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End-to-End Microservice Tests with Cucumber
Table of Contents
If you work with Microservices, you surely faced the situation in which some of your system processes only make sense after the information flows through several microservices. For instance, if you're implementing an Event-Driven architecture, you should verify your Business Processes end-to-end, including the complete event chain that spans across services. There are several frameworks you can use for that but, for its simplicity and perfect matching with Business requirements, Cucumber is a great option. Let's get into the process of writing end-to-end scenarios using Cucumber.
NOTE: this post doesn't cover the use of Dependency Injection with Cucumber in Spring Boot. However, I've posted another article with a code sample to explain how to achieve that: Cucumber Tests in Spring Boot with Dependency Injection
What is Cucumber?
Cucumber is a framework intended for Behavior-Driven-Development (BDD) that supports many different programming languages. BDD is an approach that defends writing first the requirements in human language (Behavior) and, only then, developing the code making it cover the described behaviors. To accomplish this, Cucumber created Gherkin, a DSL that the framework can interpret.
Gherkin builds a powerful bridge between Business Users -using this language to describe the requirements- and Developers -implementing the code behind every sentence of that human-understandable language. Let's see an example of a Gherkin test definition:
How does it work?
The idea is that we organize our features into multiple
.feature files (like the one above). In each of them, we include the description of the feature at the top of the file. Cucumber ignores the description, it's just part of the documentation. Then, every feature has multiple scenarios, which technically are your different test case definitions. Finally, each scenario is defined by multiple steps, using the BDD keywords: Given, When, Then (plus And and But).
Each scenario (or test case definition) runs within its own context. This concept is very important to understand to implement our tests correctly. We can share the state between steps of the same scenario, but not across scenarios. For instance, we can save values returned by some steps and use them later to verify the whole flow, but we can't use those values within a different scenario.
The steps can be parameterized using arguments. We can reuse the same step definition in multiple scenarios with different values, or we can also pass a data table to the same scenario. If we pass a data table, each row is called example.
Mapping Scenarios to Code
Let's use this step to understand how arguments work:
Gherkin itself does not have any tagging to specify which words are arguments. We define that at the code level. In this case, we'd like to pass to our step the user alias, the number of attempts and if they are right or wrong. Let's have a look at how this step needs to be implemented in Java to support our arguments:
We'll have a look at the coding details in the following section. For now, you see that we only need to annotate our step method and use some regular expressions. Two word-expressions and a numeric one will do the trick in this particular case.
Combining Cucumber with other tools
Now that we know how to link the Features to Java code, how do we continue? Keep in mind that Cucumber is not giving you a full testing framework for Java, it's just the link between your test definitions and code. To make our scenarios work, we should include in our project some other useful tools. In our case, we'll introduce:
- JUnit: since it's giving us the core testing support for Java.
- AssertJ: I prefer its way of asserting results, but you could also use the JUnit style.
- Apache Fluent HttpClient: because we want to keep it lightweight and at the same time have a straightforward way to perform requests to our microservices.
- Jackson 2: we want to (de)serialize JSON requests/responses.
Note that, even though we'll use Spring Boot for our microservices, we don't need to use it for our test system.
Coding the solution with Java and Cucumber
It's time to get into the code. I'll use an existing microservices application, the one included in my book's Learn Microservices with Spring Boot repository. If you're wondering how the application works you can benefit from Cucumber and read the feature included above (cool!).
The best way for you to get a good understanding is to clone or download that repository and experiment with it (don't forget to give it a star!).
Project Structure
So, let's assume you have the microservices application up and running. We want to check the different cases in which the user posts HTTP requests to one of the services (via UI and the gateway). Then, that service triggers an event. Finally, a different microservice will consume it and perform some extra operations. This is a typical End-to-End microservice test suite, exercising an Event-Driven architecture.
The E2E project is structured as shown in the picture:
- Our JSON expected responses are modeled as simple beans (
User, etc.)
- The main bridge with the application is the
MultiplicationApplicationclass. We use it to make our requests, etc., from the functional perspective (e.g. send an attempt instead of send HTTP POST).
- The technical implementation to contact with our app is developed in
ApplicationHttpUtils, which uses Apache Fluent HTTP.
Then we have the main classes modeling our tests (we have two features thus two tests):
LeaderboardFeatureTest and
MultiplicationFeatureTest. They are just entry points for the Cucumber runner to find the right
.feature file, which are placed in the
resources folder. We use two annotations here:
@RunWith to use the Cucumber runner, and
@CucumberOptions to specify the feature we want to execute and the reporting capabilities. We want to generate a JUnit-compatible report.
Step Implementation
Having understood all this, the only piece we miss is the implementation of the steps. We can complete the full story now and check how the steps trigger the Java methods within a fresh context per scenario, and how assertions make their part.
For the curious ones, two notes:
- Did you notice the thread pausing at some point of our test? It's there because our system is Eventually Consistent. The second microservice needs some time to consume the event and complete the operation. The
sleep()methods are there just to illustrate the eventual consistency so make sure you don't use those waits in a production-code test. They will make your test flaky (e.g. if you have a congested RabbitMQ server). Instead, you should implement a retry mechanism and a longer timeout.
- If you have a look at the
LeaderboardFeatureTest, you'll see how Cucumber steps can be reused across features using the
cucumber-picocontainerdependency. It's pretty straightforward to understand: one of the beans in the (pico)context is injected in the other one.
Note that this approach tests the microservices from an external project that is not using Spring Boot. If you want to see an example of how to use Cucumber inside a Spring Boot application (e.g. for Integration Tests inside the service) you can have a look at this other post: Cucumber Tests in Spring Boot with Dependency Injection


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Community News
Robbing a ruined Palestinian refugee
The Milli Gazette
Published Online: Dec 31, 2010
Print Issue: 16-31 December 2010
Deoband: There are vultures who await a carcass and as soon as a corpse is in sight they pounce on it. Unfortunately, even Muslims do not remain far behind in committing atrocity on a person who has been persecuted and forced to flee from his land. Instead of giving the refugee a helping hand a greed driven villain has robbed a Palestinian of Rs 15 lakh by pretending to help him.
The story of a Palestinian youngman who has been fed on false dreams of ambitious projects and invited to India by a scheming Iago. Munawwar, had spent quite sometime in Palestine a-few-months ago. During his stay he developed friendship with a local Hisham Hazad whom he invited to come to India to brighten his business prospects. After undergoing a lot of ordeals Hisham managed in arriving in India with a capital of 1,25,000 riyals. Munawwar took him to several places with a promise of finding him an excellent business transaction. In order to boost his trust he got him married to one of his own acquittance and meanwhile managed to siphon the money.
When Hisham reminded him to return his money Munawwar began making false excuses and avoided meeting him. A disappointed Hisham approached the local police station for help but his hopes were belied. When he tried to seek justice through court; he was threatened that both he and his wife would face dire consequences if he did not withdraw his application for justice. As the last resort Hisham met S.P. of the district who promised to ensure him justice. To betray a refugee's trust and threaten him is a sin that no Muslim would ever dare. However, there are exceptions everywhere. Let us hope the arms of law (and police) are long enough to deliver him justice.
This article appeared in The Milli Gazette print issue of 16-31 December 2010 on page no. 20
We hope you liked this report/article. The Milli Gazette is a free and independent readers-supported media organisation. To support it, please contribute generously. Click here or email us at firstname.lastname@example.com comments powered by Disqus

subset: commoncrawl


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2002 Pol Roger Vintage Champagne
Champagne, FRANCE
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- Cellar Drink Now - 6 years (2012-2018)
- Closure: Cork
The 2002 Vintage Champagne from Pol Roger is made from the traditional house vintage blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay sourced from 20 Grands and Premiers crus vineyards in the "montagne de Reims" and the "côte des blancs". It has been aged for 9 years in Pol Roger's cellars before being released.
Excellent white frothy mousse which once dissipated reveals a straw pale gold coloured base wine and fine, persistent bead. Classic Pol Roger bouquet includes scents of toast, baked bread and yeast lees followed by some roasted almond like characteristics and brioche. Full palate flavours are complemented by a creamy mouthfeel - yeast lees with a toasty overlay and some cashew / roast almond like back palate flavours. Superb depth and persistence. Crisp dry finish with very long baked bread, yeast lees, toast and roast almond aftertaste.
Drink now or cellar 5-6 years (2012-2018).
Alc 12.5%
Other Reviews....
From the day the very last bottle of legendary 1996 Pol disappeared from the shelves, we have long awaited the dawning of another grand vintage. 1998, 1999 and 2000 came and went, and in October the much-anticipated 2002 will land. The odd sneak preview bottle has arrived to taunt us, and – my goodness – has it been worth the wait! A magnificent vintage Pol, with all the tension of the remarkable 2002 vintage on display; a wine that captures both inherent concentration and scintillating structure. The confidence of pinot noir leads here, providing sensational dimension to the Pol Roger house style of supreme refinement. Taut citrus zest, lemon sherbet and yellow plums are set with delightful juxtaposition against the depth of almost a decade in particularly cold cellars, building wonderful tension between subtle complexity and exacting purity. Minerality is pronounced, with wonderful, driving persistence of finely poised chalk texture.
96 points
Tyson Stelzer


