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How did this happen? August 31, 2009Posted by caizooka in Uncategorized.
3 comments
After watching the Dateline piece on the link of the MMR vaccine to autism, it started my mind working about HOW this happened. I know that every parent out there who has a child with autism wonders the same thing. Did I eat something toxic, non-organic while I was pregnant that caused this? Did he ingest something to cause this? Is it in the air? Is it in the vaccinations? The water? Is it genetic? Is it mold? Some people are better at accepting things with out understanding the reasoning behind them. I wish I were one of those people sometimes. I feel that if I don't understand the source of the problem that I'm just treating the symptoms. It seemed to me that with his diagnosis, they kind of indicated that. He IS autistic. You can make it better (treat the symptoms) but he will always be autistic. I'm not sure that I'm willing to accept that yet, or ever. I'm not willing to accept that because I don't know what it means. There are no two cases of autism as they all display different symptoms. Until we understand the reason for O's autism, we will pursue the education offered to us as well as the various therapies. Of course we will try anything.
So, we are on day 3 of O being sick. I had forgotten this side of O. He was doing so well this summer. He hasn't been sick for awhile and has been flourishing with the arrival of M in our lives and our home. Everything has been clicking for him lately. There are some outbursts and some difficulties, but nothing drastic. This morning I told him that he couldn't watch Scooby Doo. He started yelling and screaming at me. I conceal my fear that he might lash out, but sure enough, he did. He picked up a plastic toy (E's favorite one!) and threw it at the tv. The screen shattered as did my hope that that part of him had disappeared. At our old house he did something similar and broke one of the leaded glass windows. We can get a new tv, we can get new windows, albeit not cheap, but these things are not necessary, they are just things. What is terrifying about the experience is the reminder of the power that this has over him and over us. Within a few minutes he was remorseful and saying that he was sorry. It will happen again. The unpredictability from one minute to the next is frightening. One minute he's laughing and playing with his brother, the next, he's throwing Elmo toys into the tv.
I need to protect him from himself. I'm going to order the Guardian Angel Window Guards for his bedroom and the playroom. I can't predict if he might suddenly decide to do something dangerous. I hate to do this, but this is necessary. Keeping my kids safe and healthy is necessary.
What is in a label? August 30, 2009Posted by caizooka in Uncategorized.
4 comments
As I listened to Peter telling his dad about O's diagnosis I heard the wisdom of his words, 'O is still O. The doesn't change who he is or how we feel about him'. True. Very true. As Peter and I are each enduring our own process of acceptance, I realize that everyone is going to have to come to terms with this on their own, at their own pace. Ones belief system and past histories provide you with you ability or inability to cope. For people who have no history with, or a negative history with Autism, this will be a more difficult challenge. For people who know me, know O, this doesn't change anything. Hopefully. I'm so grateful for my wonderful support group whom I shared this blog with. The words of love and support are so valuable. They are helping to lift me to a place of peace and understanding. There are going to be setbacks along the way, but I'm feeling incredibly encouraged.
One notion that is stuck in my head is the whole idea of 'normal'. I think in trying to reassure us that Oliver's going to be 'OK', that the doctor told us that there are many early interventions that we can try to help him appear to be 'normal'. God forbid, I don't want any of my kids to be 'normal'. What is that anyways?!! Is normal a range? What is the range? I fought so hard to be normal my whole life. Normal for me has meant being a wealthy Catholic girl from Bel Air, not a half Japanese American girl from West LA. Normal has often meant being Japanese, not half Japanese, being white, not Japanese. Being tall, not short, being short, not tall. Assimilate, assimilate, assimilate. That's all that I ever wanted. Ironic that now all I want for me is to NOT be normal. Yet, now is what we seek for O is to be perceived as 'normal'. Yikes, I think that I've hit a road block. I cherish the parts of him that make him different. Maybe people are just referring to giving him the tools so that he feels safe and not abnormal. So that he has the chance to achieve his own pursuit of happiness. Maybe it's about opportunity. Is being different not normal?!
Interesting that O chose us to be his family. Each of us has had our struggles to fit into different societies, families, and cultures. We have a lot to teach and to learn from him. We are what he needs. He is what we need.
Attaching the label of 'autism' to O makes me feel a bit ambivalent. On one hand, it seems like now we have a place to start to discover the tools that we need to help O. Increased resources. On the other hand, it confines him. Yesterday Oliver misused the pronoun 'she'. He constantly confuses it with 'he'. Someone tried to correct him. I felt a strange mix of feelings. Do I tell that person, 'Oh, he has AUTISM so he often can't discern between he and she', or do I say, 'it's confusing for him'. Do I say nothing at all? I chose the middle response.
Today O is sick. So is Emil. It is very loud in our house. Everything is so loud and there doesn't seem to be any possible way to get him to be quiet. Even quieter. O is having a respiratory response to his cold which means he has to be on inhalers. He doesn't like them. Who would. It takes a great deal of patience to get him to use them. I'm not sure that I have it in me today. I need ear plugs.
My first inclination is to research, research, research. What to do? What works? I know for myself that nutrition is a huge factor. We'll be meeting with our doctor next week to talk about this. I'm excited for this change. Since reducing the gluten in my own diet, I feel like a different person. I am hoping that the impact will be great for O as well.
I'm looking into this GFCF (gluten-free, casein-free) diet.
I'm intrigued by Jenny McCarthy's path to 'cure' her son of autism. Her Generation Rescue is a great network of people that I'm looking forward to meet.
The next day August 29, 2009Posted by caizooka in Uncategorized.
6 comments
There is something to be said about getting a good, solid sleep. Clarity. Both little guys woke up with colds this morning. Brace yourself world. Sick O is a different O and one that there is even less predictability than on a normal day. Where you might have some wiggle room on a normal day and be able to convince him to do something, when he is sick, there is no peace. For him or for you. The usual happiness disappears and it filled with a child who his constantly screaming and crying and yelling, who is angry. That anger often translates to violence…usually to just me, but also extends to his daddy and brothers. Less to his younger brother thus far. The part that is so worrisome is the increased amount of spacing out periods. It's so hard to reach him on a normal day, furthermore on a day like today.
Now that evening is here, I am thankful to say that O didn't present to be as sick as he was this morning. He is tired and has a cold, but with the presence of M in his life, he doesn't have much time to dwell on it. He was a busy guy today. He, E, M, and B went to The Children's Museum. What fun they had!
As I watched O today, the diagnosis of 'Autism' was so prevalent in my mind. I was looking for it, searching for what that means and it is so apparent. Glaring at me. It is scary. I spent a bit of time today glancing at a couple of websites…autismspeaks.org. I signed up for their 100 day kit. It was recommend by our doctor. It is for families of children recently diagnosed with Autism. I am hoping that it will provide us with some guidance.
I also ventured to see about their walks for fundraising. No better way to understand this than meet families that are living it. They are having one on Saturday, October 3rd at UW. I am terrified to go. I will go. I will be in a better space to understand what we are truly dealing with. I'm afraid to see the other side of the spectrum. It will be our community soon and I need to embrace it. There is so much to learn from these people and part of me is so terribly excited to jump both feet first into this new world and the other half of me is holding onto the dock for dear life, still grasping the life I had before we had this diagnosis. Still hoping, ever so unrealistically, that the doctor would come back with a diagnosis of 'well, it looks like your son is just allergic to peanuts. Here is a pill. He'll be all better by the morning. He might sleep in an extra hour, but it will be okay'. God…if only.
Today was a good day. Only a few sudden outbursts of tears. I'm deciding to go with it. When you're sad, be sad. When you're happy, be happy. I've grasped the concept of that for the last decade. It works. Go with how you feel. It's real, it's present, and it's here. I've found that the harder you work to defer your feelings, the longer the bout lasts. Now I choose to go with it. And, I'm sad. I'm grieving. The question that I'm asking myself, though, is 'what am I grieving'? Am I sad for O? What will he miss in his life? But, on the other hand, what will he gain? He doesn't seem to be at all affected by what others think of him. Am I sad for me? How could I be when his mere presence in my life can make my heart sing in such a remarkable way. Am I sad for my family? Maybe, but how could that be when they have so much to gain. What amazing compassion we all possess and will continue to foster through him. So, why am I sad? Is it selfish? I don't know. I have a feeling that this will be an open discussion that I'll have with myself for some time. I'm open to that. I have alot to learn.
Next subject on my mind…how to tell people. Do they need to know? What do they need to know? Will they judge him 'an autistic boy' before they see him as 'O'? Is this hurtful or a hidden blessing? Do we weed out the kind of people that we don't want to have in our lives in the first place? I sense that there will be a great deal of pain associated with what is to come in this realm and I find myself holding my breath as I type these mere words on the keyboard. But, I think that the question I will have to constantly raise with myself is, 'Is it me that is affected by this, or is it O'? I think that there will often be two different answers to this. O is O. Anyone who meets him and gets to know him will agree to that whole-heartedly. He doesn't let others opinions of him infiltrate his world. He is in OliverWorld. For a person who has lived her life caring so unbelievably much what others think of her, seeing the world in these new eyes is refreshing and wonderful. I cherish it. I hope that it remains this way for him. For me, his mom, I will try and see both. One side to understand him, and one side to protect him.
O…I see you. I see you trying to communicate what is going on in your head to me. Keep on trying. I am hear to listen. I want to speak your language. Please teach me. Please let me in. I want to understand.
the diagnosis August 28, 2009Posted by caizooka in autism parenting.
Tags: autism, diagnosis, parenting
1 comment so far
Well, today marks the beginning of a different parenting journey. The one of a parent of an Autistic child. We have been going through diagnostic testing with Oliver for about 1 1/2 months now. This should have not come as any surprise. Hello…we had the ADOS test completed at the Children's Hospital AUTISM Center. How could this catch me so off guard then? I went in this morning with Peter to our appointment for feedback to hear that he has 'Aspergers'. I had somehow made the 'Aspergers' diagnosis okay in my head. Lots of successful people have aspergers and aspergers seems to be somewhat socially acceptable. Aspergers is 'Autism-lite'. Then to be confronted with a full blown 'your son has autism' diagnosis caught us a bit off guard. I have spent most of the day breaking into tears. Trying to break down the tears. Unable to cope with Emil. Thank God for Mizan and Lyla for helping out so much today. I never, ever cry in front of people. I usually only cry in my bathroom or my car, but for some reason I was crying everywhere, all day today. I'm sure that I have a somewhat of a psycho-crazy woman persona going on to the outside world;)
I am so appreciative of Peter today. For being supportive and strong and compassionate. You really never know what or how people will respond, so it was a nice surprise to be together and in sync on this day. I haven't decided how to approach the world on this subject. We'll figure that out. I feel extremely blessed to have some incredible friends with me on this journey. How lucky am I to live two doors down from Barb who just totally gets it. Seriously gets it. Sobbing together and hearing her memory of her daughter being diagnosed with Prada-Willis made me feel less alone in this.
I do know that I will find strength and empowerment in this part of my journey, but today I feel a bit defeated and tired. Receiving the diagnosis, the pages and pages of 'things to do' was extremely overwhelming and made me feel powerless. I'm glad that Julian is in LA having a good time with his cousins so that he didn't have to absorb the energy that poured out of me today.
Oliver…tonight I went and looked for you after you fell asleep and you weren't in your own bed. You were in Juju's bed. Fast asleep. I pulled you in and held you as I had wanted to all day but you wouldn't let me. You won't let me help you and that scares me. You won't let me take your pain away by hugging you and that hurts. God bless you, Oliver, you are going to be more than fine. You are going to be the best Oliver ever, I know that! You are divine just as you are.


