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Here's the beginning of my talk on the politics of homosexuality at Princeton. It's in two parts, one just below, and continued after the jump. It's an attempt to take the arguments of both Protestant Biblical literalists and Catholic adherents of natural law on their own terms and to show how they make no internal sense; how they are internally incoherent even on their own terms. My same dissections on the delusions of the queer left, middle-of-the-road moderate conservatism and Human Rights Campaign liberalism, will be posted in the next few days. The entire speech, if you have the time this weekend, can be seen here.
And here's the clincher against the prohibitionist position that holds sway across much of the world today: |
Last month, we released the Fall/Winter 2016 issue of Brides of Oklahoma and celebrated with a happy hour! Our first stop was at the Hardesty Art Center in downtown Tulsa where we mixed and mingled with our Tulsa partners. The Chalkboard served up a delicious fare of oysters, tacos and other delectable bites while their partner company, Barstream, created fun and festive cocktails for guests to sip and enjoy! Party Pro Rents dressed the venue with beautiful linens and light-up cocktail bars, and Ms. Laura’s Cakes sent everyone home with adorable cookie favors! Thanks to Kelbert McFarland Photography for capturing captured the entire event on camera, allowing us to share with all of you!
Next, we joined V2 Events at the top of the Devon Tower in Oklahoma City as they treated the best of the OKC wedding industry to an unforgettable evening! All of the amazing food and beverages were provided by the extremely talented chef and culinary team at Vast including everything from mini chicken pot pies to fresh fruit parfaits. Mood Party Rentals provided gorgeous linens and pillows to complement the already gorgeous panoramic views from the 50th floor. Apple Tree Chocolate served guests candy covered apples as they left the event that we arere STILL raving about. Huge thanks to Kelsi Laine Photography for capturing this #bubblywiththebrides for us!
News Paul Antonio is inviting men and boys to an event that will denounce porn, defined as the portrayal of erotic behavior designed to cause sexual excitement.
Synethic paper that protects your counters or work area. After you are done cooking, just put it in the front corner of your dishwasher. This item is stain resistant.
A very interesting and somewhat scary reality is the perception of value. What scale or standard do we use in order to perceive value, what tools do we use in order to create this perception or understanding?
Whether we are valuing things or beings, we’ve built some standard, some sort of scale to base our value upon.
Just 100 years ago and debatably even still, people valued certain people as less based on ethnicity, class, or skin color; which we now know is completely wrong.
This is such a broad topic that can become very philosophical but let us start simply with how we value things.
From my observations, I’ve noticed our society values things based on monetary worth. Either how much money this certain thing cost or the potential profit it has.
It is amazing how much water people waste when they are washing dishes. When I address to people about the scarcity of clean water around the world and how so many people suffer from diseases and illnesses related to water issues, people generally have a hard time truly understanding the situation because of how cheap water is here in America and how unlimited it seems.
And that is the issue, water seems to be basically free. There are free drinking water stations in almost every public space. There are free showers at the beach. Free bathrooms with running water. We even flush every single toilet with water clean enough to drink.
My point is this: how do we value water? Is it the right way to value it? And do our perceived values of water align with our actions and use of water?
How do we value our clothes? The food we eat? The cars we drive? How do we value our furniture? Our daily luxuries?
Just because my shirt may cost very cheaply, does that mean it’s value is cheap? Let’s consider how much work and resources it took to make our clothing. The cotton that was grown by the farmers, the machinery that was built to turn the cotton into cloth, the workers that made the clothes the way they look, the stores that were made to sell them.
Let’s consider how many hands have touched the shirt from the cotton on the farm until it is put into your hands at the register.
The systems of processes that are used to create everything we use on a daily basis is mind blowing. Even something as simple as oil has a complex system with high machinery in order for the olives, sunflowers, safflowers, or palm to become the oil we cook with.
Because of convenience we've lost our perspective and insight into the reality of what is around us and used by us. Our reality is only a small slice of what the world experiences daily.
1. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add shallots, and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle in flour; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Cut shrimp into ¼-inch pieces. Over medium-low heat, add cream and Champagne. Return soup to a simmer, and slowly whisk in cheese ¼ cup at a time, letting melt between additions. Stir in chives and shrimp, and cook for 3 minutes or until shrimp are opaque. Garnish with shredded Gruyère and chives.
This was no more obvious than when it came to drag queens. Every weekend I would experience cis men, cis women, trans women, and non-binary folks all having access to this exaggerated, high-femme performance that was as ravishing as it was comical. I’d laugh, dance, and drink with these vixens because they were my friends and gave me an implicit type of permission that I could also play with femininity despite my cis boy status. The most interesting moment for me during those disco nights was when the drag was retired. Wigs fell on the floor. Heels came off. Lipstick was removed. And everyone returned back to who they truly were instead of a campy caricature of a woman. It was fascinating to realize some people lived inside of totally different, more privileged identities than what they performed on stage. And some people lived identities that were close parallels to who they were in drag, albeit less campy and dramatic, but still women or visibly femme.
These observations forever transformed how I would see identity versus performance. There was a usefulness in drag: it freed the room to find joy, transgress gender, to embrace queerness. However, drag was not reality. Some people lived what others simply performed.
Football player Colin Kaepernick covered a recent issue of GQ magazine styled in a leather jacket, black turtleneck, and a perfectly round afro. The look on his face was serious. He was styled after black radical leftist and leader of the Black Panther Party, Huey P. Newton. In the same editorial, he recreates the famous image of Muhammad Ali visiting Africa during his famous The Rumble in the Jungle fight against George Foreman. Kaepernick traded Ali’s Africa setting for Harlem, NY.
The equivalences made through these images reminded me of drag once again, but this time the drag of black radicalism. These images beg for a comparison between Kaepernick’s radicalism with that of Ali and Newton’s, but with further inspection into the politics of the two men and Kaepernick, the politics simply don’t line up.
Huey P. Newton’s politics were anti-capitalist, anti-imperialist, and revolutionary. He was interested in the radical idea of totally dismantling oppressive systems in order to create new, more fair ones. The ideas he shared with the rest of the members of the Black Panther Party created programs like The Free Lunch Program that fed hungry children and other programs that subverted established systems and centered disenfranchised people. They replaced healthcare and policing institutions with their own. Muhammad Ali suffered immensely for his strong pro-black and anti-war politics. He was stripped of his boxing license and even sentenced to five years in prison. Ali strategically and purposefully aligned himself with black leftists such as radical black activist Malcolm X and polarizing communist revolutionary Fidel Castro. This is all during the echo of McCarthyism, an era in our nation’s history where any affiliation with anything aligned with communism or socialism could have resulted in your career being disavowed and you being tracked and investigated by the FBI.
Colin Kaepernick is at best an altruistic reformist. He optimistically places his money in organizations that help people find relief from oppressive systems, which is admirable, but he does little revolutionary work that goes toward creating new systems like the men he was compared to through those editorial images. For example, Colin Kaepernick donated $25,000 to Communities United for Police Reform, an organization that fights for the reform of the prison and police systems. Huey P. Newton, who he was mirroring on the cover, founded the Black Panther Party which called for the abolishment of the prison system and police. Conflating these two men’s images also conflates their politics in ways that are dishonest.
This haphazard editorializing perpetuates a myth that all black labor and effort towards justice are identical and don’t deserve nuance. The idea is that black people are monolithic within our practices and desire. In reality, Black people disagree about how we will best arrive at freedom and equity: some think reform, some think revolution, and some think it is an impossibility. Creating images that conflate us all together erases the nuance and complicated nature of what it is to be black and in America today while interested in freedom and justice.
This is such a visual era in American history where the media you see can be just as powerful and influential as any debate, protest or book. I think it is good to create images that make people feel in community and affirmed. Kaepernick’s images did do that. In a similar way in which Beyonce’s wardrobing herself after The Black Panther Party for her Super Bowl 2016 performance of “Formation” brought great pride and joy to countless black people observing it, including myself. However, I think media can blur the lines between performance and aesthetic versus politics and actions. Beyonce has not expressed an anti-capitalist politic like The Black Panthers advocated, alas even on “Formation” (a song I adore) she compared herself to the hyper-wealthy, capitalist Bill Gates. The imagery, the drag of her dolling herself up in black radical drag for this immensely commercial, mainstream event was powerful as media but does translate into politics. It was a drag performance, not her actual identity. The obscuring of this pro-black, communist imagery does counter revolutionary work. It rewrites history for the worst by making The Black Panthers about aesthetic and an easily digestible belief in black equality underneath the American project, instead about the abolishment of the American project all together and equity amongst all people.
This line of thought also holds true with Colin Kaepernick. He does have parallels with both men he was imaged after. I am sure he, like Ali and Newton, desire the liberation and empowerment of black people. However, these men have vastly different ways of thinking about how one can achieve said liberation and empowerment. Defining those differences and not conflating them is imperative.
When I think of black resistance’s representation in mainstream media, I return to those hot and sweaty rooms with the flashing lights and bumping music. I see people wear things that look black and radical. I hear people say catchy things that sound black and radical. But, just like my drag queen friends who did not perform womanhood in their daily life, it is important to note who does not perform black radicalism in their actual labor and politics. This isn’t to take away their legitimacy in their actual labor, but to ensure an important and present politic and work isn’t being erased for the sake of some people wanting to play dress up.
It was in my solitude that I first thought about death; what it means to die, what I might suspect happens or does not happen after death, how many time one dies in a lifetime and who I might do it with. It has only been recently that I have discovered for myself that togetherness and life can be just as complicated and rigorous as loneliness and death.
It was my early teenage years that I first considered this weighty topic of death. At the time, I felt confident enough to begin the survey about what I might expect from death, assuming my death wouldn’t be a type of violent spectacle. Even as an adult, I still hope that my death is a quiet, soft, apolitical thing—something I have never been allowed to be in life. I remember, I closed my eyes in that adolescent bedroom and allowed the darkness and silence flood me and I thought about my belly. It was big. I thought about my skin. It was bad and brown. I thought about the anger I had from abuse that I did not want to hold and I was sure nobody else would either. I was exacting, cold, and cynical. I was not Noah from the black gay television series Noah’s Arc who was warm, sunny, and generous. Nikki Giovanni said in “Cotton Candy On A Rainy Day” that she was not an easy woman to want. I felt the same way and made decisions from this space. In my own little makeshift oblivion in my room, I decided that I would certainly die alone.
This idea has experiential evidence. Growing up I had many examples of partnered black people, but I also had many, many examples of black people who died unpartnered. I knew many grandmothers that were abandoned and widowed. I knew many mothers who were mistreated and accused of being too loud, too independent, too fat, or too ugly to be partnered. I knew black gay men who never loved again after their romantic partners were taken in the long, dark season of the HIV epidemic.. I knew, and still know, many older black gay men who are single simply because they fail by too large a margins what is considered beautiful, masculine, and worthy. Because of these observations, at a very young age, I decided that my mother was right that this world was unfair and I would probably never find a romantic love that would be forever.
This too was affirmed by research. The millennial generation I belong to is trending towards unpartnered lifestyles. When contextualized by me being gay, the potential for romantic partnership seems even less likely. If I even further contextualized my chances on finding long-term romantic partnership inside of race, gender performance, and economic status, I would be almost foolish to gamble my happiness and peace on the idea of a romantic partnership. Even as a child, I’ve always been a kind of realist around things like love and I killed the dream of happily ever after, Prince Charming, and a wedding before it could grow legs and torture me into adulthood. I was at peace with dying alone.
Often romance and desire are crafted as immaterial, spiritual things. Language usually associated with Abrahamic religions are often used to describe love: soulmate, fate, faith, and destiny. In actuality, love is more of a mathematical and political event. If you do not align with a certain aesthetic and/or behavioral standard, you may end up alone. I decided I failed too many white supremacist patriarchal beauty standards to place any hope in the lottery of long-term romantic partnership. I was not interested in hope and was more interested in finding comfort in the idea of not having a romantic partner. Simply, I was too big, feminine, and too mad to be loved.
I assumed I handled the most difficult things there are for humans to grapple with, but deciding to participate in a romantic relationship has proved me wrong. It is not dying alone that should haunt anyone, but the idea of living together. Like men often do, a man disturbed my peace over two years ago and is still at war with how I assumed my life would go. He is beautiful. He is kind. He is brilliant. He is a poor communicator, anxious, and hates chocolate. (He is not willing to improve his relationship with chocolate.) Our relationship is a constant struggle about an array of topics, but it is always truly about power. Two men socialized in a patriarchal society who are interested in having and doing all of the things that life has to offer them will often struggle for power. Our relationship so far has been a constant practice of returning to love and realizing through conflict that although power may be an individual thing, freedom can be a communal pursuit.
Attention has always been a currency for me, even as a child it is what motivated me to read more, write better, and perform in the arts. This desire for the others’ gaze often arrives in my relationships as well. When my partner is unable to give it me in the amount or way I desire, I would turn cold instead of vulnerable. Coldness and distance still feel powerful, where vulnerability can feel like a relinquishing of the patriarchal power I have been trained to center. I would get upset over minuscule things because conflict felt safer than exposing myself. During this emotionally toxic behavior, he responded to it by saying “You pick fights with me when you want attention and don’t want to be vulnerable enough to request it.” I was exposed and named and held accountable. I knew I had to change.
Moments when we push one another to elevate how we move and feel through the world are the times I realize the biggest spiritual leap I’ve made between my teenage years and my twenties is the one concerning my relationship with loneliness and dying alone, both being things in which I’ve found sanctuary. In togetherness, you have to transgress ideas of individualism and examine toxic behaviors and ideas that you can often let grow in solitude. I never thought of romantic relationships as serious political, creative, or intellectual work until I became partnered. It was not the lusty, capitalist, patriarchal event I had thought it to be, but a real continuous, rigorous art project.
In this discovery, it has made me wonder how we can collectively return romantic love back to the rigorous and creative space and not make it begin and end inside of desirability? Often romantic partners must double as trophies and proof of one’s desirability and worthiness. What would romantic love look like if it was normal for romantic partners to be actual creative, spiritual, and intellectual partners that mutually enhance and elevate one another? Concerning the black queer and gay male community, I fantasize about how this might transform how we interact with one another in and out of the romantic love. Through my experience with my current partner, these are the existential and political ideas that now haunt me.
Ultimately, what I've learned is dying alone for me is easy. Living together is the location of my deepest struggles.
The bells of Errol Parish Church will continue to ring out at night after people power led to a noise nuisance complaint being withdrawn.
Environmental health officers dropped their fledgling investigation following discussions with local councillor Angus Forbes and the unidentified complainer.
That will mean the bells can ring on, much to the delight of the Reverend John Macgregor and the hundreds of local people who rallied in their support.
He also thanked the individual who contacted Perth and Kinross Council for being “gracious enough” to withdraw their complaint.
As we reported, more than 150 people signed a petition looking to ensure the bells continued to ring out. Over 400 took to the village’s social media page to voice their support.
“When I first posted I thought I might get support from two or three people who post regularly on local issues,” the reverend said.
“I most certainly did not expect to get 400 or so people writing to back the bells. That is almost the entire population.
“I was delighted that so many people see them and the church as such an integral part of the village and village life.
“Many locals call the church the ‘Cathedral of the Carse’ and that was also mentioned in a number of the posts.
Rev Macgregor said he had been told that some people were more sensitive to noise than others but said he too believed the bells were part of village life.
“I have only been here at Errol for a year and when I arrived I did think to myself ‘do these bells ring all the time’, but now I don’t notice them.
The resident had claimed the bells disturbed them as they had their windows open during summer evenings.
Errol Parish Church’s bells, however, are mechanical and need to be wound up every three days – meaning they cannot simply be switched on and off.
While their concerns caused consternation, Rev Macgregor added: “We have to remember that the person who made the complaint was gracious enough to call the council and withdraw it.”
Conservative councillor for the Carse of Gowrie Ward, Angus Forbes, said he was delighted with the outcome of talks.
“After discussions between myself, the council’s environment team and the complainer, the complaint was withdrawn.
“I am absolutely delighted that the church bells will now ring on, hopefully for many hundreds of years, and that the issue has been resolved.
“The residents of Errol feel passionately about these bells, and rightly so. They are an integral part of village life.
“I have suggested that the church run a special service of thanks for the bells and I hope they will be able to offer this.”
They were on the Knightsbridge pub walk, one is from Germany, the other from US. They met about four years ago on Ann's foodie walk.
They got chatting later the same day when they recognised each other on the Literary Bloomsbury walk and cemented their friendship the following day with me on Tudor Whitehall. (Repertory walk- back next summer!)
Fiona, a descendant of John of Gaunt, is an actress who also teaches juggling, circus skills and escapology (she made a famous break from the London Dungeon).
Q. Whial art form
Currently, Motijheel is undergoing major dig-out following the metro rail project. BTCL says they will be transferring the cables due to the ongoing construction work.
Gregg L. Lage DDS, PC is a Denver based family dentist practice that treats patients of all ages. We are committed to delivering the highest quality dental cathink Gregg L. Lage DDS, PC is the best dentist in Denver.
Dr. Lage is a native of Nebraska, where he grew up on a farm outside of Winside. In high school he was very athletic, running track, wrestling, and playing football. He attended college at Nebraska Wesleyan University and went on to achieve his DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) degree from the University of Nebraska Dental College in 1982. Dr. Lage set a goal for himself when he graduated dental school to be the best dentist he could possibly be with excellent skill, gentleness, and patient-friendliness. As part of this objective, Dr. Lage has maintained an ongoing commitment to continuing education. He has received advanced training with the Colorado Prosthodontic Society and the Rocky Mountain Dental Convention in Denver. He belongs to the American Dental Association, the Colorado Dental Association, and the Metropolitan Denver Dental Society. With over 25 ygeneral dentistry to the communities of Westminster, North Metro Denver, Federal Heights, Thornton, Arvada, Commerce City, and Northglenn, CO.
Dr. Lage looks forward to family time with his wife, Sharon, and his two teenage kids, Austin and Ally. In his free time, he enjoys hunting, fishing, golfing, and bicycle riding.
Dr. Lage was given the prestigious Everyday Hero Award in 2002 by Channel 7 News in Denver, Colorado. This was in recognition of his volunteer work in elementary schools across the nation, where he appears as Dr. Sluggo, a dental hygiene super hero.
In the guise of Dr. Sluggo (a nickname he earned from his college wrestling team), Dr. Lage visits elementary schools and gives fun, interactive talks promoting dental hygiene. He dresses in his super hero outfit and has great success in getting kids to brush their teeth at home more frequently and even to start flossing regularly. Parents are grateful after each of his appearances and schools look forward to scheduling his visits.
Our warm, caring team members aim to make your dental experience with us a positive one. We welcome new patients from North Metro Denver, Westminster, Thornton, Northglenn, Federal Heights, Arvada, and Commerce City. We invite you to read more about us and schedule an appointment with us soon. We’d love to get to know you and take care of your dental needs.
Lora has been helping patients in our practice since 2000. She started her career in 1986 in Albuquerque, NM. Soon after, she relocated to Colorado, where she earned her EDDA certificate. She loves being part of the wonderful team here at our practice and in changing people’s lives and smiles for the better.
Lora has three grown daughters and an incredibly adorable grandson. She enjoys spending time with family, camping, and watching the Broncos.
Kathy has been a part of our team since 2001. She handles all patient scheduling, insurance, and financial concerns. Kathy has a Social Work degree from Southern Connecticut State University. Kathy finds fulfillment in helping patients achieve their dream of a beautiful smile. In her free time, she enjoys camping, fly fishing, and just about anything that takes her outdoors.
When looking for a Denver dentist, we hope that you will consider scheduling an appointment with us. Dr. Gregg L. Lage DDS and our staff at Gregg L. Lage DDS, PC are dedicated to our patients and have created an atmosphere where everyone can feel comfortable, relaxed, and at home. We unde procedures that make it possigg L. Lage DDS. We aim to provide the highest quality patient care and treat patients throughout the Denver CO area. Many of our patients have reviewed our dental practice online, and you can read their testimonials on Google, Yelp and Fac DDS to do an exce put the needs of our patients first and are constantly looking for ways to improve their experience and keep thids tf will help them to feel comfortable during their dental exam and treatment. Understanding that many children are wot goetreated patients Lage our reviews onliaordinary. If you want a stunning, Hcompleting beautiful smile makeovers. There are a variety of ways this is done including teeth whitening, deappearance of teed their experienwill gg Lth care provider meeting you and your family.
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Garden Basket can send your bouquet to Preston, MD or nationwide!
The golf gods smiled on Pat Perez as Brett Wetterich withdrew from the Match Play Championship. That moved Pat Perez up a spot, with the wunderkind Anthony Kim now the first guy standing to face Tiger Woods.
Another really interesting matchup: JB Holmes gets Phil Mickelson, whom JB just beat in a playoff at the FBR.
There are a million reasons why we're fat. Part of my teenage obesity problem can be blamed on Anna Soubry – the now under-secretary of state for health. I've got a big 27-year rib eye of a grudge with her. Nearly three decades ago, she was a fresh-faced presenter hosting my local TV station's version of Points of View. I was a chubby teenager inflated by gourmet lunches at my independent school and comfort eating on my crappy council estate (the 11-plus could lead to a very conflicted existence). I wrote to her expressing my thoughts about how her channel could be improved. "She" (OK, it was probably someone on work experience) wrote back and said send us a photo – we want to use your letter on the actual TV! Nearly peeing myself with excitement, I spent two quid posing at Woolworths in the passport machine for the perfect picture. Two quid. That was a vinyl single. A little piece of Wham! A whole week's pocket money. I sent it and I watched week after week after week. My letter never got read out. I knew why. The bitter, terrible reality of the media world was clear to me even then. My pudgy face didn't fit. I didn't have enough glamour for Anna. In retrospect, perhaps my suggestion that The Blues Brothers should be shown every day at midnight was a bit niche. But that didn't matter. Her rejection of me led me straight to a multipack of Blue Riband biscuits. I've always anaesthetised a sour experience with something sweet.
For many of us, food becomes our greatest comfort in times of rejection, stress and unhappiness. It's this country's biggest pick-me-up. Triple-dip recessions, this endless sense that there's never any good news and now even the foxes are turning on us. Then a tube of Pringles appears and wouldn't it be lovely right now to wolf them down with an episode of Call the Midwife. Food has become our addiction. As a lifelong comfort eater, it makes perfect sense to me. Food is a beautiful, accessible, easy lay for all of us. Epicurean delights can be found in every social sector. Eric Pickles has clearly been necking some serious foie gras. I still have a dark chocolate digestive or seven when I'm stressed. It's like a drug – just a totally legal one that's easily available from Tesco 24 hours a day with no dealer involved.
Food has never been just fuel to us. It has much more of an emotional pull. It's about showing love. Just sometimes you can show a bit too much affection. We've all got a comfort food. We've all got a dish that can immediately transport us back to the past. Likewise, that emotional relationship with food can be easily distorted. My Nan never got over the hell of wartime rationing. To her, food was a luxury, a joy, something to indulge others in simply because she could. She presented pic 'n' mix sweets to me with the same reverence that the wise men presented Frankincense to the baby Jesus. In the early 80s, she was still buying my brother a massive box of crackers every morning to take to school. Consequently, his nickname was Ritz for many years. He struggled with that moniker and his weight, mainly because, up until very recently, it was still etched in concrete near the toilets in our town square.
Many of us are defined by our size and what we consume, far more than we ever should be. Entire family rituals can be based around "bad" food – and lots of it. The Friday Chinese. The Saturday kebab after six pints. My elder brother used to work at an animal-feed processing plant. Every week, a lorry would turn up with 10 tonnes of misshapen chocolates. Some of these were "salvaged" and brought to our house. I'm sorry that certain livestock missed out on their confectionery fix because of us, but one of my favourite childhood memories is sharing this mixture with my siblings. It felt naughty and illicit – and also guilt-free. Daisy the cow/Babe the pig was unlikely to notice this tiny sweet imbalance. In retrospect, it was a bonding session – food as emotional glue. It gave us a sense of being "together" doing something.
It's that sense of "togetherness" that can make weight in families seem like a tribe-like state of being. Trying to lose pounds in a fat family can almost be seen as an act of disloyalty. I've seen it first-hand with a friend. She attempted to "eat better" and was deliberately sabotaged by grenades of gourmet takeaways and larders exploding with chocolate and biscuits. Our weight never just belongs to us but to others. We don't necessarily want people to look better because, stupidly, we believe that might make us feel even worse about ourselves.
Our diet and our appearance have taken on more significance than they ever should. The whole sense of how we feel about ourselves is sometimes reduced to a burger. That's bloody crazy. This isn't the Stone Age. Food has gone way beyond fuel.
The reasons for obesity are as wide as our expanding waistlines. Perhaps we're getting fatter because we are starved of what gives us real satisfaction – time with family and the time to do what we actually enjoy doing. The nation's health can't be summarised by any politician into one neat Happy Meal soundbite. We need to work out why food has become the UK's panacea and work our way back from there. That way, we have a chance of not just improving the nation's health but its happiness too.
‘With 270,000 members and a candidate now elected president of the republic, En Marche! has become France’s leading political movement.’ Photograph: Patrick Kovarik/AFP/Getty Images
Emmanuel Macron’s victory is not just good news for France and for Europe. It brings a welcome remedy to the populist fever that hit the United Kingdom with Brexit, and the United States with Donald Trump.
We are experiencing an “age of anger”, as Pankaj Mishra described our troubled times. In France, as in most large western democracies, many people have expressed – at the ballot box or on the street – their anger at a system that no longer offers them a future. With more than 3 million unemployed and 9 million in poverty, and a school system that no longer provides equality of opportunity, France – the country of the enlightenment – has ceased to shine, and its influence in the world is dwindling.
As a result, the risk of victory for the extreme-right candidate, Marine Le Pen, was immense. Populism’s various faces are merchants of fear and the parasites of dysfunction and failure; and they have bred in the absence of any profound national reforms over the past 20 years.
The vote of more than a third of the French electorate for Le Pen illustrates the allure of political extremes. No French political party that has already held power has been able to stop this populist movement. The established parties were all eliminated in the primaries and then in the first round of the presidential election. This dégagisme (telling politicians to “get out”) is one of the main characteristics of a movement of defiance that positions the population against the elites.
It needed therefore a new man – experienced, yes, but young, smart, advocating not the triumph of one camp (right or left), but reuniting them in a pragmatic and ambitious way with the best ideas and personalities of the right, the centre and the left. En Marche! was created by Macron just one year ago. Political leaders laughed then, but with 270,000 members and a candidate now elected president of the republic, it has become France’s leading political movement.
And yet Macron never balked at introducing ideas that were diametrically opposed to those of the populists. He championed the advantages of globalisation, while wishing to regulate it. He refused protectionism and the end of free trade. He called on us to be European in a reinvented Europe, to accept our share of immigration and to defend our secularism – that is, the protection by the state of the right of all to believe or not.
On the one hand he managed to convince people that it was important to liberate the country’s potential, create much better incentives for work, embrace entrepreneurship, free up markets, lower taxes, and give more autonomy to professors and school heads. And on the other hand, he said that it was vital to better protect the French by training them to do jobs in a new world, to focus the “welfare state” on those most in need, and to fight growing insecurity – both physical and material – with better teaching and more police officers.
What lessons can be drawn for the rest of the world? Macron has, in ending the left-right split, and slowed down the growth of populism, but – equally important – he has created a central platform that is strong, ambitious, reforming and optimistic, built on a clear understanding of the new world.
He will, however, need visible results in the next five years, or the extreme right or extreme left could win the 2022 presidential election.
The world should watch Macron closely. Because if he wins the war against populism and reduces unemployment while increasing stability, he can be an inspiration to many around the world.
The BBC Radio 4 presenter Sarah Montague has said she was “incandescent with rage” and “felt a sap” when she learned she was paid far less than her Today programme co-stars.
Montague, who was a key member of the team for 17 years, said she was paid £133,000 and that it “was a very good wage for a job that I loved”.
The BBC revealed in July last year that the Today programme host John Humphrys was earning £600,000 to £649,000.
Nick Robinson is on £250,000 to £299,000, Mishal Husain is in the £200,000 to £249,000 pay bracket and Justin Webb earned between £150,000 and £199,999.
She also said she “hadn’t clocked just how professionally damaging it would feel” to know she was earning less than her colleagues.
Montague, who has now left Today to become the lead presenter of Radio 4’s World at One, wrote in the Sunday Times that she negotiated a better salary by using “the pay of previous presenters as a guide”.
Montague wrote: “I had long suspected that I was paid much less than my colleagues but until the pay disclosures I had no idea of the scale of that difference.
Montague, who began her BBC career in 1997 as a presenter on the BBC news channel and has since worked on Newsnight, BBC Breakfast and been a regular presenter of HARDtalk for 20 years, said she also learned that “the true situation was far worse”.
Montague said she was told to “set up a company” when she joined the BBC, and had not taken in any benefits or accrued any pension.
Montague said she was looking forward to concentrating on her new job, but that it was “uncomfortable being in the spotlight” in her current situation.
She said “light, perhaps even total transparency” is needed in order for “organisations such as the BBC to restore trust among staff and ensure the accountability of those setting pay”.
The BBC published a list of its top earners last year, setting out the pay for staff on more than £150,000 and revealing a sizeable gap in the earnings of its best-known male and female presenters and actors.
Madison Keys is talked up as the future of US women’s tennis once the Williams sisters hang up their rackets, but the 20-year-old from Illinois found Agnieszka Radwanska a little too stubborn and wily as she went down in three high-quality sets.
Radwanska, a finalist at Wimbledon in 2012, has had a choppy year and looked all at sea when she lost in the first round in the French Open. But grass appears to bring out the best in the No13 seed, who squeezed into Thursday’s semi-final against Garbiñe Muguruza after a 7-6, 4-6, 6-3 victory.
“It’s going to be a 50-50 match,” Radwanska said. “We’ve never played on grass, so I think it’s going to be a very good challenge.”
Keys was left with a sense of frustration and what might have been. “I feel like I was dictating a lot of the points,” she said. “It definitely was on my racket. It came down to a point here and a point there.”
One of the most disconcerting things about Keys is that she hits so hard with little apparent effort. Serena Williams whacks it just as powerfully but she puts shoulder and soul into every shot. Keys seems to be tickling the ball with her racket strings, yet the effect is like an explosion. Unfortunately, too many of her bombs went astray.
Some of that was down to the defensive brilliance of Radwanska, who tried to keep the ball low over the net – daring her opponent to rein in her power – and had the legs to chase down most of what was hurled back at her.
As Keys admitted: “She’s a great mover. She makes you hit three, four extra balls every point. She just doesn’t give you anything. She hits really low, so it’s even harder to stay in rallies.”
Keys’ progress to the quarter-finals had been laced with sugar: in her opening four matches the No21 seed had faced only one player inside the top 100 and that was the world No78. Radwanska was her first real test.
Keys came out swinging, as she always does, and immediately had Radwanska scrambling and stretching. A break in the opening service game was followed by two snorting winners that gave Keys a point to go 2-0 up. Yet the American made a series of sloppy mistakes which immediately handed back the break.
With Keys going for broke so often it was clear, even at this early stage, what the pattern of the match would be. It would not only be about Radwanska v Keys but Brilliant Madison v Sloppy Madison.
After those two early breaks the first set went with serve until the tie-break, but while the scores were level Radwanska was more in control. Her movement was excellent and her defence a wall: repeatedly she got the ball back in play until Keys made a mistake.
One statistic from that first set stood out like a beacon. While Keys hit 20 winners and 20 unforced errors, Radwanska made only four winners and one error.
In the second set Keys learned the value of patience. The errors were cut out. The points more measured. The pressure increased. Play went on serve until, with Keys 4-3 ahead, Radwanska went uncharacteristically wobbly. A misjudged drop-shot at 0-30 gave the American three break points – and a fortunate net cord put her 5-3 ahead. Soon afterwards an ace took the set 6-3.
In the deciding set the tension increased along with the quality. Radwanska had the advantage of serving first and was determined to keep it. One winner, to go 3-2 ahead, was hit almost on her knees and had the crowd on their feet.
Keys retaliated but at 4-3 down she first misjudged a Radwanska lob and allowed it to bounce in and then double-faulted. The door was ajar and her opponent barged through, breaking her to 15 and wrapping up the match with a wrong-footing forehand.
Radwanska was asked whether she expected to make the semi-final of Wimbledon only weeks after being knocked out of the French Open so early on. “To be honest, not really,” she said smiling.
Keys left with the hurt that comes from knowing she could have had more. “I want to be in finals of grand slams and winning grand slams, winning WTA titles and things like that,” she said. “That’s my motivator every day to get out of bed and get out on the court.” They will surely come. This day belonged to Radwanska.
Bernard Shaw let it be known that he wrote The Doctor's Dilemma in 1906 to meet a challenge from his friend, the theatre critic William Archer. Archer had claimed that GBS could not be regarded as a supreme dramatist until he had written a tragedy involving "the King of Terrors" – death. Shaw responded by writing an extravagant burlesque, which carried his cast of medicine men to the verge of farce, making them more vivid than real doctors yet recognisable as comic characters in the medical profession. Then he added a subtitle to the play: "A Tragedy".
The actual tragedy of the medical profession he addresses in a long, ingenious, belligerent and sometimes passionate preface to the play. In his opinion, the medical service in Britain at the beginning of the 20th century (the play is set in 1903) had reached a state of lethal absurdity. It was not reasonable, he argued, to expect doctors in private practice to be impartial when confronted by a strong pecuniary interest. Since we all come under their attentions at some time in our lives, we are tempted to impose on them an infallibility that camouflages their ignorance. "Molière saw through the doctors," Shaw wrote, "but he had to call them in just the same." And so did Shaw – though he regarded their illegible prescriptions as little more than the paraphernalia of medieval witchcraft. The blind trust that many Victorians and Edwardians had in competitive private doctors protected them from unbearable mistrust and anxiety – and who could say that such misplaced confidence did not sometimes increase the patient's chances of recovery? It was the philosophy of the placebo.
"If you cannot have what you believe in," Shaw wrote in his preface, "you must believe in what you have. When your child is ill or your wife dying," when you are confronted by "the spectacle of a fellow creature in pain or peril, what you want is comfort, reassurance, something to clutch at, were it but a straw. This the doctor brings you. You have a wildly urgent feeling that something must be done; and the doctor does something. Sometimes what he does kills the patient."
Shaw believed that at this period of medical history we had become helplessly dependent on the spurious cures of doctors at the expense of the social hygiene and good housing that would form a "sanitary blockade" against many infections. Unfortunately, this social solution was considered too expensive by politicians. Shaw looked forward to a time when doctors as competitive tradesmen were replaced by a medical profession that had been brought under responsible and effective public control. Until this body of men and women were "trained and paid by the country to keep the country in health it will remain what it is at present: a conspiracy to exploit popular credulity and human suffering". In other words, he was looking forward to the creation of a National Health Service.
He already saw hopeful signs of this happening when he wrote The Doctor's Dilemma. "Every year sees an increase in the number of persons employed in the Public Health Service, who would formerly have been mere adventurers in the Private Illness Service," he wrote in the preface. In 1909 Beatrice Webb was to publish her minority report to the Royal Commission on the Poor Law, which contained a collectivist scheme that amounted to a blueprint for the welfare state. Shaw recognised this as an important document that would make a significant difference in sociology and political science. "It is big and revolutionary and sensible and practicable at the same time, which is just what is wanted to inspire and attract a new generation." The person whom it did inspire was William Beveridge, the founder of the National Health Service, whose report on social insurance in 1942 Shaw welcomed as an instalment of Fabian socialism that would help to integrate society. Our taxes were an investment in our health, and anyone who evaded such a tax would be seen as an enemy of the people.
Shaw's opinions on municipal politics and public health at the turn of the century were formed and sharpened by his years as a vestryman and borough councillor for the St Pancras district of London. He campaigned for women to be legally entitled to serve on metropolitan boroughs, fought against reckless borrowing from the banks and attempted to change the rating system so that it fell more heavily on the idle rich (whom he called "the unemployed"). He was particularly active on the health committee, visiting hospitals, sweatshops and the homes of the poor where he saw under-nourishment, destitution and disease. He mocked the confusing jargon and circumlocution of physicians and he pressed for the re-examination by the London School of Economics of untrustworthy medical statistics. Some of his recommendations, such as the danger of alcohol and the wisdom of vegetarianism, are as uninvitingly valid now as they were over a hundred years ago, and some of his indictments (against cowpox vaccination, for example), which had some validity in the late 19th century, are now mercifully out of date. But his horror at the practice of vivisection is particularly relevant today, after the last government's manifesto pledge to reduce it was laid aside and the importation of more animals to Britain for experimentation has recently been advocated on financial grounds. As a seasoned political campaigner, Shaw knew that each battle won would have to be re-fought in the future, and he would have been particularly scathing about any move to extend privatisation into the health service – an "economic efficiency" leading to cheap incompetence.
Shaw brought his six years in local politics into several of his plays. The picturesque brigands of the Sierra Nevada in Act III of Man and Superman are holding what appears to be a St Pancras vestry meeting. The municipal characters in Getting Married owe their existence to the borough councillors with whom he had spent so many unventilated hours. And the conflicting opinions of the medical specialists he met on the health committee are made into a wonderfully orchestrated theatrical entertainment in Act I of The Doctor's Dilemma as the doctors gather in Sir Colenso Ridgeon's consulting room to congratulate him on his knighthood.
This successful 50-year-old physician who claims to have found a cure for tuberculosis is based on a celebrated and fashionable bacteriologist called Almroth Wright, who had been knighted shortly before The Doctor's Dilemma was written. Shaw sensed there was something dubious about Wright's high reputation (he was later nicknamed Sir Almost Right). In 1905, when Wright sent him a pamphlet on anti-thyroid inoculation with an invitation to discuss it in his laboratory at St Mary's Hospital, Paddington, Shaw accepted the invitation but challenged the validity of his vaccine treatments. So began a long series of fierce debates between the two men. This gave Shaw an opportunity to use his dialectical brilliance to undermine the presumed authority of doctors over matters of life and death – an authority that he aggressively attacked in his preface to The Doctor's Dilemma and agreeably ridiculed in the play itself.
At one of these debates, when a discussion arose about using a new treatment on someone who had arrived that day, one of the students pointed out that they had "too many patients on our hands already". Shaw then asked what would happen if more people applied for treatment than could properly be looked after, and Wright answered: "We should have to consider which life was worth saving." This became the pivotal plot point in Shaw's play.
The common-sense answer to this problem is given not by Ridgeon, but his colleague, the cheery hit-or-miss physician Sir Ralph Bloomfield Bonington, who has accidentally cured a prince but is less fortunate in Act IV of the play with the consumptive and unscrupulous young artist Louis Dubedat. "I have never been able to say No, even to the most thoroughly undeserving people," he tells his fellow doctors. "Besides, I am bound to say that I don't think it is possible in medical practice to go into the question of the value of the lives we save." He ends on a dark note of Shavian pessimism, concluding that if you asked yourself whether your patients were of any use to themselves or anyone else, you would probably be driven to the conclusion that most of them would be better off dead. Shaw himself believed that we should not seek to outlive our natural lives. He would have been appalled by cases of people being kept clinically alive for long periods, such as Ariel Sharon, still held up at the border post between life and death. Invalids "who cannot keep themselves alive by their own activities, cannot, beyond reason, expect to be kept alive by others," he wrote. It followed that suicide and properly controlled assisted suicide should be brought within the law.
Unlike Bloomfield Bonington, Ridgeon cannot make an objective medical decision because he is not at all well. "There's something the matter with me I dont know what it is … I have a curious aching … I cant localise it … It unsettles me completely," he tells the eldest, most sensible of the physicians, Sir Patrick Cullen, who, knowing there is nothing so disturbing as an ill doctor, recognises that he is about to make a fool of himself. "I thought that the days of my vanity were past," Ridgeon says. "Tell me: at what age does a man leave off being a fool?"
The answer is: never. We are being presented with a circus of Shavian lovesickness. Ridgeon loves Jennifer, who loves her husband Dubedat, who loves himself, while the doctors who surround him love their profession. All of them deceive themselves. The idealism of love fills the play; the lure of money animates the preface. "There are two things that can be wrong with any man," says Cullen. "One of them is a cheque. The other is a woman." Both these wrongs find a welcome home in the talented Louis Dubedat. The first two acts of the play, deftly edited and played fast, are among the best comic drama Shaw wrote. The difficulty begins in Dubedat's studio in Act III, as it does in many scenes that introduce one of Shaw's artistic young men – such as the sentimental poet Eugene Marchbanks in Candida. Fortunately, Dubedat is saved from sentimentality by a comprehensive amorality that is akin in some respects to that of Shaw's best virtuoso characters, such as Billy Dunn the philosophical burglar in Heartbreak House and the millionaire dustman Alfred Doolittle in Pygmalion.
The part of Louis Dubedat was written for Harley Granville Barker, who played the death scene in the first production at the Royal Court Theatre so realistically that some of the audience were shocked and became tearful. A similarly soft interpretation today would be more likely to provoke tears of laughter (as Oscar Wilde believed the death of Little Nell must do among modern readers). A more rewarding forerunner perhaps was a production at the Mermaid Theatre in 1975, which had Kenneth Cranham as a forceful Dubedat opposite Lynn Farleigh's Jennifer, played not as a relentlessly naive and tragic heroine but as a wife who treats her husband as an exciting possession. This made the pair into a partnership of confidence tricksters just right for modern comedy.
Shaw could write tragedy: Saint Joan, Heartbreak House, Back to Methuselah and Too True to Be Good are all tragedies. But if he had really intended The Doctor's Dilemma to be a tragedy, he would have made the doctors in the title plural and damned the whole profession.
Indie developer Jasper Byrne released this retro-styled 2D survival horror game for the PC last year, but Curve Studios has now brought it to the PS3 and Vita. This director's cut adds new interactions, additional possible endings, trophies and more.
You play as a man who awakens in a post-apocalyptic world with some memory loss and confusion as to whether there's anyone left besides him and the monsters. The goal is to keep him alive for long enough to work out what's going on, which involves taking time out from solving adventure-game puzzles to find food and make him sleep.
Objectives appear on a map, but trying to match that with the 2D view is tricky. Combat is fiddly, but fortunately optional, and it's better – if slower – to sneak past. And these struggles just combine with the clever pacing and sound design to increase the tension.
The fact that neither player nor protagonist knows what's real and what is just the man's imagination is the key to this story, keeping you on edge and hinting that care for his physical and mental health may have an effect on how it ends. Needless to say, you'll have a reason to play through again.
The 3D gives Pokémon a striking new look and takes the game up a big step, writes Jordan Erica Webber
The alpha male arrived in 1933 as part of an effort to help preserve the giant tortoises that live on Volcano Alcedo on Isabela Island
The Wolf volcano, located at the highest point of the islands that inspired Charles Darwin, has erupted for the first time in more than 30 years
Researchers’ souvenir outlet has to close after pressure from local traders and the Ecuador government, denying Darwin group a precious $8,000 a week in sales to tourists
Cate Blanchett contributes to a compelling but long documentary about a 1930s settlement in the Galapagos that goes sour, writes Peter Bradshaw
Sam Wong meets some of the scientists battling to protect the flag-bearers of evolutionary theory from an alien invader
It’s not every day that a one publishes a book. So I hope you will excuse this post. My latest book - The Galapagos: A Natural History - goes on sale in the UK today.
Henry Nicholls: An introduced snake has turned up in Galapagos, the first such case in the islands’ history.
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This listing is for a lithograph print of my painting, 'Keeper of Dreams'. The print is life-size, and due to the quality of the hi-res scan it is extremely detailed...the close-ups pictured are of the *print* showing the wood-grain and brush-stroke detail. These turned out beautiful.
Since long the education market has been growing and evolving expansively and is expected to foresee even better growth in coming years. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) in education has a history and its presence in the major organization has facilitated ease of operations and management process. Enterprise resource planning in education field has enabled integration of various functions of an organization in real time to maintain and manage databases and all the functions efficiently. ERP systems keeps a track of business resources, examine production capacity and govern the status of admissions, and payroll. ERP simplifies the flow of information between numerous business functions, and also it's responsible for updating priority investors.
Brightline to build express intercity passenger rail connecting Southern California and Las Vegas. Construction to begin next year.
Brightline, the nation’s only privately owned, operated and maintained express intercity passenger rail system, has announced its expansion to the West Coast with the acquisition of XpressWest, a high-speed passenger rail project with rights to develop a federally approved corridor connecting Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada. This project would be only the second privately funded express intercity passenger rail in the United States, following Brightline’s Florida rail corridor.
“Brightline is changing transportation in our country by connecting heavily trafficked corridors that are too long to drive and too short to fly,” said Wes Edens, co-founder and co-chief executive officer of Fortress Investment Group. “Our experience in Florida is proving that private-sector investment has a meaningful role to play in developing transportation infrastructure. We’re excited to bring Brightline’s world-class and convenient travel experience to Southern California and Las Vegas.”
“The introduction of high-speed rail between Las Vegas to Southern California will bring significant economic and environmental benefits to our state and support increased tourism,” said Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval. “Brightline has built a proven model for privately funded high-speed rail service in Florida and we are excited to welcome them to Nevada.”
Brightline will link one of the most traveled routes in the country, connecting more than 22 million people living in Southern California with Las Vegas, one of the most visited cities in the U.S. According to ridership studies, travelers make more than 50 million annual trips between Las Vegas and Southern California. Today those travelers are limited to traveling by air or car, and Brightline expects to offer a convenient alternative that will make the trip in less than two hours.
As a result of the XpressWest acquisition, Brightline will take over the development, construction and operation of the project and work with federal and local transportation officials to connect Las Vegas with Victorville, California, with future plans to expand into the Los Angeles area.
The first phase of the corridor is expected to be built on a right of way within and adjacent to Interstate 15, traversing 185 miles with no at-grade or pedestrian crossings. Construction is expected to begin next year and Brightline is planning to begin initial service in 2022.
“Brightline’s model is setting a new standard for train travel in America,” said Patrick Goddard, president of Brightline. “Today’s announcement is an important milestone for our company as we reimagine transportation between these major metropolitan areas. We look forward to working with the region’s stakeholders to make this vision a reality.”
“The XpressWest team has done an incredible job bringing this project together and we’re confident that Brightline will fulfill our mission and promise to the region,” said Tony Marnell, founder and chief executive officer of Marnell Companies. “We’ve been impressed with what Brightline has accomplished in Florida and are excited to be part of the team that is working to deliver privately funded high-speed rail to improve mobility in America.”
The planned Las Vegas Station is expected to be located within the resort corridor and will be a major intermodal hub with access to taxis, buses, shuttles, and limousines. As part of the project, Brightline is acquiring approximately 38 acres of land adjacent to the Las Vegas strip for construction of the station and mixed-used development.
The first planned Southern California station is expected to be located in Victorville within a 30- to 45-minute drive of the approximately four to five million people who live in the Inland Empire and eastern Los Angeles County, and within close proximity to Southern California’s remaining 17 to 18 million residents. Planning for additional stations and connectivity to California Metrolink and eventually California High-Speed Rail is underway.
“California has a vision for a modernized rail network that is fast, clean, and convenient for travelers, and the introduction of Brightline service linking Southern California to Las Vegas will help us achieve that vision” said California State Transportation Agency Secretary Brian Annis. “Brightline will be beneficial for our economy and our transportation system.”
Similar to Brightline’s operations in Florida, the corridor between Southern California and Las Vegas is expected to generate major regional economic benefits, including construction and permanent job opportunities and local and state tax revenue.
In addition to Brightline’s Florida development and operations and its anticipated development and operations between Las Vegas and Southern California announced today, Brightline continues to explore intercity rail opportunities across North America. |
In preparation for our soon-to-be launched website, we met up with some of our favourite brands and this is what we got up to…
First up, Bivain.If you’ve got a penchant for bold, colourful, fun and wanderlust-like design then this brand is for you. Our luxurious central London location above The Wolseley, was transformed with bursts of colour which contrasted beautifully with the classic look of our location.
Next up, the intense opulence of Boca do Lobo and the playful design of Delightfull. We travelled to Chelsea Harbour were we met a stunning display of furniture, lighting pieces and home accessories that embody Covet House. It was like walking into Aladdin’s cave with a mesmerising sight of pieces that blurred the lines between art and design. We even had the opportunity to meet the reincarnation of the one and only Amy Winehouse. As well as, coming up close and personal with Tina Turner.
