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Have you ever been to a wedding and ended up with black feet, your shoes are nowhere to be found, and your hair is falling? WE'VE ALL BEEN THERE!!!! Want to look as good at the end of the night as you did at the beginning? I'm thinking YES. Watch our STYLE TIP TUESDAY video Continue Reading
Category Archives: Style Tip Tuesday
Learn how to do a quick and easy updo in this STYLE TIP TUESDAY video blog by jewelry & hair accessories designer, Courtney Orillion. Watch it now and leave me a comment to let me know what you think! Congratulations to this week's giveaway winner: Brandi Hebert!
How to incorporate the neon color trend into your wardrobe without looking like the 80′s threw up on you. Jewelry & Hair Accessories Designer, Courtney Orillion. Congratulations to this week's giveaway winner, Victoria LeBlanc.
Watch this video by Lafayette, LA jewelry designer, Courtney Orillion to find out three great ideas for how to find great fashion advice for your particular body type. Comment below and tell us where you get the best advice for your body type. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Congratulations Jenny LeBlanc for winning this Continue Reading
This Style Tip Tuesday Video Blog is all about "Savin the Drama for ya Moma." It's an inner beauty tip: Avoid Gossip. Leave us your comments below to tell us how you avoid gossip. Congratulations Anne Catherine LeBlanc for winning this week's giveaway! Enjoy your new wrap-around necklace/bracelet!
Love a monochromatic look but have no idea how to pull it off? Watch this Style Tip Tuesday video blog with jewelry designer Courtney Orillion to find out how! Check out this Pinterest Board if you need more inspiration: Monochromatic Fashion Congratulations to this week's giveaway winner: Courtney Fuselier!! (For more info on how to Continue Reading
Watch this video for tips on preparing yourself for your perfect date. This video is great for not just single ladies but engaged and married ladies as well. Leave your comments below to let me know if you find these tips useful or if you have any other date night tips of your own. Continue Reading
Fill your closet with CLOTHES YOU LOVE on a BUDGET! Watch this video NOW for a style how to. Congratulations to this week's giveaway, Heather Thompsom! Enjoy your one of a kind chandelier earrings.
I've got a great tip about perfume but it's NOT about how to put it on but how to remember to put it on. Congratulations Mary Clare for winning this week's giveaway!
Never leave the house without looking totally amazing! Here are 3 Easy Ways to Dress up a T-shirt & Jeans when you're running out the door with only a few moments to spare. Also check out the winner of this week's custom jewelry giveaway. Congratulations Teresa Preiss! Thank you so much for such an amazing Continue Reading


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subset: commoncrawl


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The appellant alleges that the appellee fraudulently transferred tracts of real property to his sons to avoid a money judgment the appellant was granted in their divorce. Although the appellant prevailed on her Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act claim, the trial court erred by awarding the appellant a judgment for money damages when she 1. had previously obtained a money judgment on a claim against the appellee on which she had been unable to collect; 2. prevailed on her UFTA claim; and 3. specifically requested that she be allowed to levy execution on the properties the appellee transferred to his sons as provided under Texas Business and Commerce Code §24.008(b). The trial court's judgment is affirmed in part, and reversed and remanded in part. Houston's 14th Court of Appeals, No. 14-12-00611-CV, 08-13-2013.
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Arriaga v. Cartmill
Tex. App. Dist. 14
August 13, 2013


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01/26 Renee First Birthday I got invited to Renee First Birthday on Saturday, January 21, 2012. So much food and it was fun. Here is the pictures.. View full post »
01/05 Renny Farewell.. I just got back from Alderwood Mall to say Good bye to Renny. She is going to Southern SDA University in Tennessee. Before she left we took pictures like always. Yes we are so asian I'm using Nikon D700 with Tamron Lens.. with 3200 iso Enjoy.. View full post »
01/04 Another Major Upgrade.. Yes.. Finally my weblog is updated.. I will make a twitter account, cause I can actually connect it there.. awesome huh Coding php5 is pretty new experience..I was reading so much blog and php manual I have some summer pic that I will upload later. Can't wait to see it in my new gallery updated….. View full post »


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Lori Saldana
Lori Saldana | |
Candidate for | |
U.S. House, California, District 52 | |
Party | Democratic |
Prior offices | |
California State Assembly | |
2004-2010 |
Contents |
Saldana has worked as a coach at Clairemont High School, San Diego City College and Madison High School. She was a professor at San Diego Community College, and was an Associate Dean and Director of the Service Learning Program at San Diego Mesa College. Saldana has an undergraduate degree in physical education, and a master's degree in education, from San Diego State University.
Often referred to as a national expert in water quality, Saldana chairs a local chapter of the Sierra Club, and has co-founded and chaired San Diego Earth Day Celebrations. Additionally, she was a Presidential appointee to the Border Environment Cooperation Commission.[1]
Policy positions
Legislative scorecard
Capitol Weekly, California's major weekly periodical covering the state legislature, publishes an annual legislative scorecard to pin down the political or ideological leanings of every member of the legislature based on how they voted on an assortment of bills in the most recent legislative session. The 2009 scores were based on votes on 19 bills, but did not include how legislators voted on the Proposition 1A (2009). On the scorecard, "100" is a perfect liberal score and "0" is a perfect conservative score. [2],[3]
On the 2009 Capitol Weekly legislative scorecard, Saldana ranked as a 97.[4]
Saldana is a staunch advocate of environmental legislation. She co-authored the Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32), which sought to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while instituting renewable energy mandates. She also sought to decrease the use of fossil fuels while making solar energy more affordable by co-authoring the Million Dollar Solar Initiative. Additionally, she authored legislation to increase California's Environmental Fund, which included increasing the use of hybrid vehicles and reduced-emission buses.[5]
Initiative rights
In the 2009 session of the state legislature, Saldana introduced three bills that would restrict California's ballot initiative process:
- Assembly Bill 6, which would require petition drive management companies to pay an annual fee and register with the California Secretary of State.
- Assembly Bill 426, which would increase the fee that proponents of an initiative measure are required to pay at the time of submitting the draft of the measure to the Attorney General from $200 to $2,000.
- Assembly Bill 1068, which would forbid contracts with signature gatherers premised upon whether or not the measure qualifies for the ballot.[6]
Committee assignments
Saldana was a member of these legislative committees:
- Select Committee on Alcohol and Drug Abuse
- Assembly Legislative Ethics
- Elections and Redistricting Committee, California General Assembly
- Housing and Community Development Committee, California General Assembly
- Select Committee on Ports
- Revenue and Taxation Committee, California General Assembly
- Veterans Affairs Committee, California General Assembly
- Select Committee on Wine
Sponsored legislation
Saldana's sponsored legislation includes:
- AB 330 - Elections: voting devices
- AB 436 - Elections: initiatives
- AB 1068 - Petitions: signature gathering
For details and a full listing of sponsored bills, see the House site.
Saldana ran in the 2012 election for the U.S. House, representing California's 52nd District. She was defeated in the June 5, 2012, open primary.[7][8]
Saldana was ineligible to run for re-election in 2010 due to the term limits of the California State Assembly.
In 2008 Saldana was re-elected to the California State Assembly District 76. Saldana (D) finished with 113,754 votes and was followed by Denney Ralph (R) with 55,128 votes and Daniel Baehr (L) with 8,224 votes.[9]
California State Assembly District 76 | ||||
Candidates | Votes | |||
Lori Saldana (D) | 113,754 | |||
Denney Ralph (R) | 55,128 | |||
Daniel Baehr (L) | 8,224 |
Campaign donors
Below are Saldana's top 5 campaign contributors in the 2008 election:[10]
Contributor | 2008 total |
CA State Council of Laborers | $10,800 |
AFSCME California | $10,200 |
CA School Employees Assoc | $9,200 |
CA Dental Assoc | $8,800 |
United Health Care Workers West | $8,700 |
External links
- Legislative profile of Lori Saldana on Project Vote Smart
- Biographical profile of Lori Saldana on Project Vote Smart
- Campaign contributions: 2008, 2004
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ Capitol Weekly, "Capitol Weekly's Legislative Scorecard", December 17, 2009
- ↑ Fox and Hounds Daily, "Random Thoughts on the Political Scene", December 18, 2009
- ↑ Capitol Weekly", Downloadable 2009 Capitol Weekly State Legislative Scorecard
- ↑ [2]
- ↑ California Catholic Daily, "Death by a thousand cuts", June 16, 2009
- ↑ California Secretary of State, Official candidate list
- ↑ Unofficial election results
- ↑ California State Assembly election results
- ↑ Follow the Money - 2008 Campaign contributions
Political offices | ||
Preceded by - |
California State Assembly District 76 2004–2010 |
Succeeded by Toni Atkins |


