text:
Dead Cities By Mike Davis. The New Press, 2003. 432pp. £16.95
The dust jacket features a violent German Expressionist painting called Apocalyptic Landscape, overlaid with wonky lettering, making the book look like a 1950s schlockhorror novel about the end of the world.
This is not inappropriate. It is a collection of essays, written over the past 11 years, most of which document the various ways in which the US is destroying itself.
Several of them deal with issues of urban pathology in Davis'Californian home territory; issues familiar to readers of his 1990 book City of Quartz. They include the disenfranchisement of poor communities by rapacious commercial development; the contribution of de-industrialisation to urban poverty;
murderous racial antagonism; and the damage done to cities by partisan federal funding.
Here Davis, a leftwing patriot armed with batteries of facts and references to support his analyses, is at his fiercely critical best.
He also travels east to Nevada to describe the environmental desolation which the enormous and unsustainable growth of Las Vegas has caused. Rapidly destroying desert and wilderness in one of the driest parts of the US, Las Vegas daily consumes an astonishing 360 gallons of water per capita (60 per cent of which irrigates lawns and golf courses). Further north in Nevada is the aptly-named Pentagon Desert, where the military controls 1.6 million hectares of land, and where for decades it carried out nuclear bomb testing. Here Davis evokes almost unspeakable horrors of sterile landscape, rotting livestock, and an estimated 170,000 population exposed to contamination.
With eloquent and calm anger, Davis describes the hell that the US has created for itself, made from unchecked corporate greed, the corruption of democratic principles, racial prejudice and the power of the industrial-military complex. In his preface, the holocaust of the World Trade Center provides a useful topical focus for an apocalyptic vision of the end of American civilisation - Ground Zero indeed.
If the book had consisted of just this, it would have been convincing, despite a certain disjointedness resulting from its essays having been written for different contexts over a long period of time. But Davis goes further. In his final chapter, citing London, New York and Berlin, he proposes that the metropolis inevitably contains the seeds of its own destruction; that entropy is its natural state.
He is good at finding and quoting imaginative literature that presages cataclysm and decline. But while, for instance, HG Wells' The War in the Air (1907), with German airships destroying Manhattan, clearly has an added resonance after 9/11, does literary fantasy actually contribute to factual analysis? One begins to suspect that Mike Davis might be enjoying his catastrophic subject just a bit too much, and slipping into apocalyptic mood-making.
To document the ways in which the most advanced nation on earth is destroying itself and its natural environment, even if the facts are dramatised by the addition of fiction, is to make a consistent argument about the folly of humankind. But Davis will not rest there. He ventures into the natural sciences of geology and astrophysics, to construct a picture of our planet as a speck formed by millions of years of bombardment by comets and asteroids; 'an existential Earth shaped by the creative energies of its catastrophes'.
Here, I am afraid, I began to lose contact with the author. His claim that '(asteroid) impacts are the functional equivalents of wars and revolutions in human history' left me unconvinced of its logic, and feeling that I had wandered away from observable urban pathology into a cosmic X-Files episode.
Because of the essay format, there is no connecting narrative. There is only the implicit suggestion, through juxtaposition, that a race riot in South Central LA and a millions-of-years-old crater in Mexico are part of some common cosmic pattern. Sorry, but I can't see it. The urban documentary is excellent, as always. But the general thesis of catastrophism (Davis' word) goes too far.
Joe Holyoak is a partner in Axis Design Collective, Birmingham
Have your say
You must sign in to make a comment
Please remember that the submission of any material is governed by our Terms and Conditions and by submitting material you confirm your agreement to these Terms and Conditions.
Links may be included in your comments but HTML is not permitted.


text:
Goals: Provide affordable and effective training that enables community action agencies to provide quality services to serve the low-income residents of Ohio, and serve as a resource for technical consultation and trouble-shooting.
Ohio Weatherization Training Center (OWTC): COAD operates the OWTC under a contract with the Ohio Department of Development. The first OWTC opened in 1980, and as we move forward, we will continue to strive to improve the training and technical services we offer in the state of Ohio.
Home Weatherization Assistance Program Training and Technical Assistance: Under the HWAP grant, the OWTC trainers provide on-site technical assistance to community action agency staff members. This one-on-one training compliments the classroom training and enhances the skills needed on the job.
Click here to search for EPA-certified RRP firms near you: cfpub.epa.gov/flpp/searchrrp_firm.htm
To learn more about the hazards of lead, click here: www.epa.gov/opptintr/lead.
To learn more about the Office of Housing and Community Partnerships, click here: www.odod.state.oh.us/cdd/ohcp
COAD Consultant Contracts (CCC): Since 1984, COAD has provided fee-based training and technical assistance to both in- and out-of-state organizations and companies. Many of our contracts have been for weatherization-related training services including heating, National Energy Audit courses, and the Electric Partnership Program. The technical expertise of the training staff has enabled COAD to provide training to housing, energy efficiency and HVAC professionals in more than 30 states from the Carolinas to Alaska. Current available services include:
• Weatherization training;
• Heating, ventilating and air-conditioning training;
• Residential, commercial and institutional energy audits;
• Process and impact evaluations;
• Construction management and quality assurance; and
• Housing development technical assistance.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
This question has been asked before and there have been windows-specific answers but no satisfactory gcc answer. I can use
set_terminate() to set a function that will be called (in place of
terminate()) when an unhandled exception is thrown. I know how to use the backtrace library to generate a stack trace from a given point in the program. However, this won't help when my terminate-replacement is called since at that point the stack has been unwound.
Yet if I simply allow the program to
abort(), it will produce a core-dump which contains the full stack information from the point at which the exception was thrown. So the information is there -- but is there a programmatic way to get it, for example so it can be logged, rather than having to examine a core file?


text:
Shane Pullen is one the UK's top anglers. An angling journalist and photographer for Sea Angler magazine He has inspired many young people to really get into their fishing through his informative articles. Most happy chasing his favorite quarry cod, he will be fishing all over the UK South coast after bass ray and everything in between remaining devastatingly effective. We were delighted to have some of Shane's time so here are the questions…
Me: What are your early fishing memories and when were you hooked so to speak?
SP: Yeah from the start! I remember being in a fishing shop and just looking at the reels was fascinating. My earliest memories of fishing I suppose were with my Dad about nine years old. I had an uncle who lived by the sea and from that young age I was just attracted like a magnet to the sea. I remember watching the boats come in, in Dungeness landing cod and I was just amazed by these fish. The bug was alive then and is still going strong today.
Me: What catch has made you most excited at the time?
SP: You see I still get excited about every catch if I'm honest and thats what I love about it. There are many catches that I could say, halibut in Norway, 10lb bass from the beach last year, an 11lber from the boat it's hard to pick really but if I had to it would be Christmas day 1988, we went to Deal and I had four double figure cod from the beach that was pretty special.
Me: Where do you enjoy fishing most?
SP: The place I enjoy fishing most is Clacton -On- Sea on The Essex coast, It's not even that near to me but I just love it.
Me: What species have you not caught that you would still love to?
SP: I would love a surprise stingray from the beach, I've never really tried for one but it's one I'd love to catch.
Me: Can you give us your advice for fishing for sole?
SP: Where I live at Gravesend on the Thames , there has always been lots of sole caught in the nets. It's only really in the last ten years people have been targeting them more with rod and line. The main reason is we have scaled down the tackle, the backbone of the trace is only 10lb with lighter snoods and size 4's.
Me: Where else in the world would you like to fish?
SP: The only other place that I was mad to fish was Norway and I finally went out last year. Paddy I can honestly say it was spectacular and in the first hour every fish broke my Pb's from back home!
Me: What advice would you give someone just starting out?
SP: The advice I would give is start fishing a pier and try and get to know the locals who will show you the basics, and learn how to cast properly. In beach fishing being able to cast well is vital. If you are a long caster you can drop short but it doesn't work the other way round….
Me: What do you enjoy besides fishing?
SP: I enjoy everything I do but of course it's mostly fishing! Even after a bad day on the beach I'm already looking forward to the next trip.
Me: What are your plans for 2014?
SP: Well I'm back over to Norway in October, and the rest of the time I will be continuing my features for SeaAngler.
Me: Well Shane thanks a million for your time
SP: No problem Paddy


