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Ah yes, the Quran…what a book. Chapter (Surah) 105 in the Quran is only five verses (ayas) long. Its named "The Elephant".
Read it…takes only a second…guarenteed to get a laugh. http://cwis.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/105.qmt.html
Soooo….why did Allah see fit to tell us about his neat little assualt on the Elephant riding people? What great message or lesson is hidden here?
My question is unfair. Its like asking why a monkey threw its feces, I mean, who knows and who cares! Its sheer stupidity!
This chapter does confirm one thing however, that the Quran, wasnt complied until at least 1000 ad, not 680 ad like Muslims claim.
You see, the great genocide in all of history started during that time. The Arab Muslim Invasions of India (the Elphant riding people). Before peaceful Buddhism and Hindusim swept India, the people were good fighters. As Alexander the Great discovered. The were "Elephant riders" and could fight on Elephant back.
Genocide and Islam: Chapter 4 – Islam and the Muslim Invasions "Let it be said right away: the massacres perpetuated by Muslims in India are unparalleled in history, bigger than the Holocaust of the Jews by the Nazis; or the massacre of the Armenians by the Turks" http://www.nalanda.nitc.ac.in/resources/english/etext-project/history/gautier/chapter4.html
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You are right, i was wrong about the unpredictable games (almost every team game), but for example in formula one, u know exactly where the car will go, and you have bright sunlight, u easily can go up to around f11 (over that, diffraction will effect your shot much more cause you are in zoom mode), with what you get a pretty usable DOF even if you are at 500mm. Or set your focus at a fix position, and wait for the car, at 5x zoom, it will still look awesome Or gymnastics (bars or pommel horse) where the subject moves only in a small area.
Or a better example: If you want a fast action shot in your short movie, u take the 10-22, set it to around 15mm, go for a 3x-5x zoom, and BAM you get a much better, and a much more correctable rolling shutter (i don't say that it will disappear, cause it wont, but you will be able to fix it easily.
Another interesting question, that can you do a 10x zoom with a apsc sensor without a true digital zoom? Till around 3-5x im pretty sure, its just narrows the area of the sampling, but can you go up to 10x without true digital zoom? Someone should do the math, to see, what is the zoom setting, when you use exactly a 1920x1080 area. I don't think that its over 10x, so around the 8-10x settings maybe its a true digital zoom (when the cameras just blow up your images, for example every cellphone uses this method, but there bunch of other gadgets what do the same)
Show us with some of your work when you have it ready. so far, no one has been able to do this well. Just using a wide angle lens and planting the camera unmoving is pretty boring. A camcorder that will track a subject makes for more interest in my opinion, but I can be convinced if I see someone actually make something interesting. Use of digital zoom is going to reduce the quality to cancorder quality in any event. It just uses a tiny center portion of the sensor, so it becomes similar to a camcorder sensor but more expensive.

subset: commoncrawl


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2013-14 Men's Basketball
|Winter Park, Fla.
|Winter Park HS
|Follow BrettComer_0
As A Junior (2013-14) | Game-By-Game Stats | 13.7 ppg, 5.3 apg, 2.9 rpg
Named to the Atlantic Sun All-Conference First Team and the Atlantic Sun All-Tournament Team … named the A-Sun Player of the Week on Dec. 16 and Feb. 10 … became just the 6th player in FGCU program history to surpass 1,000 points for his career in a game against Lipscomb on Feb. 27 … set the program assists record of 606 – with still one year of eligibility remaining – in the NIT first-round game against Florida State (609 total) … sits just 25 assists shy of setting the A-Sun record for career assists (633, Langston Hall – Mercer) … has led the team in assists in 94 of his 104 career games … ranked 11th in the conference with 13.7 points a game … increased his scoring average by 5.7 per game from his sophomore season (8.0) … placed 2nd in the A-Sun with 5.3 assists per game … ranked 7th in the conference with a 1.7 assist/turnover ratio … set a career high of 38 made 3-point field goals in a season … improved his 3-point field-goal percentage from .260 in 2012-13 to .355 in 2013-14 … as a guard, he surpassed the 100-rebound mark for the third consecutive season … recorded a double-double with 18 points and 10 assists in a win over Ave Maria on Nov. 23 … scored in double figures in 25 games … scored at least 20 points in six games … led the team in scoring on 14 occasions … set a career high in both points (30) and field goals made (11) in a victory against Jacksonville on Feb. 6 … made a career high five 3-pointers versus Lipscomb on Feb. 27 … hit the game-winning free throws with 5.2 seconds left at Furman on Nov. 15 to give the Eagles a 70-69 triumph … played a career-high 43 minutes against USF on Dec. 17 … appeared and started in all of the team's 35 games.
As A Sophomore (2012-13) | Game-By-Game Stats
Named the Atlantic Sun Tournament MVP after leading the Eagles with 21 points against Mercer in the championship … earned College Sports Madness A-Sun All-Conference third team accolades… led the A-Sun with 6.6 assists per game and ranked 14th in nation … ranked 2nd in A-Sun single season history with 244 assists on the season … averaged 10.3 assists in NCAA tournament games … had back-to-back double-doubles against Georgetown and San Diego State in the NCAA Tournament … assisted 66 of the team's 148 dunks … was just the fourth player in A-Sun history to lead the league in assists two straight years … led the A-Sun with seven double-digit assist performances … finished the season as the A-Sun active leader with 11 career performances with double-digit assist … ranked 4th in the A-Sun in assist/turnover ratio (1.8) … third in the A-Sun with 1.6 steals per game … led the team in assists in 65 of 69 career games … scored in double figures 14 times … played a season-high 35 minutes against USC Upstate on Jan 1 … appeared in and started all of the team's 37 games … averaged 27.1 minutes per game with eight points per game.
Bahamas Summer of Thunder Tour (Summer of 2012)
Opened the foreign tour with 34 points against the Commonwealth Bank Giants (Aug. 8), the most scored by any player during the trip … averaged 18.7 points, 6.3 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals over the 3-0 foreign tour … team's top assist-man in two games … shot an impressive 65 percent (24-37) from the field, including 6-of-12 from three … 34-point night in the opener included a 15-of-21 performance from the floor and 4-of-6 night from deep … also added five rebounds a team-best six assists ... limited to 11 minutes against the Mailboat Cybots (Aug. 9), but still had seven points, three rebounds and three assists … had a double-double in the finale win over the Grand Bahamas All-Stars (Aug. 10) with 15 points and 10 assists to go along with four rebounds and four steals … finished the foreign tour with a +3.2 assist/turnover ratio (19/6).
As A Freshman (2011-12) | Game-By-Game Stats
Named to the Atlantic Sun All-Freshmen Team … started 28 of 32 contests, playing a team-high 28.3 minutes per game …became the first freshman since 2006-07 to lead the A-Sun in assists (5.6), finishing second among all freshmen and 28th nationally … passed out a program Division I record and the second-best total in FGCU's 10-year history with 178 assists … also averaged 9.1 points and 3.7 rebounds … second on the team with 40 steals … shot 44 percent (103-234) from the field … scored in double figures 12 times, including a pair of 20-point outings … also had two double-doubles … scored 20 points and dished out seven assists in the A-Sun Championship game against Belmont (Mar. 3) en route to being named to the A-Sun All-Tournament Team … led the team in assists in 29 of 32 games … became first A-Sun player since 2007 to have four double-digit assist games in the same season … had 11 performances of seven or more assists … ranked eighth in the A-Sun in assist/turnover ratio (1.3) … named the A-Sun Newcomer of the Week on Nov. 22 after 15 points, 10 assists and six rebounds against Prairie View A&M (Nov. 17) … scored 12 points in collegiate debut at TCU (Nov. 11) … shot 7-of-10 from the field for 17 points to go along with a season-high eight rebounds against Ave Maria (Nov. 14) … scored a team-high 16 points and added six rebounds at ACC foe Maryland (Nov. 25) … passed out 10 assists in a win over ETSU (Dec. 3) in the A-Sun opener … went 8-of-14 from the field against UNF (Jan. 7), scoring 19 points to go along with six assists … scored a team season-high 24 points and passed out seven assists in the A-Sun/CSS Friday Night Game of the Week at Stetson (Jan. 20) … went for 12 points in each half against the Hatters, hitting 8-of-10 from the floor and a perfect 8-of-8 at the free throw line … had seven points and a season-high 12 assists four days later against Longwood (Jan. 24) … turned in a solid all-around game in a win over Kennesaw State (Jan. 28) with 11 points, eight assists and five rebounds … finished just short of a triple-double against Stetson (Feb. 17) with 11 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds … averaged 12.7 points, 5.3 assists, and 4.0 rebounds while shooting 50 percent from the field over three games at the A-Sun Tournament.
High School
Helped Winter Park capture back-to-back Florida Class 6A State Championships over his last two seasons … a Class 6A All-State first team selection and Orlando Sentinel All-Area second team choice as a senior … averaged 10.2 points, 6.2 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game to lead Winter Park to a 28-6 record … coached by David Bailey … ranked No. 5 on the Orland Sentinel's Class of 2011 area prospect list … scored in double figures 18 times with a season-high 20 points coming at the 38th Annual City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers against Louisiana District 9 2-A State Champion Riverside Academy … passed out double-digit assists seven times to finish with six double-doubles … had a team-high 79 steals on 10 performances of four or more thefts … as a junior, averaged 12.3 points, 4.8 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 2.2. steals on a Winter Park squad that captured a Class 6A State Championship, recorded a 29-6 overall record and finished with a national ranking of No. 14 … scored in double figures 23 times … earned a scouts grade of 88 from ESPN and was ranked the No. 51 point guard in the Class of 2011.
Son of Troy and Heather Comer … born on May 9, 1992 … communication major.
In The News
FGCU's Brett Comer, Bernard Thompson named first-team All-Atlantic Sun - Naples Daily News
College basketball: Point guards Langston Hall, Brett Comer huge keys for Mercer, FGCU men - Naples Daily News
|Copyright ©2014 FGCU Athletics. All Rights Reserved.


