text:
The restaurant's chef and owner, John Randall, employs more than 30 years of experience to grill up a wide variety of fresh seafood, certified Angus steak, and hearty sandwiches. Rev up digestion engines with one of John's starters, which include such Neptunian delights as fried calamari and smoked salmon pizza ($3.50–$9.50). Hearty entrees, such as prime rib, a swordfish sandwich, and scallop scampi, muscle out hunger ($9.95–$18.95), while a bevy of soups and salads stand on the sidelines, waiting to be tagged in if the bacon cheeseburger sprains its condiments ($4.50–$10.50). At the full bar, 15 different beers and more than 20 wines, several from California, supplement rising salivary floodwaters.
History is full of illustrious matches: Antony and Cleopatra, Woody and Mia Farrow, Romeo and Master P. Today’s Groupon brings you the successor in this historic pairing lineage: wine and grilling. For $30, you’ll get $65 worth of food and drink at Firefly Grill & Wine Bar, an Encinitas eatery where grilled fare and great bottles live happily ever after in a charming fantasyland where everyone is best friends with their stomachs. Follow @Groupon_Says on Twitter.
Boasting Michelin stars and three decades of culinary experience, executive chef Patrick Ponsaty pilots a team that creates upscale seafood and contemporary gourmet fare. Ponsaty’s colleagues include young chefs Gianina Dicicco and Mike Reidy, who graduated from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts and the New England Culinary Institute. Dishes with modern, imaginative flavors include squid-ink risotto, veal cheeks with orange-blossom mousse, and hibiscus-pomegranate consommé. Each creation is a work of visual art, too, with colorful spices, marbleized sauces, and carefully stacked ingredients arranged to resemble Rodin’s The Thinker.
Start with a creamy platter of hummus ($4.75), garlic fries ($3.50), or sweet red beets blended with yogurt ($2.95). Main courses at Ali Baba's run the gamut from a full falafel plate ($11.95), served with pita, hummus, and salad shirazi, to seasoned and grilled lamb chops ($14.95). Meat shunners will appreciate the veggie wrap ($7.95), packed heavy with grilled eggplant, zucchini, colorful peppers, tomato, pickle, onion, and hummus. For dessert, sample a frothy piece of tiramisu ($4.95) or Persian ice cream flavored with rosewater, saffron, and pistachio ($4.95).
It would be easy to devote weeks to exploring the Renaissance ClubSport's 75,000-square-foot facility—spending afternoons lounging poolside beneath the brilliant Orange County sun and taking meals at the sleek onsite restaurant. The club is an innovative fusion of fitness center, spa, and boutique hotel, complete with luxury suites, a 12,000-square-foot fitness center, and kids' club. Fitness seekers of all squares inhabit the athletic facilities, bustling away on ellipticals or playing rounds of racquetball. Others come for the more than 100 weekly fitness classes, which include yoga, Zumba, and extreme conditioning—a high-intensity combination of weight, cardio, and plyometric exercises. The fitness center is staffed by a team of expert trainers and nutrition coaches, who can advise clients on the best routes for reaching their health and wellness goals.
After workouts, guests unwind with a soak in the whirlpool before visiting the spa for a hot-stone massage or detoxifying mud body wrap. Then, it's on to the Citrus Fresh Grill for cocktails and a light dinner of Thai chicken lettuce wraps and grilled salmon. The club even offers a camp, which provides kids with recreational and educational activities while keeping them away from less constructive pursuits, such as watching TV or trying to convince their stuffed animals to do their chores.


text:
MM writes: It is obvious that several opposing interests are having a difficult time pinpointing the exact amendments that should be made to the Legal Practitioner’s Bill 2016 – apparently the need to address some outstanding issues within the legal profession has been on the table in one form or another for about 15 years according to this article.
I guess it is by now obvious to all that there is simply something that is not right within the document, perhaps a little left-leaning, so to speak – or even a little unjust.
The legislation in any country serves to protect all its residents and visitors, but in any and all countries the legislation serves to protect its natives and/or most vulnerable citizens first and foremost. As we can see the world taking a shuffle to further secure borders and protect country interests and assets, I should imagine it is only natural to see such shuffles in our small islands as well.
With that said, despite the enduring efforts to bring forth a final document that truly addresses all the concerns of Caymanian attorneys and foreign-owned firms, I take this opportunity to point out some of my humble observations – pretty simple adjustments that we may all agree would help to shuffle this document a little more to the right…
I understand that there have been others who have expressed concern with the bill as it has now been drafted, and given the detailed manner of which such concerns were brought forward by some attorneys in this letter expressing concern as to the manner in which the bill had been consulted upon, it is difficult to think that any reasonable ministers can move forward on such a document.
First things first:
The provisions within the bill establish the “Cayman Islands Legal Practitioner’s Association”. This association shares a striking resemblance to the two bodies already in place to be watchdogs for the legal industry’s interest. However, this body, though completely made up of private sector attorneys, will have many legal privileges, including the same immunity found in all the Government Authority laws:
“Clause 16 provides an immunity for the Association, its officers, employees, agents, representatives, and others for anything done in the discharge or purported discharge of a function under the Law unless done or omitted to be done in bad faith.”
I am not sure how this comes across to anyone else, but let us remember that Clause 5 of the bill which deals with the establishment of the association states that ALL attorneys-at-law are members of the said association.
Quick suggestion for Clause 5 – because this is a law, it is imperative to be specific; this clause should perhaps read “provides that all attorneys-at-law permitted and licensed to practice law within the Cayman Islands are members…” versus “provides that all attorneys-at-law are members…”
Let us remember that we have several law firms on-island with multi-jurisdictional offices and if such restriction is not written into law, should a suit arise for whatever reason, Clause 5 will make provisions for Clause 16 to be used to protect any and all attorneys on a local law firms staff roster, regardless of jurisdiction or license to practice locally. It may be a court battle, but the possibility of Clause 16 stretching to include such employees is open with the original wording.
Clause 11 deals with the Council of the Association and prescribes that the council be made up of eight attorney members “ordinarily resident” in Cayman, of which at least five must be Caymanian. If the intention of this bill is to ensure Caymanian attorney inclusion and promotion, then why not six?
Another point to consider in Clause 11 is that only 2 of these members will be representatives of the smaller law firms “firms with fewer than 10 attorneys”.
Clause 11 brings me to Clause 15 which discusses the required quorum for a council meeting.
Clause 15 states that a quorum for said meeting is one half the members at the time.
- Total members = 8
- Caymanian members = 5
- Other members = 3
In other words, a meeting can commence with 1 Caymanian member and 3 “other” members? Can a minister kindly confirm please?
Perhaps we may want to have a closer look at this and add a Clause 15(b) that insists a quorum must have at least 3 Caymanian attorneys to proceed.
Clause 21 is slightly disturbing because there are over 700 licensed attorneys in the Cayman Islands and yet eight council members are given the power under this bill to:
“provides that the Council may make rules prescribing any matter which under the Law is required or permitted to be prescribed by rules and generally for the better carrying out by the Council of its functions under the Law and for the direction, government and control of the Association and its members.”
This brings be back again to Clause 11, the council and its 8 members. If there are eight members, two of which must be from smaller firms, that means six of the council members can be from any major law firm in Cayman. In addition, Clause 11 allows that up to two members of the council can be from the same law firm.
In an attempt to break this down, we can have eight council members, of which six can be from the major law firms (75% of the council) and two of those six can be from the same major law firm.
Back to Clause 5. Clause 5 indicates that ALL attorneys-at-law are members of this association, which is governed by these eight members, of which six can be from major law firms, of which two can be from the same major law firm.
With over 700 attorneys licensed to practice Cayman Islands law and there being four major law firms in Cayman, which employ the bulk of the licensed attorneys, and a bill being proposed that makes legal provision for an association to be formed of ALL attorneys licensed to practice law in Cayman, whether they willingly wish to be a part of it or not (which is governed by eight members, of which six can be from major law firms), there is an obvious, severe, biased flaw in this bill.
So, what we appear to have here is a bill, that is to be written in to law, that gives power to an association, headed by eight private-sector attorneys, of which up to six can be from major law firms, AND provided with the “bad-faith” immunity of a government authority AND being given the option under Clause 21 to enact rules on any and all attorneys-at-law working in the Cayman Islands.
Clause 25 and 26 finally addresses the current situation of local law firms having multi-jurisdictional offices and attorneys who practice Cayman Islands law overseas. This ability is indeed valuable for Cayman economically and assists with making the Cayman Islands more competitive, but it also means that any attorney who has been accepted to practice law at one point or the other and maintains their licence can continue to do so and offer legal advice. They can keep this licence by continuing to work at a local law firm in the new fashion of “legal consultant”, when our local firms employ attorneys who live elsewhere in the world and those attorneys work under the law firm’s name.
Clause 30 prescribes that a judge may admit a person as an attorney in Cayman in accordance with the Law, but may not do so unless the judge is satisfied that the attorney has the “prescribed personal qualifications, the additional personal qualifications, the professional qualifications, and any additional post foreign qualifications experience”
This clause can easily lead a judge to decide that only attorneys with experience practicing off-island are fit to be admitted, and the law gives the power to decline if such experience is lacking – to gain the said experience it would be necessary for a Caymanian attorney to be sent to a local law firm’s off-island office or acquire a job in a firm overseas, etc. Clause 30 does not say “or”, it says “and”, and therefore can be taken to mean that all of the qualifying details should be considered together.
Clause 54 states that in order for a company to be recognised as a law company in Cayman, that company must apply to the council (the same council made up of eight members, six of which can be from major law firms that is to be established to oversee the association, which will be constructed of ALL attorney-at-law).
Remember, this is the same council made up of private-sector attorneys, five of which must be Caymanian under the law – a quorum of the meeting of the said council can be one half (or four) members of the council. A little conflicting I think.
In brief, the Legal Practitioner’s Bill gives the following powers to this 8-member council:
- The power to accept or refuse to recognize a company as a law company;
- The power to prescribe rules and regulations over all attorneys practicing Cayman law;
- The power to prescribe fees payable to the Association for a company to be recognized as a law company in Cayman;
- The power to allow a local law firm to have attorneys practicing law out of the jurisdiction;
In addition, Clause 68 gives the criteria of which the council must weigh its decision as to whether to approve a local law firm to allow its attorneys to practice law in another jurisdiction and stipulates that a law firm cannot do so if the number of non-Caymanian employees working within each of the law firm’s offices (on and off island) “(A)” exceeds the total number of Caymanian attorneys employed by the firm “(B)” + ALL attorneys employed by the firm within Cayman “(C)” + all trainee attorneys employed by the firm in all offices “(D)”; or as the bill outlines it, “if A exceeds B plus C plus D…”
Considering the current structure of most multi-jurisdictional law firms in Cayman and that their primary base is usually within the Cayman Islands, it is therefore safe to assume that the highest number of their attorneys indeed work in Cayman.
There will be very rare incidences (if any) of A ever exceeding B + C + D because C considers ALL attorneys employed by the firm in question who work within the Cayman Islands, and therefore it is safe to say that all law companies approved by the council to practice law in Cayman are also or will also be allowed to have attorneys practicing in another jurisdiction. AND, in instances where A may perhaps exceed B + C + D – the council has been given discretionary power by this bill to approve as it sees fit.
The bill is a 126-page document and I have only touched on the first several pages that outline the new additions to the overall Legal Practitioners Law.
My primary concern is whether or not it is right to have an association of this sort formed and given such immense power over a vital industry, the same industry that Cayman banks its bad name upon due to our constant back-bending to accommodate the profit-desires of the private sector firms. It is our government and our people that stand to suffer from any legislation written that does not first and foremost uphold the principles of good justice for ALL involved.
See also: The real commotion behind that Motion
Category: Business Viewpoint

