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Software Testing Models
Testing Model That We Use
Agile Methodology
Delivering high quality solutions that generate outcomes relevant to the business objectives is becoming imperative and for this it is vital to choose wisely between various testing service providers and their assessment approaches. In the past few years, software development complexity has grown because of the expansion in size, scope and the coverage of technology. Due to this, the process of application testing is also continuously evolving in order to align with the changing technology landscape.
IT pros cannot afford to waste their time and money on anything which doesn't produce a positive result. Adopting a proper Testing model to control costs and justify the investments required. So it is important to have a predictable process, leverage productivity tools, deploy skilled resources while enhancing quality, reducing costs and accelerating time to market.
We at IDS Logic are dedicated to help you maximize your return on investments and drive the adoption of testing strategies into your organization. There are lots of testing models and methodologies used. As an experienced and a leading software testing company, we implement the most effective and future proof testing model to enable our clients to reap the best benefits for their testing needs. We adopt the agile testing model so as to adapt and respond smoothly to all the required changes that surface during the testing process. With this model, your software development process will be divided into various short cycles or iterations and this helps to minimize the risks.
The Principles on Which Agile Methodology is Based:
In the Agile model, the testers and developers are viewed as two sides of the same coin. Effective production is often hampered if the developers refine their codes to perfection before passing to the testers, who strive to break it and send a damage report back again. Instead of this, Agile suggests that the two essential functions should be merged to engage more fully in the creative process. The principle that it adopts:
- Face to face communication
- Open interactions between individuals hold greater importance than tools or processes
- Response to the changes is more important
- Changes are always warmly accepted
The Process:
The Agile model reduces the risk by breaking the project into smaller pieces or time limited modules, so that it becomes easy to handle and each piece or mini project lasts only for a few weeks. Each module has its own specific stages of analysis, design, development, testing and documentation. After completing a module, the project priorities, progress and direction can be easily evaluated and the demands are perfectly met.
Advantages of Using Agile Methodology:
The agile method requires an in-depth analysis and continuous collaboration between various stakeholders that include the developer, testers and managers and at every stage constant feedback is taken from everyone involved in the final release of the product. This leads to
- Transparency of the project
- Fixed duration and cost is predictable
- Constantly refine and reprioritize to introduce changes
- High level of predictable delivery
- More focus on business value and the priority of features
- High quality development, testing and collaboration
For more information browse our website or talk to our executives.
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Emma's Diary
If you have the commercial goal in your business that you need to accomplish, IDS will definitely be able to guide you in right direction. Marketing expertise, development expertise and SEO with PPC mixed is very well.
I am really happy to have IDS Logic on board and have been very impressed with their speed of implementation and professional approach to their work. This has made our collaboration an enjoyable and extremely valuable partnership.
I hired IDS Logic for all my IT requirements and I am very satisfied with the team as they have incredible level of professionalism and expertise. I must say that the site is now feature rich and faster. Great Job!


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First things first, y'all. Grandpa's Toy Shop is free today! That's never happened before, so run get it while you can! Seriously. Get it now!
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Now Nuonuo… the spirit of Water must guarantee safety of the plants and stop "The Dark's" evil plan.

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Collaborative to the core.
To serve our clients with open collaboration, Domain7 needs to draw ego-free talent who match expertise with empathy. For this community to work, it means hand-picking a team of remarkable contributors—people who are passionate, thoughtful collaborators.
"Best Agency to Work for in Canada" - CIMC 2015


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Traditionally made with eggs, peas, and pancetta, pasta carbona is Italian comfort food at its finest. With a simple twist and a few less steps, this recipe uses tomato and comes together in just 20 minutes!
Taught to me by my Zia Concetta, who has mastered the art of quick, easy recipes for days filled with things-to-do and summer sun, my Pasta Carbonara Rossa is light, but filling, and the flavor combination is authentically Italian. Serve with a salad and your favorite Chianti. Buon appetito!
Be sure to Like, Comment, & Share the Love!
See the recipe in action:


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JANUARY 11, 2018 – Ira Rosenberg's name has been synonymous with car dealerships on the North Shore for the last 50 years. A native of Malden, Rosenberg rose from modest roots to become one of the most successful auto dealers in New England. He owned seven dealerships on Route 114 in Danvers before selling them about 20 years ago. Over the years, he has become increasingly involved with many charities and foundations. Ira and his wife Judy live in Marblehead and Boca Raton, Fla. They have three children, David, Brian and Lori, and eight grandchildren.
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Ira, please tell us about your upbringing.
I grew up in Malden. My father was raised in Quebec and my mother was born in Stoughton. My father was a butcher. I have a sister, Sandra, who moved to Israel over 20 years ago. I grew up on Mt. Vernon Street – right down the street from Arthur Epstein, who to this day is one of my best friends.
There was anti-Semitism in Malden growing up. There was always a group of non-Jews ready to beat us up and call us names. I don't believe Jews should turn the other cheek; they should fight back.
As a kid, I worked as a soda jerk at the local drug store, a job I loved.
You joined the Navy at 17?
Yes. I didn't like school, I wasn't the best student in the world and I didn't care. So, in 1955, I quit high school and joined the Navy at the age of 17, much to my parents' chagrin. I was stationed on the USS Forrestal for the next two years, not realizing how that would change me forever. I had a lot of responsibility on the ship. Soon I became the youngest third class Aviation Boatswain's Mate. What an adventure for a kid!
How did you get into the car business?
I got out of the Navy, and was working at Porter Chevrolet in Cambridge, changing tires in the used car department, while attending Suffolk University. In 1958, I left school and worked at Porter Chevrolet full time. The first car I sold was a '59 Chevy Impala, with a white painted roof and turquoise bottom. I sold it for full price. I said, 'This isn't so hard.'
In 1961, I left Porter Chevrolet to start a career selling products on the road. I definitely felt this was not going to work out for me.
In 1963, my wife saw a job listing for working at a car dealership. I immediately went down to Sea Crest Cadillac Pontiac on the Lynnway and applied for a job. After waiting for three days, they finally gave me a job on a 30-day trial basis. After a month, I learned that other salesmen were stealing my customers. I knew that I had to become a lion to become the top salesman there. After that, I decided I wanted my own dealership – and at the age of 30, I opened up a little used car lot on Highland Ave. in Salem, with two borrowed used cars and my last paycheck of $140.
After six years, I heard about a Toyota dealership on High Street in Danvers that was going broke. So I went home, I got a suit, and I borrowed another dealer's Cadillac, and drove to the Toyota dealership and went into the place like a big shot. I went into the owner's office and we agreed on a deal in 15 minutes. Rather than cash, I offered to take over his creditors.
In 1976, I moved from downtown Danvers to Route 114 to a closed doughnut shop. I started selling a lot of cars and I decided that the dealership was too small, so I bought a piece of property across the street, and opened a brand new Oldsmobile Toyota store. This was around 1980 and business really took off!
I started buying other dealerships. I became the first Lexus dealership in New England. I also had Toyota, Oldsmobile, Mazda, Pontiac, Porsche, and Audi – I had seven dealerships in Danvers within 1½ miles of each other on Route 114.
You "retired" around 20 years ago, and then unretired, and recently retired again?
Twenty years ago, my wife got sick and we decided to spend our winters in Florida, leaving our son, David, in charge of the dealerships. Four years later, she was feeling better and I wanted to get back in the car business. My son told me about two dealerships for sale, a Toyota and Hyundai store in Saco, Maine, which we bought.
You've been involved in a lot of philanthropy.
I believe if you take from the community, you've got to give back to the community. We just made a major donation to Brigham and Women's Hospital along with many other charities on the North Shore.
The guy upstairs has been very good to us!
What's the key to making a sale?
You've got to love selling, and people, and it's got to be genuine. I love people. I love to talk to people; I love to kibbitz. When I was at the dealerships I used to go around to the departments talking to the customers. I was the only dealer I ever knew who was very visible. You've got to love people.
I believe in three major philosophies in doing business.
1. PMA: Positive Mental Attitude.
2. Fire in the belly: An intense desire to succeed.
3. YCDBSOYA: You Can't Do Business Sitting On Your "Tush."
I owe my success to my wife, Judy, who has always been at my side all these years.


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On Thursday we met with Natalie and Luke for the first time, who have flown in from Australia to stay with Natalie's parents. It's one of the few times they'll be in the UK ahead of their wedding next March at Kelham House. They're catching up with family and friends in the UK, having their engagement shoot of course and Natalie has started the important job of wedding dress shopping with her mum! I chose the castle grounds in Newark to meet up at the bandstand as it's a pretty, green and leafy location, and we were blessed with a beautifully sunny day. After a walk around the park and along the river, we finished with a drink at a nearby bar to make wedding plans.Read More
NATALIE & LUKE: Newark Engagement Shoot
in Engagements


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Self Catering Now Available
Ben & Jeffs - Burgers and Tacos is now offering a self-catering service!
Offering lunch or dinner for up to 70 people, now you can bring the burgers and tacos to all of your friends. Contact us below and schedule a catering order for your big event.
Pre-arrange the order at least 2 weeks in advance, and then pick it up at a pre-arranged time. Payment must be received 1 day in advance.
If you have a big event that you'd like Ben & Jeffs to cater for, please fill out the form below.


