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A blind date
Since 1999, two of Nigerian presidents have tried to interpret restructuring in their own way. The latest been the unelected gathering of Nigerian leaders that deliberated on Constitutional reforms during the tenure of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. His successor, President Muhammadu Buhari, has assured us that the report of that conference is in deep freeze.
It is becoming clear that those who want restructuring will have to fight for it. They need to define it and struggle to market it through the political process. The opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, subjected to the inclement weather outside the corridors of power, is already suggesting that if only Nigerians can embrace the Jonathan Confab Report, then our problems would be solved. I don't share the party's optimism especially because it did little in that regard during its 16 years of power.
The attitude of the present government to restructuring of the polity is really an irony. For one, "the Progressive Camp" which the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, is said to be an off-shoot, has always been the camp more vociferous in the call for restructuring over the years.For many years, the APC and its numerous mutations, was in opposition since 1999 until the presidential election of last year. The emergence of Buhari, its flag bearer, as our country leader, has presented it with an opportunity to look more keenly on the call for political reforms.
Those who are cautious about the call for restructuring have their points. Indeed they have genuine reasons to fear especially when you consider the occasional combustive temper of our great country. When Nigeria became independent from British colonial rule in 1960, it was felt that the three regions were sources of centrifugal pull that may sound the death-knell for the federation. An example was often made of the East African Federation which soon developed into three countries of Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya. Why would Nigeria not suffer the same fate?
But Nigeria did not follow that path, thanks to leadership, goodluck and a combination of events. Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the leader of the opposition during the First Republic had advocated for the creation of states from the old three regions. He wanted the South to have four states (or regions as they were called then) and the North to have four too. The other two leaders, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, who emerged the first Premier of the defunct Eastern Region (Eyo Ita was leader of Government Business) and later titular Governor-General and President and Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, the Premier of the North, would not agree to Awolowo's suggestion. When the opposition Action Group, AG, broke into two following the disagreement between Awolowo and his deputy, Chief Ladoke Akintola, the Federal Government used the opportunity to break the West into two regions with the creation of the Mid-West.
But the crisis was to show how unstable our Federation was. By 1966, the fate of the Republic was at stake. By the end of that year, Nigeria had had three rulers and two of them were dead. With the assassination of Prime-Minister Abubakar Tafawa-Balewa in 1966 and his successor, Major-General J.T.U. Aguiyi-Ironsi, Colonel Yakubu Gowon, Ironsi's successor, was faced with the possibility of being the last ruler of a united Nigeria.
A Civil War and many political crisis and upheavals later, many Nigerians are still not convinced that the country has passed all the test of survival. It may not be in the intensive-care unit, but it is apparently not in robust health. In 1998, Chief Anthony Enahoro, the leader of the opposition National Democratic Coalition, NADECO, which had fought the military government relentlessly, wanted a Constitutional Conference to determine the future political arrangement of Nigeria.
But most members of the Nigerian political class would not agree. Many of them had participated in the activities of the so-called five parties, which Chief Bola Ige described as "the five fingers of a leprous hand," which endorsed the dictator, General Sani Abacha to run for the Presidency. They jumped at the opportunity provided by the military to occupy political offices again. They are still jumping.
For the leaders of the Yoruba of the West, political reform means the re-assertion of the core essence of the old Western Region. The Alajobi Committee declared in the Year 2000: "The Yoruba people have the right to live under one government within the Nigerian Federation if possible; outside Nigeria if necessary." The Committee members were not unmindful of history when the West made tremendous progress as one entity. No other institution exemplified this more than the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, which was conceived and built by the West. None of the succeeding states has succeeded in meeting that standard or surpassing it.
The Alajobi Committee therefore wanted a return to regional arrangement that would allow for the pulling of resources for the social and infrastructural development of the old West including the construction of new railway system and major highways. Now the old West is part of the Central Government and the political elite have embraced the ideology of silence. When successor generation of the political leadership joined the coalition that eventually produced the APC, it was expected that an agreement for constitutional reforms would be part of the bargain especially because of them claimed to belong to Awo's School of Political Thoughts.
Now no one is sure anymore whether there was any bargain, or if there was, whether constitutional reform was part of it. A pre-nuptial agreement is not new in Nigerian politics. In 1979, President Shehu Shagari invited the opposition Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN, to join a "Government of National Unity." The UPN gave conditions for coming into government. The ruling NPN would not agree and the proposed romance ran asunder. The NPN quickly found another bride, the Nigerian Peoples Party, NPP, under the leadership of the legendary Azikiwe.
By 1983, the UPN too was looking out for a new bride. It finally settled for the Committee of Concerned Citizens under the leadership of Dr. Datti Ibrahim Ahmed, an influential Kano physician who was believed to be the leader of the shadowy Kaduna Mafia. The negotiation from the Awolowo side was led by that redoubtable journalist, Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande, the first elected governor of Lagos State. The concern of the Committee was the full involvement of the old North in the future government that may be headed by Awolowo. The Committee may have been inspired by the late Major-General Shehu Musa Yar'Adua, who was the number two man in the military regime of General Olusegun Obasanjo which handed over power to Shagari in 1979. Yar'Adua's father was Minister of Lagos Affairs in the cabinet of Prime-Minister Balewa during the First Republic.
Addressing journalists in Kano on August 3, 1983, Dr. Ahmed said among other things that Awolowo had agreed to cooperate with the Committee if he gets to power with its help. In an Awolowo Presidency, it was agreed that "Awo shall appoint people from the North into key positions and ministries so that the participation of the Northern part of the country would be seen in the North as obvious and important."
It was that agreement that produced Awolowo's running mate during the 1983 general election, Alhaji Muhammadu Kura from Bauchi State who was a parliamentarian during the First Republic. This time around, if there was any such agreement between the Yoruba political elite of the old Action Congress, AC and the leadership of the old Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, that produced the APC, it remains a secret document.
Therefore, until such an agreement is revealed, it would be futile to speculate whether political reform was one of the provisions of the accord. This is more so because the leadership of the old AC was crucial to the publication of The Yoruba Agenda, an agreed document on future constitutional arrangement of Nigeria. If the leaders had no such agreement, then they have led their people into a blind date.
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Restoration in the Colorado Desert: Management Notes
Prepared for the California Department of Transportation District 11m 2829 Juan Street San Diego, CA 92138 July 1994
Matthew W. Fidelibus and David A. Bainbridge
The desert regions of southern California experience low andsporadic annual rainfall. Low annual rainfall and unfavorabledistribution of rainfall throughout the year limit soil moisturein this and other arid and semi arid zones (Boers, 1986) andplant production is often limited by water availability (Shanan,1979). To establish and maintain plants, techniques for improvingcapture and utilization of local water supplies must be developed(Shanan, 1979). Although irrigation can overcome water shortagesif surface or ground water is available, a drainage system may beneeded to maintain a favorable salt balance (Boers, 1986). Acomplete irrigation and drainage system is not always practicalor desirable if the immediate region lacks water, or if plantsare being established in a low or no maintenance area. Anirrigation system may also be undesirable from an environmentalpoint of view when preserving or establishing native plant stands(Ehrler, 1978). Water harvesting, a method of exploitingavailable precipitation, is practiced in many arid and semi- aridregions for both economic and environmental reasons.Microcatchments could be much more widely used in California toreestablish native vegetation.
Ancient desert civilizations rarely had the skills orresources to transport water over long distances, but they diddevelop very effective systems for utilizing water (Shanan,1979). Middle eastern civilizations, for example, used flashfloods to irrigate the flood plains of streams, and in somecases, check dams and flood bypass structures were constructed tocontrol water flow. These were the first runoff farms. Similartechniques were used in America, North Africa, Mexico, and SouthArabia. It is unclear why the extensive systems in the mid Eastwere abandoned, but it appears likely that it was for political,rather than environmental reasons.
Michael Evenari, Leslie Shanan, and Naphtali Tadmore havestudied the uniquely adapted farming methods employed severalthousand years ago on the Negev Desert of Israel for many years.During the reign of King Solomon and his successors between thetenth and sixth centuries B.C., the Nabtaens appeared as tradersin the Negev (Hall, 1979) The Nabateans eventually developed thetechnology to collect and direct runoff form the hills to crops.During the Byzantine empire from 250 B.C. to A.D. 630m Nabtaeanagriculture reached its peak with improved water harvestingmethods that were practiced on a large scale (as much as 300,000ha). Crop production from these extensive systems is impressivein a desert with annual rainfall of 3-4 inches (80-100mm) peryear; similar to the normal annual rainfall recorded in theColorado desert. Israeli researchers were intrigued by theancient farms, and one of the farms, Wadi Mashash was restored inthe early 1960's in an attempt to "relearn" the ancienttechniques of water harvesting. The positive results of the WadiMashash restoration inspired Israel to invest in water harvestingresearch as a means of supporting many types of crops (Shanan,1979). Microcatchments have also been used to establishvegetation for parks and roadside rest areas. These studiesformed a solid foundation for modern microcatchment development.
