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Here at No.1 Junk Street, we specialise in rubbish removal whilst providing simple, no-hassle waste recycling throughout London. Our team boasts a positive reputation, years of experience and highly professional service meaning our performance is always friendly, professional and efficient every time.
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So, why did Disney (NYSE: DIS) decide to buy Playdom? Disney Interactive Media Group President Steve Wadsworth told paidContent in a joint interview with Playdom CEO (and now Disney EVP) John Pleasants that Disney is on a "fairly aggressive mission to build a high-growth interactive media business." He said the company had identified social games as an "incredibly high growth" category in which it had no "meaningful presence."
"This category is growing at a rate that is in a lot of ways unprecedented," he said, adding that Disney believes that will continue for "a long time." Wadsworth said that Playdom provides it with the "skills and capability" to be a major player in the market.
When will we see Disney games on Facebook? The two men wouldn't provide any specifics. "The ideas are many as you can imagine," Pleasants said, adding that ideas have been piling in since the deal was announced. He said that Playdom won't stop working on any of the 12 titles it currently has in production but would be looking for opportunities to leverage Disney's brands — "if it's the right fit."
The deal: Disney venture arm Steamboat Ventures had participated in a recent $33 million add-on to Playdom's first round of funding "without any thought that [they'd] buy out this company," but Wadsworth said since that investment the two companies had gotten "a lot closer."
The price tag: I asked both men about the purchase price, which is almost double what Electronic Arts (NSDQ: ERTS) paid for the bigger Playfish last year. Wadsworth said that Disney was "very focused on shareholder value," again referring to the rapid growth of social games in defending the amount the company paid.
Pleasants also said the deal is structured so that Playdom's shareholders will only get the $200 million earnout if its results are "very accretive" to Disney. "We have to earn our way to this valuation," he said.

subset: commoncrawl


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Based in Osaka, Japan, IZUMI are long established as one of the most successful Japanese bicycle component manufacturers.
IZUMI have been making bicycle chains for discerning trackies, fixies and fashionistas since 1916. Their uncompromising attention to detail ensures quality, strength and flawless performance.
Izumi V has been loved by the world and delivered many medalists.
In addition, it is used for not only competitions but also track bikes and Urban motorcycle.
1. Authorized NJS
2. Durability:In comparison with a standard chain more than 3 times
3. A drive response is early
4. The run that becomes stable for a long time
5. Connecting link:Bolt nuts type
(Standard chain:Spring clip type)


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When Dave died my first thought was to do a quick inventory of his work simply to discover what we were dealing with. It wasn't easy because the paintings, drawings, sketchbooks are piled into the rooms of the studio and a lot is unreachable without moving other work and there simply isn't any space left to move things to. Plus the work was all mixed up with art materials, books, research notes, medications, old papers, dust… Anyway it took me a couple of months to log what I could. I listed nearly 15,000 pieces of artwork but I hardly looked at any of them as it was simply a matter of counting, noting the medium, and taking a measurement.
But now I'm going through things slowly, photographing and adding them to the Artlook inventory. Most of them I'm able to take home and note them in comfort. I'm logging their condition as well as size and medium. I have to touch each one, and look at it. Some recall the period I stayed with Dave and bring back memories; some are completely new to me and fill in gaps in my knowledge of his life and work. Many are just sketches and scribbles but a surprising number are substantial and impressive and exciting. Look and touch these and the worries about dry rot and storage fade away.


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...Don't Ever Forget to Have Fun!
Robert Grossman is the major manufacturer of parts to restore and repair Marx trains. Should you require Marx parts, best advice is to order a copy of Robert's catalog first, to see a full listing of parts and countless useful illustrations. An extract is illustrated below, to give an idea of what to expect. Should the part you require not be listed, ask anyway, as Robert may have an original used part in stock.
Robert Grossman catalog extract (reduced in size)


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Iranian Nowruz series 'Single or Couple' started broadcast on Iran TV, IRIB.
Co-directed by Alireza Najafzadeh and Mohammad-Hossein Latifi, the series aired the first episode of Nowruz screening on Friday March 22, 2019.
Produced by Mehran Maham, 'Couple or Single' is a comedy-drama about the issue of marriage in society, and the complications involved in the pursuit of a simple matrimonial process.
Written by Kourosh Narimani, the lineup to the 15-part series will include Hedayat Hashemi, Marjaneh Golchin, Mehran Ghafourian, Yousef Teymouri, Nahid Moslemi, Sheida Khaliq, Mahshid Naseri, Atieh Javid, Delsa Maleki, Karim Qorbani, and Mehran Rajabi.
When asked about her new role, Marjaneh Golchin explained: "I play the role of Afaq, a mother with all of her worries and concerns, who has a young brother and a son that she's willing to sacrifice everything for."


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Sorry things have been quiet for the last few days. I've been painting furiously - two are down and the third will be done tomorrow or Tuesday.
I feel like I'm three different people when it comes to these paintings. None of them have been painted in the same way. One is heavily textured, one is portrait style with very small brushstrokes and the third is shaping up to be fairly loose and informal. Perhaps this is just a good way of letting my unknown-until-now multiple personalities to speak up for themselves.
So...the main thing I wanted to say is that even though I decided to start something new (The Infinite Number of Things) early, it may be a few more days before I post another entry. I still have a few more things to finish up. See y'all in a bit.


