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Pterotrachea coronata is a species of large floating sea snail, a pelagic gastropod mollusc in the family Pterotracheidae.
The family Pterotracheidae is in the clade Littorinimorpha, and as such it is related to families as the tritons (Ranellidae) and the tun shells (Tonnidae).
The shell is present only in larvae and is lost following metamorphosis. Note the exposed gills projecting dorsally.
The body length is the greatest among the pterotracheids and can reach a maximum length of 330mm. It also has the most streamlined body shape and the trunk is elongate and cylindrical. The proboscis is long and pointed, terminating in a small buccal mass. The trunk is long and slender, with ventro-lateral folds of cutis anterior to the swimming fin that form a concave bib.
The visceral mass is long and slender (the highest length to width ratio in the genus), and the basal part of its length is deeply imbedded in the posterior end of the trunk. The tail is large and laterally flattened, creating a broad surface area that aids in burst swimming, attributable to strong side-to-side flexion of the trunk and tail. During burst swimming, the proboscis is tucked into a ventral groove in the anterior one-half of the trunk created by the ventro-lateral folds of cutis.
When viewed dorsally the eyes have a rectangular shape with a retinal base somewhat wider than the lens. A small fin sucker is located on the mid-ventral surface of the swimming fin in males only. Females have a long egg string that extends below the visceral nucleus.
During the day, the Sea Elephant swims with its ventral side directed upward, which facilitates visual location of prey silhouetted against the lighted surface waters. Active swimming occurs when it pursues its prey or when disturbed by predators. At other times it remains neutrally buoyant, floating curled into a loose ball. At night, the Sea Elephant also remains neutrally buoyant, but it is oriented with its ventral side directed downward. In this position, Pterotrachea coronata hypothetically could locate bioluminescent prey beneath them.
The geographical distribution is cosmopolitan in tropical to subtropical waters.
In 20+ years of regular all-year-round diving around the Maltese Islands, this is the first time that I have encountered this species. I thank Prof. P. J. Schembri from the Department of Biology at the University of Malta who helped me identify this species.
This photo was taken at Reqqa Point on Gozo's north coast.
Photo taken by Brian Azzopardi


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Grow in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Somewhat wide range of soil tolerance, but prefers moist, neutral to alkaline, well-drained loams. Intolerant of dry conditions. Best in full sun, but generally appreciates some light afternoon shade in hot summer climates such as the St. Louis area. Avoid full shade where foliage density will substantially decrease. Avoid exposed, windy sites.
Thuja occidentalis, commonly known as American arborvitae, Eastern arborvitae, Eastern white cedar or Northern white cedar, is a dense, conical to narrow-pyramidal (sometimes maturing to broad-pyramidal), often single-trunked, evergreen tree that is native to eastern and central Canada south to northern Illinois, Ohio and New York with scattered populations further south in the Appalachians to North Carolina. Mature trees may reach 40-60' tall in the wild over time, but in cultivation typically grow much smaller to 20-30' tall. Scale-like, aromatic, yellow-green to green foliage appears in flattened sprays. Red-brown bark will exfoliate on mature branches and trunks.Genus name is the Greek name for a kind of juniper (Juniperus.)Specific epithet means from the Western (Occidental) world.The common name of arborvitae (tree of life) comes from early French settlers to North America who learned from Native Americans that the tree's foliage could be used to treat scurvy.'Art Boe', commonly sold under the trade name of NORTH POLE, is a narrow-columnar form with dense dark green foliage that matures to 10-15' tall and to 5-7' wide. It originated from an open pollinated cross made in 1998 by Arthur Boe in Faribault, Minnesota between Thuja occidentalis 'Wintergreen' (female) and an unknown male parent. U.S. Plant Patent Applied For (PPAF).
Leaf blight may cause some foliage to spot and drop. Watch for canker. Leaf miner may damage leaf tips. Bagworms, mealybug, scales and spider mites are occasional visitors. Foliage may show some winter burn (turns yellow-brown) in exposed sites. Susceptible to damage/stem breakage in winter from ice and snow accumulations.
Good specimen/accent for narrow sites. Foundations. Shrub borders. Screen. Windbreak.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Is he smart enough for you?
Our caller Maryanne has been told she is too picky about the men she chooses to date. And one of the areas this comes off is a man's education. She always asks the men she meets whether they have an education and it's important to her because she has a lot of education and likes intellectual cause.
When answering her, I try to find out from her if an intellectually curious man with less formal education can be good enough. Listen to how our conversation went:
Find your soulmate on InterracialDatingCentral
When choosing the man you want to spend time with, do you ask the right questions? Is it important to have a man who is on the same level with you in terms of formal education or can his desire to want to learn about things be good enough too?
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Akreazz says:Posted: 08 May 14
Today, economically, both the female and male need to be well educated. I am very curious, inquisitive and stimulated by education. If, I interact with a Doctor, Engineer, Scientist, etc. I listen carefully to everything they say, and I am stimulated to know more. I research whatever their fields of studies are. Because, I seek to educate myself further and continuously. In addition, I know what I want and what stimulates me, and broaden my worldviews. In addition, I have encountered and found that men with less education or without any education. They tend to be secretly resentful, non-communicative,narrow-minded, domineering, argumentative, if you ask them a question or make a suggestion. They will indirectly mock you, etc. My siblings and I found that my father was uneducated, but he wanted to be educated. My siblings and I taught my father everything we learned daily in school. My brothers taught my father the the maths & higher level maths. While my sisters and I taught him reading, writing, language, science, history, social studies, my father mastered map reading on his own, and public speaking from his children etc. This is 2014, therefore, every country on the planet Earth, should be responsible for properly educating their citizens to address the needs and the technologies of a new and upcoming world. Therefore, I have graduate degrees, and I require a man to possess a Graduate Degree. I don't require anything of a man, that I don't require for myself. Thank you!Reply to this comment


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All-New Redwood Steakhouse Now Open at California Hotel and Casino
The latest debut in California Hotel and Casino's sweeping, multi-million-dollar redesign – the all-new Redwood Steakhouse – is now open. The completely redesigned and reinvented fine dining concept features a wide selection of steaks, fresh seafood and chops, served in a contemporary, island-inspired atmosphere (Pictured: New York Steak).
"Along with the numerous updates we've made to the California in the past year, we also raised the stakes at Redwood Steakhouse for fine dining in Downtown Las Vegas," said David Lebby, Vice President and General Manager of the California. "While our loyal customers will still find many favorites on the menu, we've introduced a distinctive new perspective on the menu at Redwood to set a new standard for fine dining in Downtown Las Vegas."
Redwood Steakhouse's reinvigoration spans from the menu to the room. The Redwood's new environment features touches of Hawaiian flair throughout, with a design influenced by the famous beachfront resorts of Waikiki. The restaurant façade offers glimpses into the bar and main dining room between a series of handsomely detailed, carved-walnut pilasters. The all-new bar features a custom butcher-block countertop, over-scale chandeliers, and a gorgeous herringbone-patterned wood floor. Visually anchoring the bar, a large vintage burlesque vaudeville print adds an unexpected touch of whimsy to the space. In the main dining room, bespoke, fan-inspired chandeliers hang from high, vaulted ceilings. Timber beams span the ceiling coffers between exquisitely detailed columns, which are accented with swagged drapery panels that further reinforce the casually elegant Polynesian design sensibility.
In the contemporary lounge-style bar, Redwood now offers a social hour daily from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m., with a special menu of island-inspired small bites like the tuna poke nachos, oxtail fried rice, and bao "wow," a grilled char-sui pork belly served in a steamed bao bun with Thai chili, pickled cucumber, hoisin and baby lettuce. The small bites pair perfectly with a selection of signature cocktails, including the Blood Orange Whisky Sour and spiced Mai Tai. In addition, Redwood Steakhouse offers a robust and attractively priced wine list.
The dining experience at Redwood Steakhouse features distinctive dishes from start to finish. Start the meal with a taste of the sea, such as the seared ahi tuna with a lemon-pepper crust and accompanied by a refreshing green apple and jicama slaw; or with a classic French onion soup, featuring a dash of aged sherry and topped with creamy gruyere cheese and a brioche crouton. Steak selections include traditional steakhouse cuts such as filet mignon, bone-in ribeye and the Redwood's signature Prime flat iron steak. Enjoy your steak with a selection of savory sauces, served "classic Oscar" with crab, asparagus and béarnaise, or paired with an 8 oz. butter-broiled lobster tail. Specialties include the miso sea bass, a pan-roasted Chilean seabass in white miso broth with bok choy; and seafood Fra Diavolo, featuring shrimp, crab, clams and mussels served atop spicy marinara and linguini pasta.
Redwood Steakhouse is part of California Hotel and Casino's multi-million-dollar redesign campaign, which includes the recent openings of the Cal Sports Lounge, a sports bar and sportsbook hybrid; Holo Holo – The Happy Bar, an island-inspired bar; the remodeled restaurant space of Aloha Specialties; a floor-to-ceiling renovation of the casino floor; and even more to come.


