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Our board & staff
PROTEC (Programme for Technological Careers) is a national, independent, non-profit organisation that provides holistic, high-quality education and career support programme development in the fields of Mathematics, Science, Technology, English, and World of Work life skills training. We also run an impactful teacher support programme in many of the programme's feeder schools.
Our work can be evaluated against our vision to be a leading service provider within the STEM education sectors, contributing to an increase in the technologically skilled human resource pool in South Africa and promoting lifelong learning.
PROTEC's head office is based in Randburg, Johannesburg, and it has a network of nine branches and seven projects in six provinces throughout the country.
PROTEC employs 23 full-time staff members in Johannesburg and 10 in our provincial branches, which make up the national network and are managed by locally employed branch managers who are accountable to local community boards. PROTEC employs approximately 191 part-time tutors/ facilitators. PROTEC Projects are managed by local education centres in partnership with PROTEC nationally.
In 2022, PROTEC is celebrating 40 years of successful educational and career preparation support for high school students throughout the country.
PROTEC was established in 1982 in Soweto by a group of concerned engineers from the South African Institute of Civil Engineers, specifically to help high school children in disadvantaged communities prepare for successful careers in sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
The programme launched with 67 students, and since then it has provided opportunities for over 30 000 students to pursue engineering, science, technology, and a wide range of related careers. The early success of the project led to PROTEC's expansion into a national programme, and later included the addition of the teacher support programme.
PROTEC's vision was pertinent in 1982 and it is critical today.
A leading organisation that empowers South African youth with optimal scientific, maths, technology, engineering and life skills to access and succeed in STEM-based careers.
As an NPO, PROTEC is committed to developing the maths and science competence of young people to succeed in STEM careers through interventions with learners, students and educators. Our focus is on:
Improved learner performance
Enhanced teaching quality
Increased career access and success
PROTEC is a leading South African non-profit organisation, operating nationally in the field of STEM education since 1982.
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info@protec.org.za
Suite 4 & 5, The Ferns Office Park, 364 Pretoria Avenue, Ferndale, Randburg, 2160.
Our donors make the difference. Their partnership with an NPO with a proven track record means that their contributions impact the lives of our future leaders.
© Copyright 2022 by Protec STEM
Welcome To PROTEC's Online Gifting Store Dismiss
PROTEC is celebrating its 40th Anniversary and we would like you to join us by following our social media and web posts, volunteering for us or be support us financially.
PROTEC is celebrating its 40th Anniversary this year. Join us by viewing our website and supporting us voluntarily and financially.
We are celebrating our 40th Anniversary in 2022


Goodwill TalentBridge, a full service staffing and recruitment firm, is part of Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin and Metropolitan Chicago, the largest of the 165 Goodwill territories in North America. With more than 90 years of experience in Workforce Development and job training, Goodwill is helping thousands of people find work in the communities we serve, including 13 counties in Wisconsin and 10 counties in Illinois.
Goodwill TalentBridge, along with our client, is currently recruiting for a Project Estimator to work in the Milwaukee area.
To provide estimating and management oversight for all phases of commercial construction projects, including coordinating employees, subcontractors, material and equipment, ensuring that specifications are being followed, and work is proceeding with quality, on schedule and within budget.
Develops a cost-effective plan and schedule for completion of project following a logical pattern for utilization of resources.
Coordinates work of subcontractors working on various phases of multiple projects.
Oversees performance of all trade contractors and reviews architectural and engineering drawings to make sure that all specifications and regulations are being followed.
Is responsible for proper administration of construction contracts and for obtaining all necessary permits and licenses.
Supervises assistant managers and superintendents, reviews their reports, checks on any reported difficulties, and corrects any safety violations or other reported deficiencies.
Tracks and controls construction schedule and associated costs to achieve completion of projects within time and monies allocated.
Reports to owner, architects and portfolio managers about progress and any necessary modifications of plans that seem indicated. Plans, implements, tracks and closeout / turnover of construction projects. Conducts project meetings.
Administers Submittal Review process between Subcontractors/Suppliers and design team.


Possibility to customize the toolbars (see OpenOffice and Epiphany).
Possibility to place two toolbars on the same row.
Tollbars ability to move vertically, horizontally, left and right.
Ability to create new toolbars, mixing options from the default toolbars.
To turn toolbars is "Align and distribute objects", "Text and Font", "stroke style", "layer"
The ability to disable (and not to start opening the program), the filters and disable them one by one the extensions.


Click here for campground pictures.
The Mason County Campground is in the process of updating its playground equipment in both the Campgrounds and the Picnic Area and would like input from the public. If you have any suggestions of what you would like Campground to consider purchasing, please send an e-mail with your ideas to: mccampground@masoncounty.net. We value the public's input.
NEW IN 2018 - Twisted Sticks Weather Station!


Go to fabulous Las Vegas, have a cocktail, spend some money at the slot machines or at the gambling tables and throw the dice. With the movement inside the Original Floating Action Pen casinos and online gaming sites can tell a story and i.e. throw the dice, let the roulette spin and much more. Why not bring in the floaty pens at the front desk or in shops around the casinos so guests and players can pick up a floaty pen as a memorable gift to remember their stay before heading back home.


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NBC and 20th Century FOX Television Launch Large-Scale MyspacE.com Profile for 'My Name Is Earl' with Unique Social Marketing Co-Promotion 'Friends of Earl'
[via press release from NBC]
Post Your Photo on MySpace.com/MyNameIsEarl and Win a Chance to Have It Appear During Broadcast of the Hit NBC/20th Comedy Series "My Name Is Earl"
MySpace Community Also Offers User-Generated Content, Sneak Previews of 'Earl' Season One DVD and Soundtrack, 'Earl' Content for Cell Phones and 'Earl'-Licensed Merchandise
BURBANK - August 10, 2006 -- In a first-of-its-kind promotion, NBC and 20th Century Fox Television will partner with MySpace.com -- the leading online social community --to offer users an opportunity to submit a photo and have a chance to see their mug featured as a "Friend of Earl" in one of the first three episodes of "My Name Is Earl" (Thursdays, 8-8:30 p.m. ET). The announcement was made by John Miller, Chief Marketing Officer, NBC Universal Television Group, Gary Newman and Dana Walden, Presidents, 20th Century Fox Television, and Shawn Gold, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Content, MySpace.com.
At the end of each episode, the series' production credits normally conclude with the "Amigos de Garcia" ("Friends of Garcia") logo � the executive producer Greg Garcia's production company slate that normally features friends of the show's creator. Winners will now have a chance to be featured as one of the "Amigos." The first "Friend of Earl" winner will appear in the season premiere of "My Name Is Earl" on Thursday, September 21 (8-8:30 p.m. ET) and two other winners in two subsequent episodes.
In addition, the MySpace community will offer user-generated content, sneak previews of "Earl's" first season DVD and soundtrack, "Earl" content for cell phones and other 'Earl'-Licensed merchandise.
"This partnership offers 'Earl' fans in the MySpace community a chance to interact with the show. This promotion will generate excitement and discussion online and of course, for fans of 'My Name Is Earl,' it's a chance to actually be a part of the show and its unique 'Amigos de Garcia' trademark," said Miller.
"'My Name is Earl' is one of the most distinctive comedies on television and its fans are incredibly passionate," remarked 20th Century Fox Television Presidents Gary Newman and Dana Walden. "Creating this destination online for our audience allows them to share their enthusiasm for the show with millions of others, and really build a community of viewers. We think this is a fantastic idea, and NBC and MySpace have been terrific partners in making this a reality."
"I named my production company, Amigos de Garcia (Friends of Garcia), because no one can succeed alone. Every friend's picture I put at the end of the show has, in one way or another, helped me get to where I am today," said Garcia. "That's why I was excited about the idea of putting three 'My Name Is Earl' fans in my logo because without the fans, we're nothing. They're the reason we're here."
"The My Name is Earl/ MySpace campaign serves as the perfect platform for the show to drive tune-in while celebrating its fan base. Our members have a unique opportunity to become an active participant by adding Earl as a friend and becoming part of the show's culture," said MySpace's Shawn Gold.
Beginning August 10 through September 5, 2006, users can log onto MySpace.com and submit their photo on a special "My Name Is Earl" profile page. Each week, five "amigo" photos, selected at random, will be featured on the "Earl" MySpace profile page.
Show creators will choose three sweepstakes "amigo" winners from MySpace "Friends of Earl" entrants based on a random data pull from MySpace. The first of three lucky winners' photos will be featured at the end of the season premiere on Thursday, September 21 (8-8:30 p.m. ET), while the second winner will be seen the next week on Thursday, September 28 (8-8:30 p.m. ET), and the third on Thursday, October 5 (8-8:30 p.m. ET).
To drive awareness for the promotion, NBC will air a 20-second sweepstakes spot each week in an "Earl" episode starting on August 10, and will continue on August 17, 24 and 31. The promo will run after and adjacent to the "Amigos de Garcia" end card and will describe the promotion, plus drive traffic to the myspace.com/mynameisearl profile and sweepstakes. Myspace will promote this on their homepage as well as through newsletters, Myspace homepage "specials" and on a MySpace Comedy homepage.
MySpace and Fox created the on-line components, special Earl profile pages, plus management and fulfillment of the sweepstakes. In addition to showing his buddies, the "Friends of Earl" profile will have a 1:33 "Earl" music video featuring music from the CD, the 20-second sweepstakes promo, and "My Name Is Earl" merchandise.
DVD sales for the first season of "My Name Is Earl" begin on September 19.
About "My Name Is Earl"
Earl (Jason Lee) remains focused on his list in addition to dealing with some big changes in the lives of the people around him. Randy (Ethan Suplee) enters the world of dating. Joy's (Emmy Nominee, Jaime Pressly) life gets a whole lot more complicated. Catalina (Nadine Velazquez) considers a career change. Crab Man (Eddie Steeples) has to deal with his past when the fact that he is in the witness protection program is revealed.
"My Name Is Earl" delivered the #1 adult 18-49 average rating for any first-year scripted series during the 2005-06 television season. After shifting to Thursday nights in January, "Earl" teamed with NBC's "The Office" to rank as television's #1 regularly scheduled comedy hour in originals in adults 18-49 for the balance of the season. "Earl" averaged a 4.9 rating, 12 share and 10.9 million viewers overall for the full 2005-06 season.
Created and written by Greg Garcia ("Yes, Dear), "My Name Is Earl" is executive-produced by Garcia and Marc Buckland ("Medical Investigation," "Ed") and Bobby Bowman ("Yes, Dear"). The series is produced by Twentieth Century Fox Television and Amigos de Garcia.
About MySpace.com
MySpace, a unit of Fox Interactive Media Inc., is the premier lifestyle portal for connecting with friends and discovering popular culture. By integrating web profiles, blogs, instant messaging, e-mail, music streaming, music videos, photo galleries, classified listings, events, groups, college communities and member forums, MySpace has created a connected community. As the second ranked web domain in terms of page views*, MySpace.com is the most widely-used and highly regarded site of its kind. With more than 100 million member profiles, MySpace is committed to providing the highest quality member experience and will continue to innovate with new features that allow its members to express their creativity and share their lives, both online and off.
*Among the top 2000 domains comScore Media Metrix, July 2006. For more information on comScore Networks, please go to http://www.comscore.com.
· ED (NBC)
· MEDICAL INVESTIGATION (NBC)
· MY NAME IS EARL (NBC)
· OFFICE, THE (NBC)
· YES, DEAR (CBS)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