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Elham Valley Way
22 miles (35 km)
Explore the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on this delightful walk through Kent.
The route starts on the coast at Hythe and heads north to Canterbury via Elham and Barham. Highlights on the route include stretches through the seabrook valley near Hythe, ancient woodland (dating from before the 17th century), beautiful orchards and the famous Cathedral at Canterbury at the end of the route.

subset: commoncrawl


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APS Audio COAX Active Studio Monitor by matthew11490
A few months back I heard some good feedbacks from peers about APS speakers. Therefore I approached APS and they sent me a pair of Coax and Aeon for demo. I wasn't sure what I am getting into at first. But as far as I know now, I ended up keeping them both, they helped my work in a tremendous way and I am grateful to have them.
I have been doing audio engineering for quite a while, worked in many great studios and worked on a lot of speakers. To name a few Yamaha, KRK, ATC, PMC, Focal, Dynaudio, Ausburger, Exigy, ADAMS, Barefoots, lipinski, JBL etc. I got very picky on speakers since I know what it takes to make it a good mixing speakers. I was using Yamaha ns-10, PMC two two 6 and a 10" sub to finish most of my work before I got the APSs.
First of all, I have to say APS customer service was superb, they are easy to reach and they explained patiently and took care of everything I worried.
I was told the Coax sounds like NS10 with better imaging, faster transient response and clearer.
When I first got the APS Coax, The build quality was superb, mine was in ebony cabinet, it was elegant. It was quilt heavy considering the small size. It is almost twice as deep as the NS10. height and width are similar.
When I first listened to it, it was much brighter than what I expect as an "NS10" type of speaker. I ended up lowering the high frequency by 1.5db otherwise I got fatigue very quickly.
After some discussion with the folks in APS, I let the speaker to run a few weeks to "warm it up" before I draw any conclusion.
After a few weeks warming it up, I did couple of mixing recently with it.
Here's my thought about it:
I tried them in various position, and they all worked well, doesn't matter I put them wide or narrow, ear level, higher/lower than ear level, just like my pmc, they don't have dramatic change in tone and color even if you move your listening position. This is great.
It was less harsh and bright than when I first got it. It's still bright but in a way "airy" bright just like my PMC twotwo6, very smooth high end, I don't have to roll off some high frequency anymore when I work on it.
The stereo image is very wide and clear, it's simply amazing, I put them roughly 2ft away, woofers on the outside, i felt like they were 4-5ft away. Totally great and suitable to small spaces where you cannot put monitors further apart to get a proper stereo image. I used to have problems with speaker putting too close to the center and the mix was translated narrow as a result.
Frequency response was similar to an NS10, the lows gradually roll off around 60hz, you can hear 60-70hz more clear (due to coaxial design I expect) and define than the NS10. The different would be the Coax has much better highs, you can hear 15-20khz without an issue.
Transient response is really quick. Great for playback but maybe not great for mixing as it might deceive you to think your drum sounds good enough.
After using it for couple of mixes, I realized a few things that Coax really stand out.
It sounds better than my PMC two two6 in a way that it has more mid range instead of scooped mid range like PMC two two 6. Other than that I found them really close in terms of sound quality, depth of the sound (reverb, delay etc), revealing small details of the mixes. For the price of Coax, I will pick it over anything else.
I found Coax is great for revealing 500-700hz and 3-5khz of the mix, I was able to pick up some problem in those area on Coax than on other speakers.
Another thing is nowadays I do all the automation especially vocal volume ride on Coax exclusively. The Coax is so responsive that I could hear very small dynamic changes (like a db or so) and I could make decision to smooth it out and make better decisions on riding the vocal so it sit in the mix better. To me this is another factors that surprise me.
If you haven't try it, you should. Coax is a great upgrade of near field. I wish APS would make a bigger model of Coax that has a deeper low end like Aeons and perhaps maybe 0.5-1db lower in the high end, that would be dream.
P.S. After I recommended APS to the studio I am currently working in, and they are happy with the AEON they got and expecting a pair of Coax soon.


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Pony's Wallet
Pony's Wallet
This beautiful Navy and Red wallet is a perfect match for your Cavalinho handbag! With 16 cards slots, front and back pocket with snap closure, 1 pen and 1 inside zipper at back pocket, you have enough space for all your cards and documents.
Dimensions: L: 17.5 cm x H: 12 cm x W: 3.5 cm
Designed and Handmade in Portugal
Style No.: 2480205
2 Year Warranty


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Teenager reportedly Pleads Guilty to Throwing Marijuana into Kirikiri Prison for his Friend
A 19-year-old teenager, Antonio (surname withdrawn) has pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges after being apprehended throwing marijuana weighing 3.3kg into Kirikiri prison.
The marijuana had been intended to be for the benefit of an inmate named Taofeek, Punch reports.
The accused was arraigned by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on a charge of drug trafficking.
The judge, Justice Ibrahim Buba, taking the age of the accused into consideration, ordered that he be remanded at a rehabilitation center for three months, and at the NDLEA custody for one month for counseling.
Photo Credit: Dreamstimes


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New York Housewife Aviva Drescher popped into the Angelo David Salon for a little hair repair last week and we've got the deets on her new cut and color!
Get Jessica Alba's Award Show Hair and Makeup!
Angelo wanted to freshen up Aviva's hair, without drastically changing her look. He started by sprucing up her color to a crisp cool blonde, almost reminiscent of Claudia Schiffer's. Regarding hairstyling, Angelo proceeded doing his signature custom cut, where he shaped the hair to create fullness. He finished the look by styling the hair with soft waves to frame Aviva's face beautifully.
'Real Housewives of New York' News!
Do you love Aviva's new look? Sound off below or tweet us @OKMagazine!
For access to all our exclusive celebrity videos and interviews – Subscribe on YouTube!


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bill-swift - July 24, 2017
The thing about big movie premieres is the thousands of paparazzi cameras and the tremendous opportunity to show off what you've got. And Rihanna has a lot to show off.
The Bajan boobtastic singer stole the show at the crimson promenade for Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets with a little something in red and super cleavetastic. Rihanna's funbags were pushed up toward Valerian as she sauntered slowly for every came along the walk to capture her mams in full glory. If the movie had been as simply alluring as Rihanna's sextastic body on display, it might be faring better at the box office.
Rihanna is a woman who seems to hate clothing. Like she'd be very happy being nude all the time. Not as happy as me watching her nude all the time, but close. At the same time, she makes a small fortune pimping clothing, so compromises must be made. I'd call this sweet teat exhibition a very nice compromise indeed. Enjoy.
Photo Credit: Backgrid
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Friday, 10-02-15
Happy birthday to strong dude all-before-school 5:30am-er, BOBBY!!
Workout of the Day
For Total Running Time:
*Announcement* Saturday we will be having a fundraiser WOD for an unfortunate event tied to one of our members. Earlier this week, Garik's girlfriend, Sarah, had to have emergency surgery to remove a tumor in her brain. From what Garik has shared with us the surgery was very successful and Sarah is recovering well. Needless To say, a Go Fund Me page has been created for them to help cover costs for this operation. www.gofundme.com/karategirl We are asking for a $10 donation to attend Saturday's WOD. You can pay directly via the link or at Alpine and we will make a donation on behalf of ACF. More details posted tomorrow. Thank you for your support =)
Workout of the Day
*Aim to work up to 90% for a double.
For Total Running Time:
1000m Row
*Rest 5min*
30 Overhead Squats 135/95
1000m Row
Post your scores to the Whiteboard.