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|Monday, August 19, 2013 12:00 AM
The couple will exchange vows on Aug. 31 at Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church, Darien, Ill.
The bride-elect is a 2004 graduate of Montini Catholic High School, Lombard, Ill., and attended Columbia College of Chicago. She is a paralegal with Codilis and Associates, PC in Burr Ridge Ill.
Her fiance is a 2005 graduate of St. John's High School and a 2009 graduate of Columbia College in Chicago, with a BA in film and video. He is a video engineer with Major League Baseball.


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Skill Level: Beginner
Color your world with Keri Lee Sereika in this exciting and information packed coloring class!
Learn four of the most popular and versatile coloring mediums used for coloring in stamped images -- colored pencils, alcohol markers, watercolors, and chalks and pigmented powders. This energetic and information-packed coloring class will expand your artistic and crafting abilities and take your card-making and paper-crafting projects to a new level!
With this video coloring class, you will:
Annie's online classes include downloadable and printable class patterns in PDF format in addition to the online video content. You can view online classes at your convenience, 24/7, 365 days a year from any mobile device, both tablet and non-tablet (phones, iPod Touch, etc.) but classes are best viewed on tablets or computers.
Customer Reviews for Creative Coloring Techniques:
July 2, 2014
Daisy M
Great video, my first class. The techniques are explained very clearly. I really like the class because you learn things by doing them. Beautiful projects. I would recommend this class to everyone interested in learning coloring techniques. Take notes and have fun. :) Daisy
June 20, 2014
Jane S
I learned a lot as a beginner. I am totally satisfied with the class and would take more classes from Keri.
June 15, 2014
Eliana D
Great class, teacher very calm explains all the details for a great coloring. I'm planning to purchase another class for my son, he likes to paint manga.
March 19, 2014
Jacquelyn Q
This is a great video, not only for the beginner stamper but for the seasoned stamper. Keri demonstrated each technique in an easily understandable way. Even though I have used Gamsol with my colored pencils it was good to see it demonstrated again. I also picked up some new pointers on water coloring that I had not seen before. I finally found out how to use the Fantastix coloring tool. It is also nice to be able to view this at any time, stop and resume when time permitted. So thanks Keri for a great instructional video.


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Small amount of 4ply/sock yarn in the two colours of the relevant house as follows:
• Gryffindor - Red and Gold
• Hufflepuff - Yellow and Black
• Ravenclaw – Blue and Bronze
• Slytherin – Green and Silver
US/0 (2.00 mm) needles
Yarn needle
Click on the thumbnail for a full-sized picture.
Cast on
Make 18 sts in each of the two colours for the bookscarf (36 sts total), alternating the colours with every stitch.
Any two-colour cast-on will do.
First row
Slip the first stitch knit-wise, then alternate knit then purl stitches as when working a (k1,p1) rib, but work all the knit stitches with one colour and all the purl stitches with the other until the last stitch.
Always take both yarns back before working a knit stitch, and bring both yarns forward before working a purl stitch.
Purl the last stitch with both colours held together.
Second and subsequent rows
Slip the first, double-stranded, stitch knit-wise.
Working a knit stitch first again alternate knit and purl stitches, but working the stitches in whichever colour is required as follows:
On the right side work all knit stitches in the colour shown on the chart, following each knit stitch with a purl stitch in the other colour (i.e. not the colour that was used for the knit
On wrong sides work all the knit stitches in the opposite colour to that shown on the chart following each knit stitch with a purl stitch in the other colour (i.e. not the colour that was used for the knit stitch).
Purl the last stitch with both strands held together.
Cast Off
Any cast off will do.
Author's Note: I like to separate the stitches so the stitches from each side are on different needles, and then graft the two sets of stitches together with Kitchener stitch.
Ease yarn from the first and last main stitches in the row into the double-stranded edge stitches.
After this weave in all yarn ends and block.
Final Product
Ann Kingstone's tutorial was taken with permission from Ravelry. You can also download a PDF file of her original tutorial here on Leaky!
Think about it. Would you take a Prisoner of Azkaban book, photocopy it, put your name in big red letters on the front cover and try to sell it in your local library? The answer is, obviously, no. Well, selling crafts you have made but not designed would be just as bad!
Please note that posting a picture of a finished object on Leaky Lounge will be taken as permission for the photo to be included in the Harry Potter Crafts gallery. If you do NOT wish your photos to be included in this gallery, please PM a Crafty Witch at the time of posting.
Also note that the tutorials, recipes and patterns found here have not been tested and that The Leaky Cauldron's Harry Potter Crafts section is not responsible for any mistakes they may contain. If you do find something wrong in one of them, however, please e-mail us to let us know.
On that note, Harry crafting to all!


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Expired Property Listing
This property is disabled.
Magic Castle in British Virgin Islands
- bedrooms 2
- baths 2
- sleeps 4
- pool yes
- hot tub yes
- pets allowed no
- type Villa
- community Little Bay, E.E.
rates (USD)
/ night
$ 2,550 - $ 3,650 / week
$ 6,900 - $ 9,500 / month
vacation rental description
This beautiful, spacious, open and airy two bedroom villa is located on the north coast of Tortola, BVI. Perched on the side of a valley overlooking Little Bay Beach, Guana Island, and the Caribbean Sea, Magic Castle is surrounded by a 2 1/2 acre gated estate of tropical gardens and natural woodlands. Fruit and vegetables grow on the property in season.
The Master Bedroom Pavilion is separated from the rest of the villa by a sparkling 8x30 ft. swimming pool and is wrapped by a covered deck with hammock and seating area enjoying the magnificent view. Screen sliders on opposite sides of the room allow the balmy Caribbean breezes to pass across the pool and right over the King size bed in the middle of the large room. Adjacent is the Hot Tub, romantic under the sun or stars.
The entrance opens into the living and dining areas and has a well equipped gourmet kitchen. Doors open all around onto the garden-edged pool terrace and wide covered al fresco dining deck. High vaulted ceilings throughout add to the expansive feeling.
A second bedroom and bath is located in the main house where either twins or a king bed can be requested. Relaxing and comfortable, this magical setting is perfect for couples or small families. Children over 8 years old welcome.
The nearly private beach is a few minutes walk downhill. Many excellent restaurants, grocery stores, shopping and water sports activities are within 10 minutes drive.
A 4 wheel drive vehicle is recommended. Most rental cars are 4 wheel drive.
The owner/manager of Magic Castle and her two quiet and endearing dogs live in an apartment below the villa behind a curtain of flowering vines. No part of the villa can be seen from there, assuring your privacy. She's there if you have questions.
villa rental amenities
- 8x30 ft. Pool
- Pool floats
- Hot Tub (28 jets)
- Hammock
- Gas BBQ Grill
- Coolers
- Washer/Dryer/Iron
- All linens, beach towels
- Bathrobes for adults
- Mini frig in Master BR
- No A/C, but ceiling fans in every room
- Hair dryers
- Extra outdoor shower
- Masks, snorkel, fins
- Boogie Boards
- Beach chairs
- Beach bags
- Fish pond in garden
- 2 Satellite TV's with DVD
- CD collection
- 2 CD/tape stereo systems
- Portable CD player/radio
- Telescope
- Books, puzzles, games
- Kitchen
- Large gourmet kitchen with center island
- Dishwasher
- Frig with ice and water dispenser
- Large oven
- Microwave
- Toaster
- Toaster Oven
- Blenders
- Coffee grinder and maker
- Mixer, waffle maker
- Manual ice cream maker
- All utensils
- Catering available
- Direct connect and WiFi DSL Internet
- Private phone line
- Answering machine
- Fax in office
activities and attractions in British Virgin Islands Caribbean
- Watersports
- Sailing-bareboat and crewed day-sailing
- Sailing dinghies
- Beach hopping--gorgeous white sand beaches all along Tortola's north coast
- Snorkeling offshore or even better by boat
- Scuba Diving
- Paddle-boards, Kite-boards
- Windsurfing
- Kayaks
- Boat rentals
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Other Activities
- Day trips by ferry or small aircraft to adjacent islands--each one unique
- Helicopter Tours
- World acclaimed Full Moon Party at Trellis Bay or Bomba Shack
- Various Sailing Regattas
- Performing Arts Concert Series at H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (October - May)
- Exploring Historical Sites
- Botanic Gardens
- Folk Museum
- Carnival--beginning of August
vacation rental rates
Apr 19-Dec 16, 2011 $2550/week 1-2 pers, $2950/week 3-4 persons
Dec 17-Apr 13, 2010 $3150/week 1-2 pers, $3650/week 3-4 persons
Xmas 2011-2012 $4100/week .. 1-4 persons minimum 10 days
7% accommodation tax


