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Property Location
Located in Chengdu (Wuhou), Millennium Hotel Chengdu is close to Chengdu United States Consulate and Wuhou Ci. This 4.5-star hotel is within close proximity of Sichuan University and Tomb of Mengzhixiang.
Make yourself at home in one of the 359 individually decorated guestrooms, featuring refrigerators and iPod docking stations. Your memory foam bed comes with down comforters. Wired and wireless Internet access is complimentary, while 32-inch LCD televisions with digital programming provide entertainment. Private bathrooms with separate bathtubs and showers feature designer toiletries and hair dryers.
Take advantage of recreational opportunities offered, including an indoor pool, a spa tub, and a sauna. This Art Deco hotel also features complimentary wireless Internet access, concierge services, and gift shops/newsstands. If you'd like to spend the day shopping, you can hop on the shuttle (surcharge).
Enjoy a meal at one of the hotel's dining establishments, which include 3 restaurants and a coffee shop/café. From your room, you can also access 24-hour room service. Relax with your favorite drink at a bar/lounge or a poolside bar. Breakfast is available for a fee.
Business, Other Amenities
Featured amenities include complimentary wired Internet access, a business center, and express check-in. Event facilities at this hotel consist of conference space and meeting rooms. A roundtrip airport shuttle is provided for a surcharge (available on request), and free self parking is available onsite.

subset: commoncrawl


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JUDY WOODRUFF: And we return to the U.S. for the analysis of Shields and Brooks. That's syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks.
So, let's go back to the lead story tonight, Mark, and that's the jobs report — good news, 288,000 jobs created in April. The unemployment rate is down. What does that add up to, and does it make a difference politically somehow?
MARK SHIELDS: Well, first of all, it's the 50th straight month of job creation, which is good news. There are 409,000 more jobs in the country than there were when this recession began. It took us the longest time to even return to that, some seven years, Judy.
And it's good news. There were 36,000 more jobs added than were first reported in February and March. So, in that sense, it's good news. But there are underlying, continuing problems. I mean, 35 percent of the unemployed people have been out of work for more than six months.
You have got the long — this is the highest percentage of long-term unemployed people in the history of recorded — record-keeping in this country. I mean, the last 75 years, it only reached 26 percent once, in the 1980s.
So this is a real problem. You had — the other dark figure is they had 800,000 people dropping out of the job market. And that has to be a concern. So, hold the champagne, but it is encouraging news.
JUDY WOODRUFF: So, half-full, half-empty?
DAVID BROOKS: Yes. Politically, it will take a couple of months like this and you can begin to feel some sense of confidence. And it would certainly help Democrats.
The right track — the right track/wrong track number would begin to move if they had a couple — we haven't had a couple months like this. We have had a few blips like this one, but maybe we're building some momentum, especially since this one was so broad-based.
Just as a policy matter, though, one of the things — Mark talks about the terrible drop in the labor force participation rate. I would love to see research into the psychological effects. I know it's been out there. There's a guy named Peck who did an "Atlantic Monthly" piece about a year.
And what happens psychologically to people who are so far out? Paul's piece had a little of this. You have got a gap in your resume, so that's an obvious thing. But then there are psychological effects, loss of self-confidence, loss of skills, loss of just getting up in the morning, just feelings of, what am I doing here, isolation.
So you have these devastating effects. How do we counteract those effects and what are the policy proposals to counteract those effects for what is now a pretty significant part of the population?
JUDY WOODRUFF: And — and Paul focused in — Solman — in his report, Mark, on inner-city and young people. But what the two of you are saying is that it's pervasive throughout the economy.
MARK SHIELDS: Oh, it is, and that sense of isolation from being out of work for a long time.
Unfortunately, one of the first questions Americans ask each other when they meet is, what do you do? And when you don't do something, it puts you immediately I think on the defensive and it does erode yourself self-confidence.
DAVID BROOKS: One other issue that feeds into this, in South Dakota, drugs, meth, prescription drugs. The people have nothing to do. The drugs are just growing, almost rampant out there, all around the country, and so, it all feeds into problems that are not just urban, but are just spread throughout the country.
JUDY WOODRUFF: So, for any Democrats who are out there or for the White House hoping for some…
JUDY WOODRUFF: … news away from this, the midterm elections?
MARK SHIELDS: I think it's good, Judy, in the sense that if you get two or three months like this in a row — there are essentially three factors that determine, in my judgment, what happens in a midterm election.
And it's the president's job rating, which in the latest Wall Street Journal-NBC poll this week was up from where it had been, not — he's still at 44 percent approval, underwater. But David mentioned whether the country is headed in the right direction or off on the wrong track.
JUDY WOODRUFF: Right.
MARK SHIELDS: And it's 27 percent right direction, 63 percent wrong track. Those are depressing numbers for an incumbent party.
And I really think that if you get two, three, four months in a row of good economic news, that could raise, start to change that number.
JUDY WOODRUFF: And I ask because we're just — next Tuesday launches officially the primary season. We start to see primaries in a number of states across the country.
And right now, David, the conventional wisdom is Republicans hold on to the House and they have a decent shot at taking over the Senate.
DAVID BROOKS: A 50/50 shot at the Senate.
And for the primaries, the story is how many of the people we will respectfully call crackpots are going to get nominated.
DAVID BROOKS: You have the sort of establishment Republicans and — I will be a little more respectful — some of the more Tea Party candidates, some of the political newcomers who are challenging them.
And of course the story for the last couple of cycles has been that the establishment candidates have tended to lose. And you have some candidates who are unelectable win. And so how are those, the newcomers doing this time? And I think the general trend is they're not doing as well, in part because the established candidates have moved right, defanged some of that.
MARK SHIELDS: Yes.
DAVID BROOKS: Second, because some of — they are getting much better at exposing some of the political weaknesses of the neophytes.
They're taking them very seriously. They're attacking them for attending cockfighting fights or for being involved in scandals. And political newcomers make mistakes. And so there has been a lot more pressure on them.
So it's generally looking like it's going to be a better year for some of the Republican establishment candidates.
MARK SHIELDS: Yes.
Democrats always hope that they will nominate the unelectable, the Christine O'Donnell in Delaware, the Richard Murdoch in Indiana, and to say nothing of the late, lamented Todd Akin in Missouri. Those were seats that — Sharron Angle in Nevada — those were seats that the Republicans should have won, could have won and would have won but for the flawed Republican nominees that made themselves the issue.
And that is the hope of the Democrats. The problem for the Democrats is they're defending seats in states that President Obama didn't carry. And so it's not enough just to reenergize the Obama coalition. You have got to reenergize the Obama coalition in those states, plus add to it, while holding on to those loyal the president, which makes the political job a little more difficult.
The one saving grace, Judy, is the Republican brand is the worst it's ever been. I mean, it's really — in other words, people feel less fondly and positively towards the Republicans than at any time.
DAVID BROOKS: It's sort of a mystery, that one, though, because the Republican brand is really terrible.
MARK SHIELDS: Yes.
DAVID BROOKS: On the other hand, who do you want to control Congress, it's at least even.
MARK SHIELDS: It's even.
DAVID BROOKS: Maybe the Republicans have an advantage. So, we hate them, but we may want them.
MARK SHIELDS: Yes.
JUDY WOODRUFF: Well, one of the other things the Democrats are worried about, you have to believe right now, is the administration, the president's standing on foreign policy.
David, the president comes back from his trip to Asia greeted by yet another poll showing a lot of disapproval of his handling of the economy overall and other issues, but foreign policy, and criticism from everywhere. We were going to show the cover of the latest issue of "The Economist" magazine. "What Would America Fight For?"
The questions are coming from the right. They're also coming from the left. Is this kind of criticism deserved on the part…
DAVID BROOKS: I think halfway.
I do think there's a fraying of the international order. We have an order that the nation are basically sacred. National borders, you don't invade them. We have an order that there's free trade, free movement of people. There are sort of procedures that you organize international affairs about. And we have sort of taken that for granted in the post-war world and post-Cold War world.
And I do think it's fragmenting. And when it's fragmenting, some of the wolves out there are grabbing. And so Putin is grabbing Ukraine, grabbing Crimea. The Chinese are much more aggressive in the maritime waters. Iran is much more hegemonic in the Middle East.
And so you're beginning to see the rise of regional powers. And we have not seen that. And the rise of regional powers would just be a disaster for us long-term. And so reestablishing and reasserting that international order is the job of the United States.
And has been Obama derelict about that? I would say, in some ways, he's been non-effective. He let the red lines cross in Syria. He hasn't imposed serious sanctions on Putin. But it's a much broader problem. The Republicans have definitely not helped by refusing to ratify any treaty, including some of the IMF stuff. They have let the fabric go.
And then the American public wants to withdraw, wants to pull inside. So, the U.S. is playing a less assertive role. And that fabric of procedures is fraying. And that's really bad.
JUDY WOODRUFF: And the president himself, Mark, held a news conference overseas in the last few days and talked about the criticism and said, what do they want me to do? You know, we have been in these wars and are they saying, we should do more? And they say no. Well, what should we do?
MARK SHIELDS: Yes.
You saw the president's traditional and classic cool pierced. He was upset, I think, and I think with some legitimacy, Judy. The fact is that we're operating in a reality of the last decade of this country, in the sense that the majority of Americans believing that we were deceived and misled into war in Iraq, that whatever one calls our experiences in Afghanistan and Iraq, they will not be seen as successes.
And they are not viewed that way, and, at the same time, an American people who were essentially spared any involvement in that war, any of those wars, who have just really sort of soured on American involvement in the world.
I give the president credit, quite frankly, because he's dealing in — not only in this situation, but the sanctions that David talks about are being opposed openly by many American companies right now, I mean, caterpillar and at others. Boeing is terrified — they have got 100 plane contracts — that Airbus could move in into Russia and take that, if, in fact, you didn't have a coalition with all the European countries moving at the same time.
And I think that's the only way sanctions are going to make a difference. I would say David's portrayal of the world is a little dark. I think Putin is the real outlaw. I mean, there's no question the Chinese on the islands and the Middle East is sui generis.
But as far as the rest of the world order, the 195 nations, Putin is sort of, I think, the real outlier.
DAVID BROOKS: Yes, well, I guess I disagree with that.
I think some of the failure of the Japan trade deal, that's part of a fraying. Some of the restrictions on the movement of people — we have sort of got a problem though of a death by 1,000 cuts, that there's no individual case where we should get really exercised. Like, we're not going to commit troops to Ukraine. We're not going to do anything crazy about Iran.
We're probably not going to declare any sort of moral war on China. So it's all these discrete problems, none of which individually merits this gigantic response, but collectively they can really do some damage. And so that's sort of the problem we're in.
I agree with Mark about the hangover from Iraq and Afghanistan. But I think Obama is going to do this, give some speeches where he says, OK, that's not my foreign policy, but I am going to have an assertive foreign policy.
MARK SHIELDS: And I would say, if there's been a failure of the president, who is just a great public speaker, it's been to spell out what America's mission is and what our interests are.
But I really do think, Judy, that the reality is there is not the will to go to war in this country right now. And those people who talk about it are doing so recklessly.
JUDY WOODRUFF: We hear you both.
Mark Shields, David Brooks, thank you.