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That said, I have been doing my best to commit to a spring conditioning schedule now that daylight savings time has arrived. It has been MUCH easier to get into a decent routine with the sun setting later and all of us finally feeling better!
|March 18
And she has definitely started to come into herself more, as I can see how much she has grown up since last winter. It is subtle, but she is just calmer overall and sure of herself. She is still spooky at the end of the driveway haha, but that might never go away. She is a little firecracker, after all. But the build-up of walking and now trotting has given her a good base of fitness to start the year.
|so much excitement on this March conditioning log hahahahaha
usually I just jot down the minutes I rode on the barn calendar,
but this is the official PONY CLUB way to record one's conditioning ;-)
I am also making headway with my body's desire to overreact and muddle the canter transition, which I blame on years of riding my Standardbreds and stressing over the canter haha. I know in my brain to half halt and simply move my outside leg back, but my body just leans forward and I flail around with both legs and it is the most convoluted aid of all time. *sigh* The good news is that Taylor is like WTAF when I do that and just sort of trots a little faster, and I finally mastered all our canter transitions last weekend by riding them CORRECTLY. Beth wanted me to play with flying changes and I was like yeah, maybe I should just practice riding my canter transitions hahaha. Poor Taylor is a saint for putting up with me. It has made me realized WHY Ellie is so uptight about cantering, as I am literally giving her the most mixed signals of all time. While I do not regret the time I spent retraining Standardbreds under saddle, I do realize that it created a TON of rider issues for me.
|March 23
I know there was a lot of backlash about this training, but I do plan to do a USDF rated show this year, so I did have to complete it if I want to show. To me, it was just another thing to do along with sending in my membership forms and dues.
|March 30
The snow just needs to go. I think you are doing well. It won't be long before you are in full swing.ReplyDeleteReplies
It has been a long winter and I am ready! :-)Delete
OH my goodness did you describe cueing a canter on a standardbred so WELL. It's part of my issues too. I think when I took Gwyn for a lesson in November and the instructor just told me to sit and slide my outside leg back for the canter and it WORKED with Gwyn I was in shock. I'm also used to a huge fanfare and flailing limbs while they try to not pace.ReplyDeleteReplies
Yup, I think I can retrain my brain haha, but it hasn't been an easy process! :-)Delete
I hear ya on the sn*w melting! Sounds like we have about the same amount as you guys, give or take!ReplyDeleteReplies
Uggg, I am so over it! LOLDelete
Boo snow go away!! That is an order :) Wow sounds like you are at it and ready to get going with Ms Ellie. I can't wait to hear about the Tik clinic. How exciting!! I am glad you are better so scary to be that sick!!ReplyDeleteReplies
I am trying so hard to get motivated despite the YUCK out there on the ground haha. I am super excited about the Tik clinic and feel lucky he is coming to a farm about 40 mins away, which is pretty much next door when you live in rural Maine haha.Delete
I'm surprised you still have so much snow. Most of ours has melted EXCEPT for the arena. That's completely snowed over.ReplyDeleteReplies
Oh, of course the arena isn't melted hahaha! Mine finally all gave way to mud, so now to wait for it to dry up. But there is finally hope!Delete
Good for you getting out there for the walking hacks in the snow. My motivation isn't that good.ReplyDeleteReplies
Hahaha well, it was either walking hacks or nothing, so to keep myself sane I had to do something. ;-)Delete
Oohh a Tik Maynard clinic! That's super exciting. I can't wait to hear about it.ReplyDeleteReplies
YES! I am hoping it is as good as I think it will be haha.Delete


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Lookers Mercedes-Benz Kent has been awarded the coveted Mercedes-Benz Retailer of the Year 2017 award at a glittering award ceremony which celebrated a record breaking year for the Mercedes-Benz brand in the UK.
The Mercedes-Benz Retailer of the Year awards were held at the O2, London, and were hosted by television personality and X Factor host Dermot O'Leary.
At the awards ceremony night Marcus Breitschwerdt, Head of Region Europe for Mercedes Benz, and Gary Savage, CEO of Mercedes-Benz UK, presented the grand prize to the Lookers team in front of a 1,200 strong audience who were also gathered to celebrate record new car sales for Mercedes-Benz.
Despite a challenging and competitive marketplace, Lookers Mercedes-Benz Kent, which operates from dealerships in Maidstone, Tonbridge, Ashford and Canterbury, saw an astonishing increase of 14.4% in the sale of new cars in 2017, with similar double digit growth in the sale of used cars.
The judges were also impressed by an 8% growth in aftersales at Lookers Mercedes-Benz Kent, as well as its efforts in achieving the highest level of customer retention and satisfaction in the UK.
The figures form part of a larger success story for Mercedes-Benz, which has reported record global sales for 2017, while record sales in the UK last year saw 179,000 Mercedes-Benz cars registered, representing a 7% market share, making it the number one premium manufacturer.
It's not the first time that Lookers have been acknowledged at the awards, with Lookers smart of Brighton winning smart Retailer of the Year 2016.
Gary Savage, CEO, Mercedes-Benz Cars UK, commented: "Following Lookers of Brighton's success winning smart Retailer of the Year in 2016, Lookers Group has given another outstanding performance in 2017 to win Mercedes-Benz Retailer of the Year. Every area of the business is aligned to make sure the customer gets the best experience possible."
Lookers Chief Executive Andy Bruce said: "We're very proud of our excellent partnership with Mercedes Benz, so to receive Mercedes-Benz Retailer of the Year is a tremendous honour. Our team in Kent have shown just how talented and hard-working they are and I want to offer them my personal congratulations and thanks for this fantastic achievement."


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On Tuesday, North Carolina's two major party candidates for governor participated in their first live television debate on WTVD ABC 11.
McCrory, who is the mayor of Charlotte, said in his opening statement the state needs to fix its crumbling roads, address a growing gang problem and root out government corruption.
Perdue, the lieutenant governor, said she's focused on improving the state's education system which, in turn, will bolster the state's economy.
The candidates last debated June 21 at the North Carolina Bar Association's annual meeting.
Read about the gubernatorial candidates' background.
Republican candidate:
Pat McCrory is in his seventh term as the Mayor of Charlotte.
He grew-up in Jamestown outside High Point.
He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Catawba College. After college, he went to work for Duke Power.
McCrory was first elected to the Charlotte City Council in 1989 and was re-elected in 1991 and 1993.
He was first elected mayor in 1995 and has served longer than any other Charlotte mayor.
Democratic candidate:
Bev Perdue is in her second term as Lieutenant Governor.
She grew up in southwest Virginia and has lived most of her adult life in New Bern.
She received her Bachelor's degree from the University of Kentucky and a Master's degree in Education and a PhD in Administration from the University of Florida.
Perdue worked in both education and health care before being elected to the North Carolina House of Representative in 1986.
She was re-elected in 1988 and in 1990. Perdue was elected to the state senate where she served until her election as Lieutenant Governor in 2000.


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Peplink's Maritime 10 SISO marine antenna boasts an impressive 9.3dbi of gain, making it an exceptional performance omni directional SISO cellular antenna. Designed for wide frequency ranges from 600-4200MHz this antenna supports 4G LTE as well as the latest 5G bands including 600Mhz frequencies. Designed for 5G with high performance in all low, mid and high bands for the best 5G connectivity at sea.
Mounting options include the maritime mount set as well as the L-shape mount set. In addition the antenna can be mounted using a Standard Maritime 1'' 14 TPI marine mount thread (sold separately). The Maritime 10 has a Type N female connector making it ideal for replacing existing antennas to provide broader cellular spectrum support.
* Antenna cable is not included.
See Documentation Tab for full specifications.
This antenna is an omni-directional antenna. Omni-directional antennas are designed to pick up signals in a 360-degree pattern around the antenna and do not require that they be aimed or pointed at the cellular or WIFI broadcasting tower. Omni-directional antennas offer a blend of performance and ease of use over directional antennas that may have higher performance and gain specifications. Omni-directional antennas also perform well if a customer is utilizing multiple cellular or WIFI connections that may be broadcasting in different directions, for example if a customer has data plans from multiple cellular providers and cell towers are in different directions. Omni-directional antennas are the preferred style of antenna for mobile travelers and those who change their location and method of connecting to the internet frequently as they offer solid performance without the need to point the antenna.
Directional antennas may be better suited than omni-directional antennas for customers with fixed locations such as rural home or business customers.
This device is FirstNet Ready! FirstNet is the nationwide public safety communications platform dedicated to America's first responders. Being built with AT&T, in public-private partnership with the FirstNet Authority, FirstNet utilizes Band-14, which is reserved for public safety but is also being marketed as available to the public for additional bandwidth capacity. In testing Band-14 has been made available during non-emergency situations to the public to provide additional bandwidth and coverages to customers who have a modem that supports FirstNet's Band-14. Not all modems that support Band-14 are "FirstNet Certified" however they typically can connect to Band-14 in most areas. Information on FirstNet certifications can be found on Specification sheets located on the Documentation Tab. Additional information about FirstNet's use and technology can be found in this article from our friends at the RV Mobile Internet Resource Center.
This device supports Band 71. Band 71 is T-Mobile's rural cellular band that operates on 600mhz which provides significant increases in coverage on the T-Mobile network for customers traveling outside of urban areas. 5G ready devices that support Band 71 typically also support Band 71n which is the 5G band for T-Mobile. Note that not all devices are 5G devices so check the listing above but with or without 5G you will still achieve increased coverage on the T-Mobile network with any device that supports Band 71. For more information about Band 71, check out the Band 71 Guide from our friends at the Mobile Internet Resource Center.
Looking for the full specifications on this product? Not to worry, they are located above under the "Documentation" Tab just above by the product description.
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Congratulations to Corrine and Vanessa! They tied the knot at The Berkeley Plaza in Berkeley Heights, NJ on a lovely day in July. With the amazing love they have for each other and a beautiful venue, their wedding was unforgettable!
Corrine had a busy morning spent getting ready to walk down the aisle. Our NJ Wedding Photographer was there to capture all of the fun Corrine and her bridesmaids had before the ceremony. She had her hair done in a gorgeous up-do and her makeup done perfectly. Corrine slipped into her captivating wedding dress and headed off to have her first look with Vanessa.
Our NJ Wedding Photographer was there to capture the precious moment of Corrine and Vanessa's first look. Both of their faces were filled with pure happiness when they saw each other, it was a beautiful moment for the both of them.
All of Corrine and Vanessa's loved ones gathered for the ceremony and watched Corrine walk down the aisle towards Vanessa who was waiting eagerly for her. They stood hand in hand and exchanged their heartwarming vows, sealed them with a kiss and were officially Mrs. and Mrs.! The newlyweds made their way back down the aisle ready to celebrate!
The reception was one to remember! Our NJ Wedding DJ had everyone dancing all night long alongside Corrine and Vanessa. Our NJ Wedding Photographer was there to capture all of the dancing throughout the night, especially everyone's great dance moves! When the guests weren't dancing they were over at our Social Photo Booth taking fun pictures together. It was an evening filled with love, happiness, and dancing for everybody!
Congratulations, again, Corrine and Vanessa! Your wedding was extraordinary and we are so happy to have been a part of your special day. We wish you a lifetime full of love and happiness.
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Homemade Laundry Detergent
I love this laundry detergent recipe because it's so easy, and it's a dry mix – no boiling or storing liquids, which means less work for mom! (or dad, sometimes Landon makes it too 🙂
- 1 bar of Dr Bronner's soap (sold at Whole Foods for $3.50 or Target for about $4.80) – I use the lavender scent after a friend suggested it & it smells wonderfully fresh, but you could use whatever scent you like best
- 1 cup Borax*
- 1 cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda*
*Sold at Publix, I couldn't find them anywhere else, but may have just missed 'em
Grate the bar of soap, using the smallest grater option. Add borax & washing soda. Mix, store in container of your choice, & you're done!
We switched from using All Free & Clear, which was better than regular laundry detergent, but still not all-natural. And I really enjoy the lavender scent of our new detergent now – it makes doing laundry almost enjoyable 🙂


