Some forensic accountants specialise in resolving commercial disputes.
The term commercial dispute describes any form of conflict that occurs within or between businesses. There are many types of commercial dispute, from failing to fulfill obligations set out in a contract, to partners falling out over conflicting opinions. More often than not, commercial disputes involve feuds over money.
Commercial disputes are often unavoidable. In the cut throat field of business, tensions can rise in the blink of an eye. Manufacturers, distributors, buyers, investors, advertisers etc., all have to coexist in the same market and use one another's services while simultaneously competing for profit. It comes as no surprise, then, that commercial disputes crop up so frequently.
So what roles do forensic accountants play in commercial disputes? Forensic accountants are called in to settle commercial disputes because of their expert financial knowledge. This knowledge and experience is needed to sift through (often complex) financial accounts in order to identify any particular figures that may provide evidence for or against the alleged claim. Once the sufficient evidence is collected, the forensic accountant will then reach a reasonable and objective conclusion. With this conclusion, the defendant and claimant can either reach an agreement or take the dispute to court. This process is known as litigation support.
1. Acting as consultant - Locating and analysing financial discrepancies is only the first stage of a forensic accountant's job. The forsensic accountant must then communicate these findings to the client in a way that they can understand. The forensic accountant therefore acts as the bridge between the complex financial information, and the client. By presenting this information, the forensic accountant can justify the cost of any damages that may need to be paid by the defendant to the claimant.
2. Acting as expert witness - An expert witness is a qualified expert chosen to give testimony in court. Before an expert witness can give evidence, a judge must be assured of his or her skills, experience, training and knowledge regarding the subject at hand. Expert witnesses are objective and factual. They are not permitted to give a personal opinion unless justified quantitatively. Forensic accountants must base their opinions on investigations, using audited financial statements, accounting records and other business records to reach a reasonable conclusion.
3. Acting as arbitrator - Forensic accountants make good arbitrators due to their knowledge, experience and unbiased position. Arbitration is an excellent alternative to court and can produce a fair and rewarding agreement.
There are many different types of commercial dispute. All of them have the potential to have a negative effect on the businesses involved. According to CEDR, 80% of all commercial dispute cases have a significant impact on the normal running of business.
Professional negligence - An area of tort law whereby losses are incurred by an employee who fails to meet standards reasonably expected by his or her employer.
Breach of contract - The failure to do something as outlined in a legally binding contract.
Defective goods or services - In the UK we have what is known as the Sale of Goods Act 19792, which outlines the legal rights buyers have when receiving goods. Goods and services must meet reasonable standards according to their description and price.
making false comments about a competing business.
Disagreements between shareholders and directors can arise when the shareholders become unhappy with the directors' decisions or methods. Shareholders have a vested interest in the running of the business and, although hold far less control than the directors, still have some say in decisions.
Because partnerships have unlimited liability, it is essential that the business relationship between all partners remains as solid as possible. Because partnerships remain unregulated by the strict rules of the Companies Act 2006, partners are obliged to draw up their own agreements, known as deeds of partnership. If they fail to do this well enough, there may be legal loopholes through which one or more partners could slip and cause disruption.
Disagreements often arise regarding valuation (worth of a business). Find out more about business valuation.
Why should commercial disputes be resolved as soon as possible?
use up resources to such an extent that the business can no longer meet other targets.
Why go to court? People tend to take commercial disputes to court because they are unable to reach an agreement themselves, even with a mediator or arbitrator.
When to go to court? Usually, going to court should be a last resort, or for large-scale cases only. Taking a commercial dispute to court can be a costly and lengthy process. Whether you win or lose the case, you will be required to pay legal costs on top of any damages owed. Going to court is therefore a big financial risk.
How does court work? A commercial dispute court case begins when a claimant accuses a defendant of causing some form of loss to them. A formal letter is then sent to the defendant, who has the choice to either admit liability or deny all claims.
Small claims - These tend to be cases worth £5,000 or less (although occasionally larger). This is the cheapest, least formal track and small claims cases can be handled independently.
Fast track - These tend to involve cases worth £25,000 or more. Like small claims, this track uses somewhat simplified procedures.
Multi-track - This is the choice for more complicated cases and legal advice is strongly recommended for those hoping to take the multi-track option.
The court makes the final decision on who should win the case, along with who should pay which legal costs. Both the claimant and the defendant can appeal against the court's decision, but this will of course increase costs even further.
Mediation: This is the process whereby a third party will act as a 'middleman' between two or more disputing parties. A mediator's aim is to draw a mutual agreement between the disputants. It is the disputants who decide the terms of said agreement, and not the mediator. The mediator's role is to ensure that the agreement is realistic and achievable - namely that both parties can feasibly keep to their sides. Mediators do not necessarily have to be financial experts and the process undertaken is less formal than arbitration due to its non-binding and voluntary nature.
a. The purpose of arbitration is to reach a fair and reasonable conclusion to a dispute without the delay and expense attributed to court.
b. As long as the agreement is unanimous, its nature is entirely the choice of the parties involved, not of the arbitrator (as long as public interest is taken into account).
c. The court is not entitled to intervene during the arbitration process.


text:
Q: How to use a regular expression to get the following pattern? Hello I have the following text:
some text,+

this field is another parameter

this is the final of the field

t10681374flp

t10681375flp

I would like to match the following two lines:
t10681374flp
t10681375flp

the rule is that these words begin with 't' and end with 'p',
I tried:
grep -e t*p testing

however I got:
this field is another parameter
t10681374flp
t10681375flp

So I really would like to appreciate support to overcome this task,

A: Using grep, to avoid matching strange lines and the perfect match, the code below
grep "^t[0-9]*flp$" testing

This matches the below lines,
t10681374flp
t10681375flp

This doesn't match the lines as below,
this field is another parameter
these dont grep

Hope you get resolved..

A: Following should do the work:
grep ^t.*p$ testing

^ indicates begining of the line, .* indicates any character
and $ indicates end of line.

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Planning to travel overseas? More and more airlines are insisting prams, carrycots and car seats are placed in their own bags in the hold.
If you are considering taking a carrycot or car seat abroad, chances are it did not come with a travel bag and won't fit in your pram travel bag (if you have one).
Not just to protect from baggage handling the bags keep your belongings clean and dry. Airplanes holds are dirty and get wet during flights due to condensation. Who wants a wet dirty pram to put their baby in at the other end?
Award winning Genesis Padded Carrycot Travel Bags offer unrivaled value for money. All bags are made in England to the highest attainable standards using top quality fabrics and fittings. Picture demonstrate a bag which may vary (obviously) from others as these are made to measure.
YOU WILL NEED TO PROVIDE EXACT MEASURMENTS FOR YOU CARRYCOT PRIOR TO MANUFACTURE.
PLEASE NOTE THESE ARE FOR BAGS UP TO 62cm in length only. Other sizes may vary in price. If you have a larger bag requirement please message for a quote.
Available in a PADDED or UN PADDED Version.
* Very hard wearing material that wipes clean easy.
* 25mm webbing support carry handles.
PADDED VERSIONS ALSO HAVE FULLY LINED INTERIOR.
" For the first time this winter, my husband has been warm at work. 100% success. "


The Number formatting menu allows you to change the number of decimal places used or add additional information about the values being displayed.
Locate the widget you want to change the number format for on your dashboard.
Click Number formatting. Each aspect of the Number formatting menu is automatically set to Auto - this will detect whether there is a known abbreviation, number of decimal places or unit for the data you're visualizing.
If you're using a Dataset and have created the value type as a currency, the widget will automatically use the associated prefix or suffix. If the value is 135,600, the widget will automatically show 135.6 with the abbreviation K for thousand.
The Abbreviation options allow you to indicate that a number has been abbreviated by including the correct suffix for the units shown. There are preset values of K for thousand, M for million and B for billion. You can also remove any automatically applied value by choosing None.
The Decimal Places options allow you to add or remove decimal places for your numbers. The Auto option will show up to 3 decimal places. It is possible to show between 0 and 6 decimal places using the Fixed option.
The Unit options allow you to add up to 3 characters to the beginning or end of your number to indicate what it shows.


