Bonfire of the Building Regs?
Building regs front page news. Here. That's twice in one year, after the Conservatory Tax fiasco back in April. What's going on?
It's hard not to conclude that it's the work of the headline-grabbing tea party tendency which seems to have taken over the Treasury, the rip-up red tape at any cost brigade.
In principle, there is nothing wrong with turning the building regs into a political football. In fact, I welcome it as it's actually a fascinating area. The regs are constantly under review in any event, and that doesn't always mean they get stricter and more expensive. I have sat in on a dozen or so government-sponsored meetings in the past five years which were seeking input from the selfbuild/DIY sectors, with a view to simplifying the building regs. What struck me after all this is how slowly the wheels turn and how good intentions very quickly get watered down. If there really is to be a bonfire, it will probably take an age to catch fire and we won't see its effects for about five years. Long after the next general election.
On the other hand, there's no doubt that the heavy hand of state intervention is writ large across our building activities and, thanks to this, we now have building standards that are far in advance of what we were required to meet even in my building lifetime (which began in 1980). Sometimes the regs are intrusive and seem petty, but mostly everyone is happy to accept them as they do make for better, safer homes. And if everybody has to comply, then there is no feeling of being cheated.
But in practice, any change in the building regs causes problems and upheavals. They are not easy to implement and they take years to bed in. If the government chooses to turn back the clock and make our building standards less exacting — and cheaper — that's its prerogative. But the way to do it is to bring it in as a fait accompli, not to announce to the world at large that it's undertaking a review. That's just political posturing which is likely to cause a good deal of confusion. The one thing it won't do is to "Get Britain Building" or some such silly nostrum. If anything, it's likely to make people pull projects they might otherwise have been considering on the grounds that they might just save a few quid.
Do we really need any new homes?
There is a an unspoken problem at the centre of our housing debate. Are we short of new homes? Almost every commentator states that we are and that we therefore have a housing crisis on our hands. But the evidence for it is thin on the ground and what there is is almost always constructed from data which is only partially relevant.
Like the length of council house waiting lists, which is long and growing longer, but this only tells us the demand for council/social housing. Which, in turn, tells us that either private housing is too expensive or social housing is too cheap, but it doesn't really inform us as to whether there is a shortage of housing overall.
Or rents. Rents are going up in the South-East, having been pretty stable for many years. The reason seems to be that the population is increasing, private housing is too expensive to buy, mortgage finance is difficult to come by and so private renting is the only option for many. The squeeze is on, for sure, but this still doesn't lead to the conclusion that we are short of houses.
For to be short of houses, we have to have some notion of how many houses there should be. We don't. The nearest we come to it is something called the rate of household formation, popularly believed to be around 250,000/annum in the UK as a whole. This is used as a yardstick against which to measure our pitiful attempts to match it.
In the 20 years I have been writing about housing, we have never got close to this target. It's only ever been an aspiration. In the Blair boom years, we achieved about 180,000 new homes a year: now it's down to around 100,000. In the past five years, we have fallen short of this notional target by an accumulative 750,000 homes, so you'd think house prices would have rocketed as a result. Which, of course, they haven't.
Which perhaps in turn tells us that the notion of a rate of household formation is bunkum. Households form when they can afford to. When times are tough, they hang together. A household formation rate is a nebulous idea which may well be derived from historical data but it tells us nothing about the situation as it now stands.
To have a housing shortage, you have to have something more concrete to measure it against. Like what? Well, some sort of housing standard such as number of bedrooms per head of population. Or national housing floor area, or some such Domesday Book type data (which the national census doesn't seem to collect). If we had such data to hand, we could then set a standard — such as there must be 1.5 bedrooms for every man, woman and child living in the UK — and then we could judge whether or not we have a shortfall.
Without such an approach, there is really no way of knowing whether we have too many or too few homes, anymore than we might know whether there is a road shortage or a supermarket shortage. Relative to what?
The only hard data we actually have are house prices which are very efficient at allocating resources, so that supply and demand are kept in balance. For every buyer who thinks prices are too high, there is a seller who think they are too low. Do the sellers thus conclude there is a housing surplus? No. So why do buyers insist there is a shortage? Because they'd like to see lower house prices, naturally.
But the sellers — largely the elderly half of the population — want house prices to stay high to pay for their retirement. They certainly don't want them to crash. And, surprise, surprise, it's the oldsters who are mostly dead set against new building in their area. They are the classic NIMBYs. They are not stupid.
So in a nutshell, the young would like there to be more homes so that the prices might inch down a little, whilst the sellers are perfectly happy with what we've got, thank you. That's the essential tension between the young and the old which creates our housing market. It doesn't however follow from that that we have a housing shortage.
Imagine going to fill up the family car at the garage and being confronted with a menu.
"Buy your first 10 litres for £2.00 and you can fill up the rest of the tank at just £1.15 per litre." Hmm, that sounds good. Or does it? Whilst you are trying to figure out if this is a good deal or not, you eyes alight on another option.
"Get your car serviced here and you can get 30p per litre off your petrol for six months." Excellent, you think. Except you now start wondering if its 30p off the first 10 litre price or the lower, follow-up price. Maybe it doesn't matter. Then there's another option.