The absolute piece de resistance of Covet House was this one of a kind gold plated dining table, which weighs a stunning 317kg! The magnificent Fortuna dining table is soon to be added to the TLS collection. Watch this space…
A hop, and a skip away we travelled to our next appointment over at the Chelsea Harbour Design Centre where Julian Chichester’s wonderful showroom is located. Our timing was spot on as we arrived so did the master himself - Julian Chichester. Sherry and Julian spent some time discussing future plans for both TLS and the eponymous label.
A brand that is known for its classically inspired English pieces with a twist on innovation, its no wonder Sherry had to go an hug the Paris table lamp. A beautiful hand-blown glass lamp adapted from a 19th century French eau de cologne bottle.
It wasn’t all work and no play, as you can see Sherry enjoyed some exploration (of the deepest kind!) with the Dakota dining table and also some insightful moments with the Bacco floor lamp.
Last but not least, we ended the day in Sherry’s home in South Kensington with a tall glass of rose and a play with her heart-melting pets. Cloud, in particular, wanted to be in all the videos and photos. Such a star!
However, our last task of the day still needed to be completed…A peek into Sherry’s life, home, why she founded The Longest Stay, her pet peeves and her mot embarrassing moment.
Today we talk about a book that came out 2 years ago. But no matter, because Creativity. Inc, needs to come back to your desks and your newsfeed again and again and again. Primarily written by the president of Pixar animation and Disney animation, Ed Catmull, it is labelled as ’Business and Economics’ book on Goodreads (and Google’s archive). And so naturally, I never picked it up until a few weeks ago.
This is the advantage of real bookstores. And of meeting real people, face to face so that you can see how the books they loved have done something to them. But that’s a post for another day
It is true (yet rings short of the actual weight of it) to say that this is probably one of the best books ever written about inspiration, and creative work, especially in context of workplaces and enterprise. If the thought of managing productivity with creativity seems counter intuitive (yet necessary) to you, you’re probably in the current juncture (or funk, whatever you want to call it) to pick up this book.
Creativity, Inc. is by no means a breeze. It is at times dense, but you’d want to stick through these bits especially because it perhaps resonates with that moment in your creative process where you feel like you're reaching that cracking point, but aren’t just quite there yet. This in itself is an odd sort of magic to achieve, when recounting a success story (all the seemingly disjointed dots would’ve drawn themselves into a beautiful constellation already in a retrospective) but that’s exactly what Catmull and Amy Wallace, his co-writer do. And you can’t but admire the genius of that.
Apart from the style of writing, if you’re an Apple person, Steve Jobs’ appearance in a markedly different way— as an important, but side character to someone else’s *collaborative* genius makes for a refreshing read.
It is by now a well-established fact that storytelling is Pixar’s forte. But in taking you behind the tugs, pulls, and pushes that ultimately craft Pixar and Disney’s many polished products, Catmull does what most management books don’t. While the latter regurgitate the usual communication, equality, and openness adages (remember Justin Timberlake dismantling his cabin’s door when he takes over as creative editor at GQ circa Friends and Benefits?) Creativity, Inc. plainly takes you behind the scenes of storytelling processes of iconic films like Toy Story, Wall E, Inside Out.
It is irrelevant whether or not you’ve watched these films, or whether or not you remember the plot itself. Because the experience is that of an understanding of yourself as a creative and an affirmation that most meticulousness that comes with being one, is natural. And most importantly, that there is always space for that (as there ought to be) in the big, bad, breakneck world of the corporates.
And in this 21st century world, there can’t be a better bible for anyone who thinks of themselves as a storyteller.
Previously Unpublished Zora Neale Hurston Book Will Be the Story of the Last Survivor of the US Slave Trade
Zora Neale Hurston, most well know for Their Eyes Were Watching God, is a fascinating figure of the Harlem Renaissance and black female authorship. While Their Eyes has made itself into the canon of prominent black works, it took a long time for that to happen and much of Hurston writing career was hindered by the fact that she did not kowtow to the mainstream ideas at the time of how to depict blackness. So when I heard that unpublished work of Hurston’s was finally being released I was excited, but not surprised.
In addition to being an author, Hurston was also a cultural anthropologist when it came to researching black cultures and folklore in the Caribbean and the South. This unpublished work is entitled Barracoon and it is about Cudjo Lewis, the last surviving person of the slave trade. In 1927, Hurston interviewed him for the first time in Plateau, Alabama and she returned in 1931, when Lewis was 98-years-old and spent three months there to full take down all of the details of his life “memories from his childhood in Africa, the horrors of being captured and held in a barracoon for selection by American slavers, the harrowing experience of the Middle Passage packed with more than 100 other souls aboard the Clotilde, and the years he spent in slavery until the end of the Civil War.”
What is extra horrifying is that the Clotide slave ship brought slaves to this country illegally, because, by 1860, which is when the ship captured Lewis, the slave trade had been outlawed for almost fifty years. Yet a group of rich white men from Mobile, Alabama decided to “see if they could evade the law and bring in a shipload of slaves.”
This kind of work is extremely important. Slave narratives from former slaves are one of the best ways we hold on and remember the true human price of slavery. I am also not surprised this book was not published. The description mentions Hurston capturing Lewis’ “unique vernacular” and one of the things she was heavily criticized by other black male writers at the time was that she made her characters sound uneducated and common. Especially Richard Wright, who said Their Eyes Were Watching God carried “no theme, no message, and no thought” (“Forward” by Mary Hellen Washington in Their Eyes Were Watching God).
Slavery was a trauma that some black writers were trying to move forward from and the modern Northern cities were the place to discuss black progress and stagnation, not the South. Hurston never followed their lead just because they told her too and as a result, her work fell into obscurity until the 70s when black female authors, especially Alice Walker (The Color Purple) fought to ensure that her work had a place beside the other great writers of the Harlem Renaissance.
I look forward to reading this work because not only should the story of Cudjo Lewis and the Clotilde never been forgotten, but the legacy of Zora Neale Hurston deserves to be recognized.
THE MORNING SEA describes its sound as Gotham Americana - a combination of folk, rock and blues with stylized New York City grit.
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As an Account Executive in Canada, you will be responsible for continued growth of existing accounts within assigned region by identifying new opportunities, submitting solutions and proposals to clients, and working with Ellucian's sales and services teams to close sales. In addition, you will be responsible for the overall client relationship. Whatever the responsibilities, you'll have lots of opportunity to make your impact at Ellucian.
• Selling full enterprise wide application software, both Ellucian ERP Platforms: Banner and Colleague, managed services, database software, maintenance, and strategic and managed services to the higher education marketplace.
• Developing business opportunities, identifying and qualifying leads, and building solid customer relationships to drive sales through the pipeline, managing company resources to bring customers to contract as well as managing the contracting process.
• Owning and managing the entire sales cycle from initial business development through contract completion.
• Networking and developing strong business relationships not only with customers and prospects in the assigned territoe strategic sales objectives within the assigned territory.
• Developing and managing executive level and key stakeholder customer relationships within an institution that are involved with the decision making process.
• Interacting regularly across customer functional areas with senior management or executives to align Ellucian products and services to the customer's business needs.
• Consistently managing and accurately forecasting monthly, quarterly, and annual pipelines and forecasts.
• Preparing prospect pricing and proposal content. This would include working closely with Ellucian Consulting Services to develop appropriate scopes of services for the proposal.
• Representing and promoting Ellucian at Higher Education trade association and user group meetings.
• Extensive sales experience selling large, complex software solutions and services. ERP sales experience is preferred.
• Proven and consistent sales track record of selling complex enterprise software and services, as well as demonstrable solution selling ability and business development skills.
• Experience selling large dollar value software and consulting services in the Enterprise space including ERP, PLM, CRM, etc.
• Strong ability to develop and manage executive (CEO, CFO, CIO, etc.) customer relationships and work with multiple levels within an organization to articulate the business value of our company's products and services.
• Proven ability to successfully sell multi-million-dollar software, managed services and consulting services deals.
• Strong desire to rapidly grow revenue/business within assigned territory and to develop Ellucian as the solutions provider of choice in that territory.
• Strong ability to balance the accomplishment of near-term revenue goals with the long-term, multi-year territory development including pipeline management and updating.
• Strong business acumen and judgment for identifying, evaluating, developing, and closing sales opportunities.
• Ability to network and develop strong business relationships not only with customers and prospects in the assigned territory, but with all departments a
I have no preference in musical taste, if I like it, I like it, whatever genre it may be, though I'm not over keen on jazz. It always seems to me that each musician is playing something unrelated to the rest of the band.
Anyways, here is one piece I think I can safely say I would put above all else. Though I can't just have it playing, in common with virtually all Tree's music, I must be in a quiet and dark room with no chance of disturbance, so I can concentrate on their music. Even after 40 years listening to it, I still find it all consuming.
I would reccomend, Lady Margret, Murdoch, Streets of Derry and Snail's Lament as additional listening.
Sorry....I am listening to the dog snoring at my feet. And a million thoughts keeping me awake..again tonight...Oh but to dream again...
And as the season heads toward the most crucial games, they’re hardly rookies anymore and can contribute when depth is most needed.
Last year at this point, it was Tyler Lockett who was turning into a Pro Bowl returner as well as a big-play receiver, and Thomas Rawls going on a streak that allowed him to lead the NFL in yards per carry (5.6).
But nobody has stepped up with that Lockett/Rawls degree of conspicuous potential so far this season.
The rookies have been plentiful (the 17 being an all-time high for a Carroll team through 11 games).
But they’ve been injury-prone (each of the top four draft picks have missed time through injury, and the sixth, Quinton Jefferson, is on injured reserve).
In the loss to Tampa Bay on Sunday, nine rookies got snaps on offense or defense while three others saw action on special teams. That’s 12 rookies out of 46 active players — 26 percent of the team.
The pick of the litter thus far has been back C.J. Prosise, who has played in just six of the 11 games because of wrist and shoulder injuries, but leads the team in rushing with 172 yards on 30 carries.
The versatile Prosise showed why he was expected to be so valuable as a third-down back in the win over New England, when he rushed for 66 yards and pulled in seven passes for 87 yards.
Given the draft order, most would be expected of first-round guard Germain Ifedi. He was inactive the first three weeks with an ankle injury, and his play has been spotty thereafter. At times he’s a physical and powerful run blocker, but has been inconsistent and occasionally a liability against the pass rush.
Ifedi is among a group of three rookies under scrutiny for their play against the Buccaneers, a game in which quarterback Russell Wilson was sacked six times, hit 11 more, and under general duress most of the rest of the time.
Seventh-round center Joey Hunt, in his first extended playing time in place of injured starter Justin Britt, probably played better than most would have expected. His day, at least, was less disastrous than that of rookie George Fant at left tackle.
When veteran starter Bradley Sowell went down with a knee injury against New Orleans, Fant was thrust into action. Until the Tampa Bay game, he performed better than reasonable expectations for somebody who played basketball in college.
But Fant was vastly overmatched against Bucs defensive end Noah Spence on Sunday. Asking an undrafted rookie to play left tackle is almost unfair. Seahawks rookie starters like Ray Roberts (1992) and Russell Okung (2010) suffered through similar dreadful days — and they were high first-rounders with college experience at tackle.
Considered one of the best run-stopping defensive tackles in the draft, Alabama rookie Jarran Reed missed time in training camp with a variety of injuries. He’s had strong games, like the one against New England, with five tackles and half a sack.
He started the first three games, but has been in the reserve rotation the past seven. Solidifying his play will be crucial considering the lack of depth on the defensive line, a concern heightened when fifth-round rookie Quinton Jefferson was put on IR.
Tight end Nick Vannett was expected to help with depth and in-line blocking, but missed the first four games with an ankle sprain and has just one catch this season.
None of this means this rookie class can’t come around and mature. Kam Chancellor had barely gotten on the field at this point of his rookie season.
Surely though, the guys on the line have to grow up in a hurry. Hunt will be replaced by a healthy Britt, but Ifedi and Fant could be in there for the long haul.
A comprehensive housing study in Oberlin is expected to be completed this summer. Areas of study include:
• Analyzing and projecting demographics of households including age, education, and income of residents.
• Identifying gaps in the housing market and recommending future housing to accommodate residents and attract new residents.
“The bottom line is does Oberlin have and/or is it developing adequate housing of all types to satisfy the needs of its residents now as well as in the future?” said the city’s request for a “comprehensive community housing study and needs analysis.”
“If not, what housing is needed and what programs should/could the community develop to facilitate said housing?”
Carrie Handy, Oberlin planning and development director, said Wednesday that 12 entities responded to the request and the list was then narrowed to five. The five finalists are:
Handy said a final selection has been made, but wouldn’t say who was chosen until a contract is signed. She said the signing is expected by mid-March and the study is to be completed by the end of the summer.
Oberlin had 2,984 housing units in 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The home ownership rate between 2009 and 2013 was nearly 60 percent and the median value of owner-occupied units was $139,700.
Handy said she hopes the study will provide future direction for Oberlin officials including how much multi-family housing is needed and where it should be located.
Other challenges to address are accommodating aging baby boomers and millennials. “It’s very valuable data to have when you’re looking at future land use,” Handy said.
The study was proposed in May by then-city manager Eric Norenberg after city council members indefinitely tabled converting the former Green Acres orphanage into low and medium-income housing.
Built in 1898, Green Acres closed in 1995. The approximately 15-acre site was purchased by Oberlin from the county in 2011 for $265,000, according to Sal Talarico, finance director and acting city manager.
Hi! A visitor to our site felt the following article might be of interest to you: Bids roll in for Oberlin-wide housing study. Here is a link to that story:
Star Wars has been a big part of my life as well. It’s one of the franchises I’ve been following since I was a kid. So for my #DressUpsideDownDay I wanna share with you one of my all-time favorite Dark Side characters, Darth Maul.
AN ALIEN tuning into British state TV’s flagship news programme on Monday night could have been forgiven for shaking his head in wonder, before heading off to check out the night life on Mars.
There were the great, the good, the mediocre and the just wildly outspoken, rambling on incessantly about something called Brexit – but generally not making any sense whatsoever.
Discussing ‘what next’ for Brexit on Newsnight were Leaver-in-chief Jacob Rees-Mogg, Remoaner-General Hilary Benn, BBC Diplomatic Editor Mark Urban and various other worthies including French PM Emmanuel Macron’s major factotum, the wonderfully-named Alexandre Holroyd.
And, sitting in the same generally bewildered studio, was a bald, middle-aged relic of some dinosaurial age, who clearly wanted to grab everybody by the lapels and give them a good shaking (a kick up the arse actually, but this is the BBC so let’s keep it polite. But oh, how I wish).
With Westminster back from an extended summer holiday this week and the clock literally ticking to the imminent deadline for a Brexit deal, Newsnight producers decided it would be a good time to take stock; to weigh up the pros and cons of the various options for getting out – most of which would cost us £40 billion just to be forced to our knees and told to kiss Angela Merkel’s ring. And there’s a thought.
“We need a Norway style package” … “Canada-plus is the way to go” … “Park the bus in the EEA for five years until we can negotiate proper terms” (Really! Five years!) … “Chequers is dead” … “I think the EU will go for a Chequers-plus-plus”.
Eventually the desperate old bald guy blew his top. Here’s what he (I) said: “I think the people are sick and tired of this whole, very unfunny, two-and-a-half-year pantomime and they just now want to know what’s on the table from the other side.”
Because that’s the point absolutely no-one seems willing to acknowledge. The EU isn’t playing. They are not interested in any kind of deal. End of – for now, at least.
It’s like kids arguing about what colour bike they want for Christmas, when Santa has them on the naughty list. They’ll be lucky to get the cold sprouts left over from his turkey dinner.
In the Green Room before filming, the wondrously droll Rees-Mogg was explaining to so-called ‘Supermum’ city trader Nicola Horlick how earlier in the day EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier had agreed with Brexiteers – and virtually everyone except deluded TM the PM – that her Chequers deal was as dead as Monty Python’s parrot.
Well, well. With Mrs May’s latest of many ‘red lines’ being shoved back down her throat, we might as well call an election now. But she won’t. She’ll capitulate quite a bit more yet. Barnier and the EU know that.
Every political brain inside the M25 (which may be a contradiction in terms) is going round and round in ever decreasing circles arguing over what kind of an exit deal the UK can agree to.
There isn’t one – and not just because we can’t agree on one. I mean, as in, there isn’t one. In the political parlours of Brussels, Paris and Berlin, they are wetting themselves nightly, guffawing their sides sore at the stupid Brits, who are still working themselves up into a frantic lather over something they have zero control over.
The first is to sow such chaos and mayhem amongst UK politicians that May falls, this Parliament fails, and all roads lead back to a second referendum which – like before – the EU and traitor snowflakes are convinced they will win.
Plan B, in the barely believable eventuality of May not having a mental breakdown and somehow dragging this process over the line, is for the Brexit terms to be so punishing and catastrophic as to make Britain a vassal state.
French mesdames would all be giving their toy poodles English names like Davy and Georgie, Terry and Jeremy and probably Boris, to symbolise the abject humiliation of our country.
And this coinciding with the centenary of the Armistice in 2018. Such bitter irony, the ambitions of Napoleon, Kaiser Bill, Mussolini and Hitler, finally gift-wrapped and delivered by Theresa May.
There’s only one way to get a reasonable deal. Stop talking, start gearing up to slam the door and bank our £40bn. Because you know what?
The world won’t collapse into economic armageddon on D-Day+1, that’s just yer good old Project Fear II, there pal. So just throw the hand grenade back onto Barnier’s desk because the EU needs us lots more than we need them.
Not that you’d have an inkling of that from Newsnight, apart from the ravings of that frothing Yorkshire lunatic.
And you know what’s worst? There wasn’t a pub open after 11pm in that there London on a Monday night.
IT’S quite amusing being the subject of rabid hatred, from people you have never and will never meet; who haven’t a single clue about how kind a person you might be, but who, based upon a few sentences on a tv show, shower you with venomous vitriol.
Newsnight tweeted out a clip of my “unfunny pantomime” quote straight after the show, complete with my Twitter handle. Thanks. They could have given me a tin helmet on the way out!
Wow, those armchair warriors are a piece of work. Set them on Merkel and Macron and we’d be thrown to keys to the Reichstag and the Elysee Palace in minutes.
It’s water off a duck’s back to me, obviously – can’t stand the heat stay out of the kitchen – but no less amusing, and somewhat troubling, for all that.
If the Leave-Remain battle were fought with mobile phones on social media, it would be the armageddon that Cameron, Osborne and the vested interests of the city elite threatened for June 24 2016. I suspect that if stick ever came to lift however, that the Snowflakes would soil themselves at the prospect of actual face-to-face confrontation.
WOULD there, could there, be an outbreak of violent conflict, civil unrest, between Leave and Remain diehards in the event of the 2016 Referendum being betrayed?
I don’t doubt it for one second. My closing aside to Newsnight presenter Evan Davies as the credits started rolling was that I’d be marching down the M1. It might have been taken figuratively by him, but actually I would. Enough is enough. Time to put up or shut up.
I think in such a scenario, reneging on the Leave vote, the established political order would be shattered once and for all, much as European states have already witnessed with new parties overturning the establishment in rapid style.
Macron’s party En Marche didn’t exist a year before he won the elections; Italy’s ruling Five Star party was literally a joke – founded by a comedian – but in a few short years was in government and had the mayors of Rome and Turin.
And when you look at the fragile states of both Labour and Conservative today, and if they betray 17.4 million people, the time will be ripe for new voices to rise afresh.
Nobody in their right mind would have anything to do with far-right fruitcakes like Britain First. The problem a new centre-right patriotic party under someone like Jacob Rees-Mogg (left) would face is the rabid far left of Momentum which already has its violent, balaclava-clad Antifa thugs.
The Moggster is an appealingly down to earth chap, those plummy public school tones notwithstanding. He strikes you as a bloke very comfortable in his own skin and not at all too taken up with himself. I liked him.
The days have gone – thank God – where the ruling classes kept we plebs in place by filling foreign trenches with our bloodied bodies; today’s youth would turn on any government that tried and that’s as it should be.
But if there’s one last battle to be fought on home soil to preserve this nation for future, hopefully more intelligent generations, it might be all that that we old buggers can do is answer the call.
Carl Washington, 40, allegedly situated himself at an intersection and began to shoot at passing cars Saturday, hitting one driver in the head, CBS News reports.
Munster will play their last game at Thomond Park for at least 2 seasons as the ground undergoes a redevelopment plan to bring the capacity up to 26000. You'd swear it was the end of an era for some people but given the ground was only redeveloped in 1999 for the rugby world cup some people have short memories, rugby must have started in Munster in the year 2000.
Anyway there's a job to be done, victory is paramount but so is eliminating Leicester from the competition and making their defence a little bit easier. Leicester need a bp which should secure them a quarter final spot but I'd be surprised if they get even that this Saturday. I think Munster's record will be safe for the time being.
High winds might dictate a line-out lottery, followed by a mud-wrestling contest. Pity, coz I'm hoping to see ROG notch up the 15-man game thing and send them packing. If it does turn into 10-man stuff, with lots of garryowens, then everyone will be sweating into injury time.
Munster will open with the blitzkrieg, which better yield a try this time. I want to see Frankenstein Corry behind his own posts after five minutes, making a "It's not over yet" speech. But the Leicester backrow might have more go forward. Will Leamy be fit, or is it back to Foley's stability at the scrum and his tap-and-goes?
Munster to win, Leicester for the bonus. Corry's bones to be dug up by the studs of the Shannon pack next week at Thomond.
Leicester have recalled Julien White for tomorow's game in Limerick. White has got the nod ahead of Ayerza in the front row, good news for Munster as White offers absolutely nothing, all this talk about his scrummaging for the Lions tour and he was pants, plus he offers nothing in the loose. Will be a tough day for Hayes though going up against Castrogiovanni.
Munster are "as you were" from the last game - the word is, "looks weak". Interesting. Hope Leamy has more influence, more control at the base of the scrum. I'd definitely have put Mafi out wider, maybe brought in Cullen (coz he's brilliant - not a Munster instinct). I look forward to B Murphy slicing the Leicester midfield, and fear Munster getting sliced out wide by G Murphy and the hulks from the Pacific.
Inside, it's a forwards' convention, and nothing to do with the rest of us. We'll just have to put up with it. But Flannery's running could make a difference late on.
Halstead is a huge loss, really holds the Munster backline together, people were thinking that it was Murphy last season who brought the class to the Munster backline but they didn't miss Murphy against Perpignan, Leinster or Biarritz, they did look a bit lost without him last Sunday.
I'd still have Munster for the win though cause they're stronger at half back and less likely to concede penalties at the breakdown and with Jutge reffing Munster should be in for some favourable calls.
Disagree on Halstead - his loss (for the rest of the season - RIP) changes the flow. Munster will be baptised into the next level of rugby with joyous tears: "Wash me in the river ...!" But we could also be going to Hell in a tiger-skin this time tomorrow - taking Corry with us.
I can see it now Skinny and Kelly stepping up and proving themselves to be the munster class wingers they really are. :lol:
Ospreys fans won't be breathing easily after an interesting first half at Thomond Park, Munster all over the place at the set piece, not offering anything out wide yet Leicester for all their dominance only have a 2 point lead, still should be enough for them given the strength of the wind.
Huge credit to Leicester, who would now be favourites for the HEC having got the home draw against Paris.
Munster's Thomond record is gone and more than likely they now have a trip to Llanelli to look forward to in the quarter final.
The Leicester win means that Wasps will now take on Leinster while Northampton now have a trip to Biarritz, all this is on the proviso that Biarritz win tomorrow.
Tonight though has shown what a huge loss Halstead is to Munster, their performance was similar to the game against Biarritz at San Sebastien 2 years ago in the quarter final, plenty of effort but **** all to show for it.
You were right about Castro-Hayes, but White was strong too - he's such an arrogant wind up merchant. That was humbling for the Munster pack. Leicester's only weakish spot was the line out, but even that was as good as ours.
Halstead would have suited that game, but Munster won't win the HEC with limited attack. Problem is, the expanded attack is even more limited than before. Maybe keep Horan on the wing - he popped a beautiful pass for O'Leary, who then put in the strangest cross kick that almost led to a try.
Positive things are that it could have been drawn, no 6N injuries, Murphy played well at 15, and Humphreys could be ROG's back up.
Didn't connect! And White should be cited for being an arrogant prick - I've seen him do it a few times, getting a reaction that draws a penalty and then laughing in the face of his idiot opponent. It's good when you're doing that kind of thing, but pretty bitter being done unto.
Doesn't matter. Everyone knows what a dirty bunch of ******** Leicesters pack are, Horans just a dumb prick for rising to the bait.
Julien White may have many times shown he is a one trick pony. The problem is that in horrible conditions it's a trick that can win matches. Both tries came off scrums and Munster failed to get decent ball several times.
And now the glamour model turned business mogul is heading back to our screens with the latest series of fly-on-the-wall series, My Crazy Life. Here are all the details on one of Britain’s best-known celebrities.
Of the news the series had been recommissioned, Katie said: “There’s always drama in the Pricey household and I think this year might well be the craziest yet so I had to do another series of ‘My Crazy Life’ with Quest Red!
“Taking on Parliament, helping my Mum, keeping the kids in check, and of course figuring out what is going on with Kieran – nothing is off limits and it will all be in the new show.”
The programme will show Katie and her former husband Kieran Hayler juggling family life with a demanding yet glamorous schedule.
It tracks their progress as they deal with the fallout of what has been going on with Kieran as well as trying to look after her children, including Harvey.
Her eldest child, Harvey, was born in 2002 after a relationship with footballer Dwight Yorke – who denied paternity until Katie proved it with a DNA test.
Harvey is registered blind and suffers from a condition known as septo-optic dysplasia, meaning that the development of his optic nerve was unpredictable.
She has also discovered that he is on the autistic spectrum, gains weight easily due to suffering from Prader–Willi syndrome, and finds walking difficult.
Katie is no stranger to having cameras in her home after she first gave fans a peek into her life in Jordan: The Truth About Me in 2002.
The Channel 4 documentary was then followed by Jordan: The Model Mum and Jordan: You Don’t Even Know Me in 2004, before moving to Jordan Gets Even on Five in the same year.
She appeared in another documentary, Jordan: Living With a Dream, before she launched the Katie & Peter franchise on ITV2.
When the pair separated in 2009, Katie continued solo with What Katie Did Next continued on ITV2 until 2011.
Her last documentary series (other than the first series of My Crazy Life) was titled Katie and aired on Sky Living from 2011 -2012. |
Tutti Frutti Productions begins its adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s story of a baby bird hatched into the wrong nest using puppetry, then switching into live action as the tale takes off.
It’s a good call on Tutti Frutti artistic director Wendy Harris’ part, enabling the company to set the scene for a young audience before adopting a less literal dressing-up box aesthetic that makes for a very stylish piece of children’s theatre.
Catherine Chapman’s inventive design uses sunglasses to suggest beaks, woolly jumpers as feathers, and paper flags to stand in for snow, leaving plenty of room for Mike Redley’s lighting and Tayo Akinbode’s score to help conjure up the urban park where our story takes place.
Danny Childs does an excellent line in gangly awkwardness as the Ugly Duckling, wide-eyed in his dealings with Daniel Naddafy’s Fluffy, the mean older brother who nudges him from the nest.
Also playing some of the characters that Ugly encounters in the wilds of the park gives Naddafy a chance to have fun with different accents and physicalities. Maeve Leahy, meanwhile, keeps the show grounded with her tender portrayal of the mother duck, and reveals a fine singing voice too – it’s a shame that after her sweet song there’s little live music to be heard, replaced by recorded music that jars in both its tone and volume.
Emma Reeves’s script steers clear of excessive tweeness. The message of ‘it’s what you do that matters, not what you look like’ is hardly revelatory but, buffered by a lot of genuinely funny physical comedy and a surprisingly moving piece of dance (props to movement director Holly Irving), Tutti Frutti more than gets away with it.
The North-South Institute announced earlier this month that it is closing following funding cuts by the federal government. This news couldn’t come at a worse time. As a non-partisan research organization, the North-South Institute’s contribution to international development issues through a specifically Canadian lens was immeasurable.
The institute’s work kept a close eye on Canada’s role in global affairs and our relationships with the developing world. It was known for its cutting-edge and practical approach, preparing research that mattered to governments, donors and non-profits alike in the international community.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government has significantly reduced support to non-profit organizations and think tank research since 2006. (Sean Kilpatrick / THE CANADIAN PRESS)
Their signature annual Canadian Development Reports put into context significant issues at the top of the global agenda and Canada’s role within it. No one else, including academics, has focused their attention on Canada’s role in international development in such a sustained way.
Canadians concerned about our country’s reputation and standing in the world should be deeply concerned about the North-South Institute closure. It will cause major damage to the quality and diversity of public debate in Canada on questions of international development, and is part of a larger trend toward breaking the already fragile links between science, social science and policy during the Harper years. This government has reduced its support to non-profit organizations and think tank research since 2006.
It’s strange that the institute’s recent publications closely parallel the government’s international development agenda: energy and natural resources, the private sector’s role in development, maternal health and open data for transparency in the foreign aid. Yet, the institute’s chair has indicated that their request for funding was rejected because its work no longer aligned with government priorities.
This contradiction speaks to the incoherence of the government’s decision-making on aid funding since 2006. If aligning with the government priorities means agreeing with its politics, this raises questions about how the North-South Institute funding cut might be linked to broader concerns about the current government’s approach to funding research in Canada.
Funding for think tanks and charities is becoming a major political issue in both Canada and the United States. Conservative pundits and think tank researchers continue to accuse environmentalist think tanks of accepting foreign funds. And yet the conservative Fraser Institute accepts far more foreign funding than any environmentalist, left or liberal-left think tanks. According to their returns filed with the Canada Revenue Agency, The Fraser Institute accepted more than $3.5 million in foreign funding in 2009 and 2010, making up 14 per cent of its total revenue in those two years.
Reductions in government funding impact centre-left and centre-right think tanks the most. Canada’s most conservative think tanks are unaffected by these ongoing reductions in federal funds because they are supported almost exclusively by donations from foundations and industry. The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives — one of Canada’s few left-wing think tanks — is also unaffected because it is funded by donations and member fees. But the Canada Revenue Agency has announced that it will be auditing the centre for political bias.
Is the CCPA more politically engaged or biased than the Fraser Institute? There is a clear imbalance here.
It’s hard not to see these developments as part of a broader agenda by the Harper government to weaken the links between science, social science and policy. At the top of the list is the assault on environmental science. This is the same government that eliminated the long-form census, and has dramatically reduced its own research capacity. Harper has made multiple public comments about the need to avoid looking for systemic causes of terrorism, and of the growing numbers of missing and murdered Aboriginal women in Canada. Yet this is precisely what we need. We need to improve the links between science, social science and policy, not weaken them.
Why does this matter? Eliminating or reducing support for government-funded think tanks means narrowing the Canadian policy research community around a smaller and more politically homogeneous set of issues and organizations. It means less room for policy-relevant science and social science, or for ideas that challenge the current government’s policies.
Canada needs research organizations that can look at issues as complex as the deepening crisis in the Middle East, militants in Nigeria, the Ebola crisis and Argentina’s debt not simply through the lens of the government in power.
When a world-class organization like the North-South Institute has its funding cut, Canadians can only ask: Who is next? This closure should add to our concern about further damage to the already tenuous links between science, social science, and policy in Canada.
John McLevey is an assistant professor in Knowledge Integration, and Sociology and Legal Studies at the University of Waterloo. Liam Swiss is an assistant professor of sociology at Memorial University.
Roman Polak didn’t want his teammates to visit. The big scowling Czech defenceman was lying in a hospital bed, drifting in the fog delivered by his post-surgery painkillers. He is pretty sure he didn’t have a TV, but he had a laptop ... yes, he definitely had a laptop. When asked about those five or six days, he can’t remember much of what he did.
It's been a long, slow, painful recovery for Leaf blueliner Roman Polak. (Graig Abel / Getty Images)
“They had a tough schedule, and I didn’t want them to see me, there,” says Polak now, five months after 13 screws were installed to repair the broken leg he suffered in Game 2 of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ first-round series against Washington. “I’d rather stay by myself. I don’t know. I didn’t feel good after the surgery, and it was painful, and I didn’t want anybody to see me as I’m laying there in the bed, you know, struggling. I don’t like that.”
He almost stumbles, the big tough guy, before a grin pushes his heavy, permanently five o’clock-shadowed cheeks to the side.
Polak is in camp for the Leafs, and you can tell. In one drill at a morning skate before Tuesday’s pre-season loss to Ottawa he pokes at centre Dominic Moore, and knocks down Patrick Marleau. He is also part of what might be the last generation of true smash ’n’ bash defencemen. After he cross-checked Connor McDavid during a World Cup warm-up and Auston Matthews retaliated by cross-checking Polak, Polak’s assessment of the Matthews hit was, “good technique.”
“He likes to hit people,” says Matthews. “That’s what that definitely told me. He actually hit me pretty good earlier that game.”
And while it’s hard to be a basher in a league that gets faster every second, Polak was one of coach Mike Babcock’s security blankets last season. But the injury — that half-twirl into the air, the landing — was gruesome, and it’s a long road back. Goaltender Frederik Andersen was right next to former Leaf Stephane Robidas when he suffered one of his broken legs, and thought right away this was the same thing.
The night of the injury Polak was devastated: As teammate Nazem Kadri puts it, “he wasn’t in good shape.” Beyond his emotions, it was the most pain Polak had ever experienced, and that included the time a puck tore through his cheek and he returned to the bench with stitches. As the Leafs landed back in Toronto he felt the cabin pressure squeeze his leg: surgery provided some relief. And that was the start.
“After three weeks here I went home, and I felt just useless,” says Polak. “Because you are on the crutches and playing with the kids or something, and I just can’t do anything. So you’re there but you’re not there, because you just can’t help. So basically for my wife I was basically like the third kid.”
His 5-year-old daughter Isabella would dote on him, bringing him cookies, candy, and drinks; his 2-year-old son Markus delighted in swinging the crutches around. “He was smacking everything,” says Polak, with a note of fatherly pride. (He has both their names tattooed in script on his right arm, and once wore matching Halloween costumes with Isabella.) He spent three months on crutches. When the cast came off, he found he was a one-legged man.
Roman Polak lies on the ice after being injured during the second period of Game 2 against the Washington Capitals (Molly Riley/The Associated Press)
The rehabilitation clinic is outside his hometown of Ostrava, and it specialized in car crash victims — as Polak puts it, “they teach people to walk again, so they were prepared.” He started by walking in the pool. But, uh, Roman ... how did you get there?
“Yeah, I shouldn’t have been driving,” he says, abashed. “But I had a left foot on the brake and the right foot on the gas, and I had to lift the whole foot, and it was actually a good workout, just lifting it. Raising it up and down.”
He says he feels like himself, but that his leg still hurts. Does he feel it in games? Is it like his left ankle, which required two screws after one high ankle sprain and he can still feel when he climbs stairs?
“It just hurts,” says Polak. All the time. He spent nearly an hour doing post-skate icing and rehab. Must hurt a lot, huh? He shrugs.
But the 31-year-old is being given a chance, and his teammates are happy to see him. Andersen says “Especially with the younger guys, he can let them know once in a while how things are done. Not in a …. what do you call that? … not in an asshole kind of way, excuse my language. But it’s just how it is, we should do it this way, and it’s something me and the younger guys can learn from.”
The Supreme Court has paved the way for prosecution of S Natarajan, now a director in the Sriram Group, in the 2004 high-profile ponzi scam involving Chennai-based PNL Nidhi Limited which allegedly collected Rs 68.50 crore from over 13,000 investors and defaulted in repayment. The apex court set aside a Madras High Court order quashing …
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday conducted raids at five places across the country against Chandigarh-based Uni Pay Group for its involvement in a Rs 600 crore ponzi scam, an official said. A probe is underway against the Uni Pay Group under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED had filed an FIR …
The CBI has taken over investigation of the Rs.500 crore online ponzi scam allegedly by Ghaziabad-based Webwork Trade Links. Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who endorsed its portal are also named in the complaint. Promoters of Webwork Trade Links, Anurag Jain and Sandesh Verma, duped people using the two actors as …
the first phone i had (never actually bought one, i always get my dads old ones even now) was i think this
was those NEC 3g phones with the camera and all you could get on Three Network for about 20 pounds , year 2004/5 i think it was
i never bought a phone, always got people to pay for them, but 1st ever phone i used was this ericsson back in 1999, dropped it 2 floors at a mall and still worked after.
thats one of the pretiest phones ever, i still think so, that was my 3rd phone, it had beautiful curves
I think I shared a nokia 5110 with my brother...but soon upgraded to a 3210 for a better version of snake! :P
If Gore got in or sombody similar I then may one day visit, if they reduce their pollution levels and stuff. I also find the american accent a little hard to understand but it depends how strong it is.
yeah but arent you half deaf or summit ?? i can understand it perfectly, however my parents cant, and it embarassing going into shops and stuff i have to translate.
i dunno, im not a local - but go to the centre and wait about 5 minutes, someone will come over to you.
I would have prefered Gore but you can't like or dislike a country just because the head of state is a ********. Do you think a lot of people come to the UK because of the way the Queen looks?
Some American accents are awful... The first thing I was asked in the plane was "US cern" and I asked the hostess to repeat. She was saying "US citizen?" in an awful southern accent, probably from Virginia...
I don't think he'll last...but you never know. Sadly it would have been so great to have Howard Dean as US President.
There are so many different accents in the US... a thick Midwest accent is not easy to understand at all. Just like some foreigners might go to London and understand every word they hear and then go to Aberdeen and feel completely lost...
little? plz speak to me when you finish your mickey mouse subs and start doing something proper kthx
It'll be hard to get with an American chick then. Too many tourists means too much competition...but you never know. Maybe you can get with a 200 pound chick called Brandy.
They believe a "property MOT" could bring together and simplify existing regulation and help drive up standards in rented homes.
Around 1.85million tenant households have had disrepair in the past four years that their landlord was responsible for and that wasn't fixed within the agreed timescales, according to Citizens Advice research.
Julie Rugg, co-author of the report and senior research fellow at the University of York's centre for housing policy, commented: "A property MOT would give people confidence before they sign a tenancy that the property is fit for purpose, and that standards won't lapse in the future.
Polly Neate, chief executive of housing charity Shelter, added: "There are clear steps the Government can take to improve private renting: longer tenancies, more protections for renters to tackle bad conditions, and helping councils crack down on rogue landlords."
Commenting on today's report, a Government spokeswoman said: "Landlords should be in no doubt that they have a responsibility to provide decent homes or face the consequences."
She added that the Government tracks "the small minority of landlords that are renting out unsafe and substandard accommodation" on a national database and has introduced banning orders for the most serious offences.
ACCORDING to former royal butler, Paul Burrell, Princess Diana didn't think Charles was cut out for "the top job". He also added that the Queen is likely to live a long life and the Prince of Wales could be "too old" to take over when his mother passes away.
Former butler Paul Burrell to reveal MORE of Di's secrets on TV - including how he aided her bulimia
Dancing On Ice full line-up revealed as Katie Price, Candice Brown and Saira Khan take to the ice for ITV show
Meet the Irish chef whose 'mug meals' have made her an international YouTube sensation with over 120 million views - after quitting Michelin-star job
Meet the Irish chef whose ‘mug meals’ have made her an international YouTube sensation with over 120 million views – after quitting Michelin-star job
Wexford woman Gemma Stafford packed in her high dining role and took her culinary skills online with the help of husband Kevin
MEET the Irish chef whose ‘mug meals’ have made her an international YouTube sensation – with over 120 million views on the video-sharing site.
Gemma Stafford, from Drinagh, Co Wexford, moved to the US over 10 years ago where she began working in a Michelin-starred restaurant in San Francisco.
However, the 34-year-old told how the poor pay and long hours forced her to quit the high dining business for catering, before she eventually decided to get into making cooking videos for an online audience.
With the help of her husband Kevin – who previously worked in the entertainment industry – she began Bigger Bolder Baking.
The kitchen whizz now has over two million fans across her social platforms and more than 1.4 million subscribers to her YouTube channel alone.
Explaining how it all began, she said: “My husband Kevin worked in the entertainment industry for LucasFilms and with Disney and Pixar but was more on the marketing end.
“So we joined forces to create something that combined baking and entertainment and Bigger Bolder Baking was born.
“We looked online before we started to see if there was a space there and we saw that there’s a lot of people with no cooking background who were starting food channels.
“I’m a professional chef who trained in Ballymaloe and I’ve worked in Australia, Tuscany and America.
“So I stood out in that I was a professional and I began making videos for people like me who love to bake.
“It was slow to grow at the start. We had 10k subscribers in the first five months which is fast for YouTube but we had quit our jobs and pumped all our money into it. We kept going and thankfully it paid off.”
Gemma got her first taste of massive success when she created a mug cake which amassed more than 1 million views in just one week.
After realising the demand for quick oven-free cooking was there, Gemma created popular recipes for mug pizza, mug burritos, brownies, omelettes, and even mug mac and cheese.
And Gemma told how much of her success in the competitive TV cooking space is down to the fact that she’s Irish.
She said: “I never wanted to be a celebrity chef. I just wanted to take what I’d learnt, share it with people who are as passionate as I am.
“I was so nervous because I’m not theatrical at all and it took a while to get used to being on camera.
“People always contact me to tell me where they’re from and I talk about Ireland quite a bit in my videos.”
With so many youngsters now blogging and working on establishing themselves as YouTubers, Gemma told how the secret to success is to do something you love.
She said: “Pick something you’re truly passionate about – whether that’s makeup, crafts, gardening or whatever.
“Audiences will find you if you’re authentic and love what you do. You should also be consistent and put out videos regularly so your audience knows where to find you.”
Gemma is currently at home in Ireland on a holiday where she’s supporting the Bun in the Oven campaign, which raises funds through coffee mornings and bake sales to benefit the National Maternity Hospital. Email [email protected] for more details.
The holidays are just around the corner. For many people, this is a time of friends, family, and celebrations. But other people will do their best to get through the season struggling with various types of depression, chronic pain, PTSD, ADHD, anxiety, or addiction to tobacco, alcohol, drugs or pornography. For others, allergies, chronic pain or illness will mar the festivities. Fortunately, Mike Simpson and the team at the Theta Wellness Center can help you address the obstacles between you and wholeness in body and mind.
The Theta Wellness Center uses counseling, nutrition, hypnosis, pain management and neuro-linguistic programming to help you reach your wellness goals. The Theta Chamber℠ and Whole Body Light Stimulation℠ are also innovative techniques used to address the root causes of your condition, as opposed to simply managing the symptoms. And it is done without the use of drugs, and in a supportive environment.
Although the Theta Wellness Center currently has a two-month waiting list, we are committed to helping as many people as possible achieve healthier, more balanced and positive lives. Our staff excels at finding ways to accommodate your needs in creative ways, and in ways that are affordable. If you are interested in finding out more about the diverse methods that the Theta Wellness Center can use to address the issues that have been holding you back from enjoying better health, you can call 801-590-7461 today. However, why not come in and get to know us in person? We are excited to meet you and to introduce you to the different techniques that can restore your wellbeing. We offer open houses on Wednesday evenings at 6 and Saturday Mornings at 11. The Theta Wellness Center is located at 8789 Highland Drive, Suite 200 in Sandy. Contact us today and let’s get you started on the road to a healthier and happy life!
As a reminder, this Wednesday, October 26th, is the order deadline marking the end of our Great Deals and Discounts! Order now and save up to 19% off your order. Customers who order by October 26th with their promo code will receive discount pricing, quantity discounts, and free online CPE/CE credit hours.
People love to criticize the media. While some of these gripes are founded, they often mischaracterize what the media actually are. I often hear people say things like, “the media sensationalizes,” “the media focuses on unimportant issues” or “the media is biased.” But what is “the media?” Is “the media” an evil club whose members all conspire to rig elections and focus the country’s attention on irrelevant fodder? No, the media are comprised of millions of different outlets with thousands of different goals.
One thing all of these sources do have in common is that they are profit-driven. Media sources have to keep their lights on, and to do that, they need people to consume what they are producing. To stay in business, online sources need to get clicks, print publications need readers and broadcast stations need viewers. What these media sources produce is ultimately decided by market preferences. Consumers hold a lot of the power when it comes to setting standards for journalism.
Let’s say you disagreed with a certain business practice; we’ll use animal testing as an example. To combat that as a consumer, you would only support companies that do not implement animal testing for their products. This same logic applies to the media – if you think an outlet is biased, don’t subscribe to that publication. If you think a source is focusing on unimportant issues, don’t click its links. If you think a network is sensationalizing issues, don’t tune into its broadcasts.
In fact, many consumers of media are doing much more to encourage the type of journalism they criticize than to combat it. As much as we all say we hate sensationalized news, that is exactly what gets the highest ratings. As much as we say the media doesn’t focus on important issues, sources that report on the Kardashians usually get a lot more clicks than those that cover, say, the conflict in Syria.
Because the media is, by nature, reactive to the people, we as consumers need to examine what we expect from the media and then make a point to back that up with our consumption. Consumers who disagree with animal testing are accomplishing nothing if they continue to purchase those products. Consumers of media have no room to complain about what stories dominate the news if they continue to support those outlets while letting legitimate sources shrivel and die from lack of support.
The Targus CN514AU Laptop Carry Case is specifically designed for 14.1 widescreen laptops. It has a new inner sleeve with security strap which protects your laptop. The re-enforced handles that are wrapped with a soft neoprene with smart faux leather provides an additional comfort. You can also store your mobile phones, pes case on your shoulder. In addition, this laptop carry case of |
Flowering trees are major features in any garden, bringing color and interest at key times of the year, usually spring, although there are many trees that flower in other seasons. These trees, with their colorful blooms, become eagerly awaited highlights of the garden, and they are important features in every successful garden. Making the right choices for your particular garden, allowing for your climate zone, soil, rainfall, light levels, and available space, can be tricky, especially if space is limited.
There is an underused group of flowering trees – the flowering plums – that are ideal for smaller gardens. Not only are they smothered in attractive blooms in spring, they often produce fruit that is simultaneously decorative and useful, fresh or in the kitchen. They are mostly smaller trees or large shrubs, so they fit well into the smaller garden spaces that are increasingly common around our homes. They are cold-hardy, adaptable, grow well even on alkaline soils, and most are much more resistant to pests and diseases than some of their trickier relatives, like the flowering cherries. Overall these trees offer some great choices to gardeners, so let’s take a look at the Flowering Plum Trees.
Peaches, Cherries, Plums and Apricots, as well as Almonds, and Cherry Laurel, are all part of the large group of plants called Stone Fruits (Prunus). There are many beautiful flowering trees in these groups, especially among the cherries, which of course include the spectacular Japanese cherry trees, famously grown in Washington, D.C. Among the stone fruits are of course many varieties grown chiefly for their fruit, although they all are somewhat attractive in spring, with their small white or pale-pink flowers.
If we look across the whole group, and focus especially on the plum trees, we find several that are much more attractive than many of the fruit-bearing stone fruits, with larger, more showy flowers, perhaps in white or bright-pink. Combined with the graceful forms of these trees, and the advantage of easy growth and cold-hardiness, these are plants that make very worthwhile additions to the flower garden. Whether you like the idea of harvesting a crop of fruit or not, these plants are terrific additions to any garden, bringing color and beauty to the spring season, with very little attention needed from you.
Flowering Plums can be used ornamentally in the garden in many different ways. Some can be used as part of a fruit orchard, and grown chiefly for their fruit, treating the flowers as a bonus. For example, the Santa Rosa plum is often grown for its delicious plums, but it could equally be grown for its beautiful pure white flowers, smothering the bare branches in spring.
In the flower garden, these trees, flowering in early to mid-spring, look lovely with other spring flowering shrubs or plants, or they can be grown in a mixed border with other, later-flowering shrubs, to provide that all-important continuity of blooming from one plant to the next, as the seasons pass.
Another use for these trees would be as an avenue connecting one part of the garden to another. Imagine the beauty of a double row of trees along a path or driveway, when they are all in bloom, their clear color shining in the spring sunlight. They could also be grown as an informal hedge or screen, planted in a row and then trimmed a little to keep them neat – too much trimming would discourage flowering.
If you only have a small garden, a very interesting thing to do with trees like these is to spread them out on a sunny wall as an espalier. This method of growing keep the plant close to the flat surface, by tying in branches as they grow, and once the area is covered, trimming after flowering controls the size. This way, you can grow a tree in a space just 6 inches deep, instead of needing several square yards for it.
