text:
In recent years Botswana has earned a reputation as perhaps the finest safari destination in Africa – offering a pristine, exclusive, un-crowded wilderness experience…Botswana is a land of contrasts and striking beauty and is undoubtedly one of the world's most exciting holiday destinations. It is landlocked and straddles the Tropic of Capricorn in the centre of the Southern African plateau, between latitudes 17 and 27 and longitudes 20 and 30 east. It is bordered by South Africa in the south and southeast, Zambia and Zimbabwe in the northeast and east, and Namibia in the north and west. The natural beauty of Botswana is found in its land formations, its wilderness, wildlife and its cultural diversity. The land is flat, with gentle undulations and occasional rocky outcrop.
Three national parks and seven game reserves that are wildlife shelters occupy 17% of the land area of Botswana. The three national parks are the Chobe National Park, the Nxai Pan and Makgadikgadi National Park and the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. The seven game reserves are the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, Gaborone Game Reserve, Khutse Game Reserve, Mannyelanong Game Reserve, Maun Game Reserve and Moremi Game Reserve. In addition, a number of small privately owned reserves are maintained.
A Botswana safari is a fantastic choice for getting up close and personal with the big game of Africa. The main reason for this is because its natural features help to concentrate vast numbers of fauna as the dry season intensifies between June and October and water becomes increasingly scarce. The country's exceptionally low population density and high proportion of protected areas also ensure that there is limited encroachment on habitats vital to the sustained health of the populations of lions, leopards, cheetahs, caracals, rhinos, hippopotami, crocodiles, giraffes, zebras, primates, bat-eared foxes, wild dogs and antelope such as the kudu, impala and lechwe. And this is by no means an exhaustive list!
Therefore, providing you go in the dry season you are likely to see plentiful wildlife – though exactly what you see will depend on the specific area you visit. The riverine environments of the Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park tend to attract the biggest number and widest range of wildlife, but the Makgadikgadi Pan and the Kalahari also attract an eclectic cast of beasts and birds. Naturally, luck also plays a part, but the knowledge of our experts on the ground will, of course, help to maximize your chances of seeing the biggest and best wildlife Botswana has to offer.
The Okavango Delta effectively functions as a wildlife funnel. During the wet season the waters of the Delta spread out like the roots of a tree, but as the dry season bites the waters begin to recede, pulling many migratory species and their predators back towards the north-western corner of Botswana, and leaving many others to roam a maze of island havens further out in the Delta.
The Moremi Reserve's floodplains and waterways dominate the central and eastern areas of the Okavango Delta. Here, the Mopane Tongue and Chief's Island stand out as the major landmasses – and they are veritable animal magnets in the dry season. It is here that you are most likely to see the Big Five, as well as rare antelope such as the swamp-swimming sitatunga. Chief's Island is also the prime place to see rhino and big cats – lions, leopards and cheetahs are all regularly sighted here.
Just north of the Moremi Reserve are the Duba Plains, where a National Geographic team observed a pride of lions predating on a herd of buffalo over a two-year period. According to the report, every month the lionesses of the Tsaro pride killed on average 22 buffalo (from a herd of more than one thousand animals) – literally running straight at their prey in the gathering gloom of night.
To the east of the Okavango Delta, the Savuti Marsh area of Chobe National Park – with its savannahs and grasslands – is also an outstanding place to witness the real wonders of the natural world. Here, during the dry season, there are regular sightings of the thousands-strong elephant population rumbling through the lush landscape, as well as warthogs, wildebeest, zebras and hyenas. Baboons and vervet monkeys also range across Chobe and into the Okavango Delta.
During the rainy season, the rich birdlife of Botswana comes colorfully to the fore in Chobe and on the Okavango Delta. Nearly 600 different types of bird can be found in Botswana – among them the ostrich, flamingo and the cattle egret with its slicked ginger Mohawk. Flamingos are also regularly seen in the Makgadikgadi salt pan during the rainy season, while during the dry season on the salt pans and in the Kalahari you may also see meerkats, porcupines, black-backed jackals and aardwolves – an insectivorous, sticky-tongued relative of the hyena.
In the north-west, the Okavango River drains inland from Angola to form the Okavango Delta. The Okavango Delta is one of the largest inland deltas in the world. It provides sustenance to a rich profusion of wildlife, and it is still in its natural state – unspoiled and unpolluted. The Okavango Delta is one of the most inspiring and awe-inspiring wilderness locations in Africa, if not the entire planet.Safaris and game watching are the most popular activities in the park and possible animals to be sighted include cheetahs, zebra, giraffes, elephants, crocodiles and rhinos to name only a few. In this Delta, dry land mingles with wetland. It has marsh, river, grasslands, riverine forests of palms, islands, flood plains and lagoons. In fact, the Okavango Delta is an Oasis situated within the Kalahari Desert, and is part of the larger geographical network which embraces Moremi Game Reserve, Chobe National Park, Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pans and Mababe Depression.
The seasons in Botswana are indistinct. Rains generally start in October or November and persist through to March or April. Within that period there may be long dry spells. In April, temperatures begin to fall and May is generally regarded as the first month of the dry, cool winter, characterised by clear sunny days and cold nights.Spring begins in August and temperatures rise rapidly during the hot, dry period of September, October and November until the rains again break.
Click here for updated information
Visas are not required for USA citizens. Click here for updated information
The unit of currency is the Pula.
The Visa & MasterCard are widely accepted.
English is the official language. Setswana is the local language.
230 V / AC 50hz
Sun block lotion, sunglasses, hats and insect repellents are essential. Binoculars are an absolute must!


text:
Tomorrow is May 21st 2011, a date that will either go down in history as the day that millions of people mysteriously vanish from the face of the earth in a pre-apocalyptic event known as the Rapture, or, in a far less exciting outcome, it will be remembered as a day that this didn't happen at all, making it different from any other day only due to the enormous number of people who seem to have placed a tremendous amount of faith and hope in the arrival of their one way ticket to the warm bosom of Christ. Either way, tomorrow is going to turn a lot of people's worlds upside down.
Such mass rapture letdowns are hardly unheard of; the Jehovah's Witnesses rented out an entire football stadium to gather together for the big day, not once, but four times. (Don't feel bad; I'm told they rent out stadiums even on years that the world isn't ending.) Darker manifestations of the end of the world can be found in the tragic mass suicide of the Heaven's Gate cult, who saw the rare passing of the Haily-bop comet as their best chance to get off the planet (after they all evacuated their souls from their earthy bodies, of course). What's unique about this event is that it's being taken seriously by a larger number of Christians than is usual for such extreme predictions, causing massive numbers of people to quit their jobs, find new homes for their pets and give way all of their earthly belongings to their obviously unscrupulous atheist friends.
I have a lot of sympathy for such people, and hope that tomorrow works out for the best for all of them. What I'm most interested in personally is an answer to the question of what sort of God, if any, do we have; a God that applies the letter of the law or the spirit. If the rapture occurs, it seems that this will be made immediately clear, since He will either choose to take the Obedient, meaning only the most strictly observant Christians, or the Righteous, who obviously exist as a faction within but also beyond the relatively small confines of the Christian faith.
I think either outcome will be acceptable, as I will at least know, beyond any shadow of a doubt, where I stand in relation to the powers that be (I already have my suspicions, obviously, but it would be nice to finally be 100% sure) but what worries me most about tomorrow is the enormous number of people who, should the rapture turn out to be a dud, will have their faith unceremoniously destroyed. The people who most desperately need this sort of early escape pod are not the sort of people whom I wish to see completely lose their only support system; these are the sort of people, in my opinion, who are the most likely to try and "end the world" in other, far less divine, ways.
Whatever happens, I hope that tomorrow will provide ample revelations for everyone. Good luck and Namaste.
the Jehovah's Witnesses rented out an entire football stadium to gather together for the big day, not once, but twice in recent history.
I don't think they did. When?
In 1878, 1918, 1925, and most recently, when they rented out a stadium, in 1975.
well....it's incorrect. They rent out facilities like that every year, generally several dozen, for their summer district conventions. Even when the end is not expected any minute, they still rent them out.
Is not the idea behind social darwinism that 1) survival of the fittest can be helped out a bit, by eliminating NOW those whom natural selection might take its time in doing.
(a bit like hellfire believers have often thought 'if God is going to burn them forever and ever, there's no reason I can't get a few preliminary licks in myself.)
2) whoever is perpetrating the holocaust, the "artificial selection," must be "the fittest" so as to be able to maneuver themselves into that position?
oops. scratch that comment. was meant for somewhere else.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Panaji, Apr 19 (IANS): Goa's beaches were in the cross hairs of suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba terror suspect Nasir Raizuddin, being tried for the 2008 Bangalore serial blasts, Wikileaks has claimed citing a recently declassified US diplomatic cable.
The cable, dated February 2008, was drafted by David T. Hopper, then consul general at the US consulate in Chennai.
Hopper quotes top police officials about other areas identified by Riazuddin before his arrest in Karnataka.
According to Hopper, Raziuddin told the police that along with accomplices from the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), he had identified sites across the country for a series of bomb blasts.
And "beaches in Goa frequented by foreigners" were one of those specifically identified as targets, according to the diplomatic communique.
Goa has been put on high alert since the 26/11 terror strikes in Mumbai, mainly because the state's beaches attract over 2.6 million tourists annually, of whom half a million are foreign nationals. The sizeable number of Israeli tourists to the state is another reason why security agencies believe Goa is on the terror radar.
The Goa government has, however, consistently denied receiving any specific intelligence inputs of a potential terror strike.
Among other targets on Raziuddin's list were the Andhra Pradesh Police headquarters, and Infosys campuses in Bangalore and Mangalore, says the confidential cable numbered 08CHENNAI55.
Then Karnataka additional director general of police Shankar Bidari, superintendent of police of Davangare district in Karnataka Ravendra Prasad, and state home secretary Vatsala Watsa have been quoted in the cable.
Hopper also said that the Karnataka Police had shared intelligence with US officials.
"Shankar Bidari, Karnataka's Additional Director General of Police for Law and Order, gave us on February 8 two reports on this case. The first is the arrest report, the second covers the interrogation of both suspects," Hopper said, adding that the documents helped them to create a "bio-data" of the suspects.
Raziuddin's father, Mohammad Nasiruddin, a Muslim cleric from Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh, had been arrested in 2004 by Gujarat Police for being part of the conspiracy to murder Gujarat home minister Hiren Pandya.
The cable also says that Indian police believed that Nasiruddin had links to Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI).
Please write your correct name and email address. Kindly do not post any personal, abusive, defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent, discriminatory or unlawful or similar comments. Daijiworld.com will not be responsible for any defamatory message posted under this article.
Please note that sending false messages to insult, defame, intimidate, mislead or deceive people or to intentionally cause public disorder is punishable under law. It is obligatory on Daijiworld to provide the IP address and other details of senders of such comments, to the authority concerned upon request.
Hence, sending offensive comments using daijiworld will be purely at your own risk, and in no way will Daijiworld.com be held responsible.


