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Customizing Your Plate
Making your Corporate Dining Area the "Place to be!"
Café Services offers a mouth-watering variety of multi-tiered menus to please every palate. From gourmet choices to convenient "grab and go" selections, our special interest food stations provide a multitude of choices featuring healthy and nutritious recipes prepared by on-site trained professional chefs. Our daily selection of creative entrees and tasty side dishes prepared by our award winning chefs are regularly enhanced by special themed and seasonal celebration menu offerings.
These special menus, for example, may include a Vietnamese Taco Station with Lemongrass Pork or a Cuban Fried Rice Bar, Comfort Food Classics such as Mac and Cheese made to order, to Fall Harvest, Earth Day or other Holiday Celebrations. Customized menus can also be created to celebrate occasions specific to your company such as anniversaries, employee recognition, a new product roll out, or exceeding sales and profit goals.
Our unique, affordable and special interest food stations include:
Downtown Deli
Designed to the standards of a fine New York style sandwich shop, our sandwiches, panini's and wraps are made to order. An extensive array of sliced deli meats from the Thin and Trim line, cheeses and deli salads are available. No deli is complete without an assortment of fresh baked breads such as delicious fresh baked sliced breads, rolls, croissants, baguettes, pockets and wraps. Top it off with a choice of lettuces or greens, shredded carrots, cucumbers, onions, pickles, peppers, avocado, hummus, mayo or an assortment of mustards and flavored spreads, such as chipotle mayonnaise and jalapeno mustard to your special order sandwich is complete. Make it a meal by adding a Side Salad such as classic pasta salad or one of our healthy composed salads to accompany each Downtown Deli selection. A daily Downtown Deli or Panini Special is featured at all of our locations.
Panini Grill
Warm Panini's are always a favorite menu choice for hungry employees. The Panini Grill food station offered by Café Services provides this delicious and affordable option. Panini's are made to order and can be super-sized on fresh baked breads and grilled with healthy extra Virgin olive oil. Choices range from grilled Tuscan Chicken with pesto mayonnaise, roasted vegetable with fresh mozzarella, to Italian meats, Kalamata Olives and provolone cheeses. Many other options to suit all taste preferences are also available. Just ask!
Fresh Baked Pizza
Café Services offers fresh baked pizzas, calzones and stromboli's on the menu every day. Prepared onsite using only the freshest ingredients, the variety of delicious combinations is sure to accommodate all employee tastes. Whole wheat Pizza, Buffalo Chicken Pizza, Mediterranean Pizza, Steak and Cheese Calzone or Chicken Parmigiana Calzone are just some of the many choices available to your employees. All menu items can be topped off with an extensive variety of cheeses, fresh meats, vegetables and tomato sauces to complement our daily prepared fresh baked dough.
Café Express
For those in a rush, Café Services offers an extensive take out menu of "Grab and Go" entrees in our Café Express food station. Whether for a working lunch at an employee's desk, an impromptu meeting in the conference room, or to take home for dinner after a long day at work, daily prepared, pre-packaged sandwiches, wraps, fruit salads, parfaits, vegetable Crudités and dip or freshly made pita chips are some of the choices readily available. All entrée items are conveniently prepared for takeout in our environmentally friendly compostable microwavable packaging. For even more convenience and faster service, menu items can be preordered and picked up during regular operating hours.
Signature Cafe
The Signature Café food station offers presentation cooking. Watch our trained professional chefs on exhibition while they prepare your special made to order lunch entrée such as classic Pad Thai or Asian Noodle Bowls. Signature Café's menus change weekly as well as seasonally in order to incorporate the finest fresh local offerings in their menus. A sample weekly menu might be Fresh Lemon Baked Haddock, Classic Asian Stir Fry Dishes with Chicken, Beef or Tofu, Chicken or Shrimp Pad Thai, Blackened Coho Salmon with Strawberry Salsa or even Fresh Sushi made to order. The menu is constantly changing according to season, current food trends and employee tastes.
Market Fresh
Our Market Fresh food station encourages healthy eating habits by offering a self- serve Salad Bar. Whether a meal is needed or just a side will do, choices abound including home-made soups, freshly prepared fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, tofu, salads and homemade or brand name dressings and garnishes. Complementing these options are fresh baked whole grain breads, pocket breads and a selection of toppings such as Sliced Almonds, Roasted Pecans or Sunflower Seeds. Fresh Fruit, Yogurts, Cereals and Grains are also offered. Some of the Signature Specialty Salads regularly available may include: Classic Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken or Steak, Antipasto Salad, Grilled Fresh Vegetables, Corn and Black Bean with Quinoa, Edamame Succotash and Middle Eastern Lentil Salad to name a few. Signature Specialty Salads are created fresh daily and are available in various sizes for either cafeteria dining or for takeout back to the office or a meeting room.
Backstreet Grille
The Backstreet Grille food station is a combination of a Breakfast Grill, a Luncheon Grill and a Panini Grill. The Breakfast Grill consists of an A La Carte menu of cooked to order Eggs, Omelets, Pancakes, French Toast, Bacon, Sausage, Ham and Home Fried Potatoes. Also we offer a variety of specialty Breakfast Fit-Pick choices .Breakfast sandwiches are included in the menu to be cooked to order or picked up for takeout served on a choice of English Muffins, Bagels, Biscuits, Wraps, Flatbreads or Croissants.
The Luncheon Grill provides grilled to order favorites such as our 1/3 lb. hand pressed Angus Burgers, Shaved Steak or Shaved Chicken subs, Grilled Chicken Breast, All Beef Frankfurters, Quesadillas, Chicken Tenders, Grilled Fish and many more choices. Grill side options include a variety of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables, Salads, French Fries, Onion Rings and our Specialty Fripp Chips.
Grill' N Greens
Our Grill' n Greens concept is a rotating selection of grilled to order Marinated Chicken, Beef Tenderloin Medallions and a rotating selection of seafood on top of Mixed wild Greens. We do our best to use seafood that's sustainable, working with local vendors like Captain Mardens and our national food vendor Sysco. You can find a great selection of local and specialty seafood items at our Grill' N Greens station such as: King Salmon, Ahi Tuna, Maine Lobster Tails and Arctic Char.
Grab and Go
In addition, a Fresh Fruit and Yogurt Bar is another option that includes not only fruit and yogurt, but also Homemade Oatmeal, Whole Grain Cereals and Fresh Baked Bagels, Muffins, Scones and Pastries. In addition to our fresh brewed coffee programs we offer a wide variety of beverage programs.
Café Services brings taste and variety to your plate. Our uniquely designed food stations will satisfy everyone's palate. From presentation cooking that includes locally grown produce to imported selections to convenient "Grab and Go" choices; there is something for every employee and guest at an affordable price.


