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Boaz Vaadia
Boaz Vaadia
Boaz Vaadia 2009, The Artist in his Studio
|November 13, 1951
Gat Rimon, Israel
|February 25, 2017 (aged 65)
New York City, New York, United States
|Avni Institute of Art and Design
|Known for
Boaz Vaadia (November 13, 1951 – February 25, 2017) was an Israeli–American artist and sculptor who worked primarily in stone and subsequently by casting in bronze. Based in New York City since 1975, his studio is located in Brooklyn. The power of natural materials and the relation of human beings to that power determine the content of Vaadia's sculpture.[1] Vaadia said of his work, "I work with nature as an equal partner. The strongest thing I address is that primal connection of man to earth. It's in the materials I use, the environments I make, and the way I work."[2]
Numerous public and private collectors from around the world have acquired Vaadia's works for their collections. They include The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City; the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, California; The Israel Museum, Jerusalem; The Hakone Open-Air Museum, Hakone, Japan, and Grounds For Sculpture, Hamilton, NJ.[3]
Vaadia succumbed to pancreatic cancer at age 65.[4]
Early life and training[edit]
Boaz Vaadia was born on a small farm in Gat Rimon, Israel, and credits his parents with instilling a tremendous love for the earth in him and a sense of connection to it that amounted to veneration.[5] Growing up on a farm, he learned from his father to use a mule to plow the fields as opposed to a tractor because "the tractor raped the land."[6] At age 12, he recognized himself to be a sculptor and set his mind on that career path. At age 14, he skipped high school and went directly to art school at Avni Institute of Art and Design in Jaffa, by claiming to be two years older than he was.[7] In 1969 Vaadia was drafted into the Israeli army and was assigned to an engineering unit. During his periods of leave, he volunteered to restore ancient stonework in Jerusalem at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Working with Palestinian stonemasons, he learned the ancient way of handling local stone. He also worked with a blacksmith who made tools for stone carvers, learning how such tools were made, and to appreciate the tools with which he worked. He was discharged from the army in 1970.[8] In 1974, Vaadia received a major scholarship from the America-Israel Cultural Foundation to study in New York City. Vaadia moved to New York City in 1975, where he studied at Pratt Institute and continued to pursue his career as a sculptor.
Vaadia made a great personal discovery very shortly after his arrival in New York, when he accepted its urban environment as being as natural to humans as the rural setting he grew up in.[9] He searched for materials in the city that he could relate to as a primal building block of his environment, and discovered those that would guide his work thereafter: bluestone pavement from the city's streets and slate roofing tiles, both of which were being discarded during New York's process of urban renewal.[10]
The sedimentary bluestone that the artist reclaimed from the city streets naturally breaks in layers. Vaadia recalls, "When I first worked with this material, I tried to force it into more continuous, conventional forms, and found that it always fractured in the wrong places. The moment that I discovered my true style of work was when instead of fighting the stone, I surrendered to it, letting the material's inherent characteristics dictate the form, in a way that echoes the way in which sediment is naturally layered in rock."[11]
Early works, 1971–1985[edit]
In 1971, Boaz Vaadia graduated from the Avni Institute of Fine Arts in Tel Aviv. Staying on to teach there and already familiar with welding steel, Vaadia built a foundry from scratch so that he could learn how to cast his works in bronze. By 1972, he introduced stone into his works and eventually added human hair in his exploration of the subject of death. By 1973, he began exploring surrealist influences by creating dripping shapes in metal and stone in addition to using sheep hides, branches, and leather in his work.
By 1976, Vaadia began his work with the sedimentary stone. With these works, he began exploring the natural force of gravity.[12] In some of these works, he found resourceful ways to suspend a large stone serving as an integral compositional element. He used the weight of the stone to provide the necessary gravitational force that would allow the piece to stand. Recognizing the physical truths revealed in the process of making this body of work, Vaadia moved toward deeper explorations of three-dimensional concepts and focused on his interest in structure, balance, and gravity.[13]
Works in stone, slate, and bronze, 1985–2016[edit]
Beginning in 1985, Vaadia turned his efforts toward figurative motifs executed solely in stone. Retained from previous efforts was the utilization of gravity as a force in maintaining stability. For these body-based forms, his methodology entailed stacking gradated rock sheets in a formation suggestive of individual stones modified by chisel-marked surfaces.[14]
Vaadia says, "It was quite an exciting moment for me when I realized that I actually could go back to figurative work and still have the respect for the way the bluestone and slate are formed in nature…"[7] By chipping away unwanted rock, Vaadia took advantage of the way nature layers sediment. Using traditional tools – hammer and chisel – he molded each single stone to suit the whole composition. As a result, this work reflects sculptural techniques which parallel natural transformations in stone. The artist's stratification of stones echoes natural conversions of matter.[14]
This development within his work opened up a long period of great creative output and recognition. Vaadia understood that his chosen materials limited what could be built with them, and by respecting the structural properties of bluestone slabs, he created an artistic restriction for himself: each one of his sculptures must be able to stand and to hold together bound only by the force of gravity (though ultimately bolted together for safety and permanency).[2] As a result, he has knowingly limited himself to stable, compact poses, and a generalized human form that alludes to Easter Island moai, Egyptian Pharonic sculpture, and Buddhist repose.
In the latter part of the eighties, Vaadia introduced second and third figures into his work.[14] Glenn Harper, editor of Sculpture Magazine, noted about these pieces, "The figures are indeed composed…within the groups, there is an emotional dynamic, but more of a bond than a conflict. And there is a profound sense of honoring ordinary people, rather than memorializing 'heroes,' in all the work."[15]
In 1987, Boaz opened his practice to include limited editions of the stone sculptures cast in bronze, augmenting his capacity to explore new compositions through the relationships between multiple figures.[16] In 1989 he bought a studio in Williamsburg (Brooklyn). The streets there were also being torn up. When he saw ancient boulders being pulled out of the ground during sewer repairs near his Berry Street studio in 1989, he was determined to salvage them and subsequently incorporated them into his figural compositions.[17] For the last 30 years, he has expanded his exploration of the layered figure through scale, and through varied groupings based on family and on domesticated animals. In 2002, Vaadia began to create portraiture, achieving a likeness through shape, form, and posture, while adhering to his signature style.[18] In 2011, he developed a new way to make his sculpture visible to the viewer, photographing each successive layer of the sculpture Haza'el. The result was forty-two seemingly abstract images, beginning with the bluestone base and ending with the capstone of the head.[19] Vaadia's recent work on a series of bas-relief sculptures allowed him a new level of definition and feature detail because of the inherent architectural support of the incorporated wall.
In 2014, Keno Auctions reported that Vaadia:
...incorporates material from the New York City environment, slate, shingle, bluestone and boulders, to create figural sculptures with universal features. His materials, particularly the blue stone and slate formed from layers of compressed sediment, are carved to expose each stratified layer. Relying on the weight of the stone, Vaadia's figures connect with nature to harness powers inherent in their materials. Each sculpture evokes an existential meditation on the progress of civilization and our human relationship with the environment. Vaadia's statement says, "Man came from the earth and in death returns to it. I see stone as the bone structure of the earth."[20]
Selected collections[edit]
- The Baker Museum, (formerly Naples Museum of Art), Naples, FL
- Bass Museum of Art, Miami Beach, FL
- Best Products Inc., Richmond, VA
- Cargill Inc., Minneapolis, MN
- Flint Institute of Arts, Flint, MI
- Hakone Open Air Museum, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
- The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, Israel
- The Jewish Museum, New York, NY
- La Salle Partners, Arlington, VA
- Lufthansa Airlines, East Meadow, NY
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
- The Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, CA
- Norton Museum of Art, West Palm Beach, FL
- Open Museum at Tefen, Israel
- Paine Webber Inc., Puerto Rico
- Point Leo Sculpture Park, Victoria, Australia
- Racine Art Museum (formerly Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine Arts), Racine, WI
- Ravinia Sculpture Park, Chicago, IL
- The Related Companies, New York, NY
- Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Israel
- Tel Aviv Independence Park
- Time Warner Center,New York
- Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Museum, Japan
- Vero Beach Museum of Art, Vero Beach, FL
In 1975 Vaadia was the recipient of the America-Israel Cultural Foundation grant, and moved to New York to study at Pratt Institute. In 1976 he received a Beeckmann Scholarship to study at the Brooklyn Museum Art School, Brooklyn, NY, and was awarded an extension of the America-Israel Cultural Foundation grant for an additional year of study.[21]
In 1977, through Lady Bird Johnson's America the Beautiful Fund, he was awarded an artistic residency in the Harriman section of Palisades Interstate Park NY, where he created a work that was placed on the Appalachian trail. Vaadia received a grant award from the Committee for the Visual Arts, Artists Space, New York, NY, in 1985 and from the Ariana Foundation For the Arts, New York, NY, in 1986. In 1988 he received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, Washington, DC.
Vaadia traveled to Japan to receive the Utsukushi-ga-hara Open Air Museum Award in 1992. In 2012, the artist was presented with the America-Israel Cultural Foundation's Aviv Award for Artistic Achievement, New York, NY. In June 2014 The Russian American Foundation in cooperation with the New York Post awarded Vaadia the 12th Annual Russian Heritage Month Award for his exceptional contributions in promoting Bukharian heritage and culture through art.
Art market[edit]
When he moved to SoHo in New York City in 1975, Vaadia met Ivan Karp, the legendary gallerist who would later become his dealer. His first major solo show of works produced in New York – ritualistic in nature and inspired by African fetishes, altars, and ancient tools – took place in 1976 at Hundred Acres Gallery, owned by Karp.[22] Although Vaadia also showed at Elise Meyer Gallery in 1979, Karp remained his primary dealer. In 1986 he had his first figurative show at OK Harris Gallery in Soho. The entire show sold out in 3 hours, prompting Karp to comment that he'd "never seen anything like that in his entire life."[23]
Vaadia is represented by Jim Kempner Fine Art in New York, NY; Connaught Brown in London, England, and Baker Sponder Gallery in Miami/Boca Raton.
At the time of his death on February 25, 2017, Vaadia was married to Kim Vaadia and had two daughters, Rebecca and Sara. His death was covered in a New York Times article on March 2, with the cause reported as being pancreatic cancer.[24] According to the Times: "Kim Vaadia said that the family planned to turn his studio into a museum. He worked until nearly the end, she said, and his last finished work was a large stone relief."[24]
- ^ Julia Keydel, "Boaz Vaadia," in Boaz Vaadia: Five Years (New York: 1979); first published in ARTS Magazine, November 1979
- ^ a b Jan Garden Castro, "Balancing Families in Stone", Sculpture Magazine, June 2008
- ^ Dr. Wendy Steiner, Tom Moran, Boaz Vaadia: Sculpture, p 127-128. Exhibition catalogue, Grounds for Sculpture. (New York. North Adams, London: The Artist Book Foundation, 2016)
- ^ Boaz Vaadia, 1951–2017, Artforum. Artforum. Retrieved March 3, 2017. https://www.artforum.com/news/id=66991
- ^ Dr. Wendy Steiner, Anthony Brown, and Ivan C. Karp. Boaz Vaadia: Sculpture 1971–2012, p 53. (Easthampton, MA: Hudson Hills Press, 2013)
- ^ Grant Moser, "Boaz Vaadia, Sculptor of Coincidence," 11211 Magazine, May/June 2003
- ^ a b "The Minds of Makers: Boaz Vaadia" The Chipstone Foundation, January 7, 2013
- ^ Dr. Wendy Steiner, Anthony Brown, and Ivan C. Karp. Boaz Vaadia: Sculpture 1971–2012, p. 242. (Easthampton, MA: Hudson Hills Press, 2013)
- ^ Steven Shalowitz, Interview, The One Way Ticket Show, July 30, 2013.
- ^ "Boaz Vaadia: Sculpting with Stone" Beyond Conference March 2015.
- ^ "Boaz Vaadia: Sculpture" Grounds for Sculpture, exhibition video. Published May 9, 2016.
- ^ Dr. Wendy Steiner, Tom Moran, Boaz Vaadia: Sculpture, p 43. Exhibition catalogue, Grounds for Sculpture. (New York. North Adams, London: The Artist Book Foundation, 2016)
- ^ Dr. Wendy Steiner, Tom Moran, Boaz Vaadia: Sculpture, p 11. Exhibition catalogue, Grounds for Sculpture. (New York. North Adams, London: The Artist Book Foundation, 2016)
- ^ a b c Dr. Judy Collischan, "Human – Nature," Boaz Vaadia – Stone Sculpture. 1992
- ^ Glenn Harper, "Boaz Vaadia: Sculpture 1971–2012 (Book Review)" Re:Sculpt: International Sculpture Center, November 2014
- ^ Barbara Pollack, "Boaz Vaadia," ARTnews, September 2003, p 138
- ^ Genia Gould, "Sculptor Harvests Brooklyn Boulders as Material for Art," The New York Times, July 2, 2000
- ^ Dr. Wendy Steiner, Anthony Brown, and Ivan C. Karp. Boaz Vaadia: Sculpture 1971–2012, p. 191. (Easthampton, MA: Hudson Hills Press, 2013)
- ^ Dr. Wendy Steiner, Tom Moran, Boaz Vaadia: Sculpture, p 31. Exhibition catalogue, Grounds for Sculpture. (New York. North Adams, London: The Artist Book Foundation, 2016)
- ^ "Modern and Contemporary Fine Art and Design Auction – October 1, 2014". Kenoauctions.com. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
- ^ Dr. Wendy Steiner, Anthony Brown, and Ivan C. Karp. Boaz Vaadia: Sculpture 1971–2012, p 243. (Easthampton, MA: Hudson Hills Press, 2013)
- ^ Smithsonian Archives of American Art, Hundred Acres gallery records, 1970–1977.
- ^ Deborah Gilbert, "Sculpture at Time Warner Center," Greenline Magazine, October 2004
- ^ a b Slotnik, Daniel E. "Boaz Vaadia, Sculptor Who Worked in Street Stone, Dies at 65". The New York Times. Retrieved March 3, 2017.