domain: law


text:
Exquisite STAR Vintage Green and Blue Glowing Leaves Necklace Signed
This Extremely Gorgeous Signed “STAR” Choker Necklace features puffy and detailed Lucite Leaves in beautiful shades of spring green and light blue. The leaves actually glow creating a wonderful dimensional affect. The bright silver color rhodium metal never tarnishes and give a bit of extra sparkle. The links between the leaves are painted with green enamel paint.
A universal and timeless set.
"The company began making costume jewelry marked: "STAR" in 1925-1940. The company changed its name to Staret in the 1940s. Staret jewelry pieces are known for their exuberant design and exceptional use of enameling and high quality rhinestones. Many featured botanical or organic themes, as the necklace presented here.
The necklace is adjustable to about 16 1/2 inches with an oval link extension chain and hook closure. There is a decorative motif on the end of the chain.
Excellent Condition. All components intact. All thermoset leaves retain even blue and green color. No stains or discoloration. No chips, cracks or breaks. No warping or misshapen berries. Slight Enamel Loss.
Signature/Marks: "STAR " on the clasp.
Your Necklace will arrive in a custom Twinkle in Time gift box & matching purple floral ribbon. Thank you for visiting A Twinkle in Time Vintage Jewelry, Accessories & Collectibles.
Shipping Discounts are available for multiple items.
If interested please "Subscribe" located at the top of the page so that you can receive notice of the shop’s latest additions. I am always happy to answer any questions.

domain: design


text:
Careof Publishing is an independent publishing house founded in 2016. Our catalogue consists of both print and digital e-books.
By discovering remarkable novels, Careof Publishing will take you on a journey to… Haiti for example. This country with its incredible cultural richness caught our attention with many of our new publications. By digitizing little known and forgotten written works, we want to shed light on these Haitian authors and the diaspora.
At CareOf Publishing, whether for Haiti or elsewhere in the world, an international perspective is paramount. Our philosophy? To unearth fascinating and surprising works and take you on a journey to unknown literary worlds. To Georgia, Romania, France, Canada, India, South Africa… there are many new stories to come!
Here, young and old can devour these novels on their tablet or computer. Follow the development of our catalogue and be the first to read our republished and original publications.
- We search the world for the rights to out-of-print books and we republish them
- We translate these works to be distributed in countries for the first time and bring their words into a new light.
- We work with museums, galleries and artists to produce a catalogue of art and exhibitions
- We combine digital and print by developing e-books, (supported on all devices) while also working in close collaboration with printers.
Our publishing strategy is to create a link, a connection between you and the world of art and literature. Here, digital is not a replacement for paper, but is a new medium for creativity that is accessible to all. The book, though no longer physical, is enriched with the addition of new audio-visual content, external links, and interactive and educational content. As for the paper editions, we preserve them as unique one-of a kinds.
Our digital books are available directly from our site and at many online bookstores. Do not hesitate to contact us. We value our readers, our authors and our partners. That’s the CareOf Publishing way!

domain: library


Motorcycle chains often get severely damaged that cleaning or repairing doesn’t suffice. It can be a cause of accidents. Therefore, in case of severe chain problems, it is important to break them. But what to do if you don’t have a chain breaker? Is it possible to break a motorcycle chain without a chain breaker?
There are quite a few alternatives to chain breakers. You can use other tactics to break a motorcycle chain during emergencies. But if you don’t know these alternatives, I am here to help you out.
From years of experience, I have found some fantastic ways to break a motorcycle chain without a chain breaker. In this article, I will help you to solve this issue. So keep reading.
3 Alternative Ways To Break A Motorcycle Chain Without A Chain Breaker
There are three excellent alternatives to breaking a motorcycle chain without a chain breaker. These alternative techniques are instrumental and helpful during emergencies. The tools are easily accessible, and you can manage the situation smartly. So have a look at these tactics and find the best-suited one.
Pliers are extremely helpful in breaking and detaching motorcycle chains. If applied correctly, they would effectively do the task just like a chain breaker. Follow these simple steps to use the pliers for unlinking the chain link.
- Find out the master link in the chain. The master chain is an attachment that attaches two chains. They are hooked with two chains on both of their sides.
- Locate this link as this is where you would break the chain.
- Once located, position the pliers correctly.
- One end of the pliers goes between the link of the master link to the excellent chain. The other end of the pliers goes between the link of the master link to the left chain.
- Finally, press hard inwards. This would break the master link. As the master link fails, the entire chain is now free.
2. Bolt Cutter:
A bolt cutter is similar to pliers but more robust and more significant. Unlike pliers, you can cut the chain from anywhere using the bolt cutter. The tension of the cutter is adjustable, letting you decide its strength. Very convenient and practical. To use it, follow these steps.
- Customize the tension of the bolt cutter first. One adjustment is attached to the handle and the other around the blades.
- Increase the strength and tension as motorcycle chains are robust and hard to break.
- Then find a position to cut. Try finding a vulnerable place in the chain which has become fragile. This would make the task easier for you.
- Put a mark on this point. Then wide open the handle of the bolt cutter. Place the blades at the marked end.
- With all your energy, put maximum force and pressure on the chain. Press the handle hard so that the pressure is sharp and strong on the chain. Otherwise, it may slip away.
- Try that the handle closes with a single press. This would exert maximum pressure. Done!
3. Nail And Hammer:
A very traditional way to break or shorten a motorcycle chain is to use a hammer and nail. A conventional yet useful method! As most houses would have nails and hammers, many of you would find this convenient. See how you can use the nails and hammers to cut the chain.
- First, remove the chain from the motorcycle. It would be troublesome to operate the nail and hammer with this process while the chain is in the motorcycle.
- Place the chain on a stable and rigid platform. It can be on a wood plank or a metal path.
- Then decide a point where you would cut. A convenient point would be the roller diameter. This has a solid shape that can be broken apart.
- After positioning, place a thick and hard metal nail on the point. The pointed end would be on the chain.
- On the flat end, hit the hammer hard. Be steady and slow to avoid hurting your fingers. Keep hitting the hammer until the chain breaks.
Among these three alternatives, my favorite choice is the bolt cutter. This is because it can be cut from any point of the chain. And you can do the task with a single hit. It also keeps the entire chain untouched except for the cut point. This means it cuts the chain accurately.
However, pliers would be your second choice if you find it hard to access a bolt cutter. But make sure to find the master link to apply it.
5 Reasons To Break Or Shorten A Motorcycle Chain
Why would you need to break a motorcycle chain in the first place? A very legit query. There are several reasons why you may need to shorten a motorcycle chain. This is generally related to repairing and maintenance concerns.
For effective cleaning, you may like to separate it from the motorcycle. Soaking the chain in vinegar water makes it clean and rust-free. So if you want to clean the chain thoroughly, you would require breaking or detaching the motorcycle chain from the motorcycle.
If the chain is heavily rusted, it is dangerous to ride the motorcycle. A rusted chain consumes more fuel and is inefficient to perform. In this case, you would like to replace the chain. And for replacement, you first need to remove the rusted chain by breaking it. You can also replace the rusted part only.
The length of the chain must be appropriate. The tension on the chain would be improper if the chain is too long or too short. A long chain causes a complex alignment issue. In that case, you would need to shorten the motorcycle chain by breaking it.
Like a long chain needs to be shortened, a short-chain needs to be elongated. If the chain is short, the excess pressure on the links would ultimately break the chain. To avoid this risk, you would need to delink it. Then extend the chain by linking chains. Once elongated, reinstall the chain.
Due to various reasons, you may need to replace the motorcycle chain. Before returning, you need to cut open the old chain from the motorcycle. So if you require replacing the motorcycle chain, you would need to break the previous one first.
5 Mistakes Should Be Avoided While Breaking Chain Without A Chain Breaker
Without a chain breaker, you may get confused. This may make you make mistakes. But you should avoid making any mistakes while using equipment other than a chain breaker. Let’s know what mistakes should be avoided while breaking a chain without a chain breaker.
1. Cutting The Strong Chain Part:
Don’t cut anywhere on the chain. Choose the most vulnerable part of the chain for breaking. When you cut the substantial and intact portion of the chain, you damage the entire chain. Also, it is tough to break the strong part. Instead, choose the weak point to cut the chain, like the rusted area.
2. Choice Of Tool:
Though all the alternatives can be used for all purposes, some tasks need specific tools. For example, if you want to repair a part of the chain, you won’t want to affect the entire chain. So use pliers to break the master link only. But with a bot cutter or hammer, it would be difficult to break the master link only. So as per requirement, choose the cutting tool.
3. Breaking After Lubricating:
Never try to break the chain after lubricating it. Lubricants make the chain slippery. So when you place the pliers, bolt cutter, or the nail, they would simply slip away from the chain. This can hurt your hand as well as make the task impossible. So never lubricate the chain before cutting it.
4. Incorrect Tension:
While working with a bolt cutter, make sure to adjust the tension. If the chain is sturdy and the minimum tension, it may crack the chain instead of breaking. This makes the task even more complicated and faulty. So tune the tension before breaking.
5. Breaking Dirty Chain:
When you work on a dirty chain, the task becomes difficult. Your elbows may hurt, and you would struggle to break them effectively. Take a few minutes to clean the chain with soapy water. Dry it with a towel. And then break open the chain quickly. Never work on a dirty chain!
These are some common mistakes to avoid effectively breaking the chain without a breaker.
How Do You Take A Chain Apart Without A Chain Breaker?
The best tool is a plier to take a chain apart without a chain breaker. With pliers, you would be able to apart the chain without affecting the whole chain. You can unlink the chain with a plier by breaking the master link only. Just hold the pliers in a way that it cages the master link. Then press hard inwards. This would break the master link.
Once the master link is broken, the chain will be divided into two parts. Now you can work with these parts for cleaning or repairing. Even for replacement, this is a useful tactic.
How Do You Cut A Chain Without A Chain Breaker?
You can use a bolt cutter instead of a chain breaker to cut a chain. The young tool releases pressure on the chain and breaks it in one stroke only. Especially if you want to cut a chain in good condition, a bolt cutter is the best tool. It has a handle and two blades that let you customize the pressure.
First, adjust the pressure to be exerted. Next, place the blades on the chain to encode the breaking point between the blades. With all your force, hit a solid stroke to cut the chain. In this way, you can cut the chain from any point with a bolt cutter.
How Do You Split A Motorcycle Chain Without Tool?
Without a chain-breaking tool, you can use a traditional method to split the motorcycle chain by using a hammer and a large nail can help. Though conventional, it is a very effective way during urgency. Just place the thick pin on the breaking point. It is best to choose a point in the roller diameter. It has a solid base to put the nail on.
Put the nail on this point. Now hit the hammer on the nail. Don’t hit too fast to avoid accidents. Steadily stroke the hammer on the nail, and it would slowly split the chain. Simple!
How Do You Break A Chain Link On A Motorcycle?
To break the chain link is to keep the entire chain intact. If you just want to take the chain apart from the motorcycle, you should just detach the master link. If you don’t have a chain breaker in hand, a plier would be perfect for the task. The teeth of the plier should be placed around the master link. I mean, the master link would be caged by the pliers.
After positioning the plier, squeeze it with full force and energy. This would break open the master link. As the master link is delinked, the chain is now open. Note that with other tools, this could be a bit messy. So use a plier, if not a chain breaker.
What Is The Best Tool To Shorten The Motorcycle Chain?
A bolt cutter is the best tool to shorten the motorcycle chain despite a chain breaker. A bolt cutter is designed for breaking chains effortlessly. It is a handy tool and does the job quickly. You need to open the handle and place any chain point between the blades.
Now press the handle to push the chain against the blades. Put maximum force to cut the point of the chain. However, if you have a chain breaker, the task becomes more accessible and convenient.
How Do You Tighten A Bicycle Chain Without Removing A Link From The Chain?
It is possible to tighten a bicycle chain without removing a link from the chain. To do so, you first need to use a wrench to loosen the rear wheel’s axle. As the rear wheel axle is open, slowly pull the wheel backward. As you pull the chain backward, the chain gets rolled around the rear wheel’s axle. This means the chain is getting tightened.
Once you see that the chain is tightened enough, you can secure the axle again with the wrench. Now the chain is not loose anymore.
You have learned quite a few tactics to break a motorcycle chain without a chain breaker. These processes are super simple to apply and amazingly effective. So if you are further required to break open the chain, don’t panic! Use any of these tactics and avoid making the mistakes I have noted.
Don’t forget to maintain the chain condition to have a smooth and safe ride. In case of any difficulty, repair or replace the chain as required.


