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Life Science » Diagnostic
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Peptide Specific for Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 2 (FGFR2) for the Detection and Treatment of Epithelial-Derived Cancers
7309 – Fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) is a transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase that signals cell division, growth and differentiation. Defects in FGFR2 expression and signaling are oncogenic and occur in some of the most aggressive and common cancer types, including breast, prostate, esophageal and colorectal cancer. FGFR2 is therefore a promising early cancer biomarker and an... Read More
A High-throughput Fluorescence Assay for the Determination of Spontaneous Viral Mutation Rates
7383 – The technology disclosed is a Luria-Delbruck fluctuation test for influenza virus mutation rates that scores reversion to fluorescence in a set of 12 mutant green fluorescent proteins (GFP). Globally, seasonal influenza is a major cause of severe respiratory infections, leading to excessive hospitalizations and 1 million deaths/year. The global influenza market (vaccines, antivirals, and... Read More
Moisture imaging of wound and burn depth for clinical assessment
6458 – Physicians and surgeons treating wounds and burns perform debridements simply according to how the insult looks. There is no objective or well-accepted method to assess wound depth or other characteristics. Punch biopsies may be used to evaluate wounds, but the procedure may impair restorative processes and cause infection. A single biopsy also does not allow for wound observation at multiple... Read More
Respiratory rhythm matrix (RRM), a new method for sleep apnea detection
6918 – Sleep apnea can be defined as a group of disorders characterized by abnormalities of breathing while sleeping. Breathing is interrupted from a few seconds to minutes, occurring several times over the course of a routine sleep. Airway blockage occurs as the patient sleeps. The blockage occurs between the soft palate and/or the back of the tongue and the pharynx. As the patient breathes, the... Read More
Corticocardiac Coupling as a Risk Factor for Sudden Death
6687 – Sudden death occurs in more than 400,000 Americans annually and is a significant and under-recognized consequence of stroke. Identification of patients at risk for sudden death after stroke poses a major challenge. Recently, an animal model of stroke uncovered a surge in synchronous brain and heart electrical activity (corticocardiac coupling) hours before sudden death. This finding was... Read More
Analytic Morphomics: High Speed Medical Image Automated Analysis Method
4834 – Millions of medical imaging scans, such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) are taken each year to aid medical professionals in treating their patients. However, after the images have served their initial purpose, they are rarely referenced again. Recently, the informatics sciences have grown to encompass morphometry, or the... Read More
Targeted absolute quantitative proteomics assay
6740 – The rapidly expanding field of proteomics is changing the way we understand cellular function, and paving the path for new diagnostics and medicines each day. The proteomics industry is projected to expand at a rate of 19% per year to a market value of approximately $12B by 2019, making it one of the fastest growing scientific markets in the world. As the medical and pharmaceutical fields... Read More
Applications of novel ErbB2 selective peptides
6579 – The membrane receptor ErbB2 (also known as HER2/neu) is a member of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family. ErbB2 is amplified and overexpressed in many epithelial-derived malignancies including breast, ovarian, and lung cancers. Agents capable of selectively targeting ErbB2 can be used for diagnostics, prognostic indications, imaging and therapeutic applications. The... Read More
An automated high-throughput method for identifying long non-coding RNAs associated with cancer
6286 – Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. While recent efforts at analyzing the transcriptome of cancer patients have focused on studying protein-encoding genes, several long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) transcriptions have been found to promote oncogenesis. Previous attempts at identifying these cancer-associated lncRNAs have been limited. The evolution of high-throughput... Read More
Machine Learning for Hepatitis C
6348 – This technology provides a novel method for the prognosis of Hepatitis C progression. Hepatitis C is often chronic, and of those with chronic Hepatitis C, ~65% eventually develop chronic liver disease, and ~15% develop cirrhosis which is often a precursor for liver cancer. It is currently difficult to predict which individuals will develop complications from chronic Hepatitis C infection. ... Read More
High-Confidence Single-Molecule Detection of RNA Biomarkers
6250 – Rapid, Amplification- and Label-Free, Ultrahigh-Confidence Counting of Single RNA and Other Biomarker Molecules in Patient Samples MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and other non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have recently emerged as promising diagnostic biomarkers for virtually all pathologies, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's, and viral infection. We have developed a novel technology... Read More
Pharmacogenomic response and prognosis software without disease specificity
6337 – This technology predicts outcomes of pharmaceutical use based on data from previous patients to identify the best course of action, the major goal of pharmacogenomics. Many classes of disease have large percentages of patients who do not respond to medications, represented wasted time, money, and patient wellness. Understanding pharmacogenomics will help save tens of millions of dollars in... Read More
Renal Risk Index Calculator
6460 – The Renal Risk Index (RRI) uses patient qualities after transplant to predict the possibility of End-Stage Renal Failure (ESRD) in patients. ESRD affects 339 people per million, and can be caused by poor recipient response to liver transplantation. However, predicting which patients are most at risk for ESRD after liver transplantation is a difficult task. The RRI is a powerful measure of... Read More
Microfluidic Device for Capture and Release of Rare Cells
6590 – This technology describes a new microfluidic device which utilizes a blend film of graphene oxide (GO) sheets and thermally responsive polymers to enable efficient cell capture and release, including circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Current microfluidics-based CTC isolation technologies are capable of isolating, enumerating and characterizing CTCs, however, CTC release after selective... Read More
Polycolonal antibodies for various species of fluorescent proteins
6416 – With billions of neurons connected by trillions of synapses, the brain is by far the most intricate and complex organ. A complete map of the brain's connections will be essential to understanding its function. Some of the tools that have been invaluable towards creating this map are the colorful range of fluorescent proteins used to label individual neurons and subcellular structures. ... Read More
Novel oncogenic TYK2 gene fusion identified as biomarker for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma
6283 – Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCL) are the most frequent primary lymphomas of the skin, with mycosis fungioides being the most prevalent form accounting for 60% of cases. Although CTCL is treatable in early stages, its diagnosis can be difficult due to the lack of specific biomarkers and dependence on clinical and histological observations that can be misdiagnosed as benign skin diseases. In... Read More
MAP2K1 (MEK1) mutations in Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis
6281 – Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare and complicated disease. The pathophysiology of this disorder is still debated. Around half of all LCH cases present with a mutation in the gene BRAF resulting in a constitutively active protein. Until recently the other half of patients were left without knowledge of what is driving the disease. This technology identifies another driving mutation... Read More
Primary Aldosteronism Molecular Diagnostic
6338 – High blood pressure affects over 970 million people worldwide. Of these, over 38 million are expected to have primary aldosteronism (PA), a medication resistant form of high blood pressure that requires special treatment. With currently over 3 million patients domestically, the US incidence of PA is expected to increase as the population grows older and heavier. Current methods for diagnosing... Read More
Peptide Biomarkers for Diagnosis of Colorectal Cancer
6269 – Colorectal cancer is the third most diagnosed cancer, with 1.4 million new cases worldwide in 2012. In the United States alone in 2014, an estimated 136,830 new cases will be diagnosed, and about 50,310 deaths will result from the disease. Ninety percent of patients survive if diagnosed during the localized stage of colorectal cancer (5-year survival rate), but only 40% of colorectal cancer... Read More
The Use of IL-6 Targeted Therapies in Overcoming Trastuzumab Resistance
5193 – As a fifth leading cause of cancer-related death, 1 out of 8 U.S. women will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. Among all breast cancer cases, 20% to 25% make too much of protein known as human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). These breast cancers are known be fast growing and much more aggressive than other types of breast cancer. Treatment using... Read More
NPHP Nucleic Acids and Proteins
2417p1 – UM File # 2417p1 Background Nephronophthisis (NPHP), an autosomal recessive cystic kidney disease, constitutes the most frequent genetic cause for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in children and young adults. NPHP is a progressive hereditary kidney disease marked by anemia, polyuria, renal loss of sodium, progressing to chronic renal failure, tubular atrophy, interstitial fibrosis, glomerular... Read More
PON3 and Uses Thereof
1855d1 – The present invention relates to paraoxonase genes, in particular PON3. The present invention provides isolated nucleotide sequence encoding PON3, wild type and mutant PON3 peptides. The present invention also provides methods for using PON3 to screen compounds for the ability to alter PON3 associated activities, methods for generating antibodies useful in the detection of PON3, and... Read More
Utilizing biomarkers to predict MDS patient sensitivity to DNA methyltransferase inhibitors
6380 – Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and MDS/myeloproliferative (MDS/MPN) overlap syndromes are marrow stem-cell disorders characterized by ineffective haematopoiesis leading to a reduction in blood cells, with one-third of cases progressing to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). MDS can be a primary disease involving gene mutations and widespread gene hypermethylation at advanced stages, or can be a... Read More
Molecular Markers of Prostate Cancer Progression
3552 – UM File # 3552 Background Afflicting one out of nine men over age 65, prostate cancer is a leading cause of male cancer-related death. Prostate cancer is typically diagnosed with a digital rectal exam and/or prostate specific antigen (PSA) screening. PSA is used as a marker for prostate cancer because only prostate cells secrete it. However, a major limitation of the serum PSA test is a lack... Read More
Novel epithelial growth factor receptor – targeting peptides for cancer detection
5992 – Colorectal cancer is the third most common type of cancer in the U.S., causing over 50,000 deaths annually. However, this deadly cancer can be cured through routine screening and diagnosis at early stages. Epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a cell surface marker that stimulates cell growth, proliferation and differentiation. EGFR is overexpressed in several kinds of cancer (compared... Read More
