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A friend and I were having an argument about something that I was having a difficult time finding an answer to on the internet. He said that its fairly common for people, after graduating culinary school to go and work for free in a restaurant to gain experience. I cant imagine someone already in debt from culinary school, going and working for free for a year. Are you guys just super budgeters? or is this a false lie my friend heard somewhere?


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Start out right! On anything from fast group rides to daily commutes, the new Synapse's light weight, comfortable sportive position and smooth ride will help you ride faster, ride longer and ride more.
The ideal first road bike for someone looking for exceptional handling, comfort, performance, versatility and value.
Synapse's Endurance Geometry provides stable, confident handling, and a more upright riding position for all-day comfort.
The new Synapse is designed with with two different fork rakes - 60mm for smaller sizes and 50mm for larger sizes - for more consistent "trail" measurements and more consistent handling across the sizes, and reduced toe overlap on small sizes.
The new Synapse features updated SAVE PLUS Micro-Suspension flex zones in the rear triangle and fork to keep you comfortable and in control.
With clearance for tyres up to 32mm wide, and subtle rack and mud guard mounts, the new Synapse is ready for back-road exploring, group rides, fast commutes and anything in between.
Women's saddles, narrower ergonomic bars with improved lever reach, and shorter crank lengths make your bike ride and fit better.

subset: commoncrawl


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So this year's Open Championship at Muirfield started out by Thomas Bjorn breaking a camera lens. Hey, at least it wasn't intentional.
Then there's Charl Schwartzel who also broke something during Thursday's first round- except that with Charl, it was intentional.
Following three consecutive bogeys heading into the 15th hole, Charl hardcore spiked his 6-iron into the firm turf as the club instantly snapped in two and bounced well up into the air. Hey, we've all done similar things in frustration before, just not on national television.
Check out the video below and see for yourself.
Charl fired a first round 4-over 75 and will need a solid round Friday just to make the cut.
Joel Harrington


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I met some friends for a few days and chose the Four Queens because of the location, reviews, and price. Yes … it's dated, yes … it's loud because it's on Fremont, but housekeeping, front desk, servers, and casino workers were all great. It was our favorite casino to play in, and close to so much! Take the Deuce bus for a day on the strip!
Four Queens Hotel Casino
Hotel Rates | Pictures | Reviews
Located on Fremont Street, this hotel and casino features on-site dining including Hugo's Cellar and cozy guest rooms with cable TV. The Las Vegas Strip is 1.3-miles away.The casino features a variety of card games including blackjack, roulette and three card poker. Located in the heart of the Fremont Experience, many casino options are within walking distance.
Four Queens Hotel Casino
202 Fremont Las Vegas, Nevada
Map to the Four Queens Hotel Casino and Downtown Fremont Street


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Courtesy of American Flat Track
|DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 13, 2017) – American Flat Track is proud to announce an all-new partnership with Motion Pro as the Official Cable, Tool and Control for the 2017 racing season.
"We're excited to have Motion Pro join us in 2017," said Michael Lock, CEO of American Flat Track. "Their quality products cover the spectrum of needs for not only our racers and crew, but for all motorcyclists. Their involvement is much appreciated by us and is another vote of confidence from the industry in the American Flat Track series."
As a part of Motion Pro's overall strategy to be the gold standard in racing, the company has agreed to provide the series with cables, tools and various controls in order to execute a professional at-track experience at each event for both spectators and competitors.
"Motion Pro is proud to begin a new partnership with American Flat Track, adding to the decades of support we have provided the flat track community," said Jon Mullins, Motion Pro Race Manager. "We look forward to continuing development of our products with the many riders and teams we support in the American Flat Track paddock. The 2017 AFT series will bring great venues and racetracks for the riders, which will produce great racing for us fans!"
American Flat Track will kick off the 2017 season during Daytona's Bike Week festivities on Thursday, March 16 with the all-new DAYTONA TT, built inside the tri-oval at Daytona International Speedway. The DAYTONA TT will mark the dawning of a new era for America's most historic form of motorcycle racing, and the "World Center of Racing" will serve as the first battleground for the great American war between Harley-Davidson and Indian Motorcycles in 2017. Tickets for the DAYTONA TT are now on sale and can be purchased at
About Motion Pro:
How to Watch:
NBCSN and FansChoice.tv are the official homes for coverage of American Flat Track events. All 18 rounds, from the season-opening DAYTONA TT to the American Flat Track Finals in Southern California, will air in one-hour, tape-delayed telecasts on Thursday nights throughout the summer and fall on NBCSN, while FansChoice.tv provides live streaming coverage of American Flat Track events. FansChoice.tv also provides coverage of IMSA's development and single-make series, and NASCAR's touring and weekly series. Catch all the action at http://www.nbcsports.com/ and http://www.FansChoice.tv.
About American Flat Track:


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If you're thinking about leaving your current town for greener pastures (and better job opportunities), don't add any of these places to your list.
A college degree is the gateway to career and financial success — if you choose the right degree. If money is your goal, skip these majors.
There's more to tech investing than social media stocks. Find some room for these big tech stocks in your portfolio and 2015 could be a big year.
Falling oil prices may not be good for oil industry stocks, but it's great for consumers. Find out what else you will save on this year.
Retirees can stretch their pensions (and their imaginations) by retiring overseas. Consider these affordable locales and start planning now!
There's nothing wrong with making New Year's money resolutions — the fresh start effect can jump start good habits. Just don't make any of these.
Too often pop superstardom comes with superstar profligacy. Not so for these five frugal musicians whose smart money habits offer lessons for the rest of us.
Twitter allows you to share your wit and wisdom with the world. Which is great, until you commit one of these wince-worthy twitter-gaffes.
From poor password hygiene to embarrassing Facebook status updates, the Internet can get bite you. Clean up your Internet act before it's too late!
Because you're a regular Wise Bread reader, you're right more often than not. Sound even smarter — instantly — with these clever words and phrases.
Poor word choice and grammar mistakes definitely can make you look stupid. Worse — they can damage your career. Watch out for these common errors.
Facebook is a fun way to share with friends — and their friends, and total strangers. Avoid these Facebook faux pas and keep your profile sharp.
Cloud backup services are easy to use — and easy to hack, it seems. Protect your personal data from prying eyes.
Holiday season is also year end financial season. Take a break from holiday craziness and spend some you time prepping your money for 2015.
You don't need to be in trouble with the law to need a lawyer. Find out when you should really spend the money to lawyer up.
It sounds silly, but some words and phrases really can make you feel more confident — and more attractive.
What with work, the kids, the neighbors, burnout is never far off. Recognize the signs — and take steps to walk back from the brink.
Wondering what happened to your productivity? You frittered it away in these 10 dumb little ways. Learn how to get back on task — and stay there.
If you've got some retirement savings, you're doing well! Follow these guidelines to keep your savings as strong as possible.
Small little spending and budgeting mistakes add up to big holes in your finances. The good news is that you can find and fix them.
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To exchange your experience click add to cart and proceed to checkout.
Once there, enter your voucher number to exchange for a different experience.
To pay the difference on your voucher, please add this product to cart by clicking the button below and proceed to checkout.
Once there, enter your voucher number into the gift voucher field to pay the difference.
Take a short trip to dreamy France with this French Bistro Cooking Class. This 3 hour class will have you whipping up delectable French treats such as crepes, tender duck salad and creme brulee in no time. Relaxed and unpretentious dining focusing on flavour are the hallmarks of this class.
Learn some of the classic French cooking techniques including sizzling thin, light pancakes in traditional cast iron French Crepe Pans, the technique of confit to produce meltingly tender duck, a flavourful 'jus' sauce and cooking rich egg 'crème' custard in a baine marie. Top it off by caramelising sugar to create a thin layer to crack through into pure decadence and an elegant compote of berries to finish off the experience.
From time to time photographs or videos may be taken in class and used for marketing purposes. Please make it known to staff if you would prefer not to be involved
Once this experience has been confirmed, changes are at the discretion of the experience provider and arranged directly with them according to this policy:
If less than 7 days notice from your class date: you are welcome to give to a friend
If more than 7 days notice from your class date: with a transfer fee of $20.00 you are welcome to attend an alternate class
Participants are advised to make their own insurance provisions in case of unforeseen circumstances
Each class has up to 18 participants, with 2 teachers and a kitchen assistant.
This experience is not affected by the weather.
Flat closed in shoes must be worn for safety requirements.
Tree nuts| eggs| dairy| gluten present in class. Not suitable for Vegetarian diet.
The experience is located in Mt Pleasant, WA.