text:
The jury deliberating in the Baby JJ murder case have returned to court to ask a question, after six hours of deliberations.
The question relates to the definition of "intent".
The judge has once again clarified points of law and given further direction to assist them reach a verdict.
The jury resumed its deliberations at the High Court in Auckland this morning, a year after the Auckland toddler died.
Joel Loffley, 29 declined to give evidence in his own defence against the charge that he murdered his two-year-old stepson JJ.
The jury retired to consider its verdict at 2pm yesterday after the judge summed up at the end of a two-and-a-half week trial. The jurors retired at 5pm.
The jury has spent five hours considering its verdict today.
Justice Keane yesterday told the jury to use common sense in considering a verdict and to carefully assess Lawrence's evidence.
During the trial the Crown claimed Loffley struck JJ on the morning of November 14, 2011 at their Orakei, Auckland, home while JJ's mother, Josephine Lawrence, was out of the house. Loffley denies the murder charge.
The Crown claimed JJ died from a blow so forceful his pancreas and liver split in two against his spine.
Prosecutor Phil Hamlin told the jury this week that Loffley's claim that JJ sustained his injuries from falling off the bed was a "big lie".
"A child may have fallen over but it's an invention, a construction to try to cover what was obviously wrong with the child," Hamlin said.
The Crown case closed last week with an interview Loffley gave police where he admitted to assaulting women and children.
In the interview with police before he was charged with baby JJ's murder, Loffley admitted kicking at least two children.
"Yes I did kick him up the ass and yes I did kick (deleted) up the ass... but you know, bro, it's better than what I used to get," he said in the videotape of the interview played to the court.
"I used to get smashed over with ashtrays and lighters and whatever my mum could get her hands on. I'm not saying that it's right."
He also admitted, briefly, to hitting baby JJ.
"Have you ever hit JJ, Joel?" the police asked. "No", he replied, then adding: "Yep, up the ass."
He then changed his story. "Nah, I sent him to time out."
"You sent him to time out? You didn't kick him up the ass?" the police asked.
"Nah, but I said I'm going to kick you up the ass, but I didn't kick him up the ass," Loffley said.
Defence lawyer Roger Chambers focused on JJ's mother Josephine Lawrence's behaviour, and said there was no clear or compelling evidence to prove the Crown's case.
"It is no more than a study of selective prosecution, imagination and far from overwhelming," Chambers told the court this week.

domain: news


text:
Keter 213039 Factor 8 x 6 ft. Storage ShedItem#: HN-KNA048
- Strong and durable plastic, reinforced steel frame
- Beautiful, wood-style double doors and panels
- Weather-resistant and UV-protected
- Will not rust, dent, or peel
- Measures 7.75W x 5.3D x 7.8H in.
What's Not Included
With plenty of storage space and durable design, the Keter 213039 Factor 8 x 6 ft. Storage Shed is the perfect addition to your backyard. With a 113 cubic foot capacity and large, high-arched, double doors you'll have no problem you won't only have enough space, but it'll also be easy to get your larger items in and out, whether it's your grill, lawnmower, or Christmas lights. Reinforced with steel and crafted from strong and durable plastic with beautiful, wood-style panels and doors, this shed is weather resistant and UV protected so it won't rust, dent, or peel. Vented for air circulation, this shed is virtually maintenance free. It also has the ability to be locked if you so choose (lock not included). Strong and resilient, this storage shed will help you keep your home and yard clean and organized.
- Exterior dimensions: 8.41W x 6D x 8H feet
- 113 cubic foot capacity
- Can be locked if needed
- Vented for air circulation
- Wide, double doors for easy entry and exit
- Doors are designed with a high-arch
- Warm beige and brown matches any decor
- Reinforced with steel
- Virtually maintenance free
- Clean with mild soap and water
- Easy to assemble
For over 60 years, Keter Plastic has proven its commitment to innovation, quality, and design by continually meeting changing needs and trends. Keter's product range reaches a consumer base across the world, focusing on outdoor furniture and storage with a commitment to the environment.
Dimensions & Specifications
8 x 6 ft.
Clean with mild soap and water.
Suggestions for You
Reviewed by 1 customer
Displaying review 1
- No Pros whatsoever
- Cheap construction
Comments about Keter 213039 Factor 8 x 6 ft. Storage Shed:
I purchased the product six months ago. The first hint of Keter's quality was the poor way the shed was packed. One panel was substantially damaged, which is not surprising because they are extremely flimsy. The panels are not solid. Rather, they are corrugated plastic. I was wary but decided to construct the shed rather than return the giant box. The shed did not last through the first significant wind storm. It now is a complete loss and I tore it down. I purchased a Suncrest shed that is much more solid than the Keter garbage. Live and learn.
- Was this a gift?:


The genocide of Assyrian Christians in Iraq continues in Syria.
ISIS attacked 35 Assyrian villages in northeast Syria in the Hassaka province. At least 9 Assyrians fighters were killed defending their villages. Up to 373 Assyrians were captured. 3000 Assyrians fled from their villages and are now in shelters in Hasaka and Qamishli.


text:
LAKE TAHOE, Calif. (KRNV & MyNews4.com) -- U.S. Forest Service fuels management crews continue prescribed fire operations near Spooner Summit beginning Monday, March 18, 2013.
Crews expect to burn approximately 40 acres. In addition, operations begin Monday on Tahoe Mountain near Dundee Circle. Crews expect to burn approximately six acres. Operations in both locations may continue through the week, weather and conditions permitting.
Residents and visitors can expect to see smoke from these prescribed fire project areas. Smoke may be visible on U.S. Highway 50 near Spooner Summit. The Forest Service strives to minimize the impacts of smoke on local communities. Smoke-sensitive residents should consider staying indoors and keeping doors, windows and outside vents closed. To directly receive prescribed fire updates, send an email to email@example.com.
Forest Service staff will post road signs around areas affected by prescribed fire, and update the local fire information line at (530) 543-2600, #6. Other federal, state and local fire management agencies may also be conducting prescribed fire work during this period.
For more information, visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/ltbmu


text:
Investing Center Preview – Manage your investments and watch your net worth grow.
JPM:NYSE – Large Cap Stock (Money Center Banks)
JPMorgan Chase & Co – JPM Stock Overview
|Last Price||Today's Change||52-Week Range||Trading Volume|
|63.97||-0.13 (-0.20%)||50.07 - 69.45||13.2 million (Above Avg)|
Market data as of 4:00PM 07/29/16. Quotes are delayed by at least 15 min.
Press Release- -- --
« Back to JPM Stock Overview
Recent JPM News
J.P. Morgan Named Depositary Bank by LINE Corp.
07/25/2016 4:06 PM ET

domain: economics


It's been awhile since the latest update on the hockey arena but rest assured progress has been made.
On September 11, 2010 Notre Dame President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C. commenced the groundbreaking ceremony for the Compton Family Center, Notre Dame's new home ice arena.
Kevin and Gayla Compton, owners of the San Jose Sharks of the NHL, were the generous donors of the lead gift that helped make a dream come to reality for one of the many Notre Dame programs basking in the shadows of the football program.
The arena is scheduled to open its doors in October 2011. Stay tuned for further updates.