Manufacturers and distributors of a quality range of Street Furniture and Urban Furniture to suit all environments.
Full range of street furniture products online for 'refreshingly easy' purchase.
The large telescopic bollard is made from 304 stainless steel, and incorporates a non-slip cover, white reflective strip and red LEDs around the top for improved visibility. The Autoriser pro differs from others in the range because of its increased exterior diameter to make room for the hydraulic system inside it, while enhancing its appearance and robustness.


text:
Home

Data kategori Penilaian

                    Grup Pengguna

                    <a href="<?php echo site_url('kategori_penilaian/add')?>" class="btn btn-default btn-sm pull-right"> Tambah kategori Penilaian

                    <?php $this->load->view('layouts/alert')?>

                            No
                            Nama
                            Action

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                            <?php echo $row->nama ?>

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                                <a onclick="return confirm('Anda Yakin akan menghapus?')" class="label label-danger" href="<?php echo site_url('kategori_penilaian/delete')?>/<?php echo $row->id ?>"> Hapus

                        <?php
                        }
                        ?>

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text:
Through the eyes of the protector
Stepping into the shoes of Jones security
Sam Donnell '18
Security officer Rufino Padilla receives a message on his radio while manning the checkout for off campus lunch. After Parkland, the team has been working to improve the efficiency of their work, including radio etiquette, building coverage and responsiveness to both external and internal issues.
Daisy Conant '18 and Lucas Vogel '19
After yet another school massacre, the Jones security team mourns like the rest of us. Margaret Hug, one of the longest standing members of the Jones security team, chooses not to follow the news coverage of the shooting that occurred in Parkland, FL on Feb. 14.
"It's too sad, too depressing," she said.
It is hard when the headline that reads Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook Elementary School, Columbine High School and a host of others, could have read Jones College Prep.
In a world where gun violence in a school setting has become the norm, those assigned to protect and ensure the wellbeing of students, faculty, and staff have had their work put under much more scrutiny. At Jones, those protectors are the nine members of the security team.
Always aware
Once the morning bell rings, security officer Horatio Harris strides into a south building elevator and punches in floor seven. On the long ride up, he explains to a security substitute how both buildings are set up and what to look for.
In addition to the knowledge of the physical layout of Jones, Harris puts an emphasis on having knowledge of the Jones student body. Security does not just protect students; they also try to ensure their mental wellbeing.
After the Parkland school shooting, CPS sent a city wide email asking security guards to be more attentive and aware of the students. For Jones, this was something they had been doing for years already.
"Just because we're security doesn't mean we can't help you or direct you to someone who can," said Hug. "I always try to make myself visible and available to students."
Whether that be coaching a Jones sports team, like Harris and Jarard Nathaniel are doing, or greeting everyone with music and small talk during the morning rush, the security team works to establish a connection of trust between themselves and the students.
Although many security guards know students, that doesn't mean they get a free pass on IDs. School IDs are a hot button issue for Jones students and security guards, and it gets a lot of flack.
For new officers, checking for IDs isn't a quota to fill or some regulation they can enforce to dole out punishment – it's the distinction between a student and an imposter. Older officers usually know most of the students by face, but the new officers are still learning.
"Even if it was the mayor that walked in, we'd check for ID and make him sign in," said Hug.
With Jones being downtown and in the middle of the city, it just isn't good enough to know what looks right on the inside. The team also has to know what looks right on the outside.
For Harris, this includes looking outside during his shifts. In the north building, he notices someone looking through the gates into the courtyard. He quickly shifts from his calm and relaxing manner to being on high alert. His radio crackles, another security guard sees it too. Harris goes into full command mode, ordering around the security team check out what the guy was doing. Before the guy even has a chance to think about doing anything, two security guards are approaching him, and he books it to the nearby Harrison Red Line stop.
This is all part of the job. Only five minutes prior, it was the routine checking of classrooms and making sure things were in order. However, with the drop of a hat a situation can occur. They must always be aware.
Thinking like a criminal
As Steve Golston, a security officer in his fifth year at Jones, makes his rounds throughout the day, he leaves no room, corner or door untouched.
In his eyes, every opening to the school is a doorway for a potential threat, and he oftentimes finds himself stepping into the shoes of a criminal in order to determine the most critical points on his route.
"If there was to be an attack on America, it wouldn't be in a plane anymore. It would be in your libraries, in your malls – in your schools," said Golston. "We have to worry about people attacking at every inch of the school, so we have to think like the criminals in order to be proactive towards danger."
In their many years at Jones, Golston and his coworker Rudy Gonzalez have witnessed the way security approaches their job shift from typical high school surveillance (checking lockers, breaking up fights, etc) to an adoption of Homeland Security-esque protocols.
"After Columbine, we implemented the metal detectors – before that, no one had them," said Gonzalez, who began working at Jones in 1998. "I think this is the safest school to be at in this time with gun violence. Chicago is a violent crime city, but we are trained for this."
Bags left abandoned in the hallway are no longer overlooked as the doing of a forgetful student – they are seen as bomb threats and treated as such. Security team members are constantly put through timed and graded drills, tested in simulations ranging from an active shooter on campus to a student down somewhere in the building.
In light of the recent school shootings, the security team noted that the CPS Office of School Safety and Security is constantly watching through the security cameras scattered throughout campus, keeping the team mobile and on their toes.
"The average student thinks we don't do anything, and that's fine," said Golston. "They don't need to be thinking about how a terrorist could come into the building, but we do."
The future of student, faculty, staff safety
With tragedies like the Parkland shooting weighing on their minds, many of the members of the Jones security team have formulated their own opinions on the next steps to be taken to ensure safety both in Chicago and across the country.
Gonzalez has traveled to Florida high schools like Marjory Stoneman Douglas, finding it easy to enter and walk around as many were staffed with little to no security.
In light of the fact that the only armed security officer on the Parkland campus ran out of the building the day of that fatal shooting, he believes the first step for schools should be investing in hired security officers.
"What happened in Florida was probably due to lack of protection – you have to have security teams in schools," said Gonzalez. "We are the front line. We are the shields of the school. We are the ones who are going to step in."
In terms of taking steps to arm teachers, the overwhelming majority of Jones security officers voiced concern including Gregory Lee a new member to the team this year who has been working in security for almost 20 years.
"I don't feel its a teacher's responsibility to carry a gun," said Lee. "I know when I can draw my gun to protect myself and when I can't. Most people can't gauge those situations, especially not teachers."
The day in a life of a Jones security officer is one of repetition and rotation, with ample time for reflection on the way the school operates and works to keep its students and staff safe. With this time, the security team has come up with a multitude of ideas, from the opening of exterior doors for students during passing periods to shave multiple minutes off transition time to planters in front of the expansive lobby glass to protect students vulnerable to an attack.
"My job is making sure everyone leaves as safe as they came in – it's what I think about when I'm here and it's what I think about when I'm not here," said Lee.
However, the security team's job is far from perfect.
"There is always more we can do," said principal P. Joseph Powers. Security guards like Lee and Harris believe that there is ample room for improvement. But they're always looking for more ways to protect staff and faculty, connect with students, and make sure Jones stays a safe learning environment for everyone.
"People look at us and say 'Oh well, they're just security guards, what can they do?'" said Golston. "Whatever the title is, the meaning is to help keep all of you safe."
Lucas Vogel '19, Sports Staff
HOBBIES: Video Games
FAVORITE MOVIE: The Polar Express
FAVORITE CLASS: Creative Writing
IN TEN YEARS: I will be a journalist
ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE ME:...
Sam Donnell '18, School Staff
INTERESTS & EXTRACURRICULARS: I am part of Who Crew (A.K.A Doctor Who Club) and Drama Club. I enjoy photography as a hobby, and usually work with film...
Seniors take on shorter semester
The home stretch
Students stand-up for change
Spirit Halloween at Jones
Play review: Radium Girls

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Looking at the New Year coming, just around the corner and I got to thinking about a hymn I could put up. This song popped into my head as I was watching McGyver and Maddy was learning her hubby from days past has a new family. The years passed as he had a new family. Anyways, I don't know why it spawned the song "Another Year is Dawning" in my head but it did. Ergo… I'm sharing it with you.
Frances Ridley Havergal is the author of this start of the year hymn. I've written about her in these other hymn posts as well.
Take My Life and Let it Be.
I was flipping through a hymnbook that is new to me and I was reminded of this living song and just had to share it with you. I hope you like it as much as I do. 🙂 Let All Things Now Living, a song of thanksgiving.
Written by Katherine K Davis in 1939, Ms. Davis was an American woman who served as a teacher, classical music composer, and pianist. She also wrote The Little Drummer Boy (one of my favourite Christmas Songs). Born in Missouri she wrote her first composition at age 15. She died in 1980 at age 82. She willed all royalties from her music to Wellesley College where she was trained and taught. This has been a good support to the music program there.
We sang this song in church a couple Sunday's back and I realized I have never shared it with you yet. It's a good one! 🙂 I hope you like it as much as I do.
Written by John H Stockton in 1874, there is some dispute over who wrote the words, and/or who wrote the refrain. Most people say Stockton. Stockton was born of Presbyterian blood, but became a Methodist at his conversion. He pastored in New Jersey until his health declined, whereupon he devoted his life to writing music and compiling hymn books.
At the church we are currently attending we often sing this song at the close of the service. The first time I heard it sung it caught my attention but I wasn't sure what I thought of it, but I've grown to really like it. It's a good song to remind us of how God keeps us as his own.
Go My Children With My Blessing was written by Jaroslav J. Vajda. He was an American Pastor who gained prominence as a hymn writer. He has written more than 200 hymns, he lived 1919-2008. His hymns and translations were biblically rooted and rich in imagery. His hymns can be found throughout the world. Vajda was named a Fellow of The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada.