Remember in early spring, before your trees bloom, to cut a few branches and bring them into the house. Placed in a vase of water, they will quickly burst into bloom, and create a lovely display and a promise of the spring just around the corner.
Plum Trees are easy to grow, and with their range of cold-hardiness, selecting one suitable for your area is simple. They grow well in most soils, and like other stone fruits they are notable for their ability to grow in alkaline soils where other plants will fail. If you live on such soils, then growing plums and cherries is a great way to bring flowers into your garden.
As you would for all trees, prepare the soil well, adding organic material, and do not plant deeply, especially if your soil is often wet. Keep your tree well-watered during its early life with you, but once established these trees are moderately drought-resistant. While some pests and diseases are possible, these plants are much easier to grow than some of the more highly-bred cherry varieties.
Unlike growing peaches and nectarines, no detailed pruning is needed for plum trees, but some pruning in late winter to remove any dead wood, crowded branches, and to shorten back longer shoots, is a good way to keep your trees tidy and blooming well. If you want to grow your Flowering Plums as trees, then remove any shoots than come from lower down, keeping one, two or perhaps three main stems clear of growth to the height you wish.
Over time the attractive brown or grey bark, with its pronounced markings, called lenticels, will make the tree a beautiful garden feature. By allowing more growth from the base, it is also possible to grow a bushier, more rounded plant, closer to the ground, if that is how you want it to grow.
The various Flowering Plum Trees come from all around the world. Some grow wild in Europe or the Middle East, some in China or Japan, and some right here in America. Many are the result of careful breeding and selection, and a number of the very best date back over a hundred years, to a time of great American plant breeders, including the famous Luther Burbank.
There is a lot of confusing, contradictory and even incorrect information around about these trees, so let’s take a look at the most important ones, and discover some fascinating and often neglected flowering trees that will bring beauty to every garden, anywhere in the country.
The Cherry Plum (Prunus cerasifera) is also called the myrobalan plum, and it grows wild from Britain through most of Europe and into Turkey, Iraq and the Middle East. It is one of the very first trees to bloom in spring, flowering as early as the middle of February in milder areas. The blooms are usually white, or pale-pink, and the fruits are small plums, an inch or two in diameter. In Europe, it is often grown as hedges, because with regular clipping it becomes dense and impenetrable, while still flowering.
Special forms have been selected for their value in gardens, usually for the color of their leaves, and a number exist with red or purple foliage, which hold that color from spring through the summer. Because of the red pigment in the leaves, this is passed on into the fruit, so that the flesh has a rich red color, which is carried into jams made from them, creating very beautiful and tasty, rich-red plum jams.
Perhaps the best form is the Newport Flowering Plum, whose leaves begin in spring, fresh and new, colored a light bronzy-purple, but quickly turn purple-red for the summer. The flowers come early, and they are a clear pale pink, lighting up the garden at the very beginning of spring. After a few years of development, trees produce a good crop of small plums, with purple skin and flesh, one to three inches across. These ripen in the early fall, and they can be harvested for the kitchen, making delicious pies and jams of a beautiful deep red color.
The tree itself grows to around 20 feet, a little more or a little less, depending on the soil and climate. The Newport Flowering Plum is a stand-out variety also for its cold-hardiness, growing well through zone 4, where flowering cherries fail. It will even grow in a sheltered spot in zone 3, so this is a top choice for cold regions. It is also remarkable for growing well throughout the south, in hot conditions, so its versatility is well-established.
Use this tree for its powerful color, as an accent or focal point. One placed on a lawn across the garden will attract the eye, both in flower and in leaf, and its strongly colored foliage is always a real hit. This variety was introduced to gardeners in 1923, the result of a breeding program at the University of Minnesota, looking for hardy ornamental and fruiting plum trees suitable for cold parts of the country.
Most knowledgeable gardeners consider the Newport Plum to be the top choice for most situations, but there are other attractive Flowering Plums from this group worth considering. There is a variety derived from the Newport Plum, called the Mt. St. Helens Plum. It performs in a similar way, it is just as hardy, but it has a shorter, thicker trunk, and leafs out very early.
If you garden in a hot, dry region, like southern California for example, then the Krauter Vesuvius Plum is similar, and very suitable for that kind of climate. It grows into a narrow tree, perhaps 20 feet tall, but only 15 feet wide. Another interesting choice, but only hardy to zone 5, is the Thundercloud Plum. Similar in appearance to the Newport Plum, it grows fast, but often does not live longer than 10 or 15 years.
Another old variety is the Pissard Plum. This may well be the original form with purple leaves, but they usually turn greenish before the summer is over. The fruits are very small.
This tree grows wild in China, but it has been cultivated in Japan for centuries, and the relatively large plums of this tree are eaten fresh when fully ripe, used for liqueurs when still green, and preserved, either with sugar or salt. Known to botanists as Prunus salicina, it is a medium-sized tree growing to around 30 feet, with white flowers. In Japan improvements were made to produce larger, sweeter fruit, and twelve of those trees arrived in California in 1885. These ‘blood plums’ were brought over by the famous American plant breeder, Luther Burbank, who at his nursery in Santa Rosa had made it his life’s mission to develop improved fruit for the new California fruit-growing industry.
He named one of his imported trees of the Japanese plum ‘Satsuma’, from that area of Japan, where it had come from, and used it in breeding to develop new varieties. In 1906 he released the Santa Rosa Plum, which was widely adopted by growers, and in the middle of the 20th century accounted for almost half of the commercial production of plums in California. It is still widely grown, and is far and away the best variety for home gardens, having large, delicious fruit with red skin and flesh.
In all, Burbank developed 113 new plums, some derived from the Japanese plum, and other from the European plum (Prunus domestica). Although many of these have today been lost, some are still cultivated, and the Santa Rosa Plum stands as the pinnacle of his great achievements. While in Europe most plums sold in stores are forms of the European plum, many of those sold in America are forms of this Japanese plum, and some American improved varieties have even been sent back to Japan, and are grown there commercially today.
A traditional symbol of spring in China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam, this is another Asian plum that is grown more for its flowers than its fruit, which is small. They are however used for the salted Japanese plums called umeboshi. In both China and Japan many cultivated forms of Prunus mume exist, grown for their flowers and the shape of the tree. Some have white flowers, others pink, and flowers can be single or double. The trees themselves may be upright or weeping, and they are all perfect additions in creating and ‘accurate’ Asian-themed Garden.
Besides existing in Europe and Asian, there are wild plum trees growing in America – 17 different species. Currently there is a lot of interest in them, because the European plum is poorly adapted to the harsher conditions in many areas, such as cold, heat, and drought. If new varieties could be produced from the American species, by selection or by hybridizing them with existing European plum varieties, then new possibilities would open up for fruit production in unused areas of the country.
As well as their potential value as crops, a number of these species are attractive ornamental plants, especially in areas where other flowering plums will not grow well. All these plants are useful and effective in gardens, especially if there is a desire to grow native species, rather than exotic species, in keeping with ecological gardening principles.
The American plum, Prunus americana (which has close relatives, the Canada plum, P.nigra and the chickasaw plum, P. angustifolia) grows wild across all of eastern and central America. It has attractive, long, wand-like shoots, covered in spring with sparkling white flowers, and it has dense foliage and large crops of attractive and edible plums. It is often grown as windbreaks, and many forms were developed in the past. The beach plum, Prunus maritima, which grows along the east coast up into Maine, has also been selected and improved for its purple fruit, which makes excellent jam. It is tolerant of coastal conditions.
The Flatwoods Plum, Prunus umbellata, grows further south, from Virginia, into Florida and Texas. It grows into a 20-foot tree, covered with a cloud of small white flowers, which develop into small purple plums. In the west, we find the Pacific plum, Prunus subcordata, which forms a shrub or tree with white flowers and small, edible fruit. It is suitable for hotter, drier places, and could be grown much more through the western states.
Players need to watch, remember, and repeat the patterns, but they will have to follow along with the sounds and colours, and repeat in the correct order by pressing the pads on Darth Vader's mask
It's the exciting game of Simon with a Star Wars theme! The electronic Simon game unit, designed like Darth Vader's mask, flashes random colour sequences that players must repeat in the correct order by pressing the pads on the game unit.
To succeed at this exciting game, players need to remember the colour pattern and repeat it by pressing the coloured buttons in the correct order. A light will be added to the end of each light sequence that is played successfully, upping the challenge. Complete the longest sequence to hit a new high score!
Jesse Gabrielle scored a hat trick to help the Prince George Cougars get past the visiting Victoria Royals 4-2 Friday night.
The Royals were 0 for 9 on the power play, with 6 chances in the first and out shooting the 6th ranked team in the CHL, 14-8, but came out of the period tied at 1-1.
“That game was to be had in the first 15 minutes, we had ample opportunity on the power play and didn’t execute. We had a 5 on 3 and didn’t score – we could’ve taken control of the game early…”
Prince George then outscored Victoria by a 2-1 margin in the middle frame taking a 3-2 lead to the third, before Gabrielle completed the 3 goal night for the final score of the game.
Twice the Royals came back to tie the game, on goals by Matthew Phillips on a breakaway in the first for his 20th, and Regan Nagy in the middle frame to tie it at 2-2.
“We turned it over in the neutral zone for the third goal (against) and didn’t have enough to get back.”
“I liked that side, I think we split the special teams games,” said Lowry when asked about the penalty killing.
“I really believe that if we would’ve scored early in the first period on one of our power plays, it’s a different game.”
It was the first of back to games, with the Cougars owning a 3-0 season series lead after winning the first two on the Island to open the season in September.
“Some of our guys weren’t as sharp as they need to be at this time of year, but we’ll better tomorrow…if we’re going to win we need everybody playing, we need to able to play 4 lines, and if we don’t do that we can’t win.”
Victoria slips to 4th in the BC Division, 1 back of Kamloops (idle) and Kelowna who earned a point in Spokane after an overtime loss. |
Try to think about this time not as "waiting" but as "preparing". You are getting healthier every day preparing the best possible start for your little one and indeed conception is likely to happen more easily at a lower weight. Certainly you will have a safer pregnancy at a healthier weight. And, you will be establishing healthier eating habits, so that you little one will grow up knowing how to eat healthy. You are so incredibly lucky...your children will never know "fat Mom that can't fit in the roller coaster seat" like mine
While most Disney costumes are pretty overdone, there are still some options out there that no one else will be wearing.
From an "Inside Out" mood to Gus Gus from "Cinderella," here are some out-of-the-box Disney costume ideas.
The assumption that Disney movies are just for kids has been debunked. Adults are hitting theaters and streaming the animated films with the same excitement as little ones (I've seen "Moana" no fewer than four times, only once with my age-appropriate niece). We're also choosing to dress like them on Halloween, even though Disney doesn't pay anyone to do so. We already know that the possibilities are endless.
But let's be honest, a lot of the Disney costumes are pretty overdone. We already know Tinker Bell is the go-to for excess highlighter and a dash of "sexy." Cinderella and Snow White work for over-the-top elegance. But it's time to try something different. And because Disney still hasn't stopped fueling our imaginations with new releases every year, there are more than enough options to start with.
Hold on, other Disney movies, Imma let you finish… but "Inside Out" is one of my favorite Disney movies of all time. This film, about the five emotions inside of a pre-teen girl's brain, created an ingenious way of explaining complex feelings to young people… and me… a nearly 30-year-old. But that's not important. What is important is that Fear, Joy, Sadness, Anger, and my favorite, Disgust, are all color-coded and easy to replicate costumes. Pick one and go for it!
With "Moana" already a popular alternative to the sensation that was "Frozen," this might be the last year that you can go as Disney's newest princess without venturing into "too tried" territory. Spice up the costume by making it a team effort.
If you know any artists who can get down with some body paint, have them recreate Maui's tattoos and put on his leaf skirt. And don't forget your hook.
My favorite thing about "Zootopia" is that it's just as entertaining for adults as it is for kids. The scene with Flash — a sloth who moves, you guessed it, at a sloth's pace — in the Department of Motor Vehicles was so funny because it's true. The service in the DMV is always slow.
Put this costume on with a green button-up and tie. Add some aviator shades for Flash's happy hour vibe and get ready to annoy the shit out of your friends in slow motion.
You've been a ray of light all year. You've kept things positive and done all you've could to uplift those around you. You deserve a break. It's time to be a hater for the night.
Now that we no longer have to imagine what human versions of our favorite "Beauty & the Beast" characters will look like, we have more to work with for our Halloween costumes.
There are already quite a few human candlestick costumes to choose from for the Lumière half of this duo. But a thrifted wedding dress with some added plumage around the wrists would definitely work for Plumette.
Cultural appropriation is wack, even if it just dressing up as a romanticized, fictional version of a Native American woman. So, let's leave the "Pocahontas" costumes at home this year. If you also don't want to go as the oppressor in the movie, Governor Ratcliffe, you can go as his sassy pug Percy instead.
Try on this gray puppy ears and nose set. A blue choker will complete the look. Act really pompous and feed yourself cherries all night. No one will mistake who you are.
I try to avoid rodents at all costs, and it's difficult for me to find them "cute," even in the world of Disney — I'm side-eyeing you, "Ratatouille." But not even I can deny the lovability of Cinderella's most loyal homie, Gus Gus. This feisty little guy has the heart of a lion and a pre-2016 Gucci Mane belly to match. Here's how you can pull off his simple look:
Get yourself a red nose and paint on some whiskers. Bonus points if you can score some rat teeth. Find a yellow crop top, a green beanie, and some red slippers or Toms for your comfy costume. I'll let you sort out your options for Gus Gus being pantless.
Remember what I said about cultural appropriation being wack? That's still true, so I won't be giving any of you advice on dressing like Mulan. However, you can go as her trusted sidekick, Mushu. Unfortunately, most of the Mushu costumes are bulky and ugly. So I would recommend going the body paint route here as well.
Unlock the cash under your roof: How pensioners can boost their income and get a lift from rising house prices
Safe as houses: Many insurers offer loans that let homeowners make monthly repayments - and reduce interest debts
Elderly homeowners who have taken cash out of their property are increasingly repaying interest on their loans to boost the inheritance of their loved ones.
For years, equity release has offered a way for older people strapped for cash to tap into the value of their home.
The schemes work a bit like an ordinary mortgage, but instead of getting money to buy a house, a lender gives you cash based on the value of your home.
Traditionally, borrowers have not needed to make repayments on this loan; the debt is repaid only on death or if the house is sold because the owner goes into care.
But the high costs — a £50,000 debt can rise to £110,000 in just over ten years — have put off many, especially those wanting to leave an inheritance.
Now, many insurers offer loans that let homeowners make monthly repayments — and reduce interest debts. And experts say some offspring are even making payments or part-payments on their parents’ behalf.
This is because the cash released to them by their parents is seen as an early inheritance — so they’re happy to help with interest payments.
A spokesman for industry body the Equity Release Council says: ‘Understandably, any homeowner taking on a debt will look for a way to manage the cost — and paying interest as you go is a very effective way to do it.’
Two million homeowners over 55 plan to downsize as they look to fund retirement and help their children
They are also popular with homeowners with interest-only mortgages who reach the end of the term but cannot repay the original sum borrowed.
So they take an interest payment plan to cover this debt, and pay back the interest. These plans have flexibility, offering the choice to repay some or all of the interest.
If a 60-year-old couple released £50,000 with a lifetime mortgage — a type of equity release — and did not pay any interest, after 24 years the final mortgage debt would be £207,690. But spend £50 a month on interest payments and you can knock £17,146 off the final debt, while £100 a month can reduce the bill by £34,291.
If the home were to sell for £225,000 at their death, instead of leaving heirs just £17,310, there would be £34,456 or £51,601 respectively.
Last month, insurer Aviva became the latest to revamp an equity release lifetime mortgage loan. It now allows voluntary repayments once people have held the mortgage for 12 months. They can repay up to 10 per cent of the initial sum borrowed in four instalments each year, of at least £500 each.
Figures from specialist adviser Key Retirement Solutions reveal £340 million was unlocked from homes between January and March this year, through 5,010 loans.
There are three types of equity release plan: a lifetime mortgage, a draw-down lifetime mortgage and a home reversion plan.
The lifetime mortgage gives you a tax-free lump sum, with interest that builds up at a fixed rate — typically 6 per cent. This is repaid through the sale of the property when the owner (or both residents, if a couple) dies or goes into care.
But as interest accrues from the minute you take out the loan, it often doubles every ten to 11 years.
A draw-down mortgage allows you to release cash when you need it. As interest is payable only on the cash you have taken, these plans are often more cost effective.
Lastly, a home reversion plan is where you sell all or part of your home in exchange for money to fund your retirement. You can stay in your home rent-free for the rest of your life, but you’re selling it at far less than its actual worth.
Unlike lifetime mortgages, home reversion plans are not a loan, so there is no interest to pay back. Instead, the equity release firm benefits from their share of a home when it is sold after death.
The Mail and Key Retirement Solutions have produced a guide to equity release: Unlocking The Cash From Your Home. To order a copy, call 0800 915 3131. Or you can order one here.
A UN expert called on Cambodia Thursday to ease harsh bail conditions confining a senior opposition leader to the proximity of his home and to expedite judicial proceedings or drop charges against him.
Kem Sokha, head of the now-defunct Cambodia National Rescue Party, was arrested in September 2017 on charges of treason just two months before his party was dissolved by the Supreme Court.
The ruling paved an easy path to election victory for long-ruling premier Hun Sen and his Cambodian People's Party, which swept all 125 seats in parliament during the July ballot, effectively creating a one-party state.
Sokha was released on bail a few months after the vote under conditions that he be confined to a block radius of his residence. He is also prohibited from meeting with foreigners and taking part in political activities.
The bail conditions have been decried by rights groups and UN Special Rapporteur for Cambodia Rhona Smith said in a press conference Thursday that she had once again been denied access to the opposition leader on her sixth visit to the country.
"I remain concerned that Kem Sokha is detained under judicial supervision with his rights and freedoms curtailed more than 14 months after his arrest," she said.
"I also call for the release of Kem Sokha from restricted detention and for the swift conclusion of the investigation."
Smith added that the investigation and trial against Sokha should be concluded within "a reasonable time" or the charges should be dropped.
Sokha's release on bail came amid several Hun Sen-requested pardons of activists and former opposition lawmakers who were arrested in the lead-up to the vote as part of a wide-ranging crackdown on dissent.
Analysts say the strongman is easing up on perceived foes as warnings mount from the European Union that it could suspend preferential trade benefits that are the lifeblood of Cambodia's massive garment industry.
The EU said early October that it had started a review of the scheme, but it could be at least a year before any lasting decisions are made.
Smith said that if Cambodia took "swift, genuine and substantial efforts" to address human rights concerns, then the EU would not have to act on its threats.
"We consider her as a partner in strengthening human rights but she has no right to interfere in the legal work of Cambodia," he said.
Hun Sen has ruled Cambodia with an iron fist for more than 33 years and has proved adroit at using laws and the courts to push back against political foes.
But observers say he is vulnerable on the EU scheme as he has tried to court the garment sector, showering cash and gifts on workers during high-profile visits to factories. |
It’s all too easy to let our fitness and health routine slide. But the reality is if we don’t put ourselves first, we could be heading for a trainwreck. Thankfully, wellness retreats are having a moment – especially on the island of Bali where there are so many inspiring options. So whether you’re craving a wellness weekender, a rustic getaway, a luxury yoga retreat, or a serious cleanse to get you back on track, here’s our tried and tested recommendations for 2017.
When luxury calls, Como Shambhala Estate is Bali’s most esteemed wellness destination. Simply put; facilities, programs, and treatments are first class. Check into a Retreat Villa and hand your being over to their team of TCM, Ayurveda and yoga experts – you’re in good hands!
Fivelements is a wellness sanctuary with elegant riverside villa, sustainable facilities, and 100% plant-based cuisine. Explore healing and detox retreats and experience spiritual treatments bestowed by Balinese healers including fire ceremonies and water blessings.
When you seek a retreat that feels nourishing and grounding then a Panchakarma detox at Oneworld Ayurveda is for you. Offering gorgeous accommodation and wellness facilities, your program consists of daily consultations with the Ayurvedic doctors, twice-daily nurturing treatments and meals tailored to your dosha. A Panchakarma is a life-changing experience for many!
Why not add on a healing retreat with your luxury pool villa when staying at the Four Seasons Sayan. It’s five-star service all the way, their treatments are some of the finest on the island – sublime! Book in for a sacred nap while you’re there, trust us.
Down-to earth Desa Seni is where you stay in traditional houses set around organic gardens, a salt water pool and yoga shalas. Stretch your limbs, juice cleanse and chant with like-minded souls from all around the world.
Oneworld Retreats is an affordable destination that appeals to those who seek quality yoga, ricefield walks and temple visits. There’s an optional silent day with a highpoint, their Chakra Dhara – one of the best treatments In Bali.
Explore programs including ‘Sleep’, ‘Silence’, and ‘Quit Smoking’ at the newly launched Svarga Loka Resort. This retreat houses a detox clinic and riverside spa with unique experiences including kundalini yoga and full moon meditations.
Peppers Seminyak is a boutique resort that works when you want to be nearby the beach and Seminyak’s glitz and glamour. Your juice detox programs can be enhanced by resident consultants, and fitness experts and medi-spa services.
Set on a black sand beach in Sanur, Hotel Komune appeals to those who like to mix up their yoga with surf, spa – with a sunset beer! Their healthy cuisine and spa are nicely affordable and why not bring the entire family – the kids club is epic.
You can also bliss out in Bali with these celebrity-led retreats which regularly pop up on the retreat schedule. Popular are Amanda’s yoga and nutrition retreats. Australia’s best selling yoga author, Jessie Chapman of hosts a yoga and spa retreat and Sunset Pilates is about to launch a series of Pilates retreats – we can hardly wait!
THE SHALA BALI is a retreat destination that also offers the opportunity to become a yoga teacher. Sleep in beautifully appointed villas with organic gardens, an infinity pool and Ayurvedic spa.
I am a 42 year old female. I am married to the man I have been with since I was 17 yrs old. I am always looking for advice and answers to common and not so common questions. I have a few health problems that like to flare up and interfere with life so at times I am not as able to things that I would like to do. I am eager to meet like minded people.
There are plenty of reasons why you'd go out of your way to grab a pint of Ben & Jerry's. Maybe it's to satisfy a days-long craving for Phish Food, or to sop up the sadness of a bad breakup. Or, perhaps, you're just curious what cookies baked from chunks of its cookie dough would taste like.
Though, if it's because you want to throw your support behind a good cause, that's a solid reason now too, thanks to the flavor-crazy ice cream brand's new offering. The new, limited edition flavor was created in an effort to protest against what the company describes as the Trump Administration's "regressive agenda."
The new flavor, dubbed Pecan Resist, is the latest limited-batch run from the famously progressive company, and is inspired by a new campaign its kicking off to help push back against injustice and champion activists who're fighting to resist the current administration's agenda. Specifically, the new pint's packaging features a design that outlines the mission to "honor & stand with women, immigrants, people of color, & the millions of activists and allies who are courageously resisting the President’s attack on our values, humanity & environment." In addition, Ben & Jerry's is pledging $25,000 each to four different organizations committed to such activism, and encouraging fans to sign up and learn more about them.
As for what the dairy treat tastes like, it's a blend of chocolate ice cream with white and dark fudge chunks, pecans, walnuts, and fudge-covered almonds. If that sounds familiar, it's because in a previous incarnation, it was known as New York Super Fudge Chunk.
“We couldn’t be prouder or more excited to support these four organizations that are doing incredible work every day,” said Ben & Jerry’s new CEO Matthew McCarthy in a statement. “Our goal is to use our company’s voice, our ice cream, and our activism to encourage all Americans to support and help build these movements which counter the current regressive agenda. We think it’s more important now than ever that citizens and businesses alike stand up and be counted.”
To get your hands on some, pints are available via the company's online store and will soon be coming to the brand's participating scoop shops. Otherwise, its set up a special web page where you can learn more about the initiative.
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By using our website, you consent to the collection and use of the informomantic and sinuous, the flamingo becomes part of the THUN world bringing with it a sweet note of color and joy. A small corner of tropical paradise to give and collect. |
One of the greatest cities in the world Sevenoakvenoaks, Kent, and the surrounding areas! Buy Cheap Tickets for events in Sevenoaks from |
Nearly a year after his Soho Theatre run, Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Tim Key brings his adventurous, bizarrely beautiful bath-obsessed show back to London for a West End run. Like the award-winning 'Slutcracker', this follow-up features collections of pithy poems and short stories and some gorgeously shot short films. But 'Masterslut' is a more ambitious, inventive hour than his previous offerings - it's subtle, shambolic, occasionally moving and gloriously funny.
The open-air Eyeskate rink is situated in Jubilee Gardens, in the shadow of the London Eye. You don't need to book a flight on the Eye in order to skate but various packages are on offer for those who wish to do so. Sessions last 45 minutes. Under-8s must be accompanied on the ice by an adult.
First time I have used this rink. Much preferred it to the Hyde Park Winter Wonderland rink. Yes it is much small but far better for families. Less crowded, slower speeds and much better trained staff. The check-in/skate hire area is a bit small but the staff are fast and efficient but courteous and a serve with a smile. On the ice there are push along toys for young children and also double bladed skates. The stewards at the Eye are alert and are on the scene to help immediately they see anyone in difficulty but they are not obtrusive. A complete contrast to the Hyde Park stewards who are more concerned with showing off their skating skills (one of them actually knocked me over), flirting and with enforcing petty discipline ie stopping people taking photos while ignoring real safety issues such as overcrowding and objects on the ice. The Eye stewards were alert to all these things, they even noticed one man's skate was damaged and sorted a better pair for him. They will also help take photos ( the official photographer still did a roaring trade) and also inspected the ice between sessions far more thoroughly than their Hyde Park counterparts and made an effort to clean it. Oh yes and to crown it all Eyeskate is cheaper and came with a free entry to the 4D experience which was short but fun.
CMJ. White House Band might be the first unembarassing rap-rock group in years. Its secret? Turns out you've got to borrow from the good rock bands and not the crappy ones. Opening are fellow locals Ninjasonik, whose relentless enthusiasm for all things party probably offers a different, decidely more illegal interpretation of the term White House. |
Universities are very much at the forefront of efforts to extract the most value from artificial intelligence, writes Dame Wendy Hall
Artificial intelligence has been around as a concept for a long time but, in reality, the latest surge of technological development in AI is likely to see automation continue to escalate and accelerate.
The machines we are building today are so much more powerful than ever before in terms of their processing power and storage ability, and because of the huge amounts of data available, we have vastly improved our capacity to build intelligent systems that can learn and begin to “think” for themselves, although it’s still an open question as to whether they will ever really be able to outperform the human brain. As a result, we are seeing a huge surge in automation in every walk of life and so the government’s review of AI in the UK, which has just been published, is going to be even more crucial if we are to realise its full potential and achieve the positive benefits that it can deliver.
I am very honoured to have co-chaired this review, alongside Jérôme Pesenti, chief executive of BenevolentTech, at a time when AI is set to make major changes to the way that we live and work. I am particularly keen to ensure that we use it to inform the establishment of initiatives and programmes to help us extract the most value from AI for the UK, with universities very much at the forefront of those developments; that includes an emphasis on increasing and improving our skill levels to prepare the workforce for the number of jobs that the industry will need for the future.
It’s also about putting the UK on a firm platform when it comes to data capture and sharing and the development and exploitation of intellectual property into commercialised products and services.
As part of our review, we made 18 specific recommendations including a number that focus on ways in which universities, research institutes, industry and government can come together to better prepare us for the AI landscape of the future. Universities are on the “front line” to help prepare and upskill the country’s future workforce but they are also key to the future of research, development and commercialisation of AI to benefit the economy and society as a whole.
We’ve emphasised the importance of skills and the need to increase the UK’s expertise through industry-funded master’s programmes in AI and master’s-level conversion courses with funding and other forms of support coming directly from industry. AI is where the new “big salary” jobs will be but the demand from industry for new talent is already outstripping the supply so we need to continue to create additional courses and places for generating new talent in the UK while improving the responsiveness of our skills training system to the demand.
At the same time we have to reduce the gap between industry and academia, attracting the best talent from around the world to the UK and creating more opportunities for women and other under-represented groups.
We have also made recommendations to increase the uptake of AI to help organisations and workers understand how AI can boost their productivity and make better products and services, including public services.
Data sharing and access is another key area that we have concentrated on so we can ensure that people and organisations can be confident that use of data for AI is safe, secure and fair, making more data available from publicly funded research. We also want to build on the UK’s strong record in cutting-edge AI research with targeted proposals including making the Alan Turing Institute a national institute for AI in the UK.
Now is the time for us all – scientists, researchers, entrepreneurs and the government – to come together to address the issues about how AI is going to impact society and seek ways to ensure that we’re able to deliver the great breakthroughs that the technology has the potential to deliver for the benefit of society.
Dame Wendy Hall is Regius professor in computer science at the University of Southampton, and co-chair of the UK government review Growing the Artificial Intelligence Industry in the UK.
Scientists were warned to be "ready with answers" this week, as a UK-wide campaign was launched to help people decide which research results they can - and can't - trust.
The lobbying body Sense about Science has found that doctors and charities are being deluged with questions from people who are anxious or prematurely hopeful after reading about poor or unpublished science.
More and more time is being spent trying to correct misleading claims found by members of the public on the internet and elsewhere.
The charity this week sent a guide explaining the peer-review system to doctors, pharmacists, patient helplines, politicians and teachers. By explaining how academics scrutinise new research, it aims to show what questions people should ask about the latest finding that worries or interests them, equipping them to assess whether other scientists would regard it as valid and significant.
Tracey Brown, director of Sense about Science, said that while the academic community had been asked repeatedly to explain the system of peer review to the public, very little imaginative attention had been given to the task.
about encouraging non-scientists to ask questions about the status of research. She added: "I just hope the scientists are ready with some answers."
Michael Mabe, director of academic relations at the scientific publisher Elsevier, said: "Peer review is fundamental to scientific and scholarly communication. But it is also its best-kept secret. Outside the scientific community very few people know what it means or how it works."
Linda Partridge, director of family services at the charity Wellchild, said: "We had a mother calling who wanted to know if she should stockpile the avian flu vaccine for her children. She had absorbed everything she had read in her tabloid newspaper."
* A member of the public recently telephoned the Meningitis Foundation asking whether gargling with lemon juice would kill the meningoccocal bacterium. Another caller had come across the idea that the infection could be influenced by the type of clothing a person wore.
"We get people coming through with all sorts of different theories," a spokesperson for the charity said. "If someone reads that a piece of research has been done into x , y and z and this is the result they believe it. I don't think people have any idea that results have to be published in proper journals and reproduced by other scientists to validate them."
She added: "Someone only has to look into ten people being ill and do a few calculations and it is called research. If it is then put in the public domain that can be dangerous."
* Patients and families dealing with chronic diseases are naturally very susceptible to stories about wonder therapies. Lee Dunster, head of research at the Multiple Sclerosis Society, said that this was a particular problem for his charity, which receives calls each day from people who are confused about something they have read. A drug based on goat serum called Aims Pro has excited many of the people who call. "It received front page coverage in a number of newspapers including the Daily Mail . This sort of Lazarus effect is reported and 80,000 sufferers in the UK think - "This is it!'" Dr Dunster said. "But as yet there is no clinical evidence to back up the claims."
The charity insists that it will not recommend treatments that have not been proven to be safe, and that all research must be evidence based. But getting this across to patients is tough. "People believe anecdotal information is enough," he said.
n Milk used to be seen as the miracle cure for bones. Now some reports have claimed that it causes osteoporosis. What should people believe?
"This is a difficult area," Sarah Leyland, helpline supervisor for the National Osteoporosis Society said. "It is not completely without truth, because there are still questions to be answered. They might use epidemiological research from a country about the number of broken bones linked to the intake of dairy produce, but it is much more complex than that. To tell people to completely cut out milk is just wrong."
The charity spends a lot of time counteracting information about particular minerals or calcium supplements. "It tends to be in the question and answer columns on health pages, where a product is mentioned as being really good, but there has never been any research to back this up that has been peer reviewed or published," Ms Leyland said.
The secret of golfing success is to stop thinking about your putting technique, psychologists have suggested. Cognitive neuroscientist Michael Anderson of the University of St Andrews and Kristin Flegal at the University of Michigan monitored 80 skilled and novice golfers, and found that the former were reduced to novice levels after describing their putting. Professor Anderson said: "It's a fairly common wisdom in sport that 'thinking too much' hurts performance. During a game it can be an obvious distraction. However, what we found surprising is that simply describing one's putting skill after it has been executed can be incredibly disruptive to future putting performance. In skilled performers particularly, we found that describing their skill simply impaired its retention." Their research paper, "Overthinking skilled motor performance; or why those who teach can't do", was published in Psychonomic Bulletin & Review.
Childish Gambino has left that hug up to interpretation, but just like his This is America music video, it will sure have people talkin'!
In the latest Childish Gambino video, an animated Michelle Obama bear hugs a crying Kanye West, who's wearing a MAGA hat.
After the commotion Childish Gambino's This Is America caused with all its symbolism, the artist has released yet another video that will have tongues wagging, as it features a somewhat apologetic Kanye West being embraced by Michelle Obama.
Childish Gambino sure is coming for all the awards where music videos are concerned. Right after releasing the visuals for his Feels Like Summer, he landed on the international Twitter trends list.
While the animated visuals caught the world's attention, it was the cameos included in the video that caused all the noise, particularly Kanye West.
Just days after Kanye West apologised for his "slavery is a choice" narrative and any "offence" caused by his support for Trump, Childish Gambino showed him crying and then receiving a hug from Michelle Obama.
I didn’t get the impression that Childish Gambino was saying Kanye needs a black woman to save him at all. Just forgiveness
The video is directed by Donald Glover, Ivan Dixon and Greg SharpCharacter, designed by Justin Richburg and co-produced by Fam Rothstein for Wolf + Rothstein.
The clip also alludes to a number of contemporary pop culture stories, like the scene where a cartoon resembling Travis Scott appears to be destroying a block tower made by Nicki Minaj, a possible reference to their sales battle that prompted Nicki lash out at him on social media.
Childish Gambino is the most woke nigga in the music industry. It’s way more than Travis & Nicki. He’s showing how hard you can work to perfect ur craft for publishing & how easy it can be for someone to just come in & disrespect & destroy all the hard work you’ve put in.
Other cameos in the music video include artists like Trippie Redd, Lil Pump, Lil Uzi Vert, Chance the Rapper and Solange.
The most common types of wasps in the United States are paper wasps. Twenty-two species of paper wasps can be found here, and they derive their name from the papery appearance open-celled wasps’ nests one can often find attached to tree branches or under the eaves of a building in spring and summer. Wasps provide an important ecological service as predators of other insects, and they also pollinate many native flowering plants when they feed on nectar. Due to their painful and potentially dangerous stings, however, they should never be allowed to reside in close proximity to humans.
While wasps are likely to mind their own business, they won’t hesitate to deliver a nasty sting to any animal or human that gets in their way. Unlike honey bees that sacrifice their lives delivering a single sting to an unwelcome guest, wasps can sting repeatedly. In addition to being very painful, wasp stings can also cause severe allergic reactions in both children and adults. Since these reactions occasionally result in death, it isn’t wise to find out if you are allergic to wasp stings by attempting to remove a wasp nest on your own.
The pest control professionals at Tim’s Pest Control in Fairfield County, CT, can safely and efficiently rid your home, garden or business of any wasp problem. At the first sign of an infestation, give us a call. We will happily remove the threat and save you from finding out if you are one of the unfortunate folks deathly allergic to wasp stings.
On behalf of Tinley M. Rudd of Law Offices of Tinley Ms that stress spills over into everyday life. It's important not to allow your emotions to get the better of you, or you could end up in a situation like this one.
On behalf of Tinley M. Rudd of Law Offices of Tinley M. Rudd, Esq posted in divorce on Monday, August 14, 2017.
Before a divorce, you have to determine who owns what property. When you were married, you may not have thought much about who owned what, because everything was shared. Now, it's time to divide those assets, so you can focus on moving on with your life.
On behalf of Tinley M. Rudd of Law Offices of nts. When you decided to have a little one, you didn't plan to get a divorce. Now that you have, you know that things will never be the same. You're living your own lives separately from one another, but you want your child to get as much time with his or her other parent as possible.
On behalf of Tinley M. Rudd of Law Offices of Tinley Mt there are a few jobs that make it more likely than others. If you knew that your job would make it more likely to get a divorce, would you keep it? You might if you love it, even though it could ruin your love life. |
3D Systems is pleased to announce the availability of Geomagic Control X 2018.1.1, is a comprehensive metrology software platform that delivers the industry's most powerful tools within straightforward workflows. With Geomagic Control X quality managers are enabled with revolutionary ease-of-use, intuitive, comprehensive controls and traceable, repeatable workflows for the quality measurement process. Its fast, precise, information-rich reporting and analysis enable significant productivity and quality gains in any manufacturing workflow. New features in this release were made to deliver intuitive and efficient user experiences.
A virtual rock drummer with real drum performances. Full control over the tempo, timbre and variations, 5 carefully recorded sets, 30 styles, 720 patterns (intro, verse, chorus, fill, ending), custom effects algorithms: Slam and Character.
Feel the difference! SOLID drum kits were recorded with great attention to detail and a love of genres. We recorded real drummers performances in selected recording rooms with primary acoustic space and used only the best microphones and mixing equipment.
Virtual Virtuoso: SOLID comes with 30 styles, 720 rhythm patterns that are played on 5 drum sets covering a huge musical range for all popular genres that are based on high-energy rock.
Best in the industry: Choose something from ready-to-mix presses that control a complex set of algorithms. Imagine an automated mixing engineer, what you press is what you get.
This will help to become loud: The Slam regulator is a clever compressor that, yes, you guessed it, will blow the sound off your drums. Make your drums stand out in the mix and adjust the swing with just one button. |
Fashion is all about being comfortable in your style. When it comes to selecting a tip to toe look, one requires paying equal attention to clothes, accessories, jewelry and also boots. Staying covered in make-up and loaded with jewelry is not possible always. So, when you choose to step out in your natural look, the main ingredients of your style would be outfit and boots.
Layered clothing: Wearing capes, coats, ruffled sleeve tops or pants is a common thing to do when you want to slip into something comfortable. Good news is the layered clothing can help achieve a fusion look. This gives way to lot many choices of boot styles such as peep-toe, wedges, riding boot etc.
T-shirt and Jeans: This is a tried and tested apparel that can make you look funky even in flip-flops or slippers. You can go a bit formal by wearing covered boots with strap. If you go experimental with jeans and make it look more casual by cropping it to short’s length with shredded ends, you can also give stacked bootie a try. This outfit offers comfort to both men and women and they can definitely consider wear everything of their choice with this.
Midi dresses: Midis can be knee-length and shorter. It all depends upon how much bold is beautiful for you. These midi dresses look perfect with stilettos, riding boots, ankle boots and others. The midi dresses do give freedom to experiment with varying footwear as none of the boot types look out of place with them.
So, when you are stuck with limited clothing options, you can pick any of these for daily as well as occasional clothing. The problem of selecting boots simple vanishes away due to their versatility quotient.
To help you find the Best Home Safes, provides you with an in-depth comparison of Home Depot and Gun Safes. |
Torys has a distinguished history of involvement in Canada’s banking industry and in its finance markets; we are recognized by our clients and peers for our experience, our innovative but practical approach and for our cross-border capability. From providing industry-leading regulatory counsel to creating first-of-kind financing structures, our group offers clients dedicated service that is second to none.
We are proud of our reputation as deal facilitators. Because of our experience representing both lenders and borrowers, we understand both sides of the issues at play. We find practical solutions that achieve all parties’ objectives—and help clients get deals done in a way that preserves and grows relationships. Our clients benefit from the experience of both our individual team members and from our close-knit, collegial group.
private placements and public offerings of debt securities (including U.S. and Canadian high-yield offerings)
Our practitioners are also regarded internationally as leaders in all the areas involved in banking and debt finance, including lawyers on our Bank Regulatory, Derivatives, Insurance Regulatory, Project Finance, Real Estate Finance, and Structured Finance and Securitization teams.
Project Finance’s 2014 Project Finance Americas Deal of the Year Awards for our work on both the Ottawa LRT and Goreway Station Partnership
the 2013 TMA Turnaround Transaction of the Year: Mid-Size Company for our team’s work associated with the Arctic Glacier group of companies. |
A tour starting in Tel Aviv is a great way to see Holy Land. We have 12 tours that range from 8 days up to 19 days. The most popular time for tours from Tel Aviv is September, which has the most tour departures.
Thailand Hiking/Trekking Tours & Trips 2019Bordeaux to Dordogne Biking (from Bordeaux to Tremolat)Southern Japan June 2019 14 tours |
By Steve Wittich Tune in to NBCSN now if haven’t already. We spent quite a bit of time chatting with engineers, strategists and team managers in the paddock to get a feel for what to expect over the course of the 500-mile race today. Only one hour of practice It was unanimous among the…
Florida Georgia Line To Power Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard: Race Namesake, Festival Headliner + Grand Marshal Big Machine President and CEO Scott Borchetta To Wave Green Flag INDIANAPOLIS, Friday, Aug. 31, 2018 – Global superstars Florida Georgia Line were already slated to have a huge presence as race namesake and festival headliners…
Where can you find a beautiful, roomy, SUV crossover with available all-wheel drive, Ford-built toughness and reliability, and class-leading cargo storage? Right here at Tracy Langston Ford, of course, and our selection of new, 2018 Ford Edge models.
The Ford Edge is a five-passenger, two-row SUV crossover. It comes in a range of trim and engine configurations, all with tremendous storage capabilities that can accommodate all of your large, and small, cargo.
For the 2018 model year, the Ford Edge looks, drives, and is equipped similarly to past versions, with no significant updates. But, that's a good thing, because the Ford Edge was already one of our favorite models. The 2018 Ford Edge comes in your choice of trim levels, including:
Most trims come standard with a 245-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder. However, there is an option of upgrading to the more-powerful 280-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6. The only exception is the top trim, Sport, which is only available with a 315-horsepower, 2.7-liter V6.
Front-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is optional on all except the Sport trim, as well, where all-wheel drive is the only drivetrain available.
As you move up trim levels in the 2018 Ford Edge, drivers can expect more and more great features to be added to the list. But, every model in the lineup comes with a healthy roster of standard features drivers love, including:
When you're ready to see why the 2018 Ford Edge is the best crossover available today, stop by and visit us in person. Our sales team can introduce you to this great model, show you all that it can do for you, and get you set up behind the wheel for a test drive of your own.
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The Kiwi-made Dickey Custom 950 is a fishing boat like no other. Its high tech electronics and genuinely innovative design features will have you wishing you had one. Here are just a few from this package.
"A new development with this Dickey Custom 950 is the integration of C-Zone electronics," says Jason Dickey, Managing Director at Dickey Boats. "It gives the customer an interactive experience with their boat. The boat does the thinking, they just need to tell it what to do."
He’s not kidding when he shows off the electronics package. This boat’s current capabilities include Anchor, Cruising and Docked modes; Bottom Fishing and Game Fishing modes; in addition to Night Lights and Day Lights mode. Its functions can be controlled from an iPad.
The main lounge area in the wheelhouse has booth seating that can comfortably accommodate up to four people. Inside the cabin, the rear windows can open out laterally in several sections, creating a continuous, open space. Jason Dickey points out that this setup allows you get out of the shade but still be part of the action.
Below are two single-berth bunks, with the bottom one converting into a double-berth (while still leaving room for entry into the head). The galley can also fold back to reveal an additional 2m berth.
The livebait tank (with a window) looks pretty much flush on the transom. The baitstaion then opens up to reveal the tank itself that also houses two tuna tubes.
See the full version of this review in Trade-A-Boat magazine #454, July / August 2014. Why not subscribe today?
Write a review about a product or service associated with this ANNA trademark. Or, contact the owner Tacony Corporation of the ANNA trademarkk.
On Wednesday, July 14, 2010, a U.S. federal trademark registration was filed for ANNA. The USPTO has given the ANNA trademark serial number of 85084689. The currY CORPORATION of TACONY CORPORATION, 1760 GILSINN LN, FENTON, MO 63026-2044 . The ANNA trademark ing machines.
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This is a brand page for the TRAXSCAN trademark by Overall Parts Solutions, Inc. in Grand Prairie, TX, 75050.
Write a review about a product or service associated with this TRAXSCAN trademark. Or, contact the owner Overall Parts Solutions, Inc. of the TRAXSCAN trademarark.
On Wednesday, August 10, 2016, a U.S. federal trademark registration was filed for TRAXSCAN. The USPTO has given the TRAXSCAN trademark serial number of 87133590. The currVID W. CARSTENS of CARSTENS & CAHOON, LLP, P.O. BOX 802334, DALLAS, TX 75380 . The TRAXSCAN trademark iComputer aprvices: Computer apetwork can help you incorporate a business around your TRAXSCAN trademarviding Computer ap is the PlayStation 2 mini comes with original power pack and original Sony lead also comes with Dualshock PS2 controller
The death of Artemis crewmember Andrew “Bart” Simpson last Thursday after a catastrophic crash of his America’s Cup team’s AC72 catamaran on San Francisco Bay is reverberating around the world.
In the wake of the accident, Sailing Team Germany announced the withdrawal of its squad that had qualified for the Youth America’s Cup, which is scheduled to be sailed Sept. 1-4 on San Francisco Bay, prior to the America’s Cup finals. “We can’t and we won’t take responsibility for sending our young team over there. The death of one sailor is reason enough [to withdraw],” Sailing Team Germany founder Oliver Schwall said in a statement. “We also feel that our decision has to send an important message after this disaster. It’s time [for organizers] to start thinking.”
The Youth America’s Cup is contested on the smaller AC45 cats that also are sailed in the America’s Cup World Series, but even these smaller boats are racing machines that can be difficult to tame. Additionally, these young teams bring a lot less experience to the starting line than the professionals do. “Until the beginning of the Youth America’s Cup there should have been more training sessions, but those already were reduced to about 10 practice days on the water,” Schwall said. “To us, that’s simply insufficient for a thorough preparation.”
The German Youth America’s Cup team finished on top of its qualifying group last February on San Francisco Bay. Talks with potential partners and sponsors about supporting the campaign on sailing’s biggest stage were said to be in high gear, but now the young German sailors’ dreams of competing at the America’s Cup have been dashed.
“It’s a giant tragedy that a sailor lost his life. We all are shocked,” skipper Philipp Buhl said. “We believe the risks sailing the smaller AC45s are considerably smaller, but we accept this decision.” Instead of competing in the Youth America’s Cup, Buhl will defend his title at the European Laser Championship.
Schwall denies allegations that the true reason for Sailing Team Germany’s withdrawal is not a moral concern, but a shortage of funds. “That’s absolute nonsense. The whole campaign was clearly and completely funded,” he said. “Accusations of this kind are inappropriate and without merit.”
Dieter Loibner, who compiled and translated this report, is sailing editor for Trade Only’s sister magazine Soundings. |
Singapore – Although the core focus of the mega-billion travel & tourism industry has unmistakably shifted from marketing to management, international events such as the ITB Asia, the region’s self-proclaimed “leading travel trade show” are still failing to reflect that transition. A search of the ITB Asia 2018 conference programme website yielded 113 results for the word “tech” and only 6 for the word “sustainable”. Only two of the roughly 130 workshops, presentations and “knowledge-exchange” sessions were devoted to tourism management issues. The words “UN Sustainable Development Goals” were nowhere to be found.
For all the bluster about “thought leadership”, ITB Asia entered its second decade last week with an over-focus on growing the business rather than managing the equally rapidly growing list of consequences of that growth. While many exhibitors and buyers are from Asia, the relevance of the “Asian” content is overshadowed by the same technobabble topics dominating global trade shows worldwide. The bandwagon rolled right from the opening bell. Rather than provide a comprehensive, realistic update on Asia’s current multi-sectoral challenges, and how they are impacting travel & tourism for better and/or for worse, the opening session led with presentations by Microsoft, Google and Over the course of three days, delegates were buried under an avalanche of Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Algorithms, Blockchain, Biometrics, Apps, Virtual Reality, Virtual Payments, Hologram Technology, and more.
