The small bulldozer rumbled into the People's Park Exchange in Mott Haven just after dawn. Police officers blocked the entrances as the machine tore up a casita and the labyrinth of tree trunks and wood chips built by local residents, who'd cleaned up what had been an open-air drug market known as the Devil's Playground.
To officials in the Parks Department, this was simply business. They had finally received funding from the nonprofit Trust for Public Land to turn the place into a playground, and they were starting their project. They hardly could have known that the destruction last fall would focus long-simmering local rage over how the South Bronx has been treated for years.
Long before last February, when a federal agency accused the Parks Department of discriminating against black and Latino employees, people in the South Bronx, which is 96 percent black and Latino, were saying that parks policy systematically neglected their neighborhoods for reasons of race and class. In a dozen interviews, mothers, naturalists, old men, politicians, radical activists, community board members, Little League coaches, and former Young Lords alike say parks in the area are rarely maintained, chronically understaffed, and never programmed, and that officials are deaf to local culture in a way unthinkable in the more affluent North Bronx or Manhattan.
But the South Bronx is clearly a rare case. The neighborhood has historically been the city's official dumping ground. In the 1950s, Faustian planner Robert Moses rammed highways through its thriving working-class blocks. In 2001, the city is unloading two new power plants there and bringing in the pungent Fulton Fish Market to clear space for Lower Manhattan real estate. Hunts Point alone is imprisoned by two dozen waste-transfer stations, a sewage treatment plant, a sewage sludge pelletizing plant, the largest scrap-metal yard in the city, and the massive Hunts Point Market, which draws 20,000 truck trips a week.
Subway maps showing green space in the South Bronx are painful. Only St. Mary's Park is noticeable, minute compared to the expansive green in the north, home to Van Cortlandt and Pelham Bay Park. The district covering Riverdale in the north has 243 acres of parkland. Another district in the north, 10, has 3524. But in the one including Mott Haven, there are only 64 acres; 28 in the one including Hunts Point. Although Castro says the acreage is misleading because much of the northern land is inaccessible forest, residents in the south take little solace from the fact, knowing that while they may have as many parks, most of theirs are concrete playgrounds.
But complaints about the basics also veil deeper struggles over what a park should be. The grassroots groups who reclaimed abandoned city properties from drugs and crime in the 1980s say they want to remain involved in decisions about the parks they saved.
In the past two decades, this landscape so harrowed by landlords, waste haulers, and other forces from above has grown into an oasis of people's counterplanning from below. Today, it harbors vital examples of the forms a radical green city could take, from the casitas that migrated here from rural Puerto Rico and serve as senior centers surrounded by homegrown pepper plants, to the end of Lafayette Avenue in Hunts Point, where residents created the first waterfront park in decades on the industrial peninsula, using concrete blocks painted cheerful colors for benches.
On Kelly Street, across from Middle School 52, locals painted an ailing park tropical blue. They surrounded gray handball courts with gardens overhung with grapevines, and started holding Latin music concerts that unite the community on summer evenings. On Hoe Avenue, co-op owners and other residents with no formal planning experience sketched alternative designs for an embattled park occupied by three tennis courts filled with pits as big as cars, and protested until the Parks Department adopted parts of their plan.
Collectively, local activists conceive of the role of parks in the neighborhood broadly—as farms to grow food, job-training centers that teach wood carving and environmental science, gardens battling truck exhaust, town squares, housing and retirement referral centers, and boat launches. In the face of a Parks Department budget slashed 40 percent since 1986 and a parks staff decimated by nearly three-quarters in the last 25 years, these people have taken on the advanced notion that open space and recreation are a matter of citizenship and human rights, and worked to blend the green back into the asphalt city on frayed-shoestring budgets. They all want the Parks Department to do its job more energetically.
Al Quiñones grew up in 52 Park, on Kelly Street. He even remembers the name of the old parkie who used to give him the ball at the park house there. When Quiñones came back in 1980, destruction had overrun the place. So he and some friends began to clean. They painted handball lines. They bought cans of blue paint and painted the benches, the backboards, the walls. Soon the entire park was a friendly blue. They moved out into the adjacent lots—graveyards for crack vials and stripped cars—and cleaned them out too. Now, in the summer, the lots are tangled with crab apple trees, white pines, plum and fig trees.
"We turned a piece of crap into something beautiful," he says. But Quiñones describes a frustrating two decades. When the bathroom is shut in the early afternoon, he opens it. He scrapes money together for his popular concerts from local politicians and arts councils. He lets in Con Ed to check the meter, he cleans feces out of clogged toilets, he pays out of his own pocket for repairs. When coil animals in the playground break, the department removes them rather than bringing replacements; same with the hand rings. Quiñones knows because he is there. He is there evenings, on weekends. He gives out the ball now. He gets paid nothing.
He is one of the semi-full-time unpaid laborers who—in concert with thousands of welfare recipients who must work for free 18 hours a week in order to receive their benefits—hold together New York City's skeletal park system.
Quiñones used to call them whenever something broke. Now he and his friends just do it themselves. "We do a better job," he says.
One example he gives is particularly poignant. The Parks Department has a zero-tolerance policy toward graffiti. When someone tags the equipment, workers just plaster standard white or green paint over the scrawl, pockmarking the cool blue that makes 52 Park special. Quiñones has a photo album's worth of shots of discordant white splotches slapped on blue benches.
Quiñones's metaphorical spouse, William Castro, lives in Riverdale, a block from the house where he grew up. He worked for the department during the Koch administration in the 1980s, when he directed the Parks Enforcement Patrol, and during the Dinkins years spent a spell obtaining a master's degree at Harvard. He became commissioner in 1994. He has a drastically different view of parks in the South Bronx.
He cites statistics—dozens of greened traffic triangles, hundreds of new trees, dozens of capital projects, ranging from new comfort stations and safety surfacing to play equipment and the $5 million development of the five-acre Barretto Point Park on the Bronx River. He says a growing capital budget has actually allowed the department to develop more parks. Computerized work-order tracking and mobile units have improved maintenance, he says, and community boards allow for local input.
Worse, without the cash to operate the parks right, the department tends to focus on ready-made asphalt and concrete designs, which require less maintenance than green parks, but in the long run, naturalists say, probably need to be replaced more often for lack of care. This top-down approach was at the heart of the clash in Mott Haven last fall. Though a small group of kids from nearby P.S. 43 worked on a blueprint for the park, community members felt like only a narrow segment of the neighborhood was involved and that their choices were limited.
Parks Department strategy also forces a reliance on expensive, synthetic play sets purchased from corporations: the Alabama-based Game Time, a division of the massive PlayCore Inc. of Wisconsin; Quogue, New York-based Playground Environments International; and Miracle Recreation Equipment, a subsidiary of the St. Louis-headquartered multinational PlayPower, which has a special City Park Series, featuring stainless steel slides and "punched" PVC-coated decks.
This is one of the silent ways local tax money drifts out of the city even as new economic development plans are lauded. It is a far cry from local activists' conception of parks as neighborhood rechargers, where local kids can learn job skills and grow their own food.
"It's incredible to me," says Pedro Espada, the councilmember who represents the district and has given the Parks Department thousands for projects he says are still not open. "You and I could go to Home Depot right now and get the most incredible play set any kid has ever seen for $1000. The difference between that and what ends up in there can't be millions of dollars.
Since 1989, Cherry Tree members have promoted the idea of a Mott Haven Green Zone—free of violence and pollution, filled with open space and green economic opportunities—with the mantra that "connecting with nature is a fundamental part of a stable society." In all their spaces, they prefer labyrinths, pathways, and plantings that move in circles and spirals, not the harsh right angles that define so much of the modern city. They favor organic, reusable materials and reject the notion that nature means passive recreation and basketball means active. They turn nature active—as a source of food, job training, and community organizing. On a recent afternoon, Bubbins takes what to outsiders might be a paradox: a nature walk around Mott Haven.
He comes out of a brick building with a wooden staff, clicking it against the concrete as he walks over to Millbrook, where three girls are wandering across the pavement.
"Look at this park," he says. "There are no trees. It's a total institutional gray. It's almost like a deliberate plan to deprive the children of the Millbrook projects of any imagination at all. Some people say it is deliberate." He calls over the girls and asks them what they'd like to see in the park.
"I'd like to see some more colors," says Jessica, 13.
The third, Jenny, 11, pauses and glances up at him.
"What's the stick for?" she asks.
"Think it will always be here?" he says.
"Think about it like that," he says.
As he walks, he passes conscious murals that put the equation simply—"More Gardens = Less Asthma"—and folks call out to him, "He looks like Johnny Appleseed!" At the United We Stand garden, on 137th Street and Cypress, he finds José Rodriguez, 67. "We've been here 14 years. We built all of this up," Rodriguez says, waving his arm across the peppers and flower beds. "This, for us, is a park. We cook here, walk, talk. There's no charge for food. Whatever we cook, everybody eats.
Castro says the department moved on the garden because one of the casitas there with water and electrical hookups from a nearby building was too much like a house and posed a safety risk, and because gardeners had planted on parks land they had no right to.
The saddest thing about the conflicts is that all these groups say they could be the Parks Department's greatest boosters, a volunteer army of equals crafting a revolutionary model of a new green city. "I wish they'd jump on us and use us as an example," Quiñones says.
Perhaps the best place to see a vision of what's possible is at the end of Lafayette Avenue, across a busy highway, past an industrial lot creeping with barbed wire.
Down a slope in the asphalt, a sign is painted on the ground in white: Waterfront Park. Little pink and turquoise flowers appear on the street in paint, as if placeholders for real flowers coming someday. Past a chain, the scattered objects look less accidental; painted flowers, sunbursts, peace signs, and Puerto Rican flags appear. So do river birches, crab apples, willows, and cottonwoods.
Down farther, Nino DeSimone, coordinator of Greening for Breathing at the Point, which developed the site, unlocks a trailer, and a couple of boys haul out fishing poles. The Parks Department helped fund work there with a $10,000 grant, as part of the popular Waterways and Trailways Program, an initiative to develop a greenway stretching from Westchester all the way down to the South Bronx. The place is still spare, barely a park, but it holds the seed of what activists could do for the borough with the right support.
The community's hopes are expressed in a mural on the side of the equipment shed. It's a remix of Seurat's Sunday Afternoon on the Island of the Grande Jatte, painted by the Tats Cru. In the scene, the ramshackle street scattered with woodchips is covered in lush green grass and shrubs. Full, tall trees with sunlight pouring through them turn the ground a liquid gold, as a multiracial crowd walks and lounges in the park. The dark gray-brown river is rendered so turquoise it is almost phosphorescent. Even the apartment towers in Soundview across the way look radiant again.
In reality, the mural stands in front of a gate, shutting off the park from the industry that consumes the rest of the waterfront here. "They want to make it so they don't have problems with the neighborhood? They should go to that school," DeSimone says, gesturing to Middle School 201 nearby. "This is a tremendous opportunity for those kids to build a park. If they want a park that lasts, that's the place to begin, rather than not allowing the community in the space till they finish it in four years, and then in five years pouring in concrete and a jungle gym.


