text:
Best of Coachella Valley 2018-2019: Staff PicksNovember 26 2018
Best Auto Service for Honesty's Sake
Cam Stone's Automotive
Cam Stone's Automotive in Palm Desert is the kind of auto-service shop every woman dreams of—at least women (and men) like me who know little to nothing about car repairs.
The people at Cam's do good work, are honest, and never seem to recommend anything you don't really need. And if money's really tight … you can ask them what absolutely, positively has to be done; they'll let you know how far you can push the part you can't afford to have replaced today before a major mishap occurs.
Guy Allchin (pictured here with his family), who runs it, and Karl, his excellent sidekick, are straight-up guys who explain things so you can understand them and so you can make the best decisions to keep your wheels on the road. 74867 Velie Way, Palm Desert; 760-568-2999; camstonesautomotive.com.
—Anita Rufus
Best Sandwiches Inside a Convenience/Liquor Store
Larry's Gourmet Market and Deli
From the outside, Larry's Gourmet Market and Deli looks like a run-of the-mill liquor store, selling the usual stuff. But … go inside, and you'll see Larry's is an unexpected, family-run treasure chest.
For one thing, the deli is really good. We've enjoyed everything we've gotten there, but our favorite is the meat-filled Don Veto specialty sandwich (pictured here).
Larry's also has a variety of interesting gourmet items you might not find elsewhere. One example: On a recent trip, we got a box of delicious rose-flavored Turkish delight candy.
Along with a nice variety of beer and hard liquor, Larry's carries a respectable wine selection that goes from very cheap to the $100-a-bottle range. There's even a refrigerated wine room in the back that feels great in the heat of summer.
Just don't go to Larry's looking for lottery tickets. They don't sell them … which, for us, classes up the place. 2781 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-832-7188; larrysgourmetmarket.com.
—Jeffrey Clarkson
Best Place to Avoid If You're Arachnophobic
The VW Spider on Indian Canyon Drive at Interstate 10
When you're driving by, you can't help but notice the massive spider looming large in front of a warehouse with "Hole in the Wall" emblazoned across the front. And you may have wondered, like me: What? How? Why?
After some sleuthing, I discovered that the 28-foot high, eight-legged hunk of metal formerly fronted a Volkswagen repair shop, Hole in the Wall Welding. The enormous recycled artwork (the spider body is a full-size VW bug) was created by owner/welder/mechanic/desert rat Bob Miner, who passed away in 2008. The repair shop no longer exists, but Bob's family still resides in the warehouse.
If you're into kitsch and not afraid of creepy crawlers, this hairy-legged arachnid is a quirky must-see landmark. If you are afraid … avoid Indian Canyon Drive (next to Jack in the Box), just south of the Interstate 10.
—Beth Allen
Best Place to Pretend You're on the Set of a David Lynch Movie
Open-Mic Night at the Palms Restaurant in Wonder Valley
The Palms is one of those middle-of-nowhere places that's really a groovy hangout. It's a throwback, with very affordable booze—$1.50 for a can of Pabst beer; $3 for a domestic bottle; shots starting at $4—and cheap tasty, eats (the onion rings and fried zucchini are delish), all in an atmosphere that's weathered, worn-in, kooky and cool.
Every Friday at 7 p.m. (with signups starting at 6:30), The Palms hosts an open-mic night, where there's a good chance reality may become fuzzy—all in the name of "entertainment." Spoken word, comedic acts, genuinely gifted musicians, not-so-gifted musicians … there's something for everyone. You may witness folks like "Grannie"—a toothless senior in a cute wig and cowboy hat—crooning "Stand by Me," a cappella, in a gruff, "I've been smoking a pack a day for the last 60 years" voice. The Palms' open mic is truly strange and endearing at the same time. The Palms Restaurant, 83131 Amboy Road, Wonder Valley; 760-361-2810. (Pictured: Guitar-player Karl Van Dyke performs at The Palms' open-mic night. Photo courtesy of Joseph Barrett.)
—Beth Allen
Best Tapas and Wine Hideout
Counter Reformation at the Parker Palm Springs
With its semi-mandatory valet parking, fancy-schmancy main restaurant and well-heeled celebrity clientele, the Parker Palm Springs can be a bit intimidating … despite the hotel's ostensible casual-hip vibe. However, we're madly in love with Counter Reformation, the hotel's cozy wine bar, featuring friendly service and great music.
The door to the bar is hard to find—head toward the pool and take a left—but discovering this well-designed and inventively Catholic-themed spot is serendipity. The wine choices are not extensive, but the selections are diverse and interesting enough. And at the prices … well, at the Parker, at least, they're bargains.
We've sampled about half of the tapas on the menu, and everything so far has been delicious. These small plates, along with the free loaves of fresh-baked bread and the complimentary olives and cornichons, can make for a filling meal … a meal you can partially work off during the walk back to your self-parked car on the street outside. 4200 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-770-5000; www.parkerpalmsprings.com/food-and-drink. (Pictured: The Jamón Iberico at Counter Reformation.)
—Jeffrey Clarkson
Best New Band
Mega Sun
Mega Sun arrived in early 2018—and the group quickly earned the admiration of the local music scene.
The band's sound reminds of stoner rock, circa the early '90s, and the group's live shows are always loud and fantastic.
The power trio is currently in the process of completing some recordings. I'm excited to see what this band will do in 2019 … and beyond.
—Brian Blueskye
Best Album
Throw the Goat, The Joke's On Us
Throw the Goat had a great year in 2018 after finishing off 2017 on a mind-blowing note: The group won a contest, as announced on New Year's Eve 2017, put on by Dave Ellefson of Megadeth to release an album on his Combat Records label. The Joke's On Us was released shortly thereafter.
The name of the album is a reference to the presidency of Donald Trump and has political themes. Produced and recorded by guitarist Brian "Puke" Parnell, the album shows the band going heavier with more punk. It's a great example of a musical evolution.
While Throw the Goat might confuse audiences who question whether the band is punk or metal, we can all agree: The Joke's On Us is a great album.
—Brian Blueskye
Best All-Female Band
The After Lashes
I have enjoyed watching the all-female four-piece band The After Lashes improve its sound over the course of 2018; in fact, every time I take in one of the group's shows, I'm pleasantly surprised by how much the talented band has improved since I first saw The After Lashes.
Why has the band improved? The members of The After Lashes put in the work. Combine that hard work with talent, attitude and energy, and The After Lashes are amazing.
—Brian Blueskye
Best Pizza Joint You've Probably Never Heard Of
Pizzeria Bambinos
I'm kind of shocked that Pizzeria Bambinos wasn't a Best Pizza finalist this year. But then again … this fantastic pizza joint seems to be flying under the figurative radar. In fact, it may be the valley's best kept pizza secret.
Maybe it has to do with the location; this small pizzeria is tucked away in the same shopping plaza as Big Lots in Cathedral City, and has limited seating … but it makes fantastic pizza, with other delicious options as well. 69040 Palm Canyon Drive, Cathedral City; 760-770-0505; pizzeriabambinos.com.
—Brian Blueskye
Best Comfort Food in a Desert Dining Wasteland
Two Guys Pies
I moved to Morongo Valley a year ago from the Bay Area … and my taste buds have been suffering terribly in this desert wasteland. Nearby Yucca Valley is more of a mecca for fast food (including ridiculous overexcited buzzing about the recent opening of a Popeye's Chicken) than any sort of place for fine dining. However, all is not lost.
I am in the midst of a comfort foodgasm over my discovery of Two Guys Pies, aka TGP. Specializing in brick oven 'za, Guy and Guy, the two guys behind Two Guys Pies, promote rock 'n' rolling all night and 'za-ing every day. Their double-decker pepperoni pizza ranked 24th in the world at an international pizza expo just last year!
Aside from the delicious pizza, Two Guys has salads, pastas and sandwiches … all with creative rockin' names like Sound Tomato Garden, Bon Chovies, The Hungry Rollins Band, Spinach Tap, Weird Al-Fredo, Run DMCaesar, etc. The Basket Case bread balls with Love Potion No. 9 dipping sauce are an absolute must-have.
It's hard for me to refrain from eating at TGP every night. My only complaint: It closes at 4 p.m. on Sundays. 56969 Yucca Trail; Yucca Valley; 760-418-5075; 2guyspies.com. (Pictured: A Two Guys Pies employee hard at work. Photo by Shawn Smith.)
