text:
This whole week of political posing has left me exhausted. I wonder if the whole country took a strike day..just didn't go in to work...nothin' happened...I wonder if that could influence Congressional behavior? Like after the weekend, when everyone gets back? Just strike. Monday.
I'll be frank. I believe we can do a nation wide health care and I believe it will end up being good for Insurance Companies. Maybe doctors too. And if it isn't, I will be the first to suggest..."It is not working." I think Fear is a big component here. And change is scary.
I believe it has basically nothing to do with passing a budget. So pass a budget and then challenge "Obamacare" any way you want. I don't understand how Congress thinks a law that has been passed can be included in a bill.
I will personally be sending a small contribution in 2014 to anyone who is running against certain members of Congress.
I wish every bill could be passed on it's own merits. No add-ons, amendments. etc. Does anyone besides me think this is stupid? "One thing at a time and that done well...This rule will serve you very well." Who said that? besides my grandmother? Make it simple. There is this question and there is that question. They can be decided separately. And one is already law.
And , my final conclusion to the week is.. I no longer care what Congress says or does. Let us default...deal with it. Helpers step in to help... wherever you are..however you can.
I no longer want to participate in this, even as a viewer. It is too painful. Too illogical. Too full of ego.
But you know, I will still watch this unfold. Take a day off tomorrow. No media. And yet, I know I won't do it.I want to see what happens next.
I can learn a lot. I am no Koch brothers. Contribute in small amounts.


text:
Full text loading...
View Affiliations Hide Affiliations
- The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
- Source: The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Volume 52, Issue 5, 1 May 1995, p. 438 - 442
The Pathology of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Due to Leishmania Major in Sudan
The pathology of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Sudan, where the disease is caused by Leishmania major, was studied by light and electron microscopy. Lesions were classified into four distinct groups based on the ratio of different cell types, especially lymphocytes, macrophages, and plasma cells in the inflammatory infiltrate, and the formation of compact epithelioid granulomas or the presence of necrosis. In the lesions, there was a positive correlation between the number of lymphocytes and the number of activated macrophages and epithelioid cells. We suggest that the parasites are eliminated from the lesion by two processes: 1) a lytic mechanism in which parasites are lysed within activated macrophages and 2) necrosis of parasitized macrophages. Morphologic evidence for these two mechanisms of parasite elimination was detected by both light and electron microscopy. The evolution of the pathology of the lesions was followed by rebiopsy when the lesion had regressed in size under antileishmanial therapy.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Anyone who knows about caching probably has WP Cache installed. If not, they should - it's an absolute God-send if you get Dugg or if you're on a poorer server with a fair number of visitors.
Either WP should develop a caching system just like WP Cache, or perhaps writing WP Cache into the software, or as a bundled plugin.
I feel many users may be on cheap-ass-hell servers in order to get their own domain but without paying more than a few pennies a year. These users are more likely to be the ones who don't give much though to server optimisation or who don't know a great deal about how MySQL works. To include a simple but powerful caching system like WP Cache would be great for users, beginner or advanced.


text:
Ivyleaf Golf Course situated between Bude & Kilkhampton, just off the A39, can surely claim without fear of contradiction, to have the finest view of any 9 hole parkland course in Cornwall.
Its' hilltop situation set in an area of outstanding natural beauty overlooks an incredible vista of the North Cornish coast starting from Trevose Head to Bude on the coast and inland to both Dartmoor and Bodmin Moor.
Also provided is a 7-Bay flood lit under cover Driving Range, which also enjoys fantastic views and is proving very popular in wet or dry weather. Prices start from £1.
provided by Yahoo Weather


text:
Since I live in sunny Southern California, it's not very often that I get to see snow. So when it finally did snow this past weekend, I took FULL advantage of the situation.
I asked my friends Sarina and Daniel if they wouldn't mind being my little models…they happily said yes. Daniel is also a photographer, so the pressure was on! I do have to say, these two are SO MUCH FUN! No exaggeration! I loved every moment of their shoot! From slipping, sliding and falling (I was the only one falling though) in the snow, eating whipped cream and candy canes, leaving the mugs on the side of the road and going back to get them in the pitch dark, talking about all different kinds of yummy candy, talking about how Daniel gets sick to his stomach when he gets too hot and has to roll the car windows down in the 35 degree weather(LOL LOL)…oh yeah, and the actual shoot was pretty cool too.
Here are some shots from our snowy adventures. Enjoy and have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Oh yeah, and one more thing…YOU TWO ARE POSITIVELY AH-MAZING!
Sarina made this sign special for the shoot…SO CUTE!


text:
A look back at highlights and happenings in the world of civic tech.
This Week in Civic Tech presents a lineup of notable events in the space that connects citizens to government services. Topics cover latest startups, hackathons, open data initiatives and other influencers. Check back each week for updates.
Bloomberg presented its latest State Innovation Index, which ranks states on their approaches to invention and ingenuity. Massachusetts tops the list, with California, Washington, New Jersey and Connecticut rounding out the five most innovative states in the nation.
Bloomberg ranked the states using a categorical point system that included a series of measurements in research and development, productivity and high-tech services. It weighed tallied patents, and analyzed such drivers as education and employment stats in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.
Crunching the figures, the metrics generated scores of zero to 100 for each of the 50 states. The highs hit 93 and the low struck at 9 (hang in there Mississippi). While the lineup's character was well stratified, the top two states were separated only by hundreths: Massachusetts won with a score of 93.33 compared to California's 93.30. Bloomberg said this was likely due to the ranking system that measured the number of companies in a region instead of cumulative market capital. If market capital held sway, the conjectures were that California would've taken the win, thanks to Apple.
The rankings are as follows:
|1. Massachusetts, 93.33
|26. Georgia, 48.38
|2. California, 93.30
|27. Hawaii, 45.67
|3. Washington, 90.40
|28. Wisconsin, 43.30
|4. New Jersey, 80.42
|29. Ohio, 42.90
|5. Connecticut, 77.18
|30. Kansas, 42.53
|6. Oregon, 77.08
|31. Wyoming, 41.20
|7. Maryland, 76.82
|32. Iowa, 39.57
|8. Colorado, 75.12
|33. Missouri, 39.25
|9. Delaware, 72.72
|34. Indiana, 38.27
|10. Minnesota, 71.85
|35. Florida, 37.82
|11. Virginia, 71.77
|36. South Carolina, 33.00
|12. New Hampshire, 68.60
|37. Alabama, 32.57
|13. New Mexico, 67.42
|38. Nevada, 31.92
|14. Rhode Island, 61.95
|39. Nebraska, 31.12
|15. Texas, 61.25
|40. North Dakota, 30.80
|16. North Carolina, 60.80
|41. Tennessee, 29.85
|17. New York, 60.70
|42. Montana, 27.00
|18. Michigan, 59.75
|43. Maine, 24.40
|19. Arizona, 59.05
|44. Oklahoma, 24.12
|20. Utah, 59.00
|45. Kentucky, 20.20
|21. Illinois, 56.30
|46. Louisiana, 19.70
|22. Pennsylvania, 51.83
|47. Arkansas, 13.33
|23. Idaho, 49.82
|48. South Dakota, 13.20
|24. Alaska, 49.40
|49. West Virginia, 12.00
|25. Vermont, 49.20
|50. Mississippi, 9.00
Venture fund Urban.us is banking on the new surge of smart city and civic tech startups: A TechCrunch article reported that Urban.us is raising $10 million to establish promising ventures.
A portion of this funding is said to be committed to three startups: Rachio, a smart irrigation service; Flair, a company that provides intelligent heating and cooling systems; and FutureMotion, the creator of an electric one-wheeled skateboard. Urban.us co-founders Shaun Abrahamson and Stonly Baptiste are making plans to elevate entrepreneurs that have already proven themselves in their markets, but may need a boost to expand.
The first fund raised by Ubran.us stood at $1.3 million and populated the fund's portfolio with 20 startups that included mobility and analytics services, utilities, and local government. Baptiste told TechCrunch that impacts to global warming will hold a prominent position in the decision-making, especially since cities are likely to double their populations by 2050 — and currently produce 70 percent of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.
In a release accompanying his State of the State address, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo laid out policy goals to heighten the state's transparency regulations. Like Congress, which recently took measures to reform the Freedom of Information Act, Cuomo plans to rework New York's Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) so it holds departments and officials more accountable to citizen requests. His proposal seeks comprehensive alterations to the law that allows citizens access to state records, and will apply to all agencies in the state.
In this vein, the governor has submitted legislation to conduct a study that offers recommendations for public tracking of state contracts and budgeting. A third initiative for greater openness targets political campaign finance and disclosure requirements. Cuomo's intentions aim to close the limited liability companies (LLC) loophole attached to political campaign donation limits. Political candidates have leveraged this opening to generate hefty sums of capital. Further details of this policy change require candidates to disclose campaign contributions every 60 days — as opposed to current practice that is twice annually.
Looking for the latest gov tech news as it happens? Subscribe to GT newsletters.