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Thanks an email from a good friend, I just found about about this great program where kids can bowl 2 games a day for FREE ALL SUMMER LONG! Click this link here to find out if your city/state is participating in this. Thankfully for us Topeka people we have 2 places participating!!!!
Happy Monday!
Monday, March 30, 2009
Kids Bowl FREE!
1 comment:
- James said...
Thanks so much for this!! We will have fun bowling this summer, even better, it started yesterday...and goes until September. This is awesome!
- April 2, 2009 at 7:48 AM
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I always wanted to be a member of the Ingalls family. When I watched reruns of "Little House on the Prairie" as a kid, I would imagine myself right alongside Laura and Mary, wearing a bonnet and plain dress just like theirs.
When they went to the creek to get a pail of water, I would tag along. On the long walk to school, I was right beside them and Jack (for the non-fans, Jack was their dog.) I was on their team when they played ball at recess.
Sure they had troubles — it as pioneer times for crying out loud — and life wasn't always easy. In fact, life was hard. But it all seemed so fun to my young imagination.
As an adult, I'll admit I will stop on a rerun if I happen upon one while channel surfing. They still play them on the Hallmark Channel, in case you're interested.
And now that I'm older, I find myself still yearning to join the Ingalls. But now it's for different reasons than when I was a child. The world was smaller back then. Everyone was neighbors, and not just in a geographical sense. There really was an effort to pull together for the greater good. The value of community was alive and well in Walnut Grove.
Like any team, there was bound to be weak links, and Walnut Grove was no different. Just look at the Olesons. Well, except Mr. Oleson. He was that family's only saving grace. But that was one family. The number of good people far outweighed the number of bad. It seems today we have way more Olesons than we do Ingalls. What would this crazy world be like today if it were the other way around?
And what if this world got a dose of Charles Ingalls' optimism? No matter what they faced, Pa showed the family how to find the good in every situation.
What if this world got a dose of Caroline Ingalls' faith? A dose of Laura Ingalls' trusting nature? A dose of Manly's work ethic?
It would likely change the world.
It makes me wonder, though. What if the Ingalls' world got a dose of life today? What if they were met with today's negativity? How would they respond to the untrusting masses who seek only the bad? Would they succumb to it or rise above it?
I'd like to think the Ingalls would remain shining examples in today's world.
In fact, I think they would teach us a thing or two about life and how to live it.
If nothing else, it would make for good TV.
Misty Knisely is managing editor of the Pharos-Tribune. She can be reached at 574-732-5155 or at email@example.com
For more on this story and other local news, subscribe to The Pharos-Tribune eEdition, or our print edition.


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While the 2013 Academy Awards will take place Sunday night to celebrate directors, actors and all things film, here at Glenview Patch we want to celebrate future Oscar winners.
Do you have footage of your children's play, a school event, your team doing the Harlem Shake or videos that you think could make you a future Oscar winner?
Share it with Patch to celebrate local talent right here in Glenview.
Upload Your Video
Sharing your video on Patch is easy and free.
- Register or log in to Glenview Patch
- Click on "Upload Photos and Videos"
- Select the file from your computer
- Viola, your video is now shared with our readers!
Related Coverage
- 2013 Oscar Nominations: Which Film Should Win Best Picture?


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Somerset credit union to hold AGM (From This is The West Country)
Get involved! Send your photos, video, news & views by texting COUNTY GAZETTE to 80360 or email us
Somerset credit union to hold AGM
10:02am Friday 31st January 2014 in News By Kirsty James
MEMBERSHIP of Somerset's credit union is booming as it becomes a strong alternative to payday loan companies and doorstep sellers.
Somerset Savings and Loans will celebrate at its AGM at Weston's Grand Pier on February 8 from 2pm.
People can join online at www.somersetsavingsandloans.org.uk


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Or Murray's line about one of the Laker stars.
"Elgin Baylor is as unstoppable as a woman's tears."
Rickey Henderson.
"Has a strike zone the size of Hitler's heart."
Jim Murray was our Babe Ruth, becoming one of only a handful of sportswriters to win a Pulitzer Prize.
He was our Michael Jordan, being selected national sportswriter of the year 14 times in 16 years.
He was our Muhammad Ali, once being hailed as "the greatest sportswriter of all time" by, well, Muhammad Ali.
"I find most people hate to be informed," Murray said. "People need to be amused, shocked
or angered."
Murray had command of all those pitches, using them from his first start in 1961 until his final outing in 1998.
In Murray's debut column, written after he was hired away from Sports Illustrated, he came out firing.
"I hope Steve Bilko has lost weight. The last time I saw him in the Coliseum, the front of him got to the batter's box full seconds before the rest of him."
In Murray's final column, written shortly before his death Aug. 16, 1998, he showed he had lost none of that fastball.
In celebration of a Free House victory at Del Mar, he wrote, "He's not a What's-His-Name anymore. He's a Who's Who
.The bridesmaid finally caught the bouquet. The best friend got the girl in the Warner Brothers movie for a change. The sidekick saves the fort."
A day after writing those words, he died of a heart attack in his home, resulting in an obituary that was three times as long as most of his columns, and a star-studded funeral that would have embarrassed this most humble of men.
This is the Jim Murray who once ripped the United States Golf Assn. for a setting up a weak U.S. Open course in Merion, Pa., and then raced to the press tent after the first day of competition to write that he was wrong.
This is the Jim Murray who would stand up on press row after sending his column and sheepishly announce "Fooled 'em again."
But if he really thought he didn't matter, then he was only fooling himself.
Folks still remember how he laughed at the NBA.
"One massive pituitary gland."
How he chuckled at USC's beating Notre Dame.
Murray's impact still is plain to hear
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Weekend Shopping: Romance and Thoughtful Valentines Gifts for Girls
As a soppy old romantic I absolutely love Valentine's Day. It's the most wonderful opportunity to show someone you love them through thoughtful actions, kind words and, of course, gifts. Whether you're looking to say 'I love you', want to ask her to move in or if you're about to pop the question, this weekend I've come up with a few gift ideas to hopefully make your girl smile.


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CATEGORIES MoviesAnother recognizable face has just signed onto the Allen Hughes-directed 'Broken City.' Kyle Chandler, best known for his Emmy-winning role on the TV show 'Friday Night Lights,' has been cast in the upcoming political thriller starring Mark Wahlberg and Russell Crowe. 'Broken City' follows detective Billy Taggart (Wahlberg), who's hired by a powerful politician (Crowe) to investigate his wife's lover. According to Variety, Chandler will play a strategist for a mayoral candidate (Barry Pepper) opposing Crowe.
In addition to Wahlberg, Crowe, Pepper and Chandler, the 'Broken City' cast includes Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jeffrey Wright, Griffin Dunne, James Ransone, Justin Chambers, Natalie Martinez and Alona Tal.
Chandler can be seen next in the Ben Affleck-directed 'Argo,' out September 14, 2012. 'Broken City' is scheduled to hit theaters January 18, 2013.
[via Variety]
[Photo: Getty]
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Officials tell News Leader 9 that the Custer Bridge on Fort Benning may remain closed for a minimum of three to six months due to damage caused in an 18 wheeler accident on Monday morning, Feb. 17.
The closure affects Custer Rd. as it crosses over Lindsey Creek Pkwy.
Randel Lemoine, a civil engineer with the Department of Public Works at Fort Benning, says a Contractor was driving an excavator on a trailer, and failed to tuck the excavator's arm in.
"As he went under the bridge, the arm struck the bottom parts of the bridge. It severed several of the pre-tension cables on the beams," says Lemoine.
Pre-tension cables hold most of the stress, and keep the beams in place. Currently, no loads can be driven across the bridge. Officials are making assessments to see if it will be necessary to repair or replace the bridge. Each beam is valued at $200,000.
Loose debris was removed from the bottom of the bridge for the safety of traffic passing below on Lindsey Creek Pkwy, which becomes I-185N at Fort Benning's main gate. It is undetermined at this time how and when the reparation of the bridge may affect traffic on Lindsey Creek Pkwy.
No one was injured in the 18 wheeler accident.
Copyright 2014 WTVM. All rights reserved.
12 East Delano Avenue
Montgomery, AL 36105
(334) 288-1212
FCC Public File
EEO Report
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Dream World
"You've been living in a dream world, Neo." Morpheus haunts me. I had a professor that looked, acted, and talked just like the character from the Matrix. When we were still in college, he took Carolyn and I out to dinner in a little over-priced bistro in Nyack, NY. I don't remember much about the dinner, but I will never forget our conversation later that night.
Dr. M (we'll call him) was a very interesting man, he regularly left for days on end to play piano for Russian and Chinese Royalty, but he lived in our dorm building, in a small dorm room (at least he had a private bath) right between students. Every morning he walked the halls in his bathrobe and was a regular at all of the guy's dorm happenings. But he carried himself with grandiose stature and commanding presence. He was also very mysterious, mischievous and wise beyond words. He took a small handful of us into his care and built into us in ways that I am just now beginning to understand. To some he was like a father. To others, he was like a brother. To me, he was like a sage.
Like many college students, I was rambling through life without much experience. He gave me plenty in very little time. He was well versed in all of the subjects that intrigued me: philosophy, art, music, literature. He spoke of them on levels that I had never considered and forced me to keep up with his ramblings. So, when we returned from dinner and Carolyn had gone up to her room I was anxious for his take on my newfound love.
Dr. M, dressed in a dapper suit complete with a long black trench coat (I kid you not, he seriously looked like Morpheus and talked with the same calculated deep tone), stopped walking, put his hands on my shoulders and looked me in the eyes.
"Carolyn is a very special girl. She is exactly what you need." He turned and walked away. So did I. "Also, Matt...you don't deserve her."
His last line bothered me. Why not? Why don't I deserve her? Of course I do! But now, I understand.
We live in a world of plenty. But, very few of us have any. And those of us that have, have a lot. Those of us that have, feel entitled. The media tells us that we deserve a lot of things. We tell each other that we deserve better. We tell ourselves that we deserve the best. But, really, none of us deserve anything.
So, when we get a shiny new thing (whatever it is) we call it a blessing, or a happy stroke of luck. But, if getting things is a blessing, then why do millions of people not get blessed? That does not jive with my understanding of God, the Universe and everything.
Thoreau said, "A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can afford to let alone." I think he is on to something. Maybe the "things" that we work so hard for are really challenges, tests, opportunities. They are not blessings. That makes more sense. Those of us that have more, are more challenged than those with less. So what do we do with the entitlement mentality? Toss it.
When Dr. M told me that I didn't "deserve" Carolyn, he was bringing up a very good point. She was a challenge for me (and still is :)) and to think I deserved her love was to completely miss the point of our relationship. He later elaborated on why Carolyn was good for me. And I took all he said in. Most of it did not make sense for a long time. But now I realize the truth, "there is no spoon," (sorry, I couldn't resist) but seriously, the truth is that Carolyn and I are perfectly matched.
Okay, this has been a long way to the point, so thanks for hanging in there. Carolyn and I are living in a dream world right now. Nothing is as it seemed. Our world view is changing. Our perspective on God is changing. Our needs, wants, dreams are changing. In a very real sense we feel lost at sea. But, we are also pretty sure that we're heading in the right direction. I'm glad that we are together on this journey. Dr. M was right, I don't deserve her, but, she's exactly what I need.


