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World Markets Live - August 8
We'll be updating you throughout the day with essential breaking news, data alerts, earnings reports and all the major market movements.
3rd & 7 37yd
3rd & 7 37yd
Trade data from China disappoints, with July imports and exports missing expectations. The country maintained a healthy surplus with the U.S. of $25.2 billion.The data came in below expectations for July. Exports rose over 7 percent, while imports grew 11 percent in dollar terms, both well below forecasts of 10 percent and 16 percent growth respectively.
That left the country with a trade surplus of nearly $47 billion for the month. Asian stock markets deflated on the data.
China's international trade grows less than expected, surplus with US dipsCNBCChina reports July trade data after 10 a.m. SIN/HK.
These are the top headlines overnight.
- Trade data from China disappoints, with July imports and exports missing expectations. But the country maintains a healthy surplus with the U.S.
- China's foreign minister says his country will bear the main cost of new UN sanctions on North Korea because of their economic ties. But he says Beijing is willing to pay the price for peace.
- Oil prices slip as higher output from Libya fuels doubts about OPEC-led production cuts.
Here are the opening calls for European markets. The FTSE, DAX and CAC are seen opening lower.
- A former Google engineer says he's exploring legal remedies, after getting fired for writing a controversial memo on gender inequality.
Deutsche Post reports Q2 revenue of 14.8 billion euros, an increase of 4.4 percent. Operating profit was up 11.8 percent to 841 million euros.The company says it is maintaining its forecast of an average increase in operating profit of more than 8 percent annually during the the period from 2013 to 2020.
Cliff Tan, East Asian head of global markets research at MUFG, says the July trade data from China indicates a slowdown in momentum in the country.We try to look at both prices and volumes. And because prices have been rising very aggressively we're not sure the growth is much to do with volumes.China's growth numbers are very important for the world. What we've seen with the world this year is a pick-up in trade growth which we haven't seen in several years. And if China flags that's a problem for the rest of the world as well.
Uniper has adjusted its EBIT outlook from 0.9 to 1.2 billion euros to 1 billion to 1.2 billion euros.It also increased its dividend guidance. It sees a 25 percent dividend growth to 250 million euros compared to the fiscal year 2016. It had previously guided a dividend rise of 15 percent.
China's iron ore imports fell by 2.4 percent in July from a year earlier. According to figures by the General Administration of Customs Data, iron ore imports slipped to 86.25 million tonnes.Meanwhile, iron ore shipments to China from Australia's Port Hedland, which is used by top miners like BHP and Fortescue, dropped 12 percent in July.CNBC's Matt Taylor is at the Diggers and Dealers Conference in Kalgoorlie. Matt spoke to the CEO of Fortescue who says a pullback could be good for pricing if it reduces the pace of stockpiling of iron ore.That of course has been one issue canvassed here at Diggers and Dealers, the outlook for China. So many of the companies speaking here are dependent on that strong growth outlook out of China to import their goods.Australian stock markets fell after the Chinese trade data was released. The aussie dollar is a little stronger today.
Google has fired the employee whose memo argued there are fewer women in the tech industry because of biological differences. Engineer James Damore says he's exploring possible legal remedies.In a company wide note, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said the views expressed violated the company's code of conduct by advancing gender stereotypes.
Oil prices remain under pressure this morning. Prices for crude fell yesterday on news that Libya's Sharara field was returning to normal production.The rebound in Libyan oil production is causing concerns that it will undermine efforts by OPEC to reduce output and rebalance the market.
German energy firm Uniper reports first half sales up 11 percent to 37.31 billion euros. Net profit was 967 million euros. Adjusted EBIT for H1 was down 18.1 percent at 930 million euros.The company reduced economic debt to 3.3 billion euros at the end of June from 4.2 billion euros at the end of December.The company says marking to market of commodity derivatives resulted in a positive earnings effect of 446 million euros.
Pandora reports 12 percent revenue growth and 10 percent like for like sales growth in Q2.Revenue for the quarter was 4.83 billion Danish krona. This was below the 4.9 billion seen by analysts.The company says the retail environment in the U.S. remains challenging, whereas markets like China, Italy, the U.K. and Australia performed well.
All this week, CNBC will be talking about the future of work: how technology and how other factors are changing the workplace.Frank Calderoni, CEO of Anaplan, is working to drive a new era of connected planning, competing with the likes of Oracle and IBM.Connective planning is really just getting people in large organizations to be aligned in how they have information so they are making better, more intelligent decisions.Many companies have a challenge because there are so many people and in the past they've used spreadsheets, and spreadsheets are very much to one person. Anaplan, because its software in the cloud, allows many people to have the same access to the information so they are making real time decisions. And allows companies to connect how those decisions are made along a process.
All week we're talking about how the workplace is changing. In this week's Trader Poll, we're asking you what workplace change you want most:
- Fewer emails
- Less time in meetings
- Shorter commute
- A new boss
Poll: What workplace change do you want most?In this week's Trader Poll, tell us what kind of workplace change you want the most.
Tesla seeks to raise $1.5 billion in a junk bond offering, to fund production of its Model 3. This will be the first time the electric car maker has issued junk debt.
Shares in Tesla have risen sharply this year, driving its market cap above both Ford and General Motors.
Netflix has bought comics publishing giant Millarworld, as it beefs up its library with a set of comic book characters.Run by Scottish writer Mark Millar, the company is behind titles like "Wanted," "Kick-Ass" and "Kingsman," which were adapted into movies that have made nearly a billion dollars worldwide. The latter two are not part of the deal.This is the first time Netflix has acquired a company in its 20 year history.Scottish comic book writer Mark Millar
U.K. retail sales growth slowed in July but an uptick in food prices propped up grocery sales. Overall sales rose 2.3 percent year-on-year, however non-food sales shrank by 0.7 percent. The data suggests families cut back their spending on clothing and household appliances as rising food prices started to bite.Meanwhile, British companies are hiring staff via recruitment agencies at the fastest pace in two years, but they're worried about finding staff in the future, because of Brexit concerns.A new report from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation says Britain's exit from the EU could worsen staffing shortages in certain sectors, in both high-skill and entry level positions.
European Union chief executives are increasingly positive about business prospects in the bloc. That's according to a report from the executive platform YPO.Its survey of more than a thousand CEOs found recent political stability made executives more bullish over growth prospects in the second quarter of this year.The YPO index rose to the highest level in its eight-year history, led by a sharp jump in France.
Here are the top headlines for the hour.
- Trade data from China disappoints, with July imports and exports missing expectations. But the country maintains a healthy surplus with the U.S.
- Special delivery for Deutsche Post! The logistics company beats operating profit expectations, thanks to a surge in its Express business.
- A former Google engineer says he's exploring legal remedies, after getting fired for writing a controversial memo on gender inequality.
- Standard Life reports its latest earnings.
German June seasonally adjusted exports falls 2.8 percent month on month, while imports fell 4.5 percent, according to the country's statistics office.The country's trade surplus is 21.2 billion euros, versus a forecast of 21.4 billion. Germany's current account surplus is 23.6 billion versus a forecast of 24.2 billion.
Paddy Power Betfair reports first half revenue of £827 million. H1 EBITDA was £214.5 million, with operating profit of £104.3 million.Online revenue grew 10 percent in the first half. The bookmaker says strong Q1 growth was driven by more favourable Cheltenham horse racing results, with Q2 affected by the absence of a major football tournament and adverse sports results.It says the industry remains highly competitive and exposed to external factors such as the economic and regulatory environment.
Keith Skeoch, CEO of Standard Life, says the logic behind the planned merger with Aberdeen Asset Management is compelling.
It's all about two things: scale and diversification. This will create a U.K. asset management champion.Scale though is all about improving choice for customers because we have complimentary skill sets, we have complimentary clients, we operate in complimentary channels. Actually what that will do is generate much greater opportunity for our people and allow us to continue to grow the business by investing in innovation, investing in people and generating growth.
Keith Skeoch, CEO of Standard Life, says he is quite concerned about Brexit and its impact on markets.From a business perspective it's absolutely clear to me that you've got to get your contingency plans in place. No matter what anybody is saying, plan for a "hard Brexit" and that's what we're doing. We know what we need to do.The biggest issue here is uncertainty and as long as uncertainty persists, and it seems to me the politicians are changing their mind every other week rather than every other month, that is actually what causes issues for business.
Intercontinental Hotels Group reports first half revenue of $857 million up from $838 million a year ago. Operating profit was $370 million and the company raises its dividend to 33 cents versus 30 cents.The company says they are on track to begin the roll out of a cloud-based guest reservation system in late 2017. It says it remains confident in the outlook for 2017.
Global Blue, the VAT refund company is gearing up for a flotation, according to reports. The company, which pioneered the concept of tax free shopping would be valued at over £3 billion.It's understood that it will list on a European stock exchange but a location has not been confirmed yet.
Here are the top headlines ahead of the market open.
- Standard Life tops profit expectations as it edges closer to its merger with Aberdeen. The CEO tells CNBC signs look good ahead of the tie-up.
- Special delivery for Deutsche Post! The logistics company beats operating profit expectations, thanks to a surge in its Express business.
- Trade data from China disappoints, with July imports and exports missing expectations. But the country maintains a healthy surplus with the U.S.
- A former Google engineer says he's exploring legal remedies, after getting fired for writing a controversial memo on gender inequality.
St Louis Fed president James Bullard says interest rates can stay where they are for now.At a speech in Tennessee, Bullard said that although the U.S. jobs market has shown signs of improvement, inflation is under control. Bullard does not have a vote on monetary policy during this Fed term.
Standard Life has posted a 6 percent rise in first half profit, topping expectations. The insurer's operating profit before tax for the period rose to £362 million, while its assets under administration rose to £362 billion.This comes as Standard nears completing an £11 billion merger with Aberdeen Asset Management. Earlier, Standard Life's CEO Keith Skeoch told CNBC that signs look good ahead of the tie-up.Earlier, Deutsche Post DHL reported better-than-expected second-quarter profit, driven by strength at its Express delivery business.Operating profit rose 12 percent to 841 million euros, helping the German mail and logistics company to reaffirm its full-year targets.
Deutsche Post DHL says it saw no material impact from the cyber attack in Ukraine at the end of June, but has seen higher volumes this quarter as rivals deal with the effects of the attack.
The French trade deficit at end of June was 4.7 billion euros versus a revised 4.4 billion euros a year earlier, according to the country's customs office.France's budget deficit was 62.3 billion euros, from 61.8 billion a year earlier, according to the country's finance ministry.
The rand edged higher against the dollar after the announcement that South African lawmakers would be allowed to vote in secret on a motion of no-confidence in President Zuma.
The secret ballot is seen as making it more likely Zuma will have to step down. He has had a rocky term, with corruption allegations and questions about his management of the economy.Meanwhile, the United States is reportedly preparing sanctions against more Venezuelan officials close to President Nicolas Maduro. However, it's not expected to involve penalties on the Venezuelan oil sector.
The Czech Republic's jobless rate rises to 4.1 percent in July from 4.0 percent in June. This matched the market forecast.Hungary's CPI inflation rises 2.1 percent year on year, matching expectations. The country's preliminary reading of June trade balance is 1.06 billion euros, versus a forecast of 1.08 billion euros.
Jim McCaughan, CEO of Principal Global Investors, discusses the valuations of assets in markets.The valuation of everything is higher than it was. Some would say that's a bubble. I would say that the structural excess of savings over capital investment in the world economy means that valuations should be structurally high.He also says interest rates are unlikely to return to "normal" levels of 4 percent or more, due to structural changes caused by technology and demographics.Aging demographics are deflationary, because people who get older buy experiences not stuff. So in terms of the oversupply of manufacturing and commodities, aging demographics are deflationary.Another issue is technology is leading to more efficient use of capital, that's why capital spending is below savings, which is driving up valuations.
These are the stocks moving markets this morning:
- Standard Life has posted a 6 percent rise in first half profit, topping expectations. The insurer's operating profit before tax for the period rose to £362 million, while its assets under administration rose to £362 billion. This comes as Standard nears completing an £11 billion merger with Aberdeen Asset Management. Earlier, Standard Life CEO Keith Skeoch also told CNBC where the company is thinking of setting up shop after Brexit.
- Deutsche Post DHL has reported better-than-expected second-quarter profit, driven by strength at its Express delivery business. Operating profit rose 12 percent ro 841 million euros, helping the German mail and logistics company to reaffirm its full-year targets. Deutsche Post DHL says it saw no material impact from the cyber attack in Ukraine at the end of June, but has seen higher volumes this quarter as rivals deal with the effects of the attack.
- Intercontinental Hotel Group has reported a slower global rooms revenue growth for the second quarter. Revenue per available room grew 1.5 percent, down from 2.7 percent in the first quarter. It cited a decline in U.S. growth due to a later Easter this year.
- Uniper has raised both its dividend and operating profit outlook for 2017. The power plant and energry trading group, which was spun off from E.ON last year sees dividends rising by 25 percent for the year. It now sees earnings before interest and tax of £1 to £1.2 billion, up from previous forecasts.
Chris Wyllie, chief investment officer at Connor Broadley, says his firm likes gold compared to government bonds and index-linked bonds, seeing it as an inflation hedge.The relationship really seems to be with real interest rates. Gold tends to do well when real interest rates are negative or zero, which is exactly what we've got at the moment.Gold has gone to sleep in the last few years. I think a lot of speculative money has gone out of it and people are wondering if inflation is going to return.He predicts interest rates will remain very subdued, which will support gold.