text:
I'm trying very hard to be patient but I'm getting crankier by the day. (Okay, by the hour!) You all know patience is not my strong suit, so this is killing me. Come ON already baby!!!
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Still waiting. No baby yet. I appreciate all the emails and phone calls I've received checking on me!! But no, I'm still pregnant and not holding my little one yet. I'm sorry I haven't responded to any emails today. I've just been feeling very blah.
Posted by Beki - TheRustedChain at 9:28 PM
No comments:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
A SALVE, A Salvation
One of my favourite things about writing (and most creativity in general), is being able to start without any solid idea of a finish, or even where you are going. I do it in these journal entries. I just start writing. It is as much an exploration as it is an explanation. As I am writing this right now, I am listening to one of my recent songs (created on Ableton) playing in the background. It's called Feel The Air.
Earlier this evening I was a bit upset, troubled by something. It took me a few hours - on and off - to work through it. Now I have let it go. Some things are going to get you. Trick is to let them move through you and then out. They need to get processed. There is no formula to this but there is usually a building up of tension and then a kind of slow release. I find it helpful to identify what stage of the process I am in and keep and view from the outside. One way to do this is to ask - is it life threatening? - is it something that is really going to matter in a few months time? - what is my best course of action in resolving this (in reality and/or within my own mind) as quickly as possible?
I am no expert, believe me, but I have found that my skills have improved over time. Getting plenty of practice - well, that is easy! Man, sometimes I think: does it really have to be this hard? Continuously? There's always something, right?!
It's almost as though the entire paradigm needs shifting. As though something is well out of whack on a cosmic level. The state of the planet at the moment is undeniably precarious. It feels weird just to wait around and see what happens. But that is where we are at, as a race. So much is beyond our control.
In order to counter this helpless, struggling feeling - for me, at least, creativity is one of the ultimate tonics. I get lost in 2, 3, 4 hours of creating a new song. I start to write something and just keep going. I grab some colourful fabrics and start cutting them out and pasting them on an old shirt from Vinnies. A drawing, some lyrics, a walk along the beach. These are a few of my Sound of Music song things. I feel lucky I can do them. It helps. Being creative is a salve.
Everything comes from Nothing
This is where my Creative Lewie journey begins. I've been thinking over the last year or so about putting together a TED style talk to do with creativity. About the life of an artist (in this case; me) from the early days and on... and on... and on...
You cannot anticipate what is going to happen along the way, where the twist and turns will appear but as an artist, as an expressive being, you always have your work to pull you through. It reflects where you are at, it relieves the demands and pressures of common and daily things, it allows for an escape, it challenges.
After a time, maybe a few years, maybe ten, maybe double that - you realise that, it's for real. It's what you do. It's what you were made to do. At a certain point you stop trying to impress or sway - you just ... I guess the word is 'release'.
You realise that there is no point in trying to be anything other than who you are. You find your style (through trial and error, experimentation, practice (and more practice). Things fall into place. It becomes not about the destination. You grow to love the journey. You earn your place.
Part of you is worn down. Part of you is disappointed. Part of you; disillusioned. But you have come to far to go back. You're no good for anything else. And, it's at this fucking point that you may just make something worthwhile.
It's not easy for anybody.


text:
Free Shipping on orders over $50
714. 399. 5873
Erin Denise Skin Care
Microcurrent, LED, Facials, Newport Beach and Orange County
A natural alternative to Botox and Fillers, a good Microcurrent facial has the ability to recharge the skin back to a … [Read More...] about Microcurrent 101
2400 West Coast Highway #9D Newport Beach, CA 92663 firstname.lastname@example.com 714.399.5873


text:
395 W. Algonquin Road Des Plaines
Introduction to The Skills System
Presented by Mike Jersey, LPC
The Skills System, developed by Julie F. Brown, is an emotion regulation curriculum specifically designed for people diagnosed with developmental disabilities. The system is based on Dialectical Behavior Therapy and incorporates three system tools and nine skills. This session will provide an introductory overview of The Skills System with examples of how these tools and skills have been beneficial in teaching people with developmental disabilities to develop effective coping repertoires.
This training will be offered during two time-slots. Please choose the ONE location and time that works best for you.
This is the Des Plaines Session. View the New Lenox Session Registration Here.
2.0 CE's available to: QIDP, LPC, LCPC, LCSW, LSW, LNHA, OT, OTA, PT, PTA, RN, LPN, APN, and Licensed Clinical Psychologist
This event is Free of Charge.


text:
One of the goals of the United Nations is to prepare future generations for careers in human rights, economic justice, and more. This means providing resources and funding for programs that give people essential experience and education. Often times, that takes the form of scholarships with the United Nations University, which represents the research and academic branch of the UN. There are also occasionally opportunities within the offices of the UN itself. Here are five scholarships for your consideration:
The United Nations University Japan / PhD in Sustainability Science
Offered by the United Nations University in Tokyo, Japan, this scholarship is for those seeking the school's PhD in Sustainability Science. It's a three-year programme. To be eligible, applicants must be from developing countries and prove their need for financial aid. If you live in Japan under a working visa or are pursuing a second PhD at UNU-IAS, you will not be considered.
The United Nations University Iceland / The UNU Fisheries Training Programme
The UNU Fisheries Training programme is a postgraduate programme offering training in a variety of areas related to the fisheries sector. The scholarship is available for former UNU-FTP fellows who are accepted into any Icelandic universities with graduate studies in fisheries. To be eligible, your studies at the UNU-FTP must count for a minimum of 24 ECTS towards the post-graduate degree, and your proposed thesis or dissertation must be related to fisheries in your home country.
The United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research / Visiting PhD Fellowship Programme
This programme provides registered doctoral students with assistance at UNU-WIDER as they work towards a PhD dissertation (or thesis) on developing economics. During the three months at Helsinki, where UNU-WIDER is located, programme fellows write at least one research paper and present a seminar. If accepted, the fellow gets a travel grant that covers the journey from their institute, medical insurance, and a monthly stipend.
United Nations Office of the High Commissioner / Fellowship Programme for People of African Descent
This fellowship programme is offered to anyone of African descent living in the diaspora. They must have at least four years of work experience relevant to the rights of people of African descent and a good knowledge of English. If accepted, fellows travel to Geneva and gain valuable experience working and learning about issues facing those of African descent. The programme includes a monthly stipend and basic health insurance.
Codification Division of the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs / International Law Fellowship Programme
The International Law Fellowship Programme is designed to help professionals (especially international law teachers and government officials from developing countries) learn more about the United Nations' legal work. Eligible candidates for this Netherlands-based programme will have a legal background as well as experience working in international law. If you are one of the 21 fellows accepted, the scholarship will cover travel costs, accomodation, insurance, the registration fee for The Hague Academy of International law, training materials, and participation in the programme. Fellows also get a stipend to cover additional living expenses. The programme is held in the English language.


text:
Onion Spoof: "Missing Hikers Would Make Great Movie"
No one likes to hear reports of wilderness search-and-rescue missions coming over the wire, but I think we can all admit that in our dark little hearts, we might wonder from time to time which ones have the requisite amount of drama to fuel a Hollywood adaptation. The dependably hilarious folks at The Onion explore the idea in this video:
Breaking News: Plight Of Missing Hikers Will Make Great Movie
It's funny — I've often thought to myself that if I'm ever stuck in a wilderness survival situation that becomes a movie, Matt Damon would be a great choice to play me as well. But for some reason, everyone I tell this to seems to think Danny DeVito would be a better choice. Interesting. — Ted Alvarez
Plight Of Missing Hikers Will Make Great Movie (The Onion)
Via Modern Hiker


text:
Wait Entertainment: Low this year on wait entertainment, one monster girl walking throughout the crowd (no line here, they call out groups) and she wasn't too involved with her character. They usually have several monsters walking throughout the event as they break. They have a DJ doing Halloween music and videos, it seemed to keep people in the spirit as they set around the two fire pits and keep warm. Also; food provided if you need it.
Length of Event: The travel by the hayrack ride around the park takes about 15 minutes.
Actor Performance: The actors done a very good job, others would draw your attention one way while monsters would jump out with chainsaws and explosions to jump you. These guys like what they do and do a great job as they jump on the hayrack with screaming people. Very good job here with impact scares!
Patron Flow Inside Attraction: The flow is seamless because the hayrack ride is controlled and everything is on the mark.
Appropriate Ages: I would say at least 8 or 9 here, with the darkness of the woods and the chainsaws and explosions, too much impact here for little kids.
Props / Special FX: Some interesting props throughout the ride, same things from year-to-year - could use some more props on dead spaces. Interesting props but could use some more pop out automation throughout the trip.
Costumes / Make-up: Too much darkness to make out the detail of the masks or costumes, but what we could see all worked ok.
Summary: This is a very good attraction and has a large draw, but could use a facelift here and there, too much of the same theme every year. Would like to see them up the game here with more props and some jump out automation effects. The only problem we noticed was the poor traffic control people handling this event, the woman with the light directing the main traffic flow was bad, she had no idea what she was doing and it showed. Otherwise, everything moved along very good and we had a good time, we will be back next year.