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The mission of the Advanced Automotive Service Technology program is to prepare T-Ten students as certified, career-ready technicians for Toyota/Lexus dealerships. The course of study, facilities, and equipment have been evaluated by the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF) and is certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence Standards of Quality (ASE) for the training of Automobile Technicians.
The Advanced Automotive Service Technology program prepares students to become career- ready automotive technicians in the automotive service industry, specifically in Toyota/Lexus dealerships. The program includes classroom and hands-on instruction reinforced with high-tech computerized learning systems using specialized trainers, simulators and live vehicles and an internship at a Toyota or Lexus dealership. This program's content is delivered with traditional classroom instruction, digital curriculum, and lab work as our late-model fleet of Toyota, Lexus, and Scion vehicles.
The Advanced Automotive Service Technology program is a planned sequence of instruction consisting of nine occupational completion points. OCPs provide a student with early completion training options linked to employment opportunities established by the Florida Department of Education based on the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system and accepted industry titles.
Grade 10 math, language and reading.
Throughout the program, students take these exams from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence:
After successful completion of all courses and 2 ASE exams student will be a Toyota Certified Technician.
Upon successful completion of the Advanced Automotive Service Technology program, students enrolling in an AS degree program are eligible to be awarded articulated credits at:
Valencia College:


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Cornwall to Scotland days 6 and 7
|Filled under England
Day 6 – Today, in the simple process of moving a short distance east along the coast, we put Cirrus and ourselves right in the middle of one of the busiest stretches of water in these isles. And it being a Sunday, it was possibly busier than most other days of the week. For those who don't know, the Solent is the waterway that separates the Isle of Wight from the mainland and for many years it has seen itself as a sailing Mecca, the place to go or be seen if you are remotely interested in the sport. The result is that on any day, and particularly at weekends, there are sailing boats in every direction, many of them engaged in racing with crews all dangling their legs over the side as the boats lean away from them, but many others simply shuffling about aimlessly from port to port. Everywhere you look there are marinas stuffed with more boats, more still hanging on moorings wherever there is a bit of shelter, and then of course there are visitors like us who are just passing through. It is not just sailing boats either. A phalanx of jet-skiers (at least 12) came past us as we approached Cowes and then there are motor cruisers of all descriptions too, like the one whose French owner had to radio for help when his engine had a broken connecting rod (there are no secrets on VHF radio). For us, on our little catamaran, the contrast between here and the seas around Scotland could not be more marked. Even the Clyde at its most congested comes nowhere close to the Solent. Gazing out ahead of us we see a white forest of sails. The water is continuously being churned up by all these craft and there is the constant need to be alert, to be ready to take avoiding action when someone comes too close. This is not, therefore, the sort of place to have a quiet, restful day out. It is, in our opinion, a place to be avoided, if at all possible.
Had it not been for yesterday's strong winds we would have done just that, avoided the Solent, by sailing outside of Wight around St. Catherine's Point. But the southern shores of the Isle offer no safe havens and we would have had to sail right through the night had we chosen this route. The thought of doing that with such a sea running prompted us to select the lesser of the two evils, a passage through the Solent. Hence today we found ourselves right in the thick of things moving from Yarmouth to Gosport.
Day 7 – The winds may have been blowing strongly so far on our journey, but at least they have been coming from the west at a time when we were moving east. Today is scorchingly hot but what wind there is still comes out of the west. This is indeed what we and Cirrus like, a fair wind. Weather forecasts are showing us that after today this will all change and suddenly our eastward progress is going to stall, so to make best progress we leave Gosport late morning and turn left again.
Motoring for a time, once past Selsey Bill we switch off the iron beast and the spinnaker goes up, to float us gently over the almost calm sea. Cirrus just nods to the wavelets and we assume our favourite position on the bow, legs dangling forward just clear of the splash-zone. We have a piece of electronics that can take care of the steering in conditions like this leaving us free to lounge about in the sun… whilst keeping watch, of course.
The hours roll by and we sit around reading, eating, making cups of tea and occasionally tending the sails until away in the distance Brighton marina creeps into view. We radio ahead for a berth then motor slowly around to pontoon No.6, tucked away in one corner. This is a busy place and we are positioned just below a row of marina-facing restaurants and bars, whose clientele all observe our berthing manoeuvres, no doubt waiting for us to lose control of the boat. We disappoint them.


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Do you ever wish you could relate to a child on a more basic level? You can! Play is a child's language. With play therapy, your child can express themselves using their natural language—the language of play.
Play therapy gives your child the chance to engage in storytelling, puppet play, music, dance, art and board games. During this time, a therapist can observe your child's feelings and difficulties, including relationships with family.
Call 720-708-4865 now to schedule an appointment for play therapy in Centennial, Colorado.
Traditional forms of therapy aren't always fun for kids. With play therapy, your child will enjoy time spent at counseling. Help your child discover their full potential at Collaborate Counseling. Play therapy helps children:


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- Columbia Gardens North SW6
- 1,052 Sq Ft
- Three Bedrooms
- South Facing Balcony
- Secure Allocated Parking
- Swimming Pool, Gym And Spa
- High Specification Interior
An exceptional 1,052 sq ft, three bedroom apartment due to complete Q1 2017 with fine south views over Columbia Gardens, high specification interior, secure allocated parking, 24hr concierge and strong local communication links.
This stunning apartment will have fine views over the landscaped gardens and will comprise entrance hall with storage cupboard, impressive reception room with engineered wood flooring, access to south facing balcony providing fine garden views, comfort cooling, dining area, stylish open plan fitted kitchen with natural stone work tops and Miele integrated appliances, master bedroom with dressing area with fitted wardrobes and en-suite shower room, two further guest bedrooms and family bathroom with natural stone finish. The apartment is set to complete Q1 2017 and will have the benefit of secure allocated parking, 24hr concierge, communal swimming pool, gym and health spa. West Brompton, West Kensington and Earls Court stations are all a short walk away.


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|Title :
|AOK Investments Website
|Client :
|AOK Investments
|Date :
|December 18, 2004
AOK Investments own and manage one of the largest Student Accommodation portfolios in Loughborough.
The company had previously kept a low profile prefering to concentrate on providing a service of unparalleled quality, and letting the service speak for itself.
The strategy changed as the market became more competitive, and AOK Investments sought to establish their brand firmly with an online presence that communicated their unique sense of style, and their commitment to quality.
They turned to Sozu to help them realise a coordinated branding campaign, using the website as the anchor and adding new corporate stationary, house boards, as well as student advertising.
Sozu's Comments:
Job Description:
- Website
- Stationary
- Housing board
- Label magazine advert
- Term Planner advert
- Miscellaneous artwork generation


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Brisbane Catholic Education plans to open a new Prep to Year 12 college in Bli Bli, to cater for the rapid population growth of the Sunshine Coast over the past five years.
Good Samaritan Catholic College will be built on 11.56 hectares in Parklakes 2, a naturally stunning, master planned community in Bli Bli.
The new college reflects the expected population growth on the Sunshine Coast, with parts of the college's catchment increasing by 15 per cent over the past five years.
Students are expected to reside in areas such as Bli Bli, Coolum Beach, Marcoola, Mudjimba, Maroochydore, Kuluin, Diddillibah, Rosemount, Eumundi and the eastern fringe of Nambour.
Eventually catering for more than 1500 students, the college is planned to open in 2019 with Prep to Year 3 and Year 7 students. The first Year 7 students will graduate from Year 12 in 2024 and the first original Prep students in 2031.
Recognising that our world will be a very different place for 2031 graduates in which collaboration is at the fore, all building stages will feature flexible, inter-connected spaces for either small or large groups, or one-on-one learning, plus large, modern sporting facilities. Future considerations for the site also include Long Day Care, a Kindergarten and Outside School Hours Care.
Families may register their expression of interest now at the website www.goodsamaritan.qld.edu.au and information sessions will be held for prospective families in the coming months.