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Monday, September 8, 2008
Lotte Mexican Chocolate
A few years or so ago, the dark chocolate boom hit Japan. One could find bars which were so bitter that the only way they could be endured was with a sweet drink on the side. In fact, the instructions on some boxes explicitly said that was how the bars should be consumed. The highest concentration dark chocolate bar was 99% and you were eating baking chocolate for all intents and purposes. The benefits of polyphenols in dark dark chocolate set the boom in motion about a half year or so behind the popularity of dark chocolate in the U.S.
Lotte makes a great many of Japan's chocolate bars, both the staple finds and flash-in-the-pan types. At the moment, they have a range of fruit-based bars which I actively avoid since most such things are flavored white chocolate. They also make my favorite all-purpose (read: cheap) milk chocolate bar in Japan, Ghana. Ghana is available for 88 yen in a local market and can be seen as the equivalent of a Hershey bar, albeit with a much higher fat, glossier, and less sour chocolate. That's not an indictment of Hershey's chocolate, mind you. I like the chalkier texture and yogurt-like undertones of Hershey's chocolate, but U.S. chocolate is very different from that in Japan.
I've read good things about Mexican chocolate so I decided to give this bar a try when I saw it in one of the tonier markets in our area. It wasn't cheap at 238 yen ($2.20 USD) for 70 grams (2.46 oz.), but I guess that the good growers of cocoa in Mexico need to be paid a fair wage. Both the front and the back of the box mention that the bar is made with 100% Mexican cocoa beans. The back also tells a little story about how a Mexican man (his face is pictured on the box so you can feel closer to him) named "Barutro-san" (El-Barto?) grows cocoa in the Tabasco region of Mexico. The box doesn't say this, but apparently Tabasco grows 80% of the cocoa beans produced by Mexico.
I find it quaint and very Japanese when I see the portraits of nondescript growers on food packaging. They do this for Japanese farmers as well. Many a time, my tomato packages have been graced by the faces of the men who have no doubt been in charge of the men who worked the fields for those tomatoes.
When I turned the box over and saw the calorie count of 395 calories for this one bar, I was a little shocked as it seemed on the high side. To put that in perspective, I'll tell you that a Hershey bar is 4.8 calories per gram and this bar is 5.6 calories per gram. When I realized that this was a dark chocolate bar, I understood the situation a bit better as tons of sugar is added to off-set the bitterness and more cocoa butter is added to make it smooth. There is also probably more cocoa butter in Japanese chocolate in general, though I can't verify this for a fact. The ingredients list is: Mexican cocoa, sugar, cocoa butter, full-fat powdered milk, milk solids (not sure about this one), flavoring.
The information regarding how dark the chocolate is is given in quite small print and written only on the back. It says that it's 62% cocoa. In almost equally small print (but highlighted in yellow), it also says that there are 1280 mg of polyphenols in the entire bar, but you'd never be able to eat it all in one sitting! Well, I couldn't eat it all at once.
One other interesting thing about the box information is that there is an explanation of "fat bloom" on it. If you don't know what that is, it's when you get a grey or white substance on chocolate from temperature changes. It's perfectly safe, but does tend to make chocolate look less appetizing. I'm guessing that, given the high fat content of the bar and the hot summer, they want consumers not to complain or return the chocolate if bloom is on it. There is a specific recommendation not to store it at temperatures higher than 28 degrees C. (82.4 degrees F.) to help avoid this unpleasant situation.
The first thing I always do with new food is give it a sniff and this chocolate smells exactly like a Ghana bar, perhaps with a somewhat stronger chocolate hint. Despite being a dark bar, it's not like opening a box of cocoa scent-wise. You have to inhale pretty deeply to get any scent at all. Unlike some Western chocolates which you can smell the minute they leave the wrapper, most Japanese chocolates don't have much of a chocolate aura wafting off of them.
The bar has 8 individual blocks and is glossy. I think the smell I associate with Ghana is whatever Lotte does to their bars to make them all similarly shiny and smooth. When you bite into it, the bar has a lot of snap and breaks off very cleanly. It becomes soft on your tongue if you let it rest a short while in your mouth and you can really sense all of the fat in it. It's only a little bitter, though it does leave a bitter aftertaste. Oddly, it seems to hit you in three stages - bitter, sweet, bitter again. The balance of sweetness to intense chocolate/bitterness is actually very good. I'm not a fan of dark chocolate, so I can't say I love this bar. However, I can say that I don't hate it and I often cannot say that of other types of dark chocolate.
I'd say this is a good "gateway" bar for a milk chocolate lover who wants to wean themselves off of the bad stuff and transition to darker chocolate. It's pretty easy to eat dark chocolate and enjoyable, though it's also easy to control yourself and not eat too much at once. If it weren't so expensive, hard to find and very likely short-lived as all Japanese specialty chocolates are, I'd recommend it as a good bar to have around just to have a square or two a day for the health benefits of eating dark chocolate.
Posted by Orchid64 at 5:26 AM
Labels: chocolate, dark chocolate, expensive, Lotte
1 comment:
- trepto said...
I think maybe the texture has something to do with the way the chocolate is tempered?
Most chocolate bars are only tempered to about III or IV, but it sounds like this one was closer to V. It'd partially explain the higher price tag, too, and the "premium" nature of the bar.
- May 4, 2010 at 1:21 AM
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subset: commoncrawl