text:
The alternation of service between games continues throughout the match without regard to sets, but the ends are changed after each odd game within a set (including the last game). If, for example, the second set of a match ends with the score at 6–3, 1–6, the ends are changed as the last game played was the 7th (odd) game of the set and in spite of it being the 16th (even) game of the match. Even when a set ends with an odd game, ends are again changed after the first game of the following set. A tiebreaker game is treated as a single game for the purposes of this alternation. Since tiebreakers always result in a score of 7–6, there is always a court change after the tiebreaker.
The first year with Kirill was brutal. The prescribed continental grip felt awkward when I first began to serve. I thought I was turning my shoulder, properly, to prepare to hit a backhand, but wasn't. I thought I was, properly, following through on my forehand, and wasn't. It was the strangest thing. I had no sense at times of what my body was doing. And that, to some extent — a frustrating and at times embarrassing extent — continues. And it continues despite the incessant midplay appeals from Kirill to correct this, correct that. One of the things about having a coach is that no one has watched how I move more intently since I was a toddler.
The origins of the 15, 30, and 40 scores are believed to be medieval French. The earliest reference is in a ballad by Charles D'Orleans in 1435 which refers to quarante cinque ("forty-five"), which gave rise to modern 40. In 1522 there is a sentence in Latin "we are winning 30, we are winning 45". The first recorded theories about the origin of 15 were published in 1555 and 1579. However, the origins of this convention remain obscure.[3]
Nearly one hundred years after its construction, the Royal Tennis Court became symbolic of the brewing French Revolution. On 20 June 1789, the deputies of the Third Estate met there at the time of the Estates General, since the Menus-Plaisirs hotel, their usual meeting place, had been closed by order of the king. On that day, they took an oath not to separate until they had endowed France with a written constitution. This founding scene was immortalised by the painter Jacques-Louis David in a grand fresco, sadly unfinished, called The Tennis Court Oath, which joined the Palace collections in 1921.
Before answering this question, we should gauge your level of interest in the game and how far are you willing to go to learn this beautiful. There is no harm in playing just for fun but if you want to compete in tournaments and win some prize money and stuff then you should have some realistic expectations and should be ready to work towards that goal.
Takes All Comers: Since most of the best tennis rackets run in the $200 range, we wanted to give the entry-level buyer something that would give them quality and control without ruining their budget. Prince rackets generally cater to a slightly less affluent clientele, but they still make incredible, versatile stuff for the price. Their original Red is a great place to start. No matter what kind of play style you have, the large sweet spot sunk into the friendly 105 square-inch head is a bargain at twice the price. The 9.9oz weight works well for anyone with tennis elbow or the casual player who needs to adjust to moving a racket around. Whether you are a baseliner needing speed and power or a net player that wants size, the Red is a very solid, if not particularly flashy or sexy choice. [Purchase: $80]
In a legal service, the ball travels over the net (without touching it) and into the diagonally opposite service box. If the ball hits the net but lands in the service box, this is a let or net service, which is void, and the server retakes that serve. The player can serve any number of let services in a point and they are always treated as voids and not as faults. A fault is a serve that falls long or wide of the service box, or does not clear the net. There is also a "foot fault", which occurs when a player's foot touches the baseline or an extension of the center mark before the ball is hit. If the second service is also a fault, the server double faults, and the receiver wins the point. However, if the serve is in, it is considered a legal service.
Begin with the grip. The most common grip in tennis is the eastern forehand; the eastern forehand grip is also the best choice as you learn to play tennis. Use it for your forehand drive and the majority of your shots. Place your hand flat on the racket strings, and then slide your hand down to the handle. Wrap your fingers around the racket. Your first finger should be forward slightly as if you were holding the trigger of a gun. Keep all tensions out of your fingers. The eastern forehand grip is often called the "shake hands" grip by those who have just begun to learn to play tennis, because, in essence, you are shaking hands with the racket. For most people, it is the preferred grip for serving — particularly, when you first learn to play tennis.
A tennis match is intended to be continuous.[65] Because stamina is a relevant factor, arbitrary delays are not permitted. In most cases, service is required to occur no more than 20 seconds after the end of the previous point.[65] This is increased to 90 seconds when the players change ends (after every odd-numbered game), and a 2-minute break is permitted between sets.[65] Other than this, breaks are permitted only when forced by events beyond the players' control, such as rain, damaged footwear, damaged racket, or the need to retrieve an errant ball. Should a player be determined to be stalling repeatedly, the chair umpire may initially give a warning followed by subsequent penalties of "point", "game", and default of the match for the player who is consistently taking longer than the allowed time limit.[66]
The David Ensignia Tennis Academy (DETA) program is custom designed to meet the tennis players optimal potential.  Understanding the current stages in your career, we at the David Ensignia Tennis Academy, have built a program that will successfully take your game to the next level and will prepare you for the challenges you'll face on the road to success.   In order to develop these results, we have employed a group of coaches and trained professionals who will help in your development, both on and off the court.  This group will include: a professional coaching staff, physical trainers, and psychologists.  Each ... View Profile
Basically, the main purpose of the game of tennis is to keep tennis ball play. When learning how to play tennis, the most common action that derails most beginners is the fixation of striking the ball with power instead of returning the ball with precision and control. To start off on the right track, practice controlling the ball first and as you progress you will be able to add speed as well as power to your game.
A tennis match is composed of points, games, and sets. A set consists of a number of games (a minimum of six), which in turn each consist of points. A set is won by the first side to win 6 games, with a margin of at least 2 games over the other side (e.g. 6–3 or 7–5). If the set is tied at six games each, a tie-break is usually played to decide the set. A match is won when a player or a doubles team has won the majority of the prescribed number of sets. Matches employ either a best-of-three (first to two sets wins) or best-of-five (first to three sets wins) set format. The best-of-five set format is usually only used in the men's singles or doubles matches at Grand Slam and Davis Cup matches.
A set consists of a sequence of games played with service alternating between games, ending when the count of games won meets certain criteria. Typically, a player wins a set by winning at least six games and at least two games more than the opponent. If one player has won six games and the opponent five, an additional game is played. If the leading player wins that game, the player wins the set 7–5. If the trailing player wins the game (tying the set 6–6) a tie-break is played. A tie-break, played under a separate set of rules, allows one player to win one more game and thus the set, to give a final set score of 7–6. A "love" set means that the loser of the set won zero games, colloquially termed a 'jam donut' in the USA.[55] In tournament play, the chair umpire announces the winner of the set and the overall score. The final score in sets is always read with the winning player's score first, e.g. "6–2, 4–6, 6–0, 7–5".
To ensure a winning installation, your backyard tennis court project should adhere to the playbook of good slab construction. ASBA offers detailed construction guidelines for both reinforced concrete and post-tensioned sport court surfaces, including recommendations for site preparation, subsurface and surface drainage, and concrete proportioning and mixing.
Focus on ball trajectory and how cleanly you hit the ball – this will then allow your brain to merge the technical instruction you've been working on with the natural way of movement that creates effortless power – and eventually sound tennis techniques will emerge that simultaneously produce a lot of effortless power and allow easy adjustments to different situations in the game.
Finally, choosing the right equipment is essential as you learn to play tennis. Proper grip size avoids pain. To measure the correct grip size, hold your racket hand out palm side up, and measure from the crease of the ring finger to the tip of the ring finger. This should be the measurement around your racket handle, generally about four inches in diameter.
"The biggest drawback of asphalt courts is not that they crack, for even a post-tensioned slab may crack from shrinkage or even develop minor structural cracking, but that the cracks continue to widen year after year," says Kolkmann. "I have seen asphalt courts with cracks as wide as 2 to 3 inches, making them a hazard to the players. The advantage with a post-tensioned slab is that it will not allow the crack to widen, but will keep it compressed to a very thin line."
You definitely want to base your tennis racquet buying decision on your skill level too. Here are some examples. You probably don't need to buy a $200 tennis racquet if you just want to go out and volley some balls with a friend to see if you like the sport. Also, if you are an advanced player who likes a little extra power and a racquet that helps you put you more spin on the ball as you return it, then a $70 tennis racquet is probably not going to fulfill that need.
In 1913, the International Lawn Tennis Federation (ILTF), now the International Tennis Federation (ITF), was founded and established three official tournaments as the major championships of the day. The World Grass Court Championships were awarded to Great Britain. The World Hard Court Championships were awarded to France; the term "hard court" was used for clay courts at the time. Some tournaments were held in Belgium instead. And the World Covered Court Championships for indoor courts was awarded annually; Sweden, France, Great Britain, Denmark, Switzerland and Spain each hosted the tournament.[28] At a meeting held on 16 March 1923 in Paris, the title 'World Championship' was dropped and a new category of Official Championship was created for events in Great Britain, France, the United States, and Australia – today's Grand Slam events.[29][30] The impact on the four recipient nations to replace the 'world championships' with 'official championships' was simple in a general sense: each became a major nation of the federation with enhanced voting power and each now operated a major event.[31]


