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I. Introduction
In this book, Tom Koch contends that contemporary bioethics has been an "abysmal failure." (6) He sees the purpose of this work as finding where it all went wrong, so as to wipe the slate clean and do it right. Early on, he argues contemporary bioethics has failed us and should be swept away because it has not fulfilled its promise of an undisputed account of human good in the past half century. This makes about as much sense as abandoning modern medical science because it hasn't found a way to make us live forever yet… or cured the common cold.
II. Contents
This book is divided into ten chapters. Early chapters offer an abbreviated history of medical ethics, from Hippocrates to contemporary bioethics, with a focus on prima facie morally questionable outcomes. Beginning in the third chapter, Koch begins to identify bioethics with a focus on what he believes is an artificial scarcity of resources. In the following four chapters he characterizes bioethics largely as consequentialist ethics, culminating in chapter seven, after which he identifies contemporary bioethics with Peter Singer's utilitarianism. Chapter eight, on genetic engineering, largely concerns disagreement and error in contemporary scientific theories of evolution and the role our genetics plays in determining who we are. In chapter nine, Koch argues that bioethics' focus on personal autonomy and informed consent is in error. The final chapter summaries Koch's argument; he contends that bioethics has failed primarily because it hasn't kept its promise of a universally accepted theory of human flourishing, but he fails to offer any substantive alternatives. (250)
III. Review
Although Koch frames his project as a scathing review of contemporary bioethics, the primary argument can be seen as a criticism of bioethics done in the analytic philosophical traditional. He contends most bioethicists are consequentialists, which he equates sporadically with Peter Singer's utilitarianism. (197) The central argument in this book is not an attack on bioethics as a whole, but on what is popularly known as "lifeboat ethics", the elements of bioethics concerned with ethical distribution of scarce resources. The scarcity of medical resources, such as organs for transplant, he contends, is an unnatural state. When taken as a straightforward empirical claim, it is ludicrous; but when understood as an indictment of bioethics for failing to emphasize a moral imperative to expand the availability of these resources, the work has merit.
Underscoring this criticism, Koch criticizes the way in which contemporary bioethics decide how to best distribute limited resources. In chapter three, he explains that bioethics have historically made decisions off of judgments of fallible medical experts, but that this has sometimes failed them. As transplant medicine grew in popularity, doctors – seeking to procure more and better organs – adopted the term "brain death" to justify the harvesting of the organs of patients without detectable mental activity. When similar patients awoke from their long comas, Koch argues that it demonstrated that contemporary bioethicists violated the central tenant of the Hippocratic oath by doing harm. (63) But this criticism is absurd; surely Koch does not mean that bioethicists ought to advocate that medical professionals ignore the judgment of experts and the best available science in situations of life and death!
This criticism by Koch foreshadows a deficiency in his analysis of contemporary bioethics that undermines many of the criticisms of consequentialist bioethics in the later chapters of the book. He never explicitly articulates a distinction between killing and letting die, but his critique of bioethics consistently implies the distinction exists; that killing is far worse than letting die. Many bioethicists, most notably James Rachels, have argued that such a distinction is illusory, that while in most cases killing is worse than letting die, when all else is equal they are morally equivalent. This equivalence leads Rachels to conclude that we have strong moral obligations to help the poor and sick. Consequentialists in general, and utilitarians in particular similarly draw no such distinction and factor this into their theory of just resource distribution. The debate over whether killing and letting die are morally equivalent is at the center of many debates in bioethics, including both euthanasia and abortion. Many of Koch's criticisms of bioethics in general stand or fall with this principle, making his overall silence on the issue a substantial oversight.
In later chapters, Koch's criticism of bioethicists shifts to consequentialist bioethics, which he equates with Peter Singer's preference-satisfaction utilitarianism. The majority of his arguments are nothing that wouldn't come up naturally in an introductory ethics course when discussing utilitarianism, and can hardly be said to apply to contemporary bioethics as a whole. Koch's assault of Singer's famous, but scarcely adopted, version utilitarianism is strange and somewhat opportunistic – especially given his earlier criticism that bioethics has failed to provide us with a universally accepted theory of the good. His critiques are largely reminiscent of Philippa Foot's famous transplant case, where the utilitarian is asked whether it is acceptable to kill one to save five; our intuition is supposed to be "no", offering credence to the theory there is a big difference between killing and letting die; however were the same utilitarian faced with five patients in need of a transplant, and one patient she has every reason to believe is brain dead, she would undoubtedly harvest the organs from that patient to save the other five; but this result is far more consistent with our intuitions and in opposition of Koch's.
Koch criticizes bioethics for being too concerned with lifeboat ethics, and for practicing lifeboat ethics poorly. Although it's not clear either of these criticisms is applicable to contemporary bioethics as a whole, and there is understandable bias in medical professionals tasked to save lives every day, outside of these circles our overwhelming obligation to procure more resources admittedly gets little attention. However, this is far from proving Koch's conclusion that bioethics is an abysmal failure.
© 2012 William Simkulet
William Simkulet, Applied and Professional Ethics at University of Kansas
Tom Koch sent the following response to the above review. Received December 26, 2012. Published January 17, 2013.
I rarely comment on reviews of my work. Authors should be free to state their case as well as they can and then let it be judged by others. But William Simkulet's review of my recent book, Thieves of Virtue, demands a response.
Reviewers need to respond to the work itself and not to the reviewer's peculiar interests or prejudice. In the main, this reviewer's critique doesn't adhere to that guideline.
Bill Simkulet is correct in saying I describe bioethics as an abysmal failure. He is wrong when he states my judgment is based on the failure of bioethics to enunciate a "human good" that should dominate our thinking in medicine. It hasn't, but that's not my argument.
My thesis is simply that bioethics promised to provide a "single and canonical moral vision" that would, as H. Tristram Englehardt Jr.'s put it, "fill the moral vacuum engendered by the marginalization of traditional medical ethics…" (H. Tristram Englehardt, Jr. 2011, "Confronting Moral Pluralism in Posttraditional Western Societies: Bioethics Critically Reassessed," The Journal of Medicine and Philosophy 36:3, 243-260.) What we have instead is an ethic mired in moral pluralism that promotes an economic perspective rather than a philosophically grounded, moral vision.
It was not, I also argue contra Englehardt that the traditional medical ethic was inadequate but rather that it opposed an economic agenda whose actualization required the older ethic's rejection.
Alas, Mr. Simkulet ignores the details of this thesis. It is not, as he suggests in a bizarre analogy, absurd, senseless, or inappropriate to suggest we must accept bioethics failure to fulfill its original goals if we are to think clearly about an ethic that might fulfill them.
I do argue bioethics is an outgrowth of a kind of moral philosophy, analytic, that has propelled it from the start. This is not open to question, however. It was the presumed analytic expertise of moral philosophers to address complex issues of allocation that from the start has been the demi-discipline's raison d'etre. This is made very clear in Daniel Callahan's recent autobiography. (Daniel Callahan, 2012, In Search of the Good: A Life in Bioethics (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press).) It is why students in every bioethics program in North America are required to read moral philosophy. Simply, it is why we have those trained in philosophy, as apparently Mr. Simkulet is, commenting as experts on medical ethics and ethical theories.
Mr. Simkulet likes the word "absurd". Thus he takes a long discussion of the idea of "brain death"--clinical and social--and dismisses it as absurd because he assumes a consequence that is unacceptable. Clearly, he doesn't understand the argument.
First, I argue--as have many others--that the definition of brain death was in part a way to encourage organ donation. Then I demonstrate that the science underlying that definition has been severely compromised. I then argue, with a number of citations to evidence the point, which decisions are made as if no compromise had occurred. The result is convenient but dishonest, I contend. Here again I argue the underling thesis that assumptions about scarcity underlie bioethics. But the whole is framed in a fairly exhaustive review of clinical evidence and data. I don't ignore the view of physicians and researchers. I actually read the work in a way that apparently Mr. Simkulet does not.
I am then tasked for not writing at length about the difference between "killing" and "letting die," a distinction Mr. Simkulet believes is central. The subject is of sufficient important I debated a chapter on it but decided it was not central to the book's theme. I included, however, a focus upon the difference between "worthy" and "worthless" lives within the ethical tradition traced in the book. Here, for example, is a chapter detailing the famous debate between Harriet McBryde Johnson and Princeton's Peter Singer.
Mr. Simkulet says--absolutely incorrectly--that their opposing views are reminiscent of "Philippa Foot's famous transplant case" framed by him as a utilitarian bargain. That is absurd. At the least, it bears no relation to my argument, my analysis or those of either Peter Singer--who Simkulet seems to dismiss--or McBryde Johnson.
I wrote Thieves of Virtue to encourage hard thinking about what bioethics is, what it has been, and about the necessity of its reformation. Certainly its arguments are open to criticism and debate. But those need to be respectful of what the book says, not the reviewer's own interests or prejudices irrespective of the book's.
© 2013 Tom Koch
Prof. Tom Koch (http://kochworks.com), a bioethicist and gerontologist, is the author of 14 books and over 250 journal articles. He is based in Toronto, Canada.
William Simkulet sent the following response on January 28, 2103. Published on February 6, 2013.
Scarcity, the Lifeboat, and Bioethics: A Response to Tom Koch
