text:
Paoli Hospital teams up with American Red Cross to host blood drives
Many thanks to all who were able to donate blood at the September and October blood drives at Paoli Hospital—a total of 66 blood units was collected!
According to the American Red Cross, about one in seven people entering a hospital need blood. Although an estimated 38 percent of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood at any given time, less than 10 percent of that eligible population actually do each year.
Christina Vaughan, of Paoli, donated in September's drive. She explains, "Giving blood is an easy way for me to give back and do something for others. I started donating about 20 years ago and since I have a rarer blood type, I feel even more compelled to donate."
Paoli's next drives will be December 15 and December 29, 7:00 am–7:00 pm, in the Potter Room.
Make an appointment and donate today
Use your traditional IRA to make your charitable gift this year
In late 2015, Congress enacted a permanent extension of the IRA Charitable Rollover provision. As a result, individuals 70½ or older can satisfy their minimum distribution requirement while donating up to $100,000 from their IRA account to charitable organizations without paying income tax on the withdrawal. If you take advantage of this provision, you can exclude the amount distributed to Paoli Hospital from your taxable income. As you plan your minimum required distributions for this year, if you do not need the money that you're required to take, consider using it for a charitable gift using the IRA Charitable Rollover.
In addition to the age limitation:
- The gift must be made from an IRA – no other retirement plans (such as 401k, 403b or SEP accounts) qualify
- Your gift must come to Paoli Hospital outright – it cannot be used to establish a life-income arrangement or support a donor-advised fund
- Transfers must be made directly from a traditional IRA account by your IRA administrator to Paoli Hospital
Note that transactions from your IRA account can take a few weeks, so if you do plan to direct an IRA distribution to Paoli Hospital, please let us know so that we look for it.
Please contact Meghan Sayer, executive director of development for Paoli Hospital at 484.565.1688 or firstname.lastname@example.com for more details on this and other tax-advantageous methods of charitable giving.
Join us for "A Night in Monte Carlo"
Mistletoe and Magic is the Paoli Hospital Auxiliary's major fundraising event. The theme this year is "A Night in Monte Carlo," and it is shaping up to be great evening. This event is open to the public and will be held on Saturday, November 18 at Aronimink Golf Club. We hope you will consider attending the event, as it is a fun way to support the hospital. Visit paoliauxiliary.org/mistletoeandmagic for full details and ticket purchases!
Register for a night in Monte Carlo
Gifts at work – Cardiac monitors
The Davenport Family Foundation and the Scholler Foundation recently awarded grants to the Paoli Hospital Foundation to support the purchase of three new cardiac monitors for the emergency room. The new monitors come with the capability of monitoring cardiac rhythm, non-invasive blood pressures, pulse oximetry (oxygen), invasive temperatures, exhaled CO2, and up to four invasive blood pressures. Cardiac monitoring is a non-invasive and simple diagnostic tool that allows clinicians to triage appropriately, resulting in more timely care for our sickest and potentially sick patients.
Volunteer Voices – Tim Michel
Have you ever wished there was something you could do to help others? Paoli Hospital is looking for people like you to join our volunteer team of 500 volunteers from age 15 and counting. Our volunteers are students, parents, grandparents, working professionals and retirees from all walks of life who support Paoli Hospital's mission to uphold the standard of excellence in care, educational information, technology and community outreach.
Tim Michel shared with us his reason for volunteering and the important work that he's doing here at Paoli.


text:
4th Ward "revisionist" history
Here's an interesting read that sets the story right about who really "fought for the residents" in the 4th Ward.
Who really fought the developers in an attempt to stop harmful development in the fourth ward?
In the Hoboken Reporter dated October 21, 2007 fourth ward Council Candidate Christopher Campos provided the citizens of Hoboken with what can only be classified as revisionist history with regard to the saga of the Sky club, (FKA 101 Marshall and Gateway One). In this week's Hoboken reporter the same myth, that Chris Campos had much of anything to do with the fight to stop the flood damage caused by the developers of the Sky Club, is further perpetuated in two additional letters to the Hoboken Reporter, first by an anonymous 4th ward resident and by resident Perry Belfiore. Mr. Campos, Mr. Belfiore and the anonymous resident all refer to the legal battle to stop development of the Sky Club.
The history of the Sky Club is complicated. However, for those who are curious about the references in the three letters to Mr. Campos's so called "hard work" to fight the flood problems in the fourth ward only two things are certain:
- It was a citizens' group. The HCA (The Hudson County Alliance), who were the ones who took on the developers of the Sky Club and did ALL of the work in an exhaustive and intensive legal fight to try to stop the project due to their certainty that the project would harm the community by exacerbating dangerous flooding problems in that area of the city…. they were right.
- Chris Campos was/is NOT a member of the HCA and, while no one in the group can know what conversations Mr. Campos may have had with the Mayor or fellow councilmember's in conversations outside of city council meetings, Mr. Campos never contacted anyone in the HCA, never offered to assist with any of their efforts and never sat in on any HCA member meetings or planning sessions.
For the benefit of any of Hoboken's citizens who are interested, below is a copy of a letter submitted to the Hoboken Reporter on September 15th 2002, by the President of the HCA at the time. It is obvious that the effort to stop the development rests with the HCA, not Chris Campos. The letter references an appeal which was in play at the time that the letter was penned. The HCA lost this appeal. They, however, continued to fight the project through August of 2004, but ultimately without success.
For the record, Chris Campos put forward a resolution for Hoboken's attorney to review the case for the purposes of having the council seek to intervene as an interested party, which the city council did. He also seconded a resolution for review of the sewerage authority approval for the project to connect to Hoboken's sewers. This represents the entire extent of Mr. Campo's known "efforts" to fight the developers of the Sky Club. It is unfortunate that HCA was unsuccessful in their efforts and we are all now seeing the end result, in exacerbation of the flooding situation in Hoboken's fourth ward. It is also disturbing that a candidate for office is putting forward this revisionist history and taking credit for the hard work of others.
HCA explains suit to stop Gateway One Towers
Citizens of Hoboken and Jersey City:
The Hudson County Alliance ("HCA") is a grass roots organization of Hudson County residents that was formed to protect public health, safety and the quality of life from harmful development.
Recently, the HCA filed suit in New Jersey Superior Court to stop the construction of Gateway One Towers ("Gateway") at 101 Marshall Street in southwest Hoboken and to overturn approvals by the Hoboken Zoning Board, the North Hudson Sewerage Authority, and the Hoboken Construction Official needed to build Gateway's two 17 story towers and parking garage.
The City of Jersey City and the City Council of Hoboken joined forces with our group in this litigation by asking the court to reverse the zoning approvals and stop construction of the project.
On August 21, Superior Court Judge Arthur D'Italia denied the joint request for a stop work order and dismissed all the complaints filed, save one HCA complaint against the sewer approval.
The HCA intends to appeal the judge's decision. And, we have just learned that both Jersey City and the Hoboken City Council intend to do likewise.
Our organization filed our lawsuit July 1, 2002 in response to a project that we feel is a threat to public health and safety, where the public's right to have and participate in a lawful public zoning process was ignored. We feel that is important that you be informed about the lawsuit and its progress. We also hope that you will consider helping us to insure that our government acts in accordance with law and the public interest.
Gateway's Zoning Board approvals date back to 1998. They involve variances for more than ten violations of Hoboken's Zoning Law, including construction of 158-foot towers where only 40-foot structures are allowed and completely covering the land with buildings where only 60% coverage is permitted. The convoluted history of Gateway involves two other major decisions by the Zoning Board at the request of the developer: in 1999, the project was reduced in size to four 6-story buildings with parking beneath the structures, and in 2000, the project returned to its 1998 configuration of two 17-story structures and a separate garage.
Read the rest of the letter after the Jump
According to HCA's complaint, none of these approvals were given legally. No notice was given to the Jersey City Clerk or Hudson County Clerk prior to any of the Zoning Board hearings, as required by law. The 1999 and 2000 site plan approvals were characterized as "interpretations": i.e. no public notice was given at all that the amendments were being considered and no formal hearings were held, as required by law.
In order for the Zoning Board to issue a variance, the developer must demonstrate that there will be no harm to the public. The public must be told about the hearings so they can present testimony about how a project may affect them. If the project presents harm to the public, this is a basis for the Zoning Board to NOT approve the variance.
For example, lack of notice to Jersey City denied residents any say on a project that would block their views of the Hudson River and could worsen flooding on Jersey City property and roads below the palisades. Recently more than 500 Jersey City residents signed a petition opposing these structures. If Jersey City had been given proper notice of the 1998 Zoning Board hearings, their opposition could have stopped Gateway's variances from being approved.
If no proper public notice is given, the Zoning Board has no jurisdiction to hear the case or to give the approvals for variances. Thus, according to the HCA complaint, the Zoning Board approvals never happened.
And without legal Zoning Board approvals, approvals given by the Sewerage Authority for the project to connect to Hoboken's sewers and the building permits issued by the Construction Official are all invalid, so that the construction of Gateway is illegal.
HCA's complaint also points out that all of the variances granted in 1998 expired in 1999 because by law they last only one year. The Zoning Board's "interpretation" in 2000 that the developers of Gateway could go back to the 1998 version of the project was therefore also illegal, since the 1998 variances had expired a year earlier.
The Judge ruled that even if the approvals were illegal, the public had 45 days after each approval to challenge it in court, and by failing to do so, the public "sat on their rights" and so lost them.
Let's follow the reasoning: Without proper notices given, the Zoning Board had no power to issue variances, and so the 1998 variances were illegal. Even if the 1998 variances were legal, they expired by 1999. So no legal variances existed on September 13, 2001 (2 days after the WTC collapsed), when the Construction Official issued a permit to build the Gateway foundation. The foundation permit was therefore illegal. But NO public notice of this permit was given other than a piece of paper posted somewhere on the work site, so the public had no way of knowing the permit was issued or that it was illegal. 45 days passed, and an unaware public did nothing. According to the Judge's reasoning, the illegal construction permit and project are now magically legalized because we the (uninformed) public "sat on our rights."
Even more troubling is that, in his ruling, the Judge ignored one other HCA complaint that was filed WITHIN the magic 45 days and so was NOT "out of time". That complaint involved the fact that the Sewerage Authority sewer hookup approval was conditioned on making "changes" to the project — in particular raising road grades surrounding the project and building sewer ejector pits and a storm water retention system on site — which were NOT part of any version of the Gateway project that were approved by the Zoning Board. Since the project was thus significantly different than the ones "approved" by the Zoning Board in 1998, the project should have gone BACK to the Zoning Board for new hearings and approvals.
There are very good reasons why these "changes" need to be considered by the Zoning Board. The Sewerage Authority required the "changes" to protect the residents of Gateway — the raising of road grades would allow access to Gateway during floods (which are frequent in SW Hoboken) and the ejector pits would prevent sewerage from backing up into the lower floor dwellings during such a flood. But these "changes" are potentially very dangerous to public health and safety. Raising road grades will, in the written opinion of Hoboken's engineering consultant Schoor-DePalma, "exacerbate flooding" of the properties surrounding Gateway, and ejector pits will "surcharge the system", i.e. pump the raw sewerage out of Gateway and into the sewer where it can mix with flood waters, spill out onto the streets, or back up in neighbors' basements. Thus these "changes" which have NEVER been approved by the Zoning Board could significantly harm the public, and are a basis for REJECTING the project altogether!
The Sewerage Authority sewer hookup approvals, conditioned on these dubious "changes", requires that the project go back to the Zoning Board, which never happened, so the permit issued by the Construction Official to build beyond the foundation, issued on May 31, 2002, was illegal, since the required zoning approvals for the "changed" project were never given. In fact, neither the Sewerage Authority approval nor the May 31st building permit can be legal until AFTER the Zoning Board reconsiders and approves the "changed" project, which has never happened. Even though this part of the complaint challenged Sewerage Authority and Construction Official approvals within 45 days of their occurrence, it was never even addressed by the Judge.
In rejecting HCA's motion for a stop work order, the Judge ruled that the harm to the developers by being forced to stop work exceeds the public's harm if the building continues. But the developers are counting on the fact that the more they build, the less likely it becomes that the court will order the buildings torn down.
So here is the crux of our situation: the lower court has ruled that private interests are more important than the public interest. The public's right to have zoning and construction laws properly enforced, to have their legal right to have an input into the zoning approval process and to have their legitimate public health concerns addressed therein has been subordinated by the judge to the developers' right to protect their investments and profits, and to defy the law and trample on the public's right to have a say. If a developer can abuse the approval process and get away with it, then zoning protection in Hoboken is dead and all citizens suffer.
The HCA therefore intends to appeal Judge D'Italia's decision and to ask the Appeals Court to impose an immediate stop work order. The City of Jersey City and the Hoboken City Council also consider the construction of Gateway to be so detrimental to the safety and quality-of-life of our communities that they have joined HCA in this appeal. The appeal is scheduled to be filed by September 23rd of this year.
We need help to get the word out, so if you would like to participate in any way, including donations to the HCA legal fund, please contact us at xxx-xxx-xxxx.
XXXXXXX, President
Hudson County Alliance