Modern microcatchments systems harvest runoff water in alaminar flow , water depth less than 1/8 inch (1-2 mm), and flowvelocity less than 2.75 inches/sec (7 cm/sec) (Shanan, 1979). Thecatchment area can be left unaltered, altered (defoliated andcompacted) or treated with living soil crusts or water resistantcompounds to enhance runoff. The collected water us theneffectively "stored" below the soil surface where it isavailable for plants but protected from evaporation higherrelative water yield per unit surface area than the larger runofffarm catchments. The size of catchment can be tailored to providean optimal runoff volume for individual plants. Microcatchmentsenhance leading and often reduce soil salinity (Shanan, 1979).The use of microcatchments techniques in Arizona has continuedthe productive use of land retired from ground water irrigatedagriculture (Karpiscak, 1988)
Microcatchment systems provide many advantages overalternative irrigation schemes. They are simple and inexpensiveto construct and can be built rapidly using local materials andmanpower. The runoff water has a low salt content and because itdoes not have to be transported or pumped it is relativelyinexpensive. The hydrological data needed for an efficient designcan be collected through observations over two to five years evenin areas with limited rainfall. Finally, the systems are easy tooperate and maintain and relatively safe from failure.
Many types of domesticated crops have been successfullyestablished using microcatchments, but water harvesting has alsobeen used to supplement rainfall for water stressed nativevegetation. Ehrler (1978) compared the growth and seed productionof jojoba (Simmondrisia chinensis) plants that were given one ofthree treatments: T0)no water harvesting catchments; T1) cleared,smoothed and rolled 20 meter square catchments; and T2) like T1plus a water repellent coating. The plants receiving supplementalwater form micro catchments , especially the treated catchments,were larger in volume and produced flowers and seeds than theuntreated plants. figure 1. Even native plants that are welladapted to hot and dry conditions will usually benefit fromsupplemental water provided by microcatchments (as illustrated bythe increased height of creosote bush, Larrea divarivata,alongside desert highways).
Rainfall and Climate of the California Deserts
Although rainfall patterns vary in the California deserts,rainfall can generally be described as bimodal with a peakprecipitation occurring in January, and declining gradually to alow in June when there is essentially no rainfall. A second peakoccurs in many parts of the Colorado desert in August as a resultof tropical storms. In all areas, the potential evaporation farexceeds the average precipitation. In 1975, at the United StatesDate Gardens at Indio, for example, total precipitation amountedto only three inches (76mm), while free evaporation (from an openpan) was 112.96 inches (2869 mm), more than forty times the yearsof precipitation (Lenz, 1981).
Most of the Colorado desert (Coachella Valley and relatedarea) normally receives less than five inches (127 mm) of rainper year. This aridity is the result of several environmentalfactors: the stable Pacific high pressure cell which divertsstorms to the north; the cold California current whichprecipitates rain before it reaches land, and series of mountainsalong the western periphery of the Colorado desert which create arain shadow effect (Bainbridge & Virginia, 1986.) Stormsgenerated from tropical air masses moving north from the Gulf ofCalifornia can drop rain equal to the yearly average in a matterof minutes (Bainbridge & Virginia, 1986). Storms such asthese recharge soil moisture and are important in the spring andfall for establishing seedlings. In 1991, late spring rainsresulted in considerable creosote bush germination andestablishment at a site in Imperial county and at Red Rock CanyonState Park in the Mojave Desert.
The high temperature and limited annual rainfall ofCalifornia's deserts result in plant water stress. Astemperatures rise, the rate of evaporation increases and with itthe water demands of the vegetation (Nir, 1974). Peaktemperatures in the 100's F (38 C) occur from June throughSeptember when less than 1.5" (37.5mm) of precipitationnormally occurs.
Temperature and precipitation values can be combined tographically portray the aridity of a region. A graph ofprecipitation values in millimeters plotted against temperaturevalues in C with a scale of 1C :2 mm is a common climaticyardstick. When the curve of precipitation values is below thetemperature curve, then the amount of precipitation is smallerthan twice the temperature length and intensity of the dryseason. Graphs of temperature and precipitation values forseveral weather stations in the Colorado desert illustrate theyear round water deficit, figures 2, 3.
Wide temperature variation, daily and annual, ischaracteristic of both the Mojave and Colorado deserts ofsouthern California. In the summer months. the difference betweenmean high and low temperatures can be greater than 30F (17C), 100F to 70F (38-21 C) (NOAA).
Ambient air temperature and soil temperature have a pronouncedeffect on plants. The high air temperatures of the summer,increase the plants water demand for evapo-transpiration. InJanuary, mean low temperatures are between 35-40 F (1.5-4.5 C), with highs between 60-70 F (16-21 C ) a span of 25 F.
Freezing temperatures are not uncommon on clear winter nights,but hard freezes only occur about every decade. Several hours ofbelow 26 F temperatures can damage sensitive plants (Bainbridge& Virginia, 1986). In August 1989 a rainfall initiated growthof many palo verde seedlings in the Colorado desert. The majorcauses of death in the initial months were herbivore, frost,tramplings, and flood damage. Thus freezing can affect theseplants as significantly as high temperatures ( Bainbridge &Virginia, 1990).
Bare soil temperature in the sun may reach 57-64 F (14-18C) or greater above ambient air temperature under windlessconditions. When the wind is blowing, exposed soil temperaturesmay be only 4 C above ambient air temperature (Wallace &Romey, 1972). Optimum root growth for mesquite and many othersummer active desert plants occurs at soil temperatures in thehigh 80's F (27 C ), usually not achieved in until earlysummer.
Microcatchment design
There are four types of microcatchment systems:micro-watersheds, runoff strips, contour bench terraces, andcatchment basins (Shanan, 1979). Of these, runoff strips andcontour bench terraces are best suited for agriculture as theyrequire extensive mechanical re-shaping of the surroundingterrain and create regular patterns which are inconsistent with anatural appearance. In runoff strips, a series of"saw-teeth" ridges are built by moving soil laterallyand longitudinally with a grader to increase the natural slopeand form a contour strip to collect runoff on a parallelcultivated strip.
In contour bench terrace systems, the runoff strips of thecontributing area are left unaltered, but the cultivated stripsare leveled longitudinally to distribute the runoff evenly(Shanan, 1979). Mico-watersheds and catchment basins can be builtusing hand labor and are this less expensive and more adaptableto revegetation projects.
Micro-watershed systems include mound and strip collectors.Strips can be built with mechanical equipment of by hand. Thesteps are bordered on each side by ridges 8-20 inches (20-50 cm)high and 6.5-16.5 feet (2-5 meters) apart. The result is a seriesof linear strips well suited for crops such as corn. The wafflegarden of the Zuni in New Mexico are a form of crossed stripcatchments.]
In mound systems the soil surface is shaped by hand into 4-20inch (10-50 cm) tall mounds spaced 2-5 meters apart. Whenorganized into a regular pattern, this system is suitable formany types of farm crops, including melons and squash ( Shanan,1979). The mounds are also effective when arranged in a morerandom manner for revegetation and restoration efforts.
Since catchment basins involve a minimum amount of labor andless manipulation of the surrounding terrain, they are probablybest suited for revegetation and restoration. A gently slopingplain (ideally with slopes less than 5%), is divided into plotsby small earth ridges 10-20 cm high and 20-30 cm wide (Shanan,1979). The ridges are constructed with the soil excavated from aplanting basin about 40 cm deep or from the uphill side of theridge. These can be constructed by hand, or with a small plow.Catchment basins are susceptible to siltation and erosion ifundesired runoff is allowed to enter the system, so protectivediversion ditches are often constructed above areas subject toextensive ground flow.
The gradients of the microcatchments should be between 1-7%.Square or rectangular plots are easy to stake out so they arecommonly used, however basin shapes for revegetation sites shouldbe tailored to suit the geography of the site to reducedisturbance and retain a more natural appearance.
Potential water yields must be estimated before otherdecisions regarding microcatchment design can be made (Shanan,1979). To determine expected yields from microcatchments threerainfall characteristics must be evaluated: 1)the average annualrainfall, 2) peak rainfall intensity, and 3) the minimum expectedannual precipitation. The average annual rainfall must be knownto predict the long term water availability.
Consideration of a site for microcatchment construction mustalso include four main physiographic factors: the runoffproducing potential; the soil surface condition (cover,vegetation, crust, stoniness); the gradient and evenness ofslope; and the water retaining capacity of the soil in the rootzone profile (Shanan, 1979). These all contribute to the runoffthreshold coefficient which is a key factor in determining theoptimum size for catachment (Howell, 1989). Other factorsaffecting the infiltration capacity of a particular area include:the moisture content of the soil; macropores in the soil as aresult of decaying roots or burrowing animals; and the compactionof the soil (Shanan, 1979).
The optimal size of the microcatchment for each speciesdepends upon many factors including normal precipitation, thesoil quality, and the slope (Evanari, 1971). The size and depthof the planting basin in relation to the size of the catchmentarea is also important. These factors determine the size of thesurface area wetted by runoff and the volume and depth of thewater column in the soil. If the infiltration rate of the soiland the water demands of the plant are known, the size of acatchment basin can be estimated. If a particular species ofshrub requiring 30 inches of rain per year is being grown in aregion of 15 inch average annual precipitation, and then anadditional 15 inches of rain is needed. If the catchment soil hasa runoff of 10% (a typical runoff volume for untreated desertsoils), then a 100 square foot catchment should yield enoughwater to meet the water requirement for the shrub (Howell, 1989).
Estimating runoff
Effective precipitation is defined as that which producesrunoff (Toy, 1987). Surface infiltration is often proportional tovegetation cover, so as cover decreases, infiltration decreases.This results in greater volume and velocity of runoff for a givenrainfall event. Catchments areas are often defoliated ( acondition faced in most revegetation- restoration efforts), andgiven additional treatments to increase runoff.