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News Back to Blog
Brightons Shop – Secret Shopper
On Saturday 20th April we asked an external party to do a secret shop at our Brightons store.
"The place was spotless, staff were friendly and most helpful, plus asked all good questions to engage with the shopper.
Chicken stir fry was requested and an employee asked if we wished to purchase anything else – we bought some chicken breasts, then a member of staff made us aware of a Steak Mince offer, which we also went on to purchase.
A couple of other shoppers then entered the shop for kebabs and another member of staff was most helpful with them."
- Level of service from staff – 5 out of 5
- Advice, guidance and up-selling of other products – 5 out of 5
- Cleanliness of shop – 5 out of 5 (windows gleaming)
- Quality of products – 5 out of 5
- Would customer return and recommend to friends – 100% yes


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A young British Merchant Marine dreams of a global land journey that would someday be enshrined in the record books. With a vivid imagination and not nearly enough money, author Meegan set out in 1977 in his mid-twenties to walk from Patagonia to Prudhoe Bay. His book, originally handwritten, describes the journey in daily detail. He and his Japanese girlfriend Yoshiko planned to start the trek together (though Yoshiko later confessed she thought the plan was to travel by bus). They towed along two handcrafted rucksacks on wheels, some camping gear, basic food, and a few maps. Their timeline, which took weather and hardship conditions into consideration, was patterned somewhat on the earlier adventures of Sebastian Snow (The Rucksack Man) who walked the length of South America in twenty months. Meegan's journey to Alaska would take 2,425 days, covering more than 19,000 miles.
Meegan's expedition called into play many occasions of extraordinary good luck and beautiful natural wonders to behold, along with some almost crippling hardships that stalled but did not deter the couple for long. When Yoshiko became pregnant, the trek was halted in Argentina for complicated marriage license arrangements and a joyful wedding. She returned to Japan, able to meet up with her husband several times over the coming years of his absence. Her loyal support and loving, often amusing letters sustained him emotionally. Meegan pressed on alone.
The author's reminiscences are offered in a commendably modest and literate style. He suffered many serious health problems due to changes in climate and nutrition. He candidly records once sleeping in a pigsty, once in a ditch, and once in a chicken coop. His book chronicles finding ways to communicate with various indigenous populations in order to survive among them, passing through Nicaragua in the aftermath of the revolution when being seen as an English speaking foreigner could be life-threatening, and, in the US, heading north and east through Washington, DC and becoming a focus for articles in People, The New York Times and The Washington Post that garnered funding for the remainder of his journey. He even met with President Jimmy Carter. He then went west across Canada and north to Alaska.
Meegan's book is a joy to read for the active or armchair traveler. He never hitched rides or avoided roads in favor of shortcuts. He spoke very little Spanish and no indigenous languages but still managed to make his needs known, often cultivating deep cross-cultural friendships. He sometimes went days without solid food and dangerously long stretches without water, enduring some of the coldest, wettest, hottest, and driest weather conditions possible. He recalls his reluctance at the end of his travels to abandon the road—"my good friend and harsh taskmaster." Briefly, as he was taking the last few steps, he madly considered turning back, not completing the journey, simply so it would never have to be over.
Meegan's remarkable accomplishment won him a fellowship in the Royal Geographical Society and world records including the most degrees of latitude ever covered on foot, the longest unbroken march of all time, and the first and only crossing of the entire western hemisphere. His stunningly detailed recollections and a few well-chosen photos give a unique look at remote parts of the world, exotic peoples, and unforgettable scenery. He describes it all with intelligence, humor, and bravado, offering up a tale of a man whose record of daring adventure will almost certainly never be broken.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review


text: \u003cp\u003eLexie (not her real name) is an actual client, while Mark is fictional. We'll have Mark mirror Lexie's age and financial circumstances with income, savings, and beginning investment capital. The two strategies are as follows:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLexie:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/em\u003e She's 35 and invests in small residential income properties; discounted first position notes and land contracts, performing and non-performing, both directly and indirectly in her own name and her self-directed Roth IRA; and an EIUL (insurance policy primarily geared to tax-free income instead of a death benefit). Her income is currently $125,000/year before taxes. She manages to save roughly $2,500 monthly, about $30,000 yearly. She lives in California. Her preference is to retire at 60, if not sooner. She doesn't contribute any more into her 401k at work, as the returns and periodic losing years discouraged her. When she was headhunted from her job several years ago, she rolled her modest 401k balance of $50,000 into a self-directed IRA, then slowly but surely rolled that balance into her self-directed Roth IRA, as she could comfortably afford the taxes. Her current Roth IRA now sports a balance of about $75,000.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMark:\u003c/strong\u003e \u003c/em\u003eHis strategy is to buy rental homes as he can afford 'em. His goal is to end up with at least 15 free 'n clear rentals nearby so as to have a pretty nice retirement income. He's not tryin' to be a hero, what with dangerously high leverage, or investing in less than quality neighborhoods. He'll use 20% down as a minimum. He puts the maximum he can comfortably afford into his 401k at work. His current balance is also around $75,000.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey both have $100,000 to begin their real estate investment strategy. They both have roughly 25 years to make things happen.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNote:\u003c/strong\u003e \u003c/em\u003eAt this point, it's important to convey the reality that both of their strategies, though very different in approach, will indeed yield a fairly impressive retirement income relative to most. Both have safe, reliable, winning strategies. This is merely to point out some possibilities to investors for whom a more varied strategy is appealing. Furthermore, by using multiple strategies in combination, sometimes incorporating the principle of synergy often enhances end game net worth and income.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eMark\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMark successfully retires with 15 rental homes. The monthly cash flow from them is around $10,000. Who knows if that's too high or not enough. Your crystal ball is as reliable as mine.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe averages the same yield on his 401k, as do most, ending up with around $1,000,000 or so. We assumed an annual contribution, including help from his employer, of $15,000. At the typical "risk averse" return most 401k advisors counsel, also 4% once retired, this would produce an additional income of roughly $40,000 yearly, pretax. If Mark indeed retired at 60, he'd have approximately 11 years depending on the month of his birthday, before attaining the age of 70.5.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt that point, the government tells him exactly how long he has to live. The government knows all, right? They then take the number of years he has left, divides that into his 401k balance at the time, and says the answer is how much he'll be forced to distribute to himself yearly from that point (\u003ca href="https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/retirement-topics-required-minimum-distributions-rmds"\u003erequired minimum distributions or RMD\u003c/a\u003e). It's still all taxable, and once those years have all passed, he'll likely no longer have capital inside that 401k.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMark's done very well for himself. Between his rental homes, all of which are free 'n clear, and his 401k income, he's managed to retire with an annual pretax income of about $160,000. That is clearly above and beyond even the vast majority's goals for retirement income, much less their actual reality.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg class="alignnone size-full wp-image-84334" src="https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/work-from-home.jpg" alt="work-from-home" width="702" height="336" srcset="https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/work-from-home.jpg 702w, https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/work-from-home-300x144.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 702px) 100vw, 702px"\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eLexie\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLet's turn our attention back to Lexie.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe'll begin with her self-directed Roth IRA. From 35 to 60 years old, she dutifully contributed the maximum into her account yearly. That's $5,500/yr for 15 years, then $6,500/yr for 10 years. She'll invest mostly in note investment groups that will have a solid/safe mixture of performing/income producing first position notes/land contracts on homes with a safe LTV (loan to value). It's important to establish a baseline for both yield and capital growth over the long haul. In this case, that's 25 years just gettin' to retirement.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you've heard this chorus from me before, feel free to sing along. In the spring of 1976 as a WhipperSnapper with the help and guidance of a couple of my \u003ca href="/blog/2015/06/20/ultimate-guide-finding-incredible-mentors/"\u003ementors\u003c/a\u003e, I bought my first discounted note. Fast forward to the present, 40+ years later. Without exception, every performing discounted note secured by real estate I've ever owned has, lookin' back after payoff or sale, from first day in to last day out, generated a minimum of 10% annually. And yes, that includes those for which foreclosure was required.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRelated:\u003c/strong\u003e \u003ca href="/blog/retire-earlier"\u003eRetirement Might Be Closer Than You Think—If You Do These Two Things\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI'm gonna throw out my own experience with notes and say that in the 25 years she invests her Roth IRA into notes, she averages just 8%. She'll slaughter that in real life, but we're makin' a point here. She'd end up with around $930,000, but let's round down to $900,000, okay? At a mere 8% cash-on-cash return, her tax-free income would begin at roughly $72,000 a year. Again, that's TAX-FREE. Just for kicks 'n giggles, let's see how she'd do if she had my experience—10% annual yield—for those 25 years.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRounded down to $1,350,000, her annual tax-free income woulda been about $135,000. Did I mention the phrase, tax-freakin'-free? 🙂\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eNow let's move to her EIUL.\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's an insurance policy structured not primarily to generate a death benefit, but for tax-free retirement income. For 25 years 'til she's 60, she'll pay monthly premiums beginning at $500. That premium will be indexed to inflation. She'll also add a very modest $4,000 at the beginning to more or less turbocharge growth. Here's how it comes out. I'll give a couple scenarios, one with the low government mandated annual yield, the other with a rounded down yield based on that last 25 years actual yield.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeginning at age 60 and continuing through age 90, her monthly tax-free income using the mandated annual yield will be $6,250. If she benefits from .25% less the actual annual yield (rounded down) of the last quarter century, it'll be $10,000 monthly. I picked 60 for a good reason. That's also when she'll begin taking income from her Roth IRA's notes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBoth sources of income, completely independent of each other, will be tax-free.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow 'bout her real estate investments?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShe combined her monthly cash flow with about $1,000/mo. of her own money to eliminate the loan on her Texas duplex in about 10 years. At that point, she'll hopefully have a couple options available:\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRefi the loan to buy one or two more duplexes or whatever makes sense at the time.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMove the entire net equity into 2-3 duplexes via a tax-deferred exchange.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe thing is, both of those options share a potentially option killing factor: They assume interest rates will be relatively reasonable, whatever the heck that means—not to mention supply/demand at the time. Will there be a reasonable demand in a decade? The latter is likely, but not if interest rates are 11.5%, right? She could just end up with a free 'n clear duplex and nowhere to go for awhile. That's why long-term plans should be taken with a truckload of salt. I learned the hard way that making plans as if the universe is noddin' its head in agreement can lead to unanticipated results.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe key (Captain Obvious alert) is to assume the various markets, interest rates, and the economy won't act in concert with our plans. If Lexie finds herself with a debt-free duplex in 10 years, she's still just 45 years old. Meanwhile she'll have $20,000-whatever annual cash flow 'til things allow her to make more moves. Who knows at that point in time what would be the best use of that cash? I don't. But I bet I will if/when it happens.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg class="alignnone size-full wp-image-81833" src="https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/life-on-half-income.jpg" alt="life-on-half-income" width="702" height="336" srcset="https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/life-on-half-income.jpg 702w, https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/life-on-half-income-300x144.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 702px) 100vw, 702px"\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelated:\u003c/strong\u003e \u003ca href="/blog/increase-retirement-cash-flow"\u003e5 Ways to Dramatically Increase Your Cash Flow in Retirement (Regardless of When You Retire)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo far, Lexie's made use of three of the \u003ca href="/blog/2015/09/02/retire-income-work/"\u003efour pillars I use in purposeful planning\u003c/a\u003e—notes in a Roth wrapper, an EIUL, and residential income property. The last one, discounted notes in her own name, will come as the investable capital makes itself available. That often occurs when her salary increases over the years to the point she can invest small amounts into both performing and non-performing notes. (I don't put clients directly into non-performing liens secured by real estate. I do invest for them, allowing my team to do the work. Ninety-nine percent of investors simply don't have the knowledge or ability to mess with non-performing notes and the like close to home, much less 1,000 miles away.)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere's how her retirement should shake out.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReal Estate:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/em\u003e She ended up with just a couple Texas duplexes free 'n clear. If the NOI (net operating income) never went up for all those years, her income would be in the range of $44,000-50,000 yearly. We'll call it $45,000.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEIUL:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/em\u003e We have a low of $75,000 and a high of $120,000 as the range. I'm gonna err on the low side and say $85,000 yearly—all, of course, wait for it, tax-free.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNotes in a Roth Wrapper: \u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/em\u003eAgain, there's a wide range as I used an annual return far less than I've experienced the last few decades. It goes from $72,000 to $135,000 yearly. Let's use $90,000 and be absurdly conservative. A reminder: This income is also tax-free by definition.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough it's probable she'd own notes in her own name or an interest in a note investment group or fund, we won't even speculate on how much income that might be. Suffice to say, it's significantly more likely than not she'd have that portfolio too.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt 60, her retirement income would total roughly $210,000 dollars annually. Approximately 78% of that would be tax-free by definition. It's usually at this juncture that somebody wants to know, why even bother with the real estate? So glad to asked. Sure, the cash flow vs equity pales in comparison with notes and the EIUL. However, when opportunity or emergency comes knockin', do ya really wanna cannibalize your tax-free note income or EIUL income? No, you don't! Instead you go to your free 'n clear real estate, get whatever cash you need tax-free, and use that. Think she cares about missing whatever amount of cash flow she'd give up? Not when she's pullin' down nearly $14,000 a WEEK tax-free. No, if she wants that small little cabin by the lake she loved so much as a girl, she can now write a check and it's hers. She won't have lowered her net worth, just rearranged it. If the cash need is for a negative event, she'll be grateful for not having to kill off tax-free income.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFurthermore, her note income will rise from retirement 'til she's gone, cuz you know, notes tend to pay off early. When they do this in a Roth wrapper, there're no taxes. She'll simply reinvest into a slightly larger note with a bit more monthly income and get a pay raise every now 'n then. How does that not work, right?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLexie will retire with more income from tax-free sources than will Mark with mostly taxable income. Also, if Mark needs cash for an opportunity or an emergency, he cannibalizes his retirement income. What Mark did was impressive, no doubt about it. But his options once retired are fairly limited given his investment preferences.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe buy 'n hold strategy is superior when comparing it to Grandpa and Grandma's plan back in the day. When the smoke clears, however, it tends to eliminate wiggle room in retirement—never a good thing. Also, Mark will have all those properties which by that time will be significantly old. That never bodes well for operating expenses, vacancy rates, or, gulp, tenant quality.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI love investment real estate and have promoted it for over four decades as a pro. But though it hurts my heart to say this out loud, it doesn't do well as the Lone Ranger in retirement. Treat it as 'The Bank of Smith" or whatever your family name is. It provides the spending money for all the traveling you'll be doing, while also acting as an asset allowing you to access tax-free cash for both opportunities and emergencies without gutting your higher yielding and often tax-free portfolios.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhich of these strategies would you prefer? Why?\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLet me know your thoughts with a comment!\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cstyle\u003e\r\n .ubg-footer {\r\n position: relative;\r\n }\r\n\r\n .ubg-footer h3 {\r\n color: #5C74B8;\r\n font-size: 25px;\r\n margin-bottom: 14px;\r\n }\r\n\r\n .ubg-footer p, .ubg-footer ul{\r\n line-height: 23px;\r\n }\r\n\r\n .ubg-footer .download-link, .ubg-footer .spam-info {\r\n margin: auto;\r\n display: table;\r\n font-size: 13px;\r\n }\r\n\r\n .ubg-footer .download-link:hover {\r\n box-shadow: 0 0 8px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8);\r\n -webkit-box-shadow: 0 0 8px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8);\r\n -moz-box-shadow: 0 0 8px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8);\r\n }\r\n\r\n .ubg-footer img {\r\n width: 146px;\r\n float: right;\r\n }\r\n\r\n .ubg-footer ul {\r\n margin: 0 0 1em 1em;\r\n //list-style-type: none;\r\n }\r\n .ubg-footer li {\r\n //margin-bottom: 0.5em;\r\n clear: both;\r\n }\r\n .ubg-footer li:before {\r\n /*content: "e61d";\r\n font-family: 'biggerpockets-icons';\r\n speak: none;\r\n font-style: normal;\r\n font-weight: normal;\r\n font-variant: normal;\r\n text-transform: none;\r\n line-height: 1;\r\n -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;\r\n -moz-osx-font-smoothing: grayscale;\r\n color: #3d84b3;\r\n display: block;\r\n padding-top: 6px;\r\n width: 1.5em; height: 1em;\r\n float: left;*/\r\n }\r\n\r\n .ubg-footer .info-1 {\r\n padding-right: 136px;\r\n margin-bottom: 16px;\r\n }\r\n\r\n .ubg-footer .sign-up {\r\n text-align: center;\r\n margin-bottom: 10px;\r\n }\r\n @media all and (max-width: 400px) {\r\n .ubg-footer .button {\r\n padding: 5px;\r\n }\r\n }\r\n\u003c/style\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n


