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New 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Double Cab Standard Box 4-Wheel Drive Custom
Final Price $43,189
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subset: commoncrawl


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Now without further ado, a brief tour of my home...BS: Before Stuff
First floor
|Laundry "room" is behind those white doors! Luckily there is quite a bit of cabinet storage space above the washer and dryer!
|Includes a standing glass shower across from the potty :)
|Downstairs guest room which will be turned into a study! We're also getting a new door that will include a doggy door at the bottom for Miss Maggie. She's going to be so excited!
|We have a cute little space that actually wraps around all 3 sides of the house! Lots of runway space for our little girl.
Second floor
|Can't wait to get a new table for this space!
|Please excuse my mess :) Pantry door is going to be painted red!
|Love my pantry and all the space so I decided to share this with y'all as well!
Third floor
|Loving my space!
That's all I have for y'all today! After work, I'll be running off some steam followed by a glass of wine and spending more time sorting through my mess and trying to get things into place! The pup comes home on Saturday and I need to make sure most things are out of her reach. I'm so excited to have her visit her new house and to have her home with me. I'm ready for some sort of normality to sink in. Slowly but surely it will come!
Don't forget to enter my giveaway :) Winner will be announced Monday morning!
Until next time...
With love and God bless,


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Brief update from Grangeville smokejumper Patrick Gocke, who hasn't had much time to correspond with us this summer due to a very active wildfire season across nearly all of the western US. At the moment fires are burning across much of northern California and northward into Oregon and Washington; however, the primary action is in the inland northwest with several large 100,000 acre + fires in Idaho that has brought smoky skies to Idaho and Montana in recent days.
A couple glimpses of recent correspondence with Patrick on fires in Idaho and Montana.
August 20th, 2012: Wedge Creek Fire, Lolo N.F. Montana
"We saw some fire behavior that night that included fire whirls extending hundreds of feet into the air, crown runs and long range spotting. We did not engage the fire do to lack of resources and safety concerns."
August 29th, 2012: McGuire Complex, Nez Perce National Forest, Idaho
"The best thing we are doing is getting bucket work (helicopter drops) on our fires to help check them and aid us in catching them. The last couple of weeks have had poor (overnight) relative humidity recoveries that allow even the small 0.1 acre fires to grow without the aid of H2O. Is there any relief in sight?"
Relief in the form of fire slowing or even season-ending precipitation is not apparent in the next couple weeks. The climate prediction center has maintained warmer and drier than normal conditions through the first couple weeks of September across the inland northwest as the ridge in the west stays locked in, albeit not being particularly strong ridge by any standard. One potential concern as we head toward the tail end of fire season is wind. Temperature contrasts increase with the seasonal turnover of heating on a global scale, resulting in a more active jet stream we tend to associated with strong winds in the region during the transition seasons. We'll keep our eye out for dry frontal systems that have storm trajectories that pass north of us bringing precipitation to BC and Alberta, but deliver only a bunch of wind and temperature changes to the inland northwest. The good news is that longer nights tend to allow for more overnight relative humidity recovery and less favorable conditions for wildfire.


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Monday, October 31, 2011
My Demon Addiction
I knew I was addicted but had no idea how much. Am learning quickly now that I have been trying for months to give it up.
I have now determined the hold it has on me and I resent it profoundly. Can't stand having to sneek around to have a puff outdoors, going for a drive, being question by the manager and feeling guilty all the time. It's no wonder I don't have peace of mind even after having created a lovely nest. Can't stand the feeling of guilt. So opposite to my natural state of being.
Since tomorrow is the day for Trick or Treats, I am going to Treat myself by going Cold Turkey. Have tried an electronic cigarette and an inhalor and none seem to work. I know it is because I haven't been able to make a firm commitment to quitting. Can I pull this off, I have no idea. Will wear a patch upon waking.
Can't stand the way I am living currently. I should be in a happy space but it's become the opposite as I struggle with this demon. So much harder to do when I don't have a personal desire. I would never give up this 50 year comforter of mine if I could still afford it and didn't have to sneak around.
Will update in the future.
~ Tutte ~
Posted by Tutte Peever at 1:51 AM
Sunday, October 23, 2011
True Love until the End
Posted by Tutte Peever at 1:34 AM
What is it but an illusion. I can't believe how it is speeding up and am sure everyone is experiencing the same. A week has now been so condensed that it feels like a day. Must admit I prefer that at this stage of my life. For the Youth of today, I expect someday, they will look back and feel cheated on some level.
~ Tutte ~
Posted by Tutte Peever at 1:26 AM
We need to trust that. When I was searching it never happened. When I let go, LOVE found me.
~ Tutte ~
Posted by Tutte Peever at 1:22 AM
So grateful for the deposits I made in my Memory Bank over the years that I constantly withdraw from. I happen to be one of those people who only remember the good. Perhaps most of us do but know some who only carry resentments and still feel victimized.
My wonderful memories have provided me with comfort for years when there was nothing else.
~ Tutte ~
Posted by Tutte Peever at 1:19 AM
Remembering the Mornings
I came across this image tonight and I had such a visceral response because it reminded of how I woke up every day for the last 7 years with thoughs of Suicide. Fortunately I didn't act upon them although I was always tempted.
~ Tutte ~
Posted by Tutte Peever at 1:15 AM
I just went through another terrible period of insomnia but thankfully it is gone once again. I really have no idea why I go through days of profound sleeplessness. A 2 hour nap several times a day and then it shifts. For the present, I am sleeping very well. I know it must have something to do with where my thoughts are and am trying to be conscious of that and change them. I think I expected to have left PTSD in the dust when I moved but realize there will be much residue and it will take time. Things have improved so greatly that I feel guilty for not appreciating my 'nest' as much as I had hoped.
However, I was aware ahead of moving, that this could be a byproduct.
~ Tutte ~
Posted by Tutte Peever at 12:55 AM
The Butterfly of Hope
Hope is the second most powerful aspect of being Human. Love is the FIRST. Without Hope, however diminished at times, it allows us to survive through the most difficult times. It can lift and carry most of our burderns. Sure did for me.
~ Tutte ~
Posted by Tutte Peever at 12:50 AM
Monday, October 10, 2011
Baptism of Tears
Posted by Tutte Peever at 11:38 PM
A Tear
I rarely allow myself to cry. No idea why. They occur when I listen to music or am touched by something I see or hear. Always just a few silent ones.
Sure wish I could let them flow but I expect I am so afraid that if I do, the floodgates will open and there will be not end.
~ Tutte ~
Posted by Tutte Peever at 11:31 PM
Still Struggling
Haven't won the battle yet but it's getting easier as I become more aware of the triggers and to delay the need for instant gratification.
~ Tutte ~
Posted by Tutte Peever at 11:28 PM
Monday, October 3, 2011
"Worry looks around,
Sorrow looks back
Faith looks up."
~Saint Xavier
Have experienced them all and they remain constant. Not just with me but everyone. We have yet to learn to Live Life In the Moment. I sure haven't although I am aware it is an option. Why? I don't know. There is no classroom to teach us how. The world and our parents instill a sense of fear and insecurity.
Loss instills a profound sense of sorrow for which there is no band-aid.
Faith is all that has kept me going even when I had lost all sense of Hope. The Lifeblood for living still somewhat intact. We cannot survive psychologically without it. I almost didn't. I still worry!
I am so profoundly lonely and lacking in focus. Even with this new move and content in my new home, I have come to realize that those 2 aspects of the past moved with me. Not entirely unexpected but clarified some of my issues. I must find something to become involved with if not passionate about....but what?
~ Tutte ~
Posted by Tutte Peever at 4:41 AM
Your Lips
The touch of Your Kiss my Beloved Arch was like a feather to My lips. I will miss them forever.
~ Tutte ~
Posted by Tutte Peever at 4:15 AM
Posted by Tutte Peever at 4:12 AM
My Religion
When I do good, I feel good.
When I do bad, I feel bad.
That is my religion.
Source Unknown
Works for me and is a great barometer.
~ Tutte ~
Posted by Tutte Peever at 4:04 AM
Pay Attention to what You Say
Words are like arrows and penetrate the heart more than anything else. They leave wounds and scars that are hard to heal. Be vigilant and think before you speak.
~ Tutte ~
Posted by Tutte Peever at 3:50 AM
If You Could
Posted by Tutte Peever at 3:46 AM
There are so Many Things that Time Cannot Erase
Our Memories serve that purpose. Thank God. And usually they are very Positive. Pain seems to subside with time but the Joyful moments never do. I am so grateful since I have such a wealth of those.
~ Tutte ~
Posted by Tutte Peever at 3:40 AM
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Yesterday, I spent the afternoon with 3 dear friends with whom I shared many Summer Retreats in the past. We met through our Hospice activities. It was so wonderful to be able to experience that the love that bound us together in the past is still intact. One of those women had come in from Hawaii. We have communicated constantly via Email but it cannot replace the natural flow of energy, that warm hug and extension of love. I look forward to having many more 'Friendly Encounters' with friends as a result of this move. I have missed them profoundly.
~ Tutte ~
Posted by Tutte Peever at 3:23 AM
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thank you, my dear blog. you have been very dependable these past few weeks. i knew i was right when i decided to keep you despite acquiring my own domain. you were a product of what little skill i had when it comes to geeky stuff and you have served your purpose well. thank you for being my temporary haven and for welcoming be back. please don't feel that i have abandoned you. you should know that from time to time, when i feel sentimental, i still visit you and read my old posts, and every time i do so, i feel a rush of nostalgia. you hold fond memories that will always bring smiles to me.
and now my other little corner is up and running again. i will be staying there most of the time now, but for certain i will come and visit you once in a while. you will still be my own special little corner.
until then! 🙂


text: This is my card using Sketch 2 of RAQ'S Card Challenge 12-22 to 12-28 on the Cricut Messageboard. Card is 6 1/2 X 5 white cardstock. I have a stack of purchased embellishments that I never seem to use. With this card, I was able to use some scrap paper from the Martha Stewart Holidays pad and the coordinating embellishments that I bought December 2009 during clearance sales. The paper pad is so pretty with all the red birds and glitter pages. The red berries on this piece of paper have a pretty sheen which did not photograph too well. Holly leaves and the red bird is from the package of embellishments. The red strip is cut using the Martha Stewart embossed zigzag edge punch. A simple card without any Cricut cuts, but I do like the results.


