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Rock Fiction Coveting: Rockin' Little Christmas by Francesca Hawley
Posted: February 28, 2017 in Rock Fiction Coveting
Tags: buy it read it review it, Francesca Hawley, how about a review copy, Jett covets, one in a series, romance, shapeshifters, true mate, wanna read
So WHAT if it's the end of February and the next holiday to look forward to celebrating is St. Patrick's Day? And so what if we're all tired of winter and ready for spring and green? Let's take a step back a couple months and talk about a Christmas book. Because, you know, you'll read about it now and go out and buy it, and it'll sit around until you rediscover it before next Christmas, and then you'll be in the mood.
Mark my words. That's how these things work.
So the book is Rockin' Little Christmas and it's branded as being a True Mated Romance, although the first book doesn't have a lick of Rock Fiction in it, if I go by its description. Which, for lack of other information, is what I'm using.
Here's what it's about:
When her parents' rock band The Pack performs at Zach's bar, Mandy discovers her True Mate, Joe Blackwolf, the band's lead singer and guitarist. All she has to do now is convince Joe that she told a little white lie to make her mom happy, her father that rock musicians aren't all alike, and her new mate's family that rockers aren't all that different from classical musicians.
Joe Blackwolf is celebrating his fortieth birthday. And what he wishes for when he blows out the candles is to find his True Mate. He succeeds when he meets Mandy Goldwolf. Problem is…he thinks she belongs to someone else. Finding out the truth leaves him free to explore every inch of her smokin' hot curves, but now Joe and Mandy are neck deep in overbearing relatives and everyone is in for a Rockin' Little Christmas.
Note: This book was previously published elsewhere but has been revised and updated.
Formerly titled: Cupid Rocks.
Now, here's where it gets interesting: Cupid Rocks is the fourth in the True Mated series. But this isn't part of that series, even though it has a new title? Color me confused! Francesca, stop in and explain it, will ya? Help a girl out here!
I love the line about "All she has to do now is convince Joe that she told a little white lie to make her mom happy, her father that rock musicians aren't all alike, and her new mate's family that rockers aren't all that different from classical musicians."
That is a LOADED statement, even though Susan looked at it funny and said she wasn't sure it made sense. Too bad. I get the jist of it and sometimes, you need to go by the jist. And that? That jist just grabbed me. Hard.
So there ya go. If you've read this under either of its titles, or you know Francesca and can tell her we're talking about her and have questions about the whys of things in her world, we'd love you for it. Or I will. Susan's… well, she can be sparing with the love. It's not you. It's her. I think she needs some romance in her life, don't you?
Susan Reviews Sin for Me by Lisa Marie Perry
Posted: February 25, 2017 in Reviews
Tags: buy it read it review it, first in a series, Lisa Marie Perry, power struggle, record label execs, romance, Thanks for the review copy, worth the read
It's difficult to take a cast of unlikeable characters and make the reader care about them. Not all readers are willing to rise to the challenge, and that's okay. The payout for those of us who are is bigger somehow.
Lisa Marie Perry has a cast of some tough characters. All of them are morally deficient in one way or another; all of them have seriously fatal flaws. In fact, it's hard to believe this was published by one of the big houses, but it was. Good for them.
The set-up is pretty fascinating: the central player here isn't a person so much as a record label. And we can argue the usefulness and relevance of record labels until the Spotify Premium's up for renewal, but that's not what Sin For Me is about. It's about the people who used to control it (Dante and Delilah) and the people who currently do (Emma, Joshua, and Chelsea)—and the betrayals and baggage that remain as Delilah wants her family's heritage back.
That's the big story arc. There's also a smaller one, in that it's about the relationship between Dante and Chelsea. There was a betrayal between them as well, and it was part of the bigger betrayal that led to the leadership change at Devil's Music. But it's that betrayal between Dante and Chelsea that's just as hard, if not harder, to get past. Dante copes by leaving town and starting life at the farthest point he can get to from the glitz and glamour of the record business. Chelsea, though, isn't so lucky. She's stuck in the executive offices, busy self-destructing and stuck in the guilt and anger of what she and Dante did to each other, surrounded by the constant reminders of him and the family legacy that she took from him.
This is enough for a single book, sure, but there's a couple more subplots, as well: Delilah wants to make a play to get her label back and decides to use Dante to do it; one of the label's artists is angry and turns first rogue and then violent; and a new talent comes into the fold. And, too, there's something going on between married Emma and Joshua, something Chelsea doesn't understand—and neither does the audience.
It's almost too much, except there's something soap opera-esque going on here, and the book certainly reads well. I found I had to read in small doses because the characters are so morally vapid, I'd have to resurface just to recalibrate myself. But at the same time, it was hard to put down (yes, it's true: the famous editor loves trashy, soap opera-esque books as much as she loves everything else her clients throw at her. Maybe more? I'm not telling!).
This, friends, is the sign of a good book. It's a train wreck you can't look away from, a delicious taste of something forbidden. But best of all, the book itself isn't a train wreck. It's well crafted and constructed, the characters are beautifully drawn, and it's well written. The various strands of the plot are well cared for in Perry's experienced hands, and wow, does she do a great job with it.
But if there's one area where the book isn't as strong, it's in the descriptions. I wanted a better view of what these people wear—telling me the sandals are diamond-studded doesn't really show me much—as well as how this old house has become a record label, with stairs and offices and… just how does this place lay out and work? It was hard to visualize and I had a hard time making sense of what was where.
After all the rich plotting that happens here, I really missed the rich descriptions to go with the lushness of the characters. Here's one book that demands more than just a broad brushstroke of description. It needs to breathe the way the rest of the story does.
Even before the cliffhanger ending—I hesitate to call it a cliffhanger because it doesn't leave us on our toes at the edge of the world so much as it merely stops, the last page gets turned and you look up and wonder where the hell the rest of it is—I was hooked on this series. Morally absent or not, I'm dying to know what comes next for our salacious crew, and how they solve the problems that have been laid out in this first volume of The Devil's Music.
October, when the second book is released, can't come soon enough.
*Copy from NetGalley, and thanks for it! Can't wait for #2*
Rock Fiction Coveting: Fade Into You by Tracy Wolff
Tags: addicted rocker trope, bad boy rocker, buy it read it review it, CEO's daughter, how about a review copy, Jett covets, one in a series, Tracy Wolff, wanna read, works for the band trope
We've had Tracy Wolff's first two books in her Shaken Dirty series on our List for a long time, but this is the first time either Susan or I have openly wanted to read her. Which is stupid; who wants to start a series with the third book? But I'm going to write about that one today because I'm in a mood and feeling stubborn. Why does the first always get the love?
Here's what the third, Fade Into You, is about.
Wyatt Jennings has been called a lot of things by the media. Bad-boy rocker. Intense drummer. Addict.
Finally out of rehab and desperate for a fresh start, Wyatt rejoins his mega-platinum rock band Shaken Dirty as they prepare for their world tour. But Wyatt's demons are never far behind, always nipping at his heels for one. More. Fix.
Enter Poppy Germaine, the band's new social media consultant. A beautiful bombshell who somehow manages to get underneath Wyatt's skin, Poppy's an addiction Wyatt can get behind. And even though she's with the label—and therefore off-limits—he craves her. Needs her.
Except Poppy isn't actually a social media consultant. She's the daughter of the label's CEO, sent undercover to babysit Wyatt and keep him from falling off the wagon again. Proving herself to her father is Poppy's only goal—until she finds herself in Wyatt's bed. But if Wyatt discovers the truth, it could send him spiraling all over again…
So my first thought was that here we go, into stuff we've seen and read before. Yawn.
And then the twists showed up. And dude, I'm hooked. Yeah, it's clear we still have an employee in the rocker's bed. I see that. Believe me, I see it. And believe me, I still hate it.
But I like the awareness here, the idea that the label head is so committed to this band (because, let's face it, that's rarely the case. The A&R guy? The manager? The people who work directly with the band? Absolutely. But a label head? Says something about the drawing power of this band — or it says the author doesn't know her stuff, but let's be positive here.) that he'll take such drastic steps. I'm not sure of the wisdom of sending his beautiful daughter into the thick of things, but… I'm not a parent. Maybe it'd be different if I was in this guy's shoes, so I hope we get to really understand his thinking here. I mean, doesn't he know that there's always this chance of chemistry?
Anyway, bring this one, and the rest of the series, on! It looks like at least two more are scheduled, as well, with titles listed at GoodReads. Let's see where this one goes.
And hey, if you've read any of these books, send your reviews over and I'll make Susan post them! We'd love help shouldering the burden around here and spreading the Rock Fiction love.
Rock Fiction Coveting: The Rider List: A Rock Star Erotic Romance by JT Charles
Tags: buy it read it review it, erotic romance, how about a review copy, incognito rocker trope, Jett covets, JT Charles, romance, standalone, wanna read
Well, THAT title pulls no punches, now does it? No one better complain they don't know what they are getting when they pick this one up. And no one better complain about the detailed sex, either. It's right there, in the title.
So what's this erotic romance about? Let's consult its description:
Evan: She has no idea who I really am. It's the perfect situation. After an incident that causes me to re-evaluate my life, I've come here to escape the demands of my career. The last thing I expect to find is someone who doesn't see me through the prism of my fame. But then I meet Audrey, who allows me to unleash lustful desires I've suppressed for years.
Audrey: He's uncommonly sexy and brazenly confident. He's exactly who I don't need to meet at this point in my life, but I have no choice. Drawn in by his relentless seduction, I'm soon taking chances I never thought I'd take, shedding my fears and letting him over my protective walls. And there's his unusual "rider list," always surprising me, testing my limits, exploring our fantasies, leading to the most sensual experiences of my life.
What starts as a perfect distraction for both of us quickly becomes an entanglement of scorching hot sex, closely held secrets that could tear it all apart, and moments that will shape us for the rest of our lives.
So this is kinda familiar, in that rockers who are escaping and reevaluating are common heroes, and heroines who are drawn in by his magnetic pull. But what it doesn't give us in this description is the assumption of the Happily Ever After. In fact, I kinda get the drift they're gonna part at the end, happy and sexed up, but ready to go their own ways.
And I'm cool with that.
Of course, I'm also cool with the sex. Bring it ON, baby. I love good erotic fiction. I really do.
Rock Fiction Coveting: Leaving Amarillo by Caisey Quinn
Tags: best friend's little sister trope, buy it read it review it, Caisey Quinn, first in a series, how about a review copy, Jett covets, romance, wanna read
It was almost a year ago that Michelle reviewed Girl with Guitar (come back, Michelle! We miss you!), and now it's my turn to drool over something Caisey has written. Even though it's almost 2 years old, I still want to read it! Here's why:
Nashville meets New Adult in Neon Dreams, a dramatic, sexy series from bestselling author Caisey Quinn, about a country band's rocky road to fame—and the ambition, dreams, and love of the people who make the music.
Dixie Lark hasn't had it easy. She lost her parents in an accident when she was young and grew up in a ramshackle house on a dirt road in Amarillo with her ailing grandparents and overprotective older brother. Thanks to her grandfather, Dixie learned to play a mean fiddle, inspired by the sounds of the greats—Johnny and June, Waylon, and Hank. Her grandfather's fiddle changed Dixie's life forever, giving her an outlet for the turmoil of her broken heart and inspiring a daring dream.
Ten years later, Dixie and her brother, Dallas, are creating the music they love and chasing fame with their hot band, Leaving Amarillo. But Dixie isn't enjoying the ride. All she can think about is Gavin, the band's tattooed, tortured drummer who she's loved since they were kids. She knows he feels the connection between them, but he refuses see her as more than his best friend's little sister.
Convinced that one night with Gavin will get him out of her system, Dixie devises a plan. She doesn't know that her brother has forbidden Gavin from making a move on her-a promise he swore he'd always keep . . . a promise that once broken will unexpectedly change the future for Dixie, Gavin and the band.
Little sister trope! If this is your catnip, here you go.
If you're just here for the Rock Fiction, get in line. In front of me. Behind me. I don't care. Review this before I do. Still don't care.
Rock Fiction Coveting: Love, Sex, Music by Michelle A Valentine
Tags: author come visit us, buy it read it review it, how about a review copy, Jett covets, Michelle A Valentine, romance, standalone, teacher-student trope, wanna read
Michelle A Valentine is another author who's got a huge backlist of Rock Fiction but has yet to stop in and see us. Someone, invite her over! And if you've read something she's written, we'd love to hear from you, too. Write up a review and be a guest around here. We promise no dancing kitchen utensils, although Susan thinks they were a nice touch.
(Susan's weird.)
Anyway, this is a new standalone that was supposed to come out in 2016, but GoodReads doesn't make it clear if it did or not. There are a couple reviews (no, Susan, I didn't read them. Yet.), but… only a few. Hey, Michelle: if you're struggling, Susan's a great freelance editor!
(She pays me to say that.)
Here's the book description:
Fame can disappear in an instant…
Fortune is a fleeting fantasy…
Laz Rawlings had them both, until he lost it all…
Laz, a former world-famous music producer screwed up everything thanks to his rock-n-roll lifestyle, but he's been given an opportunity to prove his genius in the music industry wasn't a fluke, and he's hell-bent on not letting history repeat itself. But that's proving difficult when the young singer he's tasked with grooming has become the object of his every desire.
Life has been an uphill battle for Aundrea Newton, so when a sexy, tattooed stranger hand delivers her dream of a music career, she's skeptical. Nothing ever comes easy, and she knows Laz has the power to crush both her career and her heart with his undeniable sex appeal and charismatic swagger.
When the line between mentor and student blurs, both begin to question what's more important: Love, sex or the music.
Laz? Definitely a blog post in the making 'cause you know one of my favorite topics is How did your rocker get his name?
And hey, I can answer the question about what's most important: music first, then sex, then love. But maybe I'm jaded?
Michelle! We want review copies when this is out! And we want you to come visit with us, too.
Rock Fiction Coveting: The Mattress Music Series by Lily Harlem
Tags: buy it read it review it, former lovers trope, how about a review copy, Jett covets, Lily Harlem, romance, series, threesome, trilogy, wanna read
Here's another trilogy that I've heard so much about, I could have sworn I'd already drooled over it. But apparently not 'cause I can't find it in the archives anywhere, which is weird because Lily Harlem is another author Susan follows.
The series is the Mattress Music series, and it's three books, and it's old. 2010 and 2011 release dates. Really, we are overdue to bring it to your attention!
So here goes.
The description of the first one sounds like it's music-as-fan, which is fine. Look at Nick and Norah for how music can be a soundtrack. But given that the other two books in the series are more directly about men rockers and the women who encounter them, I'm kinda skeptical that the first book is so lacking rockers. I bet he's there.
Book Two is an old flame trope, and Book Three is about a threesome (how fitting that it's book three!). The only issue I have is in the last line of the third book, where it sounds like the woman is the band's manager, but it's a throwaway line, and maybe manage is meant differently. Only one way to find out!
These were originally published by Ellora's Cave, and didn't they close? If so, I hope Lily has the rights back and will republish them– and will share them with us here at The Rock of Pages. (hint!)
Rock Fiction Coveting: Managed by Kristen Callihan
Posted: February 7, 2017 in Rock Fiction Coveting
Tags: band manager trope, buy it read it review it, how about a review copy, Jett covets, Kristen Callihan, one in a series, romance, second in a series, wanna read
Maybe six months ago, I was all excited to read Kristen Callihan's Idol. Now I'm excited to read the next in the series, Managed. Here's why:
It started off as a battle of wits. Me: the ordinary girl with a big mouth against Him: the sexy bastard with a big…ego.
I thought I'd hit the jackpot when I was upgraded to first class on my flight to London.
That is until HE sat next to me. Gabriel Scott: handsome as sin, cold as ice. Nothing and no one gets to him. Ever. He's a legend in his own right, the manager of the biggest rock band in the world, and an arrogant ass who looks down his nose at me.
I thought I'd give him hell for one, long flight. I didn't expect to like him. I didn't expect to want him. But the biggest surprise? He wants me too. Only in a way I didn't see coming.
If I accept his proposal, I leave myself open to falling for the one man I can't manage. But I'm tempted to say yes. Because the real man beneath those perfect suits and that cool façade just might be the best thing that's ever happened to me. And I just might be the only one who can melt the ice around his heart.
Let the battle begin…
So he's an arrogant manager… man, we see a lot of those. Think it's because arrogance comes easily to the successful? They get too much of themselves?
But I'm curious what this "only in a way I didn't see coming" means. You'd think it's sexual, right? Except… this is a romance, so we readers see it a million miles off. Doesn't mean the lead doesn't, just that she's maybe not as smart as we are.
All in all, it sounds like Gabriel's music ties are there for color, making this Not Rock Fiction. But I need to read it to see. Which means… I need to read it.
Rock Fiction Coveting: Kept by Maya Banks
Tags: BDSM, buy it read it review it, how about a review copy, Jett covets, Maya Banks, one in a series, romance, wanna read
So Susan read a Maya Banks book a couple years ago. She was disappointed in it.
But I'm not Susan, so I'm going to try to track this one down, and her review isn't going to bug me at all. Mostly because I didn't bother to read it.
Here's what Kept is about:
From the author of Mastered and Dominated comes the third Enforcers novel—the searing story of a woman who finds sanctuary in surrender…
He can't change who he is…
A horrific childhood has made Silas the man he is today: dangerous, distrustful, and demanding. He's lived in self-imposed solitude, convinced that no woman could ever accept his need for absolute control—in business and pleasure. That is, until a young violinist walks into one of his buildings and into his life.
She can't change what she wants…
Haley has been struggling to fulfill her father's dying wish: to attend a prestigious music school in New York City. But even working two jobs, she can't afford the tiniest of apartments. Seeing her hopeless and near tears, Silas vows to help and protect her, no matter the cost to himself. But when Haley meets his every demand with unwavering acceptance and love, he is overwhelmed by her goodness and gentle spirit. He knows that the dark stain on his soul can never be erased—and rather than risk destroying the most beautiful thing he's ever experienced, he knows he'll have to do the hardest thing he's ever had to face. Let her go. But he's totally unprepared for the lengths Haley will go to fight for his love and a future brighter than the sun…
So how much of this has to do with music? That's the number one question I have.
I'm a little leery of the "absolute control–in business and pleasure" part because that just seems cruel to me and not my thing, but Maya Banks has such a good reputation (and Susan met her once and said she's awesome in person) and honestly, I'm curious. This guy knows he could destroy his love. He's got hard choices, but what a chance to open up and grow into someone new.
I'm intrigued. Totally. Even though none of that plot seems like it's Rock Fiction at all.
Hey, every now and then, one reaches out and grabs me. What can I say?
(btw, for those of you who care, this is the third in a series, and I have no idea if they are related, or if you have to read the first two, or what. If you know, let's hear from you!)


