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Open House. Open House on Saturday, July 30, 2016 11:00AM - 1:00PM

Drop by and visit our Open House at 25 19477 72A AVE in Surrey.
Open House on Saturday, July 30, 2016 11:00AM - 1:00PM

Immaculate, Pristine, Stylish & Spacious 2 bedroom + DEN townhouse in sought after Sun At 72! The serene tree-lined pathway leads to your front door, fully fenced yard and garden. No expense spared with UPGRADED custom cabinets and shelving throughout, wainscotting on the main, cabinet panel hidden dishwasher, new lighting, refaced FIREPLACE, contemporary stainless steel wired railing, laminate on stairs and much more. Modern architecture with overhangs and rainscreen technology, Hardie board siding, 9' ceilings on the main, wide plank laminate flooring & oversized windows gives a bright, airy feel to this home. Large & Lustrous kitchen features timeless white shaker cabinetry, breakfast bar, quartz countertops and stainless appliances.

The den below has a built in murphy bed and student desk area!

Master bedroom has plenty of storage with additional custom cabinets and flat screen TV.

The upper level luxurious 5 piece bathroom comes with his & hers sinks, 5 foot soaker tub and heated flooring.

BBQ from your private deck off the living room with an open view across the way.

Also features a single garage with an additional parking spot in the driveway.

Built by award winning Solterra and near Langley’s mecca of shops and services, including Willowbrook Mall. There is unlimited opportunity for outdoor adventure and family fun, with numerous parks, golf courses, and trails nearby.

One of the best locations in the complex! Properties like this rarely become available.

· Westcoast & contemporary architecture by award winning Rositch Hempel Architects featuring bold colours & design

· Dramatic roof overhangs with interesting cedar accents, providing a beautiful design & function such as shade & protection

· Tall, dramatic windows, & durable Hardie siding with attractive trim accents creates a striking residential community within the Clayton neighbourhood.

· Meticulous planning & placement of oversized windows throughout the residences provide natural sunlight on two or three sides of each home

· Spacious decks & own yards create extensive outdoor living opportunities

· C Plans: Single Car Garage with additional parking spot in driveway

· Each home comes with automatic garage door openers

· Community landscape design integrated with future city greenway system

· Lush landscaping & pathways create a friendly community for residents

· Central green space with natural playground elements for all residents to enjoy

· Ideal location near Langley’s mecca of shops & stores, Highway 1

& Fraser Highway, grade schools & educational institutions, recreational amenities & parks

· Interiors have been designed to maximize the volume of space & include a flex room on lower level

· Handset, imported 12” x 24” porcelain tiles in entry foyer

· Revolutionary wide-plank laminate flooring throughout stairs, lower and main floor & premium cut pile carpet in remainder of residence

· High 9’ ceilings on main floor of residence

· Electric fireplace with mantle.

· Lever-style polished chrome interior door hardware

· “Carrara” style interior doors with smooth finish

· Contemporary Decora rocker style light switches throughout residence

· 1” horizontal mini blinds on windows & 3 ½” vertical blinds on sliding doors

· Decorative light in dining room and pre-wired in master bedroom for ceiling light or fan

· Earth Scheme: Transitional white shaker cabinets

· Sleek, brushed nickel pulls on all cabinetry

· 1¹/8” polished stone quartz kitchen countertops

· B plans include large islands with eating bar

· Hand-set, imported tile backsplash with designer selected accent tiles

· Sleek Kohler “Simplice” faucet with convenient pull down spray

· Single bowl, over-counter stainless steel sink with in-sink disposal

· Stylish stainless steel Frigidaire appliance package:

· Upgraded Samsung 18.7 cubic foot bottom-mount refrigerator

· Built-in over the range microwave with integral hood fan

· Glass ceramic electric self-cleaning range

· Flat panel, horizontal grain, laminate cabinetry with brushed nickel pulls in main & ensuite bathrooms

· Handset, imported glazed porcelain tile floor in all bathrooms

· Handset, ceramic tile for tub &/or shower surrounds, with designer selected accent tiles in main bathroom

· Polished chrome Kohler “Singulier” lavatory faucets in all bathrooms, & shower controls in main & ensuite bathrooms

· Sleek “Santa Rosa” one piece toilets by Kohler in main bathroom

· New “Yates” Collection bath accessories in elegant polished chrome finish by Taymor in all bathrooms

· 5 foot fiberglass soaker tubs in main & some ensuite bathrooms

· Spacious ensuites featuring two sinks & beautiful tiled backsplash

· Powder Room with pedestal sink

· Laundry closet with stacking washer & dryer unit with convenient tiled floors

· 40 gallon (US) electric hot water tank

· Telephone & cable outlets in each bedroom & two in the main living area

· CAT 5 wiring for high-speed internet access & ADSL

· Optional Upgrades (extra cost): TELUS Optik high-speed TV & internet. HDPVR rental & 165 channels including 26 HD channels

· Highspeed wireless gateway rental with speeds up to 25Mbps

· Shaw cable connections for high-speed internet & digital cable access

· Hose bib in each front yard & garage

· Sustainable landscape & rainwater management implemented

· New generation construction with large overhangs & rain screen certified James Hardie siding protection. Factory painted for extra durable finish

· 2 ply SBS roof membrane with 16 years warranty remaining

· Built-in gutter & 2” x 3” downspouts

· Dead bolt lock on front entry door

· Hard-wired smoke & CO2 detectors on each floor

· Third Party Warranty Insurance: 2-5-10

· Materials and Labour: Up toTwo Years

· Building Envelope: Five Years

· Structural Defects: Ten Years


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This blog has been 24 years in the making. Ever since I was a little red head, I’ve been fascinated with food, fun and healthy living. I believe that every kind of food and drink can be made healthy, fun and most importantly, delicious.
There is a wonderful balance between all the tasty, indulgent, and decadent foods that can also be made wholesome, healthy, and enriching. Being in a kitchen is an absolute adventure and is something that I love. A supermarket is like a vacation. A liquor store an odyssey and a winery is like Disney World.
When I see a basket of fruits, vegetables and seasonings I don’t just see a basket of those things. I see an opportunity to create something magical. I want to share my belief that the planning and preparation of a meal and drinks is the most exciting part of that meal. I want every kitchen to be 3 dimensional and colorful and I want Healthy and Delicious to forever go hand in hand, like peas in a pot pie or cucumbers in a Bloody Mary!

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oracle error ora-01033 : ORACLE initialization or shutdown in progress

Ok i have this error on my oracle 8.1.7 database with oracle developer 6i R2.
This usually happened when the computer is improperly shutdown like of power failure or BSOD.
Been searching on the internet most of the solution is to connect straight to sqlplus, like this:

– open the command prompt.
– in “c:\>”, type “sqlplus /nolog”
– in “sql>” type connect / as sysdba

Now this is the problem, based on the tutorial it should generate “connected” status, even though i’ve tried using the proper form of “connect sys/manager as sysdba” it still generating TNS error.
Continue reading

just find out today, another limitation of the visual studio 2008
beside it somehow not 100% compatible with early days oracle query (I use oracle 8.1.7 database with 2.0/vs2008, ans some queries just cannot work without “simplifying” it).

anyway, back to the tittle, it seems that every time i make it over 127 columns when i save it, the visual studio crashed (actually i can save it at 127 columns, but when i add 13 more bound fields, it crashed). the strange thing is that it is ok if you use automatic generating field option, but not ok if you manually add the field yourself…

but don’t worry there is a work around to that, but this is with a consequence,
Continue reading


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I’m noticing a shift in focus in my articles: from theory to a more practical approach. This one, hopefully, is a mix of both: BPDU Guard and BPDU Filter.

Let’s start with the theory first: for those who don’t know, BPDU Guard is a feature on Cisco switches which causes a switchport to shut down as soon as it receives a spanning-tree frame. BPDU Filter doesn’t shut down the port, but instead filters out the BPDU, as if it was never received on that port. Both features can be configured globally on the switch, or on a per-port basis. Now to the practical side of things:

BPDU Guard
A port with BPDU Guard will still send out BPDU frames itself. This comes in handy, as two access ports with PortFast and BPDU Guard connected to each other in a Campus LAN will detect the BPDUs and shut down the port. This is a good practice, as you don’t always control what end users connect to the network: their own switches, hubs, computers with network cards placed in bridging mode… All of these aren’t a real problem until somehow a second connection is made. Using the command ‘spanning-tree portfast bpduguard default’, each PortFast port will automatically have it configured. You can even configure ‘errdisable recovery cause bpduguard’ and the switch will recover automatically from these incidents, no need for manual intervention.
But… There are downsides. First of all, the port isn’t shut down until an actual BPDU frame is received: since spanning-tree does this every two seconds by default, a broadcast frame can still loop for two seconds before the port is disabled. That might not be impressive, but it’s sometimes enough to briefly send a spike through the network. Also, while this does stop most loops made through IP Phones, I’ve heard people say some IP Phones filter out BPDU frames. And while the errdisable autorecovery saves management overhead, the loop will briefly reappear as long as the problematic cable isn’t removed.

BPDU Filter
BPDU Filter on a port filters out any received BPDU frames, but at the same time, it stops sending BPDUs as well. It effectively stops spanning-tree from operating on that port, so this port will stay enabled no matter what happens to the spanning-tree topology. Very tricky, as it’s always possible someone misplaces a cable (and we’re all human, so that will happen eventually).
Also… While ‘spanning-tree portfast bpdufilter default’ seems to enable it globally on the switch, it works different: it doesn’t send out BPDU frames on PortFast ports, but once a BPDU frame is received, the port loses PortFast status and starts working like a normal switchport, sending out BPDUs again.
Personally, I strongly dislike experimenting with spanning-tree in such a way, but in a rare occasion, it might be the only option. That rare occasion usually involves a Nexus 2000 Fabric Extender: the access ports are hardcoded with BPDU Guard enabled, so the only way to connect a switch to it is if that switch does not send out any BPDUs. A risky setup.

Any comments? Feel free to share the bridging loop horror stories!