—Beth Allen
Best Local Event for Car Lovers
McCormick's Palm Springs Collector Car Auctions
Keith McCormick is a classic-car guru, and whether you're looking for a rare foreign vehicle or a domestic beauty from the '50s, a Porsche or a Corvette, chances are you can find one at McCormick's showroom on Indian Canyon Drive downtown Palm Springs—or at his twice-a-year car auction.
McCormick is an import himself: He moved from the outskirts of Liverpool in England to Palm Springs in 1981.
"I've been into the cars since I was 18," he said. "Moving my exotic car biz here was a no brainer: It was the same (here) as in England, except for the sunshine and no rain over here."
In 1985, he put together the Palm Springs Vintage Grand Prix and Concours d'Elegance show to help promote local tourism.
"We raced the vintage cars where now the new Convention Center is," he said, proudly pointing out that he himself owns a cool Ferrari 488 GTB.
The McCormick family—with his wife and son, Jason, working alongside—has put together 65 Palm Springs Collector Car Auctions so far. The event is held twice a year, in February and November, with more than 500 cars at each event.
The McCormicks sell and ship cars all over the world, from Japan to Germany.
"We have sold Sinatra's, Liberace's and Elvis' cars—even the Batmobile," McCormick said with a grin. "Classic cars are like art to me—it's like looking at 'Mona Lisa,' but a lot less expensive." www.classic-carauction.com. (Pictured: Keith McCormick. Photo by Brane Jevric.)
—Brane Jevric
Best Artery-Clogging Meal
The Disco Superfries at Blackbook
If you've ever been hungry while in downtown Palm Springs, you know there are many, many options for food … but when my friends and I are in the mood to be bad, we always pick the cardiac special of disco superfries at Blackbook on Arenas Road.
These little yummies are a home run every time. Think nachos … but instead of chips, you get fries! That's right—fresh fries topped with gooey cheese, sour cream, tomatoes and hot sauce.
You can share them, or you can make them a meal—you get a whole small cookie sheet of them! Warning: This is an item that's just begging to be shared, so even if you're alone and intend the superfries to be your meal … you will always have "friends" magically appear, even if you didn't bring any with you. 315 Arenas Road, Palm Springs; 760-832-8497; blackbookbar.com.
—Dwight Hendricks
Best Karaoke
Peabody's Café
The Coachella Valley is certainly not suffering from a lack of talented professional singers. But if you're not a professional … it's hard to carry your shower out on the town with you, so check out Peabody's Café on Friday and Saturday nights for karaoke.
Even if you don't want to croon yourself, you can kick back and hear some great singers … and some not-so-great singers. There is a great music selection, and the DJ is a nice guy. The fun starts at 7:30 p.m., but get there early—it fills up fast!
Enjoy the menu and bar while you're waiting for your turn on the mic; Peabody's has killer Bloody Mary's. Heck, bring your friends and make a night of it! 134 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-322-1877; www.peabodyscafeandbar.com.
—Dwight Hendricks
Best Weekend Culinary Classes
Wabi Sabi Japan Living
One of my favorite places to hang out is Wabi Sabi Japan Living. It may sound weird that I like to hang out at a small Japanese-goods store, but don't judge.
Not only does Wabi Sabi have great merchandise; the owners, Darrell and Sam, offer amazing classes on how to enjoy and use their products. Check out the website for dates and times; the classes are usually held on Saturday afternoons. I have been to the bonsai tree and ramen classes … but I have yet to attend the class I want to take most of all: the sushi-making class. You learn how to make three rolls by actually making them … then you get to eat them! You have to sign up early; the class fills up quickly. Wabi Sabi also offers sake and Japanese-grilling classes.
Not only do Darrell and Sam know what they are talking about; you can feel their passion. Take note: Wabi Sabi is set back off of the road a bit; look for the Rising Sun flags. 258 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-537-3838; www.wabisabijapanliving.com.
—Dwight Hendricks
Best Seafood Towers and Tostadas
Mariscoco's Culiacan
Because I am a west valley resident, I don't get down to the east valley that much … but I can tell you that an east valley trip is coming soon. In fact, it's probably already happened by the time you've read this.
The reason: I have a huge, honking hankering for the food at Mariscoco's Culiacan.
The last time I was at this Coachella mainstay, I ordered the tostada especial (pictured here): an individual-sized plate of delicious, fresh and cool seafood, including shrimp, abalone, octopus, fish, sea snail and scallops—plus cucumbers, onion, avocado and other ingredients—all mixed in with Mariscoco's special smoky-tasting sauce. It was really, really good.
Still, I looked longingly at the seafood towers—including many of the aforementioned ingredients, and then some—as they went by to other tables. These huge creations are meant for more than one mere mortal … so next time I go to Mariscoco's, I won't be going alone.
Hey, west valley friends: How about a short road trip? We can meet our east valley friends at Mariscoco's. 51683 Harrison (Cesar Chavez) St., Coachella; 760-398-5666; www.facebook.com/mariscocosymaristorresculiacan760.
—Jimmy Boegle
Sticky Doll recently moved to the high desert from Los Angeles—and the band's first couple of local shows have proven the group is definitely an oddity … in a good way.
There's a shock-rock element to Sticky Doll's brand of punk, and frontwoman Cynna Luchia is a show all by herself. Bassist El Sancho plays through both a guitar amp and a bass amp.
On Saturday, Nov. 10, Sticky Doll will be putting on Sticky Fest at the Palms Restaurant in Wonder Valley, and has invited local bands such as Instigator, Karr, Throw the Goat, Sleazy Cortez, Drop Mob, Ormus and others to take part.
During a recent interview in Yucca Valley, El Sancho (Greg Gendron) discussed what brought Sticky Doll to the high desert.
"We found out how cheap it was to buy a house, and we thought, 'Why not move out to the desert?'" Gendron said. "It happened within a few months, and we fucking love it. I grew up in Eastern Washington in a town called Yakima. There's a sign on the freeway that says, 'Welcome to Yakima, the Palm Springs of Washington.' It's real similar to here. … It's good ol' boys with pickup trucks and guns. The climate and the small-town vibe are the same. I feel like a kid living here, and I love it. Cynthia (Cynna Luchia) grew up in East Los Angeles and lived in Los Angeles all her life."
However, when it came to the music scene … Sticky Doll was not thrilled.
"We were excited, and we thought we were coming into something really exciting—and we were really let down immediately," he said. "We went to some open-mics, and we were surprised at how it was just a hippie vibe, and everyone was a Bob Dylan singer-songwriter wannabe. (There's a) certain artist around town who thinks she's an alien; it was just weird and a real letdown. We thought we were coming to Queens of the Stone Age and Eagles of Death Metal. … Everyone said the same thing to us: 'You have to create a scene up here. There are people here who love metal and love punk, but a scene has to be made for it.' That's why we put together Sticky Fest."
As for El Sancho and Cynna Luchia … what's their story?
"We put out our first album on Christmas Day in 2015. We're due for a new one, and we do have a new one coming out. People always ask if Cynthia and I are married or if we're a couple, and my blanket response is, 'I fuck her ... .' But yeah, we are a couple. We had the same kind of taste in music, and we're both sober. We were going to this musicians' AA meeting, and it was a place where you could play and not do traditional 'shares'; The 'shares' were you went up and performed.
"We've been together for about five years now. I play guitar, and I play bass, and I went on this mad hunt for a pedal effect that could do what we have now, and I finally found it. I bought it and I thought, 'This is fucking killer!' I could send it into a bass amp and have a bass sound, and through the guitar amp have killer power chords. Once I got that in the mail, I thought, 'Let's do it!'
"If you would have asked me five years ago if I'd be in a band with a girl, I'd say, 'Hell no!' Especially with a girl I'm dating? I would think you'd be out of your fucking mind! The fact that I'm doing what I'm doing now is funny to people who knew me back then, but I love what we're doing now."
Gutter Candy drummer Dani Diggler was recruited into the band before Sticky Doll started playing local shows.
"We've gone through some real shitheads, but Dani fits us real good," El Sancho said. "We kind of dialed his playing in a bit. We're almost industrial to where it's just kick drum, snare and high hat. He's coming from Gutter Candy playing '80s, '90s and Guns N' Roses; he's a typical drummer. He didn't come in and say, 'We have to play my style!' He was like, 'Whatever you guys need.' But Dani is cool, plus we actually pay him."
El Sancho hopes this is just the first Sticky Fest.