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Do you know how many Etsy shops there are?
Therefore, doing a guide (that doesn't take six months) to put together the 30, no wait, 33 best Etsy shops is probably a little crazy.
Okay, it's a lot crazy.
But when did that ever stop me? haha.
That means that if you buy something, (and by all means, it's absolutely fine if you don't.) I might make a little commish at no extra charge to you. Brilliant form of marketing. It's like a toll road for consumers.
I've been combing Etsy for years now, and have discovered some of the most awesome Etsy shops for home furnishings.
Before I go on. I shouldn't presume that everyone knows what Etsy is.
Etsy, if you don't already know is an online market of items with an emphasis on hand-crafted, vintage and antique.
Well, they're local somewhere. ;] You might recall that there was a post about a year ago where I attempted to kill myself by virtually recreating Maura Endres' incredible art wall.
The Atelier Collection – Gorgeous original art. Beautifully framed.
Bruno Monteiro – miniature, charming paintings. But I think that he'll do something larger for you, if you ask.
Lola Donaghue – Large colorful abstract prints. Very reasonably priced.
Rendered Impressions – lovely original oil on canvas.
White Barn Studios – more charm. And these prints are from the artist originals. She also does medium-small versions.
Amazing Silver – An extensive line of vintage and antique silver pieces. I featured some lovelies in this post about lovely Sarah McGee last fall.
Chante Duc – French antique and vintage collectibles and home furnishings. Gorgeous creamware, transferware and the like.
Maintenant – Exquisite French antiques and vintage pieces.
Tao Accents – They carry Legend of Asia and have the best prices I have found online. They don't show most of the pieces in their Etsy shop, but I'm sure that they can get anything for you.
The Ironstone Cottage – Guess what they carry? And it's all gorgeous!
Vintagerous – Fabulous vintage glassware and china. Very colorful.
Here is another post from last year that featured a lot of Etsy beautiful collectibles.
Bucks County Estate Traders – They have everything. HUGE COLLECTION!
English Classics – Great prices on classic English pieces. Most are 20th century. They also make new pieces in the English style. They made a gorgeous painted breakfront for a client of mine several years ago.
Chatsworth Antiques – Local source I have been to a number of times. They always have beautiful vintage and antique furnishings at very good prices.
Vintage Refined Decor – Beautiful vintage pieces which they will gladly make even more beautiful with paint. They can be customized in any painted finish you like or if stained can remain that way too. Great prices!
Erin Lane Estate – Exquisite and on the higher-end, classic and traditional vintage and antique home furnishings with an emphasis on Asian.
Liven Up Design – Incredible custom-made benches out of gorgeous fabrics and grass-cloth covered tables of all kinds and more. Above are two small navy grass-cloth covered consoles.
Palm Beach Regency – beautiful Hollywood Reg. Great prices and a lovely collection. Some pieces, you might want to repaint, or not.
Verona Vintage Home – Cool vintage pieces.
Stenella Antiques – Some wonderful traditional vintage furniture and antiques.
While there's a lot of lighting on Etsy, it's a little spotty for shops that focus only on cool lighting. Many shops do have great lighting, however and I've linked to some beauties in the widget, below. But, if anyone knows of any great lighting sources on Etsy, please share.
If I don't comment it doesn't mean that they aren't as good. They're all wonderful!
Well, I guess we all know that if you want to find cool pillow covers, Etsy is a terrific resource.
Elegant Fabrics – 100s of gorgeous high-end fabrics from the likes of Lee Jofa and Scalamandre and many others. I gather that these piece are remnants. But the prices are really fantastic! Oh, and it's based in Canada.
JLL Home Store – Gorgeous window treatments and pillows. (See above) The drapery fabric is by John Robshaw for Duralee. We did it for Roman shades for a job a few years ago. You can see it here. There are two blue colorways and I believe that ours is the lighter one.
Luxe Decor – A Canadian company!
Lynn Chalk – pillows and gorgeous custom window treatments. Her pillows are more expensive and I'm not positive, but I think that she includes the down and feather inserts.
If you're looking for pillow inserts, here's a whole bunch of them. Please remember that if the pillow is 16″ on any side, the insert needs to be two inches larger. Smaller than 16″, one inch is fine.
Stuck on Hue Beautiful pillows above, by Hollie Rich.
Many of these companies feature in the palette portion of the Laurel Home Essential Paint Color and Palette Collection. And a lot of these sources are in Laurel's Rolodex as well.
I have to tell y'all that I got a rug on Etsy about three months ago; a relatively small runner. This is a situation where it was a failure of epic proportions.
It looked funny in the kitchen.
The rug stank or stunk, not sure which one.
Whatever. It smelled like dead sheep. And I don't care if that's how it's supposed to smell. I'm not into eau de farm animal which in my 800 sq foot apartment is quite overwhelming.
In fact, the smell was so wretched that I marched that stinky goat downstairs and stuck it in the washing machine on gentle with some Arm and Hammer.
I took it back upstairs when it was done and after its bath, it smelled like wet, dead sheep that had been soaked in a little detergent. But I figured that I needed to let it dry in the living room. Maybe in time the smell would dissipate?
The next day after that bad boy was dry, I realized that the "hand-knotted" design had FADED.
Can't say that I was surprised. The design is not actually woven with different colors of yarn, but it is a stamped or printed on the flat-weave knots. No wonder those rugs are so cheap.
So, what did I do? Well, after deciding that it was him or me, I rolled it up and laid it down gently in the trash room in my building. Hopefully, one of the maintenance guys took it home.
End of story. I suppose that you'd like to know the source. I'd go look it up, but the woman was very nice and I don't feel like it. Just be careful of those Turkish antique-y looking rugs that are anything but.
But, this source below, has hundreds of fine rugs. They are located, coincidentally, near where I used to live in northern Westchester– Katonah, NY.
Old New House – has thousands of rugs of all shapes and sizes. Most are vintage and antique. I don't recognize their names, but they are part of the Dilmaghani family and that is a well-known respected source for fine Oriental rugs in Westchester County.
And that's all for me. But if you know of other great shops I'll add them to the list.
Thanks to all who've purchased my new blogging guide!
Oh dear me! Heavens to Etsy!!!
I almost forgot the best part which is all of the cool furnishings I found in the source linked above.
PS: I think that the contractor is supposed to start to work on my bedroom on Monday. I'm so behind, it's not funny. But I'm only three people. haha. The wallpaper from Mural Sources arrived about three weeks ago!
PPS: Please don't forget to check out the hot sales, if you're interested. And on the hot clothes page is a second widget for Mother's Day. A lot of the clothes have great things too and those are all on sale. Also. Etsy is a terrific source for gifts for mother's day.
But I also love Terrain. And there are several items linked to there, but it was difficult to choose because everything they have is fabulous!
I always enjoy your articles and this one about Etsy is awesome. I was wanting to know if you have a post on mixing styles of furniture or rules for mixing style and color etc. I was decorating in pale blue and gray, and then I fell in love with a Four Seasons sofa in Sunbrella Sahara fabric with Navy welt that is a large deep traditional rolled arm style. I'm not in to matchy pieces, but since I'm starting over with this light oatmeal color I'm at a loss for pairing a loveseat and chair. Do you have an idea where you may have an article that could help me?
I appreciate any help to point me in the right direction.
Laurel! Thank you a million times over for continuing to support my pillow business. I am a team of one, which means I do everything from sourcing, to answering questions, to cutting, sewing and shipping. I take quality and customer service very seriously and I believe it shows in my work. And I'm incredibly lucky when someone like Sarah McGee buys my pillows because I know she will style them beautifully.
One thing I do need to clarify is that my malachite fabric is not Jim Thompson. The price would be much higher if it were, but I sourced a very similar looking fabric at a reasonable price point so that more people could afford pretty pillows in their lives!
Laurel, I am honored that the The Pillow Studio was included among these other AMAZING Etsy shops! Thank you. I love meeting other design-loving folks via Etsy.
I found someone that does similar leopard pillows like those on Etsy and I love them so much. (I did pick up a tiger Scalamandre one from WS Home and the velvet is technically…nicer, but the price was not.
Also found someone who does really nice linen pillows and will tailor the details and fabric thickness and zipper placement to exactly what I need.
Laurel, thanks for the great sources.
Some lovely designs, particularly if one is looking for Art Deco lighting. Thanks so much for sharing!
Oh my stars! Thank you Shannon! I cried when I came to the end! Thank you so much for sharing this fabulous source! I've already added a pair of way cool vintage neo-classical end tables. And what I love is on a piece, for example, this wonderful dresser or could be used as a buffet, she shows the before pics too.
How can I calm down?!!!!!! You DO know that I love you, right?
My children are going to be properly ignored all day because their mother is so excited to pursue the clickhole of Etsy shops you've provided!!! Yippeeeeeee!!!


