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Insider's guide to Dubai, ranked #11 in our countdown of '100 Most Incredible Cities in the World'.
Insider's tips
Nicola Chiltern
Director of public relations and content – Europe, Middle East and Africa, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
Salt Burger truck at Kite Beach
An old-school metallic food truck on the beach, Salt offers just three types of burger – Original (with pickle), Hook (with jalapeno) and Cheetos Chicken, which as the name suggests is a fried chicken burger with melted cheese loaded with Cheetos.
You get two in each serving (slightly larger than a typical slider) in a buttery bun with melted cheese.
The place is always packed with locals, but it's open until 2am every night. Go early evening or late night, and order as many burgers as you think you can manage!
Abra crossing of Dubai Creek
There aren't many things you can get in Dubai for one dirham, but a ride across Dubai Creek on an abra boat is one of them.
I could spend all day shuttling back and forth, watching the painted wooden dhows taking their cargoes of refrigerators, household goods and occasionally cars across the Arabian Gulf to Iran.
Hop on board, pay the driver, smile at your fellow passengers, and sit back as you watch the skyline of the historical Al Fahidi district, with its mosques and wind towers, glide by.
Bu Qtair Fried fish shack at Umm Suqeim
Hundreds of people line up at Bu Qtair nightly for mouth-watering plates of Keralan fried fish and spicy prawns.
Nothing more than a Portakabin in a vacant lot, you stand in line under the fluorescent lights to order your meal (fish, prawns, rice, chapatti and curry sauce being the sum total of what's on offer), and then stand in line to wait for a plastic table and stool to open up.
The place will be packed and if you leave it too late they may run out of prawns, so come early, soak up the atmosphere, and enjoy this Dubai experience like no other.
Mercury Lounge at the Four Seasons Hotel
An amazing rooftop bar; from one side you have the sea with a beautiful sunset every night, from the other the crazy Dubai skyline. Really gorgeous.
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When in Dubai, rent a unique place to stay from a local host at airbnb.com/100


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Carmel Winery, based in Zichron Ya'acov and Rishon Le Zion, offers a perfect metaphor for how Israel is establishing itself on the cultural world stage.
Founded in 1882 by Edmond de Rothschild, Carmel is Israel's largest winery, and the oldest still in operation. For many years, it produced wine chiefly for ceremonial purposes—fine vintages were out of the question. But starting in the late 1980s, Israeli demand for superior wines was clearly intensifying, and Carmel played an important part in that sea change.
The vintners at Carmel realized some time ago that trying to copy the techniques of Old World winemakers would not work here. Israel is a hot country, so they brought in wine experts from warm climates: California, Argentina, Chile, South Africa, and Australia. Their chief winemaker today is Lior Lacser, who has worked in France (both Burgundy and Bordeaux) as well as in Australia.
Carmel now also has two small, state-of-the-art wineries producing small quantities of handcrafted wines: Kayoumi Winery in the Upper Galilee, and Yatir Winery in the northeastern Negev. Carmel Winery has won many international prizes, including the prestigious Decanter World Wine Award for its 2008 Kayoumi Single Vineyard Shiraz. It continues to wow wine experts with its old-vine Petite Syrah and Carignan, Mediterranean-style prestige blends, and more.
Carmel Winery and Kayoumi Winery >
Carmel Winery operations. Photos courtesy Carmel Winery

subset: commoncrawl


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Your Custom Text Here
Director and Technical Producer
Technical direction for live video broadcasts for international speaking engagements. Direction and production of broadcast satellite trucks, television production studios, live venue integration and in studio broadcasts.
Technical direction and production for a wide range of "TED Talk" style events in New York, London and Paris.
Design and production of multiple fully automated in-house live broadcast studios.


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Prep Cook and Baker
Black Bear Diner Layton, UT
- Depends on experience
- Part Time / Full Time
- Employee Discounts
- Employer Fairly Likely to Respond
Black Bear Diner is hiring for a Prep Cook, Baker!
We're searching for team members with previous kitchen and food prep experience. In this role, you'll be responsible for baking as well as preparing foods to our standards.
As a Prep Cook, Baker your responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:
- Consistently prepare, cook, portion all food according to Black Bear Diner recipes, procedures and standards.
- Comply with all food safety requirements such as checking and maintaining temperature, dating and labeling products, rotating products so that oldest is used first.
- Maintain a clean and sanitary work station area including tables, shelves, stoves, ovens and refrigeration equipment.
- Handle, store and rotate all products properly.
- Complete sidework for station and shift.
- Close the prep and bake areas correctly. Follow the closing checklist for kitchen stations. Assist others in closing stations and the kitchen.
- Performs other related duties as assigned by the manager-on-duty.
- A minimum of 2 years of experience in kitchen preparation and baking.
- At least 6 months experience in a similar capacity.
- Must be able to work in an environment that is often hot, noisy, and congested.
- Must be able to communicate clearly with managers, kitchen and dining room personnel.
- Be able to reach, bend, stoop and frequently lift up to 50 pounds.
- Be able to work in a standing position for long periods of time (up to 5 hours).
We Offer:
- Working in our fast-paced kitchen - You'll learn a lot
- Competitive Compensation based on experience
- The opportunity to work with an amazing team
- Discounted meals
Come join the team at this fast growing family dining concept, Apply Today!
Our Bear-ific Culture
The spirit and integrity of our brand starts with our staff. That's why we only hire the beary best.
Our employees are:
- Self-motivated, with a competitive spirit that inspires others.
- Customer-focused and consistently driven to provide quality service.
- Energetic multi-taskers, who thrive in a fast-paced environment.
- Professional in personal appearance and attitude.
- Friendly team players, ready to lend a hand whenever and wherever it's needed.
- Skilled, with previous experience in the hospitality industry.
- Perfectly happy with all the bear puns they're subjected to.
If this type of engaging culture excites you, we encourage you to apply today!


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U.S. Figure Skating head wants Russia out of 2018 Winter Games/
KANSAS CITY - U.S. Figure Skating President Sam Auxier said Thursday that Russia should not be allowed to compete at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games because of the doping scandal that has enveloped the country's athletes.
Auxier added that the integrity of both the International Olympic Committee and the International Skating Union hinged on issuing a stiff penalty against the Russians.
"I mean, it's state sponsored. ... It was a huge program, well coordinated, to cheat, and they should pay a pretty stiff penalty," Auxier said during a press conference at the 2017 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. "I think the only way the IOC and the ISU maintain any level of integrity is to take a strong stand and weigh a strong penalty for those actions."
Auxier joins Sebastian Coe, president of the International Association of Athletics Federations, as one of the few sports federation heads in the world to take such a strong position on the issue of Russia's Olympic participation.
In saying all Russian athletes should be excluded, Auxier even went a step further than IAAF leader Coe, who called only for Russia's track and field athletes to be banned from the Rio Summer Olympics. Only one Russian track and field athlete was allowed to compete in Rio.
No Russian figure skaters have been officially implicated in doping allegations that could involve as many as 1,000 Russian athletes in summer and winter sports, according to an independent investigation commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
But 2014 Olympic ladies champion Adelina Sotnikova is reportedly one of 28 athletes under investigation by the IOC for a doping sample that was among those allegedly manipulated in the Russian anti-doping lab in Sochi.
The manipulation allegedly involved tampering with sample bottles to fill them with drug-free urine. Scratches on the bottles are seen as evidence of tampering, and the Italian sports newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that a bottle containing Sotnikova's sample had been identified as one of those with the scratches.
There is no evidence she was involved in or aware of any such tampering.
Sotnikova is the first Russian woman to win Olympic singles gold.
Should Sotnikova be banned, Gracie Gold would inherit the bronze medal, with Yu-Na Kim of South Korea getting gold and Carolina Kostner of Italy the silver.