"It came into fruition back in June," he explained. "I had never heard of any of these bands. I'd heard of Throw the Goat, because they played shows down our way. But I was pleasantly surprised when I learned there was a scene down the hill. This is a first-year thing; it's out of my pocket, and I'm not going to book a big-name band, because there's not a budget. So I started looking for local talent.
"When I first talked to the Palms, it was going to be a two-day festival. I had put out an open call on Facebook for punk and metal bands for a festival. I got inundated with responses; I had 40 to 50 responses. A few weeks into it, I was having an in-depth conversation with the Palms, and given their concerns, I wasn't thrilled, but we agreed to do it for one day."
Sticky Fest takes place starting at noon, Saturday, Nov. 10, at the Palms Restaurant, 83131 Amboy Road, in Twentynine Palms. Admission is $12-$15; members of the military and attendees 16 and younger (with a parent) are admitted for free. For tickets or more information, visit www.facebook.com/events/588237201548978.
Live: Deserted at the Palms, May 21May 27 2016
Deserted at the Palms came to Wonder Valley on Saturday, May 21, and the mini-festival represented the best of the indie, punk and dream-pop bands who spend much of their time earning their keep in the clubs up and down the Sunset Strip.
The Palms is a small restaurant and bar owned by the Sibleys, located on Amboy Road; it's one of the last buildings you see before you drive north on the well-known Palms Springs short cut to Las Vegas.
Of course, many super music fans were present, like Echo Park native Patti Castillo, aka "Cave Girl," who received this moniker during the Charles Bradley show at Pappy's, for using a found rock to pound her tent stakes into the ground. Since camping was encouraged and free for this event, it was no surprise to run into Stewart as she pitched her tent with the help of a fellow camper and her dog, Cool. The fanciful festival brought people together to enjoy music under windy, primitive conditions.
The first band I saw was Rudy De Anda, who played both the opening set and a second set later, because another band had gotten stuck in the sand, according to Daiana Feuer, who co-produced the festival. De Anda's macabre lyrics—"Voy a usar tu sangre para escribir" ("I am going to use your blood to write")—was in contrast to the Dead Ships, which brought a more commercial sound to the outdoor stage. The Dead Ships returned to the area, riding high after a Coachella 2016 appearance.
Bloody Death Skull, fronted by Daiana Feuer, was fantastic, with witty tunes and commentary from Feuer, including the statement that a "boob is a good place to rest, but not for a ukulele."
The Sex Stains, fronted by Allison Wolfe, showed up late, but the group always puts on a high-energy show.
Kim and the Created is generating lots of buzz after playing last year in Mecca at Desert Daze. It's hard to place Kim and the Created into a category—but punk is a good place to start. A metal frame along the stage offered a perfect place to hang upside down and sing. Kim and the Created never disappoint.
Haunted Summer's dream pop stood out above the rest. The soulful and howling vocals on "Retrograde" were mind-blowing. Lead vocalist Bridgette Seasons is like a wonderful mish-mash of Grimes and Björk. Haunted Summer expects a new record release in the fall.
The members of Fartbarf wore Neanderthal masks with cowboy shirt; they came recommended by aforementioned superfan Patti Castillo.
Pearl Charles melted hearts with her exquisite voice. She's another desert veteran who has performed in Pioneertown with band the Blank Tapes.
Death Valley Girls were pure fun with their catchy lo-fi distortion. The Garden delighted fans with the song "Jester's Game," off the 2013 release HaHa.
Closing out the fun in this weirdly wonderful place was Mild High Club. The group's music soothed, winding down a breathtaking if windy night in Wonder Valley.
Find more from Guillermo Prieto at www.facebook.com/irockkphotos and irockphotos.net.
- Allison Wolfe Allison Wolfe
- Bridgette Seasons of Haunted Summer Bridgette Seasons of Haunted Summer
- Clown Clown
- Daiana Feuer Daiana Feuer
- The Dead Ships The Dead Ships
- Death Valley Girls Death Valley Girls
- Fartbarf Fartbarf
- Kim and the Created Kim and the Created
- Mild High Club Mild High Club
- Pearl Charles Pearl Charles
- Pitch a Tent Pitch a Tent
- Rudy De Anda Rudy De Anda
- Superfan Patti Castillo Superfan Patti Castillo
- Tent Dog Tent Dog
Psychedelic-Pop Perfection: Haunted Summer Returns to the Desert for Deserted at the PalmsMay 10 2016
Haunted Summer can mean one of two things:
• A truly bad '80s movie based on Lord Byron.
• A fantastic band to come out of Los Angeles' indie-music scene.
Haunted Summer—the band, that is—will be performing at Deserted at the Palms event, to be held at the Palms Restaurant in Twentynine Palms on Saturday, May 21, with acts such as Bloody Death Skull, The Dead Ships, The Garden and many others.
Formed in 2012 by married couple John and Bridgette Seasons, Haunted Summer's psychedelic pop sound caught on quickly and landed the band high-profile gigs at the El Rey Theatre and a tour with the Polyphonic Spree. The group released a five-track EP titled Something in the Water and has been working on a new album while consistently touring. The band performed in Palm Springs not too long ago—at the Independent's Nov. 17 benefit for gay-bashing victims George and Christopher Zander.
During a recent phone interview from Chicago during a break in the current U.S. tour, John and Bridgette Seasons discussed recording at the local Rancho de la Luna studio, owned by Eagles of Death Metal and Mojave Lords guitarist Dave Catching.
"That was such a great time," Bridgette Seasons said. "This guy we work with is friends with Dave Catching. There was a week where we found some time to do some recording there, and it was incredible. Dave Catching is the coolest guy ever—and Rancho is my dream studio."
Catching didn't just record while Haunted Summer was at his studio.
"We got Chris Goss on guitar for a song, and we got Dave Catching on bass for a song," John Seasons said. "Everybody had a good time hanging out, and it was just an awesome experience."
John Seasons said they hope to have the album out in the fall.
"We've been recording it at different studios, too," John Seasons said. "It's going to have a feel of different studios and different kinds of songs. Something in the Water was more one-toned, and this next one is going to be all over the map."
All the touring has exposed Haunted Summer to new audiences across the country—playing in decent-sized venues wherever the group goes.
"We've played all over, and it's been amazing, given we've been touring off that EP for a few years," John Seasons said. "We've had a lot of support from bigger bands and venues trying to nurture us, bring us back and build our audience on our own. This time, we're going to Toronto and doing a lot of East Coast and Middle America on this tour."
This past spring, Haunted Summer played SXSW in Austin, Texas. Some musicians say the huge event has lost its focus on music, because the technology portion of the festival and corporate sponsors overshadow everything else. However, both John and Bridgette said SXSW is still important for independent bands on the touring circuit.
"A lot of bands go to SXSW with that dream of being discovered or whatever," John Seasons said. "But I think the most precious thing you can take from something like SXSW is networking—meeting bands from around the country, meeting promoters and making friends. It's important, because you end up getting people to support you from different parts of the country."
Bridgette Seasons added: "It's like music boot camp."
It's always been said that working with one's spouse can be fraught with danger. John and Bridgette conceded that they have had their moments while touring and working together, but they said that overall, being able to do what they do as a married couple is a beautiful experience.
"To be pretty honest, I think it's the only way it could work," Bridgette Seasons said. "We're really happy to be doing this together, and we know what a strain it can be when two people are on two very different paths. The path we're on is very demanding, and neither one of us could do this alone."
While they'll be playing as Haunted Summer at the Palms Restaurant, they are also members of Bloody Death Skull, fronted by journalist and music promoter Daiana Feuer. Bloody Death Skull is known for covers of various psychedelic rock songs, with Feuer playing a ukulele, and the members wearing various types of wacky costumes. Also worth noting: A member of the band sits on the floor and plays with action figures and dolls during the live performances.
"It's a fun, wacky and exploratory band," Bridgette Seasons said. "Haunted Summer doesn't take itself too seriously, but it's nice to let go and do some really funky and fun shit with them."
The Palms is a strange place. Having seen two shows there myself, I can say it is probably the perfect place for a psychedelic music festival. Both John and Bridgette Seasons said they are looking forward to it.
"We're all about the desert and being in that kind of atmosphere," John Seasons said. "I think that's where we learn the most. It's a great lineup, and Daiana has been doing this for a few years. It'll be cool, and we'll do a Haunted Summer set—and, of course, the collaboration with Bloody Death Skull."
Deserted at the Palms takes place at 2 p.m., Saturday, May 21, at 83131 Amboy Road, in Twentynine Palms. Tickets are $30. For more information, visit the event's Facebook page.