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5th Circuit Interprets "Awarded For Victims" Language From Supreme Court's Liu Decision
By Mike Koehler on October 14, 2021 in Disgorgement
As highlighted in this prior post, in June 2020 the Supreme Court concluded in Liu v. SEC that "a disgorgement award that does not exceed a wrongdoer's net profits and is awarded for victims is equitable relief permissible" under 78u(d)(5) (a statutory provision which states in pertinent part that "in any action or proceeding brought or instituted by the [SEC] under any provision of the securities laws … any Federal court may grant .. any equitable relief that may be appropriate or necessary for the benefit of investors."
As often happens, the Supreme Court provided a general framework for lower courts to analyze an issue without specifically defining what the key terms of the framework actually means.
Recently the Fifth Circuit addressed what the term "awarded for victims" means – becoming the first court of appeals to do so since Liu was decided.
In Resolving The Berko Enforcement Action, What About Liu?
By Mike Koehler on June 25, 2021 in Asante Berko, Disgorgement, Uncategorized, Victims
As highlighted in this prior post, in June 2020 the Supreme Court concluded in Liu v. SEC that "a disgorgement award that does not exceed a wrongdoer's net profits and is awarded for victims is equitable relief permissible" under 15 USC 78u(d)(5) (a statutory provision which states in pertinent part that "in any action or proceeding brought or instituted by the Commission under any provision of the securities laws … any Federal court may grant .. any equitable relief that may be appropriate or necessary for the benefit of investors.").
The previous post mentioned that because most SEC FCPA enforcement actions are resolved administratively – and thus subject to a different statutory provision – that Liu was technically not applicable to most SEC FCPA enforcement actions.
However, the recent FCPA settlement in SEC v. Berko (see here for the prior post) was the first SEC FCPA enforcement action filed in federal court since Liu and thus subject to the Supreme Court's conclusion that "a disgorgement award that does not exceed a wrongdoer's net profits and is awarded for victims is equitable relief permissible" under 15 USC 78u(d)(5).
However, as highlighted below, the SEC ignored Liu's "and is awarded to victims" prong and encouraged the court to require Berko to nevertheless pay disgorgement which the court ordered – seemingly in violation of Liu.
FCPA Flash Podcast – A Conversation With Jane Shvets Regarding 2020 FCPA Developments
By Mike Koehler on February 11, 2021 in Beam Inc., Disgorgement, DOJ, DOJ "Piling On" Policy, FCPA Flash, Statute of Limitations
This FCPA Flash podcast episode is a conversation with Jane Shvets (Debevoise & Plimpton). Recently, the firm released it always informative FCPA Update and during the podcast Shvets talks about: (i) FCPA relevant portions of the recently enacted National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021; (ii) whether the DOJ's "anti-piling" policy is indeed true in practice; (iii) the unusual Beam enforcement action and what it says about FCPA enforcement; and (iv) what the future may hold for FCPA enforcement.
Congress Buries Expansion Of SEC Disgorgement Authority In Annual Defense Budget
By Mike Koehler on December 21, 2020 in Disgorgement, Guest Posts, Kokesh
A guest post from Gibson Dunn attorneys Barry Goldsmith, Helgi Walker, M. Jonathan Seibald, and Brian Richman.
On December 11, 2020, Congress fulfilled its constitutional obligation "to provide for the common defense,"[1] passing for the 60th consecutive year the National Defense Authorization Act ("NDAA"), H.R. 6395. Buried on page 1,238 of this $740.5 billion military spending bill is an amendment to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. That amendment gives the Securities and Exchange Commission, for the first time in its history, explicit statutory authority to seek disgorgement in federal district court. It also doubles the current statute of limitations for disgorgement claims in certain classes of cases. The amendment appears to be a direct response to recent Supreme Court decisions limiting the SEC's authority.
Observations From The OECD's Phase 4 U.S. Review Report
By Mike Koehler on November 19, 2020 in Affirmative Defense – Promotional Expenses, Deferred Prosecution Agreements, Disgorgement, Enforcement Agency Policy, Facilitating Payments, FCPA Statistics, Individual Enforcement Action, Industry Sweeps, Kokesh, Non-Prosecution Agreement, Obtain or Retain Business, OECD, Origins of FCPA Actions, Statute of Limitations, Voluntary Disclosure, Whistleblowers, Yates Memo
Recently, the OECD released its Phase 4 review of the United State's implementation of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention … in effect a review of the FCPA, its enforcement, and related issues.
The first question one needs to ask themselves is whether they care what "experts from Argentina and the United Kingdom" (as stated by the OECD "the report and its recommendations reflect the findings of experts from Argentina and the United Kingdom") think about the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, U.S. law enforcement (DOJ and SEC) policies and practices, and U.S. jurisprudence.
In any event, the Phase 4 Report "explores issues such as detection, enforcement, corporate liability, and international cooperation, as well as covering unresolved issues from prior reports." (See here for a 2010 post summarizing the OECD's Phase 3 review).

