text:
Official Report (Hansard)

Session: 2013/2014

Date: 18 September 2013

PDF version of this report (198.17 kb)

Committee for Education

Public Service Pensions Bill: DE Briefing

The Deputy Chairperson: I welcome La’Verne Montgomery, director of education workforce development in the Department of Education; Ian Gallagher, head of pay, remit and pensions policy in the Department of Education; and Seamus Gallagher, from the teacher negotiating and pensions policy team.  You are very welcome.  You probably know what we heard last week, and we look forward to hearing from you.  You have 15 minutes.

Mrs La'Verne Montgomery (Department of Education): Thank you very much, Deputy Chair, for the opportunity to brief the Committee on proposals for the reform of public sector pensions and, in particular, the current position on the teachers' pension scheme.

As you will be aware, the Department launched two recent consultations:  one on actuarial valuations; and the other on workplace pension reform.  Actuarial valuations is one issue that the teacher unions raised with you last week, and if you are content, I propose to deal with that today as well.  If the Committee would find it useful, and if time permits, we can also update you on workplace pension reform at the end of the session.

I understand that the Finance and Personnel Committee has already provided copies of the draft Bill and other background papers that set out the rationale for change, the core provisions of the Bill, the timetable for change and the financial consequences of delay, approximately £60 million of which would fall to education.  I do not propose to cover all that again.  Today, I propose to concentrate on addressing the concerns raised by the teacher unions in their session last week, which you helpfully set out in your letter of 13 September.

You asked for clarification on the exclusion of local teachers' unions from the England and Wales public sector pension negotiations.  A technical review group was set up in England and Wales to consider pension reforms, meetings of which were held between September and December 2011.  Departmental officials attended in an observer capacity.  Local teacher unions were also represented on the technical review group as observers, as were representatives of the Scottish teacher unions, the Scottish Executive Education Department and the Scottish Public Pensions Agency.  As you are aware, responsibility for pension arrangements for public service employees in Northern Ireland is a devolved matter.  Following the exploratory discussions, the teachers' pension scheme in England and Wales considered it appropriate to focus its discussions specifically on the England and Wales scheme and to carry out those discussions with representatives of the members of that scheme.  The decision not to involve the other jurisdictions was influenced by the size of the group, which even without the observers made the practicalities of accommodating and carrying out detailed discussions quite cumbersome.  It is worth noting that it was only the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) and the Ulster Teachers' Union (UTU), which do not represent members in England and Wales, that were not included in the discussions.  The other four unions that represent members in the Northern Ireland teachers' pension scheme — the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT), the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) and the University and College Union (UCU) — were all included in the discussions.

As I have already said, pensions are a devolved matter.  Irrespective of what happened in England and Wales, it is still necessary to hold discussions here.  To that end, a consultative group to facilitate key stakeholder discussion has been established by the Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP).  The Department of Education; which retains responsibility for policy and legislation matters for the Northern Ireland teachers' pension scheme; the Department of the Environment; the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety; and the Department of Justice are all represented on that group.  Teachers' unions are also represented on the staff side of the group, which also includes nominees from unions that represent other parts of the public sector that are affected by the proposed changes.

With regard to engagement with the unions on the Northern Ireland teachers' pension scheme, the Department has a long-established teachers' superannuation consultative committee on which all unions representing pension members are represented along with employers.  The committee met on 12 June 2012.  It was agreed to establish a subgroup to examine any areas where potential scheme-specific discussions may be possible.  Meetings of the subgroup were held on 21 June and 31 July 2012.  After discussion, they reverted to the full committee.  At the meeting on 31 July 2012, the Department circulated a paper detailing the scope of scheme-specific flexibilities.  That paper was based on the key provisions of a reformed teachers' pension scheme in England and Wales.  The committee met a further six times between 31 July 2012 and, most recently, 13 August 2013, and the paper detailing the scope for scheme-specific flexibilities featured on the agenda of each of those meetings.  To date, however, date, the teacher side has not suggested any variations to the proposed final heads of agreement in the teachers' pension scheme for England and Wales.

At the committee meeting on 13 August 2013, officials advised the trades unions that, given the potential financial consequences of delay, it was vital that teacher-side proposals were submitted to the Department as soon as possible in order to allow sufficient time for detailed consideration of proposals and their likely cost implications.  We hope that teacher side can submit any proposals in time for the October committee meeting.

I now propose to ask my colleague Ian to cover the actuarial valuations; Seamus will pick up on any remaining issues.  We will be happy to answer any additional questions that you may have.

The Deputy Chairperson: Before we do that, we have one query.  I am trying to explore the Minister's view of the Bill.  I am thinking particularly about references that were made during Question Time to alternative proposals that the Minister put forward to the teaching unions on pensions.  The Minister indicated that his proposals were rejected.  Can you advise what was suggested and the impact of the Bill on the adoption of future alternative measures on teachers' pensions in Northern Ireland?

Mrs Montgomery: The proposals that the Minister referred to were in relation to additional contributions, which applied the year before last and the year that we have just come into.  There are proposals for further contributions from the 2014-15 year.  The Minister proposed a different approach to how those contributions would be calculated.  He suggested that the additional contributions would be weighted to the higher earners.  That was something that England and Wales were doing, and they were looking at anybody earning more than, I think, £36,000.

Mr Seamus Gallagher (Department of Education): Twenty-six thousand pounds.

Mrs Montgomery: The Minister proposed lifting that and, therefore, having the additional contributions weighted more to the higher earners.  The unions did not engage on that suggestion.  As such, the contribution changes that went in mirrored what happened in England and Wales.

The Deputy Chairperson: When you say, "did not engage", they did not reply.  Is there something else going on that is encouraging them to hold their cards closer to their chest?

Mrs Montgomery: The unions fundamentally disagree with the need for additional contributions and for pension reform.  Therefore, to engage may well say that they are accepting.

The Deputy Chairperson: Do you want to come in on this now, Chris, or when we are finished?

Mr Hazzard: I will wait until they are finished.

Mrs Montgomery: Ian will deal with the actuarial valuations.

Mr Ian Gallagher (Department of Education): Deputy Chair and members, the Department recently launched a consultation on actuarial valuations.  In responding to union concerns, I will cover the consultation at the same time.  The 2008 actuarial review of the NI teachers' pension scheme, along with similar reviews of other pension schemes, was put on hold before it was completed, while the coalition Government consulted on the most appropriate discount rate to apply in determining the full cost of the unfunded public service pension schemes.

The coalition Government subsequently announced that they would proceed with the implementation of reformed public service schemes by April 2015.  The reformed schemes will include new arrangements for managing future cost pressures, including an employer cost cap.  The Public Service Pensions Act 2013, which received Royal Assent on 25 April 2013, provides for those new arrangements in England, Wales and Scotland.  On 8 March 2012, the NI Executive decided that the policy for pension reform would be implemented in the devolved schemes here.

For unfunded schemes, such as the Northern Ireland teachers' pension scheme, the initial level of the employer cost cap will be set with reference to 2012 actuarial valuations.  Those actuarial valuations are used to measure the costs of the pension promises that are being made to the workforce and the benefits that will be paid out in future.  They are complex, highly technical procedures, and the Treasury has advised authorities with responsibilities for public service pension schemes, including the Minister of Finance and Personnel on behalf of the locally devolved schemes, that there is no longer a need to spend further time or resources in conducting evaluations that some schemes have pending or in process based on the existing cap-and-share arrangements.

In light of new arrangements for setting contribution rates, which will come into effect in 2015, there is now no need to carry out the currently suspended Northern Ireland teachers' pension scheme actuarial review or the cap-and-share processes.  The Department considers that the funds and actuarial resources that would be used in conducting such processes are better served focusing on a 2012 actuarial valuation, which is needed in order to set up the new teachers' pension scheme here.  The true costs of the scheme can be determined only in the full light of the reforms that are being introduced.

It is worth noting that the purpose of a valuation under scheme regulations is to set contribution rates, and the need to carry a valuation to set contributions has been negated by the decision to increase member contributions independently of that process.  Valuation processes to assess scheme liabilities are ongoing and will continue to be reported and published annually in resource accounts for each scheme, although those valuations are not used for setting contribution rates.  The most recent scheme accounts for the teachers' pensions scheme provide a statement of scheme liabilities for the past five years.  They show that liabilities had risen from £7·38 billion in 2009 to £9·56 billion at March 2013.  There remains visibility and financial control as costs that would have been shown in the suspended actuarial valuations will still show up in the actuarial valuation that will be conducted for the new scheme.

The remainder of the consultation on valuations deals with the need to remove the cap-and-share arrangements and regulations.  Cap and share are the arrangements under which any increase in contributions, as determined by an actuarial valuation, are shared between employer and employee with a cap of 14% on employer contributions.  The NI teachers' pension scheme was linked into cap and share through a provision in regulations that required the scheme to adopt the member contribution rate that emerged from the teachers' pension scheme actuarial valuation in England and Wales, which was completed under cap-and-share arrangements and determined in accordance with the teachers' pension scheme regulations in England and Wales with the employer meeting the balance of the total contribution rate.  However, as a result of a Treasury decision to remove cap-and-share arrangements, the Department of Education amended the Teachers' Pensions Regulations 2010 to remove the existing cap-and-share provisions.  That means that the regulation referred to by regulation G5 of the Teachers' Superannuation Regulations (NI) 1998 no longer exists and, as such, the regulation is redundant.  Finally, there is no detriment to any member of the teachers' pension scheme as a result of the proposals on either valuations or cap and share.

We are happy to take questions on actuarial valuations, or Seamus can address some of the other issues, including further responses to the Committee questions that were raised at last week's session.