text:
Genres: Alternative, Latin
Web site: http://www.myspace.com/unmundogris
We live in a gray world with not enough color and never totally black, having the hope that someday we will be painted back. Mundo Gris (Gray World) is a Spanish alternative indie rock band that blends heavy classic rock influences, Latin sounds and powerful Spanish lyrics to bring you a unique mix of acoustic and electric sound that will transport you to a different place in mind, body and soul.
Subscribe Get email updates when bands add an event.


text:
Homework 1: Task & competitive analysis; Fri, June 29 - Fri, July 6. Group, 10% of grade.
Homework 2: Contextual Inquiry, Fri, July 6 - Fri, July 13. Group, 10% of grade.
Homework 3: Create a prototype Web site; Fri, July 13 - Fri, July 20. Group, 10% of grade.
Homework 4: Heuristic Evaluation of each other's sites; Fri, July 20 - Fri, July 27. Individual, 15% of grade.
Homework 5: Revise sites based on evaluations, User study of implementation of their site with at least 2 users, Final Report; Fri, July 27 - Wed, Aug 8. Group, 30% of grade.
Start: Friday June 29
Hand in: Friday, July 6
Group Project
Counts for 10% of final grade
Each group will be creating a simulated electronic commerce web site throughout the term for this course.
Reports should be authored using Microsoft Word or HTML. If you use HTML, please create a zip file including the source and all images. Turn in one report for each group.
Start: Friday, July 6
Hand in: Friday, July 13
Homework 2 is in another file.
Start: Friday, July 13
Hand in: Friday, July 20
Group Project
Counts for 10% of final grade.
Create a prototype of your web site containing at least 10 pages. It is OK to use pretend data and no database.
You can author your website using Microsoft Frontpage or other authoring tool, or using raw HTML. Pictures and images for your site can be "sloppily" drawn by hand or scanned in. You can put your pages up on the server for the class, or your own machine if you have a web server.
Turn in:
The URL where we can find your pages.
A hardcopy printout of all your pages (black and white is OK if you don't have a color printer)
A one-page scenario in which you follow an example user through a single example goal and task using your site.
Start: Friday, July 20
Hand in: Friday, July 27
Individual Project
Counts for 15% of final grade.
Each person in the class will be assigned to evaluate the site of a different a group. Individually, you should write a heuristic evaluation of the site using principles from Nielson UE textbook. Although multiple people are assigned to evaluate each group. you should do the evaluation separately. See the assignments of people to groups.
For the system you have been assigned perform a heuristic evaluation. Your report should discuss both problems and things done well. You should include pictures of the original site that illustrate each of your points. Each point should be annotated with the particular guidelines that are being violated or being followed. If violated, you might suggest a fix. You should try to come up at least 10 points that illustrate at least 5 different guidelines. I am looking for insight, subtlety and depth (thus saying "the system doesn't have good color choices because it doesn't use color" is pretty trivial and won't count for much).
Start: Friday, July 27
Hand in: Wednesday, August 8
Group Project
Counts for 30% of final grade.


text:
Fresh from the skillet, these flatbreads are perfumed with intense sweet caramelized onions. They're wonderful dipped into a little soup or to serve alongside a saucy curry. They're quite simple to make—to speed up the process use two skillets or a griddle so you can cook twice as many at once.
Ready In


text:
Mervin Wong, presenter / performer
Jingyun Ng, voice
Ab Aeterno
Reveries is a set of specially crafted music by Theemptybluesky. A story told and explored through sound, delve into this journey to seek out the resonance and dissonance of the mind with performers Mervin Wong and Jingyun Ng.
Mervin is a multidisciplinary artist who investigates and embraces a range of art forms into his works. A sonic alchemist who creates music and sculpts sound, Mervin's past works include producing/composing bespoke music for contemporary dance: Odyssey Dance Theatre Ltd as well as international dance artists specializing in dance improvisation. Mervin also actively composes for installations, theatre, and media. His foray into the art of sound does not stop at its crafting. Mervin is also a musician who actively performs in the fields of classical, experimental, and electronica under the alias Theemptybluesky.
Singaporean-Chinese soprano Ng Jingyun is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music (Vocal Performance) degree under the tutelage of Professor Alan Bennett. In 2013, she graduated from School of the Arts, Singapore (SOTA) with an International Baccalaureate Diploma, where she studied with Thomas Markus Manhart and Ralph McDonald.
Jingyun is a keen collaborator on cross-disciplinary projects, and has been featured in several Singaporean premiere works of various genres, including previous collaborations with Mervin Wong for contemporary dance. Jingyun has also participated in the 2016 NAIP (New Audiences and Innovative Practices) programme in Reichenau, Austria.
In collaboration with:


text:
Britain's largest supermarket chain posted a 1.8pc rise in like-for-like sales in the six weeks to January 5, in its trading statement on Thursday, compared with analysts' forecasts in a range of up 0.5-1.5pc and a third quarter fall of 0.6pc.
Last April, Philip Clarke, the chief executive of Tesco, admitted the need for "fundamental change" as the company committed £1bn to turn around its ailing UK business, after a terrible performance the previous Christmas prompted the firm's first fall in UK profits in 20 years.
The Telegraph's business correspondent Graham Ruddick says that the rise in sales, which has been helped by a good food performance, shows that customers "have got the message that Tesco is changing."
Tesco said most of the six-point plan's efforts had been focused on food, and in particular fresh food, "so this performance provides further encouragement that the delivery of the plan is on track".


text:
Today is the 68th anniversary off D-Day, the Normandy Landings. Some time ago I listened to British military historian John Keegan's masterful Six Armies at Normandy.
Keegan had been a boy during the war and was relocated from London to rural East Anglia. Although he followed events carefully and with great interest the war only touched his life peripherally – until the Americans arrived.
They came in great numbers, driving machines the likes of which had never been seen in this rural backwater. They were charming in their friendly openness – a nice counterpoint to the stuffy manners of the local gentry. GIs would readily toss candy to children – more sugar then most English children were seeing in a month. He was awed by the bottomless wealth of United States. He also noted wryly, (this, like all quotes here is inexact and from my memory, as I leant my copy away) "There was something happening in East Anglia about which Mr. Hitler should be deeply concerned."
And this was only the advance engineering team, constructing temporary quarters. American soldiers flooded the countryside and then, quite suddenly they were gone. The next day Keegan remembers waking to the sound of an enormous buzzing. He looked up and the sky was full of airplanes. It was June 6, 1944.
In his book, Keegan writes a chapter on the six armies that participated in the Normandy campaign: the Americans, the British, the Canadians, the Poles, the French, and the Germans. One of his great strengths is shuttling easily between the grand strategic and the small-scale tactical. He does this particularly well describing the Americans. Having discussed the enormous resources of the United States and the strategic vision of Eisenhower in masterminding the operation, he then focuses on the American parachutists who landed the night before the main landing. They were successful beyond anyone's expectations in sowing confusion in the German rear. On paper the allies had vast resources, but battles are often truly decided by small units, frightened and far from home, with little to rely upon but their own courage and ingenuity. Here the American parachutists shone, had they been unsuccessful it is not impossible to imagine the invasion itself would have been a bust.
The Canadians also sent a major contingent to the D-Daylandings, but Canada had inadvertently made a major, albeit bloody,contribution to D-Day almost two years earlier. Churchill had developed an ill-conceived plan to seize the port of Dieppe. The primarily Canadian forces pushed directly into fortified German positions and took very heavily casualties. The read was a complete disaster – and yet – it taught the allies valuable lessons about how to conduct amphibious assaults, while persuading the Germans that the allies would not attempt such an operation again.
Keegan writes respectfully about the Germans, who were primarily Wehrmacht and fought honorably (with a few exceptions.) This, like the brave Confederate soldiers and their brilliant general of the American Civil War, is yet another iteration of that terrible tragedy – men fighting well for a terrible cause.
Keegan has a particular fondness for the Polish contingent. Having been defeated twice by the Germans – first in their homeland and then fighting alongside the French in 1940, the remnants of the Polish Army trained hard to become a modern effective fighting force. They cheered when they learned they were heading into battle, wanting to avenge their nation's honor. They got their wish.
In August, with the German 7th Army bottled up,the Polish division was the cork. The Germans attempted their break out and through a night of desperate, ceaseless fighting, the Poles held their position. The painful part is that even in their most desperate hours, the Polish division sought news from home. The Polish resistance had launched a massive uprising against the Germans, hoping for aid from the approaching Red Army. But the Red Army paused, allowing the Germans to demolish the Polish forces. Their situation was desperate. The cities sewers were their lines of communication and men ran into downed aircraft engulfed in flames to retrieve ammunition.
Across France and the Benelux countries is a swath of towns liberated by the Poles. But they would have to wait another forty-five years for freedom to come to their own country.
Far more men were engaged on the bloody eastern front, where enormous armies of men and machines faced off in massive battle after battle. But Keegan makes a compelling case that the victory the allies won on D-Day was perhaps the greatest of the war and one of the greatest military achievements of all time. It was the wealth of France the kept the Nazi war machine running. The granaries, mines, factories, and people of France all provided the critical supplies needed by the German forces. When these were effectively moved from one side of the ledger to the other, the Reich could not sustain its war. Large numbers of young Frenchmen were in hiding, to avoid impressment or work that would support the Nazis. As France was liberated these men hastily formed a French Army, rejuvenating the allied drive just as the British and Canadian levees were tapped out.
All of this made fascinating reading, but I thrilled just a bit when, during Keegan's chapter on the British Army on D-Day, he mentioned the Scottish Division.
A Scottish Division was bound to include my favorite Scottish regiment, the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
How does a Jewish kid from Baltimore come to have a favorite Scottish regiment (is he a dork)? And if anyone is going to have a favorite Scottish regiment, shouldn't it be the Black Watch?
For answers, tune in tomorrow…


