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After seven years of rock-bottom interest rates, it should come as no surprise to see excessive risk taking on Wall Street. Investors have long been trying to identify the next bubble, and last Friday Carl Icahn, the billionaire activist investor, weighed in.
The junk bond market, Mr. Icahn said on CNBC, was "a keg of dynamite that sooner or later will blow up."
Then, he looked like he might be onto something. The day before, the Third Avenue Focused Credit Fund, a mutual fund that at its peak had $2.5 billion in junk bonds and distressed securities, said it would halt redemptions and liquidate after suffering large losses. Several junk bond hedge funds also said they were shutting down. Prices of junk bonds — risky corporate debt that pays high interest rates — plunged last Friday on record trading volume and again on Monday. The spread between their yields and those of ultrasafe United States Treasuries surged to nearly 7 percentage points, all signs of stress, if not out-and-out panic.
Some commentators called Third Avenue the canary in the mine shaft of the next financial crisis — the next Long-Term Capital Management, the next Bear Stearns, or even the next Reserve Fund — all earlier investment vehicles that imploded and contributed to broad market crises.
But after a few tremors this week, the market for junk bonds (more politely referred to as high-yield debt) stabilized. In recent years, this market has been red hot as investors desperate for higher returns in their bond portfolios piled in.
In the wake of Third Avenue's implosion, no other mutual funds collapsed, and junk bond exchange-traded funds — a particular target of Mr. Icahn's warnings — handled record volume without any glitch. As investors breathed sighs of relief, stock markets around the globe staged modest recoveries.
On Wednesday, when the Federal Reserve finally made its much-anticipated rate increase, markets rose further. In comments after the announcement, Janet L. Yellen, the Fed chairwoman, reassured investors by suggesting the Third Avenue fund's problems were far from pervasive: "It had many concentrated positions and especially risky and illiquid bonds," Ms. Yellen said. Junk bond funds rallied.
It's too soon to say the worst is over for investors, or even that the junk bond crisis is over. It took over a year for the earliest signs of serious problems in the mortgage bond market to metastasize into the collapse of Lehman Brothers and a full-blown financial crisis.
But in conversations this week with a wide range of investors, Wall Street executives, and economists, no one told me they thought that the Third Avenue fund's liquidation was likely to set off another crisis. And while bubbles may yet emerge, by their very nature they're likely to be found somewhere entirely unexpected — not a closely watched, highly liquid market like the $1.3 trillion United States junk bond market.
"The Third Avenue situation is unique," said Gary Cohn, president of Goldman Sachs, who has been in frequent contact with clients throughout the week. "They owned really low-credit-rated products compared to the typical high-yield fund. The long-term impact of rising rates remains a big question mark. But no one thinks that the collapse of Third Avenue is going to contaminate the world."
In part that's because today's junk bond market — and the institutions that invest in it — lack two important ingredients of past crises: high leverage (heavy borrowing to finance the purchase of assets) and concentrated bets. While Third Avenue's portfolio was concentrated in thinly traded, obscure bonds, it had no leverage. Its failure didn't put any lender in peril, the way the collapse of Lehman Brothers led to crises at A.I.G. and throughout Wall Street.
And most junk bond funds, including the two largest high-yield E.T.F.s, also have no leverage and are highly diversified, with hundreds of securities across all industries. Goldman said this week in a note to clients that outside the battered energy sector, "banks are still upbeat about credit quality."
Mark Wiedman, global head of the iShares E.T.F. business at BlackRock, said that the characteristics of E.T.F.s made them far safer than owning individual junk bonds. "The vast majority of E.T.F.s, including all of ours, are unlevered, passive vehicles," he said. "They're boring."
Unlike mutual funds, which may need to sell underlying fund positions to meet shareholder redemptions, E.T.F. shares trade like stocks. Last Friday, Blackrock's flagship junk bond E.T.F., the iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond E.T.F., experienced a surge in trading — $4.3 billion, four times the record daily volume before that week. (On an average day the fund trades about $700 million worth of shares.) On Monday trading hit $3 billion.
Yet "there were zero snafus," Mr. Wiedman said. "The trading added liquidity. I keep wondering how many stress tests we have to pass."
Mr. Wiedman dismissed comparisons of Third Avenue to Long Term Capital Management, which had to be bailed out in 1998, igniting market turmoil. "LTCM was too big and too levered," he said. "Third Avenue was small and unlevered. They shut the fund, so there was no forced selling. You can make the case they shouldn't have been holding so many illiquid assets while offering daily liquidity, but in that regard they were an extreme outlier. This doesn't reflect any massive problem."
Howard Marks, co-chairman of Oaktree Capital Management, the world's biggest distressed-debt investor, has also long been warning about excess in the markets. But he agreed that the Third Avenue fund was an outlier. "When you have a fund promising daily liquidity, which owns things that don't trade and don't price, you've got the ingredients for a meltdown," Mr. Marks said. "But that means it's a function of one fund's management, not a weakness of a whole asset class. I'd be very surprised if it leads to any kind of cataclysm."
Not all financial crises involve high leverage. The Reserve Fund, the money market mutual fund that "broke the buck" after Lehman Brothers collapsed, had no leverage. But its shares, designed to trade at a constant $1 and be the equivalent of cash, fell below $1 because its assets included Lehman debt, which plunged in value.
"Reserve breaking the buck was a huge systemic shock," said Alan Blinder, professor of economics and public policy at Princeton, and author of "After the Music Stopped," an analysis of the financial crisis. "Events might prove me wrong, but I doubt the analogy holds" with Third Avenue.
"Third Avenue investors knew they were living in a high-return/high-risk world," Mr. Blinder said. "Investors in the Reserve Fund thought they were living in a low-return/low- or zero-risk world. So I don't see Third Avenue as a big shock to the system."
Some investors saw in last week's junk bond turmoil not the makings of another crisis, but a buying opportunity. Douglas Kass of Seabreeze Partners, a money manager known for his bearish views, said he's been buying junk bond funds, even ones that use some borrowed money.
Third Avenue's problem was a "liquidity event, not a fundamental event like the other crises," he said. "I totally reject Carl Icahn's view that this is a systemic problem. When you see a selling panic like the one that happened last Friday, it usually marks the end of a downturn, not the beginning."
That doesn't mean, of course, that investors in junk bond and other assets buoyed by years of record-low interest rates won't lose money. Bond prices drop when interest rates rise, as they have in anticipation of this week's Fed move, which can hardly be called a surprise.
Even so, "lots of people may have gone into high-risk credit funds not fully anticipating or understanding the risk," Mr. Marks said. Last week "was a wake-up call," he said. "People went from oblivious to risk to obsessed with risk. I'd say it's an overreaction, but in many ways it's a healthy correction in response to some warning signs that have been ignored for years."