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The Sacred Valley Ride 11D/10N, Riding holiday with scheduled departure dates (Cusco, The Sacred Valley of the Incas, Machu Picchu).
Our signature and most popular ride starts from our riding operation in the heart of the Sacred Valley at about 8,500 feet (2,800m). The Sacred Valley Ride follows a route across the Urubamba River, up through mountain pasture where smiling Quechua children herd sheep and cattle, to highland terraces and small, mountain villages, where the horses' hooves echo on ancient cobblestone roads. Oxen pull wooden ploughs through the fields, travel is largely by foot and the native people speak Quechua, the language of the Incas. The trip includes a visit to the legendary Inca citadel of Machu Picchu and a 2 night stay (mid-trip) in the ancient Inca capital of Cusco. Set departure dates run from April until mid October.
Day 1
The meeting point of the ride is in Cusco. Our representative will be waiting for you at the Cusco airport on your arrival. He/she will carry a sign with your name, so when you pass customs please look out for it. Our representative will welcome you to Cusco and ensure that you have a safe transfer to your comfortable hotel near the centre of this historical and beautiful city.
Today it is very important that you relax, rest and get acclimatized to the high altitude, before we start our exciting riding expedition high in the Andes. We have made your reservation at the wonderful Hotel Costa del Sol, a 4-star establishment, and only 2 blocks from the famous Plaza de Armas. Check-in time from 11h00.
Please make sure that you rest well, because tomorrow you will meet and ride our Peruvian Paso horses and learn all about the classic Peruvian riding style. Lunch and dinner is for your own account.
Day 2
After a delicious breakfast you will be picked up at 9h15 outside your hotel. From Cusco it is a 1hr15 drive to your accommodation in the Sacred Valley.
For the next three nights you will be staying in comfortable accommodation in the heart of the Sacred Valley of the Incas; just a short drive from the stables. Once you have unpacked and refreshed yourself, you will be collected and transferred to the ranch. Today you will have an opportunity to become familiar with the beautiful Peruvian Paso horses and the traditional Peruvian riding gear.
Enjoy a delicious barbeque lunch at the ranch, some good wine and of course Maria's famous Pisco Sours. In the afternoon, there will be a demonstration of classic Peruvian equitation, followed by an introductory Peruvian riding lesson, during which your riding ability will be evaluated. We will then match you with a mount in accordance with your riding ability, preference, personality and weight class. All horses are forward going, very well trained and a pleasure to ride.
Dinner will be at the ranch or at a local restaurant. Overnight at the Hotel Sonesta Posada del Inca in the Sacred Valley. (B, L, D).
Day 3
After a hearty breakfast at your hotel you will be taken to the ranch and the ride will set off. Pick up is at 9h15.
Today we will ride along an old and forgotten path, not far behind our ranch that leads to a breathtaking place on top of the Cordillera Vilcanota, and close to heaven. Todays ride will take you along hidden trails, unspoiled landscapes and is absolutely off the beaten track. We don't want to publish the route because we want to keep the trails secret and 'exclusive'.
The first part of the ride will be a serious climb following narrow but beautiful mountain trails with lots of vegetation. You can observe the rich flora of the Peruvian Andes, such as the Molle tree or "Pepper tree" (the Incas once used the resin to embalm mummies), the Sauco tree (which produce small and very tasty purplish-black fruits), the Capuli fruit tree (its fruit is almost the size as a cherry and its color, when ripe, is very attractive), the Qeuna tree (the trunk is quite twisted and the reddish bark flakes and peels as paper, leading some of people of Cusco region to call it "the tree of tourists"), the Tamarillo tree (tree tomato), Cantutas (a.k.a. the flower of the Inca), Aguaymanto (Peruvian cherry or cape gooseberry), Muña (A mint-like Peruvian herb) and many other botanical specimens native to the Peruvian Andes.
Once we get to the top of the mountain we let the horses rest for a while and enjoy the spectacular view. There are really no words to describe the panorama. After some snacks and a drink we continue the ride downhill, along lush and secret trails. The land is privately owned. We arrive around 14h00 at a friends place located in a gorgeous valley. Here we meet our back up team and enjoy a delicious lunch (fresh trout). We will be back at the ranch around 16h00/16h30.
Dinner will be at the ranch or at a local restaurant. Overnight at the Hotel Sonesta Posada del Inca in the Sacred Valley. (B, L, D).
Riding time 4-4,5 hours. Altitude 2,800 - 3,600 m / 9,190 - 11,800 ft.
Day 4
Today you will visit Machu Picchu by train. Since its discovery by Hiram Bingham in 1911, Machu Picchu has captivated the hearts and minds of the modern world. The experience of visiting Machu Picchu is not limited to the ruins themselves; the train journey is one of the most spectacular in the world.
Take lots of film, this is every bit as magnificent as you have imagined.
As per July 2017 the Peruvian government has established new regulations to keep intact and preserve the facilities of this Wonder of the World. There are two entrance times: Morning: From 06:00 to 12:00 hrs and Afternoon: 12:00 to 17:30 hrs. The capacity of the Citadel is limited to 2,500 visitors per day, which will be distributed in the 2 shifts mentioned.
As to the increase of tourism in Peru it is essential that we book your visit to Machu Picchu in due advance. We will do our utmost to book you for the afternoon shift and with the most convenient train schedule.
Depending on availability at the time of booking you will be travelling with the luxurious Vistadome train service leaving from the train station in Ollantaytambo in the morning (a 30 minute drive from your hotel) and return to the same station around 7 or 8 pm where our car will pick you up. On your way to your hotel you will stop at the ranch for dinner.
Overnight at the Hotel Posada del Inca in the Sacred Valley (B,D).
Day 5
After a hearty breakfast at your hotel you will be taken to the ranch and the ride will set off. You cross the Urubamba River via a bridge, pass a tiny village called Pichingote along the river and then riding onto Salinas up a narrow track where you will see the salt pans from Inca times which are still being used by the locals to extract salt from the mountain spring water. The saltpans consist of a series of platforms where the salty water is channeled through an impressive irrigation system and left to evaporate in the sun.
Today you climb nearly 850 m/ 2800 ft. with the horses to reach the Andean altiplano. The climb takes about two hours and will be at an easy pace. Once at 3,550 m (over 11,400 ft.), you will be surrounded by stunning scenery and the snow-capped mountains of Chicon, Veronica and Pitusuray. Continue your ride to Maras, a typical Andean village with a beautiful 400-year-old colonial church, where a picnic lunch will be waiting for you nearby. The church at Maras was built just after the Conquest and is one of the ten oldest churches in South America.
After a delicious picnic lunch you will visit the ruins of Cheqoq. Here the Incas constructed fascinating cold-storage areas (pre-Hispanic refrigerators) to conserve the agricultural produce of the region. Cooling of the products was achieved by using a system of wind tunnels to circulate the air and a network of water channels to circulate the cold water from a nearby mountain spring. Continue riding to the beautiful churchyard of Tiobamba. The horses are left at a nearby village with the grooms and you will be returned to your hotel. After some rest and a hot shower, we will take you out to enjoy dinner at one of Urubamba's local restaurants or at the ranch. Overnight at the Hotel Sonesta Posada del Inca in the Sacred Valley. (B,L,D).
Riding time: approximately 4 hours. Altitude: 2,800 - 3,550 m/9,190 - 11,650 ft.
Day 6
After a sound and restful sleep, you will be picked up at 09h15 and transferred back to the village near Tiobamba where the horses will be waiting for you. Today is a day for following primitive trails across the altiplano, enjoying spectacular scenery along the way with views of snow-capped mountains, farmland, wildflowers and beautiful mountain lakes. Meet smiling Quechua children with their herds of sheep or cattle and see campesinos ploughing their fields in the traditional way; oxen hitched to a wooden plough. You may even share a chicha (a traditional maize drink) with them. Just before Chinchero a delicious picnic lunch and our back up team awaits you. On a clear day the views from Chinchero are tremendous; to the west and northwest stretches a vista of rolling altiplano, ringed in the distance by the dramatic snow- capped peaks of the Cordilleras Vilcabamba and Urubamba.
After lunch the ride continues to Lake Piuray. From here we ride in the direction of Cusco and pass some small villages. At one of the villages we end today's ride and leave the horses with our grooms at a farm of a local family. If time allows we will visit Chinchero (if not, we will schedule this visit in the morning of day 8). At Chinchero you have the chance to visit a textiles workshop and see a demonstration of ancient techniques of spinning, dying and weaving wool. The beautiful fabrics are still made in the same way as they would have been made in Inca times. Take some money as you may want to buy some souvenirs (although please do not feel obliged to buy anything).
Transfer to the historic city of Cusco, the oldest continuously inhabited city in South America and the former capital of the great Inca Empire. For the next two nights you will stay at the very comfortable Hotel Costa del Sol located near the Plaza de Armas, the heart of Cusco's archaeological centre. Enjoy dinner in Cusco (to your own account) and let us know if we can recommend a restaurant for you. If you still have the energy you can explore Cusco's legendary nightlife! (B,L).
Riding time: approximately 4-5 hours. Altitude: 3,550 - 3,800 m/11,650 - 12,470 ft.
Day 7
Relax; today is yours to spend as you wish. Visit the numerous ruins, churches, cathedrals and museums of Cusco, enjoy some shopping, or just sit in one of the many coffee shops, restaurants, or bars and watch the world go by.
According to Inca legend, Cusco was founded around 1200 AD by Manco Capac and Mama Occlo. Manco Capac selected the site when the golden staff given to him by his father, the Sun, sank into the earth and disappeared. Each Inca emperor built his own palace and compound during his reign. The Spanish initially tried to raise the Inca buildings to the ground, but soon realised that because of their quality construction, it was easier to reuse the Inca foundations for their own buildings. For this reason, you can still see many of the original Inca walls throughout Cusco.
Cusco is now a vibrant city of some three hundred thousand inhabitants, the vast majority of whom are native Quechua Indians. Despite being a major tourist destination, both for its own treasures and as a base point for the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, Cusco has managed to hold onto its own distinct flavour. It is great place to be for a day.
Overnight at the comfortable Hotel Costa del Sol in Cusco. (B).
Day 8
After breakfast, the riding expedition continues. Pick up is at 09:15 am from your hotel in Cusco. Today's ride will pass along old Inca trails and through open country with spectacular views providing another memorable riding day in the Andes. You will be collected from your hotel with your luggage and taken to the horses - waiting where you left them on day 5. Your luggage will be brought to your hotel in the Sacred Valley while you are riding. Today is one of the most beautiful riding days. The scenery is breathtaking (quite literally), with impressive views of the many snow- capped mountains and the altiplano. Herds of llamas and alpacas are usually seen grazing. Sometimes we have to ride along non-existing mountain trails which means that we will have to improvise and find the best way to get from one side of the mountain to the other. We are in a very remote area that is not easily accessible. You will be impressed with our horses and how they are able to handle the difficult terrain and steep climbs. At one point we will reach a pass at 4,350 m (14,275 ft.) and see the small, shallow Lake Quellacocha; the highest point of the ride. At the lake you will stop for a simple lunch. After lunch we continue the ride to Lake Qqoricocha while we'll pass large extensions of potato fields, all ploughed by hand. After a while we start to descend with our horses from the altiplano into the valley of Umaspampa on a zig-zag trail for about two hours. During the descent you have to lead your horse for a short while (15 minutes or so) to cross some rocky terrain. Close to the village of Umasbamba we leave the horses in the caring hands of our grooms and you will be transported to your hotel in the Sacred Valley of the Incas by car.
Dinner at a local restaurant or at the ranch. (B,L,D) . Riding time: approximately 5 to 6 hours. Altitude: 3,300 - 4,350 m/10,820 - 14,275 ft.
Day 9
Today is another stunningly scenic day and you will enjoy plenty of breaks and photo-stops. From the village of Umaspampa we ride to the villages of Cuper Alto and Cuper Bajo, arriving in the afternoon at an abounded church near the village of Chinchero where we have lunch. To reach this place we have to take a trail that used to be a beautiful paved side road from Inca times. Some parts of this road are still intact and have sub terrain water channels for irrigation and drainage with paved grades to get to higher levels.
