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The ultimate mobile emergency kit solution is now just a few clicks away!
The Echo-Sigma Emergency Bug-Out-Bag (BOB) is a full size emergency kit that is designed to be kept in the home or office. The unique vertical storage configuration with custom draw string dust cover enables you to easily store your Bug Out Bag Emergency Kit in any unobtrusive location you wish while maintaining access to 95% of the kit's contents at a moments notice.
Base Configuration Highlights:
- Echo-Sigma Bug Out Pack
Depending on the situation, sometimes staying put just isn't an option. For those times, you'll need the right gear in order to go foot mobile. Echo-Sigma's Bug Out Pack is purpose built to be able to carry everything you need for a 7-10 day excursion. Spacious, modular, tough and comfortable is how we'd describe it! Featuring five compartments, most with organizers and zippered pockets, give you unlimited options when it comes to stashing and stowing your gear however you'd like.Key features include:
- Stress Point Reinforced Stitching keeps things from coming apart at the wrong time
- Hydration Compatible (2.5 liter system INCLUDED) so you won't need to stop for your water break
- MOLLE attachment points throughout, lets you build out your gear the way you like
- Organizer Panels and zippered pockets let you organize your gear for fast access
- Name Tag/Morale patch panel
- Volume: 2524 cu.in.
- Weight: 4 lbs.
Large enough to easily accommodate a full Echo-Sigma Provision Pack along with the rest of your gear.
- Hydration Bladder Drinking System (2.5 Liter)
- SOG S62 Power Lock Stainless Multi-Tool w/18 tools
- Suisse Sport McKinley 0F-5F Mummy Sleeping Bag
When the temperature starts to drop, nothing beats a real deal sleeping bag. Your typical backpack emergency kits might include a mylar emergency blanket which may be adequate for preventing shock in an injured party, but it's no replacement for the real warmth and security provided by real sleeping bag.The Suise Sport McKinley sleeping bag is a synthetic filled mummy bag rated for comfort down to 0-5 degrees Fahrenheit. Synthetic fill guarantees that the bag won't lose it's insulating power, even when wet. The efficient Mummy form factor reduces weight and bulk, allowing you to pack more food, water and gear. A two piece compression sack is included for easy management and stowage on your packs when it's time to roll out.
- Keeps you comfortable down to 0-5 degrees Farenheit
- Fits most up to 6'2″
- Mummy sleeping bag, 33″ x 84″
- 3lbs of Micro Tekk Z1 performance insulation
- Diamond ripstop outer resists tears
- Double layer offset quilt construction eliminates potential cold spots
- Contoured surrounds head with warmth
- Full chest baffle and draft tube
- Chest baffle and insulated draft tube locks out chilly drafts
- Side gussets for drapability and comfort
- 2-piece compression sack included
- Machine washable
- Echo-Sigma Provision Pack (3-10 days)
Where most "emergency kits" fall down, the Echo-Sigma Emergency Bug-Out-Bag truly shines. Most other companies will tell you that you can live on 1200, 800 even 400 calories per day along with a sickly 1/4 liter of water out of a foil packet. True, you could "survive" on the bare minimum, but if for some reason you are forced to exert yourself, you will quickly find yourself out of luck and living on a prayer.The Echo-Sigma Provision Pack that comes standard is designed to feed one adult 2400 calories per day for three to ten days (depending on activity level). Also included is 5 year storage emergency water packaged in durable cartons that pack tightly and efficiently for no wasted space.
If an extended state of emergency is anticipated and resupply unlikely, these supplies could be rationed for up to 10 days per person if water and energy discipline is high.
- 3 Complete "MRE Star" meals complete with heater, side dishes and drink mixes
- 9 Food Ration Bars (400 Calories each and nutritionally fortified)
- 5 Liters of 5 Year Storage Pure Drinking Water
- Paper Napkins
We use both AquaBlox and Mainstay brand drinking water products depending upon availability. Pack contents may differ from what is shown.
- Echo-Sigma Compact Survival Kit
A compact storehouse of many of the smaller items that can be easily lost if not given extra consideration. The Echo-Sigma Compact Survival Kit packs quite a punch when it comes to utility and efficiently using pack space.
- Compass
- Emergency Whistle
- Emergency Blanket by Coghlan's
- BIC Brand Butane Disposable Lighter
- Magnesium Fire Starter with Flint Striker
- 40 Waterproof Matches by Coghlan's
- Live Fire Sport Emergency Fire Starter
- 50 Inches of Duct Tape
- Bottle of Water Purification Tablets by Coghlan's
- 2 Chemical Light Sticks by Coghlan's
- 2 BIC Brand Ball Point Pens
- Pad of Paper
- Pair of Earplugs
- Echo-Sigma Compact First Aid Kit
Having quickly accessible first aid is key to taking care of yourself and being self reliant in the event of an emergency. Every Echo-Sigma Emergency Bug-Out-Bag comes with a first aid kit that is stuffed with the tools you need to take care of the most common ailments that you'll run into in an emergency. Packed with features yet still light in weight in case you need to move on foot.
- 4″ scissors
- 3″ tweezers
- first aid card
- 20 plastic bandages
- 12 alcohol swabs
- 10 wet wipes
- 10 antiseptic swabs
- 3 sting relief swabs
- 4 pain relief tablets
- 2 3″x3″ sterile gauze pads
- 2″x5yd. gauze roll
- 5″x9″ sterile abdominal dressing
- 0.5″x2.5yd. roll of tape
- Disposable CPR faceshield
- Access to 14 exclusive online training videos
- Waterproof Tactical LED Flashlight by Fenix (300Lumen)
- Echo-Sigma Provision Pack (3-10 days)
|One of the most important pieces of gear that you will need at your fingertips during an emergency is a good, solid flashlight. Inexplicably, most "emergency kit" corner cutting hits the flashlight the hardest. Brightness, durability, duration and flexibility are the hallmarks of quality lighting systems and Fenix lights hit all of the right marks on all counts. Staying safe and productive during nighttime hours is essential, these are the tools you'll need.
- Emergency Multiband Multi-Power Weather Radio by Midland Radio
|In times of emergency, you and your party will have to make several important decisions over the course of several hours or days. Making decisions in a vacuum, without timely information can have dire repercussions.Whether you need to shelter in place at home or choose to evacuate, a multi-band radio can be your lifeline to the information you need. Situational awareness should never be discounted during emergency conditions.
In addition to receiving AM/FM transmissions, the Midland ER200 radio has several important features that you will quickly find indispensable.
- 50 Feet of Military Grade 550 Paracord
550 Grade Military Grade Paracord is one of the most versatile items that you can carry with you in any situation. Legendary for its many uses, you shouldn't leave home without it. The 550 in the designation denotes its rated strength (550lbs). The outer shell is rated for 200lbs while the 7 internal strands are rated for 50lbs each.
- Lashing items to vehicles or packs
- Ascending or descending slopes
- Building wind breaks or supplemental shelters using sheeting or tarps
- Hanging food or other "bear bait" up in a tree
- Clothes drying line
- Slings for injured limbs
- Compression for wound care
- Snares and traps
- Shoelaces, belts and suspenders
- Fishing line (internal strands)
- Sewing thread (internal strands)
- Temporary vehicle fan belt
- Replacement zipper pull tabs
- The list goes on and on.
- 10 Extra Large Zip Ties
Sometimes it's the least likely thing that becomes invaluable when you're out in the field.Zipties can …
- Secure tent shell to poles
- Attach items to your vehicle or pack
- Temporarily fix buckles or other attachment points
- Fix snapped zipper pulls
- Secure zipper pulls together to "lock" a bag against the unprepared thief
- Plastic bag closure/seal
- Camp Trowel
Being able to dig is an often overlooked ability when it comes to being self-sufficient in the outdoors should you need to be. You won't need to carry around the weight or bulk of a shovel or entrenching tool in order to be able to dig:
- Small Latrine
- Fire Circle or Fire Pit (Dakota Fire Hole)
- Solar Still
- Irrigation trench (in case mother nature designated your tent site as a temporary creek during rainfall)
- 50 Feet of Military Grade 550 Paracord
- LifeStraw Personal Water Filter
- Coghlan's Emergency Tube Tent to keep you DRY
- Emergency Poncho to keep you DRY
- Plexiglass Mirror for signaling HELP
- Thermal Sleeping Bag Cocoon by Survival Industries to keep you WARM
- 6 Premium AA Alkaline Batteries (guaranteed fresh for 10 years)
- Pair Work Gloves to keep you SAFE
- 2 N95 Rated Respirator Masks to keep you SAFE
- Pair of Protective Goggles to keep you SAFE
- 2 Hand Warmers by Coghlan's to keep you WARM
— American Cop Magazine, Editors Pick"
— Recoil Magazine