text:
Creative ideas that stand out. Marketing execution that works. We help brands look their best with our creative skills, rebranding support and marketing implementation. read more
P.O. Box 369 Wauconda, IL 60084 847-526-1300
103 Carnegie Center Ste 300 Princeton, NJ 08540 609-844-7576
1130 Ten Rod Rd. D-101C North Kingstown, RI 02852 401-667-0619


text:
Remove red eye effect from your portrait photos
Remove red eyes with Red Eye Pilot (+ Plugin)
To get rid of red eye effect, take only two steps:
1. Click on the left red eye
2. Click on the right red eye
This red eye remover program allows you to adjust the pupil area and brightness, and preview the results real-time. The program keeps structure of the pupil. After you install Red Eye Pilot, you can see the demo. Run it from the Demonstration menu.
Version 3.4.1
* small bugs are fixed.
Windows XP/Vista
Size 3.35 MB only
[ Download Red Eye Pilot 3.4.1 Retail Version + Crack ]


text:
Ask Me Anything: 10 Answers to Your Questions About PHP Frameworks
So PHP programming language is ruling the web development industry with its extensive power and capabilities of frameworks.Read More
How PHP Development Companies Resolve Defects In A Web Development Project?
PHP is widely accepted open-source programming language and it does rule in the heads of IT companies' project managers and so the widely spread PHP projects are.Read More
What Is HRMS? & How Would You Organize The Internal Monitoring?
Why Is Laravel Your Perfect Partner For Web Development?
Laravel Web Development: What Laravel Brings In Its Latest 5.7?
Laravel – one of the most favorable open source platform to praise and work with. Since technical folks and business analysts are dealing with the latest among the PHP frameworks, we can't wait to move in the upgraded version of Laravel.Read More
5 Best Practices To Follow For Laravel Web Development
Laravel – the most advanced and youngest framework in today's era. What's not praiseworthy about this framework.Read More


text:
Frequently Asked Questions
How many sessions will I need?
How long people need help varies. For many problems, 3-5 hypnosis sessions can help people achieve their goals, and they often see some difference within 1-3 sessions. Other problems need more time to shift. There are a number of factors: what you need help with, how long you've been dealing with it, your previous experience with professional helpers, and current motivation.
What happens at the first session?
At the first session, we will discuss your needs and I will ask you for the history of your problems and symptoms. After establishing that hypnosis is the right treatment for you, we will do some pre-hypnosis work, including a hypnotizability assessment. Please note that EVERYONE can be hypnotized - the assessment is to determine what kind of hypnotic induction to use as well as to estimate the number of sessions needed.
How often do I come for sessions?
Weekly is best, at least for the first three sessions. Follow-ups can be scheduled every other week, or even a month later, depending on the issue being addressed.
Can I get a recording of my session's hypnosis?
Yes. Just bring your smartphone or other device with you. That way, you can have the recording immediately.
Are there side effects to hypnosis?
Most people feel deeply relaxed and have a great night's sleep after a hypnosis session. These stress-relieving effects can last for several days. Occasionally, a small minority of people find that they feel tired or a little "spacey" after their first hypnosis. This generally passes within the hour. If this is a concern for you, it is a good idea to schedule your consultation for a time when you are able to go home afterwards and relax.
How will I know I have been hypnotized?
I will direct your attention to the physical cues of hypnosis and other markers and ask you to indicate when you have felt them.
What if I can't be hypnotized?
I have not yet had a client who has been unable to experience hypnosis. However, some people do need more time to experience trance. The likelihood is extremely high that you will experience hypnosis by the second session.
What is your session rate, forms of payment, cancellation policy?
Please see the "Payment" page to learn about rates, payment, and policies.
What kind of discount can I get for sessions?
I am passionate about helping smokers to become smoke-free. I offer a 4-session package that includes a $250 savings. This means that if you decide to continue with the smoking cessation program after your first session, you receive 3 more sessions for the price of two.


text:
so how bout that party... fun stuff.. i think everyone in here was either there or should have been there... oh there were some moments... there were some craazy moments alright..
anyone have homework over break? i think i have an english project... i hope nothing else, but i dont know, cuz i kinda didnt go to any classes today... (yay alternative beverage crap first block, and stage crew stuff the rest of the day...)
that teacher talent show... oh goshness... that was amusing... and... frightening..
... soo..... what did peoples ask for for christmas/whatever holidays peoples celebrate....? me wants a camera, decent headphones, and an industrial size bottle of advil to hold me over till i can get a job and by my own headache-go-away-ers. hehe.
dont ask about my lack of grammatical correctness, and excess of nonexisten words...
dont aska bout my lame topics here, just tryin to get some posting/conversation goin on here...
oh and by the way, FYI, i am not on crack. or anything else. i promise... (i'm exhausted and got hit in the head with a flying soda can, so that will explain my lack of making any sense at all...)


text:
Esoteric: Designed for, or appropriate to, an inner circle of privileged followers
I'm reading this book, Philosophy Between the Lines: The Lost History of Esoteric Writing, by Arthur M. Melzer, because I've been curious for many years about the contradiction in Shakespeare's works between what would have been accessible for most theater-goers of the time, be they lower or upper classes, and the underlying and often hidden significances of so many aspects of Shakespeare's plays. Melzer's book is about the long tradition of writing that includes bits "intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest."
Melzer says a number of things that remind me of the close-reading group that I run on Sunday mornings (and in which which some on this list participate!). For instance, Melzer writes, "Esoteric reading, being very difficult, requires one to slow down and spend much more time with a book than one may be used to. One must read it very slowly, and as a whole, and over and over again." This is exactly what we do on Sunday mornings. ;-)
Melzer quotes a preface of Nietzsche's about the journey through a book (or a Shakespeare play):
"A book like this is in no hurry; we both, I just as much as my book, are friends of lento [slowly]. . . . In the midst of an age of "work," that is to say, of hurry, of indecent and perspiring haste, which wants to 'get everything done' at once, including every old or new book—this art does not so easily get anything done; it teaches to read well, that is to say, to read slowly, deeply, looking cautiously before and aft, with reservations, with doors left open, with delicate eyes and fingers."
And I quote Melzer again because he says it so much better than I can: "At this lower speed, new sorts of experiences and connections start to become possible. You begin to live with the book. It becomes your companion and friend. Your interactions with it become more unhurried, and thus more wide-ranging, bold, and experimental, and at the same time more delicate, nuanced, and intimate."
I write this as encouragement to slow down when reading Shakespeare! The treasures we find along the path as we stroll—rather than run—through the text are profound. :-)