We prefer to work on small developments and individual properties where we can make each property feel that it is individually constructed, and not mass produced. As a family business we take pride in what we do, we want to produce properties of a very high standard so that our purchasers are happy in their new homes.
This select development is currently under construction and is centrally located in Hartpury village with good transport links by road & bus to Gloucester just 5-6 miles away. The Manor of Hartpury dates back over a thousand years, and the village today is a thriving community with Post Office, Public House, Primary school and a modern village hall which is the hub for many local activities.
There are 5 individual detached properties, comprising two 5 bed/3 bath houses located on good sized plots, two four bed/two bath houses, and one three bedroomed property.
Heating is underfloor on ground floors, radiators upstairs, and all properties have solar panels as standard. A 10 year construction warranty is provided. Contact the agents or ourselves for more details.


Simon Doty has become one of the most prolific producers on the scene. Working with labels such as Stil vor Talent, Toolroom, Rhetorical and Steyoyoke.
Over the years, his music has seen heavy support from the likes of Solomun, Stephan Bodzin, Maceo Plex, Sasha, Henry Saiz and Laurent Garnier, to name a few.
Simon Doty now gives you access to his signature sound. Explore over 370 wav loops, recorded directly from his collection of analog synths.
27 Powerful analog bass loops.
27 Evolving melodic synth loops. All labelled with key and BPM information.
27 Three dimensional pad/texture loops.
27 Impactful and out of this world FX loops.
27 Carefully programmed top loops that will add energy to your productions.


Before you can create a managed phone for operation under a FENT (Far-End NAT Traversal) deployment model, you need to create a customized base settings configuration for the phone. The base settings configuration contains a group of settings found on the Base Phone and Base Line Appearance tabs in Phone Management and defines how a particular phone is to operate in PureCloud. Once you create a base settings configuration, you can create and configure a phone.
Note: This applies to all managed phones except WebRTC and remote phones.
Configure settings on the Base Phone tab.
Type a name in the Base Settings Name box.
From the Phone Make and Model list, select your phone.
Leave Standalone Features set to Off unless you are creating a base settings configuration for conference room phones. See Enable standalone features.
In the Phone Configuration section, click Media.
In the RTP Audio Port Start Range box, type 16384.
Configure settings on the Base Line Appearance tab.
Type a name in the Key Label box.
If you want this appearance to be available on the other keys, select the Span appearance to remaining keys check box.
In the Configuration section, click Signaling.
From the Protocol list, select TLS.
In the Listen Port box, type 8061.
In the Registration period box, type 300.
Once you save the Base Settings, you can proceed to Configure the phone settings article.


Just a few months ago, the world learned that long-time country start Glen Campbell has received a probable diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. Campbell is currently on his farewell tour, and he released his final album, "Ghost On The Canvas" at the end of August. This album includes several songs he co-wrote with the album's producer, Julian Raymond, as well as songs written for him by Jakob Dylan, Paul Westerberg and Robert Pollard.
When I heard about this album, I knew I wanted to listen to it. Glen Campbell is already popular among many of the folks I see for music therapy, and I thought it would be fascinating to hear the artistic work of a person who has been diagnosed with dementia – a person who is nearing the end of his career and facing a daunting disease process. "Ghost on the Canvas" did not disappoint.
To be honest, I am not overly familiar with Glen Campbell's previous recordings. I had heard some of his greatest hits, and I've known of his contributions to the country and pop music worlds, but I wasn't one who grew up with his music or who listened to it all the time. To that end, I can't really compare this album to his previous work, and I can't really say whether he sounds "worse" than he did on earlier albums.
I did wish, though, that I could hear Campbell's age more in his singing voice. That was one of my favorite things about Johnny Cash's last set of albums, hearing his voice as an older man. In "Ghost on the Canvas," it sounded to me like the producers used recording studio tricks to refine the sound of Campbell's voice, perhaps with pitch correction software or audio effects to make his voice sound stronger. I wish I could have heard just his voice, the way it sounds at this point in Campbell's life and career. I think there is a particular kind of beauty in that, the authentic sound of an older person's voice. That might not be true for the record-buying public, though, and the producers might have felt it necessary to make Campbell sound as pitch-perfect and strong-voiced as possible.
These lyrics are paired with the sound of strings, bells, and heavy drums and guitar that lend to the sound of defiant strength.
What follows that particular song, though, is a short interlude that is much more reflective and ethereal in sound. There are a few of these quieter interludes interspersed among the strong, brave and defiant songs, and they contribute significantly to the feeling that this album is a deeper, more complete portrayal of all the emotions and experiences Campbell is going through at this time of his life.
This album is a beautiful example of how art can portray life in a meaningful way, differently than with words alone. I highly recommend giving it a listen.
Have you heard any of the songs from "Ghost on the Canvas?" What did you think? Please leave your comment below!


Beautiful wicker basket with hand forged metal handle. Handle has blown glass pear and apple as well as hand-forged leaves. The basket is in excellent condition, sturdy for going to the market or taking on a picnic. Or would make a great accent piece anywhere in your home, (rolled up towels in the bath??) Found on a trip to Idaho near Lake Coeur d'Alene.
24″ long x 14″ wide and 9.5″ deep on the high side and 7″ at center. To top of the handle is 22″ high.


text:
Master Strategy
Get Tested Coachella Valley
Hands On Banking
Ashland Fiber Network
CASE STUDY: Get Tested Coachella Valley
Susan Unger served as Project Director of Get Tested Coachella Valley/Hazte la Prueba Valle de Coachella, a groundbreaking three-year, $5 million public health initiative of Desert AIDS Project, a nationally respected AIDS Service Organization in Palm Springs, California.
Get Tested Coachella Valley was designed to dramatically reduce the spread of HIV by:
Making voluntary HIV testing standard and routine medical practice
Making HIV testing and care available to everyone, including those who don't see healthcare providers on a regular basis
Addressing fear, judgment and stigma by educating and motivating individuals, whether HIV-negative or -positive, to protect their own health and prevent others from becoming infected
As Project Director, Susan designed, launched and managed every aspect of the initiative, from research and planning, through implementation, evaluation, and reporting, including conceptualizing and producing a region-wide, bilingual communications campaign.
Keys to Susan's successful management of the initiative included: building a supportive coalition of more than 100 community partners; implementing an effective data collection and tracking process; and, ensuring that the needed infrastructure was put in place to sustain the success of the initiative.
For the complete story of the Get Tested Coachella Valley, click here: View the Results Recap report
The Get Tested Coachella Valley campaign got underway in March 2012, when Marsha Martin, an internationally-recognized consultant on HIV prevention, suggested that Desert AIDS Project (D.A.P.), a nationally-respected AIDS Service Organization in Palm Springs, lead an HIV testing campaign in the Coachella Valley region of California.
For more than 30 years, D.A.P. had been committed to not only treating HIV, but to ending the epidemic once and for all. A recently-published international study, published in the journal Science, had announced an exciting, breakthrough finding: when individuals who are HIV positive take the appropriate medications, they become 96% less infectious. That meant that if everyone in the Coachella Valley got tested, and anyone who tested positive got onto medication, the region could become the first place anywhere to stop the spread of HIV.
Susan Unger served as Project Director of Get Tested Coachella Valley, a groundbreaking three-year, $5 million public health initiative of Desert AIDS Project to dramatically reduce the spread of HIV by:
• Making voluntary HIV testing standard and routine medical practice
• Making HIV testing and care available to everyone, including those who don't see healthcare providers on a regular basis
• Addressing fear, judgment and stigma by educating and motivating individuals, whether HIV-negative or -positive, to protect their own health and prevent others from becoming infected
Keys to Susan's successful management of the initiative included: structuring the multi-year project into a series of phases; building a supportive coalition of more than 100 community partners; implementing an effective data collection and tracking process; and, ensuring that the needed infrastructure was put in place to sustain the program post-campaign.
For the complete story of the Get Tested Coachella Valley campaign, click here: VIEW THE RESULTS RECAP REPORT
Strategy & Content Development
MASTER STRATEGY is a results-focused management consulting and marketing firm that assists businesses and nonprofit organizations to define and achieve their highest priority strategic objectives. Our primary services are strategic planning, marketing strategy, research, and content development, including white papers, blog posts, proposals, case statements, speeches, press releases, website content, curriculum, sales and marketing collateral, and reports.
MASTER STRATEGY|Palm Springs CA|760.250.2801
1775 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite 110-167