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Movements For 19th April 2009
Posted in Movement
Haverfordwest Airport Movements:
Amongst the regular flying school and other common movers. These namely: G-BAYO, G-BFOG, G-AVJF, G-BPWR, G-BSSB
there were the nice arrivals of.
G-GEMM Cirrus S20, Inbound at 1006
G-CEZM Zenair Ch601, Noted Active at 1007, This may of well of well Nightstopped.
G-??WL Was noted departing the field at 1000
G-TOMS PA38 Tomahawk Routed, Swansea to Caernarfon with a stop off at Haverfordwest 1021
G-BOYI PA28 Cherokee Warrior, was also reported leaving the field mid afternoon.
Unfortunately, we do not have a comprehensive list of movements for the day.
If your able to fill in any blanks, please email us at: email@example.com
Castlemartin Range Activity
No Planned Activity
Manorbier Range Activity:
No Planned ActivityFor the Month of April

subset: commoncrawl


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Yesterday at Mix we announced .NET RIA Services… We are very early in the development cycle for .NET RIA Services and we are eager to get your feedback and thoughts.
The marketing blurb catches the key points:
Microsoft .NET RIA Services simplifies the traditional n-tier application pattern by bringing together the ASP.NET and Silverlight platforms. The RIA Services provides a pattern to write application logic that runs on the mid-tier and controls access to data for queries, changes and custom operations. It also provides end-to-end support for common tasks such as data validation, authentication and roles by integrating with Silverlight components on the client and ASP.NET on the mid-tier.
(shamelessly stolen from Nikhil's talk)
Our thinking on the RIA Services work really grow out of the LINQ project a few years ago. LINQ integrates query semantics into the languages (C#, VB, etc) providing a common abstraction for working with data; whether that data is in memory CLR objects, XML, relational data, or anything else. With RIA Services we are extending this pattern by offering a prescriptive model for exposing your domain logic over LINQ. We think of domain logic as that part of your application that is very specific to your domain – that is the particular business problem you are solving. By following this pattern we are able to provide a number of features that help you focus on your domain logic rather than the plumbing in your code. For example, we offer a great way to write application logic on the server and display, validate the data, as well as supporting authorization, querying, sorting, filtering, paging, etc, not to mention providing a clean way to mock out the data layer to do testing (a la TDD, etc). All regardless of what data store you use (Entity Framework, Linq2Sql, nHibernate, Xml file, REST service, WCF-server, etc).
We think this pattern is useful in a wide verity of application types… a couple that we are talking a lot about here at Mix09:
N-Tier Access – By following the RIA Services pattern, we can make it very easy for you to build out a n-tier silverlight or AJAX application. We aim to make it nearly as simply as building traditional 2 tier applications. In this space, you should think of RIA services as a more perceptive layer on top of ADO.NET Data Services and WCF. For the data querying and updating aspects of the model we will be using ADO.NET DataServices… this means that you will be able to just "Add Web Reference" to your domain logic and get the standard REST and JSON based access that ADO.NET DataServcies offers. We also expect to eventually provide full access to all the power and flexibility from the underlying WCF services such as highly optimized binary serialization.
Another great benefit of this model is that you can use it directly within your ADO.NET Data Services. We believe this provides a more productive way of writing your domain logic than using the current interception-based patterns. We are hard at work on this now, look for this in a future CTP.
ASP.NET Access – By following the RIA Services pattern, you will also be able to build ASP.NET applications easily while taking advantage of all the built in features of RIA Services such as data validation, authorization, etc. In the March preview, we are offering a asp:DomainDataSource control that enables very easy ASP.NET WebForms access to your domain logic. Building on top of that is a future version of ASP.NET Dynamic Data that makes it very easy to generate common, standard UI based on your domain logic.
Back in Redmond, we are working on provide a very clean access to your domain logic via ASP.NET MVC. The pattern here is very cool, and I can't wait to talk about it in a future CTP.
If you combine the verity of data sources with the variety of presentation options we are aiming for with .NET RIA Services…
What what is in the .NET RIA Services March '09 Preview?
I highly recommend going through the detailed walkthrough that we have
But few the geeky among us, let me break down what we have in the package by assembly…
Enhancements to the .NET Framework on the Server:
System.Web.DomainServices.dll – This assembly contains the core DomainService classes that handle the validation, query, etc.
System.Web.DomainServices.Providers.dll - the LINQ2SQL and EF provider… we hope between us and the community to provide much more in the future such as Azure, Dataset, nHibernate, etc
System.Web.DomainServices.Tools. dll – the VS support for building DomainServices
System.Web.DomainServices.WebControls. dll – the ASP.NET support for DomainServices (asp:DomainServiceDataSource and friends)
System.Web.DynamicData.dll – Update to the ASP.NET Dynamic Data support to work with Domain Services.
System.Web.Ria.dll – RIA Specific services such as authtication, user profiles, etc.
System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations.dll – Updates to the .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 set of data annotations. This is shared with Dynamic Data.
Microsoft.Web.Extensions.dll – Some additional support for patterns such as SEO, these will be folded more deeply into the platform in future previews.
Enhancements to Silverlight on the client (other clients such as WPF and Ajax coming soon)
System.Windows.Ria – Client data model for the DomainService.. handles change tracking, validation, etc
System.Windows.Ria.Controls.dll – DomainDataSource control that provides Xaml based control for accessing DomainService (layers on top of the client data model).
Again, we are early the development cycle for RIA Services and we'd love your feedback and thoughts on the model!
Check out DineshKu's .NET RIA Services is now public post… the great walk through and samples, Beta News has a good overview as well. Check out my Mix09 talk on RIA Services for a full example...
Update 3-19:
here is a live demo of a web admin site in Silverlight\.NET RIA Services .
a few of "How Tos": Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.
More information on RIA Services
Update: 3-21:
Check out some talks and demo walkthroughs
Please let me here your thoughts!


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principal & creative director
Thirty-some years ago, CK embarked on a career in graphic design only when it became increasingly evident that the NBA wasn't going to call. It all worked out, though: instead of a has-been point guard with bad knees, CK has become one of the region's foremost branding experts, leading a small and cohesive team of some of the most talented and creative thinkers in the northwest.
project manager
After more than three decades in the business of graphic design, marketing, media and public relations planning, brand management, and strategic development, Linda's somehow been able to maintain an easygoing disposition. It's a rare ability that, no doubt, results from the rigorous training to prepare her for her term as a princess in the Spokane Lilac Festival Royal Court.
associate & senior designer
When Shirlee's in charge – which, let's be honest, is most of the time – things just seem to get done. And done right. In addition to a formidable (not to mention wide-ranging) set of design skills, she has an uncanny ability to think through, and solve, every conceivable production problem before it ever arises. We're just thankful she's using her super powers for good.
associate & senior copywriter
Anyone can write. To write like Aaron, though, requires an ear for pitch and rhythm, a respect for the audience's intelligence, and an ability to get inside a client's head to understand the unique business and industry challenges they face. That and an insatiable, compulsive, annoying need to ensure that everyone around you knows the difference between its and it's.
graphic designer
She's a native of Fairbanks, Alaska, the daughter of a Fish & Wildlife bush pilot, and a woman who likes her coffee strong, black, and plentiful. A lesser creative firm might have been intimidated by Courtney. But given the breadth and depth of her talents – and the fact that she never stops expanding on and honing her skills – we figured we'd better throw caution to the wind.
tinkerer, doodler, designer
A designer by trade and an engineer by design, John's the kind of guy who organizes his sock drawer according to the Pantone Matching System – which makes him perfect for the detail-driven work our 3D projects entail. Whether you're talking custom product designs, display components, exhibits, or signage systems, John will conceive it, spec it, draw it, and – if you're lucky – build it.
graphic designer
His bio reads like a triumph of eugenics: Disciplined and committed. Former Division I cross-country athlete with a 4:14 PR in the mile. Impressive pedigree includes a well-known and respected graphic designer for a father. But then, everything falls apart when you ask him his five favorite movies of all time: "Saw I–VII." Not only is Steven's taste in films questionable, his math skills are sorely lacking.
No matter what else is conspiring against me—stupid deadlines, unrealistic expectations, idiotic drivers on the way to work—I count it + more
121 w pacific ave
suite 100
spokane, washington 99201


