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Rapper Drake has sparked rumors he is dating actress Zoe Kravitz after they were spotted together at Sean "Diddy" Combs New Year's Eve party in Miami, Fla.
Kravitz reportedly ended her relationship with actor Penn Badgley last year, and now it appears she and Drake are an item.
A source tells the New York Daily News, "They have been hooking up on and off for the last month, but now they are telling friends they are together."
The rapper and Kravitz, who is the daughter of rocker/actor Lenny Kravitz and actress Lisa Bonet, were also seen together at Beyonce's concert in December.
Kravitz was also previously linked to her "X-Men" co-star Michael Fassbender.


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The Balyolu Kickstarter video is now in Turkish! Check it out here:
Be sure to check back in every week as we will be regularly uploading our very cool posters, earrings, and unique media features in the UPDATES tab. We know that 30 days goes by fast, so we want to make the most of every minute on Kickstarter.
What Balyolu Does:
We are organizing the first honey tasting walking journey of its kind. This journey is a seven-day trip in Northeastern Turkey that is led and inspired by local women who are training to become world class beekeepers and rural entrepreneurs.
The Twitter version? We're making adventure sweet.
Why $35,000?:
We appreciate every contribution because it helps us cover the basic costs of: 1) the trips, 2) providing our community with the supplies to properly host guests (we are actually purchasing new yurts for the villages), 3) purchasing clean organic beekeeping equipment, 4) buying marketing materials, 5) conducting business, hospitality, and honey trainings. Our projected budget is actually more than double our kickstarter campaign, but it would be covered entirely if we could book all 4 trips with 12 people each. We are not a charity, but a new startup business looking to use the revenue from our tourism program to fully fund our social business. After the completion of our four trips (with 10-12 travelers on each), we have calculated that we will have directly affected 100 people in our local community, paying each one over $350 USD in supplies, training, and income. Thank you for all of your support!
More About Our Budget:
Our operating budget is 94,000 USD for our four pilots and initial
program for 2012. In order to cover our budget, we plan to book 40-48 travelers, for
$2,000/person over four tours, and supplement extra charges through
small sponsorships and selling honey inspired products through the
program. Our hope is to be entirely self-sustaining through our honey
tours, and we want to use Kickstarter as a way to prove that our idea
and model works.
Yes, we may not sell all of our tours in the beginning. But we can still get by on 2 tours of 10-12 people each. We will end up having to scale back our program and budget, but we are eager to do everything we can to make our trips possible for this summer.
We're sure you have many more specific questions about our trips, so we've listed some of our FAQs here. If your question isn't answered down below, visit balyolu.com or send us an email!
1. Sure, I like honey, but what is the big deal? Why would I want to go on a tour dedicated just to honey tasting?
We're glad you asked. Did you know that bees work in the most beautiful places on earth? Honey is so much more than a food. It is experiencing life as a nature nomad, moving with the tastes and smells of blooming flowers and nectar. It's true, not everyone is as excited about honey as we are. Our trips also include nature guiding, exposure to village life, scenic walks, traditional cuisine, tours through ancient cities, and a new perspective on life in one of Turkey's most beautiful frontiers.
2. Who are the people coming on these trips? Can you tell me more about the guides?
Absolutely. These first trips are our pilots. That means they are our very first adventures. For this reason, in terms of our trip guests, we are looking for experienced, open-minded, explorer-preneurs who are excited about being on the ground floor of the first journey of this kind. We are also inviting leading honey experts on the trips, such as Marina Marchese and Grace Pundyk who will be providing honey tasting workshops training our local villagers and you. We are in the process of interviewing local guides and choosing our favorites. Once we make our final decision, we will upload bios here and let you know. In the meantime, you can learn more about our full Balyolu team here: http://balyolu.com/page/team/. We also want to plug Grace and Mariana, because we deeply admire their work and what they have done for the sector.
3. What are the dates?
- Anatolia Steppes June 9 – June 16
- Summer Tundra June 30 – July 7
- Mountain Meadows July 26 – August 2
- (NOTE, ORIGINAL 4th TRIP IN MAY CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER FORECASTS).
4. Which is the best trip to go on?
All of our trips will be unique because of different seasons, weather, and flower conditions. We will travel nearly the same route featuring the same villages and sites. Expect more flowers but cooler weather in late spring (beautiful conditions for the photographer), more activity with bees during the middle trips, and dryer but more dramatic conditions during our final tour.
5. Can you tell me what the trip includes?
The trip is all inclusive from Kars: guides, transportation, accommodations, honey, food, lectures, organization, translation, walking route navigation, music, and more. We do not include in the cost of transportation from your respective city, country, or island. We are a small start-up organization and there are many overhead costs and complications associated with booking each person's individual travel. We focus our resources and efforts on our local villages, honey, and your experience in the Northeast region. We will consult and assist each of you in booking of your trips so that the dates line-up well with our tours, and you get the experience that best suits your itinerary and interests!
6. So how do I get to Kars?
Believe it or not, the journey to Kars alone is one of the best adventures Turkey has to offer. You can easily take a quick 1.5 hour flight from Istanbul direct to Kars, or from Ankara direct to Kars and arrive in the local airport, only a half hour from the start of our trips. However there is also the Eastern Anatolian Express, a train ride that truly is one of the most historic and authentic travel experiences in Turkey. The train travels from Istanbul across Turkey over beautifully crafted bridges and through long mountain tunnels with its last stop in Kars. The train is approximately 40 hours including a dining car, bedroom suits, and comfortable pillows. We highly recommend it for the traveler with a flexible travel schedule, and we will happily work with you to make your arrangements in advance.
7. What travel agency are you using and will the trips be properly insured?
We are still finalizing our travel agency selection (it is narrowed down to three groups!). They will help us with insuring the trips and making sure everything we do is fair and legal. We will add the name in the updates section of this campaign as soon as we sign our formal agreement!
8. How much will we walk per day? Do I need to be in great shape?
The walking is optional, but it's a major part of the trip! If you don't like to walk, this may not be the best time to join our excursions. On average, our guests will walk 6-10 miles a day. You will carry your very basic gear, such as a warmer layer and water. We will supply additional snacks and transport your gear from one village to the next.
9. What will accommodations be like?
For the portions of the trip in the cities (the start and the finish), you will stay in four star hotels in the Kars city center. For the other nights of the trip, we will be experimenting with home-stays, yurt stays, and cabin stays. We want to hear which you like the best, and based on your experiences build the trip to include your vision, ideas, and opinions.
10. I am vegetarian and I have food allergies, can I still come?We will try our very best to accommodate everyone's dietary needs, however all of our food is grown and sourced locally, so expect to eat what is seasonal. The local diet consists mainly of bread, many varieties of cheese and honey, tomatoes, some fish, yogurt, beans, cakes, pastries, pasta, potatoes, goose, wild greens, and herbs picked from the land.
11. My family would love this! I have been wanting to take my kids to do something like this for a long time. Can they come?
One of our top priorities is opening this trip for families as an active vacation option and a unique cultural experience. However because these will be our very first trips, we request that you consider purchasing vouchers for future travel when we streamline the experience to be fun and interactive for children (we are hoping to do this in either 2013 or 2014!).
12. What are the toilets like?In some cases, the toilets are western style, in others, they are eastern. But regardless, we are investing some of our funds towards ensuring that they are clean and comfortable.
13. I want to book a tour that covers all of Turkey, why don't you include any of the big cities like Istanbul, or Ankara?
We focus on hyper-local travel experiences that positively impact our rural communities, so it doesn't make sense for us to lead tours in Istanbul or Ankara. We can help you book tours throughout Turkey with several of our favorite companies and operators for no additional charge. We can also recommend the Bee Safari - a bee tour in Turkey that zips across many regions and focuses on bee genetics: http://www.beesfordevelopment.org/how-to-help/safaris.
14. Why are you offering trip vouchers? Will they really be redeemable?
We understand that you may not be able to come on our first trips and we want to reward our fans who believe in us and are helping us get started. Vouchers will be redeemable for five years as long as tours are continuing.
15. What if you can't meet your Kickstarter goal? Then what? Are the trips still on?
As long as we get 40-48 participants (10-12 people per trip) on our four pilot tours, the trips are on! You can book them directly through us or on Kickstarter. Let's reach this goal together. Find a friend to come with you on the trip and book two tickets (and get a discount!). Tell people about your exciting adventure and help us get support.
16. I am allergic to bees! Can I still come?
Be honest with yourself about what you can handle. We do work with bees, and the region is full of them. The Caucasian bee, our local species, is very mellow, and many beekeepers do not wear gear when working with them. However we cannot guarantee that you will remain sting-free and you need to come prepared with your own prescribed epi-pen and medicine.
17. What will be the language of the trip?
We speak Turkish and English and will work with translators and guides so you can communicate with local villagers and the community. We also love charades.
18. Should I be concerned about my security traveling in that part of the world?
Our region is bordered by Georgia and Armenia. The area is safe for travel, however always stay informed on local travel advisories from the US State Department: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1046.html.
Here is also information about acquiring a visa to Turkey: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1046.html#entry_requirements.
19. What if I back out of the trip last minute, can I get a refund?
While we would be sad, we will refund half of the costs in the form of a voucher for a future trip (as long as the trips continue to run).
20. OK! I am sold I want to learn more about honey tasting, you, the program, everything! What do I do next?
Book your travel here on the site and contact us! We are excited for your energy and contributions!
21. Oh! One more thing, how do I pronounce your company name and what does it mean?
Balyolu (pronounced "Ball-yole-ew") means "the road of honey." It is a play on "Ipek Yolu" which means "the Silk Road" in Turkish. 22. Wait, OK, the last thing really. I am intrigued, what is your big vision? Where is this project going?
We're so glad you asked, the big picture is our favorite part. We know that travel experiences are inextricably linked to their surrounding communities and ecosystems. That's why Balyolu has teamed up with the best local experts, artisans, and entrepreneurs in the region to create a truly sweet experience for both the tourists and the locals. In addition to leading honey tasting tours, Balyolu is working across the Northeast region to train local women and their communities in environmental business, and we're using sustainable hyper-local tourism to fund their work. We envision a moving marketplace of experiences - recreating the Silk Road journey of connecting cultures and goods, while providing specialized environmental livelihoods for women and their villages.
Questions about this project? Check out the FAQ
Funding period
- (30 days)