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I'm relatively new to biking, and even newer to know about the details about the components of the bike itself. I have a 2016, 29" Totem bike, with a rear coil shock and a front coil suspension (a Suntour XCT DS HLO 29). From what I can see, it's an older model of this one: http://www.srsuntour-cycling.com/components/fork/XCT-29-5620.html
I generally like the bike and I've had good times with it along these years, but the problem is the front suspension is too basic and has scared me a couple times already, so I'm planning to upgrade it for something better, around $350 - $400.
The problem is I'm not exactly sure for this price range, what should I pick? Should I pick another coil based suspension or should I go for an air-based one? For this price range, are some Rock Shox acceptable options or should I look at some other brands? Can I get something with remote lock for this price range? What features should I look to make a long-lasting investment?
Sorry if the question is too broad, I'll share any other information or details required.


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Produce 48 by AKB48 Group Yasushi Akimoto here all you need to know
AKB48 Group producer Akimoto Yasushi got something into MAMA Award 2017 stage Live in Japan. He's just announced that Produce 48 will be on your TV soon.
While Yasushi Akimoto wins Inspired Achievement. Produce 48 is the results of a collaboration between Produce 101 and Japanese Girlgroup AKB48 in a project from Mnet.
The concept itself will still uses Produce 101.


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Are you a roller coaster enthusiast? If you've been riding roller coasters for a while, you'll know that there's nothing that gets the heart racing and the adrenaline flowing quite like a good roller coaster. These amusement park rides inspire both fear and excitement in all who choose to ride them. Yet, despite how much people fear them, it's very unlikely that you'll see an amusement park without one. Roller coasters continue to attract scores of people to amusement parks – and for good reason!
Many different types of roller coasters have been developed around the globe. The variations are based on their mechanics, the track layout, the train type, as well as their height. But regardless of the differences, each type promises unique moments of enjoyment and entertainment. We've prepared a list of the most popular types of roller coasters with some facts about each of them.
Accelerator Coaster
Designed to generate an adrenaline rush like no other, the accelerator roller coaster ensures that optimum speed is reached within the shortest possible time.
An example of such a coaster is Intamin's rocket coaster in the US. Its hydraulic winch launch system enables continuous and smooth acceleration right from the start. The park-specific layout of this roller coaster is designed to cater to the customer's budget and space requirements.
Hence, whether you're searching for low, bullet-shooting rides or high, heart-stopping towers, accelerator rides are a great option. They're characterized by high speeds ranging from 60 mph to 150 mph and heights between 40 and 456 feet!
Shoulder restraints present in Intamin's newer train designs provide upper body freedom, while the magnetic braking system offers both a smooth launch and a smooth break run.
Source: International amusements
FlyingRoller Coaster
The first flying roller coaster, Skytrak, was introduced in the UK in 1997. It allowed passengers to climb onto it in a way that was like climbing a ladder. Once the passengers were on board, the ride would begin. However, the ride was closed in 1998.
According to Roller Coaster Database, there are as many as 29 flying roller coasters around the world. The most recent one in the US, Manta, was launched back in 2009. The first flying roller coaster was built by Vekoma, the Dutch roller coaster manufacturer, in 2000. It is known as Stealth and is located in Great America in California. Six Flags Magic Mountain and Cedar Point both launched flying roller coasters in the same year called Millennium Force and Goliath respectively. Stealth is nicknamed The Flying Dutchman, and the newer versions launched by Vekoma aren't much different from this original coaster.
All three Flying Dutchman coasters are located in the US and comprise of trains that load the riders in a seated position but recline just before they are due to be launched. In this setup, the riders are effectively lying on their backs while facing the sky. This initial position might be uncomfortable for some riders, but as soon as the ride begins, all that discomfort fades away as the adrenaline gets pumping.
The newer versions of the Flying Dutchman comprise of multiple riding platforms and slightly longer tracks as compared to Stealth. One problem with Vekoma's flying coaster design is that riders aren't allowed to use the locking lap bar combined with the shoulder straps. All three versions have problems associated with shoulder straps in which the locking clips may delay the loading and unloading process.
The Flying Dutchman roller coaster design was ultimately overtaken by Bolliger and Mabillard, with the launch of Galactica at Alton Towers, and Superman: Ultimate Flight, a flying roller coaster in Six Flags over Georgia. B&M fixed the many issues of The Flying Dutchman and perfected the concept of the flying roller coaster. As opposed to the riders of Flying Dutchman roller coasters, the B&M flying coasters allow riders to experience the feeling of flight without having to lie on their backs.
B&M flying coasters also feature one integrated shoulder restraint and lap bar as a solution to the Flying Dutchman's two separate restraining devices. To make the experience even more comfortable, B&M coasters added ankle locks to the restraint system to prevent the riders' legs from dangling. In addition to this, B&M's recent custom layouts, like those of Manta and Tatsu, make them the two best flying roller coasters on the planet.
Canada's Time Warp is another exhilarating flying roller coaster designed by Zamperla. It features a row with seats that accommodate up to four riders. Riders need to ride up a ladder into the train and place their hands and head into position before the back of the trains get locked for the launch. Upon launching, the train is motioned into a flying position before being thrown into a spiral-style lift.
Time Warp doesn't hold riders' bodies tightly in its train. Instead, riders enjoy some freedom inside the cage-like restraint. Passengers can move a little as the roller coaster turns and spins while on its spiral course. However, many riders feel extremely uncomfortable with this type of restraint as the twists and turns may cause their bodies to roll or get hurt.
When everything is taken into consideration (safety, excitement, etc.), the flying roller coasters manufactured by B&M remain the safest ones on the planet owing to their passenger-centric, safe designs.
Source: Theme park insider (Flying Roller Coaster)
Bobsled Roller Coaster
Previously known as flying turns, Bobsled roller coasters comprise of bobsleigh-like cars that race along pipes that are open from the top. The pipes don't have fixed tracks so that cars can slide freely within the pipes to give passengers the feel of riding a real bobsleigh on snow. Due to their twisted layouts, the gravitational forces at different points will certainly take you by surprise. They are popular as family-style roller coasters.
Although they're fun and fairly tame rides, only 9 operational bobsled roller coasters exist around the world. Avalanche, an incredible family-friendly bobsled roller coaster, is present at Kings Dominion, Virginia. It is a perfect roller-coaster ride for beginners or members of a family. Alpine Bobsled at Great Escape in New York and La Vibora at Six Flags in Texas are other bobsled roller coasters in the US.
Stand-Up Coaster
Stand-up roller coasters are designed in a way that riders stand during the ride. They are steel roller coasters comprising of bicycle-like seats for riders to stand against. These seats are restrained by over-the-shoulder restraints. Stand-up roller coasters are similar to seated looping coasters with very little to add. Moreover, some roller coasters are designed so that riders can choose to stand or remain seated.
The first of this kind was King Cobra, introduced at Kings Island in 1984, that operated until 2001. Among the 15 operational stand-up coasters around the world, 7 are designed by Bolliger & Mabillard, 6 by Togo and 2 by Intamin.
Among the most popular ones include Chang at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, and Riddler's Revenge in California, which is 156 feet tall and 4,300 feet long and is regarded as the 'King of the stand-ups.' This particular stand-up coaster covers six aversions, including 2 dive loops, 2 corkscrews, a vertical loop, and an inclined loop. Some other stand-up coasters include Shockwave at Kings Dominion and Mantis at Cedar Point.
Source: Coaster critic
Floorless Roller Coaster
A floorless roller coaster is a steel roller coaster that has no floor and riders sit on seats with their legs swinging freely just above the tracks. The track layout of a floorless roller coaster typically encompasses 3 to 7 inversions.
While the train is parked in the station, a floor is used to load and unload riders. Similarly, a gate is placed right in front of the front row when the train is stationed. This is because the roller coaster itself doesn't have anything in front of the front row to prevent riders from walking over the edge of the station. This gate and the station floor aren't removed until all the over-the-shoulder restraints are locked. After the ride, when the train returns to the station, the gate and floor are brought back.
16 floorless roller coasters are currently operational in the world, 11 of which are located in the US. The remaining 5 belong to Taiwan, Spain, Denmark, Hong Kong, and India. Dominator at Kings Dominion, Patriot at California's Great America, Rougarou at Cedar Point, and Firebird at Six Flags America are the most popular floorless roller coasters in the US. Additionally, Hair Raiser in Hong Kong and Nitro in India are popular floorless roller coasters outside the US.
Besides this, the German roller coaster manufacturer, Maurer Sohne, developed a sophisticated version of the floorless roller coaster known as the X-Car in 2003. Despite having no over-the-shoulder restraints, the X-Car allows passengers to be upside down for a longer period of time during the ride. It is located at Magic Springs and Crystal Falls in Arkansas, US.
Source: Revolvy
Dive Coaster
Dive coasters are steel roller coasters designed to feature extreme vertical drops. The thrilling sensation of staring down and being dropped from enormous heights attracts a countless number of visitors.
The only manufacturer of this breathtaking roller coaster is Bolliger and Mabillard. The first dive coaster, known as Oblivion, was made operational in 1998. The coaster takes its riders up to six stories, stops at the top, and drops them from 160 feet into a dark black hole.
Oblivion was soon followed by G5 in Taiwan, while if you reside in the US and are a fan of dive coaster rides, you can't miss the completely vertical, 90-degree drops from 200 feet of either of the two dive coasters in Florida and Virginia. These include Griffon at Busch Gardens Williamsburg Amusement Park, Virginia, and Sheikra at Busch Gardens Africa in Tampa, Florida.
For fans of Oblivion, Sheikra in 2005 took the idea of dive coasters to a whole new level. It retained the train length and large drop characteristics, but it also featured a completely vertical drop, added an inversion, and a fantastic water-splashing finish.
Source: Coaster force
Inverted Roller Coaster
Inverted roller coasters are designed in a way that riders sit on seats attached to the underside of tracks. In this way, riders seem to hang down, with their feet dangling free. While some inverted roller coasters that are designed for kids and families contain no inversions or loops at all, most have of some type of inversion.
Some roller coaster enthusiasts complain that inverted roller coasters are meant to entertain the riders in the front row only as they're the ones who feel the unobstructed rush of the wind and see what's ahead, getting the true flying experience. On the other hand, those seated behind are deprived of this. You'll often see long queues for front row rides; however, those who've had the chance to occupy the back row seats have great experiences as well, as the wind forces are even more intense at the back of the train.
B&M, with its launch of Batman: The Ride in 1992, pioneered the concept of the inverted roller coaster at Six Flags Great America. It turned out to be so popular that dozens of its clones were developed around the world.
Like B&M's previous stand-up coasters, its inverted design features a four-across seating arrangement but with a relatively higher capacity of 8 rows. In addition to its inverted design clones, B&M continues to work on custom inverted coasters at a number of theme parks. To name a few, Nemesis at Alton Towers, Montu at Busch Gardens Tampa, Raptor at Cedar Point, Afterburn at Carowinds, Alpengeist at Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Talon at Dorney park are the most popular inverted coasters in the US.
With the advent of dive coasters, flying coasters, and floorless roller coasters, however, the inverted design became unpopular for a while until the launch of B&M's Banshee at King's Island in 2014. Featuring a restraint style similar to that of flying roller coasters, Banshee offers a custom inverted coaster design.
In the presence of so many inverted roller coasters all over the world, Banshee's new design may not be considered a great innovation, but it continues to provide an exciting experience for all who choose to ride it.


