text:
Boyd School Studios

“Artists contribute to the city's urban regeneration, quality of life, celebration of place, community well-being, cultural tourism, social inclusion, community building and creativity... The presence of artists making work within the inner city is a major component in the enhancement of the city's vitality and attractiveness.” 'Housing the Arts' report, City of Melbourne, September 2007

How was the space first identified and who was contacted to secure it?

The former J.H Boyd Girls' High School was bought by the City of Melbourne from the State Government in December 2007 with the express intention of developing a community centre and open space supported by commercial development with an integrated affordable housing component. The Arts and Culture Branch of the City of Melbourne put forward a proposal to Council in 2008 to use the 1970s building on the property as artist studios until Council needed it for redevelopment.

What was required to secure the space?

Council needed to endorse the project before any work could be undertaken to transform the building into artist studios. Council also needed to be reassured that artists were prepared to accept a month to month licence for the spaces and would vacate the building when Council needed it for redevelopment.

Funding was required for building works. This was obtained through the City's 'Housing the Arts' fund.

What needed to be provided by you as hirer or user of the space?

A building permit was required to undertake the works necessary to make the building compliant as well as a report and budget prepared to show how the space would have a successful outcome.

What were the costs?

Approximately $30 000 was expended to make the building compliant with building codes. This included a building permit (approximately $700), cleaning, fire extinguishers and emergency lighting, an electronic key system, external gates and internal structural work.

What were the resources available to you?

The Creative Spaces website was the resource used to promote the studios to artists. Artists that had registered their interest in temporary spaces on the website were contacted and shown the spaces before a formal application for a specific space was lodged.

The City of Melbourne's legal team prepared the licences for the studios but all other aspects were managed by the Creative Spaces Manager. This included contracting tradesmen and overseeing the work of the building, drawing up the licences for the artists, liaising with various departments within Council, and ensuring artists were accommodated in suitable spaces for their practice.

Who helped you to fit it out?

Artists are responsible for fitting out their studios.

What were/are the obstacles?

The initial set up costs were daunting. Compliancy works were originally estimated at $65,000 but were fortunately achieved at a lesser amount. There was also competition from other teams in Council that wanted to use the building for other purposes.

What were/are the risks?

There are always security and financial risks attached to property. Failure to recoup set up costs, damage to property and injury to occupants are the main risks. Fortunately there are systems in place to help minimise risk. A risk assessment is mandatory to ensure the right measures have been taken to address any risk identified by the report.


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Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

CWI February 2019 Winner

Thursday, March 28th, 2019

A Home for Christmas

Kathryn Ratzko

Socks and a hat,
a scarf, thick and bulky.
Throat sweets tucked
down the side.
Wipes to wipe away dirt;
nothing to take away pain.
Room for a razor, or maybe not.
A torch for wakeful nights.

The tiny space left;
soap or shampoo,
toothbrush, toothpaste
or chocolate
or pastilles?

My decision is made,
the lid is placed on,
my conscience contained.

Your home in a box.

January 2019 Winner

Wednesday, February 27th, 2019

A Cauliflower Farmer

Fabiyas MV

He still stands

in the back row

with the traditional misery.

His plants

always get his carbon dioxide.

But his hope

trapped in the collapsed price

Farm Aid Package orbits

over his life

like a malfunctioning satellite.

His debt thrives

among the dream debris.

The farmers’ dry voice flames

in the street.

He too

throws his produce.

His cauliflowers scatter

on the road

like the baton-charged protest.

December 2018 Winner

Wednesday, January 16th, 2019

The Snow Hulk

Ruth Taaffe

I’m in the front, Mum sits behind with both

my sleeping sisters, flaked from Auld Lang Syne.

Snow scraps hurl like curls of peel, fling themselves

into the windscreen. I can’t believe how

secret the cautious, clotted streets appear.

The year is closing. The world’s transforming.

Our garden, dressed like a stage set, awaits.

The idea takes. We’re piling, shovelling,

We are like frenzied Frankensteins: intent.

But this snow man is only half monster,

arms bent in rage and towering so I

can’t reach to hang his hat. We sometimes thought

of you like that. You lift me up to press

his coal black eyes. I prayed he wouldn’t melt.

November 2018 Winner

Tuesday, December 4th, 2018

The Butterfly

William Lythgoe

The other night, or possibly

around three hundred years BC

I dreamed I was a butterfly,

free to follow a random breeze

yet always landing

on a flower.

I don’t know why.

It could have been

because I know, in China

over two thousand years ago,

a man whose name was Zhuangzi

told a story

that could have been true

about a man called Chuang Chou

who dreamed he was a butterfly

free to follow a random breeze

yet always landing

on a flower.

When he awoke

he didn’t know

whether he was Chuang Chou

who had dreamed he was a butterfly,

or a butterfly dreaming

he was Chuang Chou.

When I awoke

I thought I knew

I wasn’t a butterfly or Chuang Chou.

But who am I? Could I be

A man whose name was Zhuangzi

dreaming he was me?

Creative Writing Ink October Winner

Tuesday, November 27th, 2018

Ailsa’s Red Patent Bag

Maureen Cullen

The crate stamped Buffalo, New York shed its promised delights and a red patent handbag emerged with a flurry. Ailsa reached over the silken heads of her wee brothers and plucked it out of Mum’s hands. This bag couldn’t be meant for her mother. She of the thick glasses, the wax apron, perfuming all in her wake with the whiff of Domestos. She of the red-raw washday hands that scoured your skin on contact.

Mum raised her eyebrows. ‘Och, awright, hen, you huv it.’

Ailsa planked it in her wardrobe to examine later, returning to the continued emptying of Aunty Morag’s crate and the pleasure of treats outside of Christmas and birthdays.

Satisfied with chocolate, a pair of ice-skating boots she was never likely to wear, and some Minnie Mouse pyjamas, Ailsa retrieved her new bag. She set it on the chair under the window and looked out over backyards to the play park along the boundary of the scheme. Outside, weans squealed to the thud of running feet and a bicycle bell trilled. Huffing, she swished the curtains close, stepped to the door, and ear to the wood, turned the handle, teasing it shut with a squeak. Her room took on a glow, an in-between day and night seclusion.

She rested the bag on her lap, turned it around, fingered every nook and cranny, zipped and unzipped the compartments, raised it to her cheek, let the gloss slip-slide over her skin, and breathed in the tang of elegance. Twin compartments with two zipped inside pockets were separated by a stiff divider. The handles were erect strands that met at the apex, not quite long enough to go over her shoulder, and it was the red of strawberries when they were fit to bust. The bag itself, if you didn’t count the handles, filled the space from Ailsa’s knees to just under her budding chest. She raided her bedside drawer: her comb, a tangle of elastic bands, Kirby grips, a box of mints, two pencils, a grubby rubber, a sharpener emptied of shavings prior to inclusion, and a bluebell hanky she’d chain stitched in Primary 7. She added several red notebooks from Woolies and her buttoned-up purse in which there was one thrupenny bit and a couple of pennies, put in fake cigarettes, the ones that tasted of icing sugar, and a sachet of shampoo.

She unfurled her socks, rubbing at the red lines circling her calves, pulled at her tie until she could pass it over her head, unbuttoned her blouse, slipped out of her skirt, shoved her uniform in the wardrobe, and waltzed up and down in front of the mirror in her slip, her feet arched to replicate high heels. She held the bag on her arm, her fingers splayed at her cheek in the way catwalk models posed.

She flounced down on the bed.

The bag was clunky on her arm, falling to her knees. Mum would laugh if she saw her antics. She emptied it out on her candlewick cover, inserted it in a pillowslip, handles sticking out in protest, and laid it on the top shelf of the airing cupboard.

What with having to choose her subjects for O level, Mum’s perpetual chores, the onset of womanhood, the attendant cramps and disgusting sanitary towels– who thought them up? – Ailsa’s life was just one continual strop.

Until Chrissie joined her class.

Chrissie was a whole year older than Ailsa, she’d been held back at her previous school due to her misfortune. Ailsa hadn’t the nerve to ask what this might be, putting it down to the fact that her parents were divorced.

That first day in class, Chrissie stood at the blackboard, hand on hip, toe pointing forth, the pink tip of her tongue darting between top and bottom lip, and announced with a smile, to Teacher and a room full of bored fourteen-year-old girls, ‘Hi guys, I’m Chrissie Hall.’

Hi guys. To the teacher. How mature was that?

A frisson sizzled through Ailsa as Chrissie tossed back her silver hair. It was like early frost on a windowpane, and her eyes were sharp blue. She had a figure too, a bust that thrust from the V of her cardigan.

Since then, Ailsa had spent most Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday evenings round at Chrissie’s, five streets away and far enough to ensure the parents didn’t meet casually. Ailsa paled at the thought of Mum showing her up in front of Chrissie.

