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Expert Sofa & Upholstery Cleaning Company N6 Kenwood House
Can you really be 100% sure that you can remove those wine stains without making even a more terrible damage on your upholstery? Can you indeed take care properly of your leather upholstery? If you have doubts or some fears about your sofa treatment, you should better leave the professionals to this job for you. And it can be quite affordable and efficient – especially with our hassle-free commercial and residential service in Kenwood House N6! Count on our professional sofa upholstery cleaning company and get all of these:
- Set sofa cleaning price list
- No covered charges, different payment methods
- Free word of advice on sofa cleaning
- Very easy and zero-cost re-scheduling
Contact the hardworking upholstery cleaners and invite them to your home for some decent and rapid sofa help! Get in touch with us by this phone number: 020 3404 5123 and be absolutely sure that our affordable professional upholstery cleaning company will help you!
We Clean the Following Materials:
- Synthetic, Wool,
- Linen, Silk, Viscose
- Organic, Suede, Cotton, Fibre
- Plush, Chenille, Nubuck, Leather, Acrylic
Mattress Cleaning + Bed Bug Mattress Procedure Cleaning Deal in Kenwood House N6
Suitable for hotels, hostels, hospitals and everything containing beds, Mattress Cleaning + Bed Bug Mattress is an deal you should definitely add to upholstery cleaning service Kenwood House N6. You will get a price cut for the second service. Domestic mattress cleaners destroy and remove dust mites, fungal spores, bacteria and other harmful waste. The procedure works with intensity ultra-violet light and gets rid of dirt and debris. This is the best way for you to protect your family from dust allergies, asthma, runny nose, depression /not 100% scientific evidence/, headaches, eczema, itchy red eyes.
Stains We Clean
As an expert sofa cleaning company with a decade of experience, thousands of happy customers and 96% positive feedback on our service in Kenwood House N6 1st Carpet Cleaning Ltd. has developed the right approach to decent upholstery furniture treatment. All gentle sofas are freshened up and disinfected with special dry method. No moisture is employed!
If you have old or manufactured upholstery, we will apply steam upholstery cleaning – with hot water based extraction method, special certified biodegradable agent and wonderful effect against bacteria and allergens. We also provide sofa stain removal, hovering and deodorizing.
Get a Affordable Sofa Cleaning Service
1st Carpet Cleaning Ltd. has developed a standard treatment for common sofas, and also special formulas for more special or delicate textiles. All services, though, are with sofa stain removal, deodorizing and hovering included. We provide leather sofa cleaning with crack filler with different mat leather, colours, leather rejuvenator and Foam Leather cleaner. For suede furniture we have also developed Suede Cleaning: specially tailored techniques for suede, velvet and other delicate materials. The procedure is used to avoid ripping and wasting of the delicate materials.
Reserve Our Trustworthy Sofa Cleaning Company in Kenwood House N6
Our advanced upholstery cleaning company in Kenwood House N6 is available for you 24/7 and 365 days per year! Make a booking by calling us on 020 3404 5123 right away! It is totally free and easy!
free quote 24/7
Call us now - Get your discount
The nearest tube station serving N6 Kenwood Houseis Highgate.


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Matthew and I are on our third annual trip that has evolved from a "visit as many states as possible in three days" trip to a "sing karaoke in as many states as possible" one.
"How cool is that!" said one of my friends, "What a fun idea."
In Matthew's case, however, fun ideas often become intense preoccupations (OK–obsessions)
The planning for this trip began a year ago, when we arrived home from a trip to Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan that was a total bust. (Matthew was sick the whole time.)
"Next year, lets go to New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware." In the months that followed, thanks to Google, he'd identified a place in each state where he could perform, calling each in advance announcing that he'd chosen them for his "tour". I checked them out online and they all looked–just OK. We talked frequently about our travel plans, even choosing the places where we would have breakfast, lunch and dinner. Earlier this month, Matthew brought a recent photo of David Lee Roth with him to the barber. A few days before our trip he decided his sideburns needed to be a little shorter, and shaved them off.
(Who doesn't trim their own hair when they're anxious?)
My brilliant hair stylist transformed the Friar Tuck look into a magnificent military blended buzz, and we were off.
We arrived at our first "gig" a few hours after landing in New Jersey, and Matthew ran in and introduced himself to the manager, the who was less than pleased.
"So you're the nut who keeps calling here," said the manager, looking like he was ready to smack Matthew. "What's your problem, man? "
I pulled him aside while Matthew stood, stunned, and explained the situation the best I could.
"I don't care!," he replied, "when a stranger calls over and over saying he's coming to town, it's just spooky."
It occurred to me that he was absolutely right.
It didn't matter that Matthew had planned this trip for a year, that he paid for it with his own money, or that he'd researched and selected his "venues" independently. It didn't matter that we'd be staying in a marginal hotel for three nights.
I hadn't done Matthew any favors by enabling his rock star fantasies. My job was to teach him to enjoy his interests in a socially acceptable way.
"I really want to be famous," said a dejected Matthew as we drove to our hotel.
I told him that not that many people become actual rock stars, but it was OK to have fun singing, just as long as he did his best to follow the rules and fit in.
Which is exactly what he did on our final night in Philadelphia. We went to a a Brew Pup that had promised karaoke at 9pm. A hockey game was on, and Matthew cheered and booed and high fixed like everyone else (not always at the right time, but so what). He waited his turn, sang one song at 10:15, and the crowd cheered so loudly and enthusiastically that his mother started to cry.
Thank you, McGillin's!
Got questions? Need resources? Email me here firstname.lastname@example.com and I will do my very best to help.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Posted Saturday, July 3, 2010
Kristina Olsen is one of those rare singer/songwriters whose every concert is like going on a journey through your own life.
She captures all those precious moments, whether you're reveling in summer days, wishing your ex wasn't doing quite so well, or chuckling about how your friends are all looking for the perfect partner.
Don't be too shy; Kristina isn't! She will capture your heart with her deeply personal tales and you might even feel you have known her for years.
"It is indeed a rare occurrence to be so completely captivated for an entire concert by one person and a guitar, but American singer/songwriter Kristina Olsen certainly managed this and more, delivering a highly entertaining show to a capacity audience for over two hours." (Patrick Shepherd)
"She tells stories of trekking through Alaska on snowmobiles to gigs or of dancing with a drunk, and then sings everything from sweet, passionate piano ballads to rollicking folk-rock or growling, raucous blues. For Olslen, the message is personal and delivered with fire . . . finely crafted songs . . . Her blues style, like that of many great blues singers, is rife with sexy overtones." (Stephen Ide)Entry by donation ($25/$15).
Bookings are strongly advised!
Call or email Wayne (02) 9939 8802 to reserve your seat.
Humph Hall
85 Allambie Road
Allambie Heights
Formerly the Allambie Heights Uniting Church, Humph Hall is now the private home of Gial Leslie and Wayne Richmond.
As with all concerts in Humph Hall, Kristina Olsen will be performing acoustically - no PA!
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Patricia Rentner
Receptionist, Assistant to the Chair
Patricia Rentner is an experienced professional who works as receptionist and undergraduate coordinator for the department. Before joining Computer Sciences in 2012, Ms. Rentner was a sales manager at a catering company in Madison. Before that, she was an event coordinator at a local conference center for 10 years.
She is from Madison originally, but lived in Southern California for 10 years and in Ohio for 10 years. Before moving to California in 1978, Ms. Renter worked for the University of Wisconsin System for 9 years at campuses in Whitewater, Milwaukee and Madison.


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Dwight Howards Performs The Haka [Video]
Dwight Howard along with the All- Blacks Rugby team get together and perform the Haka. The Haka is a traditional dance of the Maori from New Zealand, it's was a dance that warriors would do before going into battle to intimidate there enemies. So why is Dwight Howard doing it?
Dwight Howard decides one day "Hey I want to do the Haka with New Zealand All-Blacks" . Well I guess you can do whatever you want if your Dwight Howard.
Who are the New Zealand All-Blacks? Their one of the most devastating Rugby team of all time silly, and before every game they perform a Haka. I will admit this one with Dwight Howard is a lil weak. If you want to see a REAL HAKA just watch the video below it...
Here's a REAL HAKA!!!