subset: commoncrawl


text:
I'm determined to stalk and kill a wild pig on public land. Judging by the pig tag return data, I'm probably not going to be successful. Too bad I'm stubborn.
The 2006-07 data shows that only 8% of returned tags were connected to pigs taken on public land, and that includes military bases. The Hog Blog quotes a base biologist saying "30% of the state's pig harvest comes from Fort Hunter Liggett, Camp Roberts, or VAFB." The math doesn't totally work, either someone's not filing pig tags, filing them incorrectly, or the biologist is wrong. I think it's a fair bet to say that most of the 8% of public-land kills are on a military base.
Why do I want to get a public-land pig? Well, paying a guide or landowner $400 for access and another $300 for each pig taken is crazy! With travel costs, amortizing the equipment costs over a few years of hunting, and adding in processing costs, 80lbs of pig meat approaches $14/lb – and that's assuming that every guided hunt will yield a pig. Now wild pig is yummy, but $14/lb buys me filet minon at Safeway.
I bought detailed topographic maps of all the areas near Santa Rosa. Combining the maps with Google Earth I can then figure out which land parcels are public and determine if there's any road access to the land. Oh yeah, I bet you didn't see that coming! There are nice juicy plots of public land that are ringed by private land and totally inaccessible. If by chance there's accessible public land, I then look at the satellite photos and search for oak trees, or at least navigable terrain.
Cow Mountain is a big swath of BLM land East of Ukiah, CA. The South end of the park is designated as an off-highway vehicle park, so there are lots of Jeep trails and dirtbike paths. The North end of the park has a shooting range and is OHV-free, so that's where we guess the pigs are. If you've been following along, you'll recall that Brad and I hunted Cow Mountain previously with absolutely no success. Well, we spent more time looking at the maps and decided to try the Eastern half of the park. Our friend Jordon joined us.
Wild turkeys were hanging out by the trailhead. Too bad they weren't pigs. The sun rose as we hiked into the park. It was a beautiful morning.
Clear Lake off in the distance.
Brad thought he saw something moving. It turned out to be a rabbit. I don't know why Brad and Jordon are standing so close together, but they make a cute couple!
Beautiful scenery.
The trail is popular with hikers and horse riders. This is another reason it's probably not so popular with the pigs.
Of course we didn't get a pig. The Ukiah park rangers say they haven't seen a pig at Cow Mountain in more than 15 years. All the guides and hunters we talk to have laughed when we tell them we've hunted Cow Mountain. We _constantly_ get the refrain "there ain't no pigs at Cow Mountain!". One guide told us that there are no pigs East of Highway 101.
That can't be true, can it?


text:
The new 2018 Toyota 86 is coming soon to the market, it new, fun, and almost nothing that you expect from Toyota 86 (Scion FR-S). New 2018 86 Toyota has been Redesign, and has few more changes worth mentioning.
Design of new 86
When we wanna talk about changes from exterior from this beauty that been around for 5 years, we can say that new model only experience a mid-life facelift (or a 'refresh' in manufacturer terms).This changes provide a modern aerodynamic look. New 86 (Subaru BRZ) is low, sleek and long, like sport car, but we wanted little more of new Toyota 86.
Interior of new Toyota 86 model is not to cousy, and rear seat do not have much space, so it is best to live it for children, or put some luggage on it. But do not forget this is sporty wehicle, so they concentrate on performance of the car, and not luxury and space in interior.
With new styling this sports coupe has strange steering because its mixed bag, with the precise and well-weighted electric power assist taking out much of the feel. Car is precise, and brakes are modulate and adequate for the cars weight. The 86 always was, and remains a sharp steerer. Toyota wanned for you to taste cars growling engine note into the cabin, so they put sound pipe, so road noise can become when you hit above 70 mph.
As for the acceleration for the new model, new 86 model gets from 0 to 60 mph for 6,8 second, that would be definitely little better, but looking on previous model it is improved little bit.
Engine of Subaru BRZ (Toyota 86)2018
The Toyota latest 86 model will have 2.0-liter horizontally opposed 4-cylinder that brings 205hp and has paddle-shifted 6-speed automatic powering the rear wheels.
2018 Toyota 86 Release Date and Price
The model is still hanging around $30K, and the basic model you can find for little over $26,000. Thet is not much money considering all that new 2018 Toyota 86 is bringing on the table.
As for the day of hitting this beauty on the market, you can expect it at the last quarter in 2017.


text:
30+ Hours of Training
This course is 100% updated for the latest version of the CCNP ROUTE exam, the 300-101 version.
You can watch the videos as often as you like until you pass the CCNP ROUTE exam! Your download ability and online access NEVER expire.
Since 2005, I've prepared CCNP candidates for success on the difficult CCNP ROUTE exam, and now I'm going to do the same for you.
No prepackaged slides here - you'll see lab after lab on REAL Cisco routers, all designed to teach you the finer points of advanced Cisco routing and prepare you for success in the exam room and real-world networking. From BGP to route redistribution, from multi-area OSPF to distribute-lists, it's all here.
Your access to this online course is unlimited - you can watch the videos as often as you like and for as long as it takes for you to pass! Let's get started!
"Just want to say I sat my CCNP Route exam today and passed 1st time. I found Chris's material straight to the point, clear and concise. Will definitely be buying the Switch book and video series! Thank Chris! Ben London, United Kingdom"
- Ben Harvey
"Chris, After getting my CCNA I decided to make the leap to CCNP, I decided to sit ROUTE first and thanks to your materials ALONE I passed first time with a score of 865! ... Needless to say I will be using your materials for SWITCH and T-SHOOT! ... Cheers, Craig - Sheffield, England"
- Craig Cartlidge
Since 2005, Chris has helped thousands of network techs worldwide in earning their Cisco and CompTIA certifications - and now he is ready to do the exact same thing for you with his clear, concise, BS-free training courses. Chris Bryant CCIE #12933 "The Computer Certification Bulldog"
Website: http://www.thebryantadvantage.com/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ccie12933
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/gPq52d