We understand how important it is for people facing legal challenges to choose the right lawyer. Our clients regularly give us favorable reviews and refer our firm to others. When new and potential clients first meet with us at Leeser Law Firm PLLC, they report as first impressions that we are personable, knowledgeable and well-prepared to address their legal issues.
We welcome the opportunity to explain how we can help you resolve your legal matter in Texas. Learn about our background and qualifications below.
Learn about our San Antonio-based law practice as it relates to your case by scheduling a meeting with one of us. We offer a free 30-minute preliminary consultation. At the end of your initial consultation with an attorney at Leeser Law Firm PLLC, you should have a clear idea of the recommended next steps, costs involved and our projection of probable outcomes.
Professionalism is at the heart of our law practice. We serve businesses, families and individuals in a range of legal practice areas, including business startups, commercial litigation, civil tort litigation, and appeals.
We consider our attorney-client relationships to be partnerships in pursuit of the most favorable achievable results. Every case involves a unique set of facts and court determinations. Laws, judges and legal processes often seem intimidating to people who rarely face legal challenges. Our experience day in and day out representing clients enables us to let clients know what to expect in their own cases.
In all practice areas, we emphasize education of our clients. We work hard to ensure that each client understands the core issues at hand. We take pains to explain required procedures such as investigations, documentation, depositions, settlement conferences, mediation, court filings and court appearances. We will gladly explain what your case will involve after a careful review. Call 210-997-2914 or send an email message to request a consultation with no further obligation.
Linda Leeser is the founder of the Leeser Law Firm PLLC. She obtained her Doctorate of Jurisprudence from St. Mary's School of Law located here in San Antonio, Texas. While in law school, Linda worked at the St. Mary's civil clinic and criminal clinic. Linda entered into the field of law after she personally found herself in her own litigation where she sought conservatorship rights of her grandchild. In the beginning, Linda hired an attorney to represent her legal matters, but eventually ended up representing herself. This experience is what drove her to seek her law degree.
Linda Leeser has a desire to help others, and is willing and able to help those who find themselves involved in civil or criminal matters.
Since being licensed, Linda has been a litigator in general litigation. Linda's legal experience includes appellate law, business law, family law, criminal defense, defamation, slander and libel suits, wills and power of attorneys, cyberbullying, breach of contract, business formation and DTPA claims. Linda's criminal defense experience includes DWIs, assault and battery, aggravated sexual assault, and theft.
Linda Leeser is a member of the Texas Bar College, a member of the San Antonio Bar Association, a member of the Bexar County Women's Bar Association, and a member of the Mexican American Bar Association. Linda Leeser is licensed to practice in the State of Texas and the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas.
Linda Leeser has five children, and is originally from Colorado. Linda Leeser thrives on her passion for the law, and is a true advocate for her Clients.
Susan Cone Kilgore has over 28 years of legal experience. She practices employment law, commercial litigation, advises clients on international law issues, and mediates disputes with the Leeser Law Firm PLLC in San Antonio, Texas.
She then entered public service as a trial attorney with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) in Houston. She moved with the FDIC to White Plains, New York, Dallas, Texas, New York, New York, and ultimately Washington, D.C.. With the FDIC, Ms. Kilgore served as corporate counsel, advising on and negotiating primarily employment lawsuits in various states. She connected management, union representatives, and human resources in personnel matters and labor union negotiations. She tried both jury and non-jury trials in state and federal courts, all but one to a verdict in favor of the federal government. She also conducted all forms of discovery and mediated state and federal cases successfully.
Ms. Kilgore formed the Houston and Texas City, Texas law firm of Aronowitz & Kilgore, where she served as managing partner and as an adjunct professor of law with the University of Houston Law Center (2002-2004). In this firm, she served individual and corporate clients in a general civil practice, in consumer matters, employment discrimination, personal injury claims, and real estate matters. She represented plaintiffs and defendants in all stages of claims, investigations, discovery, trials, and negotiations. She also administered human resources, developed and supervised case intake and evaluation procedures, and managed business functions.
Ms. Kilgore was appointed to serve in the Civil Division as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Texas (2004-2005). She served as trial attorney in the civil division, defending the United States government in civil rights, employment discrimination, and commercial lawsuits pending in the Western District of Texas. She again, conducted all phases of trial and discovery.
She then entered the business world, working as Director of Human Resources and later General Counsel for telecommunications provider for Pocket Communications (2006-2008). In this role, she advised all departments regarding business operations, marketing practices, real estate leases, internal retail practices, and employment practices. She led a team of human resources employees, developed and implemented policies, proposed and implemented benefits offerings, and served employee relations.
Ms. Kilgore formed her own firm in San Antonio, Texas in 2008. She served as Assistant City Attorney for the City of Castle Hills, Texas where she investigated charges and tried Class C misdemeanor criminal cases on behalf of the State of Texas. She also served as an Independent Hearing Examiner appointed by the Texas Education Agency, hearing and resolving teacher's employment disputes. She further served as a member of the Bexar Appraisal Review Board, conducting evidentiary hearings and determining the value of property. In her private law practice, she represented plaintiffs and defendants in all stages of claims, investigations, discovery, trials, and negotiations in business disputes and employment discrimination claims. Ms. Kilgore joined King & Sommer, PLLC continuing her litigation practice and general business representation.
In 2018, Susan Kilgore joined the Leeser Law Firm PLLC, where she practices employment law, commercial litigation, advises clients on international law issues, and mediates disputes.
Janice Thomson has practiced law for more than 30 years, first as a litigator then as general counsel for San Antonio Shoe, Inc. (SAS). She currently handles a wide variety of business and employment matters at the Leeser Law Firm.
Ms. Thomson spent the first 10 years of her career primarily as a commercial litigator at the national firm of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer and Feld, where she became a partner. During those years she handled everything from simple contract disputes to complex government regulatory matters. Following her tenure at Akin Gump, she became General Counsel for San Antonio Shoe, Inc., a large local manufacturer, wholesaler and retailer of footwear. Her 20+ years at SAS greatly expanded her practice and areas of expertise. During her years at SAS, she was involved in all business matters within the company including: risk assessment and management, oversight of all HR matters, disputes and policies including EEOC, FMLA, and ADA issues, development and management of an ERISA Health Plan, contract review and formation, limited customs and immigration matters, overseeing workers comp. both in and out of the Texas Comp. System, issues involving intellectual property development and protection, government compliance issues at the local, state and national level and oversight of all outside counsel.
Ms. Thomson is licensed to practice law in the state of Texas and the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. She possesses formal mediation training. She has been involved in numerous community volunteer activities and is a life fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation.
Ms. Thomson believes in taking a practical approach to all legal issues weighing the cost/benefit ratio and keeping the client apprised of all possible outcomes while striving to accomplish the client's ultimate goals.