text:
Its been quite some time since I posted and I'm pretty certain I begin all my posts with that line…. Well what can I say I'm not so much about writing as I am about making pictures I guess. …But… I thought I would do another post about the making of my latest large painting, 'Reviving Ophelia'.
Those who are familiar with my work likely know that I am endlessly exploring duality and the circle of life and the dream state. I have a love of fairy tales like every other proper girl who was raised with stories of wolves, lovely girls and dark forests.
The driving ladies behind this latest work are Sleeping Beauty and Ophelia. My piece isn't driven necessarily by the stories as much as the visions that the tales evoke. But I have to say that John Everett Millais's Ophelia painting was a great inspiration.
Before I go ahead and post the W.I.P. shots of the painting here is the completed 'Reviving Ophelia' . It is oil on wood 35″x55″
I don't do a lot of sketching before I start a painting, I always say 'I will next time' or 'I really should' but my anxiousness to get going usually prohibits me from doing that. I end up working issues out on the panel and color changes etc. which makes it a longer process but more natural for me. I have to see something before I know whether it is 'right' or 'wrong'.
Another inspiration for this painting was a work on paper that I did in 2010 called 'The Duel' pictured below. I reeeeeally loved it, even though it wasn't something that took me a ton of time like an oil painting it just really is special to me and I and missed it so I was trying to recapture it in a way and let it inform the new painting that was coming down the pike.
ok so here we go with the progress shots…I didn't take as many as I would have liked but I was in the process of a big move at the time so it was enough to just get to paint let alone take pictures as I went along.
it started out with 2 girls and I was thinking that the color palette would be similar to the Duel piece.
Oh I guess i should also mention that I have been working for quite some time with these water skirts, I am a bit obsessed with them..for me water does so much to evoke a dreamy state a place that is below and so different from the world above. It separates the conscious mind from the mysteries of the subconscious….blah blah blah …Pictures please!! OK.. ;-P
in the beginning the girl on the left was awake…and the girl on the right was looking at you 🙂
she quickly fell asleep and vines began to grow between them…
the vines disappeared and her hand began to reach out of her chest cavity…
here the plant life is forming around them and their under bodies are determined
at this point the pinks and blues weren't working for me so i did a wash of green over…and determined that the fox and deer needed to be the symbols that passed between them…
it's always a major decision for me where the characters gaze lands and here she finally looks inward and away from the viewer…
here is where I made the decision and was also urged by another painting I was working on during this time titled 'Glasshouse Girls make good warriors' (pictured below) to bring up plant life into the cavity of the conscious girls torso….and begin to fill the surrounding space with giant hair ;P
'Glasshouse Girls make Good Warriors' oil on wood 19″x29″ framed (available at la Luz de jesus Gallery)
ok onward….
these aren't out of order I guess I had second thoughts about the giant hair…but as you can see the organic area is pretty much completed first…I really loved painting this I love how so much of it took over the water from the inspiration pieces and there are just small pools remaining….
the appearance of the raven…at this point I was trying to figure out how I wanted to treat the unconscious girl I needed to balance her with the other half and for a while she had a giant wing (which i don't have a pic of) but I settled on the bird being a part of her…thought the color ultimately changes to pinks for the raven….
don't ask about the blond hair..LOL) …here is the first appearance of the heart eyed girl, I have painted her before and also made dolls of this character and in those representations she is blind…one of the first I did is pictured below and is a work on paper titled 'Masquerade' the heart eyed character has also been the 'patron saint of blind love'
back to Ophelia..
whew dark hair!! 🙂 and the background coming together, I don't have a good pic of when it was blue but I am glad i made that trip to the store that day and picked up an old Holland Carmine it completely transformed it for me….
refining refining and a fox growing wings…also I wanted to give her a death mask of sorts but nothing overt so this is what I came up with.
Reviving Ophelia will be making her debut at Varnish Fine Art Gallery's Grand Reopening launch this Saturday Sept 24th from 4pm -8pm I hope to see you there if you live nearby!!
tweets for the sweet!!


text:
Here are some excellent resources to buy Stevie Nicks-inspired art, clothing, and jewelry and Stevie Nicks/Fleetwood music. Click on the highlighted links or image icons to be redirected to the business owners' respective website.
Johanna's Art – Inspired by Stevie Nicks
"As a fan of Stevie for 30 years I have created many fantasy portraits of Stevie surrounded by the magical imagery she writes about in her beautiful lyrics. These pieces are here for your viewing pleasure or you can take it one step further and order a print of a b/w or colour image, great as a gift for the Stevie fan in your life or just to add to your own collection." —Johanna Pieterman, owner
Leaping Princess Studios – The Mystical Art of Amanda W. Crews
"Our cyber-castle is constantly evolving. If you go exploring, you may trip over a few broken links, (all great castles have oubliettes…) but we still have LOTS of great pages within this site for you to explore, so please look around and enjoy your visit! Be sure to bookmark this page, stop in anytime, and contact us for more information. Thank you for your patronage ~ Help support the Arts!" —Amanada W. Crews, owner
Stevie Nicks style clothing and more!!!
Welcome everybody!! I make Stevie Nicks style shawls, velvet ruched legwarmers, Rhiannon style tops, crescent —Dustin Hoffman, owner
"Wadulisi specializes in one-of-a-kind hand-crafted pieces and groovy vintage items inspired by Native American culture, music, groupies of the 60s, rebels of the 70s, highway lovers, and far away places. I am always open to custom items or trade so don't hesitate to ask!" —Ashley Glynn, owner
Check out popular items related to Stevie on Etsy.
Kelly Graham Designs – Creations Forged from the Heart
"These unique bracelet cuffs and Crescent Moon and Pyramid pendant designs capture the ethereal magic of Stevie Nicks, the enchantress of song. Each are recreated with the likeness of Stevie Nicks' jewelry from the late 70's to early 80's time period, featuring the popular crescent moon and pyramid pendant necklaces!" —Kelly Graham, owner
Browse the wealth of Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac items on Amazon.com, the leader of online retail customer service.
CDJapan is a great place to shop for Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac music that is exclusively released in Japan, such as the 2013 Fleetwood Mac pre-1975 catalog reissues. Prices are reasonable and packages are securely shipped, typically arriving in less than one week.
"Our online shop is the best place to directly order the latest CDs, DVDs, and collectibles officially released in Japan. Working closely with the leading suppliers, we also strive to be the most comprehensive and reliable source of product information. Our goal is to offer a safe, convenient, and fun shopping experience." —CDJapan
Browse Stevie's digital catalog on iTunes.