text:
Hank's Brunch
by Annie
If the humidity outside didn't tip you off, summer is in full swing in the District. Between beach trips, cocktail party-hopping, and food festivals, it's rare we get a day off. So when Hank's Oyster Bar invited us over for brunch, we were more than happy to have an excuse to unwind. Cori Sue and I were joined at their Pennsylvania Ave. outpost by our favorite menswear blogger Dean, the brains and looks behind Proper Kid Problems.
After a long weekend of booze and bacon, the three of us enjoyed a lazy late brunch chatting fashion, blogging, and the latest Washington gossip. The only way to combat my raging hangover was to retox, so we perused the enticing drink menu. Cori Sue stuck with the classic mimosa, and Dean appropriately chose The Italian Gentleman, a refreshing gin-based grapefruit and mint cocktail. Hank's was one of the restaurants that named a birthday cocktail after us for our Bitches Turns 5 celebration, so naturally I had to sample the "Bitches Who Drink." Don't let the vodka, beer, and raspberry lemonade mix scare you— this cocktail was the perfect combination of sweet and tart.
Like all meals at Hank's, our brunch began with an adorable tiny dish of Goldfish. But the real surprise of the day was the boozy cereals. We sampled Cheerios with an amaretto, honey, Scotch, and milk mixture, as well as Cinnamon Toast Crunch with rumchata, butter rum, maple, and milk. I've always said that rumchata tastes just like cinnamon toast, so I was happy to see somebody finally adulting up my favorite breakfast cereal. We agreed that the Cheerios mixture wasn't that good, but it was fun to try. The Cinnamon Toast Crunch, on the other hand, was the perfect treat for booze hounds who want to reminisce about childhood. Unfortunately, the boozy cereals seemed a little out of place as our seafood appetizers arrived soon thereafter.
We started with a dozen oysters on the half-shell. I'm embarrassed to admit that despite my New England roots, I'm not a big fan of oysters. But Cori Sue and Dean slurped them down like pros. I made up for it by devouring a batch of fried Ipswich clams, named for the town I grew up next to in Massachusetts. They were perfectly crispy and lightly salted.
We were so caught up in gabbing about our personal styles we nearly forgot to order our main courses. We put a pause in our conversation to deliberate over the seafood options on Chef Jamie Leeds' menu. Dean and I went halvesies on the shrimp po'boy and the lobster roll. The lobster roll was light and refreshing, with a ratio of lobster to "other" that would make my mother proud.
The shrimp were lightly fried and covered with a delicious sauce. I would definitely order both again. Both of our dishes came with thin, crispy fries with Old Bay seasoning, which Cori Sue loved. And by that I mean the Bitch kept stealing my French fries.
CS opted for the shrimp and grits, which was fantastic. It was really well done, which you would hope for from a seafood restaurant. With a tomato based coulis, the dish packed a lot of great flavor.
We also sampled the crab cake Benedict with breakfast potatoes, a soft shell crab and crab cakes smothered in gravy. The crab cakes were almost a little too flavorful for my taste, but the Hollandaise sauce on top of the benny helped the cut the sharpness of the red pepper and Old Bay.
In terms of sides, the breakfast potatoes were delicious and our communal bowl of fresh fruit did not include the egregiously offensive honeydew melon. If you want to see us get really Bitchy, just serve us honeydew melon.
We were so stuffed and falling into a food coma that we could barely bring ourselves to taste the soft shell crab. But, we mustered the strength to carry on and enjoyed the fresh crab meat.
Speaking of crabs, we were all a tad bit intimidated by the beautiful, fully fried soft shell crab. It was just so…whole. We gave it a go, and it was delicious. You can't be a local seafood restaurant without serving up local softshell crab.
To top it all off, we split a refreshing slice of key lime pie, which Florida girl and key lime fanatic Cori Sue gave two thumbs up. The pie comes from Pie Sisters, and it is absolutely delicious.
The Bitches say: A+. The sweetness of the boozy cereal was a weird pairing but overall we loved the seafood spread for a refreshing summer brunch.
Hank's Oyster Bar
633 Pennsylvania Ave. S.E.
Washington, D.C.
Hank's on the Hill serves brunch on Sundays.


text:
Export 5 results:Author Type [ Year]
Filters: Author is Zohreh Zahiri [Clear All Filters]
"Distinguishing Façade Material Change using Hyperspectral Imaging", 2nd International Virtual Geoscience Conference. Norway., 2016.
"Classification of hardened cement and lime mortar using short-wave infrared spectrometry data", 11th international conference on Structural Analysis of Historical Constructions , Cusco, Peru, 2018.
"The feasibility of short-wave infrared spectrometry in assessing water-to-cement ratio and density of hardened concrete", Construction and Building Materials, vol. 185, 07/2018.
"Using Short-wave Infrared Range Spectrometry Data to Determine Brick Characteristics", INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE, 8/2018.
"Nonlinear hyperspectral unmixing with graphical models", IEEE Transaction on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 2019.


text:
NEW HAVEN, Conn.- The Sacred Heart University Men's tennis team picked up its second straight Northeast Conference victory as the team defeated Mount Saint Mary's by a final score of 4-3. The Pioneers will return to action on Wednesday Apr. 10 when SHU travels to face St. John's. Matches begin at 7:00 p.m.
In singles play, four Pioneers would pick up victories starting with junior Seiji Hosokawa as he defeated Jackson Wood 5-7, 6-4, 6-4. First-year William Wibmer would then defeat Parth Sharma 6-0, 6-1 followed by a victory by junior Lauren Chris Sause who defeated Gabriel Santos 3-6, 6-4, 6-1. Senior Brian Einstoss would defeat Evan Hine 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (2).
In doubles play, SHU would fall in all three matches.
Singles competition
1. Seiji Hosokawa (SHU1) def. Jackson Wood (MSM) 5-7, 6-4, 6-4
2. William Wibmer (SHU1) def. Parth Sharma (MSM) 6-0, 6-1
3. Chris Sause (SHU1) def. Gabriel Santos (MSM) 3-6, 6-4, 6-1
4. Alonso Garcia (MSM) def. Luca Casalduc Pla (SHU1) 5-7, 7-5, 6-3
5. Jean Armstrong (MSM) def. Francisco Del Valle (SHU1) 4-6, 6-3, 7-5
6. Bryan Einstoss (SHU1) def. Evan Hine (MSM) 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (7-2)
Doubles competition
1. Jackson Wood/Parth Sharma (MSM) def. Seiji Hosokawa/William Wibmer (SHU1) 5-4
2. Evan Hine/Jean Armstrong (MSM) def. Luca Casalduc Pla/Bryan Einstoss (SHU1) 6-1
3. Gabriel Santos/Alonso Garcia (MSM) def. Chris Sause/Francisco Del Valle (SHU1) 6-4


text:
Spy Troops: The Movie is an animated film based on the toyline of the same name. It was produced in 2003 and was written by Larry Hama.
The plot revolves around G.I. Joe, America's daring, highly trained special missions force. The Joes have just perfected a new technology: Mind Interface Remote Control (MIRC), which allows soldiers to flawlessly command vehicles from a safe distance. The title refers to the fact that the two opposing forces, the G.I. Joe Team and Cobra, make use of spies to achieve their objectives. Cobra sends Zartan, to infiltrate G.I. Joe headquarters posing as Shipwreck, and steal the MIRC technology. The Joes send Shipwreck and Snake Eyes to the enemy's camp, after learning about what happened. The Joes then organize an assault on Cobra Mountain and successfully regain the technology, destroying Cobra's base and chopper in the process.
|G.I. Joe
- Although set in its own continuity, Spy Troops: The Movie borrows heavily from themes established in both the comicbook and cartoon versions of A Real American Hero.


text:
SustainStyle: Get Green In Style, Pop-Up Placemats, Kate Hudson + More
Welcome to SustainStyle, a weekly digest from the writers at 1plus1, a blog dedicated to eco-friendly fashion. SustainStyle runs every Wednesday.
We buried our nose in a new guide to getting (and staying) green in style: "Green Chic" covers eco-friendly fashion, lifestyle and food and also fits in your purse!
Kate Hudson partners up with a celebrity hairdresser to come out with an all natural hair care line.
Green by Nature keeps our lips glossy and our breath fresh with a two-in-one glaze.
Nordstrom's Organic Style boutique took delivery of new styles of Edun high-waisted organic denim and men's organic T-shirts from Hurley and Quiksilver.
We fell in love with Publique Livings charming pop-up placements made from recycled paper.
We entered to win a new eco-friendly purse from Gretchen's Closet, one of our most resourceful fashion sites.
Mad Imports introduced us to an amazing little rainbow clutch that is handwoven raffia.


text:
Zenitum, Inc.
Slin'Gooz links digital information directly on real world objects by crowd sourcing. One object at a time, we merge virtual & real world.
- Stage Concept Only
- Industry Mobile
- Location Seoul, KR-41, South Korea
- Currency USD
Company Summary
Since Mar. 2004, Zenitum has been focusing on lower level augmented reality algorithms. Recently, while we license older generation AR engines, we created a whole new set of mobile AR


text:
- #495 Ranking
- 2,420 Students
- Public Institution Type
Founded on January 1st 2007 by the three following Graduate Institutes in Science and Engineering:
The "Grandes Ecoles" are the best rated pathways for higher education in Engineering and Management.
AgroParisTech's research activity is consistent with a dual approach of academic excellence and engineering research. It contributes to research in the areas of agricultural issues, forestry, food and the environment of tomorrow.Areas of research
The combination of these two strategic orientations enables the institute to ensure:
The vast majority of the chief executives in major French companies and of top managers in the French Administration are graduates from the "Grandes Ecoles".
A guide for students at AgroParisTech has been created especially for international students. The Students' International Club organises a "Buddy" system for international students and assist them in their arrival in France and their integration. In particular offers the Reception Office for Mobile Students to welcome the students and to help them from the day they arrive (help with the formalities, inform on cultural gaps and proposes to each one, during their stay, language courses and leisure activities…).
AgroParisTech provides accommodation to international students (they have a priority over the French students). AgroParisTech is able to provide rooms to students spread over different campuses:
For information about living and studying in France, the major website where you can find useful information is CampusFrance (English version available): it provides information about cost of living, visa and residence permits requirements, accomodation, cost of living, etc.