text:
Membership may be granted to persons that qualify as defined in the MLA Bylaws, a brief résumé of the criteria may be found under the Membership Sectors. To apply for membership please choose from one of the documents below to download.
Alternatively you could E-mail MLA Head Office (email@example.com) and request an application form or telephone MLA Head Office on 01327 262255.
Personal Membership (BLI)
If you're looking to join as a personal member then this is the pack that you need to download.
- ID card
- Copy of members journal Keyways
- Access to the Master Locksmiths Association forum
- Access to regional meetings
- Discounted training & exams
- Discounted vehicles, insurance. credit card processing etc.
We do have a new category of membership called Associated Locksmith which is aimed at those who have been working full time as locksmiths for at least 3 years.
Download FREE Personal Membership Pack click here
Contact us or call FREE on 0800 783 14 98
Approved Company (MLA)
- Benefit from use of the MLA logo ( websites / vans / shop premises / promotional literature etc…
- Promotion on the MLA website ( many MLA Locksmiths rank very high on Google )
- Promotion in the MLA's Yearly Handbook ( see here )
- Promotions via the local and national press coverage generated by the association
- Access to the Master Locksmiths Association forum
- Copy of the association's journal Keyways
- Access to regional meetings
- Discounted training
- Free HR and H&S support
- Discounted vehicles, insurance. credit card processing, finance, advertising etc.
- Getting involved in regional and national contracts for work (which MLA companies share)
- Technical support on issues such as standards etc. via the MLA's Technical Manager
- Discounted web SEO services for members own website
This pack also contains information on the exam required to meet the qualified criteria, as well as information on the inspections that take place.
Download the FREE Approved Company Pack click here
Contact us or call FREE on 0800 783 14 98
Affiliate Member (MLA)
If you're a supplier to the industry and are looking for a route to market? Fantastic promotional opportunities to our locksmith members, and want to benefit from membership then this is the pack to download.
- Benefit from use of the MLA Affiliate logo ( websites / product packaging / clothing etc.. )
- Access to the Master Locksmiths Association forum
- Access to Regional meetings (ideal to promote your products/services)
- Ability to sponsor the association's journal Keyways and/or discounted advertising in it
- Discounted rates for exhibiting at MLA Expo
- Use of meeting/training facilities at MLA head office
- Ability to have product boards within the head office training facility
- Discounted vehicles, insurance. credit card processing etc.
Download the FREE Affiliate Member Pack click here
Contact us or call FREE on 0800 783 14 98
Become listed in the MLA Handbook
Should you become a Approved Company or Affiliate Member, you will also be featured in our yearly MLA Handbook. This handbook is given out at trade shows to security companies, police organisations, the general public etc… all of the above memberships will also grant you access to our MLA locksmith forum.
Steffan George
Latest posts by Steffan George (see all)
- Interview with a Locksmith – Banham - September 23, 2016
- Interview with a Locksmith – IKS Locksmiths - June 24, 2016
- Master Locksmiths Association 2016 Handbook PDF Download - February 22, 2016


text:
Barack Obama's Persian New Year message to the leaders and people of Iran appears to have had a significant impact in Tehran. That much was clear by the speed with which Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatullah Ali Khamenei, responded. Obama's call for a "new beginning" was released early Friday morning, and Khamenei answered, unusually quickly, in a live televised address on Saturday that offered the most detailed response yet from Iran's leader to a series of rhetorical gestures from the new U.S. Administration. The essence of Khamenei's answer was that it would take more than "changes in words" from Washington to turn a new page in the relationship.
Khamenei said his regime would judge the Obama Administration by its actions rather than by the content of its speeches. And he made clear that as far as Tehran was concerned, Washington's actions remained hostile, despite the friendly words, emphasizing that Obama has reaffirmed U.S. sanctions against Iran. "They chant the slogan of change, but no change is seen in practice," he said. "We are observing, watching and judging. If you change, we will also change our behavior. If you do not change, we will be the same nation as 30 years ago [when Iranians overthrew the U.S.-backed Shah]." (See pictures of the long shadow of the Ayatullah Khomeini.)
The Ayatullah's haste to get an answer into the public realm, and the cold-water tone of that answer, may be aimed at a domestic audience, with the purpose of holding the line and preventing the new, more open U.S. posture from causing divisions within Iran's power structure. The fact that Khamenei emphasized Washington's continued "unconditional support" for Israel as among the examples of continued U.S. hostility underscores his domestic political intention. Previous diplomatic initiatives from Iran's leaders suggest that they don't seriously imagine that Washington will alter its support for Israel, but Khamenei, by citing one of the ideological pillars of the Islamic Revolution (hostility to "the Zionist regime"), was in effect admonishing Iranian leaders to keep the U.S. at arm's length. (The Supreme Leader's efforts to discredit the U.S. initiative by invoking Washington's ties with Israel could have been helped by Israeli President Shimon Peres' issuing a scolding New Year's message of his own to Iran's people hours after Obama's.) (See pictures of Iranian society, caught between tradition and modernity.)
In his message, Obama professed a commitment "to diplomacy that addresses the full range of issues before us, and to pursuing constructive ties among the United States, Iran and the international community" and called for an era of "engagement that is honest and grounded in mutual respect." By placing his overture in the call for a "grand bargain" that addresses all areas of conflict, and speaking of integrating Iran's current regime into a responsible role in the international community, the President expressed an openness to accommodating some of Tehran's key concerns. But Obama also emphasized that "terror and arms" did not fit with the responsibilities attached to Iran's resuming its rightful place in the community of nations.
Ayatullah Khamenei appears to have been well briefed on some of the thinking in the Obama Administration on how to handle negotiations with Iran. "For you to say that we will both talk to Iran and simultaneously exert pressure on her, both threats and appeasement our nation hates this approach," Khamenei said. That, of course, is precisely what has been advocated by some key voices in Washington, most notably Dennis Ross, recently named the State Department's top adviser on Iran. Ross and others have strongly argued that imposing harsher penalties on Iran is the key to changing its behavior in the nuclear standoff but that those penalties should be tied to a diplomatic outreach that includes more incentives and allows Tehran to back down without being humiliated. (They've also argued that such outreach will help the U.S. win support from reluctant allies for harsher measures should Iran fail to respond positively.) So, even as Obama courts the Iranians with talk of a new relationship, the U.S. is keeping existing sanctions in place and moving to win support for sterner measures for example, by offering concessions to Russia on other issues in order to win its cooperation in pressuring Tehran.
Khamenei appears to be signaling that he knows what Washington is up to and that he has no intention of backing down. Thus the new diplomatic game between the U.S. and Iran: Neither side wants to negotiate from a position of weakness, which is why the U.S. is keeping in place, and trying to increase, its leverage in the form of economic pressure on Iran to desist from enriching uranium. But Iran sees the U.S. game plan and believes that Washington won't be able to muster the level of economic pressure necessary to force its hand and the U.S. can hardly afford to initiate hostilities with the Islamic Republic, because it needs Iran's cooperation in Iraq and Afghanistan. A dialogue has clearly begun, but on current indications, that dialogue will at least for now remain just another theater in the ongoing battle of wills between the U.S. and Iran.
Read "A Quiet Revolution Grows in the Muslim World."


text:
How to use case studies to turbocharge your PR campaign
A key difference between PR and Marketing is that in Marketing its often the company explaining that their product or service is great, whereas PR is all about getting other people to say that your product or service is great. A journalist or a blog is never going to write a story that your product is fantastic. That's not a story. That's just a debatable theory. You need to create a story around your product or service with a narrative. A great way of doing that is via a human interest story.
Great Case Studies = Great Human Interest Stories
Sometimes the human interest story is located within your business (e.g. this story about an entrepreneur who was a wannabe hollywood actor, but after his career hit the doldrums he gambled all the money from the sale of his flat on the stock market and launched a yoga studio – bet you want to read that story now don't you?!!) . But unfortunately most of us entrepreneurs don't have such a click-baity back story to sell. However we do hopefully have an idea which is solving people's problems, and therefore making people's lives better. If you can demonstrate that your product and service has helped out a 3rd party, and they can testify to that fact, the media is going to be interested in that story.
For example, let's say you've created a productivity app and you want to get it publicised in a tech blog like techcrunch. The fact that you've created an app isn't very interesting. But if you could say your app was used by an Olympic athlete to make herself more focused – resulting in her going from no-hoper to winning an Olympic medal, that suddenly becomes interesting.
Make sure your case study appeals to the audience of the media outlet you are pitching.
It sounds obvious but a story about a man taking a health supplement isn't going to appeal to a media outlet aimed at women. The more the subject of the case study fits in with the readership or audience of your media outlet, the more likely they are to use it. So make sure you've done your homework on the media outlet you are pitching before you go ahead and email over your story.
Don't have great case studies? Not necessarily a problem
If you're just starting up and you don't have great case studies to pitch to the media yet, that doesn't necessarily mean you can't use this tactic to get some media attention. You can use existing stories where people have used something similar to your product or service, or have achieved the end result that your product or service leads to.
For example when I was promoting my media training product, I decided to propose myself as a guest on a series of podcasts. My basic pitch to the podcast producers contained two elements: 1) a free bit of training that the audience could use as a 'take away' and 2) the story of how one solo-preneur had used a broadcast PR strategy to build a 7 figure business. This story, all about a property expert called Henry Pryor, was something I'd already documented in this blog and on my podcast. He never used my product to achieve this success, but the fact that someone had achieved success using a method not everyone would automatically think of demonstrated the value of using something like my product and allowed me to talk about and promote the product in a less salesy and more media-friendly way.
Watch an expert explain how it works
In this clip Kevin Maxwell, an SME PR expert from Maxwellcomms, reveals just how a quick win with journalists can be to search for the best stories from your current clients or customers. We often teach here at Deal With The Media that your best chance of getting in the news is by riding on the coat-tails of a bigger story. Here Kevin expands on that theme by saying if you can collect anecdotes and stories, and even get your best customers to be available for interview on your behalf, suddenly the story of your product or service isn't just a list of benefits that you've come up with, it's a tale of powerful changes to people's actual lives. From the journalist's point of view you've gone from pitching a dull press release about your product, to pitching a powerful human interest story.
Make a list of human interest stories based on your case studies now
So the lesson is clear – make sure you are continually in contact with your best clients or customers, and collect the most meaningful anecdotes you can about how your product or service has had a powerful impact on their lives. When you get a good one, try pitching it to the media!
If you have any questions or comments arising from this blog, please make a comment below. We read every single one.