text:
The Met Gala is What the Vatican Has Been Waiting For
Whoever said, "All publicity is good publicity" clearly never tried advertising with the Roman Catholic Church. The Church has been in and out of the papers for roughly two millennia now and it has seen nothing but decreasing membership in recent years. A liturgical facelift is long overdue and perhaps this year's Met Gala is exactly what the doctor ordered.
I am your typical Cradle Catholic. I was born and raised in the Church, attend not only mass but also Bible study every week, actively participate in my college's Catholic organization; the list goes on. But statistic after statistic reveals that I am one of a dying breed. Gallup reports that only one in four young Catholics are active churchgoers, 11% lower than the same age group in Protestants. And according to the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), of those who have revoked the Catholic label, nearly 80% are under the age of 23. To be honest, you do not need to look far to supposedly figure out why.
The Church is musty, old, and quickly going the way of parachute pants and the perm. The habit and cassock look like Halloween costumes, and incense feels less like reverent perfume and more like second-hand smoke. The image of Catholicism is what most millennials are not: traditionalist, strict, pompous. And don't even get me started on the organ.
While Pope Francis has done a remarkable job adapting the Church for 21st century audiences in what little wiggle room he has, the Vatican could never possibly change enough to appease the masses. A parish made to remedy all of the antiquated ills would look less like a Catholic Church and more like a Chuck E. Cheese. But what if all of these problems could be fixed without changing a single thing at all?
Enter: The Met Gala
The quality of the Gala's theme varies from year to year. Calling the 2015 theme "China: Through the Looking Glass" appropriation would be a gross understatement, while the following year's theme "Manus x Machina: Fashion in Technology" was a smooth success. I'll be honest. When I heard this year's theme was going to be "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination," I was uneasy to say the least. It was impossible to count the number of ways this could go wrong, the number of ways influential people could mock, criticize, and scorn the Church with the world as their witness. I was even more surprised to find out that the Vatican had given its sacred stamp of approval. But, boy, did they know what they were doing.
The final product resulted in a series of attire and photos that "good publicity" cannot begin to describe. There was every pope and saint you know and love: From Zendaya's divine interpretation of Joan of Arc adorned with silver mesh armor to Chadwick Boseman's unsullied rendition of the clergy complete with papal regalia and insignia, no stone was left unturned. Even Madonna, infamously at odds with the Vatican, paid tribute to the Church with a black veil and golden halo. Nearly every look was inspired by and modelled after "musty" ecclesiastical robes. Everyone did homage to the aesthetic of the Church, thereby validating its traditions even in the modern age.
Those among us who were justifiably concerned about Catholic appropriation, the condescending picking and choosing of a culture's dress and traditions according to what is fashionable by mainstream society, might find solace in the words of Cardinal Timothy Dolan announcing that he "didn't really see anything sacrilegious." By all accounts, he and a select few other priests invited to the Gala readily enjoyed their evening among Hollywood's elite.
Moreover, the Gala spotlighted some of the Church's most underrated spokespeople. The night gave Donatella Versace, George Clooney, and Jimmy Fallon, among many others, to candidly discuss their relationship with the faith past and present. Yes, some things were far from positive, but an opportunity for Catholic celebrities to talk about their religion is not something the Church should pass on. Even while there was clearly no official doctrine or canon espoused, the Church received a comprehensive one-night endorsement from every personality that most organizations would kill for: Rihanna, Nick Jonas, and Katy Perry to name a few. The Gala allowed the Vatican to appear hip and cool without having to change its appearance. Instead of framing the traditions of Catholicism as a weakness, it has shifted the public eye into embracing it as a strength.
Even the undoubtedly snide costumes or outright rejections of the Church brought to light important discussions. Lena Waithe's gay pride cape underlined the maltreatment of the LGBT+ community at the hands of the Church, but in a way, it also highlighted the efforts in recent years to reach out and mend the broken relationship. It is symbolic of a much larger conversation that Vatican officials need to be having, and it might even represent the real change that the Church needs to consider. Not the cassock or the incense or the organ. But instead, it points to the congregation. In fact, some studies argue that modernization as we know it has actually hurt the Church and that young people are drawn to the time-tested tradition that permeates Sunday mass. For the Roman Catholic Church, modernization does not mean abandoning tradition or religious imagery. It means embracing the millennia-old quirks, appreciating a new perspective of the Catholic identity, and paying attention to the heart of the Church: the people.


text:
Decorated with Fluer de Lis accents, our cake stand provides a perfect display for cupcakes or layer cakes.
Additional Info:
Ideal for a special occasion, our cake stand lets you show your sweet side to family and friends. The stand features a glass cake surface, a ring of Fluer de Lis decorative accents, and a bronze gold finish. Decorative handle on top.


text:
book details
books by Edith Parzefall
Book: Crumple Zone by Edith Parzefallcategories: Book, Chile, Road Trip, Travel, Don Quixote, South America, Disenchantment, Magical Realism, Psychological Suspense
Edith Parzefallabout this book: Crumple Zone was inspired by an actual road trip through Chile ending in an accident. My partner and I were squashed between two trucks. The rented Nissan X-Trail offered just enough crumple zone for us to step out of the wreck uninjured, but bruised and battered.
The real accident offered great symbolism: X-Trail, an intersection, two vehicles heading in the same direction, stopped at a crossroads by a liquid gas truck pulling in from the left. A shove in the right direction, one might think, but at first the two fictional drivers were only stopped in their errant tracks.
While Chilean Enrique imagines his wife by his side as he drives his rig along Ruta 5 through the Atacama Desert, American Lara just lost her job and flies to Chile to avoid dealing with her personal problems. She studied biology, but like so many ended up working in IT. Nevertheless, what she learned writing her thesis on brain chemistry still determines her outlook on life and love. She thinks of human emotions in terms of neurotransmitters running amok. Still, the flowering desert promises hope for her.
what to read next: if you read and liked this book...
Other books by Edith Parzefall
More Reviews
• Book Review: The Liar's Guide to South America by Michael Delwiche
• Book Review: My Right Leg Is Tastier Than My Left by Andrew John Rainnie
|show list of all published reviews | subscribe to the feed
|Home | Contact | Legal Notice | Impressum
|Book Promotion | Do you like askDavid.com? | Boost Your Karma
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.


text:
K2 Management
We support our clients in their efforts to develop and operate energy projects that achieve the best possible return on investment. We offer global independent consultancy services to wind developers, utilities and investors within the entire value chain. We are 100 percent customer focused, dedicated and committed in our role as Owner�s, Buyer�s or Lender�s Advisor.


text:
I received an email recently from Scrapgirls.com President, Debbie Cleek, asking if I might consider promoting a great cause her company is involved with. Scrapgirls is all about Digital Scrapbooking, something I have a heart for as I'm a "retired" designer (meaning I create but don't sell at an official store - just give it all away at the moment) and further, I love to support anything that makes the world a better place.
Scrapgirls "SIMPLER TIMES" Charity Kit
Here is the Press Release for this project:
Collections created for Food for the Poor provide clean drinking water to thousands
Preserving memories is a passion for digital scrapbookers, but this April they will be helping to preserve something else – human lives. On April 1st Scrap Girls Digital Scrapbooking will release their bi-annual charity kit, with a full 100% of the sales from this kit donated to Food for the Poor. The money raised by this kit will go toward digging wells in some of the poorest regions in the world. This is the ninth year that Scrap Girls has created a kit for Food for the Poor and to date their efforts have supported the digging of 13 wells in countries all over the Caribbean and Latin America, most recently in earthquake-damaged Haiti.
This bi-annual tradition was started by Scrap Girls founder, Rozanne Paxman, who felt that "nothing you can do helps a community as much as helping them to have their own well. Not only does it make their lives easier, it decreases mortality significantly." According to Food for the Poor, 4500 children die every day from diseases caused by contaminated water.
This spring's charity kit is a collaborative effort created by over 20 of the product designers at Scrap Girls. Each designer donated their design time and talents to the project. Syndee Nuckles, a product designer, said, "I have always wanted to do more in the way of giving back but haven't been able to really spare a dime in recent years. But I can help, thanks to Scrap Girls. I can feel good about doing something that normally I would not be able to do."
In addition, for the first time Scrap Girls customers pitched in by helping pick the theme, title, and color palette for the kit. The heritage style of "Simpler Times" is perfect for using with historic family photos as well as stylized photos from smartphone apps like Hipsamatic and Instagram. It can be purchased and downloaded from the Scrap Girls Boutique.
If you're interested in contributing directly to Food for the Poor, you can visit the Scrap Girls "Champions for the Poor" page.
ScrapGirls.com is an Internet store specializing in digital scrapbooking supplies, educational tutorials and eBooks, and commercially licensed graphic design products.
And though I've not made a digital layout for QUITE some time, I decided to make a page to show you how gorgeous this kit is! I think it worked perfectly to preserve this happy memory of our New Years! There are many elements and bits you're not seeing in the preview jpg's of this kit - I had a hard time choosing. So, I encourage you to visit Scrapgirls to browse and buy or simply donate - it'll be a great way to make a difference today!
Ok, now I'm hooked to do more digital layoutsBlogger Labels: Preserve,Memories,Help,Save,Scrapgirls,President,Debbie,Cleek,Digital,heart,moment,world,SIMPLER,TIMES,Here,Release,SCRAPBOOKERS,TIME,Food,Poor,passion,April,human,Scrap,Girls,money,efforts,Caribbean,Latin,America,earthquake,Haiti,tradition,Rozanne,Paxman,children,effort,product,Syndee,Nuckles,haven,addition,customers,theme,heritage,Hipsamatic,Instagram,Boutique,Internet,products,QUITE,memory,preview,difference,Collections,sales,regions,diseases,talents,photos,tutorials


text:
John Cox
A Monarch Airlines passenger who caused an onboard fire when he threw a lit cigarette into the toilet garbage container has been jailed for nine years and six months – double his original sentence.
John Cox, a former soldier, was given a four-and-a-half-year sentence by Birmingham Crown Court in January, after pleading guilty to arson and being reckless as to whether life was endangered.
That sentence was extended after the Court of Appeal ruled the original jail term was too lenient.
Cox triggered the smoke alarm on the ZB flight from BHX to SSH in AUG 2015 after he threw the lit cigarette into the bin in the toilets, causing a fire. As cabin crew struggled to extinguish the blaze, the pilot issued a mayday call and prepared for an emergency landing.
The court heard that the crew had already used fire extinguishers and additional water to put out an earlier blaze in a different toilet earlier in the flight.
The captain then issued a warning about the 'moronic' conduct of smoking on board - before Cox caused the second incident a few hours later.
With the help of a fire safety officer who happened to be onboard, the crew eventually managed to extinguish the fire caused by Cox, who was detained by Egyptian authorities when the plane landed and arrested on his return to the UK.
The court heard he had been drinking before and during the flight, and was abusive and aggressive to other passengers and the crew.
As she extended his sentence, Lady Justice Sharp said: 'The level of culpability and potential for harm is at the highest level.
"To throw a cigarette butt into a wastepaper bin without ensuring it is extinguished would show a high degree of recklessness.
"On an aircraft at 33,000 feet, the conduct comes perilously close to deliberate fire-setting."


