Tuesday - January 10, 2017
12:30 - 1:30pm
Room 1218
Come along and join our PTA Meeting!
from Finalsite Academy News http://ift.tt/2iARuGe
Tuesday - January 10, 2017
12:30 - 1:30pm
Room 1218
Since 2011, “Improving Police” has published over 900 posts, received 400,000 visits from 130 countries around the world, and now has 2,400 followers. THANK YOU! The question facing the…
Source: Most Popular Posts This Year
I've already highlighted the top articles and videos I put out at EricCressey.com in 2016, so now it's time for the top guest posts of the year. Here goes…
1. Cryotherapy and Exercise Recovery: Part 1 and Part 2 - Tavis Bruce absolutely crushed it with this heavily researched two-parter on one of the most controversial topics in health and human performance today.
2. Big Toe, Big Problems - Dr. James Spencer took a close look at Functional Hallux Limitus, a common problem that is frequently overlooked in the rehabilitation world.
3. 4 Strategies to Improve Athletes’ Innate Acceleration - Lee Taft introduced some excellent ways to improve your speed and agility coaching.
4. 4 Ways Hypermobile Individuals Can Improve Their Training - Laura Canteri offered some excellent insights for a very underserved population: loose-jointed clients.
5. Building Better Core Control with “The Bear” - Mike Robertson shared one of his favorite core stability exercises and it was a big hit with the EricCressey.com audience.
I'll be back soon with the top strength and conditioning features from 2016.
Sign-up Today for our FREE Newsletter and receive a four-part video series on how to deadlift!
Inspire your windows with these 3 decorating ideas for winter window treatments and keep cozy during these cold months. Consider the following ideas: adding a cheerful statement, considering bold prints and dressing up plain curtains.
Adding a Cheerful Statement
Think big and bright when making these bold ornaments. Red and green scrapbooking paper in fun patterns adorns shapes cut from poster board. We found ornament silhouettes online then enlarged them to suit the window. Glue three papers onto each ornament. Punch a hole at the top, then hang them on red cording or yarn taped to the top of the window. A valance of live greens finishes the display. Source: MidwestLiving
Considering Bold Prints
Bright florals that attract traditional tastes and graphic geometric patterns that offer youthful spunk are some of the bold prints being seen on windows lately. “With pattern becoming more important, it will change the way a designer designs for the window and how the client views her [or his] window fashion,” says Barrett. Source: HGTV
Dressing up Plain Curtains
Although it’s hard to go wrong with simple, solid sheers or panels, why not take them a step further? Give them a custom look by painting on a pattern or stencil, try glueing on embellishments such as silk flowers, beads or pom-poms. Or add bands of contrasting fabric to the bottoms of curtains that need a little boost.
Budget: Modest. Pretty trims can be had for a few dollars, and unadorned curtain panels for not much more. You also can go heavy on humble fabrics and light on expensive ones to get a more upscale look for less cash.
DIY: Absolutely, whether you’re working the sewing machine or wielding a glue gun. Source: DIYNetwork
Contact:
Universal Blinds
601 – 1550 W. 10th Ave
Vancouver, V6J 1Z9
Canada
Phone: (604) 559-1988
The post 3 Decorating Ideas for Winter Window Treatments appeared first on Universal Blinds, Shades & Shutters.
Content originally published and Shared from http://perfectbath.com
You want to find a company that is experienced and trustworthy? Nice company to work with and one that you can count to the job right? Look no further –you have found them. At affordable waterproofing, we understand how stressful it can be for you to choose a bathroom contractor with the right skills to make your shower- room perfect and one that suits your bathing desires. However, our company has found out the solution to your concerns and we are now here to make your bath easy, healthy and enjoyable by providing affordable waterproofing services to all our clients.
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Affordable waterproofing LLC is a family owned company based in Delran, New Jersey, South jersey, Philadelphia and Delaware with cost-effective and superior waterproofing services for over 30 years. We pride ourselves on supplying the best bathroom waterproofing system installation, mold removal, and foundation and structural repairs around. Because of our commitment to our clients, we back all of our services with watertight guarantee and unparalleled customer service. Our friendly no-pressure approach to the business has earned us an A+ BBB rating and outstanding reviews from customers. We look forward to continuing to provide dry, confortable bathrooms for years to come.