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Advanced Health & Wellness Center

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of the neck, which regulates most of the metabolic processes in the body. In fact, every cell in the body has a receptor site for the thyroid hormone. When the thyroid doesn’t produce enough of the thyroid hormone, it is considered a hypothyroid.

At Rejuvenate Your Life, we use functional endocrinology and immunology, as well as blood chemistry analysis to help our patients manage their thyroid condition successfully.

Common symptoms of a hypothyroid

  • Sensitivity to cold
  • Dry and itchy skin
  • Dry, brittle hair that falls out easily (including eyebrows)
  • Edema
  • Lingering digestive problems including constipation
  • Headaches first thing in the morning
  • Weight gain, even while eating a low calorie diet
  • Numbness in the hands or feet
  • Poor circulation
  • Prone to catching colds and other bacterial/viral infections easily, also takes a longer time to recover from them
  • Muscle cramps, even while at rest
  • Slow healing wounds
  • Excessive amounts of sleep needed in order to function

If you’re ready to be in control of your hypothyroid, please call us today to schedule your first consultation.

Contact Us


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(Getty/AFP/Jason Connolly) Jeanette Vizguerra and her children stand outside the First Unitarian Church in Denver, Colorado. Vizguerra, an undocumented Mexican national, is currently facing deportation and has been living at the church in sanctuary since February 15, 2017.

It seems as though the word “sanctuary” has been used more in the last two months than in the more than two decades since the end of the original Sanctuary Movement. On January 25, President Trump signed an executive order that would punish and withdraw federal funds from any Sanctuary jurisdictions—those states, counties, or cities that indicate that they will not assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in identifying and arresting immigrants without legal documents.

The rationale? “Sanctuary jurisdictions across the United States willfully violate Federal law in an attempt to shield aliens from removal from the United States,” the executive order reads. “These jurisdictions have caused immeasurable harm to the American people and to the very fabric of our Republic.” The executive order goes on to say what is required of every jurisdiction in the country: complete obedience to any order that ICE might create, including but not limited to using local police forces as immigration officers.

We have been here before. During the 1980s, the Sanctuary Movement formed to offer protection to undocumented refugees fleeing Central American wars. The Salvadoran government had imposed martial law on its citizens, which in effect marked the beginning of mass killings. Human rights sources estimate that 18,000 to 20,000 people were killed or “disappeared” in 1980 alone. Thousands of Salvadorans fled the violence, coming north through Mexico to the United States. In the fall of 1981, the killing expanded to Guatemala, which led to a similar exodus. Today we are once again witnessing people fleeing violence in Central America and the Middle East and elsewhere in the world.

In July of 1980, more than two dozen Salvadorans who were crossing the brutally arid Sonoran Desert were abandoned by their guides. Thirteen died and the incident made national headlines. When the survivors were brought to Tucson and Phoenix, churches wanting to assist them discovered that the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) was planning to return the refugees to El Salvador without allowing any of them to file for asylum.

The churches thought these refugees should have been protected under the 1980 Refugee Act and other applicable laws, which provide asylum for any refugee who can demonstrate a “well-founded fear of persecution.” The Tucson and Phoenix religious communities established a task force to assist these and other refugees. Within a year, the need to house many refugees within the U.S. became obvious. Support of the U.S. government for the brutal Central American militaries gave religious communities an extra incentive. On March 24, 1982, six congregations in Arizona and California declared themselves “sanctuaries” and began building communities of support for the growing number of refugees seeking asylum.

Because Sanctuary congregations were breaking the law, a low profile was necessary. In spite of the attempt to stay “under the radar” of the INS, the Sanctuary Movement was infiltrated by informants and 16 sanctuary workers, clergy, and laypersons were indicted in 1985 on 71 counts, including conspiracy. Eventually eleven went on trial and eight were convicted but none went to prison; all were given probation.

I was part of the Sanctuary Movement in New York during those years. The Albany Quaker Meeting, of which I was a member, began taking refugees into sanctuary in 1984. Because we lived in upstate New York, we were also the last leg of a “new” Underground Railroad, taking refugees who could not or did not want to stay in the United States north to Canada. My car made a number of trips to Montreal, carrying individuals, couples, and families. During one trip in winter, a family from El Salvador asked to stop at a roadside pullout so that their children could feel the snow. They could ask for this, I thought, because they finally felt safe, only a few miles from being welcomed into Canada, their new home.

During the first Sanctuary Movement in the United States, the word “sanctuary” meant something quite specific. The concept came from a broader understanding of the right of asylum, as practiced in ancient cultures in Greece, Egypt, and Israel. Much later, in medieval Europe, religious communities adopted this tradition, offering protection for someone being persecuted—whether for criminal or political acts. Jewish and Christian congregations drew on cultural traditions and biblical passages like those in Exodus and the Gospels which admonish care for the stranger, the poor, and those afflicted.

Later, in the United States, runaway slaves were offered sanctuary in churches in the north before the Civil War. During the Civil Rights Movement and Anti-Vietnam War period, civil rights workers and draft evaders occasionally sought refuge in churches.

The history of the “sanctuary city” designation is similarly vague in its origin and definition. In 1979, the city of Los Angeles filed a police order preventing police from inquiring about the immigration status of residents. Other cities followed, some using the force of the law to declare themselves sanctuaries (de jure) and others relying on actions (de facto) that describe what the city will and will not do with regard to immigration enforcement.

By 1987, 440 cities in the United States had been declared “sanctuary cities,” open to migrants from civil wars in Central America. Churches, synagogues, mosques, and Quaker meeting houses welcomed refugees into sanctuary and vowed to not let immigration authorities enter these “sacred spaces” to arrest anyone. By and large, immigration authorities did not enter those places.

The word sanctuary meant something to me, to those refugees, and to the many congregations all over the country who gave them shelter. Today the term has become charged, and in some quarters, “toxic.” Many universities have rejected the label. Some universities have told students and faculty urging sanctuary status that they will do everything “within the law” to protect vulnerable students. Others have promised they will not turn over information to immigration officials, a meaningless gesture to students known as “dreamers,” since they have already registered with the government to be granted DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) status and all of their contact information is on record.

The governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, has threatened to defund any state campus or city in Texas that declared itself a sanctuary. Other states have followed suit. Most recently Alabama’s legislature voted to cut off funding for any campus that declared itself a sanctuary—a preemptive move, since no campus in Alabama has so declared. In December in Congress, Rep. Duncan Hunter, a California Republican, introduced the “No Funding for Sanctuary Campuses Act,” which would eliminate federal funding for universities that do not comply with immigration laws. Meanwhile, in Seattle, Daniel Ramirez Medina, a DACA student at the University of Washington, has been arrested in an ICE raid, though he had not violated the terms of his DACA status.

Today, hundreds of cities are considered sanctuary jurisdictions. At least five states and 644 counties have policies limiting local law enforcement’s cooperation with federal immigration authorities, according to The New York Times. There are many cities who practice similar policies, but do not identify with the term “sanctuary.” For example, Tucson, where I live, has not yet used the word sanctuary to describe the fact that Tucson law enforcement officers will not ask for proof of citizenship during a stop for a traffic violation.

There have, of course, been legal challenges from cities that have declared themselves to be “sanctuaries.” San Francisco has filed a lawsuit alleging the executive order is unconstitutional in its violation of the Tenth Amendment by striking “at the heart of established principles of federalism.” Constitutional lawyers have also pointed out case precedents establishing that, in the words of former Justice Scalia in Printz v. United States, “The Federal Government may not compel the States to enact or administer a federal regulatory program.” Scalia was writing about the government’s attempt to enforce the Brady Bill on gun background checks, but other cases limit the federal government’s ability to cut off funds when the funds are unrelated to the actions being required. It would be very hard to withhold Medicaid money, for example, to a jurisdiction that would not support immigration enforcement.

Sanctuary congregations, religious institutions, and campuses are not immune from law enforcement. There is no reason to think that ICE agents will not enter those buildings, however sacred, where refugees are being protected. There is no special legal protection for those who claim they are exercising their protected right to practice their religious beliefs. The laws and the executive orders apply to everyone without regard to belief. And I have no doubt that the government can demonstrate a compelling reason for enforcing the law in this instance.

Will President Trump’s executive order criminalizing sanctuary jurisdictions and cutting off funds work? I don’t know. In addition to the San Francisco lawsuit, Massachusetts, New York, Virginia, and Washington state have filed suits against both the sanctuary ban and the travel ban executive orders. Nonetheless, these executive orders likely have had and will have a chilling effect on people who say they want to help refugees but who are unwilling to face the potential consequences.

One thing I do know from my own experience is that the concept of sanctuary has two parts. Yes, it is a safe place, however vaguely defined. It is a place of retreat, a place that shuts out danger or perceived danger. And it is also a concept that requires action. Sanctuary doesn’t happen by itself. It does not happen by chance. Sanctuary is a deliberate undertaking, of people acting on behalf of others and communities.

I would be proud to live in a city or county or state or country that called itself a sanctuary. To me, the word evokes the values I have believed this country stands for—protecting the vulnerable, offering opportunities for all. At the end of my book on the Sanctuary movement, the words I asked then still resonate for me and for my country:

what distance must I travel
      what must I venture
            what must I risk
how much time is left to answer?

I believe we must each venture and risk and answer to our fellow humans—the migrants and refugees in our midst.

Judith McDaniel teaches law and religion at the University of Arizona. Her book, Sanctuary: A Journey, was published by Firebrand Books in 1987.


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Posts Tagged ‘Goals’

RR 341: Mark Bergasse, Carlo Sabucco, Glenn Colling, Todd Sarson. Friends First-Competitors Second.

Friends To The Rescue.

Mark Bergasse from Marks Auto Service in Oakville, ON, had a life-changing medical condition. A heart attack that precipitated a quadruple bypass. His wife Sandy called their friends Glenn Colling of Eastside Auto Service, Todd Sarson of Stop N Go Automotive, and Carlo Sabucco of Sils Complete Auto Care Centre. They share their story of support to Mark and Sandy.

