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If only my team of various doctors were coordinated like this picture… Just a dream.
But the reality is that none of them speak to each other. They all seem to pass off whatever issues that I have to another specialist. And I don't get any great results. I do have to say that the Rheumy is pretty responsive, but in this latest bout of symptoms (bladder issues and eye problems) he suggested I see an optometrist and the GP. Then the GP gave me antibiotics which have done nothing and she sent me to a urologist. The urologist doesn't have appointments for the next 2 weeks. I might actually explode and die before then.
Same thing with the optometrist. To be fair, it isn't really his place to change my meds, but I know that it is something to do with the meds. No one has really seems to be listening to me and tried to change them up to see what is really going on. Instead I ended up getting a pair of glasses because I was getting bad headaches from not being able to see. I don't feel that is the optimal solution, but who do I turn to next?
My plan is to keep pushing on someone to help me figure this out. Be aggressive with all of them and see what results I can get. And not let them pass the buck.


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This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment authorizing Congress and the states to set reasonable limits on the raising and spending of money by candidates and others to influence elections.
The amendment grants Congress and the states the power to implement and enforce this amendment by appropriate legislation. They are allowed to distinguish between natural persons and corporations or other artificial entities created by law, including by prohibiting such entities from spending money to influence elections.
This joint resolution declares that nothing in this amendment shall be construed to grant Congress or the states the power to abridge the freedom of the press.]]>

subset: commoncrawl


text: JDPower 0 Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 Excellent. Only one interface region needs to be capable of housing the tabs. Less code, more performance. Also saves time, as they don't need to do QA and unit testing for both interface variations. And there speaks a developer, not end user Link to post Share on other sites


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Regional News
Thailand Police Charge Human Rights Lawyer in Front of EU Embassy Officials
BANGKOK – Representatives of the European Union and officials of European embassies in Thailand went to Bangkok's Samranrat police station on Saturday to witness the filing of criminal charges by the police against a human rights lawyer who has been providing legal counselling to political activists.
Sirikan "June†Charoensiri, a human rights lawyer with the organisation Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) was charged with illegal political assembly of more than five people, incitement of unrest and resistance of the state among the people for her role in providing legal assistance to political activists deemed to be critical of the Monarchy.
The charges against Ms Sirikarn stemmed from an incident on June 25, last year when she went to observe the rally staged at the Democracy Monument on Rajdamnoen road by the so-called New Democracy Movement.
On May 12, 2016, Ms Sirikarn was charged with concealing evidence and resisting police order in accordance with Sections 142 and 368 of the Criminal Code, for refusing to allow the police to search her car without a warrant in order to seize 14 smart phones belonging to 14 students of the New Democracy Movement before they were escorted into prison.
Ms Sirikarn's car was later impounded by the police overnight at the police station until they received a court warrant to search the car the next day. As a result of the search Ms. Sirikan filed a lawsuit against Thai police for "malfeasance†in June 2015.
In July, the Bangkok Military Court ordered the release of the 14. However, the charges against them remain pending. Ms. Sirikan together with seven other TLHR lawyers assisted the 14 students at the Bangkok Military Court.
If indicted, Ms. Sirikan could face a punishment of up to to five years in prison and a fine of up to 10,000 baht (approximately 253 euros) according to OMCT.
Source: Thai PBS | OMCT


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Please join us in praying for an affordable vehicle with a lift that can hold 2-3 wheelchairs (my power chair is optional, but Jon and Vanessa need their wheelchairs to best enjoy activities). The vehicle needs to seat at least 14 including the driver so we can take Amber and Angela along too. Extra seats beyond 14 would be a bonus for friends who might be crazy enough to want to go somewhere with us and for luggage and medical equipment that travels with us if we are gone more than a few hours. Several people have asked if it can be a yellow mini school bus...yes! The kids would love it! It can be any shape, age, color, etc as long as it runs and has the items listed.
We have found out that we can even install seat belts so please pray for the following:
- Affordable
- Wheelchair lift
- 2-3 wheelchair spaces
- Seats at least 14 including the driver
- An automatic transmission is preferred so I can drive it too (Something about a driver with just one good leg driving a standard makes the Department of Motor Vehicles nervous.)
|The school bus provides our
kids the only opportunity that they
have to take their power wheelchairs
in public.
Please be praying that we will have the right amount of resources to pay cash for the vehicle when we find it. We have passed on several vehicles because we would need to take a loan to cover the purchase. As many of you know, we started on a path to be debt free in 2006 and our home is our final debt that we have yet to have eliminated. (You can join us in praying about wisdom in eliminating that debt too.) We have made due without transportation for over 2 years, but now the situation is getting tougher as the kids grow. Please pray for us to continue to be patient too.
I know some of you are saying that there is nothing wrong with debt if you can pay it, and I agree that responsible debt is not sinful. In fact the Bible gives us guidance on being responsible debt holders. However, we feel that God has called is to another standard of financial freedom and responsibility so we can be available to His direction for our lives. For example, within 6 months between October 2009 and February 2010, God grew our family from 5 to 10 children and one of the boys spent 2 months in the hospital having open heart surgery and other medical problems! We had no way of knowing that we would be given these awesome opportunities to expand our family and to help 5 little boys who needed a home. What if we had previously made financial commitments to use the money that we needed to get them home? To buy beds? To pay immigration fees? To buy shoes? To get lab tests for parasites? To get post placement reports? We had to depend on God's provision to help us through that time, but if we had also had other debt, then we could not have met the financial requirements.
INTRIGUED? Our family specifically follows Dave Ramsey's advice for financial freedom and when the boys added to our family, we had just reached Step 4. It took almost our entire emergency fund to get the boys settled, medically treated and deal with the legalities. In fact we are still on Step 3, rebuilding our emergency fund over 2 years later, but we have no stress of debt on our cars, no credit card payments, no student loans left....It is a great way to live and be available for whatever happens next in life. If your interested, check out http://www.daveramsey.com/new/baby-steps/?gclid=CPHfnqz0prACFUZeTAodOwR9DA
Owe no one anything except to love one another,
for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.
~~Romans 13:8


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Office supply store Staples is now selling 3D printers for $1299. The Cube 3D printers are now available from their online store, and will start arriving in retail stores by the end of June.
3D printers use digital images to create a three dimensional object, from a variety of possible materials. The objects are created layer by layer, eventually forming a solid object.
The printers can be used to manufacture anything from decorative items to tools. The 3D printers sold by Staples are relatively small and are capable of producing objects that are 5.5 inches square.
As reported by BusninessWire.com, the Cube printers come ready-to-use. They can be connected to a computer through Wi-Fi, and are compatible with both Mac and Windows machines.
The Cube 3D printers sold by Staples also include 25 professionally designed 3D templates. Users can download additional templates or create their own.
Staples also offers 3D printing accessories, including the plastic used to create the objects. The plastic is available in a wide variety of colors, including glow-in-the dark and neon options.
The Cube printers come in several colors. The 3D printers on Staples' website are currently available in silver, white, magenta, lime and light blue.
While the Cube 3D printers will be great for home and office use, scientists have used the technology to develop objects for medical purposes.
As reported by GizMag.com, researchers at Princeton University used a 3D printer to create an ear, which was fitted with electronics that recognize radio frequencies. They hope the ears will eventually be used by those experiencing hearing loss.
Researchers at the University of Oxford have created a material, to be used in 3D printers, that mimics human tissue. As reported by the Los Angeles Times, the material is primarily biological. As the layers are build with the 3D printers, they create a mass of biological material that seems to be compatible with human tissue.
Future development and use of the material may assist in skin grafting, and repair of other damaged tissue.
Whether used for fun, or serious scientific research, 3D technology is fascinating. As Staples is selling the 3D printers for $1299, the technology is affordable as well.
[Image via Flickr]


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everyone has their favorite old-school lunchbox treat. oatmeal creme pie had my 7-year old heart. (and at times, my 23-year old heart)
for a teachers' luncheon at my brother's middle school, i decided to make this updated version of the classic hostess cupcake: deeply chocolatey, cream-centered and topped with that signature swirl. perhaps this will be the very treat to strike a nostalgic chord in someone else's inner child.
this recipe included many firsts for me. my first time making seven minute frosting and my first time filling cupcakes. i quickly realized there's more than one way to fill a cupcake and decided to test out two methods:
(a) the cone method, which involves angling a paring knife in the top of the cupcake to hollow out a cone
then cutting the tip of the cone
and recapping the top after filling the cupcake
(b) the piping method, in which you insert a star-tipped piping bag into the top
and squeeze until the cake feels slightly heavier
in this side-by-side comparison,
i likened (b) the piping method as it was both easier and neater (less crumbs and easier to dip in the ganache later). if you are partial to creme filling though, go for the cone method.
Homemade Hostess Cupcakes
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
(1) Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line 2 12-cupcake tins with wrappers.
(2) In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
(3) In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry.
(4) With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir to combine thoroughly, making sure to scrape to the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula (batter will be thin).
(5) Pour the batter into the cupcake pans about 2/3 full (do not overfill) and bake for 16-18 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then place them on a wire rack to cool completely.
Seven Minute Frosting:
- 2 large egg whites
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup light corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
(1) Combine all the ingredients with a pinch of salt in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Beat with a handheld electric mixer at high speed until frosting is thick and fluffy, 6 to 7 minutes.Ganache:
(2) Remove bowl from heat and continue to beat until slightly cooled. Reserve 1 cup of the filling to use for piping the swirls on top of the cupcakes at the end.
(3) Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, fill each cupcake with the frosting (using either method shown above).
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 8 oz. semisweet chocolate
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
(1) In a small saucepan, heat cream until steaming. Remove from the heat, add chocolate and let stand for 5 minutes.Makes 26-28 cupcakes
(2) Add the butter and stir until smooth. Transfer the ganache to a small bowl.
(3) Once all the cupcakes are filled, dip the top of each cupcake into the ganache.
(4) Spoon the reserved frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a very small plain tip (I used a no. 3 tip) and pipe swirls or any design across the top of each cupcake.
fun fact: each hostess cupcake has precisely 7 'swiggles' piped on top. next time you eat one, count them. or make your own and pipe as many swiggles as you want!