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Our affordable waterproofing company is trustworthy, efficient and cost-effective. Our customers will vouch that we can fix bathroom leakage problems both big and small, from a moldy crawl space to full-out bathroom flooding; leaving your bathroom super dry, healthy and confortable for daily stress less bath. We take customers satisfaction very seriously, so we provide free inspections. Competitive pricing, lifetime warranties and a guarantee of excellent customer service. Put simply, we will get your bathroom dry and keep it that way, and do so with smiles on our faces.
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The post Affordable Waterproofing appeared first on Perfect Bath Canada.
The question facing the police field this coming year is this:
“Will the reform trend that has been made since Ferguson continue? Can the ’21st Century Policing’ improvement efforts be sustained?”
We are about to enter a new era in American policing.
During this time, it is important for all of us to “stay tuned,” to stand up and speak out for what’s right in order to continue improving our nation’s police and building trust among communities of color.
The following are the posts you read most in 2016. I look forward to continuing our discussion, suggestions, and teachings regarding high quality policing whether you are a working police officer or concerned citizen.
If you click on the below titles you will be taken to the original post. Have a blessed New Year!
With my last post, I kicked off the "Best of 2016" series with my top articles of the year. Today, we'll highlight the top five videos of the year. These videos only include instructional videos, not quick exercise demonstrations.
1. 1-arm TRX Row w/Offset Kettlebell Hold - Every good program includes plenty of horizontal pulling, and this is a way to incorporate a good core stability challenge at the same time.
2. Grip Width for Conventional Deadlift Technique - Getting the grip width right is one of the most important strategies for optimizing your deadlift technique.
3. Hip Extension and the Bulgarian Split Squat - The bulgarian split squat (rear foot elevated split squat) actually takes more hip mobility than you might appreciate, and this excerpt from Functional Stability Training: Optimizing Movement goes into detail on the subject.
4. Tall Kneeling Cable Press to Overhead Lift - This is an older video, but I just uploaded it this year, as it made for a great "Exercise of the Week" inclusion.
5. Rhythmic Stabilizations: Where Should You Feel Them? - Rhythmic stabilizations are a great way to improve rotator cuff timing - but only if they're performed correctly. In this video, I answer one of the most common questions we receive about them: "Where should you feel them?"
I'll be back soon with the top guest posts of 2016!
Sign-up Today for our FREE Newsletter and receive a four-part video series on how to deadlift!
Going out on New Year’s Eve can be loud, crowded, and expensive. I like to spend that money on good food, and throw a small party at home for close friends. These easy paleo New Year’s Eve finger foods keep the vibe of our cocktail party laid back and cozy. People love the hearty appetizers that I serve, and have no idea they’re eating so healthy they could be getting started on their New Year’s resolutions!
My typical New Year’s Eve cocktail party menu includes warm and cold appetizers that are super easy to make, along with a couple of incredible homemade cocktails. Since it’s typically icy cold in Colorado on New Year’s Eve, we serve hot cocktails and spike them with a bit of rum. Our favorites are my Mexican Hot Chocolate and Crockpot Hot Toddy, but I have lots of other Healthy Hot Drink Recipe options that are fun to turn into healthy cocktails for any wintertime celebration.
New Year’s Eve is the biggest Saturday night of the year, even when it’s not on Saturday night. Why go out and fight the crowds when you can enjoy friends and good food at home. You’ll love serving these healthy, gluten-free, bite-size appetizers and having a down to earth gathering that gets the New Year off to a happy, healthy start.
Butternut Squash Soup Shooters
Fig Tapenade with Salt and Pepper Crackers
Deviled Eggs
Herb Stuffed Mushrooms
Meatballs
Spicy Party Mix
Chocolate Bark
Of the gluten-free appetizers listed above, the all-time fan favorites are my Meatball recipe and my Christmas Chocolate Bark. Fig Tapenade and Salt and Pepper Crackers are not far behind! I include the Deviled Eggs and Herb Stuffed Mushrooms because they’re fun and the boys love them.
I created my Spicy Party Mix recipe after enjoying something similar when we’ve vacationed at the stunning Palmilla. This show stopping hors d’Å“uvre is a sweet and savory blend of nuts and golden raisins, spiced with chili and chipotle.