In 2008, when ITB Asia was launched, it was against the backdrop of a raging global economic crisis. ITB Asia’s own press release described these issues as being the “most trying and tumultous since 2003.” (See the image below of the Press release on the first ITB Asia 2008). Since then, the world at large has witnessed even more problems such as geopolitical tensions, trade wars, human rights, migration, communal and ethnic frictions, safety and security concerns and many more. Strangely enough, the pain-points were considered worth tackling in 2008 but not this year. As most of the speakers are also sponsors, product sales pitches overshadowed the “valuable, cutting-edge knowledge” promised in the ITB Asia brochures.
The opening session with the Google and Microsoft speakers saw a tepid discussion on privacy issues, with no hard questions being asked by the BBC moderator. Well-trained corporate executives were well prepared to dish out the usual motherhood-and-apple-pie responses. After dwelling at length on how technology will improve customer services and convenience, and how companies are doing everything to build trust, ensure privacy and security, the Microsoft speaker let slip that for the corporations, it is all about the control of the data. “If you control the data, you control the consumer,” he admitted. That devastating confession alone exposes the real agenda of the technology giants, but is unlikely to come up for discussion in travel technobabble forums any time soon.
Indeed, the over-emphasis on technobabble explains why the industry was caught off-guard when “overtourism” hit the global headlines. Having lulled itself into a false sense of complacency with decades of self-congratulatory back-thumping about the economic and job-creation benefits of growth, the industry was unprepared for the anti-tourist backlash in places such as Barcelona and Venice. It then spread to Asia with the well-publicised closure of Boracay island in the Philippines – which the country’s president openly called a “cesspool” — and the closure of other popular beaches in Thailand.
In the lone ITB Asia session on “over-tourism,” the speakers wondered how it had come to this and where and how it had gone wrong. Both very valid questions which should have been asked years ago. The answers were straight out of the textbook – the need for better management, more dispersal in visitors to less visited parts of countries, education, amongst others. But, as I pointed out in a comment to the panel, all those were parochial, surface-skimming responses to far more deep-rooted problems – poor law enforcement, corruption, inadequate municipal and transportation infrastructure and one-sided obsession with the economic benefits of tourism.
These pain-points lie at the heart of the debate over the (mis)management of tourism. Now that the outrage has gone mainstream, and a fancy buzzword coined for violating what was long known very simply as carrying capacity, the “thought-leaders” are trying to solve looming problems they themselves deliberately ignored.
The closure of Boracay came up in a presentation by the Philippines Travel Agents Association. Its president Marlene Dado Jante made another stunning revelation: A study last year had shown that 70% of the country’s mangroves were damaged, 20% of sea-grass destroyed, and 90% of coral reefs are endangered. She said that the PTAA had supported the rehabilitation of Boracay but not its closure. The six-month shutdown, due to end this week, had resulted in an 1.98 billion peso loss to the local economy. Another 4,000 jobs had to be found in other tourism destinations to help those who were disenfranchised.
However, she admitted that short-term pain would yield long-term gain. Other islands such as Bohol and Palawan are moving to pre-empt a full-scale closure by undertaking similar rehabilitation measures. The National Tourism Development Plan for 2016-22 envisions a “highly competitive, environmentally stable and socially responsible tourism that promotes inclusive growth through employment generation and equitable distribution of income.” In fact, all previous plans had the same objective. Boracay failed, and paid the price.
And so it continued all through. A presentation on the China market was dominated by talk of apps, payment systems and the latest social-media chatroom rage attracting the attention of young people with “silly videos”. In the few minutes left for questions, I asked the panelists to comment on the growing environmental and social impact of Chinese tourists. Only two of the four panelists ventured an answer. One of them, a Westerner, dismissed the question, saying their economic benefits far outweighed the ecological footprint. The other, a Chinese gentleman, acknowledged the concern and outlined what his company was doing to enhance environmental consciousness amongst his clients.
I also attended a set of presentations by Cruise Lines International. They, too, featured back-to-back sales pitches about the superb rooms, entertainment facilities, dining options and many more mind-boggling things to do on the behemoth floating cities. Not one mentioned any efforts on environmental protection, gender equality and job creation. It was bottom line-driven hard-sell all the way.
Similar blind-spots could be found in the Muslim travel programme which, according to an ITB Asia media release, were to “dominate” this year’s event. The Muslim demographic customer base is same size as the Chinese or Indian markets, but far more geographically diverse, a natural safeguard against over-exposure to a single country. A huge base of young Muslim millennials have time, money and a burning desire to see the world, with a preference for destinations seen as being Muslim-friendly. As the business potential is clear, numerous companies, consultants, branding and marketing gurus, etc., are joining the fray.
As expected, all the sessions on Muslim travel stuck to the traditional sunny-side-up perspectives. There was scant discussion of how Muslim travel is being impacted by Islamophobia, racial profiling, visa restrictions and blatant discrimination. One slide presented by the opening speaker, Mr Nedyalko Terziev, VP Strategy & Planning, Wego, showed that Germany, home country of Messe Berlin, had the lowest perception ratings amongst Saudi travellers vis a vis the UK, France, Italy, Austria and the U.S. He was quoting figures from a 2013 survey, but the sentiment is unlikely to have changed much in the wake of the rise of fascist political parties and growing anti-Muslim agendas in Europe.
Click on the image to enlarge. The perceptions ratings of Germany are in the last column, nearly all in the red.
ITB Asia is pushing the Muslim travel bandwagon to boost the trade show turnout and compensate for the loss of other associated events that were its hallmark in the first 10 years.
Between 2010-15, the Singapore Tourist Board backed a roster of ITB Asia side-events under a banner known as “TravelRave”. Marketed as “Asia’s premier travel and tourism week” it included Web in Travel, Association of Corporate Travel Executives, an Asian Hotel Investment Forum, Aviation Summit, an invite-only Asia Travel Leaders Summit, and two awards events, the TravelRave Leaders Gala and Singapore Experience Awards. TravelRave was discontinued in 2016. All the side-events have exited, except for WiT and the ACTE forum. A new event was created this year, the Hotel Revenue & Distribution Summit 2018, designed “to share key solutions and innovations for hotel revenue management and distribution in Asia.”
Interaction with the media has been downgraded. Both the opening Press conference and the Singapore media briefing have been axed, which means the media no longer has a chance to ask questions. All the presentations by the Singaporeans and Messe Berlin are lumped together into the opening session. Press conferences by destination NTOs and product suppliers have dropped substantially. This year, there is no Partner Country. Singapore was the partner country in 2017. In 2018, the official banner says ITB Asia is being “held in” Singapore. Last year, ITB Asia signed an agreement with the Korean Tourism Organisation to give the Land of the Morning Calm a higher profile. This year, too, the Koreans have a high profile presence.
Every year, ITB Asia announces “record-breaking” numbers. However, the show is still in the same single hall at the Marina Bay Sands where it has been since moving from Suntec Singapore in 2012. As ITB Asia does not provide breakdowns, there is no way of knowing how much of the claimed turnout is padding. Only a small handful of the major global and Asian hotel chains have corporate booths. Only three ASEAN airlines were present. The line-up of speakers alone totals roughly 200. On the last day, a Future Leaders Forum generates several hundred student delegates. Many of the technobabble sessions feature the same speakers as those at Web in Travel.
Like all trade shows, ITB Asia’s claims about its “record breaking” success are designed to justify constant increases in booth rates. However, in a clear sign of the competitive pressures, the listed prices for ITB Asia 2019 are being frozen at the 2018 levels (see the comparisons in the images below). One exhibitor surmised that Messe Berlin is trying to prevent cost-conscious exhibitors from drifting to its latest show, ITB China. In effect, Messe Berlin is competing with itself as well as the proliferating number of domestic, regional, global and niche-market shows worldwide.
Systemic over-competition is becoming the first cousin of over-tourism. As the trade shows are all chasing the same small pool of sponsors, they are over-dominated by technobabble. A Jekyll and Hyde split personality emerges. On one side lie enormous doing-business opportunities; on the other, conference agendas do not risk venturing beyond the same old comfort zones.
This makes the claim of “thought-leadership” and “insightful content” somewhat dubious. Like universities, trade shows and their side-events provide enormous opportunities for research, analysis and monitoring trends. But universities are also forums for critical thinking and alternate perspectives, challenging conventional wisdoms, analysing risks and threats. Indeed, the best universities are those which encourage open, free and fair debate and discussion of topics, warts and all. Trade shows pirate the language of educational institutions in claiming to be platforms of thought-leaders. In fact, they have become anything but.
The shock-horror reaction to “over-tourism” clearly proves that travel & tourism prefers to downplay its downsides, until it hits the fan. Perhaps some day, a brave trade show organiser may opt to disrupt this progressive dumbing down and build a more realistic conference around current industry challenges, with nothing being off the table. Until such time, Google and Microsoft will continue to deliver their pre-packaged opening speeches, shows like ITB Asia and PATA Travel Mart will continue to preach to the converted, and handwringing will continue about over-tourism.
The first part of every new year is usually the time that most people hibernate, cuddle up in their homes in front of the fireplace or a good movie, and journey outside as little as possible. However, for some of the more hardcore fishermen (and women!) in Kansas, when the temperatures drop and the lakes freeze, they begin making preparations for the first ice fishing trip of the season.
The weather in Kansas can be quite unpredictable at times, never giving the ice anglers a set time or date when they can expect to be on the lakes. Most northern states enjoy ice fishing through much of the winter, while Kansas usually only offers a short window of opportunity for being on the ice. So far this year, we’ve had unseasonably warm temperatures, nowhere near the ideal conditions that allow ice to start freezing on the lakes.
Most winters, though, as soon as the lakes freeze solid enough the anglers start hitting their favorite spots. From experience, some of the area hot spots look like tiny villages on the ice, especially if the fish are actively biting. While many of the local anglers I know are anxious to catch some heavy-weight stripers, Kansas lakes offer an impressive array of channel cat, wipers, walleye, white bass and perch. When the fish get lively, the cold doesn’t even seem to be a factor anymore.
One of the many fun things about ice fishing is watching what kind of equipment shows up on the lakes. The tackle isn’t much different than conventional fishing, but most anglers prefer an array of spoons or jigs (usually chartreuse or white). Some dedicated anglers I’ve met even use “tip-ups” with live minnows or small grubs and maggots. If anyone is unsure of what or where to fish, ask some of the more experienced anglers already on the lake. Most are fairly social and willing to provide some hints here and there. It’s also amazing what you can learn by simple observation.
While ice fishing can provide some much needed quality family time, it’s also a sport where safety is of the utmost importance. Most experts recommend fishing through ice that is at least 4-6” deep. If you’re unsure of the depth, drill through the ice as you proceed. Stay away from any open water, honey-combed ice or ice with any snow on it. Wear plenty of clothes to stay warm and don’t forget the auger, after all, it is the key to ice fishing!
The hotel has a very good location, also near the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 4, which is only 6.55 km away.
Not only well posit and Ermita Church within 0.2 km.
From business event to corporate gathering, Miramar Hotel Manila provides complete services and facilities that you and your colleagues need.
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All children are welcome. All children under 12 years stay free of charge w |
Most of us are rockin’ around the Christmas tree in our hometowns — looking out the same old window with the same old snow, waiting for Santa to come with his reindeer in frigid weather just to eat our cookies and drink our milk.
I don’t know about you but I’d rather use my milk money for something new. Below are the top unique holiday destinations to ring in your New Year right!
If you love the wilderness and only dreamed of lying in a bed full of stars, you’ll want to head straight to Loisaba Star Beds, which sits over the Ewsao N’giro river. Don’t worry about bugs, it’s sheltered.
As described on the website, “These handcrafted four-poster wooden beds sit on raised wooden platforms jutting out from a thatched-roof accommodation and are rolled out each night for guests to enjoy the most memorable sleep under the endless African sky.”
If you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind winter wonderland, look no further than Kakslauttanen Artic Resort in Finland where you can curl up in your own glass igloo, mesmerized by the Northern Lights.
For an eco-friendly experience, wake up to incredible alpine views in the Swiss Alps thanks to a cozy pod in Valais, Switzerland. On top of the unique accommodation, you have access to seven km of ski slopes with private ski lifts, skis, boots and poles, Snowscoots with helmets and sleds.
If time is on your side, head over to Gadmen, Switzerland to walk across the Trift Suspension Bridge: a 328 feet high and 557 feet long pedestrian-only suspension bridge which is the longest in the world.
Although cold is an understatement, the memory will stay warm in your heart for years to come. If you’re looking for the ultimate winter rush, head to a place far off the beaten path and full of natural beauty. Greenland has some of the best dog sledding in the world along with landscapes that will leave you in awe — and its no surprise why.
With no scuba certification needed, spend your holiday season with one hell of a rush. Off the Baja Peninsula, you can swim with great white sharks in a shark-proof diving cage.
If you’re looking for a destination that really knows how to give you the best of everything without the hefty price tag, you’ll want to book the next flight over to Portugal.
From the diverse landscapes to mouthwatering meals, you won’t be disappointed. Sea, sun and sand makes the south of Portugal world renowned and as you make your way further north you will be taken back to fairytale castles in Sintra, cobblestoned streets and butter tarts in Lisbon followed by the picturesque UNESCO World Heritage site of Porto where you can spend your days drinking and celebrating each day of your holiday.
If you want budget friendly, India is the best bang for your buck. The winter months of December and January are the best times to visit the South. From unique house boating through “Little Venice” in Kerala, rock climbing in the real life version of ‘The Flintstones” in Hampi or soaking up the sun and getting your trance on in Goa — your money will stretch as far as your experiences.
· The Net Operating Balance is expected to be in surplus throughout the 2017‑18 Budget and Forward Estimates period, with an estimated surplus of $54.3 million for 2017‑18.
· The Fiscal Balance is estimated to be a deficit of $253.9 million for 2017‑18, with a projected improvement over the Forward Estimates period to achieve surpluses of $2.8 million in 2019‑20 and $71.1 million in 2020-21.
· In relation to Net Debt, whilst reducing in 2018‑19, Net Cash and Investments remains positive reaching a level of $339.6 million as at 30 June 2021. This reflects the impact of estimated Net Operating Balance outcomes and infrastructure expenditure levels.
· This chapter includes the Policy and Parameter Statement which provides a reconciliation of the major movements in the Net Ope Budget Papers and those in these Budget Papers.
This chapter includes the General Government Sector Financial Statements for the 2017-18 Budget and Forward Estimates period and the Policy and Parameter Statement which reflects changes between the Budget and Forward Estimates reportedr have been prepared in accordance with the Uniform Presentation Framework (UPF). The statements present information for the 2016-17 Budget and for the 2017‑18 Budget and Forward Estimates. Taxation information, required under the UPF, is provided in chapter 5 of this Budget Paper.
In accordance with the UPF, the final end of year results for the General Government Sector will be available in the Treasurer's Annual Financial Report 2016-17, which will be publicly released by no later than 31 October 2017.
2. The increase in Employee Expenses in 2017-18 primarily relates to the Department of Education; the Tasmanian Health Service and the Department of Justice for increases associated with the delivery of 2017‑18 Budget initiatives. Further information in relation to agency initiatives is contained in the relevant agency chapter in Government Services, Budget Paper No 2. The increase in 2020-21 primarily reflects the impact of the proposed voluntary earlier school starting age resulting from the new Education Act (which is contingent on a Ministerial Order being approved by Parliament by no later than 1 September 2017) and the Tasmanian Health Service for updates to Block and Activity Based Funding.
4. The increase in Supplies and Consumables in 2017-18 and over the Forward Estimates primarily reflects the listing of Hepatitis C medications on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and revised Activity Based Funding (ABF) and Block funding estimates. In addition, the increase in expenditure in 2017‑18 also reflects increased costs for the Tasmanian Risk Management Fund due to higher medical and property claims expenditure.
6. The increase in Grant Expenses from 2017-18 primarily reflects increased funding to non‑government schools under the Students First education reforms; an updated funding profile for the Northern Cities Major Development Initiative and the implementation of the Bilateral Agreement for the Transition to the NDIS with the Australian Government.
7. The decrease in Movement in Investments in GBEs and SOCs in 2017-18 of $123.7 million reflects changes in the net assets of the Public Non‑Financial Corporations and Public Financial Corporations Sectors.
1. The increase in Cash and Deposits in 2018 primarily reflects a change in timing of Australian Government Funding together with higher estimated cash balances at the end of 2017.
2. The increase in Equity Investment in PNFC and PFC Sectors in 2018 primarily reflects an increase in Net Assets for the Tasmanian Public Finance Corporation (following the transfer of the Australian Government Mersey Community Hospital payment to the Tasmanian Public Finance Corporation as a one‑off equity contribution to be invested by the Tasmanian Public Finance Corporation with any returns to be retained in the Mersey Community Hospital Fund (payment expected to occur by 30 June 2017)), Hydro Tasmania, and Motor Accidents Insurance Board.
3. Borrowings of $711.8 million as at 30 June 2018 includes an estimated end of year borrowing of $499.1 million to be undertaken on 30 June 2018. The end of year borrowing has no impact on the Government’s Net Debt as the same amount will be borrowed and invested overnight on 30 June 2018 with the Tasmanian Public Finance Corporation, grossing‑up the amount of cash held and borrowings. The change in Borrowings since the 2016‑17 Budget is primarily due to changes in the estimated Consolidated Fund position.
7. Net Financial Liabilities represents Total Liabilities less Financial Assets, excluding Equity Investment in PNFC & PFC Sectors.
The Policy and Parameter Statement (PPS) is a reconciliation of the major movements in the Net Operating Balance and tard Estimates reported in the 2016-17 Buses or net acquisition of non‑financial assets and then further categorised as a policy or parameter change. The classification of a variation as a policy or parameter change is a matter of judgement and it is recognised that there may be some instances where part of a Government initiative may have both policy and parameter components. In exercising judgement, Treasury aims to ensure that Government decisions are made transparent.
For the purpose of the PPS, a policy variation reflects a specific decision by the Government that has an impact on the Budget and Forward Estimates and is related to a new policy or represents a change in the Government's existing policy position since the previous Budget. A decision to change a Budget or Forward Estimate aggregate, which is consistent with an existing policy, is not a policy decision.
Parameter variations will reflect the impact of changes in taxes, grants or other income that do not arise because of a Government decision and demand and cost variations in agency service delivery, including the provision of indexation. Variations resulting from the rollover of a new Forward Estimate year and changes in accounting policies, such as a change in an agency depreciation policy or the impact on estimates of a change in an Australian Accounting Standard are classified as parameter variations.
Additional information on revenue estimates is provided in chapter 5 of this Budget Paper. Additional information on agency expenditure estimates is included in the relevant agency chapters in Government Services Budget Paper No 2.
It should be noted that the estimates presented in the Policy and Parameter Statement were finalised prior to the release of the Australian Government's 2017-18 Budget. Therefore, the movements included for Specific Purpose Payments and some National Partnership payments may differ from those calculated using published Australian Government 2017-18 Budget estimates.
1. Parameter adjustments for 2020‑21 are not reflected in the Table as the 2020-21 Forward Estimate was not publishe020-21 are not reflected in the Table as the 2020-21 Forward Estimate was not publisheange Taxes and Levies in 2016-17 and over the Forward Estimates reflects the surrender by Betfair of its Tasmanian Gaming License.
3. The decrease in Duties in 2018-19 primarily reflects that Conveyance Duty on large commercial property transactions is forecast to reduce towards trend levels, which have been higher than usual in 2016-17 and are forecast to remain at elevated levels in 2017-18.
4. The increase in Land Tax primarily reflects a net increase in land values across the State, system enhancements leading to improvements in debt management and targeted compliance efforts.
5. The decrease in Payroll Tax over the Forward Estimates reflects lower forecasts for growth in average weekly earnings (AWE).
6. For further information on expense related policy decisions, refer to the relevant agency chapter in Government Services Budget Paper No 2.
7. The State contribution for the City Deal Launceston initiative includes funding for the City Heart, Tamar Estuary Management Taskforce and a Jobs Co-ordinator.
8. For further information on the policy, refer to the Department of Treasury and Finance chapter in Government Services Budget Paper No 2.
9. For further information on the policy, refer to the Department of State Growth chapter in Government Services Budget Paper No 2.
10. For further information on the policy, refer to the Department of Health and Human Services chapter in Government Services Budget Paper No 2.
11. For further information on the policy, refer to the Department of Justice chapter in Government Services Budget Paper No 2.
12. For further information on the policy, refer to the Department of Police, Fire and Emergency Management chapter in Government Services Budget Paper No 2.
13. While the movement recorded in the Policy and Parameter Statement for the Streets Ahead and Homeshare - Additional Investment is a negative amount in each year, this reflects the financial treatment of the redirection of the expenditure from the former Tasmanian Affordable Housing Limited Funding (TAHL) and represents an additional allocation to the Homeshare program.
14. An amount of $25 000 is included in 2016‑17 for the 20th Anniversary of the Port Arthur Massacre Event.
17. An amount of $15 000 is included in 2016‑17 for the Welcome Home to Olympians and Paralympians from the Rio Olympics and Paralympic Games event.
19. An amount of $30 000 per annum is included over the Budget and Forward Estimates for the Ben Lomond Ski Patrol.
22. The movement in Other primarily reflects adjustments to eliminations and indexation as well as cost estimates associated with the State's superannuation expense and liability.
23. For further information on Purchases of Non-Financial Assets from Transactions policy decisions refer to chapter 6 of this Budget Paper.
24. The expenditure for the Orange-bellied Parrot Facility will be offset by proceeds from the sale of the existing property.
The TT-Line Vessel Replacement Fund Act 2017 provides for the establishment of an account within the Public Account to accrue funds to assist in meeting costs for the replacement of Spirit of Tasmania I and II. The 2016-17 Budget provided for two $40 million special dividends from TT‑Line Company Pty Ltd as initial contributions to the TT-Line Vessel Replacement Fund. A further two $40 million Special Dividends from TT‑Line Company Pty Ltd in 2018‑19 and 2019‑20 and two $10 million contributions from the Consolidated Fund in 2019‑20 and 2020‑21 are included in this Budget as further contributions to the Fund. At the end of the Forward Estimates period (30 June 2021) the Fund will total $180 million plus accumulated interest.
Duties reflects changes in estimates for Conveyance Duty, Motor Vehicle Duty and Insurance Duty. The increase in 2016-17 reflects a higher level of large commercial property transactions. In addition, there has been a general increase to the base forecasts for Conveyance Duty, which is the main driver for the movement in the Budget and Forward Estimates.
The major movements in Dividends relate to increases from the Motor Accidents Insurance Board, due to favourable claims experience, and Hydro Tasmania in 2018-19 and 2019-20, due to an expected increase in profitability. The 2016‑17 Budget estimates reflected the uncertainty at the time as to how long it would take for Hydro Tasmania to rebuild its water storages. These increases are offset by lower dividends from Tasmanian Networks Pty Ltd due to a decrease in profitability as regulated revenues are expected to be lower.
The major increases in Income Tax Equivalents relate to the Motor Accidents Insurance Board and Hydro Tasmania due to increased profitability, as noted above, and therefore also taxable income.
Further information relating to Dividend, Tax and Rate Equivalent Income is provided in chapter 5 of this Budget Paper.
The one-off National Partnership Payment received from the Australian Government for the transfer of ownership of the Mersey Community Hospital to the State (expected to occur by 30 June 2017), will be transferred to the Tasmanian Public Finance Corporation (Tascorp) as a one‑off equity contribution and will be invested by Tascorp with any returns to be retained in the Mersey Community Hospital Fund.
The movement in GST reflects changes to estimates and assumptions regarding the size of the GST pool, Tasmania's population and its GST relativity.
Estimates of the size of the GST pool for distribution have been reduced, reflecting lower than expected GST receipts, but this is partially offset by a small increase in Tasmania’s share of the national population.
The per capita relativity used for 2017-18 is the relativity recommended by the Commonwealth Grants Commission and determined by the Australian Treasurer. The per capita relativities from 2018-19 onwards are based on modelling by the Department of Treasury and Finance. For more information on GST receipts, refer to chapter 5 of this Budget Paper.
Movements in National Partnership payments occur frequently and may reflect either changes to underlying program agreements or the reallocation of funding to different years as advised by the Australian Government.
The increase in Environment in 2016‑17 primarily reflects a change in timing of the receipt of funding from the Australian Government for the second tranche of irrigation projects being undertaken by Tasmanian Irrigation Pty Ltd under the Sustainable Rural Water Use and Infrastructure Program.
The increase in Healthcare in 2016‑17 primarily reflects the reallocation of cash flows for programs, including the Commonwealth Dental Health Program and Reducing Elective Surgery Waiting Lists in Tasmania.
The decrease in Infrastructure in 2016‑17 and significant increase in 2017‑18 reflects the reallocation of Roads funding from 2016‑17 to 2017‑18 together with the Australian Government’s contribution to new road projects announced during the 2016 Federal Election.
The increase in Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements funding in 2016‑17 and 2017‑18 reflects estimated receipts (at the time of finalisation of Budget data) from the Australian Government for costs associated with the 2016 bushfire and flood events.
National Health Reform funding increases observed each year from the 2016‑17 Estimated Outcome to 2019‑20 primarily reflect an increase in Australian Government Activity Based Funding due to a revision of Tasmanian Health Services activity profiles. Increases also reflect the impact of other adjustments made by the Administrator of the National Health Funding Pool, such as movements in the National Efficient Price (NEP).
The movement in Students First funding reflects increased Australian Government funding for both the Government and Non‑government education sectors. Students First allocations are provisional and subject to change and to the finalisation of enrolments and loadings in each school year.
The increase in revenue for the Department of State Growth primarily reflects a rise in mineral royalties due to higher mineral prices and includes the continuation of the Road Safety Levy from 2017-18.
The increase in revenue for the Tasmanian Health Service in 2016‑17 and across the Forward Estimates is primary driven by increased revenues in relation to the listing of Hepatitis C medications on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. In addition, the increase in 2016‑17 includes a one-off amount of $10 million reflecting the expected transfer of ownership of the Mersey Community Hospital Facility from the Australian Government to the State prior to 30 June 2017. as Contributed Revenue within Other Revenue in the General Government Income Statement. An equivalent value is then reflected in Purchases of Non-Financial Assets within Net Acquisition of Non-Financial Assets. This results in the transfer of the value of the asset to the General Government Balance Sheet.
For detailed information on policy decisions, refer to agency chapters in Government Services Budget Paper No 2.
The increase in expenditure for 2016-17 and over the Forward Estimates includes the impact of increased Students First Specific Purpose Payment funding and increased funding associated with the 2014 election commitment to extend high schools to Year 11 and 12.
The increase in 2016‑17 includes changes in expenditure for the Tasmanian Risk Management Fund related to the June 2016 flood event and Peacock Centre fire claim and duty related ex gratia payments where there are corporate reconstruction transactions that do not result in a change of ownership. The decrease in expenditure for 2017-18 and over the Forward Estimates reflects a transfer of the Forestry CSO expenditure to the Department of State Growth and a reduction in service administration costs, following the transfer of administration of defined benefit schemes to the Office of the Superannuation Commission within the Department of Treasury and Finance.
The increase in expenditure for the Department of Health and Human Services in 2016‑17 reflects revised expenditure for a range of Commonwealth Own Purpose Expenditure Agreements and National Partnership payments. The decrease over the Forward Estimates reflects revised estimates for Housing activities and the transfer of the Child Health and Parenting Service to the Tasmanian Health Service.
The increase in expenditure for the Department of Justice in 2016‑17 is associated with Working with Vulnerable Persons registration; the rollout of the new Building Act and Continuing Professional Development for contractors; and additional costs relating to Corrective Services.
The increase in expenditure for the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment reflects the change in classification of Water and Sewerage Licence Fee expenditure of $600 000 per annum from 2016‑17; revised Australian Government funding for the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area Extension funding of $1.7 million in 2017‑18 and 2018‑19; and revised expenditure associated with the Three Capes Track due to higher than anticipated visitor numbers.
The increase in expenditure in 2016-17 and over the Forward Estimates reflects an updated funding profile for the Northern Cities Major Development Initiative; a reclassification of $16.9 million in Australian Government funding for roads infrastructure from Non-Financial Asset Purchases to Supplies and Consumables Expense; the transfer of Forestry CSO expenditure from Finance‑General and includes expenditure associated with the continuation of the Road Safety Levy from 2017‑18.
The major expense variations for the Tasmanian Health Service in 2016-17 and over the Forward estimates period reflect additional expenditure in relation to the listing of Hepatitis C medication on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and the expenditure of revised Activity Based Funding (ABF) and Block Funding.
For detailed information on 2017-18 Budget Infrastructure Policy Decisions, refer to chapter 6 of this Budget Paper.
The movement for the Department of Education primarily reflects the reallocation of funding from 2016‑17 to 2017‑18 for Capital Investment Program projects to meet changed cashflow requirements including the Parklands High School, East Launceston Primary School, Austins Ferry Primary School, and Windermere Primary School.
The movement in Health and Human Services primarily reflects reallocation of cash flow estimates for the Royal Hobart Hospital Redevelopment together with expenditure of funds carried forward from 2015‑16 to support initiatives under the Affordable Housing Action Plan.
Movements primarily reflect the reallocation of funding from Non-financial Asset Purchases to Grant Expense associated with the Northern Cities Major Development Initiative and the reallocation of cash flow estimates for Australian Government Funded projects.
The increase in Purchases of Non-Financial Assets in 2016‑17 primarily reflects the transfer of ownership of the Mersey Community Hospital Facility from the Australian Government to the State, and expenditure carried forward from 2015‑16.
.g. what kind of scene is being rendered - interior, exterior, animation, product design; what kind of quality is required - preview, draft, print, animation; what effects are needed - GI, caustics etc; what resolution will be the final image and things like that) and then adjusts the V-Ray settings accordingly. In short, something like an expert system on V-Ray settings.
While I have some ideas about what questions should be asked, and what settings they would result in, any input on that would be helpful. In particular, sutiations like, "if I render exterior scenes, I adjust this-and-this setting like so", or "if I have lots of glossy objects in the scene, I do this-and-this". The script could even go as far as rendering a few test images to measure the performance of different settings, and choosing the optimal one, or rendering a few tests for you to pick the one you like most. |
"The owners voted to close the plant between April and Oct. of 2020. There's a lot more approvals that need to be gotten before that happens, but really the plant was no longer competitive in the ERCOT market," Blair said.
He added that approximately 80 workers would be affected by the closure. AEP and its subsidiaries own a 70 percent stake in the plant, with the City of Brownsville and Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority owning 18 percent and 12 percent, respectively.
It would grow a list of at least five coal-fired power plants that have either closed or announced their closure date. Three were shut down by Luminant in early 2018, which cited low prices as the reason for closing the plants. Another run by San Antonio's city-owned utility, CPS Energy, will close by the end of the year instead of spending hundreds of millions of dollars on environmental controls.
While there are no current deals to sell the power plant, Blair said the company is "always looking for opportunities."
In his keynotes, Andy Cohen explores tactics and strategy in marketing, leadership and innovation....
Andy Cohen is the founder of Exposed Brick, a highly regarded advertising company, which pioneers relationship marketing through digital platforms. Using the metaphor of magic for business strategies and planning, Cohen guarantees 100 percent participation from his audiences.
During this insightful and informative speech, Cohen discusses realizing hidden potential. In identifying one's strengths, one can take action to incorporate them into a concrete business plan. He urges the audiences to confront market assumptions and to challenge them before taking on a project. He also believes that by clearly outlining your leadership role within an organization, your behavior and work can become more effective and efficient.
Segment: Neutral, 0-0 Comparison Set: 5 similar articles, including: building excellent leadership, the art of self-motivating, and aging trends and lifestyle. Related Reports: Outdoor Toy Report, Modern Dad Report, Entrepreneurial Play Report, Media Perception Report, Ingredient Report
Artist Phiona Richards takes literary works and transforms them into stunning jewelry creations. Librarians and book worms will really enjoy these delicate jewelry pieces. From necklaces to bracelets, Richards offers an intriguing variety of wearable book art.
These embroidered book pages are the perfect pieces for ladies who want to stand out. There is a stunning bookish pearl bracelet in this collection that literally allows readers to wear their love of books on there sleeve.
Books are already incredible literary art works, but it's neat to see them transformed into something that's beautiful in a different, more visual way. These stunning jewelry pieces make avid readers look at old books in another, more unusual light.
Zoute is a transit app that takes real-time departures and fixed route schedules to ensure you are getting the best directions. The app is now available for iPhone. The app was originally launched for Android users that live in the Bay Area. It has now expanded to New York, Boston, Chicago, L.A., D.C., Philadelphia and Portland.
The app comes from mobile developers Hai Le and Li Li. They noticed that a lot of the transit applications were built for a singly city or single transit agency. They wanted to build something that people could use regardless of their destination. It aims to be more comprehensive by offering real-time departure information along with fixed schedules.
To make the decision easier on where to take Zoute next, they have launched a "Bring Zoute to my city" feature within the app. They are hoping to focus more on areas where people are requesting transit applications. |
The Betty women’s long sleeved top is perfect for wearing on your favourite ski slope. Made with 100% cotton, this top is extremely comfortable and lightweight, which is ideal for snowsports fans who like to spend all day out on the white powder.
The top also features a high neck with a half zip feature which allows you to regulate your body temperature, so if you find it is a little too cold, you can zip it all the way up to keep the heat in or if you need a quick cooling down you can adjust the height of the zip to suit your needs. Plus, with a lovely polka dot print and eye catching contrast zips and logo, this top will take you from the slopes to après ski with style and ease.
This ladies' top is perfect when layered up beneath a warm jacket and fleece for super cold days on the slopes, without feeling overburdened or uncomfortable and as an added bonus it comes in white or black options.
I was not sure about the colour and pattern first, but fell in love as I tried it on. Perfect fit and hides some curves well, and the fabric is the softest cotton you can wish for, love wearing it!
Lovely top, well pleased with it. I normally struggle to get tops that have sleeves long enough but this was fine. I will be keeping my eye out for the black one next time I order!
The UEFA Cup last 32 first-leg victory in Norway was Everton's sixth successive European victory, a total no previous Goodison Park manager has achieved.
And teenage striker Victor Anichebe, with his fourth in the competition this season, is one short of setting a club record for a European run.
Now Everton are on the brink of a last-16 place, against the winners of the Rosenborg-Fiorentina tie, and Moyes said: "I am delighted with the way we turned this game around.
"In the first half we were not going anywhere, we were not passing the ball quickly enough and we were not showing enough pace around the pitch.
"Brann are a good side. They have just won the Norwegian championship and beaten a top side like Rosenborg to do it, so we know we have produced a very good victory here.
"But we needed to improve after the break. We seemed to be trying to do everything perfectly, it was causing us problems and we were losing possession.
"I will not start thinking about the next round until we have completed the job, the second leg being next week.
"We need to show respect because Brann showed themselves to be a very good side and we know they will come to Goodison Park desperate to get revenge for this.
"But we are getting our players back from injury and the African Nations Cup. Mikel Arteta should be back from injury by the time the second leg comes around and we have players suited to European competition becoming available again.
He added: "I was also pleased with the performance of (Ayegbeni) Yakubu, he came back into the side and played really well up front. He kept hold of the ball, linked the play well and worked really hard for the team."
In this capricious world is full of nefarious cyber users who can at any time attack your WP website. Thus, in order to make sure the safety of your website or blog backup becomes an indispensable tool for every website owner or blogger.
It is not mandatory for a blogger to be tech savvy in order to start with their blog. Thus, in this blog we will discuss both the methods which are manual as well as automatic to backup your WordPress website or blog.
There are many people who might think them as a way to overburden their WordPress website with another plugin for backup. Thus, they prefer manual backup of their website. This is also necessary as this can give them the right to control what to access and what not to. However, there are plugins which can help you to keep manual control of what to back-up and what not.
It is good to know the manual process of creating a Backup manually as a contingency plan. Thus, now we will discuss on how to create a backup of WordPress Database via MySQL and also using the cPanel .
A message asking you to Download a file will be displayed on the screen. Then click Yes and the backup of your Database will be made after it.
The very first step is to login to your cPanel and there you will get an option for “Backups” and you need t click on it. Then you need to scroll the page and find the option which says ‘Download a MySQL Database Backup’. Now you need to select the database which needs to be saved in order to take the backup.
This is also a good idea to check whether your solution for backup functioning properly or not. It is certainly recommended to take a manual backup of your website and also compare it with a backup taken by an automated plugin for it. Then check whether they match or not. This will help you to check whether the plugin you are using is worth relying or not.
BackupBuddy is developed by iThemes and this backup plugin is designed to render a comprehensive solution for creating backup for web site owners powered by WordPress.
Using this plugin you can create backup of numerous sources and not only your hard drive which also comprises of Amazon Web Services, Stash, Dropbox, FTP, Rackspace and email.
This plugin enables you to take quick and easy backups using the push button solutions. All you need to do is to specify the location where you need to store your backup and at what frequency you wish that the plugin take your backup.
For those who are looking for free back plugins can opt for UpdraftPlus which is also a very good option.
This is a very simple plugin which offers you straightforward features and do not use features which are unnecessary.
It also supports backups to Dropbox, Amazon Web Services, FTP, Rackspace, and email and it also works perfectly well with OpenStack, Google Drive, and numerous other solutions which helps for storage.
BackUpWordPress is a very well known WordPress backup plugin that offers automatic back up feature of your WordPress site. It also comprises of the scheduling feature so that you can create a different schedule for your files and your database. It comes with an added advantage of easy installation and set up features.
But for those who wish to store their backup at any other place accept your mail or your hard disk, then you will need to buy an extension for that. BackUpWordPress has numerous extensions which help the users to individually store their data of cloud which includes Dropbox and Google Drive.
Apart from that you can purchase the bundle and secure your website before hand, as now you know that you have the capability to secure your website at any point of time.
This is a site migration plugin, but one can make use of Duplicator as a solution for backup also. Moreover, this plugin needs you to posses some technical knowledge as it do not offer any straight forward feature at all.
Duplicator has very simple options for backup and it does not give you automatic features or settings to preplan your backups , which is a major drawback of this plugin. Though it is a good option for those you wish to migrate their WordPress website and also take backup of their website.
For those who are in dire need of protecting their WordPress database, can go for WP-DB-Backup which is a perfect plugin for you. It is free for those who are starting with the plugin. Talking about is market demand, we can say that it is in demand as it has around two million downloads since its launch .
For those who do not need to regularly update their website or their blogs do not have images this plugin is a very useful one. It offers you to schedule a backup of your database, manually backup your database and restore their backups for those who do not have a hang of phpMyAdmin. |
“We were offered the 'whole journey' by the friendly and organised manager which consists of a brief but worthwhile tai chi session, then a 50 minute massage in either a couples or private suite (excellent) followe...”
“As part of our accommodation package we had a private dinner to celebrate our honeymoon (anniversary), our hostess Yen made our evening special with her attentiveness and willingness to engage with us on any quest...”
“Lovely hotel we where upgraded to a beach villa as it was our honeymoon amazing room.Staff very friendly and helpful and food excellent free tea and coffee supplied all day in bar by reception.Grounds kept immacul...”
“They then took us to our room which had been transformed with rose petals, heart bunting and a cocktail on the bed, more rose petals floating in the bath and a cake that had happy honeymoon piped in icing.”
“We were visiting Vietnam for our honeymoon and would love to return again in the future, the hotel made us feel very welcome and even got us a 'happy honeymoon' cake!! Overall the resort was lovely.”
“Perfect for couples as well as back packers, fantastic value for money and the nicest hotel we have stayed in in the whole of Vietnam.”
“... as organising other activities such as Team games (during which the staff participated against the guests!), cocktail evenings with locally made snacks, transportation & romantic touches for the wedding couple.”
“My husband and I spent five days at this resort for the second half of our honeymoon - it was perfect.”
“We stayed here as a couple on our honeymoon in a riverside room, the room is very spacious and lovely and tidy and the bathrooms have been upgraded since the last time we were here.”
“A wonderful place for families or couples; the pool is a brilliant attraction set amongst a great tropical background.”
“A wonderful relaxing place for couples and families with children, absolutely spotless cannot recommend enough for anyone thinking of a holiday to Vietnam Victoria Hoi An is a must.”
“We enjoyed daily massages ($23 each) and romantic pool side dinners with music one night We enjoyed going into "old town" by bike, taxi, and boat.”
“We enjoyed every single aspect of our stay - the elegant, spacious, romantic, and private rooms, the little treats you receive in your room every day, the lovely diverse breakfast buffet (they even had fresh waffl...”
“We stayed there for 2 nights for our honeymoon gateaway and were really happy about everything : the flowers at arrival, the room upgrade, the size of the room (huge!), varied breakfast, but above all the service...”
“A massive thank you for the honeymoon card and bath towel swans with rose petals it was a lovely touch.”
“Staying at Sunrise exceeded all expectations and was the best part of our two week honeymoon through Vietnam.”
A lovely way to spend a rainy afternoon. Comfortable seating upstairs, fancy décor, relaxed ambiance. Good selection of teas. My cake was a lovely blend of soft chocolate mousse and crunchy hazelnuts. Attentive service.
the tearoom is well located nice modern classic furniture and decoration style. It is a bit posh but service is not great. You have to wait to get waiters and then to be served. And it would be much nicer when you are sitting outside...More
Hello, We are so sorry to read your experience. The entire Opera's team works hard to make every customer the best served. We keep your comments to improve ourselves, hope to see you soon ! Opera's Team
Posh hot chocolate, modern plush uncluttered decor, ample polite and unobtrusive staff & extremely tempting moorish cakes & treats: you just don't get this sort of thing in provincial England (not outside the Stratford-on-Avon type tourist traps anyway!). Loved the "Requiem pour piano" prints &...More
Opera_Intendance, Responsable relations clients at Opera Patisserie, responded to this reviewResponded February 20, 2018
Never been at this place before but it was worth of having a pair of cakes and coffee. I am not allergic of anything so I enjoyed cakes very much! They are so pretty you could eat these with eyes! They melted in the mouth....More
We thought this looked like a nice place for breakfast or lunch. Good selection if breakfast pastries and sandwiches, low prices and very pleasant outdoor area, away from the main busy street. All of that maybe true but the disorganized, slow service spoiled it. Two...More
Reasonably priced, nice view, friendly staff and tasty food (the salad is huge). Bakery is downstairs so you can pick up some pastries on the way out.
I went to this place in April 2017, we ordered some desserts and teas, my dessert with raspberries was rotten, the raspberries had like green marks all over, I don't understand how they even take a look before serving it; they changed and they didn't...More
Some days, you just don't feel like eating breakfast in the hotel. Thankfully, this lovely cafe was on our doorstep. Pan-au-chocolat and croissants freshly baked, served with good coffee on outside tables. As the day progresses, there's waiter service. The selection of cakes was very...More
We were strolling around downtown Bordeaux for a few hours and were too tired to look for a recommended option at TripAdvisor, so we decided to have lunch at Opera. It was right where we were, looked nice and was reasonably full. No regrets. Nice...More
Thank you for your comment. You did well to come to lunch at Opéra. We want to offer the best products to our customers.
you cannot go wrong with a french restaurant in bordeux. this place was a cute cafe cum bakery and i prefer the bakery section because they had some delicious danish pastries and some amazing donuts and puffs and stuffed croissants. the coffee wasnt great, but...More
Thank you for your feedback. The pastry shop Opera place Puy Paulin is one of the most beautiful of our shops. It perfectly conveys the spirit of the city of Bordeaux: warm and elegant. We will make your remarks to our Chief baker and Pastry....More
I stumbled upon Estrella while looking for grilled octopus at another seafood restaurant. Google maps directed me to what looked like a dark lot with a locked gate. Never a good sign. Kept walking to what KI thought miight be Rustica. No luck, but I...More
My husband and I decided to explore the neighborhood around our hotel on Calle Azul, staying about a block from the beach. Came across this unassuming place. The menu looked appealing and the open air seating was just what we were looking for. Full bar...More
Amazing place on the north end of town. Delicious vegetarian Ceviche, cheese quesadillas, amazing guacamol as well as shrimp quesadillas. Attentive service in a fun atmosphere. Low key and delicious! This place is worth the very short walk from the crowded downtown!
We went here for lunch and it was delicious. I had a dish with shrimp and rice and the shrimp was seasoned perfectly. Everyone at the table seemed to really like the food they ordered. I would definitely go back if ever back in Sayulita....More
We had the guacamole, shrimp ceviche and fish ceviche to start with, scrumptious! Followed by shrimp burritos, a mild-spicy shrimp dish and a foil cooked fish of the sea with rice, green pepper and tomatoes. None was to disappoint and the service was very personable...More
The shrimp gobernador tacos are really good. The regular shrimp tacos were good, too, but not the best ones we've had here for the price. Everyone is nice and i's a really cute spot, too.
Amazing food!! I can't decide which food is the best!! We tried with the ceviche, marlin taco, fish hamburger and everything had an excellent taste!! Staff is very friendly.. we loved it!!
Sweet unassuming family restaurant. Kid friendly. A typical Mexican street cafe. The house special fish package was wonderful. The guacamole was one of the best I had during my trip.
This restaurant came very highly recommended from Sayulita locals. So our expectations were high. The owners are super nice and extremely helpful. Prices are modest. My husband and I were the only ones in the restaurant at the time - usually a warning signal. We...More
My friends and I stopped here to eat during our visit to Sayulita. We tried the fish and shrimp tacos, two types of ceviche and everything here was delcious. Their homemade salsa are all great as well but I personally loved the mango one most....More
Today I had a Meatloaf Omelette which was on the special board. I was told it could be chopped up in the omelette or just laid in the middle of the omelette. I chose to leave it whole and also added a scoop of creamed...More
You go wherever he locals go and this is a local favorite. Fantastic breakfast plates with numerous choices for combos. Really nice staff. Been told burgers are a thing of beauty here for lunch. Will try them another day.
nice and quit place to eat. good to meet family and meet friends. very good breakfast. its nice when they have spec. things like homemade pot pie.
Place is a diner type restaurant where many of the locals eat. We only go for breakfast but they have a large menu of options that are reasonably priced. Love the granola pancakes with fresh fruit. Staff are super friendly. They have done some updates...More
Homemade soups that wonderful. Great sandwiches. Homemade desserts. It fact it seems everything is homemade. I’ve only eaten here once but it is a popular place. The food is good and reasonable for what you get. Service was good. There’s another dining area in the...More
This restaurant has some great breakfasts. Many types of omelettes and specials everyday. Prices are good. On street parking and a lot very close. My recommendation is the restaurant needs a painting inside. They need to replace the white boards they use to advertise the...More
Breakfast is good here, they have SO MANY omelettes to choose from which is nice and ton of breakfast options. The creamed chipped beef is the best I think I’ve had. You can only pay with cash, but there is an atm inside with a...More
I ordered a turkey hoagie. When they gave it to me I thought "Wow!" The reason is they used real turkey meat. Not sliced turkey lunch meat that every other place uses, but real turkey meat. The kind you would get from a roasted Thanksgiving...More
The atmosphere is very family friendly. The owner has had this place for 20 years and she treats every single customer like they're family. She prepares most of the recipes she uses from scratch. Try one of her many omelets!
Shouldn’t the handicap parking spaces be directly across from the main doors to make it easier for wheelchairs and walkers? PennDot recommends it. Also they have a required amount of handicap parking spaces based on total number of parking spaces as required by the ADA.
This place is fabulous if you love all sorts of Asian food. Recommend Salmon Saki... the service is excellent...a must visit
The staff is overworked and stressed as hell but they tried to be friendly. The food wasn't bad but definitely not the most authentic. They do taste good though. Personally I think they shouldn't be doing buffet with only two waiters working on a weekend night.
Absolutely love this hidden gem in Sitges, they do a fantastic value "buffet" all you can eat menu selection for 22€ which you really cant beat.
I visited here for lunch with my son after having a good takeaway from them the day before and we were not disappointed. Although the staff speak little English we were made welcome and although this is advertised as a buffet, in fact you can actually order anything you like from their extensive menu. We ordered at least four times and only stopped as we are not pigs :) they have a mixture of sushi and Japanese dishes that should cater for most tastes - only thing missing was a few more vegetables. You can see from the photos how good this was as I constantly use forgot to take pictures until after we had eaten! |
This is an excellent example of what it means to be an American. There are those who answer the... read more
It's very patriotic and very emotional place, not only for those who lost someone in Mid-East... read more
All reviews illinois river fallen soldiers men and women solemn experience state park tribute veterans wars military illini patriotic protected volunteers visitors
This is an excellent example of what it means to be an American. There are those who answer the country's call to service. Some of those never make it back. This is a very moving monument to those who kept the battle over "there", so...More
It's very patriotic and very emotional place, not only for those who lost someone in Mid-East Conflicts, but also for others who care about history of our country and who respect all fallen heroes. If you are near the Marseilles,IL you have to come and...More
My husband and I happened upon this site while looking for things to do in the area. We were so impressed with the solumn dignity of the presentation. My husand is a Viet Nam veteran and was deeply touched. The memorial is well thought out...More
This wall and memorial is done with such reverence that it brings a lump to your throat and a pride in the men and women who have given it all to protect this land we call the United States of America.
