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Vancouver Holiday – Enjoy Local Festivities While on a Vancouver Holiday
A melting pot of diverse nationalities and cultures, Vancouver offers visitors plenty to see and do any time of the year and more so at Christmas time. If you are planning a Vancouver holiday around the Christmas season, you will want to be sure and check out all the holiday festivities going on around the city. No matter your age, interests, or economic status, you are sure to find amazing events to make your Vancouver holiday truly memorable.
Burnaby Village Museum
Take a step back in time and see what Christmas might have been like almost a century ago at the Burnaby Village Museum. This museum is like a miniature town pulled directly from the 1920's. It is on a 10-acre site and staff dress in 1920's fashions. It hosts several homes and businesses that were true of the era and the staff gives wonderful demonstrations. You can also take a ride on a fully restored carousel that the whole family is sure to love. For the holiday season they present an amazing Christmas village that is sure to delight.
Stanley Park
Always a favorite destination for anyone on a Vancouver holiday; come Christmas time and Stanley Park is converted into a truly magical Winter Wonderland. Be sure to go see their wonderful display called "Bright Nights in Stanley Park". The Vancouver Park Board and The BC Professional Fire Fighters' Burn Fund put literally over a million lights up throughout the park. This tradition has been going on for 20 years and is a favorite of both tourists and natives. A fully adorned train winds through the park passing animated displays and breath taking decorations. You can also just walk through the park at your own leisure. The air is filled with the wonderful sounds of Christmas tunes and the smell of edible goodies like popcorn, hot chocolate, and roasted nuts. Children of all ages are sure to be truly enchanted.
Arts Club Theatre
Vancouver Arts Club is putting on a performance of the Christmas story at the theatre located on Granville Island. There are multiple shows throughout the holiday season, so just call the box office at (604) 687-1644 for further details.
Grouse Mountain
If you are looking to get out of the hectic city and enjoy something outdoorsy, be sure to check out all the holiday events being held atop Grouse Mountain called Peak of Christmas. They create truly a winter wonderland where you can take your family for all sorts of wondrous activities. You can take a sleigh ride, visit Santa's workshop, and ice skate on a frozen pond. You can even take your kid's for a breakfast with Santa himself. All the special events are included in general admission to Grouse Mountain. The aesthetic is breathtaking and magical and a perfect stop for any Vancouver holiday during the Christmas season.
Surrey Museum
If the 1920's Christmas at Burnaby Village doesn't take you back far enough, try a trip to the Surrey Museum. Here you will see recreations of pioneer life at Christmas time. You can learn all about Christmas customs from pioneer days as well as create Christmas crafts with your kids. They also house an amazing collection of vintage Christmas cards and host an interactive old-fashioned carol sing in the gallery of the Museum. While you are there be sure to also check out the Lego Winter Wonderland exhibit, which is just too cute and pretty amazing. With admission so low ($5 for adult, $3.75 for seniors and students, $2.50 for kids, and under 5 years of age is free), you are sure to delight the entire family.
Night Life
If you are looking for more excitement on your Vancouver holiday, be sure to check out some of the great Christmas events held at local clubs and other venues. Here are details on some of the best.
- Very Vancouver Christmas Benefit Concert: If you like to help out the animals when you party, this event is a must. Presented by The Roxy and Rave on Studio, this event raises money for the BC-SPCA. There are amazing live performances from fantastic local artists and it is only $10.00 to attend. Your admission also includes a free drink. If you really love the music, you can also buy the accompanying Very Vancouver Christmas CD. This is a great way to get in the holiday spirit and help out animals in need.
- Underneath the Mistletoe: The Edgewater Casino is hosting a vocal Christmas cabaret called Underneath the Mistletoe featuring vocal group Magic box. The performing burlesque troupe is known as the Sneaky Kiki's Girlesque and this sexy show tells the story of a naughty Mrs. Claus on Christmas Eve. To make a full night of this event, have dinner beforehand at the Chophouse located within walking distance of the casino. Dinner and show packages are available, or you can just attend the slow. Tickets to the show are $20. This show will ensure you have one hot winter night.
- A Kiss Under the Mistletoe: Want to find an event that is sexy and charitable? Check out A Kiss Under the Mistletoe at Bar None. Enjoy Ibiza inspired house music performed by a DJ accompanied with live percussion and horns until three in the morning. VIP guests get to hang on a bed with hostesses dressed as Mrs. Claus, and the whole place is decked out in Christmas décor and other special Christmas treats. Not only will you be able to dance and be amidst a slew of sexy people, but part of the $25 ticket goes to Ryder Evans Brockett Charity Fund. What a great way to be naughty and nice.
There are several amazing parades that are presented around the holiday season. A few are worth mentioning in some detail. The Hyack Festival Association puts on an annual Hyack Parade of Lights. It has all the things you expect to find in a parade from bands playing Christmas tunes to floats decked in lights and full Christmas regalia. Another super popular and spectacular parade is the Rogers Santa Claus Parade. This parade is held in downtown Vancouver ever year and is always a must-see event. They have extended the parade route recently to allow for more people to comfortably watch. These parades are sure to warm your heart.


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This is what Matteo Trenti was thinking of when he introduced his Piazza Grande brand in February 2000. He had this Balsamic made by the Mussini family in Magret. His idea was to bring quality in various modern versions. This 15 years old is syrupy and sweet with a lot of depth. The light acidity makes this Balsamico suitable for dishes such as duck breast and cheese. Absolutely amazing to make ice cream of this yourself, delicious with red fruit.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Wizkid, R2bees, Efya, Others Line Up For A Huge Concert In December.
Call it a 'Starboy Records' take -over as Nigeria's Wizkid makes a return to Ghana this December with a massive concert with the entire 'Starboy Worldwide' crew.
With a star-studded lineup comprising Efya, R2Bees and Mr. Eazi, a date for the concert and other performers on the night is yet to be announced.
Wizkid recently signed a 7-figure a distribution deal with Sony Music, American label and company owned by Sony through Sony Entertainment.
By: Kay Official


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1. DEEDMOB Deedmob Platform hereafter referred to as "Deedmob", "we", "us" or "our") operates a platform and community marketplace that helps people to conclude contracts relating to the use of The Deedmob Platform ("Platform"). Deedmob refers to Deedmob Ltd., a company incorporated under the laws of the Republic of Ireland.
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2.1. "Aggregated Information" means information about all of our users or specific groups or categories of users that we combine together so that it no longer identifies or references an individual user. Aggregated Information may still be Personal Information under certain jurisdictions.{' '}
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2.3. "Deedmob Platform" means the web-based software platform You can access and apply to Deeds.
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Updated: May 24, 2018. Deedmob and its Affiliates use a range of third party sub-processors to assist them in connection with the Services. These third party sub-processors include: Amazon Web services, Google Cloud Platform, Google Tag Manager, Google Analytics, Sentry, Sendgrid, Airtable, Trello, Algolia, Hotjar, Heroku Inc, Solarwinds Inc, Hubspot, DigitalOcean, Doorbell.io, Facebook.


