text:
Privatvermögensstrukturen (PVS) sind steuerrechtlich privilegierte liechtensteinische unternehmerische Einrichtungen. Wichtigstes Unterscheidungsmerkmal zu anderen, im Handelsregister eingetragenen Unternehmen ist, dass Privatvermögensstrukturen keine wirtschaftliche Tätigkeit in Liechtenstein ausüben.

Der Begriff Privatvermögensstruktur wird ausschließlich im Zusammenhang mit dem liechtensteinischen Steuergesetz und der Steuerverordnung verwendet.

Gesetzliche Grundlage und Definition
Gemäß Art 64 Abs. 1 Steuergesetz sind Privatvermögensstrukturen solche unternehmerische Einrichtungen:
 welche in der Verfolgung ihres Zwecks keine wirtschaftliche Tätigkeit ausüben, insbesondere wenn sie ausschliesslich Finanzinstrumente nach Art. 4 Abs. 1 Bst. g des Vermögensverwaltungsgesetzes sowie Beteiligungen an juristischen Personen, liquide Gelder und Bankkontoguthaben erwerben, besitzen, verwalten und veräussern;
 deren Aktien oder Anteile nicht öffentlich platziert wurden und nicht an einer Börse gehandelt werden und deren Besitz den in Abs. 3 genannten Investoren vorbehalten ist, oder bei denen keine anderen als die in Abs. 3 genannten Investoren begünstigt sind;
 die weder um Anteilseigner und Anleger werben noch von diesen oder von Dritten Vergütungen oder Kostenerstattungen für ihre Tätigkeit nach Massgabe des Bst. a erhalten; und
 aus deren Statuten sich ergibt, dass sie den Beschränkungen für Privatvermögensstrukturen unterliegen.
Zu den juristischen Personen im Sinne des SteG zählen auch Stiftungen, Treuunternehmen und Trusts nach liechtensteinischem Recht.

Sitzgesellschaften
Der im alten Steuergesetz verwendete Begriff "Sitzunternehmen" und der umgangssprachlich weit verbreitete Begriff "Sitzgesellschaft" (auch Domizilgesellschaft) wurde im neuen Steuergesetz bewusst vermieden. Auch eine Trennung in Sitzunternehmen (Art 84) und Holdinggesellschaft (Art 83) des Steuergesetzes (alte Fassung – a.F.) wurde im neuen Steuergesetz (neue Fassung – n.F.) nicht mehr vorgenommen.

Im Fürstentum Liechtenstein unterschied bis 2010 das Personen- und Gesellschaftsrecht (PGR) "zwischen zwei Arten von Gesellschaften liechtensteinischen Rechts, und zwar liechtensteinischen Gesellschaften, die keine Geschäftstätigkeit in Liechtenstein ausüben (Sitzgesellschaften), und solchen, die in Liechtenstein tätig sind (aktive Gesellschaften)".

Im PGR sind auch nach 2010 verschiedene Erleichterungen für Unternehmen normiert, welche "kein nach kaufmännischer Art geführtes Gewerbe betreiben" Der Begriff Privatvermögensstruktur findet sich im PGR hingegen nicht. In der Praxis kann die Privatvermögensstruktur nach SteG den unternehmerischen Einrichtungen nach PGR die "kein nach kaufmännischer Art geführtes Gewerbe betreiben" gleichgesetzt werden.

Das Abkommen zwischen dem Fürstentum Liechtenstein und der Republik Österreich über die Zusammenarbeit im Bereich der Steuern vom 29. Januar 2013 kennt sowohl den Begriff Privatvermögensstruktur als auch den Begriff Sitzgesellschaft.

Umfang der erlaubten Tätigkeit
Der Umfang der erlaubten Tätigkeit von Privatvermögensstrukturen in Liechtenstein orientiert sich an dem der bisherigen Sitzgesellschaften bzw. Holdinggesellschaft. Den Sitzgesellschaften bzw. Holdinggesellschaften waren es bislang gestattet:
 ein Büro mit Verwaltungsaufgaben für eigene Zwecke (Korrespondenz, Internet, Telefon- und Telefaxbedienung, Fakturierung, Buchhaltung etc.) zu betreiben und
 Arbeitskräfte für diese Zwecke anzustellen,
 Dritte mit diesen und damit zusammenhängenden Aufgaben zu betrauen (Treuhänder, Wirtschaftsprüfer, Banken, Rechtsanwälte etc.) aber
 keine weitergehende wirtschaftliche Tätigkeit bzw. nach kaufmännischer Art geführtes Gewerbe, in Liechtenstein betreiben.
Die Privatvermögensstruktur kann sowohl als einfache "Sitzgesellschaft" als auch als Holdinggesellschaft eingesetzt werden, ohne das Steuerprivileg zu verlieren, solang keine wirtschaftliche Tätigkeit oder ähnliches (siehe oben) in Liechtenstein ausgeübt wird.

Steuerlast
Alle steuerpflichtigen juristischen Personen unterliegen der Ertragssteuer. Der Steuersatz für juristische Personen wurde mit 12,5 % vereinheitlicht; da Privatvermögensstrukturen nicht veranlagt werden, fällt jedoch lediglich die Mindestertragssteuer an. Mindestertragssteuer für Privatvermögensstrukturen beträgt 1 800 Franken (Art 62 Abs. 2 SteG).

Gemäss dem Protokoll zur Abänderung des am 5. November 1969 in Vaduz unterzeichneten Abkommens zwischen dem Fürstentum Liechtenstein und der Republik Österreich zur Vermeidung der Doppelbesteuerung auf dem Gebiete der Steuern vom Einkommen und vom Vermögen vom 29. Januar 2013 und dem angehängten Zusatzprotokoll gemäß Art II, gelten Privatvermögensstrukturen liechtensteinischen Rechts, welche ausschliesslich der Mindestertragssteuer in Liechtenstein unterliegen, steuerrechtlich im Sinne des Abkommens zwischen dem Fürstentum Liechtenstein und der Republik Österreich zur Vermeidung der Doppelbesteuerung auf dem Gebiete der Steuern vom Einkommen und vom Vermögen vom 5. November 1969 nicht als im Fürstentum Liechtenstein ansässig.

Das Protokoll zum Abkommen zwischen der Schweizerischen Eidgenossenschaft und dem Fürstentum Liechtenstein zur Vermeidung der Doppelbesteuerung auf dem Gebiet der Steuern vom Einkommen und vom Vermögen, abgeschlossen am 10. Juli 2015, sieht gemäß Ziffer 2 zu Artikel 4 lit. b eine analoge Regelung vor: Private Vermögensstrukturen gelten "als steuerlich transparent".

Schweizer Recht
Nach Schweizer Recht gelten als Sitzgesellschaften, in Abgrenzung zu operativen Gesellschaften, juristische Personen, Gesellschaften, Anstalten, Stiftungen, Trusts, Treuhandunternehmungen und ähnliche Verbindungen, die kein Handels-, Fabrikations- oder anderes nach kaufmännischer Art geführtes Gewerbe betreiben. In der Regel liegt der Zweck einer Sitzgesellschaft in der Verwaltung des Vermögens des wirtschaftlich Berechtigten, was insbesondere bei Gesellschaften der Fall ist, die keiner operativen Tätigkeit nachgehen. Nicht als Sitzgesellschaften gelten jedoch Gesellschaften, welche die Beteiligungen unter einheitlicher Leitung zusammenfassen (Holdinggesellschaften) oder Familienstiftungen.