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Magia Kryształu (Atari 8-bit)
Published by
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DescriptionMagia Kryształu (Magic of the Crystal) is an action platform game starring the mage Tannatos, out to get revenge on the demon Syrylak for long-time imprisonment. The goal of the game is to find Syrylak and defeat him.
The player controls Tannatos as he travels around the game world; similarly to a classic platform game, dexterity in jumping from platform to platform and in avoiding dangers is necessary. Touching an enemy or their projectile kills Tannatos instantly, and there are limited lives.
There are numerous items strewn around; Tannatos can carry up to three at once and use them wherever necessary to solve puzzles. Unnecessary items can be dropped in specific spots.
An indicator in the corner of the screen shows the progress made in the game so far.
Promo Images
There are no promo images for this game
User Reviews
There are no reviews for this game.
Critic Reviews
|Top Secret
|Jul, 1993
|10 out of 10
|Świat Atari
|Jul, 1993
|84 out of 100
|Secret Service / New S Service
|Jul, 1993
|7 out of 10
There are currently no topics for this game.
MusicThe title music is a cover of the 1987 song Zaopiekuj się mną ("Take Care of Me") by the Polish rock band Rezerwat.
The in-game music is a cover of the 1986 song Marchewkowe Pole ("Carrot Field") by the Polish rock band Lady Pank.
SyrylakThe villain's name is the same as that of Jarosław Syrylak, who was then an employee of the publishing company L. K. Avalon. There was no ill will involved, though; the authors heard Syrylak's name while making a phone call to L. K. Avalon and later decided to borrow the "demonic" sounding name for their new game. They were unaware that it was the person's real last name and not just a pseudonym. After the game was released, the real Jarosław Syrylak threatened to sue the developers, forcing them to apologize over the phone.
Related Web Sites
- Game Map (A screenshot map of the game)
JudgeDeadd (26557) added Magia Kryształu (Atari 8-bit) on Sep 09, 2011
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Many cities across North Texas are combating the West Nile virus by spraying for mosquitoes at night, but the second largest city in the Metroplex won't be one of them.
The city of Fort Worth hasn't had a spray program in more than 20 years, Scott Hanlon, assistant director of Code Compliance, told the City Council on Tuesday.
The department declined NBC 5's request for an interview regarding spraying on Wednesday, saying the department would not discuss things it does not do.
The latest news from around North Texas.
However, when asked by Councilman Frank Moss during the pre-council meeting on Tuesday, Hanlon explained why the city hasn't and won't spray.
"Nobody puts a spraying program in place as the solution for West Nile virus," Hanlon said. "Nor is it effective in killing 100 percent of mosquitoes in any given area. Spraying only kills adult mosquitoes that are active during the time that chemicals are being dispersed. They don't impact larva. The typical application methods of driving down the street with fog coming out of the back of a truck might be good for those environments right around those roadways, but for those environments that aren't as close to the roadways, they aren't as effective. And then resident concerns, there are residents who have a real concern about potential health impacts, the potential environmental impacts of the use of those chemicals driving down the street and spraying in those neighborhoods. For all those reasons back then, the decision was made that we would endorse the broader based prevention messages and teach people in neighborhoods how to eliminate source pools and how to utilize personal protection strategies to prevent mosquito bites."
The city is providing residents with materials and information on West Nile virus from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as from state and county health departments.
"The different cities and their campaigns really have to get this message out, which is prevention," said Tarrant County Public Health Officer Dr. Sandra Parker. "Prevention is key."
Tarrant County Public Health said spraying is really a last resort. The department said it doesn't endorse spraying one or way another to its cities, saying it's up to each municipality to determine the best course of action.
"We don't like to start at spraying because, if people come to rely on the spraying for the problem, they're not going to take the best step, which is stopping the mosquitoes at the source," said David Jefferson, the county's environmental health manager. "Remove that standing water stops the mosquitoes at the source."
Jefferson said spraying is best used in areas where there is a high concentration of West Nile virus cases and where other treatment methods haven't been effective.


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We found this little creature in a water oak in Blountstown, FL (North FL). I've searched the internet with out any luck. It's more of a greyish white with a long tail, then a spike sort of tail.
Hi Miranda,
The larva of the Drone Fly, Eristalis tenax, is known as the Rat-Tailed Maggot. The tail is actually a breathing aparatus as the Rat-Tailed Maggot is found in sluggish streams and stagnant ponds that are fouled with organic matter.
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination


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Roommate Agreement
- Go to https://jayweb.etown.edu/ICS/Student/Online_Housing.jnz, sign into JayWeb and then scroll to "Roommate Agreement"
- With all roommates present , discuss and complete each section of the roommate agreement form together.
- Click submit.
- All roommates will receive a message regarding the submission of the agreement. Each roommate will need to go to the agreement form on JayWeb and click submit to finalize the agreement.
- You and your roommate(s) can access and update your completed agreement at any point during the year on JayWeb. Each roommate will again need to go to the agreement form on JayWeb and click submit to confirm that they agree with the changes.


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Swirling uncertainty over U.S. President Donald Trump's political future saw world stocks extend their steepest fall in over six months on Thursday, though there were signs of stabilization elsewhere as the dollar and gold steadied.
Reports that Trump had tried to intervene in an investigation into alleged Russian interference in last year's U.S. election and that his aides had numerous undisclosed contacts with Russian officials kept market tensions high.
Europe's bourses dropped between 0.8 and 1.3 percent as the selling pressure built again and Wall Street was expected to open down as much as 0.5 percent, having suffered its biggest thumping in over eight months on Wednesday.
Rabobank strategist Michael Every said the key question was whether markets would "calm down, or panic more."
"The obvious point we've made before repeatedly is that Trump now has much less political capital to spend in the Capitol, and that makes Trumpflation far less likely. Yet things seem to be rapidly moving beyond that point, opening up other scenarios," he said.
Though stocks flashed warning lights again, the dollar seemed to be going for the 'calm down' option.
It pulled out of a tailspin that had taken it to its lowest level in six months against other top currencies including the euro and the yen, though it remained wobbly.
A mini-recovery in Asia as Japan posted its best economic performance in a year ran out of steam in Europe, and it was limping sideways at $1.1136 per euro and buying 110.97 Japanese yen by the time U.S. traders got to their desks.
Switzerland's safe-haven franc hit its highest since November's U.S. election and Britain's Brexit-bruised pound broke through the $1.30 barrier for the first time since late September after reassuring retail sales figures.
"Too much gradualism in monetary policy bears the risk of larger market adjustments when the decision is eventually taken," Coeure told Reuters in an interview in which he also said the bank's bond-buying program was "not set in stone".
The political jitters coming out of the United States remained the dominant factor for traders, however.
Treasury yields seemed to be heading for a six-month low as they dropped back below 2.2 percent [US/] and Germany's and Europe's benchmark government bond, the Bund, saw its yields dip to a fresh a two-week trough. [GVD/EUR]
The allegations surrounding Trump have not only thrown doubt over the future of the pro-growth policies he promised, but have raised the possibility he could end up leaving the White House prematurely.
Trump says he is being given one of the toughest rides of any president in U.S. history.
But a small number of his fellow Republicans called on Wednesday for an independent probe of possible collusion between his 2016 campaign team and Russia, and one even mentioned impeachment.
Wall Street futures pointed to more, albeit modest, falls for the S&P 500, Dow and Nasdaq markets when they reopen later. Wednesday's dump, while substantial, had come after both the S&P and Nasdaq hit record highs on Tuesday.
"The more Trump gets bogged down in the impeachment debate and the issues surrounding that, it reduces the likelihood that you get anything meaningful in terms of fiscal stimulus — that's the key factor here," said Chris Scicluna, head of economic research at Daiwa Capital Markets in London.
Trouble mounted for Brazilian President Michel Temer, who was recorded discussing payments to silence testimony by a potential witness in the country's biggest-ever graft probe, sources told media including Reuters.
Shares in Brazilian state-controlled oil company Petrobras
Among commodities, which have also been highly volatile in recent weeks but due mainly to supply and demand issues, there were steadier signals.
Brent oil futures slide back 60 cents to $51.60 a barrel after hitting a two-week high overnight on the back of an ongoing effort by OPEC to cut production.
Safe-haven gold hovered near a two-week high prompted by the weaker dollar and the risk aversion gripping the broader markets.
Spot gold was at $1,260 an ounce having hit $1,263.02, its highest since May 1, in the previous session. It has been its biggest rally since Britain voted to quit the European Union last June.
"I would caution that the gold rally has been driven by political news and not necessarily fundamentals. Should the political storm die in Washington, the rally will lose steam," said Jeffrey Halley, senior market analyst at OANDA.


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Guide Dogs Tea Party
Saturday, 14th September.at 10 AM - 12:30 PM
You are invited to a Tea Party to raise money for Guide Dogs.
There will be home made cakes with tea and coffee, a bring and buy stall, lucky dip for the children, a Guide Dog merchandise stall, performance by The Ridge Choir and the opportunity to meet guide dog puppies, working and retired dogs.
At Lancaster Baptist Church


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I really like how this card turned out. I made it with a set from Close To My Heart called Cityscape Everyday Life. I bought the set at Scrapbook Expo a couple of years ago. I tried to look them up on the CTMH website but they didn't have them listed anymore. :( (Or not to where I could find them.)
I used Stampin Up inks though (lol). I used really rust, chocolate chip, riding hood red, more mustard, blue bayou, and real red. The sentiment is Tim Holtz and it's over 2 years old. The photo corners are older than the stamps and inks combined--LOL :)


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In this regard the day trip offers vary considerably. In some trips it is included, in others it has to be booked additionally, and in a few you can bring some yourself. You will receive detailed information with our offer, and usually already in the description of our offer on the website. If you have further questions, you are welcome to get back to us.
By Regine Wagner|2016-04-03T07:52:36+02:00March 14th, 2016|Tagescharter|Comments Off on Catering/Drinks


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Continued in: The Aftershocks
For all other stories in the bang!verse go: here
Author: Mink
Rating: SPN/DA Crossover - PG - Gen – AU in the year 2020 clap your hands and believe!
Spoilers: General (for all aired episodes)
Disclaimers: SPN & DA & characters are owned by their various creators.
Summary: Two worlds collide and all three explode.
( With a Bang part 15 & EpilogueCollapse )