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Disruption has less to do with a new product or novel technology and more to do with a process embedded within the capitalist construct itself. As long as we continue to live in a capitalist economy, new technologies will be rolled out that will continue to alter the way we write and publish.
Writing a book is an important aspect of self-actualization, self-validation and professional development. A book bearing an author's name is tangible evidence of her credentials, and proves her to be a woman of letters, educated, intelligent and civilized.
But an author is no longer only someone who writes books. The disruptive entrepreneurship which characterizes our twenty-first century digital economies has radically altered the way people create and receive information, as well as the speed with which they process it. Twenty-first century technologies have permanently altered the way people read and write. And learn. And think. Technology has altered the author's role in the economic system.
When I speak of a digital economy, I refer to an environment in which analog and physical content is being translated into digital code, and analog and brick and mortar entities exist in uncomfortable proximity to their digital counterparts and rivals. Authors must be aware of the disruptive element of our economy because disruption, which lies at the heart of capitalism, has always taken place and will continue to take place. A capitalist economy will always continually produce disruptive technologies. This is because disruption, also known as creative destruction, is a process occurring mechanically within the economic structure itself. Josef Schumpeter (1942) explained that this happens by "incessantly destroying the old [way of doing things and] incessantly creating a new [way]." This is a process known as a dialectic.
In the cold world of capitalism, entrepreneurs must adapt to the new technologies or be squeezed out of the market. Sylvain Bureau, writing in M@n@gement, a journal which publishes scholarship on entrepreneurship, observed that the entrepreneur, that is, the creator of the high technology platforms which are attempting to redefine reality, "must alter and transgress some of the operating rules of an industry in order to change the status quo and allow innovations to occur" (Bureau, 2013, p. 208).
This means disruption has less to do with a new product or novel technology and more to do with a process embedded within the capitalist construct itself. For the author, awareness of this fact is important because our stories are not complete until our audience has received them, and our audience receives our stories through the continually emerging disruptive technologies.
Within a digital economy, people enjoy the work of their favorite authors through the media of books, newspapers and magazines transmitted scribally and aurally through e-readers, or their phones, laptops and other electronic devices. Entire libraries can be accessed digitally from computers and mobile devices, and schools and universities have integrated digital technology into the delivery of education to give learners expanded tech-driven access to knowledge. Each time a new technology is rolled out – for example, a new kind of phone, or a new reader or app, or a new medium for communicating ideas, such as augmented reality – there is an alteration of the manner in which our audience receives our stories, either in the way an existing medium works or in the creation of a new medium.
Technology will continue to alter the way we write and publish. Technologies such as artificial intelligence, augmented reality, virtual reality and blockchain technology, will further alter the way we think about, create and distribute stories, and international big businesses are making multi-million dollar investments in the development and deployment of these technologies.
The disruption of the old paradigm within which the word has been traditionally contained has ushered in a new paradigm in which the writer has been emancipated from the (safe) constraints of the publishing house and catapulted toward the (risky) freedom of independent publishing. This has happened through the alteration of the role of the 'traditional' publishing house by the entry on the scene of platforms by which any writer can independently publish their work. Smashwords, the most well-known of these platforms, and Amazon, the largest of the book distributors, were created for the specific purpose of enabling authors to publish and distribute their own work. Smashwords and Amazon succeeded to such an extent they have forced 'traditional' publishing houses and booksellers to completely revision their place and status as gatekeepers of knowledge and culture. They, along with other disruptive enterprises such as Google, Facebook and PayPal, to name just a few of the most influential of them, have ushered in a purer, perfected form of capitalism, and are prominent players in the maturing digital economy. They have helped to normalize the digital economy by making the average person feel they have a place and stake in it.
Within this infrastructure, the author has evolved into the storyteller, and the storyteller has evolved into the independent publisher, a new kind of entrepreneur rising from the rubble of the old paradigm. In many cases, an unwitting entrepreneur, one who would rather contemplate the possibilities of a story arc than the exigencies of a marketing plan, but most certainly an entrepreneur. Those storytellers who do not make the transition will be shoved to the fringes of the marketplace. Those storytellers who intend to make the transition should take the second step toward putting out their product: Understanding the Storytellers' Marketplace.
Like this article? Download Storytelling in a Disruptive Economy pdf


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Picture the dark night club scene from any 30's style art film. Now put that night club in the middle of the desert, and fill it with beatniks and bikers. This would in turn lead you into the same location that anti-folk singer Miwagemini would most likely send you to. Her sophomore album This is How I Found You is a spiritual and free flowing collection of absolutely lovely, yet hardened by life tracks.
Banjos scream and taunt foolish women folk on the almost rockabilly track "Traveling Man". And on the bad vibe blazing cut "Pieces", Miwa spills out distaste like a kinder, gentler Larkin Grimm. But, the real draw of This Is How I Found You is the more easy going tracks like "Picnic" and "Angels Prayer". When our lady tones it down, but still refuses to distill compassion from pain, or vice versa.
Within the guarding sheath of the physical copy of this wonderful album, Miwa lets out her secretive lonely past. She tells of an imaginary world she once created and how from this, her passion for music spawned. And love would soon follow and inevitably be the inspiration for this delicate and breezy album. So sit back with a hot cup of green tea and a warm desire. Enjoy the calm and intoxicating waves of mandolin, banjo, and piano and let your mind break with the tide. Miwagemini will easily help you find your happy place.
Miwagemini: Traveling Man [mp3]
1. Picnic
2. Traveling Man
3. Something Ordinary
4. Pieces
5. Forever For Never
6. Room Of You
7. Crazy Over You
8. Angel's Prayer
9. Paperwhites


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Spend five days exploring Cyprus, discovering the multi-layered archaeology of the island's past.
In Paphos, visit the Greek goddess Aphrodite's sanctuary, complete with its cult temple and other significant buildings from Greek and Roman history. Explore the Tombs of the Kings and the Catacombs of Saint Solomon, a series of chambers hollowed out in Hellenistic times and now housing religious icons from the 12th Century AD.
Visit the archaeological site of Ancient Kourion to view the Greco-Roman theatre overlooking the Mediterranean Sea before heading to Nicosia via the dramatic Troodos Mountains, home to traditional villages, Byzantine monasteries and stunning scenery. In Nicosia, visit two superb museums of archaeological significance.
Designed as a post-tour for The Birth of Civilisation.
This tour is part of the World Art Tours program organised by the Art Gallery Society of NSW in partnership with Renaissance Tours.
Depart Australia or New Zealand on suggested Qatar Airways flights to Larnaca via Doha. Renaissance Tours or your travel agent can assist you with your flights and other travel arrangements.
Arrive in Larnaca in the mid-morning on suggested flights and transfer to Paphos. On the way, stop to view the Rock of Aphrodite, the place where the goddess is said to have risen from the sea, as depicted in The Birth of Venus by Renaissance artist Sandro Botticelli.
On arrival in Paphos, enjoy some time at leisure before a welcome briefing and talk with Julian, followed by dinner.
This morning, visit the Paphos archaeological site to explore the cult centre for the Greek goddess Aphrodite. Wander the streets of the ancient city, taking in the sights of the temples, theatre, Roman villas as well as an ancient hospital.
Enjoy some free time for lunch around the scenic Paphos harbour.
In the afternoon, enjoy a guided tour of the Tombs of the Kings. Featuring Doric columns and frescoed walls, these tombs were built to house the remains of the 4th Century BC nobility. Then visit the Catacombs of St Solomon, a series of chambers hollowed out by the Hellenistic Greeks which now house Christian religious art from the 12th Century AD.
Depart Paphos this morning for the archaeological site of ancient Kourion, one of the most influential cities of ancient Cyprus. View the rich mosaics in the House of the Gladiators and admire the expanse of the Mediterranean from a prime seat in the ancient theatre.
Enjoy a scenic drive through the Troodos Mountains, stopping for lunch in the small village of Omodos. Pass through traditional towns and Byzantine monasteries to the capital, Nicosia.
The remainder of the afternoon and evening is at leisure.
Begin the day with a talk by Julian followed by a guided tour of the city, the world's last divided capital. The guard towers and the Green Line split the island into Greek Cyprus and Northern Turkish Cyprus. Visit the Archbishop's Palace, St John Theologian Cathedral and the Famagusta Gate.
After lunch, visit the small but intriguing Museum of the History of Cypriot Coinage, which houses a numismatic collection spanning from the Hellenistic period to the Medieval, as well as a collection of works of art, antiques and rare documents.
Enjoy some time at leisure in the afternoon followed by dinner in a local restaurant.
Start this morning with a visit to the excellent Leventis Museum, housing a unique collection of works which include archaeological artefacts, traditional costumes, maps, photographs and furniture from different periods of Cypriot history.
Then, transfer to Larnaca harbour to board the cruise vessel for lunch.
Final payment due
10 July 2020
Tour code
Fitness level
Please see Terms & Conditions for fitness level definitions.
Australian and New Zealand passport holders do not require visas to visit Cyprus.
Tour price includes
- Accommodation in centrally located 4- and 5-star hotels with breakfast daily (B)
- Meals as per itinerary (L = Lunch, D = Dinner), including wine with dinners
- Airport/hotel transfers on arrival and departure
- Lectures and talks throughout with your tour leader
- Comprehensive sightseeing including local guides and entrance fees as per itinerary
- Transportation throughout on comfortable air-conditioned coaches
- Gratuities for local guides, drivers and waiting staff
- Hotel porterage (one piece per person)
Tour price does not include
- International airfares (please contact Renaissance Tours or your travel agent for assistance)
- Airport porterage
- Items of a personal nature including telephone, laundry, taxis, minibar, room service etc.
- Travel insurance (a condition of travel; please contact Renaissance Tours or your travel agent for assistance)


