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Archive for March, 2012
So, Pete and Lindsey came all that way to see us. What better way to see the islands, than from a boat? Plus, once you go sailing, I think it becomes a part of you. We were also so excited to take the kids for the first time. We are hoping to get them in a sailing program in order to learn such a cool sport.
We drove down to the American Yacht Harbor. We walked along the wooden pier admiring the different boats parked in their slips. We heard a shout from across the way. That was our captain. Rumbaba, the name of the trusty sailboat that would hold our lives in its hands so to speak, was our destination.
After walking up to the vessel, we were relieved of our shoes. You don't want to trip on your flip flops at sea. Captain Chad and his first mate, Lori, introduced themselves. We were greeted with homemade banana nut bread and fresh fruit. After casting off (I may have some of my nautical terms wrong, so, bear with me), we cruised out of the marina into the open body of water between St. John and St. Thomas.
Because she has lived here for over 20 years, Lori regaled us with stories and legends of the islands while also pointing out the interesting geography as we sailed into deeper waters.
With the wind at our backs and our cocktails full, we set off on our adventure. Captain Chad even had the kids try their hands at steering the boat. He would explain why we had a certain sail up and the basic premise of a sailboat.
Why would any of the adults work if you can get the kids to do all the work for free?
As we were just drifting along, we heard a horn blare. It was the start of a sailing race to the east of us. Capt. Chad explained that some of the boats were doing circles because there really isn't a way to have all the boat line up at a starting line. So, for the minutes right before the start, everyone is jockeying for the best position. It was just fascinating. We speculated that this could be a smaller race to prepare for the big Rolex Regatta next week.
Joaquin just took to sailing like a duck to water. He was so serious about his assignment.
Since we had visited St. John the day before, we chose Christmas Cove to snorkel in, which is off of St. James. This is supposedly where Christopher Columbus spent one Christmas while we was discovering the Virgin Islands. How different it would have looked back then? Just this intimidating, dense jungle with soft, white sand beaches.
Everyone snorkeled. Joaquin was having a little difficulty getting the grasp of snorkeling, so, Captain Chad rescued him in his small dingy and took him to shore to explore the island. They discovered a baby sea urchin, which could easily fit in the palm of your hand. Isabella just swam off leaving her mother behind. They grow up so fast!
We swam along the coral reef at Christmas Cove and saw at least a dozen different variety of fish. I was very impressed by Isabella. She didn't even seem frightened when a school of fish kept following us up and down the shore line. There were several times I would try to clear my tube and would swallowing some salty sea water, and those fish would rub up against my legs or back.
Then it was lunch time. Lindsey had ordered the Filet and I had ordered the Mahi, so, we could sample each dish. We sat back with the tunes playing, the sun sparkling of off the water, and boat gently rocking. After everyone was pleasantly plump, we jumped back in the water and continued the snorkel trek. This time, Joaquin seemed more interested. So, we thought we would let him try again. He did great. His sturdy legs kicked and propelled him through the blue water. He would occasionally look up with excitement to mumble through his mouth piece, "Mummy, I can see the fish!" Isabella did fantastic just like in the morning.
After our very successful day sail, we pulled into the marina. We unloaded and walked to the truck still with the bobbing sensation like we were still on the boat. Lindsey suggested, "Since we still have our bathing suits on, let's go to the beach!"
Secret Harbour, of course, what other beach would we go?
After our hard relaxing afternoon, we drove into Red Hook, which is five minutes away from Secret Harbour and selected dinner. Something quick, something cheap, something satisfying: Pizza!
We went inside and ordered our pizza and enjoyed the hustle and bustle of Red Hook from our perfect spot on Senor Pizza's deck. A good time was had by all. It was definitely one for the books.
It was very hard to know that it was my birthday today because it normally snows on my birthday!! Which would have been very strange, if that had happened down here.
My good friend from grade school and her husband flew into St. Thomas the day before, and we planned an exciting adventure for today.
What better way to celebrate this occasion than to take the car ferry over to St. John and beach hop! If you ferry your car, you do not have to pay the taxis in St. John, which can be quite expensive when you have six people.
We landed and drove our car off of the barge and winded our way up the roads and stopped at the scenic overlook to Trunk Bay.
We had trouble finding a parking spot at Trunk Bay and headed over to Cinnamon Bay. Cinnamon Bay is quite beautiful, but the sand is a little coarser and little more "cinnamon" colored than Trunk.
Upon reaching the water, we noticed how rough the surf was. This may not have been the best day to go to St. John. The waves crashed into the beach with such force that they had caution signs on the beach that swimming may result in injury or even death!
Did that stop us? No, instead, we looked danger in the eye and said, "Bring it!" You can't keep our kids out of the water. Plus, the kids enjoyed themselves since the beaches are usually quite calm. One wave did take out Lindsey, who thought she might drown in three feet of water. I went down once with the power of the wave knocking me into the sand and scraping my hip along as the wave tossed me up on shore.
We did make it to Trunk Bay, but the water had churned up the sand that visibility was low. So, we didn't snorkel. We had a relaxing and entertaining day in St. John despite the unsettled ocean.
We caught the car ferry back to St. Thomas. Because we had used the great facilities at Trunk Bay to clean up, we were able to come back into Red Hook and go to dinner.
We decided to do Amigos, which should be obvious by its name that it is Mexican food. We shoveled in the chips and salsa and guacamole while recalling the days ups and downs.
Since we weren't able to eat at my parents Mexican restaurant, Sundance, in my hometown, we thought it would be fitting to at least stick with that theme for dinner. We all really enjoyed our food. Then they tried to order me dessert, so, I could have a candle to blow out, but the waitress said that they were completely out of anything sweet.
So, we asked for the birthday candles and went back to the house to eat a chocolate cake from the grocery store, which was wonderful!!!
I opened up my gifts. It was a great day with family and friends, and it didn't snow on my birthday!! A first!
Jonathan had suggested that we try this particular attraction. We would catch a water ferry to Water Island and enjoy "Movie Night" on the beach.
We had scouted the location of the dock for the ferry to Water Island several days in advance. After picking up the kids from school, we drove to Crown Bay, another location for the cruise ships, and found Tickles. Tickles is the casual restaurant next to the slip for the water ferry.
Upon seeing how small the boat was, I will start referring to it as the "water taxi."
We loaded up with several others who seemed like they were residents of Water Island. There were three school age kids in uniforms on the boat with us because there are no public nor private schools even on Water Island.
We cruised along and left the harbor with St. Thomas growing smaller in the rear view. It was a nice relaxing ride that only lasted for about 15 minutes.
The water taxi has scheduled pick ups and drop offs in St. Thomas and on Water Island. That schedule can be found online and is helpful when making your plans. As we arrived, a group of people had formed to board the taxi back to St. Thomas.
Intentionally arriving early, we set off on a little walk to get ourselves acquainted with the island, seeing that it was our first time on it.
We walked up from the docks to discover what may serve as their post office and makeshift library. At least, that is what our theory is. We also observed that many of the passengers hopped into golf carts as the main source of transportation on the island.
At a leisurely pace, we made our way over to Honeymoon beach where the movie would be displayed. We admired the different charm the island had to offer compared to St. Thomas or St. John. We weren't able to explore one of their main attractions, Fort Segarra, which is a military fort constructed by the US during World War II. That just means we will have to come back.
Today was the day after our 3.5 mile hike. So, I admit. I was a little fatigued. I was elated to finally gaze down at our destination.
Honeymoon Beach is a short walk from the docks, but does have a pretty sharp incline at the beginning.
Our plans were to grab some snacks from a local establishment and let the kids play on the beach. A good way to turn around an ordinary Monday.
In the distance we heard Jimmy Buffet playing.
We knew that we were heading in the right direction. We wandered up to Joe's Beach Bar which serves several fried essentials like chicken strips and fries. We grabbed some potato chips for the kids and some cold refreshments.
The kids jumped and raced along the beach. Jonathan, who had been caught by some "salty sailors," was told all the history of Joe's Beach Bar, which boat to start with when purchasing one, and all the perks of island living.
As the sky grew darker, we made our way over to the middle of the beach to have our dinner. Heidi's Food Cart pulls up with wonderful selections of cheeseburgers, pizza, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, and a large drink selection including beer and cocktails. The best part is she serves fresh popcorn as well!!!
The crew, which I believe consists of locals, sets up the seats with plastic chairs and strings up the movie screen, which is a large sheet tied between two coconut palms.
With the addition of the locals bringing their golf carts, they had created "theater seating."
We ordered some popcorn and sodas just like we would have at home and selected some seats in the middle. We had brought our light coats because it can be a little breezy along the water at night making it a bit cool.
When they started the movie, they played the old commercial of the big hot dog singing "Let's all go to the movies and get ourselves a treat." Then they played a Looney Tunes episode just like how they used to before previews. Finally, it was showtime.
Right before the movie presentation started, a huge cruise ship sailed past in the distance as it was leaving St. Thomas. I'm sure I looked like a tourist as I stood up and ran over to the side to snap a quick shot. I thought it was totally neat!
During the movie you could lift your eyes to the black sky that twinkled with the stars. The ocean breeze was our air conditioning. It was the best way to watch a movie.
After the movie ended, we fished in our bag for our tokens, which were given to us when we paid the round trip cost on the dock in St. Thomas. It was $10 for an adult and $5 for a kid. Joaquin was obviously disappointed to find out that he couldn't keep the golden tokens
The last taxi ride from Water Island is 6:15PM, but they always have one last one on Monday nights after the movie. They told us to just follow the crowd back to the docks to catch it. The movie wasn't that great, but the experience was very memorable. This is definitely a hidden gem.
Tip: You can call a cell number, which I am pretty sure it is Heidi's, to find out the movie selection for that night.
Jonathan had said all weekend, that we would do a nice hike and also the beach, which suited both Joaquin (the hiker) and Isabella (the water girl) and me (….the mom).
So, we left the house at a decent time and headed for St. John, which meant we needed to ride on the ferry. This was the first time for us on this type of boat where you could sit on the front, which is the "best seat in the house" in my opinion.
We landed in Cruz Bay and set off for the Visitor Center to secure a map for our hike. We had read someone's post on a different blog, so, we sort of knew where we were going. We wanted to hike up to Caneel Hill, then over to Margaret Hill, and back down to Salomon Bay.
We had read from the other blog that the first part was the hardest!
Of course, I had to make everyone stop for a couple of photos because this was the time when we were going to be looking our best!
Okay, I thought I was going to die. The trail was steep and unforgiving. Joaquin raced ahead of the rest of us, bragging about his abilities since he hikes all the time with his Papa in Red River, NM. Isabella did pretty well. Jonathan had a couple of moments, but I definitely brought up the rear. Eventually, Jonathan had to be behind me to encourage me.
Joaquin, who was a good 30 feet ahead of me, would yell out, "Oh no, it is about to get harder again!"
We told him that if he wanted to be a good leader, he is suppose to keep up morale amongst his troops.
We finally reached "the bench". According to the blog, it marked the end of the hard steep part. We sat. I collapsed.
Joaquin pointed out that my backpack was stained from all of my sweat, which it was.
We took in the views and enjoyed the cool breeze. Then it was off to Salomon Bay, right?
Wrong. We quickly realized we hadn't made it to the top of Caneel Hill yet. Needless to say, I was upset, but we finally reached the top of the hill (although I would call it a mountain).
There is a wonderful platform to stand and take in the nearly 360 degree views. The photo above is of Cruz Bay, where the ferry comes into port to drop off people from St. Thomas.
Because my legs were shaking, I convinced the group to stay here as long as we could to enjoy the scenery. We looked to what I think was north and saw one of the British Virgin Islands, Jost Van Dyke. I swore I could almost hear the music coming from the bars and restaurants on Jost, but I think it was just my head pounding.
Joaquin, "Let's go already!!"
Me, "No, slow down. Life will pass you by if you are in such a hurry."
Joaquin, "Mommy, why are you breathing so hard."
So, after we rested, took in the sights, and snapped a couple of photos, we were off to Margaret Hill. Jonathan looked up the blog post again to check the details and realized that she said that the platform was the signal of the end of the steep part. The rest of the hike was quite enjoyable.
We were trekking right along when we saw this peculiar tree. I listed the proper name above, but it is also referred to as a tourist tree, since the bark appears red and is peeling like a typical sunburn on a tourist.
Eventually, the trail winds its way down to the main road. Across the street is the security post for The Caneel Bay Resort. You just need to say "Afternoon, we are heading into Salomon Bay." Although, when we said it, the nice security guard replied, "Oh, okay. It is quite a ways still."
These ruins are on the property of the resort and definitely worth seeing. We continued through the ruins, past the gift shop, and up a small road to the left.
The kids were complaining asking why we couldn't just stop at Caneel Bay and play on that beach. Jonathan answered, "Because our final destination is Salomon Bay."
We will definitely have to come back to Caneel Bay Resort and have lunch and play on the beach.
And then……we finally made it. And it was everything we had hoped it would be: Soft, white sand with barely anyone there. Salomon and Honeymoon are two beaches you have to hike into because you cannot take a taxi into them, making them a more private pick.
After we had lunch and consumed five water bottles, we rested on the beach and soaked our tired joints in the cool, blue water. We had encountered other hikers on the trail. One of them said they were going to town to reward themselves with smoothies. We agreed. What a wonderful way to end the day.
So, we started hiking back out of the bay on Lind Point Trail. Then we saw a sign and realized that we had spent the afternoon at Honeymoon Bay instead of Salomon Bay. Oh, well.
We also discovered that the trail spits you out at the Visitor Center behind the bathrooms, where we had originally started our adventure. Next time, we will just hike Lind Point Trail to Salomon Bay and skip the fun stuff.
We ordered our smoothies and found a nice spot to sit and enjoy them. Mongoose Junction is also a great place to grab a bite to eat or shop, but we couldn't go into any place smelling like we did.
I felt sorry for the people near us on the ferry, but at least we were outside with plenty of fresh air. So, let this be a lesson. Even if you don't end up at your final destination, enjoy the journey and enjoy the loved ones who braved it with you!
As the cruise ships float into port, the passengers see white buildings with red tile roofs. What I didn't realize is some of these buildings belong to Bluebeard's Castle. Bluebeard is supposedly a fictional pirate, but several resorts carry his name making me wonder if there might have really been a fearsome character who plundered the Caribbean Seas. We went to dinner there a few nights ago because they had three choices, two upper scale restaurants, called Room with a View and The Banana Grille along with a small casual restaurant.
We went in the evening and got to see Charlotte Amalie twinkling in the distance. I think you should normally have reservations, but they were able to find us a table.
The Banana Grill is located by the resort pool and has great water views. You actually walk through the casual restaurant to get to The Grill.
We ordered our food and talked about our week with the kids and school and work.
Joaquin's dish was the best of the night, which is shocking that chicken could be prepared in such a way to be everyone's favorite.
Jonathan and I were to split the Ahi Tuna. Usually I don't like tuna, but I thought that maybe I just needed to try it again. No, I actually don't prefer that dish served any style. So, the kids had to offer up a portion of their meal to their mother. Then Jonathan shared his dish with each one.
After dinner, we strolled around the grounds of the resort. Even the lobby had a grand welcoming area for check-in.
We stopped in a cozy little nook to snap a few photos to remember the evening.
Then we stumbled upon the open area to the west of the lobby and restaurants, which obviously serves as a superb location for a large gathering or a wedding.
We heard steel drums playing softly in the background, the harbor was sparkling with the lights, and the sea breeze moved past us, making us realize why we live here.
Joaquin is an usual little boy who can become fixated on anything. He has been sad several times thinking about the fact that he is missing out on making snowmen in Red River. TA DA….The St. Thomas version: A SandMan.
Joaquin made this little guy on Secret Harbour on Saturday. We might try Snow Angels next week!


