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How do I find a mentor in a small town?
min read
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Ronnie

Score.org is great for retired execs who want to give back.

www.actioncoach.com and they have a bunch of business coaches in the Charlotte area.

Also join several networking groups. Often you will find a great mentor, but most will say no when you first ask them to be your mentor. You could ask them, however, if they wouldn't mind a call every now and again to ask a business question or two. You might even ask if you can run your business plan by them; most will be happy to give some time.

Good luck. Brad Sugars


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I began the study of Shorin-Ryu as a student of Matsubayashi-Ryu in the 1970's. Naturally, I read, read, and re-read The Essence of Okinawan Karate-Do (1976) by Matsubayashi-Ryu founder Shoshin Nagamine. I still use the book as a reference.
On pages 21 through 24 of the book (I am looking at a first edition, in English), there is a discussion about Shuri-Te and Naha-Te. One aspect of this discussion has troubled me for some time.
On page 23, there is a diagram showing the stepping patterns of Matsubayashi-Ryu (Shuri-te) and Goju-Ryu (Naha-te). The Matsubayashi-Ryu steps appear to be on a straight line. From shizentai dachi (natural stance), the student would step forward in a straight line.
The Goju-Ryu steps (in sanchin dachi), in contrast, are curved. Nagamine Sensei wrote: "Unlike the movements in Shuri-te, the feet travel rather slowly on a crescent-shaped line." Page 22.
Traditionally in Matsubayashi-Ryu, there is a fist's width between the line of the heels in shinzentai dachi. As one steps (on a straight line), this width is maintained -- creating an opening between the legs of a fist's width. This is plenty of room for a kick to the groin.
When I started to learn the Kishaba Juku form of Shorin-Ryu, one thing I was taught right away was that the feet should arc while stepping, somewhat like the Goju-Ryu steps. I was a little confused -- the crescent shaped step was Goju-Ryu (Naha-te), not Shorin-Ryu. (Note: I should explain that by "arc" I mean that the back foot moves toward the front foot and then forward to the final position. It arcs or zigzags, depending on how you do it.)
This "bothered" me for a few years. Only recently have I realized that the arc, while there, might be reduced until it is almost a straight line. When there is a fist's width (or more) between the heels, the arc will be noticeable. But when the body is in hanmi (slanted), it is more natural to have less space between the heels. Actually, the heels are almost on the same line. In this orientation, the movement of the feet while stepping is more like a straight line. See: Posts Regarding Hanmi.
Because we overload our front foot and "pull" or "drag" the back foot as we step forward, we tend to pull the back foot toward the front (load bearing) foot. The wider the stance, the more it will travel in an arc. However, the narrower the stance (width wise), the more it will seem to travel in a straight line.
This differs from the illustration in Nagamine Sensei's book. So perhaps for Kishaba Juku, we need a new diagram to illustrate stepping.
I should also clarify that we actually do not bring our feet together when we step. It may look like this, but when you bring your feet together, you create a "dead" moment. At this moment, your balance becomes fixed and you cannot move freely. Actually, the feet come close, but not quite together. For some students, their thighs will touch before their feet could.
Of course, there are many ways to move and to step. It all depends on what you are seeking to accomplish. But our general way of stepping is in an arc. The curvature of the arc will vary depending on the horizontal width of the stance.
So do we step like Goju-Ryu? Not at all! The fact that both methods feature a crescent or arc is, I think, a coincidence. The mechanics are, in my opinion, completely different.
Charles C. Goodin
"Shape" of Footsteps
I began the study of Shorin-Ryu as a student of Matsubayashi-Ryu in the 1970's. Naturally, I read, read, and re-read The Essence of Okinawan Karate-Do (1976) by Matsubayashi-Ryu founder Shoshin Nagamine. I still use the book as a reference.
Posted by Charles C. Goodin on Thursday, September 27, 2007


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Further Ombudsman checks approved…
On September 10, 2013, Judge Friedman issued an order approving the Ombudsman invoice for June 2013 as part of the $399,690.00 budget previously approved for work the Ombudsman was to perform between March 1, 2013 and August 31, 2013.
Judge Friedman ordered the Ombudsman to be paid $26,634.70 for work performed in June 2013. The Ombudsman apparently performed almost $27,000.00 worth of work in June though we haven't seen the invoice so we don't know what work was done exactly.
From this money, $15,659.65 will be paid to the Ombudsman and $10,975.05 will be paid to the Deputy Ombudsman. Judge Friedman once again ordered that the Court must pay the Ombudsman within 15 days from today.
Remember, this money does not come out of the administrative costs fund used to pay the settlement administrator but rather comes directly out of the fund set aside for the benefit of class members.
Expect at least one more order for checks to the Ombudsman for August 2013.


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text: Republican Congressman Slams Bush On Militarized Police State Preparation Ron Paul says indictment story is far more damaging than media is portraying, avian flu martial law provisions aimed at gun confiscation Paul Joseph Watson & Alex Jones | October 12 2005 Congressman Ron Paul has accused the Bush administration of attempting to set in motion a militarized police state in America by enacting gun confiscation martial law provisions in the event of an avian flu pandemic. Paul also slammed as delusional and dangerous plans to invade Iran, Syria, North Korea and China. Ron Paul represents the 14th Congressional district of Texas. He also serves on the House of Representatives Financial Services Committee, and the International Relations committee. Paul appeared on the Alex Jones show yesterday and raised some interesting points about the possibility of imminent indictments of top Bush administration figures. "I think there's a lot more excitement coming and it's not going to be good for the Republicans," stated Paul. "The things that I hear have to do with Karl Rove and Abramoff and that's much much worse than anybody would believe and it involves DeLay as well." "And that type of an indictment will be much more serious than the indictment of shifting campaign funds around.....there's some political infighting which could make that really interesting." On the subject of the police state, Paul stated, "If we don't change our ways we will go the way of Rome and I see that as rather sad.....the worst things happen when you get the so-called Republican conservatives in charge from Nixon on down, big government flourishes under Republicans." "It's really hard to believe it's happening right in front of us. Whether it's the torture or the process of denying habeas corpus to an American citizen." "I think the arrogance of power that they have where they themselves are like Communists....in the sense that they decide what is right. The Communist Party said that they decided what was right or wrong, it wasn't a higher source." Paul responded to President Bush's announcement last week that he would order the use of military assets to police America in the event of an avian flu outbreak. "To me it's so strange that the President can make these proposals and it's even plausible. When he talks about martial law dealing with some epidemic that might come later on and having forced quarantines, doing away with Posse Comitatus in order to deal with natural disasters, and hardly anybody says anything. People must be scared to death." Paul, himself a medical doctor, agreed that a bird flu threat was possibly empty fearmongering. "I believe it is the President hyping this and Rumsfeld, but it has to be in combination with the people being fearful enough that they will accept the man on the white horse. My first reaction going from my political and medical background is that it's way overly hyped and to think that they have gone this far with it, without a single case in the whole country and they're willing to change the law and turn it into a military state? That is unbelievable! They're determined to have martial law." Paul opined that the martial law provisions now being promoted by the Bush administration were a direct response to people's unwillingness to relinquish their firearms, as was seen in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. "I think they're concerned about the remnant, the remnant of those individuals who don't buy into stuff and think that they should take care of themselves on their own, that they should have their own guns and their own provisions and they don't want to depend on the government at all and I think that is a threat to those who want to hold power. They don't want any resistance to their authoritarian rule." Paul opined that the government was on a delusional power trip that threatened the country. "These guys are ready to start a war with Iran, Syria, North Korea or China. They can't possibly do that, it's so insane, we don't have the money, we don't have the troops, we probably don't even have the ammunition." "But, if they are truly delusional they just might do something that's totally irrational." Paul expressed his hope that finally some conservatives are waking up to the fact that the Bush administration is a trojan horse, especially after arch-liberal Harriet Miers was chosen by Bush to supposedly move the Supreme Court to the right, even though her record is atrocious and she has been involved in the past covering up for the Bush crime family's activities. -tkm -- If I could only live at the pitch that is near madness When everything is as it was in my childhood Violent,vivid,and of infinite possibility: That the sun and moon broke over my head.-preface, 'Feast of Snakes' -- http://www.fastmail.fm - Send your email first class


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"We are the world" - United flags. From a distance a work of art; look closer and you will see all the countries of the world on your wall.
This Digital Wall Art comes in 4 easy to apply
panels (each panel is 45cm wide x 265cm high).
This Wall Art can also be re-scaled or coloured to your exact specification. Contact Sales Team for further information.
Please Note: Please allow up to 14 working days for delivery.