This evening, Ailsa’s parents thought she was at Chrissie’s, if they thought about it at all, most likely glad to be shot of her moaning, and happy to see the back of her. Mum and Dad seemed to jump and jive just to see her smile, so much so that she took on a permanent scowl in their company. On the back of that she’d wangled a checked-black swing coat, a pleated mini skirt, tight fitting knee boots and a bob like Cilla’s.

Now she had a real use for the red patent bag, instead of the occasional outings in front of the mirror. She pulled the bag down, drew it from its pillowslip, kissed it and filled it with her bits and bobs. Oh, glamour indeed. Between this wean and that, she levered herself out of the house to Mum shouting, ‘Don’t be late’.

Soon she and Chrissie were scurrying down Main Road arm in arm, Chrissie’s pearl lips luminous in the dark, Ailsa’s eyes heavy with mascara. They giggled about the date arranged that afternoon in Capaldi’s. Packed to the gunnels on a Saturday, they’d had to squeeze their way in, heady with the hit of coffee, vanilla and dark tangy chocolate.

‘Get a move on, Ailsa. We’ll miss the seats at the back.’ A party of four were vacating a booth and Ailsa twisted through tables until she slid in to the bench, Chrissie bagging the place opposite.

Chrissie leant forward, her cleavage misted with talc as she sloughed off her jacket. ‘Did you see those guys eyeing us up as we came in?’

Ailsa turned around, but Chrissie grabbed her hand. ‘Don’t, you’ll look too keen. Let me reel them in.’

‘Oh, right.’ Alisa concentrated on Chrissie’s face. She was gorgeous and far more sophisticated than Ailsa. She’d had loads of boyfriends and knew how to flirt. Ailsa flushed. Maybe this would be her first date.

‘Two Irn-Bru ice creams please.’ Chrissie’s ice-eyes glinted over the waitress’s shoulder as she wiped their table. It wasn’t long before those eyes swept two good-looking fellas over to their booth. They slid in while Ailsa pretended fascination with her orange infused bubbles. Before she sooked up the last of her Irn-Bru a date had been made for that evening.

Now Ailsa scanned the queue at the picture hall. People waited in pairs for the evening show, their conversations billowing up and down the line. Her mum would kill her, they didn’t know anything about these boys, they weren’t local, but maybe they wouldn’t turn up anyway. She jumped at a tap on her shoulder and turned to a wink and a lopsided grin. Under the lamplight, she didn’t recognise the face. Chrissie was allowing her date to kiss her full on the mouth. This one must be hers then. Bill. She smiled in a manner that was just right.

Funny, but she could have sworn Bill was much younger in the café, maybe the half-light had tricked her. This fella looked… well, over twenty. He might expect a kiss like Chrissie’s date, Tom. She was no way going to kiss him in this queue. Or maybe even at all. He wasn’t that good looking. He was red-faced from the cold and his small chin was pitted with acne which became angrier at his throat. Chrissie was acting all Brigitte Bardot, pouting and flashing smiles. Ailsa wished she wouldn’t do that, there might be local folk who knew their mothers. She hurried on into the dark hall, breathing again once they found their seats. But not for long. Bill nudged her arm and passed a flask. She whispered, ‘What is it?’

What if someone noticed and they got thrown out? She’d die of shame. ‘No thanks,’ she said.

‘Suit yersel.’ He took a slurp.

That’s what was wrong with him. He was half-cut. She sat forward and tried to concentrate on the screen, her heart pounding at her ribcage. When he slid his arm around her shoulders, she stiffened.

‘It’s awright, Doll.’ He breathed booze into her face.

Ailsa was caught between the urge to get up and run, and the embarrassment of appearing a fool. She decided to sit it out. And besides she couldn’t leave Chrissie alone with them both. She glanced over. Tom’s arm was around Chrissie’s shoulder and his hand flopped far too close to her breast. Ailsa flushed hot from her forehead to her knees.

It took her a few deep breaths to calm her nerves and she held fast to her handbag on her knee. Bill seemed to have got the message when he withdrew his arm and settled back. He seemed absorbed in the film, some war story called The Great Escape. When the lights went up at the intermission, she tried to catch Chrissie’s attention but she refused to meet her eye. Bill asked if she liked the film. She nodded and tried to smile. He wasn’t so bad, he seemed to have sobered up, was being relaxed and polite, and he fetched her an ice cream tub. She couldn’t concentrate on the rest of the picture, being sandwiched between Bill and Tom, alert to every squeak and shuffle at either side.

As they left the cinema she tried to shake off her date. ‘I’ll be off home now, thank you, goodnight.’

He laughed and caught her arm. ‘Ah’ll take ye hame sweetheart, don’t want ye gettin intae any bother noo, dae we?’ There was a wheedling in his voice that gave her the heebie-jeebies but she didn’t want to cause a scene with the crowds milling around. He had her firm by the arm. There was no sign of Chrissie.

‘Maybe we’d better find Chrissie and Tom?’

‘Don’t worry about them. They’re huvin a great time. Least he is.’ He laughed.

What happened between that and being wheeched up a close, Ailsa had no idea.

Her back was being driven into the freezing tiles on the wall. Her bag bit into her leg under the weight of him, his breath and tongue were all over her face. ‘Cumoan, relax,’ he kept saying. She tried to scream but his mouth muffled that soon enough. Someone must come: home from a night out, back from work, go out on the night shift. She tried to kick out, only for him to wedge a knee across her thighs. Her arms were pinioned to the wall by his chest. He stank of cloying aftershave and sour sweat. When his hand crept under her skirt and groped her bum, Ailsa started to cry, the tears mixing with his slime.

A door opened, spilling light into the stairwell.  A man’s voice. ‘Hey, whit’s goin on here. Nae winchin up this close.’

Ailsa wailed, but it came out like a snort.

Bill said loudly, his hand relaxing, ‘Only having a wee kiss o ma girl, nae bother auld yin.’

‘No, No, I’m not his girl.’

The man was going back in. She gave a shove, got an inch of space, freed one arm and drove her bag hard under Bill’s chin, caught him off balance, swung the bag again at his head and registered a crack as he squealed. She fell out of the close mouth, scrambled up, looked around for someone, anyone, but the street was empty, curtains closed.

‘What the…’ His voice propelled her on.

The street was a line of tenements with dark, yawning closes, only the occasional spangle of light breaking four storeys of stone. She raced away, only turning at the corner to see him sway and stamp in the middle of the road clutching his head. Like a two-bit actor in a cowboy film.

Ailsa kept running, past streets of tenements until she reached the play park. Though it was inky black ahead, she’d have to risk it. Tendrils of frosted breath flickered into the black. Clouds patched the night sky, masking the moon. She stepped gingerly through the gate. Fingers fluttering at arms-length to feel her way, she tripped. Steadying herself, she inched forward on the path and as her eyes adjusted to the dark, made out the slide on her right and the swings on her left, eerily glowing with frost. When she heard footsteps approaching, her throat tightened. She stumbled again and was steadied by a hand at her elbow.

She looked up, terrified.

It was her mother. ‘Hen, ye’re awfy late. Ah came oot tae look fer ye. Cumoan the way hame.’

When they reached home, Ailsa shut the door quietly behind her and took off her boots. She stepped into the lobby. Mum was already at her bedroom door, curlers under her scarf, wrapped against the cold. She made no attempt to flip the switch and there was only the yellow tinge of a streetlight seeping into the space between them.

‘Och hen, get to yer bed now, and don’t wake the boys.’

‘Sorry, Mum.’

‘Nightie night.’

‘Nightie night.’

Ailsa dropped her red bag, changed into her flannelettes, went to the toilet, stripped, and scrubbed her skin red-raw.

Creative Writing Ink September 2018 Winner

Thursday, November 1st, 2018

Happy Birthday

William Lythgoe

wedding day,

death day.

Trying to tame

the torrent – to make

the sound and fury

signify something.

A rainbow arches

to the whirlpool below.

You cannot know

your destination

so let the wine flow.

Lose control

and merge

with the one who makes you whole.

Don’t cling to the world

as your life bleeds past

your last birthday

but drift

with the stream

that will bear you

the endless

August 2018 Winner

Wednesday, September 19th, 2018

A modest crucifixion

Millicent Stott

I saw Jesus crucified on a lamppost,

rosebud lips painted rouge.

Rotting pink petals and cigarettes

adorned the soggy pavement

by his bloody feet.

The savage decadence of those

unkempt seams of skin shimmered

playfully against the edge of that Tuesday night,

Heat haze.

Cheap neon glamour,

his leopard print glitz,

black eye,

the scene lit strangely before me

like a mirage.

Blood and dirt underneath his

He wore that string of pearls as though

to keep the white skin of his neck

a set of tacky rings each with assorted

Made up quite nicely, of course,

but an odd sight to behold

outside the post office,

crown, nails, lashes and all.

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Working While Getting Disability Benefits

By Tom Margenau

February 14, 2018 6 min read

Q: I am 57 years old and getting Social Security disability benefits. I understand I can work and make $46,000 and still keep my disability checks. But how much can I make when I reach age 62?