text:
What Do You Call a Bunch of Black Holes: A Crush? A Scream?
There are pods of whales and gaggles of geese. Now astronomers are wondering which plural term would best suit the most enigmatic entity in the cosmos.,
There are pods of whales and gaggles of geese. Now astronomers are wondering which plural term would best suit the most enigmatic entity in the cosmos.
The galaxies NGC 5257 and NGC 5258, each anchored by supermassive black holes at their centers, located in the constellation Virgo, about 300 million light-years away.Credit…NASA, ESA, the Hubble Heritage-ESA/Hubble Collaboration, and A. Evans
By Dennis Overbye
April 22, 2021, 5:00 a.m. ET
Leer en espanol
What do you call a black hole? Anything you want, the old joke goes, as long as you don't call it late for dinner. Black holes, after all, are nothing but hungry.
But what do you call a collection of black holes? The question has taken on an urgency among astronomers inspired by the recent news of dozens of black holes buzzing around the center of a nearby cluster of stars.
In the last few years, instruments like the LIGO and Virgo gravitational-wave detectors have recorded space-time vibrations from the collisions of black holes, making it clear beyond doubt that these monstrous concentrations of nothingness not only exist but are ubiquitous. Astronomers anticipate spotting a great number of these Einsteinian creatures when the next generation of gravitational-wave antennas are deployed. What will they call them?
There are gaggles of geese, pods of whales and murders of crows. What term would do justice to the special nature of black holes? A mass? A colander? A scream?
Jocelyn Kelly Holley-Bockelmann, an astrophysicist at Vanderbilt University, and colleagues are developing an international project called the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna, or LISA, that will be able to detect collisions between all sizes of black holes throughout the universe. She was trying to run a Zoom meeting of the group recently "when one of the members said his daughter was wondering what you call a collective of black holes — and then the meeting fell apart, with everyone trying to up one another," she said in an email. "Each time I saw a suggestion, I had to stop and giggle like a loon, which egged us all on more."
The question was crowdsourced on Twitter recently as part of what NASA has begun calling black hole week (April 12-16). Among the many candidates so far: A crush. A mosh pit. A silence. A speckle. A hive. An enigma. Or a favorite of mine for of its connection to my youth: an Albert Hall of black holes.
Tell us: What would you call a bunch of black holes?
The number of known black holes will only grow. LISA will be able to detect so-called primordial black holes, if there are any, left over from the early moments of the Big Bang, as well as more recent ones, presenting researchers with "basically a black hole smorgasbord," Dr. Holly-Bockelmann said. The antenna won't fly until 2034, she added, "so there is time to figure out the term if and when we need it!" The International Astronomical Union, which regulates cosmic nomenclature, has no rules on "collectives," she added, so it is up to the people to decide.
An artist's concept of the LISA pathfinder, a proof-of-concept mission launched in 2015 to prepare for the eventual LISA gravitational-wave observatory.Credit…C.Carreau/ESA
Dr. Holly-Bockelmann added, that among her personal preferences was "a 'void' of black holes." My own candidate is a "disaster" of black holes, since the word disaster is rooted in the Latin "astro" — star — and, later, the Italian term for "ill-starred."
The previous black hole week was in the fall of 2019, when NASA replayed some of the scarier-sounding cosmic news, involving black holes exploding, eating stars or preparing to consume their neighborhoods. Now, against the backdrop of a global pandemic, black holes offer a respite and reminder of how small and fleeting our own troubles are in the grandest scheme. Black holes have become the cat videos of astronomy.
So last week, NASA served up another smorgasbord of black hole news and public service announcements, like this animated video from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.
You can't tour a black hole, of course, but two years ago astronomers provided the next best thing: the first-ever image of one. The supermassive black hole — 6.5 billion suns worth of disappeared mass — sits at the center of the galaxy Messier 87.
The image was taken by a worldwide network of radio telescopes known as the Event Horizon Telescope in April of 2017. Last month, the Event Horizon team refined that image to show the surrounding vortex of magnetic fields that streams gas and energy across space at nearly the speed of light.
But there is more. While that first 2017 image was being taken, 19 other observatories in space and on the ground were collectively studying this jet of energy from M87. Their data has now been published along with a video of the jet as seen in different kinds of light and at different scales, from the most intimate dimensions of the black hole out to intergalactic space.
The results, astronomers said, would help clarify how black holes work their violent magic, further test the predictions of Einstein's theory of general relativity and perhaps shed light on the origin of cosmic rays.
For its part, the Event Horizon team has just concluded a new series of observations of the black holes — in M87, at the center of our own galaxy and elsewhere — said Shep Doeleman, of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and founding director of the telescope collective.
A black-hole-powered jet of subatomic particles streaming from the center of the galaxy Messier 87.Credit…NASA, ESA and the Hubble Heritage Team
"Each day we gather at 2 p.m. E.D.T. to review all the weather and readiness at the sites, then make the call," Dr. Doeleman said in an email. "Sometimes it's a piece of cake: good weather, everyone's ready. Or, just as clear, weather at key sites is awful or there is a major technical issue to be run down. Some of the time it's pure agony."
If you don't have a rocket or a telescope, there's plenty new to read about black holes. "Hawking Hawking: The Selling of a Scientific Celebrity," by Charles Seife, is an unvarnished look at the cosmologist and black-hole expert Stephen Hawking, who died in 2018. The book, rich in reporting about Dr. Hawking's breakthroughs and his life (and written in reverse chronological order), seeks to separate the man and his science from the Einstein-like aura of sagacity that he let envelope his public persona.
And "Black Hole Survival Guide," by Janna Levin, an astrophysicist at Barnard College of Columbia University, and illustrated by artist Lia Halloran, is a pocket-size tone poem to these cosmic curiosities.
"Black holes are nothing," the opening line reads. At the end, Dr. Levin contemplates the possibility of Earth and whatever remains on it eventually falling into the black hole at the center of the Milky Way.
"That is where our data, our scraps of quantum information, may end up," she writes. "Everything will wash down the central vortex, flashing spectacularly bright, the last desperate blasts of concentrated light in the cosmos, until all vanishes in a darkening silent storm in space-time."
And we might as well call the whole universe a graveyard of black holes. A smorgasbord of screams — just another black hole week.
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On January 8, 2018 the School Committee established a full-day and half-day kindergarten program based upon parent choice. This has allowed Norwell Public Schools to expand the option of full-day kindergarten to all students and eliminate the lottery system previously in place.
All students are eligible to enroll in full-day kindergarten through our registration process. Each year, the district sends information about the kindergarten registration process to families of age-eligible students. During the kindergarten registration period, families who are interested in full-day kindergarten can indicate that on the registration form.
Families of students attending full-day kindergarten pay the tuition rate set by the Norwell School Committee each school year. The School Committee sets the tuition rate each spring.
Families who are not eligible for free or reduced lunch pay full tuition.
Families who are eligible for reduced lunch pay ½ tuition.
Families who are eligible for free lunch do not pay tuition.
Norwell Public Schools currently offers families a discounted tuition for children from the same family attending full-day kindergarten programs in the same year.
For the first child, the family pays the full assessed tuition.
For the second child, the family pays one-half of the assessed tuition.
For the third child, the family pays one-half of the assessed tuition.
The Norwell School Committee will set the tuition rate for the coming year in the late spring. The kindergarten tuition will not exceed $4,000.00. Once the fee for the year is established families can select from three options to pay the set tuition with the first payment due on August 15 for all options. All tuition payments are processed through the FACTS tuition management system. The FACTS system is located on our district website under the Operational Services tab, or by clicking here.
At any point throughout the school year, the district will contact any families that do not honor their tuition commitment to determine if unpredicted circumstances (e.g., serious illness of a parent, homelessness, loss of a job) have impacted ability to make tuition payments. In these cases, an alternative payment option or student transition to half-day kindergarten may be arranged.


