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Detroit Charter Schools Spend Way Less Money and Get Way Better Results
Just look at the evidence
The best research on school choice in Detroit shows that it leads to better results at a much lower cost to taxpayers. As Mackinac Center's Director of Education Policy Ben DeGrow writes in The Detroit News:
The best study on charter schools in Michigan is from the Center for Research on Education Outcomes at Stanford University. This study paired individual students in charter schools with their "virtual twins" in district-run schools, based on their gender, race, grade level, family income, and academic ability as measured by standardized tests. It then compared the gains that these students in charter schools made compared to their "control group," students just like them enrolled in district-run schools.
The study found that charters did better than conventional public schools in 52 of the 56 different outcomes tested and that Detroit charters gave students an extra two to three months of learning each year. The study called Detroit charters a "model" for other cities.
Meanwhile, on every test since 2009, Detroit's traditional public school students scored the worst in the nation among big cities on the nation's report card.
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According to the state, in total funding (local, state and federal), Detroit Public Schools spend an average of $18,602 per student while Detroit charter schools spend an average of $10,668 per student.
Much of the Detroit establishment — politicians, interest groups, and unions — want to give the mayor the ability to name members to a Detroit Education Commission that would restrict school choice in the city. The State Senate has given in, and included a $700 million bailout. But the State House has resisted and stood up for taxpayers and Detroit parents, who are saving money and receiving better education opportunities.
Related Articles:
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Detroit Children Need Choice, Not Bureaucracy
Detroit Charters Face All of the Obstacles of Detroit Public Schools – And Overcome Them
House Dems to Detroit Parents: No New Charter Schools For You
Detroit Mayor Says His Commission Will Be Independent While His City Discriminates
History Shows Delayed Adequacy Study Will Call for More Money
Michigan already spends more per pupil than the national average
Those anticipating the release of Michigan's education adequacy study learned this week that, once again, they will have to wait a little longer. While the precise detailed findings are unknown, the embargoed report's general conclusions should not remain a matter of mystery.
Last September the state granted Colorado-based Augenblick Palaich & Associates a $399,000 contract to determine how much money Michigan needs to spend in order to provide "adequate" services to students. Our state currently ranks 21st in per-pupil spending but 43rd in math and reading achievement on the nation's report card. Michigan has been spending more than the national average for decades.
The state law that authorized the study called for its completion by March 31. At the eleventh hour, the state agency acknowledged that the process had been held up by problems in data transmission. The deadline was moved back to May 13.
Though APA turned in the study on time, at least according to the granted extension, MIRS News now reports that state bureaucrats were not satisfied with the results. Saying the study did not meet "statutory requirements," officials levied a fine on the contracted research firm with a new required completion date of June 24.
APA's findings may not reach the public eye for a while, but interested observers should not be in suspense about one main fact: the study will almost certainly call on Michigan taxpayers to spend more money on schools. The last 13 adequacy studies conducted by APA all reached that same conclusion.
Between 2003 and 2014, various firms, including APA, conducted a total of 39 adequacy studies in 25 different states. Only one, a study performed in high-spending Wyoming, failed to call for additional funds.
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Among its more notable projects, APA determined that low-performing Washington, D.C. —which already received about $29,000 per student — should increase funding by 22 percent. Another APA study called for boosting Connecticut's education expenditures by 35 percent, or $2 billion, even though the state was already one of the nation's top five in per-pupil spending.
Earlier this year, the Mackinac Center tested the primary assumption behind the forthcoming Michigan adequacy study, namely that more funds all by themselves will improve student achievement. The multi-year, building-level regression analysis found no statistical relationship between spending and results for 27 of 28 different test scores and other academic indicators. The sole exception estimated that a 10 percent spending increase would improve seventh grade math scores by a minuscule fraction of a point.
Accepting that an increase in the state's K-12 budget will reap rewards in student learning requires a leap of faith. But however long we must wait, an expectation that the state's adequacy study will call for more money is firmly rooted in evidence from the recent past.
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Group Hired To Assess Michigan Education Spending Always Recommends More
Clock Ticking on School Adequacy Study
Transparency Bills A "Significant Step Forward"
Reitz interviewed by Michigan Radio
Days after the Detroit Free Press published an op-ed he authored on the same topic, Mackinac Center Executive Vice President Michael Reitz was interviewed on Michigan Radio's "Stateside" program about the need for more transparency in the executive and legislative branches.
Reitz joined host Cynthia Canty to discuss efforts to reform Michigan's open records laws, which exempt the Legislature and Governor's office from disclosure. House Bills 5477 and 5478, introduced by Reps. Ed McBroom and Jeremy Moss, respectively, would subject the governor to the Freedom of Information Act while a separate set of bills would establish the Legislative Open Records Act (LORA).
"Ultimately, we think this will be a good package of bills that moves forward in the Legislature," Reitz said, noting some changes need to be made to the LORA bills to ensure true transparency. "There are a couple of ideas that we've discussed in terms of improving the bills but I think the legislation overall represents a very significant step forward where we're really seriously considering requiring some records at the Legislative branch to be turned over to the public upon request."
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Reitz said an appeals process for records denial should be allowed in the courts, rather than contain it in the legislature, as is currently proposed. The current LORA bills also defines a public record as, "a writing … that has been in the possession of the public body for 15 days or more," and Reitz said it should not take 15 days for a document to be considered public.
"The key thing is to make sure the records are properly retained," Reitz said. "I'm not accusing anyone of bad behavior, but you wouldn't want the scenario where someone is able to delete records before they actually become public."
Reitz explained the suggested changes in further detail in the op-ed he co-authored with Sierra Club Michigan Chapter Chairman David Holtz.
Listen to the full Stateside interview at Michigan Radio.
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Public Records and the Office of the Governor
Flint Shows Importance of Open Government
Detroit News Highlights Mackinac FOIA Fee Case
A Life in Perspectives
Celebrating Andrew J. Coulson
The following is an edited version of the remarks and slides presented by Thomas A. Shull, an adjunct scholar with the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, at The Cato Institute's May 16 celebration of the life of Andrew J. Coulson. Coulson, who died of a brain tumor in February 2016, was a Cato Institute senior fellow at the time of his death and a former senior fellow in education policy at the Mackinac Center. Coulson was also the author of the groundbreaking book "Market Education: The Unknown History." He was 48 years old at the time of his death.
* * *
My name is Tom Shull. I knew Andrew because I was formerly the senior editor, and then the senior director of research quality, at the Michigan-based Mackinac Center for Public Policy, where Andrew was a senior fellow in education policy.
Andrew asked that this day be celebratory. So in honor of that wish, I dutifully wrote "In celebration" on this slide last week.
Adding the exclamation point — well, that took me a little longer.
But either we're celebrating or we're not — and I think we celebrate. Obviously, Andrew suffered a cruel twist of fate in the brain tumor that led to his passing in February, but when you consider his accomplishments, his relationships with other people, the easy joy he exuded in the way he lived, and in particular, I would say, the way he brought his ideas to life, an exclamation point is the only real choice.
And I had to laugh that even now, I was basically debating punctuation with Andrew, posthumously. Under longstanding precedent, the Mackinac Center uses Associated Press Style, and under AP Style, many of the commas and apostrophes Andrew preferred met their death at my pen. Not that I enjoyed that — I'm more a Chicago Manual guy myself — but I did enjoy the amusing verbal fencing matches that ensued.
Well, it wasn't quite like that — it was all mock outrage — and we had fun with it. In fact, I remember a lot of laughter in my work with him. Studies say you can tell when someone is smiling on the phone, and with Andrew, you sensed that he smiled a lot.
Which might be hard to believe from this picture. I mean, great production values, Cato: He looks serious, important — someone the media should interview and publish. So I get it.
But I kind of like this picture:
For those of you who weren't friends with Andrew on Facebook, this was his quirky profile picture, and you saw it on all of his Facebook posts and comments.
I thought it was really appropriate for him. It reminded me of the distinction Isaiah Berlin made between foxes and hedgehogs in the history of ideas, drawing on a fragment of a poem by the ancient Greek poet Archilochus. That little epigram goes, roughly:
The fox knows many tricks,
But the hedgehog knows one trick, and it really works.
For Berlin, there were honorable people on both sides of the fox-hedgehog divide. Hedgehogs were those writers and thinkers who saw the world through one powerful lens and built on one major vision — people like Plato or Hegel. Foxes, on the other hand, were those writers and thinkers who saw the world through many lenses and were skeptical of grand visions in pursuing the truth — people like Shakespeare or, for that matter, Berlin himself.
Others have adopted the fox-hedgehog idea, but they often cast the hedgehog as the dogged hero, with the fox portrayed as being too clever by half, coming up with cockamamie ideas.
Well, I suppose we all have our moments. But how is it that I've had a lawn tractor all these years and I've never once had to do this with it?
Still, foxes have their advantages. There's statistical evidence, for instance, that their humility and flexibility makes them better political prognosticators than hedgehog-like thinkers. I recall that Andrew was early in recognizing that education tax credits could have political legs.
And I would submit that part of what made Andrew's work appealing and unique was his nondoctrinaire, multifaceted approach to the education policy questions before him. He didn't start with an axiom of self-ownership and reason deductively from there — with all due respect to that approach.
Instead, as in this extended essay for the Mackinac Center [see above], he asked people to simply look at, and reflect on, the data on how public schools were actually performing; to focus on children, not institutions; and to consider every possible approach to providing education, not just the system we see immediately before us.
The resulting mix of appeals to evidence, reason and emotion was all the more powerful because it was balanced, measured, even understated. He had a sincerity that eschewed outrage in favor of an unfeigned goodwill. He wasn't a firebrand; he was more radical than that.
* * *
Sidestepping opportunities for resentment and outrage served him well in other areas, too. I remember when he submitted a regression analysis that I'd invited him to write up as a research paper — and our peer reviewers simply didn't like it. They found shortcomings, and I reluctantly passed their criticisms on, feeling as if I'd landed him in an unhappy spot.
But Andrew, characteristically, did not become defensive; he just went to work. And some months later, he came back with an analysis that simply left the same peer reviewers dumbstruck, because it was so much better and more sophisticated. We published that study, which concerned optimal school district sizes, with only minor changes.
And from that moment on, he became one of our expert peer reviewers on statistical analysis. It was a neat reversal of fortune — a textbook example, really, of how to reroute a setback into a chance to make yourself stronger.
What could have been a source of awkwardness between Andrew and the Center now became another area where we had fun. His peer review comments were often as amusing as they were insightful. When one of our analysts decided to take a state economic development proposal that was particularly far-fetched and actually run the data for all 50 states, getting a disastrous correlation coefficient for the proponents, Andrew responded with this:
There was one review that wasn't complimentary, but still fun. We sent him a manuscript that we'd already figured had problems, and Andrew, in the course of dismantling it, wrote this:
We literally laughed out loud. But tellingly, in the course of that review, he made a comment in the margin that really made us stop and think. That remark proved to be the kernel of an idea that led us in a different direction with our research, and it became the basis of the Mackinac Center's massive biennial report cards on hundreds of schools around the state.
Updates of that study are published to this day. Again, Andrew had helped reroute a setback to a victory.
So I envision a day when one of our great-great-great-great-grandchildren writes a post-mortem called "Public Education: The Unknown History," in order to ensure that people growing up in a free education marketplace won't forget the hard lessons humanity learned from government schooling. I hope that in that book, they adopt the same wide-ranging perspectives, the same thoughtful analysis and the same measured restraint to explain how and why humankind turned away from a public education system that had come to regularly fail its poorest and most marginalized students and moved to a market-based approach for education that was better for everyone.
Above all, then, I hope they will follow Andrew's lead and turn opportunities for unhappiness and resentment over the past into opportunities for humor and hope for the future …
