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Wrong Testicle Removed Leads to Lawsuit --- Why?
Recently a story hit the news wires/Internet stating that a Pennsylvania man had the wrong testicle removed during a surgery, and four years later a jury found the surgeon negligent and awarded $870K. Here is a link to the story published by the Washington Post.
Why was this case litigated? Why is any wrong-side surgery case litigated? Seriously. Talk about a prime candidate for disclosure, apology, and early offer compensation.
Now, I know that thanks to disclosure there are many wrong-side surgeries, other "'never events," and other cases that are truly black & white which are disclosed and resolved in a quick and fair manner. But this Pennsylvania case is a reminder of the work that remains to be done. The good word has definitely not been embraced in every corner of medicine, insurance, and the defense bar. We have to keep advocating for disclosure, and training medical, insurance, and legal professionals. To this end, consider having Sorry Works! provide a Grand Rounds or staff presentation for your hospital or nursing home. Sorry Works! talks are CME/CE accredited and will help your staff understand how to empathize and stay connected with consumer post-event without prematurely admitting fault. For more information, call 618-559-8168 or email email@example.com.
Happy 4th of July!
- Doug
Doug Wojcieszak, Founder, Sorry Works! 618-559-8168


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Santorini Wine: History, Vineyards, Varieties & Tasting Notes
The famous Santorini Wine. You know about it, you have probably tasted it or maybe you dream about tasting it in a setting like this one:
Besides the views and sunsets that are essential to enjoying your wine while you are in Santorini, would you like to know a bit more about it? Here is the story behind the legend.
The vineyards, the history of Santorini wine, the different varieties, some pairing notes, information about wineries, wine tours and where to buy Santorini wine.
Let's start from the beginning.
Santorini Vineyards
Driving around Santorini, especially the center and southern parts of it, you`ll ask yourself the most common question:
What are these bushes you see everywhere around you?
And trust me you do see many of them.
It`s quite difficult to imagine that this is actually a grape vine. You see, vineyards here don't look like the ones in Napa, Tuscany, Bordeaux or Spain. Santorini vineyards are rather unique. There are only a few places around the world where you could find something similar to this.
There is a reason vineyards in Santorini are this way. And we will come back to that.
But first, let`s start with a quick stop in a typical Santorini vineyard. While looking at this so called bushes, let's go through the history one of the most important wine making regions of the world.
Santorini Wine:The History
Santorini is the oldest vineyard in Europe. It is actually the only one that continuously produces grapes for more than 3000 years. Sounds fake but let`s see why.
The first inhabitants of Santorini arrived on the island around 3000 BC. It was a very advanced civilization, as they lived in two and three-story houses, had storage rooms, drainage systems etc. What is important is that they also appreciated wine. And they produced wined back then.
The vineyards of Santorini were all destroyed when the island was buried under a thick layer of lava during the Minoan Eruption of 1640 BC. A new soil was created around 1200 BC. After that, and over the years, different inhabitants tried to cultivate a variety of plants in Santorini. However, grapes were the only ones that survived.
An insect called phylloxera came to Europe roughly around the 19th century and destroyed every vineyard. Only a few vines remained, like the one in Etna (Italy) and the one here in Santorini (Greece). In the case of Santorini, the grapes survived due to one simple fact. Santorini soil mostly consists of pumice, lava and volcanic ash, which made it impossible for phylloxera to survive.
You can learn more about the history of Santorini here.
why are vines in Santorini shaped this way?
This way of pruning is ancient and unique and was developed based on the climate conditions and equipment old farmers had available back in the day. The sandy soil, in combination with the strong winds during spring and the sunlight during summertime would make it impossible for any typical vine to survive. Pruning the vine like a basket "shelters" the grapes that grow on the inside of that basket and ensures they are protected against the wind and the sun. This basket is also known as "kouloura".
How do we water the grapes in Santorini?
Actually we don't. And this just another factor that makes Santorini vineyards so unique. There is no irrigation. Well, there might be in some vineyards, but it is mostly for young vines. In any other case, nature is taking care of the required humidity. How does that work?
Well, the climate in Santorini is Mediterranean with mild winters and cool summers. There are strong north winds during the summer that could last for more than a month. The evaporation of sea water, often covers the island with mist so this is an easy way for the vines to get some water.
Still, it is not enough so as we say the roots are getting stressed which then leads to stronger and more concentrated taste of the local wines.
Santorini Wine:The varieties
Based on experience, when you ask consumers if they prefer white or red wine, red is usually the winner. I would hate to disappoint you, but welcome to Santorini: the island of white wines.
Well, there are some interesting reds but the star here in Santorini is a really unique grape named Asyrtico. Asyrtico covers the biggest part of the island, roughly 80%. There are two other varieties in Santorini named Aidani and Athiri. Of course there are others that are cultivated more rarely, but the above three (Asyrtico, Aidani and Athiri) participate in a blend giving us the classification PDO Santorini which stands for Protected Designation of Origin.
I know that readers of this article may search for some tasting notes about local wines, but I`ll get into that after explaining why these wines are so unique.
Santorini Asyrtico Wine
As I`m always saying, it all starts from the soil. Nowadays we can find Asyrtico cultivated in quite many other parts of Greece as well as Australia but wines made from this Santorini grapes have three major characteristics:
High Minerality
High Acidity
High Alcohol
As simple as that and always depending on the wine making process, Asyrtico can give us aromas that no other grape can. Stainless steel fermentation is filling up the palate with sharpness minerality and crispiness as well as some citrus aromas versus oak fermentation that brings out smoky aromas, dry fruit and nutty taste.
Santorini Nychteri Wine
Another typical Santorini wine is called Nychteri. Nychteri comes from the word "Nychta" and means "night" in Greek. In the past, they were peaking the grapes during daytime and pressing them at night trying to take advantage of the lower temperatures. It`s quite different nowadays.
For Nychteri, farmers make a late harvest so that grapes start getting dehydrated which then leads to a higher sugar content. They actually need these sugars to be converted into alcohol because this type of wine must contain a minimum of 13% vol or 26 proof.
Santorini Vinsanto Wine
Apart from the dry wines, Santorini is also famous for the sweet ones. I`m not a dessert wine person myself, but in that case I wouldn't say no to a glass of Vinsanto, the typical sweet wine of Santorini. The sugar content of this wine sounds like a nightmare to people who don`t like sweet wines or to those who are on a diet. Vinsanto has roughly 220gr of sugar in each liter- but again this is where Asyrtico makes a difference. Due to its high acidity, it balances the feeling of the sweetness in the Vinsanto.
Grapes that are meant to make Vinsanto, will be late harvested - way more than the ones that are used for Nychteri Wine- and will then be left in the sun for more dehydration and for the sugar content to rise. This process varies between wine makers, so very simply the more they stay in the sun the higher the sugar. That is why there are some Vinsantos that reach almost 300 gr/liter! After fermentation, Vinsanto ages in oak for a minimum of 2-3 years.
Pairing Santorini Wine
Generally speaking, Asyrtico makes wines that need food. And there is a wide range of food that Asyrtico can make an excellent pairing with. So wide that I can easily suggest an "All Asyrtico" dinner that can start with a sparkling version as a welcome drink and then continue with a stainless steel fermented one. The second one would make a great pairing with raw oysters, charcoal grilled fish, fried seafood. If you choose an oak aged or fermented, then you could make a lovely pair with some meat dishes. Especially for Nychteri, which quite many times behaves as a red wine, red meat dishes would be a great pairing.
What`s left? Dessert of course. Reading the above details about Vinsanto, anyone can think that you could also skip dessert. Yes, Vinsanto is sweet, but Asyrtico with it`s high acidity makes a perfect balance in the palate. Try to pair Vinsanto with caramel based desserts, baklava or bitter chocolate. If you don`t like desserts? Even better. Walnuts and blue cheese or prosciutto with dry figs make a really amazing pairing.