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As the first presidential debate nears, look back at 12 cringe-worthy moments in debate history.
Dukakis' Death Penalty Debacle -- Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis' famous answer to a death-penalty question in the 1988 presidential debate might have cost him the race. When asked whether he would favor an irrevocable death penalty if his wife were raped and murdered, Dukakis said "No, I don't, and I think you know that I've opposed the death penalty during all of my life." His response was seen as cold and detached and his poll numbers plunged.
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December 15, 2009
by Scholarships.com Staff
Students who are interested in applying for private loans may soon see the process changing. The House of Representatives passed consumer protection legislation last week that would further regulate private student loans, ensuring that students interested in borrowing them are aware of rates, federal alternatives, and borrowing limits at their school.
The bill moves to further regulate Wall Street in the wake of the credit crisis and ensuing economic recession, and also creates a consumer financial protection agency that's responsible for overseeing consumer credit such as credit cards, mortgages, and other bank loans. An amendment introduced by Democratic Representative Jared Polis of Colorado ensures that private loans to students are also included under this umbrella, and sets up additional rules that lenders and colleges must follow in issuing and certifying private loans.
Under this legislation, all private loans will have to be certified by a student's college, verifying the student's enrollment and the amount he or she can borrow. Before a school can certify a private loan, it must also inform the borrower of the availability of federal student financial aid. This builds on rules that will go into effect in February that state that students must be informed of interest rates and repayment terms up front by banks, and must certify that they have been informed of federal student loan options.
Effectively, it puts an end to direct-to-student private loans, which students can borrow without even informing the financial aid office, and which can be taken out for more than the student's cost of attendance for the academic year. With rising student loan default rates, risky loans like these have increasingly come under fire. These loans can be a quick way for students to find themselves in excess debt, as they make it easy for students to borrow more than they need to pay for school without having to investigate alternatives first.
The bill still needs to pass the Senate and be signed by the President before it can be enacted. Whether the Senate introduces language similar to the Polis Amendment remains to be seen, as it's unlikely financial legislation will be debate until after they finish with healthcare.
December 16, 2009
by Agnes Jasinski
A report released today examines what policy makers should be paying attention to when crafting educational policies that benefit all college students. The report also comes to the conclusion that many decisions regarding Latinos in higher education are based on misconceptions about that student population.
The report, "Taking Stock: Higher Education and Latinos," was put together by Excelencia in Education, an organization that looks at racial and ethnic trends to identify where the need exists for more effective educational policies. The Lumina Foundation for Education, Jobs for the Future, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI), and the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) supported the report.
In a preview of the report earlier this week, The Chronicle of Higher Education described conversations at a panel discussion on Monday morning with the report's authors and leaders from a number of Hispanic organizations. The panelists suggested that public policy is based less on facts and more on stereotypes that define Latinos as an immigrant population with high drop-out rates. A majority of Latinos, however, are native-born and want to succeed in higher education.
Other highlights of the report include the following:
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the number of Hispanics enrolled in college rose from 20 percent in 1996 to 24 percent in 2006, a greater increase than seen among white students. Still, Hispanic students are still lagging behind other groups when it comes to college admission, retention and graduation rates. Studies looking into that attainment gap suggest that while most Hispanic students believe in the value of a college degree, their educations may be cut short for a variety of reasons. In data released in October by the Pew Hispanic Center, about 74 percent of respondents said they had to leave school because of personal and family responsibilities. Others said poor English skills hampered their ability to keep up with the rigors of college, and even high school. About 40 percent said it was just too expensive to go to college.
All minority students should know there is help out there when it comes to funding your education. Scholarships for minorities are the most common student-specific awards out there, and minority students are eligible for funding from not only the federal government, the state, and their intended colleges, but outside organizations that aim to diversify college campuses. Try conducting a free scholarship search to find not only Hispanic scholarships, but scholarships based on a myriad of criteria specific to you.
December 30, 2009
A recent Scripps Howard News Service article looks at one government job you may be surprised you don't need a college degree for. According to the Congressional Research Service, 27 House members, one senator, and two governors are currently serving without college degrees.
The article claims this is great news, considering the history of the position. Just 30 years ago, Congress had at least 48 representatives and seven senators without college degrees. Historians point to the idea that a college degree is becoming increasingly relevant for the position, which currently only requires U.S. citizenship and a number of years of residency in the state a politician is running in.
That shouldn't come as a surprise, right? We want our lawmakers to be educated. Do you know if your Congressman or Congresswoman holds a college degree? Considering the number of bills moving through Congress now related to college students' financial aid options and student lending practices, a college campus experience could be especially beneficial.
According to the article, the degree-less lawmakers defend themselves by saying they came up in a different era, when it was more beneficial to have a background in labor-intensive professions. In certain constituencies across the country, it may also be more useful to come from a farmer's background than an Ivy League one to better serve the communities those lawmakers look to represent. "They put their pants on the same way I put my pants on," Rep. Solomon Ortiz, a Democrat representing Texas' 27th District, was quoted as saying in the article about the difference between lawmakers with and without college diplomas. Ortiz joined the Army as a military officer to help support his migrant family, eventually becoming a sheriff when he returned home. Rep. Steve King, an Iowa Republican, ran a construction business for 28 years in Western Iowa before pursuing a Congressional seat.
According to the Congressional Research Service, the more educated Congressional lawmakers include 169 House members and 57 senators with law degrees, 83 House members and 17 senators with master's degrees, 16 doctors, six former Peace Corps participants, and five accountants. A more educated Congress also reflects the national trend. The percentage of people 25 and older with bachelor's degrees has increased from 4.6 percent to 28.7 percent between 1940 to 2007, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
December 31, 2009
by Emily
A lot has happened in the last twelve months. We inaugurated a new President, weathered a recession, and obsessed over and forgot hundreds of minor crises and scandals. College students and recent graduates have marked all these events, and have very likely also noticed some pretty sweeping changes in their financial situations. Here are a few of the most memorable.
At the start of the year, President Obama encouraged more Americans to enroll in college, calling for the U.S. to again lead the world in college attendance by 2020.
The recession also motivated more students to go back to college, especially community colleges. Enrollments surged at two-year schools across the country. State colleges also saw increases in applications and enrollment. Along with this, financial aid applications were up in 2009, as were aid appeals.
Colleges and universities searched for creative ways to cope with the recession and the accompanying booms in enrollment and financial aid applications. Several community colleges added late night classes and many public and private colleges boosted their financial aid offerings to assist needy students.
Federal aid also underwent significant changes. Revisions to the Higher Education Act went into effect, as did new and renewed economic stimulus legislation. Pell Grants went up, as did Stafford Loan borrowing limits. The Income-Based Repayment plan premiered, guaranteeing college graduates affordable federal loan payments, and a new public service loan forgiveness program.
Veterans' benefits were reworked in 2009, as well, and the resulting backlog of applications had students waiting weeks or even months to receive the money they needed to pay their tuition and their bills. Once the bugs are worked out, though, veterans will see an expansion of their college benefits, and in the meantime, veterans were able to receive emergency payments to help them get by.
States also received much needed cash from the government to help them minimize cuts to education while they dealt with budget crises. However, several states had to make cuts to education budgets, including state aid and loan repayment programs. California made some of the most sweeping budget reductions and the state's university systems were forced to cap enrollment and hike tuition over 30%.
As we look toward 2010, more changes appear to be underway. Congress is (still) considering changes to federal loan programs and the creation of a consumer financial protection agency, and recently passed credit card legislation will soon go into effect. States and colleges are still struggling with fallout from the recession and may alter their financial aid offerings more in the next year.
January 5, 2010
It's January, which means it's time to start thinking about completing a new FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) for the 2010-2011 school year. This can be a long, complicated process for parents and students, but the Department of Education has begun taking steps to make the form easier to complete.
In a presentation to high school students and school counselors in Washington, DC today, Education Secretary Arne Duncan and other officials demonstrated the 2010 FAFSA, which went online January 1. While the paper form remains roughly the same length, at 107 questions, changes have been made to the online application to allow applicants to skip several questions that don't apply to them. A few other changes have also been made to make the website easier to navigate and the form easier to complete. These steps will hopefully speed up students' application processes and reduce confusion.
Progress is also being made on syncing the FAFSA and tax information from the IRS. In late 2009, the Department of Education announced that beginning in 2010, some students would be able to access a new tool that would allow them to import their 2008 tax information into a 2009-2010 FAFSA. The tool is expected to go live later this month, with work continuing on making the feature available to everyone.
According to Nextgov, one of the main barriers still remaining is a conflict between state FAFSA deadlines and the dates 2009 tax information will be available on the IRS website. Currently, previous year tax information goes online in the middle of the year, after many state deadlines have passed for FAFSA filing. The Department of Education and the IRS are working to find a solution to this problem to make the data transfer tool more widely useful. Other tweaks are likely to be made once the pilot program gets underway.
Legislation currently in Congress may further simplify the FAFSA by eliminating additional questions that many deem unnecessary. While the financial aid application process is likely to remain long and complicated for the foreseeable future, concrete steps are being taken to make it shorter and simpler, and it appears the movement is gaining momentum.
January 8, 2010
As January gets underway, college students across the country are waiting eagerly for that spring financial aid disbursement. While a variety of students will encounter processing delays and unexpected errors this spring, one group may be particularly likely to see problems: student veterans.
The Post-9/11 GI Bill, which went into effect August 1, offers expanded education benefits to veterans who have served their country since 2001. GI Bill benefits include money for tuition and fees, a stipend that covers living expenses, and the option of transferring education benefits to their family members. However, many veterans who applied for this aid faced a months-long backlog in processing as the Veterans Affairs administration struggled to develop and streamline procedures for handling the new claims.
The delay caused a variety of problems for over 68,000 veterans who applied for the new GI Bill benefits in the fall. Over 26,000 veterans were still waiting for checks at the end of the fall semester, and thousands are still waiting to receive their first check. The VA issued emergency advances of $3,000 in October to veterans still waiting for their first disbursements, but for many that money ran out long before benefits checks arrived.
Some students have had to put tuition or food and rent on credit cards, while others faced problems stemming from still owing their universities for fall tuition. While schools pledged not to drop veterans with unpaid bills, some have prevented veterans from receiving their transcripts and diplomas or registering for spring semester while waiting for benefits checks to arrive, according to the Associated Press.
As of late December, the VA reported a remaining backlog of only 5,000 claims, but an Army Times story lists the number of pending claims as of January 4 at 48,000, many of which are for spring semester. Given the popularity of the bill and the continued delays, members of Congress have begun exploring ways to simplify the procedures for processing GI Bill benefits claims. In the meantime, the VA has pledged to have all claims received by January 15 processed by February 1, but given the number of pending claims and the speed at which processing moved in the fall, veterans may once again find themselves waiting months to receive their financial aid.
January 27, 2010
Immediately on the heels of an announcement that President Obama would be calling for additional assistance to college graduates struggling to repay student loans, the administration also unveiled a proposal to hold federal discretionary spending to current levels for the next three years, a move that could potentially have serious implications for colleges and students.
Currently, most federal education spending, including student financial aid, is discretionary, not mandatory, so it would fall under the umbrella of the budget freeze. This makes it possible that students will see limited increases to federal grants, work-study, and subsidized student loans in the coming years. The White House has pledged to make education a funding priority, but with states and colleges also struggling financially, it's quite possible that financial aid programs will see an end to the boost in financial support they've received in the last few years.
It's possible one federal aid program, at least, may be spared from the budget freeze. Last year, President Obama proposed making the Pell Grant an entitlement, putting it in the category of Medicare and other programs that would be exempt from the budget freeze, but the bill to do so still has not passed the Senate. If the bill passes, Pell funding will be mandatory and increases in Pell Grants will be tied to inflation, guaranteeing students a small, but steady, increase in available aid. If not, it's up to Congress to allocate limited resources for any increases in grant amounts, and with increases in the numbers of college attendees, applications for financial aid, and Pell Grant recipients, it may be all Congress can do to hold funding levels steady for the next three years.
As details of federal and state budgets emerge, and emergency legislation that temporarily boosted funding to schools and student aid begins to be revisited and possibly phased out, exact changes to college funding will become clearer. Already, though, many families are finding paying for college increasingly challenging, even with the aid of college scholarships and grants. There's a possibility that a federal budget freeze could mean that students in the next few years will see a situation similar to the one that faced students at the start of the last decade, where tuition increased rapidly while federal aid held steady and more and more students came to rely on private student loans.
February 19, 2010
New regulations that the federal government hopes will protect college students from excessive credit card debt by making it more difficult for young people to open multiple lines of credit go into effect Monday. The regulations, which fall under the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009, were approved by Congress last May.
The key pieces of the act include the followin:
The regulations also included a strong suggestion to institutions of higher education that they provide education and counseling to students who may be struggling with credit card debt, or who may know little about managing credit card usage wisely.
Critics of the act since it was approved say that college students, who take on a slew of new responsibilities once they get on campus, should be treated as adults. For better or worse, students now are more apt to use credit cards to pay for their college expenses, and critics say they shouldn't meet obstacles when using their credit cards for those costs. (According to a recent survey by student lender Sallie Mae, 84 percent of undergraduates have at least one credit card; 92 percent of those undergraduates use the cards toward college expenses. College students' average balances are more than $3,100.) Some consumer advocates also say that while it's a good first step toward keeping students from incurring massive amounts of debt, it doesn't do enough, according to an article today in Inside Higher Ed. It fails to include any cap on the interest rate credit card providers can charge, for example.
We have a number of resources available to you about how to avoid credit card debt, make smart decisions about covering your college costs, and managing your money so that you're spending within your means. It may not mean much to you now, but it isn't all that easy to improve upon a credit score. The spending choices you make today will follow you down the line, so ideally, stick to one card if you need one, and if you find yourself in debt, pay off as much as you're able to each month until you're done.
March 12, 2010
To compensate for stalled negotiations on both health care legislation and a bill that would overhaul the country's student loan program and improve college students' access to federal aid, Democratic leaders proposed a solution yesterday that would move both of those hot-button issues forward—combine them, and pass them as one.
Both the comprehensive health care bill, which would guarantee health insurance to 30 million uninsured Americans, and the student loan bill, which would replace private lending with direct lending through the government and increase Pell Grant maximums, have faced opposition as Democrats work to pass both through Congress before the November mid-term elections. To kill two birds with one stone, Democratic legislators proposed bundling the two bills into one last night, not only to give the proposals a better chance at passage, but to keep them alive long enough for a vote by the full Senate and House.
An article in the New York Times yesterday describes the strong support a dual measure already has among the Democrats, suggesting that adding the student loan bill to the more expansive health care legislation would improve the health care bill's chances at passage. (Providing college students with more access to federal aid is undoubtedly more popular and less controversial than crafting a reasonable health care bill.)
The student loan bill had already passed in the House. Recent predictions have the government saving about $67 billion by going to direct lending; that new funding would go toward Pell Grants and other education programs. (A rise in the number of people attending college and seeking aid in the weak economy has raised the projected cost of new Pell Grants to $54 billion from $40 billion, according to the New York Times.) The student loan bill has been a consistent goal of President Obama's, as lenders have come under fire for a lack of oversight, rising student loan default rates, and contributing to excessive debt among college students. Effectively, the bill would put an end to direct-to-student private loans, which students can borrow without even informing the financial aid office, and which can be taken out for more than the student's cost of attendance for the academic year.
The private student loan industry has obviously not been very supportive of the bill, and Republicans have questioned whether giving the government control over the student loan industry is really a wise choice.
May 14, 2010
July 1 marks the official date that colleges, if they haven't already, must transition to the recently approved Federal Direct Loans Program. Schools will no longer offer students the option of having private banks or credit unions handle their federal loans; federal loans will now be coming directly from the U.S. Department of Education. Advocates of the student loan bill have said this will make the process more seamless and fair, with the government taking responsibility for keeping interest rates manageable. And private loans will still be available via the traditional channels, although those loans are typically offered at higher interest rates.
The student loan debate has been a constant in the world of higher education, as legislators and administrators look for ways to reduce the debt of graduates. This week, The Christian Science Monitor considered student loans in a different way. Is it ethical to send students out into the world with all this debt, especially when they may not be making enough in their chosen careers to pay back those loans in a timely fashion? Are student loans moral?
The Christian Science Monitor piece looks at the history of the student loan industry, questioning whether it was ever right for Congress to increase borrowing amounts to current levels, or to offer students described as "in need" much easier access to federal loans through the re-authorization of the Higher Education Act in the 1990s. According to the Project on Student Debt, student loan totals only continue to rise. The average national debt for graduating seniors with loans rose from about $18,650 in 2004 to $23,200 in 2008. Meanwhile, employment prospects have not increased at comparable levels; by 2009, the unemployment rate among new graduates hovered near 11 percent, the highest on record.
It isn't just a case of telling college students not to borrow so much. Student loans are often a necessary evil, and while debt can be minimized some through scholarships and grants, most students will end up taking on some amount of debt. The Monitor questions whether there should be more strict limits on borrowers that exist in other scenarios where credit checks and expectations that borrowers will be able to pay back what they borrow are enforced. There is no guarantee of a job after college, after all, so why shouldn't the fact that a student is unable to pay off more than the minimum on their credit cards be taken into account more when they take out loans? (On that note, the U.S. Senate has approved an amendment that would lower "swipe fees" that banks charge college bookstores when students use their credit cards for purchases.)
Student loans are a hot topic, and will continue to be. What do you think? What else can be done to reduce graduates' debt, especially among those graduates who are not entering high-paying fields?
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This was my first marathon. I am very glad I selected this marathon. All around spectacular experience
I did the 1/2 Marathon, and had thought that I would do the Chicago Marathon in 2013. No way now. The Fox Valley Marathon is just so well run, so scenic, and with volunteers that just can't be beat. Why pay hundreds of dollars more just to be able to put the word 'Chicago' in front of 'marathon'? 40k people, suckin' up bus fumes, concrete jungle...forget about it. FVM is the best, and I'll be running the full FVM in 2013!
Cannot allow more racers; too crowded for first 7 miles or so on track. Some weird loops to get mileage, okay overall. Few spectators, but great volunteers.
I loved how well this marathon was organized. From the start they made us feel at home with the email list and Facebook updates. The race was great. A smooth and efficient start, good pace groups, a scenic course, great fans and awesome volunteers made this a great experience for my first marathon!
This was the most well run race of any distance that I have ever run. This group knows what they are doing.
This course is beautiful along the river. Getting to and from is simple and it is great for spectators. The guides put out by the organizers are so thorough and make it easy for spectators to track their runner and have a good time, too.
The staff was well organized; the course was well marked with plenty of water/aid stations. Running an asphalt trail with a tree canopy was a big plus! For the size of the race, there were many enthusiastic spectators - the course is basically an out & back that allows people to see 'their' runner in several different spots. This would be a great first time race & is a great BQ race.
This was my first half marathon. I injured my foot about 8 weeks before race day and had to rest. I was so bummed out and so excited about the race I decided I'd try to run a few miles of it, just to get the feeling of running the race. I ended up running the whole thing!!! It was very hard, I had lots of stomach cramps which caused me to walk. My legs and back were very stiff, my body was tired. This also caused lots of walking. I'm so happy my Mom was there to help me through the race. She has run this race before. I couldn't have done such a good job with out her. I am so proud of myself for finishing this race as hard as it was. The volunteers were amazing and so were the spectators. Such an amazing experience. Crossing that finish line is something I can't even begin to explain. I can't wait to run this race again! Maybe one day I can even tackle the whole marathon! Thanks to everyone involved in this race.
Free parking. Flat and mostly shaded course. Potentially cool time of year. Excellent volunteers and organizers. Great cities. Quality businesses around the start/finish. What more could you ask for? I can't comment about hotels in the area or the expo as I am local to Chicagoland and use the remote packet pickup. (They have an alternate packet pickup in the city! How cool is that?)
Beautiful course. Was a little surprised by the hills as advertised as a 'flat course.' Well organized and great support from organizers. Thought that there could have been more on course info for 1/2 marathon. After the split it seemed that everything (mile markers, etc) were geared for full or 20 mile runners. If I didn't have my GPS watch I would have been unsure about how I was doing/how much further to go at some points. Course was pretty crowded at start ( I was in 11:27 pace coral). Thinned after mile 3-4. Would definitely sign up again, possibly consider full next year. Would prepare better for hills, however.
WMA makes no representations as to the accuracy of information on this site or its suitability for any use. | privacy policy | refund policy