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Tax Planning - Importance and Benefits of Tax Planning
- DetailsWritten by PolicyBazaar -
- Hits : 17861 -
Updated date : 28 April 2020
Tax planning is the logical analysis of a financial position from a tax perspective. Tax Planning allows a taxpayer to make the best use of the different tax exemptions, deductions and benefits to minimize his tax liability each financial year. The use of tax payers is to guarantee tax effective.
Investments are the best way to reduce tax liability substantially and tax payers consider it to be a good way to save tax. There are many options available to save more and reduce taxes. If an individual has done proper financial & tax planning then deductions would be subtracted from the gross total income and income tax would be levied on the balance income as per the income tax slabs.
What is Tax Planning?
Individuals, businesses and organizations do tax planning to assess their financial profile and save on the taxes paid on their annual income and profits earned.
'Govt. data as per the assessment year 2014-2015 reveals that only 1.5 per cent of Indians actually pays their taxes'.Therefore, proper tax planning is required for both first-timers and veteran tax-payers. So that an appropriate tax amount is paid to the government to promote economic activity and personal savings are also managed.
As per the Income Tax Act, 1961 a number of legal tax saving options are available under section 80C&80D and beyond 80Csuch as 80 EE, including other rebates and reliefs.
You can actually start the fiscal year on a secure footing if you timely review your financial portfolio and then make tax-related investments.
Types of Tax Planning in India
The different methods of tax planning in India are described below -
- Short-term Income Tax Planning- It implies planning closer to the end of the financial year and choosing the best investment options to save tax. However, you might end up making hasty decisions to file your ITR in the nick of time.
- Long-term Income Tax Planning-As the saying goes, well begun is half done. So, when you start planning your tax saving investments at the beginning of the financial year it is long-term tax planning. And a well chalked out plan always helps in the long-run.
- Purposive IncomeTax Planning- Purposive tax planning means specifically planning the taxes to avail maximum benefits by taking right investment decisions, changing the residential status, through correct selection of investment, replacing the assets, business expansion programme, income etc.
- Permissive Income Tax Planning-It means making tax saving investments to avail different tax concessions, different deductions and incentives, and other exemptions that are permissible under the law.
Therefore, it is the duty of every citizen to carry out proper tax planning. There are various benefits that you can avail with tax saving schemes based on your tax slab, social liabilities, and personal preferences.
A good tax planning is done by using the right mix of investments in order to minimize the tax liabilities.
Here are some tips to help you save tax on your income:
1. Save via interest payment on loan
If you have a loan such as education loan, home loan, car or personal loan then tax saving becomes easy. The government allows tax benefits for individuals who are repaying loans. Some investments that you many consider under Section 80C are: Life insurance premium paid towards self, spouse or child, contribution towards statutory provident fund or superannuation fund, contribution towards public provident fund scheme, subscription to units of mutual fund equity linked saving scheme notified by the central government, etc. It can be a better tax saving option if tax planning by payment of loan is done wisely.
2. Buy a Health Insurance Policy
Premium paid on health insurance policies is allowed as deduction from your total income, according to Section 80D of the Income Tax Act. Deduction up to Rs 15,000 is available for insurance of self, spouse and dependent children. This is one of the best options and can be part of tax planning.
3. Make a donation
Making a donation is a good way to save tax on your income. Section 80G of the Income Tax Act allows an individual to claim deductions up to a specified limit for contributions made to charitable organizations or NGOs. This option will save taxes as well as bring some virtue.
4. Equity Mutual Funds
Investment in equity mutual funds is a great way to make your profits 100% non-taxable. However, it is advisable not to sell your equity shares before a period of one year as anything less than 12 months may incur tax on profits.
5. Amount received as gifts
Any gifts received on your marriage in the form of cash or cheque are totally tax free. You can receive cash gifts from your relatives or friends for which you don't have to pay any tax.
6. House Rent Allowance
You can claim House Rent Allowance (HRA) to save tax on your house rent. However, this is applicable only when you are staying in a rented accommodation.
7. Medical Bills
You can keep all the medical receipts of your medical expenses to use them for tax saving at the end of the year. An amount up to Rs 15000 is non-taxable on medical expenses for yourself and your dependent family members.
8. Telephone/Internet Expenses
You can check with your employer if they have a tax saving policy on telephone or internet expenses. You can either get telephone/internet expenses reimbursed or claim tax benefits for the same. Income tax planning for small amounts has impact on total taxes. So don't ignore it.
9. Daily Travel Allowance
You can avail tax benefits up to Rs 1600 per month from your company for conveyance. This will allow you to save tax on Rs 19,200 annually on conveyance allowance. Also, you do not have to submit any invoices or proof to avail the same.
10. Meal Coupons
Meal vouchers or any gift vouchers including Sodexo are not taxable up to Rs 2600 per month. You can ask your employer to either issue you meal coupons every month to claim tax benefits or reimburse the same.
11. Leave Travel Allowance
Leave Travel Allowance (LTA) can be utilized by you for domestic vacations. You will not be taxed on travel expenses for yourself and your dependents.
Tax Planning FAQs-
1. What do you mean by tax planning?
It means planning the taxes to avail all the rebates, deductions and exemptions under the different sections of the Income Tax Act, 1961.
2. What is the goal of tax planning?
Tax planning is an efficient part of financial planning and the goal is to ensure tax efficiency.
3. What is the primary purpose of effective tax planning?
The primary purpose of tax planning is to reduce the tax implications by reducing the amount of taxable income.
4. Why is it important to plan for taxes?
With proper tax planning, you can reduce your tax liabilities and also save for the various goals that you have set at different stages of your life.
5. What are tax planning and tax avoidance?
Tax planning is done to avail maximum benefits of tax deductions, exemptions, rebates, allowances and concessions that are permissible under the Income Tax Act, 1961. The idea is to reduce the tax burden of the assets without breaking the law.
Tax avoidance means arranging your financial activities violating the legal provisions through unacceptable means
6. What is the difference between tax avoidance and tax evasion?
The difference between the two is elucidated in the table below-
Tax Avoidance
Tax Evasion
1. Tax payment is done by defeating the intention of the law-maker but by adhering the provisions of the law
Tax payment is evaded through unlawful means
2. Not a punishable offence
Punishable offence
3. Looks similar to tax planning and is done before the onset of tax liability
Fraudulent act and is done after the onset of tax liability
7. Is Tax avoidance legal?
It is considered as legal, however, it is not recommended to use it for your own advantage.
8. What is the tax management?
Tax Management is required includes filing the ITR in time, taking corrective actions, paying advance tax, tax auditing etc.
9. What is Corporate Tax Planning?
Corporate Tax Planning involves strategically structuring of a company to reduce tax liabilities within the framework of the law. Commonly, it includes corporate health insurance, deductions on business transport and office expenditure, charitable contributions, retirement planning etc.
Broadly, corporate tax planning implies an effective planning of the -
- Cost of marketing & sales
- Company expenses
- Capital budget
10. How can I reduce my taxable income?
Elucidated below are some of the recommended ways of saving income tax-
- Save Tax u/s 80C, Sec. 80CCC, & Sec. 80CCD and the limit under these sections Rs. 1, 50,000
- U/s 80D for health insurance premium paid for self and family
- U/s 80DD for treatment of dependents who are handicapped
- U/s 80DDB for medical treatment of certain specified diseases
- Tax exemption for interest paid on home loan u/s 80EE
- U/s 80E tax benefit against education loan
- U/S 80CCG you can get tax exemption for investments made in company shares and mutual funds provided yearly salary is more than 12 lakhs.
- Tax benefits for donations under section 80G
11. What happens if I don't file my taxes?
There are various penalties for not filing your taxes, which are decided by the income tax officer if the need be.
- 50% of penalty is imposed for under-reporting your income.
- For undisclosed income, 10% penalty is levied.
- If you do not present your TDS/TCS statement or furnish incorrect statements, a penalty of Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 1, 00,000 can be charged.
And there are various other penalties in case of non-compliance with the book of accounts.
12. Can you go to jail for not paying taxes?
Yes, it is a punishable offence and can put you behind the bars.
13. Which is illegal tax evasion or tax avoidance?
Tax evasion is illegal as it is done by using fraudulent methods to save tax.
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My exploratory work tends to fall in one of three categories:
It's all goal directed against a mental model of what I'm doing. For (1), it's trying to eliminate swathes of the control flow and data flow of the system as quickly as possible. For (2), it's getting rough estimates of the economic impact of an idea. For (3), it's trying to find situations that will break a model, rather like the adversarial process a security researcher goes through.
Instead of writing up a huge list of things to explore, treat it the way Tukey did in his book Exploratory Data Analysis that started the field. You start with a data set, and sequentially ask questions about it and answer them as fast as possible, since often you can cut off a whole line of questioning at the very beginning with a quick check. (It's a great book, by the way...especially to see what he developed to do this kind of work by hand.)
Thanks Fred,
I have seen references to John Tukey's book in my reading. It does look interesting.
Hi Fred, I am curious. What other Data Science blogs or sites do you follow?
Hi Fred,
I am curious. What other Data Science blogs or sites do you follow?
At my workplace, we have many, many data sources. Some cleaned up nicely with metadata, others kinda cleaned up but with no way of knowing what means what, others are completely raw, granular and need a lot of work.
I take one day a week to do a deep dive into a dataset I'm not familiar with and get to know it really well. That way I know what I'm in for the next time I'm asked for something in relation to that table, bucket or file.
I've heard of teams doing EDA Saturdays once a month to dig into a data set each and then do a show and tell to share the knowledge.
It takes time, but is so worth it. If you don't know what the data is doing there is no way you can gain any insight from it.
Hi Helen,
I am curious. What other Data Science blogs or sites do you follow?
Hey Matt
I'm not a Data Scientist so don't follow anything specific to that area.
My favourites blogs at the moment are:
Data36 - data36.com/ for tutorials and hands-on learning.
Simple Analytical - simpleanalytical.com/ for commentary on being in the data world and the ups and downs of being an analyst.
Mode - mode.com/blog/ - content for analysts by analysts.
Soft Skills Engineering - softskills.audio/ - my favourite podcast advice show about non-technical topics.
Great, thank you very much.
I noticed that your profile says B.I. How different do you consider B.I. Is from D.S.?
In my workplace BI works on reports and models that show what has happened in the past and a little bit of forecasting.
The Data Scientists work on AI/ML/NLP sometimes using our models, sometimes using granular raw data
Interesting! I can see where a separate day (hopefully not my wkend ;)) would be useful.
But what statistical tests do you find yourself drawn to? Correlations, normality, or even boxplots?


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Welsh champion Rob Partridge reports from stage two of the Tour of Ireland.
Another long day here in Ireland…best part of 200km again. The route followed some very typically Irish roads today-up, down, left, right, and some very rough sections; a comfy saddle and good chamois are a must out here. Just got off the massage table where Colin (Baldwin) has worked his magic yet again. I'm a firm believer in getting a rub whilst at a stage race, keeping the muscles supple and knot-free; it's a must.
>> Subscribe to Cycling Weekly this Autumn and save 35%. Enjoy the luxury of home delivery and never miss an issue <<
So, back to the days' events. Two guys got a massive lead but things were well controlled from behind. One thing that impressed me today was how Astana ride everywhere as a unit, Cervelo as well. Once you see those boys moving forward together it's time to panic, especially when most of the day was crosswind – although seeing a commissaire almost roll his car into the peloton was pretty scary; he bailed into a wall instead.
Cav showed his class once more by taking the win. Had a brief chat with him earlier, he's still as relaxed and confident as ever. Wilko bagged himself a top ten aswell…top ride.
So, off to Cork and St Patricks hill tomorrow. Hope the crowd is a good as ever…you tend not to notice the 1in4 gradient when a few thousand people are 'shouting' you up the road.