Novel predictive and pharmacodynamic serum biomarkers for treatment with L-carnitine in patients with sepsis
6190 – Sepsis represents one of the fastest growing health-care problems today, and is responsible for more than 250,000 deaths every year. Annually, over 2.5 million patients are admitted to intensive care units due to severe sepsis and healthcare costs associated with sepsis exceeds $17 billion in the US alone. Despite the advancements in the sepsis treatment, management of the illness is... Read More
Smart dental composite material utilizing thiol–ene polymerization mechanism to reduce resin shrinkage.
6131 – According to the U.S Census Bureau, in 2010 nearly 36 million people age of 65 and over lived in the United States, accounting for just over 12% of the total population. Oral diseases and conditions are common among these Americans who grew up without the benefit of community water fluoridation and other fluoride products. The older population in 2030 is projected to be twice as large as in... Read More
Delta-like 4 as a biomarker for tuberculosis diagnosis
6122 – Tuberculosis (TB) infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis is second leading cause for deaths worldwide resulting from a single infection after HIV/AIDS. Currently, 19-43.5% of the world's population is infected with M. tuberculosis of which 75% of the cases reported are in underdeveloped and developing countries. Most infections are latent and only 1 in 10 infected individuals progress... Read More
Identification and targeting immune-activated transcriptional pathways for cancer stem cell immunotherapy in solid tumors
6033 – Identification and targeting immune-activated transcriptional pathways for cancer stem cell immunotherapy in solid tumors The cross-talk between immune system and cancer stem cells in the tumor microenvironment, and the mechanisms on how they interact to influence tumor development and progression is still not fully understood. Using tumor samples from ovarian and breast cancer patients,... Read More
Rare targetable recurrent RAF gene fusions in advanced prostate cancer, gastric cancer and melanoma
4829 – Recurrent gene fusions are a unique class of genetic aberrations that are widespread and are the hallmark of several types of cancer. Currently known recurrent fusions, that were identified in prostate cancer phenotypes, involve erythroblastosis virus E26 transformation-specific (ETS) family transcription factors and their products are considered 'undruggable' by conventional approaches.... Read More
SLC45A3-BRAF, Rare targetable recurrent androgen responsive RAF gene fusions in advanced prostate cancer
4374 – Recurrent gene fusions are a unique class of genetic aberrations that are widespread and are the hallmark of several types of cancer. Currently known recurrent fusions, that were identified in prostate cancer phenotypes, involve erythroblastosis virus E26 transformation-specific (ETS) family transcription factors and their products are considered undruggable by conventional approaches.... Read More
Uses of Flavivirus Protein 3D Structure and Protein Production
5988 – Described here is the 3-dimensional structure of the flavivirus nonstructural glycoprotein (NS1) as well as the methodology to produce, isolate, and purify NS1. In the fields of infectious diseases and virology this technological development will be group breaking for the development of vaccines, antivirals, antibodies, and diagnostics for the treatment of multiple infections from this... Read More
Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) Prognostic Signature for Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
5919 – Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) Based Prognostic Signature for Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Recent advances in proteomics and genome sequencing have revolutionized an era of cancer therapy where clinical, proteomic and genomic information are used in assessing an individual's risk for disease, prevention and treatment. Researchers at the University of Michigan used a TGF-β induced EMT... Read More
Urinary Biomarkers of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Women with Cystocele
5916 – Biomarkers are increasingly being identified as objective and non invasive tools in clinical diagnosis of Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) associated with cystocele (pelvic organ prolapse or bladder prolapse), overactive bladder (OAB), etc. LUTS are a group of symptoms that include discomfort and problems with emptying the urinary bladder. LUTS is associated with pelvic floor disorders... Read More
Fusion peptides from oncogenic chimeric proteins as specific biomarkers of cancer
5840 – Researchers at University of Michigan developed a method to diagnose cancer subtypes involving chromosomal translocation. Chromosomal translocations encoding chimeric fusion proteins constitute one of the most common mechanisms underlying oncogenic transformation in human cancer. Current approaches to identify chromosomal translocation include fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and... Read More
Activating Estrogen Receptor Mutations in Hormone Resistant Metastatic Breast Cancer
5884 – Activating Estrogen Receptor Mutations in Hormone Resistant Metastatic Breast Cancer Recent advances in genome sequencing have revolutionized an era of cancer therapy where clinical and genomic information are used in assessing an individual's risk for disease, prevention and treatment. Researchers from the University of Michigan collected normal tissue, primary diagnostic tumors and... Read More
Biomarker for Chronic Diarrhea Associated with Irritable Bowel Syndrome
4920 – Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional disorder of the intestine affecting the normal motility. IBS is characterized by abdominal pain and altered bowel habits in the absence of an obvious pathology. Based on bowel patterns, IBS can be subtyped into IBS-D (diarrhea predominant) or IBS-C (constipation predominant). Due to the limited knowledge about IBS pathogenesis, there is currently... Read More
RNA Chimeras in Human Leukemia and Lymphoma
5734 – Chimeric RNA as a diagnostic marker of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)/ small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) Using paired-end tag sequencing of RNA transcripts from chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients, researchers at the University of Michigan have identified nine chimeric RNAs expressed in CLL patients. Among these chimeric RNAs are two recurrent and reciprocal chimeric RNA that was... Read More
Monoclonal Antibodies Against a Cancer Marker
2164p1 – UM File # 2164p1 Background Existing cancer screening tests are often invasive, expensive, and lack strong diagnostic utility. For example, prostate cancer is typically diagnosed with a digital rectal exam and/or prostate specific antigen (PSA) screening, which has limited sensitivity and specificity. Thus, development of additional serum and tissue cancer biomarkers is needed to supplement... Read More
TERSE: Transmission and Emission Reconstruction Software Environment
0873 – TERSE: a transmission and emission reconstruction environment for SPECT, has been developed at the University of Michigan by Jeff Fessler and Edward Ficaro, in a collaboration between the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) and the Division of Nuclear Medicine. TERSE consists of an X-windows graphical user interface to portions of the ASPIRE software libraries... Read More
Cell-Specific Mineralocorticoid Receptor Theranostics for Inflammatory Diseases
5525 – Current mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) antagonists have side effect when treating cardiovascular diseases. Activation of MRs promotes inflammation and cardiovascular disease. Patients suffer from these diseases can benefit from MR blockage by MR antagonists, such as spironolactone and eplerenone. However, these traditional MR antagonists have limitations including off-target effects and... Read More
Methods for the detection and diagnosis of osteoporosis and osteogenesis imperfecta using atomic force microscopy
5466 – This technology utilizes atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging and two-dimensional fast Fourier transform (2D FFT) analysis to examine collagen fibril D-spacing in collagenous tissues. Collagen is the major building block of many human tissues, including skin, tendons, and bone. Structurally, collagen molecules are arranged into fibrils that contain repeating staggered gaps termed D-periodic... Read More
Universal, Quantitative Antibody Labeling Platform
5514 – Newly developed antibody-conjugated fluorophore-labeled dendrimers offer improved sensitivity and quantitative analysis for a wide range of research and clinical applications. Current antibody labeling strategies are prone to batch-to-batch variability and are dependent on stochastic chemical reactions. Utilizing modified PAMAM dendrimer nanoparticles for antibody labeling with fluorophores... Read More
Diagnostic Polymerase Chain Reaction for Uropathogenic Escherichia Coli
5236 – Almost 50% of the global population will experience a urinary tract infection (UTI) at some point in their lives, and those who suffer from recurrent, UTI can have three or more episodes of infection per year. As the most common healthcare-associated infection, UTI accounts for more than 30% of infections reported by acute-care hospitals. Strains of bacteria known as uropathogenic E. coli... Read More
Hybrid Multichannel Printed Circuit Board Microdrive
3822 – Over 10 million people in the U.S. suffer from an advanced form of a neurodegenerative disease such as Parkinson's, Epilepsy, and Alzheimer's. There has been theory, changing breakthroughs in the last 15 years regarding how these disease progress and manifest symptoms in patients. By working in the animal model, scientists have been able to experiment more freely and tackle more advanced... Read More
NOTCH2 Mutations are Common in Splenic Marginal Zone Lymphoma and Predict a Poor Prognosis
5388 – Lymphomas are a heterogeneous group of hematological malignancies that accounts for ~5% of all cancers worldwide. Due to their heterogeneity, lymphomas vary significantly in their severity, from indolent to very aggressive forms. Thus, accurate diagnosis and prediction of disease progression is very important in determining the best treatment course for each patient. Splenic marginal zone... Read More
Modulation of EMT/MET States of Cancer Stem Cells
5299 – microRNAs, or miRNAs, are short pieces of non-protein-coding regulatory ribonucleic acid (RNA) averaging 20 nucleotides in length that were first discovered in 1993. To date, nearly 1000 have been identified in the human genome and are reported to play an active role in nearly every cell type. Interestingly, it has been reported that different cancers produce unique miRNAs, and several... Read More
Analysis of Pseudogene Expression in the Transcriptomic Landscape of Cancer
5067 – Cancer-specific pseudogenes were found by high throughput transcriptome analysis. Current evidence suggests that pseudogenes may provide another layer of gene regulation. Recent work to identify pseudogenes has been difficult given the high sequence similarity with coding genes. However, using RNA-Seq and high throughput sequencing, investigators were able to find and group pseudogenes... Read More
Signaling Pathways Involved in Prostate Cancer
3312 – After skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer found in American men. An estimated 220,000 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2007. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men with a death rate of approximately 27,000 patients per year. The levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA) are often high in men with... Read More
1B6 Hybridoma Secreting a Murine Monoclonal Antibody Specific for Rat CD11b
1613 – Murine monoclonal antibody specific for the rat form of the beta2 integrin glycoprotein alpha subunit CD11b