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Hi, my name is Cynthia! im from England and im 15 years old and this is my tragic tale.
It all started when i was 12 years old, the start of high school (year 7). Iv always felt like the odd one out in my school because i was the only black girl in my class. i always found it hard fitting in because everyone was so different and they always treated me badly. they would always judge me for what i wear, when ever i would wear a skirt to school they would always call me names like 'slut, whore, slag, sket etc.'. At first i ignored it but the more i ignored it, the worse it got. My 'best friend' turned against me and i was all alone amd I never realy had any close friends because i didnt know who to trust.
But it does'nt end there………
In year 8 things got alot worse and the racial abuse started. They would call me mean words and would always make fun of my braids calling me 'bob marley' (referring them to dred locks). They really ruined my confidence, making me feel small and useless. They would always make fun of my family, religion and country im from. My parents were really supportive and had talked to the school but they did NOTHING. I felt desperate and suicidal and i was completly losing my mind! i ended up cutting myself, over time the cuts got bigger, longer and deeper. i didnt tell my mum and she still doesnt know about it to this day. All my friends had completly dissapeared and i turned to teachers for suppirt but they didnt do anything to try and solve my problems and they left me to deal with it on my own.
The abuse was both mentaly and racialy and made me turn against myself and feel ashamed of being myself. Rumours went around saying that i was a lesbian and that i was having an affair with a male teacher, this made things a thousand times worse than it already was. i would come home crying everyday and i didnt know what to do and no matter what my parent did it just wouldnt stop!!!
It got to a point where i got into a huge fight with a girl (my ex best friend i mentioned). She was calling my dad names and i got angry and started saying mean things about her mum to get her back. She got really angry and started beating me up, i felt hopeless and had bruises all over, she was alot stronger than me so i stood no chance against her. i was getting death threats from her everyday and i got really scared and didnt know what to do. I started having more suicidal thoughts everyday and began to self harm again, but still…nobody knew. I wanted to end my own life but i just could'nt put my family through hell and guilt. i started trying to stand up for myself more and things slowly got better.
I eventually moved to another school, i needed a fresh start where i could start all over again and rebuild my confiedence. Im happy in my new school and im alot stronger than i was before. I Believe in my dreams and i dont let people put me down.
Thank you soo much for reading my story! If your getting bullied you just have to remember that there's always a light at the end of a deep, dark tunnel. Dont let people put you down STAY STRONG, BELIEVE, NEVER SAY NEVER because people care
- Cynthia