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Opening Day 'in limbo' for Twins lefty Diamond
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- After emerging as the Twins' best starter in 2012, left-hander Scott Diamond figured to enter Spring Training as the favorite to be the club's Opening Day starter against the Tigers on April 1 at Target Field.
But Diamond had a bone chip removed from his left elbow in December and said on Tuesday that there's still a chance he won't be ready for the start of the season. He threw from 120 feet on Tuesday and is expected to progress to 150 feet on Friday before throwing his first bullpen session next week.
"It's tough to say right now, because of the way the arm feels," Diamond said. "We're still taking it pretty slow. So it's going to be pretty tight toward Opening Day. But I think a lot of it will do with how I do when I throw off the mound for the first time. If everything is going well and the mechanics feel smooth, I think that will really project how it'll be Opening Day. But right now, it's in limbo."
Diamond, 26, was a pleasant surprise last season, leading the staff with 12 wins and a 3.54 ERA in 27 starts. He said it's still his goal to pitch on Opening Day, but he's not going to force the issue if he's not ready.
"That's the battle right now, mentally," Diamond said. "It's something you dream about. But it's a long season, and if that's what we have to do, I'll just bite my tongue and do it."


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Transparency and Contracts: Continuous Integration and Delivery in the Automotive Ecosystem
Most of the innovation in automotive is nowadays coming from electronics and software. The pressure of reducing time to market and increasing flexibility while keeping quality are leading motivations for these companies to embrace system-wide Continuous Integration and Delivery (CI&D), which in the scope of complex automotive value-chains implies inter-organizational CI&D. In this paper, we investigate the challenges and impediments posed by inter-organizational CI&D in the automotive domain, i.e. continuous software development that involves agile interaction between an OEM (the car manufacturer) and its software suppliers. In particular, we focus on legal contracts that regulate the agreements between these companies and transparency intended as the degree/level of information that is shared between the various companies in the value-chain. The main findings of this study show that (i) inter-organizational transparency is considered positive but not a necessary condition for inter-organizational CI&D, (ii) transparency has positive effects on information sharing among different companies, and (iii) legal contracts are an impediment for inter-organizational CI&D. The results of the study provide useful insights for practitioners that work in similar settings. In addition, the identified challenges and impediments define a research agenda for researchers.
Thu 31 May Times are displayed in time zone: (GMT+02:00) Amsterdam, Berlin, Bern, Rome, Stockholm, Vienna change
14:00 - 15:30: SEIP - Software Engineering in Practice - Cloud and DevOps at E4 room
Chair(s): Yvonne DittrichIT University of Copenhagen, Denmark
|14:00 - 14:20
Heng LiQueen's University, Tse-Hsun (Peter) ChenConcordia University, Ahmed E. HassanQueen's University, Mohamed Nasser, Parminder Flora
|14:20 - 14:40
Fangxi Yin, Denghui Dong, Sanhong LiAlibaba Inc., Jianmei GuoAlibaba Group, Kingsum Chow
|14:40 - 15:00
Joop Aué, Mauricio AnicheDelft University of Technology, Netherlands, Maikel Lobbezoo, Arie van DeursenDelft University of TechnologyDOI Pre-print
|15:00 - 15:20
Rob van der Valk, Patrizio PelliccioneUniversity of Gothenburg & Chalmers University of Technology, Patricia LagoVrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Rogardt Heldal, Eric KnaussChalmers University of Technology and University of Gothenbrug, Jacob JuulPre-print Media Attached
|15:20 - 15:30


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WSET Level 1 Award in Wine
The WSET Level 1 Award is a good introductory first course for the wine enthusiast who wishes to be introduced in a structured way to - wine styles, storing and serving of wine, and food and wine matching.
9 wines will be tasted as part of the course, all students receive a Foundation Certificate Study Guide. Course Duration - 1 day inclusive of examination (30 multiple choice questions).
The Fee of £150 includes
- study book
- 9 wines
- food & wine matching
- professional WSET tuition by WSET-Certified Tutor
- examination fees
- internationally-recognised WSET qualification certificate
Places remaining: 12
Course Date/Time: Sat 30th Jan 2021 at 09:30
Duration: 8 Hours
Venue: Jurys Inn, Station Street, Nottingham NG2 3BJ


text: Crime / Aaron Hernandez Hernandez Killed 2 Over Spilled Drink: Prosecutor NFL great allegedly felt disrespected in club By John Johnson, Newser Staff Posted May 28, 2014 5:43 PM CDT Copied Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez listens to the prosecution's summary of facts as he is arraigned on homicide charges at Suffolk Superior Court in Boston Wednesday. (AP Photo/Dominick Reuter, Pool) (Newser) – He was a star player on a star NFL team, so what could possibly have turned Aaron Hernandez into a murderer? In laying out their case against Hernandez today in a 2012 drive-by slaying that left two men dead, prosecutors offered this scene from a Boston nightclub: "Shortly thereafter, Daneil de Abreu, while dancing nearby, accidentally bumped into the defendant, causing the defendant's drink to partially spill. The defendant became angered and increasingly agitated, particularly after Mr. de Abreu smiled and did not apologize." story continues below Yes, a spilled drink, reports AP and CBS News. Prosecutors say Hernandez and a friend waited for the victims to leave the bar, then pulled up alongside their car. Hernandez allegedly said, "Yo, what's up now," opened fire, and told his friend, "I think I got one in the head and one in the chest" as they sped away. Prosecutors say he was right. Hernandez pleaded not guilty today. He also faces murder charges in the slaying of another man the following year. (Read more Aaron Hernandez stories.)


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Prep Time: 20 min Cook Time: 15 min Serves: 4-6
- 1 (12 ounce) container of Cappello's gluten-free lasagna sheets
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 2 cups button mushrooms, sliced
- 1.5 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (14 ounce) can of coconut milk
- 4 cups spinach
- 2 cups shredded chicken (I used a rotisserie chicken and shredded it)
- 7 ounces Kerrygold cheddar cheese, grated
- salt and pepper, to taste
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place a large pan over medium heat. Add two tablespoons of coconut oil to the pan along with the sliced mushrooms.
- Brown mushrooms until slightly soft. Then add chopped rosemary and minced garlic cloves.
- Once garlic becomes fragrant, add coconut milk. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper.
- Let coconut milk simmer at a medium heat, stirring every couple minutes for about 6 or so minutes.
- When coconut milk has thickened slightly, add spinach to the pan and cover to help wilt the spinach.
- Once spinach has wilted, mix in with coconut milk. Then add shredded chicken and mix it all together.
- Pull out an 8×8 glass baking dish. Add a small spoonful of the coconut milk mixture to the bottom and spread out to keep the lasagna sheet from burning.
- Add 2-3 lasagna sheets to the bottom of the pan. You may need to cut the sheet to help them fit.
- On top of the lasagna sheets, add a couple large spoonfuls and spread through lasagna sheets. Sprinkle with cheese. Repeat with lasagna sheets, coconut milk mixture, cheese and one more topping of lasagna sheets. Sprinkle with cheese on top.
- Place in oven to bake for 10-15 minutes until cheese has bubbled and browned.
- Let rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
Recipe by: Paleomg.com


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En zig-zag
No, this is not a conceptual art project, but a very real clothesline strung up in a nook and cranny on French Brittany's Pink Granite Coast in Ploumanac'h.
Just one snapshot of the many dramatic formations along the Côte de Granit Rose lying between Trébeurden and Perros-Guirec. There are only three such coast lines in the world, the other two are in Corsica and in China.
une corde à linge: a clothesline
une pince à linge: a clothespin
un recoin: a nook
une fissure: a cranny
©2016 P.B. Lecron


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Let us refresh your online presence.
A website is often the first experience a potential customer has with a business, which is why it's important for everything to work properly while also presenting a professional image. While aesthetics are a key ingredient of any successful webpage, it's also crucial to think about each element in an effort to understand its purpose. At Digital Fitness, our approach to web design focuses on the reasons why every component works instead of ticking items off of a checklist. Let our staff of talented designers create an online portal that creates new customers for your business.
When it comes to website design, there's one concept that should always be at the forefront of your decision making, and it's known as conversion. A converting page is one that gets the audience to take the desired action such as buying a product, signing up for a newsletter or some other task. When you work with Digital Fitness, we take a look at your operation and craft a concise webpage that uses specific strategies to boost conversion:
Evolving call to action propositions, headlines and subheads that make it clear why visitors should take the next step now.
Informative explanations of the benefits of working with your company.
Simple online forms that prevent customer frustration
Evolving call to action propositions, headlines and subheads that make it clear why visitors should take the next step now.
Informative explanations of the benefits of working with your company.
Simple online forms that prevent customer frustration
While there's no guaranteed magic bullet that ensures a successful website, you can rest assured we'll work tirelessly until you're completely satisfied with the results. We understand the digital world is constantly evolving, and we're always willing to make changes based on customer preferences or fluctuations in the marketplace. Our goal is to tell your company's story in a compelling manner that makes a visitor want to know more.
Some websites simply list a company's products and services and expect that to be enough to entice a visitor to take action. Unlike other design firms, we dig a bit deeper to learn why your process is the best way to do things. We incorporate this information into your page so every reader understands why you're the right choice.
No matter if you're looking to refresh your online identity or you're planning the debut of a new company, turn to the experts at Digital Fitness for all of your website development needs. We'll work with you and your team to discuss your goals and develop a page that inspires customers to take the next step. To learn more about all of our creative offerings or schedule an appointment with a member of our staff, contact us online today.