text:
Update 3/26/2019: In 2017, a small clinical trial that involved injecting plasma from young people into Alzheimer’s patients found extremely limited benefits. For more information on the young blood saga, check out our Verge Science video on the subject.
GDF11 is the typically unglamorous name of a protein that may hold the key to reversing — not merely delaying — the deleterious effects of aging. Back in 2005, scientists demonstrated that the blood of young mice helps older test subjects regenerate damaged muscle tissue, and now a paper from the Harvard Stem Cell Institute narrows the likely cause down to GDF11. The earlier experiments involved stitching together the circulatory systems of two mice — a process known as parabiosis — and showed signs of premature aging in the younger subjects alongside faster recovery in the older ones.
Amy Wagers, who contributed to the initial Stanford report, is now part of the Harvard research team behind the findings around GDF11. Mice treated with the isolated protein exhibited better cognition, endurance, and "improved function of every organ system studied so far." A separate study, led by Saul Villeda of the University of California in San Francisco, has concluded that simple transfusions of young blood plasma improve brain health and function in older mice.
Clinical trials could start within three to five years
There's been much excitement in the scientific community about these findings, though wariness remains about interpreting the causative link fully. Still, the Harvard team anticipates clinical trials of GDF11 therapy on humans could begin within the next three to five years, while Science reports that a company has already been set up to perform a small trial of plasma transfusions on Alzheimer's patients.

domain: biology


text:
Haworth Music marketing
The very best music marketing tips available. This short article is simply a collection of the top music marketing tips to find online. Whether you are a singer-song author, a producer, or both, these little gems make sure to include some motivation to your music marketing projects going forward. Listen up! Here are just a couple of to peruse through. To get the very best music promotion-use Music and Marketing. They have skilled music promotion projects.
First, in regards to your music marketing tips, attempt to keep your music within the world of what your audience will delight in. If you are developing music for the older generation of listeners, then you certainly wish to stay away from the EDM and rap music genres. Instead, stick to the classical or jazz genres. Lots of older listeners simply do not dig the commercial tone of these kinds of tunes and they do not hold the very same appeal to more youthful generations. Keep your music personal to you and to the listeners. This will assist you construct a following that will excitedly expect your next release.
Another music marketing tips that will show helpful is to keep your email marketing clear and basic. Lots of artists fail to benefit from what is now described as the choose in list. The autoresponder list enables new subscribers to be added who particularly requested more info about your music. These subscribers are more likely to become devoted fans and purchase product from you down the line. Take a look at a few of the most trusted artists in today’s industry and see what their email marketing strategy includes.
Now here is among my preferred music marketing tips that I have actually heard over again. Do not utilize streaming services like OnLive or Vimeo for promoting your music. Lots of artists believe that this kind of service eliminates any challenges that they may experience in developing an audience. In actuality, numerous streaming services are bots that search for videos that become part of their stringent Terms Of Service and will get rid of any video that does not fall under those specifications.
Some artists may believe that streaming is not effective because there are inadequate listeners to actually hear the audio. That could not be even more from the truth. While the innovation of making audio CDs is advancing, there is no reason why it can not be adjusted to the music industry. Audio files can be copied and kept onto CD without loss of quality. This is among the more neglected music marketing tips that can be beneficial to the artists.
One of the most effective music marketing tips I have actually heard comes directly from the social networks. Lots of artists believe that they should not be connected with their fans on social media websites like Twitter and facebook. That is a mistake that numerous artists make. Keeping a great and healthy relationship with your fans on social media websites such as Twitter and facebook can be among the most essential aspects of achieving success in the music industry. Artists should discover how to utilize Facebook and twitter to grow their fan base and increase their exposure. Musicians that fail to connect with their fans through social media websites are doomed to failure.
Another neglected piece of music marketing tips that are beneficial to both artists and their fans is by developing back links on their pages and websites. Back links are links that are leading users to another web page. If done correctly, this new web page or back link will provide fans with fresh material that they may have an interest in. This is just as essential as using social media websites like Facebook and twitter.
Finally, some artists may think that they are doing all they can to market themselves online and to construct their fan base online. That holds true, but it is just as essential to promote yourself and your music on other social media platforms such as Instagram. This will also give your fans a possibility to see who you truly are and what your music is everything about. The secret to finding and using these excellent little online music marketing tips is for artists to get out and meet other artists that can help them grow their fan base while remaining within their niche and not drowning in competition with artists who are much larger in the online music industry. Stay expert, stay linked and don’t let anything else sidetrack you from succeeding! Make sure you visit Music and Marketing today for the best music promotion.

domain: artistic


Mass Maharaja Ravi Teja is currently working with Sarath Mandava for an upcoming film Ramarao on Duty. The makers are currently shooting for the film in Hyderabad. The movie marks the directorial debut of Sarath Mandava and the production debut of Ravi Teja’s RT Teamworks. And it is backed by Sudhakar Cherukuri. Today the makers of Ravi Teja starrer Ramarao on Duty officially confirmed that they have roped Rajisha Vijayan and Divyansha Kaushik in this directorial venture of Sarath Mandava.
Malayalam actress Rajisha Vijayan is playing one of the female leads in the movie and she has already commenced shooting for her part. Rajisha Vijayan is also known for sharing the screen space with Tamil star Dhanush in Karnan, which was released earlier this year.
The movie Ramarao on Duty is being touted as a unique thriller that is inspired by true events in real life. Currently the team is filming important scenes involving the lead actors. The upcoming action drama also has Nasser, senior Pavitra Lokesh, Naresh, Rahul Ramakrishna, Surekha Vani and others in the supporting roles.
In this film, Ravi Teja is playing the role of an an honest government officer. The music for the movie is being composed by Sam CS, whereas Sathyan Sooryan is handling the cinematography and Praveen KL is the editor.
Team #RamaRaoOnDuty welcomes its lovely leading ladies @itsdivyanshak & @rajisha_vijayan on board.@RaviTeja_offl @directorsarat @sathyaDP @sahisuresh @Cinemainmygenes @SamCSmusic @RTTeamWorks #RamaRao pic.twitter.com/1oTjf5MO6J
— SLV Cinemas (@SLVCinemasOffl) July 19, 2021


This Is Fate Lightweight Cardigan
When the winds begin to change and the sun becomes a little brighter, the perfect addition to any outfit is a lightweight cardigan. This tan, soft, and lightweight cardigan has long sleeves and a kimono feel for the perfect layering item. Pair with a dress, a tee and shorts, or even over loungewear hanging around the house!
Fits true to size / oversized. Model wears a small/medium.
Material content: 40% polyester, 40% acrylic and 20% linen.
Care instructions: hand wash cold and lay flat to dry.


text:
On March 18, the NCAA announced its decision to suspend Baylor University’s football program.
After months of public pressure to allow the Bears to play in 2018, the university decided to delay the season for one more year.
While the decision was made, the public’s focus shifted to the other side of the sports-centric conversation: the women’s game.
It became an issue of national importance.
In the aftermath of the announcement, many women’s sports leagues, including the NCAA, began calling for more support to women’s athletics.
As the spotlight on Baylor shifted to women in sports, the issue of men’s basketball reached a new level.
At the beginning of the month, the league announced that it had reached a deal with the NCAA to end its season.
The announcement, which was made public by the league, said that the league would play the 2018-19 season without a team, and would begin its 2018-2019 season with a new coach.
The news of the deal was met with a swift backlash.
In some ways, the news was surprising.
In recent years, the national conversation around men’s college basketball has focused primarily on women’s teams, particularly on the topic of women’s NCAA eligibility.
While it’s true that men’s teams are more likely to be punished by the NCAA for not being able to play, women’s programs are less likely to face a similar punishment.
It’s important to note, however, that women’s college sports are not completely without their fair share of controversy.
The NCAA has not been shy about speaking out about its treatment of female athletes.
In 2016, the organization announced that in-season suspensions for women were more than double that of men.
Additionally, the number of women charged with violating Title IX in NCAA investigations dropped significantly in 2016 compared to 2015.
In fact, according to the organization, more than 7,000 women have been charged under Title IX over the last five years, an increase of more than 100 percent over the same period in 2015.
To put that in perspective, there were more women in college basketball in 2017 than there were men, according the NCAA.
But the national media attention on the issue has also brought the issue to the forefront.
Women’s basketball is the third most popular sports on social media, and the most-viewed sports on Facebook, according a 2016 study.
The national attention on female athletes has also helped lead to more discussion about what constitutes an “athlete.”
As a result, some of the conversation around women’s athletic participation has shifted.
In 2017, a survey of more a 100,000 Americans found that one-third of respondents were not comfortable with women’s participation in sports.
In February 2018, a poll of 5,000 college students revealed that 58 percent of respondents believed women should be more involved in sports than men.
It wasn’t until February 2019 that the NCAA finally announced its 2018 commitment to a new season.
After years of public and media criticism, the announcement came as a complete surprise to many fans and observers.
With so much of the discussion surrounding women’s rights being focused on men’s sports, it was surprising to see the NCAA do what it did and not announce the team’s full slate of opponents.
At a time when women’s athletes are the most vocal critics of men in the sport, the decision to not announce a team has been met with an unprecedented backlash.
The criticism has included, but is not limited to, the suggestion that the decision has led to the “death of women in men’s athletics.”
While the NCAA has said that its goal is to keep its women’s team on the field, there are a few ways to look at the situation.
First, while the league is currently the only major women’s league to not have a team in 2018-2020, other leagues are beginning to consider other options.
There are currently more than 25 professional teams in the NCAA Division I-AA (men’s, women), including the Big East, Atlantic 10, Colonial Athletic Association, ACC, Big 12, Horizon League, NIT, Pacific-10, and WAC.
The list of non-NCAA women’s basketball teams also includes the ACC, MAC, Big Ten, Big East and Pac-12.
Second, while women’s pro sports teams are far from the only ones to not be on a regular basis, the women of college athletics have faced criticism for their participation in athletics, and not just for being women.
For example, in 2017, the National Women’s Soccer League announced it was pulling its women teams from the 2017-18 season.
Additionally in 2018 and 2019, the Women’s Golf Association announced that the 2018 Women’s U.S. Open would not be held at the iconic St. Andrews Course.
There have also been reports of women playing in men�s golf tournaments for years.
In 2015, the United States Golf Association and the U.N. Women�s Golf Association signed a $25 million deal to play the