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Coco Corve Factory
One of the great things that a person can do is to help other human, by giving them food to survive one meal a day. We often ask ourselves why bad things happen to good people and why bad people happened to be more lucky by means of having more money to spend . Some of us have a dedication in life, in different ways and one of those is to help others in a simple way, helping not only one but more people at a time by teaching them how to fish and not giving them a fish.
I was raised up understanding the kind of life and lifestyle that I can have in the future by choosing which road I can go forth. This is why guardians / parents play an important role in our life.
It is like a Foundation , kids can inherit or acquire all of the parents skills and talents, as most parents want to give the best for them. Good parents teach their children to be independent and competitive .
Villar Foundation is here to help not only OFW that need and call for help, but for Filipinos who live in their on country and those who are the less fortunate . This is why Villar Foundation created a livelihood program to help the less fortunate families and give more chances of living and not to be a beggar.
I was invited to witness the greatness and goodness of one Villar foundation that aims to give food and better life to the whole family not only on the day itself but for a lifetime . One of those livelihood program is Coconet Weaving, this livelihood program is created to help the community or one barangay with 40 families or more of a less fortunate families that have no formal job, but by doing little business like selling bote, dyaryo, plastic and metal are welcome to join in this livelihood program. This villar livelihood program does not required the family members to do an eight hour job but by time availability within twenty four hours.Most of the workers spend their time to do their task in this livelihood program not by number of hours they will work for, but by the family output.
The product came from garbage materials from the river. During the time that villar foundation was conducting a clean up drive in the river , they found out that most of the coconut waste have been thrown to the river by the buco seller . Villar foundation came out with a very unique project study with the help of Dr. Arboleda of Bikol University . The buco sellers became their partners in this livelihood program. Some of the buko sellers are now sending their buko garbage to this factory and at the same time less buko garbage have been thrown to the river. Which is a must to rehabilitate the river.The project brings life not only to the family, but to the community. This is how Coconet Weaving Livelihood Program started.
Out of this Coco Corve Factory, the following machines are being use : Decorticating Machine and Twining Machine. These are old kind of machines for processing coconet weave, but as Mr. Dexter Gonzales said the foundation can always upgrade the machine anytime if and only if the foundation thinks for the profit or earnings . But the reason why the foundation is not upgrading the old machines is all because to give livelihood to the less fortunate families within the barangay.
Thru this livelihood program of Villar Foundation 40 families of each barangay can now support their family and have food on their table regularly. Kids can now go to school and help their mom or dad after school. In this way kids can be more responsible to their life in the future and they are just like playing with their parents by helping their parents to do the task to this livelihood program.
Devine Resus story is a story of a one less fortunate parent among the fourty families working in livelihood program of villar foundation and there are thirty nine more mothers that have different story to tell on how and why they became part of the livelihood program.
Handloom Weaving is also one of the Livelihood Program of Villar Foundation to help the less fortunate families within the umbrella of the barangay nearby.
I had a chance to have a conversation with one of the mothers who benefited to this livelihood program of villar foundation, her name is Wilbeth Pantano a 29years old with 2 kids and 22 years living in las pinas city. I asked her how does this livelihood program help her family? she told me that it's a big help to her family ''as a mother I tend to take care of the family, giving the two kids food before and after the school.'' On her free time while kids are in school she will do the weaving to create blanket at the size of 45" x 65" ( single blanket size ) a total of 65 pcs of blanket being produce per week or 3 pcs of blanket per day per barangay. I ask her if she is happy in her task and she told me " YES " she even told me that she is not tight up to her time like a factory worker who happen to work eight hours a day plus overtime, working in Las Pinas Handloom Weaving Center does not required an eight hours of work . Instead Wilbeth works in weaving center on her free time after her choirs with the kids and at home .
Wilbeth is graduate of two years course of graphic design and was working abroad, but now she chose to work in the livelihood program to serve and give more time to her family.
Here in Las Pinas Handloom Weaving Center people are not paid on an eight hours load of work, on their output basis.
A total of 1,800 strands are being fed here manually and it took one day to set up to feed all the 1,800 strands to the 1,800 needles each handloom machine, to create a hand made blanket with a size of 45" x 65" fit for single. A total of 70 Loams Machine are being distributed all over of three barangay within las pinas city for livelihood program of villar foundation.
This is one of the blanket that handloom weave center creating for giveaways of villar foundation, Mrs. Cynthia Villar personally give me one of the handloom weave product and I am thankful for that blanket with basket made in water lily from Prinsa Molino Dam.
Household Waist Segregation
Pamplona Dos is now in an Ecological Waist Management with their Eco Center just beside the barangay hall of Pamplona Dos in Alabang Zapote road, Las pinas city, it's another program of Villar Foundation in Las Pinas City.
According to Brgy. Cpt. Villalon year 2000 they started the segregation of Wet and Dry garbage in 20 barangay along side only for residential, commercial are not included in this program. Within the eco center they started to collect residential garbage at eight in the morning till eleven in the morning, then after collecting the garbage it will be brought to the eco center of pamplona dos and. They will separate the wet garbage and dry garbage. Dry garbage like plastics in particular are being process to grain into bits of pieces and being mixed to create hallow blocks with a proportion of ten kilos of plastics to one bag of cement.
This hallow blocks are not commercially being produce rather use only within the Villar Foundation.
With this waste segregation, biodegradable waste are being process and turn into compost, vermin compost.
Food waste that are being collected by Bio-Men who go around the village pedaling bike with sidecar from the residential village are being process to produce compost and organic fertilizer.
Part of the compost are being use for regreening and tree planting program for Las Pinas City.
Saving A River, Securing Livelihoods
An Environmental-Social Approach in Saving the Las Pinas-Zapote Rivers by Joyse M. Crisanto and Villar Foundation.
A River dam station that build by the saint " St. Eziekel Moreno ".
Once, a clean up was done in the river connecting Las Pinas city and Cavite City ,it was full of water lily and garbage in particular of coconut shell.
Garbage such as coconut shells and plastics are big help to the livelihood program of villar foundation and not just for the foundation, but for the families in nearby areas.
The River bed are now more than 2 meters high due to garbage being thrown by the residents nearby. The river runs in 12.6 kilometers through the interior of Las Pinas City yo Manila Bay.
By taking care of our river it will bring life to our natural resources and our city will be more greener.
Bloggers are invited including me to witness on how the livelihood program help the las pinas-zapote river cleaned for the benefit of the people live nearby the river and all the resident of Las Pinas City.
Because of this clean up , the foundation came up with coconet weaving, as one of the livelihood programs of villar foundation the Arts and Crafts made from water lily that are being produce and distributed to few department store and a giveaways of villar foundation.
This river produces water lily which is another livelihood program of villar foundation, created for the less fortunate famiies live nearby the barangay.
Bloggers enjoyed the river crossing , photos with other bloggers show that they all enjoyed the tour especially on this river, it comes all natural and manually being cleaned up.
I have live in las pinas city for so many years before we transferred to bf paranaque and I have never seen las pinas that has so many livelihood program been created, And just recently we were brought to Las Pinas Arts & Crafts that I was not aware that las pinas has it for so many years already.
I have talked to some of my friends that live in good villages within las pinas even my relatives , they were surprised that las pinas city is been working to this kind of project about villar foundation livelihood program and what's more surprising to them was that they never thought of las pinas city has this Arts & Crafts Museum Center that some of the livelihood program products are being displayed here.
These are the products crafted from water lily of las pinas-zapote river that have been rehabilitate for clean up, these products are being distributed as villar foundation giveaways and few department store here in the philippines.
Because of our natural resources families within the barangay zone are being fed with the help of villar foundation livelihood program and these families are not employee rather a partners of the foundation and the livelihood program.
This is the Advocacy of Mrs. Cynthia Villar together with Villar Foundation.
This charcoal is another product output from coconut shell after process and being separated from the origin of buko shells.
There is really gold in our garbage just like this coz truly that coconut tree is a tree of life, coz you can use everything out of coconut tree.
A raw materials from natural resources like water lily, coconut shell to construction of houses to your health and now your household and this kind of tree are produces more for our living.
Lunch with Mrs. Cynthia Villar
After the whole day tour to all livelihood program of villar foundation this is the much awaited part of the tour "LUNCH TIME".
It's been half of the day after we all went around Las Pinas City to all the livelihood program of Villar Foundation with hot weather , we mingled with those families work in livelihood program of villar foundation, taking photos and interviewing good heart leaders among the livelihood program like Mr. Dexter Gonzales and Brgy. Capt. Villalon who were willing to answer all of our questions with all their heart. These people know how family members are being part of the livelihood program it's just like they are the fathers who look after their kids while playing.
And now lunch is serve together with all the bloggers who took the tour within the las pinas city and their livelihood program of villar foundation. It's a great lunch we all have and coffee after meal, while taking a few minutes rest Mrs. Cynthia Villar arrived for her late lunch with us.
While Mrs. Villar taking her lunch she open the table for question and answer to all of the bloggers.
It is very unusual to a person who got high level in lifestyle to talk and mingle to people that he usually don't know, but this time Mrs. Villar took time to mingle with us.
Part of the conversation I inset the friendship route on how they come up with that idea and mrs. villar replied was; it's not easy to come up with the idea of something like that coz it involved the private resident that within the village, but the traffic jam has to have resolution on this because alabang-zapote road are not that wide to cater all the private and public vehicle and this time with the friendship route on private vehicle with sticker can only take that route from manuela-bf resort-pilar-moonwalk-to alabang madrigal business and alabang village. Public Service Vehicle are not allowed to take this route rather the alabang-zapote road will only the way to take. And by acquiring the sticker for the friendship route are not available to not resident of las pinas city, therefore if you live nearby las pinas city.
Other concerns were discussed like who else are supporting the livelihood program . mrs. villar said that only villar foundation supports the livelihood program . Villar foundation also supports the OFW who ask for their help from abroad or other countries that need assistance just like we do and a simple ASK villar foundation is willing to help as long as they can.
So much of thoughts that I've learned during lunch with Mrs. Villar about villar foundation advocacy to reduce less fortunate family in las pinas city to start with and in the future maybe on our country, a zero rate of poor people is the target of villar foundation. And by helping the less fortunate family rates of poor people is also reducing. Villar foundation teaches these families on how to fish and not giving them a fish to feed on.
We should also start doing the same thing, helping these people on our means and not helping them to help us on gaining our means for luxury and pleasure. We are fortunate enough to feed ourselves, our family and loved ones, to travel around the Philippines making great on our lifestyle and to travel abroad is greater, but what else we can do to help to our country out of these lifestyle?
Mr. & Mrs. Villar travel around the world because of the family business of camella homes to gather latest updates on what's new for the house development and to give more insights for the business and because of that business this couple pushes them to do something extra ordinary for their countrymen and this is why villar foundation thinks of something different for the city and for their country by means of creating livelihood program to help primarily the less fortunate family.
To know more about the Villar Foundation please click the link below;
1. http://www.villarfoundation.org
2. http://www.villarfoundation.org/page?id=13&menu=4
3. http://www.villarfoundation.org/page?id=12&menu=4
4. http://www.villarfoundation.org/page?id=14&menu=4
5. http://www.villarfoundation.org/page?id=35&menu=4
6. http://www.villarfoundation.org/page?id=44&menu=4
7. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cynthia-Villar/345046595538533
Visit my Facebook fanpage;
About the Author