subset: commoncrawl


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Hawaii Five-O, a TV show currently on CBS here in the states that is a "re-imaging" of the popular series by the same name. I had no clue people watched the newest incarnation, but I've been informed it's quite popular. Anyways, the Nokia Lumia 900/920 and Surface RT both make an appearance in the latest episode.
There are two scenes in which we get the Windows Phone, one it's clearly a 900 based off the old Windows key. However, a later scene make's it look to be the 920 (to me at least) based on the thickness of the device. What do you guys think, Lumia 900 or Lumia 920 in the image above?
Also, we get a glimpse of the Microsoft Surface with a bright blue Type Cover in a scene. Oddly, the cop uses it on the hood of her car to look up information on a car based off its' license plate. Which is odd as the Surface only has Wi-Fi. Check it out below.
Earlier last week we reported on the marketing plan Microsoft has for Windows Phone 8. While this isn't directly tied into the campaign, its' nice to see products we use on a daily basis get slipped into a popular TV show. If you're curious on where to catch action. Look for Surface at the 9:00, the Lumia 900 at about 12:30 mark, and the final Lumia 900/920 shot at 26:16. If you're into solving puzzles, help me figure out if that's a 920 or not. Catch the episode on CBS here.
Thanks for the tip Seymour L.!


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RezPlus enhances OpenTable™, Yelp™
and TripAdvisor™
Bring in
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to new guests.
Design, modify and update your website
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With RezPlus you begin your emotional connection with your guests
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Stephen Beckta, owner of 3 award-winning restaurants, has been a RezPlus customer for over 12 years. Committed to hospitality, Stephen relies on RezPlus to provide a seamless experience for his guests, from their website reservations through carefully paced service to ongoing communications.
Josée Brunet-Chartrand is the co-owner of L'Oree du Bois,
founded over 35 years ago. Josée describes how, by adding
one RezPlus service at a time, she is re-vitalizing her well established restaurant.


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Little Boy Plays Again As WFP Works To Rebuild Lives In Northern Mali
By World Food Program
|After three weeks of nutritious food, Souleymane's health
improved. Credit: WFP / Daouda Guirou
As displaced people and refugees start to voluntarily return to northern Mali, the World Food Programme is scaling up its operations to help rebuild livelihoods while also responding to immediate food and nutritional needs. Saouda Salihou, who returned to Gao with her young family, explains why this assistance is vital.
GAO - Sitting in front of her straw hut, Saouda Salihou proudly watches her two-year-old son Souleymane as he plays with his 'toy cars' – two tin cans attached to a length of rope. The toddler mischievously teases his older brother as he plays. Salihou, 27, can hardly believe this joyful, healthy child is the same boy she brought to a health clinic just three weeks ago.
During that visit to Gao's health centre, Souleymane was diagnosed with moderate acute malnutrition. Nurses had weighed him and measured his mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC) - a quick method to assess nutritional status.
Salihou was given Plumpy'Sup, a ready-to-use nutritional supplement delivered to health centres in Gao by WFP, in partnership with Action Against Hunger.
"After I started giving the product to my child, he quickly gained weight," said Salihou. "The following week, I was amongst the first people to arrive at the health centre for my child's medical appointment."
These weekly appointments allow health agents to monitor vulnerable children's nutritional status. Mothers also receive information on nutrition, and are given cooking demonstrations, using local products like peanuts, millet and maize.
Salihou attended many of these cookery classes, but said she often did not have enough money to cook the nutritious meals she was shown.
She is not alone. In northern Mali, three out of four households are food insecure and heavily reliant on food assistance, according to the results of a joint survey carried out by WFP and the government of Mali in September this year.
Salihou returned to Gao in mid-October after spending around 18 months in the capital Bamako following her family's flight from the conflict that gripped northern Mali. But her husband was unable to return to Gao with her as they could not afford the transport fees.
He sends a little money to the family, and Salihou uses this to buy and resell condiments in Gao market. But the little she earns is never enough.
This is why WFP's school meals programme in Gao is so important. One of the reasons Salihou returned was to send her children to school in their home region.
Her 10-year-old daughter Alima is now enrolled, and was delighted to rediscover her old friends in the classroom. She also enjoys a hot meal of enriched porridge every morning and another hot meal at midday.
"I have struggled to feed my children since I returned and it's a real relief for me that Alima is getting food at school. She is also very motivated to go to school," said Salihou.
WFP provides school meals to around 120,000 children in 576 schools in northern Mali. As more schools reopen, WFP is expanding this programme. WFP is also extending its malnutrition prevention and treatment in areas where health centres have started to function again.
"WFP is scaling up its operations and requires more funding," said Sally Haydock, WFP's Representative in Mali.
"The drought and subsequent food crisis in 2012, combined with the protracted security crisis have made it very difficult for the most vulnerable people to rebuild their lives. They will require food assistance throughout 2013 and into 2014," she said.
Follow WFP on Twitter


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Article : Cloud computing news, best practices and expert advice in The Doppler
Cloud computing news, best practices and expert advice
Article : Cloud economics: Are you getting the bigger picture?
Cloud Economics: Are you getting the bigger picture?
Article : The Cloud Adoption Blueprint: 10 best practices for success
The Cloud Adoption Blueprint: 10 Best Practices for Success
Article : Navigating the cloud's most challenging blocker: Your people
Navigating the Cloud's Most Challenging Blocker: Your People
Article : Are you in control of your cloud?
Are you in Control of Your Cloud?
Demo : Continuous compliance demo
Continuous compliance demo


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There are 1.75 million family caregivers in New Jersey who provide more than 1 billion hours of unpaid care each year to help an aging loved one live independently at home. Families are the bedrock of our long term care health care system.
While invaluable in myriad of ways, in terms of dollars and sense, the value to our society of the hours of support being provided by family caregivers would come out to equal $13 billion a year. However, caring for an older family member can create a financial strain for many families, who often sped thousands in out-of-pocket-dollars in the process of being caregivers. And with the expected increase in our aging population, it is time to recognize the value of family caregivers and provide a little help.
AARP commends Senator Norcross and Assemblywoman Lampitt for their sponsorship of the NJ Caregiver's Assistance Act which, if enacted, will provide a state income tax credit to eligible family caregivers who are caring for an aging relative living at home. The bill recently passed the Senate's Health, Human Services, and Senior Citizens Committee and we thank the Committee's Chairman, Joseph Vitale, for posting and supporting the bill.
Jim Dieterle
State Director
AARP New Jersey


