text:
Biscuit joiners allow you to make solid precise joints, accurate enough to build fine cabinets. We show you the three key techniques you need to know—joints at right angles, joints in narrow materials and joints in thin materials.
The trick to successful biscuit joinery is cutting the slots in exactly the right spot so that the parts will line up correctly when they're joined. Biscuit joiners have an adjustable fence that can be used to align the slot, but in this article we'll show you a different technique. Instead of referencing the slot from the fence, we'll show you how to reference the slots from the base of the tool. This method has a few advantages. It's simpler to make an accurate slot because the tool is steadied against the workbench rather than the tool's fence. Another advantage of this method is that you don't have to readjust the fence for every cut. In this story we'll show you how to use the bench reference method to join cabinet parts. We'll show you how to join cabinet panels, face frames and 1/2-in. drawer material. You can use the same technique for any biscuit joint.
Align the two parts to be joined end to end. Then number the parts and draw pencil lines where you want biscuits. In our example, the lines will be inside the cabinet.
To cut accurate slots, rest the biscuit joiner on the workbench instead of the fence. It's more stable and doesn't require any setup.
The support keeps the panel steady and at an exact right angle. Then use the same method of resting the base of the biscuit joiner on the benchtop to cut the slots.
Brush glue into each slot. Then slide biscuits into the slots. Brush glue into the slots on the second panel before you joint the two.
The base of the biscuit joiner and the panels were against the bench top when the slots were cut, so the joints will line up perfectly.
Photos 1 – 5 show the steps for joining 3/4-in. plywood without using the fence. On most biscuit joiners, the slot will be pretty close to centered when you use this method. But even if the slot is a little off-center, it'll still work fine as long as you orient the biscuit joiner and pencil marks as we show in the photos. Here are a few tips to ensure perfect joints:
All biscuit joiners feature a fence that can be adjusted up or down and pivoted at varying degrees for cutting slots in beveled edges. Some woodworkers prefer not to use the fence when cutting slots. Instead, they use various spacers and jigs to cut accurate, consistent slots every time with far less hassle. For most of the tips we show, the adjustable fence is simply locked in the upright position.
Cut a biscuit slot in a scrap of wood and mark the center and the size of the slot, in this case No. 0. Now use the template to position the biscuit mark. We offset this slot to the top where the protruding biscuit can be cut off and the slot won't show.
Line up the end of the part with the end of the clamping board and clamp the two together. The wide end makes a stable surface to press the biscuit joiner against.
Align the center marks and cut the biscuit slots. The clamping block makes a solid surface to push against.
Spread glue in the slots and insert the biscuits. Align the parts and clamp them. When the glue dries, cut off the protruding biscuits.
It's tricky to cut slots in the ends of narrow parts using the biscuit joiner fence. The small surface area makes it hard to hold the biscuit joiner stable. But it's easy to cut accurate slots in narrow parts using the bench reference method. The photos here show how. We also show how to cut the biscuit slots off-center so the biscuit will protrude on one side only. This is handy if you want to join narrow parts and the biscuits are too large.
Avoid confusion by carefully labeling all the parts. Then mark where you want the biscuits.
Instead of adjusting the fence to cut slots in thinner material, add a spacer underneath. You'll get great results as long as you use the same spacer when you cut the slots in the adjoining panel (see Photo 3).
Make sure the spacer doesn't protrude past the face of the panel. Then rest the base of the biscuit joiner on the workbench when you cut the slots.
Since both parts were held up the same amount by the spacer, the parts will line up exactly when you assemble them with biscuits.
You can use the same bench reference method to cut slots in material thinner than 3/4 in. by placing spacers underneath. Subtract the thickness of the material from 3/4 in. The difference is the spacer thickness. We show cutting slots in 1/2-in. plywood drawer parts. Without the spacer, the slots would be too close to the edge. But with the spacer, the slots are nearly centered. Photos 1 – 4 show how.
A biscuit joiner will help you make strong, fast and accurate joints. Spike Carlsen, an expert at The Family Handyman, will show you how to use a biscuit joiner to get perfect joints.


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Can you use it to make laundry soap? I made my first batch 2 weeks ago and LOVE it. I have a front loader HQ.
Welcome to the Quilting Board!
Can you use it to make laundry soap? I made my first batch 2 weeks ago and LOVE it. I have a front loader HQ.
Can you use it for making laundry soap? I make my own. Made my first batch 2 weeks ago and love it! I have a front loader and HQ. Also have a well and no problems! Best cleaner ever.
This is an easy fix. Only buy the baking kind. I used baking soda (baking kind) in the frig and freezer long before they sold a special box for that use. So buy the baking only and use it for baking and the fridge. I open the spout area of the box carefully, leaving the flap, then in a month, I hold the flap shake the box and put it back in the frig. Then I use it in the wash.
Sounds like my 88 year old mum, who was putting " coconut milk" on her breakfast cereal until I pointed out that it was a shampoo and not the edible kind...glad I went to visit.lol
I did the same thing but realized what it said before I pulled it off the grocery shelf.
actually I don't believe the whole "Deodorizes your fridge and freezer" racket - baking soda does not work that way. Now if you make a paste with water and smear it on something, it will clean off odors (like plastic containers). Also I like it for a mild scouring powder.
Just another racket to sell more baking soda IMO. Like unflavored gelatin was supposed to be good for your houseplants and your fingernails. People are doing less baking and they are certainly using less unflavored gelatin, so the companies come up with "NEW" uses.
Baking soda and white vinegar are my go to products for cleaning. Baking soda and white vinegar mixed together in a paste is great for cleaning sinks, tubs etc in place of scouring cleanser. Baking soda in wash freshens wash and you can use white vinegar instead of fabric softener. The clothes don't come out smelling like vinegar. I use white vinegar to remove mildew and mold from the stucco on the outside of my house instead of bleach. The list could go on and on...
Thanks for the info. Have'nt seen it yet. Will pay attention.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Student Government Judiciary consists of
seven justices. Out of those seven, a Chief Justice is elected annually to
preside over the Office of the Judiciary. It is the duty of these persons to
interpret the Student Government Constitution and Statutes. The judiciary also
settles disputes or complaints that students may have with Student Government,
its agencies, and SG funded clubs. The Judiciary is the final say on issues of
noncompliance, judicial complaint, or impeachment. Members gain important experience
in the areas of due process and proper judicial procedure. They also represent
the student body on the Academic Appeals Committee, Student Conduct, Parking
Appeals Board, J-hold and Fee Appeal Committees
Elisabeth Avilla
Elisabeth Avilla was born and raised in Melbourne, Florida. She is a senior majoring in Philosophy with minors in Political Science and Criminal Justice.Elisabeth first became involved in the Judicial Branch in the Fall of 2014 as the Clerk of Courts and quickly advanced to the Deputy Chief Justice position. After serving as Deputy Chief Justice for a year, Elisabeth was elected Chief Justice. In addition to serving in Student Government as the Chief Justice Elisabeth runs a legal blog for a law firm located in Melbourne. Elisabeth is an active member of the UNF Pre-Law Society and is also the Vice President of the Pre-Law Fraternity, Phi Alpha Delta. Elisabeth plans to pursue her law degree upon graduation and hopes to eventually practice in the area of Family Law. In her free time Elisabeth enjoys relaxing at the beach, paddle boarding, and working out.
William "Cap" Mewborne
Cap Mewborne is a Marketing Major in the Coggin College of Business in the University of North Florida. He was born in Charlotte, North Carolina and raised in Tallahassee, Florida. He joined the Judicial Branch in Spring 2015 and has been serving in the branch ever since. He is a UNF Honors students and is involved with the Hicks Honors College.When not working on the Branch he spends his time reading or working Lord of the Rings references into everyday conversation. His full name is William Burke Mewborne IV.
Copyright © 2016 University of North Florida1 UNF Drive | Jacksonville, FL 32224 | Phone: (904) 620-1000
Contact |
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RegulationsConsumer Information | Disability Accommodations


text:
Unfortunately, your access has now expired. But there's good news—by subscribing today, you will receive 22 issues of Booklist magazine, 4 issues of Book Links, and single-login access to Booklist Online and over 180,000 reviews.
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May 15, 2017 BOOKLIST
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Titles similar to The Laughing Policeman
In the minds of many mystery readers, crime fiction will never again attain the level of excellence achieved in the 10 Martin Beck novels by the Swedish husband-and-wife team of Wahlöö and Sjöwall. As precisely detailed procedurals, as indictments of the callousness of Swedish society, as wonderfully nuanced character studies—especially of the beleaguered, dyspeptic Beck, an obvious antecedent of today's European cops—the Beck series remains as vital today as when the novels were published in the 1960s and 1970s. Even the authors' Communist sympathies fail to date the books; read today, their social criticism seems as much anti-government in general, and especially anti-bureaucratic, as it does pro-Communist. Clearly, the modern European crime novel starts with this series. —Bill Ott
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Palin has been severely exposed as being "ignorant"...and I mean completely "ignorant" on foreign policy.
The fact that McCain had to sit next to her for the last Katie Couric interview and EVEN ANSWERED FOR her was hilarious.
George Will even came out and said she is totally incompetent.
My bigger question...how did the GOP choose her?????