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Northumbria pipped their old rivals Newcastle 9-6 at Cochrane Park yesterday to reach the semi-finals of the British Universities Cup (writes Duncan Madsen).
Three penalties by Nick Wainwright against two for Newcastle by Rupert Neville edged Northumbria through largely against the run of play in a game spoilt by an end-to-end wind, the obvious nervousness of both sides and some idiosyncratic refereeing.
And while Newcastle can only blame themselves for wasting two overlaps opportunities in the first half, they can consider themselves hard done by to have had two yellow cards while the Northumbria players, who overall were the worst offenders, escaped any form of major punishment.
Indeed a penalty try for collapsing mauls and persistent offences on the Northumbria line towards the end of the game would not have gone amiss.
Meanwhile Durham University's long trip to Exeter was in vain as they lost 34-22, leaving Northumbria as the sole North East representatives in the semi-finals.

subset: commoncrawl


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Love to code? Talk to us…
Are you seated? Are you calm? Are you ready? – Your pulse is racing because you have never seen a job like this before. So compose yourself, then keep reading this incredible job description that barely does justice to the software engineering role we have open right now at Yellowfin.
What makes this job so much better than every other code-monkey, cubicle dwelling, software engineer job that has ever existed? Glad you asked. We could turn on the corporate lingo bingo or have Jake tell you why he is leaving and why this coveted role is now available. So over to Jake…
"I graduated university in New Zealand in 2010 with a Software Engineering degree, and came over to Melbourne with no money or plans. Sleeping on my friends couch, I quickly blew what little money I had and realised I had to find a job fast.
After applying for a few jobs via Seek I got my first reply from a pretentious small development firm in Fitzroy. They told me to "dress formal" for an interview the next day. I went straight out and bought a spiv tie-pant-shoe combo. The interview was a 2-hour exam on programming practices that I had just crammed for but forgotten about during my four years of study. I failed it. Badly.
Looking back, thank god! As I left I returned a missed call from Yellowfin wanting an interview. I was informed that it was on Level 46 of "the batman building" and that I could "dress casual". Turning up in flip-flops and board shorts, the first question in the interview was "do you drink beer?" and the rest is history.
Sadly, after 2 and a half years, I am leaving Yellowfin to travel the world. So therein lies your opportunity!
Yellowfin is the kind of workplace that people naively think all IT companies have. Our open-plan office with amazing views has perks such as Nintendo Wii, Nerf guns, poker and card games, special end of month activities, and in-office beers on Friday's, to name a few.
Development skills that I have, that you need, to replace me:
- JavaScript
- Java
- Command line
- Eclipse
Development skills I have, that you might want to have, to replace me:
- jQuery
- iOS
- Android
If you are a talented developer, who can get the work done whilst having a laugh and would like to work with a bunch of funny buggers and good sorts, then a job at Yellowfin is for you."
Well that's the inside gossip from Jake.
It's not everyday an awesome job like this comes along. So pity the poor chumps that just accepted a lesser role last week – they don't even know what they have missed – but you do.
Act now before this magnificent position is filled or Jake changes his mind.
To apply, and for us to even consider your resume, you must tell us why you want to work for Yellowfin. As you might guess we are not interested in robots. Good luck!


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Photo Gallery 2015
Crescenta Valley High School A Capella group "Charismatics" came to Foothill today to perform for us! What a treat!
The kids came to Foothill Retirement to trick or treat on Halloween 2015.
September 2015 Tea Party
Our trip to Universal Studios for lunch and a movie.
Paris, our therapy dog, doing tricks. Foothill Luau Dancers.
Residents at the Beach
Mother's Day Tea
Fun with the Easter Bunny
Samba Dancers entertaining the residents.
A visit from the lakers cheerleaders always brings smiles.
Celebrating Father's Day with a show from the Belly Dancers!
Meet our Therapy Dogs:
Paris (top left ), Dino (top right), Maddy (bottom left), Hunter (bottom right). They bring lots of joy to our community!
Enjoying a fun day at the Aquarium of the Pacific.
Spring is so beautiful!


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Fin of Norway does SS2010
Copenhagen Fashion Week is currently underway, and I am rather excited to check in with two of my favorite Nordic fashion-forward houses, Fin and Noir. Also not to be missed is the new indie label by The Baand. Their 'essentials' collection is made from high quality organic cotton, produced in a socially responsible manner in Peru.
The Baand's debut hip, pared-down eco collection
But the ultimate style watch for the week might be artfully documented by Copenhagen Cycle Chic aka 'The Sartorialist on Two Wheels' - The Guardian.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Copenhagen Fashion Week Rolls In
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We had arranged with CRT for them to unlock the pump out at 11am. It isn't a standard waterways padlock as they had to use that one on the gate. Unfortunately (for us) the widebeam behind us decided to move one boat length this morning occupying the water point and pump out mooring with no sign of using either. At 10.45am I knocked on the side of the boat and politely asked them to move. We then reversed back and completed the necessary action. By 11.20am we were on our way to our RV with CRT at the top of the Stanley Dock Branch flight of locks.
There are some very cheerful locals with the one walking away in the photo below calling out a warm greeting and then throwing us sweets.
There is however another side and we passed a CRT barge full of litter removed from the canal. Moreover, behind it on the open ground was an even larger pile of litter.
At one point we passed a pod of four adult tyres spawning in the canal. Later a mother tyre and calf narrowly avoided us.
I did wonder what the large cast iron ramps on the non towpath side would have been used for and was informed by one of the CRT staff that it was the location of the old Liverpool sewage collection point. At that time Liverpool didn't have sewerage pipes and the collected human waste was transported to the canal by horse and cart where it was loaded onto canal boats. The boats transported the waste into the countryside where it was spread on the farmers fields.
I guess someone has a sense of humour
We had the luxury of CRT working us down the four locks to Salisbury Dock. At this point we entered salt water and all the weed on the boat should hopefully start to die!
Into the last lock
I've used an extract from Paul Balmer's Waterway Routes Map to show you our route through the docks to our mooring in the centre of Liverpool.
The red line is the gps trace of our route. The red arrow points to "Sid's Ditch" and the blue arrows point to the locations where CRT assist with the passage. As you cruise down the length of Salisbury Dock the largest red brick building in the world is on your right. One of the CRT staff told us it had been used for scenes in numerous TV shows and films, including a recent James Bond.
The design of Regents Road lift bridge looks very similar to the bridge across the Royal Canal in Dublin.
Beyond it is the Grade II listed Victoria Clock Tower which has eight sides and was built as an aid to shipping by providing accurate time for arriving and departing ships.
Towards the end of the dock there was a suspicious fellow hanging around.
There is a left turn at the end of Salisbury Dock and you cross Trafalgar Dock to enter "Sid's Ditch".
This is a new piece of waterway constructed as part of the Liverpool Link. The mayor of Liverpool opened this new piece of link by travelling down it in a boat and it was officially declared a new 'channel'. However the route was checked and tested prior to the official opening using a CRT work boat. The steerer was a long serving local CRT employee named Sid who declared it to be nothing more than a ditch. So it's "Sid's Ditch"
From this point the route takes a slight dogleg with buoys to starboard (the right) and then to port (the left) before reaching another lock where CRT assist you through you then enter a new tunnel with two bends in it.
Looking back from the lock
Looking back on entering the tunnel
Slightly blurred photo as we twist through the tunnel. This is followed by a second, shorter tunnel and the final lock. Between these two tunnels we got our first good look at the Royal Liver Building
Then there was a statue to one of my ancestors. Well it said Jones on the plinth!
The last lock leads into Canning Dock.
Where the route then takes you in a zigzag through Albert Dock to Salthouse Dock
power gives way to sail
The pump house
A turn to port to enter Albert Dock. This area has obviously gone through a major redevelopment.
Under the bridge and into Salthouse Dock where our mooring was waiting on the far side.
Waiouru is behind the blue boat
After mooring up the first job was to go down the weed hatch and remove the collection of urban jellyfish. There's shore power and water to the mooring and CRT collect the rubbish from the stern Mon – Fri. It should be an interesting week.


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Materials science: 3D-printed shapes in a glass of their own
High-quality, intricate glass shapes, like tiny pretzels or castles, can be manufactured using standard 3D printing technology, reports a study in Nature this week. The technique can produce structures of high optical quality that may be suitable for the design of complex lenses and filters.
Glass has a number of useful properties, including electrical and thermal insulation, and unmatched optical transparency. Creating bespoke structures, especially from high-purity glasses such as fused silica glass, is difficult owing to the need for high processing temperatures and/or harsh chemicals. The new technique, devised by Bastian Rapp and colleagues, overcomes this issue by using a free-flowing silica nanocomposite called 'liquid glass' in a standard 3D printer to produce complex shapes that are then heat-treated to produce optical-quality, fused silica glass structures. These structures are smooth, transparent, and have features as small as a few tens of micrometres.
The new technique produces surfaces with sufficient clarity and reflectivity for a range of optical applications. The process also helps to make one of the oldest known materials accessible to twenty-first-century 3D printing techniques, the authors conclude.


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3 Brilliant Ways to Dress up Chicken Noodle Soup
Cooler weather and busy fall schedules call for a big batch of chicken noodle soup. Many of us don't have time to make homemade chicken noodle soup but there are many ways to amp up an average can or two of chicken noodle soup.
First of all you must buy a quality can of chicken noodle soup. We prefer Campbell's 100% natural Chicken Noodle Soup that has whole grain noodles. Once you've stocked your pantry with you soup of choice here are a few tips on how to boost your canned soup:
- Add your own vegetables. We like to add sliced carrots and celery since those that come in a can are usually tiny and unsubstantial. You could also add broccoli, spicy peppers, kale or spinach. If you add any leafy greens make sure you add them right before eating or they will get too soggy.
- Change up the flavor. Add 1/4 cup coconut milk, 1 teaspoon of lime juice, and 1 teaspoon of fresh cilantro (per 1 can of soup) to make a Thai Chicken Noodle Soup. Or add half of a diced jalapeño, 1/4 cup sliced bell pepper, 2 tablespoons shredded cheese, and a few crushed tortilla chips (per 1 can of soup) for Mexican Chicken Noodle Soup.
- Boost the flavor with additional herbs. Try adding oregano, basil, thyme, and ground pepper to boost up the basic flavor of canned chicken noodle soup. Add small amounts of herbs at a time and taste test until your preferred flavor is reached.
Hope this helps make your evenings when canned soup is on the agenda more vibrant and exciting!