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Exponential Audio Nominated for Technical Award by Cinema Audio Society
Exponential Audio is happy to announce a nomination for a Technical Achievement Award by the Cinema Audio Society (C.A.S.). The nomination is for PhoenixVerb Surround in the area of Post Production. This is the second nomination for Exponential Audio and we're deeply honored to be considered. It's a strong field and it's a thrill just to be mentioned along with the other nominees.
The awards also honor the audio teams of some of the biggest and best films and television shows of the last year. It's been great to make tools used by so many of them. The winners will be announced in Los Angeles on February 14. Wish us luck!


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Is there ever a bad time to talk about: "South Park"?
Nope. The show has already done big Kanye West and Michael Jackson episodes, so it's anyone's guess what we'll see, but take note: Season 13 starts at 10 Wednesday on Comedy Central. Be there. (Wednesday)
Comedy Central
Copyright © 2019, Los Angeles Times


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Background on Beaver Valley Unit 1 Steel Containment Liner Corrosion
Paul Gunter, Beyond Nuclear
July 10, 2009
Beaver Valley nuclear power station owned and operated by First Energy Generation Group is a two-unit Westinghouse Pressurized Reactor near McCandless, PA. Beaver Valley is a sub-atmospheric containment design where the pressure inside the containment is 4 psi below the pressure outside containment. There are only seven Westinghouse plants in the United States that rely on this sub-atmospheric design; Beaver Valley 1 & 2, North Anna 1 & 2, Surry 1& 2 and Millstone 3.
TMI-Alert's Eric Epstein and nuclear activist Gene Stilp discuss, with the Patriot-News editorial board, nuclear power, electrical deregulation, alternative energy and their challenges to PPL's application to construct a new nuclear reactor at Bell Bend near Berwick, Pa.
By Marlene Lang
Think you are the only one who can't manage to set aside a nest egg? Don't feel lonely. Your neighborhood nuclear power plant may be busily creating a remedial savings plan of its own.
Twenty-six plants nationwide showed shortfalls in the funds they are required by federal law to set aside for dismantling the reactors someday and cleaning up after themselves. The closely watched Three Mile Island plant was not on the shortfall list.
Every year the Nuclear Regulatory Commission checks on the state of so-called "decommissioning funds." Most years there are only a handful of plants running short of having those estimated costs laid up, usually four or five one official said. Those billions set aside for close-down and clean-up don't just pile up under a mattress, of course; the money is invested in the stock market. According to an Associated Press report, some $4.4 billion in decommissioning funds was lost in the downturn, even as the actual costs for shutting down plants has risen by $4.6 billion because of (I love this part) rising energy costs – and labor costs.
June 4, 2009
Beyond Nuclear addresses internet security issue
Background: Imagine someone with a laptop computer in a Wi-Fi cafe practically anywhere on the globe, connecting to the internet and getting a view of the virtual layout from within 50 yards of just about any nuclear power plant in the United States. Now imagine that their purpose is to plan and execute a malicious attack that jeopardizes the lives of tens of thousands - even millions - of US citizens. All this is possible using state-of-the-art high resolution satellite photography found on the Web.
OpEd from Beyond Nuclear:
Background: On October 6, 2006 North Korea exploded its first nuclear weapon. This past week, it has conducted a flurry of underground nuclear tests and missile launches provoking international indignation. Satellite surveillance also suggests it may have restarted its Yongbyon reactor (and possibly its reprocessing plant) - despite the very public June 27, 2008 destruction of the reactor cooling tower - viewed by many as window dressing. Formerly a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, North Korea exercised its right to the three months' notice of withdrawal allowed under Article X of the Treaty, pulling out in early 2003.
Three Mile Island Alert Security Consultant Scott Portzline recently directed a statement of
concern to the Secretary of Homeland Security:
Dear Secretary Napolitano,
There now exists a very serious compromise of security at our nation's
nuclear power plants. Due to the very high quality of satellite images, terrorists
By Marlene Lang
We all know trash ain't cheap.
Electricity users have long paid a "garbage fee" on that portion of their power produced by nuclear reactors – a fee of one tenth of a cent per kilowatt-hour. The pennies go into the Nuclear Waste Fund. Since the fund was set up in 1982, about $30 billion has accumulated.
The money has gone unused as politicians and scientists debate what is the best the location for a national dump where the radioactive waste will rest for thousands of years.
Congress in 2002 designated Yucca Mountain in Nevada as the nation's – and possibly, the world's – nuclear waste repository site. But not every one thought the desert outside of Las Vegas was such a great location. Then-governor of Nevada Kenny Quinn vetoed Congress and the power-volley continues.
Obama cut Yucca Mountain out of the budget and in response, a group of Republicans has sponsored a bill that would give the Nuclear Waste Fund back to the utilities and customers, if Yucca is not built and soon.
By BROCK VERGAKIS, Associated Press Writer
Tue May 5, 5:06 pm ET
SALT LAKE CITY – Despite having their own radioactive waste dump, three states have shipped millions of cubic feet of waste across the country this decade to a private Utah facility that is the only one available to 36 other states, according to an Associated Press analysis of U.S. Department of Energy records.
The shipments are stoking concerns that waste from Connecticut, New Jersey and South Carolina is taking up needed space in Utah, unnecessarily creating potential shipping hazards and undermining the government's intent for states to dispose of their own waste on a regional basis.
As part of a course in Engineering and Public Policy Carnegie Mellon, graduate student Katie Bastine and fellow students are gathering input from communities that are home to nuclear power plants.
Three Mile Island Alert will post the results of the survey as they are made available.
To link to the survey web site, go to: www.epp.cmu.edu/httpdocs/undergraduate/summaries/Nuclear/index.html
Here is a response from the former editor of Middletown's hometown newspaper:
1. As an outside observer, what is your impression of the nuclear power plant?
It scares me and I wonder when something will go wrong, and if people will know about it, if and when it does.
April 24, 2009


