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my first AK
so.. I've had my eye on a wasr Romanian mil surp AK-47. After tax I would pay around $650 is that a good price? is there anything i should look for that says its a bad rifle and should seek another AK? i looked it over and it seems fine but im used to ar's and eastern block weapons are so different to me i could easly miss somthing or get screwed into getting a garbage rifle. I just want to make an educated purchase and not waste my cash on a bad gun (not saying ak's are bad just this particular one.)
I'm not sure what kind of WASR you are looking at, but, for what it is worth, I recently took advantage of this package deal, and could not be more pleased:
Nice carrying case.
FOUR magazines.
Even safety glasses and ear plug!
Oh, yes, a sling.
For $500.
Classic Arms is a decent place. $650 seems a little high.
hey thank you for the link. the deal looks good and affordable. i just hit another snag.. i found out that ak's are illegal where i live. but i cant find anything recent that states a ban is still in effect. i live in cook county illinois. toss me a link if anyone finds something directly from the local gov. i can only find people stating partial lists of banned weapons.
I have a friend that is primaraly an AK dealer in IL. Check em out
Luke Williams
Circle 10AK
Website isnt up to date, so I'd give him a call.
Man get out of Crook county quick. Best of luck.
yeah i know the law are horrible poorly worded and arbitrary.
Dang...sorry, bro.
You should check for a canted front sight. That is a common issue with wasr 10. Here in jax fl. they go for
$500-$550 in the LGS.
Some People Talk badly about them but, ive never seen another combat rifle for as little $$ that can come anyware to close to standing up to one.
All u gotta say is.....
2. Mag capacity options
3. accuracy at the realistic disatance you might use your rifle for home/self defense.
There just as customizable as an M4/AR or any rifle in the world. Sorry im just rambing now.
Anyway, I think the gun is worth that amount, if its the only one you can find.
Good luck
its not the only one but your right.some have a canted sight and some have mag lip issues and others corrosion. the shop i go to is great but the way they treat ak's worries me. there are extremely good condition ak's there nut they were made in the us and go for around 800. as nice as they are ill pass on the price tag for now. there is only one good ak there and in my oppinion its a bute. but i may go some where else that had a better selection of ak's for me. and ones that are in better condition.
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text:
as the truck bumper hits the back of your knees
forcing you to walk
cradle this great country
as you hop trains to seattle, stockton, lompoc,
to slave for tomatoes, grapes, fish
all the while the bolo knife thwacking
away particles of dreams: saving money to send back home, meeting your american
brothers, equals, compadres,
prospering in the new land
everywhere you go, the
sign reading: absolutely no filipinos allowed
hold fiercely your pen
waving angrily
amidst ugly towns of racism of hatred
as you learn to write in english
bleed america free
of indifference
—from "Connecticut Shore"
Arlene Biala's stark, tender, sensual and political poetry explores stories of the Pacific generations, particularly Filipinos, who have left their native lands to live in America. This collection goes beyond chronological storytelling into the dance of simultaneous experiences called forth by tragedy, family, and love.
"America, why is your library so full of tears?" — Carlos Bulosan

subset: commoncrawl


text:
NetWellness is a global, community service providing quality, unbiased health information from our partner university faculty. NetWellness is commercial-free and does not accept advertising.
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
Vascular Surgery
Easy bruising and lack of circulation in arms
I have a few problems that may involve my circulation. I am a 51 year old woman. My father, who is diabetic has advanced vascular and heart disease. I am not diabetic but I have recently developed hypertension and I take 80 mg of diovan each day. It seemed odd to suddenly have this problem and it was quite high. I notice I get popped blood vessels for no aparent reason in my arms on occasion that cause a large bump. Today I seemed to get this from carrying a bulky object up a flight of stairs. I also sometimes pop vessels in my fingers if I do something strenuous, but I never actually injure myself--they just seem to happen to easily Is this something serious? Is it related to hypertension? Also for many years I notice very poor circulation in my arms. I am unable to keep them elevated without them feeling as if they are about to fall asleep. I also get swollen hands when I go walking briskly for a few minutes--I thought that might be a circulatory problem as well. Any ideas for me?
I would ask your primary care physician to check blood pressure in both of your arms and consider ordering upper extremity vascular lab studies to further assess blood flow and possible plaque build up which can diminish your circulation. If these are normal, you may want to have your neck evaluated for cervical stenosis.
There are no simple answers for easy bruising - often a condition related to diminished skin integrity as we age. Fortunately this is typically not a serious problem.
Amy B Reed, MD
No longer associated


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Washington, DC – With continuous reports that seniors and people with disabilities have not had their prescriptions filled as they transition from Medicaid to Medicare under the new prescription drug program, Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid and Senator John D. Rockefeller were joined by members of the Democratic caucus in a letter to Secretary Michael Leavitt expressing their concerns. The Senators posed a series of questions to the Secretary about the treatment of dual eligibles and urged him to fix gaps of coverage for these individuals. The text of the letter is pasted below:
January 13, 2006
Secretary Michael O. Leavitt
Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201
Dear Secretary Leavitt:
We are writing to express our serious concerns about implementation of the Medicare prescription drug benefit, particularly for low-income seniors and individuals with disabilities. Over the last two weeks, we have heard from Medicare beneficiaries in our respective states and throughout the country who have been denied or delayed access to the Medicare prescription coverage they were promised. Such gaps in coverage can lead to devastating consequences for our seniors, who are often taking multiple prescriptions to manage one or more chronic conditions. We want to know why so many of our constituents have fallen through the cracks during implementation of the Medicare prescription drug benefit, and we urge you to take immediate action to correct the problems.
Last year, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) repeatedly assured Members of Congress that the kinds of access problems dual eligibles are currently experiencing would not happen because CMS had taken all the necessary steps "to ensure full-benefit dual eligible beneficiaries will get the prescription drug coverage they need as of January 1, 2006."[1][1] Because of CMS' refusal to admit potential problems with the transition of the dual eligibles to Medicare and the unwillingness of Senate Republicans to support proactive Democratic legislation which could have addressed these problems, our seniors and residents with disabilities are now experiencing undue hardship and distress.
As you are well aware, dual eligibles are among our nation's most vulnerable populations. They are disproportionately women and minorities and live alone or in nursing homes. Over half of all elderly dual eligibles are limited in activities of daily living and, in comparison to other Medicare beneficiaries, they are much more likely to have heart disease, pulmonary disease, diabetes, or Alzheimer's. Access to prescription drugs is not an option for these individuals.
The types of coverage barriers dual eligibles and other low-income beneficiaries are experiencing are simply unacceptable, particularly since advocates and Members of Congress tried for nearly a year to work with the Administration to prevent such harmful events from happening in the first place. Despite our extreme dismay that effective fail-safe mechanisms were not put into place to address the transition of the dual eligibles, we are more interested in what can be done right now to quickly alleviate the prescription drug access problems our elderly and disabled constituents are experiencing. We respectfully request your timely response to the following questions to inform our decision-making going forward.
Data Exchange
We have been told that approximately 200,000 dual eligibles who proactively selected a prescription drug plan different from the plan they were automatically enrolled into are not being treated as dual eligibles by those plans. Because the plans they selected are treating them like other Medicare beneficiaries, they have been subjected to monthly premiums, the $250 deductible, co-pays higher than $5, and other cost-sharing. Why weren't the plans that these duals switched to notified that they were duals? What is CMS doing to identify such duals and address this problem? How will duals be automatically reimbursed for costs they incorrectly incurred?
It is our understanding that, in auto-enrolling full dual eligibles, CMS relied on data from the Social Security Administration (like the resident's home of record) and used that data to randomly assign beneficiaries to plans. In some cases, long-term care residents were assigned to a plan outside of their region because their home of record was in a different state from their long-term care facility. How does CMS plan to address this problem?
We have also heard from nursing homes that billing for prescription drugs has been complicated by delays in uploading data to the national database used by long term care pharmacies. Beneficiary data, when present, has been incomplete or outdated. How is CMS fixing this problem?
Why were the eligibility databases for dual-enrollees not complete and verified by the January 1, 2006 rollout date? Please provide the timeline for identification of dual-eligibles, their medication needs, database creation and population, and quality assurance. What barriers were encountered to completing this process on time? What process is CMS currently using to examine and correct deficiencies in the database so that duals previously unenrolled in a prescription drug plan get the drugs they need?
Point-of-Sale System
What steps has CMS taken to educate chain and independent pharmacies about the point-of-sale system? How many chain and independent pharmacies nationwide, including local and independent pharmacies, are utilizing the point-of-sale system as of today, January 13?
Why have some duals, including those with proof of enrollment in both Medicare and Medicaid, been turned away from chain and independent pharmacies without their prescriptions even though the point-of-sale system is in place?
Press reports and pharmacists in our states indicate that the prescription drug plans are not providing the beneficiary data that pharmacies need to file claims and get paid. What is CMS doing to address this problem?
How will pharmacies that have dispensed prescription drugs to dual eligible beneficiaries to meet their needs until coverage issues are resolved get reimbursed (particularly since some plans are not honoring the one-time fill included in their transition plans)?
What strategies have been identified to reimburse pharmacies for the additional time required to properly identify and dispense medications to Medicare beneficiaries experiencing problems with plan enrollment and prescription drug coverage?
Prescription Drug Plans
Prior to plan approvals in April of 2005, prescription drug plans were required to submit an application to CMS that included a transition plan for dual-eligibles who experienced problems with medication access while moving from Medicaid to Medicare prescription drug coverage. Some plans implemented only three-day temporary supplies, despite expectations that plans would offer at least 30 days of transition medications. Why was the implied 30-day supply not a requirement for plan participation? Please provide us with a copy of the transition plan for each prescription drug plan.
On a state-by-state basis, how many plans are actually executing the transition plans they agreed to establish? What type of oversight process has CMS established to address those plans that have not adhered to the agreed upon transition process?
Were pharmacies notified of the transition processes in place for each plan? If so, were they notified of how to access these processes (i.e., using override codes and the like)?
How many plans are employing prior authorization and fail first policies against duals?
The formularies listed on CMS' website could be changed by the drug plans up until December 30th. This means that if an individual signed up for a plan December 10th and didn't re-visit to ensure that the formulary to their plan remained the same, it is very possible that an important drug of theirs is no longer covered by the plan. Will CMS require plans to cover these drugs until the beneficiary is able to receive coverage from a different plan?
Are any plans being put in place to assist duals who received a temporary prescription because their drug was not covered under the plan they have been enrolled in (i.e., informing them that they can switch plans or appeal non-coverage and assisting them with these processes?).
What has been done by CMS to make sure that Medicare Advantage plans were aware of dual eligibles?
How many beneficiaries have been enrolled in the WellPoint plan at the point-of-sale?
General Questions
Based on CMS' data, how many dual eligibles nationwide have experienced problems getting their prescription drugs? What are the state-by-state numbers?
How many dual eligibles nationwide have been incorrectly charged premiums, deductibles, and/or co-payments? What are the state-by-state numbers? How will they be reimbursed?
What is the average wait time for beneficiaries calling 1-800-MEDICARE? What is the average wait time for beneficiaries calling the prescription drug plans, by plan?
What training have the customer service representatives at CMS and at the prescription drug plans received?
How many beneficiaries eligible for the low-income drug subsidy are still waiting for their Medicare letters and/or cards? How are they supposed to get their prescription drugs filled while they wait?
How many states are currently using state-only funds to cover the prescription drug costs of dual eligibles? How does CMS expect these states to get reimbursement from plans since the Medicare plans have no contractual obligations to the states? How will CMS reimburse states that are providing temporary, emergency funding to pharmacies?
What is the timeline for enrollment? How does CMS intend to insure that a beneficiary who changes plans on the 31st of the month will be able to access their drugs on the 1st of the next month? This turnaround time clearly didn't work in January, how will it work in subsequent months?
How long does CMS estimate it will take to address the access problems dual eligibles and other low-income beneficiaries are experiencing?
We know you have a strong interest in improving access to the Medicare drug benefit for all Medicare beneficiaries. We, therefore, urge you to take immediate steps to eliminate the coverage gaps that exist for low-income seniors and individuals with disabilities desperately trying to get the prescription drugs they need. We also urge you to work with us to address the problems that require specific legislative remedies. Thank you for your prompt attention to this request.
Harry Reid
John D. Rockefeller
Dick Durbin
Jeff Bingaman
Edward Kennedy
Blanche Lincoln
Patty Murray
Kent Conrad
Frank Lautenberg
Jim Jeffords
Debbie Stabenow
John Kerry
Barbara Mikulski
Chuck Schumer
Bill Nelson
Tom Carper
Russ Feingold
Evan Bayh
Diane Feinstein
Mary Landrieu
Maria Cantwell
Ken Salazar
Patrick Leahy
Hillary Clinton
Herb Kohl
Barbara Boxer
Joe Lieberman
Byron Dorgan
Mark Dayton
Tom Harkin
Tim Johnson
Carl Levin
Jack Reed
Barack Obama
Chris Dodd
Mark Pryor


