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Thank you for attending DFS's Mega Meeting
Thank you for attending DFS's Free IUL/Annuity Leads Event. We hope that you found the workshop informative and worthwhile.
Our primary goals were:
- How to receive our FREE INDEXED LIFE & ANNUITY LEADS
- How to position yourself to sell more IUL than you could ever imagine
- The ULTIMATE annuity sales pitch and sales tool
- "Ticking Time Bomb" and working with high net worth clients
- The strategy for answering and overcoming any objection when selling IUL
- How to present annuity in a way that makes prospects WANT to own it
- A complimentary Software/Calculator that will help you close more IUL prospects
- Marketing/Prospecting programs to attract more annuity opportunities
- Award winning agent platform – SuperAgentTools.com
- If you attend, you will receive a FREE FINANCIAL PLANNING WEBSITE
There were many topics covered during the workshop and the presenters did an outstanding job of sharing their expertise with you.
You were a great group and your enthusiasm and positive spirit helped make our time together both productive and fun.
Thank you for your comments and suggestions on the evaluations and I assure you that each will be given consideration so that future workshops will be even more of a success.
If we can be of help in any way, or if you have questions, please feel free to contact DFS Marketing at 855-740-3140.
Again, thank you for being part of our Free IUL/Annuity Leads Event and I wish you the best.
Your Financial Life May Reach a Challenging Dilemma
Increase the death proceeds to your beneficiaries while spreading the tax impact on your qualified or tax-deferred holdings. Enjoy the security of access to funds in the event of a chronic illness. Earn index-linked returns while protecting your values from declining markets.
Sooner or later, your financial life may reach a challenging dilemma: to position your assets for a smooth transition to your beneficiaries, or to maintain access in case of certain health conditions during your lifetime.
WealthPay Life not only helps with either scenario, but provides the opportunity for a larger gift passed on to your beneficiaries.
Life insurance serves to protect your family from financial hardship in the event of your untimely death. More than simply death protection, WealthPay Life provides protection on a variety of levels.
- You protect your family with a death benefit greater than your premium payment.
- You may have access to the death benefit amount if the insured is diagnosed with a terminal or chronic illness.
- You may achieve policy-value growth through index credits linked to the growth of a market index –with downside protection when the index values fall.
WealthPay Life, from EquiTrust Life Insurance Company, offers a combination of two products to create what may be an ideal solution to your current circumstances. It combines an index-linked whole-life insurance policy and an annuity (a "single premium immediate annuity," or SPIA). Upon purchase of both policies (for applicant ages 60 to 80), your lump-sum premium is directed to the SPIA, which immediately begins directing periodic payments to the life policy. From there, we do the rest – and you enjoy peace of mind.
Why periodic payments to the life policy instead of a single-premium payment?
This strategy is designed for individuals with either qualified retirement assets or non-qualified, low-tax-basis annuities – the proceeds from which they likely won't need for living expenses during their lifetime; and for people seeking a simple, tax-efficient means to pass a larger death benefit from these assets to their heirs. If this describes your circumstance, and you were to liquidate your assets for purposes of purchasing a single premium life product, the liquidation would likely result in substantial taxation. Or, if the taxed proceeds are used to purchase an investment that can be passed on to the heirs upon your death, the proceeds may be taxed again, by inheritance taxes.
When you purchase a SPIA, you incur the taxation when the income is "paid out" – in this case, to the life policy in the form of premium payments. So, you can spread out the taxation over several years. And the policy's death benefit may go to your heirs income-tax free!
What are the time-period choices for spreading payments from the SPIA to the life policy?
WealthPay Life allows premium payments from the SPIA to the life policy to be spread over 3, 5 or 10 years. The life policy is paid-up after all scheduled premiums are paid. A longer payment schedule allows you to spread your tax liability most effectively, but with a tradeoff of a reduced death benefit. Your age and underwriting classification will determine the payment-period options available to you. Regardless of the payment schedule you choose, you have the knowledge that if you were to die during the payment period and before the policy is paid up, your beneficiaries will receive the full death benefit and any remaining SPIA payments.
Your circumstances will determine if spreading out premium payments is more beneficial than a single premium option. While your agent can assist you in this evaluation, you should also seek assistance from your tax or legal advisor before purchasing WealthPay Life.
How does it work?
Consider this hypothetical example. Sharon, age 60 and retired, wishes to leave her son, Scott, a portion of her estate upon death. She previously named Scott as beneficiary to her 401(k) plan, valued at $100,000. Sharon does not need these funds for purposes of daily living, and would like both to increase the value of the gift to Scott and spread the income-tax liability he will likely incur upon receipt of the proceeds.
Sharon opts to transfer her 401(k) funds to a WealthPay Life policy and elects the 10-year payment option. This allows Sharon to reduce the immediate tax impact of moving the 401(k) funds by spreading the tax liability over the 10-year premium-payment period.
Upon her death, the WealthPay Life policy will provide a guaranteed death benefit of $191,236 to Scott. Because life insurance death benefits pass generally income-tax free to beneficiaries, Scott's benefit will not be diminished by income tax.
Compare the benefit to Scott between leaving the
$100,000 value in the 401(k), and transferring it to a WealthPay Life policy.
What if you encounter an illness?
Your life policy gives you access to a portion of the Death Benefit if you (the "insured") are diagnosed with a chronic or terminal illness. This benefit is called the "Accelerated Death Benefit," because death benefits are "accelerated" to help meet health-related expenses during your lifetime. During the payment period, the Accelerated Benefits are limited to a percentage of the death benefit, subject to the payment period selected and the type of illness incurred. After completion of the payment period up to 100% of the death benefit may be accelerated. Accelerated Benefits may be received federal income-tax free.
What if you need access to your money?
Only money not needed to meet current and foreseeable living expenses should be placed in WealthPay Life. However, if you need cash, you may take either a loan on your policy, or a withdrawal that may be penalty-free in certain instances. Some WealthPay Life policies will be classified as a Modified Endowment Contract (MEC). Only policies with a 10-year premium-payment schedule will not be classified as a MEC. Generally, any amount received under a life insurance policy on an insured that is determined to be terminally ill or chronically ill is considered to be an amount paid by reason of death. A Terminal Illness benefit will generally be received income-tax free, and a Chronic Illness benefit may be taxable. You should contact a qualified tax advisor regarding taxability of Accelerated Death Benefits.
Can your policy value and death benefit grow?
Depending on the index credits earned in your policy's accounts, your cash value and death benefits may increase to levels higher than the guaranteed amounts. You may allocate to a fixed interest-rate account as well as several accounts offering index-linked returns based on the performance of either the Standard & Poor's 500 Index® or the Goldman Sachs Dynamo Strategy Index.® When the index goes up, you earn "index credits"… and when it goes down, your account value is not impacted. In other words, you benefit from the "ups" and are protected from the "downs."
Each policy anniversary, "index credits" are determined on the index accounts and applied to your policy's current accumulation value. You may also transfer account values among accounts on policy anniversaries. At the end of 10 years, surrender charges no longer apply, yet you continue to earn interest and index credits on an income-tax-deferred basis.
EquiTrust Life Insurance Company
Note: This information is not intended to be a detailed description of the effect of taxes on Social Security benefits. Deferred annuities contain certain restrictions and/or IRS penalties related to premature distributions. Please consult with your tax advisor to determine the actual impact on your specific situation.
All written content is for information purposes only. Opinions expressed herein are solely those of MyRetirmentSaving.com / DFS Marketing, Inc. and our editorial staff. Material presented is believed to be from reliable sources; however, we make no representations as to its accuracy or completeness. All information and ideas should be discussed in detail with your individual financial professional prior to implementation. Insurance products and services are offered through MyRetirementSaving.com / DFS Marketing, Inc. and Julian Dougharty (TX License #1703718) and are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other government agency. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be used to make any financial decisions. Exclusive rights to this material belongs to MyRetirementSaving.com / DFS Marketing, Inc. Unauthorized use of the material is prohibited.
The Power of a Tax-Deferred Annuity
A tax-deferred annuity is a contract between you and the insurance company with guaranteed interest and guaranteed annuity income options.
Advantages of a Tax-Deferred Annuity:
Tax Deferral: One of the primary advantages of deferred annuities is the opportunity to accumulate a substantial sum of money by allowing your premium and interest to grow tax-deferred. Unlike taxable investments, you pay no taxes on your annuity interest until you begin to take withdrawals or receive income. This allows your money to grow faster than in a taxable account, because you earn interest on the money that would have otherwise been paid in taxes.
Stability: Your tax-deferred annuity is stable. Your state insurance department laws require that insurers maintain reserves equal to the cash surrender value of your annuity contract at all times. In addition, state laws require they maintain additional amounts of capital and surplus for further contract owner protection.
Liquidity: Your annuity provides you with opportunities to withdraw funds penalty free after the first contract anniversary. Some deferred annuities offer penalty free access as soon as 30 days after the policy is issued.
May Avoid Probate: In the case of premature death, your beneficiaries have the value within your annuity available to them. A properly designated beneficiary may avoid the expense, delay and publicity of probate. Your named beneficiaries can choose to receive the proceeds as monthly income or a lump sum payment.
Guaranteed Income: A deferred annuity can also provide you with a guaranteed income. You have the ability to choose from several different income options, including payments for a specified number of years or income for life, no matter how long you live. With non-qualified plans, a portion of each income payment represents return of premium which is not taxed, thereby reducing your tax liability from your income payments.
Withdrawals prior to age 591/2 may be subject to IRS Penalties. This information is not tax advise. It is a summary of our understanding of current tax laws as they relate to insurance products. Consult your tax advisor on specific points that may affect you.
What about Social Security?
Did you know as much as 85% of Social Security benefits could be subject to income tax?
Our Provisional Income ultimately decides how much of your social security is taxed. Provisional Income includes the total of normal earned income like interest from CD's as well as one-half of the Social Security benefits you receive and even tax-exempt income such as interest from tax-free municipal bonds.
One type of income that is not included in the Provisional Income calculation is tax-deferred income. Seldom has the special benefit of tax-deferral been more important to you as a tool to minimize your tax bill. By putting some of your assets into tax-deferred annuities and leaving the interest to compound tax-deferred, you can control your income flow to meet your own needs, without receiving unneeded dollars which only increase your tax bracket.
With Tax-Deferred Annuities you can…
- Earn Interest without paying current taxes on it, until withdrawn
- Earn more interest on the interest, thus compounding your asset growth, and giving you even more income potential later if you need.
- Reduce your tax liability on your hard-earned retirement income!
In addition, Tax-Deferred Annuities Offer…
- Competitive interest rates
- No risk to premium, due to index volatility
- Multiple liquidity options, if needed
Would additional tax-deferred interest benefits reduce your taxes and increase your disposable income? Consider your options and take advantage of the opportunities annuities make available to you. Tax-deferred annuities are one of the best opportunities you have! For More Information, Call 844-585-2157
Note: This information is not intended to be a detailed description of the effect of taxes on Social Security benefits. Deferred annuities contain certain restrictions and/or IRS penalties related to premature distributions. Please consult with your tax advisor to determine the actual impact on your specific situation.
All written content is for information purposes only. Opinions expressed herein are solely those of MyRetirmentSaving.com / DFS Marketing, Inc. and our editorial staff. Material presented is believed to be from reliable sources; however, we make no representations as to its accuracy or completeness. All information and ideas should be discussed in detail with your individual financial professional prior to implementation. Insurance products and services are offered through MyRetirementSaving.com / DFS Marketing, Inc. and Julian Dougharty (TX License #1703718) and are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other government agency. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be used to make any financial decisions. Exclusive rights to this material belongs to MyRetirementSaving.com / DFS Marketing, Inc. Unauthorized use of the material is prohibited.
What is your investment comfort zone?
Think of it this way: Everyone has a comfort zone when it comes to weather. Some people like the hot temperature of the south; some like the cooler, wetter climates in the northwest; still others would rather have a seasonal variety, like you get in the north. It can be similar with your investment comfort zone. There is no single answer that's right for everyone. It's what you decide is most comfortable for you. To understand your investment comfort zone and the type of investor you are, you'll need to consider where you are in your life, what goals you want to accomplish in retirement, and what level of risk you're comfortable with in your portfolio.
Knowing your investment comfort zone matters.
Understanding the type of investor you are is particularly important for a number of reasons:
- If you're too complacent, you may be ignoring risk.
- You need to recognize when risk is increasing or decreasing.
- If you're an uncomfortable investor, you may allow your emotions to take control of your decisions.
- You want to minimize the possibility that you may need to make difficult decisions under pressure.
The three primary types of market investing
Investing in the market always involves a level of risk. That's why it's essential for you to know how much gain or loss is acceptable to you, and what level of risk you're comfortable with.
Remember, there is nothing fundamentally better about being a risk-taker or risk-advisor. Sometimes the greatest risk is taking no risk at all. Understanding your risk tolerance as well as your overall objectives and goals can help determine the type of investment that is appropriate for you.
Generally people think of three main types of investments: stocks, bonds, and cash or cash equivalents. All of these types of investments have advantages and disadvantages, depending on how the market is reacting at a particular time period. Whichever investments you choose, you need to consider the opportunities for gains, losses, liquidity, tax advantages, and consequences.
Although stocks may give you the opportunity for bigger gains over time, they can also be the most volatile. To most investors, particularly those who invest in equities, volatility is something to be aware of. The stock market can change from year to year and can be volatile, as the chart below displays. Most of us recall the "Lost Decade" from 1999 to 2009, when investors saw the S&P 500® Index drop more than 40% at the height of the 2008 financial crisis.
When the markets are volatile, the typical reaction is to want to get out of the market altogether and move your money into safer alternatives. But if you had done that following the 2008 market crisis, you would not have captured the rebound in the market the following years.
When determining your Investment Comfort Zone, think about: What is your time horizon (the amount of time before you'll need your money)? What is your plan if the markets go down? Ask yourself, how is your portfolio protected?
Bond funds have been solid investments in a retirement strategy for many years. As fixed income investments, bonds help provide diversification, stability, and tax benefits to almost any portfolio.
Generally speaking, people tend to avoid the risks they are aware of. That's why, in recent history, people have sought to reduce their exposure to losses caused by volatility by switching from investing in the stock market, to investing in the bond market.
And while bonds are generally seen as a safer alternative, they are susceptible to a different kind of risk, due to their inverse relationship to interest rates. With interest rates currently still near historic lows, bonds can offer higher returns, making them more desirable to investors and driving bond prices higher.
But as the graph shows, we've had three decades of a general decline in the baseline for interest rates. Now interest rates can't go much lower- and when they begin rising, the value of existing
bonds moves in the other direction. Your bonds would then be worth less in order to keep the returns they offer competitive with the higher interest rates of newly issued bonds.
So if you're holding a disproportionate amount of your retirement assets in bonds, you may have more risk in your portfolio than you realize. While bonds should continue to be part of a well-balanced portfolio for most clients, you need to be aware of how a rising interest rate environment could affect your portfolio.
Cash and cash equivalents
We all know how important it is to have some money in a savings account or short-term investment such as a money market account. By keeping money liquid (i.e., as cash, or as an asset that can be quickly converted into cash), it will be available at the time you need it. But it is also important to discuss how much is enough, and when an amount of cash might negatively affect your accumulation goals.
As you can see, the value of a dollar is projected to erode due to the effects of inflation over time, so you need to consider this potential "cost" versus the convenience and relative safety of holding assets as cash.
So while cash can play a role as a part of your retirement plan, cash alone will likely not help you reach your financial goals. Given this, it might make sense to balance your portfolio by shifting some low-earning cash to investments with higher growth potential.
Emotional investing
A 2013 Psychology Today article discusses economic research and emotional investing. Specifically, that emotions play a significant role in how people make financial decisions. But one of the most common mistakes investors can make is to let emotions guide their investment decisions. That's why it's important to understand the impact that emotional investing can play in your investment decisions. Because investors tend to focus on short-term gains and losses, emotions can run high in both directions. When the market is up, we are all relaxed and confident in our investments. But when the market goes down, anxiety can set in and our first reaction is to pull out our money from the market and move it to a safer place.
When we act on this impulse, we are allowing our emotions to make our investment decisions. Remember, the ability to "time" the market- to predict which direction the market will move at a point in time and invest accordingly- is virtually impossible. (If it was more possible, we'd all be rich.)
The investment cycle as emotional cycle as shown on the graph below, people typically get most excited about investing when market prices are at their highest.
You could think of it as the "overconfident" stage, but it can also be the stage of greatest risk. Because this is the market's high point, as it starts going down, investor confidence often follows, giving way to nervousness and worry.
People may tend to wait it out for a while, but as panic and discouragement set in, they may decide it's time to get out of the market. By shifting their investments into cash, the thinking goes, they can avoid additional market downturns.
Unfortunately, by exiting when prices are lower (or even at their lowest), they'll lock in their losses – meaning they've given up their chance to regain value when the market starts rising again.
Are your emotions driving your investment decisions?
After you have made your plan for retirement, and the market inevitably goes up and down, will you be willing to stay the course through the highs and lows? Or will you overreact to the market and make decisions based on emotion?
Rebuilding your assets after a big loss takes time. It's simple mathematics: the more value you lose, the more you'll need to gain back in percentage terms to fully rebuild from your losses.
Always keep in mind that the decisions you make may affect not just your portfolio's total value, but can also impact your timeline for retiring. Make sure you have enough time to recover from any market correction to meet your goals.
Finding your personal Investment Comfort Zone
Understanding your Investment Comfort Zone begins by working with your financial professional and reassessing it on an annual basis.
The type of investor you are takes into account your financial goals, your time horizon, and your tolerance for risk. And just because you think you are one type of investor today doesn't mean you can't change over time as your needs, goals, or attitudes change.
When determining your Investment Comfort Zone, here are some points to consider:
- What accumulation goal is necessary to meet your future retirement needs?
- What financial changes could change your Investment Comfort Zone?
- What mix of investments is suitable to achieve your retirement goals?
- Have you taken on an unnecessary amount of risk to reach your goals?
- Can you maintain financial discipline when you are faced with changing market conditions?
Allianz Life https://www.allianzlife.com/