text:
HARBIN, China (
) --
Harbin Electric
reached a deal to be acquired for $24 a share by a group led by the company's CEO.
Harbin shares were rising 61%, or $5.11, to $13.50 in premarket trading Monday.
Harbin is being bought and taken private by
Tech Full Electric
, a Cayman Islands company which is owned indirectly by Tianfu Yang, Harbin's chairman and CEO.
Last Thursday,
Harbin Electric's shares lost more than half their value
after Citron Research again questioned whether a buyout offer from the CEO would come to pass. Citron last week called the offer a "sham" and said it was time for the
Securities and Exchange Commission
to halt the trading of the stock.
-- Written by Joseph Woelfel
>To contact the writer of this article, click here:
>To submit a news tip, send an email to:


text:
A lonely orphan girl makes a most unusual friend as best-selling children's author Roald Dahl's timeless story comes to life in an animated effort that was nominated for Best Children's Program by the Academy of Film and Television. A twenty-five foot prince who harvests the dreams of Dream Country and blows them into the minds of children with his magical trumpet, the Big Friendly Giant is troubled to learn that some of the less friendly giants of the land have left many English boys and girls unable to...more
All The BFG: Big Friendly Giant cast + crew photos
Movies.com, the ultimate source for everything movies, is your destination for new movie trailers, reviews, photos, times, tickets + more! Stay in the know with the latest movie news and cast interviews at Movies.com.
Copyright © 2019 FANDANGO MOVIES.


text:
Past Projects
Kids in the Kitchen
After completing Playfront Park, the Junior of Duluth participated in the Association of Junior Leagues International Inc. Kids in the Kitchen initiative. The goal of the Kids in the Kitchen initiative is to empower youth to make healthy lifestyle choices and help reverse the growth of childhood obesity and its associated health issues.
Please visit Kids in the Kitchen for more information.
Playfront Park
Playfront Park was first built in 1989 as a community project led by the Junior League of Duluth. The park needed to be replaced and we made the commitment to the city to raise funds to make this happen. The new playground is an Evos design structure that enhances children's balance, coordination, and strength. With the support of hundreds of community volunteers, the playground was built in May 2010.


text:
Bus crash in western India kills 27
At least 27 people died and 17 were injured in western India on Thursday when a local bus slid off a mountain road into a valley, police said.
"The driver lost control after a tempo (three-wheeled vehicle] rammed into the bus along a sharp turn, causing it to fall into a 250-foot (80-metre) valley," local policeman Sangram Singh Nishandar told AFP.
The accident happened near a popular picnic spot in the Thane district of Maharashtra state, 160 kilometres (100 miles) northeast of Mumbai.
Around 140,000 people were killed in Indian road accidents in 2012 – which works out to 16 an hour – according to the government's National Crime Records Bureau.
Bad roads, speeding vehicles and poor driving were among the contributing factors.
Category: Regional


text:
Do you hear more and more about recycled materials in packing, biodegradable labels and the environmental and social standing of a brand? How to determine what is right, what is the best value and GREEN direction for you and your end users? read more
1555 Page Industrial Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63132 Tel: 314-427-4300View company website
Alpha Packaging manufactures high-quality bottles and jars made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE) ...
4 Plant Street Plattsburgh, NY 12901 Tel: 518-561-2030View company website
Not everyone requires a specialty packaging solution. but those who do depend on the IntraPac ...
One Wood Hollow Rd Parsippany, NJ 07054 973-560-9030
3 Milltown Court Union, NJ 07083 908-851-9500
124 South Avenue Garwood, NJ 07027 908-233-1234
Zhongshan Rd 1208 Guangzhou 8602082304531
1345 East State Street Eagle, ID 83616 208-939-0291
31 Orchard Rd Lake Forest, CA 92630 317-733-9593
860 Springfield Rd South Union, NJ 07083-5527 908-687-7720
640 Dell Rd Carlstadt, NJ 07072 201-933-3030


text:
Trailing around the world - A Snippet of The Continental Divide Trail, USA
In 2018, Katie and her husband decided to tackle the Continental Divide Trail in the USA. This 5000 km journey along the Continental Divide of The Americas took them through 5 states, starting from the Mexican Border and finishing in Canada. The hike was completed in just over 5 months, and here is just one of many stories from this huge adventure.
"Aussie Legs" Hike the Appalachian Trail
In 1999, Su Beckett took daughters Alana (9) and Lindsey (8) on an unsupported end-to-end trek on the Bibbulmun Track. Then reading Bill Bryson's book "A Walk in the Woods" started a new idea—walking a 2200 mile (3500km) footpath which crossed through 14 states of the USA on its way from Georgia to Maine. Could they do it? Read on.
Mountains to Mediterranean on the Pyrenees
In June the Bibbulmun Track Foundation hosted a trip walking both the Camino and a route through the Pyrenees. Previous articles in Bibbulmun News have already addressed trekking on the Camino so this article is focused on the second part of our trip—a five day Mountains to Mediterranean trek.
Jeju Olle Trail, South Korea
The Jeju Olle Trail consists of more than twenty individual interconnected tracks on beautiful Jeju Island.
Bruce Trail, Canada
Conceived in the early 1960s, The 890 kilometre Bruce Trail, Canada's oldest and longest marked footpath provides the only continuous public access to the magnificent Niagara Escarpment, which runs predominantly from east to west from New York State, through Ontario, Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois. The escarpment is most famous for the cliff over which the Niagara River plunges at Niagara Falls, for which it is named.
Austria, the Hiker's Paradise
In August 2012 BTF Volunteer Edith Thomas and a party of friends spent time walking in the Austrian mountains. Edith has written this account of their adventures.
A Week on the Camino Trail
Mike Wood, chairman of the BTF and managing director of Peregrine Travel Centre WA led a group of walkers along part of the Camino Trail in October last year. This is his account of their walk:
Hiking Rim-to-Rim, Grand Canyon USA
Barry and Margaret Bryan (aka The Silvertops), from Ashby-de-la-Zouch in the UK, are triple end-to-enders and fervent supporters of the Bibbulmun Track. However in 2012 their travels took them to the USA and a very different environment, the awe-inspiring Grand Canyon. This is Barry's story:
Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
In August 2012, BTF members Claire Brittain and John McKay scaled the 5895m of the Uhuru peak of Tanzania's Mount Kilimanjaro. Their motive? To raise $6000 for the BTF Dunny Donor campaign. This is their story, as recounted by Claire.
Coast to Coast Walk, UK
BTF volunteer Jim Baker (aka Wrong Way Jim) undertook the Coast to Coast Walk across the north of England in June 2012. This is his account of the eleven day, 330km trek.
Ski touring in the Snowy Mountains
Peter Campbell and friends took a recent holiday in the snow, something that is unlikely to be possible along the Bibbulmun Track! Read Peter's account of their ski touring adventure amid some beautiful scenery:
Walking the West Highland Way, Scotland
Long time Foundation members and experienced walkers Charlie and Sue Soord spent part of their time in the UK this year walking the West Highland Way, in the west of Scotland. Read Charlie's description of their trek:
Lebanon Mountain Trail
Foundation member Adrian Cazalet completed an end-to-end walk of the Bibbulmun Track in 2005. In April 2010 he undertook something completely different—a through-walk of the little known but very spectacular 440km Lebanon Mountain Trail. This is his story.
Te Araroa, NZ
Fifteen years after its inception, New Zealand's Long Trail finally opened at the end of 2011.
Via Francigena, Europe
In June 2011, Peter Whitehead and his friend Peter Stubbing set off to walk the Via Francigena. This is the story of their walk, in Peter Whitehead's words.


text:
A Legacy Not Forgotten
7 years without my Mimi and I sit here trying to find the words to say. Facebook is often riddled with pictures of late grandparents, and sometimes I find it difficult to grasp the significance of them all. All express the same sentiment: I miss you. But yet with each loving statement are stories upon stories of all the times spent with a person that made life that much better.