text:
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Fantech FQ110FL FQ Series Quiet Ceiling Mounted Exhaust Fans w/ Light, 4" Duct (110 CFM)
Get 10% Cashback in Westside Dollars
- Description
Fantech FQ Series Quiet Ceiling Mounted Fans with Lights provide remarkably quiet, energy efficient ventilation for baths, powder rooms, and other areas. The 110 CFM is incredibly quiet with 1.3 sones sound rating. Fantech FQ Series exhaust fans are designed for intermittent or continuous operation to meet ASHRAE Standard 62.2 and all models are ENERGY STAR qualified. In addition, the FL series, includes the ultra quiet exhaust fan with light. This light has a convenient night light setting, contemporary design that's low profile, and a white polymeric grille with frosted light lens. Included is a 26 watt CFL bulb and a 4 watt night light so that the fan, light and night light can be wired to operate separately. Includes:
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Night Light Lamp Watts:4Light (CFL):26 WattsDuct Size:4"Housing Material:Galvanized SteelAir Flow Capacity (CFM):110Power Consumption:30 WattsWarranty:5
- Year WarrantySone:1.3Voltage:120v
- Warranty
Five (5) Year Manufacturer Limited Warranty.
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text:
18 CFR 385.506 - Examination of witnesses during hearing (Rule 506).
(a)Prepared written direct and rebuttal testimony. Unless the presiding officer orders such testimony to be presented orally, direct and rebuttal testimony of a witness in a hearing must be prepared and submitted in written form, as required by Rule 507. Any witness submitting written testimony must be available for cross-examination, as provided in this subpart.
(b)Oral testimony during hearing. Oral examination of a witness in a hearing must be conducted under oath and in the presence of the presiding officer, with opportunity for all participants to question the witness to the extent consistent with Rules 504(b)(17), 505, and 509(a).
Title 18 published on 15-Jun-2017 04:02
The following are ALL rules, proposed rules, and notices (chronologically) published in the Federal Register relating to 18 CFR Part 385 after this date.


text:
Support the Class of 1977 Scholarship
We hope you will come back to campus for Homecoming weekend Oct. 6-8, 2017 to see old friends! We also hope you'll consider being part of the tradition of alumni supporting current and future Tommies. Whether you give to the Annual Fund, our class scholarship or another area on campus, all contributions count towards our class gift total. Know that gifts of ANY size make a difference. Together we can make a significant impact!
|Class Giving
July '16 - Sept '17
|Class members
|Participation rate
|Total Giving
|$ 33,865
* Indicates the number of class members for whom we have valid contact information.
Visit the Class of 1977 Reunion Homepage!
Our Reunion Volunteer Committee Members
Reunion Volunteer Committee members raise enthusiasm and lead the fundraising for our class by keeping in touch with classmates, asking them to support St. Thomas, and thanking them for their gifts.
We are currently looking for individuals who will serve as committee members. If you are interested, please contact Tim Fischer at (651) 962-6978.