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Spicy Eggplant
Loosely based on something I once ate at an assian restaurant a long time ago, I tend to eat this quite often. It's a pretty fast recipe, with a spicy and somewhat sweet result.
- cooking oil
- 1 large eggplant, diced
- 1 medium-sized onion, chopped
- 1 medium/small red bell pepper
- 1 medium/small green bell pepper
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1 ground nutmeg
- 1 spoon of cumin
- 1 spoon of ginger
- ground red pepper
- 1 basil leave
- soy sauce
- 2 spoons of brown sugar
- 1 minced garlic clove
- 1 spoon of ground black pepper
Heat some cooking oil in a wok. Note that the eggplant absorbs a lot of it, so use plenty to avoid it sticking/burning/drying out. Add a couple of spoonfulls of ground red pepper and stir plenty. Once the oil is heated up, add the eggplant, and let it cook for 2-3 minutes.
After those 2-3 minutes, add the onions, bell peppers, nutmeg, garlic, and cinnamon.
Let that cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Finally, add the remaining ingredients, and cook for a few last minutes.


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Xerochrysum 'Diamond Head' – Everlasting Daisy
Diamond Head has proven itself over many years to be a great garden performer. A low growing soft-wooded perennial with small dark green leaves and yellow everlasting flowers, it has a naturally good growth habit. Makes a great rockery, border and pot plant. Good heat tolerant plant, performs best in full sun but will tolerate light shade. Dry soil conditions will reduce the flowering. Fertilise lightly through the warm months. To preserve the flowers, pick before they open and hang upside down to dry.
|Scientific Name:
|Common Name:
|Everlasting Daisy
|Other Common Names:
|Paper daisy
|Plant Type:
|Ground cover
|0.2 ~ 0.3 metres
|0.5 metres
|Flower Colour:
|Flowering Time:
|Spring, Summer, Autumn
|Ph Level:
|Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
|Soil Type:
|Loamy, Sandy loam, Clay loam, Potting mix
|Plant Environment:
|Low maintenance garden, Courtyard, Poolside, Container growing, Cottage garden, Flower garden, Coastal garden, Drought resistant
|Climate Zone:
|Warm temperate, Cool temperate, Mediterranean, Cool
|Sunny, Light shade
|Growth Habit:
|Evergreen, Mound-shaped
|Perennial, Short lived
|Soil Moisture:
|Frost Tolerance:
|Tolerates light frost
|Plant Usage:
|Groundcover, Feature plant, Border plant
|Special Uses:
|Cut flower, Fast growing, Playground friendly
|Attracts Wildlife:
|Bees, Butterflies, Other insects


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I'm trying to figure out a solution to manage our transaction emails (such as the welcome email, you've got a bid, etc...)
We would like to be able to allow marketing to manage the content of the emails, and create split tests to test content / subject lines / etc...
Ideally we could invent our own success metrics to report back to the email management system (such as user completed registration, accepted bid, etc...).
Right now we have our emails in templates using stringtemplate. The code replaces tokens with the correct content for that email.
Strongmail is a potential solution, but it is pricey - anybody have experience with alternatives?


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Travis had an opportunity to perform at Ignite Fest this past Saturday. Oh, let me fill you in with some background information, in case you didn't know. On top of being Superman, Travis is also a Christian Hip Hop Artist, ministering to the youth through his music. He's able to create music that glorifies God...how cool is that? One of my favorite songs that he performed at Ignite Fest is called "World Peace". Verse 1: Thinking about the world ways 12 when the plane hit the world trade Thinking about the homies out in Chi-town Why all the brothers getting shot down Oh Lord, ask your homie can you put the Glock down Instead of walking around the world with your hat ... read more
Giving Thanks
I had all intentions of writing about our Labor Day getaway, but you see...I was busy raising. My babies don't feel good and I have been a horrible mess because of it. We spent our Labor Day weekend at the beach and I didn't notice that Hendrix had a fever until late Saturday night. I gave him Tylenol and when he awoke on Sunday, he was acting normal so I didn't think anything about it. When we got home from the beach on Monday, I noticed that Hendrix wasn't really acting like himself. For starters, we went to visit my dad and Hendrix wasn't playing at all. That is when I knew something was wrong because he absolutely loves hanging out with his grand daddy. He was also napping a lot and that ... read more
Case of the Tuesdays?
Tuesday is my least favorite day of the week. I am always just so tired when I wake up because I haven't fully recovered from the night before (who am I kidding? I haven't fully recovered since I've had kids, HA)! Anyway, I'm just always tired and Tuesdays contribute even more to my sleepiness. My question is, why does Tuesday have to be a day? Why can't we go from Monday to Wednesday and just skip Tuesday? There are three reasons why I dislike Tuesdays so much. I am tired. I am tired. I am tired. Each night, I tell myself that I am going to go to bed earlier, but I never do. Jovi fell asleep around 830 last night and Hendrix fell asleep around 930. Afterwards, Travis and I ... read more
Black Breastfeeding Week
Yesterday marked the start of Black Breastfeeding Week (August 25-August 31). This particular celebratory week was established in 2014 by Kimberly Seals Allers, Kiddada Green, and Anayah Sangodele-Ayoka. All three of these women worked in the maternal child health field and primarily focused on families of color. Although World Breastfeeding Month kicks off on August 1st of each year, Black Breastfeeding Week puts a little more emphasis as to why it's important to educate and bring awareness to black families when it comes to the importance of breastfeeding. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), between 2011-2015, the percentage of black women who breastfed ... read more
Be Still
About a month or so before Jovi was born, Travis got me a Bible geared specifically towards women (you can get your copy here). I remember being so excited to read that particular Bible that I would set aside at least an hour or so before bedtime to read a few chapters and meditate on the Word. It wasn't too hard to carve out time for myself because we only had Hendrix at the time and it was fairly easy getting him to sleep. The day we had Jovi, I remember telling Travis to make sure to pack my Bible because I wanted to read it while in labor. Although he did pack my Bible, I was definitely not able to read during labor because Jovi was born a mere 28 minutes after checking into the ... read more