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Junior chicken, so named because she looks just like her mother, Missy (so does Baldy, if it hadn't been for the unfortunate head pecking she got as a young pullet her first day in with the rest of the flock), disappeared a couple of weeks ago. Missy used to pull that trick every summer for years, reappearing three weeks later with a newly-hatched clutch, so we haven't been too worried about Junior yet.
Junior disappeared last year, too. I watched the calendar and eventually found her nest. But Junior's too fast, and flies too well, for our little Bantam rooster, Coach, to catch, I guess. After four weeks, and nothing hatching, we took the eggs away from her and got her back in with the rest of the flock.
This morning, while I was out hanging some laundry on the line, Junior came up squawking for food. I kept an eye on her while she gobbled up the feed I put down for her, and then as she got a drink of water. Then she went over to where I'd been watering a plum tree, and proceeded to dust-bathe. Finished with the laundry, I sat down on a log a little ways away from her to watch and wait, to see if I could find where she's been hiding.
She knew I was watching though. She pretty much finished with her bath, but then just stayed in her little hole, murmuring and clucking to herself, picking a bit a the dirt around her. I sat, she sat. I tried facing off towards the distance, keeping her in sight from the merest corner of one eye. No dice. She was in a nice damp hole in the shade, I was in the sun and the humidity from last night's brief thunderstorm made it even hotter.
Ok, something's got to give - guess it'll have to be me. I got up to move the water on a couple of the trees. When I was clear down at the bottom of the lot, she jumped up and ran up towards the house. I ran too, just barely keeping her in sight - she was heading towards the shed. By the time I got up there, she was nowhere in sight. Under the fence? Under the shed? Wait! There, in the middle of a clump of Oregon Grape next to the patio, a leaf wobbled back and forth in the still, heavy air. Gotcha!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
4 comments:
- Annodear said...
Wily indeed! I had no idea :-D
- July 25, 2010
Too funny. =)
- July 27, 2010
Definitely "poultry in motion". lol
Colorado sister
- August 04, 2010
- turi said...
bellissimo sito visita il mio
- August 17, 2010
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subset: commoncrawl


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Want more information about attending a big FGS genealogy conference? Join me, Cyndi Ingle, and Mark Lowe on Connect with FGS that debuts November 6 at 9:00 p.m. EST. We are all speakers at the 2015 Federation of Genealogical Societies conference being held next February in Salt Lake City in conjunction with RootsTech. Caroline Pointer and Linda McCauley host the show.
Connect with FGS
will be a 30 minute FREE show broadcast on the first Thursday of the month as a Google+ Hangout and also on the FGS YouTube channel. Between now and February it will focus on the FGS 2015 conference
scheduled for February 11–14 in Salt Lake City, but other FGS news and
events will also be discussed.
Mark recently posted on Facebook that we will have a crazy time on this hangout. Yes, we will! It will be informative about FGS and the conference but I think we each might have some ideas up our sleeves. Will 30 minutes be enough for us? Will Caroline and Linda be able to rein us in?
To learn more about this new monthly event, check out the free FGS Voice blog
For more about the conference https://www.fgsconference.org/
27 October 2014
FGS free talk show online debuts Nov 6 with 3 "interesting" guests
Posted by Paula Stuart-Warren at 4:56 PM
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Maria Rivans
Maria Rivans's eye-popping collages explore the idea of existing alternate realities and fantastical other worlds which transport us into a surreal and exciting universe. By appropriating an array of sourced vintage ephemera, Maria seeks to overwhelm us with her compositions by combining vivid and seductive colours with powerful and often humorous imagery.
Best known for her intricate surreal landscapes, pin-up portraits and 3D boxed works, the viewer often experiences a visual and sensory overload from the hundreds of carefully cut-out found elements culled from her huge collection of vintage paraphernalia. Influenced by the extraordinary colours of Hitchcock films shown in Technicolor and sci-fi TV shows such as Land of the Giants and Planet of the Apes, these heroes from the past have been altered by combining and blending other found imagery scavenged from different eras, thus inviting the viewer into her strange and peculiar world.
Rivans's collages have a firm running theme of vintage Hollywood films, B Movies and TV trash. The screenplays of vintage films like The Birds, Mildred Pierce and Planet of the Apes have been rewritten and reinvented, resulting in newly collaged screen plots which intertwine throughout her body of work, spinning bizarre and dreamlike tales.
The Pin-up series has been evolving rapidly. Each individual movie star develops their own firm identity, as if they were a solid memorable character starring in one of Rivans's invented scripts. These leading ladies have been highly influenced by strong female actors like Bette Davis and Joan Crawford who made a huge impression on Rivans when she was a child. The Pin-up characters hold qualities of women who are particularly empowered and have recently been named after famous women explorers and inventors.
Maria exhibits her work all over the UK as well as internationally - New York, Hong Kong, Singapore and many countries in Europe as well as having a solo show in Seoul, Korea during March 2016. Most recently in January 2015 she had a solo show at the Saatchi Gallery, London and was invited to produce two pieces for Christies for their 'Out of the Ordinary' auction in September 2014. 'Lady Valentina' was the campaign image for the Affordable Art Fair London Autumn 2014 and 'Carina' was the face of the Scoop International Fashion Show held at the Saatchi Gallery May 2015. 'Scarlett' was the campaign image for Nordea Bank at the Affordable Art Fair, Stockholm, October 2015 and again 'Lady Valentina' was the campaign image for the Affordable Art Fair Milan 2016


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Monroe Wisconsin (PRWEB) May 09, 2013
Scott R. Tischler reveals 5 keys to losing a tremendous amount of weight by the end of summer. Scott R. Tischler recently helped his brother Troy Tischler lose 100 pounds in 90 days.
1. Measure your progress. Take pictures, step on the scale once a week, measure everything, track every work out. Measured progress is progress that can be seen.
2. Heart rate. So many people spend countless hours on the treadmill or bicycle with no results. The reason why is they did not elevate their heart rate high enough. Scott Tischler recommends a version of the H.I.I.T(High Intensity Interval Training). Do a plyometric exercises as hard and fast as possible getting the heart rate to peak performance, then taking a very short break and repeating. By doing this the fat will instantly begin to vanish.
3. Keep a steady pace. Rome was not built in a day. Do not over do working out in the beginning. Keep it to 30 minutes to 60 minutes 4-5 times a week and then go home.
4. Healthy eating is important, and for quick results, this little twist will help melt the fat off. For the first 2 weeks eat only protein and vegetables. Cut out all the carbs for two weeks. Cut out all sugar, alcohol and carbs. Eat only clean proteins such as grilled chicken, fish or lean meat.
5. Support group. This is important. Having someone to discuss workouts with and to exercise with is a great motivator.