Much of the riding today is along trails that are part of the great Inca Empire's road system, the Qhapaq Ñan. The Inca road network was one the greatest engineering feats ever undertaken in the New World, rivaling the Roman road system in the Old World. The 30,000 km network linked Cusco, the Inca capital, to the empire's far-flung domains. The road system reached almost all of the Andean territories, including Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Argentina and Chile and was formed by four main roads clearly recognisable, plus many secondary roads. The Qhapaq Ñan is part of the 'World Heritage List' of Unesco. For more information about the Qhapaq Ñan: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1459.
After another beautiful ride with stunning scenery you arrive to the village of Huaynacolca, high on top of the mountains that surround the Sacred Valley of the Inca's. Here is where the horses will stay with our grooms for the night. Transfer by car to your hotel in the Sacred Valley where you can fresh up for dinner.
Dinner at a local restaurant or at the ranch. Overnight at a comfortable Hotel Posada del Inca in Yucay. (B,L,D) Riding time: approx. 5-6 hours. Altitude: 3,800 - 3,550 m/12,470 - 11,650 ft.
Day 10
You will be collected after breakfast for your last riding day. Before we meet the horses at Huaynacolca we stop at the pottery shop of the renowned ceramicist and artist Pablo Seminario. Pablo Seminario is a local legend amongst Cusqueños. He invented a new form of ceramic artwork that integrates abstract modern styles with traditional Incan and pre-Incan ceramic techniques and designs. After our short visit to the pottery shop we drive back to where we left the horses the day before and continue our ride along the old Inca road high above the Sacred Valley. We pass farmland and the small village of Santana before we return to the village of Maras. From Maras we continue inland until we arrive to a beautiful courtyard of an old house, that according locals is bewitched, where we can enjoy our lunch. Maria and our back up team will be waiting for us with drinks and a delicious lunch.
After lunch we mount our horses again and follow a trail with great views of the Urquillos Valley arriving once more at the village of Maras. From Maras you continue the descent into the Sacred Valley, passing the salt mines again, arriving back at the ranch and journey's end at around 16:00. It is a good time to celebrate your safe return with a traditional Pisco Sour. Tonight you will enjoy your last dinner at the ranch or at a local restaurant. Overnight at the Hotel Posada del Inca in Yucay. (B,L,D)
Riding time: approximately 4-4,5 hours. Altitude: 3,550 - 2,800 m/11,650 - 9,190 ft.
Day 11
Early morning transfer to Cusco airport for your flight to Lima. The driving time is one hour + 15 minutes. The earliest possible departure time for your international flight from Lima is 17:00pm.
The itinerary is flexible. Changes may occur due to weather and other unforeseen circumstances.
Dates & Pricing
- US$ 4950.00 (Trip price per person, group size 4-7 participants)
- US$ 200.00 (Small group fee, group size 2-3 participants)
- US$ 790.00 (Single supplement, if applicable)
Price includes
- Price includes meals as reflected in the itinerary, professional English speaking trail guide, support team including grooms, 4x4 back up vehicle, all land transfers, train, bus and entrance fee to Machu Picchu and all accommodation (10 overnights in comfortable hotels).
Price does not include
- Price does not include dinner on Day 6, meals in Cusco on Day 7 and lunch at Machu Picchu on Day 4.
- Alcoholic beverages during meals at restaurants, gratuities, optional activities, personal expenditures and travel insurance.
- Small group fee. We guarantee that all of our tours will run with a minimum of two people, but a "small group fee" will be applied to "groups" of only 2 to 3 people.
- Single supplement. The price for each ride is based on shared occupancy. If you are traveling solo and wish to share accommodation, we will make every effort to find a roommate (always of the same gender). If you are willing to share and no roommate materializes, then the customary single supplement will apply. A single supplement is always applicable for participants who specifically request single accommodation.
Dates and availability:
Scheduled departure dates. Please contact us for availability.
Departure dates:
Scheduled departure dates 2020:
April 12 - April 22
May 3 - May 13
May 24 - June 3
July 19 - July 29
August 2 - August 12
August 16 - August 26
September 6 - September 16
September 27 - October 7
Lodging Options
The ride combines 10 nights in quaint hotels with private bathrooms.
Depending on availability at the time we make our final reservations for our groups, we use the following hotels during our Sacred Valley Ride:
Hotel Sonesta Posada del Inca, Plaza Manco II de Yucay 123 Urubamba, Cusco. The hotel Sonesta Posada del Inca in Yucay is only 5 miles from our stable, has comfortable heated rooms with private bathrooms and plenty of 'local colour'. The Sonesta Yucay Posada is a former 18th century colonial-style monastery and is surrounded by beautiful gardens. The 69-room hotel is like a little village with plazas, gardens and a small chapel. The rooms, with tile floors, wood ceilings, and hand-carved headboards, have balconies that overlook the gardens or the terraced hillsides.
Hotel Costa del Sol, Santa Teresa 344, Cusco. The Hotel Costa del Sol (former Hotel Picoaga) was originally the old mansion of the Spanish noble, the Marquis of Picoaga (century XVII). It has now been converted into a comfortable hotel. The intimate and public areas are beautifully decorated in colonial style, framed by fine stone archways on two levels and the beautiful columns and Spanish patio complete an authentic sample of 17th Century architecture.
Click on photos to enlarge.
Trip Details
Meeting Point
Meeting point for this ride is Cusco.
Riders RequirementsTo take part in these rides you need to be a reasonably experienced rider, intermediate or above. You should be comfortable, secure and in control on a well schooled horse at all paces and used to riding in open country and over varied terrain. You should have a reasonably good level of general and riding fitness.
A rider who has limited experience, is unable to apply basic aids and does not have a firm and balanced seat
A rider who is capable of mounting and dismounting unassisted, capable of applying basic aids, comfortable and in control at the walk.
A rider who has a firm and balanced seat, who is capable of mounting and dismounting unassisted, comfortable and in control at all paces but does not ride regularly.
Strong Intermediate:
An intermediate rider who is currently riding regularly and is comfortable in the saddle for at least 6 hours per day.
All of the above, plus an independent seat, soft hands, and capable of handling a spirited horse in open country.
Weight limit: 13,5 stones (85 kgs, 190 pounds)
Age Limit: 16 or older.
Rider's Weight (Important!)To ensure the welfare of our horses there is a strict rider weight limit of 85 kgs / 13.5st / 190 pounds. There are scales at the stables and riders may be weighed prior to the ride setting off. Riders exceeding our weight limit may be excluded from the ride and no refund will be made.
Horses and TackThe horses are locally bred Peruvian Pasos. This breed dates back to the colonial era of Peru and originates from the Spanish Andalusians. Peruvian Paso horses are bred for their grace, spirit, and intelligence and are a symbol of their historic and noble past. These horses like to amble, moving fore and hind limbs on the same side at the same time, unlike other equine races that typically move diagonal limbs at the same time. During the ride you will experience traveling on horseback at the smooth Paso Llano gait (4-beat lateral gait, between 8 to 10 Km. per hour). The horses are well cared for, strong, and even-tempered.
The tack utilized is very traditional and demonstrates refined Peruvian craftsmanship. The hardwood hex stirrup and the guarnicion, or tailpiece, are unique elements of the Peruvian tack. The saddle is a box saddle and has a deep seat.
Pace of the ride
Due to the very high altitude and rough, rocky terrain, this is not a fast-paced ride. The horses are asked to work at altitudes of between 2,800m and 4,350m, and we should remember that with the altitude and reduced oxygen this high up makes their job of carrying us much more difficult!!
The decreased oxygen reduces not only the maximal oxygen consumption but also the absolute workload. High altitude has an effect on the horse's cardiovascular, haematological, respiratory and metabolic functions.
From experience we learned that our well-trained horses need approximately two days to get acclimatised to higher altitudes. During the first days of the ride we don't ask too much from our horses and keep the pace relatively slow. As the ride develops you will experience a more exciting pace, such as the fabulous and smooth 'paso llano' gait, some canters and even some gallops, but please bear in mind this is not a fast paced ride by definition.
While on the Sacred Valley of the Incas Ride, guests are treated to wonderful meals representing tasty regional cuisine. Dishes are made from fresh vegetables, dairy products, and fresh trout. Vegetarian or other dietary requirements will be accommodated with advanced notice.
Responsibilities of ride participants
All care will be taken, but we assume no responsibility for injury, loss or damage in any way. Guests are responsible for having an adequate, valid insurance policy including coverage for all the sporting activities that they are likely to participate in. Appropriate medical insurance is obligatory.
It is understood by Perol Chico / Maria Zans Gia EIRL that guests are in a suitable condition to partake in a riding tour, are not riding against any medical advice, and that guests know of no reason why they should not be participating in such a tour. Guests will be required to sign a waiver of liability at the start of the tour.
Ride participants have a certain responsibility to Perol Chico and to the other members of the ride. Participants are responsible for understanding the requirements of the ride, and for selecting a ride appropriate to their ability. Participants with medical problems or special dietary needs are responsible for informing Perol Chico of these issues well in advance.
For the protection of all participants, the ride leader reserves the right to prevent anyone from riding who displays insufficient ability, or whose behavior endangers the safety of other riders, themselves, or the horses. No refund will be made to a participant who is rejected for any such reason, or who is unwilling or unable to complete a tour.
Participants are responsible for arranging travel to and from the ride's meeting point, for carrying valid travel documents, and for obtaining immunizations appropriate to the destination. Participants are responsible for understanding what is and is not included in the price as outlined in the detailed ride itineraries.
Anyone who does not want pictures of themselves to be used in promotional materials should notify Perol Chico accordingly.
Visas and Documents
Citizens of most Western European countries, North and South America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand only require a valid passport to enter Peru. You need to ensure that your passport has at least 6 months left to run after the date that you enter the country.
Terms & Conditions
Read how to make a deposit on a trip, about cancellations and refunds, our participant expectations and more. Click here
Suggested Packing List
- Comfortable riding trousers (two pairs)
- T- shirts
- Long sleeved cotton shirts. These are without doubt the best things to ride in. Sleeves can be rolled up or down for protection from the sun and the collar helps to protect your neck too.
- Thick socks
- Wind-bloc Fleece or warm jacket for cold evenings especially at these high altitudes.
- Waterproofs. Ideally a Gore-Tex or similar wind and rain proof jacket. Waterproof leggings are also a good idea. You will be provided with woolen and waterproof ponchos, but it is often useful to have another waterproof jacket underneath your waterproof poncho for added protection. It may not rain, but better to be prepared.
- Riding boots with rubber sole, also suitable for walking (around Inca ruins etc). The best would be a pair of the dual purpose Ariat or Mountain Horse riding/leisure boots.
- Protection for the lower leg, either full or half-chaps.
- Hat. We recommend a hard hat for riding and something with a wide brim is advisable as protection against the sun (baseball caps work well). Your hard hat must be secure on your head.
- Riding gloves
- Light pair of shoes for après-riding.
- Good sunglasses with a neck cord. Your eyes will become bloodshot if you do not wear sunglasses.
- Sunscreen and Lip Balm are essential because of the altitude and dry air. We suggest at least Factor 30, if not total block.
- Insect repellent (Machu Picchu and the surrounding area can be prone to mosquitos).
- Spanish Phrasebook/dictionary
- Casual clothes - for when you are not riding.
- Small medical kit with antiseptic cream, good supply of ibuprofen, aspirin and plasters, antihistamine tablets, any medication you regularly take.
- Scarf/bandana, useful for protection against the sun.
- Additional passport photos
- Copy of passport/visa and debit cards
- Wash bag. A supply of baby wipes will be invaluable. We also recommend biodegradable personal washing products. Hair-dryers are available at all hotels on the trail.
- Ziploc bags/supply of plastic carrier bags - always useful for wet/dry kit.
- Camera
Leather saddlebags are provided for you. Each person has a set of saddlebags and carries what they need for the day. Jackets and ponchos can be tied behind the saddle so it is easy to put them on and take them off. To keep your saddlebag contents clean, a good idea is to put all your things in a plastic carrier bag/Ziploc bag first and then into the saddlebags. We provide each rider with a warm Alpaca poncho and rain poncho during the ride.