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Free Standard Shipping on Orders Over $350
Turbo: Frequently Asked Questions
Our Turbo bikes are on the precipice of cutting-edge technology, so we understand that you have questions. Luckily, we also have answers. Read below to see some of our more frequently asked questions.
Turbo: Frequently Asked Questions
Our Turbo bikes are on the precipice of cutting-edge technology, so we understand that you have questions. Luckily, we also have answers. Read below to see some of our more frequently asked questions.
Maintenance & Care
What should I consider when cleaning my Turbo?
- The most important rule is not to wash your Turbo with a high-pressure washer. This could easily damage seals, bearings, electronic units, and other sensitive parts. Instead, use a low-pressure garden hose, wet cloth, or sponge for removing heavy dirt.
- Before cleaning your bike, switch the system off.
- We recommend removing the battery inside the frame to ensure the connectors are clean and dry before reconnecting and/or powering on the system.
- Apart from that, you should maintain your Turbo as any other bike, except cherish it even more than your first born because this is a Specialized e-Bike.
What's the maximum rider weight for my Turbo?
Please refer to this document on specialized.com: 2018 Rider/Bike Weight Limits and Terrain Conditions. It can be found on every bike page as a downloadable PDF in the section "Manual Downloads."
How far will my Turbo take me?
Use our Turbo Range Calculator to tell you how far your Turbo's battery will get you.
What should I consider when using my Turbo in the winter?
Always store your bike and battery at room temperature before riding, or at least in an ambient temperatures above 0° C (35° F). If the battery cells are too cold, performance issues can occur (system goes into protection mode in worst case scenarios with no motor support). Riding in low temperatures is not a problem since the battery creates heat during discharge. Refer to the temperature ranges for charging, discharging, and storing as displayed on the underside of the battery.
Can I mount a trailer to my Turbo Levo/Kenevo or Vado/Como bike?
Yes, this is possible with the correct axle (e.g. from The Robert Axle Project). Make sure the axle fits the spacing and the thread pitch (Turbos always 1.0). All 2016 to 2018 Turbo bikes require a 148x12mm axle with the Syntace X-12 thread standard (pitch 1.0). Also stick to the Specialized addendum titled 'Riding with Kids.' Be aware that, in some countries, pulling a trailer with or without kids may be affected by legislation, especially in conjunction with S-Pedelecs (e.g. Vado 5.0/6.0).
Turbo Kenevo & Levo
What's the maximum fork travel for Levo FSR models?
The maximum fork travel is 150mm since the frame geometry is designed around a 140mm suspension setup.
Can I retrofit my model year 2016/17 Turbo Levo with the handlebar Trail Remote specified on model year 2018 models?
No, this is not possible, as the wired remote is not an aftermarket item. Also, Levo frames prior to model year 2018 are not prepared to route the cable inside the frame. Frame modifications void the warranty. For Levos prior to model year 2018, we recommend the ANT+ handlebar remote to change modes from the cockpit.
Can I change batteries between the Levo and Kenevo?
Yes, all Levo batteries are cross-compatible. Make sure you check-in regularly with your retailer to ensure you are running the latest firmware.
What display options do I have for my Turbo Levo/Kenevo bikes?
There are multiple display options since all Levo/Kenevo batteries feature ANT+/Bluetooth® functionality. This is a quick overview:
- Garmin Connect IQ on selected Garmin models.
- ANT+ devices, like a bike computer or wearables.
- Wireless ANT+ handlebar remote to switch modes (especially for Levo model year 2016 and 2017 models).
Can I run 29-inch wheels on my Turbo Levo 6Fattie bike?
Yes, this is possible. The maximum tire width for 29" wheels is 2.6". Make sure your 29" wheelset features the right spacing (front 110mm, rear 148mm—also called "Boost") and is equipped with the needed speed sensor magnet. Rotor size and cassette must match, too, if you want to swap wheels. Should you want to adapt your Specialized 135mm/142mm/142+ wheelset, you can use our Boost Conversion Kit to upgrade it to the Boost standard - this kit is available as an aftermarket part through retailers.
What are the stock spring rates for all the Kenevo sizes?
The TTX22M shock in 2018 Kenevo models comes with the following springs. Note that these are safe average rates for the expected rider weight and size:
- S: 72N/mm - 411lbs/in for rider weight 130lbs (59kg)
- M: 80N/mm - 457lbs/in for rider weight 150lbs (68kg)
- L: 88N/mm - 502lbs/in for rider weight 180lbs (82kg)
- XL: 96N/mm - 548lbs/in for rider weight 210lbs (95kg)
What tire widths can I run on my Turbo Kenevo?
The Kenevo is designed to only run 650b/27.5" tires from 2.6" to 2.8" wide. Be aware that the bottom bracket becomes lower with narrower tires.
Can I modify my Kenevo with a double-crown fork?
The Kenevo frame is approved for the use of double-crown suspension forks with 180mm of travel. In order to preserve the geometry and overall ride characteristics, any alternative fork should feature an identical, or very similar, axle-to-crown measurement compared with the original fork. A greater fork length would further slacken the head tube angle and therefore compromise the steering and ride characteristics.
Turbo Vado and Como
Can I mount a handlebar-mounted basket or bag on my bike without covering the front light?
Please make sure the following modifications are performed by your authorized Specialized Retailer.
In order to mount a conventional stem and/or a front basket on a Turbo Vado/Como, the standard Bloks Twistlock mount can be used. This handlebar mount works with 31.8 mm handlebar diameters.
The original Twistlock cradle, and the Twistlock itself, have to be removed when using the Bloks handlebar display holder.
The stock front light must be mounted in the original position at the stem face plate. Since the stock front light utilizes an aspherical lense design, mounting the front light upside down (turned 180°) results in a false light beam pattern that would badly illuminate the ground and tend to blind oncoming traffic.
Should you look for an alternative front light, we recommend the Herrmans H-BlackPro E-BIKE 6-12V in conjunction with this Stainless Steel bracket for suspension forks.
As basket or bag holder, we recommend the KlickFix E-Bike version.
What's the warranty on the motor?
All model year 2016 to 2018 custom Brose motors are covered by a two-year / 15,000-kilometer warranty (whichever is reached first). Faults due to manufacturer defects during this period are covered under this warranty. Issues caused by improper use, tuning of any kind, inadequate maintenance or riding outside intended use are not covered under warranty. All warranty claims are handled via your Authorized Specialized Retailer.
How should I store my Turbo battery when I'm not using it for a long period of time?
Please refer to the battery manual and the symbols on the battery itself. Store the battery pack in a dry place, ideally at a temperature around 15° C (59° F). Recharge to around 60% every three months.
What's the warranty on the battery?
Refer to the Turbo bike manual. The warranty terms are two years or 300 charge cycles/75% remaining capacity. This means that Specialized warranties batteries that have less capacity than 75% after 300 charge cycles. A charge cycle is a full charge, e.g. 504 charged watt hours make one charge cycle. Part cycles are calculated by the BMS system till one cycle can be added.
Do I need to completely drain the battery before recharging?
No, you don't need to drain the battery completely before recharging, because our lithium ion batteries do not have a memory effect. The battery can be recharged at any time, so you always have full capacity available when you want it.
What do I need to consider when transporting my Turbo on a car bike rack?
Generally speaking, you should only use bike racks that are approved for e-bikes and transport the bike according to the manufacturer's guidelines. Further, we recommend transporting the e-bike battery inside the car. Especially in wet conditions, avoid high speeds to minimize the risk of water ingress in the bearings and seals. Be aware that any damages caused by the carrier system are not covered by warranty.
Can I take my Turbo with me on an airplane?
Usually, airlines do not transport lithium-ion batteries with a capacity greater than 100Wh. Therefore, you should enquire with your airline before planning your trip. Most likely, you will have to arrange a battery at your destination or ship the battery separately by land (following the regulations for hazardous goods Class 9).
Pedal-Assist Riding Tips
Specialized pedal-assist Turbos are bikes first and foremost. They handle exactly as you would expect a high-end Specialized bike to ride. You might be a pro at riding, however here are a couple of tips to get the best out of your 'pedal-assist' riding experience:
- Shift the gears earlier than you would on a traditional bike.
- Ease up on pedaling power when shifting.
- Be gentle and consistent on the pedals- you don't need to press any harder down on the pedals than you would crush a can of soft drink.
- Spin lower gears on the climbs – cadence is King (or Queen) – the more consistent you pedal, the more assistance you will receive.
- Go further and faster than ever before… Enjoy it! If you're not smiling by the end of it than we're doing it wrong… Or you forgot to charge the battery.


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Innovative pedagogy measuring evidence of learning
Management Institutes are moving towards Outcome-based education (OBE) framework and Assurance of Learning (AOL) to assess the quality of their teaching and learning processes. Several management institutes are looking at learning data emerging out of OBE for their accreditation requirements by bodies like AACSB, NBA, WASC etc.
Learners joining management institutes either full time or part time look forward to collaborative and adaptive way of learning. In the case of learners who seek such programs (e.g. executive MBA programs) spend less than 10 hours of face to face classroom time in a week, making blended learning and peer- to peer collaboration very important for effective learning. Solutions built on InPods Learning Platform are designed to address the challenges faced by hundreds of management institutes by giving easy access to ICT technology and content in a consistent, sustainable, transparent and scalable manner.
Collaborative Learning
Learners spend more time off-campus than in the classroom, making learning collaboratively an essential element. InPods platform allows peer-to-peer or student-teacher interaction extremely easy.
Learning beyond classrooms
InPods digital learning environment will provide easy access to learning content and assessments tagged to learning outcomes. Learners can access the lessons anytime at their own convenience.
Insightful Analytics
Real-time, dynamic analytical reports will be available with faculty and learners. This helps faculty to assess the gaps in outcomes and plan for the areas of improvement. Learners can learn adaptive to improve their performance.


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Plugged in
Article Abstract:
The Dept of Energy's Office of Building Technologies sponsored a forum entitled 'Vision 2020' in Sep 1998, to discuss the future of the lighting industry. Chief executives from lighting fixture, parts and control firms, lighting designers and representatives of the Illuminating Engineering Society and the International Assn of Lighting Designers attended the forum. Some of the industry goals developed during the forum include research on lighting, improvement in energy codes and standards and incentives for energy efficiency.
Publication Name: Interiors
Subject: Architecture and design industries
Year: 1998
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
Animating with light
Article Abstract:
Chop Suey Looey's Litchi Lounge features custom lighting fixtures that enhance the new restaurant's Chinese garden theme. The lighting fixture design resulted from the joint efforts of designer Sam Lopata and owner Eddie Schoenfield and includes an innovative revolving internal sphere which produces an interplay of light across the lamp's paper shade. The Chinese lanterns serve to offset the dominantly red interior and creates an animated atmosphere without detracting from the overall restaurant design.
Publication Name: Interiors
Subject: Architecture and design industries
Year: 1992
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
- Abstracts: IALD reflects ... the future of lighting design. Plugged in. Bauer Lamp
- Abstracts: Low-level lighting. Form and Function. Bright ideas
- Abstracts: The Lighting Research Center. Lighting curved walls. Lighting case study: a warehouse store takes an energy-conscious approach to lighting
- Abstracts: Lighting case study. Spec fees: unraveling our ethical fiber. IALD reflects ... how do you hold a spec?
- Abstracts: Zen & the art of skin maintenance. Cubic feat