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Ph: +61 3 9600 2996
E:mail: email@example.com
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The Peninsula Watershed encompasses 23,000 acres of the San Francisco peninsula and is a unique natural resource located in a predominantly urbanized region. Due to its use for water collection and storage, the Watershed has been protected from the urbanization which has consumed much of the Bay Area. As a result, this environment hosts a variety of habitats and supports the highest concentration of rare, threatened and endangered species in the entire Bay Area.
Located in central San Mateo County, the Peninsula Watershed includes three reservoirs -- San Andreas and Crystal Springs adjacent to Highway 280 in the east and Pilarcitos to the northwest. Highway 92, which connects San Mateo and Half Moon Bay, bisects the Watershed between Upper and Lower Crystal Springs Reservoirs. Other roads adjacent to the Watershed include Edgewood Road to the south and Skyline Boulevard to the east.
Land Use
In addition to their primary uses for water collection, water storage, and water quality protection, the Peninsula Watershed lands serve as a State Fish and Game Refuge and are designated by the California Department of Forestry as a hazardous fire area. A Scenic Easement (19,000 acres) and a Scenic and Recreation Easement (4,000 acres) established through a four-party agreement between us, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Caltrans, and San Mateo County, also overlay the Watershed. The Watershed is also home to the historic Pulgas Water Temple.
Recreation activities are permitted in the Scenic and Recreation Easement, located adjacent to I-280. Hiking, biking, walking and running are popular activities along the six-mile Sawyer Camp Trail and golfers enjoy the public Crystal Springs Golf Course. Additional public trails which border the Watershed include Sheep Camp Trail, Sweeney Ridge Trail, San Andreas Trail, Crystal Springs Trail, Ralston Trail and Edgewood Trail.
Land uses adjacent to the watershed are predominantly residential to the north and east and include the communities of San Bruno, Millbrae, Burlingame, Hillsborough, San Mateo, Belmont, San Carlos, Redwood City and Woodside and unincorporated private open space to the west. Also in the southern portion of the Watershed, surrounded by our land, is the 600-acre Filoli Estate which includes a residence, gardens and grounds, which are open to the public.
The varied topography of the watershed can be attributed to the many faults traversing the area. The San Andreas Fault runs through the Watershed in a north-south direction, directly through the San Andreas and Crystal Springs Reservoirs. At least three other faults lie in close proximity. Major streams which feed the reservoirs include San Mateo Creek and Pilarcitos Creek.
Natural Environment
Due to the diversity of climate, topography, geology and soils, a wide variety of habitats exist on the watershed. These include old growth Douglas fir forests, characterized by trees over 200 years old; serpentine grasslands, dominated by native bunchgrasses; areas of coastal scrub and chaparral; stream corridors; and wetlands. These areas host a wide variety of plants including nine rare, threatened and endangered species.
Numerous animals can also be found on the Watershed including mountain lions, deer, bobcats, coyotes, bald eagles and golden eagles. Seven rare, threatened and endangered species have been identified on the Watershed including three species of butterfly and the San Francisco garter snake.


