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925 F. 2d 881 - Hymel Clu Clu v. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
925 F2d 881 Hymel Clu Clu v. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
59 USLW 2562, 13 Employee Benefits Ca 1756
Patrick A. HYMEL, CLU and Associates, Inc., Patrick A.
Hymel, as Trustee for Patrick A. Hymel, CLU and Associates,
Inc. Retirement Plan, and Patrick A. Hymel and Jamie Hymel,
Individually, Plaintiffs-Appellants,
FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION, as Manager of the
Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation
Resolution Fund, Defendant-Appellee.
Fifth Circuit.
Richard J. Tomeny, Jr., Metairie, La., for plaintiffs-appellants.
Christopher J. Bellotto, FDIC, Washington, D.C., John Volz, U.S. Atty., Jill Lynn Ondrejko, New Orleans, La., for defendant-appellee.
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Before POLITZ, WILLIAMS, and JONES, Circuit Judges.
EDITH H. JONES, Circuit Judge:
In various capacities, Patrick A. and Jamie Hymel sued the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) seeking payment of $100,000 in deposit insurance for Jamie's beneficial interest in trust funds deposited with a failed savings and loan in New Orleans. The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana granted the FDIC's motion for summary judgment and entered judgment in favor of the FDIC. We affirm.
The parties do not dispute the underlying facts. On June 20, 1986, the Federal Home Loan Bank Board determined that grounds existed to appoint the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation (FSLIC) as receiver for the federally-chartered New Orleans Federal Savings and Loan Association. The FSLIC intended to liquidate the insolvent New Orleans Federal and make payments of deposit insurance in accordance with the FSLIC's regulations. At this time, the "Patrick A. Hymel, CLU and Associates, Inc. Retirement Plan" ("Plan") held a trust account at New Orleans Federal with a balance of $300,616.56. The Plan was established by Patrick A. Hymel, CLU and Associates, Inc. (the corporation), of which Patrick A. Hymel was the sole shareholder; Hymel was the trustee and sole participant of the Plan. Contributions by the corporation comprised $67,338.11 of the Plan's account balance, while Hymel's individual contributions as an employee comprised the remaining $233,278.45.
The FSLIC, of which the FDIC is statutory successor, see note 1 infra, determined that the corporate contributions, as a valid "trust estate," were insurable up to $100,000, and thus fully insured. Hymel's individual contributions were treated as his individual account, meriting deposit insurance coverage up to $100,000 and no more. Consequently, the FSLIC paid Hymel deposit insurance in amount of $167,338.11 and gave him a Certificate of Claim in Liquidation, entitling him to a pro rata share of the remains of New Orleans Federal, for the uninsured balance of $133,278.45. Contending that he was entitled to an additional $100,000 of deposit insurance for his wife's interest in the Plan's account, Hymel pursued his claim through the FSLIC's administrative review process. Meeting with no success, he filed this suit in federal district court.
The parties dispute whether the federal courts should review the FSLIC's deposit insurance determinations de novo under Coit Independence Joint Venture v. FSLIC, 489 U.S. 561, 109 S.Ct. 1361, 1368-71, 103 L.Ed.2d 602 (1989), or under the less demanding "arbitrary and capricious" standard set forth in the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. Sec. 706(2)(A).1 Based on the ramifications of Coit, we conclude that the FSLIC's determinations of insurance claims are not subject to de novo review in court but must be challenged by seeking review pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act.
Coit posed the issue for review as follows: "This case presents the question whether Congress granted the [FSLIC], as receiver, the exclusive authority to adjudicate the state law claims asserted against a failed savings and loan association. We hold that Congress did not grant the FSLIC such power...." 109 S.Ct. at 1364 (emphasis added). On its face, Coit dealt with the FSLIC's authority as the "receiver" of a failed thrift. In this case, the FSLIC was acting as an "insurer" of deposits. Courts have long recognized the distinction. See, e.g., Godwin v. FSLIC, 806 F.2d 1290, 1291 n. 1 (5th Cir.1987); cf. FDIC v. Condit, 861 F.2d 853 (5th Cir.1988) (recognizing the distinction between FDIC as insurer and FDIC as receiver). Thus, Coit does not directly apply to this case. Moreover, the FSLIC as receiver "stands in the shoes of the insured institution." Morrison-Knudsen Co. v. CHG Int'l, Inc., 811 F.2d 1209, 1222 (9th Cir.1987), cert. dismissed sub nom. FSLIC v. Stevenson Assocs., 488 U.S. 935, 109 S.Ct. 358, 102 L.Ed.2d 349 (1988). By contrast, the FSLIC as insurer stands shod in its own right as "an authority of the Government of the United States" within the meaning of the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. Sec. 551(1). See Godwin, 806 F.2d at 1292 & n. 5.
Finally, Coit involved the FSLIC's attempt as receiver to adjudicate all kinds of claims arising under state law, rather than deposit insurance claims arising under a federal statutory program administered by a federal agency. All these differences convince us that Coit does not control this case. Accordingly, we fall back on our holding in Godwin, 806 F.2d at 1292, recognized in Lambert v. FSLIC, 871 F.2d 30, 32 (5th Cir.1989) (per curiam), that "the FSLIC's determination on insurance must be challenged by seeking review pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act." Accord York Bank & Trust Co. v. FSLIC, 851 F.2d 637, 639-41 (3d Cir.1988), cert. denied, 488 U.S. 1005, 109 S.Ct. 785, 102 L.Ed.2d 777 (1989). This is also the holding of Abdulla Fouad & Sons v. FDIC, 898 F.2d 482, 483 (5th Cir.1990), a post-Coit case in which the court reviewed a deposit insurance determination by the FDIC. Abdulla Fouad explained that courts may set aside an agency determination only if it is arbitrary, capricious, or an abuse of discretion or otherwise not in accordance with law. 5 U.S.C. Sec. 706. On appeal from a summary judgment, we review the district court's decision under this standard de novo.
When the FSLIC was appointed as receiver for New Orleans Federal, the FSLIC was a corporation created by federal statute, 12 U.S.C. Sec. 1725(a), and charged with the duty to insure the deposit accounts of all federally-chartered savings and loan associations, 12 U.S.C. Sec. 1726(a)(1). Deposit insurance is generally limited to $100,000 per account, but "funds held in a fiduciary capacity ... shall be insured in an amount not to exceed $100,000 for each trust estate, and ... such insurance shall be separate from and additional to that covering other investments by ... the beneficiaries of such trust estates." 12 U.S.C. Sec. 1724(b). "For the purpose of clarifying and defining the insurance coverage," the FSLIC is authorized to prescribe regulations. 12 U.S.C. Sec. 1728(a). The provisions of 12 C.F.R. pertinent to this case provide:
Sec. 561.4 Trust estate.
The term "trust estate" means (a) the interest of a beneficiary in an irrevocable express trust, whether created by trust instrument or statutes, but does not include any interest retained by the settlor....
Sec. 564.2 General principles applicable in determining insurance of accounts.
(c) Valuation of trust interests. (1) Trust estates (as defined in Sec. 561.4 of this subchapter) in the same trust invested in the same account will be separately insured if the value of the trust estate is capable of determination, as of the date of default ...: Provided, that (i) in connection with pension and other trusteed employee benefit funds (including those qualifying under section 401(d) or section 408(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954), the trust estate of each participant shall be evaluated as if the trust were irrevocable and the interest of the participant had fully vested as of the date of default of the insured institution....
Sec. 564.10 Trust accounts and IRA and Keogh accounts.
All trust estates for the same beneficiary invested in accounts established pursuant to valid trust arrangements created by the same settlor (grantor) shall be added together and insured up to $100,000 in the aggregate, separately from other accounts of the trustee of such trust funds or of the settlor or beneficiary of such trust arrangements, except that (a) all vested and ascertainable interests of the same beneficiary which qualify under section 401(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 shall be added together and insured up to $100,000 separately from any trust interests of the beneficiary....
Hymel argues that his wife has an insurable "interest" in the Plan's account because she is a "beneficiary" of the Plan within the meaning of Secs. 561.4(a) and 564.10.2 If so, the Hymels claim an additional $100,000 of insurance coverage for that interest. The FSLIC argues that in the context of "pension funds," "beneficiary" is limited to the employee "participant" in the pension fund, citing Sec. 564.2(c)(1)(i). If so, Hymel's wife has no insurable interest in the Plan's account, and the Hymels have received all the insurance coverage to which they are entitled. As we explain below, the arguments of both parties are reasonable interpretations of somewhat ambiguous regulations. Consequently, the Supreme Court's decision in Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. National Resources Defense Council, Inc., 467 U.S. 837, 104 S.Ct. 2778, 81 L.Ed.2d 694 (1984), compels us to uphold the FSLIC's determination. Chevron held:
We have long recognized that considerable weight should be accorded to an executive department's construction of a statutory scheme it is entrusted to administer, and the principle of deference to administrative interpretations
"has been consistently followed by this Court whenever decision as to the meaning or reach of a statute has involved reconciling conflicting policies, and a full understanding of the force of the statutory policy in the given situation has depended upon more than ordinary knowledge respecting the matters subjected to agency regulations. ..."
Accord Capital Cities Cable, Inc. v. Crisp, 467 U.S. 691, 699-700, 104 S.Ct. 2694, 2700-2701, 81 L.Ed.2d 580 (1984).
467 U.S. at 845-46, 104 S.Ct. at 2782-83. (footnote omitted)
We first examine Hymel's interpretation. He reads "beneficiary" broadly, giving it the meaning it has in the law of trusts: "[a] person is a beneficiary of a trust if the settlor manifests an intention to give him a beneficial interest." Restatement (Second) of Trusts Sec. 127 (1959). The parties agree that Hymel was the settlor of his individual contributions to the Plan and that he named his wife as his beneficiary in the Plan documents. In addition, because the Plan is intended to qualify as a tax-deferred pension plan under section 401(d) of the Internal Revenue Code, it requires that Hymel's accrued benefits be provided in the form of a "joint and survivor annuity" or a "preretirement survivor annuity" as those are defined in section 401(a)(11) of the Code.3 These annuities will guarantee Hymel's wife significant annual payments after his death, notwithstanding any provision of state probate law. Hymel also argues that the term "trust estate of each participant" in Sec. 564.2(c)(1)(i) does not limit the trust estate to only one person. In other words, any single participant's (employee's) trust estate can encompass multiple beneficiaries, just as a non-pension trust can have many beneficiaries. This interpretation is not irrational, although it would dramatically expand the complexity and scope of federal deposit insurance.
The FSLIC, by contrast, interprets Sec. 564.2(c)(1)(i) as limiting the meaning of "beneficiary" used in the FSLIC regulations. The determination of Hymel's insurance coverage falls within the ambit of Sec. 564.2(c)(1)(i) because it arises "in connection with pension and other trusteed employee benefit funds (including those qualifying under section 401(d) of the Internal Revenue Code): The provision lays down rules for evaluating "the trust estate of each participant" and refers to "the interest of the participant" (emphases added). Therefore, argues the FSLIC, Sec. 564.2(c)(1)(i) contemplates that only a "participant" will have a "trust estate" or an "interest" in connection with a pension fund. On this ground, the FSLIC concludes that in the context of pension funds, "beneficiary" equals "participant," and Hymel, as the only participant, was thus the only beneficiary, for deposit insurance purposes, of his Plan. Further, even though Jamie Hymel is identified as a Plan "beneficiary," her interest is that of a survivor in the event of her husband's death. Her status is purely derivative. FSLIC's interpretation of the regulations is at least as persuasive as Hymel's and, because we must defer to the agency's non-arbitrary, rational actions, we must uphold the agency's decision.
Two other points bolster our confidence in this conclusion. First, the words "beneficiary" and "participant" are often used interchangeably in connection with pension plans, both meaning roughly "the employee who participates in the pension plan and receives benefits under it." Indeed, in a letter to the FSLIC, Hymel's counsel referred to Hymel as "the trustee and sole beneficiary" under the Plan (emphasis added). It is reasonable for the FSLIC to adopt this parlance in reading its regulations. Second, the FSLIC has apparently applied this interpretation with some consistency. In response to Hymel's motion for summary judgment, the FSLIC attached copies of five prior administrative determinations it had made in similar deposit insurance appeals. All five considered the insurability of a spouse's interest in an employee's pension plan; all five determined that the spouse had no insurable interest.
In conclusion, the FSLIC's denial of additional deposit insurance coverage to Hymel was not contrary to the Administrative Procedure Act. The judgment of the district court is AFFIRMED.
We note that Congress radically revamped the nation's deposit insurance scheme by enacting the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989 (FIRREA), Pub.L. No. 101-73, 103 Stat. 183. Title IV of FIRREA abolished the FSLIC and transferred its duties and authority with respect to deposit insurance to the FDIC. Consequently, the statutes and regulations that underlay this case no longer exist. With that caveat in mind, this opinion will cite the pre-FIRREA versions of the pertinent statutes and regulations
Hymel also contends that FSLIC erred in determining that his personal contributions to the Plan were not a separate trust estate, insurable pursuant to 12 C.F.R. Sec. 564.2, but were instead governed by the individual account rule, 12 C.F.R. Sec. 564.3. Because this dispute does not materially affect the amount of insurance coverage claimed by Hymel, we need not discuss it
Whether the Plan qualified under I.R.C. Sec. 401(d) as a Keogh Plan is hotly disputed by the parties. We accept arguendo Hymel's characterization of his Plan, but this characterization is not sufficient to overcome the FSLIC's interpretation that its regulations cover only the self-employed individual who made the deposits into the Keogh plan. 12 C.F.R. Sec. 564.10(a). The FSLIC's interpretation precludes Mrs. Hymel's status as a "beneficiary" under this provision