This story is about friendship, caring and the power of humanity. Are you prepared for a possible business or life-changing moment? Is your network in place? Are your friends or competitors ready to step up. Mark, Todd, Carlo and Glenn share the backstory on the value of friendship first, competitor second.

Listen and view episode notes

THA 061: Know Your Daily Sales Break Even Number

The Rule of Holes: Know When To Stop Digging

Knowing your break-even point — the point at which total cost and total revenue are equal is important to running a business. It is not just good enough to reach your daily break even, you must exceed it if you are to stay in business.

Knowing the break-even point is helpful in deciding gross margin on parts, labor rates, setting sales budgets and preparing a business plan. If you do not reach your daily break-even then there is a great chance that you had a loss of profit for the day.

This episode provides a worksheet download for calculating break-even. The numbers will come from your financial statements. Your accountant can also provide them. The key to knowing your break-even set the tone when you are reaching for your profitable sales goal. You’ll know what the minimum excepted number is without digging yourself into a hole.

Listen and view episode notes

RR 285: Ryan Blair – Blair Automotive

Super Growth rate of 40% Has Its Challenges to Expense Control and Cash Flow.

Ryan Blair of Blair Automotive is a highly honored Audi technician and worked at an Audi dealership for eight years before deciding to start his own Audi/VW specialty shop.

As an independent, he has brought a high level of differentiation and a better than dealer experience to his customer. His new location was a perfect ground zero for his increased sales.

We find Ryan with big growing pains and a huge scale up when he moved into his new 12 bay facility. He has no regrets to get the shop where it is and admits he stretched and has personally guaranteed his expansion. Ryan has the perfect outlook and is building a strong business long into the future.

Listen and view episode notes


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OBD II Fault Code

  • OBD II P0A11

    OBD-II Code Engine may not start is defined as a DC/DC Converter Enable Circuit/Open

    The Hybrid Vehicle Converter converts high voltage from the hybrid system to 12V so that the auxiliary battery can be charged. It also allows the High Voltage System to supply power to other areas such as vehicle lighting and the radio. If the engine control module (PCM) detects a drop in voltage on the auxiliary battery, it will set code P0A11. Failure of the DC/DC Converter may result in the vehicle stalling.

    Engine may not start Symptoms

    • Engine may not start
    • Engine may stall

    Common Problems That Trigger the P0A11 Code

    • Inverter/converter assembly failure
    • Wiring issue
    Not the OBD-II Code You're Looking For?

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Showing posts from August, 2016

No Greeks in the Marathon Medals

Olympics at Rio, an event that grapples the world stage of sports. You win or lose, you are there, you may be an ‘also ran’ but you are there to be noticed. A stalwart at home or an event sponsored by money bags, doesn’t matter, yet records at the Olympics still fly high, even if it means the last laugh for the participant. Every nation occupies the stage to be noticed. The most heart-warming and heart-rending participation came from the contingent that represented the ‘refugees’ from Syria, Libya, Yemen, all war-ridden nations. All for a universal circus. They came, they played, they left. Where are the Greeks?
India’s heroes – hope eternal Our country also represented with enthusiasm and hope, the former attribute led to a whimper of controversies but soon brushed under the carpet. Most participants did well in the qualifying rounds and reached the Quarter Finals. There dropped the curtain and lo! We retrace our steps. All deserve a clap! A handful of participants stood out like P V Si…

Just a few seconds for Jessy

My Sats & Suns have become duller Two- and - a half decades Swept by….. Her face still glistens, Never yearned for a better friend, but there, She still laughs & listens ( An obit written in 1989 for Jessy, revised a bit now) It is not with any regret or longing that I deplore my present network of being friendless. Friends,as  they exist are acquaintances today, none like her. It is better that way. No, I have not turned a recluse but when one had been showered with a lot of attention and care by one friend, she is missed now and always. Then one gets entwined gradually with one particular train of thought that, had Jessy been there, it would have been different. Unassuming smile lost. The tall, lean, thirty something  Jessy kept hovering around me through thick and thin during those decisive years. She counselled , convinced and cajoled me to venture/avoid all major decisions in life. Then one fine day she just paled into insignificance called ‘death’. Jacintha (Jessy) was born a prema…


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Zakham Episodes 25&26 Review – A Disappointing End

Zakham Episodes 25&26 Review – A Disappointing End

These two episodes marked the end of this drama which failed to make much sense in all the duration of its airing. There were some good pieces of acting, some strong characters and a nice family environment of the drama but the storyline was seriously lacking, and veterans like Faisal Quraishi and Shabbir Jan could not make up for it,nor could the brilliance of performance by Madiha Imam.

The second last episode was wasted on a non sensical issue by Sultan as if he had just come to Pakistan to take away Takbeer’s daughter which is beyond reasoning as Musa and his family were so wholeheartedly accepting of Fatima that taking away a fatherless child from her mother was never meant to be an issue, but quite many scenes and minutes were spent away on this. Then miraculously Khawar was discovered by the police and saved even though it suspected him on bring a mafia head earlier. Then he enters when he is spoken about in a conversation and Takbeer takes a stand for him that she never could for Musa. All her family wants her to get rid of him but she pays no heed.

Once outside, Khawar did another extremely impulsive attempt at suicide but was saved and became all remorseful. It was very bizzare the way Takbeer went on to see him repeatedly in the hospital and prayed for his safety and all, but on another level, it makes kind of sad sense. A woman is never weak but a mother always is. There is always this fear that your second husband might not love your child as much as his or her biological father. This deep rooted fear does make women take decisions like Takbeer did and it has nothing to do with feminism or not, but everything to do with the deep , instinctive, self sacrificing love that every woman has for her child.

Musa was not given closure and was probably the most unfair part of the whole plot. Someone who loved so unconditionally should not have been left in he middle of nowhere like this. shehzad Noor did pretty well for his first major role , but there should have been some sort of an ending given to his story. An explanation, an apology or a discussion of fears, something should have been shown from Takbeer’s side for him. Without that, the viewers are in as much of a limbo as Musa himself.

It cannot be said that this drama made for an interesting watch or consumed a meaningful hour, because it really did not. However, some good performances were a part of it right from the start.

It was advertised in the form of a play showing mental illness but it failed miserably in that aspect. Mental illness needs to be researched and studied thoroughly before setting to show it in some way or the other. People in our society are extremely orthodox about this issue as it is. Sufferers face years of agony before speaking up in the fear of rejection, so showing a villainous personality with mental disorder is not going to help anyone.

Madiha Imam does deserve a special mention in the last review. She was very good in her acting from day one. Actually it was only her who made the drama bearable. Her character and its portrayal was very relatable as someone who tries to please her loved ones before herself, a woman torn between her heart and her duties, a girl embracing motherhood for the sake of her dead sister’s child, a mother who believes in risking her own love for the sake of her daughter’s union with her father. So many women in this world face these dilemmas daily and just like Takbeer, relationships, motherhood, obligations and responsibilities almost invariably always win. Hats off Madiha Imam for making Takbeer’s struggles so real.

Dramas Based on True Stories

Tags assigned to this article:
#madihaimam#zakhamFaysal QuraishiShabbier Jan


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A defibrillator for community use

A defibrillator  for community use was delivered to the Red Head Villages’ Association on  30th August.  It will be stored at the Bendalong General Store and be available at all hours  in an  emergency while awaiting an ambulance. The association is grateful for the efforts of member , Jenny Cleary , in acquiring the funding for this unit . Ulladulla Lions Club and Ulladulla Rotary Club both donated $1500 towards the cost of the unit . The unit gives clear oral instructions to the operator  and will be  able to be used by any member of the public to save a person’s  life if they are  experiencing a cardiac arrest.


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    Fees & Charges

    There are always fees but how much are they?

    MEPS Withdrawal Fee
    No Fee
    HOUSe Withdrawal Fee
    No Fee
    Overseas Withdrawal Fee
    Early Closure Fee
    Dishonoured Cheque Fee
    Stop Payment Cheque Fee

    Are you eligible for this account?

  • Malaysians
  • Minimum Age
    18 years old
    Minimum Initial Deposit

    Frequently Asked Questions about Standard Chartered JustOne Preferred Account

    Things you might want to know

    What are the benefits of the JustOne Preferred Account?

    The benefits on JustOne Preferred Current Account are:

    • Fee waiver for withdrawals at any MEPS ATMs and HOUSe ATMs nationwide.
    • Fee waiver for fund transfers via Standard Chartered ATMs.
    • Free fund transfers via Standard Chartered Online Banking.
    • Complimentary Debit Card.
    • Get additional 1% on your JustOne Savings Account balance

    All you need to do is to deposit at lease RM5000 every month into your JustOne account.

    If you cannot fulfill the monthly deposit on a particular month, then the bank will charge normal fees for your MEPS and HOUSe ATM withdrawals and of course, forfeiting the additional 1% interest rate.

    This account also comes with JustOne overdraft.

    How does the overdraft facility work on the Just One Preferred Account?

    The overdraft is unsecured and automated only for Just One Preferred Account holders. The credit limit is RM1000 and there are no set-up fees, commitment fees or additional monthly fees. You will be charged interest only on the utilised amount and you can choose to pay in full or pay the minimum of either 5% of the outstanding balance or RM 25, whichever is higher every month.

    Of course, this automated overdraft is subject to the banks’ approval.

    How do I apply this Standard Chartered JustOne Preferred Account?

    First of all, you need to be at least 18 years of age. To apply for this account, all you need is your identification card. No minimum deposit required and you don’t need an introducer to open this account.

    How does this account stand out compared to other current accounts in Malaysia?

    • It is an 'All-In-One' account that comes with Savings, Checking and Overdraft facilities.
    • You get a consolidated e-statement highlighting all your current balances and transactions which you can download online or have the bank email it to you every month for free!
    • The overdraft facility is automated and instant so you can avoid paying a penalty on cheques returned due to insufficient funds.
    • You can also sign up for mastersweep, which links other accounts to JustOne, to cover insufficient funds and to avoid cheques being returned.
    • Convenient with online and phone banking services..
    • Get a free Standard Chartered debit card
    • No monthly service fee

    Read More


text:
Welcome To Rise International
Your One and Only Business Solution

Our Services

Rise helps people to settle over the UAE by supporting businesses through the procedures and paperwork.