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I recently sat on a panel of design leaders at the Digital Design & Innovation Summit in San Francisco to discuss "User vs. Designer", a constant debate within UX/Product teams. Our discussion was lively as we are often faced with decisions that sometimes come from the gut, while some are heavily guided by data and research. Below are a few topics I raised to help guide our discussion.
Product Vision
Designers are at the heart of listening to users and better articulating their needs, but to what point? A clear vision for a product needs to balance a shift in consumer expectations and historical behavior with solving problems that continue to evolve due to technological, environmental and social change.
Depending on the type of user, you may need to augment behavior in order to deliver a better user experience.
What are the immediate and long-term strategies of the business?
At any phase of product development you must ask what it is that you can prioritize and optimize to the user for each release, while balancing the long-term business objectives. These can be very dynamic as you introduce a new product to the market
- What is the target market?
- Is the product targeting an existing base, or are there other elements involved, like new market segments, goals for changing brand perception, targeted growth?
How stakeholders interpret user research/feedback:
Always a healthy argument: how different stakeholders interpret research and the appropriate language to use when sharing and educating business partners.
- When is it right to make an assumption vs. analyzing qualitative/quantitative data?
- What is the correct sample size for valid feedback?
- Have they been exposed to any biases?
- Is the feedback from the right user?
- How was the information gathered?
- How were the results shared to stakeholders?
Establishing a relationship with users
You can't just listen to users at the beginning of a project or once a project is shipped. If you want better arguments to guide design decisions, you must involve users throughout the entire journey.
Digital Design & Web Innovation Summit, San Francisco - Sept 25, 2014
Other panelists included:
Michael Forsythe, Senior Product Designer @ Groupon; David Schell, Director, UX & Design @ Pearson; Robert Suarez, Director, Design & Innovation @ Singularity University


