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"It is now clear that we are facing an implacable enemy whose avowed objective is world domination by whatever means and whatever cost. There are no rules in such a game. Hitherto acceptable norms of human conduct do not apply. If the United States is to survive, longstanding concepts of 'fair play' must be reconsidered. We must develop effective espionage and counter-espionage services, and must learn to subvert, sabotage, and destroy our enemies by more clever, more sophisticated, and more effective methods than those used against us. It may be necessary that the American people be made acquainted with, understand, and support this fundamentally repugnant philosophy."
If you had to guess, would you say these were most likely the words of George W. Bush? Dick Cheney? Donald Rumsfeld? Tony Blair? Do you think they were uttered in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks? After last summer's London transit bombings? This week after the plot to blow up airliners was revealed?
The title of this post has no doubt tipped you off to the fact that these words come from a different era. In fact, they were uttered in 1954 by General James Doolittle, the Army Air Forces pilot who led "Doolittle's Raid" on Tokyo in 1942. The context was, of course, the Cold War struggle against the Soviet Union.
There is much about the so-called "war on terrorism" that differs from the Cold War, but in many ways the early years of the Cold War seem instructive for the post-9/11 world. Much of what has been said about the world--and about our own security--since 9/11 seems to echo what was being said in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Debates over the freedom-security tradeoff today recall similar debates in the earlier period, which is no doubt what prompted George Clooney to make Good Night and Good Luck when he did.
There is never a perfect correspondence between different historical periods, but some challenges do recur in human history--and some mistakes are repeated over and over again. In spite of the generally favorable outcome of the Cold War (I should probably seek to explain in a future post why it wasn't a perfectly favorable outcome), there were many serious mistakes in United States foreign policy between the end of World War II and the collapse of the Soviet Union. I'm beginning to think that Cold War history needs to make an early comeback as an element in the teaching of international politics.
My future students have been warned.
(Incidentally, Doolittle's words are quoted in James Carroll's House of War, pp. 215-16.)