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Home > News & Advice > Peter Falk: More Than Meets the Eye
Peter Falk: More Than Meets the Eye
by Legacy Staff June 23, 2014
For 35 years, Peter Falk wore Columbo's unmistakable rumpled trench coat as he shuffled his way through the lives of the rich and famous, casually unraveling seemingly perfect murders…
Peter Falk died three years ago this week, eight years after his last appearance as beloved television detective Columbo. For 35 years, Falk wore Columbo's unmistakable rumpled trench coat as he shuffled his way through the lives of the rich and famous, casually unraveling seemingly perfect murders. From 1968 to 2003, Falk starred in 69 movie-length episodes of Columbo, despite briefly leaving the show in 1974 over a late paycheck from the studio, according to the Toledo (Ohio) Blade newspaper.
In 2005, Falk told CNN's Larry King that he was attracted to the character because of his dichotomy, being both "a regular Joe, Joe Six-Pack, the neighbor like everybody else," as well as "the greatest homicide detective in the world. Now that's a great combination." Audiences agreed, and the "schlubby" gumshoe was a fan favorite for decades. Here he is making an arrest in "Death Hits the Jackpot."
Falk came to acting later in life than most, at age 29, after spending years trying to figure out what he wanted to do with his life. He served in the Merchant Marine, according to his obituary by The New York Times. In his memoir, aptly titled Just One More Thing, Falk says he tried to join the CIA but was rebuffed because of ties to organized labor. In a wide-ranging interview with Cigar Aficionado, he relates how he worked as an "efficiency expert" in the early 1950s before quitting his job to devote himself to acting full time. His breakout role was in Murder, Inc. as a hardened contract killer. The performance earned Falk his first Oscar nomination, in 1960. He was nominated again in 1961 for his work in the Frank Capra comedy Pocketful of Miracles. Here he is menacing his way through Murder, Inc.
As a cop or a criminal, Falk was always fascinating to watch. In addition to his work on Columbo and the films above, Falk turned in unforgettable performances in It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, Wings of Desire, A Woman Under the Influence and, of course, as everyone's favorite grandfather and storyteller in The Princess Bride.
Written by Seth Joseph. Find him on Google+.
20th CenturyActorsCelebritiesMoviesTelevision
Legacy Staff
Legacy produces award-winning original content ranging from national news obituaries to features and FAQs on a wide variety of life-and-death topics.
Born January 20
Died January 20


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Tagged Jari-Matti Latvala
WRC Rally Sweden- Final Results
Motorsport news, Rally, WRC
February 12, 2017 - Jari-Matti Latvala secured victory in Rally Sweden this afternoon - his first win since last year's Rally Mexico and the first for Toyota in only their second race following their WRC comeba...
Watch how VW rebuilt Latvala's crashed Polo R WRC in less than 3 hours
Motorsport news, Rally, Video Gallery, WRC
April 28, 2016 - A front suspension failure for Jari-Matti Latvala in the 14th special stage of the 2016 Rally Argentina last weekend saw him heavily crash out of the event and therefore hand the lead to Hyunda...
Ogier and Latvala show us the difference in WRC driving styles
Rally, Video Gallery, WRC
January 29, 2016 - While Sebastien Ogier's driving style isn't very spectacular in comparison to other drivers, it works for him, as evident by his three world championship titles with Volkswagen. One of the ot...
2015 Rally Australia Day 1 Results
Rally, WRC
September 11, 2015 - Volkswagen's Jari-Matti Latvala lead the way at the end of an interesting first day in Rally Australia that saw both Citroen's Kris Meeke and Hyundai's Dani Sordo lead early on. Dani Sordo...
Rally Finland 2015: Latvala beats Ogier to victory
August 2, 2015 - Jari-Matti Latvala successfully fended Volkswagen Polo R team-mate Sebastien Ogier to take his third victory at Rally Finland on Sunday afternoon. Latvala headed Ogier by 13.7 seconds after a ...
Rally Finland 2015: Latvala holds advantage over Ogier
August 1, 2015 - Volkswagen's Jari-Matti Latvala has taken command of Rally Finland at the end of the second full day of competition and goes into the final day of the 2015 Rally Finland with a 13.2-second cush...
Rally Portugal 2015: Latvala leads close battle
May 23, 2015 - Volkswagen's Jari-Matti Latvala leads a close battle for first place in Portugal, with Citroen's Kris Meeke slowly closing in on his Finnish rival. Latvala ended the first day 11 seconds ahead o...
Video: Ogier and Latvala's incidents in Rally Sweden
February 14, 2015 - World Champion Sebastien Ogier and his Volkswagen teammate Jari-Matti Latvala lost valuable time on the first full day of action in Rally Sweden, with both hitting snowbanks in SS9 and losin...
Rally France 2014: Latvala clinches fourth win
Jari-Matti Latvala secured his fourth victory of the 2014 World Rally Championship season in France this afternoon, decreasing the gap to his Volkswagen team mate and championship leader Sebastien Ogier to 27 p...
Volkswagen Signs Jari-Matti Latvala for 2013
Jari-Matti Latvala is set to become Sebastien Ogier's teammate after signing for Volkswagen Motorsport. The Finn will be driving the Polo R WRC starting next January in Rally Monte Carlo. Following his five...
Latvala to turn Ford's 2011 fortunes in Australia 2011
Jari-Matti Latvala is confident he can turn Ford's 2011 fortunes around with a win on this week's Rally Australia.
Latvala to help Hirvonen for WRC title
Jari-Matti Latvala says he will do all he can to help Ford team-mate Mikko Hirvonen land his first World Rally Championship crown this season.
Jordan Rally 2011 -Ford aces to avoid punctures
Finns impressed by stronger Michelin tyres during pre-event testing.
Rally Portugal 2011 – Results after SS9
Latvala maintains the lead as Hirvonen and Loeb slip ...