Quellen und Verweise

Öffentliches Recht (Liechtenstein)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
15 November 2017 / Which? Membership
Help us shape the future of Which?
Jon Stricklin-Coutinho	Community Manager
This is your space to discuss all things related to Which?, including our governance. Together with other Which? Members and our Ordinary Members you can discuss our past, present and help shape our future.
For those of you new to Which? Conversation, welcome! Our community website is your space to discover and debate the burning consumer issues of the day.
While our community enjoys getting down to the nitty-gritty details of big issues like stopping nuisance callers or exposing the wider risks of product safety, we also want our Ordinary Members* to be able to connect with one another and have their say on the governance of Which?. If you want to have a say in how we're run and help to shape the future of Which?, you can become an 'Ordinary' (or voting) Member.
We've just celebrated the 60th anniversary of Which?. The views and support of our members have been key to helping us get this far, and so your views will also help shape our next 60 years.
Which? discussion
So we've created this space for you. Here you can connect with other members and discuss all things Which?, including governance, feedback about our organisation and issues you want our Council to consider.
To keep things running smoothly, we have a few simple rules specific to this area for you to follow:
Keep comments relevant to this area – sharing your thoughts about Which? and its governance
If you have something off-topic to share, please share it in 'The Lobby' or find a relevant conversation to join. If you'd like to talk about the closure of Which.net, we've created a dedicated discussion area for you here.
Before you share a resolution, please check to see if another member has shared something similar and add your support to it by replying
Please be polite and speak to others as you'd like to be spoken to, whether that's with other members or Which? staff.
Keep personal contact details private (eg email, phone number or address) – whether they're yours or someone else's.
We're here to listen to your feedback about Which?, and we'll try to answer any questions as soon as we can, but please be patient with us and mindful that we don't work weekends
These guidelines are here to keep things running smoothly, so if you spot a comment that breaks these rules, please bring them to our attention by using the 'Report' button.
It's easy to register on Which? Conversation, just click this Sign in/Register link and click the 'Register' tab. Our 'Help getting started' guide should explain any questions you may have about getting involved in Which? Conversation. Now, it's over to you.
*If you aren't already an Ordinary Member and are interested in finding out more, you can read about how to become an Ordinary Member right here.
Becoming an Ordinary Member means you can:
Vote in the annual Council election – the Council is the ultimate governing body of our charity, the Consumers' Association, and oversees our whole organisation. We'll send you the ballot booklets every November.
Come along to our AGM – meet our chairman, chief executive and team. You can find out more about what we're doing and why, hear from our teams and ask your questions, and see how Which? works from the inside.
Stand for election to the Council – you can nominate yourself and ask for support from other ordinary members.
Nominate other ordinary members who want to stand for Council – to help make sure we have the right people governing.
Get our annual and interim reports and accounts – we'll keep you up to date with all that's going on, so you're always in the loop.
Read the 2017 AGM Q&A here.
membership 8
Do you worry about whether using old condiments and sauces might make you ill?
Patrick Taylor says:
[Moderator: this comment and its ensuing replies originally appeared in our "Does your accent affect how you're treated as a customer?" discussion. We've moved this discussion here so as to be more on topic]
I am not sure if it is polite to suggest that a consumer charity concentrate on what it was set-up to do. Incidentally you will note the mention of other countries which I am afraid Which? Ltd rarely draws lessons from. I do not think the Articles have been changed but Guarantoe members would know!
2.1 The objects for which the Association is established are:
2.1.1 to promote for the benefit of the public impartial and scientific analysis of and research into: (i) the standards of goods and services available to the public as consumers; (ii) ways in which the quality and availability of such goods and services may be maintained and improved for the public benefit and to publish and disseminate the results of such analysis and research to the public;
2.1.2 to advance and disseminate knowledge of the laws of the United Kingdom and other countries and in particular (but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing) the law relating to consumer protection in the United Kingdom and other countries;
2.1.3 to carry out research into the law of consumer protection in the United Kingdom and other countries and to publish and disseminate the results of such research to the public;
2.1.4 to promote and advance the education of the public in all aspects of public health and in the principles of physical and mental health; and
2.1.5 to promote in a manner beneficial to the community the improvement of the skills of horticulture and good housewifery.
It is disappointing to see that these objects are generally to inform the public but not to develop proposals for constructive changes and to campaign for their introduction, nor to engage with members. In a few ways they have gone down these routes. Perhaps the objects need upfating?
Perhaps it is useful that Which? has embraced the digital age and focused on scams and the perils of buying online.
I don't know what the purpose of this Convo is. Maybe it's just a subject to debate, or perhaps there is useful advice that can be given to those who suffer consumer detriment because of their accent or maybe a speech impediment.
Thank you Patrick. I have long believed that Which? lacks proper governance, direction, focus and consistent formulation of consumer policy. Many of these Conversations have reinforced my belief, although I had seen no evidence of this, until just now. The most obvious of these is seen through conflicting objectives within the organization about what is selected for tested and how it is being rated.
One group is driving luxury, high performance motor cars and consistently giving them Best Buy status (with the except of the Indian-owned Land Rover). Another group tests the latest iterations of expensive electronics and, almost without exception, gives Best Buy ratings to the top consumer brands.
It may well be that these are the very best, but that does not make them "Best Buys", which I equate with value for money. How does any of this reconcile with "… impartial and scientific analysis … for the benefit of the public … ", if the public cannot afford to own a new Lexus, Miele, Apple or Samsung? There is the now rarely seen "Best on Test" category if Which? really feel the need to signal some aspirational consumer goal.
Holidays involving long-haul air travel to exotic destinations are being normalized as what the typical Which? consumer does all the time, at least before Covid-19 disrupted their lives. Proof? Which Travel? requires an annual subscription. It is not something you can pick up at a newsagent when planning – what should be – a once in a lifetime event for normal people.
Even the annual Christmas test of Champagne and mince pies caters more to the chattering classes that the "… public benefit …". If you don't have money to waste, it doesn't matter what Champagne is the "Best Buy" – you still can't afford it.
At the same time, a different group within Which? focuses on sustainability and eco-friendly credentials, (correctly in my view) berating high energy consumption, mounting e-waste waste and built-in obsolescence. Surely, you are arguing against yourselves. Are you promoting profligate consumerism or are you against it? Raising issues for debate is fine, but there needs to be some consistency and follow through from all the hot air being raised.
But what really causes concern is the number of apparently random Convos and campaigns that seem to lack direction, consistency or an end result. There is a lot of hand-wringing and cries that the Government needs to "do something". That is what unqualified campaigners do when they have a single issue they want addressed, but do not understand how to implement change. That is also what newspapers do when they want to sell more subscriptions. I strongly suspect Which? are the same in that regard.
An organization like Which? has the experience, lobbyists, contacts and resources, including legal professionals, to set out clear policies and statutes they would like the Government to adopt. Price gouging and scalping has been discussed ad nauseum without apparent effect. It has been going on for years with tickets, but now too late for essential PPE and even PS5s. This could have been dealt with long ago, by borrowing model regulations from jurisdictions where Which? has relationships with other consumer groups.
It frustrates me to see repeated Which? requests to "sign our petition", when it is not clear what I am signing up to, except maybe a change to the Law of Unintended Consequences.
So what has triggered this long-simmering rant? A eye-opening realization that Which? are not being governed by any principles or policies. One final word demonstrates that the Consumer Association haven't bothered to read their own Articles of Association or make any meaningful progress in the last forty years.
That last word is: "housewifery".
To paraphrase the OED: "[The] main occupation [of] a married woman, caring for her family, managing household affairs, and doing housework."
It is, I expect, all part of an obsession with level playing fields.
The above was in response to wavechange, not to Em. I agree with much of what Em says and have made similar comments. I accept that Which?'s business model requires it to appeal to a broad group of people and has to say popular things, as well as amass material for its regular magazines.
Somehow, amongst this, we need an organisation that, in representing the interests of consumers, actually takes really important issues by the scruff of their necks, investigates them thoroughly and fairly, draws up constructive proposals to sort the issuesout, and then pursues them doggedly until something gets resolved. Just how many of Which?'s campaigns have achieved this? And how many just fizzle out or generate only recurring hot air?
Bah humbug.
Perhaps this discussion would be better in this Convo where there is at least a chance that it might possibly be seen: https://conversation.which.co.uk/which-membership/which-discussion/
Aiming for a level playing field has often produce useful results, for example legislation to reduce disability discrimination and dare I say, giving women the vote.
That's an interesting assessment, Em. I think it's perhaps unfair to judge W? on the past year's work, as this has truly been a unique year – certainly in modern times – but as for the overall direction W? has been taking for some years it's perhaps more accurate.
For some years, around 24, I think, W? has been drifting away from the vision which Young had when he started the organisation. Young envisaged an organisation which harnessed the potential of its membership, and not simply in the arm-length governance arena which is popular among the senior management. There's a great deal I can say (and have said) about this, but I think Anabel's had just about the worst introduction to a new, senior job as anyone could imagine. So I believe credit should be given for managing the place through almost war-time conditions.
That said, some aspects of the Annual report caught my eye, and made for very interesting reading. The mission statement (used to be called 'the objective') is well written but a tiny preposition caught my attention: the word 'with' in the line "the pre-eminent force driving positive impact for and with UK consumers."
The use of the preposition "with" implies a team-like approach, yet that superficially worthy aspiration has rarely been achieved. It's only a tiny word, 'with', but in the context of the Consumers' Association I think it's pretty important. Why? Because Young's philosophy was to harness the power of ordinary folk to bring about change.
The Report continued with five 'Key Shifts' identified, none of which detailed how the "with" bit might work. But then we do see the "How" identified: in the subsequent five boxes, the middle states "What it means to be part of the Which? family". Perhaps, given the withdrawal of the which.net email service two years earlier, the unintended irony of the phrase 'We're connected' might well have escaped some.
Oddly, the five 'How' boxes then merged into three "Objectives" which, given their aspirational tone, are in fact aims, rather than objectives. In the final box, however, the third aim is very interesting: "Working together to achieve more".
It's that last heading which goes to where I believe the root of many of W?'s current problems can be found.
Which?, over the past 24 years, has come to interpret the phrase 'working together' as equating to 'follow our lead'. Over time, Which? has developed an avuncular culture towards its subscriber base and has, I sincerely believe, failed to recognise the very real contributions the ordinary subscriber and member can make. In a sense, Which? is almost monastic in its approach; it believes it has a mission of high moral importance, but doesn't feel the ordinary supplicant has any major contribution to make. Like the ancient religions it adheres to the concept that it's engaged in a divine crusade, but one in which only the duly anointed can directly participate. Sociologically, it would make for a fascinating PhD study, but the main point is that until and unless Which? recognises the quality and capability of a large chunk of its contributor base, I fear it will become increasingly irrelevant.
" contributions the ordinary subscriber and member can make.". I have, for a long time, attempted to get Which? to engage more with its members, but have now virtually given up on a hiding to nothing.
A question I raised on this subject at the AGM received the response that Which? does involve its member, through Connect, Convos, and the like. I think they just miss the point. Involvement is about members contributing their knowledge, expertise, and not just about having an online chat (in which Which? virtually never participate) and answering questions about their vacuum cleaner or only being able to answer "yes" to a campaign without previous discussion.
https://conversation.which.co.uk/community/english-language-accent-customer-experiences/#comment-1614838
Level playing fields do not produce equality. There is far more inequality in disability discrimination than there is equality, but making some gestures helps keep the activists at bay. We do not have level playing fields in race equality, gender pay, representation of minorities, and I doubt we ever will. We can make attempts to help placate the proponents but I think true equality is an illusion.
We still have Women's Hour but no Men's Hour.
I wonder in which direction the EU level playing field will be tipped?
Which? has always very much 'do as we say not do as we do' but 24 years would take us back to Sheila McKechnie becoming CEO. A technophobe who had no understanding of science or technology and with a strong dislike for anyone that did. She thought Which? could survive without product testing, ran down and sold their testing facilities and filled the magazine with essentially dross like this which would sit better in 'Hallo!'. It would appear that her legacy continues.
Product Reviews – Smoke Alarms
I have just been looking at smoke alarms on Which?
The loudness of the alarm is very important for its intended location, so one of the features I needed to check.
Unbelievably, decibel ratings are not included in product reviews.
I am looking at the FireAngel ST-622. The Which? image is of an ST-622Q.
I have yet to find out the difference and have also found for sale ST-622R and ST-622T. It would have been very helpful for the review to explain these different models especially as it appears there was a bad batch a few years ago.
The Test Results give the full 5 stars for Sound Output with the usual poor wording:
How we test sound output (smoke alarms only)
Sound output is based on decibel levels, measured in a fully soundproofed chamber. Three stars or above are louder than 85dB – the equivalent of a lawn mower. Ones rated two stars or below should probably be avoided by those with poor hearing. This test isn't carried out for heat alarms, which are tested to a different programme. Only applicable to smoke alarms.
Where are the results of that test? What decibels did the test register?
The Tech Specs give
Battery test (Heat alarms only)
– Sound output test (Heat alarms only)
– We measure how loud the alarms are initially when they sound and then again after they have been sounding for a few minutes. Only applicable to heat alarms.
Now, the noise of our lawn mower at 3 stars definitely wouldn't wake me up. But there is no indication what decibels 5 stars indicate.
Surely, loudness is a basic test where the result should be given in the review?
The best solution is to have interlinked alarms, so that if one sounds the others round the house do too. In a new-build these would be mains-interlinked but battery operated wireless interlinked alarms are also available. Interconnected alarms mean that they will be heard. It would be helpful for Which? to cover these options.
Smoke alarms should comply with BS EN 14604:2005. This specifies the warning audible alarm signal, modulated with an off period not exceeding 2s, nominal max frequency < 3.5 kHz, and at least 85dB(A). Which? should state those alarms that claim compliance with the standard and also achieve it in all respects, in their reviews and not recommend any that do not.
When there is a standard that gives a requirement for a particular characteristic – say warning sound – it is quite pointless giving it a star rating (at least, without qualification). At least it should add whether or not it achieves compliance with the standard. Whether giving an actual value is worthwhile I do not know.
The British Standards are minimum requirements and products can exceed these requirements in one or more ways. My mains interlinked alarms and battery-operated alarms are both compliant but the battery-operated ones are much louder.
Which? reports on a few of the alarms available and I expect that they all meet or exceed current standards.
← 1 … 19 20 21
AGM 2019: how to vote
Sustainable living: announcing our new magazine supplement
Introducing the new-look Which? Magazine
Which? AGM 2019: what you need to know