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Brown semi-translucent flint of good quality with patch of cortex. Scraper; flake with three long flake removal scars on its dorsal side and with a prominent bulb of percussion on the ventral aspect. Pressure flaked retouch occurs around the curved end, and at a deep notch about half way along one side, in both cases executed from the dorsal aspect. Suggested date: Early Neolithic, 4000-3500 BC. Length: 47mm, Width: 23.3mm, Thickness: 7.7mm, Weight: 5.99gms.
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* Facebook biggest boost to S&P 500, Nasdaq after upbeat results
* Amazon.com up in advance of after-market earnings report
* Chipmakers boosted by strong Qualcomm, AMD earnings
* General Motors shares down on production drop
* Dow up 1.24 pct, S&P 500 up 1.31 pct, Nasdaq up 1.92 pct (Updates to late afternoon, adds NEW YORK dateline; changes byline)
By Stephen Culp
NEW YORK, April 26 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks rallied on Thursday, buoyed by strong earnings results and a resurgence in technology stocks as U.S. bond yields eased, with each of Wall Street's major indexes up more than 1 percent.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq was on track to snap a five-day losing streak while the S&P technology index appeared poised to post its first up day in six sessions.
Facebook jumped 9.8 percent following its impressive earnings beat, which appeared to calm worries over the fallout of the Cambridge Analytica privacy scandal.
Chipmakers Advanced Micro Devices and Qualcomm were up 13.4 percent and 1.5 percent, respectively, after quarterly results that beat Wall Street estimates, calming worries over weak smartphone demand.
Their advances helped lift the Philadelphia Semiconductor index 2.1 percent, putting it on track to break its six-day losing streak and post its best day in three weeks.
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The yield on U.S. 10-year Treasuries dipped below the 3 percent level as buyers emerged following a sell-off fueled by worries over growing U.S. debt issuance and rising costs.
"It gives investors a little encouragement that rates aren't going to be running sky high, but the market's acting great just on good earnings," said Bradshaw.
At 3:02PM ET, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 305.26 points, or 1.27 percent, to 24,389.09, the S&P 500 gained 35.82 points, or 1.36 percent, to 2,675.22 and the Nasdaq Composite added 137.33 points, or 1.96 percent, to 7,141.06.
So far, 45 percent of S&P 500 companies have reported first-quarter earnings, with 79.7 percent beating consensus estimates. Analysts see 23.1 percent earnings growth for the quarter, based on a blend of actual and estimated results.
Amazon shares were up 4.3 percent in advance of the online retailer's earnings announcement, expected after the bell.
General Motors dipped 1.0 percent after the automaker reported a drop in production of high-margin pickup trucks, despite posting higher-than-expected profit.
United Parcel Service shares rose 4.1 percent after the world's largest package delivery company posted higher first-quarter profit and strong volumes despite cost and weather headwinds.
Visa also helped lift the tech sector, advancing 4.9 percent following the payments network's better-than-expected profit and earnings forecast raise.
Union Pacific shares fell 2.1 percent after the No. 1 U.S. railroad operator cautioned on a key operating metric, sending the Dow Jones Transportation Average down 0.66 percent.
AT&T shares slumped 5.2 percent after it reported a loss of subscribers from its pay TV business.
In economic news, new orders for durable goods unexpectedly dropped in March as demand for machinery registered its biggest decline in more than two years, according to the Commerce Department. However, the Labor Department reported initial claims for unemployment fell to their lowest level since 1969, suggesting the labor market is at or near full employment.
Advancing issues outnumbered declining ones on the NYSE by a 2.26-to-1 ratio; on Nasdaq, a 2.06-to-1 ratio favored advancers.
Reporting by Stephen Culp; Editing by Dan Grebler


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By David G. Firestone
1995's first entry, this John Andretti Little Ceasers/K-Mart Ford Thunderbird is our subject.
The white background looks good. The red stripe works. The red drop shadow on the roof isn't needed. The hood looks crowded, given the number of logos present. I can't complain on the sides, they aren't cut off by the wheel well. I really like this car, it's a really good look.


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It is 50 years to the day since the CJEU gave judgment in the seminal van Gend en Loos case. So important is that case that the Court of Justice announced today that it is itself organising a special conference dedicated to the judgment.
Why is van Gend so special? Here are a few quick reasons:
- Perhaps most obviously, because the CJEU dared to read the concept of 'direct effect' into Community law. (More accurately, as Bruno de Witte has pointed out, the Court decided that the question whether specific provisions of Community law had direct effect was to be decided centrally by the Court itself rather than by the various national courts according to their own views ("Direct Effect, Supremacy, and the Nature of the Legal Order" in Craig & De Burca (eds) The Evolution of EU Law (OUP, 1998), 177, 181).) In the face of strenuous arguments to the contrary by the only two Governments to intervene (the Netherlands and Belgium), and against the advice of its Advocate General (Roemer), the Court held that the Community constituted "a new legal order of international law, for the benefit of which the states have limited their sovereign rights" and whose subjects comprised not only the Member States but also their nationals; Community law therefore not only imposed obligations on the contracting states but was also "intended to confer upon [individuals] rights which become part of their legal heritage". This conclusion was based on just two paragraphs of teleological reasoning and without reference to any of the travaux préparatoires which, one might expect, would have some light on the founders' true intentions – pretty remarkable parsimony even by the Court's standards, considering what was at stake.
- The 'discovery' of direct effect led to a similar 'discovery' of a number of other key principles of EU law, including supremacy and Member State liability in damages for breach of EU law; in other words, it was the cornerstone of the rule of (EU) law. The Court was right to say in van Gend that "The vigilance of individuals concerned to protect their rights amounts to an effective supervision in addition to the supervision entrusted…to the diligence of the Commission and of the Member States": realistically, it would be impossible for the Commission, as guardian of the Treaties, to ensure compliance with all of the various Member States' obligations under EU law.
- In related vein, it led to an explosion of litigation around the EU, which continues to this day, in which individuals and companies sought and seek to vindicate their EU law rights. From the perspective of us EU lawyers, that litigation, some of which has spawned references to the CJEU under Article 267 TFEU (as it now is) for preliminary rulings on the interpretation of EU law, has helped immensely to shape and develop the substantive law.
Bottom line for us EU lawyers: thank you, van Gend en Loos, for giving us a living…


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Once you're up and running here are some things to consider to help you settle in.
1. Orientation
- Get up to speed with how things happen at your university. Most universities have comprehensive orientation programmes so check them out once you're here.
- You'll also need to get used to the study environment – New Zealand focusses more on a practical study culture than you may be used to.
2. Get work ready
After settling into your accommodation, apply for an IRD (Inland Revenue Department) number. Most employers will ask for this number so that they can legally employ you. And now, thanks to technology, it is easy to apply for your IRD number online rather than going to a post office (like it was a couple of years ago).
Check out the following link for more information:
http://www.ird.govt.nz/forms-guides/number/forms-700-799/ir742-nonres-offshore-individu al.html
Now it's time to get your CV ready in the New Zealand way:
3. Apply for jobs
There are various portals through which you can apply for part-time and full-time jobs listed below:
There are many others, but these are the trusted few!
Also, to improve your chances of getting a job, why not just drop-in to see potential employers…
Kiwis are a relaxed lot, so don't worry if you don't receive a reply straight away. Stay calm for a couple of days, then start bugging them again!
4. Volunteer
New Zealand is a very small country. If you burn bridges with one individual, it is quite likely that you may have also burnt your relationships with more than half of the country!
It is very important to be involved in voluntary activities so that people get to know you. And most importantly, you get to work on your soft skills. Because, no matter how far technical skills will take you, soft skills are equally as important!
Volunteering activity will also help you to get referees for your CV as New Zealand companies prefer references for their applicants. So, if Kiwis advocate for you, there is nothing like it!
Some websites that will help you get involved in voluntary activities in Auckland and elsewhere include:
- http://www.aucklandmuseum.com/get-involved/volunteer
- https://volunteeringauckland.org.nz/
- http://www.volunteeringnz.org.nz/
- https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/look-for-work/work-programmes/voluntary-work.html
- http://www.aucklandzoo.co.nz/sites/get-involved/volunteer-at-the-zoo
5. Get Involved
Equally important are your socialising skills. Try to get involved in university associations and clubs and other activities near your university campus. This will further enhance your CV for future employment (if you really want to get that job!).
Some sites which will help you get involved in events apart from your university ones are:
These event meetups may well be very useful because this is often the place where you might meet your future better half...or your future boss..or where you'll make lots of future friends!


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As part of its 'Once is Never Enough' program, Allstate is installing intersection signs urging motorists to 'look twice' to avoid accidents with motorcyclists
Allstate Insurance has started a motorcycle safety campaign called "Once Is Never Enough."
ONE, as Allstate calls the program, stands for the idea that, before entering an intersection, car and truck drivers must "look twice" for motorcyclists "because once is never enough."
To remind motorists of this vital, but easy-to-do, safety tip, Allstate is sponsoring and installing "WATCH FOR MOTORCYCLES" signs at dangerous intersections across the country.
Among the 30 cities to have received Allstate's motorcycle-safety conscious signs is Grand Rapids, Michigan.
According to Allstate Rider News, "On average, three motorcyclists are killed every day at intersections in the United States, and crash data reveals that motorcycle accidents happen more often in intersections than elsewhere, relative to the amount of time riders spend in them."
Our lawyers support the cause of improving motorcycle safety through raising awareness. In April 2012, a reckless Republican Michigan Legislature and Governor passed an ill-advised repeal of Michigan's nearly 40-year-old, lifesaving law requiring all motorcycle riders and passengers to wear helmets.
– Steven Gursten is an attorney who has been helping injured motorcycle accident victims in Michigan for nearly 20 years. He has received the highest motorcycle injury settlement in the state, according to published year-end reports by Michigan Lawyers Weekly.
Related information:
How to drive safely around motorcyclists in Michigan
Michigan Auto Law is the largest law firm exclusively handling car accident, truck accident and motorcycle accident cases throughout the entire state. We have offices in Farmington Hills, Detroit, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids and Sterling Heights. Call (800) 777-0028 for a free consultation with one of our motorcycle accident lawyers.