"Pay by direct debit and we'll knock 5% off your annual bill." Gosh, this does sound good. A reward for loyalty. The more I spend, the more I save. You start to feel that you could spend your whole life cruising the motorways for free.
So you stand there on the forecourt not really knowing whether you are coming or going. You just wanted to fill up with petrol and you've ended up taking an IQ test and now you have a horrible feeling you've just failed.
I suspect you may know where this is going. Petrol and diesel on our forecourts may be horribly expensive but at least their purchase is a simple matter. You pay the price advertised on the sign.
Not so our domestic fuel bills. The menu of options described above is only the beginning for our gas and electric utilities. Most of them have 30 or 40 different tariffs, each with its own merits. When David Cameron made his off the cuff comment in the Commons last week about forcing energy companies to offer customers their lowest tariff, he stirred up a hornet's nest. Because the way fuel bills are constructed, it's almost impossible to tell what the best deal is. Price comparison websites can give you an indication of what would have been the best deal for you in the past, but have no way of knowing what the future deals will be, as the prices can and will change.
Of course, David Cameron has form on issues like this. So keen is he to appear to be a man of the people that he is given to making what he thinks are popular gestures which then turn out to be ill thought through. Or not thought through at all.
Had he called for energy bills to be simpler to understand, he might have been onto something. Had he demanded that the ludicrous two-tier tariffs, that all utility companies still base their billing on, be replaced with a petrol-pump style single price per kilowatt hour, he would have been making progress for all of us. At a glance we would be able to see who is offering what, and where we should place our money.


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Advises governors and state leaders as they seek to guide growth and development in their states. The Institute brings together leading practitioners and academicians in the fields of government, design, development, and regional economics to help each state's executive team make informed choices as they shape the future of their states.
Smart Growth America works in partnership with governors, DOTs, and other transportation providers to improve safety, enhance economic opportunity, improve reliability, preserve system assets, accelerate project delivery, and help to create healthier, more livable neighborhoods. We do this by analyzing transportation agencies' rules and culture, pinpointing hidden obstacles to developing projects that grow economies and maximize return on investment, and identifying ways to remove those barriers.
A nonpartisan, diverse group of municipal officials who share a passion for building great towns, cities, and communities. The Council supports those who are implementing smart growth strategies and advises Smart Growth America about how state and federal decisions affect local communities.
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The unnamed buyer spent dio knows how much on a hypercar that oozes with Ferrari heritage but blazes around corners.
The automaker says four former employees took proprietary information to their new jobs at Zoox. Oh, and Tesla sued an employee of another rival too.


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Insight with Mark Farrell An engaging forum to examine and discuss a vast array of everyday obstacles and challenges facing adults and children today.
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INSIGHT - FROM BEING SHOCKED TO WAKING THE WORLD, LIFE WITH SOUND, A LITTLE IS A LOT - 05.25.18
Eric Kussin, founder of "We're All A Little Crazy" discusses the inception of the Global Mental Health Alliance where Athletes, Celebrities, and Expert Practitioners share experiences and insight to educate students on mental health. This former successful professional sports executive didn't develop this idea overnight rather it was during the course of two years when he was in the depths of post traumatic stress disorder and being pumped with over 50 combinations of psychotropic drugs, 22 sessions of TMS therapy, and 12 sessions of ECT ``shock therapy`` only to find himself worse off with each passing treatment. Hear how this passionate, affable and determined man is storming major campuses including: Cornell, USC, OhioState, James Madison and dozens more so students can hear directly from sport celebrities that share their personal story of adversity with mental health. Influencers will also share insight on their experiences with mental health and other struggles. Please visit "We're All A Little Crazy":
https://weareallalittlecrazy.org/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzdvt0J2h2wIVxWSGCh2CWgfwEAAYASAAEgJG3PD_BwE
Have Mark speak at your company or organization to increase morale, productivity, confidence and more. Mark also has riveting talks for students (K-12) and college on overcoming adversity, anti-bullying/anti-teasing, mental health, drugs/alcohol, celebrating differences, self-entitlement and more. All of Mark's talks are from his vast life experience. Reviews, videos, booking info and more at: www.markfarrellmotivation.com
"Mark Farrell is an amazing speaker, who talks with honesty and humor. He uses his life experiences to help people overcome their own adversities and walk them through their journey, to show them that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Mark touches everyone who is lucky to hear him speak."
Ellen Houlihan
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
President of Central NJ Chapter
"Mark Farrell served our firm with a perfect mix of motivation, humor and uplifting personal experience during a corporate event to touch each employee personally while inspiring success and determination. Mark's professionalism, contagious charisma and flexibility made working with him something we look forward to again in the future"
Robin Greene, Vice President
Prestigious Hedge Fund Greenwich, CT
INSIGHT -THE ROOTS OF POLITICS AS USUAL AND PARTISANSHIP, LAYA LOVE'S LENS OF LIFE CHANGES LIVES, POLICE CYCLE FOR FALLEN COMRADES - 05.10.18
HE ROOTS OF POLITICS AS USUAL AND PARTISANSHIP, LAYA LOVE'S LENS OF LIFE CHANGES LIVES, POLICE CYCLE FOR FALLEN COMRADES
John A. Lawrence, author of "THE CLASS OF '74: Congress after Watergate and the Roots of Partisanship", worked in the House of Representatives for 38 years, the last 8 as chief of staff to Nancy Pelosi and he offers great insight and a deeper understanding of the underlying roots of partisanship, polarization and gridlock. Lawrence muses whether Republicans should worry about the 2018 midterm elections and much more.