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How To Unlock iOS 8.2 'Activity' App Without Jailbreaking
Buried within iOS 8.2 interface is the Activity app, which will allow future Apple Watch owners to track their daily movements and gauge how much their fitness is improving as a result. It's one of the many cool features of Apple's forthcoming wearable, although it does require an Apple Watch to be connected to an iPhone before it will stand to attention. Luckily, there's a simple little workaround at hand that enables you to check it out without an Apple Watch or indeed a jailbreak, and below, we've got a step-by-step tutorial.
Apple is certainly looking to increase its stake in the lucrative fitness market with iOS Health and the Apple Watch, but rather than focusing purely on the fitness fanatics, it cleverly elaborates on the Nike FuelBand and allows every user to passively track and improve activity.
The Activity app has a real FuelBand-esque feel about it, which isn't surprising given the close ties between Apple and the fitness giant, and when you consider that some of the Nike staff formerly behind its popular gadget are now a part of Team Apple Watch, it's even less of a shock. The FuelBand made exercise feel fun and cool by allowing users to attain NikeFuel as they went about their daily routine, and this is about the crux of Activity's feature set.
Sounds good, right? And thanks to the guide below, you don't need to wait for your Apple Watch to arrive before you're able to unlock iOS 8.2's worst-kept secret.
- iOS device running iOS 8.2.
- iTunes installed, preferably the latest version.
- Additionally, you'll also need to back your device up locally via iTunes. Using iCloud is ordinarily fine, but not for the purpose of this tutorial.
How To Unlock iOS 8.2 Apple Watch Activity App (No Jailbreak Required)
Step 1:
First and foremost, you'll need to grab a certain Fitness.zip file, which can be found by clicking here.
Step 2:
Download iBackupBot for Windows / Mac.
Step 3:
Launch iBackupBot, and navigate to the backup that you created before starting.
Step 4:
Next, navigate through System Files –> Home Domain –> Library –> Preferences
Step 5:
Provided that you've extracted the Fitness.zip file you grabbed in Step 1, click Import within iBackupBot, navigate to the System Files folder that appeared after extraction. Then, select the com.apple.Fitness.plist file.
Step 6:
Next, navigate through App Files –> com.apple.Fitness –> Library –> Preferences.
Step 7:
Click Import once more, and this time, you'll be looking at the User App Files folder that you extracted in Step 1. Therein, you'll find another com.apple.Fitness.plist that you'll need to select.
Step 8:
Finally, close iBackupBot down, and within iTunes, select the Restore Backup option, before opting for the backup that you just modified.
Once the backup has been restored, you should notice a shiny new Activity app on your device, one that you haven't had to wait for Apple Watch's release to check out. Seeing as the wearable is still over one month from reaching the end user, though, it's as close as you're going to get for now, so follow the steps, give the app a whirl, and do let us know how you get on by dropping a comment below.
If you need any additional assistance, my buddy Jeff at iDB has a very neat video guide that'll help you along:


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Twitter adds account security features to iPhone, Android apps
August 7, 2013 Leave a comment
Twitter is providing its users on iPhone and Android with new ways to manage their accounts from their smartphones.
Tuesday, the information network updated its applications with mobile enhancements to log-in verification, the two-factor authentication system that members can turn on to add a extra layer of security to their accounts.
Now users on iPhone and Android can use the Twitter app to set up log-in verification and approve requests. Instead of a text message with a six-digit code, as was previously the process, members receive a push notification from Twitter on their configured iPhone or Android device directing them to approve or deny the log-in request.
Each log-in request includes details on the browser type and location behind the log-in attempt, so application users can keep an eye on suspicious behavior. When members turn on the feature, available in the security section of the app, they'll also receive a backup code to save and use to log in to Twitter when they don't have access to their smartphone.
The new process requires people to have their Android or iPhone device on them at all times to approve Twitter log-ins, which is a twist from the SMS-based system that Twitter first introduced in May after a string of headline-grabbing hacking incidents. The reworked system also extends log-in verification to more international users, as it doesn't require carrier support, and works for people with multiple Twitter accounts.
Twitter's application for iPhone and Android was also updated Tuesday with some of the search improvements the information network released for its Web version last week. Mobile-app search now includes photo galleries for better browsing, along with something Twitter calls "social context," or a way to see your follow relationship with the accounts that surface in results. Power users on iOS will also appreciate that Twitter has finally added the option to manage lists from inside the application.


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I made a big mistake one night, had way too much to drink and found myself charged with felony assault. I didn't know where to turn. I heard Ryan on the radio. He sounded so professional and knowledgeable. I called his office and spoke to him, he put me at ease and long story short, and we were able to get it down to a misdemeanor. Ryan made the process so much less stressful for me and my family. Thank you Ryan. And Amber, his assistant was so wonderful. She always made me feel as if I were their only client, Thanks Amber!
My son was being investigated for rape (criminal sexual conduct). We called Ryan Pacyga right away and told him what we needed help with. Ryan was on the phone asap and started to help my son as soon as we got off the phone. Ryan stopped the police and the detective from going after him. Ryan met with us the next day and he got all of the information from my son on what went on. Ryan was very much up front on what could happen to him. Also, he did not hold anything back as for as what he can be charge with. He was honest and direct. It was scary for all of us. Ryan was there for us. If we called he answered and kept us up to date on things. Ryan used his private investigator to conduct an investigation into the allegations. Within 5 weeks Ryan called to tell us that it was over and that he convinced the detective not to charge my son with rape. Thank you very much Ryan and his group.
I was arrested this in Sept. 2010 for a fourth degree DWI, my first offense, and had no clue what to do. I read a lot of comments online saying that your first offense was no big deal and that you should just pay the fine and get it over with, but that was not an option for me seeing as my employment was directly related to my ability to drive for my company at the time. Had I just paid the fine and gotten it over with I would have lost thousands of dollars and a promotion I was supposed to get. So what did I do? I began looking through the piles of letters I was getting from what seemed like every small town lawyer that could afford the postage. I ended up settling with a friend's uncle who had been practicing law for a VERY long time.
Being well represented legally is one thing; having a compassionate and thoughtful attorney COMBINED with good representation is rare and hard to find — but that is exactly what you will get with Ryan Pacyga representing you — the total package.
My son (40 years old) has suffered from a long addiction with alcohol having been born with FAS and was recently picked up for DWI with a count of .22. Given the circumstances, we weren't seeking an attorney to get him off of the charges which wasn't going to happen given the evidence. We were seeking an attorney who could help our son deal with the downward spiral of his life. Ryan did just that.
John G.


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SIG P226 Legion
SIG P226 Legion
The Legion P226 is finished in a proprietary Legion gray PVD coating, custom G-10 grips with a Legion medallion, the SIG SAUER Electro-Optics X-RAY high visibility day/night sights comes with three magazines. The P226 in DA/SA includes a reduced and contoured Elite beavertail, which allows for a higher grip, but a reduced profile, thus eliminating printing. More aggressive front strap checkering and additional checkering under the trigger guard enhance the grip. An X-Five undercut has been applied to the trigger guard, allowing for a higher grip and greater control. Front cocking serrations provide greater purchase for cycling the action, clearing the firearm, or conducting press checks. The DA/SA is available in 9 mm, .40 and .357 SIG. The DA/SA also features low profile decocking and slide catch levers to reduce the risk of snagging. An enhanced polished action with the SRT (Short-Reset Trigger) is augmented with a Grayguns, Inc. designed P-SAIT trigger. In addition, a solid steel guide rod adds weight where it matters most.
The P226 SAO variant brings the same feature set to the table in a single-action only package. The addition of the SIG Master Shop Super Match Flat Trigger provides exceptional feel and consistent trigger pull regardless of finger placement. The SAO is available in 9 mm.
CALIBER - 9mm Luger / 357 SIG / 40 S&W
ACTION TYPE - emi-Auto
FRAME SIZE - Full-Size
FRAME MATERIAL - Alloy
SLIDE MATERIAL - Stainless Steel
ACCESSORY RAIL - SIG Rail
BARREL LENGTH - 4.4 in (112 mm)
OVERALL LENGTH - 8 in (203 mm)
OVERALL WIDTH - 1.5 in (38 mm) - 1.7 in (43 mm)
HEIGHT - 5.5 in (140 mm)
WEIGHT - 34 oz (964 g)