To illustrate the potential advantage of treatedmicrocatchment areas, rainfall can be reported as a volume ratherthan as a depth ( Myers, 1967). One millimeter of rain equals oneliter of water per square meter assuming 100% runoff. Severalrunoff enhancing treatments have been evaluated on microcatchmentbasins. In 1972, Fink et al. compared runoff yields untreatedbasins with basins treated with paraffin wax basins covered withbutyl sheets. Paraffin (candle wax) is applied to the soil byhand, in the form of granules, at a rate of one to two pounds persquare yard. Wax with a low melting point, 120-150 F (49-65C), will melt within a few days in hot desert environments toform a solid coating on the soil surface (Fink, 1973). The waxtreated soils yielded 90% runoff compared to 30% runoff onuntreated soils, and 100% runoff from a butyl covered plot. Waxtreatments are best for sandy soils, and some plots have remainedeffective after five years, sufficient time for plantestablishment.
In soils with a clay content between 5-30%, sodium salts(including sodium chloride) effectively reduce permeability bydispersing clay particles (Cluff and Forbel, 1978). When used ina suitable soil, the sodium is absorbed by clay, and the qualityof the runoff water is tolerable. The quality generally improvesafter the initial one of two runoff events. Theses treatmentsonly work on the clay fraction of a soil, however, and will notbe effective on sandy or course grained soils. Salt treatmentswill often be inappropriate for revegetation sites.
Many types of synthetic membrane materials have also been usedto increase runoff. Plastic membranes , such as polyethylene andvinyl, have been used on extensive revegetation projects inChina, They are very effective but generally last less than oneyear. Butyl rubber and chlorinated polyethylene sheeting lastsmuch longer, but these materials are expensive and must be wellsecured to protect them from wind damage.
Asphalt, concrete and other hard surfaces in urban andsuburban areas can also be used to channel water to catchmentbasin plantings. Landscaping on streets in Tucson is increasinglywatered this way and the potential for for highway plantings ishigh, despite water quality concerns from road surface runoff(Howell & Howell,1991;Virginia & Bainbridge, 1986).
Enhancing the development of natural surface crusts hasapplications for increasing runoff. In many soils, crusts formafter rains; either by mechanical action due to impactingraindrops or by chemical action such as hydration and dispersion(Freebair et al,. 1991). In areas with segregated soil types athin layer of well oriented clay forms after wetting, enhancingrunoff (Tackett &pearson, 1965). Microphytes such as bacteriaand lichen living on the soil surface also contribute tocrusting. Researcher in Israel have observed that colonies ofblue-green algae (cyanobacteria) secrete threads that entrap sandparticles producing a thin, grayish soil crust (Gillis, 1992).This crust my decrease infiltration and increase runoff.Brotherson and Rushforth (1983) found that microphytic crusts innorthern Arizona allow deeper penetration of applied water, andreasoned that the crusts seal the soil surface, reducingevaporation (West, 1990). Harper and Marble, (1988) however foundthat sites heavily crusted with dark colored cyanobacteria lostsignificantly more water from the upper 7-5 cm of soil thanintermixed, scalped plots. They concluded that the dark crustsabsorbed more solar radiation than the light colored, uncrusted,soil leading to higher evaporation. More research on the effectsof microphytic crusts on soiled-d water relationships is needed,but their potential use as biological "coatings" formicrocatchments appears promising.
Water demand
Lack of water is often a critical problem for revegetaionefforts of arid lands. Successful transplanting and directseeding may require temporary supplemental water. After aninitial establishment phase, the demand for water is much reducedfor survival but remain important for growth. Spalding (1990)found that Larrea transpiration rates increased 8-9 times whenirrigated. While most of these species respond positively tosupplemental water, they generally need well drained soils due tolow resistance to fungal infections and oxygen deficiency (Fisheret al., 1988). Unlike the shallow diffuse roots of typicaldomesticated plant species, many Colorado desert plants developdeep tap roots that eventually reach the water table. In Arizona,live mesquite, Prosopis glandulosa, roots have been found morethan 150 feet below the soil surface. However, phreatophytes suchas mesquitem and more drought tolerant species such as fourwinged salt bush (Atriplex canescens), white bur sage (Ambrosiadumosa) and cresote bush (Larrea divaricata) all need relativelyhigh surface soil moisture to germinate and become established.Conditions suitable for plant establishment may only occur onceor twice a decade when favorable moisture patterns develop (Bainbridge & Virginia, 1986).
Ambrosia dumosa like Larrea, is very drought tolerant andprefers well drained soils, but it is more tolerant than creosotebush to low soil oxygen levels 9Lunt, 1973) that might beencountered in catchment basins. White bur sage isdrought-deciduous and loses its leaves during drought stress(Bamberg, 1975). Under favorable conditions it exhibits highphotosynthetic and transpiration rates. Ambrosia dumosa, a goodcandidate for revegetation in the Colorado desert, should respondfavorably to micro catchments.
Atriplex canscens also appears to be a good candidate formicro catchments. A study showed that Atriplex seed emergence wasalways greater in shade and correlated with rainfall (Hennessy,1984). Scholl (1985) observed that stands of saltbush in NewMexico established themselves in basins and furrows on a minesite where soil moisture content was higher. Adequate soilmoisture is also very important for transplanting this species.
Mesquite like fourwing saltbush, white bur sage, and creosotebush requires supplemental water during the first few months ofestablishment. Over-irrigation may decrease growth and floodingmay kill mesquite trees, so the trees should be planted on amound in the basin or on top of the dike where they will be safefrom prolonged flooding.
Construction and Maintenance
The first step in constructing microcatchment basins isclearing the catchment area of weeds. The catchment and basinarea should then have it contour lines staked so that thecatchment area can be shaped into evenly sloped basins tomaximize runoff and minimize erosion (Shanan, 1979).Shaping canthen be carried out with hand tools, plows or graders. Shapingshould be undertaken when soil moisture is near field capacity ifpossible (Dutt, 1981). The catchment area is smoothed with handrakes following rough shaping. Soil treatments, if used areapplied after smoothing. The soil is compacted following thefirst rain storm. Compaction can be done by foot or tools onsmall small catchments or with rollers.
Basin size depends upon requirements. Small basins (less than9m^2), can be constructed by hand labor, but larger catchmentsshould be built with equipment (Shanan, 1979). Basin should beshaped to form inverted truncated pyramids. The soil removed fromthe basin area is deposited and spread on the border ridges. Fourworkers can excavate a basin 3.5m^2x20 cm deep and raise borderchecks 20 cm's high around the 250 m^2 catchment area in aboutone hour (Evenari, 1975).
Microcatchments are traditionally planted with shrub or treeseedlings. To take advantage of peak precipitation and favorabletemperature, plantings of native shrubs in the Colorado desertshould be planned before precipitation peaks. The soil around theplating spot should be loosened before planting as compactedsoils retard tap root growth which can be essential forsuccessful establishment (Bainbridge & Virginia, 1990).
Traditionally, the tree shrub is planted in the basin near thelowest point of the catchment, where the water would be deepestand the ridge highest. However, for many desert species this isnot desirable (Orev, 1988). After an intense rainstorm, thecatchment will fill with water, and may remain flooded forseveral days. During this time, the roots and lower stem sufferform lack of aeration and may succumb to fungal diseases. Theinfiltration rate of the soil will help determine the bestplanting spot. Fast draining soils would be better candidates forplanting at the bottom of the basin. Slow draining soils shouldbe planted on the dike or basin border. The water collected inthe basin will moisten the soil above the water line by capillaryaction.
In many cases, the best place to plant desert shrubs incatchments is immediately above the mean high water line, or nearthe top ridge where the topsoil from the basin is placed, figure4. Observations of conventional plantings reveal both weeds andshrubs appear to thrive on this site and are absent from theplaces where water stays longer (Orev, 1988).
Microcatchments work well and should be more widely used.Microcatchment basins have been utilized for crops for thousandsof years. new technology has improved soil runoff potential andincreased the positive effects of microcatchment basins.Microcatchments are relatively inexpensive and require littlemaintenance. They are now being extensively used in Israel forplanting crops and have excellent potential for revegetatingsites in the California Deserts and other arid and semiaridregions.
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Howell, J.&D. Howell. 1991. Water conservation in thehome. Permaculture Drylands Journal 8.
Karpiscak, M.M. 1988. Arid Lands: Today and Tomorrow. pp273-280. Westview Press, Inc. Boulder, Colorado.
Lawton, H.W. & P.J. Wilke. 1979. Agriculture in Semi-AridEnvironments. pp 14-17 Springer-Verlag, New York.
Lenz. L.W. & J. Dourley. 1981. California Native Trees andShrubs. Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden. 232 pp.
Lunt, O.R., J. Letey, & S.B. Clark. 1973. Oxygenrequirments for root growth in three species of desert shrubs.Ecology: 1356-1362.
Meyers, L.E. 1967. New Water Supplies From PrecipitationHarvesting. International Conference on Water for Peace; 1967 May23; Washington, D.C., U.S.A. pp 3910397,
Nir, D. 1974, The Semi Arid World: Man on the Fringe of theDesert. pp 167-177. Longman, London.
Orev, Y. 1988. Some considerations in the planning of runofffarming. Desertification Control Bulletin (16):13-16.
Scholl, D.G. 1985. Vegetation and soil water response tocontour furrows, dozer basins, surface additions of topsoil orpower plants ash on arid coal spoils. Bridging the Gap BetweenScience, Regulation, and the Surface Mining Operation. AmericanSociety for Surface Mining and Reclamation. Princeton, WestVirginia. pp 217-220.
Shanan, L., & N.H. Tadmor. 1979. Microcatchment System forArid Zone Development. Hebrew University, Jerusalem.
Shanan, L., & N.H. Tadmor, M. Evenari, & P. Reiniger.1970. Runoff farming in the desert. III. Microcatchments forimprovement of desert range. Agronomy Journal 62: 445-448.
Spalding, V.M. 1909. Distribution and Movement of DesertPlants. Carnegie Institute, Washington D.C. 144 pp.
Tackett, J.L., R.W. Pearson. 1965. Some characteristics ofsoil crusts formed by simulated rainfall. Soil Science99(6):407-412.
Toy, T.R. Hadley. 1987. Geomorpology and Reclamation ofDisturbed Lands. p 145-17. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, San Diego.
Wallace, A., E.M. Romney. 1972. Desert Plant Ecology.Radioecology and Ecophysiology of Desert Plants at the NevadaTest Site. Oak Ridge, Tennessee. 439.pp
West, N. 1990. Structure and function of microphytic soil crusts in wildland ecosystems of arid to semi-arid regions. Advances in Ecological Research 20:180-206.