text:
UB has visitors multiple times each day from Austin, Coppell and Keller. We are glad you're here, and we hope you're learning a little more about who represents you and their impact on public education.
Daily Visitors
Truett Trailer Park, Fair Park and the Olympic Committee
"Dallas is a rich man with a death wish in his eye." – Jimmie Dale Gilmore
After decades of neglect and begging for scraps, Truett Elementary, formerly known as Truett Trailer Park, is getting a little attention. After pictures appeared on UB of the notebook paper sign for "Gym 2" on one rotting trailer, the inches between the second trailer park (bond money!) and Ferguson Park and the pictures of the head-sized holes in the rotting trailers on the Inadale side of the school, the trailers began to upgrade and some even disappeared. Allen Vaught is long gone. The only time I'm aware of that he even visited this particular neighborhood school was when the master gardeners came to set up a few raised bed gardens for the kids. I'll post pictures of those soon. I don't think Mr. Vaught came back to water….
There is a new school planned for Truett. I am not sure how it will work, but a second building is going to be constructed starting this summer. In other districts, entire new schools are built in the school park, then the old building is demolished and a new park is created in the old space. That would be ideal, and it would certainly improve the looks of things for any Olympic Committee members who take the wrong exit off Buckner and wander down Peavy.
Have you seen the new Elementary being built on Grand just south of 30? It's super nice. I wonder how that happened. And the new high school being built over near MLK Blvd? Swanky, attractive, perhaps even functional. I hope the new building for Truett is at least that nice and that it carries over to the middle and high schools so families actually want to move to this area and stick with the public schools. Safe neighborhood schools strengthen communities and neighborhoods and are good for a city like Dallas.
There is a devil in me that says those Fair Park schools are only being built to impress the Olympic Committee. That devil says those people living on main streets should hold onto their hats. They're going to find their properties condemned and stolen out from under them. And that devil says Truett and Gaston and Skyline and Hill won't get the same level of attention unless there is a good view from a main street near an attraction the Olympic Committee might want to see.
So I thought I'd just start tagging away and see if I can get the attention of someone on the committee. It is obviously important to the Olympic Committee that Olympic host cities address domestic violence, because Mayor Mike had a rally and told everyone to be good men and passed out key chains. And I think the Olympic Committee is also concerned about acceptance of diversity, because Mayor Mike gave a quiet Go Rainbows! after the SCOTUS decision on same-sex marriage. AIDS? He's got the billboards up – Check!
The improvements this city needs are more than shallow checklists. Let's take the Olympic Committee on a thorough tour of Dallas. Let's visit all of the schools. Let's go down some side streets. Let's buy gas behind the Gexa Pavilion after midnight. Let's ride bikes up near Ferguson and LBJ at the open air prostitution and drug market. In fact, let's have the B_G letters all over the city.
If there is an area of the city or a particular neighborhood school you feel needs attention, please let us know either in comments, or email email@example.com. Take lots of pictures.
Looks like it's Democrat vs Democrat in Coppell this fall!
Bennett Ratliff, son of Bill Ratliff and brother to Thomas "ethics schmethics" Ratliff won the Republican primary by a hair. I am sorry, Coppell fiscal conservatives, it's a race between a Democrat who at least says "I'm a Democrat" and…. Bennett. What a sad mess.
Be sure to ask Bennett about his stance on various issues like public school vouchers, but don't do it on Facebook. He'll ban ya if you force him to commit to something in a public forum.
So if you ask Bennett an issue-related question here, you'll get hissy fits and name calling from him. If you ask him an issue-related question on Facebook, he'll delete it and ban you. "Call me! Call me!" is Bennett's cry, so he can morph into whatever you seem to want, and he can't be held to his word during the election and when/if he is elected.
I am calling RATLIFF on this one. This is a well-trained, albeit childishly impulsive, sycophant from a long line of liberal Texas politicians. Vote against is UB's advice.
Posted in neighborhood schools, politics, public education, Tools | Tags: Bennett Ratliff, bill ratliff, coppell isd, Coppell Texas, Texas HD 115, Texas RINOs, thomas ratliff
Bennett the Banner
Now y'all don't go messing with Bennett Ratliff's Facebook page. That page is only for comments that portray him in the proper light.
Don't ask him to answer direct questions about his stance on education vouchers or any other issue a normal Republican (not a Really Not (H)onest RINO) would be happy to discuss. Don't ask him about the money he's taking from liberal anti-school choice groups like Texas Parent PAC which is funded by Bennett's Sugar Daddy and Biological Daddy, that old school liberal William Ratliff. Don't ask him to discuss political ethics, because his brother the lobbyist also sits on the State Board of Education.
Because Bennett doesn't like it, and he'll delete those comments and ban you. Support this joke or stay away from his pretty little campaign – that's the theme.
Really? Did I just hear that?
Have you heard the attack ad sponsored by the Bennett Ratliff campaign? I don't even know who is running against Bennett, but I encourage you to vote for him/her. The ad accuses his opponent of being the type of liberal who gives money to Nancy Pelosi.
Scroll down and you'll see Bennett Ratliff recently took cash from his daddy, Bill Ratliff, via the Texas Parent PAC. Bennett's daddy/benefactor is the liberalest liberal in the state, funneling MONEY MONEY MONEY to big awesome institutions like Parkland Hospital and Dallas ISD and the Texas State Schools where it all gets muddled up and lost in people's pockets before it makes it to the people who are supposed to benefit from those tax dollars.
It'd be sad if it weren't so funny. It'd be funny if it weren't so sad.
Posted in politics, Texas State Schools, Tools | Tags: Bennett Ratliff, bill ratliff, DISD, hypocrisy, Liars, Liberals, Nancy Pelosi, thomas ratliff, Wolf in Sheep Clothing
Bennett Ratliff's brother, Thomas "Conflicted Interests" Ratliff, is being clever
Thomas Ratliff, practicing lobbyist and State Board of Education member, wants to redefine the term RINO which usually stands for Republican In Name Only. It's a common game amongst the Ratliffs and the other state reps who receive funding from Texas Parent PAC (which is funded by these boys' daddy, William Ratliff!). Thomas, the creep who sued Eanes ISD to decrease access to public information (detailed here: http://www.keepeanesinformed.com/booster_clubs.htm), says RINO actually stands for Rhetoric Is Not an Option.
So Thomas, which RINO definition do you think fits your "lifelong Republican" brother, Bennett Ratliff, based on his lack of response in the comments here: https://unworthybum.wordpress.com/2012/03/25/paying-the-piper/#comments
Bennett is running for state representative out in Coppell, and he's playing Republican so no one can say his Papa's PAC is a partisan anti-voucher group. Don't miss the quote from Bennett's campaign site called Bennett's Pledge. How 'bout this one for RINO while we're being cute: Really Is Not (h)Onest!
Bennett Ratliff Accepts Money from his Daddy
April 15, 2012 Texas Parent PAC funded by Charles Butt (yeah, him again) and Bennett's daddy, Bill Ratliff, sent him a big fat check. If you are interested in school choice as many Republicans are, you might be scratching your head as to why Bennett is mixing it up with this anti-voucher bunch.
Abusing families, Misusing tax dollars – Who's got a plan for education funding?
I have a plan: Knock it off. Educate these kids according to IDEA, even if it means putting public money toward an appropriate private education when public school isn't cutting it. Quit tethering kids with extreme needs to schools that are not prepared to meet those needs, and quit boo hooing that Texas schools need more money when districts are flipping money to their pals in the private law firms.
Alief ISD's Revenge: Effort to Bankrupt Autistic Student's Family continues
Who has a plan to put an end to this? This is what I want to hear about during campaign season – details.
Does anyone know where our federally funded Advocacy Inc has been with this family's ordeal? Someone go look around the Austin-area steak houses to let them know what's going on. Remember how tight Advocacy Inc is with the private law firms getting rich off kids just like the kid in this story: https://unworthybum.wordpress.com/2009/01/12/senator-patrick-rockstar/
What's the plan? Anyone? Bennett?
Posted in Autism Education, politics, Private Law Firms, public education, Special Education Law, Tools | Tags: advocacy inc., autism, Bennett Ratliff, bracewell & giuliani, chris borreca, dan patrick, FAPE, Gravy Train, IDEA, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, jeffrey miller, judith zaffirini, neighborhood schools, public education, special education, TCASE, texas autism information, texas education agency, texas special education
Spectrum Autism Social Thinking Classes forming now in Richardson
Fran Templeton's Spectrum Autism is now enrolling for social thinking classes in Richardson, Texas.
Fran is the parent of an adult child with autism and is a wonderful resource for Texas children with autism. For more information on these classes and other Spectrum Autism programs, please go to SpectrumAutism.com.


text:
When President Obama and the first lady visited a Miami-area school to talk education, one of its teachers was told to remain in his classroom — alone. Why? Because the teacher is not much of a fan of the president.
Social studies teacher Randall Scott was told by administrators at Coral Reef Senior High School that he was "banned" from hearing the president's remarks, according to ABC affiliate Local10.com.
Unlike most teachers today, Scott is a diehard conservative, and isn't afraid to voice his views in either the classroom or social media.
Local10.com reported:
The teacher regularly uses his Instagram and Twitter accounts to voice his opposition to the Obama administration. Scott said he fosters open political discussion in his advanced-placement American history classes.
Post Continues on www.bizpacreview.com ...


text:
The Ferrari SP38 is a One-of-a-Kind 488 GTB-Based Supercar
Earlier this year, Ferrari officially revealed its latest special edition, the 488 Pista. With 710 horsepower, less weight, and a track-tuned suspension, the prototype we drove proved to be extremely quick. As rare and special as the 488 Pista will be, it can't match the rarity of the SP38. Why? Because Ferrari only built one of them.
Like the Pista, the SP38 is based on the 488 GTB. But it was commisioned as a one-off for "one of Ferrari's most dedicated customers." Starting with the chassis and running gear from the 488, the Ferrari Design Centre created a completely new body for "a client with a deep passion for racing." Ferrari says designers channeled the F40 and the 308 GTB, giving the mid-engine supercar less of a cab-forward appearance.
We see some Lamborghini in the design, as well as a little bit of Ford GT, but overall, it's a great looking car. Rearward visibility, however, appears to be nonexistent. Ferrari says the cabin has also been fully customized, but only exterior images have been released. To get a look at the interior, we'll have to wait until Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este begins on Saturday, May 26. Hopefully, Ferrari reveals more information on specs then, as well.
There also isn't any word on price, but it's probably safe to assume commissioning a one-off Ferrari is expensive. Very expensive. For example, the custom 458 Italia that Eric Clapton commissioned was rumored to cost more than $4 million. Odds are, the price of the SP38 was in the same ballpark.
Then again, if you have a few million dollars burning a hole in your pocket, we can think of a long list of worse things to spend it on than a custom Ferrari.
Source: Ferrari
The post The Ferrari SP38 is a One-of-a-Kind 488 GTB-Based Supercar appeared first on Motor Trend.