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***NOTE***The imagery is held under license from InfoTech International, and cannot be publicly released.
Color Infrared, leaf-off, 0.33-foot (4-inch) high-resolution, high-accuracy orthorectified aerial imagery, acquired by the Los Angeles Regional Imagery Consortium (LARIAC) in winter 2005/2006.
Infrared is an additional wavelength of information that can be captured by many aerial photography sensors in addition to the general Red/Green/Blue (RGB) channels typical to most imagery. The Infrared band can be analyzed to easily separate vegetation from non-vegetated areas through image analysis, lending itself to find pervious vs. impervious surfaces, among other things. The CIR from LARIAC has been used to extract the following information from the high-resolution imagery data:
- Buildings
- Trees
- NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegtation Index)
This imagery covers the majority of urban/suburban areas of the County in mainland (approximately 2,898 square miles) and Catalina Island covering approximately 75 square miles. The rest of the County, covering the National Forest, is covered by a one foot (1-foot) resolution digital orthoimagery, approximately 1,056 square miles, and is a separate dataset. Information about that data is available in another part of the portal.
This dataset meets or exceeds ASPRS (American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing) 1:100 scale mapping. Accuracy is within +/- 2 feet of true location with 95% confidence.
Detailed product information is contained in the LARIAC Product Guide.
We highly recommend that you visit the LARIAC Project Website to find a rich source of information about the data and the LARIAC Program. The site includes project documents, full FGDC compliant metadata, data downloads of related GIS used to complete the project, sub-licensing information, sample imagery and data, and information about the 2006 acquisition.
GIS Data showing flight-date information is available from the site, and elsewhere in the LA County GIS Data Portal.
The imagery is held under license from InfoTech International, and cannot be publicly released. Government entities are eligible to join the LARIAC Program to access the data. Private entities may contact LA County directly to purchase selected parts of the data.
About LAR-IAC
The Los Angeles Region Imagery Acquisition Consortium (LAR-IAC) Program is a collaborative acquisition program for digital aerial imagery data which has included the participation of 10 County departments, 30 municipalities, and four other public agencies.
The consortium is a model for regional cooperation that improves the quality, access, and cost-effectiveness of high resolution digital aerial imagery. Knowledge transfer is increased through consortium program meetings, user groups, and various workshops that have been established in conjunction with the project. The imagery acquired will enable all participating jurisdictions to leverage this key geographic information asset for numerous decision support and business applications, thereby facilitating the effective and efficient delivery of services.


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DEBT FEARS: US Rating Could Be Placed Under Review, warns MOODY'S...
Gives lawmakers until mid-July to show progress in talks...
Finally, a logical warning on US credit.
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/moodys-warns-on-us-debt-rating-2011-6#ixzz1O9JY6fGm
Gives lawmakers until mid-July to show progress in talks...
Finally, a logical warning on US credit.
Moody's is out with a comment saying that if there's no imminent progress on the debt ceiling fight, the US credit rating will be cut.
This makes total sense, and we applaud Moody's for doing their job: Identifying an imminent (real) issue, and sensibly advising (ahead of time) about what could be a threat to US debt holders.
This should help put an end to this idea that a technical default would be just fine, and that somehow all this brinksmanship would be good for US credit somehow.
Back in January, we called on Moody's to do exactly this: Threaten a ratings cut as a way of warning about the harmful effects of this fight.
They've done exactly that.
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/moodys-warns-on-us-debt-rating-2011-6#ixzz1O9JY6fGm


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In keeping with yesterday's post, this article discusses learning and development trends in a period of reduced budgets. Sam…
By: Emma Snider – Techtarget
Many companies slashed corporate learning budgets when the economy crashed. But can employee development initiatives truly be tossed aside without consequence?
At the Human Capital Institute (HCI) Learning and Leadership Development Conference, held last week in Boston, HR leaders and experts correlated learning and employee development initiatives with higher employee engagement, retention, customer satisfaction and revenue. Viewed in this light, it seems the C-suite should pay more attention to employee development.
Although budgets have been restored somewhat since the economic downturn, dollars and resources are still limited and need to be allocated wisely. So what employee development trends should HR managers bear in mind when planning learning strategies? Three themes emerged during the conference: increased focus on the development of Generation Y workers, the importance of company culture and the rise of peer-to-peer and continuous learning models.
Millennials crave meaning and flexibility in work
It's still important to develop executives and employees in the pipeline to assume executive roles, but many companies are also concentrating on the newest wave of workers: Generation Y.
While Mike Welsh, onboarding programs manager at Facebook, identified three generations in the company's workforce; he said the social media service provider is mainly focused on driving Generation Y employee development since founder Mark Zuckerberg is himself a millennial. Welsh also falls into this category.
When considering millennial employee development, it's important to understand how the generation thinks about work, according to Welsh. While work-life balance is not a new concept, Millennials view work flexibility differently, as the distinction between work and personal life disappears.
"[For] Generation Y, butt-to-chair ratio doesn't matter. Where the work occurs doesn't matter," he said. Using himself as an example, Welsh said he occasionally works on weeknights and comes in a few hours late on traditional workdays. He encouraged his peers to be open to anywhere, anytime work policies.
Welsh also pointed out that having meaningful work is especially crucial to Generation Y workers. "Identity is very important … and career is part of the expression. When I work on a project, it is an expression of myself, [and] I get a sense of personal fulfillment," he said. Welsh cited Capstrat survey data that found 72% of millennials are willing to sacrifice compensation for a more personally fulfilling career.
With this in mind, Facebook actively fosters meaning at work in a number of ways. For instance, performance reviews are designed to amplify strengths instead of identify weaknesses. "There are two questions that are asked: How did [you] have impact, and how can you have more impact? [So], it's what did you do well, and how can you magnify that?" While formal compensation reviews occur twice a year, Welsh said employees have one-on-one performance discussions with managers on a weekly basis.
Another way Facebook tries to create meaningful work is through promoting ownership and autonomy. The phrase "this is now your company" is painted on the wall of the onboarding room, Welsh said.
Culture is critical in employee development
"Carefully cultivated culture is no longer optional," said Andrew Benett, global president of Havas Worldwide, and it seems business leaders agree. According to Havas research, 97% of senior executives think strong culture can be a company's most valuable asset.
Similar to Welsh's point about Generation Y workers craving meaningful work, Benett said meaning is a key component of culture, regardless of generation.
"While this is very much a millennial mindset, people want to work for a purpose-driven company," he said. "[And] those aren't just companies that save the world. They want to feel what they're doing will have some impact."
But while many organizations equate culture with corporate values, Benett stressed that simply defining and paying lip service to core principles is not enough. "The notion of people development has to be pervasive throughout the company [and] something the CEO lives and breathes," he said. "If it's not, it will never become [an] agenda item."
Culture is also created by physical and virtual work environments, according to Suzanne Martin, Google Americas' head of sales people development. "At Google, we think that the space matters," Martin said.
To facilitate delivery on Google's core principles of "10x thinking" and "moonshots" — dreaming big and taking risks — the company built "The Garage," a workspace where everything is on wheels, and power outlets hang down from the ceiling so people charging electronics aren't forced to huddle near walls. "Make it collaborative, make it fun and make it flexible," Martin said.
Online spaces can foster meaning as well. "Build communities of people, because those experiences really help people feel they're part of something bigger than themselves," Martin said. "We use Google Plus, which allows us to have hangouts and video chats with each other."
Peer-to-peer and continuous learning models on the rise
On the final day of the conference, David Forman, HCI's chief learning officer, predicted that peer-to-peer learning will increase in importance in coming years. In his view, user-generated learning content could act as a "Wikipedia for the organization."
At Google, the peer-to-peer learning model is already firmly entrenched.
"Ideas come from everywhere — not just Larry [Page] and Sergey [Brin]," Martin said. So employees are "given a clear message that they are responsible for their development and also responsible for the development of others.
"Eighty percent of the training we do is internally led — Googler to Googler," she added.
Similarly, Welsh encouraged his peers to "connect people with something to learn to those with something to teach." Facebook groups provide a gathering spot for such employee communities at his organization.
The idea of continuous learning is also starting to gain ground. Instead of looking at training as a singular event, speakers stressed that companies should provide employees learning opportunities on a regular basis.
"Everything we do should be to enhance the employability of the individuals that work for us," said Lesley Hoare, vice president of human capital management transformation and thought leadership at Oracle. "And forget about thinking, 'Why should I build somebody's resume, because they're just going to leave?' How do we keep them connected?"
This argument is precisely why many business leaders are hesitant to invest too much in employee training. But according to Benett, it's a moot point in today's market. "It's no longer getting people to stay — that's pushing water uphill," he said. "The trend is that people will collect work experiences."
However, this isn't a reason to slash employee development budgets — in fact, Benett argued the opposite. Bearing in mind that employees are keen to build skills, the extent to which an employer can provide learning opportunities will increase engagement and job satisfaction. And this will not only have a positive effect on an employer's perception, it will also make employees better at their jobs during their tenure at the company, he said.
Click here for the original article and for more from Techtarget


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Dominica Sets New Record Low Rates for Treasury Bills
The Government of Dominica has set a new record low rate for Treasury Bills on the Regional Government Securities Market, RGSM.
The move means that Government can now raise the financing it needs at a lower cost to the taxpayers of Dominica.
On Monday, March 17, 2014, the Government of Dominica raised 20 million EC dollars at a record low 1.999%, through the first of a series of three, 91 day Treasury bill offerings.
Honourable Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister and Minister for Finance welcomed the low Treasury bill rate, recognizing it as a vote of confidence in his administration's policies.
"The previous lowest interest rate of 2.49 percent recorded in December 2013 was also held by the Government of Dominica", he noted.
The rate of 1.999% is 50 basis points below the previous record.
Encouraged by this success in raising revenue, the Government will seek to raise an additional 65 million EC dollars on the RGSM, through the 91 day Treasury bills and one five year, 25 million dollar bond.
This will finance part of Government's operating budget and refinance existing government debt, the interest rate on which is much higher than the interest rate Government obtains on its Treasury bills.