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"Are you the culprit or a victim of a graffiti related incident? Maybe you just got style. Either way - this fresh new T is for you."
Phetus has committed to producing 88 white and 88 black hand made Graffitti Broke My Heart [sic] shirts before he switches the design over from hand made to screen printed. You can now pick them up through the Elite Gudz shop for $25 each.


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It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...
I apologise I have probably just made you start singing, or humming away in your head. I know I am.
Now the end of last month I was insanely lucky to go with my friend in tow to the Ideal Home Show at CHRISTMAS. It was truly beautiful! Walking into a winter wonderland of Christmas trees and snow. Plenty of stalls to go check out.
Firstly making our way to the free photo booth with Go Compare the shows sponsors.
Then heading upstairs, to hunt out food, alcohol and sweet treats. Oh and the goodie bag, gotta love a goodie bag. The smell upstairs was lush, so much yummy food to choose from. Samples of delicious treats and the odd cider cup. How awesome are those objects made purely of chocolate and the size of those fruity meringues.
As well as yummy treats, there was the chance to see some celebrities. We were lucky enough to catch Katie Piper's book signing and hear the amazing Wynne Evans sing some Christmas classics (his voice is actually amazing).
Of course there was so much more left to explore, so many stands looking at all aspects of Christmas from gifts to decorations. Found some amazing room sets, how gorgeous is this Christmassy blue and white set. I am loving the lighting. As well as the more natural themed decorations that seem to be making a come back this year, lots of woods and reds. Wish I had more money with me on the day.
If you ever get the opportunity to go, DO! (or even go visit the Spring Ideal Home Show)
I know I loved the day out and pretty sure my friend did too. You will leave with a smile on your face and so much inspiration, perfect to kick off the Christmas season.
*I received two tickets for free in return for this review, this does not change my views/opinions.


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Countless times we read on the Internet and equine magazines about someone's 'bad horse problem.' To the casual uninitiated observer, this must seem rather illogical if not ridiculous as we have had 6,000 years of 'practice' with horses. Yet those 'behavioral issues and bad horse problems' continue to grow in ever-greater numbers despite those 6,000 years of 'practice.'
Why is it that the human species has worked with the same animal for six thousand years and STILL has so many 'problems?' Why is it that the Horse is still be viewed as a potentially problematic animal when he has not changed one iota mentally, emotionally or spiritually in all that time?
The answers are fairly simple but require a' step back' for just a moment to compare the significant difference between Ethology and Etiology. Ethology is the scientific study of animal behavior, especially as it occurs in a natural environment. Equine Ethology would be the study of horses in their natural environment. To a limited extent, our 'natural horsemanship formats' are indeed 'natural' as they duplicate establishing a higher herd rank in the normal intra-herd relationship by using various levels of intimidation, pressure, discomfort and physical punishment. While this methodology may give a horse owner some momentary feeling of accomplishment and control, it initiates a confrontational, adversarial relationship.
Etiology is the study of causes and origins. An essential of Equine Etiology would be the complete study and understanding of horses in their natural environment. Therefore Equine Ethology would be an absolute essential before ever attempting to make any critical evaluation of the true cause of a domesticated horse's behavior. The scope and goal of Equine Etiology would be determining 'WHY' those generational 'horse problems' continue to grow in numbers disproportionately after 6,000 years of working with an animal who has not changed one iota mentally, emotionally or instinctually in all that time.
*Anecdote. One indication of insanity is repeating the same thing over and over but expecting different and/or better results. Of course that does not mean everyone in the horse world is insane. But it certainly is a strong indication that in our obsessive/compulsive 'rush to ride' steeped in our relational and cultural traditions we have literally 'put the cart ahead of the horse' for 6,000 years.
Once we open our eyes and minds a bit, once we step away from 'what has always been done' and give our 'equine Rubiks cube' a turn to gain a different perspective, we can better understand that there is no such thing as a 'bad horse' because every horse ever born, was born a 'perfect horse.'
If this is true, (and it is) that leaves the human element responsible for first creating those problems, and then using the same methodologies to cure them and 'make the bad horse a good horse.'
Albert Einstein once said. "We can not solve the problems that we have created, with the same thinking that created them." It would appear he was only too right insofar as equine 'training' is concerned. Otherwise, we would no longer experience this generational plethora of 'horse problems' and the perception of 'bad horses' would cease to exist.
The Alternative Paradigm offered here prefers to prevent those supposed behavioral horse problems from ever happening in the first place (instead of first interacting in a way that causes them and then ad hoc devising methods to 'cure them').
Thus it practices 'prevention rather than cure' by eliminating the root cause of all those 'horse problems' by interacting in a completely different manner from any 'training format' known.