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Daniel Loh: Google down $80 in 30 mins! Well, we warn you right?
Google down $80 in 30 mins! Well, we warn you right?
I am surprised at today's drop in google price in mid day because it seems there is a mistake in the earnings release timing. Google should release after market closes. Instead the release is now in mid day 12am Singapore time. CNBC say it is unusual and someone accidentally release it.
But seriously, i am not surprised about the drop. If you saw my article, I warn everybody to get out of tech sector stocks last week before google earnings as I expect a big disappointment! Actually I expect this stock might drop $100 though I did not short it. Reason is earnings release is so risky. I have been through the experience of guessing it right 4/5 times. But the one time that I guess wrong is enough to wipe off all my profits.
One of my principle in short term trading is not to hold stocks through earnings day. This is because I do not want the heart attack of waking up to know I have lost thousands of dollars overnight.
But last week, I am perhaps the only few and first people to warn you to get out of tech stocks on thursday because I know the risk of a google breakdown.
this is the most valuable lesson that I have learnt in my 10 years of trading in US market, whenever a company ran up too much before its earnings, more likely than not, the company will GAP DOWN on earnings day.
The amazing thing that I found out is, Wallstreet always think otherwise. Today they are dumbfounded by the drop.
Believe me, those analysts' or commendators or press and media do not know anything about trading! I have lost enough money trusting them that I know. They have been saying BUY BUY BUY before its release. Never trust MEDIA and ANALYSTS. They never trade and know nothing about EXPECTATION. It will happen again in future to some other stocks... I would rather you trust our blog than those professionals who appear in media or TV.
BUT now, do you know what is the good news?
Now that tech may have reported its worst earnings with google , we think it may be time to be bullish for some tech stocks... haha. I am going to see if I can pick up some good potential tech stocks that has done well in its earnings.
One good stock is EBAY which has issued a good earnings.


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text:
What It's Really Like to Live on Catalina Island
Stunning views. Car-free streets. White sand beaches. What's it really like to call paradise home?
Annette Benedetti
On Friday, July 13, 2018 - 07:00
iStock Photo/raphoto
Catalina has long been considered an accessible island escape for those living on the mainland. Just 22 miles off the southern California coast, visitors are welcomed by warm waters, white sand beaches and palm trees. This sweet destination is so idyllic that it's been the filming location for over 500 movies, and has been a beloved retreat to celebrities like Charlie Chaplin, Joan Crawford and Clark Gable.
While Catalina is perfect for a weekend filled with activities like snorkeling, basking in the sun and sipping cocktails, it is also home to an island community that is passionate about their way of life. If the idea of making this dreamy getaway your home sounds intriguing, there's no better way to find out what you need to know than by heeding the advice of those who have successfully built a life there.
Here's the scoop.
iStockPhoto/eeilers
A Small Town That Feels a World Away
Only an hour from LA by boat, Catalina is 76 square miles in area, most of which lies within a protected conservancy. Avalon is the biggest town on the island, and also where people moving there are most likely to live. The area has a mild climate, with temperatures that rarely fluctuate beyond 50-85°F, and locals generally enjoy a casual day-to-day lifestyle.
Cathy Miller is the Director of Marketing and Sales for the Catalina Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau. She moved to the small city two years ago and says that what brought her there was the place itself. "When you arrive in Avalon Bay, you feel like you are a world away and in a different country," she says. "In fact, many visitors ask us if they need a passport to visit and if their cell phones will work here on their US cell service plan."
iStock Photo/miroslav_1
7 Underrated Places You Have to Stop on Your California Road Trip
These 7 gems might not have been on your radar before, but they will be now.
Avalon may not be a different country, but it is truly a small town. It takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes to walk end-to-end, and it is home to just 4,000 full-time residents. According to Cathy, the local population is diverse both ethnically and demographically, despite its small size. She describes the locals as largely humble, hard-working, middle-class people. "It's a quaint town, but not everyone who lives here is rich."
With two grocery stores, a hospital, medical and dental services, and cable television and phone services all available locally, residents don't have to leave the island to get their basic needs met. You won't find big-box stores in Avalon, though; the nearest Target is a ferry ride away. While most residents consider that a plus, Cathy admits, "I wouldn't cry if a mini-Trader Joe's set up shop on the island."
iStockPhoto/WilliamSherman
By law, only 400 permitted, full-sized cars and trucks are allowed on the island, and the waiting list for a full-size vehicle permit is about 40 years. Two cars must leave the island for one new permit to be issued. As a result, most residents use golf carts to get around the one-by-one-and-a-half-mile town of Avalon.
There are currently about 1,500 golf carts permitted in Avalon. Other popular modes of transportation include bicycles, mopeds, motorcycles and walking. The lack of full-sized vehicles makes Avalon streets safe for kids to roam more freely than they do on the mainland.
Greg Miller is the owner of the Hotel Metropole and Metropole Marketplace. He's worked on the island for 43 years and was a regular visitor for 15 years prior to relocating. "I love being near the ocean and living in a community with no traffic lights," he says. "And I don't have to get into a car every day. I can just walk."
iStock Photo/pastorscott
When locals do head to the mainland, they typically take the Catalina Express: a ferry just for people. The commute takes approximately an hour and costs around $75/ person for a round trip. "I like that to get to the mainland I don't have to drive. Rather, I sit outside, relax for an hour and feel the ocean breeze, and try and watch the dolphins dancing," says Cathy. "It's a time I can catch up on my favorite podcasts. Since I don't have any commute time on the island, it's challenging to stay caught up on my favorites."
istockphoto.com/LoweStock
What It's Really Like to Take a Ferry to Work Every Day
Ever wondered what it's really like to trade a crowded highway for open water? We did too. So we hopped on a Washington ferry to ask.
Haley Anne Stickler is Island Enterprises' Director of Operations. She has lived on Catalina Island her entire life. As a youth growing up in Avalon, Haley's life was much like that of children growing up anywhere. She attended school during the fall, winter, and spring — and she hung out and worked with her dad during the summer months.
Eventually, she left to get her US Coast Guard Master's License so that she could run boats for the family. Now, she dedicates her time to the family business. "I have the best office, the best job, and I love the community here," says Stickler.
iStockPhoto/pastorscott
Avalon is primarily a resort community with a tourism-based economy. Those looking to move there are likely to find work as entrepreneurs, or in the entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food service industries.
"If you are retired, it is a great community. If you are young, be prepared to work a lot to keep up with the cost of living," says Greg. "The rewards are clean air, clean water and a healthy outdoor lifestyle."
As a small town with limited housing options, finding a place to live in Avalon can be a challenge. "Housing is hard to find, so seriously take that into consideration first," warns Stickler. "If you can secure housing, or a place to stay, then you've already conquered the hardest part."
iStock Photo/DOUGBERRY
Greg agrees, advising newcomers to be patient and work on becoming part of the community. "After you've been here a while and get to know people, your housing options will improve."
Off-the-clock, locals spend a good amount of time outdoors. "I love that I can be out of town without cell service in about 20 minutes," says Stickler. "I love the water and I have horses. Catalina allows me to have the best of both worlds — two completely different worlds — a short drive from each other."
Courtesy of CaptSpaulding under a CC 4.0 license.
8 Reasons to Move to California
Natural beauty, cutting-edge technology, vibrant food culture, movies and music - California has it all.
Cathy describes life on Catalina as being pretty much as idyllic as it seems. "Kids can run around town, swim in the ocean and play in parks unsupervised," she says. "You hear kids playing and laughing outside a lot. Family and life are the priority here."
Annette is a writer, editor and photographer from Portland, OR.


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Oregon Revenues Are Up, But Questions Remain
By Chris Lehman
Published February 22, 2017 at 1:56 PM AKST
Chris Lehman
Chris Lehman graduated from Temple University with a journalism degree in 1997. He landed his first job less than a month later, producing arts stories for Red River Public Radio in Shreveport, Louisiana. Three years later he headed north to DeKalb, Illinois, where he worked as a reporter and announcer for NPR–affiliate WNIJ–FM. In 2006 he headed west to become the Salem Correspondent for the Northwest News Network.
See stories by Chris Lehman