Santorini Wineries
In Santorini there are 15 wineries and each one has it`s own unique style and it is really worth paying a visit.
You can find a detailed guide to Santorini wineries here or you can see a map with all the wineries here.
Santorini Wine Tours
If you would rather have someone to show you around the wineries and the vineyards, then you could also book a wine tour. You will find plenty of wine tours in Santorini to choose from. The main difference to keep in mind is that some tours include a professional guide (usually a sommelier) that will talk you through everything you need to know about Santorini wine and will be with you in each wine tasting, while others basically provide you with a driver that will drop you off to a couple of different wineries and the stuff there will give you some basic information.
Bottom line is if you want to learn about Santorini wine, choose a tour with a guide. If you are only in it for the drinking part, then a driver will do the job.
Further more, there are also options between a private and a semi private tour. It`s realy up to what you are looking for. In a semi private you can meet new people from all over the world. By the end of the tour you may end up dining and drinking with them. If you are feeling social, it is a great way to make new friends. As far as wine enthusiasts or more advanced consumers, a private tour would give you more opportunities on learning and tasting plus maybe some extras.
This is by far the best Wine Tour you will find in Santorini. I have worked with this company and I have been on their tours. It is really worth it. I am not the only one saying that either. Check out the reviews if you don't believe me. No brainer- book it.
Here are a few other websites you can check out if you are looking to book a wine tour:
Santorini Wine Tours & Cooking Classes
Last but not least, there are wine tours that are combined with a cooking class. If you are a foodie or you want to learn about the food culture of Santorini, do your research and book. You will learn how to make fava, tomato balls and other yummy traditional dishes. This is the cooking class and wine tasting tour I would recommend:
Interesting fact: Ingredients might not be the same, but the cuisine in Santorini is in a way similar to cucina povera - kitchen of the poor ones- in Italy. They had to be inventive to feed themselves with whatever they had available from the land and we did the same using the limited variety of vegetables that grow on Santorini.
Where to buy Santorini Wine
You can purchase your wines in the wineries or any supermarket in Santorini but I would suggest buying from the wineries. Prices are a bit cheaper, bottles are way better stored and of course you have the opportunity of shipping. Check with each winery to find out a distributor close to you. You can also buy Santorini wine online- for example here.
That's all. Hope that was informative and helpful for you. I learnt a lot while researching this article as well.
A very special thank you to Dionisis Bithas for sharing all his wine knowledge and helping me out with this.
See you soon,

subset: commoncrawl


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The Catonsville Cooperative Market invites you to an afternoon of homebrewed beer, music, community, merriment and general celebration! Tickets are $20 ($5 for designated drivers) and include unlimited beer tastings. Vote for your favorite homebrew! Umami will be on-site with some of their amazing foods!
Check back for location and more info! Visit our Facebook Event page for current updates on brewers and other activities!


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Get some of your holiday shopping done, have fun and raise money to support a variety of environmental education projects. Come and bid often, bid high and have fun doing it for our environmental education program!
- 5:30 pm Drop off auction donations, check out the items on offer and enjoy refreshments. .
- 6:45 – 8:15 pm Live auction – Scott Clark & Monica Rauchwarter team up. This is a pairing not to be missed!
- 8:15 – 8:55 pm check out and clean up
- Why: Raise money for Refuge needs and other environmental education projects
If you can donate auction items or provide refreshments, thank you!!
- Make plans to drop off your contribution ahead of time. Coordinate with Anne: 952-936-0811(h), email@example.com.
- Please let Robin Kutz know if you can bring some snacks. Call her at 612-723-2632 or email email@example.com.
- If you need to bring your items on Thursday evening, please make every effort to deliver them between 5:30 and 6:15 pm so people can preview your items before the bidding starts.
To tempt you to attend, here are some Auction items we know about so far:
- All Seasons Wild Bird Store gift card
- Large bag of sunflower seeds
Books, original art and prints
- Nothing Bundt Cakes
- Great Harvest
- Lunds/Byerly's gift certificate
- Valley Natural Foods gift card
- David Fong's gift card
- Wine
- Cookies
- Home-cooked dinner
- Bavarian Mints (Rita Baden)
- Krumkake ($10 per dozen) (Cheri Fox)
- Homemade Bread
Events and Services
- Party assistant for graduation event or other festivity of your choice (up to 4 hours)
- 4 Tickets to Egypt's Sunken Cities exhibit at Minneapolis Institute of Arts ($80 value)
- Tickets to live performances
- National Eagle Center package: admission for 2, NEC mug & small stuffed eagle
- Personalized coaching: learn how to shop in the bulk aisle at a nearby co-op


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"Sturgis Library has such a friendly atmosphere in a beautiful building, as well as great service and programs" — a comment from our 2018 online survey
This past year, Sturgis Library welcomed more than 60,000 visitors, drawn by our diverse collections and programs, as well as the offerings of our community space. Our visitors value the traditional comforts of a library, our extensive archives that are windows on the past, our continuing technological advances, and our friendly, helpful staff. Changing with the times while honoring our mission and preserving our historic building is a challenge we work hard to meet.
This year's accomplishments include offering 185 programs for adults, young adults, and children; ten new collections added to our historic archives; free notary service; and answers to thousands of reference questions from Cape Cod and beyond.
In his latest book, sociologist Eric Klinenberg muses on why libraries still matter: "In an age of polarization and inequality, they are the bedrock of civil society," the place of "social infrastructure." Sturgis Library is such a place.
Thank you for your generous and continued support of our library. We welcome your thoughts and ideas for the year ahead.
Jeanie Hill, President, Board of Trustees
Miles Gibson, Chair, Development Committee
As you may know, Sturgis Library is an independent nonprofit public library and research archive, not a Town department. We receive only 40% of our funding from the Town of Barnstable, and must raise 60% of our funds through donations, grants, event proceeds, book shop sales, and other nonmunicipal sources.
Our donors give to the library in many ways:
- Donations to our annual appeal
- Bequests
- Gifts of stock or securities
- Gifts of vehicles through our vehicle donation program
- Gifts of goods or services to our fundraisers
- Donations of books, jewelry, and household items to our sales
- Donations of family papers or historic materials to our research archives
- Spontaneous donations in our donation boxes
- Memorial and honorary donations
- Gifts of time — volunteering at the Library or at Library events
If you are interested in supporting Sturgis Library, please contact Library Director Lucy Loomis for more information. You can reach her at 508-362-8448 or via email at email@example.com.
Statistical Overview for FY2018
- Number of items in the library's collection: 71,785
- Materials checked out of the library: 65,672
- Visitors to the library: 61,622
- Attendance at library programs: 6,722
Major Accomplishments & Projects
- Sturgis Library was awarded a number of special grants to enhance library programs and services to the community.
- Thanks to generous funding through a federal LSTA grant administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, the Library will embark on a partnership with the Sturgis Charter School to integrate digital and preservation copies of its archival materials related to the history curriculum. We received matching funding for this project from The Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod.
- The Arts Foundation of Cape Cod provided funding for a Creative Writing series.
- The Mid-Cape Cultural Council provided funding for a special children's program called Oooch.
- We received a Seton Shields Genealogy Grant from Genealogist Megan Smolenyak for the purchase of archival supplies.
- The Kirkman Trust Fund of the Town of Barnstable granted us funds for the purchase of books, ebooks, and technology.
- The Cape Cod 5 Foundation awarded us funding to purchase library materials in the STEAM subject areas — Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math, to support both students and lifelong learners.
- The Cobb Trust granted the Library funding for the purchase of library materials for the Summer Reading Program.
- Three portraits from the Sturgis Library collections — of members of the Sturgis family by noted artist Eastman Johnson — were exhibited as part of the Cape Cod Museum of Art's exhibit Mysteries and Revelations: Discovering Cape Cod's Museum Treasures.
- The Library established a new Graphic Novel Collection for adults, and started a new circulating jigsaw puzzle collection, including a number of high quality wooden puzzles.
