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It's very important to ensure that your skin isn't exposed to the sun for long periods, as this can lead to sunburn and make you more susceptible to skin cancer. Anyone can develop skin cancer, so it's important to protect yourself whatever your skin type.
Although it's important to protect your skin, some direct exposure to the sun is essential for the production of vitamin D.
Don't let your skin burn, but try to go outside once or twice every day without sunscreen for short periods from March to October. The more of your skin that is exposed, the better your chance of making enough vitamin D.
There are some food sources of vitamin D – salmon, sardines and other oily fish, eggs and fortified spreads – but sunshine is the major source.
The Government recommends vitamin D supplements for some groups of the population, including people aged 65 and over.
If you think you could be at risk of not getting enough vitamin D, particularly if you are housebound or cover your skin for cultural reasons, raise this with your GP. Always speak to your GP before starting to take a vitamin supplement or over-the-counter medicine on a daily basis.
Extreme heat and dry conditions can cause you to dehydrate and your body to overheat.
It's important to eat a balanced diet to help your body replace any salt you lose by sweating. Aim to drink 6 – 8 glasses of liquid a day, and more if it's hot.
You may also need to be careful if you're taking some types of medication that affect water retention. Speak to your GP if you're concerned.
Watch out for certain signs – particularly for muscle cramps in your arms, legs or stomach, mild confusion, weakness or sleep problems. If you have any of these, rest in a cool place and drink plenty of fluids. Seek medical advice if your symptoms persist or worsen.
The symptoms of heat exhaustion include headaches, dizziness, nausea or vomiting, intense thirst, heavy sweating and a fast pulse.
If you have any of these symptoms you must, if at all possible:
Your symptoms should improve within 30 minutes. If you're feeling better but still have any concerns, call your GP or NHS 111 for advice.
Heatstroke can develop if heat exhaustion is left untreated – it can also develop suddenly and without warning.
The symptoms of heatstroke include confusion, disorientation, seizures and loss of consciousness.
Heatstroke is a life-threatening condition. If you or someone else shows symptoms:
Our Information guides are short and easy to digest, giving a comprehensive overview of the relevant topic. Factsheets are longer with more detail, and are aimed at professionals.
Staying cool in a heatwave
You can download other guides in our series from publications
For more information:
Call Age UK Advice: 0800 169 2081
This page was last updated:
21 January 2016


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Gov. Mark Dayton is celebrating his first 100 days in office by going after GOP legislative leaders for pinning their hopes on imaginary money. Dayton says House Republicans have crafted a budget that is $1.2 billion short and Senate Republicans crafted a budget that is $1.1 billion short. Republicans say they will work with Dayton to reach agreement on their budget numbers but also want to know where Dayton stands on a federal health waiver.
The Star Tribune has a good look at Dayton's first 100 days in office. Both his friends and foes are surprised by his actions as governor.
On another note, Dayton told MPR News that he'd sign the Ag budget bill.
Dayton holds a round table today at Metro State to discuss higher education.
The House Taxes Committee will hold a hearing on his budget plan.
GOP Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch and DFL Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk will be on TPT's Almanac at the Capitol tonight.
Datyon will honor the UMD Bulldogs today.
MPR takes a look at what Circle Pines residents think of the budget. The suburb has helped determine the balance of power in the Minnesota Legislature over the past eight years.
Dayton visited a Woodbury High School on Tuesday.
Dayton also announced that he wants the state to start using data analytics to prevent Medicaid fraud.
Abortion restrictions start advancing in the Minnesota Legislature.
A Senate committee started considering a bill that would clamp down on concussions in student athletes.
Carrots for convicts! Some lawmakers want inmates to tend gardens.
A Minnesota Senate panel approved auto insurance bills that limit lawsuits.
Outstate parks and trails want a bigger piece of the Legacy Money.
A bill would ban video of Minnesota farming operations.
A privacy debate over newborn screening has surfaced again at the State Capitol.
Opponents to a new Vikings stadium start lining up.
Presient Obama will outline his vision for long-term deficit reduction tonight during a speech to the nation.
Liberals worry Obama is giving up ground.
MPR takes a look at how the federal budget cuts will impact Minnesota.
A loss of federal wolf control money blindsides the state of Minnesota.
Meanwhile, Congress is directly intervening in the Endangered Species list and is removing the Rocky Mountain wolf from the list.
The budget deal also makes deep cuts to the high speed rail program.
Obama is also challenging hospitals to reduce medical errors.
Special Election
Democrat Mary Jo McGuire won the special election in Senate District 66 with 80 percent of the vote. The district includes Falcon Heights and portions of St. Paul.
Race for President
Tim Pawlenty announced, and then unannounced, his candidacy for president. Pawlenty announced on CNN that he's "running for president" but his campaign quickly downplayed it.
Just so everyone is clear – the guy who has been ramping up a run for the White House since June 1, 2009 is not officially running for president…. yet. That will be official in a few weeks.
Pawlenty announced this morning that Jon Seaton will be his political director. Seaton runs East Meridian Strategies.
Pawlenty told NewsMax that he isn't in favor of raising the debt ceiling.
Pawlenty will be in Iowa on Saturday.
Politico says Pawlenty's health care record could also be a target.
Reuters takes a look at the key issues that some of the candidates will focus on.
GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann is planning private meetings with New Hampshire Tea Party leaders.
Bachmann and Newt Gingrich will headline a Minnesota Family Council dinner.
Politico says South Carolina Republicans are talking up Bachmann and aren't mentioning Pawlenty at all.

subset: commoncrawl


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Hotel Louis C. Jacob
Elbchaussee 401-403
Hamburg Germany 22609
Hamburg Germany 22609
With several dining rooms that present simple delicacies and stylish yet intimate spaces, the Louis C. Jacob has raised a loyal following. Opposite a humming Airbus factory on the banks of the Elbe, this sophisticated hotel embraces its guests in rooms outfitted with supple wood floors and elegant stone tubs. Helpful in arranging sightseeing tours, golf outings and guidance among cultural points of interest, the staff here allow you to maintain a resort-vacation state of mind while taking in the sights of Hamburg.


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Supporters of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange who put up £140,000 bail for him should persuade him to give himself up to face extradition, the Chief Magistrate said today.
Nine backers who promised sureties when Assange was granted bail are fighting to save their money.
Celebrities such as Jemima Khan and Ken Loach, who paid into court more than £200,000 in bail securities after Assange's arrest in 2010, have already lost their money.
Twelve weeks ago Assange, 41, breached his bail conditions when he took refuge in the Ecuadorean Embassy in Knightsbridge, seeking political asylum after losing his appeal against extradition to Sweden.
The Australian is wanted for questioning there over allegations of sex offences against two women.
Those who offered sureties include the Marchioness of Worcester, who is the actress and model Tracy Worcester, Lady Evans, wife of former minister Baron Evans, and Sir John Sulston, the Nobel Prize-winning biologist.
The others are Professor Patricia David, retired educationalist; Phillip Knightley, investigative author; Vaughan Smith, who founded the Frontline club; Assange's girlfriend Sarah Harrison and his assistant Joseph Farrell.
Kent catering manager Sarah Saunders, who offered a £20,000 surety, is believed to have already lost £100,000.
Henry Blaxland QC, representing some of the sureties, today told Westminster magistrates' court that they were as surprised as the police at his move.
He said that those offering sureties could not have foreseen Assange would take such an extreme measure and should not be punished by being ordered to forfeit their money.
But Chief Magistrate Howard Riddle said the sureties should be telling Assange: "We trusted you and put our faith in you — now come back."
He added: "At the moment I am not persuaded that there any reasons that securities would not be using every effort, publicly or privately, to persuade Assange to surrender himself to the UK authorities. I might change my mind but that's my position now."
The hearing was adjourned until October 3.Reuse content


text: Dec 23 5:03 PM ET By Calvin Watkins | ESPN.com New Orleans defeated Dallas in overtime 34-31 at Cowboys Stadium. The Cowboys' hopes for the playoffs need outside help, most easily in the form of one loss by the New York Giants in the season's last two weeks. What it means: The Cowboys needed to win their last two regular-season games to clinch the NFC East without help. But the loss, combined with the Washington Redskins' victory, keeps the Cowboys on the outside of the playoff picture. A win by the Giants later today would also hurt the Cowboys' chances of reaching the postseason. Ware's injury: Cowboys outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware missed the bulk of the second half with a right shoulder strain. He was battling a hyperextended elbow and a shoulder that was popping out of place. With Ware out, the Cowboys asked Victor Butler and Anthony Spencer to pick up the pass rush. Ware did return for one snap with 12:05 to play in overtime, then left. Murray's fumble costly: With 4:17 to play in the third quarter, DeMarco Murray fumbled at the Cowboys' 5. He was stripped by linebacker Curtis Lofton, who also recovered. Murray lost the ball just before his knee hit the ground. The turnover, with the score tied at 17, proved costly. Drew Brees found Pierre Thomas for the touchdown to give the Saints a 24-17 lead. Read the rest: http://espn.go.com/blog/nfceast/post/_/id/47320/rapid-reaction-saints-34-cowboys-31-ot