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Venice [9], Italy (Venezia in Italian) is still one of the most interesting and lovely places in the world. This sanctuary on a lagoon is virtually the same as it was five hundred years ago, which adds to the fascinating character. Venice has certainly begun to decay since its heyday and is heavily touristed (there are slightly more tourists than residents)-- but the romantic charm remains.
Venice is made of different parts. The most famous is the area comprising the 118 islands in the main districts of Cannaregio, Castello, Dorsoduro, Isola Della Giudecca, San Polo, San Croce, San Marco and Lido di Venezia where the main monuments and sights are located. Other important islands include Murano, Torcello, San Francesco del Deserto and Burano, but there are several more too. Lastly, there is Mestre another town on the more industrial mainland (but still part of Venice municipality), which is linked to Venice by a 5 kilometer bridge. In Mestre live more than 220.000 inhabitants, in Venice less than 60.000
The Most Serene Republic of Venice dates back to 827, when a Byzantine dukedom moved its seat to what is now known as the Rialto, and for the following 970 years prospered on trade and under the rule of a Roman-style Senate headed by the Doge. Alas, in 1797 the city was conquered by Napoleon, a blow from which the city never recovered. The city was soon merged into Austria-Hungary, then ping-ponged back and forth between Austria and a nascent Italy, but the glory days of Venice are long gone.
The summer may be the worst time to visit: it's sometimes very hot, the canals sometimes stink (in the most literal sense), there are occasional infestations of flies, and there are more tourists than usual. Spring and fall are probably best, a compromise between temperature (expect 5-15°C in March) and the tourist load. That said, if you've never been to Venice, it's better to go in summer than not to go. You won't regret it. Many cities are far worse in summer -- Venice has no cars, hence no smog.
Acqua alta (high water) has become a fact of life in Venice. The lagoon water level occasionally rises above the level of the plazas and streets, flooding them. This will happen several times a year, usually in the colder months. Acqua alta usually lasts a couple of hours. You'll see raised walkways in side alleys ready to be pulled out when acqua alta hits. When the city begins to flood, sirens will sound warning residents and businesses. If you speak fluent Italiano, tune into news programs since their predictions of the times the flood begins and ends are usually on the spot.
You can get an acqua alta map at the tourist offices either at the railway station or St Marks. This will show you the approved dry routes during the various flood alerts. There is a tide measuring station at the Rialto vaporetto piers, and a noticeboard at the base of the Campanile in the Piazza San Marco that shows a live tide reading and predictions for the next few days.
Get in
Because Venice is on a lagoon, the water plays a crucial role in transportation. The most popular way to approach Venice is by boat or train.
By plane
The closest airport is Marco Polo(ICAO: LIPZ), on the mainland near Mestre (a more typical Italian city, without Venice's unique structure). The Treviso Airport (ICAO: LIPH), located 25 km (16 mi) from Venice, is relatively smaller but becoming increasingly busy as the main destination for Ryanair and Transavia budget flights.
Both airports have bus connections with Venice (Piazzale Roma), Mestre, Padua and other towns. ATVO 'pullman'coaches (€9 return) run to and from Treviso to co-incide with flights. Marco Polo airport runs a shuttle bus (or just turn left and walk 10 minutes under the awning) to the Alilaguna water-bus jetty, where €10 gets you a leisurely 1-hour boat trip to San Marco via Murano, Lido and the Arsenale. Or take the cheaper boat (€6) to Fondamente Nuove which takes only half an hour. Alternatively you can travel in style (and much faster) by hiring one of the speedy water-taxis for about €80.
By train
Trains from the mainland run through Mestre to the Venezia - Santa Lucia train station on the west side of Venice (make sure you don't get confused with Venezia Mestre which is the last stop on the mainland!). From the station district, water buses (vaporetti) or water taxis can take you to hotels or other locations on the islands (or you can walk). Direct trains to Venice are available from many international destinations, including Budapest, Zagreb & Ljubljana.
By car
Cars arrive on the far western edge of Venice, but remain parked at the entrance to the city (Piazzale Roma or Tronchetto - Europe's largest car park.) There are no roads past this point -- and never were, even before cars. Car parking is expensive here and the tailbacks can be quite large. An alternative is to use the car parks on the mainland (terra ferma) and catch a vaporetto, train or bus into Venice. Park near the Mestre railway station, and catch a train to Venezia S.Lucia; there are many trains, it is very near (8-10 minutes) and quite cheap. Besides, Venezia S.Lucia is a good starting point to visit Venice. However drivers going to the Lido can use the car ferry from Tronchetto (vaporetto 17 - frequencies vary), right hand lane off the Ponte della Liberta into the city.
By rental car
Most of the major rental car companies have outlets at Piazzale Roma, at the edge of the city. These are on the ground floor of one of the major parking stations. When you are dropping off your car, you need to find street parking and then walk to the rental car outlet and hand in the keys. Do not park in the parking station! There is a vaporetto stop across the road from the parking station.
By bus
The Piazzale Roma bus station is well served by vaporetti and water-taxis ... and of course, you can walk everywhere.
By boat
Ships arrive at the Stazione Marittima which is at the west end of the main islands, it is served by vaporetti and water taxis.
Get around
Venice is the World's only pedestrian city, is beautifully walkable, and the absence of cars makes it a particularly pleasant experience. Walking and standing all day can be exhausting too ... acclimatize yourself. The Rialtine islands - the 'main' part of Venice - are small enough to walk from one end to the other in about an hour.
If you want to get around a bit more quickly, there are numerous vaporetti (water buses) and water taxis. The vaporetti are generally the best way to get around, even if the service route map changes frequently. If you are going to be in Venice for a few days visiting, it is a lot cheaper to get the vaporetti than to get private water taxis. If you want to have a romantic ride along the canals, take a gondola ride.
ACTV runs the vaporetti and other public transport services both in the lagoon and on the terra firma. 12 hour, 48 hour and 7 day Venice Cards are available, in two variations (Blue and Orange). The basic Blue cards provide unlimited travel on the ACTV travel services (vaporetti, motoscafi and buses), free use of the AMAV staffed toilets and discounted tickets for some museums. The Orange card also provides free entrance to some of the museums (those covered by the Museum Card). Note that neither card includes the Alilaguna water-bus which serves Marco Polo airport unless you pay a surcharge. The surcharge only officially allows you to use the Alilaguna bus twice, so it isn´t necessarily cheaper. A 'Junior' version of both cards are also available at a slightly reduced rate for those between 5 and 29 years of age. Travel cards are extremely useful since the basic fare for one vaporetto journey is typically €5.00 whereas 1 day Blue cards cost €17, 3 day costs €34 and 7 day €52 (prices correct April 2007). There are cheaper 1 and 3 day ACTV travel tickets available (€12 and €25) but these are pure travel cards and offer no discounts or other goodies (like a free map and case) which come with the Venice Cards. Discounts on many of these cards are available for the under €30 or by buying online, it pays to look around.
Otherwise, take a walk! The city is not that big, and you can walk from one end to the other in a few hours. But it would take months for a fit person to discover every path in the city. Along the way you will discover marvelous art, superb architecture and breathtaking urban landscaping.
Outdoor sights, piazzas, bridges, canals
Ride a Vaporetto (Water Bus) down the Grand Canal right before sunset. The Vaporettos are inexpensive, but the sites are priceless: amazing architecture, soft seaside sunlight, and a fascinating parade of Venetian watercraft.Take a Gondola if you can afford it: it's expensive, but the Gondoliere maybe can decrease the price if you ask (but they can also decrease the time...). Make sure you reach an agreement on price and time before you start! A good tip with the Gondolieres is to bargain the price down as low as you can, then say that it's still too much and walk away. Two or three of them will chase after you, one after the other, each offering a lower price than the last. It's possible to knock 20-30 euros off the price(even then, be prepared to shell out 80 euros). If you go as a group it might be cheaper, though the number of people who can be accomodated on a gondola varies.
If a gondola seems a little pricey the alternative is to cross the Grand Canal by traghetto. These only cost €0.50 to use and are largely gondolas that have seen better days, They are stripped down and used as municipal ferries. In the 1950's there were as many as thirty, but now there are seven points to find them. However some only operate when people are going to and from work.
If you are looking for something to do, you can always shop. Venice is packed full of little stores in every corner and crevice. The commonest local specialities are Carnival masks, glass, and marbled paper. Price can vary wildly, so it's a good idea to hold off buying until you have a fair idea about the relative value of things. As is the case with most tourist cities, a LOT of the "original " and "made in Venice" items are actually made in China. Murano is an island famous for its glass making. Almost in every shop you will find "original Murano glass" items. If it was really made in Murano, it would be prohibitively expensive, with prices routinely running into thousands of euros. So if you are looking for cheap souvenirs, real Murano glass is not the thing to buy! You can also see glass making demonstrations in Murano, but be sure to check that there is a demonstration scheduled for that day. And it is normally not done in winter either.
Spend a day on the islands, mainly Murano, Burano and Torcello. There are boat services to all these islands at scheduled times, including between the islands themselves. The Glass Museum in Murano and the Lace Museum in Burano are certainly worth a visit. In Burano you will find some of the most picturesque streets and houses, with each house sporting a different pastel shade. Its really beautiful. Though there is not much to see in Torcello except for the old church, the peace and tranquility of the island is not to be found anywhere else in Venice! Just walking around on these islands is a nice experience.
While going through Venice you need to take in the beauty of it all. Walk through the alley ways, and take the water taxi to different parts of the island, sometimes at night you can just go sit in a main area and watch people and tourists. It is wonderful. There are many museums and churches that are around the city that allow tourists to go in a visit. They are a good thing to keep you busy throughout your visit.