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I offer comprehensive musical education programs for students of all ages and ability levels throughout Central Pennsylvania including the areas of Harrisburg, Carlisle, York and Lancaster and other neighboring communities.
Beginning Guitarists
Learn foundational guitar skills that will enable you to confidently perform your favorite styles of music. My focus is on providing you with instruction that will make the process of learning the guitar fun and easy. Each lesson will feature specific and obtainable goals and include a practice plan. You will be amazed at how fast you can learn to play the guitar with an organized approach and a little effort!
Intermediate Level Guitarists
Continue to develop technique, aural skills, sight reading skills, and performance skills that will help you reach your personal and/or professional musical goals. My intermediate guitar lessons will also provide an opportunity for you to extend your theoretical knowledge and explore the amazing world of improvisation. My focus is to help you evolve as a musician and artist through repertoire that inspires you.
Advanced Level Guitarists/Professional Development
Refine your technique, master the process of memorizing music, and deepen your understanding of theory, interpretation, and improvisation. Focus on performance development, and prepare for auditions and recitals. I am knowledgeable of current performance expectations for university programs and can assist you in preparing for auditions for music schools and conservatories including Musician's Institute, The University of Miami, Appalachian State University, Coastal Carolina University, Berklee College of Music, and University of Southern California's Thornton School of Music.
Teacher Training
Whether you are interested in starting to teach guitar, or an experienced guitar teacher looking to refine your craft, I offer an in depth, personalized course of study which targets understanding and teaching basic skill sets, assessment, methodology, curriculum development, creating student materials, and building a business out of your passion for teaching the guitar.
Develop your ability rapidly through an organized and research based instructional approach.
While my educational background in music is extensive (I hold a BM- North Carolina School of the Arts, MM-Appalachian State University, music therapy studies at Chapman University, and am currently completing a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree at USC's Thornton School of Music), I also hold a Master's degree in Education (National University). Exploring the process of teaching and learning music is an absolute passion of mine and I look forward to helping you achieve your musical goals.
My Approach to Guitar Instruction:
- Customizable Learning Experience: Whether you are enriching your life with music, preparing for college/conservatory auditions, in need of technical remediation, or interested in advanced studies, I am committed to providing you with a comprehensive course of study that is focused on your musical interests and goals.
- Measurable Learning Outcomes: To enable students to take ownership of their learning process, each of my students receives a monthly skill-set blueprint (an overview of skills being developed and skills mastered), detailed weekly practice logs (takes the guesswork out what to do/how long to practice each element, and provides a basis for developing self-monitoring skills-great for any life endeavor!), and ongoing assessment to track progress.
- Specific and Obtainable Goals: Providing opportunities for students to gain confidence in their ability to master new skills is vital to their motivation and to their ability to achieve their goals. My lesson plans are based on individual developmental level and each lesson focuses on specific weekly goals that can be easily achieved (with adequate practice time) from lesson to lesson.
- Research-based teaching strategies: To help students succeed on their path to mastery, my lessons are designed and implemented using the latest research relating to ability
- development in the domains of technique, rhythm, aural skills, sight-reading, practicing, memorizing music, performance development, and improvisation.
- Music is amazing! Putting all of the educational stuff aside, making music is a truly unique, infinitely pleasurable, socially connective, and personally transformative experience. In short, more music equals more life.
Finger Style
I think of American Fingerstyle Guitar as an amalgamation of a plethora of styles from classical, ragtime, blues, pop, rock, country, and dance music… just to name a few. I'm not even including latin, eastern european, african, middle eastern and eastern styles, which of course it entails. It is a melting pot of styles and techniques.
To begin with you will be involved with learning p i m a and assigning the thumb (p), index (i), middle (m), and ring (a) fingers to their respective strings to get them "smart". You will learn several right hand arpeggio patterns and discuss optimal wrist, hand and finger positioning for optimal tone production. Learning several simple clasical-type pieces will help you internalize right hand positioning and movement.
Next, we will introduce the concept of the mono and alternating bass with the thumb (p). You will learn some blues and traditional type tunes using simple alternating bass patterns. We will progress to more complicated, but not difficult classical pieces. You will be introduced to right hand exercises to increase speed and dexterity.
Let me say here that I believe repertoire is the key to becoming a refined fingerstyle guitarist. There is so much material to choose from once you have internalized and can execute the basics techniques.
Open and altered tunings go hand in hand with fingerstyle guitar. You will learn several open and altered tunings along with their respective harmonized scales. You will also learn how to pick and choose what tunings to use for arranging and how to create your own altered tunings.
More complex arrangements and techniques such as harmonics, two hand tapping, and percussive techniques are taught using some of the author's original tunes as well as songs by people like Michael hedges, Leo Kottke and Don Ross.
Course Description
American fingerstyle guitar lessons focus on the foundations of efficient technique including positioning the guitar, right and left hand integrity, and tone production. Topics covered include establishing an effective practice routine, right hand arpeggio patterns, alternating bass patterns, bar chords, and scale patterns. Once you have mastered the basics, you will begin developing repertoire for performance. Your instructor will help you select pieces that suit your musical taste and are appropriate for your development.
Jazz Guitar
Jazz is the quintessential American musical form. It uses all styles that it comes in touch with. It relies heavily on improvisation, syncopation and swing. There are so many different styles of jazz: bebop, freeform, ragtime, cool jazz, Gypsy jazz, swing and big band, Dixieland, Latin jazz, Afro-Cuban jazz… just to name a few. It started much like the blues with slaves from Africa and Hispaniola, and like a magnet has pulled all of the influences around it to make them a part of it. In performance situations in all forms of music, one must use their ear, but in jazz it is THE number one thing at all times. Jazz guitar lessons focus on 4 areas of Jazz Guitar study; (1) scales and arpeggios, (2) improvising, (3) comping, and (4) chord melody.
Topics covered-
Scales and Arpeggios: Topics covered include understanding the major, natural minor, harmonic minor and melodic minor scales, why they exist and their ultra-important modes for jazz, rock and fusion. You will learn how to harmonize these scales/modes and develop a firm grasp of all of the arpeggios found within them. You will also learn how to create different modal pentatonic scales from each point in the scale.
Improvising: Topics covered include what improvising is… and isn't, using modes effectively, important licks and phrases from past and present masters, working with modal pentatonic scales to hit the key changes, and extended and altered arpeggios via substitution principals. You will learn the heads (main melodies) to many important standard tunes, as well as how to recognize key centers and how to embellish melodies. More advanced topics include superimposing triads, polychords, using whole tone, 7b9 and whole-half diminished scales, and playing over ii V I (major and minor) phrases.
Comping: topics covered include standard rhythm patterns, walking basslines, drop 2 and drop 3 voicings, harmonized major and melodic minor scales, using pick and fingers for comping, extended and altered chords, basic progressions in major and minor keys, and quartal harmony.
Chord Melody: Topics covered include using diatonic and b5 substitution, and raising the melody an octave. You will learn how to play a variety of standard tunes in chord melody style and how to do your own arrangements. We'll also cover ways to play the same chord from each note in the scale.
Basic Guitar Skills
Learn foundational guitar skills that will enable you to confidently perform your favorite styles of music. My focus is on providing you with instruction that will make the process of learning the guitar fun and easy. Each lesson will feature specific and obtainable goals and include a practice plan. You will be amazed at how fast you can learn to play the guitar with an organized approach and a little effort!
Course Description
No matter what style you're interested learning, the basic guitar skills are identical for every style of guitar playing. My Basic Guitar Skills program focuses on the foundations of efficient technique including positioning the guitar, right and left hand integrity, basic chord vocabulary, and rhythm development. Topics also covered include establishing an effective practice routine; using the metronome; strumming patterns, bar chords, scale and arpeggio patterns, and basic theory. The Basic Guitar Skills program will give you the tools that you need to learn any style that inspires you.
Blues Guitar Lessons
Blues is a musical form that has evolved in the United States. The true roots of the blues are of African heritage. The slave trade brought the Africans to the west and along with it their rich musical customs. The influence of Blues is ubiquitous in the Rock/Jazz/Pop idioms. Blues, along with Gospel and various European influences has given us Rock… sort of.
If you want to be taken seriously as any type of Pop, Rock, or Jazz guitarist, you need to master the Blues form. In order to be an effective blues player and develop your tools to their highest degree of creativity, it is essential that you are well versed in the basic musical vocabulary of the style.
Blues lessons begin with the basic 12 bar blues, variations of this form, turnarounds, and a very simple way to play the 12 bar blues in any key. You will learn the Minor Pentatonic and Blues scales and ways to use them via sequences. You will also learn the minor blues form and how to adopt more sophisticated chord voicings to color and liven up your approach to comping (accompaniment) and edge into the realm of Jazz. Once you have mastered the basics, you will learn how to construct as well as play a walking bassline and how to play a wide variety of soloing styles in many different keys.
Rock Guitar Lessons
Beginner- Learn or review the 12 bar blues, pentatonic and blues scales. You will learn to play the 12 bar blues in any key. We will play some rockabilly. We will learn a few scale sequences to get familiar with those scales, along with basic blues and rock licks and phrases derived from them. We will learn familiar riffs/themes/motifs and see how the pentatonic and blues scales influence them. We will talk about different power chord shapes and how to get a good sound. Extensive study of Barre chords will be implemented.


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Max Blumenthal talks about his new book "Goliath" on Israel/Palestine
American journalist Max Blumenthal has been reporting on the Middle East, the far-right, racists and weirdos for years. He's a gem, and a friend.
His latest book, Goliath: Life and Loathing in Greater Israel, has been released (I've just received a copy). Here he is speaking to Abby Martin on RT:


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|The "Everything" Collection
|The Masterclass Collection
I bet you're thinking this is too good to be true, that there has to be some hidden cost, or some catch. Well, you're right, kinda...
While there are NO hidden costs here (we really will give you one of these Blu-ray collections for free as HD Digital Downloads), there is one catch - you must try our the MiniWarGaming Vault for FREE.
Wait, did we just say "free" again?
If you aren't familiar with the MiniWarGaming Vault, we'll tell you all about it in just a moment (or you can scroll down right now, we can't stop you!).
Basically it is a paid members-only area where you get more MiniWarGaming videos (usually even more than we put out for free on YouTube).
MiniWarGaming Vault members are what allow us to operate.
I'll be honest with you - YouTube revenues suck. They wouldn't cover a quarter of our expenses.
By having the MiniWarGaming Vault subscriptions, we are able to cover our expenses, hire more employees, and make more videos (both for Vault members and for free).
...that we want to bribe you to get you to try it out. And if that takes us giving you about $150 to $200 of Blu-rays as HD Digital Downloads, even if you decide not to remain a Vault member, we're willing to take that chance.
Here are just a few reasons why you'll want to join thousands of other Vault members:
Crush your opponents...
In the MiniWarGaming Vault you'll have access to more battle reports, as well as the post game shows with in-depth tactical analysis of the games (well, except for Dave's games, but we all love Dave).
Watch more of your favourite games:
Wow your friends with your painting skills...
With our daily painting tips and tutorials you will finally be able to hone your painting skills, whether you are a brand new painter, or a seasoned one.
Support MiniWarGaming...
We might not have the prettiest of faces, but we love making videos, and that ain't free. We've got to pay our video creators, our rent, our order-monkey Justin to buy all his Chinese food, and for all those other "fun" bills.
Our Vault members make this possible.
Get over $800 of DVDs / Blu-Rays
Over the years we have amassed quite the collection of painting and terrain DVDs, and you get instant access to all of them (via streaming video and HD Digital Downloads).
Your Free 7 Day Trial Awaits
And let�s not forget: you get to try the Vault for FREE for the first 7 days. If you don�t like it, just cancel (and if you forget to cancel, we�ll give you another MONTH to do so, anyway - and we won�t charge you a dime).
Waddaya say? Want to join the MiniWarGaming family?
"I can watch tons of videos for free online".
Yes, you can. There are other guys making videos out there (and some of them are really good, too).
HOWEVER: even though we do post a lot of free videos, we post EVEN MORE inside the Vault. And naturally we're keeping some of the best stuff in there, only for our members to see...
"Why should I have to pay you for wargaming videos?"
Let me explain to you why we feel this is a good thing:
"Signing up seems like a chore"
It's not, really. Choose which Blu-ray collection you want, click the plan of your choosing, fill in a few lousy fields and BOOM, it's done. It's like 3 clicks away.
"How will I know I�ll like the Vault?"
There's two ways we can convince you the Vault is worth your hard-earned dollars (or pounds, or euros...):
Here's the bottom line: you're going to get a LOT of cool stuff for just a few dollars each month. Are you really going to pass up on that?
And you get to cancel without any fuss at all if you don't like it.
So stop worrying, pick the Blu-ray collection of your choosing and JOIN US!