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* Prices may differ from that shown
Having managed to somehow lose my Intuos2 Grip Pen I found it necessary to buy a replacement for use with my Intuos2 Tablet. I have to say that I was quite shocked at the price of the replacement pen, much higher than I expected and made me wonder how much of a mark-up there is on it. However, without the pen, the tablet is next to useless, so having a pen is a must.
The pen itself has the same dimensions as a chunky biro pen. It has a cushion grip with just the right amount of give making it exceptionally comfortable to hold and use, and ensures the pen doesn't slide or move between your fingers. The pen is slightly heavier than an ordinary pen. This extra weight is actually advantageous when using it, and it is also well balanced, allowing for a greater degree of control.
At the "drawing" end there is a replaceable plastic tip. Changing out a worn tip is simply a case of unscrewing the end cover, sliding out the tip and replacing it with one of the 5 spare tips that come with pen. It is very easy and quick to do.
On the grip there is a two-way programmable button. The buttons can be programmed by the software to reproduce, for example, the left and right mouse button, or a particular keystroke or menu action from whichever application you are using. The pen comes with an alternative "closed" grip, which covers the two-way button if you prefer not to use them. Also included is a spare programmable button.
On the end of the pen is a rounded tip, which acts as an eraser, but again this is programmable.
Using the pen is very comfortable but can take a little bit of time to get used to if you've never used one before. Slightly awkward at first is the two-way button on the grip. At first I found myself inadvertently clicking the buttons whilst using the pen. The simple solution was to de-program the buttons whilst I go accustomed to using the pen, and the once I became more familiar, I then re-programmed the buttons, which I know use all the time.
I rarely use the eraser tip, more as I find it quicker to switch tools from the keyboard rather spin the pen around in my hand, although on occasion I have accidentally picked the pen up the wrong way around and started to erase my work!
In conclusion, the pen is very comfortable for long-term use, nicely balanced and accurate to use. The buttons can take some getting used to, but are an advantageous once you get the hang of them.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Kentucky State Police will be conducting traffic safety checkpoints in the counties of Oldham, Trimble, Henry, Owen, Carroll and Gallatin during the period of Dec. 5 – 19, 2011.
The intent of a traffic safety checkpoint is to provide for high visibility public safety service, focusing on vehicular equipment deficiencies, confirming appropriate registration of vehicles and the licensing of drivers. Violations of law or other public safety issues that arise shall be addressed in accordance with Kentucky traffic and regulatory laws.
Monday, Nov. 14
12:30 p.m., EMS medical call, U.S. 421N
3:01 p.m., school zone detail, Trimble County High School
Tuesday, Nov. 15
8:41 a.m., EMS medical call, U.S. 42E
1:53 p.m., process service, 200 block Martini Ln
4:23 p.m., runaway, Sullivan Ln
5:27 p.m., custody dispute, 1400 block Culls Ridge Rd
Thursday, Nov. 17
12:15 p.m., burglary, U.S. 421N
Friday, Nov. 18
12:33 p.m., juvenile out of control, 100 block Wentworth Ave
Items published in court news are public record.
The Trimble Banner publishes all misdemeanors, felonies and small-claims judgments recorded in district court, as well as all civil suits recorded in circuit court. Juvenile court cases are not published.
Crime reports are provided by local law enforcement agencies. Charges or citations reported to The Trimble Banner do not imply guilt.
The following cases were heard in Trimble County Court the week of Nov. 21-Nov. 25, 2011.
The approaching holiday season reinforces a truth about eating: Dining at home with family and friends is rewarding, fun and enjoyable. In the coming year, consider making cooking and dining at home a priority in your family. It controls food costs, helps with weight management and it brings a family together.
Monday, Dec. 5: Chicken nuggets or *uncrustable, mashed potatoes, green beans, peach half, fresh fruit, white/wheat bread
Tuesday, Dec. 6: Breakfast for lunch, sausage/egg pattie, hash browns, baked apples, orange wedges, biscuit, fresh fruit
Wednesday, Dec. 7: Pizza, *chili, cheese & chips, tossed salad, corn, pineapple, fresh fruit
Thursday, Dec. 8: Ham/turkey/cheese on sub, lettuce, tomato, pickle, broccoli/carrots/dip, sunchips, pear half/fresh fruit, soup, cookie
Experience will be a huge factor in the success of this year's Trimble County Lady Raiders basketball program. Trimble hopes to build on the 14-13 record of a year ago.
Gone are three players from that team: Raegan Black, Janae Dunlap and Danyal Adams. Black "was a big loss both from a scoring standpoint and rebounding," Lady Raiders Head Coach Kerrie Stewart said. "She usually drew a tough defensive assignment and provided a lot of leadership."
Early one Saturday morning I was on the treadmill at the gym watching "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" on the TV in front of me.
TLWW is the first of C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia allegorical series about a wonderland that's taken hostage by an evil witch.
In the part of the movie that caught my attention, the boy Edmund finds himself in Narnia, in the snow, shivering in his p.j.s, robe and slippers.
30 Years Ago (Dec. 3, 1981)
Farmers Bank of Milton honored four employees last week with tokens of appreciation for years of service: Roger Bradley, Cashier and Director 15 years, Judy Burkhardt, Assistant Cashier, 20 years, Jeanette Pirtle, Assistant Cashier 30 years and Marie Strasmeier, 25 years.
Copyright © 2017
The Trimble Banner is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Trimble County, KY and the surrounding area.