text:
Monday, September 8, 2008
R.I.P. III Challenge - Thanks Carl!
I love reading Carl's blog Stainless Steel Droppings. If you haven't checked it out before, go and take a peak. And he always does great reading challenges and I'm finally on the ball to join one.
R.I.P. III is a great challenge in the genre's of:
It runs September 1st - October 31st and you can either read Four, Two, or One book. My aim is four but we'll see. So here's my ever expanding list of options. I seriously have too many books I want to read.
Northanger Abby - Jane Austen (Finished September 19, 2008)
Terror - Dan Simmons (Finished October 01, 2008)
The Manikin - Joanna Scott (Finished October 09, 2008)
In the Woods - Tana French (Finished October 15, 2008)
Swan Song - Robert McCammon
The Castle of Otranto - Horace Walpole
The Turn of the Screw - Henry James (Finished October 06, 2008)
The Mysteries of Uldolpho - Ann Radcliffe
The Romance of the Forest - Ann Radcliffe
The Old English Baron - Clara Reeve
The Heroine - Eaton Stannard Barrett
A Long Fatal Love Chase - Louisa May Alcott
The Doom of the Griffiths - Elizabeth Gaskell
Lois the Witch - Elizabeth Gaskell
The Grey Woman - Elizabeth Gaskell
Uncle Silas - Sheridan Le Fanu
The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde (Finished October 21, 2008)
Jamaica Inn - Daphne du Maurier
Check out the R.I.P.ing Yarns site to see how everyone is doing and who's participating.
at 12:04 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)
Oooo that sounds interesting. I will have to look further into this. Thanks.ReplyDelete
Awww, thank you so much! I cannot thank you enough for joining in the challenge this year. It is so great to have you! And your pool of books!!! The entire list is dripping with creepy gothic atmosphere, well done! I cannot wait to see what you read!ReplyDelete
Azull, you are certainly welcome to join in, we'd love to have you.
We're reading some of the same books :) I hope you enjoy the challenge and I look forward to comparing notes with you.ReplyDelete
Cool pool of books. I never did finish The Turn of the Screw and I really must. I have a friend who keeps recommending Dan Simmons to me so I will look forward to your review.ReplyDelete

domain: literature


Pissed Jeans “The Bar is Low ” is the lead single from Why Love Now, the band’s fifth album, out today worldwide on Sub Pop. The song is now the subject of a humorous new video, helmed by returning director Joe Stakun (“Bathroom Laughter,” “Romanticize Me,” “Boring Girls”). “The Bar Is Low” follows the members of Pissed Jeans on a trip to the gym. Except they don’t know how to properly use the equipment. Continue reading →
Seattle trio Dude York‘s new full-length Sincerely is finally out on colored vinyl, CD, digital, cassette and streaming services. In recognition of this milestone, the band has shared the album’s first music video for their anti-love anthem, “Love Is.” Watch their tribute to public access TV and musical countdown variety programs here or via the link above. Sincerely can be purchased now from all good indie stores nationwide.
“For a new artist, her confident grace is all the more remarkable”
Fresh from a sold out run around the UK which culminated last night in an enraptured packed Hoxton Hall and just before she continues around Europe, Nadia Reid would like to share with you her new video for ‘The Arrow and The Aim’. Taken from her upcoming album Preservation, released this March on Spunk Records. Continue reading →
To celebrate the release of the stunning, uncomfortably brilliant Poison Season, which is out today on Pod via Intertia, Destroyer has shared a stop-start animated video for his latest single “Times Square“. Continue reading →


text:
Top 10 Richest Bollywood Actresses in 2020 – Richest Actresses in Bollywood
Here is a list of Top 10 Richest Bollywood Actresses in 2020 who have made a fortune in the Indian movie industry and have also got a huge social following. These are the top 10 Richest Bollywood Actresses in 2020 Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt, Priyanka Chopra, Kareena Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Kangana Ranaut, Sonam Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Shraddha Kapoor, Parineeti Chopra, Vidya Balan, Sonakshi Sinha, Tapsee Pannu, Disha Patani, Kriti Sanon, Twinkle Khanna, Kajol, Shilpa Shetty, Jacqueline Fernandez, Rani Mukherji, and More.
1) Deepika Padukone
Deepika Padukone earns 15 crores for each movie and for one brand promotion she charges 8 crores. With promoting international brands. her net worth is 103 crore.
2) Alia Bhatt
Alia Bhatt is estimated net worth is 50 crore as she has a good number of hit films in her bag. Her annual earning is more shocking as she earns 7 crores per year from brand endorsements and films.
3) Priyanka Chopra
Priyanka’s net worth is 200 crore and as she promotes many international brands. Her yearly income is almost 30 crore. Priyanka Chopra even charges 5 crore for one performance in any wedding. Party and Bollywood event.
She is the Owner of Purple Pebble Pictures That Promotes regional Movies in India. She owns other profitable business ventures.
4) Kareena Kapoor
Kareena Kapoor is one of the highest-paid actresses and her net worth is 273 crore. Her annual income is 25 crore.
5) Katrina kaif
Katrina’s net worth is 128 crore. She charges 9 Crore for each film. Her annual income is more shocking as it is 25 crore including films, endorsements, and event performances.
6) Kangana Ranaut
Kangana Ranaut as her own directed movies Manikarnika was a blockbuster movie this year. Kangana is now charging 11 crore for a movie. Her estimated net worth is almost 120 Crore as and her annual income is 25 crore. His sense of style sometime to overcome his expressionless acting.
7) Sonam Kapoor
It is hard to believe that Sonam’s net worth is 97 crore and her annual income is 10 crore. Sonam Kapoor and her sister have launched their own fashion brand ‘Rheson’
8) Anushka Sharma
Anushka Sharma stops doing movies after getting married but still manages to earn 25 crores per year by doing advertisements and brand promotions. She is also the owner of her own production company ‘ ‘Clean Slate to films’. Anushka earns a lot from this company.
9) Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
Aishwarya Rai is one of the wealthiest stars as her net worth is 258 crore. We can only imagine her yearly income that is 20 crore.
10) Shraddha Kapoor
With multiple blockbuster movies, Sharada Kapoor is charging 4 crore for upcoming movies. Her net value is 55 crore.
11) Parineeti Chopra
Parineeti takes 3 crore for each movie. This hot actress earns 11 crore per year.
12) Vidya Balan
Vidya’s net worth is no less than any other richest actress in Bollywood and that is 13 crore. This actress charges 6 Crore Per film.
13) Sonakshi Sinha
Sonakshi’s net worth is 63 crore. She has raised her charge up to 8 crores as she is doing a major role in ‘Dabangg 3’. Sonakshi Sinha endorses almost 15 brands and charges 3 crores for one-day shooting
14) Tapsee Pannu
After doing many blockbuster films, Tapsee earns 3 crore from one movie. She charges around 1 crore for one brand endorsement.
15) Disha Patani
After getting the success of Baghi 2, Disha earns 4 crores for one movie. Her net worth is 3 million dollars.
16) Kriti Sanon
having a huge fanbase being a youngster, Kriti demands 3 Crores per movie. Her net worth 40 crores.
17) Twinkle Khanna
Being a best seller female author this year and co-owner of ‘Hari Om’ production house, her net worth is 220 Crore.
90s hit heroine Kajol’s net worth is 129 crore. Her earnings mainly come from brand endorsements and event promotions.
19) Shilpa Shetty
Being a famous actress and smart business, her net worth is approximately 150 Crore. Shilpa owns her production house and runs a lavish restaurant ‘Royalty Club’. She earns huge from her businesses
20) Jacqueline Fernandez
Surprisingly, Jacqueline charges more than Malaika Arora for one item dance! She takes up to 4 Crore for one item dance. This year she has charged 5 Crore for her latest Netflix movie ‘Drive’. She is also the face of many big brands.
21) Rani Mukherji
Rani hasn’t left Bollywood and still doing one film per year. Her net worth is around 120 crores. Now also she earns a huge amount of money from her business ventures and film production projects.

domain: celebrity


text:
Madden 08 and NCAA 08 are coming out in less than a month for about $50 a piece, but the prices will be dropping fast. Persona 3 on PS2 or Luminous Arc for DS on the other hand might not drop much in price at all. Sports games dropped an average of 35 percent in 2007 while RPG's only dropped seven percent. Below is a graph of the price changes for 2007 by genre.
A graph of only RPG's, Sports, and Action/Adventure games
As discussed in an earlier article, prices drop 25 percent on average by this time of year. So it is no surprise that every genre shows a fairly steady decline in price throughout 2007. Different genre's perform quite differently though. RPG's and Fighting games hold their prices the best throughout the year with only seven and sixteen percent drops respectively. Action and Adventure games are almost exactly the same as the average video game with a price drop of 25 percent during 2007. (This make sense action and adventure is the largest genre and weighs the overall average to behave similarly) Sports, First Person Shooters, and Racing games dropped in price the most during 2007 with decreases of 35, 32, and 33 percent respectively.
It is fairly obvious why sports games drop in price the most of any genre. New games are released annually and most people who play the games want the updated rosters and new features. The prices drop on older sports games faster than other genres because the new versions come out so often.
It is not quite as obvious why FPS and racing games would drop in price more than the other genre's and almost as much as sports. Maybe FPS and racer fans are similar to sports fans and they want the newest game available. They don't want Project Gotham 3 when they can buy Forza 2 or Gears of War when they can buy Halo 3 soon. The sheer number of units sold for these games weighs on the prices too. FPS and Racing games are two of the most popular genres so the new games sell lots of units; making used copies easier to find when the person moves onto the next game.
RPG's hold their value the best because many RPG's never sold very many new copies to begin with. Atlus is great example of this using limited production runs on many of their releases. Games like Persona, Ogre Battle, Disgaea, and other RPG's didn't sell very many copies initially and are hard to find now because of this. Other RPG developers are similar because RPG's are not as popular as other genres in the US. Another possible factor is RPG's generally take longer to play giving more 'value' for the money so people are willing to pay more for older games.
Fighting games are similar to RPG's production and sales wise which explains their higher prices. Fighters are more of a niche genre compared to Sports, Action, and Racing so not as many are produced. Fighter's might also keep their value longer because not as many titles are released so their isn't as much competition driving down prices.
Don't expect to get much money back when you go sell your Madden 2005 on ebay or at your local game store. But the RPG you found hidden away behind stacks of movie tie-ins and FPS could very well be worth the same as what you paid for it initially. And maybe more if you bought the next Earthbound, Suikoden II, or Digital Devil Saga.
Technical: The prices shown are seven day moving averages of the average price of games in a particular genre. The prices have also been indexed to all start at 1 in order to show relative price changes over time. Games used in this study were released between 2000 and 2006 for all major systems available during this time period. Genres without enough data points, at least 100 games, are not shown because one game could have too much sway on prices in smaller genres.
Video game price data provided by VideoGamePriceCharts.com