text:
Pokemon Season 16 Best Wishes! English Dubbed Episodes at cartoonshow.net
This is a list of episodes of the current broadcast of the Pokémon anime series, broadcasting in Japan under the title Pocket Monsters: Best Wishes! Season 2 Continuing from the previous season (split into Pokémon: Black & White and Pokémon: Black & White: Rival Destinies in the international broadcasts), the show follows series protagonist Ash Ketchum as he continues traveling though Unova with Cilan and Iris to wait for the upcoming Unova League conference in three months. They are joined by Cynthia, Pokémon League Champion of the Sinnoh Region, who has arrived in Unova to participate in the upcoming Pokémon World Tournament, Ash's old companion Dawn, and the legendary Pokémon Meloetta.
|TV Anime
|- Unknown
|# of Ep:


text:
Yikes! Celebrity couple Jamvhille 'Jam' Sebastian and Paolinne Michelle 'Mich' Liggayu a.k.a. "Jamich" are in hot water with some of their fans over an update they posted on their hugely popular Facebook page…
Translated: "I'm all excited folks! The iPhone 6 Plus is out! I've been waiting for so long for Apple to come out with an iPhone with a large screen. That's because I didn't want to go Samsung. I'm a loyal iPhone user!! At last! It's coming! The Apple Watch is cool too but really not a necessity. The iPhone 6 comes out in the United States on September 19 though I don't know yet when in the Philippines. Start saving for the iPhone! How about you, what can you say about the new iPhone?"
Excited na ako mga pareee!! iPhone 6 plus! Tagal ko na hinhintay na maglabas ang Apple ng malaking screen ng iPhone. Ayaw ko kasi mag Samsung. Loyal iPhone user!! Sa wakas! Malapit lapit na! Astig din ung Apple Watch, parang cool kapag naka ganun ka pero di naman necessity. Sept. 19 lalabas sa US, dito sa Pinas, ewan lang. iPon para sa iPhone! Ikaw? Ano masasabi mo sa new iPhone? – Jam
The couple are an internet sensation thanks to all the mushy videos they post on YouTube that Filipino teenagers are going ga-ga about. Their Facebook page has more than 2.6 million 'Likes' so they are bon a fide social media superstars. Unforuntately the guy, Jam Sebastian, was diagnosed with lung cancer early this year. Other than an admitted addiction to gambling, Sebastian says he does not smoke and has no other vices. But cancer treatment does not come cheap. According to Sebastian, he will be requiring at least 20,000 pesos per day over 4 months to complete the treament.
I heard over the grapevine that the couple had some time ago appealed to their followers for financial support (presumably in the form of donations) to help fund the treatment, although, short of trawling through their Facebook and Twitter timelines, so far I haven't found solid evidence of this. Just the same, the post about the iPhone 6 had disillusioned some of their fans, some of whom are disappointed that the couple would encourage their impressionable followers to save their hard-earned money to buy such a luxurious device considering their own personal circumstances. Sebastian's older brother Yexel Sebastian had reportedly assured him that he would go as far as selling his prized toy collection to contribute to the treatment. This was after Jam said "I don't know where I would get that kind of money."
Sebastian's mother, Maricar Fernando Sebastian, had confirmed in a comment she posted somewhere on the Jamich Facebook page that Globe Telecoms is a sponsor of the Jamich social media "brand". This, therefore, explains that "ipon para sa iPhone" post which, presumably, was meant to create media buzz for the much-anticipated entry of the gadget in the Philippine market. I guess that is the trouble with laying out your life before the public like an open book, hitting it big, and then making money off that social capital. Somewhere down the line, a conflict in principles between what your sponsors espouse and the principles you preach will emerge.Selling their audience to corporate sponsors is a common practice among social media practitioners who have large numbers of followers. One of social media's top political "activists" Noemi Dado a.k.a. "MomBlogger" is an active promoter of good governance, voter education, and various poverty alleviation initiatives. Yet she seems to also be in the payroll of high-end smartphone manufacturer Samsung which also happens to be Apple's biggest competitor. She occassionally gets into tweeting frenzies around Samsung products.
In the cases of both Noemi Dado and Jam Sebastian, the principle at stake is the issue around why poverty and neediness is a widespread problem in the Philippines which we all know is quite the brand-conscious society. On one hand, you have people who are engaged in the worthwhile pursuit of getting Filipinos to save more money and not blow an obscene amount of their supposedly "disposable" income on frivolous stuff. And, on the other hand, you have people who use their social media clout to create an unhealthy appetite for money-sucking luxury brands.
I'm not really out to issue a wake up call to this fascinating social phenomenon that pulls Filipinos in two diametrically-opposed directions. I'm just saying.
- Prosperity for the countryside: Promote the Philippines as a haven for "digital nomads" - July 30, 2019
- Gretchen Fullido sexual harassment scandal in a time of man-shaming - October 6, 2018
- #ABSCBNBall2018 exhibits all that is wrong about the way Philippine showbiz portrays "class" - September 30, 2018
- Excitement over Panda Express arrival exhibits the power of brands over Filipino consumers - September 28, 2018
- Not really an "Asian" movie but I'm excited to see Crazy Rich Asians nonetheless - August 22, 2018