text:
How to React when Someone Teases You
Explore this Article Changing Your Attitude Ignoring the Teasing Knowing Why You Are Teased Article Summary Questions & Answers Related Articles References
There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
Most of us have been teased at some point in our lives, and for different reasons—sometimes because someone likes us, but more often because they don't. If you're lucky and you haven't been teased yet, you're likely to experience this annoying and degrading form of bullying someday. If there is someone teasing you and you have no idea what to do, there are ways to reduce it by controlling your reaction.
Changing Your Attitude
1Change your perspective. Others can often perceive someone's potential reaction to teasing by the way they act under pressure. If your perspective on teasing is the same as theirs—that it makes you get angry—then making fun of your quirks is what a bully is likely to do. But if your perspective is indifferent towards teasing, you may find that bullies don't think you're much fun—and they'll leave you alone.[1]
2Answer teasing with a one-liner. Instead of engaging with the bully and teasing them back, wait until they are done taunting you throw and a one-liner at them before walking away.[2] After saying your line, shrug, turn on your heels, and walk calmly away. This displays that you aren't easily ruffled, making you a boring target. You can try one-liners like these:
- "Thanks for telling me that."
- "Oh, I thought I was cool."
- "So what's your point?"
- Try to keep a sincere tone of voice instead of a sarcastic or angry tone, as this might display your irritation and perpetuate the teasing.
3Make your voice strong. Using a confident tone of voice displays your refusal to back down to the teasing. Don't sound like you are going to cry; don't sound like you are angry or upset; and don't whine. Instead—even if you're shy—raise your voice so that they can hear you and make your tone even and strong.
- A shaky voice is also an indicator that the teasing has worked to upset you.
4Get into an assertive body position. Looking as strong as you sound is also important. You can communicate your inner confidence—or look like you have inner confidence, even if you don't feel it—by using body language to your advantage. Things like gesturing when you talk and having good posture help your body take up more space, making you actually feel confident.[3]
- Make sure that your posture is assertive. Stand with your feet firmly planted on the ground, your arms hanging down at your sides, and your hands relaxed. Maintain eye contact with the bully and keep your face relaxed. You might even want to smile a little, since this demonstrates assertiveness.[4]
- Try power posing for extra confidence. Standing in a powerful position can increase your sense of well-being and confidence for a short period of time.[5] For example, you can try standing like a superhero with your hands on your hips, legs shoulder width apart, chest out, and chin up. Stay in this position for a minute or two.
5React in a cool manner. Bullying often gets worse when you get angry in response, so it is a good idea to respond in a calm, cool way. Instead of bursting into tears or yelling out an angry response, try to react as little as possible. Doing so will show the bully that you are not afraid of him or what he is saying to you.
- Avoid responding directly to what the bully has to say. Instead, try saying something to show your lack of interest or concern. For example, you could say something like, "Are you done talking? I haven't really been paying attention." Or, "Your life must be pretty lame since you are always so interested in mine."[6]
- Try to avoid starting a teasing cycle. It can be tempting to fight back by teasing a bully the same way they are teasing you, but it is likely that such an action will backfire on you because it shows that you're irritated. Showing any kind of emotional reaction to teasing usually makes the teaser want to do it more.
6Let them tease you. Do an experiment. For one week, take your new attitude with you wherever you have been getting teased (or keep the new attitude available if you aren't teased on a regular basis). Allow the people to tease you without reacting at all, as much as they want. If after a week they haven't moved on to teasing someone else, you don't have to use this strategy anymore.[7]
- The best way to appear calm through a teasing session is to choose to believe that their teasing doesn't bother you. This way, if you answer a direct question or use a one-liner, your voice is strong and sincere instead of angry or sarcastic.
- Say to yourself, "It's all right if they tease me because it doesn't bother me at all." Choose to believe this mantra, and it will show.
7See it as a compliment. You may be the target of teasing not because someone thinks little of you, but because they are attracted to you and don't know how to talk to you except through negative attention. Even if they do have negative intentions for teasing, if you see it as a compliment that you have been chosen, you may be better able to resist getting angry.
Ignoring the Teasing
1Act like you can't hear. One strategy to deal with teasing is to pretend like you can't hear what they are saying in order to transform it into a joke. If they get in your face and try to force you to respond, just hold your hand to your ear and shake your head. This can turn into a funny situation, especially if you move your mouth without making a sound and perhaps pantomime being in a box or behind a wall.
- Using humor can diffuse tense situations. If you show the bully how things can be funny instead of hurtful to you, they might start to leave you alone.[8]
2Walk away without saying anything. You can try a good old fashioned cold shoulder, although this action can also carry with it an emotional reaction. If you walk away with poor posture, this makes you look defeated; or if you turn away with tears in your eyes or a flushed face, the bully will know they have gotten to you. Try to walk away with your head held high, as though the bully means nothing to you.
- Act like you meant to walk away anyway.
3Yawn instead of getting angry. Looking bored can also indicate indifference to being teased. You can add crossed arms and tapping feet to show your impatience with the barrage, looking at your wrist to indicate that you don't have time for this. Boredom shows that you aren't bothered, and eventually a bully should move on.
4Respond with a different topic. If someone approaches you with teasing behavior and you don't want to encourage it, answer them with a comment or question that has nothing to do with their taunts. Ignoring the teasing this way shows that you aren't interested in allowing it to take place.
- Respond with a joke like, "What games do tornadoes like best? Twister!"[9]
- Say a comment about something else, like an event or the weather.
5Tell an adult or other authority figure. If none of these ignoring tactics work and the bully doesn't show signs of stopping after a few days, you can tell a teacher, adult, or other authority figure (such as a boss if it is in the workplace). However, your first request of this adult is for advice, not resolution.
- If you don't solve this teasing situation yourself, it can get worse. Having someone else confront a bully on your behalf can show that it bothered you just as much as crying or getting angry in the moment.
Knowing Why You Are Teased
1Understand that it's a game. Although every bully or teaser has a different reason for why they pick on someone, the reason they all choose to tease is because they see it as a game. When you react, they win the game; when you don't react, you win. Losing isn't very fun, which is why minimizing your reaction usually makes a bully move on.[10]
- If someone is teasing you because they like you, it's still a game, but not reacting won't make them stop—rather, it might help them to confess their feelings of attraction and be honest with you.
2Acknowledge that it's fun to them. You have to understand that bullies tease because it is fun for them. It is an entertainment they engage in to make themselves feel good and forget negative feelings. They don't always pick on others because they don't like them or have low opinions of them. Once you see that it's not always as personal as it sounds, this can make it easier not to let the teasing get under your skin.[11]
- Ask around about your bully's background and see if there isn't something sad about their life. Having compassion for your bully is also a way to stop letting teasing get to you.
3Recognize that it's all about your reaction. It's always important to understand that teasing is all about your reaction. When you don't react, the game is over, and you have won. Bottom line, the best way to react when someone teases you is to not react.
Community Q&A
QuestionHow do I regain friends after getting rid of my bully?Community AnswerIf a bully has told everyone not to talk to you, you may find that you don't have anyone to turn to after you have learned how to get rid of your bully. One way to change your reputation is to find just one person you can talk to and build a friendship with them. This friendship can not only keep you from feeling lonely, it can show everyone else that you are not what the bully said you were.
- If you truly can't resolve it on your own, tell your teacher or parents (or other authority figure) about this issue. They may need to step in and take action against the bully.
- If you feel tears rush into your eyes even while trying not to react, just pretend they are not there.
- These steps apply no matter what situation you're in, whether in a classroom, on a playground, on the internet, or at home.
- Try to respond by giving a compliment! Being kind to the bully might cause them to stop not only bullying you, but potentially others too.
- Teasing happens especially when someone is shy. So try to become confident and have positive friends who can support you.
- Don't let anyone push you around. If these steps don't work, always tell someone. It's ok if you can't deal with it on your own, especially after you have tried to do so without any results.
- If a bully threatens to beat you up because you have stopped reacting, go tell someone in authority immediately.
- ↑ http://bullies2buddies.com/how-to-stop-being-teased-and-bullied-without-really-trying-intro/lesson-2-change-your-attitude/
- ↑ https://www.loveandlogic.com/articles-advice/tease-proof-your-kids-helping-children-deal-with-teasing
- ↑ http://www.scienceofpeople.com/2014/05/look-feel-confident-using-body-language/
- ↑ http://changingminds.org/techniques/body/assertive_body.htm
- ↑ http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/power-posing-fake-it-until-you-make-it
- ↑ http://www.stompoutbullying.org/index.php/information-and-resources/about-bullying-and-cyberbullying/are-you-being-bullied/
- ↑ http://bullies2buddies.com/how-to-stop-being-teased-and-bullied-without-really-trying-intro/lesson-2-change-your-attitude/
- ↑ http://www.forbes.com/sites/kareanderson/2013/11/03/use-humor-to-befriend-defuse-tension-and-have-more-fun/#493d7aac7709
- ↑ http://www.sciencefun.org/kidszone/jokes/
- ↑ http://bullies2buddies.com/how-to-stop-being-teased-and-bullied-without-really-trying-intro/lesson-2-change-your-attitude/
- ↑ http://bullies2buddies.com/how-to-stop-being-teased-and-bullied-without-really-trying-intro/lesson-2-change-your-attitude/
Article SummaryX
If you're not sure how to react when someone teases you, try responding with a comment about something else, such as "What a beautiful day!", to discourage them from continuing to tease you. Alternatively, say something like "Thanks for telling me that" before walking away to show that you're not bothered by the teasing. No matter how you choose to respond, do it while standing tall and speaking in a firm, confident voice to deny your teaser any reaction that might encourage more teasing. For more tips, like how to use humor to disarm your teaser, keep reading!
Article Info
Categories: Dealing with Bullying
In other languages:
Español: reaccionar cuando alguien se burle de ti, Русский: реагировать, когда вас дразнят, Italiano: Reagire quando Qualcuno ti Prende in Giro, Português: Agir Quando Alguém Provoca Você, Français: réagir quand quelqu'un vous provoque, Nederlands: Reageren als iemand je plaagt, العربية: التصرف عندما يضايقك أحد ما, Deutsch: Richtig auf Hänseleien reagieren, 中文: 应对别人的戏弄