A: I'm afraid you've really got things mixed up. The $46,000 figure you cite applies to retirees in the year they turn age 66. And nothing is going to change when you turn 62. So let me back up.

The only reason you are getting disability benefits in the first place is because you have been deemed to be unable to work. Or to put that another way, you are not getting Social Security disability just because you have a physical or mental impairment. You are getting those benefits because that impairment keeps you from working. That inability to work is the key to your eligibility for disability benefits.

So, on the one hand, you shouldn't be working at all. On the other hand, there are all kinds of work incentives built into the disability program that allow you to try working while still collecting your disability checks — at least for a while.

Those incentive provisions fill up about a 100-page book that the Social Security Administration produces. So there is no way I can explain all of them to you in this column. But I can summarize the main provisions.

As a general rule, you can work for up to nine months, making as much money as you can, and still keep getting your benefits. However, after those nine months, if you are still working and if you are making more than about $1,200 per month, there is a pretty good chance your disability checks will stop. If you want more information, go to and under the "Publications" link look for the pamphlet called, "Working While Disabled — How We Can Help." It is an abbreviated version of that 100-page book I mentioned earlier.

Many people getting disability benefits, and apparently you, too, think that something happens with your Social Security checks when you turn age 62. That's wrong. However, when you reach your full retirement age, which would be 67 in your case, you will be automatically switched from the disability program to the retirement program. But the money amount you are getting stays the same; your disability benefit rate equals your full retirement age benefit rate.

What will change once you reach age 67 is your ability to work. At that point, you will be considered a retiree and not a disabled person. And someone at full retirement age can work and earn as much as he or she can without losing any Social Security benefits.

Q: I'm on disability. If I win the lottery, can I keep my disability check?

A: It depends on the kind of disability benefit that you are getting. The Social Security Administration runs two disability programs. So far in this column, we've been dealing with one of them — Social Security disability benefits. The other program is Supplemental Security Income disability. Unlike Social Security, SSI is a welfare program.

So if you are getting Social Security disability benefits, you could win a million dollars in the lottery and you'd still keep getting your disability checks.

But if you are on SSI and you win the lottery, your SSI payments would stop almost immediately.

Q: I am getting SDDI. When can I go on regular SSI?

A: You're mixing up your acronyms, and so, I'm afraid, you're mixing me up, too. As I explained in the prior answer, there are two different disability programs. The Social Security disability program is sometimes known as SSDI. That stands for Social Security disability insurance. And confusingly, the Supplemental Security Income disability program is often shortened into SSID.

And to further complicate this alphabet soup mess, many people think that "SSI" stands for Social Security income. Again, it doesn't. It stands for that federal welfare program called Supplemental Security Income.

So, having explained all that, let me decipher your questions. You said you are getting "SDDI." There is no such thing. My hunch is that you are getting SSDI, or Social Security disability benefits. And then you asked when you can "go on regular SSI." I'm sure you meant to be asking when your disability benefits will be converted to retirement benefits. And as I explained in the previous answer, that will happen automatically when you reach your full retirement age.

Q: I'm on Social Security disability. How do I get a ticket to work?

A: The Ticket to Work program is just one of the many work incentive provisions built into the SSDI and SSID programs. It is way too complicated to explain in this column. And to be honest, I don't fully understand how it works myself. But I can steer you to someone who does. You can call the Ticket to Work hotline at 866-968-7842.

Q: My wife is 60 years old and has been getting a Social Security disability check for many years now. It's only about $850 per month. I turn 66 next month and plan to apply for my retirement benefits then. I am estimated to get $2,640. Can my wife file for spousal benefits on my record?

A: Not quite yet. She has to be 62 years old before she qualifies for spousal benefits. So in a couple years, she can file for dependent wife's benefits on your account. At that age, her disability benefit will be supplemented up to about one-third of your retirement rate.

If you have a Social Security question, Tom Margenau has the answer. Contact him at [email protected] To find out more about Tom Margenau and to read past columns and see features from other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at

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Research and Statistics

5 bankruptcy myths busted

Only deadbeats, cheats and crooks file for bankruptcy, right? Nothing could be further from the truth, say the folks who deal with bankruptcy day to day

The editorial content below is based solely on the objective assessment of our writers and is not driven by advertising dollars. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Learn more about our advertising policy.

The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. Please see the bank’s website for the most current version of card offers; and please review our list of best credit cards, or use our CardMatch™ tool to find cards matched to your needs.

8 myths surrounding bankruptcy

Few people dream of one day filing for bankruptcy. However, it can be the best option for those at the end of their financial ropes — as long as they understand what they’re getting into.

“People are generally poorly informed about what bankruptcy can and cannot accomplish for them,” says Paul Staley, a bankruptcy lawyer and author of “The Bankruptcy Lifeline: What Your Creditors Hope You Don’t Know.” Before you seek to eliminate your debts, check out these myths and make sure you can distinguish fact from fiction.

Myth No. 1: You automatically become debt-free. Of the six types of bankruptcy under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, the two most common among consumers are Chapter 7 and Chapter 13. If you file for Chapter 13 bankruptcy, your debts are restructured in a way where you enter into a repayment plan for three to five years. A bankruptcy trustee distributes the payments among your creditors. Your repayment period may or may not satisfy all your debts, but once it’s over, any remaining unsecured debt is discharged. With Chapter 7 bankruptcy, most debts can be eliminated, but there are exceptions, such as student loans, child support, alimony and some taxes.

Credit card bills and other debts acquired within 90 days of filing for bankruptcy may also not be eliminated if the court determines that you made purchases that you never intended to pay. “I have met with people who have incurred large amounts of debt in weeks running up to the date when they intended to file bankruptcy, some of them knowing all along that they were in deep financial trouble,” Staley says.

People are generally poorly informed about what bankruptcy can and cannot accomplish for them.

— Paul Staley
Author, bankruptcy attorney

Myth No. 2: Your credit report will no longer show delinquent accounts post-bankruptcy. If you have a history of late payments on an account, those late payments that were reported before the bankruptcy will continue to be listed on your credit report until they fall off, typically in seven years, says Rod Griffin, director of public information for Experian. “The credit report is a credit history, so it’s going to show the history of that account from its beginning to its end.”

However, the current status of your accounts should change after you’ve filed for bankruptcy. Discharged accounts should be marked as “included in bankruptcy” or similar language, says Ken Chaplin, senior vice president at TransUnion. If you get your credit report and find that an account that was discharged in your bankruptcy is currently showing up as “past due” or “unpaid,” contact your creditor to let them know the information is not up to date, Chaplin adds.

Myth No. 3. Your credit will be destroyed for the next seven years. In general, Chapter 7 bankruptcies remain on a credit report for up to 10 years and completed Chapter 13 bankruptcies remain for up to seven years, says Christina Goethe, a spokeswoman for FICO.

However, the delinquent accounts that are included in the bankruptcy may disappear off the credit report before the bankruptcy itself. As the individual accounts age and reach the seven-year limit, they’ll be deleted from the credit report, says Norm Magnuson, a spokesman for the Consumer Data Industry Association.

Don’t assume your credit score will skyrocket once the bankruptcy drops off your credit report. If you avoided using credit and simply resorted to cash after your bankruptcy, you could end up with no credit history, says Griffin.

That could be just as bad as having a bankruptcy on your credit report since lenders have no way to assess your creditworthiness. To avoid having this happen, keep an account open or apply for a secure credit card and maintain a positive payment history, Griffin says.

Myth No 4. Debt collectors can’t take your stuff. “The minute you file bankruptcy, something called the automatic stay applies to your case,” says Seymour Wasserstrum, a bankruptcy lawyer in Vineland, New Jersey. “That means creditors automatically must stop any contact with you whatsoever.” Once a debt is included in a bankruptcy, the debt collector cannot try to collect the debt.

However, that doesn’t mean they can’t come after certain belongings. According to the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, lenders may in some cases have the right to repossess collateral that wasn’t paid for, such as a car, after bankruptcy.

Myth No. 5. Your bankruptcy will stop all attempts to collect. If a debt is discharged in bankruptcy, you no longer have a legal obligation to pay it, but that doesn’t mean a creditor won’t try to get you to pay up. Sometimes creditors sell debts to debt buyers who don’t know that the debts have been discharged. In other cases, a creditor may simply continue to try to recoup the money. Whatever the reason, not only are you not obligated to pay, but you can hire a bankruptcy attorney or file a motion with the bankruptcy court to address the matter, says Wasserstrum.

I often hear from people who say, ‘I have friends who declared bankruptcy and three months later they got credit or bought a house.’ … [T]ypically, they’re not the kinds of credit you should want.

—  Rod Griffin
Experian director of public information

Myth No. 6. After bankruptcy you can’t get credit. Some people believe that you can’t get approved for credit after filing for bankruptcy, but many people do, in fact, get approved for credit cards, car loans and even mortgages. However, all that glitters is not gold.  “I often hear from people who say, ‘I have friends who declared bankruptcy and three months later they got credit or bought a house,'” says Griffin. “You may get offers right away, but typically they have very high fees and very high interest rates — they’re not the kinds of credit you should want.”