In addition to specializing in bankruptcy law and successfully helping hundreds of people file for bankruptcy over the last two years, Hendricks and Larsen is taking a new step in their bankruptcy law focus. Their new website (hendricksandlarsen.com) is dedicated specifically to bankruptcy law and to educating those interested in bankruptcy law during this economic recession. They are in the process of adding more information about bankruptcy so those overwhelmed by debt can learn if filing for bankruptcy is the type of fresh start they need.
Hendricks and Larsen Attorneys at Law is happy to share information concerning bankruptcy with all who need it and will be continually developing the educational value of their site in the coming months. They believe education is a vital key to success and are happy to help all who need the information they can offer. They believe their years of studying and experience can provide others with valuable knowledge and awareness.
The website currently has a brief overview of bankruptcy law and will soon have more information regarding each chapter of bankruptcy law. This increase in educational information will alert those concerned with debt as to what the differences are between the various chapters of bankruptcy, who should file for bankruptcy, and how to get started. Additional information to be found on the website in the future will include all chapters of bankruptcy law and will provide answers to common questions regarding bankruptcy.
Money has been a well protected asset since it was first minted by the government in 1792. Over time, we have increased our precautious measures. Today we have hiding places for our socks of cash, fire proof safes for our valuables, and security questions for our online banking. While money has always been protected, security precautions are especially prevalent during a recession. We are eating out less, entertaining in more, and waiting for sales because we are learning the value of a dollar. Unfortunately, some of us had to learn the value of a dollar the hard way. We are burdened with debt and are ever finding ourselves owing money for rent, running out of groceries, and needing to pay off another loan. If you are in debt, and are considering giving yourself a fresh start by declaring bankruptcy, be sure you put your financial future in the hands of those with these must have qualities.
1. Experience – This quality may sound general and obvious, but it is especially necessary when finding a bankruptcy attorney. The law is ever complicated and ever frustrating. Combine it with the stress and emotion that comes with debt, and you'll find you have a situation no one wants to be in. Get yourself out of this situation by finding an attorney who has successfully gotten people out of debt before. You need an attorney who is not afraid of your financial situation, who has successfully dealt with worse, and who is prepared to guide you through the bankruptcy declaration process.
2. Good with Paperwork – Most of us don't read the fine print and when we do, we don't know what it means or how it will affect us. A good bankruptcy attorney will know exactly what it means, precisely what you should sign and specifically what you need to fill out. While every industry has its jargon, there are few phrases more confusing than those connected with law and finances. Get an attorney who has read the paperwork thousands of times, has written paperwork of their own and can protect you from being overburdened by a mass of words you don't understand.
3. Honest – While the majority of attorneys and lawyers do not fit their stereotype of being dishonest, there are those that do. When dealing with the law, it is essential that you be honest. Thus, it is essential that your attorney be honest. You wouldn't hand your social security number to a known identity thief, so don't hand your financial affairs to a dishonest bankruptcy lawyer. You need an attorney that will not only be honest with the law, but that will also be honest with you. You need an attorney who will honestly tell you what your situation is, and what you stand to gain/ lose with their representation or without it.
4. Good with Words – History has shown that the art of language is one that can make or break a deal, change a judge's verdict, and determine financial outcome. When choosing a bankruptcy attorney, choose one who can speak the legal language and represent you properly. Choose an attorney who is able to take your situation and present it in a way that will give you the best outcome possible and bring you to a fresh start.
5. Up-to-date on Laws – While bankruptcy law hasn't changed since 2005, there is always a possibility that the law will change again. It is important that your bankruptcy attorney be aware of the various schools of thought on bankruptcy and the research behind that thought. Being aware of current opinions and potential changes is a vital part of representing clients correctly. Be sure that your attorney is continually doing research, reading financial, legal, and business journals and participating in discussions with those in their field.
6. Familiar with all Chapters of Bankruptcy – There are many options when filing bankruptcy and it is important that your bankruptcy attorney be aware of the details of these chapters, be familiar in filing bankruptcy under various chapters, and be qualified to know which chapter to file your case under. Your bankruptcy attorney should be able to guide you to whether you need to file under chapter 7 or chapter 13 and should be able to explain the differences between the two to you.
During difficult economic times, many of us review our finances and find that there is not enough money to cover all of the expenses we have. Paying for rent, shopping for groceries, and mailing in the heating bill are all things that have to be done and continue to chip away at our wallets. Filing for bankruptcy can be a great way to get a fresh new start. Before deciding if bankruptcy is right for you, it is important to go through your finances and determine if you are actually qualified to file bankruptcy, or if you would be better off with an alternative option. Below are 7 factors that you should think of when choosing where to head with your financial future.
How much debt do you have? Go through your finances and determine how much debt you have. It is important to figure out all the numbers before deciding if bankruptcy is the right choice for you. If you have at least $10k in debt, you should think about filing for bankruptcy, if you have less, work on finding alternative ways to eliminate your debt.
How much equity do you have in your house? When determining if you should file for bankruptcy, it is vital that you take all things into consideration, this includes considering how much equity you have in your house. In order to file for bankruptcy, you shouldn't have more than $20-$40k in equity.
How much equity do you have in your car? Just as you take the equity you have in your house into consideration, you should also evaluate how much equity you have in your vehicles. This will come into play when you are filling out paperwork and going through the process of filing for bankruptcy, so it is important to know this information before you start the process. To file bankruptcy, you shouldn't have more than $5k equity in your car.
Are your wages or bank accounts being garnished? If those to whom your in debt are taking part of your paycheck before you ever see it, you are in a situation that necessitates the filing of bankruptcy.
Are you closing a business that has a lot of debt that you personally guaranteed? If you are closing down a business that has a great amount of debt, and that debt is in your name, it is necessary that you file bankruptcy. Because of the effects this debt can have on your personal life, you should file for bankruptcy immediately.
Are you being sued by a creditor? If you not only owe money to a creditor, but are actually being sued by a creditor, it is time for you to get a fresh start and get the creditors off your back and out of your wallet. Being sued by a creditor is a primary reason for filing bankruptcy.
Have you filed a bankruptcy within the last 8 years? According to bankruptcy laws, there are certain people that are ineligible to file bankruptcy. Some of these include those who have filed bankruptcy within the last 8 years. If you have filed for Bankruptcy in the last 8 years, check with an attorney to determine if you may file again. You may not be able, but because every situation is unique, it is worthwhile to check first before assuming that you can't.
If the answers to the above questions indicate a need for you to file bankruptcy, find a trustworthy, well-reviewed bankruptcy attorney in your area and begin on the path to a fresh start.
You're drowning in a tidal wave of debt and you're facing the foreclosure of your new home. It's natural to believe, in this situation, that bankruptcy will solve all of your financial woes. But before you proceed down the erase-all-of-my-debt path, there are some things you should know. First, understand what bankruptcy is.
When you file for bankruptcy, you are petitioning for relief from-- and the restructuring of-- your debts. While this is the only legal option for shedding the scales of debt, you will need to meet certain requirements.
In addition to filing a bankruptcy court petition, you'll be asked to provide detailed information on your debts and assets. While creditors will not be able to seize your property through confiscation or foreclosure or file a lawsuit against you, this does not mean you can incur more debt. You must also keep in mind that bankruptcy will remain on your credit record for over ten years, making it hard to get mortgages, loans and credit cards.
New bankruptcy laws, passed in 2005 are restrictive and make it more complicated to file for bankruptcy. Some of the effects of this new law include, meeting with a credit counselor during the six months prior to filing for bankruptcy and enrolling in a money management program which you will be responsible to pay for. The bankruptcy court will also dictate the amount you will reasonably need for living expenses such as food and rent, and how much will be designated for paying off debts.
Filing for bankruptcy will not solve all of your money problems and could potentially work against you. But it could also give you a fresh start in life. That's why it's so important to study the pros and cons of filing for bankruptcy and consult with a competent and caring lawyer who is trustworthy and specializes in bankruptcy law. Hendricks and Larsen can help you make the right decisions regarding bankruptcy. We've helped hundreds of clients successfully file for bankruptcy and we can help you too. Call today for a FREE initial consultation and case evaluation!
Many first time credit card users have visions of all the electronics, clothes and other cool merchandise they can get TODAY, with their handy piece of plastic. What they fail to realize is that each time they use that convenient little plastic card; they are essentially taking out a loan.
So, let's say you go to the Cinema and use your credit card to purchase to two $8.00 tickets. You've just taken out a loan for $16.00 to watch a movie! Now there's nothing wrong with that as long as you realize you're going to have to pay the money back, probably in a month from now. Add to that charges for groceries, gas, new furniture, car repairs, clothes and other expenses and it starts ganging up on you pretty fast.
Imagine a young woman who racks up thousands of dollars in credit card debt with no thought of paying it back until that debt comes knocking at her door and she can no longer ignore it. The collector is after her, all of her credit cards are maxed out and she can't pay her rent, let alone pay one penny back towards her loans.
It's hard to keep ahead of the bills even in the best of times and in today's hard economic times, many people are living with a Confessions-of-a-Shopaholic sized burden of debt hanging over them like a gigantic yoke. Have you ever felt this way?
Yes, it'd sure be nice if you weren't in such a difficult financial situation. But we're here to help you if you are. We understand the frustrations that accompany being deep and debt and we genuinely care about your monetary well being. Filing for bankruptcy can seem overwhelming, but we can answer your questions on bankruptcy eligibility, whether you should file for it and what steps you should take.
Life can be very stressful in the months leading up to your decision to file for bankruptcy. You will no doubt wonder how it will affect your life once your bankruptcy claim is closed and if you'll ever recover from you're past monetary woes to see a brighter financial future. As long as you're willing to put forth a little effort, there are several ways you can improve your financial outlook.
First, you need to view your situation in a positive light. You've been given a fresh start. You no longer have to live with the overwhelming anxieties of excessive debt and collection calls.
Next, live within your means. Cut out any extras you don't really need like cable. Take advantage of your local library and check out free movies and books. If you're close to work, ride your bike and brown bag your lunch, if you can. Attend free concerts and engage in outdoor activities like hiking.
Take advantage of low or no-cost money management seminars and put what you learn into practice. If you filed for bankruptcy after 2005, you were probably required to attend a money management program as part of new bankruptcy laws passed. Don't think of it as a part of your bankruptcy sentence but an opportunity to learn principles that will put you on the path to a better financial future.
Join support groups and seek out the comfort and support of positive family members and friends. Don't underestimate the benefits of socializing with people who understand and care about your financial recovery. Studies have proven that people with active social lives are less depressed. Your friends and family can be your financial cheer leaders!
Lastly, establish new relationships with creditors. This may seem like a strange concept, but after bankruptcy, you need to build up your credit scores again to improve your chances of securing loans, mortgages or credit cards. Unfortunately, you'll pay a higher interest rate because of your bankruptcy and previous credit problems, but you will also be demonstrating your ability to pay off new debts. Only get loans that you're 100% positive you can afford so you don't fall into the same financial traps you experienced before bankruptcy. Your main goal here is to have these new creditors notify the credit bureau accounts of your timely payments, thus helping to raise your credit score more quickly.
Need help getting a financial fresh start? We have a successful track record of filing bankruptcy for hundreds of clients. Call us and start your road to financial recovery today.
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Here is the recap of the April 29 edition of 105.9 Qwik-Rock's weekly local music program, "The Homegrown Rocker," which airs every Sunday night from 8 to 10 PM on Lion Country's Rock Station, 105.9 Qwik-Rock. The show can also be streamed via Qwik's website, www.1059qwikrock.com.
This week, we revisited the mailboxes to check out new recordings that have arrived in recent weeks, and debuted lots of new music! Logging first "Homegrown Rocker" airtime were new tunes from Jim Donovan & the Sun King Warriors, M.F.G., Rodeo Serenade, Jiggley Jones, Jessica Graae, The Hook, Deluded Youth and Gryla! Along the way, we updated "Local Music News," dug out a 2000 tune by Spinebelt from the archive for this week's "Local Music Flashback," stepped "Across State Lines" to hear music from Lansing, Michigan-based rockers The Devil's Cut, and reviewed Nag Champions Mystery Band's Earthworks CD in "The Professor's CD Corner!"
THE LEGENDARY HUCKLEBUCKS - "B-Movie"
JIM DONOVAN & THE SUN KING WARRIORS - "You in My Arms"
M.F.G. - "Back on the Streets"
RODEO SERENADE - "Gotta Lotta Rhythm"
MISS MELANIE & THE VALLEY RATS - "It Ain't Easy"
JIGGLEY JONES - "Del Alma"
JESSICA GRAAE - "Keep You Safe"
MYCENEA WORLEY - "9 Lives"
FELIX & THE HURRICANES - "Little Ears"
THE HOOK - "Go Getter"
NAG CHAMPIONS MYSTERY BAND - "Stone Hymns"
13 SAINTS - "Mother May I"
GRYLA - "Master of Lies"
BEHIND THE GREY - "Treason"
We welcome guests on our next program, as Randy Wilson and Zac Grace will discuss this year's "Day of Rock" benefit concert, happening June 16 at Altoona's Railroaders Museum! We'll get the lowdown on the event, and feature music from some of the participating groups and artists! Along the way, we will update "Local Music News," dig out a "Local Music Flashback" from the archive, and step "Across State Lines" to hear a song from an independent band or artist from outside the state!
Some good news regarding a situation we informed you of a few weeks ago...Weeks after it was announced that long-running local and regional music publication Pennsylvania Musician Magazine was going to cease operations after the upcoming May issue, the magazine has been spared. Josh Noll, the son of the magazine's founding couple, Whitey and Robin Noll, stepped up to take over operation of the publication this past week, beginning with the June issue. In an announcement from his sister, PA Musician columnist Rachel Rocks, Josh did not want to see his parents' legacy come to an end, and so he decided to step up to keep the magazine going.
The entertainment lineup has been announced for next month's 51st annual Blair County Arts Festival, which will happen May 19 and 20 at Penn State Altoona. Among entertainers performing on Saturday the 19th will be Stormy, Ride the Song, Jay Vonada Jazz Quartet, Stephen Johnopolos Trio, Camara Drum & Dance, Born & the Beanstalk and the Michael Christopher Band. Sunday the 19th's performers will include the Dave Villani Trio, R2B2, Lucia Valentine and the Altoona Brass Collective. Admission to the festival is free, and donations will be accepted for parking.