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Posted July 25, 2016
Lately I have become involved in the Engineering Outreach program here at The Ohio State University, as a volunteer helper at 'hands-on' engineering project presentations to grade-school and middle-school students in the Columbus, Ohio area. A week or so ago I helped out in a session where the students (middle-schoolers at a science day-camp) got to fabricate and test an audio speaker from a paper template, some magnet wire, and a couple of small permanent magnets, and I was struck by the difficulty the kids were having in actually hearing anything coming out of their freshly-fabricated speakers when they connected them to the output of their phones and/or iPads. I could understand if I couldn't hear anything – I'm an old power pilot and my ears are shot from thousands of hours of piston engine noise – but the kids with their brand-new ears couldn't hear anything either! There was an audio amplifier available for the kids to use, but it wasn't much help either – there wasn't any indication that the amp was actually doing anything, so it could have died long ago and nobody would ever know – bummer. Anyway, I came away from that project with the distinct impression that this particular project wasn't doing much for the kids, and maybe I could do something to help. So, before I left the room, I made a point of 'borrowing' all the parts required to fabricate my own paper speaker – the paper template, magnet wire, and permanent magnets along with the other small bits and pieces.
My first line of inquiry in my own home lab was to determine what the best fabrication technique was for the speaker itself. My thinking was that since this project has been around forever in one guise or another, it sorta had to be successful in some sense, or it would have died out long ago. Therefore, I reasoned that a more careful approach to the actual fabrication might yield better results. After doing some inet research, I realized that one of the critical aspects of paper speaker construction is to make sure the speaker coil assembly (a section of plastic straw hot-glued to the speaker cone with the magnet wire wound around it's lower end) was free to move vertically – i.e. it wasn't forced down against the baseplate by the tension of the speaker legs. In other words, the speaker legs had to be arranged such that the speaker coil assembly floated 2-3 mm above the base. After playing with this a while, I realized that the proper technique was to arrange the speaker legs so as to properly suspend the coil assembly first, and then place the permanent magnet 'dot' under the coil assembly second, rather than the other way around. Assembly in this sequence tends to minimize lateral friction of the coil assembly straw section against the side of the permanent magnets, hopefully resulting in higher mechanical/audio transfer efficiency.
After constructing the speaker as carefully as possible, I hooked it up to my laptop audio output, and voila! – no audio :-(. Even with the audio output at max volume (which, when directed to my laptop's internal speakers is enough to vibrate my workbench), it was almost impossible to hear anything from the speaker. Even with careful construction with no time constraints, and a top-end audio source, getting the speaker to work was a very marginal deal.
After thinking about this for a while, I decided that I was maybe working the wrong end of the system. What I needed to do was to implement an audio amplifier that would provide sufficient output power so that even a marginally constructed speaker would work properly; the only real limitation on power that I could see would be the current limit imposed by the magnet wire itself – as long as I didn't physically melt the wire, I should be OK! ;-).
My first try at an amplifier was based around a power MOSFET I had lying around, as shown in the following photo.
This worked ,but only up until the point at which the drain resistor started smoking! That's the problem with a linear amplifier driving a speaker – LOTS of power being dissipated.
So, back to the drawing board, with more inet research. This time, I came across the very nice Adafruit Class-D speaker amplifier shown below. The kit has everything needed to build a complete speaker amp, as shown in the second image below. The amplifier runs Class-D, so it is very efficient, and it depends on the speaker coil inductance to reject the high-frequency switching signal, leaving only the audio.
The folks at Adafruit were even thoughtful enough to provide the STL file for a 3D-printable enclosure for the amp, as shown below:
And, since I am the proud owner of not just one, but two 3D printers (a Printrbot Simple Metal, and a PowerSpec 3D Pro/aka Flashforge Creator X), the existence of a ready-made design for the enclosure saved some time.
After receiving my amps from Adafruit, and after the requisite amount of fumbling around, I managed to get the amp running and connected to a couple of old speakers. When I connected up my laptop's audio output I was quite pleased that, even at the default 6dB gain setting, the amp easily drove the speakers to the point where I had to reduce the audio input volume to avoid complaints from the wife in the next room.
At this point, it was clear that the Adafruit amp should be an excellent solution to the paper-speaker driver problem, but I wasn't quite done yet. There were still several remaining issues:
- The amplifier used in the previous sessions had no 'power ON' indication, so there was no way to tell if the thing was actually operating or not. The Adafruit amp, as delivered doesn't have one either, so this had to be corrected somehow.
- The previous amplifier had no 'audio activity' indication, so even if you somehow knew that it was indeed getting power and working, there wasn't any way to tell if there was any audio output without attaching a speaker; and if there was no sound, there was no way to tell if the problem was the speaker or the amp.
- The original enclosure design by Adafruit didn't actually fit – the slots for the power and audio-in jacks weren't high enough (later design change?). In addition, there were no provisions for either the 'power ON' or 'audio activity' indicators. Fortunately I not only have 3D printers, but an account on TinkerCad so the design could be adjusted.
- Since I still haven't actually connected the amp to my paper speaker, I don't really know yet if the default 6dB gain setting is sufficient to drive the speaker; I may still have to change to the analog gain setup and use a higher gain setting (fortunately, Adafruit thoughtfully provided a 1K potentiometer and a set of jumper pads to achieve this, if necessary).
Power-ON Indication:
The power-ON indication issue was fairly easy to address – all I had to do was add an LED-resistor combination across the external power input lines. The only problem with this solution was finding a way for the LED to be visible outside the enclosure – and the solution was to modify the enclosure design to expose the external power screw terminals (they were hidden in the original design), and in the process leave a bit of space open between the power input jack and the screw terminal, a space just wide enough for a small, rectangular LED as shown below.
Audio Activity Indicator:
The Adafruit amplifier is Class-D – i.e. the output is a pulse-width-modulated (PWM) signal, as shown below:
As can (or more accurately, cannot) be seen from the above photos, there is no appreciable difference between the 'audio' and 'no audio' waveforms. The class D amplifier technique depends on the low-pass nature of the speaker coil to suppress the high-frequency switched waveform terms, leaving only the audio term. Unfortunately, this means there really isn't anything there to directly drive an audio activity indicator – the typical LED is plenty fast enough to follow the high-frequency PWM waveform, thereby masking the audio signal. One possible technique would be to sample the speaker coil current (which pretty much by definition doesn't contain the high-frequency switching terms), but this requires that a working speaker be attached. This won't work, because the whole idea of an audio activity indicator is to confirm that an audio input is present and has been amplified sufficiently to adequately drive a speaker before one is connected. So, I decided to try a simple RC low-pass filter, followed by a basic audio amplifier to drive the activity LED. The circuit for one channel is shown below.
Here is a short video showing the LED monitor circuit in action
So, at this point I have a working speaker amplifier, a power-ON indicator, and at least the prototype of an audio activity monitoring circuit. Next up – finish the LED monitor circuit, finish the enclosure design and fabrication, and assemble everything for delivery.


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1 Paseo El Rio
Mohave Valley, AZ 86440
Unlimited range balls: $10 (1 hour),
$7 (1/2 hour)
Phone: 844-768-ELRIO (3574)
Winter hours: Daily 5am-6pm
Summer hours: Wed-Thu: 5am-6pm
Mon, Tue, Fri-Sun: 5am-10am
Hours subject to change
Nestled near the pristine waters of the Colorado River and the Laughlin, NV casinos, Mohave Valley's newest golf destination is El Rio Golf Club. Designed by Matt Dye, one of the best of the new generation of course architects, the 7,115-yard layout provides a unique blend of challenge and play ability to golfers of all skill levels. El Rio is highlighted by scenic views of the surrounding mountains, gentle rolling and forgiving fairways, undulating greens, and four holes with water features. The course is a par 72 and offers four sets of tees ranging from 5,300 to 7,100 yards in length to accommodate all playing levels. The gentle rolling fairways are spread out over 175 acres, highlighted by three of the best finishing holes in Arizona.
The El Rio golf experience offers strategically placed bunkers, undulating greens, generous landing areas and four sculpted water features that require precision to avoid yet make for an entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable round of golf. Combined with the strikingly beautiful surroundings of the Arizona mountains and vistas, the nearby Colorado River and the offerings of the Club, the El Rio golf experience is like none other.
Enjoy the sunsets and lovely mountain views from the patio terrace, as well as delicious offerings for breakfast, lunch and dinner at The Terrace at El Rio Restaurant. With its banquet and meeting facilities, the Clubhouse is the perfect location for special events from weddings to business retreats.
The staff at El Rio is committed to treating every guest like a member and providing the highest quality services and amenities. The Clubhouse also features the El Rio Golf Shop, offering a large selection of the latest fashionable golfing attire, equipment and accessories. And to top off your experience, all carts are equipped with state-of-the-art GPS displays detailing layout and yardage.
Distance from London Bridge: 51 miles
Course Information
Considered a "must play" golf course
Rating: Championship
Yardage: 7100
Par: 72
Slope: 123
Greens fees range: $45-$85
Dress code: Collared shirt required, no T-shirts or tank tops
Reservations: Recommended
Months of operation: Year-round
- Bar
- Driving range
- Rental clubs
- Pro shop
- Pro on-site
- Snack bar
- Restaurant
- Group discounts
- Golf lessons
- Walking allowed
- Open Mondays
- No reservations required
- "Must Play" course


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Toronto Islands in WinterPosted by Hannah on Saturday, January 21, 2012.
Last Sunday Mike and I caught the ferry over to the islands on what happened to be probably the coldest day so far this winter. Our trip over started with a bird trapped in the waiting room at the ferry dock. We were desperately trying to get the bird to fly out the door but it wasn't happening and we ended up having to catch the coat before it flew out.
our purpose of the trip was to visit the church where we will be getting married later this year and it turned out to be perfect! Beautiful stained glass windows and just the perfect size for us!


