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If Jeanette Aw were a colour, she'd flit between bright cobalt blue and sombre navy. Certainly, she's not fiery enough a personality to be crimson (we wanna say Cynthia Koh, but we're afraid she'll scold us). Not sunny enough to be yellow (hello, Pornsak!). Not ethereally hippie, peace-loving enough to be Nadya Hutagalung green. Yes, Jeanette's got a chill sort of self-azure-rance (heh heh). In public, she displays a lighter shade of aquamarine, if you will. When she's alone, she takes on deeper, darker hues as her melancholic side takes over (though we don't think she ever gets as angsty-indigo as, er, Rui En.) In a way, Jeanette's not that different from your typical emo\ teen battling mood swings. The only difference is she exercises impeccable self-control. In any case, whichever extreme Jeanette swings to, blue just looks good on her. After all, the 32-year-old is a shoo-in for high weep-factor roles like 2008's tearjerker-orama, The Little Nyonya, and more recently, Breakout, where she went all high-strung and maniacal as a schizophrenic. She'll also be essaying tragic characters in two upcoming dramas which she spent the past eight months filming in China and Malaysia. And we must say tragedy becomes her — those big peepers were made for crying. Then there are those forlorn ruminations (in both English and Mandarin) that she posts on Facebook and Twitter, an abject showcase of idealism tempered with world- weariness: "How many of us can say 'I like the way I am and that's how it's going to be?' If you can, good for you…" Why the self-doubt, Jeanette? Were you making New Year's resolutions? Did someone call you fat? After a fan meet, the introspective Little Nyonya wrote this on her blog in Mandarin: "Actually, I'm not as brave and strong as you all might think. I've failed before. I've been disillusioned before. And I have thought of giving up." Is it self-indulgent? Perhaps.
But you also get the distinct feeling that it comes from somewhere genuine. It's not pretentious or an attention-seeking ruse, which is probably why you don't dismiss it as an OTT melodramatic cry to get noticed. But you do kinda wish she might get out more. Get a drink. Go bowling. Cook curry with friends. "I think a lot," admits Jeanette, who's sitting pretty in our studio as stylists fuss over her elfin face. We're guessing these conversations she has with herself are part of the reason she's somewhat reserved when speaking to the media. She's probably played out the scenario so many times in her head that it's near impossible to catch her off guard. No matter how welcoming her smile is, she still keeps you at a safe distance, but you happily smile back because Jeanette does chirpy so convincingly. She's just good with people like that. Watching her, you get the impression this spritely lass likes hanging around people, but is just as comfortable being by herself, staring pensively out of a window on a rainy day. Ah.
She cheerily chomps on a jar of pineapple tarts that someone offers her and compares Weibo postings with her make-up artist in a high-pitched voice that's more endearing than annoying, perhaps because there's substance to her laughter-peppered prattle. Plus, she e-nun-ci-ates each word with deliberate precision in flawless, unaffected English. With her more sombre hues tucked away, the only thing blue we're getting from Jeanette is the bathtub-ful of Smurfs she's frolicking with for our shoot. Yes, those cutesy l'il '80s version of Na'vis. "I love Smurfs! I used to watch the cartoon as a kid," she coos. The studio reverberates with her lilting laughter as an assistant frantically scrolls through an iPad for images of Smurf characters — Grouchy, Clumsy, Brainy, Smurfette — for Jeanette to reference facial expressions. Recognising the absurdity of channelling hunched-up Smurf villain Gargamel, she can't help but break into chuckles in between shots.
What gets this girl down? How about having to pull 16-hour days filming in Malaysia and China over the past eight months for her upcoming dramas Destiny in Her Hands and Precious? "I'm very independent and I don't get homesick. Even in Singapore, I stay by myself in my own apartment," shrugs Jeanette, who spent most of her free-time there holed up in her hotel room. She's been away so long that she doesn't know much about the General Elections ("Who's Tin Pei Ling?"), and she hasn't heard about Joanne Peh's water fiasco either ("What happened? Nobody told me anything leh").
Then we hit a raw nerve. Prince, her six-year-old Maltese that she left in her friend's care, recently fell ill and died while Jeanette was overseas. "I feel responsible since he's my pet and I was never around to take care of him," she laments, her eyes brimming with tears that can't be shed lest she ruins her freshly applied make-up. And then there was the death of her beloved godmother years ago. "I mourned her for a year," says Jeanette, adding: "I didn't manage to attend her funeral as I was away for work. From now on, if something ever happens to my family and I have to choose between them or my career, I'd give this up at the drop of a dime." Gosh, it's getting really mellow here, but trust Jeanette to once again lift the mood. She breaks into a laughing fit at the sight of our bath towel-draped stylist. "I get out of feeling blue pretty easily," she quips. "Blue can also mean a lot of other things besides melancholy, no? Like, blue films mean an entirely different thing altogether!" So have you watched one before, we ask. "No lah, isn't it more of a guy thing? The Smurfs movie will be my first blue film. Ha!"
You spent eight months on location. That's a long time to be away from home. How did you cope?
This is the longest I've ever been away from home. Sad to say, I didn't get out much while I was in Malaysia and China 'cos of the long working hours — we worked seven-day weeks. I had books to read and I bought some DVDs from the local stores to watch in my hotel room. I'm not sure if they're pirated, but they looked legit (laughs)! Facebook and Twitter are banned in China, so I didn't go online much. I didn't feel lonely, though. I like having my own space. As for culture shocks, they smoke a lot in China. And one time, I had seafood with the local crew at a restaurant where the common practice is to throw your prawn shells on the floor. I wasn't used to it so I left mine on the plate.
What about foreign fan encounters of the dubious kind?
Believe it or not, two Singaporean stalkers followed me all the way to China! They're both female and not young. I recognised them 'cos I've seen them here many times before. It's scary. Once, in Singapore, they followed my vehicle in their own cars, and stopped by the road when I entered a petrol kiosk. When my assistant approached them, they sped off. They were tailing me in China for two weeks. I freaked out when we discovered that they were staying in the hotel room next to mine. I have no idea how they found out where I was staying! Thankfully, nothing happened. But I'd see them lurking in the shadows and filming me on theirphones. The production crew always sent someone to accompany me from the hotel to the filming site, but there's nothing else you can do 'cos they're not breaking any laws.
Will this deter you from travelling alone in future?
No. I love travelling alone. The last place I went to was India for a meditation retreat. You get really introspective on such trips and I'm the kind of person who likes to think a lot.
We've seen some of your posts on Twitter and Facebook. There's some heavy stuff there.
Yeah, I post a lot of moody stuff, right (laughs)? I wouldn't say I'm blue by nature. I usually think a lot when I'm on my own, and I'm alone a lot. But most of these posts are observations I make at that moment, that's all. I'm temperamental. My mood changes with whatever music I'm listening to. I can be high on rock one moment and then I'll get moody when a slow song comes on. A recent incident that got me feeling blue is the death of my dog.
We're sorry to hear that.
(Long pause) His name is Prince. He is a Maltese. I've had him since he was a puppy. When I moved out, he stayed with my parents, then I left him with a friend 'cos I was always busy with work. When I was away the past eight months, he came down with a viral infection, suffered seizures and passed away. I guess it's better for him now that he doesn't have to suffer. I keep photos of him as a pup — these are all I have since I wasn't around much when he grew up. I had another dog in uni which was given to me by my then-boyfriend. When we broke up, he took the dog back. I was actually more upset about losing the dog than I was about the break-up (laughs).
Was there a time in your career when you were hit by the blues?
Things were very quiet for me after The Rainbow Connection in 2005. I felt lost 'cos I didn't know why I wasn't landing parts. You get a lot of insecurities in this line. But I kept myself occupied by travelling. Thankfully, things picked up after that. The worst point was when my godmother passed away six years ago. It affected me at work so much that I actually considered quitting. I was very close to her and she had Alzheimer's, which made her forget many things. She'd write them down so she'd remember, but then she'd forget where she kept the notebook she'd written them in. It was heart-breaking to lose her day by day like this. Before she passed away, she sent me two SMSes, but due to faulty networks, I only received them after she died. The first SMS she sent, she wrote: "Baby girl, I love you. I finally remember your number." The second one was: "Did you get my message? I guess not." Those were her last words to me. Not being able to reply her in time is my one biggest regret.
Do you channel any of this into the characters you play?
Yeah, [the China drama] Precious is based on The Little Nyonya — the characters are similar and I also play a mother/daughter role. It should air next year, but only after its run in China. My character in Destiny in Her Hands is also very tragic. I play a girl with broken lines on her palm, which some believe signify a life of hardship. But the one character that really drained me emotionally was the schizophrenic Yang Nianqing in Breakout. I still remember my first scene where she breaks down. I was still crying when I got home! Right now, I'm filming Rescue 995, a Ch 8 paramedic drama serial debuting next Feb where I play someone with a sunny personality, so that's a change.
When you lost the Best Actress award to Rui En at this year's Star Awards, did it turn you a depressing shade of midnight blue?
(Shrugs) I'm hopeful with every nomination, but I guess I'm still not good enough? I get over it real fast, though. Whenever I'm down, I usually spend some time by myself, and I'll be okay. Plus, having a short memory helps. I forget what I'm angry or down about easily.
We hear you're branching out into comedy with what sounds like a Ch 8 version of Beauty and the Beast.
Yes, I'm doing a Ch 8 dramedy called Absolutely Charming which will debut next May. I play a fox spirit who's exiled to Earth. She's disfigured and the only way she can return to heaven is if she fi nds someone who loves her the way she is. Because I'm so ugly, there'll be some funny scenes. I don't know how they're gonna 'uglify' me, but I'm looking forward to it. Everyone is so used to seeing me in tragic roles; this will be a good change. But it's a challenge for me to do comedy. I laugh very easily, especially when co-stars crack jokes on set, and sometimes I can't stop. It wouldn't work for comedy 'cos you have to deliver your lines with a straight face (laughs).
As someone who thinks a lot, do you make for a difficult girlfriend?
No lah! When I'm in a relationship, it's always long term. My worst break-up was the 'dog guy' 'cos he was overbearing and two-timing me. I was fresh out of school and a different person then when I was with him. We fought a lot and I cried every day. It was bad. He'd get angry with me just 'cos I had a car and didn't have time to pick him up.
Do you think he was the one who spread those terrible rumours about you being a divorcee?
I'm not sure. Maaaaybe (laughs)? I'm in a healthy relationship now. That's all I have to say about it. And no, it's not Joshua Ang.
How good is Jeanette's general knowledge when it comes to all things blue? We put her to the test.
"I wouldn't even associate blue with food. Oh, blue plates! There's something about blue plates, isn't there? Food on blue plates doesn't look appetising."
"Superman? It's correct? Wow, I didn't know that (laughs). I'm not into superheroes. I haven't watched any of the new superhero movies. I watched one of the earlier X-Men movies, though, and I liked it."
"(Chuckles) Pluto? I was never good in science at school. I'm more a theatre student."
Ans: Earth, because 70 per cent of it is covered in water.
"Oh dear, I'm really bad at this, aren't I? Am I failing already?"
Ans: Late '40s crooner Frank Sinatra, who had lovely baby blues.
Q: Who sang the song 'Blue Eyes Blue'?
"Oh no! Why your quiz so hard one (laughs)?"
Ans: Eric Clapton.
Q: Which football team is known as 'Les Bleus'?
(Stumped pause before a makeup artist offers the answer — The French national team) "Aiyoh, the name of their team is already in French! How come I didn't think of it? It's a trick question, right?"
Q: Why is the sky blue?
"Good question! Something to do with light? Refractions? I was thinking of colours in the rainbow and something about how blue is the most visible due to the air or something. I remember my physics, okay?"
Pity, Jeanette. Just one more and you would've graduated from our primary (colours) class.


