text:
Difference between revisions of "Kolkata"
Revision as of 10:22, 26 April 2013
Kolkata (Bangla:কলকাতা)(formerly Calcutta) is the capital of West Bengal and one of the largest cities in India. It is also the largest city in the historic region of Bengal (today's West Bengal and Bangladesh). Kolkata is an 'in your face' city that shocks and charms the unsuspecting visitor. Long known as the cultural capital of India and home to the Bengal Renaissance, Kolkata continues to spawn generations of poets, writers and film directors. If your trip only allows for a visit of one or two of India's metropolitan cities, than definitely consider placing Kolkata on your itinerary. Love it or hate it, you definitely won't forget the city on the Hooghly river bank.
Ancient and Pre-British History
Kolkata's history is intimately related to the British East India Company, which first arrived in 1690, and to British India, of which Calcutta became the capital in 1772. Job Charnock was widely known as the founder of Calcutta (There were 3 villages named Sutanuti, Govindapur & Kolkata.Later the village Kolkata became the city Kolkata.) but in recent years a number of Indian historians have disputed this claim, arguing that Kolkata occupies the site of an older Indian city, centered around the ancient Kali temple at Kalighat. This claim has been accepted by the Kolkata High Court. The Court has dismissed the name of Job Charnock as the founder of the city and 24th August as its date of birth. The historic Judgement was based upon an high level Expert Commitee findings. It has been proved that Kolkata had an highly civilized society for centuries before the Europeans first came here.
Whatever its origins,Kolkata flowered as the capital of British India during the nineteenth century, the heyday of the Raj. Calcutta University, the first modern Indian university was founded here in 1857.Kolkata became the center of Indian arts and literature, and the national movement for independence got its start here. However, with the transfer of the capital to Delhi in 1911, the pains of the partition of Bengal in 1947,a violent and bloody Maoist movement (the Naxalite movement) in the 1970s and many political betrayals which no other city experienced,Kolkata had become synonymous with urban decay and poverty, but reversal changes can be already seen.
Modern Kolkata
Kolkata is the main business, commercial and financial hub of eastern India. Kolkata witnessed an economic decline from the late sixties till the late nineties. The city's economic fortunes turned the tide as the economic liberalization in India during the early nineties reached Kolkata during late nineties. Kolkata is a multicultural, cosmopolitan city. Apart from the diversity of India, there are also Europeans (including Germans, Armenians, and others) and other Asians (including Chinese, Sinhalese, and Tibetans).
Since 1977, a "Left Front" coalition of communist and Marxist parties has continuously ruled the state. This is reflected in street names and memorials in the city. For example there are streets like Lenin Sarani, Ho Chi Minh Sarani, etc. The Left Front regained control of the Municipal Corporation of Kolkata from the Trinamul Congress in the 2005 civic elections, but in 2010, Trinamul Congress again captured the power over Municipal Corporation of Kolkata.
Kolkata is fast developing into a modern infotech city with various private sector companies setting up shop here. The landscape of the city is also fast changing with flyovers, gardens and several new commercial establishments. Kolkata city itself has expanded into its suburbs, with the Greater Kolkata stretching from Kalyani (in Nadia District) in North to Diamond Harbour in South (in the South 24 Parganas District).
The city's fortunes have looked up since the early nineties, coinciding with the liberalization of the Indian economy. Its economy has been amongst the fastest growing in the country. The New Metro city is characterised by popular spots such as Multiplexes, theatres, Clubs, Pubs, Coffee Shops, and Museums.
Kolkata is home to many industrial units, of large Indian corporations, whose product range is varied and includes - engineering products, electronics, electrical equipment, cables, steel, leather, textiles, jewellery, frigates, automobiles, railway coaches and wagons.
Several industrial estates like Taratola, Kalyani, Uluberia, Dankuni, Kasba, Howrah are spread throughout the urban agglomeration. A huge leather complex has come up at Bantola. An export processing zone has been set up in Falta. Specialized setups like the country's first Toy Park, and a Gem and Jewellery Park have also been established.
Kolkata is also starting to become a major hub for the IT (Information Technology) industry. With the formation of New Town at Rajarhat and extension of Salt Lake's Sector-V, Kolkata is rapidly turning into a pro-IT town. More and more businesses are coming to Kolkata to set up their offices.
Kolkata is in the eastern part of India at 22°82′ N 88°20′ E. It has spread linearly along the banks of the river Hooghly.
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation has an area of 185 square kilometres. The city proper today can be roughly divided into two sections along Mother Teresa Sarani (which was known, till 1998, as Park Street). North of Park Street is the more congested part of the city. South of Park Street is the slightly better planned section of the city. South Kolkata is better planned with wider roads and better equipped police force for keeping Law&Order. South Kolkata is better planned because much of it was built after Independence. The North is the real, old Kolkata and most of the oldest families and buildings are situated there.
The old Central Business District (CBD) is where the seat of the West Bengal Government is located, along with many other government offices. Several banks have their corporate (Allahabad Bank, United Bank of India, UCO Bank) or regional headquarters (Reserve Bank of India, State Bank of India, Bank of India, Central Bank of India amongst many others) around the B. B. D. Bagh area (named after the revolutionaries Binoy, Badal and Dinesh who forced entry into The Writer's Building, the seat of the British government in Bengal, and killed the officers who were famous for their rude and cruel treatment with the people and their various techniques of oppression). Many of Kolkata's older business groups have their main offices here. The area is a mix of multi-storeyed office blocks and colonial buildings.
The newer CBD is around the south of Park Street, Camac Street and AJC Bose Road. Several high-rise office blocks including some of Kolkata's tallest commercial buildings - like the Chatterjee International Centre, Tata Centre, Everest House, Industry House, CGO Building - are located here. An even-newer CBD is now being set up in the Rajarhat (Newtown) area, lying between Salt Lake and the Airport.
Maidan (meaning open field) is situated between the river Ganges and J.L.Nehru Road (or Chowringhee). It is said to be the lungs of Kolkata. The lush green meadow also houses Victoria Memorial, Eden Gardens, and several sporting clubs. Kolkatans simply love to stroll in the Maidan.
In an effort to relieve congestion in the main city, many government offices have shifted to high-rise office buildings lining Bidhan Nagar's (Salt Lake) Central Park.
The residential buildings are mainly lowrise and comprise of older colonial buildings and numerous new four storied apartment blocks. Ten to twelve storied apartment blocks have come up in large numbers in south Kolkata. The city has relaxed its rules on high-rise construction recently and twenty storied buildings are becoming more common. The tallest residential towers of eastern India - the four thirty-five-storey towers of South City has recently finished construction on Prince Anwar Shah Road.
Heavy construction activity along the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass is changing the face of the city. Luxury hotels, a convention centre, speciality hospitals, condominium complexes, malls and multiplexes are coming up at a rapid pace.
The city's expansion in the eastern side is spearheaded by the construction of a large new city called New Town adjacent to the well planned Bidhan Nagar. Located in Rajarhat, it is one of the largest planned urban developments in eastern India.
Slums and dilapidated structures exist in many pockets of the city proper and house over 25% of the city's population (Census 2001). Slum redevelopment schemes have helped improve living conditions by a small extent but there is huge scope for improvement in this area. Efforts to shift slum dwellers to newer developments have often met with resistance and failure because many of the slums are in prime areas of the city and the slum dwellers who are integrated in the social structure of the neighbourhood do not want to shift.
The aborted Nano factory at Singur, 50 Kms. away from Kolkata, where the Tata group planned to build the cheapest car in the world, has had an impact on the investments due to come to the state. But in recent times, specially after the ousting of the communists on 13th May 2011, the state including the city, has received many investment proposals from national as well as international corporations.
Kolkata has three main seasons- Summer, Monsoon, and Winter. Summer, during March-May, is hot and humid with temperature touching 38-40 degree Celsius. Monsoon starts in June and lasts till September, October. Winter starts in November and stays till February and weather is very pleasant with temperature ranging between 9-18 degree Celsius. Best time to visit Kolkata will be during winter that is November to February.
Kolkata is GMT+5.5 time zone.
Get in
By plane
Kolkata's "Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport" connects the city with the rest of the world as well as other Indian cities.
Because the airport is about 20km outside the city centre you should take a prepaid taxi. Expect to pay about Rs 150-250 depending on your destination. There is also a new rail link connecting the airport to the Circular Rail station in Dum Dum, however very few trains actually operate on the line at present.
Scheduled Passenger Airlines
Apart from the Taxis (prepaid or waved down) you can now avail of the new Volvo Bus service by WBSTC (West Bengal Surface Transport Corporation) (Rs 20 (50 US cents), 40 (1 USD), 60 (1.5USD)) to the city centre. The bus plies on 5 different routes, so in case you are not sure, please ask the driver about the route and ask for his suggestion if the destination does not match the route. These air-conditioned buses are a wonderful way to escape the Kolkata heat and humidity. Cheaper, and hassle free, and since you can hail a taxi anywhere in the city centre to take you to your final destination, you do not need to worry. However, in case you are arriving at the wee hours, it is better to opt for a prepaid service, which takes you directly to your destination.
The buses are parked right outside the arrival gate at the DOMESTIC terminal- international travellers would have to walk down from their terminal for a distance of 800metres only. As you come out of the international terminal, turn left and keep walking towards the domestic terminal. Do not be dissuaded by the taxi touts, who would try and make you believe that the buses do not run anymore!
By train
Kolkata is well connected by rail to almost all the big stations in India and also serves as the gateway to North-Eastern India. The cities two major railway stations are Howrah (not in Kolkata actually, it's in the adjoining city Howrah) and Sealdah. A new terminus station called 'Kolkata' has also started functioning since 2005, but presently it accommodates very few trains. Santragachhi and Shalimar are the other stations where some trains terminate.
The Maitree Express provides a direct link between Kolkata and Dhaka, the capital of neighboring Bangladesh. Train depart from Dhaka on Tuesdys and Sundays at 9:30AM, arriving 6:45PM the same evening.
Directly facing Howrah are ferries that can get you to the other side of the river to either Babu Ghat or Fairlie Place from where you can arrange onward transportation with anything from taxis to public buses to human rickshaws. With Kolkata's traffic situation this might actually save you time as well as money. If you are coming to Kolkata by trains using Sealdah station, you may prefer taking a pre-paid taxi to enter the city. The pre-paid taxi stand is just outside the station's main entrance. The counter is under a tin shade.
By bus
To/from Bangladesh There are numerous bus options between Kolkata and Bangladesh. The most common way is the regular comfortable a/c buses from Dhaka to Kolkata via the Haridaspur / Benapole border post. Private bus companies Shohagh [9], Green Line [10],Shyamoli [11] and others operate daily bus services on this route. Govt. buses run under the label of the state govt. undertaken West Bengal Surface Transport Corporation Limited(WBSTCL) and the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation [12] (BRTC). WBSTCL and BRTC both operate buses from Kolkata every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 5:30AM and 8:30AM, and 12:30PM while from Dhaka they leave on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 7:00AM and 7:30AM. The normal journey time is around 12 hours with a one-way fare of Rs 550 or BDT600-800, roughly $8-12. If you're only headed to Haridaspur the fare is Rs 86 (2.5 hours). The Shyamoli Paribahan ticket office is at 6/1 Marquis St (parallel to and one block south of Sudder Street, and just west of Mirza Ghalib St, next door to DHL), 2252 0693. Beware that several travel agencies around this area also sell tickets for these buses, but at very inflated prices. At the border it's best to change money on the Indian side, but count it carefully and double-check the math on their calculator. On the Bangladesh side you can catch a flat-bed cycle-rickshaw for Tk5 for the 2km trip to the bus stand for onward travel - or you can walk, but expect the hopeful rickshaw-wallahs to follow you at least half way.
To/from Eastern India via Bangladesh Bus travel to some points in Eastern India are faster via Bangladesh (please note that visas may be required for entry into Bangladesh as well as for re-entry into India). If you're heading to points in Eastern India (Tripura for example) beyond Bangladesh -- then there is a regular bus service between Dhaka and Agartala, capital of India's Tripura state. Two BRTC buses leave daily from Dhaka and connect with the Tripura Road Transport Corporation vehicles, running six days a week with a roundtrip fare of BDT600 ($10). There is only one halt at Ashuganj in Bangladesh during the journey. Call +880 2 8360241 for schedule. Other entry points to North-Eastern India through Bangladesh are Hili, Chilahati / Haldibari and Banglaband border posts through Northern Bangladesh and Tamabil / Dawki border post for a route between Shillong (Meghalaya) and Sylhet in North-Eastern Bangladesh, and some others with lesser known routes from north-eastern Indian regions. Although scheduled bus-services to Shillong/Meghalaya from Kolkata through Dhaka may not be offered at present -- it is still possible to get to those points via land routes going through Sylhet and then on to Tamabil/Dawki border outposts. Enquire at the Bus Service Counters for details.
Get around
By taxi
Kolkata just wouldn't look the same without the plethora of yellow ambassador taxis that ply on its roads. They're easily available and relatively cheap, and will usually use their meters.
The fare is 2.4 times plus Rs 1 the reading of the meter. The Meter starts from Rs 10, which means Rs 25 actually. There is a "green taxi" which is red coloured (!) and charges the same. In case you are confused always ask to see the chart that the driver is supposed to carry with him. Expect to pay a bit more if you are going to the outskirts of the city or travelling at night - it will depend on your bargaining skills but should not be more than Rs 20 on top of the taxi meter. Unlike other metro cities in India, there is no 50%-100% surcharge for late night hires.
By metro
Kolkata's "Metro Railway" was the first underground rail in India, yet it still has only a single route connecting the North and South of the city, from Dumdum to New Garia (Kavi Subhas). It is the cleanest, most reliable, least but still rather crowded and most efficient of all the transportation Kolkata has to offer. Trains run every 6-15 min and at Rs 4-12. It runs from 7AM-9:45PM from Monday to Saturday and 2PM-9:45PM. on Sunday. Work is underway to connect districts further South. There is also an East-West line in the works on full swing, which will connect Salt Lake to Howrah stn.
By tram
"Calcutta Tramways" is the only tram service in all of India, and the oldest surviving electric tram network of Asia. Though decommissioned in some part of the city, electric trams are still one of the means of travelling between a few places within the city. They move slow on the laid tracks in traffic jammed streets, but they are environment friendly (no emissions on the street, only at the source of energy generation).
By train
The electrified suburban rail network of the SER and the ER is extensive and includes the Circular Rail.
By bus
The city has an extensive bus network (possibly the most exhaustive in the whole of India) and this is the cheapest, though not always the most comfortable means of transport. The routes are written all over the colourful buses in Bengali and also in English. The conductors call out their destinations to everyone he's passing and all you have to do is wave at the bus anywhere and it will stop, often causing a small traffic jam in the course. Just jump in.
Among the buses that ply the city streets, the deluxe buses run by CSTC (Calcutta State Transport Corporation), CTC (Calcutta Tramways Company),JNNURM (Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission) and WBSTC (West Bengal Surface Transport Corporation) are probably the better option. A/C buses (VOLVO) are also available to selected destinations.
By auto-rickshaw
Shared auto-rickshaws are available from different points. They travel in fixed routes and the fare is fixed(although you might find the driver charging a little more as the darkness sets in). They are supposed to take four persons, three in the back seat and one sharing the driver's seat!
By rickshaw
Long the world's only major metropolis where human-pulled rickshaws were still a major form of transport, a complete ban was supposed to be imposed in November 2006 - but with 35,000 union members who are unlikely to disappear overnight it was not implemented.
By ferry