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Samsung Galaxy S7 (USA) is a great smartphone this year. Samsung Galaxy S7 (USA) full review and show all the new features, Samsung Galaxy S7 (USA) features, and specifications. The Samsung brand company's mobile is very popular and adds new features to each of its phones. Samsung Galaxy S7 (USA) is different from Ananya phones, except for Samsung, all the mobile is different.
Samsung Galaxy S7 (USA) is the very nice phone. Samsung is the best brand one in the top smartphone market all over the world. Samsung this year new mobile phone release in the market phone name is Samsung Galaxy S7 (USA). This mobile is very nice to see. This phone screen size 5.7 inches – display resolutions 1440 x 2560 pixels, 16:9 ratio ~515 ppi density full HD PPI type Super AMOLED Capacitive touchscreen with Corning Gorilla Glass (unspecified version) protection.
Samsung Galaxy S7 (USA) phone colors available in market Black Onyx, Silver Titanium, Gold Platinum. Samsung Galaxy S7 (USA) phone back camera resolution 12 megapixel and front camera 5 megapixels full HD video recording, soft-toned selfie-light also good performers. This mobile ROM 32 GB RAM 4 GB. Because of this, the mobile price is a little low and more.
Samsung Galaxy S7 (USA) phone first-time release March 2016. This phone battery backup was too good for the user, battery capacity 3000mAh. CPU Octa-core (4×2.1 GHz Cortex-A57 & 4×1.5 GHz Cortex-A53) Smooth gaming experience. Game faster and more efficiently with system-level optimizations.
Samsung Galaxy S7 (USA) full review all information.
|Info Names
|Network Scope
|Body & Weight
|142.4 x 69.6 x 7.9 millimeter, 152 g (5.36 oz), Front/back glass, aluminum frame
|Display Size & Resolution
|5.1 inches, 71.7 cm2 (~72.3% screen-to-body ratio), 1440 x 2560 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~576 ppi density)
|Display Type
|Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
|Corning Gorilla Glass 4
|SIM Card Type
|Colors Available
|Black Onyx, Silver Titanium, Gold Platinum
|Camera Resolution (Back)
|12 MP, f/1.7, 26mm, 1/2.5″, 1.4µm, OIS, dual pixel PDAF
|Camera Factors (Back)
|Autofocus, LED flash, geo-tagging, touch focus, face/smile detection, HDR
|Camera Resolution (Front)
|5 MP, f/1.7, 22mm, 1/4.1″, 1.34µm
|Video Recording
|2160p@30fps, 1080p@60fps, 720p@240fps, HDR, dual-video rec.
|Operating System
|Android 6.0 (Marshmallow), upgradable to Android 8.0 (Oreo)
|Quad-core (2×2.15 GHz Kryo & 2×1.6 GHz Kryo)
|Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 820
|Graphics Processing Unite (GPU)
|Adreno 530
|Memory Card Slot
|microSD, up to 512 GB (dedicated slot)
|Fingerprint (front-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2
|Battery Type & Performance
|Non-removable Li-Ion 3000 mAh battery
|Wireless LAN
|Yes, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot
|Vibration; MP3, WAV ringtones
|Other Features
|– Bluetooth, GPS, A-GPS, MP3, MP4, Radio, GPRS, Edge, Loudspeaker, Multitouch, Web Browser HTML5 – Photo/video editor
|micro USB 2.0, USB Host
|Special Features
|– Fast battery charging 5V/2A
|Release Date
|March 2016
|About 370 EUR
image by gsmarena


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Shades & Blinds
Indoor Shades & Blinds are window treatments placed on, in, around or over a window. The goal of a window treatment is to enhance the aesthetics of the window and the room.
The indoor Shades we offer include Array Shades, Honeycomb Shades, Roman Shades, Roller Shades, Sheer Shades and Skylight Shades.
The indoor Blinds we offer include Aluminum Blinds, Faux Blinds and Vertical Blinds.
To learn more about our Shades & Blinds select one of the links below:
Shades & Blinds Galleries