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Expert Electronic Security Company West Heath SE2
Locksmith Earl offers professional access control system installation and maintenance services in West Heath SE2. Our installers of access control systems can provide you with different access control solutions. We serve many of the local schools, offices, industrial estates, hospitals, retail outlets, airports, private homes and sports clubs. Our clients are all guaranteed:
- easy to contact customer support
- 100% customer guarantee
- emergency bookings
- police and NSI vetted technicians
- discounts for booking more than one of our services at once
For a free price estimate call our 24/7 customer assistants on 020 3404 1580 or use the booking form.
Types of access control services we provide
Our company can provide you with professionally installed, maintained and repaired access control systems, including:
- Digital keypad, intercom supplied and fitted
- Domestic intercom repair, Commercial intercom repair, Intercom station
- Wired intercom, Video intercom, Wireless intercom
- Fingerprint controlled locks, Doorbell installation or repair, Master key systems
- Swipe card systems, Door entry systems, Fob-reader systems
Access control system brands we work with
We work with a wide range of access control systems manufacturers, such as:
- Keri, Nedap, Samsung
- BPT, Auta, Elvox, Videcon
- Comelit, Fermax, LT, Sony
- Urmet, Paxton, Videx
- Bosch, Bitron, Bell
- Panasonic, Farfisa, Siedle
What types of access control systems we can supply
We work with the leaders in the access control manufacturing business such as Keri, Auta, Elvox, Paxton, BPT, Nedap, Videcon , Comelit, Fermax, LT, Sony, Bitron, Farfisa, Panasonic, Urmet, Videx, Bosch, Bell, Samsung, Siedle.
We will supply the most appropriate access control system for your property. Benefit from our affordable and professional access control services and book now!
What you need to know about our access control company
Locksmith Earl has been serving commercial and private customers with professional access control solutions in West Heath SE2 for over a decade. We offer different security services, so we can meet every need regarding access control, locksmith, CCTV and fire and burglar alarms. By hiring us, you will get a one-stop shop service. Our vetted and experienced engineers will give you a professional advice on the best solutions for you.
Among our customers there are private residential homes, as well as schools, hospitals, offices, business premises, police forces, airports, retail outlets, industrial properties, apartments, local government, sports clubs and others.
Booking conditions for properties in West Heath SE2
To book our access control and security services, just call 020 3404 1580. You can also send an online request here to our 24/7 customer care centre. Our response time for emergency cases in West Heath SE2 is 30 minutes.
We work with fixed prices, no advance payments and no hidden fees. Customers who book more than one of our services at once, get a discount. We are available 365 days a year.


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- Connelly-McKinley Limited - https://www.connelly-mckinley.com -
Tadeusz Dabros
Posted By Connelly-McKinley On April 20, 2016 @ 12:00 am In | No Comments
It is with sadness that the family of Tadeusz (Tadek) Dabros announces his passing, at home and surrounded by his loving family, following a brief but intense battle with cancer.
He is survived by his wife Ludmila–semicolon– sons Michal (Blanca) and Dawid–semicolon– daughters Anna and Marta (Zaw), as well as his beloved grandchildren Mateo, Viktoria, and Olivia.
He was predeceased by his father Wladyslaw–semicolon– mother Anna–semicolon– and brothers Adam, Karol, Kazimierz, and Stanislaw, all of Poland.
He was born on his small family farm in Wolka Gradzka, Poland in 1949, and worked at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow as a chemist. In 1991, he came to Montreal to work at McGill University as a visiting scientist, and was later joined by his family. In 1993, they came to Edmonton, where Tadek began his long career as a research scientist at the University of Alberta and CanmetENERGY, Natural Resources Canada. Respected by his colleagues, he was passionate about his work and was a mentor to many young scientists over the years.
He was a quiet man with a great sense of humour who valued his privacy and loved his family immensely. He especially had a soft spot for his grandchildren, whom he adored and spoiled at every chance. He valued the pursuit of knowledge and placed high value on education, learning and collaborative work.
Reverend Kristopher Schmidt will celebrate a Mass of Christian Burial on Wednesday, April 27, 2016 at 10:00 am at St. Joseph's Basilica, 10044 – 113 Street, Edmonton. Interment will follow at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, 5420 – 106 Street, Edmonton.
His family would like to thank the doctors and nurses at the University of Alberta Hospital and the Cross Cancer Institute, and especially his homecare nurse Baljinder Gill of Southeast Palliative Homecare, who took exceptional care of him and his family in his last days.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Operation Smile Canada or Ogniwo Polish Museum in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Article printed from Connelly-McKinley Limited: https://www.connelly-mckinley.com
URL to article: https://www.connelly-mckinley.com/obituaries/tadeusz-dabros/
Click here to print.
Copyright © 2019 Connelly-Mckinley. All rights reserved.


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Undergraduate Africa Seminar
PAS created the Undergraduate Africa Seminar (Afrilogue) to serve the many undergraduate students interested in Africa.
Afrilogue is a student-led seminar that meets frequently throughout each quarter. In it, students discuss topics of interest, share experiences on the African continent, learn from faculty speakers, and present their own work. The topics and subjects are determined by the students each quarter.
To be added to the listserv, sign up for PAS updates.Back to top


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Excursion tips for hearing-impaired visitors
The Rhineland-Palatinate offers attractive leisure activities for hearing-impaired or deaf visitors. Not only art and culture lovers get their money's worth here, but also active hikers or those looking for relaxation.
Leisure activities for hearing-impaired and deaf travellers are listed on this site. By using the "Search & Book" function, left under navigation, you can filter the results by various criteria. This allows you to find offerings suitable for you.
All accessible homes on offer have had their accessibility verified by a specially trained inspector. Reliable and in-depth information on the properties is available in the respective detailed view, so that you have an exact picture of the accommodation in advance.
A few of the Rhineland-Palatinate accommodations were already distinguished with the nationwide certification system 'Travel for All - accessibility verified.' These are marked with pictograms. You can find in-depth information about each property's accessibility, whether it is certified or not, in the respective detailed view.
0 results , sorted by


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Justin Timberlake is revamping social network MySpace in partnership with the website's new owners.
Specific Media plans to relaunch the service later this year in collaboration with the singer-turned-actor, Forbes understands.
The company's co-founders, Chris and Tim Vanderhook, purchased MySpace from News Corp for $35 million with Timberlake, and are planning to revive it with a strong music focus.
"MySpace is the only site in the world where you can get everything an artist does if you're interested in that artist," said Chris Vanderhook. "To do all those things would probably take you 30 different properties."
The social network currently hosts more than 42 million songs, many of which are by unsigned artists, but News Corp stripped away many of the features musicians used to promote their work as part of a 2010 relaunch.
News Corp founder Rupert Murdoch admitted that his firm "screwed up" MySpace "in every way possible" following comments by the site's co-founder Tom Anderson describing it as a "cesspool".
MySpace dropped out of the UK's top ten most popular social networks in December last year.


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Interior Design & Furniture
Bad River Furniture
Each people want Furniture cabinet that's powerful and may survive, moreover the Furniture actions will produce bad river furniture the Furniture cabinet need to endure unique heat every single moment. Therefore, cherry is one of the bad river furniture most widely used. In addition to its durability, the cherry additionally bad river furniture has good appearance. The feature of cherry cupboard is likely to make the room warmer. In terms of the colour, there are many assortment of colour from light yellow to deep brown along with red undertones. Along with will likely be wealthier as age of cherry forests add. As for the surface, it's smooth surface and also the stunning grain, so which it'll be suitable for any theme of Bad river furniture it is contemporary or modern.
Outdoor High-top Dining Table. Instead of the conventional dining table, top Furniture table is much more fit for exterior setting. The chairs will require one to find the gorgeous exterior view certainly. For outdoor setting, choose round shape high top dining table and also backless large stools to facilitate the relaxed atmosphere.
So, what is Bad river furniture? Actually it'll be dependent in your own Furniture style. You who have huge Furniture can choose warm tone or darkened shade for your Furniture cabinet. It will provide different effect for a Furniture. Your Furniture isn't going to look way too much when you include darker shade of Furniture cupboard.
Tagged as: bad river furniture


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Where the Money Flows
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From Myanmar's unlikely stock exchange to musty old commodity firms, OZY reports on places to put your coin.
By OZY Editors
How Myanmar Swapped a Military Dictatorship for a Stock Exchange
The last time Myanmar launched a stock exchange was during its dark days of isolation in the mid-1990s, when military intelligence operatives roamed local tea shops and companies like PepsiCo pulled products out of the country. Only two companies ever listed. Nearly two decades later and three years into a reform effort, the country — also known as Burma — is trying again. Proponents hope a stock market can be a psychological lift and a job engine, turning small companies into international players. But in some countries, stock markets have just been overrated vanity projects. Read the story here.
Get Ready for Hybrid Hedge Funds
The next fortunes on Wall Street are being made and maintained in a new kind of investment firm that is like the love child of private equity firms (think Mitt Romney's Bain Capital and KKR) and hedge funds. Some in the biz refer to these firms as "alternative asset manager conglomerates," but they really should be called "hybrid hedge funds." Just as with hedge funds, there are often no limits on the sectors these hybrids can invest in. But while traditional hedge funds are able to invest widely, the downside is that the hedge fund's own investors have regular opportunities to pull back their money, often after only about 60 or 90 days' notice. Read more here.
The New Power Companies: Commodity Firms
Glencore, Vitol, Archer Daniels: Sound familiar? Probably not. So here's a hint: The big firms you should know about aren't Google or Amazon, and they're not McKinsey, Goldman Sachs or Citibank. Heck, they're not even WhatsApp, Nest or Uber. No more guesses? They're commodity firms. And they're booming, mega-money-making, hugely influential and, yeah, a little shady. "[T]hey're gigantic, making these bets, running markets — everything from energy to food around the world. And it is rather shadowy because outside of the stocks that trade on them, a lot of what they do is not very liquid — it's done off balance sheets," says Jon Najarian, co-founder of optionMONSTER and a former trader and financial commenter on CNBC. Read the story here.
- OZY Editors, OZY AuthorContact OZY Editors