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African Aviation: Has the Lucrative Accra-Lagos Route collapsed?
June 14, 2016 Sunday Onen Leave a comment
By Ikechi Uko
Ikechi Ayo Iroche had booked a Business Class ticket on Medview from Accra to Lagos and when he turned up at the Airport on Sunday morning he found out the flight has been cancelled and nobody informed him. He had to buy an Arik ticket for $315 to get back home to Lagos. That probably was a sign of things to come. Today it would have been worse as an economy ticket from Lagos to Accra is between $200 and $300 depending on whose exchange rate you are using. The bottom has finally fallen out of the once lucrative Lagos Accra market. As Arik and Aero are now the only regular Nigerian Carriers on the route complemented by the dogged but surely growing Ghanaian carrier Africa World Airlines AWA.
Even Arik and Aero have scaled down operations to once a day in some instances and the use of a smaller aircraft. Medview and Dana the other Nigerian carriers on the route have become somewhat Epileptic.The biggest winner on this route is turning out to be the Ghanaian carrier AWA. It had applied a right equipment an Embraer 45 and changed schedules many times to find the right spot and timing. It established a smart schedule integrity for its evening flight always leaving almost on time. Now with the Forex crisis in Nigeria and AWA price stability it's only disadvantage which was the fact that most Nigerians don't like small planes has turned into an advantage as Aero now uses a Dash-8 and Arik sometimes a CRJ all small crafts. Arik because of its multiple connections and network is also surviving added to its new lower pricing as compared to Aero.
AWA would be the first Ghanaian Carrier to survive the Brutal competition on the Lagos Accra route. Other attempts by Antrak in the past had failed. The over supply of Available seats on the route helped depress the market coupled with shrinking economic activity in Nigeria. Dana had started a daily evening flight to Accra with an MD 83 aircraft to join Medview that had a daily morning flight using a B737-400. Arik flies twice daily with a B737-700 next gen. and Aero twice daily with a B737-500. There were flights by ASKY from Lagos via Lome to Accra using a dash 8 . There daily flights from Abuja by Arik to Accra. Outside Lagos Abuja and Port Harcourt this was the sweet route for Nigeria Airlines. It was a bragging right for an Airline to initiate a flight to Accra. But with a supply of over 1500 seats daily the competition was intense. The Land route had ABC and Chisco doing 3 or 4 buses a day to Accra along with other coach services. More than 100,000 Nigerians hit the Accra route in a year.
Lure of Ghana
Last year after the inauguration of President Buhari the Out going President of Neighbouring Benin Republic paid him a visit. President Boni Yaya complained that while Benin is the 37th state in Nigeria based on cultural and Language similarities Nigerians fly over Benin to go and invest in Ghana.
Thousands of Nigerian students school in Ghana. When Private Universities are established in Ghana it is targeted at Nigerian students. They accept NECO as entry requirements so it's quite easy for failed JAMB candidates to head to Ghana. With Incessant Strikes by Nigerian Universities most Parents relocated theirs wards to Ghana. It was reported that 50% of the top Real Estate sales in Accra are done by Nigerians with the successful sales of the highly priced Luxury villa by the owners of Movenpick Hotel a prime example. Nigerian Families went on holidays in Ghana and every Hotel in Accra relied on the supply of happy spending Nigerians for their cash flow These lure for all things Ghana had guaranteed passengers for the Airlines. All these continued until May 29 2015 and a new leader emerged in Nigeria and everything fell apart.
Just before 2015 the market was so sure of the Nigerians that all Ghanaian Hotels stopped marketing in Nigeria. They have taken it for Granted that the Nigerians will come. Even the Ghana Tourism Authority stopped attending the annual Travel show in Lagos Akwaaba. In their absence South African Tourism , Dubai Tourism and Kenya increased their marketing in Nigeria in the case of Dubai and South Africa very Aggressive. So while the Ghana number were declining Dubai, Kenya and South Africa grew its Arrivals from Nigeria.
Aero has proven to be the most Resilient of all Nigerian carriers despite being accused earlier in its operations of lacking courage. It is the oldest Airline still flying in Nigeria today. It was a competitor to Virgin Nigeria on the Accra route when it started in 2004. Arik joined later and had since prospered on the route. This was a Bellview cash cow before it collapsed. It is also the graveyard of many airlines.
When a Nigerian Airlines thinks it has matured it heads to Accra and when they lose out on the route they eventually collapse. There is no Airline that lost on the route that eventually survived. It's usually a sign of tough times for the Airline. But in this situation the problem is the near collapse of the Nigerian economy in the last one year. If foreign Airlines are pulling out of Nigeria because of the Forex crisis how many Airlines will be left standing by the end of this year. The signs are there for all to see, the Passenger is now paying more than 3 times the cost of a 50 minutes flight. It might get worse as the market shrinks. The prices will go up unless there is an increased supply of seats by one of the other Airlines.
When the prices go up it will attract more carriers and more carriers will eventually depress the market again. It has happened many times before and is happening again now. So fasten your seat belt for the rough ride. No one knows how long it will last. Considering the fact that Nigerians are still traveling it will be nice for Ghana to restart its marketing effort in Nigeria or suffer the fate of The Gambia that lost a huge part of its Nigerian Travelers with the exit of Virgin Nigeria and Gambian Bird. It will be nice to have more Ghanaians travel to Nigeria.
It is against this background that Tourism and Travel Leaders from all over West Africa will be meeting in Accra, Ghana on the 15th of July 2016, at the Accra Weizo event, to discuss The challenges facing Travels in West Africa.
Accra Weizo is an event put together by the organizers of Akwaaba African Travel Market with the support of Ghana Ministry of Tourism Culture and Creative Arts.
The 2016 edition themed: "Seamless Travels in West Africa" will host a discussion session on West Africa as a Single Destination.
The session will have as discussants the President of Nigeria Association of Tour Operators (NATOP),Tour Operators Union of Ghana (TOUGHA), National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), and heads of the Tourism Associations from Benin and Togo. It will be moderated by a leading Ghanaian Journalist.
Accra Weizo is hosted by La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, supported by Ethiopian Airlines and Accra city hotel.
The 2nd Accra Weizo is themed: "Seamless Travel in West-Africa". It will be an in-depth look at ways to improve Travel and Tourism growth in West Africa through easy access to towns and cities in West Africa. Improving and simplifying Airport and Border processes; Standardizing Hotel and facilities for tourism through shared vision.
The Guest Speaker in the Aviation session is Mr. Henock Teferra, the Managing Director of ASKY Airlines, ASKY Airlines is a pan Africa airline, based in Lome, Togo. He will be speaking on the topic "The Challenges of Running a Successful Regional Airline in West Africa, at the Event.
The Tourism session will be on "The Prospect of West Africa as a Single Tourism Destination". There will be case studies like "SAT Experience in West Africa" by Hloni Pitso, the Regional Manager of South Africa Tourism in West Africa.
Other speakers at this year's event are the Chief Executive Officer of Aero Contractors Limited, Captain Fola Akinkuotu and the Vice Chairman of SAHCOL Mr. Chike Ogeah.
Captain Akinkuotu who was the former Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), is also a pilot, as well as flight and aircraft engineer, and has vast experience in the aviation industry will be heading the team of panelists which include several top aviation experts and government functionaries as they discuss and deal with issues that relate the how theme of this year's event: "Seamless Travel in West-Africa" during the 2nd Accra Weizo.
Mr. Chike Ogeah served as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Skyway Aviation Handling Company Ltd. Mr. Ogeah is currently the Vice Chairman of Skyway Aviation Handling Company Ltd. Mr. Chike will be speaking on 'Integrating Airport Operations in West Africa.
Mr. Ikechi Uko, the Organizer, said Accra Weizo is a one-day Travel Seminar, Awards, Exhibition and the objective is to improve Travel and Tourism growth in West Africa through easy access to towns and cities in West Africa. The West Africa Award (Balafon) will hold at 5pm, with award categories to include: West Africa Tourism Man of the Year, West Africa Aviation Man of the Year, West African Personality of the Year, and Top 50 Hotels in West Africa.
Over 150 Travel Professionals are expected from all over West-Africa. There will be tours on the 14th and 16th to Cape Coast.
The maiden edition of Accra Weizo in 2015, attracted some global rated expert like Adefunke Adeyemi, Regional-Head, IATA for Africa and the Middle East. She spoke on Intra Africa Air Connectivity, the facts, Challenges and Benefits. Mr. Frank Nneji, Managing Director, ABC Transport Limited, Dr. Kwabena Adjei, Founder Kasapreko Company Limited, Femi Adefope- Head HRG & GSA Delta Airlines in Nigeria were all Speakers at Accra Weizo 2015. The Tourism session will be on "The Prospect of West Africa as a Single Tourism Destination". There will be case studies like "SAT Experience in West Africa" by Hloni Pitso, the Regional Manager of South Africa Tourism in West Africa.
Captain Akinkuotu who was the former Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), is also a pilot, as well as flight and aircraft engineer, and has vast experience in the aviation industry will be heading the team of panelists which include several top aviation experts and government functionaries as they discuss and deal with issues that relate the how theme of this year's event: "Seamless Travel in West-Africa" during the 2nd Accra Weizo. Mr. Chike Ogeah served as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Skyway Aviation Handling Company Ltd. Mr. Ogeah is currently the Vice Chairman of Skyway Aviation Handling Company Ltd. Mr. Chike will be speaking on 'Integrating Airport Operations in West Africa.
The maiden edition of Accra Weizo in 2015, attracted some global rated expert like Adefunke Adeyemi, Regional-Head, IATA for Africa and the Middle East. She spoke on Intra Africa Air Connectivity, the facts, Challenges and Benefits. Mr. Frank Nneji, Managing Director, ABC Transport Limited, Dr. Kwabena Adjei, Founder Kasapreko Company Limited, Femi Adefope- Head HRG & GSA Delta Airlines in Nigeria were all Speakers at Accra Weizo 2015.
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Category: ATQ News Archive, Aviation	Tags: Accra Weizo, Africa destination, African Aviation, AKWAABA, Arik, Asky airline, AWA, Dubai Tourism, Ghana Tourism Authority, Ghanaian Carrier, Ikechi Uko, Lucrative Accra Lagos Route, MedView, movenpick hotel, NECO, Nigeria Airlines, Nigerian carriers, South African Tourism


Yesterday DeeDee, Suzie, and I went out to some local wineries to do a little wine tasting, and generally just hang out together one last time. DeeDee is moving to Oregon this coming Tuesday, so we don't know when we'll be able to get together again. We visited three wineries: Tobin James, Laura's Vineyard, and the Horsey Winery. We sampled many yummy wines, and met some interesting people.
Well, the adventure I ended up not having yesterday, I wound up having today! I had to drive down to Ventura to exchange copies of our Writ at Attorneys Diversified. We were able to have our local Attorney Service courior the copies down yesterday, but some changes were made overnight, so I had to run the new copies down today. We still don't know if the Writ will even be filed or not, but it's nice to know it's down there just in case.
It was a nice drive - not much traffic, and the weather was good - and I was able to stop in Goleta on my way back and get an English Breakfast Tea latte at the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. I'd been craving one for a long time, and it was sooo good!
So, I might have Jury Duty today. Maybe, maybe not, I'm not sure. I'm on telephone stand-by. I have to call the recorded message again between 11:30 a.m. and noon to see what's next for me. If I'm set free from my obligation, I just might get to go on another little adventure for work, but I'm not sure yet.
Up in the air. I used to hate when my day was like that, but now, it's no big. Either experience will be interesting, I'm sure. More later.
11:35 a.m. Cancelled! I've been cancelled for jury duty! I'm not sure about the other adventure, yet, but at least one thing's been decided!
5:00 p.m. So, in the end, I wound up doing nothing. Not literally, of course, but I got out of jury duty and the possible adventure for work, too. I'm a little disappointed, but relieved at the same time. It's been quite a day!
This year's annual Summer Party was held at a rented vacation house just a few steps from the beach in Cayucos.