Myth No. 7. Bankruptcy affects everyone’s credit the same way. The impact of a bankruptcy on an individual’s credit score depends on that person’s entire credit profile, says FICO’s Goethe. “For example, someone who had spotless credit and a very high FICO score could expect a huge drop in their score. On the other hand, someone with many negative items already listed on their credit report might only see a modest drop in their score.” The number of accounts included in the bankruptcy could also affect the score, Goethe adds. “The more accounts included in the bankruptcy filing, the more of an impact on the score.”

Myth No. 8. You’ll lose the shirt off your back. Some people think filing for bankruptcy means they’ll lose everything, but each state has its own bankruptcy exemption law that designates which possessions a debtor can keep. These can include anything from a home to clothing to retirement accounts.

While not the best move for everybody, bankruptcy could give you the opportunity to catch your financial breath. Just make sure you are armed with the truth, rather than myths.

See related:Even paid-off cards usually canceled in bankruptcy, Why bankruptcy of the rich and famous is nothing like yours

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Rate survey: Credit card interest rates rise to 14.96 percent

June 19, 2013: Interest rates on new credit card offers rose this week for the first time in more than a month, according to the Weekly Credit Card Rate Report.

Published: June 19, 2013

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Is the Breathalyzer Skin Patch in Your Future?

Categories: dwi/owi

Breathalyzer Skin Patch

OWI Defense Lawyers Serving Wausau and all of Wisconsin

As our attorneys have previously discussed, the reliability of breath tests (“breathalyzers”) is often a major factor in cases involving charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated (OWI) in Wisconsin. From calibration issues with testing equipment to police errors during the administration of breath tests, there are numerous issues that can lead to unreliable results – and which may provide a defense to OWI in court.

With severe penalties even for first-time OWIs and the possibility for fourth-time OWI offenses to lead to felony charges, it is critical that individuals charged with OWI present as many defenses as possible. Soon, this may involve questioning the validity of results obtained not from a breath test, but from a new “breathalyzer” skin patch.

Researchers Develop Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) Skin Patch

According to a release from UCSD, engineers at the university have developed, “a flexible wearable sensor that can accurately measure a person’s blood alcohol level from sweat.” One of the lead researchers behind the project, nanoengineering professor Joseph Wang, says that the skin patch, “provides an accurate, convenient and quick way to monitor alcohol consumption to help prevent people from driving while intoxicated.” The patch reportedly adheres to the skin similar to a temporary tattoo, and can test the wearer’s blood alcohol content (BAC) within 15 minutes.

In order to provide these results, the release states that the patch tests sensible sweat – the sweat on the surface of the skin. This is contrasted with insensible sweat, which researchers have determined to be an unreliable source of measurement for BAC due to an approximately two-hour delay in testing.

Will Law Enforcement Adopt the Breathalyzer Skin Patch?

Professor Wang and the other engineers behind the breathalyzer skin patch envision it as a tool for people to self-regulate and avoid drinking-and-driving. The device can connect to a user’s Smartphone, so, “When you’re out at a party or at a bar, this sensor could send alerts to your phone to let you know how much you’ve been drinking.”

However, if the technology proves reliable, there is certainly a possibility that law enforcement could adopt it as well. UCSD’s release suggests that the patch avoids many of the issues that lead to unreliability with breath tests, including timing issues and “mouth alcohol” leading to faulty readouts. The device could even be linked to ignition interlock devices, so perhaps individuals convicted of OWI will one day be forced to wear a skin patch that monitors their BAC in order to drive.

While you likely will not be asked to put on a patch when you get pulled over any time soon, if you do, keep in mind that Wisconsin’s implied consent law requires drivers to submit to chemical testing when they get arrested for OWI.

Disclaimer: This Article Is Not Legal Advice.

Never rely on an article for legal advice as the law frequently changes, information may not be accurate, there may be exceptions to a rule, and reliance may be detrimental. Always consult one of our experienced attorneys for competent, current, and accurate legal advice.

Crooks, Low & Connell, S.C. | OWI Defense Lawyers in Wausau, WI

Crooks, Low & Connell, S.C. is a Wausau, WI law firm that represents individuals charged with OWI, prohibited alcohol concentration (PAC), and other alcohol related offenses. If you have been arrested and would like to speak with an attorney, call (715) 842-2291 or contact us online today.


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Creative Brief

Who are you?

Valor Leadership Partners' mission and commitment is to provide high value, professional consulting services to middle market companies navigating periods of financial distress or requiring professional guidance during periods of high growth. In these cases Valor applies more than thirty years of experience in delivering outstanding results for our clients.

What do you need?

We would like to redesign our existing website. Our existing website is www.valorleadership.com

Who Is Your Audience?

Consulting customers and referral sournces in the middle market business community

We Like These Examples

We will show you other websites in the industry and explain what we like and dislike about each in order to produce a winning website with functionality for easily making updates.

We Absolutely Must Have

Timely interaction during the project and quick response. We are in Peachtree City, GA.

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Marco Polo

If you're looking for a child-free cruise experience, climb aboard Marco Polo. You won't get the action-packed itineraries associated with larger cruise ships, but what you will get is a classic cruise on a friendly ship. Want to get the most out of your cruise? Simply follow our top five best Marco Polo cruise tips.

Tip 1: If You Like a Tipple, Consider the Drinks Package

You'll find drinks at a reasonable price on Marco Polo, with the daily cocktail coming in at around the £3 to £4 mark. However, if you like to keep the booze flowing, there's a drinks package priced at £17 per person, per night. Cheers!

Marco Polo - Adapter

Tip 2: Remember Your Adapters

Hair dryers are provided in the cabins, but some passengers prefer to have their own high-powered dryers or hair straighteners. If that's you, or you have other electrical equipment you wish to take, remember your adaptors. There are no British plugs, so take European or US adaptors.

Tip 3: Take in the Shows

While it's true that Marco Polo doesn't have the glitz and expansive facilities for shows that other ships do, don't be a party pooper and ignore what's on offer. What the ship does have are dedicated and talented entertainers who will perform their hearts out for you in the Marco Polo lounge, belting out Broadway numbers and favourites from Abba and Queen. Put it on your personal itinerary.

Marco Polo - Dining

Tip 4: Mix up Your Dining Experience

The food offered on Marco Polo is plentiful and tasty. The Wardorf restaurant offers traditional cruise dining, often at tables set for four, six or eight passengers. Alternatively, opt for Marco's Bistro, which has a buffet, free seating and a more informal vibe. There is no extra charge for eating there.

Tip 5: Get Priority Embarkation

If getting onboard pronto is important to you, consider an upgrade to a Junior Suite. You'll get priority embarkation at departure ports, plus 'At Your Leisure' disembarkation. It's a great idea for an extra-special trip, as you'll also receive a welcome bottle of Champagne, along with fresh flowers on arrival.


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MS Russ deck 4 plan (Boat-Lounge)

Deck layout and review

Review of MS Russ deck 4 (Boat-Lounge)

  • (aft location) Bar-Restaurant Neva (dinner-only restaurant with a la carte priced menu)
  • (aft) Adjacent to the Bar-Restaurant is the ship's Galley (Kitchen serving both restaurants) and storage rooms.
  • (forward location) Panorama Bar (Music Salon) is the ship's Main Lounge / Piano Bar with comfortable seating, dance floor, grand piano for live performances, full-service bar.
  • Cruise cabins from 401 to 446, all of which are Outside staterooms in categories Suite, Single and Twin (Double).


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Naha (Okinawa Island, Japan)

Cruise Port schedule, live map, terminals, news

Naha cruise port

Local Time
21:46 18 Apr 2019

26.22483 N, 127.68079 E

  Port Map

Naha is a port city and capital of Okinawa - Japan's most southern prefecture. The city has population around 320,000 (metro over 1,18 million) and covers a total area of approx 39 km2 (15 ml2). The port is on East China Sea, located on Okinawa Island's southern coast.

Naha (Japan) cruise port

The city was officially established in May 1921. It is Okinawa Prefecture's economic, education and political center. The rebuilt Shuri Castle (former royal palace of Ryukyu Kingdom) is one of the finest Okinawan castles and among Naha's most important historical sites. The palace with its series of underground tunnels served as a command post for the Japanese military during WW2 (1939-1945). The castle was destroyed at the end of the war (in 1945) by the US forces. Today, Shuri Castle is reconstructed and registered as an UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The covered with beautiful mangrove woods Lake Man is another tourist attraction. The lake is located on the boundary of Tomigusuku city and is Ramsar-listed. Ramsar Convention (aka Convention on Wetlands) is an international treaty for conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. It is named after Ramsar city in Iran, where the Convention on Wetlands was signed in 1971.

An interesting fact is that Naha-te (aka Nawate) is a type of martial art that developed here.

By 2021, Okinawa government targets around 2 million foreign cruisers. Statistics for 2016 showed that Japan received a total of 2017 cruise ship calls, of which Okinawa got the biggest share (388). In 2017, Port Naha handled 515 ship calls. On Okinawa Island there are 4 other ports that plan to become cruise port destinations.