The Deputy Chairperson: Thank you.  It is an immensely complicated subject.  Perhaps I should test everyone on the Committee to see how many followed it.  This is the key:  are you saying that there is no impact on the contribution as an actuarial nicety, or are you saying that, given the first consultation on cap-and-share arrangements, the proposals will have no material impact?  Do the unions agree with you?

Mrs Montgomery: The employer contributions could be impacted, not the employee contributions.

The Deputy Chairperson: So things are going smoothly.  Dare I ask:  are we moving towards agreement or is a big battle looming?

Mr S Gallagher: The unions want the 2008 valuation carried out.  The Department's position is that the 2012 valuation will provide a more up-to-date position so that we can examine the scheme.  Skipping straight to a new valuation does not lack accountability, as what has happened since the 2004 valuation will still be reported in that.  In any case, the Department publishes annually a statement of scheme liabilities based on a report of the actuary, although that report does not look at members' contribution rates, which have already been determined by another policy.  That is why we increased them last year, the year before and will come back to them probably later this term about further increases from April 2012.  Cap and share was designed to protect the employer, not the member.  There is no detriment to members because of the changes.

The Deputy Chairperson: If I remember correctly from last week, their main question was about what they are going to get when they retire.  That is protected.

Mr S Gallagher: I was intending to cover that in the latter part.  What they were saying is that the Bill provides not only for a defined benefits schemes but for other schemes.  The Bill is basically enabling legislation, and it has to cover many scenarios, not just the scenario for education and health but for any public sector body that exists or that might come into existence in future.  We assure the Committee and the teachers' unions that the Department has no intention of moving away from a defined benefits system —

The Deputy Chairperson: Good.

Mr S Gallagher: — for at least the length of the guarantee — 25 years — that the coalition Government have given.

Mr Lunn: I am as bewildered as everybody else.  Is it correct that the actuarial valuation is normally or ideally carried out triennially?

Mr S Gallagher: Some of them are carried out triennially; the teachers' one was every four years.

Mr Lunn: However, the scheme valuation is an annual one with actuarial input.

Mr S Gallagher: A report of the actuary is produced annually for the scheme accounts; it sets out the scheme liabilities and notional assets.

Mr Lunn: Would the annual scheme valuation highlight the need for a contribution change, or would you need a full actuarial three or four-yearly valuation?

Mr S Gallagher: The annual valuation does not set out what member or employer contributions would be; it simply sets out what the liabilities are.

Mr Lunn: That is what I mean:  it would highlight sufficiently the potential need for a change up or down in contributions.

Mr S Gallagher: As Ian said, it has reported an increase in liabilities over the past five years from —

Mrs Montgomery: From £7·38 billion at 31 March 2009 to £9·56 billion at 31 March 2013.  That is an increase of more than £2 billion.

Mr Lunn: You have already done this, but sometimes it takes two goes:  will you explain the cap-and-share arrangement?  Is that a potential cap on the employer contribution and the employees' contribution, or either, or both?

Mr S Gallagher: Only on the employers' contribution.

Mr Lunn: Therefore the employee is left — dare I use the word? — defenceless.

Mr S Gallagher: They would have been under cap-and-share arrangements.  Had contributions been forced up, it would have come back to employees picking up the cost or discussion with the unions about changes to the scheme.  However, it did not come into effect because the coalition changed their mind; they now say that they will value the new schemes from 2015 on.

The Deputy Chairperson: Before they go, I welcome Sam Gardiner's guests.  Sorry to interrupt.

Mr Lunn: From 2015 onwards, if there is an identified deficit in the scheme, it will hit the employee, not the employer.  Is that correct?

Mr S Gallagher: The scheme assumes that employee contributions for teachers will be an average of 9·6%, which is the position as a result of the separate increases that were applied last year and the year before and the final 20% that will apply in April coming.  It is setting a cost cap within which the scheme will operate and from where employers' contributions will come.  It is expected that that will show enough flexibility — a couple of per cent either way — so that it will not be breached over the next 25 years before they go back and look at it.

Mr Lunn: You talk about an overall cost cap.  Is that the employer and the employees' contributions aggregated into a contribution cap?

Mr S Gallagher: It will set a maximum amount, but we do not know what that will be yet; we do not know what employers will contribute.  The default position set out in the Bill is that, if that is exceeded and employees do not want to pay any more, the accrual rate would change.  So, the rate at which pension is accrued would change from one fifty-seventh to one fifty-eighth, one fifty-ninth or whatever it takes to balance the liabilities.

Mr Lunn: I am trying to reorganise my thoughts.  I will ask you a few more questions in a minute.

Mr S Gallagher: Rather than having the automatic default position of employees' contribution going up, the benefits would change.

Mr Lunn: We had this conversation the last time you were here, Seamus.  Do you think that the teachers' scheme, as it stands or goes forward, stands up in comparison with the other public service or Civil Service schemes?

Mr S Gallagher: Yes, except, of course, those for the police and the Fire and Rescue Service.  We provided you with some kind of comparison last time around.

Mr Lunn: You did.  I am not sure whether it was the Civil Service or the public service scheme that appeared to have slightly better benefits and slightly lower employee contributions.

Mr S Gallagher: The Civil Service scheme has slightly lower employee contributions, mainly because civil servants have been lower paid than teachers, and this was seen as a kind of compensation.  Historically, as part of the pay package, they contributed less to their pension scheme.  The benefits are pretty comparable.

Mr Lunn: Do you think that you will still be able to defend that comparison under the new arrangements?

Mr S Gallagher: Yes.

Mr Hazzard: This point is about the section 75 issues raised by the Bill and the fact that there has not been an equality impact assessment.  I am wondering what the Department is doing to look at the issue.

Mr S Gallagher: DFP has ownership and responsibility for implementing the changes.  It undertook an equality screening exercise on the proposed Bill and screened out the need for a full equality impact assessment.  It identified minor impacts in the areas of age and gender but concluded that the impacts can be shown to be mitigated, on age, by the transitional arrangements and, on gender, by factors external to the policy, which are due to the fact that the make-up of the public service workforce is primarily female.  In effect, the policy did not impact any worse on a male than a female; it just happened to impact on more of them.  However, that assessment did not consider any matters that vary between the schemes and addressed only the core provisions, so we will undertake further analysis of equality when we come to implement the scheme regulations.  We are committed to taking equality implications into account in developing those proposals, and we will undertake further assessment at scheme regulation point.

Mr Hazzard: Will that involve screening?

Mr S Gallagher: Initially, we will screen, and then we will determine whether a full impact assessment is required.

The Deputy Chairperson: Seamus, do you want to go into more detail on the Bill and what is coming?

Mr S Gallagher: I think we touched on a couple of points that I was going to cover, one of which was equality, because you specifically asked about that.

You also asked for clarification on transitional protection.  The transitional protection will be for 10 years from 1 April 2012.  The rationale for transitional protection is to allow the people nearest retirement to have time to adapt.  The consideration is that the time for adapting started when people became aware of the changes, not when those changes were implemented.  So, the 10 years will run from 1 April 2012 and not from the point of implementation.  There is further transitional protection for a further three and a half years, but that is tapered, so the younger you are, the less it is.

The Deputy Chairperson: Can they still debate that?

Mr S Gallagher: Well, it would be built into the scheme reference that we are basing our costs against that it would be 10 years from April 2012.  Were there to be any changes to that there would be a subsequent cost and one of the other benefits would have to change.

Mrs Montgomery: Effectively, we are then talking about anyone aged forty six and a half.

Mr S Gallagher: Yes, there is tapered protection from forty six and a half to anyone who was 50 in April 2012, and full protection for anybody who is over 50, which we reckon would probably equate to around one third of current members who would not be impacted at all.

Mr Rogers: The important thing for teachers is whether, when they retire, their pension will be as good then as it is now, or whatever.  Will you explain more about how the career-average revaluated earnings, using that method, will not negatively impact on what teachers get in their pension?

Mr S Gallagher: Career average will negatively impact on some people — ie high fliers and high earners — but it will not necessarily impact negatively on the normal classroom teacher who is not making progress in terms of promotions and stuff.  It was seen by the Independent Public Services Commission, which reported on it, as a fairer way, given that high-fliers were perhaps gaining up to three times as much for every pound that they contributed into the pension scheme as the normal, average, run-of-the-mill member.  So, it will benefit some people; it will not benefit those near the top of the scale, but it is seen as a fairer method.

Mr Rogers: Have you any idea of the percentage of teachers that it will impact negatively on?

Mr S Gallagher: I do not.

Mrs Montgomery: Effectively, in the main, a classroom teacher will reach the top of their scale after 12 years; so it would not impact, in the main, on classroom teachers:  is that correct, Seamus?  It is potentially those who are in leadership and who have gone into leadership earlier who would be affected; they would have benefited from the current scheme.

Mr S Gallagher: To some extent, this is designed to protect the scheme from salary increases right at the end of the career.  I am not saying that it is not a money-saving exercise, because the whole pension reform is about saving money; but this is seen as a fairer method of doing it.  You will find that low earners come more from the female side of the house, across the public sector, than high earners do, and to some extent this is seen as balancing inequalities.

Mr Rogers: Is it not true that the majority of teachers would move off that and have some motion through the number of years in their teaching career, so that this might impact negatively on quite a considerable number of teachers?

Mr S Gallagher: The way that it will work is that what you earn in a year will be sliced off and then be increased by inflation.  For teachers it is proposed that it will be CPI plus 1·6% from that point until the point in which it actually goes into payment.  It does disadvantage people who move up the scale quickly at the end of their career.  It does not really impact that much on those who have a normal, steady career path.  It may well be that some of those would gain.