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


We are pleased to announce that, on or about June 3, 2019, the Dreyfus U.S. Retail business and its long-term mutual funds will be renamed "BNY Mellon" to align with the BNY Mellon Investment Management brand.
Our goal is to make it easier for investors to identify and access our full suite of investment solutions by creating a more consistent global retail brand. The BNY Mellon name reflects our trusted reputation as a leading global asset manager with approximately $1.7 trillion in assets under management.
You'll see the new logo and branding on your June 30 mutual fund statements, but there's nothing for you to do.
While our 94 long-term mutual funds will be rebranded BNY Mellon, all of their investment objectives, strategies, portfolio managers and investment subadvisers will remain the same. However, as the Dreyfus brand is well-known and highly regarded in cash management, the 27 Dreyfus-managed money market funds will retain the Dreyfus name.
Please be assured that there will be no changes to your account number or product codes, and all existing Dreyfus-branded checks will be honored. When you contact us to reorder, you will be provided with updated checks that reflect our new branding. If you utilize our online mutual fund account access, you will still maintain the same user ID and password.
Our goal is to provide you with investment excellence and a superior experience. The strength and scale of BNY Mellon Investment Management allows us to offer investors creative solutions from our world-class investment managers, combined with the global reach and financial stewardship of BNY Mellon. This brand change will more clearly showcase the entirety of our capabilities that we are able to offer.
As part of the rebrand, the names of our businesses and investment accounts will change in June. But this will not affect the structure or terms of your accounts.
Beyond noting the name changes, you do not need to perform any tasks related to the rebranding. In June, our website address will change to www.bnymellonim.com/us; get ready to experience an enhanced look and feel that represents our proud heritage and new brand.
As part of this initiative, we will be sending ongoing communications about how this transformation of our business will create an even better client experience.
We are here to help explain this exciting brand shift and answer any questions you may have. Contact us directly, Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET at 1-800-896-2648 for assistance.
1 The Dreyfus-branded money market funds will retain the Dreyfus name.
3 The Dreyfus Corporation serves as administrator and Mellon Investments Corporation, an affiliate of Dreyfus, serves as investment adviser to Dreyfus International Equity Fund.