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Belladone is a traditional house Ibicenco style with pool and large garden. Located in the center of the island in a protected rural area between San Rafael and San Mateo. Country Views
6 double bedrooms - 5 bathrooms - 12 people
Belladone is a traditional rural house recently renovated.
Located in the centre of the island in a protected rural area between San Rafael and San Mateo
The Finca with a total area of 10,000 m2 offers an exceptional stunning view over the valley and ensures complete privacy to his guests
For the tranquillity of the place, the large spaces and beautiful garden, we recommend this house for families with children
Main floor
Large living room - TV satellite - DVD - Wi-Fi
Large covered terrace
Living room with fully equipped kitchen and laundry
1 master suite (150x200) with bathroom / shower
3 double bedrooms with twin beds (2x90x200)
1 double bedroom (135x200)
1 bathroom with bathtub
1 bathroom with shower
Ground floor
1 double bedroom (150x200) with separate access
1 bathroom / shower
Fitness Room
A / C throughout the house
TV in all bedrooms and living room
Alarm - Safety box
Large fully illuminated garden
Infinity pool 13 x 6 m with Jacuzzi
Large covered dining area
Summer kitchen with barbecue and "plancha"
Bathroom with shower
Property fenced with electric gate
San Rafael: 7 km
San Antonio: 8 km
Ibiza: 14 km
Airport: 20 km
Beaches: 10 km - Cala Salada - Cala Gracio


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I thought it was about time we had a more humourous song in the Music Monday feature. Before this, each song has been a great instrumental piece, rarely with lyrics, and they've all been pretty serious. Well, that's changed for today.
Today I've featured "Pac-Man Fever" by Buckner and Garcia. The track was most recently featured in the overly tongue-in-cheek zombie slasher Lollipop Chainsaw. Give it a listen below, and let me know what you think in the comments section!


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FiberWeigh is marketed by Maximizer Health Products of Pasadena, California, which also does business as Evita Labs. FiberWeigh is promoted through 30-minute infomercial which claims that it can bring about weight loss of two pounds a week or more "without dieting, changing eating habits, or even exercising." The product contains glucomannan, a soluble fiber that absorbs water. According to the infomercial, two or three capsules, taken before meals, swell enough within the stomach to make the user feel full and therefore eat less and lose weigh automatically. I do not believe that this claim is true. In addition, there is evidence that the company is not honoring its money-back guarantee.
The infomercial and company Web site claim that Fiberweigh capsules expand to fill about a third of the stomach as shown in the picture to the right. However, a simple experiment I performed showed that the picture is misleading. The volume of the adult stomach is 1.5 to 4 liters (1500 to 4000 cc). When I placed two capsules in water, the contents expanded to only about 15 cc. I don't see how this amount could make anyone feel full. Even if it could, it might not work because many people continue to eat after they feel full.
|During the infomercial, a company representative drops 2 capsules of FiberWeigh into a beaker containing what looks like about 200 cc of water. Instead of letting the audience see what happens, he immediately displays another beaker containing a semisolid gel that holds its shape when he tilts the beaker a shown in the picture to the left. To examine the demonstration's validity, I poured the contents of 2 capsules into 200 cc of water and swirled it around every few minutes. After 15 minutes, the fluid became a little cloudy but did not thicken. Further testing produced no change with 6 capsules and some thickening with 10 capsules, but 12 capsules were required to simulate the thickness shown in the infomercial demonstration.
The company promises to refund the customer's money if the product is returned unopened. However, on consumer complaint Web sites, several buyers have described how the company gave them excuses instead of money. My own experience supports what they say. When I first saw the infomercial, it offered a free bottle for a shipping charge of $2.95. However, in order to qualify, it was necessary to place a standing order for two bottles a month with the understanding that the order could be canceled at any time. My free bottle came promptly; and three weeks later two more bottles arrived with a notice that my credit card had been charged for $36.90. I phoned the company to cancel future orders and returned the unopened bottles via UPS so that the arrival of my package would be documented. Maximizer Health Products acknowledged my cancellation and said I would receive a refund. But instead of issuing a credit, the company asked me to fill out a form that requested the same information I had sent with the package plus the reason for the return. Credit card companies normally reverse charges if the cardholder submits a valid complaint to them within 60 days after receiving the credit card statement. I suspected that Maximizer Health Products sent the form to keep me thinking that a refund would come so that I would not complain to my credit card company during the 60-day period. I returned the form, but I also sent my credit company a copy of the acknowledgement, so it issued an immediate chargeback. The online complainers apparently did not do this and thus were unable to reverse their charge. Others must have complained to the Better Business Bureau, which has given Maximizer Health Products an unsatisfactory rating.
For Additional Information
- Analysis of FiberWeigh Infomercial (2003)
- Better Business Bureau of the Southland Report on Maximizer Health Products
This article was posted on September 18, 2004.


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A serious San Diego truck accident occurred on northbound Interstate 15 (I-15) when a big-rig truck ran over and ended up on top of a car, leaving the driver seriously injured. According to the California Highway Patrol, this San Diego freeway accident occurred south of Interstate 8 (I-8) in the Mission Valley area of San Diego shortly before 1:30 p.m. on October 19, 2010.
California Highway Patrol officers said that the truck crashed on the top of the car before it came to rest on the center divider. The smaller vehicle was crushed badly and its' driver suffered serious injuries and was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Eastbound Interstate 8 remained blocked for several hours following this truck accident until
From the available information, it is not clear if the truck driver's negligence or inattentiveness lead to this accident. Now the authorities need to find out what made the truck driver land on the roof of the car. Did he lose control of the vehicle? Was there any automobile malfunction or design issue which contributed
The injured car driver should consult an experienced San Diego truck accident lawyer who could help him acquire fair compensation for his pain and damages suffered. We sincerely hope and pray that the injured victim did not suffer any life threatening injuries and that he recovers completely from his injuries.Follow us!


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Some film taglines are known more than the film themselves.
Some have even become infamous and entered pop culture.
So here it is, my list of my top ten favourite Horror taglines (the list is not in a favouritism order):
|Night Of The Creeps (1986)
"The good news is your dates are here. The bad news is…they're dead."
|Re-Animator (1985)
"Herbert West has a very good head on his shoulders...and another one in a dish on his desk."
|Mountaintop Motel Massacre (1983)
"Please do not disturb Evelyn. She already is."
|Pieces (1982)
"You don't have to go to Texas for a Chainsaw Massacre!"
|Blood Beach (1980)
"Just when you thought you could go back in the water, you can't get to it!"
|Phantasm (1979)
"If this one doesn't scare you, you're already dead."
|The Funhouse (1981)
"Pay To Get In. Pray To Get Out!"
|My Bloody Valentine (1981)
"There's more than one way, to lose your Heart"
|The Last House On The Left (1972)
"To avoid fainting, keep repeating 'It's only a movie...It's only a movie..."
|Army Of Darkness (1993)
"Trapped in time. Surrounded by evil. Low on gas."
|Poltergeist (1982)
"They're here!"
|Dawn Of The Dead (1978)
"When There's No More Room in Hell the Dead Will Walk the Earth"
|Hellraiser (1987)
"He'll Tear Your Soul Apart"
|Cheerleader Camp (1987)
"Give me a K. Give me an I. Give me an L. Give me an L."
- Suspiria (1977) - "The Only Thing More Terrifying Than The Last 12 Minutes Of This Film Are The First 92."
- Arachnophobia (1990) - "Eight legs, two fangs, and an attitude"
- Popcorn (1991) - "Buy a bag, go home in a Box!"
- The Stuff (1985) - It's smooth and creamy. It's low calorie and delicious. And it kills. It's The Stuff!
- Alien (1979) - " In Space, No One Can Here you Scream."
- The Fly (1986) - "Be Afraid…Be Very Afraid!"
- Black Christmas (1974) - "If this movie doesn't make your skin crawl…it's on too tight!"
- The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) "Who will survive and what will be left of them?"
- Halloween (1978) - "The night HE came home"