Naha cruise terminal

Naha cruise port terminal address is "Tondocho 2-1 Naha, Okinawa, 900-0035 Japan". The facility is managed by Naha Port Authority.

Port Naha cruise ship terminal

Cruise ships in Naha dock at Berth 8. The nearest to the cruise port international airport is located approx 4 km (2,5 ml) west of downtown (city hall), or 10-min car drive distance. The nearest to the cruise terminal train station (Kencho-mae) is at 15-min walking distance.

On August 29, 2018, Naha Port Authority announced a public tender for building a second cruise ship berth via public-private project and all major cruise companies were invited to participate. The target is Naha to become a homeport destination, also serving flycruise programs. The second berth could be operational by 2022. Among the companies that submitted proposals for the project were RCCL (Royal Caribbean), Carnival Corporation, MSC and GHK (Genting).

Port Naha cruise ship schedule shows timetable calendars of all arrival and departure dates by month. The port's schedule lists all ships (in links) with cruises going to or leaving from Naha, Okinawa Island, Japan. To see the full itineraries (ports of call dates and arrival / departure times) and their lowest rates – just follow the corresponding ship-link.

5 April, 2019
Holland America Cruises cruise linems Westerdam08:0017:00
23 April, 2019
Royal Caribbean Cruises cruise lineQuantum Of The Seas07:0015:00
30 April, 2019
Norwegian Cruise Line Cruises cruise lineNorwegian Jewel08:0018:00

The Naha cruise port map is interactive. It shows the port's exact location, along with the real-time cruise ship traffic (if any) in its vicinity - today, and right now. By zooming-out you can see other cruise ship ports located near Naha, Okinawa Island, Japan.

If you lose the Naha location on the map, simply reload the page (also with F5 button). This feature is integrated with the CruiseMapper's cruise ship tracker tracking the vessels' current positions at sea and in ports.

Naha - user reviews and comments


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(910) 483-2958
7611 Clinton Rd • Stedman, NC 28391

Crumplers Automotive Inc. provides Parking Brake Adjustment services to Stedman, NC, Autryville, NC, Fayetteville, NC, and other surrounding areas.

Approx. Time: 30 Minutes  |   Price Range: Get Quote for Price

The Basics Behind Parking Brake Adjustment Services at Crumplers Automotive Inc.

Whether you have a disc brake system or a drum brake system, you have a parking brake that is responsible for locking your vehicle in a parked position. The parking brake, also known as the emergency brake, is applied independently of regular brakes and is engaged by either pulling the parking brake lever or pressing a special pedal. Most motorists use the parking brake when parking on a steep hill. However, the parking brake can also be used to stop suddenly and prevent an accident from occurring. There are three types of parking brakes that use a ratchet locking mechanism: stick, center level, and pedal. Each type of parking brake depends on the style of driver’s seat, and each operates differently depending on the brake system. You should always consult the owner’s manual to determine the correct position of a disengaged parking brake and whether or not your parking brake needs an adjustment.

Why Should You Have Parking Brake Adjustment Services Performed at Crumplers Automotive Inc.?

A properly functioning parking brake is critical for your safety and the safety of your passengers. At some point in the life of your brake system, it may be necessary to adjust the parking brake for a few reasons. Parking brakes use cables to transmit lever movement, and these cables stretch through use and as they age. A properly tensioned cable is an important part of firmly engaging a parking brake. A parking brake that no longer grips as it once did or sticks is another reason to seek a parking brake adjustment. Solutions to some parking brake problems may be found in the replacement of parts or additional lubrication to moving components. Our staff will determine the correct parking brake repair or adjustment procedure upon inspecting your parking brake and accompanying components.

We proudly service the Parking Brake Adjustment needs of customers in Stedman, NC, Autryville, NC, Fayetteville, NC, and surrounding areas.

Areas Served : Autryville NC | Fayetteville NC | Stedman NC | and surrounding areas

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Blue Cities Initiative - Charles River Watershed Association
CRWA's Blue Cities Initiative incorporates the design of natural green corridors and infrastructure to help treat stormwater runoff before it enters the Charles and its tributaries, through plant filtration and infiltration into the ground – all while enhancing neighborhoods and connecting existing open spaces.

Restoring Natural Hydrology to the Urban Environment

As in most cities, metropolitan Boston’s water cycle has been radically altered. Drinking water is piped in from 65 miles away, sewage is piped out to Deer Island Treatment Plant in Boston Harbor, streams are now buried and pavement prevents rainwater from seeping into the ground. These changes increase flooding and pollution, and impact groundwater levels. The loss of streams and floodplains parallels the region’s loss of open space and green corridors. The best way to reduce water problems in urban areas is to design cities so that they mimic the way nature handles water.

Blue Cities Initiative - Charles River Watershed Association

Impacts of Urbanization on the Natural Water Cycle, Image source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Massachusetts receives about 45 inches of precipitation every year. In the natural environment, almost half of this rainfall filters into the ground, and nearly all the rest returns to the sky as water vapor. In cities, we have paved over the ground and cut down many of the trees that turn water into vapor. The result: well over 50 percent of the rain in a typical year quickly becomes polluted stormwater runoff. Developed areas are designed to collect and discard rain quickly, dumping runoff in rivers through storm drains. Bigger storms overwhelm the system, resulting in flooding and, depending on the infrastructure, combined sewer and sanitary sewer overflows.

To make rain once again an asset that replenishes aquifers, and to reduce the pollution from stormwater and the risk of flooding from storm events, CRWA is working to reengineer urban landscapes to function more naturally. By designing natural green corridors and infrastructure that can soak up water and carry it slowly through the city, “Blue Cities” designs also enhance neighborhoods and connect existing open spaces.

How CRWA Achieves Blue Cities

Blue Cities Initiative - Charles River Watershed Association

Restoring urban greenscapes and natural hydrologic function is at the heart of CRWA’s Blue Cities Initiative. Using historic maps as a starting point to understand how rainwater once functioned before urbanization, Blue Cities analyses evaluates opportunities for restoration that work with, rather than against, natural hydrology.CRWA evaluates soil types, historic groundwater flow, and historic versus constructed drainage patterns. This information forms the basis for retrofitting buildings, streets and parking lots to capture and treat runoff, connect isolated greenspace, and create greenways – in effect, mimicking historic natural conditions.

READ: CRWA's Blue Cities Guide - Environmentally Sensitive Urban Development

CRWA’s work includes partnering with others to build and monitor our demonstration projects, modeling the potential impacts of large scale Blue Cities designs, and training other environmental advocates, local residents, and municipal officials.

Projects within the Blue Cities Initiative fall under three main categories. To learn more about CRWA’s current Blue Cities projects, explore the links below:

Green Infrastructure Demonstration Projects
Community Collaboration
Science and Technical Analysis

About Blue Cities Initiative

Project Manager

Pallavi Mande - Blue Cities Initiative
Pallavi Kalia Mande
Director of Blue Cities
Bio | 781.788.0007 x232 |

Learn More About Our Work

Blue Cities® Consulting Services

CRWA offers Blue Cities® consulting services to individuals, developers, organizations, municipalities and other groups who are planning, designing or implementing projects that align with the Blue Cities® approach.

Learn More


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Would Russia really use nuclear weapons against neighbors?

A new Russian doctrine – which says it can use nuclear weapons preemptively against small regional adversaries – is seen either as a sign of aggression or bluster to mask insecurity.

Russian troops run drills in Rostov-on-Don, in the country’s southwest. As it reforms its conventional military, Russia may feel vulnerable, experts suggest.

The Kremlin is drafting a new military doctrine, due by year's end, that may authorize the armed forces to use nuclear weapons not only to counter a massive conventional attack but even to launch a preemptive strike against a small regional adversary – such as neighboring Georgia or Ukraine – that might be deemed a threat to Russia.

Or so declared the new doctrine's main author, Kremlin Security Council chief Nikolai Patrushev, in a newspaper interview that sent shock waves rolling around the world last month and generated a storm of controversy among military analysts.

Experts divide between those who see the new, forward-leaning nuclear doctrine as a sign that the Kremlin is becoming more menacing toward its post-Soviet neighborhood, and those who view it as an expression of extreme vulnerability at a moment when the Russian military is undergoing its most radical reorganization in almost a century.

What Mr. Patrushev said, speaking to Moscow's biggest daily newspaper, Izvestia, was that, in a big change over the previous doctrine adopted in 2000, "We have corrected the conditions for use of nuclear weapons to resist aggression with conventional forces not only in large-scale wars, but also in regional or even a local one."

A warning or expedient?

Even more explosive, Patrushev added that Russia might strike first against an enemy whom it suspected of harboring belligerent intentions. "In a situation critical for national security, we don't exclude a preventive nuclear strike at the aggressor," he said.