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Milan concept store 10 Corso Como continues to work with footwear brand Superga. Now that the summer is here (at least for most people), the classic Superag low top canvas sneaker is a great addition to the wardrobe. 10 Corso Como gave the sneaker a dot design. It comes in white/black and in white/pink with the matching dust bag.
Take a closer look at the 10 Corso Como x Superga Summer 2010 Sneakers after the jump.


text: Melissa Etheridge is slated to appear in upcoming shows on both the Lifetime Television and Oxygen Network cable channels, according to Inside.com. On Oxygen, Etheridge will perform in a concert series to be aired in July. The format of the show is said to be super intimate and moved audience member Tipper Gore to tears. On Lifetime, Etheridge continues to host a show devoted to the supernatural and spiritual moments in daily life called Beyond Chance. A Lifetime spokesperson says Etheridge is pretty committed to our network but, in view of the singers appearance elsewhere, graciously added, The more programming for women, the better. In a more gossipy vein, MSNBC.com reports that an unnamed source is attributing the breakup of Etheridge and former partner Julie Cypher to men. The source is quoted as saying, Julie was married to Lou Diamond Philips when she met Melissa and fell in love and switched sides. Now shes switching back. Cypher could not be reached for comment, and the Etheridge camp would only say, We have no knowledge of that being true.... That is our comment.


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This REALLY got old fast.
Album Rating: 3.5everyone on the count of THREE
Album Rating: 3.5This one has been all over the place for me. Started off as a 4, went down to a 3.5, very briefly fell down to a 3 before getting bumped back up, and now it's getting close to a 4 again.
Album Rating: 4.0Yeah, I love this. Knott kidding.
Why the fuck was this best new music? Makes no SENSE!
Album Rating: 3.5In a genre that succeeds at developing a deep, sorrowful background, it's no wonder bands like Bright Eyes want to shed a little light. The set up of this album plays safe to the ears and plays it to their roots. Though it's simply not the best album by them, it sure isn't awful. The album feels like it's a farewell final album. Though it's completely understandable why this band wanted to make a plain and simple album. With the beginning of a new decade, bands like: The Decemberists, The Mountain Goats, and The Dear Hunter; have made albums that focus little on their venturous stories and have decided to focus on individual songs rather than the whole. Even moody band Brand New has plans on releasing a "happier" album than make their usual. None of these choices affect the bands, in fact it proves how exceptional they are rather than follow a predictable pattern. The raw deal here is that it's a break. A break from the norm and a chance to gain new ground.
Digging: King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard - Polygondwanaland
it is amazing how much better these guys got live. a 2 and half hour set and they played pretty much everything i was hoping for and more.
Album Rating: 4.0shell games is nearly a damn masterpiece. saw them live right after this album was released and they played songs from throughout their entire career. and of course conor was drunk and couldn't stop himself from shouting political obscenities but that's expected. they put on an incredible show though
Album Rating: 4.0a lot of these songs sound amazing live
Album Rating: 3.5a few excellent tracks
Album Rating: 3.5Yeah Ladder Song and One For Me, One For You are so good live.
Album Rating: 4.0shell games mmm
Album Rating: 3.0this album is a huge, albeit expected, disappointment-- when taken in relationship to their earlier work.
I think on it's own merits, it's a good album, but it's hard for me judge it on its own merit because it's such a huge
disgrace to both the songwriting and visceral emotional power of Oberst's former material (up until Cassadaga...)
He was a poetically lyrical genius-- no more.
Album Rating: 3.5criminally underrated.
Album Rating: 3.5Is Bright Eyes done touring?
Bands: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z