text:
Whether it's formal or lighthearted, or somewhere in between, my job is to assist you to pull together a ceremony that reflects you as a couple and also meets the legal requirements under the Marriage Act 1961. The venue, style and content of the ceremony is entirely up to you.
Planning a wedding can be overwhelming at times! I can help to remove some of that stress by assisting you to tick all the legal boxes, choose meaningful words, craft a ceremony that you are both happy with and deliver that ceremony on the day and in the manner in which you choose.
I have conducted ceremonies in many settings; parks, homes, reception venues and beaches amongst others. Large or small – I welcome it all!
My ultimate aim is to see a happy and stress-free couple not only on the day but in the lead-up to your wedding.
Paperwork & legalities
The requirements for marriage in Victoria are:
- Completion of your Notice of Intended Marriage at least one calendar month and one day prior to the date of your wedding.
- Producing the necessary forms of identity, such as birth certificate, divorce papers (if relevant) amongst others.
As part of my fee I take care of all of the legal requirements.
It's a cliché but 'Oh what a night!' Our wedding day was so important to us, both in terms of including all the important people in our complicated family but also in having a big old party to remember. The ceremony was fantastic, including our own vows was very special to us and the way you wove some Chinese tradition through the service was impressive! Thanks Debra, we've referred your name to friends planning their wedding next year. They were impressed too!


text:
XDJ-RX in addition to the current devices can be selected from [Settings] - [DJ-Device].
If you select XDJ-RX, four Hot Cues can be set in Prepare.
Comments and colors can be added to Memory CUE/LOOP and comments to HOT CUE/LOOP.
1) When tapping button, the list of Memory CUE/LOOP and HOT CUE/LOOP are displayed.
2) When an item in the list is swiped, the [More] and [Delete] buttons will be shown.
3) When tapping the [More] button, you can edit the CUE/LOOP comment and select a color.
* HOT CUE does not have color options.
Tracks which were recently imported to rekordbox can be shown as a list.
Touch and hold [RECENTRY ADDED] to change the period you want to see in the list.


text:
Energy efficiency was the topic in Ottawa Nov. 21-23. As members came for strategic meetings with politicians and policy makers on the Hill and were then joined by other industry leaders's Business Forum.
Meetings took place at Environment Canada and Climate Change, Natural Resources Canada including the Office of Energy Efficiency, Department of National Defence, and Public Services and Procurement Canada.
Speakers included John Wilkinson Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Kim Rudd, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources Canada. There was also an innovation site tour of CanmetENERGY.
Read more about what happened in our blog by Elizabeth McDonald.
Day on the Hill Photo Gallery
Our Business Forum included:
An insiders' breakfast on how the federal government can help energy efficiency businesses grow with:
- Andrew Cardozo, President, Pearson Centre for Progressive Policy
- Susan Scotti, Executive Vice President, Business Council of Canada
- Susan Delacourt, Political Journalist/Author
- Sarah Goldfeder, Former U.S. Diplomat, Principal, Earnscliffe Strategy Group
A first-hand account of how doing business with the federal government has changed featuring:
- Saleem Sattar, Director of Environment, Infrastructure and Environment, Department of National Defence
- Taylor Graf, Energy Engineer, National Centre of Expertise Manager for Climate Action, GHG and Energy, Compliance and Conformance Directorate , Real Property Branch, Public Services and Procurement Canada
- Jim Wren, Green Municipal Fund Advisor, Federation of Canadian Municipalities
- Patricia Fuller, Director General, Office of Energy Efficiency, Natural Resources Canada
- Genevieve Bourget,Trade Commissioner Service, Global Affairs Canada


text:
A casting notice has revealed that filming is slated to begin next month on the Coen Brothers new western TV miniseries "The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs" reports Backstage.com (via The Playlist).
Annapurna TV will produce the series which will be shot in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The same report indicates the series follows "the stories of six individuals weave together in the old West at the end of the Civil War."
The project, which marks the first television project for the brothers, seemingly doesn't have a network or streaming service home at this point.


text:
A one-stop forum for all your banking questions
Hi, can I send Instant Money ? Mozambique Standard Bank ATM in Maputo. Yes they have branches there,
Do the Standard Bank Atm's in Maputo have the facility to draw the Instant Money Voucher?
Please respond, many thanks,
©2016 Standard Bank is a licensed financial services provider in terms of the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act and a registered credit provider in terms of the National Credit Act Legal | Terms & conditions | Help | User Guidelines


text:
Feb 2013
Following the successes of our annual fundraising event to support Swansea Women's Aid and Swansea Women's Centre, Shoreline Theatre proudly performed Eve Ensler's 'The Vagina Monologues'.
The play is an episodic exploration of female empowerment, full of funny, sad, insightful and engaging monologues.
Thanks to everyone involved, we raised over £700!
The play was followed by live music from Cerys Humphries and Lauren Duffy, Hazel Monaghan, Ophelia Xerri and Beth Angharad.
Directed by Ruth Oldham and Jodie Affleck


text:
- Construction and DIY
- Decorating and Design
- Landscape
- Renovations
- Restorations
- Uncategorized
List Sites | Join |Prev |Next
A Perfect Couple: My Wife Has Vision and I Hear Voices
21st August 2011
On one of trips to the Mill Creek Lumber "bone yard" (overstock/returns store) Carri spotted a gas log fireplace insert at a very low price. Before I knew it, I was helping the store manager load the item into the back of Carri's SUV. I didn't want to spend any time or money working on the chimney, so it looked like the perfect solution for upgrading the fireplace. The insert was a direct vent unit so any chimney structural problems would not be a factor. I could simply knock out a hole on the back of the firebox and add a flue and cap on the back of the insert. In theory that was correct… in practice … well not so fast.
The insert turned out to be a little too big to simply slide into the existing firebox. It was about 2 inches too high and wide. The original tile hearth was poorly installed so I began by pulling it up. Before I was done the tile, subfloor, and first layer of firebrick on the base of the firebox was gone.after a few dry fits and grinding away the edges of the firebox opening, the fireplace was ready to rebuild.
After much consideration and debate "Carri" decided we would use travertine tiles for the hearth and surround with a to be decided accent. I began by framing the hearth opening, adding insulation, and new subfloor, and dry fit the travertine for the hearth. . My job was done. Time for Carri to do her decorating thing.
Carri took over tiling the surround and refurbishing the mantel. She started by finishing the surround with travertine and a decorative twist.
She compete the project by spending two weekend stripping the pealing paint from the mantel and repainting it with black enamel paint. The refurbished fireplace is the focal point of the living room.
Now for the rest of the story. The insert cost $150.00 which is a great deal. Unfortunately, the 18 inch length flue and termination cap to make it a functional fireplace would have cost another $600.00. Adding a blower would have been another $250.00. Once realized, that recurring voice in my head screamed out: "I can't afford that." To make a long story short. The fireplace at the moment is simply decorative. The rest can always be added later if I can ever get rid of that darn voice in my head.
No Comments
No comments yet.
RSS feed for comments on this post.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.


text:
Politics & Government
Most Ky. Medicaid recipients will choose a company to manage their care
FRANKFORT — Private companies will manage care for the vast majority of Kentucky's 815,000 recipients of Medicaid, the health insurance program for the poor and disabled that has been a financial nightmare for the state, Gov. Steve Beshear announced Thursday.
Starting in October, Medicaid recipients in much of the state will choose among three companies that will compete to manage their care. A massive education program must start immediately, advocates said after the announcement.
"At this point, the national experience with managed care has been both positive and negative," said Lacey McNary, deputy director of Kentucky Youth Advocates. "In some cases, managed care has produced dramatic savings and improved health outcomes. In other cases, the reverse has occurred, and the cost-saving strategies used by managed care companies have compromised the well-being of plan members."
Beshear described the expansion of managed care as "a major sea change" in the $6 billion-a-year program.
"Managed care will provide consistent, comprehensive care to patients, so our vulnerable families will continue to get the quality medical services they need," he said at a Capitol news conference.
Medicaid patients who are in nursing homes or extremely disabled will not fall under managed care plans.
The expansion of managed care will save $375 million in Kentucky's General Fund, which pays for most state programs, during the course of new, three-year contracts, Beshear said. The federal government pays about 70 percent of the cost of Medicaid, so state and federal government will save $1.3 billion over three years, Beshear said.
The contracts with managed care companies, which will begin enrolling recipients Oct. 1, and other efficiencies will balance the state Medicaid budget in the fiscal year that began July 1, Beshear said.
As a bonus, the contracts will create 543 jobs, he said.
The state has awarded four contracts to managed care organizations.
Three of those contracts are with new vendors and will serve more than 560,000 people. The three companies will offer services throughout the state except in the area covered by Passport, which provides services to 170,000 Medicaid recipients in Jefferson and 15 nearby counties.
An annual contract with Passport, which had been Kentucky's only managed care provider, has been renewed.
The three new contracts were awarded to:
■ CoventryCares of Kentucky, a division of Coventry Health and Life Insurance Co., a subsidiary of Coventry Health Care Inc. Coventry companies provide Medicaid managed-care services in eight states: Florida, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.
■ Kentucky Spirit Health Plan, a subsidiary of Missouri-based Centene Corp., which has 27 years' experience managing Medicaid plans. It provides services in 12 other states: Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin.
■ WellCare of Kentucky, a part of WellCare Health Insurance of Illinois, which serves 2.2 million members in seven states: Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Mississippi, New York and Ohio.
State Health and Family Services Secretary Janie Miller said she could not provide the total cost of the contracts, saying the final numbers will depend on how many Medicaid members each company enrolls.
But Centene's Web site said it expects to serve 180,000 Kentuckians, generating revenue in excess of $700 million a year.
Centene's contract has the potential for four, one-year extensions, the company said. It said it will place its Kentucky headquarters in Lexington.
The St. Petersburg, Fla., Times reported last year that WellCare Health Plans agreed to pay $137.5 million to the U.S. Department of Justice and other agencies to settle civil lawsuits accusing the company of overcharging for its Medicaid and Medicare programs.
Mike Minor, president of WellCare of Kentucky, said at Beshear's news conference that the issue involved former employees and that the company was pursuing litigation against them.
In May, Coventry Health Care announced it had resolved a class-action lawsuit in Louisiana.
Forbes reported that a court approved a $150.5 million settlement of the lawsuit, which accused the insurance company of violating notice provisions related to the treatment of injured workers with workers' compensation claims.
Kentucky officials said Thursday they thoroughly reviewed each company before awarding the contracts.
The renewal of the one-year Passport contract, projected to save $10.5 million in General Fund money and $36.7 million in state and federal funds, ensures there will be no break in coverage for Medicaid recipients in the Louisville region, Beshear said.
Last year, state Auditor Crit Luallen found unnecessary spending by Passport executives. Beshear made immediate changes at Passport — including replacing the entire administrative team and more monitoring by the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services.
The state now must get federal approval of its Medicaid managed care plan from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Beshear said his administration will begin an educational campaign to inform Medicaid recipients about the changes.
He plans to fly Friday to Paducah, Bowling Green and Owensboro to explain the changes. He said he will conduct no events for his campaign for re-election during the fly-around.
Beshear, a Democrat, faces Republican Senate President David Williams in the November general election. Gatewood Galbraith, a Lexington attorney, is trying to get on the ballot as an independent candidate.
Williams, who has been critical of Beshear's handling of the Medicaid program, said Beshear's "history of playing fast and loose with budget numbers is on display" and "there is no certainty" the managed care system will be in place by Oct. 1 and true savings will be realized.
Kentucky's Medicaid budget was sharply debated during a special legislative session this year that Beshear called after the House and Senate could not agree during the regular 60-day session on a fix for it.
The Senate sought $100 million in cuts across state government to balance the budget. The House allowed Beshear to move $166 million in the Medicaid budget from fiscal 2012 to fiscal 2011 to solve the problem.
Beshear said he could generate enough savings, primarily through managed care, to make up the $166 million.
House Speaker Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, said Beshear's announcement Thursday is "concrete proof" that Beshear and the House "took the right approach earlier this year when we fought to make up the Medicaid shortfall within that program and not needlessly cut classroom funding or other necessary state services."