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Retired Illinois State University professor Emerson Wiens will address the positives and negatives of technology during Tabor College's Lifelong Learning series at 9:45 a.m. Friday in the Wohlgemuth Music Education Center.
Wiens attended Tabor College for a semester before transferring to Bethel College and earning a degree in industrial arts education. He taught for 23 years at Bethel and earned a doctorate in vocational and technical education at the University of Illinois. He taught technology in society courses for 12 years at Illinois State University.
Admission for Lifelong Learning costs $4 per session. For more information, contact Connie Isaac at (620) 947-5964 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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To the editor:
I applaud Jacqueline DeGroot for her letter in the Beacon on the circus concerning Sheriff Hewett.
My feelings on this matter are exactly the same. I have known Sheriff Hewett for a very long time and know he and his family are fine upstanding citizens of this county.
He has done, and continues to do, his job to the very best of his abilities in spite of everything.
I know and firmly believe wholeheartedly there is not another individual who is better qualified as the sheriff of Brunswick County.
If you currently subscribe or have subscribed in the past to the The Brunswick Beacon, then simply find your account number on your mailing label and enter it below.
Click the question mark below to see where your account ID appears on your mailing label.
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Ms Sadistic Detective S01 720p BluRay x264 AC3-WiKi
Ms. Sadistic Detective / Do S Deka (TV Mini-Series 2015)
Kuroi Maya is a beautiful yet sadistic detective who excels at checking out information on others and using it as a weapon to corner the enemy. But she has no sense of loyalty to the police organisation, completely ignores rules and loves to see troubled looks on people's faces. She became a detective so that she can torment bad people all she wants.
Starring: Mikako Tabe, Tadayoshi Ohkura, Yô Yoshida, Hikaru Yaotome, Yasuhi Nakamura, Masanobu Katsumura, Masanori Ishii, Mitz Mangrove, Saori Seto, Yûsuke Suga, Masatô Ibu, Kayoko Kishimoto
Creator: Izumi Kawasaki, Yoshi Nanao


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Rihanna to Perform on 'American Idol' Finale
Rihanna will be on hand to crown the 'American Idol' victor this year. The Bajan beauty is slated to perform on the May 23 finale at 8PM ET.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Rihanna will take the stage to perform her latest hit, 'Where Have You Been' on the two-hour results show. It will be her third time performing on the Fox ratings juggernaut. This is almost as exciting as finding out who of Hollie Cavanagh, Joshua Ledet, Phillip Phillips and Jessica Sanchez will take home the title!
It will be the most recent in a flurry of television appearances for the stunner. She's hitting the promotional circuit hard, not just for her music, but also for her movie debut in 'Battleship,' which hits theaters on May 18.
Rihanna is fresh off of her 'Saturday Night Live' stint, where she performed 'Where Have You Been' and a 'Birthday Cake' / 'Talk That Talk' mashup. Here's hoping she feels well enough to rehearse.


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"South Africa"
Published by SDUK, 1834
Printed by Lahaina Printsellers, Ltd., 2016
This superior reproduction of "South Africa" was originally published in 1834. It's a fine example of the fascinating and highly-accurate series of maps issued in London between 1830 and 1850 by the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, commonly known as the SDUK.
The Society was formed in March 1828, by the publisher Charles Knight and Henry Brougham, a radical politician and reformer. During its lifetime, the SDUK was extremely active and published numerous informative works.
Their publications were inexpensive texts, as their goal was to bring scientific and similarly high-minded material to the working and middle classes.
We custom-print this facsimile map on waterproof canvas in our Lahaina studio using the finest archival inks, which are tested and guaranteed not to fade or shift under normal circumstances for over 100 years. Modern printing techniques allow us to improve and enhance the historical subject matter, even as we're careful to preserve and maintain its historical and artistic integrity.
Copyright © 2019 Lahaina Printsellers, Ltd. All Rights Reserved.


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LAWNDALE � When it�s a do-or-die situation, every pitch, catch and swing is magnified.
Thursday night at the Burns High ballpark in the 3A baseball playoffs, the host Bulldogs and North Gaston hooked up in a game that will be memorable for a lot of reasons. After the dust had cleared in a game full of drama, the visiting Wildcats had pulled out a 5-4, eight-inning victory to advance.
North (15-9) moves on to face either East Henderson or Fred T. Foard Tuesday in the second round. Burns closed out a 17-7 campaign.
Two solid pitchers, North lefthander Jared Wallace and Burns right-hander Ethan Carpenter, hooked up in a tight game throughout.
�There were two good pitchers going and I really expected less runs than were scored,� said Burns coach David Wise. �You know that Wallace is going to stay with what he does and he�s crafty. Ethan did a good job like he has all season for us.�
Burns led early 1-0 on Brandon Alexander�s RBI double in the first. But the Bulldogs, who had two men on with no outs, couldn�t generate anything else as Wallace fanned three straight. That would be a theme throughout the contest, especially as Burns left seven runners aboard in the first four innings.
�We couldn�t get the big knock until the seventh,� said Wise. �We hit a lot of �at-em� drives.�
Garrett Lowery�s two-run homer to center put North ahead in the top of the third but Burns pulled back even at 2-2 in the bottom of the inning when Carpenter delivered a RBI single.
North got a pair of two-out, RBI hits in the sixth from Drew Green and Alex Patton to seize a 4-2 edge.
�We expect the top of our lineup to hit and Garrett had a big night for us,� said North coach Jesse Martin, �but to win the bottom of your lineup has to come through and Drew got a couple of big hits for us.�
The Bulldogs face extinction in the bottom of the seventh but with Wallace (9-2) only two outs from finishing it off, Bulldog sophomore first baseman Bradley Evans launched a two-run drive over the left-center field wall to tie it and set off a major Burns celebration.
But North went right back on the attack in the top of the inning against reliever Phillip Black. Lowery doubled off the center-field fence leading off, then Green singled home the go-ahead run to make it 5-4.
Wallace struck out the side in the eighth to end it.
�He�s been a horse for us for two years,� North�s Martin said of Wallace. �He didn�t have his best stuff tonight. We hadn�t played in about 11 days and he hadn�t started in two weeks, I don�t know if that had something to do with it.
�The homer (by Evans) I think got his juices going again and he didn�t throw anything off-speed after that.�
Burns, which out-hit North 9-8, was led by Alexander�s two hits. Lowery and Green had two hits apiece for the Wildcats.
�The word I describe it is unfortunate,� said Wise. �We�re a No. 1 seed and we draw them in the first round. They�re a very good team.
�We had two teams that went at it. My guys played as hard as they could there�s no doubt of that.�


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In 1947, when excusing Soviet totalitarianism had become quite the rage in fashionable progressive circles, George Orwell eviscerated a British politician who consistently defended totalitarians but nevertheless denied that he was a defender of totalitarianism. "But of course he does," Orwell wrote. "What else could he say? A pickpocket does not go to the races with a label 'pickpocket' on his coat lapel, and a propagandist does not describe himself as a propagandist."
Orwell's point holds true for today's debate over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. His pickpocket metaphor seems particularly applicable to those critics of Israel who can always be counted upon to decide that Israel has behaved miserably in defending herself, regardless of the suffering of Israeli civilians that their government is seeking to prevent and regardless of the actions of those who have caused that suffering.
These are individuals who nonetheless stoutly deny that they are in any way biased against Israel.
In fact, these critics view the very pointing out of what looks very much like anti-Israel bias as an affront.
Those who point out the critics' seeming inability to ever locate a justification for Israeli actions, let alone a legitimate Israeli interest in self-defense, are dismissed as part of the "pro-Israel lobby," who simply cannot tolerate anyone who has "the temerity to criticize Israel." And as for the suggestion that they harbor any bias against Israel, very much like Orwell's defenders of totalitarianism, they deny it, adamantly.
To be sure, there ought to be ample room for legitimate debate about Israeli policies. But there does appear to be a determination in certain quarters to hew to an anti-Israeli line on every issue, without exception.
Where's the context?
Often, this occurs through a failure to explain the rationale or context for Israel's actions – even actions that are emphatically defensive in nature.
For example, earlier this month, New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof managed the feat of devoting an entire column to calling upon Israel to lift the blockade of Gaza, while mentioning not one word about the rocketing of Israeli civilians that had brought about the blockade, and whose recurrence the blockade is intended to prevent.
Indeed, for much of the past decade, Israel has been forced to defend itself from charges that defending itself is a crime.
From 2000 to 2004, the Palestinian leadership organized a suicide bombing campaign aimed at killing and maiming as many Israeli civilians as possible. Innocent Palestinians were recruited to kill innocent Israelis, using bombs packed with nails to do the maximum harm.
About 1,100 Israelis were blown to pieces and 5,000 more were wounded or maimed. This is the rough proportional equivalent of about 55,000 Americans killed and 250,000 Americans wounded or maimed. The launching of this campaign followed the Palestinian rejection of major Israeli concessions at the 2000 Camp David Summit, including an independent Palestinian state consisting of all of Gaza, virtually all of the West Bank, and a capital in East Jerusalem.
After asking the Palestinian leadership to stop this bombing campaign, and calling upon others to call upon the Palestinian leadership to stop it, and waiting for nearly two years in vain for it to stop, the Israelis began to construct a fence intended to bring the bombing to an end. A bombing campaign whose very purpose was to take innocent human life should have triggered universal condemnation of Palestinian violence.
Double standards
It didn't. In progressive quarters, the Palestinian bombing of Israeli civilians for the purpose of taking innocent life and terrorizing civilians wasn't deemed a human rights violation. But Israel's construction of a purely defensive fence was. That, according to several critics, was the real human rights violation.
Similarly, from 2000 to 2008, the working class families of southern Israel were subjected to somewhere between 8,000 and 10,000 rockets, missiles, and bombs fired at them by Hamas gunmen embedded in civilian neighborhoods in Gaza. The use of innocent Palestinians as human shields from which to fire rockets at innocent Israelis surely constituted the Daily Double of human rights violations.
And yet for that 8 year period the progressive community remained largely silent – silent about the Palestinian use of civilians as human shields, and silent about the targeting of innocent Israeli civilians, who were doing nothing more than trying to live their lives and send their children to school in the morning with some confidence that they would return alive in the afternoon.
When in late 2008, the Israelis finally acted to stop the missile fire, here is what Richard Kemp, the former commander of Britain's military forces in Afghanistan, had to say about their efforts to minimize the harm done to Palestinians while trying to protect Israeli civilians from the attacks: "I don't think there has ever been a time in the history of warfare when an army has made more efforts to reduce civilian casualties and deaths of innocent people than the Israeli Defense Forces is doing today in Gaza."
Now, had it not been for the 8 years of rocketing of Israeli civilians from Gaza there never would have been any need for an Israeli response at all. Yet, those who had remained largely uninterested in the attacks on Israeli civilians for 8 years found themselves appalled that the Israelis had actually taken steps to stop them.
It turned out that it wasn't the 8 years of targeting Israeli civilians that was the human rights violation.
It was the Israeli effort to stop the attacks.
So it has gone with issue after issue when it comes to the Mideast conflict. Those who from all appearances have to stifle a yawn when it comes to the suffering endured by Israelis can, with perfect predictability, be expected to criticize Israel for trying to stop that suffering.
And so it was only weeks ago with the flotilla incident off the coast of Gaza.
Virtually no mention was made of the broader issue of the smuggling of rockets, missiles, and bombs into Gaza, which were used against Israelis, are presently being used against Israelis, and will be used against Israelis in the future. It was hardly as though the dilemma of the Israelis, who are trying to protect their civilians from ever more dangerous weapons with ever greater range, should be taxing to understand, and yet the basic Israeli reasons for the blockade went all but unmentioned.
Reflexive bias
Thus, when nine members of the Turkish boat died after its passengers began attacking Israeli sailors, The Boston Globe – epitomizing reflexive, rather than considered, judgment – immediately urged the Obama administration to condemn Israel, without even asking first for an investigation, let alone waiting for one to take place.
The anti-Israel fashion that is so enthralling to so many in so many places provides a comfortable setting for those who are determined to indict Israel whatever the facts, whatever the circumstances. Those doing the indicting deny that they are biased.
And that is understandable. "Bias" is not the sort of label one wants on his coat lapel.
Jeffrey Robbins served as a United States Delegate to the United Nations Human Rights Commission under President Clinton. He is an attorney in Boston.