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Town Square
No one injured in Del Prado home fire Wednesday morning
Original post made on Feb 25, 2011
Read the full story here Web Link posted Wednesday, February 23, 2011, 1:56 PM
on Feb 25, 2011 at 8:43 am
The picture in this article is interesting...firefighters facing away from the house...fire poking out through the roof.
on Feb 25, 2011 at 8:54 am
Janna is a registered user.
Looks to me like they're still suiting up.
on Feb 25, 2011 at 9:42 am
"Most of the damage was contained to the attic and bedroom areas of the home."
We got an email from the Harvest Park PTA, talking about a HP family losing everything in a house fire.
Is this the same house? If it is, please update the article so people know donations for the family are being accepted since the family lost everything.


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Panhandle residents will have the opportunity to receive a concealed carry permit after taking a class next month in Gering.
Instructor Michael Johnson with Heartland Tactical LLC says part of the class teaches people about gun laws, where you can carry guns and how to interact with society.
He says those interested must be 21 or older and a Nebraska resident.
The eight hour class will be offered March 1st, 9th and 30th from 7:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. Johnson teaches the class year-round if anyone is unable to make the above times.
He says although society is torn on gun owners verses non-gun owners, having a conceal carry permit should be a want not a need. "I believe strongly that it's something that needs to be able to be at the person's own decision. They need to be able to choose whether they want this in their lives or not, if they want to make it a part of their lives or not." Johnson says after taking the class, students will then have to visit Nebraska State Patrol for a background check and go through other processes in order to receive the permit.
He says the permit will be recognized in 32 states including Nebraska.
Classes are $125/person, $100/person for groups 3 or more, and $75 for military or law enforcement.
For more information on registering call Johnson at 308-225-2327.


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Blog Archive
Commander Dave Scott's Masursky Lecture from LPSC 2014
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2014/04/04 03:21 CDT | 5 comments
A video of Apollo astronaut David Scott's lecture to the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. His talk was an absolute treat: funny, educational, engaging, full of joy at his adventure, though at the end, a little angry that we've not sent more humans back. It's well worth 45 minutes of your time.
NASA's LADEE Spacecraft to Fly Through an Eclipse, Crash into the Lunar Surface on April 21st
It's end-game for NASA's latest lunar mission
Posted by Casey Dreier on 2014/04/04 01:13 CDT | 1 comment
LADEE, NASA's latest robotic lunar spacecraft, will reach its planned end-of-mission on April 21st, when it will crash on the far side of the Moon.
How Does NASA's Ban on Russian Contact Affect Curiosity?
Posted by Casey Dreier on 2014/04/04 12:11 CDT | 4 comments
Earlier this week, NASA announced that it was cutting off ties with Russia, except for activities relating to the ISS. This raised questions about Russian participation on NASA's science missions, particularly the Russian experiment on the Curiosity rover.
Update on the search for planets in the Alpha Centauri system
Posted by Bruce Betts on 2014/04/04 10:29 CDT | 2 comments
Update from Debra Fischer and her team on the intriguing results of their observations of the main Alpha Centauri stars, as well as future plans.
Fireworks in the Earth's Sky Sent from the Moon: Reflections from LPSC 2014
Posted by Deepak Dhingra on 2014/04/03 07:00 CDT
Deepak Dhingra reports on presentations from this year's Lunar and Planetary Science Conference focusing on how impacts on the Moon have affected Earth.
Great new image of Curiosity from HiRISE, just across Dingo Gap
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2014/04/03 06:26 CDT
A Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter HiRISE image taken on February 10 shows Curiosity having just made deep, dark tracks across the Dingo Gap dune.
Discovery Missions for an Icy Moon with Active Plumes
Posted by Van Kane on 2014/04/02 07:31 CDT | 8 comments
In December, scientists announced the discovery of possible plumes of water being ejected from Jupiters's moon Europa. If confirmed, Europa would be the second moon with confirmed plumes after Saturn's moon Enceladus. Two Discovery mission proposals for Enceladus suggest the types of missions that may be proposed for Europa.
More excitement in the outermost solar system: 2013 FY27, a new dwarf planet
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2014/04/02 10:49 CDT | 6 comments
On the heels of last weeks reports of a second Sedna and a ringed Centaur comes a third cool outer solar system discovery: A new, likely large member of the Kuiper belt. With an absolute magnitude of about 3.0, the new object currently known as 2013 FY27 is the tenth brightest object beyond Neptune .
Dawn Journal: Orbital Trajectories
Posted by Marc Rayman on 2014/04/01 09:48 CDT | 3 comments
Marc Rayman updates us on Dawn's status and explains how the spacecraft is actually getting closer to Earth at the moment as it moves deeper into the asteroid belt.
LPSC 2014: The Curious Case of Active Volcanism on Venus
Posted by Constantine Tsang on 2014/04/01 12:10 CDT | 5 comments
She's alive! She's alive! Or is she? A little more than a week ago, at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 2014, evidence was presented that Venus was geologically active, not in the recent past, like 100,000 years ago, but right now.
LPSC 2014: Titan's Land of Lakes
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2014/03/31 07:44 CDT | 2 comments
Report from a varied session on Titan's lakes at this year's Lunar and Planetary Science Conference.
Comet Siding Spring Mars encounter: Cosmic bully spotted by ESA and NASA
Posted by ESA Mars Express Team on 2014/03/31 05:46 CDT
Hubble has taken some great new images of our 'friend,' Comet Siding Spring, due to pass by Mars at less than 136,000 km on October 19 – less than half the distance between Earth and our moon.
The Future of Human Spaceflight – A Public Forum
Posted by Louis D. Friedman on 2014/03/31 05:37 CDT | 10 comments
A panel of three former astronauts will discuss the future of human spaceflight at a public event at the California Institute of Technology's Beckman Auditorium, Tuesday, April 8th, 2014 at 8 pm.
Curiosity update, sols 570-583: Arrival at Kimberley and preparation for an arm workout
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2014/03/28 03:00 CDT | 3 comments
Some arm faults caused delays on Curiosity's approach to Kimberley, but the rover is now parked at its north edge, examining the "striated unit" up close with arm-mounted instruments.
Posted by Achim Vollhardt on 2014/03/28 01:25 CDT | 3 comments
ICE has been on a journey for over 30 years around our sun. While the owner has decided not to bring the ship back to its home port, a group of radio amateurs tries to find out how ICE is doing.
The Passing of Warren Ashley
CSUDH Distance Learning Pioneer and Planetary Society Partner
Posted by Bruce Betts on 2014/03/27 12:43 CDT
Warren Ashley, pioneer of distance learning at CSUDH, passed away March 21, 2014. His idea led to the partnership between CSUDH and The Planetary Society to produce an online Introductory Astronomy course.
A Report from the First Hearing on the 2015 NASA Budget
The House Space Subcommittee Gets First Crack at the President's Budget
Posted by Casey Dreier on 2014/03/27 12:07 CDT | 4 comments
An animated NASA Administrator defended the commercial crew program as the fastest way to return to American access to low-Earth orbit in a hearing before the House Space Subcommittee today.
Hangout on Air: Why yesterday was a good day for Solar System Science
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2014/03/27 11:52 CDT
On Wednesday, March 26, two important discoveries in the outer solar system were announced: the discovery of the second confirmed member of the Inner Oort Cloud (2012 VP113) and the discovery of rings around the planetesimal Chariklo. In a Hangout on Air, a rag-tag group of planetary scientists and astronomers active on Twitter talked about the discoveries.
Comet spotted! Rosetta's first sight of Churymov-Gerasimenko since wakeup
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2014/03/27 09:58 CDT | 2 comments
Rosetta has turned on its cameras and sighted its comet for the first time since waking from hibernation. Next activity: waking the Philae lander.
A Centaur's shadow reveals bright rings
Posted by Alex Parker on 2014/03/27 09:28 CDT | 7 comments
Yesterday, a team of astronomers announced that they discovered a set of planet-like rings around Chariklo, an asteroid-like body that currently resides in the unstable region between the orbits of Saturn and Uranus.
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The intelligent and obedient wire-coated version of the German pointer was developed specifically for hunting in rough terrain. Its coarse coat is weather resistant and somewhat water repellant.This sturdy built dog is known to be hard working and tenacious. It can be a bit aloof at times, but it is always genial with people. A German Wirehaired Pointer can be mischievous and destructive if they get bored, so giving them regular exercise is essential to keep them happy.
The German Wirehaired Pointer has a straight, wiry outer coat and a downy undercoat. Occasional brushing and stripping is required to keep it in working condition. The color is liver and white, or liver roan with spots or ticking.
Hip, eye and Epilepsy.
German Wirehaired Pointers prefer life as a solitary worker but they are tolerant of other dogs and animals.