The "Thief on the Cross" was promised by Jesus to be in "paradise" that same day they both died on the cross. While it may be proof that baptism is not required for salvation, it has a greater significance only realized when you understand the 5th Seal of Revelation 6 literally. Find out what really happens when the righteous die.
This passage is another of the difficult words of Jesus we encounter when reading the Gospels. The problem is, how could Jesus make this promise when he himself already said he would not be raised from the dead until the third day, fulfilling the sign of the Prophet Jonah?
One common explanation is the "comma theory" where the word "today" is followed by a comma making it modify "I assure you today," rather than ", today you will be with me." This comma theory goes against how English translations render the passage, and is a grammatically awkward way to make emphasis if that was the intent. Jesus never spoke like that anywhere else in the 121 times he says "I say to you..." using "...today," for emphasis.
Another explanation is that this is simply "beautiful picturesque language" although not literal. However, we should always be leery of deciding that a difficult passage must not be literal just because we cannot readily understand it. There happens to be a literal explanation for it supported by other biblical passages if you look carefully.
So, paradise is the abode of the righteous dead. Put this together with my earlier explanation of the literal sleeping souls under the altar and it is confirmed that they are literally unconscious. This fits Jesus' statement, "Father, to you I commend my spirit" in Luke 23:46. Why would he say that if he would be conscious for the next three days taking care of (and using) his soul himself?
So what did Jesus promise exactly? He was not promising immediate consciousness in Heaven with him to the thief. Instead, Jesus knew that his soul along with the faithful thief's would be returned to God as the Bible teaches and his own final spoken sentence reflected. If they were not both put together exactly under the altar where the other righteous martyred souls were kept according to Revelation 6, then at least Jesus was and the thief was probably someplace else in God's heavenly domain (Jesus died for the truth as a martyr, but the thief died for his crimes). For the thief's soul to be immediately among the other righteous dead (martyred or otherwise) was a guarantee he would be resurrected in the First Resurrection and part of the Kingdom, the promise he apparently had great enough faith in to ask about.
In conclusion, according to the literal understanding of the 5th seal, we can see how Jesus could promise "today" being in "paradise" to the thief. We can see how it is not a Scripture-breaking promise of conscious interaction as Christianity teaches will welcome all believers upon death. It is simply a promise of the First Resurrection and a part in the Kingdom, just as the thief requested. This comes after a period of God keeping safe our resting or unconscious souls.


"(Is it true) that you fast all day and stand in prayer all night?" The companion replied that the report was indeed true.
The Prophet then said: "Do not do that! Observe the fast sometimes and also leave (it) at other times; stand up for prayer at night and also sleep at night. Your body has a right over you, your eyes have a right over you and your wife has a right over you."