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Tomatoes in my garden are ripe. Hot peppers are turning red. Time for some fresh Salsa
Hawaiian BBQ Quesadillas with Pineapple-Mango Guacamole
2015-08-16 10:56:42
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- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
- 4 whole wheat flour tortillas (burrito size)
- 1/2 an onion
- 1/3 whole fresh pineapple - peeled, cored, and sliced
- 1/2 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce
- 2 tablespoons pineapple juice
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup cooked white or brown rice
- 1/2 cup pickled jalapeños (optional)
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
Pineapple Mango Guacamole
- 2 avocados, peeled, pitted and mashed
- 1/4 whole fresh pineapple - peeled, cored, and diced
- 1/2 mango - peeled, seeded and diced
- 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, diced
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 tablespoon pineapple juice
- salt and pepper, taste
- Preheat the grill to medium high heat.
- In a small bowl combine the BBQ sauce, pineapple juice, lime juice, cilantro, salt and pepper and mix well to combine.
- Toss the chicken with half of the BBQ sauce.
- Grill the chicken for 6 to 8 minutes per side or until cooked through.
- At the same time grill the slices of pineapple and the half of an onion for about 4 minutes per side or until charred.
- Allow everything to to cool five minutes and then chop the pineapple into bite size pieces, dice the onion and chop the chicken or shred with a fork. Set aside.
- While the chicken is cooling make the pineapple-mango guacamole.
- Mash the avocados (I left mine pretty chunky, but go as chunky or smooth as you want) in a medium size bowl.
- Add the pineapple, mango, tomatoes, green onions, cilantro, lime juice and pineapple juice. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat an electric griddle or skillet over medium heat.
- Add a bit of olive oil.One at a time, place a tortilla down in the skillet, cover with a bit of the cheese, then evenly distribute the rice on top.
- Add the diced chicken, pineapple and onions.
- Then add the pickled jalapeños and sprinkle with a little more cheese.
- Repeat with 3 more tortillas.
- Place one of the tortillas with the toppings back on the griddle or skillet, then cover with a plain tortilla. Cook until the bottom is crispy and golden brown, then gently flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes until crispy and golden.
- Repeat with the other 3 topping filled tortillas.
- Serve with the remaining BBQ sauce the the Pineapple-Mango Guacamole.
Adapted from Half Baked Harvest
Adapted from Half Baked Harvest
Stuff http://tj-webs.com/stuff/
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Posts Tagged 'forget'
Forget to remember
Posted September 24, 2019on:
Before I forget, I should post this video about how we remember. It is about how we forget in order to remember.
I am glad I remembered before I forgot to share this. Yes, facilitating day and night classes takes a toll…
Keys to forgetting
Posted June 9, 2018on:
This SciShow Psych video explains why we seem to forget where we put things. We do not register events that are mundane and when we operate on autopilot.
The video is also a reminder that our brains are designed to forget. It takes conscious effort to first pay attention and then to try to remember. So if we try to understand the learner and learning, we might do better as a teacher while teaching.
How Evernote became ransomware
Posted October 4, 2016on:
I was writing in Evernote recently when I copied information from email into a note. I had done this many times before, but this time I was copying into the web version of Evernote because the free version limited the app to two devices.
For reasons unknown to me, the formatted text removed everything in my notes except for the first two lines. Evernote synced this across all my devices and I lost several weeks of writing.
A while ago I could have retrieved my notes on some other device. I could have also visited the history of the note and rolled back to an earlier state.
But not in the current version of Evernote. I had to pay to access my notes offline or to go back in note time.
It was pay or redo a lot of work. I could not possibly remember everything I wrote — that is why I took notes — so I resorted to paying for a year's premium subscription.
I could not even pay a bit less for the mid-tier plan (the plus plan) because it did not offer the note history tool.
I felt like victim of ransomware — malware that prevents you from accessing your files or data until you pay up for a key to unlock it.
The premium plan was USD57.98 a year. Fortunately, I remembered an email message in June offering a 50% discount. The deadline had elapsed, but I found that the offer was still valid. So while I paid less, I still paid up.
It was a painful reminder to use more reliable tools. I will be moving some active writing elsewhere and will probably use Evernote for archiving in future.
Evernote's logo is an elephant because the pachyderms never forget. I am not forgetting this warning and lesson.


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still the goodest news
Friday, 29 May 2015
What is the Purpose of Types in Scripture?
The Bible is full of types, and the purpose of said types is a hotly debated issue in biblical interpretation.
Here is a great post
by John Piper that supplies
answer (of many right and biblical answers) to the question, what is the purpose (or rather, what are the purposes) of types in Scripture?
Posted by
Dan Glover
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A Universe of Dreams. That is indeed what the Hubble Space Telescope has provided humanity for the last twenty-five years. It is also the title of a beautiful, cross-disciplinary performance piece created by Ensemble Galilei in 2004. Using Hubble photos, poetry about the universe, the music of Ensemble Galilei and narrated by Neal Conan, former host of NPR's Performance Today, A Universe of Dreams has been performed in concert forty-two times since 2004 in venues as diverse as this country. From its premiere in Los Angeles at the Skirball Center, to a performance at the public library in Pinedale, Wyoming, Ensemble Galilei has taken the extraordinary Hubble photos to thousands of concert goers, and into middle and high schools with their Co-operative Writing Project.
Ensemble Galilei will partner with the Space Telescope Science Institute to create and present A Universe of Dreams 2.5, beautifully revised using Hubble pictures from the very first images to the most recently released, and music from Ensemble Galilei's newest release, From Whence We Came. Twenty-five years after Hubble was launched, twenty-five years after Ensemble Galilei was founded, we have much to share, much to celebrate. Truly, From Whence We Came.
Poetry by: Michael Glaser, Stanley Kunitz, V.P. Loggins, William Shakespeare, and a retelling of the Navajo Creation Myth
Music from Ensemble Galilei's latest release: From Whence We Came
Narrated by Neal Conan
Photos from the Hubble Space Telescope Institute