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Hope College President Dr. James E. Bultman will close the college's 2011-12 "Last Lecture Series" with a final address before concluding his 13-year tenure leading Hope.
He will present "Defining Decisions – Learning Lessons – Pleasing Places" on Tuesday, April 17, at 7 p.m. in Dimnent Memorial Chapel.
The public is invited. Admission is free.
The "Last Lecture Series" is organized by the college's Alcor chapter of the national Mortar Board honorary society to feature members of the faculty. The title of the series, which the chapter initiated during the 2008-09 school year, has for the most part been rhetorical, with the speakers asked to highlight the advice that they would most want to share if the event was indeed the final opportunity for them to address the college's students.
In Bultman's case, however, the title applies literally. He is retiring on June 30 after serving as the college's president since 1999.
During the evening, the chapter will also be giving 100 copies of the book "The Art of Leadership" by Max De Pree to the first 100 in attendance. A member of the college's Class of 1948, De Pree is chairman emeritus of Herman Miller Inc. and from 1987 to 1995 chaired the Hope College Board of Trustees.
Bultman became the college's 11th president on July 1, 1999. A 1963 Hope graduate, he assumed office having already had more than two decades of direct experience with the college, including his student days.
He and his wife, Martie, a Hope classmate, have been active members of the campus community. Particularly commited to students, they have regularly attended events ranging from academic colloquia, to performances, to Chapel services, to athletic contests, to activities such as Dance Marathon. Martie's involvement in the life of the college includes serving as co-advisor of the Alcor chapter.
Bultman's emphasis as president has been on assuring that Hope provides students with an exceptional educational experience in a vibrant and caring Christian environment. His leadership has included leading the college in updating its mission statement and identifying the distinctive qualities of a Hope education.
Hope has enjoyed distinction on a variety of external measures during his tenure, including consistently holding more grants through the National Science Foundation's summer "Research Experiences for Undergraduates" program than any other liberal arts college in the country, and national accreditation in all four arts programs (art, dance, music, and theatre). A Lilly-funded "Program for the Theological Exploration of Vocation" established in the fall of 2003 expanded the college's emphasis on encouraging students to consider the role of calling in their life and career choices. In 2011, Hope was one of only 115 colleges and universities across the country named to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching's "2010 Community Engagement Classification," a reflection of the college's institution-wide emphasis on service and service-learning.
The past 12 years have also been a period of steady growth in enrollment, from 2,943 students in 1999 to more than 3,200 students each year since 2006, including a record enrollment of 3,249 during the current school year.
During his tenure, Hope has pursued the two largest single fund-raising efforts in the college's history. The college launched the "Legacies: A Vision of Hope" comprehensive campaign during his second year as president. The campaign's four major components included construction of the A. Paul Schaap Science Center and renovation of the Peale Science Center; construction of the DeVos Fieldhouse; increasing the endowment; and general campus improvements, including the construction of the Martha Miller Center for communication, modern and classical languages, international education, and multicultural life, a restoration of historic Graves Hall and a renovation of Lubbers Hall. When it concluded at the end of 2001, Hope had raised more than $161 million from more than 3,300 donors, well above the goal of $105 million.
Hope launched its current "A Greater Hope" comprehensive campaign in October 2011. The $175 million effort will benefit every student as it strengthens the college's endowment, adds several new buildings, and supports immediate needs through the annual Hope Fund. The endowment portion of the campaign includes $30 million for student scholarships, $20 million for faculty-student collaborative research, $20 million to support outstanding faculty in their teaching and research, and $10 million for initiatives in international and multicultural education and spiritual life. Major enhancements to the campus will include a concert hall and music building, a new student center, an art museum and an engineering addition. The Van Andel Soccer Stadium, Boeve Baseball Stadium and Wolters Softball Stadium were constructed during his tenure, and a new outdoor tennis complex will be completed this summer. When the campaign concludes, Hope will have raised one third of a billion dollars during the economically depressed 2000s, built or renovated most campus buildings, more than doubled its land acreage and increased its endowment by 50 percent.
Bultman joined the Hope education faculty in 1968, chaired the department of education from 1976 to 1982, and was dean of the social sciences from 1982 until 1985. He was head baseball coach at Hope from 1971 to 1985, and an assistant football coach from 1970 to 1984.
He took office at Hope having had extensive experience as a college president. From 1985 to 1999, he was president of Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa. Northwestern, like Hope, is one of three colleges with ties to the Reformed Church in America.
An active leader in higher education circles, Dr. Bultman serves as past chair and member of the Executive Committee of the Great Lakes Colleges Association (GLCA); immediate past chair of the Division III Presidents Council of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA); a member of the Division I, II, and III Executive Committee of the NCAA; chair of the Board of Control of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA); and a member of the Presidents Council of the Michigan Colleges Foundation (MCF).
He is a member of the Holland Area Chamber of Commerce and the Holland Rotary Club, and serves on the Board of Directors at The Bank of Holland, the Board of Directors of the Economic Club of Grand Rapids, and the Board of Governors of the Van Andel Institute.
Bultman has served an elected term on the Executive Committee of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) where he chaired the Student Financial Aid Committee; served as chair of AICUM; and served as chair of the Board of Directors of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. Additionally, he was a member of the Council of Presidents of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA); and was chair of the Iowa College Foundation, the Iowa Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, and the Commission on Campus Concerns for NAICU.
He graduated from Hope with a major in chemistry. He holds a master's degree and doctorate in educational leadership from Western Michigan University.
Before joining Hope's faculty, Bultman taught and coached in the public schools in Portage and was the assistant principal of Portage Northern High School.
Hope presented him with a Distinguished Alumni Award in May, 1995. He received an honorary degree (L.H.D.) from Keiwa College, a sister college of Northwestern in Shibata City, Japan in March, 1998 and the honorary degree (Litt.D.) from Hope College on the occasion of his inauguration on October 22, 1999. In October, 2001, Bultman was presented a Distinguished Alumni Award from the Western Michigan University Alumni Association.
The Bultmans have two grown children: a son, Matthew, in Overland Park, Kan., and a daughter, Heather, in Broadhead, Wis.; and five grandchildren.
Mortar Board is a national honor society that recognizes college seniors for outstanding achievement in scholarship, leadership and service, and provides opportunities for continued leadership development, promotes service to college and universities, and encourages lifelong contributions to the global community. Since its founding in 1918, the organization has grown from the four founding chapters to 229 collegiate chapters with nearly 250,000 initiated members across the nation.
The Alcor chapter has existed at Hope since the 1936-37 academic year, although it did not become part of the national Mortar Board organization until 1961. The chapter has received multiple awards at the Mortar Board National Conference during each of the past several years, including being named the top chapter during the national conference in July 2010. During the summer 2011 conference, the chapter received a "Golden Torch Award," 12 "Project Excellence" awards, and the second annual "First Book Award" for having been the top chapter in the national "Reading is Leading" Virtual Book Drive Challenge.
The "Last Lecture Series" concept was inspired by the "Last Lecture" delivered at Carnegie Mellon University by Dr. Randy Pausch on Sept. 18, 2007. Pausch, a member of the Carnegie Mellon faculty who had terminal pancreatic cancer--a fact known at the time that he spoke--presented "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams." He died on July 25, 2008, at 47.
The Hope Alcor chapter also sponsored a "last chance talk" during the 1960s. The idea back then was to invite a faculty member to express his/her ideas under the hypothetical assumption that it would be the last opportunity to address the student body. The late Dr. D. Ivan Dykstra, professor of philosophy, delivered the first "last chance talk" in the spring of 1962.
Dimnent Memorial Chapel is located at 277 College Ave., on College Avenue at 12th Street.


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Herald on Sunday Rating: 4/5
Address: 754 Manukau Rd, Royal Oak
Ph: (09) 624 5859
Website: kairali.co.nz
This is a big weekend for many people with roots in India. Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is actually not until November 13 this year but local celebrations (in Auckland, in Aotea Square) are this weekend.
It seemed a good excuse to go and eat at an Indian restaurant, which we hadn't done for a while. And the last time we did, I received several commending to my attention this South Indian place in Royal Oak.
When readers recommend their local Indian, I always take the assessment with a grain of garam masala, because most Indian restaurants are somewhere on the spectrum between pretty good and damn good and people always feel a sense of ownership about their local. But in the case of Kairali, quite a few people were saying how good it was and it didn't seem likely that it was just because they all live in Royal Oak. So we grabbed an old mate who had spent a fair bit of time in India in her younger days and headed out there.
It's not the most attractive of shopping centres, Royal Oak. Anything that takes its inspiration from those faux-adobe American strip-malls hasn't really been trying hard enough, it seems to me, but I doubt the developer has to look at it every day.
Kairali is across the road, in what used to be a cake shop, with an excellent view of McDonald's. The restaurant's name is the adjectival form of Kerala, the thin strip of state on the extreme southwestern corner of India known as the Malabar coast - so it means "Keralese", if you will. This was an encouraging sign since I have always preferred the brighter spicier tastes of South Indian cuisine to the rich and creamy Persian-influenced Mughal cuisine from the north.
If you can't imagine an Indian meal without that triumph of British cooking known as chicken tikka masala they'll still look after you at Kairali.
But my advice is to scan the menu for the words "Malabar" or "Kerala" or "Chettinad" (a town in Tamil Nadu, which is on the eastern side of the subcontinent's tip) - or just ask the extremely obliging waiters for suggestions.
Kairali occupies a spartan room, which could be profitably softened with some swathes of fabric to absorb the noise bouncing off the white-tiled floor. A mural of mouthwatering food pictures occupies one wall and a television tuned to Bolliwood movies another.
Our friend was keen on the prawns. She said she often orders them in Indian restaurants because it reminds her of the time that she and her boyfriend were shouted a sumptuous meal of prawns in India by a businessman. It was not until later, as their generous host hammered persistently on their hotel-room door that she realised that she was meant to have been the payment for the meal. These prawns would have been a fitting way to celebrate her escape: big and meaty and swamped by a chocolate-dark gravy enlivened with tamarind and cashews, they were quite superb.
We'd started by sharing a masala dosa - the classic snack is sort of compulsory when you're in a South Indian place. The rice-flour pancake wrapped around mildly spicy potatoes was wonderfully done: the batter had cooked up crisp and slightly chewy and the traditional accompaniment of lentil soup called sambar was creamy and dense but with an agreeable kick. I was starting to regret the missing coconut chutney, but it came with the uttapam, another kind of floury pancake in which the sweet onions are cooked into the batter.
I was pleased there was a whole mutton section on the menu, because it makes the best curry and because you hardly ever see it these days (when we were kids, you hardly saw anything else, because the Poms were getting all the lamb). The dish the waiter urged on me was called mutton roast, a name uncomfortably reminiscent of my Mum's cooking, but the spicy sauce cut through any fattiness and left only the strong and satisfying flavour of the meat to shine. The Prof's dal, with coriander and cumin, was a perfect foil to the other dishes.
The desserts are nothing special here - though at between $3 and $5 they don't leave a sour taste in the mouth. But it's certainly the best South Indian food I've eaten in a while. Go soon - and don't order the butter chicken.
Excellent suburban South Indian.