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game development vr
How Much Did You Say? Your Guide to VR Game Development Cost
Nowadays, it seems like not a day goes by when we don't hear about new VR games, technologies, and news. The discussion has especially ramped up, with the 2 biggest video game console makers (Microsoft and Sony) taking very differing views on the role of VR in gaming. However, what everyone can agree on is the fact that more and more VR games are being released each year, and the movement in general is growing rapidly.
Although many people lump VR titles into the category of computer/video games, there are very substantial differences between them. Obviously, VR headsets are quite different from computer/TV screens, so the releases meant for them also use other technology and methodology. Thus, the key differences lie in the technical aspect of development, yet there are also disparities in cost that should be discussed. In this article, our focus will be on everything relating to VR game development cost.
What Goes Into the Cost of VR Game Development?
Without a doubt, the biggest costs of making a game go into the time invested by the development team, i.e. salaries for staff and compensation for partners and contractors. Here is a breakdown of the process and people involved in it:
Building a VR game starts with an idea and vision which may or may not be pursued by the developer company. Such decisions are made at the executive level, and are usually preceded by a fair amount of research into competitors and the feasibility of the project. Once the decision to proceed is made, the gears of the project start turning and more people get involved. Company executives work with project managers, lead designers and developers to craft a basic plan for the project, as well as business analysts to assess costs and formulate a business strategy.
Preliminary work
Preliminary work includes the first details and conceptual work of a project, serving as a foundation for the eventual final product. For example, it includes the creation of concept art, plot, characters, and core mechanics. Most of the people involved are writers, artists, and designers, though there is still a fair amount of work done by developers to prepare the core gameplay mechanics for further development.
Active development
This is the most costly part of the entire process, as it takes the longest time and involves the most people. Large teams of developers, designers, artists, and everyone in-between spend months (sometimes years) in close collaboration to create the game. VR titles require special software (such as Unity, UE4, Sumerian or Oculus Medium) to build, and the process is widely considered to be more difficult than standard AAA game development.
In order to iron out the kinks and bugs in a game prior to its release, several QA engineers (a.k.a. testers) are usually put to work on it. VR games are played with special hardware (usually headsets and controllers), so the testers are equipped with these devices in their work. While testing does not take as long as development, it is rarely quick, so the associated costs of this stage do not end up being negligible. Testing can comprise as much as 20% – 30% of the full development cost.
Post-Development
After the completion and release of a game, the costs do not necessarily stop. For example, if the game is a commercial venture, breaking a profit will be very difficult without a marketing campaign. Additionally, there is a level of technical support that continues for most games. This includes bug fixes, maintenance of servers, and other essential practices that keep the game running for all users.
Other costs:
Software & Hardware. Making a professional title requires professional software, which can carry exorbitant licensing costs for a company. Additionally, an assortment of hardware (computers, equipment, VR headsets, etc.) is essential for anyone aiming to make a VR game.
Marketing. A marketing campaign can make or break a game, so it is not unusual for the marketing budget to make up a significant chunk of total spending; sometimes even half or more. Some companies dish out millions of dollars on online advertising, promotional events, and printed media.
Cloud & Computing. It is commonplace for studios to rely on cloud services for storing digital assets and using them for the numerous computing needs of development.
Music & Voices. Virtually all major gaming titles use music, sound effects, a score, voices, or some combination of the four to convey dialogue, emotion, realism, and other information to players. While some companies opt to use stock sounds, original audio is created or recorded by specialists most of the time.
Miscellaneous. Many additional costs can go into the creation process, and they are often unforeseen and unpredictable. Of the other conventional expenses, we can mention accounting, legal operations, content translation, and communication costs.
How Much does a VR Game Cost in Total?
As you probably imagine, the cost of virtual reality development ranges by many factors, including the country where it is built, the number of people involved, the amount of content, and the quality of content. In the most robust game development market (USA), relatively simple and low end VR games (think 3D Pong) can cost upwards of $5,000, while most mid-tier titles fall into the $20,000 – $100,000 category. Massive AAA and multiplayer titles can easily cost millions of dollars to make.
For example, Skyrim VR (often referred to as the best VR RPG title) is believed to have cost at least $10M to make. "Robo Recall"- another major VR title is estimated to have cost about $3.8M to make. Unfortunately, accurate figures of many popular titles are not always available due to the makers' reluctance to share this information.
Sometimes, the total cost of the game can be partially estimated according to its genre, gameplay type, and category. For instance:
Simple games focused on a single navigation mechanic (e.g. running a race, jumping over obstacles) have previously been built in the range of $3,000 – $10,000.
Horror games are a very popular genre in VR, and their costs typically fall into the range of $30,000 – $90,000.
MMORPGs (Massively multiplayer online role-playing games) require much more development than most other categories, and total costs often add up to $100,000-$150,000.
Virtual Reality Game Development Services
Given the many factors contributing to a VR title's cost, it is difficult to put a price tag on a potential virtual reality release simply based on its genre, platform, and duration. However, this does not mean that it is impossible to get an estimate before you release the product. With the help of experienced specialists who have analyzed such games before and consider all relevant factors, it should be possible to get a fairly close estimate of how much the release will cost.
The development process can also pose many challenges to those who have never built such products and titles before; so many people/companies with VR game ideas opt to hire another company or studio to handle the process for them, or at least a certain aspect of it. Today, thousands of companies operate on the virtual reality development market and offer such services, but only a fraction of them have the experience necessary to tackle big and complex projects in this field.
Game-Ace is a studio with over 2 decades of experience in building games intended for various audiences and platforms. We are no stranger to virtual reality or other innovative technologies like mixed and augmented reality, and confidently take on projects in this field using the Unity or UE4 engines. To have your idea appraised and the next steps discussed, you are welcome to send us a message.
How to Make a Profitable Mobile Game	 Everything You Want to Know About Slot Game Art	 How to Find a Game Dev Team with Needed Skills	 Web Development Services for the Game Industry	 Learn More About HTML5 Game Development

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text:
Очко — карточная игра
 «Двадцать одно» — фильм режиссёра Роберта Лукетича о группе студентов, обыгрывающих казино Лас-Вегаса

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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


CONCEPT: Urban Parks is an interactive tool that uses Pittsburgh green space data to drive more park awareness and experiences. The website uses a series of interactive maps to show readers the characteristics of parks in their city. Finally, the data visualization allows readers to click into parks to explore them up close and personal.
How might we use city data to encourage people to learn and engage in their community?
Research has shown that public parks and green space provide a variety of physical, psychological, and social benefits to urban residents.
Well-designed public parks provide gathering space for socializing, civic participation, recreation, and a sense of belonging.
Data can help users recognize, engage in, and think critically about the relationship between green space, themselves, and their city.
Early on, I decided to focus on public spaces because I wanted to create a tool that would not just draw conclusions for people, but help them ask new questions and discover new places. To do that, I needed to pull data for different types of public spaces– such as parks, libraries and community centers. I also needed to identify other city data that might hold a relationship with parks, such as resident demographics or environmental quality.
Once I identified my datasets, I began thinking about how I would organize each dataset. This was essential in helping me identify what visual elements would best represent my data, as well as how I would tell a succinct story.
Parks and green space was the main focus of my visualization. Since those data points are rooted in location and size I decided to use a geographic coordinate system, instead of in a cartesian format.
How should my data be organized? Based on my data categories, such as income and density by neighborhood, how is that type of data best organized?
How do we scale these categories? I saw that most of mine are based on hierarchy, location and percent.
As I was developing my visualization, I spent a good chunk of time considering my audience. Who would be interested in learning more about green spaces in Pittsburgh? And what value can I provide by combining that information with data on neighborhood demographics and walkability? I explored these audiences through storyboards and form ideation.
First, I considered how this data might integrate into a larger system. I've moved several times and I know that I am always looking to live someplace close to public transportation and public space. What if we could allow couples to find a neighborhood that is the best fit for them, based on household income and other community facets that they value? Maybe it could allow them to compare neighborhoods and their features, such as parks and libraries.
The other path I considered early on was an interactive article on green space in your city. In this scenario, you select your city and the scrollable article features highlights on the city's green space, highlighting things like range in size, oldest parks and city demographics. Readers would see both data visualizations and photos of parks and access conditions to contextualize the data.
The appropriateness principle in visual design is about the "goodness of fit between form and meaning". By going back to the relationships I identified in my datasets, I began testing out different forms, structures, and values to represent park and environmental data. To better show park size, I tested out using blocks instead of exact form. Additionally, I acquired air quality data and experimented with color and hierarchy to show which areas of the city have the lowest and highest air quality.
Peer feedback: The blocks were a really nice indicator of size, but they needed to show a valid comparison. For example, they would all need to be squares. They also felt like the literal representation of the city wasn't necessary if I were using squares for the parks. In addition, there was a lot of confusion around the circles to represent air quality. Classmates recommended gradients instead of different hues to show change.
I continued to test different color hues and values throughout this project. I found a number of resources, including ColorBrewer, which are diagnostic tools for evaluating the robustness of individual color schemes. I used these to better understand the connection between color, meaning, and data. In the end, I sourced a lot of my color choices for the background and green spaces directly from park photos. This meant a lot of color dropper and adjusting of tones . For the datasets that had more robust scales, such as median household income and density, I leaned more on tested color schemas – so people could make a quick cognitive connection.
I created all my layers in Adobe Illustrator, so I could lock and unlock, and play with different colors and textures before animating them. This was my home base for the designs. Next I brought these images into Sketch, and created the general layout and structure of my flow. It was here that I added in content, buttons, lines and labels for each of the interactive features. The final step was bringing the finalized elements into Sketch to animate.
One of the challenges I faced was layering a number of different interaction patterns on one page. The interactive website could be viewed by both scrolling and dragging. Then on each page, users could scroll, tap, drag, and enter data. In the end, I allowed user to explore the data through a set of map layers. Once they were oriented with the data, they were able to select a park and view its features in greater detail.
Identifying relationships between the data sets was extremely helpful. By this, I don't mean drawing inferences from the data, but rather organizing the data early on. This helped me to understand how I should visually represent the data in a way that would strengthen cognitive connection for my readers.
In the end, I saw this visualization as a powerful tool that could be used by the city of Pittsburgh and partnering parks organizations to promote park awareness and drive more individuals to these spaces. I think there is huge potential in offering open data to citizens, and helping them understand that data by creating interactive tools and visualizations. City governments are always looking for more effective (and positive) ways to engage with citizens and I would argue visualizing your city's natural assets is one of them!
Sometimes it's easier to make data visualizations look good than it is to make them affective. People draw strong cognitive connections through color, form, and movement. As I do more design work with data, I will make sure to keep this top of mind.
I can certainly see myself developing this concept much further. Given more time, I would love to allow users to compare parks between cities. I also think it would be really interesting to incorporate community based sharing, where folks could track the parks they've been to and mark their favorite spots.