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Senator Kennedy to Introduce Legislation to Deliver Justice for Victims of Child Abuse
Legislation to fix gap in law that let North Tonawanda man off with light sentence after repeat child abuse
BUFFALO, N.Y. – To protect victims of child abuse and deliver justice, Senator Timothy M. Kennedy, D-58th District, will introduce legislation to strengthen penalties against violent offenders who hurt children. Kennedy's bill will fix the gap in the law that let a violent North Tonawanda man off with a light sentence of 1⅓ to four years in prison after severely injuring two of his children.
"A gap in state law has led to an absolutely repulsive situation. A man has been handed a light sentence after committing unthinkably brutal acts of violence against his own children," Senator Kennedy said. "The judge handed down the harshest sentence she could, but it's simply not enough. This violent offender should be locked up behind bars for far longer than he will be. We need to fix state law to protect victims of child abuse and ensure justice is served."
The 1⅓-to-four-year sentence imposed was a result of the defendant, Jeremy J. Bolvin, securing a plea bargain of third-degree assault and attempted second-degree assault. Bolvin ruthlessly and repeatedly beat his infant son, leaving the boy with 11 fractured bones and epilepsy. In 2007, Bolvin was convicted of assault in the third degree after beating another one of his sons and breaking his arm.
Senator Kennedy's legislation will ensure that repeat violent offenders like Bolvin are hit with more severe penalties. Under the bill, an adult will be charged with aggravated assault upon a person less than eleven years old, if he was previously convicted of assault after hurting a child within the preceding 10 years. This measure strengthens state law by expanding the time window for an aggravated assault charge from three to 10 years.
The legislation would also amend the penal law to make aggravated assault upon a person less than eleven years old a class D felony. If, after release from prison, a third child abuse offense occurs, the aggravated assault charge will become a class B felony. A class D felony carries a maximum sentence of 7 years, while a class B felony has a maximum sentence of 25 years.
"As a father of three children, I was appalled by this case," Senator Kennedy added. "When it becomes law, our legislation will ensure that New York State does a better job of protecting children. A person who inflicts such suffering upon a child must be harshly punished for this deplorable behavior."


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South Oxhey and Rickmansworth residents can play tennis for free next month.
The event is part of the Lawn Tennis Association's Great British Tennis Weekend on Saturday July 19.
Coaches will be at the tennis courts in South Oxhey playing fields between 10am and 1pm and at Scotsbridge playing fields between 2:30pm and 5:30pm.
Ryan Watson, sports development officer at Three Rivers District Council, said: "This is a fantastic opportunity to have some great, high-quality coaching."
Book your place for free at www.greatbritishtennisweekend.com.


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Congress demands answers on delay in GM recall
At a hearing Tuesday, members of a House subcommittee demanded answers from new GM CEO Mary Barra about why the automaker used the switch in small cars such as the Chevrolet Cobalt and Saturn Ion even though it knew the part didn't meet GM's own specifications.
Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo., held up a switch for one of the cars and said a small spring inside it failed to provide enough force, causing car engines to turn off when they went over a bump.
DeGette showed how easy it was for a light set of keys to move the ignition out of the "run" position. That can cause the engine to stall and the driver to lose power steering and power brakes.
Since February, GM has recalled 2.6 million cars over the faulty switch. The automaker said new switches should be available starting April 7. Owners can ask dealers for a loaner car while waiting for the replacement part. Barra said GM has provided more than 13,000 loaner vehicles.
GM has said that in 2005 company engineers proposed solutions to the switch problem but that the automaker concluded that none represented "an acceptable business case."
"Documents provided by GM show that this unacceptable cost increase was only 57 cents," DeGette said.
In her prepared statement, Barra said she doesn't know "why it took years for a safety defect to be announced," but "we will find out."
In an exchange with Tim Rep. Murphy, R-Pa., chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Barra acknowledged that the switch didn't meet the company's own specifications.
Murphy also read from an e-mail exchange between GM employees and those at Delphi, which made the switch. One said that the Cobalt is "blowing up in their face in regards to the car turning off."
Murphy asked why, if the problem was so big, GM didn't replace all of them in cars already on the road.
"Clearly there were a lot of things happening" at that time, Barra said.
Barra repeatedly said the answer to lawmakers' questions would be part of GM's internal investigation.
In his prepared remarks, David Friedman, head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, pointed the finger at GM, saying the automaker had information last decade that could have led to a recall, but shared it only last month.
Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said GM and government regulators got complaints about the switches 10 years ago, and GM submitted reports to the agency. Upton questioned why it took so long to recall the cars.
Committee member Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., said that committee staff members found 133 warranty claims filed with GM over 10 years detailing customer complaints of sudden engine stalling when they drove over a bump or brushed keys with their knees.
The claims were filed between June 2003 and June 2012.
Waxman said that because GM didn't undertake a simple fix when it learned of the problem, "at least a dozen people have died in defective GM vehicles."
Some current GM car owners and relatives of those who died in crashes were also in Washington seeking answers. The group attended the hearing after holding a news conference demanding action against GM and stiffer legislation.
Dee-Ann Durbin reported from Detroit. Associated Press writer Marcy Gordon in Washington contributed to this report.