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Moving to NM from the UK
My name is James and I'm an interloper here from the sister UK forum. Due to work commitments I'm going to be spending 6 months or so of 2011 in Albuquerque NM. Unfortunately the timing of my visits to the USA coincide with the best fly fishing in the UK - so I hope to make up for it by experiencing something new.
I'm a very keen fly fisherman (probably 100+ trips/year) and also an avid tournament caster (120+ feet with a #5). I particularly enjoy saltwater fishing and two species that I need to catch are redfish and tarpon (I've jumped a few of the latter, but never landed one). That said, I'm keen to experience anything the US has to offer - I'm sure I'll get some time off for traveling.
So if anyone has any suggestions for some mustn't miss fishing, or if you want to meet up for some casting practice (or beers) then drop me a line.
Many thanks, James
Re: Moving to NM from the UK
You are now a member (we have no interlopers :)) With a bit of time behind the wheel of your auto I think you'll find both fishing opportunities and some of our South West members. There are worse places to be during trout season than NM.
Welcome to the forum,
Re: Moving to NM from the UK
James: Welcome aboard and I hope you enjoy your trip to NM. The only place I have fished in NM is the San Juan River below the Navajo Dam north of Albuquerque NM. It is great fishing but gets pretty crowded in the summer, it you can fish it early in the spring you will have less crowding. Crittergetter and I did a float on the San Juan in Nov and it was pretty crowded, which really surprised me. In the past I had fished the river in the spring and it was way less crowded.
Re: Moving to NM from the UK
Larry, I was also surprised to hear the San Juan was crowded in November, but come to think of it, the last few times I've been up there it has always been crowded - I expect it to be in July but not in the fall. A lot of the guides I know up there swear by the winter as the best time, and maybe it is (or maybe it's guides trying to beef up the slow season ;)), but clearing ice out of my rod guides is a problem I hope never to have.
James, like Larry and Ard said, you'll be well-situated in Albuquerque for some pretty good trout fishing. The San Juan can be pressured and technical like tailwaters tend to be, but there is a lot of other good trout water in New Mexico and southern Colorado within driving distance (the San Juan is about 3 hours' drive from Albuquerque, & the Colorado border is 2-3 hours, depending on your direction). While 18-22"+ Rainbows are plentiful on the San Juan, much of the other trout water in New Mexico is high altitude small-streams in beautiful country with smaller but no less feisty trout, and not highly-pressured if you're willing to hike away from the roadside access points. If you'll do a Forum search for "New Mexico" or look under the Rocky Mountains Range section under the header, "Fly Fishing in the United States", you should find a fair amount of more specific discussion about where and when; here's one recent link for starters: http://www.theflyfishingforum.com/fo...xico-trip.html
When it comes to redfish and tarpon, however, I think you'll have to be flying for that, but I'm sure you knew that already. Even though I live on the Texas Gulf Coast where redfish is plentiful, I rarely fish the salt, so couldn't advise you on tarpon. I'm sure there'll be plenty of others knowing more than I to help you on that, however.
Welcome aboard, and I know you'll enjoy your stay in New Mexico, a vacation destination for many Americans (like yours truly)!
Re: Moving to NM from the UK
Good having you post over here as well. Lots of good people here to help with the NM fishing.
Re: Moving to NM from the UK
Welcome James! I know nothing about New Mexico, but I'm positive you will find a lot useful information on this forum for fishing those parts. Red fish is something that is on my to-do list as well.
Re: Moving to NM from the UK
I am partial to Norther NM because I grew up there. The San Juan was surprisingly busy this fall as Larry said. That being said we got into some really nice fish (of course my ability to put a fish in the net paled compared to the landing mastery of Larry... :clap: ) (if you get a chance I recommend asking any on this site to partner up for a fishing outing. Truly there are great people here)
There are tons of good fly fishing spots from ABQ. Van Beacham wrote a detailed book on Fly Fishing NM. In Toas he has a wonderful guide service and fly shop. The people are very friendly. Fly Fishing in the Taos NM area, also Colorado and Wyoming Follow this link to see all the publishing Van does Van Beacham's Solitary Angler Publisher Profile - iContact Community
Another more public water Toas shop is Full Service Fly Fishing Shop & Guiding Trips / Taos Fly Shop - Taos New Mexico
I haven't fished near Santa Fe but it is within 45 minutes of drive time.
Good luck and enjoy NM. I hope you like spicy foods
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"Combating Corruption," InsideCounsel's January cover story, details how seven global legal departments of varying sizes are tackling the challenge of establishing and enforcing an ethical culture at a time when enforcement of anti-corruption laws is at an all-time high.
Outside counsel talked to InsideCounsel about steps they advise clients to take to avoid falling victim to the rising tide of prosecutions under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and anti-bribery laws in other countries.
Paul Friedman, a partner at Morrison and Foerster, says an important first step is understanding the company's risk profile. "What is your business? What are your government touch points? Where do you do business? What is the corruption environment in those places? Then you start to build training and controls from there," he says. "There is not a one-size fits all approach to these issues. To be truly effective, it must be company specific."
Jonathan Drimmer, a partner at Steptoe & Johnson, agrees. He outlined four critical components for any anti-corruption program, which can be tailored to meet a company's risks and resources.
The first component is having an effective infrastructure in place. The critical component of this step is making someone responsible, he says.
"I have found that it is vitally important to vest responsibility in an individual," Drimmer says. "It needs to be a real and measurable part of someone's job."
The second step is establishing an effective way to disseminate information about the company's policies. While training and communication resources differ depending on company size, Drimmer says using multiple channels, such as the company intranet, WebX trainings, annual company meetings, company newsletters and bulletin boards, can continually reinforce the message. He recommends making ethics and compliance training mandatory.
Next is auditing to see how effective the training and communication have been--what Drimmer calls "kicking the tires." This can be accomplished through questionnaires or a formal certification process conducted by an outside agency. "Depending on budget capacity, this doesn't have to be a big expense," he says.
The final phase is reporting, to make sure people who need to know about any issues do know and that a process is in place for dealing with reports of wrongdoing.
Paul McNulty, a partner at Baker & McKenzie, suggests a similar program, with some additional specifics.
In creating infrastructure, McNulty advocates assuring a senior level person is in charge of the program. "We encourage real senior level commitment, so there needs to be a chief compliance person, whether it is the GC or another person," he says. "We push for investing someone with compliance responsibility who has access to the board of directors."
He also advises building in controls with tools to protect the company against unethical third parties or agents. These include a due diligence process; check lists for those who hire third parties; background checks; and provisions that must be included in contracts with vendors, joint venture partners, distributors and business agents.
Training, McNulty says, should be live and in the language of the people to whom the training is directed.
"People who are Chinese conducting business in China want someone who understands their culture (to conduct the training) and who can do it in Mandarin," he says. "It's not good enough to do it with a computer program."
As for auditing, McNulty cites an example of a client who wanted to test the effectiveness of the communication of the company's ethics policies. The chief compliance officer has picked 20 countries he will personally visit, to pull records and do interviews--a "hands on" monitoring approach, McNulty says.


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Dave Page wrote: >Thanks Adam - patch applied. > > >> >>Okay, so I got pgAdmin3 to build on Panther with only two >>patches, both of which are attached. The program starts, >>shows the language selection screen (with good strings!!) >>shows the splash screen, then crashes. I'll keep working on >>it. In addition, there is an extra step required to build an >>app on Mac OS X which, without a re-working of the build >>system, I have no idea how we're going to automate. >> >> Hmpf, that utffile.h patch looks strange to me. There's no reference to fonts in utf file handling, and wx.h should have been included anyway before utffile.h is included. This should better be fixed in the *.cpp. Anyway, nice to see a new gui! Regards, Andreas
Next: From: Adam H. Pendleton Date: 2004-03-18 18:45:44 Subject: Mac OS "crash" Previous: From: Dave Page Date: 2004-03-18 16:57:29 Subject: Re: pgAdmin3 on Panther


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Smyth Dragon
Out of stock
- Rainbow colour enthused dragon figurine made from Resin
- A Dragon protecting its jewel from those keen to pilfer
- Ideal gift for the Fantasy enthusiast
- Perfect for a housewarming gift
- From Nemesis now, brand of Fantasy and Gothic giftware
Back to Top
More product info
The Smyth Dragon is another addition to our figurine collection partnering the Draymar Dragon.
A rainbow colour enthused Dragon Protecting its precious jewel from those keen to pilfer from the fantasy creature. Not only can this be purchased as a collectable figurine but also it can be used as a home ornament or decoration. Perfect surprise for the Mythical creature enthusiast.
Dimensions: Length - 200mm Width - 120mm Height - 190mm Weight - 430g


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JARRE AeroSkull XS Portable Wireless Speaker – Glossy Red, Red Price: £ 199.00
Posted on 22/12/2016 by Deal Advisor | Comments Off on JARRE AeroSkull XS Portable Wireless Speaker – Glossy Red, Red Price: £ 199.00
PC World Offer: JARRE AeroSkull XS Portable Wireless Speaker – Glossy Red, Red from Audio Systems For just: GBP199.00
Top features: – A unique and portable speaker you can take anywhere – Listen for up to 10 hours with a rechargeable battery – Hear music stored on your smartphone using Bluetooth and NFC – Get CD-like quality wirelessly thanks to aptX technology A unique design A unique skull design stands out in any living space, or wherever you take the portable AeroSkull XS+ speaker. Its small size and lightweight build make it easy to store away in a bag to take with you to liven up any party, picnic, or other social gatherings. Listen for up to 10 hours A built-in rechargeable battery offers up to ten hours of wireless battery life to last the day, long enough to enhance any occasion with high-quality audio. Listen to your music from your smartphone, tablet or laptop Bluetooth and NFC pairing lets you listen to music stored on your smartphone, laptop, tablet, or any other compatible Bluetooth device in seconds. Just activate Bluetooth on your portable device and select the AeroSkull XS + from the list that appears on screen. NFC makes it easier, simply tap your portable device on the speaker to pair the two together and share your music. CD-like quality AptX technology makes it possible to experience CD-like quality through the AeroSkull XS + . It does this by reducing the size of the audio files so they can be sent wirelessly without affecting the quality. The result is CD-like sound wherever you are. More Details…


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Student carwash raises money for landslide survivors
Posted on April 10th, 2014 by Sara
Blaine 5th Grade teacher Terri Jenkins has much to be proud of. After talking with her students about the?Oso landslide, they decided they wanted to do something to help. She writes:
So, we brainstormed many ideas and decided upon a carwash and bake sale. We were hoping to raise about $500.00. Rather than having it at school, we decided to have it at Bernie?s Automotive where there would be more traffic because it?s on a main arterial. Bernie?s graciously donated their water, lot, carwash soap and sponges. With the help of many parents and about 45 energetic fifth graders, we surpassed our goal. We raised $ 2329.62! All of this will be going to the victims of the Oso landslide.
Well done!


text: Johannesburg - Black graduates have more difficulty finding work than whites after leaving university, Minister of Higher Education Blade Nzimande said on Thursday.He said 55% of black graduates from Stellenbosch were unlikely to find a job in their first year after receiving their degrees, compared to 12% of white students.He said 29% of black graduates from the University of Witwatersrand could not procure employment in their first year after university, compared to seven percent of white students.While further data was not available, Nzimande argued that the results could likely be found across higher education in South Africa."Most black youngsters do not have the family and other connections into the labour market that are generally enjoyed by whites and the few, more affluent blacks," Nzimande said in his prepared remarks at Walter Sisulu University.The minister said historical inequality and poverty determined access to education and the ability to achieve academically.Nzimande said this was despite efforts by the government to transform education.He said historically black universities also remain disadvantaged in terms of resources and quality of academic programmes.* Follow Fin24 on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Pinterest.


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Danelectro D5 FAB Chorus
Effect pedal for guitarDanelectro has always had a heart for musicians with small wallets. Nevertheless the Danelectro parts always have their own character, which is by no means cheap. With the FAB chorus you can adjust subtle to rich analog chorus sounds using the Mix, Depth and Rate controls, which can be resurrected in the 80s. And the design has succeeded - somewhere between retro and sci-fi (but more space ship Enterprise than Star Trek ...)
- Chorus
- The Sound of Yesteryear
- Power supply: optional (Thomann NT AC / PSA, 108096)
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Offers include 24% Greek VAT and are valid as long as stocks last. Shipping costs to Greece are 20 EUR, free shipping on orders above 298 EUR. Please click here for international Shipping rates. We do not accept liability for typographical errors or inaccurate information of any kind. *RRP = manufacturer's / distributor's recommended retail price in Germany


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Sit On It Beanbag
Favourite of the house-mates on BB7 and soon to be a favourite of yours! Fade-proof and moisture proof meaning that this beanbag can be used indoors and outdoors. Available in an array of fantastic vibrant colours. Each bag has a strong, water resistant PU coating and is filled with only the best quality flame retardant EPR beans.
Perfectly adapts to the shape of your body, great for soothing muscles after a hard day. Take your bean-bag by the seams, lift and roll it into its original shape and you can catch a little snooze on it too.
- Material - Fabric: 100% polyester with water resistant PU-coating
- Material - Filling: fire retardant EPS pearls (expanded polystyrene)
- Use: indoor / outdoor
- General cleaning: use a damp cloth and soft soap
Washing instructions:
- empty contents
- turn inside out
- place in pillowcase
- wash cool
- do not spin
- do not tumble dry (the cover dries very quickly anyway)
Please note: Sit On It Classic Beanbags are made to order and cannot be returned under any circumstances except in the event of a fault.Dimensions
- 0.0cm x 150.0cm x 180.0cm
Sit On It Beanbag Customer Reviews
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have an un-answered question about this product? Simply ask us a question and we'll do our best to help.