The river offers a less crowded but slow traffic medium. There are several points (popularly called Ghats and jetties) on the bank of the river from where you can board several regular routes of ferry services. Ferries can be fairly large launches to small improvised motorized boats. Even if you don't get any exotic manual boat like you get in Varanasi, the river transport of the city lets you go to several old spots near the bank in a hassle-free manner with an additional dash of the view of decadent river front of the city.
Hiring a car
Privately owned rental cars are available, from hotels and travel shops, all across the city. Rates depend on the make, model, size and comfort level of the car. Agreements are flexible, for example, cars can be rented even for couple of hours at an hourly rate. Most rental cars are accompanied with a driver from the rental agency.
Being in Poshchimbongo, i.e.West Bengal, the native language of the people of Kolkata is Bengali. However, most educated people speak Hindi and English as well, and many others such as shopkeepers and taxi drivers would be able to communicate in broken English at the very least. Although it is generally not a problem getting by with English, it goes without saying that learning some Bengali will make your trip much smoother.
The city sprawls along the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, a tributary of the Ganges, which divides it from Howrah on the western bank. For travelers, the most relevant parts of Kolkata are south of the Howrah Bridge in the areas around BBD Bagh and Chowringhee.
A walk along Chowringhee Road sets the pace as you set out to unravel the rare beauty of this city. Across the road sweeps a huge, lush green, open parkland called the Maidan, centering around Fort William, the massive and impregnable British Citadel built in 1773. The fort is still in use and retains its well guarded grandeur. Visitors are allowed in with special permission only.
Along St George's Gate Road, on the southern fringe of the Maidan, your sight is arrested by a splendid monument in white Makrana marble. Built in Italian Renaissance cum Saracenic style, Victoria Memorial was planned by Lord Curzon and opened by the Prince of Wales in 1921. This British attempt at building a second Taj Mahal is dedicated to Queen Victoria and houses a fantastic collection of rare memorabilia from colonial days. A light and sound show recreates history every evening.
The adjoining Race Course, built in 1819, is one of the best in the east and is the scene of much gaiety, especially during the winter season.Northwards, along Chowringhee Road, stands the Birla Planetarium, one of the largest in the world. The central dome measures 25 mts in diameter.
Located on Chowringhee Road is the Indian Museum built in 1877 in Italian style of architecture.Walk in to a varied collection of exhibits that include unique fossils, Buddhist Gandharan art, an Egyptian mummy and a roomful of memories !
The 48 mt tower of Ochterlony Monument , now renamed Shahid Minar, holds command at the northern end of the Maidan.And the mighty river Hooghly beckons.At the northern end of the Maidan, towards the river, is the Old British Government house now called Raj Bhavan . Built in 1803, modelled on Lord Curzon's home, Keddleston Hall, Derbyshire, England, this is now the official residence of the Governor of Bengal. There are many rare works of art and other interesting items. Entry is restricted.
A walk across is the Town Hall , built in 1813, in Doric style of architecture. It is now the City Magistrate's Office.Don't let the riverfront mesmerize you yet !Between the Town Hall and the Strand is the Calcutta High Court , scene of legendary legal battles. Completed in 1872, the Gothic architectural style was copied from the Staadhans at Ypres, Belgium. The tower measures 55 mts.
The Howrah Bridge and the Vidyasagar Setu frame the skyline of the riverfront. The ambience is as amicable and profound as the river that flows alongside.But, turn back to your trail of discovery. Dalhousie Square was the administrative centre for British India. On one side is the General Post Office, a majestic specimen of Edwardian architecture. It is built on the site of the original Fort William. On the other side stands Writers' Building , a massive Gothic structure with lonic pillars – still the house of political power. Dalhousie is a must see since it is full of old British architecture from the time of the East India Company.
The dulcet whispers of history echo through the old mansions of Hindu aristocrats in North Calcutta. One such old house, Tagore House, at Jorasanko, is the birth place of Rabindranath Tagore, India's greatest modern poet. Converted to Rabindra Bharati University, it is now a centre for Indian Classical Fine Arts.
At Chorbagan is the Marble Palace built in 1840 by Raja Rajendra Mullick, now a museum. Spend your afternoon among precious objects d'art including works of Rubens and Sir Joshua Reynolds.When tired, take a tram ride along Red Road with the green expanse of the Maidan around you. The perfect antidote.
A little away, in the south of Kolkata, is a stately mansion. Once home of the British Viceroys, Belvedere House is now the National Library. It houses over a million books and is the biggest in India.A must is a day spent at Science City. Pick your special thrill at this exposition park. A space theatre, space flight simulator, recreated Jurassic forest, aviary and butterfly corner and much more !
The Missionaries of Charity is a new order formed in 1950 by Mother Teresa. Their vow 'to give wholehearted and free service to the poorest of the poor' was put into action with the setting up of several homes.Visit Mother Teresa's tomb at the Mother House and witness the generosity of the her spirit at Nirmal Hriday (home for the dying) , Shanti Nagar (for lepers) and Nirmala Shishu Bhavan (the children's home).For voluntary work with the Mission , in India, you may contact the London branch of the Missionaries of Charity, 41 Villiers Road, Southall , Middlesex , UK, or write in to the "Mother House", 54A, Lower Circular Road , Calcutta 700 014.
Note: Before deciding to volunteer with the Missionaries of Charity you should perhaps make yourself aware of some of the many criticisms of their medical practices. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missionaries_of_Charity#Controversy If you are discouraged, there are many secular charities that operate in Kolkata that would be suitable to volunteer at.
The Green Belt Enjoying a different Kolkata at the :
Maidan : Three km in length and over one km in width, the rambling green is the 'lung of Calcutta'. Dotted with colourful maidan clubs, the area is a hub of diverse activities.Eden Gardens :
Outram Ghat, Ganges riverfront : A pleasant walk . View the majesty of the busiest bridge in the world, the Howrah Bridge and the Vidyasagar Setu – an awesome structural feat . Or enjoy a cruise on the river in a panshi.
Zoological Garden : Covers 16 hectares of land and built in 1876. The lakes within are a favourite retreat for migratory Siberian birds.
Horticultural Garden : The lush environ is also the venue for exotic plant and flower exhibitions.
Rabindra Sarovar : A park and picnic spot with a central lake and overhanging trees. The rowing regatta events are held here.
Birla Temple In the heart of the city and beautifully maintained. Temple Timings are 5:30AM - 11AM and 4:30PM - 9PM.
Kalighat : According to the legend, when Lord Shiva's wife Parvati's body was cut up, one of her fingers fell here. Rebuilt in 1809, this is an important shrine of Hindu Shakti worship. The temple is in the southern part of the city.Dakshineswar Kali Temple and Belur Math :
Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture : Commemorates the birth centenary of Shri Ramakrishna Paramahansa. Religious discourses and cultural exchanges are held here among international scholars. The institute is located at Golpark. The library here is a major attraction.
Nakhoda Mosque : Modelled on Akbar's tomb in Sikandra, the red sandstone mosque has two minarets 46 mts high, a brightly painted onion shaped dome and can accommodate 10,000 people. Built in 1926 and located on Chitpur Road.
St John's Church : Built in 1787 with Grecian columns. The burial ground has the mausoleum of Job Charnock, founder of Calcutta. On the north-west side of Raj Bhavan.St Paul's Cathedral :
Armenian Church : The oldest place of Christian worship in Calcutta. The church of Holy Nazareth was built in 1764.Among the other churches to visit are St Andrew's Church. The Old Mission Church and the Greek Orthodox Church.
Jewish Synagogues : The Maghen David Synagogue on Jewish Synagogue Street and the BETHEL on Pollock Street are very old worship houses and a reminder to the cosmopolitan nature of the city.
Parsi Fire Temples : They cater to the religious needs of the prominent Parsi community of Calcutta. Located on Metcalfe Street and Beliaghata.
Japanese Buddhist Temple : Located on the eastern bank of Rabindra Sarovar.
Pareshnath Jain Temple : The temple is an ornate mass of mirrors, coloured stones and glass mosaic, and overlooks a beautiful garden. It is in Shyambazar.
Apart from the above, many colleges of excellence has emerged in the outskirts of the city.
Volunteering is a real option here with several opportunities.
Kolkata is an important trading center for handicrafts produced in Eastern India. Bankura horses, saris from Shantiniketan, and leather goods top the list of Kolkata specialities. It is also famous for its rasgollas and a tin or two as a gift for the folks back home. New Market is probably the most famous place to go shopping but there are bargains everywhere.
Maidan Market for all sport items at cheap price Chandni Market is famous for all small electronical items/gadgets & old reusable electronical products New Market for all kinds of Clothing,Toys,Collectible Shopping needs. Treasure Island is like a muti-storeyed market mainly fulfilling needs of Clothing demands & various other make-up & cosmetic items. Fancy and 5-star market in Khidderpore house all sorts of shipped goods starting from apparels to electronic gadgets.
Real Estate in Kolkata has seen tremendous growth in recent years with a number of big players getting involved in construction. Numerous real estate agencies have come up to take the process of buying and selling properties into a matured property market. This has been further helped by the entry of major internet based property search sites like Homes Located, taking the brokering of properties to the web.
(See district pages for restaurant listings.)
If you consider yourself a foodie, try the Kolkata Food Walk. [27] It has been recently started by a bunch of food enthusiasts and it's FREE!
Kolkata was famous for having the best restaurants long before Indians in other cities learned to eat out. Many of the restaurants that line the streets in the Esplanade area have been around for more than a hundred years (unfortunately, many also show their age!). Flury's [28], on Park Street, was once considered the best English bakery in all of Asia and you can almost imagine Joe Stilwell and Lord Mountbatten arguing over who had command over the allied forces in Burma while enjoying tea, scones, and clotted cream! Park Street also houses the famous (but old) "Peter Cat" (their Chello Kebabs are famous) and "Mocambo"
But the joy of food in Kolkata is in its Indian foods. Nizam's (at 23-24 Hogg Street), in New Market, is credited with the invention of the famous Kati Kebab roll and still serves up the best of the best. For Mughlai dishes the best place is 'Arsalan'. It has few branches across the city, the fanous being at Park Circus 7 point crossiing.
Street vendors selling egg rolls/chicken rolls abound and their freshly prepared kati rolls are safe to eat and enjoy. Mughlai Paratha (a paratha stuffed with minced meat) is a Kolkata speciality and can be found in various 'cabins' off Chowringhee Road ( Best is Anadi Cabin,9A Jawahar Lal Nehru Road(Chowringhee).Try Devilled Eggs at Niranjan Agar 279 B chittaranjan Avenue 'Chops', a sort of deep fried ball stuffed with beet and veggies is another peculiarity that you won't find anywhere else in the world. Fuchka, the Kolkata version of paani-puri,but very different than the ones found in Delhi, is available on the streets but be wary of the water!It never troubles the local people and outsiders can safely taste this delicacy as long as they don't drink too much of the water.A few sips will,of course,not cause any harm.
Bangali sweets are famous all over India. Roshogolla (cheese balls dipped in a sugary syrup), Panthua - a fried variant of the same, Roshomalai- the same cheeseballs dipped in creamy sweetened milk, Mishti Doi (sweet yogurt), Shondhesh (several variations available). Try some shops like K.C. Das, Jugal's, Bhim Nag, Nakur Nandy, Sen Mahasoy, Ganguram, Balram Mullick and not to forget Mithai. These are cheap and should be eaten fresh.
Kolkata is also the home of Indian Chinese food (now making inroads in far-off New York!). Chinese restaurants are everywhere so try the Indian variant of hot and sour soup and the famous Indian chinese dish of chilli chicken. The best place to have Chinese is to visit China Town near Tangra - EM Bypass. It serve the best of the chinese dishes and you will find plenty of large, small & medium resturants. Other than China Town, you can try Mainland China, a part of the speciality group which serve authentic chinese food. For fine dining Chinese/ Asian food you could visit Chinoiserie at the Taj Bengal, Pan Asian at ITC Sonar, Zen at The Park Hotel or Baan Thai at The Oberoi Grand.
Bengali food is centered around fish. Macher jhol, literally fish in curry gravy, is a watery fish curry available everywhere and goes well with rice, but Bengalis everywhere swear by the hilsa fish (a variant of shad). Hilsa, lightly marinaded in mustard and steamed is up there with the best fish dishes in the world.
"Oh! Calcutta!" on the fourth Floor of Forum Mall, Elgin Road, serves authentic Bengali food. The specialities are the boneless Hilsa Fish fillet, steamed in a bannana leaf and served with a Mustard Gravy. Many expats, yuppies and affluent Kolkattans frequent this restaurant. The food is great, though bordering on the expensive, and portions usually small. Makes for an interesting evening out, accompanied by the incessant Bengali chatter, so characteristic of Kolkatta.
While it can be difficult to find a restaurant serving authentic Bengali food, today Kolkata has of as many 10 Bengali restaurants. One of the most authentic is Kewpies, situated behind Netaji Bhavan at 2 Elgin Lane. Here, food is served on terra cotta plates with banana leaves. There's also "Aaheli" at Peerless Inn, or the more reasonably priced "Suruchi" at 89 Elliot Road. There is a wide choice of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes with an emphasis on local fish. Thalis (platters) are also available. Still, being invited back to a local's place for a home-cooked meal is the best way to sample Bengali cooking!
6 Ballygunge Place is stituated in South Kolkata and also offers an assortment of Bengali dishes. Bhjohori Maana has 6 outlets across the city. In South Kolkata, the Hindisthan Road outlet (Gariahat) is the best. Taroparbon is situated in Hindusthan Park, and has a large menu.
Kasturi and Rahhuni are eateries, both offering Bangladeshi food and are situated off Free School Street, near Park Street.
Suruchi is an old eatery, which serves only lunch in simple surroundings, and is run by the destitute women of 'The All Bengal Women's Union' at Elliot Road, off Free School Street.
Kolkata also has many excellent vegetarian restaurants ranging from budget to expensive ones. One can find many outlets of "Haldiram's", "Bhikharam", "Tewari Brothers", "Gupta's" serving vegetarians snacks, chaats and sweets. There are also good South Indian restaurants serving crisp dosas, steaming idlis and hot vadas such as "Anand" on the Central Avenue, nearby "Madras Restaurant", "Jyoti Vihar" on the Ho Chi Minh Sarani, "Super Snack Bar" in Alipore & Upper Wood Street, "Garden Cafe" on the Lee Road & Alipore and many others.
For those looking for vegetarian street foods, one can find ubiquitous Jhal Muri (somewhat similar to bhel puri of Mumbai) a concoction of puffed rice mixed with various spices, vegetables & other ingredients available at street vendors all over Kolkata.
If you've had enough of the authentic Calcutta food and want some Italian food with a good ambience, you must visit Fire and Ice Pizzeria on Russell Street. Spaghetti Kitchen in Forum Mall also serves some great food! Mangios in Alipore beside Kookie Jar is also worth checking out.
Kolkata is the epitome of drinking and pubbing. Loads of liquer shops are scattered all around the city, in each and every locality. Kolkata has drinkers of all sorts-the regular working class to the aristocratic Bengali.
Pubbing and night-clubs are also common in Kolkata.
Note:Due to a recent government order all pubs are supposed to shut shop by midnight or max 1am.So start early if you want to club.
For individual hotel listings, please see the the various district pages.
Kolkata has long had a concentration of budget backpacker hotels in the Sudder Street area and many of these are colonial era gems, albeit decaying ones. Budget hotels can also be found around the station in Howrah. Sudder Street is more centrally located but both are well connected by public transport.
There are numerous big budget deluxe 5 star & 4 star hotels around town such as ITC Sonar (near Science city), Taj Bengal, The Oberoi Grand, Park Hotel, Hyatt Regency
British-era clubs such as Tollygunge Club, Calcutta Club (AJC Bose Rd), Saturday Club (Theatre Rd), Bengal Club (Russel St) have lavish rooms for rent. However, they only accept bookings through members.
Public call booths can be found easily throughout the city from where local, national, and international calls can be made. Else local sim card can be used for connectivity.Cell phone coverage is excellent with all major mobile service providers offering their services in the city.
The area dialing code for Kolkata is 33. From overseas dial +91 33 XXXX XXXX, from within India dial 033 XXXX XXXX. For mobile phones, dial +91 XXXXX XXXXX. Kolkata has only one area code (033).
Internet cafes are also available in plenty and charges between 10-25/hour. You need to show your identity card to use internet in those cafes.
Police Stations
Blood Bank
Stay safe
Kolkata is reasonably safe, and in general the people are much more friendly and helpful than in any of India's other large cities.
Get out
To book train tickets the Foreign Ticket Office is on Fairlie Place - very helpful and efficient service.
Esplanade Bus Station is the Kolkata's main station for inter-state and inter-city buses.
Bhutan. Tucked away in the corner of the bus station is a small Bhutan Government kiosk selling tickets for buses running to the Bhutanese border town of Phuentsholing. Buses depart at 7PM on Tu, Th and Sa and the 18 hr journey costs Rs 300.