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Homefront Development Snatched From Crytek, Given to New Studio - Update
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Homefront Development Snatched From Crytek, Given to New Studio - Update
Tired of financial difficulties, Deep Silver finds a new home for its game.
Update: According to Kotaku, Crytek has experienced an exodus of its senior staff over the past week. Also, its American studio has been downsized, and its upcoming F2P co-op shooter Hunt: Horrors of the Gilded Age has been moved to its Frankfurt, Germany office.
Meanwhile, composer Graeme Norgate, along with many other ex-Crytek UK employees, has landed on his feet at the new studio. As he puts it, "Good bye Crytanic, hello Deep Silver Dambuster Studios!"
Original Story: It's been a tough time for developer Crytek. The story involves a high-ranking producer leaves, skipped paychecks, and bankruptcy rumors. Now, developer Deep Silver, apparently tired of waiting for Crytek to get their act together, has acquired all the rights and assets for the in-development Homefront: The Revolution, giving it instead to its newly-formed Dambuster Studio.
"We strongly believe in the potential of Homefront: The Revolution," said Deep Silver CEO Dr. Klemens Kundratitz, "and trust in the new team to continue the path they have been walking in the last years."
Woe seems to follow Homefront wherever it goes. The first game was originally developed by the ex-modder team Kaos Studios and published by THQ. After both entities went up in flames, the rights were purchased by Crytek for a paltry $500,000. Even better, the Homefront sequel was being handled by Crytek UK, which was composed of rescue-hires when Haze developer Free Radical went under in 2009. Already in dire financial straits, this cannot be good news for the ailing developer.
At this point, the history of this game seems to be a secession of shipwrecks, with each new rescue vessel sinking, one after another. Hopefully Dambuster doesn't follow suit.
Source: Joystiq
I have some exclusive footage straight from Crytek's offices.
In other news, Deep Silver are now doomed, thanks to the Homefront Curse. What is it that companies see in this IP? I played the original, it was a neat concept but certainly nothing revolutionary (pardon the pun)
Graeme Norgate (composer of Free Radical/Crytek UK) posted this on his twitter:
"Good bye Crytanic, hello Deep Silver Dambuster Studios !"
I guess they knew it all along that it was doomed.
Does the prestigious, beloved and storied brand name that is Homefront really justify this amount of fuss and bother?
Are they really looking at this mess and saying, "Yup, we got a real sleeper hit on our hand here lads"?
Its Deep Silver, they did the same with Metro and it worked fine.
Also this one is looking rather interesting, I guess it will be like what Sleeping Dogs ended up being for True Crime (that Square Enix got when it was almost finished), a good sequel that took out the shit and brought a lot of new good stuff.
It was only concept, two hour campaign, and a rather bland multiplayer.
Either that or we have a new Duke Nuke'em Forever on our hands. A game with plenty of potential that will turn out mediocre due to constant developer changes and lack of coherent artistic and technical focus.
man, Crytek really should have managed itself better. This really reeks of a company not spending its money intelligently and thus problems are multiplying manifold. In fact most studios' problems can just be summarized with them being incompetent with money. Seriously, get a proper budgeting team into these companies lest gaming start to shrink
Just thought I'd point this out:
While the game is switching publishers from CryTeck to Deep Silver, the same devs are working on it. We do not have another Duke Nukem Forever on our hands. Well, at least not yet.
The difference is that Metro 2033 actually had fans. I don't think I've ever heard anybody say anything more positive about Homefront than "It was alright I suppose"
With respect to the Metro series, Metro 2033 was far better received that Homefront as well as being a far, far better game.
Homefront's multiplayer was actually pretty interesting, with the scoring system almost completely weighted towards objectives and team actions over kills. Unfortunately that same aspect failed to woo the Call of Duty brigade in any meaningful way and the tiny maps didn't do much for everyone else either.
No Homefront, no Crytek.
Somebody channel their best Bob Marley impersonation and get on that.
A moment, for Free Radical/Crytek UK, if only there was a way to go back in TIME and find a good shooter for them to make...
I'm ok with this. I just wanna see this title get a home somewhere.
But to be honest they are also games being made by different devs and with very different promises from the original. The comparison with what Sleeping Dogs was to True Crime (it was at first called True Crime: Hong Kong or something close) is a lot more precise.
All we have to hope is that the final product is good and far away from what the first Homefront was.
I'm more sorry for Crytek USA (aka formerly Vigil Games). All the staff are being laid off. I mean Holy Fuck. Those guys absolutely cannot catch a break.
Budgeting had nothing to do with it.
They insulted their fans, abandoned their engine and technology, then tried to peddle COD rip offs to people who already bought COD. Crytek tried to sell out, and no one was buying.
You cannot call your fans a bunch of broke pirate neckbeards. You cannot tell the indies that buy your engine to fuck off. You cannot try to muscle in on a locked down market with no prior experience, no fame, and no fanbase to back you up while selling old and stale ideas.
Crysis 1 was the best selling of its franchise because it innovated. Everything else was pandering corridor shooter garbage no one wanted and done much better by other console shooters made by companies with much more experience and recognition.
Crytek tried to beat activision and lost. They bought into the "PC gaming is dead" years late and missed PC's return to the spotlight. And on top of that, they backed the wrong horse (xbone) so they are now trying to a sell a game no one likes on a platform no one likes. No one should have any sympathy for crytek.
I don't think there is much weight of community feeling behind the Homefront IP, it was and is a good example of the problems with the excess of the "modern military shooter" genre, but holy balls do we want those nice folks at Crytek UK to land on their feet. I like to think this new Nottingham studio is being formed from as many people as they can get from what is left of Free Radical Design.
Deep Silver does not exactly have the most stable reputation but please, PLEASE treat what remains of the Timesplitters guys with respect and dignity. The games industry is a shitty enough place to work without things like this constantly going on.
Two sunk companies in less than five years. The whole world of AAA development really needs to re-think of how things are done in many areas to prevent what must be a heart-wrenching instability for many studios. This will cause talent loss, burnout and skills loss. What a sorry situation. My heart goes out to those effected.
Well I suppose when all you know is how to create shrubbery such things are inevitable. Anything that splits off from them will be tainted and fail themselves so the rats leaving the sinking ship shouldn't act so smug.
Anyway...Crytanic? Is that how you refer to Crytek? Or is calling Crytek satanic-ish?
*sigh*...seems I am one of the few that genuinely liked the game to the point of hoping for a sequel.
You still going on about that? They made a business choice, no need to take it bloody personal.
Question, could they innovated every game and pumped the graphics further and further up...and still make good money? Their talents were limited and you can only innovate so much until you hit a wall that needs time to be overcome, not to mention the glaring problem that their game is still a shooter in the sea of mud at the end of the day. They also attracted the wrong kind of fans so they were doomed from the start. You're supposed to attract fans you can retent through think or thin, not shrubbery watchers who'll call blasphemy the moment the bushes aren't moving 21% more fluid.
Crytek did make it personal.
They cried about how crysis 1 wasn't making COD levels of money. So they called PC gamers pirates.
When they got to consoles, they whined about how they still aren't making huge money. They called console gamers a bunch of pirates too. In fact, the CEO went on record and called console gamers impatient, entitled, and out of touch.
Every single time Crytek fucks up, they put the blame on others. About how its not their fault. How its the world that is conspiring against them.
When consoles were made to their EXACT desires, they still found a reason to bitch about how its not enough and how the world was holding them back from greatness.
The only common denominator in their problems were them. Crytek is the one at fault, not the consumer they hate so much.
Crysis 1 was the best selling in the franchise. It was PC exclusive. They found a fanbase that wanted games catered to PC limitations over consoles using cryengine which was cutting edge at the time. They could have made money from their fanbase and their engine. Crysis 1 did the marketing for it and any indie dev studio would kill for crysis on the cheap.
but they insulted indies too.
Crytek scrapped their engine for a much less advanced one and started peddling bog standard console shooters that do absolutely nothing that other console shooters don't already do better. Their engine was going to be the hot new thing in game development but they had to scrap it because it wasn't "cool."
Right, because if you are making money it must be cool money or it don't count. idiots, I guess big pharma must be broke because its not selling ipads.
Crytek is at fault for everything. It wasn't the world, it wasn't the gamers, it wasn't their "unfaithful" employees, and it wasn't some conspiracy.
and no, innovation does not have a wall. It does not stop with the year. They could have made engines that opened up new ways to expand gaming but they decided to take the lazy route of low effort shooters and a 4 hour long quick time event for 60$.
And before you say shrubbery its was consoles that bankrupted them. Their shrubbery was the best selling shrubbery ever. They abandoned PC gaming in 2008-9, so graphics didnt kill crytek.
They thought console gamers would open their wallets up to low effort COD clones. They were wrong.
ah, its falling apart right in front of our eyes and they still claim everythings fine. as much as it hurts me to say - good riddance. Crytek truly earned its bancrupcy.
i think the idea is Crytek Titanic. as in, its sinking.
What? Both Metro games were developed by 4A Games, Deep Silver only came in late in the development of Last Light after THQ crashed and burned.
I was talking about Homefront, that is why I then said that Sleeping Dogs was a more fitting comparison since the sequel is very different from the original with a new team but the publisher change midway did kept the same developer of the sequel project.
Because it has potential. If they had some decent writers on the project and some decent effort put into the game, it could be amazing. The perfect example is looking at the single player campaigns for Call of Duty and Battlefield. With the exception of the Bad Company games, Battlefield single player stories have been weak and incredibly boring to even play. CoD on the other hand always ends up being amazing. They forsake realism for immersion and summer action film feel, especially Treyarch ones. There are so many military FPS games that came out that ended up sucking because they tried to jump onto the bandwagon instead of putting more effort into the game to polish it up. Which is why so many just feel hollow and bland.