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The beautiful Halle Berry is featured on the cover and in the pages of the new issue of Harper's Bazaar magazine lookin' about as purdy as she ever has before. In her coverstory interview, Halle does a bit of promo for her new fragrance while she tells the magazine how wonderful her life has been since the birth of her daughter Nahla Ariela. Here is Halle's Harper's Bazaar magazine cover and a portion of her coverstory interview:
One doesn't want to enter the Berry/Aubry residence in Los Angeles feeling less than fantastic. Because the image that greets you — by the pristine pool, past the vegetable garden, and under a blazing blue sky — could be detrimental to one's self image. Halle, 42, and her partner, model Gabriel Aubry, who met on a Versace shoot in 2005, and baby Nahla are, to quote that great fashion sage Derek Zoolander, "really, really, really good-looking." Gabriel, carrying Nahla, bids adieu, while Halle, relaxed in a long black jersey dress, retires to the art-filled pool house to talk
Laura Brown: Tell me how you keep your mojo.
Halle Berry: I have a 33-year-old man. That'll keep your mojo mojo-in'.
LB: How has your body changed since you had Nahla?
HB: Having a baby takes so much from you. It's the most glorious thing you'll ever do, but the aftermath is not so glorious! So now I'm having to exercise, eat a little bit differently, take a lot more vitamins.
LB: Do you ever go on a food binge?
HB: I like Doritos. I'm usually watching The Biggest Loser eating Doritos.
LB: What do you think of actresses who say they don't work at staying slinky?
HB: God bless them if they're telling the truth. It's questionable if they are. I always had to diet. I'm diabetic, so it's a lifestyle for me anyway just to stay healthy and not end up in the hospital.
LB: What works for you fashionwise?
HB: I'm not the girl for superhigh fashion because I don't have the right body. When I want to get dressed up, I'm a Roberto Cavalli girl. Also, Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, Calvin Klein …
LB: You once wrote that the only wardrobe you need for sex is a tank top and pumps. Do you still maintain that?
HB: Oh, yes. Any pumps! You just need length to your legs.
LB: Does having a fulfilling family life decrease your desire to work?
HB: I used to work a lot because I had nothing better to do. What I've learned, especially by having a baby, is that you can't bring that stuff home anymore. For example, I was alone filming Monster's Ball. I was married to someone else, and he wasn't really around much. Thank God that was only a 20-day shoot.
LB: With your fragrance, Halle by Halle Berry, you are selling the essence of yourself. How will women respond?
HB: I think there's a certain level of trust that I have with women. I've always been honest, even when I haven't had good times in my life or my movie bombed or I've had great success. I've owned up to all of it. I've said, Hey, this is who I am; take me or leave me. I'm pretty simple and pretty natural. I'm not one of these people who wear a face full of makeup so I look like I have on a mask. What you see is what you get.
LB: How is this reflected in the scent?
HB: I wanted it to smell like fig and mimosa. Well, it's not quite that simple! I thought, Oh, God, I have to add something else because the worst thing is when you put a fragrance on and an hour later it's gone. So I had to then add other smells to try to give a well-rounded product.
LB: What's your next project?
HB: There's this movie called Nappily Ever After. It's beautiful, funny, but has a deep message about women. Women slave for their hair! It's all about how we compare ourselves to other women, how we size ourselves up. It's a look at this one woman's life, and she goes through this metamorphosis when she gets rid of her hair. Not only does she feel different, but people treat her differently. She's now more like an alien than the hottest chick on the block. She's got to reboot and discover who she really is.
LB: For the role, do you plan to shave your head on camera?
HB: Yes. I'm scared to death. I just hope my reaction fits into the story. If it's uncontrollable screaming, it might be a different type of movie.
LB: What are your guilty pleasures?
HB: Very boring, but I buy baby clothes online. Nahla can't wear all the clothes I've bought, and we don't go anywhere because I can't deal with the paparazzi. Gabriel's always like, "She doesn't even leave the house! Halle, you've got to stop."
LB: Nahla is a beautiful girl — amazing, given her challenged parents.
HB: Let her be sweet because I believe beauty is as beauty does. My hope is that she is sweet and kind because no matter how beautiful you are, ugly ain't cute.
LB: Would you ever get married again?
HB: No. I'm done. Also, I happened to find a person who feels done too, and he's never even been married before. So it works.
LB: More children?
HB: Yes. My pregnancy was amazing. I was happy that whole time, I felt good, I had energy, I was like Superwoman. I wish I could feel like that for the rest of my life, that's how fantastic it was.
LB: Last year was kind of super for women in Hollywood too.
HB: It really was. As a woman, when you embrace where you are in life, then I think the struggle isn't so hard. If you're 42 and still think you're an ingenue, then you've got a problem.
LB: Whose style do you like?
HB: Eva Mendes. She's beautiful, and she's sexy and hot, and I love her.
Halle Berry is a beautiful woman both inside and out … it's hard not to like her. She really does come across as a likable person, who is both talented and savvy. I still don't get why she's is so uninterested in marrying her hot man Gabriel Aubry but she appears to be loving her life and living it to the fullest. You have to respect that. After the jump, check out a few photos from Halle's Harper's Bazaar photospread …
She's such a doll. Halle deffo deserves to be featured in as many magazines as possible … pics like this are always a treat. Doesn't she look fab?


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Make New Year's resolutions for finances, tooGuest Columnist
The New Year is quickly rolling in and it's time for those New Year Resolutions. If you are like most, I bet losing weight is high on the list, but maybe your financial health needs some resolutions too. Below is a list of 10 financial resolutions to consider:
• Create a budget — This is essential to gaining control of your finances and growing your money.
• Decrease personal indulgences — Cut back on trips to your favorite coffee bars and other personal luxuries. You don't need to give up all treats but reducing the amount spent on these extra indulgences can put money in your pocket and help balance your budget
• Fully contribute to your 401K or fund your IRA — This is essential to a financially independent retirement
• Start an emergency fund — Don't be caught off guard because the unexpected will happen. An emergency fund is a financial life preserver.
• Pay off your credit cards — Credit card debt is probably the worst enemy to financial freedom. Make and commit to a plan to fight back.
• Eat out less —- Save money while eating healthy meals at home.
• Do a property and casualty insurance checkup - Are you getting the best rates on your automobile and home insurance? Don't just assume. Shop around periodically.
• Review your cell phone plan — Do you have the appropriate, most cost-efficient plan for your specific needs and family? Check it out.
• Hang out with people who are good with their money — From a young age you have been told "you are who your friends are" — need I say more?
• Drop the gym membership (or other memberships) not being used — You had good intentions when you signed up, but paying for something you do not use is like a slow leak in your boat.
These are just some suggestions on how you can begin the New Year improving your financial health. As with all resolutions, don't over commit and underperform. Small steps can lead to big changes.


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question must be confusing, whenever i try to run a game or application, the memory usage in Task Manager usually jumps up to 300,000 -500,000 really fast depends on how much that game needs. But lately, whenever i launch a game, it starts up really slow. When i check Task Manager for that process, the memory increases VERY SLOWly from 1,000-10,000 in 10s. Any idea what causes this ?
How-To Geek Forums / Windows 7
Applications' memory usage building up slowly(1 post)
Topic Closed
This topic has been closed to new replies.


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Schools facing budget crunch when healthcare act takes effect
Schools across the country are looking to Washington for a solution to a situation some describe as devastating, crippling and even draconian.
Indiana lawmakers from both sides of the political aisle are taking the lead to help out.
They may not be teaching our children, but a school could certainly not operate without them. They are bus drivers, teachers aides, cafeteria workers and substitute teachers, most of whom work in jobs that do not include health care, because they either work less than 40 hours a week or their jobs are not needed year-round.
Earlier this year, however, the IRS changed that requirement to 30 hours a week.
"We are saying we are desperate for substitute teachers, we need you every minute we can get you and, by the way, one day a week, you can't come. We can't use you or you will have too many hours for the week," said Mike Shafer, CFO of Zionsville Schools.
Zionsville Community Schools officials crunched the numbers. It will cost the district $1.1 million dollars a year to provide healthcare to those employees. Opting not to offer healthcare will result in a $1.6 million IRS penalty annually.
"The only other option that is left that doesn't cost a lot more money in our budget, or anyone else's budget, was the idea of reducing hours they work to below the 30-hour level," Shafer said.
Indiana Senator Joe Donnelly, a Democrat, is co-authoring to change that, saying today, "If its definition of a full-time worker as someone who works only 30 hours a week is allowed to go into effect, millions of American workers could find their hours, and their earnings, reduced. This simply doesn't make sense."
Republican Congressman Luke Messer will be introducing a similar bill in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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That is the best hope the school districts have.
"We are in a box that has no good way out," Shafer said.
Zionsville Community Schools already told 150 employees that their hours would be cut starting this fall. Multiply that by 300 school districts statewide and you begin to get an idea for how big this problem is.