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Also summer upgrades at Jackson, Buena Vista
Jackson Elementary will have air conditioning, a modern kitchen, new carpet and replacement ceiling tiles. Buena Vista will get a bigger and better-situated office/front
desk area.
While not as intensive as the major renovations this summer at two other Westside elementaries (Washington and Bristol), the above improvements will be welcomed by their respective school communities when students return in August.
Jackson had been outfitted several years ago to allow an air-conditioning hook-up if the district could ever afford the equipment. The buildings bond issue, passed by voters in 2005, made the work possible, according to Mark Ferguson, the project manager for District 11.
The concept has been understandably popular. Before school let out in late May, Ferguson happily observed that "no one is running me off. They say, 'You're the air- conditioning man. Come on in.'"
The $198,000 bond-issue expenditure also includes the installation of a restaurant-style kitchen hood and convection oven, which will mean tastier meals for Jackson students, according to Rick Hughes, D-11's director of Food and Nutrition Services. The school will be the first on the Westside to have such cooking equipment, he said. "I'm excited about it because the quality is so much better. The food will be hot, fresh, and cooked faster."
The ceiling tiles will fix a situation in which some tiles were losing their integrity, and the carpet is a kind the district has been using for the past five to six years that "stands up 100 percent better than the stuff we used to have," said Rick Mayhew, a District 11 planner responsible for that part of Jackson's summer improvements.
Buena Vista is spending $52,000 to move the office to the former kindergarten class in the main building. For people entering the building, that classroom used to be the first thing they saw, while the office was around the corner. "It's a security thing for them (the principal and secretaries) because they couldn't see when people came in," said Mayhew, who also is overseeing the Buena Vista work.
The other plus with the move is that the former kindergarten room is twice as big as the old office, allowing more room for administrative services, as well as an 11- by-13-foot conference room (the old office had none). "So it's a neat deal," Mayhew said.
Buena Vista can relocate the kindergarten because of extra classroom space that became available last year when District 11 took back two of the school's old cottage buildings that had been leased out in recent years, according to Brenda Smith Barr, the Buena Vista principal.
The old office area will be used for storage.
Both schools' projects are due for completion before the start of school Aug. 16.
Westside Pioneer article


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Nick Jonas stars in the latest hazing drama, 'Goat.'
Denzel Washington returns to his theatre roots in 'Fences'
Denzel Washington and Viola Davis reprise their Tony-winning roles in the Washington-directed 'Fences.'
'La La Land' is a lo lo love letter to old Hollywood
Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone star in Damien Chezelle's love letter to Hollywood and Oscar favorite.
Blockbuster superstars Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt join forces in 'Passengers'
Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence find romance while unraveling a mystery in 'Passengers.' (Photo credit: Columbia Pictures)
The filmmakers of 'Sing' never knew when inspiration would strike
Seth MacFarlane, Tori Kelly, Reese Witherspoon, Matthew McConaughey, Taron Egerton, Scarlett Johansson and Nick Kroll are some of the voice actors of 'Sing.'
Now on DVD: 'Fear The Walking Dead's' Danay Garcia wants Meryl Streep to kill a zombie
Luciana (Danay Garcia) and Nick (Frank Dillane) are under fire in the Season 2 finale of 'Fear The Walking Dead.'
Blockbuster producer Kathleen Kennedy adds another blockbuster to her resume with 'Rogue One'
'Rogue One' is the latest in a long line of blockbusters from prolific producer, Kathleen Kennedy.
Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone sing and dance their way into our hearts in 'La La Land'
Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling might dance their way to the Oscar stage in 'La La Land.' (Photo credit: Dale Robinette)
Jeremy Irons presents award for mathematics at the 2016 Breakthrough Prize
Jeremy Irons and Dev Patel at the 2016 Breakthrough Prize ceremony which honors achievements in the categories of Fundamental Physics, Life Sciences and Mathematics. (Photo credit: Justin Bishop)
Paramount Pictures to release the follow-up to 'An Inconvenient Truth' in 2017
Al Gore with former Mayor of Tacloban City Alfred Romualdez and Typhoon Haiyan survivor Demi Raya, in the Raya family home; Tacloban City, Philippines, March 12, 2016. (Photo Credit: Jensen Walker)


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inSSIDer Office 126.96.36.199 Full Patch & Serial Number Final Download
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text: Helpers For Hire Directory My bookmarks Non-Physical Services (bill paying, letter writing, reading) Home » Non-Physical Services (bill paying, letter writing, reading) Search for: - Category -Adult Sitting (8)Appliances, new & repair (1)Assembly, new purchase (1)Auto, (car) repair, service detailing (1)Boats, marine, detailing, service or repair, winterizing (2)Bookkeeping (0)Brush Cutting (4)Cabinet Making (1)Caregiver (6)Carpentry (5)Cement, Concrete (3)Christmas Lighting Decorations (1)Cleaning (also refer to Housekeeping) (5)CMA and/or CNA (1)Computer help (2)Construction, small (0)Deck Staining (3)Decks (4)Docks, service, repair, ramps (2)Electrical (4)Errands including Shopping, Groceries & Appointments (6)Excavating (1)Fence building (2)Financial, organizing & planning home files (2)Floor installations, replacement or repair (interior). Polishing (2)Furniture, Repair & Retouching (1)Garage Sales, Manage and Organize (2)Gravel delivery and leveling (1)Grocery shopping (2)Grooming, Personal Care (4)Gutters, clean out & install (1)Handyman (4)Hauling (1)Heating (new install and/or repair) (1)Home Improvement & Repairs (5)Home re-modeling (3)House sitting (2)Landscaping (2)Laundry (5)Lawn Care, Leaf Raking, mowing etc. (5)Leaf Removal (3)Letter writing (2)Meals, prepare or cook (4)Misc., General labor & projects (3)Non-Physical Services (bill paying, letter writing, reading) (0)Painting exterior or interior (5)Patios (1)Personal (Respite)care, letter writing, reading, medical needs (6)Pets, care & sitting (4)Plumbing (3)Power Washing (5)Professional Hair Dresser (In Home) (1)Reading (3)Repair Equipment (mowers, tractors, etc. & no autos) (3)Roofing & Siding (3)Sheetrock Repair (1)Snow Removal Residential (2)Storage Shed Installations (1)Tile work (1)Transportation for errands, shopping, medical, etc. (7)Tree & Hedge trimming, removal (5)Trenching, cables, waterlines, etc (1)Washing, Power or Pressure (3)Weed Control (1)Welding (2)Windows & Doors Repair & New Installations (2)Yard Work (4) Found 0 listings


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Lately I have been on this kick to move to Montana and start a farm and get away from the internet and cell phones and all gadgety electronics. To raise my kid in the wild and nature and on from the heart of the land...and then my friend, Sam, sends me this...Marc Jacob diaper bag!!!! how about that print?! The print is what got me. $288 quite a bit steep for me these days but maybe if I get a little more design work and a few more photo jobs I can justify it. maybe.
Via here.


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Fiat may begin full production of a new model, codenamed "L-zero," in Serbia in May or June 2012 after technical tests are done. This vehicle is perceived to be a potential successor to the Lancia Musa and Idea models.
The new model is mainly developed for the European markets such as Russia, according to Antonio Cesare Ferrara, who heads Fiat Automobili Srbija -- the joint venture of Fiat and the Serbian government.
Ferrara further stated that the new model may also be introduced in the United States in a later stage, according to Autonews. The factory where the new model will be built is located around 110 km or 68 miles from the capital Belgrade, and is projected to have a production capacity of up to 250,000 units annually.
However, the actual volume will depend on the demand of the vehicle, according to Ferrara. The new Fiat vehicle is described as a B-segment, five-seater with a length of 4.1 meters (13.5 feet) to 4.25 meters in its basic variant.
Ferrara disclosed that it will probably be equipped with a "Twin Air" engine. He further stated that it will have an extended version that will seat seven. The Balkan country expects the output of Fiat to contribute 0.4 percent to growth next year, or a cumulative 2 percent through 2016.
The investment of Fiat in Serbia will reach 850 million euros or $1.16 billion by the end of the year, This investment includes the cost of cleaning up and rebuilding the dilapidated Zastava facilities as well as importing "state-of-the art production equipment" from Japan, Italy, and Germany, including Komatsu Ltd. presses.