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Abode Construction & Insulation Limited trading as Abode Heating & Insulation, is locally owned and operated by Grant & Megan Burney.
Grant Burney is a trade qualified builder who has done his fair share of insulation and woodburner installs. He trains all the installers on best practice when working in the roof space and under the floor of houses. He is also Abode Heating & Insulation's head assessor so he knows what he is doing when assessing your house for insulation and heating.
Areas Covered
Abode Heating & Insulation services the Hawkes Bay and Central Hawkes Bay areas.
Payment Options
Abode Heating & Insulation will accept cash, cheque, internet banking and credit card payments upon request. We are also happy to discuss interest free payment options for short term repayments.
Abode Heating & Insulation can arrange your Hawkes Bay Regional Council Loan for insulation and heating. See our HBRC Heat Grant & Loan section.
We can do over the phone credit card transactions. All credit card transactions attract a 1.75% surcharge on the total cost.
We take Bartercard, please enquire for terms and conditions.

subset: commoncrawl


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Sidelines with John Clay
Three take-aways from Kentucky's loss to UCLA in the CBS Sports Classic
In addition to my column, three take-aways from Kentucky's 83-75 loss to UCLA in the CBS Sports Classic:
1. The roller-coaster ride of youth
They're kids, right. They're going to have ups and downs. You may not have heard this, but Kentucky is starting five freshmen. It is the youngest team maybe in the history of basketball, certainly since modern metrics began keeping track of such things. And with kids, some days are diamonds, some days are rocks.
For example, last Saturday, Hamidou Diallo made a season-high four of seven three-pointers in UK's win over Virginia Tech. He scored 20 points. He was named the SEC's Freshman of the Week. Saturday, against UCLA, Dillao was just seven-of-18 from the floor. He was one-of-five from three-point land. He scored 18 points but he needed 18 shots.
Last Saturday, playing in dark glasses to protect an eye injury, freshman guard Quade Green went six-of-12 from the floor, dished five assists with just one turnover and scored 17 points. This Saturday, Green started out wearing the dark shades but then ditched them on the way to going one-of-seven from the floor. Green missed all four of his three-point attempts. He scored a season-low two points.
Last Saturday, freshman forward PJ Washington made some big plays down the stretch and ended up with 11 points, five rebounds and five assists. This Saturday, there were stretched you forgot Washington was in the game. He ended up with nine points and four rebounds. He had just one assist.
Last Saturday, Kentucky made 11-of-22 three-pointers. This Saturday, Kentucky made six-of-21 three-pointers. To be honest, that might have been the difference between winning and losing right there considering Virginia Tech made 10 threes last Saturday and UCLA made 12 this Saturday.
Of course, as John Calipari said, "We're playing freshmen."
2. Thumbs down to New Orleans as a site for the CBS Sports Classic
Yes, we know, New Orleans is great. There's great food. There's great entertainment. There's great culture. There's great opportunities to experience things you don't get to experience anywhere else. New Orleans is not great for basketball, however.
The crowd for Saturday's Ohio State-North Carolina/Kentucky-UCLA doubleheader was listed as 8,119. That's half the capacity of the Smoothie King Center, the arena where the New Orleans Pelicans play in the NBA, which is right next door to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome where the New Orleans Saints play in the NFL.
When football is still going on, New Orleans doesn't care about college basketball. It just doesn't. True, the date for Saturday's affair was not good. Two days before Christmas is not advantageous. But I'm not sure that a better date would have made for a much better crowd.
If you compare the two, the CBS Sports Classic pales in comparison to the Champions Classic. The latter has Kentucky, Duke, Kansas and Michigan State. It is played early in the season when there is a curiosity about the four teams, who year-in and year-out are Final Four contenders. Not all the CBS Sports Classic members fit that description.
In fact, I think Kentucky and its fans would be better off by playing a good opponent in a home-and-home series. Say North Carolina, whom Kentucky will play in the CBS Sports Classic in 2018, it was announced Saturday. In Chicago.
3. Hello Santa, it's Louisville week
If Saturday's loss spoiled Christmas for the Big Blue Nation, then the fact that Louisville is next on the basketball schedule will undoubtedly make for a very anxious holiday season. Instead of "What's under the tree?" it'll be "Will we be able to bounce back against the Cards?"
We'll write plenty more about the craziness and uncertainty of this year's matchup, thanks primarily to what has gone on in Louisville over the past six months. The U of L that will visit Rupp Arena is a far different U of L than the one that has visited in recent years. And there's one big reason for that.
Meanwhile, when the Cats return from Christmas break, John Calipari knows he has some work to do. Louisville is the last non-conference game before league play. New Year's Eve brings Georgia to town for the SEC opener. And, as we we have stated, the SEC is an improved league this year.
It is also Camp Cal time, too, so expect a lot of talk and stories about how this young team really needs nothing but basketball over the next couple of weeks. And, as Saturday proved, it does.
John Clay: 859-231-3226, @johnclayiv
Kentucky's next five games
Texas A&M


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Article by Brentwood Gazette: Reigning Radical European Masters champion Bradley Smith is joining the Ginetta Supercup for this season, having secured a late deal after plans to graduate into LMP3 Sports Prototypes fell through.
The Billericay ace, who has won titles in the Radical Clubmans Cup, Radical SR3 Challenge and Radical European Masters over the past three seasons was due to race one of the brand-new Ginetta LMP3 cars for Greaves Motorsport.
[quote width="auto" align="none" border="#0066cc" color="#0066cc" title="Quoted by Bradley Smith"]I was looking forward to my first full step on the international scene, learning new tracks and sticking to a defined career path. But we found out last month that their project had been put on hold for a year.[/quote]
A last-minute deal with Ginetta will now see Smith on the Supercup grid for the opening rounds at Brands Hatch in two weeks with a G55 run by father Mike's Mectech Motorsport.
The 24-year-old had his first run in a G55 at the Ginetta media day at Silverstone. "I did a few laps on my own and then did passenger rides," he said.
[quote width="auto" align="none" border="#0066cc" color="#0066cc" title="Quoted by Bradley"]The publicity on the Touring Car package will give me and the team a higher profile and hopefully attract some sponsors. Plus, I will be racing at Rockingham, Thruxton, Croft and Knockhill for the first time.[/quote]
Smith is unlikely to have any time to test his new mount before the opening races, but is impressed with the experience so far.
[quote width="auto" align="none" border="#0066cc" color="#0066cc" title="Quoted by Bradley"]Making my debut at Brands isn't so daunting as I have had a lot of success there. I just need to concentrate on myself and getting familiar with the car. A win at Brands would be great but I would be happy with a top six in the first two and a podium in the third race, so long as we progress during the weekend. The car is nice to drive, responsive, but having less aero and enclosed in a car, of course, is new for me. There is a lot to learn but I am looking forward to the challenge and have confidence that we will succeed.[/quote]
Article and image from Brentwood Gazette