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Industry News
The Spine Network of California profiles orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Steven Garfin of San Diego
Dr. Garfin is a world-renowned orthopaedic surgeon specializing in the adult spine. He is Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of California, San Diego.
Dr. Garfin has a distinguished record of clinical excellence, surgical innovation, teaching and research achievements. He has been elected as one of San Diego's Physicians of Exceptional Excellence (Top Doctors) in Orthopedic Surgery by physicians in San Diego for 6 consecutive years. He has also been recognized as one of the nation's top 5% orthopedic surgeons by Best Doctor's in America®.
Dr. Garfin and his team of spine surgeons receive referrals for care from around the world.
According to Trudy Maurer, CEO of the Spine Network of California, "Spinal injuries can be among the most difficult medical ailments in modern life. The problem is compounded by stories of spine care gone wrong, leading some patients to believe that there is no end to the pain. The Spine Network exists to provide quality care above all else, and as such has assembled the premiere spinal surgeons in the state of California."
In order to join the Spine Network, each surgeon is required to have completed additional spinal fellowship training. Spine Network of California affiliated surgeons each perform more than 100 surgeries a year, which is more than any other general orthopedist in the country. "Our surgeons are among the most experienced spinal care providers in the country: most have been in practice at least ten years, and some have been practicing for more than 20 years," says Maurer. "Their advanced training and expertise make them uniquely qualified to correct the full range of spinal conditions--from the simplest injury to the most difficult failed surgery revision."
Dr. Garfin regularly trains orthopaedic surgeons, and often neurosurgeons, in spine care at UCSD. The spine fellowship is nationally recognized to be among the best in the country. His leadership in national and international spine societies has included terms as President and/or member of the Board of Directors of most national and international spine societies. Dr. Garfin has published over 260 articles, authored 120 book chapters, and edited nine books.
The Spine Network of California can facilitate appointments with highly qualified spinal surgeons who practice across California as well as Reno, NV.
For information on locating a qualified spinal surgeon, contact Trudy Maurer, CEO via email at trudyspinenetwork.com or dial 1-888-673-4575 9AM-5PM PST.
Visit the website at http://www.spinenetwork.com
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Need more advice? Ask the community a question.
I bought this TV last week. At the back has a USB port marked as "For Service Only". I know that you can get to te "service menu" and unlock the port for Multimedia use. I did it with my LG LCD 32", and I want the same for this TV.


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STANFORD, Calif. -- Jenny Jullien, Audrey Leitz and Catherine Leduc brought home singles wins and the team of Leitz and Jade Frampton advanced in doubles as the Saint Mary's women's tennis team enjoyed a successful first day at the ITA Northwest Regional at Stanford.
Seeded No. 6, Jullien earned a first round bye on Friday and played her first match of the tournament against Stanford's Lindsey Kostas under the afternoon sun. Jullien would have little trouble, scoring a 6-0, 6-2 win to advance to Saturday's round of 32. She will face Pacific's Hana Ritterova at 10 a.m.
Leitz and Leduc also found success Friday, each winning two matches to advance in the main draw. Leitz won her opener against Pacific's Gergana Boncheva 6-3, 6-1, then knocked off Portland's Saroop Dhatt 6-2, 6-1. Leitz will face Stanford's Carol Zhao on Saturday.
Leduc's strong day added to Saint Mary's win total. She would win her first match 6-2, 6-3 over Fresno State's Sofya Malysheva, then the junior from Quebec, Canada would outlast Portland's Tori Troesch 6-1, 2-6, 6-2 to advance to Saturday's round of 32 match against No. 4 seed Krista Hardebeck of Stanford.
In doubles, the team of Leitz and Jade Frampton was the only Gaels pair to play on Friday and the duo held their own, defeating San Francisco's Milica Hadzi-Tanovic and Thyra Taune 8-3. Leitz and Frampton will be one of three SMC teams in doubles action Saturday, joining the teams of Jullien and Danielle Flores and Leduc and Elizabeth Searl.
ITA Northwest Regional
First round
Jade Frampton (SMC) d. Layla Sanders (UC Davis), injury withdrawl
Catherine Leduc (SMC) d. Sofya Malysheva (Fresno State) 6-2, 6-3
Audrey Leitz (SMC) d. Gergana Boncheva (Pacific) 6-3, 6-1
Thyra Taune (San Francisco) d. Danielle Flores (SMC) 6-3, 6-1
Jennifer Cornea (Cal Poly) d. Elizabeth Searl (SMC) 6-3, 6-4
Second round
Jenny Jullien (SMC) d. Lindsey Kostas (Stanford) 6-0, 6-2
Leitz d. Saroop Dhatt (Portland) 6-2, 6-1
Leduc d. Tori Troesch (Portland) 6-1, 2-6, 6-2
Lynn Chi (Cal) d. Frampton 6-2, 6-3
First round
Leitz/Frampton d. Milica Hadzi-Tanovic/Taune (San Francisco) 8-3