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Ciara's "I Bet" Video
BANGERS -- all of em. Summer's coming....Ciara -- I'm Out (w/ Nicki Minaj) [HOT!]Robin Thicke -- 4 The Rest Of My Life [HOT!!!]The Dream -- Turnt (w/ Beyonce & 2 Chainz [HOT!!]Beyonce -- Grown Woman [SEXYBLACK PICK!]Mario -- Somebody Else (w/ Nicki Minaj) [HOT!!!]K. Michelle -- V.S.O.P. [HOT!!!!!!]
Now, I normally don't post Ciara, because I've been waiting for her to drop something undeniable. Something that confirms her talent. This "Body Party" joint and video make the cut. Now, Ciara, just stay up. I'm rooting for you. Check it out.Sniped at www.Guavaleaf.com.


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There's perhaps nothing more peaceful than sitting on your patio or deck on a beautiful day. Patios are the ideal place to host friends and family during get-togethers when the sun is shining and the weather is nice. The yard deck can be a little oasis from the rest of the house.
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Later this week, a small company is set to issue its challenge against European Union proposals on e-cigarette production, sales and marketing to the European court of justice.
Totally Wicked, a vaping company based in Blackburn, England is preparing to take the fight to the leviathan that is known as the E.U. as it claims proposed rules, set to come into effect in the new year are "disproportionate and inappropriate".
The company complains that the devices are to be covered under the new Tobacco Derivative policy despite the fact that the products, which come in a variety of shapes, sizes and flavors will be put at risk. A move which could be detrimental tot he general public having recently being endorsed by Public Health England as being 95% safer than traditional combustible tobacco products and a gateway to smoking cessation on a scale never before seen.
Totally Wicked, who also operate in Germany and the United States, say that electronic cigarettes / vaping devices are a revolutionary product that if left to develop under proportionate regulation have the potential to render traditional tobacco use obsolete.
The company argues that the restrictions proposed on the size of the bottles of e-liquid, low nicotine levels, lack of flavor choices and devices, alongside the stifling of advertisement and sponsorship opportunities and many other measures will not only damage an emerging industry but make it liable to more stringent regulation than some tobacco products.
Fraser Cropper, the company's managing director, said the legal challenge in Luxembourg was the culmination of
A battle between those who recognize the public health potential vaping offers… and those who either do not understand vaping, or see it as a threat to established interests and therefore wish to see e-cigarettes subjected to a disproportionate and inappropriate regulatory regime.
While the decision in this court battle will probably not be seen until next year, this David Vs Goliath battle should be seen as a great step in the right direction by everyone in the industry.
What Does This Actually Mean
As with the proposed FDA regulations here in the United States, the Tobacco Product Derivative laws would basically destroy the small business side of vaping, leaving our industry in the hands of the pharmaceutical and tobacco giants, who are greedily wringing their hands in the wings waiting to get back the billions of dollars we have taken from them. The fact that Totally wicked have taken this stand should serve as a battle cry for all of those preparing to wage legal battles.
While we all agree that some regulation is required and should be encouraged, mostly along the lines that the industry itself has implemented as common sense measures, the TPD is an erroneous piece of legislation that was written in an attempt to keep money in the pockets of those voting for the action. Small business doesn't have the political sway associated with multinational conglomerates but in this case the little guy is bringing the fight into the light for everyone to see.
This should be seen by everyone as a warning shot across political boughs every where as we will not allow this industry to be crushed by regulation or greed.
As always, enjoy your vaporizers and vape safe!


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Manager Services van Velthuisen,
Thé Lean Management partner for implementation and optimalisation of your company processes.
Experience learns us that the problems in a company can be in different areas like:
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Do you recognize this?
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Manager Services van Velthuisen supports companies, like stated above, on daily basis solving their issues. Mostly individual but sometimes we need to scale up with a bigger available Lean Management team in which our expertises are bundled.


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Article Tools
Czech Republic: Unemployment Grows Slightly
Published: March 1, 2013; 13:45 · (Vindobona)
In January 2013, the general employment was up by 1.3 percentage points. The unemployment rate came at 7.0% in January.
Czech Republic: Unemployment Grows Slightly / Picture: © Vindobona.orgThis article includes a total of 248 words.
The employment rate (the share of the employed persons in the age group 15-64 years, as percentage), seasonally adjusted, reached 67.3% in January 2013 and increased by 1.3 percent point (p.p.) compared to that in January 2012. The employment rate of persons aged 15-29 years, seasonally adjusted, was 44.2%, in the age group 30-49 years it attained 84.6%, and in the age…
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Tribunal reviews fatal bomb attack
THE killing of 18 British soldiers in the North over 30 years ago is being reviewed by the tribunal investigating the deaths of the two most senior RUC officers to be killed by the IRA.
Detectives involved in the original investigation into the Narrow Water bombings, which claimed the lives of 16 members of the Parachute Regiment and two members of the Queen's Own Highlanders, have been interviewed by lawyers working for the Smithwick Tribunal.
The tribunal is probing claims that a member of the Garda colluded with the IRA in south Armagh and County Louth to set an ambush for Chief Superintendent Harry Breen and Superintendent Bob Buchanan.
The two senior RUC officers were ambushed at Jonesborough as they drove North from Dundalk garda station in March 1989 after discussing how to combat a major IRA fuel-smuggling operation along the Border controlled by the organisation's former chief of staff Thomas 'Slab' Murphy.
The tribunal, which is hearing evidence in Dublin, sent lawyers to Belfast 10 days ago to look at RUC files relating to the Narrow Water bombings and speak to retired RUC officers who investigated the deadly attack on August 27, 1979.
The lawyers are examining whether a rogue garda officer based in County Louth interfered with the evidence site from where the IRA detonated two bombs and destroyed any potential evidence left by the terrorists involved in the attack.
Sunday Independent


