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Splintered by A.G. Howard (Abrams, 1419704281) is a mesmerizing YA novel that just came out on January 1st and is a fantastic read! It is along the lines of Michael Buckley's The Sisters Grimm series. Both a tribute to and a continuation of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, (available from Dover Publications, 0486416585) Howard plays with the dark undertones in Carroll's novels and draws inspiration from his real life muse, Alice Lidell.
Howard's debut novel produces a hatter who is just a bit madder, a Moth King who spouts red herrings and flies on gossamer wings, and a Wonderland that is macabre but grand, alluring but perhaps just a sleight of hand. You'll be drawn into the story by nostalgia, but you'll soon fall head over heels down the rabbit hole, eagerly navigating the plots surprising twists and turns.
Alyssa Gardner is your typical skateboarding, rainbow-hair-extension-wearing, sixteen year old girl... except that she is Alice Lidell's great, great, great granddaughter and her mother is in an insane asylum. Alyssa is concerned that she has inherited the family curse – hearing talking plants and insects can make you a bit paranoid after all. She follows her delusions through the looking glass to save her mother from madness by breaking the curse and fixing everything Alice once put amok. Upon arrival in Wonderland, she discovers that her over-protective crush, Jeb, has followed her on this adventure, and she must rely on the alluring but devious King Morpheus, to guide her on a magical mission.
At its heart, Splintered is a quirky coming-of-age story with a vivacious cast of characters. Alyssa must grapple with the challenges of growing up which is confusing when you can't decide who you trust, if you like the good boy or the bad boy, or even who you are. In the end, will Alice be able to break the curse, fix Wonderland, and get herself and Jeb back home … with their heads still intact?
Not only is this story enchanting and whimsical, but it inspired me to read The Best of Lewis Carroll (Book Sales, 0785813268) - some of my all time favourites - all over again. Howard's descriptions are vivid and draw on Steampunk, Gothic, and Tim Burton imagery, and her Splintered Pinterest boards are gorgeous!


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A big thank you to all Developers, Designers, UX Experts, Game Designers, Entrepreneurs, Wildlife Enthusiasts and Wildlife Conservation experts who made the first Hackathon for Wildlife a roaring success!
On November 14th and 15th over 60 people came together to explore and develop innovative ways to engage worldwide audiences with wild animals. The hackathon teams created amazing concepts through a combination of technologies that include GPS hardware, data, games, and social media to create a stronger, more vested connection between people and animals.
The Challenge
The numbers are grim.
93% - Percentage of big cats we have lost in the last 50 years (cheetahs, lions, leopards, tigers)
100,000,000 - Number of sharks killed annually
85,000 - Number of elephants killed for ivory in the past 5 years in Tanzania alone
765,000 km2 - Amount of rainforest lost in the Amazon since 1970 (76,500,000 football fields)
60 - Number of javan rhinos remaining in the wild
$15 Billion - Size of the the illegal wildlife trade market per year in USD
And support is weak. Conservation organizations struggle to find sustainable mechanisms to fund their work. Standard awareness campaigns don't let the public stay involved long enough to make a difference.
Yet reaction to events like Cecil the Lion's death prove that people are sympathetic to animals and their cause. #CecilTheLion alone generated 2 billion impressions on Twitter. And technology continues to enable change. Google just release Street View to view animals in Samburu National Park in Kenya. Gaming for good has become an entire sector within a thriving gaming industry. People continue to find new ways to connect to each other using social media. The advance of the Internet of Things is ready to explode. Visualizing big data has become a form of art.
How can we exploit these trends to connect a worldwide audience with individual wild animals?
How can we have a massive and unprecedented impact on how people engage with wildlife and the consequent funding of conservation efforts?
Our Hackathon Challenge: Develop innovative ways and business models to connect 20 million people worldwide with wild animals, through a combination of technologies that include GPS hardware, data, games, and social media
Participants were rewarded through a raffle, the lucky winners walked away with one of these prizes by our awesome sponsors:
- 7 day photography tour for 2 to Kaziranga National Park in India (flights not included)
- 7 day stay for 2 at Matemwe Resort in Zanzibar (flights not included)
- Stunning poster sized prints from award winning wildlife photographer Jayanth Sharma
- Equally stunning wildlife photography books from BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year winner Paul Goldstein
The spirit of the event is that of light competition. Winning is not as important as generating as many good ideas as possible. But to help the cream rise to the top, we incorporated a combination of expert and peer judging across 4 categories:
- Use of technology
- Impact on wildlife conservation
- Quality of design
- Business model
And What Next?
We want to see the best ideas see the light of day and make the difference to wildlife conservation that they were intended for. To encourage this, all ideas and prototypes that are presented at the event are considered 'open source' in that they are not the intellectual property of Internet of Elephants, Solstice Mobile, nor the teams or individuals that presented them. Anyone that has the capacity to carry the ideas forward is welcome and encouraged to form partnerships and make them happen. Internet of Elephants and Solstice Mobile are happy to help this happen if we can.
Why hold a hackathon for wildlife?
Wild animals are dying at alarming rates. By some estimates, we've lost over 50% of all species on earth in the last 40 years alone. Habitat loss, poaching, overpopulation, and climate change all contribute to this loss. These are vast and complex problems and while traditional approaches to solving them have shown some success, it isn't enough. By bringing together a diverse group of people, we can often find innovative solutions that would not otherwise have been thought of under normal circumstances. We also get a community involved in solving problems that are important to them and raise publicity and awareness to the cause.
Is it a competition?
While each team will have the opportunity to pitch their idea and solution to a jury and there will be prizes for the winning teams, the point isn't to win. Any good idea has the potential to move forward with the right people backing it. The jury and prizes are just for an added level of fun and incentives.
What are the prizes?
Cash and other prizes will be offered to multiple winning teams. But the real prize is if we come up with ways to better celebrate wildlife.
What is a hackathon?
'Hacking' is creative problem solving and it does not have to be about technology, although this one is. A 'hackathon' is an event of any duration where people from diverse backgrounds come together to solve problems. Participants usually form groups of 2 to 5 team members and dive into problems. Events are intended to be productive, but also a lot of fun with a lot of positive energy in solving real world problems.
When is it?
The hackathon will start at approximately 9AM on Saturday, November 14th and run until 5PM on Sunday, November 15th.
Where is it?
The entire event will be held at the Solstice Mobile offices at 111 North Canal in Chicago, IL.
Who participates? Is it only for techies?
Participants are typically technology developers, designers, user interface experts, and subject matter experts, in this case people with a background in wildlife conservation or even just wildlife enthusiasts.
Does it cost anything to participate?
Just your time and positive energy. We take care of the rest including food and drinks and even prizes along the way.

subset: commoncrawl


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|5 Star Reviews
|4 Star Reviews
|3 Star Reviews
|2 Star Reviews
|1 Star Reviews
|All Reviews
These are going to be so much fun Christmas time - when we choose which one to put on hubbies head! Excellent delivery time and packaging secure etc.
Sarah | 16/12/15 | Collected by Find Me A Gift
I bought this for a secret Santa present, had everyone laughing when they knew what it was. Tried and tested some of the tattoupees and they stayed on most of the night. Must buy!!
H Judd | 15/12/15 | Collected by Find Me A Gift
Good fun and will make a great stocking filler. Arrived quickly, will definitely order from find me a gift again. Great prices and great choice.
Sally | 13/12/15 | Collected by Find Me A Gift
Hilarious fun present. It made the whole family laugh. Very easy to apply and a good party piece. Easy to remove too so the person doesn't go to work with it on.
Dawn Shaw | 23/09/15 | Collected by Find Me A Gift
Looked great on, very amusing! Bought as a birthday present and were very much appreciated. The tattoos were funny and original.
Hannah A | 06/03/15 | Collected by Find Me A Gift


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Compared to January 2009, the new year and the new decade are off to a promising start.
According to figures on Chicago condos closed on the MLS in January, compiled by Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED):
* Total sales volume was up 32%, from $144 million in January 2009 to $189 million in January 2010
* Units closed during the month were up 39%, from 395 to 549
* Average market time was down 8%, from 152 to 140 days
* Median sales price was down 10%, from $299,000 to $270,000
* New listings were up 28%, from 2,202 to 2,822
* Supply was up 16%, from 11.1 to 12.9 months.
For all of 2009, dollar volume was down 32% from 2008, units closed were down 19% and median sales price was down 13%.
For details on month-over-month and year-over-year, click here. For previous market reports, click here.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
January Sales Volume Up 32% Over 2009
Compared to January 2009, the new year and the new decade are off to a promising start.
Posted by Ric Cox (email@example.com) (Twitter @RicCox14) at 12:47 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Labels: Agents, Appraisers, Brokers, Buyers, Developers, Journalists, Lenders, Market Reports, Owners, Property Managers, Sellers


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The War on Terror
Added February 2009:
- The War on Terror is a Hoax (Information Clearing House)
- Pratap Chatterjee on "Halliburton's Army: How a Well-Connected Texas Oil Company Revolutionized the Way America makes War" (Democracy Now!)
- "Wired for War: The Robotics Revolution and Conflict in the 21st Century" (Democracy Now!)
- Despite Celebrated Orders Closing Gitmo and Banning Torture, has Obama Kept Rendition Intact? (Democracy Now!)
- Unredacted Documents Reveal Prisoners Tortured to Death (Information Clearing House)
Video Links:
Added February 2009:
- The Spy Factory (NOVA)


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Here is my Brussels last and wonderful discovery.
"Peï & Meï", a name that perfectly reflects the humility and sympathy of this authentic and modern Belgian bistro. "Peï & Meï" that means in Brusseleir a guy and a girl in the name of Gauthier and Melissa, the step-son and daughter of Evan, Gril aux Herbes's owner.
After having practiced at Trèfle à 4 and Fourneau restaurants, it was time for Gauthier De Baere to open with his wife his own Belgian bistronomic place.
Like a hidden gem between houses in Rollebeek street, you enter a long corridor of raw bricks to get to a small room with light wooden furniture, overlooking the open kitchen.
Within seconds, the authenticity and warmth of the place charmed me. Sipping a glass of white mirabelle plum wine, I felt like home, discovering a tempting menu, composed by very carefully selected products (la Maison Montauzer, l'Art et le Goût, la poissonnerie Triton…).
The salad of lentils and chorizo espuma feta and leek soup set directly the things up. And the gourmet experience continued with the pork feet croquette with homemade vegetable pickles, the egg cocotte with foie gras sauce and truffle emulsion and the Simmental steak with homemade Béarnaise sauce…
Through beautiful gourmet dishes, I found in " Peï & Meï"cuisine the humility that makes you want to flatter their authors even more. Because young and beautiful projects like this belong to work and merit. But mostly because I loved to feel the respect of the real home cooking and the involvement of the chief who discreetly observed every detail in the room behind the shelves from his kitchen.
Rollebeek street, 15
1000 Brussels
Open Tuesday to Saturday from 12 am to 2 pm and from 7 pm to 10 pm
Sundays from 12 am to 2 pm
02 880 53 39
The website www.thefoodalist.com is the property of:
Phone: +32 (0) 477 / 66.24.18
Email: email@example.com