Posted by Alvaro B. on December 26, 2014. Brought to you by yahoolocal.
Afternoon cahier at drive through could be a little more sociable and considerate. No manners whatsoever. This guy could really make your day miserable if you let him.
Posted by Mike C. on September 22, 2014. Brought to you by yahoolocal.
Dunkin' Donuts is located at 2 Garfield Ave Ste 2, Jersey City, NJ. This business specializes in Restaurants.
Posted on November 03, 2012. Brought to you by ezlocal.


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Dominique Arribagé (Suresnes, 11 mei 1971) is een Frans voormalig voetballer. Hij speelde tijdens zijn carrière voor Toulouse en Stade Rennais. Na zijn spelerscarrière was hij kort trainer van Toulouse.

Spelerscarrière
Arribagé begon zijn spelersloopbaan in 1991 bij AS Muret. Na een seizoen vertrok hij naar Toulouse FC in de Ligue 1. Bij Toulouse debuteerde hij in een met 2–3 verloren wedstrijd van AS Saint-Étienne. Hij veroverde gedurende het seizoen 1993/94 een basisplaats, maar degradeerde wel naar de Ligue 2. Na twee jaar in de Ligue 2 te hebben gespeeld, promoveerde Arribagé met Toulouse in 1997 weer naar de Ligue 1. In het seizoen 1997/98 verkeerde Toulouse opnieuw in grote degradatiezorgen, maar de club kreeg het uiteindelijk toch voor elkaar lijfsbehoud te realiseren. In 1998 werd hij voor 2 miljoen frank verkocht aan Stade Rennais. Bij Rennes kende Arribagé zijn meest productieve tijd qua goals. Hij scoorde in zes jaar veertien keer. In 2004 werd Arribagé weer gecontracteerd door Toulouse. Hij beëindigde zijn carrière in 2008.

Trainerscarrière
Toen Alain Casanova gedurende het seizoen 2014/15 ontslagen werd als hoofdcoach van Toulouse FC, was Arribagé reeds als scout werkzaam bij de club. Hij promoveerde na het ontslag van Casanova tot hoofdcoach. Toulouse stond toen 18e en was dus nog niet uit de degradatiezone. Uiteindelijk eindigde Toulouse als zeventiende, genoeg om niet te degraderen. Het seizoen daarna stapte Arribagé zelf op. Hij werd opgevolgd door Pascal Dupraz.

Zie ook
 Lijst van spelers van Toulouse FC

Referentie

Arribagé, Dominique
Arribagé, Dominique

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


At The Surrey Wine Cellar, we pride ourselves on curating wonderful wines for any occasion.
Join us as we share new wine selections tailored to each of our customer's unique tastes each month.
Hand picked by our wine experts for your enjoyment. Every bottle of wine has been carefully selected by us through a meticulous tasting process. SWC has a wealth of experience, having selected wine for some of the most prestigious establishments in the world. We ensure that only the very best wines find themselves to you. Hassle-free and without breaking the bank.
Browse our gorgeous selection of boutique wines.
Take advantage of what's on offer!
Our wine club has been designed to suit our customer's personal preferences. We ensure that you receive a level of service that's perfectly tailored to you. It's a great way to expand your repertoire of wine and we can give you as much guidance as you require.


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Police Dog On Payroll: 'Indiana Bones' Is Woman's Best Friend
By Gloria Hillard
Published March 15, 2015 at 4:15 PM CDT
Indiana "Indy" Bones reports for duty on a field investigation, in which the dog sniffs to detect human remains for a reopened cold case.
From bomb and drug-sniffing duties to neighborhood patrol, dogs are widely used in law enforcement. Many agencies rely on volunteer canine teams to assist them with search and rescue operations and criminal investigations.
But the county of Los Angeles has a full-time four-legged detective on its payroll: Indiana Bones, or "Indy."
Karina Peck, an investigator and canine handler with the Los Angeles County coroner's office, is in a truck, rolling over uneven, hard-packed earth that dead-ends in a shallow canyon.
When it comes to a stop, Indiana Bones, a human remains detection dog, is on alert, nose sniffing the air.
Winding roads are not unfamiliar to Peck; behind the wheel of an LA coroner's vehicle, they often lead to secluded remote areas. Before she deploys the dog, Peck will take a look at the terrain. She's joined by Tim O'Quinn, a homicide detective for the LA County Sheriff's Department.
They're now in an area that was called out by one of their informants, O'Quinn says.
"Additional information came in from an old cold case," Peck says. "Two missing persons — and we have a possible location where they may be located now."
That information is new, but the case is more than a decade old. The area in question — the scene of a possible crime — covers more than 11 acres of heavy brush and gullies surrounded by jagged canyon walls.
"If you're going to kill somebody and bury them, this is the place to do it," O'Quinn says. "As you see how large an area this is, there's no way we're going to locate bodies unless the actual suspect who did it comes and points it out, and that's unlikely. So we're dependent on the cadaver dog to show us if there's anything worth digging."
Outside the truck, the dog's eyes are locked on her handler. They have worked together since 2009, finding buried bodies everywhere from backyards to wide stretches of wilderness. The dog was born and trained in the Netherlands, so her working commands are in Dutch.
"Alright, Sook. Indy — Sook," Peck instructs.
"Sook," or "search," signals Indy to bound down the hill, zigzagging over the terrain, nose to the ground. Peck shadows her, looking for behavior indicators: her breathing and body language.
The area is littered with the remains of bulldozed trailers, mounds of weathered lumber, twisted metal, paint cans and tires. Peck tells the detectives that with a case this old, the debris could be a problem.
"The scent's just not going to be as strong. If it was something more recent then we wouldn't need to remove it all, she would be able to pick it up easily from a distance," she says. But finding bone in itself is a bit more challenging.
Indiana Bones has more than 130 finds of recovered human remains, which have helped to secure murder convictions and provide long-sought closure for families of missing persons.
"There's a lot of soft areas in the soil, so it would be fairly easy to shovel out here," Peck says.
When Indy detects human remains, be it bone fragments, tissue or grave dirt, she will alert by first staring and then lying down on the spot. It's been close to two hours and that hasn't happened.
But Peck points out it had rained just the day before.
"Whenever it's cold and damp the molecules just don't rise the same way," she says. "So some of the areas are pretty muddy still."
Peck is hesitant in saying the area is clear — that there are no bodies buried here. But in a few weeks when the ground has dried out, they will come back.
For Indy this serious work is play, which is rewarded with her toy in Peck's back pocket.
/ Gloria Hillard for NPR
K-9 Handler Karina Peck and Indiana Bones in front of the coroner's vehicle at the Los Angeles County coroner's office.
"Not till you find me something. Sook — find it!" she commands.
What does Indy mean to the K-9 handler?
"Everything. She's the department's dog, but we're with each other 24/7," she says.
When Indy retires, Peck will be able to purchase her from the county for a dollar.
Now, it's time to head back to the city. Peck looks back at the dog and smiles. She knows that within minutes Indiana Bones will be softly snoring in the back of the truck.
Gloria Hillard
See stories by Gloria Hillard