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Bisporella fuscocincta är en svampart som först beskrevs av Graddon, och fick sitt nu gällande namn av Dennis 1978. Bisporella fuscocincta ingår i släktet gulskålar, ordningen disksvampar, klassen Leotiomycetes, divisionen sporsäcksvampar och riket svampar.   Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Gulskålar
fuscocincta

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Christmas: it's full of cheer, or full of potential lawsuits, depending on who you are. Shelley Crofts from Burges Salmon gives her guide to negotiating the festive minefield.
In great British tradition, forecasters are predicting the harshest winter for over 60 years. Make sure you're ready for the first flakes of snow by having a clear policy setting out how your business will deal with attendance at work during extreme weather conditions.
Include details of any alternative arrangements you can put in place, such as permitting homeworking or flexible working. Also make clear payment arrangements for employees who don't make it to work. For example, should it be taken as unpaid leave? Or should missed time be made up? If you have a clear policy and share it with your workforce in advance, you might find this has a remarkable effect on attendance levels.
In the spirit of giving, it might be nice to show your appreciation for employees' efforts over the year – but make sure it doesn't turn into a gift for the taxman instead.
Where a gift is of a 'trivial' nature and is concerned with the employee's welfare, the employee will not have to account for tax in connection with it. There is no monetary limit on what is considered 'trivial', but HMRC guidance gives examples such as flowers, chocolates or a turkey. That's right: a turkey.
However, even if the gift is 'trivial', if it is cash or a gift that can be easily converted into cash (which is likely to encompass non-cash gift vouchers) then it should be taxed as earnings through your payroll.
Make sure you adopt a fair system for deciding which employees can take annual leave over the Christmas period. Ask people to submit requests well in advance so you can plan accordingly – and you never know, there might be some who would welcome the excuse to avoid the trip to the in-laws. Remember, together with schools, many nurseries and child minders are closed over the Christmas period so you will need to allow flexibility for those with childcare issues.
If your business shuts down over Christmas, you'll probably want your employees to use their holiday allowance to cover this period. Ideally, this should be set out in their contracts of employment or at the very least you should have warned them in advance so they can factor it into their holiday plans. However, if you wish to impose the use of holiday, you may be able to do this – providing you give the employee twice as much notice as the period you require them to take off. Although, you will need to check your contracts don't say otherwise.
On the flipside, the nature of your business might be such that you need some, if not all, employees to work over Christmas. Where an employee wishes to take time off for religious reasons (whether that is over Christmas or any other religious festival), if you cannot accommodate that request, you should ensure there is a genuine business reason for the refusal. Having a clear policy in place, dealing with the timing of requests and how these will be processed, will often help support your position.
He's talked about nothing else for the last three months, but Alan's plans to tear down the slopes were ruined when he broke his leg on the first day of his holiday. To add insult to injury, he spent the rest of his trip laid up in plaster. When he comes back to work, he provides you with a medical certificate covering his week's leave and asks if he can recoup any of his holiday. Can he?
In this case, he probably can. More generally, it depends how serious the illness was. If the employee was so ill they would not otherwise have been able to come into work then, yes, they might have a claim to reschedule their leave. Though you probably don't want to advertise this in your absence policy, it is worth thinking about how you will address such issues and deciding on managers' guidance so you can apply it consistently where such cases arise.
Have you considered who to invite? No, I don't mean the disarmingly attractive temp in marketing (or, at least, not just them...). Have a think about whether your guest list includes absent employees, such as those on maternity leave, and whether it is appropriate to extend the invitation to any agency workers. In order to avoid any ill-feeling, if you do extend out the invitation, ensure you adopt a consistent approach.
You should also avoid putting any pressure on employees to attend. While there's an outside chance they might be Scrooge reincarnate, they may have family reasons which prevent them from attending or they may not wish to celebrate Christmas on religious grounds.
It's a task that makes even the most hardened HR manager cringe. However, in the run up to your Christmas party, remind managers of the standards of behaviour you expect from them and their teams - with particular focus on moderate alcohol consumption and the company's policy with regards to harassment and equal opportunities.
If things do get a bit out of hand consider whether the incident is sufficient to warrant disciplinary action. Don't jump to conclusions or make any rash decisions based on office gossip. If a serious incident is reported, carry out a full investigation suspending the alleged perpetrator if that is reasonable. Consider whether disciplinary action is necessary in the circumstances and, above all, ensure you apply any sanctions consistently against offenders unless there are valid reasons not to.
If you decide to hold your office party mid-week, be realistic as to what you can expect from employees the next day. A few late starts might be tolerated, but a total no-show may require disciplinary action.
Because you vowed you'd never feel that bad again.


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NASA Has Figured Out a Workaround for Curiosity's Busted Drill
A malfunction put the drill out of commission in late 2016, and NASA has finally found a way to get it working again.
By Avery Thompson
When the Curiosity rover touched down on the Martian surface in 2012, it represented one of the most technologically challenging accomplishments in the history of space exploration. But even so, we shouldn't expect every part of the rover to work perfectly. Curiosity's drill, for instance, has been out of commission since 2016, although NASA is finally getting close to fixing it.
Here's the problem: In December of 2016, Curiosity's drill feed mechanism broke. The drill feed is designed to move the drill bit forward and backward, extending it into and retracting it from the Martian rocks. Without that mechanism, the drill can't do it work, and for the past year, Curiosity hasn't been able to do any drilling.
This is unfortunate, because the drill is one of Curiosity's most valuable experiments. Curiosity can use the drill to collect samples from inside Martian rocks, which is one of the best ways to determine the history of Mars and whether life ever existed there. That's why the Curiosity team has been working hard to get the drill operational again.
The interim method that the rovers' operators came up with is to use the drill arm itself to move the bit back and forth. This way, they can operate the drill without the feed mechanism, which will probably never be repaired. But drilling this new way would mean operating the drill without using stabilizers, which is risky. The Curiosity team has spent the past few months running tests on the replica Curiosity stored at NASA, and they think they've come up with a way to safely operate the drill without stabilizers.
The team will use the force and torque sensors built into the drill arm to ensure that the drill doesn't experience any sideways forces while the drill is operating. Using Curiosity's Earth twin, the team has managed to successfully drill and collect samples using this technique. They've also found a way to deposit those samples in the rover's analysis instruments, which also previously required the feed mechanism.
The next step is to test their solution on the real Curiosity rover on Mars, to see if it works as well there as on Earth. The Curiosity team is understandably taking this slow, but with any luck the rover will start drilling rocks again soon. Then the team can get back to the science.
More From Moon and Mars
Watch China Launch Its Lunar Sample Return Mission
Elon Musk: Glass Domes First, Then Terraform Mars
Astronomers Want to Put a Telescope on the Moon
SpaceX Says There Are No Laws on Mars
Molecular Water Found on the Moon
Musk's Mars City Will Have to Pass This Acid Test
How to Get a Perfect View of Mars This Week
Watch NASA Launch its New Space Toilet to the ISS
Moon and Mars
Curiosity Finds a Mars Drilling Jackpot
NASA Halts Curiosity to Check a Worrying Short Circuit
Comeback Kid Curiosity: Symbol of a New NASA?
Build These DIY Drill Holsters Out of PVC
Remnants of Stream Found on Mars
Check Out the Torque on This Drill-Powered Skateboard