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I went in for an u/s today and at 32 weeks 4 days my baby weighs about 4 lbs 14 oz. I was told that she is just a little bigger than average. So how much did your baby weigh around those weeks?
I know mine was estimated to weigh 5 lbs 8 ozs at 35 weeks.....and they said he was right on track.
I'm 32 weeks, according to me. ( I go by my lmp due date)
But my doctor goes by my u/s dd,
and I haven't had an ultrasound since 20 weeks!! :(
It feels like she's about 5 lbs already! Her head is pushing down on my crotch so hard it feels like she's going to fall out, and the doctor swears i'm 29 weeks. :roll:
I'm 36 weeks and my baby weighs 7lbs 1 oz already!
Quoting I ♥ Skylar:
Quoting I ♥ Skylar:
im thinkin mine was 4 pounds and 7 ounces
mine was born at 32weeks5days and weighed 3 pounds 10 ounces
im 31 weeks today and they just told me shes around 4 pounds and some so im measuring a week ahead... ? who know baby grow they way they want not according to others plans
Quoting I ♥ Skylar:
@30 weeks + 5 days my baby weighed exactly 4lbs and i was told that he's a lil bigger than average and was asked about my previous pregnancy(I had severe vomiting throughout whole pregnancy and preeclampsia beginning @ 34 weeks)..I am now 32 weeks + 1 day and i will be having another ultrasound on Thursday. I am very anxious to know how much my lil guy has grown in 2 weeks.
my 32 week 5day scan baby was 4lb 6 oz they are saying she is small
At exactly 32 weeks my baby weighed 4lbs.6 oz.
My son was born early at exactly 35 weeks and weighed 5lbs 1oz. A few days before he was born I had an ultrasound and they were estimating him to be 6 lbs.
my last ultrasound was around 31 weeks and he was estimated to be about 4 1/2 lbs at that point.


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Choose from Three Options
- $20 for Admission for One Person ($28.50 value)
- $38 for Admission for Two People ($57 value)
- $58 for One Family Pack: Admission for Two Adults and Two Children Ages 5-12 ($83 value)
Admission includes use of audio guides.
Titanic Pigeon Forge
In 1987—75 years after the RMS Titanic sank—John Joslyn helped lead an expedition to the bottom of the sea to photograph the wreck and bring up artifacts. Today, the gigantic museum he founded holds authentic items from the Titanic numbering in the thousands and valued at $4.5 million. Accoutrements of Edwardian life that range from cutlery to deck chairs fill meticulously accurate reproductions of the million-dollar grand staircase, the third-class sleeping rooms, and the cozy second-class space between the floorboards. Families make their way through interactive attractions at their own pace as they sit in a full-size lifeboat, walk up the grand staircase, feel exactly how cold 28-degree water is, touch an iceberg, steer the ship, and learn to send an SOS signal. The walk-through experience lasts approximately two hours.


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College Hoops: LSU 71 South Carolina 68
Sat, 11 Jan 2014 23:20:37 GMT —
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - Freshman Jarrell Martin scored a career-high 18 points to lead LSU to a 71-68 win over South Carolina on Saturday.
LSU (10-4, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) led 64-50 with 5:45 to go before South Carolina (7-8, 0-2) scored nine straight points to cut the Tigers lead to 64-59. LSU hit seven of 12 free throws down the stretch, forced a couple of turnovers and got an offensive rebound to hang on.
The game was tied at 42 with 12 minutes left when Jordan Mickey sank a jumper. The Tigers scored on their next four possessions, with Johnny O'Bryant III and Mickey each hitting two buckets to put LSU ahead 52-45.
South Carolina has lost its first two SEC games for the third straight season. Freshman Sindarius Thornwell led the Gamecocks with 25 points.
Hartsville's Jaylen Shaw scored four points and had two assists for the Gamecocks in 14 minutes of floor time.


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- 1.000.240 Artworks
- 135.102 Artists
© All rights reserved
Oil on canvas, combined with plaster relif.Paintings made in religious spirit of old christianity.
EUGEN VARZI& 262; was born on the 31 May 1972 in & 272;akovo. In 1992 he enrolled in the visual arts course at the Faculty of Education in Rijeka. He graduated from the painting department of the Faculty of Arts in Rijeka under the mentorship of Prof. Ksenija Mogin. Along with painting he is engaged in experimental film and photography. His works have been exhibited at numerous solo exhibitions and at more than a hundred group exhibitions at home and abroad. He has been awarded for his works a...
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BBC Review
Looking back with tracks like these is a hugely enjoyable process.
Rob Crossan 2008
Last year's Puzzles was the sound of a band chucking their equipment out of a grubby bedsit window and running like hell towards stadium gigs, shiny gongs and trans-Atlantic plane tickets. Biffy Clyro's angular, melodic charms were always quite clearly way off the usual rock radar in terms of intelligence and ideas. But the downright bloody-mindedness, lyrical obtuseness and Brechtian, multi-layered compositions of Simon Neil and his hirsute Ayreshire band seemed destined always to be overlooked in favour of groups more proficient with the concept of the power chord.
Puzzles may have put paid to all that, but for those who chanted ''Mon the Biffy' at gigs way before support slots with the Rolling Stones were on the cards, this is a very welcome, albeit not entirely necessary, trawl through the last few years. There's little on this hotch-potch of earlier recordings that's not already available but the left-field abrasiveness of Toys Toys Toys, Choke, Toys Toys Toys is worth hearing again, as is the taut gruffness of The Ideal Height. It gives obvious pointers towards the maxim that Biffy have always been fonder of radio-friendly melody than they let on in the early days.
This album is little more than Biffy's former label Beggars Banquet cashing in on neophyte fans, but there's nothing here nearly as unfathomable and feedback-drenched as the old-time fans would have you believe Biffy Clyro sounded like in the days when they played Dingwalls. Those days are long gone, though looking back with tracks like these is a hugely enjoyable process. Terrible sleeve though.


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This Caramel Panna Cotta ($10) comes back on the menu every autumn at Otto. The toppings change (last year's version featured pears and brown butter crumble), but you can always count on diving into a deep bowl of supple, smooth and gently spiced panna cotta. The caramel is rich in that haunting, smoky sort of way, and it pairs perfectly with a serving of crème fraîche gelato. To complete, a spoonful of candied pistachios and sweet roasted figs comes on top as well.
1 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10003 (map)
About the author: Originally from Honolulu, Kathy YL Chan blogs at Kathy YL Chan, where she chronicles her eats and travel adventures between Hawai'i, New York and beyond. She firmly believes that there is always room for dessert.


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BWW Reviews: POTTED POTTER - A Delightfully Engaging ParodY
Harry Potter mania first gripped the world in 1997, when the first book in the popular franchise by J.K. Rowling was released in the UK. Since then the story of the boy wizard has spawned 7 best-selling novels, a successful film franchise, a Universal Studio theme park and become a worldwide phenomenon. Now Harry Potter comes to the theatre courtesy of Potted Potter: The Unauthorized Harry Potter Experience. Direct from the West End, the show was conceived by Daniel Clarkson and Jeff Turner and covers all seven Harry Potter books in one hilarious seventy minute parody.
In the spirit of honesty I'm going to risk potentially alienating a chunk of readers and admit that I have never read the Harry Potter books. I have seen the first film (mostly to silence all the people insisting I 'had to see it!') but otherwise remain Harry Potter ignorant. I have nothing against the boy wizard and his misadventures but the stories never appealed to me enough to read all seven books. Therefore I worried I would go into Potted Potter at a disadvantage despite Dan and Jeff assuring me that even a Potter newbie could enjoy their production. These concerns were not assuaged as I walked into a theatre filled with people dressed in Hogwarts scarves talking about muggles, Quidditch and other terms that sounded Greek to me.
Thankfully where Potted Potter truly shines is that it does work on a universal level. The show is witty, fast-paced and engaging, and you don't have to be a Harry Potter fan to enjoy it. In fact, in many ways I think I may have enjoyed it more as a newbie to the world of Hogwarts because I learned as I laughed. While the story is a parody, Dan and Jeff do a fine job of telling explaining all seven books in a succinct manner, something which no Potterite has ever been able to do for me before.
The laughs are plentifully, with jokes ranging from in your face and over the top to subtle and dry, and with the comedy taking on a very Python-esque feel. The physical humour is also worthy of praise, as both men exhibit an astonishing amount of energy as they whiz around the stage covering all seven books and over three hundred characters. Jeff plays Harry while Dan plays everyone else, and this division (or lack thereof) of roles works very well. Jeff bears an uncanny resemblance to Daniel Radcliffe and exudes a certain boyish charm that works both when he's playing 'Harry' and when he's arguing (as himself) with Dan over the importance of being faithful to the material. Dan is equally impressive as 'everyone else', transitioning at rapid fire pace between Hermione and Ron, or Dumbledore and Snape. He even manages to inject a bit of romance into the tale as he re-enacts the love scene between Ron and Hermione from the final book, proving that Potted Potter can be romantic and funny.
The highlight of the show is watching these guys engage an entire audience in a rousing live game of Quidditch. Toronto audiences are known for their reserved nature, yet Dan and Jeff managed to get everyone not only participating, but actively and enthusiastically engaged. Two audience members are chosen as "seekers" and join the duo on stage, while the rest of the patrons are divided into two houses and given the chance to battle for victory. In a turn of events that left me laughing out loud, Jeff emerges as the Golden Snitch, complete with ridiculous outfit and sheepish grin. It was at this moment that the genius behind Potted Potter declared itself. With Jeff as the Snitch and Dan leading the "seekers", the duo have the opportunity to improvise with the audience members who are playing an active role in the game. Their improvisational abilities enhance the already stellar writing, and watching them "play" with the audience was a delight.
Whether you love Harry Potter or (like me) spend your days at the office water cooler going "Harry who?", there is fun to be had at Potted Potter. Check your pre-conceived notions at the door, grab a butterbeer and prepare to knock around a quaffle – you won't be disappointed.
Related Articles
From This Author Kelly Cameron