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Aboriginal Canadian Music
World Music Exploration 2010/11 Week 1 - Aboriginal Dance
This year, my students and are embarking on a new "Music from Around the World" journey. Each month, my students will watch or listen to clips of the featured country of the month. I thought this would be a fun thing to share with fellow musicians, as well as give my students one central spot to find the clip that was played at their last lesson. We are exploring music from Australia this month. At the beginning of the term, we watched the following clip of aboriginal music, called Aboriginal Dance 1:
Their ratings were all over the map - as low as 1 star to as high as 5 stars.
(c) 2010 by Musespeak(tm), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved


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"All I want to do is drink good beer and eat some great food!" With that thought process, Garrett Jones left Ada, Ohio, and ONU and headed off to the New England Culinary Institute in Burlington, VT. After graduation, he spent time in Chicago honing his skills before heading back to his Northwest Ohio roots. While working at various local eateries, he was developing a game plan for his own place when his brother Griffin, who was a student at BGSU, told him of a location that he thought would be great for his concept. Garrett agreed and Reverend's was born!Griffin, a marketing major, helped his brother out while finishing his degree and upon graduation decided to make it a career. Together, the brothers have developed a comfortable, relaxing place for sharing food, drink, and fun with old and new friends. As well as a large BGSU following, our customer base is diverse, from bankers to bikers. All agree, the beer is cold, the cocktails are the best around and the food is simply amazing!Reverend's has perfected the art of "Bar Food". Try one of our comfort food selections, or something from the southwest section of the menu. For a truly religious experience, try one of our huge burgers or sandwiches with some garlic fries and you'll definitely agree with the "Heavenly" assessment.In keeping with the desire to drink good beer, Reverend's is dedicated to serving the best microbrews and specialty beers in the area. Along with a large selection of bottled domestic and imports, there are also 12 rotating taps of seasonal selections as well as old stand bys. One thing that never changes is our love of beer. The Reverend knows beer!Reverend's also has an assortment of unique cocktails prepared from scratch with fresh ingredients. Enjoy one of our freshly muddled margaritas, house-made sangria, or maybe let a blueberry mojito tantalize you!
Check Out Our Feature on toledoblade.com


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Special Price: £2.25
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Foldaway list pad with pen. Magentic closure holds it all together.
Measures approx. 8.5 x 11.5 x 1.2 cm
Weight approx. 77g
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Lack of Snow Got You Down? Ontario is the Answer – Video
Even in a light year, Ontario snowmobile trails are thriving
Looking out the window of our rental car as we left Toronto on a late-February morning, we were hard-pressed to find even a flake of snow anywhere in this concrete jungle. This was more than a little upsetting, as a snowmobile trip with more than a dozen people was planned for the next morning.
Similar scenes have doubtless occurred thousands of times for snowmobilers all over Canada and the United States this winter, as snowfall has been sporadic in areas where it normally falls in abundance. Snowplows, salt trucks, and shovels have been in a prolonged and unexpected hibernation for too long, while the poor souls in the hot cocoa industry must be popping antacids at a record pace. The Swiss Miss is surely in a foul mood.
But not everybody is suffering. About 45 minutes after pointing our car north on Hwy. 400 the landscape began to change. Brown grass was replaced by light blankets of snow. After passing by Barrie and turning onto Hwy. 69 North the transformation to winter was complete. Even in the worst snow season in recent memory, snowmobiling in Ontario is thriving!
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Our destination was The Rosseau, a J.W. Marriot Resort & Spa in Minnet, Ont. Though it sits less than a two-hour drive from Toronto, it was like stepping into another world. The crown jewel of beautiful Lake Rosseau, we have never seen anything as opulent as this that caters to snowmobilers. Shortly after arriving, we were greeted by an honest-to-goodness snowfall. Almost cartoonishly large flakes landed on outstretched tongues as childlike excitement over the next day's ride took over. Landing smack-dab in the middle of snowmobile country has that effect on us.
Following a quick lunch at Cottages (pulled pork sandwich and soup) we decided to explore The Rosseau's facilities while our room was being prepped. We stepped onto the deck outside the restaurant and found a skating rink, which looked over Lake Rosseau. Wandering a little further we found an indoor/outdoor heated pool and noticed a couple swimming around outside with snow falling on their heads. An outdoor hot tub was also available for those craving a little more heat. Spa Rosseau can be found inside and offers an array of services, including several couples treatments that I plan to use to lure my wife up north.
After settling into our room and enjoying a pint at the bar, we met the rest of our group for dinner at Teca, an Italian restaurant located within The Rosseau. Dinner was superb, but we can't stop thinking about the chocolate and mascarpone cannoli we had for desert.
With bellies full, the entire group headed to an area called the Library for a pre-ride meeting. It was here that we got to know everybody, which is a good thing because it was quite a mix of some of Ontario snowmobiling's leading voices. Our group included Josh Grills, marketing manager for the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC); Luc "The Groomer Guy" Levesque, Dubreuilville Alouettes Snowmobile Club president, groomer operator, and prolific snowmobile blogger; Jeff McGirr, executive assistant at Mattawa-Bonfield Economic Development Corporation and YouTube sensation; Craig Nicholson, The Intrepid Snowmobiler and Snowmobile.com contributor; John Arkwright of SuperTrax; and Dan Arcand, owner of Muskoka Sports & Recreation (MSR).
MSR is interesting because Arcand works directly with The Rosseau to provide various forms of recreation to its clients, including snowmobile rentals and guided tours (as well as all the necessary riding gear). One of the most personable people we've ever met, Arcand is a great ambassador to the sport. If we were just starting out, we'd want a guy like Arcand to show us the ropes. He did just that for another member of our group, Mike Jacobs, who is new to snowmobiling.
For our ride day we decided to trailer up and head northeast to Kearney, which is just north of Huntsville, east of Hwy. 11. We pulled into Rickwards Small Motors, a Polaris dealership that provides sales and service. Owner Robert Rickward was kind enough to let us use his parking lot as a staging area. We were joined by Ben Sansall, owner of Near North Recreation, an Arctic Cat dealership in Parry Sound, who loaned us a couple of sleds and accompanied us for the ride.
Snow was coming down pretty heavy when we left Rickwards Small Motors and hit the trails, but the area hardly needed it. The local trails were covered with plenty of snow. In fact, on one occasion we stepped off trail and found ourselves nearly waist deep in powder. Toronto has never seemed so far away.
As with any large group, our pace was fairly deliberate as we explored the area and stopped for pictures and video along the way. It was no surprise to see plenty of other snowmobilers out on the trails as word of snow-filled trails must travel fast in a year like this. It always impresses us how considerate complete strangers can be on the trails, offering hand signals to let us know how many more were in the group and slowing down when they passed us as we stopped to take in the scenery. Speaking of scenery, this area has just about everything a snowmobiler could hope for. Tight and twisty trails that occasionally offer long straights and pass by open and inviting lakes are accented by trees with branches weighed down with pillows of freshly fallen snow. It's about all you could hope for.
By the time we finished lunch it was starting to get late in the day, so there wouldn't be as much lollygagging on the way back to home base. We zipped across a corner of Sand Lake and didn't look back. We stopped a time or two to switch sleds and snap more pictures, but the group kept up a pretty good pace the rest of the way.
After shaking hands and saying goodbye to some new friends we packed up and loaded the car for the trip home. However, before taking off we scheduled another trip with Jeff McGirr to Mattawa. Keep an eye out for a story and video from that trip in the coming weeks.
Driving home was a little weird, as just over two hours after leaving snow-filled Kearney we were back to the dry streets of Toronto. But it just goes to show that you never have to travel far to go snowmobiling in Ontario in any winter, even one as strange as this.
Related Reading High Tech Sledding in Ontario Rent to Ride in Ontario Rainbow Country Snowmobile Adventure [Video] Ontario's Northern Corridor: Incredible Spring Trail Riding


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Unrest in Mali and the Sahara
By Ben Werschkul, Kassie Bracken, Pedro Rafael Rosado and Axel Gerdau | Jan. 23, 2013 | 20:50
The latest from West Africa. | Voices of Malian immigrants in New York. | The calculations for American policy makers weighing intervention.
PlaylistUp Next in Africa
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Navajo hair fasteners
Navajo hair fasteners
Set of 2 with accompanying pin
Larger fastener: 1 13/16" wide at widest point x 2 7/8" long; Smaller fastener: 1 7/8" wide x 1 13/16" long. Pin is 2 13/16" long
sterling silver and turquoise
circa 1930s
excellent condition
ex: Private collection by Descent
Add To Cart
This set of hair fasteners or barrettes is beautifully designed. The silverwork and turquoise stone are very high quality. This type of hair fastener is very effective when forming a bun or gathering a bunch of hair together. The set includes a large and small fastener with a pin that goes through either fastener's provided holes.