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Feb 13 2012
Potato Head Bali
Has a building ever made you smile? The striking facade of Potato Head Bali is the first architectural feature that's brought a grin to my face. It's a semi-circular construction by architect Andra Martin comprising old louvred shutters from Java, a mixture of whimsy and cleverness; try seeing it and not marvelling at how creative … read the full post


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Ocean Front at San Luis Rey - 2687 in Mission Beach
- bedrooms 3
- baths 2
- sleeps 7
- pool no
- hot tub no
- pets allowed no
- type House
- community
rates (USD)
/ night
$ 1,750 - $ 4,500 / week
$ 4,500 - $ 12,000 / month
vacation rental description
This prime location ocean front condo is perfect for small families or romantic getaways. The spacious floor plan and private balconies are all a person needs to dive right into the relaxed lifestyle that San Diego, Ca is known for!!!
This unit is on the 2nd floor right on the famous Mission Beach boardwalk. The views of the ocean are breathetaking as you relax on your private balcony feeling the ocean breeze across your face. Then come sunset you'll truly realize why you chose to stay at our Ocean Front at San Luis Rey property and just how much of a paradise San Diego, California really is!
This condo boasts direct ocean views from all areas of the living and dining room as well as the master bedroom. There are 3 separate bedrooms ( 1 King and 2 Queen beds) and 2 full bathrooms for you to enjoy. Everyone will have their own privacy and space. The open floor plan of the main living area is plenty large and will entertain the entire party staying at the condo along with a few visitors. You will also have access to a large private balcony facing the Pacific Ocean and Boardwalk.There are captains chairs to enjoy as well as a gas BBQ. There is also a ground level common area patio to enjoy that nestles up next to the boardwalk, literally feet from the sand! This condo also comes with all the conveniences of home. There is a fully furnished kitchen with all the modern appliances. All you need to do is stock the fridge or we can do that for you through our personal company concierge, "L Concierge Services". The unit is also equipped with Flat screen TV and DVD player, stereo, wireless internet access and much more!
Once you are all settled in then the fun begins. You'll be asking yourself where to begin. You can set up your beach chairs & umbrella and continue soaking up the sunshine. You can play horseshoes or bocce ball in the sand, grab a surfboard or boogie board and head out into the waves, or stroll along the shoreline looking for seashells while the waves run across your feet. We would also suggest you try the ever more popular Paddle Boarding. This sport is fun and relaxing at the same time and great for all ages. After you've relaxed for a bit and want to get a little more active, jump on your beach cruiser or rollerblades and cruise up and down the world famous Mission Beach Boardwalk and people watch. It's never a dull moment along the coastline in southern California. Don't forget to experience some of the motorized activities such as Jet Ski rentals, Deep Sea Fishing excursions, etc. We can provide information and possible discounts so please ask.
When staying at Ocean Front on San Luis Rey you are literally minutes from most of the popular local attractions Mission Beach and San Diego have to offer. Just a short stroll north along the boardwalk you will find the WaveHouse. This is the ultimate beach front hang out and eatery. While you hang out or dine you can witness locals and tourist challenge Brutimus Maximus! (a man made wave that throws a 10 foot barrel) Even the best riders get flushed when they fall. There is also a small beginner wave for the adventurous to start with. Behind the WaveHouse is Belmont Park that boast the historic wooden rollercoaster called the Giant Dipper! There are also dozens more amusement park rides, arcade games, and fair style booths to keep the kids and even the big kids at heart entertained for hours.
Some of the other attractions in San Diego are just a short drive from the condo. Sea World is just around the corner and approximately 5 minutes drive away. The San Diego Zoo, Seaport Village and the Downtown Gaslamp District are a short freeway hop away taking 12 – 15 minutes. You can even get to Legoland in north county in less than 30 minutes. San Diego offers so many options that even the locals are still checking off activities to take advantage of after living here for years.
See you on the beach! This property has 1 King(s), 2 Queen(s).
property availability
- dates with deals
- unavailable dates
Last modified on 08-20-2014 at 1:07 PM.
email owner view full calendar
Eric Lonigro 858-531-3247
activities and attractions in Mission Beach San Diego Area
San Diego's world famous Boardwalk is approx. 60 yards from your door step & extends approx. 2 1/2 miles north to Pacific Beach. Along the way you can enjoy the many shops & restaurants located along the ocean & make sure to have breakfast or lunch and the Wave House located next to Belmont Park. This area is ideal for family vacationers as there are many attractions and amusement rides just a short walk away
vacation rental rates
3 night min. stay requirement during the off season
Sat. - Sat. 7 night min. stay required during peak season (June - August)
Eric Lonigro 858-531-3247
payment methods
Owner has not provided their accepted payment methods
Prior to paying a reservation deposit, always verify payment instructions by calling the phone number displayed on this listing page. By contacting the owner directly and paying by an approved method - credit card, paypal, check or bank transfer - your reservation payment will be protected up to $1,000.Learn more in our Security Center
Top things to do in Mission Beach
- Relax on the beach
- Play in the surf
- Visit the Wave House
- Walk the Boardwalk
- Visit Belmont Park
Top things to do on a budget
- Belmont Park
- Ocean Kayaking
- Bike Rentals
- Volleyball
- Horseshoes
Top things to do with a family
- Sea World
- San Diego Zoo
- Legoland
- Sea Port Village
- Deep Sea Fishing
Eric Lonigro , owner


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Two people had to be airlifted from a serious crash on Highway 690 in Moore County near Vass Thursday morning.
The crash happened around 7 a.m. Thursday on Highway 690 at Morrison Bridge Road.
In one of the vehicles, two occupants were pinned.
No other details are known at this time. This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
1205 Front St., Raleigh N.C., 27609
Telephone: 919.836.1717
Fax: 919.836.1687
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Much of the power restored in Sidney
Sidney City Manager Gary Person says much of the power has been restored in Sidney following a brief destructive storm Monday night that has caused what he estimated is millions of dollars in damage.
The 20 minute storm with winds of up to 80 to 90 miles and rain that measured as much as three to five inches caused an overnight and morning power outage that covered much of Sidney. Person says with the help of Gering electrical crews and a local contractor, the situation is much improved.
Person says there are still isolated pockets of businesses and residences where individual lines were ripped from the main lines and need to be reconnected. Person says tenants in older apartment complex have been evacuated after the roof was ripped off, and the Red Cross, Salvation Army and regional emergency management personnel are working on getting temporary housing for those people.
Sidney elementary school will have classes again Wednesday after power was restored. Person says the damage will be in the six figures and some of it will take time to repair.
The storm uprooted many trees destroyed power poles, downed power lines and significantly damaged many buildings. The major underpass was flooded and one vehicle was stuck in the water but there were no injuries. The underpass is now passable again.
© 2014 Rural Radio Network. All rights reserved. Republishing, rebroadcasting, rewriting, redistributing prohibited. Copyright Information


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Well, it certainly has been one hell of a book launch.
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BofA exorcises ghost of Countrywide
The bill for Kenneth Lewis's folly has at last been paid
From The Wall Street Journal


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Call 911 from the side of the road, and GPS satellites can tell dispatchers exactly where to send help. Airline passengers have access to detailed maps that show exactly where they are during their journey. Hop onto WiFi, and somehow Google knows whether you're logging on from Lima or London, and will give you detailed suggestions about what to eat.
For all these abilities, how is it that we have no idea where Malaysia Flight 370 has gone? The answers offer a humbling look at the limitations of our current technology.
What happened to radar?
Radar only extends so far. Most of us landlubbers understand that air traffic controllers typically use radar to monitor a flight's progress. That's all very well over land. But radar also has a limited range, and you can't put a radar station in the middle of the ocean. So pilots often have to stay in contact through other means, such as periodic radio check-ins. In between check-ins, the controller has only a general idea of where a plane is and where it's headed.
According to the Associated Press, Flight 370 may have been in contact with military radar in its final moments — but whether a civilian air traffic controller knew where it was is less clear. We know that Flight 370's transponder signal was lost just as the plane was supposed to be entering Vietnamese air space — and because transponders are meant to work with radar, that suggests the plane was close enough to shore to be on somebody's screen.
Could somebody have turned off the aircraft's transponder?
That's a tricky question. Pilots can send coded messages over the transponder in an emergency. But we're not really sure what happened to the transponder in this case. We don't know, for instance, if anybody tried to tamper with it. But why would they? Reports suggest that nobody on the plane made a distress call of any kind — no radio transmission, nothing. That implies there wasn't time to cry for help in the midst of a technical breakdown or a violent struggle. If that's the case, it's not likely an attacker — if there was one — would try messing with the transponder while they were still trying to gain control of the aircraft.


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His And Her Photography Featured on Dream Green Weddings
Monday, January 25, 2010
His And Her Photography has recently been featured on Dream Green Weddings, an amazing blog all about eco-friendly weddings. Heather Teague is the blog's author and she does a great job telling stories about environmentally responsible wedding celebrations. A very Special thanks to Brigit and Josh for inviting us to be part of such a wonderful celebration!!!