… and to always find a new way to look at things — a new perspective — that helps remove barriers and move the world forward.
That's certainly a message to celebrate and pass on.
Bravo, Andrew. Well done, my friend.
# # #
Thomas A. Shull is an adjunct scholar with The Mackinac Center for Public Policy. He is the Center's former senior editor and former senior director of research quality.
Managed Competition Versus the Free Market, In One Photo
Cabstand at Reagan National shows need for ridesharing
I took this photo at 10:30 p.m. earlier this week at Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. It's the taxi stand outside Terminal B, where dozens of tired travelers were waiting in line for cabs to take them to their destinations.
A minute and a half after I snapped this shot, I was in a Mazda driven by a very pleasant man named Alireza, en route to my hotel thanks to the Uber app on my smartphone. Just three taxis had arrived in the interim to take away the long-suffering residents of the DCA cabstand.
It wasn't even a question of paying for convenience: The Washington Post's online taxi fare calculator estimates that my trip in a medallion taxi, had I waited for one, would have cost me $17. My Uber ride cost $16.51, at least until the airport tacked on a $4 surcharge.
That $4 was some of the best money I've spent in months, but the tangible reminder that entrepreneurs and free markets make people's lives better when they're allowed to do so was priceless.
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Related Articles:
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Can I Catch a Ride?: Regulating Uber and Lyft in Michigan
The Many Benefits of Ridesharing
Ann Arbor Crackdown Illustrates Need for Statewide Ridesharing Framework
Local Governments Cry Poor but Act Rich
If the fiscal stress is so great, why keep doling out uncompetitive benefits?
For over a decade, local governments in Michigan have been complaining they need more money from state taxpayers. A recent push by Wayne County Executive Warren Evans is only the most recent example.
That is what they say, but how they act suggests their fiscal complaints are exaggerated. For example, providing post-retirement health care benefits to employees is an expense that should be the first to go if there is a real financial problem.
Many local governments in Michigan pay for retired employees' health insurance costs, a type of benefit that is rare in the private sector. Unlike pension promises, these other post-employment benefits, or OPEBs, may be trimmed or even rescinded, subject to collective bargaining in some cases. For example, state retirees recently experienced an 11 percent cut in this benefit.
Yet how governments pay for these benefits is a problem. They do not pay for them at all until the bills come due years later when an employee has retired and starts receiving the benefit.
That is because unlike pensions, OPEBs do not have to be prefunded at the time they are earned, but can be covered on a "pay as you go" basis. This pledges a (rescindable) benefit now and pays for it later. It makes future taxpayers responsible for today's government employees.
Nevertheless, most Michigan local governments continue to promise these benefits to new employees. Offering a premium benefit that racks up millions in unfunded quasi-promises is not how an employer experiencing genuine financial stress would behave.
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Consider the city of Warren, where retiree health care benefits are underfunded by $275.1 million. If Warren ceased all operations for two full years and dedicated all its tax revenue to backfilling this unfunded liability, there still would not be enough to cover it.
It is unclear that taxpayers and residents get any benefit from backloading current employee compensation costs. And given that the benefits may be rescinded later, it is hard to see what value they provide to government workers.
Some proponents of a larger and more activist state government have recently been arguing that Michigan should be a "high tax/high service" state. But granting extra benefits that have all but disappeared from private sector workplaces — when Michigan has the related problem of regular pension underfunding — illustrates that a high degree of services does not necessarily follow from higher taxes.
The gap between what local officials say and what they do suggests that state policymakers need to look upon their poor-mouthing with skepticism. To the extent that complaints of financial stress are valid, local governments should clean up their own act before looking to reach more deeply into the pockets of state taxpayers.
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May 20, 2016 MichiganVotes Weekly Roll Call Report
Automaker protectionism, who's the repo man, ballot initiative signatures and more
House Bill 4344, Mandate auto repair shops use vehicle maker's own parts: Passed 33 to 4 in the Senate
To codify into law a comprehensive regulatory regime that is currently imposed on vehicle repair facilities through administrative regulations, including a state registration mandate. Among other things, the bill would prohibit a repair shop from replacing a major part on a newer vehicle with one not made by the vehicle's maker, which has been criticized as protectionism benefiting the Big Three and other car makers.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
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Senate Bill 671, Expand scope of wine and grape council mission: Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate
To revise the particular interests that must be represented on a government grape and wine industry council, by adding brewers and distillers. Also, to revise this entity's mission to include providing the same kind of indirect subsidies to those industries that it provides to wine making interests. In 2014 this operation reportedly received $927,898 from certain liquor license fees (taxes) and spent $797,000 on things that are supposed to benefit the industry, including $373,000 on compensation for its staff.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Bill 818, Exempt yoga instruction schools from licensure mandate: Passed 92 to 17 in the House
To exempt yoga teacher training schools from a state licensure mandate imposed on private trade-schools, with annual fees, government inspections, regulations and more. A Senate Fiscal Agency analysis notes that many take the classes just for the experience, and "the regulations reportedly have created a business environment that deters...offering or expanding instruction programs."
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
House Bill 4588, Expand private college security force powers: Passed 87 to 22 in the House
To permit private college security force personnel who have the same license as regular police to exercise full "peace officer" (police officer) powers outside the college's grounds, including cases of "hot pursuit" of an individual suspected of violating the law, or in cooperation with regular police officers. The House also passed a similar bill for airport security force personnel (HB 5181).
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Bill 656, Clarify that hiring repossession agency not same as being one: Passed 74 to 35 in the House
To clarify that the act of hiring and turning over uncollected bills to a bill collection agency for possible repossession actions do not come under the regulations, restrictions, licensure requirements and more that apply to the actual repo process.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
House Bill 5401, Revise pollution equipment tax break detail: Passed 70 to 39 in the House
To revise the requirements for getting a property tax exemption that is allowed for industrial pollution control equipment. The bill would require applications to include an affidavit from an environmental engineer that the equipment meets the rules. Under current law, the Department of Environmental Quality must certify the rules are met for getting a tax break, and this would be repealed.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
House Bill 4338, Let local school districts not state select retirement plan managers: Passed 66 to 43 in the House
To allow individual school districts rather than the state to select management companies to administer the 401(k)-type defined contribution component of a so-called "hybrid" retirement plan for new school employees. This gives these employees tax deferred contributions to a savings account they own, but also creates additional long term taxpayer liabilities by enrolling new hires in a slightly more modest conventional defined benefit pension plan than existing employees.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Bill 776, Limit time period for collecting ballot initiative signatures: Passed 57 to 52 in the House
To establish that signatures on a petition to amend the constitution must be collected within the 180 days before the measure is submitted, and repeal the ability to challenge whether older signatures may be valid. The House concurred with the Senate on giving the bill immediate effect, which would mean marijuana legalization and anti-fracking petition drives underway in the spring of 2016 would be impacted.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
SOURCE: MichiganVotes.org, a free, non-partisan website created by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, providing concise, non-partisan, plain-English descriptions of every bill and vote in the Michigan House and Senate. Please visit http://www.MichiganVotes.org.
Related Articles:
May 13, 2016 MichiganVotes Weekly Roll Call Report
May 6, 2016 MichiganVotes Weekly Roll Call Report
April 29, 2015 MichiganVotes Weekly Roll Call Report
April 22, 2016 MichiganVotes Weekly Roll Call Report
An Uber Driver Shares His Story
Op-ed explains efforts to permit and restrict ridesharing
A ridesharing entrepreneur who recently participated in a panel discussion at a Mackinac Center Issues and Ideas Forum in Lansing shared his story with Lansing State Journal readers in a recent op-ed.
Tim VanDongen began driving for Uber and Lyft as a way to make extra money, but eventually was earning enough to leave his primary job and make a career out of driving. Now, he has started a company, Ryde Media, which puts advertisements in Uber and Lyft vehicles.
VanDongen has experienced first-hand the many benefits ridesharing companies offer to drivers and riders, but is concerned that onerous regulations might crush such opportunity.
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Although this new service has the potential to provide thousands of new job opportunities to drivers and added convenience and reduced transportation costs to riders, it is limited in Michigan by government regulations that were developed when taxicabs were the only car-for-hire option and before smartphones even existed. As a result, consumers can only use Uber's services in the six cities in Michigan that have explicitly given drivers permission to offer rides.
VanDongen, who is featured on the Mackinac Center's Ridesharing webpage, explained that a package of "responsible and reasonable" bills moving through the House would allow drivers and riders to benefit from ridesharing services statewide. Unfortunately, bills making their way through the Senate would protect the taxicab industry at the expense of emerging technology.
A statewide approach to regulating this new industry makes sense. If regulations help promote safe ridesharing, then they should be as applicable in Detroit as they are in Traverse City. Further, drivers shouldn't have to wait until their local municipality gives them permission to earn a living. In fact, last December Ohio created similar statewide regulations.
Read VanDongen's entire op-ed at the Lansing State Journal.
Related Articles:
Managed Competition Versus the Free Market, In One Photo
Can I Catch a Ride?: Regulating Uber and Lyft in Michigan
The Many Benefits of Ridesharing
Ann Arbor Crackdown Illustrates Need for Statewide Ridesharing Framework
Taxpayers Should Not Be on the Hook for Stadiums
Bill Simmons gets it right
Sports writer and commentator Bill Simmons is transitioning from ESPN to a new show on HBO. In his promotional, "I Believe," the never-gun-shy Simmons lays out some of his positions.
His last statement is the most notable: "I believe billionaires should pay for their own [expletive] stadiums."
Michigan has a bad track record in this area. State and local taxpayers have coughed up huge for stadiums for the Lions in Pontiac (and then back to Detroit), for the Tigers at Comerica, and most recently for the Red Wings' new arena. (Well-deserved praise is due for Bill Davidson, who owned the Pistons in 1988 and financed the Palace of Auburn Hills with no tax dollars).
Stadiums are almost universally panned as bad economic development tools. Andrew Zimbalist, a professor of economics at Smith College and one of the leading experts on stadium financing, writes, "All of the independent, scholarly research on the issue of whether sports teams and facilities have a positive economic impact has come to the same conclusion: One should not anticipate that a team or a facility by itself will either increase employment or raise per capita income in a metropolitan area."
It's too late for these past projects, but Michigan should learn its lesson for the future.
Related Articles:
Contracting Non-Instructional Services Can Help Students
Op-ed published in Chicago Daily Herald
Michigan's success in contracting non-instructional services to keep money in the classroom was highlighted in a recent op-ed arguing the benefits of allowing districts to use private companies for janitorial, busing and food services.
The Chicago Daily Herald op-ed, co-authored by Michael LaFaive, director of the Morey Fiscal Policy Initiative at the Mackinac Center, and Kristina Rasmussen, executive vice president of the Illinois Policy Institute, explains why an Illinois law that makes it difficult for schools to use contractors for non-instructional services hurts children:
Michigan, for example, has more than 500 school districts. Thirty-one percent of school districts contracted out for busing, janitorial or food service in 2001. But it's worked so well that today that number is above 70 percent. …
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Surveys completed in four other states last year found similar acceptance of this trend. School districts estimated their savings from competitive contracting, which ran from $34 per student for food contracts to $110 per student for busing and $191 per student for custodial services.
Who would turn down another $191 per student in these tough economic times? Probably no one, which is why we need to put these savings back on the table.
Contractors, who specialize in offering their service, can also provide better quality, LaFaive and Rasmussen said.
Read the full op-ed in the Daily Herald.
Related Articles:
The State of Private Schools in Michigan
Number of Michigan Schools Privatizing Services Grows to 70 Percent
New Survey Says Texas Schools Behind Contracting Curve
School Support Service Contracting Reaches 70.8 percent