Standing before the podium with his reading glasses perched on his nose in a Really Serious Position, former FBI Director Louis Freeh read the summary of his damning report on what happened at Penn State University. The university, he intoned, was directly responsible for permitting Jerry Sandusky, the former football team defensive coordinator and now a convicted child molester, for preying on young "troubled" boys.
Not being familiar with the details of the report or the Sandusky case and the role of Penn State officials in trying to hide what they feared was happening, I will ask readers to judge the accuracy and tone of Freeh's report and make their own assessments. However, before the media and legal world goes on to paint Louis Freeh in the most heroic terms, I would remind readers that probably any one of us could have written that report and made the same damning comments made by Freeh and his underlings. It hardly is heroic to come upon a situation after the fact and to write those things which apparently were obvious in hindsight.
No, I am writing in order to let readers know that this "heroic" Louis Freeh has some serious baggage of his own, baggage that includes covering up murders, whitewashing the most hideous domestic massacre since Wounded Knee, publicly making wrongful accusations, and further turning the Federal Bureau of Investigation into an entity that James Bovard accurately has called, "A Stasi for America." Louis Freeh does not deserve our praise; indeed, he does not even deserve our scorn. Instead, he deserves to be sitting in a cell at the federal Supermax Prison in Colorado, as the crimes he committed during his years at the FBI pale in comparison to anything done by Paterno, whose legacy Freeh has destroyed, or even Sandusky ever did.
If the charges for which Sandusky was convicted are true, then the man truly was a monster and needed to be caught. His victims will be scarred for life — but they will be alive and can seek healing. However, one of the victims of Louis Freeh, Katherine Andrade, cannot seek healing because she was incinerated at Waco in 1993 as a result of the direction actions by the man who now stands in judgment of Joe Paterno.
…CS gas was delivered via 54-ton tanks driven by FBI agents. The tanks smashed through much of the Davidians' home and intentionally collapsed 25 percent of the building on top of the huddled residents. The FBI knew the Davidians were lighting and heating their residence with candles and kerosene lamps and had bales of hay stacked around the windows. The FBI also knew that "accumulating [CS] dust may explode when exposed to spark or open flame," as a U.S. Army field manual warned. Six years after the assault, news leaked that the FBI had fired incendiary tear gas cartridges into the Davidians' home prior to a fire erupting. Attorney General Janet Reno, furious over the FBI's deceit on this key issue, sent U.S. marshals to raid FBI headquarters to search for more Waco evidence. From start to finish, the FBI brazenly lied about what it did at Waco — with one exception. On the day after the Waco fire, FBI on-scene commander Larry Potts explained the rationale for the FBI's final assault: "Those people thumbed their nose at law enforcement."
Freeh's assault killed 80 people in broad daylight, but Freeh and his agents had something that neither Sandusky nor even Paterno never had: control of the legal process that ensured no one from the FBI that committed crimes that day would have to face even a hint of justice. That is because Freeh was able to use his powers as FBI director to block inquiries, cover up any wrongdoing, and control the direction of congressional investigations that followed.
On April 19, 1993, FBI agents relied on commercial, off-the-shelf ammo — the type that would be used by any hunter or shooter.
For the March 19, 2000, (Sen. John) Danforth-FBI reenactment, the FBI used military-issue ammunition that had a special chemical coating on the gunpowder to reduce muzzle flash (helpful in preventing soldiers from being detected in combat). The military ammo thus had a built-in flash suppressant. Since a key issue was the length of the muzzle flashes, using flash-suppressing ammunition ensured that the reenactment would be a farce.
The Danforth-FBI reenactment further biased the test results by having the FBI agents use weapons with 20-inch barrels — instead of weapons with 14-inch barrels which agents carried on April 19, 1993. The longer a weapon's barrel, the less muzzle flash will be shown from each shot.
This is a tricky way to do an accurate reenactment. But the reenactment produced the politically correct result, and Danforth proceeded to denounce the American people for thinking bad things about their federal masters.
No doubt Danforth, the FBI, and others will continue to insist that there was no gunfire by FBI agents on April 19, 1993. But if the feds are innocent, why have they gone to such absurd lengths to conduct the tests in such a manner?
This is what the ancients once might have called a "cover-up." Notice that Freeh never had to worry about being cited for doing what essentially is criminal activity (called "obstruction of justice") even as he has accused Penn State officials of obstructing investigations into what Sandusky was doing. The difference is that the now-dead Paterno has a tarnished legacy, Sandusky is in prison, and two Penn State officials face criminal charges for allegedly hiding information about crimes that were committed.
Freeh's legacy of hiding murder and mayhem does not begin and end with Waco, however. The 1995 murder of Kenneth Trentadue in the Oklahoma City federal lockup also has been legally covered up, thanks not only to Freeh, but also to the Clinton administration's legal "fixer," Eric Holder, the present U.S. Attorney General who now stands accused of covering up crimes related to the "Fast and Furious" program that has exploded in his face.
In the aftermath of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, the FBI actively was searching for the "John Doe Number Two" who supposedly accompanied Timothy McVeigh, and when Trentadue was arrested by federal officials in California ostensibly for violating probation, the FBI sent him to Oklahoma to be further questioned. Shortly after arriving at the federal lockup, officials supposedly found Trentadue dead in his cell after allegedly hanging himself with a bed sheet.
The victim was Kenneth Michael Trentadue. At 7 AM on August 21, 1995, officials from the Oklahoma Medical Examiner's office arrived at the new Oklahoma City Federal Transfer Center for the body of a man recently picked up for parole violation who allegedly was a suicide by hanging. The astonished state officials saw a body with scalp split to the skull in three places, throat slashed, and a body completely covered in blood, bruises and burns.
As law requires, the officials asked to see the cell in which the alleged suicide occurred. Federal officials pulled rank and refused on the grounds that a federal investigation was underway.
A federal investigation was not underway.
The state officials told the prison officials that the body's condition required FBI notice and protection of the cell as an undisturbed crime scene. Associate Warden Max Flowers, however, ordered the cell to be cleaned before any investigation could be done. Flowers claimed that medical staff informed him that Trentadue was HIV-positive and that it was urgent to remove the infectious blood.
Because this is a case with many twists and sidetracks, one should listen to Lew Rockwell's interview with Jesse Trentadue available here. Once again, we see how Louis Freeh and his underlings were able to get away with a number of serious crimes ranging from murder to obstruction of justice.
Compared with murder and covering up the crime, a false accusation from Freeh's FBI would seem to be minor, but the way that Freeh and the FBI handled matters in the 1996 Olympic Park bombing demonstrated the outright criminal mindset that seems to govern that organization and is part of Freeh's enduring legacy of lies and incompetence. Following the bombing in Atlanta during the Olympic Games, the FBI quickly fixated itself upon security guard Richard Jewell, who was the first to suspect that the backpack left alone under a bench might contain a bomb.
The bomb exploded with one person killed, but in the aftermath, Jewell was a hero for having acted quickly. However, the FBI decided via one of its vaunted "profilers" that the pudgy guard was the person who made and planted the bomb. Not surprisingly, the FBI began to leak to the media that Jewell was their man, and he was subjected to the horrors of the media rush to judgment, something that seems to be a permanent fixture in U.S. culture.
Jewell, who died in 2007, ultimately was exonerated but not before the FBI and its Progressive media allies had ruined his reputation. While Freeh denied having anything to do with the leaking of false information, nonetheless he was in large part responsible for the lawless culture of the FBI which encouraged agents to act recklessly and dishonestly.
As Louis Freeh presently basks in the media adulation that he does not deserve, one should remember the man's own legacy, one that never will be tarnished because the Progressives that control the media and this country's politics will never permit such a thing to happen. Freeh no more deserves to be on a podium criticizing the "culture" of Penn State University than would John Edwards deserve to give a sermon condemning adultery.
What happened at Penn State was wrong and it should not have been allowed to continue. However, what Freeh did while heading the FBI makes the worst abuses at Penn State look to be a pleasant walk in the park. If anything, the fact that Louis Freeh is permitted to stand in judgment of others is proof that our present political culture is so broken that it is beyond repair.
Why Is Insulin Resistance So Dangerous to Non-Diabetics?


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Podcast in English
History & Religion
Radio Bulgaria
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Dicho presents his new song "You are Flying"
published on 10/27/21 1:12 PM
Photo: facebook/dicho.hristov
Bulgaria's singer Dicho, who was part of the D2 and VO.X.X bands and who has made a solo career in recent years, takes us back to the wonderful summer days. His new song "You are flying" is dedicated to common human values – family and the time we spend with our loved ones. The song is also about the beautiful summer in Bulgaria, the calm moments on the beach, the outdoor concert stages and the emotional meetings with the audience, typical of every artist. Kristiyan Gyoshev wrote the lyrics to the song. Music and Arrangement – Petar Rangelov and Dicho Hristov. The video to the song was shot near the coastal town of Sozopol and at Camping Gradina, where Dicho and his family spend the summer months. You will see him lying on a hammock with his favorite guitar, surrounded by his wife and their little daughters.
Written by: Albena Bezovska
Radio Bulgaria Music D2 Dicho Kristiyan Gyoshev Petar Rangelov and Dicho Hristov "You are flying"
The Bulgarian Chamber Orchestra to hold concert in honour of Acad. Petko Staynov
On January 12, the Bulgarian Chamber Orchestra will give a concert at the Mirror Hall in the city of Dobrich (north-eastern Bulgaria). The ensemble was originally established in 1968 under the name Tolbuhin Chamber Orchestra (because at that time..
published on 1/11/22 5:15 PM
"Black Cat" by Rosen Kukosharov
Rosen Kukosharov has been part of the Bulgarian music scene for 20 years. He writes lyrics and music and performs some of his songs. Over the years he has worked on various projects together with Orlin Pavlov, Lyubo Kirov, Maria Ilieva, Lili..
Surva, Happy New Year and wishes for health and prosperity!
Since unknown times Bulgarians have welcomed January 1 with the wishes of the survakari, who continue to visit homes of people on the first day of the New Year: "Surva, a Happy New Year, a golden wheat-ear in the field, a red apple in the..
published on 1/1/22 12:15 PM
Pick city: Sofía
Kardzhali
Kiustendil
Min: -5 | Max: 3
BULGARIA IN PICTURES
What is survachka?
Traditional implement for New Year well-wishing
Part of the traditional Christmas decoration
Name of a spring folklore ritual
Folklore song
Sofia as backdrop for video to the song "Zhivot v remont"
Petko Slavov is a composer, bassist, guitarist. In early 2014, his first solo album was released and it includes 10 songs that can be listened to on..
english@bnr.bg


The API Portal relies on proven technology to manage traffic: The actual portal either sits behind a HAproxy, or leverages standard Ingress Controllers (on Kubernetes) and the actual API traffic is proxied by the excellent API Gateway Kong by Mashape.
The portal components are implemented as lightweight as possible, using node.js.
When deploying on a single docker Host, the "Kickstarter" can create suitable docker-compose.yml files to include a HAproxy. For Kubernetes, the Helm chart utilizes existing Ingress Controllers.
The API Portal can be deployed to any environment which runs a docker host. This can be a single VM, or a Swarm environment. You can either deploy using a docker-compose file, or using an orchestrator like Kubernetes, leveraging a Kubernetes Helm Chart.
Depending on your requirements regarding high availability and your SLAs towards your clients, you are free to choose how to deploy the API Portal and Gateway.
Behind the scenes, the API Portal runs in several small containers, as microservices inside a service. It is simple to extend the portal functionality using the Portal API, which is also how the "Mailer", "Chatbot" and "Kong Adapter" work in the background.
Scaling your API Gateway is supported out of the box, and depending on your runtime orchestration, setting up high availability is as well, for the Gateway (Kong), the Portal UI, API and Authorization Server.
To achieve this, wicked stores all runtime configuration in a Postgres instance, and session and other performance-critical information in a configurable Redis instance.


text:
Q: CSV to python list of dicts? I looked through the questions already posted and my problems isn't quite solved.  I think this should be fairly straight forward but I am getting tripped up with the variations. Hoping that after getting walked through this one file, then I can upload and parse the rest.
What I am trying to do:

*

*File is open states data (and other files in dropbox): ca_bills.csv

*Convert .csv to python: I think it should be converted to a python list of dicts

*Use the headers in the file as keys within dicts

I tried this but it didn't do what I wanted + I wonder if there is way to pull the fieldname from the headers of each file
    def csv_dict_writer(fp, fieldnames, data):
        with open(fp, "wb") as out_file:
        writer = csv.DictWriter(out_file, deliminter=',', fieldnames=fieldnames)
        writer.writeheader()
        for row in data:
            writer.writerow(row)

I also did this but this only prints and doesn't write to a file:
    with open('ca_bills.csv') as output_file:
        reader = csv.reader(output_file)
        for row in reader:
            print row

Thanks so much! This may be similar to other question but really couldn't extract what I needed. Appreciate your insights.