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The idea of "cycle scavenging" is built into the DNA of C2000 microcontrollers (MCUs), which enables them to minimize latency at every stage of real-time control without compromising performance.
In previous installments of this series, I looked at a number of features on C2000 MCUs, including zero-wait-state analog-to-digital converter (ADC) transfers, multiport ADC reads, start-of-conversion timing and configurable ADC interrupt delays that are tailored to scavenge cycles at the sensing stage of real-time closed-loop control systems. In this installment, I'll take a closer look at how the ADC post-processing blocks shown in Figure 1 provide a unique way of scavenging cycles from the main processors that would otherwise be required in the middle of your most time-critical loops.
Figure 1: ADC post-processing block diagram
Traditionally, the main processors of an MCU handled sample-processing routines such as offset correction, error calculation and threshold comparisons. This took place during the processing stage of closed-loop systems. With the addition of ADC post-processing blocks on new C2000 MCUs, these routines are now performed during the sensing stage, with zero software overhead.
In many applications, the use of external signals and signal sources produces an offset on the input ADC channels. In such situations, global trimming is not enough to compensate for these offsets because they may vary from channel to channel. The typical approach would be to remove these offsets in software at the processing stage of the control loop. The downside to such an approach is that it increases the burden on the central processing unit (CPU), burning more cycles. With ADC post-processing blocks, these offset corrections can occur in hardware, saving numerous cycles in the process.
In almost all closed-loop control applications, an error from a desired set point must be computed from the digital output of the ADC conversion in order to actuate an appropriate system response. Most general-purpose MCUs perform these functions at the beginning of an interrupt service routine (ISR), burning several cycles doing so. The ADC post-processing blocks on C2000 MCUs can perform these error computations automatically in hardware, reducing not only software overhead but also sample-to-output latency.
Post-processing blocks have the ability to generate enhanced pulse-width modulator (ePWM) trips based on an out-of-range ADC conversion without any CPU intervention. Being part of the ADC module, the post-processing blocks can automatically perform a check against a high and low ADC limit and generate a trip to the PWM and/or an interrupt based on the comparisons. This invariably lowers the sample-to-ePWM latency and significantly reduces software overhead compared to other general-purpose MCUs.
While most general-purpose MCUs rely on the main processors to handle the above-mentioned sample-processing routines, C2000 MCUs differentiate themselves by providing the ability to do the same in hardware with the ADC post-processing blocks. As you can see, the post-processing block is a very powerful feature that enables C2000 MCUs to realize significant cycle savings, thereby adding remarkable value from a real-time control perspective.
Moving on from sensing, in the next installment of this blog series I will address processing, discussing the trigonometric math unit and control law accelerator and their abilities to scavenge cycles at the processing stage of real-time control systems.
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Keeping the Productive Class, Not in Government's Interest
Roger Williams University Professor Thomas Lonardo has picked up a thread of the apocalyptic Rhode Island tapestry that I noted about a decade ago:
However, a major part of the Rhode Island population typically associated with middle- and upper-middle-class taxpayers seems to be ignored, the 35-to-54-year-olds. This group makes up 26.8 percent of the population. Although income class distinctions are a moving target, it is assumed that the middle- and upper-middle-class income range is $75,000-149,999, with 27.4 percent of the households in Rhode Island in this range.
'The modest overall decline of the Rhode Island population of 1,365 from 2010 to 2013 may not raise concerns. What should be of concern is the decline in the 35-54-year-old population by an astounding 16,567!
This is another way of getting around to describing what I've called the productive class. If I could pick any age range, I'd probably go with something closer to 28-50, but that's a minor and largely arbitrary distinction. The point is that this is the age range during which people make something of themselves. They go from being on the lower rungs to getting near their full potential. It's a lot of human initiative, sweat, time, and investment, and as people climb those rungs in large numbers, they bring the economy up with them.
Lonardo sticks to thinking of people in their groups, so I don't think he quite gets to the heart of why the productive class is important. It's not about employers versus employees and everybody fitting in their groups. As in physics, the real action happens with acceleration. I think, therefore, there's a simpler answer to this question:
Why doesn't retention of this taxpayer class seem to be a primary focus of our elected officials? Maybe because the solutions that make a public opinion impact beyond an election cycle are not worthy of consideration. Possibly because solutions include difficult decisions and bold comprehensive strategies addressing the myriad of troubles facing the state such as: high taxes (including fees and surcharges), substandard roads and bridges, underperforming public schools, etc.
Fundamentally, the problem is that the government can only help the productive class by relinquishing control and taking care of the basics. The government would have to get out of the business of telling people what they can do in every minute aspect of their economic lives and start taking care of boring stuff like infrastructure.
People accomplishing things create a competing source of power and authority to that of government in a way that people who already have a lot of money or who have almost no money at all cannot match. Indeed, the already-wealthy have incentive to work with government to keep the upstarts out, while the poor represent a client-and-voter base for the government.


text: Santander raises over £90,000 for the fight against heart disease 26 August 2014 Throughout June Santander took part in an annual staff engagement and health and well-being initiative which saw them raise funds for our fight for every heartbeat. Over 70 teams of 10 Santander employees took part in a sponsored "50 million steps" pedometer challenge. The teams were tasked to collectively walk 50 million steps over two weeks, by the end of the challenge the teams had walked just under 70 million steps. As well as physically challenging themselves, the Santander branch network got customers involved by holding teddy bear raffles and a stock donation appeal to raise further funds. The activity has raised over £90,000 with Gift Aid and matched funding from the Santander Foundation. Claire's Story For one employee this activity was more than an annual challenge. Claire Higgins, was a member of the top fundraising team, "Sophie's Sassy Steppers". Claire and the team were spurred on to raise as much money as possible by Claire's daughter Sophie's story. At just two days old, Claire and her husband were told Sophie had several life-threatening conditions including a large hole in her heart. These are complex conditions that make Sophie's future uncertain. Claire said: "It was devastating. It still is. Seven years later, we still can't believe it. We didn't know anyone in a similar situation so we called the BHF Heart Helpline and it was a big help to me. "Sophie's an amazing child and we don't want to wrap her in cotton wool. We want her to do as much as she can and regular monitoring helps with this. "Her first day at school was very emotional for me. We are so very proud that she has reached these milestones. "We've told Sophie that she has a special heart. We had to make her aware that she will be getting it 'fixed' one day. We are just always hoping that as time goes on research funded by the British Heart Foundation will find something that will help Sophie. More time might give us a chance to sort it". Sophie is now 7 years old and lives with these conditions every day. She's been in and out of hospital her whole life. But she's a fighter. Thank you Thanks to the effort by the employees and customers of Santander we will be able to fund further research to help families like Claire's.


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Lesson Two - Christine E./
I have never done this before so it was a learning experience for me. This is my first attempt to stick to the rules - for practice.
I had a lot of fun with this exercise, especially after I decided that gluing it down was a rule and could therefore be broken! I have many different versions on my camera! These designs are based on the centres of marbles. This one almost follows the rules but marble centres are not symmetrical so I mixed up the pieces.
This one I'm calling it Breaking out of the Square.
I am continuing to play! This one started to make me think of architecture and 3 dimensional effects so I'll be doing some more playing with it. I like this technique for analyzing where darks and lights should go. I love colour so working in black and white is quite a change for me.


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Customers CLUB
Funded program on our shop charges you points for purchases and some useful actions ( inviting friends , writing reviews to goods - see details below)
Why do we need points?
Points go to the expense of new payment for your orders. You pay for the order less!
How to get points ?
Points are awarded in the following cases :
For purchases : You get points for every purchase in our store.
For registration in our store -20 points.
For subscribing to the newsletter -20 points.
For inviting friends to our shop -20 points.
For registration you invite friends in our store -20 points.
For the purchase of your friends you invite to our store -20 points.
For writing reviews to -50 points.
For adding labels (tags) to the item -10 points.
As scores affect the cancellation of the order value ?
1 point = 1 ruble .
How can I pay points ?
When ordering, if you have accumulated enough points , the store will offer you to credit scores in the cost of the order. The remainder of the cost you can pay other conventional methods .
Where to see my points ?
Information about you collected and spent points is in your Personal Area.