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Original paintings & drawings, consisting of stylized nudes and portraits, for the most part..
©2006 - 2017 Nina Kuriloff
All rights reserved. *Reproductions of Nina Kuriloff's artwork may not be made without her express permission.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
drawing of Lucky Zen Nude
Here is my newest drawing in my ongoing series of "Zen Nudes." This nude is a lucky one as she is adorned with two four-leaf clover tattoos!
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
newest drawing of Sexy Nude with Large Derriere
Well, I honestly think she is cute. Her flower tattoo is a nice touch. Her pink hair is her crowning glory, in my humble opinion.
If you are interested in purchasing this drawing, please click here.
Monday, July 28, 2008
newest Painting of Imaginary Tree
Here is my newest painting of an imaginary tree, that I created using gouache paint on 300 lb. watercolor paper.
This piece is 6.25 x 7 inches.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
painting of Erotic African American Nude Woman
This is a painting of the frontal view of a very beautiful African American woman surrounded by luscious purple color.
The purple in this piece is reddish rather than bluish.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
original Small Drawing of Comical Nude
Here is my drawing of a nude woman with lovely red hair and a very large butt.
I think this piece has an element of humor.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Drawing of Erotic Nude in Red Background
Here is my newest drawing of the rear view of a woman with multicolored hair, who is surrounded by a background of luscious red color.
This piece measures 8 x 4 inches.
Female Nude who looks devilish!
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
drawing of Female Nude with Long Legs
This is my drawing of "Long-Legged Lana."
She has beautiful long legs, beautiful long red hair and a lovely shape!!!
And, she lives in a background of purple! What more could she ask for?
If you would like to bid on this drawing, please click here.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
drawing of "The Devil within Her"
Saturday, July 19, 2008
recent Drawing of Reclining Nude with Red Hair
Here is my newest drawing of a reclining nude, who is resting comfortably upon a couch, head up against a soft pillow.
drawing of Zen Nude in Red with Flower Tattoos
Here is my newest Zen Nude drawing. This series continues as it still inspires me to be creative. I love the colors in her hair, which aren't apparent in this small, low resolution image, unfortunately.
Monday, July 14, 2008
recent Painting of Imaginary Tree with Clouds
Here is my newest painting in my Fantasy Tree series.
This painting began and was completed as a cloudscape.
A year after I completed it,I felt it needed the addition of a tree to make it "whole" so to speak.
And so this painting came about: a tree with flowing and graceful branches up against a delicate cloudscape.
Thank you for viewing my artwork!
Sunday, July 13, 2008
the Heart of a Calla Lily drawing
This is a drawing I completed tonight, of the heart of an orange calla lily. This small drawing is 4.5 x 5 inches.
It was a labor of love to create. I do love to use lines to create form.
Thanks for viewing my artwork!
Friday, July 11, 2008
The Rear View of Lisa with a Heart Tattoo
This is a drawing of the rear view of a lovely red-haired nude woman who I decided to call, Lisa. She has a lovely pink tattoo upon her derriere!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
a new Female Frontal Nude
Here is my newest frontal view of a female nude, that I created with pens on paper.
This small drawing is 6.75 x 4 inches.
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Sexy Nude in Pink
Friday, July 04, 2008
newest Drawing of Orange Calla Lily
Yes, this is my newest drawing of a calla lily, and a rather small-sized drawing, too. It measures 3 x 5.5 inches.
I like to draw incorporating the use of line. In this piece I must have drawn hundreds of lines.
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What is it?
Schools can purchase memberships for groups of their staff as a sign of commitment to their staff's professional development needs. It is also an opportunity for schools to invest in high quality, evidence-informed professional development tailored for individuals and schools to take part in.
What are the benefits?
Organisations can attract new teachers by showcasing your commitment to their professional learning; retain staff by investing in their professional development; offer individuals opportunities to lead their own development based on their needs; and provide tools to deliver whole-school CPD.
"It is excellent to have a high profile professional body that champions teaching, learning and pedagogical research. This is something which unites the profession in search of excellence. The Chartered College is a fantastic opportunity for all of us involved… Read more "Group Membership Testimonial"
Keith Sorrell, CEO Windsor Academy Trust
What benefits will I receive?
- Invest in your staff for professional development and staff retention
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- £45 a year per member
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"Our passion is to develop the research
and evidence-based practice in the Trust.
A huge benefit of being part of the Chartered College of Teaching is that it provides underpinning research evidence for all of
our practitioner-led research."
Alison Halford, Strategic Lead for Professional Learning at
Windsor Academy Trust


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Kolkata: Anger management in the urban jungle
He bit me.
The fucker bit me! My lower arm is itchy, red and seriously swollen. Surely this can't be normal?
I knew there was going to be a disaster in this godforsaken jungle. Why did I agree to come? This is not how I expected it to end. What an utterly unglamorous way to go. Crap!
A waiter appears.
"Can I get you a drink, sir?"
Stop being so servile! And don't bloody call me sir!
"Err – yes please. I'll have a Kingfisher."
"Anything to eat, sir?"
"No thanks."
"Certainly sir, I will be bringing it right over to you sir. Are you positively not wanting to be having anything to eat right now, sir?"
I said no! I'm not going to get pissed and puke all over your pristine marble table top. I can handle my liquor ok? BUGGER OFF!!
"No, thanks – I'll just have the drink if that's ok."
"Most certainly sir. I will be bringing it right over sir."
He wanders off. I reach for the pack of malaria tablets. Did I start taking them in time? Yes, it says to take your first dose the day before you travel. I did that. Right, so stop being such a pussy. It's fine.
But it doesn't feel fine, and it's hard to put the images from the airport taxi ride out of my head.
Kolkata appears to be nothing more than a giant, heaving slum. I mean, I grew up in South Africa. I've seen poverty, been to the townships and gotten drunk in shebeens. But there's something particularly brutal about the poverty you see here. It feels vast — an endless sea of hopeless suffering, potholes and filth-infested rivers.
And it feels dark, in all senses of the word.
Shadowy figures huddle in forlorn groups down crap-laced alleyways amongst stray cats and oil cans that smoke and simmer under makeshift shelters, where people seem to live and eat and wash and shit simultaneously in cramped, disease-ridden spaces.
My jet-lagged eyes widened as we drove through street after dilapidated street, dodging rickshaws and rabid dogs and toothless cigarette vendors amidst a cacophony of beeping horns and yakking pedestrians. And everywhere there was the stench of filthy rivers festering in the tropical humidity.
No wonder they have malaria here!
So then, of course, the very first thing to happen is that I get bitten by a mosquito.
And it's no little bite either. The bastard feasted on my entire forearm, and the resulting swelling and redness is unlike any mosquito bite I've experienced before.
The virus has entered my body.
"Your Kingfisher, sir, and here are some nuts by compliments of the manager of the hotel sir."
You really do think I'm going to get uncontrollably pissed, don't you?!
"Thanks – that's very kind."
I sip my beer as I analyse why I'm feeling so upset. Jet-lag? Probably. Nicotine withdrawal because I gave up smoking a week ago? Perhaps.
Normally I would love this kind of adventure: excited by the prospect of a place so far removed from home that it rekindles your enthusiasm for travel. But the problem is that I won't get to see much of it, because I'm here on a bland corporate mission which will see me locked in a training room for most of my stay. This is what happens when you sell your soul for money.
So really, it's not that I'm scared of India, or poverty, or getting stung by scorpions, or being mugged in an alleyway or indeed contracting malaria. It's that this compromise – this act of economic expediency – is obviously bugging me at a deep subconscious level.
And my reward? Well, I've been bitten by a fucking mosquito. In Kolkata. And I'm going to die of malaria and the last thing I will have done is sit here and whine.
I need to calm down, so I almost send the poor waiter into anaphylactic shock by ordering another food-less beer. This I down in time-honoured fashion before I go to bed.
I check my arm.
Reassured by the receded swelling and the fact that I'm not pissing blood – yet – I head out to the crisp blue pool nestled amongst the tall palm trees.
Wow – it's humid. I feel like I'm in Durban. I mean, seriously — it's uncanny. I'm on the other side of the world and everything feels really foreign but suddenly incredibly familiar. And it's about more than just the fact that it's hot and full of Indians. That contributes to the sensation, of course, but there's something else. Problem is that I can't quite put my finger on it.
I meet my co-worker for breakfast. He's pretty pleased with himself, because he got the manager to pack him some extra fruit for lunch. It's free!
"See, Stefan, you just stick with me – I'll show you how things work in India."
It doesn't take me long to be impressed. He was born in Kenya but he's of Indian descent, and although he's only been to Kolkata once before he already knows half of her inhabitants by name. This includes every one of the hotel managers, a good number of staff and – more importantly – someone at the taxi company with whom we now have a special arrangement to be shuttled to work at some bargain basement price.
He greets everyone by hand, ready to share a joke or two before some common interest is established, always with a pat on the back and sometimes followed by a lot of arm waving and heated discussion. Mostly I have no idea what's going on, but again this feels strangely familiar — the man reminds me of my grandfather.
We get into said taxi and we hit the streets. Or well, what we encounter kind of resembles streets in the Western sense, except that their state would cause an English health-and-safety officer to have a stroke. There are potholes everywhere, and people; people randomly wandering into the traffic with no regard for the speeding cars; and cows and street vendors and chickens and godknowswhatelse.
In most foreign places I've visited so far, language was the biggest challenge. So I've always learnt a few neat phrases, ready to help me order my oh-so-exotic meals and never-tasted-so-good local wine. I've revelled in the "differences" not realising that – language aside – these differences have been mostly artificial: unthreatening regurgitations of my existing comfort zones, done in fuller flavours, sweeter sounds and perhaps in brighter colours.
India is a mind fuck.
It feels like you need a completely new mental processing engine to understand how to navigate the place. The Indians certainly do. Westerners respond to chaotic and overcrowded spaces with impatience, frowns and repressed anger. Indians may honk their horns, but they simply don't respond to the chaos. They don't seem angry, hurried or stressed. There's a complete and beautiful disconnection between the external chaos and their internal wellbeing.
We arrive at the office, having driven through New Town, creatively named thus because it is, quite literally, a new town in the making. A town hungry for the plastic riches of globalisation, adorned with office parks wearing gleaming corporate logos boasting that the likes of IBM and Vodafone now call it home. Powerful edifices interspersed with open fields, served by wide, smooth roads cutting through more generous spaces where mushrooming apartment blocks provide upmarket lodgings for the nouveau Indian riche.
Waves of 20-something graduates pile into our building's lifts. They do so in shifts – 24 hours a day — security passes draped around young necks like badges of honour.
They are animated, relaxed, educated and ready to work with concentration and minimal breaks. Armies of eager young minds, dialling into conference calls with stressed middle managers in London and Paris and Dubai and New York, listening to overworked professionals who love to skulk and berate and shout and set their own proverbial hair on fire.
But they don't respond to anger. They work, smile, and go home seemingly unstressed.
All for something like £400 a month.
Still, no society is perfect. Here I notice a lack of structure in tackling problems, with a tendency to settle for inefficient short-term solutions which then become permanent features. It seems all too easy to chuck loads of bodies at a problem rather than addressing the root cause, and the place is full of people who trade in confusion because that very confusion is what justifies their job.
The place brims with cordiality, but it's also obsessed with status and position and class, whilst pervasively shady business practices often lead to corrupt and inefficient outcomes.
And the results are everywhere to see. Kolkata is full of unfinished buildings and creaking infrastructure. The shiny new metro lies half constructed; there isn't a crane or piece of scaffolding or builder in sight. What caused this? A dispute about land ownership? An argument between different local authorities? Funding shortfalls? Corruption? Who knows?
I would love to know. I'm itching to learn more. But we work until 11pm every night; I have no time to explore and my 4 days here are soon over.
Ahmed drives me back to the airport. He's one of my co-worker's contacts, but now that I'm on my own the price has mysteriously gone up by 250 Rupees. I don't mind too much — it's only £4 and he tells me how hard he works to put his kids through school. That makes me think about the man who drove us home the other night — his family lives somewhere far away in the mountains, and he only gets to see his children two or three times a year.
We arrive at the crusty, peeling shack that is Kolkata International Airport. A smooth new terminal's being built next door, but for now I'll have to contend with the old one's ancient analogue departure boards, security scanners that seem to be oozing dangerous radiation and rusty ceiling fans circulating a mixture of stench and flies and dust through the faded-green neon ambience of the creaking concrete interior.
It turns out that Ahmed doesn't have the proper change. The price has effectively gone up by another 250 Rupees. Ok, the cheeky bastard's actually ripping me off now!
But this time I don't get angry. This is India. It feels like Durban, and you just can't get excited when it's this humid at 7.30 in the morning.
And hey — I survived malaria after all.
From the archives: November 2011