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Benecol® is the original expert in cholesterol-lowering
Raisio's top innovation Benecol® created the category of cholesterol-lowering functional foods. Benecol is a forerunner in commercialisation of product innovations. Benecol products are sold in almost 30 countries.
Benecol® is a brand of clinically-proven cholesterol lowering products. The efficacy of Benecol products has been proven in over 70 scientific studies. The strong EU disease health claim is used in the marketing of Benecol products. Benecol has helped tens of millions of people lower their blood cholesterol levels and this way, affected their cardiovascular health.
Today's consumers are more interested than ever before in getting health benefits from the foods they eat. Benecol® meets consumer needs by delivering products with effective and easy cholesterol reduction that enhances heart health and wellbeing.
Nearly half of the population have elevated cholesterol levels
Benecol created a cholesterol-lowering functional food market twenty years ago and now the market is worth about EUR 2.5 billion a year according to Euromonitor.
In industrialised countries, more than half of adults have elevated blood cholesterol levels. At the same time, consumers are increasingly interested in promoting health and take more responsibility for their own wellbeing. As part of a healthy diet, Benecol meets well consumer needs.
Most of Benecol product users are in the UK, where a lot of determined work has long been done for the brand. Benecol has kept its market leader position in cholesterol-lowering yogurt drinks for several years. Raisio carefully listens to consumers and wants to be a trendsetter in cholesterol-lowering foods also in the future.
Raisio and its licensing partners constantly seek new markets for Benecol. In 2015, the Benecol products were launched in South Korea and China.


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There's been a bit of a buzz in the air in my Ottawa neighbourhood over the past few months as extensive renovations have transformed the former Collected Works bookstore on Wellington West into a restaurant. As The Flying Banzini has taken shape, many have enjoyed following owner Dave Scharf's journey through his honest and entertaining account of the trials and tribulations of dramatic career change, logistical hurdles, decisions, menus and more (www.flyingbanzini.com/blog/).
Opening day is August 31; I popped in a few days ago to meet Dave and have a look around. Dave's a charming man with a love of music, a quirky sense of humour and a conviction that visiting a restaurant should involve more than just eating delicious food – it should offer a complete entertainment experience. That's precisely the sentiment behind The Flying Banzini. The whimsical name doesn't really refer to anything in particular, other than implying something Italian, which suits the menu; Dave confirms that the chosen moniker also offered the opportunity for an interesting turn-of-the-century logo.
The corten weathering steel on the façade has quickly taken on an eye-catching patina and when the front windows are open, the restaurant practically calls out to you to please come in and enjoy. Before too long, Dave hopes to have a tiny sidewalk patio as well. Inside, the eclectic décor has developed into what Dave describes as steampunk-esque.
The counter at which you'll place your order, pay and be handed a celebrity nametag before taking a seat is to the left, with 48 seats in the middle and right areas scattered amongst high tops, chairs and richly upholstered banquettes. Schoolhouse lights along with some funky transparent globes over the bar add ambiance. Before you sit, however, be sure to take note of the brass speaking tube behind the bar – it's a low-tech, amusing yet very effective way to connect the upper cooking and service kitchen with the lower bakery and prep area in the basement.
Photographs by local artists are on display (and for sale), along with a quintet of eyecatching canvas-printed images captured by Dave's father, a lifelong photography buff. A ceiling-mounted projector displays short films on the opposing platinum-wallpapered surface. Dave's longtime career as a radio disc-jockey in Saskatoon is apparent in the restaurant's lovingly-crafted playlist; I felt tempted to linger a little longer on my first two visits, just to hear what songs were next in the lineup. Entertainment is also on offer via trivia questions on the aforementioned clever namecard system that will identify patrons for the purpose of delivering orders – ideally in less than 10 minutes from when you made your selection.
The menu – with its clever tagline, "lofty roast meats and cheesecake with altitude" – is short but carefully constructed. Sandwich options include two soft bun versions featuring house-roasted meats (porchetta and beef) as well as eight panini or regular or gluten free buns. All sandwiches are generous in size yet modestly priced at $7.95.
I was particularly smitten with the pizzas I tasted. There are 8 varieties, cleverly named as are the panini, prepared on a thin crust (gluten free, if you prefer) with interesting toppings and a tasty house-made sauce, priced at just $11.95 for a 10 inch pizza.
"Vegetarian dishes are not just an afterthought on our menu," says Dave. Proof? Both the sandwich and pizza menus include multiple appealing meatless options (see the panini pictured above). Savoury cheesecakes (a most tempting appetizer), three salads, soup of the day and delectable roasted potato wedges round out the offerings but you'd be wise to save room for some sweets as well. The petite cheesecakes are a marvel – small enough that you can taste several without feeling guilty, but flavourful and satisfying enough that one might just be enough after a big meal. "Naughty biscotti" and cheesecake ice cream are also available.
There's a short wine list and several beers, including local brews Beyond the Pale and Beau's, plus Birra Moretti ("which I chose because I like the guy in the funny hat on the label," says Dave). Coffee is from Hintonburg's Bytown Beanery and teas come from neighbouring Nectar Fine Teas.
At the restaurant, Dave is known as the Big Banzini; his brigade includes Restaurant Manager Raye Ann (Captain Banzini), Chef Ryan Moore (the Savoury Banzini) and Pastry Chef Raelene Harder (the Sweet Banzini) along with a team of Little Banzinis. All are as cheerful and enthusiastic as their boss; it feels like it'd be a pretty great place work, actually. I'm quite certain it's going to be a fun and popular place to dine. I am confident that once everyone's up to speed, the service is going to be excellent, given Dave's attention to detail. An example: during a soft opening lunch, a couple arrived with a toddler. Dave immediately ran next door to buy a booster seat. What a welcoming gesture.
The Flying Banzini is at 1242 Wellington Street West, Ottawa (near Holland Avenue). 613.601-9303. It will be open for lunch and dinner, with the full menu available for takeout as well.


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PC's and Consoles are scored according to the following criteria:
Variety of Games
Games are scored according to the following criteria:
Most importantly, all reviews are based on the subjective opinion of the reviewer. You may not agree with the writer's words, that's OK, just leave a comment, but it does not signify that the review is wrong.
Our gaming reviews give an overall description of the gameplay and any flaws that we may perceive. The score the game receives is useful for context, but it should not solely be relied on.
To derive our final score for a game, we do not take averages nor do we use a mathematical equation. It is based on the quality of the game and how it fairs against games from the same genre around the same time period.
10.0 – Perfect
No game is ever perfect, but if 10 is given, it reflects a game which is as close as it can get to perfection in the current climate. This score will never be common, it is taken very seriously when a game scores this and it means that you should own it.
9.0 – Excellent
Any game that gets nine should be considered a must buy for fans of the genre. Of course if we give a nine to a strategy game and you only enjoy football games then this score probably won't change your mind.
8.0 – Very Good
When a game receives an eight, you will find that if you like the genre, this game is a great investment for you. Minor factors would have contributed to make this game fall short of a higher value, so be sure to read what they are before making your decision.
7.0 – Good
A seven is better than average in our eyes. This game will have a few areas where it is blatantly let down to the detriment of its overall quality and enjoyment, but it is still NOT average. A seven is still a recommendation, but you might want to consider what we thought let the game down and decide for yourself if it would bother you before buying. Overall, a great rental choice if you're really interested in the particular game.
6.0 – Not Bad
This game is not good enough to be on your pre-ordering list. You should review the game entirely before making a decision. That said, you may really enjoy the game, as it maybe for example, a lazy sequel, which does not innovate but it does not do anything wrong. You might have enjoyed the prequel, so it would not be a bad choice for you. On the other hand, it might be flawed in crucial areas.
5.0 – Average
This means an average game in our opinion. You really are taking a chance if you decide to go ahead with a game of this rating level. Be sure to read our reasons for giving a game this rating.
4.0 – Below Par
Games with ratings of four may well have some good features, but we're clearly issuing caution to stay away from this game. Common complaints of games in this bracket include bad control schemes, broken gameplay, bugs, inflexible options, and repetitiveness.
3.0 – Poor
This is the sort of game you regret buying 10 minutes after playing it. All involved in creating the game would be wise to the flaws and are trying to paint over its cracks. Do not let them pull the wool over your eyes and heed our warning!
2.0 – Bad
Avoid at all costs. There is bound to be many faults, and even some that we may have not found! Do not waste your time…
1.0 – Awful
This game is a very bad joke. Your intelligence should feel insulted as the developers thought that you were stupid enough to buy this tripe. If you ever see this rating, DO NOT BUY THIS GAME! DO NOT RENT THIS GAME! If someone offers it to you, LAUGH AT THEM!
If you have any questions or concerns regarding our scoring policy, please email the editor at [ editor [at] computergameandconsolereviews.com ].