text:
The world of property investing is vast and the emphasis these days, when it comes to property investing, is to secure positive cash-flow property rather than the out-dated negative gearing system. Many savvy investors now realise the false economy of saving some tax dollars while holding a property that is in effect costing you more than it is giving you.
Negative gearing eats up your cash reserves so you end up only being able to invest in maybe 2-3 properties plus your PPR (Principle Place of Residence). Then you find yourself in the unenviable position of being asset rich but cash poor AND looked upon poorly by the banks in regard to future property investing (esp if the banks also cross securitized) UNLESS you have a truly fabulous income coming in as well. This scenario is typical of property investors over the past 20 years, and many now find themselves having to wait for property values to increase significantly in order to gain access to greater equity in order to re-invest.
Cash-flow positive properties (via dual key occupancies, room-by-room rental and manufactured growth through renovating, granny flats, strata, subdividing and so on), allow the investor to access enough rental income to cover the mortgage cost, management fee and other associated costs. So in effect, the investor is only out of pocket for the 20% deposit and other associated purchasing costs for the property (and even less if it's a vendor finance scenario), and this allows them access to greater equity to then go on and invest in the next property.
Now is a great time to be investing in positive cash-flow property thanks to our ridiculously low interest rates here in Australia. Then, as the interest rates inevitably rise later on, so too will your monthly rental amounts, and over time, the value of the property will also rise, making it a great long term investment.
Nobody wants to buy a rogue property! This is the sort of property that appears fine on the outside, yet for some inexplicable reason, the tenants keep damaging the property and/or experiencing sudden chronic health issues and/or financial hardship which forces them to prematurely end the lease and move out. This is exactly what the savvy property investor wants to avoid. An empty property costs them money, and the longer it is empty, the more strain they will feel on their finances.
So, having a regular rental income flowing in from happy, healthy and financially secure tenants is very important for making a long term investment in positive cash-flow property work successfully for the property investor and this is where the application of classical xuan kong feng shui can help.
I can tell straight away if a particular property is more likely to be a major issue simply from the compass orientation of the building itself. Within the 360 degrees of the compass there are certain orientations that just scream "major issues likely due to blockage and confusion of qi"
Now if you're wondering what 'qi' is, the closest definition to describe it (to someone totally unfamiliar with feng shui and metaphysics in general) is living/transformative energy. It is the energy that connects and has the potential to transform all living and organic things (whether it's a person, a thought, an animal, mountain, river, mist, tree or rock) and it flows according to magnetic pathways within and above the earth as well as within meridian pathways inside your body. The quality and character of qi as it affects a particular building can be analysed via the surrounding landform, the construction/renovation history of the building and the precise compass orientation of the building itself.
The application of xuan kong fei xing/flying star feng shui in conjunction with analysing the effect of the surrounding landform allows me to assess potential issues that may be more likely to crop up. For example there are some energy combinations that indicate a much higher probability of theft in a particular location of a property. I recently did the feng shui for a home where this energy was very high in the client's garage. She had only moved in a year earlier and I asked her, "so what was stolen out of your garage?" She was gobsmacked and asked how on earth did I know about that? I explained it was the combination of location, surrounding landform and the fei xing that indicated a triptych effect of probability.
What I have found over the years is that when the probability of the fei xing is heightened by the annual energy also affecting the location plus the surrounding landform supports this effect – BINGO the event usually occurs within 6 months UNLESS you are aware of the probability and take the necessary steps to reduce its effect.
When looking at the investment potential of a commercial property, the application of xuan kong feng shui allows me to ascertain the type of clientele who would be more attracted to and better supported by the qi generated at the main entry to the business. In some cases, the energy may only suit a business specifically dealing in the health industry (ie pharmacy, medical practitioners and specialists etc) while for everyone else, the energy may continually and significantly drain the finances of the business. This knowledge is particularly handy when targeting your market for advertising, constructing or renovating business premises.
Sometimes, the process of renovating a business can dramatically alter the effect of the qi and I can tell you before-hand, what this effect will be, how it will affect the main entry and how to make the most of it in regard to your targeted future rental clientele.
Now some of you may be familiar with generalised concepts such as a fixed bagua map or compass map that asserts the SE sector and/or far left corner of a building automatically corresponds to the 'wealth' sector and thus needs a water feature and/or a 'money plant' to activate the wealth qi. This is a form of new age feng shui that was invented in America in the late 1970's and it unfortunately has very little to do with authentic xuan kong feng shui.
Over the past 15 years of my professional consulting business, I have lost count of the number of homes and business' I have come across that have experienced significant financial and/or health loss due to the naïve application of this process – ie adding a large water feature to the SE sector and/or far left hand corner of their home or property. The truth is, if it was really so very easy, surely EVERYONE would be millionaires by now!
Anyway, another handy tool xuan kong feng shui can provide the savvy property investor is Date Selection. Now this in itself ranges in complexity from simple 12 Day Officer and Dong Gong processes to the more advanced 4 Pillars, Xuan Kong Da Gua and Qi Men Dun Jia applications. Yes, some dates are deemed much better than others for signing contracts, starting your construction and renovations, meeting with your bank manager and potential joint venture partners and so on.
Wouldn't you like to have probability on your side when embarking on your property investment journey?
For those of you interested in cash-flow positive property investing, I recommend the teachings of the following individuals:Dymphna Boholt, Steve McNight, Ryan McLean, Robert Kiyosaki.
And finally, here are the 7 basic principles for building your wealth, as discussed in ''The Richest Man in Babylon'' (by George S. Clason):
What's Behind the Bedhead
Ideally, your bed should be placed in the bedroom so that both sides are accessible and there is a solid wall behind the bedhead. If there is a window behind the bedhead and you are unable to shift the bed to an alternative location, then draw the blind or curtains while sleeping.
From a psychological perspective, if your bedroom is located on the ground floor and you have an open window behind your bedhead, it places you in an uneasy position at night (esp if there is a road/walkway outside your window) where strangers could theoretically peak into your bedroom while you are sleeping.
Check for Electro Magnetic Radiation (EMR) in the wall behind the bedhead if there is an electricity meter box or any other large electrical appliance on the other side of the wall adjoining your bedhead location.
Is the wall behind your bedhead adjoining a kitchen, laundry or bathroom? If so, check not only for EMR but also for water pipes in the wall cavity behind the bedhead. No matter how wonderful the mountain star qi may look on paper when you draw up a fei xing (flying stars) natal chart for your home and bedroom, if there is interference within the wall via EMR or water pipes, the mountain star qi is disturbed and not supportive for your health while sleeping.
I once had a client whose elderly father had recently moved into her home and he was experiencing increased headaches and difficulty sleeping. When I examined the location we discovered he was being affected by a significant amount of EMR from the transformer of a large aquarium positioned on the other side of the wall. The only solution in this case was to relocate the bed away from that wall.
The mountain star qi residing in the wall behind your bedhead is very important from a feng shui perspective. If your personal ming gua (also known as your kua) qi does not communicate well with the inherent mountain star qi in the wall, then you will not be nurtured and supported while sleeping. If the mountain star qi you absorb from the wall behind the bedhead while sleeping is a negative (sha) qi and it also attacks your personal ming gua, then increased illness and misfortune in relationships is much more likely to manifest.
Your ming gua is calculated via your solar year of birth and gender and indicates which directions best support you in your work and study environment and which mountain star qi best supports your health and relationships while sleeping. The mountain star qi in the wall behind your bedhead is determined via the surrounding landform, time period of construction and facing orientation of your home.
If you're interested in learning more about your ming gua, mountain star qi and classical feng shui in general, I recommend reading: "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Feng Shui – Third Edition", by Elizabeth Moran, Master Joseph Yu and Master Val Biktashev.
Geopathic Stress
If after addressing all of the above, you still find you are not able to sleep properly, there is a possibility your bed may be affected by geopathic stress from underground water streams etc. Often if this is the case, there will be indications in the surrounding landform via trees with cancerous growths, hedges and/or sections of flora that simply will not grow, unusual ant trails, cracks in the ground etc. One thing you can try in this case (if you're not able to relocate the bed to another location) is to place cork tiles on the flooring under the bed to help insulate and reduce the effect felt when sleeping on the bed.
When asleep, your spiritual energy expands out from your head chakra and if confronted with the reflection from a mirror positioned on or near the bedhead you are more likely to experience disturbed sleep patterns and restlessness.
If you sleep in a room where exterior street lights or a night light shines in your bedroom while sleeping and the light is reflected and amplified in mirrors, the energy becomes yang/active in nature and can make it more difficult for you to maintain regular, deep sleep patterns. If this is the case, then relocate the mirror and/or close the curtain or blinds at night to make the room darker (more yin) while sleeping.
There is some conjecture that mirrors in the bedroom automatically equate to the risk of third party interference in the relationship. Personally I do not subscribe to this superstition. Strategically placed mirrors can open up a small room and give the illusion of additional space as well as reflecting aesthetically beautiful objects and interior design.
Overhead Beams
When lying in bed, look up and if you have a solid beam running across the bed on the ceiling above you, then the flow of qi above the bed is disrupted when it encounters the beam and this can affect relationship harmony over time. The solution is to move the bed or if this is not possible, then cover the beam with a false/dropped ceiling or fabric.
Doors and Hallways
If when sleeping in bed, there is an open door directly opposite the foot of the bed or an open door opposite the side of the bed and a corridor or hallway beyond the door, your sleep patterns will be disturbed by the flow of qi (transformative energy) travelling in a straight line along the hallway or corridor and entering via the open door. The simple solution is to close the door when sleeping.
Slanted Ceiling
If the ceiling above the bedhead is lower than the rest of the ceiling, then place lamps that shine light up towards the ceiling on either side of the bed and paint the ceiling a light white or cream colour to give the illusion of space and height.
Mould can trigger a wide variety of health issues ranging from sinus and respiratory concerns to inflammation, neurological issues and in some cases, chronic life-threatening illness through exposure to mycotoxins. Prolonged moisture provides the perfect environment for mould to manifest, so it pays to check for condensation and leaks in the ceiling, under the floor, in the walls, near pipes and in wet areas such as your kitchen, laundry and bathroom.
DO NOT try to remove mould with bleach because it doesn't actually kill it – it only colours it. For non-porous surfaces a combination of 80% white vinegar and 20% water in a spray bottle works best. For further information on where to look for mould and if you find it, how to deal with it, I recommend you read this great article by Nicole Bijlsma:
Advanced Feng Shui Formulae for the Bedroom
There are a variety of advanced feng shui formulae and applications to help attract romance, stimulate fertility and support health qi in the bedroom. The key to all these applications is in the action, location and timing. Sometimes it's a simple matter of placing a wood and water combination within your personal Peach Blossom location and other times you may be required to position your bed against a particular section of wall and make the bed with fresh new bed linen during a very specific time frame on a specific day according to Xuan Kong Da Gua or Qi Men Dun Jia.
It's important to remember that these types of advanced feng shui applications cover a third of your overall luck potential via your Earth Luck. Many of these formulae also take into consideration another third of your overall luck potential which is your Destiny Luck.
Your Destiny Luck (also known as Heaven Luck) refers to the time, place and circumstances of your birth which cannot be controlled. That being said, by examining your personal 4 pillars astrology, you can determine your general life path, major energy influences that have a higher probability of affecting you at particular times, your likely strengths and potential weaknesses, favourable elements and their associated colours, forms and so on.
The final third of your overall luck potential is known as your Mankind Luck. It refers to your subconscious beliefs and expectations, your personal choices, skills, education, values and virtues.
If you apply advanced feng shui formulae to increase the probability of attracting new love into your life, yet your subconscious beliefs and expectations around relationships is that all relationships are doomed, then you have in effect wiped out a third of your overall luck potential in this area.
If you are seeking significant change in your life and have struggled to successfully implement this change, then I recommend you read the following book: "The Winner's Bible: Rewire your Brain for Permanent Change" by Dr Kerry Spackman.
Finally, for those of you who assume the Southwest sector of your home or bedroom automatically corresponds to the so called "love" sector and should therefore be decorated in reds and pinks to attract romance, be warned that painting a wall red without first knowing the inherent fei xing (flying stars) feng shui actually affecting the space and surrounding land form can be a potentially dangerous thing to do.
The strongest health and relationship energy (from an authentic feng shui perspective) corresponds to the ruling mountain star energy during the current time period. So for example, while we are in the current Period of 8 (until 3 Feb 2024) the ruling mountain star energy is the mountain star 8. This will be located somewhere on your property depending on when the building was constructed and/or completely renovated and the compass orientation of the building. For some it may well be located in the Southwest sector, however for many it is not.
These days, the term feng shui usually evokes vague images of oriental new-age looking trinkets, a simplified map of life aspiration corners and lots of positive energy wrapped in lucky red envelopes. The new age approach to feng shui is a feel-good way to inspire positive thoughts and intentions, thus appealing to an individual's 'Mankind Luck' (ie the luck you make for yourself via personal choice and attitude).
New Age feng shui encompasses the use of a Bagwa Map which has set life aspiration corners depending on where the doorway into a house or room is located, or a simplified octagonal map showing the 8 compass directions which are then linked to various set life aspiration areas. New age feng shui (which originated around the 1970's and 1980's) has basically borrowed some generalised Trigram associations from the ancient practice of feng shui (originally known as Kan Yu) and has then invented and superimposed additional life aspiration names and associated symbols to various corners or compass sectors of your home via a map which is then used to target key areas in one's life (eg wealth corner, love corner, health corner etc).
This psychological and symbolic approach is simple, fun and helps focus the individual's intentions on specific aspirations and goals in life. It also has very little to do with the ancient practice of authentic classical feng shui, which encompasses 2 main compass-based methodologies known as San He (the study of mountains, natural water courses and landform) and San Yuan (the study of space according to cycles of time and magnetic orientation). Both the San He and San Yuan methods of feng shui incorporate the use of a Luo Pan Compass which measures the effects of qi (unseen vibrant/living energy) in and around a building in relation to the surrounding landform.
Feng Shui literally translates as 'wind / water' and relates directly to the concept that qi rides the wind (ie travels via unseen magnetic pathways) and can be dispersed by the wind, and retained by water. So, the feng shui ideal has always been to attract positive (sheng) qi via magnetic orientation, supportive landform and the careful placement of water and yang activity.