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Road To The Million VI: Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Who's the best turf horse currently in training in North America? Is it Midnight Cry Stables' Einstein, the reigning grass horse king, or is it Castleton Lyons' Gio Ponti, Einstein's young lion of a challenger with teeth bared – figuratively at least – for their projected fight in the upcoming Arlington Million XXVII on Aug. 8?
Or could it be Jonathan Sheppard's Just as Well – well under the national radar until his impressive late run to victory in last weekend's Grade III Arlington Handicap as the final local preview for the centerpiece race of Chicago's Thoroughbred racing season?
The 27th running of the Arlington Million, which annually attracts some of the world's best turf horses, will go to the post late in the afternoon on the second Saturday in August, preceded by the 20th anniversary edition of the Grade I Beverly D. Stakes for the world's best grass-favoring fillies and mares and the 33rd running of the Grade I Secretariat Stakes, restricted to 3-year-olds of international turf caliber.
Together, the only three Grade I races contested in Illinois on an annual basis make up Arlington's one-day International Festival of Racing, and this summer's Arlington Million gets added international prestige because the winner will receive an automatic invitation to the Group I Japan Cup when it is run in Tokyo later in the year.
Einstein, winner of Churchill's Grade I Woodford Reserve Turf Classic on Kentucky Derby Day May 2, was most recently third beaten only a length in the Grade I Stephen Foster Handicap on the main track at the Twin Spires oval June 13. However, in that effort the 7-year-old bobbled early and then was checked and bumped repeatedly during subsequent nightmarish traffic problems.
The Brazilian-bred son of Spend a Buck, on course to make his next start in the Million, quietly breezed a half-mile in :52.80 at Churchill July 12 in a maintenance move for his upcoming Chicago appearance.
Gio Ponti, however, won his third straight Grade I race July 11 when he came from off the pace to capture the $500,000 Man o' War at Belmont Park by 1 3/4-lengths. Previously, the 4-year-old son of Tale of the Cat won the $400,000 Woodford Reserve Manhattan Handicap on Belmont Stakes Day June 6, as well as last winter's $300,000 Frank E. Kilroe Mile Handicap at Santa Anita.
"This just confirms that at the moment, I'm afraid, he's got to be the leader of the turf division here" said Gio Ponti's trainer Christophe Clement following last weekend's East Coast outing in the Man o' War.
Now joining those two as a new Arlington Million threat following last Saturday's Arlington Handicap triumph is Just as Well, who closed with a rush to be best by a length in that $200,000 turf test at the Arlington Million distance of 10 furlongs.
Two weeks ago Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard wasn't sure his son of A. P. Indy was even ready for last week's race, but following that excellent outing, Just as Well is under prominent consideration for the Million.
Also deserving that consideration is Patricia Generazio's Presious Passion, front-running hero of Monmouth's Grade I United Nations Stakes July 4. The 6-year-old Royal Anthem gelding won that same race on The Jersey Shore last summer, but trainer Mary Hartmann decided to forego the Million in favor of Saratoga's Grade I Sword Dancer Invitational Handicap, where Presious Passion finished fourth. This year, however, Hartmann is giving the Million a second look.
In California on The Fourth of July, Irish-bred Artiste Royal, owned by David and Jill Heerensperger and conditioned by Hall of Fame trainer Neil Drysdale, appears to be on his way to the Million
"We're probably headed that way," said Drysdale, speaking over the phone from California earlier this week.
In Kentucky, Circle E Racing's Mr. Sidney, winner of Churchill's Grade II Firecracker Handicap July 4 and Keeneland's Grade I Makers Mark Mile April 10, now appears likely for the Arlington Million, according to Lee Einsidler of Circle C Racing.
"Bill Mott called me and said it (the Million) makes all the sense in the world," Einsidler told Blood-Horse early this week referring of Mr. Sidney's Hall of Fame trainer who saddled Masayuki Nishiyama's Paradise Creek to win the 1994 Arlington Million.
On the European front, remaining under strong consideration for the Arlington Million is Teruya Yoshida's Cima de Triomphe, fourth in Great Britain's Group I Coral-Eclipse July 4 at Sandown behind three of Europe's best, and a winner of Sandown's Group III Brigadier Gerard Stakes May 28 before that.
Now mentioned as a possibility for an Atlantic crossing in less than three weeks for the Million is Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum's Imbongi, third at Ascot in the Group II Summer Mile Stakes July 11 and winner of Newmarket's Group III Criterion Stake before that on June 27. The South African-bred is trained by Mike de Kock, who brought that same ownership's Archipenko to Chicago to finish second in last summer's Million.
Also possible for the Million from Great Britain is Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Tazeez from the yard of John Gosden. That Kentucky-bred son of Silver Hawk out of a Nureyev mare was fifth in the Group I Prince of Wales's Stakes June 17 during the prestigious Royal Ascot meeting, beaten four lengths at the wire.
A huge positive development concerning the upcoming $750,000 Beverly D. Stakes as the Arlington Million's sister race involves the expected participation of Doubledown Stables' Black Mamba, winner of the last two renewals of Hollywood Park's Grade II Beverly Hills Handicap. The 6-year-old mare, bred in New Zealand, is now on a course for a Beverly D. run.
Trained by California-based John Sadler, Black Mamba stayed on the West Coast last summer to win Del Mar's Grade I John C. Mabee Handicap following her 2008 Beverly Hills win but is more probable for the Beverly D. this year.
"Right now, I'm leaning toward the Beverly D. with her," said Sadler last weekend on a brief trip to Chicago to saddle Michael Talla's Oil Man in Arlington's Grade II American Derby. "Mr. Templer (owner Richard of Doubledown) is from Chicago and I think he'd like to see his horse run here."
A second major addition to the Beverly D.'s probable list is Lewis Lakin's Pure Clan, two and a half lengths the best in last weekend's Grade III Modesty Handicap as a Beverly D. prep.
"We sure plan to (run in the Beverly D.) if things stay the way they are," said Pure Clan's trainer Robert Holthus, speaking over the phone from Louisville the day after her Modesty score.
Among Pure Clan's other graded stakes victories are tallies in Hollywood's Grade I American Oaks Invitational last year, Churchill's Grade II Golden Rod Stakes in 2007, as well as Grade III wins in the 2008 Regret Stakes and 2007 Pocahontas Stakes at the Twin Spires oval.
In a final late Beverly D. update, Live Oak Plantation's Points of Grace won the Grade II Dance Smartly Stakes last weekend at Canada's Woodbine Race Course, and is being considered as a late nomination to Arlington's main grass test for fillies and mares.
"We'll either point for the Beverly D. or the (Saratoga's Grade I) Diana Handicap (Aug. 1)," said Malcolm Pierce, trainer of Points of Grace. "If the owners are up for it, I'd rather come to Arlington and get her the extra week. The Beverly D. is definitely under heavy consideration."
Finally, in updates for the Grade I Secretariat Stakes for grass-favoring sophomores, last weekend's Grade II American Derby hero Reb, owned by Ashbrook Farm, would appear likely for a for a return in the final leg of Arlington's Mid-America Triple, although trainer Rusty Arnold is reportedly on a vacation in the Bahamas and unavailable to confirm that assumption.
Virginia Tarra Trust's Giant Oak, winner of the 75th anniversary edition of the Arlington Classic as the Triple's first leg, came out of his fifth-place finish in the roughly run American Derby without problems and remains on course for the Secretariat.
Tommy Town Thoroughbreds' Oil Man, winner of Hollywood's Grade III Cinema Handicap June 21, came to Chicago to finish third in the American Derby before being disqualified and placed fifth, but remains at Arlington under the care of Chicago-based conditioner Mike Stidham for a projected next run in the Secretariat.
Finally, the Secretariat Stakes could still easily get a tangy additional appetizer in the form of Lael Stable's Nicanor – the late beloved Barbaro's turf-favoring little brother. Nicanor is currently undefeated on the grass and slated to go to the post in Saturday's Grade II Virginia Derby.
Should Nicanor run well at Colonial Downs this weekend, trainer Michael Matz would still have three weeks to prepare him for the $400,000 final leg of Arlington's Mid-America Triple. Matz, it will be remembered, saddled Brushwood Stable's Kicken Kris to win the Secretariat Stakes six years ago.


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Brendan Witt still wants to leave the Washington Capitals, but the line is not forming to the left.
With Alexander Ovechkin providing hope for the future, a year of hard knocks behind them and a good draft ahead, D.C. could eventually become a desirable address in the National Hockey League.
"First and foremost we've tried to create a teaching environment to impress upon people that we have something beyond this year in our plan," coach Glen Hanlon said before last night's game against the Maple Leafs. "We're trying to create an environment where everybody wants to stay here and work hard. But we also understand the integrity in the league. We play Carolina five times. It's very important that we give a good effort."
To tank those games would be a transparent ploy to improve their draft lottery chances against lowly clubs such as Pittsburgh, St. Louis and Chicago, and give the Hurricanes the means to beat the Ottawa Senators for first place in the Eastern Conference.
Hanlon bears Witt no grudges, though it's unclear where the latter will go with the trade deadline a week tomorrow. Witt and goalie Olaf Kolzig are the last of the Caps' 1998 Stanley Cup finalist team.
"Sometimes we all know honesty hurts, but it's a very honest statement Brendan has made since Day 1," Hanlon said. "We've tried to make it easier for him to stay, but he wants to go to a team that contends and we can live with that. We're quite happy with the way he's worked. When he leaves, we will speak of him in nothing but good terms."
Hanlon, who has a record of 34-60-9-5 in two years with the Caps, hasn't soured on NHL coaching.
"We have great kids here. Not once have I had to come to the rink trying to clear the slate of any behavioural issue. We get right to the grass roots of coaching and trying to make the team better.
"The hard part for coaching in this environment is (losing). Because no matter if you are developing or even if you can see the light at the end of the tunnel, losing is very difficult."
Ovechkin, battling Sidney Crosby of Pittsburgh for the Calder Trophy, continues to perk up the team.
"The word you use to describe him is 'dynamic,' " defenceman and ex-Leaf Jamie Heward said. "He's a fantastic kid and a good guy in the room.
"He's a superstar in everyone else's mind already, but in his own mind, he's very down to earth. He's not demanding that you pass him the puck all the time. That's refreshing, because he'll be here a very long time and they needed someone who'll be good for the organization, not just for himself."


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- Multiple clean wipes/fact. resets with a full firmware odin flash, followed by a factory reset (actually tried flashing a couple of variants)
- Went to the lab and had the phone usb checked - no issue
- charged batteries in external chargers - all charged without an issue
The phone is still not charging.
I'd appreciate any and all suggestions.