text:
by Thuy Dung
My first view of Moc Chau in Son La Province, about 200km northwest of Ha Noi, came on a fresh morning as we drove through a narrow street hemmed in by limestone walls, where we saw many young couples heading to the market town.
September 2 is more than just Independence Day to the people in Moc Chau.
It's a special day when hundreds of people from Thai, Tay and Dao ethnic communities in northern Viet Nam gather and enjoy a cultural festival.
Arriving at 10pm, I decided to stop and rest in a large guest house built on stilts. It had separate cosy rooms and wi-fi, and served local specialities to visitors. More importantly, it nestled in the midst of the main market town where most of the games and activities were to take place.
In the morning, we got the chance to see many local teams take part in traditional competitions such as rice cooking. It was not as simple as I thought, since the participants had to make fire themselves and prepare the rice from raw materials. The winning pot of rice was then offered to the god.
After spending a day here, it was not too difficult for me to realise that the ethnic culture had been corralled by modernity or pre-packaged for visitors. The festival struck me as a sheer tourism-promoting event. There were few stalls selling local fabrics and music instruments. Instead, there were plenty of stalls selling souvenirs brought from other cities.
Modern Vietnamese pop songs or English love songs were being played. It was hard to feel the cultural atmosphere as most of the games were those one could easily find in any market festival in other provinces.
Most young people gathered in drinking stalls, with only a few of them wearing traditional costumes of hemp fabric, dyed with indigo to deep purple or black, and dresses decorated with ancient silver coins. There were an overwhelming number of Kinh visitors from nearby provinces.
Returning to the house in the evening, I was invited to the family dinner. Although they didn't know I was a vegan, they tried to serve me authentic organic dishes.
I was a bit confused in the beginning to see most of the family members speak two languages at the same time. I told them about my concern about the fading away of their distinctive culture.
The host explained, "Some core values were lost through the generation transition. Children were raised to learn one ethnic language and Vietnamese national language, but ended up speaking mostly Vietnamese."
Luong Thi Lot, the owner of the house, is a famous and respected soothsayer and sorcerer that a sufferer was likely to contact. She is also the rare local person who has witnessed radical changes in this town.
"A long time ago, when Thai ethnic groups dominated this place, most of the cultural rituals were distinctive. But after the war, many ethnic minorities migrated and tried to settle down here. The original culture eventually became mixed with others," she said.
During the past 20 years, economic development have impacted Viet Nam's lowlands. As Moc Chau became more of a mainstream tourist destination, more businesses offered accommodations in the villages.
Lot said she hoped that in return for such investments, they could support communities through employment, training skills and long-term purchase agreements with farmers and artisans. — VNS


text:
Xiaomi has unveiled Mi MIX Alpha concept smartphone for the 5G era. Mi MIX Alpha showcases a surround display with a screen-to-body ratio of more than 180.6%. The device features a 108MP camera, and is crafted with a combination of titanium alloy, ceramics and sapphire.
Behind the surround display is a series of technologies requiring a new method of device assembly, according to the vendor. Unlike traditional smartphone assembly methods, Mi MIX Alpha's internal assembly is first carried out, while its display layer, touch panel, and protection layers are laminated one-by-one. All display component layers are compiled in that order to achieve high curvature display design, so the internal stress caused by bending the display layers can be released layer by layer.
To accommodate the nearly all-screen offering, Mi MIX Alpha has minimal bezels on the top and bottom, and ditches the physical side buttons altogether. A new display acoustic technology replaces the traditional earpiece receiver and proximity sensor while the device's sides are pressure-sensitive and leverage a linear motor to simulate the touch of real buttons.
Xiaomi aims to start small-scale production for Mi MIX Alpha at the end of December and retails at RMB19,999.


text:
"What to do about all those interruptions!"
I read an article in our local newspaper this week about how nurses in hospitals were dramatically cutting down on mistakes made in delivery of patient's meds. One of the tools was a vest worn over their scrubs. On the back of the brightly colored vest were the words Do Not Interrupt in huge black letters. They discovered many mistakes were made simply because of all the interruptions that nurses got. By introducing tools to cut down on interruptions they were making their patients safe.
First of all, can I just say that if I could get one of those vests (they look like the ones worn by weekend roadside workers, picking up trash in exchange for working off charges on their police records), I would. What a great addition to any wardrobe!
Handling interruptions with your kids
I got to thinking about the way I handled this problem while raising three kids at the same time as growing my business and writing books. I had a studio behind my home while the kids were in school, which helped a lot. But still, they'd come running to me with things like, "Erin won't give me back my Bon Jovi t-shirt!" Or, "Tell Trevor to stop playing his music so loud." Or, "Caity is so annoying. Make her stop!" If you have kids, you've probably heard similar things.
When I was busy writing my newsletters or fashion articles and later, books, I put into place a policy that you might want to borrow. It was this: no one comes out to talk to me in the next hour except for two reasons: there's a policeman at the front door or there's blood . . . lots of blood.
Handling interruptions with your spouse
"Honey, did you see this article about such and such?" Our partners, bless their hearts, just want to share their enthusiasm, interests, or love with us and we're thinking, "Please don't interrupt me right now! I have a thought and I'm going to lose it!" I've heard some colleagues share their solutions to not being interrupted when they're at home in their home office that include putting a sign on the door, having office hours that are not to be interrupted or just plain clear communication: "I have a project to finish and I will be ready to take a break in forty-five minutes. Will you hold all conversations until then?" One partner started making a list of things she wanted to share once the other one was free to put her attention elsewhere.
Handling interruptions your clients make during your appointments
In every class I teach and often, with professionals that I'm consulting with, I hear about the client that is constantly interrupting the appointment by taking phone calls or having numerous interruptive conversations in the home with their children while you're trying to help her achieve her goals in her closet. It really makes it hard and dilutes your own value when that happens. I truly believe that we train our clients to be great clients right from the start and setting the expectation that this is scared time, not to be interrupted, is something we can do in conversation with our clients. If I have a client who has young children, I ask her when we can meet when she will be free to concentrate just on herself. The same is true for busy professionals. I will say, "With so many responsibilities, when will you be able to carve out four uninterrupted hours for us to work together?"
You could put it in writing
Recently, when I hired a productivity coach, she actually had a piece of paper that had her policy on it which expressly asked that I as her client, would not have interruptions by phone or by people during our time together. She explained how when you work on organizing principles and productivity, interruptions can really be detrimental. How brilliant, I thought at the time. What a great way to carve a path to a great, productive session by putting that out right from the start.
So, if you find those vests with those words on the back of them, let me know. I think I could sell a bunch of them! If you have other ways you deal with interruptions, I'd love to hear of them.


text:
FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Portland FSDO-09
NTSB Identification: GAA16CA366
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, July 10, 2016 in Grants Pass, OR
Probable Cause Approval Date: 08/31/2016
Aircraft: HELIO H 295, registration: N9185Z
Injuries: 3 Uninjured.
NTSB investigators used data provided by various entities, including, but not limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the operator and did not travel in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft accident report.
The pilot of a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that during the landing roll, he encountered a crosswind gust from the right. Subsequently, the airplane swerved off the runway to the right and ground looped. During the ground loop, the left wing and left horizontal stabilizer impacted the ground, which resulted in substantial damage.
The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The pilot reported on the National Transportation Safety Board Accident/ Incident Report Form 6120.1, the wind direction was variable at 8 to 9 knots, with gusts at 2 to 5 knots. The destination airport was not equipped with an automated weather observation system.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll in gusty crosswind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion and a ground loop.
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
Helio H-295-1200 Super Courier, N9185Z: Accident occurred July 10, 2016 in Grants Pass, Josephine County, Oregon
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
« Articles
Private trucking fleets make up over 50% of the Canadian medium- and heavy-truck industry. Many companies operate their own fleet of trucks and drivers as they believe it is the most cost-effective way to deliver products to their customers, and many feel that the unique needs of their business could not be met by a 3rd-party trucking provider.
However, the fleet outsourcing model is becoming increasingly popular in North America. Companies who outsource their private fleet are seeing positive results from both a cost and a customer service standpoint. Fleet outsourcing firms, like Canada Cartage, provide dedicated, contract services to companies and assume the equipment, the drivers, and the responsibility of safely and consistently delivering high levels of customer service.
Fleet outsourcing isn't the right solution for all companies, but many successful Canadian firms are reaping the benefits of improved customer service and reduced corporate risk by converting their private fleet. Let's take a closer look at fleet outsourcing and dispel some common myths to help you better understand which model makes strategic sense for your company.
5 Myths About Dedicated Driver Outsourced Fleet Management
Myth #1 – Customer service will suffer
Fleet outsourcing providers such as Canada Cartage partner with their customers by supplying branded trucks and drivers that are 100% dedicated to their account. These drivers get to know customers on a personal level. They travel the same routes and make the same deliveries on a daily basis, giving them the ability to build strong relationships with customers. According to Clifford Lynch in Why Shippers Can't Afford NOT to Convert Their Private Fleets, "…many companies find that service levels measurably improve after a private fleet conversion." (Logistics Quarterly, Volume 13, Issue 3).
Myth #2 – Loss of control
Companies can maintain the same level of control when using the right outsourced fleet provider. At times, they will gain even more control by having additional drivers and equipment at their disposal for emergency deliveries that can be made with very little notice. Canada Cartage's customers have full control over their drivers' schedule if they choose to. Some customers prefer to manage routing and dispatching of drivers, while others prefer not to. And with customized KPIs and delivery details from on-board technology systems, customers are always fully aware of driver and delivery statuses.
Myth #3 – Outsourcing is more expensive
When the private fleet total cost of ownership (TCO) is considered, fleet outsourcing often proves to be less expensive than insourcing. When private fleet owners consider the time and money dedicated to their transportation management, they find that focusing on their core competency and outsourcing their fleet becomes very cost competitive.
The majority of fleet operators have a good understanding of their direct costs (lease, fuel, labour, maintenance, insurance, licensing) but estimating their indirect costs (recruiting, hiring, training, regulatory compliance, safety, diversion of capital away from growth, financial risk and liability, etc.) is more challenging. Canada Cartage provides complete visibility into these costs, giving customers 100% confidence in their fleet's total cost, and more certainty in their fleet spend going forward. Once companies understand their TCO, the Canada Cartage value proposition, and available tools to reduce overall fleet spend, makes a compelling business case for private fleet operators.
Myth #4 – Current drivers will be laid-off
Reputable fleet outsourcing firms will look to hire the existing roster of drivers when a private fleet owner transitions to an outsourced model. In most cases, it's in the carrier's best interest to retain drivers that are familiar with the account, the customer, and the routes. With the ever-increasing driver shortage in the industry, reliable and experienced drivers are highly valuable to any company.
Myth #5 – Fleet outsourcing is too risky
Many private fleet operators continue to run their own trucks and drivers because they are unsure of the outcomes of converting to a fleet outsourcing model, and feel that outsourcing to a 3rd party might be too risky. However, Canada Cartage has over 100 years of experience providing outsourced dedicated fleet services, and has full-time project management teams that specialize in converting private fleets to our outsourced model. One customer commented that "…the day we converted to Canada Cartage, it was a seamless transition. Our customers didn't even realize that we had outsourced our fleet."
The biggest risk associated with fleet outsourcing is choosing the right partner for your transportation needs. Before working with a provider, carefully evaluate their resources, experience, and track record of successfully managing similar fleet management implementations.
With fleet outsourcing, private fleet owners might feel like they are giving up control of their fleet and worry that their customer service will suffer, but that isn't the case. By freeing up resources, private fleet operators can focus on their core business and leave the transportation of goods to the experts, like Canada Cartage, who's been perfecting the model for over 100 years.
Interested in learning more? Contact email@example.com or download our Fleet Outsourcing Evaluation Guide for an objective viewpoint on the advantages and disadvantage of insourced versus outsourced fleet management.