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Tony Lee writes comic books, TV shows, and movie screenplays — but this week he is helping run a major comic convention. What happened? He writes:
Fifteen years ago, there was only one major comic convention in the UK: the Bristol Expo. Held every May, this was a gathering point for many of the UK-based creators, following in the tradition of such events all the way back to the UKCAC days. It's where I went as a fan, and also in my first year as a creator, back in 2004. It was the Mecca for UK comic nerds.
But those days are gone, and now there's a "comic" con in the UK almost every week, with many of these "comic" in name only. With the London Film and Comic Con now a matter of days away, a convention that I'm running the Comic Zone for, Bleeding Cool asked me to explain why I, a humble comic writer dared to think I could stand with the big boys and organise a show.
Now I know, you're more used to seeing me talk about my comics, or more recently, films on this site. So why have I changed to convention organiser? Are things really that bad? Well no, not at all. In fact, I'm doing this as a favour.
Although I didn't realise at the start how big a favour it was.
I've known Jason Joiner (owner of Showmasters, who run the London Film and Comic Con) for a few years now through his connection to the Gallifrey One convention. This year he mentioned that he wanted to talk to me, and we managed to schedule a meeting for April in London. When we met, he told me that he'd parted ways with the previous comic zone organisers around Christmas, and that currently they had no comic zone — and three months to put something together, when usually they have a full year.
When I was told I had a reduced budget, no guests and only 13 weeks, I thought, "that could be a fun challenge." And I agreed to help them out. But it was difficult. Because when I say "reduced budget", I literally had two-thirds of the previous budget for the comic zone. The rest was locked into whatever happened with the previous crew.
Now, it would have been easy to say, "OK, I'm a comic writer, I could be the first guest," and start from there. Easiest booking ever, right? No. I made the decision right at the start that if I was running this, I couldn't be part of it. To me, that would scream a little bit of ego stroke. I decided I wouldn't be a guest, and also that I wouldn't host any of the panels. This wouldn't be Tony Con. I had to work differently on this. So, I looked at what other shows had done, and examined who they'd brought over, working out if I could do a comparable convention.
Now, I had no paperwork whatsoever from the previous crew, and neither did Showmasters, so I didn't know who'd been invited in previous years, what they'd been offered, anything like that. But I knew that with my budget I could only get three or four big name guests at best before blowing the entire budget. Because of this, I decided to fight clever.
First, I looked for events. Anniversaries. I knew it was 30 years since Death's Head was created. That it was forty years since 2000AD started. These were two events I could build around, using UK-based creators. I contacted people who don't usually come to the UK, like Rantz Hoseley and Heavy Metal magazine, or Marc Bernardin. I knew I needed a legend, so I called in a favour from Marv Wolfman, whom I've known for years, and who's been an absolute trooper. Once I had these, I started to look for other opportunities. Chris Thompson at Titan helped a lot, ensuring we could get Tommy Yune and Marco Turini, as ROBOTECH is released this week. Andi Ewington brought in Ian Livingstone, who's a personal legend of mine. I put feelers out to all the UK crowd, seeing who'd be interested, and I realised very early on four very important things.
Firstly, it was a week after San Diego Comic-Con.
Secondly, a month later was the London Super Comic Con.
Thirdly, it was the same weekend as the MCM Expo in Manchester and…
Finally, the London Film and Comic Con doesn't have the best reputation with creators for the comic zone.
The first three things all linked to one solution: book the guests earlier. If I'd had the full year, I could have locked in half a dozen different guests by last September. As it was, with just three months, by the time I'd emailed or called them, 90% of the people I contacted had already worked out their 2017 Con schedule and were full. But the fourth issue was a serious problem. I had guests say no simply because of the convention's name, and issues with previous organisers, location, hotels, a whole list of things. Now I've never been to LFCC before and I wasn't there to see any of these alleged issues, and let's face it there's always two sides to every story — so I had to draw a line here and move on as a brand-new event. But inheriting some of these issues made it harder to convince some of the guests to try the convention under new management.
And when I say new management, I don't mean me — to say that would be a massive disservice to all of the people who have helped in organising this, and over the weekend we have a team that's going to working like crazy to get things working, so it's definitely a joint effort. But what you can expect from the Comic Zone are some great panels, some surprise guests, some cool signings and some expert advice in portfolio reviews. And more importantly the chance to meet with over 50 comic creators from across the world at their tables.
Since we announced the signing times, we've had some confusions on the forums, though, with people thinking that these are the only times that the creators will be signing. That's not the case; although some of our guests don't have tables, and might be harder to find outside of these times, many of the guests with tables will happily sign at those tables all weekend long.
One of the things I had from the feedback I mentioned earlier was that some fans were intimidated when approaching a creator's table — they didn't want to interrupt a conversation or interrupt an artist as they worked on a commission — and the result of this was they'd constantly "come back later" and never get what they wanted signed. The idea of the signing times is that for an hour, you'd know where your favourite creator is, and you could schedule the time to have your items signed. Of course, the creators will still be signing at their tables over the weekend, and sometimes might do these signing times there, but this is purely an opportunity to help the shyer people in our fandom get things signed.
Another confusion we've had is the on/off status of Marc Bernardin as a guest. Now, I've known Marc for many years and he was one of the first people I called when I took this on. He's never to my knowledge done a UK convention, and he has solid DC and Marvel credits. And in addition to this he's one half of FATMAN ON BATMAN with Kevin Smith.
Marc agreed, and we discussed doing a panel on the Sunday where Marc would interview a surprise guest. It was billed as a 'FATMAN ON BATMAN — ALL BY MYSELF' panel. From the moment we announced it though, people started asking if the guest was Kevin Smith himself — but at the time Kevin wasn't attending, so we said no.
And then, within a couple of weeks, I heard that he was now attending, and that he was now a Film and TV guest. Which also meant that any FATMAN ON BATMAN panel would now be done by Kevin on the main stage.
It was unfair to deprive Marc from the Kevin Smith associated adulation (and associated money made from such a thing), so after a conversation between us late one night Marc asked to be moved from the Comic Zone to the Film and TV Zone, so that he could sign things with Kevin. I'm not sure what his schedule is now, as it's no longer my remit. I don't even know if Marc and Kevin are doing anything together, as it's Kevin's call. But in short Marc is still a guest, and he's still there all weekend — he's just in the bigger room.
I won't lie and say it's all been plain sailing. Marc moving areas and other guests forced to cancel, hotel issues and transportation issues galore have hounded us. For example, Marv Wolfman was a three-day guest now down to two, as Marv's flight was altered to a day later, and we couldn't get it rescheduled. So, Marv gets in on the Friday evening now. It's not his fault, and we did everything we could to try to fix it.
Marv's an absolute star though and asked for more signings and panels on the two days — he's ensured that he's completely accessible for both days.
Another thing we're doing are the industry specific portfolio reviews. Most cons have portfolio sessions where you meet an editor and pitch your work. Again, feedback that we received was that upcoming creators also wanted advice from experts, so we looked into this. This weekend, the portfolio reviews are split into editors, writers and artists. Hopefully some aspiring creators will get help and inspiration from it. Or it could fail miserably. We'll see.
Also on the subject of hassles, last week Lee Townsend tweeted a picture of a floor plan for the convention that mentioned Ozzy Osbourne and Iron Maiden attending, before removing it. Showmasters were inundated with calls asking if Ozzy and Maiden were coming — the simple answer is quite dull, Lee tweeted a rough layout sent to the guests — it wasn't for public viewing and had some things written on it in shorthand. Heavy Metal are doing signings of their 'Music' issue over the weekend, in which we have an Ozzy Osbourne story by me, and an Iron Maiden story by Ian Edginton. It was basically a note, blocking out time for the band related creators signing. Lee removed it when he realised he was causing confusion.
That said, Heavy Metal are known for breaking rules at conventions and bringing in last minute music guests – Motley Crue appeared this week at SDCC. And both Titan and Heavy Metal have extra guest passes for last minute guests, so who knows who's turning up. For example, Dan Fogler from Fantastic Beasts, who's a great comic writer as well, is doing the Heavy Metal panel on the Saturday and spending chunks of the weekend at the table, but he's not on the site as a Comic or Film and TV guest. So if any big names turn up, it'll be very last minute. Which of course, as organiser I love.
So if you come to the London Film and Comic Con, what can you expect? Hopefully a damned good 'comic' con. It's been a bugbear of mine for a while now that cons like LFCC and MCM use the words 'Comic Con' but it's more of an afterthought. People instead go to festivals like Thought Bubble instead for their comic fix. But by really pushing to get some quality events and panels and guests at the convention, I'm hoping that comics can raise their head a little higher at these pop culture shows, and that it inspires some of the other like-minded cons to step up their game.
And I've invited Rich Johnston and Bleeding Cool to do a panel of his choice, which has really put the cat among the pigeons.
But personally, I'm just hoping not to get lynched.
I've heard reports that people are saying that I'm running the convention to get work from the publishers invite — and to be honest, that's laughable. I'm already working with Titan and Heavy Metal, and I've been there, done that with 2000AD. And to be honest, I'm mainly working in film and television at the moment, so outside of what I've already agreed, I don't have that much time for new projects.
Except for running a comic con.
By this time next week, the convention will be over, and I'll know if it was a success or resounding failure. I'm not looking to 2018 yet, I need to ensure that 2017's con doesn't end as a dumpster fire. And to be honest, I'm not sure I'll even be doing next year yet! I've spoken to Jason about creating some kind of 'brains trust' to build future conventions, as I'm looking at this one, at what I've done and all the time I'm doing this, there's a line from Father Ted in my head saying…
"You let Dougal do a FUNERAL?"
Come along. At worst, you get to see me have a nervous breakdown. And what's more fun than that?
Showmasters' London Film & Comic Con will be taking over the whole of the Olympia in London on Friday 28th, Saturday 29th and Sunday the 30th of July 2017, bringing some of your favourite stars from TV, Film and Comics as well as a whole host of fun activities including photo shoots, panels, autograph sessions, and hundreds of stalls full of TV and Film memorabilia to browse.
Show opening times:
Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. / Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. / Sunday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased HERE.


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We exceed expectations
We are 100% focused on delivering outstanding corporate travel management services and support – tailored to you. We have the global buying power and expertise to manage the needs of multinational companies – whilst also providing a personalised service to small businesses. It's all about taking the best care of our clients and travellers, giving you a seamless experience from start to finish.
We make corporate travel easy
Whether you're from the world of finance or entertainment, global business travel is complex, fast-paced and unpredictable. Itineraries and arrangements can change at the last minute – meaning you must be ready for anything. That's where TAG's corporate management professionals come in.
From logistics to traveller security and cost control, our corporate travel experts have the skills, knowledge and connections to handle anything that comes our way. And we will be by your side every step of the way.
Our services
Designated travel executives
Pro-active approach, clear communication, quick response times, and cost-effective solutions.
Strategic account manager
Continuous analysis of travel spend and patterns through TAGAnalytics, so we can improve your experience.
Air and hotel programmes
Negotiated flight, hotel and ground transportation programmes to reduce your travel expenditure.
Enhanced hotel benefits
Special benefits at over 1,200 hotels worldwide, such as room upgrades, late check-out and VIP treatment – on top of competitive rates.
Ground transportation and ancillary travel
Discount programmes for car rental, airport parking and chauffeurs, plus assistance at over 150 airports worldwide – including airport lounge access, group check-ins and transfers.
Passport and visa services
Comprehensive service advising every traveller on their requirements.
Easy payment solutions
Credit facilities, fully administered and managed on your behalf.
Complete risk management
Full risk assessment for any itinerary where additional safety and security measures may be required
Online booking and expense management
Ensuring compliance with travel and expense (T&E) policies and regulations and expense management is automated – to improve productivity and cost control.
24-hour Emergency Department
Award-winning emergency support all over the world, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
We have global buying power
When you partner with TAG, premium corporate travel services come as standard – and competitive rates are part and parcel of your package. Wherever you are in the world, wherever you want to go, you can use our global buying power to your advantage. Our close network of suppliers guarantees access to extremely competitive airfares, hotel rates and ancillary services.