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The Band Wagon
Dir. Vincente Minnelli
1953 1953 | Colour | 111 mins | Cert U | Hollywood Classics | Musical
Cast: Fred Astaire, Jack Buchanan, Cyd Charisse, Oscar Levant, Nanette Fabray
One of Minnelli's greatest musicals finds a high-brow producer (Buchanan) trying to turn Astaire's comeback show into an arthouse version of Faust. A stream of brilliant Howard Dietz/Arthur Schwartz numbers include 'A Shine on Your Shoes' and 'Dancing in the Dark'. Written by Comden and Green. Art direction by Cedric Gibbons. 'A film that makes you give a heartfelt cry of sympathy with one of the lyrics, 'That's Entertainment' – and then add nostalgically '…that was.'' Evening Standard, 1977
Available on: 35mm
Browse Catalogue
Search for a film title or combine several keywords to get a list of films (e.g. Japan, 35mm, Naruse).


text: Staci contacted me in regards to having graduation photos taken of her and her fiance (now husband!), Mike. Staci graduated with her Master's Degree in Engineering and Mike graduated with his Bachelor's Degree in Business. This session was a lot of fun! After the graduation photos wrapped we also did a couple's session on the campus of the University of Central Florida. Staci brought her bright neon pink heels to the session! I love it when clients bring awesome accessories. Congratulations on your graduations and your recent marriage Staci and Mike!


text: transformer ASUS announces Fonepads, MeMO Pads, Transformers at IFA 2013 Jeff Causey September 4, 2013 Jelly Bean update rolling out to ASUS Transformer Pad TF300 Chris Stewart August 18, 2012 Asus Transformer Pad TF300TL With LTE Coming To Germany And Austria This Month Ed Caggiani August 10, 2012 ASUS Transformer Pad, Prime and Infinity all Getting Jelly Bean for sure, Original Transformer (TF101) and Slider (SL101) back in limbo Brad Ward July 20, 2012 ASUS Transformer, Transformer Prime and Motorola Xoom Receive CyanogenMod 10 Preview Builds Brad Ward July 19, 2012 Developer Creates a New Android Game by Only Using his ASUS Transformer Macky Evangelista June 27, 2012 UK Launch date available for the ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T Adam Johnson April 23, 2012 ASUS To Ship Transformer Pad 300 Tablet On April 22 Roy Alugbue April 15, 2012 Asus Transformer Pad TF300T With Tegra 3 Passes Through The FCC Joe Sirianni March 1, 2012 Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update is now live for the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Robert Nazarian February 24, 2012 Ice Cream Sandwich update for the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer is now live in Taiwan, The U.K. is on deck for tomorrow Robert Nazarian February 23, 2012 NenaMark2 Test Results for the ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T Surfaces Stacy Bruce February 16, 2012 Asus Eee Pad Transformer ICS Update Slips Ed Caggiani February 16, 2012 Mysterious Asus TF300T Caught On Camera Chris Stewart February 2, 2012 Transformer Prime to Get Ice Cream Sandwich Today!! Jack Holt January 9, 2012 Asus Announces Prime Bootloader Unlocking Tool, Ice Cream Sandwich to Come January 12th Jack Holt January 3, 2012 Asus Transformer Prime Revealed to Have Locked Bootloader, Users Complain of GPS Issues Jack Holt January 2, 2012 Firmware Update Now Available For Asus Transformer Tablets Justin Routhier December 28, 2011 [Deal] Best Buy has the ASUS Transformer for $299.99 with free shipping Robert Nazarian December 5, 2011 ASUS officially announces the Transformer Prime, First Tegra 3 tablet, to be released in December Robert Nazarian November 9, 2011 Transformer Prime clears the FCC and gets complete teardown Robert Nazarian November 3, 2011 [Leak] ASUS Transformer Prime keyboard dock surfaces Robert Nazarian October 27, 2011 Asus Tweets ICS is "Coming to an @ASUS #EeePadTransformer near you" Joe Sirianni October 20, 2011 Asus – Transformer Prime, Padfone, and Ice Cream Sandwich all on the way Jim Farmer October 20, 2011 Looking for tablet apps? Look no further. Jim Farmer August 30, 2011


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Written on: 09/10/2009
Came with our new Bovis house. Trouble from day one; wouldnt drain, the pump blocked on a monthly bases and the only way to unblock it was to take the hole thing to bits and drain it. Never washed dishes well, evencially the spay arm packed up then the pump - what a load of rubish.


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The Predictive Power of the Term Structure during Recent Monetary Regimes
The author uses weekly Treasury bill rates with maturities of one to twenty-six weeks to examine the information in forward rates during the 1970s and 1980s. Forward rat es contain better information about future changes in spot rates than the information captured by autoregressive and vector autoregressive models. Forward rates also have considerable predictive power, which increased after October 1979 and remained strong after October 1982. The results show no necessary connection between interest rate predi ctability and the degree to which the Fed adheres to interest rate ta rgeting. Copyright 1988 by American Finance Association.
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Volume (Year): 43 (1988)
Issue (Month): 2 (June)
Pages: 339-356
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Saturday, August 20, 2011
shabby garden shed...
10 comments:
Wow! It's looking really good! I'm visiting from Funky Junk. Hope you stop by and visit my blog too!ReplyDelete
Absolutely adorable!! We are working on our own shabby shed. Posting details at www.saving4six.blogspot.com in the coming weeks.ReplyDelete
Wow, that is very pretty and so cool that hubby made it with bits and pieces. Thanks for stopping by and for your kind comment.ReplyDelete
How beautiful, wish my hubby would make me one just like it and I would use it as an escape to have tea, read, dream away the day!ReplyDelete
That's so cute I almost can't see straight.ReplyDelete
I LOVE this- and would kill to have a garden shed like that!
Your hubby needs a big hug.
GREAT design, ma'am!!
Oh, I just love it! I've requested that my hubby make me a garden shed... I have to show him this. I'm visiting via Cozy Little House. You have such a lovely blog!ReplyDelete
Those wooden sheds inspires me.It am looking forward for spring!ReplyDelete
The are small but garden sheds beauty never fails to amaze me.ReplyDelete
The are small but the garden sheds beauty never fails to amaze me.ReplyDelete
What a dreamy sweet shed. Love the shingles on the upper part, and the corbels and the door are to drool for. SO adorable.ReplyDelete


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Is the future of the supermarket looking bleak? Some seem to think so. According to consumer marketing firm RetailNet Group, grocery stores will soon be faced with an uphill battle. Food retailers could see the impact as soon as 2015, as population growth slows and the influential baby boomer segment becomes an elderly generation.
Additionally, younger, more affluent customers, especially those born after 1985, may be the first ones to turn primarily to online grocery shopping in lieu of physical visits to the supermarket. Some grocers are responding to this concern by launching initiatives for kids in an attempt to create a rapport with future generations of shoppers.
Call me antiquated, but I kind of like the physical act of strolling down the produce aisle, even squeezing avocados to make sure they're ripe. It's hard to imagine a future free of grocery stores. Could you see yourself shopping for food exclusively online?