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"When I sit at a potter's wheel, I often think of my father's bike tire spinning, and that metaphor has always had me reach for more."
That excerpt from Roberto Lugo's website sums up his life and career so far — always reaching for more. A 2014 M.F.A. alumnus of the Penn State School of Visual Arts, Lugo is an award-winning potter, spoken-word poet, activist and educator who has committed his career to showing others how they can rise out of adversity.
Growing up in Philadelphia, Lugo never saw a career in the arts in his future. In fact, it was hard for him to even envision a life beyond the down-and-out neighborhood of Kensington, where he lived with his first-generation Puerto Rican immigrant parents. His dad rode his bike from Kensington — where drugs and gangs were rampant — to a job in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, every morning, to provide for his family the best he could. "If he could make that sacrifice for my future, it is up to me to make something of it," said Lugo.
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Currently a professor of ceramics at Marlboro College in Vermont, he is also a frequent speaker at high schools, colleges and art centers around the country, sharing his story and advocating for ceramics as an important tool in understanding history and culture.
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Lugo creates teapots and other ceramic pieces that serve as "blank vignettes," providing a surface on which he paints patterns and people, ranging from historical figures to pop culture icons to even himself.
"I don't decide who is going to go on a pot until the very last portion… I give myself time while I'm making to think about who I want to go on there and why," he explained. "If I do something political, then I will also include something humorous."
A recent example is a teapot that includes abolitionist and women's rights activist Sojourner Truth on one side, and Wu Tang Clan founder Ol' Dirty Bastard — known for his legal troubles along with his music — on the other. "Ol' Dirty Bastard's values and culture are exactly the opposite of Sojourner Truth — he was at the bottom of the totem pole in terms of hip hop," said Lugo. "But he was my first experience with blending of cultures, through his music. I try to complicate a conversation by painting people who would not normally be together."
Click here for the complete story, courtesy of Amy Milgrub Marshall.