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Poster-Crop Quiz: Can You Guess These Movies from the Cast of 'The Great Gatsby'?
Grab your beads, put on your best cool suit, and prepare for greatness, because it's once again time for the Poster-Crop Quiz. This week, we're celebrating the release of Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby with a quiz at least as challenging as trying to do the fox-trot after your fourth glass of bootleg whiskey. We've collected posters from the catalogs of the stars and creators of The Great Gatsby; cropping them down like Daisy Buchanan's bob haircut.
See if you can identify all of the posters from their cropped images. The first person to correctly list all 10 posters in the comment section below will receive a shout-out in next week's quiz. Come on, even some new-money fool from West Egg could do this. To get us started, we present to you the theatrical poster for The Wedding Crashers, which starred The Great Gatsby's own Isla Fisher. Much like Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn, the people who turn up at Gatsby's parties are definitely crashing.
Last week's answers: Lethal Weapon, Ocean's Eleven, Daredevil, U.S. Marshals, Shallow Hal, Hugo, The Town, The Grey, Lawless, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Congrats to Paul for being last week's Poster-Crop Quiz champ!
Movies.com, the ultimate source for everything movies, is your destination for new movie trailers, reviews, photos, times, tickets + more! Stay in the know with the latest movie news and cast interviews at Movies.com.
Copyright © 2019 FANDANGO MOVIES.


text: Will Afghanistan manage to find peace? Ex-Afghan spy chief on why he blames Pakistan for violence, and we debate democracy in DR Congo. 30 Jun 2017 19:39 GMT War & Conflict, Middle East, Africa From this Episode Should the US increase bombing inside Pakistan? Is the military strategy in Afghanistan flawed? Anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism and Israel's leaders DR Congo: Does Kabila intend to stay in power? In this week's UpFront, we speak to former Afghan spy chief Amrullah Saleh about the US-led war in Afghanistan and why 16, years on, the Taliban continues to have a strong foothold in the country. In the Reality Check, we explain why conflating Israel with Jewish people is wrong, and how it's sometimes Israeli officials who make this assumption. And in the Arena, we debate whether Joseph Kabila, the president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, will keep his promise to hold elections by the end of this year, since he is already past the two-term limit enshrined in the constitution. Headliner - Is the military strategy in Afghanistan flawed? This year marks 16 years of unrelenting war in Afghanistan between the US-backed government and the Taliban. With no end to the war in sight, can the Taliban forces be defeated? Is reconciliation possible? For Amrullah Saleh, who served in Afghanistan as State Minister for Security Reforms, to defeat the Taliban, US-backed forces must focus on Pakistan instead, calling its southern neighbour the "root cause" of violence. "Go to the source, and go to the root cause of this," says Saleh, who also served for six years as the leader of Afghanistan's spy agency, the National Directorate of Security. "What the United States does need is [to] come out with more clarity and tell the Pakistanis: We know what you are doing and we are a superpower, but we do not have super-patience." In this week's Headliner, Mehdi Hasan challenges former Afghan security official Amrullah Saleh on why he believes the US needs to change its strategy in order more effectively to combat the Taliban. For more from this interview, click here. Reality Check - Anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism and Israel's leaders Anti-Semitism is racism. No ifs, no buts. It's hostility to, or prejudice, against Jews. There are some who have suggested that anti-Zionism - the opposition to a Jewish-majority state in Palestine - is also a form of anti-Semitism. While some anti-Zionists do cross the line into anti-Semitism, many, including Jewish anti-Zionists, make clear their criticism is of Israel, not of the Jewish people. They make a distinction between Jewish people and Israel's policies. In this week's Reality Check, Mehdi Hasan explains why conflating Israel with Jews is wrong, and how it's sometimes Israeli leaders who do this conflating. Arena - DR Congo: Does Kabila intend to stay in power? The Democratic Republic of Congo was expected to welcome a new president last year, but with elections delayed, President Joseph Kabila remains in office past the two-term limit enshrined in the constitution. Kabila has promised that elections will be held by the end of this year. So will the country finally be restored to full democratic rule, or could he attempt to remain in power? For Martin Fayulu, an opposition politician who claims to have been shot in the head by government forces during a peaceful protest, Kabila is not willing to give up power. "Kabila knew clearly that he has to go by the end of last year. But what he did? He tried to manoeuvre not to have elections," says Fayulu, who hopes to replace Kabila. "I'm not sure that by the end of this year we'll have that transparent and credible election." "If there is anything Kabila does not want to do, it is to stay in power for ever," says Zihindula Mulegwa, a former spokesman for Kabila. "We are involved in voter registration right now and we expect to have elections at the end of this year." In this week's Arena, former government spokesman Zihindula Mulegwa and opposition politician Martin Fayulu debate the future of democracy in DR Congo. Follow UpFront on Twitter @AJUpFront and Facebook.Source: Al Jazeera News Tell us what you think