The "Secret itineraries in Doge's Palace" worth a visit, take the visitor into the most secret and fascinating rooms in the Palace. It's better to book in advance. www.museiciviciveneziani.it.
If you would like to have a guide to show up the highlights of Venice, you can choose between many offers. There are walking or boat tours, focused on shopping or history or for art lovers, and many itineraries. One tours site is www.aguideinvenice.com.
If you are interested in exploring all things related with italian food you have to visit the freshly open " i Tre Mercanti" ( campo della guerra 2 mins from S.Marco square ) an amazing food gallery where you can find typical italian specialities, a wide range o f the best wines and the usual classics like Olive Oil, balsamic winegar, parmesan, Limoncello along with hundreds of regional specialities ( including 97 pasta sauces !!!) . Classy and friendly the staff speak many languages and is open every day. If you don't feel like shopping you can always browse the shop and ask cooking tips and the history of products to the helpful manager. www.itremercanti.it
Venice is home to a major (and expanding) University, Ca' Foscari. There are possibly hundreds of smaller schools in the city.
Venice still has some residents who work in non-tourism industries, but these are quite few today.
The city is well known for its artisans and artwork. Visitors are drawn to its glasswork and its decorative Carnival masks that are a signature Venetian product. Masks are available at every single shop in Venice, and choosing the best one can be difficult, as many are fairly low quality. One shop with a good quality stock and decent prices (the other great pitfall) is Traditional Mask [10]. Or alternatively you can find masks and costumes at Atelier Marega, where you can often see them preparing and painting the masks.[11].
Watch out also for the hand-made paper and the exquisite miniature buildings made by Moro. Watch out for fakes; Moro "signs" his on the back.
Also, beware of fakes and "free" trips to neighboring Murano for its famous glass. (See article for details.)
Tourist Traps: "Coloured Pasta" and "Venetian Limoncello" (not the original napolitan one) are not Italian food, no Italian would ever eat them, they are especially made only for tourists, shop for food only in food-shops and beware of buying products which display Venetian masks or Venetian landscapes, they are usually made specifically for the tourist market.
Venice is packed with wonderful restaurants, featuring cuisine of the Veneto. Specialties include polenta, made of corn meal; risotto with cuttlefish ink sauce. Diners should however be aware that for every genuinely wonderful restaurant or trattoria, there's another serving rubbish food at inflated prices, especially in the most touristed streets around San Marco. Rule of thumb: if there's a waiter outside pimping for business, it's probably best avoided.
One of Venice's trademark foods is cuttlefish and its ink. This intense black ink serves as a sauce and ingredient for polenta (corn meal), risotto (rice), and pasta. These dishes are normally indicated by the Italian words "nella seppia" (in cuttlefish), "alla seppia" (in the style of cuttlefish), or "nero di seppia," (black of the cuttlefish). For example Polenta Nella Seppia is fried corn meal with the black ink of a cuttle fish. Despite the intensity in color, the ink has a surprisingly mild taste.
For fresh fruit (including chilled coconut!) watch out for the street market stalls.
To save money at lunch, eat standing up. Prices usually double as soon as you sit at a table.
If self-catering, the Rialto food markets are an absolute must for fruit, vegetables and cheese, but most of all for the huge range of seafood, much of it fresh out of the lagoon and still moving!
There's superb pizza by the (extremely large) slice in Campo Santa Margherita for approximately €1.80 a slice. The "Brek" is a restaurant that offers a menu including main meal+drink+dessert by only €5. There is one near to railway station and other in the Marco Polo airport, may be in other city places too. Venetian snacks (cichetti) can be brilliantly inventive. Look for places (especially wine bars) popular with non-tourists ... the prices are very reasonable. Buy bread, cheese etc. at the markets. If you must buy water (Venice has excellent tap water) get it at the Billa or Co-op stores. Eat less, walk more.
Da Fiore, no longer Michellin starred, serves fish only. Currrently (1997)the only Michelin starred establishment is the 'M' restaurant of the Hotel Metropole (Riva degli Schiavoni)
Restaurant La Caravella very near St. Mark's Square, known since the 60's has become a must if you would like to experience a tradition. Via XXII Marzo 2398 Venice - phone +39.041.5208901 [15]
Although there are many fantastic bars in Venice, if you're planning a nighttime "pub crawl" you should plan a few places to visit in advance - otherwise it's very easy to waste an hour wandering aimlessly in search of a watering hole that's actually open (especially midweek).
There are two late-night drinking areas in venice ... and Piazza San Marco is not one of them. Although it is very pleasant and there are many people wandering around late. But the actual late night scene is in 1) Campo Santa Margherita, near the University Ca' Foscari, in Dorsoduro. And 2) in Erbaria, on the West side of the Rialto Bridge, where the main vegetable market is held during the day.
Try a "Spritz" (with either Campari, Select or Aperol), a typical drink loved by all Venetians, that's usually drunk while eating cicheti. You can find it in almost every bar in the city.
If you try the famous Veneto Grappa, be careful... it's almost pure alcohol!
The Devils Forest Pub is a tradional English style pub with a very fun atmosphere. It is located near the Rialto Bridge and tucked into a small alley near the Disney Store. Great, cold, pints!
There are two Irish pubs in Venice; one is located along the Strada Nova in Cannaregio, the other one is the Inishark, just before Campo Santa Maria Formosa.
The Bellini was invented in Harry's bar in Venice. It is a mix of white peach juice and Prosecco (the ubiquitous Venetian Champagne-like sparkling wine). Fermented at too low a temperature Prosecco develops amylic aromas (fruit drops), though these perhaps mix better with fruit juices than does the more austere Champagne. Classic Bellinis should never be made with Champagne. Although by normal standards expensive, a Bellini in Harry's bar is still much cheaper than on the terraces of similar '5-star' establishments in the city.
Hotels in Venice are expensive. Some of the smaller hotels offer better rates.
Staying in a hotel on the Lido (15-20 minutes by Vaporetto) is a cheaper alternative to staying in Venice proper. The island of Lido also has a long beach where tourists and Venetians alike go swimming during the summer months.
In the last few years holiday or short rentals apartments has increased in number and quality, now you can rent (minimum stay is usually 3 nights)a Palazzo on Grand Canal as a little flat near Rialto.
Some Italians at the train station may approach you to find out if you need a room. While some of these people may be con artists not all are. Some work for family members and will be able to negotiate a price for you. They will usually ask what your budget is and will call a hotel or two to see if the owner will accept the price you suggested. Do not accept the offer if you think the situation is suspect or think you may be exploited. Always get a receipt for the transactions!
Note: if you're on a budget, are presentable, and you plan to stay in Venice for at least a few weeks, drop into the apartment rental agencies. These are usually for 6-moth / 1-year leases, but they often know people who are renting out apartments for somewhat shorter durations.
Holiday Rental Apartments
The area code is 041. As anywhere in Italy, it is compulsory to dial the area code and the number also if you call from the city itself. If you call from abroad, dial +39041 before the number. If you call abroad from Venice, dial 00 first.
Venice has several Internet cafes, but they are much more expensive than the rest of Europe with prices for an hour of access around €6. Wifi is only available at some of them. There's a wonderful pub, Cafe Blue in Dorsoduro, which has free (password-protected) wifi. Buy a spritz and a panini and go to town.
Stay safe
Venice is considered a safe city. One can walk down the darkest alley in the middle of the night and feel completely safe. You have to take the habitual travellers precautions, however. Keep your valuable items (like wallet and passport) close to you because there are pickpockets, especially in more crowded parts of the city. In addition, make sure you get receipts for all of your purchases (in order to fight tax evasion). Italian law requires customers to retain receipts and you could (in theory) be stopped by the Financial Police and asked to show receipts for your purchases.
Stay healthy
Venice has begun to install septic tanks in buildings, but much of the city has not yet been upgraded and releases untreated sewage directly into the canals. Shoes and clothing that touch the acqua alta will be contaminated. Take care not to spread the contamination.
One other consideration at night, carry a pocket torch (small flashlight). There are many alleys, which end in the water but have little or no lighting. They have no signposts because the locals know them.
The unfortunate side-effect of the quaint back-alleys which make Venice such a delight to visit is that it is remarkably easy to get lost. Even maps provided by hotels are frequently inaccurate, and the maze-like structure of the city can become very confusing indeed.
One tip, as you cross bridges note the house numbers before and after. A small change probably means you are on the same island/district and have crossed a "new" canal. A major change means you are now on another island. Most maps clump islands together into their voting districts, there are many more islands than districts.
One piece of assistance is to look for directional signs. These will be marked "Per" and then with the name of a prominent location or bridge in the city, complete with an arrow pointing in the relevant direction. Hence, to get to the Rialto bridge, the signs to follow are marked "Per Rialto". Those to St Mark's Square read "Per S Marco", and those to the train station "Per Ferrovia" (there are some others as well). Having oriented yourself to the nearest landmark, direction-finding can thus become (slightly) easier.
Remember, though, that the signs to read are the official ones. Graffiti will occasionally give other directions, frequently incorrect ones.
That said, there is a school of thought which argues that getting lost in Venice is part of the experience of the city. The number of photogenic canals, hidden restaurants and shops where glass blowing is done almost guarantees that there is no such thing as a "dull neighbourhood". Additionally, the relatively cheap public transport means that it is relatively easy to arrive at the intended destination even after one has emerged from the web of alleys in a totally unexpected place.
Get out
Around the Venetian lagoon are other smaller islands, which have since been deserted but are worth a visit. There is also the Lido, which is a long narrow island with more modern buildings, hosting a youth hostel and a hotel.


