
"A Comparative Study of Energy Consumption and Efficiency of Japanese and Chinese Manufacturing Industry." Energy Policy 70 (2014) 45-56..
"China's Energy and Emissions Outlook to 2050: Perspectives from Bottom-Up Energy End-Use Model." Energy Policy 53 (2013) 51-62. LBNL-6179E..
Conference Proceedings
"Quantifying the potential impact of energy efficiency and low carbon policies for China." the European Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy's 2013 Summer Study on Energy Efficiency 2013. LBNL-6161E..
Conference Paper
"Analysis of Potential Energy Saving and CO2 Emission Reduction of Home Appliances and Commercial Equipments in China." The 2010 American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy's Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings. . 2010. LBNL-3617E..


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I must be the only woman on the Western hemisphere who is not on a diet after the holidays. It can't be healthy to be on a diet in the dead of the winter. Besides – with all my food intolerances – I live in such a modesty I can afford some culinary cuddling. Don't you also need a bit of consolation?
This recipe is from my friend and wonderful cook Grazia in Perugia. I will be forever grateful to her for wisely revealing that custard can be made also with whole eggs. It's disarmingly easy and not wasteful. In addition, it magically produces a large amount of a delightful dessert with a small amount of fairly ordinary ingredients.
for the custard:
- 250 ml ( 1 cup) milk
- 1 whole egg
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 1 scant tablespoon maizena (corn starch)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon jam or the zest of 1/2 organic lemon
to finish:
- 250 ml ( 1 cup) whipping cream
- 3 tablespoon organic brown sugar or 6 tablespoon caramel
- light cookies or – much better – crumbled puff pastry
Please note that true Chantilly cream is sweetened whipped cream. In Italy however, this concoction of egg custard and whipped cream is called Chantilly and sometimes crema diplomatica.
Make the custard using my microwave method and let it cool completely. Please note that this recipe is slightly different from my classic custard as it has more sugar and a whole egg. Whip the cream until firm and add to the custard. Refrigerate until needed.
Just before serving distribute the cream into pretty serving bowls, crumble the puff pastry over it and sprinkle with brown sugar or drizzle with caramel.
Beware, you will be asked for more.
Serves 6


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CDKeys.com Deals Chrome Extension
Search online for your favourite games and always know if they are available to download at CDKeys.com


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Hi friends! In this weeks Stamp School lesson we will make this card:
You will need:
- 1 sheet of white cardstock
- Inkpads in shades if red, green and black
- Paper trimmer
- Button and string (if desired)
- Optional: Paint brush and water/waterbrush
The first technique you will need when learning how to stamp is how to apply ink to a stamp. I know it seems basic but many people get it wrong. Today I will show you a no-fail way and we will create a beautiful card. you will also learn how to make background paper which is a great way to practice and good for scrapbookers too plus you will always have paper to match your project! Interested yet? Watch the video to learn how!
I hope you are enjoying stamp school, I sure am! Next week we will be sing water-based markers, I will use the Spectrum Aqua markers (affiliate link) but you can use whatever water-based makers you have. The Spectrum Aquas are nice if you want to pick some up though. You can catch last weeks episode on basic supplies here if you missed it. Thanks for stopping by ad til next time happy crafting!
Filed under: Stamping | Tagged: basic stamping video, how to stamp, inkpads, rubber stamping for beginners, Stamping, thank you card | 13 Comments »