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Bulldog Intensive 24 hr Moisturiser
£10.00 (£20 per 100ml)
Product Summary
Intensive 24hr Moisturiser
Aqua (Water), Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Myristyl Myristate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Polysorbate 20, Camelina Sativa Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Borago Officinalis (Borage) Seed Oil, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Peel Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Artemisia Vulgaris (Mugwort) Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens (Geranium) Oil, Pogostemon Cablin (Patchouli) Leaf Oil, Juniperus Virginiana (Cedarwod) Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Oil, Vetiveria Zizanoides (Vetiver) Root Oil, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Limonene, Linalool, Citronellol, Citral, Evernia Furfuracea (Treemoss) Extract, Geraniol
Please note that while we take every care to make sure the product information displayed on our website is correct, product recipes are regularly changed. This may affect nutrition and allergen information therefore you should always check product labels and not rely solely on the information presented here.If you require specific advice on any Waitrose branded product, please contact our Customer Care Team. For all other products, please contact the manufacturer.This information is supplied for personal use only. It may not be reproduced in any way whatsoever without the prior consent of Waitrose Limited nor without due acknowledgement.


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" Brand: New Look / Type: Boots "
I was browsing through the new look website when I came across these Fluff Cuff Boots in the teen section, I have very small feet that are a size 2-3 so generally I do have to shop in the kid's department. This can be a bit of a bother if I want something more glamourous but nowadays shoes for small feet are a lot more trendy. Whilst these boots might not be glamourous they still appealed to me, I liked the look of them and they looked comfy too so I decided to order myself a pair. (These boots are available for £16.99 online and come in sizes 1-4)
The actual boots are a dusty grey sort of colour with the upper being suedette and as you can see from the dooyoo picture they have extremely flat soles, no heel at all really but I don't mind very flat shoes (I tend to totter in heels lol) The cuff part sort of reminds me of sheepskin but these boots are man made. On trying them on I discovered that they were indeed very comfy as well as looking nice, however they are not waterproof! Be prepared to get soggy if you go out in snowy slush or step in a puddle! Saying that, I'm sure in the event of a light shower you will be fine, it's when there's a downpoar that you have to worry! :P
I think these boots are very versatile and I have worn them with leggings and jeans and they look great. I love the white stitching detail as I think it adds a little something to the shoe and slightly lessens the plainess about them. I looked online and grey was the only colour they were available in but I think they were once available in tan, correct me if I'm wrong.
The care guide when I bought them online simply says "man made" so I'm unsure as to what the washing guidelines are, I've not washed mine yet so I must admit they look a little worse for wear! They may be comfy shoes and look good but I think that the price is a little steep, especially as they aren't waterproof and seem to get dirty and stained quite quickly. If you buy a pair you should wear them on dry days (consult your weatherman) or skirt around any puddles! For this reason I give them 3 stars.
I bought these boots in New Look just before Chrimbo, after seeing them reduced in price to just £7. I wasn't too struck on the style of them even as I bought them but I was hoping it would grow on me, and failing that I reasoned that I could pass them on to my daughter if I didn't like them after a couple of wears.
They are a faux suede upper with furry cuff and lining, they are not actually what I would term a bona fide Cuff Boot as the fur is simply the turn down at the top of the boot whereas I consider Cuff Boots to be a bit more special than this. Although generally equally ugly. They have a very soft feel to start with, although be warned that this does not last and don't be disappointed when after a couple of wears they begin to show a shine and creases aplenty.
The fur is appalling quality, even when brand new it feels extremely sythetic to the touch and if you attempt to wear these boots without socks then you'll find yourself with very itchy feet. I actually visited the doctor due to this itchiness as I was pregnant at the time and itchy extremities can be a signal that something is wrong, did I feel a knob when I realised it was the boots causing it and not a serious blood disorder! I hate the way the fur 'squelches' as I'm walking, I'm talking dry fur here with enough static electricity to power the whole of Birmingham!
The rubber sole is very thin, surprisingly the boots feel quite comfortable to walk in but due to the thinness of the sole I don't think they would last very long if you were attempting to do lots of walking while wearing them. It's not particularly non-slip either, which is not good in a pair of boots as it's usually cold (icy) weather when you will want to be wearing them.
AND they're not waterproof! How stupid is that? A pair of boots which will leave your feet wringing wet as soon as you go out in the rain or snow! To be fair, if you just happen to be walking in a quick shower your feet will probably stay dry but any length of wet weather will leave the boots wet to the point of feeling slimy and your socks will need wringing out when you get home. Horrible. I don't find them particularly warm and cosy even when they're dry and there's a strange seam inside the toe of each boot which rubs horribly against my skin and is extremely irritating.
The style didn't grow on me, the design of the toe reminds me of the type of shoes Dick Whittington wears in the story book and once I had that image in my head I couldn't shake it! I didn't even bother giving them to my daughter as a trendy eleven year old would definitely turn her nose up at these vile looking boots. Oh, I have the tan pair by the way, as the grey version above looks absolutely revolting in the flesh! As do the tan ones if I'm honest!
I suppose I shouldn't complain for £7, but really as I only wore them a handful of times I will complain as that was £7 which could have been spent on a nicer pair of shoes. The sizing is all to cock too, proved by the fact that I am a size four but actually needed a size six when I bought these boots. It's usual in New Look for their shoes to be a size out as they do tend to come small, but two whole sizes?
I bought these bought just before Christmas as a pressie for myself. I purposely went to New Look for a pair of boots, but not with any particular style in mind, I have so many pairs of shoes/boots etc... I just simply wanted another pair of boots!
I saw these hanging on a rack, and loved them straight away. They have a rubber sole which is ideal for the icy conditions that we have had recently. The only drawback is... they are not waterproof, so not really suitable boots for the snow we have had, but saying that, they have been fine in the rain. (Unless you step in a big puddle!!!).
These boots have a fab fluffy lining which keeps my feet nice and warm. They can be worn with the cuff folded over or up and they come to just over the ankle.
They are not only trendy but very comfortable too, they look great with leggings and jeans alike, which makes them pretty versatile boots.
They cost £16.99 which I think is pretty cheap for such a nice pair of boots.
They fit perfectly which makes them a really comfortable boot. I have worn them loads and they still look fab. They have a soft suede effect which makes a nice change to my usual leather boots.
They seems well made and even after wearing them often they have no fraying of the material and the stitching is all still intact.
I think they came in a choice of 3 colours, black, cream/beige, and grey. I opted for the grey, they looked nicer in this colour I thought, and made a change really from black!
They are great flat, round toe boots, which are suitable for everyday wear.
I actually bought a pair of these Fluff Cuff boots from New Look as a pair of indoor shoes as I was sick of wearing out cheap slippers, and figured I should pay a little bit more, £16.99 in fact, and buy some harder wearing shoes. I thought that given these are capable of outside use they would be better for in my house, where we only wear outdoor shoes in the kitchen and we take off dirty footware before going into the rest of the house.
The boots are very simple looking, but they looked warm, which was what drew me to them as I do get cold feet in the house sometimes and prefer my feet to be toastie warm. They're not the most stylish of boots slash slippers, but my pair, which is black do look nicer than many and suit what I want them for.
As soon as I tried the Fluff Cuff boots on I thought they were very comfortable and has a cosy fleecy lining throughout which I found to be very comfortable and soft on my feet. The lining runs throughout the whole boot so they really are very soft and gentle on feet.
The outside of the boot is made from a suede-feel material which is soft to the touch.
The sole of the boots are tougher with a rubbery feel to the synthetic material. The soles don't have much grip to them so I have to be careful if I walk on any of the more slippery wooden surfaces in the house, but other than that I've found they've performed great, even if I'm not using them outdoors as I should be!
When it gets cold, I sometimes unfold the 'cuff' of the boot so it reaches further up my leg, and this keeps me even warmer. Although I purely wear these boots indoors, on dry days I don't see why they wouldn't be fine for outdoor use. I wouldn't recommend them in bad weather though by any means - I can imagine the material soaking up rain and puddles and they're not remotely waterproof, and they'd be even worse on ice!
For what I use them for - hardy indoor shoes / slippers - these have been great. I've had them several months now and there's barely any wear on them at all, so they're proving quite durable. For the price I paid I am pleased with them and would definitely recommend them to others.
I first saw these boots while shopping in a New Look store a couple of months ago. Having size 2 feet, I'd headed over to the teenagers' section where there's always a range of shoes in smaller sizes, and these boots caught my eye. They looked comfortable, warm and cosy- perfect for winter. I picked up a pair in my size and tried them on. They looked great with my jeggings, but the pinching around my toes was a sure sign that they were too small. I usually have the opposite problem with shoes, but I've noticed that New Look seem to make their shoes slightly smaller (much to my delight!). Unfortunately, they didn't have these in stock in a size 3, so I ordered them from the website.
These boots are available in three colours; black, beige and grey. I opted for the latter because I thought it would go with most of my clothes, plus I felt it was a safe bet, being the colour I'd tried on in the shop. When the boots arrived, I was a bit surprised by how dark the boots were- I'd remembered them as being mid-grey (like the ones pictured), whereas these were very dark, with a bluish tinge. Perhaps the harsh store lighting was to blame, or maybe they'd faded while on display. Either way, I wasn't as keen on this colour, and it didn't go as well with my clothes as I'd expected.
Trying the boots on, I was again disappointed to find that they weren't particularly comfortable. The insoles were very hard, and the only thing to cushion my steps was the fleecey lining that covers the whole inside of the boot. Having spent most of the summer wearing my super-comfortable Fly London sandals has spoilt me a bit- I now know what a well made shoe feels like, and this wasn't it! They had only cost me £16.99 though, so I was prepared to rough it a bit at that price.
The one thing that was exactly as I'd remembered was the design of the boot. Made of suedette, with synthetic soles and the aforementioned fleecey lining, these boots have round toes and are flat heeled. The simple designed is made more interesting by the 'fluff cuff', made by folding over the top of the boot to reveal the lining. The fold isn't secured in any way, so you can straighten it out if you want and hide the fleecey section to reveal a simple, ruched boot that comes slightly higher up the leg- I think it looks a bit smarter this way, and goes better with certain outfits, while the folded look is more casual. I really like this versatility- it's like having two pairs of boots in one! The soles of the boots are slightly textured, but don't look particularly 'grippy'- I'll be proceeding with caution while wearing these on any slippery floors!
Having been initially disappointed by the rather spartan feel of the boots on my feet, wearing them out for the first time was much better than I'd expected. Lack of padding aside, the boots were actually quite comfortable, because they were a good fit- they didn't rub or pinch at all. I'm sure the fleecey lining helps in this respect, as there are no hard edges in the boot to rub against your feet. The lining also makes the boots quite warm and snug- I'm looking forward to having these on hand (well, on foot!) as the wintry weather sets in.
So, despite the quirks in colour and sizing, I'm pleased I bought these boots- I think they're going to be featuring largely in my winter wardrobe! They're perfect for casual, everyday wear, and are great value for under £20.