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Thu Jan 3, 2013, 05:30 PM
ErikJ (6,335 posts)
Cracking the 2013 tax code. A guide to the changes wrought by the fiscal-cliff deal
Cracking the 2013 tax code
A guide to the changes wrought by the fiscal-cliff deal
By Bill Bischoff- Market Watch
Early in the morning of January 1, Congress finally got around to dealing with the tax part of the fiscal cliff drama by passing what is inaccurately named the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012. Thanks to the demise of the so-called payroll tax holiday, all workers will pay higher taxes this year, but the new law cancels federal income tax increases that would have resulted in added misery for just about everyone. The bad news is that higher-income folks will face higher rates.
Heres a detailed summary of the most-important changes for individual taxpayers.
Payroll Tax Holiday Is Dead
For 2010-2012, the Social Security tax withholding rate on your salary was temporarily reduced from the normal 6.2% to 4.2%. If youre self-employed, the Social Security tax component of the self-employment tax was reduced from the normal 12.4% to 10.4%. Last year, this so-called payroll tax holiday could have saved one person up to $2,202 or a working couple up to $4,404. Somewhat surprisingly, the new law does not extend the holiday through 2013. (For this year, the Social Security tax can hit up to $113,700 of salary or self-employment income.)
How Your Taxes Will Change in 2013
The bill approved in Congress to avert the fiscal cliff would bring the first major tax increase on high earners in 20 years. Laura Saunders breaks down how new tax increases will impact people across different tax brackets.
Rates on Ordinary Income: For most individuals, the federal income tax rates for 2013 will be the same as last year: 10%, 15%, 25%, 28%, 33%, and 35%. However, the maximum rate for higher-income folks increases to 39.6% (up from 35%). This change only affects singles with taxable income above $400,000, married joint-filing couples with income above $450,000, heads of households with income above $425,000, and married individuals who file separate returns with income above $225,000.
Rates on Long-Term Gains and Dividends: The tax rates on long-term capital gains and dividends will also remain the same as last year for most individuals. However, the maximum rate for higher-income folks increases to 20% (up from 15%). This change only affects singles with taxable income above $400,000, married joint-filing couples with income above $450,000, heads of households with income above $425,000, and married individuals who file separate returns with income above $225,000. Remember: these higher-income folks can also get socked with the new 3.8% Medicare surtax on investment income, which can result in a maximum 23.8% federal tax rate on long-term gains and dividends.
Personal and Dependent Exemption Deduction Phase-Out: The last time we saw a phase-out rule for personal and dependent exemption deductions was 2009. Sadly, the phase-out deal is back. As a result, your personal and dependent exemption write-offs can be reduced or even completely eliminated. Phase-out starts at the following adjusted gross income (AGI) thresholds: $250,000 for single filers, $300,000 for married joint-filing couples, $275,000 for heads of households, and $150,000 for married individuals who file separate returns.
Itemized Deduction Phase-Out: The last time we saw a phase-out rule for itemized deductions was also in 2009. Unfortunately, this phase-our provision is back too. As a result, you can potentially lose up to 80% of your write-offs for mortgage interest, state and local income and property taxes, and charitable contributions if your AGI exceeds the applicable threshold. The thresholds are $250,000 for single filers, $300,000 for married joint-filing couples, $275,000 for heads of households, or $150,000 for married individuals who file separate returns. More specifically, the total amount of your affected itemized deductions is reduced by 3% of the amount by which your AGI exceeds the threshold. However, the reduction cannot exceed 80% of the total affected deductions that you started off with.
Key Point: All the aforementioned changes are permanent, so we at least have the illusion of tax-regime stability until further notice.
Alternative Minimum Tax Patch Made Permanent
It had become an annual ritual for Congress to patch the AMT rules to prevent millions more households from getting socked with this add-on tax. The patch job consisted of allowing bigger AMT exemptions and allowing various personal tax credits to offset the AMT. Amazingly, the new law makes the patch permanent, starting with 2012. The change will keep about 30 million households out of the dreaded AMT zone.
Relatively Favorable Gift and Estate Tax Rules Made Permanent
For 2013 and beyond, the new law permanently installs a unified federal estate and gift tax exemption of $5 million (adjusted annually for inflation) and a 40% maximum tax rate (up from last years 35% rate). The right to leave your unused estate and gift tax exemption to your surviving spouse (the so-called exemption portability deal) was also made permanent.
Child Tax Credit Extended
The $1,000 maximum credit for each eligible under-age-17 child was extended through 2017.
Earned Income Tax Credit Extended
Legislation enacted in previous years increased the earned income credit for families with three or more qualifying children and allowed married joint-filing couples to earn more without having their credits reduced. These changes, which help lower-income families, were extended through 2017.
American Opportunity Higher Education Tax Credit Extended
The American Opportunity credit, which can be worth up to $2,500 and can be claimed for up to four years of undergraduate education, was extended through 2017.
Higher Education Tuition Deduction Extended
This write-off, which can amount to as much as $4,000 or $2,000 for higher-income folks, expired at the end of 2011. The new law retroactively restores it for 2012 and extends it through 2013.
Option to Deduct State and Local Sales Taxes Extended
In past years, individuals who paid little or no state income taxes were given the option of instead claiming an itemized deduction for state and local sales taxes. The option expired at the end of 2011, but the new law restoratively restores it for 2012 and extends it through 2013.
Charitable Donations from IRAs Extended
Tax-Free Treatment for Forgiven Principal Residence Mortgage Debt Extended
$250 Deduction for K-12 Educators Expenses Extended
The $250 deduction for teachers and other K-12 educators for school-related expenses paid out of their own pockets was retroactively restored for 2012 and extended through 2013.
$500 Energy-Efficient Home Improvement Credit Extended
In past years, taxpayers could claim a tax credit of up to $500 for certain energy-saving improvements to a principal residence. This break expired at the end of 2011, but the new law retroactively restores it for 2012 and extends it through 2013.
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Replies to this discussion thread
|3 replies
Cracking the 2013 tax code. A guide to the changes wrought by the fiscal-cliff deal (Original post)
|Jan 2013
|Jan 2013
|Jan 2013
|Jan 2013
Response to ErikJ (Original post)
Thu Jan 3, 2013, 05:37 PM
elleng (78,805 posts)
1. Thanks; we need this.
Response to ErikJ (Original post)
Thu Jan 3, 2013, 05:43 PM
Cary (7,560 posts)
2. I am ambivalent about the tax holiday
On the one hand giving people extra money during a depression is always good. On the other hand the lower Social Security revenue gives ammunition to the forces who want to destroy Social Security.
I think the estate and gift taxes should be re-worked to as they were originally, with an actual graduated tax rate. As the raised the exemption amount those rates went a way and it jumped right up to the maximum rate which was damn near confiscatory. I don't believe that these taxes ever yielded much revenue, relatively speaking. However our nation was a reaction against inherited wealth and privilege.
Allegedly uber patriotic "conservatives" never seem to understand that.
Response to ErikJ (Original post)
Thu Jan 3, 2013, 06:55 PM
LWolf (46,021 posts)
3. $250 Deduction for K-12 Educators Expenses
For the last 2+ decades, the only years I've spent less than $1000 of my own money would be the last 4; paycuts for me = spending cuts for the classroom. The last 4 years averaged about $750. The previous 20 or so averaged about $1500 per year.
Thanks for that $250.


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Business planning is essential to small-to-medium-sized businesses, depending on the company's long-term growth goals.
In the fourth and final part of the business edition of our video series with Exact, two SME owners told AccountingWEB about their views on business planning.
"I haven't done a great job of picking the best adviser over the last few years," said Pat Wood, owner of online t-shirt firm TruffleShuffle.
"Our accountant has never offered me a business planning service - if we needed anything like that we did it ourselves."
Wood's business is currently expanding into the global market through online marketplaces such as Amazon.
His goals for his company are...
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Fall of Leaves by Stephanie Hogendoorn
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© eccentrica
© imni
© leeduck
© lindseyguajardo
© JellybeanInc
© lyonesset
Fall of Leaves
This pattern is available as a free Ravelry download
Fall of Leaves is a top-down construction shawl that should be moderately difficult for knitters experienced with lace knitting. For knitters with little to no experience with lace knitting it is likely to be more than moderately difficult, due to asymmetrical pattern repeats and the common use of double-decreases. This pattern comes with full written instructions and is also fully charted.
Note: This second version of the pattern includes updates and corrections. Thank you to those knitters who found these errors.
Also, I used the complete skein for this pattern. Due to the number of people who've had not quite enough yarn to finish the shawl, I would recommend using a skein that's at least 420-450 yards.


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TOKYO – The world economy is struggling. The single currency is fettering, not freeing, the eurozone; Japan is smarting from the slowdown of America's normalization of monetary policy; and emerging markets worldwide are suffering the consequences of China's economic mismanagement. But adverse global conditions, however troubling, should not lead central bankers to neglect the risks of untested policies – above all the "helicopter drops" that many are now proposing.
Conceived in 1969 by Milton Friedman as part of a thought experiment – not an actual proposal – helicopter drops got their name from the fantastic vision of fresh money being scattered from a helicopter whirring overheard. But the point of helicopter drops – or what former US Fed Chair Ben Bernanke recently called a "money-financed fiscal program" (MFFP) – is simply to distribute newly printed cash directly to consumers, such as through tax rebates.
Over the last half-century, central bankers have repeatedly ruled out the use of MFFP. But in the current environment of persistently weak aggregate demand, below-target inflation, and slow or no output growth, economists worldwide have been desperately seeking deus ex machina – a search that, for some, has led to the heliport.
Among the most prominent advocates of MFFP is Adair Turner, whose latest book, Between Debt and the Devil, provides an insightful thought experiment on the use of helicopter money. Turner and his fellow MFFP advocates seem to believe that placing more money in the hands of the public is practically always welcome. In their view, it is not only a straightforward way instantly to boost real demand; it also seems preferable to debt-financed fiscal stimulus, owing both to political constraints on debt-burdened governments and to MFFP's more direct – and thus faster – impact on economy-wide spending.