text:
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate (3DS) Review
Kalvin Martinez / Mar 25th, 2013 No Comments
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate is an side-scrolling action-adventure game for the Nintendo 3DS. It is a sequel to the 2010 reboot of the Castlevania franchise, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, which appeared on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. MercurySteam developed the original Lords of Shadow and this 3DS sequel, as well they will develop the upcoming Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2. The Spain-based developer's prior work includes American McGee presents: Scrapland and Clive Barker's Jericho. Mirror of Fate continues their track record of long and slightly confusing game names. Konami published the title in America. While Lords of Shadow utilized 3D graphics to have more open levels to explore in a more modern approach, Mirror of Fate returns to the side-scrolling roots of the series and what made the highly regarded GameBoy Advance and Nintendo DS Castlevanias hugely popular with critics and fans (often over their home console brethren). Is this more classic Castlevania approach a good way to draw in those who missed Lords of Shadow, but are still love a good side-scrolling Castlevania? Or does this simply serve as a fun side-story for those who enjoyed Lords of Shadow and need something to tide them over until the proper sequel?
[adsense250itp]Mirror of Fate is set 25 years after the events of Lords of Shadow, where Gabriel Belmont defeated the Lords of Shadow in an attempt to resurrect his murdered wife, Marie. At some point between the end of that game and the start of this, he becomes Dracula (it happened in DLC). While Gabriel went off on a mission for the Brotherhood of Light, Marie gave birth to a child. Foreseeing a dark future for Gabriel, they persuaded Marie to give up her child to avoid a gruesome fate. It worked well for the child, but Marie still died. Thus, when Gabriel went off to face the Lords of Shadow, he knew nothing of his son, Trevor. Trevor Belmont grew up to be another servant to the Brotherhood of Light and to father a son of his own. When he leaves on a mission of redemption against a powerful evil lurking in a castle, he gives an important necklace to his son, Simon. Trevor never returned. The minions of Dracula are set out to murder the Brotherhood of Light, unfortunately, that includes killing Simon's mother in front of him. Now, much like his father, Simon embarks on a quest of vengeance against Dracula for the death of his parents.
Mirror of Fate's story takes place in three acts following various Belmonts, all of them with a grudge to settle against Dracula. Over the three acts, players will control Simon Belmont, a mysterious figure named Alucard (NILBOG is goblin backwards), and finally Trevor Belmont. The story intersects between the first two acts and the final act elaborates on what happened to Simon's father, but the reveal happens at the end of act one. So, the final act is almost superfluous except to serve as extra gameplay. On its own independent of the events of Lords of Shadow, the story is serviceable, but trying to fill in all the holes between the two may take the player a little time because the game has no real intention to do so. Part of that makes Mirror of Fate satisfying in its own right without having to play another game. Mirror of Fate tells an alright story of vengeance of various Belmonts who want to hunt down the evil that killed their parent(s). There is not a hugely deep game, but the writing is effective without having twenty minute monologues. However, this is not a vital story to what the console Lords of Shadows seem to be doing, especially after the reveal trailer for Lords of Shadow 2. For those who want to know what Dracula was up to before the next game, then this fills in some details.
Gameplay in Mirror of Fate involves players exploring various areas in Dracula's Castle. The maps fill in as the player moves through them and certain areas are blocked off until the right equipment is found, thus players will have to backtrack occasionally to find secret items or in order to make progress through the castle. It is the standard for a Metroidvania game (where the Vania part come from). The mechanics mix combat, platforming and light puzzle solving in order to make it to the inevitable battle with Dracula. Mirror of Fate's protagonists all have their trusty combat crosses to fight off the hordes of demons that Dracula sends to kill them. Combat begins very simple, at first, featuring simple combos of heavy direct and area counter strikes which amounts to mashing X and Y. What helps these simple combos is a fairly smart dodging and blocking system aided by the synchronized block. A synchronized block is a block timed right before impact that opens the enemy up for a powerful counter attack.
Eventually, players will level up opening up more complicated moves and combos that makes combat a bit more varied and enjoyable. The experience system allows gamers to level up by killing enemies, finding secret diaries or solving puzzles. In addition, to the combat cross, each of the protagonists will get two different magics and two different projectiles. These magics are usually key to get past obstacles or solving puzzles. The coolest of the power-ups are in Alucard's section. The boss battles are fairly tough and it may take a few deaths to get the patterns down, but once learned beating them into submission is easily achievable. The game features a diligent checkpoint system, which means if players die during a boss battle, they will restart at a specific point in the battle. Usually, this is at various health markers of the boss. The gamer will have a portion of life and magic to try and deal with the boss. While this may seem like it would make boss battles too easy, it is necessary given the amount of annoying Quick Time Events there are with bosses. Nothing is more annoying than restarting a battle after failing an unclear QTE.
The puzzles are nothing too tough and mainly just take a couple times tinkering around before solving them. However, for some of the more involved ones, players can get clues at the expense of losing experience after cracking the puzzle. Platforming in Mirror of Fate is not the worst or the best, but serviceable. There are some cooler platforming sections later in the game when the gamer gets more advance gear. The gameplay mechanics are not groundbreaking for a side-scrolling Castlevania title, but that does not make the gameplay any less effective.
Graphics and Sound
The 3DS has produced some good looking games, most of them pushed the limits of the hardware. Mirror of Fate is an ambitious game with its 2.5D graphics, but the result is muddled. The game's character models are usually rough with Simon Belmont suffering the worst. In one scene when he is facing down a boss, the lighting makes his red hair look like plastic and kind of like a really rough N64 game. It is the emphasis on his fur collar, his bushy red hair and odd beard that makes something about his proportions seem off. While Alucard, Trevor and Dracula all look fine, but something about a full beard and shorter hair does not jibe well with the game. Certain enemy models are done better than others, but none are horribly unsightly. The environments are pretty solid featuring enough differentiation between the three acts to make it seem like each of the protagonists are exploring a separate castle. Often there is huge pixelation with the character models, but this pixelation is most noticeable in the cut scenes. The cut scenes feature a stylized cel-shaded art in a way similar to Fire Emblem: Awakening, but unlike the smooth and fluid cut scenes in that game, here things are jagged and feature rough edges. Another problem with the game's ambition is to have robust voice acting, but have little to no lip sync during cut scenes. Thus, most of the times dialogue plays without the mouths actually moving. It is a nice idea to have voice acting, even the decent enough voice acting here, but it becomes distracting when the characters' lips do not move in time with the dialogue. A bright spot with the audio is that the soundtrack is decent enough featuring some good music for exploring a castle. Ultimately, it seems like this game would be better suited to the PlayStation Vita than the 3DS since the second screen is not doing a whole lot and the Vita could provide the power to actualize MercurySteam's ambitions.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate is a solid 3DS title. It will not blow anyone way with its graphics, but with a solid story and fun gameplay elements harkening to older Castlevanias, it will fill an action-adventure niche for 3DS owners. For obsessive or diligent gamers, there is a special scene for 100% every section of the game that gives a bit more a fine point to the story. MercurySteam should be commended for aiming high with what it wanted to do with Mirror of Fate, but it falls a bit short. It does not quite seem an essential part of the Lords of Shadow saga, but more of a cool side-story for those invested in the series. Likely this will appeal more to fans of a more traditional Castlevania game and others will wait on the eventually release of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2.
tags: 3ds , castlevania , Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate , konami , review


text:
On the day of Linford Cunningham's swearing in as a citizen of the United States - June 11, 2014 - this co-founder of the LGBT Asylum Support Task Force at Hadwen Park Congregational Church, UCC in Worcester proudly wore the UCC red comma and the rainbow comma on his lapel. He stood on June 8th during worship and thanked Hadwen Park Church for saving his life when he arrived in Worcester in 2008 as a gay man seeking asylum from abuse based on his sexual orientation in Jamaica.
Pastor Judy Hanlon and Linford co-founded the LGBT Asylum Support Task Force, lgbtasylum.org, which is grateful for prayers, financial support and attendance at monthly meetings at the church.
Read the national UCC article on Linford's citizenship story here.