The first twenty minutes of Homefront was pretty good. But then it quickly went boring and "Fuck yeah, America because....America!" instead of giving us interesting characters and legitimate motivations.
Good, now maybe a competent studio with a decent track record will give it the attention and skill it deserves.
Take a real look at Crytek's history. They are not a studio you want handling any IP that you actually like.
2004: Far Cry 1 (45 and 50 metacritics on ps3/360)
2012: Fibble - Flick 'n' Roll (what?)
Seriously, let them die (the studio, not the developers). There's no dignity left even. Why people like them is beyond me because aside from 1 IP (which I'm sure other more competent studios could do better) they're garbage. Far Cry which has actually gotten good only did so out of their hands.
Don't let them ruin homefront too. It'd likely just be free to play EA trash.
Ouch! I think they just got buuurned!
Crysis was famous because it did something people said was impossible. People said that there was no way water physics would come last generation, no way we can render actually dense foliage, and no way to make a large scale physics engine.
Half Life 2 had physics, but it was smaller in scale. Crysis took that and made it much bigger. You had to be there to know how big of a leap Crysis was. If you are a console gamer, you wouldn't know. Same way anyone after 2004 wouldn't know why Half Life 2 was such a leap forward.
Crysis proved all of those wrong. That the 7th gen wasn't as limited as people thought. In fact, almost all of Crysis's advances in technology were adopted into the AAA and indie scene and are heavily used by Ubisoft.
On PC crytek was cutting edge and furthered the medium. On console, it was low effort cash grabs with cut down versions of their old games. Often years down the line.
Far Cry 1 was an OLD PC game, and got 89 on metacritic. It came to consoles 10 years later. On consoles it was a low effort and heavily cut down port years after the fact. Same with Crysis which wasn't even on the same engine. It was on the cut down console engine. Same with all their games.
Crytek just doesn't know how to make a game for consoles. If they stuck with PC, where the majority of their experience is, they wouldn't be bankrupt right now. They wouldn't have abandoned their patents and allowed other companies to make crytek obsolete.
Crytek died because they wasted their time on a market they had no experience in and the rest of the PC market kneecapped them over the years. Especially from Nvidia. They neglected their source of income and paid the price for it.
What about it specifically did you really like?
Primarily it was the concept. That and it was a good 'pick up and play' type game. Simple, but it did the job. Annoyance is that it is not available on steam.
Crysis 1 meant they were tarred with the view that all they could do was graphics, when the common man to your own fans think all you can do is shrubbery what way is there to go? You may disagree, but I don't believe they could innovate to such a large level as you said they did with Crysis 1 every year, so they fail and than bam they're "betraying" their "fans". They had the choice of appealing to fickle people, or try to grab a wider more easy audience.
Well I'll say this, the games weren't the problem. I've played Crysis 2 and found its online to be fine, in fact properly one of the FPSs I've had the most on in multiplayer (it helps I was actually pretty damn good at it I suppose).
Oh, yeah that makes sense. Thanks for clearing that up.
I haven't played Far Cry 1, however I did play instincts over a friends when I was a youngin. So while accurate that it did come 10 years later, you fail to mention that the reason was consoles got their own version in instincts. If instincts wasn't made they would have ported it over (though cut down yes before you say it).
I've not played Far Cry 1 on consoles but looking online...how is it "heavily cut down"? 720 and 30 frames, and pop ins seem to the most common complaints I'm seeing and that isn't "heavily cut down" to me. Heavily cut down would imply they outright took out levels/stages/areas, weapons, characters, enemy types, powers, and the like.
Nvidia innovates every year. a lot of companies do. In fact, a lot of their tech is based off Crysis tech. Nvidia did what Crytek could have done.
They could have easily sold their engine to other developers, and gotten the massive cash unreal 4 is getting. But that wasn't cool enough for them.
So now unreal is destroying cryengine, and its all crytek's fault. So now unreal is elevating gaming instead of crytek even when crytek had a huge fucking lead.
They abandoned what they did have for what they could have had. Its like a man quitting his five figure job to try to be a freelance DJ with no prior experience.
You can whine and whine about how gaming is "corrupted" by shrubbery but what Crysis did was a milestone for gaming. All of its advances filtered out into all facets of gaming today. We have physics because of crysis. We have water physics because of crysis. We have efficient foliage because of crysis. We have advanced dynamic lighting because of crysis. It pushed the technology to its limit just like GTA V did for consoles.
Whether you like it or not, what Crysis did was amazing and was good for the industry. Just like Half Life that came before it. Just like XCOM that came before that.
yet when PC pushes boundaries, its suddenly bad. When consoles do the same things that PC did years ago, its suddenly ok.
It also doesn't matter if you found it fun. The game sold like shit. No one bought it. In fact, it struggles to even reach the sales of Crysis 1. It also got lower scores than crysis 1.
Far Cry 1 was cut down for consoles so they can handle it. Do you have any idea how embarrassing it is for next gen consoles (at the time) to not be able to fully handle a 10 year old game? It was a low effort cash grab. They didn't even bother trying.
Far Cry was cut down because far cry was another crysis. It was open world and required you to see long distances. It was meant to showcase their technical ability and by extension improve their reputation in the engine market. It was meant to be big to prove that huge open shooters can work.
so 720p 30 fps and heavy pop in destroys the very reason the game exists. It was meant to be big and rendering everything instead of little bits.
So not only did it fail to fulfill the original goal it had on PC, but it was 10 years too late. The technology had already become standard. It was just a low effort cash grab by lazily porting old games.
Far Cry 1 was much better recieved on PC...
And no game that can play like this is poor in my book:
ALso, Free to play =/= trash...
With all due respect, you can argue Crytek being assholes with Cryengine 3 and Crysis 2, the gameplay being worse even, BUT...
Cryengine 3 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Cryengine 2.
Sure everything is faster if you cut a lot of it off.
I am sure every next gen game would run faster if we only put 8 bit graphics and 8 bit gameplay on them. After all, its more efficient.
and 8 bit graphics worked for Nintendo. so lets all go back there because its faster.
The fact is them cutting their engine was the biggest mistake ever. Especially with others with more experience on console and more aggressive devs on PC offering more flexible engines with cheaper rates.
Who would use cryengine on a console when console engines have tied and true reputations? With more established user bases? No one. Who would use cryengine after it got nerfed on PC? No one.
and thats why crytek is in the position it is in.
If they stuck with their original plan of expanding and refining rather than culling, they wouldn't be in this position at all. But no, they had to chase the mythical money boasted by activision. As if a single crytek game can beat the entire catalog of activision games PLUS the biggest MMO ever.
Crytek made its own bed by believing in fairy tales.
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SUNSET'S BOULEVARD: Perhaps the 101 isn't technically a boulevard, although if our state were to have a grand boulevard that covered a good deal of it, we'd have to nominate the hill-winding, beach-peeking highway. Visit California recently gave a shout-out to a Sunset round-up that highlights some of the the 101's sweetest spots, including those places that don't always make the headlines.
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Vetiver & Fruit Bats from Yours Truly on Vimeo.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
I Must Be in a Good Place Now.
Because I love Vetiver & and I love Eric Johnson (he being the singer of Fruit Bats, who released one of my Top 5 albums ever when he helped create Mouthfuls), then I, yes, I love, love, love this. I adore this song, this video, this music and the way it was even shot, throwing in glimpses of nature in between words and verses. This find was easily a high point of my yesterday. Watching it more than 10 times has caused it to loop inside my brain, too. I'm perfectly okay with that. Ah, sweet, agreeable bliss.
1 comment:
- Naomi Miles said...
I love, love, love this too!
- 7/15/2010
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An important application of synchronous serial communications is in short-range buses, which provide a simple and reliable means of connection between ICs on a single printed circuit board, between the circuit boards or modules in an enclosure or rack, or between a piece of equipment and its control panel.Bus systems such as these are called (synchronous) serial device buses, inter-IC connections, or just simply short-range buses.
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- Copies of the titles or loan statements for any cars, RVs or boats you own jointly or separately
- Documents describing any property or land you and your spouse own jointly or separately
- A list of valuables you and your spouse jointly or separately own (and copies of appraisals, if available)
- A list of items stored in safe-deposit boxes
Businesses You Own
If you and/or your spouse own a business, you'll also want to collect records that show the company's revenue, expenses, debts, assets and profit, as well as ownership details.
- Federal, state and local corporate or business tax returns for at least the last three years
- Business profit and loss statements
- Business balance sheets
- Business financial statements
- Corporate records and minute books, including the articles of incorporation and bylaws
- Partnership agreements
- Shareholder agreements
- Business credit card statements and records
- Business insurance policies
- Business contracts
- Deeds, mortgages, leases and other real estate interests held by the business
If One Spouse Is "At Fault"
Texas divorce can be either "no-fault" or you can allege one spouse was "at fault" in the divorce. If you expect to allege your spouse was at fault in your Texas divorce papers, you'll want to collect documents that demonstrate why he or she is at fault. If you expect your spouse to claim that you were at fault, you should collect documents that attempt to disprove this. Among the documents to consider collecting if one party or another is allegedly at fault:
- Relevant photographs of you, your spouse and your children
- Relevant letters, notes, e-mails and text messages that show or disprove allegations of fault
- Movies, videotapes or other relevant recordings
Filing for Divorce in Texas
You'll make things much easier for yourself by starting to collect these items even before you contact an attorney or initiate divorce discussions with your spouse. It pays to get your paperwork in order before filing for divorce in Texas, or any state.