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Sunrise Cooing
by Pearl
Posted by Pearl at 11:09 PM
Painted Wood People
by Pearl
I happened to leave my wood craft box out for a couple of days while I finished a baby gift and wouldn't you know the kiddos found it and came up with a painting project for themselves. "We can paint dolls mommy" was EJ's suggestion, CJ just looked up at me with his big eyes and smiled. I got the paint and they went to work.
EJ used her past peg princess dolls for ideas but hers were much more colorful.
CJ loved to mix the paint and came up with some fun combinations.
In the end they each had a family of dolls as unique as themselves.
|ej's family
|cj's family
Then it was time to play.
Posted by Pearl at 6:16 AM
Sushi Faces
by Pearl
Posted by Pearl at 5:47 AM
Labels: Baby B, CJ, EJ, Grandparents
Grandpa's Love
by Pearl
Posted by Pearl at 12:34 AM
Labels: CJ, Grandparents
by Pearl
Posted by Pearl at 2:58 PM
Labels: CJ
I Heart Pizza
by Pearl
We have developed a Friday night pizza routine since arriving in Japan. After quite a few weeks of searching through pinterest recipes we have discovered one we quite like.
To ensure we don't lose it in the future here it is thanks to this blog!
Homemade Pizza Crust Recipe
Follow these easy instructions for creating a thick & chewy pizza crust at home. I do not know how to make this pizza crust gluten free. For the best results, just stick to the recipe as written.
Yield: two 12-inch pizzas
Yield: two 12-inch pizzas
Prep Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- 2 and 1/4 teaspoons yeast (1 standard packet)*
- 1 and 1/3 cups (320ml) warm water (105-115F degrees)
- 3 and 1/2 cups (440g) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) olive oil, plus more for brushing crust
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon (13g) granulated sugar
- cornmeal, for dusting
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment, combine the yeast and warm water. Stir it around and let sit for 5 minutes of until the yeast is foamy and dissolved. This is called "proofing" the yeast. If the yeast doesn't dissolve, your yeast is dead. Start again with active yeast. Add flour, olive oil, salt, and sugar. Mix by hand or with the dough hook on low speed for 1 minute.
- Once all of the ingredients are mixed, knead for 7 minutes by hand or with your dough hook on low-medium speed. If your dough is too wet, add up to 1/4 cup more flour. After kneading, your dough should be smooth and elastic. Poke it with your finger - if it slowly bounces back, your dough is ready to rise. If not, keep kneading.
- Shape the dough into a ball and place in a large mixing bowl that has been coated lightly with olive oil. Turn it over to coat all sides. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm environment (about 75F-80F).
- For the warm environment, I heat up my oven to 200F. Then, I turn the oven off and keep the door slightly ajar (I opened it wide for this picture). This will be a warm environment for your dough to rise. After about 30 minutes, I close the oven door to trap warmish air inside with the rising dough.
- Depending on your type of yeast, your dough will have doubled in size in about 1 - 2 hours. I use Red Star Platinum and my dough took 1 hour, 20 minutes.
- Punch the dough down to release the air.
- Divide the dough into two. Roll each half into a ball and let rest in two separate bowls lightly covered for 15 minutes. You may freeze one of the dough balls at this point to use at a later time. Please read above in the post for freezing instructions.
- Preheat oven to 475F degrees. Allow to heat for at least 30 full minutes. Every inch of your oven needs to be very, very hot. Grease and dust 2 baking sheets with nonstick spray or with olive oil. Sprinkle with cornmeal (preferred for flavor and texture) or flour (not preferred). Please read above in the post for why cornmeal is preferred.
- Prepare your favorite toppings. May I suggest my recipe for a simple extra cheese pizza?
- After 15 minutes, flatten each ball of dough 1 at a time on a lightly floured surface or on a silicone baking mat. You could also do this directly on your cornmeal lined pizza pan. Flatten into a 12-inch round circle, flattening and stretching the dough. If using a pizza stone, place the dough directly on baker's peels dusted with cornmeal.
- Lift the edge of the dough up to create a lip around the edges. I simply pinched the edges up to create the rim like this. To prevent the filling from making your pizza crust soggy, brush the top lightly with olive oil. Using your fingers, push dents into the surface of the dough to prevent bubbling. Let rest for 15 minutes before topping.
- Top with your favorite toppings and bake for 12-15 minutes. For the last minute, I move the oven rack to the top rack to really brown the edges. That's optional.
- Slice hot pizza and serve immediately. Store leftover pizza covered tightly in the refrigerator and reheat as you prefer. Baked pizza slices may be frozen up to 1 month.
Posted by Pearl at 2:51 PM
Labels: Yum
Easter Egg Hunt
by Pearl
Eggs, eggs and more eggs. That is what the kids hoped to find at CJ's first Easter egg hunt.
MWR held it's annual Easter egg hunt on base and DaddyO took the kids to this Saturday morning event.
Armed with their Easter basket and some coaching from DaddyO they made his proud and ran ahead of the stampede scooping up eggs.
Big sister was more than happy to help her little brother with his.
Posted by Pearl at 1:30 PM
First Bus Ride
by Pearl
I have now experienced the emotions a parent experiences as their child waves goodbye on their first bus ride to school.
One of the questions I had when we first started was whether or not I'd be able to make the early morning pick-ups. The kiddos bedtime had been closer to 9 p.m. and they were sleeping in a bit for me. With Baby B's arrival though I had to get up much earlier so it made sense for the older ones to do the same.
I had extra help getting EJ ready in time for the pick up. First her collared shirt and pleated skirt. The jacket, hat and shoes followed. Finally the buttons.
Ready with time to spare for some pictures.
Her bus stop was just a short walk down the sidewalk from our tower.
We met another girl she will be riding with on the bus.
Before I knew it the bus had pulled up and the bus sensei was greeting the girls with a bow.
Then EJ was ushered on and blew me kisses as they drove away.
Our little girl has reached a major milestone and there is no looking back.
Posted by Pearl at 1:30 PM
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Yacht Charters for Cannes Lions 2018
The organisers of Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity have just announced the dates of the festival for 2018. For 2018, the event has been shortened to 5 days and will take place from 18-22 June 2018 at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France. Bespoke Yacht Charter have already booked multiple yacht charters for the 2018 festival and our yacht charter brokers believe that yachts will play a greater roll than ever at Cannes Lions in 2018. Due to the festival being reduced in length, it becomes more important than ever to make sure that your company gets noticed at Cannes Lions and there is no better way to achieve this than by renting a yacht in the Port of Cannes. A yacht charter at Cannes Lions is now more budget friendly too, due to reduced number of days!
With berth applications opening in December, now is the time to secure your yacht charter for Cannes Lions 2018!
Here is an outline of what the expert yacht charter brokers at Bespoke Yacht Charter can offer companies attending Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in 2018:
- Yacht Charters in the Port of Cannes to suit all budgets. Please contact us with your detailed requirements and we will send you a selection of the best charter yachts that suit your needs by return. It's always helpful to know how many guests will sleep onboard, your likely entertaining schedule with guest numbers and of course an approximate budget.
- Our yacht charter brokers handle the full berth application to the Port of Cannes on your behalf. Berth applications open in mid December and the earlier the file is submitted, the better.
- A charter yacht in the Port of Cannes provides accommodation as well as an exceptional base for all your meetings and entertaining. Parties can be hosted on yachts for almost any number of guests.
- Yachts can be branded for your company/brand using flags, banners, balloons, custom carpets and much more. Our yacht charter brokers are able to organise all of this your behalf using our excellent network of local suppliers.
- Bespoke Yacht Charter offer a full event planning service including party organising, equipment hire, extra staff, cocktail barmen, musicians, DJs, photographers and much more. All of our services are free of charge when you charter a yacht with us!
- For those not wanting to charter a yacht for the duration of Cannes Lions, our yacht charter brokers can also offer day charters from Cannes. Yachts of all sizes and budgets available to cruise to the Cannes Islands, St Tropez etc.
NB. Companies wishing to berth a charter yacht in the Port of Cannes during Cannes Lions must purchase the "Yacht Pass" from the Cannes Lions organisers. The "Yacht Pass" costs €25,000 plus TVA and includes five complete Cannes Lions 2018 passes and allows your company to acquire a prime berth next to the Palais des Festivals for your charter yacht for the duration of Cannes Lions 2018. Berth applications for charter yachts at Cannes Lions 2018 open on 18 December 2017 and close during the first week of March 2018. In order to have the best possible selection of yachts and to secure a prime berth, Bespoke Yacht Charter advise companies to book their charter as early as possible, ideally at least 5 months before Cannes Lions commences. Our charter brokers will however always try to accommodate last minute yacht charter requests!
To start planning a yacht charter at Cannes Lions 2018, please visit our main page on renting a yacht at Cannes Lions or contact Rachel Coles at Bespoke Yacht Charter using the contact details below:


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Top 5 Things To Do In The Serengeti
The Serengeti is one of the most famous and widely visited national parks of Africa and here you can experience some of the most spectacular wildlife viewings in the world. But there are also plenty of other activities you can enjoy in the Serengeti between game viewing drives.
To get the most out of your time in Africa it is important to plan well, given the sheer size of the interesting areas to visit and the time needed to fully enjoy what a tour has to offer.
Below you will find my tips on the top five must-see activities to enjoy in the Serengeti.
1. Allow as much time as possible for game drives
It is probably fair to say that for most visitors, the highlight of a visit to the Serengeti is the experience of viewing the wildlife in its glorious natural habitat. Famous for the migration of wildebeest and bird watching opportunities, this really is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for most tourists. But what many do not account for is the sheer size of the area – you simply cannot cover everything in a few days, and to try means you will miss out on some amazing views. So allow as much time as possible for game drives and leave as early as possible to maximize your day.
2. Visit the Serengeti Visitor Center
The Serengeti Visitor Centre is well worth a visit. Here you will find a guided walking path with very helpful and informative signs and exhibits describing the ecosystem of the Serengeti and the wildlife. Wildlife you will likely come across when walking the path includes unusual birds, vibrantly colorful agama lizards and cute little rock hyraxes.
The center has a picnic area, restrooms, and a coffee shop. You can also buy souvenirs. You will find the Visitor Center in the Seronera area. It is open every day from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
3. Visit a Maasai Village
The Serengeti ecosystem is home to the semi-nomadic Maasai tribe, who live in southern Kenya and northern Tanzania along the Great Rift Valley. They are a well-known people in East Africa as they live within many of the more famous game parks. The Massai live an old-style way of life, marked by their distinctive traditional attire. Most of the Maasai villages welcome visitors and the tribes people are happy to demonstrate their customs and lifestyle. A visit to a Maasai village will usually last about an hour. Visitors are typically shown the village school, a boma dwelling which is a round construction made of sticks, cow manure and mud, and if you are lucky a dancing ceremony. After tourists may purchase crafts created by the villagers.
4. Experience the Great Migration
The Serengeti is the background for one of the world's most eminent natural spectacles: the Great Migration. Herds of over a million wildebeest, zebras and gazelle move in a pattern throughout the year which is somewhat predictable. Some people think the migration is a once a year event, summed up by a river crossing, but the beast actually migrate throughout the year, as the seek fresh grazing pastures and fresh water. The precise timing migration depends on the rainfall pattern during the year.
Here's an idea of the migration cycle: From January to March the wildebeest reside in the northern Ngorongoro Conservation Area and southern Serengeti area grazing and calving. During April and May the herds begin to move in a northwesterly direction looker for greener grass. May is generally the start of the mating season also known as "the rut". When June comes, the herds are looking to move to the western side of the crocodile-infested Grumeti River, and throughout July and August they move in a northeast direction towards the Mara River and the border of Kenya. This is the time of the dramatic Mara River crossings when many animal lose their lives to crocodiles. From September to December the herds graze in the Maasai Mara in Kenya before slowly migrating in a southwestern direction returning to Tanzania to restart the process.
If you are interested in seeing the migration, contact us and we will give you details of how to maximise your chances of seeing the herds. Regarding the river crossings, timing is not always predictable so if this is high on your list make sure you plan enough time in the area to improve your chances of seeing it.
5. See the Serengeti from above
Perhaps the most marvelous way to see the Serengeti is with a bird's eye view floating in a hot air balloon over the plains at dawn. During a balloon ride you can witness the sunrise over the "endless plains" before lowering to treetop level to view the herds before they seek cover to escape the hot daytime heat. After landing, you'll be treated to a glass of champagne and a full English-breakfast with. This is a wonderful but experience but it does come with a price tag of $499 per person. You can find out more at Serengeti Balloon Safaris.