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Our four-legged feline friends are the biggest drama queens in the history of animals. From being irresistibly adorable with their wide-open eyes to their resting judgemental faces or "I don't care" expressions, these balls of fur are very expressive of their emotions. Not only are they expressive but they are overly dramatic as well. They put on a show with their appearance and constantly crave attention. A lot of attention. Naturally, they desire to be the centre of their human's world. They enjoy obedience (Humans obeying cats). There is no vice versa. No doubt they do become the centre of a cat owner's world, after all, who can ignore such attention-drawing actions.
Cats are best at what they do. They are some of the greatest performers of all time. Their acting skills are nothing less than Academy winning big Hollywood names. Here are some of the hilarious yet outstanding reactions of cats that deserve an oscar for sure.
Oh! He's got a gig this Saturday night. Just rehearsing.
This cat has surely seen The Final Destination.
"Hey that's my favorite Ice Cream!!"
Just dropped something but too lazy to get it.
Cat version: Mission Impossible.
"No one summons me while I nap!!"
Cat has stopped working. Error 404: Not Found.
"Get back here and let me love you!"
Cats can be pretty romantic sometimes.
This one found out he's being filmed.
"How dare video tape me without my consent?"
This one's a lead in the next ninja assassin movie.
He's got some skills.
"Hooman, what have I done to deserve such a treatment?!"
"Think quick! Before they give you a bath… Aha! Let's execute plan 'B'." *Passes out*
What a drama queen.
This one just got rescued.
Gotta act dramatic.
Peacefully taking a stroll in the neighborhood and suddenly running into an old "friend." *Hisses*
Fun fact: Cats fluff their tails for various reasons, but most often when they are scared to the core, super annoyed, angry or very playful. In the case above, he's annoyed.
"Hooman! Dry me!!!"
"I told you no bathing!!"
This cat is taking a dramatic fall off the couch.
It will take a few minutes for his consciousness to return from an interrupted nap.
He can go scratchy and bleedy anytime now.
He's hired as the new Kapellmeister at the Sydney Opera House.
"Trust me I can make good music."
"Must stretch harder!"
This cat seems to be a part time Ballerina.
This one's been working out.
Hold it! Hold it! Hold it!
Ever wonder why cats hate water so much? Yeah, we thought that too. However, after some research, we found that domestic cats have small hair that causes the water to touch their skin directly. As a result, they feel cold. Now it's understandably why.
Heard Mom say "bath time!"
"Hey, neighbors! Let me in!!"
Seems like this catto's neighbors are enjoying some grilled fish for Lunch.
"Oh, heyYYYYYY!!"
Seems like he saw his owner from a distance and slipped.
This one judges you for no reason as you enjoy your meal.
She's probably plotting your murder for not feeding her first.
This one's practicing for his movie debut as a convict in the court room.
When you're high on catnip and things start levitating around the house. * Dramatic cat noises*
"Yes, yes. I agree with the road trip. Only if I can sit in the passenger seat." *A few moments later* "I never should've trusted you."
Looks like the owner got them their favorite treat.
"Hooman, please?"
Cats have a way with things. It's like they know what they want and when they want. It's an inborn talent not many animals possess. Just look at those eyes. JUST LOOK AT THEM. This is when they want you to obey them. They want something done and they know how to make you do that. They know your weakness. After all, they've been watching you all day, judging you from a distance.
"Ah, pathetic!" *Visible Disgust*
"You said I was your only child!" *Hisses Aggressively*
When your cat is being salty.
"Wait a miniute! He's staying with us!? Like forever!!???"
The moment you realize you're not the youngest child anymore.
*Heard footsteps and woke up* "Hooman, am I a joke to you?!"
"I see, you've arrived. Good…now FEED ME!"
Let's just stop for a moment and adore how chonky this one is. *melts*
You ignored her once upon a time…
You are being watched…
"Baby Up Up!"
*All hail The Majestic Queen!* "Hooman, Give me all your attention."
Pet me first, play later.
Looks like someone forgot their cat outside in the rain. Now, the Catto is plotting revenge.
If you enjoyed these photos and laughed just as we did, then let us know in the comments below and also share these with your friends.