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The Official Guide for GMAT Review, 13th Edition: Book Review:
What's new?
A new Official Guide is out! It's been a while since we've had a new edition, so this is definitely something to be excited about. The previous edition was released in the spring of 2009 and here we are, three years later, enjoying a fresh, green OG 13 (an abbreviation you'll often see in the forums). The big change this time around? The test itself will be changing for the first time in years, with the addition of the new Integrated Reasoning section, which replaces the Analysis of an Issue essay of the Analytical Writing Assessment starting June 2012.
The OG 13 mirrors this, since there's a new part of the book dedicated to how to tackle Integrated Reasoning. In the back cover of the book you'll also find a special access code to 50 Integrated Reasoning practice questions on the test makers' website mba.com. It's unclear how the new section will be scored, but one thing's for sure: it won't count towards that all-important 200 to 800 score you see on MBA programs' websites, to the relief of many. However, note that the IR section comes before the quant and verbal parts (the ones that do count), so getting tired and/or nervous during the IR section will not do you any good later. That's why I strongly recommend you practice this new format. As a side note, the new IR questions will look strangely familiar to those who've taken aptitude tests for investment banking and consulting recruiting!
The other big news is that the book contains 158 new quant and verbal practice questions, out of a total of 907 questions for the two "main events" of the GMAT (if you're curious to know exactly what the new questions are, check out this article). Is it worth buying the book for these new questions, if you're not taking the test after the IR is introduced? In my view, it's not, so for those who have the OG 12 and have scheduled their test before June 2nd, you've got nothing to worry about. In fact, if you compare the changes in OG 13 vs. OG 12 with the changes in the OG 12 vs. OG 11, you'll realize there are significantly fewer new questions: the OG 12 had 300 new questions as compared to the OG 11, arguably a more dramatic change.
As always, the OG is a must for all test takers. Since official guides are the only books that contain real, retired GMAT questions, they are utterly priceless as resources for practice. Replicating the exact structure and "feel" of real GMAT questions is something that test prep companies have yet to accomplish.
The book is not exactly "travel size," but this should be regarded as a plus, since it stems from the fact that the book features 907 questions and quite generous answer explanations (particularly in verbal). But here's a tip for those looking to prep on the go: GMAC (the makers of the test) have released IPhone and Android apps with all the problems in the book for your convenience! The problems are structured as follows:
- 48 Quantitative and 52 Verbal in the Diagnostics Test
- 230 Problem Solving
- 174 Data Sufficiency
- 139 Reading Comprehension
- 124 Critical Reasoning
- 140 Sentence Correction
- A great, all-in-one resource for official questions, excellent for training your eye to spot commonly-tested patterns. This is the reason why I believe that it's worth investing some energy even in lower difficulty questions (unless pressed for time).
- Detailed explanations in verbal: this is something that I have not seen mentioned often, but I believe is of crucial importance. In all three sections, explanations follow a similar style: an overview of the question and a solid analysis of ALL the answers, not just the correct one. Understanding why your answer is wrong is sometimes even more important than getting it right.
- Questions are arranged in order of difficulty, so if you have little time at hand and feel sufficiently confident about your knowledge, you can just focus on the last questions of each section.
- Good value for your money: at just over 20 dollars on Amazon.com, getting over 900 retired questions is a bargain.
- The OG is not a strategy guide, it's a "workout list." Each section contains a review of the subject, but this is not nearly enough to get you through the test, especially if your math skills are a bit rusty. You will need to rely on other resources for concepts!
- While verbal explanations are generally high quality, quantitative explanations are not as great. Some test takers (particularly advanced ones) will often find themselves opting for a quicker or easier way to solve the given problems. I will however note that more often than not, the OG explanations do not feature number picking. While this is sometimes a faster way to solve a problem, its use is confusing for some GMAT hopefuls.
- This book is intended to be a guide for the general test taker, so be prepared to see mostly easy and medium difficulty problems. If aiming for a top score, you'll need to supplement your prep with harder material (such as LSAT sets for critical reasoning). As mentioned before though, do not neglect the easy stuff, since it gets you in the right mindset for the official style of questions. Besides, it's usually the very easy questions that throw off advanced students!
Bottom Line
The Official Guide 13th is a must have, no matter your level. Even though you will have to spend some extra money on a good strategy book, getting the OG is crucial for your prep. As you go through various GMAT-related material, you will begin to notice the difference between an official question (clear-cut answers, great structure) and an unofficial question (structure is sometimes lacking, answers not as well defined). Because the "feel" of official questions is markedly different from that of test prep developed questions, I recommend saving/carefully reviewing some problems for the very last days before your test.
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90 comments
Hi Dana
Nice article..I have my test scheduled on 13th April, 2012. Now my question is is it worth buying this book for those 150 new Questions?
Nope, I don't think it's worth doing that! Unless you are completely out of questions (i.e. have exhausted everything including the official guide supplements for quant and verbal), then no need to worry.
I wonder why they've added this new IR section that doesn't count towards the score that matters.
This was a reaction to the introduction of the new GRE. I personally liked the GMAT as it was and still think of it as a better test (the quant and verbal parts) than the GRE, but I am a big fan at the end of the day so I may not be objective! IMHO the reasons were mainly that:
- GMAC had to respond to the sweeping GRE changes with something, be it a section that's not included in the overall 200-800 score.
- the types of questions they've introduced are more relevant to MBA work than the essay they had in the past.
It is better to buy the book as there are some new and tougher questions added to the OG. With the introduction of IR, there is no authentic materials for it. So only option is to buy the new OG. It is better to spend a few bucks than re-taking the test.
Eagerly waiting for the New OG!!!!
I envy your writing skill. Your reviews are awesome. Its like someone in person is talking to you.
Thanks, AbhiJ!
Hey Dana ,
Im taking the GMAT on 25th June. Should I get the new OG or stick to the old one?
Do you feel comfortable tackling IR questions right now? If not, then it's probably worth buying the book. Here's my advice: try the few practice problems on the official website of the GMAT and, if you struggle with them, it's worth it to buy the book just to calm your nerves during this part of the test. Here's the direct link: http://www.mba.com/the-gmat/nex-gen/integrated-reasoning-question-formats.aspx
Thanks Are there any other books just for IR which I cant get instead?
Not right now there aren't. Major prep companies have yet to release their IR-specific books, although we hear they should be launched pretty soon (Manhattan GMAT will launch its guide on April 24: http://www.amazon.com/Integrated-Reasoning-Strategy-Edition-Manhattan/dp/1935707833/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333883971&sr=8-1 )
Thanks Dana! Maybe Ill get that later. I have one more question... I am currently doing the 8 Manhattan Prep Books.. And Im planning to do the Kalpan Premier and the OG after this. Is this a good plan? Or should I use some other books ?
The thing is, the Kaplan book is actually less thorough than the Manhattan ones, so doing that after MGMAT will seem like a step back, if you know what I mean. I recommend using the MGMAT books in parallel with practice problems from the OG - in fact, the MGMAT books feature sets from the OG where concepts are tested.
Yes, I've just started using it and Im seeing that it covers OG problems. But Im assuming that these two books are not enough. Maybe, I should decide what other books to get depending on my strengths once I finished the set of MGMAT books?
Sorry but I'm not sure which 2 books you're talking about. Manhattan has 8 books, plus the OG that would make 9 books in total which cover pretty much everything you'd see on the test. If you're talking about Kaplan + OG, that could be enough depending on your level, but this combo is much less thorough than MGMAT + OG.
Hi, sorry for not being clear. I meant MGMAT + OG. Are they enough atleast for initial preparation?
Yes, they are definitely enough.
Thanks a lot
Hi ,
I am priyanka , planning to take up Gmat in Aug 2012. please help me on how to get started
my math basics are not very strong is the Kaplan math workbook and the premier teh best to start with .
hi Priyanka.... i am also planning for gmat in july end or august start.. i need some prep in verbal..how is ur verbal part.
Those are good books, but if you'd like a more complete prep, check out the Manhattan GMAT series of 5 quant guides. The Kaplan Math Workbook and the Kaplan Premier have the same theoretical review (copy pasted), the only difference is in the practice questions. So buying both books is not worth it.
I already have OG 11 edition do i have to buy new 13th edition. I am planning to take GMAT in July..Kindly advice
You pretty much have to. About 50% of the problems are new in the OG 13 vs. the OG 11. Then you can't get access to the Integrated Reasoning questions with the OG 11, you need to buy the OG 13 for that.
Thanks Dana
I am planning to give my GMAT around june-july and yet to start my preparation. I am aiming for 720+ . Currently my quants skills are good and verbal average. Could you suggest me books for the target score?
My list of favorite books:
- Manhattan GMAT set of 5 quant guides
- PowerScore CR Bible
- Veritas Prep RC
- Manhattan GMAT SC
- Official Guides (this one and the verbal, quant supplements).
If you're already doing well in quant, you may want to drop the Fractions guide of the Manhattan lineup, possibly also the Equations one.
Hey thanks Dana !!
I already have OG 10th and 12th edition books . Do I still need to buy OG 13th edition apart from the other above mentioned books for my GMAT in July?
It depends, because you can't find practice questions for integrated reasoning in thw OG 12 and OG 10. If you feel you're good with that section, then you can skip buying the OG 13. If not, you might consider investing in OG 13.
Dear Dana, i wanted to know how good is Kaplan GMAT Premier 2012-13. Or is the Kaplan GMAT premier 2013 better. I am giving the new GMAT format. Please tell me which one to use.
Sorry but I don't know. I understand they made some pretty significant changes to the Kaplan 2012-2013 edition and the 2013 edition will be even more difficult. Hard for me to assess... Historically, Manhattan books have been better, but for the cost of a Kaplan book (vs. the $100+ for the entire Manhattan set), the quality was pretty good.
So is it advisable to buy the Manhattan books as in the entire set ?? Also are the 2012-13 edition for Kaplan based on the new GMAT format ??
Yes, Manhattan books cover the entire test very thoroughly. As a set though, they are indeed more expensive than the Kaplan books. It's your choice in the end in terms of how much you want to invest in prep.
It appears that the book does cover the new Integrated Reasoning section, per their Amazon.com description. Unfortunately I can't verify that, since as I mentioned I haven't reviewed the 2012-2013 Kaplan Premier book.
thanks a lot dana =) =) but there are loads of other questions i wanna ask regarding these study materials...will u plz help...
I am right now referring to the OG...also i just ordered Sentence correction guide by Manhattan...n soon m gonna order CR Bible by powerscore and Advanced Quant by manhattan...are these books sufficient ??
I'm going to try to answer your question, but please note that in the next 2 weeks I will be moving, so I don't think I'll have as much time to answer questions promptly. I highly recommend doing a quick search in the forums, you'll find plenty of info.
The books you list might be enough if you are already very strong in quant and don't need a theoretical review for that part. If you feel a bit rusty in quant, then it's worth getting some of the regular quant books from the Manhattan series. The Number Properties and Word Translations books are particularly useful, the Fractions one is kind of easy.
the book word translations will be about ?? and do manhattan books provide free tests with them bcoz m looking forward for some practice tests other than the GMAT software...
Word Translations is about word problems, the kind without too many equations but with tricky wording. Yes, MGMAT books grant access to 5 practice tests.
Yes, please use that reviews section for more information. Unfortunately I cannot spend my Friday evening answering these many questions from just one user, I'm certain you'll understand that I cannot dedicate that much time to only your questions. I'm sure you'll find more information by posting in the forums: https://www.beatthegmat.com/forums
this manhattan set that you are talking about is it the same as Manhattan GMAT Set of 8 Strategy Guides, 4th Edition, which has been mentioned in the BTG book review section ??
no problem dana =) =) it was great talking to you there were a lot of things that you helped me sort out...thanks again =) =) bye bye take care =)
Great review. Its very helpful. I plan to appear for GMAT sometime in near future (not sure in which month or even this year) but i wish to start preparing early as I might not be able to dedicate considerable time for prep due to some other commitments. My knowledge of GMAT is basic so I am reading reviews and forums. Till now yours has been the most helpful.
Looking at the other reviews I can see that OG,13 and MGMAT are the better books. I am average in quant and below average in verbal. Which books do you think I should start with (OG or MGMAT)?
Thanks in advance.
Yes, those are good books to work with. OG + MGMAT is a good combination. Good luck!
If I have to start with either one of them as the first book then which book should i go for (I can't afford to buy the MGMAT set and OG together) or is there any combination of some books from MGMAT set and OG to begin with?
Thank you once again. Your review has been very helpful.
I think that if you can't afford to buy all of them, it's best to invest in the ones you need. Buy the SC and CR books and the OG. For quant, the best MGMAT books are Number Properties and Word Translations.
1. PowerScore CR and SC
3. MGMAT - number properties and word translations.
I am sorry to be bothering you with so many questions.
Thank you for solving my queries.
You have been a great help.
That sounds fine.
Hi, how many new hard quant questions are there in the 13th? Thanks
Well there aren't that many new problems overall, but I can't tell you how many of them are hard. Here's a good analysis on the new questions though: http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index.php/2012/03/20/manhattan-gmats-analysis-of-the-13th-edition-official-guide/
Hi Dana, Great Revoew. I have my exam on 21 st June. So far, I have studied the 8 Manhattan GMAT books; I have prepared the extra 25 exercise that MGMAT provide for each section in their books. I have also performed a number of exams, by MGMAT and MBA. Additionally, I have completed all quantitative exercises in the OG 13 while planning to do an important bulk of the verbal exercices in the next week. During the last week I just want to relax and revise. My question Dana is that I studied very much for the exam but I have yet to feel masterful of the material. Is this normal? I have done reasonably well on the OG exercises, does this say that I am prepared? I want to get a minimum of 700 on my exam but I am afraid I havn't reached that range yet. Or maybe I just have to think more positively and trust myself more. Any opinion of urs would be really appreciated.
It's hard for me to give an opinion on your case unless you provide some actual scores on practice tests. The practice tests you've taken so far are some of the most accurate in the business, so I think they should give you a pretty clear indication of where you stand. If your score is below your target, then you may need to re-evaluate your study approach.