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Earth day special : Are you a box collector too?
In celebration of Earth Day, 22nd April 2010, I have decided to come up with this post! 😀 Do you have a weird habit of mine, collecting the boxes of our beauty purchases? Not willing to bear apart from the lovely boxes?
Or even keeping the pacakaging of your finished product in case your buy your refills in the future?
Well if you do, we can help to save the earth by recycling, reusing and reducing rubbsih accumulated on our Mother Earth! 😀
I always keep my boxes, and use them to organize my makeup stash in my drawers. This is a brillant idea that I have learnt from youtube that I would love to share with all of you out there who do not know about this!
Beside lipsticks, you can use this idea for…
How else can you save the Earth?
There are some companies that have recycling programmes that collect used products to be sent for recycling, and such companies are Mac, Kiehl's, Orignis and etc.
For example, MAC has a programme called "Back to Mac" (B2M) where you can exchange 6 used full sized products for 1 brand new lipstick!
I hope this post is useful for some 😀
Lets do our part to save the earth! A n d m a y b e g i v e o u r s e l f s o m e e x c u e s e s t o b u y m o r e m a k e u p ! : P
So how do you save the earth through makeup? 🙂


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Timeshare Industry Supporting Similar Efforts in Other States
ORLANDO, FL – March 9, 2012 – Today, the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) and the American Resort Development Association Resort Owners' Coalition (ARDA-ROC) celebrated the Florida Legislature's passage of the Timeshare Resale Accountability Act, sponsored by Florida State Senator Andy Gardiner and Florida State Representative Eric Eisnaugle and supported by Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi.
"Florida has taken a giant step in providing consumer protection against fraudulent and deceptive business practices utilized by unsavory timeshare resellers," said Howard Nusbaum, president and CEO of ARDA. "The timeshare industry plays an increasingly significant role in Florida's recovering economy as tourism returns and grows in the state. ARDA and ARDA-ROC salute General Bondi, Senator Andy Gardiner, and Representative Eric Eisnaugle for their hard work that made this a reality," Nusbaum continued.
The Timeshare Resale Accountability Act protects Florida consumers and helps put an end to deceptive marketing practices conducted by fraudulent timeshare resale companies that have been targeting consumers under the guise of offering a service to help sell their timeshare product. Specifically, timeshare owners will be given more information to make better decisions about purchasing timeshare resale services. For example, the legislation seeks greater transparency and will require, among other things, timeshare resale companies to disclose all terms and conditions of their business relationship with a consumer, provide for a right of rescission for consumers to cancel a contract for resale services, and impose penalties on companies who continue these deceptive practices.
Nearly 25 percent of all timeshare resorts in the United States are located in Florida, and these resorts represent a large and growing share of Florida's tourism market. The Timeshare Resale Accountability Act is proactive legislation that is vital to ensuring the long-term health of a key sector of Florida's tourism industry by protecting timeshare owners and legitimate businesses alike.
ARDA and ARDA-ROC are also supporting resale legislation in other states such as Colorado and Utah. Aimed at targeting fraudulent resale company practices, the legislation focuses on a different but equally important area of consumer protection related to services offered by timeshare transfer companies.
The timeshare industry continues to work to ensure transparency in both the buying and selling process. Over the years, ARDA and its members have provided information on the resale process to consumers, monitored resale company practices, held symposiums for its members, and created think tanks with industry leaders to discuss the best solutions to ensure consumer protections and adherence to resale standards.
For further information about the timeshare secondary market including resales, visit the ARDA-ROC Timeshare Resale Resource Center.
Time's Up for Florida Operation in Timeshare Resale SchemeCONSUMER ADVISORY: Resale Scam Misrepresenting Fidelity National TimeshareARDA-ROC Applauds Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge for Action Taken Against Timeshare Exit Company
Copyright 2010 American Resort Development Assoc. All Rights Reserved.


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Phaneesh Murthy's PMHLC Launches Health Exchange
Former iGate CEO Phaneesh Murthy-founded PM Health and Life Care (PMHLC) launched Zigy.com, an online health exchange powered with patient controlled electronic health record system.
The health exchange uses technology to efficiently connect Indians needing health products and services with doctors, clinics, hospitals, pharmacies, diagnostic labs, and providers of wellness products & services, insurance, home-care services and alternative medicines. As the first offering, Zigy.com connects chemists and druggists with consumers.
Headquartered in Bengaluru, PMHLC aims to address the need and gap in the Indian health system by leveraging technology and is looking to raise $10-12 million in funding, according to a Business Line report. "Our family fund has pumped in around $5 million and we plan to raise an additional $10-12 million to expand to 30 cities in India," Phaneesh Murthy, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of PMHLC told the news site.
According to a company statement, the Zigy HealthVault provides a highly secure and completely confidential way of storing all health-related information for patients and family members. Zigy facilitates easy retrieval, upon the patient's authorization, to enable doctors and other care providers to fully comprehend the case history. This structured flow of information will result in better diagnosis.
"Zigy is committed to improving the quality of healthcare, affordability and accessibility for a large segment of the Indian population. This is our first step towards realizing our dream of a Swastha Bharat," said Murthy.
The chemists and druggists online marketplace will initially serve customers in five cities—Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi. The product portfolio on the marketplace will include Allopathic, Homeopathic, Ayurvedic and other wellness products and services. The operations will be extended to 50 cities within 18 months. Over a period of time, Zigy.com will be servicing rural India as well.
According to Hemant Bhardwaj, CEO, MD and Co–Founder, PMHLC, "With our business model which is a win-win for each stakeholder in the ecosystem, we anticipate achieving one million transactions within 12 months of operations."
Zigy is available on both the web and mobile platforms.


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Which states or cities provide essentially the most bang to your buck? I'm looking to purchase American property for investment purposes, in different words to rent it out, with an eye on the long term (sufficient time to your markets to get better, maybe even 20 or 30 years).
It is 3 bedroom house residence for rent with full furnished and all gear can be found. House for rent is situated in Nelson Mandela road, 2 km from Impala Lodge spherical About, cease at CLUB D and drive proper side on Roman Catholic Church street, just 500 m from Most important street. Residence for lease is positioned in friendly and secure environment near GOOD EARTH EXCURSIONS Workplaces.
My husband and I purchased a much bigger home attributable to growing family. We still have our old house, which is valued manner less than how a lot we owed. We wished to promote it but most likely will not get sufficient to pay off the mortgage. Will the financial institution approve for a short sale if we won't afford to pay for both houses? We consider simply strolling away. Please assist!
Bovey Tracey takes its name partly from the River Bovey, and partly from the de Tracey family who have been lords of the manor after the Norman Conquest. Initially a Saxon settlement, the city lies approximately halfway between Newton Abbot and Moretonhampstead, and the city's signage, proudly proclaims it to be the 'Gateway to the Moor'. Bovey Tracey has occasional three bedroom houses available at lower than £225,000, however realistically, it's best to finances around £240,000 to guarantee discovering a fundamental household dwelling on this attractive and historic city.
I have lived in an area with low-cost housing once we first began out and I am sorry we did. It was false financial system and I'm so glad I used to be able to create the means to get out once we did. I now stay in Peel, on the west coast of the Isle of Man about 3 minutes stroll from the seashore in an old four bedroom Victorian house that we purchased for £a hundred and eighty,000 about 8 years ago and I really feel so fortunate.


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Painting Services
Hand & Automated Paint Lines
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We provide painted services for both interior and exterior automotive, truck, recreation, agriculture, and industrial products using (7) Axis fully automated robots in a class 100,000 clean room paint booth. Our process includes (2) robots per booth for maximum coverage and repeatability, a highly efficient multi-control convection oven, and a part preparation process that includes bot wash and flame preparation for best finish results.
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Get in touch with Wilbert Plastic Services today to learn more about our painting capabilities!


text: As photographers, we're so spoiled in Hawaii. Well, me anyway. I went to Iao Park at 4 pm to do a photoshoot in my usual tshirt/shorts combo and I thought it was quite cold and very windy (around 76 degrees!) I lasted 10 minutes, hahaha. I left in a hurry but at least I had a keeper shot