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22nd May 2017
Rachel Ilett, Senior Account Executive, Grayling UK, analysis the crisis communications learnings from the WannaCry attacks.
On Friday 12 May, the NHS was hit by what Europol has called, 'the largest ransomware attack observed in history.' 47 NHS Trusts in England and 13 Scottish NHS Organisations were impacted by cyber-attacks, which saw ambulances diverted from A&E, cancer patients' treatment delayed and major operations postponed.
The WannaCry attacks have since spread to 150 countries worldwide, affecting government agencies and companies including FedEx Corp, Telefonica, Germany's rail operator, Deutsche Bahn and Russia's Interior Ministry.
So what lessons can be learnt from the NHS cyber-attacks about communicating in a crisis?
1. Know your audience
Which stakeholders do you need to communicate with and how will you reach them? This will of course vary greatly depending on the company or organisation and, as such, there is no prescriptive advice. In the case of the NHS, a provider of vital public services, its most important stakeholders are obviously its patients. Given that any one of us could become a patient at any time and urgently require NHS care, in reality this means the general public, not just those currently with 'patient' status.
Statements from NHS Trusts and bodies outlining advice for patients were quoted in web stories on the likes of ITV.com, a site which has millions of visitors every month. During radio interviews with BBC's Today Programme and BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast, NHS Providers Chief Executive, Chris Hopson, also signposted the public to websites where they could get the latest information on NHS services. While many of the NHS bodies are using digital platforms to communicate updates, a multimedia approach ensures that older demographics are reached too.
2. Highlight the positives
In a crisis, a robust communications response should be tuned in to the media landscape, taking stock of critique from stakeholders and journalists. It should acknowledge that some of the challenges presented by the crisis cannot be mitigated in the short-term and instead focus on emphasising the positive aspects of the situation. The NHS has faced a barrage of negative attention in the days following the crisis breaking. This included criticism that, counter to advice, several NHS Trusts were using the outdated Windows XP system or had not downloaded patches that would protect them from malicious software.
Unable to confirm details of why the NHS was hit or indeed accept culpability before a complete investigation, the NHS and government communications have instead focused on highlighting the positive – namely that patient data protection wasn't breached at any point, that 80% of Trusts were entirely unaffected by the attacks, and that more than 95% of services were back up and running within 24 hours.
3. The importance of timing
In the days immediately following the crisis, senior NHS spokespeople made statements to the media. NHS England's Incidents Director, Dr Anne Rainsberry, gave a short and reassuring video statement to The Telegraph, informing the public that the NHS was putting 'well tested plans' for a cyber security incident into action and giving clear advice to patients about services. News on which Trusts and hospitals were affected was also quickly disseminated, and individual hospitals put out information on the status of their services via social and online channels. The lesson? A swift reaction to a crisis gives the strong impression that you are in control and are taking it seriously.
Concurrently, exaggerating your handle on the issue or claiming the storm has passed before being certain could also leave you open to further criticism. The crisis could evolve in ways you hadn't anticipated and accepting that it may take time to restore confidence is a safer bet. On the Saturday, the day after the crisis broke, the National Cyber Security Centre advised that more ransomware cases were likely to appear on Monday. On Monday, it was announced that, in fact, a 'second spike' had not hit and that two thirds of NHS trusts were fully operational. This measured approach gave an impression that the NHS' control of the issue was steadily improving.
Companies using leading edge technology and with greater resources to fall back on than the NHS have been disrupted by the ransomware attacks. Given the life or death nature of its operations, the potential damage posed by an all-out crisis in the NHS is unsurpassed by almost any other organisation or company. Yet in the five days since the crisis broke, NHS communications have successfully prevented a full blown crisis by disseminating important information to key stakeholders and have been central to the perception of restoring control.
Grayling Team
15th November 2016
Will Kunkel, Executive Vice President for Creative and Content in Grayling New York, on the final of our #7for17 trends, Live and Uncut'Timing is everything' has been a favorite line to many but...Read More
8th November 2016
Danica Ross, Grayling San Francisco US Executive Vice President, on how brands can guide themselves through the 'the new space race' – part of our #7for17 trends series.In an era where brands...Read More
3rd November 2016
Russell Patten, Chair of Grayling's European Public Affairs practice, looks at one of the major political trends as part of our #7for17 series. It's been a turbulent year in politics, with the...Read More


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This seems to have gotten worse the last year or so. By the way I am a C for quad, nine years post injury. I don't really understand it, but especially after a lunch,, I get so cold! I usually have to put on an electric blanket and drink hot water to stop shivering. Quite annoying.
Originally Posted by pfcs49
I'm with you in spirit, Pal!
My wife is gone for ten days and I'm on the loose.........when it's a little cold to galavant much!
The furnace in the garage is running and running because the furnace bozo replaced the old mercury switched thermostat that I had rotated so it didn't come one until ~33*F.
Now it's trying to maintain something north of 45*! So I found a 35* thermostat on Amazon. WTF! Its for use in GARAGES! And it will be in my mailbox tomorrow.
Only problem?
Originally Posted by Flatiron
Nice read. I can relate to a lot of it.
It's been 39 years for me & I just turned 60 too!
Happy for you that your team got in the playoffs today! They deserve it more than Ohio State :>)
Originally Posted by Jeff Weeks
Seven pages. But light reading for some of us :
Antibiotics are the mainstay treatment for all UTIs. A variety of antibiotics are available and choices depend on many factors, including whether the infection is complicated or uncomplicated or primary or recurrent. Treatment decisions are also based on the type of patient (e.g., man or woman, a pregnant or nonpregnant woman, child, hospitalized or nonhospitalized patient, person with diabetes.) Treatment