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Sex workers of Brazil are preparing for the World Cup with English lessons and credit-card facilities. But what is life really like in the country's licensed brothels? Ewan MacKenna reports from the 'zonas' of Belo Horizonte, where England will play their final group match
To reach the zonas, clients and workers alike must pass by the bouncer sitting on a bar stool on the side of the street, go through a metal detector and ascend flights of stairs; what awaits is a like a cross between a run-down prison and a hostel even the earthiest backpacker would turn away from. The floors are bare concrete, while the corridor extends past door after door into cell-like rooms where women lie. There, a girl just out of her teens confirms it's safe before noting: "It's rare but sometimes men rape."
Meanwhile, the woman back at Aprosmig tells of a 62-year-old she knew who was murdered last year. "There was another stabbed to death, too. They found her in the bedroom bleeding. She spent a week in hospital but didn't make it. It was her boyfriend but violence isn't common; it's just that girls end up with bad guys like drug dealers."
Many might wonder why women take such risks, but necessity trumps choice in a nation of close to 200 million. The statistics are stark: illiteracy averages 10 per cent, reports say 13 million are underfed, 42,785 were murdered nationwide last year and there is a national shortage of 168,000 physicians. Prostitution was legalised in 2000. At the time it was suggested there were as many as one million sex workers, and while that may have been an overestimate, prostitution is undeniably widespread. At one point, the government's own employment website offered tips for those wishing to attempt prostitution, going step by step through preparation, seduction and delivery of service. It was later toned down after much pressure from conservatives and the religious right.
There are also those completely against it as a profession. Recently the female members of Brazil's major trade union federation, Cut, debated the issue with secretary Rosane Silva saying, "What we need is to fight for politics that take women out of this condition. We have to keep pushing for this because it's basic exploitation". At the same conference, Para Cleone, a former prostitute, added: "Of course I'm against this. These women are being exploited by the people who run the zonas."
"Given the numbers and our dignity, it made sense to look for recognition," contests Cida Vieira, who is in her late thirties and chairwoman of Aprosmig (it was Vieira who was quoted widely last year in the world's press when she announced that the prostitutes of Belo Horizonte would accept payment on credit card during the World Cup). "We deserve to be treated like anyone else working. I used to work in the central bank here but different people like different things. In that other job, well, I hated the bureaucracy. It's so boring. And even before I tried this I liked reading about it and watching erotic films but I like the fetish, not the sex. Really, I love what I do, I never want to stop. Loads of the girls love what they do, they just don't tell people because of the prejudice. But I'm not ashamed. Everyone in my family knows, we talk about it openly."
Vieira mentions she has a daughter – how would she feel if her child became a prostitute? "I'd be very happy," she insists. "But she wants to be a businessperson. That's her choice and this is mine and I work the streets and prefer it there as I just like to be free. I don't like to be sitting there waiting like those in the zonas. That will never change. I don't worry about it being more dangerous on the streets either. The prostitutes have a great relationship with the police. They know us all and that makes a big difference," she insists. "Really, this is a great life."
But this life goes way beyond Belo Horizonte. With a total of 3.7 million tourists expected in the country for the World Cup, there have been lurid accounts of preparations across Brazil. In Fortaleza, a local prosecutor stated: "Foreign clients order underage prostitutes who are delivered directly by the hotels' pimps." Meanwhile, a massage house beside Congonhos airport is said to be offering a limousine service and hiring English speakers to improve service. In São Paulo, local reports have quoted a dental student who will earn $5,000 by giving exclusive attention to a German businessman for two weeks.
Back in Belo Horizonte, meanwhile, a founding member of Aprosmig, Laura Maria Do Espirito Santo, who is now in her early sixties, recounts a tale that's unlikely to feature in local headlines. "When I had my daughter, I lost my job. I told the father and he said, 'You can burn that child, throw it in a bin, kill it, whatever you want. Just don't bother me with it.' We were going out for a year and he was from the upper class. His mother was a lawyer, his father an engineer and he said I couldn't destroy his life because I was poor. I told him even if I become a prostitute, I'll have my child and raise her well, so this is what I had to do. But the first time I felt the worst humiliation, it's the worst feeling when a woman has to go to bed with a guy she doesn't want. But I had no real choice."
Not only was she behind the formation of the Aprosmig, Santo has been a driving force behind its initiatives and partnerships with several universities as well as the city council, which offers regular health screening. But though Brazil's anti-HIV policies were recognised globally as a success in the 1990s, there has been concern expressed recently by activist groups that the disease is far from under control in the country. Santo, however, is adamant: "Aids isn't a big deal because this job is their livelihood and they have to look after themselves or they won't have work. They are given all the medical checks they need."
Ti piace?


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If there's one thing that I love lamenting about, it's about the state of desserts in Pakistan. I've always been more inclined towards Western desserts (I LOVE chocolates and cakes and ice creams) as compared to traditional desi desserts (I'd take chocolate over gulab jamun and ras malai and kheer any day, every day). However, when I do turn towards Western desserts, Pakistan has a fantastic way of letting me down. Imagine the most scrumptious looking dark chocolate cake you've ever seen in your life and you cut a slice and eat it and it's… not what you expected. First of all, it's always the best-looking cakes that end up being absolutely soggy. Second and worst of all is the fact that most bakeries love shoving pineapples into cakes.
Who in their right minds would put pineapples in a perfectly decent chocolate cake?
When my friend invited me to her 'new' bakery's promotional event, I couldn't turn down the opportunity to check out a cute bakery and taste the sweet cakes and pastries that they were offering for free! Besides, I'm always down for an excuse to hang out with my friends*.
*Okay, I have to put in a disclaimer. I'm always down to hang out with these friends because we've been friends since school and I'm really comfortable with hanging out with them. I don't feel socially exhausted or tired after spending time with them and it's fantastic. My other friends are great too, but it's just not the same comfort level, you know what I mean?
The bakery is an over-the-counter sort of outlet where you can place an order for a cake or a bunch of cupcakes or trays of pastries and get them designed in any way you want. Even though the outlet appears super small, it looks adorable from the outside and the interior also has great decorations. I've been telling my friend to convert this place into a cafe. The overall aesthetic is perfect for a cute outdoor cafe with sweets and coffee.
Since her family is the co-owner of this place, I asked if we could see the kitchens and all the behind-the-scenes stuff when it comes to making the beautiful looking pieces of edible art, whether it's crafted and heavily designed cakes or cupcakes. I just love seeing the backstage workings of things and if there's a chance to see it, you bet I'm going to ask for a tour.
The kitchens and inventory and the baking room are located near the outlet, two floors above a restaurant where someone was having a birthday party! I think you can guess where the birthday cake must have come from. The kitchen had three people busy making and designing cakes. There was an influx of orders since Mother's Day was coming up and they were busy at work crafting and building.
This cake was being made in the kitchen and it was having real flowers being added as decorations. There was a whole bouquet of fresh flowers ready to be used on top of cakes. Of course, not all decorations are natural like this.
Some decorations are edible! I couldn't stop staring at this cake. It looks like it's got adorable little toys on it. I can't even imagine eating it, I just want to take it home and put it in my room and be happy with how pretty it looks. My mother also liked this cake idea very much which wasn't very surprising considering she also sews as a hobby!
Mini Treats also delivers! Which is fantastic because most of the cakes I've eaten were at school and sometimes, going to pick up cakes is hard when you're a student and don't have a flexible schedule. Next time we have an occasion to order cake in school, I'm definitely going to annoy everyone until we order the cake from Mini Treats!
Here is a general overview of pricing:
- One pound cake: Rs. 1000
- Two pound cake: Rs. 1800
- Cupcake: Rs. 150
- Tart: Rs. 90
- Delivery: depends on the location, delivery to my university would be around Rs. 300
The day went really well. The weather was great with drizzling and heavy winds. I spent the evening at my friend's house and it was honestly the break I needed. Ironic, how I say this when I've been taking sooooo many breaks.
I hope you liked this post! If you ever get a chance to visit this place or order cake, you definitely won't regret it! Have a nice day!


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Crime - Sacto 911
Dog, cat rescued from fire that damages two Arden Arcade homes
Two homes were badly damaged by flames late Monday on Neptune Way in Arden Arcade.
Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District firefighters responded to the blaze shortly before midnight. The first personnel on the scene saw heavy fire erupting between the two homes – and spreading into each residence.
The two-alarm fire was extinguished and a cat and dog rescued from the burning structures. All human residents of the homes got out on their own.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Bill Lindelof: 916-321-1079, @Lindelofnews


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With Thanksgiving just around the corner, ACSSU is giving thanks by joining hands to give back to the community. This October 10th meet us at 2pm outside the Ryerson Bookstore (17 Gould St, Toronto, M5B 2L5) before we head out to prepare sandwiches together to be distributed around downtown Toronto.
If you're busy during the day you can still join us for an evening of fun at The 3 Brewers (275 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M5B 1N8), we will be heading there around 7pm.