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Scariest movies for me?
The 13 Ghosts - Saw it when was I was about 10. Caused nightmares and sleep walking. I have watched it since and did not have quite the same effect on me.
The Exorcist: Saw most of it once at a drive in circa 1974-75? Covered my face for much of it. Didn't sleep for a week. Never saw it again.
Poltergeist: Saw it once. That is enough
The Shining: Once was also enough for this movie.
Yes those are "old" movies. I don't go to those type of movies anymore. I like some of the old 50's scary movies though. They leave more to your imagination, like a good book.
Here is a list of scary books I found for you.
"The Minister's Black Veil" from Twice Told Tales, by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Though this is not a ghost story, per se, the villagers in this short story by The Scarlet Letter author Nathaniel Hawthorne are traumatized when their minister suddenly appears in town wearing a black veil over his face. His parishioners fear something horrible must have happened to him, and when he refuses to remove the veil under any circumstances, his fiancée leaves him. Many have theorized that the terrifying image must be Hawthorne's comment on the idea of original sin.
***"The Fall of the House of Usher" from Tales of Mystery and Imagination, by Edgar Allan Poe
Poe is, in many ways, the master of horror, and any one of his ghost stories could be included on this list. We're particularly fond of "The Fall of the House of Usher," however, which tells the story of two hypochondriacal siblings, Madeline and Roderick, who believe their house is alive. Things only get worse when Madeline dies and our narrator comments on how rosy her cheeks look as she lowered into the tomb. (I have watched this movie a few times. Vincent Price was always so good.)
***"The Dream Woman," by Wilkie Collins from The Haunted Looking Glass, edited by Edward Gorey
One man's haunting by a young woman with "light gray eyes, a droop in the left eyelid, flaxen hair with a gold-yellow streak in it, white arms, and a little lady's hand with a reddish look about the fingernails" turns out to be much more of a premonition than he could have ever imagined in this short story by the author of The Woman in White.
***The Haunting of Hill House, by Shirley Jackson
American horror writer Shirley Jackson takes the idea of a haunted house to the next level in her novel The Haunting of Hill House, published in 1959. A doctor brings three subjects to a supposedly haunted house for a study in the paranormal. One of the subjects, Eleanor, seems to be more effected by the strange events in the house, leading the other people to wonder if the house has some kind of hold over her.
(Read this and saw the movie. Pretty scary)
***The Turn of the Screw, by Henry James
Henry James' absolutely terrifying 1898 novella tells the story of a governess who comes to care for two children, Miles and Flora, who live in a country estate in England with their uncle. The governess immediately notices the presence of not one, but two ghosts in the house. When she learns their identities, she must struggle to keep the children safe from ghostly threats. (This sounds familiar...Just the cover looks scary.)
***The Shining, by Stephen King
Though most are familiar with Stanley Kubrick's film adaptation, it's important go to back to the source material, Stephen King's 1977 novel. The Shining tells the story of a family who hope to escape their recent hardship by house-sitting a giant hotel over the winter. What they don't realize is they aren't alone, and that most of the guests in the hotel have never checked out.
(Very scary movie)
***"The Lake" from The October Country, by Ray Bradbury
The stories in this collection by Fahrenheit 451 author Ray Bradbury are all terrifying, especially "The Lake," which Bradbury wrote when he was only 22. In his introduction he describes the joy he felt when he "knew at long last, after years of dumb obfuscation, I had turned inward, discovered whatever might be original in my head, and caught in on paper." (Turns out, the contents of said head were pretty disturbing.) "'The Lake,'" Bradbury writes, "published in Weird Tales some months later, has never been out of print and has been anthologized dozens of times." (Bradbury also did Star Trek. And he had a t.v. series before - Ray Bradbury Theatre. We have it in DVD. Kind of Twightlight Zone type stories but a little scarier)
***"Cold as Clay" from Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, by Alvin Schwartz
The stories in Alvin Schwartz's three-volume Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark are deeply disturbing, and the horrifying illustrations by Stephen Gammell make them even scarier, despite the fact the books are meant for young readers! Based in folklore, the stories collected here may seem vaguely familiar. We love "Cold as Clay," about a young woman's visit from her boyfriend, who claims to need to take her to her father. As she climbs on the back of his horse, she exclaims, "You're cold as clay!" I hope you are not ill." Oh, brother. (Hmmm I believe this book is in the box of books my kids had. Maybe I will take a look.)
***House of Leaves, by Mark Z. Danielewski
This cult novel, published in 2000, is filled with winding footnotes, appendices, and terrifying wormholes that mimic the interior of the house at the center of its narrative. Shortly after moving in, the Navidson family finds doors open onto walls, strange rooms appear and disappear, leading to a maze like structure called the anteroom. Danielewski owes much to the strange true story of the Winchester Mystery House and Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House—but ultimately the House of Leaves is also an allegory of the modern, dysfunctional family.
***"The Pink House" from Ghostly, by Rebecca Curtis
Rebecca Curtis' short story "The Pink House" begins like many classic horror stories—a woman tells the story of her haunted house to a group of friends on a stormy night. On the day she moves in, she discovers a man's ring in the bathroom, which she then gives to her boyfriend, who starts acting very strangely. When she learns the history of the house from the local bartender and puts two and two together, the result is terrifying
What ones have you read?


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April 04, 2019
|Introduced by Senator Stern
February 22, 2019
Existing law, the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018, beginning on January 1, 2020, grants a consumer various rights with regard to personal information relating to that consumer that is held by a business, including the right to direct the business not to sell the consumer's personal information. The act requires a business that sells consumers' personal information to 3rd parties to provide notice to consumers that this information may be sold and that consumers have the right to direct the business to not to sell this information. The act requires the business to comply by, among other things, providing on its internet homepage a specified link that enables a consumer to direct the business not to sell the consumer's personal information and including that link with a description of a consumer's specified rights in any of the business's online privacy policy or policies and any
California-specific descriptions of consumers' privacy rights. This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to the provision detailing those compliance requirements. (a)A business that is required to comply with Section 1798.120 shall, in a form that is reasonably accessible to consumers: (1)Provide a clear and conspicuous link on the business's internet homepage, titled "Do Not Sell My Personal Information," to an internet web page that enables a consumer, or a person authorized by the consumer, to opt-out of the sale of the
consumer's personal information. A business shall not require a consumer to create an account in order to direct the business not to sell the consumer's personal information. (2)Include a description of a consumer's rights pursuant to Section 1798.120, along with a separate link to the "Do Not Sell My Personal Information" internet web page in: (A)Its online privacy policy or policies if the business has an online privacy policy or policies. (B)Any California-specific description of consumers' privacy rights. (3)Ensure that all individuals
responsible for handling consumer inquiries about the business's privacy practices or the business's compliance with this title are informed of all requirements in Section 1798.120 and this section and how to direct consumers to exercise their rights under those sections. (4)For consumers who exercise their right to opt-out of the sale of their personal information, refrain from selling personal information collected by the business about the consumer. (5)For a consumer who has opted-out of the sale of the consumer's personal information, respect the consumer's decision to opt-out for at least 12 months before requesting that the consumer authorize the sale of the consumer's personal information. (6)Use any personal information collected from the consumer in connection with the submission of the consumer's opt-out
request solely for the purposes of complying with the opt-out request. (b)Nothing in this title shall be construed to require a business to comply with the title by including the required links and text on the homepage that the business makes available to the public generally, if the business maintains a separate and additional homepage that is dedicated to California consumers and that includes the required links and text, and the business takes reasonable steps to ensure that California consumers are directed to the homepage for California consumers and not the homepage made available to the public generally. (c)A consumer may authorize another person solely to opt-out of the sale of the consumer's personal information on the consumer's behalf, and a business shall comply with an opt-out request received from a person authorized by the consumer to act on the consumer's behalf,
pursuant to regulations adopted by the Attorney General.


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This slim version of the classic artichoke dip will be a hit at your holiday party.
To make things easier, you can make it ahead of time, wrap it with foil and then freeze it (unbaked) for up to 2 months. When ready to serve place in the oven, covered at 400 degrees for 45 minutes or until bubbling.
- ½ cup yellow onion, minced
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- ¾ cup frozen spinach, thawed and drained
- 4 large basil leaves, minced
- 2 cups parmesan cheese
- 2 1/3 cup or 12 oz artichoke heats, roughly chopped (you can use frozen)
- 2 Tablespoons light sour cream
- 1/3 cup light cream cheese
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil mayonnaise
- ½ cup sun dried or fresh tomatoes, diced
- Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl mix together onion, garlic, spinach, basil, parmesan cheese, artichokes, sour cream, cream cheese mayo and salt and pepper.
- Spread mix into a 9″x9″ baking dish and bake for 10 minutes, take out of the oven and top with tomatoes of choice. Place back in the oven and finish baking for 10-15 minutes or until bubbling.


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Usually I write about a place once we've arrived. However, Corfu is unique for us.
Back in the summer of 2013 we were having lots of yard sales and paring down our belongings in preparation for selling the house and traveling. (You can read about that here in the Summer Of Getting Lighter). As people would come to the yard sale they would often ask us why we were selling our stuff. Once we told them we were going to go travel, they would often tell us about their travels, as well as asking us where we were going.
Darren has a question for those who have traveled a lot. It is: "What is your favorite place you've ever been to," but it goes a bit farther than that. "If all of the planes, trains and buses suddenly stopped running, where is the one place in the world you would want to be to spend the rest of your life?" He gets some interesting responses to that question.
One day, at one yard sale, someone mentioned Corfu, Greece as "that" place. That is the first I remember hearing about Corfu. So that summer and fall as we continued to pare down, Corfu kept coming up, and not just in that gentle way that a new word or new topic is more noticeable after you've first heard about it, but in a "Corfu is such an amazing place you have to go there, and you may never leave!" Another person at a yard sale mentioned Corfu. A beekeeper friend has a brother and sister-in-law who live there. A travel blogger who has seen quite a bit of the world chose Corfu as the one place where she would settle down if she stopped traveling. A new friend I met through a class I took right before we left had dreamed of going to Corfu.
This all led us to adding Corfu to our list of places that we absolutely must go. It just seemed like the universe was telling us that we had to go to Corfu.
On Monday, we fly from Larnaca, Cyrpus to Athens, Greece, and then change planes in Athens for our flight to Corfu. Corfu is both the name of the island, and the name of the town. Greece has many islands, and this one is part of the Ionian Islands and is just off the coast of northwestern Greece and Albania.
We already have the most amazing welcome set up for Corfu, so it is in line to be the friendliest place we've visited so far! People meeting us at the airport, and an amazing house to rent. Oh, guess what? The house has a cat! 🙂
We have stayed 7 weeks in the same apartment in Pernera, Cyprus (our longest time so far in one place), and we are experiencing the sadness of leaving of place that we have come to love. We are beginning to do our last rounds of visits to our favorite beaches and favorite cats. Mixed with that sadness is the excitement of Corfu, of new friends, a new place to explore, and the realization of a goal that has been with us for several years now.


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I remember seeing similar question (image wise) here on this forum but did not bookmark it :(
If anyone knows and can point me to the example or give me some ideas to get started would be great help. I am working on reproducing an old book which has around 4000 linesas shown in the attached image.
Text on each line is called "Sutra". Number on the left is a unique serial number. Some sutras have a number on the right, which means part or whole text that sutra is to be added to the sutra number shown on the right.
The part which gets transferred to below sutra should be shown as bold or colored. Sometimes its part and sometimes its the whole sutra that gets transferred as can be see in "6"
I also would like to show the text thats getting transferred to the sutra below on across the left line in
scriptsize text.
In the shown example the span is limited to 3 sutras however in the later part it can span across ~100 sutras - in such cases the left line should spread across pages. the flow of words is always downwards, there will not be any case where the text flows upwards.
PS: numbers in front of Sutra 11 - 12, 19, please do change the question title that make more sense than what I have given.