text:
Mystery Shopping, in which an investigator poses as a retail customer to evaluate employee honesty and customer service skills, is an essential customer retention tool for today's business owner.
A.L. Freel, owner of The Freel Agency, Inc. has over eleven years experience as a professional mystery shopper and was a Certified Instructor in the State of
California teaching mystery shopping classes at The Learning Exchange in Sacramento, CA and The Investigative Career Program in San Francisco, CA. A.L. Freel has over 30,000
hours of investigative experience and our company utilizes both
employees and licensed Private Investigators with varying backgrounds
that allow us the unique ability to select an investigator that will be
best suited to meet the needs of your particular case.
Having conducted over 15,000 mystery shops in virtually every retail environment, The Freel Agency, Inc. is uniquely positioned to quickly and concisely evaluate the impact your employees are having on your business and your customers- which are your business.
We offer a variety of Mystery Shopping programs for your company whether you own one store or a thousand, and each program is tailored to your specific needs. We perform honesty/theft evaluations in which a mystery shopper uses a system of purchases to determine if your employees are stealing from you. Once the honesty/theft shop is performed, our shoppers then write a detailed report documenting the transactions and one of our auditors evaluates the situation. We offer customer service evaluations running various scenarios to ensure that your employees are performing their jobs to your level of expectation. Customer service evaluations are a useful tool for evaluating an employee for promotions and/or disciplinary actions. We also offer tobacco and
alcohol I.D. programs to ensure that your cashiers are meeting State
requirements, thereby reducing your liability.
Telephone evaluations are an effective tool in determining your employee's performance when a customer calls your store. A phone call is often a customer's first point of contact with your business and poor customer service at this stage may guarantee that the potential customer does not visit your store.
In addition, we offer the placement of undercover investigators in your workforce to identify internal theft, sexual harassment, drug use and violence.
If you feel we can be of service, call The Freel Agency today for a FREE telephone consultation
The Freel Agency, Inc.
San Jose - Santa Clara California Private Investigators
16450 Los Gatos Blvd., Suite 110, Los Gatos, CA 95032
Home | Mystery Shopping | Criminal Investigations | Civil / Domestic Investigations
Information Request / Contact Us


text:
|questions & answers
Q. Who is Pilates for?
A. Pilates is for everyone! From teenagers to seniors, from post-surgery and rehabilitative
clients to professional athletes and dancers. Everyone can benefit from Pilates.
The special equipment is highly adaptable and the unique exercises can be modified
to match the requirements of every individual. Please consult a GP before taking on any exercise programme.
Q. Is there anywhere to change?
A. Yes - there is space to change for both males and females
Q. What do I wear?
A. Comfortable clothing, such as tracksuit bottoms or leggings and a
T-shirt. You are bare foot for Pilates although in some of the other classes such as
Bodytone you will need trainers.
Q. What is a Swiss Ball?
A. It is an inflatable ball which comes in various sizes depending upon the
individuals height. It makes the exercises a little more challenging by
providing a slightly unstable surface to work on. It will enable you to
work the body from top to toe.
Q. How many people are in a class and do I have to book?
A. The spaces are limited to enable us to give sufficient supervision.
Due to limited spaces we do advise booking and payment is required 48 hours
before the class to secure a place.
Q. Can I block book any of the classes?
A. Yes, due to Customer requests we do allow block booking to be made
on any of our classes. You can pay for 10 sessions and get one session free,
you can pick and choose the classes as you go, and the sessions must be used within a three month period.
Q .Do i have to pay a membership or joining fee?
A.NO,we do not ask for any of these so you only pay for the classes you want
to do,and you are not paying when you are on holiday or when we are closed
e.g. Christmas period.
Q. I am a beginner - which classes can I do?
A. We do run beginners classes and we are currently looking
to increase the beginners times within the timetable, but you can fit in any
mainstream class as the technique is explained constantly throughout the
class from start to finish.
Q. Do I need experience?
A. No experience is required. The only way to know Pilates is by doing Pilates.
All you need is the will to strengthen and balance your body and the desire to
improve your performance and work towards tension-free, pain-free living!
Q. I've never exercised for years - is Pilates suitable?
A. Pilates is suitable for any age and any fitness level. You work at your
own pace and at a low intensity until you have perfected the technique.
Although we do recommend if you have any medical condition to check
with your G.P. before beginning any exercise programme.
Q. Can I do Pilates while working with a physiotherapist, osteopath etc.?
A. .Yes! Pilates is ideal to complement any kind of body-therapy and is recommended by many practitioners and therapists today. Your therapist can help bring your body back into balance and through Pilates you learn how to maintain that balance, build on it
and avoid future imbalances-postural and muscular.


text:
MUTTON REZALA | How to make MUTTON REZALA
- Prep Time
- Cook Time
- Serves
About MUTTON REZALA Recipe
Rich in taste with soft juicy mutton. Mutton Rezala recipe is a stunning Bengali recipe that is specially made during festivals. It is particularly made on the auspicious festival of first Baisakhi or poila baisakh. Mutton Rezala recipe is unique in its own way and only a true Bengali can pull it off. Bengali Mutton Rezala dish is extremely fragrant and is cooked in a yogurt based stew. The gravy is richer than a stew and is flavoured with several spices. The best accompaniment to this dish is rumali roti or plain rice.
Ingredients to make MUTTON REZALA
- 4 cloves
- cinnamon STICKS
- 4 GREEN cardamom
- 3 bay leaves
- butter 2 tbsp
- curd 1 cup
- cashew NUT AND POPPY SEED PASTE 1 TBSP
- oil 1 tbsp
- WHITE pepper POWDER 1 TBSP
- ginger garlic paste 1 tbsp
- 4 onion PASTE
- salt to taste
- 3 green chillies
- GARAM masala 1 TBSP
- DRY red chilly 4 N
- saffron ½ GM
- KHEWRA water FEW DROPS
- 1 onion CUT INTO RINGS
- 2TBSP RAW papaya PASTE (MEAT TENDERIZER)


text:
High School
Elevate is our high school ministry for 9-12 grade students where students from all over Hampton Roads experience God in culturally relevant ways on their level. We gather at Atlantic Shores for dynamic worship, fellowship and relevant teaching from God's Word. It is our goal to develop an environment where students feel accepted and loved, and desire to learn more about God.
Elevate small groups is a place where students get to know each other and their adult leaders. Small groups are a connection point where real relationships grow. Small groups are divided by grade and gender. We meet Sunday mornings from 9:15am to 10:30am in the Student Ministry Center (SMC).
High School Midweek is where high school students come together for a great time of fun, Bible study, and relationships.
We gather Wednesday nights from 6:30pm to 8pm in the Student Ministry Center (SMC).
On the first Wednesday of each month we have a special event with middle and high school students combined here. Please check our current calendar for details.
High School Details
TimesSundays at 9:15am
Wednesdays at 6:30pm
ContactEmail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Phone: 757-479-1133


text:
The cockerel is reputed to be the bird that signaled the birth of Christ to the world, therefore it is a bird thought to be an enemy of ghosts and negative energies and spirits. Some believe that on the 'Day of Judgment', all cockerels, even those made of wood or iron will crow to wake the dead as well as the living. An ancient belief also indicates that the cockerel crows to welcome the dawn so that all ghosts and any evil and negative forces know it is time to return to the underworld. A white cockerel is thought universally to be lucky whilst the black cockerel attracts negative energies, and in some parts of Europe is thought to be in league with the Devil. Up until the 19th-century a cockerel was buried in the foundations of a church to ward off the Devil. In Scotland (UK) cockerels were once buried at the junction of three streams to cure disease but also to ensure that evil forces and negative energies were cleansed. In Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' the cockerel is referred to as crowing from Christmas Eve through to Christmas morning to ensure that negative forces are kept away. If a cockerel crows at dusk it signals that bad weather will come the next day, but if it crows at night then there is likely to be death in the family. To hear a cockerel crowing as you set off to work is heralded as an omen of good luck for the day.
This bird is also associated by some with curative qualities when rubbed on the body of the sufferer (hence why it is associated also with certain rituals enacted for cleansing of the soul). The bird should be cast out to sea or removed from the area at the very least so that the illness is taken with it. An almost universal belief tells that for any medicine to be affective it should be taken as the cockerel crows.
© Mystical www 2010-13 :|: AK Dupe