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'Nettie', a Fenwick Williams Double-Ended Gaff-Rigged Cutter
Here is Nettie, a beautiful addition to the growing population of wooden boats on the Hudson River. She was built in 1999 by her original owner and French & Webb boat builders in Belfast, Maine. After 15 years of plying the waters off Belfast, she began her next adventure of exploring the majestic Hudson last summer. Some maintenance tasks completed this season include recaulking an area from the garboard to the waterline along the stern, monitoring and repairing a check in the stern post, and repairing a small split on the rudder around the tiller bolt.
Enjoy this video of Nettie motoring through White's Marina… Sailing pics to come this summer!
P.S. Nettie's arrival coincided with the emergence of the 17-year cicadas. Here is one that landed on Nettie's side deck. Beautiful boat, beautiful river, beautiful bug…


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My last blog was written from the perspective of a first-year medical student shadowing me in my diabetes practice. She was most emotionally affected by one of my very young patients. These young patients grow up to be young adults who remain in my practice for many years hopefully until they are college graduates. There have been many comments on my blogs; however, very few have been written from the perspective of children, adolescents, or young adults. I have tried to convey their thoughts, challenges, and successes in multiple blog entries, but despite my attempts to transcribe my patients' experiences with diabetes, I cannot fully empathize with their day-to-day experiences. So, when I meet with these young people, I often ask them to transcribe their thoughts on paper and share them with me, and sometimes they actually do. One young man has been in my practice for many years and took me up on my offer. I have received permission from him and his family to publish his remarks today. I think it is important for readers of healthcentral.com many of whom are people with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes to be able to read and empathize with both the young and older people who share this ubiquitous diagnosis. As such, I intend to try to offer different perspectives among my vast practice, ranging from infants to college students. One such young man-a high school student-sent me his thoughts over the Christmas break, and I thought his remarks would be an excellent follow up to my previous blog from a medical student point-of-view.
_ I'm Anthony Jablonowski, and I__'d like to share my life with and advice about diabetes with you. I'_m 15, and I was diagnosed with T1 when I was 13-months-old.
_ My life with diabetes is one hard game. I can remember when I was at a children__'s hospital in Germany for two weeks when I was diagnosed. My blood sugar was over 900; very bad. It wasn'_t fun there until I was good to go home finally. Our regimen requires that my blood sugar is checked seven times a day including once overnight.
Later on when I was 10-years-old, my blood sugar dropped one time to 37, which was the lowest level I_'ve ever been. My mom and I decided it was time for me to start learning how to manage diabetes on my own. I began injecting my insulin, checking my blood sugars, counting carbs, and doing what a person with diabetes should be doing. Of course, I was little at that time, and I still had a lot to learn, but it doesn't mean you can'_t start learning more about your condition at this age.
At 12 years, PE class began to be a big challenge. There are exercises at certain intensity levels and certain times that I wasn_'_t ready for. But then in 8th grade, I started improving my knowledge about diabetes and fitness. Long story short: if you manage diabetes well and help find solutions, it will be a very giant accomplishment
_ Diabetes adds on to responsibilities a normal person would have every day. Before eating, you have to remember to check your blood sugar. Exercise or stress can affect your blood sugars, so remember to hold back insulin before exercising or add insulin for anything stressful. (Playing Xbox usually stresses me out.) If you are in school and in a PE class, full attention is highly recommended for managing diabetes well, as well as executing decisions._
_ I have seen other people with diabetes and how they manage it-some experts, some intermediate. There was once a kid in school who was intermediate, and he was frightened and depressed. He kept thinking about the future like: "what if there will never be a cure for diabetes?" This is an example of something no_ person with diabetes should ever think about. My plan of action was to calm him down and help him be more positive. After two weeks, his attitude improved, and he has been getting better ever since.
_ There are times with diabetes when positive moments and negative moments start to exist. When there are negative moments, you learn to recover or improve. When there are positive moments, it__'_s a sign of how great you are doing! Just hold on and wait for the best to come, especially when they find the cure!
Anthony is a very optimistic, "can-do" sort of guy. He is competitive, wishes to keep his A1c as low as possible, and therefore, makes my job a pleasure as he is willing to collaborate with me regarding his care. This is not always the case in many of my adolescent or young adult patients who present a different kind of challenge. In Anthony's case, I am required to provide information and strategies in order for him to consistently and successfully manage his diabetes.
Happy New Year, everyone.


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Hout Bay
Seaside bliss near the city
Commonly known as the "Republic of Hout Bay", Hout Bay has the feeling of a faraway holiday beach town. It is, however, just a quick and beautiful 25 minute drive from Cape Town's city centre. Hout Bay is a community driven hub, with everyone working together for the greater good of the area, everyone feels like family. Located at the core of the Two Oceans Marathon and the Cape Argus, it is a sporty area with many cyclists and runners.
Map of Area and Surrounds
Local Property Market
Average Price
in Hout Bay
Average Price in Hout Bay
Average Price
in Hout Bay
Average Price in Hout Bay
These statistics are deemed to be accurate and reliable however, as each property is unique, the data presented is intended to be used only as a guide.
Experience Hout Bay
There are some young professionals that choose to live in Hout Bay to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Living in Hout Bay is also more affordable than city living. Predominantly though, the area attracts small families with young children. It's a great place to settle and the houses are well sized for growing families.
There is a newly built International School in Hout Bay to cater for the variety of nationalities that live the bay. Hout Bay is not as much of a commercial hub as it is a community. Most people work in Cape Town CBD, and do the daily commute along the beautiful coastline.
There are countless restaurants to sample, ranging from Cheynne's and Kitima to Thai Café and Posticino. Whether it's fine dining, pasta, dinner with friends, date night, or take-aways, Hout Bay has the answer.
Hout Bay is located on both the route of the Two Oceans Marathon and the Cape Argus. There are therefore many cyclists and runners in the area. The bay is often very still, and creates the ideal condition for stand-up paddling and canoeing.