Some critics say it seems almost bizarre to lower the threshold for using atomic weaponry at a time when Moscow is trying to negotiate radical reductions in strategic warheads with the United States and President Dmitry Medvedev has signed on to the "Global Zero" campaign for a world free of nuclear arms.

These critics also warn that the new doctrine, which Mr. Medvedev is due to sign in December, could have a chilling effect on Russia's relations with other post-Soviet states if the final version includes those provocative points.

"It seems that even in the case of small conflicts, such as the war Russia had with Georgia last year, where there is a fear that the US or NATO might intervene," says Pavel Felgenhauer, a military expert with the opposition weekly Novaya Gazeta, "we are now going to invoke nuclear deterrence. Nobody is really intending to use nuclear arms, but the point here is to warn other big powers to stay away in the event of conflicts in our own neighborhood," such as a hypothetical crisis with Ukraine over Crimea, or with Georgia over the breakaway state-lets of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, he says.

Other experts suggest the bombastic – and very public – nuclear talk might be a temporary expedient, to cover Russia's extreme weakness as it undergoes a quiet reorganization of its armed forces.

According to Vitaly Shlykov, a former Soviet war planner who now serves as a civilian adviser to the Russian Defense Ministry, the military reform will abolish the old "mobilization" army that Russia has maintained for more than a century and replace it with a much smaller and streamlined force, but one whose brigades are fully staffed and combat ready.

"Naturally, the Army is weakened, temporarily weakened, by these very radical changes," says Mr. Shlykov. "It's natural that we would rely more on our nuclear deterrent during this transition, though it's debatable whether that should be done in the loud fashion that Patrushev did."

Scaling back Russian army

Under the military reform, the number of officers in the armed forces will be slashed from 355,000 to 150,000, while overall manpower will fall from around 1.2 million to 1 million. The most dramatic change will be the abolition of hundreds of "phantom" divisions, with officers but no troops, which were meant to be filled out in wartime through the mobilization of millions of reservists. Plans call for cutting the number of Russian Army units from the present 1,890 to just 172 by 2012.

"The day of no return for the military reorganization is coming up fast, Dec. 1," says Shlykov, a former deputy chair of Russia's State Defense Committee. "At that point, Russia will have a totally new army, at least on paper. Of course, it will take a few years to bring it up to speed. Until then, we have only our nuclear weapons to rely on."

Russia currently deploys about 2,780 strategic nuclear warheads – though negotiations for a new arms-reduction deal with the US could bring that down to around 1,500 – plus another 2,000 tactical weapons.

Russia's Strategic Rocket Forces will be only slightly affected by the ongoing reform, and remain in full operational shape during the current transition, experts say.

Russia began to shift to reliance on nuclear weapons after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the evaporation of its military alliance, the Warsaw Pact. As more and more Eastern European countries joined NATO over the past decade, and Russia's once-massive conventional forces dwindled and decayed, the Kremlin began to regard the nuclear option as the key guarantor of national security in a crisis.

'We envisage only small, regional wars'

Experts say the old Cold-War equation, in which numerically overwhelming Warsaw Pact legions prompted NATO to emphasize its tactical nuclear options, has been reversed since the USSR and its alliance disbanded.

"In earlier times, when we had conventional superiority," says Gen. Makhmud Gareyev, president of the official Academy of Military Sciences in Moscow, "we didn't need nuclear weapons so much. But their importance has been growing. We need to preserve the strategic parity that we had in the past."

But this moment of strategic vulnerability for Russia, though potentially dangerous, will probably only last a few years, says Shlykov.

"The reality is changing drastically, and Russia is no longer thinking in terms of large-scale conventional conflicts with NATO," Shlykov says. "In future, we envisage only small, regional wars. And soon we will have completely modern conventional armed forces to deal with them."

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New Drug Shows Promise for Progressive Form of MS

September 18, 2018

In a phase 2 clinical trial, an investigational anti-inflammatory drug called ibudilast was found to be superior to placebo in slowing the progression of brain atrophy in patients with progressive multiple sclerosis. The study, conducted at 28 sites around the country, including Columbia University Irving Medical Center, was published Aug. 30 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Why it Matters

About a dozen drugs have been approved for the treatment of relapsing-remitting MS, but few therapies are available for the progressive stage of the disease.

“We’re very encouraged by the results. This opens a new avenue of hope for patients with progressive MS, which has been very difficult to treat,” says study co-author Claire S. Riley, MD, assistant professor of neurology at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and medical director of the Multiple Sclerosis Center at Columbia.

MS is characterized by a breakdown of myelin, a fatty substance that surrounds axons (part of the nerve cell that transmits signals between brain cells). When myelin degrades, communication between brain cells slows down, causing symptoms such as muscle weakness and problems with thinking and memory. In the most common form of the disease, relapsing-remitting MS, symptoms occur then disappear for weeks or months. Most people with relapsing-remitting disease eventually develop secondary progressive MS, in which symptoms worsen as the brain atrophies. About 15 percent of MS patients have primary progressive MS, in which the disease progresses with the onset of symptoms, without early relapses or remissions. MS is estimated to affect 400,000 people in the United States and 2 million people worldwide.

Ibudilast, which is made by MediciNova, has been marketed in South Korea and Japan since 1989 for the treatment of dizziness after stroke and bronchial asthma. In the United States, it is being studied as a treatment for ALS (another neurodegenerative disorder) and for drug addiction.

What’s New

In this trial, 255 patients with primary or secondary progressive MS were randomized to receive oral ibudilast or placebo for almost two years. The patients ranged in age from 18 to 65, with an average disease duration of 12 years. Using magnetic resonance imaging, the researchers found that patients taking ibudilast had 48 percent less brain atrophy compared with controls. The drug was well tolerated but was associated with higher rates of gastrointestinal side effects, headache, and depression than placebo.

What it Means

Ibudilast appears to be safe and effective for the treatment of patients with progressive MS, although phase 3 clinical trials must demonstrate the drug’s effectiveness in clinical outcomes before it can receive FDA approval.

What’s Next

MedicaNova is currently looking at opportunities to begin phase 3 trials of ibudilast in patients with progressive MS.

This study looked at brain volume, not symptoms. However, brain shrinkage in MS is usually associated with declines in physical and cognitive function. “We can detect brain volume changes more accurately than changes in physical or cognitive function, which is why the study used brain volume change as the primary outcome,” explains Riley. “This allowed us to obtain results over a shorter period of time with fewer patients. Further studies are needed to determine if ibudilast has any effect on symptoms or neurologic disability.”

The drug was tested only in patients with progressive MS, not those with relapsing-remitting disease. If phase 3 trials prove that ibudilast is effective for those with progressive MS, it may be considered for use in a broader swath of the MS population, says Riley.

More Info

The study, “Phase 2 Trial of Ibudilast in Progressive Multiple Sclerosis,” was published Aug. 30, 2018, in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Claire S. Riley is assistant professor of neurology and medical director of the Multiple Sclerosis Center at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

The other authors are listed in the paper.

The study was supported by grants from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (U01NS082329), the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and MediciNova.


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New York City Center

Throw Pillow

Select a Size
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    This numbered edition Throw Pillow, designed by Edi Chen, comes with a numbered and signed certificate of authenticity. Made from 100% spun polyester, filled with a soft faux down insert, and closed with a concealed zipper. No matter which way you turn it, this double-sided pillow is the perfect accent to any living space.

    • Numbered and signed certificate
    • Delivery in {0} to {1} business days
    • 100 days free return policy
    size chart

    Also available as

    • Art Print Art Print
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    • Men's Classic T-Shirt Men's Classic T-Shirt
    • Women's Classic T-Shirt Women's Classic T-Shirt

    About this Artwork

    All things exist and obey balance and New York City is no exception. We deliberately build symmetrical buildings and objects in pursuit of visual balance. At the same time, all forms of life that live in this city are both active and passive, quiet and restless, harmonious, opposite, past and future. We are influenced and affected by this city and are trying to build the balance we are searching for and in doing so have become part of it. We all share this city and its future.

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    Brooklyn, United States

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    • " Print is crisp and pillows are well stuffed, not super soft fabric, but I love them and would order again and highly recommend. They look exactly like the picture. "Kellyw
    • " EXCELLENT quality and absolutely beautiful art! "Fred
    • " Very pleased with the pillow. Well made and neat. Looks great. "Rhoda
    • " Amazing quality. The colors are bright and beautiful. My pillows are strewn all over my couch and bed! Easily washable / doesnt fade. "Harpa


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Last Updated: Mar 12, 2019 Game Version: 8.1.0

Apr 24, 2015

Owner: MunkDev

Will my controller work with ConsolePort?

IMPORTANT: This addon requires third-party software for keyboard and mouse emulation. Using third-party software is not prohibited by Blizzard as long as it doesn't automate your gameplay.

ConsolePort currently supports Xbox and Dualshock 4 controllers natively, courtesy of WoWmapper. It also supports the Steam controller through their own mapping interface. ConsolePort is not restricted to those, but it is somewhat restricted to conventional controller layouts. It requires a set of atleast 14-15 buttons, which is what you'll find on any version of the PlayStation, Xbox or Logitech controllers. A current generation official controller is recommended because of their precision, build quality and superior mouse curve compared to older generations.