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« Janet Jackson Talks Weight Loss, Conrad Murray, & Advice for Niece on 'GMA'
Video: Chris Brown f/ Kevin McCall – 'Strip' »
Mary J. Blige Scores Golden Globe Nomination
Mary J. Blige can add a new accomplishment to her résumé. The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul has been nominated for a Golden Globe by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
"The Living Proof," the ballad she penned for the acclaimed film The Help is up for Best Original Song at the 69th annual show. She will compete against Elton John, Madonna, Chris Cornell, and Brian Byrne in the category. The ceremony airs live on January 15 from the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
Her duet with Aretha Franklin, "Never Gonna Break My Faith" from the film Bobby, was nominated in the same category at the 2007 awards.
In addition to her Globe nomination, Blige also received a nod for Best Song at the 2012 Critics' Choice Movie Awards.Tweet
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There have been many plans to change the language, but none have come to anything. One reson for this is that we don't have a body or authority, so there is no official way of doing it- English evolves in directions decided by the speakers over time.
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Airbnb seemed so simple — but collaborative consumption can raise complex issues
It was a broad and fairly unusual coalition of groups that pushed the city to begin regulating and taxing Airbnb and similar companies — from the Tenants Union and labor unions on the left to Hotel Council and Building Owners and Management Association on the other end the spectrum — making the prospects of a successful legislative challenge to the tax law interpretation unlikely.
Gullicksen said Airbnb may be one of the biggest companies affected by the ruling, but it isn't the worst. He said Vacation Rental By Owner (www.vrbo.com) converts entire blocks of apartments into tourist hotels. By contrast, he said many renters use Airbnb to occasionally supplement their incomes.
"It depends on how often it's used and to what scope it's used," he said.
Mayor Lee and some members of the Board of Supervisors recently created a Sharing Economy Working Group to hammer out those distinctions and make policy recommendations, but it has yet to be constituted or begin meeting. And Board President David Chiu has introduced legislation developed by the Tenants Union to ban the worst "hotelization" of rental units by corporations.
I'll be curious to see how these issues play out, even though I no longer use Airbnb. Advocates for collaborative consumption seem to think they've invented something new under the sun and the rest of us just need to catch on. "When new business models emerge, you're going to constantly be in ongoing discussions with policymakers to educate them about the difference with traditional models," Rubey said.
Clearly, they've convinced Mayor Lee, who unsuccessfully sought a delay in the Tax Collector's ruling, following the tax breaks he extended last year to Twitter, Zynga, and other tech companies. But I'm less convinced. Airbnb once seemed like a simple and harmless way to make extra money, but in San Francisco — where landlords and tenants often battle over the very soul and essence of the city — life here and the policies that govern it are endlessly complicated. And that's nothing new.
We just think AirBnB should collect it and pay it on our behalf the way Hotel reservation sites do. AirBnB is pretty silent on that issue as well.
I find it odd that rentals for less than 30 days are illegal, and yet, AirBnB is allowed to operate, and profit, from facilitating illegal activity, but the hosts are bearing the brunt of the blame and consequences.
I'm fine to register as a business, provided I don't get shut down for renting less than 30 days, I'm fine to pay some variation of a hotel type tax, but why I use AirBnB is because they facilitate payments so I don't have to spend my time doing it. I'm happy to pay their fees since it makes it easier to do. Most of us hosts want them to collect and pay the hotel tax just like other hotel reservation sites do.
I'm even fine for paying income taxes on my portion as long as that sanctions my activity as legal.
Until these questions are clarified, many hosts will be operating illegally or removing their listings, neither of which is good for San Francisco or AirBnB.
They are perfectly legal. The 30 day rule simply means that such rentals are exempt from rent control. Which of course is why folks do them so much.
Actually, Chapter 41a of the SF Administrative Code specifically prohibits renting an apartment for less than 30 days and holds the owner (defined as the actual owner OR the tenant leasing the apartment) liable for civil penalties of up to $1,000 per rental day as well as criminal penalties.
Further, David Chiu has proposed strengthing this provision to allow non-profits (think SFTU) to investigate and bring action against offenders. Steven should probably rethink admitting to his illegal rental in print since this is pretty much a slam dunk case if this should pass.
Is this true? If so, this law is in need of immediate modification.
Especially if it is a homeowner renting out a room or some such. AFAIK, it hasn't been tested in court or on appeal.
It is clearly a law (read it for yourself in the SF Administrative Code) and I think it would be likely to hold up in court just as rent control laws have held up.
if they have any validity or relevance. This law has never been litigated as far as we know.
And various aspects of rent control, including some voter-initiated additions to it, have been rejected by the courts.
This law is highly suspect since it tries to interfere with what a homeowner does with his own home, which is a much more invasive restriction than controlling the rent on a rental unit.
I suspect the law may possibly hold up when a tenant tries to do this, but it strikes me as very unlikely that it would pertain for an owner-occupied home. It is effectively a "taking" and an unreasonable restriction of basic property rights.
I think the common justifcation for all areas of rent control is that it is regulation of a business and, as such, not subject to the "taking" provision. I don't agree with it, but I think one would have a very hard time fighting this law without deep pockets.
Also, the law may get much more punitive if David Chui's amendment is passed, so there may be some enforcement looming.
rejected by the courts and, specifically, the more invasive aspects of it. Remember Bierman's attempt to bring TIC's under the condo process? Rejected by the courts. The "triple damages" clause? Rejected by the courts. Daly's "protections" against buyouts? Rejected by the courts. And so on.
Other times the State legislature passess laws limiting Rent Control e,g, Ellis Act and Costa-Hawkins Act.
Telling a homeowner that he can't rent out a spare bedroom for a few days here and there gets very close to the line and, IMO, crosses it. The law might hold up for tenants doing this, however.
No. You're operating a B&B. You're taking money. It's a business with commercial transactions. B&Bs are perfectly subject to regulation.
in practice it is barely regulated, and many would aver that that is exactly how such an informal business should be regulated.
If you look at the regulation for City of San Francisco, here's what it says.
From the code:
Section 41A.5 "(a) Unlawful Actions. It shall be unlawful for any owner to offer an apartment unit for rent for tourist or transient use."
Section 41A.4 "(a) Apartment Unit. Room or rooms in any building, or portion thereof, which is designed, built, rented, leased, let or hired out to be occupied, or which is occupied as the home or residence of four or more households living independently of each other in dwelling units as defined in the San Francisco Housing Code...."
Section 41A.4 "(c) Tourist or Transient Use. Use of an apartment unit for occupancy on less than a 30-day term of tenancy."
Many people use this law to say that vacation rentals are outlawed in the City of S.F. ... when ... if you read it, you will see that the law doesn't apply to buildings with 3 or fewer units.
Also note that even if a short-term vacation rental is operating in a building with 4 or more units, the only people who can bring a claim against the owner (according to the regulation), would be long-term tenants currently living in that same building.
(I'm sorry if the link to the Muni code above is not working right now. I just checked it, and it wasn't. :( I've been referencing this code for the past couple of years, and I've noticed there are days when it works and days when it doesn't.)
Here is a link to the San Francisco Municipal Code, which is working today, thank goodness. If the link doesn't go right to it, do a search for "41A" to find it.
Please read the Municipal Code for yourself. I have seen a lot of inaccurate information posted here as well as in other news articles on this subject.
In addition to the definitions noted above, I want to also highlight these, quoted from Section 41.A.4 :
(f) Owner. Owner includes any person who is the owner of record of the real property. Owner includes a lessee where an interested party alleges that a lessee is offering an apartment unit for tourist or transient use.
(g) Interested Party. A permanent resident of the building in which the tourist or transient use is alleged to occur or the City and County of San Francisco.
Note that a "lessee" is counted as an owner, so indeed a regular renter who is doing short-term rentals is considered responsible for the misdemeanor and fines, etc. Also note that an "interested party" is defined strictly as another permanent resident living in the same building. So the only people who can legally file complaints are long-term (more than 60 days) residents in the same building.
And I would like to further highlight these items from Section 41A.5 :
(b) Determination of Violation. Upon the filing of a complaint by a permanent resident that an unlawful conversion has occurred, the Director shall take reasonable steps necessary to determine the validity of the complaint ...
(c) Civil Action. Except as provided by Subsection (1) below, any interested party may institute proceedings for injunctive and monetary relief for violation of this Chapter. In addition, the owner may be liable for civil penalties of not more than $1,000 per day for the period of the unlawful rental. If the interested party is the prevailing party, such party shall be entitled to the costs of enforcing this Chapter, including reasonable attorneys' fees, pursuant to an order of the Court. If the interested party is a permanent resident, then the interested party shall retain the entire monetary award. Any monetary award obtained by the City and County of San Francisco in such a civil action shall be deposited in the Mayor's Office of Housing, Housing Affordability Fund less the reasonable costs incurred by the City and County of San Francisco in pursuing the civil action.
(d) Criminal Penalties. Any owner who rents an apartment unit for tourist or transient use as defined in this Chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Any person convicted of a misdemeanor hereunder shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000 or by imprisonment in the County Jail for a period of not more than six months, or by both. Each apartment unit rented for tourist or transient use shall constitute a separate offense.
It seems to me ... some of our permanent residents living in buildings with short-term rentals may like to know that they are eligible to receive up to $1000 per day for the period of unlawful rental. This money would be fined to the person doing the short-term rentals and awarded to the other long-term tenants (the "interested parties") in the same building.
Also I believe many of the folks casually renting their apartments out on AirBnB would be quite concerned to see the language in section 41.A.5 (d) which says that they are guilty of a misdemeanor and may be put in County Jail for up to 6 months for the offense! OUCH.
Of course, all of this only applies to buildings with 4 or more dwelling units (see definition provided in the code).
I'm not sure if people in the City even know that their own law is written this way. The folks at Airbnb like to say that the law isn't enforced, so it doesn't matter. But ... there are plenty of people who get way up on their high horses, saying that "vacation rentals are illegal," and quoting this regulation. So there seem to be a lot of people who WANT the law to be enforced.