domain: entertainment


text:
Well, I thought I should make a start on it, so spent an evening mooching around on Misi when I spotted a gorgeous ring I’ve had my eye on for a while..
It arrived today, look – how pretty!
Kerry from pennydog creates beautiful items, with £1 from every item purchased going to the Retired Greyhound Trust. Why don’t you go take a look, and pick up some Christmas presents.. That reminds me.. must carry on with my shopping, so far I’ve only bought for myself!
I’ve got a bit carried away making Sock Creatures lately.. Good job everyone seems to love them! Took a quick group shot before 😀
Well, these Monkeys went off to their new home earlier this week. It was a bit strange to see them go – note to self: stop getting attached to EVERYTHING you make!
They went to a lovely lady though, so all was good.. but the update on these little guys is that they were too much temptation for the lady’s dog.. Oh dear… I have had word that they are bruised but ok.. 😀
Thank you to everyone who entered my competition over at my Meg&Millie FB page, we have just picked a winner..
We decided to make use of our lovely pumpkin to draw the names out of, and the winner is…
Congratulations Eleanor! Please send me your details and the plaque will be with you soon.
Thanks to everyone who entered, and look out for more giveaways in the future 😀
10 Nov 09 – A quick shot of the plaque that Eleanor requested as her prize, it’s on its way to you now! 😀


text:
The Boy Scouts of America is joining with Transportation Management Services (TMS) to provide safe, efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly transportation solutions for jamboree participants, including staff. Please note every staff member is required to register their arrival and departure times with TMS. Submitting your arrival and departure times is a quick process that takes less than three minutes to complete.
- To schedule your arrival and departure time, please use this link: REGISTER STAFF ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE
TMS will also be providing airport shuttle service from Yeager Airport in Charleston, WV and Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, NC.
- Airport shuttle times and costs can be found here:STAFF AIRPORT SHUTTLE INFORMATION
- To purchase airport shuttle passes please go here: PURCHASE AIRPORT SHUTTLE PASSES
If you have questions, please contact TMS directly at firstname.lastname@example.org or 800-437-7629.

domain: travel


text:
When I quit my job as a teacher and became a stay-at-home mom I thought my life was finally going to be everything I wanted it to be. I could wear pajamas all day if I wanted to, didn’t have to keep track of time, and be present for every second of my daughter’s childhood. Sounds like a pretty gReAt LiFe, right?
Don’t get me wrong, it has been great, but I quickly learned something after being at home all the time. If I go many days where I’m not being productive or focusing on something that makes me excited (not counting my children), I experience tHe FuNk. This resulted in days, maybe even weeks where I felt like I was stuck. I lacked MoTiVaTiOn to do anything, I wasn’t excited about much, and I found myself spending more time focusing on all the flaws and negative things going on in my life. This, of course, resulted in being a harder wife to live with and a mom that isn’t wasn’t very peppy. There is so much truth to “Happy Wife, Happy Life!”
Even though staying busy makes your life a little more hectic, it can keep your mind from dwelling on the bad. I always tell Doug that I currently work harder than I ever have but I’m also happier than I’ve ever been. If I keep my mind busy on things that satisfy me, I am less likely to struggle with self-confidence issues, negative thoughts about others, and things that bother me. This of course results in being a better and happier mom, wife, ChRiStIaN, friend, etc.
Sound familiar? If so, pick yourself up by finding the quickest way to turn around your day. Whether it is taking a bubble bath or painting your toenails a crazy color, do something to reverse the funk and change your way of thinking. If your outfit makes you feel sluggish, then go put on your favorite one! If your house feels dirty start by burning your favorite candle. Maybe you should give yourself a few minutes to jot down a list of “bucket list” items–things you have always wanted to accomplish–and write out an action plan for the one you want to start pursuing first. Or if your mind is getting the best of you, and you can’t kick a bad thought, go turn on a fun song, have a talk with God, or do something to distract your thoughts for a while. You know the drill—get busy, get happy–and from there it should become contagious!
One thought on “Get Busy, Get Happy”

domain: psychology


Dbanj and Seyitan
The Nigeria Police Force has grilled musician, Dapo Oyebanjo, aka D’Banj, over allegations of r*pe, The PUNCH reports.
It was learnt that D’Banj was grilled by an Assistant Commissioner of Police, Adaku Anya, at the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Garki, Abuja.
A statement was also taken from the Kokomaster, who insisted that he never raped his accuser, Seyitan Babatayo.
A top police source said, “D’Banj has been questioned twice at the FCID, Abuja. He was questioned last week and also this week. We will leave no stone unturned as we investigate the matter.”
It was learnt that Seyitan was also invited to write a statement, but she stated that she had no means of travelling to Abuja and opted to visit a police unit in Lagos.
“Seyitan pleaded with us that she had no means of travelling down to Abuja. So, she has been given the option of reporting at the FCID Annex, Alagbon, Ikoyi,” the officer said.
The PUNCH had exclusively reported last week that the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, had ordered an investigation into the allegations levelled against D’Banj.
Seyitan’s friend, Benjamin Ese, in a Twitter thread in early June had told the story of how D’Banj allegedly raped Seyitan at Glee Hotel, Lagos two years ago – in December 2018.
She said it happened at an all-white party where D’Banj allegedly offered her friend some money to spend the night, which she rejected until he surprisingly showed up in Seyitan’s hotel room in the midnight.
“D’Banj drove all the way from Eko Hotel, where he was lodged, and came down to Glee Hotel in Victoria Island at midnight 2.40am and collected the spare key from the receptionist,” Ese said in the thread, which has since sparked an outrage.
She said D’Banj allegedly “got into my friend’s room and forcefully threatened he would walk her out of the room naked, kept his fingers in her vagina and repeatedly raped her.”
The rape experience, Ese said had caused Seyitan some trauma since the incident happened.
You may be interested
PDP S’West: Fayose concedes party leadership to MakindeWebby - April 13, 2021
The leadership tussle rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South West zone appears to have been resolved as…
Buhari’s aide misfires as Twitter picks Ghana as African HQWebby - April 12, 2021
Eniola Akinkuotu, Abuja NIGERIANS have taken to social media to make their opinions known after social networking service, Twitter, decided…
Ngige begs judiciary workers, unions says 2015 agreement not implementedWebby - April 12, 2021
Adelani Adepegba, Abuja Published 12:24 am The Federal Government Monday appealed to the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria to suspend…


text:
Of the seven athletes on the UCLA diving roster, four of them will be traveling to Flagstaff, Arizona, to compete in the NCAA Zone E Diving Championships this week.
There are five region-based zones in the NCAA. The No. 21 UCLA diving team (5-5-1, 2-4-1 Pac-12) will be sending divers to compete in Zone E, which includes Hawaii, Alaska and the region west of the Rocky Mountains. The event will run from Monday to Wednesday.
Junior diver Eloise Belanger, who won both the 1-meter and 3-meter competitions at the Pac-12 Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships last weekend, has qualified to compete in all three collegiate diving events. These include the 1-meter, 3-meter and platform competitions.
“I feel really good,” Belanger said. “Some of the stuff I was fixing has worked well, but there’s still some other things that weren’t perfect that I hope to improve on.”
This will be Belanger’s third time diving in the NCAA Zone E Championships. She has qualified to move on to the NCAA championships in each of her two previous appearances in the event. This is also the third time that Belanger has qualified to dive in all three events at Zones.
Senior diver Ciara Monahan will be joining her in Flagstaff. Monahan has qualified to dive in both the 1-meter and 3-meter events. This will be Monahan’s fourth time attending Zone E qualifiers. Monahan did not advance to the NCAA Championships in 2015 or 2016. In 2017, she advanced in both the 1-meter and 3-meter dives.
Junior diver Traci Shiver and freshman diver Alice Yanovsky will be making their NCAA Zone E Diving Championships debuts.
Yanovsky will be diving in the 3-meter event. At the Pac-12 Championships, Yanovsky finished 12th in the preliminaries for this event.
Shiver will be diving in the platform event. She said that diving in Zone E finals puts her one step closer to her season goal: competing in the NCAA Championships.
“Zones is a stepping stone to get (to NCAA Championships) and knowing that I have an opportunity to make it is exciting,” Shiver said.
The Bruins will be attempting to qualify for spots in the NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships and will be scored individually. They will be diving alongside 96 total divers from 26 schools.
The top 18 divers in each of the preliminaries events will advance to the final events. The divers’ scores from two lists will be added together for a final score and the top divers in each event will advance to the NCAA championships.
The UCLA divers saw this format in the Bruin Diving Invitational earlier this season.
Diving coach Tom Stebbins said the divers have been preparing throughout the season for this time, and that they are ready.
“Really, at this point the work is already in,” Stebbins said. “There’s not a whole lot that we can or have to do in terms of adjustments. As they say, the hay’s in the barn.”


text:
Dynamics of prices
Want to know when the price of this product will come down? Click "Follow the price" and we'll let you know!
Cheap Sewing Tools & Accessory, Buy Quality Home & Garden Directly from China Suppliers:Sewing Storage Basket with Sewing Kits Storage Box Cotton Fabric Crafts DIY Quilting Thread Stitching Embroidery Tools Organizer Enjoy ✓Free Shipping Worldwide! ✓Limited Time Sale ✓Easy Return.

domain: hobby


text:
“As the practice of law continues to change, the foundation of litigation remains the same. Make a complicated thought simple and express it in a persuasive way.”
Ryan Truax articled at Bell Temple and was hired back as an Associate. He was promoted to Partner in 2019. He practices in a number of the firm’s specialized areas, including motor vehicle claims, subrogation, occupiers’ liability, property loss disputes, and immigration and refugee law. He is a fearless and tenacious litigator who has a good record of success in arguing contested motions, applications, appeals, tribunals and trials. His common sense approach and strong work ethic allows him to achieve the best results for his clients.