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Get Involved
The Gandhi Institute, under the direction of Arun Gandhi (fifth grandson of Mahatma Gandhi) is proposing the establishment of a boarding/day school in the town of Kolhapur, focused on providing a free education and supportive community environment in which rural village children can experience a childhood of development and preparation for a successful life. The school is being built to honor the memory of Sunanda Gandhi (Arun's recently deceased wife), who dedicated much of her life to serving the needs of poor women and children in India.
The school is intended to serve as a model that can be easily replicated throughout rural India. Its primary objectives are:
* Impart functional literacy (3R's) to boys and girls aged 6-14.
* Provide extracurricular activities supporting whole child development.
* Promote vocational education and training for each child.
* Provide learning environments with equal emphasis on the 3 R's, inculcation of social consciousness, and a sense of values.
The school modeled on Gandhian principles of simplicity and self-reliance, will be built in an eco-friendly fashion, and will be structured to easily utilize the help of college-age volunteers from all over the world. The first phase of the school is intended to serve 100 boarding students, and 300-day students.
The Gandhi World Hunger Fund is dedicated to the principle that NO child should go hungry.
There is more than enough food and relief in the world to make sure that every child grows up safe, secure, and nourished. The institute is organized as a non-profit, non-sectarian humanitarian charity and aims to provide both direct assistance and relief education to all in need.
SEWA is a trade union registered in 1972. It is an organization of poor, self-employed women workers who earn a living through their own labor or small businesses and they don't receive a regular salaried employment with welfare benefits like workers in the organized sector.
SEWA main goal is to organize women workers for full employment. Full employment means employment whereby workers obtain work security, income security, food security and social security (at least health care, child care and shelter).
SEWA is both an organization and a movement. The SEWA movement is enhanced by its being a sangam or confluence of three movements: the labor movement, the cooperative movement and the women's movement
Manav Sadhna, is an NGO based at Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad. The organization is comprised of a young group of dedicated individuals working for the upliftment of poor and needy children.
The mission of this organization is to serve the underprivileged. To this end, Manav Sadhna is engaged in constructive humanitarian projects that cut across barriers of class and religion while addressing issues faced by socio-economically neglected segments of society. In executing this mission, Manav Sadhna is guided by Mahatma Gandhi's unshakable beliefs in peace, truth, non-violence and compassion.
Navdanya started as a program of the Research Foundation for science, Technology and Ecology (RFSTE), a participatory research initiative founded by world-renowned scientist and environmentalist Dr. Vandana Shiva, to provide direction and support to environmental activism.
1984 was the year of the Punjab Violence and the Bhopal tragedy. This violence demanded a paradigm shift in the practice of agriculture. Navdanya was born of this search for nonviolent farming, which protects biodiversity, the Earth and our small farmers.
Navdanya means nine crops that represent India's collective source of food security. The main aim of the Navdanya biodiversity conservation program is to support local farmers, rescue and conserve crops and plants that are being pushed to extinction and make them available through direct marketing.
Navdanya is actively involved in the rejuvenation of indigenous knowledge and culture. It has created awareness on the hazards of genetic engineering, defended people's knowledge from biopiracy and food rights in the face of globalization.
It has its own seed bank and organic farm spread over an area of 20 acres in Uttrakhand, north India.
Navdanya has so far successfully conserved more than 5000 crop varieties including 3000 of rice, 95 of wheat, 150 of kidney beans (rajma), 15 of millets and several varieties of pulses, vegetable, medicinal plants etc.
"The Global March Against Child Labor is a movement to mobilize worldwide efforts to protect and promote the rights of all children, especially the right to receive a free, meaningful education and to be free from economic exploitation and from performing any work that is likely to be harmful to the child's physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development."
Global March Against Child Labor is a movement born out of hope and the need felt by thousands of people across the globe - the desire to set children free from servitude. The Global March seeks to eliminate child labor by questioning, attacking and changing the very systems that compel children to work at the global, regional and national levels. What is key therefore, in the fight to end child labor, is the need to advocate for policy changes.


text: 14 Dec 2012 The week in travel: December 9 to 15, 2012 Previous slide Next slide 1 of 14 View All Skip Ad It was a gloomy start to the week. The cold snap kept getting chillier, and fog and freezing conditions wrought havoc to many of Britain's major airports - causing disruption and delays to many passengers. Back to image


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Author Cynthia Voigt's latest novel, Mister Max: The Book of Lost Things, introduces readers to 12-year-old Max Starling, whose show-business parents love adventure. Max sets out to find his mother and father after they mysteriously disappear. The book is the first in a planned trilogy about Max.
Voigt based Max in part on her first grandson—named Max, of course! The author currently lives in Maine and loves to teach as well as write. She has published several other novels and won a Newbery award for her book Dicey's Song.
TFK Kid Reporter Raymond Baartmans met Voigt while she was visiting Portland, Oregon. He had a chance to ask her some questions about her latest work.
What inspired you to write Mister Max: The Book of Lost Things?
My first grandchild was born. He's named Max and I started calling him Mister Max. Then I decided that it was time for me to write a mystery. Mysteries test the muscles in my writing that are weak, so every now and then I write a mystery to see what I can do with those muscles. I decided I would write a mystery featuring Mister Max. Have you ever read an adventure book called The Scarlet Pimpernel? It takes place during the French Revolution. There is this British lord and he puts on several disguises and rescues French aristocrats from the guillotine, and I love that story. So I just put that into my Mister Max and scrambled it all up.
I noticed a connection between this book and one of your other books, Homecoming. In Mister Max, Max is separated from his parents, and in Homecoming, the mom abandons Dicey and her siblings. Was that intentional? Do you see other connections between the characters in your books?
Yes and yes. When you are writing books with kids and you want the kids to be the heroes, you have to get rid of the parents. The first problem for the person writing a story like that is to get rid of them in a way that doesn't seem like "you're inconvenient, go away." So that's a real similarity between the two books—kids facing challenges and solving problems on their own. In all of my books I try to encourage kids, as well as grown-ups, to see that while they might be weaker than some powerful people, as most of us are, they can take care of themselves.
What was your biggest challenge in writing Mister Max: The Book of Lost Things?
Coming up with the plot. With a mystery, I always have to plan it out in a rough outline. All the details need to be worked out. Everybody in the story has to have a reason for doing things.
My favorite character in this book is Max. Do you have any favorite characters in this book? Who is your favorite character out of all your books?
I can't pick favorites. I even like the unlikable characters and the ones that are not good.
Is there a certain way you come up with characters and storylines?
In soccer, sometimes you've got a plan and you're running on the field, but then someone else moves one way and then your plan has to change. Making characters is a lot like that. I had my main character, Max, and he needed a grandmother. What kind of person was she going to be? Well, if Max was going to be a certain way, how would she be? Should she be a possessive grandmother or should she be an enabling grandmother? And it went back and forth for a while. It depends on what the story needs. So it's very much like a soccer game. And sometimes, you score a goal.
What books and authors have inspired you throughout your career?
I love to read. There is always William Shakespeare, who blows the rest of us out of the water. There is also this book called The Mouse and His Child. It's by the same author who wrote the books about Frances the Badger. But I don't want to do what other writers have done. They just give me a vision of how something can be done, if it's done well.
What can Mister Max fans look forward to in book 2?
I'm not going to tell! More of the same stuff and some different stuff. A good story, I hope!
What made you want to become an author?
When I was in ninth grade, I had a teacher who assigned us to write a chapter just beyond the end of a book. I wrote the next chapter for a book called Idols of the King, and I wrote this long poem. I felt pretty good about it, and the teacher thought it was pretty good. The school had a graduation newspaper coming out, and they wanted to put my poem in that newspaper. My parents were proud of me, my sister was jealous of me. I thought this was great. I thought, if you're a writer you can do exactly what you want to do and everyone thinks you are wonderful. So I decided that's what I wanted to be. But it wasn't the only thing I loved. The first day I walked into a classroom I was very happy. I love teaching. It's the only thing that's as interesting as writing.
What is your proudest accomplishment as an author?
Every now and then I get a letter from somebody that says, "I just want you to know that when I was a kid, reading one of your books and getting to know your characters made it easier for me, got me through a bad patch, or helped me become someone I wanted to be."
Do you have any advice for young writers?
The more you do it, the better you will get. Your job is to figure out where your best work comes from. And that's true in anything—soccer, life.
What do you hope kids will get out of reading Mister Max?
I try not to think about it that way. If I think about that, I am in danger of putting in little moral bits like, "do this," or "you should do that." Books ask questions, and I would like the readers of my books to ask a lot of questions, like "What would I do in this situation?" and "What do I think of what this character chose to do?"


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Returning to Belgium or moving to another country
When you either move back to Belgium or go to live in another country (for which a different embassy or consulate is responsible), it is definitely in your interest to inform your current embassy or consulate of your departure, preferably in writing.
If you so desire, the embassy or consulate can issue a registration certificate detailing your stay within its area of jurisdiction and mentioning your date of departure. When you return to Belgium your municipality will need this certificate to re-register you. In principle you must report to your municipal authorities within 8 working days of your arrival in Belgium.
Your data in the National Register will be updated by the relevant Belgian municipal authority (if you return to Belgium) or by the Belgian embassy or consulate with which you proceed to register (if you move on to another country).
You will find more information on returning to Belgium on the federal portal site (Dutch - French).