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Combined results from two trials shows the drug, called solanezumab, slows the speed of mental decline by a third in those with mild disease.
Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia, with about 500,000 people in Britain suffering from it.
Despite enormous investment in experimental treatments, only a handful of drugs to tackle the degenerative brain disease have been approved. These drugs are effective at alleviating some of the symptoms but they do not tackle the underlying cause of disease.
Now Eli Lilly, a pharmaceutical firm, has announced results for its new drug, which works to help clear the protein 'plaques' thought to cause Alzheimer's.
Combined results from two trials showed that it slowed the pace of cognitive decline by 34 per cent, over an 18-month period, compared to those given a placebo.
The results were presented on Monday at a meeting of the American Neurological Association in Boston, Massachusetts.
Rachelle Doody, professor of neurology at Baylor College of Medicine, who was involved in the research, described the finding as "encouraging".
She said: "These results represent an important step for the medical, academic, and scientific communities in understanding brain amyloid as a target of Alzheimer's disease therapies."
The result was obtained by combining data from two individual trials, which each contained about 1,000 people.
In August the firm and patients' groups were left bitterly disappointed after results from the two parallel trials were released.
Each trial indicated the drug did have an effect - but the results were as strong as hoped. They suggested a dim future for the eagerly anticipated drug.
The new analysis is therefore a welcome boost for those with the disease.
However, it is still unclear whether Eli Lilly will apply to drugs regulators in the US and Europe to get solanezumab approved.
The drug also appears to increase the angina, with incidence of the heart condition being 1.1 per cent in those given solanezumab, compared to 0.2 per cent in the placebo group.
A spokesman for Eli Lilly said: "Next steps for solanezumab will be determined after discussions with regulators."
Dr Mike Hutton, Eli Lilly's chief scientific officer for neurodegeneration, said: "This is so exciting because the amyloid hypothesis has been around for 20 years, and I think this is the first evidecne that targeting the amyloid cascade can slow the progression of disease.
"There are lots of drugs in the pipeline that tackle this, being developed by Eli Lilly and other companies."
Dr Eric Karran, director of research at Alzheimer's Research UK, welcomed the research and said it indicated the drug would be of most use if given early.
He said: "We knew when the results of this trial were first announced that, despite the overall negative outcome, the drug did seem to show positive trends for some patients.
"The fact that the benefits appear to be for those people with mild forms of Alzheimer's suggests that solanezumab may only have an effect when given early in the disease process.
"The drug aims to stop a protein called amyloid from building in the brain, but we know this can start to happen years before symptoms develop.
"Studies of anti-amyloid drugs like solanezumab in people with pre-symptomatic Alzheimer's are being planned, and the results from these trials could be very interesting."


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Over the past few weeks, I've slowly been moving work projects from the MacBook over to the X301. I completed the final move today and am now MacBook-free. That coincides with selling the MacBook too. Nothing like selling the MacBook to get you to finish up moving data to the X301.
So, specs? My knowledge of current processors and what's better or worse is long since useless. I remember that you wanted a 486 'DX' processor instead of an 'SX' processor, for instance. The Pentium 60Mhz (which I owned) was also slower than a 486 DX/4 at 100Mhz. And using anything from Cyrix was a waste of time (I owned a 6x86 133+ processor, which ran at a clock speed of 110Mhz and required the oddball 55Mhz bus speed or something like that). The last time I made an effort to stay up to date on processors was with my Pentium Pro system. I had a dual Pentium Pro 200Mhz system. Each CPU ran at 200Mhz, had 1MB of L2 cache, and got really really hot. I had an Intel PR440FX mainboard with onboard AIC-7880 SCSI. That was neat....10 years ago. OK, so skip to now. I don't know processor names, low end or high end speeds, or really anything else about them. But I do know what the X301 has:
- Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU U9400 @ 1.40GHz
- 64GB SSD storage
- DVD RW drive
- USB, BlueTooth, wifi, Ethernetfi, fingerprint reader (great?)
The X301 is amazingly quiet, light, and speedy. I like it.


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Crossing the edge in style
Heraclitus said over 2000 years ago that "change is the only constant in life." By now we all are becoming aware that change is the new normal. And still, most people naturally resist change. Even a natural cycle like leaping from one year into another is often experienced as an edge to cross. Just look around you this time of year. A lot is going on to prepare for this transition: from preparing rituals and celebration; to buying presents; to being busy and stressed.
CRR Global spoke with Betsy Baum Block about how she applies Organization and Relationship Systems Coaching (ORSC™) to her evaluation capacity building practice in the nonprofit field. Nonprofit program evaluation covers the collection of information about a program in order to understand its efficacy and promote thoughtful decision-making. This includes, for example, working with an out-of-school time program to see if and how it is working towards its mission of helping youth stay in school and improve their social-emotional learning.
A personal story of putting ORSC™ tools in practice - by Hanna Cooper
In May 2016, just two weeks shy of my 49th birthday, I was unexpectedly diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. An enormous shock and surprise, the news sent ripples reverberating throughout my entire personal and professional life. Cancer: the personal development course no one would ever willingly sign up for.
But as we say in Organisation and Relationship Systems Coaching (ORSC™), who knows what is good and what is bad? In many ways, I was remarkably prepared to navigate the waters of a serious and usually quickly fatal cancer diagnosis: I'd been a caregiver for my mother during the eight years she lived with lung cancer, a mindfulness meditation practitioner for nearly 25 years, and an individual and systems coaching practitioner for 12 years, including my CRR Global ORSC™ training and certification. I had an inner knowing I'd need to rally all those tools, along with exceptional medical care and the love and care of my family and community, to face the challenges in front of me.
End of year thoughts from Marita
Switching off by switching roles
Learning Lessons in Lagos
By Marita Fridjhon
Note: This article was originally posted in 2013. Given the recent news on Immigration, republishing it seemed appropriate.
Both Faith and I travel a lot. And as seasoned road warriors, we have many tales to share–but in 2013 we experienced the most hair-raising experience in an airport to date. We left South Africa on a Friday morning flight; 4 connections using 3 different airlines stood between us and our home. The Johannesburg leg connected us to Germany via Lagos, Nigeria.
rom our Guest Blogger, Lucy Shenouda
What's the way to a team's heart? Do teams have heart?! Yes!
We strongly believe that a team has all of a human's vital organs, a system in its own right. In particular, a team has a personality and identity of its own. Each member of the team brings their perspectives, voices, actions to bear to impact the entire organization, at all levels. By virtue of being a system in its right, a team brings its own shadow and light. The up days, down days. The mood swings, challenges and the revelations and inspirations. The full range!
Ubuntu's Roots Go Back a Long Way
by Mish Middlemann
Both collaboration and competition are wired into our DNA – and it is edgy to feel them both in our blood and our behavior. Ronnie Ndlovu and I are just back from an ICF Johannesburg gig we co-led, where the participants experienced a modified Lands Work.
Replacing More with Better
by guest ORSC blogger, Darcy Luoma
Can you believe that it's time for school to start? Where did the summer go?! I have to admit that I love the transition to fall, as it is my favorite season. In reflecting back over the summer, I notice that I have successfully created more space for those things that matter most to me: family, fitness, and travel. However, it hasn't been easy. But this summer I've been very intentional about doing things differently. Because I've had to.
Why Employees Stay
By Marita Fridjhon
Yesterday in our executive team meeting I was reminded of the well-known statement that "employees don't quit jobs, they quit managers and office environments." The research by brain scientists such as Daniel Pink and positivity in the workplace research by Losada, Heaphy and others, bear this out.
When we sat down for our meeting there was not only a high frustration level in the room but also fatigue… The server went down, the IT support group was slow on the uptake, pressing deadlines for proposals, marketing and other initiatives were stretched to the max by information not accessible on the recalcitrant server hard disk, to name only a few issues.
We welcome a range of contributions on our blog.
If you would like to be featured as a guest blogger on crrglobal.com, please check out our "Guest Blogging Guidelines," by clicking HERE.
December 2018