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5 Star Heating and Cooling 90035
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TCWRC Air Conditioning CA professionals are set to help you and your family stay at ease and cut back on energy costs. We will satisfy all of your HVAC wishes from repair contracts to innovative construction, including manufacturing and design. Our pledge to quality control and prompt service is at the foundation of our success.
At TCWRC Air Conditioning, customer pleasure is our # 1 objective. If the client is not pleased, we're not satisfied. That's why TCWRC Air Conditioning offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee on all work.
We have been helping the California area for over 30 years, 1 pleased business at a time. To find out how TCWRC Air Conditioning can aid you, please call us at the number printed below.
HVAC Installation & Repair 90035
Culver City, CA 90035


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Our Team
Lance E. Jackson, M.D., F.A.C.S., Otology/Neurotology—Adult & Pediatric:
Dr. Jackson is board-certified in Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, and has a sub-specialty board certification in Neurotology. After growing up in San Antonio, Dr. Jackson attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where he received a degree in electrical/bioelectrical engineering. While there, he performed extensive research in biomedical signal processing, modeling of bioelectric systems, and computer technology, which he applies to continued research in the field of Otology/Neurotology (the study and treatment of the ear and skull base).
Dr. Jackson was granted a full tuition scholarship to attend medical school at Washington University in St. Louis (a top ranked medical school). While there, he was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society, an honor bestowed to those in the top of their medical school class. He completed his otolaryngology residency at Stanford University, where he and his family enjoyed experiencing the San Francisco Bay Area. He completed a postgraduate fellowship in Otology and Neurotology at the Ear Research Foundation in Florida.
After completing his fellowship and before moving to San Antonio, Dr. Jackson remained at the Ear Research Foundation as Director of Medical Education, enjoying the opportunity to teach physicians in training and perform research.
Dr. Jackson has published many medical journal articles, written text book chapters, and presented at many national meetings. He regularly teaches at an internationally advertised course for Otology/Neurotology in order to train other doctors in his specialty from around the world. His research awards include the John R. Smith Memorial Fund Award. He has published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine.
His research has culminated in the publication of a textbook entitled Minimally Invasive Otological Surgery, which he co-authored. Dr. Jackson has been referred by his peers as one of the top doctors in San Antonio on numerous occasions.
Distinctions include being included on lists that include Texas Super Doctors, Best Doctors, San Antonio's Top Doctors, and America's Top Doctors. In November 2010, the Journal of Laryngology and Otology published the article, "Noise Exposure in Convertible Automobiles," which Dr. Jackson wrote in conjunction with the St. Louis University School of Medicine and the University of Texas at San Antonio, and as a result he was interviewed and the conclusions were featured in Men's Health magazine. Dr. Jackson has also worked as an electrical engineer designing computer processors at Sun Microsystems and Texas Instruments, as a biomedical engineer heading projects in industry, and as a medical consultant for a start-up company. He continues to utilize his engineering background for application toward development of medical techniques and devices.He has coached all three of his children in soccer, enjoys fitness, and has run numerous half-marathons and marathons. He has completed medical missions with his family in Honduras to provide much-needed medical care and education.
Dr. Jackson focuses his practice in the field of Otology/Neurotology, which includes treatment of all aspects of the ear, including hearing loss, dizziness/balance disorders, and allergies. With the help of the EIT staff, the practice offers advanced testing techniques to evaluate ear/vestibular/balance disorders. Dr. Jackson performs both medical and surgical treatment for ear conditions for both children and adults. Surgeries performed including repair of tympanic membrane perforations, repair of ossicles (ear bones), stapedotomy, mastoidectomy (such as for cholesteatoma), resection of skull base tumors (such as acoustic neuromas), and placement of implantable devices for hearing (such as cochlear implants and bone anchored hearing aids).
Dr. Jackson has also been selected for the 2016 Texas Super Doctors list, the result of an extremely rigorous nomination process conducted by the national research division of MSP Communications in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Walter M. Bain, M.D.
Dr. Bain has excellent chair-side manner which puts both adults and children at ease. Dr. Bain's patients are so pleased with his service, in fact, that they end up refererring their entire families into the practice. That's why it is not unusual for Dr. Bain to treat three or four generations in one family! Dr. Bain is a Board Certified Otolaryngologist (also known as an ENT or Ears, Nose, and Throat specialist) in private practice in San Antonio, Texas since 1981.
Dr. Bain has been honored as a Texas Super Doctor seven times since 2005, including 2012. In addition, Scene Publications polls over 4,000 of San Antonio's most experienced medical experts to create an elite list of peer-reviewed "Top Doctors" practicing in San Antonio. We're pleased to announce that Dr. Bain was selected as a Top Doctor for 2009 and is listed this year on US News and World Report's "Top Doctors" list.
Jennifer L. Bergeron, M.D.
Dr. Bergeron is a fellowship-trained laryngologist with specific interests in voice, swallowing, airway, and head and neck cancer. She holds an undergraduate degree in vocal music performance from Pepperdine University where she trained and performed as a coloratura soprano. She graduated with highest honors from Baylor College of Medicine in 2008. Her passion for voice and music led her to complete an internship and residency in Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (ENT) at the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Bergeron then completed fellowship training as a clinical instructor in the Division of Laryngology at the Stanford School of Medicine. After completing her training, she has returned to her home state of Texas.
Cara C. Cockerill, MD
Dr. Cara Cockerill will be leaving our practice on December 13, 2019. Please read her farewell letter here.
Dr. Cara Cockerill is a board certified otolaryngologist who enjoys treating the full spectrum of Ear, Nose and Throat related complaints. She completed her training in Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota- one of the top training programs in the nation. While at Mayo she was able to gain comprehensive surgical expertise in all aspects of ENT, where there was no case too complex. Dr. William Mayo said 'The best interest of the patient is the only interest to be considered' and she has carried this forward as her motto of care.
Dr. Cockerill grew up in Abilene, Texas. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Texas A&M with a degree in Biomedical Sciences and a minor in Spanish. Dr. Cockerill received her medical degree from the University of Texas at Houston where she was elected a member of the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. During her residency, she also published multiple articles in peer reviewed journals.
Dr. Cockerill has a special interest in hearing loss, allergy, sinus disease, thyroid/parathyroid disease, head and neck cancer, pediatric otolaryngology and vestibular disorders. When she is not helping patients she enjoys spending time with her Urologist husband and their two young children. Her hobbies include fly fishing, gardening and cooking.
Cyndi Nguyen, PA-C
Cyndi was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. In 2005, she received her bachelor's degree in Biology from the University of Texas at San Antonio, and a master's degree in Physician Assistant Studies in 2007 from Texas Tech University Health Science Center. In addition to her specialized training provided by Dr. Jackson, Cyndi is experienced in women's health, urgent care and family medicine.
Cyndi is affiliated with the American Academy of Physician Assistants and the Texas Academy of Physician Assistants. She is fluent in Vietnamese.
Amberly Nye, Au.D., CCC-A, F-AAA
Dr. Amberly Nye is a Seattle native who graduated Magna Cum Laude with her Bachelors degree from Western Washington University, in Bellingham, Washington, in 2007. She received her Doctorate of Audiology (Au.D.) degree from the University of Washington, in Seattle, Washington, in 2011. Amberly joined the Ear Institute of Texas in June of 2011. Her specialties include diagnostic testing and working with cochlear implant patients. She approaches audiological treatment as a process, providing patient-centered care that encompasses each individual's goals and expectations. Amberly holds the Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech, Language, Hearing Association (CCC-A) and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Audiology (F-AAA). Amberly and her husband are enjoying getting to know Texas and the San Antonio area.
Tarun Wadhwa, Au.D., BASLP
Dr. Tarun Wadhwa is a certified Doctor of Audiology from TX Department of State Health Services. He is also an esteemed member of American Speech and Hearing Association and American Academy of Audiology considered among world's most prestigious Audiology organizations.
Dr. Tarun Wadhwa was born and raised in New Delhi, India. He began practicing Audiology after receiving his Bachelor of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology from New Delhi in 2008. He received his Doctorate of Audiology (Au.D.) from Northern Illinois University, Chicago (2013). During his doctorate studies, he was the recipient of Gold Medal in Audiology, Golden Key International Honor Society Award, Graduate Assistantship and Tuition Scholarship for his academic excellence.
Most recently, Dr. Wadhwa was working as a Head of Department, Audiology at a clinical facility in India.
Dr. Wadhwa is proficient in the evaluation and management of hearing impairment, dizziness/imbalance, as well as tinnitus disorder (ringing in the ears). He specializes in Hearing Aid fitting for adults and children. Dr. Wadhwa is confident in his abilities to improve the quality of life for people suffering from hearing or balance impairments by providing the highest quality patient care.