Mr Rogers: It would be useful to see data on different teachers, different categories and what the impact would be.

Mrs Montgomery: Certainly, we can provide that to the Committee.

Mr Lunn: Just on what you have been discussing — if this did not have any impact, you would not need to do it.  I accept what you say, Seamus, that in a lot of cases it will not make much difference, but in all cases it will make some difference, and in some cases it will make quite a dramatic difference.  However, this is intended as part of the overall package to tidy up the scheme and keep it financially viable without the need for injections of cash and all the rest of it, so I can understand that.  Most final salary schemes have now become career average schemes.  It is the trend, and I am not saying that teachers or anyone else should be immune from it, but it has a difference.

Can I move on to something else, Chairman?

The Deputy Chairperson: Yes, go ahead.

Mr Lunn: There are various calculations about how this will affect a 30 year old, a 50 year old and a 60 year old; but for teachers who are already contributing, the benefits accrued to date will not be affected by this in any way:  is that right?

Mr S Gallagher: That is right.

Mr Lunn: I am just putting on the record now the fact that the benefits have been accrued on the assumption that any adjustments in the future will be on the basis of the retail prices index (RPI) rather than the consumer prices index (CPI).  Does that still apply?

Mr S Gallagher: I do not think that benefits have been accrued on that basis.  The Government have already moved from RPI to CPI since 2010, so any future pension increases would probably be done on the basis of CPI.

Mr Lunn: I am thinking of another scheme that I have been made aware of, let us put it that way, in which the pension provided on the basis that contributions made to date, before the change from RPI to CPI will, eventually, be paid on the basis of RPI adjustments.

Mr S Gallagher: I am not aware of that.  If you give me more information, we can look into that scheme.

Mr Lunn: I will talk to you afterwards.

The overall thrust of this, and I am not saying that we in Northern Ireland could do anything about it, is that it used to be the case that adjustments to pension schemes were made gradually.  I would not say that they were barely noticeable, but they were not dramatic.  I know that the world is changing and that people are living longer, and the fact that people being in payment for much longer is what is at the back of all this, but that has also been a gradual thing.  Suddenly, we have a situation where, and this is fairly typical, employee contributions are being increased dramatically, in historical terms, and employer contributions appear to be being capped.  The only basis, if the scheme does not cover itself actuarily, will be that either employee contributions will go up again or benefits will be reduced.  It is all quite dramatic.  Do market forces not come into play in the scheme's performance?

Mr S Gallagher: There is no actual pot of money, so market forces do not really come into effect.

Mr Lunn: There is no pot of money?

Mr S Gallagher: No, it is an unfunded scheme; simply, the Government guarantee to pay out the benefits that members have accrued.  At the minute, the amount of benefits being paid out is exceeding the contributions coming in, by £163 million in the most recent year.

Mr Lunn: This is not familiar to us; it is completely unfunded, there is no pot of money and there is no money going into investment in the normal way.  To put it another way, the Government can effectively red the scheme any time they like.

Mr S Gallagher: The Government guarantee the payments that are made out of it.  It is much the same way as they guarantee social security payments.  They do not invest the money; they take the contributions and they guarantee to pay out the benefits.

Mr Lunn: They accept and retain the money, but they do not have to ring-fence it.

Mr S Gallagher: No, they do not ring-fence it.

Mr Lunn: OK.  Fair enough.  That is interesting.

The Deputy Chairperson: Thank you, you have cleared up some things for all of us.

Can I ask you to comment on one or two things that arose from our meeting with the Teachers' Council last week?  They raised two points; that normal pension age is 65 not 68 and that there will be a revised role for the pensions board and the scheme advisory board.

Mr S Gallagher: It is set out in the Bill that pension age would increase to state pension age in line with the scheduled increases for state pension age.  We are not here to defend the coalition Government's policy on pension age.  However, the rationale, which is set out in Hutton's report, is that life expectancy has increased and that, by moving the pension age, people would spend the same portion of their life in retirement as they currently do.

The Deputy Chairperson: The same proportion.

Mr S Gallagher: Yes.  It is roughly a third.

The Deputy Chairperson: Is it also the case that the Bill would allow the Department a lot of discretion to alter the Northern Ireland teachers' pension scheme to a defined contribution scheme?

Mr S Gallagher: As I said, we have no intention of moving away from defined contributions.  The legislation is an enabling power and it should provide for as many scenarios as possible.  It does not set out the specifics of how each scheme would operate.  The proposals are that the teachers' scheme will stay as a defined benefit scheme.  Members will know what they will get out of the scheme at the point that they are putting contributions in.

You mentioned scheme governance.  The unions asked for the Bill to be specific on how the management board and scheme advisory board would be made up.  Again, it is the same thing:  it is enabling legislation.  The detailed discussions as to how those are made up — a pensions board, which would deal with overseeing the administration of the scheme, and a scheme advisory board, which effectively would adopt the same policy advice role as the current consultative committee — would be worked out at scheme level and probably should not be specified in the Bill.

The Deputy Chairperson: It leaves flexibility.

Mr S Gallagher: Yes.  It is about flexibility.

Mr Lunn: I am sorry if this sounds naive; I do not mind sounding stupid, sometimes.  If there is no pot of money being held for the benefit of the scheme, who actually pays the employer contribution?  Do not just say the employer.

Mr S Gallagher: The employer pays the employer contributions.

Mr Lunn: Who is the employer?

Mr S Gallagher: Education and library boards, voluntary grammar schools, further education colleges.

Mr Lunn: That is what I mean.  It is physically paid over to the Treasury.

Mr S Gallagher: Yes.  In the most recent year, benefits going out exceeded the pile of money coming in by £163 million.  That has increased, year on year, over the past number of years.

The Deputy Chairperson: What are the projections for the future?  We have got to change things, otherwise, presumably, it will just get worse and worse.

Mrs Montgomery: I do not know whether the 2012 valuation would give us that.

Mr S Gallagher: We are hoping to complete a 2012 valuation, which would give us more indication of how the scheme would look taking account of the changes.

Mrs Montgomery: In 2011-12, it was exceeded by £133 million.  In 2012-13, it was exceeded by £163 million.  That is the difference in a year.

The Deputy Chairperson: That is why unions could be worried.  If the gap is getting bigger and bigger, then, in the future, people would likely be asked to pay more.

Mr S Gallagher: The coalition Government have given a guarantee of no further changes for 25 years.

Mr Lunn: Is that no further changes to employee contributions?

Mr S Gallagher: The make-up of the pension schemes.

The Deputy Chairperson: Assuming that you get the same Government.

Mr S Gallagher: I think that the guarantee is binding on any Government that come in.

The Deputy Chairperson: According to my notes, there was only one response to the second consultation following proposals that the Department consulted on in February about the bar on retired teachers re-entering the Northern Ireland teachers' pension scheme to be removed.  There are a whole lot of different points.

Mr S Gallagher: Yes, Ian is going to cover that.

Mr I Gallagher: On workplace reform, officials were here at the session on 6 March.  We were discussing year 2 increases to member contribution rates.  At that stage, the Department was part way through a policy consultation on those proposals.  At that stage, the Department intended to run a short, four-week consultation on the draft regulations at the same time as the policy consultation.  However, the draft regulations proved to be more complex than anticipated, and we are now only getting round to consulting on the draft regulations.  However, with regard to the initial policy consultation, there was just the one response from the Ulster colleges union, which was broadly supportive of the proposed changes.

The teachers' pension scheme here more than meets the minimum standards of a qualifying pension scheme, and auto-enrolment for full- and part-time staff has been a feature of the scheme since 2007.  The vast majority of teachers will be unaffected by workforce pension reform and the changes proposed.  However, retired teachers are currently barred from rejoining the teachers' pension scheme when they are re-employed as substitute teachers.  The Department is proposing to amend the teachers' superannuation regulations to allow retired teachers to re-join the teachers' pension scheme.

A number of other minor amendments to the regulations are needed to comply with overriding legislation.  Those amendments will ensure that teachers who are currently eligible to be part of the teachers' pension scheme, but who have opted out of it, will be given the opportunity to review that decision and revisit any decision to opt out every three years.  They also provide that individuals who have more than one job may make different opt-out decisions for each job and will allow for membership of the scheme by 16- and 17-year-olds.  Those amendments are not contentious and are relatively simple to make.

The Deputy Chairperson: Is that why we only got one response?  Are people happy with it?  Is that what we are seeing?

Mrs Montgomery: That was the initial policy consultation, so we are still engaged in the wider consultation.

The Deputy Chairperson: There are no questions from members.  La'Verne, Ian, Seamus, thank you very much, and thank you for your patience with us trying to get our heads around this.