In Thieves of Virtue: When Bioethics Stole Medicine, Tom Koch contends the field of bioethics fails to live up to a what he characterizes as a promise found in early bioethics literature to construct a universally accepted set of moral values. Bioethics has, in fact, adopted a robust set of values characterized by a respect for patient autonomy and fair distribution of scarce medical resources. These values, and their execution, are a matter of debate in contemporary bioethics, but to declare bioethics a failure because there is not universal consensus is akin to declaring geography a failure because of the persistence of the Flat Earth Society.
Koch holds bioethics to an unreasonable standard: universal acceptance. The goal of early bioethics was to restore the public's faith in the medical community after infamous failures in medical paternalism and what Engelhardt describes as a "moral vacuum" that arose with moral pluralism. (H. Tristram Engelhardt, Jr., 2011, "Confronting Moral Pluralism in Post Traditional Western Societies: Bioethics Critically Reassessed," The Journal of Medicine and Philosophy 36:3, 243-260; also Bioethics Critically Reconsidered: Having Second Thoughts, 2011, H. Tristram Engelhardt, editor, Springer). A recent poll by Gallup suggests that contemporary bioethics has largely succeeded in this more modest goal, with the honesty and ethics of nurses and medical doctors both rated as very high by at least 70% of those polled. (Honesty/Ethics in Professions, 2012, http://www.gallup.com/poll/1654/honesty-ethics-professions.aspx) A more reasonable standard by which to judge bioethics is by how successful it has been at bringing about morally desirable outcomes and curtailing immoral actions by medical professionals.
Here I discuss three related topics in bioethics central to Koch's criticism of it: scarcity, lifeboat ethics, and whether there is a morally relevant distinction between killing and letting die. I argue the natural scarcity of medical resources requires bioethics concern itself with just distribution of scarce resources, or lifeboat ethics, and that physicians have a strong moral obligation not to let patients die when they can avoid it at little cost.
I. On Scarcity
One of the central themes of Koch's book is his criticism of bioethics for engaging in lifeboat ethics, and contends that the scarcity that demands lifeboat ethics is artificial. Scarcity is natural, he claims, when it occurs in nature and is outside of anyone's control, but artificial if it is the direct result of actions by persons. Koch asserts "scarcity is rarely natural", and that the scarcity of healthy organs for transplant is an artificial scarcity. (101) The primary problem with this claim is that it is false; it is an uncontroversial and easily verifiable fact that healthy human organs are naturally scarce; not every human body is born with a healthy heart, for example. Of course, people contribute to this scarcity through accident, negligence, and ignorance, but this additional scarcity doesn't make this shortage of organs any less natural, or any less demanding.
Furthermore, the term "artificial scarcity" is traditionally used to describe "the scarcity of items even though the technology and production capacity exists to create an abundance." (accessed 1-27-2013, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_scarcity) It is uncontroversially true that healthy organs are not artificially scarce in this sense.
Fortunately, advances in organ transplant allow physicians to combat the natural scarcity of organs by redistributing them from the dead to the dying. Presumably, Koch means to say that healthy organs are "artificially scarce" because they are merely artificially valuable - that without human intervention in the form of organ transplant, organs would only be valuable to their original owners; but this distinction is inconsistent either of the definitions of artificial scarcity discussed above, and irrelevant to whether bioethics ought to be concerned with the just distribution of organs. It is uncontroversially true that there is a scarcity of healthy organs for transplant, and short of some miraculous medical breakthroughs, this natural scarcity will persist for the foreseeable future. Thus, bioethics must deal with the equitable distribution of resources; this is to say that bioethics needs to engage in lifeboat ethics.
II. On Lifeboat Ethics
Koch distinguishes between two kinds of lifeboat ethics, what he calls "ethics in the lifeboat" (LBE1 from now on) and "ethics of the lifeboat," (LBE2 from now on) where the former concerns how to distribute limited resources, and the latter concerns the question of why there is shortage. (78-79) He contends bioethics has focused on LBE1 to the detriment of LBE2. Koch is right that, metaphorically, bioethics has spent too little time constructing better lifeboats. Although scarcity of medical resources may be unavoidable, there are steps that could be taken to reduce this scarcity and bioethics has largely failed to pursue these steps.
Koch criticizes LBE1, contending that the metaphor "assumes the limits of the lifeboat are exigent and unavoidable." (78) However, as you read this there are more patients in need of healthy organs than extra healthy organs to transplant. Whether this situation was avoidable is a question for LBE2. As for its exigency, if medical professionals fail to allocate resources, they let people die.
I admit to being puzzled as to why Koch is skeptical about the urgency faced by physicians. Perhaps the explanation can be found in Koch's treatment of the case of the William Brown, a famous case concerning actual lifeboats. After this ship struck an iceberg, half of the passengers we brought aboard a lifeboat, threatening to capsize it. Rather than risk the lives of all those on the boat, the crew threw 16 passengers overboard, killing them. (77-78, 82-110) Koch believes, but does not argue, that there is a significant moral difference between killing and letting die, all else being equal. Rather than kill these passengers, then, Koch might believe the crew should never have brought them aboard the lifeboat in the first place. When we apply this reasoning to bioethics as a whole, we have a map for why he might believe LBE1 isn't morally demanding: If we have no moral obligation to save the lives of the dying, then allocation of resources is optional, not obligatory. However, even if there is a substantial moral distinction between killing and letting die, certainly it does not follow that medical professionals have no moral obligation to save lives where there is little or no cost to do so. To do otherwise would be a moral monster. (James Rachels, 1979, "Killing and Starving to Death", Philosophy, 54:208, 159-171)
III. Killing and Letting Die
In my review of Koch's book, I contend his failure to defend the distinction between killing and letting die undermines his criticism of bioethics. This failure is perhaps easiest to see in his criticism of the adoption of the term "brain death." When faced with the natural scarcity of healthy organs, medical professionals adopted the term so that they could harvest the organs of donors in irreversible comas. (58-59) Koch argues the adoption of the term was in part an excuse to harvest healthy organs. The goal, he said, was both humanitarian and economic, as transplantation was lucrative for the professional. (60) While the exigent need for organs was certainly the catalyst for the adoption of the term, medical professionals certainly believed that such patients were already dead. Don Marquis distinguishes between three theories about what makes something morally valuable, and wrong to kill: (i) being biologically human, (ii) being psychologically a person, and (iii) having a possible future of value. (Don Marquis, 1989, "Why Abortion is Immoral," The Journal of Philosophy, 86:4, 183-202) "Brain dead" bodies apparently satisfy (i), but fail to satisfy either (ii) or (iii). Marquis argues that (i) is arbitrary and cites its unreasonable implications; for example human cancer cell cultures are biologically human, but certainly have no right to life.
Medical advancements have made it possible to keep bodies alive, sometimes indefinitely, despite substantial irreversible damage to the brain. Before this, the question of whether these bodies were persons was largely irrelevant as the complete cessation of bodily functions would soon follow. Following these advancements, although keeping bodies alive was expensive and wasteful, there wasn't sufficient impetus to change the definition until it became clear this misclassification threatened the life of potential organ recipients. Patrick Lee and Germain Grisez present a simple thought experiment to test our intuitions about brain death; they ask us to imagine it was possible to keep both the head and body alive after decapitation. Analytically both entities could not be the same person they were before decapitation. Because human beings are rational animals, they contend they body isn't even human. ("Patrick Lee, Germain Grisez, 2012, Total Brain Death: A Reply to Alana Shewmon," Bioethics, 26:5, 275-284)
Underscoring Koch's criticism of the adoption of "brain death", he contends that definition of "brain death" was insufficient, as it misdiagnosed some comas as irreversible even though these patients later regained consciousness. Koch asks how the adoption of "brain death" could be ethical if some patients died who would otherwise have lived. (63) "Certainly it violates the Hippocratic oath's promise to do no harm," Koch says. In my review, I call this criticism absurd. Here Koch contends that an unintentional and unforeseen harm violates the Hippocratic oath, and is concerned exclusively with the consequences, rather than intent, of the physician. Most surgeries carry with them risks to a patient's health and life, and many surgeries end in death; on Koch's view any physician who has lost a patient in during surgery has violated the Hippocratic oath, even if they intended the surgery to be a success, and had every reason to believe it would be. This is absurd.
Rather than risk their supply of organs, Koch contends, bioethicists rationalized their unintentional killing of innocent persons by adopting a form of utilitarianism where the killing of weak persons was justified for the benefit of others. (63-64) As consequentialists, (some) utilitarians don't draw a distinction between killing and letting die, so if a physician harvested the organs from one person, killing her, to save the lives of five others, she is prima facie justified. Of course this is prima facie morally objectionable. It is also not what occurred in the misdiagnoses cases Koch agonizes over. In misdiagnoses cases, physicians believed their patients were dead, and their bodies no longer persons - just like the headless body from Lee and Grisez's thought experiment. These physicians did not trade one person's life for the lives of others. In adopting "brain death" terminology, bioethicists are not taking a stance on whether killing is morally equivalent to letting die and judging certain people to be less worthy of care than others; rather they are diagnosis persons as dead despite the fact that parts of their anatomy are still functioning. Fortunately, making such a distinction can lead to saving the lives of others by allowing doctors to better allocate scarce medical resources.