A: result=list(csv.DictReader(fp))

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Our great diagnostic and terapeutic potentiality is a result of provision the ward with the newest equipment. We have support in laboratory, X-ray examination, CT and MRJ.
Patient treated in our hospital can feel safely beacuse they are watched by high skilled professionals.
The ward contains 40 beds, it has own operating theatre. We perform about 1500-1800 orthopaedic operations yearly.
We are mainly interested in orthoplasty of hip, knee and shoulder. We perform about 150 cemented and cementless endoprosthesis of hip joint. We also make revision operations of hip and knee in case of loosening, substituting them by new ones. There are about 80 knee orthoplasty grafted every year. We started to perform shoulder orthoplasty.
Next thing we can be proud of is arthroscopy. By using arthroscopic technics we operate most of patology of knee and shoulder. We perform arthroscopic reconstructions of anterior cruciate ligaments. We use for instance two-bundle reconstruction of ACL. We also perform arthroscopic reconstructions of shoulder instability.
Our next group of patients are those with traumatic lessions of locomotive organs. We are able to cure fractures using modern methods of treatment.
We offer surgical treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome using the endoscopic method. This method allows surgery through a small cut hidden in the flexion (folding arch) of the wrist. Thanks to this, it is possible to limit scarring on the hand and a beneficial cosmetic effect is obtained.


IGLV gene names are designated by a number for the subgroup [1,23,24], followed by a dash and a number for the localization from 3' to 5' in the locus.
In the IGLV gene name column, the IGLV genes are listed, for each subgroup, according to their position from 3' to 5' in the locus.
Pseudogenes which could not be assigned to subgroups with functional genes are designated by a roman number between parentheses, corresponding to the clans , followed by a dash and a number for the localization from 3' to 5' in the locus.
NL: Not Localized in the locus.
(1) For frequencies of expression of the functional IGLV genes, see Ignatovich et al., J. Mol. Biol., 268, 69-77 (1997).
(2) Non-canonical ACCEPTOR-SPLICE: nacnn instead of nagnn.
(3) STOP-CODON at position 99 in FR3-IMGT.
(4) Non-conserved OCTAMER sequence: ctgcacaa instead of atttgcat, non-conserved TATA_BOX, and unusual V-NONAMER sequence: agaagaacc instead of acaaaaacc.
(5) Sequence of Humlv119 identical to that reported for Humlv117 but restriction maps are dissimilar.
(6) STOP-CODONs at position 44 in FR2-IMGT and at position 111 in CDR3-IMGT.
(7) STOP-CODON at position 103 in FR3-IMGT.
(9) Unusual V-HEPTAMER sequence: catagtg instead of cacagtg.
(10) STOP-CODONs at position 18 in FR1-IMGT and at position 44 in FR2-IMGT.
(11) BHGL18-21 and BHGL6-13 overlap by 49 nucleotides, BHGL18-21 corresponding to 5'UTR and 6 nucleotides from FR1-IMGT.
(12) CONSERVED-TRP replaced by Ser in V-EXON, frameshift in FR3-IMGT.
(13) DELETION of 1 pb in codon 32 leading to a frameshift in CDR1-IMGT.
(14) STOP-CODON at position 109 in CDR3-IMGT.
(15) DELETION of 1 pb in codon 47, and INSERTION of 5 nt between positions 50 to 51, leading to frameshifts in FR2-IMGT.
(16) STOP-CODON at position 40 in FR2-IMGT and frameshift in FR3-IMGT.
(17) STOP-CODON at position 48 in FR2-IMGT and DELETION of 1 nt leading to a frameshift in FR3-IMGT.
(18) STOP-CODONs at position 17 in FR1-IMGT and at position 55 in FR2-IMGT.
(19) Non-canonical ACCEPTOR_SPLICE: nggnn instead of nagnn, and 2nd-CYS replaced by Tyr in V-EXON.
(20) Since the STOP-CODON at the 3' end of the V-REGION can be deleted by rearrangement, the V-GENE is considered as functional.
(21) IGLV5-39 becomes functional because it has been found rearranged (AF063696,AF063751).
(22) Unusual V-HEPTAMER sequence: tacagtg instead of cacagtg.
(23) 1st-CYS replaced by Tyr in V-EXON, frameshift in FR3-IMGT.
(24) DELETION of 1 nt in codon 91 leading to a frameshift in FR3-IMGT.
(25) V-REGION is partial: AA 1 to 3 are missing (partial FR1-IMGT), AA 100 to 104 are missing (partial FR3-IMGT) and no CDR3-IMGT.
(26) Unusual V-SPACER length: 19 nt instead of 23 nt.
(27) IGLV(IV)-66-1 has been identified in D87004 by IMGT curators (Folch, G., Giudicelli, V. and Lefranc, M.-P., IMGT On-line, 14/12/1999).
(28) An additional vestigial pseudogene lambdavg3, which has 92% identity with lambdavg2 has been identified in D86994 by IMGT curators (N. Bosc, M.-P. Lefranc), between IGLV3-25 and IGLV3-26 (5.7kb downstream from IGLV3-26). The lambdavg2 and lambdavg3 sequences define a new clan IGLV(VI) and are designated as IGLV(VI)-22-1 (X71351) and IGLV(VI)-25-1 (D86994), respectively.
(29) The highly diverged vestigial pseudogene lambdavgl (X99568) has no CONSERVED_TRP and no 2nd_CYS (confirmed with D86999 although this accession number contains many sequencing or typing errors). Since this lambdavg1 sequence is unique in the human genome and can therefore be used as a STS (Sequence Tagged Site) , the lambdavg1 was attributed to a new clan IGLV(VII) and designated as IGLV(VII)-41-1.
(34) In frame STOP-CODON in V-REGION and non canonical V-NONAMER: acgaaaacc instead of accaaaacc.
(1) Orphée1 is on a 7.8 kb EcoRI fragment of YAC 15EH11 mapped to 8q11.2 .
(3) Detected by Southern blot analysis of YAC 15EH11 DNA mapped to 8q11.2, using low stringency wash a mixture of ten IGLV subgroup specific probes and a 6.5 kb EcoRI fragment of YAC 15EH11 .
(4) bK390C10.1  isolated from AL008721.1 belongs to clan IGLV(IV). The 5' end is telomeric, whereas the 3' end is centromeric.
(5) dJ149A16.4  isolated from AL021937.1 belongs to clan IGLV(IV). An insertion leads to a frameshift and STOP-CODON.
(6) The correlation between DNA sequence and chromosomal bands has not yet been made. Sequencing of the long arm of chromosome 22  showed that it encompasses about 35 megabases. IGLV(IV)/O R22-1 is localized at 9.4 Mb from the centromere and IGLV(IV)/OR22-2 at 16.28 Mb from the centromere.
(7) Detected by southern blot analysis using a IGLV8 subgroup probe  and Frippiat, J.P., personal communication.
 The Sanger Centre: Human chromosome 22 Home.


text:
HomeWorld NewsUS San Francisco, more Bay Area counties require masks indoors due to omicron surge
US San Francisco, more Bay Area counties require masks indoors due to omicron surge
SAN FRANCISCO– San Francisco, along with other Bay Area counties in the U.S. state of California, on Wednesday announced to revoke mask mandate exemptions for fully vaccinated people in non-household settings such as offices and gyms, as COVID-19 cases continue to surge due to the highly contagious omicron variant.
People view illuminated Christmas decorations in San Francisco, the United States, Dec. 21, 2021. (Photo by Liu Yilin/Xinhua)
San Francisco, Marin and Alameda counties rescinded the exemptions that they preserved just two weeks ago, following California's reinstatement of a universal mask mandate. The counties' new orders take effect at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday.
San Francisco on Tuesday also announced the cancellation of the city's annual New Year's Eve fireworks show.
Contra Costa County had made a similar move to revoke exemptions on Tuesday.
San Francisco reported 805 cases, the highest single-day total ever on Tuesday, according to state data and analysis by San Francisco Chronicle.
"Actual numbers are certain to be higher because many people are taking home antigen tests and not reporting the results," the San Francisco Chronicle said in a report.