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I have said repeatedly that I have no interest on being on a cruise. The confinement and mode of travel just don't fit my personality and desires. However there have always been a few exceptions to this statement – Antarctica is one of them. Cruising on an expedition style ship is really the only main way to get to Antarctica, so I was willing to make an exception to my rule and tackle the world of cruising.
Since my father and I were novice cruisers (however my father did in fact cruise from Seattle to New Zealand and back on a freighter ship), we both didn't really know what to expect from the MS Expedition. But pretty quickly we fell into a very comfortable routine and surprisingly kept busier than we ever imagined or expected.
The most frequently asked question I have received is "What exactly do you do on the ship all day?" After spending 10 busy activity-filled days on the ship I can now answer that question and more for those of you interested in cruising to the bottom of the world. And if you aren't interested in it – then you should be – as it was one of the most spectacular regions I've ever experienced on this globe.
How big was the ship?
The MS Expedition was built in 1972 and refurbished in 2009. It was 345 feet long and 61 feet wide. It was staffed with 52 crew and about 10 Expedition Staff. There were approximately 130 passengers on board the ship for our cruise. It had a reception area, 3 main living/cabin levels, a mud room, a sauna, a large lounge that held all passengers, a dining room, an exercise room, library, computer room, gift shop, and a bar/lounge.
What did you do to keep busy all day?
Once in the Antarctic region/peninsula each day there were two zodiac landings – one in the morning and one in the afternoon. It was your choice to go on them or not. After the landings of the day were complete, there was a debriefing in the Discovery Lounge for the current day's landings as well as the next day's planned landings. Each night after dinner there was a movie option to watch in the Discovery Lounge or typically there was a music and socializing in the Polar Bear Lounge/bar that went into the very early morning hours!
I also kept very busy each day as the kayaking group would meet and go out during the landings too. Normally I would do one zodiac landing with my father and one kayaking excursion a day. Typically the kayaking excursions would last about 2 ½ to 3 hours.
When we were cruising through the Drake Passage to get to/from the Peninsula there were 2 morning lectures and 2 afternoon lectures offered on various topics ranging from Antarctica history, to wildlife, to geology.
Trust me when I saw there was ALWAYS something to do. In fact some days I was simply exhausted from all of the activity!
How did the Zodiac Landings work?
All passengers were assigned to one of 4 groups. Two groups would be called down to the mudroom (the loading/unloading area) at once. Once in the mudroom, you would get into all of your gear which normally consisted of a warm coat, waterproof pants & coat, waterproof boots(provided by the boat), mittens, cap, sunglasses, lifejacket, and backpack/camera. Then you would queue to get on a zodiac boat. You were 'checked' out of the ship via a swipe card, you stepped in a solution to disinfect your boots (ensuring no foreign critters/bacteria made it to Antarctica) and got on a zodiac. The zodiac would take you to land and upon landing an Expedition Leader would greet you and explain the layout of the island – where various penguins or seals were located, what trails you could walk on and what was off limits. They would also tell you when the last zodiac would be going back to the ship so that you knew how much time you had. After the briefing, you were on your own to explore and take photos! You typically had about 1 to 1 ½ hours to walk around on your own. Once you went back to the ship you were checked back in via your swipe card and went through the disinfecting process again.
What were the cabins and facilities like?
We had a class 3 cabin which consisted of two twin beds, a desk & chair, another reading chair, bathroom with shower, and a decent sized window. Some of the cabins slept 3 or 4 people and had bunk beds. There was a cleaning service daily and a nighttime turn down service.
More information on the variety of cabins and facilities on the MS Expedition.
There were plenty of places to lounge around the ship and read or just look out the windows. Plus you could go outside on deck or go up to the bridge and visit the captain and crew.
What is include in the cost of the cruise?
It's probably easier to say what wasn't included – alcohol, soda, expedition coats (they were included for the highest cabin class), optional camping activities, optional kayaking activities, and tips.
Note that on the MS Expedition boots were included for all passengers.
Can you pay in US Dollars?
Yes – you can pay in US Dollars and you can pay by credit card for any extra expenses. When you get on the boat each passenger is given a swipe card with the name on it, their cabin number, and mud room 'space' number. This card can be connected to a credit card if you'd like. All charges are simply added to your account with the swipe card and at the end you can settle the bill via a credit card or cash. You can even add your tip to the swipe card at the end. It was a very convenient process!
Is it really cold?
Not really. The typical temperature when we went in December were around 30 to 40 degrees. However the weather changes very fast and a sunny, warm day can turn chilly and snowy very quickly. Some days I did get cold on the Zodiac landings – but that was mainly because of the wind which can also pack a serious punch. My Canada Goose Expedition jacket provided by G Adventures was perfect as it was plenty warm. Most days I just wore a long sleeved shirt, my jacket, a pair of long underwear, outer pants layer, and a waterproof pants layer and was completely fine.
See my Ultimate Antarctica Packing List
Antarctica packing is much more than just ensuring you have warm clothes! Before you go, make sure you have all of these Antarctica items!
What did you eat?
There was a huge variety of food for every meal. Breakfast and Lunch were always buffet style eating while dinner was a sit down 4 course dinner with menu choices. Special diet options were always available. It was communal dining so most days you just chose a table and ate with new people – which made the whole process very social! The food was always good and the waiters/servers were amazing to watch as they carried large trays stacked full as the ship rocked and rolled. You could also purchase a bottle of wine, and if you didn't want to finish it the staff would put your cabin number on it and keep it for you for the next day.
One evening the crew held a BBQ dinner out on the back deck. They transformed the deck into a dining room with some of the best food of the whole trip. We were blessed with perfect weather and one of the most amazing views I've ever had while eating – the Lemaire Channel.
Did you go stir crazy without exercise?
Luckily I signed up for the optional kayaking program when I booked my trip. This proved to be the best thing for getting exercise and keep me from going a bit stir crazy. Every time there was a landing – we had an opportunity to kayak if the weather conditions permitted and most days the weather was kind to us and we were able to go out. We would paddle for about 2 ½ to 3 hours covering around 5 to 7 miles. Overall on our cruise kayak was offered 8 times (thanks to great weather) and it covered 33 nautical miles. That's a lot of calories burned!
The zodiac landings also provided a good chance for you to get out and stretch your legs a bit and walk around islands and explore. In addition there was an exercise room on the ship too.
What did you do at night?
Dinner generally ended around 9PM and every night a movie was offered in the Discovery Lounge. The movies were normally Antarctica themed in some way. Or if you wanted to be a bit more social you could go to the Polar Bear Lounge and listen to the ship musician, Parker Ainsworth, who entertained with covers and his own music. My preference was to go listen to Parker who's talent was immense!
Occasionally there would also be other presentations going on. On our particular cruise there was a small technical group/conference who also met and did presentations on various topics and anyone was welcome to attend. They even asked me to come and present my experiences in the Mongol Rally one night.
Or you could simply go out and sit outside and marvel at the white nights. Since the sun never really set while we were in Antarctica we had some spectacular sunsets at about midnight! It never really did get entirely dark out during our cruise making it even harder to sleep when there is so much to see!
Is there internet?
Yes – but you must pay to play. The ship had a satellite connection that was pretty decent most days. However satellite costs are hefty – you could buy an 'access code' based on megabytes downloaded as opposed to time spent online. It cost $120 US for 100 megabytes. The ship had wifi in various common areas such as the reception area, Discovery Lounge, and Poloar Bear Lounge. There were also 2 computers available to use that had hard connections.
You would need to be careful to shut off your phone push settings as you can eat up megabytes pretty quickly with a smart phone. However my best advice is that unless you are working there on board like me – just unplug and enjoy the peace and quiet of Antarctica and leave the email and photos until you get back home.
What kind of animals did you see and could you get close to them?
We saw Penguins (Gentoo, Macaroni, Chinstrap, Adele), Seals (Leopard, Crabeater, Elephant, Weddell), Whales ( Minke, Orca, Fin), and a variety of seabirds. We saw some pretty spectacular sights when it came to the animals – about 100 Orca whales hunting/harassing Minke whales, a leopard seal and a pup nursing, and so many penguins it was just a blur of black and white.
Yes – you were able to get very, very close to the animals in certain situations. In fact – the Fin whales actually were about 3 meters in front of our boat!
The expedition staff and crew were wonderful at pointing out the animals and providing you loads of information on them. In addition, the Captain was thoroughly skilled at maneuvering our large ship very close to the wildlife but not so close that it scared them.
More Questions?
This hopefully gets some of your questions answered – however feel free to leave any questions you have in the comments and I'm happy to answer them to the best of my ability! Also – you may want to check out the Expedition Trips website for more information on cruising to Antarctica or simply call their hotline and talk to an expert!
Disclosure: ExpeditionTrips and G Adventures hosted my Antarctic Peninsula Cruise. However, all of the opinions expressed here are my own – as you know how I love to speak my mind!
- Antarctica Preparation and Planning
- Knocking Things Off My Bucket List
- Preparing for the Passage
- Iguazu Falls Argentina in Photos
- Travels with my Father
- Antarctica's Winged Mascot
- How Cruising to Antarctica Works
- Icebergs and their Hidden Stories
- The Oldest Ghost Town in Antarctica
- 5 Surprising Things You Can Do on Antarctica
- How Kayaking in Antarctica Works
- Plunging into my Fears
- Mother Nature is in Charge
- The Drake Symphony
- 10 Reasons You Should Kayak in Antarctica
- Antarctica Wildlife Sightings
- Ice Patterns


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Lotto winner makes heartfelt £1Million donation
When Peter Congdon won £13.5Million on Lotto in 2015, he knew right away that he wanted to give back to a charity close to his heart. His first decision as a newly-minted multi-millionaire was to do something for the Merlin MS Centre in Cornwall, in memory of his late wife Rosemary who suffered from the condition for 33 years.
The Merlin MS Centre's Primrose Hydrotherapy Pool was officially opened this month, with thanks to Peter, whose £1Million donation made the building of the special facility a reality. It now stands as a lasting tribute to his late wife Rosemary.
Peter said, "Unfortunately Rosemary was never able to use the centre, though she did visit. I know that if she was still here she would have done exactly the same as me, as the pool will make such a difference for people like her."
Sophie Countess of Wessex officially opened the pool in February 2019 alongside Peter, the centre users, volunteers and staff as well as the Lord Lieutenant, Colonel Edward Bolitho and Merlin MS Centre Trustee, Sally-Jane Coode.
Hydrotherapy can improve the health and well-being of people with a range of neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's and the therapy team at the centre will now be able to deliver group and one-to-one sessions.
Peter said, "Hydrotherapy can be of enormous benefit to people and I am delighted to be able to fund this new facility and enhance the amazing service already provided by the Merlin MS Centre."
14th February 2019
Over the last 24 years we've created over 5,350 millionaires and funded more than 565,000 National Lottery projects - discover more life-changing stories.Discover more