text:
I am trying to take data that I request from an access database and put it into and excel file on the client computer.
I usually use ajax to request a summary of the data I need. It is formatted into an html table.
I need that table to be in an excel format for the user to download.
What I have tried already is to use the vb.net code to open excel and silently save the data to a file, however I realized it's the server side that opens excel, not the client side, in my locally testing of the code, excel would open on my machine and create the file.
When running this on the network, I realized excel isn't on the server, I am not sure if I should just install it or try stream the file?

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Prices do not include additional fees and costs of closing, including government fees and taxes, any finance charges, any dealer documentation fees, any emissions testing fees or other fees. All prices, specifications and availability subject to change without notice. Contact dealer for most current information. MSRP contains base MSRP, any factory installed options, and delivery, processing and handling charges. Delivery, processing and handling fee is based on the value of the processing, handling and delivery services Lexus provides, as well as Lexus overall pricing structure. Lexus may make a profit on the delivery, processing and handling fee.
Search our Certified Lexus Models & Pre-Owned Vehicles
With an outstanding focus on customer satisfaction and service, Sewell Lexus of Fort Worth delivers the award-winning care to Lexus drivers in the DFW area, including Dallas and Arlington, Texas. View our large inventory of certified vehicles, or discover the value of owning a certified pre-owned Lexus from Sewell Lexus of Fort Worth.
For more information about any car, truck or SUV in the Sewell inventory, please contact us today online or by phone at (817) 370-5100.
For more information about any car, truck or SUV in the Sewell inventory, please contact us today online or by phone at (817) 370-5100.
Still Searching? Shop New s | Shop Pre-Owned s.