Last but not least, Butternut Squash Soup Shooters are a simple yet elegant warm winter appetizer for guests. When I make them, I prepare a batch of soup and serve it in adorable shot glasses, festive golden mini tumblers, or tiny ceramic mugs for our guests.
This post is an oldie but goodie from the archives. I hope you enjoy these super easy recipes and have a very happy and healthy New Year!
The post Easy Paleo New Year’s Eve Finger Foods appeared first on Elana's Pantry.
With 2016 winding down, I'm using this last week of the year to direct you to some of the most popular content of the past 12 months at EricCressey.com, as this "series" has been quite popular over the past few years. Today, we start with the most popular articles of the year; these are the pieces that received the most traffic, according to my hosting statistics.
1. 5 "Combo" Core Stability Exercises - Great strength and conditioning programs are all about delivering results as efficiently as possible. Here are some exercises that'll help you do so by making your core stability training more efficient.
2. 10 Ways to Remain Athletic as You Age - The popularity of this article makes me realize that I need to devote more of my writing to the more mature athlete who still likes to get after it in the gym!
3. How Lower Body Exercises Can Impact Upper Body Function - This article debuted around the time we released Functional Stability Training: Optimizing Movement. Squats, deadlifts, and other lower body drills can have a dramatic impact on the upper body in ways you might not realize.
4. 5 Strength and Conditioning Exercises That Overdeliver - Similar to #1 from above, these are some of my favorite "big bang for your buck" exercises.
5. 6 Saturday Shoulder Strategies - You would think people would be sick of reading articles on the shoulder from me by now. Apparently not.
I'll be back soon with another "Best of 2016" feature. Up next, the top videos of the year!
Sign-up Today for our FREE Newsletter and receive a four-part video series on how to deadlift!
Content originally published and Shared from http://perfectbath.com
After a stressful day of our daily routine, all we want is just a little relaxation to soothe all our worries away. Going to the spa on a daily basis might not be feasible due to time and money constraints, so why not just invest on turning your own bathroom into a spa-like retreat? Check out these ideas below:
Consider All Your Senses
Start with neutralizing the things that might stress you out first. Loud noises from construction down the street or neighbors? Include white noise or soothing music to cover up sounds you don’t want. Hate the overhead light in your windowless bathroom? Bring in candles. Source: ApartmentTherapy
Arrange Artfully
Consider your counter: Are your beauty and hygiene supplies just strewn about randomly? If so, adding a few small trays can mean the difference between a mess and an artful arrangement. And don’t write off apothecary jars just because they’re a cliche — they’re a beautiful way to display the small but necessary items that often come in gaudy packaging (cotton balls, q-tips). Source: ElleDecor
Reflect Nature with Materials
Natural textures like wood and stone breathe life into a bathroom. A pebbled tile floor feels amazing underfoot. If a new floor is not in your budget anytime soon, treat yourself to a pebble bath mat. Source: Houzz
Just Add Flora
A simple potted plant or two can change the whole mood of a bathroom. Look for something that’s OK with moisture and low light, like an orchid or a begonia. Source: BirchBox
Steam Saunas and Showers
Warm, moist air has soothing qualities. But forget the crowded gym sauna or steam room. Install one at home for privacy and convenience. Special pre-fabricated steam shower units trap billowing steam and set your stress free. Source: WebMD
If you’re in need of sophisticated bathroom products that will complement your spa theme, contact us and we’ll help you find the perfect one!
Contact:
Perfect Bath
Phone: Toll Free 1-866-843-1641
Calgary, Alberta
Email: info@perfectbath.com
The post 5 Ways to Turn your Bathroom into a Spa Retreat appeared first on Perfect Bath Canada.
Low-Carb Pecan Shortbread Cookies are made with only 7 ingredients. This no-fuss recipe calls for almond flour, pecans, honey, butter, vanilla, salt, and baking soda. As you can see, these cookies are made with wholesome ingredients. What you don’t yet know is that they taste incredible!
While these are an amazing gluten-free Christmas cookie, we enjoy Pecan Shortbread Cookies all year long. Made with a base of almond flour, these gluten-free cookies are a quick and easy low-carb dessert. They’re fantastic for those on special diets because they are not only gluten-free, when made with honey and butter they are SCD and GAPS compliant.