When examining a modern-day approach to the ancient practice of feng shui, I believe a 'current-age' methodology would be to combine the ancient study of Xuan Kong Fei Xing Pai (time space flying stars school) feng shui and San He Landform & Water Methods analysis with a greater understanding and appreciation for sustainable development. The whole underlying principle behind feng shui is, after all, to live in harmony with one's surroundings.
When planning a house site, one should approach the project with respect and acknowledgment of the land's natural contours, climate, habitat and resources. Prerequisites for a home should include that it lets in enough natural light, that it is well insulated, well ventilated, energy efficient, secure and supportive of the occupants and designed for the climate and terrain in which it is built. Ultimately, your home should feel like a sanctuary – somewhere to rest and recharge your internal energy reserves.
"Humans require natural views of plants and animals for mental and emotional health. Studies also suggest we need nature around us as a restorative and to stimulate our higher creative functions." (p115, "Architect's Guide to Feng Shui' by Cate Bramble, 2003, Architectural Press).
Xuan Kong Fei Xing (Flying Stars) feng shui addresses the unseen energy fields around us and helps orientate the occupants within a dwelling so they are sleeping in a positively energised location with favourable mountain energy in the wall behind their bedhead (which is also supported via raised landform in the external environment), thus benefiting the health and relationship harmony of the household, while also attracting positive water energy to exterior doorways, windows and active living areas in conjunction with water features placed in precise magnetic locations which benefit the occupant's abundance potential.
Electromagnetic radiation is a current phenomenon which should also be addressed in each household. I once came across a client whose bedhead was so close to a large transformer and electricity meter box servicing the block of units in which she lived, that she could actually hear the electricity humming in the wall behind her while sleeping in bed at night. It was literally placed just on the other side of the wall, directly in line with her head while sleeping. Many people don't realise EMR (electromagnetic radiation) can easily travel through a brick wall unless there is some sort of magnetic shielding in place. This client had a metal frame bed, and it didn't take a rocket scientist to hypothesize her continued headaches and inability to sleep might just have a connection to the high level of EMR around her bedhead. She innocently asked me if hanging a crystal above the bed would help. Apparently she'd read this bit of advice in a new age book. I recommended she completely move the bed to another room or at least to the opposite side of the room.
Dr Bill Wolverton is a retired NASA scientist who discovered certain indoor plants can be used to help clear the air of toxins such as trichloroethylene, xylene, formaldehyde, benzene and ammonia – all chemicals found in common household cleaning agents and/or emitted from photocopiers and various other appliances frequently used in offices. Of course, the first objective is to live and/or work in an environment where you can actually open the windows and allow fresh air to circulate throughout the space via cross ventilation on a regular basis. A house with closed windows and doors due to continual air conditioning can lead to health problems due to lack of fresh air (esp if the air conditioning unit is not properly maintained with the filters being cleaned regularly).
It is more difficult to energise positive water star energy from a feng shui perspective if all the doors and windows are regularly kept closed, because water star energy literally needs an open exterior door or window to initially flow into your home on a regular basis. It can gradually enter your home via travelling through glass, brick and mortar etc, however the energy is greatly depleted via this route and by the time it then enters your home, it is not nearly as potent and useable as it could otherwise be.
So, back to the 'new age' versus 'current age' concept. Rather than simply placing a 3 legged toad near your doorway or in the far left hand corner of the room or the Southeast sector to represent money luck, (as per new age symbolic feng shui guidelines), you'll achieve far better results by placing an exterior doorway or window that is frequently opened and located in a water star 8 or 9 location according to the xuan kong feng shui natal chart of your home. This location also responds particularly well to a body of active water, thus retaining the positive qi. You could even tie in your mankind luck with the actual feng shui of the building by placing your positive aspiration object (ie the 3 legged toad or whatever else represents abundance to you) in this location.
And as for the concept of 'decluttering' which appears in many new age feng shui books, my approach is to be practical, and to stop obsessing about continual tidiness. Obviously, it is better to avoid having a house full of decomposing mess that can contribute to allergies, mould and mildew, and from a psychological point of view, a chronically cluttered and disorganised interior will often signal occupants who are not coping well with life in general. My home is not always tidy - with 3 kids that's impossible! But it is welcoming, warm and comfortable. From a decluttering perspective, it is advisable to make sure favourable water star energy is not blocked from entering the building via external or internal clutter or closed rooms that are unused, yet contain the most beneficial and as yet wasted energy.
I regularly encourage clients to create a positive internal pathway of energy within their home or office by first walking to the water star 8 abundance location of the building, opening an exterior doorway or window or placing a fountain or moving object in that favourable sector and absorbing the positive qi, before then walking throughout the home or office, thus carrying and distributing the positive energy throughout the building. The more you do this, the more you can positively energise your living or work environment.
(Feng Shui Article by Derelle Ball www.fengshui1689.com providing Feng Shui Consultations for Brisbane, Cleveland, Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast QLD
Let Derelle enhance the nurturing potential of your home with an On-Site Residential Feng Shui Consultation.
"The nameless is the beginning of Heaven and Earth. The named is the mother of all things." (Tao Te Ching - Lao Zi, Chapter 1)
The term ''Ba Gua'' means ''8 Symbols'' and refers to 8 Trigrams which are made up of sequences of three lines (solid and/or broken) placed in a vertical row, one on top of the other. When the Trigrams are combined (ie doubled), they become 8 x 8 different combinations known as Hexagrams, which are explored in detail within the 'I-Ching' (also known as the 'Yijing' or 'Book of Changes'), which originated around 2205B.C.E. The meanings associated with the 64 Hexagram combinations provide a blue print for exploring and understanding the various underlying patterns and cycles in nature and the unseen energy forces around us.
"The broken and unbroken lines correspond to the dots and dashes of the binary code exactly .... Scientists have also discovered that the 64 Hexagrams of the I Ching correspond to the 64 DNA genetic code that are the basis of all life on the planet. It is thus possible that in the I Ching lie the hidden meanings to life's existence." (Flying Star Feng Shui for the Master Practitioner, 2002 by Lillian Too, p10)
Trigrams are the foundation of yin and yang philosophy with the Qian Trigram (made up of 3 solid lines) representing Heaven/Yang qi and the Kun Trigram (made up of 3 broken lines) representing Earth/Yin qi.
There are 2 sequences of the 8 Trigrams used in xuan kong feng shui - the Xian Tian Ba Gua and the Hou Tian Ba Gua, which are used to observe the cyclic interaction of yin and yang qi and determine how the movement of qi affects people.
"When the world began, there was Heaven and Earth. Heaven mated with the Earth and gave birth to everything in the world" (King Wen, Zhou Dynasty, 1122-256 BC).
For many people in the western world the term ''Bagua'' is known for having 8 specific Life Aspiration labels that correspond to various directions and elements. This concept was invented in America around the late 1970's and has been simplified even further to a ''Fixed Bagua Map'' which no longer includes any actual directional aspect, other than being orientated from an external doorway leading into a building and/or the doorway leading into internal rooms.
Many clutter busters, space clearers and interior designers incorporate this simplified 8 Aspiration Fixed Bagua concept into their work and automatically label it Feng Shui. So, it is then assumed for example, the North sector and/or the front centre section of any home, business or internal room automatically corresponds to the "Career" location. This method then automatically allocates the water element to this area and dictates you can improve your ''Career Luck'' by decorating with a water feature and also by nurturing the water element with metal element colours and forms in conjunction with placing a plethora of symbolic objects in this location to support "Career Luck" for all the occupants living or working in the building.
And here is the problem - you see this is not authentic Classical Feng Shui, but rather a fun, quick fix, easy to apply, one size fits all approach that corresponds very much to an individual's Mankind Luck (ie the individual's personal aspirations). The westernized new age quick fix simplified Bagua approach does not address the inherent qi (living/transformative energy) of the surrounding land form, (which corresponds to your ''Earth Luck'' and has the greatest impact on the actual Feng Shui affecting any building) or the time period of construction and compass orientation of the building itself, which reveals the internal flow of qi affecting the occupants.
Note: the concept of Qi itself is a very complicated and fascinating topic and while in this article I refer to Qi as 'living/transformative energy' this is the most simple identifier of Qi in the english language although in reality it falls far short of the myriad of complex meaning behind the multi-layered concept of Qi. This link provides a more detailed description of Qi by Howard Choy (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DlYfBAO8Tw&t=1s).
While applying the new age 8 Aspiration Bagua Methods to their home or business, most people feel empowered that they are affecting positive change in their life. This is great as long as they realise they are focusing positive energy on their individual Mankind Luck when doing so (ie their internal qi which corresponds to their personal aspirations, goals, intentions, education, values and desires in life), however they are NOT addressing the actual Feng Shui because this method does not examine the actual flow of energy and unseen forces actually affecting the building.
Classical Feng Shui examines the macro and micro Earth qi (ie external environment as well as inside a building) in order to determine who is being affected by what type of energy, where it is occurring, what the most likely result will be and how to balance, retain, protect and harmonise this energy flow inside and outside so the building is fundamentally nurturing its occupants.
Xuan Kong Da Gua is a specialised branch of Feng Shui that allows the practitioner to further fine tune nurturing potential and synchronicity of the qi affecting a home and/or business in conjunction with specific periods in time and the inter-relation this has on the Hexagrams of the individual's day and year Gua according to their date of birth. This method is great for fine tuning the strategic placement and activation of water features, internal office furniture orientations, activating for fertility and so on.
Many Classical Feng Shui practitioners examine the 4 Pillars astrology of their clients and address the inherent strengths and weaknesses, character traits, clashes and combinations of qi and periods of time deemed most favourable to them personally. This astrological practice examines the individual's Heaven Luck which cannot be changed, however it can be navigated with advice given in regard to which area of their life is currently affected in a potentially positive or negative way and recommendations on how to better deal with and approach the peaks and troughs in their life accordingly.
Space clearing is a wonderful practice for addressing built-up energy or energy voids lingering inside and around a building via the residual interaction of people via arguments, sickness, unhealthy pastimes, depression, predecessor/ghostly phenomena in conjunction with an assessment of underlying qi affecting the building via the surrounding landform.
Now, for those who want to practice the simplified new age 8 Aspiration Bagua Methods to their home or business, I strongly recommend you avoid painting walls red (eg DO NOT assume the SW sector and/or far right corner of the building or internal room automatically benefits your love and relationships by adding large amounts of fire element colour) and avoid using large water features (eg DO NOT assume you are automatically enhancing your abundance luck by placing a large fountain in the SE sector and/or far left corner of the building or internal room). For some homes, this may be fine, however for others it could be rather disastrous.
The reason I give you these 2 specific pieces of advice is because in the 18 plus years I have been practicing Classical Feng Shui professionally and full time, I have repeatedly come across heart breaking examples where people did add a red wall or a large water feature to their home/property according to the simplified 8 Aspiration Bagua methods which soon resulted in devastating consequences.
For example, the case where a lady painted the walls of her SW sector bedroom red in the hope of stimulating enhanced love energy with her partner. Soon after the colour change her partner hung himself in their bedroom.
I was asked to visit this home around a year after the tragic incident had occurred, and I had no idea about the history of the occupants when I arrived. According to a Classical San He and Fei Xing/Flying Star Feng Shui assessment of the home and surrounding landform, there was sha (negative) external mountain qi affecting the SW sector, the internal energy in the SW sector was inherently negative and needed a LOT of protective metal element and the room required regular access to the ruling 8 energy (which was currently blocked). I told the client the red walls in the SW sector of her home were potentially quite dangerous and should be replaced as soon as possible with metal element colour and forms, recommended a different bed orientation to draw in more supportive qi for her Ming Gua and advised screening of the negative landform outside the bedroom window. At this point of the consultation the client burst into tears and explained what had happened shortly after painting her SW sector bedroom walls red in the hope of attracting more love qi according to the 8 Aspiration Bagua compass method. She tragically lost her partner, fell into severe depression and had been suffering ongoing abdominal issues.
Of course, this could all merely be coincidence and I did not examine the 4 Pillars astrology of her former partner's birth chart, however the negative energy created by the surrounding landform and addition of fire element to the SW sector of this specific home is exactly what the Classical Feng Shui analysis indicated.
A second example is the case of an affluent client who lived in a West facing home with the main entry located in the Northwest sector. According to the Fei Xing/Flying Star Feng Shui natal chart of the building, the main entry was very positive for the client and her family because it generated the ruling 8 qi in the water star, so I advised adding a beautiful water feature to the Ming Tang in this location and positioned it according to 9 Star Water Method which supported a Ju Men water dragon for enhanced income luck. This worked VERY well for them.
Then in early 2006 I heard back from the client asking if I could advise about putting a pool in the West sector of their property. I strongly advised against putting a pool in the West sector of their property because it would unbalance the inherent qi and increase the probability of significant money loss due to legal problems, theft and deception. I emphasized the fact that the annual 5 Yellow energy was currently affecting the West sector of their property and if they chose to ignore my advice, the inherent negative flying star combination, negative surrounding landform feature in this sector of the property, plus the trigger of excavating and adding a large body of water to the West sector that year would greatly increase the probability of severe financial loss and legal problems affecting the occupants.
Of course, the West sector at the front of their home theoretically corresponded to the ''Career'' location according to the Fixed 8 Aspiration Bagua method and the West sector is known as the ''Children and Creativity" location which corresponds to Metal and is in harmony with Water according to the Compass version of the new age 8 Aspirations Bagua method.
I next heard from the client around 7 months later. She was in tears and re-read my recommendations back to me over the phone in ironic hind-sight and confessed they had decided to ignore my advice and had dug up the West sector and installed the pool. Since then, her husband's work place had unexpectedly gone bankrupt and he was left holding the blame as one of the financial advisors, while the CEO had fled the country. Their bank accounts were frozen and they were faced with a lengthy court case and terrible emotional and financial stress.
I have many other examples of negative repercussions occurring to the client's health and/or finance qi when adding a large body of water or painting a large area red in their home according to the new age 8 Aspirations Bagua methods, so like I said earlier, it's fine to use this method with positive symbols and linking them to your intentions as per your Mankind Luck, just don't confuse the issue and assume you are also addressing the actual Feng Shui of your home or business in the process.
Let Derelle enhance the nurturing potential of your home with an On-Site Residential Feng Shui Consultation.