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A watertight rule of changing the tax system is to ensure there are no losers — or at least not half a million vocal ones. Jean-Baptiste Colbert, Louis XIV's finance minister, compared tax collection to plucking a goose to obtain most feathers...Read more
Serco's badge of honour unpicked by risk of government stitch-ups
When running the gauntlet of investors and protesters at an annual meeting — after three profit warnings and a government contract scandal — not many bosses would turn up in a jacket emblazoned with their company's name. Fewer still would have...Read more
Investment: The 21st century governance vacuum
"Shareholders are stupid and impertinent — stupid because they give their money to somebody else without any effective control over what this person is doing with it, and impertinent because they ask for a dividend as a reward for their...Read more
Will new HMRC reporting rules mean I have pay my accountant more?
I understand that HMRC is to introduce a new quarterly reporting requirement for personal income tax assessment. I receive a small state pension of about £1,500 a year and rent of around £13,000 a year (before expenses) from letting a flat. Will...Read more
European stocks soft as Wall St returns to the fray
Tuesday 08:00 GMT Overview European stocks are easing back after a mixed Asia session as Wall Street looks to re-enter the fray at record levels. The dollar is stronger and Treasury yields are moving up as expectations build of tighter US...Read more
Who wrote the chat-up lines in Kraft's clumsy courtship?
Would you go on a date with someone from Lazard? Fear not, this is not some new kind of new FT reader service (mind you . . . actually, no). But it is a question raised by events at the weekend — which appear to suggest that certain investment...Read more
Pearson slips as investors show pre-results nerves
Pre-results jitters put Pearson among Monday's sharpest fallers. Ahead of its full-year figures due Friday, Pearson faded 3.9 per cent to 642.5p. Since a profit warning in late January, the textbook publisher had rallied as much as 17 per cent...Read more
UK government resists calls to expand pensions regulator's powers
The UK government has resisted calls to force companies to obtain clearance from the pensions regulator before doing corporate deals, as it unveiled proposals to sustain the £1.5tn final salary pensions sector. In a green paper published on...Read more
European stocks start week on the front foot
Monday 08:35 GMT Overview Stock markets In Europe are starting the week on the front foot after a generally positive Asia session following Wall Street's climb to another record. Trading is a tad subdued, however, with mild action in forex...Read more
Stocks start week on the front foot
Stock markets in Europe are starting the week on the front foot after a generally positive Asia session following Wall Street's climb to another record. Trading is a tad subdued, however, with mild action in forex delivering a slightly softer...Read more
Millions of expats caught in Brexit no man's land
When Greenland left the European Community in the 1980s, the legacy rights of expatriate citizens were guaranteed with a legal act of extraordinary simplicity: the operative article runs to just 85 words. The fate of 4m EU and British expatriates...Read more
Employers could be allowed flexibility on final salary pensions
UK businesses in financial difficulty would be allowed to water down the pension promises made to millions of workers, under proposals to be unveiled by the government on Monday. A pensions green paper, to be put out for consultation, will float...Read more


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Once again to my love of printing on unusual surfaces. I haven't filled in a lot of my background on that, it's coming, but I want to jump ahead a bit to something new on the market. Golden Paints, a wonderful company, has just come out with their Digital Grounds line of products, three different substances that, when applied to surfaces, make them receptive to inkjet printing. There's so much information on their website, I won't repeat it all here, just the basics and then my experience. I know that there's a similar product that has been on the market for quite awhile, inkAID. I never tried inkAID although I have read a lot of great things about it.
The three Digital Grounds products they're offering are white matte for porous surfaces, clear gloss, and gloss for non-porous surfaces. I first tried the white matte. I had some lutradur (a non-woven polyester material) that I had tried printing on directly last year. The results with direct printing (no surface preparation) were so-so, the images were not sharp and the colors were muted. That's okay if you want that effect, but I was after images that looked more like what I could get on injket paper. Well, I sure got that with the matte digital ground.
I got a small bottle to try out. You tap the bottle on a surface to free a mixing ball inside, then rock it back and forth for a minute. Apply the ground with a foam brush. I cut the lutradur and taped it to some newspaper, then brushed in one direction. I had a fan blowing away the fumes. It doesn't smell too bad but it's not good to inhale, so work with good ventilation. I also used gloves to protect my hands. It took quite a few applications to cover the lutradur. I then taped it up and directed a fan to dry it. After drying (maybe half an hour with the fan), I taped it back to the newspaper and brushed on another layer in the opposite direction. You can wash the brush out with soap and water.
I let it totally dry over night and printed it the next day. I nearly always use the setting for enhanced matte on my Epson 2400, so I tried that setting with the coated lutradur. I'm printing with the black matte ink these days and have no idea how the glossy black would work. The lutradur went into the printer beautifully. I didn't need to even tape the leading edge, but that's always an option when you're having trouble getting something to feed into the printer. I used the normal paper feed, there was no problem at all with the lutradur getting around the curve — the digital ground was completely flexible.
I thought the results were just beautiful. I know I'm repeating myself, but the sharpness and saturation were like what I get from good inkjet paper. There were some tiny random holes where the digital ground hadn't adhered, but that's just part of printing on something that's not paper or a solid surface, it's part of the effect that I wanted.
This is my photograph of a swallowtail butterfly printed on lutradur.
I wasn't sure how to finish it, so I decided to just hang it from a dried branch of a curly willow tree from our garden. I attached it to the branch with baling wire that I curled in random patterns. I also attached some curled baling wire to 3 holes in the bottom of the print. Not sure if I mentioned before, but one of the qualities I love about lutradur is that you can cut it but it won't rip or tear, so whereas with fabric you'd have to reinforce the holes, with lutradur you can poke or cut a hole and know that it won't rip through.
By the way, if you're interested in butterflies, this is an anise swallowtail butterfly that we hatched. We gather the eggs (the size of a large pinhead) from fennel plants in our garden or around town, keep them in a small bottle until they hatch into tiny caterpillars, then transfer them to a larger bottle where we feed them the fennel or yampah (sp?) if we can find it – that's their native food source but it's hard to find these days around here. They change into the chrysalis, and we keep them until they emerge, at which point we release them after a few hours.
If you want to learn how to print on lutradur using inkAID or Digital Grounds, I have an online class on craftedu. There's a free preview at the beginning, check it out!