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About Us
Welcome to Martori Farms, an American grower and shipper with 100 years experience in fresh fruits and vegetables.
Career Opportunities
Martori Farms offers a wide array of employment opportunities, all of which require a broad set of skills and a strong work ethic. At Martori Farms, we're always interested in reviewing application materials. From members of our executive group to soil and plant technicians to our sales staff, new talent is always welcome in the company.
Martori Farms is interested in forging with our vendors long-term relationships based on trust, innovation and value. Our door is always open to new ideas and potential partnerships. We look forward to hearing from you.
Look here for detailed directions to a meeting, pickup or delivery at one of our locations:


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Robert "Bob" Ross
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June 15, 1930 – Oct. 26, 2014
Memorial services for Robert "Bob" Ross of Chadron, Nebraska will be held on Thursday, October 30, 2014 at 11:00 AM at the Grace Episcopal Church in Chadron with Dr. Russ Seger officiating.
Robert D. Ross passed away at home on October 26, 2014. Bob was born in Chadron on June 15, 1930 to Robert Y. and Mabel (Knapp) Ross. Bob grew up in Crawford and Gordon. He attended Chadron State College and the University of NE. He then joined the Navy during the Korean War and was stationed at Pearl Harbor where he married his childhood sweetheart, Barbara (Bobbie) Nance on July 25, 1953.
After stints in Hawaii and Oregon, Bob and Bobbie returned to NE in 1955 to the love of Bob's life, ranching in the Sandhills. Due to health reasons, he then joined the family business, Ross Transfer, until his retirement. He was the first Chamber of Commerce Businessman of the Year, the first Trail Boss of Ride The Ridge in 1991, and served on the Chadron Hospital Foundation. He, along with a few other golf enthusiasts, was instrumental in the development of Ridgeview Golf Course.
He is survived by his wife Bobbie, daughters Polly (Keith) Livingston of Longmont, CO, Patti (Ed) Porras of Chadron, and Paige (Russ) Ballinger of Rapid City, SD, son Robert Douglas Ross of Flagstaff, AZ, grandchildren Mackenzie Nemeth Suko, Riley Nemeth, Bailey Ballinger, Bobbi Ballinger Rodriguez, Abbie Ballinger Hicks, Dylan Ross, and Nathan Ross, and great-grandsons, Peter and Ezra. Bob was preceded in death by his infant daughter, Cynthia, and his parents.
A memorial has been established. Donations may be sent to Chamberlain Chapel, PO Box 970, Chadron, NE 69337.
Online condolences can be made at www.chamberlainchapel.com
Chamberlain Chapel of Chadron is in charge of arrangements.


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Marcel Somerville has recently left Love Island but his reality stardom doesn't end there. During the reunion show, Marcel was surprised by some of his Blazin Squad bandmates.
As Marcel joined Caroline Flack on the sofa, the presenter brought on four of his bandmates to perform their 2003 hit 'Flip Reverse'. However, including Marcel, there are eleven members of Blazin Squad.
We can't say where the rest were but the group have revealed that Blazin Squad are set to reunite but maybe not all 10; "a good chunk" of the members have been confirmed.
Speaking to NME about the Soundtrack To His Life, Marcel revealed that "Crossroads" by Blazin' Squad was his go-to karaoke song. "Whenever I'm anywhere that does karaoke, everyone is like "Marc, do it, do it!" – so it ends up happening. I always try to do like ABBA or Bon Jovi, but everyone always makes me do 'Crossroads'"
Read more: Jeremy Corbyn reveals who he wanted to win 'Love Island'
Marcel spent much of his time in the Love Island villa mentioning Blazin' Squad at every opportunity – it's worked, though, with the band's Spotify streams soaring by 2500% since the series started.
Blazin' Squad's initial career spanned form 2001-2004 – they released two albums in that time, 'In The Beginning' and 'Now Or Never'.


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Product Description
The Bugg Wrap is based on a traditional carrier being made of soft, durable and washable fabric. It will literally give your baby an extended hug while he's being carried in it!
Special attention has been given to the way your baby's weight is carried ensuring that the bulk of his weight is carried as he sits on his bum. In order for his legs and hips to be in the most comfortable position, his knees should be higher than his bottom while carrying him (i.e. his legs should NOT be dangling straight down). By carrying your baby in this sitting position less strain is placed on his spine.
The special way you tie your Bugg Wrap will ensure that you carry your baby's weight split between your shoulders, your back as well as across your hips. This distribution of weight helps to prevent poor posture and back strain of the person doing the babywearing.
The Bugg Wrap is ideal to use with very small babies if they are positioned correctly and supported well. While your baby is still working on getting better head and neck control it is best to carry your baby on your front so that you can interact easily with him and shelter him from too much stimulation. As your baby's head control gets stronger and he can manage more stimulation, you can also carry him on your back. In this position he can look around more and enjoy his ever changing environment.


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Posted by Yasmin Hussein on May 11, 2016 in Blog
Growing up as an Arab American in South Florida, my parents focused on ensuring an awareness of how blessed we were. The values of community service and giving back to my community were instilled at a young age. My mother always taught my sister and I that giving back to those in need comes first because in reality we had all that we needed. My mother also taught us that whatever good we do and whatever vibes we put out into the world, are returned tenfold.
These values of giving back and generosity to others, taught to me by my mother, are truly engrained in Arab culture. Visit any Arab American home and you will find spreads of the most delicious food, good tea and a warm welcome reminiscent of your own home. So it's not surprising that a day where thousands of Arab Americans around the country gather to give back to their communities comes natural.
The National Arab American Service Day was established in 2004 by the National Network of Arab American Communities (NNAAC). Many organizations, including the organization I work for, the Arab American Institute take part each year. This initiative encourages Arab American communities to "give back through service, fostering a culture of leadership, community engagement and volunteerism." With more than 2,000 volunteers, there are around 18 to 20 projects organized in cities across the county.
Though this is an organized day, Arab Americans give back to their country every day. Whether through their mosques or churches or their general community centers, the young and old help feed the homeless, volunteer at their schools, take part in street cleanups and organize health fairs.
I recently volunteered at the National Women's Memorial at Arlington Cemetery. As a certified makeup artist, I gave makeovers to female veterans who were transitioning from the military to civilian life. In the thirty or so minutes I took to "glam up" these amazing women, I learned so much from each and every one of them. From their stories of courage to their true desire to help those around them. It is in that moment I realized that in giving back to these women, I was the one who was truly gaining and benefiting from this opportunity. After all, this is the true essence of community service.
To RSVP for our Arab American Service Day in Washington, DC, please click here.comments powered by Disqus


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Gresso: Bring in the alligators!
The latest reincarnation of the luxurious cell phone is strictly designed for the ladies who adore such expensive toys. What differentiates the new edition of Grand Monaco from the previous ones is the presence of red alligator skin. Gresso claims to have used the best types of alligator skin there are, and also to have carefully processed it. Of course, the handset looks ultra-elegant and classy. Other design features of the model have remained the same however, with a body manufactured from titanium alloy and covered with several layers of ceramics. The display is still framed with 42-carat hand-polished sapphire crystal.
Specs-wise, the Gresso Grand Monaco is nothing to write home about, supporting features such as EDGE, Bluetooth and Java. The phone is offered at the affordable price of $2800.
To us, alligators are just too scary even when they are dead, so we wouldn't really consider buying this phone. What about you?
source: Gresso (PDF)


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OKLAHOMA CITY (Reuters) - The Oklahoma House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill on Thursday to apply new restrictions on abortions that lawmakers said are aimed at protecting women's health but opponents say are designed to shut down clinics.
The legislation includes a provision similar to one put in place in neighboring Texas that requires physicians who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at an appropriately equipped hospital within 30 miles of their practice.
The Republican lawmaker who wrote the legislation, Mike Ritze, a physician, said his goal was to ensure women who experience complications like hemorrhaging, can have access to hospital care immediately.
"If the federal law is going to allow abortions, the state has a responsibility to our citizens to ensure those procedures are done as safely as possible," Ritze said.
The bill also requires abortion clinics to meet heightened building standards, bans abortion after 20 weeks, and requires strict adherence to guidelines in prescribing abortion pills.
Opponents argue that, given the sparse population in most of Oklahoma, the admitting privileges requirement places an unjust burden on clinics and punishes people in rural parts of the state where medical care can be scarce.
"The intent of this legislation is to restrict access to safe, legal abortions, plain and simple," said Jill June, president and chief executive of Planned Parenthood of the Heartland.
The admitting privileges provision, almost identical to the one in Texas, was opposed by the Texas Hospital Association, which said it was unnecessary because women experiencing abortion complications can go to a hospital emergency room and be treated.
Admitting privileges allow doctors to admit patients to a hospital for treatment. The privileges are usually given to doctors who are on staff at the hospital.
Jerry McPeak, a Democrat from Muskogee, said he voted against the measure because it would limit healthcare options for women in rural areas, like his district.
"Women in my district have the same right as everyone else to healthcare options. This bill wasn't about abortion. It's purely politics," McPeak said.
The House voted 73-9 in favor of the bill.
An Oklahoma Senate panel voted 19-2 on Wednesday to approve a similar bill to the one passed by the House and will likely approve the measure when it goes to a full vote.
Federal courts have so far upheld the Texas law but opponents have filed appeals seeking to ease some of its restrictions.
Writing by Jon Herskovitz; editing by Gunna Dickson


