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By Rick VanSickle
MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — On June 1, 2006, the astronomical rise of Canada's largest wine company came crashing down to Earth.
Vincor Canada, the company built quickly from merging and acquiring some of the country's top wineries and then buying a tasty bevy of top international brands to become the fourth-largest wine company in North America at is peak (7th in the world), was itself acquired by American wine giant Constellation Brands, for a hefty price of $36.50 a share plus a 15% dividend. The dream was over; the principals left on the sidelines to reinvent themselves and start over (which they all did quite successfully).
An integral part of Canada's emerging wine industry was gone, a proud company built by Canadians for Canadians no longer belonged to Canadians.
The pieces remained in Canada, of course: Jackson-Triggs, Inniskillin, Le Clos Jordanne, Sumac Ridge, See Ya Later Ranch, Osyoos Larose and several other top names.
But it just wasn't the same without the Donald Triggs (above), the Harry McWatters, the Alan Jacksons, the Donald Ziraldos and Karl Kaisers — the dreamers who built the company, that at the time of the sale, was selling one out of every 4.5 bottles of wine sold in this country.
Those were heady days in the Canadian wine industry. Lavish anniversary parties, big dreams of opulent Frank Gehry-designed wineries, splashy grand openings, good times and success all shared proudly with Canadians from coast to coast.
Constellation-owned Vincor continued to operate under the Canadian name until June 2012 when the last vestiges of Vincor disappeared and the company became fully and completely Constellation Brands.
And then in October of last year, another shocker: The Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan agreed to pay $1.03 billion for the Canadian wine business of Constellation Brands and once again the former Vincor company was back where it belonged.
In the aftermath of the sale, CEO and president of Constellation, Rob Sands, told Fortune magazine the sale of the Canadian wine business to the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan was a move away from less premium wine offerings. That lower margin, lower growth portfolio of wines — which Constellation has owned since 2006 — wasn't as good of a fit for the company's future vision.
An odd statement from Sands, to say the least, and simply not true.
Under his watch, Constellation sold its interest in the ultra-premium Osoyoos Larose brand in the Okanagan Valley to co-owner of the brand, Groupe Taillan, owners of Château Gruaud Larose in Bordeaux, and then killed the Le Clos Jordanne brand in Niagara, considered one of the top producers of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in the country.
To this casual observer it appeared Constellation Brands, under the Sands' leadership, abandoned the top end all on its own accord before selling the Canadian assets then complained the wines weren't premium enough or good enough for Constellation's family of products (which includes Arbor Mist, Black Box and PopCrush, you know, ultra premium products).
Through all the incarnations of Vincor, one man has been there to share in the successes, the upheaval, the various changes in ownership and the heady days of acquisition. His name is Jay Wright (pictured above and in the very top photo), now president and CEO of the newly renamed company, Arterra Wines Canada.
In his modest office in Mississauga, at the headquarters and distribution facility for Arterra and all the other iterations of the company, he casually talks about the good old days and the men who were his mentors with great fondness and respect. While those were the halcyon days of Vincor, of which Wright was fully entrenched and loved, he also knows you can't go back; the path forward is all about steady growth and strengthening the company's assets for the new owners, the Ontario Teachers' Pension Fund.
"I want you to meet
Richard and Rob Sands"
Wright's background runs the gamut with Vincor/Constellation Brands, from president of Vincor under Donald Triggs, to CEO of Vincor under Constellation Brands, president of Constellation Wines North America, COO Constellation Brands, president and CEO of Constellation Brands Canada and now president and CEO of Arterra Wines Canada. Prior to the wine business, Wright held many top marketing positions with companies such as Borden Foods, Molson Breweries, Nabisco Brands and Proctor & Gamble.
It was while he was vice-president of marketing for Borden Foods in Columbus, Ohio, that he met and was charmed by Donald Triggs.
In the summer of 2001 I "got excited about getting into the wine business," he says today. "Don was a pretty amazing guy." He moved back home to Canada and hopped on board the runaway freight train that was Vincor.
Vincor's revenue grew from $150 million in 2001 to upwards of $800 million in 2006, boosted by a flurry of acquisitions outside of Canada that included R.H. Phillip, Hogue Cellars, Goundry, Kim Crawford and, perhaps its undoing, the South African brand Kumala.
The rapid rise and success of Vincor was not lost on then-competitor Constellation Brands, which successfully acquired the public company with an offer shareholders could not refuse.
Recalls Wright of the day he learned of the sale: "Don (Triggs) called me into his office and said: 'I want you to meet Richard and Rob Sands.' " The introduction to the top Constellation executives was bitter-sweet. It was obviously the end of the magic carpet ride that was Vincor, but a new beginning for Wright who "decided to stay on and support the growth of Vincor" that was now owned by a U.S. wine giant.
Which is exactly what Wright did until the shocking news that Constellation Brands sold its Canadian assets to the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, a privately held Canadian company with one goal in goal in mind — to invest wisely and manage pensions for Ontario teachers.
"Forging a trail into the future"
"It's a very exciting time for us," says Wright. We're forging a trail into the future. We are invigorated and looking for growth."
As Canada's leading wine company once again, approximately two times bigger than its nearest Canadian competitor, Andrew Peller Ltd., the first task is "carving ourselves" away from Constellation Brands. That means a flurry of hiring in the accounting and business offices as well as human resources and all the areas that were shared by Constellation at its head office in New York State.
Then, says Wright, "we'll be looking at other areas to grow."
Arterra owns three commercial wineries, 1,700 acres of vineyards, five estate wineries, including Jackson-Triggs, Inniskillin, Sumac Ridge, Stellar's Jay and See Ya Later Ranch and operates 163 Wine Rack retail stores that sell both VQA and blended wines in Ontario. It also owns a 49% stake in B.C.'s Nk'Mip (Cellars, which is majority-owned by the Osoyoos Indian Band), and B.C.'s Growers Cider.
As part of the deal with Constellation, Arterra will continue to distribute several big international brands, such as California's Robert Mondavi and New Zealand's Kim Crawford in Canada for at least 10 years. That represents about 20% of the company's bottom line, with the rest coming from Canadian wine sales.
According to Wright, seven of the top 20 wines sold in Canada come from the Arterra portfolio.
"We are all about building a portfolio of wines people love," says Wright.
Also on the horizon is the changing retail landscape for the larger wine companies. With the Ontario government opening up grocery stores to selling wine, cider and beer in as many as 300 supermarkets, existing wine retail stores like the Wine Rack, which are often located in grocery stores but beyond the checkout counter, are slowly co-locating within the grocery stores as part of the government's plans.
Arterra has co-located 11 Wine Rack stores inside grocery stores and has potential for 56 conversions over the next few years.
When co-locating, 50% of the store is allocated to VQA wines — within VQA shelving, 50% is shared with other VQA brands. Therefore 25% of the total store is for VQA brands not belonging to Arterra Wines Canada.
While "we sell more wine inside the store," it also means that 25% of the products on the shelves at Wine Racks in those grocery stores have to consist of other wines from Ontario wineries.
That presumably leaves plenty of retail space for the so-called International-Canadian Blended (ICB) wines that are produced by the larger wine companies, including Arterra.
ICB wines are typically value-priced custom blended wines produced by the winemaking teams at Canadian wineries (which also produce 100% Canadian VQA wines) using a blend of international and Canadian grapes. ICB wines have differing levels of domestic content across Canada (from zero content in B.C. to a minimum of 25% in Ontario). All ICB wines are bottled and produced in Canada.
Blended wines can be viewed as an important part of the Canadian wine industry, supporting over 10,000 jobs (direct and indirect) and purchasing more than 15,000 tonnes of Canadian grapes annually. According to a recent study, ICB wines contributed to the Canadian economy business revenue of $2.14 billion, tax revenues of $484 million and wages of $464 million, totalling $3.08 billion of overall economic impact.
But these ICB wines have been under attack for several years for the labelling aspects of the wine, and trading on the "Canadian-ness" of the wine when it's mostly made with foreign grapes.
The Canadian Vintners Association says the labelling for ICB wines can be found on a label viewable through a single field of vision (typically on the back panel of the wine), where it indicates it is "Cellared in Canada from imported and/or domestic wines."
In December 2016, CVA wrote to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food to request a change to the way ICB wines are designated on wine labels following a wide consultation with industry and government stakeholders. The recommendation is that it would read "International Blend from Imported and Domestic Wines."
This is not likely to come into force until 2019, if accepted by CFIA. The suggested new labelling aims to better inform consumers that the wine is either 100% Canadian or a blend of international and Canadian wines.
Wright maintains that these blended wines are an integral category for consumers, Canadian workers and the company's bottom line. Half the grapes purchased by the company are destined for ICB wines that compete at the entry level against other wines from around the world.
"It creates jobs," says Wright, "and it's an important part of the Canadian wine industry. Without (ICB wines) VQA would suffer."
"They believe in local wines"
The future is bright for Arterra, Wright says, as well as the Canadian wine industry as a whole.
"Millennials are drinking more wine than past generations. They really believe in local wines. Wine lends itself to stories and authenticity. And like the local food movement, local wine has the potential for growth."
The numbers back that up, he says, with domestic VQA wines growing faster than imported wines.
Wright says he wants to "help take the industry to the next level" in his role as president and CEO of Arterra. What form that takes, time will tell, but Wright says everything is on the table — from acquisitions to brand development. Even bringing back past brands that consumers loved (anyone remember Les Clos Jordanne?) isn't out of the question.
The only thing off-limits that Wright can see, is expansion (at least from a winery point of view) beyond the borders of Canada.
He's been down this road before, and it's been a long and winding road back.
A final word
There is no question that Arterra has in its vast stable of properties some of the finest winemakers in the country making extraordinary wines, owns some of the best and oldest vineyards in both Niagara and the Okanagan and sources other grapes from top growers in both provinces.
It is clearly one of the best Icewine producers in the world under the guidance of winemaker Bruce Nicholson at the historic Inniskillin winery in Niagara.
Award-winning and exciting VQA wines are made across the board at Arterra properties from Niagara to the Okanagan, from entry level to premium tiers.
At one time in its not-too-distant past, Arterra/Vincor/Constellation also had in its stable of wines two brands that every serious collector of Canadian wines wanted in their cellar — Le Clos Jordanne Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs from Niagara, and Osoyoos Larose, a beautiful, age-worthy Bordeaux-style red from the Okanagan. They were perfect bookends that represented the best of the best in Canada, from a company that proudly flew the Canadian flag and does so once again.
Osoyoos Larose is gone, sold back to its once partner in the joint venture, but Le Clos Jordanne still exists, at least the vineyards do, and it's hard for me to imagine that the brand can't rise again to its former glory.
Is anyone up to the challenge?
About Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan
The Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan is Canada's largest single-profession pension plan, with $171.4 billion in net assets at December 31, 2015. It holds a diverse global portfolio of assets, 80% of which is managed in-house, and has earned an annualized rate of return of 10.3% since the plan's founding in 1990. Ontario Teachers' is an independent organization headquartered in Toronto. Its Asia-Pacific region office is located in Hong Kong and its Europe, Middle East & Africa region office is in London. The defined-benefit plan, which is fully funded, invests and administers the pensions of the province of Ontario's 316,000 active members and retired teachers.
About Arterra Wines Canada
Arterra is the largest producer and marketer of wine and related products in Canada. The company's leading wine brands include Jackson-Triggs, Sawmill Creek and Inniskillin, maker of the world's leading Icewine. The company's products are produced at a family of estate wineries located in the provinces of British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick. These wineries are supported by a national distribution network and dedicated sales and marketing team. Arterra's wine brands are complemented by a variety of popular priced wines, wine kits (RJ Spagnols) and refreshment products.
In Canada, Arterra has a history that dates back to 1874. Formerly Constellations Brands and before that, Vincor Canada, its founding vision has been, and remains, to further the reputation and sales of Canadian wines in the premium, super-premium and ultra-premium categories, not simply at home but, as importantly, in the international marketplace. With an emphasis on quality grapes, the company has worked consistently to develop vineyards with the most sophisticated viticultural technologies, not to mention research capabilities.