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Time and Coupons Running Short
By Kent Hatfield ~ Posted Wed, 01/07/2009 - 12:54pm
The FCC / NTIA announced yesterday that funding for the DTV set-top box coupon program is running low... If you have not yet applied for coupons then do it now... The coupon system will enter your data and place you in line for coupons as funding becomes available. At last note, the delivery of coupons was running about 6 weeks behind.
WXXI will present DTV 101 - Session II live January 22 @ 8:00 pm... I'll be there to answer your hookup questions. See you then.


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Up to the 20th century styles of architecture and internal design have been well defined enough; however the 20th century became the century of eclecticism. Eclecticism names the original complex style containing elements of all styles for other past centuries.
The modern habitation and working premises are projected and constructed not only in a view of requirements of comfort and practicality. One of the basic requirements showed in internal inhabited and office premises is this stylish and fashionable design. Modern lines of internal design are changed practically each season. However, a little modern interior design movement exist which are nowadays of significant popularity.
To a number of the most well-known and claimed modern interior design movements concerns techno-art style. The essence of techno-art style consists of domination of technological aspect in an interior. The basic attention is paid to the allocation of supporting construction. Basic constructions of the premise can become the main elements of an interior. Beams, over lapping angles, and pipes allocated with other colors or made of special materials. The sizes of basic building constructions or communications can be specially increased.
The characteristic feature of techno-art style is the presence of communication pipes in design. Besides communication pipes in design play an essential role at registration of an interior in techno-art style. Communication pipes can be specially allocated in the general color background by a contrast shade or are processed by special chroming coverings. Besides some designers suggest simulating presence in an interior of communication pipes or other building constructions. In this case communication pipes or building constructions can be made of plastic materials.
Lines of the premise and furniture can be direct or smoothly bent. At registration of the premise in techno-art style glass is used rather frequently. Glass surfaces are harmoniously combined with domination of technological attributes in an interior.
Most frequently the basic color scale of the interior executed in techno-art style, cold colors are: all shades of grey, blue and white colors. Brilliant and chrome-plated surfaces are widely used. However, many well-known designers who prefer to work with techno-art style, consider, that in an interior some aggressive colors can be used. Nevertheless, these colors should not dominate. Presence of red or bright dark blue color in dominating cold color scale of techno-art style is called to emphasize some details of an interior.
Quite frequently techno-art style in an interior is harmoniously combined with modernism and cubism. These styles mutually supplement each other. However, in opinion of some designers and architects, techno-art style, modernism and cubism are preferable for using to registration of the big premises in which special conditions and elegance of these styles will be especially remarkable.