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1820 Log Schoolhouse
Local History of Waterloo Region
Friday, 12 February 2016
Upcoming Black History Talk: Community Contributions of Early Waterloo County Black Settlers
Many are aware of the contributions of the Pennsylvania German Mennonites who came to settle and farm this area in the early 1800's but few know that their neighbours included hard-working men and women who had journeyed to Canada looking for refuge from the chains of slavery. Some became successful land-owners, blacksmiths, barbers and entrepreneurs. One man ran for local office. Join us as Joanna Rickert-Hall shares some of the forgotten stories of early 19th century black settlement in Waterloo Region.
February 25, 2016 at the Country Hills Branch of the KPL (Kitchener Public Library)
1500 Block Line Road, Kitchener, ON Phone: 519-743-3558
For more information:
February 12, 2016
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In the 8th Psalm the writer asks, "What is man that you (God) are mindful of him?"
While the Psalmist is looking to God for the answer, let's consider how we humans would answer that question. Our answers would come from pure reason.
Sitting in a football stadium you hear the attendance is 87,000. That's a crowd, and you are quite insignificant in relationship to the mass of people in attendance. Does one person really count that much? Commenting on a bombing in the Mideast, a reporter reminded his audience that fortunately only 37 people were killed. He did hurry on to say that it is tragic for even one person to die, but he had already left the impressions that, in many parts of society, when we are dealing with people's lives, we play the numbers game. Numbers are what counts.
Here is another example. If you are pregnant and do not wish to have the child, all you have to do is have an abortion. Does this not show the insignificance of the individual who has been conceived, but now can be legally destroyed? Does the parent have this much freedom? Millions will say he or she does. It's their choice.
If you are vacationing in Estes Park, Colorado and drive up Trail Ridge Road, you will find you are surrounded by the majestic Rocky Mountains. What do the mountains tell you? They tell you what a small part of creation the human being is.
These verbal pictures can cause us to believe by pure reason that we are very small fish in a mighty ocean. We are not very important and very few would miss us if we were not around. This can lead to a poor self-image. However, it does not have to be that way.
If you ask the same question and look to revelation, that is, God's Word, you get bigger answers. Look at the 8th Psalm. It says, "O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. God, when I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, (and here comes the question) what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth."
This Psalm relates well to the creation story where God says, "Let us make man in our image, and let this man have the right to rule over the creation." Man is the crowning work of God's creation, and in no way is he insignificant! In God's eyes we are precious and important. This is one of the most important teachings in the Bible, and it affects one's entire understanding of not only him or herself, but of the entire creation.
"We are not God," the Bible tells us. We have to remember that. Sometimes we want to elevate ourselves to that position. However, we are the most exalted part of God's creation. God does not want us to dwell on our smallness. Humility is not self-depreciation. No, we do not have all of the answers to God's mysteries, but we do have a mind with which we can think, a will with which we can make decisions, and a soul that is eternal, making us the crowning work of God's creation. God has created us, those trust Christ as Savior and Lord, to carry the message of His Holy Word to the far parts of the earth. He has commissioned us to reach out to human beings, and in the name of Almighty God who has created all people, to assist others in their walk through life. That's who we are.
Let's see what our responsibility to each other is in this fallen world. Disease, suffering, and death are a part of the fallen world. But look at what God is doing: He gives to men and women a mind that can treat the human body and begin to conquer some of these diseases. Through the advancements of medical science the sick have been made well. This is God's gift to us through the ministry of people serving people.
Look at the compassion God has put into the hearts of a certain group of people to organize an organization called Hospice. Visit the Hospice house in your community and see the hand of God working through humans as they minister to people of all kinds in the last days of their lives.
Look at the poverty in our world. In this same world we have built a strong economy. This is fine. People have developed their talents and become very successful in their business transactions. But does it not say to us, who have more than we need, living in a nation that is blessed, to listen as God tells us to feed those who are hungry? We have the ability in America to address this matter of hunger. A very successful agriculturalist told me not long ago that we have the ability, in the state of Iowa, to feed the entire world. God has not only given us the rich soil, but the ability to develop seed and fertilizers that will provide an abundance of food. Now what does this say to us? It reminds us that all people are created in God's image and are important. We are to minister to their bodies. We have been given the mission to help one another.
Having said all of this, God has given us our greatest mission – to tell the story of Jesus Christ. You remember that we are not only a body, but also a soul, and though the body shall return to the dust from whence it has come, the soul will return to the Creator Who made it. Feeding the hungry, assisting in blotting out disease, and trying to right some of the injustices found in our culture are very important callings for the Church of Jesus Christ. This work will make life much more pleasant for millions of people; but there is yet a greater mission. That mission is to move about in this world telling people about their Savior.
People need to know that, although they are created in God's image, they have sinned; they have broken His Laws, and, by themselves, are out of a relationship with their Creator. What does that mean? As long as our sins separate us from a Holy God, there is no personal relationship with God. If there is no personal relationship with God, we are walking through this life pretty much on our own strength and the guidance of other people.
This is not the way God wants it to be. So He says through His Word, to those whom He has created, "Let me take away your sin and restore our relationship." This restoration has been made possible through the coming of Jesus Christ to this world. He has taken our sins upon Him. He died as a payment for these sins and has offered that all who will confess their sins and place their faith in Him will be completely forgiven. They will be restored into fellowship with God and walk with Him on this earth until He comes to take them to their Heavenly Home.
This is why God made us just a little bit lower than the angels. In Christ we are very important people to this world. We have been created to introduce others to the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus.
In the light of this revelation we say, "No, world. Though pure reason may lead us to believe we are insignificant people – one small fish in a mighty ocean – God's revelation tells us this is not true. We are created in His image, and each soul is precious and important to Him." Quite a difference. Amen.


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1953 Flight Timeline
September 21, 1953 Lieutenant Noh Keun-suk, a North Korean pilot, defects with a MiG-15 jet fighter; he is given political asylum and a $100,000 reward.
September 25, 1953 Mike Lithgow sets a world speed record of 737.7 miles per hour in a Supermarine Swift.
October 3, 1953 Lieutenant Commander James Verdin sets a world speed record of 752.94 miles per hour in a Douglas XF4-D Skyray.
October 16, 1953 Robert O. Rahn flies a Douglas XF4-D Skyray to 728.11 miles per hour for a closed-course record.
October 24, 1953 The Convair F-102 makes its first flight; the aircraft can't go supersonic until its fuselage is redesigned with "Coke-bottle" effect. It is the first U.S. delta-wing aircraft to go into service.
October 29, 1953 Lieutenant Colonel F. K. Everest flies a North American F-100A to 754.98 miles per hour over a 15-kilometer course.
November 20, 1953 Scott Crossfield reaches 1,327 miles per hour in a Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket, the first Mach 2 flight.
November 29, 1953 The DC-7 enters commercial service with American Airlines.
December 12, 1953 Chuck Yeager flies an X-1A at 1,650 miles per hour (Mach 2.5) to 70,000 feet.


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Our online resources enable you to access the most up-to-date business information online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
This calculator will help to calculate the 'benefit in kind' value of a company car and also give you a guide to the income tax you may have to pay.
This calculator will provide a guide to the amount of Inheritance Tax you may need to pay. If you plan correctly, it may be possible to reduce this.
Use our PAYE calculator to calculate the amount of tax you are likely to be asked to pay (or should have paid).
A simple way to find out a ball-park figure of how much your business may be worth.
Our online business loan calculator allows you to estimate the overall costs of borrowing, based on a few simple terms.
A simple calculator to calculate the amount of VAT. You can also find current rates and thresholds at the bottom of this page.
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The Echo Building, Liverpool
The Echo Building, Liverpool
The Echo Building, Liverpool
95 Old Hall Street, Liverpool, known as the Post & Echo Building, is the headquarters of the Liverpool Echo and Daily Post newspapers. Completed in 1974, it was originally home to Merseyside County Council. It is an example of brutalist architecture with an 18 storey tower that makes it one of the most recognisable buildings in the city.
The top half of the building (the tower) continues to be used as office space, whilst the newspapers' printing rooms and distribution departments are on the lower floors. However, the 21 storey building is now only partially occupied with most of the floors completely vacant.
Client Trinity Mirror had engaged Corstorphine + Wright as lead architects for their major refurbishment programme. One of the first problems identified was the lack of information on the structural make-up of the building. Corstorphine + Wright approached Digital Inc to undertake a BIM-ready survey, undertaking a full laser scan and providing a TruView photographic record. This gave the project team a vast amount of material on the current condition of the building, allowing them to see if there were any hazardous areas or anomalies in the structure.
From point cloud data, we created a LOD300 BIM survey of the tower and the lower three floors. With the building having had several uses over the years, we uncovered a number of surprises, including hidden structures in the ceiling and mezzanine levels. These discoveries added to the time pressures on an already tight refurbishment programme, and we had to work closely with the design team, ensuring they had all the information to make swift decisions and keep the project on track.
During the survey and modelling process, we provided the client with regular weekly reports and progressive deliveries. As there were several issues, uncovering hidden rooms and structures, it was important that the client was kept fully up to date and alerted to any possible setbacks.
* Visualisation courtesy of Corstorphine + Wright
With several offices still occupied and fully-furnished, accurate surveying and modelling of these floors was a complex and complicated operation.
Discovering new mezzanines and rooms during the survey, causing further time pressures on the programme.
Measuring and identifying hidden structure in ceiling voids with finishes still in situ.
Providing the client with regular WIP models and reports each week, ensuring they were kept up to date with progress, and fully aware of any issues that could cause delay to the project.