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Temperatures in the Workplace
Here's hoping for a heat wave before the end of the summer! This article will look at the issue of temperatures in the workplace focusing on maximum temperatures rather than minimum.
'Thermal Comfort' describes a person's state of mind in terms of whether they feel too hot or too cold. A combination of environmental factors (such as humidity and sources of heat in the workplace) and personal factors (such as clothing and how physically demanding the work is) influence thermal comfort. A simple way of estimating the level of thermal comfort in the workplace is to ask the workers or their workplace representatives. If the percentage of workers dissatisfied with the thermal environment is above a certain level the employer will need to take action (the Health and Safety Executive considers 80% of occupants as a reasonable limit for the minimum number of people who should be thermally comfortable in an environment). The most commonly used indicator of thermal comfort is air temperature and while important, if considered alone, may not be an accurate indicator of thermal comfort. Air temperature should always be considered in relation to other environmental and personal factors.
There is no legislation which lays down a maximum temperature for workplaces, however employers have a statutory duty under the Health and Safety at Work (Northern Ireland) Order 1978 to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all their employees. This means an employer must ensure that the temperature of the workplace does not have a detrimental effect on the health of the employees, and take all reasonable steps to achieve a comfortable temperature.
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1993 state that during working hours, the temperature in all workplaces inside buildings shall be reasonable. While no maximum temperature is stated in the Regulations, guidance from the Health and Safety Executive states that an acceptable zone of thermal comfort for most people in the UK lies roughly between 13°C (56°F) and 30°C (86°F), with acceptable temperatures for more strenuous work activities concentrated towards the bottom end of the range, and more sedentary activities towards the higher end.
Employees may feel a number of symptoms due to working in temperatures which are too warm including dehydration or exhaustion. It is therefore important for employers to try to ensure reasonable workplace temperatures not only because of their legal duty to do so but also because productivity may fall and sickness absence may increase due to working in the heat.
There are a number of ways that you can manage thermal comfort in the workplace. Many indoor workplaces now have air conditioning which can be adjusted to ensure that the temperature is within the acceptable range for working in. Where a workplace does not have air conditioning there are a number of practical steps an employer can take to alleviate the effects of the heat, for example, providing fans, ensuring that windows can be opened, providing blinds to shade employees from direct sunlight, allowing more frequent breaks to allow employees to cool down, providing cool drinking water or relaxing the dress code (although employers should be careful that this does not impair safety).
Further information on all aspects of health and safety at work is available from your local CAB or from the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland on their One-2-One Helpline 0800 0320 121 or by visiting their website at www.hseni.gov.uk
Siobhan Harding is an Information and Policy Officer with Citizens Advice
Belfast Telegraph


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Group name: Sutton Coldfield
This group is a part of Warwickshire Area.
Founded in 1991, we are a thriving Group based in Sutton Coldfield. We have approximately 300 members and offer a wide variety of events to suit most age groups and abilities.
Our walks vary in length from under 6 miles to 14 miles in the West Midlands and the surrounding counties of Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Shropshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire.There is a choice of shorter and longer walks each Sunday, monthly shorter walks on Thursdays and monthly evening pub walks in May to August. We have monthly coach trips with a shorter and longer linear walk to scenic eas, sometimes further afield. Occasionally, walking breaks are organised in the UK or abroad. Take a look our Walks Programme and Photo gallery to give you an idea of our walking activities. The Group actively supports and promotes the charitable aims of the Ramblers. We have a monthly working party of volunteers helping to maintain and protect the footpaths in the parishes around Sutton Coldfield.
Sunday 24 September 2017Meeting at 09:00, Starting at 10:15A moderate 9 mile / 14.5 km walk


text: Embrace your inner Princess Diana of Themyscira this Halloween when you wear one of our Wonder Woman costumes. You may work for the government as Diana Prince by day but when trouble arises in the community, you are sure to be ready to fight along with the Justice League. Pick up the Lasso of Truth and your tiara and get ready to be a superhero princess. We have a Wonder Woman costume for girls and woman so you can represent the fight for justice, love, peace, and gender equality. You can even pick up a Wonder Woman corset to wear with shorts, pants or a matching skirt. No supervillain will want to mess with you when you prepare for battle in a Wonder Woman Halloween costume from Spirit Halloween.


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Coming Fall 2014


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Alma Heights Christian boys' basketball team remains undefeated in league after two victories last week, over Summit Prep 57-39, on Tuesday and San Francisco Christian on Friday, 57-35. The girls' team improved to 7-1 in league, defeating Summit Prep 38-29 and St. Lawrence 55-27.
Friday night was Homecoming for the Eagles and the fans turned out in force to cheer on both the girls' and boys' teams. The evening kicked off with the girl's game which pitted the Eagles against the St. Lawrence Celtics. From the opening tip the Eagles dominated the smaller St. Lawrence team, opening a 7-2 lead midway through the first quarter. The Eagles continued to roll offensively as Natalie Buitrago and Jessica Lee both hit three pointers at the end of the quarter to give Alma Heights a 17-2 lead.
The Eagles' lead built over the second quarter, as Lee and Caitlin Chiu both scored 6 points. By halftime, the score was 32-8. The Eagle offense sputtered in the third quarter, but the Celtics could not capitalize on the missed shots. Alma Heights led 40-14 going into the fourth. Lee and Chiu both scored 14 for the Eagles, and Chiu pulled down 7 rebounds. Brianna Gutierrez added 13 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman Shelby Willis added 8 points, all in the fourth quarter.
The girls are currently in first place in the Private School Athletic North, with their one loss to Mountain View, the number one team in the South.
"We won't see them again until playoffs", said Eagles head coach Natalie Ayres. "We only play the teams in the South once during the season."
Next week the girls will take on KIPP Collegiate and Latino College Prep.
In the second game of the doubleheader, the boys clashed with San Francisco Christian. The Eagles controlled the entire game, from tip-off to final buzzer. Elias Paz was on fire for the Eagles, hitting his first 5 shots, including 3 from beyond the arc. He finished with a team high 21 points.
Alma Heights' full court press and man defense flustered San Francisco Christian all night, forcing long range jump shots that would not fall in. Mac Allen finally hit from mid-range with 2:10 remaining in the quarter for the Trojans' only field goal. The Eagles led 22-3 at the end of the first.
Alma Heights kept the pressure on defensively but only hit two field goals in the second quarter. The Trojans were able to cut into the lead, as Joshua Valenzuela scored 9 points, including a three-pointer at the buzzer. At the half, Alma Heights led 32-17.
The Eagles never let the Trojans into the game, opening the second half with 7 unanswered points. The lead allowed the Eagles multiple substitutions, as 11 players saw action and 8 scored. At the end of three quarters the Eagles led 45-26. Alma Heights extended the advantage to 57-28 with 2:34 remaining when Coach Mark Bermudez pulled out all five starters. Matthew Kolesnikov scored 13 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while James Boyd added 8 points and 9 rebounds for the Eagles.
At 9-0 with three games left, Bermudez figures they need one more victory to clinch first place.
"North Valley Baptist is second and we've already beat them twice. I guess it's possible if we lose all three…let's say we need one more," he said.
Next week Alma Heights will play Mid Peninsula and University Prep.
— Submitted by Lynn Niemira


