Broken

The belated confirmation of three Cabinet secretaries this weekfour long years after they were first named to their postshas temporarily obscured the problem that lies at the heart of the Commission on Appointments system. It will become obvious again, however, as soon as Congress returns next month. The CA has become a members club, where the interests of its members are placed ahead of everyone elses.

This was the same problem that defined the CA in the years before martial law, except for one substantial difference. Today, the CA, a special constitutional body composed of lawmakers from both chambers of Congress, actively undermines its role in the Constitutions elaborate infrastructure of checks and balances.

To be sure, CA members have justified their objections to some of the appointees in check-and-balance terms. But four years to confirm someone like Justice Secretary Leila de Lima or Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman? No CA member ever attempted a full-scale campaign to force President Aquino to de-nominate De Lima or Soliman (or even Environment Secretary Ramon Paje); instead, those who did not like the secretary-designates found other ways to delay or defer confirmation.

If something truly disqualifying had been discovered in the last four years (say, hypothetically, that De Lima had taken part in voter fraud in her election law practice, or that Soliman cannot account for millions of pesos disbursed through the Conditional Cash Transfer program), then we would have joined our voice to the clamor to replace them. But there has been no such discovery. Indeed, the main factor behind the delay in their confirmation (Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago versus Soliman, for instance, or Sen. Jinggoy Estrada versus De Lima) seems to be mere personal animus.

De Lima and Soliman (and other appointees only belatedly confirmed) are not beyond reproach; they are certainly vulnerable to criticism. But the Executives appointing power was not meant to nominate perfect candidates, but only qualified officials who enjoy the Presidents full trust and will implement his policies. The Rules of the CA stipulate that the commission is driven by only one impelling motive, which is the efficient and harmonious functioning of the government.

Even if we give the CA the benefit of the doubt and acknowledge that it can bypass an appointment, the repeated renomination of the appointee should properly be read as a signal to extend the same benefit of the doubt to the President as nominator. After all, he is forming his Cabinet, and the CA is bound, according to its own Rules, to accord the nomination or appointment weight and respect, to the end that all doubts should be resolved in of approval or confirmation.

What emerged from last weeks committee-level hearing at the CA, when Estrada questioned De Lima intensely, was the sense of entitlement that marks the members of this exclusive club. Letter-writer Romulo Macalintal noted Estradas outrageous suggestion, for instance, that De Lima should have approached each of the members, because it was tradition. Imagine that. When a nominee refuses to cheapen the process by knocking on doors and calling on each of the members, the members themselves see it as an affront.

No wonder a broken system failed to confirm someone like Jesse Robredo.

Breaking

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Editorials

When I remodeled my house, I knew what I wanted: a bigger kitchen with room for two refrigerators, more family space and another bedroom. But there are dreams and then theres reality. My husband and I began wondering not only how much we could afford, but how much was wise to spend. So we called our real-estate agent and explained our plans, with hopes she could help us set a budget.

Fortunately, she was able to tell us how much more she could sell our home for with our new dream addition. So that became our budget. It was actually a fairly easy way to think about our return on investment (ROI). However, many homeowners mistakenly think the cost vs. value ratio hovers at one to one, and whatever they invest into the project will be instantly reflected in increased value. Not so fast.Even the most valuable remodeling projects dont completely recoup the cost, according to Remodeling Magazinesannual cost vs. value report . The project with the highest return on investment installing a steel door only recoups 97% of its cost. That wasnt always the case. In 2009, steel doors had an ROI of 125%. But in 2011, it fell to 73%.

From DailyWorth.com , heres the expected ROI on seven popular home projects:

Average national cost: $18,856

Return on investment: 82.7%

While any kitchen remodel will add some value to your home, less is more when it comes to ROI. If youre remodeling on a budget, focus on a few key areas: Replace dated appliances with more modern, stainless steel models; replace aging countertops with sturdier materials that you can afford; replace cabinet hardware (but leave the boxes in place); and apply a fresh coat of paint or add a new backsplash.

Average national cost: $54,909

Return on investment: 74.2%

Any real-estate agent will tell you to invest your time and money in the kitchen if you want to add value to your home. Why? Because kitchens make a big impressionand home buyers want them to be modern, functional and well-maintained. The average cost of a major kitchen remodel is high, but includes a complete guttingfrom cabinets to appliances to flooring and replacing them with modern midrange materials.