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The day it happened, Wednesday, April 19, 1989, Raymond Santana, Jr., walked over to the Taft Houses in East Harlem to visit a friend. Raymond, whose family had moved to New York from Puerto Rico before he was born, lived with his father and grandmother in an apartment building on 119th Street, a few blocks north of the project, but he often hung out in the courtyard of the Taft Houses, where some of his friends lived. At fourteen, he was of average size — about five six and 130 pounds — with curly hair and small features. He was well liked at school, where his good sense of humor made him popular with girls. Even though there were always kids playing sports around the neighborhood, especially basketball and football in local school yards and the decrepit project courtyards, Raymond was more interested in drawing. He took art classes and spent a lot of his free time sketching.
As Raymond sat with his friend in the Taft courtyard that warm afternoon, a bunch of kids who lived there and in the surrounding buildings arrived. One of the boys in the group was Antron McCray, an exceptionally shy fifteen-year-old African-American from Harlem. Antron lived with his mother, Linda, and his stepfather, Bobby McCray, on 111th Street. He had adopted his stepfather's name at an early age and always considered Bobby his real father. The McCrays were devoted to their only son and were involved in his activities. Though he was a tiny five three and weighed only ninety-eight pounds, Antron was a good athlete and played shortstop on a neighborhood baseball team that his stepfather coached. They had gone to Puerto Rico together for an all-star tournament, a highlight of his Little League career. Antron was enrolled in a small public school program called Career Academy, where he enjoyed his social studies classes and got pretty good grades. Antron and Raymond had seen each other before, since they went to different schools housed within the same building, but didn't know each other well.
Over the next hour, the group in the Taft courtyard grew to about fifteen teenagers. Raymond and Antron joined them as they all began to wander south along Madison Avenue, then turned west onto 110th Street, heading toward Central Park. A block ahead, at the corner of the park, was an apartment complex called the Schomburg Plaza. The Schomburg is made up of two narrow thirty-five-story octagonal towers and, behind them, a large, squat, rectangular building. The two towers sit facing the northeast entrance to Central Park on a traffic circle centered at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and 110th Street. They are by far the tallest buildings in the vicinity and dominate, like sentinels, that corner of the park. Built in 1975 as a city development for middle-and low-income families, all three of the unsightly structures are constructed of beige concrete, with deep grooves running vertically like scars up and down the walls.
Yusef Salaam and Korey Wise, both African-Americans, lived in the northwest tower of the Schomburg Plaza complex. Yusef and Korey were good friends but could not have been more different. Yusef was skinny and tall, nearly six three, even at age fifteen. Korey, at sixteen, was only five five, and stockier. Yusef was a talented kid. He had been accepted at LaGuardia High School of Music and Art, a highly selective public school that requires the submission of an art portfolio for admission. Yusef, like Raymond Santana, had been drawing since he was five and was interested in jewelry making and wood sculpture. He also liked to take electronics apart to see how they worked and to try to put them back together. Korey, on the other hand, had had hearing problems from an early age and a learning disability that limited his achievement in school. He was in the ninth grade in April 1989, but his reading skills were nowhere near that level.
Yusef came from a strong family. His mother, a freelance fashion designer and part-time teacher at Parsons School of Design, raised three children on her own, and pushed them to succeed. Yusef was a practicing Muslim and followed the tenets of his religion closely. But he had been kicked out of LaGuardia when a knife was found in his locker. After his expulsion, Yusef switched schools several times; by April of 1989, his mother had placed him at Rice, a private Christian school in Harlem. She had also signed him up for the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, which paired him up with David Nocenti, an assistant U.S. attorney, with whom he'd been spending time for the past four years. Yusef, who was gregarious and laid-back, prided himself on having friends from all over the neighborhood.Continue reading the main story
Korey Wise was also raised by a single mother, Deloris, who was pregnant in April 1989, and he had three older brothers. Korey was a good friend to Yusef, fiercely loyal, and well liked. At that time, he was dating a girl named Lisa Williams, who lived with a foster family in the same Schomburg tower. But his childhood had been especially difficult. Korey had only recently moved back in with his mother in the Schomburg Plaza; before that, he'd been living in foster care, at a group home in the Bronx. He moved there, he said, because his brothers were "coming and going," and he needed a more stable environment, but Aminah Carroll, a director at the Catholic foster agency that monitored Korey's case, remembered a much more troubled household. Carroll suspected that Korey's hearing problems had resulted from physical abuse, and when she tried to get him treatment, his mother refused to sign the necessary paperwork. A few years earlier, Korey had been on a trip to an amusement park, where he was molested by a group leader.
At sixteen, Korey was a gentle, emotionally stunted boy, his problems amplified by his hearing loss. Carroll remembers his mother as being psychologically as well as physically abusive. Yusef, who knew Korey's family well, remembers Mrs. Wise as an outspoken and strong woman who attended church frequently, but not as someone who was abusive. Whatever the cause, Korey's development was severely delayed and his ability to comprehend his complicated and sometimes dangerous surroundings was woefully inadequate.
That afternoon, Yusef Salaam, Korey Wise, Korey's girlfriend, Lisa, and their friend Eddie were sitting on a bench near the entrance to Central Park. They were watching out for an older boy and his friends, who, they feared, were coming to start a fight. The young man wanted to date Eddie's sister, and Yusef and Korey were prepared to help Eddie fend him off. Korey, true to his loyal personality, had offered to fight the offender on Eddie's behalf. Eddie had taken a metal bar, at least a foot long, from Korey's apartment for protection, and it ended up in the pocket of Yusef's long coat. It was a solid piece of metal wrapped with black tape that was used in the Wise household to brace the apartment door against unwanted intruders.
As they headed back toward the Schomburg towers, Yusef noticed a large group of teenagers approaching along 110th Street from the other direction. He was certain it was the other kid and his gang coming back to fight, until he recognized a friend from his building, Al Morris. The group also included Raymond Santana, Antron McCray, and their friends from the Taft and other nearby housing projects.
Using Yusef's nickname, Al called out to him, "Yo, Kane!" and invited him to come hang out in the park. Yusef saw safety in numbers and joined them. He, in turn, invited Korey, who left Lisa behind and followed Yusef into the park. Still more Schomburg residents joined the crowd that was now headed into Central Park, including a fourteen-year-old African-American named Kevin Richardson.
Kevin lived with his mother, Gracie Cuffee, in the same Schomburg building as Yusef and Korey. Their small apartment was on the thirty-fourth floor of the tower, with a spectacular view of Central Park laid out below from the window. Kevin's parents had split up, but his four older sisters often visited. He was the baby of the family, the boy his mother had always wanted, and the women in his family doted on him and taught him to be polite and thoughtful. Kevin attended Jackie Robinson Junior High School on Madison Avenue at 106th Street, where he played the saxophone and participated in a hip-hop dance troupe called Show Stoppers.
Kevin had started playing football while living in Virginia for a few months when he was twelve, and he had dreams of making the team at Syracuse University. He was quiet and respectful at school and his teachers remembered him as having a good moral compass, though his grades showed that he was having trouble keeping up in class. Kevin looked young for his age, with a round baby face and large features. Kevin recognized Yusef and Korey from the building, but didn't know them well.
As the group, including Kevin Richardson, Korey Wise, Yusef Salaam, Antron McCray, and Raymond Santana, congregated at the northeast entrance to Central Park in the darkening twilight, Raymond counted thirty-three boys.
That same day, Patricia Ellen Meili woke up early, as she always did, so she could be at her office by 7:30 a.m. Trisha, as she was known to her family and friends, often worked long days at the office. She was employed at Salomon Brothers, an investment bank in downtown Manhattan, as a vice president in the Corporate Finance Division. She had been at Salomon since moving to New York after finishing business school at Yale. At five o'clock, Meili decided that she would have to call off her dinner plans because she still had too much to do at the office that evening. She phoned her friend Michael Allen to cancel.
A few hours later, her colleague and former roommate Pat Garrett popped his head over from the adjacent cubicle. He wanted to know about the stereo system Meili had just gotten for her new apartment.
"Why not come over and take a look at it?" she said.
"Sure," he replied.
"Come around ten. That'll give me time to go for a run before you get there." They made a plan to meet at 10:00 p.m. and Meili went home to her apartment on East Eighty-third Street, near York Avenue, where she lived alone. At ten minutes to nine, with the sky already dark, Meili left for her run, wearing black leggings, a long-sleeved white T-shirt over her sports bra, Saucony running shoes, and an AM/FM radio headset. Her keys were in a small Velcro pouch attached to one of her sneakers. She also wore a delicate gold ring in the shape of a bow.
On her way down the stairs from her apartment, she bumped into her neighbor James Lansing, who was on his way back from the gym. They chatted for a few minutes about jogging in the park, and then Meili left the building at five minutes to nine. She headed for Central Park.
The year 1989 had begun with New Yorkers still in shock over the news of a terrorist attack. A bomb smuggled into the luggage hold of Pan Am Flight 103 had detonated as the plane flew over Lockerbie, Scotland, on December 21, 1988. The 747 had been on its way from London Heathrow to New York's JFK Airport, and all 259 people aboard, as well as eleven on the ground, were killed when the plane exploded in midair. It was clear from newspaper articles on January 1, 1989, which included obituaries for some of the victims, that people were still trying to piece together what had happened. Many of the passengers on the flight had been New Yorkers heading home.
The New York they were returning to that winter little resembled the prosperous, vibrant metropolis it had once been. Despite the charms that still made it the place of dreams for many, life in the city had become for others a nightmare that recalled the terrifying, gritty, crime-infested, and corrupt Gotham City of comic books. Over the past decades, New York City had experienced a staggering decline and had reached a low point in its history, with soaring crime rates, which no one had ever seen before or could have imagined just a few decades earlier. It was a place people wished they could leave, and in which today's relative wealth and safety seemed an inconceivable pipe dream.
In Harlem, where Antron, Raymond, Yusef, Kevin, and Korey lived, the streets were filled with thousands of abandoned and burned-out buildings. Bankruptcy for the city had been averted in the seventies, but funding for many services, especially those most valued by residents of poor neighborhoods, had been severely cut or eliminated. Fire stations, libraries, and rehab clinics had been shuttered. After-school programs disappeared and park maintenance faltered. Graffiti covered the subways and buildings throughout Harlem and other parts of the city. Empty lots became repositories for debris and garbage. New Yorkers, especially the poorest among them, mostly African-Americans and Latinos, were desperately in need of services and protection, but the city lacked the resources to fight the increasing challenges that its ghettos faced.
Citywide, muggings were regular events, and no one felt immune. Cars were broken into with startling regularity, often for prizes as minor as a shirt fresh from the dry cleaner's hanging inside the window. Falling asleep on the subway could mean waking up and finding that your pants pockets had been slashed with a box cutter and the contents removed by "lush workers," master pickpockets who preyed especially on drunks. Apartment doors were double-, triple-, and quadruple-bolted, and the "police lock," a piece of steel several feet long that was wedged diagonally between a lock on the inside of the door and a brace on the floor, was a standard protective measure.
Residents had become desensitized to the indignities of city life. When commuters in the Times Square subway station walked down to wait for their train one day, they found a man, stark naked, passed out on the platform. Most simply stepped over him and on to the express train. One woman covered him up with a shopping bag from Saks Fifth Avenue. When a TV producer sitting on the subway realized that a woman near her on the train was relieving herself, the woman could only shrug hopelessly at another passenger across the aisle.
The subways could also be terrifying. One Brooklyn woman was approached on the train by a brazen group of young men who spit into their palms for lubrication before trying to pull the rings from her fingers.
Women especially feared the subways during the winter of 1989, where, among other dangers, a man was on the loose, attacking and dragging women into the endless miles of tunnels beneath the city and then raping, sodomizing, and robbing them. A flyer handed out by the transit police advised women to travel with others and remain close to the token booths while in the stations.
Continues...Continue reading the main story