Vendetta Films will bring the Udo Kier and David Hayman starrer to cinemas across Australia and New Zealand in the first quarter of 2023.
Beta Cinema will introduce THE FOX to selected international buyers at the German Previews, the annual industry event organized by German Films in Munich from June 20-23.
The RESIDENT EVIL and AFTER are confirmed to star. Sales to the UK, Germany, Switzerland, Spain and Middle East are confirmed.
Liv Lisa Fries (Babylon Berlin) stars in the leading role. Project to be introduced to the international distributors in Cannes.
Ahead of the Cannes Marché du Film, Beta Cinema announces first presales for the English-language tragicomedy My Neighbor Adolf: All rights for North America have been sold to the Cohen Media Group, while Signature Ent. has acquired all rights for UK/IRE.


text:
Illinois Supreme Court justices, shown in a 2010 photo, are, from left, Anne Burke, Rita Garman, Charles Freeman, Thomas Kilbride, Robert Thomas, Lloyd Karmeier and Mary Jane Theis. (Gregg Daniels)
As public officials who serve at the mercy of voters, the seven justices of the Illinois Supreme Court are creatures of a political system: They collect millions of dollars in campaign contributions to win elections, then spend their careers striving to assure the rest of us that the money, and the donors, don't influence the court's decisions. That can't be fun.
But there is one opportunity for the justices to be blessedly free of partisan politics: when they fill unexpectedly vacant judgeships. The justices can scour Illinois for the very best, the very brightest, and elevate those men and women into a judiciary that includes too many mopes. The justices can appoint as judges the great legal minds that have no clout whatsoever with this state's Republican or Democratic pols.
But that isn't what the justices do. As the lead story in last Sunday's Tribune reported, the Supreme Court in the past year kept seven politically connected judges on the Cook County bench. That's not all: These seven judges managed to keep fabulous jobs — many salaries approach $180,000, and the public pensions are huge — after voters rejected them in elections:
One had given more than $20,000 to the Cook County Democratic Party. Two had connections to Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. Others have ties to powerful Chicago Democrats who decide who gets the party's support to be judge. They weren't the only active Democrats chosen for Circuit Court duty by the high court's three justices from Chicago, all who are Democrats themselves. A Tribune review also found the court reappointed three judges who dropped out of judicial races, making room for the Democratic Party's favored candidate. ...
How the Supreme Court decides whom to appoint remains a mystery. Those chosen often have a common qualification on their resumes — ties to powerful Democratic politicians. In Cook County, the process typically goes like this: The Supreme Court appoints a lawyer to the bench, the new judge later runs for election and loses, and the court then reappoints the losing judge to the bench at the same salary and benefits.
Those three justices from Chicago? Democrats Anne Burke, Charles Freeman and Mary Jane Theis.
If this unabashed judicial patronage sounds disturbingly familiar, it should: Last year the Tribune reported that, since 2000, the Supreme Court had reappointed 18 judges — many of them politically active Democrats — to Cook County judgeships after, yes, voters had rejected them. Reporters Jeff Coen and Todd Lighty explained that those judges often are repeatedly reappointed and serve for years without having to again face ... Cook County voters.
Perpetuating this patronage unjustly deprives citizens of the most diverse, most talented judiciary.
Not because the justices don't have the legal authority to appease Democratic bosses by appointing Democrats: The Illinois Constitution allows the justices, as overseers of the state's court system, to fill vacant judgeships as they choose.
Not because the politically active Democrats they appoint are unqualified: Most have been rated as qualified by bar groups.
No, this patronage is unjust for the reasons that federal judges in Chicago have cited in political corruption cases:
When those who do the hiring or appointing let political activism influence who gets the taxpayer-funded job, they cheat talented candidates who have different connections — or no political clout at all. What's more, taxpayers have no reason to think they're paying for the services of the most qualified candidates. What those taxpayers know, instead, is that they're paying salaries and pensions to cronies chosen from a small pool — in this case, a pool of clouted Democrats.
The public resentment and disdain that political patronage breeds long ago made laughingstocks of Chicago's City Hall, the Cook County Building and, under numerous governors, the Statehouse in Springfield.
Why the Illinois Supreme Court would invite that cynicism and ridicule upon itself is beyond us.
The most logical explanation is that the justices rose in that system and greatly benefited from that system. Burke and Theis were initially appointed to the Supreme Court by the Supreme Court. All three justices from Cook County won election to 10-year terms with Democratic Party backing. Burke and Freeman have been re-elected with party backing.
No, we don't think that judicial appointments made outside of Cook County are free of patronage. Far from it.
Moreover, the rest of the justices dutifully approve each member's recommended candidates. It's a cozy club.
So who's going to break up the club, in the interest of putting qualifications before clout?


text:
Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], April 2 (ANI): A team of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested three people, including an official and two organ donation coordinators for taking bribes on the pretext of issuing no-objection certificates (NOC) for organ transplant cases.
The accused, who issued fake NOCs in lieu of money, include an officer of Sawai Mansingh (SMS) Hospital and organ transplant coordinators at Eternal Hospital Jaipur (EHCC) and Fortis Hospital in Jaipur.
“The arrested Assistant Administrative Officer of Sawai Man Singh Hospital has been identified as Gaurav Singh and the organ donation coordinators of two private hospitals have been identified as Anil Joshi and Vinod,” said an official statement from the ACB.
According to Ravi, Deputy Inspector General of Police (ACB), “Staff of SMS Hospital and middlemen involved in carrying out organ transplants were caught red-handed at the hospital while allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 70,000 for issuing NOC.”
The state government issued an order on Monday stating it has suspended Gaurav Singh from the position of assistant administrative officer of SMS Hospital after his arrest by ACB in the case.
As per an official statement from the EHCC hospital, “The hospital has suspended Anil Joshi while Fortis hospital said that they have terminated the services of Vinod Kumar.”
Both hospitals said they have started an internal investigation and will cooperate with authorities in the investigation.
Further details into the matter are awaited. (ANI)
Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed of ANI; only the image & headline may have been reworked by News Services Division of World News Network Inc Ltd and Palghar News and Pune News and World News
HINDI, MARATHI, GUJARATI, TAMIL, TELUGU, BENGALI, KANNADA, ORIYA, PUNJABI, URDU, MALAYALAM
For more details and packages


text:
My conviction is this: whatever you actually manage to do, with the sincere intention to improve your life, will work. There really is no shortage of methods. The trick is in managing to do the thing, whatever it is.
The fact that meditation and mindfulness, however differently they may be interpreted, confer a wide range of benefits, has become received wisdom. For some, the definition of mindfulness is wide enough to extend to the calm you feel when you relax in a warm bath, while for others mindfulness is an extremely strenuous and uncomfortable practice, physically, mentally and emotional. Maybe what all these definitions have in common is the value they place upon a state of mind which is not enslaved by compulsive thinking of any kind, the common kinds being anxious, depressive and self-critical thoughts.
Many clients come to me saying that they have ‘tried’ meditation or mindfulness and it hasn’t worked. Others are eager to learn, but once they have learned some basic practices they report having used them once or twice, when things got bad, for instance when they felt a panic attack coming on, or during a sleepless night. Others have the opposite problem: they are able to practice when the conditions are right, when they have some peace and quiet, some free time, or just when they feel in control of their minds enough to decide to do it. When a difficult situation occurs, though, they find themselves quite unable to practice the techniques.
We tend to know what’s good for us: we intuit it, we may also be persuaded by research evidence and/or cultural trends, we may have spiritual reasons to practice, and we usually experience some degree of benefit immediately. However, it seems to remain prohibitively hard for the vast majority of people to actually do the practice regularly, so a habit builds up which is there as a safety net or cushion when difficult moments strike.
The excuses for not meditating are endlessly plentiful and creative, but they tend to circle around one axis — not enough time. This means, in effect, ‘I don’t prioritise this’. But this seems to be a difficult thing to say; it can sound like an accusation hurled at ourselves, and it can also seem simply abstract to someone who is not used to actively prioritising anything at all, never feeling that they can consciously intervene in where the current of everyday life appears to take them.
My conviction is this: whatever you actually manage to do, with the sincere intention to improve your life, will work. There really is no shortage of methods. The trick is in managing to do the thing, whatever it is. This involves, in effect, already being at least a little in the state you hope to access through meditation — a state in which you can be to a significant extent aware of your mind and behaviour, enough to be able to make choices.
I suggest not setting the bar too high, and just doing an absolute bare minimum, every day. Eventually it will become so pleasurable and necessary that it will ‘kick in’, and there will always be time for it. Sometimes that time may stretch into awareness that keeps going throughout the day, more or less, or it might be five minutes of focused attention in the morning, done in the automatic way in which we brush our teeth.
It’s an interesting question though, why we should so very strongly resist feeling relaxed and aware, feeling calm, feeling better — why we resist pleasure, and what we actually enjoy the most, as well as what we know is good for us. This could well be something to do with self-reinforcing thought patterns of worry gaining a life of their own, and becoming emotionally entrenched; they are so convincing in their story that they are keeping us safe, keeping a look out for us at all times, in our own best interests. This worrying mind, or ego, at the end of the day can only be convinced by hard evidence that it is safe to stop worrying. It may take a while to build up a body of evidence, and this may take real effort. But believe me, it’s worth a try.
All clinical material on this site is peer reviewed by one or more clinical psychologists or other qualified mental health professionals. This specific article was originally published by Dr Greg Mulhauser, Managing Editor on .on and was last reviewed or updated by


text:
The wild oregano usually referred to by cooks is not the same as various plants called “wild oregano” in North America.
It is the herb whose scientific name is “Origanum syriacum”, aka “Origanum maru.”
It is a perennial, though it is not cold hardy and can’t stand frost. It grows 1 to 2 feet (30 to 60 cm) tall, and produces stalks with tightly clustered buds, that then open into small white flowers.
The the buds can be harvested before they open, and be dried. They have a very strong, concentrated flavour.
Wild oregano has a much stronger oregano taste than regular oregano.
It can be used dried or fresh.
It is used in making Zatar.