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Use the Clear Table instruction to delete all of the data in a managed table. This step is usually added to processes where all the data is refreshed each run.
1. Add a new data manipulation step to your process.
2. In the new step, add an instruction and select "Clear Table". Hint: You can find the instruction by searching for it:
3. Link your managed table to the instruction:
4. Run the step. After it has completed successfully, open the managed table (that you linked) and confirm that it is now empty - showing 0 rows and 0KB of storage space:
Tips and Tricks:
You can achieve a similar outcome by checking the "clear old data?" box when importing data into your managed table (see step 10 in the following guide: link). This will ensure that all of the data from your managed table is removed before importing the new set of data.
One of the really important features of the Clear Table instruction is that it also clears the Transaction Log of the underlying SQL table. This can be very important for large data sets to ensure that your data storage does not build up over time.


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Mother and baby giraffe rest comfortably in a grassy, sunset field on this stunning tapestry throw. Great accessory for the safari bedroom, leather sofa or picnic blanket at the animal park.
Beautifully woven in 53x70, delightfully fringed in coordinating color
Made in the USA
Easy Care: Machine wash; tumble dry


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|High-level North Korean delegation sits at a table during their meeting with President Moon Jae-in at Cheong Wa Dae, Saturday. / Yonhap
By Lee Min-hyung
President Moon Jae-in is facing a growing dilemma over South Korea's planned military exercises with the United States, with North Korea offering a rare gesture for warmer inter-Korean relations.
On Monday, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, in a meeting with its highest-ranking delegation which returned to Pyongyang Sunday after ending their three-day trip to the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, ordered the regime to elevate the ongoing peaceful bilateral relationship with the South.
The uncommon sign for reconciliation is raising the likelihood for a possible inter-Korean summit this year.
This is in line with President Moon's North Korean policy under which he has underlined the need for holding enough dialogue to stop Pyongyang's provocative military threats.
However, the South Korean government is likely to face a bumpy road ahead on the matter, as Seoul and Washington plan to resume their annual joint military exercise sometime in April. They delayed the drills - which normally take place around late February to early March - until after the Winter Olympics.
The South Korea-U.S. drills have for years drawn a strong backlash from North Korea. The Pentagon has in recent weeks reaffirmed its willingness to stage the drills right after the closing of the PyeongChang Paralympics in mid-March.
But South Korea's defense ministry has maintained a low-key posture on the matter without elaborating on a detailed schedule for the joint drills.
"Specific timelines for the joint military exercise are still under review by both countries," defense ministry spokeswoman Choi Hyun-soo said in a media briefing, Tuesday. "We will make the details public in a timely manner."
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, however, hinted Sunday at a softening of the country's hard-line North Korean policy.
After ending his three-day visit to Seoul and PyeongChang, he was quoted as saying in an airplane that the country would push for "maximum pressure and engagement at the same time."
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson also noted that the country is ready to hold talks with the North.
"It is really up to the North Koreans to decide when they are ready to engage with us in a sincere and meaningful way," he said in a local news conference, Monday.
With the prevailing mood for inter-Korean reconciliation, Rep. Kim Kyung-hyup of the Democratic Party of Korea said the North should stop its nuclear and missile threats.
"If the North wants to demand we suspend the Seoul-Washington joint drill, the regime should show willingness for a nuclear freeze beforehand," he said in a recent radio interview.
Seoul should then discuss details with Washington over whether to downsize the scale of the exercise, according to the lawmaker.
"To some extent, we need to shift the focus of the combat-centric drill into a defense-driven one, as the North has been extremely sensitive to exercises aimed at attacking the regime," he said.
Cheong Wa Dae has yet to unveil details over how to handle the issue.
In a meeting with Latvia President Raimonds Vejonis on Tuesday, Moon said the U.S. has also expressed its will to hold dialogue with the North, according to the presidential office.


text: SKU: 9782700562194 Category: Advanced Perfectionnement Russe49,90€ Learning Russian is made easy with Assimil's intuitive method. Quantity Add to cart Try Additional information Language French Learned language Russian Collection Perfectionnement Author Victoria Melnikova-Suchet Publisher Assimil Reviews There are no reviews yet. Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review.


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In 2001, Dave and Jen Giorno started The Fence Guys. Dave had been installing fences since he was a teenager, and Jen had some business chops. They both had a pretty burning desire to be their own boss and see what they could do. They did well. By 2008 they had all the work they could handle, running six crews a day out of their 10,000 square foot facility in Montgomeryville, PA, and having a ball. Then… life happened.
Jen got sick. Real sick. It was cancer. For two years Jen and Dave did everything they could to keep Jen's illness at bay, hoping a miracle would happen.
It didn't.
Jen died on April 3, 2010. Alone, with three kids to care for, a business wracked by two years of distraction of the kind that only cancer can bring, and our nation's economy melting down, Dave needed help.
A company that Dave had helped establish in 1996 had been suggesting a merger of the two companies. The economic crisis of 2010 had been hard on them, too. The merger happened, and The Fence Guys name went away.