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Most of my response below was written in a response to someone posting a related article on Facebook.
The protest that sparked this protest was based on a federal judge opinion behind an incident where a woman and her friends held a dance vigil within the rotunda on Jefferson's birthday. You can read the text of the decision here: http://www.cadc.uscourts.gov/internet/opinions.nsf/748BE2DE8AF2A2A485257893004E07FC/$file/10-5078-1308285.pdf
The protest of this judge's opinion was filmed and in the video, rough arrests were made. Now, I do not condone the violence with which those arrests were made, but given how combative the protesters were when challenged, arrests were warranted.
Demonstrations are not allowed in all of 5 areas in all of Washington, DC, including inside the Jefferson Memorial as defined by the outer columns of the memorial. By holding a demonstration there, they were violating federal administrative law - http://cfr.vlex.com/vid/7-96-national-capital-region-19768726
Of particular note from the judge's opinion is the distinction that the inside of the Jefferson Memorial is defined as a non-public forum dedicated to solemn commemoration. Or, in other words, while not a physical graveyard site, this Memorial carries the same atmosphere as a graveyard site. That is one definition of memorial - an object or structure created in remembrance of someone who has died. A grave marker is a memorial. The Jefferson Memorial is a memorial.
Is it respectful, then, to dance on the graves of the dead?
That said, it is legal to dance at the memorial. It's in bad taste, but it's still legal. It is *not* legal to organize a public demonstration inside the memorial. Here's the exact language of the law from cfr.vlex.com site on what constitutes a demonstration -
"(g) Demonstrations and special events (1) Definitions. (i) The term demonstrations includes demonstrations, picketing, speechmaking, marching, holding vigils or religious services and all other like forms of conduct which involve the communication or expression of views or grievances, engaged in by one or more persons, the conduct of which has the effect, intent or propensity to draw a crowd or onlookers. This term does not include casual park use by visitors or tourists which does not have an intent or propensity to attract a crowd or onlookers."
They can dance near, and even on parts of the monument. Demonstrations are not allowed in the area that starts from the outermost surface of the outer columns and moves inward. From the three steps past those columns and outward, you can dance as much as you like. The area at the landing of those first three steps is at least 15' to 20' deep. Here's an overhead shot for reference - http://www.criticalpast.com/app_old/cpdata2/65675075811/big/65675075811_000023_3.jpg ... plenty of room for dancing, there.
I recognize that we have the right to assemble, but that comes with the responsibility to do so in an orderly fashion. If the original dance vigil and flash mob had organized just a few steps away, outside the rotunda, this would be a non-issue as long as there were less than 25 participants. And for more than 25 participants, they could have applied for a permit from the National Park Service, as long as they gave them a few weeks notice.
Just as we have laws against Westboro Baptist Church holding an organized demonstration right on the site of a military funeral (they have to be more than 300' away from the cemetery), we have a law that says people can't hold organized demonstrations at what is effectively a satellite grave site.
I think it's a fair balance between 1st Amendment rights and common decency. For what few places there are where demonstrations aren't allowed for reasons of safety or respect (again, there are only 5, three of which are also memorials to the dead), any other public space defined as such is fair game...as long as it follows the rules regarding acquiring a permit when applicable.