For two years, MarylandReporter.com has been covering the financial problems with the Developmental Disabilities Administration. The following story by Mark Newgent was published Wednesday evening on Watchdog Wire-Maryland. Rather than just linking to it, we are publishing it in its entirety as it uses court documents to describe corruption and fraud at DDA as alleged by a whistle blower later fired.
At the time advocates were lobbying for an alcohol tax increase to raise revenue for the disabled, the Developmental Disabilities Administration knew about and covered up $38 million in unspent state and federal funds from fiscal year 2010, according to court documents filed by a whistleblower.
Carrie Phillip, former Chief Financial Officer of the much-beleaguered agency tasked with administering services to Maryland's disabled community, filed a complaint in Baltimore City Circuit Court, alleging she discovered and notified top agency officials about the unspent funds, top officials in the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene ordered her to hide the surplus funds in 2011, and that she was subsequently terminated for blowing the whistle.
Phillip also alleges she alerted her superiors about inadequate internal controls, and agency staff doing work they were unqualified to perform.
During the 2011 legislative session, disability and public health advocates lobbied for an increase in Maryland's alcohol tax, citing a lack of funding and a long waiting list of disabled residents needing services. They were ultimately successful in increasing the state sales tax from 6 to 9 percent on alcohol sales. DDA received $15 million of the extra revenue generated.
Later that year, DDA officials revealed they had discovered a $38 million surplus from fiscal year 2010, $25 million of which had to be reverted to the general fund.
Phillip, a Certified Public Accountant with a Masters degree in accounting, alleges she discovered and disclosed that DDA hid the $38 million, while the agency denied services to the disabled to cut costs.
On June 2, 2011 Phillip wrote a letter to Governor O'Malley detailing her concerns.
The latest OLA audit speaks for itself but it does not render a complete illustration of the issues. Auditors rarely detect fraud and DDA's uniqueness prevents auditors from acquiring the feel for the substance of the thousands of unique transactions. As a CPA I'm bound by a professional code of ethics and have a duty to report the fraudulent contracts, fraudulent transactions, and fraudulent financial reporting existing the organization. I will provide documentation if requested.
Without objective oversight, exemption from procurement regulations has situated the foxes to guard the henhouse. The staffing mix is incomprehensible for an organization with an $800,000,000 annual budget and the financial reporting foundation of DDA is built on unreliable data making what comes out of no value.
Within the organization, dishonest acts are greeted with nothing more than raised eyebrows. The agency makes multi-million dollar duplicate payments and does nothing to remediate the situation. An ongoing practice of unauthorized interest free loans continues as well as inflating payments to providers if they are in good favor and merely ask for it or if it creates conveniences for DDA staff….
As troubling as this is, I enjoy my profession and do not speak from the vantage point of someone with tunnel vision or an axe to grind and request protection from the inevitable backlash that will result from these disclosures. I've had the pleasure of working for other state agencies and have not previously encountered anything like this. I normally disclose questionable acts within the organization but am being pressured to falsify documents and cannot do so. The power at DHMH rests within a formidable network making change from within impossible and elevating concerns is frowned upon. Therefore I'm pleading to your administration for guidance.
Phillip received no reply from Governor O'Malley's office. The only reply she received was four months later in a letter from, Joshua Sharfstein, Secretary of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
On October 11, 2011, four days later, Phillip received a termination notice from then-Developmental Disabilities Administration Executive Director, Franklin Kirkland. Kirkland now serves as a special advisor to the Acting Director, Patrick Dooley.
It took the O'Malley administration four months to acknowledge Phillip's concerns, and only four days to fire her.
The DHMH Inspector General's report was released that month as well.
Phillip's allegations counter the narrative put out by agency officials that they were responsible for catching the error, particularly Shafstein's testimony before Kasemeyer's committee later that month.
Phillip, according to the complaint, filed for an appeal of her termination. A hearing was held, but no decision was rendered.
On October 16, 2013, Phillip emailed Governor O'Malley again, stating that DHMH has not paid out her leave or other accrued benefits. In addition to she says DHMH blocked her from attaining a similar position at another state agency.
Phillip also indicates she was the originator of the complaint, which led to a federal audit of DDA that determined the agency owed the federal government $21 million for Medicaid overbilling.
Her accusations are in line with the string of negative audits DDA has received from legislative auditors over the last several years, which portrays an agency in turmoil.
She also noted many of her subordinate employees stall and freeze items because they don't know enough or that there is insufficient time to for her to give hands on supervision. Phillip warned that auditors will find an unacceptably high number of exceptions and that a deputy would be needed to detect and prevent errors.
In June 2013, Sharfstein hired, through a no-bid $3.1 million contract, the firm of Alvarez & Marsal, which specializes in fixing troubled organizations.


Remove filler. Wash separately before first use. Turn inside out. Warm gentle machine wash. Remove promptly. Avoid using optical brighteners except on whites. Do not bleach. Rinse well. Line dry. Can be tumble dried warm. Warm iron on reverse. Dry cleanable.


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Possessor (2020) Review
Spoiler-free so you can read before you watch
Horrorific content by Jaredsoto on March 09th, 2021 | Movie Review | Possession, Sci-Fi, Killer, Psychological, Split Personality
Add Possessor (2020) to your Watchlist
It's about Tasya Vos, an elite, corporate assassin, who uses brain implant technology to execute high profile targets.
Possessor was directed by Brandon Cronenberg (Antiviral) and stars Andrea Riseborough (2020's The Grudge, Mandy), Christopher Abbott (It Comes at Night, Piercing), Jennifer Jason Leigh (Annihilation, The Hitcher), and Sean Bean (The Hitcher, Silent Hill: Revelation).
No Body is safe.
Possessor (2020) was Brandon Cronenberg's anticipated film of 2020. When the very first trailer was released, many horror fans were intrigued. Not only by the fact that many were unaware that horror legend David Cronenberg had a son, I'm also guilty of that, but also by the look and the feel of what the trailer portrayed. It was dark and mysterious. It instantly sucked me in. If you're a sucker for body horror and a crazy good time, hang tight for this one.
Possessor is about a corporate assassin named Tasya Vos (Risenborough). She works for a company, who use state of the art brain implant technology to access and control the minds of high profile targets. Sounds interesting right? Keep on reading because it gets a lot more interesting than that.
The very first scene is pretty vague. You have no idea what is really going on for the first 5 to 10 minutes or so. We follow a woman by the name of Holly (Graham), who appears to be emotional while examining something on the top of her head. She stares into the mirror only to then place a needle like object into the top of her head. A while later, she attends a party, where she and other important figures are present. From this point on, the movie revs it up to a hundred and completely goes somewhere I wasn't expecting and chaos ensues. We then learn that Holly was being controlled by our main character, Tasya Vos, through some sort of mind control technology.
We then get a bit of backstory regarding Vos, who is an elite assassin, as well as her boss, Girder (Leigh), who was also an elite assassin, but now retired.
We learn that the method behind controlling others minds takes a very serious toll on the one who is controlling. Vos appears to be suffering from potential side effects. She heads home after completing her mission to her son and her husband/ex-husband, an interesting plot right here that doesn't really get fleshed out much, but what we can get from it is that she chose work over her family and in turn, their marriage suffered. She explains that she has one more mission to complete and then she can retire from that line of work, so that they can be a real family again.
She heads back to work to complete her final hit. She learns that someone has hired her company to take out a well known CEO, as well as his daughter. What better way to do it, than taking control of the daughter's boyfriend? The plan is set into motion. Vos begins to learn the traits and mannerisms of the new host. She gains control of the boyfriend and while everything seems to go according to plan, things take a huge left turn and Vos and her associates are put in a real predicament. Lives are at stake and we are given one hell of a bloody ride.
The cinematography and well as the score, really complement each other throughout the majority of the film. You really get a feeling of anxiety and claustrophobia, well at least I did, but it was with it all. It really is a well put together film and I found myself really digging it.
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Worth Watching?
Oh hell yes. While it's not a perfect film, it's done right in so many different ways. What I really admire about this movie is that it doesn't spoon feed you. You are forced to think, but nothing too crazy. The acting from everyone in this is top notch. The effects? FANTASTIC. I expected nothing less from a Cronenberg. Overall a solid sci-fi horror/thriller that truly delivers in all aspects. For all my gore hounds out there, you will have a great time with this one!
Possessor Review (2020) Worth Watching? - ALL HORROR Tweet it
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-Independent filmmaker -Lover of all things horror
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I'm working with CB2 for this spring season, so please check out my limited edition "Holga Magnolia" photograph printed on canvas.
The art is also in stores and in their catalogues.
These photos were part of a photojournalistic series on Chicago athletes, all shot in my studio. The text overlaid each photo is taken from each athlete, their words and handwriting.
Bret Grafton is an award winning lifestyle photographer and artist. His editorial photography has appeared in Time Out chicago, the Chicago Sun Times, Where Magazine and the Chicago collection. His lifestyle editorial campaigns have included collaborations with Direct TV, the Joffrey Ballet, and the Dana Hotel. Bret is the brand photographer for ICandee clothing, Lara Miller Collection, and Ricorso. Bret was also the brand photographer for "The Ben Cohen Foundation" an anti-bullying venture that raised almost one million dollars last year for philanthropic grants.
Bret Grafton has an ongoing relationship with CB2 where he creates art based on trends that is licensed and sold in CB2 stores. Bret also produces experiential event installations for a variety of clients including Office Max: where he produces their yearly gala.
Bret is also an accomplished artistic director, and has collaborated with a number of creative production companies on marketing, design, prop fabrication, and film/video production.
Please email Bret for a consultation.