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Application for Privilege of Call / Dual Standing
Dual Standing UCC ByLaw Provision - 143. An ordained minister of another denomination other than the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) who wishes to retain ordained ministerial standing in that denomination and who has become a pastor of a Local Church of the United Church of Christ, or serves in a Covenanted, Affiliated, or Associated Ministry of the United Church of Christ, or has become pastor of a yoked charge or federated church, one part of which is affiliated with the United Church of Christ, or has been called to an ecumenical ministry one constituent of which is the United Church of Christ, may apply to the Association for dual ordained ministerial standing which is limited to the duration of that pastorate or that responsibility, and during that period may have all the rights and privileges of such membership.
In the Southern Conference, Dual Standing is limited to time and place. It cannot be sought or granted until one has been called to serve in a UCC setting and it ends when service in that setting ends.
Privilege of Call UCC ByLaw Provision - 140. An ordained minister of another denomination who desires to enter the ordained ministry of the United Church of Christ applies for Privilege of Call to the Association within whose bounds he or she resides. 141. The Committees on the Ministry of the Conference and Association cooperate in examining the applicant as to his or her abilities, reasons for desiring to enter the ordained ministry of the United Church of Christ, educational and theological attainments, knowledge of the history, polity, and practices of the United Church of Christ, and Christian faith and experience. If the applicant is found to be qualified, the Association grants Privilege of Call, thereby commending said applicant for placement in the United Church of Christ. Privilege of Call shall be granted for a period of one year and may be renewed. After accepting a call, the ordained minister applies for ordained ministerial standing in the United Church of Christ to the Association of which the Local Church extending the call is a part. 142. A certificate granting Privilege of Call is issued bearing the signatures of the proper officer of the Association and the general minister and president of the United Church of Christ.
In the Southern Conference, once Privilege of Call is granted, full ordained standing can be applied for after being called to serve in a UCC setting. Privilege of Call can be renewed yearly while seeking a call.
In addition to this application, please include:
- Verification of theological education (if applicable)
- a letter from your pastor that addresses and affirms your call to authorized ministry in the United Church of Christ, your gifts and graces for ministry that they have experienced, and how you have exhibited leadership in the local church;
- a letter from a UCC minister that addresses and affirms your call to authorized ministry, your gifts and graces for ministry that they have experienced, and how you have exhibited leadership in the local church;
- a letter from your current judicatory body affirming your current standing
- and one additional letter of reference from someone outside your family who can speak to their experience of your ministry
- if you have already been called to serve as pastor in a UCC setting, in place of the letter from your local church pastor, please submit a letter from your most recent former local church pastor.
- A completed Criminal Background Check. Please contact Rev. Nora Foust (email@example.com) for information on how to compete this process on-line or visit https://www.oxforddoc.com/ucc/welcome-UCC.asp entering client number 936 and position code 1.
If you have any questions, please contact your Association office.
Revision as of April 29, 2009
- A lived faith showing love of God, trust in Jesus, and openness to the Holy Spirit.
- Devotion to the word of God as revealed through scripture and Christian traditions.
- Commitment to life-long spiritual growth and practice, individually and in community.
- A sense of being called by God and the community to authorized ministry in the church.
- Openness to continuing discernment of one's call in community.
- Acknowledgment of Jesus Christ as sole Head of the Church.
- A passion for the oneness of the body of Christ as expressed through commitment to ecumenism, justice, and the full embrace of all persons in the radical hospitality of God.
- Active membership in a local church of the United Church of Christ.
- An understanding of the concept of covenant and how it informs the nature, purpose, and polity of the United Church of Christ.
- A willingness to live in the covenants of mutual accountability that characterize authorized ministry in the United Church of Christ.
- Ongoing demonstration of commitment to the United Church of Christ.
- Stewardship of resources, including financial support of the church in all of its settings.
- Participation in the various settings of the United Church of Christ, including the conference/association and local church.
The ability: to articulate diverse histories that comprise the United Church of Christ, to situate them in the broader evolution of faith traditions and to relate them to the theology, polity, and practices of the Member's local church, association, and conference.
- to explain and work within the current polity of the UCC and its denominational structure, and to describe the covenantal relationships among the General Synod, national setting, conferences, associations, and local congregations of the UCC.
- to share key elements of the UCC's statement of faith, constitution with its preamble, and bylaws regarding the governance, mission, and theologies of the UCC and their implications for the life of the church.
- to articulate the UCC's commitment to being a united and uniting, multiracial and multicultural, open and affirming, accessible to all and just peace church.
- to envision how the UCC in its various settings may respond to religious, social, economic, and political trends, changing demographics, and other emerging factors.
- to use and promote the informational and educational resources available through UCC publications and websites.
- A healthy sense of self as shaped by God, community, and personal experience.
- A sense of theological identity and authority, while being responsive to the opinions and values of others, including those whom the Member will serve.
- A healthy awareness of strengths, weaknesses and limits, and assumption of responsibility for one's body, mind and spirit.
- Knowledge and observance of personal and professional boundaries in interpersonal, congregational, and community settings.
- A commitment to continuing education, professional development, and life-long learning.
- Demonstrated moral maturity, including integrity in personal and public life and responsibility to self, family, church, and community.
- The ability: to affirm the identities of others, including others very unlike oneself.
- to engage in self-reflection and to seek and use feedback from others appropriately.
- to engage productively in public discourse, expecting to grow and be transformed through the exchange of viewpoints.
- to take initiative in leadership, and to frame and test a vision in community.
- to listen empathically, communicate appropriately, and keep appropriate confidences.
- to function as part of a team, to give and receive supervision, and to mutually equip and motivate the community of faith.
- to be resourceful and adaptable, and know where to locate additional resources and seek consultation when needed.
- to accept and promote diversity, to inspire others to do so, and to minister in a multicultural and multiracial, open and affirming, just peace, accessible to all, united and uniting church.
General Knowledge and Skills
The Ability:
- to understand and appreciate a variety of perspectives of life.
- to understand the profound differences that physical, psychological, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, class, cultural, religious, racial, and ethnic factors make in the ways that human beings experience the world.
- to comprehend the impact of historical change upon the thoughts, feelings, and actions of individuals and societies.
- to perceive how a person's perspectives and interests shape communication, and to appreciate the virtues and limitations of those perspectives and interests.
- to grasp and evaluate the justifications that people give for their opinions.
- to apply basic concepts of psychology to the understanding of oneself, others, and human interactions.
- to appreciate the importance of symbols and images in human culture(s)
- to understand various meanings and purposes of the arts.
- to analyze social, political, environmental, and economic dynamics, using the tools of the social and natural sciences.
- to use respectfully and relationally a basic knowledge of specific human cultures.
- to communicate clearly and effectively with appropriate media and technologies.
Knowledge and Skills Specific to Authorized Ministry
- A thorough knowledge of, and personal engagement with, the Bible.
- Skill with methods of biblical interpretation, including the historic interpretive traditions of the church and contemporary methods, particularly those from historically underrepresented communities.
- A deepening familiarity with the global history of the Christian churches through the ages and across cultures, including the newest Christian populations, and an understanding of the evolution of Christian communities in the United States.
- A deepening familiarity with contemporary theological ways of thinking and with the rich and varied theological heritages, creeds, liturgies, and spiritual practices of the Christian churches.
- An understanding of other religions and their foundational documents.
- The ability: to articulate a theological understanding of authorized ministry, and to relate it to the practice of ministry.
- Analyze, evaluate, and integrate the biblical, historical, theological, and pastoral disciplines and practices in ways that contribute to fruitful and faithful Christian ministry.
- To understand the nature, use, and misuse of power and authority, and to exercise them appropriately and effectively in authorized ministry.
- To engage in community leadership that is collaborative and transformative.
- To engage in respectful ecumenical and interfaith dialogue.
- To celebrate the unique features of local faith communities while encouraging them to be receptive to perspectives from the broader church and world.
- To appreciate, practice, and pass on traditions of faith while interpreting them in light of the context of a diverse and changing world.
- To adapt the practices of ministry to the unique social, cultural, environmental and ecclesiastical aspects of particular settings.
- To discern God's mission in the world and, in response, to lead ministries of compassion, nurture, justice, and proclamation that support fullness of life for all people.
- To preach the good news, lead worship and participate in the sacraments in a manner faithful to the broader Christian heritage and appropriate to the characteristics of a specific culture and setting.
- To provide effective and appropriate pastoral care and Christian education, and to equip and motivate others to share in these ministries.
- To organize and implement programs, administer the operations of a complex organization, and initiate change when appropriate.
- To read the contexts of a community's ministry and creatively lead that community through change or conflict.
- To lead and encourage ministries of evangelism, service, stewardship and social transformation.
- To understand and participate in the financial administration of the church and other religious organizations.


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by Staff
At the Theater
"One of the great things about this play is it's going to lead to fantastic post-theater discussions and arguments, and I feel like it's a play you're just going to be talking about it and talking about it, maybe hopefully for days afterwards." – Josh Radnor
Actor Josh Radnor was speaking about Disgraced, the Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Avad Akhtar in which he appeared on Broadway. We are pleased to announce one of those post-theater discussions in Berkeley, California in another collaboration between the Graduate Theological Union, Center for the Arts, Religion, and Education, and Berkeley Repertory Theatre.
On Wednesday, November 18, GTU faculty members Munir Jiwa (Director of the Center for Islamic Studies), Naomi Seidman (Koret Professor of Jewish Culture), and Som Pourfarzaneh (Center for Islamic Studies Associate Director of Public Programs and Lecturer) will lead a panel discussion following the performance of Disgraced at the Berkeley Rep.
Written by novelist and screenwriter Ayad Akhtar, Disgraced tells the story of Amir Kapoor, an up-and-coming attorney living the American Dream on the Upper East Side, looking to become partner in the law firm. When he and his wife host a dinner party for friends and colleagues, the assembly includes an ex-Muslim, an African-American, a Jew and a WASP. Their conversation explores Islamophobia, the role of religious faith, and the challenges of being Muslim in post-9/11 America in a play that has been described as a "combustible powder keg of identity politics."
The GTU hopes to make discounted group tickets available for that night's performance. We'll have more ticket information available soon.
Disgraced Post-Performance Discussion
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Berkeley Repertory Theater | 7:00 pm


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The questionable weather we have been experiencing in the past couple of days got me thinking about what one should be sporting in the summer during this weird damp and muggy climate. Only one designer's name popped into my mind: Stella McCartney. With a throng of celebrity friends and A-list models, the eco-friendly British designer threw a fabulous garden party (in very questionable weather) just a few weeks ago to debut her 2014 resort collection. "Come rain or shine, you can rely on us to have a bit of fun; lift your spirits," explained the designer to editors at Vogue. Her upbeat attitude and colorful frocks did indeed lift my glum spirits, and gave me inspiration to steer clear of my gloomy black palette, forcing me to give the colorful prints in my closet a chance to take a stroll around the grocery store. If this gloomy weather is affecting your mood (and fun summer wardrobe), I suggest you take a cue from McCartney and dress in layers to "celebrate life, fashion, and color." Happy summer!
Images: Harper's Bazaar


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Stillwater EyeCare
Stillwater Eyecare is home to two of only three ophthalmologists (eye physicians and surgeons) currently practicing in Stillwater: Dr. Stephen Martin, MD and Dr. Matthew Flood, MD. We care about your eye health and provide compassionate care and treatment for your vision threatening eye diseases. We specialize in cutting edge treatments for general ophthalmology problems including cataract surgery, glaucoma surgery, and eyelid surgery. In addition Dr. Flood is a fellowship trained retina specialist who offers the latest injection and laser treatments for retinal problems such as macular degeneration, diabetes, retinal tears, and retinal detachments.
A full service optical shop is in the same building as Stillwater Eyecare. Please visit them at www.stillwatereyewear.com for more information.
Find trusted ophthalmologist-approved eye care information at geteyesmart.org


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Many of you have now or will soon finish submitting your applications.
I have a bit of advice: stop thinking about it for a bit. Stop reading the stuff on this forum. Go and have fun.
Worrying about the applications and trying to guess your chances (maybe based on other people's profiles, for example ) for several months is needlessly stressful. You will either get in or not and the committees won't give you extra points for being stressed.
Best of luck everyone!