text: Well met at ringtone download service Audiko.net, where you may search for killer ringtones for your cell phone. Today we have a ringtone of “El Hilwa Di” by Dania as well as 14 other ringtones by Dania. “El Hilwa Di” is a real hit from the “El Hilwa Di” album that was produced by Dania at their recording studio together with other 2 tracks. You can listen to all 3 Dania – “El Hilwa Di” ringtone variations available here and download it for free in a second. You can also choose from other 1 albums produced by Dania for all time. “El Hilwa Di” is referred to , and we can offer you a huge amount of songs absolutely for free. And finally, we have collected lyrics for this track and you can view it here as well. So feel free to browse, listen, download ringtones at Audiko.net. Make your phone sound cool!


text:
UK: Poundland mulls private-label offering
Poundland said the group is now looking at offering an own-label range of foods
UK discount retailer Poundland has said it is considering launching a range of private-label food.
However, Richard Lancaster, Poundland's trading director, said the group is now looking at offering an own-label range
"We know our customers love the amazing value we offer on own brand products. We are currently assessing whether customer demand is there for a venture into private label food. No decisions have yet been made however it is an area of the business we will be reviewing in the coming months," he said.
In July, Poundland appointed former Tesco finance director Andrew Higginson as its chairman.
CEO Jim McCarthy said at the time Higginson's "strategic skills and retail experience" will be "invaluable" to Poundland as it continues to grow its business in the UK and Ireland, and "evaluate a number of other growth opportunities".
Cereal manufacturers in the UK are facing a competitive market and flat sales volumes. While overall conditions have been somewhat sluggish, the breakfast category when taken as a whole has seen some ...
- Nomad's post-Iglo opportunities
- Comment: Nestle reacts to world of 3G and Buffett
- Focus: Can Arla jump-start UK flavoured milk?
- What the analysts say: Nestle's Q1
- Why it is too early to call Unilever food revival
- Kerry Group launches Meateors meat snacks
- Arla to launch protein dairy drink in UK
- UPDATE: Iglo Foods sold to Nomad for EUR2.6bn
- Pork Farms' Kerry pastry deal nears green light
- McCormick to move roles to Poland


text:
Medical Aid Schemes, Medical Insurance and the Low-cost Benefit Option I
23 April 2020
In August 2019 the Minister of Health introduced the National Health Insurance Bill[i] (“NHI”) to Parliament. Many South Africans have voiced their opinions, as in these economically precarious times all one truly has is one’s health.
The Council for Medical Schemes (“CMS) has recently pronounced on its view on the way forward. Before that, medical aid schemes had been rather vague on the topic.
THE CMS ANNOUNCEMENTS
On 4 December 2019 the Council for Medical Schemes (“CMS”) released a circular[ii] which stated two very important decisions. First, there would be no Low-Cost Benefit Options (“LCBO”) allowed for low-income market segments in future. Second, no products based on the Demarcation Exemption Framework and Medical Schemes Act[iii] (“MSA”) would be allowed beyond 2021.
Circular 80 further noted that the decision was made to align the market with the NHI which is a “key priority in the national health policy objective”[iv]. Circular 80 concludes by reaffirming that all products failing to comply with the decision will be illegal from the end of March 2021.
WHAT THIS MEANS
On 13 December 2019 the CMS published an explanatory circular[v] that provided ample support for Circular 80’s decision. Circular 82 begins by reassuring the reader that LCBOs “were developed to extend coverage to a wider proportion of the population by improving affordability of healthcare financing options, in a controlled environment”[vi]. The process began in 2015 with a discussion of a LCBO Framework[vii] which was followed by request for proposals[viii] and guidelines[ix].
With regard to the Demarcation Regulatory Framework sections 72[x] and 70[xi] came into effect on 1 April 2017. These provisions “identified health and policy contracts that conducted the business of a medical scheme and remained insurance contracts outside the regulatory provisions of the [MSA]”[xii]. On 15 March 2017 the CMS notified the industry that the Exemption Framework had been completed and provided potential providers guidelines on how to apply for exemption in terms of section 8(h) of the MSA.[xiii]
In 2019 the CMS alerted providers that they should submit renewal applications for extension until 31 March 2021.[xiv] The CMS’s report noted the challenges associated with the introduction of LCBO in the current economic circumstances.[xv]
The CMS stated that, after having considered various facts, including the present state of the macroeconomic and socioeconomic landscapes, it was not in the country’s best interests to continue issuing exemptions.[xvi] The CMS noted that a poorly performing economy directly affected the continued ability of medical schemes members and policyholders of insurance products from accessing healthcare.[xvii] Further considerations included the infeasibility of government and employer subsidies to allow low-income access to private sector healthcare;[xviii] regulatory arbitrage opportunities;[xix] and the administrative burden created within the regulatory environment[xx].
It is clear that alignment with the NHI is the reason for the decision. Notwithstanding various views on the NHI (read the HSF’s submission here), it is important to consider the CMS reasoning. Relevant is the Competition Commission’s Health Market Inquiry (”HMI”),[xxi] and what it had to say about medical aids, specifically option standardisation and simplification, scheme consolidation and prescribed minimum benefits (“PMB”).
The HMI was an inquiry into the state of competition in the private healthcare sector, a complex issue.[xxii] This complexity resulted in an inability by members to compare scheme benefits and to enjoy the benefits of innovation.[xxiii] The HMI further found that funders were not accountable to beneficiaries nor were they beneficiary-centric.[xxiv] The HMI highlighted the importance of a comprehensive standard base benefit option across all schemes. However, until such time as the review of Prescribed Minimum Benefits (“PMB”) is concluded the prioritisation and the accompanying costing cannot be finalised.[xxv]
The CMS expands on the HMI’s findings that beneficiaries are not at the centre of the health funding market with the results of its own benefit option classification exercise.[xxvi] The CMS notes that “a key result of the exercise was that similar health service consumption bundles are not homogenous in underlying financial and demographic indicators. This raises additional concerns that beneficiaries are finding it difficult to distinguish between benefit designs. This is further complicated by the proliferation of benefit options”.[xxvii] A standardised benefit regime would be beneficial to those utilising the products.
In 2018 the CMS began a discussion regarding the consolidation of medical schemes[xxviii] and their inherent requirements[xxix]. PMBs took centre stage in this discussion with respect to their affordability and clinical adequacy.[xxx] The HMI noted their importance to creating a social security floor, furthering universal health coverage and preventing catastrophic health expenditure.[xxxi] However, the content of the PMB is in need of review, as noted above, to better reflect Primary Health Care (“PHC”) package which includes, inter alia, preventative and palliative services.[xxxii]
The CMS believes that the above review of PMBs will offer better outcomes than the present LCBO and Demarcation products as they do not “align with the social solidarity principles of healthcare”.[xxxiii] It also points out that the administrative costs of LCBOs offered by medical insurers are often very high in relation to benefits.
The CMS’s Circular 80 decision was thought out on the assumption that the NHI will go ahead in light of current government policy. However, because it focused on the longer run, it has left those with LCBO medical insurance without cover in the shorter run. This has created a flurry of objections from stakeholders, with which the CMS has had to engage.
By Chris Pieters, Legal Researcher, HSF, 23 April 2020
[ii]Circular 80 of 2019: Lost Cost Benefit Option & Demarcation Products (“Circular 80”)
[iii] Act 31 of 1998
[iv]Circular 80 page 1.
[v]Circular 82 of 2019: Lost Cost Benefit Option & Demarcation Products (“Circular 82”)
[vi]Circular 82 page 5.
[vii]Circular 9 of 2015: CMS Discussion on the Introduction of a Low-Cost Benefit Option (LCBO) Framework (“Circular 9”)
[viii]Circular 37 of 2015: Request for Proposal – Benefit Design and Pricing of a Low-Cost Benefit Option (LCBO)
[ix]Circular 62 of 2015: Low-Cost Benefit Option (LCBO) Guidelines
[x]Section 72 of the Long-term Insurance Act 52 of 1998
[xi]Section 70 of the Short-term Insurance Act 53 of 1998
[xii]Circular 82 page 5
[xiii]Circular 19 of 2017: Demarcation Exemption Framework
[xiv]Circular 18 of 2019: Status Update on the Demarcation Regulations and the Development of a Low-Cost Benefit Package
[xv]Discussion Document: Development of Low-Cost Benefit Options within the Medical Schemes (“LCBO Report”)
[xvi]Circular 82 page 6.
[xvii]Circular 82 page 7.
[xviii]Circular 82 page 7.
[xix]Circular 82 page 8.
[xx]Circular 82 page 8.
[xxii]Circular 82 page 9.
[xxiii]Circular 82 page 10.
[xxiv]Circular 82 page 10.
[xxv]Circular 82 page 10.
[xxvi]Circular 82 page 10.
[xxvii]Circular 82 page 10.
[xxviii]Circular 42 of 2018: Draft Medical Schemes Consolidation Framework
[xxix]Circular 28 of 2019: Update of Medical Schemes Consolidation and Low-Cost Benefit Options Framework
[xxx]Circular 82 page 12.
[xxxi]Circular 82 page 12.
[xxxii]Circular 82 page 13.
[xxxiii]Circular 82 page 13-14


text:
(01/30/13) - General Motors is investing in southeast Michigan.
The automaker says it will spend $200 million on a new testing facility at its Pontiac engine and transmission engineering headquarters.
The company says the new 138,000 square foot wing will let it consolidate operations from four other facilities and add 400 jobs in Pontiac.
When the expansion is finished, GM will move development work from facilities in Wixom, Warren and two out of state factories.
ABC12 Main Station


text:
A data from the Central Statistics Office showed that the consumer price inflation (CPI) grew in September 2018, but it was below four percent. The rallying crude oil prices during this fiscal compared to the previous year helped to balance out the modest rise added with the rise in food prices and a curtailing housing inflation.
The retail inflation stood at 3.77 percent in September 2018 as against 3.69 percent in August 2018. The retail inflation based on the CPI dipped to hit a 10 month low in August 2018.re
The inflation rate has remained within the RBI's target of 4 percent for September 2018.
The retail inflation rate was moderate for fruits and it showed an upward trend for milk products, cereals, meat and fish, eggs during September.
The data further revealed that the overall inflation rate in the consumer food basket rose up to 0.51 percent compared to 0.29 percent in August. The fuel and light inflation was flat at 8.47 percent during September.
Housing inflation was recorded at 7.07 percent - September 2018, down from the previous record of 7.59 percent during August 2018.