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Computer science, engineering attract Fulbrights
Three of MSU's international Fulbright scholars include Ibrahim Abdoulahi of Niger (at rear), Muhammad Nadeem of Pakistan (seated), and Zadia Codabux of Mauritius. Each chose to study at the university because of its reputation in the fields of computer science and engineering. PHOTO: Megan Bean | University Relations
Since arriving at Mississippi State as a graduate student, Ibrahim Abdoulahi typically runs about 10 miles for exercise each Saturday morning.
But the distance he travels with a local running club pales compared to the thousands of miles he traveled from his African home in the Republic of Niger to study as a Fulbright Scholar in the United States.
Abdoulahi is among three international graduate students who met a year ago as fellow Fulbright students at MSU's department of computer science and engineering in the Bagley College of Engineering.
Zadia Codabux, a native of Republic of Mauritius--an Indian Ocean island nation--and Pakistan native Muhammad Nadeem also came to MSU's department of computer science and engineering through the Fulbright program. Abdoulahi is pursuing a master's degree; Codabux and Nadeem, doctorates.
Each successfully completed the highly competitive J. Fulbright Scholars application process in their respective countries.
"In Pakistan, this is considered the most prestigious academic honor," Nadeem said. "This is a dream for everyone."
Since they're from different parts of the world and bring unique life experiences, the three have different interests and perspectives in the university's academic community. Still, they share a few strong common threads: a desire to broaden and improve their worlds and a keen interest in computer science and engineering. As Fulbrights, each also exhibited tenacity, leadership, and dedication, even before visiting MSU.
The Fulbright program--which includes graduate students, faculty and professionals--is the federal government's flagship international education exchange program. Launched in 1946 and named for the former U.S. senator from Arkansas who proposed it, the program is designed to increase mutual understanding among people in the United States and other countries. To date, more than 310,000 people from about 150 countries have held the prestigious title of Fulbright Scholar.
MSU was recently recognized as a Fulbright Honor Institution for the four faculty members currently participating in the program by teaching in another country for some period during the academic school year.
Fulbright awards involve a highly competitive process that requires top academic qualifications and demonstrated leadership abilities, along with the availability of grant funds. Typically, the application process takes about a year to complete.
While not uncommon in the Fulbright program to have more than one student in the same department at a university, having three of MSU's five Fulbright students currently studying in computer science and engineering is something noticed by the students and others on campus.
MSU's other Fulbright Scholars are doctoral student Hok Roth of Cambodia and master's student Suha Gharrawi of Iraq, studying public policy and administration and English.
Nadeem, Abdoulahi and Codabux each chose the land-grant institution based on the Bagley College of Engineering's reputation in computer science and engineering, along with the department's research focus in their interest areas.
Associate professor Edward B. Allen, the department's graduate coordinator, said all three had contacted him via e-mail during their application process to inquire about the program.
"Topics that they're interested in fit research going on here," he said. "We feel honored that they chose us."
Those research interests included artificial intelligence, empirical software engineering and the development and design of secure software. Department faculty members have ongoing collaborations with numerous other institutions and with government agencies, including the Department of Defense, NASA and Carnegie-Mellon University in these areas.
Department head Donna S. Reese taught all three Fulbright Scholars during a graduate seminar course in the fall semester. She said having international students with diverse world perspectives always helps add a special dynamic to class.
"It's really good to have international students to help broaden the discussion," she said.
Reece also mentioned long-lasting benefits associated with the university and the Fulbright program. When students graduate, they may continue collaborations with university faculty and recommend the program to others, she explained.
Karin Lee, Office of the Graduate School's graduate programs manager, works with international students to help them find their niche on campus. She said the Fulbright Scholars often join with other internationals for a weekly potluck social, and many participate in the Starkville Multi-culture Lions Club, which also coordinates many volunteer projects in the community.
"Since we see each other regularly, we build bonds and friendships," Lee said. "The new students very soon become the ones who show newcomers around."
Discussing their experiences in the South, in general, and MSU, in particular, the Fulbright Scholars agree on the politeness of people they have met in the community. Smiling, Abdoulahi said a newfound Southern accent is something he may take back to Niger.
Each also agreed that, following graduation, they plan to take their acquired research skills, partnerships and other insights gained from the academic and cultural experiences back home to help improve life in their countries. Codabux said she wants to help her home country of Mauritius to develop a reputation as a "cyber island" while teaching and researching at the University of Mauritius.
"My Fulbright experience is a dream come true," Codabux said. "It certainly has broadened my world view."
Nadeem said differences in research styles and activities would have created challenges to overcome, had he not spent time in U.S. university research environments.
"From now on, I can have online collaborations because I know how things work and expectations others have," he added.
Robbie S. Ward | University Relations