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Two of Miami's most priceless gems have been placed on the chopping block: the Barnacle State Historic Park and the Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserve.
The Barnacle was built by Ralph Munroe in the 1880s (long before the City of Miami existed, and ancient by local standards). The Commodore was a Pioneer, and much more. He was a genius in Naval Architecture. Biscayne Bay's shallow waters shaped his thinking, and he defied the deep-draft keel-boat conventions of his era to design and build over 60 shallow-draft sailboats. Most were Sharpies with swing-keels. He literally changed the way that sailboats boats are designed world-wide, including many popular designs we take for granted today. I had the honor to help build a replica of Munroe's Flying Proa at the Barnacle. This 30′ outrigger sailing canoe was the first multi-hull known to have sailed our Bay. It was 100 years ahead of its time, and is on display at the Barnacle today!
The house is just as unique. It was designed to draw air up from the cool limestone foundation, through the house, and out the copula. He harnessed the "lift" created by the wind to create natural air conditioning… in the 1880s! The shape that made this possible looks just like a Barnacle, hence the name.
Finally there is the Hardwood Hammock, the last remnant in an area that has been paved and built into downtown Coconut Grove. Preserved by the Commodore and his family, who donated it to the State for safekeeping, it is Nature's last bastion, providing irreplaceable habitat and food for wildlife. The pungent funkiness of Stoppers announces that it still survives to passers-by on Main Highway. The original, much-larger property has been carved up and developed, and only a fraction remains.
The Boathouse, House and Grounds are packed with examples of how this "Miami Original" was shaped by Miami, and as a result shaped the world. Don't allow those who don't value Miami's history and ecosystems to exclude you and your kids from discovering genius, and growing from the experience.
Biscayne Bay has been under assault for over a century during Miami's development. For many decades it was a cesspool, a dumping area for raw sewage. Channels slashed its bottom, bleeding sediments that are still killing habitats. Once, Mangrove estuaries made Miami's fishing legendary, and the waters churned with life. Many people wrote that during seasonal bait runs "it looked like you could walk on the fish". Visitors flocked to Miami for fishing and eco-tourism. Today, marine life is a pale shadow. Sterile sea-walls have no safe-havens to grow seafood, game-fish. They also keep the Bay waters murky, contributing to the death of the remaining sea-grass beds and hiding the wonders of nature from children. These conditions drive away tourist dollars.
The Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserve (BBAP) was established to protect the remaining habitats, and even heal the damage caused by greed and carelessness. Away from busy channels the shallow grasses usually manage to filter sediments, keeping the waters as gin-clear as Mother Nature intended. Manatees and fish raise young, protected by the shallows from boat propellers. Wading birds come at low tide, marching in a line across the flats to feed on slow or careless crabs, fish and shrimp.
These the amazing sea-grass beds are among Miami's least-known treasures. Most drivers on
Rickenbacker and Julia Tuttle Causeways are oblivious, but they would only have to look north from the bridges for a glimpse of Paradise.
The BBAP serves as guardian and educator for all of Biscayne Bay that is not part of the National Park.
I grew up on Biscayne Bay. I have caught fish, and learned to skin-dive, spearfish, sail and waterski there. I wandered grass-flats, and searched mangrove forests for native orchids. Over the years I have been surrounded by sleeping Manatees, schooling Cutlassfish and mating Dolphins. If you want your children to experience these things, do not allow the BBAP to die.
These are just two of the 53 State Parks and Preserves threatened with Closure by the Florida's new Governor. The others are just as valuable as the Barnacle and the BBAP, but it is for those who know them best to speak for them. Miami and Florida have the habit of throwing forgotten treasures under the bulldozers of development. The first stage is "Demolition by Neglect", which is provided as "proof" that the public doesn't care about them. This justifies their later sale or destruction. Don't let this happen.
Stand up for what belongs to YOU and your kids. Remind your legislator, the governor, and this newspaper that you care. Do nothing, and these places that belong to every Floridian may be lost forever.
Sam Van Leer
Executive Director & Founder
Urban Paradise Guild
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It's funny how times change. A few days ago, a guest of our Prague food tours tweeted, having visited the 2015 Prague Coffee Festival, "Prague is becoming one of the world's coffee capitals." Now, while this may be a bit of an exaggeration, the truth is that we are not longer traveling for great coffee outside of Prague. Oh no. Today, we are coming back to Prague for great coffee.
Cafes in Prague have gone a long way in the past few years. While it was nearly impossible to get filter coffee in Prague a few years ago, today it's an item that goes without saying. Acidity in coffee has become an accepted characteristic and the variety of styles offered in Prague is quite overwhelming. And while we had to cherry pick and travel for good coffee in Prague, specialty coffee in Prague has today entered just about every Prague's district, if we discount the outskirts.
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What is nice about third-wave coffee in Prague is the lack of attitude and pretentiousness. The community around specialty coffee is inclusive and wants to make friends, with very little foes and enemies within it. The baristas in general don't have attitude and don't ridicule the customers for lack of knowledge, instead explaining and helping them navigate Prague's coffee culture.
This is the third edition of our little Prague Speciality Café Guide. We're talking thirty good cafes, up from maybe less than ten some three years ago. We have divided them into three groups for you, depending on how much time are you spending in Prague, and how much coffee you want to drink: "Must-visits", the cafes you should not miss, "Other favorites", the cafes we like to frequent, and "Other good cafes", the cafes we visit when we're in the area.
So, there you have it. What follows is our list of the Best Cafes in Prague.
The must-visit cafes
Kavárna Místo
Arguably the most anticipated coffee opening of the year, the new café of the Doubleshot roasters has so much going for it we even don't know where to start. A true dream team of Prague baristas that turn Místo into a true coffee destination. Great interior by the Edit! architects and a fantastic wallpaper and illustrations by Katerina Kynclova. And, most importantly, great location: just about five minutes by walk from our humble abode. Yes! Having coffee in Místo is like having coffee in business class: everything from technology to beans to baristas is top notch. You just sit down and relax, perhaps over a glass of Rosemary, the signature drink by Ondrej Hurtik that earned him the 2nd place in the World Coffee in Good Spirits competition this year.
Address: Bubenecska 12, Prague 6 (nearest stop: Hradcanska subway stop)
Website: mistoprovas.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Sa 9-22, Su 10-18
Machine: Kees van den Westen Spirit Triplette, 3-group
Beans: Doubleshot
Filters: Yes. Batch brew plus changing brew methods.
Food: Yes. Full menu for breakfast and lunch/dinner. Breakfast served all day over the weekend.
Wifi: Yes
EMA Espresso Bar
Getting to EMA on two separate occasions can lead to two different experiences: the espresso bar can get from empty to super busy and back within ten minutes. And on the busy hour, you will clearly understand that EMA has become a true Prague coffee institution where foodies, bloggers, foreign hipsters and curious travelers mix with the suited-up lawyers getting their caffeine fix on their lunch breaks. Despite the few niggles - the lack of air-conditioning that makes the temperatures inside unbelievably high during hot summers being the biggest one - EMA still has an undeniable feel-good factor and a sense of "being there". This, and the great coffee sourced from some of the best European roasters along with a strong team of baristas, keep us coming back for more.
Address: Na Florenci 3, Prague 1 (nearest stop: Masarykovo nadrazi subway and tram stop)
Website: emaespressobar.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 8-20, Sa 9-18
Machine: La Marzocco Strada EP, 3-group
Beans: JB Kaffee and other European micro-roasters
Filters: Yes. Aeropress and Hario V60 drip.
Food: Some. Sandwiches, two salads, a daily soup and a selection of sweet baked products. Have a Czech buchta with plum jam, our favorite.
Wifi: Nope. You should get ours.
Muj sálek kávy
Muj sálek kávy is a coffee legend, truly the first proper, professionally run specialty coffee place in Prague with a clear vision, whose glory far exceeds the Karlin district where it is located. That is why reservations especially during the rush hours are a must. It was also, for a long time, the flagship of the Prague-based Doubleshot roasters who have been supplying beans to nearly all specialty coffee places in Prague at least once during their existence. We were known to travel to Karlin just to get a cup of coffee in MSK, especially served outside on the street during the summer. The consistency is great and Doubleshot roasts have a standard that they never fail to reach. If you want to see them get busy, make sure you book ahead for their Sunday breakfasts. If there is a destination-cafe in Prague, this is it.
Address: Krizikova 105, Prague 8 (nearest stop: Krizikova subway stop, Urxova tram stop)
Website: mujsalekkavy.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Sa 9-22, Su 10-18
Machine: Kees van den Westen Spirit Duette, 2-group
Beans: Doubleshot
Filters: Yes. Batch brew plus changing brew methods.
Food: Yes. Full menu for breakfast and simple lunch/dinner. Breakfast served all day over the weekend.
Wifi: Yes. The current password is written on the blackboard next to the entry.
BrewBar has been consistently responsible for our visits to the Naplavka farmers' markets, rain or shine, to meet our foodie friends over a cup of something nice and interesting. Jirka, the Czech Aeropress champion who represented the country in the 2015 World Barista Champs and who now runs double duty as a barista in Místo, has been keeping things interesting by finding European micro-roasters and tweaking his brewing methods to perfection. Definitely worth the wait in the line: you can spend the wait time by asking Jirka and his colleagues about the coffee. They'll be happy to explain everything.
Address: Náplavka farmers' market, Rasinovo nabrezi, Prague 2 (nearest stop: Vyton tram stop)
Website: brewbar.cz
Opening hours: Su 8-14 whenever the Naplavka farmers' market is on.
Machine: What are you talkin' about? No espresso, just filter coffee.
Beans: Various European micro-roasters
Filters: Yes! Only filters!
Food: Nope. Unless our friend Klara bakes something.
Wifi: You're kidding, right?
Other favorites
Café Lounge
Although owned by the same people, Café Lounge could not be any more different from its sister café, EMA Espresso Bar: it is a conservative, retro place located in a dark segmented space that looks like it was somebody's apartment, which makes it a good place for dates. It also serves as a full restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. While the consistency of coffee varies from person to person, this is still by far your best option in the Lesser Town for coffee. Make sure you get a seat in the back garden, arguably the coolest place in Prague on a hot day and a place where our guests chose to stay whenever we finish our tours there.
Address: Plaska 8, Prague 5 (nearest stop: Ujezd tram stop)
Website: cafe-lounge.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 7.30-22, Sa(Su) 9-22(17)
Machine: La Marzocco GB/5, 3-group
Beans: The Barn and other European micro-roasters
Filters: Yes. Aeropress, vacuum pot and Hario V60
Food: Yes. Café Lounge doubles as a restaurant serving daily specials and dinners, with a shorter cafe menu available during off hours. Breakfasts served until 5pm over the weekend.
Wifi: Yes. Username: guest. Password: hungerwall615.
Kafe Karlín
We owe it to Zdenek, one of the baristas of Kafe Karlín, to really ignite the spark of our interest in specialty coffee when Zuzi visited one of his early-day coffee workshops under the auspices of the Kavovy klub (Coffee Club) that has been serving great coffee to the visitors of Prague's farmers' markets for a few years now. The tiny espresso bar on the Sokolovska street may not be the most beautiful place to enjoy a cup of joe but many Prague's baristas swear KK has the best espresso in town, and some pretty killer Irish Coffee on top of that. Have a chat with genuine Prague coffee pioneers and walk out with a great cup of coffee in hand, ideally continuing to Simply Good nearby for something sweet.
Address: Sokolovska 46/51, Prague 8 (nearest stop: Karlínské náměstí tram stop)
Website: kafekarlin.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 7.30-18.30
Machine: La Marzocco Linea, 3-group
Beans: Kafe Karlin's own roasts
Filters: Yes. Aeropress, batch brew.
Food: A small selection of baked products. We usually combine their coffee with Simply Good kolaachees or rakvicka from Lokal
Wifi: No.
Alza Café
Can you recommend a café in the middle of a large computer shop plagued by constant beeps inviting shoppers to collect their orders with a straight face? Actually yes, you can. Because it is used by the Doubleshot roasters to train their newly hired baristas in a high-stress environment. It is also one of the very few cafes in Prague that make money by selling coffee alone and some people swear their batch brew is the best in town, and their cappuccino by Veronika is not far behind. So there you have it. A place worth traveling for across town? We're not sure, but unless the environment of a big warehouse is a huge turn-off, the coffee is great.
Address: Hall no. 8 of the Holesovice Market, Prague 7 (nearest stop: Holesovicka trznice tram stop)
Website: alzacafe.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Su 8-20
Machine: Kees van den Westen Mirage
Beans: Doubleshot
Filters: Yes. Batch brew.
Food: Some. A few sandwiches, banana bread, muffins and cupcakes, and 2AD ice-cream.
Wifi: Yes.
One of the openings of 2015, Eska restaurant in the Karlin district is also the first foray of the ubiquitous Ambiente group into specialty coffee, and they have brought big guns to the table: adopting the entire original team of Anonymous Coffee, they have beans from Doubleshot, a Victoria Arduino Eagle machine and a focus on filters that borders on the pretentious, as apron-wearing baristas come to the table to discuss your coffee choices to pair with the dessert. Still, as it stands, this is the only high-end restaurant in Prague that serves specialty coffee. You don't have to have a meal to have coffee, though: just grab something sweet or a savory snack from the bakery downstairs.
Address: Pernerova 49, Prague 8 (nearest stop: Krizikova subway stop)
Website: eska.ambi.cz/en/
Opening hours: Mo-Sa 7.30-23.30 (combined time for bakery and restaurant)
Machine: Victoria Arduino The Eagle
Beans: Doubleshot. Perhaps more in the future.
Filters: Yes. Aeropress and pour over.
Food: Oooh yes. Full menu for breakfast and lunch/dinner.
Wifi: Yes. The password is "ambiente".
AnonymouS Coffee
The interiors of AnonymouS Coffee do split opinions: for some, the "V for Vendetta" theme with Guy Fawkes' mask everywhere, supplemented by references to comic book heroes, does not really inspire trust. But the coffee will satisfy adults and you will easily forgive the fact you are sitting on furniture made of repurposed wooden palettes. While other cafes can take themselves way too seriously, the guys behind the bar of the AnonymouS Coffee do whatever the heck they want to do, and we like that. Anonymous Coffee shows you can be very serious about coffee in a very non-serious way.
Address: Jugoslávská 15, Prague 2 (nearest stop: I.P. Pavlova subway and tram stop)
Website: anonymouscoffee.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 8.15-20.15, Sa-Su 13.15-19.15 (Yup. Don't even ask.)
Machine: La Marzocco Strada.
Beans: The Barn.
Filters: Yes. Aeropress.
Food: Yes, but only very simple sandwiches and baked goods
Wifi: Yes.
coffee room.
It is hard not to feel well in the Coffee Room. The very young owners, who obviously are in love with London, are there and they care and are eager to help. They have really stepped up their game since they opened and are now a great place to stop by after a visit to the nearby Jirak farmers' markets… if they have a table for you, because their loyal followers can fill that place easily. We really like the wide selection of niche magazines. Coffee Room is a place where you can have solid coffee from various European roasters, nice local wines, a chat with friendly locals and a good read. And that are good enough reasons in our mind.
Address: Korunní 74, Prague 2 (nearest stop: Vinohradská vodárna tram stop)
Website: coffeeroom.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 8-18.30, Sa 9-18
Machine: La Marzocco FB/70
Beans: Bonanza Coffee, Casino Mocca and other European roasters.
Filters: Yes. Hario V60, Aeropress, Vacuum pot, batch brew.
Food: Yes. Simple breakfasts, snacks, sandwiches and cookies for later.
Wifi: Yes.
People were worried about Kafemat, a local favorite in the Dejvice district, when Místo opened just a few streets away. But Kafemat is still going strong, and why wouldn't it? The room is so small that you really get to know either the owner or the lovely barista Petra. And the coffee is hard to fault, mostly from Square Mile roasters on a La Marzocco machine. Due to the lack of chairs, most of the coffee they make is to take away, but the local moms and coffee lovers always find a way to stack each other in the windowpanes somehow.
Address: Dejvická 3, Prague 6 (nearest stop: Hradcanska subway stop)
Website: facebook.com/kafematdejvice
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 8-18, Sa 9.30-15
Machine: LaMarzocco GB/5, 3-group.
Beans: Square Mile and other European roasters.
Filters: Yes.
Food: Not really. Just small home-baked kolachees.
Wifi: Nope.
Original Coffee, the specialty coffee offshoot of the Mama Coffee group just a few steps off the Bethlehem Square, is clearly a student hangout. But we're talking literature students: expect turtlenecks and laptops, not beer funnels and red cups. The place is also conducive to work: very somber and clean design with no distractions, lots of power outlets, strong and clear wifi, good coffee roasted specifically by and for the cafe and the generous distribution of tables in the two rooms make for hours of undisturbed work, interrupted only by new orders of coffee, tea and some snacks and soup.
Address: Betlémská 12, Prague 1 (nearest stop: Národní divadlo tram stop)
Website: originalcoffee.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Fr(Sa) 8(10)-19
Machine: Fiorenzato
Beans: Original Coffee's own roasts