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Wolcott Tech 58, Vinal Tech 56 >> Wolcott Tech wins it third game of the season behind the play of Luke Pergola and Danny Diaz who scored 26 and 20 points. Diaz also added 15 rebounds and Pergola added 11 rebounds too. Dante Watson scored a game high 27 points in the loss for Vinal Tech. Wolcott Tech is now 3-13 and Vinal Tech is 6-11.
Girls Basketball
Lewis Mills 32, Shepaug Valley 19 >> Lewis Mills cruised to an easy win against Shepaug Valley, beating them handily 32-19. Natalie Ruel led the way for Lewis Mills scoring 13 points. Lewis Mills is now 12-5 and Shepaug Valley is 2-14.
Canton 46, Wamogo 25 >> Canton won easily against Wamogo 46-25 behind 17 points from Gabby Rose. Canton is now 6-10 and Wamogo is 6-11.
Boys Wrestling
Terryville 58, Portland 20 >> Terryville defeated Portland in their final match of the season. Terryville improves to 18-3 to finish the season. They will take part in the Berkshire League Tournament on Saturday at Thomaston High School.
With the possiblity of a snowstorm on Friday some schools have moved their games from Friday to Thursday. Listed below are what games have been changed.
Boys Basketball Changes
Wolcott Tech at Bullard Tech >> on Thursday, February 7, at 4:30 p.m.
Lewis Mills at Housatonic >> on Thursday, February 7, at 6 p.m.
Shepaug Valley at Nonnewaug>> on Thursday, February 7 at 7 p.m.
Thomaston at Terryville >> on Thursday, February 7 at 7:30 p.m.
Girls Basketball Changes
Housatonic at Lewis Mills >> on Thursday, February 7, at 7 p.m.
Nonnewaug at Shepaug Valley >> on Thursday, February 7, at 7 p.m.
Terryville at Thomaston >> on Thursday, February 7, at 6 p.m.
Boys Swimming and Diving Changes
Gilbert vs. Shepaug Valley >> on Thursday, February 7, at 7:30 p.m. at the Winsted YMCA.


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JP Morgan used to say that people usually have two reasons for what they do: the REAL reason, and one that sounds good. Dale Carnegie's book, How to Win Friends and Influence People, tells us to appeal to the one that sounds good in order to get people on our side. As effective as that is, I'l have to admit that Carnegie's suggestion always seemed like manipulation to me rather than genuine engagement. Does it work? Sure, but it's a philosophy based on the Western tendency to believe it's okay for people to use each other.
That being said, when you want to pursue a business or personal vision, having a real reason that is different from the one that sounds good may not interfere with its success if we measure by profit, but it can affect the legacy of that vision. Ulterior motive also tend to lead us toward manipulation, deceit, and under-handed tactics which in time may very well poison our relationships. I'm all for success and profitability, but in the end there is no substitute for authenticity and integrity.
As you build your vision, a great way to protect that vision's integrity is to periodically as yourself if there's a 'real reason' behind your decisions that differs from the ones that sound good. As I discuss i my book, The Million Dollar Hustle, your real intention will influence your decisions, and your decisions will determine your results… and their consequences.
What can you do today to refine the integrity of your vision?


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Does Netvibes provide dedicated mobile interface?
At Netvibes, our philosophy has always been to provide the optimal experience based on the size and resolution of your screen, rather than just what type of device you use. After all, there are big tablets and small tablets, large smartphones and tiny net-books.


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With over 100 million registered domain names out there and the low cost of entry, the World Wide Web has entered into its massive operation. For example, billions of email messages are exchanged every day. No barriers to entry and low switching costs have made the cyber arena a lucrative spot for destructive behaviors. Specifically, spammers, hackers, and "spiders" are growing concerns for all online businesses. There are lots of technical and fragmented information regarding cyber security, yet few (if any) has viewed it in a systematic way. Thus, this article is to introduce the essentials of cyber security to the business owners:
1. Networks Matter
Intra-office and extra-office networking among computers and servers are hot spots for attackers. Make sure you tie up your network security since any minor network security leak can compromise your whole company data.
2. Physical Security
As obvious as it sounds, many companies still operate with old physical security systems and inadequate staff training programs.
3. Database Hacking
It is of absolute importance to monitor the people who maintain and manage your database. It is better to set different roles, each of which gives staffs special database access privileges.
4. Application Server Attacks
There are five things you can do to protect your servers:
Make sure to setup and test the redundancy servers properly
Make routine backups as a second habit
Define different roles and server access privileges if you have your servers
Check your server log periodically for any unusual activities
Make sure the server firewalls and server load balancers (if you have one) are setup properly.
5. Mail Server Hacking
Sometimes attackers can hack your mail server and spam, or impersonate others, as though the emails would be sent from you. For instance, a hacker can send fake emails to all your users and ask them to change their username and password to hijack their account credentials. Since users receive emails allegedly on behalf of your company, they will be willing to trust it and share their info.
6. DNS Attacks
Although Domain Name Server (DNS) attacks are not common, their magnitude of damages is profound. Can you imagine, for example, for one hour, your users will not have access to your website, or worse, they are redirected to the attacker phishing WebPages.
7. Admin Account Protections
Many serious applications, or big websites, come with an admin portal where the company staffs can log in and manage the website and mobile App contents. To have admin account protections, you need to have:
Different layer of admin access privileges based on organizational ranks and experiences
Secure admin authentications where all of the company staffs should contact the chief IT administer if they forgot their password
Secure registrations where all teams must be registered to the system as securely as possible. In other words, it is preposterous to see team registration form or signup in the online search results
Restrictions against search engines where all admin pages must not be crawled and indexed by search engines, which can easily be done by adding admin to your disallowed directory lists in your robots .txt file
Staff activity surveillance where for very sensitive admin platforms, it is better to monitor staff activities as to what pages they visited, in what frequencies, etc
Valid IP/MAC address verifications where you verify the IP or MAC addresses before showing the login form to the company staffs. This simple approach will make the job of hackers much difficult.
8. Forgot Password Compromises
Sometimes the attackers try to penetrate to your system via fake forgot password attempts. Here are four remedies:
Count the total attempts and lock the user account after a certain number of attempts
Utilize multiple password retrieval options, like the combination of cell phone and email address verifications
Make sure your forgot password form could detect "spiders" or robot submissions
Once a user password is successfully reset, email the user reminding them to change the reset-password immediately after the first login.
Brutal-force attacks are mainly many login attempts by attackers to break into a victim account and steal their identity and data often time in a way that is impossible for the victim to notice. The only remedy I know of is to limit the maximum login attempts (to for instance five) while saving each attempt in the database. After it reaches the limit, you will lock the user account, and have the user contact the system administrators for the account reactivations.
10. Session Hijackings
Session hijacking is an attack of which many programmers and business owners should be aware. After the user successfully logs into your system, they are assigned with one unique session ID for the ease of tracking. However, if the attackers take hold of a user's session IDs, they can hijack the user's accounts and make transactions on behalf of the user, especially via the shopping carts. Therefore, it is a good practice to log out users after a certain time of inactivity and destroys their sessions data correctly.
What was discussed are first, yet the main areas of cyber security that are going to alarm many businesses within the next five years. Last but not least, the full implementation of cyber security initiatives requires a thorough understanding of the firm processes and overarching the master plans. Indeed, as always, the strength of a chain is measured by its weakest link, so make sure to strengthen all of your system vulnerabilities and draft an updated contingency plans for catastrophic incidences.


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Executive Search Status:
Completed Executive Job Vacancy
Nature of Business:
Sales Director
Building Products Organisation
Company Background:
South African Subsidiary of an international Building Products Organisation. The organisation has multiple, geographically dispersed, manufacturing operations in South Africa and an annual turnover in excess of R200 million.
Position Summary:
Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Sales Director will have a sales team of 60 people under his/her control and will be responsible for optimising the commercial performance of the organisation.
Key areas of activity:
Key Attributes Required:


text:
Alfa Romeo 2uettottanta
The 2uettottanta is here, the Alfa Romeo sports car designed by Pininfarina.
A sports car to enjoy. Built for the motorist who still likes to dream in his car. The motorist looking for a mixture of vanity and entertainment, who enjoys life in the open air. The motorist who loves icons as the highest expression of the age he lives in. The motorist who sees the car as an uncommon sensory experience. Or one who wants to be excited by a dynamic, sporty car that transmits to observers the exclusiveness and refinement typical of the Alfa Romeo sports cars designed by Pininfarina. For all these people, we now present the 2uettottanta. It is a car that expresses the inexhaustible creativeness and genius of Italian craftsmanship. An icon of styling and elegance all over the world, which received the prestigious Car Design of the Year Award in 2010. Available in 2015.
The collaboration between Alfa Romeo and Pininfarina is one of the most important and durable in the history of the car. Founded on men and on passion, on design and on cutting-edge technical solutions, it has generated an inestimable heritage of good-looking, innovative cars with plenty of temperament. And a predilection for sports cars and convertibles. The 2uettottanta embodies all this. When they designed this car, the creative team allowed themselves carte blanche to express the values of the sports car "by Pininfarina", and to grasp the spirit of Alfa in the set-up, the proportions and the conception of this gem, as well as in the styling itself.
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Poor VOIP Quality and Application Drops on 802.11g WISP
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Vonage® VoIP Forum - Vonage News, Reviews And Discussion
Vonage Forum Evangelist
Joined: Jun 08, 2007
Posts: 832
Sun Feb 08, 2009 2:55 pm
Post subject:
A couple of additional things you could try.
I would remove ALL equipment connected to the WISP receiver and simply connect your laptop and see if the problem persists. If it does, you can rule out your network devices (routers, etc) as the problem.
Otherwise add in each component until the problem again presents itself.
WISP works via line of site and can be subject to interference. Double check the direction (your antenna may have been moved) that the WISP antenna needs to be pointed toward and adjust.
The frequencies WISP operates on vary (900mhz, 2.4, 2.5, 5.5-5.8 ghz as I recall), with the 2.4 ghz being the most crowded, this may or may not apply here, but a direct line to the transmitter antenna will negate (overwhelm) most interference. I am willing to bet that there is some utility that measures the signal available. Perhaps you ISP can give you a hand with this.
Time Warner Road Runner / Motorola SB5101 Cable Modem / Lniksys E2000 /
Vonage Forum Associate
Joined: Feb 07, 2009
Posts: 10
Sun Feb 08, 2009 6:51 pm
Post subject:
I did what you suggested last night, after posting the ping information from that hour test I did.
I took out my
portal, my wireless router, unplugged from the network and turned off all my computers and plugged a brand new Ethernet cable into this laptop and directly into the modem thing for the Internet and it still happened. In fact, today, it's the worst it's ever been, so I went ahead and hooked it all back up.
I found out I've missed three phone calls but the
portal never even gets them so they're not even getting here, but the
portal insists I've been physically connected to the Internet the entire time.
Can a shoddy signal cause this kind of loss with nothing ever being physically disconnected to the point any of the equipment REALIZES it's been disconnected?
Vonage Forum Evangelist
Joined: Jun 08, 2007
Posts: 832
Sun Feb 08, 2009 7:20 pm
Post subject:
Based on what was said earlier about UDP vs TCP packets, I would guess it is possible.
BTW, a little research on WISP showed:
Signal Fading: Fading of the RF signal
Caused by several factors:
1. Multipath: The transmitted signal arrives at the receiver from different directions, with different path lengths, attenuation and delays. The summed signal at the receiver may result in an attenuated signal.
2. Bad Line of Sight: An optical line of sight exists if an imaginary straight line can connect the antennas on either side of the link. Radio wave clear line of sight exists if a certain area around the optical line of sight (Fresnel zone) is clear of obstacles. A bad line of sight exists if the first Fresnel zone is obscured.
3. Link Budget Calculations (too little signal to start with).
4. Weather conditions (Rain, wind, etc.) At high rain intensity (150 mm/hr thats 6 inches per hour!), the fading of an RF signal at 2.4 Ghz may reach a maximum of 0.02 dB/Km.
5. Wind may cause fading due to antenna motion.
6. Interference: Interference may be caused by another system on the same frequency range, external noise, or some other co-located system.
Number 6 "could" be your neighbor or not.
Time to call your ISP (again?)
Time Warner Road Runner / Motorola SB5101 Cable Modem / Lniksys E2000 /
Vonage Forum Associate
Joined: Feb 07, 2009
Posts: 10
Sun Feb 08, 2009 7:51 pm
Post subject:
Thank you for that list. I am calling my guy tomorrow to suggest that there is a problem and that I think it resides with my signal, because I've done everything humanly possible to trace a problem within my own machines and network to no avail.
Interestingly, on your list, I see several possibilities for me.
1) My location is in between two towers, or whatever. He had a rough time deciding which one to point me at because of it, and settled upon the one I am aimed for. Perhaps something is up with this.
2) It's a straight line of sight for sure, as there arent any trees or buildings taller than 8 feet or anything at all out here in my neck of the sticks.
3) I will ask about this one.
4) We don't get rain at all here, but we do get some winds sometimes, and though the problems exist when there is no wind, perhaps the wind wobbled it off track and made it so it always **** now.
5) See above, hehe
6) Will ask about the neighbors - something I learned in my research is that what I'm picking up just means they have a wireless setup inside, like I do, not necessarily that theyr'e with the same ISP so I'm not sure.
Thanks again,
Vonage Forum Master
Joined: Jul 07, 2008
Posts: 183
Location: Illinois
Mon Feb 09, 2009 11:06 am
Post subject:
Michelle -
Just got in on this game. I know exactly the equipment you're speaking of because I've done some side work for a guy that has the same setup. Even the white little doo-hicky that you speak of with the ethernet and power. The connectivity they have is outstanding. There are no issues with jitter or clarity on their
lines. Browsing and downloading via iTunes is smooth.
My reason for telling you this is that it seems to me that your WISP receiver is either not mounted correct, has been jolted due to wind or something of that nature, trees/branches are interfering with the line of sight or you are outside of the recommended range to the the nearest tower.
I would get the provider out there and tell them you want it re-mounted to make the connection bearable. If they do this, I think you'll find that your connection is very comparable to good quality DSL.
Vonage Forum Associate
Joined: Feb 07, 2009
Posts: 10
Mon Feb 09, 2009 11:21 am
Post subject:
Thank you for that... looking at the receiver, it's not plumb. My husband (who is in construction and has an 'eye' for these things, apparently) says its visibly out of plumb and wanted me to ask if that could be the issue.
Is there any way we can adjust this ourselves? My provider/installer guy lives over 100 miles away one way and getting ahold of him is going to be rough with my phone this bad.
Perhaps I can get another client of his that's a friend to phone him for me and explain what I need.
Vonage Forum Evangelist
Joined: Jun 08, 2007
Posts: 832
Mon Feb 09, 2009 11:24 am
Post subject:
ksig's post reminded me of something I experienced at our boat club. We have an amplified wireless set up with an antenna mounted at the top of our flag pole. For about a year we would have intermittent disconnection and poor range - - less than 1200 feet(previous range was almost a mile)
When the system finally failed (no internet via wireless) the member who installed it found that the antenna cable had pulled fully from the connector. In the end it was a poor connection, which finally became a non-connection.
So it COULD be something as simple as a poor connection at the antenna. Again, your ISP should be able to determine the problem easier than you.
Time Warner Road Runner / Motorola SB5101 Cable Modem / Lniksys E2000 /
Vonage Forum Master
Joined: Jul 07, 2008
Posts: 183
Location: Illinois
Mon Feb 09, 2009 11:30 am
Post subject:
My assumption would be that you could adjust it yourself if you had a way to monitor the intensity of the signal to the tower you're aimed at. Back in the day, when I first put up DirecTV satellite on my house for t.v., I had this device from radio shack that would tell me the intensity/signal when aiming the device at the right angle, etc. If you call your installer, he might have something similar for detecting the WISP connection.
Just a thought... other than that I don't know enough to say anything more on the adjustments of your base unit.
Good luck - Let us know how it goes, I'm very intrigued now.
New Forum Member
Joined: Feb 12, 2009
Posts: 4
Fri Feb 13, 2009 5:43 am
Post subject:
On a wireless network the
works better (mostly only works good enough) when the sip server address is prioritised on the network. (prior above other connections and bdwidth usage ) Perhaps your ISP can make this possible for a small charge?
Vonage Forum Associate
Joined: Feb 07, 2009
Posts: 10
Fri Feb 13, 2009 7:07 pm
Post subject:
Perhaps... if they ever bother sending the tech out. Got ahold of them Monday (and it's a small ISP) and wasn't given a date, or time, or anything, just 'when next someone has to be out there they'll check out your installation'.
I'm really irritated right now, but, going on the assumption that once this is fixed I will be as happy as everybody else who has them seems to be with their setup, I feel like I sort of have to bite the bullet and take their crap.
Thanks for the suggestion,
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text:
Officials with Kansas Speedway and the Kansas Army National Guard announced today the continuation of their partnership, which will include a swear in ceremony for newly enlisted soldiers to the Kansas Army National Guard.
"I'm honored to be able to continue the great partnership we have with the Kansas Army National Guard," said Kansas Speedway President Patrick Warren. "These men and women, along with their families, have made a huge commitment to protect and defend our country and I'm glad that we can recognize them during our event weekends."
"Our partnership with Kansas Speedway connects many of our troops to a sport they really enjoy while also providing us a venue to show the public what the Kansas National Guard is all about through equipment displays and demonstrations," said Maj. Gen. Lee Tafanelli, Kansas adjutant general. "We appreciate the generosity and support from Kansas Speedway and the enthusiasm and support the race fans show to our Guardsmen in attendance."
The Kansas Army National Guard will also continue to partner with Kansas Speedway for the Kansas Army National Guard Pre-Race at all of Kansas Speedway's events in 2013.
Kansas Speedway season tickets, which are currently on sale, include both NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races (April 21 and Oct. 6), the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race (April 20), and the NASCAR Nationwide Series race (Oct. 5), along with a TrackPass, which allows you up close access to the Kansas National Guard pre-race activities, like NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver introductions, the pre-race concert, and much more! Tickets can be purchased by logging onto www.kansasspeedway.com or calling 866.460.RACE (7223).
Individual race tickets are also on sale now by calling 866.460.RACE (7223) or logging onto www.kansasspeedway.com. Kansas Speedway's 2013 season includes two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series the NASCAR Nationwide Series, the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards (Oct. 4) and new in 2013, GRAND-AM Road Racing (Aug. 16-17).
Parking is always free at Kansas Speedway and fans can bring in one 14x14x14-inch soft-sided cooler with their favorite food and beverages. Hy-Vee, the official grocery and tailgate pit stop of Kansas Speedway, has everything you need for your race day cooler.
Fans can follow Kansas Speedway on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kansasspeedway or follow us on Twitter (@kansasspeedway).


text:
Green Party of Ontario leader Mike Schreiner issued the following statement in response to the Environment Commissioner of Ontario's Annual Report:
"The Liberal government is failing to protect Ontario's wildlife. The biodiversity that makes this province so rich is under threat.
Specifically concerning is the decline in our animal populations. I'm deeply concerned that moose populations are down 20 percent and 8 of 27 amphibian species are at risk of being lost from the province.
I'm worried this situation will only get worse since the Liberals gutted the Endangered Species Act in 2013.
It's outrageous that the Liberal cabinet have created exemptions to the ESA that allow industry to kill endangered species.
We know that construction and mining corporations have been major donors to the Liberals over the years.
Unfortunately, Jefferson Salamanders can't write cheques."