text:
Bashing "Supply Side Economics" 2: Maybe We Don't Want Growth?
June 15, 2009
Last week, we looked at some typical "supply side economics" bashing. Many arguments against "supply side economics" are silly and irrational — which is an indicator that they are really political arguments, not economic ones.
I suggested that one reason for the resistance to tax system reform is that we still have unresolved issues from the 19th century, namely the tendency of capitalist systems to bifurcate into rich and poor. The "progressive" income tax was one part of the solution to those problems. Is it a good or necessary solution? Or does it actually make the problem worse? I think these things have not really been determined yet. I am not entirely against the progressive income tax, even with rather high top rates, because there are examples where such systems seem to have worked. The 1950s and 1960s were probably the best example thus far of a broad middle class, in the U.S., throughout Europe and Japan. Could you have an even broader middle class with a system of lower taxes? I think so — but it remains to be established. Maybe the East Europeans will start to answer that question.
But there are other "political" reasons for bashing "supply side economics." The other biggie, it seems to me, is the government itself. The government, in all its forms — Congresspeople, government employees, business that get government contracts — senses that its power and influence is increased when taxes are high, and diminished when taxes are low. This "power and influence" is not necessarily about money itself. We've seen that the "tax burden," the percentage of GDP paid in taxes, does not necessarily increase with higher tax rates, or fall with lower ones. And, it is usually true that lower tax rates bring more revenue to the government, as they promote a healthier economy. This would mean more money to spend. But, the government would sense that, even though it might have higher revenues, its relative influence would wane. People would just be doing whatever they like, without government direction. The type of personality attracted to the government, not surprisingly, likes to tell people what to do. Thus, you get the typical Democrat "economic program" of having high taxes on capital and investment, but "targeted" tax breaks for whatever the politicians think would be a good investment. A tax break for investment in information technology, or real estate. This is a soft version of the sort of central industrial planning that was popular everywhere after WWII. The libertarian says: if a tax break on investment in information technology is good, isn't a tax break on everything better? From an even more practical standpoint, the advantage of "targeted" tax breaks is that they can be used to channel money to politicians. You can promise an infotech tax break, and get campaign support from the infotech industry. Then you can promise a tax break on low-income housing, and get campaign support from the manufactured housing industry. If you just have low taxes across the board, there are fewer strings to pull.
This government constituency is supported by a great mass of people who see the government as the avenue by which "we" should be doing this, that or the other. This "we" inevitably means the government, so they tend to support the government in many ways, including political support for high tax rates.
Although government types — and the "we should do this" or "we should do that" people — often say they are doing things for the "good of the people," actually the people are well aware that they are mostly just fattening and protecting their own sinecures. When "the people" are actually asked to give an opinion on whether taxes should be higher or lower, they almost always vote for lower. This happened most recently in California, where tax-hike proposals were defeated across the board.
You can get the idea of how all that works without too many more examples. There is a second reason for bashing "supply side economics" and classical/libertarian economics in general.
"Supply side economists" usually like to talk about "growth." You've probably noticed that I don't use the term "growth" too much, and prefer "economic health." What does "growth" mean? It tends to mean … more of what we already have.
There have been times when people looked upon their handiwork with enthusiasm and celebration. In the 19th century, as the cities grew or the railroads were extended, this was thought to be a great collective accomplishment. Even in the 1960s, people genuinely looked upon their latest efforts, the personal automobile, the interstate highway system, commercial aviation — walking on the moon! — as another step in the increasing Glory of Man. It was Progress.
Have you noticed there is no Progress anymore? I look upon what we have today — the environmental destruction, the ever-increasing horrors of the food production system, the insane medical system, the horrible and worsening state of cities and living environments, our descent into self-destructive car-addiction, the deteriorating education system, the general decline of society and the family unit — as one hideous wall-to-wall catastrophe. (Except for the Internet.)
And I'm sure you know exactly what I'm talking about. I'm not the only one.
Does "growth" mean more of this? There is nothing inherent to the Magic Formula — Low Taxes, Stable Money — that says you have to cut down the rainforest and sterilize the oceans and build strip malls far out in the Arizona desert to sell crap that nobody needs. Or murder people in other countries who aren't going along agreeably with our global empire. But, that's what seems to happen, at least for now. More of the same.
I have come to appreciate that many people don't really want further enable activity of this sort. I think that the people of France and Japan, for example, have become aware that this path of Westernization, modernization, globalization, whatever, doesn't produce desirable outcomes. I choose France and Japan because both have very rich cultures, built up over centuries, which are eroding and being replaced by the Wal-Mart consumerist suburban model of the U.S. Even people in the U.S., who don't have any of the cultural inheritance of France or Japan, and who are indeed infamous worldwide for their crassness and ignorance — ignorance even of what a cultural inheritance is, and the fact that they don't have one — are rather intensely aware that what they have doesn't quite add up to very much.
So, there is, I think, a resistance to "growth." What's it good for? Isn't there something we can get enthusiastic about? About the only thing people get enthusiastic about is "profit," this intangible abstraction. This "profit" is so desirable, that the means of obtaining the profit have become largely irrelevant. Building houses is no longer about houses, it's about "profit." Growing food is not about food, it's about "profit." However, the economy is, actually, things like food and houses. Greater "profit" entitles one to a bigger share of the pie, so if you have a shitty culture, then with more "profit" you just get a bigger share of a shitty culture.
None of these are new issues. They have been around for decades and centuries. Rather too many "supply side economics" types like to stick their fingers in their ears and pretend they don't exist. Sorry — they exist.
* * *
Two perspectives on the California budget mess.
The Los Angeles Times has an "interactive budget calculator" where you can try to balance California's budget yourself. The joke is: even if you select ALL the budget cuts — not counting the "one time fixes" which basically amount to borrowing money — you still can't close the deficit! This is a sort of propoganda in support of higher taxes, which California voters have just turned down in no uncertain terms.
This is exactly the sort of behavior I talked about earlier. When under pressure, the entrenched bureaucracy will tend to sacrifice first the most essential, most beneficial, most visible, highest cost-reward projects. I used the example of a school that eliminates its $750 pencil budget, causing everything to come to a halt. Oh, we're soooooo impoverished! We've done everything we can do! We're down to the pencil budget! It's usually a load of crap.
This time around, the "pencil budget" is the state park system.
Here's an entirely different look at the California state budget. The punchline: even after adjusting for inflation and population growth, per capita spending is up 46% from ten years ago!
My solution: reduce state employees by 50%. No "furloughs." Just pitch them out. Keep the state parks open.


text:
Your cart is currently empty.
Get $10 off your 1st order !
Use code: BONIIK10
*Min spend $30 on full priced items only.
Sign up for Radiant and Glowing Skin. Discover our secrets to Korean Flawless Skin with new product alerts, special offers and Beauty Blogs!
HANYUL Pure Artemisia Watery Calming Gel instantly helps cool down tired skin. This transparent gel type cream texture helps hydrate skin care calm and soothe skin.
Dermatologically tested.
[ HANYUL Pure Artemesia Line ] Artemisia, also know as mugwort is known to help purify and soothe tired skin. Derived from the region of Ganghwa in South Korea, Artemisia grows along the coastal area of Ganghwa which boasts good sunlight and water drainage. 'Pure' artemesia is best harvested before May 5th according to the lunar calendar. Artemisia has been used traditionally as the first bathing water for babies and mothers. HANYUL uses raw ingredient from Korea and a traditional Korean processing method passed down from generation to generation.
Size: 250ml
MADE IN KOREA. All of our products are 100% authentic.
At last step of skincare routine, take appropriate amount and massage gently onto face. Afterwards, gently tap to aid absorption.
Sign up now to receive updates about the latest blog, promotion and offers!
2019 Boniik.com.au. All Rights Reserved. ABN 61 151 727 678. PO Box 20906 WORLD SQUARE SYDNEY, NSW, 2002.