subset: commoncrawl


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Keeping the house clean without the help of a vacuum cleaner is impossible, these devices being able to effectively suck all the dirt and debris that lays on the floors and carpets. This makes them mandatory in all homes. Unfortunately, older models weren't very Eco-friendly, consuming a lot of energy and being produced without the good of the environment in mind. If you want to find out which are the top 3 Eco-friendly vacuum cleaners out there to be able to keep your home clean without hurting the environment, read the following lines.
3. Soniclean GU-0250 Galaxy upright vacuum cleaner
Seeded at number 3 on our list is the Soniclean GU-0250 Galaxy upright vacuum cleaner. With a price tag of around $350, this powerful vacuum cleaner is able to clean your home while managing to be Eco-friendly as well. What makes it a great choice to go with if you want an environmentally friendly vacuum is the fact that it uses sonic cleaning technology. The sonic bar that it features is located behind the brush roll, and it produces around 200 vibrations per second of pure sonic cleaning power. Also, it uses an innovative air "paramagnetic" motor that uses about 50% less energy than most vacuum cleaners. This makes it incredibly efficient when it comes to energy consumption.
2. bObi robotic vacuum cleaner
For the price of $750, you can vacuum the floors and carpets to perfection with the bObi robotic vacuum cleaner. The best part is that you won't have to do anything at all, the robotic vacuum cleaner being able to do this chore on its own. Besides effectively vacuuming the floors and carpets, this device simultaneously sweeps, mops, purifies the air, and UV sterilizes to make your home safer than ever. By handling so many tasks at once, it helps save a lot of energy. It allows you to set a cleaning schedule, making it possible to arrive home and find the floors already vacuumed. It features a washable dustbin. In addition, it's very quiet when it operates.
1. Neato Botvac 75 robotic vacuum cleaner
By far, the best Eco-friendly vacuum cleaner on the market is the Neato Botvac 75 robotic vacuum cleaner. It comes at the price of $1000, its impressive capabilities making it worth every penny. It is able to save a lot of time and energy while operating due to the fact that it uses smart laser navigation and path planning. Therefore, it will find the shortest and most effective route to clean the floors and carpets. Unlike other robotic vacuum cleaners out there, this model is extremely powerful, ensuring that it will vacuum debris and dirt of any size. You can schedule it to start vacuuming at a certain hour every day. In addition, when it senses that it's running out of power, it returns to the charging station on its own, returning to its operation once the battery is fully charged.


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The Buzz
CNN: GOP is getting jittery over Kansas, Roberts
CNN's John King is reporting that with control of the U.S. Senate on the line, leading Republicans are growing increasingly nervous about the campaign of incumbent Pat Roberts in Kansas.
The post-primary assumption that Kansas is a lock for Roberts may not be the case.
From King's report:
A number of top Republican strategists who have seen the latest research say (Kansas for Roberts) it is now hardly a sure thing.
These strategists are furious with Roberts personally, and even more so with a campaign team they say has not risen to the challenge.
So there is mounting pressure on the other Kansas senator, Jerry Moran, who just happens to lead the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
I'm told leading GOP voices are pushing the NRSC to get more aggressive, including pushing for a shakeup in the Roberts campaign team.
And in the GOP super PAC community, there are conversations that it might become necessary to spend money in a state that no one thought would be -- or should be -- on a 2014 list of potential Democratic pickups.


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Santa Claus in SVG format.
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A basic chatbot isn't that hard to build. In JavaScript, write a public REST endpoint to connect a Facebook page to some chat logic (botly is a popular option) and deploy the whole thing to run on a cloud platform.
Zoom out to the bigger picture, though, and you see that Facebook is just one channel. If you use Skype, Slack, Kik, and digital voice assistants, you'll have to build six or eight of these endpoints straight away. And chatbots are being asked to handle ever more complex responses, so you better build on a platform of machine learning and natural language processing to keep up.
That's why the question enterprise developers should be asking is not "Which chatbot service do I start with?" but "Which platform will let me crank out a chatbot today and also support multiple channels and integrate with back-end systems as these chatbots take off?"