text:
As Bob said in the previous post, Emily was diagnosed in 2007 with a unique form of HCM. For the first year we thought she might be stable, but in the last 6 months the clinical data show she is in a form of heart failure.
Because of the decline in her condition we were referred from Tufts (New England Medical Center) in Boston to Children's Hospital Boston (CHB). After a lengthy evaluation procedure, we were fairly shocked at the recommendation that she be listed for a transplant. However, since her clinical data are so poor, and the likely progression of her disease is unknown, transplant really is the only option. As we were told in October, it is not a case it if she needs a transplant it is more when.
We finalized the testing and paperwork for the transplant on December 2, 2008. She was listed on December 8, 2008. It is likely the wait will be 6-9 months, although is it possible that it could be any day, or more than a year. The list for kids is very dynamic because it does not only depend on blood type and condition of the patient, but also age, and size. Kids can be listed after her, and be ahead of her on the list if their condition is worse. There are a lot of variables, so it is impossible to know how soon it could happen.
If we are still living at home when the hospital is notified that there is a heart available for her, we will be called and need to be in Boston asap. She will have surgery immediatley, and then be in ICU for 2 weeks, in hospital for 2 more weeks, and then we will need to live in Boston area for a month or maybe two, right after she is released to receive post-op care.
We are told that transplants have come a long way, and people can lead fairly normal lives post-transplant.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Posted by Deb Roberts at 1:54 PM


text:
Asking the Community: Mashable Lists
Here at Mashable we've featured over 100 lists on everything from Tools for Running a Business Online (230+) to Tools for Photographers, Videobloggers, Podcasters & Musicians (400+). Now it's your time to have a say. Is there something you want to learn more about? What list would you like to see covered on Mashable?
We receive lots of requests via email for the toolboxes and lists. So we thought we'd open up a thread for suggestions: add your ideas in the comments for lists you'd like to see, and we may cover them in the coming days or weeks.


text:
Webinar: Using the ELD 2.0 Framework to Improve Instructional Programs for ELLsIn this webinar you will learn about the Framework for Raising Expectations and Instructional Rigor for English Language Learners and how the School District of Philadelphia has used this framework, dubbed ELD 2.0, to clarify the goals and re-design their instructional program for ELLs.
Classroom Example of Teaching Complex Text: ButterflyThis video features a New York City kindergarten class of English language learners demonstrating Lily Wong-Fillmore's guidance in how teachers can support students in acquiring and using academic language and working successfully with complex text.
Click here to play video


text:
Filming has begun in Liverpool on The War of the Worlds, a major adaptation by Peter Harness (Wallander, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell) of H.G. Wells' classic sci-fi title. This major new three-part drama is produced by Mammoth Screen for BBC One. The Executive Producer promises that it will terrify audiences.
Director Craig Viveiros adds: "H.G. Wells' seminal novel has been adapted for the screen many times but it's always had a contemporary (and American) setting, this is the first version to be set in London and the Home Counties during the Edwardian period. Peter's scripts manage to honour the source material with great skill, but we aim to provide a thoroughly modern thrill ride for the audience, delivering an alien invasion story that will shock and awe audiences across the globe."
Eleanor Tomlinson (Poldark, Loving Vincent) and Rafe Spall (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, The Big Short) lead the cast alongside Robert Carlyle (T2:Trainspotting, Once Upon A Time) and Rupert Graves (Swimming with Men, Sherlock) in the first British television adaptation of H.G. Wells' classic novel. The War of the Worlds will be directed by award-winning director Craig Viveiros (And Then There Were None, Rillington Place) and produced by Betsan Morris Evans, (NW, The City in The City).
Set in Edwardian England, this new adaptation of H.G. Wells' seminal tale - the first alien invasion story in literature - follows George (played by Rafe Spall) and his partner Amy (Eleanor Tomlinson) as they attempt to defy society and start a life together. Rupert Graves is Frederick, George's elder brother, and Robert Carlyle plays Ogilvy, an astronomer and scientist. The War of the Worlds tells their story as they face the escalating terror of an alien invasion, fighting for their lives against an enemy beyond their comprehension.
Writer Peter Harness says: "The version of The War of the Worlds that I wanted to make is one that's faithful to the tone and the spirit of the book, but which also feels contemporary, surprising and full of shocks: a collision of sci-fi, period drama and horror. There is nothing cosy or predictable about Wells' novel, and that's what I want to capture in the show. We have an incredible cast, a brilliant director and a wonderful crew - and I can't wait for them to explode the terrifying story of the first alien invasion on to our screens."


text:
Press release from the issuing company
xpedx packaging customers to realize increased speed to market
CINCINNATI, Ohio – xpedx, one of the largest and premier distribution companies in North America, has expanded its North American network of package design with the opening of a new package design center in its Cincinnati location at 4510 Reading Road. The new package design center will allow xpedx to lower packaging costs for Cincinnati-area customers and increase their speed to market. xpedx is a business of International Paper.
"The key capability that we're gaining with the Cincinnati package design center is increased speed to market for our customers in the Tri-State area," said Chris Baum, xpedx's general manager, Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio Divisions. "Since xpedx is material neutral, we're able manage the entire process from concept and design to assembly and delivery. As a sole source packaging supplier, we give our customers a simpler, faster path to bring their products to market."
xpedx's Cincinnati package design center will serve many food service and retail packaging customers in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. However, xpedx also has package design centers with additional areas of specialty nearby in Livonia, Mich., and Pittsburgh, Pa. The Cincinnati package design center can easily access automotive and manufacturing package design expertise from those centers, as well. Throughout North America, xpedx has a network of ten package design centers and teams of design experts in 12 additional markets.
"Package design offers the highest potential for creating value, cost savings and sustainability because the design phase is first and affects everything else," said John Perrin, vice president, Packaging, xpedx. "With this growing North American network, xpedx is able to help companies everywhere use package design to drive image, customer acceptance, profitability and sustainability."
The Cincinnati package design center features xpedx's proprietary GlobalPKG software, which is web-based packaging development and management technology that allows for specification management to take place at any of xpedx's interconnected design centers in North America. The Cincinnati location also has ArtiosCAD, Kongsberg CAD and a Gaynes Drop Tester.
"With these systems all in-house in Cincinnati, xpedx can quickly design, test and produce packaging that reduces costs and drives profitability," said Baum. "Customers can have all that work done in one place by the xpedx team, without having to coordinate multiple packaging vendors. Their products go to market faster with less cost."
xpedx creates material-neutral package designs using corrugated, folding carton, specialty foams, thermoformed plastics, molded fiber and pulp and flexible packaging. It offers wide-ranging sustainability solutions, supply chain simplification and access to kitting, production and fulfillment. xpedx is also a supplier of packaging machinery, systems and substrates, with additional expertise on production line optimization.
Join the discussion Sign In or Become a Member, doing so is simple and free
© 2020 WhatTheyThink. All Rights Reserved.