text:
Standard STD Panel
Standard STD Panel
The Standard STD Panel combines 5 common STD tests. STD testing is recommended for anyone who is sexually active, even if they are not experiencing any symptoms. Ordering STD testing can ensure your sexual health as well as that of your partners.
This package includes:
- HIV 1&2 Antibody/Antigen (4th Generation)
- Herpes 2 IgG Antibody. Per CDC guidelines, in the event of an equivocal or low positive result for Herpes type 2, an automatic confirmatory test will be performed at no additional cost.
- Chlamydia
- Gonorrhea
- Syphilis RPR
For a more comprehensive STD panel, customers can order our Peace of Mind package, or see our STD Testing Category for more options.
Turnaround for results is typically 3-5 business days.
(Please see the individual tests for a more detailed description,)
Note: Result turn around times are an estimate and are not guaranteed. Our reference lab may need additional time due to weather, holidays, confirmation/repeat testing, or equipment maintenance.
Incubation Period:
The tests in this package are most effective at 4-12 weeks from an exposure or any time after. Some people may be detectable sooner.
Chlamydia and Gonorrhea are urine tests. Client should withhold urination for at least 1-2 hours prior to specimen collection. Client should provide a first catch of urine, about 20-30 ml, from the initial stream into the collection cup and allow remainder of the stream to go into the toilet. Larger volumes may result in the dilution of the specimen and reduce sensitivity. Clients should not cleanse the genital area 1-2 hours prior to giving their urine specimen.STD Testing Overview
This package includes:
Chlamydia Urine, pain free
Gonorrhea Urine, pain free
Herpes 2 IgG Abs Remote exposure HSV type 2
Syphilis RPR Most popular screening
HIV 1/2 Antigen/Antibody Rapid, Routine, 4th Gen, P24


text:
03 April 2020
The top priority for all private equity funds is to protect and maximise value in their existing investments. All private equity firms with existing investments will be assessing the outlook for each company and deciding what level of action to take in each case.
16 August 2019
RSM's M&A and private equity team successfully advised KH Engineering Services Limited (KHES), a specialist provider of mechanical and electrical engineering solutions, on their sale to M Group Services Limited.
04 April 2019
Leading audit, tax and consulting firm RSM advised Pinacl, a leading provider of ICT infrastructures encompassing the IoT, smart buildings and cities and major fibre optic networks on its bringing together with Boston Networks supported by Aliter Capital LLP, a private equity fund.
What does a successful private equity investment look like and what is it like to be part of one? Hear about the benefits of a private equity investment from Rhubarb's PB Jacobse.
Private equity firms can help you make positive changes in your business. Read on to understand how private equity works and see Rob Donaldson, head of corporate finance, explaining how a private equity deal works.
15 February 2019
Our private equity series will help you to understand who is involved in the journey, what it is and why it could be the answer your business is looking for.
Private equity is a type of investment fund generally organised as limited partnerships that buy and restructure companies that aren't publicly traded. Read on to understand how private equity works and see which funds RSM works with.
Bart helps lead the RSM valuation team. His expertise is the valuation of private businesses, debt capital and equity capital; intangible assets such as IP, brands, and contracts; and certain derivatives. His advice is used for a variety of transactional, dispute, and financial reporting purposes.
Tax Partner
Robert was previously a Head of Tax working in the motor retail sector and regional head of tax for a FTSE 100 business media group.
Natalie is a partner in RSM's M&A and Private Equity team, specialising in private company sales, fund raising and management buyouts.


text:
ADI Names Arecont Vision U.S. Vendor of the Year
ADI has announced the winners of its 2013 Vendor of the Year awards, which include Arecont Vision as U.S. vendor of the year and CDVI vendor of the year for Canada. The winner for best new product of the year was the FLIR 4 Channel PoE 1080P NVR Bundle.
The awards were presented at ADI's kickoff meeting in Amelia Island, Fla.
D-Link Communications and Aiphone won best sales support for the U.S. and Canada, respectively, while Vanco was named best marketing support. And Edwards Vigilant was picked as rookie vendor fo the year.
In the best supplier delivery category, the top three finishers were Labor Saving Services, NVT and Computar Ganz.
"Congratulations to all the ADI 2013 Vendor Award winners. Each of these vendors helps us deliver value to our dealers every day," Michael Flink, president of ADI Americas, said in a statement.
"Our vendor relationships are extremely important to ADI's success, and we are pleased to have the opportunity to recognize their commitment, dedication and achievements."


text:
Hey everybody. How would you like to win an RV? Of course you would. You could take trips in it, and do all kinds of things in it. The Keystone RV Company is sponsoring a sweepstakes named the Live Your Dreams sweepstakes in which YOU could win an RV!!
Keystone RV will be giving away a total of 4 RVs. One will be given away at each select RV show per the information below:
The RVs to be given away in the 2010-2011 sweepstakes:
Keystone Hornet travel trailer model 28RLS
Keystone Passport travel trailer model 280BH
Keystone Sprinter travel trailer model 299BHS
Keystone Montana Mountaineer fifth wheel model 326RLT
One winner will be selected by random drawings at each of the following Events:
¦The Iowa RV & Travel Show, April 11, 2010
¦The Rally 2010, July 25, 2010,
¦The Atlantic City Fall RV Show, October 31, 2010
¦The Colorado RV, Sports, Boat & Travel Show, March 6, 2011.
This sweepstakes expires on March 6th, 2011 and each person can enter one time. The sweepstakes is open to U.S. residents who are eighteen or older at the time of entry.
Click here to enter the sweepstakes in which YOU could win an RV from Keystone!!


text:
BusinessProperty Services
In a competitive property climate, developers and agents want a solicitor who provides a proactive and accessible service. We can offer you and your clients a bespoke property service that will fit the needs required.
You may be looking for a solicitor to act for you in plots sales or perhaps you need a preferred solicitor to recommend to the buyers of these plots. We can help. Your clients can find more information on the page building your portfolio.
We understand the need to move quickly to achieve completion and we have processes in place to progress to exchange of contract as soon as possible.
Our typical property service clients are developers and builders and may have many plots to sell, we have the expertise and experience in conveyancing for any volume.
We have a dedicated property services team who take care of the conveyancing process for you, freeing you to deal with your business of selling your plots and properties. Our combined capabilities along with our bespoke IT system mean that we can offer you a proactive and accessible service.