Filters: Yes. Hario V60, Aeropress, Chemex.
Food: Hummus, Ajala chocolates, cakes from their own bakery, daily soup.
Wifi: Yes. Strong and clear.
I Need Coffee!
It's easy to fall in love with I Need Coffee! Lucka, the passionate owner famous in the Prague designer circles, has made a clear imprint of her personality on the place: the single room is simple yet cozy and stylish. It feels a bit like a hip hangout in Berlin's Mitte, minus the patrons speaking English with Australian accent. Lucka's personal choices make for a very eclectic mix of sandwiches, sweets - the kremrole puff pastry rolls with merengue fillings are a reason to come alone - food by local farmers, along with the occasional wearables produced by Lucka's designer friends. I Need Coffee! is one of the few places that makes you feel hip sitting there without even a hint of the pretentiousness that normally tends to plague places like these.
Address: Na Moráni 7, Prague 2 (nearest stop: Palackého náměstí tram stop)
Website: facebook.com/ineedcoffee.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 8-20, Sa 10-17
Machine: Faema E61
Beans: Casino Mocca and others
Filters: Yes.
Food: Yes. Small breakfast sets (think croissant and jam), sandwiches, cookies, kremrole (!).
Wifi: No. You should try ours.
Café Jen
Café Jen is about the owners, college friends Dominika and Hanka, and their team of young, friendly waitresses and waiters making you feel welcome and special with breakfast, their favorite meal served all day. The Vrsovice favorite is a place we love to go just to get a taste of the atmosphere. While you may probably get fancier food elsewhere, there is a homey vibe of friendliness that is hard not to feel. And the fact that every day feels like a Sunday here does not mean you get bad coffee: Has Been either as batch brew or espresso. A great place to charge your batteries before you hit the Grebovka vineyards or afterwards.
Address: Kodanska 37, Prague 10 (nearest stop: Ruska tram stop)
Website: cafejen.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 8-19, Sa-Su 9.30-19
Machine: Vibiemme Replica L/2
Beans: Has Bean single-origin
Filters: Batch brew.
Food: Absolutely. Breakfast is kinda their thing, but they do cute food later on during the day, too. Try the Misa dessert. It's a Czech classic, reinvented.
Wifi: Yes.
Kafe Kolej
Ever wondered what would happen if the people behind Kafe Karlín opened a small booth at a busy railway station? Well, that lingering question no-one's ever had has been answered by KafeKolej. As simple as it gets: go to the window, ask for coffee, pay, move on. But because it's Kafe Karlin's second outpost, it also means KafeKolej is the first place in the Smichov district that serves true specialty coffee. So what if the surroundings are your standard issue railway-meets-bus terminal ugly? Just take a sip of the coffee and you won't care.
Address: Nadrazni, Prague 5 (nearest stop: Smíchovské nádrazí subway, tram, bus stop)
Website: www.kavovyklub.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 7-18
Machine: Wega, 2-group
Beans: Kavovy klub's own roasts
Filters: Yes. Batch brew.
Food: Nothing at the moment, but soon to offer some small sweet snacks to go with the coffee.
Wifi: You're joking, right?
Other Good Cafés
Bitcoin Coffee is sooo easy to write about because they have a theme: they only accept bitcoins to pay for the coffee. So you better have some. Or use their cash machine. The interiors of the Paralelni Polis "Cryptoanarchy Institute" are also undeniably cool. With its brownfield patine, concrete walls, steel pillars and paper pulp furniture, this is a hangout straight from a movie about cool Berlin clubs. The central bar with the Synesso machine is minimalist and plain. So make sure you pay them a visit. If you have some bitcoins on you, that is.
Address: Delnicka 43, Prague 7 (nearest stop: Delnicka tram stop)
Website: paralelnipolis.cz/bitcoin-coffee-en/
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 8-20, Sa-Su 10-20.
Machine: La Marzocco, 3-group.
Beans: Bonanza Coffee
Filters: Yes. Batch brew plus changing drip methods.
Food: Hardly any. A cake, maybe some apples.
Wifi: Yes.
Blending in with the locals over filter and espresso-based coffee from beans roasted in-house is easy in Kavarna Prazirna, a local favorite. Great place for a meeting or a book. We're not truly fans of cafés located in basements, but the coffee is good regardless. Tip: If you're planning on using wifi, stay in the first room.
Address: Lublanska 50, Prague 2 (nearest stop: I.P. Pavlova tram stop)
Website: kavarnaprazirna.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 8.30-22, Sa 12-20
Machine: LaMarzocco
Beans: Kavárna Prazírna's own roasts
Filters: Yes. Batch brew, Hario V60, Aeropress.
Food: Yes, some simple affairs.
Wifi: Yes. Better in the front room than in the back.
The cuteness factor is very high in Kavárna Cekárna, a homey, small café just underneath the Vysehrad fortress. This is a true hideout from the rest of the world, and if you want to study, work, write that novel you were planning to, this is the place. The coffee is very good, and the café is a good choice for a quieter stop in the nice, slightly run down garden in the back, or in the interiors with beautiful floor tiles. Our choice for coffee when visiting the Vysehrad fortress above.
Address: Vratislavova 30/8, Prague 2 (nearest stop: Vyton tram stop)
Website: facebook.com/kavarnacekarna
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 8-22, Sa(Su) 10(13)-20
Machine: Brasil, 2-group
Beans: Kavarna prazirna, plus "something interesting from abroad"
Filters: Yes. Hario V60, French press.
Food: Yes. Mostly produce from the Rosaria bakery - good enough for a snack or a light breakfast.
Wifi: Yes.
The Vinohrady district is packed with great cafes, so opening a spanking new one very near at least two other good cafes takes some courage and self-confidence. Double B brings roasting to the table, offering a few of its own roasts both as espresso and filters. Now, when we say espresso, we mean double espresso: they do not pull single shots. This would be another great place to get some work done.
Address: Anglicka 15, Prague 2 (nearest stop: I.P. Pavlova tram stop)
Website: facebook.com/doublebpraha
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 7.30-21, Sa-Su 10-21
Machine: Nuova Simonelli, 3-group
Beans: Double B's own roasts
Filters: Yes. Hario V60 and Aeropress.
Food: Some. A sandwich and some cakes.
Wifi: Yes.
Studio Dva Café, formally attached to the Studio Dva theatre, brings high-quality coffee to the Wenceslas Sq., an area so far dominated by big coffee chains and McCafes. Let's be honest here: this is not a place where everybody knows your name. Despite the good foundations, the atmosphere is rather cold and while the place is dominated by business meetings and solo visitors during the day, you'd be hard-pressed to see anyone on a Sunday unless the theatre puts on a show. Still, the coffee is solid and StudioDva easily takes the crown as the only specialty-coffee place in the town open on a Sunday night.
Address: Václavské nám. 56, Prague 1, inside the walk-through (nearest stop: Muzeum subway stop)
Website: studiodva.cz/kavarna/
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 8.30-23, Sa-Sun 11-23
Machine: LaMarzocco Strada, 3-group
Beans: Dos Mundos and Five Elephant as steady suppliers, plus something interesting
Filters: Hario V60, Aeropress.
Food: Yes. Breakfasts until 11am, daily specials later and pastries later.
Wifi: Yes.
Ye's kafe / studio opened without a bang by some of the baristas from BitCoin Coffee. What has remained is the slightly anarchist feel and Bonanza Coffee beans in the grinder. What is different is the location: right in the heart of the Letná district, the hood of our Prague rental apartment, Ye's Kafe got a fairly small room with very high ceilings. While the lack of proper tables makes it less ideal for an extended work session, it is a great spot for a quick takeaway coffee before your tram leaves for the centre. This is a café young and wild in heart, and if that describes you, too, make sure you check out their parties.
Address: Letenské nám. 5, Prague 7 (nearest stop: Letenské náměstí tram stop)
Website: facebook.com/yeskafestudio
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 7.30-18.30, Sa 10-16
Machine: An old, refurbished thing in a see-through glass enclosure
Beans: Bonanza Coffee
Filters: Yes.
Food: Cakes and bananas.
Wifi: Yes.
Mezi zrnky is a small, cute, neighborly bistro and cafe in the Vinohrady district. In addition to Doubleshot coffee and beans by other European roasters, they offer breakfasts, a daily soup, some salads and sandwiches and something sweet. They continue in the footsteps of CupUp cafe that used to occupy the same room and serve good coffee. What makes Mezi zrnky stand out is great serves and tremendous value for money.
Address: Sázavská 19, Prague 2 (nearest stop: Námestí Míru subway stop)
Website: facebook.com/mezizrnky
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 7.30-18.30, Sa 9.30-15.30
Machine: LaMarzocco GB/5, 3-group
Beans: Bonanza Coffee, Sweet Cup, Doubleshot
Filters: Yes.
Food: Yes. Breakfasts, sandwiches, daily soups and cakes.
Wifi: Yes.
The sister cafe of I Need Coffee (see above) has managed to turn one of the ugliest passthroughs in Prague to one of the coolest. Sure, it's a bit difficult to find. And that's one of the benefits in our view. Once you get there, nobody will find you. Do you owe money? Haven't paid your taxes? Yourboss wants to have a chat? Nobody will find you here. And the coffee is good, the atmosphere lazy, and with a bakery in the back, there is no place for a Swedish-style fika in Prague like this one.
Address: Opatovická 18, Prague 1 (entry from the Spálená 15 passthrough; nearest stop: Lazarská tram stop)
Website: facebook.com/supertrampcoffee.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 8-20
Machine: LaMarzocco
Beans: Casino Mocca and others
Filters: Yes.
Food: Yes. Small bakery on site.
Wifi: Nope.
We actually wanted to live in the space before it was turned into the cafe. It housed a Vitra furniture showroom, and while some of the furniture stayed in the eclectic interiors of the cafe, the busy design may not be for everyone. Perhaps too much flowers and "cuteness" for some. The truth is this cafe really falls out of the bare-brick-and-black-boards-and-unfinished-wood-bench paradigm. So the choice is yours, but if you like to enjoy coffee in a sofa, this is one of the few specialty coffee places in Prague that have some. La Boheme uses, of course, the roasts of the La Boheme roasters, who have their offices upstairs. They are dark for our tastes, but if you like that, make sure you give them a try.
Address: Sázavská 32, Prague 2 (nearest stop: Vinohradska trznice tram stop)
Website: facebook.com/labohemecafepraha
Opening hours: Mo-Fr(Sa) 8(10)-20
Machine: Della Corte DC Pro, 3-group
Beans: La Boheme's own roasts
Filters: Yes. Aeropress.
Food: Yes. Cakes and kolachees, sometimes a quiche or a sandwich. For more food, head over to the second location in the Vinohradsky Pavilon just a block away.
Wifi: Yes. When it works.
Al Cafetero is the mother of all specialty coffee shops in Prague. The kingdom of Mr Karel, the owner and mascot of the place, was one of the first to serve specialty coffee in Prague. Smoking? Karel was the first one to kiss it goodbye. He is the true pioneer in many ways. Now, entering does feel like you're entering Karel's living room: the place is tiny but very cozy. Also, Karel has rules. Your request for sugar may be met with rolling eyes. Still, Al Cafetero can make for a fun evening: the coffee is great and the vicinity of the tables can make for an interesting conversation.
Address: Blanická 24, Prague 2 (nearest stop: Italská tram stop)
Website: alcafetero.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Th 9-22, Sa 9-18, (somewhat unreliable though)
Machine: Della Corte Super Mini
Beans: Doubleshot single-origin. AlCafetero's own espresso blend by Yakima coffee
Filters: Hario V60, Vacuum pot, French press, Aeropress.
Food: Sandwiches, cheesecakes and the like. Breakfasts are also served.
Wifi: Yes.
We've argued that the bench in front of TriCafé (they put it out there on a nice day) is one of the best places to enjoy a good cup of coffee in the tourist centre. Just walk off the Karlova street leading to the Charles Bridge and take two corners, and you will reach a very friendly place with a young atmosphere that has become very popular among young coffee lovers and American students on study abroad programs. The atmosphere, the solid coffee and the nice cakes are good enough reasons to leave the madness behind.
Address: Anenská 3, Prague 1 (nearest stop: Karlovy lazne tram stop)
Website: tricafe.weebly.com
Opening hours: Mo-Su 9-20
Machine: Faema Diplomat E-71
Beans: Mostly European micro-roasters
Filters: Not that we know of.
Food: Cakes, many of them gluten-free.
Wifi: Yes. But it's sometimes wobbly.
The New World, one of the most charming places in town, is a great place to visit by itself, but the Kavarna Novy svet (the New World Cafe) just adds to the charm, and is a great stop on your way to or from the Prague Castle. Now that it has been discovered by more people, it is not as serene as it used to be, and can get full quite easily. Still it can be one of the nicest and quaintest places to enjoy coffee. Check their social media for their movie screenings!
Address: Novy svet 2, Prague 1 (nearest stop: Brusnice tram stop)
Website: kavarna.novysvet.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Su 11-19. Closed on Wednesdays.
Machine: Faema E-61
Beans: Doubleshot and whatever they buy
Filters: Yes. Hario V60.
Food: Sandwiches, salads, toasts, muesli, daily soup, and ice-creams by 2AD.
Wifi: Yes.
The Dos Mundos roasters have made waves when they opened some two years ago, quickly establishing themselves as another alternative to the established roasters on the market. The fairly small room in the Vinohrady district includes the roasting machine and offers up to seven different roasts as both espresso and filter coffee. The room has really just one table, but sitting at the bar is actually a great opportunity to have a chat.
Address: Korunní 31, Prague 2 (nearest stop: Sumavská tram stop)
Website: dos-mundos.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 8-19, Sa-Su 12-17
Machine: Bezzera C2013.
Beans: Dos Mundos' own roasts.
Filters: Yes. Aeropress, Chemex, Vacuum pot, Hario V60.
Food: Some cakes.
Wifi: Yes.
As a cafe for reunions with friends and for work meetings, this Vinohrady cafe is as popular as they come, although we may have issues with the service, which we have always found either disinterested or pretty bored. So why is it in this list? The coffee is based on solid foundations: good machine, good beans and good baristas render consistent results of good quality. And the virtues are undeniable: two great rooms with either a calm atmosphere on a lazy day or a livelier atmosphere on a busier day, and the large tables and comfy chairs and sofas in the back make it a great spot for working or a long read.
Address: Moravská 18, Prague 2 (nearest stop: Sumavska tram stop)
Website: monolok.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 8-22, Sa-Su 10-19
Machine: La Marzocco GB/5
Beans: Coffee Source and Doubleshot
Filters: Yes. Vacuum pot, Hario V60.
Food: Yes. They serve breakfast and some simple foods later on during the day.
Wifi: Yes. But it's wobbly.
Coffee House
Coffee House, located on the edge of the Vinohrady and Vrsovice districts, is really a showroom of the Coffee Source roasters, and many people in Prague know it simply as "Coffee Source". The interiors are minimalist and the place attracts younger, hippie crowds. Their exterior seating in their small, quiet backyard is a true hidden gem.
Address: Francouzská 100/312, Prague 2 (nearest stop: Ruska tram stop)
Website: facebook.com/coffeesource
Opening hours: Mo-Th(Fr) 8-19(17)
Machine: LaMarzocco Strada, 3-group
Beans: Coffee Source's own roasts
Filters: Yes. Drip coffee, French press.
Food: No.
Wifi: Yes. Password: kafekafekafe
Perhaps the close vicinity to EMA Espresso Bar is the reason why we've been to Kava Ruzova only once. Still, this is a cute little place to grab a cup of coffee to go, pick your beans from the Coffee Source roasters, and have a small chat with the barista.
Address: Růžová 7, Prague 1 (nearest stop: Jindrisská tram stop)
Website: kavaruzova.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 7.30-19
Machine: LaMarzocco GS3
Beans: Coffee Source
Filters: Yes. French press.
Food: No.
Wifi: No.
This is as close to a coffee speakeasy as it gets. The designers of Artbureau, seated in room 412 of the Bubenska 1 building (btw one of the coolest buildings in the entirety of Prague and clearly one of our favorites in the Letna district), were so unhappy with the coffee offerings around, they started making coffee on a refurbished La Cimbali machine in their own office. Just check their website (if it's green, they're in - if it's red, they're out), get into the building and knock on the door of room 412. For a voluntary charge, you'll get a small chat, an insight into how designers live here, and a cup of good coffee.
Address: Bubenska 1, Prague 7 (nearest stop: Vltavska subway and tram stop)
Website: artbureau.cz/412/
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 10-18. Usually. Check their website.
Machine: LaCimbali, 1-group
Beans: Whatever they like. Check their website.
Filters: We're not sure. We've never got one.
Food: Nope.
Wifi: Not really.
Alchymista's Japanese garden in the back is one of the most beautiful places to enjoy coffee sitting outside. Vintage is the name of the game here: all the props, the wooden panels and the furniture all seem to have a vintage feel about them, and this extends to the baristas, too: at least some of the men do sport some pretty pimped-out mustaches. The coffee here will suit those favoring darker roasts. We do admit that we usually get some of their fairly good cheesecakes rather than the coffee. It's not a "cukrarna" (pastry shop) for nothing. In the garden in the back, nobody can hear you… getting fat.
Address: Jana Zajice 7, Prague 7 (nearest stop: Sparta tram stop)
Website: alchymista.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Su 10.30-21.30
Machine: Promac Green
Beans: Their own roasts
Filters: Yes. Hario V60, Aeropress, French press, Chemex.
Food: Yes. Cheesecakes and other home-made cakes and baked stuff, simple breakfasts.
Wifi: Yes.
Periferie café
Now, is it really necessary to travel that far outside of the centre for coffee? No, not really, but Periferie café in the Braník district gives you a great opportunity to see a part of the city you would never have otherwise found and enjoy some nice coffee and food with the locals in a great corner room full of light. Check out their neighborly parties and live music concerts! They can go on for longer than the neighbors may want.
Address: Branická 49, Prague 4 (nearest stop: Pristaviste tram stop)
Website: periferiecafe.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Fr(Sa) 9(13)-22, Su 14-20
Machine: La Marzocco GB/5, 3-group
Beans: Doubleshot, plus "something interesting from abroad"
Filters: No.
Food: Yes. Soups, kolachees and sandwiches made in house, muesli, egg-based breakfasts.
Wifi: Yes.
Photos on this page: The good photos are by Martin of Everbay Co. or Couple of Prague (Kafe Karlin, MSK, Dos Mundos, Coffee Room, the title photo). The rest by Taste of Prague.