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When Jonathon Scott Fuqua was 13 years old, he and his older brother put on their swimming trunks and went surfing during a Florida hurricane.
The wind bent the palm trees rimming the Gulf of Mexico nearly double, like boomerangs. The teens were buffeted by waves as tall as a house. During a brief rest on a sandbar, Scott looked over his shoulder and saw a huge shark silhouetted in the water about 15 feet away. He was certain that any moment, razor-sharp teeth would close around his calves and pull him under.
As he began to swim hard for the shore, he held tight to the image in his mind's eye of a place with firm footing and abundant oxygen.
If his determination never wavered, perhaps that's because he'd spent his entire life out-maneuvering his own self-doubt — a predator that was faster than any shark and just as deadly.
That was more than 30 years ago. Fuqua has become a husband, father and respected author who writes and illustrates children's books. When the school year starts later this month, his newest novel, "Calvert the Raven in the Battle of Baltimore" will become recommended reading for fourth- and fifth-graders throughout Maryland who are studying the War of 1812.
At age 47, he's still determined to master the most difficult challenges he can devise. He's the same kid who, despite very real danger and debilitating fears, didn't give up on himself.
As he puts it: "I never want people to think I'm taking the easy way out."
Fat chance.
Fuqua is color-blind and can't distinguish between red and green. So he became a children's book artist who in one illustration might use seven different shades of red and 13 minute variations of green.
He's dyslexic, which means his brain jumbles the order in which he sees letters on a page, making it as difficult to discern meanings as if the words were written in Cyrillic.
So he chose a career that consists of nothing but arranging letters in their proper order. His 16th work of fiction, a Gothic thriller for teens, will be published in March.
In college, Fuqua was diagnosed with bipolar disorder after experiencing two breakdowns. His books not only deal candidly with his childhood demons, but he also visits schools to talk about his struggle with mental illness.
More recently, the discovery of three crumbling neck vertebrae has resulted in four spinal surgeries in three years, months of recovery, infections, a lifetime regimen of antibiotics to suppress harmful bacteria, and recurring pain.
So earlier this week, he and his 10-year-old took an 18-mile bike ride.
"He pushes himself to the edge of scary and difficult things," says Cary Monet, Fuqua's mother. "He tests himself constantly."
Because Fuqua is sensitive to the plight of the bullied and discriminated-against, his novels often have an underlying theme of political or social justice.
"If someone is downtrodden," he says, "I care."
His first novel, "The Reappearance of Sam Webber" about an 11-year-old boy combating depression, was chosen by the city of Peoria, Ill., in 2003 for its One City, One Book reading program. "Darby," a story of racism in a small Southern town, earned an approving mention on "The Today Show" in 2002. "The Willoughby Spit Wonder," which deals with a parent's fatal illness, was described by a reviewer from the Boston Globe as "the kind of novel, by turns comical, haunting, and thrilling, that comes only once in a blue moon."
In January, Fuqua visited Craig Whiteford's fourth-grade class at McDonogh School. He showed the class original illustrations from "Calvert the Raven," a picture book about a bored kid who gets a bird's-eye view of the bombardment of Fort McHenry. Fuqua discussed his motivations, his techniques and the obstacles he'd faced when he was in the fourth grade.
"The kids adore him," Whiteford says.
"They couldn't get enough of him. He told the kids, 'I had dyslexia and I hated school and I thought I was stupid.' Look at me now. I get to play all day long.'
"The kids in my class who were struggling were hanging on every word he said."
One way or another, most of Fuqua's novels involve a journey into the past, whether to an earlier historical period or to the author's childhood.
Several of Fuqua's main characters are in the fifth grade. That's when he first began showing signs of mental illness during the stressful period when his parents divorced.
The rupture was difficult for everyone, but especially hard on young Scott, Monet says. He recalls raised voices, unpredictable adult behavior and angry outbursts that left him terrified.
It didn't help that Fuqua's father was a military man who traveled around the world. Fuqua was born in Germany and moved about a dozen times before his 14th birthday.
It also didn't help that his only brother, now a microbiologist, was a "phenomenon," as Fuqua says, or that his only sister, now a nurse-practitioner, was a "genius" while he struggled to read and to perform basic math. It wasn't until he was a sophomore in college that his dyslexia was diagnosed.
Until then, he just thought he was dumb.
"When I entered first grade, my teachers thought I would be just like my brother," he says.
"But my grades were terrible. Nobody could figure out what the problem was. It was a great mortification for my father. From a young age, I could pick up a pencil and draw anything I wanted. But my father dismissed that as a secondary feminine characteristic."
Fuqua had his first breakdown in the seventh grade. For four months, he barely slept. He became convinced that "Star Trek" was putting bad thoughts into his head and making him go crazy. He was so lonely as he wandered through the house at 3 a.m. that he would call the time-of-day recording just to hear a human voice.
He saw a therapist and was placed on tranquilizers, but they didn't dent his pain. He learned later that standard drugs used to combat depression are ineffective in treating bipolar disorder.
"When I think of those years now," Fuqua says, "I see them as film strips. The parts that are from the time when I was depressed have melted and burned."
Monet was beside herself with worry. It hurt her that her sensitive middle child was so sad. And nothing could convince her that he wasn't every bit as smart as his brother and sister.
"My mother trusted in my intelligence completely," Fuqua says, "and she constantly reassured me that there was a smart person in there."
After the family moved to Florida and Fuqua entered his teens, his illness temporarily receded. But when he was a junior at Virginia's College of William and Mary, he again became severely depressed. He bought a gun. Two days later, he said, he walked into the school's psychiatric clinic and asked, "Is it normal for a person to want to die and to think about doing it?"
Fuqua was immediately hospitalized. He temporarily dropped out of college, was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and began taking lithium.
"Within a week, I was an absolutely new person," he says. "It was amazing. For the first time in my life, when I went to bed at night, I knew who I was going to be when I woke up."
He'll be the first to admit that he still struggles with depression. But no one ever said that self-creation is for the faint of heart.
Monet thinks that her son chose a career as an author, even though it means struggling daily with his dyslexia, because it allows him to revisit and comfort his younger self.
"Writing for Scott has been cathartic," she says.
"At times it has been difficult for other family members because we have different memories of those times. But I understand that it has been necessary for Scott to make sense of his life by writing."
Bruce Bortz, the founder of the Baltimore-based Bancroft Press, points out that it's rare for any author to both write and illustrate his own work — let alone an author who is dyslexic and color-blind.
"I have no idea how he does it," says Bortz, who has published several of Fuqua's novels. "It would be unusual for anyone without his disabilities to write and illustrate as well as he does. He's brilliant at both."
A perk of Fuqua's workday is that he spends lots of time with his kids: Calla, 17, and Gabe, 10. Both have provided an inspiration for the books and served as models for the illustrations.
For instance, when Fuqua was working on "Calvert the Raven," he asked Gabe to pose by pretending to fly through the sky on a raven's back. The boy perched on a coffee table, thrust out his arms and legs for balance, and tilted back and forth.
Now readers who pick up a copy of "Calvert the Raven" will see a drawing on the cover of a lively boy with curly dark hair witnessing the Battle of Baltimore firsthand. There the boy is, astride the back of a great black bird and soaring high above the shark-filled water.
Jonathon Scott Fuqua
Age: 47
Birthplace: Frankfurt, Germany
Residence: Mayfield
Profession: Author/illustrator of 16 books and graphic novels for children and adults; instructor at the Maryland Institute College of Art
Notable titles: "The Reappearance of Sam Webber" (1999), "Darby" (2002), "The Willoughby Spit Wonder," (2004), "Medusa's Daughter" (2008), "Calvert the Raven in the Battle of Baltimore" (2013)
Education: College of William and Mary College, bachelor's degree in fine arts, 1990
Family: Married to Julie Lauffenburger, senior conservator at the Walters Art Museum; a daughter, Calla, 17; a son, Gabe, 10; and two cats, one dog and an aquarium of fish


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|Jepson Flora Project: Jepson Interchange
previous taxon |
next taxon
Jepson Interchange (more information)
©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
Perennial (annual), generally twining or trailing
Leaves alternate
Inflorescence: cyme or flowers solitary in axils; pedicels often with 2 bracts
Flower bisexual, radial; sepals 5, ± free, overlapping, persistent, often unequal; corolla generally showy, generally bell-shaped, ± shallowly 5-lobed, generally pleated and twisted in bud; stamens 5, epipetalous; pistil 1, ovary superior, chambers generally 2, ovules generally 2 per chamber, styles 12
Fruit: generally capsule
Seeds 14(6)
Genera in family: 50 genera, 1,000 species: warm temp to tropical; some cultivated as ornamental
Recent taxonomic note: Recently treated to include Cuscutaceae [Angiosperm Phylogeny Group 1998 Ann Missouri Bot Gard 85:531553].
(Family description, key to genera by L.T. Dempster)
Perennial, subshrub from caudex or rhizome, glabrous to tomentose
Stem very short to high-climbing, generally twisting and twining
Leaf generally > 1 cm, linear to reniform, often sagittate to hastate, rarely deeply divided
Inflorescence: peduncle generally 1-flowered; bractlets small and remote from calyx to large and concealing calyx, sometimes lobed
Flower generally showy; corolla glabrous, white or yellow to pink or purple; ovary chamber 1 (septa generally incomplete), stigma lobes 2, generally swollen, cylindric or oblong, ± flattened
Fruit ± spheric, ± inflated
Seeds generally ± 4
Species in genus: ± 25 species: temp, worldwide
Etymology: (Greek: concealing calyx, from bractlets of some)
Reference: [Brummitt 1980 Kew Bull 35(2):327328]
Intergradation common; intermediate forms often difficult to identify. Appears similar to Convolvulus , but anatomy suggests that the 2 genera are not very closely related.
Perennial from rhizome or woody caudex; ± hairy
Stem decumbent or ascending, 220 cm
Leaf: blade 34 cm at midrib, ± triangular-hastate, sometimes with small backwardly directed lobes; tip acute to rounded; base tapered
Inflorescence: peduncle < 3.3 cm, < subtending leaf; bractlets attached just below calyx and ± concealing it, 717 mm, 49 mm wide, widely ovate to lanceolate or oblong
Flower: sepals 1013 mm; corolla 3362 mm, white or cream, often purple-tinged along midveins
Ecology: Dry, open scrub or woodland
Elevation: < 500 m.
Bioregional distribution: s North Coast Ranges, San Francisco Bay Area, c Outer South Coast Ranges
Synonyms: Convolvulus s. (Hook. & Arn.) Greene
Sspp. intergrade.