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Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Review: Power Play: Resistance by Rachel Haimowitz and Cat Grant
Give me six months, and I'll give you the world.
Brandon McKinney has scraped and sacrificed for what little in life he's ever had. Though it's been fifteen years since he escaped his father's abuse, the damage remains. Trust seems as far out of reach as his dream of becoming an architect, and though he's come to accept being gay, he can't deny the shame and confusion he feels at other urges--the deeply repressed desire to submit.
Jonathan Watkins is a self-made Silicon Valley billionaire whose ex-wife took half his money and even more of his faith. Comfortable as a Dominant but wary of being hurt again, he resorts to anonymous pickups and occasional six-month contracts with subs seeking only a master, not a lover.
When a sizzling back-alley encounter cues Jonathan in to Brandon's deep-seated submissive side, he makes the man an offer: Give me six months of your life, and I'll open your eyes to a whole new world. Brandon doesn't care about that; all he wants is the three million dollars Jonathan's offering so he can buy the construction company he works for. But he soon learns that six months on his knees is no easy feat, and shame and pride may keep him from all he ever wanted-and all he never dreamed he had any right to have.
Reader discretion advised. This title contains heavy kink. While consent is clearly established and frequently reaffirmed, some moments in Power Play push hard against the outer edges of consent.
My Thoughts:
Truthfully I have absolutely no idea where to begin so forgive me if I ramble a bit.
I am not a stranger to BDSM books, not in the least and for the most part I really enjoy them. This book left me gasping and wondering what the hell just happened?
Brandon and Jonathan meet in a bar and have a sexual encounter in the back alley that leaves Brandon with cum soaked pants wondering how the hell he just got off from that. Later Brandon and Jonathan meet and Jonathan proposes that Brandon be his submissive for a term of 6 months, at the end of which he will be paid the sum of 3 Million dollars. The money is Brandon's main drive and after exhausting all his other options he reluctantly agrees. So this far I am thinking okay, this I can handle, it's not so bad. Boy was I wrong! Jonathan admits that he is a sadist. He gets off on inflicting pain and it is a must for him. He needs it, not necessarily every time but that is what drives him.
Both Brandon and Jonathan have issues. Brandon has a history of abuse and working/struggling just to make ends meet. He had a troubled childhood and it just sets this contract up as a recipe for disaster with Jonathan being a sadist, and Brandon coming from abuse. Jonathan also worked for everything he has and was very successful at it. He grew up in a commune surrounded by hippies and learned very early on that he liked inflicting pain. I believe that has a lot to do with the man he became.
Brandon is a smart ass and very prideful. He is not someone that I would peg as submissive at all. He is outspoken and just not what I would think any submissive would be like. Jonathan on the other had is Dominant all the way and it definitely shows.
One of the good things about this story is that it is told from both perspectives. We get to read from Jonathans Pov and we see the internal war that Brandon is constantly having. This was almost a must given being that part of the contract was that Brandon not speak unless first, asking permission or being asked a direct question.
While this is classified as heavy BDSM it also borders on torture & abuse. This may just be my opinion, but let me tell you this pushed hard on ALL my limits as a reader. Most of the toys I could deal with... Most. When the black fist came out along with the stun gun I was ready to toss my kindle down and go pick up something safe like a friendly Nursery Rhyme book or Dr. Seuss! Yes I was only reading, it was not happening to me, but I was able to feel Brandon's terror. I was afraid and I had to stop and cuddle with my hunny for a little while. At least until I caught my breath and was able to be sucked back into the story once again. I have never read a M/M book before that had "fisting" in it. Yes I have read a M/F/F and I hated it. Given I was not previously reading about anal fisting but instead vaginal fisting I can not imagine what Brandon was going through. I cringed, I cried, I was shaking, I wanted so badly for it not to be true, but I continued on watching Brandon break. Despite everything that I have said these two did have a connection, and I believe it is one that runs very deep. While we do not get to see it in it's full glory, we get subtle hints of it and it is definitely there in the end. I am hoping that it will show more in the next book.
I wanted so bad for these guys to find love within the pages of this book but that would have made this book more like 3 times longer than what it was. I know that this is only beginning for these guys and I am anxious to read Power Play: Awakening I just need a little more time to processes before doing so.
If you are still with me after reading all of that, I am at the point where the entire thing becomes a contradiction. Not the book, just my feelings on it. I couldn't walk away from it for very long just long enough to be able to breathe again yet I was dreading each new scene because I just knew it would be worse than the last. While I did not like, or agree, or condone most of what happened within these pages, it was so well written that it made me feel. I mentioned earlier that I cried, but it was not simply tears it was an ugly cry but I smiled and shook with terror too. Not many books can pull that kind of emotion out of me. I think that if you can handle your BDSM on the heavier side then this is definitely a book that needs to be given a chance.
**I received this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**
My Rating: 5*
Book Buy Links:
Riptide Publishing
Barnes & Noble
Posted by Unknown at 11:03 AM
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Joseph Oaks, Alabama Licensed Associate
- University of Cincinnati College of Law – Cincinnati, Ohio, JD
- University of Alabama – Tuscaloosa, Alabama, BA – Journalism
• Dean's List
• Student Bar Association Third Year Representative
• Goldman Prize Committee Representative
• College of Law Scholarship
• Christian Legal Society Representative
• Dean's List
• Graduate with Honors
• Presidential Scholarship for Academic Achievement
• Communication and Information Sciences Scholarship
• Club Sport Captain
- Alabama
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama
- ALEXANDER SHUNNARAH GULF COAST, LLP – Gulf Coast, United States of America
- ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CLINIC – Cincinnati, Ohio
- CINCINNATI PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE – Cincinnati, Ohio
- UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI COLLEGE OF LAW – Cincinnati, Ohio
- SOUTHERN COMPANY SERVICES – Atlanta, Georgia and Birmingham, Alabama
- UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA – Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Legal Intern
Represented entrepreneurs owned and operated small businesses under supervision of two attorneys. Drafted copyright assignment for company websites. Researched and drafted memos to clients regarding trademarking brand names. Counseled clients on applying for tax-exempt status with the IRS under IRC Section 501(c)(3). Helped draft and edit website Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Legal Intern
Interviewed and examined witnesses, prepared briefings and memoranda for prosecuting attorneys. Drafted and responded to discovery requests. Observed all aspects of pre-trial and trial proceedings, including plea hearings, client negotiations, and sentencing conferences. Researched and wrote on complex criminal topics and briefed staff on various issues.
Street Law Extern
Legal Intern for General Counsel
Drafted memoranda and researched transactional legal issues. Extracted and reviewed complex contract clauses, including a new contract for the Atlanta Falcons. Originated and drafted agreement on lease of vehicles, which was later executed. Oversaw complicated research issues, including advertising laws with the FCC and sufficiency of claims standards for patent prosecutions. Garnered significant transactional experience in employment topics, including insurance regulation, small business size classifications, and the special employee doctrine.
Resident Advisor
Provided advising for forty undergraduates each semester. Confronted and resolved issues of diversity, alcohol abuse, and academic performance. Served as a liaison with parents, prospective students, and emergency personnel. Encouraged and participated in community-wide service projects each semester.
As a child, Joe spent most of his time outdoors – romping through the woods and up and down the creek that abutted his home. He, his friends, and siblings would play all the different permutations of tag and "hide and go seek" imaginable, and would catch frogs, minnows, and crawfish in the creek when they tired of games. Joe also began playing organized baseball at a young age, as well as participating in various other sports recreationally. However, some of Joe's earliest and fondest memories are of evenings laying on his living room floor with his older sister and two younger siblings while his Dad read stories to them. These experiences and stories impressed young Joe and this grew into a true and personal love for stories and books that continues to this day. By the time he was ten Joe had read such works as Robinson Crusoe and The Lord of the Rings, and had begun discovering new genres and stories for himself.
Joe was homeschooled and attended various private schools and public schools up until the seventh grade. He always excelled with grades, being an inquisitive youngster and a quick learner. He quickly found that he had a natural penchant for words and writing, probably influenced somewhat by his passion for books and reading. In the seventh grade Joe began to attend the Pensacola Christian Academy and joined the Junior Varsity baseball team. He played catcher and shortstop and continued to play through his eighth grade year before switching schools to attend J.M. Tate High School. Joe decided to cease playing baseball because he found that it was becoming less and less of a fun pastime and more and more of a lifestyle and job. He began to play basketball and ran cross-country.
However, upon finishing his ninth grade year, Joe's dad's job was transferred to Birmingham, Alabama, and he and his siblings who were still living at home pulled up deep roots and transplanted. He began the tenth grade at Oak Mountain High School in the southern suburbs of Birmingham. Joe played one additional year of basketball and began to play the sports of ultimate Frisbee and disc golf recreationally. Through his high school years, Joe participated in various mission trips. He travelled three separate times to the Caribbean Christian Centre for the Deaf in Knockpatrick, Jamaica. Here, Joe spent time with the deaf students at the school and labored with other mission teams on construction projects to aid the school. He also spent five days in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi in the wake of Hurricane Katrina with a relief team from his church in Birmingham. Additionally, Joe spent ten days in London, England witnessing and ministering to teenagers in the neighborhood of a local church and teaching vacation Bible school lessons for younger children. This mission work and other various service projects introduced Joe to the joys and gratification of helping others, of lending a helping hand when available to aid others in need. This desire and love for sharing himself with others played a major part in Joe's eventual decision to attend law school.
Upon graduating high school, Joe attended The University of Alabama on an academic scholarship and studied Journalism and Spanish. In undergrad, Joe cultivated his reading and writing skills with his journalism classes as well as with creative writing and literature electives. He also joined the club ultimate Frisbee team and was voted as captain of the team in his third year. In his second year, Joe became a Resident Advisor for the Housing and Residential Communities office and mentored young students for his remaining three years of undergrad. Junior year, Joe finally decided that he did indeed want to go to law school. He wanted to use his natural abilities and talents, and his strong sense of fairness and right and wrong to aid others. He felt the skills and knowledge he would learn at law school would be great assets and also felt he could do a lot of good as an attorney.
Upon graduation from the University of Alabama, Joe enrolled at the University of Cincinnati College of Law in Cincinnati, Ohio. In law school, Joe involved himself in the Community Service Committee of the Student Bar Association and participated in biannual community service projects. Joe spent a summer interning with Southern Company Services General Counsel, a subsidiary of Southern Company. Joe also spent a summer interning with the Cincinnati Prosecutor's Office. These two very diverse summer internships helped open up Joe's horizons with respect to what types of law he was interested in. Joe also spent a semester teaching basic legal concepts at Schroder High School in Cincinnati. Additionally, Joe spent a semester working for a clinic that offered free legal services to entrepreneurs and small business owners.
Joe finished law school in May of 2013 and moved home to Birmingham to take the Alabama Bar Exam. Upon passage of the bar exam and while pursuing full time employment, Joe was given the opportunity to meet with James T. Laura, Jr. (Jay), the Managing Partner of Alexander Shunnarah & Associates. Joe was at once struck by the passion Jay had for the firm and the work they did, as well as the unique structure of the firm, and the incomparable services they provide to clients. When offered the chance to join under Jay's leadership, Joe jumped at the chance and moved to Mobile to begin his practice with Alexander Shunnarah & Associates. Here, Joe continues to further his goals of helping and providing services for others, with the stubborn zeal he cultivated throughout his life, and with his moral vision of what is right and wrong.