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Brian Hecktman
Brian Hecktman is the founding principal and CEO of Graymark Capital. He has over 20 years of direct experience investing as a principal and working with institutional partners. Mr. Hecktman has completed over $1 billion of acquisitions in office, R&D, industrial, multifamily and residential sectors. Graymark Capital has grown its commercial portfolio to 17 investments for 1,588,000 square feet valued at over $500 million in major markets throughout the West Coast.
Prior to Graymark Capital, Mr. Hecktman served as the Senior Vice President of the Commercial Division for Fowler Property Acquisitions, a $2 billion real estate investment firm headquartered in San Francisco. Over seven years, Mr. Hecktman worked his way up from an analyst to the head of the commercial division. With FPA, he was involved in over 100 transactions with an average size over $10 million and providing superior returns to investors. In successfully starting and managing the commercial division, his responsibilities included acquisitions, due diligence, financing and portfolio management of a 25-property, $400 million commercial portfolio.
Mr. Hecktman has a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Chicago and a Bachelor of Science in accountancy and finance from the University of Illinois. Mr. Hecktman has worked with a number of non-profits in San Francisco, including SF Moderates, Hands On Bay Area and Project Homeless Connect.
Jeff Hoppen
COO and CFO
Jeff Hoppen is COO and CFO of Graymark Capital, and is a principal of the company. He has over 20 years of direct experience in real estate debt and equity financing and investing as a principal and within institutional joint ventures. He has completed over $5 billion in transactions within his career as an investor, borrower, equity partner or lender.
Before joining Graymark Capital, Mr. Hoppen was Managing Director, Capital Markets at Digital Realty Trust, one of the 15 largest public REITs in the U.S. At Digital, he led all private capital activities for the company – including raising joint venture equity, real estate funds, secured borrowing and lender relations. He was responsible for almost $1 billion in equity and debt financings while there. Prior to Digital, he was SVP at U.S. Bank, leading a team that marketed the bank's loan and capital markets offerings to REITs, opportunity funds and other major commercial real estate companies in the western U.S.
Prior to U.S. Bank, Mr. Hoppen spent 8 years as an executive at The Marcus & Millichap holding company, first as Chief Investment Officer, and then as a partner at subsidiary Sovereign Investment Company, a retail and office/industrial company focused on long-term leased projects. At M&M, he was responsible for debt and equity raising for the company's investment subsidiaries, as well as sitting on the firm's investment committee. At Sovereign, as CIO and acting CFO, he was one of two principals who managed the company's growth from 3 to 20 employees and to almost $1 billion of acquisitions. In addition, Mr. Hoppen has held other positions as a lender and investor with both large institutions and smaller private companies.
Mr. Hoppen has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from University of Toronto, and an MBA from York University. He is an active member of U.L.I. and N.A.I.O.P.
Rick Lafranchi
SVP Acquisitions and Portfolio Management
Rick Lafranchi is SVP Investments and Portfolio Management at Graymark Capital, and is a principal of the company. He has been active in real estate finance and asset management for over 10 years, with broad experience across all asset types. Mr. Lafranchi joined Graymark from Muir Group, a real estate investment firm. There he was responsible for deal origination, due diligence and asset management. Prior to this, Mr. Lafranchi worked as an associate with Cassidy Turley where he sourced and analyzed debt and equity requirements for owners of commercial real estate. Additionally, while at Cassidy Turley Mr. Lafranchi was responsible for the asset management of properties held in receivership. Asset management projects included office, retail and multifamily properties in various stages of stabilization or distress.
Previous work experience for Mr. Lafranchi includes working with Kearny Capital Partners, a boutique capital markets and receivership firm specializing in providing debt and equity and asset management services for projects ranging from $1mm -$100mm. At Kearny Capital Partners, Mr. Lafranchi worked in a Senior Analyst and Asset Management role where he arranged complex capital structures for all different property types as well as managed a portfolio of distressed properties in Receivership.
Mr. Lafranchi's additional work experience includes launching his own real estate finance company, which engaged in both residential and commercial real estate finance, and consulting for Hines Interests, LP in Panama and working with a developer in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Mr. Lafranchi received his Bachelor's degree in History from the University of California, Los Angeles and his MBA with a concentration in Finance from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas in Austin. He is currently a member of the Belden Club, a San Francisco real estate organization and the Urban Land Institute (ULI).
Gavin Hession
Gavin Hession is the Investment Analyst of Graymark Capital. Prior to joining Graymark, he worked in Comerica Bank's Technology and Life Sciences division where he was responsible for underwriting loan transactions to institutionally-backed technology companies.
Gavin has a Bachelor of Science in Economics with a Concentration in Finance from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. As an undergrad, he studied the effects of monetary policy decisions on the savings behavior of U.S. households, and helped create the business plan for DTE Materials, a sustainable building materials manufacturer, which went on to raise seed funding.
Gavin is a member of the San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR), Urban Land Institute (ULI), and NAIOP. In his spare time he works at the California Academy of Sciences as a Volunteer Docent.


Heights of Enforcement! Am I'm loving it ?
How fast does it take for you to eat fast food? Well stop thinking, because McDonald's has found the answer ! Burger giant McDonald's, is making customers finish their food within 45 minutes or face a charge of £125!! Talk about enforcement.
Motorists who care to linger over their McMeals for any longer at some drive-throughs are receiving demands from a private company that manages car parks for the burger chain.
If they do not pay, the fee rises steadily and customers are threatened with court action and approached by bailiffs. A spokeswoman for McDonald's said the 45-minute restrictions had been introduced at about 40 restaurants because car parks were being abused. She said signs explaining the policy were displayed and leaflets given out. So bottom line is get fat fast !!


Great book worth the money worth the time. Get this book.
Loch Ness holds secrets, ancient and deadly. Does a monster inhabit its depths, or is it just myth? Why, after thousands of reported sightings and dozens of expeditions, is there still no hard evidence?
Marine biologist Zachary Wallace knows, but the shock of his near-drowning as a child on Loch Ness have buried all memories of the incident. Now, a near-death experience suffered while on expedition in the Sargasso Sea has caused these long-forgotten memories to resurface. Haunted by vivid night terrors, stricken by a sudden fear of the water, Zach finds he can no longer function as a scientist.
Unable to cope, his career all but over, he stumbles down a path of self-destruction...until he receives contact from his estranged father, a man he has not seen since his parents divorced and he left Scotland as a boy.
Angus Wallace, a wily Highlander who never worked an honest day in his life, is on trial for murdering his business partner. Only Zachary can prove his innocence, if he is innocent, but to do so means confronting the nightmare that nearly killed him 17 years earlier.
Incorporating the latest research and "new evidence", that leads to real answers concerning the monster's identity, best-selling author Steve Alten weaves a tale of horror about the most publicized and controversial creature ever to exist.
This is a wonderful blend of fact and fiction. Quick to lure me in and held my attention the whole way. The story beautifully incorporates a concise history of Scotland and geology and biology facts. Overall it was as educational as entertaining. It was also well narrated, and was easy for me to discern which character was speaking due in part to the well performed accents.
One hour into this book is one of the scariest scenes I have ever read. Alten is a sort of fringe science writer. I happen to be someone who enjoys that sort of escapism. Most of his books involve a lot of research. I like hearing all the science and some of the history, but I think he went to long on the Scottish History this time. I don't want a chronological list of all the kings of England and/or Scotland.
I loved all the talk of Evolution and Mutations. I did not care for the Black Knights of the Templar part of the story. The story would have been better, had he had not insisted on making them part of the conspiracy part of the book.
I liked Zachary, the main character. He showed humility and I could not help having empathy for him. I did feel it unbelievable that a young man, would prefer a young woman think him impotent instead of admitting he was scared of water.
The love story was awful. Brandi is the girl he loves. She dumps him and sleeps with another man, who happens to be a jerk. She does it for money, but she is not a whore? A couple of hours after the jerk drowns, she is back in bed with Zachary and totally in love.
I was entertained about 90% of the time and I did learn a lot, even about migraines, which I did not realize I cared about. I also learned about the Sargasso Sea. I had heard about it, but always figured it was around the Indian Ocean. Wrong, it is in the Atlantic.
I like Alten's writing. He writes about fringe science, while giving you real science. His book Meg is really good, as well as The Omega Project. This book is not as good as those two, but it is still entertaining. I will be getting the sequel.
This guy does a great job. In parts his narration is more acting, than narrating. I think that adds to the atmosphere of the book.
I probably should have researched the author's niche first. Appears to be with 10 - 12 year old boys, based on this book. Plot turns are predictable. There are only two memorable female characters. Both are curvaceous. One is the monster. The lead character is relentlessly miserable. Having been on Loch Ness, the descriptions are OK at best. Not evocative of the country or history for me - tries to be - but lumbers through it. Will research books about Scotland for other choices.
Where does The Loch rank among all the audiobooks you've listened to so far?
I believe that The Loch may have just moved to the top of my list. P.J. Ochlan did a wonderful job with all the character voices and really made me feel that I was listening to the characters. Was very happy to see the P.J. also performed the next book, Vostok as well.
This was my first book with PJ but I am now on Vostok and very happy to hear his narration once again. I love the continuity.
The whole store is great, not much more I can say.
I loved the Meg series and really love this one. I hope to listen to more of the great tales. These characters are great and loved the crossover that is happening in Vostok and Meg 5. Steve Alten is a wonderful story teller. Keep up the great work! The education you learn on Scotland is quite amazing as well. At first I was like what is this all about, but as the story went on, I found myself looking forward to those parts quite a bit.
Would you listen to The Loch again? Why?
If you could take any character from The Loch out to dinner, who would it be and why?
Angus. He seems to have a lot to say.
Would you consider the audio edition of The Loch to be better than the print version?
Yes, I enjoyed the fluid changes in the narrators voice and accent throughout the book.
His ability to jostle his voice and personality making the characters come alive.
If you could rename The Loch, what would you call it?
The book was amazing. I purchased the book on a whim needing something to read but really enjoying the Meg Series from Mr. Alten. I am glad I took the chance.
awsome narrator. Nailed the accents.
The author came presented a plausible theory. Likeable main characters. I highly recomend this book.
I tried, I really did...but I just couldn't get through it. It is poorly written and the performance is one-note. I also have a really hard time listening to American voice-over actors butchering British & Scottish accents.
As my headline says it's a pretty good story but I was frustrated by the seemingly endless lectures on history and biology contained within the story.
Scottish accents were mostly quite poor. People with Scottish accents using America pronunciation .
i really enjoyed the story packed with mystery and suspense. the accents were convincing and the characters in depth. i came here after listening to the meg series and was not disappointed, great book, great author and a great recording.
Like the first Meg books this carries just enough (almost) credible science to back what is an enthralling story. The characters have depth and there is enough mystery to keep you hooked.
Great story, great narration with a beautiful Scottish accent. I will look for more from both author and narrator.
Would you try another book written by Steve Alten or narrated by P. J. Ochlan?
Absolutely not, this story is badly written, unbelievable (apart from the obvious aquatic monster element) and irritating. The characters are two-dimensional, unlikely and impossible to relate to. The female characters are portrayed as shallow and stupid, and the principal character (and no doubt the author) is a misogynist. Much of the detail relating to Scotland is inaccurate. Added to this the book is lacking in pace and altogether boring.
Has The Loch put you off other books in this genre?
I like the genre, but this book isn't a good example of it.
The 'Scottish' accents are duff and distinctly Russian sounding.
I assume the end of it, but I didn't get that far.
great story with plenty of depth and intrigue.
A great creature feature story without overdoing the creature. Keeps you interested and entertained while adding more depth and detail than you might expect.
Great story, loved all the twists and turns. The narrator did a great job with a range of accents. The story was also very suspensive and scary at times. Also loved the atmospheric descriptions of Loch Ness.
Only drawback was it made me miss being in the Highlands.
Narration was very good and the description of Drumnadrochit and surrounds was spot on.