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GREAT NECK, N.Y. — A high school social studies class was studying the federal government's response to Hurricane Katrina on a recent afternoon, without any readings, lessons or even desks. Only one student was taking notes.
Where was the teacher?
He was the one in the Hawaiian shirt, sitting cross-legged in a chair, on a first-name basis with students.
There are few proprieties here at the Village School, a public high school founded in this affluent North Shore district in 1970, at the height of a counterculture movement across the nation that spilled into classrooms. But while those early alternative schools have all but disappeared, the Village School has not only survived but is being rediscovered by a new generation of students and parents across Long Island who are rebelling against what they see as a competitive, test-driven school culture.
The Village School, which can have an enrollment of just 50 students, does not give out grades and goes as far as to expunge grades earned at other schools on its transcripts. The pared-down curriculum does not offer honors classes or standard electives like chemistry, physics and multiple foreign languages (it has only first-year Spanish). Its graduates do not usually go to the Ivy League, though nearly all of them attend four-year colleges and some have found notable success, like the actress Nikki Blonsky from the recent film "Hairspray" and Ilan Hall, who won season two of the "Top Chef" reality show.
It is this low-key approach that appeals to Alyssa Zauderer, 17, a senior who transferred to the Village School after her freshman year at Roslyn High School. "There's such a level of pressure to take all A.P. classes and break 2,000 on the S.A.T. and go Ivy League, and that's not me," she said. "I definitely crack under pressure with tests, and the academics were too much to handle. I didn't even want to go to school. I would just stay in bed all day."Continue reading the main story
Nationwide, alternative schools and programs are not closely tracked — the last count was 10,900 by federal education officials in 2001 — but some estimates have put the number at more than 12,000 when private schools are included. Districts from Farmington, Conn., to Vista, Calif., have started alternative schools in the past three years, while many others are considering them, including the Roslyn district on Long Island, which has not had an alternative school for more than a decade.
"The reality is that every school district could use a Village School because one size does not fit all," said Dan Brenner, an assistant Roslyn superintendent who was principal of the Village School from 1993 to 2000.
The alternative approach appears to be gaining traction at a time when school districts are coming under more pressure from federal and state education officials to raise test scores under the federal No Child Left Behind law, and from parents and students who are seeking out options ranging from home schooling to charter schools. But critics like Jeffrey T. Kuhner, communications director of the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, a conservative-leaning education policy group in Washington, contend that many alternative schools are short-changing their students and leaving them ill-prepared for the rigors of college and the world at large.
"We're very skeptical of these new-age experimental schools that seem to want to dumb down academic standards and rigorous testing, which is needed to adequately monitor and measure the educational development of a child," he said. "We believe that higher standards lead to higher academic achievement."
Many educators and parents counter that the schools are not lowering academic standards, just finding a way to make them more palatable. Vicki Gustavson, president of the Connecticut Association of Alternative Schools and Programs and a teacher at the Wallingford Alternative High School, said there was a shorter day — and no clocks or bells — at her school. "Alternative schools are really the grass-roots effort to make sure that no child is left behind because these students would have fallen through the cracks and dropped out of high school," she said.
The alternative school movement started in the late 1960s, and soon had outposts from Philadelphia to Portland, Ore., "as a critique of what was perceived to be the stultifying, mind-numbing, bureaucratic character of the American high school," according to Daniel Perlstein, an education historian at the University of California at Berkeley, where alternative schools turned up even in storefronts.
But educators and school officials said those early alternative schools were short-lived, mostly disappearing by the mid-1970s as they lost their appeal to many students and parents who came to view them as socially and academically inferior to traditional high schools. The alternative schools that survived were often unpopular with school officials as well because the small classes made them costly to run.
In Great Neck, the Village School occupies an A-frame cottage and annex that once served as a community recreation center. The first students, chosen by lottery, were creative types — artists, dancers, musicians — stifled by the discipline and structure of other schools. In later years, though, the Village School lost much of its cachet after attracting some students with drug and behavior problems. Parents refused to send their children, and enrollment dropped to as low as 28 during the mid-1990s.
Stephen Goldberg, the principal, said the school toughened its academic and attendance policies and began requiring students and their parents to sign a no drug and alcohol pledge that calls for the automatic expulsion of violators. "I think we're a niche school, and we fill a need, but I don't think every school should be like the Village School," he said. "Our student is a kid whose light switch is off, but there's a lot of wattage."
The school now receives an average of 10 calls a week from prospective students, parents and school officials, or double the number from three years ago, Mr. Goldberg said.
The Village School chooses students based largely on referrals, transcripts and their individual needs, and tends to attract an unusually large percentage of special education students — about 50 percent— even though it does not offer special education services beyond that of a traditional high school. Mr. Goldberg said that students with learning disabilities and social and emotional issues often found their problems exacerbated by the stress of a traditional high school.
Ethan Solomkin, 16, a sophomore, started here last year after failing classes and being disciplined for fighting at Great Neck South Middle School. He said that he became bored with his classes because there was too much emphasis on testing, and even refused to take the eighth-grade state reading test. "It's a different environment here," he said. "There's less tension between kids and a less competitive environment, and with the teachers, I feel like I know them."
The Great Neck district spends $916,000 a year to operate the school, but recoups about a third of that from tuition paid by other districts for their special education students to attend. The school, which has a staff of nine, provides laptop computers and wireless Internet access for every student, and limits classes to no more than 15 students. But there are few other luxuries here, only well-used buildings that lack even a gym so that students have to take outdoor field trips every month to meet physical education requirements.
The curriculum is also limited, though students have the option of taking classes and participating in extracurricular activities at the district's two other high schools. The few electives taught at the Village School are often highly original, such as a "New York, New York" class that teaches students about the city's subway system along with its geography and history. Another class listened to protest songs to trace the history of social movements.
In Sam Yellis's social studies class, which examines discrimination in society, the 11 students started out talking about the broken levees from Hurricane Katrina but were free to bring in other issues, which they did, including the war in Iraq, Joe Torre and "Star Trek," in that order.
"I'm not here to bust chops; it's not me versus them," Mr. Yellis said.
Even though students are not assigned grades, they still receive written evaluations of their work and class participation, which includes attendance and homework. Students also take state Regents exams. The school has peer review groups, known as credit boards, which enforce academic standards so vigorously that some students receive only partial credit for a class, and at times could receive none at all, Mr. Goldberg said.
Jessica Schildkraut, 17, a senior, said that she wanted a fresh start after struggling with her self-esteem and class work at Great Neck South Middle School, and that her parents had considered relocating, or paying for private school. But since coming to the Village School, she said, the personal attention has helped her grow. "I feel like this is how I was always supposed to be, and it just took a while to get there," she said.
Jessica added that she was applying to state universities for next year, saying that she felt ready to handle the challenges of a big school and was even looking forward to having a team of her own to root for at football games, though she expects to have to adjust to life after the Village School.
"I am worried about having to take my first test," she said. "It's been a long time since I've had to buckle down and study for hours for a midterm."Continue reading the main story


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Own a new Ducati for £399 a month
Ducati has launched a new series of PCP deals that open up the Ducati range to finance buyers for a deposit starting from £399.
The three-year Ducati TriOptions deal is offered on all Ducati models, including the range-topping Panigale R and the core Monster 821 naked.
- More motorcycles on Motoring Research
On most models, the deposit is £1,000 but it's been cut to just £399 for the Scrambler range, although monthly payments are higher to reflect this.
For those who want something cheaper each month, Ducati will continue its other deals that, for a higher deposit, offer low monthly payments: the Scrambler (including the learner-licence A2-compliant Sixty2) can be bought from £79 a month and the Monster from £99 a month.
The new finance deals launched today (1 September) and a TriOptions finance calculator is now available on the Italian motorcycle brand's website to navigate buyers through the various options.


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According to Discovery, in Jan. 2013, the top five countries for wind power were China, the United States, Germany, Spain and India. Italy, France, Canada, Brazil and Denmark rounded out the top 10. Wind power can be found almost anywhere on the globe where sustained winds regularly reach 13 miles per hour or faster.
Certain types of regions are more suited to wind generation than others. Flat, open plains are extremely well-suited to wind power generation because there are no mountains or other natural features to impede the airflow or trigger weather events that could disrupt sustained winds. The shoreline winds created by large bodies of water are also excellent for wind farms. Many countries are investing in offshore wind installations to take advantage of these natural features.
As of June 2014, the largest single wind farm in existence is the Gansu Wind Farm in China, which is capable of producing 5,160 megawatts of electricity. The largest offshore wind array is the London Array, which produces 630 megawatts off the coast of the United Kingdom. The proposed Dogger Bank wind farm, slated for a sand bank in the North Sea, would be the largest wind farm in existence at 9,000 megawatts of capacity.