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As New Zealand suns itself in the glow of the first one-day cricket series win in South Africa, it might be time to consider Nathan McCullum's role against England.
The older McCullum brother appeared to be a catalyst in galvanising the New Zealand team to wins in Paarl and Kimberley.
If Daniel Vettori's injuries continue to plague him, could McCullum be considered a test option on a needs-must basis?
Yes, it's a bold - and possibly flawed - concept. McCullum has been pigeon-holed as a limited overs exponent since his international debut in September 2007 during the World Twenty20 in South Africa. His first-class averages are tepid for the most part, yet look how his presence against South Africa generated enthusiasm.
Such fierce competitiveness is welcome. His dedication in the field alone is worthy of investigation. Regular examples of run-saving, catching, chasing and throwing constantly placed South African batsmen under threat.
His name featured six times on the opposition scoresheet in the first two one-dayers as a result of one wicket, two run-outs and three catches .
McCullum has played one first-class match this season, away against Auckland. He made a duck and 77 batting at No5 for Otago and took four wickets for 26 (all lower order batsmen) off 12.2 overs as part of a three-wicket victory; tidy figures but generally not worthy of a test call-up. He averages 25.49 with the bat and 41.25 with the ball in 57 first-class matches since debuting in March 2000. He has a first-class hundred (vs Northern Districts in 2007-08) and 13 fifties.
He has two five-wicket bags, the best of which (six for 90) came against India A on a New Zealand A tour - coached by Mike Hesson - in 2008-09. His bowling average on that tour was 28.83.
There's no hiding that any test selection of McCullum would be a punt but trialling him against Bruce Martin or Todd Astle in the four-day warm-up match starting on February 27 in Queenstown could be useful.
Part-time spinner Jeetan Patel's efforts with the ball (average 194) and bat (average 4.33) in the test series against South Africa suggest his international career will cease.
Astle was dropped somewhat unfairly after a solid test debut in the second test win against Sri Lanka and, at 26 years of age, deserves another shot at some point.
At 32, Bruce Martin is the same age as McCullum. In hindsight, he should have played the second test against South Africa. He averages less with the bat (18.64) than McCullum in first-class cricket but also less with the ball (34.57) in 110 matches. Martin has two first-class centuries (one of which was scored against Northern Districts this season), 18 five-wicket bags and has twice taken 10 wickets or more in a match.
McCullum has regularly competed against the best in the world (at the Indian Premier, Big Bash and Champions leagues) albeit in shorter forms. He would not be intimidated by the prospect of playing England, the second-ranked side in test cricket; hardly an ideal series to blood novices.
Naysayers will cite examples like New Zealand's Chris Harris, Australia's Michael Bevan and India's Suresh Raina as players who struggled to make the transition from one-dayers to tests. But, after the dreadful test series against South Africa, New Zealand needs to lend a thought to breaking down the perceived barriers between limited overs and test players because, piecharts or not, the selectors can hardly afford to be fussy.


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Loft Torres de Quart -VT-36615-V
숙박 가능인원3
침실 수1
면적47 m²
Floor No.0
- 인터넷
- 발코니/테라스
- 수건
- 부엌
- 세탁기 / 건조기
- 에어콘
Accommodation summary
|Turia, 46008 Valencia, 스페인
|Acceptance rate
|Response time
|A few hours
|Calendar updated
Backyard of 11m2. Kitchen full equiped , Washing machine, microwave, iron... WIFI, bathroom with shower, hairdryer.. Quiet location next to Central Market, Lonja,Barrio del Carmen, historic city center and next to the gardens of the old riverbed Turia. Located one of the best areas to live the Fallas (from March/7 to March/19 ).
Restaurants and nightlife nearby as well as museums, botanical garden. Perfect communication with the most important tourist monuments . Metro and bus 5 minutes to go to or come from Airport.
Decoration: mixture of rustic and modern.
Posibility of professional guide to visit the city( english, french, italian spoken) Not included on the price.
Massage available at home ( special price for guest)
Two bicycles available to bike around the city included in the price
숙소규정Arrivals from 16:00 and departures before 12 noon. For other times check availability and prices.
Fully equipped kitchen to prepare simple meals.
One set of linen and towels per person and week stay.
Smoking is not allowed( only on the patio)
|Weekly rate for up to 2 guests
|47524474 ₩
|Monthly rate for up to 2 guests
|118797323 ₩
|2 명 이상시 가격
|1980131 ₩ 1박당/
|Check-in before
|환불 규정
|매우 유연함
Great apartment just around the corner of Torres de Quart (entrance of the old town). Within a 10 minutes walk you're at Plaza de la Virgen drinking the famous Aqua de Valancia.
Just 20 minutes from the airport with metro line 5. Short walk to the apartment.
The apartment is spacious and clean and provides more than enough room for 2 people. Because of the great location of the apartment it is easy to take a break after a day walking through the city our after a bike ride, to freshen up and then head back into town again.
The bikes provided were not suitable for us. A little bit to low. No problem, we rented two bikes and had a great trip through Jardines de Turia right to the coast.
The owner couldn't be there to welcome us but arranged a back up. All communication before and during our stay by e-mail and what's app was quick and easy.
Be aware that in the weekend you might hear some street noise (shouting, loud talking, laughing) at night. We didn't mind.
The towels and bed sheets are a little bit old but everything was clean so it didn't bother us.
Supermarket just around the corner for small groceries.
Overall; great place to stay during a city trip to Valencia.We enjoyed every minute of our stay. We definitely come back when we visit Valencia again.
Perfect location to explore the city by the two vintage bikes which you use during the stay. The apartment is nice and comfortable, the bed different than elsewhere but very nice! The bathroom is clean and functional. Beautiful original brick walls. You can sit on the patio and watch the laundry dry from other apartments ;-) In one word: GREAT
Very nice loft on a very good location.
Via the Turia parcs yoú're at the beach in no time with the provided bikes.
Also Nacho is very helpfull might you need anything.
We had a very good relaxing vacation at Loft Torres de Quart!
We had a great time in Valencia and in the very nice and spaceous apartment. Next to the citycenter in a quiet area and easy to reach by public transport and airport central bus station. The two bikes ar a real plus because you just MUST bike in Valencia and the Turia Park. Even the beach can be reached by bike. The appartment was very well equiped and nice decorated with heating, fans, washing machine and all things that made our stay very comfortable. Our host Nacho is the owner and lived there himself. He was very helpfull, always reacted immediately and communication was very easy. We had a great stay and surely recomment this appartment for discovering Valencia or even a long stay!
Het appartement voldoet geheel aan de beschrijving. Het is netjes verzorgd, de verhuurder denkt met je mee en is flexibel met tijden. De fietsen zijn inderdaad wat gammel maar past wel bij het leven in Valencia. We hebben genoten van ons verblijf in Valencia.
The apartment looks even nicer and bigger than the picture. The location is great, 2 minutes walk from the inner city, 5 minutes from the Turia Garden and Nacho is very nice and helpful and he responded very quickly to every inquiry. We're very happy to have stayed at his apartment.
Een superhandig gelegen mooi appartement. Nacho is zeer attent, kwam meteen langs met een nieuwe router toen er geen WiFi ontvangst was.
Fijn dat er ook twee fietsen voor ons klaarstonden, deze waren wel nogal gammel, de remmen deden het nauwelijks.
Een prima plek!
Valencia e` una citta´ stupenda... da scoprire e l`appartamento di Nacho ti fa sentire a tuo agio .. e parte della citta´ grazie anche alla sua ubicazione...il barrio e´ molto bello ed´e´ a 5/10 minuti a piedi dalla piazza del mercato e dalla cattedrale .. vicino all´orto botanico... inoltre e´arredato con gusto, spazioso ( le foto lo fanno sembrare piu´ piccolo), discreto con il suo patio . .noi ci siamo sentiti benissimo e si dorme divinamente nel soppalco, anche la cucina e´ ben atrezzata ....e si puo´ realizzare piu´ di una semplice colazione ... quando si conosce Nacho si capisce anche perche´ sia cosi´ attento ai particolari... come la presenza delle bici per i suoi ospiti... questa e´ professionalita´ e ´ accoglienza e´ amabilidad !!!!!!
Solo comentar que ha sido increíble, el apartamento es genial, muy bonito, con todas las comodidades, en el centro y donde volveremos seguro. Nacho nos dio todas las facilidades para tener una estancia muy buena.
Gracias y volveremos
- 확인된 숙소의 품질
- 모든 호스트는 전화로 입증되었습니다.


text:
Top: HemisFair '68 guides in uniform (from the Bell System
Scrapbook, UTSA's Institute of Texan Cultures)
Bottom: HemisFair '68 Guidebook and Tower of the Americas
under construction (Z-1082, ITC, The Zintgraff Collection)
ITC seeks 60s technology for HemisFair '68 exhibit
By James Benavides
Public Affairs Specialist
(Nov. 13, 2007)--UTSA's Institute of Texan Cultures is preparing to celebrate the 40th anniversary of HemisFair '68 with an exhibit of pictures, video and memorabilia from the celebration that introduced San Antonio to the world spotlight.
Today's headlines
- La Prensa Foundation is newest member of UTSA Lone Star Society
- UTSA alumna Jordan Kaufmann wins $50K for new stent-graft start-up
- UTSA begins new way-finding sign installation this summer at Main Campus
- USA Today: UTSA long jumper Tyler Williamson rescues three-year-old boy
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ITC staff members were successful in a recent quest for official HemisFair '68 uniforms that will be featured in the April-December 2008 exhibit at the museum.
But, according to Shirley Mock, ITC social sciences and humanities resident associate, now they need to find samples of 1968 state-of-the-art technology, such as a console TV and other technology displayed at the fair.
For more information about loaning or donating items for the exhibit, contact Shirley Mock at (210) 458-2337.