text:
November 13, 2002
Los Angeles — Today, hundreds of business professionals gathered at the inaugural National University of Singapore (NUS) - Singapore Institute of Directors (SID) Corporate Governance Conference in Singapore. Distinguished professors from UCLA Anderson, Dr. Patricia Hughes, professor of accounting, and Dr. Michael Brennan, The Goldyne and Irwin Hearsh Chair Emeritus in Money and Banking, were featured as keynote speakers.
The conference was designed to bring academics from NUS and UCLA, finance and accounting professionals together to discuss the latest issues on stock option expensing, executive compensation and creative accounting techniques. Several academics, company directors and professionals made presentations to the conference attendees in their respective fields of expertise.
Dr. Christopher Tang, Edward W. Carter Chair in Business Administration and professor, decision sciences at UCLA Anderson, was a key participant in the conference. Dr. Tang is currently on special leave from UCLA Anderson and is serving as The Cycle and Carriage Visiting Professor, National University of Singapore.
"Today's conference illustrated the importance of networking and sharing of ideas among business practitioners, professionals and academics," said Dr. Tang. He addressed the conference participants with a speech that focused on creative accounting and incentive compensation.
The conference consisted of a series of prominent speakers by leading industry executives. The speakers included Mr. Andrew Ang, senior partner, Lee & Lee, SID treasurer and council member; Mr. Basil Chan, CEO, company director and SID council member; Dr. Ho Yew Kee, MBA co-director and assistant professor of finance and accounting, NUS Business School; Mak Yuen Teen, vice-dean and associate professor of accounting, NUS Business School, SID council member; Ian Speirs, director of Rewards Consulting, Human Capital Group, Watson Wyatt; Reggie Thein, company director, SID council member; Armaghan Ui Haq, director, Global Capital Markets Group, PricewaterhouseCoopers; and Dr. Trevor Wilkins, head of finance and accounting, NUS Business School.
About UCLA Anderson
UCLA Anderson is perennially ranked among the top-tier business schools in the world. Award winning faculty renowned for their research and teaching, highly selective students, successful alumni and world-class facilities combine to provide an extraordinary learning opportunity. Established in 1935, The school provides management education to more than 1,300 students enrolled in full-time, part-time and executive MBA programs and academic masters and Ph.D. programs.
Theschool's faculty includes outstanding educators and researchers who share their scholarship and expertise in such fundamental areas as finance, marketing, accounting, business economics, decisions, operations and technology management, human resources and organizational behavior, information systems, strategy and policy.
Recognizing that the school offers unparalleled expertise in management education, the world's business community turns to UCLA Anderson as a center of influence for the ideas, innovations, strategies and talent that will shape the future.


text:
Our Providers
Patient Center
Contact Us
October 14, 20193:20 PM
Thank you for choosing Maureen Wenzel for your medical needs.
We apologize for any inconvenience, but our office is not able to accept the following insurance plans:
New patients must first establish care before Maureen will perform an annual physical. Physicals for current patients are offered only in the morning due to the need for fasting lab work.
If you are unable to find a desired time, please contact the office at (303) 861-7001 and the receptionist will be happy to accommodate you.
In order to expedite your visit, please bring the following items:
To reschedule an appointment, call us directly at (303) 861-7001.
New patients, in order to finalize your registration process, please arrive 20 minutes before your scheduled appointment time. New Patient Paperwork can be downloaded by right clicking here and opening a new tab.
For questions about insurance and billing, call us directly at (303) 861-7001. All appointments are subject to insurance verification. Insurance plans listed are for verification purposes and do not guarantee provider participation.
Thank you, again, and we look forward to seeing you!
Denotes required field


text:
Courts & Crime
GAO: Obama violated law by not informing Congress of prisoner swap
The Obama administration broke the law when it failed to inform Congress of plans to swap five Guantanamo Bay detainees for Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the Government Accountability Office has concluded.
In a seven-page letter to senior congressional Republicans, the GAO said the prisoner swap violated two separate laws. One law prohibits use of Defense Department funds "to transfer any individuals detained at Guantanamo Bay unless the Secretary of Defense notifies certain congressional committees at least 30 days before the transfer."
The other law that was violated, the Antideficiency Act, is a more general statute prohibiting the spending of funds beyond those available through appropriations.
The Pentagon spent a reported $988,400 on the prisoner swap.
On May 31, 2014, the Defense Department transferred five individuals from Guantanamo Bay to the nation of Qatar in exchange for the Taliban's release of Bergdahl. The department notified congressional leaders starting that same day, by phone and by letter.
Section 8111 of the 2014 Defense Department's appropriations act is "clear and unambiguous," the GAO said.
"Because DOD did not provide written notice to the relevant congressional committees until May 31, 2014, the same day as the transfer, DOD violated section 8111," the GAO concluded.


text:
Advanced Search
Federal agencies will need to hire over 270,000 new employees for mission-critical jobs over the next three years, including more than 11,000 IT pros, according to a survey released last week by the Partnership for Public Service.
The nonprofit surveyed 35 federal agencies and found they need additional help over the next three years, both to meet the Obama administration's goals and to replace a rapidly retiring workforce. The organization identified more than 277,000 positions that these agencies will need to fill by 2012.
In the IT field, the survey identified 11,549 positions that will need to be filled by 2012. At present, the 35 agencies have a total of 56,463 IT employees, about 16,454 (roughly 29 percent) of whom will be eligible for retirement by 2012. The average age of IT employees working at these agencies is 48.
The Justice Department, which currently has 2,737 IT workers, will need 428 new recruits by 2012. About 532 IT workers at the agency will be eligible for retirement by 2012. The Defense Department, excluding the individual services, will need 1,408 new recruits for its 5,746-strong IT workforce, from which 1,892 employees will be eligible for retirement by 2012.
The Partnership defines IT positions as those covering systems analysis, security, application software, data management and network services.
Other areas where talent is most needed include medical and public health (54,114 projected hires), security and protection (52,077 projected hires), and compliance and enforcement (31,276 hires).
Some contractors have complained that federal agencies are poaching contractor employees to fill their thinning ranks, according to reports.
About the Author
Joab Jackson is the chief technology editor of Government Computing News (GCN.com).
Microsoft on Wednesday announced the release of SQL Server 2019 release candidate (RC).
A new Confidential Computing Consortium was announced on Wednesday by the Linux Foundation to boost the security of processed data.
Brien walks you through the steps of setting up an application to use the Microsoft Graph API.
Microsoft Edge Insider Program participants now have access to the Beta Channel release of Microsoft's Chromium-based Edge Web browser on the Windows and Mac platforms.
Sign up for our newsletter.
I agree to this site's Privacy Policy.
More Tech Library
More Webcasts


text: Thousands of people came to experience The Big Ticket music festival in Metropolitan Park Dec. 2, and the weather couldn't have been better. Four stages were set up, and 32 bands played throughout the day. Some of the bands that turned up the heat were Of Monsters and Men, The Joy Formidable, Silversun Pickups, Flogging Molly, Fun., Anberlin and Bush. The night ended with rock group Rise Against taking the stage.