After the cables are installed and terminated, it's time for testing. For every fiber optic cable plant, you will need to test for continuity, end-to-end loss and then troubleshoot the problems. If it's a long outside plant cable with intermediate splices, you will probably want to verify the individual splices with an OTDR also, since that's the only way to make sure that each one is good. If you are the network user, you will also be interested in testing power, as power is the measurement that tells you whether the system is operating properly.
You'll need a few special tools and instruments to test fiber optics. See Jargon in the beginning of Lennie's Guide to see a description of each instrument.
Before you start, get together all your tools and make sure they are all working properly and you and your installers know how to use them. It's hard to get the job done when you have to call the manufacturer from the job site on your cell phone to ask for help. Try all your equipment in the office before you take it into the field. Use it to test every one of your reference test jumper cables in both directions using the single-ended loss test to make sure they are all good. If your power meter has internal memory to record data be sure you know how to use this also. You can often customize these reports to your specific needs - figure all this out before you go it the field - it could save you time and on installations, time is money!
This is an important part of the documentation process we discussed earlier. Make sure you have cable layouts for every fiber you have to test. Prepare a spreadsheet of all the cables and fibers before you go in the field and print a copy for recording your test data. You may record all your test data either by hand or if your meter has a memory feature, it will keep test results in on-board memory that can be printed or transferred to a computer when you return to the office.
Fiber optic sources, including test equipment, are generally too low in power to cause any eye damage, but it's still a good idea to check connectors with a power meter before looking into it. Some telco DWDM and CATV systems have very high power and they could be harmful, so better safe than sorry.
Continuity checking makes certain the fibers are not broken and to trace a path of a fiber from one end to another through many connections. Use a visible light "fiber optic tracer" or "pocket visual fault locator". It looks like a flashlight or a pen-like instrument with a lightbulb or LED soure that mates to a fiber optic connector. Attach a cable to test to the visual tracer and look at the other end to see the light transmitted through the core of the fiber. If there is no light at the end, go back to intermediate connections to find the bad section of the cable.
A higher power version of the tracer uses a laser that can also find faults. The red laser light is powerful enough to show breaks in fibers or high loss connectors. You can actually see the loss of the bright red light even through many yellow or orange simplex cable jackets except black or gray jackets. You can also use this gadget to optimize mechanical splices or prepolished-splice type fiber optic connectors. In fact- don't even think of doing one of those connectors without one � no other method will assure you of high yield with them.
Fiber optic microscopes are used to inspect connectors to check the quality of the termination procedure and diagnose problems. A well made connector will have a smooth , polished, scratch free finish and the fiber will not show any signs of cracks, chips or areas where the fiber is either protruding from the end of the ferrule or pulling back into it.
The magnification for viewing connectors can be 30 to 400 power but it is best to use a medium magnification. The best microscopes allow you to inspect the connector from several angles, either by tilting the connector or having angle illumination to get the best picture of what's going on. Check to make sure the microscope has an easy-to-use adapter to attach the connectors of interest to the microscope.
And remember to check that no power is present in the cable before you look at it in a microscope � protect your eyes!
Practically every measurement in fiber optics refers to optical power. The power output of a transmitter or the input to receiver are "absolute" optical power measurements, that is, you measure the actual value of the power. Loss is a "relative" power measurement, the difference between the power coupled into a component like a cable or a connector and the power that is transmitted through it. This difference is what we call optical loss and defines the performance of a cable, connector, splice, etc.
Power in a fiber optic system is like voltage in an electrical circuit - it's what makes things happen! It's important to have enough power, but not too much. Too little power and the receiver may not be able to distinguish the signal from noise; too much power overloads the receiver and causes errors too.
Measuring power requires only a power meter (most come with a screw-on adapter that matches the connector being tested) and a little help from the network electronics to turn on the transmitter. Remember when you measure power, the meter must be set to the proper range (usually dBm, sometimes microwatts, but never "dB" � that's a relative power range used only for testing loss!) and the proper wavelengths � matching the source being used. Refer to the instructions that come with the test equipment for setup and measurement instructions (and don't wait until you get to the job site to try the equipment)!
To measure power, attach the meter to the cable that has the output you want to measure. That can be at the receiver to measure receiver power, or to a reference test cable (tested and known to be good) that is attached to the transmitter, acting as the "source", to measure transmitter power. Turn on the transmitter/source and note the power the meter measures. Compare it to the specified power for the system and make sure it's enough power but not too much.
Be sure to see our "virtual hands-on" explanation of fiber optic testing.
Loss testing is the difference between the power coupled into the cable at the transmitter end and what comes out at the receiver end. Testing for loss requires measuring the optical power lost in a cable (including connectors ,splices, etc.) with a fiber optic source and power meter by mating the cable being tested to known good reference cable.
In addition to our power meter, we will need a test source. The test source should match the type of source (LED or laser) and wavelength (850, 1300, 1550 nm). Again, read the instructions that come with the unit carefully.
We also need one or two reference cables, depending on the test we wish to perform. The accuracy of the measurement we make will depend on the quality of your reference cables. Always test your reference cables by the single ended method shown below to make sure they're good before you start testing other cables!
Next we need to set our reference power for loss � our "0 dB" value. Correct setting of the launch power is critical to making good loss measurements!
Turn on the source and select the wavelength you want for the loss test. Turn on the meter, select the "dBm" or "dB" range and select the wavelength you want for the loss test. Measure the power at the meter. This is your reference power level for all loss measurements. If your meter has a "zero" function, set this as your "0" reference.
Some reference books and manuals show setting the reference power for loss using both a launch and receive cable mated with a mating adapter or even three reference cables. This method is acceptable for some tests, even mandatory when your test equipment has connectors different from the cable plant under test, but will reduce the loss you measure by the amount of loss between your reference cables when you set your "0dB loss" reference. Also, if either the launch or receive cable is bad, setting the reference with both cables hides the fact. Then you could begin testing with bad launch cables making all your loss measurements wrong. EIA/TIA 568 calls for a single cable reference, while OFSTP-14 allows either method.
There are two methods that are used to measure loss, which we call "single-ended loss" and "double-ended loss". Single-ended loss uses only the launch cable, while double-ended loss uses a receive cable attached to the meter also.
Single-ended loss is measured by mating the cable you want to test to the reference launch cable and measuring the power out the far end with the meter. When you do this you measure 1. the loss of the connector mated to the launch cable and 2. the loss of any fiber, splices or other connectors in the cable you are testing. This method is described in FOTP-171 and is shown in the drawing. Reverse the cable to test the connector on the other end.
In a double-ended loss test, you attach the cable to test between two reference cables, one attached to the source and one to the meter. This way, you measure two connectors' loses, one on each end, plus the loss of all the cable or cables in between. This is the method specified in OFSTP-14, the test for loss in an installed cable plant.
What Loss Should You Get When Testing Cables?
-For multimode fiber, the loss is about 3 dB per km for 850 nm sources, 1 dB per km for 1300 nm. This roughly translates into a loss of 0.1 dB per 100 feet for 850 nm, 0.1 dB per 300 feet for 1300 nm.
-For singlemode fiber, the loss is about 0.5 dB per km for 1300 nm sources, 0.4 dB per km for 1550 nm. This roughly translates into a loss of 0.1 dB per 600 feet for 1300 nm, 0.1 dB per 750 feet for 1550 nm.
If you have high loss in a cable, make sure to reverse it and test in the opposite direction using the single-ended method. Since the single ended test only tests the connector on one end, you can isolate a bad connector - it's the one at the launch cable end (mated to the launch cable) on the test when you measure high loss.
High loss in the double ended test should be isolated by retesting single-ended and reversing the direction of test to see if the end connector is bad. If the loss is the same, you need to either test each segment separately to isolate the bad segment or, if it is long enough, use an OTDR.
As we mentioned earlier, OTDRs are always used on OSP cables to verify the loss of each splice. But they are also used as troubleshooting tools. Let's look at how an OTDR works and see how it can help testing and troubleshooting. When you finish this section, see Understanding OTDRs for a more detailed explanation.
Unlike sources and power meters which measure the loss of the fiber optic cable plant directly, the OTDR works indirectly. The source and meter duplicate the transmitter and receiver of the fiber optic transmission link, so the measurement correlates well with actual system loss.
The OTDR, however, uses backscattered light of the fiber to imply loss. The OTDR works like RADAR, sending a high power laser light pulse down the fiber and looking for return signals from backscattered light in the fiber itself or reflected light from connector or splice interfaces.
At any point in time, the light the OTDR sees is the light scattered from the pulse passing through a region of the fiber. Only a small amount of light is scattered back toward the OTDR, but with sensitive receivers and signal averaging, it is possible to make measurements over relatively long distances. Since it is possible to calibrate the speed of the pulse as it passes down the fiber, the OTDR can measure time, calculate the pulse position in the fiber and correlate what it sees in backscattered light with an actual location in the fiber. Thus it can create a display of the amount of backscattered light at any point in the fiber.
Since the pulse is attenuated in the fiber as it passes along the fiber and suffers loss in connectors and splices, the amount of power in the test pulse decreases as it passes along the fiber in the cable plant under test. Thus the portion of the light being backscattered will be reduced accordingly, producing a picture of the actual loss occurring in the fiber. Some calculations are necessary to convert this information into a display, since the process occurs twice, once going out from the OTDR and once on the return path from the scattering at the test pulse.
There is a lot of information in an OTDR display. The slope of the fiber trace shows the attenuation coefficient of the fiber and is calibrated in dB/km by the OTDR. In order to measure fiber attenuation, you need a fairly long length of fiber with no distortions on either end from the OTDR resolution or overloading due to large reflections. If the fiber looks nonlinear at either end, especially near a reflective event like a connector, avoid that section when measuring loss.
Connectors and splices are called "events" in OTDR jargon. Both should show a loss, but connectors and mechanical splices will also show a reflective peak so you can distinguish them from fusion splices. Also, the height of that peak will indicate the amount of reflection at the event, unless it is so large that it saturates the OTDR receiver. Then peak will have a flat top and tail on the far end, indicating the receiver was overloaded. The width of the peak shows the distance resolution of the OTDR, or how close it can detect events.
OTDRs can also detect problems in the cable caused during installation. If a fiber is broken, it will show up as the end of the fiber much shorter than the cable or a high loss splice at the wrong place. If excessive stress is placed on the cable due to kinking or too tight a bend radius, it will look like a splice at the wrong location.
The limited distance resolution of the OTDR makes it very hard to use in a LAN or building environment where cables are usually only a few hundred meters long. The OTDR has a great deal of difficulty resolving features in the short cables of a LAN and is likely to show "ghosts" from reflections at connectors, more often than not simply confusing the user.
When using an OTDR, there are a few cautions that will make testing easier and more understandable. First always use a long launch cable, which allows the OTDR to settle down after the initial pulse and provides a reference cable for testing the first connector on the cable. Always start with the OTDR set for the shortest pulse width for best resolution and a range at least 2 times the length of the cable you are testing. Make an initial trace and see how you need to change the parameters to get better results.
Above all - never simply attach an OTDR to the cable plant and hit the "auto-test" button! We know of applications where that was done that cost the installers and users big bucks! ODTRs are not smart enough to make the decisions on setup and pass/fail themselves - they are easily fooled. If you do the setup correctly yourself, you can try "auto-test" and see if it gives reliable results, but never use it without knowledgeable operator oversight.
The VDV Works OTDR tutorial will teach you a lot more about how to use OTDRs!
The time may come when you have to troubleshoot and fix the cable plant. If you have a critical application or lots of network cable, you should be ready to do it yourself. Smaller networks can rely on a contractor. If you plan to do it yourself, you need to have equipment ready (extra cables, mechanical splices, quick termination connectors, etc., plus test equipment.) and someone who knows how to use it.
We cannot emphasize more strongly the need to have good documentation on the cable plant. If you don't know where the cables go, how long they are or what they tested for loss, you will be spinning you wheels from the get-go. And you need tools to diagnose problems and fix them, and spares including a fusion splicer or some mechanical splices and spare cables. In fact, when you install cable, save the leftovers for restoration!
And the first thing you must decide is if the problem is with the cables or the equipment using it. A simple power meter can test sources for output and receivers for input and a visual tracer will check for fiber continuity. If the problem is in the cable plant, the OTDR is the next tool needed to locate the fault.