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large outdoor antenna
HI THere.
We have just bought a new home (older home of the late 60s) that has a very tall tv antenna outside the house. It's about 30 feet tall.
I figure that instead of spending $50+ for cable, since I don't watch a lot of tv, I could cancel and switch to antenna.
I was wondering if anyone could tell me if I would need to run a cable directly from the top of the antenna to my tv? or does the antenna (the fact that it's grounded on my property) itself automatically ground to something metal inside?
How would I hook this up to my tv/multiple tvs?
Your input would be much appreciated!
Don't do it! All TV stations will stop broadcasting analog signals at midnight on Feb. 17 2009, so after that you'll have nothing to watch but snow.
Check this website for more info: http://www.dtv2009.gov/
You do realize you get free High Def with an antenna, I love mine and best part is its free....
If there is not a coax running from that antenna you will have to add one.
And if that antenna is a "yagi" it's not going to serve your purposes for very long since it's UHF section is probably very small.
You can replace that antenna with a Winegard SS2000 which should bring in those HDTV channels depending on your location (it's a amplified version you can split the coax and feed more than one HDTV).
Note 1: If you do not have newer HDTV's with onboard ATSC tuners, you will need a down conversion box for each non ATSC TV (available soon, if not now).
Note 2: You will receive a HIGHER resolution picture from this anteena than if you use either cable OR satellite.
There are many here that will give you some seriously wrong advice on this matter. Nothing more dangerous than a DIY that gives out wrong info.:censored:
You do realize, that the OP, just needs to correct the wiring on the one that he has most likely, and if needed, can add an amp. Besides, if anything, who wants to climb up a mast, or pay to have someone do it for you, when most companies have Basic CATV service for under $20.
ATSC-HD is what you are thinking about. NTSC can send 1080i/720p, but would eat up a lot of Bandwidth Spectrum. ATSC-SD is just 480i, not High Definition.
Both cable and satellite companies use a compression method so the resolution is NOT a full 720/1080 signal. Close but no cigar....:yes:
A NTSC (analog) tuner will not receive and decode digital signal.
update - antenna hooked up now
Hi All.
I was the original poster to this thread and now the antenna is hooked up!
Basically, I realized that the previous owner taped over the 2 cables that come down from the antenna that is very very tall. One is the cable wire and one appears to be a grounding cable? (correct me if I'm wrong).
Anyways, I hooked it into a line that feeds into my bedroom and voila! I have at least 20 channels that are either crystal clear or decently clear. As another poster said "Why pay for it when it's free?"
I am in Canada and I am not even sure if the Feb 2009 elimination of analogue lines applies. I do get some US channels, but most of the prime time programs are simulcasted on the US/Canadian channels anyways, so that's not a problem for me.
As for the grounding cable that is currently not hooked up to anything, can anyone recommend where I can hook it up to? Somehing metal? I am assuming its purpose is to distribute electricity to the ground in case lightning strikes the antenna.
Ground Rod driven into the ground.
You did not say IF the other cable is a coaxial cable, twin lead, or just a wire ?
It COULD be the UHF part of your antenna ?
Some dual element one boom Yagi's used seperate feeds for UHF VHF/FM
Less Loss this way.
As for grounding, the pole going into the ground MAY serve as a ground, depending on the conductivity of your soil.
It is true that the old fashioned antennas may not be as good as the new ones for the digital transmission, but here in Tampa, many of our customers are getting great results with their old/standard antennas. We have hooked up a number of digital converter boxes, and with just a few exceptions, show a great picture with not only the only analog, but digital transmissions as well.
As far as the ground wire, if there aren't any pipes close by, I would sink a ground stake 3-4 foot down, and connect it there.
I live in Brandon, and ch 10 is a challenge, all snowy.
BUT, switch into hi def, perfect picture!
I hear that about channel 10. Its tough to get with rabbit ears. I just broke down and got basic cable again. For the price with the phone, unlimited long distance, and the high-speed internet connection, its costing me about $17 more a month. I originally had my cable disconnected back in 92. The $24 was getting to be too much! :laughing::laughing:
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Dairy product prices showed signs of stabilising at yesterday's fortnightly dairy auction, but the strength of the New Zealand dollar is clouding the outlook for Fonterra's payout to farmers for the 2012/13 season, economists said.
Results of GlobalDairyTrade (GDT) auction were encouraging, but the value of the Kiwi dollar was likely to be a concern for Fonterra, which has forecast farmgate milk price of $5.50 a kilogram of milksolids for the season.
Independent dairy co-operatives, which have tended to act as bellwethers for their much larger competitor, are cutting their forecasts for 2012/13.
APNZ understands that Hokitika-based Westland Milk Products - one of the larger independent co-operatives - will cut its payout forecast tomorrow to between $5 and $5.40 a kilo, down from the previously budgeted $5.70 to $6.10 a kilo.
Fonterra collects around 89 per cent of New Zealand's milk production. In May, it announced a lower opening forecast payout for the 2012/13 season, reflecting higher dairy production around the world flowing through to lower international dairy prices.
The opening forecast payout range was $5.95 to $6.05 a kilo.
At yesterday's auction, the GDT-TWI price index rose 3.5 per cent on the last sale in July.
The average winning price rose to US$2797 a metric tonne. Whole milk powder rose 3.5 per cent to US$2675 a tonne and skim milk powder gained 3 per cent to $2805 a tonne.