text:
Technology can get very, well, technical. Check out these success stories to understand how our clients are using technology to grow their businesses.
MarketReach, Inc
"I hate technology!" Amanda admitted, which I thought was cool because she probably hears from her customers a lot, "I hate cold calling." Most people don't like to do it and that is where her company can make a big impact.
I appreciate Amanda's honesty and her approach that allows team members from MarketReach and Technical Adventures to work together to find the best solutions. Read more.
The Little Gym of Montclair, NJ
At The Little Gym they don't use much paper. The franchise headquarters has developed an original and proprietary program, the Operations Management System, which provides the ability to track all of the day-to-day operations such as registrations, payments, and attendance. This tool can also output more than 20 critical reports that help Lori manage and grow her business.
As a franchise owner, Lori accesses this system via an online portal which houses essential information on all aspects of the business, including curriculum, training, marketing and business operations. Lori said "We are accessing the portal all the time. Without access to the system it would be a lot harder to operate."
In the lobby, they have wireless access so parents can get online if needed, while their child is in class. The wireless password when I visited: SeriousFun. Read more.
Interested in finding out what solutions are available? Contact us to learn more about using technology to grow your business.


text:
Raun Family History
14-Day Free Trial
Raun Name Meaning
Irish: variant of Rowan. German and Danish: habitational name from a place so named near Plauen, eastern Germany. Danish: nickname from ravn 'raven'.
Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press
Similar surnames: Rain, Daun, Rauen, Rau, Hain, Rawn, Raum, Braun, Laun, Rahn


text:
Are you looking for Guitar lessons in Pukekohe and Franklin?
Perrin Guitar Tuition is a guitar school located in South Auckland specialising in teaching acoustic, electric, bass, classical guitar and ukelele. We can also teach vocal with these instruments.
Want to build a broad foundation of skills, or just learn your favourite songs? Perrin Guitar Tuition can help reach your goals at a pace that is right for you.
Please search the website to find more information on our guitar school.
Perrin Guitar Tuition - "Teaching and Sharing the Gift of Music."