- Thanks to the generosity of the Aldrich Astronomical Society's Adopt-a-Library telescope program, Sturgis Library now has an Orion StarBlast tabletop telescope available to borrow.
- The Library now has two staff members who provide free notary services to the community.
- Assistant Director Karen Horn is the focus of an article in a recent edition of Associates: The Electronic Library Support Staff Journal. Karen has been instrumental in advocating for continuing training and education for library support staff, and has spoken at state and regional conferences on the subject. Karen's efforts have benefited Sturgis Library by ensuring that all staff are given time to learn about library-related topics as well pursuing a wide range of training opportunities.
- The Library sponsored over 200 programs, exhibits, and events for adults, young adults, and children, including lectures, music and craft programs, art workshops, a Pre-Holiday Book Fair, a Holiday Tea, Lego Club, Pokémon Club, Family Funktafest, Drag Queen Storytime, and other well-attended programs and events. Together with the six other Barnstable village libraries, the Library participated in the annual collaborative Summer Reading Program.
- We welcomed new Adult Services/Reference Librarian Corey Farrenkopf. We said goodbye to Technical Services Librarian Magda Brancato, and welcomed new Technical Services Librarian Lisa MacDonald.
- The Library said goodbye to Board members Ted Lowrie, Liz Ferretti, Jess Bodamer, and Jenn McNulty. We welcomed new Board members Kathleen Keneally, John Littlefield, and Susan Guill.
- Sturgis Library is grateful to its hardworking staff, Board of Trustees, volunteers, and most of all its library patrons and visitors, who support us throughout the year. The success of the Sturgis Library is due to the people who enter its doors – to visit, to sit and read, do research, check out library materials, attend events, or to share a part of themselves with us. Many, many thanks.
Special Support
In addition to the Annual Fund donors listed in the next section of our annual report, Sturgis Library has received support from individuals, businesses, organizations, grantors, and others for a variety of needs throughout FY2018. With the help of these special donors we were able to purchase materials to support the Barnstable Public Schools' Summer Reading program, to fund a collaborative newspaper digitization project, to purchase archival storage supplies, fund a Creative Writing Workshop, sponsor engaging programs, fund discount museum passes, and grow the Preservation Fund. We have also received proceeds from the sale of donated vehicles, and honored family members and loved ones through memorial and honorary donations. In addition, we have established a new Corporate Donor program in which businesses pledge to support the Library for 3 years or more and receive recognition on our corporate donor wall. We also are grateful for employer matching grant funds from a number of our generous donors.
FY2018 Special Donors are:
- Angus, Harry
- Anonymous
- Barbo, Theresa
- Barron, Mary
- Bassett, Wayne and Evelyn
- Bearse, Carrie
- Berman, Ellen
- Black, Michelle Rogeau
- Blair, Henry
- Bloom, Richard and Susan
- Burger, Loren and Katherine
- Cape Cod Five Foundation
- Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod / Cape Cod Foundation
- Claus, Eleanor
- Clean Green
- Conway, Lisa and Gary
- Cook, Bruce and Anne
- Dornemann, Peter
- Edmonds, Janet
- Edwards, Steven and Cindy
- Ehret, John and Christine
- Eldred's
- Enoch Cobb Trust
- Fair Insurance
- Ferguson, Wenly and Wolf, John
- Ferretti, Elizabeth B.
- Fiske, Phineas & Johanna
- Frazee, Robert and Alexena
- Freedom Charitable Foundation
- Galvin, Grace M
- Genest, Jack and Suzy
- Glennie, Nancy
- Greer Real Estate
- Hansen, Marjorie
- Hansen, Robert & Joanne
- Hill, Lee and Genevieve
- Hughes, Patricia
- Hunsaker, James & Lee
- Jones, Julie and Mulaire, Larry
- Jones, Warren and Jeanne
- King, Paula
- Kinlin Grover Real Estate
- Klug, Steve
- Kronish, Miriam
- Littlefield, John and Susie
- Loomis, Lucy E.
- Lowrie, Ted & McShane, Kathy
- Lyons, Gerland and Nancy
- MacAdams, Annette
- Magruder, Elizabeth
- Magruder, Sarah and Wardman, Michael
- Malarkey, John & Carolyn
- Marek, Donald and Sharon
- Marsh, Wellesley
- McGowan, Mary Ellen
- Mercer, Kenneth and Marjorie
- Najarian, Paula
- Nelson, Cy & Weezie
- Nemser, Julia
- Nicholson, William & Cornelia
- O'Brien, Robert L.
- Painter, Marion and William
- Parke, Robert and Beverly
- Pease, Elizabeth
- Peterson, Nancy
- Quinn, William & Marilyn
- Renninger, Joel and Bernice
- Rice, Robert
- Rizzoli, Carol & Hugo ($5 Foodie)
- Robinson, Hyman and Mohini
- Ross, Leonard and Janet
- Rotary Club Of Osterville
- Ryan, Patricia
- Saling, Christy P
- Sandwich Fireplace
- Sears, Cat
- Silvia & Silvia
- Simmons, Robert
- Smolenyak, Megan
- Starkey, Alan
- Sullivan, Diana
- Temkin, Robert & Ellen
- The Barron Girls
- The George Family Trust
- Thoron, Louisa
- Tirrell, Frederick & Julie
- Turner, Beverly
- Villarreal, James
- Whitehurst, John C
- Whitmore, Lynn
- Wight, Karla
- Williams, H. Gregory and Marianne
- Wolfe, Alison
- Wolfe, Chester and Curran, Barbara
- Wolfe, Clifton
- Wolfe, Linda
- Zhang, Joan
- Zito, Guido
Donors to the FY2018 Annual Fund
The individuals, businesses, and organizations listed below contributed to the Sturgis Library Annual Fund in FY2018, which ran from July 1, 2017 through June 30th, 2018. Annual fund donations are unrestricted funds which go towards our operating expenses each year.
If we inadvertently left you off the list of Annual Fund donors or spelled your name incorrectly, please accept our apologies, and contact us at email@example.com so that we can correct our records. We thank all of our donors and supporters for their generous gifts to Sturgis Library.
Donors are color-coded by giving level. Donors of $1-$249 are listed in black, $250-$499 are listed in purple, $500-$999 are listed in green, and $1,000 and up are listed in blue.


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Bunny Activity
Students of UKG & M2 identified names of body parts and put them together to create a cute little crow. Refining their fine motor skills, students enjoyed the adventure of finding the right parts and gluing them together.
Students of M1 were introduced to the art of Origami and went on to make their very own owl! The activity is ideal to develop eye-hand coordination, mental concentration and improves their fine motor skills. It also allows children to create basic shapes of squares, rectangles and triangles with paper and has a calming effect on their mind.
Sequencing Letters
The students were able to name the alphabets and arrange the letter cards in the right sequence. This activity builds their confidence in recognizing the letters and also helps them in writing.
Scribbling Activity
To enhance their tiny muscular movement, the little ones scribbled on newspapers and brought their imagination to paper in a multitude of colours.
Sticking activity
Stickers are an amazing sensory experience for children due to the nature and textures they get to experience. The activity involved the kids to peel off the sticker and place it appropriately, to build on their eye-hand coordination skills.
Art & Craft
Children of Pre KG were encouraged to make colourful impressions and patters using paints and the ladies finger vegetable.
In another Art and Craft activity, the kids decorated a quilt with the alphabet Q.
Art and Craft
As the students of PreKG reach the end of the academic year, activities to get them thorough with basics like alphabet recognition and shape has been the theme. To make it a fun exercise, kids were asked to use colourful straws to trace the outline of alphabets.
Animal Kingdom project
On a fine morning, students were welcomed to the campus to begin their safari to explore the majestic animal kingdom! Kids were guided to follow the footprints of animals from different habitats. Their journey was punctuated with fun-filled activities like Dark Adventure Zone, Zootopia and other unique puzzle games. A superlative day that culminated with kids receiving handmade crowns as their cherished take away!