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From all-creatures.org
Action Alerts
Moving people toward compassionate living
Your letters and calls do help!
|Originally Posted: 20 Dec 2010
Urge Kimpton Hotel Chain to End Fish Rentals
FROM People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)
Tell the Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group to do the right thing and stop using fish as props for the fleeting amusement of guests. Please politely urge Kimpton CEO Mike Depatie to end their fish rental program.
Sign an online petition
And/Or make direct contact:
Mike Depatie, CEO
The Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group bills itself as a "pioneer" with progressive policies, but the hotel chain's "Guppy Love" program is anything but progressive (or loving!). This insensitive ploy uses betta fish as decorations, renting them out to guests who are "in need of a little extra color, comfort, and companionship—but no extra effort …."
PETA has reached out to Kimpton directly in writing and by phone, but our concerns have fallen on deaf ears. Kimpton's news release erroneously states, "Unlike many varieties of fish, bettas don't require aeration and are perfectly content in large, unheated tanks or smaller glass bowls, making an ideal in-room companion." In reality, betta fish are native to Asia, where they live in the warm shallows of rice paddies, fertile ponds, and streams.
In captivity, they require a rich environment with at least 10 gallons of water (they damage their fins when they are deprived of adequate space) kept at 75 to 80 degrees. Being jostled around in tiny glass bowls hardly fits the bill.
Thank you for everything you do for animals!


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The video of Gil's lecture and musical performance is now available on YouTube.
Media@McGill and the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada (MISC) were pleased to welcome Brazil's Minister of Culture and Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Gilberto Gil, for a free public lecture Friday, 15 February, at 6 p.m. at the Hotel Omni Mt-Royal. Digital Culture: Re-inventing America's New World Dream explored innovative policies and practices at the cutting edge of issues like copyright, digital culture and Internet rights.
In addition to being a high-profile politician, Gilberto Gil has been one of Brazil's most famous singers and composers, inspiring many musicians around the world with nearly fifty albums and two Grammy Awards to his name. He began his career in the 1960s as a Bossa Nova musician and, as his lyrical leanings became more politically and socially charged, helped found the popular anti-establishment movement called Tropicalia – a form that is a mix of bossa nova, rock, bahia folk music and Portugese fado. In 1968, Gil was imprisoned for several months by Brazil's military government and went into exile, returning to Brazil in 1972 where he resumed his career in music and activism. Brazilian President Lula da Silva appointed Gil to serve as the country's new Minister of Culture. He took office in January 2003.
'As Brazil's Minister of culture, Gilberto Gil has been one of the leading international advocates for the rights of artists, cultural producers and ordinary citizens with respect to new media technologies,' said Marc Raboy, Beaverbrook Chair in Ethics, Media and Communications and head of Media@McGill. Under the patronage of his Ministry, traditional and grassroots communities throughout Brazil have been turned into centres of digital cultural production. Gil recently hosted the United Nations Internet Governance Forum in Rio de Janeiro (November 2007) where he called for the establishment of an international Internet Bill of Rights. 'As a creator of music, he is widely known as a central player in the search for more flexible forms of distributing artistic works, Internet rights, free and open source software, and digital culture,' adds Raboy.
Media@McGill also presented a second public event: Broadband: a conversation with Gilberto Gil which took place 16 February at the SAT (Society for Arts and Technology). Video of this event will be available next week. At this event, Gilberto Gil discussed his thoughts on some of the issues that arise when culture intersects with technology and politics. A group of local researchers and activists asked Gil specific questions about issues related to networked communities, technologies of inclusion, governing the Internet, cultural development and Web 2.0. Gil also took questions from the audience.


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Elements Of Style
Another Day.
The sun is out and birds are chirping, and somehow that seems both viciously wrong and softly inspiring at the same time. I find myself unable to pull myself away from the news, I was up late into the night watching the same images circulate over and over. I know that life must goes on, but to me, it still doesn't feel right to go back to normal posts today. My heart just wouldn't be in it, and I don't feel like faking it- not only for myself, but for you too. We are friends. Friends who chat everyday (I guess that makes me quite the blabbermouth pal), and the fact that so many of you reached out to me from all parts of the world in concern on Monday really did warm my heart. It's amazing that complete strangers felt worried about someone they never have even met.
In Boston the outpouring of love and support is amazing. A friend posted on Facebook that when he went into one of my favorite coffee shops in the South End he was told someone had paid for everyone's coffee yesterday. Isn't that just lovely? It's just one example of the acts of kindness spreading through the city in the wake of this horrible act. It made me think, as I was wide away at 2 a.m., that what this evil, cowardly person did had the OPPOSITE effect they were after.
It did not destroy us, it made us stronger.
It did not breed hate, it birthed MORE love.
We did not run away, we ran towards.
We were not shattered, we were united.
People are not evil, they are good.
It's very easy to feel helpless right now, and I want to use this small platform of mine to do something but am not sure what. So for now I'll just share the information for the One Fund Boston, set up by our governor and mayor to assist victims with medical expenses and other needs. And if you were there at the race, PLEASE send any pictures you have of the area near the blast to the FBI 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324)
I know that there are scads of people looking for whoever did this today. And while they cower and hide, I hope they realize that they failed miserably. And I hope that when they catch them, and they will, their destination is Suffolk County Jail. Because Boston takes care of it's own.
Stephen Colbert knows this…. and put it perfectly.
** UPDATE: The Rue La La offices are a block from my studio and I couldn't be prouder of their response to this. Including these awesome shirts with proceeds going to the Emergency Medical Fund at Mass General. I bought one for me and one for Andrew. If you love Boston as much as we do, buy one for yourself too.


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Lot's of people comment to us about how organised we must be. We often refer to it as 'organised chaos' but really we have a lot of systems in place to keep our home life at least half a sense of control.
We will be sharing articles about how we organise our home with you soon. Watch this space!
Want more?
Share in our daily victories over disorder and disarray through our blog:
Mum Moments 14 - Prepare for Christmas
Mum Moments 6 - Time to Delegate
Mum Moments 3 - Ordering my Day
We will be sharing more success stories with you soon!
Featured image source: freestocks.org – https://www.flickr.com/photos/freestocks/ under Creative Commons license.


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For all enquiries please contact email@example.com
Naber's kitchen concept means the kitchen can be turned into a mobile cooking workshop, capable of moving around various rooms and exterior spaces, and even packed up when moving house. Six basic modules and various fittings are available, but just a few are required to get started, with the ability to expand over time to meet more specific requirements. Due to the quality of materials, each module can be taken apart and reassembled at will without the use of tools.


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Dear readers,
We have now been able to compile and edit the full timeline of the USS "Hope" (AH-7) during WW2. This concise history has been taken from the personal journal of Col. Thomas B. Protzman, Commanding Officer of the 215th Medical Hospital Ship Complement. This new addition can be found in the Testimonies section of our main website. Alternatively, please click on the link below to go directly to the Article:
USS "Hope" (AH-7) Timeline and Col. Thomas B. Protzman's Testimony
As usual, we would certainly welcome your comments.
Thanks and kind regards,
Ben & Alain


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Cromwell, located in the valley of the Upper Clutha River is ideally situated to access both Central Otago and the Southern Lakes regions. Just out of Cromwell, near the small farming village of Tarras, production crews descended on the banks of the immense Clutha River for a month of filming. Here they recorded some of the scenes where the Black Riders pursue Frodo across vast golden-brown plains and the flight through pine trees to the Ford of Bruinen, Ringwraiths in hot pursuit. It's easy to see why they chose this undeveloped landscape dotted only with a few trees and providing perfect uninterrupted views to the mountains beyond.
West of Cromwell are the beautiful bare hills and rocky spurs of the Rough Ridge Range in the Ida Valley which portray the part of the realm of Rohan. Here, the Poolburn Reservoir was transformed into a little fishing village burned by marauding Orcs. The stark beauty of the dam amongst the twisted, carved forms of naturally eroded stony pillars is a magical sight. Nearby is the Leaf Brooch Canyon - when The Hobbit Pippin is captured by Orcs he intentionally drops his Elven brooch, leaving a sign for his friends that will help them follow his trail. The canyon is found in an arid, boulder-strewn landscape and instantly recognisable.
The picturesque Wanaka region and lakeside town to the east of Cromwell provided numerous stunning film locations including the River Anduin, Golden Plain, Lothlórien, Pillars of the Argonath and Dimrill Dale. From the town itself, you can look up across the lake to the mountainous backdrop seen in Gandalf's flight on the great eagle, Gwaihir. Up the valley, on the road to Queenstown is one of New Zealand's oldest and most iconic pubs. Actually called the Cardrona Hotel, the interior was used as inspiration for the Prancing Pony, the Inn in the small town of Bree.
Check out the other The Lord of the Rings film locations:
Matamata | Rotorua | Piopio | Tongariro | Wellington | Nelson | Christchurch | Twizel | Queenstown
Experience Middle-earth for yourself. View our Lord of the Rings Tours.