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My alternative title for this blog was something along the lines of "why promoting domestic consumption of New Zealand wine will be vital for price recovery and why industry politics will ensure it doesn't happen" ………. very catchy (not) and hence the Tui rip-off.
The big unanswered question for the wine industry is whether domestic consumers will follow NZ wines back up the price chain when the wine supply/demand equation comes back in to balance.
The imported wines that used to populate the sub $10 market before NZ wine migrated downwards are still waiting in the wings so it will not be any general shortage of cheap wine that provides the answer to future consumer behaviour in respect of NZ wine. Nor, despite the general industry view that the quality of the discounted NZ wines was so much better than the imported wines they displaced, will that automatically ensure that consumers share that view or even care, in the face of price rises.
Given that the recession and over-supply occurred simultaneously it has been impossible to accurately assess how much of the discounting has been supply driven and how much has been due to recessionary pressures on consumer spending. However, it is reasonable to state that the more that recessionary factors are the cause, then even with resolution of over-supply issues, price increases for NZ wine in the domestic market will not be possible without a major turnaround in consumer confidence.
Based on those realities I think it would be very unwise to assume that domestic consumers will simply accept paying more for NZ wine if it is more expensive than they have been accustomed to paying over the last two years. My view is that wineries and the industry as a whole will have to re-establish the consumer proposition that under-pinned pre-discounting prices for NZ wine, if we are to return to those price points.
At the right time, wouldn't it be a good idea for NZ Winegrowers to co-ordinate and fund a campaign to reignite New Zealanders passion for the quality (as opposed to the cheap price) of our wines? Given that NZ remains the largest market for NZ wine, and the only market for a large number of small wineries, it should be a straightforward decision to make, shouldn't it? Not a chance, or at least not while representation on the board of NZ Winegrowers is guaranteed to be dominated by the interests of the large wine companies.
The last time the question of domestic promotion of NZ Wine arose, around 1995 as I recall, a Buy NZ Wine campaign was proposed. The proposal was promptly squashed and replaced with the sop of an expensive and glorified trade show in Auckland. It was never stated but the inference was that the large companies vetoed the original proposal as it would involve some of their levy contributions funding competition with their own commercial advertising and interests.
So, although promotion of NZ wine in the domestic market may be an important step in re-establishing sustainable prices for our wines, there's not a snowball's chance in hell that NZ Winegrowers will fund or coordinate it if the large companies put their own commercial interests ahead of the team we are all supposedly part of. If I'm proven wrong any time in the next two years I will send an apologetic bottle of wine to the CEO of each of the category 3 (large) wine companies. I will not be holding my breath.
This all makes sense and yes, we are all hoping that the NZ wine consumer will remain loyal and move with the prices as they (hopefully) increase. The trick is perhaps to work out how to get them drinking the REAL wines again and move away from all the 2nd, 3rd 4th labels that were churned out. Connection to the brand has never been more important, be it the wine brand or brand New Zealand. And when it is brand New Zealand then NZWG should be involved. I have had many a discussion with them re not being complacent about the domestic market (though some years ago) as it is vital we have a strong foundation here from which to spring into the global markets. Every NZer is a promotional vehicle for our wines – we need to talk to them/communicate with them and remind them of the authentic, excellent wines they used to buy before we as producers and they as consumers, compromised themselves and lowered the bar. Here's to kiwis drinking great kiwi wine and telling the world!
We can't change the past but we can still change the future – OK the Sauvinon glut was a stuff up and we won't do that again – who could have forseen a global recession (a few greedy capatalists in a big country overseas!) but re Belinda's comment "Every NZer is a promotional vehicle for our wines" Well – that's how I feel and my long time passion for NZ wine has spilled over into my business – the media and international marketing has for too long focussed on Marlborough Savvy and you and I and many others know that Savvy is not the only variety made in NZ that can compete on the world stage – I've been to dozens of tastings this year and tasted 100's of NZ wines that would stand on their own Internationally, if only they were marketed and promoted effectively. I have tasted Syrah from Hawkes bay that presented in a blind tasting in France, 4 out of the top six were NZ wines – not French. Rieslings that were as good as if not better than those from Germany. Bordeaux Bends from Waiheke that are world beaters, stunning Chardonnays that would beat the best Chablis – Pinot Noir from Otago and Martinborough and Marlborough and Waipara that should stun the world's Burgundy lovers… So what's wrong? Tiny wine country competing in a global market – The NZ wine industry stated in 1830, fizzled out with prohibition and lack of Govt interest and didn't really kick off until the 70's / 80's so we are still in our infancy -BUT we are now in the 21st century, we are not constrained by the likes of appellation controlee, we have the technology to communicate instantly – lets use that – Social media. I spent the last few hours at the Great Wine Capitals Conference here in ChCh – tatsted MORE fab NZ wines and some from the 9 other GWCWGN wine regions. We in NZ have what it takes and we can take on the world – we just have to shout louder – HERE WE ARE WORLD – COME AND TASTE!!! I'm doing my bit with The New Zealand Wine Directory – Linking Wine Lovers around the world to New Zealand's Wine Online… Cheers and Good night – John (JB) at http://nzwinedirectory.co.nz
Well that's my rant for the day – cheers to you all
Thanks. You've been added to our list.
Nga Waka, 41 New York Street West, Martinborough | PO Box 128, Kitchener Street, Martinborough.
Phone/Fax 0064 6 306 9832 | Email: firstname.lastname@example.com | google map