Bringing Spooky Back: Meet Herbert, Whose Old-Time Organ Will Be at the Bat Country Summer SlamJune 19 2015
If you've ever watched an old horror movie featuring a carnival or a haunted house, you've heard spooky organ music.
Meet Herb Lienau, a man who is bringing that spooky music back, thanks to his one-man carnival-organ-music show, called Herbert.
Herbert will be performing at the Bat Country Summer Slam at the Palms in Twentynine Palms on Saturday, July 4. Yes, he'll be wearing his trademark creepy mask.
I recently spoke with Lienau at his business in Palm Desert, and we discussed the history of punk rock in the Coachella Valley during the early to mid-'80s. Lienau was very much part of that scene: He played in bands with desert rock greats Scott Reeder (Kyuss), Alfredo Hernandez (Kyuss, Queens of the Stone Age), Mario Lalli (Fatso Jetson), Gary Burns (Deadbolt) and Sean Wheeler (Throw Rag, Sean and Zander), just to name a few. After living in Los Angeles and performing in the band Dead Issue—which later became Darkside, and then Across the River—Lienau returned to the desert.
"I kind of freaked out on acid, and I had to regroup," he said. "I quit the band and moved back to the desert, and those guys went on to do Across the River. … Me, Mario (Lalli) and Alfredo (Hernandez) all lived together in an apartment in Culver City, and Scott (Reeder) was going to UCLA and living in the dorms there. Good things come out of bad things. It sucks I had to quit the band out of volition, but I had to come home to regroup. Out of that came Across the River, which was an awesome band, and the whole stoner-rock thing happened after that."
Lienau also had an amusing story to tell about introducing Scott Reeder to the world of punk music.
"He didn't know any punk or anything," Lienau said. "He was into Rush and Pink Floyd; that was his thing. I tried to get him into punk, and I took over a copy of Black Flag's Jealous Again EP and the first T.S.O.L. EP, which were both 12-inch EPs—what you'd call 45s. I took them over so Scott could listen to them and record them (for his own use). So then I was talking to him the next day and asked, 'So, what do you think?' He said, 'It was OK, but T.S.O.L. and Black Flag sort of sound the same to me. It's kind of slow and …'
"I was like, 'What are you talking about?' He had recorded both of those at 33. … (When played at that speed), they were kind of slow and did sound the same. That's typical Scott."
How did Herbert come to fruition? The name, of course, has to do with the fact that Lienau's full first name is Herbert, but the idea for the concept came to him while he was playing the keyboard.
"I had been messing around with keyboards here and there after always playing guitar and singing in bands," he said. "I wasn't in any band at the time or anything, and it was something I could do at home. … I didn't have to plug a lot in or set up a lot of equipment, so I started like that, just messing around. As time went on, I started accumulating a lot of different things. I asked myself, 'How could I put this together and play somewhere?'"
As for his costume?
"I had this old man mask I'd wear to scare my daughter," he said. "I used to chase her around and say I was Grandpa Daddy, and I'd be all like, 'Look at Grandpa Daddy!' On Halloween, the kids would all come, and I'd freak them out by giving out candy while wearing that mask. So I figured I'd wear the mask, and that way, while I was still trying to get the feel on the keyboard thing, I didn't have to put myself out there entirely. I could hide behind the mask—plus I always wanted to do something with a mask. That's kind of how it's been evolving, and I grew up with the Shakey's piano-player guy when I was a kid."
The response Herbert has received from audiences has been interesting. He's played local shows at The Hood Bar and Pizza and Schmidy's Tavern; he's also played at BB Ingle's Halloween Party.
"Some people just do not get it at all. It's weird to them, and they're creeped out by it, which is fine, because I get entertainment out of that," Lienau said. "At BBs, it was kind of a trippy thing, and I liked the fact that I was in my own corner. (They) said, 'Just play whenever, and if you don't feel like playing, just walk around.' I did three sets and walked around."
The Herbert set includes typical carnival-organ music—with some covers thrown in, such as "Angie" by the Rolling Stones, "Hotel California" by the Eagles, and Booker T's "Green Onions."
"I have 13 songs, and a half hour to 45 minutes worth of live material. I have about six covers, and the others are all instrumentals. I wasn't planning on singing and was just going to do instrumentals, but at home, I put together this medley, and I realized 'Hotel California,' 'Angie' and 'Let the Sun Shine In' are basically the same song. So I kind of merged the three together playing them instrumentally, and eventually split them up. It's just sort of evolved as I've gotten better and more comfortable."
As for the Bat Country Summer Slam, Lienau said attendees who catch the Herbert set will get a surprise—a surprise which he refused to reveal.
"I like (the Palms)," he said. "It's way out in the middle of nowhere, but it's really cool and peaceful. I've seen a couple of different incarnations of Rikk Agnew out there, and it's so cool that he came out to do that. Zach (Huskey) mentioned it to me. … They definitely didn't need to add me, but I was glad that they put me on there."
The Bat Country Summer Slam takes place at a time to be determined on Saturday, July 4, at the Palms, 83131 Amboy Road, in Twentynine Palms. Admission to the all-ages show is $10 at the door. For more information, visit the event's Facebook page. For more information on Herbert, visit herbsorgan.com.
A Punk Survivor: Rikk Agnew Brings His Band to Twentynine Palms for Labor Day WeekendAugust 15 2014
When L.A. punk scene was gaining national attention in the 1970s and '80s that was both good and bad, Rikk Agnew was there.
Today, he remains a popular figure in the Southern California music world, and he will be performing at the Bat Country Labor Day Blast at the Palms Restaurant in Twentynine Palms on Sunday, Aug. 31.
Agnew played with some of the biggest names in L.A. punk: He an early member of The Detours, Social Distortion, D.I., and the Adolescents. During a recent phone interview, Agnew said he had a feeling that punk music would go on to take the world by storm.
"It was so fresh; it was so honest; and it was a true resurgence of roots rock 'n' roll," Agnew said. "It was not just in sound, either; it was DIY and for the love for it—just wanting to have fun, be in there, and celebrate rebellion, and celebrate life.
"I know that sounds stupid, but it's true. I felt even back then that punks were the new hippies, but we could do it with more aggression and without the peaceful, flower-power thing that obviously didn't work. But basically, it was all about rock 'n' roll."
Agnew played in Social Distortion in 1978 through 1979. Through the years, Agnew has had his own struggles with addiction; however, Social Distortion frontman Mike Ness was in trouble long before Agnew. Agnew confirmed that Ness was, indeed, once a wild man.
"(A wild reputation) would be putting it lightly," Agnew said. "I'm so happy for him being majorly successful now, because he was in the lowest of the lows back then. We used to do a betting pool as to which month he was going to die."
After leaving Social Distortion, Agnew joined the Adolescents in 1980 and played with them until he was fired from the band in 1981. Agnew then made a rather unusual turn: He joined the lineup of the gothic/death-rock band Christian Death.
"I had a feeling I was going to be kicked out of the Adolescents at the time," Agnew said. "(Christian Death) opened a show for us in Pomona, and it was interesting, and I was like, 'What the hell?' They played, and it sounded like a raw Black Sabbath. Rozz, the frontman, made me think, 'Wow, who is this guy?' I fell in love with it, and I talked to the guys afterward, and a couple of weeks later, I got kicked out of the Adolescents, and the first thing I did was call them. At that point, I was so hurt by being kicked out of the Adolescents that I thought, 'I want to join this band and be so anti-punk and piss off punks'—go all fem instead of buff, and do anything to make them hate us and piss them off. What ended up happening is a whole cult following came out of it."
He added that Christian Death's legacy might be understated today. "It was pretty amazing. There was a lot of wild stuff that went on with it. Any suspicions or legendary stories about what we were dabbling in are probably under-exaggerated. It was something different."
In the years since, Agnew has gotten sober and even participated in an Adolescents reunion. He now does production work.
"The studio is a whole different medium," Agnew said. "It's fun, because you can do certain things in the studio that you can't do live. … I like it because of its creative process. You can really go to different places with it. I like to produce other bands, because when I'm producing them, I get an idea in my head that an artist can disapprove of or that they think is cool. It's basically sculpting—that's what it is."
Agnew is happy to still be performing today after once being close to death due to addiction.
"It has its ups and downs," Agnew said. "Some nights, it feels like I want to be in the background, but I'm enjoying it more and more every day, especially now with a clear mind and body. "
He has connections to the Joshua Tree area and has plenty of friends there. He talked about what can be expected during his performance at the Bat Country Labor Day Blast.