text:
Middle East
Robot Jockeys for the Camel Races
The Arab state of Qatar will replace child jockeys — formerly used for camel races — with robots. International pressure led to the decision. In addition to dangers, the children — many from India, some as young as four — were said to be ill treated.
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subset: commoncrawl


text: Now I have enough money to at least buy a Smartphone. But now there is a huge confusion. I have decided to buy it from AT&T but no idea whether to go for captivate glide or to buy galaxy s II skyrocket. I want to know the difference between the two phones with respect to the processor and network. I seriously dont care about the screen size or the camera or any other feature related to them. Especially I want to know the processors and the networks shared between these two. Any other specification or huge difference is most welcome please.


text:
James W. Smith died of lung cancer at his home in Line Lexington, Pa. Wednesday, June 18, 2014, with his loving family by his side. He was 73.
Jim was born in Maplewood, Ohio in 1941, to Carl Frederick and Edna (Baker) Smith.
He is survived by his wife, Grace Miller Smith, whom he married in Las Vegas in 2005; and his son, James W. Smith of Munford, Tenn., Bambi Anderson (Larry) of Brighton, Tenn., Mark Smith (Trina) of Munford, Tenn., and Christopher Spenhoff (Kelly) of San Diego, Calif.; twelve grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Brother, Fred Smith and sister, Carol Icenogle, survive in Sidney, Ohio. He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Rose Mary Hass.
Jim was a farm boy, and a member of 4H Club and the Maplewood Grange. He was a member of the Sidney All Boys Marching band that traveled to the Cherry Blossom Festival in 1955 and earned a National Championship. He graduated from Sidney High School with the Class of 1959, joined the U.S. Navy and traveled the world as an air traffic controller, except for two years in the Mekong Delta (Vietnam) as a captain of brown water Swift Boat in the Yankzee River. He retired after over 30 years of service attaining the rank of master chief.
His hobbies consisted of watching and admiring horses, Clydesdale horses in particular, especially the Anheiser Bush Clydesdales. He lived in San Diego where he visited the Western Hamlet and was privileged to exercise some of their horses. His favorite music group was the Statler Brothers, following as many of their concerts as possible and collecting all their music. He and his wife also enjoyed camping in their trailer to various campgrounds in the East coast. Also, he was a big fan of the Cowtown Rodeo near Woodstown, N.J., since 2005.
He was a member of the Maplewood Methodist Church, Maplewood, Ohio. Arrangements are being made with the Cromes Funeral Home in Sidney, Ohio.
Memorial contributions can be made to the American Lung Association. 55 W. Wacker Drive, Suite 1150, Chicago, IL 60601.


text:
Why Recarta?
Recarta specialises in the design, deployment, hosting and management of Enterprise Server and Storage environments focusing largely in the Banking, Manufacturing, Distribution and Retail sectors.
With offices in London, Manchester, Surrey and Guernsey, Recarta has established an enviable reputation and one that has fostered successful relationships deep inside vendors such as IBM, EMC, Cisco and Lenovo.
We believe that a successful consulting business is one which holds its key customers close whilst being able to expand and grow; Recarta has managed to do this successfully since 2005. Our growth around professional services is built on trust and our technical experience. We have many case studies and reference sites for enterprise projects that we currently manage and have previously deployed.
The key areas of our solution expertise are built around:
- Scoping, provision, hosting and management of IBM Enterprise Servers
- Provision of Linux and Virtualisation technologies and skills
- Virtualised, Tiered and Flash Storage solutions
- Enterprise Backup, Recovery & High Availability Solutions
- Hardware and Software Support Management
- Independent Licensing and Compliance Management
- Hosting and cloud services
Recarta enjoys the status of IBM Premier Business Partner – and IBM Power Speciality Partner, accredited to provide the full portfolio of IBM Power Servers and all storage solutions up to IBM's XIV Storage System. Lenovo's purchase of IBM's xSeries range is exciting and under the new Lenovo branding this provides us with a competitive and excellent Intel offering for our clients.
Our recent adoption of EMC and Cisco UCS technologies have ensured that we can engage at a high level across our clients entire infrastructure estate to ensure that they have the most cost efficient and relevant technologies to drive their business forwards.
In addition, Recarta are accredited to sell the full suite for IBM Software solutions including, DB2, Information Management, InfoSphere, Lotus, Rational, Tivoli and WebSphere.
Finally, providing the link to many infrastructure solutions, we are also a VMware Professional Partner, Veeam Silver Partner, Red Hat Ready Partner, Citrix Silver Partner, Microsoft Reseller and Check Point Bronze Partner.
At Recarta we believe in continual training of our consultants to add skills and knowledge to our existing experience – the vital ingredient of any customers successful supply chain.
About Recarta IT
Recarta IT was established in 2005 as an end-user subsidiary of Powercore Holdings. In March 2008 the company was subject to a management buy-out, and is now owned and managed by Daren Bland, Managing Director and Toby Harris, Sales Director.
The company has grown organically year on year since conception and a large part of our growth has been attributed to our partnership with select ISV's, to help deliver infrastructure or hosting to their clients. This has been a catalyst in the large growth we have seen in our managed services and professional services businesses over the past few years. We have seen a great shift towards outsourcing of skills and resources to Recarta helping to grow our Services Business by 300% in the past 12 months alone (to December 2014).
To date Recarta has over 200 regular clients ranging across the UK Mainland and the Channel Islands largely covering Banking and Finance, Retail, Distribution and Manufacturing sectors.
On April 1st 2012 - Recarta launched its data centre services, specialising in Recarta's deep skills and experience of IBM Power p and IBM Power i and offer existing and new customers the opportunity to outsource or co-locate IBM Power Systems with confidence.
On September 1st 2014 – Recarta launched Enterprise Lifecycle Management which assists with the recycling and disposal of retired IT Assets. In particular, this business has seen great success in providing secure data destruction services of disk and tape, both on client premises and off-site.