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Unreleased Music From Chris Cornell's 'Poncier' EP Is Coming Tomorrow On The 'Singles' Soundtrack Reissue
Caitlin WhitePop Music CriticInstagramTwitter
This morning the music community woke up to the horrific news that Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman Chris Cornell has died at 52, and that police are reportedly investigating it as a suicide. The news is particularly tough to deal with considering Soundgarden had just played a show last night — footage of that performance is now available.
Today, Rolling Stone published an interview that was conducted with filmmaker Cameron Crowe weeks before Cornell died, in reference to Crowe's film Singles which was inspired by and heavily focuses on the grunge scene in Seattle that Cornell was a part of. In fact, unreleased songs from Cornell are coming out tomorrow via the Poncier EP which is part of the soundtrack reissue. Of course, a huge part of the appeal of this film — which came out in 1992 — has always been the iconic soundtrack, which includes contributions from Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice In Chains and more — mostly from before the bands were really famous. Given the soundtrack is being reissued tomorrow, 5/19, and Crowe spoke to Rolling Stone about some history on the film in advance of the new release.
In the interview, Crowe reveals that after he had envisioned the film's lead singer, Cliff Poncier, Cornell went on to make an entire tape as Cliff Poncier to help flesh the character out for the film, and that "Spoonman" was originally from that fictitious tape. Crowe even says he wanted Cornell to play the role, but it became too much in the end. Eventually, his songs were worked into the film's soundtrack and he helped with the score, but it's a moving anecdote that is difficult to read today, but is important because it highlights the best parts about that community, and Cornell himself.
Here's the exchange:
One of the best bits of Singles lore I've heard is the story of the Poncier tape that [Pearl Jam bassist] Jeff Ament designed — which is coming out in full on this new edition of the soundtrack — and how all these actual songs were birthed out of it.
It's kind of amazing. The idea was that Matt Dillon's character, Cliff Poncier, in the course of the movie, he loses his band, and he loses his girlfriend, and he gains soul. So, there's a period where he's on a street corner busking, having lost his band, but beginning his solo career. And there would be, in reality, these guys standing on the corner outside the clubs in Seattle hawking their solo cassettes. So we wanted Cliff Poncier to have his own solo cassette. And Jeff Ament, in classic style, designed this cassette cover and wrote out these fictitious song names for the cassette.
And Chris Cornell was another guy who was close to us when we were making the record, and still is a good friend. I really loved Soundgarden; they were my favorite band. I originally thought Chris could play the lead, but then I think that turned into too big of a commitment for everybody and so he became the guy he is in the movie, but in the course of making the movie he was close to all of us. He was always around.
Anyway, Jeff Ament had designed this solo cassette which we thought was hilarious because it had all of these cool song titles like 'Flutter Girl,' and 'Spoonman,' and just like a really true-type 'I've lost my band, and now I'm a soulful guy -– these are my songs now' feeling. So we loved that Jeff had played out the fictitious life of Cliff Poncier. And one night, I stayed home, and Nancy [Wilson, of Heart], we were then married, she went out to a club, and she came back home, and she said, 'Man, I met this guy, and he was selling solo cassettes, and so I got one for you.' And she hands me the Cliff Poncier cassette. And I was like, 'That's funny, haha.' And then she said, 'You should listen to it.' So I put on the cassette. And holy sh*t, this is Chris Cornell, as Cliff Poncier, recording all of these songs, with lyrics, and total creative vision, and he has recorded the entire fake, solo cassette. And it's fantastic. And 'Seasons' comes on. And you just can't help but go, 'Wow.' This is a guy who we've only known in Soundgarden. And of course he's incredibly creative, but who's heard him like this? And we got to use 'Seasons' on the soundtrack, and Chris did some of the score. And some of the unreleased score is on the new version of the album.
It's kind of an example of how the community was close, still is close, and musically generous, and everybody is such huge music fans, that this would be the greatest joke to share with a buddy you can imagine. And obviously the music really holds up. He went and recorded 'Spoonman' with Soundgarden and it was a big hit. It's a statement about how when you're not worried about somebody judging you or looking over your shoulder sometimes you do great stuff. And that's the story of the fictitious Poncier cassette that became largely real.
An EP that includes some of that unreleased music from Cornell, entitled Poncier, will be included with tomorrow's reissue. Get that here, and read Steven Hyden's loving obituary to Chris Cornell here.
Topics: #Chris CornellTags: cameron crowe, CHRIS CORNELL, Cliff Poncier, Poncier, rolling stone, singles


THORS-DESIGN's furniture is made of upcycled rustic Azobé wood, sourced from decommissioned Danish wharves. The result is bespoke, hand-made furniture with a natural Nordic feel that retains the integrity, history and natural character of the wood.
The wood's original raw look is a result of it´s exposure to the natural elements for more than a half century. No two pieces of wood are identical. Each piece of furniture is unique, full of character and soul.
The team behind THORS-DESIGN creates furniture with an understanding of the way that wood works and moves, incorporating its natural grooves and crevices.The reclaimed wood has been validated and certified as containing only natural oils. The furniture is virtually indestructible, with a life cycle lasting as long as the wood's own history. All THORS-DESIGN´s furnitures can be used inside and out all year round in private homes as well as public spaces.
Each furniture is customized. No two tables are the same, due to the historic details in the antique wood.
THORS Idun can be made with a single wooden pillar leg or two unika wooden legs and it is made in 3 different surfaces: sanded, burned and rustic.
THORS Idun is made based on individual wishes with a maximum length of 2,0 m. with 3 or 4 planks. We most often work with a width of 0,75 m, 0,90 m or 1,0m.
2 wooden legs, 2 steel legs, 2 open steel legs or mixed legs i.e. 1 wooden leg and 1 steel leg. The table can be made with straight or oval ends.
THORS Gaia is made based on individual wishes with a maximum length of 3,60 m. with 3, 4 or 5 planks. We most often work with a width of 0,90 m or 1,0 m.
THORS Mosaic is available in 3 different surfaces: sanded, burned and rustic.
THORS Mosaic tables start from a length of 5m and up, and can be made in infinite lengths by combining planks end to end.
They are 1.2m wide and have double wooden legs in each end, and single legs in between, according to the length of the table.
For all of our tables we use the same Azobé Wood. Azobé is an African hardwood species. Its tree trunks can grow to a diameter of almost 2 meters.
The wood is more than 100 years old and contains only natural oils.


American student Otto Warmbier is being sent home in a coma after more than 17 months of detention in North Korea, it has been announced.
Warmier, aged 22, is being evacuated via a US military base in Sapporo, Japan, and is due to arrive home in Cincinnati later this evening (Tuesday, June 13).
It is believed the University of Virginia student has been in a coma for more than a year, since shortly after his televised trial in Pyongyang in March of last year.
His release was announced by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson this morning, without any mention of his medical condition.
ALSO READ: Peace in Korea: Is there a bumpy road ahead with Kim in the driving seat?
Mr Warmbier was part of a group of tourists visiting North Korea at the final days of 2015. On his last night in Pyongyang — New Year's Eve — he was filmed going to an off-limits staff-only floor of the Yanggakdo Hotel where he allegedly interfered with a large propaganda poster.
He was found guilty of "hostile acts against the state" and, after a televised trial in March last year that took only one hour, sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labour.
Swedish diplomats, who represent American interests in North Korea because the two countries have no formal diplomatic ties, have been refused any access to him since then.
His parents have been told that he came down with a severe case of botulism soon after his trial and was given a sleeping pill, which triggered his comatose state.
This version of events from the North Korean authorities is impossible to confirm. It is also not known what level of care he has received over the past year.
Also today, basketball star Dennis Rodman arrived in Pyongyang for his fifth visit to the country. It is not known whether he had any hand in the release of Mr Warmbier, or if he plans to help secure pardons for three other American citizens currently being held in the country.
The release of Mr Warmbier comes at a tense time in the region, with ongoing military testing by North Korean amid international condemnation.