Layla Love is a supremely talented artist who has personally emancipated women in conflict zones from prostitution, slavery, and other forms of human trafficking. Her camera and sense of responsibility has brought her worldwide where she's been incarcerated, attacked and adorned by royalty. Layla Love's art aims to illuminate human consciousness. She captures life as a series of adventures and expeditions into the unknown, returning always with a greater sense of what it means to be human. The wheelchair she left behind as a kid along with poor vision - opened her heart and eyes to a world that she is determined to capture, expose and make a better place. www.riseofthebutterfly.com
Officer, Mark Wodell and thousands of indomitable Police Officers countrywide gather for a multi-day ride to honor policemen that died in the line of duty. Ride culminates in Washington D.C. for a candlelight vigil. http://policeunitytour.com/ Freehold N.J. Officers pictured: Sammy Hernandez, Mike Sweetman, Rich Ciampa and Mark Wodell (glasses on head w/o hat)
Have Mark speak at your company, organization, conference, camp to increase morale, productivity, confidence and more. Mark also has riveting talks for kids k-12 and college on overcoming adversity, anti-bullying/anti-teasing, mental health, drugs/alcohol, celebrating differences, self-entitlement, senior send-off and more. All of Mark's talks are from his vast life experience. Reviews, videos, booking info and more at: www.markfarrellmotivation.com Email:mark@markfarrellmotivation.com
"Mark invigorated our conference! His genuine enthusiasm and professionalism, combined with an amazing topic, made for a marvelous presentation."
Catharine Leahy - Speakers Chair Princeton University
INSIGHT - ALL ENCOMPASSING ABILITIES EXPO, AVICII'S GIFT AND CURSE, BROAD BASE POLITICS, CITIZEN VIRTUAL PATROL PITFALLS - 05.03.18
Lew Shomer discusses how he and business partner David Korse recognized how underserved persons with disabilities were and purchased Abilities to provide a platform so equipment, information, services and so much more can be experienced in one setting for persons with disabilities, caregivers, family and friends. Ten years later, Abilities Expo is the leading producer of events for all disabilities and offer expos in seven major cities – including the NY Metro Area Abilities Expo May 4th – 6th at the New Jersey Convention and Expo Center. More at www.abilities.com
Avicii gave so much of his life and passion through his music so the world can dance. Unfortunately, his battle with alcohol, combined with a debaucherous lifestyle that included perfectionism and working tirelessly around the globe lead to death by suicide. Mark addresses mental illness and the significance of seeking help and how great strides are being made though every suicide is a tragedy. www.afsp.org
Have Mark speak at your company or organization to increase morale, productivity, confidence and more. Mark also has riveting talks for kids k-12 and college on overcoming adversity, anti-bullying/anti-teasing, mental health, drugs/alcohol, celebrating differences, self-entitlement and more. All of Mark's talks are from his vast life experience. Reviews, videos, booking info and more at: www.markfarrellmotivation.com
Insight with Mark Farrell
Copyright 2014 Gary Null. All rights reserved.

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Making The Most Of Music Festivals Billy Draws Two consists of Billy Horn 25 (Niagara Falls, N.Y.) , lead vocals, guitar, harmonica and songwriter, Doug Krell, 26, (Youngstown, N.Y.), rhythm guitar, backing vocals and bass, Rosie Lorentti, 20, (Lewiston, N.Y.), bass and backing vocals and piano and Chris McClellen, 23, (Buffalo, N.Y.), drums. What if another 9/11 event wristbands occurs? Will it be said it happened on Obama"s watch? Will he be blamed for things out of his control? What if President Obama follows UN direction and uses force in Darfur, or Somalia? Only time will tell, my friends. E: There"s been some debate regarding what genre SWR belongs in-people have dubbed it anything from post-punk to rock to dance music. How would you describe it? Ideally, when I say "on the street," I mean somewhere that"s bustling with activity, like a festival wristbands or an arts crafts booth fair - these are great places to try these techniques to learn how to pick up women. Start a conversation with a girl about someone or something that"s around you both. Maybe someone"s wearing a really weird outfit. Or maybe there"s a cute dog that"s wearing a tutu. Share that with a girl and then you"re in a conversation with her. The first factor that affects the price of the marquee is its size. This of course sport wristbands depends on the number of guests. It also depends on whether you want to have extra areas of space, such as a dance floor or a chill out zone, other than the main seating or standing area. It also depends on how roomy you want the space to be. In Vista, the keyboard may take control usually provided by a mouse. Click Start, then Control Panel. Double-click option to Ease of Access Center , and click Make the mouse easier to use options. Now the place mark in Enable Mouse Keys box and click the mouse buttons settings to configure it. For further information please visit us online. You can also read our other party fashion article for further help. Remember, we want you to look great and feel great about yourself.