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This petite anal or vaginal probe has a round, bulbous head to penetrate your most sensitive parts with deep sensation. The raised hearts along the shaft provide texture for your internal pleasure. Great for temperature play, you can heat or cool this luxurious material in hot or cold water for a unique experience. The non-porous glass is easy to clean and sterilize, shatter resistant, non-allergenic, and compatible with any lube of your choosing.
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Learning how to code is no longer a feat that only hackers and skilled uber brains are privy. NERD ALERT! Well times have changed, no longer is the ability to code a secret held solely by such Einstein-ian minds (insert evil laugh) because in today's tech-powered world learning the basics of coding is as simple as signing up for one of the many free (yes, I said FREE) resources available online.
Codecademy - Personally, this is one of my favorite options out there because it is pretty much "idiot proof" perhaps too idiot proof as this Reddit user points out. It does however provide a great foundation for learning the basics of programming.
Khan Academy - This breaks it down similar to an online college course. Khan also offers a plethora of areas to study outside of coding, but rest assured they have a Programming 101 course. Lessons combine a mix of game-like projects, video walk-through lessons, and student projects.
Perhaps you already have some knowledge and want a mid-level "Bring it on" learning experience. For those ambitious code-seekers I suggest HTML5 Rocks . This Google project brings you the latest updates, resource guides, and slide decks for all things HTML5. For those ANDROID lovers out there who want to learn mobile app development, check out Google Android Developer site.
Even IVY league schools such as Harvard and MIT have jumped on the bandwagon and now offer free online courses to the public. A bonus to this: You can impress your date by telling them that you're "currently taking a course at HAAAAAVAAARRDDD". Technically (pun intended) it's true.
Harvard's CS50: Introduction to Computer Science, taught by David J. Malan, focuses on 'programming languages' (a term you will become familiar with) C, PHP, and JavaScript plus SQL, CSS, and HTML.
MIT's Open Courseware offers Introduction to Programming in Java , Introduction to Computer Science and Programming, and Practical Programming in C.
I don't really need to explain to you the benefits of learning even basic code, I mean today's world pretty much runs on technology which essentially is just a bunch of underlying coding and programming. Maybe you're looking to create a unique website for yourself and aren't too fond of the standard templates offered for free via sites like WordPress or Moonfruit, knowing the ground level basics of coding will help you spruce things up and customize those standard offerrings to your liking.
Another positive is it can save you the hundreds to thousands of dollars you might have spent hiring a professional agency to create it for you ... although for more complex and or time sensitive projects I fully advise hiring a pro.
So whether it's your desire to go out and build the next tech unicorn or you simply want to understand why these techy tshirts are funny, you can rest easy knowing the answers are out there and readily available to you.


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A couple missing nearly two years after being last seen at a South Beaver Township campground were located living in Michigan, alive and well, according to state police.
Ian L. Freed, 33, and his girlfriend, Elaine Daley, 45, were reported missing in July 2016 after family members were unable to locate them following the Fourth of July weekend.
Police said an organization helping to search for Freed and Daley received information that the couple was living in Michigan. Local police checked an address and found Freed and Daley were living there, state police said.
Police did not release where in Michigan they were found. Freed is a native of Beaver Falls, and Daley is from Big Beaver.
According to a statement posted Tuesday on the Facebook page "Hope for Ian," the couple was found "alive and well."
Freed's father, James Freed, told The Times last week he had spent nearly two years searching for his son. At that time, a search was planned for the Crawford Camping Park in South Beaver Township, where Freed and Daley were last seen.


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Meet Jimmy. Or more properly, Lance-Sergeant James Martin Voss, 3rd Battalion, Australian infantry. The War Memorial's roll of honour states that he died of wounds on 17 October 1916, aged 21 years. He was a farmer by profession, from Burrumbuttock in New South Wales. And he was my grandmother's brother. She told me once that she remembered exactly where she was when she last saw him - under a tree not far from the family's farm - and I remember that she called him "Jimmy", the nickname he must have had as a boy.
He enlisted on 26 August 1914, 22 days after Australia entered the war. His service record says that he died in Belgium - probably at Ypres - of a gunshot wound to the head. Reading between the lines, I suspect that the wound was self-inflicted. Who could blame him if he decided to choose the time and manner of his death? Not every wound on a soldier is physical.
There's a good argument that the Great War made possible such peace and security as exists in the world today. But 'big ideas' like this seem empty in the face of the pain and wasted life of a young man. The only thing that can ease human pain is human joy and human hope. I'd like to hope that before he left this world, Jimmy had the chance to know some of the poilus - the farmers and countrymen like himself who were the backbone of the French infantry - and that he found in them kindred spirits.
I'd like to think that Jimmy would have been comforted to know that his sister became a nurse and a midwife, and preserved and birthed life in a world he had seen blasted by death. I don't think that his sister ever stopped missing him, from their farewell in 1914 until her own death 80 years later. Perhaps it would have been a comfort to her to have seen the care lavished on the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery by the Belgian people. And perhaps it would have been comforting to both of them to know how beautiful Ypres would become once the guns fell silent and life returned.