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How to Record Account Transfers in Quicken 2012
Quicken 2012 makes quick work of account transfers as long as you already have both accounts set up. Account transfers occur when you move money from one account, such as your savings account, to another account, such as your checking account. If you have one of those combined savings and checking accounts, you probably do this sort of thing all the time.
If you don't have the second account set up, you need to do that first.
How to enter an account transfer in Quicken 2012
For the most part, you record an account transfer the same way you record a check or deposit. Suppose that you want to record the transfer of $50 from your checking account to your savings account. Say that you're working with your checking account and want to record a transfer to your account. Here's what you need to do:
Enter the transfer date.
Move the cursor to the Date field. Then type the date that you move the money from one account to another.
Flag the transaction as a transfer.
Move the cursor to the Check Number field. Open the drop-down list box and select the Transfer entry. Quicken abbreviates transfer as TXFR.
(Optional) Enter a description of the transaction.
You don't have to do this, but you might want to use the Payee field to describe the transfer — for example, Birthday. You know how this works by now, don't you? You just move the cursor to the field. Then you pound away at the keyboard. Bang. Bang. Bang.
Enter the transfer amount.
You enter amounts that you transfer out of an account in the Payment field, and you enter amounts that you transfer into an account in the Deposit field. So move the cursor to the right field (right as in right and wrong, not right and left) and then enter the transfer amount.
(Optional) Enter a memo description.
Enter more information about the transaction (if you need to) in the Memo field. Perhaps a gift idea for Aunt Enid?
Indicate the other account.
Move the cursor to the Category field, which has a modified name of Xfer Acct (standing for Transfer Account). When Quicken drops down a list box of accounts, select the other account.
Click the Save button.
This command tells Quicken that you want to record the transfer transaction into your register.
Here is the Checking register after you transfer money from your checking account to your savings account.
Take a look at the Category field. Notice that Quicken uses brackets — [ ] — to identify the Category field entry as an account and not as an income or expense category.
How to working with the other half of the Quicken 2012 transfer
Here's the cool thing about transfer transactions: Quicken automatically records the other half of the transfer for you. After the $50 reduction in the checking account occurs because of the transfer, Quicken uses this information to record a $50 increase in the savings account. Automatically. Biddabam. Biddaboom.
To see the other half of a transfer transaction, right-click the transfer transaction and choose the Go To Matching Transfer command on the shortcut menu. Quicken displays the other account in a new register window.
How to change a transfer you've already entered in Quicken 2012
Predictably, this activity works just like changing a check or a deposit:
Select the transfer by using the arrow keys or by clicking the mouse.
Use the Tab and Shift+Tab keys to move the cursor to the field that you want to change.
Make your fix, click the Save button, and then go to lunch.