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Here's the most noteworthy beer- and pub-writing of the last week, from home-brewing to the March blues for brewers.
→ For Vice's 'Munchies' section Chloe Scott-Moncrieff reports on 'London's Secret Homebrewing Club':
Around the long table, I meet Tom Burrows, a 28-year-old physicist… "I think you can find lots of scientists in homebrewing," he admits. "Although I know an accountant who doesn't stick to recipes and while he has some misses, he's created some brilliant beers." He sounds slightly envious.
(Via @totalcurtis.)
→ Frank Curtis works with the malting industry in the US and has written an insider's-view guest post for the London-based blog run by his son, Matt. The bit that really caught our attention was the idea of 'craft' malt:
Troubadour Malt, is located in Fort Collins, Colorado and I've followed their development with interest from the very first ideas to the consistent delivery of product – all produced from locally grown barley. Troubadour Malt is owned by Steve Clark (the engineer and scientist who designed the plant) and Chris Schooley (the artist and craftsman who kilns and roasts the malt to a wide set of specifications).
→ Dave Bailey at Hardknott provides a customarily frank account of the struggles of running a brewery in the post-Christmas doldrums:
It is my feeling that this year the post Christmas beer sales slump have been worse than ever. Dry-January seems to be getting ever more popular. Yes, I'm sure you, the reader, has decided for whatever reason that you are right to take part. You help us out every other month of the year shouldn't feel any guilt. Perhaps you are right, but it still puts a great big hole in our cash-flow and our yeast maintenance alike. Not to mention the problem of managing stock.
(If we were managing his PR we would advise him against posting this kind of thing; as nosy bastards keen to know what's going on behind the scenes, we're very glad he does.)
→ Blogger Glenn Johnson keeps a close eye on the Micropub movement (we quoted him as an authority in our big state-of-the-nation piece last summer) and this week provided an update on two new entrants to the club in the Midlands.
→ Wetherspoon's watch: the pub chain's headline-grabbing abandonment of Sunday roasts, the raising of prices, and the handing-off of several London pubs last year have raised questions about whether JDW might be struggling; but with their latest profit report they insist it's all fine. (All links to The Morning Advertiser.) J.D. Wetherspoon also makes a cameo appearance in obituaries for Bristol reggae DJ Derek Serpell-Morris: he visited all of their pubs and collected receipts to prove it. (Via @fly_redwing.)
→ BrewDog watch: the Scottish brewery featured in an episode of the BBC's Who's the Boss (iPlayer) which no doubt raised awareness of BrewDog without necessarily improving its reputation. Mitch Adams sticks up for James Watt here; and there's some (thin) commentary and a round-up of Twitter reactions from The Drum here. Meanwhile, the brewery's Islington hot-dogs-and-beer bar has closed but Keith Flett doesn't think there's any cause for concern.
→ Andreas Krenmair has been home-brewing Berliner Weisse to historic spec, without a boil.
→ And, finally, a vital question has been answered: yes, you can use apps to swap faces with beer packaging.


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Using Medical Marijuana may help you if you suffer from:
- Cancer
- Anorexia
- Chronic Pain
- Spasticity
- Glaucoma
- Arthritis
- Migraines
- or other illnesses
The use of medicinal marijuana is protected under Nevada law when you have been evaluated by a licensed physician and have received a Physician Statement and Recommendation Letter for a prescription for medical marijuana.
Conveniently located in Southern Nevada, Ultimate "U" Medical provides the necessary medical evaluations by a licensed Doctor for patients seeking a medical marijuana card. Ultimate "U" Medical educates patients on how to medically use and the effects of use of cannabis and various cannabinoids.
The legal use of medicinal marijuana is protected by NRS.453A (Nevada Revised statutes) which states:
"To ensure that seriously ill Nevadans have the right to obtain and use marijuana for medical purposes
where the medical use is deemed appropriate and has been recommended by a physician who has
determined that the person's health would benefit from the use of marijuana in the treatment of cancer,
anorexia, AIDS, chronic pain, spasticity, glaucoma, arthritis, migraine, or any other illness for which marijuana
provides relief."


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Blog of the Year 2013
Kreativ Blogger
Beautiful Blogger
One Lovely Blog
Wordpress Family
Shine On
Very Inspiring Blogger
Blogs I Follow
- This Veggie Life
- Rambling in the Garden
- Edinburgh Garden Diary
- The Arch City Gardener
- Garden Dreaming at Châtillon
- Winterbourne House and Garden
- Storyshucker
- gardeninacity
- PlayGroundology
- The Official Blog of British Wildlife
- iGrowHort
- Bishops Meadow Trust
- Gardening with Children
- UKbirdingtimeline
- Jardin
- Eva's space
- Old School Garden
- fromacountrycottage
- Outstare Project
- Good Life Gardening
- www.digtheoutside.com/
- mybeautfulthings
- mawsonmichelle
- In and Out of My Garden
- Greenhousing
- Lia Leendertz
- The Fruity Chicken
- willowarchway
- St Anns Allotments
- Manifest Joy Harvests
- The Garden Smallholder
- Allotmental
- Penny's Garden: a harvest beyond my front door
- arignagardener
- NewEnglandGardenAndThread
- dianajhale
- planthoarder
- Lens and Pens by Sally
- Dewdrops and Sunshine
- The Pyjama Gardener
- gettin' fresh!
- Garden Birds
- ShootAbout
- Adapting Pixels
- Wildlifegardening's Blog
- naturestimeline
Posts I Like
Flickr Photos
Tag Archives: Fritillaries
My Garden Journal 2017 – March
The weathermen tell us that March is the first month of Spring so in this our third look at my 2017 Garden Journal we shall see if our garden illustrates this idea at all. As an introduction to the month … Continue reading
Posted in flowering bulbs, garden buildings, garden design, garden photography, garden wildlife, gardening, hardy perennials, migration, ornamental trees and shrubs, Shropshire, shrubs, spring bulbs, spring gardening, trees, Yellow Book Gardens Tagged coloured stems, cornus, flower buds, flowering shrubs, Fritillaries, Fritillary meleagris, Fritillary uva vulpis, garden journal, leaf buds, March, March garden, pulmonarias, salix, species tulips, spring, spring bulbs, spring flowers, spring garden, tulips 7 Comments
A Fritillary Meadow – North Meadow, Cricklade
We have a book at home where we list places we must go to, gardens we must visit and things we must do. A visit to the Fritillary Meadows in Wiltshire has been on our "Places to Visit" list for … Continue reading


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We're excited to announce that we have doubled the memory on our base plan without changing the price: the memory quota is now 512MB instead of 256MB and the price is still $9.50/mo (or $8.50/mo if you pre-pay for one year). All existing accounts have been upgraded to the new quota.
The memory used by the operating system, web server and database servers still doesn't count towards your memory usage.
Customers on Web418 and over can also purchase an extra 512MB of memory (for a total of 1GB) for $7/mo. Unfortunately customers on Web417 and under are still limited to 512MB of memory per account per server as these machines don't have enough RAM to accommodate more than that. If you're on Web417 and under and want more than 512MB of memory you can request a migration in the control panel under "Account->Server migration".
We have also doubled the memory on our larger plans and you can now get a 2GB plan, 4GB plan or 8GB plan for $40/mo, $80/mo and $160/mo respectively (discounts apply for yearly pre-payments). See the "Account->Upgrade / downgrade" screen in the control panel for details.
Enjoy the extra memory!