subset: commoncrawl


text: > >did you try to run your program with wineconsole ? > >(wineconsole /usr/client/mcc_gnu/cmpm/cmpmgnu /B100 /Oaaaa-1.ovl) > > I don't know about this executable. I don't find wineconsole file > anywhere in wine installation. yes, you're right. latest codeweavers package doesn't include it yet since, this (wineconsole) includes a rather large modification of the console, and if you're concerned about maintenance, upgrading to a more recent wine is recommended > >Does your program use global objects, which initialization code could invoke the > >GetStdHandle functions ? > > Perhaps I'm going wrong in any of the steps I'm following. I'll explain > what I'm trying to do.When I began to migrate this console based > programs I wanted to migrate them entirely to Linux without using Wine. your approach is perfectly valid, and if it doesn't work yet, Wine is to blame. My question was rather if your GetStdHandle calls were done in global object constructors (read *before* main gets called) A+


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Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life. You need to keep memories of that day and they are best kept with photos. It is advisable to hire professionals instead of settling on friends or relatives to do that job for you. One may want to save money and decide to settle for relatives to take the photos for you but this may ruin your memories. Failure to hire a professional can be a disaster because you may end up having the memories of your day in your mind only. Consider paying the services of Geelong wedding photography and get what you pay for. Below are reasons to hire professionals:
He is committed to you
Professionals are committed to your wedding. They will not fail you by not showing up on your wedding day. Some friends commit themselves to take photos for you but some few days to the wedding they call to cancel the commitment. When you hire and give a down payment to the Geelong wedding photography experts, you create a contract that they can't breach and they carry out the duties that you paid them to do.
A good wedding photographer Geelong has will have the skills and knowledge of his work. He knows what to do during the wedding and the position to capture the best moments. If you delegate that job to a friend, you still have the worries of what he or she will do. Save yourself the worries and enjoy your day knowing that the person taking the photos is a professional. Remember, this professional is doing a job that he does all his life and thus, has the required experience.
You will get awesome results from a professional
A professional ensures that he delivers great result with a mind that you can recommend him for the next wedding of your friend. Hiring Geelong wedding photography for your wedding will give you the best outcome. It will definitely come with a cost to hire professionals, but it makes a big difference compared with doing these things yourself.
You won't worry about straining your relationship
When you hire your friend to work for you, he or she might hold grudge for not paying him and yet he worked all day, or you may not like the outcome of the photos and you don't want to hurt his feelings. However, if you hire the right wedding photographers Geelong has, you will not need to worry about any friendship crisis. See Trevor Cooke Photography.
You want your friends to enjoy the wedding
Your friend should be enjoying your wedding, not running up and down to capture the moments. Save your friends the hassle and let them enjoy the day with you. If they are your true friends, it would be a pleasure to see them on your photos. The Geelong wedding photographers understand this and will offer this service.
The above factors are enough reasons to show you the importance of hiring a professional. You will never go wrong with a professional. The cost is worth the outcome. Visit http://www.trevorcookephotography.com.au/.


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Link Age Southwark offers friendly volunteer support to older people in Southwark, to combat loneliness and isolation. All our services are free of charge to Southwark residents aged 60+ and residents of any age with a dementia diagnosis. We receive referrals from older people themselves, family & friends, health professionals and social services. After referral, one of our staff members will make a home visit to assess which services are required and answer any questions.
How to Refer
If you would like to refer yourself or someone else to our services, please download our referral form and return it by email to firstname.lastname@example.com, or call 020 8299 2623 if you would like to receive a copy in the post.
A friendly chat over a cuppa can make a huge difference to an older person. We match up volunteers and service users for weekly visits and have seen some wonderful friendships blossom! We also offer befriending to people with mild-moderate dementia who are living independently.
Social groups
Click for a Full List of Link Age Southwark Groups
Share interests and meet like-minded people at our friendly social groups across Southwark. From gentle exercise or bridge to reminiscence or singing, we have a group to suit everyone. Sessions last about an hour and a half and are supported by Link Age Southwark volunteers, with refreshments for all. Where possible, our volunteers provide transport. You can be sure of a warm welcome when you join a group!
Volunteer driving
Where possible, our volunteer drivers provide door-to-door transport to our 20 social groups across Southwark. We also offer transport to our two annual parties.
Light gardening & DIY
Our gardening volunteers visit up to twice a year to cut the lawn or do light weeding and general tidying. Volunteers also do a range of small, one-off practical tasks around the home, such as putting up a shelf, changing a light bulb or providing assistance with technology. Because of high demand for this service, we only provide it twice a year per older person.
Services for people living with dementia
We provide specialist support to people living with mild to moderate dementia. These services are organised by our specialist Dementia Coordinator, and are available to residents of Southwark of any age with a dementia diagnosis. Alongside our regular social groups, we run a fortnightly dementia peer support group and a fortnightly dementia reading group. We also offer our befriending service to people diagnosed with dementia – a volunteer to visit weekly for friendship and company.
All our services are volunteer-led and we are always looking for new volunteers to help us! See how you can volunteer here.


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Kingston Council is supposedly facing a 'Bankruptcy Battle', according to the Liberal Democrat administration's latest borough-wide leaflet. This comes despite news that the Council intends on spending an estimated cumulative £462,000 on paying off senior staff that have clashed with the new Liberal Democrat leader, Liz Green.
In August, the Liberal Democrat administration removed Charlie Adan, the Chief Executive, at a cost of £312,000, and now intend on making the Deputy Chief Executive, Roy Thompson, redundant at a cost estimated by insiders to be around £150,000. On top of this, whilst Mr Thompson was off over the summer on sick leave, they spent £950 per day on an interim consultant.
The Kingston Independent Residents Group say enough is enough. Council funds should be spent on resident services, as paying senior staff off does not give value for money in our council tax.
As such, we demand an urgent review of ex gratia and other payoffs, and condemn the haphazard way in which the council has ignored its own advice in paying off these staff, which leave us with a greater risk of becoming 'bankrupt' as an authority.
Please sign our motion, which will be debated at Full Council when 500 signatures are reached, to demand better for your Council Tax.


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Jump to navigation Jump to search
|Apple Inc.
|Wireless Base Stations and Cards
|Release date
|July 21, 1999
|Online services
|Apple.com - AirPort Extreme
AirPort and AirPort Extreme are local area wireless networking products that are made by the company Apple Inc.[1]
Both the AirPort and the AirPort Extreme can both mean the protocol, the expansion card or the base station.
In Japan, AirPort is called the AirMacAirMac[2] because the name AirPort was taken by I-O DATA.
References[change | change source]
- ↑ "AirPort Express - Faster is Better". Apple, Inc. Retrieved 2010-03-17.
- ↑ "アップル - AirMac Express". Apple, Inc. Retrieved 2008-06-22.


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Visit from Senator Linda Reynolds
Staff and participants at our Balcatta office were visited by Senator Linda Reynolds CSC this week.
Senator Reynolds toured the facilities with our Chief Executive Officer, and spoke with representatives from each program about the variety of services offered at all Intelife.
During the visit, Senator Reynolds also spoke with participants from the Lifeskills Plus program as they cooked their lunch, and with ADE supported employees in the internal crew as they completed their work.
CEO Fiona Beermier said the visit was an excellent opportunity to highlight the position of Intelife within the disability sector, especially in light of NDIS and WA NDIS/My Way, and was a way of increasing the Senator's knowledge about opportunities available for people with disability.
Photo: Jane showing Senator Reynolds the canvas she painted as part of her Lifeskills Plus program.


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Xcite Starts Bentley Field Flow Tests
The Company announces that it has now successfully completed the final part of the 9/03b-7 & 7z well lateral well construction work programme at its Bentley Field, including installation of the smart completions equipment (enabling individual laterals to be flowed, co-mingled or shut-in), the installation of twin electrical submersible pumps (giving full redundancy) and a down hole safety valve.
The on-rig process and control packages have been fully commissioned and linked to the pipeline and in-field dynamically-positioned shuttle tanker, Scott Spirit.
The pre-production flow test operations on the 9/03b-7 (B6) lateral well were successfully commenced this morning and the well is currently being cleaned up. This flow test is not a headline flow rate test; it is a data gathering exercise.
The 9/03b-7 lateral well is planned to recover a minimum cumulative volume of 45,000 barrels of oil during the flow test period, to help ensure that the data gathering will be as effective as possible and will be used to calibrate the existing reservoir model and update the Reserves Assessment Report.
This flow test is planned to be up to 90 days in length and to be conducted at a range of different flow rates (specifically not 500 barrels per day for 90 days), to collect additional reservoir and production data, including data with respect to enhanced oil recovery. This data will be used to further increase the certainty with respect to the longer term oil, gas and water production profiles and recoverable reserves from the Bentley field.
Xcite Energy is 100% owner and operator of Block 9/3b, licence P.1078, containing the Bentley Field in its entirety. The block, which was awarded to XER in 2003 as part of the 21st UK Offshore Licensing Round, is located 160 km east of the Shetland Isles in 113 m of water.
Commenting on today's announcement Steve Kew, Exploration and Development Director, said:
"We are very pleased with the production test work programme to date, with all major elements having been completed safely and competently. This is a significant step forward for the Company in proving its technical capabilities in the drilling of these wells with the multi-lateral smart completions that have been installed. The start-up of the production test has gone well and we shall continue to provide operational updates in due course."
Press Release, July 9, 2012


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June 30, 2017
Category: Forbin Culture
By Nick Cleveland, Internal Product Owner
The Heartland Conference is an incredible experience. I've had the pleasure of attending this event twice since I started working at VGM Forbin. In these two years, the best part of Heartland is meeting the people we work so hard to serve at VGM, be part of their business discussions, and provide them with the resources that can help them improve their business.
The most frequent discussion I heard this year was the topic of growth through Read More
Tags: Heartland Conference, inefficiencies, Lean, Nick Cleveland, organizational efficiency, production management systems, Scrum, Six Sigma
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King County Sheriff's Search and Rescue asks the public to watch out for a missing 78-year-old man with dementia last seen Tuesday morning at his apartment in Newcastle.
Family members reported that Taji Ali wandered away from the home he shares with his family at the Castle Creek Apartments sometime between 1:30 a.m. and 9 a.m., according to the King County Sheriff's Office.
He is described as black, 5-feet-10, very thin and "frail"-looking and with short gray hair. He was wearing sandals when he left the apartment.
He is friendly and outgoing, family said, but could be very disoriented due to his dementia.
Search and Rescue asks anyone who sees Ali to immediately call 911.
UPDATE: The King County Sheriff's Office reported Ali was found later Tuesday evening.