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Some things never change no matter how many years drift by. An apple ripened rosy red by the sun from God above or snowflakes falling gently from the sweeping grey sky. Hummingbirds flitting from feeder to feeder, or a tender mother's love from one generation to next. This is what I'm thinking of.
I've been in the process of sorting out family pictures to paste in fat, full albums. It's something I've put off longer than I should. There are stacks and piles in all shapes and sizes around my office space. Some have names in my head while others don't. Time passes so quickly it's difficult to remember a few of them now.
Hundreds of pictures, some worn, torn or faded are spread out on a table before me. I seem to be searching for something, not knowing what it is. Suddenly, a photograph is pulled from the bottom of the pile, quite by accident, one that I had forgotten long ago. Yet, as soon as I see it, my eyes are smiling, crinkling from outer corners while lifting up towards the brown of my brow.
This photograph was taken years ago while living in our little Arizona ranch home. My sister and nephew were visiting from Chicago soon after my oldest son was born. Like many boys seem to do, my little nephew wanted to be a cowboy on that particular day. So my sister and I did our best to make him feel that way. We looked up and down, searching all around for any cowboy finery that would do. One or the other of us found a black felt hat from a closet shelf before digging up a red bandanna from the bottom of my husband's drawer. Discovering a feathered headdress of multi-colors, I stuck it on my baby's head to snap a quick picture in order to stay with the theme of imagination.
A few minutes after finding the first image, another treasure is uncovered in the stack. A photograph of my father, nearly eighty years back. Ironically, he's dressed much like my baby son. On the reverse is my grandmother's neat and wispy handwriting, looking as if she wrote it yesterday. It reads, "Paul, 1 yr. old. 1933." The forefront depicts her shadow with curly and unkempt hair. I can see her holding an old-time camera, standing there. She's taking this snapshot of her cherished young boy, the only son of a brood of nine she'd eventually bear.
The lens of two different cameras, over fifty years apart, capturing intangible feelings. Two different souls, two separate hearts, four generations apart.
Some things never change…..


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Hello Kitty Ramune Strawberry Soda/
Ramune is a Japanese soda that incorporates a marble in the sealing of the beverage. Hello Kitty is Hello Kitty. If you combine the two you're a giant robot away from a Japanese cliche trifecta. Since I don't have my own mech I'll just review this Hello Kitty Ramune Strawberry Soda instead. The label is very pink with Hello Kitty prominantly featured. It seems she either has strawberries balanced on her head or they're supposed to be some sort of bow. Let's go with the bow angle. Oh, this soda is totally chemical...but it's also Hello Kitty.
One day I'll be good at these marble openings. Today was not the day. Once the marble was removed a burst of strawberry candy aroma hit my nose. I kind of figured it'd be super sugary, but it's also Hello Kitty.
Wow, the carbonation level of Hello Kitty Ramune Strawberry Soda is much higher than I initially expected. This higher level of fizz cuts the flavor enough to not make it taste like a syrupy mess. The soda itself is right below the "too sugary" mark that I've made up on some imaginary sugar ruler. You know what this tastes like? It tastes like you ordered a Strawberry Fanta from some fast food place and their soda fountain has the CO2 and syrup levels wrong.
I'm finding out that there are times that strawberry soda needs to taste like a syrupy mess and this is one of them. I want my mouth to be candy coated in strawberry syrup. I want the aftertaste to linger longer than it should. I feel like I'm drinking half of a strawberry soda.
What's somewhat unfair about all this is that I wouldn't rate this any higher if I got my wishes that I listed above. No matter how you cut it this has a very generic flavor, like a lot of Ramune, and it just doesn't stand out...but it also has Hello Kitty.
Verdict - Buy a Bottle
This soda was purchased at World Market


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Deemed "Cupid's brownies" because you're sure to fall in love at first bite.
Much to this Mommy's sleepy disappointment, Bear woke up bright and early Sunday morning. My disappointment soon faded as I cuddled our sweet boy in my arms and soaked up every bit of giggly pat-a-cake. Bear dozed off after an hour or so, leaving Momma wide awake and in search of a task. Floors needed sweeping, laundry needed washing, but instead brownies were baked. And thank goodness such an unnecessary choice was made. These are hands down the best brownies I've ever tasted. Thank you, Sarah, for the awesome recipe!
Believe it or not, this was only my second homemade brownie attempt; I've always been a brownie-box kinda girl. I'm officially converted now, as this recipe has shown me that it's worth the extra few minutes to make a stand-out batch.
Super dense, rich, and bursting with chocolatey goodness, these brownies are sure to wow your Valentine.
You'll need:
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 sticks melted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup flour
1 cup Valentine's M&M's
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9x9 inch pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
Heat the butter in a small saucepan until JUST melted. In the bowl of a stand mixer, place the sugar, salt, and butter and mix until combined. Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Then, on medium speed, add eggs, one at a time, until combined. With the mixer on low, slowly add the cocoa powder, one spoonful at a time. Then add the flour, and 1/2 cup of the M&M's.
Using a spatula, spread the batter in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the remaining M&M's and bake 25-30 minutes, or until just set. Let cool.
recipe tweaked from here
note: I baked ours for about 45 minutes and they were perfect...just depends on your oven. Brownies will be done with a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Can you believe it's only 9 days until Valentine's Day?! Z already gave me my gift....a lovely charm bracelet from James Avery. He did good! Now to get him something...if only men were as easy to shop for as women. He wants a jerky dehydrator; how's that for romantic?
Happy baking!


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The new dresses from the 2015 collection arrive on chouchoudress
Many women waited it for a long time in the wardrobes; here is the new collection of chouchoudress. It is sumptuous and elegant evening dresses, all new models in the 2015 collection, which is currently available on the web site of chouchoudress for all fashion fans.
A new collection, a new modern trend
Royal evening dresses styles
For this new collection of 2015, fashion designers have given themselves fully to provide one of the models of dresses totally feminine and Royal. All the advantages of the feminine charm are included in these new evening dresses. This is a set of total elegance and feminine sensuality in fashion.
It has accentuated the side charming dress with corset-style dresses. Our dresses in suspenders, a greater femininity and a great chic side is present on the surface of the dress. The slot at the level of the skirts, the folds as well as ornaments is simply sublime. All these details have a look perfectly in phase and offer a Royal appearance to these new evening dresses.
Some examples of new the new 2015 collection dresses
Here is an example a splendid very elegant evening dress. It has a skirt with a slit perfectly in synthesis with the rest of the dress. The strapless style accentuates elegance, especially through the rhinestones that you can see.
With a blue color King, here is a beautiful wide straps evening dress. Expressing perfectly modern image is chic of a woman; the seam is just simply stunning. At the level of the bust can be seen of the horizontal folds that descend on the front until the vertical skirt.
Women who love the dresses to halters will love this model. It's a glittery Halter evening dress. Indeed, style halters is decorated with fantastic sequins, which offer a high gloss appearance, a great attraction and elegance to all.
An irresistible model of evening dress, here is the dress with a bustier in heart. It also has a very long split skirt. The slit in the skirt with the strapless heart form a perfect asset to have a Royal appearance to the gown.


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Coming from a traditional arts background I have a hands on approach to my design and illustration work with an ability to create work both digitally and the old fashioned way. Originally started working as a printmaker and graphic designer but have since moved into becoming an in house illustrator for a digital agency. Across these roles I have worked with such clients as Qantas, Virgin, Unibet, Tabcorp, Vodafone, SCIA, Incu, Swillhouse and AIME. In 2014 my work for The Distillery won the Create Design Award in the Illustration category. In my spare time I like to juggle various creative outlets like comics, animation and badly photoshopped memes. A lifelong movie lover, I spent my youth managing a local video store and feel this strong connection to a good narrative still influences my work. Recently acquiring two small children my next work will most likely be a sistine chapel inspired exploration into the Cars and Planes multiverse.
Currently available for freelance work.
Specialising in:
Digital Painting
Graphic Design
Contact me at firstname.lastname@example.com or use use the form here.
Lots of photos on this site courtesy of my partner Maja Baska. She is the best. Check her at majabaska.com
Follow me on Instragram/Twitter/Facebook below.
All work is protected under copyright law and may not be reproduced without permission.


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One of the most successful and well recognized Pakistani clothing brands worldwide, Nishat has made a name for itself because of their rigorous quality control and an army of talented in-house designers. Women fabrics are provided under the name Nisha. The name for the menswear brand of Nishat Linen is Naqsh. Nisha Princess and Naqsh Prince is the brand for kids. Here we are going to share you some latest collections of Nishat Linen Spring / Summer 2013.
Nishat spring summer collection 2013 designs can be divided into 6 categories based on the fabric. These categories are silk brochia, ruffle chiffon, voile, plain chiffon, charmouse chiffon and embroidered chiffon. In this collection for women spring – summer dresses 2013 beautiful and light color stylish clothes are included. The vibrant patterns and designs on Nishat linen fabrics are very attractive. Do make over your spring – summer wardrobe and included beautiful, trendy and elegant nishat linen spring/summer collection 2013. Nishat fabrics or nisha lawn 2013 are also perfect for college, university or working women of Pakistan. Now lets have a look at Nishat linen spring / summer complete collection 2013 for women.