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David Tilley Matchbox
Matchbox Monday possibly finishes off Retro
So officially, this is batch C of the 2022 Retro series. However, as the year comes to a close, and Target stores in the USA take down their pegs for Retro, with a view to replacing them with the Red Series, mixed in with the basic range, the question is, will batch D appear? It is not looking likely. It appears that it got a little delayed, as we have seen a lot of items delayed a little over 2022. But with other things, a delay just means it is running late. But when it is the final batch before the range going, it is tough to keep it going like the others. So in this case, it does look like we will not actually see batch D. Which is a shame. I was enjoying the Retro series. It had some really cool models in it. But that is the way things go sometimes. So let us take a run through of what is now looking to be the final batch of the year.
Which begins with a new look on the MB1209 '76 Honda Civic CVCC. For the Retro series, it is now in a lovely silver.
It takes the number 13 slot in the set of 24, or 18 as it may turn out to be. This is a lovely, simple look for the model. In fact, all the releases to date have been nice, simple looks. I do enjoy these models. This is what Matchbox does best. Realistic representations of vehicles you see on the street. Not that I am against adding designs to models. But it is all about getting a mix. Some a little more radical, some very traditional. And this little Honda has just been very traditional from the word go.
So when it comes to realism, this is just right. Front and rear detailing. Nice wheels. Clear windows. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this model. I am very happy. So why not bring in the previous issues for a little show and tell.
The model debuted in 2020 as MB45 in the basic range. It first appeared in a traditional yellow, which was how the real vehicle was often advertised upon launch. And me being me, I couldn't help but add some shades to the mix.
The 2021 issue, MB49, also sported a shade. But this time, it was with the base, where some were a little more brown tinted than others.
Which appeared to get even more exaggerated with the 2022 MB21 in red.
Of course, this is not the only sideline for the model this year. This was at Target stores in the USA, but at Walmart, there was a batch of Japan Origins that brought back the debut release for a new run. They were a little different in minor ways from the 2020 basic range issue, as I noted back when I did that report.
I do tend to notice things. It looks like this sports the same rear licence plate as the 2021 basic range issue. I do like checking out the plates, just to see what they put on them. And yes, so far, 4 different releases of this, and all are very clean and tidy. It is such a cute little model, and I am thoroughly enjoying every single one.
Ooh, another new look. Number 14 in the set is another outing for the retooled MB543 Nissan Xterra. Now classified as a 2000 Nissan Xterra.
Again, this model is being given a very simple front and rear detailing treatment. I love this blue look for it. With the model first appearing when Hero City was in the works, we rarely saw any stock looks. It was only when Superfast arrived, that we finally saw a few clean and tidy models. So, since it saw its retooling, I am happy to see that it finally get a chance to shine.
As I said, this has simple front and rear detailing. But I do winder in this case, whether it was a little short at the rear. Perhaps the rear lights could have been depicted too. It is just a minor gripe on this lovely model. I still like it. I just winder if a touch of red could have made it even better.
So let us remind ourselves of the MB543's history. It started off as an offshoot of an earlier casting that sported kayaks on the roof. The first we saw of the empty roof variant was in 2001. It was a part of the School Spirit 5-pack in white. And yes, it was depicting music on the side. Hence, the song notes going down the side. As I said, this was during the period where Matchbox were taking the basic range down a certain road which led us to Hero City, and eventually Ultra Heroes. Luckily, it was a dead end, so we did go back. And yes, when it first arrived, it had an opening rear.
It then moved over to the basic range in 2002. Sold as MB47 worldwide, it again was white. And weirdly, the model sported a lifeguard theme. Why they chose the kayak-free model to be released, I do not know. This would have been a better livery to be placed on the kayak model. Being a logo year, the first 10,000 models sported a 50 logo on them.
It was also a part of the Across America series that year too. It was in brown and represented Tennessee.
2003 saw a blue model. It was a part of the Looney Tunes licenced 5-pack that year, and had Taz on the side of the model. Again, with this having a very watery theme, I do wonder why they chose this model and not the one with the kayaks again.
2004, and another basic range offering. MB39 was in yellow, and errm. Is that a lifebelt? Do I see 2 oars? Is that blue supposedly depicting water? Some of the designs were getting so out there at this time, that I have difficulty in making sense of them. But I think it is somehow water-related, and again should have been the kayak model.
2005 saw another licenced 5-pack release. This was a Sonic X pack, and this white model had Chris from the series on the side.
It also saw its first outing in the Buried Treasure playset. 2005 was the turn to the more traditional series, but there were still a few other things going on. One of the biggest, was a pirate theme that had been going on. There was a treasure chest on all the basics, and other tie-ins too. A large Buried Treasure playset was one of the star attractions.
And as I had mentioned, 2005 saw the model given a Superfast outing. The first time it was sold in a stock look. The ROW market saw it sold in yellow, and the USA market saw it sold in dark green as number 63 in the range.
Sadly, the Xterra was only in the 2005 series, but it did see one additional outing there. This lovely red one was a part of the Off Road 5-pack. I believe the pack may have arrived in early 2006, but was still during what was the 2005 model year, as Superfast from 2004 - 2006 was running 6 months behind other ranges.
In 2007, the Buried Treasure playset was re-released. The model was still included, but given a small tweak. The front tampo was deleted. The Matchbox logo was removed from the side (as it was now the older logo) and all the other parts were changed. Wheels updated, base switched from black to grey, and interior from blue to black.
After that, the model went on hiatus. It was close to returning in 2013. As part of the 60th Anniversary, Matchbox were pulling out various playsets and re-issuing them again. A new design was created for the model to be included, but it never was. They simply inserted a Dune Buggy in the set instead.
It took another 5 years for the model to return again. However, by now, it had been altered. The opening rear was gone, and in its place, a new upper section that was separate from the main body was added. It was also back in the basic range, for what was only its third time. It was sold as MB111 and came in a lovely stock dark red.
It was 2 years after that, when we saw its next outing. A tan issue appeared in the MBX Marine Rescue 5-pack.
Which means this model appears to be receiving a new outing every 2 years. So, I wonder what is in store for 2024! Ha ha!
Of course, I had to bring in a couple from the alternates. The original MB490 from 2000, which sported kayaks on the roof. The one here is the first blue look, a 2001 MB65 Australian exclusive. The casting was altered again in 2019 back to sporting an opening rear. There was a little adjustment to the roof for that one too. Again, a blue was available there too. Much lighter in shade, it was a part of the first year of Moving Parts in 2019. This Xterra has quite the life.
Number 15, and another new look. The MB1088 '70 Plymouth Cuda. This release sees it arrive in a nice green.
It is a very simple look, with stripes going down the sides, much like real Cudas used to have at the time. Again, you cannot go wrong with a real look for a model. I admit, this is another gorgeous offering, and I am very happy to see this.
It even managed to get a chrome base this time out. It has not had one (bar the Superfast special) in many years. This definitely gives the model the edge over other recent issues, and I am very happy with this latest. One of the nicest I have seen. Hmm! Time for another dive back.
This model has its roots back in the days of the old Matchbox team based in Mount Laurel. The model was being created as a new casting to be added to the Collectibles range exclusively, and not be a part of the core range. This was how the brand was in the early 2000s. Core items were being targeted towards the very young, with Matchbox being viewed as the first real stepping stone from Fisher Price items into diecast. But they still had a Collectibles arm, which was aimed at adults. As such, classic vehicles were felt to be a collector thing, and not worth aiming towards children. As we know, this whole idea failed, and the brand was at a low ebb. The Cuda, originally MB626,was going to be aimed just at the collector. The Collectibles brand ceased in 2004, and as the offices were closing, they had just come up with a new idea. Superfast. Not quite as premium as before, but they were still being aimed at the collector. So, the range saw a lot of classic vehicles that were not planned for core ranges. As such, the new castings being developed found a home there. The Cuda being one of them. It debuted in the Superfast range in 2004 in silver, as number 4 in the set of 75.
The differences between MB616 and MB1088 appear quite minimal. On the surface, they do look the same. But all parts were retooled in some way, just to make the casting better. The most obvious is the all-new interior piece.
It was 2005. The new team, now based in El Segundo, were completely changing how the Matchbox brand was being perceived. Excellent. Since then, sales have risen, Matchbox has attracted more collectors, and the range has expanded quite a lot. Sure, we know there are still distribution issues. That is not what this blog is for. But the new direction in 2005 amalgamated the 2 ends of the model spectrum. The basic models and the classic premiums were now all in 1 place. And the Cuda appeared in the Burger Zone 5-pack. I have 2. Not specifically for the shade. But because in 2005, the new team decided to switch production from the factory in China to the one in Thailand. Production of the pack started in China and finished in Thailand, giving us 2 slightly different looks for the model. It is actually quite a close match on this model.
2005 saw the model continue in the Superfast series too. When they began in 2004, they created a set of retro looking 5-spoke wheels. But decided that these would only be on a set of 4 models that were retro themselves. The rest, even the classics, would sport the blingy wheels that had been created for the series. Remember, those were thought up in Mount Laurel. After discussions with collectors, the new team decided to expand the 5-spokes to all the classic cars, and developed a new Superfast wheel too. So the 2005 issues, pink for the US market or purple for the ROW market, were now sporting the retro 5-spokes.
There was also a promotional issue, based on the ROW variation, where additional tampo printing on the rear was added. These were given out to attendees at the Matchbox convention, which was held in Hershey PA. It was the last Hershey PA convention, as it had been booked already by the Mount Laurel team, not being far from New Jersey. The new team, now based in California, decided not to try and cancel it, as things were already in motion. But they stopped heading up that far north in USA after that, seeing a certain Albuquerque convention being easy to get to, and aligning themselves with that instead.
2006 saw the first green issue of the model. This was a Superfast release too. However, 2006, now a USA exclusive again, added in some Streakers models to the range, as a nod to the past. They were having fun digging into the past at the time. The Cuda was one of the Streakers models.
For 2007, the model was also included in the new Superfast America series. The original sets of 75 had finished, as all other stores except Walmart had dropped the series. So they created a small set just for Walmart, which also helped to bring Superfast in line with all the rest of the ranges. For 3 years, Superfast had basically been running half a year behind the rest of the ranges they were doing.
After that, the model took 2008 off, before coming back in 2009 as a 10-pack model. At the time, each batch of 10-packs (there were 4 through the year) would feature 1 all-exclusive pack with 10 models found nowhere else. Alongside these would be 2 additional packs. Each pack would contain an exclusive. However, Their thoughts were that these 8 packs in total would only feature 2 models. Each model would see 4 releases. Usually this would entail one of each of the 2 models appearing in each batch. But for 2009, they decided to release the Cuda in both the first 2 batches, and a Mustang Cobra appeared in both the last 2. The first batch saw 1 pack with an orange Cuda, the other with a black one. The second batch saw 1 pack with a green Cuda, the other with a purple.
Again the model took a year off, before returning in 2011 in what was looking like being a swansong. However, it was for MB616. When it returned, it had been updated. The 2011 release was in the Lesney Edition series, and as such, the yellow model featured a metal base, as well as the metal body, giving it quite a weighty feel.
It finally returned, now updated to the newer casting style, which most don't notice the difference with, back in the basic range. The green model was MB19 that year.
This picture features the other Target exclusive. As with the new Retro model, this teal 65th Anniversary model was only found in Target stores, mixed in with the basic range. This is how the new Red series models will appear next year. Mixed in with basics. I think some will already know about the Red series stuff, as I believe it is not a Matchbox original (pun intended, on the fact they call generics "Matchbox Originals").
We then saw a Blue Highways 5-pack release in 2019.
Finally, before this latest release (as 2021 saw no issues), 2020 saw the model back in the basic range again. MB56 was a pale lemon yellow colour. You might notice the tampo design on that is the same as on the new one, except obviously also in different colours. I love the consistency with this.
And if you put all the MB1088s together, you might find quite an area of the colour spectrum in use. Blue to yellow, with green (a mix of the 2) as well. One day we might get a red or white one. Hint hint....
So with 3 models out of the way, and 3 brand-new looks, I wonder if you can guess where the rest of this "new part" to the report is going? What do you mean, you are just skipping to my dive back at the end? Hopefully some will stick around while I check out the carry forwards. Number 16 in the set of 24/18 (however you want to view that) is the MB1183 '68 Dodge D-200 Pickup.