Being visible online is crucial nowadays. Thanks to us, you will be able to enjoy a strong presence on the internet.

Let us bring to life your ideas and print them on our best quality paper or on any item which you thought.

Audit/Accounting/financial advices

We carry out an on-site inspection of your process or the quality of your system to ensure compliance with requirements.

Luxury Rents
Luxury Transportation Rentals

Rise International is the company for all luxury rentals. We get you your dream’s vehicle at an unbeatable price.

Corporate Events

We do it all, from A to Z, we organize what you have in your mind, once you choose us, YOU are Rise’s priority.

We orchestrate everything so as to make your life easier and allow you to enjoy the life shaping experiences.

We have the expertise to advise you regarding residential, commercial or industrial properties in Dubai.

Other Services

We infer that each business is unique with specific needs, thus we adapt ourselves to offer you tailored solutions.

Why Rise ?

No more changing service Providers

We will assist you and help you in achieving your business goals from A to Z. There is no need to waste your time by looking for several companies as we are your one and only business solutions.

Your Business is Our Priority

With an in-depth understanding of your needs and a long lasting relationship we will drive you onto the success you have always dreamt about by proposing you options that fits to your needs.

Providing you a tailored solution

Because each company is unique, we do provide you tailored solutions. Our staff is experienced and trained to be relevant in the advices they give you to best match with your needs and allow you to strive on your market.

Trusted by People

Gabrielle Arsac
Gabrielle Arsac Imex Global Trading

I worked with Rise International when I wanted to settle my company in the UAE. All I can say is that the team was professional and available for any request I had. I strongly recommend them as they constantly outperformed my expectations.

Hassan Al Fadili
Hassan Al Fadili BAC Royal Trading

I once run out of business cards while I had a crucial event to attend. I just called Rise International and they came up with a lovely art work and delivered me the same day. Since that day I am always working with them.

Lydie Gobert
Lydie Gobert Bachi Marketing

I needed a modern and bright office in which I could receive my clients. The team found me the perfect location within a few hours, at an unbelievable price. I shifted there and up to now I am fully satisfied with them. Thank you Rise International

Some Key Team Members

Sanaa Bahachame

Sanaa has over ten years experience in the Dubai Real Estate and Business Markets. She has assisted many…

Sanaa Bahachame

Founder & CEO
Jonathan Coelho

With 6 years’ experience as a consultant with multiple company formation from pharmaceutical to aeronautical….

Jonathan Coelho

Marjorie Thenard

Straight out arrived from Paris, Marjorie likes to be in contact with customers and maintain a trustable…

Marjorie Thenard

Ling Ortiz

Ling coordinates administrative material, most of it by providing EJARI contract. She also manage advertising…

Ling Ortiz

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text:
New York Times – Op Ed -Girl, 15, addresses UN commission

Denise Dunning, Executive Director of Rise Up and Michele Moloney-Kitts of Together for Girls teamed up at CSW to support the Girl Declaration, a post-2015 agenda that champions the rights, hopes, and dreams of girls everywhere. This article highlights three reasons why the global community must invest in young women to ensure that girls’ rights are a priority.


text:
Intracellular recording from sympathetic preganglionic neurons in cat lumbar spinal cord

Publication Details

Pilowsky, P., Llewellyn-Smith, I. J., Arnolda, L., Minson, J. & Chalmers, J. (1994). Intracellular recording from sympathetic preganglionic neurons in cat lumbar spinal cord. Brain Research, 656 (2), 319-328.

Sympathetic preganglionic neurons (SPN) are responsible for the control of many autonomic targets including the heart and blood vessels. Previous intracellular studies have examined the morphology of SPN in the thoracic spinal cord, but there are no intracellular studies of SPN in the lumbar spinal cord. In this study we identified lumbar SPN using intracellular recording and dye-filling so that we could study their entire soma-dendritic tree, as well as their axons. At the same time, axonal conduction velocity was measured, and any evidence of an input in phase with phrenic nerve discharge was noted. Intracellular recordings were made from SPN in the L3 (n = 125) and T3 (n = 17) segments of the cat spinal cord. Axonal conduction velocities ranged from 0.6-8.4 m/s. In 85 lumbar SPN, the recordings lasted long enough to assess respiratory-related modulation. A respiratory-related modulation of the membrane potential was seen in 7 of these 85 neurons. All 7 respiratory-related neurons had a conduction velocity of 2.0 m/s or less, while none of the SPN with conduction velocities of more than 2.0 m/s had a respiratory rhythmicity. Histological analysis of 50 biocytin-filled SPN, including 3 with a respiratory-related modulation of their membrane potential, revealed that they occurred mostly in the principal part of the intermediolateral cell column and tended to be elongated in the rostro-caudal direction. Dendrites ramified in the intermediolateral cell column, the dorsolateral white matter and the ventral and medial gray matter. Axons arose either from cell bodies or from primary dendrites and did not bifurcate or have varicose intraspinal collaterals. This is the first report of the morphology of intracellularly filled SPN in the lumbar spinal cord.

Please refer to publisher version or contact your library.

Link to publisher version (DOI)


text:
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada

Coal Hill, Arkansas

Nearby Census Genealogy
Cemeteries Tidbits &
Other AR

The location of Coal Hill

Click for Interactive Map
(GPS coordinates provided by the GNIS)
Click here for an interactive map for Coal Hill
and the surrounding area.
Learn About
The Commemorative
Quarter for
The Commemorative Quarter for Arkansas

Welcome to Coal Hill ...

The city of Coal Hill is located in Johnson County.

From the  Census Estimates for 2017, Coal Hill has a population of 1,026 people<1> (see below for details).

Coal Hill is 470 feet [143 m] above sea level.<2>.

Time Zone: Coal Hill lies in the Central Time Zone (CST/CDT) and observes daylight saving time

Coal Hill is located in the (479) area code.

The ZIP code for Coal Hill: 72832<3>

Population Details ...

At the time of the 2010 Census, Coal Hill had a population of 1,012 people. This makes Coal Hill the county's 3rd most populous community.

The population of Coal Hill represents 0.03% of the total population of Arkansas (which has 2,915,918 people), making it the state's 189th most populous community.

With a 2010 count of 1,012 people, the population of Coal Hill increased 1.1% from the 2000 Census (that had a count of 1,001 people).

Taken from the 2017 Census Estimates, Coal Hill had an population of 1,026 people. This is an increase of 1.38% since the 2010 Census (or an increase of 2.5% since the 2000 Census).

More information can be found on the Census Page for Coal Hill.

Communities near Coal Hill ...

The following is a sample of nearby communities. Please note that when we give a distance, it's a 'straight-line' distance starting from Coal Hill and not the distance if you are going to drive it.<4>.

Community   2017
Altus   [Map]   738   W   5 miles [8 km]
Branch   [Map]   341   SW   18 miles [29 km]
Clarksville   [Map]   9,618   E   10 miles [16.1 km]
Denning   [Map]   313   W   5 miles [8 km]
Knoxville   [Map]   761   E   17 miles [27.4 km]
Lamar   [Map]   1,715   E   15 miles [24.1 km]

To learn more about neighboring communities and counties, please visit the Nearby Page for Coal Hill.

Communities Also Named Coal Hill ...

Using our Gazetteer, we have found that there are 7 communities that are also named Coal Hill - they are located in Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania (2), Tennessee (2) and Virginia.

For more information, see our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Coal Hill.

See Our Genealogy Helper Page ...

We have a couple of sections that should be of interest to those chasing their genealogy.

  • We have a list of cemeteries that are in the area around Coal Hill. We make it easy to see an overhead view of the cemetery.
  • Using the information from an 1895 Atlas, we've created a list of communities that were in the area of Coal Hill. Our list includes information such as whether the community had a post office or railroad service in 1895.
  • We also have a detailed list of newspapers that have been published in the area around Coal Hill.

These sections can be found on our Genealogy Helper Page for Coal Hill:

TripAdvisor Tourism Pages for Coal Hill ...

Looking for more information about Coal Hill? A wonderful source is the TripAdvisor website. We always start with the TripAdvisor Tourism page, where you get an overview with links that will help you to find lodging, restaurants and attractions.

In addition to the Tourism page for Coal Hill, there are neighboring communities that also have Tourism pages. More information about those communities can be found on our TripAdvisor Page for Coal Hill.

Search for Local Businesses ...

People are finding Google's 'Search-by-Location' to be a useful tool when planning visits to this area. We have prepared the following searches to help you find businesses, travel and vacation activities that are in (or close to) Coal Hill. It's likely that the search results won't include all of the businesses that are in this area, but the results should give you a good foundation for further searches.

LodgingGas StationsBanks
Bed & BreakfastTruck StopsATMs
RestaurantsAuto RepairReal Estate
 RV RepairRentals
PharmacyAuto PartsChurches
 RV PartsCemeteries
AttractionsMotorcycle Parts
 DentistsPost Offices
Auto RentalChiropractors
Auto LeasingVeterinarians

Business Owners: To appear in the above search results, your business will need to be listed with the Google Places service. Please use the below link to learn about and register for the free service.

If you find an error or if your business wasn't included in the results, please contact Google to register your business or report an error. We simply link to 'Search-by-Location' and have no control over their results. Only a registered owner/operator can add their business or correct mistakes - we can not do it for you.

Other Roadside Stops ...

Index of Cities, Towns and Villages for Arkansas

About Johnson County

About Arkansas

Off-the-Road Links ...

Unfortunately, we don't know of a website for Coal Hill. If you can help, please contact us through our Feedback Page.

The official website for State of Arkansas: www.arkansas.gov/

Footnotes ...

<1>Population counts have been provided by the U.S. Census Bureau. For more detail, please visit our Census Page for Coal Hill.

- Return to Citation

<2>The elevation is an estimate for the area around Coal Hill - it will be higher in some places and lower in others.