Chief Secretary for Administration Matthew Cheung Kin-chung says livelihood problems in Hong Kong are expected to improve in 2020 and the government intends to address these more comprehensively.
In his blog published on Sunday, Cheung said the special administrative region government has now obtained enough land to provide a total of 10,000 more transitional housing units in the next three years — a goal set in the 2019 Policy Address.
He attributed this breakthrough to collaboration between the government, the business sector and also ordinary residents. All three parties were working together to resolve the city"s acute housing issue and land shortage, Cheung wrote.
Recently, several major property developers in Hong Kong announced they would offer parcels of land to the government or non-governmental organizations with low rents for the construction of transitional housing units.
The latest company to do this is Sun Hung Kai Properties — Hong Kong"s biggest developer by market value. It has offered three plots of farmland in the New Territories to build these transitional homes.
Another important livelihood issue concerning people in the SAR is the maternity leave extension bill. This was held up in the Legislative Council last week after a motion to move the reading of the bill to the LegCo manpower panel failed to pass before the meeting was adjourned on Thursday.
Writing in his blog on Sunday, Secretary for Labour and Welfare Law Chi-kwong explained that the motion was made because the government was anxious to get the bill passed before the LegCo session ends in July. The bill aims to extend maternity leave in the city from 10 to 14 weeks later in the year.
Meanwhile, Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee said the government had responded to the public"s concerns about the peak influenza season and the spread of pneumonia-like disease originating from Wuhan. Chan said the Hospital Authority has allocated over HK$700 million($90 million) to public hospitals. Additional services will include over 900 new beds, she noted.
In other developments on Sunday, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong - the city"s largest political party in the legislature — launched its "All Service Day" plan. This aims to fulfill an earlier promise to help, serve and communicate with all Hong Kong residents despite the DAB losing a number of seats in the District Council election last November.
As part of this commitment, members and volunteers of the DAB handed out free Spring Festival information to residents in 18 districts across the city. They will also provide residents with leaflets explaining how to prevent infectious diseases and what people should do if they suffer from influenza.
Addressing a launch ceremony of the one-day event, DAB chairwoman Starry Lee Wai-king said the party would continue to serve Hong Kong residents using different platforms and its own service stations in 18 districts this year.
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When my son begged for a Reptiles & Amphibians birthday party for his fifth birthday, I confess I was a bit squeamish about it. I mean, reptiles and snakes … eek! But, this ended up being one of the most fun birthday parties we've ever had. And made for a very happy five year old!
I still don't know how my baby can be five! If someone has figured out how to slow time down just a wee bit, do share. He's growing up way too fast and turning into this independent boy full of curiosity and opinions about everything (which I love). He has a huge heart, big smile, and such a great love for nature and all of its creatures. Especially things that slither and hop.
Though frogs and snakes and lizards aren't really my thing (turtles are OK), this party was so much fun to put together. Seeing the excitement on his face made the sore hands and hot glue burns all worth it!
Whenever I start planning a party, the first thing I do is get out some paper and start jotting down ideas and sketching. I like to tell a story about the birthday boy or girl, incorporating their favorite things and reflecting his or her personality throughout. Since my son is so studious, I found myself inspired to style his party like a herpetology professor's office. At least, what I imagine one to look like when covered in sweet treats.
: The branch of zoology concerned with reptiles and amphibians.
I pulled the party together using a lot of things I already had around the house, such as an old desk he loves, vintage crates, galvanized serving pieces, vintage books, some succulents for critter habitats, and a magnifying glass (his fav). Reptile and amphibian figures were squeezed in here and there, and I made a garland, a scholarly pull down chart, and loads of printables for a personal touch.
I designed the invitation and all of the matching printables, which you can purchase in the shop. They are perfect for any little lady or gentleman who loves herpetology.
There's an invitation, mailing labels, fillable food labels, banner, napkin rings, party circles, favor tags, personalized "Junior Herpetologist" badges and so much more!
We got back from a long vacation just a few days before the party (seriously, what was I thinking scheduling a party so soon?!?). It was so hard to jump right back in after a lazy vacation, so the DIY projects had to be easy and fast.
I am kinda obsessed with those vintage German Jung-Koch botanical and zoology pull down charts, but not their price tag. So I DIY'd my own with some help from my mom. Total out of pocket was $14 vs. $200+ for the real thing. And the bonus … party decor for now, room decor later. He loves his frog print!
I also made a felt ball garland by threading some gold twine through an assortment of felt balls from TaDaa Studio Felt. I selected Chocolate, Khaki, Wasabi, Lime, Sunflower, Mango, and Poppy. They complimented the colors of the printables, added some texture and extra color, and it was such an easy DIY.
When I started planning what kind of treats to serve, I focused on including the things my son loves most in this world: Oreos, pretzels and Zevia soda. That way it would be more meaningful for him. This boy loves his Oreos.
My son has a dairy allergy, so all of the treats in this party are vegan. Sourcing pretty treats that accommodate a food allergy is no easy feat, and I hit a lot of dead ends in my search both locally and online. Some things I could outsource, but some required a little homemade creativity.