I wanted to ask what exactly is the difference between the verbal review and this new edition review???I will be taking the exam in august and are 2 months sufficient for the prep??
The OG13 has entirely different questions than the verbal supplement. The OG 13 also has quant questions.
Hi Dana..your review and the replies to various questions are really helpful. I will be starting my GMAT prep from this week and plan to give the test in Nov - Dec. I have bought the OG 13 to kick start the prep & will be gradually moving to other books. My quant has always been the strong point with verbal being average. Can you suggest some good books to go through after I fininsh the OG13. As I have ample time (around 6 months), I am aiming a 720+ score. Thanks in advance.
I'm not sure going for the OG first makes sense actually. The OG is a practice question book, whereas I feel strongly that you should brush up on theory first. My list of favorites:
- Manhattan GMAT set of 5 quant guides
- Manhattan GMAT SC book
- Veritas Prep RC
- PowerScore CR Bible
I'm not saying you shouldn't use the OG (in fact, you most definitely should use it for practice). However, I believe there's a better approach to this.
I didnt find any OG13 android app yet,could you please share the link where I can buy the same.
Ha, interestingly enough, I can only see the OG 12 product posted on their website: http://www.mba.com/store/product-info.aspx?ProductID=5010
I had the impression there was an app for the OG 13 already, but seems I was wrong...
Hey dana...i wanted your help for quant practice questions...currently i am exhausted of questions...i have finished PS and DS from og13...i donno from where shall i practice more quant...shall i buy the OG quant review book...or can u suggest me some books for quant practice especially for data sufficiency....
The quant review book is good because it contains official questions, but IMHO they were a bit easy. So if your level is already good, you may want to try other sources such as the Manhattan GMAT quant books. Veritas has a book dedicated to DS!
hey dana...thanks for such a quick response...i went through the books by manhattan....they have categories for in quant section as in they dont have one book covering entire quant topics...but there is this book called Advance GMAT strategy...does it cover all the topics ?? as in both PS and DS ?? the veritas books really interests me....
That book is mostly for practice and strategy, it doesn't really teach you how to tackle each problem. It is expected that you already know most of the theory from the MGMAT books (the 5 book set). Yes, the Veritas book has plenty of practice for DS you can try that as well.
Dear Dana,i will be taking the Gmat test by December.I strongly need your professional advice.I am a Beginner.Thanks
I'm sorry, but can you be a bit more specific? I think you need to take a diagnostic test first and figure out where you stand. Then cover the theoretical side and after you're comfortable with that, do some practice. My favorite books:
- Official Guide 13th
- Manhattan GMAT set of 5 quant guides
-PowerScore CR Bible
- Veritas Prep RC book
Hi Dana - Need a suggesstion - Can you please provide some input of the following book- Total GMAT Verbal - Jeff Sackman.Its pretty expensive at 40$ and is it worth buying at price.
Sorry but I've never reviewed it. You can try searching our forums for more info on what our members have to say.
Hi Dana,
I own the 12th Edition of the Official Guide, which my sister had bought. Should I go ahead & purchase the 13th edition, as in is there a drastic leap between the two books, or can I prepare for the IR section & cover up the extra questions through other resources?
As you can read in the review, the changes are not fundamental. I believe you can still use the OG 12. However, it will be a bit tougher to get IR questions.
Hi ! I have started my preparations from the 1st week of September.I ll be giving my GMAT on the last week of November.Are 2.5 months sufficient enough to get a 700+ score? I have not been in touch with the basic concepts of math for quite a while now and I am just above average when it comes to Verbal.Please suggest a way to kick start my preparations.
It really depends on a lot of factors. Most people study 2-3 months, so the time you have may just be enough. Again, though, your personal circumstances matter a lot. You should take a diagnostic test and see where you stand. If you're more than 200 points from your target score, it may be unrealistic to expect to hit that score. I recommend checking out the software on mba.com for that. Then it comes down to targeting your weaknesses with the right set of books. My favorites:
- Official Guides
- Manhattan GMAT set of 5 quant guides
- Manhattan GMAT Sentence Correction guide
- PowerScore Critical Reasoning Bible
- Manhattan GMAT Reading Comp guide or Veritas Prep RC book
Thanks a lot for your time Dana
Yes, the OG 13 is the latest edition. If you need a study plan, you can find one with daily emails here: https://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/gmat-guide For a diagnostic test, you can try the GMAT Prep software from the makers of the test, downloadable here: http://www.mba.com/the-gmat/download-free-test-preparation-software.aspx
Hello, Just started my GMAT planning. Is the OG 13th edition the latest edition? Where do you take a diagnostic test? Is there some where I can access a "plan" on how to take the GMAT's in 3 months?
Hi Dana,
I'm a beginner in the world of GMAT and have very little knowledge about structure of the exam.
I plan to take GMAT in May-June 2013 for which I plan to start my preparation by the end of Dec'2012. These days i'm researching on google to gather as much information as I can. So far this is the best place where I have found answers to almost all my queries.
Based on your inputs I plan to concentrate on OG(all books) and Manhattan (complete package). I plan to take mba.com's diagnostic test on 15th Dec'2012. My specific question to you is whether I should prepare/study for the diagnostic test or it should be impropmtu ? Also, I want to take another diagnostic test on 22nd Dec so that I can know where I stand. Which test should i choose for my 2nd diagnostic test(Manhattan or Kaplan or any other) ? Is the 2nd diagnostic test required ?
What is your overall feedback on my overall plan.
You could study a bit, but not too much - I'm afraid it won't help if you try to cover everything. Remember, this is a diagnostic test, not the real thing. The purpose is not to get a high score but to understand where your level is. I don't think it's necessary to have a second test just one week after the first, i would spread out tests at least 2 weeks apart.
Hi Danaj,
I am thinking to buy full version of GMAT prep software that includes 404 questions, but before i go ahead i need your advice. What will be worth ? O.G-13 or GMAT-prep software.
I have O.G-11, O.G-12, and other O.G reviews, and i am done with those books.
Looking forward to your reply.
Thanks & Regards
The books you've covered up until now should be enough. If I were you, I'd spend my time reviewing mistakes and theory instead of going for fresh questions. I see little justification for you to buy an extra 404 questions right now, unless you have a lot of time left for the test and you've already finished reviewing.
Appreciate your reply.
I have done the reviewing and a month is left. So, I was thinking to do questions from GMAT-prep before i start with the mock tests.
Hi Dana,
I am a novice in the field of GMAT.
I am planning to take GMAT in Sep'13
As per your above suggestions I have planned to purchase Manhattan books -all 8 books and OG13
Just wanted to know whether I need to purchase any other book as you have mentioned few other books???
I think you should be fine with these books.
Hi Dana,
I just started studying for the GMAT. I ordered the OG (13th) and started the math review. My question is should I be starting with this? Or should I start with the Mgmat books? Or both at the same time? I am really rusty with the math and I really don't understand the concepts. I am afraid to jump into the practice questions on the OG and "waste" them do to my lack of understanding. I scored below average on the math.
What do you recommend?
I strongly recommend that you first start out with a proper theory book. The Manhattan GMAT set is pretty comprehensive in that sense. It doesn't make sense for you to practice assorted problems (and that's what the OG is) before you grasp the concepts. First review the theory and then do the practice.
Hi DanaJ,
I am planning to take GMAT in November and have just preparing for it. I have a rusty quant and below average verbal. Can you pl suggest me some books I shall start with and their respective links to buy.
I am aiming at a score of around 680-700.
I tried searching for the MGMAT material on amazon, only books available were 2012 published. Since the GMAT format changed in 2012, will those be a good pick?
The most recent version of the MGMT set should include the updates to the GMAT, so most likely the set that is at the top of the search on Amazon should be fine!
Hello Dana,
Thank you very much for all the posts. I'm planning to start studying for GMAT next Monday. English is my second language and I have only 1.5-2 month to prepare. You've mentioned earlier that your favorite books are:
- Manhattan GMAT set of 5 quant guides
- PowerScore CR Bible
- Veritas Prep RC
- Manhattan GMAT SC
- Official Guides (this one and the verbal, quant supplements).
In what order should I approach them? Should I buy all of them? Do you recommend to purchase a book on Integrated Reasoning? What will be the best way for me to prepare for Analytical Writing Assessment?
Thanks in advance,
P.S. I purchased PowerScore CR Bible and Official Guides
Should I buy Manhattan GMAT Complete Strategy set + Veritas Prep RC
All of the above + Kaplan GMAT Premier 2014
Regarding LSAT: do you recommend 10 LSAT or Kaplan LSAT (and which one)
I think you will probably be fine with what you have already plus the Manhattan guides. Veritas Prep isn't really necessary if you have the OG and the Manhattan RC guide. I think it's marginally better, but not worth the effort in your case. Unfortunately I don't know too much about the LSAT - it wasn't really on my to do list. The PowerScore guides on that one are pretty famous though!
I have Og 12 and all Manhattan books ans Sc Grail 3rd edition . Is it important to buy OG13?. I am very confuse wheather to buy OG13 or not. please help me.
I think the OG12 should be fine. Buy the OG13 only if you need extra practice.
Hi, i am starting with gmat preparations and have ordered the latest gmat review 2015. The thing is, should i start the preparations with the same book or should i refer some other books and then move to the OG?
PS: i am really not very good with Quants. And i guess i should start with basics and then move ahead. so is the OG enough?
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Plum Beach is an odd and wonderful place. It is accessed from a small parking lot on the east-bound side of the Belt Parkway, a parking lot that has to be closed overnight because of the tendency of men to cruise there. Several of the trails are littered with used condoms and condom wrappers and there is a generally skeevy feeling to the entrance. But once one gets away from the parking lot and out onto Jamaica Bay, for Plum Beach is west and north across the bay from the famous wildlife refuge, the skeevy feeling goes away and one is very happy to be out and about. Especially when one arrives just as the light of the sun is starting to make the eastern sky gorgeous, as you can see from the above picture. We had timed our arrival, however, not by our current position on earth vis-à-vis the sun, but by the tide's position, which was dead low. You see, we wanted to get into the saltmarsh at Plum Beach to get good looks at Nelson's Sparrows, which was only doable without a boat at low tide.
As we waited for our sparrows to awaken we noticed first one, then two, Clapper Rails. Though there wasn't much light I did the best I could to get some shots, and was just thrilled that we were getting such clear, close, and unobstructed views of Rallus longirostris. It didn't take long for one of the rails to scamper off into the reeds, but the other stuck around and, in fact, kept getting closer.
While I digiscoped away and just generally had a ball watching the most cooperative Clapper Rail I have ever seen Shane kept looking for sparrows. The Clapper Rail, though, was looking for Shane.
After a brief staredown, Shane went back to searching the reeds so he didn't immediately see the rail making an amphibious assault on his position.
Fortunately, Shane did manage to get his point-and-shoot camera out and he got some video of the rail foraging in a way neither of us had seen a rail forage before. Check it out in the video below (you'll also get the auditory joy of the hum of traffic on the Belt Parkway and a jet flying into JFK Airport). Before the video, though, a shot that shows just how close the saltmarsh at Plum Beach is to the Belt Parkway.
It is the ambient noise (and a political internet meme) that led to the "Clap Louder!" part of this post's title and I am actually curious as to what, if any, effect the constant highway and jet noise has not just on the rails but on the other nesting birds in the marshes of Brooklyn and Queens. Does anyone out there have any idea? Just judging by the number of Clapper Rails that I tend to see and the general fecundity of the marshes I visit it seems that the birds manage to adapt but I would like some empirical data.
While Shane and I both felt like giving the cooperative and confiding Clapper Rail a loud and lengthy round of applause we had sparrows to see, so we saw our sparrows. Then we spotted the rail (or perhaps another one) again, and watched it for quite awhile. This time we had more light at our backs because the sun had risen and become much stronger (which means, of course, that I overexposed a lot of the shots that I got).
And, finally, one last shot, just to make sure that people appreciate the abundance of riches that is New York City birding. Down in front!
This post has been submitted to Bird Photography Weekly #110. Go check it out!
haha! What a great story! And great pics, too!
Great post, what a way to end the month – I may have to ask Jochen to ID that last bird though 🙂
Black-crowned Night-heron, what else, and a lousy photoshop-job as well.
eh? Let's try that ID again.
@Corey: I'll stay a dark piece of bitter chocolate because a) your link can only be viewed within the USA and b) chocolate has never gotten anyone a nemesis bird (although it might have made it easier to cope with the pain, oh the pain).
@Riccard: well, Corey might have mentioned it in his comment but I have failed to find what some people call "Yellow-crowned Night-herons" on so many occasions that I have decided to simply deny the species' very existence.
And look at Corey's image. That's a BLACK crown, right? Ain't it?? Well, there might be some brown as well, but essentially there's no yellow.
wow what a great series of shots!
Nice shots of the Clapper Rail.
I think there are some studies on the effect of urban areas on breeding birds, but they mostly involve songbirds. I think the two main effects are that light pollution disrupts their circadian rhythm and ambient noise selects for birds that sing more loudly and at a higher pitch. (If this holds true for the marsh birds, the rails really would need to clap louder.) There are also more predators, and probably more toxic materials.
@John: I have often investigated or rather evaluated the effect of industrial noise (mostly traffic noise)on protected species – mostly birds.
One stratling revelation was the fact that reeds make a HUGE amount of noise even when there is just a very light breeze, and that it is nearly impossible to hear the nearby traffic noise even in near-calm conditions due to the rustling of the reeds. The Clappers therefore have to clapper really loud anyway.
Awesome experience documented!
Unlike Jochen, no problems with the heron, but I'm beginning to believe the rail doesn't exist.
Oh that was simply amazing for you to be so in touch with and in tune with these birds is really quite amazing!!!! I'm so glad I found this blog!!!! What an amazing internet adventure!!! Thanks for all your hard work!!!!
I loved the narrative as much as the beautiful photos. Thank you for a most beautiful and informative post.
Very lovely post. Y'all must be near where I grew up (L.I. north shore, Nassau county, Town of Oyster Bay.) Your post brings back memories (not that JFK's necessarily a good memory…KDN!)
Awesome shots of the Clapper Rail and the (ahem) Yellow-crowned Night Heron Corey! I have never heard of any rail exhibit behavior like this. Walking around crazed birders with cameras clicking away as if they were runway models or something. Great video too, BTW. I really enjoyed it!
© 2013 10,000 Birds. All words, images, and opinions are the property of their respective authors unless stated otherwise.