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Positive action must become your immediate and automatic response to negative thoughts. Every time a negative thought pops into your mind, you must immediately neutralize it with some type of positive action.
For most people, negative thoughts trigger more negative thoughts. This takes a bad situation and makes it worse. Misery compounds as the negativity expands its reach and tightens its grip. Negative thoughts are like quicksand. The longer you wallow in them, the deeper you sink, and the harder it is to get out.
The solution to this dilemma is straightforward. Every time a negative thought pops in your mind, take positive action. Make this into a conditioned response that immediately pushes you in a positive direction. If you instantly take positive action, you will never start on the downward spiral that fills your mind with negativity. You don't need to be a rocket scientist to take positive action in the face of negative thoughts. You only need self-discipline.
The Law of Displacement helps you push negativity from your mind. This strategy works because you can think only one thought at a time. When you think a positive thought, you displace the negativity thundering in your mind. This is easy to do. Write some positive thoughts on three by five file cards and carry them with you wherever you go. Each time you need to displace a negative thought with a positive one, simply pull out your cards and start reading. This technique enables you to instantly displace negative thoughts and send them on their way.
This strategy is both simple and effective. For many years, I carried twenty file cards on which I had written inspirational messages. I was proactive with the cards and reviewed them many times each day. I didn't wait to become negative before I used them. I read them when I got up in the morning, when I walked to work, and whenever I needed to push negative thoughts out of my mind. This practical portable strategy gave me the upper hand in displacing negativity from my mind.
Power Graphics speak the language of the mind. They are visually interesting, and have a powerful message that goes straight into your mind.
My books are full of Power Graphics. The graphics are costly to print, and they make my books more expensive. Nevertheless, the additional expense is worth the money. For a few extra dollars, you get dozens of Power Graphics that pass directly into your mind and push it in a positive direction.
Power Graphics aren't a gimmick. They are a powerful tool you can use multiple times each day to control the storm of thoughts blowing through your mind. When you are going through difficult times, and you need a mental boost, it's often hard to pick up a positive book and start reading. It takes too much time and effort to dig into a book and find the inspiration you need. That's why Power Graphics are so valuable. You can effortlessly and quickly push your mind in a positive direction a dozen times a day by reviewing your Power Graphics. They are always available and easy to use. A few minutes of flipping through your Power Graphics will break the back of the negative thinking and fill your mind with positive thoughts. This tool gives you the upper hand in the battle against negative thinking.
If you are ever going to win the battle of the mind, you must have a strategy that's easy to apply and available when you need it. Power Graphics are there when you need them, and they do an admirable job of pushing your mind in a positive direction.
Zero tolerance to negative thinking isn't an impossible dream, and negative thoughts don't need to dominate your life. If you discipline yourself to follow this strategy, you will win the battle against negative thinking.
Drinking poison, handling cobras, and thinking negative thoughts are bad for your health, so don't do it. Maintain a zero tolerance policy toward negative thinking and watch you life get better every day.
Remember, if you want to have a positive mind, nobody can stop you.
The Positive Web Ring has eleven positive web sites. Each site lifts you up, pushes your mind in a positive direction, and makes it easier to live your dreams. The Positive Web Ring has something positive for everyone. There's adventure, positive self-talk, positive spirituality, positive graphics, positive music, positive podcasts, and much more. The wheel of change always turns in the direction of what you put into your mind, and the Positive Web Ring fills your mind with good things. Give your mind a push in a positive direction today. Cruise your way to a positive life. If you really want to be positive, nobody can stop you. PositiveWebRing.com PositiveSelfTalk.com PositiveThinkingRadio.com PositiveGraphics.com PositiveChristianRadio.com PositiveButterflies.com MaximumStrength PositiveThinking.com ZeroToleranceToNegativeThinking.com TooManyDrummers.com GodLovesU.com Maxingout.com
RED SEA CHRONICLES DVD When Dr. Dave isn't working as a flying doctor for the Indian Health Service, He is sailing around the world on his sailboat. Find out what it's like to sail on the ocean of your dreams by watching Captain Dave's DVD.
Red Sea Chronicles DVD Previews
Good-bye Depression Hello Positive Mind
Taking Back Control of Your Mind
The Land of Depression
The Laws of the Land of Depression
The First Law of Backward Thinking
Getting Your Black Belt in Negative Thinking
Backward Thinking Is a Trip to Fantasy Land
An Illusion Created by a Depressed Mind
Emotions Shout Down Your Rational Mind
The Second Law of Backward Thinking
The Feelings of Life Do Not Reflect the Facts of Life
The Third Law of Backward Thinking
Don't Strap Yourself into the Electric Chair of Depression
Escaping From the Land of Depression
Eight Steps to Eradicate Depression
Overcoming Depression and Advancing to the Next Level
Mirror Mirror on the Wall, Am I Ok After All?
Your Mental Mirrors - Inherited Mirrors of the Mind
Surviving your Personal House of Mirrors
Putting a Name on the Mirrors of Your Mind
Mirror One: All or Nothing Thinking
Mirror Two: Overgeneralization
Mirror Three: Mental Filter
Mirror Four: Disqualifying the Positive
Mirror Five: Jumping to Conclusions
Mirror Six: Magnification and Minimization
Mirror Seven: Emotional Reasoning
Mirror Eight: Should Statements
Mirror Nine: Labeling and Mislabeling
Mirror Ten: Personalization
God's Mirror - The Answer to All Cognitive Distortions
Mental Slippage - Loss of Command and Control
Mental Slippage - What's Happening
Mental Slippage - Control of Your Thoughts
Should You Use Medication to Treat Depression?
Mental Slippage - Content of Your Thoughts
How to Create a Positive Brain
Positive and Negative Brains
Positive Thinking Creates a Positive Brain
The Rest of the Story - Becoming Positive
Change Your Thoughts and Change Your Chemistry
A Word of Caution for People with Clinical Depression
Back to the Basics of Healthy Thinking
Positive Operating System
The Mathematics of Personal Change
Problems With a Negative Operating System
Characteristics of a Positive Operating System (POS)
A POS Has a Positive Focus
A POS Turns Bad Things into Better Things
A POS Looks for the Good in Everyone
A POS Looks for the Good in Everything that Happens
A POS Has Positive Expectations
A POS Is Positively Congruent
A POS Manifests a Positive Spirituality Based on Love
A POS Has a Positive Self-Image
A POS Has Positive Self-Esteem
A POS Gives You Real Power
A POS Takes You to a Positive Destination
Characteristics of a Negative Operating System
Decision Time - A Positive or Negative Operating System?
How to Install a Positive Operating System
Real Power
Be Transformed by the Renewing of Your Mind
You Are a Creature of Emotion
Renewing Your Rational Mind Is Not Enough
Renewing Your Emotional Mind Requires Healing
God's Love Changes Who You Are
How Your Mind Was Designed
Dabbling in God's Love Isn't Enough
God's Master Plan of Love
God's Pipeline of Love
God's Love - The Definitive Cure for Depression
Eradicating Depression - Realize You Have a Problem
Negative Thinking and Fatigue
Negative Thinking and the Overloaded State
Habitually Negative State
Mild to Moderate Mood Disorders
Clinical Depression
Dealing With a Negative State of Mind
Reestablishing Command and Control
Battle Against Depression Fought on the Battlefield of Focus
The Power of Positive Focus
How to Create and Maintain a Persistently Positive Focus
The First Law of Focus - What You Think About Expands
How to Create a Persistently Positive Focus
The Second Law of Focus
The Third Law of Focus
The Fourth Law of Focus
The Fifth Law of Focus
Recognize Your Cognitive Distortions
Accidents Happen But Cognitive Distortions Are Optional
Reject Your Cognitive Distortions
You Beat Depression Thought by Thought
Renew Your Mind
The Big Eight - Think on These Things
Mental Toxic Waste
The Voice of Depression Is Full of Toxic Waste
The Dastardly Deed - How Toxic Waste Ruins Your Life
Toxic Waste Detector - The Big Eight
Reprogram Your Mind With a Positive Operating System
What You Talk About Expands
What You Write About Expands
What You Read About Expands
What You Look at Expands
What You Listen to Expands
Five Simple Steps to a Positive Life
Shift Your Focus to the Most Positive Force in the Universe
Never Attack and Argue with Negative Thoughts
It's Better to Switch Than to Fight
Negative Thoughts Cannot Survive in a Heart Full of Love
The Mega-Affirmation
Repeat These Steps to Win the Battle Against Depression
Everything You Wanted to Know About Negative Thinking
Negativity Destroys Opportunity
Negativity Blinds You to Possibility
Negativity Is the Black Hole of the Mind
Negativity Is the Most Powerful Thought Magnet
Negativity Can Overtake You Anywhere and Anytime
Negativity Creates Powerful Destructive Neuroassociations
Negativity Creates Inertia in Your Personal Life
Negativity Creates a Mentality of Limitations
Negativity Has the Wrong Focus
Negativity Creates a Distorted Interpretations of Reality
Negativity Is Easier Than Being Positive
Only Embrace Risk in a Positive State of Mind
The Way Out Is Different Than the Way In
Conflict Brings Negative Thoughts into Your Life
Your Need to Be Right is the Formula for Perpetual Conflict
Conflict Is a False Model for Solving Problems
Dealing With Conflict - Loving and Letting Go
Escaping From Perfection - The Great Pretender
Perfection Pretends to Be Your Friend
Perfections Sells a Perfect Life But Delivers a Miserable One
Perfection Steals Dreams
Don't Let Perfection Take Over Your Personality
Perfect Is the Enemy of Good
Escape the Web of Spiritual Perfection
Perfection Has the Wrong Focus
Life Is Still Terrific Even When It's Not Perfect
Guilt - Hazardous Substance - Handle With Care
Test Guilt With a Watch and Calculator
Jesus Did Not Pile on Guilt
How to Eradicate Guilt
Zero Tolerance to Negative Thinking
Every Negative Thought Contains an Important Lesson
You Cannot Think Just One Negative Thought
Learn the Lesson that Each Negative Thought Has to Teach
Take Positive Action Based on What You Learned
Displace Negativity with Positive Thoughts
Push Your Mind in a Positive Direction With Power Graphics
Sastrugi Happens
Keeping Adversity in Perspective
Never Panic
Make a Limited and Orderly Retreat
Sacrifice Only the Unimportant and Expendable
Assess the Situation
Marshall Your Resources
Plan Your Counterattack
Take Enthusiastic, Positive, and Fearless Action
Never Quit
Negative Thought Alert You That Something Is Wrong
Negative Thoughts Are a Stop Sign
Negative Thoughts Point in the Direction of the Problem
Negative Thoughts Provide Valuable Feedback
Motivational Value of Negative Thoughts
Positive Action Is the Appropriate Response to Negation
The Natural History of Negative Thoughts
Stop Negativity at the Door of Your Mind
Beating the Odds
When You Think Positive, Your Life Starts to Improve
Positive Thinking Makes a Difference
Do Not Ruin Your Life With Negative Thinking
Turn Bad Things into Better Things
Snatching Victory from the Jaws of Defeat
Life Is Full of Opportunities to Make Bad Things Better
The Challenge
Affirmations for the Inner Skeptic
Affirmations Overwhelm Your Emotional Mind
Affirmations Are About Where You Are Going
The Wheel of Change
Instant Positive Thinking - Positive Neuroassociations
Positive Affirmations for Positive Power
What to Say When You Talk to Your Mind
The Supreme Law of Change
The Law of Positive Self-Talk
Two Inner Voices
The First Inner Voice - Your Mind Talking to You
The Second Inner Voice - You Talking to Your Mind
Powerful Self-Talk Comes 90% from the Heart
It Takes Time to Get Used to Your New Self-Talk
Maximum Strength Positive Thinking
Strong Arm Your Mind
You can support Zero Tolerance To Negative Thinking by purchasing Dr. Dave's DVD: The Red Sea Chronicles. The Positive Web Ring features more than 180 Positive Podcasts and thousands of pages that push your mind in a positive direction. It's time to get a new way of thinking and feeling. It's time to fill your mind with positive things. Thanks for your support.
Dr. David Abbott, this web site, Maxing Out Media, and the Positive Web Ring are not engaged in rendering medical or other professional advice. This web site and its content is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not intended to replace or substitute for any professional or medical advice.


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We found 32 nursing homes near Bel Air, MD. Read reviews, check ratings and pricing, get contact information, and learn about housing options, amenities, and medical care offered by browsing the Bel Air skilled nursing facilities listed below. Prices for Bel Air Nursing Homes start at $2,225.
Learn about Nursing Homes
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32 Bel Air, Maryland, Nursing Homes
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Bel Air Health and Rehabilitation CenterBel Air, MD 21014"The rehabilitation therapists are top notch. The nursing staff is competent. They are alert to changes in condition and alert family when problems arise. However, the nursing staff interacts with patients mainly for medication, doing lit..." more -
Lorien Nsg & Rehab Ctr BelairBel Air, MD 21015"My grandfather stayed for several months at this facility. Staff were very caring and supportive of his recovery. His physical therapists helped him regain movement after a small stroke, they seemed to thoroughly enjoy working with him a..." more -
Emeritus at TowsonBaltimore, MD 21212"Emeritus at Towson was farther from my home but it was absolutely wonderfully. It was on the same level as it's counterpart in Pikesville. The staff was great and their director was fabulous. It seemed like everyone had gone to How-To-Be..." more -
Emerald EstatesBaltimore, MD 21211"We visited Emerald Estates for my relative. The facility was okay. People there were nice. Unfortunately, my relative couldn't afford this place. " more -
Lorien Health Systems - RiversideBelcamp, MD 21017"I visited the facility and was given a tour by staff. The interior is very clean and spacious. The staff was very cordial and friendly. I was given several pamphlets detailing various activities and programs scheduled at the facility. ..." more -
Glen Meadows Retirement CommunityGlen Arm, MD 21057"I moved into Glen Meadows Retirement Community two months ago. The staff and residents are really great, everyone is so caring and helpful. I already feel that I belong here in Glen Meadows. " more -
Oak Crest VillageParkville, MD 21234"My husband fell ill and found himself in a nursing home. We hated that place but I promised he would get the best. And very close to home we found Oakcrest. He was thrilled. He told all of his friends, if you save your money, you can l..." more -
Stella Maris, Inc.Timonium, MD 21093"My grandma is a resident at Stella Maris and has been receiving excellent care. The staff is very attentive and any issues have been handled quickly - very professional. The building is kept very clean. Some care homes smell and the resi..." more -
Franklin Woods CenterBaltimore, MD 21237"Offering skilled nursing, medical and rehabilitative care for patients and residents. Whether f..." more -
Loch Raven CenterBaltimore, MD 21234"Offering skilled nursing, medical and rehabilitative care for patients and residents. Whether f..." more -
Cromwell CenterBaltimore, MD 21234"Offering skilled nursing, medical and rehabilitative care for patients and residents. Whether f..." more -
Manorcare Health Services - RossvilleBaltimore, MD 21237"Hello ; My wife has been at this facility before for rehab and her care there was fair at best if not poor. During her previous stay which was for rehab ended abruptly when we (the family) were told that she had reached the pinnacle of..." more -
Perring Parkway CenterBaltimore, MD 21234"Offering skilled nursing, medical and rehabilitative care for patients and residents. Whether f..." more -
Lorien Mays ChapelTimonium, MD 21093"My mom had such a scary time there that when I took her her to her 6 week appt they carted her of to the ER. How did my Mom end up with MRSA e.coli and a urine infection all at once at her wound? How did my Mom end up with a compression ..." more -
More Information About Nursing Homes
What Health Issues Qualify Someone for Medicaid Nursing Home Benefits?
Question - Read expert advice about what medicare looks at for costs at nursing homes. -
How to Use Family Assets to Help Pay for Long-Term Nursing Home Costs
Article - Consider several strategies to help pay for long-term nursing homes, including a reverse mortgage, family help, and assisted-living options. -
What You Should Know About Nursing Home Costs
Article - Find out how much nursing homes cost, plus other key questions to ask and reports to look for.