text:
2017 Lotus Evora 400
Vehicle has Sold
Vehicle has Sold
Vehicle Specifications:
Solid Yellow Finish with Black Interior. The Evora 400 marks the return for the British manufacturer to North America. Now Lotus is ready to let go the rough years, and create a statement with this new Evora 400, not just an updated version of the Evora S, but a complete redesign that you have to see in person to truly appreciate the beauty of the design.
A powerful engine is a key element in the Evora 400 equation, a Supercharged and inter-cooled 3.5-liter V-6 produces 400 bhp, 55bhp more than the previous Evora S and capable of launching the Evora 400 from a stand still to 100 kph in only 4.1 seconds. With its lightweight chassis of bonded aluminum, supple suspension, and mid-engine layout, there's nothing ordinary about the Evora 400. With a close ratio 6-Speed Manual Transmission, the engagement with the car results in a unique experience for those who get the chance to drive it. A road car with the soul of GT3 racer.
The exterior remains bold and familiar, but details that mark the new generation for the Evora for this 2017. Air intakes, daytime running lights, door mirrors, wheels and a new rear bumper with diffuser are just a few of the external changes for this model. Truly a vehicle to be admired
Factory Options for this amazing 2017 Lotus Evora 400 include Solid Yellow Paint, Black Leather, Black Pack, 6-Speed Manual Gearbox, Forged Wheels in Black, Red Calipers and Cruise Control
If you have not yet had the opportunity to experience our Brand New Showroom at 1918 Fir Street, we invite you to visit our recently opened architectural facility and meet our team.
Our professional staff will be more than happy to give you a personalized experience, and a detailed look to this Brand-New Lotus Evora 400; please phone ahead and book an appointment that is most convenient for you. We look forward to extending our hospitality.
Please ask our business office about our Extended Warranty Program, as well as our Extended Care Program, for added peace of mind. Join our family and drive home today and never look back!
Call today and make an appointment to see this car in person. We are Canada's largest independent Porsche store, providing sales, and service for high-quality sports and luxury automobiles since 1980.
Out of Town Purchases + Delivery:
We have customers across Canada, the US, and through parts of Western Europe. As much as we want to sell cars in British Columbia, we recognize that our brand and business has earned its reputation internationally.
In Canada, every province has different taxation rules and we can accommodate them all. We can help you secure worry free shipping to your door, and assist you with vehicle registration once your car arrives.
You have a number of choices available to you:
The first step is to contact us. We always have our professional photographs, our inspection reports, lien checks, service records, CarProof, and CarFax Reports available to you. We're happy to refer you to previous out of town customers so you can get a reliable third party account of their experience with us, to give you peace of mind when purchasing a car sight-unseen.
Should you prefer to see, touch, and drive your vehicle prior to purchase, we will pick you up at Vancouver International Airport (YVR). From there, you can choose safe, insured door to door delivery in enclosed transporters that guarantee the arrival of your purchase in the same condition that it left our showroom.
Or, should you opt for an exceptional drive home, we will happily pay up to $250 toward your overnight stay en route. Please contact us if you have questions or need further information on out of province or international purchases, shipping, and/or sales tax exemptions.
The Fine Print:
Smart people always read the fine print, and you're smart, so here it is:
- all vehicles subject to prior sale
- all prices subject to applicable taxes and levies
- *Lease payments are quoted on approved credit, and are subject to change from month to month. Applicable taxes, lease acquisition fee and PPSA registration fees additional. Contact us for details or to tailor a quote to your preference. We have terms up to 60 months with as little as $0 down available on most vehicles.
- while we make every effort to ensure our website is correct, sometimes mistakes can, and do happen. Please contact us for exact vehicle options, history, mileage and details. Better still: come in and experience the car for yourself, to confirm it's right for you. E.+O.E.


text:
Amy @ Bow of Bronze -- Top 10 Recipes to Beat the Summer Heat Nobody likes to heat up the kitchen during the August and September heat waves here in southern California where we don't have air conditioning. It's perfect weather for cooking outside or just not cooking at all. … [Read more...]
Couponing Made Simple (Christi the Coupon Coach Review)
Christi the Coupon Coach has written a book called Couponing Made Simple with a purpose in mind. She wanted to help other families learn how to save money by reducing their grocery bills. As a homeschooling mom of four she knew what a sacrifice it is to spend the time and money … [Read more...]
Simplify Your Kitchen! (Simplified Pantry Review)
The Schoolhouse Review Crew has had a blast using and reviewing three of Mystie Winckler's Simplified Pantry eBooks. Crew members have been able to utilize the recipes, master pantry lists, and other kitchen tips and tricks in her two cookbooks, Simplified Dinners and Simplified … [Read more...]
Recipe Share
Gwen @ Tolivers to Texas -- Big Family Recipe Wrap-Up Then there was the time that I looked down the assembly line of Toliver children preparing homemade potpie - to see my 4yo son pre-chewing the roast beef and spitting it into the pan. Linda @ … [Read more...]


text:
HUBER+SUHNER 4 Ghz test leads, 1 metre in length pre-assembled with high qaulity components. A high quality and high performance durable test lead for use within test and measurement applications.
Tesdt lead impedance 50 Ω
Operating frequency 0 GHz to 4 GHz
Max. Power Handling 45 W at 4 Ghz
Signal Delay 5.03 ns ± ns
Max.Operating Voltage 2.5 kV rms (at sea level)
Operating temperature -25 to +85 °C
Installation temperature -20 to +60 °C
A high qaulity and high performance durable range of flexible test leads designed for use within test and measurement applications up to 6 Ghz. These HUBER=SUHNER test leads are available in 50Ω and 75Ω versions and are 1 metre in length, constructed from high quality components parts and are ready for immediate use.
|Accessory Type
|Test Lead
|Cable Length


text:
Volunteers needed in Aurora!
Posted: 0000-00-00 00:00:00
Volunteers are needed this Wednesday, August 26 through Saturday, August 29 for sheetrocking and siding at Heather Jackson's Aurora home. The scheduled hours for each day are 8am to 4pm. Please contact the Habitat office (866.749.8910) for more information, or feel free to just show up! The home is located at 322 South 1st St. East.


text:
Volvo Parts from Volvo Cars Edinburg - Serving Weslaco and Brownsville
Volvo recommended parts are designed to fit seamlessly with Volvo vehicles. This makes maintenance and repairs easier and far more efficient.
Manufacturer recommended parts are also made to last longer, which saves you not only time, but a bundle of cash. Go with any other brand and it's essentially like throwing time and money out the window.
Volvo Cars Edinburg tells you this not because we want to scare you, or make you feel guilty if you've used anything but manufacturer-recommended parts in the past, but because we genuinely care about you and your car. Remember - it's our passion for Volvo vehicles and consistent customer satisfaction that's made us so successful all these years.
To get the part you're looking for, from the ordinary to the obscure, call Volvo Cars Edinburg at (956) 348-1005. Or, visit us in person at 4221 S. Hwy Bus 281 Edinburg, Texas. And, in the event we don't have the Volvo part you need on hand, we'll order it for you right away. Our dealership is located in Edinburg and is near Pharr TX, McAllen TX, Mission TX, Weslaco TX, Harlingen TX, and Brownsville TX.