The bioethics literature on killing and letting die is not about trading one life for another, but about whether letting die is as bad as killing. James Rachels famously argues that if there are the same reasons for a as there are for b, then a and b are morally equivalent, neither is preferable to the other. (Rachels, 1979) Rachels contends that, all else being equal, killing and letting die are morally equivalent. (James Rachels, 1975, "Active and Passive Euthanasia," The New England Journal of Medicine, 292, 78-80; also James Rachels, 2001, "Killing and Letting Die," Encyclopedia of Ethics, 2nd edition, ed. Lawrence Becker and Charlotte Becker, New York Routledge, vol. 2, 947-50.) For example, Rachels argues that, all else being equal, active euthanasia is morally equivalent to passive euthanasia because there are the same reasons for and against killing someone as there are for and against letting them die, all else being equal. Abolishing this distinction is important because in most cases all else is not equal: passive euthanasia causes substantially more pain and suffering than active euthanasia. If passive euthanasia is morally acceptable, then active euthanasia ought to be as well. If active euthanasia is unacceptable, so too should passive euthanasia be.
Although we have a strong commonsense moral intuition that in most cases killing is far worse than letting die, this is not inconsistent with their equivalence when all else is equal, nor does it commit us to a utilitarianism where it is morally acceptable to kill one patient to save others.
Koch contends that when physicians harvested the organs from a misdiagnosed patient they have violated their Hippocratic Oath by doing harm. But if killing and letting die are morally equivalent, then these physicians would be violating their oath by letting people die as well. By letting these organs go to waste, as Koch seems to advocate, then all else being equal, a physician would be as blameworthy for letting her patients die as if she had killed them herself.
Lastly, when discussing the Hippocratic Oath, Koch quotes "First, do no harm." (27, 58) However, this phrase appears nowhere in the oath itself. A similar phrase appears in Hippocratic Corpus, requiring that a physician must do good for her patient and do no harm. (accessed 1-27-2013, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primum_non_nocere) Translations of the Hippocratic Oath similarly require that physicians act for the good of their patients and to not harm them (both requirements are found within a single sentence), and does not seem to prioritize one over the other. (accessed 1-27-2013, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippocratic_Oath, accessed 1-27-2013, http://www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/greek/greek_oath.html)
IV. Conclusion
I've argued that many of the central claims found in Thieves of Virtue: When Bioethics Stole Medicine are false. Koch contends contemporary bioethics an "abysmal failure" because it fails to live up to a promise found in early writings in bioethics. (6) Set aside that this is a ridiculous standard by which to judge a branch of applied ethics, and that for Koch nothing short of universal acceptance of a normative ethical theory would satisfy this promise; I've argued that bioethics has largely succeeded in its goal of restoring the public's trust in medical professionals that had been lost by the beginning of the bioethics movement.
One of Koch's central criticisms of bioethics is that it is too concerned with LBE1, which assumes a scarcity of resources and a moral urgency with regard to their distribution. He claims this scarcity is artificial; here I've shown this scarcity is natural. Remarkably, Koch questions the urgency regarding distribution of scarce medical resources; here I've argued that even if one believes there is a substantial moral difference between killing and letting die, physicians have a strong moral obligation not to let innocent people die if they can easily avoid it without harming others.
Koch criticizes physicians for harvesting organs from patients misdiagnosed as brain dead, contending that to do so violates the Hippocratic Oath -- a set of bioethics values -- because it violates the rule "First, do no harm", a phrase not found in the oath but commonly misattributed to it. This standard is absurd; it would prevent any physician from acting in any way that could possibly harm a patient, regardless of whether the physician believes it might. Any risky surgery would be forbidden, as would breathing the same air as your patient -- for fear you might unwittingly transfer a pathogen to them. Koch characterizes misdiagnoses of "brain death" as some kind of utilitarian bargain, where physicians are willing to sacrifice unworthy, weak patients to benefit others. This is far from accurate; there is always a risk of misdiagnosis, but the Hippocratic Oath requires physicians act for the good of their patients to the best of their ability. Certainly this involves acting on the best medical information one has available, despite the relatively low likelihood of misdiagnosis.
Despite the bluster, factual inaccuracies, and egregious criticisms of contemporary bioethics, Koch should be praised for drawing attention towards what he calls the "ethics of the lifeboat." Contemporary bioethics has not done enough to reduce the natural scarcity of medical resources by advocating for increased blood and organ donation, nor has it done enough to draw attention to the artificial scarcity of medical facilities, equipment, and personnel. To do so would not, as he suggests, eliminate the need for "ethics in the lifeboat", but it would, metaphorically, put us in a better lifeboat, and actually lead to less death.
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THX-1138: THE DIRECTOR'S CUT - film review
The trailer for the 1971 feature film version
THX-1138, much like the director's reissued STAR WARS films, was not the first time he had filmed the story. In 1967, while undertaking post-graduate studies at University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts, Lucas wrote & directed ELECTRONIC LABYRINTH: THX 1138 4EB. The film won first prize at the 1967-1968 National Student Film Festival and earned Lucas a scholarship at Warner Bros working under Francis Ford Coppola. Coppola and Lucas went on to found the independent film company American Zoetrope, allowing Lucas to secure funding for his first feature film - a reimaging of ELECTRONIC LABYRINTH: THX 1138 4EB. The film was released in 1971 as THX 1138.
In the thirty-three years that passed between 1971 and 2004, George Lucas became the most successful independent film producer in history. His management of both the STAR WARS and INDIANA JONES franchises, along with the technical feats of his ILM effects company, gave him absolute film-making freedom. One of the projects he chose to revisit in the early 2000s was THX 1138. The original theatrical release in 1971 had not been successful. Nor had a subsequent re-release in 1977, which had tried to cash-in on the success of Star Wars. Undeterred, Lucas invested part of 2003 and 2004 in a Director's Cut of THX 1138. The result is a seriously good piece of speculative storytelling; unlike the much-maligned Star Wars reissues with new effects and technically enhanced picture and sound quality. THX-1138: THE DIRECTOR'S CUT is a wildly inventive piece of film making; especially the sound track.
The story breaks into two parts, even though it conforms to the standard three act screenplay structure. The first part of the story establishes the relationship between THX 1138, played by Robert Duvall, and LUH 3417, played by Maggie McOmie. The relationship develops against the backdrop of an oppressive future regime, where the citizenry is drugged to maintain peace and a Christ-like image is obeyed without question. LUH slowly but surely manages to wean THX off his drugs in an effort to have a truly meaningful, fulfilling relationship with genuine emotion. When SEN 5241, played by Donald Pleasance, changes one of LUH's work shifts in order to endear himself to THX, THX, who is longer drugged, becomes angry and reports SEN. This results in all three of the main characters being imprisoned for their so-called abhorrent behaviour.
The second part of the story sees THX, SEN and a hologram known as SRT, played by Don Pedro Colley, escape from their imprisonment and go on the run. Soon after their escape, SEN is separated from THX and SRT and THX learns that LUH has been "consumed". (This is a nice way of saying LUH has been murdered by the Government).SEN eventually surrenders and is lead away to an uncertain future. Meanwhile, THX and SRT steal two law enforcement vehicles, but SRT crashes his into a concrete pillar, leaving THX as the solo escapee. THX is pursued by two police androids on motor cycles and is forced to abandon his stolen car, turning the last minutes of the film into a foot race to freedom. With only metres between them, the police androids receive a message that they are to discontinue their pursuit as the budget for the recapture of THX 1138 has been exceeded. THX scales his way up a long ladder and exits into a new world knowing not what he will find.
Some viewers may find the character's dialogue a little difficult to comprehend, as Lucas has created a vocabulary that is unique to the world of THX. Reviewing this part of the film takes on a different approach in a contemporary context, as current day society's language has changed in the last decade with the increased use of texting and tweeting. It is entirely conceivable that our language, as English speaking humans, will change to the point where future humans look at today's language and judge it as quaint and old-fashioned; much the same as we judge the language of prior centuries ourselves. This is an important acknowledgement in the judgement of THX 1138 as a genuine work of science fiction. The language the characters use is speculative, with all of the technical jargon littered throughout the film, but it is very much grounded in the language currently in use today.
The film's pacing, even with THE DIRECTOR'S CUT adjustments, is a little uneven and, at times, feels as though its story is not about the destination, but the journey. Striking visuals are followed with long static scenes where the plot slows to a crawl in order to reinforce that narrative theme of isolation. THX-1138 relies as much on sound as it does on image. That's one of the reasons to fall in love with the Director's Cut version of the film. The best basis for comparison is ELECTRONIC LABYRINTH: THX 1138 4EB, which is readily available on YouTube and was a good practice run for the feature film version. Some of it works really well, other elements leave you scratching your head. The original feature length film's lack of availability make it hard for a genuine comparison, but, based on all reports, it falls somewhere between the short film and the 2004 version.
In addition to Lucas's efforts, much of the the success of THX 1138 can be attributed to Walter Murch, who collaborated with Lucas on the screenplay and provided the 'sound montage', as its referred to in the credits. Murch has gone on to have an incredibly successful career and has worked on APOCALYPSE NOW and THE GODFATHER movies for Francis Ford Coppola. He has also won three Academy Awards for sound and film editing work including two for THE ENGLISH PATIENT in 1997. The 2004 version of THX-1138 brings together the very best of his sound work on the film and makes for an incredibly dense soundtrack. A great deal of the film's exposition is provided by the background dialogue and sound effects which are uniquely assembled by Murch for the viewer to glean narrative themes and plot points.
THX 1138 is a wonderful piece of film making from a person who has his fair share of critics for his subsequent work; especially the 1999 to 2005 STAR WARS films. While some of its content may confound the casual viewer, THX 1138 is a genuine work of science fiction that genuinely postulates an alternative future for humanity, where our reliance on prescription drugs and automated technology has reduced our capacity to feel happiness, hope and, importantly, love.