"We're going to do some of my solo stuff, a few Christian Death songs, along with some D.I. and Adolescents. I don't think we're going to do anything from Social Distortion though," he said with a laugh.
The Bat Country Labor Day Blast, featuring the Rikk Angew Band, takes place at 6 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 31, at the Palms Restaurant, 83131 Amboy Road, in Twentynine Palms. Admission is $10; a limited number of advance tickets are available at CVIndependent.com. (Full disclosure: The Independent is sponsoring the show.) For more information, visit the event's Facebook page.
Psychedelic Spaghetti: Spindrift Brings Its Hybrid Sound and Its New Movie to Twentynine PalmsAugust 08 2014
You'd never expect for the worlds of psychedelic rock and spaghetti Westerns to mix—but to the members of the band Spindrift, they go hand and hand.
The group will be performing and showing their new film Spindrift: Ghost of the West at Rock Formations II on Saturday, Aug. 23, at the Palms Restaurant in Twentynine Palms.
Spindrift formed in 1992 in Delaware. With influences such as The Doors, Hawkwind and My Bloody Valentine, the band was a heavy experimental rock group with a sound that was a far cry from that of their current incarnation.
After losing two original members in the early part of the last decade, the group rebranded.
"In the 2000s, we moved from Delaware to Los Angeles," said frontman Kirpatrick Thomas during a recent interview. "At that point, we obviously had lineup changes and (a change in) playing style as well. We went from the experimental East Coast version of the band to the Western psychedelic version of the band. The journey itself from the East to the West Coast was relevant with our sound and experience."
So how do spaghetti Westerns influence psychedelic rock?
"You have to realize that spaghetti Westerns were made during the '60s, during the same time as the psychedelic era," Thomas said. "As far as the Italian cinema is concerned, you wonder about Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach and all those other guys, and what they were going through at the time. You can kind of see it in those films, because they're pretty far out. There's no doubt that the whole thing crossed over. You definitely get a psychedelic element from the 1960s spaghetti Westerns."
Guitarist Thomas Bellier agreed that spaghetti Westerns go hand in hand with psychedelic rock within the band's sound.
"We kind of re-create Italian interpretations," guitarist Thomas Bellier said. "So you have an American band doing an Italian west interpretation. That's more Sergio Leone than it is John Wayne."
Spindrift has also embraced the world of film. In 2008, the band took part in the film The Legend of God's Gun, which Thomas co-wrote; he also had a starring role. The film featured a soundtrack that included Joshua Tree's very own Gram Rabbit.
The band just finished the film Ghost of the West, which will be playing at Rock Formations II.
"Since Spindrift moved to L.A., we've become more involved in working with indie-film directors," Thomas said. "The Legend of God's Gun … kind of boosted things in relevancy as to how people view Spindrift."
The director of Ghost of the West is Burke Roberts, who nicely captures Spindrift's persona as the band performs old cowboy classics such as "Cool Water," "The Ballad of Paladin," and "Ghost Riders in the Sky" in locations across the West.
"He grew up on a cowboy ranch," Thomas said of Roberts. "He grew up ranching and has that cowboy mentality. His family owns the Roberts Ranch, which is (one of the) largest cattle ranches west of the Mississippi. We knew that we had something collectively to where we should work together.
"When we made the demos, we thought it would be really cool to take this on the road and film ourselves performing these songs all over the West. We said, 'Well, we have to get Burke to do this; he's the cowboy of the bunch.' So immediately, I called up Burke Roberts, and he said, 'Oh, wow, this is amazing. We've got to make this movie.' Burke is a great director; he's done music videos and many other features, and he's got a lot under his belt, including a lot of awards."
Bellier said the movie shows the band performing dream sequences. "It's a surreal visual experience."
Spindrift has proven adept at utilizing social media, and used a Kickstarter campaign to fund an album. With some bands deciding to forgo funding from record companies and just do independent releases, Kickstarter has become commonplace in the music world. However, Thomas said it's something the band doesn't plan to use again.
"I think every artist should try something like Kickstarter once, but you know, it's for charity," Thomas said. "You're asking, and then you're giving. Do it once; do it for a good reason—and you better make that the one and only time you do it. I don't think anyone should do it more than once, given it could become a crutch for everyone. I think it's important to be very attentive and understanding of living within your bounds as an artist."
Spindrift's members are no strangers to the high desert. In fact, there's a history with the Joshua Tree Inn and the suite that Gram Parsons overdosed in: Spindrift wrote an entire album there.
At Rock Formations II, the group promises a good time and is looking forward to performing with Jello Biafra.
"We're going to do some collaborative efforts live onstage together," Thomas said. "Also, Jesika Von Rabbit is going to join us onstage for a duet, which will be Spindrift backing Jello and Jesika doing a duet. I love Jesika, and she's been great. We've been cohorts for a long time now. The Joshua Tree area has kind of become our second home."
Rock Formations II, featuring Jello Biafra and Spindrift, takes place starting at 4 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 23, at the Palms Restaurant, 83131 Amboy Road, in Twentynine Palms. Admission is $10; a limited number of advance tickets are available at CVIndependent.com. (Full disclosure: The Independent is sponsoring the show.) For more information, visit the event's Facebook page.
As we head into August, there's cause for celebration: Fall, and more reasonable temperatures, are approaching! There's another reason to celebrate: What's traditionally been the slowest month in the Coachella Valley is actually packed with great things to do.
The Hacienda Cantina and Beach Club is the new hot spot in town. The Hacienda has announced that it will now have "Swim Club" every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. with DJs performing poolside. Admission is free for those 21 and older. Hacienda Cantina and Beach Club, 1555 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-778-8954; www.haciendacantina.com.
The Palms Restaurant, up in Twentynine Palms, is hosting two great shows put on by High Desert Underground Productions. (Full disclosure: The Independent is a sponsor of these shows, and we're selling tickets to them in the Independent Market at CVIndependent.com.) Rock Formations II, starring Spindrift and the great Jello Biafra, starts at 4 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 23. Admission is $10. The following weekend, the Bat Country Labor Day Blast takes place at 5 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 31. Headlining is former Social Distortion guitarist Rikk Agnew (right); Silke Berlinn, Rawbone, 30 Foot Demon and Swords of Fatima will also be appearing. Admission is $10. The Palms Restaurant, 83131 Amboy Road, Twentynine Palms; 760-361-2810.
The Ace Hotel and Swim Club is a great spot to lounge around the pool and catch some great entertainment. At noon, Saturday, Aug. 9, Fleetmac Wood, a DJ collective/party, will be performing/taking place by the pool. As you can probably tell, it's an afternoon dedicated to the music of Fleetwood Mac. Admission is free. At 10 p.m., Friday, Aug. 22, Joel Jerome will be performing in the Amigo Room. The singer/songwriter was part of the psych pop group Dios Malos. Admission is free. At 10 p.m., Friday, Aug. 29, the Amigo Room will host indie-pop band Crystal Skulls. Considering the Amigo Room's small size, this show should be a great live experience. Again, admission is free. Ace Hotel and Swim Club, 701 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-325-9900; www.acehotel.com/palmsprings.
The Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa has a couple of noteworthy events coming up in August. First up is a show by Boston, performing at 9 p.m., Friday, Aug. 1. The band that took its name from its home city soared to success after its first, self-titled album in 1976. Songs such as "More Than a Feeling" and "Peace of Mind" helped the band fill stadiums—and an incredible 17 million copies of that album were sold. While lead guitarist and band founder Tom Scholz is the only remaining original member, this should still be a great show. Tickets are $75 to $115. The Gipsy Kings will be performing at 9 p.m., Friday, Aug. 29. While the Gipsy Kings are from France, they perform Spanish flamenco and salsa music. These highly successful world-music artists have won the praises of audiences worldwide. Tickets are $65 to $95. The Show at Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa, 32250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage; 888-999-1995; www.hotwatercasino.com.
Fantasy Springs Resort Casino has a great August slate. At 8 p.m., Friday, Aug. 1, Marco Antonio Solís will be performing. The Latin music singer/songwriter has sold more than 50 million albums, and is a multi-Latin Grammy Award winner. This show's a big deal. Tickets are $59 to $129. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 2, Daughtry (below) will be stopping by. The American Idol finalist from Season 5 has managed to achieve a higher level of success than many of that show's winners; in fact, his band has sold 5 million albums. Tickets are $29 to $59. If you're aching to relive the 1970s era of soft-rock, go see Michael McDonald and Toto at 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 9. McDonald, who spent time as the frontman of The Doobie Brothers, is still very relevant in the music industry today. Tickets are $29 to $59. Check the Fantasy Springs website for details on more great shows. Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, 84245 Indio Springs Parkway, Indio; 760-342-5000; www.fantasyspringsresort.com.