This model is a repeat from.... Checking records, if they go that far back.... yes, 2021. I hardly remember that year. Honestly, I don't. Stuff happened. You ask me which Matchbox model came out, then I will narrow it down to a very specific point. You ask me about anything else? Prepare for a blank look! Ha ha! I have to admit, some of the choices for carry forwards are not the best. The D-200 has only been around since 2019. And that one had only just been seen again in the Walmart Dodge series. To me, the MB862 '66 Dodge A100 Pickup should have been looked at instead. Just imagine another chance to get one of those early ones? There were some really cool issues in the early years of that, which I would love to see again. Especially with the model seeing a small modification since, and therefore giving us an instant variation. So using the D-200 instead, especially the one from last year, feels to me like it was a wasted slot.
It is a nice colour. I did enjoy the blue last year, but I do feel like it is too early to bring it back again. Especially with another D-200 being re-used in 2022. There is such a mass of castings to choose from. And plenty of models that could still look good after over 5 years away (like the A100). I am all about variety. Not the same old same old.
But I still got it. And I still opened it. Why? Well, let's bring in the 2021. Or should I say 2021s. I have 2. As you can see, one MB93 is a paler blue than the other.
Which, when lined up, really doesn't show off any particular shade of blue. Or with the grey base for that matter.
The only real difference I saw with the new run is that the interior is a little bit darker than it was in 2021. Not a lot, but I could see it. So I kept it.
As you can see, the bases both appear to match too. Funny how the Honda CVCC has a grey base that varies in a matter of weeks, but a Dodge D-200 manages to stay consistent a year apart. As I did a dive back on the casting when I did the Dodge report recently, I won't do another dive back on the casting this time.
Next up is the MB864 '74 International Scout 4x4. Or as the packaging is stating, now a '76. It takes the number 17 slot in the set.
This model is a carry forward of one of the 2013 basic range issues. That was 9 years ago. That is more like it for me. 9 years means a big gap between production runs. For the younger kids who want toys, this means they are highly unlikely to have seen this the first time around. For the adult collector, this is fun to check to see if anything has been going on with the casting in the interim.
So time for a little dig into the archives and relive 2013.
It was sold as MB35 that year, and came in 2 different looks. There was a red one, and this purple one. The most common wheels found were the newer 8-spoke wheels, but some were found with ringed gear wheels. The same ringed gear wheels that adorn the new release.
With a 9-year gap, the shade of purple has changed just a little. The newer one appears a little darker than it was before.
The red and orange in the tampo printing are both slightly out to how they were back in 2013. Black and white appear consistent (strangely ha ha).
But what you do find is that the casting has seen a minor modification. The most notable part being that the metal body section behind the seats is now smooth. It was ridged before.
Literally, just before. I pull out the 2020 Rocky Peaks 5-pack release in red to show that model also has a ridged area behind the seats. So the alteration has been made for 2022 (as there was no 2021 issue). I did not mention this last week, with the Local Cruisers report, as I felt it was better tied in with this model. I should have posted these 2 blog reports the other way around. Ha ha!
So what you have is 2013-2020 being the original casting, and 2022 onwards being the modified casting. Although you do have to peer inside to check for sure.
Which brings me to the last model in the batch. Or set? Number 18. The MB668 Mitsubishi Eclipse.
After an 8-year gap, the model returned last year in the Target Retro series, and sees another outing in the Retro series again. Is this a Retro series exclusive now? If so, that's the last we will see of it. Oops! In 2021, it came in an exclusive look. But for 2022, we get a carry forward release. This orange look was originally sold as MB33 in 2009, unless you lived in the LAAM market at the time when it was not sold. So was this the comparison? Nope, I have 2 of the 2022 Retro models. Yes, immediately I am able to obtain shade variations on this orange. Boy is this orange good for a shade.
One is clearly a darker orange than the other.
And as you can see, both are sporting an R05 base code. Both were manufactured during the 5th week of 2022. I swear this orange just likes me.
So, the 2009 MB33 US and ROW issue only. Yes, more shades. This had a lot of variation throughout its run that year.
And I really mean a lot. Because back in 2009, I found 5 distinct shades of orange on the model. Yes, I am THAT crazy. Now, the new ones do match up pretty close to those for shades. So why am I keeping them?
Because the tampo printing is also looking a little different between the 2009 and 2022 production runs. Instant variation there. The model now has black edging around the rear lights. Plus, the Eclipse wording appears to have moved up.
And you might also notice that the smoke windows are not quite as dark now as they were.
Which appear to match last year's "new" Retro offering. It is surprising seeing this model appear 2 years in a row after so long off. Especially unchanged casting-wise. I wonder if it will turn up again? I am not doing a dive back on that this time, as I did one last year, and thought, maybe I should do more of my secondary dive backs. So that is your lot for new stuff this time out.
What could turn out to be the swansong for the Retro series, as batch D looks like it didn't make it. Now, I return to my collection dives, which as I stated a few weeks back, have been scaled back a little. Each week (I know I didn't last week), I am choosing 2 models only to take a look at. If there is a casting you want to see me look at, please let me know. Somebody asked about the first one so I present....
The MB45-A Ford Group 6. Pretty much anybody who likes cars will know of the Ford GT40. Created by Ford with a specific plan to wins Le Mans, the car has since become one of the most iconic vehicles, and even was the star of a film. So how do you follow that up? With the P68. Introduced in March 1968, the P68 was Ford's next plan to keep dominating the Le Mans scene, as the FIA had changed the rules and the GT40 was no longer going to keep winning. However, the P68 was a failure. It did not enter a lot of races, and those it did, it was nowhere near competitive. Stability at high speed proved to be its downfall. A P69 offshoot was attempted in 1969, and then abandoned, along with Ford's involvement in Le Mans. But the vehicle lived on in model form. Lesney had a model of the GT40, and so logically wanted to release the follow-up too. Along with a Porsche 910, this debuted in the 1970 Superfast range. Regardless of how the real vehicle looked, the model appeared to be very sleek, smooth, and stylish. Just perfect for the direction that Matchbox was taking at the time. It came in dark green and had a 7 roundel attached to the front.
Shades were always going to happen with Lesney. For some reason, they first painted them in a yellow undercoat, and then applied the green over the top. You often see parts of the yellow bleeding through.
As a rule, they were actually fairly good at keeping the roundel straight on the front of the car. But I do love a wonky model. I could not resist the one with the off-centre roundel. Now daft story, the original plan was to put the 7 roundels on the side doors. Box art was created using prototypes with them. These prototypes were a solid dark green and a few did slip out, as they were close enough. A few more with the 7 on the front also slipped out. I don't own them. They are extremely expensive.
At first, the base was left unpainted, but they soon switched to a black base.
But they decided round wasn't a good shape. Obviously. So they swapped to a square label. Easier to peel. As production continued, these started appearing in place of the round label.
Then they decided that 7 wasn't a good number, so switched to the model's number in the range. 45. These had the corners cut off the labels. Not perfect squares.
Production ran into 1971 like this, and again shades can be found.
While this was happening in the basic range, Matchbox were also releasing a G-3 multipack. This pack consisted of 6 vehicles from the basic range. But each model sported a label on it, and a label sheet for you to add even more. So a model would arrive with the label on the front, and an additional Burmah label on the doors. Then you could go nuts, adding lots more labels to the model too. By the way, you can find the G-3 set with both a square 7 (much harder to find) or a 45 label (much easier to find).
This casting was very good for wasting paint. Lesney would not want to dispose of anything, so if they received a batch of paint that they didn't like the look of, they simply used it to paint areas of a model that were not the most likely to be seen. The Ford Group 6 had a base that would normally be painted black. But they get a batch of pale pink or pale yellow paint, they would simply use that to paint the base instead. Waste not, want not.
As 1971 progressed, they switched to a light lime green paint instead. The 45 label remained. They also switched the window component from clear to amber. There are both combinations of crossover. The last dark green has an amber window, and the first lime green has a clear window. Both command high prices due to their scarcity, and as yet, I have not managed to obtain either.
By now, charcoal was becoming the most common base colour, as they had received a nice shipment of "not black paint".
The lime green ran through 1972 too, and so did the G-3 multipack. Therefore, the additional labels can be found on the lime too.
Another item often overlooked is that the engine inside (which also forms the rear exhausts) was pretty much always chromed. But for a short while in 1971, they did not bother, leaving it grey. They decided to go back to chroming it again after a short while though.
In 1973, the multipack had stopped production. The basic range model was then changed from lime green to purple. Or burgundy. Dark red. Somewhere in that vicinity. It was definitely good for shades. Production continued with the 45 label.
But often during production, they ran out of labels, so just used the eyes label that would normally be found on the MB31-B Volksdragon instead. Because, why not?
Bases would mainly be found in either black or sea-green. Although some may also be found in grey. I don't own a grey. Not being a base variation collector, I just happened to have sea-green and black through getting shades to the body. The model ran for 3 year like this before being replaced in 1976 by a BMW 3.0CSL.
My other dive back this week is the MB711 Volvo C30. A bit more modern with this one. This is a model that sadly never really took off. It debuted as MB4 in 2007. It was given 2 different looks that debut year too. It started off in silver.
And then later on switched to tan. Sadly, this model just did not prove popular that year. I don't know if it was just the colours chosen. I thought it was a fantastic model, and I loved the realistic looks for it. But I still remember walking in to my old Toys R Us store at the time and seeing pegs just full of both colours. Weirdly, none of the follow-up ones really warmed pegs. I am sure this was just these 2 being in these 2 colours.
Although I am still waiting for the day they decide to dig the casting out for a carry forward to give us another run of this. The 2007 First Editions 10-pack issue in white and gold. This was based on the original concept's look, and was probably one of the most talked about models of 2007. Yet it was buried in a 10-pack. Such a shame.
For 2008, the model was sold as MB38. But only in the US and ROW markets. The LAAM market did not get this black model. A model which appeared to be quite popular. Especially given that it had a variation where some came with and other without the front grille detail.
It was also added to the Modern Rides 5-pack in dark blue. Some of which came out much darker than others.
Then, during production, they ran out of the 6-spoke wheels, so just switched in some double 10-spokes to keep production going.
And that wasn't even the only 2008 release seeing some double 10-spokes during production. The Superfast series had a Volvo and at first sported the special Superfast only wheels that had been created in 2005. But during production they stopped using those wheels entirely. The whole batch switched to wheels used on core items.
After only 2 years in the basic range, most markets dropped the model entirely. The last hold-out was the US market, which had a third year offering in the way of a burgundy MB31.
Although the other markets did have a chance to obtain another, as a red model was included in the "Real" 10-packs that year. After 2009, the model was dropped almost entirely.
Except for this one final release. It was 2011, and a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse licenced 5-pack included the Volvo in white. I did 2 photos of it though, as the 2 sides had entirely different designs, and characters. One side featured Minnie Mouse/best friend, and the other featured a Daisie Duck/look at that sparkle design. You may even notice that the Minnie side's design went beyond the body section of the model into the window. This is because this model used ink jet printing for the design. Tampo pads (4 in total) are used to apply colours to a specific part before assembly. But with ink jet printing, it can use as many colours as is required and is applied after assembly. It never got used too often though, due to being more expensive to do, and with the fact that it has quite a coarse end result, compared to the smooth result of the tampo. But this has proved to be the end for the casting, unless they want to dig it out for another run. I always liked it, and would not say no to seeing it again.
And with that, I do believe another blog report is finished. My fractionally more streamlined report. In total we saw 3 brand new looks on 3 castings.
As well as 3 additional carry forward issues. This is pretty much the norm with these sets. Three of each. I am used to it. Loving the Eclipse and Scout carry forwards due to their gaps between production. Not so much the Dodge, as it was only from last year. But hey, I kept it anyway.
Next week, I should make a start on another basic batch. I am just about getting to E, and F has been and gone, 2023 batch A is just starting to show up. I may be slipping behind a little again. Batches E & F are being split into 2 halves again, before 2023 batches get seen in one entire go, due to the more frequent issues we will be getting. So until next week, I hope everybody has a good week.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