These cookies are so good fans tell me they’re addictive. Go ahead, bake these buttery treats and see for yourself!
Since Pecan Shortbread Cookies do not contain chocolate they are a wonderful cookie for your little ones if you’re trying to keep them off caffeine. My children and their friends love eating this egg-free cookie dough raw whenever I make a batch. Here are more paleo cookie recipes for you.
This post is an oldie but goodie from the archives, I first published this recipe in 2007.
The post Pecan Shortbread Cookies appeared first on Elana's Pantry.
As a student and practitioner of public leadership for many years, I find the election of Donald Trump, to be quite troubling; especially for those of us who strongly believe leadership matters and our nation’s police and system of criminal justice can be greatly improved.
I have taught leaders throughout the years that what they says, and especially do, matters — and matters greatly. That’s why President-elect Donald Trump troubles me when it comes to policing.
When I evaluate a leader, whether he or she serves in a private business, corporation, or governmental agency, I have a certain image in mind. I wrote about that image and how it applies to police leadership years ago. I find it helpful today:
“The police chief should be a visible and accessible leader who thoughtfully strives to improve the effectiveness of police services… But because all police agencies need to constantly monitor the fairness and effectiveness of their services, a willingness to change, to continuously improve, is an essential characteristic for all police chiefs. To make those improvements, the chief must have a clear vision of the agency’s objectives… the vision, self-confidence, persistence, and passion to chart an improvement course and see it through… [T]o the list of essential characteristics for a police chief, add personal integrity, the respect of the community and elected officials, and the ability to inspire and motivate his or her officers to share the vision and work to the best of their ability.
“The chief sets the tone for the agency through both actions and words. An aggressive tone could translate into physically and abusive officers, insensitive to citizen’s rights to due process. Or the chief can emphasize restraint, requiring all officers to exercise civility at all times and to meticulously observe the legal rights of all citizens they encounter.
“In a large dimension, the police chief also sets the tone in the community for discussion of all public safety and law enforcement issues… striking a balance between the conflicting demands of freedom and public order, majority rule and minority rights, government authority and individual rights, and resisting the pressures from various powerful interest groups. For example, to ‘do something’ to remove an annoying group of protesters, or ‘clear the streets’ of poor or homeless people who are not breaking the law.
“A thoughtful chief must defend the right of unpopular groups to exercise their Constitutional guarantees to freedom of speech and assembly, as well as safeguard the physical safety of those who choose to exercise these rights, protect powerless, unpopular and disfranchised groups from police harassment or intimidation, and insure that all citizens, regardless of gender, class, race, ethnicity, citizenship status, or sexual orientation, receive the same respectful level of police services.”
What I have written about police leadership applies to anyone who has the responsibility to care for and direct others – including our nation’s President.
As a man, I am also deeply disturbed by the words the President-elect uses. I come from a generation that believes words matter – “Your word is your bond,” “You’re only as good as your word,” and “You are personally responsible for the words you say to other people.”
I admit that if the words used by Mr. Trump were said to most any man in a face-to-face encounter they would result in immediate conflict — even one that was physical.
I am apologize, but in the world I inhabit, the world in which I served as a Marine and street cop, men don’t talk like this without physically endangering themselves or others. We consider bullying, insulting, demeaning, or ad hominem attacks very reckless behavior.
I am reminded of a conversation some years ago with one of my sons in the midst of some teenage angst. He uttered some strong, insulting language at me. “Son,” I carefully responded, “I am going to give you a break, and some good advice. You’re considered to be a man now, and if you say to another man what you just said to me, I can assure you that you will get punched in the face or worse. So be careful with your words.”
My interest is not on effective foreign policy, controlling global warming, or Wall Street regulation. My focus is on how our system of criminal justice works for ALL of us – everyone.
I believe the federal government must monitor and take action when states and cities are not protecting a citizen’s constitutional rights and not behaving in the best interests of those citizens who are most vulnerable or unable to care for themselves.
For me, that’s where the police come in. That’s what I have spent most of my adult life trying to urge. When states and local governments are not working for everyone, Washington needs to step in just like they did in the past when states did not act in the best interests of African-Americans. We are a constitutional democracy; yes, majority rules but with protection for those who find themselves in the minority.