(w)egocity aims to tackle frontally the dilemma of maximum desires / maximum density by accommodating truly the needs of users for a differentiated lifestyle, yet it does so following a restricted urban envelope that keeps energy consumption and footprint under control. The challenge of the studio is to come up with solutions that give priority to process, negotiation and self-assurance that the result of each house will not aim to arrive at mediocre results but at highly individualized designs. The aim is to devise methods that avoid compromise at all costs. Architecture therefore is considered in this studio as the design of an ideal software that solves conflicts between neighbors fight for space.We ask the students to reflect on each game theory and application results and also to think on the idea of what means spatial conflict, what means to privacy conflict, what is the difference between the polder model of middle ground and the (w) egocity? What is the future of process design protocols?


text:
<?php

namespace OAuth2\ResponseType;

use OAuth2\Storage\AccessTokenInterface as AccessTokenStorageInterface;
use OAuth2\Storage\RefreshTokenInterface;

/**
 *
 * @author Brent Shaffer <bshafs at gmail dot com>
 */
class AccessToken implements AccessTokenInterface
{
    protected $tokenStorage;
    protected $refreshStorage;
    protected $config;

    /**
     * @param OAuth2\Storage\AccessTokenInterface  $tokenStorage   REQUIRED Storage class for saving access token information
     * @param OAuth2\Storage\RefreshTokenInterface $refreshStorage OPTIONAL Storage class for saving refresh token information
     * @param array                                $config         OPTIONAL Configuration options for the server
     *                                                             <code>
     *                                                             $config = array(
     *                                                             'token_type' => 'bearer',              // token type identifier
     *                                                             'access_lifetime' => 3600,             // time before access token expires
     *                                                             'refresh_token_lifetime' => 1209600,   // time before refresh token expires
     *                                                             );
     *                                                             </endcode>
     */
    public function __construct(AccessTokenStorageInterface $tokenStorage, RefreshTokenInterface $refreshStorage = null, array $config = array())
    {
        $this->tokenStorage = $tokenStorage;
        $this->refreshStorage = $refreshStorage;

        $this->config = array_merge(array(
            'token_type'             => 'bearer',
            'access_lifetime'        => 3600,
            'refresh_token_lifetime' => 1209600,
        ), $config);
    }

    public function getAuthorizeResponse($params, $user_id = null)
    {
        // build the URL to redirect to
        $result = array('query' => array());

        $params += array('scope' => null, 'state' => null);

        /*
         * a refresh token MUST NOT be included in the fragment
         *
         * @see http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6749#section-4.2.2
         */
        $includeRefreshToken = false;
        $result["fragment"] = $this->createAccessToken($params['client_id'], $user_id, $params['scope'], $includeRefreshToken);

        if (isset($params['state'])) {
            $result["fragment"]["state"] = $params['state'];
        }

        return array($params['redirect_uri'], $result);
    }

    /**
     * Handle the creation of access token, also issue refresh token if supported / desirable.
     *
     * @param $client_id                client identifier related to the access token.
     * @param $user_id                  user ID associated with the access token
     * @param $scope                    OPTIONAL scopes to be stored in space-separated string.
     * @param bool $includeRefreshToken if true, a new refresh_token will be added to the response
     *
     * @see http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6749#section-5
     * @ingroup oauth2_section_5
     */
    public function createAccessToken($client_id, $user_id, $scope = null, $includeRefreshToken = true)
    {
        $token = array(
            "access_token" => $this->generateAccessToken(),
            "expires_in" => $this->config['access_lifetime'],
            "token_type" => $this->config['token_type'],
            "scope" => $scope
        );

        $this->tokenStorage->setAccessToken($token["access_token"], $client_id, $user_id, $this->config['access_lifetime'] ? time() + $this->config['access_lifetime'] : null, $scope);

        /*
         * Issue a refresh token also, if we support them
         *
         * Refresh Tokens are considered supported if an instance of OAuth2\Storage\RefreshTokenInterface
         * is supplied in the constructor
         */
        if ($includeRefreshToken && $this->refreshStorage) {
            $token["refresh_token"] = $this->generateRefreshToken();
            $expires = 0;
            if ($this->config['refresh_token_lifetime'] > 0) {
                $expires = time() + $this->config['refresh_token_lifetime'];
            }
            $this->refreshStorage->setRefreshToken($token['refresh_token'], $client_id, $user_id, $expires, $scope);
        }

        return $token;
    }

    /**
     * Generates an unique access token.
     *
     * Implementing classes may want to override this function to implement
     * other access token generation schemes.
     *
     * @return
     * An unique access token.
     *
     * @ingroup oauth2_section_4
     */
    protected function generateAccessToken()
    {
        if (function_exists('mcrypt_create_iv')) {
            $randomData = mcrypt_create_iv(20, MCRYPT_DEV_URANDOM);
            if ($randomData !== false && strlen($randomData) === 20) {
                return bin2hex($randomData);
            }
        }
        if (function_exists('openssl_random_pseudo_bytes')) {
            $randomData = openssl_random_pseudo_bytes(20);
            if ($randomData !== false && strlen($randomData) === 20) {
                return bin2hex($randomData);
            }
        }
        if (@file_exists('/dev/urandom')) { // Get 100 bytes of random data
            $randomData = file_get_contents('/dev/urandom', false, null, 0, 20);
            if ($randomData !== false && strlen($randomData) === 20) {
                return bin2hex($randomData);
            }
        }
        // Last resort which you probably should just get rid of:
        $randomData = mt_rand() . mt_rand() . mt_rand() . mt_rand() . microtime(true) . uniqid(mt_rand(), true);