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De Beers Web Site Suffers Security Glitch
De Beers? www.adiamondisforever.com Web site recently had a security glitch that could have let hackers see the names and addresses of thousands of site registrants.
According to CNET, an Internet news service, a San Francisco Bay area computer consultant stumbled on the embarrassing problem while searching for his home address on a search engine. He came across a list of thousands of home addresses and e-mail addresses of registrants to the De Beers site, which lets users register for promotions and e-mailings. His own personal information was included in the list. A CNET reporter eventually duplicated the glitch.
The consultant e-mailed the De Beers site, and the snafu was fixed, a spokeswoman says. ?The only two people who accessed the data were the user who discovered it and the reporter from CNET,? says Cheryl Pellegrino of the Diamond Information Center. ?The error was fixed soon after it was discovered. Security measures have since been taken to ensure that this will not happen again. Adiamondisforever.com users can now be assured that their information is completely secure and confidential.? ? Rob Bates
U.S. Diamond Sales Climb 12% in 1999
U.S. retail sales of diamond jewelry soared 12% in 1999?the biggest jump of the ?90s. De Beers marketing director Derek Palmer credited the strong American economy as well as De Beers? millennium campaign for the good news.
Worldwide retail sales rose 10% last year. Only Japan?s market suffered a decline.
De Beers? New Name
After an embarrassing episode in which sightholder R. Steinmetz appropriated De Beers? name in advertising for its Web site, De Beers is now forbidding sightholders to use its name without its permission.
Instead, sightholders are being asked to use the name ?Diamond Trading Company.? ?We are reserving the brand name of De Beers and generating the separate identity of Diamond Trading Company for our sightholders,? says De Beers managing director Gary Ralfe.
Spokesman Andrew Lamont notes that, since De Beers recently acquired all of former sister company Anglo-American?s stake in the ?Diamond Trading Company? entity, it may now do more to promote the ?DTC? name. ? Rob Bates
De Beers: Branding Is an ?Add-On?
After years of hedging, De Beers now acknowledges it?s giving the green light to selling ?branded? diamonds?but it says the stones will never be more than a ?add-on? to its standard business.
?We hope to bring these stones to market, but I hope everyone will realize that only a small number will be branded,? says Derek Palmer, a marketing executive for the De Beers office in London. ?These stones will only be a small percentage of our total sales. Our core business is selling regular diamonds through the traditional means of distribution.?
But Palmer thinks it?s a good thing that so many companies are jumping on the ?branding? bandwagon. ?We welcome all brands,? he says. ?We think it will make the market more competitive and enlarge the category. Our industry is being outspent on advertising by other luxury goods. Can you imagine the perfume industry with no brands?simply ads sponsored by the Perfume Trading Company? It wouldn?t be too exciting.? ? Rob Bates
New Color Treatment for Diamonds
John Haynes of InColor Enhanced Diamonds in Heath, Ohio, is promoting treated black and green faceted diamonds, and the Gemological Institute of America?s research laboratory is trying to unravel the mystery of the color.
So far, GIA?s research shows that the ?black? diamonds, which appear opaque black when examined under diffused light, are actually a very dark brown and transparent when viewed with fiber-optic light.
InColor says it color-enhances its diamonds with new ?high-energy electrodynamic processes, which activate color centers in the atomic lattice.? According to the company, that?s how diamonds are colored in nature. But after examining visible absorption spectra, GIA believes that ?these diamonds have been exposed to some type of ionizing radiation.?
In 1971, Haynes turned diamonds green by placing them in contact with americium 241 oxide, which is used as a radiation source in scientific research. ?Those took months,? says Haynes. ?These take only minutes.? He says the InColor process doesn?t use any radioactive materials and the resulting diamonds are absolutely clean. ?Actually, in our black process, the single-crystal diamond lattice is transformed into amorphous diamond from the surface down to about 250,000 atoms deep,? says Haynes. This is comforting to note, since Haynes is the only retail jeweler we know of who has built his own nuclear reactor. ? Gary Roskin, G.G., FGA
Another ?Natural? Treatment Debuts
New? color and clarity enhancement processes for diamonds have been announced by Moti Weisbrot, managing director of First Diamond Group Ltd. (FDG), based in Israel. According to Weisbrot, the color process is ?based only on natural treatments, without any residual signs of minimal radiation.? He says the natural-appearing intense colors are a product of high temperature and high pressure along with ?natural radiation systems.?
FDG claims it?s accomplishing what nature intended. ?Ionizing radiation is simply a form of energy derived from atoms that are always around us,? says Weisbrot. ?Radiation exposure may come from either natural or man-made sources. Natural radiation may come from soil and rocks, the food we eat, the houses we live in, cosmic rays, and even our own bodies. The level of radiation exposure depends on location and altitude. In the lab, we are able to create the desired environment and create our own ?location and altitude? without actually having to travel to the top of Everest.?
FDG says its process uses rubidium 87 (found in soil), thorium 232 (found in common rocks), radon 220 (found in houses), and lead 208. ?We help nature ?finish? the work that has been started millions of years ago, by giving those beautiful fancy colors to the diamonds,? says Weisbrot. ?We just give a little ?push,? creating the right natural environment around the stone.?
FDG?s list of elements for creating a ?natural environment? is reminiscent of Chatham Created Gems? ?100% Natural Ingredients? ad from 1984, a tongue-in-cheek pitch for Chatham Created Emeralds that lists the natural chemical ingredients that make up the gem (see photo on p. 88). Chatham?s ad also discloses that the emerald is created in the laboratory and is by no means a natural product.
The colors of FDG diamonds appear identical to those of the rarest fancy-colored diamonds. The enhancement process can create ?fancy intense? colors from ?fancy light? colored diamonds (just past ?Z? on GIA?s color-grading scale). ?We are even able to make ?vivid? yellows,? says Weisbrot. ?Take into consideration that the normal ?bombarded? goods should have very synthetic-like color appearances.?
The enhanced diamonds will be sold under the name ?Fancy Color Enhanced Diamonds? in a number of colors, including intense yellow, ?canary? yellow, green, blue, gold, ?cognac,? black, and pink.
FDG also claims to have perfected the Yehuda fracture-filling process. Weisbrot says the company has succeeded in ?removing white and black piqués, without the usual ?rainbow.? ? He adds that the new clarity enhancement makes a fracture ?crystal clear, without any visible sign to the eye.? That?s a bold claim, since both color and clarity enhancements are identifiable by GIA.
FDG will provide color and clarity enhancement services to the trade for a flat fee of $150 per carat. Contact the company at (972-53) 973-501, fax (972-9) 956-7216, e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com.
?Gary Roskin, G.G., FGA


text:
McClatchy Announces 10 President's Award for Journalism Excellence and Honors two for Digital Innovation
By: Press Release | McClatchy
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Jan. 30, 2013 – The McClatchy Company (NYSE: MNI) today announced the winners of 10 President's Awards for journalism excellence in 2012 for exceptional work in investigative reporting, explanatory journalism, photography and writing. The company also recognized two newspapers with special awards for online innovation.
The Kansas City Star was recognized for its 12-month probe of the Midwest's beef industry that documented a growing health threat from modern meat processing. The Charlotte Observer and The News & Observer won for a joint project that found nonprofit hospitals in North Carolina making record profits, paying multimillion-dollar executive salaries and amassing huge reserves.
Staff members in Miami, Biloxi, Sacramento and Raleigh won for investigative work. El Nuevo Herald and The Miami Herald were recognized for coverage of a secret election campaign by a sitting congressman who then lost reelection. The Sun Herald in Biloxi won for stories about questionable spending by Mississippi's environmental agency. The Sacramento Bee was honored for revelations about a state agency hiding funds in the midst of massive cutbacks, and The News & Observer for coverage of academic fraud at the University of North Carolina that led to the university chancellor's resignation.
The Lexington Herald-Leader won for the exquisite writing and photography in its year-long look at Central Kentucky's famed Thoroughbred horse farms by reporter Janet Patton and photographer Charles Bertram. David Lauderdale, a columnist for The Island Packet and The Beaufort Gazette, was recognized for his essays that capture the routines and surprises of life in South Carolina's Lowcountry.
The Olympian and The News Tribune were recognized for exhaustive and even-handed coverage of the same-sex marriage campaign in Washington state. The McClatchy Washington bureau won for its coverage that took readers into the chaos, violence and confusion of the war in Syria.
The company honored two newspapers with special awards for digital innovation. The Fresno Bee was recognized for John Walker's digital photography exhibit that compares historical photos to those scenes today in both online and print presentations. The State in Columbia was honored for the launch of its South Carolina Military Page that collects and aggregates all news on the topic along with links, opinion pieces and archives.
"We are incredibly proud and inspired by all this great work being produced by McClatchy journalists around the country and the world," said Pat Talamantes, McClatchy's president and CEO. "The McClatchy President's Awards remind us yet again that McClatchy journalism is alive and well and just as vital and compelling in today's digital age as it has ever been."
The annual President's Awards are the highest employee honors given by The McClatchy Company. Judging the competition this year were Susan Goldberg, executive editor at Bloomberg News; Marty Kaiser, editor and senior vice president at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and Anders Gyllenhaal, McClatchy's vice president for news and Washington editor.
Here are the judges' comments and internet links, where available, to the winning entries:
(Biloxi) Sun Herald
Troubled Waters: State Agency Under State, Federal Microscopes
Karen Nelson, Anita Lee, Paul Hampton, Michael Newsom and John Fitzhugh
The Sun Herald burrowed into the state's Department of Marine Resources after getting a tip about corruption within the agency, which has increasingly broad sway over the coast in the wake of the recent hurricanes. Reporters documented a growing list of questionable deals, including a foundation devoted to entertainment, the purchase of real estate and misuse of grant money. The judges said the coverage, which helped lead to the firing of the department's director, showed great tenacity and resourcefulness. "The Sun Herald just kept at this week after week with a series of stories that has had sweeping impact," the judges said.
The Charlotte Observer, The (Raleigh) News & Observer
Nonprofit Hospitals: Prognosis Profits
Ames Alexander, Karen Garloch, Joseph Neff, David Raynor, Steve Riley and Jim Walser
The superior work by The Charlotte Observer and The News & Observer stands out in a number of ways: The reporting uncovered an important and dramatic trend among nonprofit hospitals that is having great impact on health care; the writing and presentation on this complex topic was clear, detailed and emphatic; and the way the two papers worked together to develop a series that was tailored to each of their readership was an accomplishment. The judges said the series told a story that would otherwise probably never be known and put a topic of lasting importance in front of the community. "This is simply great work," the judges wrote. "One of the best examples of collaboration we've seen."
The Kansas City Star
Beef's Raw Edges
Mike McGraw and Alan Bavley
The Star's 12-month review of the region's beef industry delivered startling revelations with an exquisitely written project that was also a triumph in print and online presentation. The stories confronted growing and dangerous trends in meat production, raised questions about the spread of hormones into the environment and probed the way the industry is lobbying the government. The series has a book-like depth and quality, along with a presentation that urges the reader along with terrific photography, graphics and presentation. "This is one of the most exhaustive and important pieces of journalism any of us has seen this year," the judges said.
Lexington Herald-Leader
Fields of Dreams: A Year on Central Kentucky's Famed Thoroughbred Horse Farms
Janet Patton, Charles Bertram and Scott Shive
The Herald-Leader took readers on a year-long journey on the front lines of the Thoroughbred horse industry with its Fields of Dreams series, featuring eloquent writing and photography that captured life on the farm. Reporter Janet Patton uses the device of the seasons to create a portrait that is both immensely detailed and powerful – "a kind of journalistic poetry," the judges said. Charles Bertram's photography is a perfect match for the narratives. "The photos are breathtaking," said the judges. The stories also illustrate the value of bringing a focus to a profession that defines the region. "Above all, you feel such a sense of place as you read these wonderful packages," the judges said.
The (Hilton Head) Island Packet, The Beaufort Gazette
A Newspaper Columnist: For the Love of Story
David Lauderdale
The local column is a newspaper franchise, and nobody illustrates how to pull that off better than David Lauderdale, who writes about the people of Hilton Head Island and Beaufort with a touch and a voice that is unparalleled. His topics range from the biggest issues of the day to the smallest topics in life, from bees to dogs to modern technology. With a knowledge of the region that comes only from decades on the job and with glowing reviews from readers as qualified as best-selling author Pat Conroy, David Lauderdale's writing is a touchstone for the papers' readers. "He can make you laugh and cry, often in the same column," the judges said.
El Nuevo Herald, The Miami Herald
Investigation of Congressman David Rivera
Marc Caputo, Manny Garcia and Sergio Bustos
El Nuevo Herald and The Miami Herald's exemplary work in revealing Congressman David Rivera's secret election exploits began with a simple question: How did a candidate with no money pay for an expensive election campaign? Little by little, the story came out as the reporters (and the editor) from the papers worked together to ask further questions. Over the course of the general election campaign, the full sordid picture of the story trickled out and almost certainly shifted the outcome of this election. "It's a story that starts with good old curiosity," the judges said, "and ends with a congressman losing his post."
The (Raleigh) News & Observer
UNC: A Case of Academic Fraud
Dan Kane, J. Andrew Curliss, Andrew Carter and Jane Stancill
The N&O's relentless reporting singlehandedly uncovered the most brazen scandal in the history of North Carolina's flagship university. Over the course of 14 years, a university department built a web of fraudulent classes aimed at keeping athletes moving through the system without having to study – revelations that eventually cost the UNC chancellor his job. "The work shows how dogged reporting can overcome huge obstacles in getting at the truth," the judges said. "The stories told a riveting story of a shameful secret within college athletics."
The Olympian, The (Tacoma) News Tribune
A State Decides the Same-Sex Marriage Question
The joint capital bureau of The Olympian and The News Tribune covered one of the nation's most pivotal and emotional political stories with a depth and breadth equal to this campaign. Every step of the way, the coverage was thoughtful, smart and even-handed on a topic that divided the nation this past year. "The work was particularly impressive in how the staff brought its sprawling story home to Washington's capital city," the judges said. "This is a great example of making the most of a running story that readers on the homefront and around the nation were following."
The Sacramento Bee
State Parks Funding
Matt Weiser, Jon Ortiz and Kevin Yamamura
There is no bigger story in California's capital than the state budget travails, and the Bee's revelations about hidden millions and secret buyouts transfixed the state for weeks last year. Pulling the string on this story, the Bee gradually discovered a parallel universe in the state funding debate. The stories also showed how fallible budgeting can be at a time when thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in services are on the line. "This is the kind of work that only a dedicated newspaper with a staff that knows its beats can deliver," the judges said. "This is high-caliber work that truly serves the public's interest."
McClatchy Washington Bureau
Inside Syria
David Enders, Austin Tice, Roy Gutman, Hannah Allam and Jonathan S. Landay
The bureau's coverage of Syria went up against an assortment of obstacles, from the hazards of reporting on a civil war without clear boundaries to the difficulty of confirming the most basic information. That high degree of difficulty makes this work all the more impressive on a story of vital global interest. The stories delivered by the combination of staff and freelancers chronicled the Syrian story from the front lines, delivering a rich, full portrait of what's happening inside the country. "An outstanding example of reporting what's really going on in a place where the truth is so obscure," the judges said.
Digital Innovation Awards
The Fresno Bee
Historical Perspectives: A Photo Essay
John Walker
The Bee's photo feature is a delightful combination of research and photography that has built a full archive of stories that explore the present and past in a whole new way. "Historical Perspectives" reflects the work of one dedicated photographer with a good idea. "Everything about this project is done exceptionally well," the judges said. "It shows a wonderful sense of place, a really nice user experience, a great design that captures the old and the new. It really hooks the reader in."
The (Columbia) State
South Carolina Military Page
Jeff Wilkinson, Kristy Rupon and Kelly Davis
Set in one of the nation's most important military locales, surrounded by bases, retired military personnel and contractors, The State assembled a web page devoted to all things military this past year. The project has been a big hit with users, for good reason. The military page assembles the latest news on all military topics, aggregates stories from across the country, links to sources of information ranging from bases to veterans organizations, and posts commentary on military topics. "It's a one stop shop for anyone who wants information on the military," the judges said. "It's a great example of the kind of utilitarian approach we should be doing all across newspaper websites."
About McClatchy
The McClatchy Company is a leading news and information provider, offering a wide array of print and digital products in each of the markets it serves. As the third largest newspaper company in the country, McClatchy's operations include 30 daily newspapers, community newspapers, websites, mobile news and advertising, niche publications, direct marketing and direct mail services. The company's largest newspapers include The Miami Herald, The Sacramento Bee, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, The Kansas City Star, The Charlotte Observer and The News & Observer in Raleigh, N.C. McClatchy is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol MNI.