Students made an enthusiastic return to school following their winter break. Children were welcomed with new charts and classroom props!
"Hi-Fi" sight words
The children are given an opportunity to identify words from the clue chits and match it to the chart of Sight words. A fun way to improve their vocabulary.
Alphabet activities
A playful way to get thorough with alphabets by means of letter recognition and matching lowercase to uppercase alphabets. The activity is one of the most effective ways to help children with pre-reading and pre-writing skills.
Sports Day Practice
KG block is gearing up with the preparations for Sports Day, to be held on 10th Jan. Students of UKG and M2 are enjoying preparing for their big day!
Coconut husk
Children were explained about coconut husk and even had a fun group activity with it! Children used the coconut husk to make a nest while sticking the on paper and used crayons to complete their creation.
As part of the Bunny activity, children were explained about our tri coloured national flag and the significance of Republic Day. The kids drew a flag on a sheet of paper and enjoyed their colouring activity.
While exploring concepts of transportation, specifically air transport, children were introduced to spaceships and went on to proceed with an activity of drawing a spaceship step-by-step.
Field trip! Our UKG & M2 kids were taken on their first ever field trip from school to the Guindy Park and reported to school in full gear – hats, waterbottles and a picnic bag! The day was an adventurous one and all of them were beaming with stories about everything that they had seen at the Park.
Kids of Pre KG celebrated 100 days of schooling in a vibrant way! The KG Mandap was occupied by midgets and kids were ecstatic as they witnessed their favourite midget dancing away! The photoboth was yet another star attraction and it was selfie-galore! A fun day for both parents and children, who were also given a special take away of cookies.
It was the turn for our LKG students to go on a fun adventure! Our young ones had a grand time travelling in the school bus and taking in the sights and sounds of the city!
A memorable day exploring with their friends!
Yet another fun activity was planned with play dough. A simple activity that promotes learning and development through hands-on playing exercise.
Rainbow tracing is the activity where children trace an alphabet using seven different colours. A vibrant project that helps children develop their fine motor skills and eye-hand coordination.
As part of the activities of the Bunny program, students were given a cut out of their beloved Santa. Children enjoyed colouring the cap and sticking cotton for Santa's beard!
The last working day before the winter break was all about celebration and spreading Christmas cheer! The KG Mandap was vibrant with dance performances by UKG and M2 kids along with joyful renditions of festive carols! The children were ecstatic with Santa's arrival and were overjoyed to receive their takeaways!
The week saw a flurry of fun activities for our young ones in UKG and M2 in anticipation to Childrens Day celebration the next week. There was Paper Cup Art, Show and Tell activity and a Colouring activity.
Paper cup activity showcased the children's creativity and imagination; for paper cups were transformed to animals, fun objects and beyond! Show and Tell activity laid the focus on confident orators and was indeed lovely to watch the little ones speak exceedingly well. The colouring activity brought to life beautiful and colourful butterflies!
Childrens Day celebration with our young ones took centre stage all week long! With a host of merry activities, our teachers and support staff planned their special day meticulously and a one full of surprises. On 14th, children walked into the campus bright and chirpy in their colourful clothing and were welcomed with the music of their favourite cartoon characters. Parents and kids made a bee line to click a picture with cut-outs of special Disney characters and the Kindergartners were then all set to experience more surprises inside their classrooms. Colourful confetti and a special take-away for the kids was all part of the day's jubilant celebration.
Teachers and support staff also distributed the kids' favourite chocolates and put up a fun skit with props and more at the specially decorated Mandapam. A memorable day not only for the children but for everyone involved; happy Childrens Day indeed!
Pattern is the concept of repeated design or recurring sequence in a structured manner, with numbers, shapes, colours or with actions.
Children of UKG were given an opportunity to create patterns using colourful dried ingredients. This helped them to enhance their thinking ability and observational skills while enjoying the activity of completing patterns.
M1 children explored the world of shapes by walking over them! This activity helped them in recognizing the various shapes not only at school but also while outdoors. The artistic representations of the shapes sure made the activity an enjoyable experience!
Clay is versatile and fun for kids to play and experiment with. To explore mathematical skills, children made several clay balls and arranged them on slates next to its corresponding number.
Letter Mm
Children rolled clay to make a long rope and further cut them to make small pieces. Next, they attached the pieces together carefully to create the alphabet 'M'.
Slides & Ladder Activity
Children plunged into action, rolled the dice, jumped on the squares and climbed the ladder happily and also slid down with laughter. Our Kindergartners were absolutely thrilled when they reached the finishing point! Through this activity children learn all about strategy skills, mathematical skills, team work, colour recognition and also helps them to develop social skills.
Colour Week
Colour week in the KG block was scheduled between October 22nd to 26th . The entire block looked vibrant with children, parents, teachers as well as caretakers moving about in colourful clothing. The KG corridor looked peppy with thematic props and more. Colourful ribbons welcomed children each morning and were pleased to return home with their handmade creations; Green crown, Red photo frame, Orange wand, blue fan, yellow giraffe, etc. Children also had a good dose of "Bubble Bash", popping bubbles in the sun while reflecting rainbow colours!
Painting on Letter G
The tiny tots were exposed to a fun alternative method of writing. They painted the letter Gg on the chart paper using flower buds.
Nature Walk
To experience nature, children were taken on a walk around the campus. This helped the kids relate to concepts that they learn within the classroom – big/small, tall/short, colours and more.
Jobs people Do
Our UKG kids worked on a special project titled "Jobs People Do". The kids envisioned their dream job and spoke a few lines while being dressed in an appropriate costume depicting the profession. The block was abuzz with "When I grow up, I want to be a ….."!
Festivals play a vital role in community celebrations. Ganesh Chathurthy is one such festival welcomed by all especially our Kindergarteners.
This year the children celebrated the festival by making tiny versions of Lord Ganesh using paper cups and icecream sticks and proudly carried them home!
Sandwich Activity
This fun filled activity started with the emphasis on a number of aspects. First was about cleanliness – by washing the vegetables, followed by safety measures in handling sharp objects and ending with the awareness of eating a healthy snack. It was a treat for the eyes and feast for the stomach! Children ate the scrumptious sandwiches happily and left with an understanding that healthy snacks can be delicious too!
Painting Letter E
The tiny tots were exposed to a fun alternative method of writing. They painted the letter 'Ee' on the chart paper using different colours and their fingers. This pre-writing activity, apart from helping them to develop their fine motor skills, reinforces letter recognition and letter sound.
Palm Outline
The child and the teacher imprinted the outline of their palms in their Art and Craft Notebook to be aware of the concept of Big and Small.
Nature Walk
The children were taken around to experience the greenery within our school campus. They seemed to have enjoyed exploring the beauty of nature – trees and leaves ( big/small, tall/short), bird's nest, butterflies and worms. They also met the gardeners and were explained their role as caretakers.
Letter Ff activity
A fun filled activity for children was conducted by encouraging them to arrange their favourite ice cream sticks for the letter Ff. This activity helped the kids to focus on letter recognition, sound & the formation of the alphabet Ff.
Nature Walk
Children explored the green campus at Omega on a pleasant morning during the week. They admired the magnificent gardens, observed a variety of plants and trees and were fascinated with the beauty of colourful flowers and butterflies. The children were also captivated with the different kinds of fish and enjoyed watching the pigeons perched on trees. It was a feast for their eyes and left them refreshed in the body, mind and soul!
The first open day for the academic year 2018-19 was held on 1st of September. Parents participated enthusiastically to know about their child's performance in school.
After meeting the Teachers the parents had an opportunity to take part in an Orientation program from Edusports. Parents and children enjoyed participating in the various games and circuits. The Scholastic book stall and Omega Paper Plant stall were also visited by one and all.
Our M1 students were introduced to a very fun activity this week – Arranging Beads on the Alphabet. The alphabet of choice was 'B' and students arranged colourful beads on the letter. A group activity that was thoroughly enjoyed by one and all!