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Once you have signed up to the Partner back office you can click on get code to access a number of tools to allow you to publish events.
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Step 1: Log in and click 'Get Code'. If you have more than one calendar associated with your account, select the correct calendar when logging in and then click 'Get Code'.
Step 2: Use the left-hand side drop downs to choose from a number of products including:
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- Content Widgets
- Submission Button
- Submission URL
Step 3: Event Calendars
If you wish to add a calendar simply select calendar, choose the categories of content you want in the calendar, click to details page, enable for SEO and name your calendar - Click 'Copy to clipboard' and you are ready to add to a web page and publish.
You can take ALL categories or select specific content.
Step 4: Content Widgets
You can create content widgets based on categories and add them to editorial pages across your site, you can use our horizontal or portrait widgets and choose the number of events to be displayed.
Portrait Content Widget
Horizontal Content Widget
Step 5 - Promote Event Buttons
You can create Event Submission buttons and add them to your site or HTML email newsletters to drive event submissions.
Step 6 - Submit Event URL's
Here you can find a URL which you can add to your site, place in the footer, link from ad banners, use in email and social media driving local audiences to submit events.
We highly recommend adding your 'Submission URL's to the footer of your site so all users can quickly and easily find how to promote an event.
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- https://new.evvnt.com/?partner=MetroPhiladelphiaPUB&with_navbar=true&partner_name=Metro%20Philadelphia#/basics


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Saturday, July 12, 2014
Marc Faber : Market will Crash soon
"The problem with crashes, you never know beforehand precisely what is the catalyst," the publisher of the Gloom, Boom & Doom report told CNBC's "Closing Bell." "I think it's a colossal bubble in all asset prices, and eventually it will burst, and maybe it has begun to burst already," Faber said Tuesday."I think that the global economy does not support the current valuations," he said Wednesday. Corporations "have had record profits, largely because they are buying back their own shares and so the number of shares is diminishing where revenue growth is basically flat." "Since 2012, I said it would be healthy for the markets to have a meaningful correction, but it could be that we are in a year like '87 when we go straight up and then we don't have a correction but a more significant crash," he said.
Marc Faber is an international investor known for his uncanny predictions of the stock market and futures markets around the world.Dr. Doom also trades currencies and commodity futures like Gold and Oil.
Posted by Nicole Bourbaki
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cognitive distortions, end of school, insecure or disorganized attachment, Memorial Day, negative behavior, teachers, transition planning, trauma triggers, trauma-sensitive interventions, trauma-sensitive schoosl
It's that time of the year again. Two weeks until Memorial Day. Only days until the end of school. Most children relish this time of the year – field trips, awards ceremonies, anticipation of a long summer vacation. They are proud of their achievements and look forward to new adventures in the next grade level.
But as every teacher knows, there are a few who don't seem to notice that there's a party going on. They balk at every change in routine, and can be counted on to disrupt every assembly or science fair. They threaten to ruin everyone else's good time with their surly remarks or inappropriate actions.
This spike in negative behavior occurs most frequently among children whose lives are marred by instability or loss. These children have an almost visceral reaction to the loss of familiar people and routines. Activities that signal these will soon be gone trigger old feelings of abandonment and shame.
Though children can neither name nor understand what's going on, they are driven by an anger and fear they cannot contain. They need additional support to regain control of their emotions and behavior.
Here are some ideas you can try:
Individual Transition Planning
Most schools schedule "move up days" at the end of the year to ease the progression from one grade level or school to another. Children with histories of early trauma or adversity usually need more than one visit.
Some benefit from spending time during the summer helping their new teacher set up the room, or organize supplies. Others find it helpful to meet key support personnel like the building principal, the school nurse, the secretary, and the counselor or school social worker. Knowing the names of these key players can go a long way in easing the anxiety of many children.
Review/Rehearse/Changes in Routine
Children with histories of adversity and trauma sometimes have a limited exposure to places beyond their local neighborhoods. Their understanding of field trip destinations are often misinformed. Proving them with opportunities for virtual tours and discussions of what to expect can ease their fears and increase the chances of a successful outing.
The same is true for assemblies, award ceremonies, and other end of the year performances. The more children know about the sequence of events, the behaviors that are expected, and roles they are expected to play, the better able they will be to adjust to the changes. Some children are more relaxed if they have a job to do that keeps them in close proximity to a familiar adult.
Say Good-bye
Children's attachment relationships play a significant role in their understanding of who they are and what they can expect from others. Insecure or disorganized attachments make children feel invisible, with little expectation of affection or care from others. Relationships with teachers are often the best hope children have for correcting these distortions and moving on with their lives.
Unfortunately, the end of the school year almost always means a change of teacher. Children with early trauma histories cannot adjust to the inevitability of this situation without adult support. Talk about how important relationships between teachers and children can be. Use pictures to highlight memories of things you and specific children did together. Write "good bye notes" to children telling them some of your favorite memories of them. Wish them well and remind them that they will always have a special place in your heart.