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The city owns & maintains three Civil Defense Sirens & is enrolled in CodeRED.
The Sirens are used to indicate a local emergency or weather related incident. Citizens are advised immediately to tune into local radio stations (K100 KOLV 100.1 FM or Q102 KQIC 102.5 FM) for further information.
The sirens are tested the first Wednesday of each month.
CODERED is also used to indicate a local emergency, weather information, and other pertinent information from the City of Olivia. Community members can sign-up for free and register their phone number or all of their family phone numbers.
To register your phone number(s) or e-mail address for the Emergency Calling System, please click on the "Code Red" logo below.
During the Severe Weather Season, the City of Olivia encourages everyone to be prepared and know what to do during severe weather.
The links below will help people understand the Types of Weather Warnings that are issued by the National Weather Service, Tips for an Emergency Preparedness Kit and Tips on how to respond before, during and after a tornado.
Types of Warnings
Emergency Preparedness Kit
Tornado Response


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• X-ray fluorescence analysis
• Specific weight measurement
• Storage and issuance of collateral
• (W х H х D) – 31,5 х 70,9 х 31,5 inches.
• Amount of collateral-box units – 200.
• Time for jewelry evaluation – 4 minutes.
• Money transfer to a borrower credit / debit card.
In the automated buy-ups mode, the machine earns $ 1 per gram of gold, while the cost estimate for gram is 2.5 times lower than in a regular pawnshop.
In the format of an automatic pawnshop ROI from the ATM pawnshop chain could consist of up to 72% per year.
Extra profits out of selling, selling and equipment maintenance, fractional business participation, franchise, etc.
We also invite partners to cooperate in order to organize CUSTODY BOT production in various jurisdictions and develop an international network of automatic pawnshops.
Co-founder Plastic Media / SMXCom, 7Seconds Former CEO DIXIS, Euroset, Detski Mir.
Co-founder of LOT-ZOLOTO Gold Trading Company. Entrepreneur (IT projects).
Managing Partner at Altair Capital Management.
Senior partner at Whiteridge Advisors SA. More than 20 years on the management positions of international hedge funds.
Former Rosbank Vice-president. Former Norilskiy Nikel. Advisor to CEO. CBDO at LOT-ZOLOTO.
Co-founder of LOT-ZOLOTO Gold Trading Company. Entrepreneur (IT projects).
Founder of Lombard Payments platform. Significant work experience in banks and fintech projects.
Head of IT projects in retail, marketing, and education since 2010.
13-year work experience as a in-house lawyer in Russian divisions of LG, Samsung, KT & G, Continental, Benteler.
IT-programmer, since 2006. Desktop and mobile apps, games, 3D simulators. Blockchain developer.
Lombard Payments developer. Software and web apps developer with 10+ years of experience.
Developing since 2006. Desktop and mobile apps, games, 3D simulators. Blockchain developer.
Software developer with 10+ years of experience, from apps up to business solutions.
The first in the World automatic pawnshop is projected and released by the team of engineers from the city of Kazan under led
by Chief Engineer Andrei Rakhmatullin.


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Do you need a cheap man in a van to get your removal on the road? Have you been put off by quotes with terms and conditions as long as your arm? The Removal Man is simple – just select your size of van, your details and pay as little as £35 per hour.
At The Removal Man, we have three varying sizes of vans that can be used for all sorts of situations that you need complemented by a professional and friendly service you can trust. If you need to move from London to anywhere in the United Kingdom or even Europe, we're here to help.
On top of this we can also give you a helping hand with everything from cleaning, packing and unpacking into your new house. If your removal needs more hands, we can assist further by bringing on board one of our specialist removal staff for just £10 extra per hour.
Looking for a quote? Merely tap in your requirements and we will ask all the questions that we need to know. Leaving you in confidence that we can help you move house or simply get rid of those items clogging your garage or attic.
Please click here to read our previous article.


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Larry Burns, the in-house visionary vice president at General Motors when he championed hydrogen cars and tiny self-driving pods for China, is still waving the banner for driverless cars as a University of Michigan professor. At a Washington forum on auto autonomy sponsored by Securing America's Future Energy (SAFE) this week, he said the world is in "a new age of mobility," and "on a pathway to prove out driverless cars by 2018. It's a very significant development."
Burns says that self-driving cars will be far more fuel efficient, as well as much safer. "Self-driving cars can reduce the number of accidents by 90 percent," he said, "and that translates to 3,000 lives saved globally every day. That fact gives us a responsibility to move forward quickly."
Larry Burns, shown here at the forum in Washington, D.C., is now a University of Washington professor, but he used to work for General Motors. (Photo: Noel St. John)
Burns got a second at the forum from a surprising source — pizza delivery. Domino's Executive Vice President Lynn Liddle said the company's independent contractor drivers cover 10 million miles a week. "A fully automated car wouldn't get lost, and it will get there faster. We also love the safety aspects of it."
PHOTO BREAK: 10 places James Bond put on the map
Robbie Diamond, who heads SAFE, said the biggest obstacle to self driving cars is "the vested interests that want to slow it down" (including fossil fuel interests.)
All this was an interesting prelude to the main self-driving event of the week — Tesla's unveiling of its Autopilot self-driving software, a $2,500 download for Model S (and X, presumably) owners. This isn't 2018, it's self-driving cars now.
The Model S has a new bag of tricks, and one of them is hands-free. (Photo: Tesla Motors)
Autopilot comes with a caveat from Tesla CEO Elon Musk — this is beta software, he said, and if you use it, you're on your own. So much for the liability questions that Google and others are struggling with.
But for the adventurous, it works great. You can't get in the back seat, but as long as you're behind the wheel and attentive, the system (which uses radar and a camera, 12 ultrasonic sensors and GPS) will steer, manipulate the throttle and brakes, and generally lock in with the traffic in front of you. Your job, once you turn on active cruise control and the steering function, is to stop at traffic lights and make turns, though the system is adept at changing lanes if you use the turn signal.
Reports Jalopnik, "If you're rolling at even five miles per hour, the system seems to take over just fine, and it'll keep you going all the way up to somewhere north of 75 mph." There's a self- parking feature, and Automatic Emergency Steering. Caveats are that the system supposedly doesn't work all that well in bad weather, and it can get thrown off by some things — like the car in front of you deciding to change lanes. The Tesla might decide to follow, even if that's wrong for you. Construction zones could be an issue. And the absence of lane markers on certain roads upset the system. When problems arise, the driver is alerted to take back control with blue messages on the screen and audible alerts.
Remember, it's a beta test, and limited in what it can do. As Burns notes, don't expect to be texting your friends while the car drives in a year or two.
MCity is a special 'city' in Ann Arbor, Michigan for self-driving cars to get real-world driving experience. (Photo: University of Michigan)
I haven't had a chance to drive one of these cars myself yet, but The New York Times has, and Aaron Kessler writes, "One of the most soothing aspects of the system was how natural the steering felt through the turns. To mimic a human driver is one of the big challenges automakers face in designing self-driving cars." The Tesla, he said, "was silky smooth."
You can take your hands off the wheel, even if it feels weird (but not in New York, where it's illegal). Both Volvo and Mercedes-Benz have semi-autonomous systems with some similarities, though Tesla's is perhaps the most advanced right now.
Burns said that to take self-driving cars to the next level, we need a concentrated test of 500 to 1,000 cars working together in real driving conditions. Such an experiment is developing in Burns' Ann Arbor, where MCity has set up a 32-acre campus just for that purpose. Read all about it here.
The New York Times takes a self-driving Tesla on the road:
And here's the complete SAFE forum:


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Many young ad middle-age adults don't worry much about retirement, perhaps thinking that their 66th birthday is still a long way off so they have several decades more to consider it.
They often put retirement planning and saving at the bottom of their important matters list (or exclude it all together), perhaps because they have many other matters to prioritize, like paying their debts, covering their daily expenses, or saving up for their kids' education.
If you are among those who have not yet thought of preparing for when you will leave the workforce, or you want to save more in time for your retirement, then now is the opportunity to start acting on it.
Here are some insights that might get you started.
What the Numbers Show
Given that 46 percent of households in the United States would have a hard time even meeting emergency costs of $400, one can surmise that for many of them, retirement funds are at the bottom of their priority list.
In the Survey of Household Economics and Decision-making conducted in October and November of 2014, the Federal Reserve found that 31 percent of the 5,800 respondents (non-retirees) have neither pension nor retirement savings, and almost 25 percent of these were above 45 years old.
In another survey, GoBankingRates found that 33 percent of Americans have $0.00 in savings for their retirement.
According to the report on Time, the study shows that 42.2 percent of millennials (18 to 34 years old), 29.8 percent of Gen-Xers (35 to 54 years old), and 28 percent of Baby Boomers (55+ years old) don't have money set aside for when they retire.
Of course, those in the younger generation have more time to save up for the future.
Why is planning for retirement important?
Retirement is not cheap so years before you reach your golden age, you should already be thinking of how you will support yourself when you no longer have a regular job.
Experts say that you would need 70 percent of your pre-retirement income to be able to maintain your current lifestyle, and that is if you are a high earner. If your income is rather low, then you would need somewhere around 90 percent.
One source that you might draw money from when you retire is your pension or retirement fund; two is your business, if you have one; and three is from other sources, like mutual funds or other investments. However, you need to remember that savings matters.
Ways to Prepare Yourself Financially for Retirement
There are many strategies that you can apply so you can have more money when you retire. Here are some of them:
Sit Down and Study Your Finances
The first thing you need to do before tackling financial matters, including your retirement funds, is to spend time writing down your current income and expenses. Here, you will be able to identify where your money goes, how you can cut down on your spending, as well as how you can start saving or increase it.
· Cut down on expenses
Once you've listed down your expenditures, try to see what you can shave off. For instance, you can think about downgrading or cutting some of your paid subscriptions or selling that other car that you don't use much. You can also start walking or biking to nearby places or commuting instead of driving.
It would also be to your advantage if you drop some of your credit cards, keeping only one or two for when you really need them, and start paying in cash – after all, using plastic during shopping tends to make people spend more.
You might also look into refinancing your existing mortgage for lower interest rates.
· Increase your income
There are many ways to increase your income if you open your eyes to the possibilities and opportunities.
For instance, you can offer to do overtime at work if your employer allows it, or you can get a part-time job.
You may also want to consider home-based work or a small business based on your skills, such as taking projects as a freelance writer or transcriber, or perhaps making cupcakes that you can sell to your neighbors or officemates.
Adding income does not necessary mean adding to your workload, however. For instance, you might think about renting out an extra room in your house, setting up an online store, or even switching banks to one that offers better interest rates on your savings.
· Pay your debts
You also need to find ways to pay your loans, credit cards, and other debts as soon as possible. Getting out of these obligations will give you peace of mind and more freedom to handle your hard-earned money.
Also, don't miss deadlines. Paying late results to additional fees that you can otherwise add to your savings. Moreover, don't add more to what you already owe.
For instance, avoid using your credit cards as much as possible and resist offers for things that you don't exactly need, like getting a second vehicle just because the new model seems like a bargain.
· Identify your retirement needs
You should also try to look ahead and identify how much you would need when you retire.
Whether you want to have a standard of living similar to the one you now have or you intend to have a simpler lifestyle, you should still calculate how much it would cost and how much you should be setting aside in order to meet that need.
You can make use of a retirement calculator like the one on CNN to see if you will have enough funds by the time you retire. The one on Kiplinger asks more specific questions so you can get a better assessment.
These include how much will be the remaining mortgage on your house when you retire and the expected amount you will receive from your Social Security pension, among others.
These computations are general estimates, though, and things could still change along the way, such as having to use some of your savings for emergency medical treatments or getting a hefty pay rise.
Start Saving
Many financial experts have, time and again, emphasized the importance of savings.
When you save, though, don't think only about the down payment you intend to dish out for your dream house or how much you would need to travel next spring.
You should also think about your retirement. Surely, you would prefer to have a more relaxed life when you're old and gray rather than spend your years constantly worrying about where you're going to get money for your bills.
You need to save as much as you can as early as possible so you won't outlive your finances. Also, rather than saving a bigger amount for a shorter period, you should consider saving early because, as time goes by, you will benefit from the compound interest.
Saving requires discipline, and you should instill that habit in yourself as soon as you can. Don't think, however, that if you were not able to start early, that it's already too late.
You can still start even when you're in your middle-age years, but you may have to either stretch your budget further, work longer, or expect less by the time you retire.
Although the amount to save varies from person to person, the general guideline is to set aside 15 percent of your income.
Ask About Your Employer's Retirement or Pension Plan
A study by the Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis at the New School found that in 2011, 68 percent of working age individuals (between 25 and 64 years old) did not participate in an employer retirement plan, either because they opted not to, their employer did not have this type of plan, or they were not employed.
Rather than follow their example, you should start finding out if the company you work for offers a plan for retirement.
They may have a defined benefit plan or a defined contribution plan. There are differences between the two and it would help if you become familiar with them.
· Pension
With the defined benefit plan, e.g., a traditional pension plan, the employee gets a guaranteed amount monthly upon retirement.
It tends to be more expensive for employers, however, and the investment risks fall on the shoulder of the provider. Thus, pensions are not as popular now as they once were.
If your employer still offers a traditional pension plan, ask if you are covered and find out what benefits you will be entitled to. Also find out what would happen if, for one reason or another, you need to resign and take another job.
· 401(k)
With the defined contribution plan like a 401(k), there is no guarantee on either the minimum or maximum benefits and the investment risks are put on the employee.
To describe it briefly, your contributions may be placed in different investment products, which might include ETFs, mutual funds, stocks, and bonds. The options you can choose from would depend on what's included in the plan but, basically, the value of your investment would depend on how well or how poorly the products in your portfolio performs.
Still, this gives you freedom to decide how much you want to contribute, up to a certain percentage of your wages.
Moreover, you get to manage your own portfolio and decide on where to allocate your funds based on your risk tolerance, i.e., stocks are riskier than cash and bonds.
These days, it is more likely that an employer would offer a 401(k). This is less risky for them and it is also more convenient for you, the employee, because you can keep on contributing even if you change jobs.
What's more, some companies have a match program. This means that each time you put in some money into your account, your employer will also make a contribution. You should find out how much you should contribute so can get a full match.
Increase Your 401(k) Contribution
Regardless of how much or how little you earn, whether you're on your first job or you've already been part of the workforce for years, you should start or increase your contribution to your 401(k) as much as you can. This is because:
· You can enjoy the benefit of deferred tax.
This means that taxes for your contribution are not deducted from your paycheck; rather, you'd pay the tax later when you withdraw money from your retirement fund.
· Your contributions have the potential to grow.
Your pre-tax money can accumulate compound interest, depending on what you invest in.
In many cases, though, such as with stocks and bonds in which you receive dividends and capital gains, you need to reinvest your earnings so your funds will keep on growing. Either way, relatively small returns would add up after a few decades.
· You could get more from your employer.
Meeting the contribution required by the company you work for could equate to a full match.
Let's say your employer is offering to pay 50 percent of your contribution if you contribute $6 percent of your salary.
This means that if you are earning $60,000 a year and you invest $3,600 to your 401(k), then your employer adds $1,800 to your account. Not taking advantage of this would be like turning down money being given to you.
If you want to have a rough estimate on how much you'd have by the time you retire, then you can try using a 401(k) calculator, like the one on Calculator.net.
After inputting the details, like your annual salary and current 401(k) balance , you'd have an idea on how much money you can withdraw per month or per year upon retirement.
Have an Individual Retirement Account
In addition to your 401(k), it's also wise to have an Individual Retirement Account. If you can reach the maximum annual contribution, you can enjoy its benefits when you retire.
The most known IRAs are the traditional and the Roth. According to Internal Revenue Service, for either or a combination of both, you can contribute up to $5,500 annually if you are younger than 50 years old and $6,500 if you are 50 years old or older.
· Traditional IRA
With the traditional IRA, your contributions may be partially or fully deductible, depending on your circumstances, and your earnings are not taxed until they are distributed. In other words, you get taxed when you make a withdrawal upon retirement. Also, you can no longer contribute regularly to this once you reach 70.5 years old.
· Roth IRA
With the Roth IRA, on the other hand, your contributions cannot be deducted, but if you meet the requirements, then your qualified distributions may be tax free.
Also, you can contribute even after you reach 70.5 years and leave money in your account for the rest of your life. And while your Roth IRA gets taxed immediately, at least you no longer have to worry about paying taxes for it when you retire. This means that the money you put into your account grows and earns and you can withdraw all that later without having to pay taxes anymore.
The Roth IRA has been highly recommended by many financial experts since taxes are unlikely to be lower in a few decades than they are now. You can think of it as enjoying the benefit of paying less taxes.
Also, you can withdraw your contributions (not interests earned) anytime, without taxes or penalties, although that wouldn't be wise given that it's supposed to be for your retirement.
However, there are income limits to the Roth IRA. Depending on your filing status, you won't be allowed to contribute if you earn more than a certain income range.
For instance, if you are single and your modified adjusted gross income is less than $117,000, then you can contribute up to the limit; if its more than or equal to $117,000 but less than $132,000, then you can make a partial contribution; but if it's more than or equal to $132,000, you won't be allowed to contribute at all.
Learn More About Your Social Security Benefits
Many people dream of retiring early. This could be possible if you are financially secured, but if you are expecting to be partially funded by Social Security, then you may have to think twice about it. Early retirement often means that you will not get the full benefits that will you will otherwise receive if you retire at the required age.
On average, retirees get from Social Security about 40 percent of their pre-retirement earnings. You can use the Retirement Estimator at the agency's website to calculate what benefits you can receive.
Have a Health Savings Account
Having a Health Savings Account means that you can have funds for your medical and health needs when you retire.
Your contributions are tax deductible from your gross income and if you use the money for qualified medical expenses, it is tax-free. Moreover, you can use the money for your retirement.
However, if you're under 65 and you use your HAS funds for non-qualified medical expenses, then you will need to pay taxes based on your income tax rate. You will also have a tax penalty of 20 percent.
The contribution limit is $3,350 for single individuals below 55 and $6,750 for families. For those aged 55 and older, they can add another $1,000 to their contribution.
Put Your Finances on Autopilot
Often, when employees get their paychecks, they set aside the payment for their bills, groceries, and other immediate needs.
They may feel reluctant about their contributions, though, and usually, the last thing on their minds is to put away some for their savings.
If you are having trouble saving like many other people, then you can consider putting your finances on autopilot.
· Paycheck
Many employers deposit their employees' wages directly into their bank accounts.
Ask if they can deposit yours in two accounts – the first would be the one you regularly use and the other would be your real savings account. This means money you save in the latter should not be used for any ordinary everyday expense.
If it's not possible for your employer to split your pay, then you can find a way to automate the transfer yourself. Capital One 360 is one service you can use for this.
· 401(k)
Some employers also give the option to put their employees' 401(k) plan on autopilot. While this is beneficial, especially for those who have a difficult time saving, you should check what the default percentage is.
According to Kiplinger, only 11 percent of employers with autopilot plans put the default at 6 percent or higher.
Almost 70 percent puts it at 3 percent or less, which, in general, is neither enough to save up for a secure retirement nor to meet the usual matching contribution requirement set by employers.
If there is an auto-increase feature, you can also use that in order to add more to your contribution at regular intervals.
For instance, you can have 1 percent increase annually. An auto-rebalance feature, if there is one, would also be good to use given how the market fluctuates.
Still, even if your 401(k) is on autopilot, you need to watch it carefully. You may need to make adjustments to the amount you contribute or which investments to put your money in.
You can also consider putting your bills and loan payments on an auto-payment scheme. However, you should not be lulled into complacency and forget to look into your expenses and investments.
As they say, don't put all your eggs in one basket. Learn the different types of investment, understand their differences, and find out where your retirement money and savings are placed.
According to Investopedia, the types are: ownership investments (stocks, real estate, business, and precious objects); lending investments (savings and bonds); and cash equivalents (money market funds).
Finra lists them down as: bank products; bonds; stocks; investment funds (mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, closed-end funds); annuities; savings for college; retirement; options; commodity futures; security futures; alternative and complex products; and insurance.
By learning about the different types of investment, you can decide how to spread out your money. Often, your choices would depend on your age and what kind of investor you are.
For example, younger and more aggressive investors usually opt for stocks, while more conservative ones might go for bonds.
The best is a combination, with the former usually giving more returns but is more risky and the latter, less returns but also less risk.
It would be a good idea to do further research on each of the points above. Apart from reading articles like this, you can also talk to the HR department at work to find out about the different plans available to you or to a financial adviser in your bank.
As a final note, once you start saving for your retirement, don't touch your money until you're retired.
Some financial plans charge penalties for early withdrawal but even for those that don't, resist the temptation of spending your money on something else other than its real purpose.
- You Heard It Here First! Recession by 2021 - September 8, 2019
- 27 Easy Ways You Can Copy To Save Money - August 24, 2019
- 4 Finance Tips for First-Time Car Buyers - January 22, 2017