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This Guest Post is by my friend, Angel Lemus, of the Zentokukai Okinawa Shorinryu Toude Association. Angel was a writer and editor of Bugeisha, one of the finest Karate journals ever published. He teaches at the Ninchokan Dojo, in Los Angeles, California. See Part 1 of this article.
PART 2: Higher level mental processes.
I will refer to this thought process in terms of how computers works, much like our brains are very powerful computers.
The checklist below is a set of higher level mental processes that the mind should go through to process all the data collected above in steps 1 through 20.
1. Actively scan all parts of the body continuously. Partition pieces of your brain to multi task and have for example a chunk of your awareness looking at your stance all the time to make sure it not too high, another chunk looking at your chambered fist to make sure it is not sticking out. Partition as many pieces as needed to monitor all parts of your body and so they can send "corrective" commands to those body parts independently of each other. Beginners usually can only handle a couple of these at a time, but as you expand your consciousness through experience in the Dojo you should be able to monitor dozens of body parts simultaneously.
2. Relay this info back to the central data processor.
3. Determine if the data gathered reveals anything new, different, or in some way to raise a flag about a movement or fraction thereof.
4. If nothing is detected, continue, continue, continue.
5. If something is detected and you did something that felt better, faster, smoother, grab on to it, and try to repeat it.
6. Find out what you did to make that movement feel good/better to you than in the past. Pinpoint specifically what part(s) of your body, and internal processes contributed to this discovery.
7. Isolate the body parts and internal processes, and dig in to it immediately to understand mentally how those worked better this time. When I say internal I mean things like your energy, effort, breath exhaling etc) don't put it off, for these discoveries I have found have a short lifespan and they will disappear (like being able to recall a dream when you first wake up, and minutes later you don't remember it very well or not at all).
8. After you discover what made the movement better, paint a mental picture of it that you can easily "at a glance" retrieve from long term storage, and can easily command yourself to repeat. If you can repeat it continuously, then you are on the way to internalizing it.
9. Once something is internalized, you should be able to do that movement in the new improved fashion consistently.
10. REPEAT THE WHOLE PROCESS again, until you improve the same movement, and you re-internalize the new version. Each "new and improved" version immediately overrides, and replaces the older "lesser" version, and every new time that you practice the movement it will be executed based on the new version. This is so important for if you cannot do step #10, you will be in a constant limbo and it is a hit and miss scenario. You cannot go through your practice NOT knowing why you do something poorly, it is difficult to improve it if you cannot find the cause of the problem. Some people do not analyze their movements during active practice and never think about Karate outside the dojo. A beginner may not apply the mental processes I am describing above, for they are usually using all their faculties just to figure out their left side from their right side, and that is natural for a short while. But a beginner will forever remain a beginner if he/she does not exercise the brain and apply some kind of analytical process to bring the body and mind together, so that the mind eventually becomes the MASTER of the body. I have seen Black Belts that do not practice any mental training, they just don't think about stuff (in or out of the dojo, they just mindlessly repeat movements), in my eyes they will remain beginners.
The entire above process, both parts 1 and 2 really only happen in fractions of a second. Our brains are more powerful and capable than the most advanced computers today, but like any other muscle it must be exercised. If you do not invest time with some kind of process like the one described above, your progress will be very, very slow, you must take charge of your progress in Karate and become an active participant and make yourself improve, you cannot idly standby in this path and take the passenger seat, you must sit on the drivers side and take the wheel.
I have to make a disclaimer here, for there is an opposite side to all of this - There are some people who are OVERLY brainy, they think too much about everything, over analyze and over think until their eyeballs are coming out the backs of their heads, and are incessant "beard scratchers". Everything I mentioned above only applies while you are considered to be an active Karate-ka. I'm not saying get off the dojo floor and practice karate with your brain.
Angel Lemus


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Call 0113 2568008 for your FREE quotation & site survey
Contact us today for a free, no-obligation quote or for any other questions regarding our services or locations. We look forward to hearing from you!
Call 0113 2568008 for your FREE quotation & site survey
Contact us today for a free, no-obligation quote or for any other questions regarding our services or locations. We look forward to hearing from you!
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Time Out says
This simple operation on Regent's Canal towpath (near the Whitmore Bridge) was a novelty when it opened in 2010 in three shallow units. Three years later, it has expanded into four units, and continues to lure in passing walkers and cyclists with its original setting and enticing food and drink. Wing a table in the sunshine on a summer's day, and you might end up staying for hours. Relaxed entertainment is provided by families of swans, coots tending their nests, and passing bikes whizzing by. Our last visit, however, was a rainy affair – yet it proved that Towpath shouldn't only be reserved for fair weather. Huddling inside the covered, homely (think beaten-up furniture and cultural posters) open unit watching rain pummelling the canal was a comforting experience, made more so by the addition of delicious grilled cheese sandwiches and decent coffee. Come here for breakfast and the menu will usually include fried eggs on toast or granola with yoghurt, fruit and maple syrup. In the afternoon or early evening, choose from a range of alluring cakes (the beautifully light olive oil and lemon cake is a favourite) or savoury dishes such as pork tenderloin or own-made quiche.
Regent's Canal towpath
between Whitmore Bridge and Kingsland Road Bridge
|Haggerston Overground/bus 67, 149, 242, 243
|Main courses £3-£8
|Opening hours:
|Open Mar-Nov 8am-dusk Tue-Fri; 9am-dusk Sat, Sun
|Do you own this business?
Users say (16)
Average User Rating
4.2 / 5
Rating Breakdown
- 5 star:9
- 4 star:4
- 3 star:1
- 2 star:1
- 1 star:1
Love grabbing a quick coffee here on a sunny morning and relaxing while the ducks, joggers and cyclists duke it out over who rules the towpath. it's not cheap, but it is lovely.
Love this cafe - genuine staff & yummy food
LOVE this place. Last time I went, I was amazed by a chargrilled chicken with figs and roasted onion, the best meal I have had in a long time!! For about a tenner, completely worth it. The staff has always been really pleasant to me, and the whole place has such a chilled, friendly vibe to it... It makes me happy every time I go!
Had drinks here last night with a group of friends and loved it! Great setting, delicious wine and quality beer but this place excels due to the brilliant service - Lori and her staff are clearly passionate about what they do with infectious smiles and warmth. Thank you Towpath!
The Staff let this little gem down badly...
Rude, expensive, unpleasant. Wish I could have loved this place and the people who run but its just too awful. A jar of warm white wine was seriously over priced and the staff were just nasty people. Keep your horrid out of Hackney!
First time been moved to post a review, had to because I've just had probably my best meal of the year, and it was lunch! Actually, honestly, sensational. Pitch perfect cumin lamb, incredibly tasty spiced cauliflower and stunning crispy chickpeas. Incredible combination. I couldn't believe how good it was. The only meal I've had to rival it this year was a Bruno Bistro Loubet. The lady chef who works at the Towpath is seriously talented, her food totally, completely wowed me. No joke. Its the kind of food you long to find in London and just never do. My mate tried my dish an was rendered similarly speechless. We both agreed we'd happily pay twice what they charged and still think we got great value, spectacular food. There was a lot of expletive ridden superlatives flying about at our table!
I live a few hundred yards away and this is the local for me and my japanese Spitz. Truly wonderful food(The steak Sandwich with caramelized onions followed by treacle tart was particularly good, as are their salads). A great place to chill and despite it being so busy we almost always seem to get a seat. A little bit of Paradise along the canal and my favorite place to chill alongside the Rosemary Branch. Both Suki (The dog) and I give it 5 stars
Lori and her staff are brill!!!! not only do they make the meanest grilled cheese sandwich but they also love and care for the canal and its surroundings investing their own money in providing bike parking spaces and beds for plants. A template many businesses should emulate. Starbucks it aint!!!
truly Nirvana now with expanded kitchen and picnic blankets to stretch out on in the sun
London at it's best. A real gem.
Probably my favourite coffeshop in town! Perfect location, coffee and super-friendly staff! try the olive oil cake!
Snap up exclusive discounts in London
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Weather Report In Barbados Slipped Up & Allowed Porn Sounds On A Caribbean Network To Broadcast On Air!
sex noises during the weather news on cbc 8 barbados
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Proof that its not fake CBC says sorry
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Casper Police Release Details of Chris Krumm's Letter
Casper Police have released the details of a note left behind by Chris Krumm, the man responsible for the double murder-suicide at Casper College.
In the note, Krumm says that people like his father should not have been allowed to breed, and that America should adopt a similar governmental discipline procedure, such as the one that China has.
Casper police say that Krumm had a self-diagnosed case of Asperger's Syndrome when he killed his father James Krumm, and James' girlfriend, Heidi Arnold.
Chief Chris Walsh says there are a combination of behaviors, that people should look for in order to help prevent future incidents like this from happening.
Hostility being one of them. Blaming circumstances on very broad topics and things that you really can't put a handle on. Relationships or lack of relationships and how people deal with those types of things. If you take that in a combination, no one indicator exists that going to be a red flag, it's the whole grouping of them.
Chief Walsh says the Krumm did not have a prior criminal history, and is asking the public not to make flash judgements based off the contents of the letters.