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HFTP is dedicated to supporting and developing hospitality education programs around the world which not only advance the industry, but also cultivate the next generation of hospitality professionals. HFTP is looking to increase support for scholarships and endowments with the support of our HFTP members.
With donations from members and industry professionals, HFTP will be able to further the association's core purpose: "To lead and advance the hospitality profession by providing a forum for continuous learning and knowledge sharing."
Through your support, HFTP can invest in the future leaders in
the hospitality industry.
Donate online or if you are located in the U.S., you may also mail a check to c/o HFTP, 11709 Boulder Lane Ste. 110, Austin TX USA 78726. Please note the HFTP General Scholarship Fund on the check.
Help us reach our goal by October 31, 2019
Click the link below to donate to HFTP's General Scholarship Fund
HFTP has also established educational endowments funds at these universities:
If you would like your university to be considered for an educational endowment, send requests to HFTP at:
6500 River Place Blvd
Building 2, Suite 101
Austin, Texas 78730 USA


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'We need a flood of helicopters, ' Haiti's leader says
(This story was originally published September 9, 2008.)
PORT-AU-PRINCE -- With Haiti's major bridges crumbled, roadways flooded and an estimated one million people homeless, humanitarian and government groups struggled Monday to push relief supplies into the country and throughout the storm-ravaged Caribbean.
Four storms in rapid succession have demolished patches of the Caribbean from Cuba to Hispaniola to Jamaica to the Turks and Caicos Islands to the Bahamas, killing more than 350 people, sinking entire towns and hampering aid efforts.
"We need a flood of helicopters because there is a lot of food coming into Port-au-Prince and it cannot reach the provinces, " Haitian President René Préval said in an interview with The Miami Herald.
In Haiti, rescue groups have no access to many interior villages across the southern region and to hard-hit Gonaives, north of the capital, which was cut off when a bridge collapsed. A Red Cross truck trying to reach Les Cayes on the southern coast had to turn back because of impassable roads.
"The flooding is more extensive than people realize, and it's awful how little relief has been able to get into Gonaives and other areas, " said Dr. Arthur Fournier, a University of Miami physician who co-founded Project Medishare, a charity that transports medical aid to Haiti.
Thousands of Haitians have been living in hospitals as temporary shelters, Fournier said.
"They are going to be stuck there for a long time, " he said. "They don't have homes to go back to."
Local, national and international groups worry that a secondary disaster could arise from water-borne diseases. Fournier's group is trying to send LifeStraws to Haiti -- hand-held devices that purify water. Humanitarian workers said the most crucial supplies they need is water, sanitation items and food.
The U.S. military helped deliver food and medical help Monday, and the U.S. Agency for International Development donated $10 million. Money also trickled in from around the world: The European Union gave $2.85 million for relief efforts, and the Dominican Republic -- also struck by some of this year's storms -- donated water, food and mattresses. Trinidad and Tobago sent Haiti about $1.5 million.
Two U.S. Navy MH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters flew tens of thousands of pounds of food to Jeremie, an isolated Haitian city that Hurricane Gustav pounded. And the USS Kearsarge, a Navy hospital ship equipped with four operating rooms and 53 beds, arrived in Port-au-Prince after being rerouted from a mission to Colombia.
"It gives us a purpose, " said Sugat Patel, 34, an infectious-disease physician aboard the Kearsarge. He had five days off ahead of him until the ship was sent to Haiti. "I believe every soldier here would rather be doing something like this. They are doing their job."
In South Florida, meanwhile, politicians, charities and Caribbean-American coalitions called on people to send cash and supplies to the region.
"Despite our economic downturn in Florida, we must make a generous sacrifice, " Miami Archbishop John C. Favalora said.
Favalora assured that the money would be delivered directly to churches in Haiti, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, Jamaica and other affected countries.
He then waded into the contentious political debate surrounding U.S. policy toward Cuba and Haiti, calling for an immediate granting of temporary protected status for Haitians. That status would stop deportations of Haitians, which Favalora said would be unspeakably cruel given the current conditions on the island.
Favalora also said the United States should lift the embargo on Cuba for humanitarian reasons. Lifting the embargo would allow the church to more easily send "far more donations" to storm victims, he said.
South Florida congressional representatives also urged President Bush to halt the deportation of illegal Haitian immigrants until the island recovers from Ike's devastation. And a coalition of Cuban-American groups asked the Bush administration to temporarily lift the sanctions on family aid and remittances, as did Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.
"The best thing is for people to get help from friends and family, " said Mayra Sanchez of North Miami, whose mother and daughter live in Las Tunas, Cuba, where storms have damaged many homes. "But Cubans can't do that because of the embargo."
Relief is also needed in the southernmost Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos, which Ike slammed into as a mighty Category 4 hurricane that peeled off roofs and knocked down buildings.
"It looks like Beirut, " Turks and Caicos Premier Michael Misick said at a Grand Turk airport with a collapsed hangar.
Some people cried and hugged Misick. At one home, women called out: "No food! No food!"
On the Bahamas' Great Inagua Island, a man snacked on coconuts in the streets of Matthew Town. He said Ike had rendered him homeless but joked about the fallen trees all over the island.
"It's easy to eat coconuts, " said Vincent Cartwright, 66, as he snacked on fruit he plucked from a downed tree.
Then, Cartwright said: "We got it bad here -- we're all mashed up."
The U.S. Coast Guard's Great Inagua station sustained minor damage, and crews there said they would assist with relief efforts soon.
Government workers and Red Cross volunteers flew into the island to survey damage and begin to distribute relief supplies like food, water and hygiene kits Monday afternoon.
The governments presence provoked irritation from some in Matthew Town.
"This is a total disaster, " Leopold Mullings, 47, yelled from his bicycle toward the government entourage. "We dont need assessments -- we need money!"
Miami Herald staff writers Oscar Corral and Casey Woods contributed to this report, which was supplemented with material from The Associated Press.


