Life is like an ever-shifting kaleidoscope--a slight change, and all patterns alter.

                                                                                                           -----Sharon Salzberg

It's back-to-school time, which can get expensive fast for parents. A friend of mine was helping compile her sons' teachers' supplies list for a Staples-PTA online fund-raising effort and discovered one fourth grade teacher's list alone added up to $85. One class, one child. And that's before you even hit the clothing stores.

So while gathering the kids in the car and heading out to buy pens and notebooks and new shoes is billed as a fun, American back-to-school ritual, it can lead to some pretty hefty bills sandwiched between summer vacations and holiday spending. We're all looking for ways to save this year, so with that in mind, here are some ideas to cut your back-to-school shopping bill in half. Please add your own ways to save in the comments below!

Don't shop in one place. I know we need to save on gas, so I'm not advocating driving to 10 different stores. You can do some of this online, too. But you need to shop sales and know prices. Buying all of your supplies in one office supply store can result in a big bill for many small things. When you're at the grocery store, check out the school supplies displays there. You may find the notebooks and folders your kid's teacher is looking for for half the price as a big-box store. Go online before piling into the car to find discounts and shipping deals at web sites like Target and Discount School Supply.

Shop at home first. And I don't mean online. Not yet. Look through desk drawers and closets. You may be pleasantly surprised that the kids only used two of the pack of four notebooks you bought last year. Same goes for markers and colored pencils. You may have them and they may still be in plenty good shape to be used again.

Shop in bulk with another family (or families). You need three double-ruled, spiral notebooks with perforated pages but it only comes in a pack of six. Split the cost with another classmate's family, and you can get the supplies you need without spending double what you want.

Leave the kids home. At least for a bulk of the shopping. Go out for a few key items so they can help pick them out, if you'd like, but this will help avoid a cart-filling frenzy that only leads to sticker shock at the cash register.

Time your shopping well. Start early or wait. If you live in one of the 13 states (and the District of Columbia) which set aside one weekend in August as a tax-free weekend for all school-related supplies, by all means wait for it. You probably know if you're in one of these states already, but you'll find more details here. Whether the supplies and clothes you buy are tax free or not, buy what your kids absolutely need for the start of school, then wait for the sales to hit to buy the rest. For clothes, I've always bought each of my three kids a (discounted) summer outfit and a few fresh shirts for the first few back-to-school weeks, then waited for the sales that arrive promptly to buy what else they need.

Speaking of clothes. As this Parenting post about a Girls Inc. survey says, more kids are getting caught up in the pressure to buy expensive labels and brands. Call it a teachable moment to talk to your kids about how (not) far clothing dollars will go if you buy top-name items. Show them some "cool" second-hand stores where they can find some unique items and brand-name pieces for a lot less. Consider setting a budget for each child and letting them decide how and where to spend it. That way, if they buy two items versus 10, the choice will be theirs to live with.

Never think that you're not good enough yourself. A man should never think that.

People will take you very much at your own reckoning.

                                                                            ---------Anthony Trollope (1815 - 1882)

Hello All.


WELCOME

First of all may I welcome all the new members to ELVES-A. Secondly, I think I need to reintroduce myself as I had been away for a long time. I am the dual in the account of Al-Neri. Better known as RON. The other Dual on this account is Al Neri himself. You may have also heard from someone named DC. He is the member who keeps punching in at times so as to ensure that we are going on the right track. So effectively, we have three players at one account, Al Neri, RON and DC.

MY ABSENCE

Coming to the latest, I need to first clarify my absence. Well I was suffering from extreme throat infection and fever for almost two and a half weeks. Thereafter, I sprained my back.  I could not sit at a place for more than 30 min. That’s the reason for the absence. All this while Visage and Berserker have done a great job with the management of the Alliance. The newest Leader within us i.e., Kristi has joined us too. Please make sure that everyone cooperates with him.

INSIGHT INTO ELVES FAMILY

Now coming to the point. There is a lot of insight and information that is required to be given to all of you regarding the changing scenario of NE.

As everyone is aware that we started as ANGELS. However, now we are ELVES-A. During our growth as Angels, we were flooded with offers for getting into confed./Nap and / or mergers. However, we choose not to. You may be rest assured that we have good and experienced players who will take the best possible decision for you all the time keeping the interest of the Alliance and its members at the fore front. Please notice that the ELVES FAMILY was created with 4/5 Alliances coming together. This is for the benefit of the NE quadrant as well as the players in it. Later in the game, in case you all have the information, only 60 members of an Alliance cannot construct & defend a Wonder of the World (WW). We need more players, good, active & dedicated players. Hence this META of ELVES. I am aware that many of you must have had to let-go your Farm. Trust me ever I had to let-go and so did the other Alliances’ of the ELVES FAMILY. IT happens when you are working for a bigger purpose i.e., the WW.