text:
United Taxidermists of New York (UTNY) is the official taxidermy association of New York State.
UTNY is a network of taxidermists, from youths to masters, who gather once each year in the great state of New York.
The organization brings together this talented group of artists for its annual convention and competition that features educational seminars, one-on-one feedback from renowned judges, special awards, a family banquet, and a vendor and sponsor fair.
Save the Date: April 2–5, 2020
UTNY's annual competition and convention will be held at the Holiday Inn in Auburn, NY. Registration required.
2019 Award Winners
Check out competition pieces and see a list of winners from the 2019 convention held in Auburn, New York.


text:
|In Grimani
|In Grimani
|ceiling at the Belgian pavillion: Berlinde De Bruyckere
|Egyptian pavillion: Mohamed Banawy, Khaled Zaki
|Thierry De Cordier at the Palazzo Enciclopedio
|forgot which pavillion... loved this simple, sharp shape made with just a stack of piled pages!
aliteration ahoy :-p
|sun shining through the lace curtains in our room @ Casa Orfeo
(wonderful guesthouse in the Cannaregio!)
|weathered lion on the Santa Maria delle Salute
|glass chandelier and ceiling in a palazzo
|gate in Murano (what a waste of perfectly good tools! :-p)
|Sta Maria dei Miracoli (arch. Pietro Lombardo 1480)
|unfinished façade


text:
Start of Chapter Two
Hey guys welcome back to Cabana's World, i promised i would post chapters of my "BOOK" on here for you guys to read and give me your feedback! I have finished some of Chapter one so here is a section of the first Chapter…. More will follow if you guys show interest! Really would appreciate your feedback and comments means a lot to me. With no me delay here it goes! … Read More
Category: feedbacks, writing Tags: 2019, achieveyourdreams, ambition, author, bblogger, bbloggers, bloggersofintagram, blogginggirls, books, cabanasworld, focus, followyourdreams, Goals, hardwork, healthblogger, influenster, inspiration, ukwritter
Hey guys welcome back!! I don;t know if you guys remember when I did the 30 day challenge post? If not then you can read it here, for January I had chosen to read a book and start being more healthy. In this post I will mention the book I read and also how I've started my better health journey. Going to start with the books that I have read. I wanted… Read More
Category: feedbacks, Moi, motivation Tags: amazon, books, challenge, healthyliving, january, juiceplus, kindle, plantbased, reading


text: The best one bedroom residence just reduced it's price! Glass House #1214 is a spectacular home with mountain views, a great floor plan and hardwood floors. It also features a 370 square foot terrace. Staged and priced to sell, now is the time to buy! Call me at 303.618.3622 to schedule your appointment today!


text:
I am a big fan of dessert shots. They are cute and offer guests an alternate portion size. I made these chocolate pie shots for my cousins baby shower last year, and they were a huge hit! I was delighted to come across the lemon meringue pie shots below on Honest Cooking. They would make a perfect light summer dessert don't you think? And, what hostess doesn't love a dessert that can be completely or partially made ahead of time?!
{ Image } Honest Cooking
Lemon Curd
■8 egg yolks
■3/4 cup (1,75 dl) sugar
■1/2 cup (1,18 dl or 1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
■zest of 2 lemons
■1/2 cup (1,18 dl) lemon juice
Italian Meringue
■8 oz (227 grams) sugar
■2 oz (57 grams) water
■4 oz (113 grams) egg whites
■30-35 vanilla wafer cookies, crushed
■24 shot glasses (I found these plastic ones at a party supply store)
Lemon Curd
1.Combine the egg yolks, sugar, butter, lemon zest and juice in a medium stainless sleet or glass bowl, and set over a saucepan of barely simmering water.
2.Whisk constantly until lemon curd thickens and reaches 175 degrees F.
3.Remove from heat and let cool, whisking every few minutes to aid cooling.
4.Cover with plastic wrap so the plastic touches the surface of the curd and chill for a few hours or overnight, the curd will continue to set up as it chills.
5.This can be made in advance, you can store it in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks or freeze.
Italian Meringue
1.Cook the sugar and water together in a small saucepan over high heat until it comes up to 243 degrees F.
2.When the mixture reaches about 230-235 F, begin whipping the egg whites in a stand mixer on medium-low speed until they are foamy.
3.When the sugar reaches 243 degrees F, remove from heat, and pour very slowly in a steady stream into the whipping egg whites.
4.As soon as all the sugar is incorporated, turn the mixer onto high, and whip until completely cool.
1.Place a small amount of crushed cookie into the bottom of each shot glass.
2.Transfer your lemon curd to a pastry bag and pipe a small amount into each glass.
3.Top each glass with more crushed cookies.
4.Transfer your meringue into a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip and pipe a big dollop on top of each shot glass.
5.Using a kitchen torch, carefully toast each meringue top until they are golden brown. If you are using plastic shot glasses, be mindful just to toast the tops of the meringues, otherwise you run the risk of melting the plastic.
6.Refrigerate until ready to serve.


text: The Erin bubble suspender short is made from Liberty fabric, using a classic cotton floral print. This sweet short features ruffles on the suspenders, elasticated legs and poppers for easy dressing and is lined with plain cotton poplin. Ideal paired with one of our hand-embroidered onesies. Machine washable on a cold wash. Available in sizes 3M to 24M.


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text:
Va. MLK Commission kicks off community meetings March 1 at VUU
2/28/2018, 11:32 p.m.
By Alexandra Sosik
Capital News Service
The state's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Commission will observe the 50th anniversary of Dr. King's assassination through 12 "Community Conversations" beginning in March, each one at a location the Rev. King visited in Virginia.
At these conversations, community leaders, religious leaders, historians, educators and residents will join members of the commission in reviewing Dr. King's legacy and his time spent in the commonwealth.
According to spokesperson Lilly Jones, the conversations will reflect on Dr. King's vision of a "beloved community" in each location today and ponder the question he penned in his 1967 book, "Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?"
Virginia Union University will host the first community conversation 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 1, at the Claude G. Perkins Living and Learning Center on the Lombardy Street campus.
Sen. Jennifer L. McClellan, who chairs the commission, will moderate a panel discussion with Delegate Delores L. McQuinn, D-Richmond; Dr. Corey D.B. Walker, dean of VUU's Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology; VUU graduate student Jamar Boyd II; the Rev. Jim Somerville of First Baptist Church in Richmond; the Rev. Janie Walker of Richmond Hill; and Benjamin Ragsdale, a Richmond resident who met Dr. King twice while working in the civil rights and anti-war movements.
The roundtable discussions are part of the commission's larger project, titled "King in Virginia." In that project, historians, researchers and community members will gather and present information on Dr. King's many visits to Virginia.
Dr. King, who received the Nobel Peace Prize for his nonviolent campaign against racism and segregation, spent time in Richmond, often speaking at VUU. In 1960, he led a march on the State Capitol, where he pushed for the reopening of public schools that were closed during Massive Resistance to desegregation that was ordered by the U.S. Supreme Court in the landmark Brown decision in 1954.
The "King in Virginia" project will create a public online archive bookmarking the activist's time spent in Virginia.
Other "Community Conversations" will be held:
• At the University of Virginia's Old Cabell Hall on March 13
• At First Baptist Church in Farmville on April 24
• At First Baptist Church, 727 Scotland St., in Williamsburg on June 6
• And on dates to be announced in Danville, Hampton, Hopewell, Lynchburg, Newport News, Norfolk, Petersburg and Suffolk.
All events are free and open to the public.
For details, visit the commission's website at http://mlkcommission.dls.virginia.gov/.