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« back to Power Tools, Hardware and Accessories forum
|Forum topic by FancyShoes
|posted 12-27-2015 03:32 AM
|1418 views
|0 times favorited
|25 replies
I have been wanting a sliding miter saw. After making the cross for my church, and having to use a hack saw to cut the 3"x8" beams by hand, and since it didnt come out square, i realize that it should be my next tool. I would like one that cuts the bigger beams, so I believe I will have to go with a 12" blade.
Which ones do you use, and recomend?the festool is not a option because of the price. So would like thoughs on dewalts, bosch, hitachi, ect.
Thanks for the inputs.
25 replies so far
6054 posts in 2254 days
#1 posted 12-27-2015 03:44 AM
While I haven't yet taken the plunge, I really like the Bosch glide saw, especially since they now have a 10" accompanying the larger 12" as all my blades are 10" (except for a couple 15") and I have no desire to start buying 12" blades.
-- "Lack of effort will result in failure with amazing predictability" - Me
#2 posted 12-27-2015 04:03 AM
Purely because of cost, I am using the Harbor Freight 12" slider. Be aware, though, there may be some work involved! See here
If cost were not a concern, I would look seriously at the DeWalt sliding miter saws – I love their products and their sliding miter saw is a rugged, well-designed piece of equipment. Although I like the Bosch concept, the implementation leaves me wondering how it will hold up in the long run.
-- "Find out what you cannot do and then go do it!"
#3 posted 12-27-2015 04:07 AM
Makita! Love it. Checked it right out of the box and it was perfect. Still perfect after falling off the back of my truck a few times too. Had a Dewalt and it was ok. Never could get it dead on no matter what we did.
#4 posted 12-27-2015 04:20 AM
Whatever you buy, expect to replace the blade with an aftermarket one so keep at least $50 in your budget for that. Miter saws are usually marketed to construction workers and the blades are geared towards rough work.
When I worked for another company I used both Dewalt and Festool sliders. Dewalt was okay but never cut straight on anything wider than 4"-5" (what good is 12" capacity if you can't use it?) and the Festool was excellent but costly of course. Since I haven't budgeted for a precision Festool in my current business, I opted to return to fixed saws instead of a slider.
Not really a fan of most sliders. The increased capacity is usually accompanied by more finicky tuning and even the Festool can't beat a tablesaw for accuracy. I'd recommend a 12" miter saw for crosscutting up to 8" and a tablesaw with a good sled for wider boards.
-- See my work at http://remmertstudios.com and http://altaredesign.com
3222 posts in 2790 days
#5 posted 12-27-2015 01:44 PM
I have an earlier model of this one. I have been very pleased with it due to the accuracy of miter cuts. It was dead on out of the box and has remained that way ever since ~10 years. I cut the miters for the back of this project with it and they are about 11" (see pic #6). It doesn't normally travel, but it did move across country once. I would buy it again. HTH
-- Art
#6 posted 12-27-2015 01:55 PM
Like EEngineer, I also own the 12" Harbor Freight unit.
Mine also did not come completely aligned and ready, and I also did repack the grease in the gearbox. But I did not have to go as far as he did. Everything else was just aligning.
Once I put on a new blade, and took about 90 minutes to go through every adjustment and align everything, it has been a real trooper for a lousy $124. It is almost $190 on their website, but you can easily find flyers in Sunday newspapers that will offer it as low as $135.
AND, it plays to a solid four stars on 176 reviews on their website, which is about as good as any saw anywhere. And this one allowed me to spend more on a real top shelf blade. I am running a 60T Freud.
They have sold a boatload of these, and it seems to be a very good seller for them.
Is a high end Dewalt or some other saw for $300-400 a good saw? Definitely. But I work just fine with my $124 HF.
-- Tsunami Guitars and Custom Woodworking, Cleveland, TN
1417 posts in 1710 days
#7 posted 12-27-2015 02:02 PM
I have the DeWalt 718 12 inch compound slider. It has performed amazingly well. I did add a Rockler laser to the saw. The only problem I had with it was after about four years one of the motor bearings started going bad so the saw had to go to the service center for about a week and a half. Cost was around $70. I would suggest getting in the habit of checking blade screw tightness about every five hours of use. I don't know if it is because of the aftermarket laser or just the design but I found that sometimes the blade screw starts to loosen.
Don't waste your money on a DeWalt laser that mounts to the frame. I could never get it adjusted correctly for different thicknesses of wood. Once dialed in correctly for 3/4 inch it would be off for 2 inch thick. The blade mounted laser works for any thickness.
I do wish I could get a blade mounted laser(s) that would mark both edges of the saw kerf.
A miter saw has more adjustments and therefore takes longer to align, but once the DeWalt is aligned the cuts are accurate.
-- "I love it when a plan comes together" John "Hannibal" Smith
#8 posted 12-27-2015 02:11 PM
I use the hitachi C12RSH and live it. I didn't buy it for the laser but it might be my favorite feature about the saw. You can adjust the laser to the left or right of the blade kerf in seconds with tool less knob.
Other than that it's been a great saw with a similar feature to the bosch where you can lock the back side of the slider rails to bump the saw up to a wall and still get full slide capacity.
#9 posted 12-27-2015 02:33 PM
I have a dewalt 12" sliding saw and I could never get it cut square. No matter what adjustments I made, it just would never stay accurate. It's great for doing construction type work, where it's not that important and cutting rough lumber but for inside the shop, I had to get something else. I did look up that issue on google and found that others have had the same problem. Basically, you can get it set up, aligned square but as soon as you go to cut, it must deflect or something because then, the cut is out of square.
So, when doing my shop redesign, I wanted a saw that does not take as much room and still be a slider. What I came up with is the Craftsman compact 10". I know some of you guys think that Craftsman is a 4 letter word here but I read up and the reviews were positive and I liked that it can be butted up against the wall as the slide posts are similar in design to the Festsool. The price was also very good and was on sale when I bought it and I think I got it somewhere around $180.
So far, it's cut everything I've thrown at it from construction lumber up to 4" with no strain up to hard mesquite and eucalyptus 10/4 and have not had a problem yet.
#10 posted 12-27-2015 02:33 PM
If the saw is going to sit on a workbench get the biggest saw you can afford OR get a used radial arm saw. If portability is an issue the new little 7 1/4 inch sliders really intrigue me. Hitachi has an 8 1/2 inch slider, too. Just curious why you didn't use a circular saw and a rafter square to cut your beam – you probably would have to flip it over to finish the cut but that's no big deal.
#11 posted 12-27-2015 02:53 PM
I dont have a skill saw either.
#12 posted 12-27-2015 02:58 PM
Thanks for all the input as well, I will go check out the bosch.
#13 posted 12-27-2015 03:16 PM
I've had the Dewalt 12", the Dewalt 10" I still have a Hitachi 10" and a Bosch 12"
#14 posted 12-27-2015 03:58 PM
I bought a 12" DeWalt slider in 2000 to build a huge deck. I use it most every day (I am retired) and it still runs true. It came with a good blade and I have replaced it twice. It is a great saw for me but is 15 years old. I came across a new Bosch 12" "glider" on creigs list for $250 and bought it. The blade with it cut roughly so I put my DeWalt blade on it and it works very well. I now am using my Bosch and have my DeWalt in reserve under the bench. I recommend both of these saws.
-- No PHD just a DD214
#15 posted 12-27-2015 04:02 PM
I have used the Festool Kapex for over three years and have found it to be an extremely accurate and reliable miter saw with extremely good results.
-- Roger M, Aiken, SC
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Melbourne beaches safe for swimming
Melbourne beaches have been given the all-clear after the bay was contaminated with faecal matter.
Melburnians have been given the all-clear to again swim at the city's beaches after the bay was last week contaminated by faecal matter.
Environment Protection Authority Victoria on Tuesday said conditions had improved at the city's beaches overnight after a torrential downpour last Thursday sent large amounts of faecal pollution washing into Port Phillip Bay.
All 36 bay beaches are suitable for swimming and are rated as either good or fair, EPA spokesman Dr Anthony Boxshall told AAP, but people should still avoid swimming in discoloured water or near stormwater drains.