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In his recent Profit Confidential article, The Next Evolution in Gold Mining Stocks, Lombardi highlights the fact that it has been a frustrating time for investors in gold mining stocks.
"Despite gold bullion climbing higher, gold mining stocks have been stuck in a trading range for quite some time," suggest Lombardi. "During other great gold bullion bull market runs, gold mining stocks paid dividends in gold bullion, I see this practice returning."
Lombardi also believes more companies will hold back supply, as they expect higher prices in the future.
"Endeavour Silver Corp.'s management elected to hold a significant portion of its gold bullion and silver bullion in inventory rather than sell it," suggest Lombardi. "Management initiated this action because they believe that gold bullion and silver bullion prices are currently too low."
Lombardi continues to be a staunch supporter of and believer in gold-related investments. He believes that not only is price appreciation possible with current depressed gold mining stocks' share prices, but also dividends could, in the near future, be paid out in gold bullion and silver bullion
Profit Confidential, which has been published for over a decade now, has been widely recognized as predicting five major economic events over the past 10 years. In 2002, Profit Confidential started advising its readers to buy gold-related investments when gold traded under $300 an ounce. In 2006, it "begged" its readers to get out of the housing market...before it plunged.
Profit Confidential was among the first (back in late 2006) to predict that the U.S. economy would be in a recession by late 2007. The daily e-letter correctly predicted the crash in the stock market of 2008 and early 2009. And Profit Confidential turned bullish on stocks in March of 2009 and rode the bear market rally from a Dow Jones Industrial Average of 6,440 on March 9, 2009, to 12,876 on May 2, 2011, a gain of 99%.
To see the full article and to learn more about Profit Confidential, visit www.profitconfidential.com.
Profit Confidential is Lombardi Publishing Corporation's free daily investment e-letter. Written by financial gurus with over 100 years of combined investing experience, Profit Confidential analyzes and comments on the actions of the stock market, precious metals, interest rates, real estate, and the economy. Lombardi Publishing Corporation, founded in 1986, now with over one million customers in 141 countries, is one of the largest consumer information publishers in the world. For more on Lombardi, and to get the popular Profit Confidential e-letter sent to you daily, visit www.profitconfidential.com.
Michael Lombardi, MBA, the lead Profit Confidential editorial contributor, has just released his most recent update of Critical Warning Number Six, a breakthrough video with Lombardi's current predictions for the U.S. economy, stock market, U.S. dollar, euro, interest rates and inflation. To see the video, visit http://www.profitconfidential.com/critical-warning-number-six.
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June 5 Primary Will Open the Door to Watershed Runoffs
By Thomas D. Elias @ 9:00 AM May 03, 2012 No, the California Republican presidential primary on June 5 will not have particular importance, with Mitt Romney all but crowned the Republican nominee against Democratic President Obama.
But that takes nothing away from the watershed nature of the upcoming vote, one of those events that marks the opening of an era.
Here are some things that will happen for sure:
• The primary will create many November runoffs pitting two Democrats or two Republicans for seats in Congress or the Legislature.
• From now on, it won't necessarily be a requirement to declare loyalty to any particular political party to achieve at least a modicum of electoral success.
The Sagging GOP
• The results will demonstrate more clearly than ever that the California Republican Party is a weak shell of its former self, as there will be many districts with no GOP runoff entrant.
• Along with these certainties, there's also the strong possibility that, combined with term limits, the primary will assure that fully half the members of the next state Assembly will be freshmen. Even if it's not quite half, a bunch of complete greenhorns still will have to confront some of the nastiest problems in California history.
• Looking at likely intra-party runoffs, most analysts gravitate first to the classic race between Democratic congressional veterans Howard Berman and Brad Sherman in the Valley. There are enough Republicans in that district so that if they consolidate around one candidate, the GOP may yet have a November candidate there. So the Republican vote will be the most interesting primary result in that district.
There is no such Republican threat in the 42nd District, stretching from Compton to the Harbor area. Democratic Congresswomen Laura Richardson and Janice Hahn are assured spots in an intra-party November runoff.
Turning North
The same almost is guaranteed for Republican Congressman Gary Miller and Bob Dutton, the former GOP leader in the state Senate, who lists himself on the ballot as a small businessman. They are as alone as Richardson and Hahn in the 31st District primary covering much of Riverside County and a bit of eastern Los Angeles County. The rules dictate that no matter who wins the primary in those districts, there still will be a rematch this fall.
Meanwhile, in San Bernardino County, longtime Democratic Congressman Joe Baca and veteran Democratic state Sen. Gloria Negrete McLeod have only a Green Party candidate for competition. "Unless a Green can suddenly come into an awful lot of campaign money, this surely will be an all-Democrat affair," says Allan Hoffenblum, a former GOP consultant who publishes the California Target Book that closely tracks every legislative and congressional race in the state.
The one congressional race most likely to pit an independent with a chance for eventual victory (ballot label: No Party Preference, or NPP) against a Republican lies in Ventura County, where GOP state Sen. Tony Strickland ranks eighth in the nation in fund-raising and probably has a runoff slot cinched. That leaves three Democrats vying with County Supervisor Linda Parks, a former Republican, for the other spot. Their four-way contest could be very tight, with Assemblywoman Julia Brownley seeming to emerge recently as the leading Democrat. But Parks could be the eventual winner in a district that seems to crave a moderate, yet long has been represented by ultra-conservatives in Congress and the Legislature.
There will be plenty of intra-party matchups in Northern California, too, starting in District 1, stretching from the Oregon state line through Nevada County. There, ex-Republican state Sen. Sam Aanestad and current state Sen. Doug LaMalfa have seemed destined to face off ever since incumbent Wally Herger opted to retire. Either way, this district is assured continued conservative representation.
By contrast, liberals are fighting it out in the nearby District 2, where Democratic Assemblyman Jared Huffman faces a host of ultra-liberals who have not always been happy with his strong support of organized labor. It's conceivable Huffman could draw a Republican runoff opponent. But it's hard to imagine him not making the fall race at all.
Over in Oakland, longtime Democratic Congresswoman Barbara Lee has opposition from Democrat Justin Jelincic and NPP'er Marilyn Singleton, a physician.
Legislative races offer even more potential for such intra-party or party vs. no-party matchups.
One thing for sure: There will be far more all-Democrat races than all-Republican matchups this fall. That's because Republican voter registration has fallen so low (barely 30 percent of all registered voters) that there are few districts where they have enough numbers to dominate either in the primary or in November.
This weakness has been masked in the past, when the party was guaranteed a slot in the runoff everyplace it even put up a candidate.
Put it all together, and this election will surely be a watershed, producing a November ballot unlike any California has ever known.
Mr. Elias may be contacted at firstname.lastname@example.com. His book, "The Burzynski Breakthrough: The Most Promising Cancer Treatment and the Government's Campaign to Squelch It," is now available in a soft cover fourth edition. For more Elias columns, see www.californiafocus.net


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7.1 Start searching for references
In the module Planning your Research you learnt steps such as identifying key concepts, finding synonyms and related terms and constructing a search strategy. Once you have planned your research, you can use the following resources to find the reference material.
Place your cursor on the titles below to find out what each resource does.


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Man dies in Missouri auto accident
December 11, 2008
A man died in a recent Missouri car accident involving one car, according to the Kansas City Star.
The man was driving his car down the road when he lost control, drove off the side of the road, and hit a nearby tree.
He died from injuries sustained in the Missouri auto accident.
Authorities are unsure of why he lost control of his vehicle, but believe that a medical condition may have played a role in the Missouri car accident.
Popularity: 19% [?]


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CALOR LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION: Frome Town 4 Bedford Town 4 (From This Is Wiltshire)
Latest News RSS Feed
CALOR LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION: Frome Town 4 Bedford Town 4
9:56am Monday 14th October 2013 in Latest News
FROME Town came from behind twice before conceding a last-gasp equaliser as they drew with Bedford Town in an eight-goal thriller last weekend.
Aaron Ledgister and Ben Wood both scored twice for managerless Frome but Eugene Asante's 92nd minute goal saw the visitors snatch a share of the spoils.
A stunning Darren Chitty tip over the bar followed by Bedford's John Sonuga heading the ball onto the crossbar from the resulting corner set the tone for the match in the fourth minute.
And as the match swung from end to end, Matt Smith brought a save from Dan Green with a left-footed shot, and a minute later, he bravely charged down a clearance that set up a shooting opportunity for Aaron Ledgister, who let fly with a stunning volley from the corner of the box that screamed into the far corner of the net to give Frome the lead.
Bedford equalised through Andrew Philips from the penalty spot in the 25th after Dean Flockton was adjudged to have taken him down with a challenge from behind.
As half-time loomed, Bedford won several corners and as they attacked the Robins, they were rewarded with a goal as a left wing cross evaded the Frome defence, allowing Keiron Birch to crash a volley past Chitty from 12 yards.
But Frome equalised six minutes into the second period as Kurt Hammonds and Ledgister combined to set Wood free in the box.
A perfect chip to the far post allowed Smith to head the ball back to Matt Cowler and his shot was parried by Green but Wood was on hand to blast the ball home from close range.
Bedford hit back in the 65th minute as a crossfield ball just evaded Mark Cooper and Birch scored his second of the game as he shot home low from the corner of the Frome area.
And the hosts missed a golden chance five minutes later as a perfect Ledgister free kick saw Rhys Baggridge head wide by inches as he arrived at the far post.
But the scores were level at 3-3 in the 81st minute as Wood was fouled as he moved onto a pull back from Lloyd Matthews and Ledgister scored easily from the spot.
And the home crowd went wild minuts later as Wood advanced on goal and scored with 25-yard left foot strike to make it 4-3 to Frome with three minutes to go.
But as full time approached, a loose ball in midfield allowed Bedford to flood players forward and the equaliser arrived in the second minute of injury time as Asante got a touch to a Curtis Shaw shot and deflected it past the helpless Chitty.
MORE FOOTBALL NEWS IN THIS FRIDAY'S WILTSHIRE TIMES. FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @WTSport