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Between 2001 and 2008 investment in drug treatment increased from £250 million a year to £750 million a year. This yielded:
- Improved access to treatment with the numbers treated each year increasing from 80,000 to 230,000 and waiting times reducing from nine weeks to 5 days.
- Steady improvements in treatment quality reducing early dropout and increasing successful completion.
- Very low levels of HIV prevalence among injecting drug users and significant reductions in injecting drug use.
- Significant reductions in the incidence of heroin and crack use with the number of new young heroin users declining rapidly.
- Dramatic reductions in drug related crime. Ready access to treatment is responsible for a third of the overall reduction in crime this century according to Home Office research .
The 2010 drug strategy sought to build on this legacy. Despite the very challenging financial climate, investment was maintained at 2008 cash levels to lock in the public health and crime reduction benefits of the preceding decade to which the Home Secretary added a clear ambition to maximise the number of people recovering from addiction.
Local Authority Leadership
In 2013 local authorities assumed responsibility for commissioning drug and alcohol treatment and the resources previously channelled by the Department of Health through PCT's for this purpose shifted to the public health grant, accounting for around a third of the total LA public health spend in 2013/14.
Treatment providers welcomed local authorities assuming leadership of this agenda as an opportunity to align clinical treatment services with the wider social supports required to enable individuals to recover; stable housing, routes into employment, family support etc. There was however significant concern that the achievements since 2001 and the recovery ambitions of the 2010 drug strategy would be undermined by disinvestment. Drug treatment was seen as being particularly vulnerable to disinvestment. Political pressure would inevitably push hard pressed local authorities to protect spend on more politically attractive vulnerable groups; the elderly, children etc. The societal benefits delivered by drug treatment accrue to the criminal justice system and the NHS not local authorities. Within public health drug addiction was not a natural priority. For every death attributable to drug addiction 10 arise from alcohol and a hundred from smoking. There was therefore concern that even if local authorities protected the overall public health spend directors of public health would cannibalise the very large current expenditure on drug treatment to reinvest elsewhere.
Disinvestment: risk or reality?
There are two dramatically different narratives about how events have played out since 2013. The official version based on local authority returns to DCLG point to investment holding up remarkably well. Despite inevitable local variation the national picture suggests cash investment holding steady and the fears of 2013 to have been exaggerated. The alternative narrative focuses not on returns to central government but on the value of actual contracts let to NHS and third sector providers to deliver services. Collective Voice regularly consults with local authority commissioners, clinicians, local NHS managers, and the leaders of smaller third sector providers. All of these consistently expressed scepticism about the accuracy of the national returns and report a consistent picture of widespread and significant reduction in contract value. This is reflected in a recent exercise undertaken by Collective Voice drawing down information readily available about drug and alcohol treatment investment from local authority websites.
Reductions in contract values from 2014/15:
*Lewisham also reduced their contract value by £300k (5%) in 2013/14.
**These figures are annualised as the data available was for the total contract period, not per annum.
Across the 17 local authorities listed, three effectively have a standstill budget, three budget for a reduction of under 10%, four show a reduction between 10% and 20%, five between 20 and 30%, and two over 30%. The average reduction per local authority is 15% and the overall reduction in spend across the 17 local authorities is 24%.
At the very least the discrepancy between the reassuring message about resources emanating from the LGA and DCLG and the cash reductions reported by local authorities requires further investigation.
Cost reductions do not inevitably mean reductions in quality or outcomes. Investment grew very rapidly over less than a decade and was not always deployed with optimum efficiency.
Since 2008 providers have worked very closely with commissioners to redesign individual services and local systems to obtain better value from flat and reducing budgets. There are numerous examples across the country of services being able to absorb significant reductions in budgets while delivering higher volumes and better outcomes. However the very fact that this period of retrenchment has been the norm for longer than the period of growth suggests that the easy efficiency gains have been won. The 20% cut to the Public Health Grant announced in the spending review will tighten resources further putting even more pressure on services to innovate if outcomes are to be protected. Other changes in the operating environment make this even more challenging.
The decline in new young heroin users means that those now in treatment are disproportionately middle-aged with poor physical and mental health. They are ageing rapidly becoming frailer and more likely to succumb to drug-related deaths. Their needs require an integrated local authority NHS response which the current framework of collaboration through Health and Wellbeing Boards is failing to recognise and which will demand ever greater resources. At the same time the wider network of recovery services; housing, employment, mental health, family support, required to turn the government's recovery ambition into reality, are themselves under increasing strain reducing their capacity to work in partnership with treatment services. This is already showing itself in negative impacts on outcomes.
The tightening of the financial environment over the past eight years, the prospect of further significant cuts, increasing fragility of the treatment population, and the compounding impact of reductions in related services have all combined to alert other government departments to the potential impact for their agendas of future disinvestment from drug and alcohol treatment. The Home Office and Ministry of Justice are acutely concerned about maintaining access to treatment as they continue to value the crime reduction benefits it yields. DWP's efforts to route drug and alcohol misusers into employment are heavily dependent on an accessible effective treatment system. No 10's Life Chances Strategy sees recovery from dependence as a route out of poverty for adults and their children.
Providers of drug and alcohol treatment and recovery services in the third sector and the NHS will continue to work with commissioners to extract best value from public investment but it will become increasingly difficult to sustain cuts at the levels described above without jeopardising outcomes and impact. Collective Voice would hope that the forthcoming refresh of the Drug Strategy recognises and addresses this challenge.
Paul Hayes
CEO Collective Voice
April 2016.
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By MARK UGOLINI
Donald Trump, a pompous real-estate mogul and multi-billionaire, has taken the White House while surrounded by billionaire cabinet appointees who have a combined net worth greater than one-third of the United States. An Ivy-League-educated bigot, who from childhood has become accustomed to an opulent lifestyle, including a Manhattan "grand penthouse mansion" with gold-plated furnishings, has the temerity to present himself as the voice of the downtrodden and the defender of American workers.
Trump's inaugural address was a demagogic mixture of populist and nationalistic rhetoric. The assembled dignitaries were a "Who's Who" of the ruling elite: nationally prominent political hacks, lobbyists, and influence peddlers intermingled among the most powerful captains of industry and finance.
Oblivious to the irony, Trump said: "Washington flourished, but the people did not share in its wealth. Politicians prospered, but the jobs left and factories closed. The establishment protected itself, but not the citizens of our country. … That all changes, starting right here and right now."
Trump's comments are intended to manipulate and deceive workers into believing that he can bring back good paying manufacturing jobs. Despite his orchestrated media events, posing to "threaten" companies planning to move operations elsewhere, he has offered few details on how more jobs will be created.
Trump blames Mexico, China, and other countries when U.S.-based companies outsource jobs and build factories outside the U.S. where wages are very low. He also continues scapegoating immigrants for loss of jobs.
The new administration plans a major shift in trade policy, and Trump has already threatened Mexico with a 20% tariff if they don't pay for the wall on the border. Other statements, and selection of Peter Navaro as a top trade advisor, signal an aggressive move on China. Navaro is a well-known advocate of this approach. However, the administration has received harsh warnings that raising tariffs will only cause higher prices for consumer goods, added unemployment for some sectors of the U.S. workforce, and run a high risk of a trade war.
Trumps words are deceitful, cynically ignoring the reality of an ever-expanding global economy dominated by huge multinational corporations and banks. The only way U.S. capitalists might attract new jobs would be to accelerate severe austerity measures that drive down wages and weaken or eliminate unions and all the protections they provide.
According to Trump, the U.S. role in the world will reflect "a new vision … America First," to advance U.S. domination and supremacy over world markets by means somewhat different from past administrations. His aggressively nationalistic foreign policy will drive toward the same objective as Obama's before him—free reign for the huge multinational corporate and banking interests to dominate and control the world economy.
Trump revealed more of his view of "America First" in a Jan. 25 interview with ABC News. He explained, "We should've kept the oil when we got out" of Iraq in 2011. "To the victors go the spoils," said Trump in another interview, arrogantly declaring an intention to steal Iraq's national resources. He prefers this course, recognized as "illegal" under international law, rather than the more veiled imperialist approach of previous administrations, allowing the huge energy giants like Exxon and Chevron to exploit Iraq's oil resources through "legal" means. Either way, mega-profits end up in the hands of the same capitalist oil barons.
Reactionary executive orders
During his first week, Trump made sweeping executive orders to begin implementation of his party's reactionary agenda. Here are some of the most significant:
- Health care: Allowed government agencies and states to waive or delay implementation of Affordable Care Act provisions and undermine existing insurance markets. These actions threaten the existing insurance-based system and could result in the loss of health insurance coverage for over 20 million Americans.
- Women's reproductive rights: Reinstated the so-called "Mexico City Policy," which prohibits use of taxpayer money to fund non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that perform or promote abortions. One NGO that promotes family planning reports that loss of funding will result in 2.1 million unsafe abortions worldwide.
- Climate change: Provided backing for construction of both the Dakota Access and Keystone XL Pipelines. TransCanada, the energy giant behind the XL Pipeline, is instructed to re-submit its application for a presidential permit to construct the pipeline and promises action by the Secretary of State within 60 days.
- Immigration: Orders were issued to: take first steps to construct a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, which will cost up to $25 billion; construct and operate detention facilities near the border; hire 5000 additional Border Patrol agents and 10,000 additional immigration officers to intensify harassment; empower state and local police agencies to act as immigration officers; target undocumented immigrants for removal who have been convicted or accused of a law violation; end federal aid to "sanctuary cities"; institute a 90-day ban of nearly all permanent immigration from seven majority Muslim countries (Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen), with provision to extend the ban indefinitely; suspend the entry of refugees into the U.S. for 120 days, and direct officials to determine additional screening; suspend entry of refugees from Syria indefinitely.
The sweeping executive orders signify a major escalation in a racist war on immigrants and immigration rights. The new restrictions constitute state-sponsored religious persecution of Muslims; Trump said priority for admission would be given to Christians. These immigration orders need to be forcefully condemned by all who support and value democratic freedoms; the demonstrations that have erupted in cities and airports around the country point the way forward.
Outpouring of protest in the streets
Even before Trump's inauguration, a massive outcry of opposition was already erupting. Millions have taken to the streets in this country and around the globe.
Most prominent were historic Woman's Marches in over 600 U.S. cities and on seven continents, involving over 4 million worldwide. This was the most powerful mass protest in U.S. history. Over 600,000 protested in Washington, D.C., 750,000 in Los Angeles, 500,000 in New York City and 250,000 in Chicago, but these are just the largest.
The Woman's Marches were fueled by widespread revulsion with Trump's sexist actions and statements, and strong support for abortion rights and other woman's right's issues. Strong opposition to other aspects of Trumps agenda were raised in homemade signs and banners. Special focus centered on the fightback against Trump's racist anti-Black, anti-Latino, anti-Native American, and anti-immigrant policies. Many protesters were also fighting for health care, climate justice, and LGBT rights.
The message was crystal clear—a resounding "no" to the plans of Trump and his reactionary cohorts. The woman organizers of the protest developed a powerful "Guiding Vision and Defining Principles" document that codified the goals of the march. It expressed a realization that all forms of oppression are connected and related; and to fight against one can require a fight against all.
This represents an important step for the women's movement, one that points toward generalized awareness that the system itself breeds these injustices. As socialists and Marxists, we believe that all forms of oppression have their roots in the capitalist system, one that is organized for profit rather than human needs.
The power of the woman's march was also reflected in the very large number of marchers who demonstrated for the first time. This first experience in independent political action can have a large impact on political consciousness.
A few unions endorsed the Woman's Marches, but sadly, the vast majority of unions were not supporters. Substantial union participation would have greatly enhanced the power and strength of the movement and more broadly reflect the support of American workers.
Democrats try to mislead protesters
The Democratic Party and its support groups have played a prominent role in the organization of many anti-Trump protests, including the Women's Marches. At a number of these events, office holders, officials, and organizers who are affiliated or aligned with the Democratic Party were prominent on speaker platforms and set a political tone designed to channel activists into various lobbying efforts to advance future electoral success.
Left-liberal Democrats are strongly promoting "100 Days of Resistance," urging lobbying actions designed to block the Republican congressional agenda and promote local and national electoral campaigns. They urge protest activists to lobby members of Congress, run for local offices as Democrats, and work with organizations committed to "taking over the Democratic Party."
The notion that the Democratic Party, built on endless wars and racism, can be "taken over" and transformed from a capitalist party to one that represents working people is pure fantasy, and will only confuse and disorient the movement. It's part of a broader effort to manipulate independent struggle, tamp down its militancy, and channel new activists into an electoral framework and capitalist politics. Obama correctly explained the common ruling-class interests of the two major parties after the election when he reminded his supporters, "We are all on the same team."
This has been the primary role of the Democratic Party throughout history. In past elections, the Democrats often presented themselves as champions of working-class and minority communities. But during the 2016 presidential race, Hillary Clinton's campaign largely took these traditional allies for granted and more openly featured full-throated support for Wall Street interests, leaving the field wide open for Trump's populist message.
The preceding eight years of a Democrat in the White House proved to be anything but "hope and change" for working people. It started with bailouts of the giant financial firms and auto barons, while the working class fell victim to large-scale unemployment, union-busting wage cuts, home foreclosures, and other austerity measures.
These years produced record profits for the tiny few and soaring income inequality. Good paying jobs remained scarce, with growing poverty and homelessness. The Democrats paid little attention to the despair and anger that was growing, and were only concerned with counting heads when it came time to "get people to the polls."
The illusion that fundamental social progress can be won under the leadership of the Democratic Party, or any capitalist political party, is one that is challenged directly by revolutionary Marxists. This is borne out by history.
Some Democratic Party-influenced anti-Trump protests portrayed the election as "illegitimate" because Trump's victory was determined by the Electoral College, despite Clinton's winning the popular vote. This is premised on the conception that, despite a few flaws, the U.S. government operates on principles of democracy and majority rule. Instead, a tiny capitalist ruling class maintains its rule through a highly organized and repressive state apparatus. It will maintain its vital interests through brutal force and violence whenever necessary. The democratic rights available to working people were won through bitter and hard fought working-class battles over years past.
Presidential elections were never based on majority rule. This is why the Electoral College was codified in the Constitution in the first place, along with other measures designed to ensure domination by the wealthier strata of society. Today, eliminating the Electoral College would not make U.S elections democratic. The restrictions imposed by the rigid two-party electoral system are one reason for this.
An onerous set of undemocratic election laws effectively lock competing political parties out and restrict their ability to compete. These laws create insurmountable obstacles for smaller parties to gain ballot status and participate in forums and debates.
The Democratic Party's strategy relies on bickering over Trump's cabinet appointments and participation in electoral activities, keeping opposition to new attacks within the narrow framework of the routine legislative sparring between the two capitalist parties.
We need a fundamentally different approach—a strategy that builds massive independent actions in the streets opposing all racist attacks; assaults on woman's, LGBT, Native, and immigration rights; for climate justice; and opposing all austerity measures designed to drive down the standard of living of U.S. workers. Powerful independent demonstrations in the streets around these issues can provide a political impact truly capable of defeating Trump's ugly plans.
There are signs that the growing movement has begun to include sections of the U.S. working class that have a major stake in the battle—including African Americans, Latinos, and all immigrant communities. These forces will play a big role in future class battles.
Unfortunately, today's unions and many traditional organizations of the oppressed communities are hobbled by a severe crisis of leadership, utterly enmeshed in Democratic Party politics. Hopefully, the organized labor movement, when faced with the inevitable attacks from the new Republican administration, will begin to rely on its own strength and power, rather than following the bankrupt strategy of the Democrats.
Ultimately, the fightback will require working people and their allies to make a clean break with the Democrats and to form their own political party.
Photo: Women's March in Chicago, Jan. 21. Mark Ugolini / Socialist Action


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Survey: B2B Marketers Expect Budget Growth within the Next 12 Months
Looking ahead to the next 12 months, new research suggests that B2B marketers are expecting budget increases.
The CMO Survey conducted by the Duke Fuqua School of Business, Deloitte, and the American Marketing Association found that B2B services marketers predict their budgets will increase 8.1 percent over the next 12 months, while B2B product marketers project a 6.9 percent leap during the same period of time.
At the moment, B2B product marketers are using their budget on the direct expenses of marketing activities (65.8 percent), social media (50 percent), and employees (51.4 percent). B2B services marketers said most of their budget goes toward the direct expenses of marketing (59.3 percent), social media (49.4 percent) and employees (50.6 percent).
Despite this budget allocation, the report discovered that marketing excellence ratings remain flat. On a 7-point scale (7 representing the most strength, 1 demonstrating the weakest), the average rating among all marketers was 4.4 as of August 2016. This is compared to 4.5 in both February 2016 and August 2015.
Highlighting the Difficulties of Social Media Marketing
Earlier this year, the February edition of The CMO Survey showed that social media was specifically a challenge for marketers. At the time, marketers said social media would account for 20.9 percent of their budgets over the next five years. However, 40 percent stated that social media's contribution to their organization's success has been "below average."
"The findings show that while social, mobile and analytics spending is on the rise, they're falling short when it comes to boosting the bottom line," said Deloitte CMO Diana O'Brien.
Just 10 percent of marketers claimed that social media's contribution to their company's performance has been "above average."