text:
The River Moy
The Moy rises at the foot of the Ox Mountains in County Sligo and flows approximately 110 km (68 miles) in a south westerly direction passing into County Mayo before turning north and flowing through the town of Ballina until it reaches the Atlantic Ocean at Killala Bay. The brown trout (Salmo trutta) or Breac Donn (Gaelic) is a native Irish species and the most widely distributed freshwater fish in Ireland. It thrives in waters of all types, from small mountain streams to broad limestone rivers and loughs. It's main requirements are clean water and gravel in which to spawn.
Trout Fly Fishing in Lough Talt and Lough Easkey
Lough Talt is a very picturesque lake of about 200 acres located in the foothills of the Ox mountains. The R294 Ballina – Tubbercurry road runs right along the northeast shoreline, making is easily accessible. Boats can be launched from the jetty just of the road. It can also be fished from the shore, which is solid and accessible. The trout here range from ¼ – ¾ lbs with the occasional pounder. They are free rising and numerous, making it an ideal location for the young or inexperienced angler.
Lough Easky lies high in the Ox Mountains in Co. Sligo and is over 100 acres in area
The open season for salmon is from 1 February to 30 September; Seatrout, 1 February to 12 October; Brown trout, from 15 February to 12 October.
The lough lies along the road which runs across the mountain from Dromore West on the Sligo-Ballina road to Mullaney's Cross on the Cloonacool-Ballina road. There is no boat, but there is plenty of shore fishing and the safest place to fish is along the road on the east side. However, many consider that the west side gives by far the better fishing, though the walking is difficult and even dangerous in places. The brown trout are small – about three to the pound – but free-rishing, and the seatrout that get up there about August average ¾lb with some better fish. Some anglers claim that the lough holds a stock of large ferox trout, but none has ever been caught. What these anglers saw humping in the ripple were most likely salmon which enter the lough in high water and can be taken on fly or spinner at the mouth of the river which enters at the south-east corner.
Permission: Free
Season: February 15th to September 30th
Methods: All legal methods are permitted, but wetfly fishing appears to be most productive. Favorite flies include, Black pennell, Bibio, Claret & Mallard, Sooty olive, Connemara black, Daddy and Green peter, all in sizes 10 – 12.
Deep Sea, Reef, Sand Angling and Blue Shark Fishing
Takes place between the months of August and October.
Sligo Bay provides good varied ground for about 30+ species being caught including mackerel, pollack, coalfish, red, grey and tub gurnard, ballan and cuckoo wrasse, dogfish, cod, pouting, whiting, ling, ray, plaice, sole, skate, tope and blue shark. Trips can either visit the local reefs and fishing marks, drift for game or anchor on some of the local sandbanks to try for something different like tope or flatties!!
Features include:
- Group and individual rates for full day, half day and evening trips.
- Large parties can be accommodated by splitting groups between local boats.
- Reduced rates for children.
- The various tackles, lures and equipment required for each species are available for hire on board (Shark rods and reels at extra cost).
For bookings and contact details: Ewing Sea Angling & Boat Charters, Rosses Point, Co. Sligo.
Tel No: +353 86 891 3618
email: firstname.lastname@example.com
web: www.sligoboatcharters.com
Salmon and Sea Trout Fishing
With a huge network of rivers and loughs, Ireland is the one of the few last refuges for wild salmon and sea trout attracting anglers back year after year. Salmon and sea trout anglers can use a wide range of methods including, bait, spinning and fly fishing to pursue their quarry.
Fishery Regulations
- Inland Fisheries Ireland reserves the right to change or introduce regulations and revise tariffs without notice.
- All anglers must be in possession of a current state salmon rod licence, tags and log book when fishing.
- Permits must be purchased before fishing.
- Failure to produce your licence and permit (2 & £) on demand may lead to an on the spot fine or prosecution.
- Permits are not refundable or transferable (Named angler only).
- All anglers are required to make a catch/no catch/return on the form provided with their permit and place in the catch return box after fishing or return to Tiernan Brothers.
- The use of prawn/shrimp as bait is strictly prohibited.
- All anglers must access the fishery at designated access points only. Keep to th river bank, use stiles and paths and must not park in front of gates, leave gates open, cause damage, discard litter, fishing lines or hooks.
- All anglers are required to keep a respectable distance from the next angler and fish pools in rotation.
- Juveniles must be accompanied on the fishery by an adult with a valid permit.
- Fishing restricted to the hours 6 am to dark (Daylight Hours Only)
- Fishing off the railway bridge is strictly prohibited.
- Only one salmon (any size) or sea trout (over 40 cm) may be retained on a one day licence.
State Licences
N.B. All anglers must be in possession of a current state salmon rod licence, tags and a log book when fishing. Failure to produce these on demand may lead to an on the spot fine or prosecution. Licences may be purchased from Inland Fisheries Ireland or from local tackle shops.
Nearest Tackle shop for Fishing Licenses, Permits and Equipment from Haggart Lodge is:
Tiernan Brothers,
Angling Centre & Fishing Tackle Suppliers,
Co. Mayo.
Tel No: +353 (0)94 92 56731
email: firstname.lastname@example.com
web: www.themoy.com
Licence Type: Price:
A – (Annual) ….. 100.00 euro
B – (District) ….. 56.00 euro
R – (21 Day)…….. 40.00 euro
P – (Juvenile)…….10.00 euro
S – (One Day)……. 20.00 euro
Please note:
When fishing our bog rivers and lakes, a good pair of rubber knee-high or hip boots or waders are essential. We also recommend a good rain jacket and warm sweater on wet or windy days. Polarized fishing glasses and a hat are required for both safety and better visibility. Lough fishing requires warm clothing, raingear, a hat and fishing glasses.
The ghillie will provide the legally required life jacket. We also recommend taking a warm sweater or fleece in the event the wind kicks up, which is very likely.
For further information check out the Inland Fisheries of Ireland
website www.fishinginireland.info or contact their offices located in Ballina, Co. Mayo.
Inland Fisheries Ireland –
Abbey Street,
Co. Mayo.
Tel No: +353 96 227 88
email: email@example.com
To get the best of the fishing on the loughs one needs a boat to cover them properly and the services of an angling guide are invaluable. For example Lough Corrib is 27 miles long and 6.3 miles wide at its widest point, with a surface area of some 70 sq miles. It would take several life times to fully familiarise yourself with this area of water. Guides and boat hire are available . Contact Tiernans in foxford for further information on boat hire.
Climate and Weather Forecasts
Ireland has a temperate climate, with rain falling throughout the year. As a rule of thumb, the further west one goes the wetter it gets. This rainfall leads to excellent conditions for salmon and sea trout but also means that the angler should pay close attention to local weather forecasts prior to fishing. At all times the fishing will depend to some extent on prevailing weather, water levels, barometric pressure and temperature. Most Irish rivers and loughs are subject to seasonal rhythms of high and low water. The high winds of spring and autumn can render boat fishing on the bigger loughs unsafe for short periods. If going afloat on one of the large Irish loughs it is essential to get a weather forecast and plan the day accordingly.
For uptodate weather information check out:
Irish Meteorologist Services: www.met.ie
RTE Radio and Television: www.rte.ie
Met Eireann Weaterdial Services ( Premium rates apply)
West and Northwest of Ireland dial 1550 123 852
In the interest of safety, anglers are advised to take special care when fishing. The following guidelines should be adhered to at all times. Whether bank fishing, wading or fishing from a boat, anglers should always wear a Personal Flotation Device. Anglers should take care on slippery banks and rocks. Use a wading staff for support and for locating hidden hazards. Care should be taken when casting, particularly when back casting.
For further information on any of the above please contact Maeve at Haggart Lodge.
Accommodation packages available for Anglers,
Bed, Breakfast, Packed Lunch and Evening Meal.


text:
Article content
After a wide-ranging National Geographic investigation put his claims to a record-breaking Antarctica crossing under a cloud, explorer Colin O'Brady has penned a 16-page letter to the magazine demanding a full retraction of the article.
O'Brady, a 34-year-old adventurer from Portland, Oregon, made global headlines in 2018 when he beat U.K. man Louis Rudd, 49, across Antarctica by two days. The pair were competing to be the first to cross the frozen continent (1,500 kilometres) unassisted, on skis. O'Brady was the relative novice of the pair, but still handily beat Rudd's time, making the trip in 54 days.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
Explorer Colin O'Brady hits back at Nat Geo article that questioned Antarctica feat, demands retraction Back to video
But last week, the magazine explored a host of doubts that have gradually crept in, especially in elite athlete circles, about O'Brady's feat. In a piece published on Feb. 3, National Geographic said that what O'Brady had done — and written about in a best-selling book, 'The Impossible First' — didn't really add up.


text:
Volunteering may be one of the best things you could do! If you have a couple of hours to spare, there are so many opportunities to volunteer across Sefton. Check out Volunteer Centre Sefton website to find out how you can get involved.
Not sure how you'd like to volunteer? There are so many ways that you can make a difference, whether it be to a youngster, an entitre community or even the whole of Sefton!
Sefton CVS manage the Volunteer Centre Sefton and it's a great resource to find out more about what opportunities are out there.
Volunteering can also help you to improve your health and wellbeing, gain new skills, and meet new people. So why wait? Volunter in one of our amazing sectors today:
Interested in mentoring youngsters?
You could be part of our Aiming High Sefton Volunteer Programme and help to make a difference to a young person's life.
Voluntering with our team will help disabled youngsters have fun in an inclusive setting throughout Sefton!
We are seeking more volunteer helpers for our various programme for disabled children and teenagers.
There are several opportunities throughout Sefton in various leisure centres, after school, holiday schemes and youth clubs.
This is a great opportunity and if you're interested, simply call our Aiming High Team on 0151 288 6810.


text: Call me an old lady but I've been a National Trust Member for 2 years now and I love it. National Trust have such lovely decorations and events on all year round but Christmas is something special. Although the weather isn't the warmest right now to say the least, there is something about walks in the winter that I really like, the cold air is so refreshing. I've always loved winter so I like to make the most of it especially the festive season (which in my books starts the second Halloween ends ;). The National Trust have loads of grounds, houses and even castles all over the country so its worth looking up where they are near you, or making a little day out of it and go on a road trip somewhere new. These photos were taken in Polsden Lacey, which is a beautiful place to visit the house and grounds are so nice, the last time I went to Polsden was in the summer which is a perfect time to visit as they have places to sit and the gardens to wander around. But seeing as its December now it wasn't exactly warm enough to sit down outside so we had a walk around with a hot chocolate and then went into the house to see all the gorgeous Christmas decorations.


text:
Oil is around $55 a barrel, which is what I predicted for the end of 2006, I was off by a couple of days.
OPEC threatens to cut production. Surprise. I still say that $60 a barrel is 1) not realistic due to the fact that it will be hundreds of years before oil supply is really threatened, plenty to go around and 2) not sustainable on the world market for too long.
They are building a top heavy house with their policies. Now it is good in some ways because we do not want the prices to just crash. Give the market a little time to diversify their investments and gently ease the prices down to about $35 a barrel, which would be a reasonable price.
Unfortunately we know that would be bad for alternative energy. Why? because the general public will be able to drive their vehicles rather cheaply again and will use the extra money to buy fast food rather than pay off their bills. Due to that, not as many politicians will continue to push for a more expensive in the short term solution to the problem of dependence on oil imports.
In other news, it is going to be almost 80 degrees in NC this Saturday. Time to dust off the Carolina Rollergirls tight tank top and my soccer short.
|technorati tags: alternative energy, energy, Wal-mart, Iran, politics, OPEC, oil