Students of LKG were introduced to an easy alphabet learning activity involving finger printing. It's a great way to get our children more familiar with writing letters of the alphabets and develop fine motor skills.
The Apple Tree Activity is all about number recognition, counting and one-to-one correspondence; where the child will pluck the apples as per the number printed on the card. Children also explored dot art activity and printing with cotton swabs instead of using a regular paintbrush.
Rainbow Trace Activity is another enjoyable classroom activity for learning about the alphabets. Children trace the alphabets with different colour crayons.
This week was all about writing activities for our young ones to develop their fine motor skills. Teachers encouraged the students to scribble with crayons and chalk pieces on paper and black board. The kids seem to enjoy being given a free hand to scribble away!
Another activity that helps to develop fine motor skills and improve their hand-eye coordination is playing and constructing with building blocks, and that's exactly what our students did!
Race to Trace
An activity where the children come in an orderly fashion to trace the alphabets on the wall, as per instructions being given by their teacher. It was lovely to see kids wait for their turn and cheer each other to trace well. A great exercise to help them learn the formation of letters!
Walking on Letter C
Learning is fun when it is done in a playful method! Students of M1 had a wonderful activity of walking on the alphabet 'Cc'. Children participated enthusiastically and were able to identify the name of letter and say the sound with confidence.
Bunny Colouring
This activity helps children to know about the bunny program through a colouring activity. Children coloured the pink long ears, bushy tail and bunnies' favourite food, the crunchy carrot.
Cotton Impression
Students used little cotton balls to dip in water colours and made impressions on a picture of a tortoise. This activity helped children to learn to colour within the boundary.
Identifying the letter and sorting pictures by the initial sound
Children were engaged in hands on letter activity. They sorted pictures for the corresponding alphabets. It was wonderful to see every child make an effort to sort the pictures thereby enhancing their literacy vocabulary.
Sorting pictures as per their initial sounds
Children sorted pictures by their initial sounds into trays labelled with the letters of the alphabet. Children checked the pictures for initial sound and sorted it into the tray as a group activity. Sorting activity is an excellent way to reinforce phonic awareness skills and other early literacy skills needed for reading.
Alphabet Game
Children learnt letters and their corresponding sounds through a fun and active jumping game. Children were able to identify and recognize the letters and enunciated the sounds for the letters by jumping on letter mats.
Rolling clay into balls for counting
Kids love learning math when they can use their hands and fingers. Children had a math activity where they had to roll the clay into balls and write the number and count the balls as per the number and present them neatly on a slate.
Friendship Day celebration
The children of kindergarten were given an opportunity to create their own friendship bands using colourful namkeens. It was indeed enjoyable to see the little hands string through colourful namkeens and tie them on their friend's wrists. Children discussed with their teachers about the importance of love and friendship.
Hide and Seek with alphabets
Hide and Seek is an evergreen game, loved by one and all and during the week we introduced the game to our kids, but with Alphabets. Alphabets were randomly hid at various locations and the children were given instructions to look for them in locations like under the table, near the window, inside the box, etc which paved way for them to understand positional vocabulary too. Once the children found the alphabets, they were encouraged to identify its corresponding sound.
Alphabet Hi-Five
Various alphabets were suspended from a long string across the classroom. The children were instructed to give hi-five to the called out alphabet. The teachers also added innovation to the game by changing the height of the strings to make the children jump and reach for it!
Rhymes session
The Pre Kg children were taken to the Mandapam for a rhymes session where all the old rhymes were sung. The session got interesting when there were special requests by the children!
Being the final week of the year, a variety of activities were planned for the children of Pre KG, including making an octopus's tentacles, pattern drawing, wax resistance, passing alphabet, number line and so on.
Edu sports : The Edu Sports department recognised a few children as Sportsperson of the Year and certificates were awarded to them.
Rhymes competition : The Hindi department conducted rhymes competition for the children and the prizes were awarded during the morning assembly by the Headmistress.
Rhapsody arranged a summer camp for the KG children in the Mandapam, where the children were taught new songs and new activities each day.
The language department gave away small Ice cream stick animals as a take away for the children of UKG and colourful butterflies to the children of LKG.
The last working day was made a memorable one for the children! The children played a lot of games inside and outside the class rooms and even enjoyed in a dance party!
With that the academic year of 2017-18 draws to a close. Happy holidays!
We have commenced assessments for students of Pre KG, LKG, UKG, M1 and M2.
For students of Playschool, we conducted an "Under the Tunnel" activity. After working on their Fine Motor Skills, this activity helps to develop gross motor skills for the young ones. An ideal example of learning while having fun!
Competition Time:
The Tamil teachers conducted a competition on sorting of pictures and letters for the children. Pictures of Wild Animals, Pet Animals, Birds, Flowers, Letters were randomly spread on the floor and the children were instructed to sort and group them.
Another competition, this time about singing all the Hindi rhymes learnt during the year for UKG children.
Bunny All Faith Day: Bunny Tamtola, the last and final Bunny class for the academic year of 2017-18 was held on the 14th of March 2018. The class was led by Mr.Nagesh, our Scouts and Guides Master. The highlight of the day was when the bunnies sang all the songs that they learnt throughout the year. The session ended with the All Faith Prayer by three children representing the three religions.
Cotton Swab activity: As part of the Art and Craft class, cotton swab activity was done by students of UKG. Right from mixing the paint to executing the work on paper, the entire activity was enthusiastically completed by the kids, with ample guidance from their teachers.
Prize distribution: Prizes were distributed to the students by Mr. Bala (Facilitator – Dept. of Arts) for competitions conducted during the year – Clay modelling, Tamil Rhymes Recitation and Paper Collage.
Open Day take away activity: Scribbling is the most enjoyed activity in Pre KG classrooms. The children were allowed to scribble on charts which was then remodeled as a pouch for crayons. The same was handed over to the children on the Open Day along with other art and craft work done by them.
Play School graduation: The playschool children graduated from their current class with a grand smile. The proud parents carried home their little ones adorning graduation caps!
Edu Sports activity: The Edu Sports team conducted various interesting activities for the children who ran excitedly without minding the morning sun.
It was time for the annual Class photograph session. All the students were lined up with their teachers and displayed their best smiles for the camera!
Annual day practice – With the d-day soon approaching, it was time for all the kids to perfect their dance moves!
Annual day practice
The annual day practice has become a part of our routine and would continue till the 22nd and 23rd of Feb 2018. The young ones are getting confident with their dance movements and cant seem to contain their excitement to perform on stage very soon!
Go Green Gift
Parents of Sri Harini of UKG – G presented medicinal saplings for children and KG teachers. We have embraced this loving gesture by planting the saplings in our garden.
All Faith Prayer
The birthday of Lord. Baden Powell, the founder of The Scouts and Guides movement, was celebrated as Thinking Day on the 22nd of February 2018. All the trained Bunny and Cubs & Bulbul leaders assembled in the Mandapam. The Mandapam was all set for the Prayer with floral decorations depicting the various religious symbols, done by the KG staff. The program started with a speech by our Group Leader Ms.Kalaivani Suresh followed by a prayer. Verses and songs prescribed by the Bharath Scouts and Guides National Headquarters were recited by leaders representing various faiths; Christianity, Hindu, Islam and Sikh.
Annual Day
The Annual day was celebrated on the 22nd and 23rd of February 2018. Students of Prekg and LKG celebrated the theme of 'Grandma says…' on 22nd Feb while the students of UKG, M1 and M2 sang, dance and made merry to the theme '90 minutes of Globe Toddling'.
With the completion of the Annual Day celebration, students and teachers resumed their regular classes.
It was time to engage our Playschool students in developing their fine motor skills. This was achieved through a unique "Paper tearing" activity that was enjoyed by one and all.


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By John Travis on
Brands Lay Out Their Top CX Priorities, Themes, and Challenges for 2017 and Beyond.[Continue Reading...]