subset: commoncrawl


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Treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea
CPAP (Continuous Positive Air Pressure)...
A CPAP Machine is a medical device that delivers comtinuous air pressure through a mack attached to a pump. The unit is usually placed next to the bed and is plugged into a standard electrical outlet. It works by providing positive air pressure into the airway to keep it unobstructed during sleep. It is the "Golden Standard" of treatment and is 100% affective when adjusted properly. Some side effects of using the machine may include:
laceration of the bridge of the nose from the mask
bloating of the stomach
nasal irritation and skin rashes
social implications
dry throat and sinus irritations
difficult to travel with
noisy and uncomfortable
anxiety and claustrophobia
not suitable during pregnancy
limited sleep positions
Several surgical procedures are utilized to address snoring and sleep apnea tohelp unobstruct the airway.These include:
removal of tonsils and adenoids
RF (Radio Frequency) surgery to shrink the obstructive tissues
UPPP (uvulopalaropharyngeoplasty)
LAUP (laser assited uvulopalatoplasty)
tongue reduction
jaw reconstruction
As with all surgeries, there is a risk of post-surgical complications. An ENT doctor or an oral surgeon trained in these procedures will determine if you are a candidate for any of the above to treat OSA.
Dental devices are often a viable alternative to CPAP Therapy. A specially designed oral appliance repositions the lower jaw and tongue during sleep. It enlarges the airway by moving the tongue and jaw forward, thus creating more space for the air to flow. Our office has specialized equipment to measure the airway and predict the success of an oral appliance. The appliance can be highly effective for those who suffer from snoring and mild to moderate sleep apnea. Benefits of an oral appliance
comfortable and esay to wear
small and convenient for travel
high compliance rate
quite,accepted by bed partner
There are a few general measures that can be taken to help those suffering with snoring and OSA,they include:
diet if you are overweight
exercise regularly
avoid alcohol before going to sleep
sleep on your side
Do you snore?
Do you wake up tired in the morning?
Do you have high blood pressure?
Do you fall asleep during the day easily?
If you answered yes to any of the above questions you could suffer from Sleep Disorder Breathing(SDB).
SDB affects one third of the US population. It refers to a condition where apneas (sesation of breathing for 10 seconds or more) and hypopneas (drop in oxygen saturation in the blood) are present during sleep. The most common form of SDB is OSA (obstructive sleep apnea) but SDB refers to a wide spectrum of sleep-related breathing abnormalities related to increased upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS), including snoring.
Sleep Disorders Dentistry is the dental treatment of OSA with oral appliance therapy. During sleep, the muscles in the throat surrounding the airway, along with the tongue, relax and sometimes totally block the airway. The dental device repositions the jaw and tongue so that this blockage cannot occur. The device is safe, well tolerated, and effective for treatment of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea.
Before any therapy is performed in our office, a
of snoring or OSA is required. An oral appliance is then made to fit comfortably and provide the maximum amount of airflow through yoour airway. A follow-up sleep test will be performed to screen for treatment efficacy. Successful treatment of snoring and sleep apnea should help you gain a fuller, more refreshed nights sleep. A better nights rest will leave you with a
higher energy level, greater alertness, and a new outlook on life!


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Pigeon Vaccination Article
There have been a lot of queries
about vaccination this week so we will try to cover as many of them as
Q. Why can't we
use live vaccine like they do in
A. Live vaccine is not approved
for pigeons anywhere in the EU including
Q. Why not ?
A. Because it
only works for a few weeks compared with a year for the two approved
"killed" vaccines Colombovac pmv and Nobilis (Nobivac)
Q. Why are the
Belgians allowed to vaccinate just once for life and we have to give a
"booster" dose every year ?
A. This is a
myth. The Belgians and French for their part often believe that the
Brits never
vaccinate !
Q. Why do the
instructions say that birds should not be vaccinated until they are
three weeks old ?
A. Because under three weeks they still have enough immunity from their parents to stop the vaccine "taking"
Q. I would like to buy a vaccination gun but they are expensive and I would need a new one if I changed brands of vaccine.
A. Check out the new auto-jector gun which is suitable for either make of vaccine
Q. Is it really worth the extra expense of vaccinating against Pigeon Pox as I have never had it in my loft. ?
A. Birds from infected lofts can
carry and spread the disease without showing signs of infection. Virus
can spread directly from bird to bird or via baskets, drinkers or
feeders. Many flyers think the 10p per bird is worthwhile insurance
against a ruined season- but the choice is yours
Q. Why can't you send PMV
vaccine to
A. A historical
oversight by the authorities. At one time PMV vaccine was only available
on prescription in


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Auto Body Repair Services
Auto Body Shop And Auto Paint Shop
West Coast Body and Paint is your complete auto body shop and auto paint shop. At our body shop we will take care of all your auto body repair needs. From auto body repair to auto paint needs. From small scratches to complete automotive restorations. We are at your service.
Our Auto Body Repair Services
Accident Repair
Alignment and Structural Repair
Aluminum Repair
Body Repair
Body Surface Preparation for Paint
Bumper Repair
Carbon Fiber Clear Coating
Classic Car Restoration
Collision Repair
Color Change Paint Job
Complete Car Paint Job
Custom Paint Job
Decal Application Services
Dent Repair and Removal
Detailing Services
Exotic Car Restorations
Fender Repair and Parts Replacements
Fiberglass Auto Body Repair
Flat Matte and Paint
Frame Repair
Insurance Claims
Masking and Taping
Metal Auto Body and Panel Repair
Mopar Restoration
Car Rims Services
Color Match
Paint Job Preparation
Paint Repair
Racing Stripes Painting
Rust and Corrosion Repair and Removal
Satin Auto Paint
Scratch and Other Metal Repairs
Scratch Repair and Removal
Our Auto Body Repair Process Is Simple
1. Free Estimate of Repairs
First, your vehicle will be inspected in person and we will give you a complete estimate of repairs which will detail the initial cost of repairs. Keep in mind, there is often hidden damage that we cannot see until after we disassemble your vehicle. Once we are made aware of these other expenses we will communicate them to you (and your insurance company, if applicable) as soon as we can.
2. Your Insurance Company's Approval
Second, your Insurance Company will review the damage report and will determine if your car is repairable, once approved the repairs on your car will begin.
3. Disassembly of Your Car
Prior to repair work we will remove damaged fenders, panels, grills, trim and/or upholstery etc. We often find hidden damage or internal structure damage which will also need repairs. If this occurs we will contact you and your Insurance Company to request a supplement to cover the costs.
4. Order Parts for Your Car
We order all the parts for your car and notify you if a special part will cause a delay in the delivery date. You will always be kept in the loop of the status of your car and its repair.
5. Your Car's Structural Repair
Because we monitor structure repairs by a computer based system it insures accurate and exact factory specifications for your car. This includes the alignment and the frame work of your car.
6. Your Car's Body Repair
Your vehicle's metal body panels will be repaired or replaced by sheet metal which we install and align to exact manufacturer's specifications.
Auto Body Repair Services Include Repairing:
Quarter panels
7. Your Car's Paint And Refinish
We prepare, prime and seal all of your car's body panels . First we inspect all repaired, primed panels for proper and complete body repair and primer application. This insures good adhesion of final top color coat and clearcoat. Then we paint your car the color that matches your car , or we create a custom color for your vehicle.
8. Assembly of Your Car
We attach any trim, upholstery, and panels to your vehicle. Next, we perform quality control, inspecting all the body repairs and the overall paint on your car.
9. Detailing Your Car
Finally, we clean, buff and polish the repaired area and wash your entire car.
10. Final Inspection And Completion of Your Car
Furthermore, we conduct a final inspection to insure all your vehicle's components are in working order. Lastly, we take your vehicle for a test drive to insure that your vehicle has been completely restored to its pre-accident condition. And that's it 🙂
Your car is in good hands with us because we only use quality products and professional auto body repair services. Our standards are high and in compliance with the California Bureau of Automotive Repair.