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Will O.B. parking situation stop Target?
South Beach bar's agreement with Antique Center muddles situation
Julie Stalmer 5:30 p.m., Sept. 22
The first Music and a Movie event, scheduled for April 28, will be the Cowboys & Aliens Movie, Music Video, Concert, and Costume Party, at the VisionPulse Event Center on 5945 Center Boulevard, #510.
"My band is going to be performing live ambient music and sounds to accompany NASA UFO footage," says bandleader Scott West. "We are then going to perform our 'Cowboys & Aliens' song, before screening our 'Cowboys & Aliens' music video, which has gone viral, receiving 160,000 views in the past ten days or so. We should pass 200,000 views this week! We are then going to screen Spielberg's Cowboys & Aliens film from last summer.
"I've invited a couple of local UFO information groups to have tables at this event and it's also a Cowboys & Aliens costume party."
Each event is going to be personalized around that month's movie, with concentrically related fun. "Since there isn't a cheap movie night on a Saturday night anywhere in San Diego, we will offer that value with a concert, movie and more each month for five bucks," according to West. Each movie night will also have a costume party related to that month's movie
2012 Music & A Movie Schedule:
April 28.......................Cowboys & Aliens
May TBA (26th).........Rocky Horror Picture Show
June TBA (30th).........This is Spinal Tap
July TBA (28th)..........Donnie Darko
Scott West, who studied audio engineering at Mesa Community College, performs regularly with his own Scott West Band, as well as with Happy Ron Hill, Tara Nichol, and others. "I'm living near I-5, between La Jolla and P.B., which is handy access for getting around town several nights a week to gigs. I probably play out 15 or 20 times a month."
West's 2010 album Austin includes guest players Mick Fleetwood, Daniel de los Reyes (the Killers), James Baker (War), and Frank Hannon and Brian Wheat of Tesla. That summer, the Sacramento International Film & Music Festival chose West's "Keep It Clean" music video as an official selection of the 2010 Festival.
His Xmas 2010 album California Christmas was recorded with Wheat and Hannon at Tesla's band's Sacramento studio. During its first month on sale, California Christmas saw one tune score over 34,000 downloads on Myxer.com. "Frank Hannon and I tracked a live version of 'Auld Lang Syne' with just piano, MIDI-ed keyboard strings, and electric guitar. We only made one pass, then Frank laid down some harmony electric-guitar lines and we were done with the track."
On New Year's Eve 2010/2011, his "Auld Lang Syne" ringtone hit over 127,000 ringtone downloads. It hit number two among all ringtone categories on Myxer, one of the most popular download sites.
"I'm signing my first record deal today," West told the Reader on March 17, 2011, of the publishing deal he signed with Greenlight 360, a Boston company that specializes in placing music on television and in movies. "As a result, we already have several songs being set up for various TV shows." That summer, West opened for touring acts such as John Waite (the Babys), the Motels, and Yes, and his "Standing on the Moon" video topped 100,000 YouTube views.
As for the origins of his sci-fi cowboy tune, the song "Cowboys and Aliens" was inspired by the same-named 2006 graphic novel, whose genesis is connected to the July 2011 film starring Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig, directed by Jon Favreau, and produced by Ron Howard and Steven Spielberg. "We originally hoped that signing a publishing deal would help us place the song in the movie, but that [soundtrack] was already filled up beforehand."
West wrote the song's first incarnation in 2007, later teaming up with O.B.-based Justin Werner to revise it as an acoustic guitar-centered tune. The Greenlight 360 publishing deal includes both Scott and Werner. "Justin co-wrote half of the song with me. I made the cool alien craft sounds with a backwards bell sound and a backwards gong. I then used a Starbucks paper cup and plastic drinking straw with ice water in the cup to make the alien laser blast sounds. Everyone thinks that I used keyboard patches, when we did everything organically."
Other locals involved in the recording include bassist Marcia Claire, guitarist Mark Huls, and studio mastermind Ben Moore (Switchfoot, Pinback).
"A famous syndicated TV show wants to use 'Cowboys and Aliens,'" according to West. The song was also released on the local music compilation series Staring at the Sun Volume 9, with an accompanying comic book produced by local publisher BloodFire Studios.
Since signing the publishing deal, West's songwriting partner Justin Werner subsequently placed his own song "This Highway" in the 2011 movie The Wanderers.
Last summer, Cowboys and Aliens director Favreau tweeted West's song and video among his "favorites."
At this writing, West's "Cowboys & Aliens" music video, despite not being connected at all to the 2011 film, has earned over 250,000 views.
My favorite "Cowboys & Aliens" character was the guy who fell asleep next to me during the screening. The bastard's snoring kept me awake! Sadly, I don't remember what he was wearing, so no costume.
Cool song. The concept of "Cowboys and Aliens" always reminded me of the video for "Knights of Cydonia" by Muse. Awesome video


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ALi announced today that it has signed a license agreement with Intel on chipset development supporting the Intel Pentium M processor. ATI Technologies was the first company to sign the Pentium M chipset agreement. Silicon Integrated Systems (SiS) launched two Pentium M chipsets – the SiS648MX and SiSM661MX – last September. VIA Technologies has yet to license this technology from Intel.
News source: DigiTimes


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Cassel expected to start
Published: December 14th, 2008 | Tags: Add new tag, Matt Cassel, New England Patriots
New England has declined to say whether quarterback Matt Cassel will start today after losing his father this week, but he will. A league source confirmed Cassel will be the Patriots' starting quarterback today at Oakland against the Raiders.
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Hello!, Im trying to establish a connection to a cygwin-psql database with php, but it seems to be an error. My platform is win98, and im using cygwin-psql 7.1.1, apache 1.3.2, and php4(downloaded from www.php.net) . The problem ocurrs on the pg_Connect function. This code works smooth on linux.I hope someone could give some hints for establishing the connection. Thanks in advance _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp
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Epic launches, Politico goes deeper: Why longform is the new necessity | PandoDaily
Filed under Uncategorized
The power of an image
This chart shows the number of social media-generated clicks on a tragic PalmBeachPost.com story this morning out of suburban West Palm Beach: A body was found floating in a canal.
The clicks from 8:23 to 8:43 a.m. came from our initial tweet.
We saw the spike in traffic after posting a photo to our Facebook page:
Filed under Facebook, Social media, Twitter
A customer service success story
Told via a round of Facebook messages.
Filed under Facebook
Palm Beach Post social media star: High school sports writer Jeff Greer
Palm Beach Post high school sports writer Jeff Greer is not only active on Twitter and Facebook, he takes full advantage of a wide spectrum of social media by being heavily involved in blogging, reader feedback and video.
His use of Twitter varies. He tweets recruiting news, announcing reported scholarship offers to high school football and basketball players. He live-tweets sporting events, from the Miami Heat and Florida Marlins to high school softball. I interacts with his followers by asking questions such as, "Name your top five NBA players of all-time." He's also been known to post the occasional joke, such as this lighthearted photo.
On The Post's PBGametime Facebook page, he and his fellow high school sports writer post photos, links to stories that don't come through the feeds and interact with users. The page has 1,995 fans and counting. Continue reading →
Filed under Blogs, Community engagement, Facebook, Social media, Twitter
Tagged as Honda Classic, Tiger Woods, Twitter
Palm Beach Post social media star: Courts reporter Jane Musgrave
By Breaking News Editor Rick Christie
It's not often that we get to set a new standard for coverage.
But we did just that with our coverage of John Goodman's high-profile DUI manslaughter trial.
One day in, it was clear that our initial plan to go with one reporter both for print and online was not going to be enough if we wanted to do it right. Continue reading →
Filed under Community engagement, Cool tools, Social media
Palm Beach Post social media star: HistoricPalmBeach.com's Michelle Quigley
Research librarian Michelle Quigley is the driving force behind The Palm Beach Post's HistoricPalmBeach.com, as well as the blog's Facebook page and Twitter account.
The niche site has a loyal audience, including 1,600 Facebook fans, folks who post about their own memories of Palm Beach County and in return get relevant and quirky facts from the place we live.
With Facebook's new Timeline, Michelle posted historic events as Facebook Milestones relevant to Palm Beach County dating to 1696, when Jonathan Dickinson shipwrecked off Jupiter Island.
Michelle's Timeline takes readers on a trip through local history, tracing such events as: Continue reading →
Filed under Blogs, Community engagement, Facebook, Social media
Palm Beach Post social media highlights for February
- For a daylong live chat on Signing Day 2012, Palm Beach Post college and high school football writers pitched in to take on on numerous topics, interact with readers and answer questions as players made their school choices official. Replay the chat here.
- When health writer Stacey Singer covered Palm Beach County's first free health care day on a Saturday in February, you might say she just phoned it in. In addition to writing her story for the web and print, Stacey used her iPhone to post live updates on her popular Twitter account throughout the day as she was reporting, including tweeting her iPhone photos of patients she talked with. She covered the event in real time as 12 clinics saw more than 1,100 people for free, capturing the stories, the faces and the pain of Palm Beach County's ailing and uninsured. See a summary of her live coverage here.
- Education reporter Allison Ross used Facebook to live-blog the Palm Beach County school superintendent choice. By spreading the word, in the three days leading up to her chat, the Education Matters Facebook page she shares with Jason Schultz gained as many new fans as the page normally gains in a month. Allison also took photos of the meeting on her phone and uploaded them into a Facebook gallery on her page. Recap Allison's Facebook chat here.
Filed under Community engagement, Facebook, Social media, Twitter
Tagged as Facebook, Palm Beach Post, Twitter