        return substr(hash('sha512', $randomData), 0, 40);
    }

    /**
     * Generates an unique refresh token
     *
     * Implementing classes may want to override this function to implement
     * other refresh token generation schemes.
     *
     * @return
     * An unique refresh.
     *
     * @ingroup oauth2_section_4
     * @see OAuth2::generateAccessToken()
     */
    protected function generateRefreshToken()
    {
        return $this->generateAccessToken(); // let's reuse the same scheme for token generation
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Helping fundraisers reach their donation goals for worthy causes
How GoFundMe kept their 5-minutes email response guarantee with their 25 million donors
self-service rate
minute email response time guarantee
billion dollars raised
million donors
GoFundMe is the world's number one personal fundraising website, helping people raise money for everything from medical bills and emergencies to making movies and fulfilling wishes. Since launching in 2010, GoFundMe has helped individuals, groups, and organizations raise over $4 billion dollars from more than 25 million donors. With easy-to-use mobile tools, no penalties, deadlines, or goal requirements, and guaranteed protection for donors and beneficiaries, GoFundMe is changing the way the world gives.
"Meeting our 5-minute response promise is really, really hard. With so many moving pieces, we looked to Solvvy as a way to buffer against spikes in ticket volume. We were surprised at the deflection rate we got—it was much higher than we expected."
Morgan Wood
Head of Customer Happiness
Emotions can run high around personal fundraising campaigns. Making sure users feel supported is a key differentiator for GoFundMe. That's why they offer a 24/7 five-minute email response guarantee. However as GoFundMe's popularity increased, support traffic grew, making its promise increasingly difficult to maintain for its Customer Happiness agents in San Diego and Dublin. To help resolve simpler tickets and free up agents to respond to more complex issues, GoFundMe turned to Solvvy to integrate self-service into its customer support.
Solvvy on the Front Lines
GoFundMe's five-minute response guarantee is just one of many moving pieces in the company's Customer Happiness puzzle. With agents already stretched to provide support around the clock, GoFundMe was looking to add an additional layer of support when ticket volumes spiked. It was during one of these spikes in February 2017 that they signed on with Solvvy to enable self-service for easier questions, which account for 10-15% of tickets.
Solvvy sits on GoFundMe's "Contact Us" page and helps users find answers to common questions before submitting a support ticket. Solvvy uses natural language processing technology combined with machine learning algorithms to learn from the company's knowledge base and offer relevant answers instantly, at scale. GoFundMe was surprised by how many tickets Solvvy helped them resolve—immediately following implementation they achieved a self-service rate of 20-30%.
Reducing customer support costs
Automating answers to the simplest customer support questions has enabled GoFundMe to reduce customer service costs and pass the savings on to the business as a whole. It's also helped define new customer service KPIs, motivating the entire team to do better. As an added advantage, having access to Solvvy's customer service ticket data has enabled GoFundMe to rethink its Help Center where customers are directed before they get to the Contact Us page. Now GoFundMe provides better information in the Help Center, which improves self-service rates too.
Scaling the support team
Solvvy has reduced the total number of customer service tickets by 20-30%, plus the percentage of "easy tickets" agents are handling went from 10-15% of overall tickets down to 1-5%. That means the company is getting more value for its customer service investment, as well as reducing the need for added headcount to keep up with growth. According to Morgan Wood, Head of Customer Happiness, the company's five-minute response promise creates a "halo effect" for GoFundMe that elevates the company's image and public trust. Solvvy has helped GoFundMe continue to deliver on this promise, solidifying a key competitive differentiator.
Earning trust as the #1 online fundraising expert
Solvvy continuously reindexes and learns from the knowledge base as the Customer Happiness Team makes updates to it. Going forward, GoFundMe expects its business to evolve and Solvvy to grow with it. They plan to test the impact of bringing Solvvy to the top of the Help Center to improve the speed and accuracy of responses through enhanced understanding of customer requests. As a leader in personal fundraising, GoFundMe is always looking to improve their customer experience and Solvvy is the perfect partner to deliver the best experience so they can keep helping people around the world meet their fundraising goals.
You might also be interested in these stories
Solvvy reduced response times helping to boost CSAT scores and provide a better customer service experience overall.
Solvvy helped StASH keep up with support tickets without having to add to its team, which kept costs down
Solvvy provides speedy, accurate self-service so clients can immediately find the information they need and keep working.
Take Solvvy for a spin
Elevate your customer support with the power of AI. See what Solvvy AI support software can do for your business.
Download CX Transformation Whitepaper


text:
%HUMOMENTS  Calculates seven Hu invariants
%
%    m = cv.HuMoments(mo)
%
% ## Input
% * __mo__ Input moments computed with cv.moments().
%
% ## Output
% * __hu__ Output Hu invariants.
%
% The function calculates seven Hu invariants (introduced in [Hu62]; see also
% http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image_moment).
%
% These values are proved to be invariants to the image scale, rotation, and
% reflection except the seventh one, whose sign is changed by reflection. This
% invariance is proved with the assumption of infinite image resolution. In
% case of raster images, the computed Hu invariants for the original and
% transformed images are a bit different.
%
% See also cv.moments
%


text:
Global Warming Causes
» Energy Efficiency
Policies in Europe
Last Updated on Wed, 15 Sep 2010 | Energy Efficiency
The situation of energy supply in Europe is highly dependent on the import of energy products. Today more than 50% of its requirements have to be imported. If the present trends continue, this figure will increase to about 70% in 2030, with a growing dependency on oil and gas imports. In 1999, the cost of energy imports was more than €240 billion Euro for the European Union (EU-15), or about 6% of its total imports and 1.2% of its gross domestic product [3]. These figures show that the European Union has a vital interest in reducing its degree of dependence on energy imports, and on the other hand to improve the development and increase the share of domestic and sustainable energy resources. In comparison with the strategy of the United States to respond to the increasing demand of energy with an increasing supply, the strategic plan of the European Commission is to implement measures which promote the efficiency of energy use with respect to the reduction of energy demand without reducing the comfort of the customers. According to the point of view of the European Commission, the reduction of energy demand can get influenced more than increasing the supply. Besides these reasons, there are many more strategic motivations and benefits to support the expansion of renewable energies and energy conservation technologies. From an environmental point of view, the increased application of renewable energy sources, energy efficiency, and energy conservation reduces the effects of climate change by the reduction of greenhouse gases and pollutant emissions from conventional power plants. Looking from the economic point of view, the expansion of energy conservation and renewable energy technologies allows a sustainable development, creates knowledge, improves the job situation by creating local employment, and will lead to the development of new industry branches in Europe.
Directive #2001/77/EC of the European Parliament and the Council for the "promotion of electricity produced from renewable energy sources" [4] gives the legal framework for the exploitation of the renewable energy sources in the European Union in the internal market. The directive sets a community target of sourcing 12% of gross inland energy consumption from renewable energy systems by 2010, with an indicative figure of 22% for electricity. It also sets indicative targets for each member state. Furthermore, the directive obliges member states to report on the progress of meeting the national indicative targets, issue guarantees of origin of electricity produced from renewable energy sources, guarantee grid access for electricity produced from renewable energy sources, and assure transparent and nondiscriminating pricing for the grid connection of producers of electricity from renewable energy sources.
Although the European Commission has set general targets for all member states, it does not stipulate them to any mandatory and legally binding policies in order to reach the goals of increasing the share of renewable energy sources. In fact, the individual member states have their full sovereignty and are free to decide which policies they prefer as steering instruments of their choice. As a consequence, different policy mechanisms are applied on a national level in Europe. Based on reports of individual national governments, the report of the European Commission will evaluate the success and the cost-effectiveness of the diverse support systems with respect to specific national targets. If necessary, the Commission can make a proposal for one general and union-wide support policy for renewable energy sources. The Commission will present its evaluations in a report to the European Parliament with detailed information on the experience acquired with the application of the different mechanisms in its member states. The report is expected to be published by the end of 2005.
According to the subsidiary principle, the EU Directive does not require a community-wide framework for all the Member States. Thus, several support mechanisms and policies are applied in different EU member states in order to promote the development of renewable energies, especially in domestic markets. The hierarchy of national policies in context with the European and international policies is shown in Figure 2.1.
Other important directives and legal instruments that have been adopted by the European Parliament and Council in order to achieve the common goal of 12% share of renewable energies of EU-15 by 2010 and to support renewable energies and energy efficiency are, for instance, in chronological order: [5]
• Directive #2000/55/EC on energy efficiency requirements for ballasts for fluorescent lighting [6]
• Directive #2001/77/EC on the promotion of electricity produced from renewable energy sources [7]
• Regulation #2422/2001/EC on Energy Star labeling for office equipment [8]
• Directive #2002/31/EC on labeling of air conditioners [9]
International agreements and commitements: e.g. kyoto protocol
European measures, directives and papers: e.g. green paper, white paper, framework programs for R&D
National policies and measures
Learn How To Survive Energy Crisis
Siemens Combustion Turbines Combustion
Every Home Can Use Solar Stirling
Homemade Energy WISE Generator
Home Remedies Hives Urticaria
Positive Affirmations Mindzoom
Underground Witchcraft Secrets
Mutual coercion mutually agreed
The Wheel Humankind Global
Reduction carbon dioxide using
Components Conventional Reactors
Carver George Washington Pollution
Basic Unit Burnup GWDT per MTHM
Heat Balance Earth Atmosphere
Production Plutonium in Reactors
Historical Background Graphite
Case Study Storm Surge Produced by
The Earths Internal Energy Energy
Using New Technology to Discover
Solubility gases Oceans Climate
Geography as Positivist Science
Shape Size Tropical Cyclones
Globalization and the Environment
Pollution Guide
Climate Change Response Act
Change in the Weather
Clean Energy Economy
Fight Climate Change
Climate Forecast System
Energy Use Worldwide
Global Energy Transformation
Environmental Journalism
Green Trading Markets
World Energy Outlook
Power Generation Technologies
Green Sayings
Global Water Security
Stop Global Warming
Solar Hydrogen Generation
Climate Studies
Global Warming Trends
Science Suppression
Climates and Weather
Fossil Fuels and Pollution
The Economic Growth
The Carbon Cycle
Water Crises
Green Movement
The Lifespan Of Earth
Climate Variability and Extremes
Oceans and Climate
Hydroclimate Projects
A Warming World
Human Extinction
Emission Trading System
The Science of Climate Change
Ozone Depletion


Gateway compatible bacterial expression destination vector with N-terminal 8xHis tag and Mistic (from B. subtilis) tag; contains ccdB death cassette that is removed after recombinational cloning; ampicillin resistance in bacteria; recombinational cloning.
Title: Recombinant expression, purification and biophysical characterization of the transmembrane and membrane proximal domains of HIV-1 gp41.
Misticated vector with N-terminal HIS-tag based on pET vector with mistic from Bacilus subtilis.


Chamberlain Elementary School is an EL Education School. EL Education is a whole school transformation model that emphasizes project-based learning, student engagement, character development, and high-quality, authentic student work.
We embrace the EL Education Vision: When students and teachers are engaged in work that is challenging, adventurous and meaningful, learning and achievement flourish.
Building a positive school culture: We are working to ensure that our school has safe and respectful learning environments. The motto "we are crew, not passengers" guides our school as we build cultures of respect, responsibility, courage, and kindness — where students and educators are committed to quality work and citizenship. We will work with students to take responsibility for each other and for their learning and build leadership skills that help them excel.
Learning with a purpose: We seek to have highly engaged learners, motivated to master academic content and produce high quality work.
Students are scientists, urban planners, historians, and activists. They investigate real community problems and collaborate with peers to develop creative, actionable solutions.
Students at all levels are pushed and supported to do more than they think they can. Excellence is expected in the quality of their work and thinking.
Students apply their skills and knowledge to real-world issues and make positive change in their communities. They see the relevance of their learning and are motivated by understanding that learning has purpose.
Through formal structures of presentation, exhibition, critique, and data analysis, students and teachers build a shared vision of pathways to achievement.
School leaders, teachers, students, and families share rigorous expectations for quality work, achievement, and behavior. Trust, respect, responsibility, and joy in learning permeate the school culture.