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I simply couldn't do it. In fact, I kinda "signed off" for a few days just to keep myself away from it all. It's too upsetting... too heartbreaking.
Yet here I am, dedicating a post to it. Why? Well, this'll sound kinda strange (in the "how the heck did you connect THIS to THAT sorta way), but my best friend, Mary, had to put her cat down Friday evening. Midnight, her trusty companion for the last 18 years, had finally succumbed to her age and a mass in her little tummy. Mary - completely torn up, guilt-stricken, and heartbroken - took her to a vet and stood by her side until the very end, gently offering this one, last gesture of love to her confidante, consoler and friend.
Knowing this kind of loss first-hand, I knew that nothing I did was gonna remove the knife now lodged squarely in her heart. At most, I could listen to her pour out her anguish. So I did. And in the midst of that soliloquy, she explained everything that had happened, her conflicting thoughts, her guilt, her love of Midnight, and her tremendous sense of loss. She then asked a question that struck me deeply - it made me rethink my decision to steer clear of this infanticide tragedy.
She asked "Why did I need to see her put down like that? I could've just let them take her, but I needed to see it myself. Is that morbid?"
I didn't answer, partly because she was already running another three sentences together, and partly because my mind was snapped back to just about a year ago.
Mary, my friend Hugh, and I were driving over to a party. As I turned onto a large highway, I came upon a badly injured goose in the middle of the road. He was obviously still alive, but very badly wounded. So I pulled off to the side and hurried back to move the poor goose out of the road so he wouldn't be injured again, and no one would cause an accident attempting to avoid him.
Upon moving this large, wild goose out of the street, I realized just how bad his injuries were. So I ran back to the car and pulled it into a parking lot, then ran back up the road to where Mary and Hugh both stood, huddled around the goose keeping watch, not sure what else to do. I sent out calls to the Humane Societies, but it was a weekend, and no one would be coming. I knew that, and the dispatchers who lied to me about their prompt response knew it, too.
So I crouched down with the goose and spoke to him. I prayed to God that He swiftly take this little creature so his pain would cease. I pet his feathers and remained with him as the tears burned my eyes. Hugh, suggested that I look away... that I not watch because it was too upsetting. I knew he was being mindful of the tender heart I carry towards animals. But I answered saying, "No. Me looking away isn't going to stop his death. It won't make it easier on the goose. But at least being here, keeping watch... at least we can share the burden of sadness so he's a little less scared."
Upon completion of that thought, I knew that was why Mary needed to be there... why she needed to see Midnight off. Of course watching life seep away is difficult (and truth be told, I have a lump the size of Texas in my throat right now as I think of Mary watching the "green drain away from Midnight's eyes"), but turning away is selfish. Opening your eyes to the reality of that passing is opening your heart to help "shoulder" the burden of that passing. That was why Mary's brother, sister, and father went, too. They went to help Mary shoulder the terrible burden of losing a friend who had been so constant a source of love and joy for the majority of her life. They each took part in Midnight's death, just as they took part in her life. And I have no doubt that Midnight's final moments were full of consolation at that realization. Family surrounded her. Gentle hands and tears of love were what lulled her into Heaven.
May we all be so blessed to have such tenderness at our own passing. May we all have family and friends strong enough and generous enough to help us shoulder those final moments. And may each of us be strong enough, generous enough, and loving enough to help others shoulder that burden as well.
So now I hope you understand why I'm willing to post about the infanticide case that's been rippling through the blogosphere. For me to look away... to ignore the horror... it is selfish and does nothing to help anyone. As one who can witness to the moral and psychological degradation of our society, it is my duty - my privilege - to speak out as a voice for this little one. It is my obligation to speak out in the hopes that my words, coupled with the collective outcry of others who have taken this road, effect the change that saves the lives of others in similar circumstances.
And with this realization... I'm off to pen my thoughts.


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Archive for December, 2012
The benefits of eating raw foods
Ironically, one of the most effective and healthy diet plans out there could also be one of the simplest. A raw diet could be the perfect choice for people that want to rid their body of everything unnatural and harmful that they ingest on a regular basis. With a raw diet, people can eat food that way it was meant to be eaten. Some people may be surprised to learn about how many benefits there are to the average raw diet.
Raw food diet plans do not involve any special cooking. In fact, the whole point of a raw diet is that food is not cooked at all. Fruits and vegetables are ingested raw. When food is cooked, many of the essential vitamins and minerals are removed in the process. To some, this would defeat the entire purpose of eating fruits and vegetables! Thankfully, raw food diets can be used to help keep these essential goods in and make sure that those who are consuming them enjoy all of the benefits.
A raw diet can include a wide number of ingredients. Fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and many other natural foods can be purchased or picked and eaten. The fresher the food, the better it is for the person on the diet. Some people can if they wish also eat several proteins on this diet. The lack of cooking and heating up allows all of these foods to provide the consumer with more vitamins and minerals that they may have ever ingested in their life.
One of the best benefits of a raw diet is that it can be a chance to rid ones body of many of the harmful additives, chemicals and genetically modified products that have been making their way into food for the past few decades. Those that choose the raw diet believe that natural is best. Once people feel the results, they will see for themselves just how helpful this diet can be.
Experience the many benefits of eating raw food
When it comes to getting healthier, losing weight and living a more natural lifestyle may want to consider checking out what is entailed with a raw food diet. Raw food diets could be the perfect thing for those individuals that may want to drop down to a certain weight, maintain their current waistline, improve their cholesterol levels or just feel better about themselves. With a healthy diet plan such as a raw food diet, people can make sure that they have the best chance possible to lead a happier and healthier life.
Raw food diet plans involve eating food the way that it was meant to be consumed. Nothing artificial is ever added into the mix. There are no chemicals, no preservatives and no substitutes. The way the food is when it comes out of the ground is the way that people will eat it. Over time numerous studies have shown that the presence of genetically modified foods and chemicals in ones diet could actually cause damage to the human body. Those that want to undo the damage could find that a raw diet could be just what they need.
These foods are also not cooked. Cooking has been shown to remove many of the vital nutrients that are present in fruits and vegetables. A completely natural and uncooked raw food diet could give people large amounts of vitamins and minerals that could prove to be extremely beneficial to their health.
Finally a raw food diet involves nothing more than purchasing fresh, uncooked fruits and vegetables. There are many recipes that people can choose from. If they wish, they can also incorporate some uncooked meats into their routines. No matter what motives that one may have on their mind, they may find that a raw food diet could be the perfect way to help achieve their goals.
A Catering Menu May Include more than Just Food
Because of their exquisite nature and a desire for everything to run perfectly, weddings hire catering companies and their elaborate catering menu for their party more often than not. What many don't realize though, is that a catering menu may include more than just food. At times, it can include everything from tables and chairs to floral arrangements and tent rentals. Not every catering company is the same, and not all will have a catering menu that goes beyond food, but far more than just dinner and desert go into catering a wedding.
With the summer months being loaded with weddings, there is a high demand for wedding tent rentals that provide shelter for outdoor weddings. Canopy tents can function everywhere from simply providing a roof to cover guests' heads to providing an elaborate backdrop for the most fancy weddings. While dinner is certainly important, and everyone loves wedding cake, a full catering menu might include options to the best tent rentals MA has to offer.
While it's not likely that a catering menu is explicitly going to include a wedding tent, many catering companies will have knowledge of the best place to acquire a rental tent for a party. Coming in sizes ranging from small to circus like, there is a tent available for any sized wedding and finding the right one could push a wedding from ordinary to unforgettable.
Any discussion of a catering menu must include some mention of food, though tents are a necessary part of any outdoor wedding, they aren't the main purpose of a catering staff. Every company will have different options, and determining what meals, at what cost, is desired will help to pick out the right one. Generally, a beef, fish, and chicken option will be available as well as choices for pasta, salad, and other sides. Depending on how many people attend the wedding, the food may be plated or served buffet style and the options for deserts are nearly endless. These options are the main parts of a catering menu, and finding a staff to build the right one can make any wedding spectacular. More like this.
Earning Certificates on Handling Food is Vital Across the Restaurant Industry
Handling food is among the most dangerous things people can do. It does not of course sound dangerous, but chemicals and bacteria can linger on foods for a while, leaving people vulnerable to infection and disease. Handling food in the professional restaurant and culinary world, then, requires training conducted by leading professionals in the field. Consumers must be protected from harm as they eat at restaurants, and professional food handlers must obtain permits and earn certifications to ensure the food they cook with has been handled appropriately to prevent contamination.
A food and hygiene course directs all participants either in culinary school or already in the professional world to the appropriate techniques for handling food. The course covers food and sanitation for novices and experts, giving everyone a chance to either learn firsthand or get a refresher course on the most proper ways to handle food safely for consumption. Those who have never taken a course on handling food before will be introduced to these concepts, while professionals will be reminded of how they should care for food before cooking and delivering it.
During the course, handling food is covered from every angle, meaning all types of foods are covered. Meats are covered extensively since so much bacteria exists on them, and vegetables and fruits are covered extensively too. These foods are extremely perishable and carry loads of live organisms on them, some harmful and some harmless. Knowing the difference and cleaning all foods thoroughly is a hallmark of these courses and training, so by the end students will be informed about the best methods to wash, package, and deliver any food anywhere.
A food handling certificate typically is given out after completion of a food handling course, proving that the person who took the course was instructed on the proper ways to handle food and passed a test in which questions were asked to ensure the student learned proper technique. Often, the course was done in person, but increasingly it can be taken online too. Obtaining a food handlers permit online, actually, is gaining more in popularity as more accrediting agencies offer it.
Those handling food for a living can look up these courses online, regardless of whether they are offered in person or over the web. Many culinary and traditional educational institutions offer courses, as do private enterprises. The goal, then, is to earn certification from an agency that is both qualified and well regarded across the industry.
Find out more about this topic here.


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Hillside Grants:
Rainforest Butterflies
Alternative Seating in Kindergarten
The Art of Storytelling
Play with A Purpose
Scientists in the Making
Outragehisss Pets
Exploring Our World
Theater Week
Omegaman: Superhero Anti-Bullying Assembly
One School One Book
Presentation from the Ridgewood Historical Society
Brookside Grants:
Kinetic Sculpture-Phase 2
Interactive Suspense Stories
Forces in Motion
360 Degree Camera
Table Tennis Club
Hydroponic and Aquaponic System
Virtual Reality Software and Hardware
Exploring Our World
This grant will purchase one National Geographic Giant Traveling Map. This oversized vinyl floor map of North America will be owned by Hillside. Previously we rented these maps but Nat Geo is no longer renting maps.