My wife and I have chosen to be debt free and live without the use of credit cards. 99% of the time we have no issues when it comes to purchases. We simply swipe our debit card or pay with cash when making a transaction. The one instance where we've had difficulty is when we are renting a car with a debit card.
We've run into trouble twice with this and in both cases it nearly had us stuck. The most recent time, on our vacation to Yellowstone a few weeks ago, nearly cost us our trip.
My wife is an incredible trip planner. She can research and organize a trip with such precision I hardly have to pay attention. The most I end up doing in the trip-planning phase is giving minor advice and approval to her vacation to-do requests.
My wife is member of the AICPA (the American Institute of CPAs). As a member she is entitled to discounts with companies with whom the AICPA has an affiliation. One such company is Hertz.
So we booked a minivan with Hertz two months prior to leaving and didn't give it another thought.
Those are not the words you want to hear at a rental car counter period, let alone one in Cody, Wyoming at 9:00 pm at night on the first day of your vacation. No offense to Cody but it's not quite like Atlanta. Your options are a bit limited.
An attempt to run my debit card through the system (which I knew would be futile) resulted in the same automaton response from the agent.
"What are we going to do?" my wife asked him. "We have a week's vacation lined up. How are we going to get around?
No joke…he literally reached over and handed me a business card for a cab service.
Now, I don't like being in a desperate situation but I like being lied to even less. So I calmly but firmly shot back.
"So what are we going to do?" my wife said for the third or fourth time in the conversation, her voice cracking with fear as our unaware kids tumbled around in the background with the luggage.
1) Hope the only other rental car services open in the airport – Budget or Avis – would give us the option of renting a car with a debit card.
2) Call the cab service and have them drive us to the nearest big city where we might have more rental car options.
3) Book a flight back home and cancel/postpone our vacation.
Of course we chose option one but with great fear we might be headed to options two or three. So with great nervousness we stepped up to the Avis rental car counter.
At this point there is no need to go into details about what has just happened or the desperation of our situation. The Avis counter is right next to the Hertz counter so the Avis agent has heard the whole conversation. It's not as though he's been helping dozens of other passengers because the Cody airport is hopping at 9:00 pm on a Friday night.
Relieved, I looked over at my wife. I reached out to grab her trembling hands. We were going to be OK.
Ten minutes later he had booked us in a Toyota Sequoia – a little bit tighter fit with our luggage than the minivan we had hoped for but I wasn't complaining. He even reduced the rate on the vehicle, even though we ended up paying four times as much as we had planned because Avis does not have an affiliation with the AICPA.
I wasn't complaining about that either. We were just thankful to be on our way. Thank you Avis and the agent at the Cody, Wyoming airport.
You may be wondering why rental car companies require a credit card in the first place. For them it's all about security and recouping losses due to damage or theft of the vehicle.
For example, if I rent a car using my debit card then the rental company is limited in the amount of funds they can recoup based on the amount of money in my checking account. That amount could be $10,000 or it may be $500. In the first case they could get to a lot….in the second, hardly any. There would be insufficient funds to compensate them for a vehicle loss or damage. They don't want to take the risk that I have little to no funds in my account.
With a credit card they are able to go after a higher amount. Each user has a credit limit up to which they can spend, usually in the thousands of dollars. That limit represents a greater portion of secured funds the rental car company could go after. It's less of a risk and they'll have a greater likelihood of tracking you down and getting the funds they need.
In short, they will be getting paid no matter when – or in what condition – you return the car.
If you plan on renting a car with a debit card the biggest piece of advice I can give is to call ahead. Don't take the word of any company policy you read on the Internet. Call the company you wish to book with in advance and get clarification on how to do it and what they require.
Don't let anyone ever tell you that all rental car companies require a credit card. It's simply not true. But realize some do and they will not budge on their policy. Enterprise and Hertz are the two companies I've had issues with so avoid them if you are using a debit card.
I know some credit card enthusiasts will jump in and say, "See this is why you need a credit card…for these type of emergencies." I get that. And believe me, in that moment when we realized our mistake I wished I could have pulled one out and handed it to the agent.
However, until the entire industry makes it a standard policy I'm not going to change my "no credit card" lifestyle. I still have options for renting a car with a debit card. I just didn't plan very well. So that's on me, especially since this had happened to me once before.
But I'll tell you this…I'll never let that happen again. The stakes of being stranded or ruining a vacation are too high.
Questions: Have you ever had trouble renting a car with a debit card? Ever been stuck at a rental car counter, unable to get a car? What other companies besides Avis do you know allow a debit card to be used to rent a car?
Once I paid the third party/travelocity/ hertz waited till I arrived at my destination to give me the credit check, which I scored 670 and still was denied the rental of a car that I had paid in advance for . Travelocity and Hertz accept the money for services that they will not render.
Well AVIS left us stranded today. My Credit Card info was stolen so I put a block on my CC while visiting my in laws in NC, reserved a Minivan with AVIS to return to FL plan was to now use our Debit Card to rent. At the counter we where told with Debit Card Avis has to perform a credit check and declined us.
We love the public transportation systems in other countries. Thanks for sharing this informative post.
Actually happened to me this morning. Cue the Seinfeld episode, our car was in the shop, so we needed a car to get around for the day. My wife, from home, rented a car through Enterprise. I get there, first, no cars. Finally, found one, couldn't use my wife's card due to different last names. I don't have credit cards anymore, so i have to use my debit. They say ok, can you produce a copy of two billing statements from companies, i.e. Electric, cable, dish. So, now i have to try and remember passwords and actually send them copies of account info. Finally goes through, $150 hold. No problem, but if i would have only had a credit card for such occasions. They were actually super helpful. Just kind of a pain to get the car.
Sounds like quite the hassle! Unfortunately, this problem may be getting more common. I just bought a homeowner's insurance policy where they ran my credit as part of their "probability of loss" calculation. I was surprised that they would use credit. I guess as credit is more and more ubiquitous, more and more institutions are going to want to use it.
While we currently have a credit card (hubs' international travel makes that hard to get around because you can't buy $3k worth of airline tickets with a debit card) we only had debit cards for years. And I always rented from Avis, never thinking twice. Their policy is a lot like how hotels do debit cards, too.
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I always use my debit card to rent cars and it's never a problem – they usually put a hold on your card for $50-$200 and then release it once you return the car.
That's what we usually do also Natalie but with some companies it apparently is not that simple. Got to know the rules before you rent from anyone.
I've never used a debit card to rent a card. We are "too enthusiastic" users of charge cards for almost all our purchases and always pay on time every month.
When I read the title I thought maybe your story was going to be that your info got stolen. Both scenarios are bad though. I recently used my debit card at a sketchy place in Denver and I was a bit worried they might try to steal my info. I should've used a credit card instead.
There are still protections with debit cards. When we use our Visa debit card I always choose the "credit" option at checkout. That forces the register to print a ticket that I must sign. I never use my PIN…not even sure what it is. Once I sign the ticket I'm protected by Visa's policy and will have money replaced in my checking account if stolen and I report it in a timely manner.
I have actually never used a debit card to rent a rental car because I do know that they put a hold on your account and my fear is that they will pull the money from my checking account and it will take them weeks before they put the money back. At least when it's on your credit card, you can get the charge reversed. I also have rental car insurance through my credit card company when I rent a rental car, so I like the added protection.
The largest hold I've ever had placed on my account has been $200.
We do use credit cards, so I have not personally run into this issue but I have heard that car rentals and some hotels can be fussy. I understand their reasoning as I'm sure they have been burned plenty of times too, but I just wish they made their policies very clear. It is also unfortunate that not using credit cards means you have a lower credit score too. I'm so glad you were able to get it resolved relatively pain-free because, like you, I would have been feeling pretty panicked at 9:00 p.m. facing limited choices! Hopefully, the rest of your vacation was stress-free and fun!
Sorry for your troubles! But thanks for sharing and giving us credit-free readers some tips. Easy to say "See, need a credit card". But good for you for seeing the bigger picture!
"Easy to say "See, need a credit card"…I know…I'm just not playing in their system anymore.
That's strange that Hertz didn't accept your debit card. I've rented cars before with my debit card and like Avis all they do was put a hold on my checking account. Oh well, I'm glad it worked out for you and now you know not to use Hertz.
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Their computer system rejected us when it pulled our credit (which is low because of our debt free lifestyle). It's a mixed up system when you can't rent a car due to wise lifestyle choices (being debt free) when at the same time you have the ability to write a check and buy the car outright.
I had this happen to me recently. Unfortunately, I had used the pay ahead option to get a bigger discount. When I was denied the car for using a debit card and having a low credit score they refunded me my money… Less a $100 fee for "cancellation" !!! I was so angry. I've fought tooth and nail.. Still can't get them to return the money.
So glad that Avis ended up renting to you Brian – though sorry for the overall experience. On one hand, this just goes to show you how the credit scoring system is backwards since you're entirely debt free but do not use credit cards.
That being said, we've had numerous hassles with car rental places – I always hate dealing with them because I know it's going to be a pain in the neck. No matter where we go we get the same hassle because we don't choose the overpriced insurance. The reason is that we use my wife's USAA card – which is tied directly to our USAA insurance. Due to that, if we get into an accident in a rental car, we're covered and all we're out is our deductible. We've had some reps tell us we're idiots for passing up the insurance. Unfortunately it just seems to be an industry filled, for the most part, with shady or less than desirable tactics.
Those insurances are where they really can make money. They are like the extended warranties on appliances or computers…so often going unused. Our auto insurance covers use of rental cars so we never go for the ad on insurances.
I'm so glad Avis rented to you! I have plenty of credit so I have never had that problem, BUT I have had other problems renting cars before. Car rental places are awful about overbooking and having awful customer service. Dollar Rent-a-Car also tried to convince me that the $250 insurance for the rental was not optional for a three-day car rental in Orlando that only cost $150 to begin with. They acted like I was crazy for declining even though I have rental car coverage on my personal auto policy and the credit card I booked the card with had primary rental car coverage as well. They are a bunch of scam artists.
Haha…that's funny/sad they would try to persuade you of that. All those insurances are optional and most of the time unneeded. Our personal auto insurance covers our use of rental cars and is all the insurance we need.
We have an experienced like this one before! As far as we know, we already booked a rental car, but unfortunately when we called the rental company they apologized to us and they only told us that there were no available car that time.