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Screens: A Screen-Saver Manager
- Screens: A Screen-Saver Manager
- Screens: Download It Here
Screen-Saver Miscellany
Controlling screen savers programmatically requires the use of quite a few specialized API functions, and there are some surprises along the way. We'll hit a few of the high points so you don't have to learn the hard way.
A screen saver has two executable sections in it: a configuration dialog and the actual screen saver. When the screen saver is invoked with /C or -C on the command line or with nothing on the command line, the configuration dialog is invoked. When the command line switch /S or -S is used, the screen saver itself is launched. In Screens, pressing Preview launches the highlighted screen saver with the /S switch, and pressing Settings launches it with the /C switch.
The ShellExecute function can't be used to launch the screen saver, because this function always invokes preview mode, regardless of the command line switch. ShellExecute seems to include some special-case code for screen savers. The solution that I found is simple--Screens calls the screen saver using the antique WinExec function, carried over from Windows 3.x. Another solution would have been to launch the screen saver using the Win32 function CreateProcess, but this seemed unduly complicated.
There are other oddities as well. For example, you'd think Windows 95 would refer to the current screen saver using long filenames. You'd be wrong! The current screen saver is defined by the SCRNSAVE.EXE= entry in the [Boot] section of SYSTEM.INI, and it must be stored using a short filename. Screens uses the handy API function GetShortPathName to convert the selected screen-saver name before storing the file in SYSTEM.INI.
Any time your programs need to get or set system information, chances are good you'll wind up using the Windows API function SystemParametersInfo. Screens uses this function to enable and disable the screen saver, check whether the screen saver is enabled, and get or set the screen-saver time-out delay. SystemParamatersInfo takes four parameters:
uiAction defines the desired action
uiParam varies depending on the action
pvParam varies depending on the action
fWinIni defines how a SET action will be communicated to the system
That last parameter deserves further explanation. When SystemParametersInfo changes one of the system parameters, the change takes place immediately. However, programs that are already running may still be using the old value. Also, if the parameter in question is initialized through WIN.INI, it will be restored to its old value the next time Windows restarts. Two flag values for the fWinIni parameter prevent these two problems. The SPIF_UPDATEINIFILE flag causes SystemParametersInfo to record the parameter change in WIN.INI, if indeed the parameter value is stored there. And the SPIF_SENDWININICHANGE flag causes SystemParametersInfo to broadcast a WM_WININICHANGE message to all top-level windows, giving them the opportunity to obtain and use the new parameter value. Any time Screens calls this function to set new values for system parameters, the utility includes both of these flags.
In most cases, a SystemParametersInfo call that sets a new value will pass the value in
SystemParametersInfo(SPI_SETSCREEN-SAVEACTIVE, 0, nil, SPIF_UPDATEINI-FILE OR SPIF_SENDWININICHANGE);
To reenable screen-saver activity, it uses this call:
SystemParametersInfo(SPI_SETSCREEN-SAVEACTIVE, 1, nil, SPIF_UPDATE-INIFILE OR SPIF_SENDWININICHANGE);
If you're not already familiar with SystemParametersInfo, look it up in the Windows help. You'll be amazed by the number of different parameters it can query and change!


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A woman in her 40s is in a critical condition in hospital after a single vehicle crash on the Gold Coast early Sunday.
Rescue crews had to cut the woman free from the wreckage of the car after it left Ferry Road in Southport and smashed into a power pole shortly after 5am.
A Queensland Ambulance Service spokeswoman said the woman was unconscious when paramedics arrived.
She was rushed to Gold Coast University Hospital, after being freed from the wreckage.
Southbound lanes of Ferry Road remain closed from the intersection of Benowa Road as investigations into the crash continue.


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Business leaders gather at Project NZ to create a big shift
Business leaders gather at Project NZ to create a big shift
The opportunity to take part in master classes with world-leading experts in business transformation is one of the highlights of the Sustainable Business Network's national conference, Project NZ: #theBIGshift.
SBN today announced its line-up of speakers for the two-day conference, which will take place at AUT Business School in Auckland from 17-18 September.
The keynote speaker is Stephanie Draper, the architect of #theBIGshift, which is a new approach to business innovation that is being used by global brands such as Nike, Unilever and Marks & Spencer.
Deputy CEO of Forum for the Future, the UK based organisation that created #theBIGshift approach, Stephanie is coming to the conference to launch the campaign here in New Zealand.
"Stephanie Draper is the perfect person to be launching theBIGshift at the conference in September. She leads Forum for the Future's change work and is very used to focusing on system-wide projects and in bringing together diverse groups of players to address those really challenging issues," says Rachel Brown, CEO of the Sustainable Business Network.
"We've carefully timed this event so that it fits in with the work we are doing with our members. Stephanie has a number of roles to play through the conference, to progress this work," she says.
There will be opportunities to ask Stephanie and the other speakers' questions in Hot Spot Conversations, and as part of the master classes.
The conference speakers include seasoned New Zealand experts as well as up-and-coming entrepreneurs and innovators. The line-up includes:
• Derek Handley, who was Founding CEO and now
Entrepreneur in Residence at the B
• Bernard Hickey (conference moderator), independent economic and financial commentator;
• Jacqueline Ireland, CEO, Colmar Brunton;
• Mike Bennetts, CEO, Z Energy;
• Nick Astwick, Chief Operating Officer, Kiwibank;
• Barbara Nebel, Managing Director, PE International;
• Rob Donzé, Managing Director, Inzide Commercial;
• Alex Hannant, Chief Executive, Akina Foundation;
• Vivien Maidaborn, co-Founder, Loomio;
• Rachel Taulelei, Founder and Managing Director, Yellow Brick Road;
• Sudhvir Singh, Direction Setter, Generation Zero;
and many more.
Project NZ will include entertainment, master classes, TEDx style talks, panel discussions, workshops and hot spot conversations; amidst a range of choices, giving you the opportunity to tailor your conference experience.
Explore the progress of Sustainable Business Network's four work streams, identified as being critical to New Zealand business, where we are adopting #theBIGshift approach: smart transport, embedding social value into business models, the circular economy, and restoring New Zealand's food systems.
Click here to read the full programme.
Further information about Project NZ: #theBIGshift is available by clicking here.


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No, she did not get me a kitten friend! But she did get me something else from the cat show.
Sunday Catinee: Bouncing Off the Walls
Can a cat bouncing off the walls be the picture of grace and beauty? Yes, if he is filmed in slow motion!
Featuring Summer, Therapy Cat and Kitty on the Go
By: Sparkle Cat55 Comments
By: Sparkle Cat31 Comments
By: Sparkle Cat48 Comments