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Welcome to our online literature library.
Here you will find a wide range of M&G literature items, including Key Investor Information Documents, application forms, brochures and more to help you with your long-term investment decisions.
These documents provide you with key information about a fund, including details about the fund's different share classes. The information is required by law to help you understand the nature and the risks of investing in a fund. You are advised to read it so you can make an informed decision about whether to invest.
Please note that the risk and reward profile rating featured within the M&G KIIDs, the Synthetic Risk and Reward Indicator, is calculated by M&G in accordance with the guidelines prescribed by the Committee of European Securities Regulators (CESR).
The Costs and charges illustration contains information on the costs and charges applicable to your chosen share classes. The information is made available to help you understand the impact of such costs on your investment return.
Please also read the Important Information for Investors document in conjunction with the KIIDs. This contains details about how to invest, together with M&G's terms and conditions and your rights as an investor. You may also like to view the history of fund objectives. To see the amount of charges, in pounds and pence, you might expect to pay on the different funds in our range, please see our Fund Charges Calculator.
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Watch the full interview https://youtu.be/zwDe8bhFlR4Silver Shield Group MicroMintages https://silvershieldxchange.com/
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Every year more than 950 Australian children and adolescents will be diagnosed with cancer, and every week nearly three Australian children and adolescents will die of cancer. Children's Cancer Institute exits solely to put a stop to this.
As the only independent medical research institute in Australia wholly dedicated to childhood cancer, our role is vital. Because, despite our progress, cancer still kills more than any other disease.
Our task won't be easy – childhood cancer is hugely complex – but we're confident that with the brightest brains, the best facilities and the greatest determination, we will get the job done.
252 days
Amazing work, Dante!
256 days
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Happy Weekend Everybody! The sun is shining and there is much to celebrate.
Yesterday was Canada Day *waves flag proudly* and my friends in the US will be celebrating their nation's Independence Day on Monday.
Over in Europe, there's the Wimbledon finals, the Tour de France AND the FIFA Women's World Cup.
And it looks like Mother Nature has finally decided to let us have some summer weather. 😀
All very good reasons to raise your glass and cheer!
Most of this week it's been pretty rainy around here causing me to regard mostly colourless projects as, frankly, kind of depressing.
White, Grey, Grey/Rust/Grey, and Khaki. *sigh*
There was only one solution…
Digging around in my sock yarn stash, I picked out the brightest, happiest combination I could find, grabbed my copy of Last Minute Knitted Gifts and my 24″ set of 3.5mm Addis.
VOILA! Instant happy.
It's the very popular Chevron Scarf pattern by Joelle Hoverson done in Sheeps of Egyptian Cotton Handdyed Merino Fingering Wt in "Pacifica" and Lotus Yarns Chakra in "Jenna".
A great take-a-long project that I can pick up and do a few rows on whenever I need a blast of colour.
Regardless of the icky weather earlier this week, my Mitered Crosses Blanket seems to be progressing nicely:
4 squares down, 6 more to go.
Each block seems to be a 2-day project, so I give it a couple more weeks and they should be done.
I'm still thinking about how I want to handle the border as I really am not a fan of applied I-cord. (Don't get me wrong, I like the look, but I find it a bit of a pain to do.) Guessing it'll depend on how much yarn is left after the squares and filler pieces are done.
This weeks quickie project was knit out of some of my first wheelspun – remember this?
Well, it became this:
One of the hat patterns from Shannon Okey's Spin to Knit book.
I don't think it came out too bad for 62 yds of (badly) Navajo-plyed, eye-searing BFL.
You won't lose me in a crowd anyhow LOL.
When the sun came out in full force on Thursday, I took the rare opportunity to work on my embroidery projects that tend to get neglected in favour of my knitting obsession.
I got a little bit more done on the petit-point version of "Witchwork" by Amy Law that was designed for the Monica Ferris novel "Blackwork".
Rather than ordering the kit from Kreinik (it just wasn't in the budget when I started it last year), I ended up substituting the Silk Mori and Braid with DMC Cotton and Metallics on white linen from my fabric stash.
My version is a little more vibrant than the Kreinik original, but I really like how it's coming out. I've just started the final border, so the embroidery should be done fairly soon.
(I apologize for the fuzzy picture, my camera's acting up again.)
It will eventually grace the top of one of these boxes.
The piece measures *less* than 4″ square. Next time I'll throw a coin in the picture for scale.
My other cross-stitch in progress is a kit I bought for myself aeons ago just before I went for gallbladder surgery (and a good two years before I found out I was Celiac).
I pull it out and work on it from time to time when I have the inclination.
It's the "Frederick the Literate" kit designed by Charles Wysocki.
I love it lots. And I got a fair bit done on it while watching the live feed from Wimbledon on Feegle (my Netbook).
Thursday was a very good day.
Yesterday, I started a new pair of socks for the July SKA Challenge (Fair Isle/Intarsia), got a little carried away and finished the first sock at around 1:45am.
Fair isle knitting apparently has a hypnotic effect on my brain, causing me to not notice hunger, fatigue or even Canada Day fireworks. It's powerful stuff.
So, I share with you the grand total of my Friday accomplishments:
The first Turkish Stashbuster Sock.
And when I say "stashbust", I mean STASHBUST! There's everything from tapestry wool, scraps of aran wt wool to quadrupled Kroy 3-ply fingering wt in these things.
When they're done, I'll have used up a full *17* balls from the stash. Small ones, sure – but they're out of the stash all the same. And it's the small leftover balls that drive me bananas.
It's the Turkish Sock pattern by Bronwyn Lowenthal (from "Love to Knit Socks") which is written for 14 different colours of Debbie Bliss Aran on 4mm needles. I used 3.5mm and found them plenty big enough.
I think they'll look fabulous with my steampunky hiking boots this Fall, don't you?
July is also a "Mystery Sock" month – a colourwork pattern designed by Stephanie van der Linden – WOOHOO!!!
I'm going to finish off the stashbuster socks first then cast on for them. I already have the yarn pulled – can't wait to show you!
I mentioned before, the Tour de France is on, in fact, it started this morning.
And any fiber person can tell you that means only one thing…
Ladies and Gentlemen, start your wheels/spindles!
My goals are pretty up in the air at the moment, but I *have* started spinning one of the larger bunches from my fiber stash and will go from there.
8 oz of Pacific Wool & Fiber "Spinner's Choice" Colonial Heather Wool Top in "Jewel Great Britain".
My first test run was coming out a little thick, so I plyed it back on itself and started a new bobbin.
I'll ply each bobbin back on itself to make things easier all around.
It's really pretty stuff, teal and green with shots of burgundy – YUM.
(Just for the record, I haven't joined any of the numerous teams – simply spinning for fun this year.)
Speaking of spinning, I did finish up a skein of handspun that I was working on earlier this week:
It's about 438yds of fingering weight (4 oz) spun on my Schacht Hi-Lo Spindle that I couldn't bring myself to ply. So I finished it off as a singles yarn.
This delicious BFL Top is from Woolgatherings with the very descriptive title of "Dyelot: BFLM02181101". I call it "Jewelled Rainbow".
It reminds me of Malabrigo. If Malabrigo dyed BFL.
Hands off – it's mine 😛
I'm pretty sure that's it for now.
Enjoy your weekend everybody!