/ John Travis / 2 years, 159 days ago
Based in London, John Travis is the Vice President of Marketing for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). In this role, John is responsible for all marketing, campaign, and media strategy and delivery across the region. Previously, Travis spent eight years as Vice President of Brand and Campaign Marketing. Based in San Francisco, California, John was responsible for Adobe's brand marketing worldwide, including brand strategy and identity, campaign strategy, web marketing, advertising, media strategy and events. John serves as a lead evangelist of the Adobe brand, driving innovative strategies and programs with the objective of building customer loyalty, affinity, and demand for Adobe's brand and its diverse portfolio of products and solutions.


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Hassan Elhais - Professional Lawyer
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Number of Votes: 1
Date Submitted: 28-Aug-2016
Business details
Mr. Hassan Elhais, along with his team of legal consultants and prominent local lawyers across the UAE, has made a name for himself as a renowned specialist in the fields of civil law, construction law, banking law, criminal law, family law, inheritance law and arbitration. He has drafted and supervised the drafting of many cases across all areas of law over the past decade.
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AddressCompany name: Hassan Elhais | Professional Lawyer
Address: The H Hotel Office Tower 29th Floor, Sheikh Zayed
City/Town Dubai
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Zip/Postcode PO Box 40073
Country United Arab Emirates
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Phone: +971 4 355 8000
Fax: +971 4 355 2121
Webotopia provides a business directory designed to promote companies, products and services, whilst helping it's users find the Hassan Elhais - Professional Lawyer information they need. Webotopia business directory, with the help of it's dedicated support specialists and reviewers, enables delivery of information, fast review deadlines, excellent customer support as well as value added services such as content publishing and press releases for it's users.


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U2'2 360 Tour pulled into New Jersey tonight (Wednesday) for a two night show with its massive stage, trucks, crew and sound.
U2 played a refreshingly casual set (see euro set list) taking a 60,000 seat venue and reducing it to a "one love" melting pot of people. It's hard to view this massive show as intimate until you have attended. Which if you have not had a chance and you're in the tri state area Thursday night is your last chance to see them this year rumors say expect to see them again 2010 – However that's rumor right now.
Bono played host, introduced his mates, Adam, Larry and of course The Edge, it seem as if to say he did you know these guys.
The venue considered to be "Bruce's" home was paid some respect as Bruce Springsteen celebrated his 60th birthday. Amazing in that Bruce turned 60, I guess we are all getting older. The boys covered "She's the One' then moved right into their own classic "Desire." There was a dedication to Quincy Jones who we are told was in the crowd by blending Michael Jackson's song "Don't Stop "Till You Get Enough. This could be considered part of the show. It was mixed into the euro sets often.
Bono has never been to shy for words. Spoke out to the UN which happens to be in town by mixing in "Not right now" into their new song "Get on Your Boots" Comment was "I don't wanna talk about wars between nations."
As expected most of the songs came from their 12th studio album, word is that we can expect lucky 13 to arrive shortly (2010) Most of the fans agreed that the favorites such as "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," on which Bono gladly let the crowd take lead vocals, and "Sunday Bloody Sunday," which he bookended with salutes to political dissidents in Iran seem to keep the crowd engaged.
The vague space them was centered around some astronauts appearing on the giant wrap around screen. The boys did make fun of that as Bono cracked a joke "One step for a small man."
Over all most fans will agree……………………… Well we will let you fill in the blank. Thursday is here


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WWHL - RHONY 100th Episode Special
Glenn Rowley
After nearly eight years and seven seasons, the NY Housewives finally got their 100th episode special! This was something I actively stressed about when Bravo aired the special for RHOA reaching the same milestone but billed one of the Turks and Caicos episodes as RHONY's 100th. The RHONY special was formatted the same way as the Atlanta ladies' but was actually a half hour longer, which I was more than happy about. It turned out to be a fantastic and surprisingly emotional look back on the first 100 episodes in the Big Apple.
In the Beginning
The Real Housewives of New York City debuted on Bravo almost eight years ago on March 4, 2008. When it was in development, the show was originally titled Manhattan Moms, and Ramona actually found out about it through her doctor, Sharon Giese, whom we've seen multiple times on the show. Many of the other 'Wives were cast through OG Jill Zarin including Bethenny Frankel, Luann de Lesseps and Sonja Morgan. (Interestingly, Sonja was offered a spot on the show during Season 1, but turned it down, eventually joining two years later.) One of the most fascinating parts of these specials is getting to see clips from the women's original casting tapes and NYC didn't disappoint. The Season 1 casting took place in 2007 and was filled with memorable soundbite - from Alex and Simon calling themselves "label junkies" to Luann referring to herself as "five different women." (Sonja's narcissism was evident from the beginning as she told the camera that glamour was a well-used word in her vocabulary and her lifestyle was incomparable to many plebeians in the U.S.)
Unfortunately, two original Housewives are missing from the special. Bravo reached out to Jill, who apparently declined the invitation to be interviewed, while Alex and Simon moved to Australia last year which provided obvious logistical challenges. Jill did offer a short written statement in which she said she was "proud to be a founding member of such an exclusive group of talented women" - which certainly did nothing to carry on the rumors of bad blood between her and Bravo ever since her last one-on-one with Andy (where she secretly recorded the interview to 'protect' herself from bad editing).
First Impressions
The ladies first impressions of each other were as different as their personalities. Ramona thought Bethenny was a "tough a**" while B understandably thought all the women were cuckoo. The most polarizing cast members for viewers and Housewives alike that first season were obviously Alex and Simon. Ramona admits she wasn't welcoming to them because she resented their codependent relationship and found them "very awkward and strange." Bethenny didn't understand them - cut to her iconic line about Simon being in the midst of a deep homosexual panic, while Sonja says that Alex took her a while to understand, but that she loved her "bohemian ways and Brooklyn style." The Countess is by far the most diplomatic, saying that certain parts of Alex were very sophisticated, the couple's relationship was a special kind that seemed to work for them and she hopes they're happy in Australia. Love them or hate them, and I'm an unapologetic Alex fan, I've always thought Alex and Simon made for great TV.
The other Housewife who got quite a bit of backlash in the show's early days was Luann, whose haughty Countess persona didn't go over too well with some of the women. Luann refuses to make excuses for it, because she was simply used to a different life. However, Bethenny is quick to point out that Luann was very non-Countess-y in her off-camera life, but came on the show to let all the women know how aristocratic she was. One of the most ingratiating moments during Season 1 was when Luann corrected Bethenny for introducing her to a driver using her first name. It's, like, Mrs. de Lesseps, darling. Luann claims she wasn't used to being addressed by her first name; that's not the way they roll in Europe, but Bethenny thought she was just being a "pretentious bi***." Ugh, I'm with you B.
New 'Wives
The first new cast member to join the show was Kelly Killoren Bensimon in Season 2. Jelly Bean Kelly tells Andy that she actually didn't watch the show before joining because she wanted the world to see the real her. She also surprisingly says that the first cast member she clicked with was Ramona, who was the only one to ask her about herself or her kids. The Ramonacoaster, however, sees it much differently - if the only thing you can talk about are kids, makeup and clothes, it's not going to be a deep connection.
Then there's Kelly's Season 2 clash with Bethenny. The model claims she didn't even notice the Skinnygirl until Bethenny made the infamous "Madonna" dig at the meeting for the charity event the Housewives were throwing together. The tiff ultimately led to the "I'm up here, you're down here" sit-down at the Brass Monkey, which Bethenny describes as watching this person in front of her saying something she had no idea would be hurtful to every put-down nerd who wasn't cool in Kelly's high school cafeteria. However, Kelly claims she was merely trying to say she was an adult who wouldn't put up with any of Bethenny's "childish" behavior. I don't think that's how it came across, Kells.