The is is a very nice memorial. It is very moving. My family was very glad we visited here. If you are thinking of going...don't hesitate. This would be a very good place to take a school field trip ( Hello all Schools!!)...or a homeschooling...More
The wall is an extraordinarily humbling reminder of the losses incurred in the Middle East Wars. This memorial also is in a beautiful spot on the Illinois River in Marseilles.
Beautiful monuments overlooking the Illinois river honoring those that gave their lives in the Middle East. Easy to look for names engraved on the stones if looking for a loved one or friend that served. Huge parking area ,good place to walk and maybe sit...More
Located on the Illinois River, not far from Starved Rock, Marseilles, IL. is the home of this moving memorial. A quiet area that makes this the perfect place.
This is just as good as the other war memorials throughout the country. With the sound of the water running behind the wall, it makes it a very peaceful resting place to remember our brothers and sisters who have died in yet another senseless war...More
EVERYONE should visit this wall & pay respect to our fallen soldiers. It is an awesome tribute to our military.... More 90) to US 6 east to Marseilles. We missed it the first time through. It is located off of Main Street, on the north and west side, just before you get to the river. Probably more info than you wanted. : ) We did not see the museum, which is located inside a business, because we were there on a Sunday. A couple of links should help give you information. The first video is the one that caused us to seek this memorial out. Go to youtube and search for Middle East Conflicts Wall Memorial. The first video should be IV Cellular presents "Freedom Isn't Free" The other is a website for ilmotorcyclefreedomrun I hope this answers you question.
The hotel is beautiful, in a lush garden and 2 minutes from the beach. It’s located 10 minutes by trycicle to Alona Beach, far from the chaos of the town center, which was perfect for us. The staff is super nice and helpful with everything....More
It is a wonderful resort. The atmosphere was quite and peaceful. The food was good and the service was outstanding. I'm looking forward to going back in the future. Thanks to the wonderful staff. The accommodations were a bargain and very comfortable.
I was very excited when we chose this hotel, because I really admire the idea of the place and the efforts of owners to gather and preserve Bohol culture. And it was like staying at a museum with authentic wooden pieces here and there —...More
Upon arrival and entering the reception area your is taken away by the atrium and dining room views! This property and accomodations are top notch. Very comfortable beds. Views from the room balconies are breathtaking. Variety of menu items is both Western and Filipino and...More
We love the classic style of this hotel. Rooms are great with friendly staff. Best thing we love about this hotel is the vegan food options they have on their menu. During breakfast, you can request the chef to cook for the vegan option as...More
“In addition to a huge cardio machine selection, the pool and hot tub are great, and there are even spin and yoga classes, squash and racquetball courts.”
“The suites on the executive floor are large and airy, with a superb bathroom which includes a large shower and a large Jacuzzi bath.”
“The pool, spa, jacuzzi, steam room and other such facilities, including a very large gym (one of the most extensive for a hotel of this size) and spinning room, were great.”
“... is as kind, courteous and as customer service minded as possible, the restaurant is magnificent, the service is top notch, the bar is incredible, and the indoor pool and to Jacuzzis (two) are worth many visits.”
“Top rate, wonderful rooms, most comfortable beds and amazing Spa with salt water pool, jacuzzi, sauna and steam room.”
“Gorgeous pools, jacuzzi nestled in large caves that look like they're surrounded by ruins, delicious food and drinks delivered poolside (try the basil panna cotta!), little chocolates and fruit-infused water self-...”
“Beautiful king bed, good bar fridge, coffee maker, TV/DVD player, private patio with nice large patio table, private cushioned lounge chairs, private outdoor hot tub, private fire pit, and a private large, round,...”
“Our room had a little terrace with a jacuzzi, which we took advantage of to relax the muscles challenged by walking on cobblestones.”
“Beautiful amenities gorgeous pool and hot tub area with wonderful gardens surrounding you while you're relaxing.”
“A great balance of old world Antigua and modern design, we stayed in the Jacaranda Suite which was just beautiful as was the courtyard with the lap pool and hot tub.”
I went here with my family. They are efficient, fast and fun! We love bakeries and they were a lot of fun to visit.
Mean and impacient employees served me. I enjoyed the food but I had a stressful experience there. (even on the phonecall)
For sure the best bakery in São Paulo. All foods are high quality, there is always very fresh food coming from the oven. Sevice is great, as well.
This bakery is typical São Paulo's. Every weekend lots of people go there in the morning have breakfast (yes, 11am paulistano might be going to have breakfast!) It has a great variety of breads, natural juices, good coffee-based beverages and a great sort of other...More
All the products made by this bakery are of high quality... highlight for the stuffed breads and slices of pizza, made during all the day. Wonderful... but the price is a bit over the average.
I'm just curious if anyone knows of any restaurants or attractions that are off the beaten path around topsail? We are traveling from Richmond in August and are excited to explore everything we can. We already plan on taking a trip to Wilmington and eating in Sneads Ferry, but is there anything else we should know about? Any good BBQ joints or other restaurants? Any other attractions? We are willing to travel a bit out of our way if it is worth it. Thanks!
Topsail and Surf City in my opinion ARE off the beaten path themselves! lol There are a lot of neat liitle shops, and stops all over the area. I like the Turtle Factory Shop in Sneads Ferry, and also the Shop across the Street, across the street from the Riverview.
Bettys Smokehouse from what I hear has good, bbq, but we've only been there for breakfast, and it was great! Personally I like the pier in North Topsail, for a no nonsense place to eat. They serve a limited menu, mostly grill and fry food, but I still like breakfast and lunch there. We often see locals workers stopping for something to eat. |
comfortable, quiet and excellent location - Review of Mount Florida 2-Beds Glasgow Apartment, Glasgow, Scotland - TripAdvisor
We stayed for 4 days and had a great time and stay. The location is amazing and the views are to die for. The home looks OK from the outside but is amazing on the inside, with typical rustic mountain living to the full.
The home is fully equipped and you do not need to bring a thing other than yourselves lol, the fitness area on the side of the home featuring a small Gym, Sauna and pool are great additions. There is also a hot tub outside, but the area around really needs some TLC, as the grass is totally over grown, this would be my only negative point regarding this property. Would use this home again for sure.
we had 8 in our party and were able to sleep and hang out comfortably. We used the hot tub and resistance pool in addition to all the rooms. The deck has an incredible view! The kitchen was well stocked and we took advantage by cooking almost every meal. We would definitely rent again.
And it is amazing. Beautiful home with views that cannot be surpassed. Silence deafening and stars infinite. Very well done and superior to pictures. Best vacation I have ever taken and I know for that my soul belongs to Montana. I cannot recommend this highly enough I give it ten out of five stars! Breathtaking it WAS home. Don't miss it!
Cannot say enough about this beautiful home. My husband and I have never been to Montana. We live in Florida by the beach, but wanted something totally different that a beach vacation. I never expected to be so "wowed" by a place. We arrived very late and followed the directions to a tee. Traveling up the mountain to the house on a completely dark night was interesting. It was overcast, so upon our arrival we could not see what was outdoors. Come morning, we were totally blown away by the beauty that awoke up. What a spectacular view! Every single day we experienced a different "show" looking at the mountains. We saw stars like we had never seen before, thunderstorms that lit up the skies, rainbows, sunsets with magnificent colors...I can go on and on. The house it self, was more impressive than the pictures. No need to run out to grocery store for amenities...had everything, Only rental house that I stayed at that had toilet papers, paper towels, Q-tip, cotton balls, etc. Wild life ever where....cows, horse, bears, and deer to name a few. Loved downtown Boseman. College/sky town in one, with the friendliest people you will every meet. Did a 8 hours tour of Yellowstone with a buffalo walking down the middle of the road. White water rafting and dinning with steaks that melt in your mouth. Yes, I am in love with this place! We will be back.
My husband and I went here for our anniversary. First trip to Bozeman. Loved the area and the house. The drive to the house up a curvy mountain side was a bit of a challenge. Would not want to do it in the winter but the view was worth it. It was so peaceful being surrounded by mountains. The night sky is incredible. Full view of the Milky Way that will take your breath away. House was beautiful. We did have some issues with the air cond. and the ice maker but everything else was perfect. You also have to take your trash to the bottom of the hill to put in a dumpster. Montana Grizzly Encounter at the end of the road is a must see. The reason we came was to see Brutus the Bear. On the way out two days we had a cow road block. Too funny. Can't say enough about this place. Hope to come back soon. |
Visiting icmelicmeler.
To begin with, this is a detailed interactive tourist map of the icmeler which can be zoomed in for you convenience.
Easing the task of planning a trip to icmelicmeler. You can get information about various public transit systems available in icmeler using special icons.
The binocular icon that you see in the icmeler map are the various attractions and must-visit places to visit icmeler.
Use icmeler map of attractions as you plan your journey to icmeler and rest assured, you'll have a great trip!
The Ulu temburong national park is protected and preserved for scientific research and low impact visitors. This day excursion is a short immersion in this amazing environment, for people with limited time. An amazing snapshot to an environment that is well protected for all to see.
Pickup from the hotel at 07:20 AM going to Kianggeh Jetty. From there you will ride aspeedboat (it is a type of boat) going to Bangar town. Along the way, you might see some crocodiles and monkey. Upon arriving, you will meet our trained tour guide. Then proceed by land to BatangDuri Jetty where you will be transported to the National Park using a long boat called Temuai. Upon arriving, you will be asked to register at the national park.
The adventure will start with a walk to steep muddy hill with rope railings towards over 1300 wooden steps. After that, youll go up to Canopy Walkway which rises 50 meters from the forest floor to the level of the highest trees. It is a good place to see the surrounding forests. After that, you will visit a waterfall with Doctor Fish in it for a foot treatment and chill under the waterfall, then experience riding a water tube going downstream to azb2n campsite (optional depending on the water level condition) Lunch will be served that is prepared by the locals in an open hut surrounded by flora and fauna and overlooking the peaceful Temburong River, swimming is also an option.We then depart the National Park by long boat and upon reaching Bangar town, you can have a few minutes walk around before boarding the speed boat back to Bandar seri begawan.
Tour guides shall have the right to change, re-route and reduce destinations depending on weather, road and tidal conditions.
Departure times vary based on time of show. Customer service will confirm the time of the tour after the reservation is submitted
Holiday in NYC when the Radio City Christmas Spectacular featuring the Rockettes are playing. You can also join the NYC Holiday Windows walking tour and see the amazing lights of the Rockefeller Christmas Tree.
Join the Rockettes, Santa Claus and the Toy Soldiers in this once in a life time NYC Christmas experience. Some of the most memorable scenes are the legendary "Parade of the Wooden Soldiers", Santa's magical ride to his workshop at the North Pole, where playful ragdolls come to life, plus the re-enactment of the first Christmas in the "Living Nativity". Incidentally, The Rockettes performed at the inauguration for the president of the United States, George W. Bush, in 2001, and entertained the American troops during wartime. The package also includes a NYC Holiday Windows walking tour where you will visit famous store windows like Lord and Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue and the amazing lights of the Rockefeller Christmas Trelibu offers 10libu start at an average price of €999 a night with long-term rentals averaging €24152 a month.
If you're a first time visitor to Washington, DC, yoington, DC.
The top mentioned neighborhoods and areas that people talk about in and around Washington, DC are: Crystal City, Rosslyn, Bethesda, Chinatown, Capitol Hill, Pentagon City, Dulles, Downtown, West End, and Rockville.
"Pentagon City and Crystal City have a lot of hotels and are both on the Blue and Yellow line." See More
"Georgetown Rosslyn (across the Potomac in Virginia) Most of the Smithsonian Museums on the Mall are between 12th and 4th Streets between the Washington Monument and the Capitol, so check out the maps on the Smithsonian site to get a sense of where things are located: See More
"There tends to be more neighborhood activity and nightlife in the evening as you move away from the Mall, especially near Logan Circle, Dupont Circle, the 14th & U Street NW Corridor, Georgetown, and parts of downtown near Chinatown, and Capitol Hill." See More
"The United States Botanic Garden is also not as well known and despite the uncool name is actually a green sanctuary in the city not far from Capitol Hill." See More
"The National Air and Space Museum is very popular (but the one in Dulles is better - the Steven F Udvar-Hazy Center & National Air and Space Museum) If you make the trek out to Dulles, you can combine it with a short hike and visit to Great Falls National Park." See More
Depington, DC, here's a list to get you started.
"The JW Marriott Hotel is in a good location downtown and easily accessible to the metro and lots of shopping." See More
"Another parking option would be to make a reservation for "High Tea" at the The Willard which is walking distance from the White House." See More
If you're open to researching even more areas, some suggestions that might be less common but interesting to explore are: Chevy Chase, Potomac, Mt Vernon, and Silver Spring.
If you're a foodie or just love to eat when you travel, you might decide to stay in a hotel close to a restaurant you want to try. Here are some places to eat in Washington, DC.
This page is just a starting point, to really get personalized advice from Washington, DC locington, DC.
Flying into Washington, DC? There are 3 alternative airports, so make sure you compare all your flight options. Find international, domestic, and local airports in Washington, DC.
DALLAS, Texas — Oct. 15, 2018 — TriumphPay, a leading provider of carrier and vendor payment solutions and MercuryGate, a global provider of cloud-based transportation management solutions, announced today a strategic partnership and integration of TriumphPay’s carrier payment processing platform with MercuryGate’s Transportation Management System.
The integration allows shippers and brokers, from their existing MercuryGate TMS account, to outsource the processing of carrier payments and management of factoring companies to TriumphPay, a product oPresident and CEO, Joe Juliano said that the strategic partnership and integration brings immediate relief and efficiencies to brokers and shippers, while providing carriers with greater transparency, control and choice over their payments.
“MercuryGate strives to be an enabler of success for all parties within the supply chain,” Juliano said. “Carriers often struggle with cash flow issues due to the inefficiencies of the historical industry payment model. Brokers, 3PLs, and shippers need a turnkey and secure solution to pay carriers, manage factoring companies and reduce fraud risk. TriumphPay solves these universal issues. In addition to reducing payment risk, the integration of TriumphPay will enable our customers to leverage a federally regulated bank for processing payments and providing integrated supply chain finance.”
The seamless integration allows brokers and shippers to schedule and automate payments from within the TMS. In addition to outsourcing their carrier payments, brokers and shippers can use TriumphPay for supply chain finance to fund their carrier QuickPays and to drive adoption of the broker’s QuickPay program to increase overall operating margins.
“We are delighted to be partnering with MercuryGate, a best-in-class solution provider within transportation management,” said Jordan Graft, Executive Vice President, TriumphPay. “Our association with a recognized market leader like MercuryGate further validates the need for a payment processing solution that delivers value and savings across the supply chain.
“TriumphPay eliminates chronic process inefficiencies and brings much needed innovation and digitization to transportation payment operations. The partnership between TriumphPay and MercuryGate will be a major catalyst in streamlining back-office payment processing and creating a better payment experience for all parties.”
TriumphPay provides instant, real-time visibility to carriers through its proprietary payment portal.
Carriers can manage multiple broker relationships, self-select QuickPays and choose from multiple payment methods, including ACH, wire transfers, T-Chek and EFS money codes.
“Our carrier-centric portal is the result of nearly 15 years of experience working with and paying thousands of carriers,” Graft said. “We strived to create the most transparent carrier payment system for truck drivers, while also empowering them with immediate access to their funds — from anywhere or any device.”
As members of the Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA), TriumphPay and MercuryGate are actively involved in advancing the usShow” at the Transparency18 conference in Atlanta in May.
MercuryGate provides powerful transportation management solutions proven to be a competitive advantage for today’s most successful shippers, 3PLs, freight forwarders, brokers and carriers. MercuryGate’s solutions are unique in their native support of all modes of transportation on a single platform including Parcel, LTL, Truckload, Air, Ocean, Rail, and Intermodal. Through the continued release of innovative, results-driven technology and a commitment to making customers successful, MercuryGate delivers exceptional value for TMS users through improved productivity and operational efficiency. MercuryGate offers business intelligence to improve transportation processes, increase customer satisfaction, and reduce costs with its adaptable, comprehensive transportation solutions suite. For more information, visit the MercuryGate website. |
In this post you will get very short one liner yoga slogan in Hindi and yoga slogans in English. You can share this yoga slogans with your friends via whatsapp & Facebook and motivate them. Use these
There are currently no gaming sessions for the Tank Commander trophies that you can join - why not register and make a new session?
The projects – the Colchester Food Bank, Debert Skate Park, Truro Skate Park, and North Shore Recreation Centre – weren’t included in the list of finalists announced Monday.
The first Good Earth Coffeehouse opened in Calgary on a hot summer day in 1991. Our Founders, Nan Eskenazi and Michael Going, began with a desire to serve exceptional coffee and wholesome food, with a down-to-earth attitude. Nan hailed from the Pacific Northwest - a coffee mecca of sorts – thus she was in charge of creating the coffee part of Good Earth. Michael grew up on ranches in Southern Alberta and so he had a taste for real, good food and had the recipes too! Between the two of them, they got Good Earth off to a good start. Since then many other folks have become a part of Good Earth. And they all brought great ideas, experiences, and recipes with them. Read More
Dear colleague, Following the written evidence previously submitted in response to the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Committee enquiry into electric vehicles, Mark Squires, Chairman ...
Following the written evidence previously submitted in response to the BEIS Committee’s enquiry into electric vehicles, NFDA Chairman Mark Squires, responded to the Committee’s questions ...
As the political debate and progress surrounding exiting the EU evolve, below is an update of the most recent developments. This week (commencing 25 February) has seen significant comments from all ...
PART 8 Data Security The GDPR has effectively rewritten the Data Protection Directive, the mainstay of current data protection regime. From May 2018, the GDPR will have a significant effect on your ...
WWW.DRIVEMYCAREER.CO.UK is LIVE! NFDA has worked with Get My First Job to set up this unique and industry-first projects aimed at highlighting the wide range of career opportunities available in the ...
Dealers can capitalise on Volvo XC40 award win, says What Car?. The Volvo XC40 generated 227% increase in review traffic since winning What Car? Car of the Year Award on January 23, What Car? ...
Auto Trader’s Market Report reveals that motor finance will be key to fueling the used car market in 2018 and beyond Finance bubble far from burst, with used car finance penetration predicted to ...
By 2020 the DVLA plans to have migrated their systems from their outdated legacy platforms to a more modern and flexible open source landscape (OSL) environment and they have started testing some ...
In October 2, a class-action lawsuit was filed against Cucina & Amore Inc. for allegedly deceptively marketing its sauces –
In October 2018, a class-action lawsuit was filed against Unilever for allegedly falsely advertising I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!
January 2018: The appeal was voluntarily dismissed, the reasons for which have not been disclosed. October 2017: The named plaintiff
August 2018: A federal judge dismissed this case concluding that the packaging would not mislead reasonable consumers. To read the
A false advertising class-action lawsuit was filed against Arizona Canning Company and Stater Bros. Markets in October 2016 (and transferred
January 2018: This acse
April 2018: This case was voluntarily dismissed , the reasons for which have not been disclosed. September 2017: A class-action
March 2018: A federal judge dismissed this case concluding that reasonable consumers would not be misled by the ed packaging.
October 2017: The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the district court’s decision to remand the case to state court.
April 2018: This case was voluntarily dismissed , the reasons for which have not been disclosed. February 2018: A federal
September 2017: A federal judge dismissed this action for failure to state a claim concluding that the labels would not |
Tags: Spirits & Nightlife, Mr. Head's, tucson bars, tucson nightlife, Mr. Head's Art Gallery and Bar, Staff Pick
Clearly, ESAs - just like vouchers - take money away from public schools. That's a bad thing if you think public schools are beneficial, as I do. But it's a good thing if you want to eliminate public schools, as the Republican majority in our legislature wants. And now we learn a lot of ESA money isn't even being spent on education. Thank you, David Safier, for bringing this to our attention.
Personally, I give no credence to comments by authors who don't have the courage to put their name on their comments. I think the Tucson Weekly should only accept comments from people with verifiable names.
Not spending 56 million free dollars is about the stupidest behavior I have ever heard of. Incredible!
Re: “UA, ASU Libertarian Schools Are Growing Fat On Money From the Government They Despise (It's Much Worse Than I Thought)”
Members of the Tucson group Kochs Off Campus! have read the Freedom Center's textbook for this high school course. Most of the textbook seems to have been written by libertarian crackpots. Although some high schools use it to fulfill a State economics requirement, it does not give an overview of the field of economics, notably omitting Keynesian economics and the labor movement. It takes potshots at the minimum wage and other favorite libertarian targets. Although it is titled Philosophy 101, it is filled with PR and homilies instead of open ethical questions. It presents several myths as fact, such as: "Homo sapiens became the wisest of primates around forty thousand years ago when we learned to make deals with strangers" (page 2). The original version contained hundreds of typographical errors. (At least some of those were corrected after our group brought them to public attention.) Now the Freedom Center is trying to restrict access to the textbook and the list of schools where the course is being taught. That information used to be available on the publisher's website (Sagent Labs). The Sagent Labs website was taken down when this whole story went public. The Templeton Foundation did not get its money's worth on this one. |
Abstracts should be 1 page long and must include one illustrative figure outlining the quality of the results. Moreover, abstracts are expected to address the three major review criteria mentioned below. A comparison to reference solutions will be appreciated. An exemplary abstract can be found here.
A pdf-version of the abstract should be submitted until 12 February 2011 via email to [email protected]. Authors are requested to assign their contribution to at least three workshop topics in their email.
Mind, that those authors, who would prefer to present their paper in a poster session should explicitly indicate this already in the email of their abstract.
The quality of the abstracts will be assessed using averaged ratings for 3 equaly important categories, i.e. (1) novelty, (2) applicability & impact and (3) predictive accuracy & predictive improvements over the state of the art. The abstract will be reviewed by at least three experts. Notification of acceptance for publication will be given until 11 March 2011 via email.
After notification of accepted abstract, authors should prepare their full 8-page paper according to the template. It is important NOT to put any page number in the paper. It is also recommended not to spend too much space on standard SPH equations on the paper, since readers are assumed to already know basics of SPH. Respective templates can be downloaded for WORD or LaTeX documents.
At least one author is expected to register until 1st May 2011 for the workshop and present the paper. Papers with no registered authors will not be published (cf. Payment Section).
A price will be devoted to the best student paper and its presentation. Student authors, who would like to sign up for the student price should indicate that with the submission of the paper.
Papers covering accepted poster contributions will be presented during a 4-minute presentation in the main theatre followed a presentation of the poster in the display area. The poster size should be A0 (1189 mm x 841 mm - 46.81 in x 33.11 in). Mind, that authors of poster contributions are also expected to submit a full 8-page-paper in line with the above mentioned paper templates and deadlines.
Posters will be printed by the organisors and should be submitted until 17 May 2011 in pdf-format via email to [email protected]. |
Grandma goes off her rockets and films dozens of laugh videos. We dare you NOT to laugh. Let’s take this moment together and call it laugh therapy. We’ll send you the bill in the mail. …
From Joyeux Noel, a film about the WWI Christmas truce, we learn to identify "civil religion" which denies Christ, idolizes the state, and rejects refugees.
The former Rochdale Borough children’s Champion, Zara Shah, was keen to campaign to stop adults smoking around children. Zara met with Rochdale’ Smoking Cessation Team and discu… |
Hi friends! I have been starting to slowly get ready for Christmas but picking up a gift here and there if it really seems great for a specific person. I find if I wait to christmas shop I panic an… |
I have taught K-6th grade and tutored in Math and reading. More recently, I have been working as a resource specialist for Math and reading at the K-3rd grade level, but also have experience in the upper elementary grades.
I have been working with students with ADHD for many years, providing support and strategies to help become more successful in the classroom and at home.
I have been working with children with dyslexia for many years. I am trained in Linda Mood Bell's Seeing Stars and Visualize and Verbalize program. Additionally, I help support and build skills for literacy, self advocating and find student's strengths to incorporate into the learning.
Developed by Microsoft, SQL Server is a RDBMS, used to store and retrieve data as requested by the other software applications.
Learn the concepts and architecture of SQL Server with this easy and complete SQL Server Tutorial. This tutorial discusses the basic and advanced topics of SQL Server with examples. It also teaches you SQL Server query optimizationSQL Server Database Management skills.
SQL Server is a RDBMS. A good knowledge of databases, DBMS is very important to start learning this topic.
It is used to store and retrieve data as requested by the other software applications that may be running on same computer or other computers through the network.
SQL server is a client / server database management system opposite to a desktop system (For example: Assess).
SQL queries play an important role in retrieving large amounts of records from a database efficiently at a faster rate.
SQL databases use long-established standard, which is being adopted by ANSI & ISO. On the contrary, NO- SQL databases do not cling to the use of any specific standard.
Without writing substantial amount of code, standard SQL has a provision to mange the databases systems easily.
Due to growth of Object Oriented DBMS, object storage capabilities are extended to relational databases. |
01:29 — "It's for Mrs. Obama only." The dress worn by Michelle Obama in her official portrait has been retired by designer Michelle Smith. Plus, the former fi (more…) |
leap trcak and the viewers are glued to the TV screen to find what next happens in Dev and Sonakshi’s life.
In the coming episodes of Kcuh Rang Pyar Ke Aise Bhi, Dev and Sonakshi tashan amid the love will continue but soon Ishwari will learn the major truth in the upcoming track. The lady who was eagerly waiting for her so called waris will come to know about Suhaana and Sonakshi’s plan of hiding Soha.
Ishwari will stand in shock when she learns the existence of of Dev’s daughter Suhaana and she would obviously irked with Sonakshi who had snatched her rights over her grandchild. What would be Ishwari’s first step after she finds Suhaana in Kuch Rang Pyar Ke Aise Bhi? Only time will tell.
Each workshop will focus on one type of night photography; Cityscapes, Full Moon, Milky Way and Star Trails. We will arrive in plenty of time to go over technical settings, focus and composition to ensure everyone is ready for the main event once the sun sets. Nature photographers Pat Worley and Larry Lyons will give personal instruction throughout the evening.
Location: Each workshop will be at a different location in the Philadelphia/South Jersey area. Carpooling is available. |
When you tell someone something, there’s a good chance that they’ll remember what you said, at least in the short term. That’s one the drawbacks of digital assistants is that for the most part, every request you make feels like you’re starting from scratch, but that’s something that Amazon is trying to change with Alexa.
According to Amazon’s Ruhi Sarikaya who detailed some of the changes they’ll be making to Alexa (via Engadget), one of those changes is giving Alexa a “memory” in which it will remember things that you have asked it to remember, and will be able to recall that information at a later date, such as remembering someone’s birthday or an anniversary and so on.
In addition to this, Amazon is also expanding on Alexa’s two-turn interactions where they are trying to make it so that Alexa can follow up previous requests even when there isn’t an explicit pronoun given, making it more contextual and making it more natural sounding. According to Sarikaya, “We are expanding beyond this to include utterances without pronouns. For example: ‘Alexa, how is the weather in Seattle?’ → ‘What about this weekend?’”
He adds, “We are also supporting context across domains. For example: ‘Alexa, how’s the weather in Portland?’ → ‘How long does it take to get there?’ We are providing this more natural way of engaging with Alexa by adding deep learning models to our spoken language understanding (SLU) pipeline that allows us to carry customers’ intent and entities within and across domains (i.e., between weather and traffic).” |
With our launch of the Neighborhood Health Partnership Network Flex plans, UnitedHealthcare created a new Multi-Choice® Package available to small businesses (2-50) in South Florida.
Medical plans in the new Multi-Choice Package 813 will be available for both new business and renewals. The plans will be quote ready in SAM by May 1, 2018. The package is also available on the Florida broker website and Benefit Central. |
He said he needed the bail in order to have access to his traditional herbal medicine, which he said he used to treat hypertension and diabetes before his conviction on May 30, 2018.
His lawyer, Mr. Olalekan Ojo, while arguing the bail application before Justice Adebukola Banjoko who passed the guilty judgment against the ex-governor, said his client had been living with the health conditions for 10 years.
Ojo argued the application, which was opposed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission during the Wednesday’s proceedings attended by a handful of the convict’s supporters.
Ojo, in arguing the application, referred to a June 19, 2018 medical report issued by a Jalingo, Taraba State hospital, suggesting that the convict could die if not released from prison.
He said his client had sought permission from the prison authorities in Kuje, Abuja, to be allowed to be given herbal medicine, but the request was rebuffed.
He said, “These exhibits are medical reports attached to the affidavit in support of the application and also the request, the letter, written to seek permission to be given traditional herbal preparation that can sustain him.
“Whatever that must have been responsible for the prison authorities’ decision whether right or wrong, the point is that he has not been allowed.”
He told the trial judge that ill health and the need to access herbal medicine had been recognised as constituting “special and exceptional circumstances” that could warrant granting bail after conviction.
Jacobs, who argued that the convict failed to support his request with any material, said, “mere medical allegation will not be sufficient to grant bail after conviction.”
He said Nyame, as a convict, had lost the right of medical facility of his choice but the one provided him by the prison.
He added, “The health ground will be an exceptional circumstance if the prison authorities say they are unable to provide the medical need of the convict.
“The second issue is that there must be a medical report by a medical practitioner who specialises in the area of medicine that concerns the ailment of the convict.
“Has the medical report been provided? There is no such report by a medical practitioner that specialises in hypertension and diabetes.”
Justice Banjoko has receded to her chambers to prepare her ruling, which she is to deliver later on Wednesday (today).
Justice Banjoko had also jailed a former Governor of Plateau State, Joshua Dariye, for 14 years on corruption charges barely two weeks after handing down the guilty verdict to Nyame.
Has anyone tried these? Worth a go?? I bought a TDS meter off this guy which is great and he's offering discount to repeat customers
To date, no one has come up with a better solution than plain old pressurized gas injection. These are gimmicks which normally are much less effective in the long run.
If you mean the ones that use a carbon block, then i hear they actually work OK, however they are bulky, expensive and difficult to control the co2 level in the tank.
Interesting - it didn't quite get the slating I expected! I've just started using the nurtrafin system but I should really be running a couple of them in my tank. I'd really like a pressurised system but I'm a bit nervous of it - and they look expensive! Could you recommend one that's easy to use and not toooo expensive?
Hi mate, i would recommend that you go the Fire Extinguisher route. Here is a great tutorial and trust me, it's not hard or scary. I was petrified the fist time i did it and it was fine.
i would recommend a regulator form aquatic magic on ebay, they do almost everything that you will need except the FE.
yep second that - if you like do a search on carbo plus on most planted tank websites and these electrolysis systems get a slating.
I had one and it certainly did not work on a tank of 400l or so and would have been prohibitively expensive to run for any length of time...
Loads of debate from various planted tank luminaries about whether the bubbles generated are even CO2!?
Yeh dont be scared of pressurized CO2. I had to be cautions when righting that tutorial but its really not as bad as it might at first seem. Just use a bit of common sense
I also use fire extinguishers along with this regulator: ... tml?lang=1
Works fine and really is not difficult in any way. I did try the yeast and sugar thing in the past when i had difficulty getting gas and to be honest it really doesn't compare. Once you have a preserised system sorted it's pretty much maintenance free.
Will start investigating ready for payday Will no doubt be back for some handholding when I've got all the bits!
A couple of Nutrafins? For a 180 you would need 3 minimum with 1WPG and still be fighting to get anywhere near 30ppm.
I used to have 3 on a 125Ltr before pressurised and it was very very hard to get close to the 30ppm.
Situations/incidents go into a system where they determine how high risk/serious the incident is and it is done into 4 grades.
P3: The first grade is the emergency response, and this is the most high risk response and is followed through when someone is in a critical emergency such as a violence that is about to happen and also if there is big damage to property.
If someone is at a serious threat to get injured or a danger to their life this is also a very good reason for it to be an emergency. An officer regardless of their rank will be required to attend to the incident also specialist staff will be required depending on the emergency.
An example of an emergency situation would be a person trapped in a house fire requiring the fire service to extinguish the fire and pull the person out of the house. This situation would more likely involve an injury or death to a person/people and also cause a massive disruption in the area therefore being an emergency. This incident would be small scale because it is a house fire.
Another example would be if a criminal is posing a terrorist threat such as shooting at crowds of people or seen setting up bombs. This would be classed as a large scale incident and would require an emergency response that will have emergency services be there in under 20 minutes and police will have the right to ignore road speeds and laws and traffic lights to get to the emergency in time. Mainly the police will get involved to arrest any suspects or to neutralize anyone that is a threat to people.
The second grade would be priority response, this is still an emergency but not as severe as grade one, but still there is a high level of importance to the incident. There is a lot of variables to how important the incident and some reasons would be:
Someone is in emotional state and extremely upset and can potentially make them in a vulnerable condition.
If a serious but non-fatal injury has occurred or possibly a traffic collision that will involve these services
Hate crimes are also a top priority on the list since it is against the law and breaches the Racial & Religious act 2006 or Crime & Disorder act 1998.
It is required by law for emergency services to respond to a priority incident within 2 hours if it is a grade 2 incident.
The third grade would be a scheduled response, this is when a caller or a person has scheduled/ pre-arranged to meet the caller within 48 hours. The attendance of the emergency incident can be met through surgeries, hospitals, stations or any other premises.
The fourth grade would be Resolution without deployment, the caller is able to seek advice and resolve an incident through letters, phone calls, questions through the phone and also the service recommending a service more appropriate to the incident.
Also in grade 4, deployment of any emergency services are not required but the situation would be analysed and possibly recorded. Incidents on grade would most likely be handed over to agencies such as safer community team, child protection agency, intelligence units and also the traffic control team.
Overall, when an incident is rang over the telephone, the operator has to then make a decision on how serious the incident is. The operator will choose from the 4 grades I have just mentioned.
There are stronger chances of fire spread in built up areas in larger cities. Especially cities containing commercial and industrial premises and high rising properties. First step of the procedure in category A is for three pumps to attend the scene, two within the first 5 minutes and one within eight minutes. This procedure needs to be followed correctly 75% of the time.
The recommended first attendance is for two pumps to attend the scene. One to arrive within 5 minutes and the other within 8 minutes. This procedure is followed for areas in towns and cities with smaller industrial areas and the estates. Same as category A this needs to be achieved on at least 75% of occasions.
This procedure has been put in place for areas of residential dwellings, flats and terraced properties. He recommended attendance is for one pump to be sent within 8 – 10 minutes. This needs to be achieved on at least 75% of occasions.
This procedure has been put in place for villages and farms. The recommended first attendance is one pump to be sent within 20 minutes. This needs to be achieved on at least 75% of occasions.
P4: The call handling personnel in a small scale incident such as a house fire will be on the front lines. This means they will be talking to the victim/caller directly, and it is there job to calm the person on the call if in distress along will despatching the appropriate emergency service to the situation.
If the operator is a 999 operator then they will be required to ask the caller’s name, the location they are calling from, about what happened and most important of all, if anyone is injured or at risk.
Also the incident could be followed up through calling a police station which is non-emergency, which then an officer would answer the call and answer any questions an give any relevant information of the incident to the caller.
Call operators for a large scale incident would ask for their ask location so police can be easily notified about the location, for example, in a large scale terrorist attack the operator would tell the caller to keep calm and use any means necessary to defend themselves from the attacker and this includes self-defence. Also the operator would give advice and also give instructions on how to apply first aid until emergency services arrive.
M2: Both police and the fire service use terminology to communicate with each other, and the terminology is used to recognize a certain type of person. For example, ACP would be used to identify an Assistance Commissioner Professionalism for police and a WRC for the fire service would be used to identify a water carrier.
Another similarity is that they both use the grading system based on the level of importance, for example, Grade A and emergency response both respond to emergencies within 20 minutes but on the other hand the difference is that the fire service are required to attend the scene within 8 minutes and police would be 20.
Police and the fire service have a common goal and that would be to protect civilians along with providing emergency first aid if needed. Also in an event of an emergency both services will be required to drive at excessive speeds to attend to the incident and both services will have to of passed the Advanced Driving test to prove they can control the vehicle at high speeds with other distractions around them. If the driver does not get to the incident fast enough it could result in a casualty.
All three emergency services must not go past the speed limit by an excessive amount, for example, on 30 mile-per-hour road the driver must not go past 45MPH. The advanced driving test will come in handy when there is a high chance of injuring a vulnerable person with your vehicle while driving at excessive speeds.
The Police, Ambulance and Fire service all work together at major incidents and all services have a chain of command. Here are the list of commands
Gold command – this is the highest form of command at an incident, gold command sets the strategy or the plan to resolve the incident.
Silver command – this is the secondary form of command, silver implements or passes on Gold’s strategy for the incident.
Bronze command – this is the final command style which refers to everyone else who is called out to the incident and puts Gold’s strategy into action.
The common goal of all commands is to save and protect lives of those involved and prevent the incident getting worse, along with defending the environment and make the situation normal quickly but efficiently and without casuing any further harm to anyone or the enviroment, when the process has been resolved, there will be a debriefing process after.
UKEssays. November 2013. Incident Grading in Emergency Responses. [online]. Available from: [Accessed 14 November 2018]. |
Tui Award winning Auckland folk artists Great North have released their new single 'The Late Bus Home' from forthcoming album The Golden Age. The languidly paced track is a meditation on remembering old friends and moving forward into the future. The live favourites are heading overseas this week for an extensive European tour, here's hoping they'll be returning local stages soon.
Songwriter Hayden Donnell says about the track:"The Late Bus Home' isn’t just me saying “take me back to when we were young and had dreams” or something. It’s more about this desire to go back so you can say something different or work out why this happened, and the ultimate futility of that feeling."
Listen to the song below and stay tuned for more info on Great North's new album The Golden Age, releasing 20th October. |
HIP 25230 is a blue to white230 940, the location is 05h 23m 45.73 and +20° 34`0 ± 0.61 miliarcseconds/year towards the north and -2.17 ± 1.08 mas a spectral type of F8. This means the star is a blue to white star. The star is 7,540.00 Parsecs from the Galactic Centre or terms of Light Years is 24,592.72 s.Kelvin.
HIP 25230 Ra257.85.kas an apparent magnitude of 8.68 wf you used the 2007 Parallax value, you would get an absolute magnitude of 2.86which gave the calculated distance to HIP 25230 as 626.03 light years away from Earth or 191.94 parsecs. It would take a spaceship travelling at the speed of light, 626.03 y 25230 at00 Parsecs or 24,592.72 Li |
Neftalye is a badass, outgoing girl, who sucks pussy for food. She will give you her virginity if you ask nicely. She loves J.Cole and can dance. Very smart and creative when she smokes a lot of weed.
Nike compony Embargoed Iran national soccer team. It did not entitle Iranian players to use its productions.
Actually Nike aims to damage this team before 2018 FIFA world cup. When Iran was successful in this cup and won Morocco team in its first match, Nike spoiled terribly.
A word used for the drug Ketamine. Particularly common in the north area the UK, in cities such as Leeds and Manchester
on the westcoast particulary from the bay area and up a "bezzle" is slang for the club drug ecstacy(MDMA)
that party was crackin last night i musta popped like 2 and a half bezzles mane i waz feeling myself
While 'bezzle' has long been a term in the East for oral sex, in Akron (particularly the Middlebury and Laird neighborhoods), 'bezzle' has come to mean meth. This definition has only come into use over the past two years, and although origins are unclear, it is thought the name came about from the method that an alarmingly high number of both women and men (see Grace Park) use to obtain the drug.
eraser challenge is when you compete with someone else to see who can rub an eraser on their skin the longest
Linhsey is a god. She MUST be treated with Respect. She plays hockey and softball and is a god at both. She plays goalie in hockey and has a .265 save percentage. She plays catcher in softball and has an amazing arm. If you are not her friend, you are missing out on something. She has a great sense of humor.
Mate, I was at the trough in the men’s bathroom and the bloke next to me pulled out his slanty eyed mutton gun. It Made mine look like a shy turtle. |
Acording to Numerology Predictions 2 is Lucky number for name Salib. Every names has a meaning and Salib name meaning in english are to identify errorSalib and lucky metals are Copper for name Salib.
Lucky colors for Salib name are Red, Rust, Light Green and by Numerology Predictions lucky Gemstones for name Salib are Topaz.
Boy baby names and meanings, Arabic and English name dictionary of Salililib name English and Arabic spelling. |
the law says i do have to retreat if i can.i read a magazine recently about a man shooting someone in defence spending 2years in jail before trail then haveing the case thrown out. i wonder, does he still have a job, a house, a family. i bet he wishes he would have retreated .
"Assailed person has no duty to retreat, he may stand his ground and defend himself". Is what my state says. Sorry you live in a state where the criminal dictates the situation. Get hold of your representatives and get that changed.
As far as "spending 2 years in jail" i've heard of global warming, flying pigs, and that elvis is still alive. As well all know, if its printed its true.
With a good lawyer, he will make the police pay. Does he still have the things you mentioned, I don't know. That is part of the cost the lawyer will try to get. Problem is, he will never get those two years back.
'Florida laws spell it out but it still does happen that it gets taken to court on occasion. Where it usually ends up getting thrown out as justified.
would just being thrrow to the ground make you feel that your life is in danger.i hope you dont disagree i might just get banned
That wouldn't be what would set off the use. The fact that robbery is a forcible felony would. I would suspect anyone who comes out of the blue and attacks of one of several things: 1.) Robbery attempt, 2.) assualt with intent to commit bodily harm, 3.) any other forcible felony. But it all depends on where and who you are with. And who the attacker is with.
We've already established that for the purpose of this thread you've been knocked to the ground by a criminal who is continuing the attack
in post 89 this person says he has not called anyone a name or disrespected anone. in this quote i am as much as called a liar and without any valid evidence accused of being the reason they want to take our guns away. if the language used here isnt being disrespectfull what is? i honestly do not mind it when people dissagree with me but lets keep it civil. oh and i try very hard to be safe and legal with my firearm so as not to give the gun-grabbers cause. i can even see where discussing this can cause all of us to make sure we are legal in our own state. and i did check with all those people to make sure i would be legal to use deadly force. i would be. if you disagree with me thats fine with me. again i say lets be civil and agree to disagree.
I tried Amazon's Echo Look and after an initial blow to my self-esteem, I grew to love it Entertainment writer Erin Jensen tested out Amazon's Echo Look, the hands-free style assistant that critiques your wardrobe. Check out this story on
I don't want to brag, but I received the elite "best dressed" superlative in high school (despite that being some 13 years ago).
So when I was asked to try out Amazon's styling assistant, currently available by invitation only with no for-sale date from Amazon, I was open but skeptical. I thought I didn't need it, but let the reach for the Pulitzer begin.
Echo Look ($199.99) aims to help you "Love your look. Every day" with a hands-free camera equipped with Alexa, Amazon's cloud-based voice service. The camera works in combination with the Echo Look app, which chronicles your outfits with photos and 360-degree videos, and allows you to "favorite" ensembles. Looks can also be shared on social media and through text, and organized into collections based on color, season, item, occasion, etc. You can also compare two looks or variations of a look with the style check feature that uses machine-learning algorithms in combination with input from fashion experts.
I unwrapped the device and read the digital reviewer's guide, which says to place the 6-inch appliance about 5 feet away at shoulder height. (I stacked coffee table accessories on a dresser to reach the correct angle.)
Get ready for a deep dive — deep so we can meet my lowered self-esteem. On Day 1, my confidence bottomed, an experience that may not be shared by fashion bloggers who have mastered the art of posing.
Eager to test out the features, I twirled around in an A-line dress, which resulted in a video that cut off my feet because I didn't know where to position myself. I cringed at my make-up, and wondered why no one told me how badly I needed to finish the box of Crest Whitestrips in my bathroom.
I also tested out the style check feature by pitting a black, pleated, tea-length vegan leather skirt against a basic A-line mini, anticipating the powers that be would prefer the former and validate my eclectic sense of style. Wrong! Overwhelmingly, the feature suggested the outfit with the shorter skirt.
Racing out the door before work, I tried the style check again, and again expected I would know the results — that my Michael Kors coat would win out over a distressed denim jacket from Marshall's. Guess who's 0 for 2? The denim jacket, which hit at my waist, rose victorious over the camel 3/4-length coat. Style check said the "colors work better together" and the "outfit shape works better." Noted.
By now I was getting more comfortable with posing. I'd also decided at this point the style check was the most valuable feature for me. While 360 videos are useful, let's be honest: A head-to-toe photo is the same as looking in a mirror.
On this day I was going to a friend's house and trying to decide between black boots and white sneaks. In a close battle, the boots won out because the "shoe choice looks better." I disagreed and went with the sneakers.
Most days I go from parking garage to parking garage without needing to pay close attention to the weather. On this particular day, I was meeting friends for brunch and was under the impression that a mini shirt dress, paired with the aforementioned denim jacket and a scarf, would be warm enough. But before I left, I asked Alexa about the weather report, and after hearing the specifics on sub-freezing temps, put on a much heavier coat.
This was the day I fell in love with the tiny piece of tech. I was assigned to cover the Grammys and Clive Davis' pre-Grammy gala, and while planning, realized Echo Look is essentially an Instagram husband for single ladies, obliging me with snaps and videos at my every whim. And I desperately needed this feature and the style check while selecting outfits for both nights.
For the events, I'd enrolled in Rent the Runway's unlimited plan, which allowed me to rent four dresses for a flat monthly price. I'd gained weight, so only one fit! Panicked, I picked up a new dress from the brand's DC storefront that I was less than enthused about. Using the style check, I put the two dresses and one that I'd previously bought up against each other to find the best two looks.
I ended up looking fabulous at both events, if I do say so myself, which was confirmed by Jon Batiste and Little Big Town's Kimberly Schlapman, who complimented my look on the Grammys red carpet.
The thought of sending the Echo Look back makes me feel like I'm losing my most stylish friend... that I know isn't just passive-aggressively sabotaging me because she's jealous. While I don't see the personal need to use Echo Look every day, for nights out and special occasions I'll miss giving Alexa a shout.
Deba 4%? 5%? How much to take for retirement Deback out this story on
Should you take 3% from your retirement each year? 4%? More? It depends on how long you expect to live, how much your savings will earn, and what inflation will be. Start calculating now.
A more moderate solution, however, is to try and figure out how much you can withdraw each year — a tricky calculation at best, since you know neither what you'll earn in any given year, nor what the rate of inflation will be, nor how long you'll live.
Financial planners have long recommended that your initial withdrawal be 4% of your savings, which you then adjust each year for inflation. Recently, however, others have suggested that 3% is a more reasonable alternative, given that savings rates are virtually zero. But don't get out the hatchets yet. Being too conservative in your assumptions will rob you of retirement joy. You can probably take out more than 4% a year and be reasonably assured of not running out of money.
Most people figure that you can just take your earnings any given year, and live off those. For example, suppose you have $250,000 in retirement savings. If you have a bond or other income investment that throws off 5% income a year, you could take 5% — $12,500 a year — without fears of running out of money or dipping into your principal, for that matter.
Given a $250,000 retirement portfolio, your withdrawal in the first year would be $10,000, or a monthly income of $833 a month. The next year, you'd boost your withdrawal by the rate of inflation, and so on. Had you followed this plan in 1960 using a balanced fund, which is typically a mix of 60% stocks and 40% bonds, you would not have run out of money until 2002, 41 years later. And this in a period that featured soaring inflation, several wretched bear markets, and disco.
Given the low returns from bonds — the 10-year T-note yields a miserly 2.5% — some academics have suggested lowering the initial withdrawal rate to 3%. There are two problems with that. The first is that rates probably won't stay this low forever. The 10-year T-note has had an average yield of 6.6% since its inception in 1962, and 4.6% the past 20 years.
The second is that a 3% withdrawal rate is pretty tough to live off, unless you have a great deal of money, and most people don't. If you have $250,000 saved for retirement, your initial withdrawal would be $7,500, or $625 a month. Depending on your circumstances — how much you pay for rent or mortgage, how much Social Security you get, your overall health, and the taxes on your withdrawals — a 3% withdrawal rate could mean pretty a pretty tight budget.