We drive south from Santiago to stay in a Parador. Monastertio de Santo Estevo, in the hills above Ourense, is a medieval Monastery that later became a School of the Arts and is now a Parador, a state owned hotel. The contemporary architectural restoration has been beautifully realised, it saves the mood of the old building but adds the necessary glazing and comforts, including thick pile grey carpets in the corridors, to make it habitable today.
One feature is a vast chimney room where the central chimney extends three floors high. The dining room is also on a monumental scale. It is all rather overbearing.
In the central courtyard the ancient grey stone is enlivened with a bright magenta rhododendron.This is the only spot of colour allowed apart from the plastic flowers in the grounds of the little cemetery.
The chapel contains some contemporary additions to the baroque Sculptures; the Madonna presides over a plastic fishing boat and the Pilgrim is carrying a waxy, severed head.
Next day we meet Estevo, a very friendly Alsatian dog, in the chapel.
Estevo accompanies us on our morning walk through wiggly paths strewn with fallen trees, and crossing over little rivulets. We pass many deserted houses awaiting discovery.


A display/site that shows what people are saying about and around Northwestern in real-time from a variety of sources.
This is "nuze 10968 1214832 screencast" by Northwestern U. Knight Lab on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.
NUze aggregates social media posts and news articles as they pertain to Northwestern University to create a window into the campus' digital personality.
Catching up on our social media and news has become a multi-step process. First you open Twitter and scroll through your latest tweets. Then you tap open Instagram and swipe through your feed there. Next it's Yik Yak and after that, you still need to go check out your favorite news websites to see what they've posted.
NUze reduces this to two steps – open up our application and scroll away. Like many social media-centric platforms, users can view either the most popular content or the most recent content. It's streamlined way to view content around a single focus point, which in this case is a location.
NUze tailors the content to focus on Northwestern related posts whether it be through proximity of the geotag to campus or official Northwestern accounts. This allows people outside the Northwestern community such potential new students to access posts they would not find in their own social media feeds.
Using the Twitter API, Instagram API, an internal Yik Yak API we are able to retrieve local social media posts from Northwestern related accounts and those posting within a limited radius of Northwestern's campus. We also gathered recent news articles from Northwestern news sources such as The Daily Northwestern through their RSS feeds and utilizing the Google Feed API. We poll these sources every 60 seconds to update our conglomerate NUze feed of Northwestern-centric posts. The web page has two tabs. The new tab orders the content by the time it was posted. The popular tab calculates a score for each post based on its popularity in its original form (ie. a tweet's score is calculated based on the sum of its retweets and favorites). The scores for each type of post are scaled up or down based on the average score for that type source (ie. Yak scores must be scaled down in relation to likes on Instagram) in order to further integrate the different content types.
Going forward, for this iteration, we would like to add a way to search the newsfeed as well as a way to filter content by keyword. We would also like to add in more Twitter accounts to our feed.
However, the real future of this application would be in expanding it to pull in content from any geo-fenced location, be it a college campus, a major political event, a national disaster, etc.
Caption: NUze aggregates Northwestern-related content from Twitter, Instagram, YikYak, and RSS feeds into a master newsfeed that can be sorted by new or popular.


Multi-award winning journalist Hugh Riminton joins ABC RN as Sunday Extra host.
Monday, January 22, 2018 — ABC RN welcomes Hugh Riminton as host of Sunday Extra, from January 2018. Riminton's breadth of experience as a political editor, foreign correspondent, author and presenter is an invaluable addition to one of RN's key weekend programs.
Sunday Extra traverses a lively and often provocative mix of heavy-hitting and light-hearted stories. Featured segments include the week's best from Background Briefing, Correspondents Report and Ockham's Razor, to birdwatchers' favourite Tweet of the Week. With his expert understanding of political and cultural debate, and wide-ranging personal interests, Riminton is a welcome voice on Australian radio.
In his own words, Riminton says, "RN is the true home of the Great Australian Conversation. I know its listeners are passionate, smart and engaged. I can't wait to start."
Sunday Extra hosted by Hugh Riminton commences 7.00am on 28 January 2018. The Roundtable is repeated standalone on Mondays at 1.30pm and Wednesdays at 12.30am.
Subscribe to the Sunday Extra podcast on the ABC listen app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.
Multi-award winning journalist, Hugh Riminton whose reporting work has taken him many times around the world and to almost every corner of Australia.
He has been a foreign correspondent and presenter for CNN and Channel 9, and a political editor and newsreader for Channel TEN, where he still works.
Hugh is also on the board of the veterans' welfare charity Soldier On and the refugee education fund The John Mac Foundation. He is on the advisory board of Media Diversity Australia.
He is the author of Minefields: A Life In The News Game, published in October 2017.