The good folks over at Valley Food Storage recently contacted us about a partnership. After requesting and sampling some of their food, we were on board. What really sets Valley apart, in our opinion, is the quality of their product - see for yourself how they stack up against other food storage companies.
For this giveaway, Valley Food Storage is rewarding one MMM reader with a two-person 72-Hour Kit, valued at almost $150. Giveaway guidelines are below.
• Leave a comment on this post.
• Seven days to enter (closes Sunday, February 8th at midnight).
• Winner announced Monday, February 9th.
• Winner must respond via email with their address by Friday, February 13th to claim the kit.
• Kit will be mailed directly to winner at Valley's cost if within the United States.


I have spoken to three different representatives at Jiffy Lube HQ who were rude, inconsiderate and ignorant. Not only were they unable to assist with my inquiry but they could not be bothered to escalate even when I told them each that they were harming the reputation of their company. I even told them that I would pursue this until they lost their jobs if necessary. They could not understand that they were hurting not only their own reputations but that they were harming the reputations of their franchisees.
One guy transfered me to the SE Midwest group out of his ignorance and probably just to get rid of me. The SE Midwest Group was the first place that I spoke to a normal person, Christen who showed some concern for my issue. Unfortunately she is not in a position to solve this particular issue of total contempt for customers at the HQ.
I have had occasion to deal with many an aggressive company in my time, but I have never experienced total contempt and aggressive superiority by low level employees of an international company. Needless to say, I am appalled. I expect an acknowledgement and an apology from an executive of the HQ. I am prepared to escalate this complaint to the level needed to disrupt the disgusting culture at Jiffy Lube.
I took my car in to the local Jiffy Lube yesterday. It was a bit late for the recommended oil change, which was all I wanted done.
They also pressured me to get new headlights ( a pair, of course), as one of mine was cracked.
to install myself. They wouldn't touch them.
So, I eventually left, having paid $ 75.13 for what I expected to be a $ 30-odd oil change.
So much for a "fast, reasonably-priced" oil change. Never again.
When I brought my Prius to Jiffy Lube (25K Miles), they told me that I need to have both the air filter and cabin filter replaced. They told me the price of the air filter was $19.95. Then they talked about the cabin filter but didn't say a price, wording it in such a way to suggest it was the same price as the air filter. They also told me that Toyota recommends changing these every 10K miles. The cabin filter ended up costing me $45.00 even though the exact model is available at auto parts stores for $9.95. Also, Toyota only recommends a 10K interval for changing these filters ONLY IF you drive regularly on dirt roads, something we have none of in the DC suburbs. For regular roads, Toyota recommends a 30K replacement interval, which means that the "technician" completely lied to me.
I need to let you know what happened at Jiffy Lube #3288 on Saturday 6/20/09 at 1:15 PM.
I have been getting my 2 new cars oil changed at this location since Day one of these cars. 2008 Toyota Corolla and a 2008 Kia Optima. I could not help questioning the speed at which the oil changes were getting done. I actually loved it until today. I marked on the side of the oil filter with my son's initials on the Optima before getting the oil changed. I just wanted to make sure the job was actually getting done. I received the oil change in the same speedy manner. I returned home and lifted my hood. To my surprise and disappointment the initials were still there! I could not believe my eyes. I went back to the store and told them what happened. They took me underneath to show me today's date was put on the bottom of the filter not realizing my sons initials were on the side. Which made me even more disappointed that they would not only avoid changing the oil filter, but would try to hide this by putting today's date on the bottom of the filter. The assistant manager ( Willie ) apologized and gave me my next oil change free of charge. Can I really except this offer? Will they really do the job I am paying for everytime? Do I really have to mark my oil filter every time I return?
And why are employee's fired if they get hurt?
I had my husband service my car at J. L in 45150, on MAY 20th, 2009 at about 11:20 am I had bought the car new in 1994 and it only had 84,000 on it. They changed oil and filter, and flushed the transmission. I usually had a local garage change trans. fluid, but he was on vacation and thought I would send to J L. 45150. He returned it 16 miiles from J. L. and I started to drive, and smoke went everywhere, I was going around curve at the time Transmission line blew apart, as the guy that serviced it, let line lay on top of a pulley. I called my husband, and he came right out, then he called J. L. They sent 2 guys from J. L. out about 2 hours later. They said not to worry that I would get a new transmission out of it. They called, A Mike P. in 790 Pershing Rd. 27608, in N. C. He told my husband to call a local transmission shop, and he would have the 2 employees call a wrecker to take it there to have it fixed. He then told us we were getting a rental car at Enterprise locally. I thought everything would be o k. untill another guy called and was very demanding, and he wanted to take a look at car before it was moved. My husband told him, that the Corp. office said to get it fixed, and he was very demanding. We think the guy calling was really a JERK. My husband told him that his boss said it was O. K. to sent to TRANSMISSION SHOP.. Well, anyway the 2 guys that came out said they would stay there untill the Wrecker came. Wel,l just as soon as we left, they left, as that is what neighbors told us, as we called them at 8 pm and it was still sitting there. My husband called a local Wrecker and he said he couldn't take to Transmission shop untill the next morning, so that is what we did.
The estimate to fix transmission was over $2300.00. Well Mike called and said that he would only give $700.00 for the car with only 84000 miles on a one owner, like new car. My husband told him that we wanted the car fixed as I liked the car, and didn't want to sell it. He then offered $1100.00 for the car. We told him no, and we would take them to court, and he said we would be sorry, and he would see us in court. That car ran good before J. L got it in their possession. I told them they broke it, and they said they would fix, as the Employee said it was all his fault. Well we took them to Clermont County Small Claims Court. We appeared and the two guys from J. L. were there also. But what We didn't know that J. L. was owned by LUCOR which is owned by Shell Oil Co. and they brought in a high dollar Attorney whuich worked for Westfield Insurance Co. All we had was Estimate for repair of trans. He brought in a Kelly Blue Book for a trade In. He presented it to MAGISTRATE. The Attorney said it was J. L. fault , that wasn't disputed, it was their fault. He said all they could give for car was top Blue Book value, which was $1050.00. He presented a case : Falter v TOLEDO (1959 ) They said they offered us a fair market value for the car on May 29th, 2009, which they did, but they wanted the car, and I wasn't giving up my car that I bought new. I am a Senior Citizen, and when i bought the car, I said this was giong to have to last me the rest of my life. I didn't want to part with my car, that was where they lied in COURT, by saying they offered a fair market value, but they didn't tell the Magistrate that they wanted the car too. We didn't see that untill we got the decision back from the court. The lady Magistrate evidently didn't know the law refered to a Collision, not A Mechanic's flaw. That should be covered under GARAGE LIABILITY INSURANCE. We also asked for additional damages for loss of car for over a month, and we still don't have a car to this day. We just got decision back on JULY 25th, 2009. Before we went to Court I had called Att. General in Ohio. He sent them a letter, and J. L returned a letter and told Att. Gen.they were going to court on Small Claims Court on case. Well, the Att. Gen. sent us a lettersaying because it wasin Court that he couldn't get involved. He was very nice about it. So I guess I will have to get ATTORNEY, and take them back to Court. I believe the Attorney for LUCOR, REP. from Westfield, MANIPULATED Me in COURT. I am a lady, and the ATTORNEY asked me if I was a CERTIFIED MECHANIC , How many Ladies are CERTIFIED MECHANICS, My son has been CERTIFIED for over 25 years. My husband asked the Attorney to asked him any mechanicql questins they wanted, they had none. He was in Auto Service for over 10 years. The guys at J. L. are more SALESMEN than Mechanics ..WE looked everywhere to find a '94 the same model with the 84000 miles on it, we couldn't find. We found one that had 91000 miles and they wanted $2995.00 for it. WHAT A RIP OFF THEY ARE.???????????? Sure wish we could all form a union, and take J. L. LURCOR and SHELL OIL Co. to Cilvil Court. Hope I didn't make typing mistakes.
I go in for an easy oil change. They were real nice about it all. Oil change is done, and I leave..too easy. I drive down the free way, as I am on my way to the gym. I notice the oil light on, and just hope that it's something that will turn off after a while, or when I restart the car. Not being a very technical guy with cars, I continue to the gym, until I hear a very terrible high pitched screaming, and my car starts to stutter. Pull into the gym, because luckily it was right at the next exit, and immediately turn my car off. Call the guys at Jiffy Lube, and they send me to the closest Jiffy Lube near my gym. I start the car up again, and once again I make my move hoping my car does not kill itself before I hit the Jif. Almost getting there, all my car lights(Battery,Oil,Check Engine..etc) come on and I feel the car turn off. Rolling luckily on a hill I pull off to the side safely with my alerts on. Once again luckily the Jiffy Lube is only a block away. I walk down there and speak to the guy there, explaining my situation. Real nice guy helps me out following me to my car. Checks underneath the car and finds that the filter had fallen off. Takes my reciept and walks back to the station to grab another filter. The one he comes with doesn't exactly stay fit on the car, so he checks the sizes for my car, and realizes it was the wrong filter installed. He goes back to the station grabs the right one with some oil, and finally my car starts back up, but now it's making a terrible noise. Turns out I had been driving without any oil at all for a while, and my car is smart enough to shut down before the engine has blown. I am taking my car into their repair shop tomorrow, and going from there. Once again they are really lucky that I don't have to be somewhere, as I am recently unemployed, and that I am also leaving town for a few weeks. Phew!
I had a full service done where I wanted a complete over haul for everything a major tune-up would have done except for the spark plugs. They came up with my battery needs replacement and sold me one with an 8 year warranty.
Transmission fluid was bone dry on the freeway. I drove away thinking everything was properly done and they did it in about an hour. That was fast. So, I paid 500 including a battery and now I needed plugs done and I would be finished until my car reached 100k. Right now, it isn't quite at 60k. I got on the freeway and my car acted funny in traffic. It was jerking and couldn't pick up speed correctly. I pulled it over and checked the fluid. BONE DRY! I called up. They said their computers could tell if the job was done. The person who called himself the manager was the assistant manager. I got to the shop. It was passed 6pm when they said they were closed. The assistant manager is sitting there checking the trany fluid with the engine OFF!!!! I had to sit there and teach him the difference between checking the motor oil and the trany fluid. Now, my curiosity is way up. Windshield wiper fluid was way low. The inside the shop had told me that my brake fluid was checked and it was fine and that is how you can tell if the brakes are bad because they would use more fluid to keep them up. I don't trust them at all now and wonder if my battery was even really bad. Tires were supposed to be checked and they checked it only when I had returned. The assistant mgr told the guy to wait and not pull the car out yet. The guy was leaking air in the tires as he checked them. I had to show him how to do that. Now, I am thinking that the entire time I was speaking with the shop guy selling me the services while this was going on, I was right next to the door where they do this stuff and not once did I remember hearing the sounds for taking off a tire. They never rotated my tires! What else did they not do? They put coolent in but how do I know it was even flushed? The asst mgr. tells me that they stopped changing the filters to the trainy about a year ago. The web site says different. It says this service is done along with the gasket pan seal and all. So, how did they charge me for services that they never performed and risk my life from getting killed on the freeway when my trany was not properly working due to their neglect? There is probably more, I just am so mad that I am sad I threw away money when I didn't have to. The guy that says he is the manager or assistant was not the guy that yesterday the others referred to as manager inside the shop. That is weird. The whole thing is weird now that I think about it. I don't like it. The fron t guy said he had the guy change some other fluid that he should have charged me money for. Well, I am frantic worried now, wondering if they didn't leave something else bone dry and my car will start acting up on me in a minute. This is scarry stuff and my life is at stake.
The best bet is to call the California or whatever state you are in, the Department of Auto Repair. It is a federal government regulated department for mechanic repairs and these companies will be investigated and severly fined or even shut down if things are not right. These are people's lives they are playing around with and this is not just a defective product, this is worse than buying bad meat or milk at the store. This is putting your life at risk, your children and your friends or whomever is in your car AND the other people on the road that you get into an accident with and their family and friends because Jiffy Lube didn't even know how to check fluid properly or forgot to fill something up or properly check tires and you get into a wreck.That is scary stuff and your federal government department of auto repair needs to know!
In early April I stopped in at Jiffy Lube in Kent WA (104th and approximately 242nd) for a top off. I told the employee (a young black male) that I thought I needed a top off. He then went to another employee when I heard him say, "He can't have any after January, right?" I took no offense, as I assumed the young man was a new employee. However, the other employee - a young white male with facial hair, named Josh - came over and advised me, "I'll do it this time, but three top offs is the limit. Besides, you're only 200 miles from your next oil change. You just need to come in and have another oil change!" I said I was unaware of limits on top offs - "Is this something new?" Josh said, "Yeah, there has just been too many people who come in after they're due for an oil change, and get a top off. So we had to put on a limit of three."