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text: Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2008 12:20:03 -0800 (PST) From: Phyllis Wood Subject: Santas Gift 4 TG magic Santa's Gift 4 Copyright 2008 Phyllis Wood (TG - Magic) This is a work of fiction. This is my story and I'm sticking to it! Anyone reading this younger than eighteen years old, please remove your eyes at your earliest inconvenience. Anyone wishing to repost this to any FREE story archive is encouraged to do so on the condition of this header remaining its integral part. ========================================================== It's Christmas Eve and I'm pregnant again. This is my third and my body's fifth. I was due three days ago. The whole family is here to visit and help. Mom, (I suppose she's my mother-in-law now but I'll always think of her as Mom) and I are in the kitchen getting ready for tomorrow. All the gifts were wrapped last week in preparation for my delivery. We started cooking yesterday. There are still all sorts of things that need to be done: stuffing, de-bone the turkey, make the stock and gravy, cook the squash and make the pies and make the cranberry sauce. Left for tomorrow will be to cook the turkey parts, the baked potatoes and heat all the rest. I've gotten used to feeling like I swallowed a watermelon. As we are cooking and cleaning, Mom and I chat about family. "Lisa, I've been meaning to ask you this for a long time. Pardon me for being personal but for the last few years I've had the feeling that when I talk with you I'm talking with Kevin and when I talk with Kevin I'm actually talking with you. I tried to ignore it but lately it's just been creepy. It gives me the willies. It's like you two switched bodies or something. There, I've said my peace, no offense meant." I stood there a minute, stunned. "None taken Mom" I managed to say after a moment or two. "There, that's part of it. You never used to call me Mom. You used to call me by my first name and now Kevin's doing it. He used to call me Mom." I took Mom's hands in mine. "Things ARE different, it's not your imagination." "What?" "You're right, we did switch bodies. It was a gift from Santa three years ago." "Now you're just funnin' me!" "I know it's hard to believe. Let me explain." We spent the better part of two hours discussing what had happened, why I would wish to be a woman, differences and all sorts of stuff. She mentioned all the clues that kept building and building until she had to say something. The others had also noticed. "Oh, Damn, that means we'll have to tell them as well." "Well at the moment as you know, they're all outside playing football." At that moment my little sister, Deb came in (my real sister). "Hi Mom, Hi Lisa, It's getting cold out there." She was always a tomboy. As children I helped cooked dinner while she played football with the guys. "Hang on, I need to pee. It's why I came in." A few minutes later we could hear the toilet flush. "So, Lisa, when are you going to deliver, you look like you're going to pop." "Gee thanks, go back to your game." I returned. "Dinner is in 15 minutes. Tell the others!" yelled Mom as Deb ran out the door. Dinner was our usual non-stop chatter. Mom and Dad, Kevin and I, Deb and her husband John, and Steve. The kids were eating in the kitchen, the 4 of mine and Deb's 2 boys. We toasted family and then we toasted my pregnancy and wished us a safe delivery. When dinner was over, as we were drinking our coffee and talking about old times, I nudged Kevin. "Mom, get the kids, they should be here to." "Mom, Dad, family, Kevin and I have a story to tell. Kids, we try to tell the truth. When you asked three years ago, remember we told you the truth then and told you first." "Told us what Mommy." "Three years ago, Daddy and I made a wish. It was Christmas and we truly meant it." "What was the wish Mommy." "Daddy and I wished we could trade bodies. Kind of like the movie Freaky Friday with Jamie Lee Curtis. Jillian (my eldest), Do you remember a golden card in the tree from Santa? That was a card from him granting our wish. You two noticed we were acting strange. I told you the truth but you didn't believe us. Now I'm telling the whole family. We did change bodies." There were all sorts of reactions from "Cool!" -- from Jillian to "Yuck! Why would anyone want to do that." from John. There were of course lots and lots of questions, we made them take turns. Eventually they accepted us as who we are. "Mom, I think we've answered all the questions. The girls need to go to bed, the boys probably do as well. We need to clean up." We were done putting the dishes in the dishwasher and beginning the pots and pans when there was a gush of water down my kegs. "Damn, my water just broke!" "OK OK" said Mom. She grabbed a towel to soak up the fluid "I'm so sorry about the mess." "Don't be. Deb, come here please and finish cleaning this up while I call the mid-wife." "Sure Mom, Lisa, you go on up to bed, the one with the plastic..." "I know, I know." I just got to the bottom of the stairs when the first contraction hit me. I'd forgotten how much pain there was. Yes, I know this is why it's called labor. My one consolation is that each of my daughters took two to three hours. The contractions were 15 minutes apart. This gave me lots of time to think of this and that, about my life now and then. I remembered how hard I got when Lisa came back from the bathroom with the pee stick in her hand saying she was pregnant. We made love right after that. I came too quickly and used my tongue to help her come. I tasted my semen the first time and remembered then how much I like the taste. My mind drifted to when we were at the gynecologist's office and the doctor inserted his whole hand into her vagina to feel the cervix. I tried to imagine the feel of someone's whole hand inside me. I noticed there was a grimace, then a moan when he did that. "In a few months you baby's head will be coming out the same way, you have to get used to the stretching." Afterwards, Lisa told me she was surprised but she loved it. Mostly I remembered how much fun I had suckling her swelling breasts and making love to her pregnant body. The sight of her swollen belly always seemed to get me aroused. It's like I was making love to the Mother Goddess. There is nothing more feminine than a pregnant woman. Watching my hard cock slide into her, no words can convey my feelings. I was with my wife Lisa when she gave birth to our first two girls. Despite the pain and agony involved I always wished it was my body going through child birth. At that moment another contraction hit my body: Long Slow Breath, Long Slow Breath Be careful what you wish for I suppose. Still I wouldn't give this up for anything. Mom came up and asked me if there was anything she could do. I asked for Alanis so I could breastfeed her before the pains were too close together. Tabitha wanted some milk as well but she was weaned months ago. I told her she's a big girl now and we need to save my milk for the new baby who's about to come out. As I was Suckling Alanis, I thought of the visit to the mid-wife yesterday and the reminder that semen thins the cervix and makes childbirth easier. She gave me a prescription for frequent sex. I could see Kevin's erection grow as she spoke. We made love in the van before going home, in the shower last night and then this morning my brother Steve joined us before breakfast. The thought of their hard cocks thrusting between my legs, MMM. And the feel of their hard cocks pumping hot semen into me. Kevin and Steve managed to inject two doses each of semen and licked each of their cocks clean before it was time to get up to feed Alanis I found myself rubbing my clit. A few minutes later I had a small orgasm just before the next contraction: Long Slow Breath, Long Slow Breath. Deb took the babe to change it and put it down to sleep. "I guess the semen worked." I said out loud without realizing it. "What?" "Yesterday my mid-wife prescribed semen to thin my cervix and speed my delivery. I've had a bunch of doses since then." "You little slut. No wonder you wanted to be a woman." "There are advantages and disadvantages. Being pregnant, having children, breast feeding, making love to Kevin, all make me feel so much a woman." "I used to make myself come when I beast fed as well. Childbirth always made me feel like I wanted to come, especially when the head was coming through me. Never did anything about it though. Does it seem to help?" Another contraction: Long Slow Breath, Long Slow Breath "You were saying?" said Mom with a smile. "That being a woman -- even with childbirth is wonderful." "So how did you get pregnant this time? Didn't you say you were going to wait a while?" "The usual way." "Details, I want specifics." I could tell she was trying to keep my mind off the labor pains. "Well, if you must. We have sex pretty often but try to avoid my fertile period. But the critical event was when I was getting ready for a bath. The tub was full, I took off my robe to get in, and bent over to check the water. As I did so, I felt Kevin's hands on my hips. He caressed my butt. It felt heavenly so I let him continue. I was becoming aroused and I was about to stop him when I felt his cock slide balls deep into me. I remember a moment of panic as I didn't want to get pregnant yet; but my God, we hadn't had sex in days. He felt wonderful. I still can't believe how quickly I came. He was almost as quick. He stayed hard and continued to fuck me hard and fast. I pinched my breasts to another orgasm. He took a little longer but soon filled me with another load of come. I pulled him into the tub with me. We continued to play through the night. Me getting pregnant was inevitable. Mom, do me a favor and rub my clit. I'm so aroused, I know you are as well. Let me rub yours." "I never thought you'd ask." I was very surprised to see she wasn't wearing panties. Her honey was running down her legs. We both came in a matter of a minute Ooff: Long Slow Breath, Long Slow Breath When the contraction was over I looked up. Deb was in the doorway watching us. "So, Deb" I asked, "How has John been treating you lately. Did you two fuck today?" "No, we only have sex once a week or so. Somehow having sex with him doesn't arouse me." "It was the same with us. Our frustration led in part to our wish. Maybe you should make the same wish." "Maybe." Another contraction: Long Slow Breath, Long Slow Breath "Hope the midwife gets her soon, you're down to three minutes. Oh, speaking of the midwife." "Hi Lisa, how is it going? Three minutes? Let me check." She put on plastic gloves, lubed my vagina and slid her hand inside me. I love this part, the feel of her hand inside me always makes me aroused. This time I came. "Did you just come on my hand?" "Yes", I said, "sorry". "Don't be, glad to bring some joy to your like. It just doesn't happen often during labor." Another contraction: Long Slow Breath, Long Slow Breath I can feel her coming. I need to push. Another contraction: Long Slow Breath, Long Slow Breath "Push hard!" "Rest" "Push hard!" "I can feel the head coming out!" I screamed. "Push hard!" "Rest" Then the rest of the body came out. There was a sigh of relief from us all. The midwife caught the baby and looked at the clock. 12:02 "Merry Christmas Lisa, You have another wonderful daughter." She tied off the cord and cut it. Deb dried off the baby while the midwife got the placenta and cleaned me up. "Now remember, no sex for at least a month." She stayed for a half-hour to make sure everything was OK and then went home. "What are you going to call her?" said Deb. "I like Nikki -- after St. Nick. After all I owe him so much." After Mom changed the sheets and went to bed, Deb stayed with me. "Um, Lisa? I was wondering about something." "Yes?" "What's it like to make love to a woman?" "Let me show you, snuggle with me." "I kissed her and made quiet love to her." I helped her come a couple times. "That's just a taste, there is so much more." I guess I fell asleep. "Mommy, Mommy, Santa Came!" "Huh? Oh, yeah. I'll be down in a minute honey." My body hurt from last night's efforts. I crawled into the shower, dried off, threw on a robe and came down stairs to a tree with a gazillion toys in front of it. The others were already opening the stockings. I lay down on the couch with Alanis and Nikki at my breast and rested. The gifts were a whirl but at the end my eldest Jillian came over to me. "I found three gold cards Mommy." "Who are they for?" "One is for you and Daddy, one is for Uncle Steve and one is for Aunt Debbi" "Steve, Deb? These are for you." She said. Deb took the one for Steve and Steve took the one for Deb. "No, No, you took the wrong ones." "Jillian, I think they got the right ones. Well Steve, Deb, do you have anything to say?" Steve said, "Kids play with your toys, the grown-ups need to talk in private." We went into Dad's den. "I guess we made the same wish last night." They said simultaneously. That's Disgusting!" John said and walked out." "We need to talk." Steve ran after John but to no avail. He drove off in a huff. "Damn, Damn, Damn! I was afraid of that." said Deb in Steve's body. "Steve, family, I've wanted to be a guy like the two of you. You're my big brothers and I always felt left out. I find it so ironic that the two of you wanted to be girls." Steve -- in Deb's body, I never thought this was possible until I confronted Lisa last Christmas. I couldn't stop thinking about it. I experienced a piece of what it's like to be a woman. It awakened all the thoughts I had as a kid. Last night I was masturbating and fantasizing I was Deb. I truly wished I could be a woman." "Oh my God, I wished I was a man at the same time." said Steve's body "Next thing I know I'm laying on my back and John is fucking me. He came soon after and rolled off leaving me unsatisfied." "Tell me about it, you're better off without him." "Well he fell asleep right away so I just lay there exploring my body and caressing myself until I came. It all felt so right. It was different but the same. I enjoyed being fucked by John but I would have been so much better for him to help me come to." "For my part, I came three strokes later. Then I went to the bathroom to clean up. Stood up to pee for the first time. So much less hassle than sitting." "So what are you going to do now. I asked Steve in Deb's body?" "I don't know, John's going to want a divorce. You saw his reaction. I want the kids." "Thank you, Deb in Steve's body said. She hugged him and both cried." "Steve," Deb said to her body, "we're going to need to stick together in this. If John fights this we're going to have to be in court to fight for our kids. Steve you're going to have to be me until this is settled." "You can count on it." "Deb, Steve," I said, "This is so confusing talking to you in the wrong bodies. If you don't mind, I'll use your body names. Everybody else will and you'll have to get used to it." "I guess you're right they both said. They hugged and kissed. "I could like this. I've been hard all morning." "You need to wait until tonight when the kids are in bed. We should join the others and clean up the mess I'm sure they made." The phone rang not long after. We found out John ran a light and got hit by a truck. We all feel so bad about his boys. Christmas will always be the day their daddy died. Christmas dinner was late and somber. Toward the end of dinner Jillian asked, "Mommy, what did your card say?" "Oh, my goodness, I forgot to read it." I pulled it out of my bra and read it aloud. "A gift to you all, A child named Nikki. Merry Christmas!" Tears came to my eyes as I said aloud -- "Thank you." We all shared a group hug. We sat the kids in front of a movie while we discussed our options. A while later I went to use the bathroom. I could hear moans from inside. I opened the door a crack and could see Deb bent over the counter, her skirt up over her hips. Steve was standing behind her fucking her. I stood there and watched until they both came. They looked up at me and smiled. I smiled back, closed the door and then went to the other bathroom. I thought of them as I sat and peed. When I got back to the TV room, They announced that Steve was going to move in with them. "Is Uncle Steve going to be our new daddy?" Deb's eldest boy asked. "Yes John, he is." Oh, Good! I want Mommy to be with us even if she is using Uncle Steve's body. Uncle Steve," he said looking at Deb's body. "I want you to be a good mommy 'cause if Mommy's going to be my new Daddy, I need you to be my new Mommy." We all laughed. Deb picked up John Jr. and Jerry kissed them both on the cheek. I am your mommy and nobody is going to change that. We gave then bed-time snack and put them to bed. Then went back to the TV room to talk. Kevin and I shared a lounge chair, Steve and Deb shared the other. Mom and Dad were on the couch. "You know", Mom said to no one in particular, "I never would have guessed that all my children were so unhappy with their gender." "Didn't you ever think of it?" I asked. "Not until our discussion yesterday. I've spent the day wondering what it would be like to suddenly be inside your father's body and making love to him in my body. I'm not sure I can wrap my mind around it. I enjoy being a woman too much. I enjoy feeling your father's penis inside me too much to want to want to try it the other way." I looked at Dad and noticed a tent in his pants. "I second you mother's comments. How could I pass up being with a hot woman like your mother. That said, I think your mother and I should retire to bed and leave this floor to the younger generation." They quickly left. "Want to bet they're fucking in the next few minutes?" said Deb "Did you see the tent in Dad's pants?" I noted "Did you notice Mom doesn't wear panties?" said Steve "I noticed she often doesn't wear a bra but no I didn't notice." said Deb. "I did last night." I added. At that point I felt Kevin's lips on my breast. I felt my milk let down. I had fed the girls a half-hour before so there wasn't much. "Deb, are you on the pill?" I asked. "Yes," "Any plans on having more kids?" "Hadn't thought about it said Steve. I like your arrangement." "If the new Deb is willing to carry the child, I don't mind having another just so she can experience what we have all gone through." I looked over at Deb and Steve. I noticed Deb was sitting on Steve's lap with her skirt all bunched around her. "It works better if Steve takes off his pants." I chuckled "You're right." Deb stood up, Steve's cock came to light. Deb took off Steve's pants & underwear. Steve sat back down, Deb took off her blouse and skirt and then sat on his cock again. We watched then fuck a while. "Steve, you asked last night what it was like to make love to a woman. Does this answer your question?" "You asked her that? Said Deb. "I'd never made love to women at that point, only men.' "Do I satisfy you?" "Oh, yes" We all watched him come. Deb rode him faster and rubbed her clit until she came a few moments later. Meanwhile I had Kevin's cock in my hand and was stroking him as we watched them. "If you want to join them I don't mind watching. I'm out of bounds for the next month." I whispered to him. Deb was leaning into Steve at the moment. They had stopped but his cock was still in her. Kevin knelt between their legs and began to lick the come off their cock and pussy. Deb giggled at first. Then, as she felt Steve's cock grow hard inside her, she moaned, "MMM, That's nice." She slowly began to fuck him again. He finished growing hard. Meanwhile, Kevin was behind her and he licked her ass a while. Then he stood behind her and began to insert his cock into her ass. "Oh, wait, I've never been fucked back there before." "Oh, yes you have!" we all said. "Don't you remember last Christmas?" said Kevin and I. "John used to fuck me in the ass all the time. I love it." said Steve. "Kevin", Steve continued, "when you're done fucking Deb in the ass, I'd love if you do me as well." Deb gave a small cry as Kevin sank balls deep into her ass. "I can feel your cock through Deb's cunt. This is so cool." said Steve. They both began to fuck her together. She came a bunch of times before they came. They were all dripping in sweat when they were done. I discretely left and went upstairs to feed my babes. I was just crawling into bed when Kevin joined me. We shared a long kiss that made me wish I could have joined them. "Merry Christmas" I said to him "Merry Christmas" he said back. I rolled over and curled up. Kevin moved behind me and put his arm over my body. I felt so safe and happy. I fell asleep thanking Santa for all my blessings and wondering what next Christmas would bring.