In January, the Eastgate Homes Corporation requested the Montgomery Village Foundation (MVF) Board of Directors look at the possibility of replacing the basketball court at Martin P. Roy Park with a secondary tot-lot. Discussion of the proposal, both by the Board and the Recreation Committee, led to further observation of the park patrons and use, specifically the basketball court and existing playground, to determine trends and feasibility.
At the September Recreation Committee meeting, the observation results were reviewed, along with resident concerns about safety and quality of life. The park was observed three to four times daily during a peak usage summer month. During this time, no criminal activity was noted, and from January to September of this year, only one call was made to police about suspicious activity in the park. The Recreation Committee determined that the origin of the original request to remove the basketball court was from a safety concern and not from a lack of use or recreational concern, and sent the matter back to the Board for consideration.
Board members discussed the issue and also found the usage data does not support a lack of recreational use of the facility; they felt the resident concerns were from a safety aspect, which the police reports did not support.
Suggestions of fencing the court or adding some a buffer between the court and the playground were made, but overall the Board felt a greater presence in the park may help deter future concerns. The new Park Facility Assistants will be on board by the end of the month, and they will be responsible for locking the park at closing, educating park patrons about park rules and observing future trends and park usage.
At the present time, the Board unanimously feels there is not enough evidence of underusage or safety issues that would call for removal of the basketball court. Several Board members also supported the idea of a community safety meeting between the 6th District Police and interested residents, including those in Eastgate who have raised concerns.
The Board noted that anyone witnessing suspicious activity in this (or any) park or facility should call the police right away and not try to intervene themselves.
In preparation for the 2018 MVF Board of Directors Election, recommendations from both the Nominating and Election committees were presented to the Board. Election materials, including the 2017-2018 Election Calendar, information sent to homeowners, MVF Board of Directors Application, the MVF Call for Candidates and other supporting materials were all approved. These documents contained date changes for the 2018 election, as well as a procedural change for the Candidates' Forum outlining a process for candidates who arrive late to the event.
The Board also reviewed and approved materials describing the process by which the new Student Representative position will be filled. Guidelines for the applicants, as well as an actual application were recommended by the Nominating Committee and approved by the Board. To extend the responsibility of the committee for this capacity, the Board also approved revisions to the Nominating Committee Guidelines.
Suggested criteria changes for homes in The Heights (Stedwick) and Walker's Choice (South Village) were also reviewed and approved. Revisions included new options for front door accent colors and elevated decks in the communities, respectively.
Finally, the Board awarded a bid to Playground Specialists for the replacement of the Whetstone Community Center Playground. A preferred design was forwarded from the Recreation Committee, and the Board approved funding not to exceed $88,918 for the new equipment, access stairs for adults and unforeseen expenses from Reserves.
Board President Pete Young reminded those in attendance about the upcoming Great Pumpkin Race and Fall Festival scheduled from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 14 at North Creek Community Center, 20125 Arrowhead Road. He noted the fun fall tradition and hoped to see many new pumpkin designs this year.
Executive Vice President Dave Humpton updated the Board on recent county transportation and legislation issues. He said that the county council recently directed the planning board not to take into account the assumption that M-83 would be built when calculating transportation capacity for future projects in the upper county. Board President Young will testify at a public hearing on the subject on Tuesday, Oct. 17.
Humpton also noted that the county transportation committee held a public hearing on September 14 regarding Bill 22-17, which proposed to repeal the roadway maintenance reimbursement. The county voted to not support the bill, leaving the program as is for the time being, with the potential for funding in future budgets. Humpton noted the Board should consider advocating for program funding in the future.
Treasurer Bob Carey presented the financial report for both the month of August and the year-to-date (YTD). Carey noted that August financials showed MVF running favorable to the budget mainly due to higher than expected investment returns and other income, camp revenue and lower than expected personnel and operating costs. Declining advertising revenue has been an ongoing trend. He said that MVF maintains a solid financial position, with 39.4% of total assets in cash or investments; this number is slightly down to previous years due to disbursements for the Peggy Mark pool.
The next MVF Board of Directors meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 26 in the North Creek Board Room, 20125 Arrowhead Road. The meeting begins promptly at 7:30 p.m. with Residents Time. Residents are invited and encouraged to attend. The meeting agenda and information packet will be available online at www.montgomeryvillage.com the week of the meeting.


Steve Oda has been a disciple of the legendary Ustad Ali Akbar Khan for the last 35 years. Steve has dedicated himself fully to learning this art form and to carry on the teachings of his illustrious Guru. In 1996, he received a Canada Council Artists Grant to pursue intensive studies at an advanced level with his teacher. Steve moved to the San Francisco Bay area in 1998 and served as executive director of the Ali Akbar Khan College of Music for two years. Steve has performed at his teachers college as well as numerous Canadian cities from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Victoria, British Columbia. The demand for his playing continues to increase around the world. Steve has also recorded on select recordings including ranging from Jazz to Classical to Contemporary. Steve now resides in San Rafael California actively teaching and performing the beautiful music of North India.
The sarode is an 25 stringed lute with a steel fretless neck. It has a rich and heart warming tone and has been the Instrument of choice for some of India's greatest musicians elevating it to become one of the shining stars of Indian classical music. Steve's deep knowledge of the tradition along with his creative, joyous expression makes this ancient tradition come alive.
"Classical music of India stems from the ancient tradition of Nada Yoga (Nada Brahma). The practice of music as a spiritual & scientific study was first documented in the Vedic scriptures and has developed extensively in the thousands of years since. The process of learning and deeply listening to this art form not only effects our emotions, but it sends intentional vibratory seedsinto our psychology and spirit which take root and effect our lives in many ways. To experience the principle laws within this ancient music is to gain an insight into the building blocks of all energy and the very forces which create us from moment to moment. Deepening our sense of feeling "in tune" with ourselves, with our intimate relationships and with the world, is a rich and joyous process. Within this music we can uncover our age old romance with the force which is constantly "craving us into existence". From this deepest and most musical of relationships comes a natural kindness, inner wealth and compassion, awakening a fresh and inspired horizon within our lives."


Port Elizabeth's Flourish Deli will introduce their plant-based, cruelty-free and environmentally friendly concept to TOPS at SPAR Goodnight Market visitors at the Tramways Building in Port Elizabeth on October 18.
Phillipa Linder and Robyn Furstenburg, both 24, are the dynamic twosome focusing on a greener, kinder and healthier way to enjoy the way you eat.
"Our ingredients are family secrets – just kidding, although there are some," said Furstenburg.
Furstenburg added that they would offer something else the market had been waiting for in the form of their deli goods.
"These consist of a variety of different products ranging from a lentil pâté to a baked 'cheese', a plant-based cream cheese or nut yoghurt, just to mention a few.
"As Flourish progresses, so will our products. We are so excited about what the future holds for us," she said.
Their partnership had worked from day one, according to Furstenburg.
"It all started with a conversation during a walk on Sardinia Bay beach. Sharing a deep passion for plant-based food and a health-driven lifestyle with a little bit of a sweet tooth, we decided we'd like to take this passion to others and create a place for them to enjoy and share it with us.
The market was ideal for their products, she said, adding that they couldn't wait to start sharing their passion and creations with people.
Furstenburg said visitors could look forward to a menu featuring highlights such as their home-baked breakfast cup, "arguably the most beautiful one you will ever have had", and their soon-to-be famous carrot hotdog and mushroom, lentil and walnut burger.
For dessert, they have a few more tricks up their sleeve which they will reveal on the evening.
Their deli items include a home-made berry jam, house relish, plant-based cream-cheese, plant-based salted butter, lentil pâté, nut yoghurt and herbed baked cheese.
"The success behind our products lies with the heart that goes into making them. A lot of preparation and thought goes into each dish, dessert and product that we ourselves enjoy thoroughly first before putting it forward as Flourish," said Furstenburg.
Their aim was not necessarily to target a specific market but rather to find new, interesting and innovative ways to prepare and create plant-based foods that then attracted people to them.
She said they hoped to get people interested in "a greener, kinder and healthier way to enjoy what they eat".
The monthly artisanal food and craft market, which also presents live entertainment and a tasting area by TOPS at SPAR, will open its doors at 5pm, with all proceeds from the R20 entrance fee going towards the Love Story charity organisation.