Lucky for us, there is an amazing vegan bakery in Kansas City called Mud Pie Vegan Bakery & Coffeehouse. They have the best cupcakes, even if you aren't vegan. The cookies 'n cream cupcakes are his favorite, of course. If you ever find yourself in KC, stop by!
The vegan cake is from the bakery at Whole Foods Market. I threw a cake bunting from the collection on top along with his favorite frog, and then I surrounded the cake with chocolate rocks.
The cookies were, without a doubt, my favorite thing on the table. When I came across Jessica's Etsy shop, Compassionate Cake, I was blown away by her designs. They are perfect little pieces of art. And even better, my little guy can eat them because they are vegan.
When I reached out to Jessica, I gave her an idea of what I would like to order, and she custom made and shipped them to me. Lizards, snakes, turtles, and a red-eyed tree frog, per his special request.
One of my brainstorming ideas from the very beginning was to have truffles that looked like turtle eggs and serve them up in a "turtle's nest." I searched high and low for a vegan white chocolate to coat the truffles with so I could veganize the popular Oreo/cream cheese truffle recipe and was happy to find King David White Chocolate Chips. I followed this recipe using vegan substitutes. My little Oreo lovin' man approved.
It was my first time making truffles, but I was happy with how they turned out after some trial and (lots of) error. I made a nest out of brown sugar and placed a few turtle figures in there like they were crawling out of the nest.
I used the same vegan white chocolate to make the lizard tales, though you could certainly use almond bark or real white chocolate if dairy isn't an issue for you. I bought a bag of pretzel rods from the grocery store, and drizzled the same melted white chocolate chips over them. Zach is a pretzel addict and loved them.
Soda is a special treat around here, and Zevia is our favorite brand. It's not made with all of the unnatural gunk and artifical stuff other sodas use and is guilt-free. It's so good in ice cream floats and homemade popsicles too! The Cream Soda is his favorite flavor. I used some jute twine to tie on some long paper straws with straw flags.
So I could truly relax and enjoy the party with my son, I decided to hire an entertainer. Animal Wonders brought in a collection of reptiles and amphibians for the kids to meet. Every time the handler opened one of the containers, the kids would ooooh and aaaah. It was so funny!
The kids met a box turtle named Speedy, a painted turtle named Stewie, a ball python, a kingsnake, a pair of leopard geckos (that's what is on Zach's shirt!), were kissed by a skink, and finally they met a really chill baby alligator.
Most of the animals were rescues, so the kids learned about their history, how to safely handle them, and the responsibility of taking care of an exotic pet. It was so educational and fun too.
To help our little guests unwind from the reptile and amphibian show, the kids got to adopt their very own lizard and make a habitat for it.
I bought some cute stretchy lizards at a toy shop and set them out on a tray with some washi tape, markers, and rectangle tins. The kids could decorate their tin with washi tape and then write their pet's name on the tape. They got so creative with those habitats!
The kids thought it was the best thing ever and named their lizards some pretty cute names, like Banana and Rocket. The lizard above was named Pascal. Love little kid typos.
I also set out some draw-a-frog activity sheets, which our older kiddos really enjoyed.
As our guests left, inexpensive favor bags were handed out with some reptile-themed bouncy balls, grow reptiles, and a small magnifying glass inside.
Although, we were really tempted to fill them with kazoos to pay back a friend who handed kazoos out at her daughter's party. Kazoos … the gift that keeps on giving!
THOUGH THREE LITTLE MONKEYS STUDIO MAY HAVE RECEIVED PAYMENT AND/OR PRODUCTS FOR INCLUSION IN THIS POST, ALL OPINIONS ARE 100% MY OWN. I ONLY PROMOTE BRANDS I LOVE!
So cute….Boy I'm glad my kids were little a long time ago…I'd never be able to make such a cute party theme!
I love the theme! It's so different compared to most parties these days.
I just love all the creative details in this party. And those cookies are just AMAZING!
Aren't they? She did an amazing job. My jaw dropped when I opened them!
Wow! Could this party be me more adorable!!! My son is into Nascar….Can Zach please be into Nascar so I can see what all ideas you would come up with!..LOL! I love your ideas and how they never feel…what's the word…commercial! Your photography is amazing also! I just love it all!
Wow! This is a stunningly beautiful party – I hope the kids all appreciated it and had a ton of fun!
Thank you, Jennifer! They had a great time and are still talking about!
What creepy crawly fun! My niece would LOVE a party like this.
She sounds like a pretty cool little girl!
What a fun party! It is amazing how much parties change from kids to adults, my birthday is Saturday and I'm not sure how I will celebrate.
So true, Aimee! Mine is in two months, and I'd be happy with a quiet dinner out! Happy Birthday!!!
Amazing!!! I love your parties! You are a true inspiration!
Oh my cuteness! This is just amazing. Great job!
You are SO talented! I adore every detail and your designs are gorgeous! I would love to feature your party on my site if you'd be willing. Just let me know!
Hi, Amy! That would be wonderful!
Great job, I love this! I loved lizards/reptiles growing up (had them as pets).
Thank you so much, Carli! You were so much braver than me. I think they are fascinating creatures though!