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text:
News Article

Weirdness: The GlomTom is a Cushion for Resting Your Arms When Gaming, and Needs Your Money

Posted by Thomas Whitehead

It makes this Tom glum

Have you ever been playing a game and thought, "what I really need is a 15 degree incline for my controller-grasping hands and arms"? Has the discomfort ever driven you to distraction, and a normal cushion simply doesn't do the trick? Fear not, because GlomTom is here.

GlomTom is a cushion, but an ergonomic cushion. Apparently it helps with blood flow, nerves and generally making your body smile when playing video games. It's the product of the grandly named GlomTom International LLC, and has hit up Kickstarter seeking $9500 in funding, a low number but still one that seems rather high for an arm rest.

As you can see in the pitch video below, GlomTom owner Clif Chambliss says he's an avid gamer, yet then perpetuates the stereotype that hardcore gamers stay away from "the evil that's outside" and randomly want snacks when in the middle of something else. We don't know about you, but we love being pigeon-holed in that way.

Check it out below, and you can pledge for one of these cushions for just $75. That's a steal, right?

From the web

User Comments (51)

SuperKMx said:

Tremendously positioned and perfectly worded article, Tom. I don't think I would have had it in me to be so restrained, if I'm honest.

nomeacuerdo said:

...because using a common pillow is difficult! (Cue video in black & white of a man trying to use a pillow in the worst possible way)
That product naturally belongs to the TV shopping network.

sinalefa said:

Of course it is a steal, this thing is gonna change my life! 30 years of gaming without a GlomTom, how empty can one life's be?

I seldom see you being so sarcastic while writing an article, Tom. So I will assume you have taken offense of this product using your name.

MoonKnight7 said:

Thankfully I have a pillow at home, so I don't need to drop $75. I'll instead use that money to help pay the rent.

ThomasBW84 said:

@sinalefa I think I needed to blow steam off after writing about financial results! This Kickstarter is beyond parody, too.

Stu13 said:

@Longaway You, sir, win at what we call 'the internet'.

Bad try. Bad feels. The guy pitching this is just bad. I'm always reclined when playing my 3DS and my stomach completely negates this product. Unless I have to lean forward into Pro Mode, in which case my knees do the trick quite nicely.