text: An ambitious and strategic thinking professional with expertise in developing SMEs and diversified product knowledge in financial services would characterize my profile. Masters educated in business administration, I possess a background in economics and statistics and am certified in wealth management, health and safety, and project management. I am a highly skillful negotiator and communicator in leading teams both locally and internationally. Striving to exceeded business and sales quotas, I am relied upon by clients and stakeholders for quality leadership. My resourcefulness and knowledge in various disciplines furthers business development goals in highly competitive organizations. My expertise includes financial investing, relationship management, and business development as well as sales operations. Leveraging a high ethnic intelligence quotient enables me to work effectively with people of all walks of life. Throughout my career, I have been reputed for several cost saving business development initiatives, including delivering insightful presentations. At Lyoness Canada Inc., I facilitated process improvements that reduced operations turnaround from three months to two weeks. I also coached a 25-member sales team that achieved 181+% of SME growth in Manitoba and Ontario regions. Managing a distribution channel gift card project achieved 25+% gross production and reduced 33% shipping costs. Fostering 40% annual asset growth at Edward Jones was achieved through excellent branch office leadership. I also received nine milestone leadership performance awards for acquiring 50 active accounts with a minimum gross production of $7000 per month. Due to exceeding collections on delinquent loans at CitiFinancial, I achieved performance bonuses.


text:
BALLER MOVE: Add Immediately
ANALYSIS: Miley hasn't allowed more than three ER over any of his past 11 starts, which has helped lower his ERA to 3.68 in 134.2 IP. The young lefty has won four of his last five starts, including shutting down the Tampa Bay Rays for 6.1 IP in his last start by allowing no runs on two hits. Despite a few hiccups earlier in the year, Miley is starting to look more like the 2012 version of himself, which is to say a very capable starting pitcher and should be owned in all leagues.


text:
When to Consider Bankruptcy
Filed under: Bankruptcy Information
Bankruptcy has a stigma for being a sign of defeat and a terrible stain on a business' or individual's credit history. However, bankruptcy is often the wisest economic decision a company or individual can make. The following are a few reasons to consider bankruptcy:
- Your debts are sending you deeper into debt. If the money you owe is preventing you from making other payments and causing you to accrue more debt, then bankruptcy may be the best idea. You will never be able to shake your debts without help, and bankruptcy can help you get a period of relief or a chance to make a fresh start.
- You can't save up for retirement. In many cases, people in debt will dig into their retirement savings and anywhere else they have money to pay off their debts. If these measures still won't cover all of your debt, consider bankruptcy. It's unwise to set yourself up for future failures in an attempt to cover your debts now.
- You are facing a lawsuit. If your creditor is attempting to sue you for money that you don't have, declare bankruptcy. You already can't afford to pay your loans, and you certainly can't afford the legal hassle that will result from a long court battle. Declare bankruptcy before your financial situation gets any worse.
- Failure to file will hurt others. If you have a family of your own or are trying to support elderly family members, bankruptcy may be the best answer – not only for yourself, but also for your loved ones. No matter what your objections may be, the wellbeing of your family should come first.
Do some research on your own and talk to a bankruptcy lawyer in Houston if you are in a dangerous financial position.


text:
Not a quote today, but a few of my favorite things. 😀
Happy Sunday!
Not a quote today, but a few of my favorite things. 😀
Happy Sunday!
Show of hands…who else absolutely adores Amy Poehler?!?!
Happy belated Galentines Day!
Happy Sunday!
I am obsessed with coffee. It is quite possible that I drink way too much of it. Ah, well. C'est la vie! Every time I come across photos like this one — cozy sweaters or socks, mugs of hot, steaming coffee, books, or wintry scenes — I just want to post them everywhere. I also want to be the people in the photos. If I could stay snuggled up with a mug of coffee and a book all the time, I would be in heaven. What about you guys? What's your perfect scene, perfect day, idea of heaven?
Happy Sunday!
Some of you guys have been reading for a while now, and some of you are brand new to my blog. Please just know, if you are reading this, I appreciate you.
Someone asked me awhile back why I was doing this? What did I get for it?
This person knew I was under a great deal of stress, and they assumed automatically that something that takes up so much of my time should be lucrative. Believe me, if I could get paid to read novels and write reviews of them, I'd be doing that! But I don't get paid to do this. I do get copies of books, an item I value over many many others, but that doesn't pay the bills!
So why do I do this? Why spend so much of my limited time engrossed in novels and anguishing over their reviews? Why? Because I LOVE books, literature, reading, the written word, authors, writers, characters, fictional worlds that I wish so hard were real.
I APPRECIATE the amount of time, effort, blood, sweat, tears, coffee (or tea), and mania that goes into creating these precious works of art.
I think authors, especially indie authors, deserve to have that time and effort recognized.
So what do I get out of it? The joy of finding a new favorite author — one I never would have discovered in a Barnes & Noble. (No offense meant to B&N — love that place!)
What do I get out of it? A myriad of world views that I never would have encountered otherwise.
What do I get out of it? Hope. Yes, you read that right. Hope.
Often times our world can seem so dreary, our options limited, our efforts ineffectual, and we may find ourselves screaming, "What is the point!?" These works, these bound bits of inspiration, represent a tenacity of spirit from people with unfettered creativity and a commendable work ethic. And I find that damn inspiring!
So, I will continue to read their works. And I will read them critically because that is just how I am wired. I will present the world with my opinions on these works and hopefully introduce, at least one person, to a brand new author who will open up a whole new world for them.
Do I sometimes get overwhelmed by this project I've taken on? Yes, and I'm going to try to be more honest with myself moving forward about what I can and cannot accomplish in a 24-hour day. I will falter. And I will fail. But I will keep doing this because I love it!
I guess what I'm trying to say is:
I'm back! Check for a brand new review next week!
And now for a word from our sponsors…
JK! I don't have sponsors. Errrm, carry on!
Happy Sunday!