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To me, Movember doesn't mean "No Shave November", because of the obvious reason that I got no freaking facial hair to shave :(
And that ain't my fault. It's my gene's fault :P So in order to lift my spirits up and forget the fact that I will never get to grow one of those amazing manly butch beards or moustaches, here is me celebrating Movember in my own way. I call my version of Movember – "More food November"! :D
So now that November is coming to an end (and I didn't mention "November Rain" even once on any my November blog updates this year… urrghh ok I just did), I thought this is a good time to post about some of the awesome food I've had in Pune so far.
Like some people in the smartphone generation, I too have a habit of taking a pic of the food I'm about to eat. But unlike others, I don't post them on Instagram or Twitter etc. I just keep them on my phone, kinda like a documentation.
So here are some of the food I've had in Pune so far, hoping you might also want to try them out. I'll try posting them in different parts, as this post would be extremely lengthy if I post every single food photo I've taken so far here in Pune. :)
To begin with, here's what I ordered today. A proper Kerala cuisine. Do click on all photos to enlarge to a new tab.
I ordered the above from "Chopsticks Spice Malabar", a very popular restaurant in Viman Nagar known for its seafood and Malayalee dishes. They also make good Chinese food, hence the reason why the name of the restaurant sounds like an SEO campaign :P
As usual, I over-ordered because I got carried away. What you see above are -
- Kuttanadan Chicken curry and Mutton Mulakittathu gravy
- Appam, which we used to call during college days as Kerala's dosa
- Puttu, the rolled up white cylinder, made from coconut & ground rice
- Kerala paratha, which some of us know as Malabar paratha
- Chettinad coconut rice, very finely roasted indeed.
Yep. For one person, that is an excessive order indeed :D
There was also this one time my friends and I hogged on appam and mutton keema along with "Smoked pork in Raja mirchi" pickle I ordered from giskaa.com. Ohhhh man that combination was Heavenly!
Though I love cooking (the very simple dishes that I know how to make), I love experimenting with different food too. Here in our office cafeteria, the food that we get does not have much variety, so I usually order or eat outside.
For example, the breakfast in our office cafeteria ranges from poha to upma, and they are pretty good. Simple but filling, and of course no Maharashtrian breakfast is complete without either of these two :)
I really love the Semiya upma above. Instead of the usual "suji" that normal upma is made from, semiya or seviyan upma is made from vermicelli instead.
And then at times when I want to feel a bit more healthy, I go for the fruit salad breakfast, which is also a good way to detox after a heavy night of… stuff :P
Most of my colleagues don't usually eat breakfast at our cafeteria because they have already eaten at home. My girlfriend calls this the "riang breakfast" where it would be just me having breakfast all by myself… :)
Our cafeteria would be packed during lunch, but since only veg meal is served, like I said earlier, I usually go outside to eat lunch. The only time I ate cafeteria lunch was this one time when they said the menu was Chinese, and so I decided to give it a try…
Urrmmm… it was ok. But since there wasn't any non-veg, I still found it bland. Other than that, the only other times I eat lunch at our cafeteria is when we have special lunch provided by our organization, where food is catered from outside…
Sometimes we too can make our own arrangements, like this one time we all decided to order chicken biryani in bulk, meant for our entire team…
I think I'll stop here for now, and collect all my other photos I've taken for other next parts of this "Stomach Chronicles" series :) I promise you, lots of delicious pics from different restaurants along with their review coming up soon…
So cheers until then.


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Advent Secures 2nd Win at the Tailgate Throwdown with Spectrum Community ServicesReturn to Blog
Category: Uncategorized
Published 07/26/2019
Last night, Advent Team attended the Tailgate Throwdown put on by Spectrum Community Services. This was a bagged lunch making competition that pitted 4 teams against each other to make the most lunches in a timed period. Advent held the title from last years inaugural Throwdown so their title was on the line. After winning the first round to be placed in the finals, Advent Team competed and tied opposing team. Two successive over time events occurred, and the Advent team was victorious by one more bagged lunch then the opposing team.
As a reward, Advent Team was invited to get on the Oakland A's field Pre Game while the teams warmed up. What a delight and experience. The best part of all this was that by supporting Spectrum Community Services, we are helping to provide nutritious and delicious meals to seniors that are home bound. We proudly support and sponsor Spectrum Community Services!
We will be in Pleasanton in September for the Southern Alameda County edition of the Throwdown Challenge! See you there!


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This Ugandan Author Just Won One of the Most Prestigious Literary Prizes For Her Debut Novel 'Kintu'
Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi was once rejected by British publishers who claimed her book was "too African."
First-time Ugandan author, Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi has won the 2018 Windham Campbell Prizes from Yale University—one of the most prestigious literary awards—for her debut novel Kintu, reports BBC Africa.
After moving to the UK 17 years ago, Makumbi dedicated all of her time to writing—which affected her earnings. "I really put everything into writing," she told BBC Africa. "So for this to happen is unbelievable."
While she's thrilled about the recognition, she says, for her, earning the award is "mainly about [doing] ordinary things that other people do that have a job.'
Makumbi shopped Kintu—an epic centered on the customs and myths of a Ugandan family who believe that they have been cursed for 250 years—around to British publishers who originally rejected it, claiming that her story was "too African." The novel was published in the UK in January.
The Windham Campbell Prizes from Yale University is considered the "richest" literary prize after the Nobel Peace Prize. Makumbi is the only winner out of eight to have published just one full-length work.
The author says she writes stories to inform her people of life outside of Uganda. "I write the stories as a way of writing back to Ugandans, informing them what happens to us," she says. "I'm telling them, 'You want to come to Britain? Hang on a minute. First read my story."
Congrats to the writer on winning the award, and not having to compromise her "Africanness" in the process.