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In a city of immigrants, Rotterdam's Muslim mayor leads by example
ROTTERDAM, The Netherlands — After last week's terrorist attacks in Paris, Rotterdam Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb was as angry as any European leader when he called for the "complete destruction" of the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL.
But Aboutaleb's reaction carried special meaning: Born in Morocco, he is the first Muslim and first immigrant to lead a major Dutch city. Aboutaleb has never shied from using this status to amplify his hard-line message against extremism. After the Charlie Hebdo attack in January, he told Dutch Muslims: "If you do not like it here because some humorists you don't like are making a newspaper, may I then say you can f*** off."
However, Aboutaleb remains uniquely positioned to drive a more nuanced discussion — both within Rotterdam's sizeable Muslim community and across Europe. And that's exactly what he's been doing this week.
In a meeting with Muslim leaders in Rotterdam Saturday, he leaned on fellow Muslims to lead the fight against extremism and violence. "After Charlie Hebdo, it was relevant to say, if not as a justification: They are insulting our religion," Aboutaleb said in an interview Sunday with the Dutch television show Buitenhof. "But this time there is no justification. It is barbarism. They gunned down everybody …. That needs a strong answer from the whole world, but certainly from the Muslim community."
At the same time, he called for tolerance both in Rotterdam and beyond. "This is damaging for everybody, but most certainly for the 15 million Muslims in Europe. Their core identity is being threatened," he told Buitenhof. "There must be a place for Islam in our free society. With our hearts and minds, we have to invite these people to participate in our society. It cannot be an 'us versus them' debate. My city is ready to show this to the world."
It was the sort of message Aboutaleb has become known for in six years as Rotterdam's mayor. He can be unusually direct for a politician. Since he is not elected (Dutch mayors are appointed by the central government) he can pretty much say what he thinks. But Aboutaleb's strength is that he also stops to listen. In the Netherlands' most international city, with 170 nationalities, this has helped him a lot in building a vision of what an inclusive city looks like.
Aboutaleb is just one of the many forces that has turned Rotterdam into one of Europe's most dynamic cities. Long known as a working-class port and little brother to Amsterdam, this city of 600,000 is transforming its core with daring architecture, an entrepreneurial spirit and rich cultural vibe. Low rents (compared to Amsterdam) are attracting young and educated new residents. The city is becoming popular with tourists as well. Both Rough Guide and The New York Times have called Rotterdam a "must-see" city.
Rotterdam South is home to 200,000 people, many of them immigrants from Morocco and Turkey. (Hannah Anthonysz)
The visitors and newcomers mostly stay in the prosperous sections north of the River Maas. But Aboutaleb and other city leaders have come to see that the city's future also depends on lifting fortunes south of the river. This is where some 200,000 people live, including many Muslims of Moroccan or Turkish origin as well as large communities from Suriname and the Dutch Antilles. About 16 percent of the families here live on welfare, twice as many as in other major Dutch cities.
Aboutaleb heads a program focused on creating housing, education and work opportunities in these communities. It's doing important work, says Hedy van den Berk, CEO of the social housing corporation Havensteder, which has many tenants south of the river. "If we don't do anything," she says, "this part of town could turn into a kind of Detroit."
A new confidence
When Aboutaleb, 54, first arrived in Rotterdam, some locals viewed him with skepticism. As a mayor from the Socialist Party, he would have to work with a council dominated by the right-wing party Leefbaar Rotterdam. At Aboutaleb's inauguration, Marco Pastors, then the leader of Leefbaar Rotterdam, handed the new mayor an empty envelope addressed to the King of Morocco. It was a symbolic but loaded gesture, meant to suggest that Aboutaleb send back his Moroccan passport.
Aboutaleb got his start in politics as an alderman in Amsterdam — another thing some found suspicious. Rotterdam is proud of its working-class heritage — the saying "Niet lullen, maar poetsen" (no waffling, but working) is in part a dig at Amsterdam intellectuals who are seen as talking a lot but not doing much. Aboutaleb also worked for the central government as the state secretary of social affairs before getting the Rotterdam mayoral appointment in 2009.
The new mayor quickly won people over. Born in a poor village in the Moroccan mountains, he relates easily to first and second generation immigrants. When he started his first term he would wander the streets, knocking on doors to ask people what they thought about their city. Van den Berk remembers a time when there was a fire near one of her properties. "Aboutaleb came straight away, wearing jeans and a t-shirt, and talked to the people on the street who were hit by the fire," she recalls. "If there were mayoral elections, I have no doubt he would win."
Hedy van den Berk, CEO of the social housing corporation Havensteder, which has many tenants in Rotterdam South. "If we don't do anything," she says, "this part of town could turn into a kind of Detroit." (Havensteder)
Aboutaleb connects just as easily with international business executives, whom he spends much of his time marketing Rotterdam to. He also invests in developing relationships with other mayors around the world. A fan of Benjamin Barber's idea that mayors, not national leaders, are the true focal points of public policy, Aboutaleb is talking with Shanghai about cyber security in the port and with New York about water management.
The global connections are paying off. The Cambridge Innovation Center, a chain of start-up incubators, recently opened its first European office in Rotterdam. A grand new central railway station, opened last year, is bringing fast rail service to Amsterdam's international airport. New developments include the Markthal, a spectacular food market whose ceiling is like a modern-art version of the Sistine Chapel.
"More people are visiting the city, it becomes a more attractive place to work and live, there are more bars, shops and restaurants, which again makes the city more lively for tourists," says Sander de Iongh, a manager at Rotterdam Partners, a local economic development agency. "It is difficult to tell where the circle starts, because one development strengthens the other."
Rotterdam has always had a somewhat freewheeling style when it comes to job creation. That's an attitude Aboutaleb didn't start but which he has continued. New ideas are welcomed and there is a close cooperation between the city, entrepreneurs, institutions and the people. "In this city we learn by doing," says van den Berk. She cites the example of an empty office building that was made available to young creative entrepreneurs. "We wait and see what happens and then we start thinking if we need official policies."
Among the many new developments in Rotterdam is the Markthal food market. (Ossip van Duivenbode/Rotterdam Image Bank)
One focus of experimentation is public space. Much of Rotterdam was rebuilt after World War II with broad car-friendly streets and mostly drab office buildings in the inner city. Since 2008, a project called City Lounge has been turning more room over to pedestrians and bicyclists. It's also created a recognizable style for boardwalks, benches and lighting in the city center and given restaurant owners guidelines for how to set up outdoor seating to connect it to activity on the street.
We want "to make the city more friendly, more hospitable and more 'cuddly,' says Astrid Sanson, Rotterdam's director of inner city and urban quality. "At first, entrepreneurs protested, but in the end, sales have gone up in this area."
Sanson believes all these changes have given Rotterdam a new sense of civic confidence. "The people in Rotterdam have always been very proud of their city, but dare not show it to people from outside," she says. "Up until a few years ago, when an alderman had to inaugurate a new bridge or building, he would say, 'and soon Rotterdam will be worthwhile'. Now they finally say, 'Rotterdam is worthwhile'."
Integration is critical
Aboutaleb's biggest challenge is making sure that this new confidence extends south of the River Maas as well.
Early this year, Aboutaleb became president of National Program Rotterdam South. It's a long-term collaboration bringing together the efforts of the national and local governments, as well as schools, housing associations, businesses and residents. The goal is to improve education, housing and job opportunities in the area.
Ironically, the position has Aboutaleb working closely with his former adversary, Marco Pastors, who is director of the program. Politically, Pastors and Aboutaleb come from very different backgrounds. But they are on the same page in their attention to the needs of the city's less well-off residents. Pastors likes the way Aboutaleb speaks out. "He is not afraid of directly addressing the youngsters in the area to take responsibility for their lives," Pastors says.
In Aboutaleb's view, integration is critical — a point that allows him to use his own life story as an example to others. He disdains it when he hears young immigrants blame personal problems on society. Instead, he urges them to seize the opportunities they have by being here. He likes to say: "You become someone by integrating into society. Integration means participating."
Pastors is the first to admit that they're facing an extremely difficult task. "We have children here with multiple problems and we are doing everything to give them a good future. That takes time." Improving education is the first priority. The program is investing in additional instruction time each week for students. It's been slow getting all the schools on board, but all are now involved and test scores have improved significantly.
Marco Pastors was an early critic of Aboutaleb but now works closely with him on improving education, housing and job opportunities in Rotterdam South. (Roni Marguiles)
The real bottleneck is work. Pastors says businesses have offered 360 guaranteed jobs for students who start a mid-level technical education, but only 90 students have applied. "They think businesses that pay well will not hire them," Pastors says. "Or worse, they lack motivation to put in the effort, because it's easier to make a few euros by selling drugs. So we try to pave the way to a good education as best as we can, and at the same time, act firmly if they violate the law."
Some worry that Aboutaleb's strong statements, such as his January comments after the Charlie Hebdo attack, may leave some youths feeling stigmatized — many Muslims here say they get tired of being addressed according to their religion. But Aboutaleb feels that he has both the moral authority and responsibility to speak directly. In a recent interview in the Dutch newspaper NRC he said: "It sometimes helps if a leader takes a clear stance and without any doubt expresses his thoughts."
But Aboutaleb is not only about strong soundbites. He is always looking for opportunities to enter into a dialogue. In the same interview he went on to say: "I talk a lot to Muslim youths. I notice that they understand very well that when I say 'Je suis Charlie', I am not saying anything about the content of the magazine. I explain that I was referring to the right to say and write what you want. The fact that this right is embedded in our constitution works in favor of minorities."
"Of course, a magazine can be offensive, but there is no right to protect you against feeling offended. You can keep quiet, respond or go to court, but using violence is never an option."
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UNCERTAIN, Texas — As Capt. Ron Gibbs navigates his pontoon boat down a narrow waterway lined with bald cypress trees dripping Spanish moss, he shuts off the motor. The only noise punctuating the silence is birds calling as the boat glides under the bright summer sun on Caddo Lake.
Visitors to this lake tucked away in Texas' forested northeast corner find a mysterious labyrinth of swamps, sloughs and bayous, home to a vast array of wildlife from owls to eagles to alligators. A boat tour of the lake takes visitors through seas of bright green water lilies, down shaded watery avenues and past islands of dense forest.
"There are some areas that are so primeval it'll make the hair on the back of your neck stand up," said Gibbs, whose Graceful Ghost Steamboat Company Inc. is one of several outfits offering boat tours of the lake. "It's a supernatural feeling. It's downright spooky in some areas."
"It's hauntingly beautiful. It's an enchanting lake," Gibbs said.
The lake's "flooded forest," which has trees that are more than 400 years old, was created when the lake level rose after bald cypress trees germinated on the dry lake bed in a low-water period, said Todd Dickinson, park manager of the state's 484-acre Caddo Lake State Park.
Tourists are drawn to the lake and state park, which is bordered by the 8,000-acre Caddo Lake Wildlife Management Area and the 7,000-acre Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge, for the camping, boating, kayaking, bird watching, hiking, fishing and hunting.
The 27,000-acre lake about 170 miles east of Dallas straddles the edge of Texas and Louisiana, where it becomes open water.
"This lake just comes alive with something new each week," Gibbs said.
A first glimpse of the lake can be bewitching.
"It looks very prehistoric. Really magical, enchanting, otherworldly," said Vanessa Adams, a biologist for the wildlife management area.
Bird watching can be especially interesting, said Adams. One a recent summer afternoon, there were great blue herons wading in the water.
English sisters Marilyn Jones and Anita Harris from Liverpool made a stop on Caddo Lake as part of a tour of Texas after reading about it in a guidebook. They said the lake did not disappoint, with Jones describing it as "brilliant, beautiful."
"The atmosphere is just completely different," Harris said.
About 17 miles west of the lake, visitors will find the genteel town of Jefferson, which has its own historical ties to the flooded forest.
With its tree-lined lanes of antebellum homes and a downtown square near the Big Cypress Bayou, the town makes a relaxing stop. For elegant dining after a day on the lake, try the Stillwater Inn, located in an old Victorian home.
"The beauty of coming to Jefferson is you can come in, park the car, throw away the keys and walk everywhere," said Juanita Wakefield Chitwood, executive director of the Marion County Chamber of Commerce.
Far away from the bustle of Texas' big cities, and a marked difference from the open prairie and desert that people often associate with the state, Caddo Lake and its surrounding forests offer something different.
"It's not like anything else in Texas, that's for sure," said Rick Lowerre, president of the Caddo Lake Institute, a nonprofit founded by musician Don Henley to help protect the lake.
"That flooded cypress forest, thousands of acres of it, is pretty magical," Lowerre said.
If you go ...
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Caddo Lake State Park: http://www.texasstateparks.org
Getting there: Uncertain, Texas, located on Caddo Lake, is about a three-hour drive from Dallas or an hour from Shreveport, La.
Graceful Ghost Steamboat Company Inc.: http://www.gracefulghost.com or 877-894-4678. Boat tours offered Tuesday-Saturday (closed Sunday-Monday except holidays). Adults, $20; children through age 15 are charged $1 for each year of age. Graceful Ghost is one of several boat tour companies in the area.
Jefferson: http://www.jefferson-texas.com/
Stillwater Inn: 203 E. Broadway, Jefferson, Texas; http://stillwaterinn.com/ or 903-665-8415. Entrees, $21.50-$45. Dinner reservations required Friday and Saturday nights; recommended Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. (Dining room closed Sunday and Monday.) Cottage rental, $130 a night.
Caddo Lake Wildlife Management Area: http://tinyurl.com/32qkero
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Mangrove Mountain Union Church
Perfect Wedding Location
Mangrove Mountain Union Church, a wonderful venue for your marriage celebration. Bookings Bryan 0408722006
posted: 11:27am 10 Dec 2019
A wonderful venue for the celebration of your marriage.
Set on two magnificent acres of Australian bushland, the perfect location for beautiful memories and photographs.
Be whisked away to yesteryear by the quaintness of the "Little White Church on the Hill".
We can also connect couples to an ordained Christian minister, if required.
For more information or to view the property, please contact our Booking Officer, Bryan Sullivan via phone or the enquiry form.
Hall for Hire
$150.00 *
* Hire rates start at $150
Mangrove Mountain Union Church is located in a beautiful bushland setting. It is within easy reach of the Sydney to Newcastle M1 Pacific Motorway (F3 Freeway). The church hall is available for hire at very reasonable rates on a casual or regular basis. Community and professional groups and organisations will find that it is the ideal location for their meetings and special events. It is both highly visible to passing traffic and yet very peaceful to users of the venue. The car park accommodates up to 50 cars offroad. The hall is comprised of a large carpeted and vinyl floor space which seats up to 70 participants. It also includes a fully-equipped kitchen, a newly painted and carpeted meeting room (seating eight people) and one additional smaller room. Check out our website or Facebook page for more information. For booking enquiries, please contact the Booking Officer on 0408722006 or send an email via the Enquiry Page.
Product Highlights (Click on product for more detail)
Mangrove Mountain Union Church
Phone: (02) 4372 2006 or 0408 722 006
2154 Wisemans Ferry Road
Mangrove Mountain NSW 2250
Email: Click here to send an email