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United Nations Cyber Soldier Corporation
All the UNCSC information
We are a clan that come together and try to have a good time. You are chosen because you show extraordinary loyalty and
trust as well as a vibrant personality.
Clan Matches
There are no clan matches at this time*
The most I can do for my friend is simply be his friend.-Henry David Thoreau


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This week I am putting some new work in my commercial portfolio, I shot this of Erica Gray before Christmas and the next was for a test a few months ago and the bottom, I photographed on Friday of Candice DePrang of OH! Fox Vintage, she's a new force in town, pay close attention!
Thanks for looking.
She-N-He Austin Wedding Photography and Design specializes in making your day...YOURS. We capture your wedding just the way you see it. We're a husband and wife team with backgrounds in Graphic Design/Art Direction and Commercial/Editorial Photography respectively. We bring to you a unique perspective that is romantic, modern and timeless and 15 years experience shooting all over the world. Call us and tell us all about your big day. We're listening. 512-351-9314


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As noted in MacRumors.com, a prototype of the iPhone 4 has surfaced in fantastic working condition. The listing included a number of very high quality images which clearly showed zero Apple branding on the back. The trademark had been replaced with a very nifty looking "eyeball circle" type of shape that had been seen in early prototype's of the same iPhone. In addition to the logo, "Prototype" has replaced the standard "iPhone" text along with FCC warnings that the prototype had not been cleared for take off (nice pun? We didn't think so either).
Sonny Dickson also provided a video of the iPhone Prototype showing off several of the features of the device including the software and some other of the many differentiations of this iPhone.
So, what do the XC Media Design readers think? Is the iPhone real? Is it really a prototype of the iPhone 4? Let us know below in a post!
UPDATE: The iPhone prototype received a $4500.00 bid. The owner of the auction then stated that the iPhone prototype auction would be halted if a bid of $10,000.00 was received. The auction was pulled minutes later.