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Listen to free music by Andreas öberg
Blip.fm is internet radio made social. It's easy to search for, play, and discover free music recommended by real people. Join today to create your own free station.
fridayschild I'm crazy 'boutcha, baby! @DoctorOfJazz
Andreas Öberg – Maniac ~ღ~ (fridayschild)| play
HoneyB1DC smooches Morng BLIPEOPL....wakeup
Andreas Öberg – All god's chilluns' got rhythm| play
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Bursaries for young breeders to improve skills
Four young horse breeders in Britain have been awarded grants to enable them to attend breeding events and to expand their knowledge and skills.
A generous donation made to the charity the British Horse Foundation by the Elise Pilkington Charitable Trust has been earmarked for four recipients, who are members of the British Young Breeders' (BYB) programme, to use during 2014.
Selected when they took part in the training and competition for the 2013 International Young Breeders' (IYB) Championships in Bollerup, Sweden, these young people will be using the funds to attend a range of events across the UK and Europe, enabling them to build on their successes. Where they are still within the eligible age brackets, they will also be seeking squad selection to represent British World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses studbooks at the next International Young Breeders' Championships at Hartpury College in 2015.
The bursaries made available by the Elise Pilkington Charitable Trust mean that British young breeders can, for the first time, benefit from real investment in the future, bringing them more in line with their continental counterparts. With British bred horses having experienced some high profile successes in the last few years, it is important that investment enables this to continue and helps to shore up the future of British breeding.
Recipient of the senior bursary is Rebecca White who was individual fourth at the IYB Championships, and the junior bursary goes to Rosie Bown who was the top scoring junior, in spite of having joined the programme late in the day.
Additional bursaries are also awarded to Felicity Aldridge-Newman and Stena Hoerner for their commitment to the young breeders' programme and their overall performance in Sweden.
British Young Breeders (BYB) is open to anyone aged 15-25 who is involved with the breeding of sport horses and ponies, including riders, students and stud employees. BYB provides training in the theory and practice of sport horse breeding as well as developing a lively social network.
The Elise Pilkington Charitable Trust looks to help educate young people in the importance of responsible breeding in order to reduce indiscriminate breeding and welfare cases. In educating young people, Mrs Pilkington's Trustees hope to be able to encourage responsible breeding in future generations by supporting training in breeding better horses with good temperament and conformation, suited to the purposes for which they are needed.
The British Horse Foundation is a Charity which was founded in 1991 to promote education in the breeding of horses and ponies and help prevent unnecessary suffering to them by cruelty. The Trustees, chaired by Richard Meade OBE, believe that the best way to avoid cruelty to horses and their being abandoned or neglected is through the introduction of programmes to educate and inform on ways of producing horses and ponies with a higher worth.
Bursary recipients:
Rebecca White: 22 years old, from Lutterworth in Leicestershire. Becca is a graduate in Equine Science from Writtle College in Essex and works full time as a PA/Stud Secretary at the Woodlander Stud in Northamptonshire. Becca took 4th place individually in the Senior section of the 2013 International Young Breeders Championships. This is the highest ranking ever at the Championships for a British competitor.
Rosie Bown: 21 years old, from Norwell in Nottinghamshire. Rosie is currently studying for a BSc (hons) in Equine Breeding and Stud Management at Writtle College in Essex. Rosie took 44th place individually in the Junior section of the 2013 International Young Breeders Championships.
Stena Hoerner: 21 years old from Conwy in Wales. Stena is in her second year studying German and Dutch at Sheffield University.
Felicity Aldridge-Newman: 18 years old from Towcester in Northants. Felicity is currently studying for AS Levels and combining this with breeding and bringing on horses.


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Reward significant student achievement or recognize employees and co-workers with a customized, colorful certificate. These certificate templates look best when printed on color printers.Download Instructions
Big Idea Award - New!
Creative Genius Award - New!
Positive Attitude Award - New!
Super Star Award - New!
Great Teammate Award - New!
Apple Certificate
Recognition Certificate
Bookworm Diploma
Bulldog Diploma
Photo Certificate
Ribbon Certificate
Award of Excellence 1
Award of Excellence 2
Thank You Certificate
Certificate of Completion


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A Treat For All You Bakers & Home-Cooks!
They have arrived!!! The gorgeous new Brighton Oven Mitts!
Stylish, safe and sensible! White on black images, safe to use and generously sized, this oven glove ticks all the right boxes.
Original fine-line drawings of Brighton icons are screen-printed in the UK onto this black cotton oven mitt. Conforming to British standards, this oven glove is washable, heat resistant and large enough for most hands.
The black and white design makes it a suitable accessory for most kitchens and its reversible design also makes it suitable for left-handed cooks!
Perfect as a gift or to use at home, you can find these gorgeous oven mitts in the shop for just £16 with free delivery. What are you waiting for???
Happy Shopping!


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MegaGear Neoprene Camera Case for Sony RX100M (Black)
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- The MegaGear MG085 Camera Case protects your Sony Rx100 camera from scratches, dirt, and accidental bumps. Made of high-quality neoprene, this compact case is extremely durable, capable of withstanding shocks and damages. Its inner softer material safeguards the camera's LCD screen from scrapes. Lightweight and portable, this case shields your photography gear from inclement weather conditions while travelling.
- Suitable for Sony DSC-RX100M II, DSC-RX100 III
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- Released: Jan 1, 1976
- Sound: 9
- Lyrics: 9
- Overall Impression: 9
Users' score:
(8 votes)
Sound — 9
Blondie's first self titled album I have to start off by saying that it is a good album, but not as great as their future albums would be. The sound of the music gives off the feeling of 50's 60's pop-rock with the blend of their own personal take on music as well as the inspiration from bands such as the Doors, Iggy Pop, and David Bowie. In many documentaries it is said that Blondie was a pioneer of the New York punk scene. The band took form in the early 70's when the guitarist and soon to be boyfriend, Chris Stein, met Debbie Harry in a New York music club. The band's original line-up was Debbie Harry on vocals, Chris Stein on guitar, Jimmy Destri on Keyboards, Clem Burke on Drums, and Gary Valentine on guitar; the bass would be traded between Chris and Gary. This album was recorded in August-September of 1976 and released in early 1977. Debbie's beauty, aside from the great music, would help elevate them to be one of the most popular bands the world had ever seen.
Lyrics — 9
The lyrics are well matched with what's going on musically and that comes off really well when listening to each individual song. For example in the song In the Flesh you get that sweet tender feeling from the lyrics while the music has this soft beat to it. In the Flesh would also be their first ever hit in Australia. Then you have In the Sun which is this happy 60's sounding surf song. There's also this great track called X-Offender that was originally called sex-offender but changed because radio wouldn't allow it. Deborah Harry in my opinion is the most gorgeous front woman ever; blessed with this beautiful unique voice that can make you fall easily in love with her.
Overall Impression — 9
Blondie is one and only it's other bands that are compared to them, especially if that other band has a woman singing for them. The standout tracks for this album are X-Offender, Little Girl Lies, Look Good in Blue, In the Sun, Kung-Fu Girls, and the funny sounding track The Attack of the Giant Ants. I don't hate anything on this album only that some songs tend to be a tad slow and that the lyrics aren't included on the booklet of the 2001 re-release of the album. Overall it's a must have for any Blondie fan and if you're skeptical about listening to band called Blondie just forget about the name and listen to them. Though if you've never bought one of their records before I recommend getting Parallel Lines or Eat to the Beat first. If it were stolen or lost what do you think I'd do? Buy it again of course!


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Associate Director - Financial Services
- Recruiter
- Peter Childs
- Location
- London
- Salary
- c £65,000 + bens
- Posted
- 01 Feb 2013
- Closes
- 01 Mar 2013
- Ref
- Sector
- Financial Services
- Function
- Account Director, Associate Director
- Discipline
- Corporate Communications, Press / Media Relations
- Hours
- Full Time
- Contract Type
- Permanent
Associate Director
Financial Services / Corporate
c £65,000 + bens
This full service agency, a leader in the field of reputation management, renowned for the high quality of its people and its prestigious client list is looking for a talented Associate Director to join its financial services team.
Incorporating the full breadth of proactive corporate communications and issues management, media relations, both traditional and digital, will be a core activity but with wider stakeholder engagement and analyst relations too.
A background in financial journalism would be ideal and you'll bring sound knowledge of the financial services industry including awareness of policy and regulatory issues, a passion for the media and the digital landscape, and strong writing, presentation and creative thinking skills.