text:
Gainesville Roofing
Gainesville roofing company amazes from the get-go
When a hailstorm damaged the roofs in his neighborhood, Gainesville accountant Julian Dieckman's insurance agent told him he needed to contact a licensed roofing company. But Dieckman wanted more than just a license.
So he called people he knew he could trust – Jerry and Pam Hewatt, owners of Hewatt Roofing. His insurance company said the company had to be licensed. But Dieckman wanted more than that. As the Hewatts' personal accountant for more than 20 years, Dieckman knew the kind of people he was dealing with.
The challenge
After hailstorms, homeowners are often barraged by offers from unscrupulous companies offering to repair hail damage that may or may not actually be there. Dieckman knew it was important to use a Gainesville roofing company he could rely on for an honest appraisal of the condition of his roof.
Jerry Hewatt inspected Dieckman's roof and did find hail-caused dents in the static vents and a significant loss of mineral granules from the asphalt shingles. Bald spots on asphalt shingles – in other words, areas where the protective coating of granules has been abraded off – signal the end of a shingle's life. They are leaks waiting to happen.
Hewatt\'s detailed report convinced the insurance company to send an inspector, who confirmed his diagnosis and agreed that Dieckman's policy would cover a new roof. Hewatt and Dieckman agreed on a date and time for the work.
The result
At exactly 7:00 am on the appointed day, Hewatt and his crew showed up and went to work.
Dieckman said he was "amazed." He had never before had a contract show up when he said he would, much less even at the exact time.
Upon arrival, Hewatt and his crew covered the bushes and surrounding grass with giant tarps to catch all the debris. Then they went to work, pulling out every nail in every shingle with simple hammers. By hand, they pulled off tens of thousands of nails – and several tons of trash.
They then covered the decking with GAF Shingle-Mate® Roof Deck Protection, a felt covering that uses an adhesive backing to form a smooth flat surface for the shingles to rest on. They also installed GAF StormGuard®, an ice and water barrier, around the chimney area and flashed chimney, and new plumbing vent boots with rain collars for additional leak proofing.
In addition to extra protection from future leaks, the Hewatt team added 124 feet of Cobra® RigidVent 3™ for proper attic ventilation. On top of all of that, they laid a roof of 30-year architectural Landmark shingles in the charcoal color Dieckman had chosen.
Hewatt and his crew then wrapped up all the trash and debris in their giant tarps and hauled it away, leaving behind nothing but a brand-new architectural roof and some bundles of extra shingles.
Julian Dieckman was so pleased with both their promptness and the quality of their work that he has referred numerous other homeowners looking for a Gainesville roofing company to Hewatt Roofing.
If you're looking for a Gainesville roofing company that will do the job right from to finish, please contact Hewatt Roofing at 770-297-3585 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
Their fortress prison was built of brick, but it was not a particularly somber place. They were all put in one large room which had two windows barred with iron; but plenty of air came in at the windows, and the place, though bare, was clean.
"Well," said Lieutenant Bernal, when they were inside, "tell me all that occurred before Bernardo Galvez."
Paul was again the spokesman telling everything that was said as literally as he could.
"I have an impression," said Lieutenant Bernal, "although my impressions are usually wrong and my memory is always weak, that you have scored, at least partially. You have sowed the fertile crop of suspicion in the mind of Bernardo Galvez. He has shown that by making Francisco Alvarez virtually a prisoner, also, and you have a powerful advocate in the Senior Pollock, the great merchant, and I may add the great diplomat, also."
"How long do you think we will be kept in here?" asked Shif'less Sol, looking around at the room, which, though wide, was by no means so wide as the forests of Kentucky.
"I do not know," replied the lieutenant, smiling-he understood the look of the shiftless one, "but you shall not be ill-treated, and do not feel that any disgrace lies upon you. This is a military prison. Good men have been confined here; I myself, for instance, because of some little breach of military discipline magnified by my officers into a fault. Oh, you shall not suffer!"
He bustled about cheerily. He had food and drink brought to them, and then he departed, volunteering to see that their private property on "The Galleon" was saved and brought to them. No one spoke for a little while after his going, and then the silence was broken by a long, dismal sigh. It was drawn up from the depths of Long Jim's chest.
"Are you sick, Jim?" asked Henry.
"Yes, Henry," replied Jim in a melancholy tone, "I'm sick; sick uv all this jawin', sick uv seen' things pulled here, an' then pulled yonder, sick uv hearin' people lyin', knowin' that they're lyin', and knowin' that other people know that they're lyin'."
"Why, Jim," said Paul, who had a twinkle in his eye, "that's diplomacy, and the man who practises it is called a diplomatist or diplomat. It's considered a great accomplishment."
"It ain't so considered by me, an' I'm bein' heard from," said Long Jim with great emphasis. "Them dy-plo-may-tists or dy-plo-maws may reckon their-selves pow'ful big boys, but I've got another an' better name fur 'em, and it's spelled with jest four letters of which the furst is L an' the last is R, an them that comes in between are I an' A, with the I first. Why, Paul, it makes me plum' sick, all these goin's on. In a big town like this, full uv Spaniards an' Frenchmen an' Injuns an' niggers an' mixed breeds, an' the Lord knows what, you can never tell nuthin' 'bout nobody, 'cept that he says what he don't believe, an' that he ain't what he is.
"I guess I'm in love more with the big woods than ever. Thar things is what they is. A buffaler don't pretend to be a b'ar. He'd be ashamed to be caught tryin' to play sech a trick, an' a b'ar has the same respect fur hisself; he'd never dream uv sayin' in his b'ar language, 'Look at me, admire me, see what a fine big buflaler I am!' An' I've a lot uv respeck fur the Injun, too. He's an Injun an' he don't say he ain't. He don't come sneakin' along claimin' that he's an old friend uv the family, he jest up an' lets drive his tomahawk at your head, ef he gits the chance, an' makes no bones 'bout it. I'd a heap ruther be killed by a good honest Injun who wuz pantin' fur my blood an' didn't pretend that he wuzn't pantin', than be done to death down here, in some cur'sud unbeknown, hole-in-the-dark way, by a, furrin' man who couldn't speak a real word of the decent English language, but who wuz tryin' to let on all the time that he hated to do it."
Long Jim stopped, breathing hard with his long speech and anger. Shif'less Sol rose, walked across the room, and solemnly held out his hand to his comrade.
"Jim," he said, "you don't often talk you're talkin' a heap o' it now. Shake."
Long Jim shook and added with a grin:
"When me an' you agree, Sol, 'bout anythin', it's shorely right."
Then they fell silent for a while, each thinking in his own way of what had occurred. Henry Ware walked to one of the windows and looked out for a long while. He relished little the idea of being a prisoner for the second time, even if the second imprisonment were a sort of courtesy affair. He saw from the windows the roofs of houses amid green foliage and he knew that only a few hundred yards beyond lay the great forest, which, now in the freshest and tenderest tints of spring, rolled away unbroken, save for the few scratches that the French or Spanish had made, for thousands of miles, and for all he knew to the Arctic Circle itself.
The words of Long Jim stirred the youth deeply. He did not like intrigue and double-dealing and the ways of foreign men. Like Long Jim he longed for the great honest forest, and he, too, had his respect for the Indian who would tomahawk him without claiming to be a friend. He was glad, very glad, that he had come upon so great an errand, but he would like to cleave through the whole web of intrigue with one sturdy blow and then be off into the forest which was calling to him with such a dearly loved voice.
Paul saw Henry's face and he understood its expression. He knew that it was harder for his comrade than for himself to endure the confinement within four walls, but he said nothing. Words would be wasted.
Later in the day their door was opened, and Mr. Pollock came in bringing with him a cheery breeze.
"I've come to tell you what news there may be," he said, "and also to ask questions. Now, sit down and make yourselves comfortable. That's right. The cunning and ambitious Don Francisco Alvarez is in a rage. He is also somewhat frightened. He knows that Bernardo Galvez will be busy the next few days trying to secure the proof of the charges that you make against him. In my opinion, Galvez believes thit they are true, but, as you will agree, he cannot act without proof."
"But that is exactly what we lack at this time," said Henry, "and how can we get it while we are locked up here?"
"Just so! Just so! That is a point to which I am coming. Now, about this renegade, this Braxton Wyatt. You say he is the man who drew the maps and who has been the intermediary in this whole nefarious scheme. Maps could be drawn, of course, for a purpose not wicked, but if they could be produced, and above all if Alvarez had made any notes upon them in his own handwriting, they would go far to help. If not proof, they would at least be a strong indication. Now, where do you think these maps are kept?"
"On the person of Braxton Wyatt," replied Henry promptly.
The merchant smiled with pleasure.
"Of course! Of course!" he said. "They belong to Wyatt and naturally he would keep them. Naturally, also, Alvarez would want him to keep them. He would take care that such things were not found on his own person. We must get possession of those maps. But we must go further. This renegade has lived among both the Shawnees and Miamis and is high in their confidence, is it not so?"
"Yes, both the great head-chiefs, Yellow Panther and Red Eagle, trust him."
"And to carry out this nefarious alliance some promise must have passed between Alvarez and the two head chiefs. That promise had to take a concrete form to be binding."
"War belts," suggested Henry.
"But a white man does not send war belts. He has another kind of token, and he makes that token with paper, ink, and a goose quill. Yes, Alvarez is cunning, I know, but the most cunning of all men when he enters a great conspiracy must leave a loose end hanging about somewhere. Or, to change my simile, there is no armor of deception so complete that there is not a crack in it. We must find that loose end, we must find that crack, and when we do, we can see victory just ahead of us."
"Do you mean," said Henry, "that Alvarez has probably sent a letter to the Northern chiefs, promising that as Governor General of Louisiana he will help them with soldiers and cannon against us in Kentucky?"
"I think it likely, quite likely," returned Oliver Pollock, nodding his head to give emphasis to his words. "He had to give them something that would bind. A conspirator must take a risk and in this case it seemed small. The villages of those chiefs are beyond the Ohio, fifteen hundred miles at least from here. The chance that such a letter would reappear in New Orleans was most remote, and Alvarez might have expected to provide against that, too, by being Governor General within a few months. I feel confident that there is such a letter and we must find it."
"It's a pretty problem," said Paul.
"I admit it," said Oliver Pollock, "but a new continent teaches one to achieve the impossible. That is what are we to do; how, I do not yet know, but we must do it."
"It's important," said Henry, "that it be done soon."
"It certainly is," said Mr. Pollock with great emphasis, "because I wish to start North soon with a great fleet of canoes and other boats loaded with rifles, powder, lead, blankets, medicines, and other absolutely necessary things for our suffering brethren in the east. They are hard pressed there, and it takes a long time to pull up the Mississippi and the Ohio and then carry these things across four or five hundred miles of country to our army."
"It's shorely a wonderful thing," said Shif'less Sol, "that you kin take boats up a big river hundreds an' hundreds o' miles into the heart o' a continent, then bend off into another river runnin' into it that takes you nearly over to the Atlantic. An' mebbe ef you took one o' the rivers that runs in it on the other side you might follow it up 'till you got purty near to the western ocean. It says to me plain ez print that we must hev this here Mississippi all the way to its mouth. We can't stay bottled up."
"Sh-sh," said Mr. Pollock, warningly. "Leave that to the future. It will adjust itself, and I think it will adjust itself in the way that we wish, but we cannot talk of it now, while Bernardo Galvez is our good friend and Spain inclines to our side. Of course Louisiana may be passed back to France, but France is a better and more powerful friend than Spain can be."
"Do you think you can get hold of Braxton Wyatt?" asked Henry of Mr. Pollock.
"I shall try," replied the merchant. "Our association has agents here, and in such times as these and in such a great emergency much may be excused. If we can get hands upon him at a convenient moment and place we'll see whether he has those maps about him."
"He'll surely have them," said Henry. "But he'll stick close to Alvarez."
"Yes, there lies the trouble," said Mr. Pollock, "but we'll do our best."
He took his departure, and they were left again to loneliness. Several days passed thus and they chafed terribly. Food and drink they had in plenty, and even some English books were sent to them. But the narrow space and the four enclosing walls were always there. Outside the spring was deepening. All the great forest throbbed with the life of bird and beast, but they, the highest of creation, could not walk ten paces in any direction.
"Jim," said Shif'less Sol to Long Jim, "there's a spring 'bout twenty miles north o' Wareville that you an' me hev sat by many a time. Thar are hundreds o' springs through that country, yes, thousands o' 'em, but this one is the finest o' 'em all. It comes right out o' the side o' a rock hill, a stream so pure that you kin see right through it same ez ef it wuzn't thar, then it falls into a most bee-yu-ti-ful rock pool scooped out by Natur, an' ez the pool overflows, it runs away through the grass an' the woods in a stream 'bout two feet wide an' four inches deep. I think that's 'bout the nicest, coldest, an' most life-givin' water in all Kentucky. You an' me, Jim, hev gone thar many a time, hot an' tired from the hunt, an' hev felt ez ef we had landed right on the steps o' Heaven itself. An' the game, Jim! The game, big an' little, knowed 'bout that spring, too. Remember that tre-men-je-ous big elk you an' me killed 'bout two hundred yards north o' the spring. He stood most ez high ez a horse. An' remember, Jim, when we climbed up on top o' the hill out o' which the spring runs, we could see a long distance every way, north, south, east an' west, over the most bee-yu-ti-ful country, an' we could go whar we pleased. We could follow the buffaler clean to the western ocean ef we felt like it."
Long Jim had been sitting on the floor. Now he rose and advanced in a threatening manner upon Shif'less Sol.
"See here, Sol Hyde!" he exclaimed, "me an' you hev had words many a time, but they hey always ended in smoke! They hev never gone ez fur ez this! An' I want to tell you right here, Sol Hyde, that I kin stand a lot uv things but I can't stand this! 'Ef you say another word about that bee-yu-ti-ful spring, an' them bee-yu-ti-ful woods, an' that beeyu-ti-ful game, thar'll be a heap uv trouble, an' it'll all be fur you!"
"Hit him anyway, Jim," said Tom Ross. "He's done filled me clean up with discontent, and he ought to be punished."
Shif'less Sol laughed.
"I won't do it again, Jim," he said. "It wuz 'cause I feel ez bad about it ez you do, an' I jest had to let off some meanness."
Lieutenant Diego Bernal reappeared at last. He bestowed shrewd looks upon the five and said:
"I have an impression, though my impressions are usually false and my memory always weak, that you are pining. You wish the liberty and the open air of Kaintock. Your legs are long and you would stretch them."
"You hey shore hit it, leftenant," said Tom Ross. "Sometimes I think uv startin' off walkin' ez straight an' hard ez I kin, goin' right through the wall thar, an' then through any house that might git in the way, an' never to stop goin' 'till I got to Kentucky, whar a man may breathe free an' easy."
Lieutenant Diego Bernal laughed and daintily stroked his little mustache.
"I understand you and you have my sympathy," he said. "We Catalans are at heart republicans, and I am interested in this new place of yours that you call Kaintock. But you will have to endure this fort a while longer. The good Senior Pollock does not make progress. He cannot produce the proof of what you charge. Yet Bernardo Galvez waits. He believes in you, and he holds Alvarez and Wyatt in the city. He is strengthened in his opinion, too, by gossip that has come down from Beaulieu, but that is not proof and he cannot act upon it. But be patient. I have an impression, although my impressions are usually false, that time is fighting for you."
He stayed with them an hour, precise and affected, but they believed him to be brave and true. A few days later Oliver Pollock himself came again.
"I have not been able to get hold of Wyatt," he said. "He stays too closely with Alvarez. I don't think that my agents are skillful enough. Hence I decided to procure a new one and fortunately I have succeeded."
"Who is that?" asked Henry.
"Myself!" exclaimed Henry in astonishment.
"No one but you," replied the merchant. "I have been able, by the use of great influence, to secure from Bernardo Galvez your temporary release. It is to his interest to have this plot exposed if it really exists, and accordingly he has allowed me to borrow you. You can go forth with me if you give your word of honor that you will not leave New Orleans or its vicinity and will report again here."
"Why, of course I'll go! I'll"- exclaimed Henry joyfully, and then he stopped suddenly, looking around at his comrades. Then he added: "I don't feel right, Mr. Pollock, to go away and leave the boys in this place."
Up rose Tom Ross.
"Don't you fret about us, Henry," he said. "You're goin' on a good work an' you'll do it, too. We need to hev one uv our gang outside. Remember up at Boo-ly, when Alvarez had us, how much better we felt 'cause he didn't hev Sol. 'Twas a comfort to think that Sol wuz out thar in the woods."
It was a long speech for Tom Ross, but it expressed the sentiments of them all. Henry left with Mr. Pollock and they went to a handsome brick house in the city. This house was store, office, and residence combined, and several clerks were about. But these clerks did not have pale faces and bent backs. They were mostly strong-limbed, broad-shouldered men with tanned faces.
"They work out of doors," said Mr. Pollock briefly. "Some are to go with the fleet up the rivers, others have been as far as the West Indies accumulating supplies. It is necessary for them all to be able to write and shoot."
Henry liked their looks, but he did not have a chance to speak to any of them as Mr. Pollock quickly led the way into a small inner office, where he motioned Henry to a chair and took one himself. Henry was now within narrower walls than those that confined him in the prison, but he felt a huge sense of relief. He was free. If he wanted to open the door and walk out he could do so. He expanded his great chest and took a mighty breath. Mr. Pollock heard the aspiration, looked up, and laughed. He understood perfectly.
"I'd feel that way, too, if I had been in your place," he said. "Now what we want to do is to devise some plan of trapping your friend and enemy, Mr. Wyatt. What do you think?"
"Once," replied Henry, "when he was carrying war belts between the Shawnees and Miamis we simply seized him and took them away from him. We must do something of this kind. Where is he staying?"
"Alvarez has a house near the river. He is there. I know that the two are plotting all the while, but I cannot get the proof."
"Do Wyatt and Alvarez know that I'm out?"
"No, neither of them."
"That's good. I think I can surprise Braxton Wyatt. If I can get my hands on him I'm sure that we'll find those maps. What kind of a house has Alvarez?"
"You can see it from that window. A pretty place, standing among the trees."
Henry looked, and the longer he looked the more pleased he felt. The trees were thick around the house of Alvarez and the fact gave him an idea.
"I think I know how to do it," he said.
Oliver Pollock leaned forward, his shrewd face eager, and for a few minutes the two talked low and earnestly.
Return to the The Free Rangers Summary Return to the Joseph A. Altsheler Library