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Application and Selection Procedure
In line with its statutes, the Studienstiftung supports "the university education of young people who, because of their exceptional academic or artistic talents and personal qualities, can be expected to make an outstanding contribution to society as a whole". Its programmes include comprehensive support for doctoral students. Applications are invited from highly qualified and socially committed PhD students, in conjunction with their academic supervisors.
Application requirements
- The doctoral candidate has been accepted on a doctoral programme at a German university where the thesis will also be submitted; nationality is irrelevant. German citizens pursuing a Ph.D. abroad may also apply; in this instance applicants must provide an explanation for their choice of university.
- The last academic degree should have been completed no longer than four years prior to submission of the application. Periods of professional qualification, for example legal or teacher training (Referendariat) do not constitute grounds for an extension of the four-year deadline; pregnancy, childcare, periods of extended illness or inability to work as well as periods of care for dependents will be taken into account. Relevant documentation must be supplied.
- The scholarship must start at the latest 6 months following receipt of funding approval from the Studienstiftung; otherwise, the funding offer will expire.
- Applications can be submitted at the earliest during the final semester of a Masters degree programme, or equivalent. In the event that a final degree certificate or diploma has not been issued at the time of application, applicants should submit a transcript with the results of all degree courses completed to date. This will form the basis on which the review procedure will be conducted. Before the application can be submitted to a final the selection board following the review process, a degree certificate or equivalent official confirmation of the successful completion of studies and a complete transcript of all courses studied must be submitted to the Studienstiftung.
It is important that all applications include a well-developed and academically convincing exposé outlining the doctoral research project; it is not possible to submit revised documentation in the course of the application process or to resubmit an application following a rejection.
- Previous holders of scholarships from the Studienstiftung or the Max Weber Programme, Bavaria, may apply for a scholarship to participate in the academic programmes for doctoral students, without taking advantage of financial support for their Ph.D. The selection procedure is the same for all applicants. If funding for the doctoral thesis has been awarded by another funding body, this must be terminated at the latest 6 months following receipt of funding approval from the Studienstiftung; otherwise, the funding offer will expire.
- Part-time doctoral degrees cannot be funded. During the period of the scholarship, Ph.D. candidates commit to concentrate fully on their dissertation; parallel study on a taught degree or professional training programme (for example for lawyers, teachers, psychologists/psychotherapists) is not compatible with the scholarship.
- Doctoral studies undertaken parallel to a medical degree are not eligible for the doctoral scholarship programme; support is offered for these projects within the framework of scholarships offered by the Studienstiftung for taught degree programmes.
- Previous membership of the Studienstiftung is not a requirement for the doctoral programme.
Selection criteria
- an ambitious and innovative thesis project, which can be completed within a three-year funding period;
- effective supervision appropriate to the project and the doctoral candidate;
- excellent degree results obtained within the regulation period of the study on the respective degree programme;
- evidence of broad extra-curricular interests and an active commitment and engagement with society at large.
For more information on the goals and support offered by the Studienstiftung, please see our Mission Statement.
At a glance: Application and selection process (in German, PDF, 0.2 MB)
Applications may be submitted at any time; there are no deadlines. The necessary forms can be downloaded below.
Everyone involved in the application and selection process must agree with the principles of good scientific practice as fixed by their university resp. by the "Guidelines for Safeguarding Good Scientific Practice" of the German Research Foundation (DFG). We expect that the exposé of the proposed PhD project is based on the applicant's authorship.
Selection procedure
The review procedure takes place in two phases:
A preliminary review of applications is conducted in the Studienstiftung according to the formal application requirements listed above. At this stage, the exposé of the doctoral thesis is not taken into consideration.
If an application is successful in the preliminary selection, it proceeds to the academic review phase: Two qualified academics provide written assessments of the applicant's academic and extracurricular qualifications, as well as the quality of the proposed research project. The first review is conducted on the basis of the application documents; the second also includes a personal interview of the candidate.
First reviewers will be familiar with the applicant's field of research. They formulate their assessments on the basis of the written documents provided by the applicant and, in particular, consider in their review his / her academic qualifications, as well as the exposé of the proposed dissertation project.
For the second review, an interview with the candidate is conducted in addition to the assessment of the written documents. In this case, reviewers drawn from the applicant's discipline also have a standing relationship with the Studienstiftung; they may not necessarily be experts in the candidate's narrow field of research. The second review assesses the academic aspects of the application and takes the applicant's personal qualities and extra-curricular activities into consideration.
When selecting interviewers, we seek to limit travel times to a minimum; we are unable to cover travel expenses. If candidates are abroad at the time of application, we will, if possible, arrange an interview locally. Applicants should, however, be prepared to attend interviews in Germany. Interviews are intended to enable an assessment of the candidate based on personal meeting and cannot, therefore, be conducted by telephone or skype.
Following receipt of both reviews, the application proceeds to the selection board for doctoral scholarships for the final decision. The board is appointed by the governing body of the Studienstiftung and convenes four times a year. From start to finish the selection procedure takes an average of about four to six months, but can also take a shorter or longer time in individual cases.
At a glance: General guidelines for the selection process (in German, PDF, 0.1 MB)
Application documents
To minimise processing times, we ask you to provide us with all the necessary documents when you submit your application. Please name two or more academics eligible to function as academic reviewers.
We require the following documents (in duplicate):
- The completed application form (cover sheet for application) (in German, DOC, 2.1 MB / PDF, 0.2 MB)
- The questionnaire for applicants (in German, DOC, 2.1 MB / PDF, 0.1 MB)
- Questionnaire for the doctoral supervisor (in German, DOC, 2.1 MB / PDF, 0.1 MB)
- Optional, the English questionnaire for the doctoral supervisor (DOC, 0.1 MB / PDF, 0.1 MB)
- If available, a copy of the supervision or PhD agreement
- CV of applicant in both tabular and narrative form
- A copy of applicant's final degree certificate (MA, MSc., Diplom, Staatsexamen etc.) (or provisional certificate) with a full transcript listing the results of all assessed work, examinations and qualifying thesis, as well as the weighted overall degree result
- If available, a copy of the applicant's Bachelor degree certificate with a full transcript listing theresults of all assessed work, examinations and qualifying thesis, as well as the weighted overall degree result
- A summary of the last qualifying thesis (MA-thesis) (insofar as a final project is required in the respective subject) – no more than two or three pages
- An exposé of the proposed PhD project (German or English; maximum 20 pages), including the following information:
- working title
- abstract (approx. half a page)
- key terms outlining the area of study
- introduction
- research question / problem / hypothesis
- research status/ own preparatory work
- methods / provisional structure
- schedule and work plan
- reference list and / or archival or other sources to be used
- Proposal form for academic reviewer (DOC, 0.1 MB / PDF, 0.1 MB)
Details concerning the eligibility of potential reviewers and the Studienstiftung's regulations on impartiality and confidentiality can be found on the proposal form. Reviewers will be contacted by the Studienstiftung; neither the doctoral supervisor nor the doctoral candidate should contact proposed reviewers beforehand.
We need all of the above documents in paper form with original signatures. The documents should reach us in the order given above. Please do NOT use double-sided prints, stapled or bound documents, transparent sleeves, paper clips or application folders.
Please do not submit additional documents – including training certificates, CD-ROMs, letters of recommendation or special editions of own publications.
All documents should be submitted in the order listed above in a single envelope to the following address:
Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes
Ahrstraße 41
53175 Bonn
Application document checklist to download (in German, DOC, 2.1 MB).
If we are unable to approve funding, the documents will remain with the Studienstiftung for a period of six months, after which they will be destroyed. Due to the volume of applications we receive, we are unable to return application documents.
We would like to ask for your understanding that we will not confirm receipt of the application documents. Only complete applications can be further processed and included in the preselection. Incomplete application documents remain unprocessed, in this case the applicants will be informed after some time.
Following a decision in the preliminary selection (duration approx. 4 weeks from receipt of the complete documents), you will be informed whether or not your application will proceed to the review phase.
As soon as your application has been reviewed, we will inform you of the date on which your application will be discussed by the selection board.
Following the meeting of the doctoral selection board, you will be notified of the final the decision regarding your application.
The Studienstiftung cannot provide individual feedback on the decision.
Program Coordinator
Dr. Sandra Schmitt
If you have further questions concerning your application that you cannot find answered on the "Frequently asked questions" page, please contact the following person:
Ms. Martina Lang
At the moment, we do not offer information by telephone and ask you to contact us via email, indicating your doctoral subject, at: promotion(at)studienstiftung(dot)de


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Cafédirect Fairtrade Organic Machu Picchu Coffee Beans - 227g
Product code: 15835
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Our price£5.55
Case price
Purchase Options
Earn 28 reward points on this item and 159 when buying a case In Stock : Available for despatch next working day Gift wrap available
Product Description
Please note: Cafedirect is currently going through a rebrand so some packaging and names may be different to the image shown due to the stock level. The great taste is still the same!
Pure, organic, hand-picked Arabica beans, grown on the lush foothills of the Andes, expertly roasted to create a really full-bodied taste. With a nutty flavour and dark chocolate overtones, our Machu Picchu coffee beans are really satisfying and particularly good when served after dinner.
Strength Guide 4/5
Instructions for Use: Depending on how finely ground you enjoy your coffee this product will be suitable for cafétieres, filter machines or jugs. We recommend you follow the instructions of your grinding equipment to suit your favourite way of making coffee. Only grind as much coffee as needed for immediate use.
Certified organic by the Soil Association. Grown to organic standards without the use of fertilisers or pesticides.
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Product Ethics & Tags
The Cafédirect Fairtrade Organic Machu Picchu Coffee Beans - 227g product ethics are indicated below. To learn more about these product ethics and to see related products, follow the links below.
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Wells well
Verified product owner
Have bought this product several times now & it makes a lovely cup of coffee.
Verified product owner
Excellent beans delicious but nit easy to get hold of
1 Questions
Caroline asked this question on 17th Feb 2008
Q: Is this available in bulk (or are any of the others which are not specifically mentioned as being sold in bulk?)
A: For any wholesale queries which are not available on site, please give us a call on 08450099016. Thomas
2 out of 4 found this question and answer helpful.
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About Cafédirect
Cafédirect is the UK's largest 100% Fairtrade hot drinks company, selling a range of freeze-dried and Roast & Ground coffees, as well as tea and hot chocolate as well as the ever popular Machu Picchu Coffee and New Mayan Gold. All their products carry the Fairtrade mark, guaranteeing a fair and stable price to the 38 grower organisation across the 12 developing countries that the company works with. Above and beyond that, Cafédirect reinvests at least a third of its profits back into the businesses and communities of these grower partners (around 50% to date), directly improving the lives of more than 1.8 million people around the world.At Cafédirect, the mission is to change lives and build communities through inspirational, sustainable business, by making great tasting hot drinks direct from the growers. Ethical Superstore now features the widest selection of Cafédirect products in the UK.
Please see our Despatch & Delivery page for more information on delivery areas, services and charges.


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It is with good reason that Queen Elizabeth N.P. receives more visitors than any other park in Uganda. This immense area – 1,978 square kilometers – includes the game reserves of Kigezi and Kyambura, the Maramagambo forest, the two large lakes of George and Edward, and the Kazinga Channel, which links the lakes together. There are volcanic cones too, and craters. And this variety of geographical features naturally results in a fine assortment of wildlife. It is accessed via flight or road transfer from Entebbe International Airport and is approximately 400 kilometers from Uganda's capital city, Kampala.
In total, Queen Elizabeth N.P. contains five distinct types of vegetation – savanna grassland, forest grassland, acacia woodland, swampland, and lakeland. Almost a hundred species of mammal and over six hundred species of bird are in residence here. The mammal count includes lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, hyena, chimpanzee, black-and-white colobus monkey, hippo, crocodile, waterbuck, topi, warthog, and giant forest hog. A major highlight is the tree-climbing lions within the park's Ishasha sector, often seen resting in big fig trees. And keen birders can look out for martial eagle, great flamingo, pink-backed pelican, shoebill stork, African skimmer, Chapin's flycatcher, black-rumped buttonquail, and papyrus canary.
On its founding in 1952 the park was known as Kazinga National Park, but its name was changed just two years later following a visit from the UK's current monarch Queen Elizabeth II. Since 2009 it has been twinned with Queen Elizabeth Country Park of the South Downs of England. The Queen Elizabeth Parks Project focuses on conservation and promotes caring for wildlife within local communities, including schools! It supports the work of the park rangers in both Uganda and the UK.
Lodges & activities
Queen Elizabeth N.P. has a range of accommodation to suit all tastes and budgets. Our property pages provide adventurous, classic, and luxury options, so do take a look and get in touch with a member of our team to start planning your vacation. Activities on offer include game drives, guided walks, chimp tracking, hot air balloon rides, river cruises, kayaking, village visits… there really is something to keep everyone entertained, in this outstanding national park.