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Even among non-Canonians, Canon is known for its "L" series of lenses: optical marvels that
incorporate the latest and greatest in technology, push the envelope in performance -- and
cost a quite a bundle too, although not more than any other brand of professional lens, and
a good deal less than some. Among Canon shooters, L fever is a known affliction: many people
who really only shoot album pictures of the cat and the kids succumb to it, while among many
more ambitious shooters it's pretty much the accepted wisdom that "nothing less will do." I
used to own an L, once, but sold it. My lens love affair is a more modest one. It's with the
first-generation EF primes, introduced between 1987 and 1989 along with the EOS system, in
the days before bells and whistles like ring USM and image stabilization. I'm planning on
doing a full write-up of all the lenses in this series that I'm lucky enough to own.
Articles completed in this series:
What with Canon's tight grip on the number-one spot in the digital SLR market today, it's
easy to forget where it was back in 1987. I remember it quite well, since that was the year I
bought my first very own SLR -- a Canon T70, bought from a market in Singapore. At that time,
Nikon still ruled the professional and high-end amateur roost, and Canon was the up-and-coming
underdog. Then, in 1985, the Minolta Dynax/Maxxum 7000 hit the market, and nothing was the
same since.
Auto-focus had been in the making for a while. Pentax was first out of the gate with the
focus-assist ME-F already in 1981, Canon had responded with its focus-assist camera, the AL-1
QF in 1982, and Nikon had the first fully auto-focusing professional camera on the market, the
F3AF, in 1983. The same year as the Minolta 7000 was introduced, Canon marketed the
short-lived T80 -- a fully functional auto-focus SLR based on the FD lens mount. However, due
to a number of technical and design issues, largely related to the problems of maintaining
backwards compatibility, none of these cameras had quite managed to deliver an auto-focus
performance capable of truly superseding the mature manual-focus cameras dominating the market
at the time. Many people (myself included) felt that AF was a gimmick rather than a useful
photographic tool.
"Cat Merchant." Canon FD 50/1.4 S.S.C. on Fuji Provia 100F.
The Minolta 7000 changed all that. Here was a camera that could undeniably focus and track
faster and more consistently and precisely than even the most practiced manual-focus SLR
shooter. It took the camera market by storm, and for a space Minolta looked set to take the
top spot in the professional market as well. It was clear that Nikon, Canon, and Pentax had to
do something -- or go the way of Olympus and give up on the SLR market. Nikon and Pentax
focused on working out the problems in their backwards-compatible lens mounts, and eventually
succeeded. Canon decided to make like Minolta. It scrapped its FD mount, killed off the T80
barely a year since its introduction, started from a clean slate, and introduced a new system,
named EOS -- for "Electro Optical System" and the Greek goddess of dawn -- and a new lens
mount, named EF, for "Electronic Focusing." Many professionals and advanced amateurs with a
long-time investment in FD gear have still not quite forgiven Canon for this. Plainly, Canon
had a knife at their throat: either the EOS system would beat the Minolta 7000 and 9000, or
Canon would be relegated to niche status.
With so much at stake, Canon could not afford to take risks in the lens line-up it offered
for its new system. The first EOS lenses had to be optically beyond reproach, mechanically
reliable, fluid in use, and auto-focus well enough to put up a fight with the mighty Minoltas
-- or they would risk tarnishing the name of the new system at the most critical point in its
lifecycle. They also had to be priced to make the cost of entry into the new system low enough
to make it appealing to the largest possible market, and the system had to be broad enough,
even at its inception, to inspire confidence in the versatility and staying power of the new
standard. A new mount was a "bet the company" strategy: Canon abandoned the gains it had made
against Nikon with the very well-received AE-1 and A-1 series cameras, and had to start
capturing market share from zero. A lemon in the 1987 line-up could have killed off the EOS
system almost before it was born, and would have possibly lethally wounded a brand already
bruised by the flop of the T80 and the bad-will inherent in abandoning an existing customer
base. In 1987, that meant a series of optically impeccable but relatively modestly specified
prime lenses: the zoom revolution had not fully bit yet, and the professional's standard lens
was still a 50 rather than a 28-70 or similar zoom.
The upshot was that Canon produced a line of lenses that does not quite resemble anything it
has made since. The early EF's build on the tried-and-true optical designs from the FD line,
and have rather conservative specifications. They are engineered for reliability, durability,
and optical mechanical performance at the best possible price point. Ever since, Canon has
been notably niggardly in introducing prime lenses with compact form factors, reasonable
prices, modest maximum apertures, and top-drawer optical performance: a few exceptions aside,
the newer primes have been either big, bright, heavy, expensive L lenses or clearly
underdesigned either in build (like the 50/1.8 Mk 2) or optics (like the 28/1.8 USM). The
first-series "Ugly Duckling" primes strike a unique balance between optical quality, size, and
value. Over the past few years, I have developed a real liking for the series, and have
collected most of them: I'm only missing the 15/2.8 diagonal fisheye and the 28/2.8.
The best of the Eighties meets the best of the Noughties. At the back, the EOS-5D sporting
the the 50/1.8, the first EOS kit lens -- almost twenty years of age difference, but still a
handsome couple... In front, from left to right, the 24/2.8, 35/2.0, 50/2.5 Compact Macro,
and 135/2.8 Soft Focus. Absent are the 15/2.8 diagonal fisheye and the 28/2.8.
The Ugly Duckling primes share many build characteristics. All have metal mounts, similar
hard, lightly textured plastic barrels, narrow, ribbed focusing rings, focusing scales visible
behind a window with depth of field markings and an infra-red focus distance spot. They give a
strong impression of being styled by engineers rather than designers. All use the "Arc Form
Drive" (AFD) system for focusing. AFD is basically a regular DC electric motor shaped to fit
the lens barrel. They're highly reliable, pretty fast at least on small lenses with light
focusing groups like these... and somewhat noisy. All except the 24/2.8 and 15/2.8 (which has
a built-in hood and rear filter holder) have a 52 mm filter thread and lens cap. All except
the two wides and the 50/2.5 Compact Macro have a 65 mm clip-on hood bayonet. The 28, 35, and
50/1.8 can share the EW-65 lens hood, and the 135 and 50/1.8 can share the ET-65 hood.
There was also a hood specially made for the 50/1.8 Mk 1, the ES-65, but it's rather hard
to come by -- and not really very necessary, since the front element on the 50/1.8 is quite
deeply recessed.
The family can be split into two further categories: the "light primes" and the "nice
primes." The light primes have the simplest optical formulas that could possibly work, use
five-blade irises, have the front bezel facing forward, and feel just a little bit flimsier in
handling. The nice primes have somewhat more complex optical formulas, use six-blade irises,
have the front bezel aligned with the lens barrel, feel heavier for their size, and feel
somehow more rugged and reliable. I don't really know if this means much in practice; I've
certainly had no issues with any of my lenses. The 28/2.8, 35/2.0, and 50/1.8 fall into the
"light" category, while the 24/2.8, 50/2.5, and 135/2.8 are "nice." The 15/2.8 is a bit of an
oddball -- it shares the five-blade iris and relatively simple, eight-element optical formula
with the "lights," but has the heavier build of the "nices," probably to support the heavy
objective lens and maintain the tight tolerances needed for an ultra-wide, even if it's a
fisheye. And, perhaps, to justify its rather salty price tag.
The Ugly Duckling lenses feel like their optics were engineered to more or less the same
specifications. All are contrasty, and very sharp at their sharpest. They're quite usable
wide-open, and peak around f/5.6 to f/8.0. On the EOS-5D, diffraction starts to become visible
around f/16; on a few of the lenses, f/11 is already very slightly softer than f/8. There are
no really significant differences in color rendition. None of them have any major problems
with flare, and most are excellent at resisting it. Canon's long history as a lensmaker shows
in them: they're all highly refined, well-balanced designs. Most are improved versions of the
already excellent FD and "new FD" series of lenses. The "light primes" are no-frills optical
designs using a minimum number of simple, spherical lens elements -- five on the 28/2.8, six
on the 50/1.8, and seven on the 35/2.0. The "nice primes" have more complex optical formulas:
10 elements in 10 groups with internal focusing and a floating system on the 24/2.8, 9
elements in 8 groups with a floating system on the 50/2.5 Compact Macro, and 7 elements in 6
groups with internal focusing and a floating aspherical element on the 135/2.8 Soft Focus.
They have no glaring flaws -- but no single, individual characteristics that make you go "wow"
either, unless it is that very feeling of mature, refined design created for balance rather
than to look impressive on the marketing data sheet. What's more, all of them shoot better
than they test -- it's reasonably easy to trip them up by some specifically engineered test,
but real-life photos generally look splendid, unless it's the photographer who has screwed
them up.
All of the Ducklings I've tried have very similar contrast and color, and no huge differences
in sharpness either -- all are sharp in the center even at pretty wide apertures, and all are
sharp in the corners stopped down. The longer ones tend to sharpen up a stop or so earlier
than the shorter ones, as is to be expected.
Above, center crops at medium apertures. Not easy to guess which is which, no? From top to
bottom: the 24/2.8, 35/2.0, 50/1.8, 50/2.5 CM, and 135/2.8 SF. The only differences that I
can easily see are that the 50/2.5 and 35/2.0 look a hair cooler than the others. And it's
just barely conceivable that the 35 and 50/2.5 are a hair contrastier than the others. The
differences, if they're there, are very small, and could easily be due to my
less-than-laboratory-perfect testing conditions. I did shoot all of these during one
session, though, and the main light in the room didn't change. All are very, very good: the
fine, low-contrast texture on the spine of the gray Edward Gorey book is very challenging to
render, and all of the lenses make it look easy.
The difference a floating system makes: corner crops of the 24/2.8 and the 35/2.0 at far
and near focusing distances at f/5.6.
Taken on their own merits, the early EF primes make an excellent, well-rounded family. The
set does a great job at covering most general photography needs -- from landscape and
architecture to street, situational, event, and portrait photography. There are certain
synergies with buying into a set of lenses like this, too -- hoods, caps, and filters can be
shared, and the similar usability designs make switching between them very fluid. Optics have
hardly progressed at all since the turn of the Nineties, except where true exotics are
concerned: even with zooms, Canon has not managed to improve things optically over its 1989
"Magic Drainpipe" 80-200/2.8L, or the 100-300/5.6L, for that matter. Various bells and
whistles like USM and image stabilization have made their appearance, of course, but since
most of the development has been in zooms, primes have not profited much from them. Most new
primes have been in the heavy-duty super-bright, super-big, super-expensive L range: brighter
and more rugged, but not necessarily significantly better optically. Indeed, zooms have
improved to the point where they're the default choice nowadays, for amateurs as well as most
professional applications. Even so, the ugly duckling primes taken as a family offer an
alternative approach to general photography -- something a bit quieter, slower, lower-key...
but very rewarding in its own way. And, of course, much lighter: my set weighs in at 1,340
grams, and does 24-135 at f/1.8 to f/2.8, plus a very decent macro. It's also much easier to
carry most of the weight in the bag rather than on the camera, if you have the camera on your
wrist all day.
"Odd One Out." I took this with the 5D and the 35/2.0, my favorite street lens. In street
shooting, timing is of the essence, light and discreet-looking gear is a major advantage,
and since it takes time to find anything worth shooting, light weight is a major bonus
The advent of APS-C digital SLR's has put a whole new spin on the Ugly Duckling primes. Most
lenses work best on the formats for which they were designed, and the Ducklings are no
exception: with perhaps one exception, you really should put them on a full-frame camera to
make the most of them. However, this doesn't mean it's pointless to put them on a double- or
triple-digit Canon.
The only one of the ugly ducklings that is no longer in production is the 50/1.8 Mark 1. It
has been downgraded to the all-plastic Mark 2, which is optically identical but has much less
attractive build. In particular, it has a reputation for falling to bits if given a sharp
knock, a much fussier hood setup, and no proper manual-focus ring -- and, of course, a plastic
mount. This has made the Mark 1 something of a coveted, cult lens -- it's fetching prices on
the used market that are higher than what it was new. However, Canon has come up with a great
variety of lenses since 1990. Most of them are zooms, but there have been a good many primes
as well. Therefore, it should be no big surprise that the ducklings have been somewhat
sidelined in favor of newer, more modern designs. In particular, the introduction of
ultrasonic focusing has made the AFD auto-focus these lenses use look decidedly down-market --
even if in practice it's just about as fast and exactly as precise.
"Antiquarian." Canon EF 35/2.0 on the EOS-10D.
The 15/2.8 diagonal fisheye is still the only lens of its type in the Canon line-up.
It enjoyed a period of increased popularity before the advent of APS-C-specific wide-angle
zooms, as it was one of the few ways to get true wide-angle on them. Since the introduction of
the likes of the Canon 10-22/3.5-4.5 and similar lenses from Tokina, Sigma, Tamron, and
others, it's lost a lot of its appeal for this niche. It's not easy to frame and align a
fisheye image to look good after "de-fishing," since it's hard to tell where the horizontals
and verticals are. With full-frame, it has regained its spot as a special-purpose lens.
However, in this role it has been upstaged by Sigma: their EX 15/2.8 dia-fisheye is very
highly regarded, it comes with HSM (the Sigma variety of USM) focusing, and is a quite a bit
cheaper to boot. There aren't really very many good reasons to pick the Canon over the Sigma
-- other than the usual excuses trotted out by those in the "use Canon on Canon" camp.
The 24/2.8 has been badly hit on two fronts: the very impressive, two-stops brighter
24/1.4L, and the variety of 24-something standard zooms, many of which are very nice indeed at
24 mm. For example, the 24-85/3.5-4.5 USM isn't much bigger, pricier, or darker, and is
optically a very solid performer. In other words, if you're like most people and mostly shoot
with a standard zoom, the 24/2.8 will only be a bit sharper and not at all or only very
slightly brighter. This means that the only people likely to spring for it are prime-o-philes:
people like me, who simply enjoy shooting with primes. For our small and possibly shrinking
niche, though, there's nothing else quite like it in the Canon line-up -- nor from third-party
manufacturers. On APS-C bodies, the 24/2.8 is a close approximation of a 35 mm lens: if you
can live with the relatively slow maximum aperture, its compact size and excellent optics make
it a very useful street and situational lens for that purpose.
The 28/2.8 has made something of a come-back with the advent of crop-factor dSLR's:
other than being f/2.8 rather than f/1.8, it rather nicely recreates the characteristics of
the 50/1.8 Mk 1 on full-frame. However, in this role it's less popular than the 35/2.0,
because the latter is a stop brighter and still well within the "normal" range. I don't have
it myself, since my wide-angle needs are more than adequately covered by the 24 and 35, but
going by what I've seen it should be a very worthy lens for this niche. Other than that it's
suffered the same fate as the 24 -- eclipsed by standard zooms on the one hand, and its
brighter siblings on the other.
The 35/2.0 is probably the most enduringly successful lens in the series. It's a stop
brighter than the standard zooms, optically excellent, light, compact, and much cheaper, more
portable, and less intimidating than its f/1.4L sibling. It's a popular choice for "normal
lens" for the APS-C crop cameras, although the excellent Sigma 30/1.4 has ousted it from its
spot of being the default choice for this mission. In my view a bit unfairly neglected among
full-frame shooters who, with their bigger budgets, tend to gravitate towards the red stripe.
Alone in the series, it still has its own, clear niches in both systems.
The 50/1.8 Mk 1 has been discontinued, and is highly sought after. Its successor is
probably the most popular EF prime, and should the Mark 1 still be in production, it's likely
that it would be too. I suspect that Canon downgraded its build to make more room for the
pricier 50/1.4 USM -- at least I used to have both, and ended up selling the brighter, bigger
sibling. On APS-C, it makes for a pretty nice portrait-length lens, although the bokeh leaves
something to be desired in this mission.
The 50/2.5 Compact Macro is definitely a bit of an odd one out in the EF line-up. It's
a macro lens that doesn't do "real" 1:1 macro. With the optional life-size converter, its
price is getting close to that of the 100/2.8 USM Macro, and goes past the price of some
excellent third-party 1:1 macro lenses, like the new Tokina 100/2.8 and Tamron 90/2.8. It's
optically very nice indeed, especially in the mission for which it was designed, but the
focusing speed is a bit slow for regular shooting, and the background blur is on the harsh
side. You have to have pretty specific needs indeed to spring for this lens instead of, say,
the Sigma 50/2.8 Macro (which does go to 1:1) or one of the 100-ish macros, Canon or
third-party. This is the lens that actually gains from being put on an APS-C body: its 1:2
magnification becomes the equivalent of 1:1.25, which is much more useful for macro
photography. As such, it provides an optically impeccable, compact, and low-cost alternative
for macro work on APS-C cameras.
The 135/2.8 Soft Focus has suffered a triple whammy on the prime front: the reasonably
priced, well-built, brighter, and full-featured 85/1.8 USM and 100/2.0 USM at slightly shorter
focal lengths, and the nec-plus-ultra 135/2.0L at double the weight and triple the price.
What's worse, the reasonably affordable and portable (for L zooms) 70-200/4.0L and IS L give
it a run for its money optically, aperture for aperture, and have the additional benefits of
zoom, professional-grade build, USM, and circular iris. The only rational reasons to choose it
over the competition are an interest in soft-focus photography -- or a really tight budget: it
does offer top-drawer optical value at a price that's unbeatable at its focal length, if you
can live with "only" f/2.8 brightness. On APS-C it becomes the rough functional equivalent of
a 200/2.8. However, it is not a very popular lens on that format either, I suspect largely
because tele shooters want ring USM on their lenses -- and, of course, the wide variety of
telezooms available at all price points.
Despite being upstaged by their newer siblings, the Ugly Duckling primes are worth a close
look for some specific needs. If weight and cost are a concern, this series is still the king
in optical value per gram and per euro -- the trade-offs are in features. They're also the
last connection the EF lens system has to the glory days when primes ruled the roost, lenses
were made of crown and flint glass with carefully arranged spherical elements, ridiculously
bright lenses were for snobs only, and zooms were for amateurs. In a way, they represent the
last and best of an era in photographic lens design. Perhaps that has a certain charm in its
own right.
"Bloodrose." EOS-5D with 50/1.8 Mk 1.