The changes mean employers can still offer benefits in kind, but they will not be as attractive from a cost perspective.
Changes to salary-sacrifice schemes announced in November's Autumn Statement are likely to prove unpopular with employees. James Monks from RAM Group looks at ways employers can mitigate the impact of the changes and still retain staff.
The last few years have seen a significant increase in the adoption of salary-sacrifice schemes by employers.
Much of the popularity of these schemes can be explained by their mutually beneficial nature for employer and employees alike.
As well as allowing staff to give up part of their salary in exchange for tax-free benefits, companies have also been liable to pay lower national insurance contributions on reduced employee wages – a situation viewed by many as win-win.
For the basic-rate taxpayer sacrificing £100 of their salary, tax perks have allowed them to receive £100 in benefits for a salary deduction of just £68.
However, following what HM Revenue and Customs described as a "proliferation of luxury schemes" at a high cost to the Treasury, 2016's Autumn Statement brought the controversial news that the Government would be axing salary-sacrifice tax perks on a range of employee benefits.
Citing the difference between the tax paid on cash salary and benefits as "unfair", Chancellor Philip Hammond announced that from April 2017 "employees who use these schemes will pay the same taxes as everyone else".
Only a few politically-motivated benefits, such as pension contributions, childcare vouchers, ultra low-emission vehicles and cycle-to-work schemes will be exempt from the charges.
Employers looking at introducing salary-sacrifice schemes should bear in mind that they have a 12-month window before tax changes come in, as long as these are put in place in April 2017.
With this in mind, companies should not delay in holding discussions with employees to see whether or not they are actually interested in receiving these incentives – if not, it is almost certainly not worth the effort of setting up.
It is important to note that the changes announced in the Autumn Statement do not constitute a ban on salary-sacrifice schemes, and employers can technically continue to offer these benefits to staff.
But in practice, the removal of tax perks on the majority of benefits makes them much less attractive to businesses and employers.
Furthermore, the fact that the implementation of these changes coincides with the introduction of the apprenticeship levy only serves to increase the burden on organisations.
As many employees will have come to view these benefits as part of their remuneration package, it is essential that employers adopt a proactive and innovative approach to mitigating tensions among staff who find the changes unpalatable.
Communicate clearly to the workforce about the incoming changes, taking care to emphasise that these are Government rather than company-driven.
Ultimately, the question that staff will want answered is "How is this going to affect my pay packet?", so advise managers to speak to the payroll team before having meetings with employees to ensure they have all the facts, figures and information ready for each individual.
The employer should clearly detail which tax benefits will be affected, and when the change will occur. Presenting examples of how the net pay will be impacted will also help the employee better understand how their own pay packet will change.
Ensuring the worker fully understands that the removal of tax benefits to salary-sacrifice schemes has been instigated by the Government and not the company, will help maintain employee loyalty.
Organisations might want to explain how they adopted salary-sacrifice schemes to help employees and that they will continue to do so if any new schemes become available. This will demonstrate to staff that the business wants to help.
Communication should not be a one-way process, but an open dialogue. By having a dedicated member, or members of staff, who can be contacted at any point with questions in regards to the upcoming salary-sacrifice changes, employees will have an opportunity to raise any concerns, consequently allowing managers to address them.
With a loss of tax perks certain to hit staff in the pockets, organisations will also need to give careful thought to strategies for retaining staff, who may seek alternative employment offering them a higher salary.
It is important to remember that those likely to feel the impact of these changes the hardest are those workers already struggling to make ends meet.
Therefore, businesses should look to introduce alternative ways to offer staff financial perks, such as a group benefits platform which allows employees to make savings across a range of everyday purchases.
Alternatively, businesses could offer non-cash incentives – through perks such as flexible hours and additional holidays. This means employers can help counteract any discontent resulting from tax changes and boost overall employee wellbeing.
The incoming changes to salary-sacrifice schemes will inevitably have an adverse effect on both companies and employees, with many areas of business feeling that the Government should be doing more to maximise people's personal income.
However, by taking the time to think carefully and innovatively about how to mitigate the impact on employees, companies can reduce disruption to business processes whilst maximising retention and productivity.


I am a positive and optimistic person. I enjoy this life and I am ready to share my wonderful world with someone.
I look for a nice relationship. As all the women, I am a romantic creature, I adore candles, walks under moon, dinners together and all this romantic stuff.