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November, 2012
A year ago (October 11, 2011), I was reading her letter, and thought: "This sounds like a "Happenings" letter I would write!" I wrote, asking her if I could use it in one of my future "Happenings." She wrote back: "Tillie, I would be honored to have you use my encounter with my 'Guardian Angel' in your 'Happenings.'"
This is her story:
My husband drove up in my little truck to the front of our garage and ran into the house to get me. His errands had taken longer than he planned. Now, we only had 15 minutes to get it to the repair shop before it closed. I ran outside with him. The driveway was empty! I asked, "Where is my truck?" I glanced over my shoulder and saw it traveling down the hill toward the lake. I asked, "WHO is driving my truck???"
Bill said, "No one!"
"What?" I couldn't believe my eyes! My truck went several feet…straight…then turned left between four crepe myrtle bushes and a tree! Will you believe??? THEN, it went through three hot wire fences down the hill, and finally, into the lake!
One of our ranch hands, jumped on a tractor, rushed down to the lake and pulled my little truck out of the water. The engine was STILL running! He opened the doors and water poured out. Then, he hopped in and drove it up the hill to our garage and into its parking space.
It was a terribly hot day, and my little truck decided to take a dip in our shrinking, drought stricken lake, to cool off!
I believe with all my heart that my Guardian Angel was driving it. How else could it have turned to the left, between the crepe myrtle bushes and tree? Unbelievable! Everyone I tell is flabbergasted! There is no human explanation that my Trail Blazer truck turned left instead of continuing straight ahead. It was just the Lord! What do you think? The inside dried out….no mold, or anything. We took it to the garage for repairs and transmission oil change, etc. With a thorough scrubbing and polishing inside and out, it looks brand new! Praise the Lord! Isn't He good? He takes such good care of us, doesn't He?
I have another praise to share with you:
I went to a Tai Chi lesson with a friend. A member of the class came in and said,
"You have a flat tire!"
I thought, Lord, what shall I do? Bill was out of town, looking for hay, and would be gone overnight. The teacher happened to be an engineer and had two compressors in his car. He put air in my tire, to get me home. One of the class members said he would follow me to be sure I got there o.k…saying if this happened to his daughter, he hoped someone would help her. God's provision is perfect! Correct?
I thought I would have to get up at 7:00 a.m. and call a ranch hand to get my tire fixed first thing in the morning as I had a Bible study at l0:00. The Lord thinks of everything! The ranch hand's sons were at the gate when I came home. I asked them to give a message about the tire to their father. Therefore, I could sleep 'till 8:00! Isn't God wonderful? And thorough? The Lord provides for our problems before we know we have one. The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives (Psalm 37:23). He promises, "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5). Amen!
When I visited Shirley this summer, she had just returned from visiting her daughter in California. She came back with a new dog, a very pretty, and friendly, Schnauzer. They named him "Mr. Angus II!" From a recent letter, she wrote:
Shirley is a precious witness for the Lord. She sent me a new tract, written and designed by herself: "ARE YOU 100% SURE? That if you die today, you would go to Heaven?" It is about 4"x3" (when folded in half) with five steps for eternal life printed inside, and a prayer on the back. Inspirational. Plain talk about becoming a child of God and inheriting eternal life.
On May 22, after getting out of my shower, there was a stream of blood below this growth and down my cheek. I immediately called my primary care doctor and asked for a dermatologist. He recommended Dr. Roundtree, who was honored in Texas Monthly magazine as a leader in his profession. His diagnosis was cancer! I am still in his care for treatments. The growth is smaller, and filling in. Twice, he has frozen my face and did scrapings. He keeps changing the non-prescription ointments -- four, so far.
Every time he gave me the name of a new ointment, I'd put it in the back of my purse for easy finding at the drug store on the way home. On this day, I searched the "ointment aisle" with no success. I took the note to the prescription counter. With a puzzled look on her face, the lady in a white uniform studied the note: *228 SEND
30 days
She took it to a man, dressed like a doctor, and he also was puzzled. They spoke as if making suggestions and then not agreeing. I tried to help, saying, "It's for cancer." The man returned the note to me and said, "We'll have to have more information from your doctor."
I was grumbling all the way to my car. There on the seat was the real note from my doctor to order "A&D Ointment!" The stock boy was working on the ointment aisle. He gave me the medicine. I was mystified! Where did I get the note I gave to the pharmacists?
Several nights later, I rolled over in bed, and began laughing out loud! I woke up a brain cell about a visit to the AT&T Cell Phone store. My cell phone had been in my purse four days, and wasn't working, even after being recharged overnight. I took it to AT&T for a new battery. The technician said, "No, your battery is fine." She wrote the note and said, "Try this number in 30 days to check the battery." That was 5 months ago. I forgot about the note! Cell phone works! How very thankful I am they have not discovered an Ointment named "*228 OPT 2!"
There's no guessing what it would be for!
May God's love fill your day with blessings!
TILLIE WIER, inspirational writer and employee of Logos Ranch, LLC shares her adventures with God so that others may see Him in their everyday lives.
along the Way to Heaven.com


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When I graduated from uni I had no idea what kind of job to look for. After being unemployed for a while (far too long), I landed a job. Not my dream job. No. Far from it. I would be working in a call centre cold calling people and trying to persuade them to upgrade their life insurance plan. Yes, I was that guy. And I received my fair share of abuse for being such a pain in the arse. These kinds of jobs - those which are low-skilled, low-paying and with few prospects - are called 'McJobs'; and they're making a comeback.
The term McJob was popularised by author Douglas Coupland in his novel Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture (1991). The struggles of Gen Xers and their McJobs were satirised in 90's classics such as Reality Bites (1994) and Human Traffic (1999). In Human Traffic, Nina gets so fed up with her robotic job and creepy manager that she exclaims "fuck this!" and quits. Many of us feel this way about our jobs, whether they count as a McJob or not. Still, McDonald's isn't happy about the term.
A Bad Reputation
Even though a McJob is any job which is unstimulating, McDonald's has struggled to shake off its reputation of being the most low-prestige place to work. The fast-food establishment was so angered by the term that they launched a petition to have its definition changed. McDonald's said the definition is "out of date" and "extremely insulting" to its employees.
Despite these complaints, the definition still stands. And we may be hearing the term a lot more, since job insecurity (which is common to McJobs) is on the rise. McJobs have long been stigmatised - but now that potentially 1 in 10 of us is in insecure employment, it's worth asking: is a McJob something to be ashamed of?
Competition, Debt and Insecure Work
We live in a competitive society, in every sense of the term. There is competition not only for jobs themselves, but job status too. Job title, company and industry all seem to exist on a spectrum of status, with an entry-level job at McDonald's at the far end of low-status jobs. But there is something snobbish about looking down at McJobs.
Young people live in tough times, having to deal with a highly competitive jobs market, crazy student debt and the rising cost of rent. If someone is working for low pay in the service sector to get by, why is this something to sneer at? If anything, a graduate who can 'swallow their pride' and work for McDonald's has more of a can-do attitude and better grip on their personal finances than the graduate who says: "I have a Masters in physics…I can't go work at Maccy Ds!"
A record number (910,000) of workers are on zero-hours contracts (which offer no guaranteed work). A zero-hours contract means no job security. New Zealand has banned them. And Unite – the largest union in the UK – wants us to do the same. But not all workers hate zero hours contracts. In fact, 80% of McDonald's workers are actually pretty happy with no guaranteed hours. Staff say they enjoy the flexibility, which you don't get with fixed hours.
Breaking the Stigma
But whatever you think about zero hours contracts, this stigma associated with McJobs isn't helpful. If you're working for Deliveroo because you want to save some extra cash for some travels, then it's not a pointless job – it's helping you achieve something memorable and worthwhile.
Then again, it doesn't really matter what the reason is that you're doing a McJob. Maybe you've struggled to find a graduate job, skilled work or work relevant to your studies or interests. Maybe you just need any paid job to be able to afford to go out. Maybe you can't afford to do an unpaid internship. Maybe you have bills which aren't going to wait while you find your true calling. If you feel even a tinge of embarrassment about doing a McJob, don't.
A Job Doesn't Define You
It's bullshit to think that you're somehow failing at life if you have what society considers a 'low-status' job. There's this saying (falsely attributed to Dr. Seuss) and I really think it's relevant in this discussion: "Those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." Basically, anyone who looks down at a McJob isn't worth spending any time with. The kind of person who will judge you, as a person, for the job you have, is only going to add negativity to your life. Your job might not pay very much, but you could very well be happier than the job snob who's overworked, strung out and surrounded by toxic co-workers.
The comeback of the McJob is great in some ways, and in other ways, it honestly sucks. The gig economy means that many young people don't have a reliable income, sick pay, holiday pay, insurance or a retirement plan. On the other hand, it also means that there is more casual and flexible work out there. So yeah – it's not all doom and gloom. Maybe millennials with degrees have to make fast food deliveries, but the rise of flexible work (especially remote work) at least makes life goals – such as travelling and working in another country – easier to achieve.