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Investing for Income
By Bruce C. Miller, CFP™
In my continuing service to the retired community, this month I am offering a somewhat lengthy article on the somewhat lengthy topic of income investing. In all fairness, this topic could easily fill a book…but this would be a bit much for a newspaper. So I've necessarily reduced the size and scope of this article, while still getting across the important points. It is my intent to provide each of you with enough information to prompt you to look more deeply into the subject matter on your own or to speak with greater understanding to your investment advisor. And unlike so many articles on investing, this is not a rehashing of the basics, but instead assumes you already understand the fundamental concepts. But lets start with a brief review.
In each individual's or family's funds for investment, there should be 2 or 3 separate and distinct components: Emergency Cash Reserves, Growth investments and for those in retirement, Income Investments.
Emergency Cash Reserves normally represent 3 to 6 months of family expenses that are held in a highly 'liquid' cash account, such as a pass-book savings account, money market account, short term government bond mutual fund, cash value life insurance and/or 30 day Certificate of Deposit (CD). This is money that is not so much invested as it is simply held in a safe and secure account with ready access for emergencies, should it be needed. The stated interest rate on these money 'instruments' is secondary in importance; whether this money earns 4.2% or 4.6% really doesn't matter very much….that it is readily accessible and convertible into cash without losing principal, is important. This must be a part of each family's financial plan.
Growth investing is investing we think of in the classical sense; we buy stocks or real estate or rare collectibles with the hope that these items will grow in value (after expenses and taxes) faster than inflation (hopefully much faster), and that we will sell these at a later date for more than we paid for them. Simple enough. However, growth investing produces little or no income as it grows. In fact, some growth investments require us to pay money out while we hold them; for example, property taxes on bare land. Therefore, growth investing generally requires a longer time horizon (usually at least 5 years), patience and the discipline to leave things alone while they grow. Almost without exception, I advise my clients to build and maintain a growth portfolio of investments, ranging from 100% of investment assets for young (under 45) 'accumulators' but never dropping to less than 10% of investment holdings, even for those who have reached their 100th birthday!
Income investing, or, 'income-only investing' as I call it, is concerned only with generating current income from your investments, which you then combine with retirement pension and social security income, to provide the lifestyle you wish to enjoy. This lifestyle may include simply living on the income you generate each month, gifting moneys to family, church or charity or saving up for short-term purchases of durable items like appliances, a car, or your grandchild's next semester's college tuition, to name a few. 'Income-Only' investors usually start income investing in their 50's or 60's, but some begin much earlier if they have the financial means to do so. What differentiates income-only investing from growth investing is the wish to produce regular, stable and recurring income to be used for immediate or short-term needs. However, individuals who are in the growth or accumulation phase of their working lives do not need income…they need growth or capital appreciation. Therefore, I do not recommend income investing to those who are greater than 5 years pre-retirement.
The remainder of this article deals with that portion of your investments you wish to produce income, using readily available income securities that have their own trading symbol, are openly traded on the large national exchanges (such as the New York Stock Exchange) or even on local exchanges, and are available through your brokerage account. The purpose of this article is to help you become a better 'income-only' investor, or at a minimum, to be a better consumer if you retain the services of an investment advisor. It is NOT the intention of this article to recommend any specific security. I will mention specific securities for the sake of illustration or as a place to begin your research; but I do not recommend them or recommend against them.
Definition: Income-only investor: One who invests his/her funds solely for the purpose of producing regular and stable current income. Income investments are analyzed and chosen for their ability to produce a regular and stable dividend. Once purchased, any growth or devaluation of the security is irrelevant; only the continuity and stability of the dividend matters.
There are many investments available today that are concerned with producing income. I group them into 3 categories:
Category 1 we are all familiar with. This includes passbook savings accounts, money market accounts, short-term government bond mutual funds, money market mutual funds and 30 day or shorter CD's. I consider this category to actually be places for an Emergency Cash Reserve rather than income investments. After income taxes and the affect of inflation, the real yield is often close to zero, even though these investments are safe and often insured against loss. But as an income investment, due to their very low yields, I usually do not recommend them.
Category 2 are financial 'products' often marketed by insurance companies and brokerages. These include annuities, unit investment trusts, load mutual funds and individual bonds. Caution and prudence are the order of the day here. What must be remembered by you, the consumer, is that the sales person bringing you these products are under considerable pressure to sell them and they may not have the credentials or training of an objective investment advisor or financial planner. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't consider the investment product. It does mean that you need to do your homework. Like buying a car, a house or a vacation time-share, you need to read the 'fine-print', get a second opinion, read independent reports and consumer guides and speak to those you personally trust who have experience with these products. It is an unwise consumer who would buy these (or other) products only at the urging of the salesperson. Once you get a clear idea of the financial products being sold, careful research will often show that the securities being sold are expensive and overpriced, when sales commissions and/or on-going 'management fees' are taken into account. These additional expenses will come directly out of the dividends you make, thus reducing the return on your income investment.
A word here on individual bonds. This is considered by many to be the staple of "fixed-income" investing, and in theory I believe this to be true. However, the costs of buying and selling bonds can be quite expensive. Unlike stocks, bonds are usually sold from an 'inventory' of bonds held by the brokerage instead of from the current owner of the bond in the marketplace. The brokerage then builds into the price of the bond their commission. For example a Coca Cola bond issued at $1,000 with an 'A' credit rating can be bought today for $1,017.70 with a coupon yield of 6.75%, maturing in 2019. The current yield is 6.63%, which is calculated by dividing the annual dividend, $67.50, by the purchase price of $1,017.70, and in the final year of 2019, you would receive back $1,000, meaning you would have a loss of $17.70 in that year, which will reduce the final year's return to $67.50-$17.70 = $49.80 or 4.89%. The quoted yield is often given as the 'Yield to Maturity'. Be careful here. Yield to Maturity assumes you are going to reinvest the bond interest payments immediately when you receive them at the same rate of return as the yield to maturity of that bond. But as an income investor you will not be doing this. Thus Yield to Maturity is of no value and current yield (as shown above) is what you must use to compute the bond's actual (current) yield. There are a small number of individual bonds that are traded on the New York Stock Exchange. These 'exchange traded' bonds are purchased through your brokerage account. However, the brokerage commissions to buy these bonds can be very high. For example, on the Coca-Cola bond above, the commission at Fidelity Brokerage is $36 plus $4 per bond, or $40. Thus, the first year's net interest payment on one bond, assuming the bond can be purchased for $1,000, will be $67.50 - $40 = $27.50, or 2.75%, then jumping to the coupon rate of 6.75% for the remainder of the time it is held. And remember, Fidelity is a discount broker; a bond brokerage commission for exchange traded bonds will no doubt be much higher. In addition, bonds make their interest payments twice each year, which can cause a cash-flow problem to income investors, who need a relatively steady monthly or at a minimum, staggered quarterly cash flow stream. Bond brokers will often recommend that bonds be 'laddered'; that is, maturity dates staggered so that the income stream is spaced more closely together and as older bonds mature, newer bonds of longer maturity will be added. This is a great strategy, were it not for the brokerage commissions, which can become quite large. Again, if you intend on purchasing and holding individual bonds, be ever cautious of brokerage commissions and calculate the current yield of the bond…ignore the yield to maturity (YTM) yields that are usually quoted.
Category 3 are income investment securities we don't hear about very often but are readily available to all. We don't hear about them because there usually are rarely any middleman or intermediary who can profit by their sale. These include Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITS), Preferred Stocks, Utilities, No-load Open-End mutual Bond funds, Closed-End Mutual Bond Funds, distressed dividend paying stocks, Royalty Trusts, Master Limited Partnerships and, for lack of a better term, Bond 'mutants'. These investments are all available on stock exchanges (most on the New York Stock Exchange), each has their own stock symbol (for example, the Strong Corporate Bond Fund = STCBX) and are available through all brokerage services for their normal brokerage commission, such as Fidelity, E-Trade, Schwab or Waterhouse, to name a few. Many open-end bond funds are available as 'No Transaction Fee' funds, meaning there is no brokerage commissions paid at all. Most of these individual securities do not have a large trade volume per day, or they are 'thinly traded', meaning that emergency liquidation may result in selling for below listed daily prices. Having at least a medium-term income investment horizon (at least 4-5 years) is crucial to investing in these securities. Also, be forewarned; brokers and securities dealers tend to dislike this category of investment. They usually view these as slow and boring, unlike shares of large, popular companies that move quickly and generate significant brokerage commissions. However, this should have no bearing on your interest in the security.
Before I begin talking about Category 3 investment securities, let me pause to talk a bit about risk. Risk defined is the likelihood that your investment will perform worse than you anticipated. A high-risk, high-dividend paying stock, for example, has a higher risk of not being able to sustain its high dividend than a low risk dividend paying stock. The trade-off, of course, is that the higher risk stock will pay a higher dividend yield…sometimes, much higher. No one can predetermine your tolerance for risk…only you can do that. Your values, your needs, life experiences and your understanding of the investment universe determine your risk tolerance. Ideally, you should take only that level of investment risk you must take to generate the income you need to supplement other retirement income to provide the lifestyle you desire. That's it! For example, let's say you wish to retire at an $80,000 annual gross income (before tax). Let's say your company's pension income is $32,000 and your social security is $22,000 for a total of $54,000. This means your investments will need to generate $80,000 - $54,000 = $26,000 annually. If you have $520,000 to invest for income (remember, your growth investment and Emergency Cash Reserve are separate from this), you will require only a 5% current income dividend rate to meet your $80,000 annual income requirement. Thus, you can invest in very low risk investments (unfortunately, I don't see this situation very often). But if you have $260,000 to invest for income, you will have to earn a 10% dividend. This will require a considerably higher level of investment risk. And if you have $217,000 to invest, you will have to earn 12% to meet your goal. This rate is possible, but you will have to take more investment risk. I always recommend that my clients take no more risk than they absolutely have to to meet their goals. The problem comes when clients have to take more risk than they are comfortable with. For them, they must either learn to accept more risk or reduce their lifestyle expectations. The third alternative is to gradually consume the retirement nest egg. There are several published methods for doing this…none of which I like very much, as they rely on timing investment sales to market cycles, on prolonged market gains as we have enjoyed since the early 1980's or on life expectancy from standardized tables. If this is the only option, I use it sparingly, employing conservative withdrawal strategies, for once each invested dollar is consumed, it is a dollar no longer available to work for them. And if you consume your assets while you are still alive and healthy (at your 90th birthday??), you will have nothing! Financial Planners call this superannuation: you've outlived your assets.
Now, lets look at Category 3 income investment securities.
1. Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). This is my staple of income investing and usually makes up 25 – 30% of an investment portfolio, with no single security (of any type or class) making up more than 3% of the value of the income investment portfolio. It is a unique security that acts partly like a normal publicly traded corporation (like IBM), but also acts like a limited partnership. To be a REIT, the IRS requires the company to derive at least 75% of its income from Real Estate operations, to hold the Real Estate an average of at least 4 years and to distribute at least 90% of its net income to shareholders each year and 100% of capital gains (gains on the sale of Real Estate). If a REIT meets these (and other) requirements, the earnings are not taxed at the REIT level…instead they are taxed at the shareholder level, much like a partnership is taxed. This is a distinct advantage over C-Corporations (like IBM) who must pay income tax on their net earnings at the corporate level and then shareholders (investors) must pay income tax on any earnings that are distributed to them in the form of dividends. In effect, dividends are taxed twice in a C-Corp. But in a REIT, they are taxed only once. And because the REIT must pay out most or all of its net earnings, this usually creates a very attractive dividend yield for the investor. There are currently about 194 REITS available to the public on the New York, American and NASDAQ stock exchanges, and they trade like any stock. There are many types of REITS, to include those who invest only in Office buildings, Hotels, Hospitals/Clinics, Apartments, Personal Storage, Retail Chains, Malls, Restaurants, Residential loans, Golf courses and Industrial and commercial mortgage loans. REIT dividend rates today run between 2 or 3 % to over 15%. Care must be taken to pick REITs who have a proven history of continuous and steady dividend payments, who have seasoned and experienced managers and who hold and manage properties in many regions of the country (geographic diversification). A full listing of REITs can be found on the web site of the National Association of REITs (NAREIT) at www.nareit.com, who also have a nice primer that will explain the basics of REIT investing. Detailed analysts of REIT's include Fitch (http://www.fitchibca.com/financial_institutions/reit_reoc.cfm), FBR (www.fbr.com) and Green Street Advisors (http://www.greenst.com/). Greenstreet Advisors and Fitch now charge a fee for their detailed analysis, while FBR offer some of their research for free.