DualShock 4 / Xbox controller on Windows (NOT the Steam controller)

  1. Download the latest release of WoWmapper.
  2. Install WoWmapper and start the application.
  3. Connect your controller by USB or Bluetooth. Make sure your controller is recognized in your operating system. WoWmapper will automatically detect and map your controller.
  4. Install the addon and start the game.
  5. If you enable ConsolePort sync, your calibration data will automatically load when you log in. If not, you will have to calibrate manually by pressing each requested button 3 times.

Steam controllers on Windows

  1. Download the mapping profile from the Steam controller database.
  2. Add WoW-64.exe (or WoW.exe on 32-bit) to Steam as a non-steam game. Name it World of Warcraft. (Alternatively, follow the instructions below to step 4 and import the profile as a general template and set it as your desktop configuration.)
  3. Install the ConsolePort addon in [WoW folder]/Interface/AddOns.
  4. Place the controller profile in [Steam folder]/controller_base/template.
  5. Start big picture mode and find World of Warcraft in your library.
  6. Click Manage Shortcut > Configure Controller > Browse Configs.
  7. Go to the Templates tab and select the ConsolePort Official profile in the list.
  8. Start WoW.

Other controllers and operating systems

Using the addon

Camera and mouse control

Mouse look is a feature within the game where you lock your mouse cursor in order to control the camera in 3D-space. This state is usually triggered by holding down the right mouse button. ConsolePort utilizes this feature to a great extent to keep you from having to hold down a button on the controller in order to control your character and camera. You can seamlessly use the mouse cursor when necessary, but keep it locked otherwise.

Toggles OFF automatically when:

  1. Casting mouse spells (Trap Launcher, Ring of Frost, Heroic Leap, etc.)
  2. Picking up spells, items, macros, glyphs, etc.
  3. Using R3 or right clicking.
  4. "Interact with mouseover" is triggered.

Toggles ON automatically when:

  1. Changing targets.
  2. Placing the mouse cursor on your character.
  3. Interacting with NPCs.
  4. Looting.

Mouse behaviour can be customized in the interface options to suit your own playstyle. By keeping the mouse cursor centered on screen, it's easy to pick up items, loot mobs and target things in melee range.

Virtual cursor

The virtual cursor is a replacement for the mouse when using the interface. It snaps to clickable and interactive objects across the interface. It is controlled by the D-pad for moving and the right-hand buttons to left and right click. It can be customized to your own liking, and with a bit of know-how, you can integrate other addons to work with the cursor.
Default setup:

  • Circle or B - left click
  • Square or X - right click

Custom binding manager

ConsolePort does not use the normal keybinding system at all. Initially, a wizard will ask you to click the buttons on your controller in order to bind them. If you're using WoWmapper, these settings are automatically configured for you. Beyond the initial setup, ConsolePort uses its own binding system, which can be found by clicking Controller on the game menu. With any traditional controller, you have roughly 60 possible bindings through the modifier system. You can expand the amount further by using action pages, the built-in utility ring, focus modifier and targeting cursors.

Virtual keyboard

The virtual keyboard is a replacement for typing, if you want to skip using keyboard altogether. This unconventional way of typing has a steep learning curve, but is eventually much faster than moving a virtual cursor across a virtual QWERTY-layout. It is controlled by moving the left stick around while pressing buttons on the right hand side. Using your modifiers will swap out the character sets. The keyboard has 8 circles with 4 buttons inside them, each containing 4 different combinations. It is highly customizable; it has a total of 128 combinations, and you can change any of them to be whatever you want.

For anyone that still uses a keyboard side-by-side with their controller, the keyboard can be disabled; untick it as a separate add-on in the list of installed add-ons, or temporarily turn it off through its own interface panel in the controller configuration.

World interaction

Interacting with the game world can only be done the conventional way; by clicking the mouse or using interaction bindings. ConsolePort cannot aid in looting and clicking items on the ground, apart from keeping the cursor centered and ready to use. This is a restriction designed by Blizzard to prevent gameplay automation and there's currently no API that allows for mouse-free interaction.

Use R3 (right stick button), "Interact with mouseover" or the dual purpose interact button to click items in 3D-space, loot mobs and interact with NPCs. Constantly clicking the right stick with your thumb might be straining in the long run, which is why it's highly recommended to use mouseover interaction or the configurable interact button instead.


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Last Updated: Jul 31, 2018 Game Version: 8.0.1

Aug 27, 2010

Owner: BigRedBrent

This addon still works with other addons such as Ovale!

This addon contains the button flashing functionality for SpellFlash. This addon was created so that the spell flashing functionality from SpellFlash may be used separately.

This addon does not need to be downloaded separately if you already have SpellFlash installed, because this addon is already packaged with SpellFlash.

The SpellFlashCore API list may be found here.

  • Please submit translations here.
  • Please create a ticket for bugs and suggestions here.

If you have even five or ten dollars to spare, it would mean an awful lot. Thank you for your support.
Use this button to send donations of $12 or more: http://www.paypal.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_donate_SM.gif
Use this micro payment button to send donations of less than $12: http://www.paypal.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_donate_SM.gif

Or use this address if you have Bitcoin: 1PsJk5cF5n55jT6H7sBEnzP8BKZCHGGVLe

Donations are not required to download and use this addon, but they are very much appreciated.

Please click on the "Like" buttons at the top right of this page.
Also click here for the Facebook page.

  • To post a comment, please or register a new account.
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Custom Carpet Centers

Media Room Flooring Ideas

Get up to $500 OFF toward your next flooring purchase Get Coupon

Flooring Ideas

Put on a Great Show in Home Media Rooms

The media room flooring you select will greatly impact the look, feel and overall enjoyment of this entertainment space. Design style and cost will influence your choice, of course, but you will need to think about factors like acoustics and where your media room is located. When it comes to movies, gaming and air guitar jam sessions, we have great media room flooring options for you to discover.

Best Media Room Flooring Ideas

Carpeting quiets a room by absorbing sound from electronic systems and reflections off hard surfaces. Design options range from luxurious plush with a soft, thick feel to highly durable carpet that expertly hides footprints, dirt and vacuum streaks. For basement media rooms, engineered hardwood is less susceptible to shrinking and expanding, so you can install it where solid hardwood isn’t recommended. Moisture-resistant laminate flooring and waterproof luxury vinyl plank both use high-definition printing to capture all the realism of genuine hardwood but at a more affordable price. Or imagine the elegance of stone, slate or ceramic tile in your media room – luxury vinyl tile recreates these looks to perfection!

When considering media room flooring options, don’t forget about ceiling height. You may want to look at a flooring solution like luxury vinyl plank that doesn’t require a subfloor.


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Cliquez sur le drapeau pour visiter le site en français

Three keys To Create a WOW Customer Experience!

Tracking customer satisfaction is often a headache!...

  • What and why you need to track customer satisfaction? What Is Customer Satisfaction And Its Role In Your Company?
  • How to track customer satisfaction and treat your customers like they are your boss!
    The Common Mistakes That Are Killing Your Customer Satisfaction.
  • How to create a customer experience that delivers high customer satisfaction and creates customer advocates.
    How to leverage customer advocates generating new business referrals. Customer advocates are the number one source for growing your business!

This is what this speech will focus on!

Click here to book Véronique Leroy


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Monday, April 08, 2019

UPDATE: Charges filed in CTA robbery that was featured in police alert

Melvin Turner | Chicago Police Dept
A suburban man has been charged with robbing a 17-year-old girl onboard a CTA train, a crime that was featured in a CPD community alert over the weekend.

Shortly before 1 p.m. on  March 21, the victim was on the Green Line near the Morgan station when a man approached and asked for food, police said. The offender then touched the woman’s genital area, took her phone, and ran from the train, according to the alert issued late Friday night.

Now, police say they’ve arrested 31-year-old Melvin Turner of west suburban Carol Stream in connection with the crime. Turner was arrested early Sunday in Oak Park after police identified him as the robber, according to Chicago police.

Turner is charged with one count of felony robbery. He is due in bond court on Monday.

Friday night's community alert also told of a second incident that was reported in the Loop: Around 1:30 p.m. on March 26, two men followed a woman onto an elevator at the Harold Washington Library/State-Van Buren train station. The men asked the woman for money. When she refused, the two began kissing the woman, and one of the men made contact with her genital area, police said.

The two offenders were black males in their late 20’s or early 30’s who stand 5’6” to 5’8” tall. Both were wearing black skull caps, according to the police alert.

Turner has not been charged in connection with the downtown incident.
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SEO in Inbound Marketing: how to attract quality traffic to your website

SEO or search engine optimization is a discipline which involves applying a series of techniques on a website in order to improve its position in search engines, it is very useful within an Inbound Marketing strategy.
The goal of SEO is to make a website appear as high as possible in the search results, in order to attract more visitors and thus increase the conversion possibilities.
To avoid confusion, it is important to distinguish between SEO and SEM:

  • SEO positions the website among organic results, that is, we can not pay the search engine to improve our positioning.