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Bayern Munich held off a late charge from defending DFB Pokal champions Borussia Dortmund to win 2-1 and advance to the quarterfinals of the competition.
Bayern had three golden opportunities before the 10-minute mark go begging as Arturo Vidal rattled the crossbar with a header, James Rodriguez fired over goal from close range and Robert Lewandowski somehow missed from point-blank range after being played in behind the Dortmund defence.
And the deserved opener came for the hosts in the 12th minute when Jerome Boateng headed past Roman Burki in the Dortmund goal after Niklas Sule had smashed another header off the crossbar.
Andriy Yarmolenko should have had Dortmund on level terms before the break when a Christian Pulisic cross found him wide open on the right side of the area, but David Alaba was on the line to deny his curled shot from close range.
A neat one-two between Lewandowski and Thomas Muller sprang the German international in the Dortmund area and he chipped Burki from a tight angle to send Bayern into the dressing room leading 2-0.
Muller should have had Bayern 3-0 up in the 65th minute after Kingsley Coman played him into the area, but Burki got a fingertip on his shot and diverted it wide of the post.
With Bayern clinging to a two-goal lead, Yarmolenko made amends for his earlier miss, heading a Shinji Kagawa cross past Sven Ulreich at the near post to set up a tense final 15 minutes.
Peter Stoger's side threw numbers forward looking for the equaliser, but it never came and Bayern Munich will now be Pokal favourites among the remaining eight teams.


text: I made a savoury version of these deep-fried choux pastry doughnuts a while ago (recipe here) but this time I felt like going down the sweet route. I always have jars of dried cherries, some macerating in Amaretto and some in other liqueurs, and there is always chocolate to be found around the kitchen(!!), so a chocolate-cherry version was called for. Continue reading "Chouxnuts 2: chocolate & cherry flavour"


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Have you ever wondered how much angel blood runs through your veins? We sure have. In fact, we think about it daily. After all, if Jace Wayland taught us anything it's that ALL the legends are true.
So obviously, we all have a little angel blood in us like our fave Shadowhunters.
Right, Jace?!
Thanks, pal!
Well, gather round, Cassie Clare fans because we have a brand new quiz that will give you the answer you've been looking for.
To celebrate the release of her brand new book 'Lord Of Shadows', we're going to tell you exactly how much angel blood you have in your body.
'Lord Of Shadows' is the second book in Cassie's 'The Dark Artifices' trilogy and if you haven't given it a read yet, Maximum Pop! have exclusively posted the first THREE chapters for you HERE.
Don't say we doing spoil you.
How well do you know 'The Mortal Instruments'? Is this a book quote or a 'Shadowhunters' TV show quote?
MP! Exclusive: READ the first THREE chapters of Cassandra Clare's new novel 'Lord Of Shadows' HERE!
Anyway, back to angel blood.
Well, Emma Carstairs is one of our favourite Shadowhunters so tbh, we're hoping we have just as much angel blood as she does.
We wouldn't complain if we had a teeny, tiny, little bit more like the majestic Jace does, either.
Are you ready, Shadowhunters? Let's do this!
Let us know what % angel blood you have in the comments below.