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Hi David, great review! But you'll want to watch the wardrobe scene again, because you missed some stuff. Not only are there definitely old Doctor outfits visible in the room, but the Mill have confirmed there's at least one thing there from every previous Doctor. Some stuff we've caught on screen grabs include Sylv's umbrella, the First Doctor's gold column thing from his console room, Davison's hat and standing mirror from 'Castrovalva', C. Baker's coat (very hard to see), and perhaps most amazingly, an exact - and I mean exact down to the colors of the stripes - replica of Steven's pullover from 'The Celestial Toymaker'! Lots of people went nuts when they caught that one.I never spotted these as I was looking for Doctors costumes (ie long scarf, cricketting outfit and so on) rather than anything else. Still, good on the production team for making the effort.
Welcome to the homepage for author and publisher David J Howe. I'm the author and co-author of numerous books about the TV Show "Doctor Who", as well as being a freelance writer and Editorial Director of Telos Publishing Ltd.
If you'd like to comment on any of my musings, then just click on the 'comments' word under the post, and then on the 'Post a Comment' line under the post on the next screen.
Monday, December 26, 2005
Doctor Who - The Christmas Invasion
4 comments:
- Gizensha said...
Don't mean to be picky, but your criticisms of Blood Control being like Voodoo are actually false. While he compared it to voodoo in terms of apparant effect (I think that was him pointing out that to humans blood control would seem like magic), he actually compared it to hypnosis with reguards to how it works. And hypnosis will work on anyone who allows it to work, and most people both neither actively resisting hypnosis and not doing things they percieve as dangerous via it can be effected via hypnosys, weather they have preconceptions of it or not.
I also felt the Arther Dent reference wasn't simply a random Hitchhiker's reference but rather RTD giving us a nod that yes, he does know he's been writing in his version of full-on Adams style writing. Basically making it known that this was deliberately an enjoyable romp that probably doesn't add-up if you apply over-zelous sci-fi fan analysis to it.
As for Hariet Jones... Well, "This is Britain's Golden Age?" 'At a price.' sums it up. I actually felt the way he played that was very seventh doctor. Make her parranoid enough to potentially take herself down. The no-second-chances thing, I'm not convinced it was as undocteresque as Cassandra. The Doctor has killed in self defence and the defence of others, deliberately, before now. And not just his sixth incarnation though his attitude to doing so was somewhat sixth doctor-esque.
Aside from those points, the review was very good and almost sums up my view on the episode. Though I'd give it a 9/10 myself.
Found my way here from Outpost Gallifrey, incidently.
- 8:42 pm
- David said...
Hi Gizensha
Thanks for the thoughts. I take what you say about the voodoo thing: but voodoo/hypnotism ... aren't they similar things in effect? Can you hypnotise someone at a distance and not have them even know you're doing it? I just don't know enough about how it works really.
I'm not sure that any earlier Doctor has cold bloodedly killed another creature ... and where it's happened he hasn't been happy about it. The self defence thing is true, but I believe the Doctor should find a third way where possible and *not* have to kill. The business with Cassandra and now the Sycorax leader seem too dismissive of the fact that a death has occurred, and this trivialises it. Just my view of course, and maybe these later incarnations of the Doctor are annulled to death to the extent that it causes no reaction from the Doctor at all. This would be a shame as in my mind it's not 'alien', it's just callous.
- 4:56 pm
- Gizensha said...
"Thanks for the thoughts. I take what you say about the voodoo thing: but voodoo/hypnotism ... aren't they similar things in effect? Can you hypnotise someone at a distance and not have them even know you're doing it? I just don't know enough about how it works really."
You can hypnotise someone with a subliminal mp3, I know that much. Some people find it easier to go under with subliminals than regular ones, when audio files is the medium being used, in fact. Never tried a subliminal myself. The effects of hypnotism aren't difficult to fight, actually, and if you percieve your life to be in danger you snap out of the state like a firecracker, weather the fear is from a representation in your mind of something in your subconscious (turns out during two attempts at past life regression... My mind is full of mental blockades), or something external, such as fire, or indeed, jumping off of a building (presuming you notice it in both cases).
From personal experience with entering trance, I would actually suggest that hypnotism, and if as implied Blood Control works along similar principles, not knowing about hypnotism/Blood Control might make it harder to resist. Because entering trance is one of the most relaxing things you can do, and the more relaxed you are, the easier the trance is to enter...
"I'm not sure that any earlier Doctor has cold bloodedly killed another creature ... and where it's happened he hasn't been happy about it. The self defence thing is true, but I believe the Doctor should find a third way where possible and *not* have to kill. The business with Cassandra and now the Sycorax leader seem too dismissive of the fact that a death has occurred, and this trivialises it."
Cassandra I'd agree with, but probably suggest the same response as appropriate to most of Colin Baker's violent tendencies, that that particular doctor is 'damaged goods.' He had no choice with the Sycorax Leader, however, as far as I can see. And it's nothing that the Sixth Doctor wouldn't have done with the same attitude. In fact, if anything, The tenth is more sensative than the Sixth since his comment acknowledged what he'd done rather than just being flippant and dismissive.
- 3:41 am
- GORdon said...
on the wardrobe --
can't believe i missed it: in the shot where Tennant holds up his new suit and coat, just before running out of frame -- the camera pulls back to reveal the Baker's first scarf drapped across something in the foreground on the right edge of the frame!
- 5:54 am


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Family Reunion Forum
Re: REUNION - MONTGOMERYS OF MONROE COUNTY, ALABAM
In Response To: REUNION - MONTGOMERYS OF MONROE COUNTY, ALABAMA ()
Hello Mr. McRae,
Also, I had a link to your "Lest We Forget" site on my Ed Danner site, but now the link is not valid. Has the link address changed?
Keep up the great work!
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So, yesterday was crazy. Not only was it my daughter's tenth birthday – celebrated with a big family get together, including lots of cooking, cleaning and general merriment – but it was also Amanda's birthday.
The day did not go by completely unnoticed. I certainly posted my good wishes on all sorts of social media, but it wasn't quite the same. I didn't have a chance to post a birthday blog for her, and goodness knows a birthday cannot go by without that happening. So, today is that day.
Happy Birthday Amanda!!
Friendships ebb and flow, particularly when they are conducted from a long distance, such as ours. There are some periods of time where we have spoken every single day, but admittedly for the past year or so, those conversations haven't happened as regularly as I would have liked. Most of that is my fault, and I acknowledge that. It isn't that I have forgotten about our friendship, found someone else, or have felt like our connection has faded – in this case, it is truly because life has gotten incredibly complicated and busy. Amanda knows that right now, I'm not quite sure if I'm coming or going. Yet, her friendship remains steadfast, and it is one constant I can count on. So this post is for Amanda, and I'm writing to her.
Rather than rattle on about how tough things have been lately – I like thinking about the things we've done along the way. Weirdly enough, remembering all of those times we laughed ourselves silly has kind of helped me during these past few months when the darkness has gotten SO dark that I couldn't even really see the light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak.
There are the times that come to memory first – like when we first met and somehow ended up on a small stage at Howl at the Moon singing Duran Duran songs. What about the day we were sitting at Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg and calculated that we'd gone 27 (pretty sure I'm exaggerating) hours without eating at one point that weekend? Or when we were at Voodoo Festival and you had to go on a search for sunscreen with Sara. Yeah, that was also the night when Simon just HAD to go and ask if we had time for one more. I also chuckle when I think about Toronto. I have one word for you: "Really?" "REALLY?" That memory always makes me laugh.
What I really like thinking about most though are the moments we haven't necessarily talked about a lot. Like when we drove to Milwaukee that very first time and I was making signs as quickly as we could think of things to say. I think about how you and I love going to the Art Institute in Chicago, and how oddly – we both love modern and contemporary art. The weirder, the better! I remember how in England (I have so many great memories of England, many of which really don't even include the band at all, which is probably a shock to some) we sat on that train listening to John Taylor, watching the English countryside go by. That's one of my favorite memories from that trip…right along with the first night in Brighton when Duran Duran played Secret Oktober.
Remember when we saw the band in LA at that David Lynch thing and we got there a day or so early? We stayed at the Luxe, which has this fantastic patio bar area, so you and I decided to have a pitcher of sangrias in the sun? It was glorious sitting there, relaxing and talking away. That day didn't have a lot to do with Duran Duran at all. It was a simple afternoon, and I wouldn't trade it, even for "Late Bar" live in a set!
I remember driving during that Southeastern US road trip. We spent SO many hours in the car that time. It was a weird tour for us (they all are, though. I don't think any of them ever go how we think they will, and at this point I don't know why when drama happens while touring, we're still surprised. I believe that someone might call all of that careful planning, "expectations", which I have on good authority are just future resentments. <insert grin here>. But you know, I look back on that tour and think about how differently I saw things then. I remember the heat and humidity, and going for pancakes at IHOP that last night because we were so sick of drinking we didn't even want to bother!
Remember when we went to lunch with Kitty in England? It was after we saw the band going into their rehearsal studio on the "tour that wasn't", and I asked the waiter about how big their pizzas were, and he made some comment about how as an American, I'd probably think they were small. Funny that he assumed I wanted a big pizza when in fact I was worried it would be too much – then he brought it out and it was bigger than my head (AND the plate it was on!). I still remember having to take the bus and learning how to use the tube (for those reading – we don't have them where I live in Orange County!) I don't know why that still makes me chuckle, but it's those moments that I think about when I'm feeling myself get down.
We have made good friends along the way. Some have stayed, others have drifted away, and still others have been a gift of late. I treasure those people. I will never ever forget ordering that big fishbowl cocktail in San Francisco (never ever again. Stay away from the group cocktails in the future) and laughing about it the entire weekend, or the Cat Club – which was a blast. We did not really see or speak to a band member the entire weekend, but I think we had more fun than we've had in a long time, just dancing to Duran Duran songs and videos. I'd do it again in a hot minute. I remember laughing at you one of those nights at the Cat Club for reasons I don't need to disclose here, but it was joyous all the same. Our friends have stood by us, bought us tickets when the two of us couldn't get the Ticketmaster gods to work in our favor, and listened to us go on and on about blogging and fandom and who knows what else. (well, I do know, but there's only so much I'll say here!)
I have tried to sum this up in a few different ways, but the fact is – I want to celebrate you and our friendship. I don't want to think about the bad stuff because as soon as I'm done writing, it'll still be there. In this moment, I want to focus on the joy. I am so glad you were born and that I can still count you as my best friend! Despite our differences, we are incredibly similar, and I love how we're two sides of the same coin. As I think back on all the things we've done, it is impossible not think about all that we have left to still do. I think there must be corners of the US we haven't visited yet – so the band had better get on with it! We still have things to do!!
A very happy birthday to you, my friend. I hope you had a wonderful day. I thought of you lots yesterday, believe it or not. The good news is that for all intents and purposes, Walt IS back to work – and that means I need to plan a trip to see you. Soon. I picture a week during the summer where we do nothing but watch videos, hang out, have some vodka tonics, and maybe do some writing if we are so inclined.
I am so lucky (no really, right now I am definitely the luckiest) to call Amanda my best friend. I am well aware that we are not everyone's cup of tea. That's fine, because we've got each other.