text: It's the next Russian revolution 5:00 AM PDT 8/31/2007 by Nick Holdsworth , AP FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME Media sector is hot despite the country's international image Despite international alarm bells sounding in the wake of Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent Cold War rhetoric, the country's new breed of wealthy, brash movie and TV moguls say the future for them has never been brighter. In fact, the Russian bear is in better shape than ever when it comes to the country's multibillion-dollar media sector as it cruises through yet another record-breaking year. Television advertising will mint more than $4 billion this year, experts say, and a third of the record-breaking boxoffice receipts forecast will come from locally shot Russian-language movies. Ten years ago, the country boasted one modern cinema. By December, there will be 1,800-2,000 — many of them multiplexes. In short, it's a party that the international media congloms don't want to miss. Not surprisingly, some of Hollywood's major studios are piling in as well. A singular marker of Russia's burgeoning production sector comes with arguably the country's most expensive movie — a $35 million adaptation of the cult 1970s sci-fi novel "Inhabited Island" that's shooting on location in the Crimea. Scheduled for release in January 2009, "Island" already has been presold for $16 million to Russian distributor Caro Premier. The budget reflects the confidence that Russian producers feel in a domestic market where boxoffice receipts are expected to hit $560 million this year. "The television and film market in Russia is extremely dynamic. Russia's international image has no effect whatsoever on the media market," said Alexander Rodnyansky, head of Russia's most popular TV entertainment network, Nasdaq-listed CTC. The international image he was referencing includes pictures of anti-government demonstrators beaten by riot police, unsolved murders of political journalists and Putin's brusque attack on U.S. plans to house a new anti-terror missile shield in Russia's Eastern European backyard. But these and other global political concerns are clearly not affecting entertainment executives. Rodnyansky insists that the freedom to do business in Russia is unfettered. At June's 11th International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg, business leaders including Britain's Martin Sorrell, head of ad giant WPP — which earned $100 million in Russia last year — told foreign investors that Russia was "probably the fastest-growing market in the world." The profiles of Russia's homegrown media moguls reflect that bullish media market. Ukrainian-born Rodnyansky moved to Moscow after founding a highly successful television channel in Kiev. Now, he also co-owns Russia's annual early June national film fest Kinotavr, in Sochi, the Black Sea resort that's home to Putin's dacha summer cottage. "Directors are free to make politically sensitive or critical movies — there is no censorship in movie production at all," Rodnyansky said. "The media market has been growing by 30% year on year for the past three years, driven by tremendous developments in GDP and consumer spending." And foreign investors are taking notice of the robust climate. The Walt Disney Co., the latest Hollywood major to enter the market, plans to shoot English- and Russian-language films here in partnership with Thema, a production company with headquarters in London, Luxembourg and St. Petersburg that's best known in the West for co-producing Woody Allen's 2005 film "Match Point." There also has been considerable action on the television front, with NBC Universal International TV Distribution and Dick Wolf Films teaming with Russia's NTV to make localized versions of "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" and "Law & Order: SVU." Sony Pictures Television International also has production offices in Russia and has been active on the production front, working with broadcaster CTC. Michael Dounaev, managing director of Russian telco and Thema parent Sistema Mass-Media, said projects include "Billionaire's Fair," a Russian-style "Ocean's Eleven." British director Roland Joffe, who lensed the thriller "Captivity" (released this summer by Lionsgate in the U.S.) on a studio set in Moscow, is now helming a second movie in Moscow, a hedonistic, music lifestyle drama called "Finding t.A.T.u." starring Mischa Barton. "This is a time of extraordinary potential in Russia — for good and bad," Joffe said. "It's a complex country, and it is very easy to criticize without understanding what is going on." Russian investors also are placing their faith in Putin's ability to maintain stability beyond the 2008 elections, when his second term expires. Solar Film Studios, a new company based near the southern port of Novorossisk, plans to plow $30 million of private cash into building a moviemaking complex in a part of the country where 280 sunny days a year make it perfect for location filmmaking. "We would not be investing our own money in this project if we were not confident in that future," said Sergei Keshishev, one of four partners in the new company. FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME Nick Holdsworth email@example.com @thr AP firstname.lastname@example.com @thr