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After cashing 71% the last three seasons we started this year going 2-1 last weekend. Ironically our only loser was our biggest advantage over the closing line as we played Cal +10 1/2.
We didn't play anything for this week at the Nugget. Hopefully RJ will get the pictures of our tickets up by next week. If not, I will be back at that time to let you know what we had played.
Ran into Grinch26 and SonnySeattle yesterday down at the Wynn when playing openers. Two great guys, I enjoyed our conversations.
The Only Five Time Finalist in Las Vegas Casino Football Handicapping Contests
Winner of the 2013 Gaming Today Brawl For It All Football Contest
Money management, line shopping and reading the betting markets are just as important as picking the right side.
Good luck sir. Hope you kick ass.
Thanks for taking a few minutes to talk Bryan and BOL this football season. For those of you who have not met Bryan, he is incredibly humble and funny. A good example for bettors and handicappers alike.
Well worth the price of dinner just to pick his brain and he is a cheap date!
Darts: 1-1-0 0 units
I am a cheap date. I'm also just cheap. lol
Sonny rolling with Bryan Leonard = Good stuff there


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Kevin Donoghue
1. City-owned, proposals to date have fallen far short
2. Yes, if rates are competitive versus the others
3. Keep the same, balance is appropriate between fees/taxes
4. Yes, I support affordable housing everywhere
5. Yes, much of this TIF will finance transit service
Justin Pollard
1. City-owned
2. Yes
3. Keep the same
4. No
5. No
Shane Boyington
1. Sell it
2. No
3. Keep the same
4. Yes
5. No
I dont think "yes" or "no" is ever a complete answer in politics. For example — I think Portland should offer single trash bags at a site or two — 1.00 a bag is a fine price — but for some people a $10.00 group of bags is too much at a time to spend. I feel the same way about the Park — The City should have worked out a plan to sell part of the park and keep park of the park. Im my life "both" is usually the choice I go for. I need more information on the Banking — Ive read good and bad results of that choice. Ive read some stories where local banking would be too expensive. If the local bank is the same price — then great.
David Marshall
1. City-owned: Current proposals from development have too big of an impact on this centrally located public space.
2. Yes, I support moving the City's money to a Maine-based financial institution or to a municipal bank created by the City.
3. Decrease, the fees on trash bags are regressive and have the biggest impact on those that can least afford the cost.
4. Yes, we need more housing of all types.
5. Yes, if there is clear public benefit such as the funds for transit from Thompsons Point.
Wellington Lyons
I'm a fifth-generation Mainer, small business owner and progressive Democrat. I'm running for City Council because I want to move Portland forward — towards a more sustainable, more progressive city. There is a transformative potential in local politics and local policy, and cities like Portland are currently the institutions best suited for implementing progressive change. If we're going to succeed as a city, we need to adopt the policies that will bring us into the 21st Century. We will do this by actively recruiting entrepreneurs and skilled workers by offering the amenities a successful, innovative city provides — affordable housing, a working bus system and world-class bike lanes, municipal wireless internet, and responsive city government that works for all of us. We can't wait for the change to come from the state or federal level — it's our future, and it's what we make of it.
1. City-owned
Keep it a city-owned property and improve it! Sometimes the sale of public properties to private owners makes sense. In my opinion, Congress Square Park is not one of those properties. While I would love to see a ballroom that brings in conventions and weddings, it shouldn't be at the expense of our public space. I support reinvesting in Congress Square Park in many of the ways identified by Calvin Dunwoody in this recent article — http://portland.thephoenix.com/news/143150-reimagining-portland/ I would also support further investing in our parks by adding municipal wireless to our public spaces and eventually the entire downtown. Few things would improve our city more. Home Internet access remains prohibitively expensive for many residents, and by offering free access in certain locations we can expect market rates to go down, saving us all money. In addition to making our parks and outdoor spaces more accessible (who wouldn't want to work outside on a nice day?) free Municipal Wi-Fi in the downtown would mark our city as a leading tech-friendly environment. The reality is that our economy has shifted, and manufacturing is no longer the backbone of our economy. Ideas are. Information sharing and idea production is the business of many cities. To effectively share ideas, we need effective and inclusive access to the Internet.
2. Yes
We should not support the major financial institutions that wrecked our economy. I do all of my banking through a local bank. In addition to moving our finances to a local institution, we should consider innovative municipal finance opportunities, such as microbonds. In light of increased personal savings rates, a well-earned distrust of big banks and a volatile stock market, people are looking for alternative ways to invest their money. Our city should explore ways to actively develop and promote Local Investment Bonds that will offer a low-risk opportunity and a fair rate of return. These bonds would be marketed within the community, offered in low denominations and targeted to finance specific projects that residents can choose to support. Portland already has an Aa1 creditworthiness rating from Moody's — our obligations are "judged to be of high quality and subject to very low credit risk." Innovative, transparent and consumer-friendly investment possibilities could transform the way small projects are financed in our city and benefit residents across the board.
3. Keep the same but also make the bags available for purchase one at a time.
4. Yes
There is a critical need for affordable housing in our community. I'm also in support of making the Clifford school a mixed-use development, so long as affordable housing remains a component. Of course, we also need to recognize that the addition of market rate housing can free up the housing supply for low-income rentals, and we should therefore continue to support the construction of market rate apartments to relieve housing supply pressures.
5. No
Absent a well thought out TIF policy, no. I support a moratorium on all new TIF projects until a thorough framework is developed for evaluating which projects are truly deserving of tax breaks. Tax increment financing was originally developed to encourage development in blighted areas. In Portland, our TIF policy has turned into a free-for-all for developers, who claim that they need a tax break to build sidewalks or else they'll take their market-rate apartments elsewhere. The city currently has no meaningful policy for evaluating which projects deserve lower tax rates. This is unfair to all taxpayers, but especially to the homeowners already paying high property taxes. My TIF policy would prohibit TIFs for tenant shifting, as was the case with the Pierce Atwood TIF. It's hard to see what the public got for the $2.9 million City Hall handed out there, and now we have empty office space in the heart of Monument Square.
Nicholas Mavodones
Did not answer.
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mUmBRELLA 360 2012: Media Battles and Marketing Success
By Anne Russell, Digital Marketing Manager, Adobe Australia – LinkedIn, @arussellmktg
An entertaining battle of the media took place at the recent second annual Mumbrella360 conference, where over 700 attendees met over 2 days to discuss Australia's media and marketing landscape. Across different presentation tracks, interviews and discussion panels, conference attendees were encouraged to settle a long-standing industry debate: Which medium is preferred these days: Radio advertising, film advertising, magazines, outdoor or digital?
The first day saw battles between outdoor versus newspapers, TV versus magazines, and online versus cinema. That morning, we saw some interesting arguments, with each presenter strongly defending their medium. It was argued that movies reign supreme – reaching over 100 million Australians each year — the humble radio's air waves still reach audiences throughout the day, at any given time. Some argued against newspaper advertising, making the case that even the most widely read dailies still compete with dozens of other direct messages, decreasing potential impact.
During his interview with mUmBRELLA's editor, Tim Burrowes, Commonwealth Bank Chief Marketing and Online Officer, Andy Lark, told the conference that marketers can benefit from using multiple media sources to communicate with their audiences. Commbank has been using multiple platforms, including newspapers and TV as well as online to promote its new engagement campaign, "CAN", around Australia.
My take on this is that whatever your strategy, it needs to be relevant, personal and measurable. Measurement is key to gauge return on investment and the most indisputably effective ways to achieve that are in the digital space. Why? Because, as Adobe's Mark Phibbs and ExactTarget's Eric Prugh shared in their "Intimate Insights into Digital Marketing" presentation on day 1, digital marketing works!
Today's customers can be targeted by experience using over 30 different marketing tactics at any given time. Search, landing pages, blogs, social networks, online display advertising to email, online videos and webinars all play a role in the mix. The challenge marketers have is budget limitations and the need to quantitatively demonstrate impact. Digital marketing is revolutionary because for the first time, we can see how successful our campaigns are as data and analytics let us measure many touch points. By using all the data you accrue about your customers, you can create a more seamless, individualised and engaging experience for your audience. .
So even if TV, newspaper, radio and outdoor ad placements are still part of the marketing mix, I believe digital is going to play a more prominent part in marketing campaigns, and at the same time this shift is happening, it's time for marketers to take the steps to capture and analyse their data to aim for measurable results.