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Race to pick Norway's next central bank chief branded a 'farce'
Ott Ummelas
Jan 13, 2022 – 5.06pm
Norway's race to appoint a new central bank governor is reaching a finale mired in controversy at the prospect of a political ally and friend of Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store getting the job.
Jens Stoltenberg, secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and a former premier himself, is vying for the prize even though his position leading the alliance makes him unavailable for another seven months. His rival for the role is deputy governor Ida Wolden Bache, who would be Norges Bank's first female chief.
She was the initial front-runner. Stoltenberg then took prominence when his candidacy emerged late last year, though political fallout over his ties to Store could still sway the minority cabinet in its decision due as soon as next week.
"His history as a politician for the Labor Party may be a hindrance," said Erica Blomgren Dalsto, SEB's Oslo-based chief strategist Norway. "It could raise questions regarding the bank's independence."
Store will abstain from the decision, and he published a defence of his own conduct on Wednesday after criticism about his description of prior interactions with Stoltenberg about the job.
The vacancy arose in August with governor Oystein Olsen's surprise announcement that he will leave at the end of February after 11 years. Whoever replaces him will take charge of an institution that encompasses Norway's $US1.4 trillion wealth fund -- the world's biggest -- and one of the most hawkish monetary policy stances among advanced economies.
The decision is due to be approved by the state council, a body composed of most senior ministers and chaired by King Harald V. Several members have confirmed to media this week that they are seeking a legal assessment on whether they should also recuse themselves due to their links to Stoltenberg.
"It looks more and more like a farce when we see that more and more ministers have their impartiality assessed by the Ministry of Justice," Sylvi Listhaug, the leader of the opposition Progress Party, said in an interview with VG newspaper on Wednesday.
Analysts are divided on Stoltenberg. Blomgren says his lack of central bank experience "raises uncertainty on future policy," while things should "remain steady" if Wolden Bache gets the job. But Kristoffer Kjaer Lomholt, Danske's Copenhagen-based chief analyst, is sanguine.
"It will not matter for the monetary policy setting if Bache or Stoltenberg wins," he said. "Norges Bank will hike rates three times this year, with the balance of risk skewed towards a fourth."
Stoltenberg is a friend and former mentor of Store. He was invited by the finance ministry to apply, prompting local media to suggest his candidacy is considered favourably. While not a former central banker, the 62-year-old trained as an economist and was previously finance minister.
Several euro-zone officials including European Central Bank vice president Luis de Guindos also held such a role. It's rarer for a premier to later become central bank chief, with one of the only current examples being Jiri Rusnok, the Czech governor since 2016.
Norway's parliamentary majority, including the government's budget ally, the Socialist Left, opposes his candidacy, newspaper Dagens Naeringsliv reported Monday.
Amid the controversy, Norway's justice ministry declared on Tuesday that Stoltenberg's friendship with Store doesn't create a conflict of interest.
As NATO's top civil servant, Stoltenberg oversees discussions within the 30-member alliance, which is currently in its worst stand-off with Russia since the end of the Cold War. He has pledged to serve out his four-year term.
After news emerged of his candidacy, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, in a December 22 interview on RT television criticising prior comments by Stoltenberg, quipped that "perhaps it is indeed time for him to get a different job."
The 48-year-old Wolden Bache has a doctorate from Oslo University, and has held various posts at the central bank since first joining its research department in 1998. She has served as deputy governor in charge of central banking operations since April 2020.
If selected, Wolden Bache would not only break new ground for diversity at the central bank. She would also be only the third female central bank chief ever from the Nordic region after Finland's Sirkka Hamalainen-Lindfors and Denmark's Bodil Nyboe Andersen.
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Home -> Audi -> 2013 Audi A3 Wagon
2013 Audi A3 Wagon - FROM $27,270
If you've been considering an Audi A3, grab one now. The A3 gets a full redesign next year and only the sedan body style is coming to the U.S.
As we await an all-new 2014 model, the 2013 Audi A3 remains essentially unchanged.
Envy isn't pretty, but sometimes it's justified. Take the 2013 Audi A3, for instance. European drivers already enjoy a fully redesigned A3, with several body styles to choose from, including two- and four-door hatchbacks, a sedan and a convertible. In the U.S., we're limited to last year's four-door hatchback. When the redesignfinally arrives here next year, the sedan will be the sole choice.
With the hatchback wagon's impending departure, 2013 marks the last chance to benefit from the A3's additional utility (though we don't put it past Audi to bring other body styles later). Along with its flexibility and cargo space, the current A3's other strengths -- an upscale yet understated interior and sporty driving dynamics -- areleft intact.
Also returning for 2013 are two solid engine choices. The base, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder should appeal to drivers seekingsome excitement, while the 2.0-liter TDI turbodiesel should resonate with those who prioritize fuel economy. With available all-wheel drive, the A3 also delivers more grip in wet conditions or when simply zipping through a fast, dry corner. Too bad it's not available on the TDI, though.
While 2013 might markthe end of the A3 hatchback in the U.S., a handful of alternatives are still available. We count the Acura TSX Sport Wagon as a close competitor with the added benefit of more spacious seating. The Lexus CT 200h and its hybrid-powered fuel economy should interest some buyers. And let's not forget the Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen, which shares much of the A3's underpinnings and offers even more cargo capacity, yet lacks the Audi's luxury brand cachet.
If the 2013 Audi A3's attributes strikethe right chord with you, wesuggest you pick one up sooner than later. Otherwise you'll be left to envy someone else's or hope that Audi eventually sends us the new hatchback.
The 2013 Audi A3 is a four-door wagon offered in two trims: Premium and Premium Plus.
Standard equipment on the Premium includes 17-inch alloy wheels, foglights, cruise control, dual-zone automatic climate control, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, leather upholstery and a 10-speaker sound system with CD player, satellite radio and an auxiliary audio jack. The Bluetooth Value package adds an eight-way power driver seat (includes four-way lumbar adjustment), a multifunction steering wheel and Bluetooth.
The Premium Plus package comes standard with the Bluetooth Value package and adds different wheels, xenon headlights, LED running lights, steering wheel shift paddles (with the automatic transmission), aluminum interior trim and enhanced interior lighting. The Audi Navigation System Plus package adds a navigation system, a dash-mounted Audi Multi Media Interface (MMI) and the choice of either a six-CD changer or an iPod interface. The Convenience package adds automatic headlights, automatic wipers, rear parking sensors, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and a Bose premium sound system.
Optional on both cars is the Cold Weather package, which adds heated front seats, heated mirrors and heated windshield washer nozzles. Also available are a panoramic sunroof, rear side airbags and a Sport package that includes 18-inch wheels, summer tires, a sport-tuned suspension and sport seats. The Titanium Sport package (available on the Premium Plus) adds special exterior and interior trim to the Sport package.
The 2013 Audi A3 is available with either a gasoline (2.0T) or a diesel (TDI) engine. The A3 2.0T is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that makes 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque. Front-wheel drive is standard, as is a six-speed manual transmission, but a six-speed dual-clutch, automated manual transmission (known as S tronic) is available. With all-wheel drive, S tronic is standard.
In Edmunds performance testing, an A3 2.0T with the six-speed manual went from zero to 60 mph in 7.2 seconds -- an average time among similarly powered entry-level luxury cars. EPA-estimated fuel economy is 21 mpg city/30 mpg highway and 24 mpg combined with the manual and 22/28/24 with S tronic. Adding all-wheel drive drops mileage by only 1 mpg in the city.
The A3 TDI features a turbocharged 2.0-liter diesel four-cylinder that produces 140 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque. S tronic is standard but all-wheel drive is not offered. Audi estimates a 0-60 time of 8.9 seconds, which isleisurely compared to the TDI's competitors. Fuel economy is exceptional, however, with estimates of 30/42/34.
The 2013 Audi A3 comes standard with front-seat side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags, whiplash-reducing front headrests, antilock brakes and stability control. Rear-seat side airbags are optional.
In Edmunds brake testing, an A3 2.0T with the Sport package came to a stop from 60 mph in 107 feet, a short distance even for a car equipped with summer tires. In crash testing conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the A3 received the best rating of "Good" in the frontal-offset, side and roof strength tests, even without the optional rear side airbags.
As withother Audi interiors, the A3's cabin adopts an understated and classy design language. Materials are generally highquality, with metallic trim for the air vents and knobs lending a decidedly upscale feel. You'll find more hard plastic elements here than in other Audi models, though they blend in pretty seamlessly and hardly suggest an entry-level compromise.
The navigation system will likely be a popular option, but operating it presents some minor challenges. The screen is large and clear, but is not touch-sensitive. Insteadyou'll have to use Audi's MMI dial controller, which wouldn't be a big deal if it were located in the center console. Instead you'll have to reach out and fumble with its place on the dash.
Passenger space is decent, although shorter drivers may find the seats don't have enough forward travel for shorter folks, while the rear seat is cramped for taller ones. The A3 scores better in cargo capacity, with 20 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats that easily accommodates large suitcases and golf bags. A rearseat center pass-through allows for longer items while still carrying passengers. The seats fold down but not flat, expanding capacity to 39 cubes.
The 2013 Audi A3's 2.0-liter gasoline engine provides ample power and is wellmatched to either transmission choice. The A3 TDI, meanwhile, feels energetic around town thanks to its ample torque, but runs out of steam -- and horsepower -- when charging up a highway on-ramp. The trade-off is exceptional fuel economy, which seems worth it to us.
As with many Audis, the A3's suspension is tuned firm to enhance performance, but allows enough compliance to soak up most road imperfections. Whether commuting in heavy traffic or cruising down the highway, the A3's cabin remains pleasantly refined and quiet.


Funny thing is I actually recently started to watch that show. Have no idea why but it is pretty good actually. Nice character artwork of Dia as well. She looks ready to put up a fight for her friends and what not as well.
Like how it looks real close to the show's version of it as well. All I can say is that I am impressed by this. Good luck on future art.