Morongo Casino Resort Spa has some excellent events in August. KC and the Sunshine Band takes the stage at 9 p.m., Friday, Aug. 8. The group is well-known for songs such as "That's the Way (I Like It)," "Shake Your Booty," "I'm Your Boogie Man" and other disco jams. Tickets are $29 to $39. Jazz trumpeter Chris Botti, who performed at the McCallum Theatre not too long ago, is taking the Morongo stage at 7 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 17. Botti has worked with the likes of Sting, Paul Simon, Roger Daltrey of The Who, and many others. Tickets are $50. At 9 p.m., Friday, Aug. 22, country singer Sara Evans will be performing. She's one of the most recognizable stars of country music, and she's touring to promote her new album, Slow Me Down. Tickets are $35 to $55. Morongo Casino Resort Spa, 49500 Seminole Drive, Cabazon; 800-252-4499; www.morongocasinoresort.com.
Pappy and Harriet's Pioneertown Palace rolls into August with Courtney Barnett (above) performing at 9 p.m., Friday, Aug. 8. The Australian singer-songwriter is currently touring behind her 2013 album, How to Carve a Carrot Into a Rose. Her psychedelic-meets-country sound has been praised by the indie-music press. Tickets are $12. The Woodsist Festival will start at noon, Saturday, Aug. 16, featuring indoor and outdoor performances by an amazing list of musicians, including Cass McCombs, Foxygen, Amps for Christ and Little Wings. Tickets are $47.50. At 8 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 27, the Murder City Devils will be performing. The Seattle punk outfit reunited in 2006 after a five-year breakup—and hasn't stopped performing since. In August, the band is slated to release its first album since 2001. This show is already generating a lot of buzz, so we recommend getting tickets ASAP. They're $20. Pappy and Harriet's Pioneertown Palace, 53688 Pioneertown Road, Pioneertown; 760-365-5956; www.pappyandharriets.com.
The Hood Bar and Pizza will be hosting a Battle of the Bands every Thursday in August at 8:30 p.m. The judging panel will consist of local concert promoter Ming Bob, CV Weekly editor/publisher Tracy Dietlin, and yours truly. The finals will take place on Thursday, Aug. 28, with the first-place band receiving $1,000. Come on out and support local music! At 9 p.m., Friday, Aug. 22, psychedelic rock band Sleepy Sun will be stopping by with special guests War Drum. Tickets are $5. So-Cal punk-rock pioneers Agent Orange will be returning to The Hood at 9 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 30. Be sure to check out this show! Tickets are $10. The Hood Bar and Pizza, 74360 Highway 111, Palm Desert; 760-636-5220; www.facebook.com/thehoodbar.


text:
Winifred "Winifred" Zabaglo
October 13, 1923 - August 4, 2009
WINIFRED ZABAGLO Peacefully at Quinte Health Care Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital, on Tuesday, August 4th, 2009, WINIFRED ZABAGLO, of Chuckery Hill Road, formerly of Thornhill, at the age of 85. Beloved wife of the late Frank. Loving mother of Annette Gaskin and her husband Stuart Brown of R.R. #4, Picton and Madeline Mulkeen and her partner Terry Graham of Richmond Hill. Loved by her late brothers and sisters. Much loved grandma to Ivan and his partner Jessica and her step-grandchildren Darcy, Jeremy and Krystian. A CELEBRATION OF WIN'S LIFE WILL BE HELD AT, THE WHATTAM FUNERAL HOME, 33 MAIN STREET, PICTON, ON. on Tuesday, August 18th at 2 P.M. Reverend Audrey Whitney Officiating. Entombment at Glenwood Cemetery. If desired, donations to the Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation or the Childrens Wish Foundation would be appreciated by the family and can be paid by VISA, MASTERCARD or DEBIT at the funeral home. FRIENDS MAY CALL ON TUESDAY FROM 1 P.M. TILL THE TIME OF SERVICE AT 2 P.M. www.whattamfuneralhome.com

subset: commoncrawl


text:
May 13, 2019 - 02:24 AM
May 13, 2019 - 02:50 AM
Depends on your budget and the appetite of your company to support your professional growth . I would say ITIL gives you an over all grounding but in a larger field of ITAM and service delivery and is always a good qualification to get.
The ITAM review do some qualifications as well based on the 12-box model, I enjoyed it depends on your maturity.
The IAITAM qualifications are now well recognised in the UK and they will get you a lot more notice from recruiters but with them there is no good or bad course, start with CHAMP but CITAD is good if you have a larger input to hardware but like you said CHAMP would be a better start before the CITAD.
I would also say do one a year to keep your certs up to date but also spread your qualifications so that you get more breadth and insights on how different organisations approach SAM/ITAM.
But no qualification is a replacement for experience.


text:
Your last ebook:
You dont read ebooks at this site.
Total ebooks on site: about 25000
You can read and download its for free!
Radisson, Pierre Esprit (1636 - 1710) - free ebooks for download and read online
There are ebooks for online reading and free download by Radisson, Pierre Esprit on this page. Also you can read a bio of Radisson, Pierre Esprit.
Pierre-Esprit Radisson (1636–1710) was a French-born explorer and mapper, whose exploration of 1668 led to the formation of the Hudson's Bay Company....
If you want to know more about Radisson, Pierre Esprit Read more at Wikipedia.org
Ebooks of Radisson, Pierre Esprit (free download and read):


text:
Cyprus Property Rises 2016
Cyprus Property Rises 2016 sales in Cyprus seem to be showing signs of recovery, after March saw a significant increase, up 19% in sales compared to March 2015.
According to the island's Land Registry data, which looked at the total number of property sale contracts submitted to the Registry, the sale contracts reached 539 in March this year, compared to 452 in March 2015.
Meanwhile, the first quarter of 2016 recorded 1367 of sale contracts compared to 1098 in the corresponding quarter of 2015, recording an increase of 24%.
Significant growth in Cyprus Property Rises 2016 was also recorded in sales from foreign buyers with an almost four-fold increase in sales by foreign buyers at 157 sales this March compared to just 41 in March last year.
In Nicosia, March sale contracts recorded a small decrease of 1% reaching 82, compared to 83 in March 2015.
In Limassol, sales increased in March by an impressive 23% to 197 compared to 160 in March last year.
Larnaca also recorded a 23% rise – with 121 sales compared to 98 in March 2015.
Meanwhile, Famagusta recorded an impressive 94% spike in sales recorded in March compared to last year, although the number of sales compared to other towns was significantly less – at 33 sales in March compared to 17 in 2015 of the same month.
There was also some respite for Cyprus Property Rises 2016 in Paphos with a 13% rise, with 106 sales recorded compared to 94 in 2015.
Courtesy The Cyprus Weekly
Cyprus Property grant for acquisition of first residence
PWC CYPRUS has recently published the 2013 edition of its Tax, Facts & Figures guide that provides information about the tax system in Cyprus, based on the current tax legislation and practice as at January 2013.
The PwC guide includes a section concerning the VAT (Value Added Tax) concessions for those buying property on the island as their first and primary residence: Reduced VAT rate of 5 per cent Imposition of the reduced rate of 5 per cent on the acquisition and/or construction of residences for use as the primary and permanent place of residence. Cyprus Property grant for acquisition of first residence.
The reduced rate of 5 per cent applies to contracts that have been concluded from 1 October 2011 onwards provided they relate to the acquisition and/or construction of residences to be used as the primary and permanent place of residence for the next 10 years.
For contracts concluded up to 30 September 2011 for the acquisition and/or construction of residences for use as the primary and permanent place of residence, the eligible person must apply for a grant.
The reduced rate of 5 per cent applies for the first 200 square meters of residences of total covered area of up to 275 square meters. In the case of families with more than 3 children the allowable total covered area increases by 15 square meters per additional child beyond the three children. The reduced rate is imposed only after obtaining a certified confirmation from the VAT Commissioner. The eligible person must submit an application on a special form, issued by the VAT Commissioner, which will state that the house will be used as the primary and permanent place of residence. The applicant must attach a number of documents supporting the ownership rights on the property and evidencing the fact that the property will be used as the primary and permanent place of residence.