text:
Toronto FC picked up a much needed point with a 2-2 draw away to Sporting KC on Saturday night.
Jonathan Osorio opened the scoring in the 25th minute, getting on the end of a Justin Morrow ball after Sebastian Giovinco found the full-back in space down the left, to net his team-leading sixth goal of the league campaign.
TFC would maintain that advantage into half-time, only for a penalty kick, converted by Ilie Sanchez in the 57th minute, and a Johnny Russell strike four minutes after that overturn their lead.
But, as has been a theme this season, Toronto refused to quit, clawing their way back into a share of the points via Jordan Hamilton's 69th minute strike, his second in as many games.
"Third game in six days; against a good team in their stadium: we'll take our point and move on; continue to build on this," said Michael Bradley post-match. "We talked a lot today about the idea that this was the first game of the second half of the season. It's pretty clear what we have to do from here on in: we've got to win our fair share of games, but there's going to be days where we can't win and we've got to find ways to pick up points. From that standpoint, a lot of positives tonight."
The draw snapped a three-game losing streak as Toronto's hectic July continues apace.
"You have to take it for what it is," said Greg Vanney. "We would have liked to get three points, but in the situation that were in, we needed to stop [the losing streak]."
"We needed to build some momentum," continued Vanney. "We worked hard [in] the things that we've talked about, did a little bit better tonight. A Western Conference point... it's a tough place to come and get anything, so we'll take it. But we know, with the games coming up, we need to continue to get healthy and hopefully we can take three points along the way."
Kansas City has not been a friendly spot for TFC over the years. Saturday's point was just the second the side had earned there in the last nine visits, stretching back to a 3-2 opening day win in 2009.
"Any time you can come into Kansas City and get a road point it's a good result. Any other season we would have taken it," said Alex Bono. "We talked about putting in a good performance and the result would take care of itself from there. For the most part, we put in a good shift and were rewarded with a road point."
Three macrofactors in particular played into the result, though none proved perfect: surviving the opening fifteen minutes, scoring the first goal, and, six-minute flurry aside, all together being harder to play against.
"It's good to get the first goal and feel a little bit of confidence," explained Vanney. "You can build into the game. But again, it became a game of managing the numbers that were hanging out behind us and still managing to get pressure to the ball. And because we didn't do a great job of that at times – we were a little bit deep in our half sometimes and dealing with things in front of our goal – that's ultimately where their second goal came from. We have to deal with those situations better."
"We were closer together as a group; were able to make some plays, cover for each other, and help each other out more times than not tonight. From that standpoint, that was better," added Vanney. "In terms of dealing with the numbers pushing forward and still managing to get pressure to the ball, it was probably not as comfortable as we would have liked it to be. That's a situation that we'll deal with."
Said Bradley: "It was nice to play from the lead for a little while. And then we have five minutes of madness in the second half where the game gets turned on its head for no reason. That part is frustrating and disappointing. The response was excellent. We'll use this and continue to keep going.
Saturday, point aside, was a milestone of sorts in the 2018 campaign.
"This was game number 18: the first game of the second half of the year," said Bradley. "You don't need to be great with numbers to look at the table and realize we've got to take a lot of points here in the second half."
"The best way to take points is to win," continued Bradley. "You're not going to be able to win every game. On the days when you can't win, you have to be able to tie games because single points add up."
Toronto is back in action next Saturday with a road trip to face Orlando City SC. Then comes the first leg of the Canadian Championship series against Ottawa Fury FC.
The MLS summer grinds on, as does TFC.
Said Bono: "By no means was it close to perfect, but it's a point; those have been hard to come by. We're going to take them where we can get them, take the positives, fix the mistakes, and move on to the next week. Take it game by game and fight our way back."


text:
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text:
Work Lunch Ideas From Leftovers
5 Brown-Bag Lunches That Start With Tonight's Dinner
Photo 8 of 11
Brown-Bag Transformation: Add an Egg or Two
Poach or hard boil an egg. (Hard-boiled eggs can be packed in-shell; tuck more delicate poached eggs in a thermos filled with cool water.) Tote along the salad, dressing, and egg to work; at lunchtime, toss the salad with dressing, and top it with sliced hard-boiled egg, or reheat the poached egg and add it whole to the greens for a more substantial lunch.


text:
In a move that seems to indicate a shift towards bi-partisan support for a statewide lottery, Republican representative and chair of the General Fund committee Steve Clouse of Ozark teamed up with his Democratic counterpart Rep. Craig Ford of Gadsden, to co-sponsor a bill that would set up a referendum for a lottery to help fund Medicaid.
As most people are aware, Gov. Robert Bentley has proposed $541 million in tax increases, mainly on auto sales and tobacco, to shore up the General Fund budget next year and make it sustainable for years to come. Needless to say, it hasn't been well received.
Tax increases are obviously not something Republican lawmakers really want to put their names on. A lottery hasn't been either, but with a serious budget crisis looming and our own ultra-conservative governor saying cuts just aren't enough, the lottery could become the lesser of two evils in some lawmakers' estimations. Something Rev. Joe Godfrey, the former president of the Alabama Baptist Convention and the current director of the Alabama Citizens Action Program, an anti-gambling group, warned of in an opinion piece earlier this year.
"Pro-gambling and pro-lottery forces are pushing Alabama once again to legalize gambling. What is different this time is that some conservative Republican legislators are 'cozying up' to the idea. One new House Member recently stated in a public forum in his district that, given the choice between raising taxes and voting on a lottery, he would vote on a lottery," Godfrey wrote.
The Reverend, as many opponents do, finds gambling to be immoral and also something that preys upon and "taxes" the poor.
Rep. Clouse said he would support a referendum in March, the same day as the Alabama presidential primary, because he is just open to considering all revenue sources. (Bravo Rep. Clouse! I like it when I see politicians with guts, not the ones who just hide and try to not to rock the boat at all.)
The last time Alabamians voted on a lottery in 1999 it was handily defeated with 54 percent opposing the creation of a lottery designed to fund pre-k programs, college scholarships and computers for schools. But that was over 15 years ago, and there wasn't the "greatest financial crisis in the state since the Great Depression" looming, as one lawmaker put it.
The Governor has said he wouldn't block a vote on the lottery — a vote in which his own polling told him 74 percent of Alabamians were in favor of — and he is interested in a pact with the Poarch Creek Indians, which would expand the types of gambling options they could offer, which could bring millions into state coffers. But he also warned this wouldn't solve our short-term problems.
And those problems are horrendous and even inhumane.
A couple of weeks ago, Department of Corrections Commissioner Jefferson Dunn said at a hearing on the state budget that if the department cut their budget by just three percent they would likely have to close two corrections facilities and relocate 2,000 inmates, which would take the state's prison occupancy rate up to over 220 percent from the current 185 percent. This would make an already egregious situation even worse.
The department is already being sued in federal court for providing substandard mental and healthcare to inmates across the state. Another federal suit was filed on behalf of the inmates at a state facility in St. Clair County, after six prisoners were killed by other inmates over the last 2 ½ years. And the U. S. Department of Justice issued a scathing report in 2014 detailing the sexual abuse the women at Tutwiler Prison were enduring from male corrections employees.
This sounds like something from that show "Locked Up Abroad," which details the horrors of the prisons in Third World countries. But this is happening in our own backyard. And it's shameful!
And if cuts are made to Alabama's already beleaguered Medicaid program, access to healthcare, especially in rural areas, will become even more difficult, and the cuts may force more mental health facilities or community-based mental health programs to shut down.
Look, I am all for saving taxpayer money when it's being misused, but some of the stories from these two departments especially are far beyond a policy debate.
A large part of the opposition to the lottery is on "moral" grounds. But how "moral" is it to let certain segments of our population be raped, killed or slowly die because they don't have access to adequate healthcare? It's so bad we face federal intervention in some of these areas.
Is this really the Alabama we want to be?
While I don't believe a lottery would solve all of our problems either, it would be a good start, if it were set up properly. And Alabamians should get the opportunity to vote on it, at the very least.
Opponents like Godfrey say a lottery unfairly targets the poor, but at least they have a choice in the matter. A woefully underfunded Medicaid program would seem to be a little bit bigger problem for the poor than being tempted to buy some scratch-offs. Especially since we gave them no choice when we refused to accept a federally subsidized expansion of Medicaid in the state.
Aside from tax hikes and budget cuts and park closings, there are various other ideas being tossed around on both sides of the aisle. One is removing earmarks from some funds so they could be used to address more dire needs first.
But ALL of these things need to be put on the table and be carefully considered based on their merits and ability to remedy our severe and most pressing problems, not politics.
None of these remedies are going to be popular. And let's face it, legislators, you are always going to get those dreaded scary "phone calls from home," which you all seem to love to throw out as an excuse for inaction. You could be considering a bill promising sunshine and rainbows everyday and someone from your district would call to complain that they would get sunburned and feared rainbows would bring an increased illegal leprechaun population.
Often the vocal minority, who is usually self-serving and/or insane, sucks the very last little bit of spinal cord out of the backs of some of these lawmakers. And that's our fault as a citizenry because we aren't paying attention and we aren't making those same "phone calls from home" that the crazy people are.
Nor do we have the influence a powerful lobbying group does. Some of our lawmakers would vote for a bill to set kittens on fire in every town square in the state, if they were told to do so by these groups. Or at the very least, if they couldn't vote for the kitty burnings because they were getting "calls from crazy cat ladies from home," they wouldn't vote against the kitty burnings, they'd just assign them to some committee to let the bill quietly die there, which I think is almost worse.
It's just such sad display of cowardice up there. Can anyone just stand up for what they believe in and say it? Why is that so hard?
This is precisely how the state has gotten to the point it is now, and it's really kind of gross.
But maybe — just maybe — the crisis we are in will actually give some of these cowards the courage (and the political cover) to finally vote their consciences and do something because it's the right thing to do to make our state better.
Gasp! What a novel idea!
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Wikisimpsons:Featured quotes
Wikisimpsons - The Simpsons Wiki
Featured quotes are quotes that are considered funny and chosen by the community. You can nominate any quote you want from The Simpsons.
- You can only nominate a maximum of five quotes a month.
- The quote must be properly sourced and with who said it.
- Quotes can be from all The Simpsons media except from Simpsons Comics and The Simpsons: Tapped Out; as they have their own portals in the wiki with their featured quotes.
How to nominate
Do your quote like this:
{{Quote|What the quote is|Who said it|What episode}}
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{{Quote|line 1
line 2
line 3|Who said it|What episode}}
If it is between two or more people, do it like this:
{{Quote|What person 1 said|Who said it}}
 {{Quote|What person 2 said|Who said it}}
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The episodes don't need square brackets.
"Lisa the Beauty Queen"
- "I heartily endorse this event or product."
- ―Krusty the Clown[src] T-Mac (talk) 21:27, March 10, 2018 (EST)
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- "Did your hair burn off in a fire that trapped you in a candy factory?"
- ―Eduardo Barcelona
- "Oh, I wish!"
- ―Homer
—Preceding unsigned comment added by Ralphrules (talk • contribs) 16:44, March 27, 2018
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"Itchy & Scratchy Land"
- "Okay, let's make a pact. This is gonna be the best vacation ever, or we all agree to disband and join other families."
- ―Homer[src]
- Great quote. / Loco87 (Talk / Contribs) 10:59, May 29, 2018 (EDT)
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"Itchy & Scratchy Land"
- "We're now approaching our final destination: Itchy and Scratchy Land, the amusement park of the future, where nothing can possi-blygo wrong.
Possibly go wrong. Uh, that's the first thing that's ever gone wrong."
- ―Pilot[src]
- Great quote. / Loco87 (Talk / Contribs) 10:59, May 29, 2018 (EDT)