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Michael Kiwanuka played Webster Hall with Foy Vance and Marcus Foster (pics)
photos by Jessica Amaya
Michael Kiwanuka at Webster Hall, 9/18/2012
British singer Michael Kiwanuka is having a pretty good year, having won the BBC "Sound of 2012″ poll back in January and now is one of the frontrunners for the prestigious Mercury Prize. He's catching on in America too, playing a packed Webster Hall last night (9/18) with openers Foy Vance and Marcus Foster. He'll play NYC again on Friday (9/21) at Music Hall of Williamsburg and you can still get tickets.
If you have yet to check out his lauded debut album, you can do so via Spotify. More pictures from last night's show at Webster Hall are below.
Foy Vance
Marcus Foster
Michael Kiwanuka


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The UCSF Gynecologic Oncology Services are committed to meeting the complex needs of women with cancers of the reproductive tract. If you and your family have been diagnosed with gynecologic cancer, our team is ready to help. For appointments, please call 415-353-9600.
UCSF Mission Bay Gynecologic Oncology Service
Ron Conway Family Gateway Medical Building
1825 Fourth St., 4th Floor, Box 1702
San Francisco, CA 94158
Tel: 415-353-9600
Fax: 415-885-7662 / 415-353-7657 /415-353-7766
Map GYNO MB MAP.pdf Gyno Gyn Onc Blue Paper.pdf
Virtual Tour
UCSF Santa Rosa Satellite Clinic
100 Brookwood Ave
Santa Rosa, CA 95404-5202
Clinic Hours ~Wednesdays~ 9:00am to 5:00pm
Phone: 707-576-7557
Fax: 707-576-7786
For appointments: Call 415-353-9600
Clinic Days: Wednesdays Only
UCSF Gynecologic Oncology at Greenbrae
1100 South Eliseo Dr., Suite 1
Greenbrae, CA 94904
Phone: (415) 353-9600
Fax: (415) 885-7662
For appointments: Call 415-353-9600
Clinic Day: Fridays Only
UCSF Dysplasia / Cervical Cancer Prevention Clinic
1600 Divisadero St., 4th Floor, Box 1718
San Francisco, CA 94115
Clinic Hours: Mon ~ Fri 8:00am to 5:00pm
Tel: 415-514-0800
Fax: 415-353-9953
Map Gyno MZ Map.pdf
Lodging GYNO Lodging Guide.pdf
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The traditional styles that we all recognize are available in sizes ranging from 6×12 to 14×48. UV protected inks are used on a tough blackout vinyl material. Over 800 board faces are offered across the parishes of southeastern Louisiana.
Enhancement Options
Snipe – an option that can be added to change your original message. This strategy is used to keep the message constantly changing. Example: Opening Soon and a snipe with Now Open can be placed on the tarp over the original message.
Rotating – is a process in which your tarp would be moved from location to location helping you saturate an area with your brand therefore increasing brand awareness.
Tri Vision Boards
The surface of a Tri-Vision Billboard is divided into vertical strips. Each strip has 3 sides which rotate in a timed schedule. Compared to a bulletin board, the changing of the message alone draws more eyes to your advertisement. You can purchase one of the sides, or create a three stage message by purchasing all three sides.
14 x 48 Tri Vision Board – located in Lafayette at corner of Bertrand and Congress.
12 x 36 Tri Vision Board – located in Houma at Bayou Gardens Blvd.
12 x 32 Tri Vision Board – located in Houma at Tunnel and Hollywood.
12 x 24 Tri Vision Board – located in Houma at Main and New Orleans Blvd.
Digital Boards
Digital Boards are a pioneering effort of setting up multiple advertisements onto one advertising system. One benefit is the ability to change your message multiple times as it appears. Each slot changes every 7 seconds. These boards also have the capability of being timed and can rotate a different message in the same slot. For example, you could have a morning message, a lunch message and an afternoon message.
12 x 32 Vision Board – located in Houma at the corner of Tunnel and St. Charles.
12 x 24 Vision Board – located in Houma at the intersection of Tunnel and Grand Caillou.


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What is Pay Per Click Advertising?
Pay per click (commonly called PPC) is a form of internet advertising in which you can place ads on platforms like Google (through Google Adwords) and you only pay when people click on the ad. The goal of pay per click advertising is to determine who your ideal customer is and place an ad where they are most likely to see it.
Pay per click advertising campaigns should not run on autopilot; they require careful monitoring to ensure your money is being well spent. It is important to track your conversion rate, or how many clicks translate into sales. Ideally, pay per click advertising should ultimately pay for itself with the sales that it generates.
Pay Per Click Advertising Through Google Adwords
When people are searching for information on the internet, the vast majority will use Google to find what they are looking for. You'll see pages and pages of information that Google algorithms have parsed through to hopefully get you the most relevant information. When you enter a search and see results right at the top of the page tagged as an ad, that is Google Adwords at work. These businesses have placed bids on targeted keywords and Google decides which of those ads will provide the most relevant information. A Google Adwords campaign, if properly managed, can provide a higher return on investment than possible with other popular marketing strategies. With all the information Google Adwords provides, it is quick and easy to see which of your campaigns are yielding good results and which need to be tweaked to better target users.
Pay Per Click Advertising: An Ongoing Process
Web development professionals who specialize in search engine optimization (SEO), like our team at JSMT Media, can help you to determine which PPC avenue is the best route for your business and its specific needs. JSMT Media will begin any PPC campaign by trying various strategies, then studying the effects and determining which methods should be further pursued and which can be dropped. We create specialized PPC campaigns for our clients that include monitoring their monthly progress and shaping our approach to PPC on an ongoing basis to evolve with the market.
PPC can be a very helpful internet advertising tool, but even the best tools only work well when you know how to use them. At JSMT Media, we use analytics to study your return on investment in order to make sure that PPC is boosting your business.


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Style: Carry Case Interior: 22.00"L x 15.50"W x 8.00"D
SKB Injection Molded Cases are shipped from our Canadian facility and may take up to 2 to 4 weeks for delivery. Shipping charges will be calculated at checkout.
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text: Due to the difficulty in scheduling make up classes, the Aspen school does not usually close for weather related issues. Please use your best judgment in determining whether or not to send students to class. In the rare event that classes are to be cancelled, notification will be posted on the School Director's voicemail box (970-925-7175 x106) by 1:00pm the same day.


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Please take a moment to review Hachette Book Group's updated Privacy Policy: read the updated policy here.
The Inward Empire
Mapping the Wilds of Mortality and Fatherhood
In the vein of The Noonday Demon and When Breath Becomes Air, a father's "remarkable and revelatory" account of navigating his own neurological decline while watching in wonder as his young daughter's brain activity blossoms, a stunning examination of neurology, loss, and the meaning of life. (The Sunday Times)
Soon after his daughter Leontine is born, 36-year old Christian Donlan's world shifted an inch to the left. He started to miss door handles and light switches when reaching for them. He was suddenly unable to fasten the tiny buttons on his new daughter's clothes. These experiences were the early symptoms of multiple sclerosis, an incurable and degenerative neurological illness.
As Leontine starts to investigate the world around her, Donlan too finds himself in a new environment, a "spook country" he calls the "Inward Empire," where reality starts to break down in bizarre, frightening, sometimes beautiful ways. Rather than turning away from this landscape, Donlan summons courage and curiosity and sets out to explore, a tourist in his own body. The result is this exquisitely observed, heartbreaking, and uplifting investigation into the history of neurology, the joys and anxieties of fatherhood, and what remains after everything we take for granted – including the functions that make us feel like ourselves – has been stripped away.
Like Andrew Solomon, Paul Kalathini, and William Styron, Donlan brings meaning, grace, playfulness, and dignity to an experience that terrifies and confounds us all.