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White land
Coffee and hot chocolate..nyumm. It was still Austrian Heisse Shokolade, not yet as thick and melty super delicious Italian Cioccolata which more like a pudding.
Cute crafty Toilet signs in Deutsch, Italian and English.
I think it was Alps, not Dolomites. I am a little bit confuse. Buth both are incredible sculpture on earth.
Snow icing? Cake...
Cross-country skiing ....i would like to try this one more than skiing.
And would you mind to forgive me for showing my purple hair that day. Smile! :)


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New Stories
by Tim Winton
Tim Winton's stunning collection of connected stories is about turnings of all kinds -- changes of heart, slow awakenings, nasty surprises and accidents, sudden detours, resolutions made or broken. Brothers cease speaking to each other, husbands abandon wives and children, grown men are haunted by childhood fears. People struggle against the weight of their own history and try to reconcile themselves to their place in the world. With extraordinary insight and tenderness, Winton explores the demons and frailties of ordinary people whose lives are not what they had hoped.
Click to the right or left of the sample to turn the page.
(If no book jacket appears in a few seconds, then we don't have an excerpt of this book or your browser is unable to display it)
'These stories convey the quiet authority of a man at ease in a fictional territory he can legitimately call his own...a writer whose work is informed by an intimate and unsentimental connection with a particular landscape and the lives it sustains.' - The Guardian, London.
'Winton reveals a wide but finely turned swath of simmering inner lives; the sweetness of these stories, as well as their sharp bite, feels earned and real. - PW Starred Review.
Comment: Tim Winton (Cloudstreet, Dirt Music etc) is a household name in his native Australia, where his books, usually set in the dramatic landscape of Western Australia, are pretty much permanent fixtures on the bestseller lists. However, he has yet to achieve wide recognition in the USA.
The information about The Turning shown above was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's online-magazine that keeps our members abreast of notable and high-profile books publishing in the coming weeks. In most cases, the reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author of this book and feel that the reviews shown do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, please send us a message with the mainstream media reviews that you would like to see added.
The preeminent Australian novelist of his generation, Tim Winton is the author of the bestselling novels Cloudstreet, The Riders, and Dirt Music, among many other books. He has won the Miles Franklin Literary Award four times (for Shallows, Cloudstreet, Dirt Music, and Breath) and has twice been short-listed for the Booker Prize (for The Riders and Dirt Music). He lives in Western Australia.
Uncommon Type
by Tom Hanks
Surprising, intelligent, heartwarming, and a must-have for Tom Hanks fans!
Solve this clue:
and be entered to win..
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Your guide toexceptional books
BookBrowse seeks out and recommends books that we believe to be best in class. Books that will whisk you to faraway places and times, that will expand your mind and challenge you -- the kinds of books you just can't wait to tell your friends about.


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Sunday, 18 August 2013
Such a cutiepie...
Tee hee... Here's just a quick post, full of cuteness! Thanks to Olive for being so adorable!
Olive loves other dogies!
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Review in Touchstone, the Methodist Church's newspaper, November 2005
Healthy Money Healthy Planet: Developing Sustainability through New Money Systems
Reviewer: Rinny Westra
YOU CANNOT SERVE God and Money, said Jesus. But whether we like it or not, those of us who claim to serve God also tend to serve what the author describes as "dirty money". This is the money created as interest-bearing debt by private banks, but with the approval of the Reserve Bank.
It is this money creation that drives economic growth, and that commits us to a growing rather than a sustainable economy. In such a system there are always losers, because people and firms must go further into debt to avoid economic collapse. Consequences include the growing gap between rich and poor, the horrific indebtedness of the Third World, and the degrading of the environment.
The author spends the first part of the book outlining the dire situation that the dogmatic commitment to 'dirty money' is driving us into. Unlimited economic growth on a planet with finite resources does not make sense.
The author does not leave it there. The second part of her book outlines ways in which 'healthy money' i.e. money that is not interest-bearing and that serves solely as a means of exchange, can be created.
She recommends local currencies that are complementary to the official currency. These include initiatives like Green Dollars (less popular now than they were in the 1980s and 1990s) and commercial barter through schemes like Bartercard. She presents lots of constructive detail from all over the world in this part of the book.
Much research has gone into this, and the vision that she creates is a compelling one. She bases economics on ecology, and brings reality to what is often an arid discipline that is far removed from the realities of life.
Did you know that according to the standard measurements of GDP 'Being pregnant, chasing toddlers and breast feeding do not add to the GDP, but looking after other people's children in a day-care centre does.' That "If we hang our washing on the line we do nothing for the economy, but by placing it in the dryer we are helping."? (P72)
As someone who has spent a brief time teaching economics, I would have appreciated this book, as well as Marilyn Waring's Counting for Nothing, as offering an important alternative to the irrational commitment to economic fundamentalism ('there is no alternative') that has been so dominant in the economic and business discourse of the past two decades. May it help reshape our thinking, our money system and our dog-eat-dog society.
This book also has appendices listing useful websites and organisations, as well as a very good glossary.
Friday, December 02, 2005
The Methodist paper reviews the book
Posted by Otaki4fruit at 6:19 PM
1 comment:
- Emini Day Trader said...
Nice blog. Keep up the good work.
Emini Daytrader
day trading seminar
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In series:OECD Tax Policy Studiesview more titles
Published on November 03, 2010
In the wake of the recent financial and economic crisis, many OECD countries face the challenge of restoring public finances while still supporting growth. This report investigates how tax structures can best be designed to support GDP per capita growth.
The analysis suggests a tax and economic growth ranking order according to which corporate taxes are the most harmful type of tax for economic growth, followed by personal income taxes and then consumption taxes, with recurrent taxes on immovable property being the least harmful tax. Growth-oriented tax reform measures include tax base broadening and a reduction in the top marginal personal income tax rates. Some degree of support for R&D through the tax system may help to increase private spending on innovation.
But implementing pro-growth tax reforms may not be easy. This report identifies those public and political economy tax reform strategies that will allow policy makers to reconcile differing tax policy objectives and overcome obstacles to reform. It stresses that with clear vision, strong leadership and solid tax policy analysis, growth-oriented tax reform can indeed be realised.
|Executive Summary
|Annex A
|Annex B
Taxation and Economic Growth Recommendations and Reforms in OECD Countries2 chapters available
Making Growth-oriented Tax Reforms Happen4 chapters available
Policy Brief
Few people like to pay tax and even fewer like to see their existing tax burdens rise further. Many governments have thus found that the most propitious time for tax reform is when the state public finances allows an overall reduction in taxes or, failing this, a revenue-neutral reform that allows some compensating cuts for politically sensitive groups of taxpayers. At present, many countries are not in such a fortunate position. The need to undertake fiscal consolidation strategies over the medium term leaves little room for manoeuvre to finance any tax reductions. In many cases, countries' assessment of the appropriate balance between cutting public expenditure and raising taxes means that tax revenues will need to be increased.


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Introducing: Ian Crate - sponsoredmoose
Click the link to receive 10% off your first box: http://lootcrate.com/BrutalMoose Subscribe to Loot Crate before the 19th December to receive your own, exclusive, licensed Batman collectible. Loot Crate delivers epic geek & gaming gear monthly for just $20 Ian becomes entrepreneurial. Sponsored by Loot Crate Bouncy music: Winner Winner - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)


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Please visit our Open House at 1408 SIXTH AVE in New Westminster.
Open House on Saturday, August 11, 2018 2:00PM - 4:00PM
The Uptown New West Duplex you've been waiting for! Remarkable architecture and design by Nash Custom Homes. Built to the highest standard, this luxurious home is perfect for someone looking close to the best amenities that New West has to offer without sacrificing space. 5 Bedrooms, 4 Bathrooms, OVER 2300 square feet of functional living space plus a potential suite. Experience some of the most beautiful finishes in this home that sets the bar for all new homes in the area. Roof Top patio. Quartz counter tops, Kitchen Aid appliances, Kohler fixtures, Artificial turf, finished security camera system 1080p w/2TB hard drive, Wifi thermostats just to name a few of the upgrades. This is a must see! Open House Aug 11 & 12, 2-4pm.