Ninhau said:

funny... i have the exact same thing. Its called a normal pillow.
This is nothing but a sugarcoated turd sold at a premium

Maelstrom said:

@Stu13 Same here. i only play games sitting up when I'm not at home: It's nearly impossible to play some, like KI: Uprising, otherwise.

ikki5 said:

And to think, I don't need to use my own pillow anymore!!!.... yeah I'll save my money from something useless and stick with my pillow which is probably more comfortable... That's even if i use a pillow, I don't know many people that would sit like that while playing.

Kaze_Memaryu said:

Ah, the dark side of crowdfunding. Next to the ambitious and creative people, we have the smart (and sonetimes not so smart) business folks who know all too well how to manipulate the potential consumer.
I don't say his... thing... doesn't work, but it sure as hell isn't 75$ comfortable. For that money, I can get an entire second-hand couch!

Raylax said:

hardcore gamers stay away from "the evil that's outside"

Door-to-door GlomTom salesmen, mostly.

ultraraichu said:

Bummer, I spend most of my time gaming laying down and sitting in public, so I'm not their target market.

GloverMist said:

I'm sorry, but look at that promotional art at the top of the page. In both cases, that woman's face looks a little... off. Photoshopping, I presume? :D

HopeNForever said:

Despite the negative air here, apparently the Kickstarter campaign already managed to collect one-third of its primary funding target, and the campaign was only launched a few days ago.

unrandomsam said:

I would pay good money for a really good 3DS XL grip with really good ergonomics and design (So it can be removed and put in easily/quickly/safely for e.g when I need to use the circle pad pro).

75$ would be ok (My keyboard with good ergonomics cost about that).

My bed and mattress cost more than any bit of electronics I have got and I think it was totally worth it (Slightly less than the RRP of my TV but I paid only 1/3 of that).

mike_intellivision said:

Funny thing is that I never slump when playing games — and vary my position depending upon the circumstance.

Also, how many gamers worry about their "core" (if you are playing to stereotypes as the video message for the Kickstarter does.

That being said, this will be funded soon. And then when the pillows are being sold on clearance for $15 (USD), I will buy one. 8*>

MuchoMochi said:

If those people are really that removed from the experience of the game, and have pain in their shoulders due to a lack of a cushion, maybe they should join the "dark side" and go outside and exercise a bit. I love the outdoors just as much as I love gaming, this is ridiculous. No money from me.

GuSolarFlare said:

this is awesome!!!! and all you need is to pay a lot for something a good pillow can already do without looking so awkward!!!!!!! :O
I want 9000 of those!!!

Willmax said:

I like how everyone here is bashing a guy for just attempting to make a kickstarter. If you think his product is so silly then just don't support it plain and simple. Not everyone is money hungry and just trying manipulate the masses. Seems like a regular dude that came up with an idea that he thinks is good and is trying to get funding for it instead of going through/dealing with a bank. I thought that was one of the reasons kickstarter was even made. To try and convince people and SELL your product and get people to invest. He's asking, not demanding. And to everyone including the author of this article with no sense of humor, when you're playing your console, are not sitting inside? As gamers do we not sit inside and play games for hours without actually going outside the whole day? I know I have, especially if it's a good game. It seemed like an innocent joke that the author of this article got way to self conscious over. For something a pillow could do, 75 bucks is a little steep, but if I'm playing in the living room and don't want to get a pillow from my room then I could see myself using this. Plus it looks a little sturdier than a pillow with more support so your elbows don't just sink in like with a pillow. And if don't want to get the pillow I use for sleeping dirty or bring it out to the living room this would be practical. Plus me/letting my friends put their dirty ass elbows and hands on a pillow I could possibly put my face in doesn't sit well with me. That being said, I don't think its actually necessary to have one of this to play games but if he were to make it more affordable I'd get one.

Prof_Clayton said:

Am I really the only person, sitting here on my wiiu, who has honestly been waiting for this? I'm completely serious. D:

FritzFrapp said:

Am I the only person who queries why someone with well over a decade of experience in pharmaceutical sales, whom was an account manager at Roche, and whom lives in a very nice, large house, can't stump a measly 10 grand for his idea 'that will change how you game forever'?
Ignoring the glaring deficiencies in the value of his product, the whole thing smacks of being an exercise for his Masters in Business.

DarkKirby said:

I'm not really sure what this is claiming it can do for me that the pillow I've put on my lap for years as an armrest when playing games doesn't do already. Assuming the girl in the trailer isn't super tall my pillow would seem to be longer than their cushion which is important for me because I'm not short. The only problem I run into is when the weather is hot the pillow on my lap makes me too warm.

FritzFrapp said:

A stress-reliever, mate. To relieve the stress in your neck, shoulders and back, whilst simultaneously relieving the stress in your wallet's fastening.

element187 said:

@Prof_Clayton no, you're not the only one. But I would never buy this for $65+
A comment I said about this kickstarter in another site:

This guy may have a market in the $10-$15-$20 range, but not what he is asking for.

Klinny said:

I don't really need any extra gaming support, (I usually just rest my arms on my leg and that seems to work well for me). Though I actually do like the idea of having a built-in controller compartment. My controllers are all over the place XD But I think I'd be more interested in making my own; this one a little pricey, and I'd like to have something that looks cute and/or gaming related.

WaxxyOne said:

Not since the Snuggie has the world been so impressed by something so oddly specific and completely unnecessary. Way to go, Glomtom!

jreed3842 said:

75 dollars?! 75 dollars?!? Oh my GOD! Why is that pillow so damn expensive? I would MAYBE buy a pillow for gaming purposes... but for 75 dollars?! There's no way I'm spending that much money on a pillow! Hell that's more expensive than the games I'd be playing.

AshFoxX said:

Another device for the population of over-exaggerated incompetent infomercial people. You know who I mean, the same ones who spill damn near everything all over the floor, furniture, tables and pets, and get winded winding up garden hoses and stuff.

Yeah, those people... Probably 'Merica...

Veloster said:

Two words, that are mentioned in the article: normal. cushion.

I'm not trying to belittle them, I just don't personally see any point in it.

Who on earth gets that uncomfortable playing a console that they need a glorified cushion that'll undoubtedly cost a fortune.

(And look ridiculous)

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text:
Pfizer, Bristol-Myers pill may lead $9 billion stroke prevention market

Bloomberg News By Bloomberg News The Star-Ledger
on August 29, 2011 at 10:30 AM, updated August 29, 2011 at 7:05 PM
pfizer.jpgThe drug makers Pfizer and Bristol-Myers Squibb won regulatory approval in Europe to begin marketing their new blood-thinning medicine to help prevent people experience blood clots after hip and knee replacement surgery.

Pfizer Inc.’s and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.’s Eliquis will lead the market for stroke-preventing blood thinners after “best-in-class” clinical trial results that marry safety with effectiveness, analysts said.

The twice-daily pill had a 31 percent lower risk of major bleeding, a feared side effect of blood thinners, than the current standard treatment, warfarin, researchers said yesterday at the European Society of Cardiology’s conference in Paris. Patients on Eliquis had an 11 percent reduced risk of dying, the first time a warfarin replacement has saved lives in a study.

Pfizer and Bristol-Myers may now take 60 percent of the market for blood thinners to ward off strokes in people with an irregular heartbeat, according to analysts for ISI Group and Leerink Swann & Co. Leerink estimates sales of warfarin replacements will reach $7 billion to $9 billion a year.

“The bleeding profile is phenomenal and trumps everything else,” Mark Schoenebaum, a New York-based analyst for ISI, said in a telephone interview. “Clearly, this drug will be the leader in the market.”

Yesterday’s results may mean an additional $1.1 billion in peak sales for Eliquis, also known as apixaban, Leerink’s Seamus Fernandez said in a report to investors today. The Boston-based analyst now forecasts the drug will garner revenue of $4.2 billion by 2017, writing that it’s “best-in-class” for safety and reducing deaths.

Two Competitors

Pfizer rose 67 cents, or 3.7 percent, to $18.88 at 4 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. Bristol-Myers climbed 57 cents, or 2 percent, to $29.29.

Pfizer and Bristol-Myers trailed two competitors in the race to bring a warfarin replacement to market. Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH’s Pradaxa was the first, approved last year in the U.S. Bayer AG and Johnson & Johnson also have a candidate, Xarelto, due for regulatory review in the U.S. next month.

Until the Paris conference, the two U.S. drugmakers had only compared Eliquis with aspirin. Now cardiologists have results of two large trials showing the drug is safe, a potentially compelling argument, said Lars Wallentin, a cardiologist at Uppsala Clinical Research Center in Sweden who worked on both Eliquis and Pradaxa.

“There is an edge to apixaban, I would admit,” Wallentin said in an interview at the conference.

Fewer Strokes

Irregular heartbeat, or atrial fibrillation, is the biggest part of the market for Eliquis and its competitors. Other smaller groups of patients, such as people who’ve had hip and knee surgery, could generate an additional $3 billion to $6 billion in sales a year, Fernandez said.

Eliquis also prevented 21 percent more strokes than warfarin in the Aristotle study presented yesterday. For every 1,000 patients treated during the trial, it prevented a stroke in six people, major bleeding in 15 people and death in eight people, investigators wrote in a New England Journal of Medicine article published to coincide with the presentation in Paris. Pfizer and Bristol-Myers funded the research, which followed 18,200 patients.

“The answer is crystal clear: patients will do better on this drug,” lead investigator Christopher Granger, of the Duke Clinical Research Institute in Durham, North Carolina, said in an interview at the conference. Lower cost is the only reason for patients to continue taking warfarin, he said.

Blood Tests

Doctors had been eager for a replacement for warfarin because patients need regular blood tests to ensure they’re getting a safe, effective dose of the older drug.
Eliquis was especially impressive because there was evidence it beat warfarin even in patients who were getting the optimal dose, Harvard University cardiologist Elliott Antman said in an interview. Antman is leading studies of another potential competitor, Daiichi Sankyo Co.’s edoxaban.