- Return to Citation

<3>ZIP Codes have been created by the United States Postal Service (USPS) as a way of grouping addresses to make delivery more efficient. The boundaries of the ZIP Code can be changed, re-assigned, eliminated or overlapped with other ZIP Codes. So keep in mind that any given ZIP Code is only 'loosely' associated with a city (such as Coal Hill). When looking for a ZIP Code, whether Coal Hill or elsewhere, it's always best to check the website of the United States Postal Service (USPS).

- Return to Citation

<4>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance that starts in Coal Hill. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Coal Hill) to Point B.

If you need the driving distance, we recommend that you use one of the Mapping Services listed on our Map Page for Coal Hill. Since we usually use Google Maps, we've provided the following link: Google Map and Driving Directions starting from Coal Hill

Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Coal Hill. The point that we are using is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 35.4368, Longitude: -93.6659     [Map].   In this case, the coordinates for Coal Hill have been provided by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).

- Return to Citation

<5>All Quarter-dollar coin images from the United States Mint.

- Return to Citation

Tidbits &
Other   AR

Sitemap Privacy
of Use

Please keep in mind that we can not guarantee the accuracy or timeliness of the information on this website, so use with care. We encourage you to double-check the information that is critical to you.

If you've found an error or have additional information that you would like to share, please don't hesitate to write. Click here to contact us.

Copyright 2016
All Rights Reserved
This page was last modified: 12 Sep 2018
By John Hall


text:
Lamberts, MD: “Why we should welcome questions from our patients.”

“If you look up the word “compliance” in a thesaurus, the first synonym (at least in my thesaurus) is “obedience to.” This implies that non-compliant patients are, at least to some degree, equivalent to disobedient patients. This is borne out by the reaction many patients seem to expect of me when they “confess” they haven’t taken prescribed medications: they look guilty — like they are expecting to be scolded. I guess scolding is what they’ve had in the past. Certainly hearing my colleagues complain about “those non-compliant patients,” I am not shocked that they scold their patients. It’s as if the patient is not taking their medication with the express intent of irritating their doctor.”


text:
• cpaaus
  • tpb

07 3822 5566

At this time of year, do a quick calculation of how much you’ve contributed to superannuation so far this financial year, to make sure you don't exceed the concessional or non-concessional limits.

The following table shows the limits for different age brackets, which have also recently been raised.

Contribution limits for 2014-15

Concessional Contributions cap

Non-concessional Contributions cap

Under 50

49 years or over on 30 June 2014

The bring-forward cap is three times the non-concessional contributions cap of the first year. Note also if you are over 65 years of age you must meet the work test.

It’s also a good idea to have a look at some of the basics, like your trust deed, and within that, your investment strategy document.

Ask yourself the following questions:
- How long is it since you updated it?
- Have you made changes during the year that have not been included in your trust deed?
- What about your investment strategy? Does it capture any major changes that happened in the past 12 months? Have you changed your overall market view and if so, is it included in your investment strategy?

You may have a member who is planning on retiring sometime this year or even just starting up a transition to retirement pension as they make the move over a number of years.

If you’re in pension mode, also make sure you’re paying yourself the correct pension amount.  There are minimum thresholds that you must abide by as outlined in the table below.

Minimum annual payment

Percentage of account balance

Under 64

95 or over

And if you’re paying a transition to retirement pension, there is also a maximum payment threshold of 10%.  That 10% maximum pension rule also applies in the year the transition to retirement pension commences.

You should start with your overall allocations to individual asset classes. Perhaps you think you should have more allocated to international shares, for example, or you might start to consider bonds. Whatever you do, make sure you document it in your investment strategy.

And in the spirit of a fresh start, the beginning of a new year is a good time to consider cutting ties with those stocks and investments that have really done you no favours over the past year.

If you wish to discuss any aspect of your self managed superannuation fund please call Lex Robins or simply call the office organise an appointment.

Connect with Us

Phone: (07) 3822 5566
Fax:     (07) 3822 5577
Email: admin@robinsaccountants.com.au

Our Location

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text:
Battery Holder: Li-Ion 18650 Battery Holder (2S1P) With 2.6" long 20AWG & PCB

More Views

Battery Holder: Li-Ion 18650 Battery Holder (2S1P) With 2.6" long 20AWG & PCB

Availability: In stock

Battery holder: Li-Ion 18650 Battery Holder (2S1P) With 2.6" long 20AWG & PCB (2S1P-18650)

This Battery Holder is ideal for making your own 2S1P (7.4 Volt) Battery Pack, just insert your choice of 18650 Li-on cell and fit a connector, then you have a fully protected 2S1P Battery Pack for your project, without the need to solder/weld cells.

Please note that after installing (or re-installing) the 18650 cell(s) you will need to connect the pack to a suitable charger of correct voltage to "activate" the Protection Circuit on the PCB otherwise NO pack output will be available - this is a built-in safety feature.

18650 battery holder with PCB module designed for making 7.4V Li-Ion 18650 battery pack in 2 series 1 Parallel configuration with 5.0A rate limited by PCB installed

Battery pack watt-hour = 7.4V x cell capacity

Each holder is design to hold 2 x standard (Flat top) 18650 cell (Do NOT use button top cell)!

PCB (5.0A limited, Manufacture part# PCM-L01S03-328) installed on front surface for protect the battery from

Overcharge (>8.4V)

Over discharge (<5.0V)

Over Drain (>5.0 Amp)

Short circuits

2S1P-18650: 2.6" long 20AWG for charge/discharge terminal

(LxWxH) 80mm(3.14") x 42mm(1.7") x 18.6mm(0.7")

0.2 Oz (5.7 grams)

Storage temperature: 25'C (77F,Room Temperature)

Max Operate temperature: 80'C (176F)

Click here to download the technical drawing

This battery holder is designed for standard 18650 (flat top) battery only!

Please don't remove PCB installed on battery holder.

This battery holder is for only 2S1P battery pack.

Please don't combine battery holder for any series / parallel connection.

After insert battery(ies), must connect to charger to enable the pcb. Otherwise, you will get "no" output from pcb!

Li-Ion battery may be exploded if misuse.

We are not responsible for any damages or losses caused by misusing

Always charge battery with attention.

Battery pack shall be placed on a fire-proof place to avoid any accident

Please check battery polarity before plug battery into device.

Never make wrong polarity connection.


text:
Small Renovations

It should come as no surprise that the two most important rooms to keep updated in your home are the kitchen and bathroom. If you want to increase the value of your home, a newly renovated kitchen and bathroom will do the trick. However, it’s also important to keep in mind that doing it yourself may seem like a time and money saver at first, but in the end, could cost you. From rough-in to finishing, Rocky Mountain Rooter can not only advise you on any repairs or installations you would like done, we can also help you select energy efficient products that will further increase the value of your home, help the environment and save you money.

A sample of the products we can install in your newly renovated bathroom or kitchen:

  • Sinks
  • Faucets
  • Bathtubs
  • Showers
  • Toilets
  • House Re-piping (older homes)
  • Dishwashers

Save a bundle on Energy Costs:

Not only is it important for your kitchen and bathroom to look fabulous, but imagine the value you could add if those newly renovated rooms cut down your energy costs. Including the installation of a tankless water heater would provide you with continuous hot water, reduce the carbon footprint of your home by 50% and bring down your annual energy bills by 40-70%.


text:
Postcards from Paris

I am in love.

Truly, madly and deeply.

Well, at least if a person can fall in love with a city, then I am in love with Paris. The magnificent stance of the Eiffel Tower; the symmetry of the urban planning; the history in the Louvre; the thumping life on the street of diamonds and jewels, Champs Elysees; the larger-than-life light-leaks of Notre Dame… I am in love with all of it!

I just returned from three weeks of Euro-hopping. Paris has always been something I wanted to check off my list of things to do but a lot of negative feedback from other tourists dampened my spirits regarding this dream destination: I was told that it was dirty compared to a classic European city; it was polluted with traffic and overflowing with tourists. All of this is true, by the way.

But, there must a reason why 82 million people visit Paris every year: it has so much to offer! From excellent photography options (that is if you can manage to ignore or photoshop the large hoards of crows) to an intense history lesson to fun for kids (Disneyland) and adults (burlesque!!) Paris has something for everyone. I spent two days speed-walking this city and was left wanting a lot more. I know I am going back one day, but in the meantime, here are some glamour shots of this diva of a city.

Paris from atop Arc de Triomphe

The Eiffel Tower shooting up from the core of Paris

Paris: a city of perfect symmetry

THE Louvre

Modern meets historical at the Louvre in Paris

Paying a visit to Quasimodo's spirit at Notre Dame

Stunning glass panels in the Notre Dame cathedral

The night's always young on Boulevard de Clichy

4 responses

  1. Pingback: My Five Favourite Cities in Europe « roopgill

  2. Pingback: Paris « roopgill

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text:
The Force Awakens as the Bizarro-Christ-Child of a Bad Religion

“Whosa are yousa?”

In my experience, two things are required in any discussion of the juggernaut that is Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens. The first is a brief recollection of one’s personal history with the franchise, with bonus points if the author can claim to have seen the original during its first theatrical run. The second is a superfluous and hopelessly uncritical sideswipe of those Star Wars movies the fandom has deemed unworthy: possibly Return of the Jedi, probably Revenge of the Sith and Attack of the Clones, definitely The Phantom Menace. I’m something of a traditionalist at heart, so I’ll start by confirming that whatever movies you already dislike are very very bad, and then get on with the juicy personal details.