Our decision to become a part of the ELVES FAMILY appears to have been a good one and same is yielding fruits too. Please feel safe around the ELVES FAMILY members. The other Alliances’ of ELVES FAMILY too have experienced players who are good at their game. However, still be open and alert for any suspicious activity. In case you find or are concerned of an activity, let any of the Leaders know about it.


LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

As you may have noticed that in the ELVES FAMILY there are a couple of Alliances with few members (approximately 20/30). There are talks about restructuring the ELVES FAMILY keeping in mind the position of the villages of a player, their tribes and their playing style. I would request everyone to be open to suggestions and also give me feedback regarding the development and betterment of the ELVES FAMILY as a whole. Feel free, the Alliance is for togetherness and for each other.

Cheers,
RON

Incoming troops (8)

Lancaster	Attack against KIVI
Troops	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
Arrival	in 0:03:06 hrs. at 03:08:32 o'clock

E-town	Raid against KIVI
Troops	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
Arrival	in 0:45:26 hrs. at 03:50:52 o'clock

Kozmic Blues City	Raid against KIVI
Troops	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
Arrival	in 5:45:43 hrs. at 08:51:09 o'clock

Lyon	Raid against KIVI
Troops	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
Arrival	in 6:10:04 hrs. at 09:15:30 o'clock

Mulletown	Attack against KIVI
Troops	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
Arrival	in 14:31:17 hrs. at 17:36:43 o'clock

Spartha	Attack against KIVI
Troops	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
Arrival	in 16:30:08 hrs. at 19:35:34 o'clock

Athena	Attack against KIVI
Troops	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
Arrival	in 17:11:45 hrs. at 20:17:11 o'clock

Lancaster	Attack against KIVI
Troops	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
Arrival	in 17:41:04 hrs. at 20:46:30 o'clock

Troops in the village

KIVI	Own troops
Troops	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Upkeep	0per hour

Troops in other villages

KIVI	Reinforcement for Chaos Base I
Troops	147	0	0	24	0	0	0	0	0	0
Upkeep	195per hour withdraw

Reports

All | Trade | Reinforcement | Attacks | Miscellaneous

Subject:	Nautilus attacks KIVI
sent:	on 09/04/10 at 10:22:40 o'clock
Attacker hallr000 from the village Nautilus Troops 0 0 300 0 0 0 0 10 0 0 Casualties 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Information Warehouse damaged from level 12 to level 10 Bounty 0 0 0 0 Defender maize8bean from the village KIVI Troops 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Casualties 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

I WRITE THIS BY PHONE I WRITE THIS BY PHONE

China's steel market was not yet in sight of recovery as shrinking exports and overcapacity continued, officials from the China Iron and Steel Association (CISA) said.

Luo Bingsheng, CISA's executive deputy director, said at a conference on Monday that the rise in steel prices from December to February was not a sign of recovery. The country's steel market would remain subdued this year because of shrinking demand and huge capacity, he added.

CISA vice secretary general Qi Xiangdong put the rise in prices down to an increase in stockpiling.

"The financial crisis and the domestic economic slowdown resulted in contraction in both overseas and domestic markets", Luo said, noting China, the world largest producer and consumer, was facing many uncertainties.

The lingering financial crisis dragged the world economy into recession.

Many steel-consuming industries were seriously battered, especially construction, automobile and shipbuilding, which caused a steep drop in steel demand and therefore eroded China's steel exports, the Beijing Lange Steel Information Research Center said.

According to the General Administration of Customs, China exported 1.91 million tons of rolled steel last month, a decline of 2.22 million tons, or 53.8 percent, from the same month of 2008. The steel exports were also 1.26 million tons, or 39.7 percent, below the December level.

The prospect is not upbeat as the World Steel Association forecasted the global demand for steel would fall more than 10 percent in 2009 year on year. The Republic of Korea (ROK) and the U.S., the main importers of China's steel, would post declines of 9.5 percent and 10 percent in 2009, respectively. Japan's demand for the first quarter would slide 31.6 percent.

He added the RMB’s appreciation also helped weaken the competitiveness of China's steel products. Additionally, there emerged growing concerns over trade protectionism worldwide.

The global economic turmoil also hurt China's economy, driving it down to a 9 percent growth for the whole year in 2008.