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According to a survey by Bankrate, roughly 25% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. The money they make just barely covers their day-to-day expenses, with little or nothing left over for emergencies. If you're in this situation, any unplanned expense – such as a $300 car repair – can cause a financial crisis.
Payday loans – also called "cash advance loans" – appear to offer a way out. You can walk into one of the thousands of payday lending offices across the country and walk out half an hour later with $300 in your hand to pay that repair bill. Then, on your next payday, you can come back in to repay that $300 – plus another $45 or so in interest.
The problem is, if you had a hard time raising $300 in the first place, losing $345 out of one paycheck leaves a big hole in the budget. And so before the month is out, you could find yourself coming back for another loan to cover the bills you can no longer afford to pay. Before long, you end up entrapped in an ongoing cycle of debt, going from loan to loan, while the interest payments pile up higher and higher. A 2012 report from the Pew Charitable Trusts found that the typical payday borrower takes out eight $375 loans per year, paying a total of $520 in interest.
Many borrowers can't break free of this cycle without taking extreme measures. They slash their budgets, borrow from friends and family, pawn their belongings, or take out a different type of loan. These are all steps they could have taken to avoid getting the payday loan in the first place, saving themselves all that interest.
So if you want to avoid the payday loan trap, you should make sure you've looked at all their other options first. Even when you absolutely need some extra cash to make it through the month, there's almost always a better way of getting it than turning to a payday loan shark.
The Payday Lending Industry
Payday lending is a big business. The Community Financial Services Association of America (CFSA) boasts more than 20,000 member locations – more than either Starbucks or McDonald's. About 19 million American households (nearly one out of every six in the country) have taken out a payday loan at some point.
How Payday Loans Work
Payday loans get their name because they usually come due on the borrower's next payday. They're different from regular bank loans in several ways:
- Smaller Amounts. In most states where payday loans are legal, there's a limit on how much you can borrow this way. This cap ranges from $300 to $1,000, with $500 being the most common amount. The Pew report says the average size of a payday loan is $375.
- Shorter Terms. A payday loan is supposed to be paid back when you get your next paycheck. In most cases, this means the loan term is two weeks, though it can sometimes be as long as a month.
- No Installments. With a normal bank loan, you pay back the money bit by bit, in installments. For instance, if you borrow $1,000 for one year at 5%, you pay back $85.61 each month – $2.28 for the interest and the rest for the principal. But with a payday loan, you have to pay back the whole sum – interest and principal – all at once. For a borrower on a tight budget, this is often impossible.
- High Interest. When you borrow money from a bank, the interest you pay depends on your credit rating and the type of loan you're getting. A borrower with excellent credit can get a mortgage loan with an annual percentage rate (APR) of 3% or less. By contrast, someone with bad credit taking out an unsecured personal loan would pay 25% or more. But payday loans charge all borrowers the same rate – usually around $15 per $100 borrowed. So, for instance, if you borrow $500, you pay $75 in interest. That doesn't sound so bad until you remember that the loan term is only two weeks. On a yearly basis, it works out to an APR of 391%.
- No Credit Check. Banks check your credit before giving you a loan to figure out how much to charge you. If your credit is really poor, you probably can't get a loan at all. But you don't need good credit – or any credit – to get a payday loan. All you need is a bank account, proof of income (such as a pay stub), and an ID that shows you're at least 18 years old. You can walk out with your money in less than an hour – a major reason these loans appeal to financially desperate people.
- Automatic Repayment. When you take out a payday loan, you hand over a signed check or other document that gives the lender permission to take money out of your bank account. If you don't show up to repay your loan as scheduled, the lender either cashes the check or withdraws the money from your account.
- Easy Renewals. If you know you can't afford to pay off your loan on time, you can come in before it comes due and renew it. You pay a fee equal to the interest you owe and give yourself another two weeks to pay back your loan – with another interest payment. Or, in states where that's not allowed, you can immediately take out a second loan to cover what you owe on the first one. That's how so many users end up taking months to pay what started out as a two-week loan.
Who Uses Payday Loans and Why
According to the 2012 Pew report, 12 million Americans take out payday loans each year. About 5.5% of all American adults have used one within the past five years.
The people most likely to use payday loans are:
- Young(ish). More than half of all payday loan users are between 25 and 44 years old. About 9% of people in their 20s, and 7% to 8% of people in their 30s, have used this type of loan in the last five years. By contrast, people over 60 years old are unlikely to use payday loans. About 24% of all Americans are 60 or older, but only 11% of payday borrowers are.
- African-American. Most payday borrowers are white, but that's because white people are such a large group. African-Americans, who make up only 12% of the population, take out nearly a quarter of all payday loans. Roughly 1 in 8 African-American adults have used a payday loan in the past five years, compared to only 1 in 25 white adults.
- Low-Income. The median household income in the country was $53,657 in 2014, according to the Census Bureau. However, most payday loan users have income well below this level. More than 70% have a household income of less than $40,000. People in this group are three times as likely to use payday loans as people with incomes of $50,000 or more.
- Renters. People who rent are much more likely to use payday loans than people who own their homes. About 35% of American adults are renters, but 58% of payday borrowers are. About 1 out of 10 renters has used a payday loan in the past year.
- Relatively Uneducated. More than half of all payday loan users have no education beyond high school. Less than 15% of them have a four-year college degree.
- Unemployed or Disabled. Payday lenders are perfectly happy to borrow against your unemployment or disability benefits. About 1 in 10 unemployed Americans has used a payday loan in the past five years – although they may have been employed when they took out the loan. Disabled people use payday loans at an even higher rate. Roughly 12% have used one in the last five years.
- Separated or Divorced. Only about 13% of American adults are separated or divorced. However, this group makes up 25% of all payday loan users. About 13% of separated and divorced adults have taken out a payday loan in the last five years.
Payday lenders often market their products as short-term fixes for emergency needs, such as car repairs or medical bills. But according to the Pew survey, most users don't use them that way. Nearly 70% of first-time borrowers say they took out their loans to help pay for basic needs, such as rent, food, utilities, or credit card bills. Only 16% say they borrowed the money for an unplanned, one-time expense.
When Pew asked people what they would do if they couldn't use payday loans, they gave a variety of answers. More than 80% said they would cut back on basic expenses, such as food and clothing. More than half also said they would pawn something or borrow from friends and family. However, most users did not say they would use credit cards or take out bank loans – possibly because many don't have good enough credit to qualify.
Dangers of Payday Loans
The most obvious problem with payday loans is their extremely high interest rates. The fee for a payday loan can be anywhere from $10 to $30 per $100 borrowed, which works out to an annual interest rate of 261% to 782%. But these loans also have other dangers that are less obvious.
These dangers include:
- Renewal Fees. When borrowers can't pay back a payday loan on time, they either renew the loan or take out a new one. So even though they keep making payments on their loans, the amount they owe never gets any smaller. A borrower who starts out with a $400 loan and a $60 interest payment and then keeps renewing the loan every two weeks for four months will end up paying about $480 in interest – and will still owe the original $400.
- Collections. In theory, a payday lender should never have any problem collecting a debt, because it can take the money right out of your checking account. The problem is, if that account is empty, the lender gets nothing – and you get socked with a hefty bank fee. But the lender usually won't stop with one attempt. It keeps trying to collect the money, often breaking up the payment into smaller amounts that are more likely to go through. And, at the same time, the lender starts harassing you with calls and letters from lawyers. If none of that works, the lender will probably sell your debt to a collections agency for pennies on the dollar. This agency, in addition to calling and writing, can sue you for the debt. If it wins, the court can allow the agency to seize your assets or garnish your wages.
- Credit Impacts. Payday lenders generally don't check your credit before issuing you a loan. For such small loans at such short terms, it's just too expensive to run a credit check on each one. However, if you fail to pay back your loan, the credit bureaus can still find out about it. Even if the payday lender doesn't report it, the collections agency that buys it often will, damaging your credit score. Yet if you do pay back the loan on time, that payment probably won't be reported to the credit bureaus, so your credit score won't improve.
- The Cycle of Debt. The biggest problem with payday loans is that you can't pay them off gradually, like a mortgage or a car loan. You have to come up with the whole sum, interest and principal, in just two weeks. For most borrowers, a lump sum this size is more than their budget can possibly handle – so they just renew their loans or take out new ones. According to the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau, roughly four out of five payday loans end up being renewed or rolled over to a new loan.
Laws About Payday Lending
The laws about payday lending vary from state to state. States fall into three basic groups:
- Permissive States. In 28 states, there are very few restrictions on payday lending. Lenders can charge $15 or more for each $100 borrowed, and they can demand payment in full on the borrower's next payday. However, even these states have some limits. Most of them put a limit on how much money users can borrow – either a dollar amount or a percentage of the borrower's monthly income. Also, a federal law bars lenders in all states from charging more than a 36% annual percentage rate (APR) to active-duty members of the military. Many payday lenders deal with this law by refusing to make loans to service members.
- Restrictive States. In 15 states, plus Washington, D.C., there are no payday loan offices at all. Some of these states have banned payday lending outright. Others have put a cap on interest rates – usually around 36% APR – that makes payday lending unprofitable, so all the payday loan offices have closed. However, borrowers in these states can still get loans from online payday lenders.
- Hybrid States. The remaining eight states have a medium level of regulation. Some cap the interest payday lenders can charge at a lower rate – usually around $10 for each $100 borrowed. This works out to more than 260% annual interest based on a two-week term, which is enough for payday lenders to make a profit. Others limit the number of loans each borrower can make in a year. And finally, some states require longer terms for loans than two weeks. For example, Colorado passed a law in 2010 requiring all loans to have a term of at least six months. As a result, most payday lenders in the state now allow borrowers to pay back loans in installments, rather than as a lump sum.
The Pew report shows that in states with stricter laws, fewer people take out payday loans. That's partly because stricter laws usually mean fewer payday loan stores, so people can't just go to the nearest store for fast cash. People in restrictive states still have access to online lenders, but they're no more likely to use them than people in permissive states.
In June 2016, the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau proposed a new rule to regulate payday lending at the national level. This rule would require lenders to check borrowers' income, expenses, and other debts to make sure they can afford to pay back the loan. It would also limit the number of loans a borrower can take out consecutively, helping to break the cycle of debt. And finally, it would require lenders to let borrowers know before pulling money out of their bank accounts and limit the number of times they can try to withdraw money before giving up.
This rule hasn't taken effect yet, and many payday lenders are hoping it never will. The CFSA released a statement claiming this rule would force payday lenders out of business. This, in turn, would "cut off access to credit for millions of Americans."
However, Pew argues that there are ways to change the rules that make it easier for low-income Americans to get the credit they need. The problem is, the proposed rule doesn't do that. Instead, Pew says, it would let payday lenders keep charging triple-digit interest rates while making it harder for banks to offer better, cheaper alternatives. Pew has proposed its own rule that would restrict short-term loans, but would encourage longer-term loans that are easier to repay.
Auto Title Loans
To get around the restrictions on payday lending, some lenders offer auto title loans instead. However, this so-called alternative – which is illegal in about half the states in the country – is really just a payday loan in disguise.
When you take out an auto title loan, the lender examines your car and offers you a loan based on its value. Typically, you can get up to 40% of the car's value in cash, with $1,000 being the average amount. Then you hand over the title to the car as collateral for the loan.
Car title loans have the same short terms and high interest as payday loans. Some are due in a lump sum after 30 days, while others get paid in installments over three to six months. Along with interest of 259% or more, these loans also include fees of up to 25%, which are due with your last payment.
If you can't make this payment, you can renew the loan, just like a payday loan. In fact, the vast majority of these loans are renewals. Pew reports that a typical title loan is renewed eight times before the borrower can pay it off. So just like payday loans, auto title loans trap their users in a cycle of debt.
However, if you can't afford to pay the loan or renew it, the lender seizes your car. Many lenders make you turn over a key or install a GPS tracker to make it easier for them to get their hands on the vehicle. Some of them even store the car while they're waiting to sell it – and charge you a fee for the storage. And if the amount they get when they sell the car is more than what you owe them, they don't always have to pay you the difference.
Alternatives to Payday Loans
It's easy to argue that payday loans and auto title loans are just plain evil and should be banned completely. But the problem is, there's a demand for them. A Pew survey finds that most payday loan users say these loans take advantage of them – but at the same time, most say the loans provide much-needed relief.
Fortunately, there are better ways to raise cash in a crisis. Sometimes, it's possible to get by without borrowing money at all. You can sell off belongings or ask for an advance on your paycheck. You can also apply for emergency aid, such as Medicaid or SNAP (food stamps), or seek help with paying off other debts.
But even if you need to borrow money, there are better places to turn than a payday loan office. In many cases, friends and family can help you out with a loan. Pawn shops and many online lenders offer small loans, even to people with bad credit.
Finally, if you have a credit card, a retirement fund, a life insurance policy, or even a bank account, you can tap into it as a source of emergency cash. These options are costly, but in the long run, they're better than being trapped in payday loan debt.