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Here is my response to being called an uncle tom by liberals. Enjoy!
Here is my response to being called an uncle tom by liberals. Enjoy!
Very well said, I wonder if any of your libs have ever read the book?
Beautiful and TRUE. Bless you Stacy – Keep Talking.
Thank you Stacy for your unique and relevant presentation.
Hi Stacy, just want to let you know how I enjoy your message. You are a strong courageous patriotic woman of God. Keep up the great work!
"… I know I have won the debate!" Nailed it! When they don't have actual reasoning for their position, they've got to attack, when they can't even come up with a decent attack, they've got to insult, and when they are feeling scared and exposed, they've got to dig down to the bottom of the insult barrel for something as stupid as that – and you know you've won.They might as well wave the white flag of surrender.
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There are many components that go into a winning strategy. As we follow the season all the way to the Super Bowl, we've watched the NY Giants and New England Patriots come together at the right time with all the right ingredients to get it done. They have prepared and know their plays, but now it's time to execute.
When the offense takes the field, the Quarterback is the one under all the pressure, as he runs plays that require him to make multiple micro-second decisions. Is the wide-out really open down the side line, or is the safety laying off to try and draw an ill-timed throw that can easily turn into a pick-6? And is the mismatch between the tight-end barreling over the middle and the line-backer trying to keep up with him going to go our way?
While we all love the heroic moments when the QB makes that once-in-a-lifetime pass, the reality is that football is about 90% hard work and 10% magic. If he gets creative or tries too much, his ability to execute can be challenged and interceptions will be abound - just ask Mark Sanchez and the Jets. The same applies to your product teams. Sure, they sometime introduce a feature that blows your mind, but the real money is made by combining genius ideas with reliable, solid development work. Just look at the iPhone or the iPad: 10% magic and 90% solid technology.
Have a Roadmap
Innovation is certainly about creativity, but almost as important as the ideas you execute on are the ideas that you don't. It's about harnessing the creativity that brought the group of innovators together in the first place, and driving it towards a goal. Documenting that in a road map will help you to articulate your goals and when you plan to deliver them. It also serves as an internal plan to focus your resources on the goal at hand.
Bringing it back to the Big Game, innovation is the ability to keep a team's creativity focused. Being creative is one thing but adding ideas while staying focused is equally important. If your Quarterback audibles the play every time, the team will be in chaos. Just look at all the great leaders that promise to change the world but never deliver, those that have a solid plan know what they can promise and will live up to the expectations.
Don't Be Scared to Commit - Be Transparent?
When it comes to the Big Game, a good Quarterback has had enough experience to know how to stick to the game plan. You need to translate that into your business. We know it is not easy to commit to a year long product roadmap while the environment is changing along the way. Just practice transparency and share exactly this with your customers and partners. Show what is committed and what is still being discovered so clear expectations are set but creativity lives on.
Read the whole story: Championships start with Strategy.
More Success Stories
Contact usNorth America1575 Harbor BlvdWeehawken, NJ 07086-6894EuropePoststr. 126122 Oldenburg, GermanyCopyright ©2017ifridge & CompanyAll rights reserved.Privacy policy & CookiesImprint
For us, it's all about building great companies. We are motivated by groundbreaking ideas and passionate people who have the courage to turn their vision into reality.
As a global team of entrepreneurs, we draw from our extensive experience in turning brilliant ideas into revenue in a wide range of disciplines. We have been in your position of building or running a business many times, which has led to a deep rooted passion for blending the strategic and operational aspects of building a company. We view ourselves as team members to the entrepreneurs we serve.
Your courage to start a company earns our respect, and we enjoy getting to know you. We always work directly with you, and to us, the structure of your business is less important than your vision and the people on your team. Ideally, you have had some initial success and want your organization to take the next step. We typically work with companies smaller than 100 people and where the founder is still involved.
Building and growing a business is one of the most exciting times in your life. We have done it, and we know that each step in the growth process comes with great new opportunities as well as a few challenges. Our engagement with you could range from being your mentor all the way to serving as your right hand person covering a full set of services from go-to-market, to innovation, to operations, all with strategy at the core.
We believe great ideas should be supported. If your vision is strong but the time isn't right, we'll buy you coffee and discuss your dream. Once the time is right, we're sure you'll remember that coffee. Depending on the relationship, we can be flexible on compensation, which can range from all cash to all equity, or somewhere in between. In the end, we're entrepreneurs too, and want to see you succeed.
Building market momentum for the next generation
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KIRUMA: Illuminated Kirigami Lamp of a Castle in the Sky
Inspired by Professor Masahiro Chatani, the originator of this origamic architecure art, I employed the use of stark white paper & acrylic as the main identity of KIRUMA, which to borrow Professor Chatani's words, emphasizes the shadowing effects of the cuts and folds under natural lighting environment to create a "dreamy scene" that invites the viewer into a "fantasy world."
* The outer pattern design above is from an early prototype, the final product will have different pattern design, please refer to other images on this page.
All KIRUMA rewards will be shipped internationally via registered article with tracking number. Estimated shipping time differs for every country, but roughly it should take 2-4 weeks time.
Since every country has its own regulation when it comes to importing taxes, any kind of tax/duty is backers' responsibility. Please check with your local custom offices to avoid any potential confusion regarding this matter.
Risks and challenges
A significant part of the production processes is going to be handled in-house, by myself with some help under my direct supervision. So, there is no need for any overseas manufacturing involved since everything can be done locally, which should simplify the whole production process and keeping things more predictable.
With more than 3 years of experience in delivering laser craft products, I have already anticipated potential issues that might come, and have multiple alternative solutions ready at hand should there comes any unforeseen circumstance. At this point, the only thing uncertain is timing, due to the partly handmade nature of the product, there might be a slight delay for some late backers.Learn about accountability on Kickstarter
Funding period
- (33 days)


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* Growth of both permanent and temporary appointments strengthens in April
* Strongest rise in permanent salaries since May 2012
* Permanent placements increase at fastest rate in Glasgow; temp billings rise at strongest pace in Dundee and Glasgow
* Strongest rise in permanent salaries since May 2012
* Permanent placements increase at fastest rate in Glasgow; temp billings rise at strongest pace in Dundee and Glasgow
The latest Bank of Scotland Report on Jobs signalled the strongest increase in permanent appointments for a year during April.
Temp billings also grew at a faster rate, reaching a three-month high. Scottish recruiters largely linked the marked rise in permanent placements to greater client demand and a more buoyant labour market, and contributed to a further deterioration in candidate availability.
Concurrently, average pay continued to increase in April, with permanent staff seeing the strongest rise in salaries since May 2012.
The Bank of Scotland Labour Market Barometer – a composite indicator designed to provide a single figure snapshot of labour market conditions – posted 54.0 in April, suggesting a solid improvement in Scottish job market conditions. The Barometer, up from 53.0 in March, was the highest in 2013 to date and remained above the equivalent index for the UK.
Bank of Scotland chief economist Donald MacRae (pictured above) commented: "April's Barometer rose for the second month in a row to the highest level of 2013. Both the number of people placed into permanent and temporary jobs rose while vacancies increased in the month. Salaries for permanent jobs showed the strongest rise since May 2012. These results provide further evidence for the Scottish economy beginning to demonstrate a more robust recovery."


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Imagine you could ride in the all important horse race as 'Dinny' Lane on Benbecula, and try to win for the Castle Gillian racing stable.
Well, you are going to be able to do this in a world-first, 3-D interactive, horse-race game based on the track layout at Listowel.
And if you win the race, you'll get access to a special area on this web site with loads of special features that the non-winners will be unable to access. But don't worry too much, if you lose, you can always start the race over and try again to be first past the post!
Whilst we're busy building this online feature of our new Musical, you can swot up on horse-racing terms and all the elements that go into preparing a horse for race day. You can check out some preliminary horse-racing lore and race-going facts we have put together at our Irish Horse Racing page.
The more you know about race terms and strategy, the more likely you will be able to bring Dinny on Benbecula over the line in first-place!
In the interim, here is a short video to demonstrate the type of 3-D game experience we are designing. This example is very low quality and from the POV of the racegoers. In our game, the POV will be from the perspective of our jockey, Dinny Lane.
Stay tuned.


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Hendrick Boards Skateboarding
With a Mission to Save Animals
Every purchase saves animals around the nation!
The Hendrick Boards story began in 2011, when David Hendrickson, volunteering at a local animal shelter, saw a 5-pound chi-mix carried into the shelter. The puppy had been poisoned via his mother's milk after she had ingested household chemicals. William, as the pup would later be called, was not expected to live past a few months. Hearing this, David started the adoption process that same day and eventually nursed William back to health.
Inseparable, David and William are often found skateboarding along the beaches of Orange County.
Hendrick Boards Skateboarding with a Mission
Combining his love of art and skateboarding with his passion for animals, David founded Hendrick Boards and created collections of skateboards and apparel to give back to animal shelters and pet adoption programs across the nation – helping animals, like William, find loving homes.
The Hendrick Boards' vision is:
"to see a world where every animal has a loving, caring and respectful environment."
The Hendrick Boards' mission is:
"to create innovative ways to connect consumers with local animal causes, while building awareness, increasing funding and enhancing engagement."
Today, with every purchase one makes with Hendrick Boards, 20% to 40% of the purchase price goes to animal shelters and rescues throughout the nation. For every $10 raised, together they can feed a large shelter animal for an entire month. For every $50, they can take a stray animal off the streets and into a loving home.
About Hendrick Boards:
Hendrick Boards are eco-friendly, handcrafted maple and bamboo skateboard decks. Hendrick Boards offer other products too, such as unique apparel – "for anyone who likes to stand out and make a statement." Based in Orange County, California, Hendrick Boards
"seeks to showcase and build the culture and lifestyle that skateboarding inspires while ensuring the protection of the environment and helping to safeguard the welfare of pets and animals through each and every purchase."
Longboard decks are crafted from bamboo, making every board purchase better for you and our planet. Eco-friendly, handmade paints and stains made from coffee grounds are applied directly to the deck, revealing the natural wood grain, which gives Hendrick Boards its signature look. Deck designs are painted on the top side of the deck and supplied clear grip tape allow for the artwork and wood to be revealed, a unique feature of every Hendrick longboard.
Hendrick Boards' apparel designs are made from eco-friendly, water-based paints; accessories, such as the Hendrick line of bracelets and necklaces, are constructed of natural materials including hemp and bamboo beads.
Hendrick Boards Skateboarding with a Mission
How it Works:
An estimated 10 million cats and dogs enter animal shelters every year. Half never make it out. Hendrick Boards aims to make a small, yet important, difference for shelter animals everywhere. Through a national network of local shelters and pet rescues, skateboard enthusiasts, pet owners, and cause-oriented consumers, Hendrick Boards has developed tools to build awareness of animal causes and enhance engagement with audiences, all while creating a new fundraising mechanism to support the work of local animal nonprofits.
Making a difference can be as simple as purchasing a tee-shirt. Customers can purchase any product at Hendrick Boards to make a donation to local animal nonprofits. And, Hendrick Boards have created the "Square It" initiative: every two weeks, they offer a limited-edition product with twice the donations. Purchase their products to make a difference.
Every purchase saves animals around the nation! Do your part while getting quality unique products at Hendrick Boards.
"Hendrick Boards Skateboarding with a Mission"
I hope you have enjoyed "Hendrick Boards, Skateboards with a Mission to Save Animals Nationally."
** Leave a comment below and remember to share. **
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Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog. I appreciate you!
DISCLOSURE: Animal Bliss is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
(In other words, we'll get a very small (teeny tiny) commission from purchases made through links on this website.)
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Thank you!
Jeanne Melanson
Latest posts by Jeanne Melanson (see all)
- Get Pet Insurance When Traveling With or Without Your Pet - November 11, 2019
- Our Symphony With Animals, Book by Dr. Aysha Akhtar - October 30, 2019
- Therapy Dog Surfs With Triple-Amputee Veteran, Healing Power of Dogs - October 29, 2019


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Much better than the Swedish fish.


text: The Trust's doctors and nurses provide amazing care for cancer patients at the Lister, but they need volunteers to help support cancer patients and their families through tough times. The new Lister Macmillan Cancer Centre, which is set to open in June 2014, will be the new home for the hospital's existing Macmillan Information and Support Centre. This is a service where cancer patients and their families can go for information, practical advice and emotional support about cancer – and the centre needs more volunteers.