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This is your resource to memory care in Laguna Beach, CA. Memory care facilities provide housing and care for seniors with Alzheimer's disease and other kinds of dementia. Memory care enables seniors who have memory loss to stay as active and engaged as possible, while living in a dignified, safe and secure setting. Our local Senior Living Advisors understand dementia care in Laguna Beach, CA and nearby cities. After an initial assessment, your advisor will send you a list of memory care providers that fit your loved one's essential priorities for care and living preferences, as well as your family's finances.
Cities near Laguna Beach, CA offering memory care optionsAliso Viejo | Laguna Hills | Newport Coast | Laguna Niguel | Irvine | El Toro | Ladera Ranch | Mission Viejo | Lake Forest | Corona del Mar | San Juan Capistrano
Memory Care Costs in Nearby Cities* The costs above represent the AVERAGE monthly cost of memory care for a one person bedroom in that city.
Facts about Laguna Beach
The official website for the city of Laguna Beach is http://www.lagunabeachcity.net.
Laguna Beach is a seaside resort city located in southern Orange County, California, in the United States. It is known for a mild year-round climate, scenic coves, and an artist community. The population in the 2010 census was 22,723.Historically a territory of paleoindians, the Tongva people and then Mexico, the location became part of the United States following the Mexican-American War. Laguna Beach was settled in the 1870s, officially founded in 1887 and, in 1927 its current government was incorporated as a city. In 1944, the city adopted a council-manager form for its government. The city has remained relatively isolated from urban encroachment by its surrounding hills, limited highway access, and a dedicated greenbelt. The Laguna Beach coastline is protected by 5.88 miles (9.46 km) of state marine reserve and an additional 1.21 miles (1.95 km) of state conservation area.Tourism is the primary industry with an estimated three million people visiting the community annually. Annual large events include the Pageant of the Masters, Festival of the Arts, Sawdust Art Festival, Art-A-Fair, Bluewater Music Festival, and Kelpfest.


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Escape Hybrid
Ford hybrid gets Fringe treatment on TV this fall
While KITT gets the headline from Ford in its announcement of FoMoCo vehicles appearing in fall TV shows, the green-minded among us can find a mention of a hybrid powerplant on the set of Fringe a few paragraphs down - after talk of KITT (it turns into a F-150!) and Desperate Housewifes. Fringe is the latest show from J. J. Abrams (<
Ford picks Johnson Controls-Saft to supply batteries for PHEV Escapes
When Ford handed over the keys to a plug-in Escape hybrid to Southern California Edison last December, one of many secrets the companies kept to themselves was which battery maker was responsible for the lithium-ion batteries fulfilling the
LA County ocean lifeguards find themselves in Ford Escape Hybrids
Ford is providing Los Angeles County Ocean Lifeguards with 45 customized Escape Hybrids. The Escapes will be used to patrol 72 miles of Southern California coastline. According to Mike Frazer, chief of Lifeguard Services for the Los Angeles County Fire Department, "We wanted to be the first public safety agency in the country to go green." The Escape Hybrid qualifies for California's PZEV standard. The lifeguards are switching from pick-up trucks to the hybrid SUV after they verified its perform
Ford gives American Idol finalists Escape Hybrids
Click the 2009 Escape Hybrid for a high res gallery
Why is Ford only building 25,000 hybrid Escapes and Mariners this year
Click the 2009 Escape Hybrid for a high res gallery
DC Auto Show: Ford refines the Escape/Mariner hybrids
Just in time to better compete with the upcoming Saturn Vue Two-Mode hybrid, Ford is rolling out a series of updates to the Escape and Mariner (and likely the badge engineered Mazda Tribute) hybrids. The big news is an updated 2.5L four cylinder engine that supplants the existing 2.3L unit. The revised engine includes variable cam timing on the intake camshaft, the first such application on the Ford hybrids
EVS23: Ford hands over the plug-in Escape hybrid to SCE
Representatives from Ford and Southern California Edison were obviously quite excited about a big event on Monday at EVS23, where Ford's Sue Cischke (second from left), senior vice president, Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering and Nancy Gioia (right), director, Sustainable Mobility, drove up in a plug-in Ford Escape hybrid right to the doors of the Anaheim Convention Center. There, two representatives from SCE (whose names I misp
Ford delivers first plug-in hybrid to California South Edison
Ford announced that a Ford Escape plug-in hybrid, able to reach 120 mpg (yes, that's what they say) has already been delivered to utility company California South Edison as "part of unique partnership to advance commercialization of PHEVs." It's the first of a series of 20 vehicles which will conduct a long-term road test.
Ford Escape hybrids at the red carpet
Did you think that only BMW was going to show its green vehicle technologies via the entertainment industry? Not likely. Now it's time for Ford, which has a bunch of Escape Hybrids that are going to be the official transportation for the Screen Actors Guild's (SAG) Award of Excellence Star on Hollywood Boulevard. The event is celebrating its 75th edition
Ford thinks presidential candidates are just swell in new Escape hybrid ad
Knowing a good opportunity when it smells one, Ford has launched a new advertising campaign for the Ford Escape hybrid. The print ad highlights the fact that many of the current crop of presidential candidates are tooling around America in Escape hybrids (when they're not flying, of course), and so Ford is calling the SUV "The Candidate's Choice." The ad is limited to Capital Hill publications (CongressDaily AM, CQ Today, Roll Call, The Hill and Politico), but you can see it by clicking the "cam