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Today I Feel Silly & Other Moods That Make My Day
Today I Feel Silly & Other Moods That Make My Day
Joanna Cotler Books, Hardcover, 9780060245603, 40pp.
Publication Date: September 22, 1998
Today I feel silly. Mom says it's the heat.
I put rouge on the cat and gloves on my feet.
I ate noodles for breakfast and pancakes at night.
I dressed like a star and was quite a sight.
Today I am sad, my mood's heavy and gray.
There's a frown on my face and it's been there all day.
My best friend and I had a really big fight.
She said that I tattled and I know that she's right.
Silly, cranky, excited, or sad--everyone has moods that can change each day. Jamie Lee Curtis's zany and touching verse, paired with Laura Cornell's whimsical and original illustrations, helps kids explore, identify, and, even have fun with their ever-changing moods.
Here's another inspired picture book from the bestselling author-illustrator team of Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born and When I Was Little: A Four-Year-Old's Memoir of Her Youth.
Laura Cornell is the illustrator of several#1 New York Times bestsellersby Jamie Lee Curtis, including"My Mommy Hung the Moon", "Big Words for Little People, Today IFeel Silly &Other Moods That Make My "Day", "and "Is There Really a Human Race?" Laura left stunning and sunny southern California to reside in soaring and spectacular New York City.


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Springfield, MO -- Officials of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) delivered final Comprehensive Recovery Plans to the cities of Stockton and Pierce City. FEMA presented the plans at each city's weekly council meeting, Monday, August 25.
Springfield, MO -- More than 100 Missourians called to apply for disaster assistance yesterday - the final day that the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) toll-free number was available to accept applications. Nearly $32 million in state and federal assistance has already been approved for more than 2,300 claims from Missourians who were affected by the devastating tornadoes, severe storms and flooding which began on May 4. Federal and state disaster officials offer the following 60-day summary of assistance efforts to date:
Springfield, MO -- Today (July 7) is the last day for Missourians in 74 designated counties affected the tornadoes, severe storms and flooding, which occurred May 4-30, to apply for state and federal disaster assistance. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) application number, 800-621-FEMA (3362) will take calls until 6 p.m. (CDT) today. The special number for those who are hearing or speech impaired is TTY 800-462-7585. Multilingual assistance is available when needed.
Financial Assistance
Individual Assistance - Dollars ApprovedIndividual Assistance Definitions
Individuals & Household Program (IHP): Provides money and services to people in Presidentially declared disaster areas.
Housing Assistance (HA): Provides assistance for disaster-related housing needs.
Other Needs Assistance (ONA): Provides assistance for other disaster-related needs, such as furnishings, transportation, and medical.
|Total Individual Assistance (IA) - Applications Approved:
|Total Individual & Households Program - Dollars Approved*
|Total Housing Assistance - Dollars Approved*
|Total Other Needs Assistance - Dollars Approved*
|Total Amount
Public Assistance - Dollars ApprovedPublic Assistance Definitions
Public Assistance (PA): Disaster grant assistance available for communities to quickly respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies declared by the President
Emergency Work (Categories A-B): Work that must be performed to reduce or eliminate an immediate threat to life, protect public health and safety, and to protect improved property that is significantly threatened due to disasters or emergencies declared by the President
Permanent Work (Categories C-G): Work that is required to restore a damaged facility, through repair or restoration, to its pre-disaster design, function, and capacity in accordance with applicable codes and standards
*Dollars Approved: Assistance dollars approved but not necessarily disbursed.
*Dollars Obligated: Funds made available to the State via electronic transfer following FEMA's final review and approval of Public Assistance projects.
|Total Public Assistance Grants - Dollars Obligated*
|Emergency Work (Categories A-B) - Dollars Obligated*
|Permanent Work (Categories C-G) - Dollars Obligated*
|Total Amount
Related Links
- Missouri Office of the Governor
- Missouri Office of Homeland Security
- Missouri Flooding Disaster Assistance and Debris Removal


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I had an appointment at 8:30 a.m. Feb 6th at the hospital to be monitored. When I got there, my Blood pressure was high. I thought, so...it usually starts off high and then goes down and I go home. Well, I was still being monitored by 11:30 a.m. and my OB walks in and says, the baby is doing all right, but you aren't.
I was admitted and started out on poticin at 2 p.m. I was 2 cm and 60% effaced when they started the drug. I really wish I had a big breakfast before going in at that point. I started feeling the contractions, but they were bearable. I was checked at 4 p.m. and I had moved to 3 cm and the baby lowered, as well. My mom and sister showed up around 5 p.m. and I was checked again and I was till 3 cm. I was still able to tolerate my contractions even though my husband kept whispering in my ear that I shouldn't wait until the epidural.
Man! It was like a curse. When he started saying that the contractions started coming harder. It wasn't so much that they hurt, but my herniated disc was getting aggrivated with each contraction and that is what was making things hard for me, so I eventually asked for the epidural.
I have to say, it hurt, but it wasn't as bad as the GBS antibotics they pumped into me. The GBS antibotics were administered until birth and it stung like nothing else when they were administered. I also have to say the the epidural is FABULOUS!! I was able to get some shut eye. I was checked at 9 p.m. and was now 5 cm. I didn't progress too much after that and I was thinking the induction wasn't going to work. They started turning me and giving me oxygen.
10 til midnight my mom and sister decided to leave because we were thinking it wouldn't happen until maybe the next morning. The nurse came in at midnight to check me again and I was 7 cm. My DH said.."Woah!"
The nurse started telling me I would start to feel pressure on my back or pelvic area and that's the baby coming down. I was told to breath deep to give him more oxygen, I still had the mask on. Also, she told me not to push the epidural button unless I had to because my legs were like concrete blocks I couldn't move. However, if the pain threshold is above a 3, I could push it. Again, it was like a switch. She left the room and sure enough I started feeling the back pain and every contraction. What the hell, I thought. I have a epidural, but I feel everything! I tried bearing through 5 contractions until I told myself this is above a 3 and I pushed the button. Nothing.
Nothing changed. I still felt intense pain. My DH was snoozing on the couch and I called his name. Nothing. So, I called him again and he jumped up and said, what? what's going on? I beared down on another contraction and said, Something is happening! At this point, it was 1 a.m. I didn't know what was going on because it only had been an hour since she checked me.
The nurse rushed in and checked me and I was 9.5 cm!! I wanted to scream...LIAR! I'm 10! She had the doctor call and then turned militant on me. She said, Now the baby is right here and if you do what I say you will have your baby in no time. If you don't, then I might as well go back to the desk and schedule your c-section. She had me hold my breath and grab my legs and push. This was hard because I still had the oxygen mask on and every time I held my breath, I felt I was suffocating. So, I would break my concentration and grunt. She got mad at me and said every time you make a noise, you aren't pushing right. My doctor showed up and I pushed through 3 contractions and then was told to just push push push..he's almost here.
Okay...it was the hardest thing I ever did! I can't imagine if I did it without the epi because it was like I didn't even have one the hole time. It truely feels like you are pushing a watermelon out of your v-jay jay. Christopher was born at 1:15 a.m. 7 lbs 20 inches @ 37 weeks. Thank God it was only 15 mins because I don't know if I could have made it through that much pain. My DH almost cried and was just amazed that I was able to do a vaginal birth. He thought he wouldn't be able to watch. He told me he felt more in love with me. Awww...
After Christopher was born, they did his tests and they figured he was actually 36 weeks. At this point, he could either act like a premie or a full term baby. He decided he was going to be a premie. He was having trouble eating and keeping his blood sugar up, so he was sent to the NICU. I was devestated and of course blamed myself. My OB told me it was okay. Of all the things that could be wrong, this is pretty easy to fix. I visited him for every feeding. I was discharged today and cried a lot today because I had to leave him at the hospital because he also developed jaundice. Again, the doctor told Jaundice is a good sign that he is healthy because his body is getting rid of dead blood cells too efficiently. I called for an update tonight at 9 p.m. and was told that he is eating well and that he is maintaining his blood sugar, so they took him off the IV. I'm so glad. I still have my moments where I just cry because I want my baby boy with me. I know it will happen soon, it's still hard.
I go back tomorrow to see this beautiful face and I can't wait.