As from 8 June 2012 eligible persons include residents of non EU Member States, provided that the residence will be used as their primary and permanent place of residence in the Republic. The documents supporting the ownership of the property must be submitted together with the application. The documents supporting the fact that the residence will be used as the primary and permanent place of residence (copy of telephone, water buyambienmed.com supply or electricity bill or of municipal taxes) must be submitted within six months from the date on which the eligible person acquires possession of the residence.
A person who ceases to use the residence as his primary and permanent place of residence before the lapse of the 10 year period must notify the VAT Commissioner, within thirty days of ceasing to use the residence, and pay the difference resulting from the application of the reduced and the standard rate of VAT attributable to the remaining period of 10 years for which the property will not be used as the main and primary place of residence.
Persons who make a false statement to benefit from the reduced rate are required by law to pay the difference of the additional VAT due. Furthermore, the legislation provides that such persons are guilty of a criminal offence and, upon conviction, are liable to a fine, not exceeding twice the amount of the VAT due, or imprisonment up to 3 years or may be subject to both sentences.
Cyprus Property grant for acquisition of first residence The grant is given to eligible persons for the construction, or purchase or transfer of a new residence which is used as the main and primary place of residence. The grant applies for contracts concluded up to 30 September 2011. The application for the grant is submitted to the Ministry of Finance, in relation to residences for which an application has been submitted for the issue of a planning permission after the 1 May 2004.
Persons entitled to this grant are individuals who are citizens of the Republic of Cyprus or of any other EU Member State, who reside permanently in the Republic of Cyprus and who have reached the age of 18 at the time of application. The grant is given for residences whose total covered area does not exceed 250 m². The level of the grant is limited to 130 m² (extended for families with four and more children) and depends on the type of the property and on whether the house was constructed or purchased. The relevant legislation provides that the level of the grant will be adjusted annually for the increase in the Retail Price Index.
Further reading Tax, Facts & Figures 2017 Cyprus
Courtesy Cyprus Property News
Cyprus Property grant for acquisition of first residence
Cyprus Property vat News
VAT reductions for first-time home buyers and a suspension of transfer fees are being discussed as part of the Cyprus government's austerity measures to bolster the Island's failing economy
GOVERNMENT lobbying by the Land & Building Developers Association (CLBDA) and the Land & Property Owners Association (KSIA) has been successful as proposals to reduce the tax on properties are now being discussed
The tax reduction proposals comprise:
Reducing the VAT to 5% for first-time home buyers for residences up to 250 square meters – and maintaining it at 15% for residences between 250 and 300 square metres. A suspension of property transfer fees for a three year period. A draft law concerning the reduction in VAT to 5% is expected to be discussed at today's House Plenary session.
The Island's property market has been in trouble for quite some time. Sales have fallen for thirteen consecutive months and are now down by almost 20% on the numbers sold last year. Unemployment in the sector has risen and the business climate deteriorated.
Assuming that these proposals are accepted by parliament and become law, they should go a long way in relieving the problems of the industry and should also help to clear the backlog of Title Deeds waiting to be issued.


text:
Spacious Townhouse
Three Bedrooms
Open Plan Living
Modern Kitchen
Playroom/ Bedroom Four
Studio/ Office
Guest WC
Utility Area
Walk to Station
Drive and OSP
Superbly situated within easy reach of St Albans City station, the citys shops, restaurants and Verulamium Park and benefiting from extensive mature communal grounds, this spacious property spread over three floors offers exceptional living accommodation in excess of 1,100 square foot!! The property is an excellent position for both public transport and motorway links.
Boasting an open plan living area on the second floor extending over 26ft this light and airy property also benefits from a modern kitchen and newly created play room/ office on the ground floor.
Below is a breakdown of how the total amount of SDLT was calculated.
|Accommodation Comprises
|Part glazed front door to...
|Entrance Hall
|Inset ceiling spotlights, Alarm point, Wood effect flooring, Fitted rush matting, Doors to Playroom and Studio, Stairs to first floor.
|Guest WC
|Window to front, Ceiling light point, Low level WC, Bracket wash hand basin, Radiator, Wood effect flooring.
|Utility Area
|Part of original garage, providing space for washer/dryer and other utilities.
|Playroom/ Bedroom Four
|17'5" x 15'5" (5.31m x 4.70m) max points
Recently converted, Windows to rear, Cupboard housing gas central heating boiler, Inset ceiling spotlights, TV point, Radiator, Wood effect floor.
|Studio/ Office
|Currently in use as a fully sound proof music studio, this would provide an excellent home office or teenagers games room.
|Stairs to First Floor
|Open Plan Lounge/ Kitchen/ Diner
|26'6" x 16'2" (8.08m x 4.93m)
|Kitchen/ Dining Area
|Window to rear aspect extending full width of kitchen, Inset ceiling spotlights in kitchen area, additonal lighting in dining area.
Modern kitchen comprising of a range of fitted wall and base units with complimenting work surfaces. Integrated fridge/freezer, Integrated electric cooker with gas hob, Recess and plumbing for dishwasher, Radiator, Wood effect flooring.
Dining area with additional storage cupboards and work surfaces.
|Lounge Area
|Window to front aspect extending full width of room, Ceiling light point, TV point, Radiator, Wood effect flooring, Stairs to second floor.
|Stairs to Second Floor
|Second Floor Landing
|Acces to loft, Ceiling light point, Airing cupboard, Doors to...
|Bedroom One
|12'2" x 10'10" (3.71m x 3.30m)
Window to rear aspect, Ceiling light point, Fitted wardrobes extending across one wall, Tv Point, Radiator, Fitted carpet.
|Bedroom Two
|11'6" x 10'10" (3.51m x 3.30m)
Window to front, Ceiling light point, Radiator, Fitted carpet.
|Bedroom Three
|8'6" x 6'0" (2.59m x 1.83m)
Window to rear, Ceiling light point, Fitted carpet.
|Window to rear, Ceiling light point, Partly tiled walls, Panel enclosed bath with shower above, Low level WC, Pedestal wash hand basin, Heated towel rail, Ceramic floor tiles.
|The property boasts a long drive way providing off street parking for cars.
|Communal Grounds
|Owners are able to enjoy use of the generous mature communal garden which are extremely well maintained.
Descriptions of the property are subjective and are used in good faith as an opinion and NOT as a statement of fact. Please make further specific enquires to ensure that our descriptions are likely to match any expectations you may have of the property. We have not tested any services, systems or appliances at this property. We strongly recommend that all the information we provide be verified by you on inspection, and by your Surveyor and Conveyancer.


text:
SmackDown Live General Manager snd former WWE superstar Daniel Bryan who retired due to life threatening injury.
Bryan did not retire at the time he should, he was forced to retired. But Daniel has got a plan and he would not disclose it to any WWE official.
See also: BREAKING NEWS: WWE Superstar Roman Reigns Arrested For Attempted Murder — See Huge Report…
Already Bryan has been cleared by multiple doctors yet he is wrestling as WWE-approved doctor Joseph Maroon hasn't given him the green light.
The Trentonian interviewed Daniel Bryan at Thursday night's New Jersey Devils game and there is one quote that will get a ton of attention.
Daniel is still very young and hearty, he is in his 30s. So, knowing that he still has life to live, he plans going back to his profession. Bryan said that he would be leaving the WWE and be signing in the New Japan Pro-Wrestling. He claims that this idea will pay him much good. He said that the signing in will give him chance to work with Ring of Honor and Mexican partner CMLL.
See also: Another Top Star Passes Away At The Age 40 — He Died On Sunday Night After He Collapsed
It is so obvious that the New Japan Pro Wrestling has great interest for the signing in of Bryan, so they just can't wait for his contract with the WWE to expire. There was a report by the NJPW associate that Bryan will in no wise return to the ring soon.
According to dailywrestlingnews.com, the NJPW is eager to have Daniel Bryan for their company but they were so confused when Bran changed his mind.
The WWE on their own side has ordered the wife Bryan, Brie Bella not to use the terms retire each time she talks as it will bring the company's name to disrepute if it is noted that all her members are retiring due to injury.
Now the question is, will Daniel Bryan ever negotiate a signing contract with the New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW)? The answer is simple, just stay online always and you will get the updates.