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Database MarketingJonathan Berry
It may not be celebrated as a national holiday, but it's a pretty big deal around here. Happy birthday from the Claridge Casino Hotel, Atlantic City.
What time is it now in Israel? What is Mama cooking today? We at AT&T know exactly how you feel and are aware of your need to call and speak with those close to you whenever you wish.
Dear Nabisco All-Star Legends Collector: As a participant in last year's offer, you are being given a sneak preview of our 1994 All-Star Legends cards. Be the first on your block to order these special limited-edition cards....
Does it seem as if a lot of companies are taking quite a friendly interest in your life these days? Helping you mark your birthday? Soothing your homesickness? Giving you an early peek at something new? If this kind of stuff is turning up in your mailbox more often, you're not alone. You're on the receiving end of a sophisticated, high-tech twist to the ancient art of persuasion. It goes by different names--database marketing, relationship marketing, one-to-one marketing. But it all adds up to the same thing: Companies are collecting mountains of information about you, crunching it to predict how likely you are to buy a product, and using that knowledge to craft a marketing message precisely calibrated to get you to do so.
It amounts to one of the biggest changes in marketing since "new and improved." First came the mass market, that vast, undifferentiated body of consumers who received identical, mass-produced products and messages--any color of car they wanted, so long as it was black. Then came market segmentation, which divided still-anonymous consumers into smaller groups with common demographic or psychographic characteristics. Now, new generations of faster, more powerful computers are enabling marketers to zero in on ever-smaller niches of the population, ultimately aiming for the smallest con-
sumer segment of all: the individual.
A growing number of marketers are investing millions of dollars to build databases that enable them to figure out who their customers are and what it takes to secure their loyalty. Direct marketers have long been in the vanguard of database users: Catalogs, record clubs, and credit-card companies have always needed their customers' names and addresses to do business with them. But database marketing is now moving into the marketing mainstream, as everyone from packaged-goods companies to auto makers comes to believe that in the fragmented, fiercely competitive marketplace of the 1990s, nothing is more powerful than knowledge about customers' individual practices and preferences.
HOG-TIED. In 1992, for example, General Motors Corp. joined with MasterCard to offer the GM Card. As a result, GM now has a database of 12 million GM cardholders, and it surveys them to learn what they're driving, when they next plan to buy a car or truck, and what kind of vehicle they would like. Then, if a cardholder expresses an interest in, say, sport-utility vehicles, the card unit mails out information on its truck line and passes the cardholder's name along to the appropriate division.
Blockbuster Entertainment Corp. is using its database of 36 million households and 2 million daily transactions to help its video-rental customers select movies and steer them to other Blockbuster subsidiaries. In Richmond, Va., the company is testing a computerized system that recommends 10 movie titles based on a customer's prior rentals. The suggestions are printed on a card that also offers targeted promotions. Customers who have rented children's films, for example, might get a discount at Discovery Zone, Blockbuster's play-center subsidiary.
Kraft General Foods Inc. has amassed a list of more than 30 million users of its products who have provided their names when sending in coupons or responding to some other KGF promotion. Based on the interests they've expressed in surveys, it regularly sends them tips on such things as nutrition and exercise--as well as recipes and coupons for specific brands. The company figures that the more information consumers have about a product, the likelier they'll be to use more of it (sample tip: Use Miracle Whip instead of butter for grilling sandwiches). KGF constantly refines its database by sending surveys to the names on its list.
Like KGF, Harley-Davidson Inc. wants to urge customers to keep using its products. That's why it mails the 256,000 members of its Harley Owners Group (HOG) a bimonthly magazine packed with listings of regional, national, and international events to encourage owners to get out on the road and use their bikes. House of Seagram uses its 10 million-name database for loyalty-building programs for existing products. It might send premiums tied to proofs of purchase--a pair of snifters, say, to someone who bought its Martell cognac. Seagram uses surveys to identify likely buyers of new products, as well as drinkers of rival brands it can send offers to. RJR Nabisco Holdings Corp. is building a database that identifies, among other things, households that have responded to past promotions.
Over on the tobacco side of RJR Nabisco's business, database marketing has long been practiced in earnest. For cigarette makers, it's a virtue born of necessity. Facing increasing restrictions on advertising, Philip Morris Cos. and RJR have assembled huge databases of smokers they can reach directly. For example, by requiring consumers who respond to offers of free shirts, sleeping bags, or other merchandise to fill out detailed questionnaires, Philip Morris has built a list of some 26 million smokers' names and addresses. The companies use their lists both to market to smokers with coupons and promotions and to enlist grassroots support for their lobbying efforts.
Consumers appear to be responding to the precision marketing. But of course, this private intelligence-gathering gives some people the creeps. At best, critics say, targeted marketing efforts are intrusive and annoying. At worst, the collection, manipulation, and combination of lists of personal information amount to an ominous invasion of privacy. Such concerns aren't fazing the marketing types, though. According to Donnelley Marketing Inc.'s annual survey of promotional practices, 56% of manufacturers and retailers are currently building a database, an additional 10% plan to do so, and 85% believe they'll need database marketing to be competitive past the year 2000. "It is one of the most important marketing developments of the 1990s," says marketing guru Stan Rapp, chairman of consultants Cross Rapp Associates.
Why all the activity? In part, it's in the name of the relentless drive to make marketing more efficient. Seagram knows that most U.S. adults aren't likely prospects for its distilled spirits: Two-thirds of them haven't had a single drink of liquor in the past 30 days. As a result, notes Richard P. Shaw, vice-president for marketing communications at Seagram, mass-market advertising has "a great deal of what we would call nonproductive reach." Of course, many conventional promotions, and much typical junk mail, are similarly wasted because they're aimed at too broad an audience. "We're trying to kill off junk mail--junk mail defined as `anything I didn't ask for and wouldn't be interested in,"' says Barrington I. Hill, London-based senior vice-president for product development at American Express Travel Related Services Co., which has been using its detailed database to send carefully aimed promotions to cardholders.
SIMULACRUM. Marketers increasingly are recognizing that past customer behavior, as recorded in actual business transactions, is by far the best indicator of future buying patterns. "It's not true that demographics is destiny," says Matt Kuckuk, senior principal at American Management Systems Inc.'s Financial Industry Group. Merely knowing Mr. Jones's Zip Code or income generally yields less insight--and opportunity--than knowing, say, that he has just applied for his first joint checking account. That probably signals a marriage, which means future openings to sell a mortgage, life insurance, long-term investments, perhaps even a college loan.
It's a kind of cybernetic intimacy: In ever-expanding processing power, marketers see an opportunity to close the gap that has widened between companies and their customers with the rise of mass markets, mass media, and mass merchants. Database marketing, they believe, can create a silicon simulacrum of the old-fashioned relationship people used to have with the corner grocer, butcher, or baker. "A database is sort of a collective memory," says Richard G. Barlow, president of Frequency Marketing Inc., a Cincinnati-based consulting firm. "It deals with you in the same personalized way as a mom-and-pop grocery store, where they knew customers by name and stocked what they wanted."
Consider the dilemma of a busy casino. In the old days, the pit boss kept notebooks on frequent players. Periodically, he would pick a name from the notebook, call the high roller up, and offer a free room for the weekend. Today, with thousands of visitors trooping through on any given day, "it's virtually impossible to get to know people on a first-name basis," says Robert M. Renneisen Jr., CEO of Claridge Hotel & Casino Corp.
Now, the casino's computer keeps tabs on visitors who use its frequent-gamblers' card and sends out offers every day. Claridge's CompCard Gold, which offers discounts and tips on upcoming events, has 350,000 active members. They get offers ranging from $10 in coins for slot machines to monogrammed bathrobes and door-to-door limo service. "It's made us more efficient," says Renneisen. "We can target our dollars directly to customers who justify the costs."
"GREATER VALUE." In addition, by weaving relationships with its customers, a company can make it inconvenient for consumers to switch to a competitor. Don Peppers, co-author of The One to One Future, one of the bibles of the new marketing, cites MCI Communications Corp.'s Friends & Family long-distance discount plan. To get the discount, the customer has to form a network of friends and family members--"a substantial investment in time and energy on the consumer's part," he notes. Changing long-distance carriers means having to "reinvent my relationship," Peppers says.
All these efforts to forge ties to consumers are based on the same fundamental idea: There's no more important asset than a happy customer. Happy customers remain customers, and it's much cheaper to keep existing customers than to find new ones. Michael D. Keefe, director of Harley-Davidson's HOG, is reluctant even to call the process marketing. "It's more like customer bonding," he says. "If people use the motorcycle, they'll stay involved. If there's nowhere to ride, no place to go, the motorcycle stays in the garage, the battery goes dead, and a year from now, they just sell it."
Some database marketers say their promotional offers garner response rates in double digits, considerably higher than the typical 2% to 4% for junk mail. For example, the targeted promotions that Hilton Hotels Corp. offers senior citizens in its Senior Honors frequent-traveler program, which features discounts and travel tips, have persuaded close to half of the club's members to take previously unplanned trips that included stays at Hilton hotels. And KGF says its offers to those listed on its database get significantly higher response rates than standard mass-market coupons. The database, says John T. Kuendig, vice-president for market development, is a list of steady consumers who "have a greater value to the brand."
NO CHOICE. Database marketing has its skeptics, of course. An earlier flush of enthusiasm prompted by the spread of checkout scanners in the 1980s ended in widespread disappointment: Many companies were too overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of data to do anything useful with the information. And some critics say these efforts to reach out and touch individual consumers haven't demonstrated their usefulness in many product categories. Programs that identify frequent customers and reward them may make sense for airlines, but consumers have rejected the "frequent-eater" programs offered by some fast-food chains as being not worth the bother.
Still, many companies believe they have no choice but to brave the database-marketing frontier. For one thing, most manufacturers are waging an information war with the retailers that stock their products. Large supermarket chains and giant mass merchandisers, such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc., have grown increasingly sophisticated in their use of checkout-scanner data to keep track of sales. They now base many of their choices about what to stock, what to promote, and what to charge on that information. To shape those decisions to their advantage, manufacturers need persuasive information of their own. "To the extent we have built up relationships with our consumers and know which ones will respond, we can work with retailers to help them build their businesses," says KGF's Kuendig.
BUSYBODY QUESTIONS. Databases start with information from the consumer. In transactional businesses, such as charge cards, banking, or catalogs, that's easy: The marketer simply collects information on the sale. For other marketers, the challenge is to get consumers to volunteer the data about themselves. Many packaged-goods marketers collect information that consumers divulge when they call 800 numbers or mail in coupons. In its surveys, Seagram tracks consumers' names and addresses, the brands and types of alcohol they drink, their sex, birthdate, income, and how many bottles they purchase in an average month. And GM went into the credit-card business not just to build loyalty and offer cardholders rebates on cars but also because it saw the billing process as a way to harvest reams of data about consumers. "This is a gold mine," says H.D. "Hank" Weed, general marketing manager for the GM Card.
Having assembled a list of consumers, the marketer then mixes in information from other sources. Research houses such as Donnelley, Metromail, and R.L. Polk glean vast amounts of data from public records--drivers' licenses, auto registrations, and mortgage-tax rolls. Even income, the most sensitive subject, can be estimated based on mortgages and automobile registrations. Such information isn't cheap, though. This year, for instance, Ohio sold its drivers'-license and car-registration lists to TRW Inc. for $375,000.
Wittingly or unwittingly, consumers often offer plenty of data about themselves. Think of all those busybody questions on a warranty card: What's your age, income, occupation, education, and marital status? How many children? Do you hunt, fish, or play tennis? If you think none of that has much to do with the guarantee on that radio you just bought, you're right. But National Demographics & Lifestyles Inc., based in Denver, collects those warranty cards and the precious information they reveal, then resells it to database marketers.
Increasingly, the computer itself is sifting through such data for patterns that will predict behavior. Using neural-network software, computers can plow through masses of data and determine how specified variables may depend on one another. For example, what combination of income level, investment activity, and credit-card spending is most likely to be seen among people who are in the market for mortgages? Once the network has come up with a highly specific profile of some class of customer, it's easier to find new customers matching that profile and aim at them with customized direct-marketing schemes.
Most marketers consider the greatest benefit of the databases simply to be identifying who their current customers are and how much business the company is doing with them. First Commerce Corp., a $6.4 billion New Orleans bank holding company with five banks, has been using this technology to retain current customers and build its business. Its customers, like those at every bank, tend to bank with several institutions. But by analyzing the data available on its current checking customers, First Commerce can try to win more of them as credit-card customers, too. The work is done with a combination of PCs and a mainframe storing hundreds of thousands of records. On a fast PC, a neural-network run can take from 30 to 60 minutes to complete.
Where there are millions if records to sift through, so-called massively parallel database computers, at typical prices of $1 million or more, may be required. These machines gang together scores or even hundreds of the fastest microprocessors around, giving them the oomph to respond in minutes to complex database queries. Marketers call these complex searches "drilling down." With such speed at hand, companies can search their databases more frequently and feel freer to experiment with new strategies. "Before parallel computing, you just didn't have the juice required," says Doug Cheney, director of program development at AT&T Global Information Solutions, the former NCR Corp. and a maker of parallel database computers.
WEATHER REPORTS. Massively parallel processors from Thinking Machines Inc. are a key technology for American Express Co. Before the systems were in place, the amount of information the company could keep on each cardmember was limited to basic stuff, such as the cardmember's name and address, how long he or she had been a cardholder, and how much the cardmember had spent in the past year. With massively parallel processing, AmEx could vastly expand the profile of every customer. "We basically store every transaction," says product-development executive Hill.
Now, 70 workstations at the American Express Decision Sciences center in Phoenix race through mountains of data on millions gf AmEx cardmembers--the stores they shop in, the places they travel to, the restaurants they've eaten in, and even the economic conditions and weather in the areas where they live.
Every month for a little more than a year, AmEx has been using that information to send out precisely aimed offers. They go out in millions of customized monthly bills that the company says amount to individualized newsletters sent to a growing number of customers around the world. On one British cardmember's recent statement, a British Airways flight triggered an offer, printed adjacent to the transaction, of special deals on weekend getaways to New York and continental Europe. A purchase at Harrod's triggered a notice of a special sale at the store for AmEx cardholders. Since its introduction in Ireland in March, 1993, this "relationship billing" has been rolled out through Europe, Canada, and Mexico. AmEx has seen an increase of 15% to 20% in year-over-year cardmember spending in Europe and gives the new billing format much of the credit. Next year, AmEx plans to introduce relationship billing in its biggest market, the U.S.
Heavy computing firepower isn't always necessary, though. For some efforts, all it may take is a few thousand dollars' worth of hardware and software. Using a Macintosh personal computer, Yuri Radzievsky has built a database of Russian, Polish, and Israeli immigrants to the U.S. By combing lists of subscriptions to foreign-language newspapers and buyers of tickets to events such as tours by Russian entertainers, his YAR Communications has assembled lists of 50,000 Russians, 75,000 Poles, and 30,000 Israelis in the U.S. Such information is of real value to client AT&T--telephone service, after all, is ene of the first things new arrivals want when they set up their households.
Using the lists, AT&T has mailed Hebrew- and Russian-language offers of discounts on calls home. "Every marketer's dream is to be able to target those little slices," says Sandra K. Shellenberger, district manager of diversified marketers and multicultural marketing communications for AT&T. Response rates for such database-directed offers sometimes run as high as 20% to 30%, she says, compared with the low single digits for broader, more conventional direct mail.
Where will it all end? Few predict that database marketing will supplant mass marketing. Still, many targeted direct-mail campaigns are as glossy as any big-budget ad campaign. The mailings Seagram sends out feature lush photos and long, story-spinning blocks of copy discussing such matters as the proper way to drink single-malt scotch. Seagram also plans to rely heavily on database marketing to penetrate emerging markets, such as India and Thailand, where the proportion of affluent drinkers is so small that the use of mass media would be especially wasteful.
There's no doubt technology is shaking up traditional marketing methods. Marketers, after all, have been accustomed to thinking in broad swaths, such as adults 18 to 34 or women 25 to 49. Now, a typical AmEx segment might be business travelers who have bought jewelry abroad in the past month. Some of the offers the company has sent out in bills have gone to as few as 20 people. Says Hill: "This is a strange experience for the marketing people."
Can a faceless, distant marketer re-create the personal relationships consumers used to have with the people they did business with? More and more companies are betting that the answer is yes as they reach out to envelop customers in an automated embrace.
You may think you're just sending in a coupon, filling out a warranty card, or entering a sweepstakes. But to a marketer, you're also volunteering information about yourself--data that gets fed into a computer, where it's combined with more information from public records.
Using sophisticated statistical techniques, the computer merges different sets of data into a coherent, consolidated database. Then, with powerful software, brand managers can "drill down" into the data to any level of detail they require.
The computer identifies a model consumer of a chosen product based on the common characteristics of high-volume users. Next, clusters of consumers who share those characteristics--interests, incomes, brand loyalties, for instance--can be identified as targets for marketing efforts.
The data can be used in many ways: to determine the values of coupons and who should get them; to develop new products and ensure that the
appropriate consumers know about them; to tailor ad messages and aim them at the right audience.
Cash-register scanners provide reams of information about exactly what shoppers are buying at specific stores. Merged with the manufacturer's data, this intelligence helps to plan local promotional mailings, fine-tune shelf displays, and design store layouts.
The database is continually updated with information collected from
product-oriented clubs, responses to coupons, calls to 800 numbers, and sweepstakes entries, as well as with new lists from outside sources.
A sampling of database-marketing programs:
AMERICAN EXPRESS Using massively parallel processors, it's sorting through individual cardmembers' transactions and basing promotions on what it learns.
PHILIP MORRIS PM's Marlboro Adventure, a promotion for Marlboro smokers, distributed more than 30 million pieces of merchandise to smokers--and helped build a 26 million-name database it uses for direct marketing and lobbying.
HOUSE OF SEAGRAM Uses list of 10 million adults who drink spirits to launch new products, build brand loyalty, and take aim at drinkers of rivals' products.
GENERAL MOTORS GM regularly surveys its 12 million credit-card holders on
whether they expect to be in the market for a car or truck soon, what kind of models they're interested in, and whether they would like information on vehicles. These leads are passed on to GM's marketing divisions.
BLOCKBUSTER ENTERTAINMENT Using records for 36 million households, it's testing a system that will recommend mo-vies based on a customer's past rentals.