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Though our long and interesting trip is over, and it could seem there's nothing more to write... wrong!
For starters, we have a whole lot of tips to share. Will start chaotically - everything in this space. Later on, when more tips will be written down, I'll sort them out by categories.


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Monday: Understanding
Pray: Begin by making the sign of the cross and calling upon God's name.
From God to us, from death to life, from me to you …
in the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
O God, as Holy Week begins, we ask you to be with us. Help us to understand all that Jesus did for us, even to giving his very life. Thank you for your love, and for never giving up on us. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Listen: Pay close attention as these verses from the Bible are read aloud.
Luke 22:13-25
Pilate called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people. He told them, "You brought Jesus to me and said he was a troublemaker. But I have questioned him here in front of you, and I have not found him guilty of anything that you say he has done. Herod didn't find him guilty either and sent him back. This man doesn't deserve to be put to death! I will just have him beaten with a whip and set free."
But the whole crowd shouted, "Kill Jesus! Give us Barabbas!" Now Barabbas was in jail because he had started a riot in the city and had murdered someone. Pilate wanted to set Jesus free, so he spoke again to the crowds. But they kept shouting, "Nail him to a cross! Nail him to a cross!"
Pilate spoke to them a third time, "But what crime has he done? I have not found him guilty of anything for which he should be put to death. I will have him beaten with a whip and set free." The people kept on shouting as loud as they could for Jesus to be put to death. Finally, Pilate gave in. He freed the man who was in jail for rioting and murder, because he was the one the crowd wanted to be set free. Then Pilate handed Jesus over for them to do what they wanted with him. (CEV)
Engage: Talk about the Bible by having parents respond to children's questions.
Child: What is a "troublemaker?" Does that word describe Jesus? Why or why not?
Child: Have you or someone you love ever been labeled unfairly? How can it help to know that the same thing happened to Jesus?
Affirm: Pray for God to put his Word into action in your daily life.
Heavenly Father, you sent your Son to save us from our sin. May we never take this for granted, and may we turn to him when we face our own trials and griefs. For no one understands suffering more than he does. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Have each person in the family bless one another with these words:
May you remember that God is with you always! Amen.


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Hello Loves and happy Monday!
For today's post I'm not gonna write anything but instead I'm gonna ask you to send me questions which I'm gonna answer in one of my next posts!
There are no rules! The questions can be intimate, very personal or not personal at all. Anything you could think of! With the answer I'm gonna link your blog or leave the question anonymous if you wish so. My favorite questions will get you a follow!
Leave a comment below or dm me on my instagram account!
Thank you so much to everyone who is willing to play!


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I have been busy busy the last few weeks and have wanted to blog but didn't. I have thoughts in the works, but they will have to wait because there is laundry waiting to be moved into a dryer and greasy hair to wash! Life does not feel glamorous, but it is definitely fun, and I am happy to say that despite blogging getting pushed to the side, I am mostly happy with the things that are keeping me busy – playing keyboard in church, seeing friends, walking my ridiculous dog and spending time with this guy I married who made amazing soup today 🙂
Sunday afternoon was a great break from being busy with things I should do though (laundry, homework, limitless things to clean): Annie and I made cookies!Matt and I had a Brazilian lunch of feijoada at the Keidann's, then Annie and I had the house to ourselves to make a batch of the best decorated cookies I have ever been privileged to help make (note "disco bear" above – and the glittery sprinkles he has on his paws). It made me want to bake more!
Mmmm… wish I could eat one!
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Welcome to Our Precious Scholars my name is Alena but all the kids call me Mrs. "Lena". I have worked in the field of child care for over 10 years, I have my Bachelor's degree in Human services. My background before starting my own child care facility includes working as a teacher's aide in the Henrico County public school system; a major portion of my duties included working with children with disabilities as well. I have also worked as a lead teacher at a large day care center. I possess a CDA(child development association), CPR, and MAT certification.
I am a proud mother of two. I decided to open my own child care center after witnessing the mediocre care and attention my oldest child(who was diagnosed with autism) was receiving at a large day care center. However I was able to turn such an unfortunate situation into a positive one. The bad experiences my child received at more than one day care center inspired me to start my own. I wanted to give worried parents just like me an opportunity to drop their child off at a place where they can receive the loving care they deserve while learning the necessary tools they will need to succeed in the future at an affordable rate.
My husband and I first opened our doors to little ones in 2011, and we have enjoyed every minute of it. We have had the pleasure of meeting dozens of young children along with the wonderful parents that have supported our center and entrusted their children to remain in our care. We have gained an enormous amount of experience as our mission is to inspire and mold the lives of young children in a positive way and we hope to do the same for you and your family if you give us the opportunity.


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The grand finale of the Chicagoland Entertainment Collectors Expo was held this weekend. The final show marks the end of an era. Paul Maiellaro has done a wonderful job over these past 11 years, bringing an exciting and vibrant show to the Chicago area. Although it was formerly announced this weekend that a new Chicago-area show will be held starting this May to be run by dealers Ed Webb (Scifi Cards) and Kevin Bennett (K & J Non-Sports Cards), the show will not be the same. Paul had a panache for bringing together artists, celebrities, and publishers along with dealers.
As an exhibitor, you could not ask for more from a promoter–Paul kept his exhibitors well fed, supplied with chips, sweets, & drinks, and generally happy. As part of the group that runs the Philly Non-Sports Card Show, I can say that Paul did things that we could not in these terms of exhibitor relations. And perhaps this was a double-edged sword and part of the reason his show has ended. But it was tremendous fun while it lasted, that's for sure.
This weekend's show was a typical Fall Chicagoland Entertainment Collectors Expo. The crowd was similar in size to the usual Fall shows (which have always been the larger of Paul's twice per year shows). One might have hoped, however, that a few more collectors would have turned up to send the show off.
On-hand at the show were 15 or so artists including Connie Faye, Ted Dastick, Jr., Kristin Allen, Jeff Clark, Dave Dorman, and Cynthia Narcisi. Unfortunately, a couple of announced artists were unable to attend including Mark McHaley and Chris Foreman. Also on-hand was actor Scott L. Schwartz (Ocean's Thirteen and others), who has become somewhat of a regular at the CECE show.
During the weekend, collectors could participate in an auction (for Paul's favorite charity, the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation), enter raffles, get made into a zombie (via make-up artist Tara Schile), take a yoga session with Cynthia Narcisi, get their picture taken with a replica of the H.G. Wells Time Marchine, and more as well as peruse a great selection of cards, toys, and more from exhibiting dealers such as K & J Non-Sports, Scifi Cards, Ron Gahan, Bryan Schemine, and Looky Here. Non-Sport Update was on hand selling our new issue, select back issues, books, and some trading cards.
We will miss Paul's show but we know Paul has some exciting hobby-related things planned for the months ahead and we look forward to Ed and Kevin's upcoming Chicago-area shows. Be sure to view our gallery of photos from the show below.