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1,150 Fans
Banshee stars Antony Starr as Lucas Hood, an ex-con and master thief who assumes the identity of the sheriff of Banshee, Pennsylvania, where he continues his criminal activities, even as he's hunted by the shadowy gangsters he betrayed years earlier.
Played by:
Character Bio
Kai is an intimidating and wealthy Banshee businessman who considers himself above the law. Disowned by his Amish family, Kai has a hand in nearly all of Banshee's criminal enterprises
Episode Screenshots
Kai Proctor Quotes
|Season 1 / Episode 7: - Behold a Pale Rider
Kai Proctor: You know generally Banshee is a pretty quiet town but after you arrived it's been one thing after another, it's almost as if you brought it all with you. "And behold a Pale Rider and his name that sat upon him was Death and Hell followed with him", Revelations 6:8.
Lucas Hood: Yeah I've never had much patience for people who quote scripture.
Kai Proctor: This is God's country, you better acquire a taste for it.
Kai Proctor Photos
|powered by
|Previous: Sugar Bates
|Next: Siobhan Kelly


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Noteworthy new website launch – RxISK.org: "Making medicines safer for all of us."
It's founded by Dr. David Healy, internationally renowned psychiatrist and author from Wales; Dr. Dee Mangin of New Zealand, Dr. Kalman Applbaum of the University of Wisconsin, Dr. Nancy Olivieri and others you can read about here.
The project's own description:
"RxISK is the first free, independent website where patients, doctors, and pharmacists can research prescription drugs and easily report a drug side effect identifying problems and possible solutions earlier than is currently happening."
The site offers these sections:
a Suicide Zone: "Drugs sometimes cause people to have suicidal thoughts and behaviour. It is important to find out if there is a connection between these thoughts and your prescription so that adjustments can be made before you act on drug-induced violent ideas."
Within the site is Dr. Healy's blog, which includes recent entries such as:
It includes graphic displays such as this "FDA Heat Map" of reported side effects from a smoking cessation drug:
We'll be following this site and welcome your thoughts as you visit it.
We Welcome Comments. But please note: We will delete comments that include personal attacks, unfounded allegations, unverified facts, product pitches, profanity or any from anyone who doesn't list what appears to be an actual email address. We will also end any thread of repetitive comments. We don't give medical advice so we won't respond to questions asking for it. Please see more on our comments policy.
Comments are closed.


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Post: Dead And Company Albany NY Section 207 Row J Two Tickets
~ It was awesome working with James. HIGHLY recommended! A9/16/15
Post: FS- 2 Orch Seats For Albany, Face
~ Easy to deal with. Great transaction!!!1/22/13
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What's New
+ Added print function to turn photos into postcards, greeting cards and more.
+ Updated software.
App Description
Remember Me makes it easy to create beautiful memorial photos, memes and collages of the friends, family and pets that we have lost. Then post the photos on social media sites or turn them into sympathy cards and mail them anywhere in the world.
The app is easy to use. Just choose items from the art folders and position and size them using your fingers. The app includes over 50 images of flowers to choose from plus halos and angel wings, butterflies, flags, and more.
The app also includes ready made banners such as Beloved Father, Pet, or Friend, Rest in Peace, and many more. Add your own text to personalize the photo and add multiple photos to backgrounds to create a memorial collage.
When the memorial picture is finished, Remember Me makes it easy to create a personalized sympathy card and mail it worldwide or upload the photo to Instragram, Facebook, and more.
Download this app today and start making beautiful memorial photos for rfriends and family.
App Changes
- June 17, 2014 Initial release
- December 18, 2014 Price increase: $2.99 -> $3.99
- January 05, 2015 New version 1.2
- January 05, 2015 Price decrease: $3.99 -> FREE!
- February 11, 2015 New version 1.3
- May 05, 2015 New version 1.4


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This is a mainly a coffee table style photo book about my wonderful yellow labrador, Yukon. It's a story of his life with us from when he was an 8week old pup until his untimely death just a few days before his 11th birthday. I spent a lot of time creating this book - it's intent so that we would never forget our great friend - it's more for me than anyone else, but I believe the photos of him being such an integral part of our life are something that anyone can enjoy.
Comment posted.
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I REALLY Have a Problem Published February 01, 2016
Life with Kolin & Ellen 2014 in Review Published November 17, 2015
Rumple - Volume 3 Published October 21, 2015
Rumple's Early Years Published September 29, 2015
Favorite Easy Recipes from Ellen's Kitchen Published December 01, 2013
the Grand Teton Published August 18, 2012
the grand teton (8x10) Published August 18, 2012
Life with Kolin & Ellen 2010 in Review Published January 04, 2011


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Key things you need to know aboutDr. Almonte:
Dr. Almonte's Experience
Research training, expertise and qualifications
Dr. Almonte's Specialties
- Urology
Procedures Dr. Almonte Performs
- Adrenalectomy
- Bladder Surgery
- See all 22 procedures
More About Dr. Almonte's Background
Hospital Quality
The right hospital is as important as the right doctor
- Seton Health System - Saint Mary's
- 1300 Massachusetts Ave
- Troy, NY 12180
- Samaritan Hospital
- 2215 Burdett Ave
- Troy, NY 12180
9 Facts About Hospital Quality
Patients' risk of dying during a hospital stay for heart bypass surgery could be 87.4% lower, on average, at a hospital rated 5 stars compared to a hospital rated 1 star for that procedure. Choosing the right hospital is critical to your health. View Slideshow
Patient Satisfaction
Patients' feedback on their experience with Dr. Almonte
Likelihood of recommending Dr. Almonte to family and friends is 3.3 out of 5 5 1 11
See More Survey Results
8 Facts About Patient Satisfaction Surveys
Patient satisfaction surveys provide a standardized way of reporting about healthcare experiences. But there can be more than meets the eye when reviewing scores. Here's what you should know
Appointments & Offices
Check insurance plans, locations and make an appointment
- Troy Urology Associates
- Troy Urology Associates
- 267 Hoosick St Ste 1
- Troy, NY 12180
- (518) 272-1333
- Directions
- Prepare for Your Appointment
7 Tips to Prepare for Your Appointment
The key to a successful appointment is communication. To get the most out of your visit, prepare ahead of time so you can lead the conversation with your doctor. These 7 tips will get you ready
Oops, you entered a bad link for Dr. Almonte!
The link you entered contains bad characters or identifiers. Please enter the link exactly as it appears in your email or text message.
Thank You
This confirms that we have received your survey about Dr. Almonte. Please note: Your insights will help other patients make informed decisions. Please note: it may take 1 business day for your survey response to appear.
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Our records show that you have already confirmed your survey for Dr. Almonte. Please note: it takes 24 hours for your survey results to show up on the doctor's profile.


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I thought it's about time we had a game that everyone can play.
It's really easy, we start with the letter "A" and use it for something you can find at Walt Disney World! It can be an attraction, a character, a resort, a restaurant, a souvenir, anything at all, so long as it can be found at WDW.
When we get back to "A" we start again hope you join in
I'll go first
A - Aladdin


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SKILL LEVEL: Easy + (Level 3)
SIZE: Small, Medium, Large
Finished Bust About 34 (39, 44) in. (86.5 (99, 112) cm), buttoned Finished Length About 18 1/2 (19, 19 1/2) in. (47 (48.5, 49.5) cm)
For the full Lion Brandagram experience, download the PDF. Designed by Bobbie Fitzgerald.
13 sts + 18 rows = about 4 in. (10 cm) in St st (k on RS, p on WS). When you match the gauge in a pattern, your project will be the size
specified in the pattern and the materials specified in the pattern will be
sufficient. The needle or hook size called for in the pattern is based on what
the designer used, but it is not unusual for gauge to vary from person to person.
If it takes you fewer stitches and rows to make your swatch, try using a smaller
size hook or needles; if more stitches and rows, try a larger size hook or needles.
Making a Gauge Swatch
13 sts + 18 rows = about 4 in. (10 cm) in St st (k on RS, p on WS).
Learn to Knit instructions: http://www.lionbrand.com/learnToKnit.html


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Nintendo Wii Games
Mercurio gun for Nerf N-StrikeHome / Nintendo Wii /
This page contains Nerf N-Strike Codes for Nintendo Wii called "Mercurio gun" and has been posted or updated on Dec 15, 2008 by nate7649.
Sponsored Links
Boxshot & Details
- Developer: Ea Redwood Shores
- Publisher: Electronic Arts
- Genre: Action Shooter
- Release: Oct 28, 2008
- ESRB: Everyone 10+
Mercurio gun
Enter RSMERC9 as a code.
Report Problem
Please Submit a Problem for any incomplete, non-working or fake cheat listed above.
More Codes
From: Salto
From: johndeere1995
From: karlndrof
From: karlndrof
From: karlndrof
From: ryaner
From: nate7649
From: Benno
From: Akitsuki311
From: y2schwabe
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Back to all Cheats
From: Taylor07
Stuck in this game? Set a specific, clearly defined question and let other gamers answer your question or view answers to previously asked questions. If you think you are an expert then please try to help others with their questions.
Latest Questions
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text:
SANTA ROSA -- A San Francisco-based real estate investor and developer recently acquired a five-building, 70,000-square-foot office complex in southwest Santa Rosa that had been part of a large North Bay commercial property portfolio until foreclosure last year.
Presidio Development Partners LLC, acting as Parkpoint M&C Investors LLC, acquired Parkpoint Business Center on Dec. 13 from loan servicer CW Capital, which foreclosed in June.
The just under $4 million purchase price for the 60 percent-occupied office complex, located at the northwest corner of North Dutton and West College avenues, amounted to about a 7.5 percent capitalization rate, according to Presidio partner Cliff Miller. The firm plans to spend about $2 million on landscaping, sidewalks, new signage and other minor minor exterior upgrades as well as interior improvements.
"This is a great office property that has performed well over the years and only recently lost occupancy due to the prior owner's high cost basis," Mr. Miller said. "We now have the ability lease or sell these small buildings at compelling prices."
Asking prices are in the range of $1.55 to $1.70 a square foot on a full-service basis. A 10,000-square-foot building that has housed shuttered restaurants Mistral and Sassafras is being offered at around $110 a square foot.