And, says Michael Finke, professor of retirement planning and living at Texas Tech, you could be living a lean retirement for no reason, even if you stick with an initial 4% withdrawal rate. "The 4% rule assumes you're going to live to age 95, and most of us are going to be dead by then," he says. "If you're really conservative, you didn't run out of money, but you left a lot of retirement joy in the bank." Among couples age 65, just 18% will have one person who hits 95.
What's a retiree to do? Finke has two suggestions. If you're concerned about outliving your money, try to put some of your retirement kitty into a fixed annuity, which guarantees lifetime income. You'll still be vulnerable to inflation, but you'll at least know that you'll get a certain level of income every year. Currently, a $75,000 immediate annuity will get a 65-year-old man about $430 a month, according to
Another way to calculate your withdrawal rate comes courtesy of the Internal Revenue Service. When you reach age 70½, you have to start taking money from traditional IRAs. Just how much is based on the IRS required minimum distribution tables, which are based on your life expectancy at that age. For example, if you have a $250,000 IRA and you're 70½, you'll have to withdraw $9,124 this year, according to Fidelity Investment's RMD calculator. Typically, the withdrawals will increase every year until you're 100, and at that age, you probably won't be playing quite as much golf anyway. |
Conveniently located just a block from the State Capitol building, Inn Off Capitol Park, An Ascend Collection Hotel, offers you comfortable accommodations right in vibrant downtown Sacramento. Enjoy a number of features and amenities at this smoke-free hotel, including an on-site fitness center, a business center with copy and fax machines, a hot continental breakfast and a free daily newspaper. While in the area, you may wish to stop at the nearby Sacramento Zoo, see the sights at Old Sacramento State Historic Park or stop in for a whimsically good time at Fairytale Town.
At Inn of Capitol Park, every morning starts off with a delicious continental breakfast. After you enjoy your meal, the hotel makes it easy for you to take care of your responsibilities before you head out for your big day. Make all of the necessary copies, and send your important faxes at the business center. When you have time to relax, feel free to grab a copy of the free daily newspaper or fit in a nice workout at the fitness center.
When you return to your room in the evening, sit back and relax by watching cable television. Every room also includes a coffee maker, an iron, a refrigerator and a microwave. Plus, keeping in touch is easy with free local calls and included high-speed internet service. When mealtime rolls around, head to one of the restaurants conveniently located less than 0.2 miles from the hotel, such as Simon's Restaurant, Paesanos and Nishiki Sushi. If you are a sports fan, plan to visit Raley Field, 1.4 miles away, or Power Balance Pavilion, a short drive from the hotel, to enjoy some exciting sporting events. |
Ventrex Vending works with two of the largest names in Micro Markets, Avenue C and Retail 365, to bring you and your employees
a larger variety of snacks, beverages, fresh and frozen food, coffee and healthy alternatives without you ever having to leave the office.
Micro markets not only take the place of typical vending machines in your break room but can also be used in place of an onsite
Your market is just that YOURS. At Ventrex Vending we’ll work with you on customizing a market to fit your particular needs, whether
that means fresh fruit, mini candy bars, or every flavor of Greek yogurt known to man. Your wish is our command and our wish is to
create a market that helps meet all of your employee benefit, company wellness and snack/mealtime needs.
Each market is equipped with modern, energy efficient coolers, attractive fixtures, a self-checkout kiosk and a full security system. Each market also comes with its own web-based inventory management system, making it easy to add products and evaluate inventory quickly.
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In 1927, Oscar G. Mayer – the son of the founder of the meat processing company – purchased a chateauesque mansion in Evanston, Illinois, that remained in the family for 40 years. Now, real estate attorney Scott Hargadon and his business partner, James Kastenholz, are restoring the home to its former glory.
When the duo first bought the 7,401-square-foot house for $1.1 million last year, it had been vacant for 10 years and was in need of some serious TLC. "It definitely gave the appearance of being a money pit," Kastenholz says. For starters, there was no heat or water, and Hargadon thinks regular maintenance was last performed in about 1966.
The bulk of Hargadon and Kastenholz's restoration – which Crain's reports cost more than $1 million – involve fixing the foundation, replacing the roof and plumbing, installing air conditioning, repairing stained glass windows, and demolishing a faulty two-story addition.
Original features, such the wood staircase, a dining room fireplace with intricate griffin carvings, and four other fireplaces, have been preserved, according to Crain's. Other details added during a renovation in the 1930s, like Art Deco-style crown molding in the living room, have also been maintained.
Hargadon and Kastenholz looked to the home's floor plan during renovations, so its original ballroom and billiards room have been restored. That being said, they've also revamped several smaller rooms to create a master suite that boasts a dressing room and a private deck, and constructed a chef's kitchen that features high-end appliances, according to Fox News.
Throughout the renovation process, Hargadon, Kastenholz, and their real estate agent, Susan Ani, have been sharing updates to the Oscar Mayer Mansion's Facebook page. Their latest status update? The duo's hosted several events at the home to celebrate the restoration, and has listed the six bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath property for $2.95 million. Who knew there was so much money in the bologna business? |
This pretty floral expander bangle makes a stylish and chic accessory to any outfit, day or night. Containing a beautifully intricate design, this bangle slips over the wrist and can be adjusted to perfectly suit the size of your wrist. Wear individually for a delicate addition or stack with further bangles for a striking statement.
Manufactured and hand-finished in the UK, this 9-carat rolled gold bangle measures 5 x 64mm in diameter, and can expand up to 71mm. |
It’s true you have to be in good physical condition to pass the Navy Physical Readiness Test (PRT) during boot camp and later periodic testing. However, some sailors are gifted with exceptional athletic abilities that set them apart and allow them to compete as levels above the intramural level. For these members of the Navy – and all branches – the Department of Defense's Sports Program and the Armed Forces Sports Championships are the perfect chance to compete at the highest levels.
The Navy Sports Program includes boxing, bowling, cross-country, wrestling, basketball, soccer, triathlon, volleyball, softball, golf, rugby, and marathon. It also assists athletes who participate at the national or international level in activities that are not normally offered on a base, such as rowing, archery and shooting.
Following inter-service competition, the very best Navy athletes may be selected to compete as members of the All-Armed Forces Team, and participate in the Military World Games, national and international competitions. Additionally, Armed Forces teams are selected to compete in international competition in tae kwon do, shooting, sailing, cycling and judo.
Talented sailors typically apply for a sport, then attend a trial camp, where they compete for a spot on the All-Navy team. The team then typically conducts scrimmages, competitions, and extensive training before facing formal competitions with teams from other branches in the Armed Forces Championship.
For top performers, some will have the chance to move on and represent the United States in the Conseil International du Sport Militare (CISM or Military World Championships), a global sports organization hosting sporting competitions between its 134 member countries. Five founding nations – Belgium, Denmark, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands – created the CISM while meeting in Nice, France at a fencing event on February 18, 1948. They founded the organization as a result of the desire for soldiers to meet in the sports arena rather than just on the battlefield. The United States joined the organization in 1951.
A high level of athletic completion also starts even earlier for some sailors, as many midshipmen attending the Naval Academy also experience the student athlete dynamic. The Naval Academy has produced notable athletes like Roger Staubach and David Robinson who are now famous for their careers in professional sports. Other Naval Academy athletes go on to accomplish great things off the field, like astronaut Alan Shepard who was a competitive Navy crew team member.
The discipline and endurance that members of the U.S. Navy rely on to perform their duties with excellence continues to serve them well on the field, water, and track, and promises to do so for years to come.
The impact that war has on soldiers has been studied as far back as the American Civil War, when Jacob Mendez Da Costa, a cardiologist and assistant surgeon in the U.S. Army, started studying a condition in which soldiers reported a set of symptoms similar to heart disease, though no physical abnormalities could be found. This was one of the first times that medical professionals began to investigate the physical manifestations caused by experiencing or witnessing a violent or traumatic event during way.
Today, more of an understanding exists of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as professionals are learning more about the long-lasting physical and mental impact on a soldier’s life. While PTSD extends far beyond the military – affecting about eight million American adults a year – the problem is especially acute among veterans.
With the increasing awareness of PTSD, and a movement to encourage veterans of all ages to reach out for help, the need for professional PTSD counselors is on a similar increase. If you are interested in becoming a veterans’ counselor, you should become familiar with the varying professional opportunities, and the training involved with each.
There are many types of professionals who provide evidence-based psychotherapy and medication to people suffering from PTSD, and providers offer different services, based upon their expertise and licensing. Most of these professional roles require rigorous training and experience after a college degree, but the amount of schooling depends on the role. Some of these professionals focus primarily on counseling and treatment, while others can also prescribe medication. And while regular primary care physicians, physician's assistants, and nurse practitioners are usually qualified to prescribe medications for PTSD, it can be helpful to talk with a professional who specializes in trauma-related symptoms.
Licensed clinical psychologists focus on mental health assessment and treatment through counseling. After obtaining a bachelor’s degree, they obtain a doctoral degree (e.g., PhD, PsyD, EdD) from four or more years of graduate training in clinical or counseling psychology. To be licensed to practice, psychologists must add another one to two years of supervised clinical experience. While psychologists hold the title of "doctor" because of their doctoral degree, in most states they cannot prescribe medicine.
Licensed social workers focus on diagnosis and treatment, and specialize in areas such as mental health, aging, marriage and family, and children. After graduating college, most licensed social workers have a master's degree from two years of graduate training (such as an MSW) or a doctoral degree in social work (such as an DSW or PhD). Clinical social workers do not prescribe medication.
Master's level clinicians have a master's degree in counseling, psychology, or marriage and family therapy (such as MA or MFT) that they have earned after their college degree. To be licensed to provide individual and/or group counseling, master's level clinicians must meet requirements that vary by state. Master's level clinicians do not prescribe medication.
Psychiatrists have either a Doctor of Allopathic Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree in addition to specialized training in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health problems. Since they are medical doctors, psychiatrists can prescribe medicine. Some may also provide psychotherapy.
Psychiatric mental health nurses (PMHN) can have different levels of training. Most are registered nurses (RN) with additional training in psychiatry or psychology. Psychiatric mental health advanced practice registered nurses (PMH-APRN) have a graduate degree. Psychiatric nurse practitioners are registered nurse practitioners with specialized training in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health problems. In most states, psychiatric nurses and psychiatric nurse practitioners can prescribe medicine.
Many professionals who wish to specialize in PTSD treatments choose to partner with the VA who employs a number of different types of mental health providers. Becoming a PTSD therapist with the VA first requires training and licensure in the roles described above. The VA also maintains a robust mental health career portal.
There are additional types of therapists, counselors, and mental health providers who are qualified to treat issues related to PTSD, and you can learn more in the career services department of your college or university, as well as professional associations for mental health providers. To find information about mental health licensure in your state, you can visit the National Board for Certified Counselors. |
Sean released his debut comedy album “Manual Labor Face” in 2015 on Comedy Central Records. He has been featured on the truTV series “World’s Dumbest and Almost Genius”, as well as “Adam Devine’s House Party”, “The Half Hour”, “Broad City”, and “Inside Amy Schumer” on Comedy Central, Amazon’s “Alpha House”, GSN’s “Lie Detectors”, “Limitless” on CBS, and “Billions” on Showtime. |
Nintendo announced during its last Nintendo Direct session that TNT Racers: Nitro Machines Edition would be released on Wii U in Europe. Now, Nintendo Life has word that it will release on the eShop as early as next month.
The isometric racer contains multiplayer and if a player’s car gets too far off screen, they are eliminated from the race. While that sounds like a bit of a downer, there’s some good news to it: players can return as a shadow car to set up trap to thwart other players.
The Keen Games title has 26 race tracks, 75 challenges, 16 cars models and seven game modes along with a custom mode for players to change around the strength if the AI along with weather effects. |
Would you like to Skyrocket your Business Success with Instagram like Never Before in just a few hours, guaranteed?
These days, the success of your online or offline business depends on many factors at the same time.
The quality of your product or service, the customers that visit your offline store or your business website, the online and the Mobile Presence of your business is highly important, but your success largely depends on the recognition and engagement on social media and this is a hard and proven...
BUT... If you don't have a high Social Recognition and engagement of your Business on Social Networks, you are Lost!
According to extensive research, it has been discovered that 90% of consumers trust recommendations while only 14% trust advertisements!
Erik Qualman, American author of Socialnomics, stated that “Word of mouth on digital steroids.” which has opened our eyes and helped us understand the great power of social media in the 21st century.
Considering that people trust recommendations more than advertisements, we really need to be aware that the right information needs to have that viral word of mouth power to get people talking throughout the web and sharing with everyone.
Mr. Qualman has taught that the ROI of social media is that your business will still exist in 5 years.
In reality, we don’t have a choice as to whether we do social media; the question is how well we do it. Because certainly:
Yes, now you will have the opportunity to quickly and easily get your business above the Competition by applying these latest and most effective Instagram Marketing Techniques!
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Here you will have access to a complete niche research report regarding the Instagram market potential: videos, tools, training courses, blogs, forums, affiliates programs, demographics, webinars, infographics and facts.
We’re sure you do not want to take the risk of causing serious harm to your business from not using Instagram and, even worse, from not knowing how to use Instagram correctly!
Millions of dollars have been invested in Instagram since its inception, in order to give outstanding benefits to your business and your client business.
This excellent and exclusive training will take you by the hand and show you step-by-step, topic by topic, and tool by tool what you really need to know in order to dominate Instagram the easiest way possible, using the most effective tools and in the shortest time ever.
Instagram is extremely easy to manage. It’s the same as with most things in life: things aren’t typically that difficult. You just need to know where to find all of the information and learn how you can properly use and work with it.
The same can be said for Instagram. Here you have our footsteps to follow, so you can do it in the shortest time ever. Instagram has hit the market to stay for years to come.
This is a great chance for you to discover the best and most effective techniques you can use on Instagram for your business.
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Save your-self the countless hours we have invested in the process of creating a high-quality, step-by-step training especially for you, and for a lot less than its real cost to the online market.
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P.P.S. If you are unhappy with our product and think that it is not worth, please contact us within 30 days from the date of purchase and we will refund your investment at our earliest. |
The “strong woman” label patronizingly foisted on modern Hollywood actresses would’ve been spat at by such formidable 1940s Warner Bros. stars as Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, and Ida Lupino. Their hard-boiled but restrained studio-mate Ann Sheridan (1915-67) is less celebrated today, but her cool aplomb has aged better than Davis’s hectoring, Crawford’s emotionalism, even Lupino’s unstable toughness.
Onetime Texas teaching student Clara Lou Sheridan adopted her marquee-friendlier name when she signed with the Warners in 1936 after a lackluster Paramount apprenticeship. The latter studio had failed to recognize that, like its employee Marlene Dietrich, Sheridan wasn’t meant to play tootsies, but grown women amused by sexual gamesmanship — the word knowing might have been minted for her — or antagonized by its crude expression. Though capable of being a pal, she had no peer at putting down boors, as her earthy truck-stop waitress does when Humphrey Bogart ogles her breasts in Raoul Walsh’s They Drive by Night (1940).
That harsh proto-noir is being screened October 29-31, concluding MOMA’s month-long “Acteurism: The Emergence of Ann Sheridan, 1937-1943.” The daytime mini-fest initiates a series showcasing the evolution of stars as repositories of the social values their particular qualities reflected. Sharpened by hard times, most of Sheridan’s films rely on asperity or wit.
Her insouciance elevated Torrid Zone (Oct. 1-3), a 1940 comedy adventure set in Central America that centers on a Yankee banana plantation run by jumped-up manager Pat O’Brien and his effective but reluctant overseer (James Cagney). Peasant revolutionary George Tobias aside, their chief irritant is Sheridan’s droll, languid chanteuse/card sharp. O’Brien terminates her saloon gig because she distracts his workers. Womanizer Cagney senses he’s met his match in her, and so takes up with a colleague’s adulterous wife. The movie’s moral center, Sheridan eventually pelts Cagney with sandwiches.
Torrid Zone is several notches below Josef von Sternberg’s ravishing exotica, but director William Keighley granted Sheridan one sublimely Dietrichian close-up. Cagney knows she’s hiding from cops behind a rubber plant on his balcony, and she knows he knows. Cinematographer James Wong Howe concealed the right side of Sheridan’s face in shadow, thus highlighting her parted lips and her left eye as she listens intently for a sign of male interest. When Cagney grudgingly invites her “into my office,” she smiles triumphantly to herself.
The grim 1943 propaganda picture Edge of Darkness (Oct. 8-10) enabled Sheridan to show the steel string in her bow as a resistance fighter in Nazi-occupied Norway. In Juke Girl (Oct. 15-17), she’s a mercurial taxi dancer involved with a labor activist improbably played by Ronald Reagan. She’s comparatively naive as the Lower East Side social worker smitten with Cagney’s hoodlum in 1938’s Angels With Dirty Faces (Oct. 22-24).
MOMA’s Sheridan selection offers a crash course for newcomers to “the Oomph Girl,” as the Warners marketed the indignant star. Aficionados will pine for The Man Who Came to Dinner, Kings Row, Nora Prentiss, The Unfaithful, I Was a Male War Bride, and Woman on the Run, a ‘Frisco noir in which Sheridan startlingly extended her range as a dowdy, disappointed wife hoping to save her husband from a Mob hit. |
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Kate approached our team this morning as she was leaving and said she wanted to stop and say a huge Thank You for continually coming into the front reception room and talking to folks and doing it in a ‘fun’ way so as to keep folks smiling! She further said ‘This practice is fabulous and everyone is always smiling and so helpful. I drive from Camden, N. C. and enjoy my drive here knowing I have such wonderful staff and doctors taking care of me!’
Mr. Brewer is thrilled with this right eye after having his lens replaced at VEC. Now he can see without glasses in the distance and he is very happy!
Anna Weaver had a visually significant cataract that we removed. She has a lot of issues with being able to lie flat on her back and still breathe, and she was concerned about being able to position for the surgery, but with some maneuvering we were able to do the surgery and one day post op she is seeing 20/25+1 compared with 20/150 preop. She says “the colors are brighter!”
Connie is a happy cataract patient one day after her procedure with Dr. Yeu and seeing 20/20 distance and near!
Jeffrey was -18 in his right eye and -16 in his left eye (very nearsighted!) and had astigmatism in both eyes. He had cataract surgery with Dr. Yeu and is extremely happy with the outcome!
When I walked into your lobby, I was immediately greeted, kindly and professionally. My wait was never very long and everyone who assisted me along the way performed in a most professional, experienced and friendly manner. I noticed everyone around me was also receiving the same wonderful service. Thank you so much. I am thrilled to (finally!) be a patient of VEC!
The staff of Virginia Eye Consultants are, without a doubt, one of the most professional that I have thus far encountered within the medical establishment, or any organization for that matter. I want to sincerely thank Virginia Eye Consultants for the absolutely amazing procedures and the stunning results of the operations to restore my vision. Thank you all.
Nearly 10 years ago, I was diagnosed with cataracts in both eyes and was referred to Dr. Scoper for corrective surgery. Following his examination, Dr. Scoper said I was a perfect candidate to receive the new Crystalens System. With my decision to use Crystalens, I became one of the first implant patients in Virginia, and Dr. Scoper’s first.
Both eye surgeries went perfectly, and I was amazed at the immediate improvement in my vision’s color and clarity. Since my Crystalens implantations in 2004, Dr. Scoper has conducted annual extensive eye examinations, and the results have never varied. My post-operative 20/20 vision hasn’t changed; I am still blessed with 20/20 vision nine years later.
Before Crystalens, I constantly wore either bi-focals or contact lenses to see clearly. Now, I only require OTC reading glasses for my most exacting vision requirements—either sewing or reading “fine print” instructions.
Deciding to use the Crystalens System was one of the best decisions I ever made. I strongly recommend Dr. Scoper and Crystalens for cataract corrective surgery to anyone.
It was about 4 months ago, no maybe 6 or 7….oh, I really can’t remember, but let’s just say that sometime within the last 12 months, my vision took a rapid decline. I assumed along with my husband and some co-workers that reading glasses would be in my cart during my next trip to Target or Walgreens. Not long after, I noticed a severe decline in my distance vision. The summer sun’s glare making driving difficult at times and the flags at the golf course so distant I assumed there were no flags at all! The declining state of my distance and computer vision was unsettling. I kept this to myself for a while as I was in a state of denial and disbelief. The deterioration of my vision was rapidly advancing so it was difficult to gauge.
I knew an appointment with an optometrist was at the top of the To Do list. On Monday morning, I scheduled a full eye exam and learned I had cataracts. After speaking with ophthalmologists at a few local eye centers, I chose to go with Dr. Yeu at Virginia Eye Consultants. The entire staff was well-organized, SO friendly and accommodating. When you first enter VEC, its vast sized waiting area filled with patients can be a bit intimidating. But then upon signing in, you’re greeted with a warm smile, cookies and coffee, if you like!
Dr. Yeu would not let me move forward with a multi-focal lens until we cleared up or at least tried to clear up my moderate dry eye. Dr. Yeu was very direct, honest and transparent during the entire exam, and as such, she explained that the multi-focal lens would not be nearly as effective as it should if my dry eye remained moderate. Luckily, my dry eye cleared up with her recommended drops and nutritional supplement. We decided to go with a multi-focal lens in my dominant right eye and a mono lens in my left.
Last week was the big day, my first of two cataract surgeries with Dr. Yeu and team. Both Dr. Yeu and her team were amazing. During the laser surgery, Dr. Yeu talked my through it with encouraging comments to let me know how well the procedure was going. Then she counted down the last seconds of the process and exclaimed, “Congrats. About 75% of the surgery is complete and the astigmatism is cleared up!” The following day, my post operation appointment showed 20/25 vision! Yesterday was my one week post op meeting and my right eye vision was 20/20 for both my near and far vision! I’m looking forward to next week when my left eye is fixed.
Virginia Eye Consultants patient Ron Monroe talks about his amazing Trabectome and Cataract removal procedure.
10th May 2017 By Ellie Bekalo Comments are Off Buffer, content, content marketing, content marketing strategy, Hootsuite, Marketing, marketing tools, strategy
A content marketing strategy is more important for businesses now than ever before. But, why is this I hear you ask?
Well, according to Content Marketing Institute, 70% of B2B marketers are creating more content now than ever before. We’ve listed our top tips to begin creating your content marketing strategy.
A content marketing strategy can help you generate new leads, monitor your traffic and most importantly, bring in sales. Anything from writing an optimised blog post that gets shared on social media, to creating an e-book that is downloaded multiple times. There is no denying that content is king when it comes to marketing your business.
Here are some beginner’s steps to get you on your way to creating a fabulous content marketing strategy.
Before you begin putting pen to paper (or finger to keyboard), you need to define who your audience or target customer is. They will be the followers who will be reading you content religiously. You may already know who your customer is and if so, that’s great. But bear in mind that your target audience may have developed or changed over time. If you’re new to marketing, however, and are writing a content marketing strategy for the first time, you need to define a customer persona. Who are you selling to? Who is going to engage with your content? Who is your customer?
There are numerous ways to produce content for your business. In your content marketing strategy, define which content you want to focus on, such as: blogs, e-books, social media content, infographics, podcasts, videos and so on. Make sure whichever format you choose, you create good quality content and not just create content for the sake of it. The more high quality your content is, the more you will be able to recycle the content over again. It is then more likely that this content will be shared.
When developing a content marketing strategy, it can be easy to dive straight in, generate hundreds of pieces of content, create random social media posts or launch into an e-book without putting much thought behind why you are writing and who you are writing for. Start off small and test your content and measure your results. What are your audience responding to? What’s relevant? What subjects are your audience engaging with most? Much like your target audience, your content marketing strategy will also evolve, so you need to be able to adapt and change your content quickly.
Once you have defined what has worked within your content marketing strategy, you need to keep on top if it. Look at tools which can help you analyse your content marketing strategy to see what’s working and what’s not.
With your blog, monitor your traffic and see how many reads, likes and shares your posts are getting. There are social media tools such as Buffer and Hootsuite which can also monitor your reach, your following and which posts that your audience are engaged with (to name a few!).
Be aware that your content marketing strategy isn’t something that is implemented overnight; it’s a long-term strategy. However, with clearly defined goals, you will be able to right an achievable content marketing strategy that will work for you business. Good luck!
Why not see how one of our Virtual Assistants can help with your content marketing strategy? We have VAs who have built their careers in Marketing and can help add value to your business. Book a free consultation and have a free trial with one of Virtual Assistants to give you extra piece of mind.
Has your hardware been acting up on its own without you requesting any action by means of keyboard or mouse? Have your files been taking longer than usual to load? Has your startup been taking too long? If your answer to any of these questions is yes, your computer might be infected by a virus! Before taking any action on your own, it is best to call a computer expert first. Virus Removal Chermside West offers the best computer services in all of Brisbane. Just give us a call and we will be right at your service. No call out fees!
Our team of computer experts are very adaptive and versatile. In fact, they had years of training and experience from one of the best IT support companies so we can guarantee that the services we provide are efficient and long-lasting. Virus Removal Chermside West is open all week long, even on weekends and holidays! Our operating hours are from 7am up to 10pm daily. What are you waiting for? Give us a call now!
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These attractive frames have a shiny black finish that makes for a versatile fashion. The Realtree logo on the temple perfectly complements the camouflage print on the temples.
These unique, purple tortoise frames have a look all their own. Metal details on the temple complement the frame's design, while spring hinges offer a more comfortable fit.
The Croydon Male Voice Choir has been singing for more than 40 years. From modest beginnings, when they advertised for recruits in newsagents’ shop-windows, thhey have grown to their current strength of almost 70 members. They sing at a variety of venues, from local halls and churches to the Royal Festival Hall.
The choir has a rich and diverse repertoire, including British and American folk song, hit numbers from the great musicals, resounding English and Welsh hymns, American spirituals, classical pieces from opera, and great set pieces such as the Hallelujah Chorus.
They take part in festivals and tours, and have competed in the prestigious international choir competition in Truro, Cornwall.
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Dr. Robert W Niegisch, MD is a Doctor primarily located in Suncook, NH. He has 34 years of experience. His specialties include Family Medicine. He speaks English. |
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We met recently at our university's alumni gathering. Taylor was proactive and expressed an interest in helping in some way. Taylor has now become active in leadership and an amazing asset who is educating us on different ways to connect with over 900 alumni in the Atlanta area for St. John's University. On top of it all, Taylor is humble, gracious and hardworking, which will translate into a successful career and a productive worker for a firm fortunate enough to invite her into their midst.
I have had the pleasure of working with Taylor across different departmental functions at Combs Enterprises. Her attitude has always stayed positive, she keeps an open mind and is an excellent problem solver. Working in a fast pace environment with constant changes on the fly, Taylor has always adapted and in this business, time is money. I can always count on her to be punctual and deliver on time! Looking forward to working with her on future projects! |
At first, we sprayed crayon colors all over the page, without a care as to whether we stayed inside the lines or not.
As we became toddlers, our coloring got more refined. We learned boundaries, we assigned certain colors to certain objects, and were more discerning in our choice of colors.
Later still, we marveled at the results of paint-by-numbers, and then on to watercolors and pastels.
The coloring books were random, assorted pictures, themed pictures or page-by-page pictures that laid out a story. And each one of these pages had the same format: a black outline on a white page that showed a picture.
... with smoke rising from its chimney; a boat tethered to a pier, fishing poles jutting out at its end; a winding road leading up toward the cabin, and a big, broad apple tree on its front lawn, with majestic mountains towering behind the cabin, backed by a sky full of puffy clouds and a bright sun.
the water on the lake would be a mixture of many colors, possibly reflecting the boat that floated on it;
the cabin would have a different colored roof, and, like the apple tree, cast shadows from the light of the sun.
And we’d start adding depth and shading, because we could discern perspective and light better. And we’d spend much more time at our task; we were more exacting and meticulous.
Printed words are groupings of black symbols on white paper. Strung together intelligently and creatively, they tell a story, just like the outline of a picture in a coloring book.
And it’s our acting that has to come to the fore through our voice - pouring with conversationality and emotion in order for us to sound believable.
The reason most great stage and screen actors are believable is because we can see their characters. We see their body language, their movements, their gesticulations, and their eyes.
But people can’t see voice actors - they can only hear us. So all the color and emotions we bring to a script has to come out of just one place - our mouth.
Millions of years of human evolution have made the sound of the human voice a wonder to behold and something no machine will ever duplicate.
Oh, they’ve tried. At first, people thought that developing speech recognition would be a simple matter of replicating phonemes, and they’ve had some success in transplanting those basic sounds into myriad applications.
But like astronomers exploring the universe, the more they peer into the vastness of space, the more they realize how complex it is.
In their quest to simulate real speech with a machine, scientists have found that the more they try to perfect speech recognition, they realize they can’t.
The human voice is incredibly unique. Our vocal cords hold a powerful gift: the power to paint pictures, with an infinite variety of colored shades, textures, depth, patterns and mixtures.
We have the innate ability, through our voice, to convey meaning without even uttering a word! No machine could do that.
Many of us refer to ourselves as voice artists as well as voice actors. If we’re artists, then we have to take out our palette of vocal colors and brush those words, wash, tint and dab them.
We have to channel impressionism, cubism, pointillism, abstract art, op art and realism into our phrasing. We have to apply the endless color combinations of emotions and infuse them into words.
When we’re presented with text that cries out for coloring, take out your 120-count box of vocal Crayolas® with all their wonderful hues and shades and create a masterpiece!
We’re blessed with the ability to lift words off the page effortlessly and to articulate them clearly.
Payment to Misa Arriaga is made through SuMisa Arriaga to audition for you |
Chronic pain makes the lives of around 80 million people in the United States alone miserable. It’s an everlasting experience making it difficult to have a normal life without worrying about when the pain will return each day. Some people do find temporary relief only for the pain to strike again. For those who try to beat the pain on their own, they’re up against the risk of developing depression and anxiety problems. This is why you need qualified medical professionals at our Long Beach pain management location to help!
Vortex Wellness Long Beach offers pain management services to help you conquer your pain and live a happier, fulfilling life. We provide an integrative approach to pain management under the direction of Dr. Jeffrey Olson, who is assisted by Gabriel Hernandez, PA-C at our Long Beach pain management facility. With a proper treatment consisting of any combination of physical therapy, exercise, and medications, you’ll be able to move forward and stop the pain from controlling everything you do.
Our clinic employs medical doctors with many years of experience diagnosing and treating patients with chronic pain problems. We incorporate multidisciplinary techniques to treat the underlying causes of your pain. Here are some other reasons to consider Vortex Wellness Long Beach:
None of our treatments involve going under the knife or the complications associated with surgery like pulmonary embolisms, hematomas, or stroke. Many chronic pain problems can be better managed through reducing stress and anxiety in your life.
When you get treatment at Vortex Wellness Long Beach, our staff listens attentively to your concerns. You’ll be at a facility which fosters kindness and compassion and using different treatments to address your pain problems.
We use a variety of non-invasive pain treatments and pain management techniques to improve your prognosis. The primary focus is managing your pain without any steroids or surgeries and relying on improving your overall health both physically and mentally.
When it comes to assessing your type of chronic pain, we’ll provide all the testing necessary in finding the root of your chronic pain issues. We check your nerves, spinal cord, head, back, knees, and just about anywhere else where you feel the most pain.
There’s a chronic pain management clinic manage the following conditions:
There’s all kmanage the following conditions:
The treatment plan depends on your condition type and extent of the pain and can include any combination of therapies, chiropractic solutions, medications, and physical exercise. Below are several of our treatment techniques in detail.
Massages are great for reducing the levels of pain in patients afflicted with chronic bone, back, and leg pain as well as headaches. Done correctly, massages trigger a relaxation response from the body’s nervous system and results in relaxed muscles and higher levels of serotonin in the brain.
There’s a correlation between being overweight and suffering from complications of the spine. People with a BMI of 25-29.9 are considered overweight, while those with a BMI greater than 30 are classified as being obese. In either case, weight loss through low-impact exercise (water therapy, walking, etc.) helps alleviate back pain by increasing blood flow to the affected areas.
As part of our program, we also have our patients participate in these activities to maximize their overall health while they’re receiving specific treatments for their pain.
Exercise has been shown to be much more effective at treating chronic pain rather than resorting to resting in bed. Ask your doctor before beginning any exercise regimen if you have a chronic pain condition, and we’ll work with you to develop an individualized exercise program for you.
Yoga improves your concentration and helps you develop greater strength in your muscles too. It works through a combination of stretching and deep breathing and results in greater blood and nutrient flow to the body’s muscles and soft tissues.
Anti-inflammatory diets including fresh vegetables and fruits help patients better manage their chronic pain levels. Foods like spinach, kale, nuts, and lean meats (turkey, chicken, etc.) have organic compounds that fight inflammation in the body leading to greater pain relief.
Meditation focuses on building up a patient’s ability to reduce the intensity of pain signals to the brain. It provides many analgesic benefits and results in pain reduction even after the meditation session with enough time and consistency.
In addition to all the comprehensive treatments we provide all our patients, we also use prescription medication to help alleviate pain and any underlying issues. Here’s a list of medications:
To make your first appointment at Vortex Wellness Long Beach as successful as possible, you must remember to bring the following:
Copies of X-ray and MRI scans and information about all your prescribed medications and how you’re taking them (e.g., Advil, 200 mg, one tablet every 8 hours).
A pain journal (if you have one) detailing your symptoms, triggers, and pain intensity over a given period
We are often told that the #2000 Saxophone Work Fixture is by far one of the most time saving additions to the shop. This fixture, used world wide by both repair technicians as well as manufacturers, will safely and securely hold an alto, tenor, or baritone saxophone up off the workbench, conveniently putting the instrument at eye level.
The cradle assembly of the fixture that secures the instrument will revolve and hold at any position in a 360° arc. Simply rotate the fixture in either direction: wherever you stop the horn will remain in that position, allowing the technician full use of both hands to do any kind of repair, from inspection and adjustment to pad replacement and soldering. The entire unit will also swivel a full 360° on the workbench.
While you may be used to working on a saxophone by laying it on the workbench or in your lap, think about the amount of time and effort needed to maintain and balance the instrument in a certain position while performing a particular operation. How many times do you lift up and set down an instrument during a repair? And why worry about putting scratches in the horn from tools and parts lying on the bench (especially on new or recently lacquered horns)?
From simple make play jobs to complete overhauls, this fixture will save any repair shop a tremendous amount of time. Try it out for our 30 Day Risk Free Trial Period. We guarantee you will never want to work on another saxophone without it.
Suppose that a saxophone comes in for a repair estimate. In LESS THAN 30 SECONDS the work fixture can be removed from a wall hook, secured to the workbench, and the horn set up in it ready for inspection! Or if you need to switch over to a clarinet repair in the middle of a sax job, simply lift the entire fixture with horn off of the base plate and temporarily set aside. The base plate is a flat 1/8" by 8" square steel plate that permanently attaches to the workbench with four wood screws. When the fixture is not in use the workbench is totally free for other work.
For shops that like to do soldering away from the woodwind bench, the fixture can be easily clamped in a vise located in the soldering area. It will still provide the same positioning and holding features.
Constructed of heavy gauge steel and solidly built for years of trouble free operation. Durable powder coat finish. Holds alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones. Fluorescent leak lights can be used in the usual way. |
Sunbay House stands in the quite village of Balestrate, an ideal location for a short break with a very friendly welcome and personal attention for guests. The property is an indipendent & separate unit of a big villa. The apartment on ground floor near of the little town Balestrate, is situated in the middle of the Gulf of Castellammare, near the beach (300 metres) and all the facilities. Villas haS very nice decorations and benefit from an EXTERNAL dining area where you can have your meals and BARBEQUES while enjoying the SUN & the PERFUMED AIR of the sea! THE UNIT has its own GARDEN and private PARKING.
The small Sicilian coastal town of Balestrate is located in the heart of the Golfo di Castellammare area and has several lovely sandy beaches, one of which stretches all the way to Castellammare del Golfo, a famous coastal town with a lovely little harbor. In the summer period you will find some lido's, but the biggest part of Balestrate's beaches have free access.
Along the corso, the Via Madonna del Ponte, you will find several bars where you can have a real Italian breakfast with a cornetto (a croissant filled with cream, marmalade or sweet ricotta cheese) and a cappuccino. You can also try homemade ice-cream in a bun, which is typical for the south part of Italy. If you'd like to give it a try you just order a brioche con gelato, you won't be disappointed! Most of the town's shops, cafés and super markets are located along or close to the corso. In the heart of Balestrate you will find the town square and the recently renovated church.
Balestrate is also a great holiday location thanks to its favorable geographic position. Located between Palermo and Trapani, it is easily reachable from the harbors and airports of these two cities. There are many direct and cheap flights available to Trapani or Palermo. Balestrate is also an excellent starting point for visiting all cultural attractions in the area, like the medieval town of Erice, the temple and amphitheatre of Segesta, the archeological park in Selinunte, the salt pans (saline) near Marsala, the cathedral of Monreale, Palermo, Castellammare del Golfo and many more!
You will find additional information on the pages titled beach, culture, nature and cuisine under the menu item the area.
The extensive renovation work has been completely renovated after the nickname of its previous owner's peculiar "pipistrello" - bat - called. This namely shunned the daylight and announced the day the imminent death of, but at night he was always a very lively and cheerful contemporary putz.
In the beautiful garden features a furnished terrace, an outdoor barbecue, and to have a sandbox for the kids and even a lot of space to the middle of nature relax.
The sea and the nearest large town, take about 15 minutes. Parking is available directly at the house. Giuliano Teatino offers itself as a good starting point for walks and bike rides.
Trstenik is the right destination for your vacation? Lazar is the name of this object, located in Trstenik.azarazar"rstenik azar in destination Trstenik.
Accommodation Lazar is located 50 m from the sea, 50 m from the center in the town Trstenik. This accommodation offers a view of the Sea and green area. Type of beach pebble beach. Private accommodation Lazar is ideal for 5 |
Fullfillment of our dream: nice guests enjoying our romantic holiday apartments in a charming medieval town – surrounded by vineyards and Black Forest mountains. In addition: close to Switzerland (40min) and France (20min). In the middle of this town – and so quiet! A contradiction? No: only YOU, the guest, receives traffic authorization upon arrival, parking right in front of premises. Otherwise pedestrian-zone, cobble stone: medieval! You see the ruins of the old castle from many places in town – upon a hill of course. The garden: apple, cherry- and peach trees, old, high walls sheltering you – but in less than 2min walking time you are in the middle of action: 180 cute shops present challenge to your credit cards! Festivities are frequent and famous in Staufen! Leave your car-keys in the room and take part! Avoid any trouble with the law (drinking and driving…). Excellent train connections to Freiburg (one of the most beautiful domes in the world), to Basel (Switzerland) which is famous for its abundance of art or – for nature–lovers – into Black Forest. Train or buses are FREE to our guests – money saved for wine or Black Forest cake!
This apartment is closest to parking-lot, has a separate entrance and a little terrace attached. Wooden flooring, friendly furniture, complete kitchen (oven, dishwasher - no ice-crusher, though!). Quality bedding french-style make for a good night's sleep. Bathroom has shower. Lounge with flat-screen TV, CD player, stereo-system and Internet-access (WLAN/WiFi) are at your disposal. Central key-system giving you access to both washing machine and tumbler as well. Upon request baby-bed,…etc. is possible. Free use of garden. Storage for bicycles incl. charging-station for e-bikes.
House furnished in a simple and practical, with dishwasher, washing machine and TV. It has a large terrace with extensive views of Campese Bay to the distant islands of Monte Cristo, Elba and Sardinia. Table on the terrace for cocktails at sunset, with the lights of the medieval village that light up one by one. To appreciate fresh fruits and vegetables of the place. Thursday and 'on market day with many interesting things to buy. The port offers seaside restaurants with fresh fish to eat in the moonlight after a sunny day on the beach or a boat trip. The castle features theater performances under the stars and the week of the Opera.
The beautiful beaches are ideal for children, especially at Cannelle which has a white sand like the Caribbean and the sea and 'shallow. The Boat Taxi will also accompany the most distant beaches and come back to pick you up when you're ready. For those who enjoy walking (hiking) there are accompanied paths, a healthy and fun way to learn about the island.
The island can be reached by ferry departing from Porto S. Stefano (GR), Agencies: Maregiglio or Toremar, 12 nautical miles away (45 minutes of navigation). Once you reach the port of the island you can reach Giglio Castello (5 Km) by public line or by car - our holiday home "La Serretta" # 6777541 is located in Via S. Maria, 32 of Giglio Castello outside the medieval center. Mrs Luciana, the curator of the order and cleaning of the house, will be waiting for you in Piazza Gloriosa, who will show you the accommodation and hand over the keys to the house. For any hydraulic problems (Gas, washing machine, dishwasher) call Remo and Mrs. Luciana. The island offers beaches such as the bay of Campese visible from our house or cliffs accessible in the final part even on foot through mule tracks / paths as the southern tip of Capelrosso, everywhere enjoying transparent waters. Every year at the end of September (this year 2018 on days 27,28,29) the event of the open cellars takes place to taste typical dishes and local products such as Ansonaco wine, a unique specialty of the island of Giglio.
All rooms are provided with sheets and towels (included) Cabinet and commodini. All 3 bedrooms have spacious cupboards, bedside tables (bed linen and towels inclusive in rent),
Hiking organized walks on the different panoramic routes and donkey tracks of Giglio Island. Boats taxi to take you to secluded or unsecluded bays- They return to collect you at the Desired time. Local theater, music, variosus Festivals, Opera week, dancing in the square at Festivals, plenty of restaurants and pizzerias. Free beaches or concession beaches with sunbeds and umbrellas provided. |
Giglio is an enchanting island. The capital Castello, is located at an altitude of 450 meters above sea level with a cool climate. It is an enchanting, small medieval village, the only one left in Italy, located on an island.
Casa Serretta is located just outside the village with a magnificent view: the Castle on one side and the beautiful Bay of Campese on the other. The green countryside in front and on the left. Spring covers the island with flowers of all colors and scents, 12 minutes (4km) by car there are 4 beautiful sandy beaches with quartzo. The island offers scenic walks in the pine forest and cirsostante campaign. The island also has an excellent gastronomy with typical local dishes and international ones with fresh fish, vegetables and local fruits, pizzerias and homemade ice creams. Finally you can find the famous Ansonaco wine, produced right on the island.
The village offers jazz music in August thanks to the local musicians. The Festa delle Cantine in the last weekend of September transforms the Castle into a spell of light with the Cantine Festival Open to the public offering many specialties (cake cellar, fish cellar, barbeque in the square and music everywhere, cellar of the storyteller etc.). ,)!Then there is the Festival of San Mamiliano September 15 with dancing in the streets shows and fireworks! And the San Lorenzo al Porto party with dances and shows near the sea and others .. The week of the Opera, Theatre Under the Stars. apart from a wonderful beach! And friendly islanders!
The Casa al CastilloEnjoy the preferred location for Fleesensee. This stylish house has one in each room separately controllable living room, large living room with sofa and dining table, luxurious designer sofa, open plan fittedequipped with a Raindance Spa shower. Storage room, private parking, as well as garden furniture and barbecue are included in the rental price. Bed linen, towels and Kinderstühle- and beds are available. Wireless Internet is available.
In the large daylight bathrooms receives a designer vanity. Further you can enjoy a walk-in glass-enclosed shower, incl. Raindance, and a towel warmers, sauna,anoramic mirror.
The floor is fully equipped with quality tiles. All rooms are heated by underfloor heating which can be controlled for each room. Living room and bedroom contain digital SAT / TV and flat screen TV, Sky. ase of bad weather which div. Books, CDs, DVDs, many board games and a free wireless connection. Alhe highest level of energy efficiency, but always fresh air in all living areas without pollen. A year-round heated to 37 degrees outdoor hot tub with 46 hydromassage jets and multi-LED lamps provide Pure Wellness! |
Our house is located in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in the beautiful town of Göhren-Lebbin in a privileged location, perfect for all lake addicts, in the country Fleesensee, between Berlin, Rostock and Hamburg. Beautifully located and embedded in beautiful nature. Enjoy the nature of Mecklenburg, the wonderful tranquility in beautiful scenery, top-class golf courses and a variety of leisure and sports facilities. How to reach us: Motorway: from Berlin via the A24 and A19 to the Waren / Müritz exit, from Hamburg via the A24 and A19, depending on the traffic in 1 1/2 hours reachable by plane: Rostock Airport / Laage about 35 minutes away, or Berlin / Tegel or Hamburg, then over the highway, as described above - Train: to goods with the Interconnex or the Regional Express, then by bus or taxi to Göhren-Lebbin - Bus - Public transport network: ea al Castillo yoiscounted price.
The data refer to the price per night All consumption costs (gas, electric, water, internet), Sky, whirlpool, sauna costs included. Economic appearance of a linen package (sheets, 1 large bath towel, 2 regular towels, Tea towels) is possible. This is calculated at 17 euros per person. Costs an extra bed incl. Pillow + blanket = 21 euros. Additional services on request: Providing Cot, high chair and stair gate. There are costs associated with cleaning fee of EUR 75 per pet and costs of € 20 once. No hidden costs. Tourism levy in place Göhren-Lebbin is 2 euros / day / person / adult. In professional stay eliminates the amount.
Villa with 3 large double bedrooms all with private balcony, 2 bathrooms one private and with whirlpool bath. Air conditioning in all rooms, private wardrobes. very spacious terrace. equipped kitchen and living room with TV, Wifi, internet, garden, BBQ area, collapsible pool and free gym. 10 minutes (by car) from the faro airport and beach. Close to several beaches, Albufeira, Vilamoura. Facility rent a car. |
Squeeze applies a 50% speed debuff to Teroclaw. If Teroclaw uses Natures Ward and goes into elemental racial status all abilities from the Jelly do increased damage, as they already do against blossoming and sunflower.
If Teroclaw evades your first squeeze attempt swap in a fresh Jelly. Raindance for heal and crit on the first turn and then squeeze him again, if he swaps out then simply nuke the elemental
If an elemental enters the battle at any time with a Jelly it stays trapped until dead with the no cool down on grasp.
You can also use 2 Jellies with a PP Emperor with surge, healing wave and whirlpool (use emperor to surge Teroclaw below 50% then Bleakwater Jelly is faster as PS), or if you want some challenge, 1 jelly, 1 emperor and 1 ghostshell with surge, bubble and whirlpool.
I never thought about the utility of abilities like grasp against a sunny day team. I am gonna have to look closer at bleakwater jelly. Thanks for the tips!
It's always frustrating when someone decides to play sunny day teams so its helpful for people to highlight useful strategies against them.
I agree sunlight/photosynthesis are time wasting teams especially as it's such a basic tactic to play. |
I've created a new CLOT which is a multi-day ladder based on 35+ 1v1 templates. All games honor vacations and have a 3 day auto-boot.
If you have me on your blacklist, you will not be able to join this ladder, as the CLOT creates games from my WL account.
Once you have joined this ladder, you will be invited to games. You have to explicitly join these games as I cannot force-join you. If you decline, fail to join within 3 days or vote to end a game, it may count as a loss against you.
Do not join this ladder with multiple accounts. If caught multi-accounting, I reserve the right to ban you from this ladder.
It is still a work in progress and I have some more features I'd like to add. If you find any bugs, have any suggestions or just found this cool, please drop comments on this thread :)
Any player who has unlocked all the settings and maps used on this ladder can join. As far as I can tell, the minimum level is 53. If you have an old grandfathered account or have purchased the strategy and map packs, then you should be able to join regardless of your level.
If you're on vacation, the ladder will automatically remove you. You will have to rejoin once you get back.
From the list of players currently active on the ladder, you may be randomly assigned an opponent within a range of R-20 to R+20. Players are ordered on rating.
I'm currently considering if I should switch to Bayesian Elo(which is what Fizzer uses on the 1v1/2v2/3v3 ladders). If such a switch is made, the ratings may change a bit, but hopefully the impact is minimal as there are very few finished games.
Thanks to Fizzer for all his work on Warlight and the inclusion of the CLOT framework for others to extend.
I'm missing something. If the games are created from your account, why does the partaker need to have evrything unlocked?
Because of the way Warlight APIs work. I cannot invite someone to a game in an automated fashion when they haven't unlocked the feature as it is considered a 'hack' to overcome the feature unlocking system on WL.
btw some templates are practice (e.g. please change them to ranked
Just out of curiousity (not complaining) but is the 1v1 British Raj supposed to be played with WR or SR? I've recently played it with WR but the template on this ladder is using SR. Just curious if this was intended or not.... I like both.