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Scrap Car Rookwith, DL8, Scrap your car for free
Local, reliable car collection service in Rookwith (DL8), North Yorkshire. Scrap cars can be a real problem and can cause you untold misery, if you have a scrap vehicle and it is on the road it will still need to be taxed. You don't have to pay to get your old vehicle taken away. We will tow your old car for free!
Recent News in Rookwith
As well as offering a completely free collection, we are also currently able to offer cash for scrap cars in Rookwith depending upon the weight of the vehicle!
If you'd like us to make you an offer just ask when calling or add 'CASH QUOTE PLEASE' in the 'Additional Info' box when submitting our online form.
- DVLA notification
- Nationwide coverage
- Completely free collection!
- Environment agency approved recycling facilities
- Convenient collection times
Book today with our team on 0800 043 5100 or fill out the online booking form to the right of this page!
Choose Scrap Car Rookwith
Scrap Car Rookwith have built up a service to be proud of with many years experience in the trade and a lot of happy customers. We are proud to offer a fast response we can do this as we know the area so well. We are proud of our reputation of a prompt and reliable service we will always be with you at the agreed time slot. We know that life is hectic and you are more than likely to have a lot of commitments that is why we work 24/7, 365 days a year.
We will scrap your car in the most environmentally sound way in North Yorkshire. Dishonest companies might sell your car on and never even had any intention of scrapping, sometimes the DVLA won't even be notified that the vehicle has changed ownership. This is a scary thought as you will be liable for any fines payable. When we take away your scrap car we will notify the DVLA that your vehicle has been declared off of the road, giving you one less thing to worry about. Whenever we scrap a car we always recycle or reuse whatever we can, meaning we are doing our bit for the environment.
By ensuring that you old car is scrapped correctly will help us all keep North Yorkshire clean and tidy. If your area looks unsightly due to abandoned cars, we can help, call Scrap Car Rookwith, we will help keep our streets clean and tidy. We collect scrap cars for free, what are you waiting for, book today!
The car scrappage scheme
The car scrappage scheme may seem like a splendid idea at first. However, you are limited in what type of new car you can buy. You can't just go out and purchase any vehicle you want This can prove to be very frustrating as you have to choose a car that is currently in the scrappage scheme.
Reasons to scrap your car
There are many reason you might want to scrap your car. In our experience the main reason is that the vehicle has failed its MOT and the required work to repair it is too expensive. If you have a scrap car that is unusable you need to either declare it off the road or scrap it, otherwise your will continue to need to pay road tax on the car.
How to scrap your car
You won't believe how easy it is to scrap your old car in Rookwith. Pick up the phone to find out more from our helpful operators. Rather than calling if you would like to find out about our services please feel free to look at the guide on scrapping your car.
Just call us on 0800 043 5100 or fill out the following form:


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Share This
Marijean Jaggers
GUEST: Marijean Jaggers, the founder and CEO at Jaggers Communications. Follow her on Twitter.
TOPIC: Marijean joined the program to the discuss latest news and developments from the world of social media and technology: including NextDoor, a new social network for neighborhoods; Google Glass for first responders and police; covering your electronic tracks in the age of surveillance, and more.
ORIGINAL BROADCAST DATE: Tuesday, August 20, 2013.


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In Miami's hard-hit Little Haiti 'We never give up'
Bertot Joisil's adopted hometown is Columbus, Ohio. The Haitian-born engineer used to live in Miami, which is why he makes Little Haiti a required stop on every visit back to South Florida -- even if he never gets out of the car.
``It's always a pleasure to come here and immerse in Haitian culture,'' Joisil said. ``Even if it means driving by, just to get the feel of it.''
The recession has been hard on businesses in Little Haiti, and this summer brings a lull in visitors coming back to the area. Construction along Northeast Second Avenue, the neighborhood's main drag, hasn't helped. But many small-business owners said they feel they have no choice but to stick it out.
Compared to any other neighborhood in Miami, Little Haiti has the largest percentage of informal income, according to Social Compact, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that provides economic data on inner-city neighborhoods.
That makes quantifying the impact of this recession even more difficult, said Social Compact CEO John Talmage.
Read the complete story at miamiherald.com