Much like Vicki in the OC, Ramona admits that she has a hard time when new cast members join the show. Surprisingly, out of all the women over the years, she had the hardest time connecting with Season 4 addition Cindy Barshop, whom she was friendly with off-camera but became her arch-enemy once she joined the show. And that, ladies and gents, is the first and last time Cindy will be mentioned during this special. As for the Season 5 shakeup, Ramona found Heather to be less than genuine while describing Carole as "quiet and surreal" and Aviva as a "fun, sophisticated Uptown chick."
The Season 5 Reboot & Beyond
Interestingly, Andy was the one who personally cast Carole on the show after discovering she was a real-life princess at a dinner party thrown by Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos. I love that in her 2012 casting tape, Carole describes NYC as being her lover because the Big Apple has everything she could want in a lover: glamour and elegance mixed with a naughty, seedy side. Kristen may have the style aspect on lock, but Radzi is the living, breathing embodiment of a real-life Carrie Bradshaw. Heather actually got a cold call from producers at her desk at work. In her casting tape from 2011, she looks very serious and intense while talking about how tough you have to be to get to the top.
I for one was surprised to learn that Aviva had originally auditioned for the show back in 2010, which would've been for either Season 3 or 4, but didn't get cast the first time around. (Also, her insensitive Sonja/Anna Nicole Smith comparison originally came from that casting tape as well.) It was actually Bethenny who got Aviva on the show by convincing Andy that a woman with one leg and an ex-husband who'd slept with two other Housewives would be a good fit. Beverly Hills lightning rod Brandi Glanville was responsible for getting her friend Kristen cast for Season 6, while Ramona tirelessly recruited Dorinda for Season 7.
Jill vs. Bethenny
Next, Andy asks which argument was most shocking in the history of the show and the collective answer is Jill and Bethenny's friendship-destroying feud during Season 3. Bethenny explains that the fight went deeper and wider than anyone could've expected, and points out that even Andy and the network were worried about its implications. However, the show went with what really happened. If it was scripted, fans would've gotten the happily ever after where the two became BFFs again. Bethenny explains that the turning point in their friendship occurred when she was asked to guest host the Today show, which at the time was the biggest deal in the world for a reality star. When she arrived at the studio, she was told by producers that Jill had called and angrily demanded to know why she hadn't been offered the gig, saying she would've been much better than Bethenny. Then, the show started filming Season 3 and Jill immediately went for the jugular, attacking Bethenny for not visiting her husband Bobby when he was in the hospital.
At this point, a lightbulb went on in Bethenny's head: this was "one cunning bi***." Jill had waited until cameras had started rolling to deliberately go after her and try to take her down. Bethenny posits that it was Jill's plan to get America to hate her, and it completely backfired in her face - Jill became the villain everyone hated and Bethenny came out on top in the feud. The Skinnygirl points out that it must be hard for Jill to know that she was the one responsible for getting Bethenny cast on the show and now B's become unequivocally the most successful Housewife in the history of the franchise. Jill could've been along for the ride, but as Bethenny says, pigs get fat and hogs get slaughtered and that's just the way it goes. Andy asks if there was a chance for reconciliation between the two at the emotional Season 3 reunion, but Bethenny says she knew all of Jill's tears were just theatrics. Today, Bethenny doesn't hold any animosity (could the same be said for Jill?) but Jill still isn't someone she would want in her life. That chapter is officially closed.
Aviva's Leg Throw
The next topic of discussion is Aviva's infamous leg throw in the Season 6 finale. Carole says she wasn't surprised and sees the dramatic moment as Aviva's attempt to get the spotlight back on her after being absent for so much of the season. Radzi thinks she had been wanting to throw that leg for two whole seasons. Andy once again asks Aviva if she walked into the party planning to throw her prosthesis and she finally cops to the moment being contrived. Apparently, she even told a producer beforehand that she was thinking of doing it, depending on how she was received by the other women after their trip to Montana. Her cast mates don't see the leg throw in quite the same light as Aviva. Heather calls it the most cringeworthy moment of the series for being so obviously set up, while Luann remembers thinking at the time that it would be Aviva's swan song as a Housewife. If you take it that far, you're on your way out the door. After leaving the party, Aviva remembers wondering if she overdid it. Andy asks her as such, to which Aviva responds, "I think I made great TV. You're welcome."
Pirate Booty in St. Barth's
The conversation then turns to cast vacations, and while the women are split on which was their favorite trip (Morocco! Montana! Turks and Caicos!), what really needs to be discussed is the Season 5 trip to St. Barth's, a.k.a. Slutty Island. Specifically Luann and the pirate. This horse has already been beaten to death but the story goes that Luann knocked on Heather's door at 3:30 in the morning with a Pirate of the Caribbean in tow. The next morning, the Countess raced back to Heather's room before the cameras got there, asking her to perpetuate this story about Luann being with her "Italian friends." Heather promised she wouldn't say anything, but if Luann wanted to lie, that was on her. Lie she did, and like any untruth, the story snowballed and ended up being carried on for way too long.
One of the other 'Wives found out how Luann really got home that night from the driver and then invited the pirate to dinner the next night in an effort to throw her under the bus. It was then that she truly dug her own grave - getting busted on camera asking another friend in French to lie for her. In hindsight, Luann admits that she panicked, forgot she had a mic on and says the call was what really made her look guilty. Heather sees this as a "DUH!" moment. After all, Luann had been on the show for half a decade at this point. How do you forget you have a mic on? Heather also points out that French isn't that hard of a language to translate; maybe Swahili would've been better! Once she found out she'd been busted, Luann had to call her then-boyfriend Jacques off-camera to explain the story - a call she says was the pinnacle of embarrassment. When asked, Luann denies that the pirate incident was what led to the end of her relationship with Jacques the following season, but it certainly didn't help matters.
Scary Island
Next under the microscope is Scary Island, the Season 3 trip to St. John's that to this day goes down as possibly the most infamous trip in Housewives history. Originally, the trip was supposed to serve as a kind of bachelorette party for Ramona before she renewed her vows, but got hijacked by Kelly having a jellybean-fueled, Al Sharpton-misquoting, complete emotional breakdown. Even now, Kelly maintains that she was a victim of "systematic bullying" on the trip and Luann agrees, saying that the other girls bullied the model until she snapped. The incident was so serious that Ramona even called Jill, asking her to come meet Kelly at the airport because something was seriously wrong. Ever paranoid, Jill thought it was some type of set up for the show, which prompted Bethenny - who wasn't even speaking to Jill at the time - to grab the phone and get the gravity of the situation through Jill's head. The next day, Kelly boarded a plane with a producer and the girls were all sure she would be checking into a psych ward somewhere.
Naturally, Kelly sees the whole situation differently. While the other 'Wives say she had a breakdown, Kelly says she was just crying. She also purports that the entire situation basically ruined her reputation. It's hard to come back from crazy - it doesn't exactly brand well. Once the episode aired, Kelly found that she was suddenly toxic. No one wanted to be associated with the crazy girl from the Real Housewives of New York. Bethenny thinks that Kelly is an extremely fragile, sensitive person who wasn't cut out for the rigors of reality television. From her perspective, Kelly couldn't take the heat in the kitchen and tried to excuse her behavior by claiming that the other women ruined her reputation. I think it's safe to say that we'll never fully understand what happened on that island.
After Ramona and Luann spend a segment mourning their respective divorces (don't ask me why Luann turned her chair around to cry...), it's time to talk about our favorite thing: reunions. Carole accurately describes the reunions as a "sh**show," with Andy asking a question and everyone trying to answer at once. Sonja hits the nail on the head by saying that reunions are the time when each Housewife wants to show all the other women up and get justification that the way everything happened during the season was the way SHE thought. For Carole, the toughest reunion moment was Season 6's BookGate, with Aviva's relentless, nasty attacks on her writing career. Heather claims the Season 5 reunion was her most memorable, while Dorinda says her first reunion experience during the just-completed Season 7 went better than she expected it to. Bethenny proclaims Ramona as the queen of the reunion - she was the first to walk off a reunion in Season 1 and the first to fall asleep in the middle of one six seasons later. Bethenny points out that the issue that caused Ramona to walk off in Season 1 - discussion of Alex's nude photos surfacing on the internet - seems like small change now that Housewives have broken into the White House, gone to jail and f***ed their friends' husbands. Ah, the rosy days when the biggest issue to deal with was a naked picture on the internet...