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Town Square
Pleasanton: Where Teachers and Unionized Workers are Enemy #1
Original post made by Sal, Downtown, on Nov 8, 2012
Isn't it heartwarming to watch residents kick around teachers who are responsible for educating the future of this country. Nevermind that Pleasanton has topnotch schools and consistently improving test scores, because that might get in the way of your unhinged sadism. It would be much better if teachers received slave wages in our race to the bottom. God knows the typical teacher in Pleasanton is a greedy multimillionaire being escorted to school in their stretched limos.
Speaking of multimillionaires, isn't it a shame that butchers at Raley's would fight for their benefits? They must be out of their minds and they should really know their place, which means bowing to the mean-spirited hate of local conservatives. It's really great that wealthy grocery store butchers are the target of your hatred. BUTCHERS!!!!
We also can't forget those super affluent union workers at Castlewood Country Club. How dare they picket and fight for a livable wage! They were scaring my daughter Buffy and daddy's golf short game hasn't been the same since they started protesting. Who cares if some court of law sided with their rights and determined the lockout was in bad faith. Obama must have paid off that judge.
So remember, Pleasanton has a message for all you blue collar union types. We aren't going to tolerate your million dollar salaries!! We Pleasantonians never saw a unionized worker or tax we liked. And one more thing! Don't force us to pay $200 per year for a parcel tax! We have flat screen TVs, bbqs, mud flaps, and Romney t-shirts to purchase!
Comments (31)
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Nov 8, 2012 at 9:07 pm
This is all in the union's hands. The benefits of the public employee unions are way out of line and were given to them when the pension funds said that you could raise the benefits and it would not cost anybody a dime. Wrong! Now they say that once they have a benefit, it can never be lowered. And by the way, we are going to keep spiking out pensions to take even more advantage of the taxpayers, and don't dare touch our free medical insurance, paid for by the same taxpayers, once they retire.
The animosity is to be expected when one side is taking advantage of the other side. It is unfortunate that it is the workers in the middle as the union leaders objective is to get, and keep, as much as possible. The public does not feel it is fair and there is nothing we seem to be able to do about it. That causes frustration and the comments you are seeing. If the unions admit that some of the benefits they received in the hay-day of the stock market are unreasonable and unsustainable now and it is time to really fix it, I think the relationship between the taxpayers and the union workers will improve.
a resident of Alisal Elementary School
on Nov 8, 2012 at 9:12 pm
Sal, I hate unions, and that includes teacher, labor, and public employee unions. But, I voted for OBAMA and Im a Democrat. As all the analysts stated, women contributed to Bammy's win due to social issues such as reproductive rights, marriage equality which is code for gay marriage rights, paid family medical leave, and health care. Oh, and I am a upper-middle class professional, not gay, I am married for 25 years to the same man, and we have grandkids. While I can talk about unions all day long, there are other issues.
a resident of Downtown
on Nov 8, 2012 at 9:24 pm
Sometimes I forget how those evil unions helped create the middle class in this country. The nerve!! But who has time for perspective or knowledge of the history of the labor movements in this county. Having such historical knowledge would make you some elitist commie. Lets live in the now, shape up, and embrace Chinese labor practices! Race to the bottom here we come!!
a resident of Vintage Hills
on Nov 8, 2012 at 9:52 pm
Kathleen Ruegsegger is a registered user.
Sal, rather than trying to goad people into a battle of words about unions, why not tell us your plan for fixing budget issues, including state, counties, cities, and school districts.
a resident of Foothill Farms
on Nov 8, 2012 at 10:04 pm
Sal, Kathleen as usual hits matters right on the button. Rather than referencing the values of blame and hatred that pervade our community, let's reduce all that we've demonized to a problem that needs fixing. Like unionized butchers at Raleys: Eat the contract the owners give you and shut up. Or state: greedy public workers need to take additional pay and pension cuts. Or county: What does the Supervisor do and why pay that person so much money for doing nothing. Or school districts: Let's make our lazy only work half a year teachers more responsive to rightwing criticism by eliminating their union. Or city: Let's un-elect any pol who accepts money from unions; but taking money from real estate developers is a-ok. There are problems out there, and we need to solve them by taking power away from the union workers and teachers.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Nov 9, 2012 at 1:09 am
To Sal the robot, your union brainwashing has made you unable to grasp the big picture. Your inability to reason hurts your cause. Unions didn't create the middle-class. Some union bosses in the 30s shut down companies, beat people, murdered people, caused mayhem. Others, like trade unions, trained decent but educated people basic skills to provide sustainable living.
The end of WWII created a middle-class, where honorable, happy people were grateful and thrilled to have the OPPORTUNITY to live here freely, start companies, and freely work at in a variety of ways, have babies. . . some had unions. Then several decades later New York, New Jersey, and CA greedy government employees decided flexible & reasonable time off, job security, and reasonable pensions was just not enough. DEMAND more, then DEMAND more, making
hostages out of taxpayers. . . a flawed and unsustainable concept to start. Then the practice of buying candidates, creating & owning puppets to carry out their demands. No surprise suffering taxpayers resent being victims & hostages, and that wrath and hatred is the result. UNreasonable people should expect nothing else. No surprise. PUBLIC unions are unlike, and structured unlike other unions. They are not interchangable, and should not be confused or compared with PRIVATE unions.
a resident of Foothill Farms
on Nov 9, 2012 at 5:53 am
Well, Sal, anti-public-union confirms your claims about rightwing ignorance and hate. Not knowing any history, he goes to a rightwing blog and repeats the above slop, twice.
Cal citizens voted overwhelmingly against 32 because they've all been brainwashed, just like you, Sal. So, with Kath Reugsinegger we have the self-absorbed troll who disguises her repetitive hate monologues with assurances she supports teachers and children, she really does. And oh boy does she give to the community. Just ask anybody, but especially - solely - her. And with anti-Union, hate points him to a rightwing bubble site, and he replicates the slop without shame.
Unions bad, teachers bad, govt bad, taxes bad. Citizens vote in Obama? Vote in supermajority for Dems? Support 30? Strike down 32? That's because they are all brainwashed. Such is their way of thinking. And the repetition goes on, and on, and on.
a resident of Birdland
on Nov 9, 2012 at 8:59 am
liberalism is a disease is a registered user.
Sal, you continue to live in the past. As Sam mentioned on another thread on the PW, you need to get with the times.
The union violence at the docks and shipyards is long over...put down your clubs and picket signs and get to work.
Richard, nice dem talking points. Cut and paste much? Don't worry, in this state, you've got a few more years of bleeding the taxpayers dry. With the dem majority, they'll have no one to blame for the states' failures. Next up, choices between austerity measures and more tax increases. What will you do when the well runs dry...move to another host?
a resident of Pleasanton Valley
on Nov 9, 2012 at 6:43 pm
woggut is a registered user.
Top Notch Schools? Not so much, it only looks good when you compare to all of California. We're actually below average for similar schools, all the elementary schools except Fairlands rank 2, 3 or 4.
Web Link
The community would be much more supportive of additional school funding if it was really driving superior results.
>>God knows the typical teacher in Pleasanton is a greedy multimillionaire being escorted to school in their stretched limos. <<
No, but they are compensated far more than private sector employees. Latest Bureau of Labor Standards shows $57 per hour vs $49 for private sector management and professional (all workers is only $26 per hour). Teachers work about 1400 hours per year (private school teacher work 10% more hour for less pay). Software programmers are at 2200 and BLS only counts time required on site.
The hourly amounts understates the difference because the calstrs underfunding will eventually have to be made up, they are assuming a 7.5% rate of return while it's only been 5.5% over the last decade. Private sector defined benefit plans are virtually gone, something like 10% of fortune 100 companies offer them and pretty much unheard of in smaller companies.
Web Link
California teachers essentially locked in the pre-Y2K bubble compensation level. In the real world salaries dropped by 1/3 in the tech wreck. The 2008 debacle has probably taken us back to the tech wreck valley unless you are a java programmer.
a resident of Vintage Hills
on Nov 9, 2012 at 8:51 pm
Kathleen Ruegsegger is a registered user.
Richard, I said we need budget fixes. Did you suggest any?
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Nov 9, 2012 at 11:43 pm
That is some pretty twisted logic. Sure Pleasanton schools are only about average if you compare them to other top notch schools. That doesn't mean they aren't top notch.
And to your point about software programmers, I'm a "software programmer", with an MS in computer engineering from Virginia Tech and I think I have an easier job than a k-12 teacher. We need to pay teachers well. They do an important job.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Nov 10, 2012 at 12:40 am
It was so nice when the greedy barbarian public unions stayed off PW with their trash talk during the election. They were told to lay off so they wouldn't remind us why we needed to vote no on 30 and cook-kallio. Some of us didn't forget, not for a minute.
a resident of Amador Valley High School
on Nov 10, 2012 at 8:53 am
We have lived in Pleasanton for 17 years and are soon to be empty nesters. The change of community spirit we have seen through the last decade has been nothing short of breath taking. The vitriol and hate we have seen on both sides of the political divide has increased on this forum to where no one takes it seriously. It is sad to see a community devolve into a cable/talk show war. The concept of agreeing to disagree and be cordial is long gone.
I cannot wait to move out of beautiful, pastoral Pleasanton and let the next generation of parents deal with this hate. I really hope something enables this community to pull together and work for the benefit of all.
a resident of Foothill High School
on Nov 10, 2012 at 11:52 am
The increasing polarization in American politics is driven by two things:
1. Growing income inequality. The rich are getting ever richer and the middle class is disappearing. 5% of the people in this country own 95% of the wealth. That gap is causing a lot of ill-will and anger, as it should.
2. The Republican purge of moderates. Where did the moderate Republicans go? They became independents or Democrats. An honest assessment of President Obama is that he is not a liberal Democrat but rather a moderate Republican. Obama only looks liberal to people who think Reagan and Bush Junior were too accommodating to the left.
Pleasanton is a microcosm of America's present and future: there's a lot of very rich people in Pleasanton whose primary goal is getting even richer. These people think that those who have less than them are dumb and lazy, and that demanding higher wages and benefits is just a sign of greed. Of course these people hate and fear unions, because it's only through organizing in a union that workers have any chance at all of having their voices heard.
We need look no further than the nastiness of the illegal lockout and protracted picketing of the Kastlewood Kountry Klub to see America's present and future--unless we work to change things and to narrow the gap between rich and poor (and to save the middle class, which is in danger of extinction).
As for budget solutions: there's no shortage of money in this country when the warmongering Republicans want to invade Iraq and Afghanistan. Nobody cried poormouth then. There's no shortage of money when the federal government bailed out the auto industry and Wall Street. Nobody cried empty pockets then. But if a waiter or meatcutter or teacher wants a living wage--it's the apocalypse! Bury the jewels in the back yard and swallow your gold fillings before the unions get them!
We had a top tax rate of 91% during the Eisenhower years. It's now perfectly legal for men like Mitt Romney to pay a paltry 14% or 15% on their income, and for big corporations like Apple and Mobil and so on to pay little or nothing at all. As the old saying goes, it's what's legal that's a crime.
How about we roll back tax rates and the tax laws to what they were in 1958 and see how that goes? Or was Eisenhower another one of those "diseased liberals", too?
p.s.--If you're looking for an intelligent, rational debate in the Pleasanton Weekly forums, you're obviously *very new* here. Welcome to Pleasanton.
a resident of Highland Oaks
on Nov 10, 2012 at 4:19 pm
Unions, like all other self-interest organizations, are highly beneficial in ensuring that the interests of the group have representation and the membership required to be taken seriously.
When, however, the balance of power shifts toward one side or the other, mutual consideration of needs and the will to compromise are replaced by selfish disregard for any but the group's interests, interests which often and rapidly take on the quality of gluttonous abandon.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Nov 10, 2012 at 9:49 pm
The grass always seems greener on the other side of the hill.
Someone new will soon enter your life.
Life is short.
a resident of Amberwood/Wood Meadows
on Nov 11, 2012 at 7:46 am
It is apparent that those who wish to abolish unions have never worked in situations where a union is beneficial. In an ideal world, they would not be necessary. But we do not live in an ideal world. Many businesses would require their employees to work in unfavorable situations and if an employee does not comply, they would be fired. Many of those in management are only interested in the bottom line, I.e., the cash in their pocket. So before you bash all unions, talk to a blue collar worker who benefits from the support of their union to keep the management responsible for their actions.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Nov 11, 2012 at 9:50 am
Daniel, you have it wrong.
The main frustration in Pleasanton, and all over California are the public employee unions, including the teachers union. This is because:
1. Employees in the union do whatever they can to take advantage of spiking, purchasing air time, and other things which are essentially like stealing from the taxpayers.
2. Public employees, except for teachers, received unsustainable increases in their pensions around the year 2000. These pensions were approved because CalPERS lied and said that it would not cost anything. Surprise, they are costing the taxpayers a lot. Even the public employees know this but they feel that since this benefit was given to them, they are "entitled" to it, forever. Not to mention the pension increase was retroactive to when they started their jobs. Right now there are over 9,000 public employees with pensions over $100,000 and over 5,000 teachers and administrators with pensions over $100,000 (plus another 1,600 from the UC System). When public employees can get pensions like this and retire at age 50 and 55, it simply is not fair.
3. Public employees are receiving free medical insurance when they retire at no cost to them. They have not even had payroll deductions for it. The taxpayers, who are paying for their own health insurance, are now responsible for paying for the health insurance of retired public employees. This was not even a benefit to employees of the Pleasanton School District until after the year 2000.
This is not about the rich wanting to get richer. This is about fairness and the current public employee benefits are not fair to those who pay for them, the taxpayers. If you are advocating for rolling back tax decreases, I assume you would advocate for rolling back pension increases.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Nov 11, 2012 at 3:16 pm
Ashamed, I hope you can still find a place that has not yet been destroyed by public unions... that would mean moving OUT of CA.
Ca now has a Dem super-majority, bought, paid for, provided by the public unions, so Ca will shortly be destroyed, beyond saving.
You are right, being a middle-class taxpayer myself, the hate I have for the likes of Sal and Daniel is very, very real.
Silence would go a long way to help their cause, but, both their arrogance and ignorance would prevent the wisdom of silence.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Nov 11, 2012 at 3:23 pm
We had a brief PW reprieve during the election so we wouldn't be constantly reminded of their greedy arrogance.....plus the really biggie, they were working 24/7 for 6 weeks before the election, for all issues and people they were electing to control our lives......no better political team than our public employees, who work against anything for us taxpayers.
a resident of Amberwood/Wood Meadows
on Nov 11, 2012 at 5:41 pm
Hey, I am a retired public employee and collecting a calpers pension. No one is giving me free medical or dental benefits. Who do I call to get these? I apparently am missing out on a benefit.
a resident of Birdland
on Nov 11, 2012 at 10:03 pm
Marie..thank you for your service
a resident of Birdland
on Feb 20, 2014 at 1:03 pm
Let's add BART workers to the list of things right-wingers in Pleasanton hate. The Tea Party types are resentful and can't stand that a blue-collar worker might make more income than them. The right-winger's delicate ego is hurt. Call the wambulance!
a resident of Livermore
on Feb 20, 2014 at 3:38 pm
I support the policy of folks only being allowed to have ONE CHILD. Just like in China at one time. It didn't work in China but it could in a capitalist country!
Why should hard working Americans be responsible for raising and providing a free education to everybody that has more than one child?
The church says it's the right thing to do.
i rest my case...
ps tee hee hee...
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Feb 21, 2014 at 10:54 am
Let's be clear, it's never been about the teachers, it's always been about the teacher unions, and public employee unions in general, BART included.
The rallying point is the collusion of public employee unions and politicians, each using the other to further their agendas, at the expense of taxpayers and those that need to use the services.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Feb 21, 2014 at 11:25 am
Right, Joe. Good thinking. Let's purge the unions, then they won't get in the way of corporations and their own cozy relationships with governments which, of course, further each other's agendas (and which doesn't seem to bother you, not even one bit). Like it or not, Joe, unions are among the very few entities that have been able to effectively counter the growing collusion of govts and corporate power. If you're against unions, public or private, you're likely standing on the other side of the fence, along with the other fascists standing next to you. Being anti-union is being anti-democracy.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Feb 21, 2014 at 1:01 pm
Tom Joad (nice name by the way), let's get real and practical. Every union is after only one thing - its own agenda, its continuing grip on power, and its continued existence. Everything else is secondary, and that includes providing benefit to customers and taxpayers. It's completely inaccurate to paint a picture of unions as a bastion of Democracy by stating that they help to keep corporate + government malfeasance in check - unions' ability to do that simply doesn't exist.
Three prime examples are here in CA - the BART unions, the prison guards' union, and the teachers' unions. All have locks on their respective territories and are so ingrained into the political scenario that it would take a major act of legislation to dislodge them. And, given the collusion between union dollars and legislators' reelection campaigns, that will not happen anytime soon.
a resident of Amador Valley High School
on Feb 23, 2014 at 8:19 pm
If teachers and other public employees get so much for so little, then why don't you become one and reap the bountiful rewards?
a resident of Happy Valley
on Jul 8, 2014 at 7:47 pm
This post pretty much sums up Pleasanton.
a resident of Del Prado
on Jul 8, 2014 at 10:04 pm
Morris, what was your point in bringing up this two year old item? I take it you're the same one who keeps resurrecting these. You might need professional help.
a resident of Canyon Oaks
on Jul 8, 2014 at 10:48 pm
I work for a union driving a red truck. We excepted a 10% pay cut at one time because the union told us to. Why? They said we will tell them we need one more person per shift. We end up making more money now with all the overtime. I'm not proud and wish it would end.They do brainwash for sure.
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The C Programming Language
Real Time Rendering, 3rd ed.
OpenGL ES 2 Programming Guide
Game Engine Architecture
I don't know what other books, if any, I should get a copy of, but am I on the right track? What order should I learn different topics in?
I am eventually trying to develop a PC/Android 3D game (I know its cliche among beginners, but for all its worth, I made a sidescrolling shooter in C# last year). I want to make it from scratch, because I want to build my own software system and I love programming. I seriously don't know the limitations of what one person can do, as I haven't gone that far before.
P.S: Although I am indeed re-learning everything, in my VERY humble opinion, I have amassed a pretty good knowledge on the subject, if that makes things easier.
Edited by Josh Petrie, 10 November 2012 - 07:02 PM.
Please don't use polls in FB.