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Every year City Council, the City Manager, and City staff work together to develop a draft annual budget. Council then reviews the budget and makes decisions to achieve a balance between service and scope levels, infrastructure needs, resource availability, and appropriate tax rates and user fees to serve the residents of the City and lead the development of a safe, vibrant and sustainable city.
The budget serves as an outline for how the monies that come into the City should be spent to maintain and improve the City. The budget helps in determining which objectives have the highest priority and will produce the greatest positive impact in the community.
Annual budgets cover current operation, capital projects and reserve funding.
|Proposed Departmental budget requests for the next year are compiled and reviewed. Staff provide Council with a presentation of high-level budget issues at a Strategic Priorities Council Meeting.
|The City Management Team prepares Draft Operating, Capital, and Reserves Budgets; this is issued to Council, and made available to the public at the end of the month.
|A Budget overview presentation is reviewed with Council at a public Strategic Priorities Council Meeting. The public is given the opportunity to provide input regarding the budget.
|Council deliberates the details of the budgets, and makes changes until they agree upon an acceptable level of taxation, water & sewer rates, and user fees to be collected by the City for the next year.
City expenditures are funded through property taxation, user fees, water & sewer rates, grants, and other revenue. Approximately 53% of expenditures are collected through property tax. The remaining city expenditures are funded through federal/provincial grants, user fees, water/sewer rates, and other revenue. There are 3 components of a tax rate, they include:
This rate is set by the Ministry of Finance and is consistent for the Province. This rate is generally published in April for the current taxation year. Residents can elect to have this portion of their property taxes directed to various school boards.
This rate is set by County of Lambton Council, and is generally set in March for the current taxation year. Included in the County of Lambton Council are 4 City of Sarnia Councillors and the Mayor.
This rate is set by City of Sarnia Council, and is set in December of the year prior to the taxation year. The rate is set by taking the total approved budget less user rates, fees and other forms of revenue and dividing it by the total assessed value of property in the City, taking into account the various rates of taxation for various tax classes (residential, multi-residential, commercial, industrial, etc.). The Municipal portion is also referred to as the General Levy.
The combination of these 3 components of the property tax rate is multiplied by your property assessment value (determined by Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC)) to determine your total property taxes owing for a year.
To calculate your total property tax bill, multiply your property assessment by the total residential tax rate.
For example, the property taxes for a home which has been assessed at $200,000 this year may be calculated as follows:
Property's current value assessment $200,000.00 x Tax rate* of 1.500000%
Property taxes = $3,000.00
*Sample tax rate. Note: this example is for illustration only.
The City collects the total property tax amount, and then forwards the Education taxes to the Ministry of Finance, and the County taxes to the County of Lambton. The Municipal and Transit portion of the property taxes collected are retained by the City of Sarnia to fund the operating, capital, and reserve budgets.
A planned, itemized summary of money coming into the municipality and how that money will be spent over a specified period of time.
The operating budget pays for all the day to day activities of the corporation.
Examples of operating expenses include: salaries and wages, insurance, supplies, fuel, and utilities.
The Capital budget pays for all new, big investments or rehabilitation of assets currently under the city's control.
Examples of capital expenses include: new buses, new roads, and new sewers.
Assessment growth results from property taxes that are paid primarily as a result of an expanding City (new homes and businesses).
These new taxes are paid to receive the same services that existing tax payers receive. Given that there are an increased number of homes and businesses requiring core municipal services, civic departments, boards and commissions have to provide an increased volume of core services.
Reserves and Reserve Funds are established by Council, or statue, to assist with long term financial stability and financial planning. These funds are set aside to help offset future capital needs, long term obligations, and unexpected costs. They are drawn upon to finance specific purpose capital and operating expenditures as designated by Council, to minimize tax rate fluctuations due to unanticipated expenditures and revenue shortfalls.
Taking into account the combined Education, County and Municipal/Transit taxes, based on all tax classes, the chart below shows the historical change (in dollars) collected through property tax from one year to the next.
The chart below shows the historical change from one year to the next for the Municipal portion of property taxes only (General Levy). This is based on the City's Council-approved budget.
The City's total expenditures are allocated to services as shown in the chart below:
General Gov't : Council, Admin(Legal/ HR/Finance/IT/Clerk/Purchasing..), Economic Development, etc.
Protection: Fire, Police, Building, By-Law Enforcement
Transportation: Harbour, Engineering, Public Works, Transit, Parking Lots, Street Lighting
Environment: Waste & Recycling, Water, Sewer, Sanitary Sewers
Rec & Culture: Parks, Recreation, Arenas, Library, Lawrence House, Strangway, Children's Farm, etc.
Planning & Development: Drains, Planning, Committees
Debt: Principal & Interest Payments
This page was reviewed or revised on Thursday, June 6, 2019 1:00 PM