text:
Archive for December, 2015
I'll Be Off For A Few Days
Grandma Burg passed away at 8:45 on Christmas Day. She made it 90 years on this rock and although it is certainly hard on those of us still cruising on this spaceship her final years weren't easy ones and it's comforting knowing her suffering is over. And a more appropriate day than Christmas could not be had for a person as dedicated to Christ as herself.
In her 90 years she managed to raise five kids and keep my grandfather in line (no easy feat). Not only that but she managed those accomplishments while maintaining the most positive attitude I've every witnessed. She was a great person and this spaceship is diminished by her loss.
I'll be away from this blog for a few days. Between the funeral and other matters that must be attended to my focus will be very much elsewhere.
Have A Good Christmas
Have a good Christmas, everybody.
Smith And Wesson Don't Believe You Own Your Gun
Update: Smith and Wesson has apologized for being legal cunts. I guess they didn't have their lawyers on a short enough leash, which is a problem common to most companies. Glad to see they backed off.
My original article is below for preservation purposes.
For years now I've been contemplating buying a Smith and Wesson M&P. They're wonderfully designed pistols. The only thing I don't like about them is the trigger doesn't have a tactile reset. Fortunately Apex triggers add that functionality so I need only buy one and drop it in, right? Wrong. According to Smith and Wesson making such modifications violates their precious intellectual property rights:
That's one of Brownells' series of 'Dream Guns' (above), highly customized, one-off project guns Brownells gins up as examples of what's possible if you want to put some money, time and love into your stock pistol. They use these as come-ons for trade shows and such, as attractions to get passers by to stop and check out their wares. Their latest effort, a Smith & Wesson M&P, wasn't well received by the venerable Springfield gun maker…
They had their IP attorneys send a love letter to Brownells and the other aftermarket companies who collaborated on the M&P Dream gun.
There is a picture of the legal threat Smith and Wesson mailed to Apex, Brownells, DP Custom Works, Blowndeadline Custom, and SSVi. Although I find this entire situation ridiculous I do appreciate Smith and Wesson going out of its way to save me the money I would have otherwise dropped on one of their pistols.
I believe it's perfectly valid to void the warranty if a customer makes a modification to a product. But threatening a lawsuit over imaginary property being violated is absurd. But this is becoming more common. John Deere already claims farmers don't own the tractors they purchase because those tractors contain software and that software implies the entire piece of machinery is being licensed. Automotive manufacturers are also using intellectual property laws to justify preventing customers from making certain modifications to their vehicles.
What's interesting about Smith and Wesson's case is that it doesn't involve software, which is the goto excuse used to claim owners don't actually own the products they buy. Instead it's claiming that displaying its logo on one of its own guns violates the company's trademark. I guess anybody who modifies a Smith and Wesson firearm is supposed to file off any logos.
While I fully admit I haven't purchased a Smith and Wesson firearm in years, the last time I did I didn't sign any contractual agreement to remove all of the company's logos if I modified the firearm (if such an agreement were demanded I wouldn't have bought the gun). Since there is no cause for Smith and Wesson to claim I don't own the pistol and I didn't sign a contract making me responsible for removing its logos I'm curious on what grounds they plan to enforce this newfound legal power trip. Granted, I won't have to worry about it because this kind of nonsense will ensure I take my money elsewhere.
Post Office Censoring Speech
The United States Post Office had decided to get into the censorship of speech business. Cannabis is legal in several states now. Not surprisingly this legalization has created a desire by cannabis related business to advertise their goods and service. Nothing illegal is being advertised so everything should be cool, right? Wrong. The Post Office is claiming that since cannabis is still illegal on a federal level it's illegal to mail any advertisements for cannabis, even if those advertisements don't cross state lines:
The confusion started in Portland, Ore., where local newspapers have been running ads for dispensaries and manufacturers in the state's now-booming weed industry after voters legalized recreational pot for adults last year, following medical pot in 1998.
In November, Portland's postal district issued a memo to newspaper publishers, telling them they are breaking the law by running ads for pot and using the U.S. mail to deliver their papers.
The reason? The U.S. Postal Service is a federal entity. Even though Oregon, Washington, Colorado and Alaska have legalized recreational marijuana and 23 other states have legalized medical pot, any newspaper running ads in those states violates a federal law preventing advertising for illicit goods.
Since the Post Office still enjoys a monopoly on delivering first class mail it would also be illegal for some of these advertisements to be shipped through another company. With that said, this would make a hell of a good act of civil disobedience. There is one bright side though, the Post Office is apparently unable to enforce this censorship:
But there's a twist. The Postal Service apparently has no authority to stop the mailers if their publications contain pot ads. The new policy directs postmasters to send a report to the local U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the law enforcement arm of the Postal Service.
The matter would, in theory, then be turned over to a law enforcement agency for prosecution, although it's unclear whether this kind of crime would be prosecuted. Federal authorities have generally not cracked down on pot sales in states where they're legal.
This does show one of the major downsides of any monopolization in the mailing market. A mailing agent with a monopoly can end up becoming a censor. Either by refusing to deliver certain goods or material containing particular forms of speech a mailing agent, without any competitors, can create a prohibition without even having to go through the usual legislation process.
I'm A Good Little Slave And You Should Be One Too
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has decreed that anybody who owns a drone must register. Sally French, a reporter for Forbes, registered herself and wrote an opinion piece encouraging others to do the same. It's titled "I registered my drone. Here's why you should too" but it might as well be titled "I'm a good little slave who rolls over on command and you should too!"
I logged onto the site and entered my name, home address and email address.
There is a registration fee, so I also had to enter my credit card information. The registration fee is $5 per drone owner — the same $5 processing fee charged for any aircraft registration — but the FAA says it will refund the $5 fee for drones registered through Jan. 20 to encourage participation.
Once I hit the "next" button, I received a personal identification number and certificate to print out (though like most millennials, I don't have a printer). I did write the identification number on a sticker, which I then pasted on my drone, an original DJI Phantom that I have been flying since early 2013.
Registration is intended to force some education upon pilots who may not have malicious intent, but also may not have read the "Know Before You Fly" guidelines included with most drone purchases in the U.S. It also means that government and law enforcement officials will be able to track down reckless drone operators — something that, until now, they haven't been able to do.
The fool! Registration is not intended to educate drone pilots, it's meant to rake in a little extra cash for the FAA. Although $5 per operator, a fee that's being refunded until January 20th, doesn't sound like much when you consider the FFA estimates one million drones will be sold this Christmas alone you can see the cash, which requires the FAA to do almost nothing, becomes a tidy sum. And anybody familiar with how government extortion works knows that the initial $5 fee is just the bait and the price will only go up. But the registration fee isn't the real money maker. There is an up to $250,000 fine for anybody who flies a drone without registering with the FAA by February 19th. Since a lot of drone owners will likely remain unaware of the FAA regulation there a large pool of suckers the FAA is going to be able to extort some money out of.
Now let me explain why you shouldn't register your drone. If you do your name and home address will be made publicly available:
The FAA finally confirmed this afternoon that model aircraft registrants' names and home addresses will be public. In an email message, the FAA stated: "Until the drone registry system is modified, the FAA will not release names and address. When the drone registry system is modified to permit public searches of registration numbers, names and addresses will be revealed through those searches."
Sounds like a public wall of shame to me. But you know this list will be abused. Most likely drone manufacturers will use it to send you unwanted advertisements via snail mail (hey, look, the registration system raises some money for the Post Office too). And anybody looking to steal a drone knows exactly where to go.
In this day and age it has become obvious that publicly releasing personal information is dangerous. The fact the FAA's official policy is to public release the names and home addresses of every registered drone pilot is reason enough not to register. If the FAA isn't willing to protect the privacy of its "customers" then nobody should do business with it.
So instead of being a good little slave who rolls over on command think about giving the FAA a giant middle finger.
Demanding The Benefits Of The Monopolized Legal System But Not Accepting The Detriment
Black Lives Matter is planning another protest at the Mall of America. After losing court battles over last year's demonstration due to incompetency the Mall of America is obtaining a restraining order against the organization this year:
The protesters want to demonstrate at the country's biggest mall to draw attention to the Nov. 15 police killing of a black Minneapolis man, Jamar Clark, and to ramp up the pressure on investigators to release video of the shooting. Authorities say they won't release it while state and federal investigations are ongoing.
The mall wants to avoid the type of disruption caused by a Christmas-time demonstration last year, when thousands of protesters angry over the absence of charges involving police killings of unarmed black men in Ferguson, Missouri, and New York City forced the temporary closure of mall stores. Dozens of people were arrested.
This case is particularly amusing to me because the Mall of America is relying on the very monopolized legal system is willfully ignores. In this case the it's trying to get the monopolized legal system to issue a restraining order because it doesn't want protesters on its property (although I might argue that the special privileges it receives from the State invalidate any claims it might have to being private property). But the Mall of America willfully ignores the law prohibiting land lords from banning the carrying of firearms:
Both Cornish and Strawser said Minnesota law prohibits a landlord, such as the Mall of America, from restricting the "lawful carry or possession of firearms by tenants or their guests." Strawser added, "carrying at the Mall of America does not violate the law, only the mall's wishes."
There are few things I dislike more than hypocrites. If you support the State's monopolized legal system then you should abide by it entirely. On the other hand, if you don't support the State's monopolized legal system then you should avoid utilizing as much as possible. You shouldn't expect to have your cake and eat it too.
Political Victories Are Only Temporary Victories
I hate redoing work. This is part of the reason I don't pursue politics. Any political victory is only a temporary victory. At some future point the victory you achieved will be undone. The Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA) is just the latest example of this. If you go through the history of the bill you will see it was introduced and shutdown several times:
The Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act was introduced on July 10, 2014 during the 113th Congress, and was able to pass the Senate Intelligence Committee by a vote of 12-3. The bill did not reach a full senate vote before the end of the congressional session.
The bill was reintroduced for the 114th Congress on March 12, 2015, and the bill passed the Senate Intelligence Committee by a vote of 14-1. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, (R-Ky) attempted to attach the bill as an amendment to the annual National Defense Authorization Act, but was blocked 56-40, not reaching the necessary 60 votes to include the amendment. Mitch McConnell hoped to bring the bill to senate-wide vote during the week of August 3–7, but was unable to take up the bill before the summer recess. The Senate tentatively agreed to limit debate to 21 particular amendments and a manager's amendment, but did not set time limits on debate. In October 2015, the US Senate took the bill back up following legislation concerning sanctuary cities.
If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. This time the politicians attached CISA to the budget, which as we all know is a must pass bill:
Congress on Friday adopted a $1.15 trillion spending package that included a controversial cybersecurity measure that only passed because it was slipped into the US government's budget legislation.
House Speaker Paul Ryan, a Republican of Wisconsin, inserted the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA) into the Omnibus Appropriations Bill—which includes some $620 billion in tax breaks for business and low-income wage earners. Ryan's move was a bid to prevent lawmakers from putting a procedural hold on the CISA bill and block it from a vote. Because CISA was tucked into the government's overall spending package on Wednesday, it had to pass or the government likely would have had to cease operating next week.
Sen. Ron Wyden, a Democrat of Oregon, said the CISA measure, which backers say is designed to help prevent cyber threats, got even worse after it was slipped into the 2,000-page budget deal (PDF, page 1,728). He voted against the spending plan.
All those hours invested in the political process to fight CISA were instantly rendered meaningless with the passage of this bill. However, the bill can be rendered toothless. CISA removes any potential liability from private companies that share customer data with federal agencies. So long as private companies don't have actionable information to share the provisions outlined in CISA are inconsequential. As with most privacy related issues, effective cryptography is the biggest key. Tools like Off-the-Record (OTR) messaging, OTR's successor Multi-End Message and Object Encryption (OMEMO), Pretty Good Privacy (PGP), Transport Layer Security (TLS), Tor, and other cryptographic tools designed to keep data private and/or anonymous can go a long ways towards preventing private companies from having any usable data to give to federal agencies.
In addition to effective cryptography it's also important to encourage businesses not to cooperate with federal agencies. The best way to do this is to buy products and services from companies that have fought attempts by federal agencies to acquire customer information and utilize cryptographic tools that prevent themselves from viewing customer data. As consumers we must make it clear that quislings will not be rewarded while those who stand with us will be.
Effective cryptography, unlike politics, offers a permanent solution to the surveillance problem. It's wiser, in my opinion, to invest the time you'd otherwise waste with politics in learning how to properly utilize tools that protect your privacy. While your political victories may be undone nobody can take your knowledge from you.
If You See Nothing, Say Something
As this election season continues Bernie Sanders seems hellbent on proving to the world that economics isn't the only thing he's entirely ignorant about. During the Democratic Party circlejerk he decided to demonstrate his ignorance on what an emergency entails:
That was Sanders' response to ABC News debate moderator David Muir Saturday night, who asked him about the neighbors of the San Bernardino terrorists who suspected something was amiss about the would-be mass shooters but never reported them for fear of accusations of profiling.
"That's kind of a no-brainer. If somebody is loading guns and ammunition into a house, I think it's a good idea to call 911. Do it," Sanders said.
Muir pressed, "But I'm asking about profiling, because a lot of people are afraid of that."
Sanders wanted no more of that topic and decided to move on.
Setting aside my feelings about the government operated 911 system, the idea behind it isn't bad. 911 is a universal number that can be called to report emergencies (and possibly get help, but that's not guaranteed). The idea is to beat the simple three digit number into people's heads hard enough that during a major emergency they will remember to call it. Is somebody is suffering a heart attack? Call 911. Is somebody robbing a store? Call 911. Are you a good citizen and want to snitch on your neighbor for having expired tags on their vehicle? Don't call 911. It's not an emergency because there is no immediate risk of harm so get your quisling on by dialing the local police department's direct number (then strongly consider flagellating yourself for your sin).
Is a neighbor carrying firearms and ammunition into their house an emergency? Is there an immediate risk of harm? No. So it's clearly not an emergency. It's not even illegal so don't both annoying your local police department either. Just accept that your neighbor isn't a dumbass and therefore has a means to defend themselves.
The problem with a universal emergency number is that it's susceptible to denial of service attacks. If everybody starts flooding the number with inane bullshit the real emergency calls can't get through. In fact this is already a very real problem. What Sanders is advocating, that people report even more inane bullshit to 911, will only further exacerbate the problem. That will only make it even more difficult for people who are trying to report a real emergency to get ahold of a 911 operator.
Take me, for example. If my neighbors followed Bernie's advice they'd have to call 911 almost every other weekend when I returned from the range. Instead of having the operator free to accept calls involving houses on fire, people having heart attacks, etc. they have to waste time explaining to the caller that 911 is for emergencies only.
Petty Tyrant Syndrome Leads To Gentrification
I've found another outbreak of Petty Tyrant Syndrome. This time it's happening right here in the Twin Cities. The overlords of Columbia Heights are tired of all the blue collar workers on Central Avenue. Why? Apparently blue collar workers give off the wrong image. Instead of having the street populated with productive people the overlords wants people unproductively sipping lattes in coffee shops. In order to bring up this unproductive utopian vision the overlords have banned any new automobile related business from opening on the street:
Columbia Heights residents can buy an oil filter on nearly every corner of Central Avenue. But there's no coffee shop where they can linger over a newspaper and sip a latte.
That's a problem, city leaders say.
Fearful that a glut of mechanics, auto-parts stores and gas stations along Columbia Heights' main drag is pulling down the city's image and muscling out other businesses, the City Council is banning new auto-related businesses for up to six months.
City leaders figure that will be enough time to tighten up zoning regulations and set more design controls with an eye toward attracting a more eclectic mix of restaurants, shops and small service businesses along Central Avenue.
You thought I was joking about that sipping lattes remark, didn't you? Here again we have a handful of people using their power to force everybody to comply with their vision of what is best. Because they're unproductive bureaucrats who have time to sip lattes in a coffee shop for hours they are forcing everybody else to go along with their plan. I can't help but think that there's also a desire to see auto shops booted from the street because they're run by people who get dirty doing their job. As we all know, people who get dirty are better heard, not seen, at least when you're a petty bureaucrat trying to foster an image of sterile sameness.
Even more important to the overlords than their vision is the issue of income. Not for the businesses but for the city. Trendy hipsters with more money (technically it's their parent's money) than brains are cruising around on their brakeless fixies so they have no need for automobile related businesses. They're also a major part of the group dumb enough to pay the stupidly high rental rates of high-density luxury apartments. So without them it's hard to attract developers of said apartments, which means the city doesn't get to collect absurd amounts of property taxes. Gentrification exists because cities want to increase their income and the easiest way of doing that is to replaces the lower and lower-middle class with the upper and upper-middle class. And in the end that's what the result of this ban and rezoning scheme will be, gentrification.
To Save The Fish We Must Kill The Fish
In the neighborhood of Bristol some people decided that they wanted to stop fishing in one of the local lakes to prevent wildlife from being harmed by lines and hooks. Tot his end they banned fishing in the lake. But that apparently want's enough. Now they are moving forward with a plan to save the local wildlife by killing it:
Last year, the local Neighbourhood Partnership voted to ban fishing at St George's Park lake to stop wildlife being harmed by fishing line and hooks.
It has now approved an option proposed by Bristol City Council to destroy the fish rather than relocate them.
It's a solution only the combination of well meaning idiots and government could support. Of course some of the loonies have said they don't want to kill all of the fish; only enough to protect the fish from fishers.
Few things are more stupid than well meaning people with the power to force their will on others.