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Many of you may think of favors as strictly the domain of weddings and children's birthday parties. But they are also an excellent way to send off your guests at a corporate event and keep your company in their mind.
As a general rule, favors should be something that will be used up or eaten. You may think you would like the favor to be something they will keep forever, but more often than not, you will end up with a lot of left behind coffee mugs and bookmarks with your company name and "Holiday Bash 2014" etched onto them.
Here are some examples of classy corporate favors your guests will be sure to take home with them at the end of the night:
Truffles: Choose a variety of flavors and display them on a table at the entrance to your event in elegant favor boxes. Guests will love the ability to choose which one they would like from a beautiful display. We can personally vouch for the deliciousness of The Chocolate Spectrum's truffles, so try them first!
Seedlings: What would make a better favor for a holiday party than your own little evergreen? The Green World Project offers tons of options for sizes and packaging including the tulle wrapped seedlings in the picture.
Barbecue Sauce: Perfect for your summertime office picnic! Beau-Coup Favors lets you customize the labels for these favor sized barbeque sauces.
Gourmet Popcorn: Delicious and adorable, Mother Butters Popcorn has a classic tin design and will even put your logo on it.
Candles: For your eco-friendly event, you must have an eco-friendly favor. These soy candles from Handmade Habitat will do the trick, and they smell good too!


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When I – with the same pride as a cat who presents a dead mouse to its owner – brought home yet another camera bag and showed it to my partner, a very patient and loving woman, I felt that she was not as impressed as she was with the first ten camera bags I bought. However, being a perceptive woman with a heart of gold, she sensed my eagerness and asked "What does this one do then?".
Out of the many backpacks I already own, only one of them is good enough to use: the Lowepro Protactic 450AW. This is one ruggedly handsome backpack which can take a ton of gear and is comfortable to wear for long periods of time. It is my go to bag for most of my shoots. Although its size is what I bought it for, it is also what prevents me from using it as an every day bag. As a photographer, I want to have a camera with me pretty much all the day but my back problems prevent me from using a sling or messenger bag. What I needed was a smaller sized backpack, with the same durability as my Lowepro, but with a look more suitable to the city commute. It only needs to hold one camera body (X-Pro2) with one lens and have a laptop compartment for a 15″ laptop. If I could also fit another two primes it would be golden.
The Everyday Backpack (20L) by Peak Design certainly seemed like a good fit for my requirements, and since they have already made a very well received bag I felt confident they would come through and backed them on Kickstarter without hesitation. Christmas came very early to London when I was selected by Peak Design as one of the 500 backers to receive a bag early to test whether their logistics were firmly in place. The bag arrived a week before a planned trip to visit my sister in the south of Sweden, which was the perfect opportunity for a field test of my new toy. I spent 3 days in Malmo and one in Copenhagen together with the Everyday Backpack.
The aim was to travel as light as possible as I knew we would be spending the days walking around exploring Malmo or Copenhagen. The subject matter I would focus on would be seascape, cityscape, architecture and long exposures. I took the following with me:
- Fuji X-Pro2 Body
- Fujinon XF 16-55
- Fujinon XF 10-24
- Lee Filters Holder
- Various Lee Filter filters 🙂
- X100s (carried it for my partner during the flying)
- MeFoto BackPacker tripod
- Bits and bobs, lens cleaner kit, spare battery and memory cards
- SpiderLight Handstrap
- Tiny torch
The Everyday Backpack swallowed all this without a problem. My X-Pro2 with the 16-55mm lens attached to it fit perfectly. I did remove one of the origami dividers as I felt I only needed two to form three compartments. The camera with the lens went in the bottom compartment and the spare lens along with the X100S and the filters went in the very top compartment. The MeFoto BackPacker tripod attached to the side of the backpack with one leg inside one of the pockets and I then used the straps to attach it. There are lots of handy straps on this backpack for attaching/securing your kit.
The smaller kit (batteries, cards, etc) all went into side pockets on the inside of the bag. These side pockets are on the inside of the side lids on both sides of the bag and cover the entire side. They are opened with a zipper and have a handful of smaller compartments none of which have a zipper, a feature which would have been good for small things like memory cards.
I felt there was room to spare after I fit all my kit, not a lot but I could have also fitted a 35mm lens for instance and maybe a small flash. The Everyday Backpack is pretty roomy for a small bag.
During our holiday we spent roughly 6-7 hours a day walking around, with plenty of coffee breaks, and throughout the day the backpack was comfortable to wear. The Everyday Backpack has both a waist strap and a chest strap, which are easy to adjust and allows for a very snug carrying experience. It is the same with the shoulder straps which are very easy to adjust in the same fashion as the other straps. Ideally I would have liked the waist strap to be broader but it was fine as a smaller bag means a lighter load.
Even though the waist strap was easy to adjust, it was perhaps too easy as the buckle had a tendency to travel from its mid starting position to all the way to the left. As I pulled on the left strap to shorten it the right strap extended. So far this is my only criticism and not a big deal.
The Everyday Backpack is packed full of all sorts of features meant to make our lives easier. I will go through the ones I found the most useful, but there could be quite a few I don't even know about.
Quick Access Release – This is my favorite feature and one of the reasons I got the back. The shoulder straps have a quick release feature which allows you to quickly (relatively) swing the bag around your shoulder by loosening one of the shoulder straps.
Origami Dividers – The dividers can be folded in all sorts of ways creating more compartments. I did not really need this much during my trip but in the middle compartment where I had a lens and a X100s I managed to create a new pocket to separate the two.
Big Side Pockets – On both sides of the bag you have a generous pocket for water bottles or tripod legs, which came in very handy.
Straps – Each of the big side pockets has a strap inside of it which you can use to secure items to your bag. I used this to make sure the tripod stayed in place and I also attached a little pillow on the back of the bag. The pillow is for my dodgy back when I fly. The seats are not very comfortable.
Zipper Locks – I did not actually use this, but I thought it was a nifty feature. To protect yourself against pickpockets you can 'lock' the zippers, which should be enough to prevent anyone from quickly opening your bag.
I highly recommend the Everyday Backpack as a bag for the photographer who does not need to bring a lot of gear, or who wants to bring their camera with them on a daily basis. It looks great, it is super practical and most importantly very comfortable to wear. Treat yourselves this Christmas, you won't regret it.