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Former Kennet District Council chief executive Mark Boden has landed a similar job with the Shetland Islands Council less than a year after being made redundant from Wiltshire Council.
His £130,000 a year job as corporate director of operations with Wiltshire Council was made redundant along with the county's chief executive Andrew Kerr last December as Wiltshire councillors decided to lose jobs at the top to help it reduce its budget.
On Tuesday the Shetland Islands Council confirmed that Mr Boden, formerly a Territorial Army officer during his ten years at Kennet, had beaten five other candidates to take charge of Scotland's wealthiest per capita local authority which is currently going through traumatic change as it strives to slash spending by around 25 per cent.
The 54-year-old who was born and brought up in South Wales is a trained lawyer whose local government career began in 1980 at Oxford County Council and subsequently included both rural and urban authorities.
He rose to become chief executive for ten years at Kennet District Council which won the accolade of being one the lowest-cost councils in England.
In 2009 Mr Boden became heavily involved in creating the new single unitary authority which has replaced all five of the predecessor district councils in Wiltshire with Swindon remaining an independent unitary council.
Shetland Islands Council convenor Malcolm Bell said: "He is an experienced chief executive who has experienced successful change management, and someone who frankly had done his homework and was able to convince us that he would do the job required of him."
The cuts forced on Wiltshire were similar to those faced by the SIC, with more than ten per cent of its budget being slashed in a single year. Mr Boden lost his job in Wiltshire when the senior management was reduced from five to three.
Over the last ten months Mr Boden has undertaken some voluntary work and helped set up a charity for apprenticeships before deciding to look for a new opening in local government.
He said: "I restricted my search to things that appealed and to be honest the job in Shetland appealed more than anything. Most jobs tick a few boxes, but Shetland ticks loads.
"It's a fabulous place with lovely people and there's lots of opportunities for the islands in terms of gas, renewable energy, decommissioning, superfast broadband…all sorts of interesting things where you could make a real difference.
"I wanted to get this right. I did my research and the more I read the more I liked. I don't want to be a fly by night, this is a long term commitment for me."
Mr Boden is married with a grown up son and expects to start his new £97,000 a year job in early October.
He replaces interim chief executive Alistair Buchan who returns to lead Orkney Islands Council after spending the past two years implementing an improvement programme in Shetland following a damning report by local government watchdog The Accounts Commission in 2010.


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East Coast House PlansDecember 13th, 2010
When you order your coastal home blueprints they are shipped directly from the home designer. The East Coast and English Cottage Home Plans. The East Coast was once rich in timber and other natural resources, and this style in the region reflects this fact. Tour three beach homes, ready to be converted into a two-family design. Beach House Chic (video 04:03) Create an easy East Coast beach look with help from Redesign. This is the best picture of modern wood house design with contemporary interior decorating in East Coast of the Coromandel Peninsula. sophistication of a quiet, East coast beach home.
East Coast House Plans
- Cape Cape Cod design is heavily influenced by the sea, boats and the classic elegance of East coast beach towns.
- Take a room-by-room tour of our East Beach Idea House in Norfolk, Virginia for pretty decorating ideas and smart design finds.
- is a Modular Home Builder with a large selection of modular housing plans.
- quot;In three and a half hours we had the plans for this house" says Mrs. Young.
- Homearama home to be built in East beach for Fall 2012 Home Show.
- Welcome to East Coast Research & Development specializing in custom product design, control systems, and innovation.
More information about East Coast House Plans on the site: http://interiorphoto.sg


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Johannesburg - On February 16 last year, Darren Fresco changed his profile picture to one of his friend Reeva Steenkamp and his new wife, Beatrix.
It is clear from Fresco's page he misses his friend and still mourns a great loss.
Fresco was not in the country when he learnt of Steenkamp's death.
"I have been sitting here in London in a complete and utter state of disbelief. It's as if we were just goofing off the other day talking to each other in only the way that we could to each other," he wrote in memory of his friend.
"My heart is on the verge of exploding with the pain of such a sudden loss of one of my best friends. The tears have been building and subsiding throughout the entire day".
This week, he made over a dozen new Facebook friends – some from as far afield as Germany – after he testified in the North Gauteng High Court.
Fresco was a good friend of murder accused Oscar Pistorius and his girlfriend Steenkamp. He and Pistorius had interacted regularly on Twitter before the Valentine's Day shooting last year.
Steenkamp and Pistorius attended Fresco's engagement party in January last year, where the three posed for several happy snaps.
But judging by the lack of communication between the two since then and the fact that Fresco referred to Pistorius as "the accused" and not by name, the friendship is over.
Fresco testified how the athlete had reacted angrily when a metro police officer picked up his firearm after the pair and Pistorius's ex-girlfriend Samantha Tayor were pulled over.
He also described a shooting incident at a restaurant when a gun went off under a table causing damage to the floor and minor injury to a friend. Fresco said Pistorius tried to avoid responsibility.
"Instantly he passed the weapon back to me, under the table, and he said: 'Please, there's too much media hype around me at the moment, please can you take the rap?' Being a friend I said I would, with pleasure."
This week, Fresco received many messages of support after his testimony.
"You did amazingly well on the stand. Now, just as then, you were a good friend to both parties involved.
"Just remember, there comes a time in everyone's life, that we realise, unless we look out for ourselves and our loved ones, no one else will.
"Good on you for telling the truth, and not being able to remember everything. You impressed me by staying focused, being strong and not letting (defence advocate Barry) Roux rattle your case," read one message.
A new friend from Germany wrote: "So so sad for all of you. And I was thinking about your braveness. What does it take to stick to true facts and, in this case, to be against a good friend. You did a great and surely painful job." - The Saturday Star


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Discussions about eggcorns and related topics
You are not logged in.
Registrations were closed for a long time because of forum spam, but I have re-opened them on a trial basis.
The forum administrator (chris dot waigl at gmail dot com) reserves the right to request users to plausibly demonstrate that they are real people with an interest in the topic of eggcorns. Otherwise they may be removed with no further justification. Likewise, accounts that have not been used for posting may be removed.
Thanks for your understanding.
Chris -- 2015-05-30
The adjective "sterling," when used figuratively, can mean sound, excellent, worthy. It was coined (yes, pun intended) from the bankable British sterling penny.
Since the figurative use of the word "sterling" appeared in the seventeenth century, it has enjoyed a sterling career. Most notable, perhaps, is in the "sterling lad" mentioned in A. E. Housman's sterling poem "Terrence, this is stupid [i.e.,non-sterling] stuff" (A poem that, if you have forgotten its other sterling qualities, you may remember as the source of the sterling couplet "And malt does more than Milton can / To justify God's ways to man.")
There is a tendency to spell "sterling" as "stirling." Does this indicate a subtle importation of the semantics of "stir?" Hard to say. The misspelling frequency doesn't rise much above the background level of orthographical noise. The alteration of "sterling" to "stirring," however, seems unlikely without "stir" poking its head around the corner to urge the change, saying "if something is commendable it has the power to stir feelings."
We can most readily detect the switch in the transformations of the semifrozen idioms "sterling credentials," "sterling reputation," and "sterling qualities." A few of the many examples on the web:
: "The way you write can have a lot of bearing about how your credibility is perceived. Even with the most stirring credentials, if your writing sucks, readers will find it hard to give you their trust."
: "London has a stirring reputation as the culture capital of the world."
: "While stamp collecting has never enjoyed a particularly glamorous or stirring reputation, aficionados are said to number in the millions,"
: "Mr. Roberts is a man of stirring qualities and has wrought here with energy accomplishing very much in fostering the settlement and upbuilding of Douglas county"
Last edited by kem (2011-12-01 21:43:11)
Hatching new language, one eggcorn at a time.
Wow! I would just have thought that these writers meant "stirring". I can see, though, that these really are eggcorns.
"I always wanted to be somebody. I should have been more specific." – Lily Tomlin
Excellent one. The new image is pretty funny. The last example is too much.