text: It's often the tiniest hearts that need the most help from the start. That's why Nemours pediatric heart experts specialize in early detection and repair of congenital heart defects. If your child's been diagnosed with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), the connection between the pulmonary artery and the aorta connection does not close as it normally should, we're here to ease your concerns, answer your questions, and give your child the best possible chance for a healthy future.


text:
MicroHoo - MS and Yahoo SEO - are you Ready?
So when Yahoo! drops search and uses Bing, Yahoo will take over pay-per-click search advertising for BOTHh companies.
So what is an SEO expert to do? Well, if you're dialed into Google you may need a new strategy for Microhoo since it will only show 5 organic results. Don't panic just yet, the announcement and signing is just that, it will take at least 2 years to launch once approved by the Fed's.
Once Yahoo starts handling PPC for both Microsoft and Yahoo it will grant access to a broader database through which to target users.
Self-serve and search ads will be built via Microsoft adCenter; Yahoo will continue its search affiliate partnerships.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Noah Wieder is President and CEO of Intelligent eCommerce, Inc. intelligentecommerce.com a search engine marketing firm that also operates several ecommerce web sites. Follow us on Twitter


text:
June 2001
Tyrannosaurus rex skull and upper vertebral column, a victim of the fifth major extinction. Palais de la Découverte, Paris, photo by David.Monniaux.
There is little doubt left in the minds of professional biologists that Earth is currently faced with a mounting loss of species that threatens to rival the five great mass extinctions of the geological past. As long ago as 1993, Harvard biologist E.O. Wilson estimated that Earth is currently losing something on the order of 30,000 species per year — which breaks down to the even more daunting statistic of some three species per hour. Some biologists have begun to feel that this biodiversity crisis — this "Sixth Extinction" — is even more severe, and more imminent, than Wilson had supposed.
Extinction in the past
The major global biotic turnovers were all caused by physical events that lay outside the normal climatic and other physical disturbances which species, and entire ecosystems, experience and survive. What caused them?
First major extinction (c. 440 mya): Climate change (relatively severe and sudden global cooling) seems to have been at work at the first of these-the end-Ordovician mass extinction that caused such pronounced change in marine life (little or no life existed on land at that time). 25% of families lost (a family may consist of a few to thousands of species).
Second major extinction (c. 370 mya): The next such event, near the end of the Devonian Period, may or may not have been the result of global climate change. 19% of families lost.
Third major Extinction (c. 245 mya): Scenarios explaining what happened at the greatest mass extinction event of them all (so far, at least!) at the end of the Permian Period have been complex amalgams of climate change perhaps rooted in plate tectonics movements. Very recently, however, evidence suggests that a bolide impact similar to the end-Cretaceous event may have been the cause. 54% of families lost.
Fourth major extinction (c. 210 mya): The event at the end of the Triassic Period, shortly after dinosaurs and mammals had first evolved, also remains difficult to pin down in terms of precise causes. 23% of families lost.
Fifth major extinction (c. 65 mya): Most famous, perhaps, was the most recent of these events at the end-Cretaceous. It wiped out the remaining terrestrial dinosaurs and marine ammonites, as well as many other species across the phylogenetic spectrum, in all habitats sampled from the fossil record. Consensus has emerged in the past decade that this event was caused by one (possibly multiple) collisions between Earth and an extraterrestrial bolide (probably cometary). Some geologists, however, point to the great volcanic event that produced the Deccan traps of India as part of the chain of physical events that disrupted ecosystems so severely that many species on land and sea rapidly succumbed to extinction. 17% of families lost.
How is the Sixth Extinction different from previous events?
At first glance, the physically caused extinction events of the past might seem to have little or nothing to tell us about the current Sixth Extinction, which is a patently human-caused event. For there is little doubt that humans are the direct cause of ecosystem stress and species destruction in the modern world through such activities as:
- transformation of the landscape
- overexploitation of species
- pollution
- the introduction of alien species
And because Homo sapiens is clearly a species of animal (however behaviorally and ecologically peculiar an animal), the Sixth Extinction would seem to be the first recorded global extinction event that has a biotic, rather than a physical, cause.
Yet, upon further reflection, human impact on the planet is a direct analogue of the Cretaceous cometary collision. Sixty-five million years ago that extraterrestrial impact — through its sheer explosive power, followed immediately by its injections of so much debris into the upper reaches of the atmosphere that global temperatures plummeted and, most critically, photosynthesis was severely inhibited — wreaked havoc on the living systems of Earth. That is precisely what human beings are doing to the planet right now: humans are causing vast physical changes on the planet.
What is the Sixth Extinction?
We can divide the Sixth Extinction into two discrete phases:
- Phase One began when the first modern humans began to disperse to different parts of the world about 100,000 years ago.
- Phase Two began about 10,000 years ago when humans turned to agriculture.
The first phase began shortly after Homo sapiens evolved in Africa and the anatomically modern humans began migrating out of Africa and spreading throughout the world. Humans reached the middle east 90,000 years ago. They were in Europe starting around 40,000 years ago. Neanderthals, who had long lived in Europe, survived our arrival for less than 10,000 years, but then abruptly disappeared — victims, according to many paleoanthropologists, of our arrival through outright warfare or the more subtle, though potentially no less devastating effects, of being on the losing side of ecological competition.
Everywhere, shortly after modern humans arrived, many (especially, though by no means exclusively, the larger) native species typically became extinct. Humans were like bulls in a China shop:
- They disrupted ecosystems by overhunting game species, which never experienced contact with humans before.
- And perhaps they spread microbial disease-causing organisms as well.
The fossil record attests to human destruction of ecosystems:
- Humans arrived in large numbers in North America roughly 12,500 years ago-and sites revealing the butchering of mammoths, mastodons and extinct buffalo are well documented throughout the continent. The demise of the bulk of the La Brea tar pit Pleistocene fauna coincided with our arrival.
- The Caribbean lost several of its larger species when humans arrived some 8000 years ago.
- Extinction struck elements of the Australian megafauna much earlier-when humans arrived some 40,000 years ago. Madagascar-something of an anomaly, as humans only arrived there two thousand years ago-also fits the pattern well: the larger species (elephant birds, a species of hippo, plus larger lemurs) rapidly disappeared soon after humans arrived.
Indeed only in places where earlier hominid species had lived (Africa, of course, but also most of Europe and Asia) did the fauna, already adapted to hominid presence, survive the first wave of the Sixth Extinction pretty much intact. The rest of the world's species, which had never before encountered hominids in their local ecosystems, were as naively unwary as all but the most recently arrived species (such as Vermilion Flycatchers) of the Galapagos Islands remain to this day.
Why does the Sixth Extinction continue?
Phase two of the Sixth Extinction began around 10,000 years ago with the invention of agriculture-perhaps first in the Natufian culture of the Middle East. Agriculture appears to have been invented several different times in various different places, and has, in the intervening years, spread around the entire globe.
Agriculture represents the single most profound ecological change in the entire 3.5 billion-year history of life. With its invention:
- humans did not have to interact with other species for survival, and so could manipulate other species for their own use
- humans did not have to adhere to the ecosystem's carrying capacity, and so could overpopulate
Homo sapiens became the first species to stop living inside local ecosystems. All other species, including our ancestral hominid ancestors, all pre-agricultural humans, and remnant hunter-gatherer societies still extant exist as semi-isolated populations playing specific roles (i.e., have "niches") in local ecosystems. This is not so with post-agricultural revolution humans, who in effect have stepped outside local ecosystems. Indeed, to develop agriculture is essentially to declare war on ecosystems - converting land to produce one or two food crops, with all other native plant species all now classified as unwanted "weeds" — and all but a few domesticated species of animals now considered as pests.
The total number of organisms within a species is limited by many factors-most crucial of which is the "carrying capacity" of the local ecosystem: given the energetic needs and energy-procuring adaptations of a given species, there are only so many squirrels, oak trees and hawks that can inhabit a given stretch of habitat. Agriculture had the effect of removing the natural local-ecosystem upper limit of the size of human populations. Though crops still fail regularly, and famine and disease still stalk the land, there is no doubt that agriculture in the main has had an enormous impact on human population size:
- Estimates vary, but range between 1 and 10 million people on earth 10,000 years ago.
- There are now over 6 billion people.
- The numbers continue to increase logarithmically — so that there will be 8 billion by 2020.
- There is presumably an upper limit to the carrying capacity of humans on earth — of the numbers that agriculture can support — and that number is usually estimated at between 13-15 billion, though some people think the ultimate numbers might be much higher.
This explosion of human population, especially in the post-Industrial Revolution years of the past two centuries, coupled with the unequal distribution and consumption of wealth on the planet, is the underlying cause of the Sixth Extinction. There is a vicious cycle:
- More lands are cleared and more efficient production techniques (most recently engendered largely through genetic engineering) to feed the growing number of humans — and in response, the human population continues to expand.
- Higher fossil energy use is helping agriculture spread, further modifying the environment.
- Humans continue to fish (12 of the 13 major fisheries on the planet are now considered severely depleted) and harvest timber for building materials and just plain fuel, pollution, and soil erosion from agriculture creates dead zones in fisheries (as in the Gulf of Mexico)
- While the human Diaspora has meant the spread, as well, of alien species that more often than not thrive at the detriment of native species. For example, invasive species have contributed to 42% of all threatened and endangered species in the U.S.
Can conservation measures stop the Sixth Extinction?
The world's ecosystems have been plunged into chaos, with some conservation biologists thinking that no system, not even the vast oceans, remains untouched by human presence. Conservation measures, sustainable development, and, ultimately, stabilization of human population numbers and consumption patterns seem to offer some hope that the Sixth Extinction will not develop to the extent of the third global extinction, some 245 mya, when 90% of the world's species were lost.
Though it is true that life, so incredibly resilient, has always recovered (though after long lags) after major extinction spasms, it is only after whatever has caused the extinction event has dissipated. That cause, in the case of the Sixth Extinction, is ourselves — Homo sapiens. This means we can continue on the path to our own extinction, or, preferably, we modify our behavior toward the global ecosystem of which we are still very much a part. The latter must happen before the Sixth Extinction can be declared over, and life can once again rebound.
© 2005, American Institute of Biological Sciences. Educators have permission to reprint articles for classroom use; other users, please contact email@example.com for reprint permission. See reprint policy.