Introducing you to our flourless mashed potato cakes in the air fryer. Using ZERO flour, fluffy and cheesy, these are the BEST EVER use of leftover mashed potatoes.
Mashed Potato Cakes have been on my hit list for cooking in the Air Fryer for some time now. I love the taste of the mashed potato when it is all fluffed up and is loaded with cheddar cheese.
They are another favourite love of mine from childhood.
My Grandad used to make me mashed potato cakes all the time. He was a fisherman by trade and whenever they were out of fish, it was like you got the fishcakes just minus the fish and had you had these incredibly yummy mashed potato cakes.
Though I always remember him cooking me them in his rusty frying pan that was absolutely covered in lard. The generation of today would be disgusted by the idea of lard, yet it was the main fat of its day!
His frying pan that he made my mashed potato cakes in was probably an antique and the love and attention that went into the food was fantastic.
My Grandad passed away 25 years ago and this week we are celebrating our grandparent's generation with war week and through my week on rations, I couldn't imagine anything better than mashed potato cakes.
Also, because we are living off rations, we saved up ½ the weeks cheese allowance to make these heavenly fluffy mashed potato cakes.
Just before I made my mashed potato cakes in the Air Fryer, I noticed on the internet that nearly all recipes for mashed potato cakes calls for flour. It was a bit of a shock as I have never ever had flour in my mashed potato cakes.
I got talking to Dominic and he had worked for a big bakery chain in the North West of England a few years ago and he too said that when the potato cakes were cooked they never had flour in them either.
So, if you normally follow a flour recipe for mashed potato cakes, then this is how us Brits have always made them, and they taste amazing without even a teaspoon of flour!
A search on the internet shows that there are many versions of the mashed potato cake, with lots of different names, lots of different ingredients and some with and some without flour. The only real thing they each have in common with each other is the use of leftover mashed potato.
I also find that when it comes to the UK, that they can have different names for recipes, depending on which part of the UK you are from. Plus, Scotland will have a totally different name for something.
These flourless mashed potato cakes are not the first flourless recipe we have created. We love taking the flour away and showing you that flour doesn't need to be the star of the dish.
In our recipe for mashed potato cakes we are combining leftover mashed potato, with cheese and seasoning. There is no complicated or hard to source ingredients, just simple things that we all have in our house.
You can make a huge batch of them and freeze them for later, or just use up that spare bit of mashed potato that you have left over from dinner.
Or if you don't have any mashed potato left over, then you can simply steam some potatoes in the Instant Pot first. We will show you in steps 1 and 2 how to quickly make the mashed potato first, but if you have already done this, you can simply move onto stage 3 of the recipe.
Instant Pot mashed potatoes used to make delicious war time mashed potato cakes. Loaded up with cheese and seasoning, these are perfect for a quick lunch or dinner in the air fryer.
Prepare the mashed potatoes. Peel and dice the white potatoes and place them in the Instant Pot. Pour in the vegetable stock over the potatoes. Place the lid on the Instant Pot, set the valve to sealing and cook for 25 minutes on manual. Use quick pressure release and drain the potatoes and place them back in the Instant Pot. Using a masher or a blender and adding a little milk at a time, turn the potatoes into mashed potatoes. Season them well with salt and pepper.
Place the mashed potato in the freezer. We placed our Instant Pot inner pot in our large chest freezer for an hour. It then makes the potatoes very cold and a bit hard, perfect for the texture needed for mashed potato cakes. Though if your mash has been in the fridge overnight then that is fine too.
Prepare your mashed potato cakes. Place the cheese and the seasoning in the Instant Pot, mix it up thoroughly with your hands and form mashed potato cake shapes.
Place the mashed potato cakes in batches of 4 in the air fryer grill pan inside of your air fryer. Cook for 12 minutes at 180c/360f and serve while they are still warm.
For making mashed potatoes I prefer to use a hand blender. Its much quicker than a classic masher and gets rid of the lumps a lot quicker. If you have already got mashed potato in the fridge from the day before ignore steps 1 and 2 and start with step 3.
For the stock we used this one. It gives so much more flavour compared to a cheap stock cube. Though you can use either. I love onions. If you have some spare onion thinly dice it and add it with the cheese. It gives it a lovely texture. Try to get your mashed potato cakes to equal sizes.
This will make sure that they are all cooked properly. I use my air fryer grill pan in this recipe. If you don't have one you can get one here, or a plan B is to cut up a baking mat to the air fryer size. The mashed potato cakes that we made was from 2.5 kilos of potatoes which is approximately 5.5 pounds.
Obviously, it worked out as less once the skin was removed from the potatoes. Then this batch made 16 mashed potato cakes. So, if you just want to make 4 cakes then you would need just ¼ of the ingredients listed above. If you want to freeze our mashed potato cakes then do steps 1-3 and then place them into zip loc bags in the freezer for later.
The preparation time is high for making mashed potato cakes and this is because of all the potatoes you have to peel. But if you are using leftover mashed potato, then the prep is less than 5 minutes.


With the invention of latest technology, many latest things are introduced in our lives which are latest and new thing have captured the whole world. The people want to follow these latest trends which are recently introduced in the world. Atomizers are the electronic cigarettes that are a new thing introduced. These are considered very helpful and less in harmful effects that are the main reason for their popularity. These electronic cigarettes came into three different shapes and pieces that grabbed the attention of all smokers. It comes with a small battery, tank and the atomizer in it to use it. In these atomizers there is liquid which evaporates and there are many different flavors in it which can be changed by the people from time to time. It is now becoming fashion statement in the world and people consider it as the fashion tool which should be in their hand. It is considered as the clean and safest way for smoking rather than cigarettes.
Stattqualm Squape is the atomizer that is made by the Swiss company and is a unique one in the world. It can also be customizable as well according to the specifications of the users. It has a large bottle of 5ml tank and the metal decks in it are interchangeable which are available in different shapes. It also has loaded ball bearing in it which can be set according to the environment of the person. It is made with no ceramic coating. The price of this atomizer is estimated to be $160. It is considered the best option for the people with high patience and big smokers of the world.
Chalice III RBA is the only atomizer of the world which is repairable in and provides the magical experience. It is claimed by the maker of this atomizer that it provides the best experience for the user. All its products are designed and made in-house which is a good thing. It is made with built-in titanium screws and feeding pipe made with silver and has no wire in it which is a good and safe thing in it. The product is the result of long hard work, and the final design was chosen by the Facebook fans of the company. Its price is almost $162.
TNS 510 is very different kind of atomizer as it is only one which has dual coil capacity. It has almost 26 total parts. All its users must first learn its manual online to use it properly. It comes with 5.5 ml tank in it. It is also very different one that can be repaired and can be used with SS Cable, Cotton, etc. This product completely fulfills the demands of its users by its performance. The price of this atomizer is $165. It has very fancy containers in silver and dull gold color.
ErlKonigin is the atomizer that is made by a company of Austria and has a large tank of 6 ml. It is a long one as compared to all other available in the market. It feeds at the bottom and has a vacuum in the tank. It is made with good food materials that all are serialized. It is very powerful and will not leak while usage. It can be transported and taken with you anywhere. The price of this luxurious atomizer is almost $170.
In`Ax is very easy to clean and the best one to be used as it can be cleaned easily. It is made from the pure steel and has small parts. Its first version was not perfect that is the reason this version was made perfect and with all latest features. It was made by using C&C which ends in without any problem and fault. It is very stylish and has a concave bottom to clear the whole material from it. It is made of Teflon which slowly drips in the rolling tunnel. The price of this best atomizer is $180.
SvoeMesto Kayfun K4 is the most famous atomizer in the whole world which is loved by the smoker because of its different taste and affordable price as well. It is the 4th version of this atomizer that has a liquid control, large glass tank, dual coil, etc. It is made from the pure stainless steel by the famous German company that gave it very different and best shape in the world. The price of this best and famous atomizer is $181.
Rose V2-S is very famous because of its different and luxurious flavor that is loved by electronic cigarettes users. It is made by the famous company of UK called Eden Mods and claims that this is made very special device for the smokers of the world. It is little expensive than some competitors as its price is $185. It is always sold out in the market and difficult to use by the normal people. All ingredients used in it are from the UK and are pure so that people can use it without any tension of harmful effects.
Arrow 22 Ti Gold is made by a famous Korean based company called Rampage which is very expensive because it is made with 24k gold. It was made in 2013 with the titanium style atomizer that is very luxurious and different one. It can only be paired with the expensive products of the company that has its main feature. The price of this luxurious gold-plated atomizer is $200. It is more famous and expensive one because of gold used on it which makes it luxurious one as well.
Shorty RDA is made by a company called Hellfire Mods which is from the UK. It is the best and luxurious product of the company that is also named as the top fed atty. It provides the best and luxurious performance to all its users. It is little expensive than the normal atomizers available in the market as its price is $205. It is only affordable by the rich people who wanted to maintain their status and position in the society.
SAT22 is the atomizer that is made by the company Satburn which is the most expensive one in the whole world. It is made with concentrating flavor and best in use as well. It is almost 2 air holes in it which can easily fit in the mouth. It is a small one because its tank is 3ml. It is very hard to find in the market because it is always sold out in some selected places. The price of this atomizer is $225.
The above ranking of the top 10 high-class e-cig atomizer is given according to the price of different atomizers in the world. All these atomizers belong to different brands that are expensive and different from each other. The trend of atomizers in the world is increasing because of the latest trends in the world. People are moving towards them very fast to maintain their status in the society.