text:
Departing city councilors were honored at Thursday night's final meeting of the term.
City Council approves ProvPort tax deal and wraps up the term
by: Steph Machado
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — In its final meeting of the year on Thursday, the Providence City Council unanimously approved a 30-year tax treaty for ProvPort, the private entity that runs a section of the city's deepwater port in South Providence.
The passage represented an about-face from two weeks prior, when the council tabled the tax deal amid opposition. Members of council leadership had announced it would be considered by the next City Council, which will have members sworn in next month.
If approved, the agreement makes ProvPort exempt from paying property taxes, but the organization in turn would agree to pay the city 9% of its annual revenues. Mayor Jorge Elorza's administration has said the revenue share is actually more money than ProvPort would pay in taxes, though the estimates are based on ProvPort's own projections of its business over the next three decades.
The tax treaty requires two approvals, allowing the next council to have a final say on the matter.
City Councilor Rachel Miller, who is expected to be elected council president in January, said there were "significant improvements" to the separate bond authorization and lease extension for ProvPort, which the council also passed Thursday.
The amended bond resolution specifies that the money is "intended, in part, to facilitate the ability of the Port of Providence to increase its participation in offshore wind industry and to address environmental justice issues."
Miller also pointed to the fact that the city is now pledging to use its bond proceeds to remediate areas of the port that have long been the subject of environmental complaints.
"The fact that we are using this to move forward and change that future is huge," Miller said.
The amendment also ties the lease extension and bond authorization to the tax treaty, stipulating it won't go into effect unless the tax deal receives final passage.
The lease extension would allow ProvPort to continue controlling its existing land at the until 2052.
ProvPort outsources management to Waterson Terminal Services, which has said they need the long-term deal in order to get offshore wind tenants to commit to leasing at the port.
An amendment previously added to the deal says ProvPort can't expand fossil fuel activity at the port.
"We are extremely pleased with last night's outcome and thank all city councilors who took the time to thoughtfully analyze the agreement and understand its benefits to the City of Providence," ProvPort spokesperson Bill Fischer said. "The last couple of weeks have included productive dialogue with councilors as well as community members. The extension allows ProvPort to continue to be an economic driver for the city with a number of direct financial incentives and allows for a master planning process that will include rigorous public input."
The council also approved a flurry of other matters in its final meeting, including four other tax treaties and the creation of a new tourism improvement district.
The meeting was also marked by pomp and circumstance. Seven departing council members were honored, including the longest-serving member John Igliozzi, the council president, who has served since 1997.
In a sign of his longevity, Igliozzi was flanked at the dias by his two adult sons, whom he noted were not yet born when he first took office.
The city now limits council members to three four-year terms. Igliozzi and four other councilors – Michael Correia, Nicholas Narducci, Carmen Castillo and David Salvatore – will become the first councilors to leave office due to term limits since the limits were enacted by voters back in 2006.
Two other councilors are leaving because they did not run for re-election: Nirva LaFortune, who unsuccessfully ran for mayor instead, and Kat Kerwin.
In a 30-minute speech thanking his colleagues, the city clerks and council staff, Igliozzi joked that when he was first elected the staff amounted to "one person and a guy with a pen."
He reflected on cutting the ribbon at the opening Providence Place Mall, the council's work to help develop the downtown and the city's first Pride parade, which he called a "bold freaking move back then."
"Take good care of the city," Igliozzi implored the councilors taking office in January. "Don't take it for granted. Don't assume that what we built here can't disappear tomorrow."
The new City Council set to be sworn-in in January will continue to be made up of 15 Democrats, with seven new members replacing the departing councilors. All eight incumbents who ran for re-election retained their seats.
A majority of the incoming councilors informally elected Rachel Miller as the next council president at a Democratic caucus meeting in September. The official vote for council president will take place at the first City Council meeting in January.
The caucus also voted for James Taylor as majority leader, Mary Kay Harris as deputy majority leader, Juan Pichardo as council president pro-tempore, John Goncalves as senior deputy majority leader and Miguel Sanchez as majority whip.
Miller has not yet named committee chairs.
Steph Machado (smachado@wpri.com) is a Target 12 investigative reporter covering Providence, politics and more for 12 News. Connect with her on Twitter and on Facebook.
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JOHNNY MARR AND THE LONG SHADOWS
courtesy of Fanning Sessions
Johnny Marr's kept his Into Paradise hang-ups very quiet, hasn't he ?
The Dublin band, who endured for the guts of a decade from the mid-1980s, were one of the first acts signed to Keith Cullen's then-fledgling Setanta Records imprint and paved a path on many levels for a far better known slew who came after them. They were never the coolest or the most radical band on that label but were certainly one of its most complicated and, consequently, its most interesting. And they certainly generated no little blind devotion :- it's just that there was never quite enough of it to help them pay their way.
David Long, the band's formidable singer and leader, is easily among my favourite ever Irish songwriters and performers. For those who still haven't converted, and history tells us that there may be a few, I respectfully suggest the band's debut E.P. 'Blue Light' [1989], it's 1992 single, '[Why Don't You] Move Over' and 'Sleep' [1991], Into Paradise's own 'How Soon Is Now'. That epic, seven-minute riff-song first featured as a b-side and was once played in its entirety on Irish national afternoon radio by Larry Gogan, a long-time champion of the band, as he was indeed of all new Irish music. And I recommend it as as good a starting point as any.
All three cuts – and I could have easily mentioned twenty-five – are fine representative aspects of the band's more dominant personalities ;- serrated guitar pop, Crombie-cut indie and sulphurous rock music.
I'm happy to report that, although we've basically completed a full-on life swap in the twenty-five years since we last shared a bar tab, I'm still in touch with Long, even if its irregular enough stuff. He e-mails on links to his most recent work and general updates from his garret in An Ríocht and sounds, on the surface at least, like he's keeping busy and well.
That once-furious, dense Into Paradise sound has been lazily characterised, diluted and transubstantiated over the years but I can still picture Long – with respect to Seamus Heaney and his gorgeous poem, 'North' – 'hammering away at the curve of a bay with the powers of the Atlantic thundering behind him'. A vintage craftsman, whiling the small hours in an improvised studio, knocking out the riffs, whipping it up on the biscuit tins, sorcering out the tunes.
I've been thinking of him a lot over the last few weeks – him and the secular powers of the Atlantic – as I've lazily warmed to the new Johnny Marr album, 'Call The Comet'. Which, like a lot of David's own solo material – and at this stage there's been quite a bit, even if you have to search hard for it – is another personable, breezy affair cut in the restless likeness of its creator.
Marr's story is a remarkable one by any standards and although those who came of age during the 1980s with a love of music have long been familiar with the bones, I'd contend that its body lacked real meat until his first fully-blown solo album, 'The Messenger', in 2013, after which he finally cut loose. His fine memoir, 'Set The Boy Free', released three years later and in which he captured the topline aspects of a long, prolific and varied career, joined many of the dots. While beyond on the main stage, the stick-thin bridesmaid, long-time sidekick and flexible hand-for-hire, finally made it up the aisle and found a genuine voice and an escape route out of the shadow.
'Call The Comet' will almost certainly be troubling the All-Star selectors at the end of the season as they try and get the year's best and most stylish fifteen releases into their best positions. Its certainly the most cohesive of Marr's three solo albums to date, for sure. And even after almost forty years at the crease, there's something perennially re-assuring about his work. Indeed it's instructive to see it listed chronologically if only to remind oneself of its scale, spread and the diversity of it, and the easy command of the fundamentals that have long under-pinned it.
But he's never been one to pause it on the past, either. Like the great Cork hurler, Christy Ring, he's long known that better is always around the corner.
Into Paradise were never as overtly influenced by The Smiths as they were by two other Manchester bands, Joy Division and Magazine, the group founded by Howard Devoto after he left Buzzcocks in 1977. Like many other sussed young bands during that period, they certainly saw how The Smiths took a more lateral approach, not just in respect of their sound and demeanour but in how they related to the music industry itself. Even if much of it was uncompromising to the point of being ultimately self-defeating.
And Into Paradise would have certainly seen merit and possibilities in there somewhere :- every half awake, semi-decent emerging group at the time did.
The band's most dominant primary influence, though, was a relatively outlying band from South London called The Sound, founded and led by the late Adrian Borland, who subsequently produced the first two Into Paradise albums, 'Under The Water' and 'Churchtown'. The Sound, whose positive critical notices never translated into either a broader breakthrough or good coin, were themselves a powerful cross-breed ;- a pent-up, new wave combo who took many of their lyrical cues from the cold simplicity of Joy Division and who sound, for the sake of reference, like a compound of the best of Echo and the Bunnymen, early Cure and even earlier U2.
The Sound were falling apart at the same time as The Smiths. Johnny Marr ended 1988 playing live with Bryan Ferry and was quickly co-opted into the ranks of The The while Adrian Borland was recovering from a serious mental breakdown as his band – critically-acclaimed and a commercial disaster – had reached the end of its days. A world away in Dublin 14, meanwhile, Into Paradise were finally making hay, natural heirs on the move.
Several of their peers – Something Happens, The Stars Of Heaven, A House and especially their South Dublin neighbours, Blue In Heaven, with whom they've had a long-standing association – had already driven on, inked deals and were dropping quality wax. But Into Paradise were late bloomers in this respect – a recurring theme across the group's career – and were never so much behind the curve as utterly unsuited to it, almost disdainful of it.
Its not that they were in any way less personable than any of their associates within the milieu at The Underground Bar on Dublin's Dame Street ;- if anything, they were terrific fun and always great company. Its just they just lacked a simple signature dish. But quick wins and affable pop songs never came easily to them, and there was no 'Snowball Down', 'Burn Clear', 'Widow's Walk' or 'Across My Heart' to remember them by. While others tied themselves to verse-chorus-verse-bridge-verse-fade, Into Paradise preferred to deal in texture, sound, nuance and fracture instead.
They sounded like they just wanted to implode live on stage, where they were genetically incapable of being as playful, flippant or fey as they were off of it. And they were also exceptionally straight – you could say they were dour, albeit smelling of cordite – and, both live and on record, just couldn't do the light stuff. Which is to their credit, but …
Into Paradise aspired, instead, to the layered, grimly fiendish industrial sound pioneered by another late producer, Manchester-born Martin Hannett, at Cargo Studios on Kenion Street in Rochdale during the late 1970s. A sound that's arguably best captured on early releases by the self-same Joy Division and Magazine, and perhaps also on key releases by Gang Of Four and Psychedelic Furs.
[As an aside, I don't believe its entirely co-incidental that Into Paradise were so well got with another of their peers, An Emotional Fish. A meaty four-piece who, beyond their obvious pop songs, also traded in the same sort of depth. And much of whose later and more interesting material, especially that produced and engineered by Alan Moulder, is as curious and expansive, if not always as successfully executed, as anything that emerged from Ireland during the 1990s. And I include My Bloody Valentine here].
The Smiths were together for only five years, during which Johnny Marr was at his most prolific. He regularly reminds folk that he was 24 when the band split and that he's now spent six times as long working for himself as he did as Morrissey's writing partner. But even as a callow youth, he boasted a fine, broad frame of reference, from where he borrowed and lifted as he pleased.
Morrissey and Marr might well have invented indie – Marr also does a fine line in self-deprecation – but in as much as Morrissey routinely dipped into his own catalogue of favourite books, plays and films for couplets, one-liners and pay-offs, Marr too would infrequently pull a familiar riff or an old refrain from beneath his fisherman's hat.
And he's even borrowing from himself at this stage. One of the softer cuts from 'Call The Comet', 'Hi Hello', lifts its gut from two old Smiths numbers, 'Half A Person' and, particularly, 'There Is A Light That Never Goes Out', which itself pulls from Patti Smith's 'Walking Barefoot'. While over the course of its dozen other cuts, 'Call The Comet' is an anorak's all-you-can-eat buffet.
A record that lyrically imagines a future where human values [must] trump commercial and economic ones, Marr moves wilfully from one past further into another, at several junctures all the way back to Rochdale. And at its most interesting, 'Call The Comet' summons the emerging, desolate sound of Manchester just before The Smiths. The titles alone – 'My Eternal', 'New Dominions', 'Actor Attractor' – nod to those two ground-breaking Joy Division albums, 'Unknown Pleasures' and 'Closer' that, perhaps above everything else, succeeded in capturing the mood and humours of the forlorn suburbs in which they were conceived.
Elsewhere, the raw popular mandate is served by the radio-friendly, souped-up opener, 'Rise', the fibrous 'Hey Angel' and the closer, 'Different Gun'. While in the middle order, 'Spiral Cities' borrows a guitar strain from 'A Love Like Blood' by Killing Joke. No bad thing, either.
But I can't listen to it without thinking of Into Paradise. 'Call The Comet' is awash with familiar David Long and Adrian Borland tropes :- the melodies are multi-layered and, lyrically, the world is presented as a daunting prospect, the future riven with fear. To trainspotters and long-time Into Paradise oiks, the record is flecked with familiar bits, riffs and progressions.
'The Tracers' – the first single could, for instance, be any one of a number of Into Paradise cuts, but particularly 'Burns My Skin', from the band's only major label album, 'Churchtown', released in 1991. And when Marr takes those lethal guitar solos – some of which are even up there with the magnificent lead lick on 'Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before' – and then spoons on those production layers and the insulation – I'm reminded of that prime Into Paradise cargo. Much of which has long been ignored, still-born, derelict and forgotten.
I'm reminded of those greatest hits that never quite cut through :- 'Here With You', 'Piece Of Paradise', 'I Want You', 'Bring Me Closer', 'Tomorrow', 'Red Light', 'Dreaming', 'Sleep', 'Move Over' and 'Stand Still'. And you'd be thinking of Long, squirreled away down in An Riócht, laughing away to himself against the sound of the Atlantic thunder.
But 'Call The Comet' is also the sound of contemporary technology, time and money, luxuries rarely afforded Into Paradise, and Marr's grasp of production is as finely-honed and precise now as it was since he first began to formally direct the sound of The Smiths thirty years ago.
Into Paradise were never blessed with Johnny Marr's gift for casually knocking out the wonder so effortlessly and so prodigiously. But thirty years on, its interesting to hear their many ghosts, deliberately or, more than likely not, on one of the spikiest and most robust records of the year.
'Call The Comet' is a terrific Johnny Marr album, easily his best full-blooded solo elpee. But much of it, to these ears, is also the biggest and brightest sounding album Into Paradise never quite made.
Adrian Borland endured an adult lifetime of mental illness and took his own life in April, 1999, when he threw himself in front of a train in London. He was 41 years old when he died. A number of years previously, he arrived unannounced into Dublin and, for a while, was taken in and minded by Into Paradise. He was drinking heavily, was in a bad way and it required a real effort to have him repatriated with his family in London.
This aspect of his life is covered in depth and at length – as of course is his career in music – in Marc Waltman's 2016 feature-length documentary film, 'Walking In The Opposite Direction'.
His band, The Sound, were a primary influence on many bands, not just Into Paradise. And perhaps, consciously or not, even Johnny Marr.
Into Paradise, Johnny Marr, Uncategorized
Into Paradise, Johnny Marr
A SONG FOR MY MOTHER