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It was dark out as I hustled from the café to the SUV, idling on a side street in a small Colombian town. I had met Andres Cadavid only about 30 minutes earlier, yet I was joining him and his family for dinner. As I was climbing into the car, I thought: "This is Colombia. People are kidnapped here!" No time for second thoughts. The door closed, and we were off.
Eight hours later, Andres turned to me and asked: "Have you ever seen a party like this in Canada?" I looked at the scene. Dozens of magnificent Colombian horses, meticulously groomed, with the finest hand-tooled saddlery and tack, parading around with their mounts in the plaza of Ciudad Bolivar, about three hours southwest of Medellin. Bartenders emerged from their rowdy clubs to serve trays of aguardiente, a sweet anise-seed liquor, to the riders. Musicians strolled through the plaza playing Colombian folk songs. People danced with gusto. It was not uncommon to see three generations of a family at one table. It was four in the morning and I swear the crowd was growing bigger.
"No, Andres," I said, thinking of Toronto's carefully legislated public festivals. "No, I haven't."
It was the Fiesta del Arrieros, an annual 10-day party in this pretty country town in Colombia's Antioquia province. It's a celebration of the riders who work on horseback and muleback, bringing in such crops as coffee and plantains.
Life hasn't always been easy here. Torrential rains in the past couple years have damaged crops and the region still bears scars from Colombia's notorious drug wars of the eighties. Today, the warring factions in its continuing civil war are still very much on everyone's mind.
But here, tonight, the only danger is enjoying a bit too much aguardiente. Colombians love a good party and they're
superb hosts. That's how I met Andres. I had watched the paso fino (literally, fine step) horses, doing their distinct and regal trot, their horseshoes creating a symphony of clacks and clops on the town's cobbled square. Then I witnessed the crowning of "La Reina de los Arrieros" – Colombians love beauty pageants with equal ardour – and was headed to a café to enjoy a cappuccino before calling it a night.
I had taken my last sip when Andres and his girls sat down beside me. "You're an extranjero," he laughed. "We don't get that many here!"
I told him I was studying Spanish in Medellin and wanted to see some pueblos. That was when he took it upon himself to make sure I had a good time. While Andres spoke some English; he patiently allowed me to practise my Spanish.
"You must come to my finca for dinner," he said, referring to his coffee farm up the hill. "Meet my friends and family, then we'll come back to the plaza for the fiesta."
We ate a grand meal and then, as promised, we returned to the square to join hundreds of other locals singing and dancing on the streets.
Shortly before the sun rose, I texted my wife: "I think I may have been kidnapped – by kindness. I'm staying with a family who adopted me for the night." Then I joined my new amigos for a lavish breakfast.
Special to The Globe and Mail


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Tax What They Burn Before Tax What We Earn...
As America faces the so-called "fiscal cliff," let's turn our attention to our country's systemic tax problem. To paint a picture, imagine our country as a mine car with its brake lines severed, barreling toward an uncertain fate. In this metaphor, the brake lines are represented by the U.S. tax code -- all 7,500 pages of it -- long the victim of severe tampering and perforating by corporate lobbyists and tax attorneys and unattended to by inadequate IRS enforcement. What is troubling is that these metaphorical brakes have been damaged for years, and only now, with an economy fitfully recovering from recession and the livelihoods of millions of Americans at stake, are the dangers ahead becoming headlines.
President Obama, as of now at least, supports letting the Bush tax cuts on the wealthy expire. But even if President Obama stands firm on this position in negotiations with Congressional Republicans, there's more work to be done to achieve more fundamental tax reform. As the president and Congress debate raising the income tax rate from 35 percent back up to where it was under President Clinton -- 39.5 percent -- keep in mind that under President Eisenhower, the largest earners paid roughly 90 percent after deductions. It was 70 percent at the start of Ronald Reagan's first term (which he then lowered drastically to 28 percent). In 2012, the line in the sand has been drawn on a relatively meager 4.9 percent difference.
To many Americans, the very word "tax" strikes a sense of resentment -- few like to give up a percentage of their hard-earned wages. But let's recall the words of Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, "taxes are what we pay for civilization." The basic purpose of taxation is to raise revenue needed for the public services we presumably all benefit from, and a purpose of government is to ensure that everyone is paying their fair share. Rarely is the fairness yardstick applied to the biggest culprits of tax avoidance and/or tax evasion -- the corporations. And, given grossly inadequate government tax enforcement budgets on global corporations, "tax evasion" is the proper term to add to the words "tax avoidance" (as the corporate attorneys would prefer, likely adding that it's "perfectly legal".)
Did you know that many large U.S. chartered corporations -- Bank of America, Verizon, GE, to name a few -- did not pay a single dollar in taxes to the United States government in 2010? These are companies that report massive, billion dollar annual profits, but don't contribute a dime of federal income tax to the country that provides them with resources, public services and infrastructure to conduct business. Some of these giant corporations even receive a hefty tax benefit from the federal government. In the years 2008-2010, for example, GE made over $7 billion in U.S. profit, paid zero federal tax, and reaped nearly $5 billion extra from the United States treasury. All they say is "perfectly legal" because of the bloated tax code, with its numerous loopholes, which have allowed crafty tax accountants and attorneys to devise an entire playbook of tactics to avoid paying their way.
Tax avoidance at GE is seen as a systematic profit center with the smartest loophole experts getting bonuses. Consider this: One building in the Cayman Islands -- the Ugland House -- is the legal address of thousands of U.S companies' corporate subsidies. All to avoid taxes. All "perfectly legal".
So if the basic purpose of taxation is to raise revenue needed for public services, why are the individual U.S. taxpayers, year after year, fronting the money for such corporations? How does filling the coffers of profitable companies like Bank of America, GE and Verizon benefit the lives of everyday citizens? Seemingly, the ones who benefit the most are the corporate CEOS, who regularly reward themselves with enormous paydays, the likes of which could pay the yearly salaries of hundreds of their workers.
How do we address this issue? What are the principles we should consider when deciding where the tax burdens should fall in a fair and just system? We should start by saying: "Tax what they burn, not what we earn" and "tax what they bet, not what we net." Before we tax gainful labor, we should tax the areas that have the most potential negative influence on our economy and our society, such as pollution, Wall Street speculation, the junk food and addiction industries, and corporate crime. By using the tax code to diminish harmful and reckless activities, we'll recoup savings in innumerable other ways, fiscal, environmental and social.
Going further, The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy published a short policy brief in August 2011 that laid out five principles of a sound tax policy: equity, adequacy, simplicity, exportability and efficiency. Read the short explanation of each principle in the brief itself here.
Former IRS commissioner Sheldon Cohen once wrote: "If you know the position a person takes on taxes, you can tell their whole philosophy. The tax code embodies all the essence of life: greed, politics, power, goodness, charity." With that sentiment in mind, any significant push toward fundamental tax reform has to start by chipping away at the corporatized, commercial Congress which uses tax breaks, deferrals, credits and exemptions as inventory to sell for campaign cash in increasingly costly campaigns. Until that happens, the metaphorical "brake lines" will remain faulty as America speeds toward increasingly more ominous fiscal cliffs.
(Many of these tax reform solutions are discussed in further detail in the first chapter, "Fundamental Tax Reform" of my latest book, The Seventeen Solutions: Bold Ideas for Our American Future.)


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Mother's Day is just a few days away and I am so excited!
This will be my very FIRST Mother's Day!! I was about five months pregnant last year and we didn't do anything to celebrate because I didn't feel like a mom yet. As selfish as this may sound, I can't wait to get showered with love and a gift or two.
Over the past couple of weeks, I have seen plenty of articles detailing gift ideas for the mom in your life. Many include things like a necklace with your child's initials, breakfast in bed and a spa day. These are great ideas, but what I could really use is TIME.
I am sure many of you first time moms could agree with that. You go from having all kinds of time for yourself to having little to no time for yourself.
I came up with a few gift ideas to give mom a little extra time in her life and rejuvenate her.
Give the gift of cleaning. More specifically, a cleaning service. Hire someone to come and give your home a deep clean. You know, get all the baseboards, polish the floors, dust the ceiling fans and pictures on the walls. I have a very mobile seven-month-old and I just don't have time for this type of cleaning anymore.
Gift her a girls night out. This might be one of my favorite ideas. My girlfriends and I would often make plans to meet up just hours before. Now, it isn't easy getting a babysitter on a moment's notice to go have dinner and drinks with the girls. Pick a Friday or Saturday night, invite a couple of her girlfriends, make dinner reservations at one of her favorite places and tell her to have fun. For extra points, give her some cash or a gift card to pay for part of the night!
Bestow upon her a day of beauty. Before my son, it was nothing for me to spend a Saturday morning or afternoon getting my hair and nails done. Not anymore. Call mom's favorite salon, make an appointment and pay for the services. For super bonus points, once mom gets home looking gorgeous, take her out for a night on the town.
Give her a gym membership. This is a touchy one and I know some of you might be thinking I am setting you up for failure. I'm not. I only suggest this IF she likes going to the gym and has specifically said she wants to go or misses going.
Pre-baby and during my pregnancy, I went to the gym. It was a great stress reliever for me and often helped me clear my head after a long day of work. If this is a gift you're thinking about, make sure you couple the membership with a beautiful card and a little note saying something like you know how much she liked going before and this now allows her to get some alone time while renewing her fitness goals.
Finally, my favorite gift idea: A day alone. If I had five to six hours alone, there is so much I could do. I could spend it sleeping, reading a book, watching trashy reality TV or just lying in bed playing Candy Crush. Whatever I decided to do, it would be my time to do it without worrying about anything else.
I hope these gift ideas help someone … maybe my own husband. Look for an update on my first Mother's Day in a few weeks. Have a happy Mother's Day!!
Kianey is the mom of one and a WRAL-TV morning news producer. She writes monthly for Go Ask Mom.