text:
First seen at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show and now it's been shown again at Geneva. But the exciting news is that the Honda Urban EV Concept is going into production and will be available to order from early 2019. This will be Honda's first, all-electric, battery-powered car available across Europe and it not only offers zero-emission performance, but it also features an exciting and innovative design. We're getting new information about this new Honda Urban EV Concept all the time, so please register your interest to be kept fully up to date.
Chosen as the most exciting car coming to the market in 2019, the Honda Urban EV took the Reader Award at the 2019 What Car? Awards.
Browse the full range of Electric Cars at Brayleys.
Register Interest Send an Enquiry
Still in concept form, the Honda Urban EV shown at the Geneva Motor Show benefits from an ultra-modern, yet simple design with slender A-pillars and a windscreen that gives the impression of flowing all around the front of the passenger compartment. Inside, the dashboard incorporates a wide, side-to-side screen that mirrors the shape of the windscreen on the outside. The screen offers all essential information to the driver, as well as acting as the side mirrors, thanks to the inputs from side-mounted digital cameras. The Honda Urban EV Concept offers bench seats in two rows that are able to accommodate four passengers.
We expect to see the final, exciting version of the new Honda Urban EV in our dealerships in the autumn of 2019 and we'll be taking orders from early in the year. Just register your interest to be kept informed of Honda Urban EV specifications and price information.
Search our latest stock of high quality used Honda cars


text:
Van sector's road policy priorities
Exclusive research commissioned by Mercedes-Benz Vans has established a clear motoring manifesto, highlighting the wishes of the nation's van drivers to the new Government.
The study, of 2,000 van drivers, owners and operators, highlighted that two thirds have had to pay for van repairs in the last 12 months as a result of pothole damage. The average cost of this damage has been £411 over the past year. However, 8% said they had to spend £1,000 or more in the past year alone repairing vans as a result of pothole damage.
It's not surprising, then, that pothole repair tops the list of van drivers' priorities. The full list of road policy priorities – what the van driving/owning community want to see – were:
- Pothole repair: 60%
- Better parking provision in town: 43%
- Investment in bypasses to ease bottlenecks: 34%
- Widening motorways: 24%
- Increased traffic police presence: 19%
- Fewer speed cameras: 17%
- More speed cameras: 16%
- Better training for professional drivers: 14%
- Abandoning Smart Motorway schemes: 6%
- More toll roads: 4%
Congestion was also highlighted as a critical issue for the new Government to address. Delivery drivers said that, on average, 15% of their working day was lost due to congestion. Based on a (conservative) eight-hour working day, this equates to an hour and 12 minutes every day, or six hours a week, lost to congestion. Rates were similarly high amongst tradespeople and service engineers (12% and 13% respectively), while fleet managers estimated that 14% of their workforce's time was lost as a result of congestion.
Despite its well-established Congestion Zone, lost time as a result of congestion was most pronounced in Greater London, where 16% of a working day was claimed to be lost to congestion.
However, the real cost of congestion was made clear by the 61% of respondents who said that they – or the company they work for – had lost business or customers as a direct result of congestion. This figure peaked at 82% in Greater London and 66% in the West Midlands, while 75% of delivery divers said they had lost business as a result of congestion.
"With almost 4.2 million van drivers on our roads – around one in ten of all vehicles on our highways – the voice of this important group of motorists needs to be heard," Steve Bridge, the Managing Director of Mercedes-Benz Vans, said.
"Our research clearly highlights that potholes and congestion actually cost these hard-working business men and women serious amounts of money, both in repair bills and time lost, which isn't acceptable. We are urging van drivers therefore, to report any potholes they come across to the local council. While it may seem time-consuming, there are a number of ways to do this online and via apps to help alert to and ultimately fix the issue.
"If hitting a pothole is unavoidable, drivers of Mercedes-Benz vans can have their vehicles checked over by booking into one of our nationwide dealer workshops and having a free, no-obligation Visual Health Check by a Mercedes-Benz trained technicianction. This means that problems can be spotted before they become a serious issue, to reduce unexpected downtime and repair bills."


text:
Two please
Cut in half
Day 27. The prompt was to write a hay(na)ku. A (hay)naku consists of a three-line stanza, where the first line has one word, the second line has two words, and the third line has three words. They said nothing about a syllable count. It's a nice form to play with, I'll probably end up making more.


text:
How to Build a Home Play Structure
If you want your kids to have the exercise they need, and at the same time give them something healthy to enjoy, try a play structure. You could pay someone to build one for you. But if you build it yourself, you'll not only save a bundle of cash, but will win your kid's hearts. And, you'll give them an incentive to play at home and stay out of trouble. This project will take some time and expense, but in the end you'll be glad you did it.
Step 1 – Preparation
Find a plan that will lay out all the structure's dimensions, the material you'll need, how to design the playground around the structure, where to place the structure. and even how to design your sprinkler system around your structure. Compare several plans and choose the one that will give you the size and layout you prefer. Take into account time and expense factors, as well as matching your structure size to the area in your yard in which you will build your structure.
Step 2 – Removing Your Sod
Removing your sod is an option. Leaving it in the play area will result in unnecessary maintenance to mow and trim the grass and replace worn patches. Removing it will be your best bet, even with the $40 to $50 rental cost it will take to rent a sod cutter. In addition, you will need a pickup truck to haul it, and a friend or older child to help you load and unload it. Plan on taking about an hour to do 1,000 square feet of sod. The best way to cut the sod is to first cut around the perimeter of your area, then make back and forth cuts, either horizontally or vertically.
Step 3 - Prepare Your Post Holes
Check your plans to determine the number of posts you'll need. Dig holes about 1 foot deep for each of your posts if you plan is to plant them in concrete. Without concrete, dig them about 8 inches deep. Add about 2 inches of gravel to each hole. You can use concrete to plant your post holes in, but it won't be necessary. Keep in mind you may in the future want to move your structure.
Step 4 – Spread Mulch
Lay landscaping plastic sheets on the ground where you plan to place your mulch. This will prevent weeds from later growing up through the mulch. Spread 3 to 4 inches of mulch, such as redwood chips, across the plastic. Bagged chips will be easier and faster to transport to your playground than using bulk chips, but will also be more expensive.
Step 5 – Estimating and Ordering Your Lumber
Check with your structure plan to determine the types and amounts of lumber pieces you'll need. Most likely you'll need to either have the lumber delivered, or if you plan to pick it up, yourself, you'll need a truck larger than a pickup.
Step 6 – Building Your Structure
Follow your plan instructions, and begin building your structure.