text:
Dear friend of AllTrials
Over the past few weeks we've heard some great examples of what AllTrials supporters are doing to get all clinical trials registered and reported. Here's what some of your fellow campaign supporters have been up to.
Consultant Diabetologist Dr Aus Alzaid from Saudi Arabia was interested in the results of a clinical trial investigating the effect of metformin on cognitive function. The trial was completed in 2012 but results have never been published. After writing emails to the researchers and academic institution asking for the missing results, we have now heard they will be published before the end of the year! The efforts of just one person really can make all the difference.
Campaign members Autistica, and the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS) have both announced that they will only award research grants for clinical trials if researchers agree to register and report trials on time. BAPRAS is also calling on the next generation of surgeons to support AllTrials by writing about the campaign in its newsletter and asking its 800 members to donate to the campaign.
On the fundraising front, author and friend of AllTrials Simon Singh is auctioning his M209, a mechanical cipher machine used by the US military to keep secrets during the Second World War. The money raised will be shared with AllTrials and the Good Thinking Society, so please help us to spread the news and bid generously!
So many of you are doing wonderful things for the campaign, sorry we can't mention you all. But please do keep in touch and let us know what you are doing to get all clinical trials registered and reported.
Best wishes
Best wishes
Share the AllTrials video, ask everyone you know to sign the petition and see more ways to help spread the word.


text:
With a third kid on the way and a 1,100 square foot, one-bathroom Brooklyn apartment, my husband and I talk a lot about when we'll be able to afford a home to comfortably fit our family. I'm 35, he's almost 40, and neither of us thinks we can even begin to contemplate shelling out for a mortgage or higher rent for another five years. In the fall of 2018, all of our kids will finally be in public school, and we will have the $5,000 we pay in child care every month back in our bank account. I will be 41, my husband will be 46, and perhaps then we can start to consider a second toilet.
Not all of that $5K will go toward a family home - to pay for preschool, we stopped contributing to our 401K years ago. So 2018 will also be the year we start paying into it again - not that we will ever be able to retire - and, hey, let's put some away for college, shall we?
Let me just stop you mid-eye-roll to confirm that yes: We are, by the standards of most Americans, rich. My husband and I both have steady jobs, make good salaries and are lucky enough to live in one of the most expensive cities in the world simply because we want to. As Gawker's Hamilton Nolan wrote earlier this year, we can't cry poor just because we don't have a lot of money left after we've spent it all.
So I'm not complaining. But you know what I am doing? I'm wishing. I'm wishing we had started popping out those kids, oh, say, five years earlier than we did, so that maybe, by 40, my bedroom and my sons' bedroom wouldn't be separated by a fake wall. Which is what I thought about when I first saw the cover of this month's New Republic, featuring a photo of a graying couple and their toddler son and the very effective line: "We Are Having Kids Later Than Ever. We Have No Idea What We're Getting Into."
The excellent piece, by Judith Shulevitz, is generally about the "scary consequences" of older parenthood, and specifically about the greater likelihood of physical and mental disorders that children of older parents face. Shulevitz cites the study of older dads that got a ton of attention earlier this year, establishing that "the number of genetic mutations that can be acquired from a father increases by two every year of his life, and doubles every 16, so that a 36-year-old man is twice as likely as a 20-year-old to bequeath de novo mutations to his children." She also writes about "age-related epigenetic mutations" - how environmental influences, such as age, can impact sperm DNA, and therefore traits in our offspring such as body size and mental capacity:
Sociologists have devoted many man-hours to demonstrating that older parents are richer, smarter and more loving, on the whole, than younger ones. And yet the tragic irony of epigenetics is that the same wised-up, more mature parents have had longer to absorb air-borne pollution, endocrine disruptors, pesticides and herbicides. They may have endured more stress, be it from poverty or overwork or lack of social status. All those assaults on the cells that make sperm DNA can add epimutations to regular mutations.
There's also the question of how much we know (or don't know) about the long-term effects of fertility treatments - treatments that Shulevitz herself underwent when finally trying to have her first baby at the age of 37. As one Columbia University professor puts it, "We keep pulling off these technological marvels without the sober tracking of data you'd want to see before these things become widespread all over the world."
In between all of the excellent science reporting is that lingering, ominous coverline: We have no idea what we're getting into. "A phrase I heard repeatedly during these conversations was 'natural experiment,' " Shulevitz writes. "As in, we're conducting a vast empirical study upon an unthinkably large population: all the babies conceived by older parents, plus those parents, plus their grandparents, who after all have to wait a lot longer than they used to for grandchildren."
I think about this all the time. Of course, there are the scenarios no parent wants to contemplate, like the possibility that mine or my husband's age will somehow contribute to one of our sons growing up to be autistic or severely depressive or schizophrenic. But the more mundane situations we can predict with some accuracy. And they are frightening enough: I will not be an empty nester until I'm at least 54, and that's optimistic. I will probably be taking care of my ailing parents while I'm still taking care of my growing kids. And I'll probably be in my late 60s by the time my kids start having kids (if they have them) and well into my 70s by the time my grandkids are fun to talk to and all wearing underwear. Whereas most of my grandparents lived to see me graduate from college, get married and start my family, it's quite possible I won't see any of that from my kids' kids.
Then there's this: "What haunts me about my children," writes Shulevitz, "is . . . the actuarial risk I run of dying before they're ready to face the world."
This is not exactly how I'd like things to go. And I'm not sure why I set myself up for it. I got married at 26. We delayed having kids for five years just . . . 'cause. Our friends weren't having them. I was, as the story goes, "focusing on my career." And it was fun to be young and married without too many responsibilities. But we would have made friends who had babies because that's what happens.
And while I loved my young married years, it's not as if they created any sort of happy-times reserve that I can tap into now, whenever I am feeling annoyed that I can't just go out after work without booking a sitter two weeks in advance. Plus the physical advantages of being a young mom - to think how much kinder I could have been on my poor, poor old-lady back. As for my career, I have no way to predict what would-have-been-could-have-been had I started having kids at 27. Maybe I'd be wandering the streets, professionless in mom jeans right now, maybe not.
"A remarkable feature of the new older parenting," Shulevitz writes, "is how happy women seem to be about it. It's considered a feminist triumph." I'm not so sure. Also, remember how there was that one kid in your high school class whose parents were so old that it was weird and creepy? That's all of us now. Oops.


text:
Uhrichsville, OH Nursing Homes
There is only one certified nursing home in Uhrichsville, however there are links to nearby cities where you can also view more facilities. It is often recommended that a nursing home be near family or friends, therefore you may use the map and listings below to find the nursing home that is nearby and best matches your needs.
Fill out the form on the left to get started
- Personal Attention - Advisors Assigned to You
- Local Experts Can Help Find the Best Facilities
- 100% Free Service - No Obligation
- Or Contact Us By Phone: (877) 311-8334
Top Rated Nursing Facilities in Uhrichsville and Surrounding Areas
Nearby Cities: New Philadelphia | Bowerston | Dover | Carrollton | Bolivar | Walnut Creek | Navarre | Brewster
For-Profit Agency Non-Profit Agency Government Agency
Displaying Facilities: 1 - 1 of 1
|5166 Spanson Drive Se
Uhrichsville, OH 44683
|Percent of Beds Occupied:
|Overall Rating:
Source: Medicare Nursing Home Compare; Bureau of Long Term Care of Ohio - Quality Assurance - Retrieved 2011


text:
DS platformer Fractured Soul lands US publisher
Graffiti Entertainment is to release Endgame Studios' DS platformer in 'quarter 4 2011'.
Q4 headlines
EEDAR - 45% of 2008's game sales came from Q4
EEDAR analyst Jesse Divnich said today that 43 percent of 2008's video game titles released in the fourth quarter, accounting for 45 percent of total annual sales. "The thoughts on releasing more games in Q4 seem to run analogous to expanding a sports stadium from holding 20,000 fans to 35,000 fans – if you can […]
UK market set to deliver "unprecedented" Christmas sales
Chart-Track boss Dorian Bloch has claimed that the UK market specifically is set to deliver huge sales this Christmas, despite increasingly rocky financial conditions. His comments were made in light of a report release today, that compared data from the US, UK and Japanese markets for the three months ending September 30. "Taking into consideration […]
Resistance 2 dated for November 28 in Europe
SCEE's just put dates on most of its fourth quarter line-up for all PS platforms, and has finally confirmed Resistance 2 for a November 28 release. From MCV: PlayStation 3 LittleBigPlanet – October 24th Siren Blood Curse – October 31st Buzz! Quiz TV Special Edition – October 31st Motorstorm: Pacific Rift – November 14th SingStar […]


text:
Universal Class
Over 500 online non-credit Continuing Education Courses. All you need to access this valuable resource is your library card and a computer with an Internet connection.
Jobs & Careers
- About.com's Career Planning Page Features links on occupations, career choice, resume writing and job interviews.
- Americorps This national service program gives you education, job training and skills, a living allowance, health insurance and money for college or vocational training.
- Career Key This free career interest test is available in English and Chinese.
- Job Corps Job Corps is the nation's largest and most comprehensive residential, education and job training program for at-risk youth, ages 16 through 24.
- My Future.com Career Toolbox This site helps you explore your career options and prepare for your job search with career quizzes, a resume builder, interview tips and more.
- Occupational Outlook Handbook Describes working conditions, education needed, and earnings in nearly any occupation you can think of.
- Peterson's Career Education and Guidance Channel Guide to career and technical schools.
- Military
- Adventures in Education Information on planning a career, selecting and paying for school.
- College Net Has a custom search feature which allows you to put in your criteria and get a list of schools that meet your needs.
- College Source This site has pdf versions of full college catalogs from over 20,000 schools.
- Petersons.com This is an online version of the well known college guide.
- U.S. Community Colleges by State List of regionally accredited community colleges and links to them.
- U.S. Universities by State List of accredited universities and links to them.
College Applications
- The Common Application Online common application for hundreds of American colleges and universities.
Financial Aid
- Adventures in Education: Paying for College
- Fastweb Scholarship, financial aid and colleges searches.
- FinAid Information on loans, scholarships and military aid.
- Student Guide to Financial Aid Guide to financial aid from the US Department of Education.
- The Scholarship Page This page has scholarships listed by field of study.
- Sallie Mae Student loans, financial aid and scholarships
- Military Scholarships (ROTC)
The military will give you money for college in exchange for service after college. Get more information by accessing the links above and following the scholarships links.
Local & Nearby Colleges
- University of New Hampshire, Durham
- Great Bay Community College, Portsmouth & Rochester
- St. Anselm College, Manchester
- Mt. Washington College, Manchester, Nashua & Salem
- Southern New Hampshire University, Portsmouth