  • In contrast, SEM positions the web through paid ads in search engines.

Although there are many search engines worldwide, in our country Google is clearly the king. Therefore, when we talk about SEO, in general we refer to positioning a website on Google.

Within an incoming strategy, SEO techniques help us create a qualified long-term traffic channel. Once these users have reached our website, we can use different strategies to capture them and make them become potential customers.

Inbound Marketing EN - SEO

Advantages of SEO for brands

  • If your website is your store, SEO is equivalent to putting a showcase, and this results in visits. For example, if you manage to position your website in the first place for a keyword with 100,000 searches per month, and the first result takes 20% of the clicks, you will have 20,000 more monthly visits.
  • Through SEO techniques, we attract visitors to our website, so it is a very interesting tool to start our inbound marketing processes and turn these visitors into leads and customers.
  • Optimizing a website for search engines requires time and effort, but let's keep in mind that it is a source of long-term results. Once you have managed to position the website, you will have a constant source of visits without additional costs.
  • The web positioning techniques are designed to improve the user experience and the quality of the contents. If you apply them correctly, not only will you be able to position higher in the search engines, but also improve the results of your website in general.
  • In general, users rely on Google algorithms to distinguish which pages are of the highest quality and contain the information they seek. Therefore, if your website appears among the first results, they will tend to trust your brand more, and you will have an easier time converting them.

Types of SEO

There are two fundamental distinctions we have to make to differentiate the types of SEO: on one hand, SEO on page versus SEO off page, and on the other, SEO white hat and SEO black hat.

SEO on page and off page

  • The SEO on page is, as its name suggests, the one that focuses on improving the website itself through the optimization of its internal elements: content, titles, descriptions, loading times, etc For the search engines, SEO on page improves the relevance of a webpage, that is, its correspondence with a specific search or searches. It can also attract users thanks to the content that is displayed on the Google results pages (title and description of the page). In addition, by improving the structure of the website and its content, SEO on page can facilitate the user experience.
  • The SEO off page focuses on external factors and aims to determine the authority or popularity of a website. Within the elements of SEO off page we can find links to a website, presence in social networks, mentions in media, or the ratio of users who click when it appears in the search results. In summary, we can think of the SEO off page as the "public relations" of our page.

SEO white hat and SEO black hat

  • The SEO white hat is based on techniques that comply with the guidelines of search engines and that aim to position the web in an ethical manner. In general, the "white hat" techniques result in higher quality websites and improve the user experience.

  • In contrast, SEO black hat seeks to bypass the rules to achieve rapid results in a short time, for example, including hidden content on the web or spamming links in forums and blogs. Although sometimes you can get a quick jump in positioning, in the long term it is very risky and it also does not add value to the brand or the user, so we do not recommend it.

Basic techniques of search engine optimization

The world of SEO techniques is very complex and they are constantly updated as Google modifies its algorithms. However, here are some of the basic tools that will improve your web positioning within an inbound marketing strategy:

  • Selection of keywords: the keywords are those concepts for which we seek to position our website. Therefore, a good SEO strategy is based on studying which concepts are the most searched within our field and how to include them in our website so that Google detects them.

  • Web optimization: websites that often breakdown or are poorly optimized for mobile devices and have excessive loading times, these are two of SEO's biggest enemies. To be able to position correctly in search engines, it is necessary to make a tuning of the web from the technical point of view.

  • Choosing friendly URLs: the URLs or links of the different pages within a website are a key aspect of their positioning. Ideally, they should be as simple as possible and contain the keywords that we seek to position.

  • Creation of quality content: search engines like pages which are useful to users. Having well organized quality content and frequent updates will help us improve SEO.

  • Titles, headings and descriptions: all articles and pages within the website must have a descriptive title containing the keywords. They should also be divided into different sections with their corresponding headings. Additionally, the descriptions of each page appear in the results of the search engines, so optimizing them should be a priority...

  • Link building: refers to including techniques designed to generate inbound links to our webpage from other sites. We will always seek to get links from quality sites, avoid spam and take care of details such as the text of the link and the type of relationship established with our page (follow or nofollow).

We hope this information helps you to learn a little more about what SEO is and how you can improve your search engine positioning to reinforce your inbound marketing strategy and the results of your brand in the medium and long term.

If you want to start with your SEO strategy or optimize your positioning results, at Cyberclick we have a lot to offer. We will be happy to be part of your team to help you attract more traffic to your website.


text:
South Florida’s oldest firm celebrates 120 years

By , in PR on .

MIAMI, FL – 09-14-2018 (PRDistribution.com) —

This year marks the incredible 120th anniversary for Biscayne Engineering, the oldest engineering firm in South Florida and the oldest company headquartered in Miami. Founded in 1898, Biscayne Engineering (BE) provides civil engineering and surveying services and has been an integral part of the most recognizable landmarks of our community including Vizcaya, Star Island, the Florida Everglades, the first U.S. Post Office building and Federal Courthouse, the University of Miami’s first campus building, Tropical Park’s conversion to a horse track and many Florida International University buildings. The company’s founders worked for Miami’s historical figures, such as Henry Flagler (FEC Railroad) and Carl Fisher (Miami Beach pioneer), to bring their visions of the City to life. Today, BE’s work is represented in many of the new high rises that make up our unique skyline, and the company was recently awarded FDOT contracts to continue to improve our roadways.“It gives me great pride to join our employees, clients and business partners in celebrating this momentous occasion,” remarked Melissa Bolton Calabrese, CEO of Biscayne Engineering. “We have come a long way since our humble beginnings in 1898 and are very excited about our future growth, as we continue to be a part of South Florida’s progress and development. We could not have come this far without the many remarkable people, past and present, who have been an important part of our amazing history.”To celebrate, Biscayne invited clients, partners, dignitaries and employees to join them for an anniversary reception at Brightline’s MiamiCentral Station, which has exceptional meaning due not only to its connection with Henry Flagler’s railroad company FEC, but also because BE worked on Brightline’s stations from inception to completion.Biscayne Engineering uses the most advanced methods and technologies available and are extremely experienced working with private clients, as well as the public sector at both the state and municipal level. At BE, they do things the way they are meant to be done, always. To learn more, visit our website at www.biscayneengineering.com.

Media Contacts:

Company Name: Ilumas, Inc.
Full Name: Cindy Hernandez
Phone: 786-302-2562
Email Address: Send Email
Website: www.ilumas.com

For the original news story, please visit https://prdistribution.com/news/south-floridas-oldest-firm-celebrates-120-years.html.

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Brad Bennett

Brad Bennett

Brad grew up in a small town in northern Iowa. He studied chemistry in college, graduated, and married his wife one month later. They were then blessed with two baby boys within the first four years of marriage. Having babies gave their family a desire to return to the old paths – to nourish their family with traditional, homegrown foods; rid their home of toxic chemicals and petroleum products; and give their boys a chance to know a simple, sustainable way of life. They are currently building a homestead from scratch on two little acres in central Texas. There’s a lot to be done to become somewhat self-sufficient, but they are debt-free and get to spend their days living this simple, good life together with their five young children.
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• About

    Weekly Salsa social level class open to all/ no partner needed. Call to attend. $25 drop in or purchase class card

  • More Info
    Special Offers:

    buy 8 get 1 free

    Style: Salsa
    Event: Workshop
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Ackbar's Mana Circle (3.5e Spell)

From D&D Wiki

Jump to: navigation, search
Ackbar's Mana Circle
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Casting time: 1 min.
Range: Within circle
Area: 5 ft. radius circle
Duration: 1 round/lvl
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

Spells cast within this circle do not count against spells per day. If the spell normally has a material component that is expended, it is not. All XP costs are still required for individual casting. This circle requires a minute to draw on the ground and enchant.

Material Component: Chalk and 3 candles

Back to Main Page3.5e HomebrewComplex Special Ability ComponentsSpellsSorcerer/Wizard

Home of user-generated,
homebrew pages!
system ref. documents

admin area
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Try Out Ubuntu Hardy Heron (8.04)

For those ubuntu freaks out there, you can already try out the new version of Ubuntu 8.04, see if there are new features and changes. But remember it’s still far from being the final version (let’s wait little less than six months). It may have some bugs, and it’s normal, for a under development OS.

So If you really want to try it, here is how you can do it:

    $ sudo vi /etc/apt/sources.list # in the end place :%s/gutsy/hardy and press enter

If you are using the graphic interface, use ALT + F2

    gksu gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

Go to, Search -> Replace, and in the first line you can put Gutsy and in the second Hardy, and set to replace, save and close the file.
Now you can:

    $ sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

    $ sudo shutdown -r now

Here we go gentleman!

2 comments on “Try Out Ubuntu Hardy Heron (8.04)

  1. geefour November 21, 2007 7:14 pm

    isn’t Hardy still in it’s alpha testing phase?

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