I don’t know when I watched my first Star Wars movie. I can confidently say it was at least three years ago. My birthdate would indicate I didn’t manage to catch any of the original trilogy in theatre, but as for the prequel trilogy I genuinely can’t recall if I saw them in a theatre or not. I remember trying to playact at some sort of Star Wars story with my friend Blake, but his narrative instincts were all over the map—plus of the two of us I was the only one who could do flips on the trampoline, so fight scenes gradually shifted from deliberate back and forth stick-crossing to me frantically backflipping around and occasionally hitting him in the leg as I whizzed by, which he got tired of pretty quick. I know I played Star Wars: Rogue Squadron on the GameCube, and I think I got in a bit of time in on Star Wars Episode 1: Racer, but the only Star Wars game I remember with any amount of detail is Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II,1 and even that I only remember in vague, pointillist details that probably aren’t even correct.2 I’ve never read a Star Wars book, comic, or graphic novel. I’ve not sought out the Christmas special, the despecialized original trilogy, or any other extra-filmic markers of “true fandom.” However, I did once have a copy of The Phantom Menace on VHS, which I watched multiple times a day for several weeks until I could (and did) recite the entire movie as I watched it (and, occasionally, as I brushed my teeth, waited for my mom to pay for groceries, ate dinner, etc.). I don’t remember my feelings about it, only that I watched it without end.

You may be rightly asking who cares, in which case I agree: with most other movies the above little biographical tidbits would be, as presented, more or less beside the point. What makes Star Wars unique, though, is that in this instance these tidbits, and in particular the tidbit re: Episode I, can and have disqualified my opinion on anything Star Wars in countless social circles. On first glance this may not seem that surprising—we casually write people off all the time for much less—but what is so odd is that it is precisely my appreciation for Star Wars that makes me unable to talk about Star Wars. That is, given that I like Episodes I, IV–VI, and bits of II and III in isolation, anything I may say about any future entries, be they main saga entries like The Force Awakens or anthology films like the upcoming Rogue One, is to be taken with a grain of salt. Or, to put it most plainly and confusingly, I like too many Star Wars movies to be a Star Wars fan.

Continue reading

  1. Multiply subtitled entries with various combinations of colons, en dashes, and Roman numerals being something of a mainstay of the franchise. If these examples aren’t overwhelming enough, consider that the sequel to Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II was not Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces III, but rather Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast. It’s not hard to see why Disney took the immediate step of ignoring the labyrinthine “universe” that surrounded the franchise and substituting its own.

  2. Two details, to be exact. 1) Put every skill point into force destruction, and 2) don’t bother with any blaster other than the Wookiee bowcaster.


text:
The Ben Franklin Book of Easy and Incredible Experiments
$ 16.95

Learn about science the same way Ben Franklin did--by performing incredible experiments!Ben Franklin, the famous patriot and signer of the Declaration of Independence, was also America's first great scientist. At a time when science was a mystery to most people, he performed incredible experiments that revealed amazing facts about light, heat, sound, electricity, the weather, and other aspects of the natural world.Now the enormously popular Franklin Institute Science Museum shows you how to do your own exciting experiments Ben Franklin's way. He used common objects such as cooking oil, a glass bottle, or pieces of colored cloth to chart the Gulf Stream, predict the weather, or measure how much a molecule weighs. Using inexpensive, easy-to-find items, you'll discover how to: -Build an optical toy shop, including a prism, kaleidoscope, telescope, and periscope -Make a weather station with a working barometer, hygrometer, and other homemade meteorological instruments -Create an orchestra with flutes, water chimes, maracas, and a guitar you make yourself -Build your own printing press and print documents on paper that you make in your own paper mill -Perform these and dozens of other experiments at home, in the classroom, or as science fair projects--and enjoy the fun of itThe Franklin Institute Science Museum was built in 1934 in Ben Franklin's hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The first hands-on science museum ever, it offers people a chance to learn about science by experimenting with hundreds of exhibits, including a 20-foot model of the human heart, a 350-ton steam locomotive, and a working weather station.


text:
 Rough&Tumble California Policy and Politics

Updating . .

Pensions will be ‘on the chopping block’ in next recession, Jerry Brown says -- Gov. Jerry Brown this week predicted that his 2012 pension law will survive union challenges in court and blow a hole in the so-called ‘California rule’ that has restricted changes to public employee retirement plans for half a century. Adam Ashton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/12/18

Brown administration working to scale down $17 billion Delta tunnels project -- Faced with a shortage of money and political support after seven years of work, Gov. Jerry Brown’s administration is working on a plan to scale back one of his key legacy projects, a $17 billion proposal to build two massive tunnels under the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to make it easier to move water from Northern California to the south. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/12/18

Villaraigosa supporters form super PAC to back his gubernatorial campaign -- Villaraigosa Governor of California 2018 can accept unlimited contributions from donors to support the former Los Angeles mayor’s attempt to catch up with front-runner Gavin Newsom ahead of the June 5 primary. Such independent expenditure committees cannot coordinate with candidates or campaigns. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/12/18

Gavin Newsom calls on President Trump to resign over vulgar comment -- Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom called on President Trump to step down in response to reports that the president used a vulgar phrase when talking about immigrants from Africa, Central America and the Caribbean. “You're a joke and a racist, President Donald J. Trump. Resign,” Newsom wrote on Facebook. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/12/18

The same elements that made the Thomas fire such a monster also created deadly debris flows -- The Thomas fire was halted on the steep slopes just above Montecito, sparing the enclave. But the same dramatic landscape that made the Thomas fire so hard to fight propelled rivers of mud and rock on a devastating rampage, toppling houses, tossing cars around like pieces of Legos and carrying 3-foot-wide boulders all the way to the beach. Bettina Boxall in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/12/18

Donald Trump and the porn star: How they met at a Lake Tahoe golf tournament -- News broke Friday that a lawyer for Donald Trump arranged a $130,000 payment to a former porn star one month before the 2016 election, reportedly in an effort to buy her silence about an alleged sexual encounter that occurred at a Lake Tahoe celebrity golf tournament in 2006. Martha Ross in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/12/18

Trump Lawyer Arranged $130,000 Payment for Adult-Film Star’s Silence -- A lawyer for President Donald Trump arranged a $130,000 payment to a former adult-film star a month before the 2016 election as part of an agreement that precluded her from publicly discussing an alleged sexual encounter with Mr. Trump, according to people familiar with the matter. Michael Rothfeld and Joe Palazzolo in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 1/12/18

Trump’s own words revive debate over whether he’s racist -- To Democrats and some historians, there is little dispute given the president’s own words and actions. His political rise was powered first by his promotion of lies about Barack Obama’s citizenship, then by his allegations that Mexican immigrants to the United States were rapists and murderers. Julie Pace Associated Press -- 1/12/18

Senator Insists Trump Used ‘Vile,’ ‘Racist’ Language -- Senator Richard J. Durbin, Democrat of Illinois, said that President Trump did use the term “shithole,” repeatedly, during a meeting on immigration — which Mr. Durbin attended. Mr. Trump had offered a vague denial about the language he used in the meeting with lawmakers. Eileen Sullivan in the New York Times$

Trump acknowledges ‘tough’ language but appears to deny ‘shithole’ remark -- President Trump acknowledged Friday that he used “tough” language during a meeting on efforts toward a bipartisan immigration deal but appeared to deny using the term “shithole” to refer to some countries. Anne Gearan and Ed O'Keefe in the Washington Post$ -- 1/12/18

California Policy & Politics This Morning

Up to 43 people still missing in Montecito; dead include four children -- Rescue crews continued to search Thursday for survivors amid the mud and wreckage of Montecito’s massive debris field, but acknowledged that the window to save lives is rapidly closing. Brittny Mejia, Matt Hamilton, Alene Tchekmedyian and Cindy Chang in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/12/18

Torrential California mudslide takes lives of elderly, young -- The oldest victim swept away in a California mudslide was Jim Mitchell, who had celebrated his 89th birthday the day before. He died with his wife of more than 50 years, Alice. The youngest, 3-year-old Kailly Benitez, was one of four children killed. Christopher Webber and Brian Melley Associated Press -- 1/12/18

Sex misconduct allegations change tone of Capitol event -- An annual party to kick-off California's new legislative year took a new tone Thursday night in the wake of sexual misconduct revelations at the Capitol. Rather than the traditional remarks from legislative leaders, lobbyist Paula Treat took the microphone to kick off the party at a downtown Sacramento bar with a reminder of changed sensitivity around such events. Kathleen Ronayne Associated Press -- 1/12/18

Kamala Harris emerges as voice of immigrant advocates in the Senate -- President Donald Trump hosted more than a dozen senators at the White House this week to discuss a solution for the more than 700,000 young undocumented immigrants brought to the country as children known as Dreamers. California Sen. Kamala Harris, however, was not invited. For Harris, one of the most vocal champions of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, the snub may not necessarily be a bad thing. Emily Cadei in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/12/18

Urgent alerts about deadly mudslides came too late for Montecito victims -- A wall of mud and boulders as big as pickup trucks crashed toward Gower’s house, sweeping the couple out the front door. Gower, 69, clung to the door frame. Her boyfriend reached for her hand. Neither could hold on. Her boyfriend, Norm, was pinned against a fence, buried in mud up to his neck. She was swept away and died. Joseph Serna, Hailey Branson-Potts, Ruben Vives and Laura J. Nelson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/12/18

Rep. Duncan Hunter says he's running for reelection -- "I am 100% running for reelection and with continued support from those in my district and the full endorsement of the Republican Party of San Diego County,” Hunter (R-Alpine) said in a statement. “I have run every race with full effort because my constituents deserve no less and this time is no different.” Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/12/18

Breed proposes renaming San Francisco’s Portsmouth Square after Ed Lee -- San Francisco acting Mayor London Breed wants to rename Portsmouth Square — one of the oldest and most significant historical sites in the city — after former Mayor Ed Lee, who died of a heart attack last month. Dominic Fracassa in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/12/18

GOP candidate for governor Travis Allen says he hopes to tap into California's 'silent supermajority' -- The Huntington Beach assemblyman, spoke Thursday at a candidate event hosted by the Public Policy Institute of California in San Francisco where he talked about his support for expanding oil drilling off the coast, said he supports taxpayer-funded school vouchers, pushed for the repeal of the California’s so-called sanctuary state law and described President Trump as great leader. Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times$ Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/12/18

Garofoli: Three Republicans are running for governor — that’s bad for Republicans -- There are now four major Democrats and three Republicans running for governor. In California, that means there are too many Republicans in the race. Hey, that’s not just my opinion. Ask Jim Brulte, chairman of the California Republican Party. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/12/18