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Sebil's Online Country Collectibles
Stagecoach Road
Plainview, Illinois
About Us
Sales Policy
Vintage Art Deco Peach Glass Ceiling Light Shade 11"
click for more pictures
for item
$20.00 plus shipping
Here is an very nice Vintage Art Deco Glass Ceiling Light Shade Fixture. This one is approximately 11" in diameter. This one is different in that the outside is clear with a peach pink textured design on the inside. It has 3 holes for attaching to ceiling fixture, they are 5 1/2" apart from the center of each hole. Back in the day, these glass shades were attached to the ceiling light with bead chains. This shade has a beaded or candlewick edge with 2 sizes of beads. There is chipping around the outside of one hole, but it will still display nicely. I found a nice assortment of Art Deco Ceiling light shades an estate auction. Watch my other listings to see more. I do combine shipping, if you are interested in other items email your zip code and items of interest and I will send a shipping quote. Always refer to my home page for current updates and messages.


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oatnet wrote:
This is my 6th or 7th year using Hydroponics to grow Heirloom tomatoes (and none of that funny stuff not that there is anything wrong with it) on one of our decks. I put the seedlings into the hydroton on June 3rd, and here is their status as of this morning. I specialize in Green Zebra tomatoes, which have by far the best flavor I have found, but are so fragile they will burst if you look at them funny. These plants will get 10' high by october, and yield a stunning amount of tomatoes.
I use the General Hydroponics waterfarm 8 with the recirculating system. Instead of using a water pump whose filters can clog, uses an aquarium air pump to drive water up a column, and spray it down over the hydroton. It uses a similar column to drive the recirculating system, which is a must-have for the Waterfarm 8. In addition, I have found that a single reservoir is not enough for 8 buckets - the plants at the end of the loop don't get enough nutrients - so this year I installed (2) reservoirs, each of which feeds (4) buckets.
PS - here are pics from 2010 (dozens of Rosso Bruno's erupting on the vine) and 2011 (leaf as big as my hand from a green zebra)
Good stuff Oatnet, as always!
Glad to see you guys are interested in aquaponics. I didn't wanna have to join an aquaponics forum, that would be preaching to the choir. Once I get my system going I'll promote aquaponics to our next door neighbors, to our town's daycare and elementary school, and eventually the whole of Japan.
I'm sure you EV peeps can rock a badass system so share your tips and tricks!
nechaus wrote:Im thinking of getting one of murry hallams systems
Yeah, Murry Hallam's the guru!
And Will Allen..he got $500,000 from The Macarthur Foundation just for doing what makes A LOT OF SENSE and they called him genius.
If exercising good judgement and common sense is genius, then the rest must've really de-evolved.
My system will attempt to imitate a rainforest by showering from the top down.
This will:
-cool off the water for the fish during summer
-kick off bugs on leaves, natural pest control
-and give the plants some exercise. <-- my very own original idea. Really. I think wind and rain drops stimulate plants, giving them a little workout thus thriving for more nutrients! Think about it.


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La clé de la chambre à lessive
The Laundry Room
Floriane Devigne, Frédéric Florey |
01:12 |
2013 |
Switzerland, France
Frédéric Florey and Floriane Devigne take us on a static journey of discovery into a rarely seen world inside Switzerland: the world of the socially excluded people. It is a rather black comedy set inside the laundry room of a Lausanne apartment block. The foundations of society itself are sketched out or perceived in this microcosm where dirty laundry is almost aired in public.
20.04 14:00
French, Spanish, Portuguese
English, French
Film Directing
Floriane Devigne
Bordu films
Frédéric Florey
Alina film
Eugenia Mumenthaler
Alina film
David Epiney
L'oeil sauvage
Frédéric Féraud


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"THOH" vs. "Double Double Boy In Trouble"
"THOH" got my vote.
"THOH" vs. "Double Double Boy In Trouble"
"THOH" got my vote.
Kids, let me tell you about another so-called ``wicked'' guy. He had long hair and some wild ideas. He didn't always do what other people thought was right. And that man's name was...
I forget. But the point is... I forget that, too. Marge, you know what I'm talking about. He used to drive that blue car?
-- Homer's parable of the guy in the blue car, ``Homer the Heretic''
Ralph: I Won! I Won!
Principal Skinner: No Ralph this means you're failing English
Ralph: Me fail English? That's unpossible.
Treehouse of Horror.
Season Rankings : 7 > 5 > 6 > 8 > 4 > 9 > 3 > 2 > 10 > 15 > 16 > 1 > 11 > 14 > 12 > 20 > 18 > 17 > 19 > 13.
Double for the post classic upset
"Double Double" for an upset win
We got no food, we got no jobs, our PETS HEADS ARE FALLING OFF!
THOH by far.
To view various lists about my Simpsons opinions, click the link below.
Yes, THOH, definitely.
Cool avatar and sig made by the awesome merzitar!
ugh. both terrible, but double double boy in trouble is better... I guess
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)


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Industrie Hairdressing Coupons and Deals
Every time a new idea crosses the mind, a new hair sprouts as the idea tries to escape the brain and patent itself. Keep thoughts in check with this hair-disciplining Groupon. Choose Between Two Options $25 for a haircut and blow-dry with a deep-conditioning treatment (a $20 value; a $36 total value) $59 for a haircut and blow-dry (a $36 value), deep-conditioning treatment (a $20 value), and all-over color or partial highlights (a $70 value; a $126 total value)


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Grant Brissey, he's coming! Rick Springfield, live and in person, February 25th at Little Creek Casino in Shelton.
There's something about Rick Springfield that is and always has been very real. His songs about love and loss, greed and envy, elation and heartbreak spoke to that part of human nature that hasn't changed in 3,000 years. —Seattle PI


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Detailed market commentary at The Market Ticker
(The Year 2012 In Review) RSS available You are not signed on; if you are a visitor please register for a free account! |
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User Info | "BOOM!" (More Obfuscation); entered at 2009-07-01 14:58:21 | |||
Ldog Posts: 320 Registered: 2009-06-11 |
Weird moves indeed. It feels like the machines are going at it like a Terminator movie. When the can of nitroglycerin slips...it could be a doozy.
2009-07-01 14:58:21


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Morning Evergreens, 235
painting by artist David Boyd, Jr
6 in X 8 in (15.2 cm X 20.3 cm)
Morning Evergreens, oil on canvas board
This painting is available directly from the artist.
More Paintings by David Boyd, Jr
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The Daily Painters Art Gallery - www.dailypainters.com
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Images may not be reproduced without the permission of the artist.


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70th Birthday Drinks Can Designed By Zandra Rhodes
The drinks can is 70 years old, and what better way to celebrate than to commission a specially-designed can by Zandra Rhodes. The pink design is based on Thai embroidery, and budding can enthusiasts will be able to view the vibrant design at Rhodes' Fashion and Textile Museum in London (pictured). Luxist will have more details as it is officially released, so keep checking.


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Welcome to Sex Live Show Amateur teens video chat erotic, your source for free, live entertainment with any of our sexy models. You can stay in here 24 hours a day and talk to the models when they are in the open rooms.
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Xbox 360 News
XBOX news relating to the XBOX 360.
Valve staff list leaked for Half Life 3 and other games
October 2, 2013 | Evan HirshHalf Life 3 was trademarked the other day in Europe, however the flow of information keeps on coming. The Valve afficianados over at Valvetime.net somehow received a copy of the staff lists in Valve by a bug in their database … Read More
Xbox Reward Updated
September 5, 2013 | Adam | One CommentWhen Microsoft points were being phased out Xbox Rewards also needed an update. Microsoft has send out emails reminding everyone "Hey we still do this remember?". In the email Microsoft points are no longer given and now credit is given. … Read More
Top 5 Features in Battlefield 4
August 30, 2013 | Daniel HodgeWith the release date of Battlefield 4 just around the corner, how appropriate would it be narrow down the top five features making their way into the Battlefield 4? For fans of the franchise, DICE has made no mistake in … Read More
Microsoft Points Now Replaced With Local Currency on Xbox 360
August 26, 2013 | Luis AlamillaMicrosoft has issued a new update for Xbox 360 owners that replaces Microsoft Points with your local currency. Once the update is applied, all the products on the Xbox Live market place will no longer show their prices in points … Read More
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 Release Date Announced
August 21, 2013 | Luis AlamillaKonami has officially announced that Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 will be coming to North America on February 25th. On the opposite side of the planet, Europe will be getting Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 on February 27th while the UK gets it on February … Read More
Battlefield 4 Beta Starting in October
August 20, 2013 | Luis AlamillaEA DICE announced today during the EA Gamescom conference that the Battlefield 4 beta will begin in October. The beta was originally announced in 2012. Battlefield 4 will launch on October 29th, 2013 so the beta will be semi short … Read More
Cobalt Coming To Xbox One and Xbox 360
August 20, 2013 | Luis AlamillaMojang is bringing its Cobalt game over to the Xbox One and Xbox 360. The news was announced today during Microsoft's Gamescom press conference. The game was originally announced back in 2011 and is being developed by Oxeye. PC users can … Read More
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate HD Announced
August 19, 2013 | Luis AlamillaKonami has revealed their plans for an HD port of the previous 3DS exclusive, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate HD will be coming to the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade … Read More