text:
Product was successfully added to your shopping cart.
Product was successfully added to your compare list.
Product was successfully added to your wishlist.
Description :
Cutera XEO Navigation System with Yag and Limelight, Software Version 4.1.3, Manufactured: January 2008, Full ND Yag Module w. LV HR LG FV Modes, NDYag Hand Piece is in perfect condition, Unit is in perfect cosmetic condition, Full PM w new water filters completed in July 2013, NdYag Handpiece with shot counts: Short Pulse = 37,004 Original Pulses, Long Pulse = 19,828 Original Pulses, LimeLight Hand Piece w the following shot counts: A) 238 shots B) 10,316 shots C) 37,004, Includes: Footswitch, Key, Key, Power Cord 110V Unit, Interlock, XEO Users Manual, Limelight Manual, Navigation Addendum Manual, 4 Pair Operator Eyewear, 1 Pair Patient Eyeshields, and 90 Day Warranty
Year : 2008
Product Specifications :
Limelight IPL
Program A 520 nm Filter - Fine Telangiectasia
Program B 560 nm Filter - Telangiectasia, Pigment
Program C 580 nm Filter - Solar Lentigines
Spot Size 10 x 30 mm
Cooling 5,10 or 20 C
Fluence 5-30 J/cm2
Repetition 2 Hz
1064 Nd Yag
Wavelength 1064 nm
Fluence Up to 300 J/cm2
Spot Size 3,5,7,10 mm
Pulse Width 0.1 - 30 msec or 10 - 100 msec
Repetition 2 to 10 Hz
Titan Skin Tightening
Wavelength 1100 - 1800 nm
Fluence 5 to 65 J/cm2
Spot Size Titan V - 10 x 15 mm / Titan XL - 10 x 30 mm
Tx Cycle 4 to 10 Seconds
ProWave Hair Removal
Wavelength 770 - 1100 nm
Fluence 5 to 35 J/cm2
Spot Size 10x30 mm
Repetition 2 Hz
Weight 135 lbs - 61.2 kg
Dimensions 12"x19"x35" - 30.5x48x89cm
System Cooling Internal, self-contained
Electrical Input 115V / 20A or 230V / 20A
Manufacturer Notes :
Multiple Technologies, Maximum Flexibility
In today's fast-paced aesthetic practices, maximum flexibility and upgradeability is paramount. Whatever your need, the Xeo can provide the most versatile laser and light technologies on the market today. Whether you are interested in skin tightening, skin rejuvenation, hair removal, vascular therapies - or all the above - the Xeo can accommodate your specific needs through our upgradeable platform.
The Xeo Platform supports the following Technologies
Pearl Fractional -
•Pearl Fractional's deep ablation and controlled thermal zone delivers maximum single-treatment results with less patient discomfort, downtime and risk than CO2.
•Indicated for moderate to severe photoaging.
•The 2790 nm wavelength (YSGG) controls thermal damage to maximize ablation while maintaining thermal stimulation and coagulation.
•Controlled thermal zone minimizes risk of PIH and other complications.
Single treatment results are possible because our large 300 micron spot size ablates enough tissue in one pass.
•Wound healing causes increased fibroblast activity and long term collagen deposition. Improvement is realized over six month period.
•A recent comparative study to other fractional devices demonstrated that Pearl Fractional was a more comfortable patient experience; further, the treatment is possible with only topical anesthetics and/or local nerve blocks
Pearl -
Pearl delivers superior results in fewer treatments with less patient downtime than with non-fractional ablative lasers.
•Indicated for fine wrinkles, dyschromia, skin tone and texture
•Full epidermal renewal is achieved with YSGG's 2790 nm wavelength.
•Patients receive 1-2 treatments without weeping and oozing and recover in 3-4 days.
CoolGlide Nd Yag Laser -
The CoolGlide laser was the first laser cleared for permanent hair reduction in all skin types and is endorsed by physicians worldwide.
•Treat all skin types (I-VI) including tanned skin in the summer.
•Patented PowerFlex™ technology provides fast treatments and high efficacy; allows independent control of fluence, pulse duration and repetition rates to tailor your treatment parameters.
•Copper cooling provides the most efficient method of cooling for optimal skin protection and comfort.
•Large spot size (10 mm) for maximum speed and optimal penetration at all follicle depths.
Excel Laser -
The first clinically effective long-pulsed Nd:YAG laser for both facial and lower extremity vascular lesions.
•The Excel safely and effectively treats discrete vessels, high pressure vessels and deep veins.
•Patented PowerFlex™ technology provides fast treatments and high efficacy; allows independent control of fluence, pulse duration and repetition rates to tailor your treatment parameters.
•Contact copper cooling provides the most efficient method of cooling for optimal skin protection and comfort.
•The "clearview" handpiece feature prevents vessel closure due to contact pressure.
•Easy on-the-fly spot size adjustment (3, 5, 7 mm) facilitates optimal selection for safety and results.
Laser Genesis -
Laser Genesis is a staple of skin care for every doctor's practice. It is a multi-purpose, all season, all skin type solution for overall skin health
•Cutera's 1064 nm wavelength, combined with our patented microsecond technology, protects the epidermis, targets microvasculature and stimulates collagen production.
•Improves wrinkles by gently heating the dermis; corrects diffuse redness, rosacea; smoothes skin texture, shrinks pore size.
•Peer reviewed journal shows evidence of erythema reduction and new collagen formation in the papillary dermis (Archives of Dermatology, Nov 2004).
•No downtime, minimal discomfort, no disposables.
Titan - Tita V HP - Small Areas; Titan XL HP - Large Areas
Titan is the most researched and peer-reviewed infra-red solution for deep dermal heating of all skin.
•Titan's light source generates energy from 1100 to 1800 nm for safe and effective volumetric heating of the dermis.
•Titan candidates are often patients not yet ready for surgery.
•When combined with other non-ablative procedures that improve conditions such as dyschromia, Titan's toning effect enhances overall results.
LimeLight -
LimeLight is the most versatile, programmable device for treating vascular and pigmented lesions.
•Three distinct pre-set programs (520-1100 nm) provide excellent hemoglobin and melanin absorption for uniform treatments and ease of use.
•Clinical versatility permits treatment of multiple indications, including both low and high contrast pigmentation.
•Features such as the industry's fastest treatment speed and adjustable temperature control provide clinical versatility.
•Only company with real-time calibration; this ensures accurate and consistent power output during treatment for reproducible results and patient safety
ProWave's multiple wavelength technology switches modes from Alexandrite to Diode to near Nd:YAG for maximum results, safety and versatility—all in a single high speed device.
•ProWave (770-1100 nm), combines unrivaled treatment speed with optimal results and safety. Maximum versatility is achieved multiple wavelength technology enabling treatment modes from Alexandrite to Diode to near Nd:YAG.
•Clinical studies showed > 80% hair reduction six months post three treatments.
AcuTip delivers optimal results with targeted focal treatments of pigmented and vascular lesions–with no risk to surrounding skin.
•Small tip allows agressive pinpoint treatments – without compromising safety.
•Selective wavelengths (500-635 nm) with short pulse durations deliver a powerful focal treatment.
•Ideal for treatment of both low and high contrast pigmented lesions.
•As powerful as Q-switched lasers for epidermal pigmentation; low risk of associated PIH


text:
Freshwater Seas
Theater, Audio, Video, Photography, Music
Contact me: Robert W. Bethune
Welcome to Freshwater Seas!
Click into our Facebook page and "Like" us there!
Would you like to let someone know about this page? Click here!
Translations and adaptations of classic plays and literature for the stage: Aeschylus, Goldoni, Marivaux, Strindberg, Sophocles, Stoker, .Lessing.
Audio books
Audio performances of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. Available on Audible, Amazon, and Simply Audiobooks.
Celebrating the tour through the Great Lakes of the Picton Castle. Click here to go to the Amazon page for this video!
The Tintinnabulum Project
Thank you for visiting!
I'd like to take a moment, since you've been so kind to scroll down this far, to introduce myself, what I do, and what this website is all about.
I'm an independent artist. I work in many kinds of digital media, creating works for theater, audio books, photography, video and music that I hope many people will enjoy.
I have done translations and adaptations for the stage from the classic literature of the world, including authors such as Pierre Marivaux (The Game of Love and Chance,) Gotthold Lessing (Minna von Barnhelm,) Carlo Goldoni (The Mistress of the Inn,) August Strindberg (Miss Julie and The Stronger,) Federico Garcia Lorca (The House of Bernarda Alba,) Bram Stoker (Dracula.) and Aeschylus (Oresteia).
I work with Susie Berneis. We've done titles by a whole bookshelf of authors.
I'm working on what I call The Katagraphica Project. I start with a normal photograph, and then I play with it until it starts changing in some interesting way. I then follow the changes and find more changes, until finally I have an image that might resemble a work of art in traditional media such as watercolor, acrylics or oils, or might look like something done in some medium that hasn't quite been invented yet. In this area, my next project is to apply this approach to theatrical photography, so there will be some interesting crossover there.
I am an independent film producer. I offer DVD versions of several plays I have translated for the stage, including The Game of Love and Chance, The Mistress of the Inn, Minna von Barnhelm, and Miss Julie & The Stronger. I also offer a documentary on the tall ship Picton Castle, taking the viewer on her travels through the Great Lakes.
I am fascinated by harmonic percussion, and the strange and amazing, or amusing, or appalling things that happen when you run classical music through a harmonic percussion ensemble. I call this The Tintinnabulum Project, and I will soon be posting some of the results here. If you'd like to hear Khachaturian done by a steel band, or Bach done by a team of maddened vibes players, this is the place--stay tuned!
How and why I do what I do
I make things, and I can't help but go on making things; it's easier to do it than not to do it, and besides, the work is there, like Everest was for Edmund Hillary. So I do it! And I have one cast-iron rule: the work must please and provoke me while pleasing and provoking others. If it does that, I'm happy, and I go on to try to do it again!
Please note: all images on this website are copyright 2001-the present by Robert Bethune, copyright registered with the US Copyright Office, all rights reserved. Anyone may view these images and pages or make copies of them for their own personal use as is allowed under US copyright law. However, I reserve all rights to reproduce or redisplay these images in any medium and by any means. In particular, I do not permit any re-display of these pages or pictures, whether by copying the image to another server, by framing these pages using pages on another server, or by linking to the images on this server in such a way that images or pages from this server appear at the same time or on the same screen as pages or images from any other server. Any such re-display or re-use of these pages or pictures will be treated as a violation of my copyright and I will pursue all remedies available to me under the law to ensure that any such practice ends promptly.
Credits for materials created by people other than me appear here.
Ann Arbor Auditions pages. My pages about bullpups. My maps. Other completely unrelated stuff.