This is fantastic! My son would love a party like this.
I love everything about this party – lots of great inspiration! Can you tell me where you purchased the rectangle tins?
Hi, Stephanie! Thank you! They were purchased from Pick Your Plum, a daily deal site. You may be able to find something similar at a craft store or online.
Thank you! I'll be on the lookout for them. I appreciate you responding. Have a great week!
I'm wondering where you got the envelopes for your invitations for this party, they're perfect!
I love the garland! What size felt balls did you use?
Thanks, Lindsey! They are the 3cm felt balls (about 1 1/4″).


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Home Entertainment 'Avengers: Endgame' rakes in $1.2 bn globally
'Avengers: Endgame' rakes in $1.2 bn globally
"Avengers: Endgame", the final chapter from the "Avengers" franchise, has broken records globally by raking in $1.2 billion, with $26.7 million of its earnings coming in from India, in its first weekend.
The movie opened to $350 million in North America and $859 million overseas for a global launch of $1.2 billion, including $330.5 million in China, reports hollywoodreporter.com.
Directors Joe Russo and Anthony Russo shot the latest Avengers film back-to-back with last year's "Avengers: Infinity War", the previous record-holder for biggest global opening, $640.5 million.
"Infinity War", which took 11 days to hit $1 billion, versus five days for "Avengers: Endgame", topped out at $2.04 billion globally.
The guessing game has already begun as to whether the latest movie in the epic franchise can surpass $2.5 billion and match or topple "Avatar", the top-grossing film of all time with $2.78 billion.
"Avengers: Endgame" grossed $156.7 million on April 26 in North America, where the three hour-long movie got the widest release ever across 4,662 theatres.
The nostalgia factor has come into play as well.
Not only is "Avengers: Endgame" a direct sequel to "Avengers: Infinity War", it's the culmination of the previous 20-plus titles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), a blockbuster series of films that commenced with "Iron Man" in 2008 and established Kevin Feige's Marvel Studios as best in show.
Feige has credited fans around the world for their support throughout the film's journey.
The film's opening performance outside the US has been marvellous.
In addition to China, where it is already the number four title of all time, it scored the highest opening weekend in 43 markets including India, UK/Ireland, Australia, South Korea, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and France.
According to deadline.com, in India, the film has made $26.7 million till April 28, after releasing on April 26.
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The best things to do this week in San Antonio: Tracy Morgan, Day of the Cowboy
Jim Kiest and Deborah Martin, Staff writers
Tracy Morgan's stand-up tour will make a stop in San Antonio.
Richard Shotwell, INVL / APShow MoreShow Less
Keke Palmer stars in the horror movie "Nope."
Associated PressShow MoreShow Less
Sister act Aly & AJ is part of the stacked Float Fest lineup.
courtesy / courtesyShow MoreShow Less
Here's a look at this week's arts and entertainiment highlights in and around San Antonio:
Stage: Shawn Kjos' latest musical revue for The Harlequin is "Shake, Rattle and Roll," which features songs by the Beach Boys, Kool and the Gang, Stevie Wonder and The Four Seasons, among others. Opens Friday. Doors 7 p.m., showtime 8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays through Aug. 20, Fort Sam Houston Theatre, 2472 Stanley Road, Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston. $10-$22. Civilian reservations must be made by 5 p.m. Tuesday before that weekend's shows; no reservation required for those with military or Department of Defense IDs. Call or text 210-222-9694.
Comedy: The title of comedian Tracy Morgan's current tour is "No Disrespect," which is almost always the prelude to saying something scathing. It sounds like the former "Saturday Night Live" cast member, who starred as a loose-cannon comedian on the NBC sitcom "30 Rock," is ready to go off. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, 100 Auditorium Circle. $40-$103, tobincenter.org.
Movie: Funny guy-turned-master of horror Jordan Peele returns with "Nope," his follow-up to "Us." Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer star as the owners of a rural California horse ranch who have a terrifying encounter with what appears to be a UFO. Opens Friday in theaters.
Celebration: The Briscoe Western Art Museum is celebrating National Day of the Cowboy with all sorts of activities, including craft demonstrations and hands-on projects, live music, chuck-wagon cooking, a live sculpting demonstration by Jason Scull, storytelling and free admission to the museum. 10 .m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Briscoe Western Art Museum, 210 W. Market St. Free, briscoemuseum.org .
Festival: The Float Fest music lineup, which includes Chance the Rapper, Vampire Weekend and Pusha T, plus Marshmello and Deadmaus for the late-night dancers and Aly & AJ, pictured at right, for nostalgic feels, is the hottest show of a hot summer. Good thing there's a river nearby for cooling off. 2 p.m. Saturday-July 24 on festival grounds, which are located on a private ranch on the Guadalupe River, 1 County Road 197, Gonzalez. $145 single day, $260 weekend including floating; camping $20-$30 surcharge, floatfest.net.
Jim Kiest and Deborah Martin


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Export of rough diamonds doubled
The export of rough diamonds from Belgium more than doubled last month. In January, exports had also seen a sharp rise compared to one year ago. The rise is good news for the Antwerp diamond industry.