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(Psy-Changeling, #14)
by Nalini Singh
Rating: 4.5♥s Excellent
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length: Novel
Audience: Adult
Sensuality: Hot
Release Date: June 2, 2015
An Arrow born to lead
Aden, leader of the Arrow squad, and Zaira, one of his commanders, are abducted by an unknown group. They do escape, but they're badly injured. The incident isn't good PR for the Arrows, making them appear weak.
A post-Silence world
Now that Silence has fallen, Aden wants to take the Arrows in an entirely new direction. He wants to introduce emotions, play, and the concept of family to the squad. He begins with Zaira, with whom he's essentially had an infatuation since they were younger. This is their love story. It's the story of two people who don't know how to have emotions, let alone love, touch, or have sex. It's poignant, touching, and--at times--funny. Ladies, you'll fall in love with Aden.
Danger from multiple fronts
The danger doesn't end with the abduction of Aden and Zaira. Someone is out to destabilize the fledgling new world. Political maneuvering, assassination attempts, and kidnappings abound. There's also a psychopath on the loose.
New alliances
Along the way, we meet a new changeling pack, RainFire. Aden and Zaira spend some time with them. I can't wait to read its alpha's story!
A new Aden
I've only scratched the surface of this book because I don't want to spoil it. But to summarize, Aden turns out to be a powerful leader in more ways than one.
And he learns to love very well.
See a list of all the books in the Psy-Changeling Series.


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"What do I need to know about getting an equity release loan?"
Latest figures in The Telegraph reveal that in 2017 more than £3bn was released from British properties, up by nearly £1bn on the previous year. In fact, the last three months of 2017 broke all previous "equity release" records.
With record numbers of people cashing in on their properties, and the trend set to increase, equity release plans no longer represent a last resort financial strategy. Instead they have become an enticing feature of the modern retirement plan, and it's easy to see why.
Whether you are looking to help fund travel plans, gift a family member, or simply afford some luxury in those well earned golden years, unlocking the capital tied within your property is an attractive option for many.
But borrowers also need to be mindful about the charges involved in equity release, as well as the potential financial impact on their retirement plans.
Consulting your financial advisor can help you make these important decisions while considering all of the facts.
What is an equity release loan?
Equity release loans, otherwise known as "lifetime mortgages", allow you to borrow against the value of your home in the form of a one off, or irregular lump sum payments.
Interest usually rolls up and is paid off on the sale of the property, either upon death or when you move into long-term care.
How does it work?
First and foremost, your home remains your own. Furthermore, most equity release loans guarantee that you will never need to pay back more that the value of the property, thereby offering a sense of security and peace of mind for those you leave behind.
There are two types of lifetime mortgages:
- An interest roll-up mortgage means that the interest is added to the loan and paid off upon the sale of the house.
- The interest-paying mortgage allows you to make regular payments towards the accumulating interest.
Who can benefit from equity release?
Increasing numbers of the over 55's are tapping into their wealth by capitalising on the falling cost of equity release plans over the last few years. Whether it's helping your children to get on the property ladder, or pay off your credit card debts, equity release gives you financial options and the benefits associated with drawing upon, what is for many of us, our largest financial asset.
For those worried about the impact of Inheritance Tax, equity release loans can reduce the taxable value of an estate, whilst paying off the mortgage upon death. Since April 2017, individuals in the UK have been able to claim an extra £100,000 worth of estate before IHT kicks in. This means that £325,000 value of your estate can now be passed on to a beneficiary without being subject to IHT. In this sense, equity release allows owners of more valuable estates to manage their property's value and their potential IHT bill.
Cashing in on your property's worth in this way can also help you to pay off your main mortgage, exchanging regular monthly payments for a deferred repayment of the loan. Having this kind of financial flexibility can be beneficial to those looking to free up their invested cash and their curb their monthly expenditures.
What are the pros and cons?
- Cash in on increased house prices and the buoyancy of the current housing market.
- Manage your estate's value and potentially avoid Inheritance Tax.
- Pay off your main mortgage and save cash.
- Clear high-interest debt (like credit cards).
- Fund retirement in the event of a financial shortfall.
- Can have a negative impact on your credit rating and make you less eligible for other types of loans. Make sure you have considered all other options.
- Be wary of mortgaging your property for less than its market value simply to take advantage of an equity release right now.
- Check all terms and conditions for any repayment charges (including early repayment).
- Reduces the equity in your property substantially which may not benefit your beneficiaries if your estate's value falls below the Inheritance Tax threshold.
What are the alternatives?
- Downsizing your property.
- Using savings and investments.
- If you are looking to manage credit card debt, our credit card article from July has some great tips on the deals available and ways to cut down on interest repayments.
- Managing a robust retirement plan to avoid potential shortfalls and longer life expectancy.
What do the experts say about it?
Deals are becoming increasingly flexible:
- Most will allow borrowers to make occasional repayments without early repayment charges (so it's vital to check the small print if this is important to you).
- Drawdown facilities allow you to set aside a pot of money to draw from when you need it.
- With some deals you can now ringfence a minimum amount of your property's value to leave to loved ones as an inheritance.
- Consider all your financial options before borrowing against your home and weigh up the potential pitfalls with regard to your own financial situation.
How much will I be able to release?
To gain an accurate estimate, speak to your financial advisor, but as a rough guide, the average sum released is around £70,0000 (cited in The Telegraph, 23 Jan).
Should I talk to my IFA about it?
Absolutely. Talking to your financial advisor can help you make sense of all the information, so that you can make an informed choice about what best suits your needs. Equity release is not for everyone, so understanding all of your options is vital to managing your finances sensibly.