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Friday, January 19, 2018
Our First Kickstarter Campaign Just Launched
I want to continue producing MYTHIC for all our subscribers and readers but I need your help to do it. Help me make MYTHIC a better magazine by offering professional rates for short fiction, add great features, regular book reviews, and other nonfiction content, as well as illustrations.
Consider becoming a backer. Click on the link below to learn more.
Friday, January 12, 2018
Cover reveal: MYTHIC #6
Also, please stay tuned for some news about an upcoming Kickstarter campaign we plan to run. We hope you consider pledging.
Thanks again to all of you who read and support this publication. Without you, readers and writers both, MYTHIC: A Quarterly Science Fiction & Fantasy Magazine would not be possible.
Shaun Kilgore
Editor, MYTHIC
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Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
- The coolest activity you can do on a Friday night, at least according to startups like Brooklinen and Casper, is to stay in and relax.
- The growing popularity of these companies is timed well to Millennial shoppers moving into their first homes and deciding how to make them feel like their own.
- The relentless pressure to work and be "on" at all times is also driving these shoppers back indoors.
- Instead of shopping with traditional brands and stores, they're turning to innovative and fairly priced startups to help them create this haven.
"The city never sleeps but you do," reminds the subway ad seen on your morning commute. "Renounce pants," implores the billboard outside your apartment. And "PSA: Instead of waiting in line for brunch you can actually just eat cookies in bed," says the Instagram post you just scrolled past on your phone.
Everywhere we go, we're being told to stay in for the night, sleep in, lounge, cook, eat, binge-watch, and spend time at home with ourselves, our friends, partners, family, and pets. Lock the doors, close the blinds, and put your phone on Do Not Disturb because it's time for pure, uninterrupted "you" time in the comfort of your own home.
According to a number of home, kitchen, and food startups, the best way to go out is to simply not. Stay at home instead and enjoy the space you've made for yourself.
As a large portion of the highly coveted Millennial shopper segment settles into domestic life and begins to figure out how to create their first home that's not a college dorm room or a cramped apartment filled with roommates, they're looking to non-traditional retail companies for help.
The initial call for what is essentially glorified hibernation and leisurely, intimate get-togethers with only people you like certainly persuades us — a generation struggling with burnout and a group of native tech users simultaneously inspired and disillusioned by the picture-perfect social media adventures surrounding us — to take a curious glance at the websites.
Here, aesthetics are still paramount to the browsing and shopping experience: artfully ruffled, carefully lived-in sheets that the light through the window hits in warm, golden slivers, or a table setting that contains a half-eaten dish and near-empty glass of wine abandoned in favor of conversation.
But more importantly, they're accompanied by context — product details and attributes that shoppers care about, like if the sheets are organic and where and by whom the ceramic plates are being crafted. They want to make sure they're getting their money's worth, especially for a product they'll be using and interacting with often.
One popular product these Millennial shoppers are drawn to is Brooklinen sheets, which are as cool, crisp, soft, and breathable as luxury hotel sheets, but sold at a fraction of the luxury price. The company's bestselling Classic Hardcore Sheet Bundle (from $189) boasts more than 34,000 online reviews talking about its comfortable feel and variety of simple but stylish designs.
Meanwhile, the "softer-than-a-cloud" comforters from bedding favorite Buffy really are as fluffy as they look. They're breathable to boot, and made from sustainable eucalyptus and eco-fiber spun from reclaimed PET bottles. If you want to be both incredibly cozy and friendly to the environment, you don't have compromise these values or look far to find a startup that fulfills them.
It's thanks to the quality construction and performance, delivered at a fair price, that shoppers become real-life versions of the ads, snuggling into their beds long after they've hit the snooze button for the third time or in the middle of a dreary, rainy weekend.
In a world where they're constantly online and made available to the whims of both corporate and personal obligations, they're looking to invest in a space that will reinvigorate them and bring them peace.
It might be ambitious to say a Casper mattress is the singular solution to this deeply ingrained cycle of work and availability, but it can't hurt to enjoy a well-engineered slab of premium foam to help you sleep better at night. Casper has even expanded past the mattress to create other sleep products like bed frames, night stands, and a new Glow Light. Consumer products like these, made more affordable and innovative by online startups, are fulfilling this universal need and desire for rest.
If you're not relaxing, lounging, or sleeping at home, you're probably cooking and eating. Material is a kitchen startup that makes curated sets of cooking tools, specifically only the versatile essentials you need to cook a dinner for one or for eight. A sturdy, sharp knife, multi-functional metal spoon, and a pair of easy-to-manage tongs are a few of its sleek cooking tool standbys you can use to make your favorite meals.
To serve and enjoy your dishes, look to companies like Snowe and Year & Day, which are both making substantial dinnerware, drinkware, and serve-ware to last a lifetime. Their polished, matte, and glass eating and drinking accessories are both beautifully simple and durable, and made in Europe by experienced craftspeople. Shoppers more likely to be caught ordering from Seamless than flipping through an Alison Roman book shouldn't feel left out because Snowe and Year & Day encourage use of their dinnerware for any occasion, from reheated Chinese takeout to gourmet tasting menu.
Equally emphasized among these food-related brands is how their products inspire gathering and sharing with loved ones. Instead of getting dressed up and going to a pricey, loud restaurant, have a dinner party or potluck with friends at one of your apartments. You can spend less money, bond over the communal love of food, and revel in the pleasure of avoiding the hustle and bustle of the outside world.
Whether they're spending it in the dining room or bedroom, more people are staying in, and it's all too understandable given their position in life and the exhausting nature of work.
Creating the home they're excited to return to at the end of the day, spend time in through the weekend, and host loved ones is a process that plenty of online startups are willing to help nurture and provide the product solutions for.
Learn more about the startups mentioned in this article:
Shop at Brooklinen
- These sheets are one of the best purchases I've ever made — here's why
- Brooklinen vs Parachute sheets: How 2 of the most popular bedding startups stack up
- Brooklinen's $100 bathrobe is the little luxury I never thought I needed
- Popular bedding startup Brooklinen has launched a new baby collection — and we wish these sheets came in adult sizes
Shop at Buffy
- I tried Buffy, a popular down-alternative comforter made of recycled plastic bottles — and it was super effective at regulating temperature
Shop at Casper
- I slept on Casper's high-end 'Wave' mattress to see if it's worth buying — and it's truly a marvel of engineering
- Mattress startup Casper's affordable pillow totally exceeded our expectations — here's what we thought
- Popular mattress startup Casper makes sheets now — and they're actually really impressive
Shop at Material
Shop at Snowe
Shop at Year & Day
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Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Insider Picks team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Think of the long trip home—Elizabeth Bishop
I came a long way to get to Harlem,
From grandma's chuck of Indian corn, born
Of the sugar ditch, the pitch at midnight
Alligators and panthers with eyes of the soul.
Was told of the many that died from arthritis and
Diabetes, the dialysis of peonage, born of migrant
Hands, aluminum pans of buffalo nickels, preserves
In mason jars, tar baby feet, far away from the city
Far away from pity.
Was told of flamingo pink and bubble gum blue,
a crew of red ants, a whole congregation of gnats lives
underground but found its way to my imagination.
Not landscape, but escape to the floating cemetery
living below sea level, afraid of sin and the devil, there
is still moonshine and gin, still the honky-tonk and pine
cones with nothingness but heat.
The military district of my dead grandfather, the river
Bethesda, Perry, Georgia and Hogs Hammock where
Mother was a laundress and a peanut farmer.
She took her time to slaughter a hog. It was a killing
Swine and the whine of all things Southern in the moss.
Home is being raised from the tenement of the soil,
From liniment and castor oil, aloe and dipping snuff.
Home is the coil of two hands praying over me.
Robert Gibbons has received fellowships and scholarships from the Norman Mailer Center, Cave Canem among others. His first collection of poems, CLOSE TO THE TREE, was published by THREE ROOMS PRESS, New York. He's a graduate candidate of the MFA program at CUNY where he also teaches undergraduate poetry.


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I'm Fun To Work With..
I released my first Podcast in 2010 and launched the 70Decibels Podcast Network in 2011. This network merged with 5by5 in 2013 and the shows I host are now being downloaded over 200,000 times a month.
I got to here with no training and just the support and assistance of a few friends. The skills I have acquired have been learned along the way and are invaluable to anyone looking to start their own Podcast, or even a network of their own.
I would love to be able to work with you or your business to help you get your project off the ground. Email me and we can discuss how we can make that happen.


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Scout Striped Dress Blue
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- Made in Guatemala
We are now offering FREE RETURNS within 10 days of delivery to you! Sale items with the price ending in .00 and items from our Accessories section are not eligible for Free Returns, but you can still self return them for store credit. See our full return policy HERE
United States: We offer FREE Standard Shipping and $3.99 Priority Shipping!
All orders ship from Salt Lake City, Utah! *Shipping Timeframes are calculated at checkout.
International: We ship anywhere in the world, shipping cost will be calculated at Checkout.


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No Results Found: inthelandofmen
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A Legislative Perspective on the Kentucky General Assembly with State Representative Rick Rand
FRANKFORT – Fall may technically have begun early last week, but for many Kentuckians, it really started about a month ago, when the season's first wave of festivals arrived.
Our nation has always used the harvest period as a time of celebration, and these gatherings, many of which draw tens of thousands of tourists, seem to grow more popular with each passing year.
There certainly is no shortage of themes. From the start of September until Halloween, you can find festivals or special events across the commonwealth dedicated to at least 18 different items, some of which are common – apples, bananas and coal – and others that are not: outhouses, riverboats and salt.
In their own way, those last three are truly unique. The Great Outhouse Blow-out, for example, is a race featuring teams pulling portable privies. It's sponsored by Penn's Store, which is located near Lebanon and is believed to be the United States' oldest country store still operated by the same family.
In mid-October, meanwhile, the Festival of Riverboats will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Belle of Louisville, which is the world's oldest Mississippi-styled riverboat still in operation.
As for the Salt Festival, which is held in Northern Kentucky, it pays tribute to a salt lick that is home to the nation's first explored fossil site. Some of the large bones found there were displayed at the White House, and President Jefferson kept some for his personal collection.
If you're looking for something else one-of-a-kind, Laurel County brings out the world's largest frying skillet each fall as part of a celebration recognizing its role as the birthplace of both Kentucky Fried Chicken and Lee's Famous Recipe. The skillet can cook up to 600 quarters of a chicken at a time.
Kentucky's oldest festival – Court Days in Mt. Sterling – has been around since 1794, just two years after the commonwealth became the country's 15th state. Court Days earned its name because that was the time each year a traveling judge would hold court. Those living nearby used this event to sell goods and visit town, and the event grew from there.
Should you decide to travel elsewhere across the state to attend one of these festivals, consider taking one of the 20 roads that make up the Scenic Byway System, six of which have received national designation. Those include the Lincoln Heritage Scenic Highway – which features sites tied to our 16th President and the bourbon industry – and the Country Music Highway in Eastern Kentucky, which winds past the early homes of such stars as the Judds, Loretta Lynn and Ricky Skaggs.
Overall, tourism is one of Kentucky's largest employment sectors, and it was responsible for more than $12 billion in direct and indirect spending in 2013, according to a study released this past spring by the state's Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet.
That Cabinet, by the way, has an excellent website highlighting the festivals and other activities available throughout the year. Its website is www.kentuckytourism.com, and "festivals and events" can be found in the bottom left-hand corner.
If you would like to contact me about any issue affecting the state, I would like to hear from you. My address is Room 366B, Capitol Annex, 702 Capitol Avenue, Frankfort KY 40601; or you can email me at firstname.lastname@example.com.
To leave a message for me or for any legislator, call toll-free at 800-372-7181. For those with a hearing impairment, the number is 800-896-0305.
I hope to hear from you soon.