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Police Report
November 30, 2017
Nov. 22 — Suspicious activity was reported on Lumber St.
A deer was hit by a vehicle and injured at Haugen and 7th St.
A subpoena was served at the Police Dept.
Suspicious activity was reported at Lumber and S. Nordic.
A traffic stop was made at 4th St. and Fram.
A hit and run was reported in the vicinity of St. Andrew's Church.
A disturbance was reported at a 2nd St. location.
Nov. 23 — An impaired driver was reported at Lumber St. and S. Nordic.
A disturbance was reported at a S. Third St. location.
Nov. 24 — A parking complaint was reported in the vicinity of The Trading Union....
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My Saturday Skincare Routine + DIY Sugar and Lime Scrub
Yaaayyyyy, it's Saturday, it's a day to sleep in, wake up and then pamper yourself. For many of us in these parts, it's wash day and skin treatment day while for the rest of us, it's a day for house chores.
This morning we are going to pamper our skin; I'm going to share some tips on how to treat your face. And there is also a DIY video on how to make your sugar and lime scrub within 5 minutes.
So, first, I wash my face with Wura Naturals' Black Smoothie Soap, then I pat dry with a soft towel. Most times I prefer to let the water dry off itself but if for some reason I'm impatient, I PAT dry with a SOFT towel.
Secondly, I steam my face, steaming helps open up your pores and it removes oil clots, for effective results you can add a bag of green tea into your hot water. (Make sure you rinse your face with cold water afterwards to close back the pores.
Thirdly, I exfoliate gently with sugar and lime scrub.
Sugar makes your skin softer and it also draws moisture from the environment and locks them on your skin. While l whether taken orally or applied topically, benefits your skin in several ways, people with oily skin who suffering from acne, pimples, and blemishes can use lime to get rid of them and it is also good for reducing skin pores.
While exfoliating please rub gently on your skin because sugar can cause skin tears and that would be bad.
Number four, after exfoliating for two minutes, then we rinse off and apply apple cider vinegar on the skin as a moisturizer. ACV sound be mixed with water to it doesn't burn your skin, mix a teaspoon of acv with a teaspoon of water for balance and dab with a cotton pad.
That's it you have your skin pampering. This routine, if done regularly will take care of acne, large pores, skin pigmentation and it will help brighten up your skin.
Now for the DIY Sugar and Lime Scrub
1. 2 teaspoon of sugar, white or brown (usually I use brown because it's softer on the skin but, I ran out to in this video I used white.)
2. 1 teaspoon of lime juice
3. 1 teaspoon of Olive Oil (this is to help reduce the harsh effects of lime on the skin)
Mix everything together in whatever order you like. But, if you like ceremony, you can watch my short amateur video on instagram @thisblackwoman


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Photos & Memories
The Society turns 40
The Hawkes Bay Multiple Sclerosis Society turned 40 in 2016. We celebrated with lunch at the Napier RSA. A lot of members attended as well as the Board, past committee members and their families.
National Aquarium of NZ Visit 2015
We had a fantastic trip to the National Aquarium of New Zealand yesterday. Thanks to the Higgins Bequest Trust for granting us the funds for the excursion. The staff at the Aquarium were amazing. Brenda Gunn, the café manager was absolutely superb and went above and beyond to cater for us and to basically spoil …


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Dogs are playful creatures. However, sometimes they don't feel their best. There are signs that can help you tell if your dog isn't feeling his best and what you can do to help him.
How to Tell if Your Dog is Healthy
There are many signs that you can look for when wanting to make sure Max is in tip-top shape.
- His coat is shiny.
Healthy dogs will shed and have a lot of natural oils. This will keep their coat shiny and hydrated.
- His wastes are normal.
If your dog's stool looks normal and doesn't contain blood, mucus, or worms, that's a good indication that he's healthy. His urine should also be a healthy light yellow. If his urine is dark, he may be dehydrated, which could be a sign of deeper health issues.
- Rover wants to play.
Dogs are man's best friend, and best friends rarely want to be apart. If your dog begins showing disinterest or becomes reclusive and withdrawn, that's a sign that he might not be feeling too well. On the other hand, if Max is his usual chipper self, you can rest assured that he's probably okay and is looking forward to a game of fetch after dinner.
What to do when Your Dog is Sick
Taking your dog to a caring veterinarian is instrumental in his health recovery. If you have a few days before he is to visit the vet, however, there are a few home remedies you can do to help care for him until it becomes time for his vet visit.
- Give him fluids.
If your dog is suffering from vomiting or diarrhea, those fluids need to be replaced. Give your dog flavorless liquids to replace the lost electrolytes. Pediatric or sports drinks work just fine, and although it isn't yet time for his vet visit, you should still be able to call up your vet and ask what the appropriate dosage for these fluids should be.
- Yogurt
Dogs and puppies sometimes get yeast infections. Give them some plain yogurt as a snack or dessert to help balance the bacteria inside of your pooch.
- Tea
Chamomile tea can be sprayed onto your dog for minor skin irritations. If your dog's eyes are a little irritated, you can also place a warm tea bag on them to soothe them.
There are telltale signs that will help you know if Rover isn't feeling well. Knowing the signs of illnesses can help you get your dog well sooner. From yogurt to fluids, there are many things you can do to relieve his afflictions.