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THEY'RE a breeding ground for wild behaviour, sexual assaults, violence and underage drinking - and they're as tough to control as your average 16-year-old.
In the events known as "bush doofs", hundreds of drunken teens descend on a vacant property for a night of thumping music, dancing and wild partying. Riot police were called in to shut down the most recent illegal parties.
Highly organised, experienced party planners go to great lengths to keep the events under wraps. Details of the parties are posted on Facebook for only 15 minutes to prevent authorities tracking down the location. The invite list is compiled by word of mouth. A $15 fee covers entry and other set-up costs.
The most recent bush doof at Kellyville was shut down by the riot squad a week ago on Saturday night when hundreds of drunken teenagers were caught trespassing on a property owned by Sami Fahd.
The week before, out-of-control partiers stormed through Wentworthville, overturning cars and causing thousands of dollars worth of damage. Three people were arrested.
Inspector Helen Dean of The Hills local area command in northwest Sydney, where the bulk of the parties are held, said: "Anything on Facebook for us is a nightmare because it is so far reaching.
"We are always worried something like this could get out of control, innocent people could get hurt and properties could be damaged. I appreciate they are kids who want to hang out and have a good time but we know what can go wrong."
Organisers refer to the events as "round" parties, an apparent taunt to authority to imply they are recurring, much like a boxing match.
The bush doof at Kellyville was "round 7".
Police received a tip-off about the Kellyville party on the morning it was due to take place, prompting them to turn to Facebook to obtain intelligence as the address was due to be uploaded at 3pm.
"We logged on to Facebook, made a few inquiries which led us to two Facebook pages which allowed us to monitor their updates in relation to the location," Insp Dean said.
By 3.15pm the officers were standing at the location. The bush doof on Glenhaven Rd, Kellyville, was shut down before it got started last Saturday. Insp Dean said they remain on alert for "round 8".
"What appalled me was parents dropping their children off. They were turning up with a car load of 16-year-olds and I would say to mum or dad, 'do you know whose party this is?' and they said 'no'. I don't know what goes through their heads."
Police believe one of the organisers of the Wentworthville party was also behind the failed Kellyville event.
"We have seen photos of him at both," said Acting Commander at The Hills district, Superintendent Gary Bailey. "In terms of charges, we are looking at least at trespassing on a house they didn't have permission to use. They are underage."
In Kellyville last week, the owner of the property could only stand by helplessly and watch as car loads of teenagers turned up to his newly built home which he is now considering selling.
"We had no idea. No idea," said the father of four who did not wish to be named. "I picture what could have happened to our home, which we have almost finished building.
"The thought of thousands of young guys having that address and a description of the property is scary.
"I am a tough man but my wife can't imagine herself going to that property now.
"My son and I arrived at the property at 7.35pm and there were police and riot squads in large numbers," he said.
The distressed owner said police have since established that two 17-year-old boys working as apprentice plumbers on the rural property had organised the party.
However, policing the new trend is difficult as addresses are spread on social media.
On April 27 at 10.50am, Nathan Duval posted "Round 7. Hecktik keen". He then announced the address and told his hundreds of Facebook friends that the entry fee was $5 if they arrived before 8.
Kamran Mohammed Safavi, who attended "round 7", is claiming to be organising "round 8".
"Host of Round 8 - with Joseph Makhlouf."


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Vancouver man crowd-sourced his chance to be a father
Nick Beaulieu and his wife Deb will soon be attempting to have their first child through in vitro fertilization — paid for by family, friends and a few complete strangers.
It started in February when Nick, who works in information technology in Vancouver, decided to raise money for the costly treatment through a U.S.-based fundraising website called gofundeme.com. He'd seen other couples like him and his wife asking for help on the site so he posted his story which describes how a benign tumour on this pituitary gland has reduced his sperm quality.
"I don't think people realize how common it is. And it's apparently getting worse. Our generation has a higher incidence of infertility, especially with people waiting and not realizing that when you wait until you're older, it's a lot more difficult," Nick told me in a phone conversation.
The Beaulieus initially thought they'd raised the $7,000 they needed a month ago, but have since found out that it will cost $8,500 for one round of IVF because of specialized techniques required to give them the best chance of success. They're just shy of the total needed, but have started the process already with Deb taking the large doses of hormones required to produce extra eggs during monthly ovulation.
They've been trying to have a family for seven years and looked at other less invasive treatments before deciding to try IVF while they are still young enough to have decent chances. They're both 32 so that boosts the probability of having a live birth following a single round of IVF to 38 per cent, according to 2010 figures from the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society. Fertility clinics often list higher pregnancy rates in their literature.
A little more than a week from now, Nick and Deb are scheduled to go through the process of having eggs and sperm retrieved from their bodies, then the eggs fertilized in a lab. A couple of days later, an embryo will be placed in Deb's uterus and the hoping for a healthy baby will begin.
He knows it's not a sure bet and sounds slightly overwhelmed by it all.
"All we really wanted to do is have this one shot. I'm not going ask for people to keep donating money until we're successful. I'm taking this one chance and we'll go from there."
Nick says the whole experience has taught him that people are much more familiar with female infertility issues even though male infertility accounts for half of the problem.
The Infertility Awareness Association of Canada says 40 per cent of infertility can be traced to women, 40 per cent to men and 20 per cent remains unexplained. The association issued a special Father's Day message this week urging men to not ignore infertility and seek treatment before it's too late.
They're distributing a poster, too, with some facts and myths about male fertility such as:
Smoking can reduce fertility by as much as 30 percent in men.
Strenuous bicycle riding and excessive heat, such as hot tubs and laptops, can affect fertility.
A man's age does not affect childbearing. False: Waiting until after age forty can affect the child's health outcome.
Daily intercourse is recommended to increase the chance of conception. False: Intercourse every other day around the time of ovulation should allow for optimal sperm counts.
Read a recent feature story I wrote about assisted reproductive technologies and how it still can't beat the biological clock.


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Fort Mill Times
Springs Close Foundation shifts focus to emergency needs
The Springs Close Foundation is changing its focus.
Traditionally the foundation has provided funding to qualified nonprofit organizations that focus on recreation, the environment, education, community service and health.
But as unemployment rates climb and the economic crisis continues, organizers announced Monday it will begin to accept grant requests from nonprofit groups that help local residents with basic and emergency needssuch as shelter, food and medical assistance.
"Everything is focused on these emergency needs right now," Foundation President Angie McCrae said. "It was a well-thought out decision, not a hard decision because this is what needs to be done. I'm very proud of the board of directors for making this decision."
The foundation also is changing its grant process to allow nonprofit organizations to apply for funding throughout the year, instead of just twice a year as they have done previously.
The Springs Close Foundation serves Chester and Lancaster counties and a portion of York County. It has operated for more than 65 years and contributed nearly $100 million to charities and nonprofit programs in theregion.
The Fort Mill Care Center will continue to receive money from the foundation because it meets the foundation's new criteria on assisting residents with basic needs, but the flexibility in applying for additional funds will be helpful, said Care Center President Judy Smith. The Care Center operates strictly on donations, so officials there don't know from week-to-week whether they will have enough food and money to hand out to families in need.
"Today we are OK. Tomorrow, we don't know. [The flexibility] definitely would help us ," Smith said. "We've already had four or five new clients just today. Most days, we are getting four or five new families. ...The economy has really been hitting us."
McCrae said she expects the majority of grant requests to come from Lancaster and Chester counties, where unemployment figures are soaring above 15 percent. York County's latest unemployment rate is 12.7, according to the S.C. Employment Security Commission.
"We're going to be working with all kinds of groups, but we don't want to leave Fort Mill out because there are poor people in Fort Mill," McCrea said. "They are hurting because they lost their jobs. They don't have any way of gettingmedical care or food for their families." The Springs Close Foundation will honor all existing grants through 2009, McCrae said, including grants to the Fort Mill School District for continuing education programs. At the end of the year, however, those grants will be suspended until the foundation's board decides to go back to their traditional requirements.
For more information on applying for funds through the Springs Close Foundation, call McCrae at 547-2002.


text: Maternity: Brianna - Lakeland, FL April 20, 2013 in Maternity This is the lovely Brianna - expecting her first baby next month! She's such a gorgeous glowing mama. Take a peek at these photos I had so much fun shooting with her! And scroll down to see some photos in water. :D


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In Memoriam Mark Bryce
3rd April 2017.
"Sometimes relationships draw to a natural end, but there was nothing natural about this. Fully expecting to see you on Monday morning, making your morning drink, getting ready to conquer the challenges of the day, reality is yet to fully sink in that you are no longer with us.
I remember when we first met - your interview - it was your professional demeanour and the confidence with which you carried yourself that made you stand out, and it was also that I could tell you were a very nice guy. Nearly three years later, you've become such an asset to the team, though you are also much more than that.
You grew as the company grew, always willing to go a step further to finish that task, close that deal or solve that problem. You were more than committed to your job, you owned the role. It was clear to see how much pride you took in being part of the team and doing your part.
Your friendly, gentle nature, and sensitivity was warming and influential. You embodied the culture - one of teamwork, unity, and integrity. Thank you Mark for your impact on our business. I was so very much looking forward to planning how we were going to create more successes with you and the key business relationships you had created. You had passed your driving test just a few weeks ago, a fantastic accomplishment given that you had to balance that over the course of several months during a key growth period in the business. Massive congratulations were in order. I'm glad I was able to share a pint with you to celebrate. Such is my competitive nature though that I wasn't willing to let you win at pool to make your day even sweeter!
As I said though, you are much more than that. Thank you for your friendship. Thank you for helping to shape me as a person, through our interactions both inside and outside of the workplace. I will miss not hearing your 'geordie not geordie' accent, your sense of humour, and just generally sharing our thoughts and ideas with each other, as we work towards our common goals.
You have left a 'Mark Bryce' shaped hole not only in Satsecure, but our lives. But thank you so much for having been here in our lives for the time that you were, for we will always remember that. I know the rest of us at Satsecure will miss you dearly and join me in voicing our gratitude to your positive impact in both our professional and personal lives.
My prayers are with all those who share in the mourning and grieving of our friend, and also son, and brother. Rest in peace Mark."
-Andy Lee