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Auditions: Hartley Drive Family YMCA (150 W Hartley Dr., High Point)
Friday, October 13 @ 6:30 pm (sign in 6:00)
Saturday, October 14 @ 12:00 pm (sign in 11:30)
Callbacks (by invitation) - Sunday, October 15 @ 7:00 pm - Centennial Arts Station (121 South Centennial St., High Point).
Performances: December 14-17, 2016 at High Point Theatre
Thursday 12/14 @10:00 AM, 7:30 PM
Friday 12/15 @ 9:00 AM, 12:00 PM and 7:30 PM
Saturday 12/16 @ 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM
Sunday 12/17 @ 2:00 PM
Directed & Music Directed by Mike Lasley
Choreographed by Ashley Hyers
MUSIC BY Alan Menken
LYRICS BY Lynn Ahrens
BOOK BY Lynn Ahrens & Mike Ockrent
Based on the story by Charles Dickens
All roles are open to folks ages 7+. Please prepare a 45-90 second, memorized musical selection in the style of the show. An accompanist will be available so please provide your own sheet music in the correct key. A CD player will be available for those using a track but it is not preferred. A capella auditions are strongly discouraged. There will be a general dance audition so please have comfortable clothing and appropriate footwear. Those unable to attend auditions in person may send a video audition to firstname.lastname@example.com by October 14 at 2:00 pm. Character information is listed below.
Ebenezer Scrooge is a prosperous curmudgeon who believes personal wealth is far more valuable than the happiness and comfort of others. With an infuriated "Bah! Humbug!" Scrooge summates his feelings of Christmas tidings and charitable giving, but he's forced to face his selfish ways when three ghosts on Christmas Eve lead him through his Past, Present, & Future. Thanks to their guidance, Scrooge recognizes his faults and greets Christmas morning with a cheerful "Happy Christmas" before spending the day reconnecting and sharing love with those that mean the most to him.
Character Descriptions
Ebenezer Scrooge- Adult male. Must be able to move. Vocal range Ab2-F4. Grouchy old miser who has grown cold and mean-spirited. Through his journey with the three ghosts, he regains his kindness and goodwill.
Ghost of Christmas Past/Lamplighter- Adult Female. Must be able to move gracefully. Female vocal range Eb4-G#5. Joyful, comedic guide to Scrooge into his past. Cheerfulness and kindness are this characters dominant traits, and maybe a little zany. Very energetic.
Ghost of Christmas Present/Sandwichboard Person- Adult Male. Vocal range Db3-F4. Preferably be able to tap dance or fake it well. Must be able to move. A larger than life, jovial character who shows Scrooge the present world around him. Very vaudeville.
Ghost of Christmas Yet-to-Be/Blind Old Hag- Adult Female. Vocal range C4-F5. Preferably able to belt with a strong mix. Must be able to move in a contemporary style. Creepy and eerie, yet captivating every time they are on stage.
Bob Cratchit- Adult Male. Vocal range G#2-E4. Kind and patient, he endures Scrooge's temper and abuse to provide for his family, especially his son, Tiny Tim.
Mrs. Cratchit- Adult Female. Vocal range G#3-E5. Wife of Bob. Mother to Tiny Tim, Martha, and the other Cratchit children. Loving, hopeful, and generous.
Jacob Marley- Adult Male. Vocal range B2-Ab4. Must be able to move. The spirit of Scrooges old business partner. Good comedic timing.
Tiny Tim- Child Boy. Vocal range Bb3-D5. Son of Bob Cratchit. Walks with a cane. Represents the Christmas spirit with hope and goodness.
Scrooge at 18- Young Adult Male. Vocal range B2-G4. Must be able to move. Scrooge with the happiness of his youth and deeply in love with Emily. Sincere, yet money driven.
Emily- Young Adult Female. Vocal range B3-Bb5. Must be able to move. A lovely girl. Enjoys the simple things in life. Joyful and kind hearted. In love with Scrooge at 18.
Mr. Fezziwig- Adult male. Vocal range B2-B4. Must be able to move. Jolly and kind bank owner. Scrooge's past employer who helped him get his start.
Mrs. Fezziwig- Adult Female. Vocal range A3-Ab5. Must be able to move. Cheerful wife of Mr. Fezziwig. Fun and sassy.
Fred Anderson- Young Adult Male. Vocal range B2-G4. Nephew of Scrooge. Compassionate and joyful.
Sally Anderson- Young Adult Female. Vocal range C4-Eb5. Wife of Fred.
Jonathan- Child boy. Vocal range Eb4-Eb5. Fun street urchin. Comedic.
Mr. Smythe- Adult Male. Vocal range Db3-F#4. Recently widowed. Hopeful. Poor and in debt to Scrooge. Father of Grace.
Beadle- Adult Male. Vocal range A2-Bb3. Worker in the royal exchange.
Old Joe- Adult Male. Vocal range F3-C#4. Scavenger of the dead.
Young Marley- Young Adult Male. Vocal range D3-F#4. Must be able to move. Starts business with Scrooge at 18 and shares a similar mindset of greed.
Scrooge at 12- Child boy. Vocal range F#3-A4. Poor orphan Scrooge working in a factory and vows to save his money. Misses and loves his sister, Fan.
Grace Smythe- Teen/Child girl. Vocal range Db4-F#5. Daughter of Mr. Smythe. Sad yet hopeful.
Fan at 10- Child girl. Vocal range A4-E5. Must be able to move. Younger sister to Scrooge.
Martha Cratchit- Child girl. Vocal range G#3-D5. Sister to Tiny Tim.
Mrs. Mops- Adult Female. Vocal range D#4-D5. Maid for Scrooge.
Scrooge's Mother- Adult Female. Vocal range C4-C5.
Non-Singing Roles
Scrooge at 8- Child Boy
Fan at 6- Child Girl
Poulterer- Adult Male
Judge- Adult Male
Scrooge's Father- Adult Male
Ensemble will perform in many different roles including:
Anderson Children
Cratchit Children
Angel Choir
Rich Women
Charity Women
...and more!