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Microchip elevates HMI design with world's first e-field-based 3D gesture-recognition chip
Microchip Technology has unveiled its GestIC gesture-based non-contact technology with its announcement of the world's first electrical-field-based 3D gesture controller IC, the MGC3130, enabling a new class of non-contact user interfaces. Based on technology acquired with Microchip's purchase earlier this year of Germany-based Ident Technology, the MGC3130 offers always-on gesture recognition with minimal power requirements, permitting its use in battery-powered mobile and portable designs.
At its most basic level of operation, the MGC3130 is capable of detecting motion at 200 samples/s and 150 dpi resolution within a sensing area defined in the x-y plane by sensing electrodes and extending in the z plane from 0 to 15 cm above the sensing area. Beyond this more basic "3D touchpad"-like capability, however, the MGC3130 goes further - using its on-chip software library to analyze its acquired x/y/z motion data and deliver a real-time stream of recognized 3D gestures like hand flicks, circular motions, and the like to a host MCU.
Figure 1. The MGC3130 IC uses a simple planar sensor array to read disturbances in an e-field, finds x/y/z position, and streams recognized gestures to a host MCU.
Combined with external electrodes and a host MCU, the MGC3130 combines both hardware and software to offer a complete 3D gesture recognition solution with minimal additional external components (Figure 1). Delivered in a 5 x 5 x 0.9 mm 28-lead QFN package, the mixed-signal device integrates a signal processing unit, 32 KB flash memory, 12 KB RAM, one Tx channel, and five Rx channels (Figure 2).
Figure 2. The MGC3130 mixed-single IC combines a complete motion sensing analog signal chain with firmware for position detection and gesture recognition.
The device offers I2C and SPI interfaces for streaming sensor x/y/z data or post-analysis gesture information to a host MCU. The new device consumes only 9 μA in deep sleep mode, 45 μA in programmable self wakeup mode, and 30 mA in processing mode (all typical values at 3.3 V).
Tx signal generation uses frequency hopping between 70-130 kHz to find the optimal operating frequency in the presence of noisy environmental conditions. The five identical Rx channels each include a signal conditioning circuit that filters and amplifies the analog signal before driving it to a dedicated ADC.
The GestIC e-field approach detects disturbances in a transmitter-maintained e-field (top figure) due to the presence of a conductive object such as the human hand (bottom figure). The MGC3130 IC uses one transmitting electrode to generate the e-field, and five receiving electrodes positioned around the periphery of the sensing field.
Hand movement within the 3D sensing area results in a characteristic change in the e-field that can be measured through the receiving electrodes and used to identify the origin of the e-field distortion. With this information, the 3D gesture controller can calculate object position, track its movement, and identify pre-determined patterns of movement such as hand gestures.
GestIC's e-field technology operates in closer proximity than camera-based gesture-recognition methods such as the Microsoft Kinect. Unlike camera-based systems, however, GestIC's approach results in no blind spots close to the gesture stage. Furthermore, the use of e-field technology ensures that ambient light or sound have no effect on gesture recognition. GestIC technology avoids interference with other radio sources by frequency hopping within a radio range of 70-130 kHz - outside the range of typical consumer radio sources.
The result is a solution that is both highly sensitive to intended stimuli and highly immune to noise sources and not affected by clothing, surface texture, or reflectivity. At the same time, the use of low-cost electrode materials minimizes system cost. In fact, designers can use existing capacitive sensor structures such as a touch panel's ITO coating.
At the heart of the MGC3130's implementation of the GestIC technology, Microchip's on-chip Colibri software performs sensor data analysis and gesture recognition. Stored in the MGC3130's internal 32 KB flash, the Colibri software library uses a Hidden Markov Model for recognizing gesture patterns similar to that used in voice recognition. The initial release of the Colibri library identifies predefined hand gestures including flick, circular and symbol gestures. Symbol gestures are multi-directional gestures with a defined start and end point - such as a "check mark" hand movement.
A combination of on-chip hardware- and software-based power management features enable "always-on" gesture detection while maintaining low-power operation for battery-powered applications. In this method, called "approach detection," Colibri software uses the device's built-in self-wakeup mode to alternate between sleep and scan operation. When an object in the e-field exceeds specified threshold values, the MGC3130 will switch to processing mode and wake up the host MCU as needed.
Within the approach detection sequence, the device performs an approach scan - typically requiring only one Rx channel to help minimize power consumption. Engineers can set the time between approach scans, typically in a range from 20ms to 150 ms for most applications. Although the device automatically handles temperature compensation, the MGC3130 can also perform a calibration scan - required for applications using basic x/y/z position data. Here, the device activates several Rx channels to calibrate sensor signals. To reduce power consumption, engineers can reduce the interval between calibration scans during periods with low user activity for example.
For MGC3130 evaluation and development, Microchip offers the Sabrewing Single-Zone Evaluation Board kit, which contains MGC3130 reference circuitry and two sets of selectable frame electrodes (5" and 7"). The kit also comes with Microchip's Windows-based AUREA control software, which includes MGC3130 real-time sensor data display, 2D and 3D visualization of position, visualization of recognized gestures, AFE parameterization, and GestIC library loader.
Samples of the Microchip MGC3130 are available now in a 5x5 mm 28-pin QFN package, and volume production is expected in April 2013 with pricing at $2.26 each in high volumes. The Microchip Sabrewing MGC3130 Single Zone Evaluation Kit is available now for $169. The AUREA graphical user interface is available now via a free download.
For additional information, visit Microchip.
Microchip has provided a video demo of GestIC technology and the MGC3130 in action:
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Fast Food
FAST FOOD. What is termed "fast food" in the United States today most commonly consists of hot, freshly prepared, and wrapped food items, served to customers across a counter or through a drive-up window. Known as both "fast food" and "quick-service food" in the restaurant industry, these items are routinely sold and delivered in an amount of time ranging from a few seconds to several minutes; they now vary widely in food type, encompassing virtually all kinds of meats, preparation methods, and ethnic cuisines. Inexpensive hamburgers and french fried potatoes are still the products most readily identified as fast food, but the list of items sold in the format continually increases. Fried fish and shellfish, hot dogs, chicken, pizza, roast beef, and pasta are commonly sold at quick-service outlets. In addition to these staples, many quick-service restaurants sell a broad menu of Americanized Mexican, Greek, and Chinese foods. Some fast-food outlets offer specialty items, such as sushi, clams, or ribs, and others even sell complete "home-cooked" meals over their counters. Though menus and delivery formats vary greatly, fast food's chief common denominators include immediate customer service, packaging "to go," and inexpensive pricing.
The precise origins of fast food are vague, probably predating written history. Hungry people are as old as civilization itself, as are entrepreneurs eager to satisfy their hunger. Food vendors in ancient cities sold prepared items to passersby on the street. The actual foods varied greatly, depending on period and culture, but they generally comprised simple, inexpensive fare sold to people of modest means.
Immigrants brought a variety of food styles to America, often preserving these for decades as a comforting connection with their ethnic past. Though many immigrant foodways were elaborate and ritualistic, most groups had one or two simple items that they consumed on a daily basis. As a rule, immigrant groups preferred their indigenous grains: corn from the Americas, rice from Asia, and wheat from Europe. Often these served as the basis for the "peasant" foods of their homelands. Pasta and flat breads came over with Italians; tortillas, beans, and tamales arrived with northbound Mexicans; and Germans brought dark breads, along with a variety of fatty sausages (which later mutated into the hot dog). Asian immigrants continued to eat rice as the basis of their diet.
In the early twentieth century fast food remained primarily the fare of the masses. Vendors wheeled their pushcarts daily to factory gates, selling their wares to hungry workers. Often catering to the tastes of the particular factory's dominant ethnic group, they charged customers pennies for basic items such as sausages, meatballs, or stew. Though popular among male industrial workers, this pushcart version of fast food never became mainstream cuisine.
The urban diner was the transitional phase between the vendor's pushcart and modern fast food. Most early diners were small restaurants, with limited seating, sometimes constructed out of converted railway carriages or streetcars. They served simple foods to working-class customers on a "short-order" basis, usually cooking each meal individually when ordered. Menus varied, but fried foods were common. Though diners often emphasized speed in delivering food, customers routinely lingered before and after eating.
The hamburger still stands out as the single most important American fast food, though the precise origin of this meat sandwich is the subject of historical disagreement. People have eaten chopped beef throughout the ages, and it was long a fixture in many world cultures. The lineage of the American hamburger seems to point directly, as its name indicates, back to the German city of Hamburg. First appearing on American restaurant menus in the mid-nineteenth century, ground beef patties bore the title "hamburg steak." By the century's close, vendors regularly sold meatballs wrapped in slices of bread at county fairs and summer festivals. Regional legends attribute the invention of this snack to several different individuals, but its true originator remains a mystery.
The Rise of Modern Fast Food
Our modern image of the fast-food restaurant dates back to 1916, when Walt Anderson began selling "hamburger sandwiches" from an outdoor stand on a Wichita street corner. Anderson simply flattened a meatball and placed it between two halves of a bun. His sandwich quickly became popular, attracting long lines of hungry buyers. By 1921, Anderson had joined local insurance broker Edgar "Billy" Ingram to form the White Castle System. After opening several identical restaurants in Wichita during their first year, the partners quickly spread their business to neighboring cities, then to nine major urban areas throughout the Midwest and on the East Coast. What separated the White Castle System from earlier short-order restaurants was its very streamlined menu, comprising only hamburgers, coffee, Coca-Cola, and pie; a uniform architectural style; and strict standardization of food quality, preparation methods, and employee performance. By the close of the 1920s, White Castle's aggressive marketing and rapid spread had made the hamburger one of the most popular foods in America.
Other entrepreneurs soon noticed White Castle's success in the hamburger business. Very closely copying White Castle's products, architecture, and company name, competing new chains also thrived, carrying the hamburger craze across the nation to smaller cities and towns. The White Tower chain appeared in 1925, eventually challenging White Castle's dominance in several northern cities. Krystal's, opened in 1929 in Chattanooga, soon became the hamburger powerhouse of the southeastern states. White Castle's hamburger sandwich, along with its many imitators, became a daily staple for many working-class Americans. It proved so successful, in fact, that by 1930 the president of the American Restaurant Association identified the fast-food hamburger as the most important food item in the nation.
Hamburgers became even more a mainstream food during the 1930s. The larger restaurant chains began marketing their products to middle-class buyers, and even more Americans became burger lovers. Despite the harsh economy of the Great Depression, most fast-food chains continued to thrive, and in many cases grew considerably. Most continued selling the White Castle–style hamburger, but late in the decade the Big Boy chain spread east from California, introducing its new double-decker hamburger sandwich along the way. By the end of the Depression, America was a solidly hamburger-eating culture.
After prospering in the Depression, however, the fast-food industry suffered a serious setback during World War II. Shortages of necessary foodstuffs, such as meat, sugar, tomatoes, and coffee, meant limited menu offerings and often a significant loss of business. Attempting to continue providing meals to their customers, fast-food restaurants experimented with different items that were still in abundance, including soy patties, chili, and french fried potatoes. Even more damaging than commodity shortages was the very low unemployment rate, which meant that most workers bypassed the restaurant industry in favor of higher-paying work. Adjusting to this labor shortage, chains soon replaced their all-male workforce with women and teenagers, two groups who would become their most common employees. Despite attempts to find palatable alternative foods, and despite the shifts in workforce, much of the fast-food industry was a casualty of the war; by 1945, more than half of America's restaurants had closed down, including several of the major fast-food chains.
Rebuilding the fast-food industry after the war proved a slow process. No single chain emerged to claim dominance, and little innovation occurred. Individual companies struggled to restore their prewar prosperity, and new regional chains tried to gain a foothold. Suffering the effects of escalating costs and still under the threat of continued shortages due to unstable food supplies in war-torn countries, fast-food restaurants often had to double prices to remain in business.
As population shifted from America's cities to suburbia during the 1950s, the fast-food industry quickly followed. Early chains such as White Castle and White Tower, resisting moving to the suburbs, were quickly eclipsed by upstart franchised chains. Burger King and McDonald's outlets became common fixtures at suburban crossroads, selling burgers, fries, and shakes to hungry families. Burger King's Jim McLamore and McDonald's Ray Kroc each sought to build one of his restaurants in every American town, and they opened hundreds of new Burger Kings and McDonald's each year in the 1960s. To accomplish this rapid expansion, they relied heavily on franchise investors, enforced strict product uniformity throughout their chains, and aggressively advertised in every newly opened territory. With McDonald's and Burger King's success, Burger Chef outlets soon appeared nearby. Arby's, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and Taco Bell were not far behind. By the late 1960s, fast food no longer meant just hamburger restaurants, but had diversified to include quick-service pizza, roast beef, chicken, and tacos. To give an idea of the dimensions to which the fast-food industry has grown, in 1999 Americans consumed over 26 billion pounds of beef, much of it as hamburgers. In that year McDonald's alone had more than ten thousand restaurants in the United States, from which it grossed in excess of $13 billion in revenue.
Criticism of Fast Food
Despite the widespread popularity of fast food in modern American culture, critics abound. Since the 1930s, articles and books have condemned the industry, exposing allegedly poor sanitary conditions, unhealthy food products, related environmental problems, and unfair working conditions. Whether it warrants the attention or not, the fast-food industry is still regularly cited for exploiting young workers, polluting, and contributing to obesity and other serious health problems among American consumers. American beef consumption, and more specifically the fast-food hamburger industry, is often blamed for the burning of the Amazon rain forests to make way for more grazing lands for beef cattle. Early foes of fast food cited the deplorable filth of many hamburger stands, in addition to claiming that the beef ground for their sandwiches was either spoiled, diseased, or simply of low quality. In fact, many critics maintained that much of the meat used in fast-food hamburgers came from horse carcasses. The high fat content of fast food was also controversial. Despite deceptive industry claims about the high quality and the health benefits of their products, in the 1920s and 1930s concerned nutritionists warned the public about the medical dangers of regular burger consumption. This distrust and criticism of fast food continue today, extending even further to include dire warnings about the industry's use of genetically modified and antibiotic-laden beef products. Most major chains have responded to recent attacks by prominently posting calorie and nutritional charts in their restaurants, advertising fresh ingredients, and offering alternatives to their fried foods. Despite a few more health-conscious items on the menu, fast-food chains now aggressively advertise the concept that bigger is better, offering large "super-size" or "biggie" portions of french fries, soft drinks, and milkshakes. Critics point to this marketing emphasis as a reason for an excessive and greatly increasing per-capita caloric intake among fast-food consumers, resulting in fast-growing rates of obesity in the United States.
Increased litter is another problem that critics have blamed on the fast-food industry. Selling their products in paper wrappings and paper bags, early outlets created a source of litter that had not previously existed. Wrappers strewn about city streets, especially those close to fast-food restaurants, brought harsh criticism, and often inspired new local ordinances to address the problem. Some municipalities actually forced chains to clean up litter that was imprinted with their logos, but such sanctions were rare. Fast-food wrappers became part of the urban, and later suburban, landscape. Since bags and wrappers were crucial in the delivery of fast food, the industry as a whole continued to use disposable packaging, superficially assuaging public criticism by providing outside trash receptacles for the discarded paper. Years later, environmentalists again attacked the industry for excessive packaging litter, criticizing both the volume and the content of the refuse. By the early 1970s, the harshest criticisms focused more on the synthetic materials used in packaging, and less on the carelessly discarded paper. Critics derided the industry's use of styrofoam sandwich containers and soda cups, claiming that these products were not sufficiently biodegradable and were clogging landfills. Facing mounting opposition from a growing environmental movement, most of the major chains returned to packaging food in paper wrappings or small cardboard boxes.
Labor activists have criticized fast-food chains' tendency to employ inexpensive teenage workers. Usually offering the lowest possible wages, with no health or retirement benefits, these restaurants often find it difficult hiring adults for stressful, fast-paced jobs. Many critics claim that the industry preys on teenagers, who will work for less pay and are less likely to organize. Though these accusations may have merit, the industry's reliance on teenage labor also has inherent liabilities, such as a high employee turnover rate, which result in substantial recruiting and training costs. Companies have countered criticism about their use of teenage workers with the rationale that they offer young people entry-level work experience, teaching them: both skills and responsibility.
Despite the relentless attacks, hundreds of millions of hungry customers eat fast food daily. The media constantly remind American consumers about its supposed evils. Most are conscious of the health risks from fatty, greasy meals; most realize that they are being served by a poorly paid young worker; and if they choose to ponder it, most are aware that the excessive packaging causes millions of tons of trash each year. But they continue to purchase and eat fast food on a regular basis. Fast food remains central to the American diet because it is inexpensive, quick, convenient, and predictable, and because it tastes good. Even more important, Americans eat fast food because it is now a cultural norm. As American culture homogenized and became distinctively "American" in the second half of the twentieth century, fast food, and especially the hamburger, emerged as the primary American ethnic food. Just as the Chinese eat rice and Mexicans eat tamales, Americans eat burgers.
And fast food has grown even beyond being just a distinctive ethnic food. Since the 1960s, the concept has extended far beyond the food itself, with the term becoming a common descriptor for other quick-service operations, even a metaphor for many of the negative aspects of mainstream American life. Theorists and pundits sometimes use the term "fast food" to denigrate American habits, institutions, and values, referring to them as elements of a "fast-food society." In fact, "fast-food" has become a frequently used adjective, implying not only ready availability but also superficiality, mass-produced standardization, lack of authenticity, or just poor quality.
In the last two decades of the twentieth century, fast food gained additional economic and cultural significance, becoming a popular American export to nations around the world. Some detractors claim that it is even deliberately used by the United States, as a tool of cultural imperialism. The appearance of a McDonald's or Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant on the streets of a foreign city signals to many the demise of indigenous culture, replacing another country's traditional practices and values with American materialism. In fact, the rapid spread of American fast food is probably not an organized conspiracy, rather more the result of aggressive corporate marketing strategies. Consumers in other countries are willing and able to buy fast-food products, so chains are quick to accommodate demand. Thought of around the world as "American food," fast food continues its rapid international growth.
See also Cattle ; Fish and Chips ; Food Politics: United States ; French Fries ; Hamburger ; Meat ; Obesity ; Packaging and Canning ; Potato ; Sandwich ; Slow Food ; Take-Out Food .
Boas, Max, and Steve Chain. Big Mac: The Unauthorized Story of McDonald's. New York: Dutton, 1976.
Emerson, Robert, L. Fast Food: The Endless Shakeout. New York: Lebhar-Friedman, 1979.
Halberstam, David. The Fifties. New York: Villard Books, 1993. Chapter 11 discusses the origins of the McDonald's empire.
Hogan, David Gerard. Selling 'em by the Sack: White Castle and the Creation of American Food. New York: New York University Press, 1997.
Jakle, John A., and Keith A. Sculle. Fast Food: Roadside Restaurants in the Automobile Age. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1999.
Langdon, Philip. Orange Roofs, Golden Arches: The Architecture of American Chain Restaurants. New York: Knopf, 1986.
McLamore, James, W. The Burger King: Jim McLamore and the Building of an Empire. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1998.
Mariani, John. America Eats Out. New York: William Morrow, 1991.
Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2001.
Tennyson, Jeffrey. Hamburger Heaven: The Illustrated History of the Hamburger. New York: Hyperion, 1993.
Witzel, Michael Karl. The American Drive-In: History and Folklore of the Drive-In Restaurant in the Car Culture. Osceola, Wisc.: Motorbooks International, 1994.
David Gerard Hogan
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"Fast Food." Encyclopedia of Food and Culture. . Retrieved November 17, 2017 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/food/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/fast-food
Food, Fast
FOOD, FAST. Fast food is what one eats in the vast majority of America's restaurants. The term denotes speed in both food preparation and customer service, as well as speed in customer eating habits. The restaurant industry, however, has traditionally preferred the designation "quick service." For hourly wage earners—whether factory hands or store clerks—take-out lunch wagons and sit-down lunch counters appeared at factory gates, streetcar stops, and throughout downtown districts in the late nineteenth century. For travelers, lunch counters also appeared in railroad stations nationwide. Fried food prevailed for its speed of preparation, as did sandwich fare and other fixings that could be held in the hand and rapidly eaten, quite literally, "on the run." Novelty foods, such as hot dogs, hamburgers, french fries, came to dominate, first popularized at various world's fairs and at the nation's resorts. Soft drinks and ice cream desserts also became a mainstay. Thus, "fast food" also came to imply diets high in fat and caloric intake. By the end of the twentieth century, the typical American consumed some three hamburgers and four orders of french fries a week. Roughly a quarter of all Americans bought fast food every day.
The rise of automobile ownership in the United States brought profound change to the restaurant industry, with fast food being offered in a variety of "drive-in" restaurant formats. Mom-and-pop enterprise was harnessed, largely through franchising, in the building of regional and national restaurant chains: Howard Johnson's, Dairy Queen, Burger King, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut, and Taco Tico. Place-product-packaging was brought forcefully to the fore; each restaurant in a chain variously shares the same logo, color scheme, architectural design motif, and point-of-purchase advertising, all configured in attention-getting, signlike buildings. Typically, fast food restaurants were located at the "roadside," complete with driveways, parking lots, and, later, drive-through windows for those who preferred to eat elsewhere, including those who ate in their cars as "dashboard diners." Critical to industry success was the development of paper and plastic containers that kept food hot and facilitated "carry-out." Such packaging, because of the volume of largely nonbiodegradable waste it creates, has become a substantial environmental problem.
In 2000, McDonalds—the largest quick-service chain—operated at some 13,755 locations in the United States and Canada. The company's distinctive "golden arches" have spread worldwide, well beyond North America. Abroad, fast food came to stand as an important symbol of American cultural, if not economic, prowess. And, just as it did at home, fast food became, as well, a clear icon of modernity. Historically, fast food merchandising contributed substantially to the quickening pace of American life through standardization. By the beginning of the twenty-first century, it fully embraced mass production and mass marketing techniques, reduced to the scale of a restaurant. Chains of restaurants, in turn, became fully rationalized within standardized purchasing, marketing, and management systems. Such a system depends on a pool of cheap, largely unskilled labor, the quick service restaurant industry being notorious for its low wages and, accordingly, its rapid turnover of personnel.
Jakle, John A., and Keith A. Sculle. Fast Food: Roadside Restaurants in the Automobile Age. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1999.
Pillsbury, Richard. No Foreign Food: The American Diet and Place. Boulder, Colo.: Westview Press, 1998.
Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. New York: HarperCollins, 2002.
John A.Jakle
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"Food, Fast." Dictionary of American History. . Encyclopedia.com. 17 Nov. 2017 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.
"Food, Fast." Dictionary of American History. . Encyclopedia.com. (November 17, 2017). http://www.encyclopedia.com/history/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/food-fast
"Food, Fast." Dictionary of American History. . Retrieved November 17, 2017 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/history/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/food-fast
Convenience Foods
Convenience Foods
Convenience foods are foods that have had preparation steps incorporated into their processing, or have been completely prepared during processing. This decreases preparation steps and time for the consumer. The "convenience" can mean the premixing of the ingredients for a cake or offering a fully prepared frozen meal. The term convenience food is generic and can apply to just about any food, but it is generally used in reference to canned items, instant foods or mixes, frozen foods or meals, and fast foods. Although they can be more costly than home-cooked meals, the trend is toward their increased use throughout the world.
see also Dietary Trends, American; Dietary Trends, International; Fast Foods.
Judith C. Rodriguez
Anderson, J., and Deskins, B. (1995). The Nutrition Bible. New York: William Morrow.
Labensky, S.; Ingram, G. G.; Labensky, S. R. (1997). Webster's New World Dictionary of Culinary Arts. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
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"Convenience Foods." Nutrition and Well-Being A to Z. . Retrieved November 17, 2017 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/food/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/convenience-foods
convenience foods
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"convenience foods." A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. . Retrieved November 17, 2017 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/education/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/convenience-foods
fast food
fast food • n. food that can be prepared quickly and easily and is sold in restaurants and snack bars as a quick meal or to be taken out: [as adj.] a fast-food restaurant.
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"fast food." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. . Encyclopedia.com. 17 Nov. 2017 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.
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"fast food." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. . Retrieved November 17, 2017 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/fast-food