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Hey BPLers,
I had to drive through part of yosemite yesterday, so I had to pay $20 for the pass. Normally I don't begrudge the park service for any money they can pick up, but in this economy $20 could mean the difference for a trip or not for somebody.
So if you're in the san francisco area and want it, let me know and you can pick it up.
It's good until September 5th.
@b-g-2-2Locale: Silicon Valley
The money that NPS collects from park admission goes into the general fund of the U.S.
So, if you prevent the next guy from paying his $20, that makes you into one of those unpatriotic commies.
Bob, I always look forward to your take on things.
Logan bread is in the oven.
@b-g-2-2Locale: Silicon Valley
Joe, actually I almost could have used that park pass. Unfortunately, my car blew a head gasket ($$$$) so I am without wheels for a few days.
I was just munching on a square of Logan Bread, myself. This batch has six different kinds of dried fruit in it.
Sorry to hear bob. I just got back from rock creek lake, otherwise I'd offer to take you!
Hope to be back out next weekend, though… maybe point reyes.
@benjammin21Locale: The Grid, Brooklyn
I totally could have used that pass if I had logged on. I just went and took my girlfriend to half dome. Shoot.
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Home › Forums › Gear Forums › Gear (General) › Cleaning water bladders with denture cleaner?
Apr 12, 2013 at 7:52 am #1301616
Zorg ZumoMember
"Official" cleaning tabs aren't readily available. Folks on another forum suggested using denture cleaning tablets – anyone have experience with this?Apr 13, 2013 at 6:45 pm #1976339
Harris GoldsteinMember
@hmgoldsLocale: Minnesota
My favorite cleaner is called "Chlorinated Pipeline Detergent" (http://www.stearnspkg.com/all_tek/260tek.pdf); it's intending for cleaning dairy tanks and equipment and sold in "farm" stores. A very dilute solution with hot water works wonders. I use it for water bottles, beermaking equipment, coffee pots, tea-stained mugs, etc. Because of the phosphates, I try to keep it at the recommended dilutions.Apr 13, 2013 at 8:21 pm #1976364
Mobile CalculatorSpectator
…Apr 14, 2013 at 12:04 am #1976392
Eric BlumensaadtBPL Member
@danepackerLocale: Mojave Desert
Tried it just once. The aftertaste and smell put me off it for good.
Now I just use diluted Clorox bleach.Apr 14, 2013 at 8:54 am #1976445
Mary DBPL Member
@hikinggrannyLocale: Gateway to Columbia River Gorge
I use diluted chlorine bleach, too, let it sit in the water containers for a couple of hours, then rinse thoroughly and hang them to dry (upside down over my spare bathroom's heating vent, which is right under the towel rack). I let them dry for several days, or longer if the heat isn't on (it usually is when the containers go into winter storage).
I do have denture cleaner in the house, but use it only for my denture.Apr 14, 2013 at 9:36 am #1976466
rowan !Member
@romonsterLocale: SF Bay Area
I'm wondering why you guys use bleach or denture cleaner. Is there something I'm missing here? I just scrub all the parts of my hydration bladder with soap and water, just as I do with dishes, and it works great.Apr 15, 2013 at 2:12 pm #1976931
Randy AmosMember
@randyamosLocale: Indiana
My son likes to add the Gatorade flavor packets to a camelbak bladder. I typically add 1 or 2 tablets of generic denture cleaner fill it with warm water and let it sit for 30 or 45 minutes when we get home. I then thoroughly rinse it out, let it dry on a hanger for a few days and store it in the freezer. It might be overkill and soap an water would be enough but i have never had issues with the bladders using this procedure. I have also never noticed a change in the flavor of the water after cleaning with the denture tabs.Apr 15, 2013 at 2:28 pm #1976937
Mike In SocalBPL Member
@rcmikeLocale: California
I've used denture cleaner to clean water bottles but mostly to get the gatorade odor out when necessary – otherwise a bottle brush and soap works fine. More importantly, I dry them with an aquarium pump so they are completely dry before I store them. I do the same with water filters – I connect the aquarium pump to the filter cartridge and let the air dry out the inside as much as possible after I have run a liter of water with diluted chlorine through it.Apr 16, 2013 at 12:42 am #1977166
Nick LarsenMember
@stingray4540Locale: South Bay
I'll second Rowan's question.
Why do people find it so difficult to clean water bladders?
I just use dishsoap and water like I would any of my dishes. Add soap, add water, swoosh it around a bit, let it sit for a minute or two to kill any bacteria, then rinse. Make sure soapy water flows through tube, and make sure the tube gets rinsed as well.
If I'm just drinking water out of it, I don't even bother cleaning between uses, I just store them in the freezer.Apr 16, 2013 at 8:33 am #1977254
rowan !Member
@romonsterLocale: SF Bay Area
Ah, if you keep strong-tasting drinks in your water bladder then I can understand needing something to remove the flavor from the plastic. I just keep water in mine so that didn't occur to me.
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Town Square
Summerhill Homes may be building --get your free sand bags from Danville
Original post made by NO ON SUMMERHILL!, Danville, on Mar 16, 2012
Why is there flooding and erosion in Danville? Because OVERDEVELOPMENT IS CAUSING FLOODING AND EROSION!!
Now Danville is considering the approval of YET ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT that will add to flooding and erosion along Green Valley Creek in the Diablo Road corridor. SUMMERHILL HOMES is seeking to build 123 or more dwellings that will cover many dozens of acres of open agricultural land with impermeable surfaces. What does that mean to the hundreds of homeowners in the Diablo Road corridor that live along Green Valley Creek? EROSION WILL GREATLY INCREASE (because of the higher than normal waterflows that will flow for many hours from SummerHill's detention basin) and FLOODING WILL INCREASE because the detention basin will undoubtedly OVERFLOW from time to time because it is insufficient to handle flows or it is poorly maintained.
Please email Danville Council Members and Planning Commissioners (see Town of Danville website for email addresses) and tell them Danville can SAVE MONEY ON SANDBAGS by VOTING NO ON SUMMERHILL!!
Comments (11)
a resident of Green Valley Elementary School
on Mar 16, 2012 at 3:51 pm
I already have to carry flood insurance because I live on Green Valley Creek. After SummerHill is built, will my already expensive flood insurance rates go up because there will be a greater risk of flooding/erosion damage to my property??
a resident of Diablo
on Mar 16, 2012 at 3:59 pm
If you have any doubt about the truth of the above statement regarding increased flooding and erosion along Green Valley Creek that will be caused by the 123 or more dwellings of the Summerhill Homes Development, take a look at our current creeks and run-off areas now. The recent rains have GREATLY enlarged them!! Can you imagine what will happen if the Summerhill Home Development is approved?!?
a resident of Danville
on Mar 16, 2012 at 9:15 pm
I live near St. Timothy's Church along Diablo Road. The creek has so eroded its banks that the road is nearly collapsing into the creek in a number of places. Who is going to pay to shore up the banks and protect Diablo Road? If you think SummerHill will, I have some property in the desert I will sell you! Guess who paid for the $1 million plus repair of the highly eroded Diablo Road/El Pintado Road bridge and adjacent sidewalk? Developers? Guess again----Danville TAXPAYERS!!
a resident of Danville
on Mar 17, 2012 at 9:49 am
Buncha hysterical hooey. Area didn't flood in last year's season-long deluge, nor at any time since I moved here in the 1970s. Everybody knows that the real problem is traffic, so please don't try to mislead us by cloaking your argument in the environment.
Get together with all the stakeholders, including Summerhill, and get creative -- work it out, instead of cluttering up everybody's lives with this nonsense.
a resident of Danville
on Mar 17, 2012 at 10:37 am
Check your facts, C Mudge. Start by looking at the Contra Costa County Flood Control District's comments to Danville on the Notice of Preparation for the SummerHill EIR. It is well-known that Green Valley Creek has portions insufficient to handle a 25-year Flood. Danville's standard enshrined in its 2010 General Plan is to protect all properties along the creek from 100-year Flood levels. In other words, Green Valley Creek is far from meeting Danville's own standards for flood protection.
Glad you agree traffic is a terrible problem in the Diablo Road corridor. But flooding/erosion is a REAL PROBLEM that SummerHill will worsen.
a resident of Danville
on Mar 17, 2012 at 10:51 am
I can look in my backyard next to the creek and check the facts. No flooding, ever. The only thing with more capacity than that creek bed is your group's tendency toward hyperbole instead of collaboration.
The traffic is nobody's surprise -- it's been that way for 20 years. Work it out, THEN let us all know.
a resident of Danville
on Mar 19, 2012 at 3:13 pm
Sorry, C-mudge. You should venture out of your hole a little farther. The entire Green Valley Creek is in a FEMA FLood Zone! Just because you personally have never experienced flooding doesn't mean it does not occur in other reaches of the creek---duh! And let's not forget about erosion, or are you denying that, too? You might ask about that next time you are at work at SummerHill's San Ramon offices.
a resident of Danville
on Mar 20, 2012 at 8:32 am
I'm glad we agree that traffic is a huge issue with teh SumemrHill development. But as to Mudge on flooding/erosion, I'm reminded of the man who looks to the east in the evening, and denies that the sun is setting. Mudge, your backyard is an anecdote, not systematic data. Unless you think the Contra Costa County Flood Control District is also disposed to "hyperbole," I'll just let their concerns about the SummerHill Development speak for themselves. These are their words in response to the Town of Danville's Notice of Preparation, and are direct quotes:
1."The developer needs to show that the proposed project will not exacerbate the existing capacity issues on Green Valley Creek by increasing peak volumes and duration."
2."We are concerned about the potential for increased erosion within the reaches of Green Valley Creek downstream of this project."
3."We are concerned that Green Valley Creek will be affected by the secondary storm drain system, which appears to be designed to prevent minor tributary drainage flows upstream of the proposed development from flowing through the development…"
4."The Town of Danville (Town) and the Developer should be made aware that residences adjacent to East Branch Green Valley Creek…downstream of the Subdivision, have reported flooding and erosion issues."
5."The FC District and the Army Corps of Engineers have performed studies that show that Green Valley Creek downstream of this project does not have sufficient capacity for the 100-year flow event considering the ultimate build-out condition."
a resident of Danville
on Mar 20, 2012 at 10:43 am
C-Mudge makes a good point - "work it out". That's what we are trying to do. But voicing our views on the project and raising awareness of serious and very real concerns is part of the process of working it out. In addition to concerns about SummerHill's project on traffic, flooding, erosion, the environment, schools, aesthetics, pollution, etc., we are concerned that these issues will be white-washed. C-Mudge is a perfect example of that - he/she denies there is even a problem. But there is a concerned group of ciizens who feel otherwise and have the proof to back up their concerns. Airing those concerns is an important part of "working it out". So I encourage everyone to get involved and look at the facts. We all live daily with the traffic issues. Less obvious is the flooding and erosion issues so I am grateful to the folks who are making us aware. Like someone previous pointed out - that big fix downtown on Front street was caused by erosion which will only get worse with more development along the creeks. And after the developers have made their money we the taxpayers will be left holding the bag and paying the bill. So let's all stop denying there is a problem and instead shine a bright light on it. Then when the facts are available and clear we can do as C-Mudge suggests and work it out. But let's stop the white-wash first.
a resident of Danville
on Mar 20, 2012 at 4:11 pm
I have pictures from last year's "deluge" in my backyard! The runoff was unbelievable and at times scary. And, as it has already been said, flooding/erosion are not the only issues. Traffic is a Huge inconvenience for everyone in this area as it is now! Imagine the added traffic from this proposed development. This will come to fruition if everyone doesn't get involved and let the town know that the the proposed project is unacceptable.
a resident of Monte Vista High School
on Mar 20, 2012 at 9:20 pm
You are so right, concerned homeowner. Everyone has to get involved before the Town approves this ridiculous SummerHill Homes project for the Diablo Road corridor. And believe me, I have lived in Danville most of my life, and once a project gets this far, it takes a huge public outcry to derail it. SPEAK NOW OR IT WILL BE OVER BEFORE YOU KNOW IT!!
Elections for town council are in November! Last year, the 2 council members that were up were unopposed so they were automatically returned to office for 4 more years. Let's elect 3 new council members in November and make sure they are ones that will listen to the will of the people, and not be in the pocket of large landownerS and developers looking to reap speculative profits on our backs!
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Town Square
PA City Council's Use of Commissions and Advisory Boards
Original post made by Paul Losch, Community Center, on Mar 20, 2013
Fine topic, well worth examination and discussion.
I am bothered, and concerned.
I only read the report of the Committee's discussion on Palo Alto On-Line, so I base my point of view from that source.
My impression from the article is that this topic more or less "spun out of control." One Council Member after another offered up what they would like to have as policy in some or all of Palo Alto's city parks, with little information provided to them, merely their own points of view.
What bothers me is that there did not appear to be any suggestion by members of the Policy and Services Committee that perhaps this deserves further examination at the appropriate Commission level, in this case Parks and Recreation (of which I was a member for nine years, 3 terms, stepping down this past month. And this is not about my ego.)
What concerns me is that there are too many instances, across a number of issues, cutting across many Commissions, when our Council Members do not seek deeper understanding of an issue by requesting a point of view from the appropriate Commissions or Advisory Boards that it has appointed. Instead, there has been behavior at the Council Committee level (e.g., Finance and Policy and Services) to address matters and then take them up the food chain to full Council without the benefit of the thinking of the many volunteers who serve on these Commissions and Advisory Boards.
There is plenty of room for improvement in the proverbial "Palo Alto Process."
By the same token, there is no need or benefit for Council Committees to act compulsively about any topic when they have people whom they have appointed as public officials to drill down into various issues, and advise the Council accordingly.
If Council Members do not see the value in getting the advice on myriad issues that various Commissioners and Policy Advisory Board Members spend countless hours on before they get to the Council level, get rid of them! Don't waste people's time.
Comments (2)
a resident of Fairmeadow
on Mar 21, 2013 at 11:21 am
Paul Losch seems to place a lot of importance on the opinion of the residents/individuals who make up these groups. But these groups are, for the most part, made up of amateurs. There are no competency tests that must be passed, in order to qualify for these boards—although in some cases, the individuals who are chosen do possess appropriate qualifications—such as is the case for the Architectural Review Board (ARB).
It's not hard to disagree with Losch, however, that in this matter the behavior of individual Council members was not very "process-oriented"—revealing that several of the sitting Council see local governance to be more of their personal toy, rather than a well-orchestrated, process-driven, institution.
In this case, there does not seem to be any real problem that needs to be solved. There might be some instances where some standing ordinances are being violated, but little evidence of that seems to have been presented by Council, at least at this point. The claim that the City is saving people from "second-hand smoke" is incredibly doubious—even though "second-hand smoke" can be annoying.
There was some anecdotal evidence about problems with smokers in some parks presented in the thread reporting on the Policy Committee's intentions. But none of these claims were backed up with any real evidence, such as evidence of dozens of complaints made to the police, and/or the Council, about the inability of people to use the parks because of "second-hand smoke".
Given today's technology, why not have Staff install some cigarette smoke detectors that can provide some hard evidence about the concentration of cigarette smoke that park visitors are exposed to, and perhaps a few surveillance cameras that could be used to provided better enforcement of current ordinances?
And why not provide a convenient web-page for park visitors to upload pictures of people smoking, to help the Police understand when and where to dispatch officers to provide some "teeth" for any current, or future, ordinances.
I'm not certain that the thousands of hours that Palo Alto Boards and Commissions have spent talking are as helpful as Paul Losch seems to. However, it would be a good thing if Council followed the rules that it has set up in the past.
It seems to me that before there are clear problems to be solved, that there are other matters more pressing for the Council to be addressing—like the long-term pension problem, for one.
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Mar 21, 2013 at 12:14 pm
Both Paul and Wayne are making some excellent points here.
I would agree that this proposal is a waste of time, energy and just a case of our council spouting hot air and trying to appear socially conscious.
We have many rules in our parks at present which are not adhered to, not policed, and are a waste of time unless they are enforced. For this reason, making more rules is just a feel good gesture which will not make a difference.
I don't think we have a real problem with smoking tobacco in our parks although there are times many of us have seen someone smoking there and been bothered by the smoke. We may, or may not, have more of a problem with smoking pot in our parks and this problem may be at times when the parks are "closed" rather than during the day.
Since there is nothing to stop a park being used by anyone during the evening or overnight hours, there is no enforcement of the no alcohol policy or the dogleash policy or even the rules at present for no smoking near playground and picnic areas, why does it make any sense to ban smoking at all? It will just appear on a small notice at a park entrance that nobody pays attention to and will never be enforced.
I would much rather the council do something positive to improve infrastructure and balance the budget without increasing taxes rather than imposing a ban on something that isn't a big problem and won't be enforced.
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Don't forget to cast your ballot online. Voting ends May 29th. Stay tuned for the results in the July 21st issue of the Palo Alto Weekly.