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Home / Google / technology / Google Street View Now in the Philippines
Google Street View Now in the Philippines
Robert Villamor September 21, 2015 Google, technology
The popular Google Street View is now finally and officially launched in the Philippines. Street View is one of so many free and innovative products of Google that allows users to visually explore places on a street-level point-of-view using their computers or smartphones as if they were in those places. This makes our country the 69th nation in the world to be included in this gigantic mapping project of Google.
Pambansang Kamao Manny Pacquiao graced the Philippine launch of Google Street View event last Wednesday, September 16, 2015 and encouraged everyone from around the globe to visit the places he grew up in General Santos city through Google Street View.
"I'm happy that I can share the beauty of my hometown and province to the world through Street View. Not many people know that we have a lot of eco-tourism wonders in Sarangani and one of the biggest fish ports in the country in General Santos City, that was the venue of the largest display of tuna, now an Official Guinness World Record. Now, they can take a look and plan their next visit. Through this, people can also virtually tour my farm, my beach resorts, or take a glimpse of the Wildcard Gym, where I have fond memories as a boxer," said Manny Pacquiao, representative of the lone district of Sarangani.
"We're very excited to be unveiling these new 360-degree panoramas of the Philippines today. This new Street View imagery showcases how countries are embracing online tools such as Google Maps as mediums for preserving their heritage and landscapes. With these images, Filipinos and visitors alike can now explore the beauty of the Philippines and share these with their friends and family at home and abroad," said Ken Lingan, Country Manager, Google Philippines.
We can now explore and see the beauty of the Philippines right in the comfort of our home or anywhere we are through this Street View. As of writing, there are about 37 cities and another 35 historic locations covered in this Google Street View Philippines.


Between 1904 and 1908 Kent County Council rebuilt the Branbridges at East Peckham. The Great Torbay Bridge was removed and replaced by a wider bridge with a single opening. The Little Torbay Bridge was widened, and the roadway was raised between the Medway Bridge and the Great Torbay Bridge to place it above the reach of floods and to improve the gradient of the approaches. The roadway was widened throughout to 20 feet wide, and a footpath was constructed on the east side.
The Rochester Bridge Trust contributed half of the £12,442 15s. 5d. total cost of the bridges and half of the £2,465 19s. 8d. total cost of the bridge approaches.


Employing a number of strategies effectively now can be critical in helping ensure you achieve your financial goals and objectives.
Outlined below are some superannuation and tax planning strategies to help boost your retirement savings, maximise Government entitlements and legitimately minimise your tax payable.
Concessional Contributions can save you tax this year: If you are a sole trader or small business owner, you should consider paying additional money into your superannuation fund before 30 June 2016. This is a great way to boost your super and reduce your tax this financial year.
However, you need to be aware of, and monitor, your superannuation concessional contribution limit as penalty tax may apply if it is exceeded. For the 2015-16 financial year the contribution limits are $30,000, or $35,000 if you were 49 years of age or over on 30 June 2015.
Non-Concessional Contributions can save you tax and boost your retirement savings in the long term: If you have money sitting in a bank account, why not consider putting some of these funds into super. Due to the significant tax advantages in super, this strategy could save you thousands of dollars of tax now and in retirement. However, Non-Concessional Contribution caps do apply, so it is important you stay within these limits to avoid having to pay any excess tax.
Please contact our office if you would like more information about how much you can contribute to super before 30 June 2016.
Budget note: Effective Budget night (3 May 2016), a lifetime cap of $500,000 on the amount of non-concessional contributions that can be made into superannuation applies. This limit will look back to count non-concessional contributions made on or after 1 July 2007. If a person has already exceeded the $500,000 lifetime cap, they will not be penalised for any existing excess amount above $500,000. However, they will be penalised if they make any further non-concessional contributions. For more information on the recent Federal Budget announcements, please refer to our communication here.
If you are an employee, you can often enter into an arrangement with your employer where you choose to 'sacrifice' part of your before-tax salary and add it directly to your super account.
If your taxable income is likely to be more than $18,200 a year, salary sacrificing into super can reduce the tax you pay and help boost your retirement savings.
You may wish to consider using salary sacrifice for any bonuses you are receiving this year or arrange to set up salary sacrifice for next year.
If your spouse earns less than $13,800 per annum, you may qualify for an 18% tax offset where you contribute up to $3,000 to their super fund. That's a potential saving of up to $540 in your tax return this financial year.
Government co-contributions are an easy and cost effective way to top-up your retirement savings using some of your own money, and some of the Government's.
If your total income is less than $35,454 and you make personal contributions of $1,000 to your super account, you will receive the maximum co-contribution of $500. If your total income is greater than $35,454 but less than $50,454, your maximum entitlement will reduce progressively as your income rises.
To be eligible, individuals must earn at least 10% of their income from carrying on a business or as an employee, be a permanent resident of Australia and be under 71 years of age at the end of the 2016 financial year.
This is an easy way to boost your retirement savings and for a parent wanting to help their children, we find it is a great way to encourage future savings and give them a head start with their super.
If you have a geared investment portfolio or rental property you may be able to prepay up to 12 months interest on the loan and bring forward your tax deduction to this financial year.
By pre-paying interest you are locking in the interest rate you pay for the following year. This can give you certainty around the cost of your investment and seeing interest rates are low at present, it may be a strategy worth considering.
Income protection premiums are generally tax deductible. Choosing to pre-pay your premiums for the next 12 months may allow you to bring forward a tax deduction from next year into the current year – potentially saving you tax this financial year.
Donations or gifts of $2 or more to approved organisations and charities are tax deductible and may reduce your overall tax. Ensure you retain receipts for donations made.
If you are considering investing in residential or business property you may be able to do so through your SMSF.
Remember: If you're considering buying a property inside your SMSF there are a number of complex rules and regulations that apply. It is imperative you seek advice specific to your circumstances.
Spouse contribution splitting allows you to split certain contributions from your super account to your spouse's – helping boost their retirement savings. If your spouse is older than you, you may also get the benefit of gaining access to your superannuation savings sooner.
You have until 30 June each year to split certain contributions made to your super fund in the previous financial year. If you would like assistance to arrange this split, please give us a call before 30 June.
The Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Regulations 1994 require SMSF trustees to consider the life insurance requirements of their members as part of the SMSF's Investment Strategy.
When deciding whether your SMSF should own a life and disability insurance policy for its members, Trustees have the responsibility to consider any risks that could make it difficult to pay a member his or her benefit if they pass away or become totally disabled.
Property is a great example of where insurance could be useful. Property is a popular investment choice in an SMSF which could tie up much of the Fund's value in illiquid, direct assets. On the death or disablement of a member, the SMSF may not be able to sell, or may not want to sell, the property to fund the benefit payment. Life and Disability insurance may provide the funding for the SMSF to pay the lump sum benefit when required and still retain the property in the super fund for the remaining members.
Where a claim event occurs (i.e. death or disablement), and the Trustee has not adequately considered the personal circumstances of each member when deciding to hold a contract for insurance, the Trustee may be held liable for inadequate insurance provided or offered.
As a trustee of a SMSF, it is important you and your Adviser review all your options in light of this requirement. If you have any concerns about whether you have met this obligation, please contact your adviser for further information.
If you are aged 55 or over (as at 30 June 2015), transition-to-retirement (TTR) rules mean you may be able to access your super while you are still working. This could potentially open up a range of flexible working and lifestyle options, such as reducing your working hours without reducing your income.
If you are turning 60 years of age or more at some time in 2015/16 and commence a pension, all amounts withdrawn after your 60th birthday are tax free.
A TTR strategy can also potentially improve the tax-effectiveness of your income – which could actually help you grow your retirement savings faster.
Budget note: From 1 July 2017, the Government plans to remove the tax exemption on earnings of assets supporting TTRs. It also plans to remove a rule that allows individuals to treat certain superannuation income stream payments as lump sums for tax purposes. For more information on the recent Federal Budget announcements, please refer to our communication here.
Are you looking for a tax-effective way to sell or restructure your business?
Subject to meeting the basic requirements, small business owners can take advantage of the Government's Small Business Concessions to reduce or even extinguish any capital gains tax from the sale of a business or business asset. If you have sold, or are thinking of selling a business before the end of the financial year, please contact your adviser to make sure you are well positioned to reduce capital gains tax on the sale of your business (see further explanation below).
New concession: From 1 July 2016, small business owners will have greater flexibility and choice to change the legal structure of their business by allowing deferral of gains or losses that would otherwise be realised when business assets are transferred from one entity to another, where undertaken as part of a genuine restructure of an ongoing business. This new concession for small business can be used in the longer term for business exit strategies, or now if you are considering a more tax effective business structure.
If you sell an asset before 30 June, such as shares, a property, or even a small business, you may have to pay capital gains tax on the profit.
There are several strategies that can be implemented before 30 June that can help reduce the capital gains tax that may be payable.
Taking advantage of the Government's Small Business Concessions to reduce or even extinguish any capital gains tax from the sale (or transfer) of a business or a business asset.
Employing strategies to reduce your taxable income, such as making tax deductible contributions to super, or pre-paying your interest and other expenses.
You may trigger a capital loss by selling a poorly performing investment that no longer suits your circumstances. This capital loss can then be used to offset all or part of the capital gain.
If you have sold an asset, or you are thinking of selling an asset before 30 June, you should contact your Adviser as soon as possible to ensure that all possible actions have been taken so that you pay the least amount of tax possible.
Small businesses with an aggregate annual turnover of less than $2 million are able to immediately deduct the cost of each and every depreciating asset that they purchase for less than $20,000. In order to access the deduction for this financial year, the asset must be purchased, installed, and ready for use before 30 June 2016. An immediate deduction can be claimed to the extent to which the asset is used for income earning activities (i.e. business purposes).
For assets over $20,000, whilst not immediately deductible, these can be pooled and depreciated at 15% in the first income year and 30% each year thereafter. The small business low pool value threshold increased last year to $20,000, which means that the pool can be immediately deducted if the balance is less than $20,000 at the end of an income year.
This rule applies to 30 June 2017, then reducing to a $1,000 asset amount.
The above measure may significantly impact tax outcomes, improve cash flow and should also simplify tax compliance processes. For information on how you can access these benefits and to understand which assets are eligible to be deducted, please contact your Adviser.
Budget note: The small business entity turnover threshold to qualify for certain small business tax concessions, including accelerated depreciation, is proposed to increase from $2 million to $10 million from 1 July 2016. Therefore businesses with turnover between $2 million and $10 million may wish to defer asset purchases under $20,000 until after 30 June 2016. The government has not extended the timeframe for the scheme, which is still due to end on 30 June 2017. For more information on the recent Federal Budget announcements, please refer to our communication here.
Small business entities with an aggregated turnover of up to $2 million will benefit in the 2016 income year from the company tax rate cut from 30% to 28.5% (dividends will continue to be franked to 30%). The company tax rate for companies that have an aggregate turnover of more than $2 million remains at 30%.
For unincorporated small businesses, a 5% discount on the tax payable on the business income can be claimed as a tax credit up to $1,000 per individual per year.
To understand in more detail how the tax cuts will impact your tax outcomes, cash flow management, tax compliance processes, and how you may best capitalise on the tax savings, please contact your Adviser.
Budget note: The Federal Government proposes to reduce the company tax rate to 25% over 10 years, starting in the 2016-17 financial year. The changes will be phased in progressively, based initially on the level of annual aggregated turnover, before applying to all companies equally. For more information on the recent Federal Budget announcements, please refer to our communication here.
New startups will be able to immediately deduct professional costs associated with starting a business from this financial year, rather than writing them off over five years. This tax benefit may shelter your tax payable in the initial years of commencing a business and thereby improve cash flow and tax outcomes.
If you use a motor vehicle for business or work-related purposes you may need to record odometer readings at 30 June 2016 and prepare a 12 week log book if your existing one is more than 5 years old. It is not too late to prepare one now – if you commence the logbook prior to the 30 June 2016, the usage determined will still be appropriate for the whole of 2015/16.
Trust distribution resolutions must be made prior to 30th June. If these resolutions are not made by this date the income of the trust will be subject to the highest marginal rate of tax, which could be significantly higher than the rate which would otherwise apply. In addition, the trust deed should be reviewed to consider how trust income is to be determined and to which beneficiaries income can be distributed for the most tax effective outcome.
Where corporate beneficiaries have been used in the past or loans have been drawn from companies, consideration must be given to repaying monies to the companies before 30 June 2016. This is a complex area of tax and your Adviser can discuss this with you.
For more information on any of the superannuation and tax planning strategies outlined above, please contact your Adviser before 30 June 2016 to allow sufficient time to assess your situation and implement any strategies that may be of benefit.