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Monday, 2 February 2015
Capital Crimes - publication day!
Today sees the official publication of Capital Crimes, my anthology of London Mysteries for the British Library's series of Crime Classics. The book was scheduled for publication in March, but the amazing success of the Crime Classics series has led to...early release by popular demand! As I understand it, getting towards 5000 copies of the print edition had been bought already in advance of publication. Having edited more than 20 anthologies over the past twenty-odd years, books featuring some of the world's great contemporary writers (Ruth Rendell, Ian Rankin, P.D. James, Colin Dexter, Lawrence Block et al) I can only say that I've never encountered pre-publication sales figures like this for an anthology previously.
If you define "the Golden Age of Murder" as the period between the two world wars, then the timespan of this collection extends beyond the Golden Age, in both directions. We begin with Conan Doyle (but his entry is not a Sherlock Holmes story) and continue until reaching a post-war story by Anthony Gilbert.
The connecting theme is the London setting of the stories, but my aim has been to go for variety. There is an obvious difficulty with putting together a collection of short stories from the past. Some if not all of the contents will be familiar to die-hard fans. It would be wildly optimistic to hope for over a dozen completely forgotten gems. And the need to trace copyright owners for stories that are still in copyright adds a further level of complexity.
All the same, with this anthology, and with others I've been working on for the British Library, I've endeavoured to include at least a couple of stories that I don't think will be familiar to most connoisseurs. In this book, I felt it would be folly to resist the temptation to include such classics as "The Tea Leaf" and "The Avenging Chance", even though they have been anthologised numerous times, because many enthusiastic fans of the Crime Classics series have come quite fresh to traditional detective fiction.
But hands up how many people have read such stories as "They Don't Wear Labels", "Cheese", and "You Can't Hang Twice"...I'm hoping that even many of the well-read followers of this blog will not have come across some or all of this trio of stories before. I've also included a Victorian serial killer story by John Oxenham, and abridged it slightly so that it could be fitted in - a slightly different version of the story has been anthologised in the past, but it's still quite obscure. All in all, I hope that this is a book which will entertain readers who, like me, are fascinated by London life -and by mysterious crimes.
7 comments:
- seana graham said...
Congratulations, Martin!
- 2 February 2015 at 18:44
- R. T. said...
My BOLO radar has been activated, and I hope to find a copy somehow soon.
And, yes, just what Seana says. "Congratulations!"
- 2 February 2015 at 21:40
Oh, congratulations, Martin, and well-done!!
- 3 February 2015 at 00:13
- John said...
This is like watching a seasoned veteran step up to bat and hit two out of the park in succession. Phenomenal! You are the saving grace of reprint Golden Age detective fiction. Bodes very well for your history of the genre, don't you think?
This just happens to be the ARC that I was dipping into. Now I'll read as much as I can and get a review up pronto. Is it being released early over here too? Or just in the UK?
- 3 February 2015 at 00:20
- lyn said...
Congratulations Martin. I am one of the 5000 preorders & look forward to getting hold of my copy. Love the cover.
- 3 February 2015 at 04:27
- Martin Edwards said...
Thanks very much, everyone. Yes, they do really good covers.
John, as a cricket lover, of course I love your analogy! I'm not quite sure about release date in the US, but I suspect PPP will be quick off the mark with it.
- 3 February 2015 at 14:30
- Graham Powell said...
It's available to pre-order in the US as well, though it still has a pub date of March.
- 5 February 2015 at 22:14


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Cleve Jones Invites Obama To Attend National Equality March
Embiggen the below image to read Cleve Jones' letter inviting the president to the National Equality March. As I mentioned here last week, Obama is tentatively scheduled to take part in the Presidents Cup golf tournament in San Francisco that weekend.
Labels: "celibacy", Barack Obama, Cleve Jones, HomoQuotable, National Equality March


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IPCC estimate of the cost of abandoning fossil fuels
The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says that moving completely away from fossil fuels will reduce the amount of money available for household spending by about 0.06% a year over the rest of the century. This means, acccording to the IPCC, that action to stop climate change will cumulatively reduce real incomes by about 5% below what they would have been in 2010. The chart below is from a series produced by DECC. It shows what percentage of total household spending has gone on energy, including both consumption in the home and in personal cars, from 1970 to 2103.
Vehicle fuel expenditure has varied little, swinging between 2.8% and 3.5% of spending. This surprising partly because a far smaller percentage of families had cars in 1970 than today.
Household energy bills have been far more volatile. They took 5.4% of spending in 1982 before falling to a low of 2.1% twenty years later. In 2013 it was 3.3%.
Combined, all sources of energy took 9.3% of consumers' spending in 1982. The figure in 2013 was two thirds of this number – 6.2% - a reduction of 3.1%. In addition, the cost of the embodied energy in other goods and services will have probably fallen by a similar amount. In other words, if the IPCC is right the net impact of abandoning fossil fuels (about 5% by 2100) will simply return us to where we were in 1982, with the direct costs of energy taking about 9% of household expenditure.


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A few months back, I found myself in quite a quandry and my first reaction to the situation was one of profound sadness and feeling betrayed, misunderstood and unloved. Three of the most powerfully negative emotional effects one can experience. After much introspection, the following is the Truth I have found and I hope it helps you in some way on your own journey.
My first admonition to everyone is the power of forgiveness. I cannot put into words the multi-dimensional affects forgiveness offers those who give it. In my experience, forgiveness is not about the other person – it's soley about you, the one forgiving. It's power infuses grace, peace, strength, and most of all, cleansing into an otherwise dark night.
Forgiveness cleanses the forgiver of those negative emotions that would otherwise be crippling, gripping one in an endless sea of bitterness and resentment, and can diffuse even the most awful conflict into one of growth and peace. It's not meant to make the other person see your point of view and it's not about giving up your own point of view. It is, however, about allowing yourself to move forward and feel grace, compassion. It is about diffusing your own inner conflict and thoughts. It is about getting rid of that which does not serve you.
We cannot intercede in anothers growth and must realize, as Al says, that whatever happens is for the best and highest good of all concerned. The gift is in understanding what that means for you. The gift is in allowing yourself to grow, to heal, and to be a light for others. For we can only truly lead by example.
Likewise, we cannot force our forgiveness on the other person. We can only offer it in the hopes it will be received. And it will. But not necessarily at the moment it's given. See, the other person must also forgive before they can truly receive the forgiveness you have offered them. As the law states, you cannot receive what you do not first give. In other words, if you want money, you must first give it. If you want peace, you must first give it. If you want love, you must first give it. And if you want forgiveness, you must first give forgiveness.
So, I urge you, whomever has done you wrong, has trespassed against you, forgive them. Willingly, openly, freely. And it will release you from what binds you. And when that person is open enough within their own heart to receive your forgiveness, it will be there waiting for them. Meanwhile, it will open all kinds of doors for you that will surely remain closed otherwise. Set yourself free and learn to forgive wholly and completely.
The second act I would like to share with you is love. Now, I'm not talking about the love like you have for your spouse or partner or for you children. I'm talking about the kind of love that exudes kindness, compassion, warmth and honor. The kind that swells your heart with gratitude, that embodies light and consideration and fuels hope. The kinds that speaks without words. I'm talking about the kind of love that dispells fear and anger and hatred, that reforms chaos. Many seek this kind of love though few ever actually achieve it. But I'll tell you where it starts — with true forgiveness.
Like forgiveness, we can only receive the love we have given. We can only experience what we honor, what we exemplify, what we live. Again, I urge you to love your neighbor, to love your enemy with compassion and joy. To be of service to your fellow humankind. Above all, love one another and lead by example for when you do, all other pieces begin to fall into place with an order and a flow so divine, you will experience the ultimate bliss of living.
Follow your heart, my friends. Listen to it's whispers as they are the voice of the angels, the voice of God.
Blessings all ways,


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Culex pipiens
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
Related to Culex pipiens: Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus, culex mosquito
Cu·lex pi·'pi·ens
a subspecies complex of the abundant polytypic species, the brown house mosquito or rainbarrel mosquito of temperate climates, which breeds commonly in standing water, especially in artificial containers, and has a 5- to 6-day cycle under optimal conditions; closely related forms are found in tropical areas.
Culex pipiens
The common house mosquito; it serves as a vector of several illnesses, including Wuchereria bancrofti and West Nile virus.
See also: Culex
a genus of mosquitoes found throughout the world; cause insect worry and many species transmit various infectious agents, e.g. microfilariae, apicomplexan parasites and viruses, such as those of Japanese encephalitis and equine encephalomyelitis.
Culex pipiens
transmits the virus of fowlpox.
Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus
a serious pest of poultry and carrier of a number of poultry diseases.
Culex tarsalis
transmits western equine encephalomyelitis.
Culex tritaeniohynchus
transmits Japanese encephalitis virus.


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With a house full of "20 somethings", we have all kinds of taste buds to deal with. Some eat anything, one is a vegetarian, some don't cook, all are hungry...and I don't like to cook. Sound like a recipe for disaster? It can be. Especially when I do cook only to find out no one is home or they don't like what I'm making for dinner. Oh no they didn't!
My solution is this chalkboard menu that is updated (when I remember) and hangs in our kitchen. I used to create each week from scratch until our NEW chalkboard stickers arrived. Using the new really BIG chalkboard stickers, I created the MENU title. The days of the week were made with chalkboard chipboard stickers.
Now, all I have to do is decide what to make for dinner, write it on the menu board and I can get a head count on who plans on eating with the family for dinner. Plus, it looks so cute. And that totally counts for something.


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