I think the City needs to make a stand on this, one way or another. It's irresponsible to have a law on the books that you don't enforce at all. It causes discord among the people of the City. People opposed to vacation rentals can point at the AirBnB renters / sharing economy people and call them "illegal" and make them feel bad, even discouraging some from continuing what is often a beneficial thing for the community ... and meanwhile the Airbnb renters can say, "Yeah, well, the law isn't enforced, and I'm making lots of money, so who cares?"
Meanwhile it seems that fellow tenants in the same building stand to profit handsomely by suing their follow AirBnB "host" tenants for $1000 per day, the way the Muni code is currently written.
There are many sides and prongs to the issue, and the inconsistencies on the part of the City are not helping at all. It's not a healthy situation. We need someone who understands all sides of the issues to take leadership.
If folks at the Board of Supervisors need some technical guidance and help with practical solutions, I would be happy to offer my assistance.
My newly widowed dad lives alone in his single family home and started to share his space as a way to help others have an affordable stay in SF and a way to deal with his loneliness by meeting others. It was a beautiful arrangement until an anonymous person filed a short term rental complaint to the SF Planning Dept.
Am I reading correctly that this law only applies to buildings with 4 or more dwelling units?
Additionally, only people in the building can complain?
that was changed in one of many "retrospective" chnages that have hurt property owners such as your elderly parent.
Anyone can file a report to the DBI, but usually it is a pissy tenant or neighbor.
Perhaps I should have been more clear in my article, but the Tax Collector's policy calls for Airbnb (or other economic middlemen) to pay the hotel tax to the city, so it's fairly simple from the perspective of both guests and hosts, who won't be required to get a business license as I understand it.
Steven, just so you know, it is super easy to get a Business License. It only costs $25 per year, so it's no big deal, nothing to be afraid of. You fill out a simple form to get your business license, and that's it. The business license gives you a certificate number, and this is what enables you to pay the hotel tax. You pay both the monthly hotel tax and the annual registration fee (only $25) online. It's really easy.
I advertise my apartment on AirBnB, and I do pay the hotel tax (14%) + tourism improvement district fee (1%) on any booking of 29 days or less.
I pay it online with the city, and it's no problem.
I really don't understand what all the fuss is about. We had our attorney (who is a tenant's rights advocate) review our Payment Contract and Guest Rules before starting to rent our apartment. Our attorney is the one who told us about the hotel tax and that based on her reading of the law, we would definitely need to pay the tax for any stay of 29 days or less. I read the law, too (which is quite brief and to the point), and I agreed with her.
I've mentioned it to Airbnb a number of times, that I wish they would make the hotel tax built in to their payment system. As it is, I have to e-mail with the guest specifically before they submit their payment, and tell them that $xxx amount of their payment is for the lodging, and $yyy part of their fee is for the hotel tax and tourism fee, and $zzz part of their fee is for the Airbnb service charge, etc. I wish AirBnB had this broken down for the guests as a built-in thing. In response, AirBnB has requested that I simply ask the guests to pay the hotel taxes in cash upon arrival; they have said that this is what other AirBnB hosts in San Francisco do. (Really?) But yeah ... I want to have documentation of all of our transactions, and I want to inspire trust from our guests ... so I don't deal in cash.
But the bottom line is ... yes, I do advertise on AirBnB, and yes I do pay the hotel tax for stays of 29 days or less. NO BIGGIE.
Much of the question about whether people should pay hotel tax is based on whether a room can be considered a "hotel" when it is just a spare bedroom in someone's rented apartment, for example.
If you go to Article 7 of the "San Francisco Business and Tax Regulations Code," you come to this definition:
(d) "Hotel." Any structure, or any portion of a structure, including any lodginghouse, roominghouse, dormitory, Turkish bath, bachelor hotel, studio hotel, motel, auto court, inn, public club, or private club, containing guest rooms and which is occupied, or is intended or designated for occupation, by guests, whether rent is paid in money, goods, labor, or otherwise. It does not include any jail, hospital, asylum, sanitarium, orphanage, prison, detention, or other building in which human beings are housed and detained under legal restraint.
If you take out the parts where they are listing examples, it comes to:
"Hotel. Any structure, or any portion of a structure, ... containing guest rooms and which is occupied, or is intended or designated for occupation, by guests, whether rent is paid in money, goods, labor, or otherwise."
Now, I don't why the authors of this code neglected to define the word "guest." But I think we'll have to assume that "guest" is anyone who does not qualify as a permanent resident, which is defined in Article 7:
(g) "Permanent Resident." Any occupant as of a given date who has or shall have occupied, or has or shall have the right of occupancy, of any guest room in a hotel for at least 30 consecutive days next preceding such date.
Note that there are also some exemptions to the tax. You can read the code yourself to see if your guests qualify for these. (In my previous post, I remembered the code for the hotel tax as being very brief and to the point, but now that I re-read it, I stand corrected. :) It is actually quite lengthy. More what one would expect from a tax law, yes!)
If you go to the link below, hopefully Article 7 will come right up. If not, search for the word "guest," you will come to Article 7.
and I have very little interest in paying a 14% "hotel tax". And of course the city has zero ability to enforce what they think is the law here anyway.
If the city hates BnB, then repeal rent control. I would much prefer to rent to long-term tenant but, as often happens, the well-meaning rent ordinance actually hurts tenants because it causes people like me to go short-term.
You are changing the use of the property from residential to hotel use, which is not allowed in RH-1 (single-family) zoning districts, and is allowed only by conditional use (i.e., notice sent out to neighbors, then a hearing before the Planning Commission) in other residential districts. Check San Francisco Planning Code Section 209.2(d).
Can you share your lawyer's name?
I don't know how to fill out the application.
Obviously the tax systems that apply to these new rentals need to evolve with the times. Hopefully the Mayor will facilitate this.
spend what is really only a few nights in their home is really going too far. While the idea that that is any way similar to staying at the Grand Hyatt is laughable.
I can see the liability for income tax that is generated by anyone who receives cash in return for a service. I can equally see how it would be relatively easy to "forget" about that and probably not get caught. But either way, that's not a city issue.
Moreover, any attempt to try and treat this like a hotel stay is simply going to drive the activity underground. If using an agency leads to a 1099 and a city hotel tax bill, then people will simply find temp renters thru CraigsList or similar, and do everything on a cash basis. Or people will "swap" homes on a non-cash basis, as happens with timeshares. As ever, if you overtax something, you kill the goose that lays the golden egg.
If we have to tax this activity at all, and I'm not convinced that we do, then it should be at a much lower rate than full-service hotels because, well, it's not full service.
The rent control issues aren't so important, since any owner can Ellis a building and then do what he wants with it anyway. Better to allow this and modestly tax it, than drive it underground and beyond regulation.
The writer lost credibility with me when he first tries to lay the blame on Airbnb for not telling him that his lease did not allow subletting, but then quickly backtracks and admits that he did know that his lease prohibits subletting. To make matters worse, the writer claims to be shocked when he discovered that he was supposed to pay taxes on the money he made, and seems to try to foist blame on Airbnb again.
Why would income from Airbnb be "free money" that is not taxable? I can't tell if the writer is kidding himself, or if he really is that lost that he doesn't understand the legal obligation to pay taxes on income.
There are numerous important and interesting issues that arise out of the sharing economy that are not mentioned in this article. Like the fact that the San Francisco Tax Collector, who is not an elected official and does not have the legal authority to impose new taxes, has unilaterally imposed a 14% tax on Airbnb users by simply redefining key terms in the tax code such as "hotel" and "operator". If he can do that, maybe he will redefine the term "charitable tax-exempt organization" so that I qualify as one and no longer are subject to taxation. After all, if the Tax Collector has the power to redefine a person who rents out their spare bedroom on the internet to be a "hotel", then why can't I be redefined to be a charitable organization. I help out needy people in various ways all the time!
There are numerous important and interesting issues that arise out of the sharing economy that this article doesn't even mention, let alone discuss in any depth whatsoever. Instead, the writer discusses his personal experience using airbnb including earth-shattering revelations that his lease does not permit subletting and the IRS expects him to pay taxes on income.
Actually, the Treasurer/Tax Collector is an elected position, and he didn't redefine anything, the law is that "guest rooms" rented out are subject to the Transient Occupancy Tax, which helps cover general city operations, including a variety of services that visitors to the city use. As far as my decision to include personal details and perspectives in my story, I think that my experience was fairly typical and similar to others that I've interviewed who weren't aware of local laws and tax obligations. We're all ignorant of certain ways, and I professed my ignorance regarding this new industry because the story seemed to call for that level of honesty, despite how it may reflect on me. I also didn't "blame" Airbnb, but I did illustrate that its business model relies on services that may actually be illegal, and I believe it's a valid observation to note that the company doesn't explicitly warn customers of that fact before they sign up. I'm sure there are many angles on the Sharing Economy I didn't discuss (we did have two other articles in this package), but I think most readers appreciated my approach, based on the feedback that I've been receiving directly. Thanks for reading.
your federal and state income tax on the "income". I suspect that you can deduct some costs from that income in the same way that normal landlords do.
While the liability for breaking your lease is minimal as your LL would have had to give you some type of notice at the time and, at this point, it's moot.
Whether the city will get away with treating this as a hotel is something that the courts will decide. I could easily see that designation being challenged.
I, for one, appreciate your candor in this article and can understand your failure to understand the myriad rules affecting SF housing policy. However, you do need to note that the issue of tax collection is only part of the problem. You also broke the law under Chapter 41a, and can be subject to very stiff penalties (draconian some might say).
I hope that this experience gives you some perspective on how difficult it is in this city to be a small landlord. Given the complexity of the laws surrounding rentals, it creates a minefield of potential pitfalls when renting even a single unit to a tenant. There are many small landlords (think duplex or triplex owners) who feel very vulnerable when dealing with the confusing and sometimes contradictory laws. Hence the lack of new, smaller rental buildings when at one time duplexes and triplexes were the standard form of housing in most neighborhoods in this city (and in my opinion give it much of its character).
I've done this on and off for over a decade. There is no monitoring or enforcement. I suspect that no resources exist to chase this up.
Better to do it privately than through a company IMO.