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Lowell Board Grants Conditional OK on Thorndike Exchange
LOWELL -- A major mixed-use development at the long underutilized mill building next to the Gallagher Terminal was approved by the Planning Board Wednesday, passing a key hurdle.
Businessman Sal Lupoli, the property owner, said he plans to move quickly, opening 42 residential units within nine months.
Although the site plan and a special permit for the project, Thorndike Exchange, was approved unanimously, some challenges still lie ahead.
Lupoli and his team must still work with the city's planning officials to satisfy concerns that the project would add to an already congested and often dangerous stretch of road. The city does not want to allow for left turns from the site onto Thorndike Street, but Lupoli said the project "really hinges on me being able to do that."
Approval was granted conditionally on both sides being able to reach a compromise on the traffic issue.
The project also requires Historic Board approval, although the developers have been working with historic officials in City Hall for several months on details of the plan. No Historic Board hearing has been scheduled yet.
Thorndike Exchange will take a long dilapidated building at a key gateway to the city and turn it into one of the city's biggest mixed-use developments.
Lupoli has changed some aspects of the plan in hopes of attracting some of several hundred Perkins Park residents. The Perkins mill development was recently bought by UMass Lowell to eventually become a dormitory.
A group of Perkins residents attended Wednesday's hearing to support Thorndike Exchange.
Ralph Sutter, who has been an outspoken leader of residents there, urged the Planning Board to approve the project and allow an option for Perkins residents to stay in the city with similar mill living. He said about 100 residents have expressed interest in moving to Thorndike Exchange.
"It's hard not to get excited about this," he said.
Another Perkins resident, Hillary Behrens, showed pictures that illustrated how simiar Perkins and the Thorndike building looked before being renovated. She was confident Thorndike Exchange would spruce up its neighborhood like Perkins did.
A resident at the abutting Keith Academy apartments, Jaclyn Smith, said she "loved" the project but was concerned about how a new eight-story building would stand tall over their apartments.
"I"m here to speak for those residents," Smith, a trustee for the apartments, said of those who would be most affected by the new gray- and tan-facade structure.
The number of planned apartments at Thorndike Exchange has increased to 152, from 118. A total of 82 residential units will have one bedroom, and 58 will have two bedrooms. There will be 12 studios.
It will include two restaurants and 31,000 square-feet of commercial space, only slightly more than half of what was first planned. The project will rely on about 160 parking spaces at the adjacent Gallagher Terminal, with a planned enclosed footbridge between the mill and garage that would be built next spring.
Initial filings set the project cost at $30 million, but Lupoli has since said he plans to spend $50 million or more. He said he will not be seeking historic tax credits, as some other mill renovations have.
Approval required a compromise on traffic safety concerns.
Thorndike Street gets 40,000 to 45,000 vehicle trips per day, according to the city. The intersection of Thorndike and Highland streets is the 74th most dangerous intersection in the state, based on its rate of accidents.
Nicolas Bosonetto, the city's transportation engineer, suggested Thorndike Street be widened, with designated left-turn lanes from Thorndike to the Gallagher Terminal and from Gallagher to Highland.
"As it exists today, you cannot have left turns out," he said, recommending only right turns leaving the property.
The two sides said they would work together to find a solution, which could include restricting left turns to certain off-peak hours. Lupoli said he could not afford to wait for a lengthy road widening project.
"If it's 18 to 24 months, this project doesn't exist," he told the board. "It's just too long for us to move forward on this." He later said he was confident they would be able to reach a compromise.
By Grant Welker • August 17, 2016 • The Lowell Sun • Original Article


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A report says the nation's seagoing branch will go with the smaller version of the Army's Modular Handgun System, the Sig M18, to replace legacy 9mm pistols.
The Navy will phase out its current M9 and M11 handguns with the M18, the smaller-framed version of the Army's newly adopted handgun. The MHS winner, based on the Sig Sauer P320 family, can utilize two different-sized frames, the full-sized M17 and a more compact M18. While the Army is issuing the gun in a kit with both frames and one interchangeable plug-and-play fire control unit that makes up the guts of the handgun, the Navy will go with just the single M18 frame.
Navy spokesman Ben Anderson told Military.com that "money has been allocated for contracting this year, with delivery to the Navy to commence in FY19" for some 60,000 pistols.
The Navy currently uses the M9, a variant of the Beretta 92F, and the M11, a more compact pistol based on the Sig Sauer P228. While the M18 is slated to replace both, there is no word on if other platforms used in smaller numbers by Naval Special Warfare units such as the Mk23 and Mk24 pistols — .45ACP guns made by Heckler & Koch — as well as various unit-purchased Glocks, and the Mk25 — a navalised version of the Sig P226 in 9mm — will be replaced by the new Sig as well.
All branches of the U.S. Armed Forces have placed orders for the M17/18 Modular Handgun System, according to Sig Sauer.
source: guns.com


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Human Rights Take Front and Center in the Company Board Room
It's that time of year. Annual meeting of Shareholders season is in full swing, and across the globe, meeting minutes are including something along the lines of: "RESOLVED, stockholders of Company X will Identify Human Rights Risks in the Supply Chain".
From a purely business perspective, the goal is to manage the risk of human rights violations due to the risks to shareholder value posed by human rights practices in their operations and supply chain.
However, a greater risk is emerging. Never before has the court of public opinion against human rights violations been heard so loud and clear. Supply chain transparency and the ability to trace, identify and eliminate unwanted practices in a global brand's supply chain is no longer an option but a necessity for global brands intent on protecting their reputations.
The Dodd-Frank Section 1502 reporting requirements to publicly disclose the origin of tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold (3TG) used in products is aimed to address conflicted practices including, among other things, the human rights violations associated with mining of these minerals.
Supply chain due diligence is an expensive and complex undertaking that should be approached with cost-efficiencies in mind. One of the first steps in the process is to determine which products are "in scope" or expose your company to risk.
To the download a technical white: Conflict Minerals Due Diligence Examined: Considerations for Compliance


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Found a kitten — now what?
Cat Adoption Team offers important dos and don'ts in the event you find a kitten or kittens this time of year, which can happen during the aptly-called "kitten season." Following is an overview of points. Read the full article and find more tips, resources and videos at catadoptionteam.org.
- Most kittens are not abandoned by their mother. Before moving the kittens (and only do this if their location puts them at risk), learn what to do when you find kittens outdoors
- Be sure to keep the mother cat and kittens together; separating them can cause problems for both the kittens and mother.
- Provide cat food and make sure there is access to fresh water.
- Never confine a lactating female cat to a cage or trap — her kittens need to feed every few hours and she will be a risk for mastitis if she can't nurse her kittens
- If you cannot find the mother cat, read about how to care for newborn kittens and neonatal kitten care.
- If you wish to socialize and care for the kittens yourself, please first learn what it takes to care for very young and/or feral kittens


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Support the news
Mass. Rolling Out Registry To Track Who Got Which Vaccines
"Hello. Just for your information, Massachusetts is rolling out a statewide database that will track everybody's vaccines — it's expected within the next few months — and you can opt out if you want, but otherwise, it will keep track of which vaccines you've gotten."
That shpiel was my assignment at our school's flu vaccine clinic yesterday, and I dutifully reeled it off several hundreds times to people waiting in line for their shots and sprays. Most commonly, the response was an indifferent nod; a few people seemed downright pleased and grateful, and one — exactly one — person sounded incensed and asked for more information about opting out.
In case you, too, are potentially incensed, or just naturally curious, the new vaccine registry is called the Massachusetts Immunization Information System, and I'm happy to report that its helpdesk actually did answer helpfully and promptly when I just called its number, 617-983-4335. The registry has been in the process of enrolling health-care providers over the last couple of years, I was told, and now has about one-third of the state's providers enrolled.
Also: The law that creates the registry stipulates that patients must be informed when their doctor starts sharing their vaccine information with the state, and can limit that sharing if they choose.
The Boston Globe wrote back in 2011 that Massachusetts, normally a frontrunner on public health issues, is oddly lagging on its vaccine registry. Public health reporter Kay Lazar wrote:
State lawmakers, facing opposition from insurers, failed for the past two years to act on the proposal, which would assess a fee on health insurance plans to raise the estimated $1 million to $2 million a year needed to run a registry.
But now insurers have dropped their opposition, and supporters, worried that federal funding for the project will dry up, have ratcheted up their lobbying for the state's financial support, suggesting that, for the first time, Massachusetts will join the rest of the country with a registry that physicians say is essential.
Massachusetts and New Hampshire are the only states without statewide registries to track who gets vaccinated, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Physicians have long pushed for a centralized registry, saying it will make it possible for busy parents to be notified when their children are due - or overdue - for vaccines.
The need, physicians say, is especially acute for lower-income families who may not have reliable access to routine medical care. Public health officials hope to use this registry for targeting education campaigns and other programs to promote vaccination in underserved areas.
One vaccine recipient asked me, "Why would I want to opt out?" And I could only hazard, "Privacy? Though you figure the NSA already knows which vaccines you get, so..." But seriously, readers, if anyone plans to opt out, could you explain why in the Comments below?
This program aired on November 4, 2013. The audio for this program is not available.
Carey Goldberg Editor, CommonHealth
Carey Goldberg is the editor of WBUR's CommonHealth section.
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Delhi is one of the most visited places by tourist from across the nation as well as from abroad. It is an ancient city filled with beautiful architecture that makes it a huge attraction for people from all around the world. Another big reason for people to visit Delhi is because of the innumerous shopping markets that are present all over Delhi. These destinations have amazing places for you to pick up different types of apparel and accessories. The shops sport different types of trendy and unique clothing that appeal…Read More
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How To Go About Doing Guest Blogging Successfully
Guest blogging is something that many writers get involved with. Some do really well with it. Others tend to have more difficulty. It's those people that have this degree of difficulty to whom I am speaking to today. I'm here to help your job be that much easier. Below I have about 3 points that need to be addressed. My hope is that through addressing these finer points you will have a better understanding over the task at hand. BECOME AN EXPERT ON THE BLOG YOU ARE HELPING OUT WITH…Read More