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Pangao Blood Pressure Monitors use the oscillometric method of blood pressure measurement to provide and accurate and detailed reading. With a large and clear LCD display you can check your pulse rate as well as your diastolic and systolic blood pressure from the convenience of your own home! The upper arm design with voice read out makes it the perfect option if checking your blood pressure whilst remaining physically active.
Additional Information
|Upper Arm Design
|Aditional Information
NOTE: This product is not intended to be used for self-judgement or treatment, patients must always follow their doctor's advice
|Free Shipping


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But what truly separates this gun case from other gun cases is its ability to seal while locked.
(PRWEB) May 16, 2014
*Shocking* Toddler Opens Locked Gun Case On Video
Premium Tactical Supply has released a gun case that has turned the gun case market upside down. Designed to fit most handguns, the case is designed from highly durable plastic, perfect for transporting firearms. The case is even TSA compliant, which has been an issue for many people in the past.
But what truly separates this gun case from other gun cases is its ability to seal while locked.
"I have a 4-year-old daughter and two toddler aged twin boys. Although I know that a gun case isn't meant to replace a safe, I felt that the other gun cases on the market weren't doing a good enough job of sealing itself so that you wouldn't be able to pry it open on the sides while locked. After testing around 20 different designs, I was finally satisfied with the way this one sealed when closed and locked. It's unique to other gun cases on the market in that regard," said Marcos Avellan, owner of Premium Tactical Supply.
Avellan needed to find a way to reach other gun owners and he had just the trick: His own children.
In February, Avellan created a video that went viral around the internet - a video of Avellan's own 4-year-old daughter opening a competitor's gun case to reveal a plastic firearm toy inside. The video was an attempt to demonstrate just how unsafe and fickle the typical gun case on the market was. Afterwards, Avellan introduces his case to the video and gives it to his daughter, who struggles to open the case, ultimately giving up after multiple attempts.
"I was relieved when she wasn't able to open my gun case (laughs). None of the video was scripted. I mean, how do you script what a 4-year-old child is going to do? She was able to figure out the first gun case pretty quickly and I was worried that she would be able to open mine. My case held up, thankfully," said Avellan.
You can see the video in its entirety at http://www.GunCaseVideo.com.
When asked if Premium Tactical Supply would be introducing any new designs or products to the market, Avellan humbly replied with "it's possible."
"Eventually I would like to introduce some new products and I will continually rework the design of this case to make sure it is as safe as it can possibly be, but right now, I'm focused 100% on getting this out to the market. I believe that this case introduces a whole new level of safety to the gun case market and I want to share that with as many people as I can - I feel it's my duty as a father, businessman, and an active member of the firearms community."
Premium Tactical Supply also offers a lifetime warranty on all their cases in case the locking mechanism or the case hinge fails, which is a great deal for those who are constantly transporting firearms.
If you'd like more information about Premium Tactical Supply and its gun case, you can visit them at http://www.PremiumTacticalSupply.com.


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While we have no intention to convince you into setting your hair extensions ablaze or render some hair stylist with low patronage, the wise person who once said, "women with short hair are really sexy" wasn't mistaking. Although there has been some serious debates or perception in the past that women who clamor for the scissors are often associated with heart break, lesbianism and that they don't always bother about their appearance neither do they look feminine. Without going into the details, let's drop all the absurd hairstyle stereotypes and focus on the reality.
Women with short bob hair are not only beautiful, sexy or cute but there's something about them that screams self-confidence, sassiness, and power. Here, whether you have a thing for long hair or you've already booked an appointment for a 100% virgin Brazilian hair, we're sorry, these images are about to reset your mindset. And what we love most about short hair? It's low maintenance. Click on to see the images and chose a style that best suit your personality.


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I have been on a bit of a hobby horse about pre-Lent. And yes, I am still on it.
In reading over some older devotional materials (more on that in the next post) and thinking about this Sunday's Mass readings, the problem (one of them) clicked into place in a very simple way.
Lent begins next Wednesday, Ash Wednesday. Which means tomorrow is the last Sunday before Lent begins. What are the Mass readings?
They are the readings of the 7th Sunday of Ordinary Time. Gospel:: Matthew 6, continuing our reading of the Sermon on the Mount which has been going on for a couple of weeks.
How about last year? The last Sunday before Lent began was the Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time and the Gospel – calling of Peter, etc. from Luke.
And before that? 2015 – 6th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Gospel – healing of a leper from Mark.
Quinquagesima Sunday readings, the Sunday before Ash Wednesday, everywhere in the Catholic world before the Second Vatican Council?
(Remember there were only two readings)
Corinthians 13:1-13 – ….but do not have love…
Gospel: Luke 18:31-43
At that time Jesus took unto Him the twelve and said to them: Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things shall be accomplished which were written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man. For He shall be delivered to the Gentiles, and shall be mocked and scourged and spit upon: and after they have scourged Him, they will put Him to death, and the third day He shall rise again.
And they understood none of these things, and this word was hid from them, and they understood not the things that were said.
Now it came to pass, when He drew nigh to Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the wayside, begging. And when he heard the multitude passing by, he asked what this meant. And they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. And he cried out, saying: Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me. And they that went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace. But he cried out much more: Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus standing, commanded him to be brought unto Him. And when he was come near, He asked him, saying: What wilt thou that I do to thee? But he said: Lord, that I may see. And Jesus said to him: Receive thy sight, thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he saw and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.
So the entire Catholic world would hear these Scriptures , not just whatever happens to be the readings of that last Sunday of Ordinary Time, but these Scriptures (and Propers and prayers) specifically and organically evolved with the coming of Lent in view.
(Catholics who participate in the Extraordinary Form or the Anglican Ordinariate still experience this form of pre-Lent, and of course Eastern Rite Catholics have their own form as well, with set readings that don't change from year to year.)
In that older post I highlight the work of scholar Dr. Lauren Pristas, who wrote an essay detailing the thought and politics that went into the elimination of pre-Lent in the Latin Rite. As I say there, the conclusion is essentially that it was too hard for us poor lay folk to keep it all straight and stay focused.
Unintended consequences, anyone? Not to speak of weirdly wrong thinking. Pistas entitled her essay "Parachuting into Lent" and that is exactly the effect, isn't it?
The best-intentioned post-Conciliar reformers (in contrast to those who simply didn't believe any of the stuff anymore) seemed to me to be operating from the assumption that the Church's life and practice as it had developed over time functioned as an obstacle to deeply authentic faith, and that what was needed was a loosening of all this so that Catholics would develop a more adult faith, rooted in free response rather than adherence to structures.
Well, you know how it is. You know how it is when, on one day out of a million you have a blank slate in front of you? No rigid walls hemming you in? No kids to pick up, you don't have to work, no one's throwing obligations and tasks at you? And you think, Wow…a whole day free. I'm going to get so much done!
And then it's the end of the day, and you realize that maybe what you had thought were restrictions were really guides and maybe not so bad because you look back on your Day Without Walls and you wonder…wait, how many cat videos did I watch today? Do I even want to know?
Yeah. That.
Where's my parachute?


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So… I've been a little slack on the blog front! A little re-cap of my last two weeks of horse escapades will cover all the fun!
Our first get together for the year was held today! A great day out to catch up about our own progress with our horses and share some stories with lots of laughs! Baxter and I ventured out for the day to be amongst the 8 other horses strutting their stuff, all with different prospects and personalities. We have had a great start to the year with news our group has managed to get some funding to set up our arena and buy gear (great job Jacqui!!)… an exciting year ahead!
A day to learn a thing or two about campdrafting! Great day out learning to work cattle and more importantly, the mechanical cow! Even though I was horseless, I still was able to get amongst the action and have a ride on my good friend's horse Taz (You're the best Maxine!!). Here are some snaps of the lovely EWRC team in action!
Below photos: Maxine doing a great job negotiating the 'mechanical cow'!!
We have been focussing on mouthing work with Oakley the past few weeks, starting our routine off by getting geared up with the lunge roller and bridle, then walking and trotting some circles in the round yard.
My techniques for mouthing Oakley can be found in detail through HORSEPROBLEMS AUSTRALIA website, I am following the same techniques developed by John O'Leary (a brilliant horseman in my opinion!!), grab a copy of his mouthing DVD, sit down and absorb all his training techniques and horse knowledge!
Kadill and I have worked on lots of flexing and bending to loosen up his tight muscles and encourage some suppleness! I'm finding my balance finding Kadill is improving his response to my giving and taking with contact on his mouth.
Baxter and I have worked on going forward and having a bit more 'spring' in his steps. Long and low work has helped to achieve this, Baxter seems much happier when he is able to stretch his head down and bring his hindquarters underneath, which is what working 'long and low' encourages. We still need to improve our bend and lateral work… will get out my exercise book for some suppling excercises to practice!!
The weather lately has been beautiful, so I'd be silly not to take the opportunity to go on some long trail rides. Photo's speak louder than words, this is paradise in my opinion!
I love the contour banks… they are great obstacles for us to negotiate!
Bax has also had some time to get to know my son Jeb, who already loves riding Baxter!!


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Leo 70F is a secretive and cautious leopardess. Since 2008, she has lived at the Kedrovaya Pad Nature Reserve at the heart of Land of the Leopard. However, unlike her "celebrated neighbours," Kedrovka and Bary, Leo 70F doesn't like to be seen and rarely poses in front of camera traps.
Scientists only have a few good-quality pictures of the animal. Leo 70F appears in front of the cameras about once a year to show scientists that she is doing well.


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A market-less weekend. It's nearly unheard of for our family.
Instead of traipsing through our neighborhood market, we'll be off to see grandparents. In their town, Friday mornings are the day for the farmers market, as I was warned by my mother. I find it interesting given that so many people work – it seems like a missed opportunity!
I suppose, living in the big city with easy access to the country, I am spoiled. I pass by several farm stands between work, daycare and home. I can literally visit a farmers market if I so choose somewhere in our metro on any day but Monday. (Give enough time, and that will be taken too!)
The local food finds seem to be a growing trend, so it's a surprise that three hours away, I wouldn't find an option to take the kids too. Even trying to find a market en route to grandma's house to take the kids too isn't easy.
Have I just been spoiled?