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Bringing a Group to our Spring or Summer Programs
Our Cambridge residential programs help prepare your students for the future. By bringing a group of students you can enable them to enjoy the same high class academia and international experience at a substantial discount. We pride ourselves on ensuring that accompanying teachers also get a taste of all that Cambridge has to offer – both students and teachers leave our courses enriched!
Each of your students will be able to pick the academic course of their choice, which they will attend with other international students; they don't have to all choose the same subject. We offer a wide range of subject courses in the Sciences, Humanities and Arts, ranging from Biotechnology and Physics to International History and English Literature. Our teachers are researchers and academics from top Universities, or practising Professionals (such as lawyers, medics etc), and many of them return to us year on year thanks to excellent student feedback. For further details on all of our courses please visit our courses page.
Your group will live and learn in the beautiful University City of Cambridge: staying in college accommodation or our recently-refurbished central Cambridge venue and enjoying the town's history, culture and leisure spots.
As well as making the most of Cambridge, our programs also allow students and teachers to experience the best of the UK: each program includes an excursion to London as well as the opportunity to visit other places of cultural and historical significance such as Stratford-upon-Avon and Oxford.
The health and safety of all of our students is the number one priority at Reach Cambridge. Our dedicated senior staff team and supervisors will reside on-site, working closely with the accompanying teachers to ensure the students are settled into the program, and always on-hand to answer any queries that students or teachers may have.
We have vast experience of hosting school groups from all over the world on our programs – from Canada to Indonesia, and India to Singapore. Wherever your school is based, our programs will provide an unforgettable university experience!
To receive further details or to book your group onto one of our programs, please email us.
The staff, the teachers and the whole experience made my stay here in the UK an unforgettable one. I wish this trip didn't end and I hope I have an opportunity to come back here again!
My Reach Cambridge experience was a fun way to help me learn beyond our school syllabus, with hands-on application and extremely caring and friendly staff to help guide us all along.
Reach offers an amazing experience for any one who joins it. You'll leave the place smarter and happier.
The Reach Cambridge experience was amazing, with fun facilitators and engaging lessons; it's an unforgettable experience!
It was one of the best things I have ever experienced, I've learnt so much.
The program was well-planned and included a good range of classes and extra curricular activities. The Reach staff are extremely friendly and approachable, and Reach Hall is comfortable and cozy. I've thoroughly enjoyed my experience with Reach Cambridge.
It was a wonderful experience – the rooms are cozy and comfortable, and the staff are friendly and helpful! It was really like a home away from home.
The experience has been one to remember. I felt very comfortable and happy, thanks to the lovely Reach staff. I learned so much more than I could have imagined.


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Various Artists - Read Army Faction
Indie 7" vinyl (Turquiose Vinyl)
No Idea Records / AK Press (2000)
I paid $3 for this record.
Buy locally
I have not reviewed my copy of this record yet.
1: Springtime Hot Water Music
2: Suspicious Minds Avail
3: Trouble in the Sky Discount
4: The Ringing of Revolution The Weakerthans
Last updated: 12/18/2011
90 viewscomments powered by Disqus


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(14th-34th; East of 6th) **UNDER CONSTRUCTION** Bars without descriptions have reviews coming. They are still in geographic order.
Corkbuzz: Wine Bar. 13 E 13th @ University-5th Av; 24/21/E; http://www.corkbuzz.com/; Wildly popular with rave reviews; Very nice selection of rare and top notch wines; Food is outstanding – especially the Pork belly; Gets mobbed on Saturday nights; Ideal starter place and perfect for a lite dinner and great wine. Have wine classes.
Park Bar: Lounge. 15 E 15th @ 5th; 23/20/M; Upscale atmosphere; late 20s-30s; Date place/ pre-dinner drinks; Comfortable places to sit, though small overall and gets crowded; Mature crowd; Well made cocktails. Pre or post dinner date spot. Large windows, welcoming feel. Late afternoon cocktails.
SideBAR: 118 E 15th @ Irving;
Little Town: 118 E 15th @ Irving;
Revival: Dive Bar. 129 E 15th St @ Irving-3rd Av; 19/17/M; www.revivalbarnyc.com/; Garden in back; Private parties; Happy Hour 4-8pm weekdays; Punk Rock Tuesdays; Couch surfer Thursdays – Int'l folks who look for a place to crash! Great beers on tap. Upstairs area to chill. Cheap drinks for area.
Raines Law Room: Speakeasy. 48 W 17th (downstairs) @ 5th-6th Av; 27/26/E; www.raineslawroom.com; Mixologist heaven; Classy scene; Orient Express décor; Chains on wall to summon staff; Great way to impress a date; Just cool as hell; Open 5pm-3am, opens 7pm Sunday. If in the area, start here with a cocktail. Rave reviews from all sources.
Rye House: Liquor Bar. 11 W 17th @ 5th-6th; 24/24/E; http://ryehousenyc.com/; Large, clean space; Attentive, professional bartenders with knowledge of their craft; Special cocktails for about $12; Just a massive list of bourbons, ryes, rums, scotches and more; More of a pub feel than a lounge.
Lillie's: Irish Pub. 13 E 17th @ B-Way-5th Av; 23/23/M; www.lilliesnyc.com; Gorgeous Victorian inspired décor; Lots of fun as well; Super friendly bartenders; Lots of effort here; Huge space – best times at the bar; Has a huge menu and brunch, desserts, bar food served. One word – impressive.
Cibar: Martini bar. 56 Irving @ 17-18th; 22/21/E; www.cibarlounge.com/; Trendy and cool. Date place / sophisticated spot; Sexy crowd; Professionals with cash; DJ sometimes; Fireplace, and outdoor area in summer; Romantic – formula works here. Plush couches. Order a martini here.
Dear Irving: 55 Irving @ 17th-18th;
Triona's on Third: Sports Bar. 192 3rd Av @ 17th-18th; 20/16/M; http://trionasnyc.com/home/third-ave/welcome/; Great Irish bartenders; Multiple TVs (13); Great specials, dart boards, decent food; Huge burgers & top Shepherd's Pie; $10 pitchers Bud light daily from noon-7pm; Have all sports packages. Beer pong; Darts; Fun spot.
Old Town: Pub. 45 E 18th @ Park S-BWay; 20/21/M; www.oldtownbar.com/; NY Institution; Great Food; After Work/ Happy Hour spot; Cool old-NY feel- opened in 1892; Upstairs area as well; Great starter bar. A fancy McSorleys of sorts. Like a London pub. Delicious burgers; Homey feel; Not a good sports bar… more for atmosphere.
Pete's Tavern: 129 E 18th @ Irving;
Gramercy Park Bar: 322 2nd Av @ 18th-19th;
Flatiron Lounge: Lounge. 37 W 19th @ 5-6th; 22/21/E; www.flatironlounge.com/; Awesome bar/ lounge. Great starter place. Known for inventive cocktails made with the freshest ingredients; Professional service. Pre-dinner- Ideal for a date; Amazing food too. Classy, sophisticated. Art deco design. Jazz age inspired setting.
The Watering Hole: Irish Pub. 106 E 19th @ Park-Irving; 17/15/M; http://www.wateringholenyc.com/; Karaoke Wed-Sat; Happy hour 3-7pm M-Th, noon-7pm Fri-Sun with $4 draft beer, wine and well. Good jukebox; Full of locals; Nice bar menu; Not an overly crowded or noisy place.
Boxers: 37 W 20th @ 5th-6th Av;
The Players: 16 Gramercy Park S (20th) @ Irving;
Petite Abeille: 401 E 20th @ 1st Av;
Studio XXI: 59 W 21st @ 5th-6th Av;
Slate: Pool Hall. 54 W 21st @ 5-6th Av; 20/18/E; www.slate-ny.com/; Upscale pool hall; Very nice, spacious bar area; Sexy bartenders; Perfect for a Private party or group; After work hot spot; Has a Ping Pong Lounge!! 25 Pool Tables/ 200 seats. Even a dining room. Also a dance floor- mistake! Yuppy/ corporate crowd- 20s-30s. Avoid on weekends.
Ampersand: 294 3rd Av @ 22nd-23rd;
Molly's: Irish Pub. 287 3rd @ 22nd-23rd; 23/18/M; www.mollysshebeen.com/; Truly a traditional place. Small but very friendly staff. Working fireplace and very homey feel; Huge portions of excellent Irish food. This one you have to check out. Best Guinness, Corned Beef, and Irish Breakfast! Sawdust on floor; Great atmosphere.
McSwiggan's: Irish Dive Pub. 393 Second @ 22-23rd; 20/16/M; www.mcswiggansbar.com; Neighborhood Bar; 20s-40s crowd; Pool, Darts, Jukebox; Amazing drink specials daily; Nothing stands out but it is reliable and everything an Irish pub should be- including the pub grub. $12 pitchers! LINK
Spin: Sports Bar. 48 E 23rd @ Park Av S; 21/20/E; www.spinyc.com; As one reviewer put it – it is 'table tennis with a bar, not a bar with table tennis; If you are a ping pong junkie, this is your place. Fairly priced drinks; Great for groups; Best on a weekday when there is little or no wait for a table. Every Monday – open tournament!
Taproom No. 307: Beer Pub. 307 3rd Av @ 23-24th; 20/19/E; www.taproom307.com; Craft beer specialist; Over 40 beers on tap; Great place to watch a game as well; Service can be spotty; Truly excellent food – especially the burger; Five assorted craft beers for $25; Rotating selection of suds.
Fitzgerald's: Irish Pub. 336 3rd Av @ 24-5th; 18/16/M; This is your classic neighborhood Irish pub featuring $4 all day pints of domestic; Great pub food with partitioned seating; Clean bar area and bathrooms; Friendly conversations. Full of locals; Around since 1901.
Grey Bar: 43 W 26th @ BWay-6th Av;
Hog Pit: Dive Bar. 37 W 26th @ 5-6th Av; 17/17/I; www.hogpit.com/; Country roadhouse serving amazing bar food – Mac n Cheese; Grilled cheese; Pool table, country tunes, and cheap beer. The Duke brothers would have come here; Absolute dive. Great place for a cheap beer as well. $8 pitchers during football! Fun times.
Flatiron Hall: 38 W 26th;
Belgian Beer Café: 220 5th Av @ 26th;
Abbey Tavern: 354 3rd Av @ 26th;
Mad Hatter: Irish Pub. 360 3rd Av @ 26-7th; 19/18/M; 50 seat beer garden; Old and new; Great beer and food. Has darts and pool; $4 happy hour pints; Fun vibe – TVs for sports. Typical bar – but that beer garden! Try the Mad Hatter Red Ale; Manchester City fans
HandCraft Kitchen & Cocktails: 367 3rd Av @ 26th-27th;
Hillstone: Bar/ Restaurant. 378 Park @ 27th; 22/20/M; www.hillstone.com/hillstoneNYC/; Unreal food- best pub level food in the city; Semi-formal actually, perfect for a date; On bar list because it has one of the best after-work scenes in NYC; Singles, meeting for a drink, and a spacious bar area. Happy Hour best time to go.
Roof at Park South: 125 E 27th @ Lex-Park;
Jazz Standard: Jazz Bar. 116 E 27th @ Lex-Park; 25/19/E; www.jazzstandard.net; Outstanding Jazz but the bonus is the food. BBQ supplied by Blue Smoke upstairs; Located underground; Roomy setting; Well known acts show up; Excellent acoustics; See website for schedule; Two sets an evening.
230 Fifth: Upscale lounge. 230 5th Av @ 27th; 23/23/VE; www.230-fifth.com/; Roof deck with 14,000 sq ft terrace with 360-degree views. Expensive. Pre-dinner scene. Stylish bar open 4pm-4am every day; Sexy, good-looking crowd; Large parties; Truly an epic spot to take a date for dinner/drinks or for a Holiday party. Gets a bit of a tough door into the evening on weekends; Extremely popular and has an occasional celebrity. 10am-4pm brunch buffet weekends.
Whitman & Bloom: 384 3rd Av @ 27th-28th;
Nomad Bar: 10 W 28th @ BWay;
Snafu 28: 37 E 28th @ Park-Mad;
Churchill Tavern: 45 E 28th @ Park;
John Dory Oyster Bar: 1196 BWay @ 29th;
Tavern29: 47 E 29th @ Park;
Tonic East: Upscale Sports Bar; 411 3rd Ave @ 29th; 20/20/E; www.toniceast.com; Excellent Food; Large flat screen TVs; Lounge feel; Nice Irish bartenders; Little pricy for genre. Very clean, cool looking and sharp; One of the better sports bars in the city; Happy hour 4-7pm- $2 vodka red bulls/ drafts. Spin wheel for drink. LINK
Paddy Reilly's: Irish Pub. 519 2nd Av @ 29th: 23/17/M; www.paddyreillysmusicbar.us/; Lots of live music. Great for a few. Awesome food. Even have open Mic night; Guinness & Bud on tap only; Reeks with tradition & been around forever. Classic Irish gem. One of the most authentic Irish pubs in the city. Nightly bands.
Little River Beer Garden: Lobster Rolls, Beer Garden – great views.
Failte: Irish Pub. 531 2nd Ave @ 29th– 30th; 22/20/M; www.failtenyc.com/; Standard Irish fare with pool in the back; Extremely friendly staff and patrons; Fireplace; Beer Pong & Trivia Thursday; Weekend drink deals just as good. One of the better spots in the area. Website recently down; Guinness poured well here. Whiskey specialists.
Wine:30: 41 E 30th @ Mad-Park;
Banc Café: 431 3rd Av @ 30th;
Waterfront Ale House: American Pub. 540 2nd Av @ 30th; 20/15/M; www.waterfrontalehouse.com; Really great American bar food (ribs, nachos, elk or bison burgers etc); Menu is large as well; Excellent selection of beers; Cool, 'normal' bar scene; Attracts regulars; Large whiskey list;
Ayza Wine & Chocolate Bar: 11 W 31st @ 5th – BWay;
The Heights at Arlo NoMad: Three Kings Restaurant Group. Rooftop Bar.
PS 450: Lounge. 450 Park Av @ 31st; 20/19/E; www.ps450.com/; Has a stylish 32 foot bar; DJ at night; Great after workspot with banker types that changes into a more progressive crown later; M-F 4-7pm $4 drafts; Decent wine selection; Great food; Private party space. The space is huge. Unpretentious; Rear lounge. Happy Hour deals 4-8pm.
Brother Jimmy's: Dive / Sports Bar. 181 Lex @ 31st; 20/14/M; www.brotherjimmys.com/; Carolina Bar; Incredible Bar-B-Q food; Dirt Cheap beer specials- Happy Hour 5-8pm; Great for games – especially Tarheels or Yankees; Singles scene at night; Beer lover's haven; Fish Bowls with Alligators in them; Just a fun place.
Jack Dempsey's: 36 W 33rd @ 5th-BWay;
Foley's: 18 W 33rd @ 5th-BWay;
Legends: Sports Bar. 6 W 33rd @ 5th-BWay; 23/20/M; www.legends33.com; Huge place featuring football 'factory'- soccer. 3 levels – can dine on amazing pub grub on 1 level full of sports memorabilia; Every soccer game imaginable plays here; Stunning gorgeous interior; Gets mobbed after work and during big games but it's huge. Private parties.
Rattle and Hum: Pub. 14 E 33rd St @ Mad-5th Av; 21/19/M; Massive beer selection; Perfect alternative to Ginger Man near by; Lots of TVs as well; Knowledgeable staff; Happy Hour specials 11am – 7pm weekdays. Cask quality pints; Great drink menu explaining the beers and providing alcohol content. Cool, pub décor and great food. Laid back vibe; Private Parties welcome. http://www.rattlenhumbarnyc.com/newsite/
Mercury Bar: Sports Bar/ College Bar. 493 Third Av @ 33-34th; 18/17/M; http://mercurybareast.com/; Excellent number of flat screens; Large and tasty menu; Brunch menu; Singles scene; Overall a good, solid bar; Young-ish; Happy Hour 5- 8pm; Football Sundays. Michigan State and Detroit Lions fans. Tasty bar food worth trying
Wine:34: 127 E 34th @ Lex;