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17 of Bangkok's Top Tables
Bangkok's fast-maturing dining scene runs the gamut from obscure local delicacies to Michelin-rich magnificence from around the globe. RICHARD MCLEISH goes on a mad-dash, belt-loosening glutton's errand, eating his way through the city's coolest new restaurants. Photographed by CHRISTIAN HOGUE.
Published on Nov 4, 2015
Famous for being a pleasure dome, Bangkok never fails to engage the senses. As the city modernizes, the dining scene is growing up, too. Internationally lauded chefs, regional specialists and shrewd independents all service the collective palate of the city that now knows its massaman from its chamuang curry, its Romana from its Napoletana. In the hopes of easing your navigation of the city's gastronomic delights, we're divided the current best and brightest into bento box sections of key trends that capture their galvanizing spirits. Prime your palate to check each of these categories off your list: you're sure to come away with a full-bodied taste of the town.
Michelin-Origin Masters
The stars have been raining down on Bangkok in the past couple of years, with chefs who've clocked Michelin acclaim elsewhere opening outposts in the city. Or, in the case of Dutch chef Henk Savelberg, closing up shop in The Hague in favor of the Thai capital as the sole home base for his modern, French-inflected haute fare (savelbergth.com). Here are four others that pay homage to the masters.
With 28 Michelin stars in his trophy cabinet, Joël Robuchon's arrival in Bangkok rippled through every tablecloth in the city. The words "no expense spared" come to mind as you take in the original Warhol prints and Swarovski crystals inside. The extravagance continues on the plates (worth US$1,000 each, incidentally), where delicate highlights include a sculpted toast tower constructed next to a quail-yolk-topped tartare and a lonely Hokkaido scallop bathed in a buttery kumquat reduction. The calm, precision action on display by the army of chefs in the open kitchen meets the huge expectations associated with the place (and price). While the décor, food and fuss aren't for the fainthearted, it's a compulsory outing for any curious purveyor of the pointy end of the dining scene. 5F Mahanakhon Cube, 96 Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra Rd., Silom; +66 2 001 0698; robuchon-bangkok.com.
Culinary gods, forgive us for being skeptical. A themed café usually sets our gauche radar aflutter—but we needn't have worried with the world's most revered name in fashion backing a show run by a chef, Vincent Thierry, who has repeatedly raked in three Michelin stars for Caprice in Hong Kong. Much like the best designers, Thierry and his exec chef on the scene, Cyril Cocconi, deliver seasonal lines scoring high in both style and substance. On our visit, this meant royal purple leaves sprouting from a mussel-stocked grass-green courgette velouté, and fresh morels providing an earthy richness to their veal-loin headliner. With a fresh mixology menu slanted towards the light and fizzy, a prime location straddling the Silom and Sathorn strips, and a rotating roster of cool-as resident DJs, Vogue is hopping at happy hour—which extends to 9 p.m. What's more, the lavender and golden hues, the Warhol- (yep, we're right upstairs from Robuchon) and old-Vogue-cover-bedecked walls, and the tiled lantern-lit patio provide perfect backdrops for your own Instagram-worthy photo shoot. 6F Mahanakhon Cube, 96 Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra Rd., Silom; +66 2 001 0697; voguelounge.com.
Asparagus at Vogue Lounge.
Positioned in a basement under Ratchaprasong with a Tokyo-style tuck is the Bangkok branch of Michelinstarred Ginza Sushi Ichi. The two hinoki wood-lined rooms are overseen by sushi chefs with ninja-worthy professionalism reminiscent of documentary-star Jiro, who dreams of sushi. The savvy sushi selections are flown in daily direct from Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo—whenever it shuts, so does Ginza Sushi Ichi. The omakase-style service takes you through the best of the fish at the dedicated discretion of the chef—who, if you're lucky, might be the founder and overseer of the entire operation, the beloved, artistic Masa. This is the place to trump your snobbiest of sushi-expert friends, nicely rounding out the high-end spectrum with Mugendai and Mikaku, along with newcomer Kom-ba-wa. The pinnacle of Japanese in an already Nihon-happy city. LG/F, Erawan Bangkok, 494 Ploenchit Rd. Pathumwan; +66 2 250 0014; facebook.com/ginzasushiichiBKK.
A fresh trio at Ginza Sushi Ichi.
Pipping Joël Robuchon at the post for being the first tristar awardee in town was Jean-Michel Lorain, known for La Côte Saint Jacques, in Burgundy. It takes the old-world French mantle established by Le Normandie and Le Beaulieu across town and turns it on its head, according to the restaurant's "upside down" mantra. We counter that it's not quite a full inversion, but pretty radical for such safe origins. It's unashamedly French, propelled by maître d' Marine Lorain following her family tradition. The curious back-block location and ornate interior awash in violet and chartreuse standout, but the real marquee is the attention to detail on the plates. There's pigeon, snail and foie gras, naturally, alongside some Asian accents too—razor clams are served with sea urchin cream. U Sathorn Bangkok, 105/1 Soi Ngam Duphli; +66 2 119 4899; jaime-bangkok.com.
Lightly smoked sea bass and caviar, J'aime.
New Classics
The right choice of restaurant can launch a memorable night out on the town. It's less a common cuisine that binds these new favorites of ours than a familiar vibe; they are the answer to when someone says, "let's go somewhere 'nice.'" Whether it's an upscale twist on the tavern or a modern Italian, these spots—like the older Quince, Sensi and Gaggan (just named Asia's best restaurant by San Pellegrino)—are all about classy, pomp-free bustle.
Sidle up to the bar in one of the 28 chef's table seats and have a chat with Zra Jirararth, the rock star overseeing this open kitchen. This amiable, talented, Cordon Bleutrained Thai chef will inevitably effuse his passion for not just food but also its provenance. Dedicated to upping the quality of both local livestock and the livelihoods of the farmers who raise them, he regularly buys a collective's entire season's crop, serving the best portions to his customers and figuring out waste-not ways to dispense with the rest, such as creative staff meals. In this greenery-draped steel structure tucked down Sukhumvit 31, the food on the seasonal set menu is both fanciful and fun. Happily, the brilliance appears in the dishes you'd least expect, that is, in those overdone degustation must-haves: foie gras (at our tasting, seared, with cherries and pineapples, all atop a crunchy bed of gingerbread crumbs), Wagyu beef (two ways—slowcooked cheek and rare steak) and dessert (sweet corn concocted four ways—grilled, popped, ice cream and pannacotta). 68 Sukhumvit Soi 31; +66 2 102 2323; astonbkk.com.
Putting the final touches on a colorful salad at Aston.
Meat us at Lady Brett, the evening follow-up to the original Rocket coffee bar next door (not to be confused with nightspot craft-cocktail den U.N.C.L.E. upstairs), which has stepped out with a revamped menu strutting directly and unapologetically into the carnivore zone. The narrow, crimson-hued tavern now sets our hearts ablaze on a fire stoked by bamboo, hickory wood chips and Laotian charcoal. We assumed the Aussie black Angus sirloin would be the star, and it was divine, but do not overlook the unassuming pork neck, and be sure to top it with a combination of the spicy soy chili and spicy barbecue sauces—you will melt. Especially if you accompany it with sultry sides of miso eggplant and truffle-and-sour-cream mashed potatoes. This is the part where we're supposed to segue into dessert, but we think it's best to backtrack and leave you with this kiss goodbye: the duck rillettes appetizer is perfectly pulled strips of garlic-and-chive-seasoned meat nestled in a crispy potato cradle. These are the glammest potato skins you'll ever find, so even if you've got a Jake Barnes bank account, just order your own Lady Brett these and a rum-fortified red wine Conquistador cocktail, and settle into your banquette to the DJ's late-90s grooves—you're sure to lance her heart. 149 Sathorn Soi 12; +66 2 635 0405; ladybrett.com.
Lady Brett mixologist Philip Stefanescu.
It's hard to sum up in a word exactly why we adore this perennially packed hotspot on Soi Convent, but let's start with delightsome. Step inside and owners Choti and Debby Tang will welcome you warmly with a glass of bubbles, and maybe a pâté-licious amuse-bouche. Order some jamon iberico and a couple of platters of the city's best meatballs, little spicy pork and fennel flavor-bombs, to start; there are huge plates of delicious meat mains but we always go with the homemade pastas. Chef Luca Appino will crank up the charm, lighting up your pici with duck ragu or risotto with homemade sausage with his 1,000-watt smile. Post-meal, retire to the bar for dangerously smooth barrel-aged Negroni, a gin-spiked Secret Earl Grey, a special request from genially accommodating barmaster Colin Tait—or a tipple off their brand-new botanical cocktail menu. Ah, let's not kid ourselves: you paraded through a sampling of Colin's concoctions pre and during dinner, meaning you'll head home delighted and divinely drunk. 10/15 Soi Convent, Silom; +66 2 235 2777; vesperbar.co.
Seafood paella at Vesper.
Contemporary Casuals
It wasn't too long ago that, in Bangkok, casual Western eating meant pub grub. A tip of the hat to places like Opposite Mess Hall and Rocket for schooling the town's proprietors on balancing a laid-back scene with comfort food the chefs nonetheless take great pride in perfecting. The next generation of relaxed restaurants is blooming with more diversity of fare... some even too cool for a fixed address.
You might like Indian food, but Rohit Sachdev is betting you're over Indian restaurants in their standard Bangkok incarnation of curry house holes-in-the-wall assaulting you with fluorescent lights and Bollywood music. You'll be pleasantly surprised to enter Charcoal, an airy room of warm woods and leathers lined on one side by tall windows and the other by a glassed-in kitchen filled with gleaming tandoor ovens. This is a sophisticated yet casual, new-school take on the best of Bombay, whose running theme is the dabbawalla-delivered-tiffin system that feeds 200,000 some people home-cooked lunches daily. So that's comfort food and kebabs—get the creamy chicken murgh malai, paneer tikka and tandoori malai broccoli—but, also, since Sachdev and his crew are the gents who brought us Above Eleven and Gramercy (our favorite classy-cool rooftop resto-bars, which are helpfully in the same building), royal Mughal fare and a cocktail-pairing menu courtesy of the city's drinks master, Joseph Boroski. And not a curry in sight. Fraser Suites Sukhumvit, 38/8 Sukhumvit Soi 11, 5F; +66 89 307 1111; charcoalbkk.com.
We might have mentioned it before, but Bangkok is now bumper to bumper with food trucks. So many have rolled onto the scene in the past year that it's hard for us to remember all of their names, let alone at which temporary truck stop our favorites will be parked on any given weekend. The burger wars rage on to delicious effect and there are surprisingly well-done pastas and deli sandwiches, but our favorite meals on wheels are the blackened-bubbled pizza pies—particularly the scarmorza and sausage one—dished up by the chefs at Massilia, whose lightbulb sign on a cerulean truck with its sides flung open into a hidden garden littered by checkered-cloth tables evokes a movie set. A charming movie in Marseille... filmed in the heart of Silom. MK Gold Parking Lot, Soi Sala Daeng; +66 94 552 2025.
Take Thailand's biggest celebrity chef, add a deep pocket and a burgeoning food scene and the result is the richly adorned Namsaah Bottling Trust. It's the contemporary chapter of Thai culinary powerhouse Ian Kittichai, who doesn't need a Michelin star to fill tables (and, in fact, will help you fill your own at his new, sparkly Issaya Cooking Studio). If his Issaya Siamese Club is for grown ups, Namsaah is for the adventurous millennials, with its hot pink exterior and provocative menu. Sip on a caramel Sang Som whiskey sour at the ground-level bar or in the serene front garden. Then progress seamlessly from playful popcorn shrimp to pad Thai with foie gras, in full embrace of the Kittichai kaleidoscope. 401 Silom Soi 7; +66 2 636 6622; namsaah.com.
We have to wonder if chef Paolo Vitaletti is homesick. Because here, he's imported from the motherland everything from the flour to the impressive oven to the Neapolitan chef himself, who mills around the kitchen with appropriate swagger. We've always loved Appia, but this casual spot down the road feels truer to broadly grinning Vitaletti's heart. The buzzy room turns tables of families, friends, colleagues over endlessly each night so that even the city's glamor set leaves with full stomachs—possibly because they've been gorging themselves on the ever-enticing specials, such as the The Duke pizza that, on one visit, was upgraded with cheese hand-carried from Italy by Paolo's visiting mother. If that's the cure for homesickness, vieni, mama Vitaletti. 27/1 Sukhumvit Soi 33; +66 2 119 7677; peppinabkk.com.
Crowning Thai
It's tempting to say Thai is among the world's favorite cuisines, but that's an oversimplification, what with all the internal variations, from regional to royal. David Thompson splashed into town with Nahm, which codified the traditional Thai shared dining into a "tasting menu," quickly adopted by other upscale places like the beloved Bo.Lan (which reopened in a gorgeous garden in Thonglor). Meanwhile, a cult of the casual was developing following the successes of the still-packed, street-food-inspired Soul Food Mahanakorn and its neighbor, Supanniga, serving authentic Trat and Isan food. The following six run the same spectrum, from degustation to chill, but are tied together by, well, chili and excellent Thai.
Steeped in royal traditions with contemporary frills, Benjarong is the latest playground for Danish chef Morten Bojstrup Nielsen of Nahm in London. Here, royal recipes are given room to move through innovative reimaginings of flavors and presentations. A recent highlight was the chili popcorn, followed by a 24-hour-cooked lamb massaman to die for. It sits in the Dusit Thani—a famed throwback to the origins of modern Siam, presenting a welcome challenge for the traditionalists looking for new takes on their old favorites. Dusit Thani Hotel, 946 Rama IV Rd., Silom; +66 2 200 9000; dusit.com.
This place—straddling two categories here, as its boldness was grounded in its Michelin-rated origins in Copenhagen—has led the innovation in a local context. Continually daring to reinvent the Thai flavor palate, Sra Bua has recently revamped its menu. The fare is pure Bangkok: Thai food through the fusion filter. The molecular approach still holds its ground as the traditionalists and purists grapple with the true definition of a cuisine. Shelve your expectations and buckle up for the ride that will take you on a crosscountry journey through quirky reinterpretations of street food—pomelo salad in a crisp fried cone had us wanting more, but it was only the beginning of an 11-course meal—to temperature-defying curries. Exercise for the imagination and stomach alike. GF Siam Kempinski Hotel, 991/9, Rama I Rd., Pathumwan; +66 2 162 9000; kempinskibangkok.com.
At the ornate Sra Bua.
Bold and on point, Paste (Gaysorn) is the second outing for chef Jason Bailey, another Australian chefs pushing the contemporary canon. For this outing he has teamed up with an aristocratic Thai family with royal connections and old recipe books. Dedications on the menu include the sous-vide duck, rubbed with northern makhwaen pepper. Another barometer of how much the royal flavors and descendants will move with the times. 3F Gaysorn Plaza, 999 Ploenchit Rd., Lumpini; +66 2 656 1003; paste-gaysorn.com.
French refinement meets youthful confidence at daring Le Du. The menu is the boldest fusion of the city, with lots of play at work by the enthusiastic youthful kitchen. With a name meaning "season" in Thai, the flavors revolve accordingly. The current seven-course tasting menu features khao chae, a pork and shrimp ball with roasted chili, pickled radish and jasmine ice cream—typical of the texture and flavor cacophony. Known for being daring, it hints at a city ready for more. 399/3 Silom Soi 7; +66 92 919 9969; ledubkk.com.
With cinematic mise-en-scène and manicured plates of goodness, it's a quick and willing seduction of guests at Hot Rod. Clearly the work of designer Ashley Sutton, the jungle-tinged sci-fi-inspired room rings around a counter for 12 to sit up and watch the wielded wok. On the handle is partnering chef Peter Pitakwong. And suddenly tapas-style service makes perfect sense. That means shared plates of fried chicken, creamy crab curry on noodles and tom yum haeng seekrong moo—a sleek plate of fleshy baby back ribs coated with lemongrass, galangal and chili. A few more Hot Rod-style eateries and this town may soon rival Tokyo in the cool cuisine stakes. GF Park Lane, 18 Sukhumvit Soi 63; +66 2 714 2575; fb.com/hotrodbangkok.
Ribs at Hot Rod.
Representing forgotten corners of the Kingdom's vast culinary range are a growing number of regionally focused eateries. For its part, Thai Lao Yeh chimes in with northeastern and Laotian dishes. Delicacies such as frog's legs, chicken feet and even the seasonal but popular ant eggs accent the adventurous spirit of the traveling menu. Celebrate regional cuisine, we say, before it gets lost in the big city. GF, 14/29 Sukhumvit Soi 45; +66 2 259 2871; cabochonhotel.com.
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Date(s) - 27/01/2020 - 28/01/2020
8:45 am - 4:30 pm
Berkshire College of Agriculture
If your job involves applying pesticides in a commercial role then you are legally required by the Plant Protection Products (Sustainable Use) Regulations (2012) to take this qualification. It is designed specifically for those who wish to use either self propelled, mounted or horizontal boom sprayers as part of their daily role. The award supercedes the old 0216 (PA2) unit.
This course covers Unit 111: operating mounted, trailed and self-propelled hydraulic nozzle or rotary atomiser horizontal boom sprayers.
- You must hold PA1 foundation pesticides qualification before taking this course.
- An additional day to the training will be required for the assessment.
Please call us on 01628 827317 if you have any queries regarding this course, or would like to book; or get in touch via our contact form.