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Making Peace with Bangkok
Bangkok in December
"Do you smell that?" I asked Andy as we forged our way along a highly trafficked and obstacle-ridden sidewalk our first week in Bangkok, and in Southeast Asia as a whole. The smell was raw sewage, running in a gutter right below our feet.
Andy wiped his sweating brow with a hanky and agreed, "Bangkok smells like shit."
"Literally. And half of it is ours."
At this point in time, just several earthly rotations after touching down in Bangkok, meals plucked from street carts along Silom Road seemed to compete in a twisted race wherein street-cooked, styrofoam-packed foodstuffs competed with each other on who could exit the eater's body and join the stinky river beneath the sidewalk in the least amount of time.
Can your gut handle this?
We were total newbies. Visibly scared, dehydrated, and pasty white, our collective appearance must have screamed "vulnerable!" to all of the scam artists lining the streets near the Grand Palace, Wat Po, and Khao San Road during the high season. After one incident involving a man in a NYC SWAT polo taking advantage of our trust in familiar security symbols and travel naiveté, we closed ourselves off to any Thai who expressed interest or curiosity in us.
So we marched sweatily in mid-day heat between the sites you're supposed to see in Bangkok, only eschewing our Lonely Planet Encounter Bangkok guide for our street food meals and long talks with our fantastic hosts at Lullaby Inn.
We thought we had made a huge mistake in moving to Thailand based on our experiences in the first week. Luckily, everything got easier as soon as we landed in Chiang Mai.
Bangkok in July
Today? I kind of heart BKK.
Having gotten the tourist sites over and done with, we can appreciate Bangkok for what it is to the millions who live there: a hot, sprawling, multi-dimensional, modern metropolis with international flare and great food.
An escalator in Bangkok's clean, modern public transportation system.
Now, we approach Bangkok as a sort of get-away from Southeast Asia. We apply no set of travel rules to our time here in terms of searching for authenticity or understanding the culture. We still stay in Silom, but now the street food doesn't bother our well-seasoned guts. When the sun's gone down we wander the streets in search of micro-brewed beer and observe the city's seedy after hours underbelly and the expat men who love it. We're tan, confident, and somewhat conversational as we navigate the streets, meaning we're more likely to chat with locals than attract the scammers. Most importantly, perhaps, we do not attempt to do anything during the heat of the day.
Pete beats the heat with a bag of Pepsi bought from an electronic store.
The hours between 11:00 AM and 5:00 PM are reserved for travel by Bangkok's air-conditioned sky trains to air-conditioned destinations. And by "air-conditioned destinations" I mean malls.
Malls as in those homogenous, terrible institutions full of Gaps and Claires' and horrible Chinese food and pubescent kids. Malls as those things I used to avoid in favor of "recycled fashion" (note: barf) and independently-owned stores (note: not barf).
You see, the malls in Bangkok are sublime; they're effulgent, sparkling white institutions with frigid internal temperatures and gloriously clean restrooms stocked with all the soap and toilet paper you can imagine. While I'm not a big shopper (I don't have a job!), I am a big fan of washing my hands with soap and observing others wash their own hands with soap after using the toilet. I'm also a big fan of drinking hot coffee in a sweater. In a Bangkok mall? I can do that.
This grilled banana is not from the mall, but you could very well find one there!
In practical terms, the malls are a good halfway point between our morning street food adventures along Silom Road and our nightly adventures around Sukhumvit, as the malls surround the rail station connecting the two metro lines. Also, if I need any article of clothing, Bangkok's mall sales are the best bet for me to find something that fits (i.e. was designed for a western body) that doesn't break the bank.
As a bonus, the malls across Thailand tend not to be the food wastelands that they are in the states. The food courts sometimes rent stalls to independent restaurants, lending a Singapore Hawker Center vibe to the whole eating experience. The top floor of MBK has some of the best stewed pork knuckle in Bangkok, while the basement of Terminal 21 has a delicious and affordable Japanese BBQ.
Bangkok Advice
To make peace with Bangkok, we had to be honest with ourselves. After a few days in the city on our first go, we knew walking around in the heat and going to the tourist sites was not working for us. In fact, I wrote a whole "Day of Rest" post in December that was evidence of my discomfort and will to change that. I think I failed, as I was trying to embrace the tourist path and the sites despite them making me totally miserable.
A water monitor in Lumphini Park right before sunset.
Here are the tips I would give a weary traveler in Bangkok today:
Realize that the major sites are often open air and very hot during the day. The temples, the palace, the park–all of these are going to be hot as hell during the afternoon, even in the "winter." Do them as early as you possibly can in the morning. I would also recommend only seeing one major attraction in a given day.
Use public transit as much as possible. Negotiating with tuk-tuks and begging cab drivers to use the meter in english can get exhausting fast. If you can get somewhere by the subway or sky train, you should probably do that. Most of the major tourist sites are off this network, as a concession to independent tuk-tuks and cabs benefitting from the tourism.
Realize you are in a huge, international, modern city. More often than not, if you try to seek 'authentic Thai culture" in Bangkok, you're going to be eating expensive pad thai on the floor in a room full of foreigners. Save the quest for silk, bamboo, and quaint embroidered triangular pillows for your trips out of the city.
Food courts have street food, too. If street food is giving you trouble in the digestive department, you can get many of the same dishes and treats in the food courts in the malls, where hygiene standards may be better. I have no idea if this is actually true, but the malls are some of the only places that have soap on hand reliably, which has to count for something. For the record, I endorse eating street food even if it might make you sick. You're probably going to get diarrhea anyway, so you might as well eat cheaply and deliciously.
It's okay to seek western comforts. Bangkok is truly international and diverse, and like many large cities, it gains strength from its immigrant communities, including western expats. You can get great pizza, huevos rancheros, crepes, and burgers in Bangkok, whereas other locales might serve something with the same name that is entirely unrecognizable. Get it out of your system here, and eat fried rice in Laos.
Visit Bangkok last on your tour of Southeast Asia. The city is hot, humid, over-stimulating, and contains folks who will try to take advantage of your naivety. Start in Chiang Mai, Singapore, or on Thailand's coast to get accustomed to the culture and pace of life, and go from there. You'll surely appreciate Bangkok after weeks of backpacking through Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Myanmar (Burma).
13 Responses to Making Peace with Bangkok
phil martin says:
1. What is it about 'clothing designed for a western body' What's so different?
2. Closed-book geography question: You are now in Bangkok, a city washed by the Pacific ocean. Suppose you now wish to fly to Lima Peru, also washed by the Pacific. Assuming you could fly in a straight line, which direction is shortest?
3. How could Bangkok have a flood and a functioning subway system at the same time?
4. What is said about 'mad dogs & Englishmen'?-
Susan says:
1. We're just bigger! Even as a small person in the states, my shoulders are too broad for many Thai clothing brands. However, I can buy long skirts and dresses from Thai brands without tripping over them.
2. Southwest? I didn't cheat and ask the internet.
3. The major system, the BTS, is an elevated rail system called the Sky Train. The subway is underground, but last year the city flooded the surrounding areas in order to save the central area, so the metro didn't suffer much damage.
4. The sun. There are tons of English pubs aimed at expats called Mad Dogs in Thailand! -
Erica says:
I'd like to add that we're not necessarily bigger; we just tend to have things like hips. The cute frilly skirts that my students wear make me look like I have hips the size of dining tables because the frills are there to accentuate & give the illusion of having hips. It was terrifying and scarring.
Susan says:
Haha! My problem is my shoulders; they're too narrow for most American brands, but here they barely stuff into large shirts! I do like the shorter dress and skirt lengths though. I can actually wear a maxi dress here!
Elizabeth says:
Some good pointers. I have a love/hate relationship with this city. It is stinky but it is all part of the charm!
Susan says:
I think the little bursts of hatred just balance out the good parts.
Dan (@zotwot) says:
I always think that you can grow to love anywhere if you give it time and go and find the best places. Bangkok sounds interesting, hope to visit one day.
Erica says:
I think you can say something similar about most big cities, simply because that's where globalization tends to have the greatest influence. I mean, people coming to Tokyo to find rice patties and people wearing kinomos? Please.
Can I quickly mention a gentleman who started talking to my friends and I while eating noodles from a street vendor? He told us that he wanted to find an elephant wandering on the street and ride it. Since when do elephants roam freely in the streets of cities and then willingly let you ride them?
Susan says:
Totally. Bangkok certainly has some of the most famous, most elaborate temples and beacons of Thai culture, but EVERYWHERE in Thailand has elaborate, beautiful temples!! I vote to see that stuff elsewhere.
Um, I don't even know what to say about this dude. Like, there aren't elephants living outside the care of humans here, and the humans aren't exactly going to let their very expensive pets out to freely roam the streets…
Waegook Tom says:
Ahh Bangkok! I've never been, but heard that it's very much a love it or hate it kind of place. I'm anticipating heading there after hitting up Singapore and Malaysia next year, so we'll see how it goes. I have a stomach of steel and a general ability to ignore touts, so hopefully I'll be OK.
BTW, you're totally right about the malls. They saved me from melting in Kuala Lumpur.
eloise says:
We were in BKK the same time as you. Couldnt get over the smell..really overpowered us. Your tips are very wise. Leave BKK to the end and for Gods sake dont try and "discover the city" by trying to walk across it.
Most relaxing coolest way of sussing out BKK was going up and down the river on the orange flagged express boats – get to see a real slice of the population, a bit of air on your face and great views of the city.
Can't say i heart BKK but i can now speak those letters without puking.-
Susan says:
I definitely used the boats my first week in Bangkok as a way to escape the heat, smells, and general overwhelmingness of the city! Good tip.
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