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The Workrbees
London, Sydney,, County Dublin
The workrbees are a band and we use a guitar and a drumbox and record it all ourselves on my laptop but who really gives a shit.
We have played about 20 gigs, some of which were horrible and others that were amazing. Our first gig was in o Donoghues on Suffolk st. We were meant to go on first but instead we went on last, needless to say we had a few pints while we waited. Embarrassment and hilarity ensued. I forgot the words, Ken forget which song we were playing. My guitar strap broke. People booed and laughed so we stopped playing, took a breath and we started again. This time ken fell off the drumbox and I forgot the words, the song and the chords so we stopped completely and stumbled off the stage.
Our best gig was a fancy dress party. 200 hundred people loved us. we were sober which really helped. the people danced and laughed. one really drunk guy even shouted "london calling" at me. i took it as a compliment.
When we lived in Vancouver one of the first days we arrived we decided to go busking. So we set up shop outside the local Skytrain station. After one hour we got 25 cents off a homeless guy who i'm friends with and 75 cent off a deaf woman. Total profit one dollar.
We will be releasing a live album called "Busking Caps" soon.
We now live in different continents so playing gigs is hard. Life can be tough in a two man band.
Arctic Monkeys, Beatles, Chromeo, Hot Chip, Interpol, Jackson 5, Joanna Newsom, Kings Of Leon, LCD Soundsystem, MGMT, Nick Cave, Queens of the Stone Age, Radiohead, The Pogues, The Roots, The Strokes, eagles of death metal, mia, ray charles....and more but its hard to find the time to listen to it all to be honest, shins, snoop dogg, we dont have an ipod., white stripes, wild weasts, wu tang clan


Thing is, I love the classics. I'm going to sound like such a wanker, but my favourite novel is Middlemarch, and my favourite author is Anthony Trollope (I heartily recommend the Palliser novels, although you MUST read them all and in order).
But I hate hate HATE Dickens and Austen with a passion. They are so over-rated. And it's a shame, because once you go off the usual school/uni fare, there's a lot of classic literature to enjoy.
Fan of detective novels? Try Wilkie Collins. Politics and social mobility? Anthony Trollope is your man. Philosophy, ethics, and the advancement of women? George Elliot. Victorian novels are ace. Elizabeth Gaskell is a Marian Keyes type, providing a social message behind a 'chick lit' veneer.
Saying that, neither Henry James nor James Joyce make any sense to me, even though I know I *should* like them.
But then we've also got the whole concept of redefining classics as eras move on. I would class George Orwell and Isaac Asimov as classic authors (of vastly different genres, obvs).
TL;DR? Read more Victorian literature. I will happily recommend stuff.
I was wondering what makes a classics, I think Orwell definitely counts. Big Brother, Room 101, 'some are more equal than others' etc, he created a whole new shorthand in a way. The sign of a classic seems to be a mass knowledge of the content of the book, without having read it.
That''s actually a good definition, and not one I'd thought of. But yeah - I guess anything that becomes a cultural archetype is, by definition, a classic.
If I ever lose my memory, can you please make sure I read 1984? I've always wanted to have the experience of reading it for the first time again.
I love Austen. I think people sometimes get caught up in "appreciating the literary genius" and forget that a lot of it is actually very sharp humour.
A recommendation here for Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier The writing is wonderful, and it's a great story. I enjoy it more every time I read it.
Rebecca is WONDERFUL. Seconded and then some - anyone who hasn't read Rebecca is missing out on a piece of masterful psychological suspense.
Mrs Danvers is such a fantastic character. And what an opening line!


Hopkins Across the Board is published quarterly for Priority Partners, Employer Health Programs (EHP), and Johns Hopkins US Family Health Plan (USFHP) network providers. It is produced and distributed by Johns Hopkins HealthCare's (JHHC) Marketing and Communications Department. JHHC President– Patricia Brown ; Chief Operating Officer– Karen Eskridge; Priority Partners Chief Executive Officer– Robert R. Neall ; USFHP Vice President– Mary Cooke ; EHP Chief Financial Officer– Mike Larson ; Provider Relations Senior Director– Dina Goldberg ; Marketing and Communications Director– Megan Ginsberg ; EHP Senior Director– Michelle Ross-Gavin ; Editorial and Visual Media Services Administrator– Donna L. Chase . To submit information or articles, please email dchase@jhhc.com.


Mrs Denham will be teaching from Monday – Wednesday and Mrs Bailey Thursday & Friday (supported by Mrs Purton). Here is some information you may require. If you have any questions please ask any of us at the end of the school day, and we will be happy to help.
Eliza, Roisin, Travis, Loris, Anabelle, Oscar, Marshall, Jessica, Chloe, Elosie-Savannah, Daisy-Mae, Ruby, Buddy, Ben, Jude, Gabriella, Louie, Alyssa-Grace, Scarlett, Brandon, Maciej, Ewan, Frankie, Zara, Leo, Travis, Noah, Harry, Plamena, Dylan.
The school gate opens from 8:35-8:45am for children to enter the playground. There are always two members of staff on duty to ensure the children's safety. If you arrive later than this please go straight to the office. The children will put away their belongings once their class teacher has collected them from the playground at 8:45am.
The school day finishes at 3:30pm. The main gates to the playground are opened at 3:20pm. Please wait outside Norway Class to collect your child. To help your child and us, it is useful to wait in the same place each day. If your child is being collected by someone different than usual you must let that person know the password for your child as they will need to tell this to whoever is letting the children out at the end of the day.
Children will be given the opportunity to change their book any afternoon if they wish, however they may also choose to reread a book for a second night. Please try to share a book daily with your child and encourage them to read regularly.
When your child has read 3 times in week they will receive a sticker at the back of their book. When your child has 3 stickers they will receive an item from our stationary prize box as a reward for reading so regularly.
Please share any comments about your child's reading in the "Go Home Reading Record". There are also lists of sounds and questions in the reading record for you to use when reading with your child.
Homework is given as a bingo-grid of tasks for your child to complete over the course of a half term. We love looking through the homework!
Norway Class will have P.E on a Wednesday – outdoors when possible !
Our swimming lesson will be on a Thursday morning.
Please remember to name all of your child's clothes.
Norway will be having a Show and Tell session on a Friday afternoon. The children will be told of a particular theme of that term's Show and Tell which will be linked to the current Topic we are learning about.


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The 2012 Nissan Pathfinder Review: Specs, Price & Pictures
March 1, 2016 James Bourland
Now the Nissan Pathfinder is produced not only in the petrol version ("six" with the volume of 3.5 liters of 249 horsepower) but also in a hybrid version, which is equipped with both an electric engine and a 2.5-liter gasoline engine. The total capacity of the hybrid powerplant makes 250 hp, including 20 "electric horses" (15 kW).
A gasoline engine inquiries 10.4 liters per hundred in combined cycle. The "Hybrid", of course, is more economical: 8.7 liters per 100 km in the same "combined" mode.
Xtronic is for a gasoline engine, and an intelligent Dual Clutch transmission – for the hybrid.
What else has been changed? – The size and silhouette. The 2012 Pathfinder is 20 centimeters longer than its predecessor and 11 centimeters wider. For those who sometimes drives off the asphalt, we should say that this is no longer a frame vehicle; it is easy to guess from the appearance.
It offers the driver three modes of transmission: front-wheel drive mode, Auto mode, connecting the rear axle as required (the manufacturer calls him "intuitive") and Lock Mode, when the effort all the time is transferred to four wheels – for example, if you need to get out of a snowdrift in the yard
The average price:$20,976
The 2012 Nissan Pathfinder Author Rating
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Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills
2019 BLS Estimate
Estimated Job Growth
10-Year Projection
The top three occupations in the Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills Industry Group are Miscellaneous production workers, including semiconductor processors, Paper goods machine setters, operators, & tenders, Firstline supervisors of production & operating workers, Industrial truck & tractor operators, and Laborers & freight, stock, & material movers, hand. On average, full-time employees in the Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills Industry Group work 45.7 hours per week and have an average annual salary of $69,793. Part-time employees in the same industry work 19.3 hours and earn an average annual salary of $20,188.
The locations with the highest concentration of employees in the Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills Industry Group are Wood, Portage, Juneau & Adams Counties PUMA, WI, Southwest Alabama PUMA, AL, and Outer Green Bay City PUMA, WI. The industry that purchases the most products or services from the Hospitals Industry Group is Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills .
A snapshot of jobs, wages, and opportunities in the Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills Industry Group. Miscellaneous production workers, including semiconductor processors are the most common position, but the Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills Industry Group employs a relatively high number of Paper goods machine setters, operators, & tenders, compared to other industries.
The highest average salary in Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills goes to Chief executives & legislators.
As of May 2021, there are 7.3k people employed in the Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills industry. This represents a −2.67% decrease in employment when compared to May 2020.
This chart shows monthly employment numbers for Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills over time (non-seasonally adjusted).
Workforce (BLS Estimate)
ACS Estimate: 204k
The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that there were 96.4k people employed in the Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills Industry Group in 2019.
According to ACS estimates, the number of people employed in the Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills Industry Group has been growing at a rate of 12.4%, , from 181k people in 2018 to 204k people in 2019.
The following graphic shows the share of employment in Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills by various occupations according to ACS estimates. Miscellaneous production workers, including semiconductor processors represent the largest share of positions held in Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills at 21.7%, followed by Paper goods machine setters, operators, & tenders with 5.03% and Firstline supervisors of production & operating workers with 4.68%.
The most common occupations in the Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills Industry Group, by number of employees, are Miscellaneous production workers, including semiconductor processors, Paper goods machine setters, operators, & tenders, Firstline supervisors of production & operating workers, Industrial truck & tractor operators, and Laborers & freight, stock, & material movers, hand.
Compared to other Industry Groups, Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills employs an unusually high number of Paper goods machine setters, operators, & tenders, Furnace, kiln, oven, drier, & kettle operators & tenders, and Millwrights.
The highest paid occupations in Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills , by average wage, are Chief executives & legislators, Marketing managers, and Computer & information systems managers.
± $2,992
On average, employees in the Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills Industry Group make $68,254 per year. This number makes Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills the 70 highest paying Industry Group in the United States out of a total of 269 Industry Groups.
Collierville Town & Germantown City PUMA, TN
Cobb County (Northeast) PUMA, GA
This map shows which public use microdata areas (PUMAs) pay the highest average salary to employees in the Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills Industry Group.
Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills has a wage GINI of 0.347, which is less than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills (shown in red) in comparison to the national average for those wage buckets (shown in gray).
Wood, Portage, Juneau & Adams Counties PUMA, WI
Southwest Alabama PUMA, AL
Outer Green Bay City PUMA, WI
This map shows the PUMAs in the United States that have revealed comparative advantage in the Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills Industry Group.
These are locations that employ more people in the Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills Industry Group than expected given both the size of that location's overall labor pool and the national size of the Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills Industry Group.
Demographic information on the Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills Industry Group in the US. Male employees tend to earn less than Female employees, with average respective salaries of $71,051 and $72,909. So too tend to earn more than other races and ethnicities in this industry.
±4.72k
±10k
81.9% of workers in the Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills Industry Group are Male, making them the more common gender in the workforce. This chart shows the gender breakdown of the Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills Industry Group.
±$3,415
On average, Male workers in the Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills Industry Group make 0.975 times less than their Female counterparts. This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in the Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills Industry Group.
On average, American Indian employees in the Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills Industry Group earn 1.23 times more than other races and ethnicities. This chart shows the race and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in the Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills Industry Group.
Estimates of the sources of the costs and the purchasers of the products in the Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills Industry Group. Based on estimates from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, this section indicates the amount of money spent by a specific industry in other industries. Manufacturing has the highest single input, by dollars, to the Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills Industry Group, and the largest industry purchasing services from the Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills Industry Group is Manufacturing.
The closest comparable data for Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills is from Manufacturing.
The Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills Industry Group gets the most input, by its share of the cost of all intermediate inputs, from the Manufacturing Industry. This visualization does not include labor and capital costs.
Educational services, health care, and social assistance
The Manufacturing Industry purchases the greatest share of products and services from the Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills Industry Group in order to produce other goods and services. Purchases of the Pulp, paper, & paperboard mills Industry Group for final consumption by consumers, businesses, or government are not included here.
Growth projections of the Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills industry, both by number of employees and output, from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics. The national workforce is projected to grow 7.66% in the next ten years. The Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills industry has a lower projected workforce growth at −4.25%. Its projected 10-year growth in output (4.07%) is lower than the projected national growth in output (24.2%).
For growth projections, the closest comparible industry reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics is Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills.
National Growth
This line chart shows the projected 10-year growth in the number of jobs for Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills. This industry is expected to grow less than than 7.66%, the average rate of national job growth.
Output Growth
Estimate Growth
This line chart shows the projected 10-year growth in output of the Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills industry.
Justice, public order, & safety activities
Industry Group
Administration of environmental quality & housing programs
Business, professional, political, & similar organizations
Paper & paper products merchant wholesalers