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Do you think you know everything about Shawny M? Well now's the time to prove it! Maximum Pop! have put together a quiz to see how much you reaaaaally know about everyone's fave Canadian.
There are 10 questions in total and you should think of it as a warm up as we also have a mahoosive Shawn trivia quiz that has over 50 questions. Yep, you heard that right. 50. QUESTIONS.
It's super tough and only true Shawn stans will be able to ace it. Enough about that though, it's time to see if you can handle this baby quiz first.
Ready to prove you're a true Shawn Mendes fan before you try the mammoth 50 question quiz? Let's do this!
What score did you get? Ready to try the 50 question Shawn Mendes quiz? Click here to play it. If you feel like chickening out and seeing if Shawn is actually your secret boyfriend instead, we won't judge you. Have fun, Mendes Army.


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Thank you! We will contact you when the item is available.
Your order will ship on or around the release date
When disaster strikes, the only thing you can count on is yourself!
It had seemed like the perfect California day. But as Joey Flores walked home from the skate park with his friends, the ground began to tremble, and Joey knew they were headed for trouble....
The earthquake that followed devastated their neighborhood, collapsing a nearby overpass with Joey and Fiona on one side and Kevin and Dylan on the other. Now Joey and his friends must rescue each other, endure the aftershocks, and find a new way home as the earth cracks beneath their feet.
RELATED SUBJECTS: Natural Disasters , Earthquakes
Paperback Book


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02 Who Owns The Australian Taxation Office? Who is the CEO? Who Are The Shareholders?
OK, let me get this straight. the "Commonwealth of Australia" is a for-profit corporation, listed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, and all the departments, agencies, authorities, courts and local councils in Australia, including the police and the tax office, are similarly for-profit corporations, presumably wholly owned by the "Commonwealth of Australia". So, if the tax office wants me to pay income tax, then presumably there is a contract somewhere which I have signed, in full knowledge of what I was doing, that is, without having been subjected to fraud and misrepresentation, under which I have agreed to pay the tax office said income tax. Can the tax office please produce that contract? And can the tax office please produce the terms and conditions, in particular, those related to terminating the contract? To the best of my knowledge, I have never signed any such contract, and never been shown these terms and conditions, and, in particular, have never been alerted to any terms and conditions which may have stopped me from signing the contract. I do not wish to pay income tax. Income tax does not go to fund roads and hospitals, or unemployment benefits or old-age pensions, but goes to the Reserve Bank of Australia, a for-profit corporation owned by overseas bankers, as part of the interest due on the "money base", money borrowed by the Commonwealth from the Reserve Bank, who counterfeit this money, that is, create this money and loan it to the Commonwealth at interest passing it off as legal tender without ever having been given permission by the people of Australia to do so.
Click on image below for Facebook group.
Why pay Tax ?


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Unreliable HQ relocated to Brisbane a little while ago (sans former-Mr. U >: ) and although I'll readily admit that sub-tropical summers are still incredibly scary to me (think of an entire city that feels like a sauna), I absolutely love springtime here.
The weather is blissfully warm, the skies are azure blue, and the humidity hasn't quite set in yet - not in earnest, anyway!
I especially love the jacaranda trees, with their explosion of purple blooms that slowly give way to glossy green leaves. They usually start blooming in September, which coincides with the exam periods for the major universities and has consequently given rise to the term 'Purple Panic' - also making me immensely glad my university days are well and truly over!
On a quick stroll through the inner-city suburb of Paddington yesterday, I wandered past this beautiful church that reminds me of the grand turreted houses peppered along the main street of Annandale, and I walked past an arbour of star jasmine - the scent transported me right into the back lanes of my old 'hood, Surry Hills, where entire terrace houses are enshrined in star jasmine and the perfume is nothing short of intoxicating.
Needless to say, I'm a little homesick for Sydney, but I'm definitely learning to love Brisbane. If only the beaches were closer!
What do you love about where you live?


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Next issue:
June 8, 2006
Questions? Comments?
E-mail our editor.
For more information about the items below, contact Elizabeth Hurley at
the Office of Research, 737-8251 or e-mail email@example.com.
MITACS internship research projects
MITACS jointly with the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and the Governments of Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, and New Brunswick are soliciting proposals for internship research projects. The MITACS Internship Program is designed to facilitate research projects involving graduate students or postdoctoral fellows, their academic supervisors and a participating non-academic partner. Partners can include companies, financial institutions, hospitals, government labs and agencies and not-for-profit societies. MITACS can assist by reviewing the project proposal before final submission, helping to ensure that all criteria are met and a successful application is produced. MITACS is also able to assist in matching a prospective non-academic partner to university expertise. For guidelines and the proposal
submission template for the July 15, 2006, deadline see
Science Exhibition 2009
The Musée de la Civilisation in Quebec City, jointly with MITACS Inc. and Université Laval,, will be hosting Science Exhibition 2009 to showcase cutting-edge science. The focus will be on Science and the Future with the intention that patrons will have an interactive, hands-on
experience. The museum is proposing to host the exhibition for about 12 months after which it may move to other venues. Ideas are sought for specific aspects of cutting-edge science to be presented at the
exhibition. The main criteria for selection will be the novelty of the science, relevance of its possible applications, interactive character of the proposal, and the potential to reach out to and excite young people. Proposers of selected projects will be acknowledged. Contribute ideas at www.mitacs.ca/goto/scientificexhibition2009 by May 30.
SSHRC International Opportunities Fund
SSHRC's International Opportunities Fund (IOF) program offers support to help researchers develop, participate in, and lead diverse
international collaborative research activities. Two types of grants are available: development grants of up to $25,000 and project grants of
up to $75,000. The development grants are intended to support
developmental activities such as workshops, seminars and planning meetings that are expected to lead to significant international collaboration. Project grants are intended to help secure Canadian participation or leadership in current or planned international research initiatives or networks. See http://www.sshrc.ca/web/apply/program_descriptions/iof_e.asp.
Deadlines are four times each year with the next one being June 2.
Research-Creation and TCPS
The Interagency Advisory Panel on Research Ethics and its Social Sciences and Humanities Research Ethics Special Working Committee (SSHWC) would like to survey artist-researchers in the Fine Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Community. Through this survey, SSHWC seeks input on the interface of human "research"/creative practice and human research ethics relevant to the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS). Input may be provided until June 10 by completing an online survey at http://pre.ethics.gc.ca/english/fasurvey.
India Studies Fellowship Competition
The Shastri Indo-Canadian
Institute invites applications from scholars, librarians, graduate students
and artists who wish to undertake research or training in India during the 2007-08
academic year. The Shastri Institute has broadened its mandate and will now
support research that focuses on social development, economic reform, environmental
management, biotechnology, agriculture, information science, technology, multimedia
(film) and distance education. Application may be made for faculty, librarian,
postdoctoral, student, or arts fellowships. See www.sici.org. Deadline is June
Cystic Fibrosis clinical fellowship
The Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CCFF) offers one clinical fellowship each year to support an individual who has already obtained sub-specialty clinical training and who wishes to pursue additional clinical training in cystic fibrosis care, including clinical research experience. Canadian citizens or permanent residents who have an MD degree, who have recently completed their residency training, and who have obtained medical licensure in Canada, are eligible to apply. See www.cysticfibrosis.ca/pdf/GAguideEnglish.pdf. Deadline is Oct. 2.
Projects in Gender, Globilization and Health
CIHR's Institute of Gender and Health in partnership with the National Institute of Health (NIH) Fogarty International Centre (FIC) invites applications for pilot project grants for research in a number of
designated areas that would foster research carried out internationally, as well as strengthen north-south collaboration in gender global health research, including the building of interdisciplinary teams for research and research training opportunities. The maximum value of grants to be awarded under this initiative is $50,000 per annum for up to two years. The amount awarded to FIC researchers linked to CIHR-funded projects is $25,000 U.S. in direct costs. Detailed information, including information on the designated research areas, is available at www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/31109.html. Applicants must register their intention to apply by Nov. 1 with full applications to be submitted by Jan. 15, 2007.
Imminent deadlines
June 15
Canadian Institutes of Health Research - proof of principle initiative (full proposals).
Janeway Children's Hospital Foundation - research proposals for child based research grants (letter of intent).
Muscular Dystrophy Association (US) - research grants program (request for grant application).
June 30
Canadian Language and Literacy Research Network - postgraduate scholarship supplements.
March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation - Basil O'Connor starter scholar research award (invited applications).
Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute - India studies fellowships programme.
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council - aid to research and transfer journals.
© 2005 Memorial University of Newfoundland