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Name: Marcel VAN BASTEN
Born: October 31st 1964, Utrecht, Netherlands
Height: 1,88 m 6ft 2in
Position: Striker
Top Skills:
Quickness to react and intelligence to read and to decide the best options; powerful and accuracy shooting and heading; brilliant technique according to his size
Best Achievements:
1988 – 1st place – European Championship (Netherlands)
1989 and 1990 – European Champions Cup (AC Milan)
1987 – Uefa Cup Winners Cup (Ajax)
1988-1992-1993 – Italia League Winner (AC Milan)
1982-1983-1985 – Holland League Winner (Ajax);
1989-1990 – Intercontinental Cup (AC Milan)
Marco Van Basten was one of the world top strikers for almost a decade. He only played for two teams along his career, Ajax and AC Milan but scored a lot of decisive and beautiful goals for both these clubs.
He started very young to play with Ajax, and before he turned 20 he was already indisputable in the starting eleven. He did four amazing seasons there, helping the club to win three leagues and a UEFA Winners Cup in 1987, with the decisive goal scored by him against Leipzig in the final.
Then the big transfer to AC Milan, where he would win more three leagues and mainly, two European Cups and two Intercontinental Cups. He was part of one of the best football teams ever, with his fellow country mates, Gullit and Rijkaard and other Italian class players. That AC Milan team conquered the world and played a demolition football smashing teams like Real Madrid or Steaua Bucharest. Marco was a nuclear player to this team, scoring most of the team goals, including of course decisive ones.
With his National team he achieved the Europe crown in 1988, starting the tournament on the bench but ending it as the top scorer, including a fantastic goal in the final against USSR. Maybe his career frustration is never playing decently at a World Cup, with only one presence, but below his level, in the 1990 WC. Apart from this failure, his trophy room is rich and he must feel happy with his career.
Sadly he had to retire very soon from football, playing his last competitive game before doing 30 years old. But his impact was immense and most of the football lovers that lived in the 80s and early 90s will say that Van Basten was the best striker they saw and his elegance of play is rarely seen in such a tall player.
Personal Memories:
I remember seeing the 1987 Uefa Cup Winners final where he scored a good headed goal to win the cup, but only in 1988 I started to know him better. It was on a June afternoon, during the European Championships when Netherlands played against England, and he scored a hat trick on that game. Really impressive the way he scored the goals with his majestic style, very clever and clinical. Later on the tournament he would score a decisive goal against West Germany, but the best memory ever from him is the goal he scored in the final against the USSR, which is a monument to football, everybody agrees.
After 1988, AC Milan emerged as the best team in the universe, it was great to see their run to the European Cup Title. They played amazing football and many goals, with Van Basten scoring a brace against the Steaua in the 1989 final. The Italian league was also very well known on that period and every week we could see his great goals. It was a pleasure to see as a spectator that wonderful harmony of the AC Milan team. A hat trick against Gothenburg is another game I remember, and one of the goals was a bicycle kick!
Marco had a decent Euro 1992 tournament but failed a decisive penalty kick in the semis against Denmark. I remember well the unfairness sense after that game as Netherlands played better. Plagued with injuries his last career years were sad with more time spent on the medical treatment department than in the field and he couldn´t even make the 1994 World Cup.
Career Stats
|Senior career*
|National team
|Netherlands U21


text: Hello, participants! In constant effort to prevent trojans to send spam following question came to my mind. Is there any way to replace port number for all outgoing packets? Long version: I want to block outgoing port 25 completely for network behind NAT router and allow port 8025 for example. But it means that router will have to replace outgoing port 8025 with port 25. After intensive googling it looks like my idea is... well... not popular. So, I just wonder if this is possible at all? Something like this: rdr any to any port 8025 -> any port 25 PS Yes, I know that I can redirect port to open-relay on known static IP. Thanks!


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Honeymoon and Destination Wedding Packages in Europe
There's something both intriguing and romantic about the idea of a European wedding. There's a sense of history and romance about being married in a medieval castle on the wind-swept moors,
or tying the knot in a 600-year-old abbey where Roman soldiers once drank ale, or declaring your love on top of one of the highest peaks in all the world that can never be matched by a wedding anywhere else. Weddings should be about fulfilling dreams and fantasies, and where better than in Europe to fulfill your wedding wishes?
Perhaps you dream of a wedding in France…of standing in the shadow of the Eiffel tower and proclaiming your love for all the world to hear. Or perhaps your dream is to be married in a French Chalet, high atop a windswept mountain – or maybe your fantasy has always been to be married in the French Riviera among jetsetters from around the world.
No matter what your fantasy, what your dream may be, your dreams can become reality and your reality can become a lifelong memory with a European wedding.
Perhaps you dream of being married in Italy, the land of amori. Whether your dream is to be married in a medieval church filled with frescoes and tapestries that were made before the discovery of America, or to wed within sight of the Vatican, getting married in Italy offers you so many choices that you can find nowhere else. If you dream of amori, then you must be married in Italy, in the land of love and romance.
Or maybe you dream of the romance and the excitement of Spain…the running of the bulls, snorkeling in the crystal clear Mediterranean, or skiing down the Sierra Nevadas. What about the mystery and the romance of ancient cathedrals and castles, some of which date back to the time of the ancient Phoenicians? To be married in Spain is to infuse your wedding with excitement and romance, and to create memories that will grab hold of you and never let go.
Contact your local Romance Travel Specialist today to secure the perfect location for you and your guests. In Europe, the possibilities are endless so dream big!
France beams with romance and invites couples from around the world. France is perfect location for any romantic occasion.
Great Britain
If you are after an exciting weekend break, then look no further… Englands cities are buzzing every day of the week and at every hour!
If you want to relax and unwind or socialize and make new friends, this is the country for you.