Seriously, this particular night was dark and stormy, but we were all sleeping soundly when the phone woke us up – maybe about 2:30, 3:00 a.m..
As I have said before, middle-of-the-night phone calls can mean anything in a pastor's house: someone wanting money, someone needing the answer to a deep, theological question (funny story about that), or an emergency.
Of course, I was awake. "What's happening?" I asked.
"That was the police. I need to meet them at the hospital. Someone broke into Mrs. __________ house and attacked her." Mrs. __________ was our church organist (so I'll call her Mrs. CO.) She was in her late 70s, a widow, who lived in a beautiful home on the south side of town, a home that was on the corner of a busy street. Although Mrs. CO had relatives with whom she was close, she had no children and her relatives lived far away. So when the police asked for someone to call, she gave them Ken's name.
Ken didn't know much about what had happened, only that he was to immediately go to the hospital.
Ken left. I sat on the couch and waited for him to call with details. Outside, the thunder roared across the sky. (Without cell phones, calling was more of a challenge.) After a couple hours, I turned on the radio to the local station – a station I never listened to, so I had to do several twists and turns up and down the dial to find anything. Finally, I heard that an attacker had broken into the home of an elderly lady and broken her nose.
Five-thirty came and my kids sleepily stumbled out to the living room. They both had paper routes at that time and I wasn't about to let them do them on their own in the storm. So, all three of us got in the car and I drove first one and then the other down the early morning streets. The lightning was still flashing, but looked strange. The flashes were blue in color and hitting low to the ground. I have this clear memory of slowly driving down a particular street with the eerie, blue flashing, the rumbling thunder and the fear of where Ken was and what was happening at the hospital.
Later – we got the story. A man had seen that Mrs. Co was in the house alone (she was standing in front of an uncurtained window. He hid in her garage and when she went to put the garbage out, he grabbed her and threw her into the basement closet. He then took some things, told her he would be waiting for her if she tried to get out – and then took off in her car. He did break her nose – and her glasses. Fortunately, that was all that happened to her. Frightened, she stayed in the closet for a couple hours before she made her way upstairs and called the police.
Meanwhile, the thief took off in her car, got on the expressway and smashed into a tollbooth, totaling the car. He was captured by the police before Mrs. CO even got out of the closet.
Yes, truly one of the scarier nights of our ministry.
Some moments of my life will never be forgotten. The day Ken and I went to see Debbie in the hospital is one of them – well, not the hospital visit, but the drive home.
Let me start from the beginning. Debbie was a young mom in our church. She and her husband had two girls and then and a few months before everything happened, they had a baby boy.
But Debbie didn't recover from the birth as she should of. The doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong. Her symptoms were leukemia-like, but she didn't have leukemia. A doctor told Ken that they wished she DID have leukemia, because then they would know what to do. They didn't know how to attack this unknown disease she had.
She would be in the hospital and then home for a few weeks. Often, that summer, Ken and I would ride our bikes over to their house and visit. Then she'd have a relapse and be back in the hospital. They took her to a hospital in Milwaukee, so trips to see her would take several hours – trips Ken made many times.
Everyone was concerned about her, of course. A young mom with a new baby (who had been diagnosed with diabetes, so his blood sugar level had to be watched at all times). Yet, the family bravely took one day at a time.
Still, Debbie seemed to be getting worse instead of better.
One day (during a lengthy hospital stay) Ken and I headed up to see her, but when we reached the room, we found her dressed and sitting on her bed.
We agreed to meet at the BAKERS SQUARE that was about halfway home.
We got to the restaurant, went in and were waiting for the hostess to seat us when Debbie said she needed to use the ladies room. Her husband asked if I would go with her since she was still very weak.
She lifted her shirt and I saw the puncture where they had done the spinal tap earlier in the morning. It was pouring blood. Now, let me say here, there's a real, good reason I'm not a nurse. I react to blood simply by listening to people talk about\ their wounds.
One of the ladies listened to me. Finally, I got the blood stopped, at least tentatively stopped. I walked Debbie out to her husband who immediately headed back to the hospital. I washed my hands and cleaned up as best as I could and Ken and I followed them. By that time she was readmitted.
Only later, as we were driving home, did I start shaking and burst into tears. What had happened overwhelmed and frightened me. At the same time, I was thankful that the Lord got me by my usual aversion to blood to be calm enough to help her.
Sadly, Debbie died about a month after this happened.
I've always been thankful to the Lord for giving me the peace and confidence to handle the situation, because I was completely out of my comfort zone for sure. Only He provided the strength do to deal with that day.
Ok, this first one didn't happen to Ken and me, but it did happen to my dad and mom. I remember it well. I was a teenager and knew the bride.
The thing is, the bride's parents had split up when she was young and I don't remember all the story, but her father had left town. Occasionally he would call her mom in drunken rants and then they wouldn't hear from him again for months, maybe years.
Somehow he found out that she was getting married and threatened to show up and ruin the wedding.
The threats became serious enough that everyone began getting a little worried.
What to do? A whole church full of people were expected and they didn't want a man with a gun infiltrating the lobby.
So, while all the church people, dressed in their wedding finery were coming in the front door of the church – police covered the back of the church. Sure enough, the father did show up. The police frisked him in the parking lot as the bride said "I do," and carted him away to prison.
When Paul became an apostle, I wonder what he thought. Did he realize that reaching people with the message of grace would be more than standing in front of a group teaching? Probably. Paul, himself, had been a persecuted of Christians, so I'm sure he understood that he, too, would be facing tough times.
Probably few of us have faced true persecution, but often the life of someone in ministry takesa right turn from what we thought it would be.
They're the moments they don't tell you about in seminary (and where are those pastor wife courses anyhow?). But they're all part of what happens.
You're on an exciting (and sometimes frightening) ride.
This week I plan to share some of those frightening moments in our life.
My mother-in-law recently wrote me about an event at their church. The teens invited the "social security" people to a special dinner.
First they asked the seniors questions about their lives so they could get to know them better.
Then they served them dinner.
Ken's mom told me that she had gotten out their war letters. (I've read those letters from the time they were dating while Ken's dad was in the service – whoa!!!!!!! I'm sure the teens enjoyed some of those 🙂 ) Ken's dad also took his morse code clicker to show them what morse code sounded like. He learned the German code. (Hmmm … so he can't speak German, but he can speak German morse code.) He tracked submarines off the coast northern U.S. coast. (That's where Ken's parents met – his dad was in the Navy, stationed in Chatham, Massachusetts and Ken's mom grew up on Cape Cod.) After he did what he did in the east – he went to Seattle and learned Japanese morse code.
Anyhow, a good time was had by all at the dinner.
What a great idea and a great way for the teens and seniors to connect!
Sometimes you gotta do the unexpected – in life – in church and in staff meeting.
Usually Wednesday staff meetings consist of verse reciting, announcements, updates or a speaker.
Today, we played games on the Awana circle. Real games. Like where you stood at the line and and ran around the pins and in for the beanbag. Some didn't participate but more than 50 grown men and women did.
Guess what? We had a great time. Actually a couple people I talked to agreed that we wish we had had more time to play and that it was a great way to exercise!
It's been several years since I've run around the Awana circle, but it was fun and thanks to those years of playing firstbase (one pastor's wife responsibility they didn't teach me about in college), I was able to whip the bean bag across the circle and right into the hands of my teammate just as I was supposed to do.
Again – sometimes the unexpected is a lot of fun.
Not sure what this has to with being a pastor's wife, but hey, this is an oops! post.
So, I came home from work, pulled into the garage, and heard a fizzing sound – you know, like the air was escaping out of the tire. Immediately I thought I had run over a nail and was now reaping the consequences … or something.
Now I had my suspicions. I went into the house and tentatively put my shoe down on the floor.
Right – green paint. I continued tiptoeing across the floor and let the dog out. I went back to the garage and turned on a brighter light. Under the front, left tire was what was left of a can of dark, green spray paint.
Then I noticed, that besides having green footprints in the kitchen, I now had green steps, a green recycling bin, a green can of bug spray, a green vacuum cleaner – and a most definitely green floor – I mean a huge-puddle-of-green paint floor. And no way could I get it cleaned up.
Then I realized that the next time I pulled out of the garage, I would have a green tire and leave green tracks down my driveway. I then unrolled an entire roll of paper towels out on top of the green paint, soaking it up as best as I could and attempting to rescue my driveway and street. Nothing like having a garage floor that matches your lawn furniture.
Yes, it was annoying. Yes, it was aggravating. Yes, it was time-consuming. Yes, that green paint will be there tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow.
But in the grand scheme (or maybe I should say green scheme), this was a blip, not a big deal.
Because I have a friend who is facing a life-changing, big deal right now. She's had a day that she will never forget, the kind of day that challenges your desire to put everything in the Lord's hand, the kind of day that makes you wonder and get angry and to cry.
We have days like. Hard days. Tough days. Days when knowing that God is sovereign is the only thing that counts.
Because He is. We know that.
And we can depend on that.
On green-paint days or any other kind of day.


Amongst quite possibly the most typical electrical wiring thoughts is on how to wire a switch. Though applying switches at your house is very easy, wiring a single might not be that simple for everybody. An ON-OFF switch is actually quite simple to wire. You'll find various kinds of switches, but for this instance, let's say you might be setting up a single-pole toggle switch, an exceedingly frequent swap (plus the simplest).
You'll find 3 hues of wires in the common single-pole toggle switch: black, white, and green. Splice the black wire in two and join them around the terminal screws - one on top plus the other over the base screw on the switch. The white wire serves as a resource of uninterrupted energy which is ordinarily connected into a mild colored terminal screw (e.g., silver). Connect the inexperienced wire into the ground screw of one's swap.
These steps would usually be ample for making an average switch function without a dilemma. Then again, should you will not be assured that you just can carry out the job appropriately and properly you improved let the pros get it done alternatively. Just after all, there's a motive why this process is among the most popular electrical wiring questions questioned by most people.
For a few purpose, how to wire a ceiling fan is usually considered one of essentially the most popular electrical wiring queries. To simplify this activity, you can use an individual swap for the single ceiling fan. To wire the admirer, it is really just a matter of connecting the black wire with the ceiling fan into the black wire of your change. If there is a lightweight, the blue wire should be linked towards the black wire in the switch at the same time.
There are actually reasons why these are typically by far the most usually questioned electrical wiring concerns. One particular, several believe it's straightforward to accomplish, and two, these are the popular electrical responsibilities at home. But you then must not place your basic safety in danger in the aim to save cash. The stakes could even be substantially better if you endeavor to get monetary savings and do an electrical wiring career with no enough expertise or knowledge.