We are a diverse nation and it is important that all of us receive the benefits of this great country — “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” In order to assure these values, I believe we need to demand a high standard of performance on the part of states, counties, cities and towns with regard to our civil rights — how fairness and justice are meted out. And I believe the best way to achieve that high standard of fairness and justice is on the frontline of America — and it is our police officers, prosecutors, judges and correctional workers who populate that frontline.
While I am wary about the coming year, I am hopeful we all will come together and do what’s right; that’s who we are.
My “top ten” wishes for 2017:
What worries me most in what most assuredly will be a new era in our nation’s history is the President-elect. So far, I have witnessed a style of leadership that, to me, is unacceptable. It is a leadership style that will not benefit him in his public life or those in our nation who will look to him to lead our nation forward.
In the meantime, may we all have a Happy New Year and may God bless America.
“In the summer between my second and third years at university, I applied to join the police. Having worked in an office as part of my management degree, I’d decided that I wanted a job that involved working with people but didn’t involve sitting at a computer screen all day. Little did I know what the police would look like 16 years down the line.
“At the time, graduates weren’t as common in the police force as they now are – currently around 30 per cent of new recruits have an undergraduate degree – and I was encouraged to apply via the Accelerated Promotion Scheme for Graduates.
“I didn’t have any particular promotion aspirations; I did it because it was the path I was pointed towards. The process was rigorous, with essays to write, presentations to give and several interviews with very senior officers and civil servants. I dipped at the final hurdle, and ended up getting in through the normal police application route. With hindsight that was probably a good thing as I would have been back behind a computer screen rather quickly.
“Was my management degree necessary to be a police officer? Definitely not
“My first posting was to a former mill and pit town that had struggled to recover from the loss of both industries. Unemployment was high, and consequently so were acquisitive and violent crime.
“I had to learn how to talk to people simply and effectively, with fewer of the long words and “padding out” needed in essays; and I had to learn when talking wasn’t working and I was going to need to use force, preferably before the person I was speaking to got the first blow in. Our police station had two computers and all paperwork was handwritten.
“Being able to talk to people and build a rapport with victims and criminals alike, learn the back streets of your area, know which thieves use which methods to break into people’s houses and cars, and how to best tackle someone with a knife in the days before stab vests and Taser, were all core policing skills, none of which required any academic ability, and none of which could really be taught in a classroom.
“Were the skills I learned at university useful? Definitely
“As technology crept into the police force, I was often hunted down and told I was going to be responsible for teaching my colleagues to use this system or that, and for submitting applications for funding or writing press releases because I was “good with words”. It wasn’t just the admin, either; as crime changed, I found I was being asked to make applications for communication data (such as mobile phone records) or for bank records, and, even as a uniformed PC, to investigate frauds and technology-related offences.
“What were unusual crimes 15 years ago are now routine – harassment via the internet, online grooming, and fraudsters and other criminals hiding behind a web of companies. Virtually every criminal, from robbers to drug dealers, uses a mobile phone, usually of increasing sophistication and inevitably a source of data useful to an investigation.
“Uniformed patrolling police officers are required to deal with all this, preparing detailed applications to courts and companies to fulfil the legal requirements of necessary legal safeguards around private data, and then preparing prosecution cases, covering all legal intricacies to the satisfaction of university-educated solicitors, barristers and judges, but in terms that a jury can comprehend. Interviewing witnesses isn’t simply about writing down what they saw, it’s about accommodating people’s needs, and having an awareness of the pitfalls of memory and recall through basic forensic psychology.
“Finding a missing person isn’t about throwing hundreds of officers into areas to physically search every conceivable hiding place, it’s increasingly about the application of statistical data, telephony or financial data and interrogation of intelligence systems.
“Then there’s partnership-working: engaging with professionals in education, social work and health, and with politicians, to respond to criminality and vulnerability and to “get upstream” of the situations we deal with, trying to prevent them in the first place. This is where the ability to research, reference, present and debate is key, especially when the people in the other fields of work are all university educated as a condition of entry to the profession.
“So what does this mean?
“None of these tasks, admin or investigation-related, were covered on my degree course, but the skills needed to do them were. Of course there are other ways to acquire these skills, and there are lots of cops who do these things on a daily basis, and do them well, who haven’t got a degree.
“However, university is one way for police officers to acquire the skills, and from an organisational point of view it’s an easy way to ensure that they do.