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Where Do We Go From Here?
That's a good question for the student studying to become an aerospace technician and current aerospace technicians. With the ending of the Space Shuttle program, tens of thousands of aerospace technicians, engineers, scientists, and managers have been thrust into the job market in one large mass with limited jobs available. Many unemployed or soon to graduate aerospace technicians prefer to stay in Human Space Flight, but it is quite probable that our nation will not be launching astronauts on American launch vehicles for the foreseeable future, quite likely 10 years or more for a myriad of reasons. Though there is a deep well of talent in this workforce, it is difficult for the aerospace industry to absorb these workers all at once, especially the fledgling commercial HSF industry. The competition for jobs is fierce with so many thrust into the labor market in such a short time span. So where do you go from here?
There are always options available to the aerospace technician that they can pursue. Some are not as preferred as others in the beginning, but they do exist. We will explore some of those options in this post.
Option #1:
Look outside of HSF. Though Americans are not being launched anymore on American launch vehicles, unmanned launches are still occurring. Satellites, planetary probes, cargo vessels, and telescopes are still being designed, built, and prepared for launch. The rockets used to launch these payloads still require aerospace technicians. You may not think it is as glamorous as HSF, but it is still a job that falls within your education and experience. Not many aerospace technicians in this world can say over dinner conversation that they helped prepare or launch a rover to Mars. Why can't you be that aerospace technician?
Option #2:
Look outside your area. There are many spaceports throughout the nation and the world. Those spaceports are covered in the previous post here. Continuing your career sometimes requires relocation. It is a fact of life for many professionals in this economy and should not be looked upon as a burden but as an opportunity. Many companies look favorably upon an employee who is willing to relocate to help the company succeed and it helps them to find the best talent in a larger pool than just the local communities.
Option #3:
Continue your education while waiting for the number of people looking for work to thin out. This serves two purposes: 1. It makes you more marketable by having more education, and 2. It buys you time as new aerospace programs get started and as the labor pool shrinks due to people moving away, being hired, retiring, or changing careers. This would be a good time to supplement your aerospace credentials with an A&P license, a B.S. degree, additional certifications, etc. SpaceTEC would be a good place to start in seeking additional certifications.
Option #4:
Start your own business. In difficult economies, sometimes the best way to find work is to create your own work. Some Space Shuttle Technicians have recognized various needs in the aerospace community and have started their own businesses to meet those needs. These needs may have been created by poor customer service from established companies, or it is a need that has not been recognized yet. Starting your own business is full of risks and should be approached with a well thought out business plan, additional studies on other aspects of business such as accounting and marketing, etc. The local Small Business Administration should be of assistance. Do not bet your life savings, home, etc. without a thorough understanding of what your market is and how you're going to meet it. Most new businesses fail within the first five years, so think this through carefully before selecting this option.
Change careers. This is a radical option that not only requires you to possibly obtain new certifications or degrees outside of your area, but to be prepared to enter a new job on an entry level basis that most times include lower pay. It can be a rewarding move and you will be surprised at how many of your aerospace skills will be applicable in your new career. Everything from the aerospace culture, such as how to approach problem solving, working in large organizations, etc., to your actual skills you use on the job can benefit you in your new career. New careers to consider could be teaching industrial arts or other subjects, working in a non-aerospace industry, health care industry (especially technicians who work on medical equipment), to maintenance jobs. The possibilities are actually endless. Also, changing careers does not have to be permanent. As the job market in the aerospace world opens back up, you can return to aerospace and bring along the additional knowledge and experience you obtained while working outside of your first profession.
There are many other options out there besides the four listed and you don't have to limit yourself to just these four. The point is to never forget that you always have options to succeed and thrive. The amount of options you have is limited only by your imagination and your drive to succeed. Treat this downturn in HSF as an opportunity to "problem solve" this obstacle to your career. It is not the end of the world and the skills you have already learned as an aerospace technician will be a strength you will always carry no matter where you go. The knowledge and experience you have obtained so far in your career is yours. You own it, you earned it, and you can use it in many varied ways.
Breaking News! FAA Safety Approval Announcement for SpaceTEC Program
"On June 10, 2011, the SpaceTEC program received formal safety approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Office of Commercial Space Transportation for the SpaceTEC Certified Aerospace Technician™ process, the first such approval of this kind.
Based at Brevard Community College on Florida's Space Coast, SpaceTEC is the National Science Foundation's National Resource Center for Aerospace Technical Education. Since 2004 SpaceTEC has offered the nation's only performance-based, industry-endorsed certification for aerospace technicians in the United States."
The FAA gave safety approval for the four current areas of the SpaceTEC program:
- Core Certification
- Aerospace Vehicle Processing
- Aerospace Manufacturing
- Composites.
The approval for all four areas is valid for five years.
You can read more of the announcement and what it means for the aerospace technician field here.
To the staff at SpaceTEC, well done!
A Conversation with SPACE-TEC
In this video, Gordon Snyder talks with Al Koller, Carolyn Parise and Joyce McClellan from SPACE-TEC at the 2010 HI-TEC Conference in Orlando, Florida.
Been There, Done That, Now What? – Our Future in Space with Dr. Al Koller
A recent interview with Dr. Koller from SpaceTEC.
Space Update Needs Your Ideas!
The purpose of this blog is to be a resource for aerospace technicians and students covering various topics that relate to the profession from job issues, to a review of basic skills, etc.. We would like to invite the aerospace technicians out there to take some time and let us know what you are interested in seeing covered in Space Update. So, here is an invitation for you to send us your ideas! Remember, this blog is written with you and your profession in mind and we would like to hear from you. So, speak up and be heard!
Before you do send in your ideas please remember these guidelines:
- This is a site for aerospace technicians and students. So please no astrophysicist topics, politics, cooking questions, Dancing with the Stars applications, etc. Just aerospace technician topics folks!
- If you want to add your information/experience to the idea please do so! Just make sure you also give references if possible. We will make sure you get credit for sharing your knowledge.
- Aerospace technician instructors are welcome and encouraged to send in their ideas too.
- If you don't see your idea show up in a blog post right away don't worry! We are expecting and hoping for many ideas from all of you and will sort through and get your idea looked at ASAP. If you can't wait, then feel free to join our forum and start a topic about your idea. We would love to have your participation and experienced knowledge. The Space Update Forum is also a great place to network with other aerospace technicians in your profession or just to hang out.
- Any ideas you wish to submit should be emailed to the Space Update webmaster.
So think over what it is you want to see covered on Space Update and let us know. We are looking forward to hearing from you and meeting you on the forum.
SpaceTEC Featured on Syndicated News
Recently, Dr. Al Koller, Principal Investigator of SpaceTEC, appeared on Syndicated News, a web based journalist site. You can listen to the 15 minute interview below.
You can discuss the SpaceTEC interview or any other aerospace subject on our forum.
Dr. Al Koller on The Space Show
Dr. Al Koller, of SpaceTEC, was recently interviewed by Dr. David Livingston on The Space Show. Dr. Koller spent the 1 and ½ hour interview discussing the founding and purpose of SpaceTEC, the importance of aerospace technicians and the need for national certification, and also discussed the uncertain future of America's Human Space Flight program. You can listen to the interview here.
Surprise! You're An Expert!
"Expert-a person who has special skill or knowledge in some particular field." – dictionary.reference.com
Leading up to my appearance on The Space Show, I had stopped by the web site to check on upcoming guests. Along with other guests listed, my upcoming interview was listed and the host had titled me as a Space Shuttle expert. I was horrified! Though I had worked on the Space Shuttle fleet as a technician and had a Master's degree in Aeronautical Science, I was no way an expert in mine or many of my peer's eyes. Many of my peers at KSC had much more experience and had forgotten more about the shuttle systems than I would ever learn in a lifetime. I immediately wrote an email to the host and asked him to take the word "expert" off the section announcing the upcoming interview.
A week later I was recounting the story to a friend of mine whom I considered an "expert" in academia. After I told the story, he told me that he considered me an "expert" on the Space Shuttle. I protested and reviewed the reasons as to why I couldn't be an expert. He then countered with this simple argument: "You are the only person I know that has worked on the Space Shuttle fleet and you have taught me much about something I knew little of. In my eyes, you are an "expert.""
I reflected later that evening on what he had said and he was right. In his eyes, and many other people's eyes, I am an "expert." And, as an aerospace technician or student in an aerospace technology program, so are you.
How many aerospace technicians do you deal with on a daily basis outside of work? How many people in your life, family, friends, internet, business acquaintances, etc. outside of work are aerospace technicians that have actually worked on space related hardware? Probably very few people. How many people inside your workplace do you encounter that would have no clue as to what you do? That makes you an expert and a teacher to anyone that is a willing student.
During my time at KSC, I sent many personal pictures and emails detailing my day to day activites, for I felt working there was truly an adventure that should be shared. The surprising part was the feedback I got. Instead of people complaining about my numerous emails and pictures, many friends and family (and some others that the emails got forwarded too) wrote back thanking me for teaching them about the Space Shuttle in such a personal way. Much of the information I shared was just common day to day stuff for the aerospace technicians, but for the general public it was all new, interesting, and educational. I would venture to say that probably 99% of the general population in our country and world has no clue as to what you do as an aerospace technician to prepare a spacecraft for its mission or what that mission is. I have had contact and questions from people literally all over the world showing an intense desire to learn more and that in turn pushed me to learn more to be a better teacher and technician.
Even at work, astronauts would approach technicians and ask what they were doing and would become the student learning from that technician. Same goes for some of the upper management and even VIP guests such as senators and ambassadors. During those times, the aerospace technicians are the expert and have a duty, in my humble opinion, to teach and hopefully give that person a positive experience during their visit.
Just getting through the first semester in the aerospace technology program has already made you an "expert" in relation to the general public. The lessons you learn on space history, aerospace culture, safety, etc. is much more than most people get in a lifetime. And, as people in your life find out that you are learning to "work on spaceships", they will look to you with many questions they have had but never knew where to find the answers. You are now their "expert" and it is a great opportunity to teach someone about space exploration and why it is important to our country and our human race as a whole.
Getting public support for our Human Spaceflight Program doesn't entail full page ads in the paper or busing in as many people as you can to watch a launch. It does not entail having an astronaut appearing on TV or at a public appearance. It does not entail press releases by NASA. Gaining support and understanding for what we do is done one person, one taxpayer, one politician, one child, etc. at a time and it's done by you.
You want public support for our HSF? Then it's up to you to garner it. Teach your family, friends, post a blog, whatever, but make time to teach about what you do. That child you see playing with a toy spacecraft at the store or on the playground, can be overjoyed at their good luck to have you talk with them and their parents for five minutes (show some pictures on your phone of your workplace) about what you do and why you do it. While you may not remember the encounter days later, they will remember it for years to come and will have passed on the news that they met someone from "NASA" who works on rockets to their family and friends and that he took time to speak with them.
When someone sees your Boeing, Lockheed, USA, SpaceX, etc. sticker on your car or on your tee-shirt and ask about it, make time and show them some pictures and talk a little bit about your job. You are the "expert" to them and they may never have an opportunity again in their lifetime to meet someone from a space center. Is five minutes of your time worth it when you will give them a positive memory of space exploration for a lifetime? I hope so. You will find the experience just as rewarding as the person will when you make time to share your "expertise."
SpaceTec Alumni Appears On The Space Show
Last night Gregory N. Cecil, M.A.S., a 2003 alumni of the SpaceTec program (the Gemini Class) appeared on The Space Show hosted by Dr. David Livingston. The interview went so well that it went a half hour over the scheduled time. There were many good calls and email questions from all over the world and Kennedy Space Center.
You can download to the interview or listen online at the following link:
http://archived.thespaceshow.com/shows/1452-BWB-2010-11-03.mp3 This is the direct URL to the interview.
You can also subscribe to The Space Show podcast on iTunes and download this interview and many other worthwhile interviews to listen too.
Making It Better, Passing It On, And Reaching For The Stars
This is a discussion forum unlike many on the web today. It's actually an adjunct to a serious professional development site run for the National Science Foundation, and as such, it has a defined goal and some boundaries within which we operate. Even so, we have an enormous amount of flexibility in what we do, and that's a good thing because it's required for our success in a very large endeavor – preparing the next generation of space explorers to reach out and touch the stars.
Blogs are many things, depending on both the people who prepare them and those who choose to tune in and contribute. I hope you find on this blog the opportunity to learn some new things about our current and future space programs, and to leave your own "mark" among the many thoughts that we hope will take up residence here. We ask only that you maintain an open mind, use decent language, and engage in respectful debate as we explore for ourselves some of the most interesting and challenging work available to humans today – the fruitful exploration of space using both manned and unmanned means.
This blog is sponsored by SpaceTEC® – the nation's only Center designated as a focal point for education and credentialing of aerospace technicians. Although many know about the engineers, scientists, and astronauts who make the news from time to time, few know much about the lives and careers of the people who touch the hardware and operate the software that powers the machines designed to take men, women, and robotic probes into deep space and eventually on to the surfaces of planets well beyond our own small solar system.
If you want to know more about what it takes to begin a career as an aerospace technician or to join in discussions about the world of hands-on work in some very fascinating fields, this is the place for you. Sign on, join in, and let us hear from you. With a little luck you'll find friends and ideas that stimulate your interests and cause new ambitions in your life. One thing is for sure; as quoted from Ken Blanchard, who helped author the book: "One Minute Manager", none of us is as smart as all of us.
Let's have some fun as we make things better, pass along what we know about this world, and reach for the stars.