The most social birds will accept handouts and will take meat from barbecues. It is generally not advised to feed kookaburras ground beef or pet food, as these do not include enough calcium and roughage.
They are territorial, except for the rufous-bellied, which often live with their young from the previous season. They often sing as a chorus to mark their territory.
The distinctive sound of the laughing kookaburra's call, which sounds like echoing human laughter, is widely used in filmmaking and television productions, as well as certain Disney theme park attractions, regardless of African, Asian and South American jungle settings. Kookaburras have also appeared in several video games, including (Lineage II, Battletoads, and World of Warcraft) and at least in one short story (Barry Wood's Nowhere to Go).
Olly the Kookaburra was one of the three mascots chosen for the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. The other mascots were Millie the Echidna and Syd the Platypus.
In William Arden's 1969 book, The Mystery of the Laughing Shadow, (one of 'The Three Investigators' series for young readers), the laughing kookaburra is integral to the plot.


text:
//===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//
//
//                         Peloton
//
// aggregate_executor.cpp
//
// Identification: src/executor/aggregate_executor.cpp
//
// Copyright (c) 2015-16, Carnegie Mellon University Database Group
//
//===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//

#include <concurrency/transaction_manager_factory.h>
#include <utility>
#include <vector>

#include "common/container_tuple.h"
#include "common/logger.h"
#include "executor/aggregate_executor.h"
#include "executor/aggregator.h"
#include "executor/executor_context.h"
#include "executor/logical_tile_factory.h"
#include "planner/aggregate_plan.h"
#include "storage/table_factory.h"

namespace peloton {
namespace executor {

/**
 * @brief Constructor for aggregate executor.
 * @param node Aggregate node corresponding to this executor.
 */
AggregateExecutor::AggregateExecutor(const planner::AbstractPlan *node,
                                     ExecutorContext *executor_context)
    : AbstractExecutor(node, executor_context) {}

AggregateExecutor::~AggregateExecutor() {
  // clean up temporary aggregation table
  delete output_table;
}

/**
 * @brief Basic initialization.
 * @return true on success, false otherwise.
 */
bool AggregateExecutor::DInit() {
  PL_ASSERT(children_.size() == 1);

  LOG_TRACE("Aggregate executor :: 1 child ");

  // Grab info from plan node and check it
  const planner::AggregatePlan &node = GetPlanNode<planner::AggregatePlan>();

  // Construct the output table
  auto output_table_schema =
      const_cast<catalog::Schema *>(node.GetOutputSchema());

  PL_ASSERT(output_table_schema->GetColumnCount() >= 1);

  // clean up result
  result_itr = START_OID;
  result.clear();

  // reset done
  done = false;

  // clean up temporary aggregation table
  delete output_table;

  output_table =
      storage::TableFactory::GetTempTable(output_table_schema, false);

  return true;
}

/**
 * @brief Creates logical tile(s) wrapping the results of aggregation.
 * @return true on success, false otherwise.
 */
bool AggregateExecutor::DExecute() {
  // Already performed the aggregation
  if (done) {
    if (result_itr == INVALID_OID || result_itr == result.size()) {
      return false;
    } else {
      // Return appropriate tile and go to next tile
      SetOutput(result[result_itr]);
      result_itr++;
      return true;
    }
  }

  // Grab info from plan node
  const planner::AggregatePlan &node = GetPlanNode<planner::AggregatePlan>();

  // Get an aggregator
  std::unique_ptr<AbstractAggregator> aggregator(nullptr);

  // Get input tiles and aggregate them
  while (children_[0]->Execute() == true) {
    std::unique_ptr<LogicalTile> tile(children_[0]->GetOutput());

    if (nullptr == aggregator.get()) {
      // Initialize the aggregator
      switch (node.GetAggregateStrategy()) {
        case AggregateType::HASH:
          LOG_TRACE("Use HashAggregator");
          aggregator.reset(new HashAggregator(
              &node, output_table, executor_context_, tile->GetColumnCount()));
          break;
        case AggregateType::SORTED:
          LOG_TRACE("Use SortedAggregator");
          aggregator.reset(new SortedAggregator(
              &node, output_table, executor_context_, tile->GetColumnCount()));
          break;
        case AggregateType::PLAIN:
          LOG_TRACE("Use PlainAggregator");
          aggregator.reset(
              new PlainAggregator(&node, output_table, executor_context_));
          break;
        default:
          LOG_ERROR("Invalid aggregate type. Return.");
          return false;
      }
    }

    LOG_TRACE("Looping over tile..");

    for (oid_t tuple_id : *tile) {
      std::unique_ptr<expression::ContainerTuple<LogicalTile>> cur_tuple(
          new expression::ContainerTuple<LogicalTile>(tile.get(), tuple_id));

      if (aggregator->Advance(cur_tuple.get()) == false) {
        return false;
      }
    }
    LOG_TRACE("Finished processing logical tile");
  }

  LOG_TRACE("Finalizing..");
  if (!aggregator.get() || !aggregator->Finalize()) {
    // If there's no tuples and no group-by, count() aggregations should return
    // 0 according to the test in MySQL.
    // TODO: We only checked whether all AggTerms are counts here. If there're
    // mixed terms, we should return 0 for counts and null for others.
    bool all_count_aggs = true;
    for (oid_t aggno = 0; aggno < node.GetUniqueAggTerms().size(); aggno++) {
      auto agg_type = node.GetUniqueAggTerms()[aggno].aggtype;
      if (agg_type != ExpressionType::AGGREGATE_COUNT &&
          agg_type != ExpressionType::AGGREGATE_COUNT_STAR)
        all_count_aggs = false;
    }

    // If there's no tuples in the table and only if no group-by in the
    // query, we should return a NULL tuple
    // this is required by SQL
    if (!aggregator.get() && node.GetGroupbyColIds().empty()) {
      LOG_TRACE(
          "No tuples received and no group-by. Should insert a NULL tuple "
          "here.");
      std::unique_ptr<storage::Tuple> tuple(
          new storage::Tuple(output_table->GetSchema(), true));
      if (all_count_aggs == true) {
        tuple->SetAllZeros();
      } else {
        tuple->SetAllNulls();
      }
      UNUSED_ATTRIBUTE auto location = output_table->InsertTuple(tuple.get());
      PL_ASSERT(location.block != INVALID_OID);
    } else {
      done = true;
      return false;
    }
  }

  // Transform output table into result
  LOG_TRACE("%s", output_table->GetInfo().c_str());
  auto tile_group_count = output_table->GetTileGroupCount();
  if (tile_group_count == 0) return false;

  for (oid_t tile_group_itr = 0; tile_group_itr < tile_group_count;
       tile_group_itr++) {
    auto tile_group = output_table->GetTileGroup(tile_group_itr);
    PL_ASSERT(tile_group != nullptr);
    LOG_TRACE("\n%s", tile_group->GetInfo().c_str());

    // Get the logical tiles corresponding to the given tile group
    auto logical_tile = LogicalTileFactory::WrapTileGroup(tile_group);

    result.push_back(logical_tile);
  }
  LOG_TRACE("%s", result[result_itr]->GetInfo().c_str());

  done = true;

  SetOutput(result[result_itr]);
  result_itr++;

  return true;
}

}  // namespace executor
}  // namespace peloton

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Creating good, reusable APIs is hard, really hard, you just won't believe how vastly hugely mindbogglingly hard it is. You just need to look at the Java API to realize this. The Java API is probably the main reason that Java has taken off and been the success that it is. It contains a wealth of utilities that ease and speed up development.
While there are a huge number of wonderful things about the Java API it has some examples of truly terrible API design. You can probably find that somewhere it breaks every rule in the "Effective Java" book (for sale on amazon.com and amazon.co.uk, and cheaper in the UK than the US for a change).
One example is the java.util.Properties. A properties object is supposed to be a set of keys and values (like a map) where the key and value are both strings. The problem is it extends Hashtable which means you can pass it to anything that takes a Dictionary, or Hashtable. While this may seem useful it means that you can use non-string values. This can cause problems if the getProperty method is later used.
Maintain the API forever. This is probably the most common solution. Java is full of old, deprecated, or discouraged APIs. Hashtable, Dictionary and Vector have been replaced with Map, HashMap, List and ArrayList, most of the Date class has been deprecated.
The problem with this approach is that people often still use these older APIs, even though there are better alternatives.
Version the API. A non software example of what I am thinking of the PS2 contained the old PS chip as an I/O controller and the PS games were run on that.
Java does not support versioning itself, but can be supported by making use of OSGi. OSGi is a modularity system that is built on top of Java. OSGi is split into a core and a set of optional services. The core is implemented by Eclipse Equinox, Apache Felix among others. Running an application inside of OSGi allows you to provide two different, and incompatible versions of the API in the same JVM and allow the user to select the version they work with.
I plan on blogging some more about OSGi in the future. WAS has been built on top of OSGi since version 6.1, and I was part of the team that made this happen. While I thought that I would be done when we shipped 6.1 as an expert in the Hursley development lab I keep being dragged back, so I thought I would start blogging about my thoughts on the subject.