text:
It shouldn't come as a surprise to these interested to observe satellite tv for pc TV on computer systems that there are already millions doing so. Billions of video streams are watched each single day and people are getting used to watching leisure media utilizing their PCs online. Not only does this method provide you with the chance to look at satellite tv for pc TELEVISION from a distant place while you're shifting round, it additionally lets you use it as a further tuner in your individual house. The satellite company will use this satellite to broadcast their TELEVISION companies to each one, residence or household which has a transparent view of the sky facing south.
Typically costs of satellite tv for pc tv may be very aggressive, many instances it prices decrease then a comparable quantity of channels with the local digital cable provider. Similarly, Latin America's dependence on satellite tv is limited to the Latin-based satellite tv for pc system, SKY Latin America, in Brazil and Mexico, and DirecTV Latin America in the rest of the South American international locations.
Many viewers did not want to lose access to their local tv stations in order that they paid just a few more bucks to the local cable television firm. I chose the Satellite tv for pc TELEVISION for PC Elite Version as it supplies an unbelievable variety of channels (over 3000) and I can use it wherever on the earth, which is ideal as I travel rather a lot. Whilst you can watch satellite tv for pc TELEVISION totally free utilizing this technique, the tools shouldn't be exactly cheap and the set up will be slightly difficult.
If that irks you, you'll be relieved to know that you can watch satellite tv for pc TELEVISION online identical to many others without satellite dish system. However you should also remember that apart from utilizing this technique, there's a revolutionary technique to observe satellite TV which is utilizing COMPUTER satellite TV software. The satellite TV software program is on the market and conveniently downloadable for less than $50.
A Colorado-based company says about 600,000 individuals have scanned its satellite photographs for clues to the destiny of a Malaysia Airlines jetliner that disappeared on Saturday. There isn't a Metro reaching Ciudad Satelite due to this fact one of the best ways to reach is by Bus or Microbus that depart from Metro stations Chapultepec station (Line 1, pink), Rosario (Traces 6: Crimson and seven: orange) or Cuatro Caminos (also referred to as Toreo) (Line 2, blue).


text:
Question: I remember a show from the '80s called Throb. It was about a mother who goes to work for a record company. I don't remember the star of the show, but I do recall a young Jane Leeves as a character called Blue. Am I nuts or was this a show? It may have been syndicated. Thanks.
Answer: It was indeed syndicated, Melissa. Throb, 48 episodes of which were produced from 1986-88, starred Diana Canova, veteran of Soap and I'm a Big Girl Now (a short-lived sitcom in which she played Danny Thomas' daughter).
The sitcom, the title of which sounds more like the setup for a South Park episode than an actual series, revolved around Canova's single-mom character Sandy, who took a new job at Manhattan-based Throb Records as the series began. Her boss was the libidinous Zach (Jonathan Prince) and her best pal was teacher Meredith (Fridays' Maryedith Burrell).
As you say, Frasier's Leeves played punk Blue, a coworker of Sandy's at Throb (and later in the series, her roommate). While Canova played the nymphomaniac Corinne on Soap, Sandy was far more straitlaced, so Leeves' talent-coordinator Brit took up the lusty slack with her promiscuous doings. It's worth noting, however, that with the show's second season, Blue changed her ways after going for an AIDS test. "We have a large young audience," supervising producer Fredi Towbin told TV Guide at the time. "And I feel we have a strong responsibility to them."


text:
The holidays are coming! What a great time of year: the many family get-togethers and parties, the decorations, the season's music, the anticipation. But with all the good comes some holiday hazards to be aware of.
We love to decorate our homes during this time of year and that can include seasonal plants. Holly, mistletoe and Jerusalem cherry plants are all considered potentially poisonous. Common symptoms when ingested can include rashes, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. On the positive side, a common holiday plant with an undeserved reputation as poisonous is Poinsettias. While we don't want anyone adding Poinsettias to holiday salads, we don't expect any harm if a child does explore the plant and gets a bite or two of the leaves. Also safe, if you have a natural tree, are the pines and spruce trees. The needles can be irritating due to their shape, but generally the plants are not toxic.
In some cases, it is the decorations themselves that present the risk, especially the bubble lights and globes. Bubble lights can contain methylene chloride which is highly toxic and the globes may contain glycols. Snow sprays may also be harmful if they are used improperly because of the aerosol propellants.
Holiday parties also present a couple risks. Many parents host holiday parties where alcohol is served. Children may not recognize if the holiday eggnog or punch is spiked. Small children may imitate adults they see drinking and want some, too. Alcohol affects children much more quickly than adults for several reasons, including their small body size. Even small amounts of alcohol can be dangerous for children. Alcohol can drop kids' blood sugar levels to dangerous lows, which can cause coma or death.
The holidays always include food and food poisoning is another potential holiday hazard. Generally, good food safety is enough: washing hands, utensils, dishes and anything else that comes in contact with raw meat, including poultry and fish, and raw eggs before and after use. Don't contaminate a serving dish with raw meat. Store leftovers properly and heat them thoroughly before serving.
One big risk happens on the day the presents come out. Many of today's toys contain small, disc-shaped batteries called button batteries. Every year, poison centers treat more than 2000 children under 5 years old after they ingest these small batteries. Be sure to supervise young children when they play with toys that have button batteries.
So enjoy the holidays and if you have small children in the home, remember that their wonderful curious nature may sometimes get them into trouble. If you have questions call Nationwide Children's Hospital's Central Ohio Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222. You will get an expert 24/7, even on Christmas. Save the number in your cell phone or call for a free magnet with the poison center number and an information packet how to poison proof your home.


text:
Duffel Bags
Tote Bags
Messenger Bags
Dopp kit available in canvas. Trimmed with Italian leather. Roomy interior with multiple slip pockets and wipeable lining. Exterior has 1 zipper pocket and a side handle. 10 1/2" X 5 1/2" X 5"
• Italian Leather Accents.
• Multiple slip pockets
• Wipeable lining.
• Signature Orange Lining
• One exterior zipper pocket
• Side handle.
Our canvas has a texture of 3x3s, weight 16oz in plain with.
It is strong and durable. Also, energy-saving and environmental protection.
10 1⁄2" x 5 1⁄2" x 5"


text:
The more my awareness expands, the more I perceive that every human being is exactly where they need to be in who they are, otherwise, they would not be who they are and where they are at. They would be you or me or not on Earth at all.
From my experience incarnating into human form, we, while in our soul state, create and choose the physical body we will be in a for a lifetime for the specific purpose of expanding our soul's awareness. How we expand our soul's awareness is up to us, the human, as we are given free will by our soul to conduct our lives in the goal of soul awareness expansion. So, we are exactly who we need to be as who we are reflects the current state of our soul's awareness. Why is this significant?
This is extremely significant because everyone is on the right path for themselves and if need be, the soul will assist the human in achieving the needed soul expansion in a lifetime by getting the attention of the human in some traumatic way depending on how open and aware the human is for soul growth. I know how this operates in life as I have seen soul growth in myself and others. An example of soul growth in myself was coming to a place of greater self-worth after I became aware of my psychic, intuitive powers and realized they were a strength and not a weakness. I was able to surmount society's misguided notion that being an Empath was weird, evil, satanic, queer, crazy, etc. I discovered that the really insane people were the ones who were not in touch with their souls.
The other reason I value this awareness that everyone is exactly who they need to be is that it helped me to be much, much less judgmental of people. I saw that everyone is who they need to be because they chose who they are. They are who they are because that's the awareness they are right now and they are on both a soul path and Cosmic journey like everyone else. Whether they achieve their soul
awareness expansion in a given life is up to them. There is no need for teaching them, instructing them, etc. unless they, themselves seek the teaching. I am not people's parent and I see their life's mission as their responsibility, not mine. I sought direction to get out of low self-worth and so can they. They may or may not be ready to hear the truth. I respect that in them and I wish them well. They are their own savior.
When I now encounter people, I am calm in the knowledge that they are on task in being who they are whether I like it or not. They are exactly who they need to be. No need to want to change or fix them unless they reach out in earnest to find out how to expand their soul's awareness.
"If it's to be, it's up to me."


text:
We're proud to be building a world-class machine learning company in one of the country's most desirable regions: North Carolina's Research Triangle. There's a reason companies like Amazon and Apple are seriously thinking about moving to the neighborhood.
Here are a few reasons why we love it here – and why we think you will, too:
Low Cost of Living
In our hometown of Durham, you can get a two-bedroom apartment for $850 a month. And you can buy a three-bedroom home for just over $220,000.
Compare that to equivalent housing costs in Seattle ($2,100 to rent, $550,000 to buy), Brooklyn ($2,700 to rent, $1M to buy), or San Francisco, ($3,500 to rent, $1M to buy).
Affordable housing contributes to an enormous cost of living advantage for our team. As of this writing, the cost of living is over 60% higher in Seattle and nearly 100% higher in Brooklyn or San Francisco.
And by the way – when a 2018 poll found that almost half (!) of Bay Area residents plan to move somewhere else, the number one cited reason was – you guessed it – housing.
Check out NerdWallet's cost of living calculator and run the numbers for your own city.
Highly-Ranked Quality of Life
The best US city for millennials? Durham, NC.
One of the best places to retire? Raleigh-Durham, NC.
If we're making an impression on both ends of the spectrum, we're clearly doing something right.
And we're not just in the running for Amazon's HQ2: we're a serious contender. In a recent analysis of the finalists, "Raleigh, North Carolina ranked No. 1 on the list thanks to relatively affordable homes, above-average school scores and below-average crime rates and property taxes."
Access to Fun
Fancy a day at the beach? You can be there in under two and half hours.
Prefer a walk in the woods? Pilot Mountain State Park is a little over an hour and a half away. Or, go further west to explore Asheville and the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Closer to home, you can enjoy professional hockey, Broadway shows, and epic college basketball games.
Good Food
Bon Appétit called Durham "America's Foodiest Small Town." Zagat recently named our neighbor Raleigh one of America's "30 Most Exciting Food Cities." Raleigh was number 12, by the way. New York City was number 15.
Of course, the best way to really understand how great it is to live here is to see for yourself. We hope you do!