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This afternoon was a beautiful afternoon and I was blessed to get a few amazing shots of some amazing birds.
An adult male Painted Bunting decided to make his appearance for just a few minutes. These little birds are so beautiful and are a very rare site. Their feathers are as if someone took a paint brush as painted their feathers with colors of blue, yellow and red. Females are a pale greenish yellow with an eye ring around their eyes.
Painted Bunting are members of the Cardinal family but they remind me of a finch .
There is always a beautiful Bluebird working hard, feeding and fixing their nests.
The Meadow Lark below is a bird that is overlooked for its beauty but take a look at how bright yellow this little bird is. Their yellow underbelly color is amazing!
A few Blue Winged-Teal was swimming on one of the ponds and decided to fly. I was blessed with an amazing action shot as they left the water. There is nothing like getting an amazing action shot of ducks in flight.
The Red-Bellied Wood Pecker is a frequent visitor looking for corn and sunflower seeds at my feeders.
Just wanted to share and hope that you had the opportunity to get out and enjoy nature on such a beautiful day.


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AG Group was established in January 2009 and has been delivering outstanding plumbing services to both domestic and industrial customers. The company has grown to be able to operate in fifteen (15) teams to provide the necessary equipment and knowledge required to deliver quality and cost effective services.
At AG Group we believe that "Time is money" and take this very seriously to ensure we deliver quality service to our clients. We pride ourselves in being professional, reliable and competent in all aspects of the work we perform. Clients will be informed on the progress of the work until completion and beyond.
We also offer general plumbing/electrical works and other specialized services, including schools, industrial companies, residential complexes, business parks, shopping centres, factories, restaurants and more
We specialise in all areas of plumbing…
Contact us today for excellent service and great prices!
We service the whole of East Rand, Gauteng and our services deal with every aspect of plumbing needs. Simply contact us and we will be happy to compile a competitive quote for you.


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I can feel that we've taken some backwards steps. Or, more likely, while Speedy was getting fat and sassy, I was developing better balance and feel. The work I've been doing with JL to keep Sydney balanced enough to pick up that right lead canter has been very constructive. And as tough as that clinic was (maybe someday I'll share the whole story), I had some serious AHA! moments there as well.
So poor Speedy; he's living a Rip Van Winkle story. He takes a little break, but when he comes back, his whole world has changed! I know I'm riding better so my expectations for the gray pony have really changed.
The first thing I need to address, and it's only going to happen through lessons and clinics, is how heavy he is on the left rein. It doesn't matter which direction we track; he is always 80% on that rein. When we track left, my outside (right) rein hangs there limp and hollow. If I release the inside rein, his nose immediately falls to the outside. When we track right, I feel as though if I were to drop the contact, he'd probably do a spectacular roll over and we'd go up in flames.
His trot work is so heavy now (or maybe it always was?) that I can literally hear his front feet slamming into the ground. And if I don't watch every step, he'll stumble and trip. (It's not a neurological thing, I promise.) Speedy has a noodle of a neck so to avoid the contact, he tucks his little nose between his two from legs.
My only solution has been to give a very strong half halt (that really means a sharp jerk on the rein) and add a ton of leg. With that correction, he flings his head back up, but I can't keep him from curling back under. We just go round and round doing the same thing. Even if I switch it up and do serpentines to ten-meter circles, to loops, I end up fighting the same battle.
It's a lot like riding a loaded wheelbarrow: his front end is driving into the ground while his hind end isn't carrying any weight.


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After having dialogue with a customer, have you ever thought, "Wow…wasn't that a great conversation?" Have you ever hung up the phone and said, "She was so nice." And maybe you have said, "We really, really get along." Or on the contrary, how many times have you said, "What did I say to irritate that customer?" Have you ever thought, "Why were they so upset?" Did you ever get off a call and say, "What just happened?" It's happened to all of us. For me, when it does, I try to figure out a way to manage it.
Once I understand personality styles (and am able to conform to that customer's style), I have been able to improve my relationships and enhance all conversations.
Here are the four personality styles:
- Analytical – They think it through, they are detail oriented and love spreadsheets.
- Amiable – They have "feelings" they are very low key and have good friendships.
- Driver – They tell it like it is, it's their way or the highway and they are in charge.
- Expressive – They just want to have fun, talk about what happened last weekend and you always know where the next party is.
Here are several steps I went through that helped me have better conversations.
First, I figured out my own "personality style." Once I did that it made the next steps easier. Take a look at the styles above and ask yourself "what's your style?"
Second, take a minute before you make your next phone call and/or before you go in to visit your next customer and figure out what their personality style is.
Third, conform to their style. Yes, imitate it. It's that simple. If an analytical person wants detail, give it to them in a spreadsheet or aging etc. Make sure you slow down and be very mellow with an amiable person (don't make them mad). For the expressive person, have fun with them talk through everything they want to then get to your point and exit. With the driver, make sure you are as tough with him as he will be with you…he will think it was a great conversation.
I'm sure the times you got along with someone you conformed to their style and you didn't even know it. And the times you didn't get along, guess what…you probably didn't conform to their style.
So what's your style? Think about it on your next few phone calls and customer visits. See if it makes a difference or better conversation. Let me know your thoughts. Have fun with it. I'd love to hear your feedback.
Michael W. Fenner, CBA, is the Credit Management Association Chairman and Regional Credit Manager for Beacon Roofing Supply. He can be reached at 714-321-8187, or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Hair Recycling Technologies marketing strategy is to enhance, promote, and support the fact that our products, SMART SOIL and HARE AWAY are organic, recycled, and more effective than our competitors. HRT will target the environmentally conscious gardener. Our marketing will show the customer that HRT will be the leading company in the organic soil enhancer and animal deterrent business for the 21st century. The quality and competitive price of our products will be used to generate sales, and HRT will introduce its products through retail outlets and through the Internet.
The first step is to create a website to promote our products. The creation of our website is expected to take a minimum amount of time and effort after contracting with a developer. This will be one source for selling our products directly to our customers.
Second, there will be much emphasis placed on contacting and securing contracts with buyers of large retail establishments who supply home and garden products to the marketplace. Establishments will include large nurseries such as Franks and discount stores such as K-Mart, Mynards, Myers, and Wal-Mart. We will also focus on selling to mid-sized retailers through direct selling.
Third, we will contact various online gardening sites to help us market our product. We will give commission for products that are sold either on their gardening sites or if they post a link to HRT's website. Websites that we will target include the following:
During the first year of operations, HRT will use traditional marketing channels such as direct marketing and through the use of channel partners. In recent years, there has been a large increase in the number of distribution channels. Less expensive and more effective ways of promoting a product have emerged. Infomercials are a big part of this new trend. HRT may plan to use this channel during our third and forth year of operations.
HRT will focus its advertising efforts toward the home gardener. The company will stress the fact that our product is organic, recycled, and does not require many applications. This advertising strategy is aimed toward the environmentally conscious gardener who believes SMART SOIL will add more time and require less maintenance to their gardening experience. The animal deterrent HARE AWAY will be marketed toward the gardener who needs protection for his or her plants.
The suggested retail price for a bag of our soil enhancer is $2.99. Our wholesale price for the same bag is $1.50, and our cost per bag is less than 50 cents. The retail price for our bagged hair is $1.99. The wholesale price for the bagged hair is 85 cents a bag, and our cost per bag is less than 15 cents.
The price for the soil enhancer and bagged hair are fairly inelastic. With the environmental issues our world faces today, the consumer is more demanding of organic and recycled products. We believe that most gardeners are true environmentalists and will pay a premium for organic products.
The price margins on our products are relatively high. These margins may shrink with possible unexpected costs and competitors, however, the margins are high enough to sustain a considerable amount of growth and allocation toward a strong, aggressive advertising campaign.
HRT's advertising will play an important role in reaching our target market. The company will try to reach the target market through print advertising. There are dozens of gardening magazines which have thousands of subscribers. Organic Gardening and Farming and Organic Gardening are two of the largest publications dealing with our business. These publications will be one of our first channels of advertising. As stated earlier, HRT will also advertise through relationships with online retailers of home and gardening supplies.
Advertising expenses for the first two years of operation can be summarized in the table below.
|Organic Gardening 1/12 page
|Organic Gardening/Farming 1/6 page
|Worm's Way Catalog
|Internet Co-op Ads Variable
|Other Advertising Variable