This fellow is young, and I am not. Do your employees really assume your customers are so stupid? And why in the world would Jiffy Lube give anyone a top off if their previous oil change was more than 3000 miles past? And is it customary for your employees to order your customers (i.e. "You just need to come in and have another oil change!") around? Not only that, but once I came home, I noticed I was 500 miles away from my next oil change - not 200 as Josh said!
A few days later I stopped at another Jiffy Lube in Kent and told a female employee about my experience. She basically said Josh "didn't know what he was talking about." Gee, what a shock there.
Is it common for your employees to try and bully customers as well as lie to them? That hasn't been my experience - as far as I know - in the past, but I have seen some bad press on Jiffy Lube before. I'm now due for an oil change for one of my cars. Can you tell me why I should patronize Jiffy Lube in the future? I'd appreciate an answer as soon as possible. If I don't hear from you, I shall contact the WA State Attorney General as well as the BBB. Thank you for your time.
3) guy comes out, lots of machismo, calls me over to his computer and says that the mfg recommened oil is synthetic and that since I have a new car, I will void the warranty if I don't put in synthetic oil, on top of that, he says that "they'll know i didn't put synthetic oil in" if my engine has problems. B******t! What a scare tactic! I told him to stop trying to scare me and put in the regular oil.
5) they said they "couldn't get the air filter out of the car". in other words they were too lazy to take off the four screws, two of which are somewhat difficult to get to, but regardless how is it not possible to take out of a near brand new car? Morons!
will never, ever take my car to Jiffy Lube again. I'm going to do what I did in my 20's, change my own oil, won't have to deal with those yahoos and I get a little self satisfaction. by the way, Pep Boys in Skokie wasn't much better with my other car, nice oil hand print on the door, hood, and steering wheel.
Bottom line I will never ever set foot in another Jiffylube. I have been going to Jiffylube for quite a few years and have been able to ward off the constant urges to sell me more services than asked for by asking my Son-in-law if what they recommend was needed.
This time I was just going in because I needed the air in my tires checked. I still had time before my next oil change but because I had a coupon I decided to get it done. I had just used my GPS a few hours prior and had put it back under my back seat. There was also a bag of things I had purchased at Walgreen's on the floor.
When I got back in the car I noticed the Walgreen bag had been thrown on the seat and the contents had fallen out. Since I had my Grandson with, I just buckled him in and went home. When I got home I started looking for the things that had fallen out when I noticed that my GPS was missing. I immediately called the Jiffy Lube but they denied seeing it and explained there was nothing they could do.
I knew there was nothing to do since I had not seen who had cleaned my car because the people are not allowed in the work area. I accepted that I had made a big mistake not taking the unit out.
When I went to my daughter's house to drop off my Grandson, my Son-in-law went out to check my car and informed me I was low on brake fluid and windshield fluid, both services that should have been included in the price of the oil change. I guess they were too busy stealing to worry about doing the job paid for. He did say the oil was clean so I guess I'm lucky.
This in not the first time I have heard about problems at this Jiffy Lube so I guess the error was mine to have gone there. Lesson learned.
As with the report made at the police department I'm sure there is nothing to be done but I will feel better knowing that this has been reported.
A few weeks ago, on Sunday afternoon at about 1:30 I arrived at the Jiffy Lube location in Indio, CA. I gave the employee my keys and proceeded to wait to be called in for service specifics.
So I waited until the Oil Change was pretty much done before they finally signed me in, at which time I told another employee that the service was horrible. He didn't seem to enjoy my opinion and tried to shrug it off.
When the service was complete, I paid and went out to get into my car. When I turned the key to start my car, the plastic remote of the key came completely loose from the metal key. I looked at the key and noticed that it had been bent until it cracked off the metal, and then replaced and put into my car. I questioned the two employees about it and they both denied everything, in fact one of them said that my key was already broken upon arrival. That was completely untrue, I even have a witness, my mom, who say my key before the service began. At that point I lost my temper and left.
I went in the following day, Tuesday, and the manager told me he could take my key in and get it replaced. I refused and told him I wanted the $170 for the new key, and a refund for horrible service. I wasn't about to give them my key, ever again! I got his boss's phone number, the "Senior Operations Manager" Jose Perez.
I talked to Jose about it and he said he would view the video of that service and call me back. He did call me back and left me a message saying that nothing showed up in the video tape (the employees must know where the cameras are, duh) but he would replace the key by paying for it in advance and then I could go and get it made, but that they could not refund the service even though it was horrible. I've tried to call him back, left him a message, tried more but no response. He won't answer my calls now and my key is still broken.
I plan to file a small-claims suit solely for the purpose of making this right. Jiffy Lube is horrible and I will never take my car there again.
On 7/1/09 @ 3:45 PM with 150K miles on my 1999 Toyota 4-runner 4WD, I asked Jiffy Lube #2179, 9630 Medlock Bridge Rd, Johns Creek, GA 30097, (770) 813-9510 to do an oil change & lube. Because we're price-sensitive, I specifically told them to work up a quote before doing any work. Of course, right off the bat they'd did their upsell thing and my oil/lube request was soon approaching $200 worth of work. After consulting with my wife, I went back and told them that I was going to take it to NTB instead because I just needed a plain old oil change. During this time, they had already done most of the work and I was stuck with the bill.
This kind of lousy customer service, while not particularly damaging to my car, is plain rude. They do not listen to the customer, and just start right into the work before permission is given. I ended up paying twice what I intended.
Avoid these guys at all costs; if they can't do something as simple as listen, it's no surprise that bigger problems are being reported by others.
Yesterday (6/28/09), I dropped our Honda Pilot off to be serviced. The Transaction Number is 09062706657244, Store Location #3028 in Snoqualmie, WA. While the car was under your control, my IPOD was stolen out of the car. The manager (Mark S.) confirmed he saw the IPOD when he checked the mileage. I left a message for the District Manager (Jeff Brown), but he has not returned my call. It is very disappointing to assume that one of the employees at this location would remove an item out of a Customer vehicle without their consent. The IPOD was a 18th birthday present from my parents. I would like to see what are the possibly of having my IPOD replaced.
I recently spend $80 for an oil change. It cost's that much because I don't skimp on my car (in any way), and I always get full synthetic.
Not only did I have to go to the dealer the next day (under tow) but I found out what had occurred. It appears that my transmission fluid filter was replaced with an oil filter, and my oil filter was replaced as well (by the same type of filter)...I only asked for an oil change.
My mechanic does not believe it was a leak that caused the failure, but that jiffy lube drained my transmission fluid. Additionally, my mechanic stated that it did not look like my oil had been changed. So for $320 plus another $85 for a new oil change, as well as two days of a rental car ($35/day) I am out $475 not including damage to my VERY well kept engine with 77k miles. If Jiffy Lube fails to pay in full including unforeseen damages and inspections I will have performed, they will be hearing from my attorney; and paying all associated costs.
I do not recommend. I have consistently used them for more then five years, every 7-10k miles (manufacturer and oil life recommendations, not Jiffy Lubes 3k recommended.) I am a Mechanical Engineer. I watch everything that goes on with my car, but I was unable to watch the oil changed because of the sub-ground change. Unfortunate, expensive, and sad that they have done such to their otherwise good name. I certainly hope they make this claim easy for all parties.
All I wanted was my oil drained, and replaced. I got 4 quarts of oil (not the 5 I paid for, I watched that), and did not get the oil drained. Instead I got my transmission drained, and subsequently had it cease.
Asked for the basic lest expensive oil and filter change. They hit me with a screen display for synthetics, 75K+ mile specials and I continued to request basic cheapest oil change as I had historically been doing with this car.
When car was completed the bill was $52.34 and I indicated this is ridicules for an oil change and went through the not going to pay that much, speak with manager, etc. I handed them $40 and walked out.
I only went there out of desperation because I was well over the change miles and didn't have access to my regular mechanic. My previous experience with Jiffy is they always try to sell you more than you want or need, but now they have begun misrepresenting pricing.
Don't go there unless you absolutely have no choice, but if you must make sure they quote you a price you believe you have agreed on.
Took my wife\'s car in for a oil and filter change. This is a newer car 2008 Audi Q7. It has a internal filter element so I was alright with the $104 cost for maint. 7.4qt synthetic oil and filter. When I got home I checked the oil it seemed a little overfilled and dirty. Was curious about this internal filter and what all was involved with replacing it. Looked under the car and found the filter housing. Just looking at it I could tell it wasn\'t even touched. It had road dust build-up and showed no sign of being removed. Drained the oil and checked the filter and no surprise it still had the old (dealership made in Germany filter). The invoice states they put on a new HL8158 filter, which obviously they did not! Went back to Jiffy Lube and spoke with the manager, showed him the filter that we took off. He agreed that they do not carry the German filter so obviously it had not been changed. I asked for a full refund and he said the best he could do was fill out a customer complaint form and send it in to their headquarters.
These guys have the easiest no brainer job in the world and they can't even get it right. Drain oil remove filter, replace filter and plug put the right type and amount of oil back in the engine.
So now I'm wondering if they even put the right oil in the car. I already know they didn't drain / replace the filter so that when they put the new oil in they overfilled the engine which could result in blown seals and catalytic conv. damage.
If you value your vehicle, or your loved ones depend on their vehicles to work properly DO NOT GO TO JIFFY LUBE!!!!!
I wish I would have said something when this happened "but" hindsight is usually better anyway!
Back in April of 2004 a week before getting married I had my 01 Tacoma Double Cab serviced at the JL on Marvin and Martin Way, in Lacy Wa.
right after I drove it home approx 3 miles from the Shop, I noticed that there was a noise that was not normal ( being that I was a mechanic at a rental equipment shop I knew that this could not be good ) I looked under the truck and discovered that the plate protecting the oil pan was only held on by one bolt , upon further investigation I discovered that the oil filter was so loose that I could jiggle it with my hand ( so y it had been leaking oil in excess ) once tightened I also discovered that the oil was about half full , when I contacted the JL shop it was pretty much the story that has been heard by many others , that WE the customer ! did the deed and that it was our own fault, so all I can say is that if you know anything about vehicles do it yourself or CHECK the work once it is done. That way you can have proof right there in their parking lot.
I have never taken my vehicles to JL ever again ( i just take the time to do it myself.
I spoke with Jiffy Lube (Andy, manager) & provided notice that I would be making a claim. There can be no question that the life span of the engine was compromised by running the vehicle without oil. Andy advised that he would arrange for a car rental on Monday, June 22, 2009, so that I would not have to incur out of pocket expense.
On 6/22/09 while speaking with Andy about the car rental he advised that he went to Heritage & viewed my vehicle and that the oil pan plug was gone. Plugs in oil pans that are tightened properly, do not just fall out. It would appear that it was not tight when I left Jiffy Lube and fell out after driving no more than 38 miles.
Late this afternoon I received a call from Heritage Toyota. They filled my vehicle with oil and replaced the missing oil pan plug. In addition, they let it run to determine if knocking was present indicating an immediately larger problem with the engine.
Without a borescope inspection or completely examining the engine by taking it apart there is no way to determine the extent of damage that resulted by driving the car without oil. Because the vehicle was empty of oil, a full engine oil analysis to establish if any white metal was present in the oil could not be conducted and any indication of damage to vital bearings could not be determined.
Accepting my car back without some type of vehicle service agreement from you would certainly be foolish.
Heritage suggested that for a period of three oil changes (every 3,000 miles) or 10,000 miles, whichever comes first, should there be indicators (engine knock, vehicle using oil, oil leaks, metal shavings, or engine failure due to lubricated engine part and component failures) Jiffy Lube will pay for the repair or component replacement resulting from any lubrication-related engine damage. All lubricated engine parts and components (cylinder heads, oil pump, pistons, and engine) would be covered. Oil changes and repairs, if any, will be performed by Heritage or other certified Toyota dealership. Related costs (tow, car rental, time from work) will be paid for by Jiffy Lube. If I sold or traded my vehicle this VSA is not transferable.
My husband and I have been customers of Jiffy Lube for years! We bought a new 98 Corvette, a 2004 Cadi SRX, a 2005 Infinity and a Mercedes. I would like to share our experiences at various Jiffy Lubes. We had other high end cars before that and had such positive experiences we continued to go to them and never have had any problems. We have found the workers polite and efficient.
One time I needed to take the Cadi into the dealer for a repair, they told me that if I had my oil changed at another place it would void our warranty. I called my husband and he said they are not telling you the truth. We do realize that workers do make mistakes. However it is also important that those of us satisfied customers speak up as well.
I changed my oil 4 months ago at Jiffy Lube. Two days ago I went to my mechanic to change the tires, and told him to do the oil change. While we were doing the oil change, we discovered the oil pan was broken, very likely at my last oil change at Jiffy Lube. I e-mailed Jiffy Lube, and their regional manager Rich called me (973-280-0830). They checked the car and claimed that since the oil change was more than 3 months old, and because I also changed my oil Jiffy Lube is not responsible. I plan on taking them to a small claims court for $ 650, where my mechanic will testify.