If a patient is stable on warfarin and doesn’t mind a monthly doctor’s visit for a blood test, there may be no reason to switch to a new, more expensive medicine, Ralph Brindis, senior adviser for cardiovascular disease at Northern California Kaiser Permanente, said in an interview. Warfarin, a generic drug, costs $4 a month, plus about $20 for blood tests, according to a January presentation by the University of Utah Health Care Thrombosis Service.

Atrial fibrillation occurs when the upper chambers of the heart quiver rather than contract, allowing blood to pool and form clots. More than 2.5 million Americans suffer from it, and 11,000 die every year.

Pradaxa, Xarelto

Pradaxa and Xarelto didn’t significantly extend patients’ lives in studies, though both showed a trend toward being able to do so, Jessica Mega, a cardiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, wrote in an editorial published alongside the results in the journal. Yet all three appear to be better on some measure than warfarin, Mega wrote.

Boehringer’s Pradaxa has the most to lose from good Eliquis results, Larry Biegelsen, a New York-based analyst for Wells Fargo Securities, wrote in a note to clients before the study was published. Bayer’s Xarelto was studied in a more high-risk group of patients than Eliquis or Pradaxa and could maintain a market niche because it’s a once-daily pill, Biegelsen said.

Warfarin is also once-daily. Both Eliquis and Pradaxa must be taken twice each day.
Pfizer and Bristol-Myers plan to submit Eliquis for U.S. and European regulatory approval by year-end.

Bristol-Myers and Pfizer “are two of the best cardiovascular marketers out there,” Leerink’s Fernandez said. “Put this together with the data, and you have a clear winner.”


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Immigrant family values led businessman to endow a chair at Rutgers

Tom De Poto|The Star-Ledger By Tom De Poto|The Star-Ledger The Star-Ledger
on May 29, 2013 at 6:14 AM, updated May 29, 2013 at 9:26 AM
profeta.JPGPaul Profeta is a businessman with strong ties to education. He recently donated $1.5 million to fund a chair at Rutgers University.

Paul Profeta is a teacher at heart. His parents, both immigrants from Italy, were involved in education. His mother was a guidance counselor in the Maplewood school district and his father taught at Long Island University.

Spending time with him in his paneled conference room is akin to sitting in on an intimate seminar. Profeta taught at the Harvard Business School and spent 10 years teaching at Columbia University as an associate professor in its MBA program.

But his interest is in business — specifically high-finance real estate.

“You don’t make very much money (teaching),” he said. “So I’ve bifurcated my career. I have a business that allows me to make sums of money that I can give back to the community, and I teach. I still guest lecture once or twice a year.”

His belief in education and his business background as owner of Paul V. Profeta Associates led him to donate $1.5 million in January to endow a real estate chair in the Rutgers Business School MBA program. His gift was matched by an anonymous donor who pledged $27 million toward an Endowed Chair Challenge at the university.

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A Harvard graduate, Profeta calls Rutgers his adopted alma mater.

Until the mid 1990s, Rutgers offered real estate courses on the graduate level. But the program faded into obscurity as faculty retired.

“We want to revive the real estate component in the MBA program,” Rutgers Business School Dean Glenn Shafer said. “For 15 years we have not had the presence we should have had in that area.”

Only 65 schools across the country have such concentrations. Monmouth University operates the Kislak Real Estate Institute, and Columbia and NYU also have distinguished programs.

Shafer said Rutgers plans to open a competitive center.

“There’s a demand,” he said. “The world has changed. People need to understand real estate. Rutgers needs to have a role there.”

He said he expects to name a director for the center in the next few weeks, but it will likely take longer to fill the endowed chair position.

Having taught real estate courses at Harvard and Columbia, Profeta understands the importance of incorporating such a program into graduate school curricula.

“A significant portion of students go to business school in order to become financially successful,” he said. “If you’re an aspiring MBA candidate and want to be financially successful, the two main vehicles for doing that are banking on Wall Street or real estate. So if you don’t have a real estate department, your school is not as appealing to a significant portion of applicants. This will make Rutgers much more appealing as a business school, and make Rutgers much more able to compete for the top applicants.”

Profeta said he chose Rutgers because his foundation, the Profeta Urban Investment Foundation, has partnered with the college’s business school to launch minority-run businesses in Newark. Since 2007, the foundation has helped start six small-business enterprises with Rutgers’ assistance. Mobile Site icon.jpg

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“I’m very close to Rutgers, especially the Newark campus,” he said.

Profeta credits his parents with not only imbuing him and his brother, Fred — the former mayor of Maplewood — with a love of education but also with a sense of social fairness.

“My father felt strongly that if you benefited from education or reached financial success, you had an obligation to give back. His phrase was, ‘Those who can help, should.’ There’s a lot of meaning in the brevity of that phrase.”

He paused for a moment to reflect.

“When you have parents like that, with such character, you very much want to live your life in a way that will make them proud.”


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Eli Manning on Giants offense: 'We have to get better than that'

Jordan Raanan | NJ Advance Media for By Jordan Raanan | NJ Advance Media for The Star-Ledger
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on October 27, 2013 at 11:06 PM, updated October 27, 2013 at 11:13 PM

Five field goals were good enough to beat the Eagles on Sunday. Three field goals, a special teams gift and one sustained drive that resulted in a touchdown were enough to beat the Vikings last week. The problem is the Giants won't be facing quarterbacks like Josh Freeman and Matt Barkley every week.

After the bye week and a matchup with the Raiders, the Giants will see Aaron Rodgers, Tony Romo, Robert Griffin, Philip Rivers, Russell Wilson and Matthew Stafford the rest of the season. Field goals aren't going to be good enough, especially for a team that worked its way back into the NFC East conversation Sunday with a 15-7 victory over the Eagles.

The Giants will need to score touchdowns. They can't have players running out of bounds in the back of the end zone like Larry Donnell did in Philadelphia. They can't have Eli Manning overthrowing Hakeem Nicks in the corner of the end zone. And they most certainly can't be lining up incorrectly on the 1st-and-goal from the 5-yard like like they did early in the second quarter.

The Giants did enough to win, but they didn't bury the Eagles early like they should have. They were inside the Eagles' 30-yard line five times, finished with no touchdowns and made just enough offensive mistakes to keep Philadelphia in the game.

"We were close on a number of plays that could have been touchdowns, a few plays out of the end zone on some fade balls and different things," Manning said. "We have to get better than that. We have to start converting those into touchdowns and not settling for three points and keeping teams in the game, which we could have built a big lead early and ran away with this thing."

The Giants led 12-0 at halftime. It could have easily been 20-0. They outgained the Eagles by more than 150 yards in the first half, and dominated the time of possession by a greater than 2:1 ratio.

Still, the Eagles were one poorly snapped punt away from being in the game. They got that special teams miscue and forced the Giants to sweat out a victory that should have been much less dramatic.

"We did settle for field goals, which we're going to have to look at that," coach Tom Coughlin said. "Two of those were touchdowns and this didn't have to finish quite as tight as it did. Nevertheless we won and we're excited about winning."

No doubt there are corrections to be made. Wide receiver Victor Cruz, who left for a few plays to have X-rays on his neck, sees a variety of tweaks that can be made. He thinks the Giants can execute better and, generally, make more plays. They can also run the ball better. The Giants finished with just 88 yards on 33 carries (2.8 ypc).

It's not as if it was all negative for the Giants offense. They did move the ball effortlessly down the field most of the afternoon and converted a key third-down in the final minutes that allowed them to run more time off the clock. Manning also played his best game of the season.

"There are good and bad. The positive is that we were moving the ball up and down the field," Cruz said. "The negative is that we didn't put any points on the board as far as touchdowns are concerned. Give them credit. The Eagles did a good job pertaining to giving up points in the green zone. We pride ourselves on that. We'll work on it."

While they work on it — the Giants have a bye next week followed by a matchup with the Raiders — it will be with consecutive wins in their back pocket. The margin of victory doesn't really matter.

"I just come [to the game]," Coughlin said. "I tell them every year, I'll take it 2-0, 3-0, 5-3, whatever you want to do."


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Giants' Hakeem Nicks can use Victor Cruz as an example of what free agency could bring

Star-Ledger's Conor Orr and Dave Hutchinson on the Giants as they prepare for the Monday Night Game Star-Ledger Giants beat reporters Conor Orr and Dave Hutchinson talk about the team as they prepare for the Vikings and trying to get the first win. The Giants brought in Peyton Hillis as a new running back however, Dave wants to see as he says 'I want to see Michael Cox ' (Video by William Perlman/The Star-Ledger)
Victor Cruz can admit it now. The months preceding his new contract were some of the Giants wide receiver’s most difficult as a professional athlete.

Yes, there was the pot of gold — a six-year, $45.879 million deal with $15 million guaranteed — waiting for him when he was through. There was a team that needed him pushing to get a contract worked out. Teammates that had his back in interviews.

Then there was the silence.

Cruz did not speak about his deal until it was completed. He remained quiet despite fears that his reputation was taking a hit.

"It takes a toll on you," he told The Star-Ledger. "When you’re at a place where you’ve been at for four years, this is home for you. It takes a toll no matter how you picture it.

"I had worked hard for such a good reputation around this area and around this city. For things to come out, things that weren’t even true, a lot of things that weren’t coming from me. Fans don’t know it’s not coming from me, they just see the headline."

That’s why he feels for fellow receiver Hakeem Nicks, who is next in line. Although Cruz and Nicks have not discussed the pending situation at length, Cruz did leave him with a piece of advice.