“But what about the burglars, the back streets and the fighting? This is where things get problematic, and why you’ll hear lots of officers expressing their doubts about the professionalisation of policing. The type of work I mentioned at the start of the article hasn’t gone away, and for officers who have spent years dealing with these things, and who still do for 10 or 12 hours a day, a degree isn’t what’s needed.
“Police officers have to be able to deal with whatever job they are sent to, from drunks to missing people, domestic violence to internet fraud. Of course we have specialists, but policing is so diverse and so stretched that we can’t have officers with isolated remits, operating in silos and separate departments to provide the initial response for each type of incident.
“Policing is a team effort. We need people who are technologically competent, who are able to examine bank accounts and forensically trace transactions, who can present a funding application for a local youth project, who can analyse and understand the needs of a vulnerable witness and get the best evidence from them. We also need people who can strike up a conversation with a burglar, who know the make and model of a car at a glance, who have the physical courage to fight with violent criminals, who have the mental resilience to deal with death and dismemberment or the mind-numbing boredom of standing next to a piece of scene tape in all weathers.
“I wholeheartedly encourage the professionalisation of policing, and welcome the opportunity for officers to receive formal qualifications as part of their training or in recognition of the skills they have already acquired. But for the sake of the public this cannot be at the expense of the basic bobbying that has been cornerstone of policing since its inception.”
Police Constable Nick is a graduate and uniformed police constable with 16 years’ service.
Content originally published and Shared from http://perfectbath.com
Whether it’s at a professional health spa or at home, a sauna offers a variety of major health benefits. Despite the many benefits, it also comes with its share of dangers. Below are 4 of the most important safety tips to keep in mind.
Drink Plenty of Water
You will be sweating heavily in a sauna, so be sure to drink plenty. Water is probably best for you, but beer and cider is what Finns enjoy the most. Roasting sausages either on open fire or in tin foil directly on the stove is another key part of the sauna experience. Source: VisitFinland
Skip the Creams, Lotions, and Jewelry
Metal heats up fast in saunas, so while you might go in looking fashionable, you’ll leave with painful burns. If you have any jewelry, take it off, and put it in a safe place. Do not take it into the sauna with you. You also don’t want to wear any creams or lotions. If they don’t run with your sweat and make an oily mess, they will clog up your pores and keep your skin from breathing and sweating. Source: WikiHow
Wait an Hour After a Meal
Saunas increase the flow of nutrients (glucose, amino acids, fatty acids, and oxygen) via the circulatory system. While it may seem like the perfect time to be pulling in more via digestion, the reality is that digestion gets put on the back burner while the circulatory system ramps up nutrient delivery to the muscle and skin. For that reason, it’s best not to eat a heavy meal right before stepping into a sauna. If I’m hungry I opt for a light snack, then eat when my session is over. Source: MommyPotamus
Don’t Go Too Hot
For a far infrared sauna , most people set the temperature for anywhere between 100-140 degrees. If you are a beginner, and particularly if you are not in great health, you’ll want to start at 100 degrees or less. This way you’ll give yourself a chance to get used to the heat.
It’s okay to get into an infrared sauna 10-15 min. after you’ve turned it on, even if the temperature is not up to your target temperature yet.
It doesn’t take longer than that for infrared sauna heaters to warm up, and once they do, you’ll be getting the infrared heat effect. The infrared-emitting heaters will be on continuously until the heat gets up to the temperature you set.
For a traditional sauna, most people set the temperature for anywhere between 160-200 degrees (come back for our upcoming Finnish saunas page). In this case, you’ll probably want to wait until you’re within 5-10 degrees of the temperature you’ve set it at to get the full effect throughout your whole home dry sauna session.
Remember that heat rises, so choose whether to sit on an upper or lower bench (or change positions) accordingly. Source: The-Infrared-Sauna-Effect
Contact:
Perfect Bath
Phone: Toll Free 1-866-843-1641
Calgary, Alberta
Email: info@perfectbath.com
The post 4 Sauna Safety Tips for Beginners appeared first on Perfect Bath Canada.