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Since 1972, we've been guiding adventure vacations on 20 of Canada and Alaska's top rivers—from the Nahanni, Tatshenshini and Alsek to the Burnside, Wind and Soper.
Whether you enjoy the thrill of whitewater rafting, a challenging canoe adventure or the solitude and relaxation of flat water, you'll come home with stories that will last a lifetime.
Our Canada and Alaska adventure vacation trips are five to 21 day premium-class camping and paddling expeditions. The rivers are conduits for exploring some of the last wild places in North America. With us, you have the opportunity to not only embrace a unique destination, but also experience an adventure vacation that's truly the highest quality in every respect.
We work closely with you to plan your excursion so you get maximum adventure value during your precious vacation time. Our talented wilderness guides deliver our trips with an authenticity that mirrors the unspoiled wilderness we travel through. Their passion for living, learning and teaching regional geology, wildlife and history is matched only by their sense of adventure, paddling skills, and leadership acumen.
From the sturdy, comfortable tents we use at night, to your own private river bag for personal gear, from fresh fish, baked goods, fruit and produce, to that delicious lasagna accompanied by a fine red wine at dinner, our adventure vacations deliver quality from start to finish every time.
If a warm weather escape (link to tropical) is more your taste, we've crafted over a dozen trips in Belize, Baja and the Galapagos. Our tropical excursions rely on the same level of exceptional attention to detail, knowledge and safety as our Canada/Alaska river adventures – but with snorkeling, ocean kayaks and sandy beaches!