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ART STEEDLE Licensed Contractor
Art Steedle, a Pittsburgh native, decided to hang up his hammer on the east coast and relocate to sunny California bringing his general contracting skills with him.
Starting Steedle Construction in 2005, Art and his team have remodeled, rehabbed and built just about everything. From auto dealerships and custom homes to working with some of the top celebrities in Hollywood, Art prides himself on building, renovating and refurbishing projects with the utmost quality in mind regardless of size.
In addition to running Steedle Construction, Art has also perfected his television career working on HGTV's Jaime Durie's Outdoor Room, DIY's I Hate My Yard, and recently HLN's Homeowner Justice, where he saves homeowners that have been wrecked by renovation disasters. In his spare time, Art runs a shop in Long Beach where he builds furniture out of vintage and recycled materials, rehabs classic automobiles, owns ANTIQUES, a collection of vintage memorabilia that is bought and sold online and is working on turning a line of old shipping containers into usable spaces.


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Sumi-e. Traditional Japanese Ink Wash Painting
|22.03.13–02.06.13 11:00–18:00
|Adamson-Eric Museum
From Friday, 22 March, the exhibition Sumi-e. Traditional Japanese Ink-Wash Painting will be on display at the Adamson-Eric Museum. The exhibition introduces one of the most ancient and delicate forms of Japanese traditional art: ink-wash painting. The exhibition presents the works of Japanese artists who are members of the International Sumi-e Association, and includes both the enchanting developments of classical thematic approaches and interpretations of the modern world. The exhibition is accompanied by a richly illustrated catalogue, a series of events to introduce the various facets of Japanese culture, and an educational programme for students.
"It is a great pleasure to continue the Adamson-Eric Museum's tradition of introducing Japanese art with the opening of this exhibition," said Kersti Koll, one of the curators of the exhibition. "Since 2000, five different projects have taken place here, and they have been extremely well-received by the Estonian public."
Ink-wash painting (sumi-e) is one of the principal and most characteristic forms of Japanese art; it is born on paper through the combined impact of ink and water. By executing numerous shade nuances in ink using masterful brush techniques and playing with the contrasts between images and shadows, as well as the eloquent emptiness on the surface of the pictures, the sumi-e artist creates a sensitive field of meaning, which also leaves the viewer with ample room for thought. The specifics of ink-wash painting do not allow that which has been created to be changed or reworked. Technically, this requires great skill and mental concentration on the part of the artist.
The ancient painting technique, which arrived in Japan from China along with Zen Buddhism as one of the components of its cultural influence, was quickly adapted to the Japanese aesthetic and became one of the principal forms of expression of Japanese art. The early sumi-e masters were Zen Buddhist monks, who practised ink-wash painting primarily as a form of spiritual meditation. The Zen masters dedicated years to this art, which requires very intensive mental concentration to achieve supreme clarity. In time, sumi-e became more worldly and decorative. In the 20th century, many of the principles of sumi-e served as sources of inspiration for Western modernist art.
"Everyone is capable of learning the basic techniques of ink-wash painting, but even drawing one line requires concentration and attentiveness. A master's brush stroke is like the stroke of a sword: sensitive and precise, beautiful in its completeness," added Taimi Paves, the other curator of the exhibition and a representative of the Ars Orientalis Society.
The purposeful preservation and development of ancient art traditions and skills as national treasures, and passing them on from master to student, are characteristic of Japanese culture. For the promotion and popularisation of this ancient art idiom of East Asia, the International Sumi-e Association was founded in 1999 in Tokyo, on the initiative of Katori Kinsui. Its members can be found in Japan, China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea and other Asian countries, as well as in Africa, Australia, the United States and Europe. The network of the Association's branches and members is constantly expanding. The Association operates a school that teaches ink-wash painting and organises exhibitions, workshops and courses in Japan and elsewhere in the world.
On 22 March at 2 pm and 5 pm, sumi-e workshops will take place at the Adamson-Eric Museum, and they will be supervised by the Japanese artists Katori Miho, Sekiguchi Mariko, Tahara-Lundh Yumiko, Kamataki Emi and Motoyama Michiko (of the International Sumi-e Association).
The exhibition is accompanied by events introducing various aspects of Japanese culture: http://adamson-eric.ekm.ee/et/
Educational programmes for children will take place throughout the exhibition period.
Sumi-e. Traditional Japanese Ink-Wash Painting has been organised in cooperation with the International Sumi-e Association, the Ars Orientalis Society and the Adamson-Eric Museum. The exhibition is sponsored by the Estonian Ministry of Culture and the Cultural Endowment of Estonia.
The designer of the exhibition is Andres Tolts, the graphic designer is Külli Kaats, and the masters are Uve Untera and Aleksander Josing. The exhibition catalogue was designed by Inga Heamägi.
Sumi-e. Traditional Japanese Ink-Wash Painting will be on view at the Adamson-Eric Museum until 2 June 2013.


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The last thing you'd expect to find on the menu of an Irish pub run by a Philly guy is conch chowder. But there it was. Now, this isn't just any Irish pub; it's ringed with palm trees, yachts and crystal blue water that's so clear that the vivid colors of tropical fish are outlined against the harbor floor. And I should mention that this pub is a four hour direct flight from Philadelphia, in the Virgin Islands. More on that a little further down.
Now that we've gotten our first jolt of winter and crave a change to balmy breezes and sun drenched beaches, how about splurging on a getaway from Philadelphia to an island called St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands? You can stay there or island hop to an assortment of languid and dynamic places that fly both the American and British flags. Here's what you'll find in the Caribbean and how to find it. – Jay Lloyd
The Virgin Islands are synonymous with lazing and lounging on coral beaches, tiki bars and warm weather, but for the more active traveler, water sports can be found as well.
Charter a yacht from Island Yachts on St. Thomas. If you have sailing skills, you can take the boat out on your own. If not, hire a captain. Either way, for a surprisingly low cost, you can cruise among eight main islands in the U.S. and British territories, all scattered along the easy to navigate Sir Francis Drake Channel. Between now and mid-December, you can charter a yacht that comfortably sleeps four adults for 10 days for around $2,600. A yacht that accommodates 6 goes for $3,875. The boats have showers and galleys and offer the freedom and adventure of a lifetime.
The islands are a utopia for scuba divers and snorkelers. St. John and its surrounding waters are just a short ferry ride from St. Thomas, and there you'll find a vast National Park with areas that are specifically protected for divers. The undersea life here is amazing, and your vision seems limitless in the brilliant sunlit water. It's Nemo's world in real life, and you become a part of it.
Hemingway's vivid portrayals of big game fishing can be replicated any day, in any season on the waters surrounding the Virgin Islands. Charter fishing boats go after big game, and you might even come face-to-face with the razor toothed barracuda or feel the arm wrenching tug of a fighting marlin. For more info, visit: www.vinow.com/stthomas/SandL/fishing.php
I have a soft spot for Sapphire Bay. When I lived in St. Thomas, it was a simple beach club with a modest clubhouse and restaurant. Today, it's a condo, hotel and marina community with the same enchanting view of the not-so-distant islands and a protected cove for swimming, snorkeling and sailing. It's on the more pristine eastern end of the island, away from the hectic cruise ship-dominated town of Charlotte Amalie and close to the ferry docks that serve as a portal to the neighboring islands. For rates and amenities, cruise over to: www.sapphirebeachresortcondos.com
Caneel Bay Resort is probably one of the most scenic and tranquil spots in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Part of the National Park, it was created to provide luxurious accommodations in an environmentally-protected setting. Stay a few days, and you'll never want to leave. The resort is also an ideal stop while cruising in that chartered yacht previously mentioned. Just a few hours from St. Thomas under sail, you can catch a mooring off the beach, swim or dinghy in for an unrivaled lunch and an afternoon on the beach. Look it over at: www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/caneelbay
Now, about that Irish Pub. Remember Brittingham's in Lafayette Hill? Frank Brittingham and his sons are now operating Molly Molone's at Red Hook in St. Thomas. Here, you'll find conch chowder blends with corned beef and cabbage or a wonderful Irish stew. You'll also be surprised to find a Philly cheesesteak on the menu, and the last time I stopped by, Frank was flying in his steak rolls from Amoroso's.
Take a ferry ride or sail over to Virgin Gorda, an island named by Columbus. A restaurant called the Top of the Baths sits on the summit of an ancient rocky outcropping and provides a spectacular view that opens a panoramic vista to encompass all eight islands. Island fare is on tap here, along with Cruzan Rum and Caribbean brews. By the way, there's also a pool in the middle of the restaurant patio, in case you're inspired to take a dip!
If you go nowhere else, grab a ferry or sail to the island of Jost Van Dyke. Take a passport, because it, like Virgin Gorda, is British territory. On this small island, you'll find the legendary Foxy's Beach Bar. It's the classic Caribbean tiki bar populated by sailors, their boats filling the harbor. Clearing immigration is easy, and the customs guy might be sitting at the bar. Expect to hear calypso, and if Foxy is around, he'll ad lib some lyrics about you and your crew.
On St. John, head for Coral Bay and Skinny Legs, one of the most popular bars among locals and sailors — half the people in the joint look like they've stepped out of a Hemingway or Conrad novel. Great burgers and brews with a lot of sailing chatter make the mix here.
U.S. Airways offers a daily direct flight to St. Thomas. Flying time is under four hours, so you'll be there in time for lunch.
A couple of notes: Restaurant food is expensive, but the drinks are rock bottom. It balances out. And if you're a bartender, chef, experienced sailor or marina hand, you may come for a week…and end up staying.