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It may be a bit solipsistic to presume that we'll have anything to do with our own eventual demise. We busy ourselves, fussing about with shrinking carbon footprints and creating an environmentally friendly piece of tupperware, glaciers receeding like a hairline, apocoplyptic weaponery, messianic ideaology, pig flu, bird flu, mad cow, too many people, not enough water, global jihadism and the fucking Jonas Brothers, forgetting that for all these delightfully macabre scenarios, what might kill us all could be none of these things.
They named the asteroid "Apophis" only after figuring out it's trajectory, Apophis as the Greek translation of "Apep," the Egyptian demon of chaos and darkness. Discovered around Christmas 2004, Apophis will intersect Earth on April 13th, 2029 (yes, Friday the 13th). Fortunately, it will not hit us... there is apparently a scale, the Torino Scale, that gauges the risk of near earth objects. For the 2029 pass, Apophis is a 0 on that scale. It will, however, come so close to Earth that it will dip below our orbiting communications satellites, and will be visible with the naked eye from (I believe) northern Europe, the closest biggest thing our species has ever seen.
But. It's trajectory is ever-so-slightly uncertain. There is a very small area that physicists call "the keyhole," about 600m or so, and if it goes through that, this stadium sized hunk of rock burning at 68,500mph will come back seven years later and plunge itself into the Pacific Ocean, about 300 miles due west off the coast of Santa Monica, creating a 50ft tsunami that wipes out the entire western seaboard of North America.
Cool, huh?
This isn't boring news, and the only reason most people don't know about it is that the discovery of this potential tsunami coincided and was slightly outmatched in the news by an actual tsunami, around Christmas 2004, that caused a bit of trouble in the South Pacific. You may have heard about it.
The chances of this return are encouragingly slim, practically non-existant. You should probably stay on that diet. But it's always worth considering the fragility of it all, so if you leave the lights on overnight, or shave with the water on, don't worry about it so much.
Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson talks about Apophis.
WIKIPEDIA: Apophis!


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These pages are designed to provide information to British Cadet fencers who are already competing or wish to compete internationally. The information may also be of interest to their coaches, parents and supporters. Navigate through this section by using the links below:
Should you have any queries about or suggestions for this section of the website please contact Head Office.


text: BETHANYlately (bethanylately) wrote in paramoremusic, 2012-08-15 02:53:00 BETHANYlately bethanylately paramoremusic 2012-08-15 02:53:00 Previous Share Next Pomona Show Tonight! Show was amazing, one of the best hands down. They played Ignorance after Hayley said "Let's play a song about how this band will NEVER be again" Along with admitting that their band had been a soap opera since day one, it was fun, you could tell they were all excited for the new start, they all actually looked happy, like they were really having fun up there, made me happy to see that! Met Luvsito, nice to meet you! She was at the barrier and I was behind her, cool girl! Anyway here are some photos, my camera broke so I had to use my iPhone. (More photos here) https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.249902878464745.58312.100003351038018&type=1&l=2e9f919b4e Post a new comment Error Comments allowed for members only Anonymous comments are disabled in this journal We will log you in after post We will log you in after post We will log you in after post We will log you in after post We will log you in after post Anonymously switch LiveJournal Facebook Twitter OpenId Google MailRu VKontakte Anonymously default userpic Your reply will be screened Post a new comment Preview comment Help 13 comments Post a new comment 13 comments


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I just quilted around the birds, the dog and that's about it.
Welcome to the Quilting Board!
I just quilted around the birds, the dog and that's about it.
I hope he does.. I'm planning on getting him two steps for his front doors on the pickup too. He is pretty funny sometimes. He knows how my hip hurts when I have to get in there so he has a milk crate he carries it everywhere when I go with him and puts it out for me to step on so I don't complain about pain except when the weather changes and not because of his pickup. I have some more of that fabric panel so I can make pillows for my brother-in-law. For some reason I can't figure out where I put it..FIGURES WITH ALL THIS FABRIC... :lol: LOL
Very pretty! He will love that.
Connie, Awesome quilt! He will love it. Where did you find pheasant fabric? All I can find is ducks and my sil is a pheasant hunter. Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving day. Jan
Pretty pretty. I love it. Some of my favorite colors.
That's awesome.
He'll love it!


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Trump Inauguration Acts Announced
Oscar Presenters, Performers, And Special Guests
Take A Chance At Stardom With Hollywood Launch DFW's Scholarship AuditionsAre you between the ages of 8 and 21 and dream of a career in the entertainment business? Here's your chance to get a jump start with Hollywood Launch DFW!
Katy Perry Confirmed For GRAMMYs Performance
Britney Spears' MTV VMA Tribute: Who Will Perform?


text: It was on country music radio in the late '80s when I was a kid. I thought it was by Becky Hobbs, but looking at her CDs online, no. Anyway, the only google reference I get is another lady being driven crazy because she can't remember either! The answer she got was that an Australian artist recorded the song, but in '95. I wasn't listening to country radio by that time... I'm positive that there was a video and it was played on TNN. I can only get the writer's name: Lisa Ferris. Any help would be really appreciated! Thanks!! -Bridget


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Ratha Saptami 2015, Rath Saptami Puja 2015 date, Rathsaptami in 2015, Maghi Saptami 2015. When is Ratha Saptami in 2015?
Ratha Saptami is one of the biggest festivals observed during Magh month. It is celebrated on Magh Shukla Saptami. In 2015, Ratha Saptami date is January 26.
Ratha Saptami festival is dedicated to Surya bhagwan and the Lord is worshipped for better health and wellbeing. It falls on the second day after Vasant Panchami or Sri Panchami or Madana Panchami.
During Ratha Saptami, women draw rangoli or kolam or muggu in front of their houses to welcome the healthy and pleasant rays of Sun God. The Rangolis are drawn in a chariot shape signifying seven horses of Surya bhagwan. Punya Snan (holy dips) are performed during Ratha Saptami.
Here is the Ratha Saptami vrat katha or story.
The timetable of Ardha Brahmotsavam (Ratha saptami celebrations) in Tirumala Tirupati temple is given here for 2015.
You can also read Ratha Saptami stotram prayer.
Ratha Saptami 2015 date in other countries
In USA & Canda – January 25, 2015
In UK & Europe – January 25, 2015
In UAE & Middle East – January 26, 2015
In Singapore – January 26, 2015
In Malaysia – January 26, 2015
In Australia – January 26, 2015
In New Zealand – January 26, 2015
In Fiji Islands – January 26, 2015


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Sophomore Nick Hirschman returned to practice for the first time since late last season after recovering from two separate foot injuries and three surgeries.
Hirschman said he is fully recovered and ready to stake his claim to the starting job. He is competing with fellow sophomore Connor Wood and junior Jordan Webb, a transfer from Kansas.
Hirschman played in five games last season as a backup and started one game. He said that experience is invaluable as he enters the competition.
"I played a decent amount of snaps for being the backup, which was so beneficial for me," Hirschman said. "When you're out here at practice, things move a lot slower, you're able to find people a lot easier. You get out there against an Oregon or an Arizona State and it's not as easy to see things. The game moves a lot quicker and you've got to catch up."
Webb said he is adjusting well to the CU offense but is still learning some of the playbook and terminology. He said he feels comfortable in his new surroundings and is excited for the competition.
Hirschman reported that coaches gave all three quarterbacks the same number of reps in the first session. That will only change when one player falls off or when one player begins to emerge and take control of the job.
Coach Jon Embree raved about freshman Marques Mosley and the tutoring he has received from senior Ray Polk. Sounds like Embree is expecting Mosley to make an early impact. Sure would be nice to be able to interview Mosley
Embree said wide receiver Jeffrey Thomas was "dinged" in the first practice. Doesn't sound serious.
Wide receiver Paul Richardson and linebacker Douglas Rippy were both at practice and did some light running. Rippy said he recently underwent another surgery on his knee to remove some debris but he is feeling good and expects to be ready for the opener.
Defensive tackle Nate Bonsu is back at practice and has lost some weight. He is down to 285 and feeling as good as he has in two years. It will be interesting to see if he can make an impact this season or if he gets passed up by some of those freshmen in a suddenly large defensive line group.