The sad fact is that the vast majority of people feel overly busy, and that sense of just barely treading water can make us lose sight of our big-picture goals. We can spin our wheels on unimportant tasks that don't get us closer to the life we want.
Luckily, we have Christina Delay here today to help us sort through the clutter of life and identify what we really want. She's also generously sharing her tool that will help us visualize how we might need to re-prioritize our time in a way that matches our goals.
Do you ever feel life is spinning away from you, like one of those spinning tops you used to get when you were a kid? You'd spin it and watch all the colors blur together and it'd teeter-totter away from you.
Sometimes, you'd catch it. Sometimes, it'd get stuck under the couch and eaten by the vacuum cleaner.
Is Your Life Being Eaten by the Vacuum Cleaner?
A few years ago, I was working at a good job with an awesome team, amazing boss, and great pay…a really good job, that was such a horrible fit for who I was that it was sucking away all my energy. After an hour commute each way, in traffic, I'd come home and step into the role of wife and mother and chef and then, after my daughter was in bed, I'd sneak away and pull on my fifth role of writer.
I was thirty years old and I felt, and acted, older than my seventy-eight-year-old grandmother.
I overcompensated with depression, crankiness, and taking "Christina Holidays." Days when I called in sick, stuck my head in the proverbial sand, and cried, "No, no, no, no, no," at all the things pulling at me that I couldn't possibly face.
My body was on crash mode. Total adrenal failure. After extensive tests, it was confirmed that my body was acting as if it was eighty.
My lifestyle and total lack of balance was killing me. Even worse, my joy in my family and my writing was being stolen away by all the other demands.
Maybe some of this sounds familiar to you. Maybe, at times, you feel a little—a lot—overwhelmed with all the tugs on your time and life.
I'm not talking about stepping away for a "Christina Holiday." Those do nothing other than delay the inevitable ka-boom in your life.
I'm talking about reorganizing your priorities.
I'm talking about finding your purpose.
I'm talking about taking a focused life break to better evaluate your life's direction.
Are You Headed Where You Want?
In ten, twenty, thirty years, if you continue along the path you are on now, are you going to end up where you intend to be?
If not, you've got some serious soul-searching to do.
For me, the answer to that question was a big fat no. There were women at my job that I could see myself becoming if I'd stayed the path. Overweight, unhealthy, miserable, cranky, never-take-a-vacation women.
Realizing I wasn't headed in the right direction, I knew I had to get off my current path and find a different one. Now I am not suggesting you quit your job. I am suggesting that, if you are feeling overwhelmed and your needs are being under-served, take a life break.
Take a purposeful vacation—by yourself. Even if it's to a tent in the woods for three days. Wherever you go, do the work needed to find your purpose. Because once you settle on your purpose, your life begins to find balance.
My suggestion is, and something I teach writers in my workshop, "Support Your Writing Habit," the best place to find balance is the point at which your passions and your strengths intersect.
What are you naturally good at? (Make a list.) These are your strengths.
What are the things that drive you and get you excited? (Make a list.) These are your passions.
What are the areas that those two things intersect? (Write those down.) This is your purpose.
Which of those areas are you most excited about? (Circle, star, highlight and sprinkle glitter over it.) This is your ultimate purpose.
If your why is writing, do you have enough space in your life to give it the dedication it deserves?
If your answer is no, but…and you start lining up the excuses, stop. You are given one life. The point at which your passion and your natural strength intersects is your purpose in life. Stop making excuses for not doing your purpose in life.
Have I stepped on your toes? Good.
What you were put on this world to do is so important that I hope I step on your toes. Our world needs people like you. People with passion and purpose, who are doing good, creative work.
This cannot wait for retirement. This cannot wait for your life to conveniently and magically become conducive to this work. Stop dreaming.
Some of your redirection may be painful. For me, I quit my job and accepted a work-from-home position that was a 50% pay cut in my family's income.
But it was hurting worse to be a miserable wife and mommy who never saw her family.
In three years, I've never recovered that salary. But I've recovered my life.
My family actually enjoys being around me. I've had time to take care of my body and my mental health. I've had time to dedicate the best parts of my day to my writing…instead of the leftover parts of my day.
I've started a new business—Cruising Writers—where my natural strengths of organizing and planning meet my passions for travel and writing.
I've written two award-winning novels.
I think I've come out ahead.
None of that happened because I wished for it. Action—for me, drastic action—was necessary. But it was all thought through and carefully planned.
And you can get a free download of The Life Bank worksheet (or get it in a PDF version if you prefer) that helped me change my life. In my aha moment, I realized that part of my problem was that I was over-scheduled.
Your time is much like a bank account. You have a limited amount of funds (hours) in your account, and they will be used up by the end of every day. How are you spending your time? Is it supporting your life's purpose?
Or is your life getting sucked up by the vacuum?
Your life's purpose should dominate this worksheet. If it does not, you are spending your one life on things that are in contradiction to what you were put on this earth to do.
And that is going to require you to step away. Change your surroundings and go to a place that you can free your mind of all the things pulling at you.
You will need more than one afternoon. Plan to step away for at least 3 days.
Why three days? It takes a day and a half for most people to disconnect from the addiction of busyness and the internet. Your second day and a half will be your most productive because by that point, you'll be truly in your own head.
Take a notebook. You use a different part of your brain when you write by hand versus typing.
Turn off your phone and your internet connection. You'll feel anxious. Do it anyway.
Remain open to all the ideas that reveal themselves to you and realize that it takes time for ideas to mature.
Forgive yourself. You're going to feel guilty for stepping away. Let it come, then forgive yourself. Know that this time is necessary to do your life's greatest work and let go the guilt.
Step outside, surround yourself in nature's quiet, and breathe.
Go for a purpose-driven walk. Much like you allow your brain to figure out a plot problem while making your body do some sort of physical work, do the same thing for your life's plot problem.
At the end of your life break, evaluate. How do you feel? Do you have more direction? Do you have confidence in your conclusions? Do you have an action plan?
My prediction is this: If you take this life break and make it purposeful, be honest with yourself, and do not become scared of your own dreams, you're going to come home changed. You're going to have a plan of action. You are going to fulfill your life's greatest potential.
The key is balance. Balance of life and love and work. Balance of purpose and happiness. Balance so that you no longer feel as if you are wearing five or six or ten different hats, but one. A synergistic life that supports your purpose.
Go forth and do creative work. Fulfill your why.
Check out the descriptions of workshops she's created here.
Cruising Writers brings aspiring authors together with bestselling authors, an agent, an editor, and a world-renowned writing craft instructor together on writing retreats. Go to France with us in April and stay in a historic chateau with Margie Lawson, agent Louise Fury, Shelley Adina, Kobo Writing Life, and Literary Translations. Or cruise with us to Grand Cayman with Lisa Cron, Angela Ackerman, agent Michelle Grajkowski, and editor Deb Werksman of Sourcebooks!
I love how Christina asks the right questions to get at the heart of what we want to do and how we can get closer to our purpose. Even if we don't have the freedom to take big life breaks, especially on any sort of immediate schedule, the better we understand our goals and our bigger purpose, the more successful we'll be in moving toward them.
Just because we suddenly understand our purpose doesn't mean we're going to be able to quit our day job tomorrow. Instead, knowing what we want means that we can make choices that will get us closer to rather than further from our purpose.
Christina's The Life Bank lays out in a black-and-white, easy-to-visualize way that our time is limited and that what we do with that time comes down to choices. No matter our life's situation, we're trying to maximize the amount of time we spend on our purpose.
Have you already discovered your why? Or are you in the process? Have you ever stepped away to really question what you want? What did you discover? What are your tips to maintaining balance once you've achieved it? Do you have any questions for Christina?
What a great post! Thank you. I needed this today.
Hi Diana! Yay! I'm glad you found this helpful :).
Time management is such a challenge for me! But it's a great exercise to just look at where you're spending your time and see if it fits into your goals.
I think we have a tendency to respond to what others believe is urgent or important, rather than purposefully setting out — as Christina says — to do what we want with our lives. Thanks for this great reminder and a terrific tool!
Hi Julie!! I'm so glad this was a good exercise for you! Time management is a challenge for most people, I think!
Very timely post. I need to make some changes.
Kudos to you for recognizing the need for change. Change is scary, but I truly believe those that are willing to take the steps are so very courageous.
Can I just hug you?? I'm so happy you had the courage to quit after 21 YEARS and redirect your path! It does take time to recover, especially after an adrenal crash – how well I know! And this – "When creative creatures fail to fulfill that aspect of themselves (and I believe every woman is creative by nature and genetics) it is a literal slow death." – SO TRUE!! OMG – SO TRUE!
Yay! I'm so glad this resonated with you. And thank you for sharing your story!
I tend to take on way more than I have time for, and then get completely overwhelmed and depressed because I can't get it all done. For an experiment, I filled out The Life Bank according to the time I try to dedicate to everything I should (or what I guilt myself into doing) on a regular basis. I overbook my schedule by 5 hours every day! Some days are overbooked by 9! No wonder I never seem to accomplish anything and am exhausted.
Time for some reprioritizing with a purpose. Thanks for this much-needed post and reality check!
I'm so glad you took the time to fill out The Life Bank! It is a great way to reveal where our time goes – we can only do so much! And overbooking ourselves sets us up for failure, because it is not physically possible to do more than what we have the time for. I feel you on this one – I was guilty of this for so long and spent so much time feeling guilty for not getting everything done! It's taken some time to change my overscheduling habits, but it has been so worth it!
"What I guilt myself into" — That is so me. LOL!
Thanks for your reply! Yeah, I definitely feel that meeting new people is increasing my mind's creative power. 😀 It makes my mind feel more complex and deep too, if you get what I mean.
Thanks, it's important to fill each day and learn something if possible. But as you say, not to waste this life being tired and depressed. I know housework will expand to fill the time available, but probably nobody notices when we do it except us!
Clare – I was in Mexico last week and ran across this poem. I think it speaks to what we are both saying :).
Yes! I know some people keep "gratitude" or "happiness" journals to focus on good things each day, but I've often found more satisfaction in "what did I learn today" thoughts. 🙂 Thanks for sharing your insights!
Thank you for this wonderful and ever so timely blog post. I am the epitome of over-scheduled. I have never learnt to say 'no'!
No to others, and no to myself. Just like that cute little blue fish who says 'I am going on a diet! … Oh look, chocolate!' and a few others as well *smiling and blushing* I think an examination of our life's purpose, and taking some serious time out to do that is an excellent idea. I know I won't do this properly this side of Christmas, as I am leaving on a cruise next week with my family, including elderly parents. Then hubby is having a heart operation in the first week of January. However, I intend to take one full week out of January, with internet closed down, taking calls from family and friends the old-fashioned way, and really have a 'social media fast'. I believe that this is the only way that I can adequately examine and process what my life's purpose is, why it's not heading in the right direction, and how can I now change things around to achieve that all important life balance.