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Laurel Harris, Kara Lindsay & Gene Weygandt to Join WICKED's Second National Tour in April
The company of the second North American tour of Wicked will welcome Laurel Harris as Elphaba, Kara Lindsay as Glinda and Gene Weygandt as the Wizard beginning Wednesday, April 2 in Fresno, CA.
Harris returns to Wicked after touring with the show for the past three years. She was most recently the Standby for Elphaba on the 1st North American Tour. She was seen on Broadway in the recent revival of Evita as the Eva understudy and in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Regionally, she has appeared in Annie (Star to Be).
Lindsay originated the role of Katherine in the Broadway production of Newsies. She toured with Little House on the Prairie as Laura. Paper Mill Playhouse: Newsies and Little House on the Prairie. Other credits include: Kansas City Starlight's Cinderella (Cinderella), Kansas City Rep's Cabaret (Sally Bowles), 5th Avenue's Lone Star Love (Miss Anne Page) and Geva Theater's A Christmas Carol (Belle).
Weygandt has previously played the Wizard in Wicked on Broadway and on tour. He has also appeared on Broadway in big: The Musical. TV and Film credits include The Birdcage, The Babe, "Mind Games," "Chicago Fire," "Boss," "Betrayal," "The Beast," "Cybil," "Home Improvement," "Murphy Brown," "Drew Carey," "Ellen," "Coach," "USA High."
Harris, Lindsay and Weygandt join a cast that includes Kathy Fitzgerald as Madame Morrible.
The company also features Emily Behny (Nessarose), John Hillner (Dr. Dillamond), Matt Shingledecker (Fiyero), Lee Slobotkin (Boq) and Alyssa Fox (Standby for Elphaba) with Kerry Blanchard, Jane Brockman, Lindsey Brett Carothers, Bridie Carroll, Antonette Cohen, Haley Ann Dorling, Michael Drolet, Peter C. Ermides, Ryan Patrick Farrell, Kelly D. Felthous, Natalie Fotopoulos, Lauren Haughton, Zach Hensler, Joel Ingram, Ryan Jackson, Becca Kloha, Amy Quanbeck, Jay Reynolds Jr., Wayne Schroder, Jonathan Shew, Mark Shunkey, Madeline Trumble, Nicky Venditti and Justin Wirick.
Harris, Lindsay and Weygandt will join Wicked in conjunction with the tour's opening in Fresno, CA. Wicked will play April 2-13 at the Saroyan Theatre. Tickets are available at the Convention Center box office, Ticketmaster.com/wicked, by calling 800.745.3000 and at all Ticketmaster outlets.
With music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (Pippin, Godspell, Academy Award-winner for Pocahontas and The Prince of Egypt) and book by Winnie Holzman ("My So Called Life," "Once And Again" and "thirtysomething"), Wicked, the untold story of the witches of Oz, is directed by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello (Take Me Out, Love! Valour! Compassion!, The Vagina Monologues) and features musical staging by Tony Award winner Wayne Cilento (Aida, The Who's Tommy, How To Succeed...).
Based on the best-selling 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire, Wicked, winner of over 50 major awards, including a Grammy and three Tony Awards, is the untold story of the witches of Oz. It is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.
WICKED has been declared "A Cultural Phenomenon" by Variety and "The Best Musical of the Decade" by Entertainment Weekly. Wicked currently has nine productions around the world, in New York, London, Japan (Tokyo), Australia, Asian Tour (Manila), South Korea (Seoul), Latin America (Mexico City), a U.K. Tour (Dublin), and two concurrent North American National Tours. Since its New York premiere a decade ago, Wicked has grossed over $3.2 billion worldwide and has been seen by over 40 million across the globe. Wicked has been performed in over 100 cities in 13 countries around the world (U.S., Canada, England, Ireland, Japan, Germany, Holland, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, The Philippines, and Mexico) and has thus far been translated into five languages: Japanese, German, Dutch, Spanish, and Korean.
Grammy Award-Winning Cast recording available on Decca Broadway. For more information about Wicked log on to www.wickedthemusical.com.


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low income families Archives
Obama and Cox partner to bridge digital divide
President Barack Obama unveiled ConnectALL, an initiative to help Americans from across the country, at every income level, get online and have the tools to take full advantage of the Internet. As part of the Wednesday announcement, Cox Communications was recognized for new investments it is making in Connect2Compete, its discounted Internet service program for low-income K-12 families.… Read More →
Mesa Schools, Cox Begin Pilot Program
Cox has announced the continuation of its participation in Connect2Compete for two more years and pledged $15 million in support of broadband adoption initiatives through 2016. The broadband adoption program offers discounted high speed Internet service to low-income families with children who qualify for the National School Lunch Program. Locally, Cox Arizona also announced a… Read More →
Avnet Express Donates Chevrolet Volt To Chances For Children
Approximately 17 percent of American children between the ages of two and 19 are obese, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention figures indicate — and those numbers climb even higher for children in low income families. Arizona-based charity Chances for Children works to give children in low-income families a chance at a healthier lifestyle —… Read More →


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Today's Real Wedding features the wedding of Aileen and Jason, which took place at Historic Jordan Springs in Winchester, Virginia. Our Vintage Print invitations were the perfect choice for a fall wedding set in the Virginia countryside. Instead of a traditional wedding cake, the couple had fresh, hot cider donuts along with a whimsical cart for the guests to enjoy. We just love the beautiful harvest hues used in the wedding as well as the charming caramel and candied apple favors. Here are some beautiful photos of the event, courtesy of Terra Dawn Photography.
Aileen + Jason


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The filing of an assumed name does not provide a user with exclusive rights to that name. The filing is required for consumer protection in order to enable consumers to be able to identify the true owner of a business.
1. List the exact assumed name under which the business is or will be conducted: Laketown Chocolates.
2. Principal place of business (a P.O. Box by itself is not acceptable): 141 West 1st Street, Suite 2, Waconia, MN 55387 USA.
3. List the name and complete street address of all persons conducting business under the above Assumed Name, OR if an entity, provide the legal corporate, LLC, or Limited Partnership name and registered office address: Custom Chocolate, LLC, 141 West 1st Street, Suite 2, Waconia, MN 55387.
4. I, the undersigned, certify that I am signing this document as the person whose signature is required, or as agent of the person(s) whose signature would be required who has authorized me to sign this document on his/her behalf, or in both capacities. I further certify that I have completed all required field, and that the information in this document is true and correct and in compliance with the applicable chapter of Minnesota Statutes. I understand that by signing this document I am subject to the penalties of perjury as set forth in Minnesota Statutes section 609.48 as if I had signed this document under oath.
Larry J. Wilhelm, President
5/23/2012 Date
Larry Wilhelm, Contact Person
(952) 442-1208
(Published in The Waconia Patriot May 31 and June 7, 2012)


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St Mary at Hill
From £850,000
A select and prestigious development comprising of 10 interior designed 1 & 2 bedroom apartments, finished to bespoke, highly refined specifications, located in the heart of the City of London. Read more →
The Bond
From $432,900
The Bond at Brickell is the first new condominium to be developed on Brickell Avenue since Miami's last real estate cycle. The 44-story luxury tower will be home to 323 residences that will attract residents from throughout the Americas and around the world. Inspired by the best of classic British elegance and appointed with modern day amenities, The Bond introduces a new standard of luxury living to the Brickell Financial District. Read more →
Clay Street
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Introducing a new collection of five beautiful townhouses in the heart of Marylebone, London. Each house provides four floors of luxurious and bespoke finishes and a private garage. Read more →
The Fitzrovia Apartments
The Fitzrovia apartments is a luxury new development on Bolsover Street with a range of high quality apartments in close proximity to Great Portland Street tube station. The first phase of 26 apartments has now been completed with only a few apartments remaining. Early viewing is highly recommended. Read more →


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Melophone. International Calling Cards.
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Oratel Networks: Telecommunications Company
Oratel Networks is a full service telecommunications service provider offering prepaid long-distance phone cards; VoIP service provider; broadband phone services for your residence or business,...
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Incorporated in Tennessee in 1995 and is now recognized worldwide as an innovator in satellite communications. We sell and rent Iridium, Globalstar, Thuraya, and Inmarsat satellite phones.
Outsourcing Call Center Company in India.
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No Longer Prohibited in Staten Island
Former Retreat for Anti-Alcohol Movement Retains Atmosphere of Oasis
More than 120 years ago, members of a national temperance organization bought land on Staten Island to create a summer retreat for their movement. The area, a onetime center of the antialcohol cause, gradually shifted from a resort community organized around Prohibition to a traditional neighborhood.
Now known as Westerleigh—a name derived from the Westerleigh Collegiate Institute of Staten Island, once nearby—the community no longer promotes temperance, but it retains the atmosphere of an oasis, with a close-knit...