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Between videogames and families that do not eat at home anymore, children have a hard time staying fit and healthy. Junk food diets, sedentary lifestyle, and parents who work and are rarely home or involved in their lives have led America's children down a spiraling trend towards childhood obesity. Obesity doesn't simply affect children as they experience their youth, but will carry into lifelong habits and lead to the proliferation of diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and other weight related syndromes. The best way to combat childhood obesity is to encourage parents to provide good eating alternatives for the children and to get kids off of the couch and into the park. Soccer with its ease of play and lack of equipment is a perfect sport to allow kids to run, jump and keep their bodies more healthy.
One of the best things about teaching soccer to children is that it is a team sport and involves many of the skills children need to succeed in their future development. To play soccer kids need to learn how to communicate with one another respectfully and responsively as they have to work together. They have to learn to share; they have to come together as a conglomerate to meet a common goal and help each other achieve the best in its pursuit. All of these attributes encourage childhood development and allow kids to make friends across cultural boundaries and neighborhood fences. For particularly shy children who were not able to translate school into a social circle a soccer team provides an instant set of companions, and a way to experiment with interaction in a safe and healthy environment.
Living more healthfully and learning to make friends are good goals to have for anybody entering a sport, but the other key to soccer is that its fun. Soccer offers a sense of self-esteem and well being children can develop as they see their accomplishments grow. Soccer involves both mental challenge and physical movement in a way that a videogame could never offer. Instead of sitting inside learning about enjoyment through violent games, expensive toys or isolating television, soccer allows kids to be outside developing healthy body, healthy mind and healthy esteem.
We have spent a lot of time in our society creating technological advances so that we could work less and enjoy more. Unfortunately the reverse seems to have happened. The more technologically based we have become the more sedentary, unhealthy and distant from one another we have grown. Teaching children to play soccer and be part of the team may be one of the best antidotes for the 21st century.


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May 26, 2005 - New York, NY - The obscenity case against Extreme Associates was dismissed by a Federal judge in Pittsburgh, PA, in January, 2005. But the battle isn't over yet: U. S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan has appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. NCSF and Barbara Nitke have joined the fight challenging the constitutionality of obscenity laws by filing an Amicus Brief in the appeal.
In his historic decision on Extreme Associates, U.S. District Court Judge Gary Lancaster ruled that obscenity laws are unconstitutional as applied to this prosecution based on the Supreme Court decision "Lawrence v. Texas" which abolished sodomy laws. "Lawrence v. Texas" said in effect that the government can no longer use "public morality" as a rationale for suppressing what adults may legally do in private.
The NCSF and Nitke Amicus Brief supports Judge Lancaster's opinion and makes the following points:
- The government cannot pick and choose which subjects of speech it wants to regulate and limit. Under this argument, the government should not be allowed to restrict SM pornography more strictly than vanilla pornography.
- Obscenity is judged by "local community standards" which cannot be applied on the internet because that means the most restrictive community in the U.S. could impose its view of obscenity on the entire internet.
- As a result of "Lawrence v. Texas" the government can no longer criminalize private "activities" such as consensual sodomy. Therefore, the government cannot be allowed to criminalize "speech" (words and images) regarding those activities. What justifies this attempt by the government to ban speech which discusses and describes activities which are now legal?
Read more information on the NCSF and Barbara Nitke Communications Decency Act lawsuit.


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One of the middle chapters of New Hampshire's Medicaid expansion saga just concluded without resolution. A potential pseudo-compromise crashed and burned largely on the basis of politics. But both sides hope to reach agreement in January. If a compromise to this saga comes in January, it should offer something to conservatives and liberals alike and not merely replay the politics of this fall.
One of the central supports of the federal health care law known as ObamaCare is a significant expansion to the state-run Medicaid programs. The Supreme Court ruled last year that states must be given an initial choice to opt-in or opt-out of the program.
After a half-hearted commission over the summer endorsed the same plan presented to it on the first day, the governor called a November special session to try and resolve the issue. While the governor and the Democratic House majority generally support the same plan, a narrow Republican Senate majority does not. The special session was meant to find a compromise.
The Senate Republican leadership and the House and governor offered plans so similar as to be called Tweedledum and Tweedledee by some observers (OK, that was me). There were differences that were apparently vitally important to both parties, but not to most observers.
Nonetheless, inside the crucible of politics, differences are magnified. Policy is rarely as important as politics. The plan effectively died the weekend before the final vote. The governor, in campaign mode, called the GOP plan "worse than no deal at all." She then proceeded, oddly, to campaign in the districts of and attack the senators who were pushing the Senate hardest to offer a deal that gave her the lion's share of what she wanted. So the deal died.
The policy machinations here are different from the political fight. Medicaid is currently not a program for low-income citizens, but rather a program with varying income restrictions, some quite high, that covers only people in certain categories.
The administration would like to change Medicaid so that it covers everyone below certain income levels. The newly eligible population would consist mostly of childless adults who are currently not covered at any income level (nor are they covered by most other social policy programs).
Current Medicaid enrollment averages 135,000 people. Both the Senate and House plans would have expanded coverage to an estimated additional 100,600 people in slightly different but remarkably similar ways. Cost estimators predict that only 40,000-70,000 new people would adopt the new plan, but stress that their estimates can't be relied on for budgeting purposes.
Compromise is possible because of areas of broad agreement, but difficult because of specific areas of concern.
There is a majority in neither legislative chamber to just say no. The House would pass an ObamaCare expansion as-is with no adjustment. A sizable Senate majority of all the Democrats and slightly less than half the Republicans wants to "at least do something," but there are limits on what a majority of them will do.
The most important goal for the liberals who support generic expansion is to cover the poorest individuals currently without coverage. Conservatives worry about increasing enrollment from 135,000 today to 200,000 or more both from a financial standpoint and from a reform standpoint.
If Medicaid is transformed from a categorical program into a low-income program, is it possible to do it in a way that keeps enrollment at the current 135,000 but targets resources to those at the lower income levels? Yes. In fact, the governor proposes doing this with one eligibility category: the Breast and Cervical Cancer Program. The poorest individuals would be covered through Medicaid and those at higher incomes would be covered differently. But such a change would require permission from the federal government, as any change does.
The federal government would prefer not to give us permission to do anything different. But, unusually, we have bargaining power. The federal government is very eager that we expand coverage eligibility to the additional 100,000 people and that allows us to ask for reforms.
We can ask for a system that establishes patient-centered accounts, as the Healthy Indiana Program does. We can also ask for the ability to charge means-tested premiums so that Medicaid coverage mirrors the rules for the exchange and the ones most private insurance has.
Compromise could be found that covers the people the left wants covered and offers some budget and reform measures for the right. But such a compromise will take more than a couple weeks and can be easily destroyed by political gamesmanship.
Charles M. Arlinghaus is president of the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy, a free market think tank based in Concord, New Hampshire. He can be reached at email@example.com.


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WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. -- Video clips show unusual traffic on Interstate 684, although it is equine instead of vehicular.
The videos, posted to YouTube by Sam Hollander, shows a galloping horse heading northbound near the Exit 6 interchange with Route 35 in Katonah.
Even though the horse jumped over the guard rail into the southbound lanes, no accidents occurred as a result of the incident.
"This is gonna go viral," said a woman heard in the video.
The incident occurred on Monday, according to New York State Police, with the horse subsequently being caught and put into a horse trailer.
Information as to who owns the horse and how it became loose was not immediately available.
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Staff writer
With Christmas trees up in stores already and television advertisements screaming good deals for the holidays, it is only natural that nature got a jump on Thanksgiving last week.
While driving to school on Thursday, my teenage son accidentally hit a turkey. From what he said, it was pretty hard not to hit one of the 40 to 50 wild birds that have made a habit of congregating in the middle of a road near our place.
However, when he called at 7:05 in the morning and asked if I wanted to cook a turkey, I was a bit confused. Had I somehow blown off an entire two weeks and it was already time for turkey?
Let me be clear that our family does not make a habit of eating road-kill. However, it is a bit hard to pass up a pristine turkey with little-to-no damage who simply, and unfortunately for him, tried to eat the front bumper of our mini-van and then flipped up onto the hood and bounced to the roof, dead with a broken neck. By my way of reasoning, that can hardly be called road-kill, because it did not touch the road as it died.
At the risk of being late for school, which he was not because he left early that day, my son grabbed the turkey off the top of the van, flung him into the passenger seat, and buzzed back home with the turkey.
Lucky for me, my husband was there to clean the bird and we popped him into the crock-pot on low, along with a few chicken bouillon cubes, before leaving for our various jobs that day.
Mmmm, the house smelled good by the time we got back home that night, just like Thanksgiving. But with school activities and all, it was late, late, and there just was not time to eat the turkey.
Oh well, he seemed to be simmering away just fine, so I left him in the crock-pot on low until morning.
When we all got up Friday morning, guess what we had for breakfast. Oh yeah, it was turkey time. That was the best meal ever. The turkey was so tender it just fell off the bones. Some people say wild turkey tastes gamy, never has that been a problem for our family.
We peeled off the breast meat first, tender and juicy. Then, as time was ticking away, I made roast turkey sandwiches for everyone to take along. It was so good! The best part was that unlike Thanksgiving, none of us felt stuffed and bloated because there was not any time to make all those side dishes that usually accompany turkey on Thanksgiving. No pie, no potatoes, no fluffy gelatin, no stuffing — just flat out meaty, tasty turkey. And it was good.
I am now rethinking the traditional Thanksgiving meal. Who needs all that fluffy stuff that just makes you feel fat after the fact? Pilgrims and native American Indians probably only had turkey, roasted corn, squash, and apples. We need to get back to that.
I guess our real Thanksgiving turkey will have to come from the store, unless someone from our house gets lucky again and the turkeys down the road do not run fast enough. Either way, getting a jump on Thanksgiving was not such a bad idea after all. Turkey is good all the time, any time.