I agree the rules around rentals are insane.
One thing this article doesn't mention is how sites like airbnb or even craigslist, with it's daily or weekly rentals, affect the rental market in a city like San Francisco. Surely some landlords and renters with spare rooms are choosing to use these sites to fill apartments or extra rooms that would otherwise, in many cases, be available on the rental market thereby further reducing the supply in an already tight rental market.
These types of rentals are especially advantageous to landlords since they can earn what would otherwise be a month's rent in a number of days and they don't have to worry about rent control issues with the units. An article in the Chronicle recently estimated that rents have increased between 30-40% in San Francisco in the past year - an increase a landlord is able to easily pocket by renting by the day or week through these sites than if s/he were to get a regular, monthly tenant and be subject to rent control laws. While it's hard to estimate how much of an effect this is having on the rental market, it's safe to say that it's certainly not helping.
As someone who is currently searching for a rental in San Francisco, I can't help but wonder if all the posts I see on craigslist for daily or weekly rentals would be spaces that would otherwise be available as regular rentals were it not for this "sharing economy".
While I think it's nice that sites like airbnb create more of a unique experience for visitors to San Francisco, I feel that they hurt the City in two ways; they are taking away business from hotels and they are taking away units from the rental market. I'm glad the City has decided to apply the hotel tax to these rooms. On the other hand, I do see the advantage of such a site for someone having a spare room for a few days, but I wonder what percentage of posters that really is. The main problem I have is with people who use these sites to make a side business of rentals and thereby deplete the city's limited rental stock.
considered to be so punitive to many owners and landlords that they simply sidestep it by doing only short-term lets. You really cannot blame owners for doing what makes the most sense for them with their own property.
So if you are finding it tough to find a place, then you should really be supporting the abolition of rent control, as that would then free up all those places for regular rentals. Most landlords would rather have a steady tenant than an endless parade of strangers in their home. But the rules right now make long-term lets very risky for an owner.
Realistically, it's impossible to legislate what a homeowner does with his own home, and even rent control exempts single-family homes and condo's. What we really need is for rent control to go away and for permits to be granted for the large-scale construction of new rentals. Right now, that cannot happen.
Mr. Gullicksen is wrong. VRBO does not convert entire blocks of apartments into short term rentals. VRBO represents individual owners--not renters--of second homes who make those homes available to the public for periods from several days to several months. If Mr. Gullicksen wants to apologize to VRBO for this outright falsehood, he is welcome to call VRBO anytime.
In most jurisdictions across the country, any rental for less than 30 days is subject to "hotel" taxes--these are not in any way, shape or form "new" regulations, nor is renting short term a "new" activity. Renting ones's back room, or one's entire home by the day or the week is a standard economic activity that pretty much has been around forever.
I understand that people may not want this economic activity to be subject to "hotel" taxes, but their choice is to work with those who want to change the law, not simply to say it doesn't apply because somehow this centuries old business is somehow "new". It is not.
14 years ago using CraigsList and never had a problem. The only difference here is that there is an intermediary and it is easier for the city to hit them up for taxes than it is to chase down lots of individuals doing this on the down low.
It's rather like how California tries to hit up Amazon for out-of-state internet purchases to collect sales tax, which so far has failed. Whereas if you travel to Oregon to buy an item free of sales tax, CA has no way of knowing.
So if the city tries to inpose this tax, it will affect the intermediary, but people will still do this off the grid.
Months ago, I had a candid discussion with an Airbnb employee. I had never heard of the service and would never use it. Why? Because my landlord has forced me to be a sub-tenant with the master tenant of 14 years covering the rent. We have cheap rent thanks to rent control and this is the only way we can survive as artists and activists. I instantly knew that my lease would not allow any type of deal that Airbnb provides.
He went on and on about how he was living with his girlfriend and paying rent (and change) on his apartment with Airbnb. His landlord had no idea and we wasn't too concerned about the lease. mind you, this young man was probably paying 3x as much in rent as I currently am.
my main comment to this employee, who was oblivious of the concept, was "wow! Airbnb has taken an anarcho-socialist concept [i.e., fuck the landlord and do what you want!] and totally capitalized it and made it hip." The surprised employee's reply was something like, "huh? I guess so..."
Glad that couch surfing.org is out of this sharing economy loop (or at least this article). I used this service a few times and had great experiences with folks who were not asking for any kind of money transaction. we sometimes even cook meals together, making it a real travel experience (as opposed to staying in an empty apartment).
who cares about taxes? Take money out of the transaction and you don't have a problem!
landlord is "screwed" as a result and not otherwise?
Most of the people using BNB are owner-occupiers and couldn't care a hoot about "anarcho-socialism" (whatever that means).
Incidentally, an easy way around the so-called "30 day rule" is to make all rentals for 31 days but make sure that the tenant can leave with one days notice and no penalty.
Recently POOR Magazine ran a piece on the vast number of empty units in SF. Their data, derived from the recent census, showed 30,000 empty units, which, if supply and demand were active, would bring rentals down to a couple of hundred bucks, instead of the current thousands.
I wonder if these 'empty units' are actually being used in this way, and are a double scam on the populace.
The discussion of cars also brings to mind the vast number of Repos that are sold at auction. Are these being bought up and 'rented' in this way also?
A crushed economy has a multiplier effect on those who have lost everything.
decides that he does not want to rent it out?
How does the fact that there might be 30,000 such owners change that right?
The scam is you're jacking up everyone else's rent by taking rooms off the market with an illegal hotel. B&B's are not a new concept. They're guest lodging subject to licensing and taxation.
It was the attempt by the Santa Monica city council to ban that right that directly led to the Ellis Act which has evicted more tenants than any landlord would otherwise have ever needed to do.
It's called the law of unintended consquences.
My 3 unit building is much, much more valuable vacant than it is with three rent controlled tenants. Furthermore, if those tenants have "protected" status, it is worth even less.
Result - 30,000 vacant units in SF.
It's called unintended consequences, and it's literally Econ 101. Maybe POOR can do some research on that.
that they are totally exempt from rent control.
So let's see. Shall I collect a grand a month from some lowlife "activist" or purveryor of bad art, who will cling to the place until he is dead?
Or $100 a night from a German tourist who is guaranteed to leave and will probably clean the whole place with his toothbrusg top to bottom?
Hmm, tough one.
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till now. But, what about the conclusion? Are you positive about the
Does Airbnb assume liability for their referrals in the event of misadventure? Who would someone seek redress from if, say, the house Airbnb has put them in burns down and takes all their stuff with it?
What if an Airbnb referred guest is robbed, or worse, in the lodging to which they were referred?
Whenever a landlord chooses a tenant he takes the risk that they may cause damage or loss, or commit crimes on the premises.
That is why there are leases and contracts - so liability is clearly defined and agreed.
airbnb is no different in that regard than any service who helps landlords find tenants. The property owner always has to make the final decision on who to let in their home.
Renters who are renting short-term are putting their landlords (the ones who own the building and assume liability if it burns down, etc) at risk, unless the landlords are self-insured. The typical landlord insurance policy does not cover short-term rentals.
The quotes we got for insuring our building for short-term rentals went from about $1000 when it was assumed we'd rent long-term, to $4500 to $6000 annually. At first we bought the $4500 policy. A few months later, we found a policy for $2500 and were able to switch. Thank goodness for the cheaper price, but we're still paying an extra $1500 per year for insurance to cover short-term rentals.
If something goes wrong (building burns down, etc), the insurance company may refuse to pay the claim if they found out the building was being used for short-term rentals, if this use was not covered in the insurance contract.
The question is: with whom does liability for the safety of a referred GUEST reside?
One would assume that Airbnb warrants it will only refer visitors to safe, clean lodging. What happens if this is not the case?
If I ever found out one of my neighbors was pulling this, I would call my landlord faster than you can say "hotel tax". It's one thing if my neighbors have guests they know, or even a backpacker staying with them a la couchsurfing.com - my neighbor is present and accountable. It's quite another if it's somebody they don't know and they aren't even around. Talk about disrespectful of your neighbors and their safety.
Rent control benefits more of the wealthy, than the poor. It's why after a decade old study of the annual income of rent controlled tenants, tenants groups insisted the city not do another study. Why tenants who can afford $3K, $4K and up a month apts need rent protected is laughable: for diversity, so we have even more wealthy people who can keep their housing costs down as their income increases? Why are tenants parking spots and views "protected", when both are considered luxuries, in SF, by any standards? If there was means testing -- so only those who are supposed to benefit from rent control, do ... fine, but rent control is for those who have it, have had it a long time, and are determined to keep it for life. They don;t care about new comers wanting to live also in SF - regardless of age, economics, health, ethnic background. If they did, rent control would be over hauled for those who it was initiallyt designed to serve. Meanwhile, no matter how you slice it, landlords will find ways to keep reducing the rental stock to avoid the absurd SF policies and those who want housing from hereon in, will be discriminated against since any landlord with brains is going to try and avoid the myriad new groups SF only laws support - "protected" groups, older folks ...
The author is going after the wrong concept....the concept of a gift economy is not to be blamed. A gift economy working within an economy based on money is an oxi-moron. Just like its so hard to be a truly purely 'ethical' or "conscious" business within the confines of our money system. As long as money is used, there is no real gift and sharing. We can all do the best we can and we do but what we really need to do is stop using money and start a REAL gift economy, then these issues will subside. Look into the Venus Project for one such idea of a sharing economy. And please don't even bring up the words socialism or communism, both of those models operated under a money system too and that's why they were corrupt.
We owe it to our survival, the survival of the planet and all species to really give this idea of a sharing/gift economy a chance and that will only be by ending the use of money.
One more reason not to live in Taxifornia. BTW airbnb is not 'sharing economy' it is cap-i-tal-ism - learn it, learn to love it. Sharing econ is more where you give your pad to someone and then take over theirs when traveling with no money exchanging hands.
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