Fri 12 Mar 2010 12:28
Last month, Belgian rough diamond exports went up 164 percent to reach 10.8 million carats, representing a total value of 661 million euros. That's according to figures released by the Antwerp World Diamond Centre. The import of rough diamonds rose to more or less the same extent.
The figures are good news for the Antwerp diamond industry, and are a continuation of the excellent results posted at the end of 2009, after a difficult spell. The Antwerp World Diamond Trade Centre points out that the Antwerp figures can be considered as a good indication for the international markets.
The United States account for 11.9 percent of the Belgian polished exports when rated in carats. Hong Kong follows in second place, Israel in third. When rated in dollars, the United States even account for 29.6 percent of Belgian export figures.
Meet the Flemings in the new Brussels government!
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Private Copying Exception is deemed unlawful
In October 2014, the eagerly anticipated copyright exceptions came into force via a series of amendments to the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988.
Many thought the exceptions, which transposed certain provisions of the Copyright Directive (2001/29/EC) into English law, were long overdue to bring the law up-to-date with modern reality.
One amendment was the introduction of a private copying exception allowing individuals to make a personal copy of a copyright protected work for their own private use - an action many individuals had thought was a legitimate practice already.
In addition to the private copying exception, many other member states had introduced a levy or surcharge on equipment which can be used for private copying to compensate rights holders for the loss of any revenue as a result of the exception.
However, in the UK the Secretary of State deemed that a compensation scheme was not necessary as there was only de minimis harm to rights holders by the introduction of the private copying exception. As such the private copying exception was introduced without a corresponding compensation scheme.
Unhappy with the Secretary of State's decision, a number of rights holders brought a judicial review action claiming (amongst other things) that the decision not to introduce a compensation scheme was flawed as the evidence relied upon was inadequate and unsatisfactory.
The High Court agreed with the rights holders and found that the introduction of the exception for private copying without a compensation scheme was unlawful as the inferences drawn from the evidence relied upon were not warranted or justified.
Green J held that whilst it was acceptable for the Secretary of State to have common sense intuitions on whether a compensation scheme should be introduced, these intuitions should have been a starting point in the analysis and were not capable of answering the specific legal question of whether more than de minimis harm to rights holders would occur as a result of the introduction of a private copying exception.
However, even though Green J found that that the private copying exception was unlawful he did not strike it out. The judge was careful to grant the Secretary of State three options to rectify the error, including the introduction of a compensation scheme, removing the private copying exception, or undertaking the necessary qualitative and quantitative surveys to determine whether a compensation scheme should be introduced.
The judge granted the parties leave to make submissions to determine whether any issue of law needed to be referred to the CJEU and whether any appropriate relief was required given his conclusion that the Secretary of State's decision to introduce the private copying exception was unlawful.
It's unclear whether the government has any plans to undertake a quantitative and qualitative survey to demonstrate a lack of harm. Whatever happens next, it is absolutely clear that change is required. Consumers consider private copying is a legitimate activity which is reinforced by the way copying and storage devices are currently sold. The law has failed to keep up with consumers' expectations and it will be interesting to see what action the government takes in light of this decision.
R (British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors and others) v Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills [2015] EWHC 1723 (Admin), 19 June 2015


The Commission on Elections (Comelec) may start printing next month about 2 million official ballots that will be used in the Jan. 21, 2019, referendum for the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law.
"We have no date yet, but most likely it will be in December," Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said.
Jimenez said the Comelec had to take into consideration first 62 petitions for voluntary inclusion in the plebiscite.


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text:
UK Government Debuts Coronavirus WhatsApp Chatbot
The British government is using a WhatsApp chatbot to communicate with citizens about the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The new service arrives just as the Prime Minister Boris Johnson has ordered a three-week lockdown for the country to try and limit the impact of the novel coronavirus on the country's health.
British Chat
The chatbot is designed to provide a range of information about the coronavirus and the ongoing fight against its spread. Anyone can access it by inputting the number as a WhatsApp contact and sending the message 'hi.' The response is a menu of options to learn facts and myths about the disease and what people should be doing during the pandemic. The chatbot, which is officially titled the GOV.UK Coronavirus Information Service uses a mix of sources including the National Health Service and the World Health Organization for the medical facts, sourced from the official government website. The government is updating the policy elements as necessary. There's also an option to receive messages through WhatsApp from the government about the pandemic.
"This service will help us ensure the public has a trusted source for the right information about coronavirus, updated with the latest public health guidance and providing assurance that they are not misled by any of the false information circulating," Public Health England medical director Yvonne Doyle said in a statement.
The chatbot extends the nationwide text messages that the government has pushed out a couple of times in the past week to announce the lockdown and other rules set out to stem the tide of infections. But, WhatsApp is extremely popular in the UK, so it's not a surprise that the government would augment its communications with a tool on the platform. It's why the government of India set up its own WhatsApp chatbot for information about the coronavirus.
"At difficult times like these, people are using WhatsApp more than ever to connect with and support their friends, family and communities," WhatsApp COO Matt Idema said. "We are pleased to be able to provide the UK Government with the communications tools to help them answer the public's questions about the virus with reliable, timely health advice, in order to keep people safe."