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Bath Street
Essence Villa
Tamboerskloof, Explore other areas >
- 2Bedrooms
- 2Beds
- 2Bathrooms
- 2Toilets
- 4Guests
|16 Jan '20 - 30 Apr '20
|1 May '20 - 31 Aug '20
|1 Sep '20 - 31 Oct '20
|1 Nov '20 - 14 Dec '20
|15 Dec '20 - 15 Jan '21
|R8200 p/n
|R5800 p/n
|R6100 p/n
|R8200 p/n
|R11200 p/n
|Min 2 night STAY
|Min 2 night STAY
|Min 2 night STAY
|Min 2 night STAY
|Min 10 night STAY
Bath Street is a modern conversion of a traditional smaller residence, designed to soak up all that is good about Cape Town. Neatly located between Kloof neck and Kloof street, the elevated position makes for the perfect City escape with a view. The house is in close proximity to all the city highlights, beaches, restaurants and shopping, neatly nestled below Table Mountain and Signal Hill.
Décor has been expertly curated to create a serene space that is modern yet comfortable. A perfect getaway for the yuppy or laid-back traveller
Special Offer
Bath Street - 20% off, bookable from now until 31 March 2020View other specials >
As part of the Icon Villas exclusive portfolio, this calendar is updated as bookings are received, allowing live availability to be displayed.
This status can change within seconds, and there may be a short delay between our booking system and our website, so please confirm availability with our reservation team in order to secure your preferred dates.
Enquiry Form
Parking - private
Parking - on-street
Ironing board
DVD player
CD Player
Espresso machine
Water kettle
Kitchen utensils provided
Private Garden
BBQ Grill
Pool - private
Towels provided
Hair dryer
Separate WC
Smoking allowed outside
Perfectly located for the traveller wanting to explore the best the City has to offer whilst having a sanctuary to retire to. Within easy walking distance to over forty trendy bars and eateries, Bath Street is only 10 minutes away from Camps Bay and 20 minutes from Cape Town International Airport.
Upon entering this unique pocket villa you are able to gaze right through the house to views of Table Mountain and Devils Peak. The lounge, dining room, kitchen are all open plan and decorated impeccably with a combination of contemporary, art-deco, Scandinavian flair. Wall to wall glass sliding doors makes this space bright and inviting.
The bright and light modern, fully equipped kitchen is complete with all relevant mod-cons including washing machine, dishwasher and a Espresso machine. The dining area has a 8 seater table and leads into a comfortable TV lounge area that offers plenty of space for relaxation. With a fireplace and air-conditioning throughout this Villa is equipped to keep you comfortable in summer or winter.
Both the dining area and lounge lead on to a large patio with private pool and dining table providing seating for 6 people as well as 2 sun loungers from which to soak up the sun.
There are 2 bedrooms with 2 modern bathrooms. The main bedroom is elevated on the top floor for the best vantage point from which to enjoy views of Table Mountain and Devils Peak. The large glass sliding doors open out to a private balcony from which to enjoy your morning coffee and breath in the clean atlantic air. The en-suite bathroom is light and bright and complete with modern fittings. The second bedroom is located on the first floor and equally beautifully furnished. The second bathroom has a bath and a shower and is well located for easy access to the bedrooms. A small third bedroom is available on special request for an additional fee.
Secure Parking for one car included.
Download fact sheetBranded >
Additional costs: Refundable breakage deposit of ZAR 10,000
Other information
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'Actors are like astronauts going out to space to explore and then report back to earth'
After having received a scholarship for the SITI company intensive training in Saratoga Springs, New York, I lept at the chance to learn from the legendary Anne Bogart aswell as her phenomenal company members; Ellen Lauren, Barney O'Hanlon, J.Ed Araiza, Akiko Aizawa, Leon Ingulsrud, Will Bond, Gian-Murray Gianino, Kelly Maurer and Stephen Webber.
The month comprised of Viewpoints, Suzuki, Dramaturgy, Speaking, Movement and Composition classes aswell as each week devising a short play which was performed to an audience.
Anne Bogart is a generous, wise, sensitive, intelligent, compassionate human being who has an infectious passion for theatre.
She posed the question to us as artists: 'What are we doing?' And these were her suggested answers:
1. Creating a model society
Theatre is the only art form which asks about social systems. How can we get along better? Music and art do not ask these questions. How we are with one another. You cannot hide the politics of rehearsal from performance. In rehearsal it matters what world you create. It matters how you speak to one another. We are trying to find balance from a sense of imbalance and this is mirrored in most plays.
A neuroscience nurse once went to see a viewpoints class and afterwards remarked 'That's the way the brain works.'
Viewpoints is a different way of being on stage.
2. We are meeting in the violence of the present moment
An actor speaking a monologue is under more stress than an olympic jumper.
Training and rehearsal is about finding the right energy to meet an audience. To be free and changeable under that stress. Its about how to handle being that target.
James Joyce said there are two kinds of art. Proper art being static art because it stops you and improper art being kinetic art because it moves you. You would think it would be the other way round – proper art moving you, but no… Improper art has a 'kinetic' quality – it excites rather than stills the mind. The feelings excited by improper art are kinetic – desire or loathing. Desire urges us to possess, to go to something; loathing urges us to abandon, to go from something. The arts which excite, pornographical or didactic, are therefore improper arts. Proper art upholds the value of the static art of 'the spiritual' for here the mind is arrested, and raised above desire and loathing. For example a Cezanne painting of apples stops you, you do not desire to eat the apples.
Its easy to get people to feel the same thing in theatre. Its really difficult to get people to feel something different. We don't just want a general wash of desire.
To create intensity in theatre, not tension. Some theatre is just to weak – it can just be blown over. The present moment is where you find the power.
Show two opposites and the truth will be in the middle. Don't just show the truth. Set up the thing and show it between two other things and then you set up the violence of the present moment.
Play the logic not the emotion.
Feed forward (be eager, go out to find).
Feed back (the info coming back at you).
Bad actors use too much of both. Good actors seem to balance it. Having the ability to reach out to then get the feedback, the sensation.
3. Raiding the graveyard
Theatre stages were originally made over graveyards. In Noh theatre the stomping was to remember the dead. 'To re-member'. Completing sentences that dead people did not finish. Bringing issues to the stage which need to be re-membered; giving the dead people a voice.
The theatre is an act of mourning.
A book or a play on a shelf is still, it is dead wood. We need to wake it up, bring to life the issues and let it speak. Give the dis-ease to others. Creating a space of spiritual otherness.
4. We are following the pulse
The word ENTHUSIASM in Greek means filled with God. We are cultivating enthusiasm – a love for the art form. There is a question on how to handle criticism. If your blood boils when someone is giving you criticism then they are most probably right. The body is a barometer. Pay attention to the blood boiling or the goosebump factor. The body can help you choose what play to work on, what character to play. This sense of the body telling you will be what then can pull you through the many obstacles. Listen to the barometer - attend and listen to the pulse as an artist.
5. We are reifying courtesy
Choose a play larger than you.
Choose a character more complex than you otherwise you will make that character smaller than you.
As an example of courtesy: When in an art gallery resist the urge to photograph the piece you are looking at; resist the urge to own it and capture it as something miniature. Instead just spend the time really looking at it as it is.
The word chivalry – based on the idea that the other person is dangerous. Don't treat the other person on stage as not dangerous. They need to be dangerous. Actors need to make the space chivalric – the codes are reinvested with original meaning.
How do you allow the world to be dangerous? You undefine it. For example, a piano is not just a piano. Wake up what you have defined.
How do you approach and enter the arena you are rehearsing or performing in? Don't let the space be messy.e.g. people eating lunch or leaving items of clothes and bags untidy in the space. Don't wait for the audience to make the space dangerous…do it right away.
How are we speaking to one another in rehearsals? The word WANT is killing theatre. It sets up parent/child relationships. For example an actor saying to director 'Is this what you want?' Normally nothing to do with the play and normally something perverse. Rehearsal room should not play out family dynamics.
Often people do not finish sentences. It is very powerful to finish a sentence, and a courtesy to allow someone to do so. Often when someone is sharing a thought or an idea it is most richly articulated and found in the end of the sentence. How do you cultivate attitude? This can be seen as a bad thing, but it is not. How do you carry yourself? Your posture is an active thing. Posture matters when you walk into a rehearsal room.
Theatre artists often have the wrong attitude. We need to see ourselves in the right way. Having the will to go out and the grace to receive.
How do we cultivate courtesy?
a. Be articulate in the face of uncertainty.
b. Find your words. Words are keys to unlock doors. Sometimes our words don't work first time but we must keep going. We must finish our sentences and choose words wisely.
c. Describe what you want to happen.
Talk your projects into existence.
6. We are cultivating neuroplasticity
We have reached the end of post modernism. We have deconstructed so much that there is nothing left to deconstruct – to the point of nothing.
The brain changes until you die. Stories are an access to neuroplasticity. How we tell stories is determining who we are becoming. If we can change the way we speak with feeling which is linked with new understanding we can change the outcome. We escalate until violence. We need to deal with time because time has become a social problem.
We need to cultivate patience and confusion at the same time instead of avoiding them. It leads to creative and imaginative acts.
7. We are eating the world
Whatever you hear you own. If we don't eat the world we have no content. Influence as influenza. What am I passing on? Own what you just ate. We are pressured to come up with new ideas for the future, but what about the past, looking to the shoulders you are standing on. Make it a point to study and travel more.
8. We are making gifts
a. Survival instinct. We make choices based on survival/ food and water.
b. Gift giving instinct. This one is a gift for someone else. Take care of this one as this is important. Once we have taken care of survival then we can operate in the gift giving.
We need to cultivate both. Need to be a producer and a gift giver. Work dies if it gets messed up. It happens in career choices too.
An American playwright who was once bogged down by the industry and considering going into mission work as she had a longing to do good in the world. She talked to Mother Theresa who said this to her:
'In my country we have a famine of the body. In your country you have a famine of the spirit. You must continue doing what you are doing'.


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In general, most adults in the U.S. are eligible and able to adopt. You can be married or single, younger or older, have a smaller or larger income, be first-time parents or already have children. Having a disability or health issues do not automatically disqualify you from adopting.
The requirements to adopt are different based on the type of adoption you choose – domestic, international, or foster-adopt.
Adoption agencies can have age limits or want adoptive families to be at least 10 years older than the child they are adopting. Several states have set age requirements of adoptive parents to be at least 18, 21, or even 25 years old. Some countries (such as China) have a required age range, where both parents much be between the ages of 30 and 50.
Resident Requirements
Some states require the prospective adoptive families to be residents of the state in which they will adopt. Other states make residency exceptions for military families. For some international adoptions, the country's law may require at least one adopting parent to travel to that country to complete documentation in person.
In most states, any single adult can be eligible to adopt. For international adoption, it depends on the country. For example, China's currently only allows adoption by married couples, defined as one man and one woman, who've been married at least two years.
The adoption laws in most states do not mention sexual orientation when defining the requirements to adopt. There are a few states and some countries that specifically prohibit adoption by same sex couples.
It is important to always seek the advice of a qualified adoption attorney so they can explain the current adoption laws in your state or refer you to adoption attorneys who practice in other states or internationally.
While there are requirements for hopeful adoptive parents, you do not need to be "perfect parents" in order to adopt. Children simply need someone who will provide a loving, caring, and safe environment – someone who will make them a permanent part of their family.
Additional information about who can adopt can be found at:


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While John Gunning's Inside Sumo column Jan. 3 was interesting, I truly wish he would address two issues that have seen the sport devolve into what it is today. Keeping the word hinkaku (dignity) in mind, the two things I would like to see the Japan Sumo Association address are henka (sidestep to avoid an attack) and harite (open hand strike).
Henka, while currently allowed, is not sumo, and was rarely a tactic used before Hakuho and Harumafuji. Where is the honor, the respect, the hinkaku? Harite should be limited to two slaps, and then move on to more traditional techniques. Currently, the majority of rikishi do the harite, and few do the yotsu-zumo (grabbing the belt) and similar techniques that most spectators expect and respect. Is this what Ozumo (big-league sumo) has devolved to?
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.


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WSHA Events
Each year, WSHA offers a programme of events for Old Girls. As a WSHA member, you are warmly invited to attend.
- Upper Sixth Networking Breakfasts
- Business Networking Event – March, London
- Old Girls' Day – May, Woldingham School
- WSHA AGM June, Woldingham School
- Milestone Reunions – WSHA will support 5, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 year reunions
- Carol Service & Christmas Drinks – December, London
For more information about WSHA events or if you have not received your invitation, please contact Alumnae Development Officer on 01883 654307 or email@example.com.