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Rowing machine becomes very important for health conscious people. But this is also true a perfect rowing machine with additional multi-exercise workout capability definitely adds value. Black ProGear 750 Rower is the best & most expected exercise equipment for people prefer to workout comfortably at home. It is one of the most popular gym instruments as well. Due to various fat burning & cardiovascular exercises, this rower is most expected. It ensures to perform exercises like pull-downs, chest presses, bent over rows, curls, ab rollings, shoulder presses, rows, Pec flies etc. Most important part is it supports three adjustable positions for rowing to facilitate people of different heights. Progear rowing machine 750 is best for people with height 4'9" to 6'1" & maximum weight of 220 pounds. This exercise equipment is also popular for ergonomic design. The backrest is also a properly cushioned and 1.8-inch padding is ensured in the seat. Most convenient part is the seat can be moved smoothly on the come slide rail. Length can be adjusted also in between 37 to 43 inches.
Large comfortable Seat:
Seat, pedals & handles are designed to provide optimum comfort to users in pro gear 3600 rowers. The seat & back rest is well cushioned & padded up to 1.8 inches thick to ensure maximum comfort in home workout. The seat is 12.3 inches wide by 9 inches long. So definitely it ensures complete comfort to the user for long hour's exercise. The backrest is also the backrest 26.5 inches long by 12.5 inches wide. So it ensures a relaxed seat for the user & increases the effectiveness of the exercise. This is undoubtedly the best gym equipment to buy for home.
Hydraulic Tension Resistance:
One of the specialties of this pro gear rowing machine is 2 independent adjustable hydraulic cylinders is ensured for tension resistance. Beside that 3 hydraulic resistance levels are easily adjustable independently on the left and right handlebars as required. The basic function is, a user can easily adjust the resistance by attaching the hydraulic cylinders in any of the 3 holes on the handlebars. Actually, this rowing machine helps a user to set the level of difficulty in a workout routine for the user like a hard or easy workout.
LCD Display:
While rowing it becomes important for a user to check the progress accurately. A small & smart LCD display panel is arranged in this rowing machine to present necessary information like total rep count, calories burned, time etc. All the information stats one after another. AA battery is ensured in the package in this exercise equipment. Readability of this LCD display is also very high. This option is great to motivate a user to work hard to gain the fitness goal in home workout. For saving battery pro gear 3600 rower goes in hibernation while not is use then again start working as exercise starts.
Folds for Storage:
Storing exercise equipment in a proper place always remains a great concern for others. Users always prefer easily Foldable design of the rowing machine. So that after rowing it can be stored easily at any convenient place. The pro gear rowing machine is 45.5 inches long by 26.5 inches wide by 7.8 inches tall. So after a home workout, this is very easy to fold the rowing machine & preserve for future use. Because of this feature, this is the best gym equipment to buy for home.
Anti- Slip Foot Pedals:
Foot Pedals are definitely an important part of any rowing machine. A perfect foot pedal ensures complete comfort beside right placement of the foot during rowing. Large pivoting textured anti-slip foot pedals are ensured in this pro gear rowing machine. Keeping the feet is right place is important for proper cardio training. For that reason, adjusting straps are designed to secure feet in place during an intensive home workout. One of the most important benefits is the pedal pivot reduces stress in the ankles. It also helps a user to avoid unexpected ankle pain during aerobic exercise.
Handle Bars:
Comfortable grip & Handlebar is an important part of any rowing machine. During rowing, a user deserves comfort & a stable design of handlebars in a regular home workout. In pro gear 3600 rowers handlebars are specially covered with a rubber/form to prevent blisters and slippage. For this reason, it's become the best gym equipment to buy for home. Because people from any age group will prefer to maintain a workout routine due to this comfort. This is important for aerobic exercise as well.
Over 10 Workout Exercises:
This is really amazing that if a rowing machine offers scope for additional workout exercises. This progear rowing machine offers more than 10 additional workout exercises like shoulder presses, rows, , pull downs,curls, pec flies & bent over rows, ab workouts & much more. From this wide range of workout exercises a user can easily select the suitable workout exercise for physical fitness. These options also help a user to learn new workout exercises as well in daily workout routine.
Different Exercises with Pro Gear 750 Rower :
This pro gear rowing machine can be easily used for regular rowing. No matter whatever the age this exercise equipment ensures effective aerobic exercise for health. Aerobic exercise helps for a stronger immune system, weight loss & more stamina. It also helps to improve mood & sleep quality of the user. This cardio training also helps to raise heart rate and increase your oxygen intake for ensuring effective regular cardio workout. For these reasons, this pro gear rowing machine has received several positive customer insights this year.
Bent over rows:
This rowing machine is also popular for bent over rows. Regular practice through this exercise equipment helps to boost overall health. Practicing regular bent over rows ensures healthy muscle mass and increase muscle resistance. It also ensures bone health and strength. Regular exercise through this rowing machine strengthens the cardiovascular system. It also helps to get a lean, toned & strong body which is resilient to illness and injury. ProGear 750 Rower is for that reason best for home workouts.
Shoulder Presses:
Healthy & muscular shoulders are considered one of the attractive parts of the fit body. This Pro Gear Rowing machine also ensures the best exercise for shoulders. Regular shoulder presses work in two parts of the shoulder. This is considered as one of the best upper body exercises. This exercise equipment helps for upper chest, shoulders, and arms. The most important part is this pro gear rowing machine ensures a smooth experience for all users without feeling any pain or fear of injury while exercising.
People using a rowing machine always keep pulling down in a regular workout routine. This is true that pull down is a compound exercise. It means it works with several joints & several muscles together. This pro gear rowing machine is designed such way it ensures effective pull-downs for a user. For that reason this the best gym equipment to buy for home. Actually during rowing latissimus dorsi is the primary muscle works. Beside that biceps and muscles of the forearm also helps in the process.
Pec Flies:
Getting the complete benefits of Pec Files is very important for any rowing machine. Because the proper pec flies ensured to push, swing, flap, and bring arms together. Strong pec Files helps to create a lifted torso. It also assists to make proper posture and grows confidence. This pro gear rowing machine ensures proper Pec Flies for the user of any age group. For that reason, this is popular as one of the gym instruments. This is mostly used for home workouts.
Ab Rollings:
Getting the benefits of Ab rollings properly is very important for any rowing machine. Proper Ab Rollins ensures to strengthen abdominal muscles. It also helps to improve flexibility gradually. This pro gear rowing machine ensures comfortable & effective Ab Rollings for a user. This exercise equipment is suitable for Ab Rollings at home workout also. The perfect structure of this rowing machine ensures the proper exercise of ab lower back & knees while rowing. Most of the physical fitness concern users prefer this pro gear, rowing machine for a comfortable long hour workout routine.
Last word before buying:
ProGear 750 Rower as an advanced rowing machine has most of the preferred features. This exercise equipment offers additional multiple exercise workout facility. This rowing machine also ensures a comfortable rowing experience at home. The frame & construction of this exercise equipment is also very stable & high quality. The seat, handles & pedals are designed in such a way so that it ensures maximum comfort for all users. This is definitely the best gym equipment to buy for home. This rowing machine is also best for cardio training. It helps a user effectively for aerobic exercise also. Compared to the market price with unique features ProGear 750 Rower definitely the best choice for physical fitness concern people.