text:
Panera Bread and Chipotle Mexican Grill passed with flying colours, however KFC and Olive Backyard have been among the many laggards in commitments to eradicate medically essential antibiotics from their meat and poultry supply chains, according to a new report. Conclusions and Relevance Policy makers ought to construct on progress made by the Reasonably priced Care Act by persevering with to implement the Health Insurance Marketplaces and supply system reform, increasing federal monetary help for Market enrollees, introducing a public plan possibility in areas lacking individual market competition, and taking actions to reduce prescription drug costs.
We might help them." 68 Or have a look at the actions of numerous health care suppliers who have made our health system more coordinated, high quality-oriented, and affected person-centered. Pomegranates have exploded in recognition in recent times and it is on account of their ever-growing record of fantastic health advantages. Significance The Affordable Care Act is an important health care laws enacted within the United States since the creation of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965. Despite this progress, major alternatives to enhance the health care system stay.
The State shall maintain people's health and shall assure medical assist and services for the human being in the occasion of sickness. Visit for medical information and health information headlines posted all through the day, on daily basis. Professor Peter Ebeling, Medical Director at Osteoperosis Australia, highlights the importance of preserving bone health and minimising the chance of osteoperosis. Remedy might help teenagers perceive why they are depressed and learn to address stressful situations. First, lots of the reforms launched in recent times are still some years from reaching their most effect. We engaged with Congress to identify the combination of confirmed health reform ideas that could move and have continued to adapt them since. Take the time to decelerate and actually enjoy the food you might be consuming this holiday season.
We have been listening to it for years: Being obese may cause heart disease, diabetes, joint issues, and a bunch of other health points. For those who've made constant efforts to enhance your mental and emotional health and nonetheless aren't functioning optimally at dwelling, work, and in your relationships, it may be time to seek skilled assist. Be part of tens of 1000's of docs, health professionals and patients who receive our newsletters. Contains bibliographic data of Indian journal articles related to biomedical analysis and health care. But with regards to your psychological health, getting enough sleep is a necessity, not a luxury. As this progress with health care reform within the United States demonstrates, faith in responsibility, perception in alternative, and ability to unite around widespread values are what makes this nation great. Current surveys point out that as many as one in five teens suffers from scientific despair.
Analysis has documented accompanying improvements in access to care (for example, an estimated discount in the share of nonelderly adults unable to afford care of 5.5 percentage points), monetary safety (for example, an estimated reduction in debts sent to collection of $600-$1000 per person gaining Medicaid coverage), and health (for example, an estimated discount in the share of nonelderly adults reporting fair or poor health of three.4 proportion points).…


text: Artifact Details Title Door panel Catalog Number 102731646 Type Physical object Date 1970 ca Dimensions overall: 56 in x 26 3/4 in x 1 3/4 in Description Door panel with latches and hinges. The hollow cylinder component of the hinges are along one of the vertical sides of the inside of the panel. In one of the inside corners, opposite from the hinge components, is a latch component. The inside of the panel has an inspection stamp with the date, 1970-02-18. Category Component/panel/door


text:
A captain in the Plainfield Fire Department is accused of sexually assaulting a member of the department and has been arrested.
Police started investigating after the victim reported on Aug. 8 that 27-year-old Captain Kevin Wells, of Plainfield, sexually assaulted the member of the department inside the fire station, according to police.
Officers served a search warrant at the fire department around 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 10 and mutual aid departments were put on notice to provide coverage to the Plainfield Fire District area.
U.S. & World
Wells turned himself in to police around 7 a.m. today and was charged with three counts of sexual assault in the second degree.
Wells secured a $50,000 bond and is scheduled to appear at the Danielson Superior Court on Sept. 11.
Police said the case is still active and the investigation is still ongoing.


text: On 19/10/2009 05:17, Misha Aizatulin wrote: > Hello, > > is there a mechanism for ghc similar to setting the CPATH variable for > gcc? I'd like ghc to look in the given list of paths every time it > compiles something, without me having to retype the flags. > > For ghci there is .ghci, but it gets ignored when I run ghc. We don't have anything like that right now. Please submit a feature request: http://hackage.haskell.org/trac/ghc/newticket?type=feature+request (when hackage.haskell.org comes back up, that is) Cheers, Simon


text:
The Alternatives Project is located on the Mumford River in the Town of Northbridge, Village of Whitinsville, Massachusetts. The Mumford River is a tributary of the Blackstone River with a watershed of about 335 square miles in Massachusetts and 258 square miles in Rhode Island. Land use within the Blackstone River Basin is primarily forest and residential. The area around the project was historically comprised of industrial and urban development. The Town of Northbridge, home to the historic Whitinsville Historic District and corresponding mill complex, surrounds the Mumford River and the proposed project site. Elements of the historic mill and forge building complex remain in the project vicinity.
|Project Name
|LIHI Certificate Number
|LIHI Effective and Expiration Dates
|January 19, 2015
January 19, 2020
|Alternatives Unlimited
|Located on the Mumford River in the Town of Northbridge, Village of Whitinsville, Massachusetts.
|Installed Capacity
|Average Annual Generation
|340 MWh
|Facility Type
|FERC No.
The Project Dam is called the Ring Shop Dam. The dam drains approximately 48 square miles with an average annual flow of 44 cfs. It impounds 2 acres and stores 16 acre-feet at proposed pool elevation of 285.1. Without the flashboards (at pool elevation 282.6), approximately 1.3 acres are impounded or approximately 700-linear feet. The height of the dam from its toe to the top of its abutment is 15.5-feet. The spillway height is 9.5 feet and the normal hydraulic head on the structure, with 30-inches of flashboards installed, is 12-feet.
The Project consists of a 93.5-foot concrete ogee spillway, a waste gate, and two inlet structures located at the north and south ends of the spillway. The ogee crest is fitted with sockets to accommodate 2½ inch pipes, 30-inches tall on three-foot centerlines. The crest is designed to be fitted with 30-inch tall flashboards. The crest elevation is 282.6 (282.0 msl original datum). The deeded water rights allowed the impoundment to be raised to 285.1 (284.5 msl original datum) with the flashboards installed.
The dam was originally constructed to impound and convey the waters of the Mumford River to the shops of the Whitinsville Machine Works constructed on both banks of the river. Both intakes are now abandoned. The turbine generator sets for the northern intake were removed in the 1980s when the shop was converted to an assisted living facility. At that time, the intake canal was sealed off and the hydro power was abandoned. The Machine Works Shop is now occupied by Cotton Mill Apartments, an assisted living complex on the downstream side of Douglas Road.
The southern intake was abandoned at the turn of the century. It consists of a silted forebay, which leads up to a wooden headgate. This gate is located beneath the lower Alternatives Building. The top of the headgate is visible in the silt and has slid sideways. Under prior conditions, the water was conveyed through a short five-foot diameter stub penstock to a turbine casing located beneath the same building. An existing tailrace conveyed the water back to the Mumford River just upstream of the southerly abutment of the Douglas Street Bridge.
The original timber crib dam was destroyed in a 1938 flood and was replaced in its entirety in 1941 with a concrete gravity structure. It was originally proposed to reconstruct the existing southern forebay, intake gate, discharge pit and tailrace and install the turbine in the approximate location of the former hydro equipment. However, due to the deterioration of the existing hydro-infrastructure, the turbine was installed outside the building, on the south side of the dam, just downstream of the flood-gate opening. The power unit is one (1) 47 kW Leroy Somers Tube Turbine, which has a hydraulic capacity of 70 cfs. The expected plant factor is 82%. It is anticipated that all generated electricity would be utilized by Alternative's facility, except during low power demand, when net metering will occur. Massachusetts Electric Company provides transmission at the site.
The Project is to be operated strictly "Run-of-River" and the outflow will equal inflow. No "Peaking" or "Ponding" will occur. The unit will be equipped with a pond leveling device to accurately match the turbine discharge with flow conditions. The units will drop "off-line" and the turbine gates will close automatically should flows drop too low for efficient operation. Further, all minimum stream flows will be maintained as required by the agencies. The units will be semi-automatic; they will be started up and put "online" manually and will shut down under all fault or low flow conditions. The Trashrack provided is a 20-foot long (1/4-inch x 3-inch flat stock), with clear spacing of 3/4-inch and 45º angle to flow as designated by the U.S. Department of the Interior and MA Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Certification History
December 14, 2015: LIHI Executive Director Michael J. Sale, using authority delegated from the LIHI Governing Board, has certified that the Alternatives Hydroelectric Project (FERC No. P-12608) continues to satisfy the LIHI Certification Criteria. A Preliminary Decision was announced on November 8, 2015, and a 30-day appeal period was open through December 8, 2015. No requests for appeal were received.
The effective certification date for the Alternatives Project is January 19, 2015 for a five (5) year term, which will expire on January 19, 2020.
The reviewer's report can be found in the Files section below.
July 10, 2015: The Alternatives Hydroelectric project has been granted an extension of the current certificate term. The new expiration date is December 31, 2015. See ExtensionLetter_20150709 for explanation below.
June 23, 2015: The Low Impact Hydropower Institute received a comment letter from Caleb Slater, of the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, in support of the recertification of the Alternatives project. The letter can be read in the Files section below.
May 18, 2015: The Low Impact Hydropower Institute received a complete application for a new term of Low Impact Certification for the Alternatives Hydroelectric project on May 18, 2015. The application materials can be found below in the Files section.
April 9, 2015: The Alternatives Hydroelectric Project has been granted a six month extension of the current certification term. The new expiration date is July 18, 2015. See April 2015 Letter Extending Term and Explaining Recertification below.
April 21, 2010: The Alternatives Hydroelectric Project has been certified as low impact for a five year term, effective January 19, 2010 and expiring January 19, 2015.
January 19, 2010: Alternatives Unlimited has submitted an application to LIHI for certification of the Alternatives Hydroelectric Project. Comments concerning the certification of the project can be submitted up until March 19, 2010.
2015 Recertification
- 2015_Recertification Review_Alternatives
- ExtensionLetter_20150709_Alternatives
- Mass Div of Fisheries & Wildlife – Comment Letter
- Alternatives RecertApplication2015