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Not as difficult as we thought
Work Place
Retirement Age
When you have worked hard all of your life, saving the money you will need for use in your retirement, your pension is a critical consideration – its value and the way you choose to use the savings are likely to determine just what kind of life you are able to enjoy once you have retired.
In addition to the changes to the retirement age, there are also changes to the pension schemes themselves – through the application of "new rules" and "old rules":
Determining how much state pension you might receive after retirement is difficult, but you can get a State Pension Statement which shows how many qualifying years you have paid in National Insurance contributions and a forecast of how much you are likely to get.
You may apply for your pension up to four months before it becomes payable.
Please note that this information is correct as at February 2017
Back to top
Is an Annuity right for you?
An annuity is essentially an insurance product which allows you to convert the savings that have accumulated in your pension pot into a regular, guaranteed income which is payable for the rest of your life – explains a guide published by the Consumers' Association's Which Magazine:
Further reading: Visit our Annuities section and use our free annuity calculator to see how much you can boost your pension income.
Visit Annuity Section
A workplace pension provides a way for you to save for your retirement by making contributions to your pension pot each month. You might also see it described as an occupational, works, company or work-based pension.
A workplace pension is separate from and received in addition to any State Pension for which you qualify:
SIPP's or the Self-Invested Personal Pension can be used in several ways to manage your pension in which you have full control over where your money is invested and is a tax effcient way of saving for retirement.
If you want to find out more about SIPPs, a user-friendly guide is published by the government-sponsored Pensions Advisory Service.
With life expectancy in the UK rising year on year, it is not unreasonable to look forward to a retirement that is almost as long as the time you spent at work.
Retirement is likely to be such change to your lifestyle and circumstances that the sooner you begin the prepare for it, the better your chances of enjoying the retirement you dreamt about and deserve.
To help you start that preparation, we have addressed a number of points relating to this period of pre-retirement:
In the past, you might not have had much choice in the matter – you stopped work when you reached the age of 65, whether you could afford to or not.
With the removal of a statutory retirement age, employers who are entirely content to employ older workers and a proliferation of different sources of workplace and personal pensions – the choice is very much your own.
Please visit our section on Pensions for more information.
But can you afford to retire whenever you choose?
the longer your retirement, the more money you are going to need – for a longer period of time;
people often underestimate the length of time they still have to live – and the number of years in which their retirement therefore needs to be funded;
how much money you need of course depends on how much you spend, and this varies from one person's lifestyle choices to another's;
you no longer have the expenses associated with getting to and from work, but the extra amount of time you spend at home, taking holidays, or following new hobbies and pursuits may increase your household and recreational expenses;
working part-time might help to stretch out the funds you have available;
apart from any income you continue to earn, though, your retirement is likely to be funded by the pension schemes to which you contributed during your working life – National Insurance contributions for your State Pension, plus the proceeds of workplace and personal pension schemes;
before you are able to decide whether you can afford retire, therefore, you need to know the amounts in each of your pension pots;
as important as the immediate value of each of your pension pots is the way in which the amount available over the longer term is affected by just how much you choose to withdraw and when;
the rules on pension schemes today are generally designed so that you may use those funds as flexibility as you choose.
Planning when to retire – and whether you can afford to do so – needs to take into account the journey you are making through life in retirement and the changing spending habits that accompany those changes.
In order to understand those changes, some sources – including a story in the Daily Telegraph newspaper – identify three basic retirement stages:
there is little doubt that retirement gives many people a new lease of life;
the time has come when you are free to do all of those things you always wanted to do, but never had the time squeezing it in with work;
in this first stage of retirement, you may be blessed with good health and sufficient energy to try lots of new things;
that might include travelling to see more of the world, taking up new sports, hobbies and interests, involving yourself in charity work, writing that novel that is said to be inside all of us, or simply spending longer times with family and friends;
this is a period of such active retirement that you might even decide to be your own boss for once and start up a new business;
the earlier the age at which you retire, of course, the longer this first stage of retirement might be;
even so, your money is being used to support an active lifestyle, and you need to keep in mind the need to marshal your resources as you gradually move into the next stage of retirement;
after 10 to 15 years of your new lease on life, however, things might begin to slow down;
depending on your outlook, attitudes and general disposition, you may no longer have the patience or energy to maintain a life that was quite so active;
this might be because your general state of health is beginning to fail or because the money you once enjoyed from your pension pots no longer seems to go around quite so far – unless you have managed to protect your retirement savings from the inevitable effects of inflation;
although a more sedentary lifestyle might mean that you are spending less money, inflation may also be eating into the spending power of your income from pensions;
the age at which you move into this final stage of retirement of course varies widely from one individual to another;
it is a time marked by a noticeable decline in health and encroaching infirmity;
as your health begins to decline, you might need more support at home, including additional domestic or nursing care;
as time goes on, that supported living might mean your moving into sheltered housing or a nursing home;
unfortunately, it may also be a time of increasing financial pressure as the pension on which you were previously living quite comfortably, is now being stretched to its limits by the costs of the care you need – or may simply not be enough;
preparing for these financial strains is something best done during your pre-retirement planning, when a dependable savings strategy may now start to pay dividends.
However you choose to spend your retirement and however quickly you progress through the notional "three stages", you continue to need money to live on and to support your lifestyle at any particular point in time.
Saving for the day you no longer have a regular income from work, but must rely on some form of savings to see you through a full and enjoyable retirement – and sooner you start making provision for those savings the better.
Saving for your retirement is an essential part of pre-retirement planning – and is likely to begin as early as your 20s or when you start work:
Pre-retirement is the time for planning what happens during your retirement – not only what you propose to do, but more importantly perhaps, how you are going to finance your lifestyle when there is no longer a steady income from work.
To help you make the best use of that pre-retirement planning window, here is a brief checklist of the issues you might want to address:
At what age is it possible to retire and receive my state pension?
Since the early years of the National Insurance scheme in the UK, the retirement age was 65 for men and 60 for women. This was also known as the statutory retirement age and many employers used it as the "default" age at which an employee could be forced to retire. There is no longer such a default retirement age.
The state retirement age – the age at which you qualify for receipt of a state pension – is used by many as a general yardstick for determining when to retire.
Lengthening life expectation has made it increasingly difficult for the National Insurance scheme in the UK to remain financially viable. In response, the government has announced a number of changes to the 65 years for men and 60 years for women that previously held sway for so long.
As the Daily Mail's This is Money pages explained in an article dated the 4th of January 2017, one of the first steps by government was to gradually bring the retirement age for women in line with that of men. These changes are being phased in until their completion in November 2018 – with a woman's precise state pension age being determined by the month in which they were born.
After the retirement age for women has risen to 65 (in line with men) by November 2018, further changes are already set to be made to the retirement age for both men and women:
At its very simplest, the 65 years of age for men and 60 years for women is no longer the automatic cut off point and end of anyone's working life.
You can read more about the new Pension rules here (this will link to copy within Pensions section)
The statistics speak for themselves. We are all living that much longer.
According to the latest figures released by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) in Britain the life expectancy at birth is 79.1 years for men and 82.8 years. This is a considerable increase on the
figures at the beginning of the 20th century when life expectancy was a mere 45 for men and 49 for women.
More startling, perhaps, is the projection made in a recent paper by the Royal Geographical Society, entitled 21st Century Challenges, that one in every three children born in the year 2013 is expected to live until they are 100 years old or more.
As a result, we may be reaching – and in some cases, have already reached – a situation in which people spend a greater proportion of their lives in retirement than they do at work.
This sea of change in the work life balance clearly has far reaching implications, not least for our whole concept of retirement, how to prepare for it and how to live it.
Included in those implications are some fundamental questions you might want to address, such as:
These are all questions that bear closer examination – so let's see what financial help may be available from the state, in return for the National Insurance contributions you have been paying throughout your working life.
Although we may be living longer, the chances of a disabling medical condition remain present throughout many retirement years.
Limited assistance is available if you are disabled and these are designed to help towards meeting the additional living expenses you face because of your disability.
Previously, this has taken the form of Disability Living Allowance (DLA), but this is being phased out, to be replaced by a Personal Independence Payment (PIP), and it is this for which new claimants need to apply.
If you are already in receipt of DLA, and were born on or before the 8th of April 1948, payments will continue to be made for as long as you need them. If you were under 65 years of age on the 8th of April 2013, you will be reassessed for the new PIP when DLA is finally withdrawn in 2018. Personal Independence Payments, however, are not available for those aged over 65, who might instead qualify for an Attendance Allowance.
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) – rates
Personal Independence Payments (PIP) – rates
Attendance Allowance
A comparison of the figures for the former Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance reveals that the level of financial support available for those who need care at home during their retirement have been significantly decreased.
Housing Benefit is another of the publicly funded sources of help – for those of working age and for the retired – that is being phased out and replaced by Universal Credit.
Housing Benefit is intended purely to help people on low incomes to pay their rent. It is available only for tenants and not for those looking to pay a mortgage or other form of home loan.
Housing benefit is paid by your local council and the amount you get depends on a range of factors such as the amount of rent you pay, what income you have – including that from other benefits – and where you live.
A story in the Mirror newspaper on the 23rd of November explains some of the background to the introduction of Universal Credit, which is intended eventually to replace a whole catalogue of existing benefits – Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance, Working and Child Tax Credits and Housing Benefit.
When it comes into nationwide effect, however, Universal Credit is not available to anyone over the state pension age. Instead, pensioners seeking financial help with the payment of rent or any other expenditure if their income is less than the current maximum state pension payment of £155.60 a week
Almost 1 in 5 people over the age of 50 have been targeted by scammers according to recent research and many are being caught out by what appear genuine pension specialists, so take care.
Pension scams are big business potentially conning people out of thousands of pounds invested in their pension pots.
If you think you have been scammed call the Action Fraud Line on 0300 123 2040.
There is also a useful website with more details on how to avoid being scammed here at The Pension Regulator
Discussion about pensions may often appear overly complicated and involved, not least because of the number of unfamiliar technical terms that are widely used.
The following jargon-busting glossary is our quick guide to some of the terms you are most likely to encounter:
This is the pension to which you are entitled if you have made National Insurance contributions for a prescribed, minimum number of years;
Although the earliest you may qualify for payments of a State Pension is 65 (60 for women), both of these are being raised in the very near future;
Just as the term suggests, this is a private pension scheme, entirely separate from your National Insurance contributions and the State Pension which follows;
Private or personal pensions are tax-free money purchase plans which you may set up independently of any scheme operated by your employer
Also called occupational pensions, these are run by your employer as part of the overall remuneration package you receive for the job;
Both you and your employer contribute to a pension fund which becomes available for withdrawal at an agreed retirement age and the government also contributes to the benefits by way of tax relief on payments you make to your workplace pension scheme
Just as the term suggests, this refers to a once quite widespread type of pension scheme in which the amount of your pension is related to the final salary you were earning immediately before you took retirement;
Although many are still in payment, it is increasingly rare for those in work to be offered any such scheme – simply because they are so expensive for pension funds to provide.
These do not rely upon your final salary at work, but instead relate directly to the contributions made to a pension pot by you and your employer;
For that reason, they are also known as defined contribution plans;
The amount of pension you eventually receive is determined by the total amount that has been contributed and the performance of the investments made by the pension fund managers
Stakeholder pensions are a specific variety of personal pension plan, to which you make your own private contributions;
With a stakeholder scheme, however, there are government regulations limiting the amount of fees and charges that may be raised by the pension fund managers and other rules governing security of and access to the fund
Also known as pension "unlocking" this typically refers to attempts to access and withdraw funds from your pension pot before you reach the age of 55;
55 is the age at which you are legally entitled to access your pension funds, although the rules of a particular workplace, personal or stakeholder scheme may set the qualifying age somewhat later – say, 60 or 65;
Although methods exist for accessing the future value of your pension fund before you reach the age of 55, there are frequent warnings – not least from the financial services regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) - about the costs you may face in early release of the funds, including your tax liabilities. That is why seeking specialist pensions advice is always recommended.
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text: www.users.interport.net\~moe 24/10/97 Burma takes tiny steps of progress [THE NEW AGE ,THE PAPER FROM MELBOURNE] By MARK BAKER ON A CORNER of the busy intersection, a huge billboard proclaims "The People's Desire" in the livid red shades of old Maoist propaganda. "Crush all internal and external destructive elements as the common enemy," it screams, exhorting the masses to oppose the "stooges holding negative views". A hundred metres away, down the once gracious sweep of Rangoon's University Avenue, the people's real desire stays hidden from the world, behind the gates from where she once spoke to thousands of supporters who flocked to her regular weekend rallies. Steel barriers now block the street to traffic. Soldiers in camouflage fatigues and flak jackets stand guard, while military intelligence agents question anyone who approaches. Two years after being released from six years under house arrest, Aung San Suu Kyi is effectively a prisoner once more. Her old house beside Inya Lake is under constant surveillance. Her telephone is tapped and often cut. Visitors must be screened and approved by the authorities. On the rare occasions she dares venture out, Ms Suu Kyi is tailed by security men. "We never see her now and we can't go to hear her speak any more, but we know she is there and we know she is still fighting for us," says a young student activist who has been unable to study since universities and colleges were shut down after a wave of protests last November. In the schizophrenic demonology of the generals who rule Burma with a hard hand and a humorless heart, Ms Suu Kyi is at once a dangerous stooge of the nation's foreign enemies and a naive political irrelevance: "The inexperienced lady." The truth is the Nobel Peace laureate is neither. A decade after the daughter of General Aung San, the hero of Burma's independence struggle, came home to nurse her dying mother and stayed to head a peaceful revolution that was ended in a bloodbath, she remains the great hope of Burmese democracy and the greatest obstacle to the ambitions of a corrupt and brutal regime. Now - more than seven years after the army usurped the landslide election victory of her National League for Democracy, and a year after she was barred from any public political activity - Aung San Suu Kyi's stoic resistance is still a potent force for change. Tentative signs are emerging that her patient defiance is tilting the power balance in Burma. At the end of last month the league was allowed to hold its first convention in seven years. An estimated 1300 delegates gathered from around the country and close to 800 were permitted to attend the two-day meeting in the grounds of Ms Suu Kyi's home. In previous years, hundreds of league MPs and party workers have been rounded up on the eve of the scheduled congress, detained without charge and interrogated - some of them still languish in Rangoon's notorious Insein Prison. In an equally remarkable development, 10 days before the congress, the ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council invited the league chairman, Aung Shwe, and two other party officials to a meeting with one of the regime's most important figures, the so-called Secretary One, Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt. The invitation had been preceded by exploratory talks in July. In the end, the league pulled out of the proposed meeting at the last moment - arguing that the regime's refusal to include Ms Suu Kyi was an attempt to divide the party. But the proposing of even a qualified dialogue has been seen by Rangoon-based diplomats and some Burmese political analysts as a significant move by a regime that has offered only hostility to its popular adversaries over the past two years - and particularly since Ms Suu Kyi pulled her delegates out of the sham convention drafting a new constitution early last year. In another modest hint of progress, the junta last Friday approved a gathering of about 200 league luminaries and supporters at Ms Suu Kyi's house for a "social event" to mark the end of the Buddhist Lent - albeit after surrounding the place with almost as many troops and turning away several hundred other guests. "Things are definitely moving. It's a more positive environment than we've seen for a long time, although people remain cautious about predicting how far and how fast it will go," says one senior diplomat. Tin Oo, the former Burmese army commander who is now one of Ms Suu Kyi's most trusted deputies, agrees. "I am more optimistic now about the future," he says. "Some of the senior military officers now see the need for a political settlement with the NLD and are trying to move forward." But no one believes that the junta, if it is edging towards a deal, is doing so for reasons other than sheer necessity. Two powerful factors are now weighing heavily on the once intractible regime: a mounting international clamor for reform that is becoming impossible to ignore and the rapid disintegration of the Burmese economy. As the United States and the European Union strengthen trade and investment sanctions against Burma, the nine-member Association of South-East Asian Nations - the neighbors whose approval the regime craves - are quietly stepping up the pressure for change. Having ignored Western protests and admitted Burma to the regional grouping three months ago, ASEAN is now prodding the junta to give credibility to its approach of "constructive engagement" by opening a dialogue with Ms Suu Kyi. The tougher stance ASEAN has taken against Cambodia after the July coup in Phnom Penh appears to have emboldened its approach to the junta - as well as indications that the regime's recalcitrance could derail an important new dialogue with the Europeans. "The SLORC is definitely feeling the pressure now. They are starting to get a lot of stick from ASEAN and there is a growing recogniton that somewhere along the line they are going to have to compromise," says a senior diplomat. A potentially more pressing incentive is the country's deepening economic malaise. Burma continues to teeter on the verge of bankruptcy with comparisons now being drawn with the economic crisis that helped spark the big democracy uprising in 1988 that catapulted Ms Suu Kyi to political prominence and was later brutally suppressed, with the loss of at least 3000 lives. Inflation is soaring with the local currency, the kyat, worth barely half its black market value a year ago. The trade deficit is widening and foreign investment is drying up while military spending continues to swallow half the national budget. There are now also fears of widespread famine after recent severe floods destroyed the rice crop across large areas of the country. The much-touted - and delayed - Visit Burma Year has been a monumental flop. Despite predictions of as many as 500,000 visitors, fewer than 50,000 are estimated to have turned up. Dozens of new luxury hotels - some built to launder drug trade profits - are mostly deserted, with occupancy rates said to be averaging about 20 per cent. Domestic and international air services have been slashed and two foreign carriers recently quit their Burma routes. Despite the junta's continued boasts about rising foreign investment, independent sources say there has been a marked slowdown over the past year as international trade sanctions have begun to bite. Despite the hints of political compromise, the junta is maintaining a public posture of total opposition to any contact with Ms Suu Kyi, who holds the post of league secretary-general. "The dialogue they are demanding, thinking it to be ambrosia, cannot be cooked up in a pot shared by the general-secretary," the State-run Pauk Sa newspaper said in an editorial early this month. While moderates in the regime appear to be in the ascendancy, hardliners implacably opposed to dealing with Ms Suu Kyi could still block progress. There is a growing belief among some of the National League for Democracy's staunchest supporters that Ms Suu Kyi now needs to adopt a more conciliatory stance to encourage the generals. "She is also going to have to start showing some flexibility," says a Western diplomat. "She keeps pushing without giving anything and they'll stop being pushed in the end if they don't feel she is giving something as well." Tin Oo insists the league is ready to compromise, and that it can allay the fears of many within the junta that a deal allowing the party back to power would open the way to reprisals against senior members of the regime. "We are ready to talk. Aung San Suu Kyi has always insisted that there can be real compromise. We can give and take, but the most important thing is that we talk and that those talks include her," he says. The 72-year-old former general, himself imprisoned for several years for his defence of democracy, remains quietly confident that the dictatorship can be ended without further bloodshed. "We have struggled for 50 years by force of arms to try to solve the problems of our country and that approach has failed," he says. "Now is the time for peace and reconciliation. The people are fed up and determined to have their rights and freedoms restored."