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The shame of the homeless is our problem. Here's how Louisville can help
When Louisville officials began clearing out homeless camps late last year, displacing dozens of people, it sparked protests and brought renewed attention to the plight of the homeless.
More than 6,000 men, women and children in Louisville are homeless, according to the latest census taken in 2016. The city's four overnight shelters — with a total of 365 beds — lack the capacity and the money to meet the needs of these community members.
Mayor Greg Fischer created a task force in December to better deal with homelessness, and the Metro Council adopted new rules in February requiring, among other things, a 21-day notice before the city can clear out homeless camps.
While Fischer's task force hammers out potential solutions that are expected to be unveiled this summer, we asked people who work closely with the homeless what needs to be done now to address the problem.
Here are their solutions.
Natalie Harris, Coalition for the Homeless
The one thing I would do to address homelessness is to recommit as a country to creating an adequate supply of affordable housing. Over the past 40 years, regardless of political party in control, the United States has cut funding for low-income housing production, maintenance and subsides until we have reached the point that only 25 percent of those who qualify by income level for a housing subsidy can actually receive it.
At the same time, we are spending more than would be required to address this gap in home ownership subsidies through tax credits. This means that we as a country are spending the money needed to make sure that every citizen can afford a minimum level of affordable housing, but we have chosen to spend that money on those who are already wealthy enough to buy a home.
From Harris:The news in Louisville isn't good for people with no place to sleep at night
But, this elegant solution requires a commitment and willingness to make change at the federal level. In the meantime, Louisville and other cities struggle with the increasing number of people who can access employment but are making too little to create a safety net for an auto break down, hospitalization or other unplanned expense that results in nonpayment of rent and eventual eviction. So, my suggestion to the city is two-fold: 1) keep working to create set-asides of affordable housing to any and all new developments as they are added to our community's housing stock and 2) create a large low-barrier shelter that allows anyone to be provided shelter when they need it. This shelter solution would have to be large enough to address the need and welcome anyone while keeping everyone safe and providing services that help those in a shelter to move quickly to permanent housing. Only with this two-fold solution can we ensure that no one has to live or die on our streets.
Byron 'Roc' Peeler, formerly homeless
Revamp the homeless shelters in Louisville. Drug test the workers and hire people who care and are trained to deal with people with mental illness and drug addiction. Go to where homeless people are living on the streets, scoop them up and start re-educating them and help them get homes. Some people should be in a federally funded institution where they can be taken care of. A lot of homeless people don't know how to take care of their hygiene or pay bills. You cannot teach people while they are still on the streets. They need to be in a facility for a while that has rules, but also gives people some freedom and doesn't treat them like prisoners. The second thing we need is somebody like me who will speak for homeless people, someone who knows what's going on and can confront people and ask for money to revamp the shelter system.
From Peeler:I was abused, addicted and homeless. Now I have a place to call home
More ways to help:5 ways you can help the homeless in Louisville
Byron "Roc" Peeler was homeless for 14 years before getting an apartment in January.
Paul Stensrud, Exit 0 homeless ministry
The one thing I would do to reduce homelessness would be to open a multi-level shelter complex with all needed services located within the complex. The complex would include multiple shelters to accommodate multiple needs. A shelter for women and children, one for families, one for men, one for mentally ill and a wet shelter to serve those who are intoxicated.
Within this complex, there would be many of the needed services to help the homeless find the resources to move forward, such as help getting needed documentation, like birth certificates and Social Security cards, help applying for services like SSI benefits, health care, food stamps and housing, and help with mental health services and medication, or treatment programs for addicts.
There is no one answer to get someone out of homelessness. Each situation is unique and requires a unique solution. This could be accomplished by finding a location in the city that is not in use that could be used for the purposes outlined above. Many of the services are already in place and would just need to be scheduled to be at the complex several times a week. The financial burden would be offset by the money saved in hospital, ambulance and criminal justice services that would not be stressed with the added burden that it is now bearing due to the homeless.
Wendy Manganaro, Fed With Faith
I would reduce homelessness by creating more transitional programs, as people usually don't become homeless overnight. It may have taken years of unfortunate circumstances or decisions, so putting a roof over one's head and walking away is not the answer. To successfully transition someone from the streets to housing is a process that can sometimes take up to 18 months.
From Manganaro:Why I'm not afraid to check underpasses at midnight to help homeless people
Transitional programs need to be geared to answering the causes of homelessness, which can include addiction, mental health, lack of employment, criminal backgrounds, and, of course, lack of everyday life skills. Transitional programs do not have to be a typical four-walled building with more rules than compassion. I would love to see transitional living facilities that focus on a plan that helps individual needs instead of a cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all program. Some of these differences include realizing that not all homeless want to be housed, so what can we offer them as an alternative? A safe city-sanctioned tent city with social workers and case managers on site to help them with their individual needs.
J. "Divine" Alexander, Campus Barber Shop
I will continue to provide haircuts for the homeless with the wonderful team of Fluer's Dream and all the barbers who help to make the outreach a success. I would also like the "compassionate city" of Louisville to adopt the model from Fort Worth, Texas, where they pay the homeless in exchange for working to help keep the city clean. The program, called Clean Slate, is funded by the city and run by a local shelter. Officials say it's working, and several other cities have started similar programs.
This kind of compassion is the ultimate win-win. This can happen. It's possible here.
From Alexander:How a free haircut can help a homeless person change his situation
Dick Kaukas, St. John Center for Homeless Men
Adequately support the Louisville Affordable Housing Trust Fund with tax dollars. There is not enough housing in Louisville at rents very low-income people, including homeless people, can pay. Building these houses is a risk for developers because the profit margins are so thin. A well-financed fund would allow more contractors to put up the needed homes — on empty lots or by renewing dilapidated housing — for homeless people and others.
Housing is a right and we should be willing to pay for it.
From Kaukas:The men of St. John Center are like people everywhere; they just happen to be homeless
Bud Hixson, Highlands resident and attorney
Reducing homelessness in Jefferson County could be accomplished by a more enlightened legislature ending the war on the poor. Poor people and people of color make up too large a percentage of those put through the meat grinder of the judicial system. This is clogging our courts, depriving judges of time to give adequate consideration to serious cases and leading to quick and dirty dispensation of justice.
The Department of Justice found in Ferguson, Missouri: "Individuals may confront escalating debt; face repeated, unnecessary incarceration for nonpayment despite posing no danger to the community; lose their jobs; and become trapped in cycles of poverty that can be nearly impossible to escape," Vanita Gupta and Lisa Foster wrote. "Furthermore, in addition to being unlawful, to the extent that these practices are geared not toward addressing public safety, but rather toward raising revenue, they can cast doubt on the impartiality of the tribunal and erode trust between local governments and their constituents."
From Hixson:If we don't build central homeless camps, we will all pay a high price
Louisville has a Ferguson, Missouri, problem and a swollen police state incarcerates and penalizes where rehabilitative and benevolent programs would better heal social ills. Any progress in reducing penalties and statutory infractions that trap poor people in repeated arrest and jail cycles would serve the community. Louisville cannot outsource the problem of hunger and homelessness to the established religious institutions or ad hoc cults and associations. The shame of people living under bridges should be nailed on the doors of GLI, Metro Council and the mayor, and finally, we the people.


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Forbes Whitepaper: Data driven Customer Engagement.
10 July, 2018 | by The Retail Bulletin
Putting your data to work generates new insights, drives decisions.
As retailers face increasing competition, data and analytics have become a must-have tool. In fact, understanding how to develop quality data and leverage it to obtain a desired result is critical in today's business environment.
Read Data-Driven Retail: Extracting Value from Customer Data, a Forbes Insights brief sponsored by Pitney Bowes, to learn how to develop data you can be confident in. This brief outlines the characteristics of high-quality data while providing case studies that illustrate exactly how smart use of data added value to three major companies.
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In an effort to make baking a family-friendly activity, while providing home bakers with appealing bakeware, Trudeau will be introducing three new collections at the International Home + Housewares Show, here.
The company will roll out new cake pop sets to leverage the ongoing trend in dessert culture. According to Trudeau, the cake pop mold comes in two pieces — the clear mold cover makes it easy to view and detect cake readiness, while a molded silicone bottom offers non-stick properties and flexibility for easy removal.
With two selections available — the four-shape mold or the cupcakes and donuts mold — the bakeware pieces are heat resistant up to 428° Fahrenheit and are freezer, microwave, oven and dishwasher safe, the company said. Cake pop sticks and a stand are included with the set, which carries a suggested retail price of $12.99 each.
The company will also present its new Confetti and Marble lines from its Structured Silicone bakeware line. Both Confetti and Marble bakeware will also have a complete line of kitchen tools to accompany the baking pans in order for consumers to have a complete look.


text: The idea of the Cultural Quarter for Leicester was an ambitious plan that has driven the regeneration of this once run-down area of Leicester. It has delivered a new venue for the performing arts, Curve, creative workspaces for artists & designers, LCB Depot, and a Digital Media Centre, Phoenix Square. In addition, the area now has much-improved streets, pavements and open spaces with integrated artworks. This guide to the public artworks installed in the area was created in 2008, when the Cultural Quarter officially opened.


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Latest SYTYCD Twitter Round-Up
As you might imagine, Twitter is exploding with interesting Tweets from our favorite folks associated with SYTYCD. Not all of it is related to Season 7 and the All-Star announcements, though many are.
Here's a sample for you:
Thanks for all the love everyone! I'm very excited for this season 7 sytycd coming up. I think ya'll are going to love it!!! 7 minutes ago via twidroid
Exciting news!!! Dick Clark productions sent off "If It Kills Me" for a submission for an Emmy today!!! HOLY CRAP BALLS 32 minutes ago via Twitterrific
That Emmy news is well-deserved! I'm so glad! I have confidence a nomination will follow!
@CaitlinKinney27 I'm jealous you're seeing @melissasandvig about 1 hours ago via Tweetie in reply to CaitlinKinney27
Hey everyone! Exciting News: Just booked a couple of episodes of the tv show "One Life to Live"! I'll tell you the dates when I get them! 🙂 about 2 hours ago via mobile web
So freaking excited to @melisasandvig today!!!! Yaaaaaahhhhh about 2 hours ago via Twitterrific
Thank you everyone for your support and sweet comments about last night!! In make up trailor now! Excited for our pro dance tonight! about 2 hours ago via Echofon
Another All-Star name tomorrow. I'm meeting with Kenny Ortega for lunch. We have some really exciting ideas that we're working on together. about 4 hours ago via Echofon
YAWN! shooting @theDaily10 today! then off to choreograph with Dmitry for a Pro dance number for Monday and for Tuesday! about 4 hours ago via web
End of day tweet: starting to get cast for mptf benefit. Motion picture and television fund. I love this event. about 14 hours ago via Tweetie
Karaoke with @NeilHaskell and @travISova about 15 hours ago via Twitterrific
This last one's just so weird and funny to contemplate. Imagine karaoke with those three!