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Bowling Green, Springhead Park. (Rothwell)
16th May 1936. Photograph taken at the official opening of the Bowling green also shows tennis courts and landscaped gardens of Springhead Park.
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Merchant Navy Week, Crowning of the Queen. (Rothwell) (1 comment)
1945. Photograph taken in Springhead Park to commemorate Merchant Navy Week 29th September-6th October 1945. Back Row. Left to Right. J.C Harrison, Mrs Smart, Cllr. Smart, C.Overbury, E.F. Moorhouse, Mrs Dobson, W.E.Moorhouse, Mrs Capewell. Front Row. Cllr. Blackman, Cllr. Capewell, Miss Oakes, Miss Cheseborough, Miss Benford (Queen), Miss Butterfield, Miss Davies.
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Springhead House, Park Lane (Rothwell)
c1961. View shows the front entrance of Springhead House, situated on Park Lane at the edge of Springhead Park. The house was at the time the residence of the superintendent of the park, who was then Mr. Percy Burrows; the small boy in the toy car is his son, Jan Burrows, who supplied the photograph. Springhead House was built c1806 for the brothers who owned the cloth factory at the side of Rothwell Beck. After the cloth factory closed the house had various owners or occupants including Mr Blayds of Oulton Hall, Thomas Caldwell, the head gardener of the Oulton Estate, timber merchant John Brown, and Mr. William Nichol. The house has since been demolished.
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Springhead House, Park Lane (Rothwell)
c1964. View shows the gardens and part of the house of Springhead House, then the residence of the superintendent of Springhead Park. Mr. Percy Burrows was superintendent at the time and the young boy pictured is his son Jan Burrows who provided the photograph. This former gentlemen's residence was built c1806 for the brothers who owned the cloth mill beside Rothwell Beck. In the 1840s Mr Blayds of Oulton Hall bought the mill and house, demolishing the mill and turning the site of its main shed into a formal Victorian garden. The house was eventually demolished after remaining derelict for a time from when the Burrows family left in 1966; the wall on the left remains as the present park wall.
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Springhead House. (Rothwell) (2 comments)
1926. View of Springhead House taken from Springhead Park. Springhead House was built in 1806 in conjunction with the building of the Cloth Factory on the side of Rothwell Beck. In 1845 the partnership running the Cloth factory dissolved and the estate was bought by Mr. Blayds of Oulton Hall. In 1851 one half of the house was occupied by Thomas Caldwell, Head Gardener of the Oulton Estate while the other half was empty. In 1861 Mr. John Brown a Timber Merchant from Leeds occupied the house. He built a Saw Mill on the site that was previously the Cloth Factory. It was around this time that the house was largely rebuilt and aquired the name 'Springfield House'. When Mr.Brown died the house was acquired by the Nichols Family. The house was occupied by the Rothwell park superintendent between at least the 1950s and much of the 1960s. It was later demolished. The site of the building is now being represented by flower beds and is located behind the present park wall.
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J.K. Rowling (pictured) has won the newly established the Hans Christian Andersen literature award. She accepted the 500,000 kroner (approximately $75,000) award at a ceremony at Odense, Denmark.
The Guardian reports: "Rowling said she was 'humbled and deeply honoured' to receive the prize, saying 'Hans Christian Andersen is a writer I revere, because his work was of that rare order that seems to transcend authorship,' and praising Andersen's "indestructible, eternal characters.'"
Next month marks the release of the first part of the film adaptation of Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows. The second part will be released next July–which every Potter fan knows is Harry's birth month. Potter and Rowling share the same birth date, July 31st.