"This is one of those novels that are a rare find. It has tons of romance, as well as edge of your seat action and suspense. Secrets of Jenkins Bridge starts off fast and never once slows down. Long lost loves, broken hearts, abductions, murder, extortion, this novel has it all and then some. There were points where I laughed out loud and cheered for the good guys, and times when I literally chewed my nails in anticipation of what might occur. This is one of the novels that will have a long life, and that readers everywhere will adore. I most certainly did; I couldn't put it down!
When FBI agent Mitchell Donovan is called out to a car accident, he knows things are not as they seem. When the person they pull from the wrecked vehicle is his former high school girlfriend, things go from odd to dangerously bizarre in a flash. Why did Katherine drive off the road? What secrets did her dead ex-husband carry with him to the grave? Where is her daughter Aly? All of these questions and more will be examined in the course of the story. Once Mitchell and Katherine start to unravel the secrets of the past and examine the players of the present, things will start to come together in a way that no one could ever anticipate."


text:
{{DISPLAYTITLE:(79978) 1999 CC158}}

(79978) 1999 CC158 — транснептуновый объект, который расположен в области пояса Койпера в Солнечной системе. Он обнаружен 15 февраля 1999 года в обсерватории Мауна-Кеа, Гавайи.
Диаметр объекта примерно 304 км. На сегодня об объекте известно очень мало.

Объект состоит в орбитальном резонансе 5:12 с планетой Нептун.

Примечания

Пояс Койпера
Рассеянный диск
Транснептуновые объекты
Астероиды, открытые Джейн Лу
Астероиды, открытые Дэвидом Джуиттом
Астероиды, открытые Чадом Трухильо
Астероиды, открытые Скоттом Шеппардом


text:
Q: Tkinter scrollable frame inside function I'm trying to build a function which opens a file browser and lists the selected files in a scrollable frame. I tried using a scrollable frame class I found on the web which works when I apply it to a very simple case, but does not work when applied inside my file browsing function. The scrollable frame class is written as follows:
class ScrollableFrame(ttk.Frame):
    def __init__(self, container, *args, **kwargs):
        super().__init__(container, *args, **kwargs)
        canvas = tk.Canvas(self)
        scrollbar = ttk.Scrollbar(self, orient="vertical", command=canvas.yview)
        self.scrollable_frame = ttk.Frame(canvas)

        self.scrollable_frame.bind(
            "<Configure>",
            lambda e: canvas.configure(
                scrollregion=canvas.bbox("all")))

        canvas.create_window((0, 0), window=self.scrollable_frame, anchor="nw")

        canvas.configure(yscrollcommand=scrollbar.set)

        canvas.grid(row=0, column=0)
        scrollbar.grid(row = 0, column=1)

and then is applied by:
import os
from tkinter import filedialog,Label,Tk,Entry,Frame,ttk
import tkinter as tk

root = Tk()
browse_frame = Frame(root)
browse_frame.grid(row=0, column=0, columnspan=2)

all_files = []

def browse_files():
    #function which opens a file browser and adds selected files to all_files list.

    #opens file browser
    filename_list = list(filedialog.askopenfilenames(initialdir = '/',
                                                     title = "Select Files",
                                                     filetypes = (("text files","*.txt"),
                                                                  ("csv files","*.csv"),
                                                                  ("all files","*.*"))))

    #adds selected files to all_files list
    for i in filename_list:
        all_files.append(i)

    if len(all_files) >=1:
        #build scrollable frame for file names
        files = ScrollableFrame(root)
        files.grid(column=0, row=3, padx=10, pady=10)

        file_label = Label(files, text="Selected Files:", font=("arial", 13))
        file_label.grid(column=0, row=0, padx=80, pady=10)

        u = 0
        while u < len(all_files):
            #adds each file name to scrollable frame
            file_name = Label(files, text=str(os.path.basename(all_files[u])))

            file_name.grid(column=0, row=u+1, padx=5, pady=5)

            u+=1

    return

browse = ttk.Button(browse_frame, text="browse files", command=browse_files)
browse.grid(column=1, row=0, rowspan=2, padx=50, pady=10)

root.mainloop()

which produces the following result where the file list continues beyond the span of the window and the scrollbar is nonfunctional and small.
image of tkinter window with scrollable frame
Any help is greatly appreciated.

A: Your class is flawed in 1 big way. When you use:
import tkinter as tk

class ScrollableFrame(tk.Frame):
    def __init__(self, container, *args, **kwargs):
        super().__init__(container, *args, **kwargs)
        # Note the `bg="red"`. It's just to show where the canvas is.
        # Remove it later
        canvas = tk.Canvas(self, bg="red")
        scrollbar = tk.Scrollbar(self, orient="vertical", command=canvas.yview)
        self.scrollable_frame = tk.Frame(canvas)

        self.scrollable_frame.bind(
            "<Configure>",
            lambda e: canvas.configure(
                scrollregion=canvas.bbox("all")))

        canvas.create_window((0, 0), window=self.scrollable_frame, anchor="nw")

        canvas.configure(yscrollcommand=scrollbar.set)

        canvas.grid(row=0, column=0, sticky="news")
        scrollbar.grid(row=0, column=1, sticky="ns")

root = tk.Tk()

frame = ScrollableFrame(root)
frame.pack()

label = tk.Label(frame, text="Test")
label.grid()

root.mainloop()

Notice how the label is outside of the canvas. This is because you are actually putting it in the frame that contains the canvas not the frame that is inside the canvas. To fix it just use tk.Label(frame.scrollable_frame, text="Test"). That will force the label to go inside of the frame that is inside the canvas not the frame that wraps everything.
If you want an improved class, look at this answer that I wrote a while back.


One Minute Apologist - Doubting Toward Faith - We all have doubts, and those doubts can lead to confusion and hopelessness. But, doubt can also deepen our dependence on God, develop empathy for others, and motivate us to find satisfying answers to life's biggest questions. Don't let doubts erode your faith and lead you into unbelief. Discover today how to use your doubts to keep you headed in the right direction- toward faith.
We all have doubts, and those doubts can lead to confusion and hopelessness. But, doubt can also deepen our dependence on God, develop empathy for others, and motivate us to find satisfying answers to life's biggest questions. Don't let doubts erode your faith and lead you into unbelief. Discover today how to use your doubts to keep you headed in the right direction- toward faith.


text: Place the Ker colony card under the game board near the island of Patmos.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Our client is seeking to employ an Estimator for their business based in Stockport. Our client is a medium sized civil engineering and construction contractor carrying out various sizes contracts. They are looking for an Estimator who comes from a groundworks and civils background.
Analyse tender documentation and capture client's requirements.
Produce an accurate BOQ for pricing purposes to reflect client's requirements.
Clear knowledge of costing traditional and design and build contracts.
Prepare material and sub-contractor enquiry documents.
Carry out site visits. Assimilate information and take account of in tender pricing.
Assess individual rates and prices, create new or insert from sub-contract and material quotes.
Produce accurate and competitive commercial submission ready for internal review and sign off.
Attendance at pre and post tender meetings.
Knowledge of building material components and plant requirements.
Management skills – understanding programmes etc.
Actively drive the collaborative approach to ensure the best submission is provided.
Working knowledge of NEC3 and JCT Conditions of Contract, current HSQE legislation and construction techniques and methods.
Good negotiation, influencing and communication skills, well-spoken and personable, able to get on with diverse personalities.
Strong analytical and reasoning abilities.
Highly numerate with well-developed ability to accurately manipulate numerical information.
Self-motivated with the ability to work alone or part of a team.


text:
Yorkshire Building Society launch £1m charity partnership with Age UK
Home > recruitment > Small firms secure apprenticeship funding concession
Small firms secure apprenticeship funding concession
by Steve Everett - 15, August, 2016 14, August, 2016 0
The Government has announced its proposals for how the new funding arrangements for apprenticeships will work under a reformed apprenticeship system.
The plans detail, for the first time, what proportion of the cost of training an apprentice would be borne by individual businesses, both those liable to pay the apprenticeship levy in 2017 and non-levy paying businesses.
In a key concession to calls from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), Ministers have proposed that smaller firms with fewer than 50 employees which take on a 16-18 year old apprentice will not be required to make any financial contribution towards the cost of training.
Businesses which take on younger apprentices will also benefit from a cash incentive of £1,000 per apprentice. New FSB research shows how vital this concession will be with small firms critical to achieving the Government's target of reaching three million new apprentices by 2020.
FSB found that a quarter of small businesses (24 per cent) already have an apprentice and 70 per cent of these businesses have an apprentice between the ages of 16-19. FSB also found that two thirds (67 per cent) of apprenticeships in small businesses surveyed led to longer-term employment in the business once training is complete – demonstrating how smaller firms are an important pathway to employment for many young people.
FSB had previously warned that forcing the smallest firms to contribute could lead to many firms giving up on hiring apprentices altogether. However, FSB research suggests that one in four small businesses would consider taking on an apprentice if the Government were to make it more cost-effective to do so.
In another move supported by FSB, the Government will introduce an online calculator on GOV.UK to help businesses to work out how much training an apprentice is likely to cost, and provide practical advice on how firms can support an apprentice.
Gordon Millward, FSB regional chairman, said: "This announcement sends a clear signal that Ministers are listening to our members' concerns. Smaller businesses are taking on more apprentices than ever before.
"What's more, a quarter of our members say they are considering employing an apprentice in the future, but only if they feel apprenticeships are affordable.
"While many small firms are committed to apprenticeships, many more continue to be worried about the time and personal commitment required. Getting apprenticeship reform right, including changes to existing funding arrangements, is key to apprenticeship growth among small businesses and the Government achieving its target of three million new apprenticeships over the course of this Parliament."
Tagged Financial FSB Gordon Millward GOV UK
Stagecoach staff pushed to the limits to support Bluebell Wood
South Yorkshire agency spreads wings across Pennines
Support our manufacturers as they continue to bounce back – plea
Growth of team at Yorkshire's Legal People