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Either this kid's girlfriend loves wrestling as much as he does, OR she's the most tolerant girlfriend in the universe. Either way, a girl that let's you perform the Stone Cold Stunner on her is most definitely a keeper. Something tells me this kid is going to have a bright future in backyard werstling ahead of him.
Source: joeweller
It should go without saying, don't try this at home. ...Wait a second, it's not like this kid is a professional, so try this at home, I guess? You know, IF your girlfriend is into that sort of thing.
If you enjoyed this, then check out these links...
16 GIFs to Remind You Pro Wrestling is Fake but Great
7 Ways Pro Wrestling is More Athletic Than Football


text: Well, the Air Jordan 2011 will bring many surprises! Indeed, this trainer does not just look to bring down a Shaq, it also offers outstanding technical specifications. Thus, Jordan Brand has worked particularly his sole! What? Yes, not one that will touch the ground, but one that is slipped into the shoe. This explains … In the pack you will find 2 and soles! A so-called 'Quick' which offers greater responsiveness in support and allows changes in direction to lose a Kobe! The other, the 'Explosive' which gives a vertical pulse largest. Griffen had better watch out … Meanwhile, this technology will serve as a sneaker with classy Italian leather on the front of the shoe and 3D graphics. Standard colors, we will find the white and black charcoal, white and navy blue or even red and white. Nothing to say the 23 has a class act! Available online at Nike Store * Colorway: white / black-anthracite * Colorway: white / varsity royal-deep Royal Colorway *: team red / team red-white


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Farm Bill; Budget; Ag Economy; Biofuels; and, Immigration
Farm Bill
DTN Ag Policy Editor Chris Clayton reported yesterday (link requires subscription) that, "North Dakota's congressional delegation issued a joint news release on Monday to highlight tweaks to USDA's rules for prevented-planting crop insurance in 2014.
"The two senators and one congressman stated, 'The new rules come following pressure from North Dakota's delegation to clarify the rules and make the program work for producers.'"
The DTN article added that, "USDA's Risk Management Agency announced a new Special Provision for the Prairie Pothole region that will clarify acreage eligible for prevented planting in regions of Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota for the 2014 crop and succeeding crop years.
"'The goal is to make federal crop insurance policy more objective and to provide clarity for the producers facing prevented planting losses,' said RMA Administrator Brandon Willis."
Mr. Clayton explained that, "According to RMA, the new provision will require that in order for acreage to be eligible for prevented planting payments, the acreage must have been planted and harvested (or incurred an insurable loss other than for excess moisture) in at least one out of the last four years, regardless of whether any of those years was abnormally dry.
"RMA stated the new provision creates a more objective means for determining acreage eligible for prevented planting than the current rule. However, once the producer is unable to plant and harvest on certain acreage in at least one of the four most recent crop years, the producer will need to demonstrate the land is farmable by planting and harvesting (or incurring an insurable loss other than for excess moisture) two years in a row.
"RMA stated that to be eligible for a prevented planting payment, a cause of loss that prevented planting must have occurred within the prevented planting insurance period for both new and carryover policies. For more information, producers should contact their crop insurance agents."
On yesterday's Agriculture Today radio program (Red River Farm Network), Don Wick also provided a report on the prevented-planting issue, which included additional remarks from Administrator Willis.
To listen to this portion of yesterday's Agriculture Today program, just click here (MP3- 1:49).
Meanwhile, Eric Bradner reported yesterday at Politico that, "An international coalition of farmers and meatpackers is asking a federal judge to rip the labels off beef, pork and chicken that tell consumers where their meat came from.
"The American Meat Institute, American Association of Meat Processors and seven other organizations, including mostly beef- and pork-related trade groups from Canada and Mexico, are urging Judge Ketanji B. Jackson of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to block the rule's enforcement. In a hearing scheduled for Tuesday, the nine groups that oppose the rule will argue for an injunction against the mandate, which they say compels speech in violation of the First Amendment.
"The timing is critical: The Agriculture Department is due to start enforcing its new version of the 4-year-old rule in November."
And a news update Friday from Rep. Dan Kildee (D., Mich.) indicated that, "Surrounded by local farmers at the Downtown Saginaw Farmers' Market, [Kildee] today announced his second bill in Congress, the Local Food for Healthy Families Act, which would promote healthy, fresh and Michigan-grown fruits and vegetables at farmers' markets across Michigan. The bill would expand funding for programs like Michigan's Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB), a food incentive program that gives state residents on food assistance more purchasing power to buy healthy, locally-grown produce."
"Programs like DUFB are not mandatory, but rather a way for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients to maximize their purchasing power when shopping for food. For those who receive SNAP benefits and shop at participating farmers' markets, the amount of money spent is matched up to a certain dollar amount with 'food bucks' tokens that can be used to buy fresh, Michigan-grown fruits and vegetables."
In other news related to nutrition issues, Anna Gorman reported yesterday at the Los Angeles Times Online that, "Los Angeles County children are drinking fewer sodas and other sugary drinks, according to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"The percentage of children 17 and younger who drank one or more sugar-sweetened drink each day dropped from 43% in 2007 to 38% in 2011."
The article noted that, "There were also racial and ethnic disparities, with nearly 49% of black youths and 42% of Latino youths having daily sugary drinks, compared with 26% of whites and 28% of Asians."
Also, the Farm Bill has become an issue in the Arkansas Senate race.
Tamara Keith reported yesterday on National Public Radio's (NPR) Morning Edition program that, "If Republicans are going to retake the U.S. Senate in 2014, their path runs through Arkansas. The state's two-term Democratic senator, Mark Pryor, is often called the Senate's most vulnerable incumbent.
"And, while the election is still 15 months away, it's already gone negative.
"Pryor's campaign went up with an ad accusing his opponent, freshman U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton, of 'hurting the people of Arkansas,' even before the military veteran and conservative Republican officially announced he was running."
The NPR item indicated that, "Since his first days in office, Cotton has shown a willingness to buck his party's leadership, choosing a more conservative path on several votes — most recently, with the farm bill.
"'Which I think shows that I'm an independent voice for the people of Arkansas, regardless of political party,' he says.
"Cotton helped vote down a version of the bill that — like farm bills going back decades — combined agriculture programs with food stamps. Cotton later supported a measure that would strip out the food stamp part.
"'I voted for a real farm bill,' he says. 'Mark Pryor voted for a food stamp bill. I want farm programs that are designed to help Arkansas' farmers without holding them hostage to Barack Obama's food stamp program.'"
The Morning Edition segment added: "But Pryor says it's a 'contrast that works for me.'
"Most major farm groups have called for a comprehensive bill that includes food stamps. And that's what Pryor supports.
"'What the House has done on the farm bill makes the farm bill impassable,' Pryor says, while riding in an ATV down a dusty path on a tour of a habitat restoration project made possible, in part, by the farm bill.
"'You cannot pass that bill in the Senate,' he adds. 'I'm not sure you can get it through the House again, either.'"
On a separate policy issue, from an international perspective, Biman Mukherji and Niharika Mandhana reported in today's Wall Street Journal that, "India's lower house of Parliament on Monday approved sweeping legislation guaranteeing cheap grain for nearly 70% of the country's 1.2 billion people, a move hailed by supporters as a major step toward eliminating hunger but one that raises questions about whether the government can bear the cost.
"The bill, the centerpiece of the Congress party-led government's policy agenda, passed after a nine-hour debate during a rare break in the partisan gridlock that has gripped the legislature. The upper house also is expected to approve the bill.
"Under the law, highly subsidized rice, wheat and other grain will be offered at a fraction of market prices to low-income people. It will cover about 75% of people living in the countryside and 50% of people living in cities. India is home to a quarter of the world's hungry, according to the United Nations."
Brian Faler reported yesterday at Politico that, "Treasury Secretary Jack Lew on Monday warned congressional leaders that the government will run up against its borrowing limit by mid-October, setting up an earlier-than-expected deadline for what will be the fall's most contentious battle between the Obama administration and Republicans.
"Lew said his department will soon run out of the accounting maneuvers it's been using to stave off default and warned lawmakers not to wait until the last minute to raise the debt limit."
The article stated that, "The deadline, sooner than what some forecasters had estimated, comes amid concern that Congress has no plan for handling the needed increase to the government's borrowing authority.
"The Obama administration has said it will not negotiate over raising the debt limit, while Republicans have a long list of demands, including revising President Barack Obama's signature health-care law."
Zachary A. Goldfarb reported in today's Washington Post that, "Separately, the White House and Congress face a deadline at the end of next month to renew regular funding for government operations — or risk a shutdown. In a shutdown, many agencies would close but 'essential' functions, such as Social Security and Medicare payments, would continue.
"Congress is in session for only nine days in September, leading to expectations that lawmakers may pass a budget measure to fund the government for a few weeks or months.
"But there's no guarantee — mainly because of partisan disagreement about whether to continue the automatic spending cuts known as the sequester that are slicing defense and domestic agency budgets."
Damian Paletta reported in today's Wall Street Journal that, "In 2011, the White House and congressional Republicans locked horns in a bitter feud over the debt ceiling. They spent weeks working to craft a deficit-reduction agreement to combine with an increase in the debt ceiling, but those talks collapsed in late July and financial markets swung wildly.
"The debt ceiling was increased in early August as part of the Budget Control Act, which set caps on certain spending levels and led to the across-the-board 'sequester' cuts that began in March and are scheduled to continue through 2021."
Agricultural Economy
Gregory Meyer reported yesterday at The Financial Times Online that, "Grain prices sprang higher as a late-summer heatwave crept into the US Midwest, threatening to reduce the size of corn and soyabean crops.
"CBOT December corn jumped 6.5 percent to $5.00½ a bushel yesterday, while CBOT November soyabeans climbed 4.6 percent to $13.89½ a bushel. Prices of these futures contracts are tied to expectations of the US harvest."
The FT article noted that, "The National Weather Service forecast high odds of above-normal temperatures across the upper Midwest in the next week. Commodity Weather Group, a forecaster, said at least 40 per cent of the Midwest breadbasket region would see reduced crop yields, especially in soyabeans."
Kelsey Gee and Ian Berry reported in today's The Wall Street Journal that, "Monday's rally came after grain and soybean prices had tumbled for much of this year amid forecasts for big U.S. crops in 2013 and softer demand for corn from foreign buyers [related graph]. Market participants largely have been anticipating huge crops this fall that would help replenish domestic supplies that shrunk to historically low levels after last year's U.S. drought curtailed production.
"But the U.S. soybean crop is seen as especially vulnerable to soaring temperatures and dryness in coming weeks as it goes through important growth phases. Also, the crop was planted later than usual due to a chilly, wet spring in the Midwest, making it more vulnerable to adverse late-summer weather."
Bloomberg writers Jeff Wilson and Phoebe Sedgman reported yesterday that, "Temperatures will average as much as 14 degrees Fahrenheit above normal during the next 10 days, with little rain expected in the Midwest, T-Storm Weather LLC said in a note to clients today. July and August will be the driest since 1936 in Iowa, Illinois and Indiana."
The article added that, "Soybean-crop conditions declined in 14 of the top 18 producing states, and corn ratings declined in 11 states, the USDA said in a report today after the close of trading. About 58 percent of the soybeans were rated in good or excellent condition yesterday, down from 62 percent a week earlier, the USDA said. Corn rated in good or excellent condition fell to 59 percent from 61 percent a week earlier."
A report yesterday from USDA's Radio News Service included additional remarks on crop conditions from USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey, "Corn and Soybean Condition Worsening."
Tom Lutey reported over the weekend at the Billings Gazette (Mont.) Online that, "Montana appears headed for another billion-dollar wheat crop, though wet weather has dramatically slowed spring harvest in the northern counties.
"A billion dollars is the high-water mark for wheat values, achieved only six times in state history, but five times since 2007 as commodities prices have surged. Agriculture is the state's single largest economic sector, representing about 13 percent of Montana economic activity. One in five Montana jobs is tied to agriculture."
With respect to livestock related issues, Purdue University Agricultural Economist Chris Hurt indicated yesterday at the farmdoc daily blog ("Hog Outlook Turns Less Optimistic") that, "Just when it looked like hog production was headed safely back to profitability in 2014, hot and dry weather late in the growing season has threatened the bright outlook. Rapid increases in feed prices have raised expected costs nearly five dollars per live hundredweight from their lows in early August. This has not wiped out the profit potential, but should make hog producers more cautious about expansion."
In other news, Cameron McWhirter and Caroline Porter reported in yesterday's Wall Street Journal that, "Mississippi River barge operators and their customers had been hoping business would get back to normal this year after two years of extreme weather that wreaked havoc on the river's bustling freight traffic [related graph].
"But massive flooding in 2011 and last year's drought have permanently altered some aspects of shipping on the Mississippi and its tributaries, the nation's largest river system and one of its most important commercial waterways.
"Even though water levels are more normal this year, businesses that depend on the river are writing protective measures into their shipping contracts, building more flood-resistant port facilities and trying to diversify their revenue streams to offset years of weather-related financial losses."
Christopher Doering reported yesterday at The Des Moines Register Online that, "The ethanol industry took a shot at the oil industry with a multi-million dollar nationwide advertising campaign Monday, the latest in the ongoing struggle between the two bitter foes to control the future of the country's renewable fuel policy.
"The advertising blitz from Growth Energy, the largest trade group representing the ethanol industry, said the campaign will inform consumers about the benefits of the corn-based fuel and counter an aggressive push by oil groups to attack the fuel through what they describe as misleading and inaccurate information.
"The ad, titled — 'You're no dummy. Don't let the oil industry treat you like one.' –will be run on major cable news networks and in print and radio, including in Iowa markets."
DTN writer Todd Neeley reported yesterday that, "Growth Energy Chief Executive Officer Tom Buis said the last time the ethanol industry didn't respond to a similar campaign was the launch of the food-versus-fuel effort by oil and food industry groups in 2008 that essentially pointed to the expansion of ethanol production as the reason for rising food prices.
"'The anti-ethanol crowd in 2008 made the biggest, boldest lie on food versus fuel and the industry didn't challenge,' he said. 'We're not going to let them do it this time.'
"Though the first television spot is slated to run for the next several weeks, Buis said the campaign will be ongoing, suggesting there are more ads to come depending on oil industry response."
Russell Berman reported yesterday at The Hill Online that, "A leading Democratic advocate for immigration reform is holding events in the Virginia districts of two House Republicans on Monday to build pressure on Republicans to bring up comprehensive immigration legislation when Congress returns in September.
"Rep. Luis Gutiérrez (Ill.) is holding events in the districts of Reps. Frank Wolf and Bob Goodlatte, the powerful chairman of the Judiciary Committee charged with leading the House Republican effort on immigration reform."
Meanwhile, the American Farm Bureau Federation released a brief video recently on the immigration issue titled, "Farm Labor Needs Are Tied to Immigration Reform."
Keith Good