With all the rush and parties that happen during the holidays, you might not have been able to prioritize decorating your home. With only a week left before Christmas you might think time has run out, but it hasn’t! Here are 5 last minute decorating ideas you can try before Christmas arrives:
Nostalgic Photo Display
A fireplace mantel mimics the function of a Christmas tree when festooned with ribbon, beads, and nostalgic photos. Decked in blue and white, this display can last all winter long. Simply remove the Christmas-theme ornaments and leave the snowflakes and photographs in place. Source: BHG
Good Wish Tree
Fill the house with holiday cheer by hanging holiday card cutouts from branches in a vase.
Cut recycled holiday cards into small rectangles and punch a hole in one end. For the blank side, invite guests and family to write notes of thanks and hope. Hang on fallen branches displayed in a vase. Source: MarthaStewart
Bottles and Branches
Gather empty soda or olive oil bottles and place branches with red berries inside to make these simple and elegant decor pieces. Green-hued bottles give off the right amount of Christmas cheer, but clear bottles will do the trick, too. Tie tags with holiday greetings onto the bottles for a finishing touch. Source: WayFair
Dress the Doorknobs
Yes, trust us when we tell you, it looks great. Add a bit of holly to your doorknob for a fun holiday/Christmas touch. Add a satin ribbon, tie a wee sleigh bell and you are done. If you do not have holly or don’t want to buy one, just snap some leaves out of any tree and tie them to your door knob with a ribbon. It will look just as pretty. Source: HuffingtonPost
Window Dressings
There’s more to holiday decorating than just the tree and the mantel―consider window ledges and empty bookshelves, too. Place pine boughs in a large vase and hang a handful of ornaments on them. Fill old jars with pistachio nuts, winterberries, or red peppercorns and nestle a tealight on top. Or go for a seashore motif, assembling an array of starfish draped with a length of plain red string. Source: RealSimple
We can surely help you out with all your window treatment needs. Contact us!
Contact:
Universal Blinds
601 – 1550 W. 10th Ave
Vancouver, V6J 1Z9
Canada
Phone: (604) 559-1988
The post 5 Last Minute Christmas Decorating Ideas appeared first on Universal Blinds, Shades & Shutters.
The members of PERF (Police Executive Research Forum) proposed in their “30 Guidelines on Police Use of Force” that the central core of the police function be “sanctity of life.” This makes sense and puts into operation Robert Peel’s the fifth and sixth of his “Nine Principles of Policing.”
Our nation’s police could make a quantum jump in rebuilding trust and support in their diverse and often critical communities by engaging in the following public exercise.
I make this argument for immediate action because I believe it will go a long way toward building trust and support within a community.
Citizens primarily understand that when someone is running around with a gun, will not disarm when ordered, that police will be forced to stop that armed person with deadly force.
What is not readily understand or accepted is police use deadly force against persons who are NOT threatening others with firearms.
I believe the above proposal will go a long way to improving police-community relations.
Can we get on with it?
Some other posts I have written on the subject of using force:
And the other side of the argument as well:
by Jon Lumer
Everyone in Vancouver is looking for a deal. Rental rates are jumping to catch up with the sharp increase in property values and many tenants (as always) are looking at home ownership as a way to avoid paying rent to their landlord and start paying it to themselves, or at least their lender. Meanwhile, investors made dizzy by the capital appreciation they’ve witnessed in Vancouver over the last three years are desperate for a piece of the action or hope to expand their current holdings.
Many of these potential buyers, be they first-time home owners or investors, believe that picking up a foreclosed property could be their ticket to good value and an otherwise unachievable square footage in the neighbourhood of their choosing.
A foreclosure usually occurs when an owner defaults on the mortgage payments to their lender and the lender decides their best option is to seize the asset that was mortgaged (the house or strata unit), sell it under the authority and supervision of the courts, and pay themselves out from the proceeds of that sale. The owner of the property is still entitled to whatever is left once all claims against the property have been settled.
Does this make foreclosed properties vulnerable to low bids? Not necessarily. In fact, the system is set up precisely in order to ensure that fair market value is paid for the property and the owner is not getting less for the home than what they should reasonably expect.
Once the court has authorized the lender that has foreclosed on the property to place it on market, a REALTOR©, acting for that lender and not the owner, will market the property while keeping good records of her efforts, market conditions and comparative market analyses, as well as any showings that result from the marketing.