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The Best Of 2016
Either the years seem to be going quicker, or I'm getting slower! Either way, 2016 brought me a ton of great music to lose myself in, even if I couldn't lock down much time to write about them.
But despite the disappointing lack of time (And content for the blog), I did manage to listen to plenty of great music, with more than enough to make up a top ten list of my favourites for the year.
So here it is. And as always, the choices here are based on my own personal tastes, and not in any particular order of preference.
Abbath – Abbath (Season Of Mist)
I really didn't know what to expect from former Immortal frontman Abbath's debut solo release, but it took but a single listen to know that I liked what I heard. Sure, it's not all that far removed from what he had produced in the past under the Immortal banner, but when you have tracks such as 'To War!', 'Winter Bane', 'Ashes Of The Damned' and 'Endless', the lack of boundary pushing can be overlooked at this point in time for one genuinely solid release.
Testament – Brotherhood Of The Snake (Nuclear Blast Records)
A rather tense and difficult gestation period, mixed with huge expectations from their legion of fans for a new Testament album had many wondering if the Bay Area thrashers still had it in them to stand tall in the so called 'Big 4'. Well in short; 'Brotherhood Of The Snake' is an absolute gem in Testament's crown. Fast paced, aggressive and catchy, this is Testament at their best. Stand out cuts include 'Seven Seals', 'The Pale King', the shredding title track and 'The Number Game'.
The Jelly Jam – Profit (Music Theories Recordings)
Powerhouse trio The Jelly Jam are somewhat of a strange outfit, and their releases are never immediate to me. But over time, this fourth release has certainly grown on me. Mixed equally between the soft and rockier side of things, the band showcase their diverse musical influences, and Ty Tabor's ability to provide hooks that amaze. Song worthy of singling out include 'Water', the rocking 'Mr. Man', 'Stop', the mellow 'Heaven' and the climatic 'Strong Belief'.
Cheap Trick - Bang, Zoom, Crazy... Hello (Big Machine Records)
Long running rock legends Cheap Trick are on a bit of a roll, with their latest effort almost rivalling their former effort 'The Latest' as some of the best work they've produced in years. From the up tempo rock opener 'Heart On The Line', the pop genius of 'No Direction Home', the Slade/T. Rex groove of 'Blood Red Lips', the riff heavy 'Long Time No See Ya' and the classic 'The Sun Never Sets', 'Bang, Zoom, Crazy... Hello' is everything a Cheap Trick fan could ask for... and then some!
Borknagar – Winter Thrice (Century Media Records)
If you've been a fan of Borknagar for some time now, then you will no doubt know what the band have to offer with 'Winter Thrice'. While it's a hardly glowing endorsement (The 'If you've heard one album, you've heard them all' scenario), but I believe that while this album is an extension of their last couple of release to some extent, it's also a perfection of what they've attempted to do in the past as well. It's hard to pick favourites as the album is perfect from start to finish. But at a push, the title track, 'Cold Runs The River', 'Erodent' and the opener 'The Rhymes Of The Mountain' are immediate favourites.
Fates Warning – Theories Of Flight (Inside Out Music)
Despite being branded a fine return to form, 2013's 'Darkness In A Different Light' wasn't quite up to the mark for me. It was good, but just not great. But 'Theories Of Flight' is the album I have been waiting from Fates Warning for some time. Ray Alder is in excellent form, and Jim Matheos sounds just as inspired on the song writing front. No further proof is needed beyond a listen to 'From The Rooftops', 'Like Stars Our Eyes Have Seen', SOS' and the lengthy epic 'The Ghosts Of Home'.
O.K., so this isn't officially an album, but I found it's worthy of its place here, so here it is. Voivod have packed some great tunes on this E.P., and proven beyond any doubt that there's still life in this veteran act. The title track is a rawer edged up-tempo rocker that works in typically Voivod like fashion, while 'We Are Connected' is a driving track that is equal parts old school and modern sounding. Voivod fans who haven't checked this out should. Voivod lives!
Megadeth – Dystopia (Universal Music)
To be honest, when I first heard this album, I swore it was never going to end up in my top ten for 2016. Yes, it's miles above the cringe worthy 'Super Collider' (2013), but I just couldn't get over how raw Dave Mustaine's voice is on this latest effort. But once I got over that stumbling block, there was no denying that the reshuffled line up of the band had produced a winner this time around. 'The Threat Is Real' is a perfect opener that announces the band's return to form', while 'Post American World', 'Lying In State' and the band's cover of Fear's 'Foreign Policy' just further reinforce the notion of Megadeth's return.
Biffy Clyro – Ellipsis (Warner Bros. Records)
Biffy Clyro have always been a bit hit and miss for me in the past, with their albums a mix of some great tracks and some real fillers. But 'Ellipsis' really caught my ear in a big way. It's still a bit left of centre, and not everything featured on the album is a classic, but when it works, it works. Examples of some of the best the band has to offer comes in the form of 'Friends And Enemies', 'Re-Arrange', the stunning 'Medicine', 'Flammable' and the huge anthem like 'Howl'. Put this one down to a guilty pleasure outside the metal realm.
Redemption – The Art Of Loss (Metal Blade Records)
I felt that Redemption went off the boil with 2011's 'This Mortal Coil', with the album sounding like the band was going through the motions. But lo and behold, the progressive rock outfit have bounced back, and sounding better than ever. There's not a huge change of sound and direction from what the band have delivered before, but Alder sounds inspired once again, with 'Hope Dies Last', 'Damaged' and 'Thirty Silver' showcasing what the band are truly capable of when inspired.
Top Ten Songs For 2016
I make no secret of the fact that this really is a continuation of my top ten favourites of 2016 listed above. So what makes up this list? Well, it's really albums that don't quite have the same consistency all the way through, but still have enough killer tracks to make them worth checking out.
Steven Tyler – The Good, The Bad, The Ugly & Me (From 'We're All Somebody From Somewhere')
It's taken a few years, but Tyler finally unveiled his debut solo effort in 2016, and I'll be damned if it was better than I was expecting, and a whole lot better than Aerosmith's last album. Yes, it does have some issues (A little too country flavoured for my liking, and a couple of songs too long), it does have some hidden gems. And one of those gems is 'Only Heaven'. To put it into simple terms, this is Tyler doing what he does best, and all without the help of his regular sidekicks. And it rocks!
Soto – Time (From 'Divak')
If you liked the first Soto album, you'll no doubt love 'Divak'. Jeff Scott Soto continues his foray into modern heavy rock for a second effort under his surname, and it's a winner all round. There's plenty to pick out as a favourite here, but it's the slower paced and heavy Black Sabbath influenced 'Time' that wins the coveted spot here. Soto's vocals and hooks are in full force, while the band packs plenty of punch on the musical front to match.
Metal Church – Sky Falls In (From 'XI')
The announcement of Mike Howe returning to Metal Church was the best news to emerge from 2015. But as thrilled as I was, 'XI' turned out to be a bit disappointing. That's not to say that the album doesn't have its moments. 'Sky Falls In' is one of the stronger tracks on the album, and one that showcases how much the band and Howe have grown in their twenty-three years apart. Progressive, heavy and catchy, this track really is one of the stellar efforts. Here's hoping that when the band return, it's be a worthy contender to 1991's 'The Human Factor'.
Steven Wilson – Happiness III (From '4½')
After being a little letdown with 'Hand. Cannot. Erase.' last year, I was hoping for something a little more satisfying with his new release. And sure enough, this stopgap E.P. does boast enough to keep me believing that Wilson can still create magic. While it does bear a slight similarity to 'Postcard' from 2001's 'Grace For Drowning', I can help but love 'Happiness III' for what it is. Catchy, up-tempo and easy on the ears, this track is typically Wilson like, and the kind of stuff fans like me will praise to no end.
Soilwork – Helsinki (From 'Death Resonance')
While technically not a new album as such, this compilation is the kind of release I love from my favourite groups. Aside from boasting a host of hard to find tracks, this collection also features a couple of new tunes from Soilwork, one of which is the opening track 'Helsinki'. Not too far removed from the recent direction found on their critically acclaim 2015 release 'The Ride Majestic', 'Helsinki' is hook-laden, guitar heavy track that is a worthy addition to the band's vast and ever growing catalogue.
Black Sabbath – Cry All Night (From 'The End')
Anthrax – You Gotta Believe (From 'For All Kings')
Much like a couple of the album's featured in this send top ten, Anthrax's latest was a real mixed bag of killer tracks mixed with a bunch of filler. And it's a shame too, because I loved 2011's 'Worship Music'. One of the true killer cuts is 'You Gotta Believe'. It's hardly anything new for Anthrax, but musically this had a bit more to say than most of what was on the album. Belladonna clearly still has the pipes, but musically, 'For All Kings' is a bit hit and miss.
Death Angel – The Moth (From 'The Evil Divide')
If there's a track that signals Death Angel's intentions from the word go, it has to be the album opener 'The Moth'. Full of tight knit thrash riffing, powerful vocals and some truly searing solos, this track has it all – In spades! Death Angel show no signs of slowing down, still remain a firm favourite of mine. The only reason it's on this list is because it is a little one dimensional overall. With a little bit of variation in tempos and moods, this would have been a firm favourite of 2016.
Katatonia – Serein (From 'The Fall Of Hearts')
I'm a huge fan of Katatonia, and they've rarely disappointed. And to be perfectly honest, 'The Fall Of Hearts' is a another flawless album from the Swedes. The only problem is that the band has reached the point where they're not too hard to mine anything outside their comfort zone. But that's merely a personal grip, because as I mentioned, this album is damn near perfect. My pick of the album would have to be 'Serein'. It's a classy heavy driving rocker, which is the kind of song that Katatonia used to produce in the past with fantastic results.
Diamond Head – Bones (From 'Diamond Head')
For the better part of the last quarter century, Diamond Head has been living off old memories. But lo and behold, the band are back with a new album that truly rocks, and one that's every bit worthy of their legendary status. While not everything on the album is a classic, the addition of vocalist Rasmus Bom Andersen has an undeniable positive effect on the band, with Diamond Head's latest the best they're produced in an age (I'm thinking at least as far back as 1993!). If proof is needed, then check out 'Bones'. This track rocks in a huge way, without straying too far into nostalgia territory.
© Justin Donnelly