Show off your love for Alabama on the golf course with this set of 3 Contoured Headcovers! Each set includes a νm;1 (fits all oversized drivers), X, and νm;3 headcover. Each headcover features a nylon sock to protect club shafts from damage and an embroidered Alabama logo. Makes the perfect gift for any Alabama fan!


The site Blogger-ilf.ru's front page was last entered by gilturl 1-2-2011. The source was comprised of 126 characters, of which 159 are code, leaving an organic character count of 162. The total specialized word count on the Blogger-ilf.ru home page is 167. We calculated that number of unique words is 223. We extracted 800 top keywords, leaving 84% above the threshold. Total Phrases above the threshold was 1470.


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Posted on Tuesday 4th of August 2020 05:26:02 AM
montalite
This article is about montalite. If you ever wanted to find out more about dating muslims from around the world, this is for you. Read more of montalite: Islam and the New World Order.
The main difference between this and previous theories that claim that muslims sex dating bristol are more like the people of other races and religions than other cultures is that it is a theory that is not backed up by any evidence, so far. The theories that are supported by evidence are these: 1. Muslims tend to look and act differently from non-muslims 2. Muslims are culturally and linguistically different from other races and religions 3. The Islam of muslims is a religion that encourages hatred against others and is in fact the main reason that the majority of them will never go to a non-muslim country for work, while other vivastreet pakistani muslims are much more likely to go there for work and are more likely to hate non-muslims. Also, this theory was supported by the fact that there are only a handful of non-muslim countries with relatively large muslim populations, and that these countries were all in Eastern Europe. So I can't help but wonder if this theory is wrong. In any case, it's fascinating to see how so many people who claim to hate Muslims have not even considered the possibility that they might not hate non-muslims at all. For the rest of us, I hope that it makes some of them consider what they might be saying about themselves. In the future, I hope to cover other theories about muslims, as well as muslims from other cultures, and how we should think about them. This article has been cited 12,827 times.
This is a quote from the book, "Islamic Extremism," by Michael L. Fletcher, and published by Westview Press. It comes from a conversation that Fletcher uae girls had in 2001 between a journalist and Michael L. Fletcher. This conversation was held to discuss the "Muslim world as a whole." It was also written down by a journalist named Michael Cohen, who was working for a French-based newspaper at the time. Michael L. Fletcher is the former Deputy Editor of the Daily Telegraph. This is what is considered an 'official' Muslim position on the topic of 'Montalite'. It is not a position that anyone in the Muslim community would hold, it's just a fact. It is this 'official' position that is being referred to in the article. It is claimed that the Quran says "Montalite is one of the seven mountains". This would suggest that the Quran condemns homosexuality as a sin, something which is not stated in the Quran. However, this position is being used in some circles, and is used as a reason to hate Muslims for not practicing their religion. Some people think that the Quran was not given to the Prophet, but rather he got it after his death and used it as a guideline for his followers on how to interpret what he gave them. This position is held by some, and is used by some Muslims to prove that Islam is not based on religion. The term "Montalite" is not defined in the Quran, but it is commonly associated with the mountain of Montal. If we look at this term in the context of Islam, we can see that it does not mean the same thing as we would expect. We know that the Quranic verses that refer edmonton muslim to "Montalite" don't refer to a mountain or mountain area. They refer to "the People of the Book" (Jews and Christians) who will not leave Islam and that will be in Paradise. The Quranic text describes "Montalite" as "the people of the book" as a general term that covers all Muslims. It is also important to note that the Montalite is a land that we have been sweedish men living on for thousands of years. It is not an "island." This land is called "Montal" which means "Land of the Two Rivers." In Arabic, this word means the sea, the sea-shore, and the sea. The term "Montalite" refers to a sea-state, not an island. It is not necessarily a "new continent," although a small portion of it is actually considered "new." It is a new area that has developed over millions of years. The Montalite was formed at the start of the last Ice Age about 6500 years ago. The glaciers that once covered the land have receded, leaving this land in the form of the mountains and hills we see today. The land has developed over time, with the mountains growing out indian matrimonial sites in canada of the rock and the hills rising up and over the top of them. The Montalites are located in the Middle East. They have been found in the mountains of Pakistan, India, and even the Middle East. There is some speculation that the area may have been a part of the ancient Mediterranean. Most of the land has already been tilled, and the top of some of these mountains was actually used as a farm, allowing for a lot of animal life. The mountain's existence was muslims marriage a mystery until scientists began using the technique of radiocarbon dating to determine the exact time of their creation. A lot of the ancient people believed the land was part of a larger continent that existed somewhere in the middle of the ocean, which could have been as far back as 10,000 years ago.
Most of the population was from a place called Arabia, but they apparently lived there for thousands of years.
The name 'Arabia' comes from the Qur'an which calls it the Land of the Two Rivers. The land is in the middle of two seas, which is a nice reference to the two rivers of the Bible. The Qur'an describes two rivers. The 'Argo' is the Mediterranean Sea, the 'Aqaba' is the Arabian Peninsula and the 'Jabha' is the Persian Gulf. There was no clear dividing line between Arabia and Persia. The two countries are not separated by the Strait of Hormuz but by the sea.


Buckeye Burl (Aesculus californica) is an unusual species. Colors range from blue-black to golden whites with a nice mixture in between. Buckeye is a very difficult and expensive wood to mill. Some of the obstacles faced when milling are rocks, sand, dirt, bullets, and rattle snakes. Yes, rattle snakes inside the voids in the burl! The Base of the tree (root wad) that is underground produces 90% or more of the burl. The burls can range from 50 pounds up to several thousand in their natural state. When converting a burl into usable wood there is usually between 60-75% waste. Buckeye is processed all the way down to half pen blanks to yield everything possible. Buckeye is purchased in raw form by the pound and then trucked to our mill. About a third of the cost of milling is labor, followed by blades. When the wood dries it loses almost all of its weight. A block that weighed 7 pounds wet only weighs a little over a pound when it dried. This is why the burl is sold by the piece so that you get the best value. Although Buckeye is a hardwood, it is much softer than many soft woods. With this in mind it is ideal to stabilize for knives and pens. Superglue can be used to do this for pens and can save a couple of dollars per pen over stabilizing. Buckeye is often used in decorative boxes and in Electric and Bass guitars. The amazing patterns & colors of this wood make it very popular.