text:
A circular plate rolls in contact with the sides of a rectangular
tray. How much of its circumference comes into contact with the
sides of the tray when it rolls around one circuit?
Tim Rowland introduces irrational numbers
By inscribing a circle in a square and then a square in a circle
find an approximation to pi.
By using a hexagon, can you improve on the approximation? How much
better an approximation is it?
Archimedes used this idea first with a hexagon, then a dodecagon
(12 sides) and so on up to a 96 sided polygon to calculate pi and
was able to establish that $$3\frac{10}{71} < \pi < 3
What are the strengths and limitations of this method?


text: Yeah, I love how it has "Police and Rescue" written on it. That's like a pack of cigarettes having a label that says "they're good for you!" on it. You know that those vehicles are the LAST thing you want to see if you need to be "rescued". I'm sorry, but there is just no legitinate need for a civilian police organization to have an MRAP. That is stricly a Police State vehicle.


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'Giant Slayer' scares up ho-hum $28 million debut
It wasn't exactly a mighty victory, but "Jack the Giant Slayer" won the weekend at the box office.
The Warner Bros. 3-D action extravaganza, based on the Jack and the Beanstalk legend, made just $28 million to debut at No. 1, according to Sunday studio estimates. It had a reported budget of about $200 million.
"Jack" comes from Bryan Singer, director of "The Usual Suspects" and the first two "X-Men" movies. It stars Nicholas Hoult, Ewan McGregor, Ian McShane and Stanley Tucci.
Among other new releases, the college romp "21 & Over" from Relativity Media made only $9 million this weekend to open in third place. And the horror sequel "The Last Exorcism Part II" from CBS Films debuted in fourth place with just over $8 million.
Copyright © 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This story may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.


text:
The announcement by Oyster Property Group that its syndicated offering of Orion House in Grafton has closed more than a week early and is over-subscribed, should give the investing public greater confidence in investing in commercial property, says Scott Ratuki, a partner at specialist commercial law firm Tompkins Wake.
Orion Health sold the complex to Oyster Property Group for $21.5 million and Oyster subsequently offered 115 shares at $100,000 each in the 4673sq m, three-level property with a projected initial pre-tax return of 8.47 per cent, paid monthly.
Ratuki says the Oyster offering is the first since the expiry of the exemption to the Securities Act (Real Property Proportionate Ownership Schemes) Exemption Notice 2002 which related to commercial property syndication.
He says this latest market proposition follows a move last year by the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) to impose tighter controls on syndicate offerings, which now must comprise a full form prospectus and investment statement in relation to the particular offer and appoint a statutory supervisor to look after investor interests.
"The commercial property investment market now has the same disclosure rules as any other public offering. It cannot rely on the exemption notice," Ratuki says.
"The Orion offering shows willingness by one of the major operators in the industry to embrace the new regime and demonstrates that the commercial property syndication market can continue to operate without the exemption notice.
"The Orion offering gives the investment public confidence as there is a registered prospectus that has been subject to FMA consideration in the same way as any other offering, a deed of participation which is a registered public document and a statutory supervisor to oversee the offering. These things give investors greater protection and comfort."
Ratuki says that the rules - as exemplified through the Oyster Group's Orion Building offering - now mean that participants/syndicators are subject to a greater level of disclosure and compliance.
"The FMA have been extremely helpful in this process. We engaged with them early on in the project. Initially they provided feedback, advice and direction on specific issues we had in relation to constructing a commercial property investment product within the prospectus regime. This was helpful to our initial drafting.
"Investors now have greater protection as, over and above the appointment of the statutory supervisor, there are incidental changes to the structure we have traditionally employed.
"One such change is that the statutory supervisor controls the appointment of directors to the company that has legal ownership of the property on behalf of investors. This means that the scheme manager does not control the property owning entity, which has been a problem in relation to some schemes set up under the exemption notice. This is another factor that should also give investors confidence."
Tompkins Wake says the full disclosure regime doubles the amount of time needed to bring a commercial property syndication to market, and increases the legal fees involved by about a third.
Required documentation now includes the prospectus, a deed of participation setting out how the scheme will operate, and an investors' statement summarising the offer.
"The process involved under the exemption notice saw offerors, rather than independent third parties, take responsibility for compliance in a regime that was totally prescriptive," Ratuki said. "We used to be able to bring syndications to the market within two weeks, but now we'd recommend participants allow for at least a month."
What: Oyster syndication of Orion House
Result: Fully subscribed over a week early
Feature: First syndication since expiry of Securities Act exemption
Implications: Should give investors more confidence in commercial property marketr


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