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A recent LawTrades user asked: Why Are Lawyers So Expensive Even with the Excess Supply of Them?
The simple answer is bundling. This means that the attorney you engage will be involved in all aspects of the work – including reviewing documents, preparing exhibits, making phone calls, writing letters, researching and much more.
What bundling means
Lawyers usually charge hourly rates. When you engage an attorney to help you – whether it's for a litigation or transactional matter – a lawyer will spend time reviewing documents prior to developing a response. Even if a young associate is charged with that part of the job, the document review alone can easily run into thousands of dollars at $300 / hour – or more. And even at lower hourly rates, the associate isn't going to have the expertise of a seasoned attorney. This means clients often end up paying less experienced lawyers to cut their teeth on your file with the resulting inefficiency costing you even more.
Stratospheric Hourly Rates
When you hire an attorney, you want a seasoned veteran who can resolve your legal issues quickly and effectively. More experienced lawyers will charge higher premiums and this also drives the hourly rate for younger partners and associates.
Unreasonable Overhead
One of the main culprits contributing to dizzying hourly rates is overhead. Top notch law firms seek to locate in some of the choicest locations where rent is often the highest. When you add furnishings, art collections and a host of other amenities, those hourly rates can climb fast.
Some of the answers posted here have suggested that the problem is a void of smaller law firms, specifically boutiques. However the empirical data shows that there's an ample supply of mid-ranged firms that isn't doing much to solve the problem.
This is likely due to the staggering costs associated with starting a solo or small practice combined with the fact that most lawyers who fly solo or opt to establish leaner offices are at the senior associate or junior partner level. This means that their hourly rates aren't going to change much – and they'll still have huge overhead.
Legal services – particularly for small startup companies – are generally inaccessible to the average person or small business because of cost prohibitive fees.
These are some of the central reasons why we started LawTrades: to make lawyers more affordable. By leveraging technology, we're able to make vital legal services accessible to people and small companies with limited financial resources.
Our tech-enabled attorneys offer outstanding legal services at a fraction of the cost of high-end law firms. Since our unique structure has removed many of the barriers that traditional brick-and-mortar firms will always have to face, we're able to provide our clients with the highest level of legal expertise competitive with large firms, but without the exorbitant fees.
The age of all-things-digital has blown down a lot of walls in a variety of markets. The legal market is not immune. New doors are opening offering clients the ability to unbundle legal services so they can order what they need a la carte, and not be compelled to pay for things they don't need or want – including document review and phone calls among many other tasks.
The ability to limit the scope of an attorney's services is having a huge impact on the legal marketplace. More lawyers are experimenting with flat and blended rates, and some are even willing to agree to limit the scope of their employment so that clients don't have to pay for many of the activities that lawyers usually assume they'll perform.
While things are changing, the truth is that they are changing slowly. Some services offer consumers DIY (do-it-yourself) forms. The challenge here is that they don't provide guidance, which can result in even larger problems for users. These forms are typically standardized and fail to take into account circumstances that are unique to the individual or business. They also can't ask the necessary questions or offer qualified guidance with respect to tax planning, financial consequences or other issues specific to both the individual or business and their location.
Premium Results at Affordable Rates
Innovation in the legal marketplace is no doubt occurring, but not fast enough to help the person or business that needs immediate legal assistance at a price they can afford.


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Port Optimizer
Improve supply chain performance with increased visibility and predictability of shipments.
Featured SolutionFeatured Solution
Port Optimizer Product Overview
Port Optimizer is a cloud-based software solution that enhances supply chain performance and predictability by delivering real time data-driven ins...
GE Transportation Port Optimizer Technology Pilot…November 05, 2018
GE Transportation and Port of Long Beach technology pilot results include advanced visibility of incoming cargo, with 14+ days faster access to information Port Optimizer pilot participants advocate expanded usage of the platform across the greater San Pedro Bay port complex New features help lead to improved turn times while increasing throughput as well as more productive turns; leading to increased supply chain performance CHICAGO, NOVEMBER…
Minds + Machines: Port of Los Angeles'…February 09, 2018
Find out how the Port of Los Angeles is partnering with GE Transportation to align its people, processes, and technology through digital.
Port Optimizer
Port Optimizer for Trucking Companies & Railroads
Increase asset utilization and service excellence.Learn more
Port Optimizer for Ports
Drive competitive advantage and enable world class serviceLearn more
Port Optimizer for Ocean Carriers
Increase asset utilization and operational efficiency.Learn more
Port Optimizer for Cargo Owners
Drive a differentiated competitive advantage.Learn more
Port Optimizer for Marine Terminal Operators
Maximize efficiency and service excellence.Learn more
Port Optimizer
Port Optimizer for Ports
Port Optimizer addresses key port challenges, including: Lack of advance visibility to cargo in transit, disparate data, manual processes, and driving collaboration among many stakeholders. Features include:
- Data Connectivity & Visibility: Digitizes disparate supply chain data into a single source of truth. Dynamically updated; secure, channeled access.
- Collaboration Tool: Delivers fast, data-driven insights through a single portal to partners across the supply chain: Importers/BCOs, Terminal Operators, Ocean Carriers, Railroads, Trucking Operators, Chassis Providers, and Freight Forwarders/NVOCCs.
- Features to Drive Competitive Advantage: Vessel Forecast, Truck Pickup Outlook, Container Tracking, and Operational Status.
Port Optimizer Product OverviewFebruary 09, 2018
Port Optimizer is a cloud-based software solution that enhances supply chain performance and predictability by delivering real time data-driven insights.
About the Port of LA and the Pilot
GE Port Optimizer and the Port of Los AngelesMarch 08, 2018
Port Optimizer™ is cloud-based software that enhances supply chain performance and predictability by delivering real time data-driven insights through a single portal to stakeholders across the supply chain. enabling maximum port cargo flow and delivery performance.
Port of Los Angeles and GE Transportation honored for innovative digital shipping solutionSeptember 18, 2017
The Port of LA has won two technology awards for its Port Project in partnership with GE Transportation.
About the Port of LAApril 20, 2017
The Port of Los Angeles, Americas Port® and the premier gateway for international commerce, features 27 passenger and cargo terminals that handle more than $270 billion worth of cargo annually.
Port Information PortalNovember 17, 2016
The Port of Los Angeles and GE Transportation are partnering on a pilot to demonstrate the benefits of digitizing maritime shipping data.
Digitizing Shipping LogisticsMay 16, 2017
Adam Savage and Alie Ward head to the Port of LA to take a look at the GE Digital pilot which uses Predix and big data to streamline port processes.


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$59.9523% off
- Tropical-style Christmas tree
- Handcrafted in the Philippines from dried, preserved mango leaves
- Decorated with pine cones and painted wooden beads
- Stays a beautiful vibrant green year round
- For indoor display only
11¼" dia. x 14¼"H
Our Mango Leaf Christmas Tree puts a tropical spin on the traditional evergreens that we're all so familiar with. Handcrafted by Philippine artisans, this unique tabletop tree is formed from dried and preserved Mango leaves. Decorated with real pine cones and painted wooden beads, your guests will do a double-take before they realize this mango leaf tree is far from your typical Christmas decoration.
As the national fruit of the Philippines (along with India and Pakistan) the mango is highly revered within the culture. Besides the delicious fruit, the leaves and flowers of the tree are used in various celebrations and, once the tree's fruit production reaches an end, the wood of the trees is used in various crafts. We think this clever use of tropical leaves to create a festive tabletop mango leaf Christmas tree might be the sweetest use since the mango fruit itself.
11¼"dia. x 14¼"HRead More


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Mitre Peak at Milford Sound
One of the wettest places in the world, and certainly the wettest place in inhabited New Zealand is the beautiful Milford Sound. Mitre Peak rises 1692 meters at the center of this shot and is seen reflected in the freshwater basin easily accessible from a public parking lot.
boatscloudsfiordfiordlandgreenhillslandscapemilford soundmitre peakmountainsnaturenew zealandoutdoorreflectionrocksskysnowsunsettreeswaterwinterapac
From New Zealand