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Most of the world doesn't get around to watching documentaries, especially feature documentaries that end up in the theater. Some people will try to watch stuff on Netflix, but don't actually think of documentary filmmaking as something that can be genuinely moving. I used to think that way until I saw a film called Searching for Sugarman. It rocked my world beyond what I thought a documentary could do.
So, when I tell you that Life, Animated is the most inspiring and heartfelt thing you will see this year, I want you to take me seriously. It is a beautiful story that is movingly documented.
From Academy Award® winning director Roger Ross Williams, Life, Animated is the inspirational story of Owen Suskind, a young man who was unable to speak as a child until he and his family discovered a unique way to communicate by immersing themselves in the world of classic Disney animated films. This emotional coming-of-age story follows Owen as he graduates to adulthood and takes his first steps toward independence.
It's hard to review a documentary, mostly because there are no actors and the story to tell isn't made to please the audience. You can't really critique someone on whether they are portraying themselves well but you can judge whether events or a subject matter are worthy of being documented. This story is very worth documenting.
A documentary filmmaker is judged on whether their film is watchable and on how effective it is. This film is both.
My best friend has an autistic son, so this subject matter is very dear to my heart. Watching this family's story unfold brought back memories of watching my friend go through something similar. However, unlike many films that deal with people with disabilities, this one offers hope and optimism.
As I wrote at the beginning of the review, you probably aren't the type of person to go see a documentary feature film in the theater. I recommend that you change that and see this touching film. It will make your life better as a result.


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Strategies for Weight Loss
A balanced diet and normalized eating patterns that you can maintain for a lifetime are the keys to weight control. I cannot emphasize this point enough. But what does a balanced diet actually look like these days? And what is a normalized eating pattern? Herein lie the secrets. I'm going to try hard not to throw rules at you. People who are of normal weight and good health don't usually follow rules. They just eat. And they just exercise. Without over-thinking it. The dietary patterns of cultures who have had far fewer problems with obesity follow long-held traditions that worked way before nutrition theory made it's appearance in America.
There is a wonderful little book titled "The Philosopher's Diet" by Richard Watson. It was originally published in 1985. Watson is actually a professional philosopher with a quirky sense of humor. And no nutritional training. Though he advocates much of the wrong-headed nutritional advice of the time in which he wrote, he also makes some insightful observations that were not necessarily popular back then nor mentioned in any of the diet books you may have read.
Here are a few of Watson's gems:
"…eat less. But that alone is not enough, for you also have to learn how to eat differently from the way you are eating now…"
"Food fad diets lead neither to health nor permanent weight loss."
"Slow (weight) loss is better for you, anyway."
"Get off most processed foods…The change to fresh foods will wean you off your old eating habits, and before long…you will find that your new diet really does satisfy your reformed appetite."
"How can civilized human beings eat Wonder Bread? You and I were raised on it. We spread margarine and artificial grape jelly on it and smeared our faces. We didn't know any better."
"Food habits are indeed strong, but they can be changed."
"It is hard to turn down desserts but people do and you can…You can also learn how to nurse a drink."
"Even Julia Child used a Cuisinart, but I firmly advise you not to get one. First there is the joy of chopping with a knife by hand, and second, chopping burns off calories."
Watson, in trying to lose some weight, swore off foods containing sugar. Up to that point, he had a penchant for jellybeans and other cheap penny candy. Without realizing it, he could empty an entire bag of those buggers and never notice. He stopped eating them, cold turkey. Watson claims that in giving up processed and sugary foods, he had forever altered his tastes. And the few times he attempted to binge on the candy after his tastes had changed, he was sorely disappointed. "This candy is now too sweet. It also has a metallic or chemical taste. Those dyes, those artificial flavors – something has ruined the cheap candy of my childhood." Watson suggests, "instead of junk food binges, look for the best restaurant anywhere within a radius of 100 miles (which might raise hoots of laughter if you live in rural Iowa) and pig out on the best food within reach."
Lose weight slowly. Learn to eat in a way that supports normal weight and good health – eat fresh whole foods and back off processed, packaged and sugary foods. Once you have given up processed foods, your tastes will change and going back to eating them will be unconscionable. Buy the highest quality food you can afford. Make food procurement, food preparation, food presentation, and the act of eating all part of your food experience.
And if all else fails, treat yourself to the best restaurant experience around. See what fine food is all about and emulate the experience at home. You're worth more than a bag of jellybeans.
Disclaimer: The contents of this article are my researched opinions and are provided for educational purposes only. They are not intended to replace sound medical advice from a board certified physician.
© 2016 L-K Associates, LLC