This CLOT isn't hosted on GAE. It's hosted on a VM which I pay 35$ a month for. So it better not die.
The previous CLOT used a 3rd party library and was based on True Skill. This one is based on Elo and written by me. However, I'm not a math expert and it may well fail. I'm currently experimenting with Bayesian Elo. So we'll just wait and see I suppose.
Small bug that I found: I tried to sign up on mobile. The interface looked good, but the join ladder button didn't work. I had to switch to browser mode and only then I could join.
I tried to make it mobile friendly as much a possible. Try rotating the device to see if it works. Something seems to overlap the join button on the phone, and I haven't figured out why.
Dat Hannibal template is apparently missing some weight on priority and reinforcement cards,you can thank Njord for spotting that in our game.
when i joined i got 2 opponents on the same template was that just bad luck or is that when you get more then 1 new game they are the same?
For those guys that can't join on mobile browsers like chrome, you have to request desktop site and then join.
Tried this and it didn't work. I was reading about it, and it seems to be a problem with bootstrap buttons on phone due to it's failure to recognize a "click" on a phone. I'll keep looking. Since this button is something you would use on an infrequent basis, I'd suggest that you join via PC or try the workaround suggested by Mirage.
This was a coincidence. I've double checked the code and can confirm that multiple games in the same creation cycle use random templates.
I am currently participating in the ladder but there is "join ladder" button instead of "leave ladder".
Timon are you sure you are going to the page on your account that has joined since you are active on 3 or so |
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is poised to select six locations as Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) test sites. And states are pulling out the stops to convince the agency to let them host one of them.
Wyoming, North Carolina, Utah, Ohio, Minnesota, Oklahoma and North Dakota all had booths at the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International's (AUVSI) drone conference in Washington last week -- and some of them were quite lavish.
Ohio was giving away cookies shaped like the state. North Dakota and Oklahoma both had huge booths that included semi-enclosed meeting areas. Utah had a large inflatable snow yeti holding a model of a drone designed in-state. All this to convince the crowd, and ultimately the FAA, that their corner of America is on the verge of becoming the Silicon Valley of drones.
The FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 requires the agency to select six UAS test sites to study the safety of UAS and certify commercial drones for use in the national airspace. The competition is fierce because the test sites hold the potential to create thousands of jobs and millions in tax revenue, not counting the profits from commercial applications that will be tested at the sites.
The FAA received 25 applications from 24 states for the six spots earlier this year and is expected to make a decision in December.
The booths were only part of the states' appeals: Political figures came out in force to promote their states. North Dakota Lt. Gov. Drew Wrigley (R) gave a brief speech on Tuesday, while Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) toured the exhibit hall with press in tow Wednesday.
Turner cited Ohio's Air Force research lab and the state's NASA presence among the factors that make the state a good fit for one of the test sites.
"This is an emerging technology and it's going to have a number of economic impacts," he said, adding that Ohio's "traditional manufacturing bases will become suppliers for the UAS chain."
Wrigley also has high hopes for UAS technology. But he believes North Dakota has staked a claim in the space, claiming the state is "already on the leading edge" of evaluating drones for agriculture, search and rescue, and inspecting infrastructure like pipelines for oil, gas, water, and power lines.
"It's not a brand new sector" he said. He said that it is growing rapidly, raising important issues for public policy and a variety of business interests. While many states are recovering from the recession, North Dakota has enjoyed the fastest growing economy in the country -- largely thanks to an oil and gas boom.
"It's not because we need another group of jobs, but it does add to the diversification of our economy," Wrigley said. But Wrigley believes North Dakota is "uniquely situated" to host one of the sites due to its weather extremes, sparse population, an international border, and its established drone policy infrastructure.
Part of that established infrastructure is already having a system to examine the privacy implications of drone technology. Wrigley leads a privacy compliance committee that vets all drone testing in the state for legal, moral, ethical and constitutional issues.
That committee even includes input from clergy. "We have a pretty strong libertarian streak up here" Wrigley said, and just because something is constitutional "doesn't mean it's something you want to have going on in your state all the time."
Stephen McKeever, secretary for Science and Technology for the state of Oklahoma, also stressed the importance of taking into account the privacy implications of drone technology testing, but emphasizes the need for nuance in the debate: "We are supportive of an informed discussion about this whole business, not simply a little paranoid on the privacy issue nor getting carried on the societal benefits of the applications, but to have the middle ground -- that's where this discussion should be taking place."
Many states argue their higher education systems are poised to make a UAS test site a success. The University of North Dakota is home to a Center for UAS Research, Education & Training and claims to have established the first four-year UAS degree, while McKeever cites Oklahoma as the home of the only UAS engineering graduate program in the country.
In most cases, the selection of an FAA test site could mean dramatic changes for local economies and a way for more rural areas to gain a technological edge. For example, Kris Cahoon Noble, a county planner/economic developer from Hyde County, N.C. sees it as an opportunity to promote an underutilized airport and bring new precision agriculture techniques to the attention of local farmers.
Representatives at the Wyoming booth thought drone tech could help with animal counting and searching for people lost in the wilderness -- both important to a state with vast expanses of land and more animals than humans.
But even if not selected as FAA test sites, many planned to continue to develop their drone economies independently. This is "the next significant growth in aerospace" said Alan Palmer, director of the Center for UAS Research, Education & Training at the University of North Dakota. "We think we have a strong proposal -- if we're designated that's great, if not that's okay too because we're going to continue doing what we're doing."
Workers went on strike March 22 at Republic's Mobile facility over a health care contract issue. Brewton workers did not strike but were part of the negotiations. Republic said in a news release the principal problem was a dispute over a waiver of certain new health insurance surcharges. Republic bargainers mistakenly agreed to this waiver, which the company said is against Republic policy.
Republic said because of that initial agreement it would honor the waiver in Brewton and the mutually agreed upon resolution regarding Mobile. In other cases, Republic’s policy on surcharges remains in place, the company said.
According to Catharine Ellingsen, senior vice president, human resources, for Republic, the company’s objective with the latest decision “was to restore the high level of respect previously shared by the company and the employees’ bargaining representative. I believe today we have made significant progress toward that goal.”
The Teamsters, with Local 991 representing Mobile, said the facility’s 24 striking workers were subsequently supported by more than 400 Teamsters workers honoring picket lines in Columbus, Ohio; Buffalo, N.Y.; Seattle; and Seattle-area cities of Bellevue, Lynnwood and Kent. Those employees are back working, said Peg Mulloy, media relations manager for Republic, in an e-mail. |
[Highest ranking yet: #1 in Short Story] "Siri, if you were a person, what would you look like?" Does my appearance matter to you? "....&qu...
*IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ ME FIRST!* Welcome to Diverse Fiction, this here is an introductory guide on how to get your work featured, your favourite writer interviewed, an...
He wasn't sure how he'd lived without her for so long. And he wasn't sure how, or why, she had entered his life at the point she had, but he wasn't complaining. His gir...
Despite being gifted with brains and good looks, Natsu has no desire for relationships and no aspirations. His only directive in life: stay a loner to keep his mentally...
[ updates every 10th, 20th and 30th ] When Valerie Rosewood jumps into the scene of a bullying episode, she doesn't expect herself hurled into a personal battle between...
JESSICA JONES meets DRACULA: Fleeing a man who steals memories with a touch, Aveline Arden finds an unlikely respite in the home of a cursed vampire trying to survive in...
Meet Dallas Perez Garcia, a girl with low self-esteem and stretch marks. One day she gathers enough courage to contact the boy she's liked throughout high school. The...
"I just loved being around them, I felt like I belonged. I felt like I was part of something". In which three souls come together and redefine love.
"When you start to really look at some people, you begin to notice the masks on their faces chipping away." Marissa Lee spent her entire childhood building up...
"Juliet, Juliet, wherefore art thou Juliet?" In which two girls from feuding families fall in love. {copyright © riya gupta 2017- in which two girls defy the o... |
Right, before you guys get all excited, this isn't the type of oneshot book that you expected it to be.
But pretty much what it is, is a book full of short stories, following random events that pop into my mind. They all have my OC Kayleigh in it, (she's in my other story) and they're all written out of sheer boredom. Yay. I genuinely don't know how to explain it anymore, so you'll just have to read it to find out.
After the disappearance of Hannah and Beth Washington, Josh Washington, Imigie Mayge and the rest of the gang go back to Blackwood Mountain for the anniversary of the sisters' disappearance. Suddenly, things start seem not right. Josh's sanity is falling apart and an unknown curse is waiting to take the nine teenagers. Will they all survive until dawn?
The Amazing Spider-Man has returned from a brief hiatus to fight crime and protect the citizens of New York City once again. After returning as the web-slinging hero, Peter finds out that Norman Osborn has passed away, and Harry has been made CEO of OsCorp Industries. Jacqueline begins to experience pain in her left arm and questions if it is because of the serum she received from OsCorp. Little do Peter and Jacqueline know, OsCorp had been surveilling them. Peter later realises that he has to go against two OsCorp employees turned villains: Alistaire Smythe and Harry Osborn. In the process, Peter finds out his father's secret and comes across Uncle Ben's killer. When Peter is facing off against his friend turned foe, he comes close to death and requires help from Jacqueline, but she has left to take the photography opportunity in England.
I've written a couple of these and don't see myself stopping anytime soon. I didn't want to make a separate story for them all, so I put them all here instead.
A collection of (hopefully) funny and humorous One Shot scenes with all 10 characters from the game Until Dawn. |
By now we all know the dangers of eating too much and exercising too little: heart disease, stroke, diabetes, etc. But even in a society as obsessed with slimness as ours, most of us would rather have a root canal than hit the gym. Well, couch potatoes, take heart! Experts now say that effective exercise can be incorporated into daily life so easily, even the most exercise-phobic among us can shape up.
"The recommendations for physical activity have changed drastically. They make it easier for the general public to achieve the correct levels of exercise because it includes such everyday activities as cleaning house and walking," says Regina L. Tan, DVM, MS, a CDC officer at the Georgia Division of Public Health. After the guidelines were changed from "20 minutes of vigorous activity 3 days per week" to "30 minutes of moderate activity 5 or more days per week," a new questionnaire for assessing activity levels was devised, based on those changes. Tan and colleagues set out to determine whether the new questionnaire offered an accurate means of assessing physical activity levels, and whether those levels had increased since the guidelines were revised.
For inactive people, doing any kind of activity will benefit their health. The American Heart Association recommends that inactive people gradually work up to exercising three to four times a week for 30-60 minutes at 50%-80 % of their maximal heart rate.
"With the new questionnaire, it does look like the average amount of physical activity has increased somewhat," she tells WebMD. "We are, however, still investigating the accuracy of the survey, and the bottom line is that the increase, even if it's real, is very slight. Adults in the United States are just not getting enough physical activity, period. We are getting bigger and bigger."
"We sit at a desk all day long." To stay fit and slim, "you have to overcompensate for that, especially since a lot of what we're eating isn't all that healthy."
But we're not overcompensating. Instead, we're coming home from a day of sitting at the office computer only to sit some more -- at our home computer, in front of the TV, and at the dinner table.
No, you don't have to start training for a marathon. The difference between getting healthy and becoming a statistic "is increasing your activity level gradually, maybe by 20% a week. That will get you up to the recommended levels before too long," says Tan.
Don't use elevators or escalators; instead, take the stairs. Start with one such substitution a day, and build up slowly. So you work on the 50th floor? Ride up to 48 and walk up from there. Careful, though -- walking down stairs can be hard on your knees. Walk up, but ride down.
Stop circling parking lots and fighting for the closest spot. Park a little bit farther away from the office or mall, and walk. You'll not only increase fitness, you'll decrease stress.
According to Tan, "That's all you need to do to make a real difference in your fitness level. Everyday activities that you might not think are exercise, are exercise." In the new recommendations, doing the laundry, vacuuming, and cleaning your house all count as exercise.
"Absolutely everyone can benefit from increasing his or her activity level," she says. "Even the most athletic people will improve their fitness level, and this is especially true for sedentary or overweight people." |
So the time has come to finally get on the World Wide Web with a Web site of your own. Once the Web site and pages have been created, however, the question of where to put it still remains. From those looking to create a personal Web site to those looking to give their business or company a presence on the Web, there is a wide range of Web site hosting options available to you. The options that are more expensive may not always be the best choice — it all comes down to your budget and the type of presence you are looking to have on the World Wide Web.
When you subscribe to Internet connection services through an ISP (Internet Service Provider) you will usually be allotted a certain amount of space to host Web pages with your paid subscription. For those looking to publish a family-oriented or topic-specific Web page, this is a good choice as you will not pay extra for the hosting, provided you don't go over the space and traffic limitations set by your ISP. Unlike using free sites to host a Web page there will be no third-party advertisements running on your Web pages, unless of course, you choose to run advertisements on the pages yourself.
The amount of space you have using your ISP will vary from one service provider to another. Generally, you can expect to have up anywhere from 2MB up to 5MB of space available for your Web pages. As value-added services, your ISP may also provide you with code that you can freely use on your Web page such as code to implement a hit counter or guestbook. It is important to check with your ISP beforehand to find out what services are provided with your Internet account.
Finding free Web space on the Internet can be managed with a simple Web search. There are a plethora of services available to individuals and businesses looking for a place to park a Web site and not have to pay for the service. These online offers, depending on which one you choose, will provide you with anywhere from 5MB to 100MB of space for hosting your Web site. Some free site companies will offer value-added services, such as tracking logs, counters, guestbooks, virtual domain names, copy & paste scripts and more. Generally these added services are ideal for people who are unfamiliar with Web site building and feature implementation.
While this type of service may sound even better than using your ISP for hosting a small Web site, you should always do your research first. Visitors to your Web page might end up being spammed with oodles of pop-up and banner advertisements, and you will have no control over the advertising content that may be a direct conflict with your Web page, especially if it is a site designed for children and younger readers. These companies are able to offer Web space to people for free because they rely on advertising dollars brought in by you showing their ads on your Web page. Be sure to read the user agreement before signing up for a free Web hosting account so you know what to expect in terms of advertising.
A computer that delivers (serves up) Web pages. Every Web server has an IP address and possibly a domain name. For example, if you enter the URL in your browser, this sends a request to the server whose domain name is The server then fetches the page named index.html and sends it to your browser. Any computer can be turned into a Web server by installing server software and connecting the machine to the Internet. There are many Web server software applications, including public domain software from NCSA and Apache, and commercial packages from Microsoft, Netscape and others.
If the idea of running advertisements on your Web site is unappealing, you can find services similar to free hosting but for which you pay a small fee to have the Web page run advertisement-free. In fact, many of the sites offering free hosting also offer upgraded accounts where you can pay anywhere from $5 to $20 a month to have the advertisements stripped from your site. By upgrading to a paid account you will most likely have access to additional Web site building features and services not offered with the free accounts.
There is a lot of competition for your Web site hosting dollars, and when looking for Web space you can find some pretty good deals online. F2G is just one example of a Web site hosting provider that offers some excellent options and lots of space for $6.95/month — if paid annually. With this type of premium (but cheap) Web site hostin,g you can also pay a little extra to have a domain name registered and the site available to readers under the domain name.
The only way to register and start using a domain name is to use the services of a domain name registrar. The domain name industry is regulated and overseen by ICANN, the organization that is responsible for certifying companies as domain name registrars. At one time there was only one domain name registrar — Network Solutions Inc. — but today there are dozens of accredited registrars. Only a domain name registrar is permitted to access and modify the master database of domain names maintained by InterNIC. If you come across a registrar that is not on the list, it is most likely that the organization is acting as a reseller for one of the accredited registrars as only an accredited registrar has the capability to modify the database of domain names. The registrar you choose will determine the cost for registering a domain name, but in general expect to pay a yearly fee.
There is no doubt that by registering and using a domain name your costs associated with having a Web site will increase. Many individuals will use domain names to help create an identity on the Web, but for most business and corporate users, the use of a domain name is for branding purposes. Usually, you will try to find a domain name that is related to your company name, your industry, or a mixture of both if finding an available domain name becomes too difficult. Companies will often use their Web site as a way to communicate and provide information to clients, and also market their Web site as a part of their business by including the URL to their Web site on business cards and advertisements.
Once you have decided on a domain name, and found it to be available, you can then start the process of registering that domain name. This is a task you can do, or many ISPs will offer a complete hosting package that will include the registering of the domain name for you, however you need to ensure the ISP will register the domain name in your own name. In many instances you will pay a one time set-up for the services associated with the name being registered and the technical work, then pay your service provider a monthly or yearly fee for the Web site hosting services. It is important to remember that once you have registered a domain name, so long as you continue to pay for the domain name registration you can switch hosts — the new host will take care of the technical details to ensure your Web address continues to work when you switch hosts.
Regardless of which Web site hosting option you choose to go with, there are many companies out there offering services to help you create a Web presence. The bonus of business on the Internet also means you can look for Web site hosts outside of your geographical region to help you get a plan that is right for you — at a price you're willing to pay! |
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You might never get a waxworks figure of yourself put on display at Madame Tussauds, but how do you fancy being part of an exhibit at the Science Museum in Kensington? This summer, they are going 3D mad with lots of activities that can be enjoyed by all the family.
Between the 29th July - 1st September, science will come alive. Leave the two-dimensional world of theory behind, and get stuck in with fun, interactive, practical experiments. Children can enter an origami competition take a 3D trail around the museum, and everyone can have a go at making their own 3D glasses or building a pop-up museum.
Although the exhibit is free, you can also buy £10 tickets to catch stunning science films at the IMAX Cinema , including wildlife programmes narrated by David Attenborough, and amazing space adventures.
A fifteen minute workshop by Antenna Live will give you a crash course in the field of 3D design; learn how to use the latest software and get your creations printed.
By far the the most exciting thing on offer is their scanning equipment. Go along for a body scan and you might see a 3D model of yourself in their autumn exhibit, Printing the Future, which launches in October.
History shows Britain to be a seafaring nation; we were brave pioneers heading out for new lands to face the unknown (and admittedly to enslave the natives). In the sixteenth century it was an exciting (and dangerous) time to be a sailor. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I Britain saw religious tensions, political struggles, and foreign threats, but it was also a golden age of discovery in science, growth in trade, and expansion of a mighty empire.
Pioneers at the forefront of this era were Martin Frobisher, Thomas Cavendish, Sir Walter Raleigh, and Sir Francis Drake, Captain of the Golden Hinde. Although the original has long been lost, a faithful replica of this frontier ship floats on the dock of Pickfords Wharf by London Bridge. An impressive site, I have walked by many times, but never realised that it was open to the public.
My house is undergoing major building works at the moment, so to escape the chaos outside my door, I went rooting through a booklet of London attractions that would keep me occupied for the day. After dismissing Madame Tussaud's for being too expensive and having up to a three-hour queue, I found the Golden Hinde advertised for a mere £6 (£4.50 for children).
Their website says that the ship is open between 10am-5.30pm, but this is rather deceptive. My dad and I arrived at half past twelve to a sign saying it was closed. The ship is actually open periodically between 10am-5.30pm, and the times change from day to day. You need to keep tabs on their timetable so as not to be disappointed.
The ship was closed because of a Live History Tour, which is an educational programme primary school children, in which they get to dress up and learn through a theatrical experience. Self-guided tours were due to start again from 1.30pm, so we went to the gift shop to buy the tickets.
Inside you will find souvenirs such as stationary, books, pirate costumes, a half-penny piece (that costs 63p), and CDs. One was called Music of London, and included songs like 'Old London Town', 'Oranges & Lemons', and 'Green Sleeves'.
We spent our spare hour at The Clink Prison Museum, then returned to the ship. There is no particular route that you have to take, but I would recommend starting at the foredeck as it puts everything in context.
I have kept referring to the ship as the Golden Hinde, but to be more accurate, it is actually the Golden Hinde II, a full sized-reconstruction of Sir Francis Drake's famous galleon, which circumnavigated the globe between 1577-1580. Unfortunately, the original was not well cared for, and by the 1600s became unsalvageable.
The Golden Hinde II was built on a dream had by Art Blum and Albert Elledge. The Californians wanted to commemorate Drake's four hundredth anniversary landing on the West Coast of North America in 1579. Years of research and construction saw the ship launch on the 5th April 1973. It toured all around America, before finding its permanent home in London in 1996.
A tour of this ship will tell you all the ins and outs of the constructions process, including the people involved and the mechanics behind it. In an amazing feat of hard work and determination, the build took just two years to complete, and on a tight budget as well. The most interesting anecdote is about the figurehead, which during the ship's tour of America, was lost at sea. It was replaced a few months later, and then in 2012, refurbished and gilded with gold leaf. It was christened Lizzie, in honour of the Queen's Golden Jubilee.
Sir Francis Drake's ship was originally called the Pelican, but he changed it to the Golden Hinde in honour of the ship's chief patron, Sir Christopher Hatton, whose coat of arms was that of a red deer. Drake swapped the figurehead with that of a female deer, which helped it to be identified. Many sailors in the sixteenth century were illiterate, so figureheads were important to help the men differentiate oncoming ships.
In 1577, Sir Francis Drake set out on his famous voyage. His initial mission was to travel into Pacific waters and explore Spanish territories, but it ended in the discovery of the New World. He found vast amounts of treasure, wrote of England's debts, and became a very rich man. Myth has it that Drake left buried treasure on the shores of Nova Albion because there was not enough room on the ship to take it back home. Many have searched, but treasure has yet to be found.
It would help if we actually knew where to look, because no one is sure of where the true location of Nova Albion is. Nova Albion is the name of the spot where Drake first anchored in America; it was christened by Queen Elizabeth, and means 'New England'.
There are countless plaques along the coast of North America claiming to be Drake's first landing place, but there is no definitive proof.
Among the most interesting features of the Golden Hinde II were the recreations of Drakes Cabin and the gun deck. Housing fourteen minion guns (small cannons), the gun deck was also where the crew slept. It had very low ceilings to create stability and manoeuvrability in the low gravity environment.
If you are interested in visiting, there are a number of events coming up for children, such as Tudor and Halloween Fun Days, as well as a Halloween night for adults. You can take look around by yourself, or for £1 book a guided tour.
Namibia, in the south-west of Africa, is one of the world's great wilderness destinations. The landscapes and wildlife are just extraordinary.
This year, as part of the Fringe Festival, there will be a very special photographic exhibition on display to the public in the hallways of the Women's and Children's Hospital in North Adelaide. The works are just a sampling of the stunning photos taken by Adelaide nature photographer, Helen Lewis on her first overseas photographic adventure to Africa in 2016.
The exhibition is a showcase of 16 of her photos from the 3-week trip to this ancient and wild land and includes breathtaking images of wildlife visits to waterholes, the bush, grasslands and desert sands.
Namibia is known to be one of the best places on Earth for seeing and photographing wildlife. There are very few places in the world that compare with the sheer number of remarkable animals that can be seen in their native habitats. Namibia is home to 26 parks and reserves and has the largest free-roaming population of black rhino in Africa.
Choosing just 16 photos from her extensive photographic collection must have been difficult, and putting this exhibition together has certainly been a labour of love. "I learned much, I loved even more, I am so grateful." said Helen.
Helen has captured Namibian life so well. In her images we can see all of the beauty of this wild country - her photos take us to a place we'd all love to visit and see, but most of us never will. Go and see these photos, enjoy them and consider purchasing one or a few.
Helen is a staff member of the Women's and Children's Health Network and is proudly supported in her first solo exhibition by TeamKids (the Women's and Children's Foundation) who deliver the 'Arts in Health' program at the Women's and Children's Hospital.
The TeamKids team manage 4 galleries within the hospital as part of a program that aims to make the spaces 'look better' and the time spent in hospital 'feel better'. Having beautiful art to look at is a positive distraction for patients, their families and staff, improving people's health and wellbeing.
Desert Dwellers of Namibia can be found in Gallery A - on the ground floor near the Hospital School and Allied Health.
The exhibition will be open from 17th February through to 19th March 2017 and is free to view. The artworks are for sale with part proceeds used to purchase art materials for children to use whilst in hospital. |
This article is a transcript, of a photo-copy, of the will of John Weigel, 1st. A photo-copy is in the possession of this writer.
In the name of God Amen. ------ I John Wigal being of Moon Township Beaver County State of Penn. being sick and weak in Body, but of sound Mind memory and understanding, praised be God for it, and Considering the Certainty of and the uncertainty of the Time there of, and to the end I may be better prepared to leave this world when ever it shall please God to call me hence, do therefore make and declare this my last will and Testament in manner following, that is to say ----
First and principally I commend my soul unto the Hands of Almighty God my Creator hoping for free pardon and remission of all my sins and enjoy everlasting happinys in the heavenly Kingdom through Jesus Christ my saviour; my Body I commit to the Earth at the discretion of My Executors herein after named ----
I will that all my Just Debts as shall be by me owing at my Death together with my funeral Ecpences and all Charges touching the proving of or otherwise Concerning this my Will, shall in the first place out of my personal Estate and effects be fully paid and satisfied, and from and after payment thereof and subject thereto then my will is that all the residue of my Goods Stock Chattells merchandizes and household furnature shall be impartially appraized and sold for the most it will bring, that the same shall be divided in to five equal shares after deduction one third of the whole amount whereof I give and bequeath unto my loving wife Barbara.
The residue I give unto and bequeath unto and among my Children, Barbara, Elizabeth, Susanah, Sibe, Jane, share and share alike, and to be paid to those of Age at end of one year after my Death and on so as they arrive to age on day of marriage which shall first happen, An my will and meanning is that in case that any of my of my Children shall depart life before such Time as the part or portion of him her or them so dying, shall go and be equally divided among the survivors of them share and share alike if more than one, and to be paid to such survivors or survivor at the Time aforesaid.
And I do will give and bequeath unto my son John my plantations so soon as he shall arrive to the age of twenty one years ---- Him paying to each of my Daughters so much as shall be thought reasonable by my Executors.
And it is my will that my loving wife shall have, and I do give and bequeath unto my said wife the use and occupation of my plantations before mentioned so long as she remains my widow or John shall arive to age for the support and raising the children.
I will, give and bequeath to my son John my Rifle Gun and to each of my Daughters walnut Boards as many as will make to each of them a Beauro and to John one Bench and set of Bench Tools and I make and ordain Daniel Wigal and Michael Baker Ececutors of this my last will and Testament.---
Signed sealed and acknowledged by the Testator in the presence of the Subscribers as his last will and Testament
Beaver County, Be it remembered that on the Sixth day of September A.D. 1820 Before me David Johnson Register for the probate of wills and granting letters of Administration for said County, personally came Michal Baker Esq. and Daniel Weigel who being Duly sworn did depose and say that they were personally present and heard and saw the Testator sign seal and declare the forgoing Instrument and writing as and for his last will and Testament, that at the time of so doing the said Testator was of sound mind memory and understanding according to the best of their knowledge observation and belief --- and that at the testators desire they signed the signed the same as witnesses.----
Higher Ground is about a woman named Corinne Briggs, played by Vera Farmiga (Up in the Air, The Departed) as an adult and Taissa Farmiga (American Horror Story) as a teenager. Corinne is raised in a Christian-in-name-only household where she occasionally attends a mainline Protestant church. As a young child, she answers an altar call and agrees to make Jesus Christ her Lord and Savior. Nothing dramatic happens in this moment, and when she tells her mother afterwards about her monumental decision, Mom does not even care. Even her pastor seems more interested in flirting with her mother than in calling attention to what has just happened. But Corinne’s promise is a sincere one. Naive, perhaps, but sincere.
The years pass. Life happens. Corinne meets a guy, falls in love, and gets pregnant out of wedlock, they get married. Her young husband has his heart set on a crazy dream of making it big in the music industry. Then the couple experiences a near-tragedy wherein they cry out to God, and they seem to witness a miracle. Is it really a miracle? Well, there are other possible explanations. But what matters is that theybelieve it’s a miracle, so Corinne and her husband newly dedicate their lives to God.
They join a rather conservative, overzealous, hippy church where they dive in head-first. Here the film showcases a lot of what evangelical Christianity is: the good, the bad, and the weird. Corinne goes to prayer meetings regularly, she stays up late with her fellow believers singing praises to God to an acoustic guitar, and she scolds non-believers for not being as righteous as she is. Her husband attends sessions where the pastor makes the men listen to awkward sex instruction tapes on how to properly “pleasure” their wives (think Tim LaHaye’s The Act of Marriage). At first, their newfound commitment to faith seems to be working out well for the couple.
And yet, Corinne can never shake the feeling that she does not quite fit in. She’s a sincere believer, but a rather unconventional one. She is a passionate, outspoken woman with a keen, inquisitive mind, and that’s the kind of combination that is not always well-nurtured by evangelical culture. She’s chided for “coming awfully close to preaching” at a co-ed meeting (women shouldn’t preach to men, you see), for wearing an off-the-shoulder maternity dress (“You wouldn’t want to be guilty of causing a brother to stumble, would you?”). She’s notably uncomfortable with charismatic talk of “binding Satan.” Despite this, Corinne is fortunate to have an exuberant, exotic, Pentecostal friend named Annika (Dagmara Dominczyk), who is also an unconventional Christian. Annika speaks in tongues, decorates her bedroom walls with drawings of her husband’s penis, and lies her way out of a speeding ticket by talking to the officer about her “veggie” (wedgie) in a fake foreign accent. Annika intrigues Corinne, who begins trying to explore the gift of tongues—which her husband says is probably “satanic.” As much as she fails to fit in at church, with Annika as her anchor, Corinne seems able to go on.
Things change though. Corinne suffers tragedy and loses someone close to her. The congregation sings “It is Well with My Soul,” but it’s pretty clear that it is not well with Corinne’s soul. Her marriage becomes strained. She begins to doubt the faith that she’s had since she was a child.
I don’t know if the people who made this film are evangelicals, but it’s precisely the sort of film that I wish evangelicals would make. It manages to tell a story of faith found, lost, then found again without coming across as naive or preachy. It doesn’t shy away from evangelicalism’s flaws; it owns them, and still manages to bend them into something profoundly moving. This has a lot to do with the fact that Vera Farmiga both stars and directs. Farmiga is exactly the kind of actor who knows how to make you feel every inch of her deeply flawed character’s anguish and pain. You love her even when you know that she’s in the wrong. |
At Westbury Jeep Chrysler Dodge Ram, we know that the only thing that is more exciting than finding the perfect vehicle is finding the perfect vehicle at a fabulous price (when it comes to shopping for cars, anyway). That's why we maintain a healthy selection of high-quality pre-owned vehicles at competitive prices. We want to help our customers find a great used car, truck, or SUV that checks all the boxes while dealing less wallet damage. To further this goal, we offer monthly Pre-Owned Vehicle Specials.
Our pre-owned inventory is home to a broad spectrum of popular makes and models including dependable cars to help you get around town, pickup trucks to tackle your heavy lifting, and even sports cars. That said, you never know what might show up under our Pre-Owned Specials, but you can be sure that it will be an incredible deal. If you're in the market for an affordable new-to-you vehicle, we encourage you to visit this page often so the ideal offer doesn't sneak by you!
If you see something here that strikes your fancy and demands further exploration, we'll be happy to introduce you to a member of our sales team so you can get behind the wheel and learn more. After all, there's no better way to get acquainted with a potential new ride than with a thrilling test drive!
If you have any questions about the deals you find on this page or you simply have general inquiries about our Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge, and Ram dealership in Jericho, NY, feel free to reach out to us! We're proud to serve drivers in Westbury, Levittown, Huntington, and Bayside, NY and we will be happy to help!
Westward Ho BOOTS & SADDLE Western Oval Serving Bowl is as originally produced by Wallace China Company between 1943 and 1963. Still made in the USA this set is a matching accessory to the dinnerware. Buckskin color with rich brown brands design. If item is out of stock it can take 4-6 weeks for production. |
Such a pretty 100% Peruvian cotton cap sleeve, off-the shoulder, long dress. It has a tie front at top with smocking and multiple panels.
At West Hills College Lemoore, we offer degrees and certificate programs that lead to viable employment in the real world. We know you are considering enrolling in college because you want get a better job. Preparing for a career that is right for you means choosing the right path to get you there. West Hills College Lemoore offers Career Technical Education (CTE) packaged in two formats: CTE Academies and CTE Programs.
CTE Academies provide students with a series of technical courses that are sequenced in a student-friendly format. They are specifically designed to prepare students for a job in the workforce and include work-experience classes as a requirement of program completion.
Dr. John Brackett, Interim Superintendent, 2015-2016 conducted a survey of families who opted to enroll their children in non-WPS schools. A report was presented to the School Committee in March 2016.
Upon coming to Weston as Superintendent, I found myself engaged in conversations about the number of school-aged students who live in town but do not attend our schools. The obvious question was Why? I heard as many possible reasons as the number of people with whom I spoke. So, with the encouragement of the School Committee, we decided to ask the families who opted to enroll a child in a non-WPS school, ‘Why Not Weston?’
With the assistance of Social Science Research and Evaluation, Inc, we developed and administered a 13-item survey. During the period that the survey was open, 236 people visited the website, and 160 parents completed the full survey. Given our charge, we focused on the 113 parents who reported at least one child not attending WPS. These 113 families have 244 school-age children (168 not in WPS, 76 in WPS.) We estimate that this currently represents approximately 30% of the families living in Weston who have children not in our schools.
I recently reported the survey findings to the School Committee and have posted a full copy of the report and the presentation slides. We hope you will look at both. As you read these reports, I ask that you consider a few caveats to generalizing these results too broadly. (1) The results are representative of the responding population of parents, not all WPS parents; (2) some responses are dated and do not reflect today’s WPS; and (3) we tested statistical significance where possible (highlighted in the report), but much of the data are qualitative perceptions and subject to interpretation.
I clearly understand the adage, “don’t ask the question, if you don’t want to hear the answer.” While we must be careful generalizing results, we also must avoid minimalizing them. We thank those who responded for taking the time to help us and provide us insights into what we might want to do differently and what we have to do better.
There is a lot to learn from the results, some things very specific, some more systemic. I’ll share briefly the three (3) “take-aways” from the results that I believe we have to reflect upon more deeply and find ways to improve. Respondents told us:
2. You are not doing enough to meet my child’s needs regardless of his/her level (grade or academic).
So what’s next? We will be sharing and discussing this report with our administrators and staff. We will ask everyone to self-reflect on what it means to them and what we, as a system, might want to do differently or better. We will be reminding ourselves that there are a lot of things that we do very well in supporting and preparing students for their futures and these can’t be lost or discredited.
I unabashedly argue that Weston Public Schools are world class. There is a growth mindset in world class schools and continuous improvement is in their DNA. That is true for us as well. Are we the right schools for everyone? No. I respect a parent’s decision to select a public or private school that is “right” for their child. Nevertheless, we have high expectations for ourselves and will learn and grow, and state with pride, Why Not Weston?
A conference planning the future of Weston was held last month, and the report summarizing community feedback has now been released. It discusses 10 messages from the community, none of will surprise residents, but any of which, if acted upon, would make Weston a better place to live.
Don’t touch the Farmers’ Market, but make the surrounding area better; make the GO Station area better, too
You can download the entire report, which has much more detail, here: Weston Charrette Community Feedback Summary
Author Adam NormanPosted on June 7, 2011 Categories Community groups, Events, Real estate, Schools, Trains
Starting as a non-varsity club back in 1962, West Ottawa wrestling has gone on to produce many All-State and All-American wrestlers. Dive into the past and look at our history as a program as well as the records that are waiting to be broken by the next generation of Panthers.
To register for Online Banking you will need to complete an Access Authority authorised by your Relationship Manager or Branch Manager, as applicable. Access Authority forms are available from your Branch or Relationship Manager. |
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Rating from 36 Reviews Lovely calm and friendly atmosphere in the waiting room as well as the treatment roomJane, UK, 19 Jan 18
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Our dental practice is a family run practice and has established itself amongst the local community and now provides dental services to many people every year.We know as well as anyone that your smile is one of the most noticeable and memorable features of your face. That is why the whole dental team at the practice work hard to provide you and other patients with the very best dental healthcare.So, if you are seeking treatment or advice, or looking to register with our dental practice, please contact us.
If you are looking for high quality affordable cosmetic dental care or dental implantation, you have found the right place! Our Award Winning Dentistry specialises in fulfilling all the possible needs and requirements of British patients, in London . This is demonstrated by approximately 2,000 satisfied patients every year and more than 22,000 successful placed implants in the last 10 years. If you need any kind of dental care at an affordable price, please feel free to contact our London based team to discuss the details and particulars of the treatment! Dental Implant Centre staff members will link you to one of their five star world class dental clinics in London, which have been providing dental treatment for more than 15 years. The highly qualified and experienced dentists, work with professional technicians in stylish fully equipped clinic using world class state of the art technology. They offer a wide range of dental services in the areas of general, cosmetic and aesthetic dentistry such as dental implants, bridges, crowns, veneers, dentures and tooth whitening. London Consultation available six days in our brand new London Dental Clinic just few minutes walking away from the King's Cross St. Pancras station and the Chancery Lane tube station. The consultation take about 30 minutes. This initial visit enable you to have your first dental check-up and to meet with our specialists to personalize your dental treatment. The consultation cost only
Wait! Don't pick up this book unless you can keep an eye on this kiwi. He's a real dumb-dumb. Don't let this kiwi get into any trouble. I'm warning you ... it's not that easy! And don't ask about the poo-hoo grubs. Poo-hoo grubs? LOL!
Brought to life in this one-of-a-kind book are the astonishing and heartwarming TRUE TALES of 20 UNFORGETTABLE ANIMAL FRIENDS that helped ANZACs serving in World War One and Two.
Thinking about leaving Is the problem my low self-esteem or lack of assertiveness? Some women who are abused by their partners wonder if the problem is low self-esteem. A woman may wonder if this is why she has “put up with abuse” for so long; because she did not think she deserved better. No one, independently, develops a […]
Is the problem my “poor boundaries”? Women, who have experienced abuse, are often told by service providers that they do not have good boundaries. If a woman’s partner is abusive, it is unsafe for that woman to have boundaries. Abusive men see boundaries as a threat to their power and control and do everything they […]
Am I codependent? The term “codependenhim? Sometimes women wonder if theytelling Many women who have experienced abuse have sought help through a variety of counselors. Sometimes counseling is helpful and sometimes it is not. At its worst, counseling or advice giving can be dangerous if it disconnects you with your voice, your wisdom and your experience. For example, one woman was […]
Why do I still love him? Women often struggle with their feelings of love for their partner. Perhaps others have suggested that you are “crazy” for still loving him. We do not think you are crazy. We think you are having normal feelings that make a lot of sense, given your situation. When you first […]
Is my partner’s problem abuse or addiction? Sometimes women wonder if their partner’s probs men who are abusive take “Anger Management” courses. Women have reported to us that these programs do not seem to improve the dynamics in the relationship. This is because anger is not the problem with men who are abusive; their desire for power and control is the problem. […]
Helpful support for a woman who has experienced abuse Make her safety (emotional and physical) the priority. Don’t re abusive, like their partner. Abusive men, the police or other “helping professionals” sometimes tell women they are abusive. The idea that it “takes two to tango” is a predominant one in our culture. Maybe you have fought back, yelled at or hit your […]
Many types of abuse There are many different types of abuse. Here is a list of abuse women from |
Heat resistant stainless steel ceramicUtilising UAVs with the MōVI gimbal, ARRI Alexa Mini or Red Epics and a professional pilot and camera team to operate it, we capture amazing aerials for your production with ease and efficiency. You will enjoy a full 1080p live feed from the Alexa Mini or Red Epic that ensures we capture exactly what you want, with remote focus and iris control systems allowing lenses from 8mm through to 85mm.
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WAT email a monthly newsletter packed with our events - training, screenings and call-outs from our members. Free to receive when you subscribe here.
Private Collection, United States; Los Angeles Modern Auctions, 12 October 2014, Lot 443; Acquired from the previous by the present owner |
Daniel's Amish® Collection proudly hand-crafts bedroom and dining furniture from North American hardwoods in two different factories in Holmes County, Ohio. In business for over 20 years, the company has grown steadily to become a leader among North American furniture manufacturers. Daniel's Amish® Collection products can be found in many of the largest furniture retailers in the United States, as well as smaller stores throughout the country. |
Dr. Hanifa Shabazz is a native Wilmingtonian who was born and raised on the East Side of the city. She was educated in the Wilmington public school system, graduated from Wilmington High School and continued her studies at Springfield College and Wilmington University. In recognition of her decades of innovative community engagement and economic development, including her numerous innovative program accomplishments and demonstrations of leadership, Hanifa was recently awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Human Letters from Virginia University of Lynchburg.
Dr. Shabazz is a nine-year member of one of the nation’s largest public policy research and advocacy groups, the prestigious National League of Cities (NLC) and its affiliate member organization, the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials (NBC LEO). She is an active member of the NLC and has served in various leadership positions with NBC LEO. She was recently elected as President of NBC-LEO. Dr. Shabazz is one of several NBC LEO members who served as presenters on a panel at the 2012 World Conference of Mayors Fall International Leadership Conference in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. Hanifa also recently obtained professional development training at the Morehouse School of Medicine’s Satcher Institute where she received a Certificate of Completion in its Community Health Leadership Program. This professional development training was sponsored by the World Conference of Mayors and participants were engaged by invitation only.
Now elected as the first female President of Wilmington’s City Council, Dr. Shabazz was first elected in 2004 and honored to have served three terms as the representative of more than 9,000 residents of the City’s 4th District – – one of the most diverse districts in Wilmington. Dr. Shabazz chaired City Council’s Public Works and Transportation Committees and served as a member of the Finance Committee, the Education, Youth and Families Committee and the Housing and Licenses and Inspections Committee. As a result of Dr. Shabazz’s mission to pursue innovation and positive change, she has been able to achieve a series of accomplishments for her constituents. Most recently, Hanifa asked the National Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to come to Wilmington to study what she saw as an epidemic of violence among young African-American men and youths who are dying at alarming rates because of violence perpetrated with guns. As Councilperson and an activist citizen, Dr. Shabazz engaged Delaware’s Congressional leaders to support her request to the CDC to conduct the study of violence in Wilmington.
Dr. Shabazz was the first elected official to implement the Neighborhood Assistance Act whereby businesses and corporations invest in low and middle-income neighborhoods and make contributions to non-profit organizations in support of their projects in exchange for a 50% tax credit. She also encouraged and helped form pioneering community coalitions that secured the first of six Community Benefit Agreements in the state where again, businesses invest and partner in the community by formally agreeing to create jobs and engage in business growth in ways that provide opportunities for local residents to attain livable wage jobs and seek local businesses in their communities that add value.
Focusing on what she identified as the 4 E’s, which are Education, Empowerment, Economics and Environment, Dr. Shabazz organized lower wealth communities into developing their own community-driven revitalization plans known as the Special Area Management Plan for the South Bridge neighborhood; the Blueprint Community: Eastside Rising Plan for the Eastside neighborhood; and West Center City Futures for the preservation of the West Center City section of the City. These three neighborhoods have witnessed their well-conceived written plans move into the implementation stage. A few years ago, Dr. Shabazz also addressed a pressing economic empowerment issue by creating the PAID Program, a 12-week intensive Preparatory Apprentice Instruction Development Program that assisted individuals in successfully passing the various construction trade union entrance exams. Graduates of the PAID Program became employed in various businesses, including the construction trades.
Richard Winters, an accomplished WWII veteran, talks about a question his grandson asked him about serving in the military.
Goalkeepers don’t always prevent the ball from entering the crease, and sometimes their attempts and subsequent failures are mocked.
Campaigners are stepping up their fight to stop an energy company building a £30 million wind farm in open countryside.
Villagers have pledged their opposition to plans by SSE Renewables to put up eight 110-metre turbines at Bagot’s Park near Abbots Bromley.
The objectors fear the project – which could be up and running within three years providing permission is granted by East Staffordshire Borough Council – will damage the environment.
They fear watercourses could be affected, health issues relating to noise, visual impact and disruption of TV viewing.
SSE Renewables, which held drop-in sessions at Marchington Woodlands and Abbots Bromley Village Halls on Tuesday and Wednesday, have attempted to allay the concerns.
John said: “This project would mean irreparable damage to the environment and to the quality of residents’ lives.
“The local planning authority cannot permit the application site and the surrounding countryside to be harmed in such a way.”
Martin Horan, a former Rolls Royce employee, lives around 700 metres away and his £600,000 home overlooks the proposed site.
The 59-year-old – who fears his home on Hobb Lane, Marchington, could lose £100,000 in value – said: “These things will destroy the landscape. The wind turbines are massive.The noise and the flickering of the blades of the turbines will be a real nuisance.”
Jan Edwards, of Abbots Bromley, said: “I don’t think it’s a good idea. I can’t see that it would be viable..”
ESBC – which has already approved two wind testing masts at the site – had requested further information which the Reading-based company has now provided.
Roger Jarman, chairman of Abbots Bromley Parish Council, said: “There are concerns. We will be making representations as a council.”
He said families in the immediate area were concerned about a number of issues including the visual impact and background noise.
Councillor Robert Hardwick, who represents the Marchington and Marchington Woodlands area on ESBC, said conflicting figures had been given for the amount of energy that could be produced.
He added: “Many people believe the planning system has been softened up by the Government over the years to make it easier to get wind farm planning applications passed.”
SSE Renewables claims the park could supply power to 10,000 homes – a quarter of East Staffordshire households.
Ross Easton, from SSE Renewables, said: “We have had mixed views at the drop-in sessions. We have had people for the wind farm and we have had people against.”
“Current scientific opinion believes that only where there is a large number of wind turbines placed close together will there be an effect on the micro climate. |
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These heat proof glass pieces work as either table centres or luxury placemats, and are made from genuine Guinea Fowl feathers set beneath reinforced glass and then backed in black velvet/baize. The Guinea Fowl placemats are the most popular set we make. |
For the vast majority of people, it would be difficult to imagine life without any access to electrical systems or devices; just ask them how frustrated they can become when they lose the capability to connect to the internet or cannot use a home appliance whenever a power grid goes offline, even for a few minutes.
From the times that the telegraph and telephone became available for commercial use, society has principally been dependent upon electrical systems and power distribution for any communication – and for most other facets of daily life too. And who are the skilled professionals that people need and rely on for such electrical conveniences? Perhaps not surprisingly, it is the individuals who have pursued a career as an electrical engineer.
Consequently, electrical engineers are responsible for designing and developing electrical systems and equipment, as well as any necessary troubleshooting and testing. Electrical engineers can work on a broad scope of projects, ranging from the tiniest of microchips to the most complex navigation systems; a cross-section of the diverse technologies that require the contributions of an electrical engineer would include:
In relation to their project work, an electrical engineer can have several of the following responsibilities included in their specific job description:
Based on the overall importance and contributions of this role to any employer, electrical engineers have a wide range of career options; sectors in need of such expertise include:
A bachelor’s degree in either electrical engineering or engineering technology would be a minimum requirement for entry into the field of electrical engineering, with emphasis on the following courses of study:
The workplace environment for electrical engineers is most often a laboratory, an office setting, and/or an industrial facility; some field-based work may often be involved with respect to the supervision of projects or construction sites.
For candidates who are intent on pursuing work as an electrical engineer, whether at the entry-level stage or in an advanced capacity, it might prove beneficial to align their job search efforts with the knowledgeable consultants at an experienced placement agency such as Winters Technical Staffing in Toronto.
These professionals can provide the support and direction that such candidates will need to streamline and accelerate their efforts and in turn enhance the probability of success; their guidance and/or contributions to the job search process may include the following:
The consultants from Winters Technical Staffing have consistently demonstrated success in fulfilling the hiring needs of the engineering sector, including placements for electrical engineers, for more than 40 years. Due to the strong working relationships that they have developed and maintained with employers in this arena, Winters Technical Staffing consultants are often engaged to recruit qualified electrical engineers on behalf of these clients; this can provide more potential employment opportunities for electrical engineers rather than through self-conducted job searches.
Do you have a desire to launch or further your career as an electrical engineer? Benefit from the guidance and support provided by the placement specialists at one of Toronto’s leading staffing agencies. Callsion on your career path. |
When you are wishing to purchase a new home or refinance an existing mortgage in DunnvilleFor the majority of individuals hoping to purchase a home in Dunnville, KYDunnville, KYor homebuyers in Dunnville, KYDunnville, KYDunnville, KYSome homebuyers in Dunnville, KYDunnville, KYDunnville, KY |
The white or pale shades are to conceal pigmentation or mix colour which is kind of a must have if you are someone who keeps changing and experimenting with lipstick shade.