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- NicaraguaFoodFunding via MiCredito
Carmen IsabelNicaraguaRetailFunding via ADIM (Asociación Alternativa Para el Desarrollo Integral de las Mujeres)
Astenia De ...NicaraguaRetailFunding via MiCredito
Maria Esperanza
Update on Maria EsperanzaMaria Esperanza is a humble woman who has worked all her life to improve her situation. She hopes to achieve her goal in the future, together with her life partner as they struggle daily to maintain their household. He works for a private company and she works as a teacher at a municipal school where they live. She also cultivates the land and grows pineapple. She is in need of an urgent loan for crop maintenance. With this loan she will buy supplies such as Triple, Urea, Completo and fertilizers. She is grateful for the support she is receiving from Afodenic and Kiva through this loan.
Previous Loan DetailsMaría Esperanza lives in San Juan de la Concepción with her partner and two children. She works very hard to be able to help her family get ahead. Her companion works for a private business in Managua, and she is a teacher at a local school. She has worked the earth for more than ten years, and a... More from Maria Esperanza's previous loan »
Additional Information
About AFODENICThis loan is administered by AFODENIC, La Asociación para el Fomento al Desarrollo Nicaragua, a Kiva Field Partner based in Managua, Nicaragua. Founded in 1999, AFODENIC was created to promote the socio-economic and cultural development of sectors that are excluded from commercial banking. Integrating economic and human resources, AFODENIC offers affordable and adaptable financial services aimed at strengthening the family unit of their clients, who include students, producers, and micro- and small entrepreneurs from rural and urban areas. AFODENIC is a socially responsible institution engaged in society and making a positive impact on its professional partners and communities.
Supporting a borrower through AFODENIC contributes to the pursuit of innovation in mitigating poverty in Nicaragua. Visit AFODENIC's partner page for more information.
Concurrent and Successive Loans
Our Field Partners often work with borrowers over a series of loans as the borrowers build credit, take out bigger loans, and expand their businesses. In order to make it easier for our Field Partners to post loans for borrowers who have been listed on Kiva before, we allow them to post successive and concurrent loans for their Kiva borrowers. This means that our Field Partners are able to post a borrower's second, third, etc., loan on Kiva without having to re-enter all of the borrower's information.
This borrower has been listed on Kiva before, so you'll see an updated loan description, as well as excerpts of the original descriptions from earlier loans. Most borrowers take out loans consecutively, meaning that they receive a second loan after having repaid the first. However, sometimes our Field Partners give out concurrent loans, allowing borrowers to take out one primary loan and a secondary "add-on" loan along with it. These "add-on" loans are typically smaller than the borrower's primary loan and serve a different purpose. Because Field Partners can now post loans as successive and concurrent loans, you will be able to track borrower progress over time and see the various ways a borrower is working with our Field Partners through funds from Kiva's lenders.
About Nicaragua
38View loans »
Success!! The loan was 100% repaid
- Repayment Term
- 17 months (Additional Information)
- Repayment Schedule
- Monthly
- Pre-Disbursed:
- May 29, 2013
- Listed
- Jun 14, 2013
- Currency Exchange Loss:
- Possible
- Ended:
- Sep 19, 2014


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We thought we might go here next time we go instead of Sea World if they are still doing the military salute day pass
will there be enough to keep me occupied all day? ( i don't do the big rides)
how long does it take to get there?
do you need all day?
is there a fast pass type system?
what about eating? are there any decent restaurants there or are we best off just having something fast food like while we're there?