text:
Yesterday, a reader named Brian asked me the following question:
If the cost of an appliance (and its delivery, say) were the same at Home Depot, Lowes, and Sears, where would you buy the appliance and why and how would you do it?
I really like this question because it shows a real world situation and an opportunity to earn lots of points and/or save lots of money. I don't know how much money Brian intends to spend, but for the sake of this post let's assume he'll buy a total of $3,000 worth of appliances. What is his best option?
Forsaking credit card warranties
Most opportunities to maximize point earnings and savings involve buying and using gift cards. It is important to understand, though, that when you buy things with gift cards you give up the automatic protections offered by your credit card. A good credit card will offer price protection and extend the manufacturers warranty by a year. How much is this piece of mind worth to you? Buying gift cards could save you 10% or more. If you were about to spend $3000, would you be willing to give up $300 for the peace of mind offered by your credit card? For the rest of this post, I'll assume that the answer is no. Let's take a chance that things will go right!
The Home Improvement gift card
If I were asked the same question six months ago, I would have said that step one is to go to Office Depot with your Chase Ink card and buy $3K worth of $500 Home Improvement gift cards. I had done experiments showing that I could triple dip with Sears and Lowes by buying Home Improvement gift cards to get 5 points per dollar, then going through an online portal to buy Sears or Lowes gift cards to get more points, and then going through a portal again to Sears or Lowes to use the gift cards. Since then, though, most of the steps described above have broken down. Office Depot no longer allows the sale of Home Improvement gift cards with a credit card (although some readers say that their local Office Depot stores still allow it – mine does not). Sears stopped allowing the purchase of their gift cards with Home Improvement gift cards. And, some readers have reported problems trying to buy Lowes' gift cards this way as well.
If you have a card that offers bonus points at a grocery store or drug store, the triple dip described above might still work with Lowes: 1) buy the Home Improvement card at a grocery store or drug store; 2) go through a portal to buy Lowes' gift cards; and 3) go through portal to use gift cards. That's a lot of work, though, for a payoff that might not happen. For this post, I'll assume that Home Improvement cards are not an option.
Buying gift cards
Assuming we know that we'll be spending $3,000, the first step is to find the best option for buying $3,000 worth of gift cards. In the post "Best options for buying merchant gift cards," I listed quite a few good options. Let's examine some of them, in detail:
Secondhand gift cards
GiftCardGranny.com shows current rates for buying secondhand gift cards from resellers. At the time of this writing, GiftCardGranny lists the following rates (ignoring EBay auctions):
- Home Depot: 9.9% discount
- Lowes': 9% discount
- Sears: 7.4% discount
It makes sense to also check Kmart and Lands' End gift cards since they also work at Sears:
- Kmart: 7.1% discount
- Lands' End: 7.1% discount
As you can see, you could save from 7.4% to 9.9% off the bat by buying gift cards from resellers. In practice, though, it might not be so easy. Often a reseller will have just a few cards available from any one merchant so getting $3K worth of gift cards could be tough. And, as you'll see below, we can do better…
Ink + portal + Staples.com
Staples.com sells Sears, Home Depot, and Lowes gift cards online. And, if you buy e-gift cards, there is no fee for shipping and handling. Go to Staples.com via an online portal and pay with a Chase Ink card to get 5 points per dollar. Portal rates change frequently, so it makes sense to search for the best current option through a portal finder such as cashbackholic.com and/or evreward.com. At the time of this writing, the best options are 3X through the Ultimate Rewards Mall or 5% cash back through uPromise. Let's assume for now that we'll go for 5% cash back. In that case, after buying $3000 worth of gift cards and paying with a Chase Ink card, you would earn $150 cash back and 15,000 Ultimate Rewards points.
Sears and Home Depot gift cards top out at $200 each whereas Lowes' gift cards top out at $500 each.
SimplyCash + OfficeMax.com
OfficeMax.com does not award portal points or cash back for gift card purchases, but they do provide automatic cash back via American Express' OPEN Savings program. All Amex small business cards include OPEN Savings. With OfficeMax.com and OPEN Savings, you get 5% cash back for online purchases up to $250, and 10% cash back for online purchases over $250. If we mix in the Amex SimplyCash business card which earns 5% cash back at office supply stores automatically, you then have an easy path to 15% cash back! OfficeMax.com sells only physical gift cards and they charge a 99 cent fee for each. Both Home Depot and Lands' End (e.g. Sears) gift cards are available in denominations of $100:
With this approach, you would have to buy 30 $100 gift cards and pay $29.70 in fees. In return, you would get 15% cash back. $3029.70 x 15% = $454.46. Your profit would be $454.45 – $29.70 = $424.75, which is equivalent to 14.16% savings!
ShopDiscover + Plink + Sears
A third option is to sign up for Plink and enroll your Discover It card and put Kmart in your Plink wallet. Then, go through Shop Discover to Sears to buy physical gift cards. To maximize Plink rewards, buy just one $50 gift card at a time, complete check out, then go back through the portal and start again. For each purchase, you should earn $3 (6%) in Plink points, $5 (10%) from ShopDiscover, and 50 cents (1%) from the Discover It credit card. That's a total of 17% savings! You can do even better by redeeming your Discover cash back for Lands' End gift cards at 20% off. Let's walk through an example:
- Using the above method, buy $2650 worth of Sears' gift cards. You'll earn $291.50 in Discover Cash and $159 worth of Plink points.
- When redeeming Discover Cash, you can buy $100 Lands' End gift cards for $80 or $50 Lands' End gift cards for $40. Use $280 of your $291.50 in Discover Cash to buy three $100 cards and one $50 card. You now have a total of $3000 worth of Sears' (plus Lands' End) gift cards, $11.50 in Discover Cash, and $159 worth of Plink points.
- Remember that you've spent only $2650 out of pocket, so you saved 11.67% right off the top and you earned $159 + $11.50 = $170.50 worth of rewards, which is an additional 5.7% giving you a grand total of 17.4% savings.
This is obviously an extreme option. It would require 53 separate Sears' gift card purchases and a potentially long wait for Discover rewards. If you skip the part of using Discover cash to get Lands' End gift cards, you can speed things up a lot and still do almost as well, but that would mean 60 separate Sears' gift card purchases. And, when you go to use those gift cards, can you even imagine having to scratch off 60 little silver strips and type in all those numbers. No thanks. This is a great option for maximizing savings, but a terrible option if you value your time!
ShopDiscover + Plink + Sears option 2
In the fourth quarter, the Discover It card offers 5% cash back (up to $1500 in spend) for online purchases. You can simplify savings by going through the ShopDiscover portal to Sears to buy physical gift cards and pay with your Discover It card. Of course, wait until the promotion begins on October 1 and make sure to register for the 5% promotion. This would be a nice easy way to get 15% cash back for $1500 worth of Sears gift cards. I would recommend breaking the purchases into at least three separate $500 purchases, though. Sears seems to take much longer to pay out to portals when purchases are very large.
Buying gift cards, quick summary:
- Buy secondhand: 7.4% to 9.9% savings.
- Buy $200 Sears, $200 Home Depot, or $500 Lowes gift cards with Ink card at Staples.com via portal: 5% savings plus 5X points.
- Buy $100 Lands' End (Sears) or $100 Home Depot gift cards at OfficeMax.com with SimplyCash card: 14.16% savings.
- Buy $50 Sears' gift cards via ShopDiscover: up to 17.4% savings.
- Buy three $500 Sears' gift cards via ShopDiscover in the fourth quarter: 15% savings.
Buying online
When you're ready to buy your appliances, you can save even more money or earn even more points by shopping through an online portal and paying with the gift cards you bought earlier. Even though ShopDiscover often has the best cash back rates, I don't recommend using this portal if you plan to pay with gift cards. Some people have had their cash back clawed back in those situations. Instead, consider the following current options:
- Sears: 5X via the Ultimate Rewards Mall; or 8% cash back via MrRebates
- Lowes: 5% cash back via uPromise; or 3X via Ultimate Rewards Mall, or 3X via AAdvantage eShopping
- Home Depot: 4X via the Ultimate Rewards Mall; or 5% via TopCashBack
As you can see above, the current options for cash back and point earnings are fairly small compared to what's possible when buying gift cards. As a result, if you can get a better deal in-store, go for it.
Moving coupons
If you're planning a move, you might as well make the most of it and get 10% off coupons from Lowes and Home Depot. To get your coupons, sign up at the following sites:
Last I checked, Lowes will send a coupon good for 10% off, up to $3000 in spend (in-store or online). And, Home Depot will send a coupon good for 10% off, up to $2000 in spend (in-store only). Keep in mind that each store will honor the other's coupons.
Sales, promotions, price matching, and more
The premise of this post was that all three stores offered the same appliances for the same price. In real life, that's unlikely, but you should be able to get any of these stores to match the best available price at any other store with a physical presence in your area. In fact, both Lowes and Home Depot have price match guarantees in which they say that they'll meet the competitor's price and give you an additional 10% off. To get these discounts, though, you will most likely have to buy in person and give up the 10% moving coupon. That is, you'll have to give up the extra 10% if you don't know the trick of how to apply both (see "Extreme savings at Lowes"). So, even once you've committed to a particular store (by buying lots of gift cards, for example), keep your eye on sales, at all stores, for the products you want. You may be able to save even more.
Also watch out for special promotions. Sears often offers their ShopYourWayRewards members special promotions in which they can earn 5%, 10% or even more back in the form of ShowYourWayRewards points (normally, you earn just 1% back).
For an overview of even more extreme opportunities, please read "Extreme savings at Lowes".
The approach I'd take
If it were me and I had some time, I'd watch and wait for special promotions to crop up. Keep an eye on sales on the appliances you want and be ready to jump on them when they pop up. An ideal situation would be one in which a store offers an excellent promotion (such as Sears offering 25% back in rewards) and a competitor offers the items at a great discount. In that case you could buy the items from Sears to qualify for the promotion, and submit an online price match form to get money back. With this watch and wait approach, you need to be able to get gift cards quickly. So, I would have my Chase Ink card ready to buy e-gift cards from Staples. These are usually delivered overnight. This wait and see approach doesn't deliver the biggest savings through gift card purchases, but it leaves you open to jump on the best sales and promotions as they appear.
Waiting to hear Brian's solution
I'm hoping that Brian will let us know what approach he decides to take. And, even better will be to hear about the experience once he has completed his purchases. Did his expected savings (or point earnings) materialize? What went right? What went wrong?
Related posts
- Extreme savings at Lowes
- Best options for buying merchant gift cards
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