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Women's Volleyball - Event Details
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Women's Volleyball
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NCAA Championship
For more information, contact: firstname.lastname@example.com (808) 932-7177
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I have a customer that asked for a quote for a standby generator for his townhouse condo. I gave him the quote for a 16kw unit. It was going to power his entire load with load shedding relays on the electric oven, dryer and AC. Now he says he does not think the condo board will approve a standby because of the noise during exercising or running during an outage. He is suggesting a battery and an inverter.
My response without any real experience with batteries powering a home is that it would be expensive. He wants me to look into it and I am willing. If nothing comes of it I should still learn something. He has plenty of room in his unfinished basement for batteries.
He is willing to forget about powering all that a 16kw standby could handle. He listed all the critical things that we can all imagine....gas burner for heat system, refrigerator, tv, WiFi, microwave, a few
Lights, etc.. I explained that some of these loads are connected to circuits that supply other than the critical stuff and the system would have to be large enough to power whatever is connected or plugged in.
I'm looking for some feedback on how practical this concept is. I would assume the system would need about 5kw peak load and have an average output of 2kw. These numbers are just shooting from the hip. If these numbers are anywhere near close, how big of a battery would I need to survive a power outage for four days?
My gut tells me the battery bank would be enormous, the inverter battery charger would cost a fortune and I'm not sure what the transfer equipment would be. Anybody have opinions on this?