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I just wish to let you know how pleased I am with the new window that was installed. The young man worked really hard in the heat, and did a truly wonderful job of it. It's lovely.
Thank you very much for a job well done, we were very pleased with the end results. Your two fitters are excellent workers, very pleasant personalities, and you would never had known they'd been as there was no mess. I would highly recommend them together with Valmar Windows to family and friends. Satisfied and happy customers.
Just a note to let you know how pleased I am with my new windows and doors. (Your fitters) did a great job…I was very impressed with them and they are credit to your firm. I would certainly recommend Valmar to family and friends. P.S. Your office staff need a mention. They were very polite and efficient whenever I spoke to them on the telephone.
Just a few lines to let you know how pleased we are with the new double-glazing and frames, also the two doors. A number of people have commented on the quality of the workmanship. I would like to express a special thank you for the speed at which the job was completed after we had given you the order, and for meeting the particular deadline concerning the fitting of the front door. Please give my thanks to (your fitters) and (office staff) who gave us the information on the products when we visited the showroom, and to the young lady who was so courteous over the phone.
Please find enclosed cheque in payment for a truly professional job so well done by a first class team. It was with much trepidation that we embarked on this project and it has turned out to be an unexpectedly pleasurable experience. Your staff are exceptional, we can't praise them enough.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the excellent service you have provided in supplying and fitting the windows for us, they look fabulous and are extremely good quality. All the neighbours have commented on them and even asked for your number.
I must convey my satisfaction with the way (your fitters) carried out the work, they certainly put in a lot of effort, especially on the first day to complete the windows in the living room as we requested of them….Once again thank you for everybody's efforts, we are pleased with all the windows now they are in.
Thank you for a job well done.
Thanks for the excellent work carried out on the conservatory. Please convey my thanks to the lads who carried out the work. I now look forward to many relaxing moments, it's my dream come true.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the excellent service you have provided in supplying and fitting the windows for us, they look fabulous and are extremely good quality, all the neighbours have commented on them and even asked for your number. Thank you for all your help once again and a big thank you to (your fitter).


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Instructors are dependent on location
Sifu Frank Bowen-Aquilina
The Chief Instructor and Founder Sifu Frank Bowen who holds a 6th Degree Black Belt. Franks background was originally in boxing and judo. Being a keen sportsman he also represented his county in Rugby. He then took up Shaolin Kung Fu in the Bruce Lee era. After many years working in the security industry he found that many of the Kung Fu moves did not always work in some of the most testing of situations.Frank decided a more rounded system was needed and discovered that the combination of Muay Thai/Kickboxing and Jiujitsu seemed to make up part of the puzzle and from there the journey began. After many years of training six days a week in various arts and competing in as many competitions as possible, winning the British Title along the way, the style 'Thai-Kick-Jitsu' was formed.
Sifu Frank is now in his mid-sixties and his main purpose is to pass on the Thai-Kick-Jitsu system to all the Shaolin Tiger students.
Sifu Nadia Aquilina
Sifu Nadia has trained from a young age predominantly for fitness and self-defence as she was actively involved in dancing competitively. Nadia competed in Light Continuous and Semi-Contact Kickboxing in her teens and went on to help her father coach the Woodley Shaolin Tigers branch where she eventually took over.
Due to work re-allocation, Sifu Nadia is spreading the Shaolin Tigers Thai-Kick-Jitsu system across London and has recently opened a Shaolin Tigers branch in Balham, South West London and also South Woodford, East London.
Sifu Ian Whitehouse
Sifu Ian is a former professional Muay Thai Fighter with 20 years of experience both in the UK and based in Thailand. Sifu Ian holds a 3rd Dan black belt and has competed in many Thai-kick boxing bouts throughout his career.
Ian coaches the Shaolin Tigers' Newbury branch and is bringing through many talented Martial Artists. Alongside him are a strong team of experienced Dan Grade Black Belts and uki's.
Sifu Dave Cree
Newbury based Dave Cree is a former Thai and Kick full contact fighter. Sifu Dave has amassed a wealth of knowledge and experience in his training and years of Fighting. Sifu Dan holds a 2nd Dan Black Belt.
Sifu Scott Davies
Experienced MMA & Thai-Boxing fighter.
Sifu Martin Walker
1st Dan Black Belt who currently holds the BIKMA Light Continuous Southern Area Title and Semi-Contact Kickboxing British Champion.
Sifu Dan Eden
Sifu "Ninja" Dan coaches at the Shaolin Tigers Reading Gym and is known for his Kickboxing speed and aggressive fighting technique. Sifu Dan has won various World Titles – WUMA World Cup Champion – ISKA / WAKO & WUMA British Kickboxing Open Champion / WUMA World Cup Kickboxing Championship Winner (October 2011) / ISKA London International Open Winner (May 2010). He currently holds a 2nd Dan Black belt.
He specialises in Full Contact & Light Contact Kickboxing and White Collar Boxing.
Sifu Dan Facey
Sifu Dan is the Shaolin Tigers coach for the Pinewood branch in Wokingham and is a very experienced Thai-Kickboxer and has competed in various Cage fights. He currently holds a 2nd Dan Black belt. Dan is renowned for his hard work and extreme fitness and his students are known for being superbly fit and technical.
Sifu Zac Parton
Sifu Zac has trained with the Shaolin Tigers from a very young age and his determination and hard work has payed off as he now holds a 1st Dan Black Belt. Zac predominantly works with the junior section and has a way of inspiring and motivating the juniors whilst keeping an iron discipline in the class. He is bringing up a crop of future junior champions.
His father Mark "The Panda" Parton is always assisting and coaching with the boxing aspect of the classes.
Sifu Karl Singer
Profile to follow shortly


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Market Trend: Low, Reduced and No Sodium or Salt Foods and Beverages in the U.S.
Sodium and salt levels in foods and beverages are on the mind of every person involved in the U.S. food and beverage industry. Why? Various health and consumer groups are making a lot of noise on Capitol Hill. They are blaming the high level of "added" sodium in packaged retail products and foodservice menu items for record high-blood pressures of Americans. They argue that high-blood pressure is a precursor to heart disease, and ultimately death.
Other countries, most notably the United Kingdom, have implemented serious regulations regarding sodium and salt contents of foods and beverages in efforts to pursue improvement in health and wellness. All fingers point to the United States.
The FDA is already getting involved, which raises concerns for food and beverage manufacturers. Efforts are underway to reformulate current key product lines—reducing and replacing sodium with other flavor-enhancing and functional ingredients. New products are starting out with lower levels of sodium.
Report Methodology
The information in this report was obtained from both primary and secondary research. Primary research entailed in-depth, on-site examinations of supermarkets, drug stores, mass merchandisers, convenience stores (c-stores), health/natural foods stores, specialty stores, and club stores. Company, distributor, and retailer interviews were conducted to obtain information on new product and packaging trends, marketing programs, distribution methods, and technological breakthroughs. Secondary research entailed data gathering from relevant sources. Included were consumer and industry publications, newspapers, government reports, financial reports, company literature, and corporate annual reports.
What You'll Get in this Report
Market Trend: Low, Reduced and No Sodium or Salt Foods and Beverages in the U.S. examines the U.S. retail market for foods and beverages flagging sodium content. It covers any product that has a label where either a sodium content claim (e.g., "low in sodium," "reduced sodium," etc.) is made, or actual sodium content is flagged on a secondary spot on the label (e.g., 550 milligrams of sodium per serving), in addition to the required listing on the Nutrition Facts. It also includes products with statements such as "no-salt-added," "salt-free" and "lightly salted."
Packaged Facts determined there are seven product categories that will experience the greatest increase in sodium and salt content claims. These are:
- Beverages
- Condiments
- Dairy
- Grains/snacks
- Meat/fish/entrées
- Soups
- Canned vegetables
Packaged Facts projects that sales for all sodium content foods and beverages will continue to grow, but their percent share of the business will change as more players enter the marketplace. The forerunners—canned vegetables and soups—will continue to have healthy growth but they will lose share to the other categories, most notably grains/snacks and meat/fish/entrées.