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Pam Benoit
Photo courtesy of: University Communications and Marketing
Stephen Golding
Photo courtesy of: University Communications and Marketing
Oct 31, 2013
From staff reports
The following message was sent to the University community on Oct. 30, from Executive Vice President and Provost Pam Benoit and Vice President for Finance and Administration Stephen Golding.
Dear University Community,
The following information is being sent to you on behalf of University Human Resources. This information provides you with an update about Ohio University's compliance with the Employer provisions found in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Please review this update as it pertains to you. Any questions regarding the Affordable Care Act may be directed to firstname.lastname@example.com.
Pam Benoit
Executive Vice President and Provost
Stephen T. Golding
Vice President for Finance and Administration
Update on the Affordable Care Act and Ohio University
We continue to work diligently to review and prepare for the Employer provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Affordable Care Act), including the requirement to offer health insurance to any individual who works an average of 30 or more hours per week annually.
To date, the following guidelines have been established regarding this employer mandate:
Initial Measurement Period:
Ohio University, like other employers, is required to evaluate its workforce for a period of time to determine new eligibility for health care benefits. The focus of the "measurement period" is on those employees who are not currently benefits eligible. The university has established a 12 month initial measurement period, starting April 1, 2014 and ending March 30, 2015. Starting April 1, hours worked for Group III faculty, temporary staff, and students not currently eligible for employer provided health insurance will be tracked and reported. Individuals who meet the 30 hours per week threshold and continue to be employed by the university in any capacity will be offered benefits including health care with an effective date of July 1, 2015. These qualifying individuals must be employed via Group II or Group IV contracts for Faculty, or Full-time and Part-Time benefits eligible appointments for Administrators and Classified Staff.
Under these guidelines, no employee who works more than 30 hours or more will be able to remain as a Group III employee. Any Faculty or Staff appointment with a workload expectation of 30 hours per week or greater must be assigned a Group II or Group IV Faculty position, or a Full or Part-time Benefits eligible staff position at the time of hire. These positions will receive full university benefits, including health insurance as defined by university policy. Deans and planning units will evaluate departmental needs to determine which positions will remain as Group III contracts (under 11.25 credit hours/30 hrs. per week) and those which will be reconfigured as Group II or IV contracts.
Measuring hours worked:
For Group III Adjunct Faculty, the Affordable Care Act allows the university to measure hours worked based on credit hours. Following University Policy 18.009 - Faculty Responsibility and Evaluation, the university established a workload metric equating each credit hour to 2.67 overall hours worked. Therefore for purposes of the Affordable Care Act, a Group III Adjunct Faculty member with an average workload of 11.25 credit hours or greater for the measurement period will be eligible for health insurance if they continue to be employed.
Temporary Administrators and Classified Staff (Group III) will report hours worked via the Workforce time reporting system beginning April, 2014. This means that Temporary Administrator and Classified Staff employee will be paid an hourly wage and no longer be paid via stipends. Any Temporary Administrator or Classified Staff member who works an average of 30 hours per week or greater for the measurement period becomes eligible for health insurance if they continue to be employed.
For Graduate Appointments, average hours worked will be based on the amount of hours listed in the Graduate Appointment letter. For Graduate Appointments also working in student hourly positions, the hours listed on the appointment letter and actual hours worked in the student-hourly position will be combined when calculating average hours worked.
For Student Hourly Employees, average hours worked will be based on hours worked as reported in the Workforce time keeping system.
As previously communicated, Graduate Appointments and Student Hourly Employees should be scheduled to work no more than 20 hours per week during the Fall and Spring semesters, and not more than 28 hours per week during all periods of break between and during semesters.