Plenty of rain is forecast for the weather in Charente this Thursday according to the latest forecast from meteo France. The whole department will have rain throughout the day.
The temperatures are going to be fairly mild though with 8 – 9 degrees in the morning and 14 degrees in the afternoon.


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Did anyone else have their boss loot get stronger? I just defeated boss 25 (got the speedboat yay...) and noticed that when 26 popped up the loot was upped. Rare now has around 760 attack instead of 360, uncommon has around 360 instead of 160, etc. Is this just for passing a certain level boss or was this done to all players at any level boss?
After every 25th boss the rares get stronger and the first set of rares drop down to uncommon Thanks. Was wondering why the top players would actually bother to kill hundreds of bosses.


More than 50 participants are this week attending a three-day course at MPI in Puerto Varas, Chile. Here they learn how to use and maintain our products. Three MPI experts from Chile and two from Norway run the course. Earlier this year, we held the same course in Norway and Scotland. Gathering MPI customers is a great way for operators to exchange experiences about how to clean their nets safely and effectively.


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Younger Clients can still do Smart Charitable Planning… with a Twist.
Often people will have one-time "Income Events" and so planning and especially the tax aspects are the motivation, you can consider setting up a "CLT" Charitable Lead Trust for the income tax deduction upfront. A person who has significant and unusual taxable income in a particular year can establish the grantor lead trust and use the charitable income tax deduction to mitigate the impact of taxes in his or her situation. An example might be someone who has received the proceeds from selling a business or a stock option at work is coming due. A far more common and likely example is someone who has inherited an IRA. These situations will trigger an unusually large amount of tax because the profits or earnings will be taxed as ordinary income at the highest possible marginal tax bracket.
It should be noted that the extent to which the donor can use the income tax deduction in any particular year will be limited to a portion of his or her total income for the year ( but in 2020 it has been temporarily expanded to 100% in some cases of adjusted gross income (AGI) for cash-based deductions. In addition, the donor can claim unused portions of the deduction in up to 5 additional carry-forward years.
Impact of Tax Reform
Since the passage of the Trump Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, there is a greater incentive for donors to create grantor CLTs. These trusts allow donors to consolidate deductions for future donations into a larger deduction for a single year. Against the backdrop of the increased standard deduction and the elimination of many other deductions, grantor CLTs provide significant benefit to taxpayers who itemize. In some instances, creating a grantor CLT may enable a donor to itemize who otherwise would be better off taking the standard deduction. For lack of a full legal explanation, the asset is "loaded to a charity so the charity can earn income for a certain period of time and then given back to the donor and ends the charity's connection as if it all never happened. There are more details of course but in oversimplified terms, would you rather pay taxes now to IRS or loan money to a charity for X number of years to a cause you care about and then get the money back? Normally younger people don't benefit from Charitable Remainder arrangements but the person's age is not the calculation that matters so these CLT arrangements are equally beneficial, young or old.
Small Business Owners – Your First Tax Deadline is February 1st, 2021.
If You Give to Charities or Have Plans to In the Future, It's Not Too Late to Cut Your Current Tax Bill in Half!
3 Weeks Left To Influence Your Tax Outcome!
Taxes or COVID or Both. Do You Have a Tax Plan?
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Casa Del Mar is an oasis of calm, with its seaside location and surrounded by formentera pines. This haven guarantees seclusion away from the crowds with a luxurious infinity swimming pool and various chill out areas all overlooking a perfect sea view.
Casa Del Mar is located in the area of Migjorn which is considered one of the most beautiful spots on Formentera. It is perfectly located to take in the marvellous sunsets on the sea front less than 100m from the house. This villa guarantees maximum privacy and usually hosts an array of international clientele – actors, politicians, famous musicians, financiers and it is possible to organize many services for film sets, advertising spots and meetings.
Recently renovated to make the most of the ocean panorama, Casa Del Mar has style & sophistication. The 5 double bedrooms are arranged around the courtyard and all have ensuite bathrooms. Three of the bedrooms can be used with twin beds. This magnicent villa has a large open plan living room that opens out onto a private & spacious courtyard, with multiple chill out areas around the property. The lounge has plenty of comfy sofas and is equipped with satellite TV, stereo, and wifi. The kitchen is fully equipped including a dishwasher and has a dining table that seats 8 people. An office/library is located off the lounge and there are 2 safes for storing valuables.
Daily cleaning service, chef, professional masseuse & 24 hr boat services to/from Ibiza avaible on request. A baby cot is also available if required.
The outdoor living at this casa is fantastic, with large sea view terraces, one with a large dining table seating 14 people and a bbq for that all important al fresco dining. Various chill-out areas are locted around the property and next to the infinity swimming pool which has panoramic views to the mediterranean. It has private parking and a garage with 2 washing machines and 2 refrigerators.
Casa Del Mar has very easy access to the sea in front of the infinity swimming pool with chill out decking areas and many sun loungers.
The property is bordered by the sea to the south, by a small valley to the east, and by a finca to the west, whose owners live there all year. The access road is private and only used by the residents.
The casa is located in Migjorn in the area of Es Ram- 13.4 km from the port. Lots of amenities are available nearby with excellent restaurants specializing in seafood and the local cuisine. Es Calo is a short cycle ride away with its lovely beach and many shops/restaurants.