text:
Hi, hedge laying season is here. Ive just finished moving/laying a hedge in Diggle. It was a difficult hedge as I had to change its direction of growth by almost 3 feet while retaining as much growth as possible.
If you have a hedge that you would like repairing or laying please get in touch (more detail and outline costs are on the Hedge Laying page.
The land rover repair continues at a steady pace – it now has the axle in the right place and a new front driver's side leaf spring.


text:
What Questions Do You Have?
A catalyst for improved communication is sharing issues (too often left unspoken) before they become problems. Everyone has questions! Learning how to ask better questions streamlines communication while facilitating learning and development. Want to talk about ways I can help you or your team? All you have to do is ASK!
If you're managing a group or team and sensing tension or unspoken conflict then a Championship Communication Resource Guide may be the answer. The guide allows for issues to surface in a safe and confidential environment and includes issue-specific recommendations for resolution.
Championship Communication Resource Guide
If you want to address issues before they become problems then the best way to start is by creating a communication resource guide specifically designed for your team.
Each team member and coach is given the opportunity to share their most pressing communication issue. It may be how to ask for more playing time or how to have a difficult conversation about a sensitive subject.
All questions and answers are scrubbed for confidentiality, then compiled into a guide with recommendations for resolution to be used as a resource for your team throughout the year.


text:
Had so much fun packaging our Fair Trade Teas today! What a gift this will be to my friends/clients! Make sure to come to the FEB 25th Launch Party to taste and purchase!
Kasia Beautiful Health Tea Small Batch * Artisan * Fair Trade 50 cups per 4 oz tin
Kasia is committed, in partnership, to Fair-trade and Artisan practices to bring you ingredients that are designed and hand-blended in small batches by companies that are operated and owned by families carrying on time-honored traditions, ensuring freshness and one-of-a-kind quality. Completely natural with no artificial coloring, preservatives or flavoring. Dried fruit pieces, nuts, herbal tisanes, and botanicals add amazing flavor and aroma.
Loose Leaf Tea VS Bagged Tea: Loose leaf teas simply offer the best variety, quality, and freshness. "When you are buying a bagged tea, the tea is obscured by the bag. Many low quality teas (even 'tea dust') are sold in bags so that you don't realize the quality, and are subject to going stale faster than loose leaf tea."
What Earlier Cultures Inherently Knew…
"One cup of black or green tea has more antioxidant power than a serving of broccoli, carrots, or spinach." Prevention, Aug 1998
- Aids digestion, promotes bowel regularity.
- Aids sleep (the theanine in black pure and aged green pure).
- Provides fluoride for teeth to fight cavities.
- Helps prevent bad breath.
- Soothes and helps prevent stress.
- Flavanoids, antioxidants, ECGC, and MORE!
*Kasia Beautiful Health Teas
- Cherry Lemongrass Bloom Sencha Green Tea
- Roasted Cocoa-Coconut Botanical Yerba Mate
- Sweet Vanilla & French Lemon Crème Roobios Tea
- Blissful Blueberry & Pomegranate Black Tea
* When steeping, the abundant creations are best suited in larger tea balls.
Hope to sooth your taste buds soon!


text:
Carnegie Cast summer 2014
Minstrel Phil Nagel
Lady Larken Allisandra Potts
PrinceDauntless Tim McAlister
Wizard Bob Sagendorf
Queen Aggravain April Potts
King Sextimus Woody Slade
Princess Winifred Sarah Bruce
Jester BrianaHarding-Byars
Sir Harry John Todd
Ladies in Waiting Knights
Allie Deno Loki Jacobson
Michelle Filson Seth Souza
Kendal Ford AJ Willis
Jillian Lucero
Adreanna Potts
Barbara Slade
Dannielle Warran
Jessica Ybarra
Angel Zenner
Zion Bronson
Megan Lape
Katherine Retek
Valencia Torres
Vandolia Torres
Azariah Warran
Emma Warran
Kaya Zak
Once Upon A Mattress
Welcome to the cast of Once Upon A Mattress We have a very talented cast this year, and we are excited to be working with Jon Clevenger as Director, John Tanis as Music Director and Karen Kelley Dugan as Choreographer. Once Upon A Mattress will be presented to the Rensselaer Community on July 31st, August 1st and 2nd at 7:30 p.m. in the R.C.H.S. Auditorium.
Please read the attachment announcing the cast list for Once Upon A Mattress as selected by the directors. If you are unable to accept the role you have been cast for, please contact Director Jon Clevenger at email@example.com before noon on Monday, June 9th.
If you are chosen to work with Once Upon A Mattress, we prefer you become a member of The Carnegie Players. Membership helps us cover insurance and overhead expenses. Individual Membership is $10.00 and Family Membership's are $25.00.
If you are chosen, you will be assigned a script/libretto/score. Due to the rising cost of rental, we require you to submit a $30.00 refundable deposit (checks are preferred) for your script/libretto/score. The deposit is held, until the scripts are returned and will be refunded upon the return of the fully erased material. If they are not returned or are returned damaged, the deposit will be used to offset the charges incurred by the rental company. We prefer Membership Dues are paid at the receipt of your script. If Membership or the script deposit are a financial hardship, please talk to Kevin Long, president. Membership Dues and script deposit should be handled as a separate item – not one check please.
All cast members please arrive Monday, June 9 at 6:30 p.m. to obtain your script and to pay Membership Dues. June 9 will be a read through of the show and Safety Procedures will be announced. Parents of youth ages 12 and under, please plan to attend all rehearsals or have a guardian for your children at all rehearsals. Due to some new Safety Rules this year, we will limit the access to the school for rehearsals to the North doors (Door 8) for the start of rehearsals through mid July.
A rehearsal schedule for the first few weeks will be forthcoming after individual conflict dates are reviewed.
Welcome to Once Upon A Mattress Cast and Break A Leg!
Kevin Long, President
Please enter R.C.H.S. VIA DOOR #8, (FACING NORTH), the glass doors outside the Boys' Locker Room, using the NORTH PARKING LOT. Please do not use the swimming pool door.