Long Beach, San Leandro mayors join others to challenge Trump administration on marijuana enforcement -- The mayors of 10 cities including Seattle, Long Beach and San Leandro have signed a letter urging U.S. Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions to reconsider his decision to roll back a federal policy that gave low priority to prosecution of marijuana offenses in states that legalized the use of the drug. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/12/18

Exxon pushes back: Oil giant seeks to depose Santa Cruz city, county officials -- In December, the city and county of Santa Cruz joined a wave of coastal California communities suing fossil-fuel companies for climate-change related damages. On Monday, ExxonMobil pushed back against what it called “abusive law enforcement tactics and litigation,” threatening to file its own legal action and accusing the local jurisdictions of hypocritically omitting reference to climate change damages from their own bond disclosures. Nicholas Ibarra in the Santa Cruz Sentinel -- 1/12/18

Tenant activists, landlords clash over rent control bill in Sacramento -- The Assembly bill, which ultimately failed to get the necessary votes to move forward, would have repealed the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, a 1995 industry-backed law that limits the rent control rules cities and counties may adopt. Repealing the law would have given local governments the ability to set stricter rent controls. Melody Gutierrez in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/12/18

Public Utilities Commission delays California wildfire prevention plan, map of high-risk areas -- The detailed layout was projected before the end of 2017, and due no later than next Sunday, but it became clear to commission staff it would miss hitting that target because of the complexities of taking and applying feedback from multiple stakeholder groups. Kevin Fixler in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat David R. Baker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/12/18

Appeal filed over ‘appalling, Islamophobic’ teaching material distributed in 7th-grade social studies class -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations’ Los Angeles chapter filed an appeal this week on behalf of a Ventura County family whose son received instructional material in his seventh-grade social studies class that berated Muslims and which was taken, the group says, from an anti-Muslim website. Deepa Bharath in the Orange County Register -- 1/12/18

Gov. Brown relents amid criticism—proposes making it easier to track funding for needy kids -- Gov. Jerry Brown’s landmark school funding formula would not only win more money under the state budget blueprint he released Wednesday but also be subjected to the sort of transparency and accountability lawmakers and advocates for needy kids have been seeking since its adoption almost five years ago. Jessica Calefati Calmatters -- 1/12/18

How the San Francisco School Lottery Works, And How It Doesn’t -- Laurel Gaddie and Lamont Lucas try to conduct life as locally as possible. They live in San Francisco’s Duboce Triangle and don’t own a car. They shop locally and walk, bike or ride public transportation when they need to get around. So when it came to finding a kindergarten for their son, Kelvin, local was a priority. Katrina Schwartz KQED -- 1/12/18

Schools become a 'safe haven' for Salvadoran students in wake of crackdown – California schools are bracing for the impact of the Trump administration’s decision to oust thousands of Salvadoran immigrants, many of whom have been in the U.S. since the early 2000s and whose children are U.S. citizens. Carolyn Jones EdSource -- 1/12/18

Funding, teacher training top educators' wish lists for science education in 2018 – This year may prove to be a pivotal time for science education in California, as schools enter the final stages of introducing the Next Generation Science Standards — the new K-12 science standards — and prepare for the first fully operational standardized tests in early 2019. Carolyn Jones EdSource -- 1/12/18

Study: Legal marijuana could generate more than $132 billion in federal tax revenue and 1 million jobs -- New Frontier Data, a data analytics firm focused on the cannabis industry, forecasts that if legalized on the federal level, the marijuana industry could create an entirely new tax revenue stream for the government, generating millions of dollars in sales tax and payroll deductions. Katie Zezima in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/12/18

Cannabis dispensary goes to court over San Francisco’s denial of permit -- In a filing Thursday in San Francisco Superior Court, lawyers for PNB Noriega LLC — better known as the Apothecarium — claimed the board had overturned “legally correct land use decisions to favor politically connected groups,” when it went against the City Planning Commission’s vote to approve the dispensary at 2505 Noriega Street. The proposed dispensary is owned by former Oakland Mayor Jean Quan and her husband, Floyd Huen. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/12/18

Rat poison from pot farms poisoning owls, study finds -- Rat poison from marijuana farms appears to be sickening and possibly killing owls, fouling wildlife habitat and allowing rodents to spread contamination through large swaths of Northern California’s most famous cannabis-growing region, University of California researchers said in a report published Thursday. Peter Fimrite in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Ryan Sabalow in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/12/18

California Clinics Fret As Federal Funding Deadline Looms -- The deadline for Congress to reauthorize the Community Health Center Fund is January 19. Nearly 200 California clinics serving low-income and uninsured patients could be affected. Congress did not renew the funding last fall. And while there’s a temporary fix until March, the resolution keeping the program alive long-term expires this month. Sammy Caiola Capital Public Radio -- 1/12/18

San Diego's hepatitis A outbreak hits milestone: No new cases in two weeks -- The latest counts, published by the county Health and Human Services Agency Tuesday, didn’t budge from totals released on Jan. 3: 577 cases, 396 hospitalizations and 20 deaths. Paul Sisson in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 1/12/18

Also . . .

New San Francisco policies bar arrest of sex workers who come forward to report violence -- San Francisco sex workers who come forward to say they’ve been assaulted, raped, robbed or extorted — or that they’ve witnessed such crimes — cannot then be arrested for prostitution or petty drug crimes under policies adopted by city police and prosecutors. Evan Sernoffsky in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/12/18

Letterman and Obama reunite for the debut of the Late Night King's new Netflix show -- Obama, who at 56 appears to have grown younger since he left the White House, spoke in less guarded terms about political divisions among Americans, the role special interests and media play in those divides, the rise in racism and the very real danger of voter suppression. Lorraine Ali in the Los Angeles Times$ Ian Crouch The New Yorker -- 1/12/18

POTUS 45

Trump's 'shithole' remark is the latest in long string of racial provocations -- From the moment he launched his candidacy by attacking Mexican immigrants as criminals, President Trump has returned time and again to language that is racially charged and, to many, insensitive and highly offensive. Michael Finnegan and Mark Z. Barabak in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/12/18

‘Like throwing gasoline to the fire’: Trump’s explosive remark roils immigration debate -- Immigration talks on Capitol Hill foundered Thursday after the White House and some GOP lawmakers rejected a tentative deal from a bipartisan Senate group. President Trump had already lashed out at the bipartisan group, using incendiary language to ask them why they proposed restoring protections for immigrants from Haiti, El Salvador and African countries. Ed O'Keefe, Erica Werner and Josh Dawsey in the Washington Post$ -- 1/12/18

Trump rebuffs Dreamers deal reached by senators -- A bipartisan group of six senators has reached a deal that would shield Dreamers from deportation and make other changes to immigration laws and border security — but the framework has yet to win over the White House and other key players on Capitol Hill. Seung Min Kim Politico -- 1/12/18

Trump unites Democrats and Republicans — to oppose his offshore drilling plan -- Members of Congress from both parties and both coasts have intensified their opposition to the Trump administration’s plan to open almost all of America’s outer continental shelf to energy exploration. Keith Schneider in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/12/18

Schiff lays out Republican efforts to block access in Russia probe -- The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee on Thursday detailed a list of witnesses and documents Democrats say Republicans have kept them from accessing during the panel’s Russia investigation, and blamed the committee’s chairman and House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) for attempting to end the probe before it is complete. Karoun Demirjian in the Washington Post$ -- 1/12/18

-- Thursday Updates

California’s last nuclear plant to close after unanimous vote by regulators -- California’s last nuclear power plant — Diablo Canyon, whose contentious birth helped shape the modern environmental movement — will close in 2025, state utility regulators decided Thursday. David R. Baker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Rob Nikolewski in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 1/11/18

Rescue efforts continue in Montecito as community reels from deadly mudslide -- Rescue crews continued to search for survivors amid the mud and wreckage of Montecito’s massive debris field on Thursday, but acknowledged that the window to save lives is rapidly closing. Brittny Mejia, Matt Hamilton and Melissa Etehad in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/11/18

Amid rains and mudslides, drought concern remains -- Despite the fierce rains and deadly mudslides that have struck California, water officials are concerned about the possibility of a renewed drought. But they caution that is too early to tell. Jessica Hice Capitol Weekly -- 1/11/18

Trump complains about allowing immigrants from 'shithole' countries -- As he rejected a bipartisan compromise Thursday to resolve the standoff over so-called Dreamers, President Trump asked participants in an Oval Office meeting why the United States should accept immigrants from “shithole countries” in Africa, according to two people briefed on the meeting. Lisa Mascaro in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/11/18

White House doesn't deny Trump's 'shithole' immigration remark -- “Certain Washington politicians choose to fight for foreign countries, but President Trump will always fight for the American people,” White House spokesperson Raj Shah said in a statement, adding a list of parameters the president believes should be part of any immigration agreement. Democrats were quick to pounce on the remarks, slamming Trump for what Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) described on Twitter as “abhorrent bigotry.” Seung Min Kim and Matthew Nussbaum Politico -- 1/11/18

Report: Issa considering running in district next door -- Don’t put GOP Rep. Darrell Issa on the retirement list just yet. Issa has been discussing possibly running for another House seat in a neighboring district, The Hill newspaper reported Thursday. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/11/18

California lawmakers kill rent control bill. The battle could be headed to voters -- California lawmakers killed a bill Thursday that likely would have expanded rent control laws in cities and counties, setting the stage for a protracted statewide battle over how to rein in the state’s soaring housing costs. Angela Hart in the Sacramento Bee$ Kathleen Ronayne Associated Press -- 1/11/18

Former Democratic leader predicts ‘big, blue wave’ at election -- Donna Brazile, former interim chair of the Democratic National Committee, headlined the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. breakfast on Thursday, reminding the audience of California’s important role in creating the day honoring the slain civil rights leader. Billy Kobin in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/11/18

California lawmakers ponder if legal standard for sexual harassment cases is too high -- Is it too difficult for victims of sexual harassment to make their case in court? California legislators wrestled with that question Thursday at a hearing examining the legal threshold for harassment cases under state and federal law. Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/11/18

Opening of BART’s San Jose extension faces probable delay -- Commuters eager to hop on a BART train to or from San Jose will probably have to wait until fall, at least three months later than projected, BART officials said Thursday. It’s not their fault, they said. Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/11/18

Fox: Proposition 13 on his Mind -- By my count, Governor Jerry Brown mentioned Proposition 13, the nearly 40-year old property tax reform, three times during his press conference presenting a new state budget. Brown’s discussion of Prop 13 came in the context of the fiscal world California lives in because of the mandates of that tax measure. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 1/11/18

Borenstein: Brown suffers major setback on pension reform -- Gov. Jerry Brown suffered a significant legal setback this week when a state appeals court dealt a blow to hopes for meaningful pension reform in California. The decision after five years of litigation over pension spiking could undermine key portions of legislation the governor signed in 2012 to end such abuses and help shore up retirement systems across the state. Dan Borenstein in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/11/18

Donald Trump visit to London called off amid fears of mass protests -- President will not now open new US embassy next month, with secretary of state Rex Tillerson likely to take his place. Heather Stewart The Guardian -- 1/11/18


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Christopher Kane

Christopher Kane Lace Trimmed Neon Tulle Skirt

Christopher Kane's Resort '15 collection is full of neon shades.