"We spoke in short about it," Cruz said. "I just told him to be patient and take care of what he can take care of on the field. Everything else will work itself out."

Giants Victor Cruz, on his quarterback 'we believe in Eli Manning' New York Giants Victor Cruz on getting the first win , 'we can get the job done'. and 'we have to take it one game at a time. He answered a question about his quarterback and said 'we believe in Eli Manning' (Video by William Perlman/The Star-Ledger)

With the 0-6 Giants’ season in the doldrums, much of the focus in the coming weeks will turn to Nicks, the former first-round pick whose contract expires at the end of the season. In some respects, talk of where Nicks might end up has trumped tonight’s matchup against the Vikings at MetLife Stadium.

Speculation about a possible trade — Nicks is the team’s most enticing asset, according to some league executives — increased. And if he remains a member of the Giants, the next set of questions won’t be too far away: Does he want to stay here? Would he take less to play for the team that drafted him in lieu of hitting the open market?

Through a team spokesperson, Nicks declined to comment for this article, citing his hesitance to even begin the conversation about his contract. In today’s NFL, where players often avoid even the slightest comment or misstep that could effect negotiations, it was no surprise.

But like Cruz, Nicks doesn’t have much of a choice. The business side of the NFL sells almost as much as the product on the field. Fans are more connected than ever before.

Nicks, in the meantime, will simply have to brace for it and take a lesson from Cruz.

"It dragged on longer than he wanted or expected," said Benjie Wimberly, Cruz’s high school coach, who kept in touch with the wideout regularly during the process. "The reality is, when you’re dealing with a team like the Giants, it’s a business. You can’t take it personally, which is hard when you’ve been loyal to an organization.

"But the reality is just that: It’s a business."

For now, it appears Nicks will follow in Cruz’s footsteps and stay far away from speaking about the future.

This much was clear last week when Nicks was asked a flurry of questions about potential trades and whether or not he wanted to remain with the Giants.

Talking doesn’t make sense anymore. Nicks repeated the phrase over and over: "Business is business."

"The advent of social media and the increased attention paid to NFL business matters may play a role in it," said Joel Corry, a former NFL agent who now analyzes the business for the National Football Post, among other outlets. "In the past, players could be more casual with negotiating comments because they wouldn’t get picked up so readily."

While some player representatives encourage their clients to set the record straight in front of the camera — Corry noted that he would work through the news media during stalemates or impasses — more are advocating for all matters to be handled behind closed doors.

Part of it is practicality and part of it image.

Regardless of how maddening it can be for a player to not set the record straight, it might be the smarter play.

"The circumstances with the negotiation usually dictate how cooperative a player is with the media during the process," Corry said. "Players are typically at a disadvantage when commenting about a negotiation publicly because the average fan can’t sympathize with them when it seems like they are complaining about a contract."

Aside from the money, Cruz said he gained valuable life experience while dealing with the high-profile negotiations.

His current contract takes him past age 30, so he’ll be all the more prepared next time.

"It’s finding out who you are in accordance with how you deal with this stuff," Cruz said. "It’s all about you at the end of the day and your family and how you take care of it. Everybody else is kind of irrelevant at that point when you’re taking care of the business side of what you want to do as an individual."

What Cruz wanted, though, entailed having his self-worth projected and analyzed. His accomplishments were stacked up against other receivers who did not produce the same numbers.

"I think he was baffled, I think I was baffled, I think his family was baffled," Wimberly said. "How could there be a discussion? This guy produced. You look at the other numbers of people at the slot position and there’s receivers nowhere near as effective as Vic — I just thought it was a no-brainer. But obviously it wasn’t."

So it goes for Nicks, who awaits the coming storm quietly and professionally.

After all, business is business.


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Fully against gas pipeline, says letter writer

 Spectra Energy speaks on proposed pipeline at Jersey City City Council meetingView full sizePeople hold signs objecting to the Spectra gas line during a council meeting at City Hall in Jersey City, Feb. 22, 2011.

This is in regards to the pipeline going through Jersey City. I am fully against it. I don't care what type of videos they have saying how safe it is. It's those people who bought that video to say, "Oh, it's safeguarded."

Did everybody forget the explosion in Elizabeth? Did we all forget it? How could we not remember ? How windows shattered, how car alarms went off and everything happened. Everybody was terrified because of the gas. So now they're going to sit here and say they want money for our shores. Did they forget that these shores are landfilled? That it decreases upon the weight as the building sinks in slowly every few years. Are we forgetting this?

Then they want to put a pipeline here with all the trucks we got rolling along this ground, sinkholes opening everywhere, and they're talking about safety. Yeah, for their money! There are people that are working the pipelines. I will bet you 10 to 1, we will not see 85 percent of these workers doing the pipelines are Jersey City residents. They will all be somebody that they brought in from the outside and I don't care if they rented an apartment. You prove you've been here for years and you've lived here for years. This pipeline is going to be a disaster and when the explosion comes, God help me. I hope I don't live in this city anymore!


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Rudy Giuliani would crush Occupy Wall Street? Oh, for shame

Linda Ocasio/The Star-Ledger By Linda Ocasio/The Star-Ledger The Star-Ledger
on November 17, 2011 at 7:38 PM, updated November 17, 2011 at 7:45 PM
Rudy-Giuliani.JPGFormer New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani visits FOX & Friends at FOX Studios in New York City in this May 2011 file photo.

Rudy Giuliani must be kidding. He’s boasting that he would have squashed Occupy Wall Street on day one. He called the protesters “disgruntled bums” and “leftover hippies from the '60s and '70s.”

Ah yes, the former mayor of New York City invoking law and order. Let’s pause to recall that Giuliani’s police commissioner, Bernard Kerik, is now serving a four-year prison sentence on corruption charges.

But that’s not the worst of it. Giuliani reportedly delivered a speech at an economic conference in China last week. He said the first question he was asked was about Occupy Wall Street.

“This thing has gone around the globe, and it’s beginning to characterize us,” he said. “This is what they think we’re about.”

God forbid China should think we’re a country that allows protests without mowing down people in the streets.

Occupy Wall Street protesters arrested during financial district sit-in Occupy Wall Street protesters vowed to shut down Wall Street this morning, streaming from Zucotti Park at 7 a.m. and flooding the financial district. Chanting protesters gathered at entrances to the New York Stock Exchange, sometimes clashing with riot police. Protestors blocking an intersection were arrested. (Video by Nyier Abdou/The Star-Ledger)

Giuliani, a man who wanted to be president of the United States, must have had a Rick Perry-type brain freeze. How else to explain his amnesia about Tiananmen Square, and the tanks that barreled through when Chinese students and others took a stand for democratic freedoms?

Giuliani should hang his head in shame that pictures of bloodied protesters in New York City have circled the globe. This was a police action that attempted to limit media coverage. China has been there, done that.

Police clash with Occupy Wall Street protesters near New York Stock Exchange Occupy Wall Street protesters chanted "This is a non-violent protest," and "Put away your riot gear, I don't see no riot here," in a tense standoff with police near the New York Stock Exchange this morning. But a confrontation between a protester and police led to a string of arrests as the Occupy movement's "Day of Action" got underway. The man arrested was trying to leave to join another protest. (Video by Nyier Abdou/The Star-Ledger)

Yes, Rudy Giuliani, the whole world is watching. But what they see is a city’s legacy of political openness and tolerance in tatters.

Live coverage of the Occupy Wall Street day of action


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Fairy Festivals in NJ this Weekend

fairy girls3rd Annual Fairy Festival - On Saturday, July 21, 2012, The Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed (31 Titus Mill Road, Pennington) is hosting its 3rd Annual Fairy Festival from 10:30am to 1pm. Join in the fun and celebrate Rainbow and Woodland Fairies, as well as Forest Elves. There will be dancing around a maypole, magical crafts and the chance to construct villages along the Fairy Trail. You can also play in the stream with the Water Sprites. Fairy finery encouraged. $5/person or $15/family, all ages. Registration suggested. To learn more visit WaterShed.org.

6th Annual Fairy Day - On Sunday, July 22, 2012, The Frelinghuysen Arboretum (353 East Hanover Ave., Morristown) is holding its 6th Annual Fairy Day starting at 1pm. Natural materials like moss, bark and leaves as well as instructions will be provided so visitors can create their own fairy houses to attract fairies to the arboretum's gardens. There will also be live music and fairy treats. Rain date is July 29. $25/member families and $30/non-member families. Registration required. To learn more visit ArboretumFriends.org.

You can bring some fairy magic to your own backyard by constructing your own fairy house or fairy garden. The Magic Onions has directions for making a magical fairy garden, and Better Homes and Gardens has instructions for making several different miniature gardens, all perfectly suited for fairies. Lil Blue Boo tells you how to make an entire fairy village from miniature birdhouses.

There are lots more ideas for fairy fun on NJ Family's Pinterest pages, where we have over 30 ideas for making your own fairy houses and gardens, including a tutorial for making tiny twig chairs - perfect for visiting fairies!

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During his rise to fame, Diplo worked with British musician M.I.A., an artist who is credited with giving him exposure in his early career. Later, he and fellow M.I.A. producer Switch created a Jamaican dancehall project and cartoon series titled Major Lazer. Since then, Diplo has worked on production and mixtape projects with many other notable pop artists, such as Britney Spears, Shakira, Beyonce, No Doubt, Justin Bieber, Usher, Snoop Dogg, Chris Brown, CL and G-Dragon. His alias, short for Diplodocus, derives from his childhood fascination with dinosaurs. He is the co-producer of several tracks on Madonna's 2015 album Rebel Heart (2015) and he collaborated with Skrillex to create the duo Jack U.

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