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Florida residents who find themselves needing to replace a green card may be interested in knowing more about the process. Because a green card provides proof of immigration status and authorization to live and work in the country, it is important that permanent residents carry this form of identification with them at all times. According to information supplied by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, individuals over the age of 18 who do not have a valid green card in their possession could be subject to misdemeanor charges.
The naturalization ceremony as the final step
People in Florida who are working towards naturalization as U.S. citizens generally know that the final step involves the naturalization ceremony, but they may not know what to expect. Prior to being scheduled to attend the ceremony, the other steps, including taking the civics and language tests as well as sitting for the naturalization interview, will need to be completed.
Examining the government's Diversity Immigration Visa Program
Miami residents may be interested in a program that allows certain categories of immigrants to apply for permanent residency. The random selection process, however, is just the beginning for those who have been chosen.
Can I help my son or daughter get a Green Card?
In immigration matters, children of naturalized U.S. citizens are granted special priority. The law makes a distinction, though, based on the marital status and age of the child involved. That is, unmarried children under 21 years of age are categorized as immediate relatives, while married children and children over 21 are placed in the family preference category. Immediate relatives living in Florida or elsewhere have a simpler path to permanent residency because an unlimited number of visas have been made available for people who meet the requirements of the category. Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens need not wait for a visa number and may begin the process of securing permanent residency by filing Form I-485 at the same time that the citizen sponsor files Form I-130. Other forms may be required as well.
The process of immigrants becoming U.S. citizens
Over 9,000 people were sworn in as United States citizens in ceremonies in Florida and throughout the country during the first week of July. Sites such as Mount Rushmore, the White House and the U.S.S. Midway welcomed people from Afghanistan, India and Iraq. At Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington, 102 people were sworn in on July 4. As one newly minted citizen proclaimed, it was akin to getting married on New Year's Eve.
Bar admission open to unauthorized immigrants if new bill passes
Reports say that the Florida State Senate recently approved a new measure that could allow unauthorized immigrants to become attorneys in the state. The bill is now set to go before the House.
Decision near on residency status of Iranian immigrant
A federal judge has given the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, a division of the Department of Homeland Security, 60 days to make a final determination on the application for permanent residency filed by an Iranian immigrant in April of 2001. After waiting for twelve years for his application to be approved or denied, the immigrant filed a lawsuit against the government forcing it to make a decision in his immigration case. While this case is unique, the courts will generally find a delay in excess of six years to be unreasonable for immigrants seeking permanent residency in Florida or anywhere in the United States.
Will immigration reform survive?
In an issue important to Florida and the rest of the nation, the Democratic-controlled Senate passed a comprehensive immigration reform package in June 2013, but the effort remains stalled in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. At this point, it appears the House wishes to take a more piecemeal approach to immigration by writing separate laws to deal with the larger issue. However, many inside and outside of Washington, D.C. feel there is a short window for meaningful reform once the primary season has passed for House members in conservative districts.
Florida companies help employees become U.S. citizens
Some Florida companies are helping immigrant employees to reach their goal of becoming U.S. citizens. They have formed a partnership with National Immigration Forum for the purpose of providing free assistance for all employees who meet the eligibility requirements for becoming a U.S. citizen. To be eligible, an applicant must be 18 years of age or older and a permanent resident for at least five years (three if married to a U.S. citizen).
Immigrants face greater scrutiny when seeking permanent residency
Anyone who has dealt with immigration issues understands how complicated the system is. The hurdles people often jump through in order to obtain legal status in the United States are often very high, which may be especially true when applying for permanent residency or citizenship.


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Starting on May 2, we will officially kick off our new campaign to acquire a grant from Giving of Life. Touch A Life will be featured on Giving of Life's website where visitors will be able to support our organization with the simple click of a button!
To vote, please visit the Touch A Life Foundation's page on the Giving of Life website. Each vote will bring us one step closer to reaching our goal of receiving the resources to continue improving the facilities and services provided in Cambodia, Ghana and Vietnam.
Giving of Life is an organization that provides grants for ministries and different organizations devoted to "giving life" to those in need. They provide the opportunity for groups like Touch A Life to obtain funding for their specific causes. Giving of Life will be awarding more than $150,000 this season, and Touch A Life would be honored to be included in its group of grant recipients.
This round of the contest will end on May 22, so supporters are encouraged to vote and share the link with as many friends, family, and acquaintances as possible. To learn more about Giving of Life and how to vote, please visit their FAQ page. Every vote counts, so get involved by choosing Touch A Life!


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51 Views
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26 Bainbridge Ct
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Catherine Rubio
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Email: email@example.com
Phone: 703-261-3946


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EpiStay offers gallery styled accommodation in Tulbagh's famous Church Street, where restaurants and museums are right on your doorstep.
Charming four star boutique country hotel. Conveniently located to explore the town on foot, and minutes away from award winning winneries. We also cater for private functions, conferences and wedding parties.


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hello ladies! Lots of events going on right now and here is just a snippet of what is up for grabs!
Today's dress can be found at The Instruments and is available in 4 colours. The ensemble includes mesh bodysuit, skirt, orbit, hat (not shown) and the Kiele footstraps in matching colour.
The Kiele footstraps are made for SLink high feet and can also be found at the upcoming Fashion For Life event (opens 7th June) with a 27-colour HUD. I absolutely adore these!!
Zibska has several new clothing and accessory pieces for the FFL event, all of which have a 50% donation for the charity. The Ibis headdress is a gacha item, with 8 pretty commons and 1 rare that comes with a colour-change HUD allowing you to change 3 parts separately.
And speaking of gacha items... here are some more bits from The Arcade too! Pure Poison has a variety of items in their summer travels-themed machine and this headband is supercute!
Dress (Incl. Orbit) - Zibska - Kiele - Citrus *The Instruments*
Footstraps - Zibska - Kiele Footstraps *FFL*
Headdress - Zibska - Ibis (Rare) *FFL*
Hair - Tableau Vivant - Longfall Hair - Pastels (common) *The Arcade*
Headband - .::Pure Poison::. - Handmade Headband Orange (common) *The Arcade*
Necklace - Zibska - Yuming *FFL*
*COCO* Doll Avatar and SLink High feet used
Pose 1 by Grafica "Isadora 9"
Pose 2 by Grafica "adah iv" @ June's round of *Pose Me Amazing*
Pics taken at Black Kite