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Michal Handzus scored a little more than two minutes into double overtime to lift the Chicago Blackhawks to a 5-4 win at United Center on Wednesday.
The Kings lead the best-of-seven series, 3-2, heading into Game 6 at Staples Center on Friday.
After falling into a 2-0 hole early in the first period, the Kings rallied to take a 4-3 lead by the end of the second period behind goals by Jarret Stoll, Marian Gaborik, Dustin Brown and Tanner Pearson.
Ben Smith scored the tying goal for the Blackhawks in the third period. Patrick Kane had four assists and Brent Seabrook, Johnny Oduya and Brandon Saad scored for Chicago.
Kings goalie Jonathan Quick and Chicago netminder Corey Crawford each made 40 saves.
Kings 4, Blackhawks 4 (start of double overtime)
Through the overtime period between the NHL's last two champions, the Blackhawks have 44 shots on goal, the Kings 43.
Drew Doughty has played 38:27 while Chicago's Duncan Keith has skated for 37 minutes. Dustin Brown and Chicago's Bryan Bickell and Andrew Shaw each have eight hits.
Last year, the Kings were eliminated in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals on Patrick Kane's goal 11:40 into the second OT -- the longest game in Kings' history.
Now a second overtime period begins again.
Kings 4, Blackhawks 4 (end of first overtime)
Despite numerous scoring chances for both teams, Game 5 of the Western Conference finals is heading into double overtime.
Drew Doughty, continuing his monster game, poked away a possible Chicago breakaway in the closing seconds of the first overtime period.
Jonathan Quick deflected a blast up close by Patrick Kane with 8.8 seconds left.
At one point, there was a 7:56 stretch of uninterrupted play that generated several good scoring chances for both teams.
And it's on to overtime No. 2. here at United Center.
Kings 4, Blackhawks 4 (overtime, 12:51 left)
Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews was rushing toward a one-on-one when he was sandwiched by the Kings' Anze Kopitar and Jake Muzzin, the crowd pleading for a penalty.
Dwight King blasted a shot that Corey Crawford knocked away, and Jonathan Quick responded with two of his olwn impressive saves.
Marian Hossa and Marcus Kruger applied massive pressure on Quick that he withstood. The Kings brought their own. Still tied, 12:51 left in overtime.
Kings 4, Blackhawks 4 (start of overtime)
Overtime is underway in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals, the Kings and Chicago Blackhawks are tied 4-4, with the Kings leading the series three games to one.
Kings defenseman Drew Doughty has played a game-high 28 minutes, 33 seconds, firing a career-high nine shots on goal while standing plus-two in goal differential while on the ice.
Brandon Saad and Andrew Shaw of Chicago are both plus-three.
The Blackhawks have scored four times on Kings goalie Jonathan Quick, sending 36 shots his way. His Chicago counterpart, Corey Crawford, blanked the Kings in the third period with eight saves.
Kings 4, Blackhawks 4 (end of third period)
The Kings and Chicago Blackhawks are going to overtime in Game 5 at United Center, tied 4-4.
Kings goalie Jonathan Quick stopped a shot by Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa in the final 30 seconds, batting the loose puck away with his stick.
The Kings, leading the Western Conference finals three games to one, haven't been in overtime this postseason since Game 1 of their conference semifinal win over the Ducks.
Kings 4, Blackhawks 4 (third period, 5:32 left)
Both goalies have stopped 27 of 31 shots at this point. Kings defenseman Drew Doughty has nine shots on goal.
The Kings waste time passing on the power play and could not score. Kings defenseman Jake Muzzin decked Blackhawks forward Marcus Kruger with a clean hit.
Kings 4, Blackhawks 4 (third period, 9:47 left)
Kings defenseman Willie Mitchell is going to the penalty box for delay of game, knocking the puck out of play 8:22 into the third. Mitchell argued he was merely in a puck battle.
Crawford gloves a Drew Doughty short-handed shot.
Saad commits goaltender interference, barging into Quick on a Nick Leddy shot.
It'll be 4-on-4 hockey for 57 seconds, then the Kings will have a power play for 1:03.
The Blackhawks have shown their champion's heart in the early going of the third period, bringing roars from the home crowd on a goal by Ben Smith 77 seconds into the period to make it 4-4.
Kings goalie Jonathan Quick is under heavy pressure, but he stopped a Brandon Saad shot with his right leg, and patiently waited to deny an Andrew Shaw try seconds later. More Chicago pressure forced Quick to cover a loose puck to his right, the crowd belting its approval for the effort of the NHL's top-scoring offense.
Chicago has out-shot the Kings 8-3 thus far, 7:02 into the third.
Kings 4, Blackhawks 4 (third period, 18:43 left)
Ben Smith has scored for Chicago, rebounding a shot from Brandon Saad that bounced off the pads of Kings goalie Jonathan Quick 1:17 into the third period. Saad beat Jarret Stoll to the rebound.
Kings 4, Blackhawks 3 (third period)
With the third period underway, the Kings lead the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 and can advance to the Stanley Cup Final by holding on. The Kings have found their winning formula after falling behind 3-1 in the first period.
They've out-hit Chicago 28-16, won 23 of 42 faceoffs and have blocked three more shots.
Kings 4, Blackhawks 3 (end of second period)
The Kings out-shot the Blackhawks 15-9 in the second period, scoring twice in three shots on the Dustin Brown and Tanner Pearson goals.
The United Center masses wanted a penalty on Willie Mitchell for wrestling down Andrew Shaw, but there was no call.
Corey Crawford -- his team having now surrendered 19 goals since the second period of Game 2 -- stopped a Drew Doughty shot with 1:48 left.
At the buzzer, Quick knocked down a blast by Chicago center Jonathan Toews, and it's 4-3 Kings, who are now 20 minutes from advancing to the Stanley Cup final against the New York Rangers-Montreal Canadiens winner a week from tonight.
Kings 4, Blackhawks 3 (second period, 6:52 left)
This time, Jonathan Quick stood up to rapid pressure from the Blackhawks following a goal by stuffing Brandon Saad's point-blank shot with just more than seven minutes remaining.
Now it's 4-3 Kings on a goal by Tanner Pearson, with 6:52 left in the second. The Kings won a faceoff out of their own zone, starting a rush that Pearson capped by beating Crawford high to his stick side.
Now there's a penalty on Chicago's Johnny Oduya.
Kings defenseman Jake Muzzin went to the penalty box with 8:01 into the period for cross-checking Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane, who has three assists tonight.
Kings forward Dustin Brown then tied the score, following a Marian Gaborik shot off Crawford, making it 3-3. Brown started the pressure, but Seabrook blocked his shot, the puck moving to Gaborik.
There was some stick abuse at the end of the first.
Chicago goalie Corey Crawford stormed off the ice pounding his stick after allowing two goals on nine shots in the first, which kept the Kings within reach.
Kings defenseman Drew Doughty, who played a staggering 10 minutes, 13 seconds in the period, smashed his stick after twice sending passes toward the crease that neither Tyler Toffoli nor Dwight King could convert. The teams had good early scoring opportunities in the second. Kings goalie Jonathan Quick was embededded under his net when he extended his glove outward to stop a Brandon Saad shot.
Kings center Jeff Carter (four goals, five assists in the series) then had a clear look that Crawford stopped. The goalie received help from defenseman Brent Seabrook, who slid to block a Justin Williams shot.
More than seven minutes into the second, it remains Blackhawks 3, Kings 2.
Pond hockey came to United Center -- or at least an imitation of wide-open 1980s hockey.
There were five goals scored on 14 shots and Chicago took a 3-2 lead after one period, led by an energized Patrick Kane, who assisted on all three goals.
The Kings had held Kane in check, for the most part, for the first four games of the Western Conference finals series. Kane had one assist in the first four games.
Scoring for the Kings were center Jarret Stoll (second goal of the playoffs) and winger Marian Gaborik (11th). Gaborik was held without a goal in the first three games of the series but now has goals in back-to-back games. For Stoll, it was his first shot of the series.
Drew Doughty led all in terms of ice time with 10 minutes 13 seconds in the first.
Overall, the Kings had nine shots in the first period, as did Chicago.
The Kings and Blackhawks continued with surges of offense.
Three more goals came in rapid succession -- the Kings scored twice and the Blackhakws once. It all added up to a 3-2 Chicago lead.
The Kings got back into it with Marian Gaborik's 12th goal of the postseason, cutting Chicago's lead to 3-2 at 13:16. Assisting on it were NHL playoff scoring leader Anze Kopitar and captain Dustin Brown. Seconds earlier, Kings goalie Jonathan Quick made a big save on Jonathan Toews at the other end.
Earlier, just when the Kings got a little momentum, the Blackhawks stomped it out as the teams traded goals with Chicago taking a 3-1 lead.
The Kings didn't get much going until midway through the first period but they made the most of their chances when an opportunistic Jarret Stoll scored at 9:49, cutting Chicago's lead to 2-1. Dwight King had the lone assist.
But Chicago went up 3-1 when Brandon Saad scored at 11:06 as the Blackhawks took advantage of a miscue by Kings defenseman
Chicago got off to the start it wanted, taking a 2-0 lead just 3:40 into the game. The Blackhawks scored twice on their first five shots, goals coming from defensemen Brent Seabrook and
Seabrook's goal was a power-play effort and Oduya's came at even strength.
The Blackhawks scored on their first shot of game, just 73 seconds in, a blast from the blue line by Seabrook. Kings defenseman Drew Doughty had gone off for tripping Chicago captain Jonathan Toews.
Oduya extended the lead to 2-0, at 3:40, converting a rebound off Patrick Kane's shot. For Kane, it was only his second point of the series.
The Blackhawks were sparked by their early power play. It had been struggling the first four games of the series, going just two for 13.
Chicago forward Brandon Saad says despite the team's 5-2 defeat, his teammates believe they outplayed the
"The third period was a big momentum for us, even though we lost the game," Saad said before Wednesday night's puck drop. "I think we started to believe and started to feel good about ourselves. I think having that last game, we can carry that over and use that confidence."
Chicago out-shot the Kings 8-5 in the third and got a goal from forward Bryan Bickell. The Kings were in their patented defensive posture, however, and scored an empty net goal by Tanner Pearson to put the game away.
But the
"Lately our habits and doing the little things have gotten away from us," Saad said. "And when we make turnovers, or simple mistakes, they're a skilled team, a good team and they capitalize on it. We take out the turnovers and dumb penalties and I think we should have success."
The Blackhawks also have last year to reflect upon, considering they rallied down 3-1 to eliminate the Detroit Red Wings in seven games in the Western Conference semifinals. "That's a big reason why we have the confidence," Saad said. "Not only that, but you see a lot of teams this year –won three games in a row."
After losing the series opener in Chicago, the Kings handed the Blackhawks their first home playoff loss of the season in Game 2 before winning two more games at Staples Center to take a 3-1 series lead.
The Kings have dominated the Blackhawks in the special teams department, scoring on five of their last 10 chances on the power play. They've held Chicago to one goal in its last 11 opportunities with the man-advantage.
A win over the Blackhawks would see the Kings avenge their Western Conference finals loss to Chicago last year.
If the Kings win, they'll play either the New York Rangers or the Montreal Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Final. If they lose, Game 6 will be played at Staples Center on Friday.


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by Graham Hartwell, Environmental Stewardship Manager, BASF plc, Crop Protection
I'm also keen to share in the enthusiasm of the GWCT, RSPB, LEAF and FWAG Association in support of the farmland bird ID days planned for January.
That so many farmers responded to the 2014 Big Farmland Bird was testament to the good work and farm management that many farmers have already carried out to help farmland bird numbers.
I hope to learn more from Peter Thompson and Patrick Barker who will keep us all on our toes with bird identification tips and their experience of "making it work" in a practical way.
Resilient habitat creation, well planned field margins and attention to detail are the recipe for success and I was particularly pleased to see so many birds recorded by the Pitts family at Mears Ashby in the BFBC results of 2014. BASF are pleased to be able to work with the Pitts family to communicate their splendid results to many visitors.
Though recent wet summers and hard winters have been difficult for many species, Andrew and William Pitts' approach to habitat creation and winter food provision have paid dividends and bring a resilience to many of the species located on their land.
Their good work is mirrored by James Hinchliffe at Rawcliffe Bridge, Yorkshire who has also made it work for him on his land. As he enters his 12th year of data collection I'm hoping his computer behaves this year and allows him to record his data too - we are already seeing good sized flocks of 'little brown jobs' on the field margin strips.
James will be hosting a training day at Rawcliffe Bridge in January with the RSPB's Chris Thompson and Fraser Hugill of CFE to enlighten us - they always deliver great value and we look forward to an informative day on this well established family farm. Why not register your interest in attending an ID day, click here for details and to get your invite.


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•Wishes Nigeria well•Wants to retain his Everton shirt
Forward Victor Anichebe is keen to repay Everton's faith and support by concentrating on his club form rather than thinking about regaining his place with Nigeria.
Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi said last week that the 24-year-old remains in his plans after the national side qualified for this winter's African Nations Cup. However, Anichebe is focused on building on his – and the Toffees' – good start to the season having been frustrated by two serious knee injuries and a groin problem in the last few years.
The forward said: "I am thinking about Everton. They have stuck by me and helped me get back fit so I'm thinking more about cementing [my place in] the side. The national team aspect hasn't come into my head. I just want them to do well."
Everton head to bottom side QPR at the weekend and while David Moyes' team are flying high in fourth, having lost just once, Anichebe stressed they cannot take the winless west Londoners for granted.
"I think we've done okay, it's been a good start to the season and everyone is on a high and is confident," he told evertontv.
"We need to carry it on though, not get ahead of ourselves and keep playing well.
"They (QPR) are struggling so it is going to be even harder because they need results – they've bought a lot of players and have a lot of expectation on them.
"They haven't really done so well so I am sure they will look to change that against us and we need to be wary of that."