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Oh boy… seems like it's taken awhile to get here. I understand all too well why most people never bother to register their work. It's a hassle figuring out how exactly to do it. Despite all the information that's out there on copyright law in general, there's nothing on how to actually go about registering your work. Until now. Right here. Here we go!
First I need to clear something up. Published images from an entire year can be registered on one form. However, you must specify the date on which the work the work was first published. That means if you published a selection of your images to Facebook on one date and then put the rest of the work on a website for online ordering on another, you need to separate out the two sets of work and list separate first publish dates for both. Yeah, it's a pain but there's nothing we can do about that.
The only exception is for work that was published within the past three months. That's the work we're going to focus on today. (In the next post, I'll talk about work from previous years.) Let me be clear here – It's easiest to register your published work every three months. Stick to this schedule. Not only does it insure that your work is protected, it also is the quickest, easiest route to registering your images.
To register your images, you'll need to fill out Copyright Form VA which can be downloaded here. Once you click on the link, you'll receive a two page PDF form plus instructions that you can fill out on the computer.
Steps for Bulk Registration of Images Published in the Past Three Months
Once you've got the form opened on your computer, you'll want to start with Section 1.
1) You can title the work whatever you want. I chose to title it according to what date range I'm registering. Thus "Q1 2012" is the title I chose for the first quarter of 2012.
2) NATURE OF THIS WORK is "Photographs"
3) If you're registering a group of images that were published on different dates, such as multiple weddings and blog posts, you'll need to write on the second line where it says PREVIOUS OR ALTERNATIVE TITLES "Group Registration/Published Photos – Approx XXX photos."
Section Two is pretty straightforward.
1) Check "No" for WORK MADE FOR HIRE.
2) List either your country of citizenship or country where you live
3) Check "No" if you published the work under your real name
4) Under NATURE OF AUTHORSHIP check "Photograph"
It's not necessary to fill in your date of birth. Unless you have a co-author to the work, don't fill out Section B
Section 3
1) List the year you completed the work. Generally, but not always, the same as year the work was created.
2) DATE OF PUBLICATION When registering images published at different times, list the range of dates when your images where published. This range of dates must be within three months of the date that the copyright office will receive the completed registration. This translates to about 80 days worth of published work. You must also add the country in which the images were published.
Section 4 is pretty straightforward. Just list your name and address.
Sections 5 and 6 are typically left blank.
Sections 7 and 8 ask for your contact information and signature. Be sure to sign before you send in the form.
Section 9: Provide your mailing address one last time so that the Copyright Office can mail your registration certificate back to you.
Once you've filled out the form, all that's left to do is write a check for $65 to the US Copyright Office, put the form and disk with your burned images into an envelope and then drop the envelope in the mail.
Congratulations! You've done it! Now mark your calendar to repeat the process in about ten weeks or so.


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Contact Information
- Ground Flr. Raffles Corp. Center Emerald Ave. Pasig City Metro Manila, F. Ortigas Jr. Rd. San Antonio Directions
- (02) 978-2888 / 0917-6811595
- Order Mode : Dine In
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- Wednesday12:00 AM-11:59 PM
- Thursday12:00 AM-11:59 PM
- Friday12:00 AM-11:59 PM
- Saturday12:00 AM-11:59 PM
- Sunday12:00 AM-11:59 PM
Craving for KFC's world-famous chicken? Come over to any of our 280+ stores in the Philippines and we'll serve you freshly prepared fried chicken using Colonel's Secret Recipe of 11 herbs & spices! Or order online at www.kfc.com.ph and get your finger lickin' good meals to go or delivered right to your doorstep!
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Enter your Email Address and click 'Continue' Example: firstname.lastname@example.com Submit Cancel Forgot Password Close /GarnetHill/US/Global/Popups/forgot_password Enter your email address
10 0
false pdp {"scheme":"product1_cr"}
false pdp {"scheme":"product2_cr"}
Garnet Hill Signature White Down Pillow is rated out of 5 by 14.
Rated 5 out of 5 by Christy27 from Perfect I bought this pillow a month ago and so far it's been perfect- makes sleeping such a treat. It is full but not hard at all.
Date published: 2019-03-12
Rated 5 out of 5 by nandart from Beautiful detail The seams are bound; the zippers small and almost concealed.
Date published: 2018-08-18
Rated 5 out of 5 by peaceful sleeper from signature white down pillow i have always a picky (pricey) goosedown pillow user... but i bought one of these a week or so ago and it is a terrific pillow, at a very reasonable price. i like it so much. i bought another one. highly recommend !!
Date published: 2018-05-29
Rated 5 out of 5 by Madeleine E from thousand times better than feather I bought 2 of these to replace a rather new pair of feather-down Euro pillows I bought on Amazon. I realized the feather ones weren't soft at all. These Signature White Down pillows are soft and luxurious. It was a splurge to buy these, yet I'm so very glad I did.
Date published: 2017-12-27
Rated 5 out of 5 by rory from Comfortable pillow I have now purchased six of these pillows. The fill wt. is perfect and the price is definitely better than elsewhere. I have washed these pillows and dried in the dryer with tennis balls to fluff. They come out in perfect condition.
Date published: 2016-11-17
Rated 5 out of 5 by Jenswims12 from great pillows I have searched for quite some time to find a pillow that would afford me a good night's sleep. Since purchasing these pillows, my search has ended. I work in the medical field, late hours and long days into night. Sleep is paramount and these pillows allow for peaceful, comfortable rest. I am a side sleeper mostly and these pillows conform to that position quite perfectly. Yes, the pillows are pricey, however , a good night's sleep is now my new routine , instead of tossing & turning to get my pillow " just right ". I purchased 4 of these pillows and am more rested than ever. Thanks Garnet Hill for this great quality product.
Date published: 2016-06-30
I am a side sleeper and am not sure what firmness level to order.
The level of firmness in a pillow is a personal preference. For assistance in choosing the right one for you, please call customer service and ask to speak with a Product Specialist.
Date published: 2019-11-16
What is the oz fill on the firm pillow?
The firm standard size pillow has 23 oz of fill and the firm king size has 31 oz of fill.
Date published: 2019-07-17
How does medium firm pillow hold its shape and is there any leakage of the tiny down feathers? I have notice it with some other comforters, during cleaning the house, that tiny down feathers are everywhere,that gave me allergie, what is rcommended if alle
We recommend a down alternative pillow instead of traditional down if you are allergic.
Date published: 2018-12-19
Is the medium pillow filled with only down or is there something else in it? Is the soft pillow filled with only down or is there something else in it? I have a medium down pillow I bought from another store that has a firm core - not comfortable
The fill for both the medium and the soft is Hungarian or European White DUCK Down; 650 Fill Power. There are different fill weights depending on the size and softness of pillow. You can contact Customer Service at 1.80.870.3513 to get those details.
Date published: 2018-09-27
Are these very squishy? I'm looking for something that can be very small for under my head.
This pillow is rated medium firm with a 650 fill power, we do not think it will work for you.
Date published: 2018-07-12
is a continental pillow the same as a standard pillow?
It is not. A continental pillow measures 26" x 26" and a standard pillow measures 20" x 26".
Date published: 2018-02-08
what is the country of origin for the down and the cotton cover?
It is made in the USA of imported materials.
Date published: 2019-11-08
Is the fill on this pillow 100% feather? thanks
The fill is 100% down.
Date published: 2017-11-22
Product:30384-Garnet Hill Signature White Down Pillow