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[Reprinted from National Trust for Historic Preservation website, July 21, 2006]
The Owners Want to Tear it Down for Condos
BELLEAIR, FLORIDA: High-rise condos overlooking Clearwater Harbor on Florida's Gulf coast are the type of development you would expect to see in the state. However, when a multi-million-dollar project called for destroying one of the state's most elegant century-old hotels in Belleair, Fla., locals spoke out against another 600 condos and a new hotel.
Built in 1896 by railroad and steamboat baron Henry B. Plant, the Belleview Biltmore Hotel originally had 500 rooms and was built in three sections, each 400 feet long, with broad verandas. During World War II, the U.S. Army moved in 3,000 soldiers for two years and painted over its Tiffany stained-glass windows and brass fixtures. It has hosted Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, and to Presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and George H.W. Bush.
Longtime residents were appalled that the grand hotel that once played host to presidents would be demolished. Last month, their voices were heard when the Belleair town council voted unanimously in early May to delay the demolition as leaders of a citizens group continue to negotiate the purchase of the 21-acre site with owner Belleview Biltmore Resorts, Ltd.
"We now have four commissioners all rowing the boat in the same direction," says Rae Claire Johnson, president of Friends of the Belleview Biltmore, which is the leading the fight to save the Victorian structure.
Even with the demolition postponed for now, others warn that the fight is not yet over. "Delaying the decision on that application is not a flat-out denial," says Belleair Town Manager Steve Cottrell. "It is deferment of a major development."
With that in mind, the National Trust announced yesterday that the Belleview Biltmore is one of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places.
"Everyone needs to stay involved until we have ensured that the hotel is protected by the full weight of intelligent public policies, strong local ordinances, and other legal tools such as conservation easements," says Sam Casella, a professional planner who joined the fight to save the property. "The hotel may be given a reprieve, and the next months and years will determine whether we can make the most of it."
Johnson would like to see the creation of a for-profit company that can take advantage of historic-tax credits for the renovation, which would include taking down two dilapidated four-story buildings with small rooms. They would be rebuilt and sold as condo hotel units so the revenue could be used to purchase and rehabilitate of the property, she says. After five years, it would be turned over to the nonprofit Friends of the Belleview Biltmore.
Reaching that point in this tiny town of 4,500 took some doing. Preservationists started fighting to save the thriving hotel that was once known as the "White Queen of the Gulf" last fall. After last summer's hurricanes, more than 320,000 square feet of the roof of the four-and-a-half story hotel was covered with tarps, and the owners, Belleview Biltmore Resorts Ltd., made no effort to repair it. As Johnson sees it, the owner wanted to let the hotel deteriorate to support their claim that it had to be demolished. "I think it was their intention to run it into the ground," she says.
Coupled with that were reports that the DeBartolo Development of Tampa had a contract to buy the property to tear down the historic property and build a smaller hotel and condominiums on 22 acres.
So this spring, Johnson and two other candidates ran against the commissioners who were up for re-election. According to Johnson, the Belleair Citizens for Truth spent $50,000 "to defeat us," and she believes most of money came from the developer.
Even though Johnson lost the election, she didn't back down when owners filed for a demolition permit on April 21. That's when the National Trust for Historic Preservation was called into the fracas. National Trust President Richard Moe called the owner in an effort to negotiate a deal to save the resort, which includes a pool and golf course.
"There has been an incredible grassroots mobilization," says Mary Ruffin Hanbury, who oversees Florida's historic-preservation efforts from the National Trust's Southern Office. "There's a lot of people we have not usually heard from in Florida that were just aghast that this could happen. Our regional office has been bombarded about this issue."
A hotel in excellent condition is rarely a candidate for demolition. The Belleview Biltmore's last rehabilitation was in the 1990s, when Japan-based Mido Development spent $10 million on renovations and added a Chinese restaurant. Residents were shocked when the company installed a Pagoda-like entrance, which they nicknamed "Godzilla." Upset by the Oriental décor, Johnson and others refuse to use that entrance. "A lot of us only go in the original front porch, which is now the rear of the hotel," she says.
Many locals still visit the ice cream parlor or have a drink at St. Andrews Pub, and the hotel is still used for social gatherings like weddings and afternoon teas. "This is the largest wood-frame building in the state, and it still maintains a great deal of integrity," Hanbury says. "It would be a tragedy to lose it. It's not over until the fat lady sings."