Treatment of myeloma has three key aims: to stop or slow the progression of myeloma, to encourage and prolong the stable periods (remissions), during which only monitoring is needed, and to improve quality of life, e.g. by relieving symptoms.
At the time of diagnosis, you may not be experiencing any symptoms at all – this is asymptomatic or smoldering myeloma. Patients with symptoms, or those who are likely to develop symptoms in the near future, need treatment.
Many different types of medication are available. The exact choice will depend on many factors, including how old and how fit or unfit you are. Younger patients who are relatively well will be offered higher doses of drug treatments, followed by intensive treatment with chemotherapy to eliminate the abnormal plasma cells, and stem cell transplantation to replace them with healthy stem cells. People aged over about 70, and those who are less able to tolerate the side-effects of intensive treatment, are more likely to be given a combination of drugs but no chemotherapy or stem cell transplant, although a transplant is possible provided it is with their own cells (see section 4.2.3). This is because any side-effects of intensive treatment would be harder to cope with. Other types of treatments, such as radiation therapy and surgery, may be needed according to particular circumstances.
Treatment comes in phases, which are described in the following sections.
If you have smoldering myeloma, your treatment will simply consist of active surveillance, which means being watched closely. Your doctor may recommend starting treatment if you are at risk of developing symptoms within 18 months to two years. Before that, if your bone density is relatively low and you have any indications of bone damage (osteoporosis or osteopaenia), you may be prescribed bisphosphonates to slow it down.
If you have been diagnosed with MGUS (monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance), you will also be monitored regularly for any health changes.
One or more of the newer anti-myeloma treatments including thalidomide (Thalidomide), lenalidomide (Revlimid) and pomalidomide (Pomalyst) which enhance the performance of the chemotherapy drugs by boosting the immune system and preventing myeloma cells from surviving. Bortezomib (Velcade) and carfilzomib (Kyprolis) target cells actively producing proteins, principally the abnormal plasma cells.
Pain relief as needed; usually non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
Melphalan – prednisolone – Velcade (VMP).
In some cases, induction therapy can remove all abnormal plasma cells, which is called a complete response or complete remission. However treatment will need to be continued, as without it, the myeloma would return.
The length of time for which you will need to take the drug combination will be somewhere between 4-6 months, depending on how you respond. The drugs are usually taken for a few days or weeks, followed by several days or weeks without treatment, and then repeating the cycle. This is to allow time for the healthy cells, which may have been damaged by the chemotherapy, to recover. Not everyone will respond to any one combination of drugs, so you will be monitored and another combination can be chosen if the one you have started does not appear to be working for you.
After this period of induction therapy, a decision will be made on what comes next.
If you are well and in complete remission, and myeloma is your only medical condition, the most likely course is a stem cell transplant with intensive chemotherapy.
If you are not very well, or aged over about 70, it is likely that you will not be given a transplant but instead will be offered continued consolidation drug therapy. Both types of transplant will be followed by a prolonged period of maintenance drug therapy.
We have seen that some combination drug treatments may not be effective for particular people, and it may be necessary to try a different combination. This is a relapse, and it will occur to everyone with myeloma; often several times. It will be picked up in the results of the diagnostic tests (e.g. your paraprotein level) which you will continue to have regularly. You may also feel that your pain or tiredness are becoming worse.
It is understandably disappointing, but there is no reason why another treatment should not work better. It is not a reason to be over-anxious, but it will probably mean a change to the medication you are taking. For some people, a treatment that worked well earlier can be repeated with good results. The same reasoning applies when a treatment that has been effective, no longer appears to work so well (known as refractory myeloma).
The first time a relapse happens, most people will be given bortezomib (Velcade). This is given by injection under the skin, once or twice a week. It is usually given in combination with the steroid, dexamethasone, and often with chemotherapy agents, cyclophosphamide or melphalan.
The drug most often given at a second relapse is lenalidomide (Revlimid); usually in combination with dexamethasone and cyclophosphamide. Alternatively, it may be possible to have a second stem cell transplant, if you have had a good long period of remission since the first one.
Carfilzomib (Kyprolis) is approved in both the US and Europe for treatment following a third relapse, providing patients have previously had at least two cycles of treatment with bortezomib and either lenalidomide or thalidomide, and the disease has become worse in the 60 days since the end of treatment.
Elotuzumab (Empliciti); in combination with lenalidomide (Revlimid) and dexamethasone.
Daratumumab (Darzalex); as a single agent for patients who have already had three lines of therapy.
Further details of these new drugs are given in section 7.1.
If you are well and in complete remission, and myeloma is your only medical condition, the most likely course is a stem cell transplant using your own cells (called an autologous stem cell transplant or auto-SCT). It involves collection of stem cells from your bone marrow at the end of induction therapy, and is possible in older, fit people.
The first step is drug treatment to stimulate production of stem cells and their movement from the bone marrow into the blood. In the actual transplant, given in hospital, blood is passed through an apheresis machine which separates it into its different components. The stem cells can be removed and all the other components are returned to the body. The stem cells are frozen and retained for use in transplants – usually enough for two occasions.
A relatively high dose of the chemotherapy drug melphalan is then given, followed about two days later by the stem cells, which will move into the bone marrow and start to develop into new blood cells. The process can take several weeks, during which it is essential to avoid infection. It is common to feel unwell during this time, and several more weeks of convalescence may be needed after you leave hospital. The great advantage of transplants is that patients usually respond very well and can achieve a long remission period.
In relatively rare circumstances, younger, fit people can be offered a transplant of stem cells from other close relatives; usually a brother or sister. This is known as an allogenic transplant. It makes use of the donor's stem cells to boost the immune response of the person with myeloma, by developing into specialised blood cells that can attack the abnormal plasma cells. This is believed to be the reason why allogenic transplants have a lower rate of relapse than autologous transplants.
There is a problem, though, as an allogenic transplant carries the risk of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), in which the donated cells attack patient's healthy tissues as well as the abnormal plasma cells. A lower-risk allogenic transplant can be considered, in which a lower chemotherapy dose than usual is given.
The transplant is followed by high-dose chemotherapy with melphalan, and recovery over a period of weeks.


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Home » TV and Movies » Coronation Street spoilers: Popular resident set for huge U-turn in heartbreaking plot
Coronation Street spoilers: Popular resident set for huge U-turn in heartbreaking plot
Bernie Winter (played by Jane Hazelgrove) is making a return to Coronation Street next week after bidding farewell to daughter Gemma Winter (Dolly-Rose Campbell) and son Paul Foreman (Peter Ash) earlier this year. The quirky character's comeback to the cobbles will be centred around her four baby grandchildren and their mother struggling to cope with accommodating their continuous needs. However, this will involve viewers of the ITV soap seeing a drastic change to the grandmother as she realises the gravity of the situation.
Even before she made her first appearance in Weatherfield last year, viewers of the soap weren't totally convinced Bernie was mother of the year after hearing stories about Gemma's troubled past.
Shortly after arriving on the cobbles however, the quirky mother became a fan favourite, but she was still thinking of herself.
Her antics included using her daughter's urine for a moneymaking scam whilst she was pregnant and rekindling her romance with Kel Hinchley (Joe Alessi), not realising he'd sexually abused her son when he was a child.
Having spent some time away from her children and getting her head together, it seems a totally different side to her character will begin to shine through – but is she really a changed woman?
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Upcoming scenes will see Gemma reach out to her mother as life with the quadruplets continues to take its toll, albeit since she discovered young Aled was deaf.
Arriving back on the cobbles, it's clear to the grandmother her daughter is up to her eyes in it and later, she picks up on the young mother's anxieties over her children.
When the youngster decides to have a few drinks with her friends to let go of the stress, a set of events leads her to make a rash exit and suddenly, her babies lives are in danger when she walks out in front of an oncoming car.
Knowing she's at her wit's end, the Weatherfield favourite will break down in Bernie's arms and this is when the quirky character decides it's time to change – for the better.
It's time for Bernie to stop being selfish
Jane Hazelgrove
Speaking about her alter-ego's return to the cobbles, actress Jane, 51, detailed some of the changes viewers can expect to see.
The soap star said: "Bernie is the lioness and she's going to do everything she can to make sure that her baby is alright.
"It's time for Bernie to stop being selfish and be selfless, which is something Bernie hasn't done before."
On whether the change will be long-lasting, the Bernie star said: "I do think Bernie can change, I think what happened with Paul has given her a real kick up the backside."
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Viewers will have to wait and see if the quirky character proves her worth, but fans are certainly excited to see more of Bernie.
Taking to Twitter after watching Gemma make the call to her mother in recent scenes, one viewer posted: "#corrie Bring back Bernie please."
The returnee will also bare her teeth as she takes on her daughter's bullies, being the other mother's at the playgroups.
Although the quad's mother believes she has made some new friends, they have been making snide comments behind her back and trying to humiliate her.
Coronation Street spoilers: Geoff Metcalfe removed from Weatherfield
Of Bernie's intervention in her daughter's enemy's plans, Jane added: "It's absolutely devastating.
"I think for any parent, or for anyone who loves somebody, to see them being bullied by a group making out they're friends is awful to see."
Again, viewers will have to wait and see what Bernie does, but it certainly aims to show how much she has changed since her first stint.
Will Gemma be able to move on from her mother's past mistakes and accept her support in her darkest hour?
Coronation Street continues Monday at 7:30pm on ITV.
If you or anyone you know has been affected by the issues raised in this article, please seek advice from mind.org.uk or visit the ITV help pages for assistance.
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It's well known that eating whole grains is good for your digestive system -- all that fiber keeps you regular and helps rid the body of unwanted substances, such as bad cholesterol and fats. Fiber also helps control your appetite and keep blood sugar low [source: Beare]. But a diet rich in whole grains, including oats, whole wheat and brown rice, has other anti-aging benefits because they're rich in vitamins and minerals. Eating whole grains has also been linked to a lower risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes [source: Cassetty].
The key is to make sure the grains you're eating aren't refined, because it's the refining process that strips away many of the essential vitamins and minerals that make the grains so good for you in the first place.


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