Now I have received many trivets to my shop. Perfect as a Christmas gift or a give away present. A new trivet is 'SWEDEN' which is available in both black and red. I can send packages to many different countries!


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Fitness Holidays
This Is Why You Get so Grumpy When You're Bloated
You Have 12 Hrs Left to Get Up to 40% off a Fitbit
I Got Back into Playing Netball at 30 Years Old
This Is The Best Amazon Prime Day Purchase
7 Small Changes That Can Help You Lose Belly Fat
6 Signs You Might Have A Magnesium Deficiency
The mineral is super important for your health.
By Korin Miller
Magnesium is one of those minerals you know is important to your health, but you're probably also a little hazy on what, exactly, it does.
Turns out it's actually crucial—meaning that a deficiency in it can cause all sorts of problems.
First, some basics. Magnesium is a mineral that's key for muscle and nerve function, says New York-based R.D. Jessica Cording.
"You can think of magnesium as the additives in your fuel that keep your engine clean and running like a champ," says Gina Keatley, a C.D.N. practicing in New York City. "Magnesium is a part of energy production, is used as structure for healthy bones, is a key element in glutathione, which is known as the master antioxidant, and even helps for normal heart rhythm and nerve impulses."
The recommended daily intake for women is 310 to 360 milligrams a day (and 400 to 420 milligrams a day for men), Keatley says—and everyone needs at least a little magnesium in their diet.
Plenty of people don't meet their daily needs of the mineral, Cording says, but it's available in a variety of food sources like...
"Being mindful to work at least one good food source into each meal can help someone hit their goal," she says.
But, while magnesium can do great things in your body, it can also harm your health if you're deficient in it. If you're not taking in enough magnesium, your body will release hormones that deconstruct bone to bring that magnesium into your blood stream, Keatley says. And just like with calcium deficiency, you might not know there is a problem until it's too late.
Some of these symptoms require seeing a doctor, but if you're just feeling sluggish and suspect magnesium may be to blame, Keatley recommends increasing your intake of magnesium-rich foods and seeing where that gets you. If it persists, see your doctor and get lab work done.
Here are some signs you might be deficient:
1. FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS
Some of the early signs of magnesium deficiency are generic, Keatley says, like loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and weakness (which obviously could be a sign of many other things, including the flu). See your doctor if the symptoms don't go away within five days.
2. NUMBNESS AND TINGLING
As a magnesium deficiency gets worse, someone can experience numbness and tingling, since the nerves need magnesium to function properly, Keatley says. If you feel this more often than not, check in with your doc about it.
3. MUSCLE CONTRACTIONS AND CRAMPS
These are also a sign that a magnesium deficiency has gotten bad, Keatley says. If you're getting these often, it's a good idea to flag this as a possible cause to your doctor.
4. SEIZURES
Seizures happen when there's abnormal electrical activity in your brain—and a lack of magnesium can cause this. If you have a seizure and are able to, call 911, then get to a hospital stat.
5. PERSONALITY CHANGES
If you suddenly feel confused, overwhelmed, and irritable out of nowhere, it could be a sign of a magnesium deficiency, Keatley says. Check in with your doc if this happens more than once.
6. ABNORMAL HEART RHYTHM
Given that magnesium is used to help normalize the rhythm of your heart, a lack of the mineral can throw it out of whack. See your doc if this is happening to you.
This article originally appeared on Women's Health US.
Read more Is A Vitamin A Deficiency Making You Gain Weight and 5 Signs That You Might Have A Scary B12 Deficiency.
Learn how to do a pull up with Kayla Itsines:
From: Women's Health US
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Q: Adding Values with int.parse I'm looping through some excel cells to sum the values of the cells, some of the cells are empty and i'm getting a Input string was not in the correct format error when I pass them. Here's my code:
     int total = 0;
        int rowstart = 4;
        while (ws.Cells[rowstart, 1].Value.ToString() != "")
        {
           if (ws.Cells[rowstart, 1].Value.ToString() !=
                      ws.Cells[rowstart + 1, 1].Value.ToString())
           {
               ws.InsertRow(rowstart + 1, 1);
               ws.Cells[rowstart + 1, 3].Value = total;
           }
           else
           {
         total = total + int.Parse(ws.Cells[rowstart, 3].Value.ToString());
// I'm adding the value of Column 3 to the variable total,
I get the error if the cell is empty
               rowstart = rowstart + 1;
           }
        }

I was thinking it's because you can't parse an empty string, so how do I just add 0 if the cell is empty?

A: Use int.TryParse:
int parsed;
int.TryParse(ws.Cells[rowstart, 3].Value.ToString(), out parsed)
total += parsed;

parsed will be 0 if the string wasn't a number.

A: Use int.TryParse instead of int.Parse
int total = 0;
int rowstart = 4;

while (ws.Cells[rowstart, 1].Value.ToString() != "")
{
int val=0;
if (ws.Cells[rowstart, 1].Value.ToString() != ws.Cells[rowstart + 1, 1].Value.ToString())
{
   ws.InsertRow(rowstart + 1, 1);
   ws.Cells[rowstart + 1, 3].Value = total;
}
else
{
int.TryParse(ws.Cells[rowstart, 3].Value.ToString(), out val);
    total = total + val;
   // I'm adding the value of Column 3 to the variable total, I get the error if the cell is empty
   rowstart = rowstart + 1;
}

}

A: Try the code below
else
{
  If (int.TryParse(ws.Cells[rowstart, 3].Value.ToString(), out result))
    total = total +int.Parse(ws.Cells[rowstart, 3].Value.ToString());

   rowstart = rowstart + 1;
}

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