Welcome to my Spirit Page. Which is all about Loretta Lynn. I growed up listen to her music on 8-track tapes my mom owned. Loretta Lynn is one of the best singer out there. So hope you will enjoy your visit here.Dont forget to sign my GuestBook and let me know what you think of my page.
Loretta Lynn is one of the classic country singers. During the '60s and '70s, she ruled the charts, racking up over 70 hits as a solo artist and a duet partner. Lynn helped forge the way for strong, independent women in country music. As her song (and movie and book) says, Loretta Lynn is a coal miner's daughter, born in Butcher Hollow, KY, in 1934. As a child, she sang in church and a variety of local concerts. In January 1948, she married Oliver "Mooney" Lynn. She was 13 years old at the time. Following their marriage, the couple moved to Custer, WA, where they raised four children.
After a decade of motherhood, Lynn began performing her own songs in local clubs, backed by a band led by her brother, Jay Lee Webb. It took her a decade of gigging before she was noticed by a record label. In 1959, she signed a contract with Zero Records, which released her debut single, "I'm a Honky Tonk Girl," in 1960. The honky tonk ballad became a hit thanks to the insistent, independent promotion of Lynn and her husband. The pair would drive from one radio station to the next, getting the DJs to play her single, and sent out thousands of copies to stations. All of the effort paid off -- the single reached number 14 on the charts and attracted the attention of the Wilburn Brothers. The Wilburns hired Lynn to tour with them in 1960 and advised her to relocate to Nashville. She followed their advice and moved to the city in late 1960. After she arrived in Nashville, she signed with Decca Records. At Decca, she would work with Owen Bradley, who had produced Patsy Cline.
Lynn released her first Decca single, "Success," in 1962 and it went straight to number six, beginning a string of Top Ten singles that would run through the rest of the decade and throughout the next. She was a hard honky tonk singer for the first half of the '60s and rarely strayed from the genre. Although she still worked within the confines of honky tonk in the latter half of the decade, her sound became more personal, varied and ambitious, particularly lyrically. Beginning with 1966's number two hit "You Ain't Woman Enough," Lynn began writing songs that had a feminist viewpoint, which was unheard of in country music. Her lyrical stance became more autobiographical and realistic as time wore on, highlighted by such hits as "Don't Come Home A-Drinkin' (With Lovin' on Your Mind)" (1966), "Your Squaw Is on the Warpath" (1968), "Woman of the World (Leave My World Alone)" (1969), and a tune about birth control called "The Pill" (1974).
Between 1966 and 1970, Loretta Lynn racked up 13 Top Ten hits, including four number one hits -- "Don't Come Home A'Drinkin'," "Fist City" (1968), "Woman of the World," and the autobiographical "Coal Miner's Daughter." In 1971, she began a professional partnership with Conway Twitty. As a duo, Lynn and Twitty had five consecutive number one hits between 1971 and 1975 -- "After the Fire Is Gone" (1971), "Lead Me On" (1971), "Lousiana Woman, Mississippi Man" (1973), "As Soon As I Hang Up the Phone" (1974), and "Feelins'" (1974). The hit-streak kick-started what would become one of the most successful duos of country history. For four consecutive years (1972-1975), Lynn and Twitty were named the Vocal Duo of the Year by the Country Music Association. In addition to their five number one singles, they had seven other Top Ten hits between 1976 and 1981.
"For a singer, you've got to continue to grow or else you're just like last night's cornbread -- stale and dry."