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It's only fair to let you know that the world is ending in nine days. Probably eight by the time you read this. Not metaphorically, not symbolically, but actually, Day of Judgementally, being destroyed. Yes, I know we all thought it was 2012. But it transpires that it's actually due for May 21, 2011.
Some of you will be sceptical, but let me reassure you this is on excellent authority. It's not often we get to test the assertions of religious leaders in a concrete sense, but my source in this case, a learned and deep-thinking scholar, has given assurances such as "the Bible guarantees it", and "infallible proof." If those words are good enough for orange-juicer sales, they're definitely good enough for the end of life as we know it.
If the Bible's cameo in that last paragraph didn't give it away, then yes, we know the cause of the universal End. Not the Vogons, not the Arcturians, but that old prankster Jehovah, Yahweh, the man upstairs.
The bearer of this news is the Christian organisation Family Radio. I won't detail the conclusions drawn, you can do that on their site (write FamilyRadio and add a .com). But in short, a deep numerical analysis of the Bible has revealed there were to be 722,500 days between the crucifixion and Judgement Day. (They also reveal that the crucifixion happened on April 1 – read into that what you will.) Add the numbers together, and May 21 this year is the stone-cold factual result.
If you want it colder and stonier, further evidence is tendered in the fine treatise "Gay Pride: A Sign of the End", fittingly authored by Harold Camping. This academic tour de force is well worth devoting some of your few remaining hours to perusing. Biblical scholar Camping is in fact the prime mover behind Family Radio and their astonishing publications. All I can say is, thank goodness his followers have been able to do so much good work with the impressionable youngsters of developing countries through initiatives like Project Caravan, and with impressionable young whales through initiatives like Project Jonah.
If you need any more convincing, I also requested their press pack, which is full of extra useful information and assurances. "Mr. Camping has been a tireless student of the Bible for over five decades. The tens of thousands of hours he has spent analyzing the Bible has given him a unique perspective of the entirety of Scripture. He has dedicated his life to prepare himself to answer questions raised concerning God's Word to man." Nailed.
I know this will come as something of a shock – here I was making a magazine to launch at a Melbourne Writers Festival that will never happen, planning a trip to a Splendour in the Grass that will be more Rapture in the Ash, getting accreditation for a summer Test tour in which now, mercifully, Australia will be spared humiliation. We all thought we had more time. But now, at least, I've given you all a week or so to get your affairs in order, visit your maiden aunts, shoot your pets who'll be left behind, tick off any dirty fetish frenzies that remain on your to-do lists, and leave time to get to confessional and prayer to make sure you enter the day in question cleansed and pure. This is a particular nudge in the ribs to the homos – sort yourselves out, people. Plenty of time for that stuff once you've got your wings.
The only thing we don't know is exactly when on May 21 this will happen. Bear in mind that from 00:00 at GMT+12 to 23:59 at GMT-12, it will be May 21 somewhere in the world for a full 48 hours. Obviously a clearer knowledge of this would be a big help to my dog-shooting schedule, so I've written as per my email below to seek clarification.
It's not a one-day deal, I should note. Here's how things unroll. "A great earthquake will occur… so powerful it will throw open all graves… The inhabitants who survive this terrible earthquake will exist in a world of horror and chaos beyond description. Each day people will die until October 21, 2011 when God will completely destroy this earth and its surviving inhabitants."
As a last note, FR even ask the question some of you will be asking. "What if May 21 ends and nothing occurs?" Their answer: "The Biblical evidence is too overwhelming and specific to be wrong."
You heard it here first. Although I will just say… if by some remote chance the numbers are ever so slightly amiss, and things don't exactly pan out as expected, I'd really love it if everyone could write to Harold at one minute past midnight on May 22 – timezone of your choice – and politely request an explanation.
To: email@example.com
Date: 8 May 2011 14:17
Dear Family Radio, Harold, and everyone,
Thank-you all so much for the for the great information about May 21. I've been coming back to your site and watching the countdown since November last year, when a blessed friend alerted me to its existence.
Just wondering, do you know what timezone The Rapture will start in? Obviously May 21 will start at the International Date Line, which is 12 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time, so it will be May 21 on the Marshall Islands and some other small Pacific islands before anywhere else. Then four hours later it will be May 21 on the Pacific coast of the US (-8 GMT), but it won't be May 21 on the east coast for three more hours after that. Then in five more hours it will tick over in Greenwich. I'm guessing GMT is the most likely marker, but it could be Washington or Jerusalem too (which is GMT +2). I live on the east coast of Australia, so we're at GMT +10, a long way behind the times.
Also, is it likely to start immediately after we pass midnight? Or is it more likely to happen at the end of the day, or the following evening? Because if we go all the way through the timezones, New Zealand is GMT +12. So May 21 will only be starting in Wellington when it's just ended in the Marshall Islands. And May 21 won't end in New Zealand for another 24 hours after that. Or, have I just got the whole thing backwards, and all those timezones go in reverse? Man, this is confusing. Either way, it means there's actually a whole 48-hour block when things could happen, but I can't find any information to indicate when it might be. I guess the other option is it could be in stages according to timezone?
Anyway, if you could let me know any information you might have, that'd be great. Obviously we all have a lot of things to organise before The Rapture, and an extra 24 or hours or so would be really handy.
Thank-you so much, and God bless.


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Chettinad House, originally uploaded by Rakesh Ashok.
This is the place where Ramanathan & Soundaravalli's (my best friend's) reception procession started from. Its a really old Chettinad house. Well the picture may look bleak. But the house is in much better condition. Its amazing to know that this building is nearly a century old. Though right now its a bit dusty. But if maintained properly this could become a palace. There are many such houses in Karaikudi. Well looks like the Chettiyars truly knew how to live life in style. Wish I had a place like this in my name. :D
Well the photo was post processed to remove most of the colours specially the reds because it was too bright and I wanted a old house. So I just dulled the colour to make it look old. I also added a bit a of noise which is what you see as line patterns in the image. Hope you like it.


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Have you ever thought that going to college wasn't the best thing you could do? You invested a lot of money, nerves, and time in education. Now, your professors are pushing you outside your limits and you're not able to deliver what they expect. That's especially true regarding academic writing.
Let's clarify one thing: going to college was possibly one of the best decisions you've ever made. You're facing difficulties, but that doesn't mean you can't surpass them. When it comes to academic writing, there is a simple solution: you only need to hire a great assignment writing service.
There's a catch: not all websites that offer online writing services are great. Some of them will trick you into paying money for worthless content, and others won't even deliver what you need. We'll tell you how you can identify the best assignment writing service for your needs.
1. Pay attention to the website. Does it look reliable enough?
Great design doesn't necessarily mean you're dealing with a great service. However, certain features of the websites indicate its reliability.
● The design should be intuitive. When you click on a certain option on the menu, it should get you to the right place. The order form should be easily accessible from any page of the site.
● You need a clear list of services that shows what type of content the company delivers.
● The prices have to be transparent. You should know the final cost of your paper before placing the order.
● The order form should be really easy to complete. If you get confused by too many requirements and unclear dropdown menus, leave that place.
● You need access to the complete terms and conditions.
2. The customer support has to be outstanding
A top-level assignment writing service cares about its customers' satisfaction. The founders of such a service make sure to establish an outstanding customer support team. The agents are available 24/7 via several contact options, including a live chat feature that connects you to the support system at any time of the day or night.
Always try contacting the support before placing an order. If you don't get immediate response or you notice that the agents are not giving you clear answers, continue your search elsewhere.
3. Make sure you'll work with qualified writers
When you order an assignment online, you need to get it done by a writer who understands the topic. You don't want a freelance writer with no previous knowledge of the issues. The companies that collaborate with freelance writers deliver paraphrased content that might get you in trouble for plagiarism.
A top-notch writing service will pair you with an author who holds a degree in the area of study of your assignment. You'll work together with this qualified expert to achieve the best results.
4. Guarantees for revisions, timely delivery, refunds, and uniqueness
Those are the most important guarantees your service has to provide. You need the revisions because you might have remarks on the writer's work. Clearly, your deadline is important, so you want the company to guarantee on-time completion. If any of the guarantees is violated, you should get your money back. Finally, you also need a service that guarantees 100% plagiarism-free results.
The good news is that you can always find a great service. Today must be your lucky day, since you're at the exact website you need!