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Founded by a husband-and-wife team with a love for food, wine, and travel, Covington Cellars is an artisanal winery that knows the importance of hand-making each product with the utmost attention to detail. It's why so many flock to this Woodinville winery, and it's why they've produced award-winning wines. Get an inside look at this local favorite with this offer: For $79 per person, embark on a Saturday-night Supper Club event, which includes a five-course wine-paired meal, cooking demonstrations, a wine-making tour, and barrel samples.
Begin the evening by meeting Covington Cellars' chef, who will fill you in on some insider tips and techniques while she demonstrates also cooking techniques used to prepare that night's dinner. Then, you'll be whisked away on a behind-the-scenes winery tour, all the while sipping wine and snacking on tray-passed hors d'oeuvres. Take a seat amongst wine barrels for the main event: a candlelit gourmet five-course meal, each course accompanied by a hand-selected wine. The perfect way to spend a romantic night out, this offer will have you toasting to unforgettable memories.
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• Tax and gratuity are not included
• Merchant is responsible for the quality of the products or services provided to you at redemption
• LivingSocial Terms and Conditions - https://m.livingsocial.com/terms


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I strongly considered responding to some of the more interesting comments affixed to part one, but I'll remain the catalyst for mudslinging and not a participant in the action which I provoke (which usually seems to be calling me and/or my writing "pointless" or "stupid").
It's nice both to hear words of encouragement and dodge the tomatoes which are being hurled my way. Keep it up. Before I get to the other major points, I'd like to say that one of the main reasons for all the specific "anti-Tiger" complaints is the man's sheer overexposure, and indeed many of his flaws (foul language, relative scarcity, photographer abuse) stem, I think, for his overexposed status. That is, he's asked to don a persona, which is mostly his creation, but which is, to some extent, a washed out facade, all the time.
True, there are great rewards in being "Tiger Woods," but the man also exists within very apparent boundaries, which seem to be ever encroaching, thus his inherently defensive posture. This isn't so much of a justification for behavior, but rather an attempt to identify root causes, for what it's worth.
Anyway, on with the rest of the letter.


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Special to THE NEW YORK TIMES. ();
January 02, 1938,
, Section SOCIETY NEWS, WOMEN'S CLUBS, FOOD, FASHIONS, SHOPPERS' PAGE, GARDEN NEWS, Page 72, Column , words
The engagement of Miss Elinor Constantinides, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Charles L. Constantinides of this place, to Harold Thayer, son of Dr. Helen Thayer of Rochester, N. Y., and the late Dr. Herbert Thayer, has been announced by her parents.
January 02, 1938
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Larry Hagman, American television actor whose career spanned over 60 years, passed away due to complications resulting from throat cancer on November 23, 2012. Hagman was best known for his roles as Major Anthony "Tony" Nelson on the 1960s sitcome I Dream of Jeannie and as J.R. Ewing on the 1980s television hit Dallas. He also portrayed a number of supporting roles in several films and television shows as well as worked as a producer and director. In addition to his acting career, Hagman was an advocate for organ transplants, solar energy, and the legalization of marijuana. Before his death, he revealed to the New York Times he wished for his remains to be "spread over a field and have marijuana and wheat planted and harvest it in a couple of years and then have a big marijuana cake, enough for 200 to 300 people. People would eat a little of Larry."
Those close to Hagman knew that the man who built his life upon hard drinking, hard smoking, and hard living led him to live out his last years sober yet never dull. Hagman's longtime best friend and Dallas costar Linda Gray best described him in a statement following his death with "He was the pied piper of life and brought joy to everyone he knew. He was creative, generous, funny, loving, and talented...an original and lived life to the full."
As the son of actress Mary Martin and Benjamin Hagman, the actor leaves behind his wife, Maj Axelsson, the couple's two children Heidi Kristina and Preston, many friends, his adoring fans, and his legacy of a life lived devoted to his motto: "Vita Celebratio Est" or "Life Is A Celebration."


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Don Juan HTML version
Don Juan by George Byron is a publication of the Pennsylvania State University. This Portable
Document file is furnished free and without any charge of any kind. Any person using this
document file, for any purpose, and in any way does so at his or her own risk. Neither the
Pennsylvania State University nor Jim Manis, Faculty Editor, nor anyone associated with the
Pennsylvania State University assumes any responsibility for the material contained within the
document or for the file as an electronic transmission, in any way.
Don Juan by George Byron, the Pennsylvania State University, Jim Manis, Faculty Editor, Hazleton,
PA 18201-1291 is a Portable Document File produced as part of an ongoing student publication
project to bring classical works of literature, in English, to free and easy access of those wishing to
make use of them, and as such is a part of the Pennsylvania State University's Electronic Classics
Cover design: Jim Manis; portrait of Byron from a painting by Thomas Philips, 1814
Copyright © 1999 The Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University is an equal opportunity University.


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2007 Suzuki XL7. Click image to enlarge
Review and photos by Jim Kerr
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McKellar, Ontario – I didn't have to drive very many kilometres in Suzuki's new 2007 XL7 to appreciate this new crossover vehicle. It was quiet, it was tight, and it goes. It is also the largest Suzuki to enter the market: the XL7 holds seven adults in a mid-size package.
Built at the GM/Suzuki CAMI plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, the XL7 is a product of a long-term joint venture between the two companies. In the past, vehicles such as the Chevy Metro and the Suzuki Swift and the Chevy Tracker and the Suzuki Sidekick have been built side by side at CAMI. The XL7 shares some of GM's design characteristics of the Chevrolet Equinox, but Suzuki has put their own styling, engineering and packaging into this vehicle to give it a character of its own.
From the outside, the basic body outline is similar to the Equinox, but the XL7 has a different-looking hood, fenders, side panels and lighting. The diamond-shaped projector headlights provide a distinctive look so you won't mistake the XL7 for other vehicles on the road. Flared fenders and dark rocker panels and front valence give it a more adventurous look, and the downward slope of the window beltline from the rear quarter to the hood give an air of urgency to the XL7.
2007 Suzuki XL7. Click image to enlarge
The aggressive styling is matched by the powertrain. A five-speed
automatic gearbox sends power to the front wheels, while all-wheel drive models incorporate a transfer case that sends power to an electronically-controlled rear axle. This axle is a bigger version of the unit found in Suzuki's SX-4 hatchback, and has clutches that engage the rear drive as soon as wheel spin is detected or anticipates wheel slippage by monitoring throttle angles. The system provides great balance on slippery roads and gravel surfaces. There is no low range in the transfer case, so this isn't a hardcore off-road vehicle, but it should work well in cottage country or on slippery winter roads.
Suzuki went to the GM parts bin for the engine: Cadillac no less! A 3.6-litre DOHC V6 with variable cam timing similar to the V6 powerplants found under the hood of a Cadillac CTS or STS. Needless to say, it is quick. We didn't run any acceleration tests but passing vehicles on the highway took only a few seconds. The engine puts out 252 horsepower but the strong acceleration comes from the abundant 243 lb-ft of torque. Thanks to the variable cam timing, this torque peaks at only 2300 rpm and stays high over a broad rpm range. The power is there when you need it at normal driving speeds.
Full throttle acceleration is accompanied by a throaty roar from the air intake, but the dual-tipped exhaust note remains quiet inside the cabin. The only other sound is from the air rushing past the front a-pillars. The transmission downshifts rapidly and smoothly during acceleration, but you only notice this if you are watching the
tachometer. Otherwise it is almost imperceptible. The manual or sport shift mode on the XL7 reacts fairly quickly to driver requests, but after playing with it a bit, I would leave it in Drive mode for most situations expect perhaps downhill grades while pulling a trailer. The XL7 has a 1587 kg (3500 lb) towing capacity, so you can take your boat along with you to the lake.
Four-wheel disc brakes with ABS are standard equipment, as is traction control and stability control.
2007 Suzuki XL7. Click image to enlarge
The XL7 feels very stable and balanced on the road even when pushed into a few corners a quickly, but it is nice to know those safety features are there. In addition, rollover sensing is standard on all XL7 vehicles. Sensors monitor the vehicle's angle and rate of roll and apply brake force to reduce roll forces in the vehicle. Side curtain airbags help protect all passengers in the event of a rollover.
Inside, the XL7 has a look of quality and refinement. Fit and finish is excellent throughout. The plastic dash panels have a tooled-leather texture that sets them a step above many other plastic dashes, and the finish on the top of the dash minimizes reflections in the steeply slanted windshield. The leather seats on the JXL model are soft and comfortable, with the driver's side having power four-way adjustment but a manual recline. Heated seats are standard on this model.
2007 Suzuki XL7. Click image to enlarge
Automatic climate control, rear sear climate control, steering wheel controls for audio and cruise, power sunroof, and the integrated Navigation and Bose audio system are but a few of the interior features. The Navigation system electronics are right from GM and are intuitive to use other than the voice controls. No matter what command I gave the system, it wouldn't understand me, but then I have this problem on GM vehicles too.
Passenger space is excellent for both the front and second row occupants. The third row is definitely smaller, but my six-foot two-inch body would still fit there with just enough head room and my knees a little sideways. I wouldn't want to travel across country back there, but across town would be fine. The fold and flip second row seats enable good access to the third row, but you need to fold it from the side lever and then reach to the rear to flip it up. I would prefer to do this using only one release.
The rear seats fold flat for cargo room after removing the headrests and storing them in a shallow rear compartment. The split/bench second row also folds although not quite flat, and the front passenger seat folds forward to accommodate eight-foot long loads inside. Suzuki claims there are more than 175 seat positions. I wasn't about to prove them wrong.
The XL7 comes in JX and JXL trim levels in both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive. The JXL AWD models also have a Navi package and/or DVD entertainment package available. Base price for the JX FWD model is $30,995 and the JXL is $33,995. Add $2000 to each of these if you want the AWD versions. The DVD entertainment package is $800 on top of a JXL AWD model and the top of the line JXL AWD with Navi version comes in at $37,995. Shipping and delivery charges are $1,295.
At a glance: 2007 Suzuki XL7
- Price range: $30,995-$33,995
- Price as Tested: JLX AWD with Navi: $37,995 plus $1,295 Destination & Delivery
- Engine: 3.6 litre DOHC V6
- Horsepower: 252 @ 6500 rpm
- Torque: 243 lb-ft @ 2300 rpm
- Transmission: Five speed automatic
- Fuel Economy: FWD: City: 12.9 L/100 km; Hwy: 9.0 L/100 km; AWD: City: 13.5 L/100 km; Hwy: 9.5 L/100 km
Manufacturer's web site