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Front exterior with Italian marble driveway. Custom hurricane impact doors and windows throughout this completely re-built home situated on a high elevation.
Virtually staged living room.
Dining Room with custom cut honed marble flooring from Paris Ceramics.
Virtually staged dining room.
Library/Media Room
The kitchen has Porath cabinetry, Gaggenau appliances, and Encausic tile flooring from Portugal.
Virtually Staged Master Bedroom
Master Bedroom
Master Bath with Italian Fantini fixtures and hardware
Virtually staged Guest Bedroom 1
PE Guerin hardware throughout and custom Ebony Macassar veneered interior doors
Guest Bedroom 1 with en-suite bath and closet
Guest Bath with Sherle Wagner medicine cabinet and vanity
Guest Bedroom 2 with en-suite bath
Guest Bath
Sheer descent custom designed pool
Pool Terrace
Ample space for lounging and dining in the outdoor loggia.
Located on the north end, the residence is in close proximity to the Lake Trail, the beach, restaurants and shops.
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m: (561) 281-0031o: (561) 281-0031
Profile | Listings
m: (561) 301-2211o: (561) 301-2211
340 Royal Poinciana WaySte M314Palm Beach, FL, 33480(561) 659-3555
View office profile


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2014-2015 Premier League Previews: Week 12 (Part 2)
Manchester City vs. Swansea
Match Date: 22 November 2014 (local time)
Venue: Etihad Stadium
Manchester City
City's destroyed morale may cause troubles in their upcoming performance against Swansea.
Just recently, the sports betting favorite was stunned by the lowly Queen Park Rangers when the latter forced them to settle for an even steven finish. It is still too early to tell if the club has already fallen out of the title race. But with eight (8) points to address, it will be a definite uphill task for the defending champion.
Sadly, it seems that more problems arise within the City camp as its team captain, Vincent Kompany will be sidelined after incurring a calf injury.
Swansea's late rally against Arsenal was worth all the blood and tears as they end the match with three (3) points under its belt.
Due to the said victory, Swansea has propelled its rank to the 5th spot of the table. Along with it is the possibility of qualifying for the Europa League next season.
Manchester City 1-1 Swansea
Leicester vs. Sunderland
Match Date: 22 November 2014 (local time)
Venue: King Power Stadium
Leicester will attempt to seek redemption at home via clinching three (3) crucial points against Sunderland.
The club has been a familiar face in the relegation zone since the season started and it seems like its chances of snatching its 3rd victory may not materialize.
Sunderland joined QPR in the Premier League's list of stunning performances. The Black Cats was impressive in pushing for an even steven finish against Everton. The draw catapulted its rank to 14, which is several notches away from the relegation zone.
However, there's an impending possibility for them to be sanctioned due to its failure to control its players during the Everton stalemate.
Leicester 0-2 Sunderland
Image Source:


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Every business wants to reach their true potential and emerge victorious. There are ways you can break out of the mold and take your business farther than you thought possible. One of these ways is to fully utilize the knowledge you gain via risk management courses through UK Universities, whether you are taking a course online or in a physical setting these courses help you to reach your goals and set new ones. You probably already know how important it is to set goals for yourself and your organization and work towards achieving them and more importantly, move on to bigger and better things. But what happens if you are unable to assess the level of security and risk that is involved in a situation? Would you know how to get out or would you understand how to deal with the current situation?
Risk Management Courses from the UK via Distance Learning
What Is Risk Management?
According to the National Criminal Justice Reference Service website, "Risk Management is the process that is used to identify potential risks and liabilities that could result in some kind of loss for both public and private organizations" (https://www.ncjrs.gov/App/publications/abstract.aspx?ID=209787) From a business perspective, it is the process of analyzing, identifying, and responding to factors of risk during the time of a project with the interests on the goals at hand. People who properly grasp and fully understand risk management, as well as having completed their post graduate course online or in a classroom, know that risk management usually will imply there is control of possible future outcomes and prefer to be actively working towards averting any possible security threats.
How Can Risk Management Benefit Your Business?
Risk management is a critical exercise that all professionals employed within a security context, public or private, need to be versed on. Employers need to believe that having someone who understands how to weigh risks against threats of security is a unique talent of reviewing the whole picture. However, some security risks are not worth it and you need someone, who has a post graduate qualification with experience to back the knowledge, be able to tell managers/superiors whether or not they should move forward with the risks in favor of averting any potential dangerous threat.
Think about do a risk management courses UK distance learning and be responsible for your own success and the determination that it will take to complete the course. Either way, having someone who properly understands Risk Management at an organization will increase its chances of victory and improved security. It is a continuous process as there will never be absolutely peace and harmony, but with our brave ones we will always over come threats of any nature.
Other certifications to look into are graduate certificates in criminology and criminal justice.


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Taking into consideration that New York is one of the most expensive cities in the world, it's hard to believe that one can even find cheap moving services. And even if you were to find cheap movers NYC – would that be the best choice? Well, it all comes down to which corner of NYC you are looking in.
For example, Brooklyn is considered to be more affordable than other NY boroughs. So you can always count on finding more affordable movers in Brooklyn than you might in Manhattan. Your goal, however, needs to remain clear – finding the ideal moving company for you. And the question you should be asking yourself is – is cheaper always better?
Finding the ideal moving company with a limited budget
Your decision to move to NYC is great. Only you should consider hiring one of the top moving companies NYC offers. Because moving professionals have everything New York relocation requires. They have the know-how. The most of them have a lot of experience. And the top NYC moving professionals are fully equipped and owning all the tools needed for a proper relocation. The relocation is a very demanding job. Leave it to the pros, at least the harder part of it.
However, given the expenses of life in the Big Apple, you might want to grab a seat and do a quick budget check. Calculating the budget you have at your disposal will help you skim through the NYC cheap movers. Once you've set a limit you are willing to pay for the move, everything else will be much easier to fit into that budget. The only thing that is left is to put an effort and find the top quality, reliable, and affordable moving company in NYC. No matter whether you're looking for cheap local NYC moving pros, or perhaps the low-cost long distance movers NYC.
Potential problems with affordable movers NYC
We all love to get a good deal and pay as minimum as possible for products and services. However, this is not always necessarily a good thing. And cheaper is not always better. Most moving and storage NYC companies that underbid the competition have a certain reason for doing so. So there are certain risks to consider in those situations:
- Potentially fraudulent or blacklisted company. Most scam companies tend to lure customers in with low flat prices for their services and promises of good deals like nowhere else. So it is important that you always do a background check of any such companies. In case you need help with doing that, we can guide you through it.
- New and inexperienced company. NYC area is a tough and crowded market, so newly founded companies have issues getting through to customers. Unless they have a good start-up budget, most of them will look to win over customers with low prices. However, this is always a gamble since you can never be too sure of the quality which you can expect from this type of mover.
- Relocation company offering low-quality services. Another reason why someone is considerably cheaper than the competition might be the low quality of the moving services provided. Hence, check on this thoroughly, before you jump into a moving disaster.
Moving scams commonly look like attractive options
The worst thing you can do is to hire a fraudulent mover. Fraudulent NYC movers do everything to attract people. They offer lower prices, additional services free of charge, fast relocation etc. But what hides behind all of these offers is that they are not a part of the contract. So be very careful. Don't get into a trap just because of looking for NYC affordable movers. Because those the cheapest are mostly the fraudulent ones. Always take care of safety and security in a first place. Background check of each moving company is a must
Search for the reviews. Find out if they own a license. Get the information if there was a sign of a moving scam connected to them. And, even if you can't find any mistake, always, ALWAYS check the whole contract. Make sure everything you made a deal with the company is the part of the contract you and the company's representative are signing. Whatever stands there is what the New York moving company must do. And all the details you agreed to verbally are unprovable, and hence they are most probably won't be undertaken during your NYC relocation.
Young companies might be a good solution
The best cheap movers in New York could are mostly the new moving companies! They are starters. They need to attract customers. And they must lower the prices to enter the competition. Given that they have no tradition, no good reviews or recommendations. So, when searching for a low-cost moving company in Gotham city, check on the new companies first. Typing cheap movers in Brooklyn or cheap moving companies in Manhattan etc. won't give the best results. Because the most of the professional movers in NYC wants to be recognized as quality and affordable, distancing from the term cheap. Being that cheap stands mostly for something not good enough.
On the other hand, if you do a good check of new movers. You could get the top quality service at a very affordable price. They want to prove they are quality and they want you to recommend them. So they will strive to satisfy your needs. Actually, not only to satisfy them but to exceed everything you want. This way they are entering the market in a big style, while you get the cheap and quality moving services NYC.
But we must emphasize one thing. Given that you could be dealing with the new movers, you know nothing about them. So be particularly careful when hiring them. Check their license. Do a detailed check of their equipment and the tools. Meet them several times before the moving day. And necessarily check if everything you agreed to stands on the paper you are signing. Act like you might be dealing with the moving scam. Because those people could be scammers, you never know.
Low-cost but also low-quality services
When looking for cheap movers NYC, you certainly are not looking for bad quality of services. But, unfortunately, this is what the most of the cheap moving companies in New York offer. As we said, the top movers, offering high-quality services, are distancing from the term cheap. They prefer to offer quality relocation services. That way they make you hire the NYC mover on a budget you own. Still not forcing you to lower the demands. And we will repeat once again, the reliability and the quality of the services come way before the cost of the moving professionals.
Don't think that it is unimportant how quality the moving services are as long as you get to hire cheap movers NYC. Just think about the damage your belongings could suffer. Or the delay in your items delivery. Plus, the unhandy staff could jeopardize your family's safety. As some items you own are quite heavy and with sharp edges. Take your relocation very seriously, and search for moving companies in accordance with this.
The best way to find proper professionals for your move: Widening the offers made available to you
Looking at local nearby companies can be practical, but not always the best choice. In case that your list of potential NYC movers is too small, you need to consider options on how to expand your search range and thus the number of opportunities.
- Expanding your search to other parts of New York. Moving companies in Manhattan do not offer same prices as those in Brooklyn or Queens. So don't be too lazy to search all over NYC and do a cross-comparison in prices and services offered. You might be able to find more cheap movers NYC on the other side of town than the one right next to you.
- Increasing your moving budget. There are other ways to save money. Money which you can then invest into hiring a better moving company. After all, we are talking about moving your valuables here, so the priority should be on making sure that they are transported in the safest manner possible. Only after that, you can think about the cheap movers NYC to hire for their relocation.
- De-clutter and handle part of the relocation by yourself. Being that the aim is spending the least money possible on moving, you need to reduce expenses. How can one do this, you might wonder? Simple really – for starters, do your own packing and reduce costs of having someone else do it for you. This also gives you the chance to separate the items you no longer need and de-clutter. Another step you can take would be to handle part of the move by yourself – if you have a vehicle or have someone who has one, you can transport most of the boxes and possessions by yourself. This way you'll need a minimum amount of moving services and thus will be able to choose from more reliable and professional companies.
Making the choice between cheap and quality but affordable NYC movers
It's always hard on people to give money, no matter if we're talking about 10 dollars or a hundred. We also tend to have different perspectives when it comes to purchasing products or services. You've got people that look to save wherever they can and don't mind poor quality as long as the price is minimal. Then you have the complete opposite – people who are willing to cash out as much as possible, as long as they don't have to put in any additional effort. Myself, I believe in being practical and smart – you should be willing to go the extra mile or pay extra if you are certain that the product you are getting is worth it.
Balance is the key. You need to find that middle ground between quality and affordability when you are looking for that ideal NYC moving company. If you can't hire the best professional mover available, then settle for the next best thing, based on the budget you have at your disposal. But whatever you do, don't simply go with the first cheap company you find. Remember, NYC is one large and deep pond of businesses – one can find anything if they just look hard enough.
Our final piece of advice is again to be careful when looking for cheap movers NYC, check thoroughly if they are reliable. Otherwise, you can be robbed:


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Looking for your Scottish connection? Many surnames have roots in Scotland.Use our Clan Finder tool to find out which Clans are associated with your name.
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Our Quaich Plaques are handmade in our own workshop and include a 2.5" stainless steel Quaich on a solid oak base etched with the clan design. Product dimensions are 228mm long x 100mm wide x 64mm high (including the Quaich). They are fitted with protective feet, history of the quaich and boxed as a set.
Quaich Plaques orders can be dispatched within 5 days.
Why not have your item gift wrapped for only £2.50 GBP
Our delivery charges are automatically calculated based on product weight and destination.
We offer Free Shipping on orders over a minimum value (before vat) of £25 for UK orders or £60 for Europe or £75 for International.
For all orders over £50 we highly recommend customers use either the Royal Mail Signed For service or Courier service. ScotCrest products are handmade and we think our hard work and your investment are worth protecting!
UK Delivery
• Standard Delivery within the UK, for orders less than 2kg, is via Royal Mail. There is also an option to upgrade to Royal Mail 1st Class 'Signed For' delivery or choose trackable Courier delivery at additional cost.
• For UK orders greater than 2kg, delivery is only available by Courier.
European & International Delivery
• Standard Delivery outwith the UK, for orders less than 2kg, is via Royal Mail Airmail. There is also an option to upgrade to Royal Mail Airmail 1st Class 'Signed For' delivery or choose trackable Courier delivery at additional cost.
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Annually, the school psychology faculty members associated with the KLASS Center rank within the top three, nationally, in numbers of peer-reviewed journal articles per faculty member. The research is varied and often is directly relevant for use in applied settings.
Research interests and projects cover a wide area of topics that concentrate on the KLASS Center's priorities of learning, assessment, and social skills. Some studies focus on improving classroom management to improve the learning outcomes of the children while other studies focus on psychometric properties of standardized assessment instruments. Other areas include the development of straightforward methods for improving reading and math skills that teachers and parents can easily, but effectively, implement themselves.
A goal of the KLASS Center is to facilitate and conduct research that may lead to advances in how we evaluate children, adolescents, and adults for learning and/or behavioral difficulties, as well as, designing and researching methods that may be utilized to improve or remediate those difficulties.
The KLASS Center assumed editorship of the Journal of Evidence-Based Practices for Schools in 2010.


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Why Collaboration Software is the Way to Go for IT Consulting Firms in Long Island
Collaboration software is becoming popular nowadays, as more business owners realize the potential that it brings. They are seeing the gains that can be achieved... Read More
Why "Born in the Cloud" is the Way to Go When Outsourcing IT Support in Long Island
Companies are increasingly embracing cloud computing solutions offered by IT support providers in Long Island. In fact, technology futurists argue that the cloud is potentially... Read More
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In the healthcare industry, it's essential to use high-quality IT support in Long Island to comply with government regulations and to assure maximum privacy and... Read More
Benefits of Outsourcing Network Security to an IT Consulting Firm in Long Island
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El Panecillo - Bread Loaf Hill - emerges with the aluminum statue of the Virgin of Quito in all of its 134 1/2 feet high from the south side of Quito Colonial. The hill itself rises at 9,900 feet or 3,016 meters above sea level.
In 1976 this monument emerged with a replica of the sculpture created of 7,000 pieces of aluminum, the largest of its kind in the world.
The only figure in the world of the Virgin with wings...she comes to us from the 18th century inspired by the description of her in the Book of the Apocalypse.
Shungoloma is the original name given in Quichua, which means "hill of the heart." How fitting that the Spanish claimed it for the Immaculate Heart of Mary!
Other names have been attached to her, but the Virgin of Quito rings the most common. Everyone in Quito knows that it replicates the original of Bernardo Legarda. That explains why she's also known as the Legarda Virgin.
I always thumb a taxi, as danger lurks as you walk, but then, that's true of all the south side. Quito colonial tours usually include this treasure or offer it separately.
Once up there, enter the monument and check out the mini museum. Then ascend the narrow stairs...definitely not for the handicapped, but oh so worth it for the capable. There's three beautifully remodeled floors, and they're working on the fourth. You just might get excited about the spectacular view.
Check out the view from the whole area. Ask which volcano in the distance is which, and you could linger over a cup of your favorite drink or have a bite to eat.
A statue of the Virgin of Quito on El Panecillo sells at the daily mercado or in the colonial area craft stores.
You really can't beat a gift of this statue as a devotional visual aid for Catholics or as a souvenir. If you don't mind inflated prices because of the high volume of tourists, crafts sell at the booths here.
If a procession like this one of Carmen Alto for the feast of Our Lady of Carmel - which takes place in July - happens by, you're in for a treat.
We descended El Panecillo down the narrow concrete steps singing and praying all the way to Carmen Alto on Garcia Moreno Street.
2008 Copyright quito-colonial.com - All rights reserved