2. Preferred Stocks, which usually make up 20 to 25% of my income investment portfolio, are stocks issued by usually larger financial or utility companies in addition to their common stocks. From an investment standpoint, preferred stocks act somewhat like common stocks and somewhat like the company's bonds. Like the company's common stocks, preferred stocks are traded on the major stock exchanges and are available for purchase by any American citizen through their brokerage account. But like the company's bonds, each preferred stock is issued with a fixed dividend payment (with a notable exception called a 'floating preferred'…but this is rare) that is payable, usually quarterly (a few pay monthly). The primary advantage of preferred stock dividends is that they must be paid before common stock dividends. In other words, if the common shareholders get a dividend, the preferred shareholders will be guaranteed theirs. But unlike bond interest payments, the issuing company does not have to pay preferred dividends to stay in business. Most preferred stock are 'cumulative'. This means that if the company elects to 'skip' a dividend payment, that payment and any others in arrears, must be paid to the preferred stock shareholder before any dividend payment is made to common shareholders. In other words, as a preferred stock shareholder, you get paid dividends before common stock shareholders, but after interest payments to bondholders. Most cumulative preferred stocks are issued at $25/share and most can be redeemed by the issuer anytime after 5 years following issue. This means that if a company issues preferred stock in November 1998, the company may elect (but is not required) to redeem all preferred stock at $25/share in November of 2003. If you buy the preferred stock at, say, $20/share, you will enjoy a 25% capital appreciation from the time you purchased the preferred stock until it is redeemed. Some preferred stocks are 'perpetual', meaning they are never redeemed. The two main risks associated with Preferred Stock is that the company may 'skip' dividend payments, a rare occurrence, or that the company will simply go out of business, which is also a risk to the bond holders, albeit a very low risk. The other risk to Preferred Stock holders is something called 'reinvestment risk'. This means that if you buy Preferred Stock shares at $20 per share, enjoy a 10.5% dividend payment (paid quarterly) for 4 years and then the company redeems your shares for $25 per share, you now have cash to reinvest. This is much like owning a bond that is 'called' by the issuer. But what drove up the price of your Preferred Shares was lowered interest rates, which means your next income investments will be at a lower rate of return. The 10.5% dividend return you were getting is now down to, say, 8.25% for a similar preferred stock at today's interest rates, although due to the increase in the preferred stock price, you have more money to invest.
There are virtually no analytical services that review preferred stock. Fitch investors' service (http://www.fitchibca.com/) is the only on-line independent analyst who reviews and rate preferred stock that I have found, but you will need to know the name of the company issuing the preferred stock. Investor's Business Daily has a section in the securities listings for preferred stock. In analyzing preferred stock, the analyst usually rates the preferred stock on the company's ability to meet is recurring fixed preferred stock expense, referred to as fixed-cost coverage ratio. If a company has a total preferred stock dividend of, say, $2 per share, the acceptable coverage ratio would require the company to have after tax net earning per share of at least $4. This is a 2 to 1 coverage ratio. The better preferred stock will have a coverage ratio of 3 to 1, or, as in the example above, have net earnings per share of $6. What I look for are trends in fixed cost coverage ratios. A company who has progressively gone from a 3:1 ratio to a 1.5:1 ratio is going in the wrong direction, and unless the company management can offer a compelling reason why this negative trend is occurring and how they intend to remedy it, or if they don't speak to it in their annual report to shareholders, I look elsewhere, regardless of how attractive the dividend yield is.
3. Open-End bond funds represent another 25 to 30% of my income investment portfolio. But unlike individual securities, its overall weight in the portfolio may reach 10% per fund, as the fund is a diversified portfolio already. I select 3 to 5 bond funds to represent a diversity of bond classes (see below). These funds are like all open-end mutual funds, in that the fund manager sells shares of the mutual fund to the general public, and with this money, purchases bonds in the open marketplace that are placed in the fund. Interest from all bonds is collected in the bond mutual fund and paid out to investors monthly, after the mutual fund takes out their own operations fees and administrative expenses. Open end Bond funds have two broad measures of performance that investors are concerned with; total return and income return. Total return represents the change in value of all of the bonds in the fund plus the interest that is collected by the fund. Income return is simply the collective interest (or dividend) payment that is paid each month per share. So if an income investor buys 100 shares of a mutual bond fund that pays on average $.087 per share per month, this means the investor will receive about $1.044 per share per year. If the investor paid $9.85 per share for the fund, his income current yield will be $1.044/$9.85 = 10.6%. This is what the income investor is concerned with…not the fluctuations in the market price of the bond fund, which will certainly go up and go down, depending on the market interest rates and/or other factors. Therefore, I tend to ignore the 'total return' numbers reported for bond funds, and analyze open-end bond funds on the continuity and stability of the monthly dividend payment history.
There are currently over 2,180 open-end bond funds, but 1,350 of these carry a sales load. There is simply no reason to pay a sales commission on an open-end bond fund. The 830 true no-load bond funds offer a wide variety to choose from. Classes of bond funds range from mortgage backed bonds (such as GNMA or FNMA residential mortgage bond funds) to corporate 'investment grade' bond funds, to municipal bond funds (tax free for federal income tax) to high-yield (higher risk) corporate bond funds to Government (treasury bills, notes and bond) funds. This seems like a complicated array of bond funds to choose from, but to the income investor, the choices are quite simple: select those bond funds with a proven track record of at least 5 years of a steady, constant and stable monthly dividend payment. The only web site that I have found that will give you historic dividend payments is Microsoft's Money Central. Go to http://moneycentral.msn.com/investor/home.asp. Type in the stock or mutual fund symbol, then click on 'Chart', and once the chart comes up, click on 'Price History', which will give you a historic chart of the company, to include the dividend history. Point with your mouse to the 'D' for dividend, and it will give you the date and amount of the historic dividend from the chart. I simply list the data in an Excel spreadsheet and draw a chart over 1, 3, 5 and, if available, 10 years. The best bond funds will show a gradually rising dividend. The funds to avoid are those that have a steadily decreasing dividend over the years.
4. Utilities have a long history of paying steady, constant and reliable monthly or usually quarterly dividend payments. When owned as a public utility, the management of the utility had the power to periodically request increases in rates usually in step with the gradual increases in the cost of gas or electricity or coal, and to pay out a constant and steady dividend to holders of utility stock. However, with deregulation of public utilities, this historically steady dividend payment has come under pressure. Now as utilities are deregulated, each utility has to compete with other area utilities or energy suppliers to offer their commodity (electricity, natural gas or phone service) at the lowest rate so as to attract as many customers as possible, yet still remain financially strong and attractive to investors. This has thrown a large dark cloud over the future of constant dividend payments. For if a utility looses customers to a competitor or must pay a higher price for the natural gas or electricity that they distribute, yet wants to avoid raising customer prices, then the utility may not have enough money to pay dividends to shareholders or may have to reduce existing shareholder dividends. I look for utilities who are well diversified and have adjusted to the new deregulated market conditions and use good business practices in getting raw material (such as natural gas), financing expansion or buy-outs of other 'cheap' utilities, cost controls (labor costs), etc., etc. In short, I look for utility managers who run the utility like a profit making business, not a government bureaucracy, and have made the commitment to a steady and secure dividend payment to shareholders. Because of the changing climate for utilities, I have reduced my portfolio holding from 15 to 10% over the past year
5. Closed-end bond funds are similar to open-end bond funds, except that once the fund shares are initially sold to the public, the number of shares that make up the closed-end fund will never change. What changes is the value of each share, based on the value of the bonds in the fund as judged by the bond marketplace. This calculated value (the Net Asset Value or NAV) is calculated much like open-end bond funds. However, unlike open-end bond funds, the actual selling price of the fund fluctuates moment-to-moment, based on what the market is willing to pay, much like a stock is valued. When the calculated fund value (NAV) is greater than what the market is currently willing to pay for the fund, then the fund is said to be selling at a discount, which is most often the case. When the NAV is lower than the market price, the closed-end fund is said to be selling at a premium. With an open-end fund, the number of shares available to the public changes on a daily basis…the more shares sold, the more money is in the fund and the higher will be the fund manager's fee, which is computed as a percentage of the value of the fund. But because the number of shares of a closed-end fund doesn't change, the fund's interest earnings will likely not change very much over time, thus the fund manager has little incentive to keep the fund in top form as an open-end bond fund manager would to keep new money coming in and improve his or her fees. Therefore, in my opinion, one must be very careful in selecting a closed-end bond fund. Most of these funds that I have researched are initially very attractive, as they offer what seems to be high income yields compared with their open-end bond fund counterparts. However, a review of the dividend history (using the web sites mentioned above) will often show a gradually declining dividend payment and equally declining share price, until finally the fund drops to around $2 to $4 per share, at which time the fund is rolled into another closed-end bond fund, which then repeats this cycle. Most closed-end bond funds are issued by brokerages or insurance companies, who seem to have little concern in managing these funds for the long term benefits of their income investors, although there do seem to be some exceptions. The easy way to tell is to look at dividend histories over 3, 5 and 8 years. A gradually declining price per share (Net Asset Value) and declining dividend payout is a sure sign that this closed end bond fund is headed to extinction. At the Yahoo finance web site, http://finance.yahoo.com/ , go down to 'Research and Education' and click on 'Historical Quotes'. Put in the closed end fund symbol, enter the time period of which you wish to check, check the 'dividends' circle and then click on 'Search'. You will see the complete dividend history. Using Microsoft's Money Central, as outlined above, will also work for closed-end bond funds. In addition, Morningstar (www.morningstar.com) does a separate evaluation of closed-end funds, to include all classes of closed-end bond funds. Due to the downward bias of closed-end bond fund dividends, I have reduced my portfolio weighting of these securities from 10 to 15% to 5 to 10%.
6. The final category of income-only investments is a kind of hodgepodge of investments that I will go over individually. However, due to the relative high risk and/or very low trading volume of these securities, I recommend investors hold no more than 5% of their total income investments here.
a. Distressed stocks. These are stocks with a history of paying stable dividends that have, for some reason or reasons, fallen into deep disfavor with investors. The recent best example is Philip Morris. Here is a company awash in cash, high earnings and a historically growing dividend, yet with a cloudy future due to pending litigation. If just one of the outstanding punitive product liability class actions lawsuits is successful through the appeals process, Phillip Morris would most likely have to cut its dividend and ultimately probably have to file for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, as other suits would most certainly follow. There are many such dividend paying companies who have fallen on such times, that offer very attractive dividend yields but bear considerable risk. This is not a place for the unwary or the casual income investor. Only through careful research of knowing what the risks are and how well the company management will most likely be able to deal with these problems, should an income investor consider buying such high yielding stocks.
b. Royalty Trusts. These are securities that receive usually monthly royalty payments per 'unit' or share. Natural resource commodities such as oil, gas, minerals and timber are typical of royalty trusts. The dividend paid will depend upon the quantity and the unit price of the commodity that is mined, pumped or harvested. For example, when oil prices are high and the oil field is productive (actively pumping oil from the well), the trust that receives the oil revenues will usually pay a nice, high-yielding dividend. However, when the price per barrel of oil drops and/or the number of barrels pumped per day drops, the dividend will also decline. Dividend payments can vary considerably from month to month, so great care must be taken to ensure the trust has a good chance of maintaining its dividend, such as ensuring the trust has a solid history of dividend payments, there is an adequate supply of the commodity (such as estimated number of million cubic feet of natural gas in a gas well) and that the commodity is one that will be in continued demand. Some examples are LL&E Royalty Trust (symbol, LRT) and Sabine Royalty Trust (symbol SBR).
c. Master Limited Partnerships, or publicly traded limited partnerships, are traded on stock exchanges with their own symbols. The partnerships usually involve a service that the general partners (those actively engaged in the business venture) provide to a company or business for which the partnership is paid. We the 'silent investor' or limited partner, buy shares (units) and rely on the general partners to be productive and profitable. If the partnership is profitable, net earnings are distributed to all partners and are taxed, like a REIT, at our level. Typical MLP's include oil and gas pipelines, transport services, storage services or financing services. There are many MLP's that have been providing needed services for many years, such as Kaneb Pipe Line Partners (symbol KPP), who have an equally long history of gradually increasing dividends. As with any high dividend paying stocks, it is important to research the company management's ability to profitably manage the partnership and maintain a steady and reliable dividend stream.
Limited partnerships are also available 'off-line' through syndicates or through brokerages, but the marketability of these private partnerships can be quite tenuous and units can be expensive to buy or sell. Indeed, limited partnerships can be bought/sold in land use (such as animal grazing), Broadway plays, movie productions, equipment leasing and so on. Unless you really know the general partners and trust their ability to profitably manage the venture, my universal advise is to stay clear of those limited partnerships not traded on the major stock exchanges. And if you are approached by a stranger attempting to sell you units in a 'foolproof' or 'no-miss' limited partnership, run, (don't walk) to the closest exit.
d. Corporate-backed Trust Securities (CorTS) and Corporate Asset-Backed Corporation (CABCo) are the latest generation of what I call 'bond mutants'. These are essentially corporate bonds that are packaged in a different way to make them more marketable to the average investor, and are available, like all the other securities we have discussed, on the major stock exchanges. The way they work is a major corporation, such as JC Penny or Bell South, will issue, say, $100,000,000 worth of bonds into a trust that a brokerage will then cut up into $25 shares (much like preferred shares, but these shares are actually corporate bonds) that are then given a ticker symbol and sold on the major exchanges. Each share bears a coupon interest rate and the company's bond credit rating, (just like a bond), but at $25 each (at issue), they are much more affordable to most income investors. For example, through your brokerage account, you can buy 1,000 shares of the JC Penny CABCo for the normal brokerage commission of $10 to $25, depending on which fee schedule applies to your brokerage account. This is far cheaper than the $130 to $160 that 25 bonds would cost in discount brokerage commissions. And just like a bond, interest payments will come into your account semi-annually. But because the shares currently trade below their issue price of $25, the current yield is higher than the bond coupon yield. For example, at $25, the JC Penny CABCo has an annual yield of 7.60% (7.54% after a $25 brokerage commission on a $25,000 investment); that is, it makes an interest payment of $.955 every 6 months, or $1.91 per year. But at today's price of $13.40 per share, the CABCo share has an annualized current yield of $1.91/$18.40 = 10.38% (10.15% after commission)! Go figure. Clearly, the market either doesn't know about these securities or the market has a deep dislike for JC Penny's bonds! For researching, the symbol for Bell South CorTS is KTB and for JC Penny's CABCo's it is PFH. If your experience is like mine, be prepared…no one in the investment community will have any idea what you are talking about when you mention a CABCo.
So in a nutshell, that's it! I hope this brief review has helped you to better understand income-only investing. And if you elect to delve deeper into this topic, I hope you have as much fun as I have.
Bruce C. Miller is a Fee-Only Certified Financial Planner ™ living in Vancouver, Washington.