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Kirsten N. Burkholder Infant daughter of former Manheim residents
Kirsten Noelle Burkholder, infant daughter of H. Daniel and Priscilla (Siegrist) Burkholder, of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, passed away unexpectedly at home Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012. She is safe and secure in the arms of Jesus. God took her straight to Heaven because her passport was already signed 2000 years ago by the blood of Jesus.
Her parents are former Manheim residents. In addition to her parents, she is survived by one sister: Laurie, at home; paternal grandparents: Melvin and Ellen (Martin) Burkholder, of Cambridge Springs; maternal grandparents: Raymond and Virginia (Mummau) Siegrist, of Brownfield, Maine; and paternal great grandparents: Titus and Anna (Sensenig) Burkholder, of Gordonville.
Funeral services were held on Feb. 25 at the White Oak Mennonite Church, Manheim. Interment took place in the White Oak Mennonite Cemetery.
Kindly omit flowers.
Arrangements were made by Stradling Funeral Homes Inc., Akron/Ephrata. Online condolences can be given at stradlingfuneralhome.com.


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Ed Rempel has put together an article for us indicating his favorite Smith Manoeuvre Mortgage(s). This is part 3 of a 3 part series. In case you missed the other articles, here is part 1 and part 2. This final article of the series will help you decide whether or not to cancel your existing fixed mortgage to start the Smith Manoeuvre.
What should you do if you want to implement the SM, but your mortgage is not due now?
If you are just buying your home or your mortgage is due now, you can just go get the best SM mortgage and start. But what if it is not due? Some mortgage brokers would encourage you to always pay the penalty to refinance, citing the huge tax benefits you will get. However, you will get these benefits anyway if you wait, and you could pay significant penalties to get out of your existing mortgage. This may or may not really benefit you. It is worth doing the math.
Fortunately there are a few options:
- You might be able to convert your mortgage to an SM mortgage at your current institution without penalty. Some will and some won't.
- You might benefit from paying the penalty to refinance your mortgage and roll in other debt. There is a benefit to starting the SM sooner and you could save on refinancing other debt, all of which may or may not justify paying a penalty. It is worth it to do the math.
- You could get a 2nd SM mortgage and simulate the SM as best you can until your mortgage is due.
Some general guidelines:
- Today, with interest rates having risen in the last several years, if your existing mortgage interest rate is much below today's rates, getting a 2nd readvanceable mortgage is most likely the best choice. Why? Because creatively setting up a 2nd readvanceable mortgage can usually mean you can get most of the SM benefit now anyway, so why pay the penalty and higher interest rate?
- If you have more than 2 years left in your mortgage term and the rate is lower than today's rates, it is better to pay the penalty and move even to a higher rate if you would otherwise not do the SM at all. However, getting a 2nd readvanceable and doing the best SM you can is usually the best option.
- If you have more than 2 years left in your mortgage term and the rate is NOT lower than today's rates, in most cases it is better to pay the penalty and start the SM in full now.
The best SM mortgage, if you are stuck in a non-SM mortgage, depends on:
- Where is your existing mortgage (if it is not due) and when does it come due?
- How does your rate on your existing mortgage compare with today's rates?
- How much is the penalty to get out of your existing mortgage?
- What is your marginal tax rate? (We can tell you if you tell us what your taxable income and your spouse's taxable income are.)
- Do you have other debts at rates higher than your mortgage? What are they, how much do you owe, at what interest rates and how much are you paying on these debts now?
For example, the Parkers have a $400,000 home with a $200,000 mortgage at 5.2% for 4 more years and paying $500 bi-weekly. They owe $10,000 on a Visa at 19% and $10,000 on a credit line at prime +2% on which they are paying $600/month ($277 bi-weekly). They are in a 40% tax bracket. They can get a new readvanceable variable mortgage at prime -.6%.
Their existing bank will not convert their mortgage to readvanceable for no charge. Therefore, they have 2 options:
A. Pay the penalty to convert their mortgage to a readvanceable mortgage. They can roll in their $20,000 of other debt and then increase their mortgage payment by the amount they have been paying on this other debt, which would increase it to $777 bi-weekly. This could allow them to invest a lump sum of $100,000 plus $103 bi-weekly with the Smith Manoeuvre.
B. Keep their mortgage and add a 2nd readvanceable mortgage for $120,000. They will not be able to access their principal from their 1st mortgage payments, but they can still roll in the $20,000 of other debt and make it a fixed portion or their new readvanceable mortgage and pay the same $277 bi-weekly they pay on this amount now. With this option, they can still invest a lump sum of $97,500 with the Smith Manoeuvre (no bi-weekly amount).
The Parkers would pay a penalty of $2,600 plus $3,600 in the difference in mortgage interest rates for 4 years. The projected benefit including the tax refunds of investing $100,000 instead of $97,500, plus $103 bi-weekly with an 8% return would be $1,514 over 4 years. In total, they are $4,686 better off getting the 2nd readvanceable mortgage and doing as much SM as possible until their mortgage comes due.
Note that they would also save $6,400 over the 4 years by refinancing all their other debt into their mortgage, but they can do that either way – with a new 1st mortgage or by getting a 2nd readvanceable mortgage. Therefore, replacing the mortgage is better than not doing the SM at all, but getting the 2nd readvanceable is far better than either of the other options.
Some financial advisors or mortgage brokers would recommend breaking the mortgage anyway, saying that the tax refund of $2,500 each year is much more than the penalty. However, this is over simplistic and ignores all the other factors, such as the interest that is paid (in order to get the refund), a reasonable expected return on the investment & the tax-efficiency of the investment, and the interest rate difference between the old and new mortgage rates.
On the other hand, if the Parkers existing mortgage has a rate of 5.9% instead of 5.2%, then they will benefit by $564 taking into account all factors by breaking their mortgage now and paying the penalty. In that case, they should replace their mortgage now.
If you are not sure what to do with your existing non-SM mortgage, you can contact us with answers to the 10 questions in Part 2 about your situation and the 5 questions above about your existing mortgage, and we will do the math for you to figure out your best strategy. We call it the "Ed's Mortgage Breaking Calculation". It is actually a very complicated calculation.
If you would like us to do this calculation for you and you are a Million Dollar Journey reader serious about implementing the SM (either with us or by yourself), you can call or email us or FT leaving your name, email address and day phone number, and ask for "Ed's Mortgage Breaking Calculation". One of our financial advisors, Harvinder Arneja, will phone you (so leave your daytime phone #) within a week to tell you which of the 3 options is best for you, which SM mortgage is best for you and why, and then refer you to our contact to get that mortgage.
Again, another generous offer from Ed Rempel for MDJ readers. So if you're thinking about starting the Smith Manoeuvre, but you're currently stuck in a fixed mortgage, call Ed Rempel to calculate if the penalties are worth it or not.If you would like to read more articles like this, you can sign up for my free weekly money tips newsletter below (we will never spam you).


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Yesterday, that nice Zuckerberg boy bagged Time's Person of the Year designation, bringing the Jews who have been thus crowned up to four. Yet this isn't nearly as impressive as last year's winner Ben Bernanke: The first Jew Time Magazine deemed unnecessary to couple with an anti-Semite.
Sure, there are good reasons to pair the Jew hating Richard Nixon with the Jew hating, but self-loving Henry Kissinger. Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat go together like pastrami and kosher salami. But, deep down, you know it's weird that Jews needed a chaperone until 2009, while Charles Lindbergh made the cut the very first time around in 1927.
Below, Time Magazine's People of the Year who didn't like, actively hated, or were, as we say, not very good for the Jews.
Charles Lindbergh (1927)
Pierre Laval (1931)
Wallis Simpson, duchess of Windsor (1936)
Adolf Hitler (1938)
Josef Stalin (1939)
Richard Nixon/Henry Kissinger (1972)
Ayatollah Khomeini (1979)
Yasser Arafat (1993)
You* (2006)
*Yes, you.
You could call more often.
What, do you want to kill your parents?
Person of the Year 2010 [Time]
Earlier: Jews Give It Up
'Time' Names Bernanke 'Person of the Year'
Related: Why Kissinger Dismissed the Soviet Jews
Richard Nixon Explains Anti-Semitism
Why Rabin Shook Arafat's Hand
Carl Paladino's Betrayal of Reason


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Tag Archives: car insurance premium
How to reduce your car insurance premium
It is true that the use of auto insurance premium to consume a large part of its budget allocation. Therefore, it is obvious that like to negotiate to reduce your premium as much as possible. But before you have to identify what factors affect your premium virtually car insurance or how insurance companies calculate their premiums.
Well, among a lot of factors, there are two main factors that normally tend to increase or decrease your "old" premium.Your and 'gender'.Now you may think,' How do you know my age affect my insurance premium motor car? 'Well, if you are a teenager, probably have to pay a higher premium (being a bad risk).
This is because, teenage drivers have a tendency to fast car driving out of his passion, which increases the risk of multiple accident. But still, you can get a discount if you are receiving a training course as PassPlus Driving in the UK
If you are of age (under 25) to a student in the US, with good academic record or a resident student living away from home, you can get a good daily average distance discount.Your student outside their workplace can actually increase your premium. Drivers age, however, they can get discounts retirement benefits to their car insurance premiums because they tend to drive lower middle distance.
Now, you may be eager to know how "gender" can lower your premium. Statistics show that women tend to lead midway less everyday and have fewer accidents reported to why insurance companies men.That used to offer discounts to drivers of women. But that raises some ethical issues are biased to them in the lowest premium charge.
Your car make and model to substantially increase your premium. How? Well, statistics show that slightly built popular cars like Honda Accord, BMW, Toyota, Land Cruiser SUV survival rates are less two fatal traffic accidents (6-8% chance of death). But the safest cars like Volvo (3.4%), Jaguar XJ (1%), Marcedes Benz S-Class (1%), Land Rover Defender and Discovery (1%) offer premium discount.
Some models are more likely theft (Honda Civic, Toyota Camery etc.) and may increase the premium. But if you install some anti-theft devices such as alarm device, the immobilization device, tracking thaw, your insurance company can probably reduce your premium. Your type of coverage you choose, also to determine car insurance premium.
Frequent complaints, changing the number of drivers to your car, frequent violations of traffic will increase your car insurance premiums. If you are at fault for your accident, your insurance premium may increase. If you are reckless and dangerous on the road, premiums may be higher. Insurance companies as safer drivers on the road who have a clean driving record.
Shopping around for your new car on the internet or ask for recommendations from friends or looking for at least 3 quotes is a good idea to get cheaper insurance coverage. And get quotes for cheap car insurance on the web is the fastest.
The purchase of various insurance policies from the same insurer or ask for higher deductibles can reduce your car insurance premiums. By maintaining a good credit score, you win the favor of their insurers to get a discount on the premium. One of the best option would be to get the option to lower car insurance for life and find ways to cut the cost of car insurance to 67% for life. Just check this by going to my blog.