Be careful not to go too far with kitchen remodels. Unless youre living in a high-end, luxury home, you shouldnt have high-end, luxury appliances (like a top-of-the-line Sub-Zero fridge, for example) or personalized gadgetsthey wont matter to your targeted buyer or add value to your home.

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Slide Show: Are these 7 home remodeling projects worth the money?

I feel like Im in a different city, and This is the best thing going in Marshall, were just some of the comments owner Joshua Awbrey heard after the grand re-opening and the complete remodeling of Anytime Fitness.

The re-model took two weeks to complete and during that time absolutely no gym member could use the 24-hour fitness haven.

They love it, Awbrey said. No one can say they dont like it when its new like this. Weve been getting great feedback.

As a part of their corporate office, the gym must have a remodeling around every five years to keep them up to date.

Though its keeping some of the same equipment, Awbrey said they will be adding new pieces and trading in some others.

Were adding some more pieces. It takes eight to 10 weeks because (manufacturers) have to build them, so well have four new pieces coming in and were getting rid of some and trading some out, he said.

Some of the new features added include a multipurpose room where members can choose a workout video to follow along with and work out with others. Awbrey said his goals for the gym was to increase membership to 1,300, increase revenue in the training department and add a female trainer.

Awbrey described the previous model of the gym as dark and dungeony, but said the new remodeling has completely changed everything that gym members know about Anytime Fitness.

The whole thing is my favorite, he said when asked what his favorite part about the remodeling was. The old model was dark and kind of dungeony with black ceilings. Its bright now its just changed the whole perception of the gym.

We want everyone whos been old members or havent worked out in a while to come and check it out if they havent been here since and be awestruck.

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Anytime Fitness opens after remodeling

The contemporary bar in the new entertainment area is made of horizontal bamboo and a slab of vanilla onyx.

When most people think of a man cave, they imagine a space set apart from the central living area in the home, with traditionally very masculine dcor and entertainment elements like projection televisions, leather recliner seating and built-in kegerators. These spaces are usually away from the homes central living area, in a garage or spare room or basement. With Fathers Day this weekend, its the perfect time to showcase a San Diego remodel that illustrates a new trend: foregoing the traditional man cave for a stylish, multiuse entertaining space the whole family can enjoy.

A large game room features a pool table.

In a recent project for a young professional couple, our team was tasked with creating a new entertaining space with the key elements being a contemporary bar and a large adjacent game room. Located on the homes extremely segmented bottom level, our team first opened up the space by removing a wall and changing the layout. By positioning the bar adjacent to the game room, the space now has a more natural flow.

We also used cork tile walls in the game room, which present an intriguing texture and are sound absorbent, ideal for when multiple activities are under way.

The focal point of the new space is the new contemporary bar area. We used a mix of sophisticated materials to exemplify the uncommon. Two-thirds of the bar is horizontal bamboo; one-third is a sumptuous vanilla onyx slab. We chose Italian light fixtures with red-orange hues and used a light bar underneath the countertop to bring it to life. Designed for entertaining, the bar area features essentials like a beer tap, wine cooler, sink and generously sized refrigerator.

The remodeled space is large enough to accommodate large parties.

Exquisite materials draw attention at every turn. A window from the original home, transformed into a recessed storage area with rounded glass for liquor and accessories, is framed by gleaming metallic tiles in bronze and copper. LED recessed lighting glows upon the richly colored marble countertop, setting the mood for warmth and good cheer.

Next to the bar sits a new stone fireplace and built-in television. The expansive new layout can accommodate large parties yet is designed with well-defined gathering areas to enhance more intimate gatherings as well. The new space acts as a magnet for guests and expresses the homeowners affinity for sophisticated design and sensational entertaining at home.

Todd Jackson is the CEO of Jackson Design and Remodeling. He can be reached at (619) 442-6125, info@jacksondesignandremodeling.com, or http://www.jacksondesignandremodeling.com

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Family fun evolves from man cave

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Scope Technologies Launches New Product to Save Siding Contractors Time, Money and Manpower

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