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Tackling gender inequality in sport – show me the money
With the 2018 Forbes List of the World's Highest Paid Athletes published on 5 June 2018, Will Anderson comments on some of its most shocking findings.
Every year Forbes publishes its list of the highest paid athletes in the world. The overall pay of these athletes is comprised of their salary/winnings together with their endorsements over the year. This year's list, published at the beginning of June, throws up some interesting statistics and one unignorable shocker.
The first surprise comes at the top of the list and involves one of the most controversial personalities in sport, as well as one of the most controversial matches to take place in world sport last year. It is none other than unbeaten boxing legend, Floyd 'Money' Mayweather who tops the list with an astonishing $285 million earned. What is amazing is that he achieved these earnings with just one professional fight in 2017, having come out of retirement for the bout with MMA and UFC star, Conor McGregor.
Mayweather's position at the top of the list dwarfs the competition as at $285 Million he earned more than second place Lionel Messi ($111 million) and third place Cristiano Ronaldo ($108 million) combined. Of course, Mayweather couldn't have done it without his opponent on the night, McGregor. The UFC star sits at fourth in the list with total earnings of $99 million. Mayweather is unquestionably one of boxing's greatest fighters and its greatest ever self-publicist. He was a huge driving force behind these astronomic numbers. However, with this cross codes fight the world of boxing is now well aware that the rise of MMA and UFC and the popularity of individuals such as McGregor is a threat to its dominance in the global sports market. It will be interesting to watch how the Forbes list develops in years to come as UFC takes a greater hold on world audiences.
The second fact that stands out from Forbes' list is that over 70% of entrants are from the US heavyweight sports of American football, baseball and basketball, with Cleveland Cavaliers small forward, LeBron James, leading the way at eighth in the list with earnings of $85.5 million. This is a staggering proportion of the list to be taken up by just three sports which have traditionally had limited reach outside the USA. However, with recent NFL games in London and more to come, as well as talks for baseball at London's Olympic stadium and basketball at the O2 Arena, it is clear that the commercial powerhouses of US sport are making their move on the rest of the world.
However, these statistics are mild compared to the fact that, amongst the $3.8 billion shared by the top 100 athletes, there is not one single woman in the list.
Serena Williams, the sole woman in last year's list, is absent from the 2018 roster. The very fact that in a year where Williams took time off to have a baby, she drops off the list and no other woman is in the top 100 is clearly a serious issue. Williams has global appeal and is undoubtedly tennis' greatest female star. Leading the way in American tennis and with an astonishing 23 singles grand slams to her name one would expect she should be at the top table of highest earners in sport. That she is there is thanks in no small part to Billie Jean King and those who formed the WTA in 1973. Tennis leads the way with equal prize money at Grand Slams and a women's tour which is globally supported by sponsors and broadcasters.
It certainly was not an easy road for tennis to get where it is now but it shouldn't be an uphill struggle for women's sports. Sponsors and broadcasters must realise that women in sport need better remuneration both in terms of prize money on offer or salaries as well as endorsements. The prize fund at 2018's golf US Open in the men's tournament will be over $12 million. The women's tournament prize fund is less than half at $5 million. The disparities are closing but is it quick enough?
Things are hopefully changing. Manchester United have announced that they will relaunch the women's team that they scrapped in 2005. The English Women's FA Cup final attracted a record crowd of 45,423 at Wembley this year. Compare that to the attendance in 2013 of 4,988 and the rise of women's football is evident. The English Women's cricket team is full time professional and making fantastic strides in the game but without the endorsement deals and salaries seen by their male counterparts.
If women's sport is to continue to grow and to encourage others to become top sports stars, it is vital that sponsors, broadcasters and tournament organisers recognise the value in these stars and that gender inequality is something they can help tackle. It shouldn't take the Forbes list, containing this gaping omission, for things to change but let's hope this is a catalyst to speed up the process and that in the future the top 100 will have an equal representation of women and men.


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Planet's ICA-3260 Full HD 60fps Bullet IP Camera with IR Illuminator is a high-resolution camera for the round-the-clock surveillance over IP networks. It supports H.264 and JPEG compression formats and delivers excellent picture quality in Full HD resolutions at 60 frames per second (fps). Incorporating the new Exmor RS™ CMOS image sensor, which is specially designed for surveillance applications, the ICA-3260 provides high-quality images under all lighting conditions. The IP66-rated housing protects the camera body against rain and dust, and ensures operation under extreme weather conditions, which makes it an ideal solution for outdoor applications, e.g. surveillance of buildings, roads, parking areas, garages, railway stations and airports.
Refer to above PDF Data sheet


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Woman arrested for shooting into home occupied by four people, including 2 children
A 28-year-old woman was arrested for shooting into the home of a man with whom she previously had a relationship with, authorities said.
Deputies from the Alamance County Sheriff's Office's Special Victims Unit were called at 4:15 p.m. Friday to a report of a residential break-in and shooting in the 300 Longdale Drive.
Investigators said Kristina Holmes, 28, of Efland, who was previously involved in a relationship with a man who was at the home, broke a window and damaged the front door before entering the garage, deputies said.
Holmes then tried to get into the home through the side door in the garage.
The victim braced the door and a shot was fired into the home, penetrating several walls.
Four people were at home during the incident, including two children.
No injuries were reported.
Holmes was arrested by the Alamance County Sheriff's Office in Burlington and was served with warrants for discharging a weapon into an occupied dwelling and first-degree burglary. Her bail was set at $75,000.
Holmes is also charged with domestic-related assault with a deadly weapon, resulting in a domestic violence 48-hour hold without bail.
DOWNLOAD: Keep up with local news, weather and current events with the WXII app here.


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During the summer of 2014, my ten-and-a-half year relationship ended and I moved back home with my parents. This wasn't as terrible as it may seem... other than the fact I lost my internet connection and, therefore, could not maintain the website. I went to coffee shops and updated things as best I could, but the website went to the wayside. In May of 2016, I decided to take the website down completely. I could no longer afford to operate the website, nor did I have the time to keep it properly updated. My Facebook page, Facebook group, and Twitter accounts for the website are still active. Today, my Facebook page has almost 26,000 likes, my Facebook group has just over 53,000 members, and my Twitter account has just over 41,000 followers.
|Current Website Banner
Using her expertise, and another moderator's amazing drawing abilities, we are planning a crowdsourcing campaign of our own to bring back the website. It will be a smaller campaign, but would allow the site to be brought back for a minimum of two years which would be amazing. Once I'm a stay-at-home mom, I will have more time to work on this passion project. I know, being a stay-at-home parent is hard and there will be a lot of days when I'm super busy, but I will have more time than I had before to maintain the website. On top of that, I have an awesome group of ladies who will be able to help me out and keep things going when I'm unable to do much.
The previous website had a lot of things I'm hoping to bring back. Those are things like:
- A fundraiser to support the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) - maybe other charities too.
- A live chat room which will be accessible during the first airings of the new episodes
- A forum where fans can discuss various different topics
- Contests, competitions, and fun activities
- Original articles written by people "hired" to do so
The main reason I wanted to launch the website to begin with was to create a place of community for the fans of the television show. I really hope our crowdsourcing campaign is effective and we're able to bring in, at least, the minimum of what we need in order to bring the website back to fruition.
I am sure I will write more about this as the process continues. Do you have a passion project?


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Boys Sporty Style Shoes
Go to www.robeez.com for more style and selections.
Oooh, love the sporty ones . . .must be finding them for my baby boy!!!ReplyDelete
Those sporty ones are so cute!ReplyDelete
OH I love Robeez!! My daughter has 2 of her own pairs & then about 4 pairs that we borrowed from a friend! I really love the little booties for winter!
very cute. we have a few pairs but he grows out of them so quickly!ReplyDelete


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You have questions, Galliher & Huguely has the answer.
Searched frequently asked questions to G&H here…
Do I have to pay for my materials to be delivered?
Delivery from Galliher & Huguely is free once a customer spends a minimum of $500 on materials. Otherwise, there will be a $50 delivery charge. If you have a house account with Galliher & Huguely you can get your delivery for free. All deliveries of masonry sand and gravel will have a $50 delivery charge added. To find out more visit our delivery policy page.
Will your driver bring my material into my house or building?
Unfortunately, due to safety regulations, Galliher & Huguely is a curbside only delivery company, and therefore, we are unable to bring materials into any building.
Does your sales staff take measurements?
We do provide on-site measurements for our customers. Please call either our main location in NW Washington, DC at 202-723-1000 to talk to one of our sales personnel, or for a member of our design sales team, please call our Designer Showroom at 240-396-6137.
Does Galliher & Huguely offer any discounts or specials?
Along with our competitive pricing, Galliher & Huguely may offer additional discounts based on quantity purchases. In addition, we do offer timely specials. To find out our current specials you can follow us on our Facebook page, or on Twitter at @ghlumber.
Can I pick out my own lumber?
Galliher & Huguely routinely rotates and inspects their materials for defective lumber and boards. So you can count on our products being of the best quality. We do not allow customers in our warehouses as well. In the unlikely event that a bad piece of material is part of your order, we can swap that out for you.
Do you deliver on Saturday's?
We are open on Saturday's at our main location for a limited period of time as a convenience to our customers who can't make it to our store during regular business hours. As a result of being open for a limited time on Saturday's, we do not offer Saturday delivery.


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A native of Nassau County New York, Commander Trepeta was commissioned through the NROTC Scholarship Program at the State University of New York Maritime College in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Transportation. He earned Master of Science degree in Education from Old Dominion University in 1999, and in addition holds a current USCG Merchant Marine License as Third Mate, Unlimited Tonnage, Oceans.
Commander Trepeta's initial sea assignment was aboard USS PHILIPPINE SEA (CG-58) as Gunnery Officer and Electrical Officer where he earned qualification in Surface Warfare. He next served aboard the staff of Commander, Destroyer Squadron Twenty Eight as Schedules and Surface Operations Officer. Following completion of Department Head School in 2000 he was assigned to USS NICHOLSON (DD-982) as Combat Systems Officer where he qualified as a Tactical Action Officer (TAO) and Engineering Officer of the Watch. He next served as Operations Officer aboard USS MOUNT WHITNEY (LCC/JCC-20) and during this tour the ship completed a noteworthy ten-month CENTCOM deployment as the Afloat Headquarters for Commander, Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa. Commander Trepeta then served as Assistant Combat Direction Center Officer aboard USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN-73), again qualifying as TAO. He has completed five operational deployments, including a UNITAS deployment circumnavigating South America and participation in Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom.
In 2006 Commander Trepeta completed an Individual Augmentation assignment to CENTCOM Headquarters, serving in the J3 Plans Directorate.
Ashore he has served as Assistant Officer in Charge, Operations Specialist "A" School, and as ASW Department Head and lead instructor at the Center for Surface Combat Systems (CSCS) Learning Site, Norfolk. While at CSCS, Commander Trepeta was among the first group of Officers selected for the Surface Warfare Specialty Career Path (ASW Specialty) in 2005. He next served as Undersea Warfare Director at Surface Warfare Development Group (SWDG) followed by assignments as Assistant Chief of Staff at the Atlantic Theater Anti-Submarine Warfare Commander, CTF 84 (TASWC) and Executive Officer of NOPF Dam Neck. He assumed Command of NOPF Dam Neck in May 2015.
His personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal (2), Navy Commendation Medal (4), Joint Achievement Medal, Navy Achievement Medal (4) and various other personal achievement, service awards and ribbons.
CDR Robert Trepeta, Commanding Officer
LCDR Sean Flanagan, Executive Officer
STGCM Lebron, Senior Enlisted Leader