text:
SSL Certificate provides security to your domain name and to your website. So if you need more viewership for your website secures them with the help of SSL Certificate. Also if you want your business website to be an authenticated one in the market of online world, you should buy an SSL Certificate. Especially in case of websites' who deal with customers personal and sensitive data, the SSL-certified security is a must for them. For example, websites like Paytm, Ola, Uber, Freecharge, Foodpanda, Snapdeal, Flipkart and other online shopping stores who ask their customers to fill in their debit/credit card number, should protect such information for them as well. You can buy SSL Certificate from sites like Godaddy, Bigrock, Bluehost, Hosting Raja, Ipage, Resellerclub, Znetlive and many others. Moreover, if you want to spare yourself from all the net browsing hassles and look out for the best available discount offers and deals in the online market, then HappyCheckout is the correct site for you to visit. Just visit one site and leave the rest on us. We bring for you the best-picked offers exclusively offered by the sites for new buyers or for the other customers as well.
Buy Code Signing Certificate at Godaddy and get 15% discount. Use the credit card, debit card or net banking to booking the order. Limited period offer. Hurry now!more GoDaddy Coupons
SSL Certificates are a simple and cost-effective way to protect private information – passwords, credit card numbers – submitted to your website. Get FLAT 50% discount on Premium SSL Certificates. No coupon code required. Discount applies automatically to cart while checking out. Limited period offer. Hurry up.more GoDaddy Coupons


text:
VMware is to offer the small-footprint version of its ESX virtualisation software free, responding to pressure from Microsoft and other companies that are threatening VMware's market lead.
The next version of ESXi, which will come in about two weeks, will be available at no cost, said VMware CEO Paul Maritz. ESXi is a basic hypervisor, which is technology that separates the OS from server hardware so multiple OSes can run virtually on one physical server.
Maritz said the move to make the already low-cost product free is part of VMware's plan to make its virtualisation and network infrastructure products "as freely available to everyone in the industry" as possible as it diversifies its products beyond merely enabling virtualisation.
A former Microsoft executive, Maritz replaced VMware co-founder and former CEO Diane Greene, who was ousted in a sudden move two weeks ago.
Bogomil Balkansky, VMware senior director of product marketing, said ESXi has all the capabilities of VMware's older ESX product, including support for advanced VMware Infrastructure features like Vmotion, which allows a workload to be moved to another physical server while it is still being used.
"Functionally the two products are equivalent; ESXi does anything and everything ESX does," Balkansky said.
The reason VMware is making ESXi free and not ESX is because ESXi has the more modern architecture and is the product VMware wants customers to use moving forward, he said. ESXi uses an agentless model for management, which is why its footprint is so much smaller (at 32MB) than that of ESX, he said.
Tom Bittman, vice president and distinguished analyst with Gartner, said the move was significant. It will allow VMware to compete more effectively with Microsoft, which is bundling its Hyper-V virtualisation software with high-end editions of Windows Server. "This takes the price argument away," Bittman said.
Most companies now are buying other VMware products along with the hypervisor, which is why the company can afford to give it away, he said. VMware should have made ESXi free from the start, he said. "That was a mistake, and they are correcting it now," he said. ESXi is currently priced at $495 (£248).
"It makes sense for us to seed the market with a free product and expose a broader set of customers to VMware, being confident that they will take the next step and upgrade to our Virtual Infrastructure product," Balkansky said.
VMware is facing some of its toughest competition yet as Microsoft and other companies seek to commoditise the core virtualisation technology on which VMware's business was built by offering it as part of the OS.
Speaking about his "alma mater" Tuesday, Maritz called Microsoft a "formidable" competitor, but "not an invincible" one.
"I know that Microsoft can afford to play a long waiting game," he said. However, in markets where another company already has a sizable lead - such as VMware does in virtualisation - it can be "really hard to catch [up] even for Microsoft," Maritz said.
VMware reported $456 million in revenue for its 2008 second quarter, which ended 30 June. It was an increase of 54 percent from the same period last year. However, consensus estimates from Thomson Financial analysts expected the company to fare slightly better, predicting $458.6 million in revenue for the quarter.
VMware fell more than 14 percent from a close of $37.97 to $32.50 in after-hours trading Tuesday.


text:
Sewing Machine TableMarch 25th, 2015 in member junk
Jenn_B, member
Old Sewing Machine base, sanded & painted, handmade table top with tiles that were on clearance at the hardware store
Pattern or design used: My Own Design - Jenn B
posted in: member junk, vintage, tabletop, metal, wood, cottage, furniture, living room, porch, retro, office, sunroom, great room, mudroom, stone
Comments (3)
LloydsLandingofSears writes: I've been looking for one of these with a substantial top. Your's is a winner! Posted: 6:26 pm on November 28th
gadgetsponge writes: Always a classic! Posted: 2:11 pm on April 18th
suewhitney writes: Beautifully done my friend!
Be Well,
Sue Posted: 2:36 am on April 7th
Be Well,
Sue Posted: 2:36 am on April 7th
You must be logged in to post comments. Click here to login.


text:
Free Shipping
Orders of $25.00 or more will be shipped our Standard Shipping option and the shipping is completely FREE.
Learn more
|Buy Blu-ray
In Stock
In Stock: Ships Immediately
Product is In Stock at our warehouse, ready for immediate shipment if ordered before 3pm ET.
|Add to Cart
Additional DVD Versions
Customers Who Bought This Product Also Bought
Tom And Jerry Meet Sherlock Holmes (Blu-ray + DVD Combo)
Jewel heists around the city of London befuddle Scotland Yard, and the beautiful singer Red is framed for the crook. Only the legendary Sherlock Holmes can find the real thief with the help of his assistant Dr. Watson - and of course, Tom and Jerry. But finding clues and cracking the case will be elementary compared to keeping the peace between these raucous rivals as they scamper, scurry, scoot and speed along the streets, alleys and rooftops in the name of justice. Familiar friends Tuffy, Butch, Droopy and many more cleverly round out the motley crew of characters and possible suspects in this brilliant fusion of classic detection and energetic animation!
- Length
- Rating NR
- Released:
- Added Oct 20 2010
- Production Year 2010
- Empire SKU 1554111
- UPC Code 883929146031
- Studio Warner Bros.
- Packaging HD
- Number of Discs 2
- Disc SS-DL
- Subtitles English, French and Spanish
How To Draw Tom And Jerry
Includes DVD Copy Of Tom And Jerry Meet Sherlock Holmes
- Audio
English Dolby Digital 5.1
French Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1
- Video
Widescreen 1.85:1 Color


text:
New York, 13 march 2018- As an ECOSOC-accredited non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Vision GRAM-International is attending the sixty-second session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW62) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 12 to 23 March 2018, under the theme: " Challenges and opportunities in achieving gender equality and the empowerment of rural women and girls".
The Issue: Empowerment of rural women and girls
She works from daybreak until sundown, and often beyond. She tills the land and grows the food that feeds families and nations, but often without land rights, or equal access to finances and technology that can improve her livelihood. She is working as hard, or more, as the man next to her, but have less income. She has much to contribute, but will her rights, voice and experience shape the policies that affect her life?
Without rural women and girls, rural communities and urban societies would not function. Yet, on almost every measure of development, because of gender inequalities and discrimination, they fare worse than rural men or urban women.
Less than 13 per cent of landholders worldwide are women, and while the global pay gap between men and women stand at 23 per cent, in rural areas, it can be as high as 40 per cent.
For far too long, rural women's and girls' rights, livelihoods and wellbeing have been overlooked or insufficiently addressed in laws, policies, budgets and investments. They lack infrastructure and services, decent work and social protection, and are left more vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Gender-based violence and harmful practices continue to limit their lives and opportunities.
The 62nd session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW62), the UN's largest gathering on gender equality, is taking place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 12 – 23 March 2018. It will focus on the theme, "Challenges and opportunities in achieving gender equality and the empowerment of rural women and girls".
The Commission is one of the largest annual gathering of global leaders, NGOs, private sector actors, United Nations partners and activists from around the world focusing on the status of rights and empowerment of all women and girls, everywhere. Check out CSW62 events>.
At the opening session, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women" said: A rural girl is twice as likely to be married as a child compared to her urban counterpart. Without adequate education and knowledge, her authority and ability to control her life and escape from violence are critically diminished."
See the here: Opening remarks by UN Women Executive Director at the 62nd session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women
Vision GRAM-International


text:
Published on December 17th, 2012 | by Henri0
Recessed lights in a cathedral ceiling
Q. A few years ago, I added a one-story family room to my house. The room has a peaked ceiling with recessed incandescent ceiling lights. The ceiling is insulated with fiberglass. There is a roof vent and vents in the soffits. The problem is that a lot of cold air comes out of the recessed lights in the winter. Is there anything I can do about this?
A. It is always a mistake to have recessed ceiling lights (also called can lights) in a cathedral ceiling. There is not enough depth in the rafters to accommodate as much insulation as can be put in and still allow for a venting space. Unless a can light is UL-listed as IC (for "insulated ceiling"), no insulation should be closer than three inches from it; this leaves very cold spots. Your problem is that there is little or no insulation above the recessed lights. Why don't you have them removed, have insulation put in the spaces and a plastic vapor retarder taped over the holes, and then replace the can lights with surface-mounted fixtures.by


text:
Allovertop is the place to learn about all the latest Products, Accessories, Automotive, Baby & Parenting, Entertainment, Fashion, World, Education, Health & Beauty, Books, Home & Gardening, People, Sport, Technologies, Health & Personal Care, Video Games, compare products and information.
What is Allovertop?
Allovertop: is simply a combination of products review, news & entertainment. We bring the best quality products to our visitors as well as aim to entertain and excite our visitors through our entertainment articles.
Identifying Site Associate
allovertop.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Allovertop Biography and Goal:
Allovertop has public since 2014, our office is at Cambodia and location where Amazon may authorize the display of Content is in the US, Our goal is want to review all best products from Amazon that give you the information, and advice that will help you decide the find the best products.
We are welcome for any comments and you also can suggest the idea to our team to developed our self. You can reach us using this Contact Form or learn about our Privacy Policy.