text:
- About Port Colborne
- Accommodations
- Getting Here
- Leisure & Attractions
- Library
- Museum
- Roselawn Centre
- Shopping & Dining
- Sugarloaf Marina
- Things to do...
- Travel Guides and Brochures
- FAQs
- Contact Us
Quick Facts
Population: 18,424 (2011)
Size: 123.37 km2
Motto: Gateway to Navigation
Official Flower: Geranium
Get facts from Statistics Canada on Port Colborne's Community
Did you know...
Our community was first called Sugarloaf and later Gravelly Bay. Following the completion of the canal, William Hamilton Merritt purchased the land surrounding Gravelly Bay and re-named the Canal's southern port of entry in honour of Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada – Sir John Colborne.
The present City of Port Colborne is an amalgamation of two municipalities, Port Colborne and Humberstone. Humberstone is the older of the two and is the north end of the city, centering around Main Street.
Port Colborne is famous for its location on the St. Lawrence Seaway's Welland Canal, making Port Colborne one of Canada's largest inland Ports.
Sherkston's sand dunes served as an important look-out point for the British Army during the War of 1812.
National Hockey League members Ted "Teeder" Kennedy, Don Gallinger, Scott Gruhl, Don Simmons, Harry Dick and Bronco Horvath are all from Port Colborne.
Francis "Dinty" Moore, the goalie for Canada at the 1936 Winter Olympics was from Port Colborne.
The Port Colborne rock band "Ruckus" played on the Jerry Lewis Telethon in the mid-seventies.
Port Colborne is home to one of the original Dairy Queens.
At one time the city was home to the largest flourmill in the British Empire.
Port Colborne's signature event is the Canal Days Marine Heritage Festival, held annually on the August Civic long-weekend.


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Monthly Archive for May 2014
Newsflash May 2014
click on the newsletter for the full version as a pdf
Timebanking in the Media
April 2014 was a good month for Timebanking UK in the media.
At the Beginning of the month, out Chair Alison Paule was interviewed on the Mark Forrest show, and was able to get information about timebanking and Timebanking UK out to the general public.
You can listen to her interview here: Alison Paule – Radio interview
Later that same month our own CEO was also interviewed on BBC Radio 4. here: Sarah Bird – BBC Radio 4 interview
After both appearances, interest in timebanking increased, and this could be seen by the rise in the number of people contacting us with enquiries.
Page 1 of 212


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Apple Boot Camp 3.1
Boot Camp enables you to install Windows on your Intel-based Mac computer, using a Microsoft Windows install disc that you provide.
Windows is installed on its own partition. After installation, you can use either Windows or Mac OS X on your Mac computer.
This update adds support for Microsoft Windows 7 (Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate), addresses issues with the Apple trackpad, turns off the red digital audio port LED on laptop computers when it is not being used, and supports the Apple wireless keyboard and Apple Magic mouse.
Mac OS X 10.5 or higher with Intel chipset. You must choose Boot Camp from download page that best matches your particular Apple computer.