Wow Anamika! It is commendable how much effort you are putting in for all of us. No doubt WiseShe is one of the best blogs!!!!
U are putting in so many efforts for all these lovely swatches, I am so confused which one to go for and which one not lol, have to go through them again :))
Congratulations to Leslie Fagan and Lorin Shalanko who received a Wilfrid Laurier University Research Support Grant for their recording of Canadian Songbook Volume I.
The Canadian Art Song repertoire that was chosen for this recording resonates with Fagan and Shalanko for its accessibility to young singers. Fagan and Shalanko are hopeful in the future their recordings on Canadian Songbook can be used as a reference tool for teachers and students.
Repertoire for Volume II is set to include notable composer Srul Irving Glick for "Seven Tableaux from the Song of Songs," as well as compositions from Lionel Daunais, Michael Coughlin and Anita Noel.
My passion for social justice, advocacy, and critical theory was sparked at the University of Toronto where I received an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Women’s Studies and English (2000). From there, I journeyed to Wilfrid Laurier University to complete my MSW degree, specializing in individuals, families, and groups (2002). I then worked in Toronto-based hospital and community mental health settings, providing counselling to and coordinating services for youth, adults, and elderly people. Because of my interest in research, I returned to Laurier’s Faculty of Social Work to pursue doctoral studies with a focus on gender and health (2015). Afterwards, I undertook a one-year postdoctoral fellowship in the Psychology Department at the University of Toronto (2016). Prior to joining the BSW team at Laurier Brantford, I worked as a sessional instructor in Social Work at both Renison University College and the University of Windsor.
For my dissertation study, I explored the healthcare experiences of men and women with fibromyalgia, a chronic condition of unknown origin. I was motivated to research this topic as a result of having coordinated home healthcare services for people with fibromyalgia and encountering with them the discrimination they experienced in the healthcare system. My research combined interviews and focus groups, with an arts-based research method called body-map storytelling, whereby participants created life-size self-portraits to narrate their healthcare journeys. In collaboration with community stakeholders, I held community art galleries in Toronto, Kitchener and London in order to display the body maps with the objective of increasing social awareness about disability.
During my postdoctoral fellowship, I continued to explore the intersections of gender and health by researching masculinities and cancer risk. Specifically, in collaboration with researchers at the Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Women’s Health (University of Toronto) and the Male Oncology Research and Education Program (Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre), I conducted a qualitative study investigating the ways in which being at risk for male breast and prostate cancer shaped men’s identities.
My current research interests include: alternative pedagogies; arts-based approaches in social work research, education and practice; social justice and critical reflexivity in social work education and practice; gender, health, and wellness in educational contexts; critical, feminist, intersectional and narrative theories; and, communication patterns between patients and providers in primary healthcare settings.
2011-2012: Strategic Training Fellow in Interdisciplinary Primary Health Care, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Strategic Training Program. Transdisciplinary Understanding and Training on Research – Primary Health Care (TUTOR-PHC)
I would be delighted to speak to and supervise undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in social work research about pedagogy, gender and health, as well as qualitative and arts-based research methodologies.
Skop, M., Lorentz, J., Jassi, M., Vesprini, D. & Einstein, G. (2018). “Guys don’t have breasts”: The lived experience of men who have BRCA gene mutations and are at risk for male breast cancer. American Journal of Men’s Health, 1-12.
On Monday, Emanuel McCray, one of the 2016 Green Party Mayoral primary candidates died after a long fight with cancer.
McCray was only 39-years-old and was an active labor organizer in the area. He ran for mayor on a platform of fair development, with 5 core issues: quality jobs, permanently affordable housing, dependable public services, quality public schools, and community control of the police
“Emanuel was truly committed to seeing a Baltimore that works for all of us, no matter your income or the neighborhood that you happened to live in. He was a veteran that served his country, and went on to serve his community as an organizer for fair wages, affordable housing, and paid sick leave in Maryland. The first time I met Emanuel he was working with United Workers on the Housing as a Human Right Campaign, what we now know as the 2020 Housing Trust Fund. I am proud to have known him, and honored to have had him support my campaign for Mayor. I offer my sincerest condolences to his friends and family. He was an amazing example of a public servant, that loved this city and worked every single day to make it better for us all.”
New Hampshire police are investigating the death of a man who was found unconscious in a car parked in a supermarket parking lot.
Portsmouth police say Keith Napolitan, 43, was transported to Portsmouth Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead Saturday morning.
Portsmouth detectives and the state Medical Examiner's Office are still investigating the cause of death.
Police are asking anyone with any information on his untimely death to contact Detective Scott Study at (603) 610-7653. |
- As noted, Shayne Baszler’s defeat of Kairi Sane at WWE Evolution to capture the NXT Women’s Championship and become a two-time champion.
In this video, Baszler was joined backstage with her 4 Horsewomen friends Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir. Shayna said that she proved that Kairi Sane didn’t beat her before — she lost the title herself. Then Kairi came limping up to Baszler and wanted to continue the fight. Instead, Sane fell limp to the floor as she was unable to continue the fight. Her heart was still wanting to fight — but her body had enough that night.
- Below is video of Cathy Kelley talking to WWE Hall of Famers Trish Stratus and Lita about their win over Mickie James and Alicia Fox at WWE Evolution tonight. They credited their history with tonight's win and talked about being excited about the rest of the show.
The same production crew that works the NXT brand also worked the recent WWE Evolution pay-per-view, according to PWInsider. Most of the production workers who do RAW and SmackDown pay-per-view events were not in attendance for Evolution as they were in Charlotte, North Carolina for Monday's RAW when Evolution hit the air.
As noted, Vince McMahon was backstage for Evolution and worked the Gorilla Position. There had been speculation on Triple H running Evolution due to the unique feel of the show but Vince was still in charge and was said to be very hands-on as usual. Vince was giving notes and making changes all night, alongside Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, "Road Dogg" BG James, WWE Hall of Famer Michael "PS" Hayes and other producers. Vince reportedly arrived just before Evolution was to begin and spent most of the night in Gorilla.
The Humbrol 12 Copper Metallic 12ml Acrylic Paint is a water-based paint with a Metallic finish th |
Designed to give you an immediate antique look on surfaces painted with genuine Milk Paint, this natural gelatin product is brushed on top of the first coat of milk paint prior to the final coat of milk. Properly applied, it creates instant crackled look that exposes the color of the base layer of milk paint. |
To say that I am irritated by the fact I have to pay for their laziness is an understatement, but even more aggravating is the fact they pay their top execs so damn much.
Bringing it up at dinner only made me get teased mercilessly "Is that what you call laziness these days?" but dammnit I cant pretend when I feel like hell.
If I attempted a race with the boys, I was obliged to give up from very weariness; and laughing at what they termed my laziness, they pursued their amusements without me.
If we anchor something with an unpleasant output, we won't do the task, and we will experiment what we call laziness, or procastination.
I honestly try not to eat out every day because it ends up so expensive, but laziness is obviously a factor.
Okay, I need to stop revising and go put on my climbing pants, but the laziness is heavy in this one today.
Though laziness is easily enough understood, I remain mystified as to why anyone who purports to follow Jesus would choose to condemn an entire population over choosing to obey Jesus 'self-proclaimed greatest commandment to love one's neighbor as oneself. |
BEIJING -- China's current high rate of inflation might not drop until around April, when enough pork is available to help push down food prices, a senior official said in perhaps the clearest statement to date about China's ability to tame rising consumer prices.
Bi Jingquan, a vice minister with the National Development and Reform Commission, said government incentives to increase pork production are working, but it will take time to see their effects as piglets need more than a year to mature and be ready for sale. "I... |
The tabs below contain information on the funds, as well as an Application Form and an Invoice Form. Both funds use the same Application Form. If you wish to submit for both the Travel Fund and Workshop Fund, you will need to complete two applications. The Invoice Form is for the Travel Fund, and should be filled out only when you have been approved by NJPOL. Reimbursement of Travel Funds can occur only through an invoice and a copy of a receipt in the amount of the request. |
Thanks to Keith Collins for this heart-warming photo contribution that reveals man’s best friends also enjoy Wyoming. This was one of dozens of photos submitted to WyoFile’s Beautiful but Illegal? Wyoming Photo Gallery. |
DevOps Engineer / Azure Architect I am looking for a DevOps Engineer to join a start up in Central London. Their mission is to improve customer experience. They have developed an AI-based software system that learns to reply to conversations, making customer service semi-automatic. They need someone to help build a DevOps platform and also help ...
CRM, Data, Campaigns, Salesforce, SQL, Customer, Segmentation, Reporting, Technology This is a great opportunity to join a leading technology-based start-up as a 'CRM Analyst'. This is a chance to join a start-up that now has over 6 million customers, and with increasing amount of investment, and continuous growth. This is an exciting chance to ... |
aaaaaaagggggghhhhhhhhh my favourite uniform........ a sailors uniform. I wear mine a lot for jerking off in.... got me rock solid within seconds of starting to watch... Then spoilt totally as you took it off!! Love to see more pics/vids of you wearing it.
You're solving a crossword and you need help with the clue Rontgen’s discovery? of potato, etc.? This clue and much more will you find here.
The ‘Flotte des Commissaires’ was created to unite and provide a structure for all the officials who play such a key role in nautical and social events at the Yacht Club de Monaco.
– Assist the Yacht Club de Monaco with the management of events, by organising the officials who are responsible for ensuring everything runs smoothly and safely
– Establish a training structure as the backbone to ensure all its members can progress and remain exemplary in their fields of expertise
As the ‘Flotte de Commissaires’ must be able to assist at regattas outside of YCM events, the plan is for a training curriculum that leads to official certificates.
The Pyefleet is one of the classic East Coast anchorages, and for good reasons, as Colin Jarman explains
Mention the River Colne, in Essex, and two names will pop up: Brightlingsea and the Pyefleet. The entrance to Brightlingsea Creek and the port of Brightlingsea (where there are shops and fuel) lies on the eastern shore of the Colne, almost directly opposite the entrance to Pyefleet Creek or the Pyefleet, as it is usually called. It’s one of the places that wins a special place in the hearts of almost all East Coast sailors.
The creek runs westward from the Colne, separating Mersea Island from the mainland, and offers good, safe holding once you’ve set the anchor. The only warning is that it can become quite rough in strong wind against tide conditions.
For many years the Pyefleet was a clear anchorage, but now there are a lot of moorings owned by the Colchester Oyster Fishery. Some of these are white buoys with a ‘Visitor’ tag pointing out that you may be charged £10 for the privilege of a night’s stay. Anchoring avoids any charge.
The Pyefleet is easily approached from seaward by first avoiding the Gunfleet wind farm, then finding the Knoll north cardinal buoy. From there, make for the Eagle starboard hand buoy (SHB) and the Colne Bar SHB before turning north to pass between the Colne Point SHB and the Inner Bench Head port hand buoy (PHB).
This pair marks the start of the deep water channel up the Colne. Follow the channel to pass between buoys Numbers 13 and 10, just south of East Mersea Stone, the shingle headland on the eastern tip of Mersea Island. Ahead to starboard you will sight the Brightlingsea Spit south cardinal buoy, while to port there is a red, unlabelled PHB, which is on the south side of the entrance to Pyefleet Creek, and the red No12 PHB, which is on the north side. Enter between these two.
A barge or two are often anchored in the mouth of the creek, plus some bawleys on moorings. These give an idea of where the deep water channel runs as you turn westward into the creek. There is space to anchor before you reach the moorings, alternatively you may find an empty mooring to use or you can make your way through the moorings to anchor further up the creek. Be aware, however, that the creek shallows quite quickly the further in you go, and you must do the maths to make sure you will lie afloat at Low Water.
Once you’ve picked your spot, you can drop anchor in soft, glutinous mud. Set the anchor carefully, but once it’s in you won’t move. Now settle back and enjoy a sunset over the glistening mudbanks where waders potter and curlews call. Fabulous! |
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Lady Gaga told fans she was "devastated" at having to cancel her sold-out show in Indonesia following threats by Islamic hard-liners, who called her a "devil worshipper."
Controversy over the concert is a blow to the predominantly Muslim country's reputation as a tolerant, pluralist society that respects freedom of expression.
Some fans accused police — who refused to issue a permit over concerns about security — of buckling to the will of a small group of thugs.
Why are Baby Boomers not being marketed to? With Guest John Mallen. Why are Baby Boomers not being marketed to? With guest, John Mallen. The age grou...View Details |
"To be flowing by a line and rhythm" is how Riri describes her artistic process. Her images are all about the essences of existence for using some nostalgia, but paradoxically, the images have some deep vitality
US President Donald Trump has warned other countries against doing business with Tehran, saying he had imposed “the most biting” sanctions on the country.
“The Iran sanct an early morning tweet Tuesday.
“Anyone doing businmpany fears legal action taken against it and enforcement action taken against it by an entity in response to American sanctions then that company can be protected as far as EU legislation is concerned,” Burt told BBC radio. |
The grilled meat is the global food par excellence, indifferent to boundaries and races, religious confessions and bank accounts. It is enough to spread a certain scent in the air and we are all in front of the grill. (Licia Granello) |
Analysis: Listening to the Hezbollah leader's speech, one would come to believe that a US-Saudi-Zionist conspiracy is behind the Syrian civil war and efforts to destabilize Lebanon; Nasrallah portrays his organization as saviors of the Arab world from Sunni jihadists when in fact only Russia's intervention saved Assad and allowed Hezbollah to claim credit.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah spoke Sunday in honor of the "Second Liberation Day on the Lebanese-Syrian border," in which the organization marked the Liberation of Lebanon from the Syrian rebels and during which he laid out the organization’s worldview: Hezbollah is a stabilizing force in the region. It is defending Lebanon, and defeated Israel and the rebels including ISIS. As far as Nasrallah is concerned, the Syrian civil is a failed American-Saudi-Zionist conspiracy.
Before you start laughing, you should ask the Arab-speaking Israelis among us how many of them believe the theory; you will be surprised by the response. Who is Nasrallah threatening this time (other than Israel)? And what is the conspiracy theory that is so persuasive in the Arab sector?
Nasrallah's speech delivered in classical Arabic was broadcast on a screen at the Hezbollah celebrations in al-Hermel in the Lebanon Valley, on the northeastern border with Syria, which until recently had been threatened by the Syrian rebels.
Nasrallah was of course careful not to leave his secure bunker, apparently located in Dahiya, the southern suburb of Beirut. It seems that he is afraid of the new enemies he has accumulated in the civil war even more than he is afraid of Israel.
At the beginning of the speech, Nasrallah congratulated those present for the first anniversary of the organization's victory in this region and the liberation of the entire border area from the Syrian rebels. He praised the martyrs who sacrificed themselves, and saved the whole of the Lebanon Valley from the hands of Sunni jihad organizations.
In his speech he raised the following questions: What would have happened if ISIS and Jabhat a-Nusra had won in Syria? What would have been the fate of the Middle East had ISIS won in Iraq? And what would these organizations do in Lebanon?
Nasrallah described the appalling violence used by these Wahhabi organizations against their Sunni "brethren" in areas under their control, and scorned the Lebanese government for not joining the struggle against the rebels in Syria at the beginning of the civil war, because many in Lebanon supported them.
Those who acted responsibly, in his view were the axis of resistance, i.e. Iran, the Syrian regime, and Hezbollah. According to Nasrallah, any Lebanese person who opposed their interference seven years ago now understands its importance for the rescue of Lebanon.
In the speech, Nasrallah explained that Hezbollah's entry into Syria was a defensive war for Lebanon and not an invasion, and that the organization's victories in al-Qusayr, Kalmon, the Damascus suburbs, a-Zabdani, and Jarud Arsal near the Lebanese border were what prevented the invasion of Lebanon by those “Takfiri”—those who consider the rest of Muslims as infidels and cheapen their blood.
In his speech, Nasrallah emphasized the mobilization of Hezbollah youth and the enthusiasm they demonstrated in fighting. He explained that unlike previous generations in Hezbollah, the quality of the fighters stems from their high school and academic education as well. They are educated in the footsteps of Hussein Ben Ali, "the father of the martyrs," who was the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad and was willing to sacrifice himself in Karbala, Iraq, for the sake of justice. The Shi'ites blame the Sunnis for the murder of Hussein.
According to Nasrallah, the situation in Israel is the opposite: there is a crisis of enlistment for combat units due to poor motivation and the lack of a desire to sacrifice for the homeland, and tens of thousands of soldiers seek leave on mental health grounds. He cited Israeli experts who say Israel is not prepared for the next war, despite the IDF arming itself with the best military technology.
At one point, Nasrallah raised his voice and claimed that following the "Israeli defeat" in the Second Lebanon War, Hezbollah had achieved deterrence and that since then Israel has not dared to attack Lebanon. He added that the American sanctions did not affect the organization at all and that the Shi'ites in Lebanon were living well and are not materialistic.
The “second Liberation Day” celebrates the liberation of all of Lebanon from the Syrian rebels, while the “first Liberation Day" marked on May 25, is a holiday invented by Hezbollah to mark the liberation of Lebanon from the "Zionist enemy" after the Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon in 2000. Thus Nasrallah presents Hezbollah as the shield of Lebanon against external invaders.
According to Nasrallah, the US is behind ISIS and assists them militarily. Washington has threatened to impose sanctions on Lebanon if Hezbollah continues to intervene in Syria.
According to Nasrallah, while Hezbollah, the Iraqi army (whose commanders are Shiite) and the Syrian army fought against ISIS, the US has actually been working on extending the lengthening of ISIS, just as it helped al-Qaeda in Afghanistan in the 1980s.
But according to Nasrallah, anyone who relied on American aid ultimately lost, as happened to the Shah in Iran, who was abandoned by the US. The US has no ideology, in Nasrallah’s eyes, but only economic interests, primarily oil. He added that Israel also abandons its friends when they no longer serve its purposes, as Israel abandoned the South Lebanon Army when it left Lebanon in 2000.
Nasrallah specifically pointed to the joint US-Saudi military headquarters in northern Jordan, known as the Military Operations Center (MOC), which he says is controlling the war in Syria behind the scenes and in full coordination with Israel since 2013.
In the past year, the Americans have also abandoned the rebels in southern Syria and the region was recaptured by the Syrian regime. Nasrallah asked: Why does the United States oppose the war against al-Qaeda in Idlib, the last pocket of rebels in Syria? They are defined as terrorists by the international community.
Nasrallah also called on the world to prepare for another "chemical show," meaning that the rebels in Idlib would claim that the Syrian regime was killing them with unconventional weapons. He claimed that the rebels would use this weapon against civilians in areas under their control in order to mobilize the international community to their advantage and provide an excuse for an American attack against the the axis of resistance.
The International Court of Justice found that Hezbollah activists were involved in the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri . Nasrallah threatened elements in Lebanon who intend to cooperate with the tribunal: "Do not play with fire."
The secretary general of Hezbollah spoke of the area east of the Euphrates in Syria which is controlled by the Kurds and advised them to continue negotiations with the Syrian government because the Americans would soon abandoned them as well, adding that the Americans had also abandoned the Palestinian Authority and that the trump administration plans to remove the matter of Jerusalem and the refugees from the agenda.
According to Nasrallah, the triangle of evil is Trump, Netanyahu and Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi crown prince — corrupt and greedy people who want to run the Middle East and eliminate the Palestinian issue.
Nasrallah responded to the claim that Hezbollah had taken control of Lebanon and said that these were old accusations, ignoring the fact that Hezbollah is the largest political party in Lebanon, a party that is justifiably worthy of interfering in state affairs (more than 30 percent of Lebanese are Shi'ites).
He also said that the purpose of this claim is to blame the organization for the economic crisis and other problems of Lebanon. He is careful not to mention Iran, which is the true boss in Lebanon today.
The ISIS and Jabhat al-Nusra phenomenon has become Hezbollah's most important tool to whitewash its crimes. Lebanese militias committed heinous crimes against the Sunni population in Iraq and Syria in the name of the war against ISIS.
Nasrallah did not save Lebanon, but on the contrary, he brought it into the war in Syria and caused the rebels to invade northern Lebanon in retaliation. He sent young Shiites to their deaths in order to continue receiving funds and support from Tehran and to train his fighters for the next war against Israel.
It is important to note that it was not the assistance of Iran and Hezbollah that saved Assad from collapse in 2015. Had Russia not intervened in the war in Syria, Hezbollah would have been crowned the main culprit in attracting jihadist organizations into Lebanon and in the destruction of the state. That is also the reason Nasrallah removed any mention of Iran from his speech. He did not mention Russia either, in order to win credit for Putin's achievements.
Lebanon's difficult economic situation is also largely due to the transformation of Lebanon into a Hezbollah-Land, a country subject to terrorism and drug trafficking, a country that spooks investors and is subject to international sanctions.
The balance of deterrence that has been established since 2006 is the opposite of what Nasrallah described: It is Israel that created a situation in which Hezbollah no longer fulfills its goals — to attack it.
As far as Hezbollah is concerned, those who fought ISIS and Jabhat al-Nusra, that is, Hezbollah, Assad and Iran, are automatically on the good side, but in reality these are terrorist organizations fighting each other, and at the moment Hezbollah is on the winning side —thanks to the Russian intervention. Shiite terrorism is replacing Sunni terrorism.
The worrisome phenomenon is Hezbollah's success on the propaganda level. Many of the Arabs in Lebanon, Syria and even Israel believe Nasrallah's words. As far as they are concerned, the war in Syria did not break out as a result of prolonged and severe repression, but rather because of an Israeli-American-Saudi conspiracy to topple Assad.
As far as they are concerned, Hezbollah is not a cancer spreading throughout the body of Lebanon, but rather it is the one that saved Lebanon from the Jihad organizations.
They believe that Israel was not neutral in the war in Syria, but rather supported the rebels against the regime while ignoring their affiliation with al-Qaeda. According to them, Israel and Saudi Arabia are working together to push aside the Palestinian issue and promote Trump's "deal of the century."
Dr. Yaron Friedman, is a Ynet commentator for Arab affairs, he is a graduate of the Sorbonne University in Paris, a lecturer on Islam and an Arabic teacher at the University of Haifa in the Middle East and Islamic Studies Department. His book “The Alawites — History, Religion and Identity” was published in English by Brill-Leiden in 2010. |
Chef Celine Beitchman at the Natural Gourmet Institute shares healthy cooking oils. Plus, tips to select, taste, and store the right oil for your next dish.
Chef Celine Beitchman at Natural Gourmet Institute shares her favorite healthy cooking oils. Plus, tips to select, taste, and store the right oil for your next dish. Inspired? We're giving away $15,000 tuition scholarship for one lucky YJ reader to become a pro chef.
With so many culinary-oil options—
and so much competing info about which ones are healthy or not—we needed a reliable primer. Celine Beitchman, a chef instructor and nutrition counselor at New York City’s Natural Gourmet Institute, shared her top three oils, plus tips for selecting, tasting, and storing the right one for your next dish.
New York Yoga is a neighborhood yoga studio that specializes in Vinyasa and Hot also are one of the first studios to offer On-Demand Yoga Internet videos, so that yogis can practice the discipline anytime, anywhere.
In 2007 the University received the Queen's Anniversary Prize in recognition of our outstanding work at world-class level in this field, so you'll be joining a programme with an international reputation for excellence.
The course will equip you with the experience and leading-edge skills you need for a career in research and health service decision-making.
Summer placements give you the opportunity to carry out research in the field under the supervision of an experienced health economist.
You'll study five compulsory core components, supplemented by a wide choice of optional units, to gain a thorough grounding in the theory and practice of health economics.
Taught by world-leading experts, you will complete modules to the value of 180 credits. This includes 100 credits of taught modules - some core and some optional - and an 80 credit dissertation.
Over the three months of summer, you'll complete a piece of independent research, guided by a supervisor. The 10,000 word dissertation is worth 80 credits and offers you the chance to examine a topic in depth and to develop your academic research skills.
Most students on the MSc in Health Economics choose to do a summer placement under the supervision of an experienced health economist. These differ from the standard dissertation as the placement supervisor suggests the research topic. A list of topics is circulated in the middle of the Spring term and you are allocated to your preferred placement before the Easter vacation.
The summer placements involve many different institutions including academic research units, the NHS and pharmaceutical companies. Most students are based in UK but in recent years placements have taken students to Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, Finland, France, Greece, the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, Vietnam and the USA.
While you shouldn't try to organise your own placement, suggestions for topics and host institutions are always welcome. These should be given to your course director.
Visitors come with particular expertise and contribute to teaching us. I also value participating in workshop presentations, which stimulate research discussion and improve communication skills. Another attraction of the course is the opportunity of a summer placement at different institutions across the world.
If you choose to do a summer placement as part of your dissertation you will expected to meet any costs, for example travel and accommodation. These costs vary depending on the length and location of your placement.
Seven studentships are available to UK and EU students on the MSc in Health Economics. The studentship will cover your tuition fees for the course, plus a maintenance grant of around £14,553.
You will automatically be considered for this studentship if you apply before 1 April 2019. We may also consider later applicants.
National and international employers recognise York as one of the best institutions for Health Economics. Some of the best economics books are written by staff at York and it is fascinating to be taught by these experts in their field.
This course is ideal for people who want to work in research and health service decision-making. Potential employers will value the experience you'll gain on your summer placement. The MSc is also an ideal basis for progression to a PhD.
You'll gain skills which will allow you to work in a variety of organisations. Previous graduates have gone on to work in:
You should have at least a relevant 2:1 degree in economics, or a related discipline. We also consider degrees in other subjects, including medicine, pharmacy, and nursing.
WASHINGTys he'll get lots done in last month as speaker WASHINGTON is story on
FILE - In this Oct. 29, 2009 file photo then-House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio stands behind a copy of the Democrat's version of the health care bill during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. Boehner's announced exit as House speaker and from Congress altogether caps a political career that began as the head of a homeowners association in an Ohio neighborhood and made him second in line to the presidency. (AP Photo/Harry Hamburg, File)(Photo: )
WASHINGTON —s final month before his successor takes over.
Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma, a longtime Boehner ally in the Republican leadership, said those clamoring for another shutdown this week or later this year would jeopardize the party's chances at the big prize — winning the presidency in 2016.
"We have the very same people who led us to disaster in 2013 telling us to do the same thing," Cole said Monday on MSNBC. "Government shutdowns never work."
Boehner's resignation announcement rippled through the slate of 2016 presidential candidates competing for support among the GOP's core Republicans. As Boehner let out the word to House Republicans Friday morning, GOP presidential hopeful Sen. Marco Rubio relayed the news to a conference of conservatives — who erupted in triumphant hoots. Rubio, retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson and former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina were among the GOP candidates who said Boehner's departure showed it was time for the party to move on.
Ohio Gov. John Kasich, a former member of Congress and a 2016 presidential candidate, said of the politicians complaining that nothing is getting done: "Maybe they ought to look in the mirror."
"What have they accomplished?" he said. "I mean are they just speechmakers? Are they just people out there yelling and screaming?"
York College juniortlin Rankin earns All-Capital Athletic Conference recognition York College juniorry on
York College junior forward Caitlin Rankin earned her first collegiate all-star award when she was named to the All-Capital Athletic Conference Women's Soccer Second Team.
Rankin started all 16 matches for York, one of just four Spartans to do so this season, and led the team with 14 points on six goals and two assists.
For her York College career, Rankin has played in 54 matches, starting in 48. She’s recorded 34 points on 14 goals and six assists. Rankin also has four game-winning goals during her time in York.
CAC champion Christopher Newport swept the major awards and had a conference-best seven players earn all-star recognition. CNU junior Gabby Gillis was named Player of the Year, freshman Riley Cook earned Rookie of the Year and head coach Dan Weiler was selected as Coach of the Year for the second-straight season. |
Editor’s note: This article is written by Heather, Elizabeth, and Sara to shed light on the recent allegations of sexual assault and harassment against a prominent member of the New York voiceover community, Peter Rofe. For the sake of full disclosure, we feel it’s important to let readers know that Rofe was, at one point, affiliated with Backstage as a writer. Since learning of these allegations, Backstage cut ties with Rofe and he has not been associated with the publication since.
As performance artists, we are taught by teachers, coaches, and directors to tap into our own vulnerability, something that requires an enormous amount of trust. In the case of New York voiceover coach Peter Rofe, that position of power and trust was exploited for decades. Until now.
On Feb. 8, 2018, CNN published an article detailing the accounts of many of his victims, the healing they’ve found from connecting, and finally outing Rofe as a sexual predator. Since the story broke, more women have come forward. A total of 57 victims have connected and told their stories, finding solidarity in their traumatic experiences.
While the dates of the assaults span from 1999 to 2017 and every woman’s story is unique, the calculated tactics he employed to groom, coerce, and manipulate his victims are eerily similar: His choice of overtly sexual scripts, hammering that “sex sells,” repeatedly pointing out that voice acting is “no different” than stage or film acting, and shaming women for not going far enough outside their instinctive comfort zones are some examples of what he routinely employed. Rofe’s acts range from sexual harassment and verbal abuse to sexual assault of his female clients, including groping, forced kissing, exposing himself, stripping naked, demanding that clients strip naked, barricading himself nude in a locked office or sound booth with clients, masturbating in front of clients, and many more acts of unwanted physical violations.
As Heather Costa shares, “My story began in 2008 when I went to Peter Rofe after a glowing recommendation of his abilities as a voiceover coach and demo producer. It was a turning point in my career and I was ready to take that next step. Looking back on that experience with Rofe, he was very calculated and manipulative and over the course of multiple sessions together, he became bolder in his actions until he went too far, and his boldness turned into sexual assault. In the moment, my brain was telling me something wasn’t right but it didn’t make sense as to what was actually happening. It felt almost as if time slowed down and all the while I’m thinking I’m not reciprocating this, I’m in control. In hindsight, I wasn’t. It took years for me to fully understand what happened in that room, and to stop blaming myself for what he did. When you experience a situation such as this, you’re left to question and doubt yourself. Then when the predator acts as if it’s normal or you’re at fault, you quickly believe it. Now, we are taking that power back.”
The day #metoo happened, everything changed. In October of last year, Elizabeth Laime posted her story on Facebook about Rofe assaulting her in 2005. From her came others; soon there were ten, then sixteen, then thirty, then nearly sixty. They believe there are many more, too. They created a private Facebook group where the women Rofe sexually assaulted were invited to share their stories, find support, and work toward stopping this from ever happening to anyone again.
The group has had an enormous impact on many women who thought they were alone. Sara Asselin explains, “For many of us, Peter Rofe came as a glowing recommendation from agents, friends, teachers, and people in the industry. We were told he would produce a great demo for us and coach us into a lucrative VO career. This was a turning point in our careers, a next step, someone we were investing a large amount of money, energy, and trust into. Because of this investment, Rofe’s increasing manipulation and disgusting behavior over the course of our coaching and recording sessions was often overlooked. Questions like, Is this normal? Is this really happening? Did I bring this on? Am I the only one he did this to? plagued us. We didn’t want it to be true. We didn’t want our own sense of reality and instinct to come into question. But here it had, and here we were, all of us physically and psychologically hurt and blaming ourselves for what were the actions of a man out only for power and his own arousal. Today we are taking that power back.”
The New York Police Department is investigating these accusations and searching to find someone within the statute of limitations. Despite multiple attempts by media sources, Rofe has declined to comment. It is the women’s hope that by sharing their stories, it will give other women he has sexually assaulted the strength to also come forward, and warn others who may have unknowingly become victims of his in the future. If you have a story you’d like to share privately with them, please email If you believe someone has acted inappropriately towards you or someone you know, you can find available resources here.
Jamie Muffett of VO School Podcast has offered to help warn others about this sexual predator. Below is the latest episode of the podcast featuring five of the incredibly strong women Peter Rofe assaulted, sharing their story.
Hand pipes made of glass are portable, convenient, easier to clean, and sometimes, they are beautiful works of art. With all of that said, it's no wonder that handheld glass pipes still remain the smoker's most popular option for smoking dry herbs.
Things to consider when buying handheld pipes are quality, length, function, aesthetic, and other more personal considerations which vary from customer to customer.
More expensive glass pipes tend to be made from thicker, more durable glass that conducts less heat as you handle it so that you can handle your pipe without discomfort.
If you have long locs of hair or bangs, you may prefer a longer pipe. Make sure the hair on your head or face are clear of fire as the sesh takes place. LOL!
Some glass pieces are the most beautiful works of art, but the intricacies can make the glass hard to clean--keep this in mind when you choose your hand pipes.
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Dealing with rejection is a part of the dating game. Some people don’t even bother getting out there because they dread being rejected and the idea of rejecting someone else. Dating triggers things in your emotional lock-box that you often don’t want to look at. The slightest hint of a man pulling away can set off a firestorm of insecure feelings and critical thoughts which lead you down the dark path of despair.
Quite often I hear from women when a man just disappears, “What is wrong with me?” “Why did he lose interest?” and “What could I have done differently to keep him around?” Then it always follows with a silly quote they found in one of those destructive dating books which explains all the mistakes women make with men and how they screw up their love life. I promptly reply by asking them to toss that book in the trash, lift their chin up and ask themselves, “What is wrong with him?”
The last straw in my self-deprecating dating patterns was a man who invited me to a ski weekend in Aspen. He proceeded to meet other women and spend time with them the entire time while I was staying at his condo. At first I wondered if I was pretty enough or interesting enough for him, but then a voice inside said loud and clear, “You deserve more.”
A few months later, I witnessed a man in my hypnotherapy class proclaim that he could not commit to women because of his issues with his step-mother. He would really want a relationship but then sabotage it because he didn’t trust women. This made me realize that every man has his own story, his own dysfunctional past that he is coping with when it comes to women.
Of course, you have to take responsibility for being the other piece of the puzzle that drew you to him, but you don’t have to take ALL of the responsibility as if you are broken and the guy is perfect. If you continue to put up with bad behavior you should look within as to why you keep attracting this scenario into your life, but you always have the power to walk away and break the pattern of attraction. You can stop walking on eggshells wondering if you are going to make one of the “silly dating mistakes” because, if he has issues with women, he will act like a jerk no matter how perfectly you follow the rules.
Men have a subconscious part of them I call the Inner Eve™. Their internal relationship with all women is dictated through this part of them. Formed by early life experiences of their interactions with women, this is how they see all women and how they relate to them. If they have a dysfunctional relationship with their Inner Eve™, they will not be open to love and it won’t be because you talked about marriage on the first date or slept with him too soon.
The best way to approach dating is to know that everyone has past emotional stuff. Some of it you are conscious of and the other stuff is subconscious. For women, they have their Inner Adam™ that dictates their relationships with men. As long as you have a body, you will be dealing with your stuff. The more conscious you are of your triggers and habits, the more power you have over your actions and reactions in dating. You can then stop taking everything so darn personally when a guy doesn’t call because you have the wisdom to know that ordinary guys see through deluded glasses that block them from perceiving the real you.
As you become more conscious, you will begin to realize that you aren’t your stuff. You find that deeper, more divine part of you beyond your patterns and programming that seeks a true connection, an extraordinary relationship. You no longer seek approval from men to validate you. You believe in yourself so much that when someone isn’t interested in you, you can shrug it off and say with confidence, “I wonder what’s up with him.” You easily move on and find someone who thinks you are the prize.
The Israeli defense Ministry is considering the use of nuclear mini-charges against Iran. This is with reference to sources in the defense Ministry told Israeli media.
We are talking about nuclear warheads of low power, referred to in the recently published new Nuclear doctrine of the United States. Let me remind you that in this Doctrine, the Pentagon for the first time revealed the possibility of using nuclear mini-charges in regional wars using conventional weapons.
Israel, as the United States ' closest military ally, also appears to have adjusted its Nuclear doctrine towards the possible use of low-power nuclear weapons. Currently, in the secret laboratories of Israel is to develop miniature nuclear warheads that are created through the use transplutonium elements.
This type of nuclear weapon will be so small that it can be adapted to fire grenade launchers, but their capacity will be equivalent to a charge equal to several tons of trotyl.
The debate in the Israeli media about the possibility of a limited nuclear strike on Iran inflamed in the past days after, according to tel Aviv, Iranian generals crossed the red line in Syria.
Namely, Israel has accused Iran that Syria sent his drone reconnaissance in the direction of the Golan heights. In response, the Israeli army attacked 12 targets located in Syria.
The situation became even more acute due to the fact that Syrian air defenses shot down an Israeli f-16 combat aircraft. This is a rather alarming signal for the Jewish state, as never before in the past quarter century about Syria could not shoot down Israeli planes.
Naturally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu understands that the success of the Syrian missile DEFENCE system is directly related to the presence of Russia's space forces in this country. And the Russian military during operation in Syria already managed to prepare high-quality specialists of the Syrian army who learned to use the latest systems of PRO for destruction of the Israeli fighters.
Meanwhile, the current deterioration in relations between Israel and Iran could lead to an expansion of the geography of the current war in Syria: as noted by the German Die Welt, hostilities could spread to Lebanon. The situation will be aggravated by the fact that Hizbollah will actively participate in hostilities against Israel.
Characteristically, the US administration immediately clearly supported the strong position of tel Aviv against Iran. However, the EU leadership deviated from direct support for Israel, calling on both sides-Israel and Iran — to restraint and dialogue. Russia generally decided to wait for a pause and refused to intervene in the conflict between Israel and Iran |
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Will Google CEO Schmidt's "wait for the tools" banter on media giant Viacom's $1 billion copyright infringement legal claim at the Wall Street Journal's All Things Digital conference this week be his famous last words?
After all, if the leading search engine need merely announce a quarter baked "open" software effort designed purely to foster its worldwide dominance--Google Gears--to receive near unanimous acclaim, as well as cheers for the end of its nemesis, Microsoft, why wouldn't it truly believe it IS King of the World, and act accordingly.
Is Google not the "best" engineering run company in the world? Is Google not staffed by better than rocket scientists?
Why is the top social networking play, MySpace, run by "old media" News Corp. able, and willing, to protect the copyright of the content of others, BUT the top video sharing play, YouTube, run by GOOGLE, insists it is stuck in the copyright protection "tools" mud.
If Google can not muster the brain power or technology to implement existing, readily available copyright protection screening processes, such as MySpace has done, why should anyone have any confidence in Google's technological capabilities in any software endeavor, such as Google Apps.
The truth of the matter, of course, is that Google can do the right copyright thing, if it wanted to, but it doesn't have any intention of doing right by content owners.
Why does Google continue to sing the tools are on their way song? Because it is Google doing the singing, and any Google song is music to the world's ears. |
While putting the finishing touches on Singular, I thought it would be nice to capture all the steps required to self-publish a novel, so that any reader thinking of doing likewise (or myself in a year or two) has a ready guide for the process. I’m not an expert in this, but I hope it is valuable nonetheless.
Though I should point out, if you’re looking for a TL;DR, perhaps writing novels isn’t an ideal pastime.
While you could choose to write your first draft long hand, drinking cappuccinos in your favorite cafe, you’re eventually going to have to upgrade your tech. Though the cafe scenario sounds more appealing, the print-on-demand services might not accept such a manuscript.
The lingua franca for most writing is Microsoft Word so you’ll have to buy that eventually, in the mean time I recommend another tool for the writing process: Scrivener.
A new writing tool has come on the scene which is fantastic for a first draft. It’s a clean, distraction-free, well-organized writing instrument which also lets you share word counts and excerpts with friends for mutual encouragement.
Combining research, outline, pictures, cuts, and the text of your manuscript into one magnificent “binder” is quite handy for staying organized. Add to that the ability to compile your manuscript into a print ready PDF, and it’s quite the combo. They recently added an excellent mobile app, which makes it even more convenient to capture ideas while on the go. Let’s get started!
By using their template as a starting point, you get a decent skeleton and a handy little README on how it’s all organized. I ended up changing things a good bit, but starting here helps reduce the blank page effect.
First change I’d recommend is to name the chapters according to what you want them to actually be in print. Since I knew I wanted a prologue and epilogue, the default auto-numbering just wasn’t going to cut it.
You know, the easy part. For every chapter make a new folder, for every scene in that chapter, add another document inside the folder. Continue until you’ve written the whole thing.
After you’ve written it, read it, wallow in despair, edit it repeatedly until you can sleep again. Good job, you’re making progress!
“Front matter” is the collective term for everything that goes at the beginning of the book, shocking, I know. Aren’t I the publishing guru? Since we plan on using Createspace to publish our book, there’s something we must do.
Those “deliberately blank” pages ensure that when you generate your PDF later, your title page appears on the correct side of the book. This wasn’t intuitive at first, as every PDF two-page preview tends to trick you into thinking you’re looking at a book, but if you don’t add these pages, your title will appear on the left-hand side and look weird.
For writing the copyright page, I encourage making a stack of your favorite novels and then make your page look as much like theirs as you can. Since I’m not a lawyer, I won’t try to break this down any further, again, we’re just trying to make a nice looking novel. That said, this “consensus from my favorite books” technique has been a helpful tool for this whole process. Use recent books however, as publishing has changed quite a bit.
Note, I’m entirely ignoring the eBook front matter in Scrivener, focusing only on the paperback version. That’s because Scrivener is in charge of our paperback. We’ve got another tool for the eBook which we’ll turn to later on.
Read any acknowledgments section and you’ll see that writing a book is not a lone endeavor. This is a very good thing, so make sure you find professionals to hire.
Specifically, you are going to need a good designer and copy-editor. Even as I write that sentence, I realize that the copy-editor would likely correct my use of hyphenation. Speaking of which, you might want to work with Alex Bear over at Constellation Editing. A very talented copy-editor. The cover was designed by Gabe Rodriguez of Rodriguez Inc.
Later on, I’ll assume you have your cover as a print ready PDF according to specific standards. A professional will make this go smoothly.
The manuscript is done. You’ve got an amazing cover and your grammar mistakes are ancient history. You’re ready to publish.
Well, it does, but you’re still going to have to tweak it to make the book look the way you want. Speaking of which, how do you want your book to look? There are genre trends to be aware of, certainly, but there’s also your taste. In the end, I wanted my book to look like this on the inside:
It’s a clean reading experience, deceptively difficult to achieve. Having read it cover to cover approximately eleven times, I can affirm it’s easy on the eyes and worth the extra time spent tweaking.
The text separator is what will show up between scenes, so adjust as you feel necessary. I’m not a heavy scene utilizer, so this was of marginal import.
Since we want every chapter to begin on a recto (roughly right-hand) page, we need to click on “Section Layout” and arrange things as you see them in this screenshot.
By clicking “options” you can also set it to “Remove first paragraph indents”, which is generally preferred.
Very important decision…what font should you use for the body of your book? Your choice, but here’s where you set it. I opted for Adobe Garamond Pro (it’s worth the money), 1.2 line height, size 11, regular. You’ll order proofs later which is the only way to really tell if it feels right.
Typography is a huge subject and generally best left to experts (in other words, ask your designer), but there are some genre conventions that are helpful. Search the internets for details.
Not terribly exciting here, but since I tend to use the notes/commenting feature a good bit, it’s important to strip those during a compile to rich text. I believe it’s necessary for importing to Vellum, which we do later on.
This page configures everything around your text. Your numbers for the margins will be based on how many pages your book ultimately has (bigger gutter for bigger book since it’s harder to bend all those pages). The Header and Footer (combined with the Facing Pages below) enabled me to have a cool adornment, reminiscent of early computer prompts, on my page numbers.
For the eBook, I opted to use Vellum. It eliminates the hassle of dealing with the different formats, plus they have some nice design templates.
Title, cover, author, etc. Don’t really need any insight from me on this. The title is locked at purchase, so make sure you know what you want to call the book before you start fiddling with this.
From Scrivener you need to compile a .docx file (it’s an option near where you selected PDF previously). Then drag and drop that onto the Vellum window. If you followed the instructions above, it should be mostly correct. Flip through everything to make sure.
You will want to use the correct “element” type when adding whatever is missing at this point. I was only missing front-matter, if I recall correctly.
Finally, hit the big “Generate” button in the upper right (after following their instructions to download some Kindle generator thingy).
Being able to publish under my own “imprint” was important to me, so I started a business and bought ISBNs. If you don’t care, go with the free Createspace one. You’ll need one ISBN for each version of your book (one for paperback, one for eBook).
Since I haven’t technically finished this step, I imagine this section will change in the next couple weeks (my first book Singular is available March 31st!), but here is how it stands as of today.
This one is really easy. Go to Amazon KDP, make an account, and click the big button to get started.
You need a description for your book!!! You might be thinking, “I just wrote 100,000 words. What’s another 150?” Ha! Have fun with that. I think I’ve spent ten hours on those well-honed twelve-dozen and six words and I still keep thinking about tweaking them. My advice? Go read a ton of book descriptions on Amazon for books in a similar genre, then go and do likewise.
Next scary part: keywords and categories. Singular is an upbeat dystopian coming-of-age story heavily wrapped around an A.I. singularity event, so naturally I broke that down into whatever keywords they’d let me use and picked relevant sci-fi categories (apocalypse, etc.). You’ll know what you need to do.
The rest of the KDP setup is heavily influenced by your goals. Since I want to enable readers to experiment with an unknown author (me), I’m opting for low price points (but not so low that they seem disreputable or shabby in some way.)
I haven’t started in on the other eBook marketplaces yet, but I’ll update this section once I add it to the rest.
While I’m sure I will switch to KDP’s paperback publishing soon, Createspace is the preferred method for now. That said, it’s not as simple of a setup process as the Kindle, and pre-order is notoriously un-fun.
Now you make your decision on the ISBN. Since I already purchased one, I went with the “provide your own”. You might opt for the free Createspace route, or the new “Custom Universal”. It mostly comes down to, are you writing one book only or potentially more than one?
Custom Universal seems to be a great choice for the one-book only crowd that still want to have an imprint specified.
Go to your bookshelf. Grab every book that you like in your genre. Arrange them in stacks according to their dimensions (not page count). Take a ruler-device and get exactly measurements of the ones you like the best. Compare with the options available on Createspace.
I went with 5.5” x 8.5”, black & white on cream paper. I’d like to use the matte finish but the black level is a bit off, so might have to use glossy. Some alpha readers also didn’t like the feel of the matte cover.
That said, you’re going to have to do trial and error here. One of Createspace’s benefits is that you can order an “author proof” before you click the big publish button. There really is no substitute to holding it in your hands.
Here be dragons. Sure, you could use their cover creator, but then you’d have a terrible font selection and absolutely no design, hence my recommendation for a designer.
But here’s the deal, you need to give them the exact PDF cover requirements so they can ultimately give you a print-ready PDF. Download the guidelines from Createspace, do the calculation on spine width according to paper and pages, and provide that to your designer.
Upload the eventual PDF and wait the 24 hours for your files to be reviewed. You’ll get an email with any issues you need to fix.
Once the actual content and cover of the book have been approved, you can unleash your paperback on the world by setting its distribution.
First up, you need to select the channels of distribution. This is partially limited by choices you made earlier regarding your ISBN. If you didn’t select a Createspace ISBN, then you won’t be able to select “Libraries & Academic Institutions”, but that’s just how it goes.
One warning, if you fill out everything, you’re book will be published, so you better hold back something in reserve if you’re trying to time the paperback release with the eBook pre-order. Personally, I’m waiting on setting the price.
Almost everything on the description page can be copied over from the KDP entry, everything that is, except for the BISAC category. You’ll have to pick one category for your book, so make sure it’s a good one. Some people like to game the system here by picking something obscure, but I don’t think that’s really helpful for discoverability, so I lean truthful.
For a common detail page, you’ll want to Link the Kindle and Createspace editions. It makes a more professional looking page as Amazon bundles all the reviews and the buy box into one meta-ASIN. It’s good, do it.
You probably also want to solicit your mailing list for reviews from advance readers so you can get as many honest reviews as you can up on Amazon. I forgot to do this (even though I had two dozen ARCs) so I’m still behind on getting reviews up.
That said, better is subjective. My goal has always been to write fiction that I’d enjoy reading, even when not blinded by the self-love common to every author. As such, I’m not the best person to ask about marketing etc.
I did, however, have an AWESOME launch day and a pretty epic party to boot (some pictures over on Facebook).
Thanks for reading this far, I hope you write a wonderful book to be enjoyed by countless people with impeccable taste! Speaking of which, you seem like you have remarkable good taste and would enjoy my book. |
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