All About the Benjamins
Bethenny credits RHONY with starting the "I am woman, hear me roar" movement of the Housewives franchise. More than any other city, the New York ladies have always been the most ambitious, driven and business-minded. Andy points out that the NY Housewives promotion is often times out of control. Never before had the franchise seen fights over branding and logo placement on a step-and-repeat. More than anyone, the show has documented Bethenny's meteoric rise in the business world. A few years ago, she was driving around Montauk in a shrink-wrapped Skinnygirl car and trying to give out muffin samples in the supermarket. What a difference seven years makes. Talking about the gift Bravo has given her, the Skinnygirl breaks down in tears, grateful she's been able to inspire so many viewers around the country to believe they can accomplish anything. That's what fans talk about when she meets them: not the fight she got in with Ramona last week, but how she inspires them and is a good role model for their daughters. There's no question that Bethenny has used the Housewives platform wisely. She went for her dreams and got them, and now she's rich, bi***.
Many of the 'Wives say they don't have a single moment they regret on camera. However, Carole's biggest regret is the comment she made in her Season 5 interview about Sonja and the pirate. She won't repeat it, but Andy reminds us that she said they went up the butt in St. Barth's. Thank you Andy. Sonja is glad to hear it from Carole, and says that she even got a three-page handwritten apology note from Writer Girl after it aired. Aviva claims her biggest regret was calling Ramona and Sonja "white trash" on Slutty Island, but mostly because it gave her her first taste of the fans' wrath on social media. Poor Aviva, people were soooo mean to her. On a side note, that trip to St. Barth's was just full of regrets, wasn't it? Ramona's biggest regret was her conversation with Bethenny on the Brooklyn Bridge during Season 3. She now recognizes that Bethenny was reaching out to her for help, but she reacted in a way that didn't embrace or help her cast mate. Crazy eyes now knows that when someone is asking you for help, it's not the time to kick them when they're down. It's a good lesson to learn, Ramona.
RHONY's Impact
To wrap the special up, Andy asks each of the women how they feel about the show reaching 100 episodes. Bethenny's proud to be part of something that is part of popular culture, while Ramona claims she knew the show would be a success, she just didn't realize it would go on for such a long time. Heather points out her gratitude at being part of the modern-day soap opera and Luann explains that the show works so well because it shows a "good group of very different women with different philosophies about life. Kristen thinks the show will be remembered for the genuine friendships and for having so many OGs seven seasons in, while Sonja posits that what they'll really go down for in the history books are their fighting words, depth and ability to get ahead. At the show's heart, the women really are a sisterhood, and several of them point that fact out. The show will be timeless because of those bonds and that camaraderie and because they really are all friends at the end of the day. As Ramona points out in the show's closing moments, even though they may go at each other's throats sometimes, the common thread is that the women all genuinely care about each other. To RHONY girl power!


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Haim Return With Paul Thomas Anderson-Directed 'Summer Girl' Video
Single is the band's first new music since 2017's Something to Tell You
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On the Small Side
This grip isn't horrible by any means; it was just to small for the riffle I intended it for. As far as Strike Industries goes, I recommend their LINK Curved Foregrip; its great!
If you're looking for a foregrip that's sturdy and strong, consider the Strike Industries Cobra Tactical Foregrip. As with all other products designed by Strike, this foregrip is designed by shooters for shooters and was field-tested before being released to the public.
This innovative grip was created using feedback from combat veterans. Made from super-durable advanced polymer, the Cobra is designed to withstand even the most severe stress. The ridged front face of this foregrip enables you to brace your rifle against a vertical surface and will keep the rifle from slipping from the recoil.
The "hood" of the Cobra serves as a heat shield to protect your hand from muzzle blast-generated heat, while the rear portion can be used as a handstop. The low-profile design helps to keep the weight to a minimum.
The Strike Industries Cobra Tactical Foregrip features a friction lock design that allows it to grip the rail system firmly. You won't need to worry that this grip will come loose during long hours of use. The Cobra is ergonomically designed and can accommodate hands of all sizes. This angled grip is perfect if you're looking for something that fits your budget without being cheaply made.
This grip isn't horrible by any means; it was just to small for the riffle I intended it for. As far as Strike Industries goes, I recommend their LINK Curved Foregrip; its great!
Very nicely done- I had something similar from another company, and this one was a lot cleaner. Didn't have to trim any of the polymer-feels good in my hand-another cool upgrade for under $20..would recommend!!
I love this Cobra Tactical Foregrip on my AR Pistol to me is better then the magpul.
This for end grip has a couple features that similar ones do not, but I found after seeing it in person and trying out that An angled fore-grip doesn't feel right to me, also the quality was a little low. If you like that style of grip try it, WT will work with you if you don't.
Looks really good. Unlike other fore grips out there that I think the design are an eyesore. Works as it should with being versatile as a plus.


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Getting Quirky with Masaba Gupta!
The "Urbanpanache presents Masaba Gupta In Person" was my first trunk show and interview with a celebrity in the Bay Area. I am so excited that my introduction to the fashionable elite has kick-started with such grandeur and glory.Masaba Gupta revolutionized prints and kitsch. No, I am not talking about leopard or cheetah prints. I am talking about taking everyday objects and turning them into a unique style statement. Think autos, cows, and language prints beautifully crafted into tulle, nets, and cotton fabrics.
It comes as no surprise that this designer's collection serves as a staple in many leading Bollywood actresses' wardrobes, including Kareena Kapoor Khan, Anushka Sharma, and many more. Priced between $100 & $250, her stunning pieces can be a designer addition to most non-celebrity wardrobes too. The event showcased her many bright and quirky pieces, but also had many pieces from her fairly recent line - the denim collection. The collection has jackets, crop tops, dresses and saris with polka dot patterns and gold foil detailing. Effortless and chic, this line is a sure hit!
We sat down at the end of the show to talk to Masaba. Read on to eavesdrop on our chat.It started out with her appreciating my curls and me telling her what a big fan I am of her and my mom is of her mother (Nina Gupta).
If you had to pick one Indian & one Western item (accessory or clothing) to a create a fusion look what would it be?
Masaba: The one Western item I would pick is the corset belt because they are very in right now and I would totally wear it on top of a saree. It would be a really international look. There is nothing more traditional than the saree, and the belt is the modern addition.
What are the big trends that you are personally embracing right now?
Masaba: Personally, I am loving three trends. One, the no heels trend. I see everyone wearing keds & sneakers in many colors. Also, loving the trend of oversized clothes because I am all about comfort. I also believe women are pressurized to wear tight-fitting clothes, so I think with oversized clothes women can embrace their body and feel comfortable as opposed to just trendy. Finally, I am also loving the out-of-bed look. It's hard to crack the look because it's a fine line between getting it right and actually looking like you just made it out of bed.
Do you have workwear advice for hoodies, shorts, and t-shirt techies?
Masaba: I actually want to learn from them! I read that Mark Zuckerberg & Steve jobs had work uniforms so they didn't have to decide what to wear every day, and were more productive. I love work uniforms. I have started my work uniform, I only wear a white t-shirt or shirt and jeans every day. I love it because I am spending less time trying to sift through my wardrobe deciding what to wear. I always just team it with one accessory that changes every day; sometimes I wear hoops, or a band, or a necklace. I have been following this uniform for a month now and the only thing that will change is the color: I will probably change the white to black, but otherwise, I love work uniforms.
Thank you, Masaba Gupta! Don't forget to stop by the House of Masaba for fuss-free kitschy or elegant show-stoppers.