text:
Once Upon A Tree Sampler is finally framed and hanging in the kitchen. This chart was featured in Just Cross-Stitch Magazine in 4 parts during 2009. It was beautiful as charted but I just grabbed from my box of silks and changed all the threads and beads. I love it!
On the exercise front - I'm going. Some days that's just as good as it gets; so I'm proud of myself for getting up and not talking myself out of it, but actually going. Today was TurboKick and while it was a great cardio class, I'm beat!
I think I'll go stitch for a bit and recoup. Have a great Monday!
Monday, February 22, 2010
Finally framed.....
Once Upon A Tree Sampler is finally framed and hanging in the kitchen. This chart was featured in Just Cross-Stitch Magazine in 4 parts during 2009. It was beautiful as charted but I just grabbed from my box of silks and changed all the threads and beads. I love it!
Posted by Giggles rule! at 12:45 PM 4 comments
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Quick note on survival.....
I survived Zumba and most of a toning class this morning. I don't know how the rest of my day will go, and while I'm very sore - it feels good.
I have a ham bone in the soup pot with white beans, finely minced carrots, fresh garlic and sweet onion. Add a nice crispy skillet of cornbread and we'll have a great winter dinner this evening.
I don't think I've posted this on my blog so here's my Chatelaine piece, Evening In The Park. It's stitched on Silkweavers 32ct Jobelan in Sudden Storm. It's a really softly mottled piece and is a wonderful companion for the colors in this piece.
Posted by Giggles rule! at 12:02 PM 2 comments
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
While Dear Husband's away.....
the wife will play. He's gone until Friday and I've planned something special for everyday. Usually I hibernate at home and luxerate in having the house to myself, staying up till all hours of the morning and sleeping in. If you can call 7:30 really sleeping in. LOL
This year I decided to step out of the box and try something new. I hit the casino with friends last night (it's ladies night). Broke even and had a great time; that's what it's all about!
Tonight I have a group of friends coming for dessert, manicures (and hand dips in one of those paraffin spa baths) and of course swimsuits and the hot tub. They will all go home loose-as-a-goose and ready for sweet dreams. Of course I'll stay up and stitch. Can't quite put down WFN and I even have a new start all ready to go!
Gym update - I need to get back into my early morning machine routine which consist of the elliptical, the treadmill then making a round of the free-standing weight machines. Who knew they were actually fun? I called Lisa, my exercise partner and we both decided we have to get back to it. Also convinced her to come to a ZUMBA class with me and give it a try. If you have the opportunity but have never tried one, your really missing something!
Today will consist of cleaning house for my guests, including bathing the dogs (you know they have to greet everyone who enters the house). Baking a homemade chocolate cake too, from scratch!
I think I'll turn the music up really loud and practice some Zumba routines while I'm cleaning......
enjoy today, no matter what you do!
Posted by Giggles rule! at 8:13 AM 1 comments
Monday, February 15, 2010
Here's an update of Waiting For Neptune (Linda Ravenscroft is the artist). You can see the beginnings of the scroll work on the left. I can't wait to work over to the tail of a seahorse or up to the tail of a mermaid.
Posted by Giggles rule! at 8:23 AM 3 comments
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Not everyone.......
loves Valentine's Day but I do. We've made it into an elaborate celebration and had years where it was simply a quiet, romantic day spent together. It's all good - so Happy Valentine's Day, feel special and loved all day.
On a crafting note, DH will be out of town next week and I'm anxious to start my new piece. It's ready to go and these past few days I've been so excited about putting those first stitches in. Can't wait to get started and see it start to grow. ooh - it's Ian Daniels, Salamander piece for the black box.
Posted by Giggles rule! at 12:02 PM 0 comments
Sunday, February 07, 2010
The perfect little black box.....
since I'm to fat for a perfect little black dress, I'll have to settle for a perfect little black box. ROFL
I spent the better part of a late afternoon and evening plotting the fragmentation of Ian Daniels Salamander chart to fit the openings for this box. I think it's going to be fantastic!
On a whiney note, I did my first Zumba exercise class on Friday and I'm still sore. It was great fun and I will be going back.
Posted by Giggles rule! at 8:44 AM 2 comments
Thursday, February 04, 2010
A couple of new starts....
there are so many beautiful charts I would love to start. Here are two relatively new ones.
A Chatelaine, Evening In The Park stitched over 2 on 32ct. Jobelan from Silkweaver in Sudden Storm.
A Linda Ravenscroft piece, Waiting For Neptune stitched over 1 on 28ct. Lugana in Ivory.
I have a couple of new craft projects in the planning stages, along with 1 new cross-stitch piece. I found these beautiful black boxes (about 10x15 or so) at Hobby Lobby. They are very, very nice and are lined inside with black felt like a jewelry box and also have a hinged lid. The top is cutout into various spaces for pictures but rather than having the entire lid cutout with a large mat that has individual cutouts (have I lost you yet?) these pieces actually have the wood top cutout, leaving behind the black wood outlines around the cutouts. There is a layer of glass under the cutout and a compartment to insert your photos into. Now I thinking I could stitch parts of Ian Daniel's Salamander chart to fit the cutouts. It's in navys and orange/peach/shimmer shades. It would look very nice sitting on the coffee table and would be a great place to hold all that damn remotes.
Pretty and functional too...
Posted by Giggles rule! at 12:14 PM 2 comments
Wednesday, February 03, 2010
New beginnings.......
are awesome! my bad, I've been neglectful of so many things since this past summer. I quit several groups and activities so focus more time on family and the things I really want to do. Time to reinvent my stitching blog and that means a beautiful new template. It's courtesy of Izzie Grace Blogging Backgrounds; you'll find her button at the bottom of my blog. They are free and she literally have 100's of beautiful backgrounds to choose from.
I've been traveling, stitching and quilting up a storm since last summer. I'll be back with pictures after tweaking my template.....
Posted by Giggles rule! at 3:27 PM 2 comments


text:
Still, I woke up grumpy this morning and I'm searching for a way to remedy that now. It is sunny this morning for the first time in a few days and I think I might go for a walk to clear my head before getting back to some applications. I guess it's just a matter of weeding out the imperfections and frustrations of my life so that I can see how truly beautiful it already is. Some days that is easier for me to do than others. Today, I miss Russia.
Les Têtes de l'emploi 2016 Ταινιεσ Online
6 months ago


text:
Scott Sonner / AP
Published Monday, Aug. 11, 2014 | 11:15 a.m.
Updated Monday, Aug. 11, 2014 | 1:20 p.m.
SPARKS — Nevada business leaders want the Legislature to consider holding a special session this year to put together an incentive package to help lure Tesla Motors' $5 billion lithium battery factory to the state, but so far lawmakers aren't sold on the idea.
Nevada has a head start in competition for the "gigafactory" after Tesla officials confirmed they did site work at an industrial park east of Sparks. But the electric-car maker is keeping its options open with plans to break ground in Texas, California, Arizona or New Mexico.
Texas and California especially have more financial resources to offer in the bid to secure the plant and an estimated 6,500 jobs.
But Nevada economic development laws allow several incentive programs, from abatements on personal property, sales and business taxes to sales tax deferrals, according to the Legislative Counsel Bureau.
Any changes or additions would require legislative action, and Nevada's biennial Legislature won't convene again until Feb. 2, 2015. That looks to be past Tesla's timetable.
CEO Elon Musk, speaking to Wall Street analysts July 31, said he expects the winning state to cover "maybe 10 percent" of the factory's cost — the $5 billion figure is the cost through 2020. He said groundwork will be done in one or two other states with a final site selected "in the next few months."
Given that schedule, it would take a special legislative session by the end of the year to make changes targeting the factory, Ray Bacon, executive director and longtime lobbyist for the Nevada Manufacturers Association, told the Reno Gazette-Journal.
And he said it's unclear what the difference is between Nevada's offer and what Musk estimates the winning state's share of the factory cost could be.
"If it's $20 million or $30 million, that's doable. If it's $300 million, a special session for sure," he said.
Gov. Brian Sandoval would have to call the session, and he's not talking.
Nevada already seems to be a strong candidate without sweetening the pot, Assembly Speaker Marilyn Kirkpatrick, D-North Las Vegas, and Assembly Minority Leader Pat Hickey, R-Reno, said.
"We are constrained by the Constitution to just give money," Kirkpatrick said. "We don't have a checkbook such as Texas has. A special session does us no good."
Nevada already has some great incentives in place, Hickey said.
The state's site about 200 miles from Tesla's Palo Alto, California, headquarters is near the Union Pacific railroad and significant lithium deposits, in a right-to-work state with no income tax and abundant solar and geothermal power resources.
"Nevada can't compete with California or Texas in terms of financial incentives, but we're attractive on merits, or why else would Tesla have broken ground and considered Nevada a top contender?" Hickey said.


text: Hello Gabe , my name is Thomas and i live in Lavergne . i would like to kow more about your game and would be interested in joining . I have a very firm grasp of many gaming systems with D&D being my faverite also . I work weekends but am avaliable monday throu thursday for a game night . please contact me at firstname.lastname@example.com I look forward to hearing from you.. Thanks Thomas