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Laboratory scientist Dean Radin describes an experiment testing the relationship between mind and matter. In this experiment, random number generators are used to test whether collective human attention corresponds to a change in the physical environment.
Watch this amazing video and learn how thought affects matter and how it can be quantified as means of consciousness being analysed in data collection experiments.
Read more at http://consciousness-app.com/
Thanks for watching.
Love and Light,


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1 £7,000m
The Duke of Westminster
Grosvenor Group
The Duke of Westminster stepped down as chairman of Grosvenor Group on 1 May 2007 after 30 years at the helm of his family's property group. But he remains involved through his chairmanship of the Grosvenor Trustees, who represent the family's interests.
His property operations are in fine fettle. Despite making a £140m loss on the Liverpool One urban regeneration project, Grosvenor Group – the family's main property company – saw its profits rise 38% to £508.7m in 2006. The value of its assets rose 23% to £4.6bn.
But, anxious to avoid a repeat of the Liverpool One experience, Grosvenor has begun forming joint ventures on its other major mixed-use schemes to share the risk as well as release cash to pump into development elsewhere. The first is a 50:50 joint venture with Australian company Lend Lease to bring forward Grosvenor's £700m regeneration of Preston's Tithebarn area, due for completion in 2013.
Taking such a long view has, of course, helped Gerald Grosvenor, 55, the sixth Duke of Westminster, to become the richest property developer in Britain. The range of his wealth is staggering, taking in vast estates in Lancashire and Cheshire, great swathes of central London – in Mayfair and Belgravia – and tracts of land in Scotland, Canada and around the world.
Within Grosvenor Group are the overseas holdings, the British development work and 100 acres of Mayfair. Separately, some 200 acres of Belgravia are held in family trusts which should be worth around £4bn. That would put a value of around £6.2bn on the total family assets. Taking in the £62m in dividends that the family trusts have had from Grosvenor Group since 1999, a valuable art collection and family properties, we reckon that Westminster and his family are now worth around £7bn.
2 £3,490m
David & Simon Reuben
Trans-World Metals (UK)
Retirement homes and racecourses are of particular interest to the Reuben brothers these days.
In August 2006, they were part of a consortium that spent £1.1bn buying retirement home builder McCarthy & Stone, while in April 2007 they agreed a £65.9m takeover of Northern Racing, owner of racecourses throughout Britain.
But the brothers are able to spot value and make a profit by buying and selling on assets. In July 2007, they shared in the windfall from the £500m sale of Shell-Mex House on London's Strand. Earlier, in 2006, they had achieved a £30m profit on the sale of their stake in the Stratford City development, a move which was virtually forced by London mayor Ken Livingstone.
The Reubens, David and Simon, respectively aged 69 and 66, have been active in the British property market for the past decade after making their fortune in Russia in the 1990s, where they were dubbed the "metal tsars" for their important role in restructuring the aluminium industry in the country.
Born in Bombay (now Mumbai), the Reubens made their way as teenagers to London, where Simon went into property and David started trading in scrap metal.
Their foray into Russia, which ended in 1999, earned them at least £1.3bn, according to a detailed analysis by Fortune magazine.
Our sources suggest that, following a series of astute deals in the British property market, the brothers' property assets now amount to at least £1.8bn (mostly in the United Kingdom).
They also hold £1.6bn in liquid assets such as cash, bonds and a growing investment portfolio. Personal assets take them easily to a fortune of £3,490m.
3 £3,050m
Sean Quinn & Family
Quinn Group
Serial Irish border entrepreneur Sean Quinn and his family join Ireland's elite sterling billionaire ranks, having built the Quinn Group from scratch over the past 34 years into a huge conglomerate.
A farmer's son, Quinn leftschool at 15 to work on his family's 23-acre dairy farm in Derrylin, Co Fermanagh. His breakthrough came in 1973 when, at the age of 26, he realised that the family was sitting on huge reserves of sand, gravel and shale.
Buying a truck for £600 and borrowing money for a mechanical shovel, Quinn went into the quarrying business. One half of the quarry was in Northern Ireland and the other half was in the Republic.
The troubles in the North meant a healthy demand for building products in construction and repair work. So, in 1975, Quinn started making concrete blocks he followed that with cement and then, in the early 1980s, with roof and floor tiles. By the mid-1980s, his Quinn Group had become Ireland's second-largest cement manufacturer.
Quinn then diversified and bought nine Dublin pubs and a string of Irish hotels in the mid-1990s. The Irish property boom that followed increased their value six-fold.
Quinn-direct Insurance, which now writes premiums of £350m a year, has also taken the entrepreneur into another new and lucrative market.
In 2006, the Quinn Group made £264m profit on £1bn of sales.
The family has amassed more than £600m in assets. These include a 5%, £368m stake in Anglo Irish, the quoted Dublin business bank, hotels, wind farms, pubs and other investments.
In addition, Quinn is now moving actively into the European property market.
Now aged 61, he has given much of the company to his five children – Brenda, Ciara, Sean Jnr, Colette and Aoife – three of whom work for it.
We value the Quinn Group and the other assets at around £3bn, adding another £50m for other assets.
4 £2,610m
Earl Cadogan & Family
The Cadogan Group
Earl Cadogan has helped Chelsea to undergo a remarkable transformation in the past few years, making the area one of the most fashionable in London – indeed, in Europe.
Having inherited his title from his late father in 1997, 70-year-old Cadogan has presided over a hefty investment programme covering the 90-acre estate.
Rising central London property values and the completion of new developments in the Sloane Square area of Chelsea helped to raise the net asset value of the Cadogan Group to £2.36bn at the end of 2006.
The crowing glory is the new £150m redevelopment of the old barracks and sports ground at Duke of York Square on fashionable King's Road.
Estates, past dividends, quoted investments and personal property add £250m, taking the Cadogan family to around £2,610m.
5 £2,500m
Simon Halabi
Buckingham Securities Holdings
The recent collapse of the Esporta health club operator will have caused some pain to Simon Halabi, 49. He bought it just nine months earlier in a deal reckoned to be worth £476m including debt his losses on the venture could run as high as £150m. He is also under pressure from his co-investors to sell his one-third stake in the Shard at London Bridge, SE1.
The Esporta difficulty comes as Halabi's latest venture, the PM Club, is under way. The private members' club, aimed at the global elite, will use his family trust's existing assets – the old In and Out Club in Piccadilly, and Mentmore Towers, the former Rothschild estate in Buckinghamshire which is now being restored.
The Halabi family trust, advised by family property group Buckingham Securities, has grown in value by at least £1bn on further trophy property assets in London, including the King's Reach office development in the City, Alban Gate, the Bankside Estate and Millennium Bridge House. We cautiously value Halabi at £2.5bn.
6 £2,000m
Poju Zabludowicz
Tamares Real Estate Investments (UK)
The Daniel Dead Sea Hotel, Poju Zabludowicz's fourth hotel in Israel, reopened in early 2007 after a £16m renovation.
Zabludowicz came to attention in Britain when he backed David Cameron's Tory Party leadership bid to the tune of £15,000. The 55-year-old holds a Finnish passport, but has lived and worked in London for most of his life. His father Shlomo, a Holocaust survivor, built the family business around Soltam, an Israeli defence contractor, but most of the defence interests have now been offloaded and the family has diversified heavily into property and hotels.
Zabludowicz now owns 40% of downtown Las Vegas, including half-a-dozen casinos. He also owns the Tides hotel in Miami and the Ritz Carlton in Barcelona, but sold the Princes Arcade on London's Piccadilly for around £120m.
He has a number of companies, including Tamares Real Estate Investments and Ivory Gate. Tamares is set to invest around £285m in a series of floating shopping and leisure schemes at ports across the world.
Equity investments in areas such as card payment technology have also proved lucrative for Zabludowicz, who is also a major modern art collector and is on the board of several Jewish/Israeli charities. Our sources reckon Zabludowicz is easily worth £2bn.
7 £1,880m
Ian & Richard Livingstone
London & Regional Group Holdings
Ian and Richard Livingstone, aged 45 and 42, plan to develop an entire new district in Panama City, South America. The brothers were selected for the vast 40-year project in February after a two-year competition run by the World Bank. The value of the finished 60m sq ft development could top $10bn.
This is the latest evidence of the brothers' ambition to expand from their European base. Last year, they added a development in South Africa, buying the 200-acre Victoria & Albert Waterfront in Cape Town.
They have also completed the £925m acquisition of David Lloyd Leisure, which will be combined with their Next Generation chain to give them 89 leisure and fitness clubs in the UK, the Republic of Ireland, Belgium, Spain and the Netherlands. L&R is one of the largest private property companies in Europe, with investments and business interests exceeding €8.5bn (£5.8bn) in more than 12 countries. Its large portfolio of hotels includes the Park Lane Hilton in London. With L&R's £5.8bn empire underpinned by at least £3.4bn of debt, we cautiously value the brothers at £1.88bn.
8 £1,800m
Sir David & Sir Frederick Barclay
Ellerman Investments
The Barclay twins' approach to property dealing is in keeping with their other business interests: they spot undervalued opportunities where they are able to add considerable value.
Such was the case when they sold the new London headquarters of their Telegraph Media Group to Greek shipping magnate Achilleas Kallakis for £225m in August. Just 18 months previously, they had paid £156m for the block next to Victoria Station, which had been vacant for years.
It was a trademark deal for the twins, who turn 73 today. Recently, they bought the old Peugeot car plant near Coventry for around £60m to be used in the revamping of their mail order Littlewoods Shop Direct Group.
On the hotels front, the Barclays have held on to the highly coveted Ritz hotel and spent around £200m acquiring a 5% stake in the luxury Inter-Continental chain. But they will sell assets when the price is right. The sale of The Scotsman in December 2005 to Johnston Press raised £160m. This was followed by the £25m sale of the Scotsman HQ in August 2006.
The once low-key Barclays have become much more prominent in British business since their £665m purchase of the Daily Telegraph publisher in 2004. We stick with last year's £1.8bn valuation.
9 £1,620m
Bernard Lewis & Family
Lewis Trust Group
River Island founder Bernard Lewis's reputation may be legendary in the fashion business, but in recent years he has been building something of a name for himself in commercial property.
Through his Lewis Trust Group, 81-year-old Lewis has built up a weighty investment portfolio in the UK, Europe – where assets include 19 out-of-town retail properties in Germany let to car retailer ATU – the US and Asia.
Most recently, it bought in the long leasehold on the ground floor of a block it owns in Kingsway, London, from the Bank restaurant's parent, Individual Restaurant, for £3.5m in cash. The group is to embark on a major 160,000 sq ft refurbishment to attract a new upmarket restaurant operator and office tenants.
Lewis was also among the pioneers of tourism to Israel – particularly in the Red Sea resort of Eilat, where a separate leisure arm within the group owns hotels such as the Royal Beach.
The group as a whole saw profits soar from £95m to £155m on much higher sales of £762.5m in 2005. The star performer was the River Island fashion chain, which made £139m profit.
Founder and chairman Lewis opened his first shop, a greengrocers, on being demobbed from the RAF after the second world war. He soon switched to textiles, though. He has said: "However perishable fashion is, and it is perishable today, it lasts more than a day. Once you've bought perishable soft fruit, you can buy anything."
The clothing business he began in 1948 has been through numerous evolutions – becoming Chelsea Girl in the 1960s and River Island in the 1980s. The group also has banking interests.
The Lewis family and trusts own all the £1,500m business. Recent dividends, including £52m in 2006, £17m in 2005 and £47m in 2004, plus other property assets, should add perhaps £120m after tax.
10 £1,600m
Baroness Howard de Walden & Family
Howard de Walden Estate
A strategy to rid London's Harley Street of clinics that perform so-called lifestyle abortions attracted unwelcome attention to the family headed by the 10th baroness, a devout Catholic, earlier this year. Now 72, she is the eldest of four daughters of the late Lord Howard de Walden, who died in 1999.
The family is pouring £100m into sprucing up the area around Harley Street over the next five years. Its property company has shifted attention from its acclaimed reinvention of Marylebone High Street to focus on delivering large chunks of modern space that will build income and meet the needs of a booming medical market.
Projects include a 55,000 sq ft cancer centre, which is being developed in a joint venture with the London Clinic and is scheduled for completion in 2009. The Harley Street area currently accounts for 25% of rental income across the estate, which should grow to 30% on the back of the new strategy.
In 2005-06, Howard de Walden Estate saw its profits soar from £29.8m to £41.1m on £59m sales, and it showed £86.6m net assets. In the past 12 years, the family has clocked up around £98m in dividends (but none in 2005-06).
The family trusts also own development company Welbeck Land, which saw its profits come in at £4.6m on £17.6m sales in the same period.
Welbeck Land is working on schemes around the country, from Guildford to South Wales and Manchester. With central London prices up in the last year, we raise our valuation of the family's business assets to £1.5bn, adding another £100m for past dividends and other property assets.
11 £1,500m
Mark Pears & Family
William Pears Family Holdings
As shareholders in the London power eatery The Wolseley in Piccadilly, low-key London property group William Pears will be pleased to know that the restaurant makes a solid profit.
Yet it is small-scale for the business – run by 44-year-old Mark Pears – whose empire now stretches from small local ground rents to the majority of British Telecom's property portfolio.
The family are currently backing a bid for a £1bn outsourcing of government property in Northern Ireland through their Telereal business, of which they took full control two years ago by splashing out £300m to take over the 50% stake they did not own from Land Securities. The two had formed the company in 2001 to own and manage the BT properties.
Telereal, the Wolseley stake, the acquisition of a pub chain in 2003 for £57m and a joint venture to run NHS facilities show that the Pears family are willing to move out of their traditional local property and auction room arena.
Started in 1952 by the Pears brothers' grandfather, the late William Pears, the family's holdings now stretch to at least 44 separate companies. These showed profits of over £110m and net assets of more than £650m in 2005-06. The holdings outside Telereal must be worth at least £1100m.
We value the family stake in Telereal at £300m, assuming that borrowings may have had to be used to purchase the outstanding 50%. The Pears have taken dividends of £40m in the past few years and nearly £82m in 1996. With the money coming through from Telereal, we raise our valuation of the Pears family to £1.5bn after tax.
11 £1,500m
Eddie & Sol Zakay
Topland Group
Eddie and Sol Zakay, respectively 57 and 55, are eyeing the Indian market with a view to investing £1bn on building 40,000 homes for India's growing middle class.
The Zakays' company, Topland, made its name through sale-and-leaseback deals on supermarkets run by blue-chip companies such as Marks & Spencer and Tesco. Its biggest coup was to buy 78 M&S stores in 2001 for £350m these are now worth £800m. The Zakays have also taken out hefty amounts of cash with refinancing deals.
The Zakays are active in both the British and European markets. They have around 157 directorships but the main holding company, Topland Group, showed £101.5m net assets in 2005-06.
The total portfolio worldwide is worth around £4bn. A Gibraltar-based company, Topland Group Holdings, paid out £165m to Zakay family trusts. In all, after stripping out borrowings, the Zakay family should easily be worth £1.5bn.
11 £1,500m
John Whittaker
Peel Holdings
John Whittaker, 65, will bankroll £10bn of development covering hundreds of acres of his beloved Merseyside over the next 50 years. His Peel Holdings has ambitious plans for Wirral and Liverpool which should see them rival Shanghai and New York, with towering schemes on Liverpool Bay.
The land at Birkenhead Dock and Central Dock was acquired through Peel's acquisition of Mersey Docks & Harbour Co for £771m in 2005. In late 2006, Whittaker sold a 49% stake in his Peel Ports business for £750m, valuing the whole company at about £1.6bn.
In addition to ports, the low-key Whittaker has put his talent for spotting opportunities early into building a formidable empire that also embraces John Lennon Airport and a £158m stake in UK Coal. He took Peel private in 2004. With over 68% of the shares, he and his ally, the Saudi Olayan dynasty, remained as shareholders.
Whittaker was in the quarrying business before moving into property. In the 1980s, he fought a long battle to take over the Manchester Ship Canal Co, which owned the land on which his hugely successful shopping complex, the Trafford Centre, is built. He remains extremely active around Manchester on schemes including the BBC's new home at Salford Quays.
By 2005-06, Whittaker had split his empire. We can see around £2.074bn of net assets in four main companies including Peel Holdings (TCL) and Peel Holdings (Land & Property). We assume he still has a 68% stake, worth £1.410bn. His other assets, including an Isle of Man home, another in Spain and £6m of dividends a year, should easily take Whittaker to £1.5bn.
14 £1,315m
Viscount Portman & Family
Portman Estate
It may have been around for 478 years, but the Portman Estate is no slouch when it comes to technology. The company has installed the latest mobile internet and broadband telecoms equipment in its properties.
Forty-nine-year-old Viscount Portman has been trying to improve the image of his 110-acre central London inheritance since he took over the estate on his father's death in 1999.
Owned by a series of complex family trusts, and with many of its properties on long leases, the Portman estate was slower than the other big London landowners to start improvements.
However, these leases are now coming to an end and the estate is taking a more proactive role in development, spending £40m on an investment programme such as Portman Village – the name for two shopping streets in the heart of the estate. Here, it recently worked with Westminster council and others to turn Old Quebec Street into an "oasis of calm".
As well as the London estate, the Portman owns a rag-tag of rather obscure assets, including 17,000 acres at Wagga Wagga, in New South Wales, Australia. Other assets include a share in commercial properties in Manhattan in New York and Palm Beach in Florida.
There are few signs of family wealth in their two companies – Brickleton Group and Portman Settled Estates – with £500,000 net assets between them.
But with the improvements on the estate and the inexorable rise in prices in central London, we add 10% to last year's £1.15bn valuation for the estate, taking it to £1,265m. We add another £50m for family assets, including the Herefordshire estate and a holiday home in Antigua.


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