text:
Terms and Conditions
1. General provisions:
1.1. These Terms and Conditions ("Conditions") apply to all the contents of this booking system. Please read these Conditions before using this Web site. The use of this Web site indicates your agreement with these Conditions.
1.2. "Terrae-car" d.o.o. may also modify these Conditions at any time, and such modification shall take effect immediately upon posting the modified Terms and Conditions on this Web site. Accordingly, your continued access or use of this Website is deemed to be your acceptance of the modified Conditions.
1.3. When making a reservation on this booking engine you are bound by and deemed to have accepted the terms and conditions of the relevant rental vehicle provider Terrae car d.o.o.
2. Data protection
2.1. Company Terrae car d.o.o. recognizes and appreciates the importance of responsible use of personal data collected on this website. Therefore, Terrae car d.o.o. is careful with personal information, taking steps to keep it secure and ensure it is used only for our legitimate business purposes.
3. Reservation
3.1. After a reservation is made on this booking engine, when your reservation is confirmed, Terrae car will send you an email with the voucher (confirmed RESERVATION) within 24h-72h so that you will have all the necessary information before your arrival. Please note that under certain circumstances, i.e. busy locations, it may take up to 3 days. Orders made for the immediate future (5 days or less from the time of booking) will be given a special priority.
3.2. Terrae-car d.o.o. only uses your e-mail address for sending you a voucher. We only use your phone number to contact you if there are any questions about your reservation.
3.4. Terrae-car d.o.o.recommends that you thoroughly check the details of the reservation e.g. country, pick up location, drop off location...
3.5. If you need to make any alterations to your reservation, you must contact Terrae-car d.o.o. by e-mail informing Terrae-car d.o.o. of the precise details of such alteration. Terrae-car d.o.o. does not guarantee that the necessary alterations can be processed.
3.6. As a condition of your use of this booking system, you undertake Terrae-car d.o.o. that you will not use this booking system for any purpose that is unlawful or prohibited by or contrary to Conditions.
3.7. In particular, by proceeding to access this booking system, you agree:
3.7.1. Not to use the booking system to make any speculative or false reservation;
3.7.2. Not to use the booking system to research rental vehicle provider or our pricing;
3.7.3. Not to use the name Terrae-car d.o.o. for commercial purposes without obtaining prior written permission from Terrae-car d.o.o..
3.8. Booking cancellation: Every reservation must be cancelled 72 hours before the arrival time. If the reservation is cancelled less than 72 hours before the arrival time, the prepayment sum is not refunded. If a reservation is created less than 72 hours before the pickup date, the prepayment sum is not refunded in case of cancellation.
4. Payment
4.1. General provisions. The payment model for your reservation depends on the destination and vehicle you choose. At all times you are responsible for payment of any additional services/ costs requested by you and you are responsible for any other service charges.
4.2. Payment options:
4.2.1. You pay up to 20% (and not less than 5 euro) of reservation price at the time of making your reservation or you can just send an email and pay for a reservation at the time you arrive at your final destination;
4.2.2. "Terrae car" charges agreed with the percentage of the full price of reservation from your credit card or pay pal account at the time of making your reservation.
4.3. Payment methods. You must use a credit card or cash.
4.4. Major credit cards including- Mastercard and Visa.
4.5. The voucher supplied by "Terrae car" is your proof of reservation and/or payment. If the reservation is cancelled, the voucher is void. You must show your voucher upon arrival to the driver.
4.6. All payments must be made in the Montenegrin local currency (euros). The charged amount on your credit card account is converted into your local currency according to the exchange rate of credit card associations.
4.7. Refunds can take up to 3-5 business days. It depends on the policy and efficiency of the servicing bank
5. Price
5.1. General provisions:
5.1.1. Terrae-car d.o.o. makes every effort to ensure that prices quoted at the time a reservation is made on this booking system are accurate in all material respects. Nonetheless Terrae-car d.o.o. reserves the right to amend the price quoted at the time a reservation was made in the event of a manifest or patent error in the price quoted. Terrae-car d.o.o. will endeavour to notify the customer as soon as reasonably practicable if a price quoted at the time of booking is incorrect.
5.1.2. In the event of a change of price quoted at the time of reservation, the customer may select to pay the amended price or the customer will be entitled to a refund of all sums paid.
5.2. Included in price:
5.2.1. Door to door service;
5.2.2. All taxes;
5.2.3. Private transfer service;
5.2.4. Late-night ride;
5.2.5. Up to 60 minutes of waiting time at the airport after landing or 15 min of waiting time at your hotel;
5.2.6. WiFi 4G in-car internet;
5.2.7. PAI (Personal Accident Insurance);
5.2.8. Smartphone battery charger;
5.2.9 City map or map of Montenegro;
5.2.10. Cool water.
5.3. Not included in the price:
5.3.1. Baby seat - 3 euro per each;
5.3.2. Waiting time - 5 euro every 30 minutes of waiting.
6. Requirements for Customer
6.1. Customer shall be aware that all children (regardless of their age) are counted as passengers and must have an individual seat.
6.2. The number of passengers cannot go beyond the seating capacity of the vehicle. Transportation of extra passengers is not allowed. In this case, the driver has the right to refuse service. If so, no deposit will be refunded.
6.3. Voucher must be provided to the driver upon arrival.
6.4. Customer must be responsible for entering a correct mobile phone number and must be in touch at the time of arrival.
6.5. Smoking and drinking are prohibited in the vehicle. In case of violation, the driver has the right to stop the car and ask the Customer to leave.
7. Pick up and drop off.
7.1. Flight Information. For airport pick-up, it is essential that Terrae-car d.o.o. receives the correct flight number and arrival time. You can do this either online or by phone. If this information is not available at the time of reservation, please ensure that you inform us at least 2 days before your departure, via email or phone. Terrae-car d.o.o. accepts no responsibility for a failed rental due to late or improper supply of this information. Failure to supply this information also alleviates the responsibility of Terrae car.
7.2. If you make a reservation but do not arrive, no funds paid will be reimbursed. Please be advised that in the event of a delayed arrival it is the customer's responsibility to contact our agents. In the event of flight cancellations or delay, Terrae-car d.o.o. will not be held responsible for the funds paid.
7.3 The driver waits for the Customer in the pick-up location holding a sign with the Customer's last name on it.
7.4. The Customer must be waiting for the driver at the meeting point at the time specified in the voucher.
7.5. Drop off address must be specified precisely (e.g., airport, seaport, railway station, bus station or any other specific address within the city limits).
8. Credit card purchase security statement.
8.1. Confidentiality of your information is protected and secured by using SSL encryption. Pages for web payment are secured by using Secure Socket Layer (SSL) protocol with 128-bit data encryption. SSL encryption is a data coding procedure for the prevention of unauthorized access during data transfer. This enables a secure data transfer and prevents unauthorized data access during communication between a user and Monri WebPay Payment Gateway and vice versa. Monri WebPay Payment Gateway and financial institutions exchange data by using their virtual private network (VPN) which is also protected from unauthorized access. Monri Payments is PCI DSS Level 1 certified payment service provider.
8.2. Credit card numbers are not stored by Merchant and are not available to unauthorized personnel.
9. Privacy statement.
9.1. We are committed to providing service of protection of our customer's data in a way that we collect only essential basic information about our buyers that are necessary for fulfilling our obligations. We also inform our customers about the way we collect information and regularly give customers an option about how their information will be used, including the possibility to decide whether their name should be included or omitted from the lists used for marketing campaigns.
9.2. All user information is strictly guarded and are available only to the employees who need that information for completing the job.
9.3. All our employees and business partners are responsible to follow the principles of confidentiality protection.
10. Other provisions
10.1. Complaints - All complaints and or problems must be received in writing form within 7 days after the drop-off date. Terrae-car d.o.o. cannot process complaints made outside of this period.


text:
Master Electricians Australia's Digital Business Kit delivers essential resources for those in the electrical industry who are keen to take advantage of the digital economy. Funded by the Australian Government's Digital Business Program, the kit covers a range of topics including how to get your business online and using the cloud to drive productivity.
Master Electricians Australia believes that in order for Australian businesses to take full advantage of digital tools they need targeted information, as well as an understanding of how leading businesses in their industry sector are using the internet and online tools.
With 20 topics to choose from, and a range of tools that can help you plan your digital strategy, there's something for everyone from the beginner to the tech savvy. Get started with our pre-designed plans, download our eBook, or learn from others in the industry in our Case Studies.
If you have an idea for a topic, or are interested in taking part in a case study, please email us


text:
Portland: a recent weekend and upcoming Dining Month (June)
A few weekends ago, I was lucky enough to spend two nights and a few lovely days in Portland, Oregon. It was a deliberate destination, a targeted trip for a special weekend with four girls: my mom, her sister/my aunt and my cousin/their niece. If you are getting brain twitches: it just means we are all related, all girls and like spending time together. Every few years (though we have vowed to make it annual), we pick a city to transcend on for a weekend.
This year was Portland.
It was a fantastic weekend and secretly I was all warm and fuzzy inside knowing that this visit precedes yet another: I plan to return to Portland for Portland Dining Month. Put some gas in your car and snag a room: June is Portland dining month. And I already have plans to taste more farm to table, brilliant food come mid-June. (More on this later in the post).
Our weekend meant my mom joined me in Seattle on Thursday. We shopped and talked, then stopped and had our nails and toes done. She chatted up the ladies while getting powder pink embossed on her toes. Many smiles later---and with chins in the air---we took our fancy toes and nails back to my urban farm for a dinner with the family. Friday morning we peeled off and drove to Portland---racing two planes. My aunt and cousin flew in from Idaho and California, respectively. We all converged on Portland by noon.
After dumping our belongings in the hotel, we showed up to enjoy Portland's renowned food cart tour. For 2 hours we learned about the accidental brain-child of Portland, a sea of food carts in multiple locations around the city. Now proud and embracing their obvious brilliance, you can tour the best of the best carts (according to the folks at Portland Walking Tours). After bites of pulled pork and salmon chowder, fried herring and tomato soup, not to mention German sausage and Korean meets taco... we were satiated and all the wiser to Portland's food scene. Immediately following the tour we thought it wise to take our quite-full stomachs and go to VooDoo Donuts---a bit of a Portland icon.
We enjoyed a pile of doughnuts, resisted buying pink doughnut-laced underwear then wandered our way through the Pearl District, where we found a few stray boutiques and vintage memorabilia. After the Pearl we headed to 23rd Avenue, hitting countless adorable shops and noshing at 23 Hoyt for happy hour. Becoming famous for eating just after eating, immediately following happy hour we took a cab to dinner at Aviary (a restaurant on my short-list and now on yours for Portland dining month). Maybe, just maybe they had me at the birds. BUT logos aside the food was whimsical and off the wall, including a salad with watermelon and fried chicken skin, oxtail croquettes and chilled zucchini soup. I would recommend Aviary in a second.
After stuffing ourselves in consecutive rounds, we rolled back to Hotel deLuxe (a boutique hotel harkening to bygone Hollywood Days, complete with black and white pics, demure attendants and I must admit: insanely comfortable beds and pillows). After a good night's sleep, we shimmied out of our beds and transcended on Portland for day 2. Which meant: go to Powells and eat pastries, spend a solid hour at Buffalo Exchange, waltz around checking out shops and snagging lunch at Kenny and Zukes. YUM. Pile my pastrami high please.
Post lunch we hit Rogue Brewery, then decided to hit the Hawthorne shopping district, finally descending on the farm cafe for dinner. YES the name pulled me in. I admit it. The farm had good food. And we were there with good company. Does it get any better?
Now it is your turn: make plans to jettison to Portland this JUNE. No less than 60 restaurants are participating in Portland Dining Month. Aviary, mentioned above, is one of them. I was also scoping out Lincoln and Bar Avignon but finally settled on Ping and Bent Brick for my own mid-month visit. There are so many good restaurants in Portland, and so little time. Best to get biting, chewing, slurping and what-not. Let me know if you go!


text:
Insurance Information
Our office will make every effort to provide you with the finest care and the most convenient financial options. To accomplish this, we work with you to maximize your insurance reimbursement for covered procedures.
We are participating providers with many insurance companies and accept most insurance including Kentucky Medicaid and KCHIP.
If you have any problems or questions, please ask our staff. They are well informed and up-to-date and can be reached by phone at Richmond Office Phone Number (859) 626-1810.
Please bring your insurance information with you to the consultation so that we can expedite reimbursement.