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60+ employees
£100 million+
Company Overview
Travelbag specialise in creating tailor-made holidays to a range of worldwide destinations. From round the world trips to city breaks, beach holidays to escorted tours, we assist customers in booking hotels, cruises, tours and flights to Australia, New York, USA, Bangkok, Canada, Sydney and other long haul holiday destinations from the UK. Since Travelbag began back in 1979, the expertise and passion of our travel consultants has established us as one of the leaders in worldwide tailor-made travel. We understand the time it takes to navigate through so many holiday options – that's why our expert Travel Consultants are with you all the way to share their travel experience and meticulously plan our customers' holidays, from start to finish.
UNRIVALLED SERVICE When a customer visits one of our shops, they are assigned their own dedicated Travel Consultant who'll take care of them before, during and after travel.
BESPOKE HOLIDAYS We tailor-make every holiday we create, so if there's something specific a customer wants to see or do, we'll do all we can to work it into their itinerary.
QUALITY AND CHOICE Worldwide, we only work with suppliers and airlines that meet our exacting standards, to ensure our holidays are of the very highest quality.
TOTAL PEACE OF MIND We're protected by ABTA, IATA and ATOL, which means our customers are protected too. So if anything happens to us, your airline or any of our suppliers, our customers' money is safe. From the volume of feedback we have received from delighted customers, we know we're creating some of the greatest travel experiences of people's lives.
Travelbag have head offices in London and Chester, call centres in Solihull and Chester, and shops in Alton, Brighton, Cheltenham, Knutsford, London, Solihull and Winchester
E: email@example.com
Travelbag Alton Shop, 3-5 High Street, Alton, Hampshire, GU34 1TL
Travelbag Brighton Shop, 65 Western Road, Brighton, BN1 2HA
Travelbag Cheltenham Shop, 10-12 Pittville Street, Cheltenham, GL52 2LJ
Tavelbag Knutsford Shop, 8 Princess Street, Knutsford, Cheshire, WA16 6DD
Travelbag Solihull Shop & Call Centre, 26-28 Drury Lane, Solihull, B91 3BG
Travelbag Kensington Shop & Call Centre, 205 Kensington High Street, London, W8 6BA
Travelbag Winchester Shop, 99 High Street, Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 9AH
Travelbag London Head Office, 8th Floor, Wingate House, 93-107 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W1D 5DY
Travelbag Chester Head Office & Call Centre, Glendale House, Glendale Business Park, Sandycroft. Nr Chester. CH5 2DL
London W8 6BA
E: firstname.lastname@example.com
Recent News
Get Surrey
Surrey cricket all-rounder James Burke heads out on loan
Get Surrey
He is entering the final season of his contract at The Oval and has also played for Guildford over the past two seasons in the Travelbag Surrey Championship Premier Division. Surrey's England one-day opener Jason Roy will be joining their Sri Lankan ...
Daily Mail
Can YOU spot the turtle among the dinosaurs?
Daily Mail
The new picture puzzle comes from Travelbag and asks people to spot the object not typically found underwater. To make things even harder, the plane is perfectly camouflaged. If you need a hint: the airplane is the same colour as one of the starfish.


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World Boxing Association (WBA) Super Middleweight Champion Andre Ward and World Boxing Council (WBC) Super Middleweight Champion Carl Froch continued the three-city international press tour today in New York City to formally announce The Final of the Super Six World Boxing Classic LIVE on SHOWTIME®, Saturday, Oct. 29 at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) from the historic Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J.
Photo Credit: Tom Casino/SHOWTIME
"If there is a knockout in the fight, it will be me knocking out Ward.
I've got the granite chain, I'm a beast… I can't be knocked out." – Froch
Ward and Froch, along with their respective promoters Dan Goossen and Eddie Hearn, Ken Hershman, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports® and creator of the Super Six World Boxing Classic, Ken Condon from Caesars Atlantic City and Aaron Davis, Commissioner of the State Athletic Control Board, spoke with a crowded room of media from New York, New Jersey and national outlets at Highline Ballroom in Chelsea to discuss what is being called the most significant fight in the history of the Super Middleweight division.
After a two-year, grueling journey, Ward, America's last Olympic Gold Medalist, will face British superstar Froch in The Final to determine the world's best 168-pound fighter.
The winner of the high stakes matchup will claim both world championship belts, the vacant The Ring magazine championship and the inaugural Super Six World Boxing Classic Cup.
"If Carl feels like he can't let go of his belt and I feel the same way about mine,
it will be a tremendous night of boxing." – Ward


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Vendors, contact Gaea with general questions (575) 224-2102.
For all Vendors
This season the QFM will charge a $5 vendors fee for all vendors over the age of 18.
Younger farmers, makers, and growers, if you're under 18 the QFM will wave the $5 vendors fee. Please join us! Here's an idea – food plant starts, like tomatoes and basil, are good sellers and they are double-up $ eligible.
The Village of Questa requires a peddlers permit be purchased ($35, good for three months) if you sell processed foods, crafts, etc. Only the "sale of vegetables, fruits, meats, foul or farm products raised and sold in an unprocessed state" can be done without a peddlers fee (Per Village of Questa Ordinance 2005-122). Contact the Village, (575) 586-0694, for your peddlers permit.
Our market's central goal is to support local food production and particularly small scale agricultural projects. We need to maintain a 50% or higher proportion of "food staples" for sale. Vegetables, fruits, meats, foul or farm products fit into the essential category, as do other basic take-home food items, like bread, tortillas, flour, pies, beans, chicos, and herbs.
Are you a vendor that can SNAP/EBT eligible items?
Patrons can use SNAP/EBT to purchase fresh fruits and veggies and food staples at our market. Eligible items include: all fruits and veggies grown within 80 miles of our market, packaged to take home items, like jellies, handmade tortillas and tamales, bread, honey, eggs and more. What's not eligible? Prepared foods and hot foods available at the market.
The double-up-food-bucks program makes someone's dollars worth double if they buy local; New Mexico grown, within 80 miles of market. Eligible foods are fruits and vegetables, or fresh herbs that are cut, dried pintos, dried chile pods (not in ristra form) and garden food plant starts.
Selling NM grown fruits and vegetables raised within 80 miles of the market and want to become approved to accept WIC and Senior Nutrition Program checks?
The QFM is approved by the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH), to receive WIC and Senior Nutrition Program checks, which means approved vendors may accept these checks at our location. To become approved, a vendor must submit an agreement to NMDOH. They provide the vendor agreements and vendor ID numbers to the QFM market manager. Email the market manager for your agreement today, or call 575-224-2102. If you are already approved to participate with another market, you may not be assigned a new number. REMEMBER Vendors must get their checks stamped at the same market where they accepted the checks from patrons.
Note to Prepared Food Vendors
To be an authorized/regulated farmers market we have to follow state guidelines. In order to sell prepared food (for example; jellies, fresh juice, salsa, breakfast burritos, all baked goods, bread) all prepared food vendors must abide by the food safety laws of NM and this means you need a permit to operate at the QFM.
Each person running a food booth needs to get a temporary food establishment permit ($25 a month). Call the New Mexico Environment Department in Taos at (575) 758-8808 or visit https://www.env.nm.gov/nav_permits.html for permit information. At least one person in that booth needs a food handlers card. You can take an ANSI certified course online to get this card.
Prepared food must be made in a certified commercial kitchen, or, if made on-site vendors need a permit to operate in this capacity. All prepared food vendors need to obtain a commissary agreement from a certified commercial kitchen. The Questa VFW and San Cristobal Community Center have commercial kitchens certified by the state. More details here.
Your Market Manager, (575) 224-2102, with food vendor questions.
Local commercial kitchens makes it possible for the QFM to be a regulated market, which means we can participate in state and federal food benefit programs and accept SNAP/EBT, double-up-food-bucks, WIC, and the Senior Nutrition Checks program.


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Discover all our experiences
The most premium experiences Cherish offers. They are sure to make your special someone fall in love all over again.
Enjoy local things to do like casual sports, dance classes, pottery making etc.
Celebrate your occasions like anniversary, birthdays over a well organised and beautiful candlelight dinner
Too tired to go outside ? Try these fun experiences which Cherish organises at your home.
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Registrations have now opened for Muscular Dystrophy Australia's National Superhero Week 2016! National Superhero Week for Muscular Dystrophy is a week-long event in which people across Australia dress up as their favourite superhero to raise money for Muscular Dystrophy Australia's programs, services and research. The National Superhero Week program was born in 2000 and has been extensively used and expanded upon by Muscular Dystrophy Australia since. Heroes of all ages are encouraged to host an event during 2016 National Superhero Week (29th August – 4th September), from kindergartens and schools, to workplaces and community groups… you are never too old to dress up!
Return sponsor Ferguson Plarre Bakehouses have signed on to create Muscular Dystrophy Superhero Cupcakes that will be sold at all their stores throughout the week, with $1 from every cupcake coming straight back to Muscular Dystrophy Australia. New sponsor CrossFit Victoria will be running an in-house fitness competition with a superhero theme to support Muscular Dystrophy Australia, a new relationship we're excited to build upon.
Another new initiative is the use of everydayhero to run the National Superhero Week 2016 campaign. Everydayhero is a fantastic way for you to generate extra support for your event and fundraising efforts, as it has lots of interactive features including adding your own story as to why you are supporting Muscular Dystrophy Australia, sharing your profile across social media in order to share your story with more people and encourage donations and your profile is interactive, you can post comments, other people can see their donations and a dialogue can be created.
We've also got a competition running to name the MDA Superhero. See below.
With a growing list of sponsors and MDAmbassadors, Muscular Dystrophy Australia is looking forward to an even bigger and better National Superhero Week for 2016. If you'd like to register to be a superhero for Muscular Dystrophy, head to Superhero Week and register today![/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]