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You want cool? This is cool! Legendary American illustrator Basil Gogos has been commissioned by Universal Pictures to create a limited edition piece of work on behalf of The Wolfman!
Since 1960, Basil Gogos has painted some of our most iconic images of movie monsters. In the past 50 years, Mr. Gogos has created haunting portraits of such classic Universal creatures as The Creature from the Black Lagoon, Dracula, The Mummy, Frankenstein's monster and The Phantom of the Opera. With this limited edition work commissioned by Universal for The Wolfman, Mr. Gogos helps Universal bring the myth of a cursed man back to its legendary origins.
Even better? You can win yourself one! Download the The Wolfman Lunar Phases Widget to count down the days to the full moon, and enter the sweepstakes for a chance to win great prizes, including a signed copy of the limited edition Wolfman print by Basil Gogos! Entry deadline is the next full moon (January 30), and you can enter once a day.
Look for the film here in theatres on February 12th, 2010.
Check out the artwork courtesy of CHUD by clicking on the teaser image below.
Copyright: Basil Gogos, 2010. The artist is represented by
and published by Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Beverly Hills, California.
Got news? Click here to submit it!
Howl away the night in the Dread Central forums!


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Technical Cashmere Hoodie
Our Cashmere Hoodie strikes an elegant balance between elevated minimal style and comfort. It sports a modest slim fit, and is knit from specially treated yarns that allow it to be machine washable.
Product Details:
Color: Navy
Made from 100% Cashmere treated
to be completely machine washable
Fully fashioned seams
Elevated minimal style and comfort
Fits true to size
Made in Los Angeles
Model is 6'2" wearing a seize Medium.


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This plugin adds cached, server-side Pygments syntax highlighting to your blog.
Assign special roles to users when they sign up with a valid registration code.
Use the daily food diary to keep track of what you eat, the calories you've consumed, and your thoughts about the day's intake.
The Creative Commons Browser lets you find CC and public domain images (that may be) suitable for use in commercial projects.
Use simple, declarative YAML to extensively modify the WordPress backend.
Provides a flexible yet clear structure for complex WordPress themes that need to handle many different layouts and post types.
Using argument dictionaries in Twig macros.
A quick shell script to find when a subdirectory's contents were last touched.
How to avoid varnish memory spikes when serving very large files.
An interesting glimps at the intersection of journalism and promotion.
A brief description of subscription functionality, recently added to a non-profit's website.
Use a single script to embed an arbitrary number of Google maps into any page.
A quick introduction to customizing the ribbon in MS Word.
Most popular themes for WordPress come equipped with hooks that allow you to insert code in certain places. But what do you do if you want to modify something that doesn't have a hook in just the right place?
The site's appearance and its structure have been overhauled. It's been a long time overdue.


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- Lakeville Journal
- Millerton News
- Compass A&E
- Obituaries
- Classifieds
- Regional
- Special Sections
- TriCorner Real Estate
Community snow tubing day at Camp Jewell
COLEBROOK — The sun beat down at the top of the snow-tubing hill at Camp Jewell on Sunday, Feb. 19, and temperatures pushed 60 degrees.
Yet, there were plenty of residents snow tubing at the camp for its community tubing day.
Community tubing takes place every Sunday during the winter at Camp Jewell, from 2 to 4 p.m.
The day is free and open to the public. "There aren't any long wait lines for tubing like you might have at some other places," said camp staff member Levi Miller.


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Wednesday, August 5, 2009
A Marriage License like a Fishing License: Found in a Bar in Minnesota
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2 comments:
- Gamer said...
- October 18, 2016 at 7:45 PM
- TREAT YOU BETTER said...
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- February 1, 2018 at 9:44 PM
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Track Tuesday: Jet Jones' "Vibe With"
Check out Jet Jones' song, "Vibe With," for this week's Track Tuesday. Like many of his songs, you can definitely vibe with the smooth instrumental, bass, and chill lyrics. Sporting many talents, Jet does all of his recording, mixing, and producing. A little bit of Wiz Khalifa, Big Sean, and Dizzy Wright, Jet comes with a unique sound out of his island home in Hawaii. "'Vibe With'" is a song I wanted to talk about the types of girls I like to vibe with, chill with, etc. The songwriting process came out smooth because I always try to have a concept in mind from the start of production," said Jet.
Jet Jones has been in the Hawaii Hip Hop scene for a minute now. He's spent a lot of time at local events and continues to hone his skills. As someone who has followed Jet for some years (along with a few older collaborations), I can say that his skill and passion has only gotten bigger and better. This Hawaii Rapper is currently working on a self-titled EP that can be expected to drop in 2 weeks. Take a listen to "Vibe With" on your drive home after work and let it unwind you for the night. It might also have you thinking of a special someone. We can all use some good vibes!
"Up like a flight,yea, she like the heights, yea, the freaky type, yea, whispered in my right ear..."
- Jet Jones
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Thank you for supporting this platform! Donations welcome, anything helps. Mahalo!
August 2019


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Top 10 road fines in Victoria
RACV RoyalAuto Magazine
1. Speeding
This category dwarfs all the others. Almost 175,000 fines were dished out to speeding motorists in the past financial year. Just under half the drivers fined were 15km/h or more over the speed limit.
Fine: $190-$758
2. Not registering your vehicle
A total of 57,624 fines were given to people using unregistered vehicles, other than motorcycles.
Fine: $758
3. Breaking road rules
Almost 13,000 fines were handed out to drivers who failed to obey the road markings or signs, while around 1200 cyclists were fined for a range of reasons, including not stopping behind a tram and riding the wrong way down a one-way street.
Fine: Up to $758
4. No P-plates
Just under 11,000 young drivers were booked for not displaying their P-plates in the correct manner.
Fine: $152
5. Running red lights
More than 10,000 drivers were booked for not stopping at traffic lights, while 771 cyclists were fined for the same reason.
Fine: $152-$379
6. Using a mobile phone
Hands-free systems are common in new cars, but thousands of people in older vehicles continue to be caught using hand-held phones while driving. A total of 38,318 fines were issued to offenders in this category.
Fine: $455
7. Not wearing a bike helmet
Victoria's compulsory helmet laws have been up for discussion in recent times, given they are seen to discourage many people from riding to work. For the moment, however, helmets must be worn, which was bad news for the 5390 riders fined for not doing so. On top of that, 38 people who were passengers on bikes were fined for not wearing a helmet.
Fine: $190
8. Annoying people at traffic lights
Almost 300 fines were handed out for illegally "soliciting contributions or employment" on a road. Those fined included people offering to clean windscreens, hitchers and those deemed to be trying to collect money for charities that don't exist.
Fine: $76
9. Crossing a road in the wrong place
It is illegal in Victoria to cross a road on foot within 20 metres of a pedestrian crossing. It's fair to say that many pedestrians wandering the streets of Victoria would have no idea about the existence of this law, but 150 people were fined for not obeying it.
Fine: $76
10. Getting on or off a moving vehicle
Four people were fined for putting their lives in danger in this way.
Fine: $76
Statistics (2014-15): Victoria Police
Fines (2015-16): vicroads.vic.gov.au


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Yesterday I made a lil' summertime purchase. Let's call it a gift for myself (and of course my darling man). It is sporty and fun, not to mention clean and new, so I am sure i will use it a lot.
I have no idea why I suddenly wanted one so badly, I think it must be all of the photos I see of movie stars using them. Anyway, a lil' way to keep fun n' fit this summer.
Cari got one too!


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Before I go into that, it's important that you understand that if you read no other books about getting your finances and goals sorted, "The Richest Man In Babylon" by George S. Clason and "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill are essential.
The book basically describes in easy to understand terms, a set of essential aspects of financial freedom and wealth generation.
By following the fundamentals, over time, you can take back control of your life.
If you have read through my blog entries, you will see that my financial affairs have been pretty rocky. This book has helped me greatly get control of my life.
At less than $10.00 this books could generate $1,000s within your lifetime.
Although for many it may seem like common sense, the principles of wealth generation in the book are overlooks by the majority. I revisit this book at least once a month, and my financial position has changed for the better by following the guidelines.
What have you got to lose? Buy it today at Amazonfinance book