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Google Certified Partners are agencies who have the qualifications needed to join the Google Engage Program. Our Google Certified AdWords specialists have the right skill set to manage any big or small PPC campaign to maximize any budget provided.
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Rankings are a Poor Metric for Overall Performance; rankings do not equal traffic. A great SEO campaign needs to be measured by the increase in search engine traffic and new Patient inquiries. Since search traffic is a sure sign that the marketing is working, the metric for success should always be traffic.
No, but we can use your second line. For a small fee, we can port your second line and forward it to your main line.
For starters, we do not outsource any of our services to others outside of our office. We focus on in-house development and support. This allows us to control and monitor all our partners to ensure the best online marketing strategy is in place, which will help to grow your practice.
The Review Promoter or Practice Promoter is a fully-integrated reputation management tool. The Practice Promoter allows our clients to send text and email messages to their patients, asking the patients to leave a review of the practice. If the patient selects "Yes," then the promoter directs the patient to the Google and Yelp listings of the practice. Patients who select "No," receive a form to privately provide feedback to the client. The client is the only one who will view the patient's feedback on the form and not have the review appear on the internet.
We do not recommend that clients do this. Typically having a second SEO company involved will create conflicts. Additional websites, landing pages and directory listings created by the third party can damage the web presence of our client. Other optimizations or strategies by this third party can damage our client's web presence. In extreme circumstances, these third parties can even take actions that will cause our client to get black-listed.
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QUT Law alumnus Matthew Murphy is the 2016 Winner of the Australia China Alumni Award for Corporate Achievement at the eighth Australia China Alumni Association (ACAA) Awards.
The ACAA is Australia's largest alumni network in China, providing several programs, services and events to facilitate commercial and cultural connections between Australian and Chinese alumni. It is supported by the Australian Embassy China, the Australian Government, the Australian Consulate General and more than 20 Australian universities.
Matthew is the Managing Partner and CEO of MMLC Group Lawyers and Consultants, based in Beijing, and advises various Global Fortune 500 companies on intellectual property, mergers and acquisitions, and international trade in China and the Asia-Pacific.
With more than 20 years of experience in the international legal and business industry, Matthew is also an arbitrator with the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre, the Beijing Arbitration Commission and CIETAC.
The Australia China Alumni Award for Corporate Achievement recognises Matthew's significant accomplishments in the Chinese corporate law industry. The prestigious award focusses on success in job performance, as well as contributions to the industry and a commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR).
Matthew graduated from QUT with a Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Laws in 1993. After specialising in intellectual property, and mergers and acquisitions for several years, he founded the MMLC Group.
"At university I learnt great time management skills, given I was holding down three part-time jobs in order to put myself through university. I also learnt how to look for practical solutions to problems, rather than follow the theoretical approaches blindly," said Matthew.
"These skills put me on the path to being a good judge's associate upon graduation, and a good lawyer in the first firms that I worked with," he said.
Matthew has been developing MMLC as a major international law firm in Beijing since 2002. The firm consists of an Australian Law Office, a Chinese IP agency and a Chinese consulting company. MMLC continues to assist its founding clients on interesting IP, corporate and trade matters in China. This includes a mixture of work from both Australian and Chinese jurisdictions and for clients in many industries such as life sciences, fashion and retail, electronics and telecommunications, agribusiness, auto, heavy industrial, entertainment and fast moving consumer goods.
When asked about the highlight of his career, Matthew said that a standout project was his involvement in developing Apple's Chinese presence during the Steve Jobs era.
"I was entrenched in almost every Apple matter involving China legal issues from 2001 to 2008 or so," he said. "These matters ranged from complex patent and trademark IP issues to the rollout of the Apple shops in China."
In addition to his commitment to professional excellence, Matthew has made extensive contributions to the pro bono legal industry, including work for the World Bank Group and the World Justice Project for China. He was the author of the China Legal Aid report for the United Nations Development Program in 2015 and is currently working on a report for the newly founded Amal Clooney Foundation for Justice Project.
The MMLC team has also shown a passion for CSR through the support of charities such as World Vision, the Smith Family and UNICEF.
In the future, Matthew hopes to develop his work in the pro bono and arbitration areas further.
"As my work as an arbitrator in Hong Kong and Beijing is becoming more well-known and popular, I can see that this part of my career will begin to take up more time. Similarly, my work for the World Justice Project, World Bank, the UNDP and Clooney Foundation also seems to be on the rise, and I am keen to develop this area further as it can make a real difference to many dealing with rule of law issues in various Asian jurisdictions," Matthew explained.
"Of course, my work for my excellent clients will continue, probably with a slightly narrower focus that in the past given time commitments, however, my client work will always be an extremely important part of my practices, in both China and Australia."
Matthew is a proud member of the Law Alumni QUT Chapter, and the Faculty is looking forward to hearing about his expected future success.
If you are a QUT Law or Justice Alumni, connect with Law Alumni QUT on LinkedIn, the best way to stay connected with fellow graduates.
Matthew Murphy accepts his award at the ACAA Australia China Awards.


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Weatherproof case comes with a carrying handle and is wall mountable. Contents meet the 2015 ANSI Class B requirements and are sufficient to treat 50 or more people.
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Person: 50
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Coming up in March is the 20th anniversary of the "Magna Charta" document of the pro-life movement,
the encyclical The Gospel of Life (Evangelium Vitae), written by Pope Saint John Paul II.
It was issued on the Feast of the Annunciation, when Jesus became an unborn child.
On the night of March 24, the vigil of this feast, there will be a pro-life prayer vigil in Rome,
and Churches and dioceses around the world are encouraged to do the same!
Let's spread the word and see if we can make it happen in our own communities!