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Adam Goldstein, President and CEO Royal Caribbean International wrote this in todays blog on the Royal Caribbean web site
How the Volcanic Ash Affects Our Ships
Volcanic ash from Iceland has ascended over Europe and is affecting air travel to, from and within the region just as the new European cruise season is getting underway. This is proof that we had not yet seen everything. We are affected by the interaction of a still-erupting volcano and an uncertain wind and weather pattern. These factors are about as far beyond our control as is imaginable. As a result, we are dealing with this challenge on a day to day and even hour to hour basis. Our goal is to enable as many people as possible to board our ships before the ships must depart to maintain all or nearly all of their scheduled itineraries. While our primary focus is on the ships in Europe, there are also ships in the Caribbean and elsewhere that are expecting guests originating from Europe. We are hoping that the situation abates but working intensively on it while it persists.
This situation is obviously about far more than our issues or even the cruise industrys issues. Besides airlines it has implications for hotels, rental cars, trains, ferries and every other element of travel and leisure. We need to take all of this into account.
As always, we protect our guests who have purchased air transportation through us. For example, guests who purchased air arrangements through Royal Caribbean and who were scheduled to travel on cruises departing on April 18th, and whose travel became impossible due to airport closures, will be provided a refund of their air fare and a Future Cruise Certificate in the amount of the cruise fare paid.
This situation presents much more complexity than what we usually face with downline protection for a limited number of guests. This bizarre set of circumstances is a powerful reminder of the benefits of purchasing travel insurance with trip cancellation protection. Its impossible to generalize what coverage will be provided in this instance, but having coverage is very likely to be preferable to having no coverage.
While this is a case of first impression as the lawyers like to say, our key people know their roles and responsibilities in a situation and assume them seamlessly. Given the time difference between the US and Europe, the first conference call of each morning occurs at 5 a.m. Eastern time. We are obviously monitoring the progress of the cloud of debris as well as any pronouncements from national authorities about the implications of the situation on their airports and air flights. For example, at the moment we know that British Airways has cancelled flights on Monday and UK airspace will not open before at least 7 a.m. UK time. We discuss all of this by email and phone as a management team as each day unfolds and try to agree as quickly as possible on any information to post on our web site or issue in the form of a letter to our guests currently onboard.
Under the present strange circumstances we expect to deal with unforeseeable nuances every day. One issue that is more than a nuance is that our crew are affected as well, either not being able to go home or not being able to get to their ship. Im sure we are far from alone in this.
If you are affected, please stay tuned to royalcaribbean.com for the latest information.
link to blog--> Why Not?


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How to Replace a Starter Cord on a John Deere Lawn Mower
Inspect the rope housing for the mower. You will need a socket or a screwdriver to loosen the bolts or screws that are holding the rope in place.
Observe the metal wheel. The other half of the rope will be coiled around this wheel, which acts as a pulley for the mower. Using a wrench, loosen the bolt that holds the wheel in place. When the wheel is pulled off, the winding spring which coils the rope automatically will come off with it.
Pull the old rope off. Cut the rope off using a knife as there will most likely be a knot. Remember which way the rope is coiled around the pulley; you will install the new rope in the same way.
Tie the new rope to the wheel. Next, wrap the rope around the wheel. Place the wheel back on to the mower, bolt it in place and tighten. To ensure that it is working properly before you reinstall the housing, pull lightly on the rope to make sure it pulls and then slowly let it wind back up.
Take the end of the rope and pull it through the hole of the housing where the original rope was. If the new rope does not include a new pull handle, take the old one and tie to the end of the rope. Sometimes the new rope will be longer than the old rope; you can cut to fit in this scenario.
Place the coil housing back on and screw it in place.