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According to a team source, former Red Sox GM Theo Epstein has been invited to attend Friday's game, in which the Fenway Park is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Epstein was not, however, extended an invitation to participate in the pre-game ceremony, which was designated for uniformed personnel only. It is believed the invitation to attend the game was delivered via phone call.
According to another source, the invitation for Epstein to attend the game wasn't extended until Thursday afternoon.
Earlier Thursday, CSNNE.com r [1]eported that Epstein was not invited to Fenway Park for the celebration of the ballpark's centennial, with Red Sox principal owner John Henry expressing surprise that Epstein was not being invited back, something of which he was not aware until contacted by the website.
"Apparently we decided to just invite uniformed personnel," Henry told CSNNE.com, noting that the team hadn't invited former GMs Mike Port and Dan Duquette.
Friday marks the 100th anniversary of the first game ever played at Fenway Park on April 20, 1912. For the event, the Sox invited back all living uniformed personnel. The Red Sox released the following details of the event:
Both clubs will wear replicas of the uniforms they wore for that inaugural game, played on April 20, 1912. All living Red Sox uniformed personnel (where whereabouts were known) were invited to participate.
Oscar-winning composer John Williams will conduct members of the Boston Pops in the debut of his new composition, "Fanfare for Fenway," in ceremonies that are expected to begin shortly after 2 p.m. Gates will open at 12:30 p.m., a special opening time in light of the occasion.
Keith Lockhart will conduct members of the Boston Pops for the National Anthem as well as "Hymn to New England," also composed by Maestro Williams.
The details of the First Pitch Ceremony will not be announced in advance.
At the conclusion of the anthem, the Air Force's Heritage Flight team will fly in a four-ship formation fly-over that will include two F-16s from Shaw Air Force Base and two World War II era P-51 Mustangs. Military personnel from Hanscom Air Force Base will be on hand to present the colors, which will be draped over the Green Monster.
Friday's ceremonies will also include a toast to Fenway Park. When fans arrive at their seats, they will find a grape juice drink and cups beneath their seats or in cup holders. The crowd will be invited to participate in the toast at the end of the pre-game ceremonies, in an attempt to set a world record for the largest toast in a single venue. Fans are asked to be in their seats by 2 p.m. to enjoy the pre-game ceremony and to participate in the toast.
For complete Red Sox coverage, visit weei.com/redsox [2].
[1] http://www.necn.com/04/19/12/Red-Sox-dont-invite-Epstein-to-Fenway-ce/landing_sports.html?blockID=692592&feedID=3352
[2] http://www.weei.com/redsox


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Final Result + Cleft Lip And Palate Repair Q&A
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Joined by Love Ring
(Derived from Matthew 19:6) Three hearts joined together...
bound by the love you have for yourself in honoring your purity… the love you display
for your future spouse by honoring your relationship & the love you express to your
Holy Father. You honor HIS request to reserve sex until you are married. Let no one
separate this bond you have made!
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Rings typically ship within 48 hours (or sooner). Additional Priority and Express shipping is available at checkout. Rings come packaged in a black velvet pouch and include a special message unique to each ring. Add a ring box to your order for $3.95.
Simply click "Add to Cart" and checkout using Credit Card or PayPal! There is NO need to sign into a PayPal account to order rings online ... simply select "pay with credit card" and use your credit or debit card directly! Safe, secure check out.
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Due to having a knee op some years ago, I'm fairly set in my ways for cushioned road trainers. The last 3 years, I've stuck with the Asics Nimbus, but have had a few niggles, mainly my achilles. Seen a few stories on here about others having problems with Nimbus, so I don't know if my problems are just coincidence or not. I've had gait analysis a couple of times and I suit "neutral shoes". Also been on the "GEAR" section on this site to see what shoes have the best ratings from RW and from users of this site.
When I was a bit heavier I used to wear Mizuno Wave Creation,they get good write ups for cushioning,bit expensive though so now wearing Wave Rider,never had any problems with either,the Riders are a bit lighter though.
Cheers, Chieffy. I think when I was looking through the reviews on here, Mizuno Wave (not sure which one) had some decent reviews. Thanks for that, much appreciated.