This skirt is cut from stiff pleated tulle and finished with feminine black lace.

Neon-yellow tulle

Concealed zip fastening along back

100% polyamide; lining: 75% acetate, 25% silk; trim: 80% viscose, 20% polyamide

Dry clean

Fits true to size, take your normal size

Knee-length, sits at the waist

Mid-weight, non-stretchy fabric

Waist: 26''

Made in Italy


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Quick facts

Founders: Jamie Bezencenet

Founded: 2017

Location: Runway East Moorgate

Website: View here

Pitch your company in one sentence.

We are a London based full-service video production company. We can help bring your message to life, from concept right through to completion, and ensure you get the best possible video, whatever your budget.

How did you get your idea or concept for the business?

Pretty simply really. I turned a hobby that I love into something I get paid for!

What was your journey like to get where you are?

Circuitous! I was a stockbroker until 3 years ago, then I won a competition run by and was crowned ‘The Spontaneity Champion’, so I quit my job and travelled the world for a year producing content for them. I then moved to Canada for a season to become a ski instructor. Having returned from that I setup FOMO Studios!
When it’s all over, how do you want to be remembered?

As someone who enjoys a good pair of slacks and who is rarely late.

Where do you see your industry going?

Every business needs professional videos these days. There are lots of companies that create beautiful films, but the skill will increasingly become on understanding how they are implemented and tracked.

What would you do in the event of a zombie apocalypse?

My grandfather directed the 60’s B-Movie ‘Day of The Triffids’ in which a man-eating species of plant took over the country. The only survivors hid in a lighthouse so I’d probably try that.

What is unique about your business?

We strive to produce a quality of content that is usually associated to much larger budgets.

If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be?

Be awesome to everyone you work with or for, as you never know when you might need them.

Which company (other than your own) do you admire and why?

Masterclass. They produce online video courses with A-listers on everything from cooking to acting. Their courses are beautifully crafted and filmed. My other company, The Expert Academy, is in the same space and would love to be able to attract such big-hitters!

Who is/was your first client?

Nonstopsnow was my first client. They hired me to produce weekly vlogs whilst on their ski instructor training course in Canada. I wish every job since had been so much fun!

In my spare time I like to…

Race motorbikes.

Go on transcontinental road trips in unsuitable vehicles.

What is your favourite quote?

‘You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take’ – Wayne Gretsky

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Bob Contreras - Agent

Bob Contreras

eXp Realty San Antonio

About Bob

My real estate career started in the fall of 1987 with Century 21 Gene Holiday and Associates. I was there for approximately six years during which time I received many awards. I earned agent of the month and agent of the quarter several times. In five of the six years there, I was awarded top agent of the year. In addition, out of over 1,500 agents I was named into the Century 21 “TOP 21 Club” of San Antonio. I then joined Century 21 Joe Hern and Associates as an office trainer. In this position, I was asked to be an International Trainer for Century 21 managers and owners throughout Mexico. After 2 years I was offered to be trainer and part owner of Century 21 American Dream. During this time, I helped manage the office and continued my real estate business. After the rise of some family issues, I decided it was time to pull back on my responsibilities. I joined Keller Williams Realty in the year 2000 and quickly rose to the top of their ranks. I received many awards similar-to those of Century 21. In 2005, I help many agents meet their potential in their real estate careers with a business program that I created. Resulting in being named office Productivity Coach and first Productivity Coach for Keller Williams Realty nationwide. In this position, I, along with several of my colleague were also instrumental in creating the productivity coach program nationwide for Keller Williams Realty. During this time, I was also named the Keller Williams Southern Texas Regional Trainer responsible for training in offices throughout south Texas. After about 5 years, and having some health issues, I found myself having to take some time off to rejuvenate. I was involved with world organizations, like The Make A Wish Foundation and Easter Seals, which was a blessing. More locally I have worked with the Knights of Columbus, ministries like Ministries of John 3:16, The Ministry of the Third Cross and The Lord’s Children (TLC.) The education I have received has served to be invaluable. Over the years, courses like Sweat Hogs, an intense 12-week course through Century 21, Operations Boot Camp and Launch Boot Camp through Keller Williams Realty as well as Millionaire Real Estate Agent Business Planning Clinic. I have received over 300 Instructor hours with qualifications and certification to be a international trainer. Furthermore, I have obtained over 600 hours in other specialty real estate related courses. `
I Now, I find myself with a new spirit, and an inspiration, to continue my life’s work.
“The Alpha & Omega in Real Estate Consulting”

Send Bob a Message

Contact Information

San Antonio, TX 77056
Cell: 210-279-7273
Office: 210-981-3911
E-mail Me


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Essex road users asked for views on road safety

A new survey has been launched asking road users in Essex what they think will improve road safety in the county.

The survey, which is being conducted on behalf of Highways England and the National Police Chiefs’ Council, is designed to help police and other authorities understand how to reduce the number of casualties on the county’s roads.

The survey seeks views on police priorities, general travel habits and those involved in road safety.

Other questions cover dangerous driving habits, reporting bad drivers and the measures that would be most effective to reduce the number of offences committed.

The survey is entirely voluntary and anonymous and will not collect any personal data.

Click here to participate in the survey.

19 June 2018

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Return to Dashboard Next apartment
3,058 ft 2| 4 Bedrooms | 3 Bathrooms
Time on market: 77 days
Taxes/Maintenance: $2,597
Property type: Condo
Courtesy of Halstead Property, LLC
This sprawling 3,050SF duplex maisonette loft is located at the historic Sweeney Building and offers townhouse privacy with all of the luxury and convenience of a full-service doorman building. Enter to a dramatic corner Living/Dining room bathed in natural light from enormous windows and featuring 11-foot beamed ceilings, beautiful oak floors, and classic views overlooking the treetops of Brooklyn Bridge Park and the iconic Manhattan Bridge beyond. The oversized chef's kitchen with center-island is open to the entertaining space and features deep stone and stainless steel countertops, abundant custom cabinetry, and top-of-the-line appliances including a Subzero refrigerator, Viking cooktop, Thermador Oven, and Bosch dishwasher. Nearby, you'll find a large pantry closet and a tasteful powder room for guests. Completing the upstairs is the spacious Master Bedroom Suite with separate sitting area, floor-to-ceiling custom-milled cabinetry, a large fitted walk-in closet, and a beautiful en-suite bathroom replete with elegant marble sink, glass-enclosed shower, and deep jetted tub for two. Downstairs, you'll find 3 spacious bedrooms each with fully fitted closets, a Media Room, a large separate laundry room, and two beautifully renovated bathrooms. The entire loft is centrally air-conditioned and offers Lutron lighting on dimmers and abundant storage space throughout. All this, at the Sweeney Building, DUMBO's most sought-after established loft condominium with full-time doorman, state-of-the-art fitness center, and spectacular common roof deck with panoramic views of Brooklyn, Manhattan, and the magical bridges that connect them. Last but not least, is the prime location putting you right in the heart of DUMBO with its cobblestone streets, historic architecture, great restaurants, cafes, highly rated schools, and the ever expanding Waterfront Park right at your doorstep. Not just an apartment, but a lifestyle that is undeniably New York! more

Bike Storage
Fitness Center
No Pets Allowed
Pied-A-Terre Allowed
Laundry in Building
Outdoor Areas
Roof Deck
Washer/Dryer Allowed
Landmark Status
Pre-War Building
Full-Time Doorman
Laundry in Unit

Sale Price
Down Payment
Mortgage Payment:
Common Charges: $1,995
Monthly Taxes: $602

Total Monthly Payment:
Mortgage Amount $2,796,000
30 Year Fixed


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Something to keep in mind come election time.

Seventeen of California’s 19 House Republicans have signed a letter supporting drilling off the state’s coast.

They sent the letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco on Thursday as House Democrats assembled an energy package that would allow offshore drilling if states opt in.

The lawmakers, led by Ken Calvert of Corona, focus on revenue drilling could generate for the state if California opts in and if states are given a cut of the royalties.

Pelosi opposes drilling off the coast of California, as does Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The two Republican House members who didn’t sign were Mary Bono Mack of Palm Springs and Brian Bilbray of Carlsbad.

In response to this, Governors Gregoire of WA, Kulongoski of OR, and Schwarzenegger of CA reiterated their opposition to new offshore oil and gas development by sending a letter to Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne commenting on the Minerals Management Service’s Five-Year Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Program: 2010-2015.

“We urge the federal government to look for realistic short- and long-term solutions to our energy problems instead of pursuing a course that would be devasting to the environment and would not provide the fundamental economic relief that consumers seek”, stated Governors Gregoire, Kulongoski, and Schwarzenegger in the letter.