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Stephen Loop, QPL program administrator in ITD's Materials Section, was installed as the Junior National Director for the Idaho Society of Professional Engineers (ISPE) at its state convention March 23 in Boise. With the recent restructuring of the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), Loop will serve for the next two years as Idaho's backup delegate and then two years as the delegate to the NSPE House of Delegates. This is the policy making body of the NSPE. Loop will assume his new position on July 1.
ISPE is the Idaho state society of engineering professionals from all disciplines (including civil, mechanical, computer, electrical, chemical...) that promotes the ethical and competent practice of engineering, advocates licensure, and enhances the image and well-being of its members.
Loop's other professional activities have included:
Loop also has been involved in civic activities, having served on the board of directors for the West Valley Neighborhood Association since 1998 and as co-chairman of the Five Mile & Ustick Neighborhood Center Planning Committee from 1998 through 2002. He is serving his second term as president of the association.
Other public service includes 10 years of service on the Boise City Planning and Zoning Commission, two years on the Boise City Design Review Committee, and assignments on the mayor's task force on organic recycling and the advisory committee on solar access.
Published 4-6-07


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By Ben Klayman and Deepa Seetharaman
DETROIT — General Motors Co posted a third-quarter profit that fell 15% after a loss in Europe and forecast that operating profit in the current quarter would be flat from a weak fourth quarter in 2010.
GM vowed to slash costs and complexity to shore up margins in a sputtering economy but its fourth-quarter outlook disappointed investors and sent shares tumbling 8% on Wednesday morning on the New York Stock Exchange.
Chief Executive Dan Akerson said the top U.S. automaker was not performing well enough, almost a year after a record IPO that capped the automaker's return from a U.S. government bailout and bankruptcy.
"GM delivered a solid quarter … but solid isn't good enough; even in a tough global economy," he said.
Chief Financial Officer Dan Ammann said GM needed to eliminate "cost and complexity" from its operations, suggesting the kind of campaign Ford Motor Co has run under CEO Alan Mulally for nearly five years.
Ford, GM's closest rival, last month posted third-quarter net earnings that were nearly as high as GM's, on revenue that was 10% lower than GM's sales.
The contrast in operating efficiency is even more striking because Ford, the only U.S. automaker to have avoided bankruptcy, ended the third quarter with almost US$13 billion in debt, excluding its finance arm.
GM, which boasts that its taxpayer-funded restructuring left it with a "fortress balance sheet," ended the third quarter with less than US$3 billion in long-term debt.
GM's third-quarter profit in Asia fell 29% as growth in China slowed and results in South America swung to a loss of US$44 million from a gain of US$163 million last year as its market share shrank due to an aging lineup of vehicles.
"We're definitely worried about this situation in South America, the slowdown in China," said Citi analyst Itay Michaeli, who has a "buy" rating on GM's shares.
"The big story today is going to be what looks like a pretty disappointing fourth-quarter outlook," he added, saying he had been expecting an improved performance in the current quarter.
GM's net income in the third quarter fell to US$1.7 billion, or US$1.03 a share, compared with US$2 billion or US$1.20 a share in the year-earlier period. Analysts had expected 96 cents a share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
Revenue rose to US$36.7 billion from US$34.1 billion last year. That was in line with analysts' expectations.
Jefferies analyst Peter Nesvold said GM's performance and outlook mirrored the increasing uncertainty for economic growth outside North America.
"To some degree, this feels a little symbolic with what we're seeing globally," said Nesvold, who has a "hold" rating on the stock.
Akerson said GM needed to improve its profit margins, which were 6% in the third quarter, down from 6.7% last year.
GM emerged from bankruptcy in 2009 after a US$52 billion taxpayer-funded bailout. The U.S. Treasury owns 32% of GM's common shares, and how it unwinds that stakes remains an unanswered question.
As GM's share price has slipped well below last fall's US$33 initial public offering price, Treasury officials have maintained they will not rush to sell the government's remaining stake.
Coming out of bankruptcy, Akerson and other executives said the company stripped out enough costs to make the business recession proof so it could thrive even in a recessionary auto market.
On Wednesday, GM said it expects fourth-quarter adjusted earnings before interest and taxes to be similar to the same quarter last year.
It backed away from its full-year target for Europe, saying it no longer expected to break even in Europe before restructuring costs due to deteriorating conditions there. On Monday, GM announced it would change top executive in Europe.
"We obviously have significant macroeconomic challenges to address," Ammann told reporters. "We're not relying on the big pickup in volume in the industry to bail us out if you like and we're very much focused on getting the break even point down further so we can get to a point where we're sustainably profitable."
GM also said the underfunded status on its U.S. pensions stood at US$8.7 billion at the end of September, down from US$10.8 billion at the end of June. However, that was according to the valuation set at the end of 2010 and will be revalued at the end of this year.
GM said it would record a US$800 million noncash accounting gain in the fourth quarter as a result of taking retiree healthcare liabilities of C$3 billion off its balance sheet.
GM's shares were down 8% at US$23.05 on Wednesday morning. Its shares are down 39% from this year's high reached in January, and down 27% since its IPO price of US$33 a year ago.
© Thomson Reuters 2011


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Manotick's annual Olde Fashioned Christmas celebration. From horse drawn wagon rides with Father and Merry Christmas to carolling, roasted chestnuts, parade, this wonderful weekend is full of traditional events not to be missed. Refreshments and music everywhere! The Village is transformed into a Christmas of yester year. Wreaths are hung on lampposts, trees are lit and the Village shines brightly all season long.
This is one wonderful weekend full of small town tradition you and your family will not want to miss!


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Hedda Dishes :: Has 'Ab Fab' jumped the shark?
Hello gentle Americans. In the mid 90s nothing made me laugh more than two aging fashionistas, living in a world of depraved excess, in a tawny part of London. The BBC TV show "Absolutely Fabulous" aired from 1992-2002. It starred Jennifer Saunders as Edina, the pudgy and privileged, redheaded fashion road kill, and Joanna Lumley as Patsy, the fried-bleached-blond-beehived, drug addled fashion editor.
They were so over, over the top that I recall one episode where Patsy was in Edina's kitchen when she lit it on fire. There she is, slumped over the table, with half of her Chanel-clad body covered in soot, lit cigarette hanging out of her mouth. I am giggling just thinking about it.
As a gift to their many fans the BBC has brought back the dynamic duo, along with the original cast, for a handful of half-hour episodes. Instead of having them stuck in the past, they are thrust into the present still covered in gads of labels, piled up and obsessed with the Kardashians like the rest of the world.


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One of my clients has actually stayed at the Southern Ocean Lodge (pictured below).
The "Le Dune" hotel, located on the Mediterranean Island of Sardinia, is the most expensive hotel in the world according to a recent survey from Luxury-Hotels.com. The survey compared luxury hotels across the globe and then ranked them based on their average rates for a standard double room this June to August 2012 summer season. As a result, the dollar figures behind the rankings reflect the minimum amount a visitor had to spend to stay at a particular hotel.
Coming in at an average rate of $2539 per night, the "Le Dune" hotel easily scored the top spot. This luxurious accommodation is situated in Santa Margherita di Pula, a seaside resort along Sardinia's southern coast. The "Le Dune" was significantly more expensive than the runners up, the Royal Mansour in Marrakech, Morocco and the Hotel Pitrizza in Sardinia's Porto Cervo. There, average rooms are going for $2060 and $2041 per night, respectively, this summer.
Overall, Sardinia landed three more hotels in the Top 10, for a total of five. The others making the cut were the Villa del Parco, the Hotel Cala di Volpe and the Hotel Romazzino. Asia made a showing on the survey's list as well. The continent's most expensive hotel, the Amankora in Buhtan, settled into the number five slot with an average nightly rate of $1910. Finishing out the Top 10 were the Maia Luxury Resort in the Seychelles and two upscale resorts in Australia, the Southern Ocean Lodge and the Lizard Island.
Following are the 20 most expensive hotels in the world for the period spanning June through August 2012. The rates listed are based on the average price for a standard double room.
Rank Name of Hotel Location Avg. rate/ night
1. Le Dune, Forte Village Resort Sardinia, Italy $2539
2. Royal Mansour Marrakech, Morocco $2060
3. Hotel Pitrizza Sardinia, Italy $2041
4. Villa del Parco Sardinia, Italy $2031
5. Amankora & Spa Paro, Bhutan $1910
6. Hotel Cala di Volpe Sardinia, Italy $1904
7. Hotel Romazzino Sardinia, Italy $1850
8. Maia Luxury Resort and Spa Anse Louis, Seychelles $1692
9. Southern Ocean Lodge Kangaroo Island, Australia $1665
10. Lizard Island Great Barrier Reef, Australia $1651
11. Song Saa Private Island Preah Sihanouk, Cambodia $1649
12. Burj Al Arab Dubai, United Arab Emirates $1611
13. Viceroy Maldives Vagaru Island, Maldives $1589
14. Anantara Kihavah Villas South Male Atoll, Maldives $1574
15. Amanyara Turks and Caicos Islands $1549
16. Naladhu Maldives South Male Atoll, Maldives $1540
17. Gora Kadan Kanawaga, Japan $1537
18. Grand Hotel a Villa Feltrinelli Lombardy, Italy $1498
19. The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort Bora Bora, French Polynesia $1459
20. Saffire Freycinet Cole's Bay, Australia $1457
About the Methodology:
The survey was conducted from May to July 2012. For all luxury hotels, the average rate for a standard double room was calculated for the period spanning June to August 2012. Only such hotels offering a minimum of 20 rooms were considered. The rates were taken from the respective hotels' websites or drawn from the leading hotel-booking sites. In all cases, the lowest available price was used in tabulating the results. If the standard double room was sold out for a particular day, the standard "theoretical" rate for that day was substituted and included in the average rating. All rates were established in U.S. dollars or converted into such figures using the exchange rate for the respective day.


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Rosy Posy Boutique Bow on Skinny Nylon Headband
Our charming "Rosy Posy"boutique bow headband is pure sweetness. This headband features a darling 4" bow in floral fabric and placed on a skinny nylon headband. Each bow is hand tied making it secure. The nylon headband is so soft and stretchy and will not leave any marks on your babies head. This Rosy Posy boutique bow Headband is essential for your little ones bow collection! This headband is perfect to wear for any occasion, whether it be at a photo shoot, playing in the park, pretend play or an important event. This headband is so cute and a a must have!!
One Size Fits All.
We have the nylon band available in 5 colors to choose from:
Lt Pink