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Drain fly infestation
I've been fighting a persistent, severe infestation of drain flies in my home for many months. I'm at my wits end and looking for help in figuring out exactly where they are hatching so I can eliminate them. Here's what I know:
If the drain flies are breeding in the bathroom, would I be seeing larvae somewhere? If so, how big are they? Any other signs, symptoms, or techniques involved with identifying breeding areas?
These things are unbelievable. At times I can shut the bathroom door, kill all that are there with flying insect killer, and stand there motionless and within a few minutes more appear, seemingly out of thin air. This is a small bathroom, and Ive stared and stared at all wall and floor surfaces and see no sign of larvae or where they come from.
Any advice or help appreciated!
I can only offer a guess. The pipe connecting the toilet to the main stack must have a small leak. But not enough to show signs. Do you have a cabinet below the sink? I think the flies are making their way through the wall using the access holes where plumbing enters and leaves. Another thought is that you might have animals finding a way inside the house but get trapped and then die in the ceiling or walls. Years ago, I had a bunch of flies on the inside of my basement window screen. I knew right away that they did not enter through any door or window. So there must have been a bird that got in and it entered by the roof area and must have found a way into the basement wall. The wall had a opening at the ceiling area where the animal got stuck above the opening and died.
Start with the sink cabinet and check for openings where they might possibly enter where the pipes are. I think in all homes, there will be enough space arounf these pipes for flies to enter. Place one of those sticky fly traps near the opening and close the cabinet door and check it later.
Closing the drains only stops water flow from the sink or tub into the drain. The other path where the little buggers could be doing the happy dance is in the over flow; most sinks have them and the tub definitely does. It could be that there's a bunch of gunk built up in the over flow i.e. soap scum, hair dirt and grunge, that's supporting their life style. Try plugging the over flow spout (blue painters tape) with the drain closed to see if it slows them down. If it does, you know where to start cleaning...
x2 on the overflow. I put duct tape on one I had in my last apartment. Took care of the problem. You have to get rid of the gunk.
It depends on what you are calling drain flies
I have seen two different types routinely called drain flies
If they are the gnat looking flies then your problem is most probably coming from the drains
Usually they develop in unused drains
If this is a bath that nobody uses the fix could be as easy as running hot water down the drain for about ten minutes a couple of times a month
If it is a frequently used bath then it is probably the over flows
There is a product called Drain Gel that is a biodegradable liquid that you squirt into the effected areas
Drain flies will also live in potted plants if you have any in there or any wet organic matter
If they look like miniature house flies with their wings sticking out to the side they are moth flies and usually are a sign of a pipe leak or standing water under the drain pan or in the wall
Problem resolved!
Thanks to all for the replies. I am happy to say I finally found the source of the drain fly infestation, and it was a surprise as it had nothing to do with drains or other areas you might expect. I'm adding this post in the hopes that someone else with a perplexing infestation like mine will find it helpful.
There is a double hung aluminum window on the long wall in my shower. In between the two panes there is installed a small line of felt to provide a weather seal. It appears that my severe infestation was all stemming from eggs being laid in that little strip of felt.
Once I flipped the window open and soaked that area I started getting dozens of dead flies appearing there by the hour. I had to keep up the soaking with insecticide for about a week, and now I am free of the damn things.
So, the key to drain flies is to keep searching until you find the moist, soft, damp area they breed in.
Consistantly (bi-weekly) treating your drains with Drain Gel and an IGR like Archer will eliminate the conducive conditions that allow Drain flies to multiply.
How did you find the breeding source?
I have been trying to find the breeding source of these flies for over a month. These have been driving me crazy and it is so difficult to figure out which area they are originating in. I have tried the drain cleaners and put clear tape over them and there is no way they are coming up from there. My house is so clean and spotless.
How did you know to check such an obscure place for the breeding site? What did the breeding site look like so I can start to search in not so obvious places?
I think it's a drain Fly
We had a pest control come in and fog our bathrooms and hallway. We are extremely clean and have cleaned our bathrooms numerous times. I think it's a drain fly based upon everything we have seen online but not sure. I recently cleaned the 2 bathrooms spotless from ceiling to floor just to see what would happen again (after Fogging). I cleaned during the day waiting for night fall (since this is when they seem to be most active, very active) and then all of the sudden 1 then another and I killed each one after another. Finally I was fed up and stopped. I put fly catchers over my drain and sealed the other drain and pulled the stoppers on my sinks. They were still coming out of nowhere. Anyhow, I stopped killing each one by one last night just to find there were dozens more this morning. I have looked everywhere and am thinking of fogging again and am not sure what else to do!! In fact, I just sprayed our window's like the other POSTER did and we'll see what happens.
Anybody have any suggestions that can help this upset family???
Thank you:furious:
start at 1:20
I'm glad Marksto found his solution. Gnats or flies can breed in the darndest places. For najlex1 I'd say the drain gel is great for drain flies but there is one such critter that can come from way deeper in the drains or up through teeny cracks in the foundation. The Sphaerocerid flies can last a long time and are almost immune to the drain gel. Try DF5000 in suspected drains according to the label and when the problem gets better you can go to the drain gel. If it is outside the pipes and say from a crack you may need a moisture meter or a real pro who knows about this fly to get you help. They can be 20 times more maddening. But whatever the case be persistant because unless the moisture dries up the source will always be there. Search for the DF5000 on the net-it's about $17.00
Pest control
Hi guys. This is my first post. I read your post about drain fly infestations and found some helpful suggestions, but I have this problem withlittle black flies with wings (that stick out on the sides )tthat smear when I catch them on tissue. I have also noticed little black spots on the floor to my masterbath, and when I wipe them up, they smear too. They don't seem to be insects on the floor, just the black spots lined against the wall and at the bottomof the molding. I have even seen little dark brown or black spots (they look like tiny round droppings) and some look like eggs of some sort also on the sink in my kitchen and bathroom. They have been therefora long time because I did not know what todo about them. I bought the house new, and I had, from the beginning, problems with the plumbing, leakage in the basement, mold on the windows, etc. I also have seen these tiny little black flies when I comb my hair. they will fall into the sink and sort of hop, and I have a crawling sensation on my scalp and when I comb my hair, these little black and brown dots some smaller than a pin head, fall into the sink. I've seen them in the sink, in the tub drains. This is torture! I cannot invite anyone to my home because of this problem. I've tried everything to get rid of this unsanitary problem. I've sprayed with Archer, with permetrin, with igr until I've made myself sick. Does anything that I've said sound familiar to you? Do you think these things are moth flies, drain flies, or what?How can I get rid of them? Please, please help. They are driving me crazy!!!
Wow that doesn't sound good. It doesn't ring any bell with me I'm sorry to say.
The moisture sounds like the contributing factor though. Can you run a dehumidifier? If you can dry the place up and fix the plumbing it may solve your problem. For the drains put some bleach down them and have the duct work examined and possibly cleaned. I don't think spraying is going to help in this case so I'd lay off the heavy application.
Sorry I couldn't be of more help.
honeywhite, get a good magnifying glass and give the critters a good look.
Google bed bugs, lice & any other tiny bugs that come to mind.
good luck I hope this becomes an easy problem to solve.
help please with drain fly infestation
Hello, and thanks for reading my post.
We live on the 30th floor of a New York City apartment. I have a drain fly infestation, and according to my Superintendant I am the only tenant that has complained.
The flies seem to be based in my master bathroom, but we can not locate the source. Also even more than my bathroom the flies congregate around the windows all over my apartment, in all three bedrooms and the living room by the windows. Every day there are tons of them by the windows, dead and alive.
I have taped over the drains and found nothing. I have poured bleach down the drains many times. The exterminator has poured foam down the drains. I have left cups of oil as someone suggested around the apartment to try to locate the source to no avail. I have had the a/c units checked. The plumber is coming tomorrow to snake the drains. I do not know what to do! I have no idea where they are coming from. This is driving me crazy, we must kill about 50 a day. They are everywhere!
Does anyone have any suggestions at all? Have you heard of photo imaging to find moisture behind the walls? How does a moisture meter work? Will it detect moisture behind the tile in my bathroom? I am not in the business, I am a housewife but I am handy and I am willing to spend money to get rid of these f***kers. I am going bananas here and I am obsessed with getting rid of them.
Thank you.
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Homestead Property Exemption
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February 21st, 2013, 12:44 PM
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For those of you that were asleep during 2011, the State of MI eliminated a number of state tax credits, and reduced several more effective 1/1/2012:
The college tuition credit
Charitable contribution credit for donating to certain types of MI charities
Credit for taxes paid to MI cities
Whacked at the knees:
MI earned income credit
Property tax credit
The following is a nice concise summary even though it doesn't touch on the property tax credit changes (I don't know or endorse the guy, just a good reference I found via Google):
Michigan Tax Law Changes Signed Into Law
May 26th, 2011
On Wednesday, May 25, 2011, Governor Snyder signed a number of new tax Bills to revise Michigan's tax structure. The new laws include elimination of the Michigan Business Tax (MBT), creation of a Michigan Corporate Income Tax and permanent spending reductions, elimination of tax credits for low-income workers, phase-out of most senior tax breaks and eliminates numerous income tax deductions and credits. The new law is effective January 1, 2012.
Some of the key changes for businesses are the following:
The MBT is eliminated as of January 1, 2012. A new corporate income tax will be levied on C Corporations at a tax rate of 6.0%. The method of computing the tax is similar to the income tax portion of the current Michigan Business Tax (MBT) Act. The tax is effective January 1, 2012.
S Corporations, Limited Liability Companies, partnerships and individuals are not subject to the corporate income tax.
Income will be apportioned to Michigan based on the ratio of Michigan sales to total sales.
Unitary filing is required for corporations under common control.
Companies with apportioned gross receipts of less than $350,000 will not be required to file a return, as well as companies with a liability of less than $100.
The small business credit is still available for eligible companies. The credit is available for qualifying "small business" (e.g. less than $20 million in gross receipts and income less than $1.3 million). There are additional limits based on compensation and directors fees to individual shareholders and officers.
All other credits provided for under the MBT are eliminated.
For those taxpayers that would like to continue claiming certificated credits, an election can be made to file under the MBT Act instead of the new corporate income tax. Certificated credits include (but are not limited to) Brownfield Credits, MEGA Credits, The Media Production and Infrastructure Credit, and Renaissance Zone Credit. An election would be required to file under the MBT rather than the corporate income tax. Once made the taxpayer would be subject to the MBT until the credits have expired. Taxpayers claiming certificated credits would be required to pay a tax based on the greater of their Michigan business liability or a modified version of the liability under the corporate income tax.
Some of the key changes for individuals are the following:
The law will keep the tax rate of 4.35% through January 1, 2013 and then lower it to 4.25%
The deduction for pension and retirement income (including social security) has been modified. The changes are determined based on the age of the older spouse as follows:
• For individuals born before 1946, there is no change; pensions are not taxable.
• For individuals born in 1946 through 1952, the deduction is limited to $20,000 for a single return and $40,000 for a joint return. However, the deduction will be limited if the taxpayers income exceeds certain thresholds.
• For individuals born after 1952, there will be no deduction allowed for retirement income. However, once the taxpayer reaches age 67, the taxpayer may elect to deduct $20,000 for single or $40,000 for joint return against all types of income. However, the deduction will be limited if the taxpayers income exceeds $75,000 for single return or $150,000 for a joint return.
A taxpayer born after 1945 can no longer deduct a portion of interest, dividends and capital gains received.
Taxpayers can no longer receive an additional $600 exemption for each dependent child under the age of 19 or $1,800 for each taxpayer age 65 and older.
The personal exemption is fixed at $3,700 through 2012. Beginning in year 2013, the exemption will be adjusted annually for inflation. The personal exemption will be phased out for single taxpayers with household resources between $75,000 and $100,000 and married couples filing joint return with household resources between $150,000 and $200,000.
Business income reported on an individual income tax return would be apportioned based on 100% of a sales factor rather than a three factor formula equally weighted.
Elimination of many non-refundable credits such as the city income tax credit, the public contribution credit, the community foundation credit, the homeless/food bank credit, the college tuition credit and the vehicle donation credit.
Political contributions are no longer deductible.
The Michigan Earned Income Tax Credit is eliminated.
This information is a brief summary of a complex new law and is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended to constitute tax advice which may be relied upon to avoid penalties. If you have questions on the new law, please contact by Edward J. Castellani, J.D., C.P.A. at Fraser Treblcock at 517.377-0845 or
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Date of Stay: August, 2009
We love this RV park! Other campground owners would do well to take a look at this park and learn from what is done right (everything)! Wonderful, quiet park, very clean and neat, and the attention to customer service is A-1. The owners are extremely nice and always very helpful, and their doggie Boo is a sweetheart. This is the second time we have stayed in this park and it won't be our last, count on it!
Date of Stay: August, 2009
This is a fairly nice family park. The spaces are a bit tight if you are in a rig with slide-outs. There is some grass and it is fun to check out the birds and bunnies that reside at the park. We have stayed at this park several times and about the only thing we didn't like was the constant roar of the coal trucks going by on the highway 24/7.