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You are here: Parliament home page > Parliamentary business > Publications and Records > Hansard > Commons Debates > Daily Hansard - Debate
We found time to amend the code for Ministers to ensure that, without waiting for Freedom of Information Act requests-incidentally, it was this Government who introduced the Freedom of Information Act-Ministers must publish quarterly information about all organisations that they have met, and specify the subject of those meetings. That will now be in the public domain. We also found time to amend and tighten the rules relating to former Ministers, extending the one year that had
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obtained previously to two years, and introducing a requirement for not just notification but approval before any job is undertaken by a former Minister.
I understand that there was no proposal for the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments-if that is the committee that the right hon. Gentleman meant-to be put on a statutory footing by any Member in any part of the House during the passage of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill. However, it is worth looking into. The current arrangement appears to be working well at present, but if hon. Members want that- [Interruption.] Well, we will consider it.
Mr. David Heath (Somerton and Frome) (LD): I thank the Leader of the House for advance sight of her statement. However, I think it very unlikely that it would have been made today had it not been for the revelations in the press.
The depressing fact is that the House of Commons always has to react to what happens, rather than taking the necessary action in advance. We did the same in the case of the expenses system. We did not react in time, and we have seen the consequences. We have done the same in relation to party political funding: we have not taken the appropriate steps, and we see what is happening as a result. Now there is the issue of lobbying, which we all knew would eventually hit the newspapers.
What will our constituents think when they read that right hon. and hon. Members of this House think that they should be paid, on top of their parliamentary salary, more for two days' work than a pensioner gets in a whole year? That is the reality of the situation. And what is that for? It is for asking a few cosy questions of their chums in government or, in the case of the hon. Member for Luton, South (Margaret Moran), of what she describes as the "girls' club"-I am not sure what that comprises. We are talking about questions being put not on behalf of constituents or the national public interest, but for the partisan commercial interest of whoever is prepared to pay the cab fare, and that cannot be right.
On the individual decisions, I note, as the right hon. and learned Lady has done, that the Transport Secretary has just answered an urgent question in another place. That was done in another place because the Transport Secretary cannot come here to answer elected Members on a key matter of public interest, and neither can the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills-neither of them are Members who have been elected to their current office. In order to dispel any lingering doubts, will the Leader of the House arrange for every record of meetings on this matter, as well as letters, e-mails or any other contacts, to be made openly available so that we can judge whether there has been any influence on policy?
The Leader of the House referred to the ministerial code and the work of Sir Philip Mawer, who was asked to investigate. We must remember that he can investigate only at the request of the Prime Minister; the Prime Minister is the only one who governs the ministerial code. I have very little confidence in the Prime Minister in this respect, because I happen to know that my hon. Friend the Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) has sent three letters to him with complaints about a former Minister who may have breached the ministerial code and he has not yet received a reply. So what confidence
can we have in that code? Should the code be adapted so that Ministers and civil servants are required not even to entertain approaches from Members of this House if they are made on behalf of commercial interests-if they are made on behalf of paid advocacy? There is no reason why Members should have access to Ministers on that basis; they are not working on behalf of their constituents, so why should they have that privileged position?
The Leader of the House has said that she is interested now-suddenly-in what the Public Administration Committee said about the statutory register for lobbyists, but she has had that report for some time and parliamentary vehicles were available for that to have been enacted. Why was it not? We have had plenty of time to debate lots of other things, so why did we not have a debate and an amendment-a Government proposal-on this subject? Why did she not accept the amendment tabled by my hon. Friend the Member for Cambridge (David Howarth) to the Companies Act 2006, which would have required companies to register when they decide to hire a Member of this place in order to do their business? Why did the Government resist that amendment and not let it through?
The fact is that we are tougher on the lowliest parish council member than we are on Members of this House. It seems to me that paid advocacy in Parliament for commercial or partial interests is not compatible with the duties of a Member of this House.
Ms Harman: The hon. Gentleman says that we are taking action after the event. I have set out the action that we have already taken to make sure that details of meetings with Ministers, which previously were completely secret and not known to the public, are all routinely put in the public domain. I have explained to him that we have taken action to extend the period of time in which former Ministers must seek permission for a job they do. I have also set out to the House that whereas previously Members could be paid by companies or any organisation and it was shrouded in secrecy, we brought a motion before this House that now requires Members to register all the income they receive for work done in addition to their work as Members of this House. I ask him to recognise that we are not taking action after the event; we have taken action before the event. The allegation about my right hon. Friend the Member for North Tyneside (Mr. Byers) will be investigated by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards.
As far as the civil service code is concerned, we have put that on a statutory footing. As for people being paid on top of their salary, I agree with the hon. Gentleman, and the step that we have taken is to ensure that instead of its being shrouded in secrecy, it is known to the public. He should recognise that the House took that decision. Previously, that information was shrouded in secrecy and now all members of the public can see it.
The hon. Gentleman asked me to put in the public domain information about meetings held by the Transport Secretary prior to the National Express decision. Because since 2007 we have decided automatically to make public the meetings that Ministers have, that information should already be in the public domain for decisions that were made in July and November last year. The hon. Gentleman is asking me to put information in the public domain-not only the fact of the meeting but what the meeting was about must be put in the public domain.
The hon. Gentleman says that we are suddenly interested in the report of the Public Administration Committee. That is not the case-
Mr. Peter Bone (Wellingborough) (Con): So you are not interested then?
Ms Harman: No, what has happened is that there have been ongoing discussions about establishing a register of lobbyists so that there can be more transparency about who is acting on whose behalf. Because of the public concern that has arisen out of the most recent allegations, we think that it is right to move that forward on to a statutory footing to reassure the public that there is a statutory register. The law will require those who are lobbyists to register the fact that they are lobbyists as well as who their clients are.
The hon. Member for Somerton and Frome (Mr. Heath) asked why companies should not have to register when they hire an MP. I would answer that it is the responsibility of the MP to register that they have been hired. That is certainly an important first step, which did not exist before last June, when it came into effect. We have just started to register that information.
I would share with the hon. Gentleman-I think all hon. Members would do so, too-a sense that we do not want anybody in this House to bring the House into disrepute. We do not want anybody to bring Government into disrepute or to throw a cloud of suspicion over a Government who are acting in the public interest. That is why it is important for me to be so emphatic, so that we reassure the public that whatever actions have been taken by individual Members of this House, they will be investigated. I can assure hon. Members that when it comes to decision making by Ministers, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills or the Secretary of State for Transport, they have taken those decisions as Ministers of the Crown in the public interest.
Several hon. Members rose -
Mr. Speaker: Order. No fewer than 21 hon. and right hon. Members are seeking to catch my eye. Accommodating all of them will require short questions and short answers.
Mr. David Winnick (Walsall, North) (Lab): Although I recognise the steps that have already been taken and what my right hon. and learned Friend has set out, may I ask her this question? Why should any hon. Member be involved in lobbying for commercial interests? No one has been elected to do that and it is understandable that if we are to continue to clean up Parliament, such lobbying should be totally outlawed. There is no justification for it and I hope that my right hon. and learned Friend recognises the strength of public opinion on this issue.
Ms Harman: I certainly do. I think that I have made my views on this known to the House on a number of occasions. I know that my hon. Friend will be aware of them. It was a very important step for the public-who, after all, are the people who vote for us to be in this House of Commons-to know whether a Member of Parliament whom they have been sending to the House of Commons is doing work that is different from or over and above the work that they were elected to do. Their constituents should know that. Before we took
that step, it was not possible for the public to know that. The fact that it has made a difference has been attested to by the fact that a number of Opposition Members, including possibly some shadow Cabinet members, have decided to relinquish outside interests rather than fully registering them. It shows that it has made an important difference.
Sir Peter Tapsell (Louth and Horncastle) (Con): Despite the seriousness of the allegations levelled against the Privy Counsellors, does the Leader of the House agree that they pale into insignificance when compared with assertions that Mr. Blair has been seeking to make money for himself through ventures in Iraq of all places?
Ms Harman: Mr. Blair is a private citizen who is entitled to do whatever is within the law. That is not a responsibility of this House, or a responsibility of mine as the Leader of the House.
Paul Flynn (Newport, West) (Lab): The Member in question is not the first man to indulge in boastful fantasies while talking to a young woman, but should not this shameful episode convince the House of the need to follow the fine example of the Public Administration Committee, which united to make an all-party, tough recommendation to make sure that MPs could never again be for hire?
Ms Harman: I agree with the sentiments of my hon. Friend, and I think that important steps forward were taken by having full transparency. The register of lobbyists will also take things forward on a statutory basis.
Justine Greening (Putney) (Con): Why does it always take a crisis before the Government ever take any action on preserving the integrity of the House? With an election just weeks away, why will the Leader of the House not finally agree to have a fair, impartial and independent inquiry into all this?
Ms Harman: I would respond to the hon. Lady's question in two ways. First, I do not want to have to reiterate to her all the action that we have already taken to toughen up the system and to make sure that it is transparent, that there are clear rules and that those rules are enforced. I have explained to the House that, in respect of my right hon. Friend the Member for North Tyneside, there is going to be an investigation into his conduct by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards. If my right hon. Friend's conduct is found to have fallen short of the principles of public life, set out in the code of practice for Members of Parliament, further action will be taken. That investigation is under way.
As far as the question now is concerned, in respect of the decisions taken by the Government, as I said in my statement, the Prime Minister has sought the Cabinet Secretary's assurance that Departments have looked into the claims. One would not expect them to wait after allegations of such seriousness had been made. They looked into these matters right away and, as impartial civil servants, they have given their view that there was
"no improper influence on Government policy and decisions."
I hope that the hon. Lady and the public will be reassured about this.
Colin Burgon (Elmet) (Lab): Is the Leader of the House aware of the revulsion that is felt by many Labour MPs about the attitude of so-called Labour colleagues? Surely, the answer to all this is to cut the Gordian knot and make sure that all MPs, especially Labour MPs, have no outside work at all when they are MPs. On a lighter note, will she at least say that this could mark the final nail in the coffin of the new Labour project?
Ms Harman: If my hon. Friend looks at the previous Register of Members' Interests, he will find that by far the most registered interests for people earning outside Parliament were not from those on our side of the House. I did not make that point in my statement, but he has provoked me to explain what the reality was. That is why we have argued for greater transparency.
Mr. Peter Bone (Wellingborough) (Con): Are we not seeing a tired, worn-out Government who are mired in sleaze? We cannot go on like this; it must be time for change.
Ms Harman: I strongly refute the allegation that there has been any impropriety on behalf of Ministers. I have already referred the House to what has been said by the Department for Transport, and I can refer the House to what was said by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. The permanent secretary has said:
"I have looked into the allegations made over the weekend about former ministerial influence on policy-making. I am satisfied in the light of these investigations that there has been no improper influence on officials in my Department."
In addition, I can report to the House that the Business Secretary has said that he has not spoken to my right hon. Friend the Member for North Tyneside about food labelling regulations, and that he would not expect to.
Mr. Dennis Skinner (Bolsover) (Lab): Does my right hon. and learned Friend agree that, on many occasions over the past many years, I have raised the question of Members of Parliament serving two masters and taking money from outside? There is only one solution to the matter, and it is that all Members of Parliament, on all sides of the House, must have one job and one job only-serving their constituents. Is it not high time that we put that in the manifesto and presented it to the people? Opposition Members would treat such a pledge in the manner that we expect, because they have so many lobbyists. No one starves on £60,000 a year, so let's get on with it.
Ms Harman: I sympathise with my hon. Friend's sentiments, and he and I have discussed this on many occasions. I think that the public ought to be absolutely confident that their Member of Parliament is acting in their interests. They need to know who Members are taking money from, and for what.
Mr. Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy) (PC): The Leader of the House has sought many times today to reassure the House that the individuals involved did not, and could not, influence Government policy. Should they not be investigated for attempting to obtain pecuniary advantage by deception?
Ms Harman: If there is any evidence of criminal wrongdoing, that is something that the police will decide independently to investigate. It is not for me as Leader of the House, or indeed for Ministers, to direct police investigations. It is for the police to work out what they want to investigate, and to take that forward with operational independence.
Mr. Gordon Prentice (Pendle) (Lab): We on this side of the House are all scandalised by the behaviour of the Member for North Tyneside (Mr. Byers). It was a disgrace, and absolutely shaming. I want to congratulate my Friend on saying at the Dispatch Box that the Government-hopefully the next Government-will bring forward a mandatory register of lobbyists. However, I did not hear the Gentleman who speaks for the Opposition commit his party to bringing in a mandatory register.
Ms Harman: We will put the mandatory register proposal in our manifesto, and we hope that all parties support it. A reading of the previous Registers of Members' Interests shows that large sums of money have been taken, overwhelmingly by Opposition Members. They held something like 70 per cent. of directorships, whereas something like 30 per cent. were held by Members on this side. We should recognise that the rules that we have brought in are important for all Members of this House.
Alistair Burt (North-East Bedfordshire) (Con): But on what terms are briefings given to former Secretaries of State about future Government policy? An example would be briefings given by the Ministry of Defence to the former Secretary of State for Defence. It cannot be within the terms of such briefings that they are available for use for commercial gain by private companies, as the former Defence Secretary himself has alleged.
Ms Harman: Briefings are not given to former Ministers unless they have a particular responsibility to carry out on behalf of the Department or of the Government. If they have such a responsibility, they carry it out in the public interest, and not for any private interests.
Mr. John Grogan (Selby) (Lab): The noble Lord Whitty recently attacked the influence of lobbying companies representing producer interests in securing important amendments to the Digital Economy Bill. Given that, would it not be an affront to our democracy if that Bill, which has been so heavily influenced by lobbyists, were to be rushed through its Second Reading on Easter Tuesday-possibly as the Prime Minister is on his way to the Palace to seek the Dissolution of Parliament-and then rushed through its final stages in the wash-up?
Ms Harman: The Digital Economy Bill is of great concern not just to lobbyists, but to consumers and providers of digital services. We will look for an opportunity to bring it back to the House for debate. There is no intention to rush it through, and certainly no intention to serve the interests of lobbyists. The intention is to serve the interests of this country.
Mr. Brooks Newmark (Braintree) (Con): Can the Leader of the House say whether the Prime Minister spoke to the Cabinet Secretary or even the Business Secretary before ruling out a Government investigation?