If a bid is received that the lender accepts, a court date will be set. The lender will not accept a bid far below market value for the property, as they know the court is unlikely to allow such a sale to proceed, and the court has final say on the matter. This first bidder may negotiate with the lender and may submit a “subject offer,” but the terms of the contract are destined to be largely unfavourable to the buyer.
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Foreclosed properties are sold “as is, where is.” That means the buyer has no recourse if they are unsatisfied with the state of the property on possession. There will be no guarantees regarding any chattels, or even fixtures, the buyer may have seen while viewing the property. The danger of receiving the property in a sorry state is particularly acute if it is not vacant. This is quite different from the scenario most buyers will face when negotiating (through their agent) directly with the owner of a property.
The first accepted offer price will become public knowledge. Any interested buyers may now inform themselves of the value of that initial offer and present themselves at the court date to present their own offer. They must bring a bank draft for deposit if they are hoping to have their offer accepted. If their offer is selected and they do not have a bank draft, the offer will be rejected and another chosen. The court selects the best offer after having received all the sealed bids. There are no second opportunities once a winning offer is selected. The offers must all be subject-free. The person who made the initial offer which triggered the court date is also entitled to better their own offer at the same time other offers are being submitted. The values of all non-winning offers will remain undisclosed.
As with any multiple offer situation, the presence of many buyers encourages all buyers to increase their bids. This increases the likelihood that someone will pay at least market value for the property and quite possibly above-market value. The fact that everyone is physically present in a jam-packed courtroom should likely reinforce this tendency to increase one’s bid in the presence of competing offers.
In the case that there is only one offer, necessarily the initial accepted offer, a buyer may feel he is entitled to acquire the property even if his bid seemed quite low and he was surprised the lender accepted it. Not so fast. The court will still need to authorize the sale. In order to determine whether the sale is permissible, a few questions will be considered. How long had the property been marketed? The longer the marketing period, the less likely it is that higher bids will be forthcoming if the court does not authorize the existing contract. How many times was the property shown? If dozens of people have seen the property and only one has made an offer, it increases the likelihood that this is the best offer the owner could expect. How far off is the sale price from the assessed value? If the sale price is well below assessed value, this will appear suspicious, and further justifications may be necessary before the court consents.
This demonstrates that foreclosures are not necessarily quick or easy routes to acquiring property affordably in Vancouver. Some aspects of the process actually make it less likely that a buyer will find a true bargain in foreclosures.
Naturally, there is a great deal more to be said about foreclosures and I invite you to contact me if you have questions about these types of transactions or any other real estate related inquiry.
The post Are Foreclosures Necessarily Good Value in Vancouver? appeared first on Mike Stewart Real Estate Specialist 604-763-3136.
Everybody loves this 3-Ingredient Fudge. An all time favorite during the holidays, it’s a wonderful low-carb dessert recipe for Christmas and Valentine’s day. No more drowning in sugary candy made with high-fructose corn syrup and other mystery ingredients.
This fudge has only 3 ingredients –dark chocolate, coconut milk, and vanilla powder. It’s a perfect bite of sweetness when you’re craving something wholesome, yet indulgent.
I’ve been whipping up fudge since I was a girl, when I lived in Davis, California. Back then I made homemade Christmas candies, placed them in Chinese food containers, and tied ’em up with pretty ribbons. My parents drove me around town to our friends’ houses, where I dropped off my homemade holiday gifts.
While this low-carb fudge recipe is a fantastic Christmas treat, it’s so good that we make it all year long! A great time saving recipe, you can whip up a batch of 3-Ingredient Fudge in a couple of minutes. Better yet? There’s very little clean up with this one pot recipe.
The organic vanilla powder in this fudge is a pure product that is simply vanilla seeds scraped out of the pod, and it perfumes the fudge with a special aromatic flavor. If you can’t get your hands on the vanilla powder, grab a couple vanilla beans instead. For best results, use the chocolate linked in this recipe. Like the vanilla powder, it’s highlighted in green text in the ingredients. Use chocolate that is at least 70% cacao or the fudge will not set up properly.
Another tip? When I make this easy fudge, I let the flaps of the parchment paper hang over the sides of the dish. This creates a little hammock so that it is super easy to remove the fudge. When we make 3-Ingredient Fudge for homemade holiday gifts we pack it up in these cute containers!
The post 3-Ingredient Fudge appeared first on Elana's Pantry.