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Quote:Big Dave
Have you been hiding under a rock?
Other things you might have missed -
Battle at Roundway Down
Wilts Local History Society gets a museum in Devizes
6X gets sold elsewhere in the country
Motor car invented
World not flat
Quote:Did you not think that maybe you could have kept the sponsor, but maybe have taken a the name of lesser model like the "Bristol colts" to reflect your lesser status to a major sponsor?Big Dave
Quote:Big Dave
Oh, lighten, fer gawd's sake.
Quote:hooker 72
just a thought, even the neutral knows that briss are on the up for real this time, strong loyal fanbase, new stadium upcoming, considerably more financial backing than bath and more team desire than your lot will ever know. you guys have a dip in form and you so called fans arent just moaning youre ripping to pieces the coaching team, and loyal long serving club servants who lets be honest are playing the way they did when you were winning, some of you have short memories and should be ashamed in the way youre insulting your team on here, so yes we may be in a lower divsion at the moment, but as the saying goes the worm is definately turning, oh and we bris fans can engage in discussuions without the need to hurl insults as a first port of call. sort it people, anyone neutral coming on here would think youre relegated, in administration and lost your team, we ve been there and done it and are a lot more together than you lot are, so grow up and try adult discussion.
Quote:Big Dave
With respect, if you think the "dips" are equivalent then you have really have led a charmed life.
actually these days I think we have only 2 petrol stations in the city or maybe 3 at a push, long push though!
Quote:Mike the Taxi
Upper Bristol road ex-fuel station is now a nice, new block of flats. It didn't exactly 'blow up' so much as spring a leak from its underground tanks, resulting in residents having to be evacuated from surrounding flats. This resulted in the fuel station being demolished and replaced by a JCR, subsequently demolished for flats!
I still think Josh Ovens is playing well, though.
Quote:Sh*t shape and Bristol fashion...pubtime
Rec used to smell when the mass unwashed from the regional capital turned up.... I guess we have that to look forward to if they finally manage to pull off promotion!
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Replacing a broken down appliance ranks among our least favorite situations as a retailer, because our customers might not be so excited to getting a new refrigerator as we would hope. Instead, these shoppers meet us in many points along the appliance mourning spectrum (denial, anger, bargaining, depression).
I recall countless conversations consoling those bereaved, especially, of more "recent" appliance purchases — which, though a bit longer than 10 years ago, struck owners as not lasting as long as they should. Or certainly, not as long as "the old one."
"They just don't make 'em like they used to," I offer, and most agree and move into the last stage of appliance grief: acceptance.
What we didn't generally get into was how they make 'em today. Specifically, how long should your appliances last?
Over the next few (indeterminate unit of time), I will get into that. And I will throw in some other fun number factoids (bonus!).
- Washing machine lifespan
- Dishwasher lifespan
- Refrigerator lifespan
- Stove lifespan (coming soon)
- Microwave lifespan (coming soon)


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Vegan and Bikes
Vegetarian talks about transitioned to a Vegan diet and posted a video seeking assistance from other vegans on the lifestyle. She also spoke of doing this to clear up ashma and mucus build up she was experiencing from eating dairy (milk/cheese) products. AND she she got a new bike.


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Hello out there,
Something brought me to this moment, where I felt as though writing a new post was a good idea, so here I am.
The last time that I was here was at the end of January, when I was just beginning my Yoga Teacher Training. Since then, I have ended it, along with having a very psychedelic year, and some huge internal...
Read More


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Events for November 18, 2017
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Is it possible to mention the Buick Grand National without also mentioning Lord Vader, as made famous by Motor Trend in the mid-1980s? No, no it isn't. So, I thought I'd get the reference out of the way so we can focus on the importance of some exciting news:
The Grand National, GNX and T-Type will reportedly come back into Buick's stable after nearly three decades of absence.
If you're like me, one of your first thoughts upon hearing this news is wondering if GM will simply offer a blacked-out Regal with the GNX nameplate, hope to attract some sentimental fans from the 1980s and call it good. However, this looks like the real deal, complete with a new RWD platform from the hot-selling Cadillac ATS and power that could reach, or even exceed, 400 hp.


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|Colonization and Environment: Land Settlement Projects in Central America (UNU, 1990, 155 pages)
The phrase "colonization in Central America" generates a multitude of images, ranging from pioneering derring-do and righteousness to environmentalist anxiety and dismay, depending on who perceives it and in what context.
Colonization has historical, political, economic, social, and ecological aspects. For the early Spanish colonizers, the land was "there to be occupied," a feeling that is still prevalent among many people and particularly decision makers, regardless of the agricultural marginality of the land involved. The rapid rate of occupation over the last 100 years has not yet created an awareness that land to be colonized is finite: many people continue to believe that "beyond the next mountain there is still lots of empty land."
Politically, colonization is an extremely useful expedient. The land is either unowned or in the government's hands: giving it away to landless and poor farmers enhances the political aura of the government, as witnessed by the classic ceremony where a prominent government official, often the president himself or a military leader, hands over the newly acquired property titles to poor farmers - with cameras clicking and zooming in on the happy faces. To the large landowners who possess the best land, it is an effective way to distract land hungry peasants from their land and relieve - at least for the time being - what has become a most annoying pressure on their "sacred private property."
Opening new land is an apparently promising economic venture that lends itself to many financial schemes, including loans by development banks or "soft" money from friendly countries or agencies. It also opens possibilities for building roads, houses for the new settlers, and of course a whole array of land speculation opportunities.
The image of a land hungry peasant family moving into a new colonization area, with initial loans, a new house, education and health services, is without question a very socially satisfying scheme. Moreover, spontaneous colonization - as opposed to government directed colonization schemes- is a very old tradition and a socially accepted practice which has been documented over centuries.
The ecological implication is perhaps the least studied or understood. The capability of land to be managed on a sustainable basis to support a family is a question seldom considered. People are commonly heard to say "no hay sierra male; lo que no hay es gente pare trabajarla" (there is no bad land; all that is missing are people to work it).
Yet in most countries of Central America, almost all the land with adequate rainfall, moderate slopes - not to mention level land - and reasonable soils is already taken. What is left is land that is too steep, soils that are too poor in texture or in nutrients and too moist because of excessive rain and/or inadequate drainage.
It is not by chance that most directed or spontaneous colonization efforts nowadays are found in the humid areas of Central America, where conditions are usually marginal for sustainable agriculture. More than 50 per cent of Costa Rica's present pasture lands have recently been qualified by the national planning board as "mistakes in the conversion of forest to pasture" which should revert to forest. However, this sort of realization has not stopped the countries from continuing the opening of new land, usually primary forests, at an alarming rate.
This is not to say that there is no role for colonization, but that the present attitude to it must change. Some areas with slopes or high rainfall may be farmed, but not with traditional techniques imported from other ecological areas, characterized by more level land, better soils, or drier or cooler conditions or a combination of any of these factors. Colonization must become a carefully thought out process, and appropriate farming systems must be devised, understood, applied, evaluated, and continuously improved.
Agro-forestry, in which the United Nations University is deeply involved, may be a proper tool in some cases. In others, imaginative land use techniques must be devised. Traditional technical knowledge can be a most interesting guide to "new" or improved techniques.
It is time for decision makers and planners, who have the fundamental power over land use, to make a careful assessment of present colonization schemes and, it is hoped, learn from past mistakes as well as from success stories. The present contribution by Dr. Jeffrey R. Jones, an assistant professor in the Program in International Development and Social Change at Clark University, is an attempt in this direction, and, in addition, fits well with the UNU'S fundamental objective to establish guide-lines for sustainable land use under satisfactory ecological and socioeconomic conditions.


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52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History by Amy Coffin is a series of weekly blogging prompts (one for each week of 2011) that invite genealogists and others to record memories and insights about their own lives for future descendants. I haven't been participating, but the week 9 prompt set me thinking. It's past week 9 now, but better late than never.
Week 9: Sounds. Describe any sounds that take you back to your childhood. These could be familiar songs, jingles, children playing, or something entirely different.
The sounds from my childhood that stay with me are the sounds I heard lying in bed at night when all was still.
Most distinctly, I remember hearing the slow clip clop of a horse's hooves ringing out in the early morning before dawn. Before writing this post I called my father, to check that my memory was correct. It seems so out of place. I grew up in the 1970s in suburban Melbourne. I never saw horses on the streets. Was my memory true?
My Dad confirmed that yes, I would have heard a horse or horses slowly passing by in the early morning. Even in the 1970s, our milk was delivered each morning by horse and cart. Later in Canberra in the the 1980s I remember milk being home delivered each night by truck and exhausted runners. Nowadays we have to go to the supermarket and buy it ourselves.