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If you ask the marketing executives at the leading online brokerage firms how many traders make money trading? The honest answer would be not many. In truth, the road to perdition in forex is broad. But the encouraging news is that there is a path to success. The reason why 75 percent of Wall Street's professional traders make millions is that the market is designed to pay you if you can identify value and exploit it.
What is value? By value, I mean your edge. If you don't have an advantage, you are as good as dead in the markets. You may as well take your money to Las Vegas and gamble it there, at least you get free drinks and food for your trouble. In fact, the casino will always have the edge over the gambler. That's the reason why gaming can even exist as a business.
Are you following me so far? Good! Your job is to look at the markets and identify certain tendencies which occur not like clockwork but with a certain degree of predictability. There are many such instances. But before I get into that allow me to delve into an illustration of how you may exploit an edge.
Imagine that you observe that a given currency pair tends to sell off daily at 10:30 AM EST. It doesn't need to happen every day. Let's say it happens six times out of every ten trading days. The way to exploit this as a professional trader would be to "lie in wait" every day at 10:30 AM and enter a standard short order anticipating a fall in price as usual. The amount you risk on these trades must be identical. The trade size (monetary value) and pip risk must not vary. At the end of 10 such days, your analysis of your trading results should show six winning trades and four losing trades. The net result is plus two in your favor.tradegbp
If we attach dollar amounts to these trades, for example, if they all represent $1,000. The result would be a $6,000 profit minus a $4,000 loss. Leaving the trader with a net profit of $2,000. That is the way value (an edge) may be identified and exploited. As I said above, there are several instances of value. Many traders just don't know to look for them.
Some more examples of finding value which will yield profits can be found in the management of your risk-reward ratio around news events, market opening hours and closing hours. You should always be risking less on any trade than the profit you hope to achieve from the transaction. Most professionals work with a 2:1 profit loss, some are less aggressive and manage with 1.5:1 ratio.
With such a ratio and an edge, whether it's a chart pattern which typically delivers a predictable result (say a 60% win rate), all you need as a trader is to keep executing trades to exploit this edge. The fun and challenging part of the process is spotting value when it reveals itself. That is how the pros make the big bucks and so can you.fxtrade 777


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Laser Tag Party in Your Own Backyard!
Bring the whole laser tag system to your party!
Classic Fun Center is now offering mobile laser tag parties, with options for kids and adults!
The guns boast a range of 200 feet, making them perfect for backyards, parks, and even basements!
Adding Laser Tag to your party is a sure way to make it a hit! Games like capture the flag and king of the hill are easily integrated with the system, making it that much more fun!
1 Hour (10 Guns or 10 Hero Blasts) = $100
2 Hours (10 Guns or 10 Hero Blasts) = $175
3 Hours (10 Guns or 10 Hero Blasts = $225
*Add $25 to any setup to reserve both 10 Guns & 10 Hero Blasts (20 Total)!
To book your party, or for more information, please call us at 801-550-6166


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Since the carefully and successfully choreographed outing of Welsh rugby ace Gareth Thomas there has been a slow but steady drip-feed of sportsmen following his lead. Not all of them will be given the plaudit of a Hollywood biopic pitch, but each has added a layer to the snowball of sporting inclusivity. A Swedish footballer, an English cricketer and now Puerto Rican featherweight boxer Orlando Cruz have made their own minor splashes.
In each news item the spectre of the ghost of gay sports' past, Justin Fashanu, has been evoked and woven through the reportage. At each point the reference of implicit tragedy has felt less relevant.
Here's the thing. Where there are groups of men involved in close physical contact, there will likely be some sort of gay attraction, both covert and overt. It is no big reveal. There is something in "the sound, the smell and the spray", as Morrissey sang in Boxers. Christopher Isherwood wrote in detail of the playful wrestling he exchanged for foreplay in his LA years memoirs. The squashed noses and split lips of Bruce Weber's hyper-masculine photography have wrought art from the erotic subtext of boxing. Reggie Kray sitting ringside at Bethnal Green boxing meets held its own special subtext, spelt out in riveting emotional detail in Jake Arnott's underworld thriller, The Long Firm, and the opening frames of The Long Good Friday.
So being surprised that a gay boxer exists is a little like being surprised that gay activity exists in prisons, the army or boarding school dormitories. The sliding scale of testosterone exchange is a broad, welcoming and sometimes titillating church. Long before Orlando Cruz joined the burgeoning league of elite gay sportsfolk, boxing had transparent gay heat. The story of the writer who entered the changing room of 1960s welterweight champ Emile Griffiths and found him kissing his cornerman cannot be isolated.
Perhaps it is time to stop seeing these personal stories as exceptional, standalone news items and start looking at the wider culture around them. When I heard about Cruz's decision to declare his sexuality, I could map out a familiar pattern – the placebo Stonewall award, the gay magazine cover, a couple of appropriate grooming sponsorships, perhaps even a minor ruckus with a fellow sportsman. Not to diminish his story, Cruz's was in the recent succession of Ricky Martin's page-break in the Catholic dialogue still dominating Latin cultures. The interesting aspect of his story is not sporting but cultural and religious. How gay firsts in sport are yet to come? Should we steady ourselves for the grand reveal of the first openly gay darts player? Actually, that would be kind of genius. Boxing has always been hardwired to underworld glamour, pristine routine and the thrill of controlled, regimented touch.
Each of these individual sporting narratives has accrued an emblematic momentum outside of the weight of its own significance. It is time for institutional acknowledgement and acceptance to lessen the drama. And we may be closer than we think.
It was the gentlemanly Italian national football manager Cesare Prandelli who most prominently shot the obvious undertones of homosexuality and sport into the wider world. Earlier this year the author Alessandro Cecchi Paone asked Prandelli to furnish him with a forward for his book The Champion of Love: The Banned Games of Sport, a work hinting at a gay slant to the Azzuri. Prandelli returned the request with a wonderful, liberating missive, making him the first global spokesman to hint at an institutional urgency for modernisation to match the personal narratives of individual sportsmen.
"In the world of football and of sport in general," he wrote, "there is still a taboo around homosexuality. Everyone ought to live freely with themselves, their desires and their sentiments. We must all work for a sporting culture that respects the individual in every manifestation of his truth and freedom. Hopefully soon players will come out."
In 2012 there should be no surprise that gay men excel at sport. The personal stories of gay sportsmen are just a natural manifestation of the homo-friendly subtext of men touching each other professionally. It is the wider bodies that organise, police and monetise these sportsmen that need to sort out an arena in which comings out of Orlando Cruz's type do not necessitate breaking news. The lead to follow here is not Gareth Thomas's, as fantastic as that was, but Cesare Prandelli's.


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We are very excited to announce that we will be publishing the excellent Super Famicom: The Box Art Collection.
This compilation of Japanese Super Famicom game packaging is professionally shot and presented as a glorious hardback edition. The book features around 250 titles, including many rare examples and some that have never before been documented in print. Sourced from the archives of renowned collector, Stuart Brett (aka Super Famicom Guy), each box is beautifully presented life size, with a critique of the artwork, plus interviews with other collectors, explaining their love of the format.
Super Famicom: The Box Art Collection will come in a square format book, bound in charcoal grey wibalin with a gold foil block logo and lithographically printed to the highest standards Long-time games journalist Steve Jarratt, launch editor of Edge and Nintendo magazine Total!, will oversee the text and also write the foreword.
Super Famicom: The Box Art Collection is an unmissable treat for anyone who had a passion for Nintendo's 16-bit games console, and who came to embrace the distinctive Japanese artwork adorning these iconic games.
Due for publication in early 2016. Keep checking back for updates and sign up to our newsletter to stay up to date.


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Music Library Association
Administrative Handbook
I. Administrative Structure
II. Board of Directors
II.A General Information
II.B President
II.C Vice President/President-Elect; Past President
II.D Recording Secretary
II.E Members-at-Large
II.F Administrative Officer
II.G Assistant Administrative Officer
III. Special Officers
III.A General Information
III.B Convention Manager/Assistant Convention Manager
III.C Placement Officer
III.D Publicity and Outreach Officer
III.E Advertising Manager
III.F Development Officer
III.G Archivist
III.H Web Manager
IV. Representatives to Other Organizations & Organizational Liaisons
IV.A Representatives to Other Organizations
IV.B Organizational Liaisons
V. Publications
V.A General Information
MLA Newsletter
Music Cataloging Bulletin
MLA Index and Bibliography Series
MLA Technical Reports
Basic Manual Series
V.H MLA Website
V.I Copyright Website
V.J Open Access
VI. Committees
VI.A Appointment of Committees
VI.B Authority and Reporting
VI.C Responsibilities of the Committee Chair
VI.D Conduct of Business
VI.E Budget
VI.F Publications
VI.G Questionnaires
VI.H Current Committees
VI.I Joint Committees
VI.J Task Forces
VII. Chapters
VII.A Purposes of Chapters
VII.B Guidelines for Establishing Chapters
VII.C General Requirements and Policies
VII.D Some Practices Followed by Various Chapters
VII.E Chapter Publication Policy
VII.F Chapter Grants
VII.G Reports
VIII. Interest Groups
VIII.A Authorization and Renewal
VIII.B Structure
VIII.C Meetings
VIII.D Projects
VIII.E Annual Reports
VIII.F Publications
VIII.G Board Liaison
Appendix A: Notes on Parliamentary Practice in the MLA Board
Appendix B: Code of Conduct
VII.G. REPORTS (added 3/2014)
Chapter chairs are required to submit an annual report after the end of MLA's fiscal year in June. The Planning and Reports Officer will notify chapter chairs as to the deadline for the report, typically August 1.Reports will record the year's activity and present plans for the following year.


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SMART Motorcycle Safety Courses: Osceola, Gainesville, and Tallahassee
The goal of SMART Courses are to help students demonstrate safe motorcycle riding techniques by negotiating commonly found street riding situations in a controlled and skill oriented manner. SMART Courses are fun and very informative, and are offered in Osceola, Gainesville, and Tallahassee. They challenge you where they know they can and help you where they see it's needed. Check area location the website for the schedule of classes and for more information.
FSUPD Motorsports Team:
Florida State University Police Department has a program to improve motorcyclist safety, and give them a fun opportunity to ride and learn on a racetrack. FSUPD Motorsports Team mission is to forward the message of traffic safety awareness through the use of motorsports events, and to educate the motoring public of safe, legal venues to pursue their desire to compete. The class is 10 hours and provides motorcyclists who have never ridden on a racetrack an opportunity for one-on-one instruction and feedback from instructors including top level professional racers.
Find out more: http://www.tracklife308.com/index.html