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The Trust has launched a major recruitment campaign that seeks to encourage registered (band five and six) nurses, midwives and operating department practitioners (ODPs) to take up substantive roles at its hospitals, rather than working solely for agencies that charge the NHS a premium for their services.
Posts Tagged 'recruitment'
NHS pension scheme change pilot for band five and six nurses
Monday, September 12th, 2016
Trust seeks talented nurses to join its team
Tuesday, October 7th, 2014
The Trust has launched a recruitment drive to bring more nurses and clinical support workers to its wards at the Lister hospital in Stevenage. The campaign, which started on 6 October 2014, will run through to the end of the month, with the roles available – which cover a wide range of nursing and clinical […]
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A recent AARP survey explores the value of the Family and Medical Leave Act to workers over the age of 50. The survey reports findings of awareness very high with 88% of responses stating that the protections the Act provides are personally important. While 58% of those surveyed reported taking time off for family or medical needs during the previous five years, 15% of the leave-takers did so through the Act. Asked what they might have had to do without the Act, the leave-takers said that they would have quit or lost their jobs, taken less time off, or reduced their work schedules.
For the full article.


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Monday, August 26, 2013
Stir-Fried Oyster Mushrooms with Chicken
Posted by Victoria at 8:00 AM
I have an indiscriminate deep love for Asian food. Whether it's Japanese or Thai, authentic Chinese or Indian, Korean or Filipino, I honestly haven't met an Asian cuisine I haven't liked. I was actually recently thinking it would be fun to cook at least one Asian meal a week.
Something I love about Asian cooking is that for the most part it can be very vegetable-heavy since meat isn't a major part of Asian diets. In fact, the dish I'm choosing to share today is called Stir-Fried Oyster Mushrooms with Chicken, not Stir-Fried Chicken with Oyster Mushrooms.
This is a really simple and lovely dish. The chicken is incredibly tender and has a great background flavor from the Shaoxing wine used to marinate it. Even with slices of ginger and garlic, the flavor of this dish is quite mild and understated. It's not very heavy, and it's not spicy, sour, or sweet, which can be common in some other Chinese recipes, depending on the region.
It cooks very quickly (much like other stir-fried dishes) as the mushrooms and thinly sliced chicken take just minutes to cook through. This was a wonderful centerpiece to a quick weeknight meal I recently made. Alongside this dish, I also put together some Stir-Fried Cabbage with Dried Shrimp.
That recipe will be shared in a later post. For now, please enjoy this easy and delicious home-style Chinese dish.
Stir-Fried Oyster Mushrooms with Chicken
Serves 1 (or more as part of a larger meal)
(From Every Grain of Rice)
1 chicken breast, without skin (5 oz/150 g)
1 spring onion/scallion
7 oz (200 g) oyster mushrooms
3 T. cooking oil or lard (I used less)
A piece of ginger, about the size of a large clove of garlic, peeled and sliced
2 garlic cloves, sliced
Kosher salt
Ground white pepper
For the marinade:
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. Shaoxing wine
1 tsp. potato flour (or cornstarch)
Lay the chicken breast on a chopped board and, holding your knife at a right angle to the board, cut it into thin slices. Place in a bowl. Add the marinade ingredients with 2 teaspoons cold water and mix well.
Holding your knife at a steep angle, cut the spring onion on a bias into 3/8-inch (1 cm) slices, keeping the white and green parts separate. Clean the oyster mushrooms if necessary and tear or cut lengthways into bite-sized pieces, discarding any hard bits at the base of their stalks.
Heat a seasoned wok over a high flame. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil or lard, swirl it around, then add the mushrooms and stir-fry for a couple of minutes until nearly cooked. Set aside.
Reheat the wok over a high flame, then add the remaining oil and swirl it around. Add the chicken and stir-fry to separate the slices. When the slices are separating but still pinking, add the ginger, garlic and spring onion whites and continue to stir for a few moments until you can smell their fragrances. Then return the mushrooms and stir to incorporate, adding salt and pepper to taste. Finally, stir in the spring onion greens, then serve.
Stir-Fried Oyster Mushrooms with Chicken
Asian food | mushrooms | poultry | recipes |
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I can never decide about liking a certain type of book. On the one hand it's nice to have a go to type of book but on the other hand this can prove limiting.
At the moment I'm submerging myself in YA books. I tell myself it's because that's the target audience for my own piece of writing (as yet unnamed so I'll call it the Mystifyingly Unwritten Tome- or MUT). That's just a lie though. I read YA for lots of reasons, the lack of pretension being a major bonus. I hate pretentious books!
Reading YA books with my own writing in mind can be soul destroying in so many ways. Firstly when I read some of the amazingly brilliant and clever stories I know that I can't compete. I'm not that clever or talented and I have no illusions about it. To drag a reader into your own story is a skill that I feel may be beyond me. Secondly as with every genre and industry there comes a saturation point. The more I read the more I worry that this point has already been reached. Thirdly (and possibly most importantly) some of the books I read are complete drivel. Incoherent writing and incompetent storytelling litter far too many YA books. I worry that my book is likely to fall into this category; or worse it may not even be picked up.
I suppose the questions still remain. Am I good enough? Will I pick up MUT again? Should I compare myself to others? Should I stop worrying and just get on with it? I know the answers, I just can't face acknowledging them.


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Plants that changed the world: olive tree
Elena Gillies looks at a tree that has been a long-standing source of sustenance
Olives are ancient. Archaeological evidence suggests that wild olives were being gathered from around 19,000 BCE.
The olive tree is a slow-growing evergreen characterised by a gnarled trunk from which grey fissured branches sprout white flowers and fleshy grey-green narrow leaves. Trees can reach over 15 metres in height and live for hundreds of years in the right conditions. The olive itself is a drupe or stone-fruit with a single, centrally located seed (pit) surrounded by edible pulp.
Where olives are grown
These squat, oval-shaped fruits that herald from the Olea europaea tree have long been synonymous with the Mediterranean, where they thrive in the muggy winters and arid summers.
Olive trees are grown in eight EU countries including Spain, Italy and Greece. They also grow in Syria, Iran and California. In 2010, it was estimated that olive groves covered an area of 5 million hectares in the EU.
How olives are grown
There are two main methods of growing olives: traditional and modern. Traditional processes involve unirrigated mountainous or hilly landscape. Modern methods involve irrigation and mechanisation. In traditional growing, labour represents half the production costs, so olive growing is often a significant feature of cultural heritage across the Mediterranean.
Olives will darken from yellow to a deep purple as they ripen; at what stage they will be harvested depends on whether they will be used for oil or eaten whole. Taken from the tree, olives are extremely bitter and almost inedible. So, before eating, they are typically cured, in water, brine or oil.
The hard wood of the tree is also highly valued by woodworkers, while the leaves are frequently used in medicinal teas.
Oil-rich fruit
Olive oil is arguably the most famous product of the tree, with its myriad of uses – from fuel for oil lamps to cosmetics to kitchen staple to anointing oil in certain religious ceremonies. For example, the Oil of Catechumens used in Roman Catholicism is traditionally made from very pure forms of olive oil.
Olive oil is often regarded as healthier oil owing to its high content of monosaturated fats and as such is a staple ingredient of the so-called Mediterranean diet. Olive oil is predominantly composed of triglycerides, lipids consisting of one glycerol molecule bonded to three fatty-acid molecules.
You have probably noticed on the supermarket shelf that there are a variety of grades for olive oil. When an olive oil is a 'virgin' blend, it simply means that the oil has been extracted from the olive by means (traditional or modern) that haven't led to changes in the oil. 'Extra virgin' is often seen as a premium oil judged by its taste, colour, smell and acidity, and contains no more than 0.8 grams of free oleic acid per 100 grams of product. Oleic acid is an abundant fatty acid that occurs naturally in animal and vegetable fats and is present in the tricyglerides – but it's the free oleic acid content that the oil is judged on.Lead image:
- Fifty Plants that Changed the Course of History – Bill Laws
- Remarkable Plants that Shape our World – Helen Bynum and William Bynum
- European Commission: Economic analysis of the olive sector [PDF]
- Bloomberg: The US olive oil industry
- This is Portugal: Portuguese olive oil
- Olive Oil Times: Origins of domestic olive tree
- New World Encyclopedia: Olive
- Catholic Education Resource Center: Use of sacramental oils


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Accessories & Interiors.
We design and create furniture, accessories and interiors. Noorstad was founded in the late winter of 2016 by Steen Skyum Høgfeldt. The project has been on its way for several years founded on a longlasting love for design.
Going from 20 years as self employed consultant to starting a furniture brand has been quite a leap and a challenge in many ways. It means giving up steady income and having to learn things from scratch but for so many reasons it seemed like the perfectly natural next step.
Noorstad is for those who choose a few good things made to last over volume and throw-away mentality. For a very long time the project had the working title "people like us" since we basically wanted to make and share the things we like for ourselves. Every item is designed by us and made in Denmark from local materials when possible.
Situated in Kolding, we are far away from the design scene in Copenhagen, but with close relations to our suppliers.
Thank You
Being a small start up truly teaches you to be a multipotentialite! If you are lucky it can also teach you about all the skill and helpfulness that is to be found in your network. Noorstad has met so much encouragement, contributions and good advice from both close friends and people we only just met helping the project along its way. The road would have felt so much longer without it.
As customer
Say hello or contact us in any way you like. At Noorstad we value the ongoing dialog with customers, clients and partners.