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Country Fashion Tips
Fashion is a huge part of today's modern trends and country clothing does not fall short. With the amount of popular brands and garments in the market, such as Outback Rodeo and Corfu Jeans, it is easy to mix and match a look that suits you. Country clothing is a wonderful choice for informal, casual and smart casual occasions. Depending on the location and event there are different country styles to suit any outing.
Australian ladies are taking to country styles in a big way. In this article we take a look below at some female country
Starting with the basics you can't go past a plaid blouse with pockets, combined with slim denim jeans, an oversized belt buckle and a brown leather vest to complement. Combine this with a pair of boots covering the bottom of your jeans and you have a traditional cowgirl look.
Trendy: add style to your look with a coat and scarf. Coats with an attachable hood accessory are perfect for cold conditions. A scarf will compliment the coat and you can find rugged styles both with and without tassels.
Country clothing doesn't have to be all traditional and you can find lots of modern country clothing, including low cut boots and shoes.
There are plenty of accessories, jeans and shirts for men as well. Here are a few
Accessories: when it comes to accessorising you're look, you can't go past a country western hat. Combine the hat with some brown leather boots and you will become an icon of country style.
Jeans: for practical use such as horse riding and cold climates, country jeans will outlast any of their counter parts. Not only are they ridiculously durable, they also look fantastic and will stand out in a crowd of jeans. Western style jeans are known to last for a life time when maintained well.
Boots: for practical use, you will require boots when horse riding or if you're planning a cold trip. Nothing protects your feet more than boots and will stop dirt and moisture from seeping through shoe holes. Country socks are generally made similar to thermal socks, which will match your boots and jeans. For females you can also find country stockings that trap in heat for cold conditions.
Outback western wear does not always have to follow traditional colours of brown, black and grey. These days there are a number of brands promoting trendy new age country styles. If you're looking to pick up some boots or a belt buckle, then most specialist retail stores will sell country clothing accessories. If you can't find the style your looking for in store then jump online and you will find a world of outback country clothing. To find out more about country
Fashion Tips for Mature Women
As women mature, it's a challenge to figure out how to appear stylish without looking like you are trying to recapture lost youth. Women can be fashionable without following the latest fads that may not be appropriate for mature women. Women's fashion has evolved through the years so it allows mature women to develop their own style when it comes to clothing, makeup, and hairstyles that flatter them.
Many mature women continue to maintain a superior sense of style as they want to look and feel their best every time they go out. Women's fashion does allow for women, of any age, to be able to dress in style regardless of the occasion. Some women struggle, once they reach a certain age, with choosing styles that are considered appropriate for their age. These tips will guide you in choosing the best styles for you.
First don't change who you are, meaning always dress for your personality. Just because you are a mature women does not mean you have to change your personal style. You need to feel good about what you are wearing. How a person looks and feels effects their self-confidence. Just because you are mature women doesn't mean you should have a bland wardrobe. Choose colors that reflect you and styles that you are comfortable in. This will take you to the styles that will fit your body type along with your age. If you are a mature women then you do not want to have a wardrobe that can be mistaken for your teenager's closet.
Women's fashion has many options that you can be stylish at any age. You will need to shop in the right stores because fit is key in looking stylish. If you are shopping for a dress, don't shop in the junior's department because these dresses will have a teenage look to them. Do shop in a store that carries outfits true to your age, these styles will minimize your problem areas and show off your other areas. This will give you the perfect balance you need in being fashionable and looking vibrant.
You will want to choose accessories that accent your outfit, this will give you a polished look. Accessories are much more than jewelry or watches, experiment with a stylish scarf. Have fun with the accessories, this will finish that look you are wanting in your style.
Mature women can continue to be stylish regardless of their age. There are so many choices in women's fashion that your personality can always shine through. Follow the tips in this article and dress with confidence.
Fashion Tips for Women
A noted philosopher and politician Aristotle once said, women are the best creatures of god.
And for 'you' creatures that are bold, beautiful, gracious and smart, wrapping and carrying yourself is of utmost importance. According to the varying shape and size or body shape and colors, etc, here are few wrapping and carrying
But before jumping into those
Fashion For Women
Women are directly linked with fashion. It would be right to say that the word fashion is synonyms to woman. It is something more than wearing clothing. If you are an urban beauty, the
So beautiful ladies, come on, lets have a feel according to your body frame, skin tone and after all your level of comfort.
Body Frame- Are you a plump women, if yes, try avoiding sleeveless cuts. Choose dark color clothing rather than lighter shades. Or prefer over a range of dull colors like dull blue or dirty blue. If you wear small prints and vertical line prints, you will look slimmer. If you have extra pounds in you, avoid kota sarees and cotton sarees and stick to Chiffon and Georgette Sarees.
Choose beige and fawn colors, if you have a medium structure. In case of blouses, try on nets as these are of great help in disguising physical flaws.
Thin women, cheer up, you will look gorgeous in all the color ranges. All the colors and shades will suits on you. You also can try on sleeveless, deep cuts and strapped blouses.
Skin Tone- If you have fair complexion, gold with a blend of copper will make you cool. If you are a medium / wheatish colored, prefer mix shades of white, beige and bronzy golden. If you have dark skin, prefer to wrap yourself in golden copper shades.
Personal Attitude and Level of comfort- Your attitude and level of comfort is very important along with your appearance and clothing sense. If you want to maintain a cosmopolitan outlook but do not feel very much comfortable with western wear, try Indo Western style. A blend of Indo Western style should add an extra charm to your personality. A boat necked saree with a squared necked blouse is definitely for a shy and introvert women. Bold 'n' beautiful should choose from sleeveless, deep-necked blouses and may be straps.
So no matter what is your body frame and skin tone or how bold is your personality, fashion is for you, LADIES.
Men's Fashion Tips
Fashions are very important in the world of young generation. As for as ladies are concerned, its their right to look pretty. To keep pace with modern era men's are even more conscious with their outlook. Different fashions are becoming popular among the men of all classes. Fashions play vital role to enhance the personality of men. It affects their performance as well.
Pocket give squares can be worn with any jacket that has a breast pocket. For formal black tie events that require a tuxedo the classic white pocket square is the only choice. Best are pocket squares that are made from silk, fine linen, or fine cotton twill or pique. For less formal events including business attire there is much less restriction on choosing the proper pocket square. More serious events such as funerals are less suited for pocket squares – especially bright and flashy colors are out of place on such occasion.
Having a good haircut is essential. But how do you communicate what you want when you visit your hair stylist? I suggest taking a photo of a hairstyle, so your stylist can help you achieve exactly what you want. You know what they say: a picture is worth a thousand words.
What is a buzz cut? Basically your hair is sheered to the same length all over your head using clippers. I know guys who do this themselves with their own clippers. No matter what hairstyles are in fashion, a short hairstyle always looks nice and no one will fault you for sporting one are great for ideas. I also like shorter hairstyles that are
Long hairstyles for men, as with shaggy, are very popular right now. Clearly younger guys can get away with it since most men in the working world wouldn't be able to. Many of us use celebrities for style inspiration. The faux-hawk, as it is aptly named, is a hairstyle that is a much tamer version of a Mohawk. This now mainstream hairstyle was made popular by David Beckham. Of course over the years many iterations of this hairstyle have come about. They are quite crazy but obviously to show off what they can do.
Essential Fashion Tips
Fashion is a popular or the latest style of clothing, decorations, behaviors and designs. Fashion is all around us, from the people you meet at work all the way to the countless fashion shows and bazaars. Most importantly, fashion especially in clothing brings out the appearance and taste of a person. You can be trendy, following the latest trends in design, color and style, or you can belong to the "luxurious" group, wearing on all the branded products, or you can be unique, experimenting with dozen difficult types of matching, colors and bold designs, or you can choose not to care, simply wearing whatever is available, as long as you are covered.
Whichever group you belong to, there is no doubt that you will need some fashion tips to keep you going. Here goes:
1) Keeping up with trends, or at least know the trends
Keep a lookout for the various fashion shows by top designers and brands; find out what is common amongst the many outfits and pieces. Is it the color, the pattern or a certain design that has a certain repetition, that could actually provide you with the main gist about what the designer is focusing on, and that could be your answer to understand the trend. Next, if possible, read fashion magazines as they can provide you with the latest fashion trends in this ever-changing and fast-paced fashion frenzy. If you want to go a step further, you can actually purchase similar items or create the pieces that you have seen in the latest trends. But be careful, this plan could backfire badly, which will be explained further in the next point.
2) Not everything in trend will suit you
You can see a really stunning and alluring dress worn by Jennifer Lawrence, or a dazzling suit worn by Chris Hemsworth, and then there you are, looking awkward and pathetically plain-looking. Different people have different body structures and skin tones, so it is only normal to see that not every piece of outfit will suit everyone. Dress like your age and body type, do not try to be too ambitious and overdo everything. In contrast, some clothing that you might deem as repugnant will turn out to look good on you, seriously.
3) Note the fashion trends that never go out of style
If you belong to the "do-not-care-about-latest-trends" or no time to keep a lookout, you will have to at least bear in mind some of the trends that never go out of style. This section will be separated for the males and females. We begin for males:
- Plain crew neck T-shirt– Always look good for a casual outing with friends and family.
- Black leather shoes- Undoubtedly stylish and always a good fit for events or work.
- Dark straight jeans- Essential need that every man should own, always come in handy.
- Leather belt- Perfect for jeans, dress pants and sometimes even bermudas.
- Classic black tuxedo suit- one that you will automatically turn to for formal events to look sharp.
For the females:
- Skinny or straight jeans- Already an essential for men, jeans will never go out of style for women too.
- Collared shirts- Good for many different occasions as they are designed in many ways.
- Little black dress- Known to make you look slimmer than usual, versatile for many occasions.
- A pair of black pumps- Fits and matches many different types of attire, an essential must-have.
4) There is no need to go for the logo every time
"Have you seen the latest Louis Vuitton bag?" or "Oh my god, the latest Adidas Superstars is so nice, I'm going save up to buy it."
It is just a brand and guess what, you are paying so much for the brand and their logo. Yes, we get the idea that they are "authentic" and look really astounding, but is it really worth your money? There should be a common understanding that if you have the extra cash, by all means enjoy the luxury brands available. On the other hand, if you are cash-tight and want to spend your cash wisely, go for the more affordable ones, make full use of your budget. Clothes that you buy from more affordable stores can have more defined style than those with logos, really.
So that wraps it up. Hope that this article has given you more valuable insights about fashion and remember, do not be afraid to be different.
Fashion Information, Tips and Style
Fashion is the style and custom prevalent at a given time. In its most common usage however, "fashion" describes the popular clothing style. Many fashions are popular in many cultures at any given time. Important is the idea that the course of design and fashion will change more rapidly than the culture as a whole. Fashion designers create and produce clothing articles.
The terms "fashionable" and "unfashionable" were employed to describe whether someone or something fits in with the current or even not so current, popular mode of expression. However, the term "fashion" is frequently used in a positive sense, as a synonym for glamor, beauty and style.
Fashion is not about being safe, no. It is about having fun with style. We think silver is the perfect complement to your wardrobes style. Yes, a great way for even the most conservative to move safely into the unsafe style zone! Silver pieces hold their style and a zany piece can be forever trendy. Silver jewelry accessories are used as a form of an individual personal expression and fashion art.
Fashion as social phenomena is common
Throughout history, many materials have been used for clothes. Materials have ranged from leather and furs to weave and woven materials, to elaborate and exotic natural and synthetic fabrics. carried rather than worn (such as purses, canes, and umbrellas) are normally considered fashion accessories rather than clothing, but hats and small dress sweaters can be called either clothing or accessories Jewelry and eyeglasses are usually considered as accessories even though in common speech these particular items are described as being worn rather than carried.
Cosmetics are substances used to enhance the appearance or odor of the human body. Cosmetics include skin-care creams, lotions, powders, perfumes, lipsticks, fingernail and toe nail polish, eye and facial makeup, permanent waves, colored contact lenses, hair.
More on fashion tips
Bright colors bring attention to an area — make sure you wear them wisely and only on your most flattering body parts.
Dark hosiery is in this fall. While brightly colored turquoise and scarlet hose may look great in the store window, muted hues like teal and wine are much more flattering. Match the shoe and the hose color to tighten the look even more.