At Brookdale we were contacted by Cabrini Health Melbourne, who were looking for a hard wearing booklet for a group trip to Italy. We decided upon spiral binding, as it has a tactile, hard wearing feel. Less likely to be damaged after repetitive usage. The outer of the booklet was also matte laminated to give it luxurious feel and protect it from any spills. Full colour digital print was used on this booklet for vivid colour. Spiral Binding is ideal for documents that are used regularly, as there is no seam that could become damaged/weakened after repeated use.


text:
Fewer new jobless claims filed, but still tops 1M in U.S.
By Thomas Gnau
While new weekly unemployment insurance claims continued their steady downward trajectory, they will remain lodged well above 1 million, demonstrating continued weakness in hiring and the economy -- with no end in sight.
It was the 14th week that new claims for jobless benefits have remained stubbornly stuck above 1 million nationally, a discouraging trend.
"May's positive momentum in the labor market seems to have waned," said Scott Murray, an economist with Nationwide. "Numerous individuals looking to go back to work face the continued downward drafts caused by more layoffs, limiting the recovery from the unprecedented shock caused by the COVID-19 outbreak."
In Ohio, the state's Department of Job and Family Services said that for the eighth straight week, continued applications for unemployment benefits declined. Those who remain jobless filed 314,744 fewer continued claims last week compared to the peak in April, the state said.
For the week ending June 20, the state reported 34,553 initial or new jobless claims.
In Montgomery County, 22,259 claims for benefits continued from previous weeks while 1,862 new claims were filed for the week ending June 20.
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In Butler County, there were 1,007 new claims during the week ending June 20, while 13,619 claims continued from previous weeks.
In Warren County, those numbers respectively were 459 and 7,032.
Clark County saw 359 new claims for the same week while 4,825 claims were continuing.
The total number of initial jobless claims filed in Ohio over the last 14 weeks has reached more than 1.39 million — more than the combined total of those who filed during the last three years.
In the past 14 weeks, the state has paid more than $4.4 billion in unemployment compensation payments to more than 716,000 claimants, Ohio government said.
Nationally, the four-week moving average for claims was 1.62 million, a decrease of 160,750 from the previous week's revised average, the Labor Department said.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 13.4 percent for the week ending June 13, a decrease of 0.5 percentage point from the previous week's revised rate.
PNC Financial Chief Economist Gus Faucher said falling initial claims for benefits signal that the pace of layoffs is slowing, but he noted that overall those numbers are still quite high.
"The gradual decline in continuing claims over the past month points to net job growth as more people are apparently leaving unemployment than entering it as states gradually allow more economic activity," Faucher said in a note. "But even with job gains of 2.5 million in May, given massive job losses of a combined 22 million in March and April, and an unemployment rate of 13.3 percent in May, it will take years for the job market to fully recover from the viral recession."
Economists surveyed nationally by Dow Jones had expected 1.35 million new benefits claims.
Silfex's plants in Eaton, Springfield face layoffs
Regional Economic Outlook: Attracting and keeping skilled workers...
Regional economic outlook: Residents, businesses will still feel sting...
Regional economic outlook: Mild to moderate recession possible in 2023...
Dayton-Butler County region economic outlook for 2023 is positive...
Thomas Gnau
Thomas Gnau is a business reporter who joined the Dayton Daily News in 2007. He has reported for daily newspapers in Ohio since 1991.