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Dating. My girls are eight and five. Dating feels about as close as, I don't know, a free trip to Italy. I know, I know – it goes so fast. I honest to goodness believe all of you more seasoned mama's when you tell me, but at the moment I have given hardly a thought to my girls walking out the door on the arm of a boy. I can, however, tell you what I believe my own parents did well. I met my husband, Josh, when I was fourteen. We began dating when we were sixteen. I broke his heart. He broke mine. And when we were twenty-one, we walked down the aisle and said, "Yes," to forever. He is still my man, and he still takes my breath away – not everyday – but it happens. When it comes down to it, we are best friends, and we are entirely committed to our relationship.
So, how did we get here? How did we survive high school dating, not have sex before marriage, and end up having a reasonably healthy marriage? Here are my thoughts on the matter in no particular order:
- "Friends first" is actually a spectacular rule of thumb. Of our group of ten to fifteen-ish high school friends, six of us married each other, had babies, and are still together today. The trick to this, I think, is that we cared about each other before we went all schmoozy-face for on another. We laughed together, annoyed each other, and played hard – as friends. So – as much as possible – encourage your girls' friendships with boys. This helps them understand how to relate to boys in a normal and healthy way. Have safe parties at your house, let them take over your living room, your pool house, whatever – being sure to make only VERY important rules and then enforce those rules strictly and with humor. In short, make your home a safe place for your girls and their friends to host boys who are their friends.
- He takes the family pictures. Josh and I dated on and off for six years before we married. This means that he came to a lot of family functions with me, but he was never, ever allowed to be in family pictures until we got engaged. I'm serious. And honestly, although this rule felt awkward to me, it also felt right. As I consider why this mattered so much, I think it communicated a deep value and respect for marriage. When you are in the picture, you are in for life. Also, from a practical standpoint, you don't have any family pics with your favorite Aunt Bessie and that boy you dated for three months. So, until you commit to being bound together forever, he takes the picture while you smile with your sibs.
- She knows she is a big deal. My sister and I both married boys who, at one point in our dating relationships, we had to give the boot because we weren't down with how they were treating us. It was a heartbreaking and brave thing to do. These were good men who we legit loved, but they were not treating us the way we had been taught to expect to be treated. My parents didn't give us lots of speeches about the way boys should treat us. They just modeled it in their treatment of us and each other. My Daddy always carried our bags in and out of the house. He listened until his ears bled while I talked about nothing important at all. My mama told us we were beautiful and special pretty much every day. We laughed together. They valued us as human beings and taught us to value one another – not based on performance but based on love. So, we knew when a boy wasn't treating us the way we should be treated. It's the old, "If you're trying to be really good at spotting counterfeits, only ever look at the real stuff," trick.
- He is welcome in your home but he does not have free reign. Josh was not allowed in my room. Ever. In fact, I can only think of about three times he ever came in my room in high school, and that was because my parents were out briefly and we snuck back for a peek. Seriously. That's it. One of my favorite stories, though, happened during one of our late night, long phone calls. Josh called far past the appropriate time (this was back when we all shared one land line and the red light on the phone in my parents room would light up when someone called, even though I had carefully turned off every ringer so as to prevent my parents knowing when the boyfriend called. Ah, the good ole' days), and my dad picked up. He said, "Josh, I believe it's a little too late for you to be calling." To which Josh promptly replied, "Yes, sir," and hung up the phone. The important part about this story is that he was welcomed and comfortable in our home the very next day. My parents enforced rules but they were gracious, too.
- They're allowed to be into each other. I was aware of my parents concerns about me seriously dating a boy at the very mature age of sixteen, but they let me gush about him anyway. They let me go on dates with him and invite him over to our house. I knew they really and truly liked my boyfriend and that they wanted to see me happy. I got mono shortly after Josh and I started dating and was out of school and all the fun things for a month. It could have totally freaked my parents out that Josh wanted to come over and watch TV while I slept on his shoulder or his lap. Honestly, it probably did! But they let him anyway – not every night, but some nights. They assigned value to my feelings, and therefore secured my trust. So, even when their rules were "ruining my life," I, with only a few exceptions, respected them.
The moral of my story is this: be a safe place for your girls, value and champion marriage, and love her the way you want her to be loved by her husband someday. I honestly think all of the dating rules will pale in comparison to the effect those three items will have on her relationships.
Now, if one of you could send this to me in ten(ish) years when I am freaking right out about my long-legged beauty going out on her first date, that'd be great.


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Nendoroid - Sayaka Miki
Prices are automatically linked to market prices in Japan, some rare items are more expensive than regular price.
In Stock
Inventory information is updated once each day. All products are new, however, the condition of the box is not guaranteed.
Product Shipping Estimate: [How to Calculate Shipping Cost (?)]
- Asia (Registered SAL): US$10.26
- Oceania,North America,Central America,Middle East (Registered SAL): US$11.72
- Europe (Registered SAL): US$11.72
- South America,Africa (Registered SAL): US$13.17
You may be subject to import duties and taxes. [... more info (?)]
- Code: 40650
- Japanese: 魔法少女まどか☆マギカ ねんどろいど美樹さやか (ノンスケール ABS&PVC塗装済み可動フィギュア)
- Weight: 0.28kgs
- Package Size: 8cm x 21cm x 18cm
- Manufactured by: Good Smile Company
- Release Date: Tuesday 24 April, 2012
Appx. 100mm Tall (NON Scale)
by Wesley
Nendoroid Sayaka is a very nice figure. She's very cute and you'll have lots of fun with her. I recommend you buy her even if you don't like the show since she is a nice figure for any collection.


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d*s at currency + mylifescoop: tech gifts + cheese plates
I never thought I'd write the words "tech gifts" and "cheese plates" in the same sentence, but today D*S editors Amy and Kate have new posts up at the D*S blog on Currency and MyLifeScoop. Kate is kicking of the gift season early with her choices for the best tech gifts for the ladies in your life, including some of the coziest looking headphones I've ever seen. You can check out all 25 of Kate's picks right here.
If tech gifts aren't your thing, Amy just posted a new roundup of stylish cheese plate accessories and tips for building a simple but delicious cheese plate. If you're entertaining this season, click here to check out Amy's tips and picks. xo, grace


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Because of the materials used in construction, sunrooms and patios are often cheaper than other types of renovations to the home. Adding on a sunroom, also called a solarium or conservatory, or patio enclosure has many benefits for a homeowner. Sunrooms and patio enclosures are very popular with buyers and can add value to one's home. Sunrooms and enclosed patios also give the experience of being outside, while being safely shielded from bugs and the elements, and sunrooms can be an additional source of heat for the home.
To learn more about us and the areas we service, please click here, or feel free to contact us. Our customer service Help Desk would be happy to answer any questions that you might have.


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Conversion Requirements Brit Milah/Hatafat: Recommended (supervision not required) Mikvah: Yes (Beth Jacob Mikvah, Columbus, OH) Bet Din: Yes (Rabbis, Jewish educators and lay Jewish leaders) Conversion Location: Columbus, OH Students Accepted: Scholarship, Chai, Mitzvah I'm an independent, progressive, post-denominational Rabbi who enjoys working with students from diverse religious, educational and family backgrounds. I have personally more »
Rabbi Alfredo Winter (Conservative)
Conversion Requirements Brit Milah/Hatafat: Yes (if for young boys of non jewish mother, only with written consent of parents. Must be performed by mohel or physician certified as mohel) Mikvah: Yes (Beth El Congregation Baltimore, MD., Adas Israel Congregation Washington, DC or Temple Beth Hillel-Beth El Wynewood, PA.) Bet Din: Yes (Conservative rabbis) Conversion Location: more »
Rabbi Jennifer Rudin (Post-Denominational)
Conversion Requirements Brit Milah/Hatafat: No Mikvah: Yes (Mayyim Hayyim, Newton, MA) Bet Din: Yes (rabbis, cantors, lay leaders and Jewish educators) Conversion Location: Boston, MA Students Accepted: Scholarship, Chai, Mitzvah Rabbi will be available for conversion soon! I'm a liberal, post-denominational rabbi who believes that Judaism is relevant, meaningful and inspirational. As the founder of more »
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Moody's Investors Service raised Valero Energy Corp.'s VLO, -4.72% outlook to stable, saying rising industrial activity will lead to modest growth in demand for distillates as well as supportive light/heavy spreads.
The ratings agency previously had a negative view on the company's Baa2 senior unsecured note ratings, which is two notches above junk status.
Valero, the largest independent U.S. oil refiner, reported last month it swung to a first-quarter profit amid growing global demand for diesel and jet fuel but was still unable to meet analysts' forecasts.
Moody's expects Valero's cash flow to remain strong over the near term, though the ratings are restrained by inherent refining sector cyclicality and volatility, heavy capital spending levels, acquisition event risk and uncertainties regarding the regulation of greenhouse gases in California.
Shares were trading up 2.3% at $27.41, and the stock has gained 48% over the past year.