A shoulder bag tucked quietly under the arm is most flattering.
Stilettos are back and in spite of the discomfort at times — they make your legs look like a million dollars!
Carrying bags and wearing good clothes and other accessories that fits your person brings attention to you from both females and male folks out there and makes you feel good about yourself. I know it may be difficult to keep up with the latest fashion but wearing good accessories gives a positive vibes about your personality.
Your fashion trends and accessories should have the following qualities:
— Not be expensive, Stylish, easy to clean, modern and above you must feel good in them.
Most of us do not have the time to go for shopping for clothes and other accessories that is why the internet is a great way to surf and buy what we want at our favorite retailers.
Fashion Tips For Women – Make Your Own Style
Want To Dress Fashionable? Want To Look Fashionable? No need to copy other people's style, produce your own. Simply read exactly what you can find as well as pull collectively your personal look. The article contains tips that will help you produce your own fashionable as well as trendy style.
How to decorate and look at your Best-
Fashion is really a world that usually changes which is often very difficult to figure out how to apply latest styles. Keep scanning this helpful style tips.
- Belts can be used like a wonderful fashion accessory. Available in a wide range of materials and styles, belts provides limitless opportunities to express your own style. Pair the colorful buckle together with your thin jeans, or produce a trendy look by adding the daring obvious leather buckle to your outfit for any night out on the town.
- You should never purchase an outfit simply because of the superb selling price. If it's not really your look or even going to look good you anyway, it's just not well worth the savings you see in the price. It may sit inside your closet and become a total waste of money.
- To a few people, fashion is simply regarding clothing, however, in reality, there's much more in order to it. However, hair is essential too; it may set the tone for the entire look. A casual up-do is a terrific way to get a hair away your shoulders. Having your hair in your face can be a faux pas at the office as well as throughout class. Keep a soft hair elastic in your bag as well as a few Bobby pins in order to quickly put long hair into a no-frills bun or ponytail throughout the day.
- Don't overrun your own beauty kit. Choose things that you are attracted to but that also fit the tone of associated with season-specific colors. Think about both night and day as opposed to night. Make-ups will not last permanently once you start using it. Germs may even grow in the cosmetics if you used it a couple of months or in years past as well as left it sitting.
TIP! You can actually wear white when Labor Day has passed. You may put on clothes in any color which highlights you.
- Sheer clothing can be sexy, but an excessive amount of sheer within a lot of locations can make the incorrect look. Some places of your entire body have to remain private when you are within public, or else you will just look trashy. Wear darkish colored blouses and trousers if you wish to seem slimmer. These colors disguise your form and lower the appearance of any bumps you may have.
TIP! Do not believe in the size on the label. Always try on clothes before buying them. Do not feel like you have to be perfect in fashion.
- Getting the most out of your own clothing might not be an easy task. Although there are several combinations that may be made, the process of really making combos that look clean is not especially easy. Use the recommendation included in the following paragraphs to improve your style as well as fashion. Now that you have come to the end of the article, you are more knowledgeable about fashion. Adapt the ideas that seem great to you, by leaving the rest behind.
Remember that it's perfectly good to ignore a few of the latest trends and stay with what works best for you. Everyone out there needs some tips to get them started off on the right foot, so don't forget to use what you have learned. For more tips, check out this article http://tomboystyles.xyz/fashion-tips-for-petite-women-always-look-good/, I am sure you won't be disappointed.
Top 10 Fashion and Style Tips For Women
1 – Know your body shape
Petite women should avoid chunky clothes and strong prints. Instead go for fitted shapes and soft fabrics, narrow belts subtle contrasts of colour and texture. Keep everything streamlined so as not to cut the body in half.
Busty women should wear eye-catching skirts (shorter if you are comfortable) and trousers, strong prints and colours or textures draw the eye away from the top half of the body. Wearing a single block of colour is thinning. Avoid eye-catching tops, instead wear long jackets that draw the eye down. Darker coloured tops which are loose fitting and waist hugging.
Pear shaped women should love vertical lines, V-necks and skirts with slits up the side. Straight of A-line skirts to just below the knee. Dark tights and shoes with colour or pattern in a blouse or top, tops should hang past the hips. Classic cuts on top in lighter colours draw the eye away from the hips. Accent the V-neck with a V or Y- shaped necklace.
Tall women should avoid tight clothes. Wear the right skirt length, too short or too long will be out of proportion. As with petite women keep everything streamlined, wear blouses over trousers so as not to shorten your top half.
Rectangular women should wear pattern. Feminine knit sweaters over skirts are great. Wear a round neckline and mirror it with a round necklace or scarf.
2 – Dress to suit your personality
Rock chick – accessorize and clash a little but keep it feminine.
Urban chic – take advantage of the wonderful high street fashion, stunning yet simple.
Sporty – Layer trendy casual clothes.
Arty – Taking the contemporary fashion and adding a dash of your own personality to spice things up.
Sexy – Sensual fabrics, curvy and delicious. A splash of colour and scent.
Retro chic – Great accessories, and a flare for those classic, all time looks.
Romantic – Classic cuts, tailoring and soft colours, lace, embroidery and pearls.
3 – The right accessories can make all the difference
– V and Y shaped necklaces draw the eye down
– Round necklaces fill the neckline
– Ultra long earrings elongate the neck
– A long, trailing belt elongates the legs
– The right hat can make an outfit
– Cocktail rings add fun and colour and a bit of sparkle to a casual outfit
– Scarves can be arty
– A matching jewellery set can bring an outfit together
4 – Wake up to make up
– Make your eyes sparkle with a contrasting eye shadow
– Open out the eye by highlighting down the middle of the lid
– Use black for a dramatic look
– Use grey for smoky eyes with a delicate pink lipstick
– Choose a red lipstick for a classic look but choose one close to your own natural colour for precision.
– When creating bold eyes, keep paler lips. When choosing red lipstick do paler eyes.
– Use the colour palettes made up by the manufactures instead of matching your own eye shadow tones. Blend the colours well.
5 – A bag for life
– For daywear a good sized leather bag in a classic style cut. This season gives you plenty of choice as to colour and texture.
– For evening wear the clutch bag is back or alternatively go for a shoulder bag with a chain strap.
6 – Keep everything in proportion
– petite people elongate themselves with a slim cut
– for slim hips wear straight leg trousers/skirts, avoid flared ankles.
– for curvy hips balance them out with an A-line skirt, not a bias cut
– to hide hips wear flared trousers and a classic cut top
– wear a blouse with a short skirt
– wear a trim jumper with a long skirt
– heels are always slimming
– wear the right jacket, length and bulk are important here
7 – Dress for the season
– in spring / summer wear the bronzer and shimmery make up
– for spring / summer wear lower cut and soft fabrics in bright colours
– in autumn / winter matte make up with slightly darker tones
– for autumn / winter wear natural colours and natural fabrics, knitwear, leather, cotton, linen
8 – Don't mix styles
– less is more
– there are many trends this season don't wear bold colours, metallics, animal print and retro glamour all at once.
– Pick one style per outfit and don't go overboard, often one or two accessories will look fabulous with a simple outfit.
9 – Have fun with subtle changes
– have jewellery that you can mix and match each day
– change your parting
– wear a scarf as a belt
– wear basic clothes in unusual ways
– use a brooch on a ribbon as a chocker
– wear a long necklace or a scarf as a bracelet
– add cabochon beads to an old bag and use it again
10 – It all comes down to the basics
– a good pair of jeans go for comfort, there are lots of styles which are fashionable this year. It is important to try them on before you buy. If going for skinny jeans get stretchy ones. If you have curvy hips got for low boot cut jeans to show them off. If you need a little more room for thighs and calves go for a relaxed fit, or for the bum go for low waist, low pockets and balance things out with flared ankles. This season go for dark colours and textures.
– a leather jacket is an autumn/winter basic. Go for a good feminine cut, no need to look like a biker unless you choose that style.
– a classic suit if you don't wear one to work is great for many occasions.
– a white blouse is versatile and feminine
– a proper coat again go for a feminine cut at a length that suits you.
– boots there are many refreshing changes to the classics this year
– evening dress think of the whole outfit before you buy and make sure you have shoes and jewellery to match, maybe get a versatile dress that can be dressed down for occasions too.
– high heels the shoes to dance the night away in
– appropriate bag barrel bag for overnight, clutch bag for evening, shoulder bag for day.
– Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, the correct underwear. Start with a good foundation and the rest of the outfit will follow. Go and get yourself measured if you are not sure.
Fashion and Style – Exclusive Fashion Tips For Men
Fashion is a new trend that is commonly used in different areas, but mostly it talks about the latest clothing and accessories trends. Fashion has different touch on areas like interior designs, music and entertainment.
Fashion is for both men and women. Men have different ways of doing fashion, and generally they do fashion to get the attention of women and improve self confidence. Here are some
Buying new and good looking clothes is kind of hard job because sometime you have to shop for hours and hours to find right clothes. Spending few hours for good clothes that fits on you is worth while. When you buy clothes, don't buy too apparel that are too tight or too big. Until you get clothes that fit on your body, you need to keep on shopping. When you find one, never forget to try out in a changing room to see how you look on new clothes.
Simplicity Is Beauty
Men should look for clothes that have simple design or prints. Simplicity is pure beauty in this case. Make your selection of prints that have no more than three shades of color. You can add other accessories such as wrist watch, a necklace and a belt to add more shades on your dress. Tryout collared shirts and simple jeans if you prefer casual outfits.
Give Attention to Supporting Clothes
Supporting clothes shouldn't be overlooked because if you do, they can create distractions. When you wear a sweatshirt or jacket, make sure that it matches your outfit. For instance, if you wear cotton pants, choose a cotton or blazer coat on top. While you go shopping, take a female companion with you. She might be your friend, girlfriend or your sister, just trust her judgment because most women have more or less knowledge on fashion.
Purchasing a Nice Pair of Shoes
Buying a shoe may not be that tough but finding one that fits is. You need to spend sometime in a shop to spot a right shoe for you from the hundreds of different shoes from the showcase. Women always pay attention on men's shoes so you need to get one that looks clean and easy to wash.
Shaving creams and aftershave are just easy to buy. Men usually shave two or four times a week. If you have a date, then you must look clean, if you are going for an interview, you must look clean. Use new types of razor. Today you can find double-edged to triple-edge razor, but be very careful because these razors are very sharp. You need to have antiseptic lotion just in case you cut your skin during shaving.
Fashion Style Tips for Women – Accessorizing
On the catwalks this season some distinct and varied styles are apparent. The hardness of the rock look, the futuristic metallic look and the contrasting feminine look are all hot this season and provide women with a wide range of choice to suit their own styles and still be fashionable. Not only are these looks up to date and fresh for 2008, but they carry with them classic retro style with the trends of the season are all reminiscent of the 80s: the rock bands animal print, the neon colours and metallics of the punks and the romantic ruffles and lace.
The great thing about this season is that accessories are huge leaving people free to keep their existing wardrobe and buy only a few small items to refresh it. Whatever accessory you are comfortable wearing is the one to go for because the list of fashionable items it endless: jewellery, hats, scarves, wraps, watches, belts, gloves, bandanas, headbands, gloves, boots, bags and hair ties with jewels.
The key to accessorising is to draw attention to your best features. In the colder months when low cut tops are left in the wardrobe, the eye can still be drawn to cleavage by wearing a V-shaped medium length necklace, or layering several different lengths of necklace. Large natural beads such as wooden or stone beads are great for earthy autumn. Or contrast away from earthy naturals with mettalics. To enlarge the bust line go for a jewelled necklace.
Earrings draw attention to your face, long dangly earrings accentuate the length of your neck. Bracelets complete an outfit. Belts highlight curvaceous hips and a great pair knee high boots elongate the legs. A chocker creates a sexy collar bone. Work with your own body and place jewellery where it will draw the eye.
For the rock look a flash of animal print on a belt or a scarf, black nail polish or skull earrings. The skull motif, again on a scarf or belt has the same effect. Don't wear all these things at once and end up looking like a nightmare, the rock look is strong enough to come through with one or two small pieces.
The metallic look is perhaps easiest to achieve with jewellery, choose a colour which suits you and your existing wardrobe from gold, silver, bronze and copper. There are many bags and shoes in these colours available at the moment. For a bold statement red and gold is great, a cooler look silver and purple, have fun and mix your colours.
In contrast to these two harder looks the romantic look is about feminine softness. You can mix in the strong colours from the rock look but with ruffles or lace of embroidery. A large loose ribbon bow, oversized bag or sexy feminine boots. Long leather gloves also appear this season.
Jewellery that is big this season feature pearls, metallics, naturals (eg, wood, shell), heart shapes, discs, hoops, exaggerated facets on stones, bold colours and large natural statements such as butterflies and bold florals.
Most importantly have fun. You can always take something and make your own statement with it. Wear a long necklace as a belt, a scarf round your wrist, brooches as a chocker on a ribbon. Contrast fine jewellery with casual clothes.
Always remember that a small statement offset with neutrals is more effective than many bold statements which will clash and be confusing. Less is more.