Healthy Discussion
India and the UK both center their chatbots around accurate information, a crucial aspect of fighting the disease. Ironically, social media channels like WhatsApp are all too easy to use to spread rumors and misinformation. Both Alexa and Google Assistant removed all of the unofficial voice apps related to the coronavirus from their platforms for that reason. State governments are turning to AI platforms to communicate with citizens about the coronavirus too, partnering with voice app developers like Voicify to build them.
Meanwhile, healthcare organizations are working with companies to push out voice and chatbots about the pandemic to triage potential patients. Microsoft offers one template, as does Orbita, and the virtual assistant created by Hyro. The main difference is that those chatbots are embedded in the websites or voice apps of healthcare organizations as opposed to WhatsApp.
State Governments Ask Voicify to Build Coronavirus-Focused Voice Apps
India Creates WhatsApp Chatbot to Share Accurate Coronavirus Info
ChatbotsNewsVoice Assistant
BritaincoronavirusCOVID-19Healthcareukuk government technologyWhatsApp
Charles Schwab Integrates Voice AI into Phone System
Moscow Airport's New Voice Assistant is Answering 30% of Customer Calls


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One Year Since SB 1070 Signed Into Law and a Long Journey for Immigrants
April 22, 2011	/ 15 comments	/	2124 views
Viridiana Hernández "came out" as undocumented after SB 1070. (Photo: Valeria Fernandez)
Fi2W's Valeria Fernandez produced a radio story for Latino USA about SB 1070 one year after the law was signed. Listen:
[audio:valerialatinousa042211.mp3]
Reporter's Notebook
PHOENIX, AZ–When Gov. Jan Brewer signed SB 1070 into law last April 23, Arizona was hit by a tsunami of international media attention.
My phone was ringing of the hook from radio stations in Colombia, Spain, France, Argentina and even Uruguay—my home country—wanting to know what this law was all about.
In a nutshell, I would tell them that SB 1070 made it a state crime to be in Arizona without documents–and it was punishable with jail.
But SB 1070 is more complex than that. Even as a federal court injunction stopped five of its main provisions just before the law was to take effect—including the one I mentioned—other aspects of the law remain on the books.
Among them is one that keeps cities and localities from creating laws to ban police officers from asking someone about their immigration status.
But rather than looking at what law-enforcement has done with the few portions of SB 1070 that did go into effect on July 29 2010, for my Latino USA radio piece, I wanted to look at the impact of SB 1070 on the lives of those targeted by the law.
What's changed for them in the past year?
When you talk to immigrants in the street, they'll tell you that not much has changed. Some continue to live in fear that they could be stopped by the police and deported. Others are having a difficult time getting work due to another Arizona law that harshly sanctions employers who hire undocumented immigrants.
But when I met Viridiana Hernández I heard a different story. Viridiana, or "Viri" as her friends like to call her, is an undocumented immigrant and she wants it to be known.
She wants her story to be told and she shares it with everyone she encounters. I followed her for a few weeks going to meetings with the Latino Union Club she founded in her college and to private homes in which she tries to engage Latino voters on the importance of participating in the political process.
She drives all over town without a driver's license. From the college where she takes classes to become a teacher—she wants to teach immigrant families English—to community meetings were she is an organizer leading 60 immigrant families.
And she knows that every day she takes the chance of being pulled over by the police and asked for documents she can't produce. She's not less afraid than others, but she thinks it is worth it.
For Viridiana it wasn't always like this. She used to keep a low profile. When SB 1070 was signed into law she broke into tears.
"They wanted to criminalize me," she said. "I couldn't believe it when I read the law."
Her family discussed leaving the state.
But she says they quickly realized that if other states followed suit, pretty soon they were going to run into the same problem.
"We didn't want to be running all our lives," she told me in perfect English. "This is my home, my family has fought hard for everything we have."
Viridiana is constantly busy. I don't think she spends much time going to parties like other kids her age. She's driven and focused on making small gains.
She says it is overwhelming to hope to change the politics in Arizona overnight, to change the climate that led to passage of more than 20 anti-illegal immigration bills in the last decade.
She believes change needs to start with manageable things, like mobilizing voters in a Phoenix district that is mostly Latino, but where Latinos rarely turn out to vote.
For her, this past year has been a long journey of changes, and the biggest one started with herself. Perhaps her biggest win: She's no longer afraid.
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About Valeria Fernández
Valeria Fernández is an independent journalist from Uruguay with more than a 14 years experience as a bilingual documentary producer and reporter on Arizona's immigrant community and the US-Mexico borderlands. She co-directed and produced "Two Americans," a documentary that parallels the stories of Sheriff Joe Arpaio and a 9-year-old U.S. citizen whose parents were arrested by the sheriff's deputies that aired in Al Jazeera America. Her work as reporter for the Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting on the economic and social impacts of a mine spill in Northern Mexico broadcast in PBS, San Diego and won an Arizona Press Club recognition for environmental reporting in 2016. She freelances for a number of print, digital and broadcast media outlets, including Feet in 2 Worlds, CNN Español, Radio Bilingue, PRI's Global Nation, Al Jazeera, and Discovery Spanish.
View all posts by Valeria Fernández →
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