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Disclaimer: I do not own the Boondock Saints. Anything you recognize is not mine. This disclaimer goes for all chapters.
For Thee
Chapter 1
"And shepherds we shall be
For thee my Lord for thee
Power hath descended forth from thy hand
So our feet may swiftly carry out thy command
And we shall flow a river forth to thee
And teeming with souls shall it ever be
In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti"
bang bang
bbrrring bbbrrring bbbrrring bbbbrriinng
"Andrea, are you awake?"
"I am now. What's up?"
"There's a new case that you need to work on."
"Ok. I'll be at the station in an hour or less."
"Hurry up. Boss is a little impatient, if you know what I mean."
"Yeah I do. Be there soon. Bye."
Andrea hung up the phone as she swung her legs over the side of her bed, another day in the exciting life of a forensic detective in Boston. After working hard years through five years of college, one of the best in the world, she'd only managed to land a job in South Boston. The Irish district at that.It wasn't like she didn't like the city, but she had grown up in North Carolina and was much more accustomed to the country life style.
She looked around her apartment. On her salary she couldn't afford it, but her dad had left her a small fortune when he died. It was crisp and clean, like something you'd see in a catalog, but not to the point that it seemed uncomfortable.
She slipped out of bed and into a pair of slippers, as she walked to the bathroom to take a quick shower.
Twenty minutes later she stood ready to go putting on the last touches of her makeup. Andrea stood about 5'5 with straight black hair down to the small of her back. She was fairly tanned considering much of her day was spent inside. She had an athletic build about her; she had a black belt in show-to-con, and was an ardent tennis player. The most stunning feature about her though was her ice blue eyes.
She was dressed in a pair of low cut kaki pants, and a white tank top covered with abrown blouse. She had her new badge hanging lightly at her hip, next to her concealed gun.
She locked the door as she left and walked down the flight of steps to the lobby. Andrea didn't own a car and being as she only lived three blocks from the station she just used the streetcars that were supplied for transportation during a case.
She left the building and blended in with the other city workers that walked to jobs nearby. She was so preoccupied with getting to work soon that she ran right into a stranger.
"I'm so sorry." She said turning red with embarrassment.
"It's fine miss," The man said back smiling.
"Have a good day."
"You too."
She kept on walking and turned into the station a minute later.
"Hi John." She said smiling as she walked to the elevator to go to her office.
"Hello, as soon as you set your stuff down Sergeant wants to see you." Said a man who could be placed around thirty, but he was actually pushing forty-five. He had soft brown hair and gray eyes. And was what many women would call attractive. But not to Andrea she had known him far to long to have any feelings other than friendship.
She took the elevator up two stories, and walked into her office, which also happened to be the lab. She sat her things down then immediately caught the elevator up to the fifth floor to see the Sergeant, also called the boss, mostly because no one really liked him.
As she walked down the hall, his secretary stood and ushered her with the wave of a hand.
"Right in here Dr. Procter, he is waiting for you."
"Thank you."
Andrea walked in to find she wasn't the only one to be present for this meeting. Two men sat in chairs opposite the Sergeant.
"Good morning Dr. Procter. Glad to see you've decided to join us." He said motioning to the others in the room then to an open chair she walked over and took a seat.
She recognized one man, him being the Chief. But the other she'd never seen before. Which didn't surprise her being as she had only just started work there about a week and a half ago.
"I assume you know Chief here, but I don't believe you've met Agent Smecker." He said motioning to the man she had not seen before.
"No we have not had the privilege of meeting." She said smiling and nodding at him.
He smiled back.
"Well then you'll get to know him quite a bit. You two will be working on a top priority case. Your job is to process information and crime scenes to bring in a group known as the Saints. I believe you may have heard of them Procter."
"Yes I read an article in the paper. But if I may ask sir? why me? I'm new and don't know the town well."
"Which means you'll have a new way of viewing things. And you can't be any worse than the Irish cops they had on the case." Said Smecker.
"Good then. I believe we are done here. You two have a lot of work to get to so get too it." He said they stood and left the office. Both walked in silence to the elevator.
"Do you have a projector in the forensics lab."
"Then lets get down to business. Its time you learned the facts about the Saints."
Four hours later Andrea sat her head resting on her palms.
"Well that should be about it. Any comments."
"Yeah, do you not have any actual pictures of these guys? What you have ain't much to go on."
"I know it's not much but it's all we have."
"So where do we start?"
"We wait for a crime scene that matches their marks, and we follow any leads from there. In the mean time your to help me with any other case that I work on."
"But won't they be for the FBI?"
"Yes. As of right now you are employed under lease to the FBI. Now if you don't mind I'm going to go get some coffee. Want any?"
"No I'm fine."
Smecker left and Andrea turned to the screen. The drawn sketches of the Saints stared back at her. Something familiar tugged at her memory. But she couldn't place what. She went back over the file twice briefly before going to lunch.
She walked everyday too Joanne's, a little café across the street that served the best shrimp salad sandwich ever. By now she was considered a regular, and as soon as she sat down the waiter came up to her.
"The Usual?"
"Yes please."
The waiter came back a minute later with a lemonade then went to get her sandwich. Coming back with it no more than a minute or two later.
By now the rush to get lunch and then back to the office had started and the place was nearly packed. Andrea sat in the back at a small round table so as to not take up space and usually she didn't have to hurry up.
The waiter approached her.
"Excuse miss but we're really cramped for room today. Do you mind sharing your table with two people?"
"No. That'll be fine. I'm almost done anyway."
"Thank you."
She said as she motioned for two men to come back that way.
"Well we just seem to keep bumping into each other today."
Said one of the men.
She looked up and it was the gentleman she had bumped into that morning on her way to work. He had with him another man around the same age.
"Yes it seems we do. Please have a seat."
Both sat down. The one she recognized had sandy blonde hair and light blue eyes, while the other had black hair. At first glance they looked normal but she knew enough about people to know there was something different about these two. They had matching tatoos of a saint on their necks and various others on their hands and arms.
The one she didn't recognize spoke first.
"So you two have met before have ya?"
"Sort of. We bumped into each other this morning." Andrea said
"Yeah, I'm sorry bout that too. By the way names Connor, and this is me brother Murphy."
"Your not from around here are ya?" Asked Murphy
"No, I just moved her from North Carolina. But I reckon you're not from around here either. Let me guess Irish."
"Yep, we moved here to live the fuckin American dream." Connor said smiling.
"Good luck." Andrea said laughing lightly.
"So what brought ya to Boston?"
"My job." She took a sip of her lemonade as they sent her a questioning glance.
"I'm in forensics, I work at the station across the street."
"Is that so?" Connor shot Murphy a quick glance.
"Well its nice to meet you Connor and Murphy." She said shaking there hands. "But I really must be going, I have to get back to work."
"It was nice meeting ya, maybe we'll bump into each other again."
She went to the counter and paid for her meal before heading back across the street to the station.
A/N Sorry it's so short but I had to get started somehow. I'm starting this before the second movie comes out so it'll sortta just blend into it, I hope.
This is my second fanfic. My first being LOTR based, and still in the beginning stages so I'll try and update as much as I can on this one.
PLEASE REVIEW it's only a short click away


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Ngwenya declares interest in return to MLS
Now 28 years old, Joseph Ngwenya realizes his chances to make it big in Europe aren't as great as they once were.
A former striker for the Los Angeles Galaxy, Columbus Crew and Houston Dynamo, Ngwenya has been floating around Europe since early in 2008 and has since realized his home is in MLS.
"We're in discussions with MLS right now," said his representative Patrick McCabe. "We hope to have it all resolved in the next few days."
Following his departure from MLS after the 2007 season, Ngwenya signed with SK Austria Karnten, but only saw the field once. His contract with Karnten was disolved last summer and he went on trial with Bayern Munich but didn't stuck with the German giants.
He then signed with Turkish club Antalyaspor, but only played three times, scoring once. A return to MLS seems all but sealed following the comments from his representative.
One positive from his venture to Europe was he was able to win his first cap for his native Zimbabwe in 2008, and has received four more since.


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More Information
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This distinctive pottery, made for use and for show at the village of Mata Ortiz, Mexico, evolved from Juan Quezada's first efforts in 1955 into a business that involves the village and now employs around 350 potters. Six distinct styles are presented: black, polychrome, sgraffito (etched), colored, miniature, and special shapes. Bowls, plates, vessels, and delightful figural pieces have recognizable glazes and coloring that have made Mata Ortiz pottery welcome in many ceramics collections today. This fresh and comprehensive book includes a fascinating discussion of similarities in the bird motif with Acoma Pueblo (New Mexico) pottery. Private and gallery pottery collections were studied, making this a thorough presentation of old and new work. Each form is described with the maker's name, decorative details, and dimensions. Both older and emerging artists are well represented, making this an important reference for the classic forms, current styles, and future designs.
Size: 9″ x 12″ | 236 color photos | 176 pp
ISBN13: 9780764334702 | Binding: hard cover
Guy Berger is the owner of the Palms Trading Company, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Following his family's tradition in business, he specializes in acquiring pottery directly from native potters throughout the Southwest and Mexico. He is an author of the books Pueblo Pottery Families (3rd edition), and Pueblo and Navajo Contemporary Pottery and Directory of Artists, now in its second edition.