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Acoustic cell-sorting chip may lead to cell phone-sized medical labs
A technique that uses acoustic waves to sort cells on a chip may create miniature medical analytic devices that could make Star Trek's tricorder seem a bit bulky in comparison, according to a team of researchers. The device uses two beams of acoustic -- or sound -- waves to act as acoustic tweezers and sort a continuous flow of cells on a dime-sized chip, said Tony Jun Huang, associate professor of engineering science and mechanics, Penn State. By changing the frequency of the acoustic waves, researchers can easily alter the paths of the cells. Huang said that since the device can sort cells into five or more channels, it will allow more cell types to be analyzed simultaneously, which paves the way for smaller, more efficient and less expensive analytic devices.


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Timothy Behunin / 1/14/2019 - 5/9/2019
This course is a survey of various legal subjects including the legal system, constitutional law, administrative law, property, torts, contracts and agency. Securities law, antitrust regulations and labor employment law will also be included as time permits.
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OROVILLE — The Butte County Sheriff's Office is expanding a mentoring program that was started a year ago to help people in custody or under house arrest successfully transition back into society.
The Community Impact Mentoring Program began last year as a pilot program suggested by the Meth Strike Force.
Crime Prevention Coordinator Paula Felipe said the program that started with five mentors has been so successful that they want to train more.
Volunteers are needed to attend the second Academy for Mentors on Feb. 23 at the Butte County Sheriff's Office.
After graduating from this one-day academy, the mentors will be matched with a "mentee" who is currently in custody or under house arrest, according to a press release.
"It's a good opportunity to make a difference in a person's life and serve the community," Felipe said.
The mentoring program also helps with public safety.
The idea is to help those in custody successfully transition back into society and to cut the recidivism rate at the Butte County Jail, Felipe said.
The mentees have not been convicted of violent, sexual or serious crimes.
With AB 109 and prison realignment, more responsibility for rehabilitation is falling on the county, and Felipe said this is one of the programs that will help.
After volunteers are trained, they are paired with mentees who they meet with at least once a week.
The mentors are taught about various programs, services and resources they can help the mentees access.
For example, the mentees might need drug or alcohol treatment programs, or resume writing or job interviewing skills, Felipe said.
Although mentors and mentees are asked to stick with the program for at least a year, either one can opt out or get a different mentor or mentee if the relationship isn't working.
However, Felipe said all the paired mentors and mentees from last year are still working together successfully.
At a recent holiday dinner at the Salvation Army for the program participants, mentees testified that the program has been very helpful to them.
"We're just trying to get the word out to more people," she said.
While helping the mentees connect with needed services, the mentors also work with them one-on-one to help the mentees transition back into the community.
The mentors are also available to talk to the mentees if they need guidance during their transition.
Volunteer mentors must first pass a background check and must be 25 years or older. Mentors also need to have at least three years free of alcohol and drugs and have an active affiliation with a recovery fellowship, if they are in recovery.
Prospective mentors who have had prior convictions must not have been incarcerated within the last five years. Additionally, prospective mentors may not be on active parole or probation.
Their references should support a desirability profile, which includes stability in lifestyle and strength of character.
Mentors also need to have proof of a driver's license, car registration and insurance, and be accessible by phone at home, work, and/or cellphone.
The mentoring program and its executive committee includes representatives from the Sheriff's Office, the Skyway House, the Jesus Center, the Salvation Army, the Church of the Nazarene, Sentinel Services, the Sheriff's Team of Active Retired Seniors and the Jail Ministries.
To get an application to become a mentor and attend the next academy, call Felipe at 538-7822 or email email@example.com.
Staff writer Mary Weston can be reached at 533-4415 or email@example.com.


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So Much I've Missed
Hello to everyone on this Saturday, October 29th. I'm doing SO much better. Thanks to everyone for your good wishes. The Cards did it in an epic game 6 and game 7. They pulled it out! I've never been a St. Louis fan (1967 etc.) .
Today here in North central Connecticut we're awaiting a never before seen intense October snowstorm. Woo pee. I mean that because all the leaves on the trees and snow, heavy and wet with wind, will bring down power lines. I like snow, but in October???? Power outages are too darn likely. The snow is fine, no electricity is not. I'll have an update after 12 noon. Right now it's 10:55.
About the Red Sox, thank you Tito and Theo.The 2012 season will certainly be different but with the core of players Boston has with a couple additions (starting pitcher for sidelined Lackey,etc) who knows.
As always, BE WELL.


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Standout among green Berlin hotels
Taking responsibility for the environment and local community has been an important part of the broader commitment of the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group to sustainable development for many years. In 2001, this commitment was fortified and placed within the scope of a programme called Responsible Business (RB). Each hotel has a unique RB Action Plan covering areas such as community outreach, environmental improvement, employee well-being, and health and safety.
The hotels are engaged with both local charity groups and the corporate international charity organisation recognised by the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, the World Childhood Foundation. The mission of the foundation is to defend the rights of the child and to promote better living conditions for vulnerable and exploited children at risk all over the world.
Sample of RB activities and achievements:
Environmental responsibility
Social responsibility


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Dolphins claim FB Rodriguez from Bears
Davie, FL – The Miami Dolphins claimed fullback Evan Rodriguez off waivers on Tuesday, one day after the 2012 draft choice was waived by the Chicago Bears following a pair of offseason arrests.
Rodriguez was cut loose by the Bears less than two weeks after being charged with DUI in Chicago on May 31. The 24-year-old was also cited for resisting a police officer without violence and disorderly conduct in Miami back in March, though those charges were later dropped.
The Bears took Rodriguez in the fourth round (111th overall) of last year's draft, with the Temple product making five starts and appearing in 12 games between fullback and tight end as a rookie. He recorded four catches totaling 21 yards last season.


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The sixth and final entry in the Word Challenge: Two Words, One Speech series, ends with our current commander in chief. Written by Bell Curves co-founder Akil Bello, this entry was posted on 4RIISE.com
In the final installment of our speeches series, I offer to you a man triply fitting for mention on this President's Day. A man known as one of the greatest orators of our time. A man of historic stature and prodigious ability. This week's speech comes to us from the first African-American President of the United States of America: Barack Obama.


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Cruz nomination will test political notions
Ted Cruz, as the GOP nominee to be Texas' next U.S. senator, will test a couple of notions.
The first is that Latinos will automatically gravitate toward a Latino candidate, even a Republican, though they traditionally vote Democrat. That test will come in November.
The second is whether the GOP "establishment" that backed Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst will rue the day it ever made those welcoming cooing noises at tea partiers.
The first notion first.
Conventional wisdom suggests that whoever won the GOP nomination would, ipso facto, be the next junior senator for Texas. If you've been reading the political coverage, this line has appeared as many times as Cruz supporters have inexplicably called Dewhurst a, gasp, moderate: A Democrat hasn't won a statewide office in Texas since 1994.
Cruz doesn't need Latino votes to win, the argument goes. He will face former Democratic Texas state lawmaker Paul Sadler in the general election.
But here's another conventional wisdom: The Latino vote will grow inexorably — in Texas faster than most states and faster than the national rate. And it will be a consequential number even if Latinos continue to lag others in voter registration.
The party that captures Latino hearts and minds will achieve longevity in office of dynastic proportions. And if conservative Cruz attracts sizable Latino votes in November, this will demonstrate that the GOP is credibly in this hunt.
If Democrats retain the White House this year and Cruz wins in November as expected, he instantly becomes a talked about veep choice in 2016.
Latinos, of course, have befuddled Republicans for a while. Consider the recurring themes about Latinos: strong family values; patriotic, with traditions of military service; highly Catholic, culturally if not always of the Mass-every-Sunday variety; and with growing numbers of evangelical Christians as well.
"Y'all should be with us," Republicans utter in frustration.
Note to Republicans: Stop being mean and you would be more effective. And, yes, a lot of us view harsh rhetoric about immigrants as mean.
Let's see if Cruz, a Cuban American, grasps that essential truth. The primary has not been encouraging. Cruz apparently feels "amnesty" is something of a dirty word, accusing Dewhurst of embracing it. He has characterized Dewhurst generally as soft on illegal immigration.
And this is what Cruz said about health care: "I don't think it's government's job to find health care for people."
Will Latinos flock to Cruz?
I have serious doubts that Latinos are the closet conservatives Republicans believe they are.
Now, that second notion.
Name a top statewide elected official in Texas who endorsed and didn't back Dewhurst? Even Gov. Rick Perry did. So, does anyone credibly believe that Mr. States Rights and phooey to Medicaid expansion would back a moderate?
But for the life of me, I discern only shades of difference between Texas' GOP "establishment" and these ultraconservatives.
At least there were differences on abortion in that District 25 state Senate race in which the alleged real conservative, Donna Campbell, bested incumbent Jeff Wentworth on Tuesday evening. But I can't see much policy difference between Cruz and Dewhurst.
The Texas GOP "establishment" will surely adjust. But the truth is that this isn't going to require much adjustment at all.
More Information
Vote 2012
• Cruz tops Dewhurst in contest for Senate
• Pimentel: Cruz nomination will test political notions
• Cruz win is a slap at status quo
• Campbell upsets Wentworth for Texas Senate
• Gallego beats Rodriguez to challenge Canseco in the fall
• Cortez beats Torres in House District 117
• Incumbents hold sway in Bexar runoffs
• Walsh, Mery advance in judgeship races
• Butts has Bandera sheriff nod


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thegreekdog wrote:Even though Hannity is an egomaniacal borderline fascist, I will say this for the guy - at least he tries to question the current administration. It's the blind loyalty to the president of the media not named "Fox" that gets to me. At least everyone knows Fox is biased. And I agree with the "real media" comment. The media should be constantly questioning the government on everything, no matter who is in the government.
Sean Hannity Interviews Lynne Cheney
(I wanted to find at least audio of Hannity interviewing Dick Cheney, but couldn't find any. That would have been perfect, but the exact same behavior is on display with Lynne. Pay attention to how practiced the Q&A is. Especially the responses.)
Jon Stewart interviews Lynne Cheney