See also: Vince McMahon Caught Making Love To WWE Women Champion Backstage — See Who Vince Made Love To…
In regards to a WWE in-ring return, he said, "I'm trying to get cleared as we speak. All my tests have come back fantastic, better than people who have never had any concussion-type stuff. But it's a weird thing. We're in a weird situation politically with the climate around concussions; right now, it's very difficult. WWE would love to have me back, but is that the smart thing for me as a business to bring me back? If I was to come back, and they let me back, would they get a lot of flak for it? They have a ton of stockholders that they're responsible for. It's more than just, 'Is he healthy to do it?'"
Bryan continued, "There's more than that to the whole situation. All the concussion doctors think that I'm healthy enough to do it, and that I should be able to do it — well, I don't want to say all of them, I'm sure there's somebody out there who doesn't think that — but there's a lot more than goes into it than just that. That's the unfortunate situation with giant corporations and big business in the United States."


text:
This fabulous offer from Cents of Style is back and even better! Grab a Cocoon Cardigan for just $15.95 shipped!! In order to get this price, you must use the code: COCOON when you checkout. Choose from several different colors: Putty, Ivory, Red, Black, Mint, Rust, Navy, Fuchsia, and Beige.
Remember StyleSteals are first come, first serve and will NOT normally be something they will restock, so grab one (or two) while you can!
They are knit, over-sized layering cardigans and are the softest ever! One size fits most: They are much like a shrug: slouchy, over-sized, comfy and on trend!
Description: One size fits most over-sized knit cocoon cardigan.
Material- 100% acrylic.


text:
One of my latest creations is this Green Dragons Eye Bracelet. The Dichroic Cabochon measure about 1" and is set on a silver plated bracelet.
I have included lots of pictures from different angles to try and show the different colours and design. The pictures were taken on a mirror to increase light so dont get confused, it is only one eye. lol
This Green Dragons Eye Bracelet is £15 plus £3 p&p
This bracelet can be bought by simply emailing me at email@example.com alternatively you can take a look at my other work on my web site at www.stevesmithjewellery.co.uk.
Really looking forward to getting the kiln started again to make some more.


text:
Spirit Nights
Throughout the year Beaufort Academy sponsors several events.
They range from fundraising to informational to spirit nights.
Check out the events below and Save the Date!
Join us the first Wednesday of every month at Chick-fil-A for Beaufort Academy's Spirit Night!
2019-2020 Dates:
- August
- September
- October
- November
- December
- January
- February
- March
- April
- May
- June
- July
- August
Here is your chance to support BA with ease!
Dine between the hours of 5:30-7:30pm, and 10% of your purchase will go straight back to BA's parent association.
Thank you for your support!


text:
| 5.5°C Belfast
Mark McGhee believes respect rather than rancour will dominate Scotland's European Championship qualifier against Republic of Ireland at Celtic Park on Friday night.
Much of the attention will be on the visitors' Aiden McGeady and James McCarthy, two Scottish-born players who opted to play for the country of their grandparents.
Scotland boss Gordon Strachan has no problem with the Tartan Army booing the duo as long as it is for footballing reasons, but former Scotland defender Gordon McQueen insists they deserve "a horrible reception" for pledging their allegiance to Ireland.
Assistant manager McGhee, however, does not believes the Scotland supporters will target McGeady and McCarthy.
Speaking at Scotland's Mar Hall training complex, where the Scots will prepare for the crucial Group D encounter with Martin O'Neill's side as well as the friendly against England the following Tuesday, he said: "I can't imagine that. I really can't see that.
"There are two groups of players and staff who know each other and who have a huge amount of respect for each other.
"I sat beside Martin O'Neill last week at Brentford.
"I think it has the makings of a hugely competitive game, but I think it is a game that will be played in the best spirit.
"I don't think there will be any other issues.
"Anything else will be drowned out by the support that hopefully the Scotland fans give their own team, rather than wasting energy on anything else.
"I know from European nights that the atmosphere that can be generated at Parkhead, like Ibrox, is just sensational.
"With the magnitude of this game, you would expect there to be as good an atmosphere at a Scotland game as there has been for a long time.
"It is a home game for us, not for them. We have a huge support behind us, we couldn't be set up better."
Optimism around Scotland continues to grow after taking four points from their first three fixtures, including a 2-2 draw with Poland in Warsaw in their last outing.
However, McGhee admits their points tally is no more than expected as they welcome a buoyant Irish side who have seven points from their opening three games and are behind group leaders Poland only on goal difference following a confidence-boosting 1-1 draw in Germany .
"As far as I am concerned all we have achieved so far is the minimum that would be expected from us," said the former Scotland striker.
"We got a point away against Poland and we beat Georgia at home. I don't think anyone expected us to beat Germany away or take anything from them.
"I think any less than that (four points) and we would be sitting here worrying.
"Republic of Ireland have made a slightly better start as they have gone to Germany and got a draw and have beaten Georgia away from home.
"I am not saying it makes them favourites, I'd like to think home advantage will count for something.
"But they have arguably made a better start than us so we have to catch them up.
"This game will go a long way to decide whether we do or don't qualify.
"It is not decisive by an means.
"It is not a 'must-win' or 'must-not-lose' game, but a win would give either team a huge advantage."
McGhee is bracing himself for a British-style cup tie between two sides he believes are a "mirror image" of each other..
"I think there will be a slightly different tone to it than there would be against a more continental team, whether it is Poland or any of the others," said the former Motherwell and Aberdeen boss.
"We have players from the Premier League and the Championship and a few from Scotland.
"They pretty much draw their players from the same clubs.
"I sat beside Martin at Brentford and there were four of our squad and three of their squad playing for Derby.
"We are going to the same places for our players so I think we are evenly-matched in that respect."


text:
1 - 10 of 11 Press Releases
Martha Is Making Even More Room So That You Can Get Even More Bare In Her Closet.
Apr 21, 2010
Yes. We're serious. Martha of Martha's Closet Online is introducing the new Men's Collection from the Bare Body Collection (home of the BARE-fly Travel Collection) with the debut of her Dare to Be Bare Pour Homme fragrance.
Get Bare with the Magical Powers of Mint
Apr 09, 2010
Drawing on mint's ancient and soothing qualities and health benefits, the BARE Body Collection is introducing a new line of body mouse, bath fragrance and soothing balms, creams and lotions, just in time for the outdoor summer season.
Bare it all with Bare Bug Be Gone!
Apr 07, 2010
BARE Bug Be Gone! 1 oz. The name says it all! If you are looking for a nice smelling, natural, outdoor protective blend that DOES NOT contain DEET then this is the product for you.
Dare to Be Bare This Spring
Mar 17, 2010
Martha has created something new. Celebrating her launch of her new beauty line BARE, and for the frequent and discerning traveller, BARE-fly - she has created a perfume as well - Dare to Be Bare.
Get BARE for the Easter Bunny. Get BARE When you Fly. Get BARE-fly.
Mar 06, 2010
Get BARE® in Martha's Closet. Yes, we're serious. Martha is making room in her closet for the private label body, bath and fragrance line - BARE.
Get BARE for One Night
Feb 22, 2010
Get BARE® in Martha's Closet. We are introducing our travel satchels, BARE-fly, and for the shorter stay, Le Petit BARE-fly
Get BARE when you Fly
Feb 05, 2010
Our BARE-fly Travel Satchel Collection comes in TSA approved (Transportation Safety Administration) 2 oz.sizes. Also available in 1 oz. sizes in our Le Petit BARE-fly Satchel.
Get BARE for Valentine's Day
Feb 05, 2010
BARE Chocolate Massage Oil has a lot of vitamins and minerals which is healthful when applied. And for those watching their weight - there's also the "instant chocolate fix." The aroma alone - can help keep you away from the office vending machine.
Get Bare with Dare to be Bare Perfume
Feb 05, 2010
"Dare to go bare with BARE Dare to Be Bare 1 oz. Parfum."
Dare to Be Bare for Her
Jan 30, 2010
Dare to go bare with BARE Dare to Be Bare 1 oz. Parfum.


text:
In some situations, your student loans can be forgiven, canceled or discharged. Student loan forgiveness, cancellation or discharge look like each other, but all of them have their features. If you are unable to pay your student loan because of your job, this is cancellation or forgiveness. If you cannot make your student loan payment because of your health problems or the enclosure of the university where you received loans, this is commonly entitled discharge. On 13th December of 2018, the Ministry of Education declared that they would launch Borrower's Defense to Repayment Discharge program. Phoenix University has been accused of making all kinds of fraudulent activities breaking State and Federal Laws. There is good news about student loan forgiveness programs in 2019 for the students of the University of Phoenix. Thanks to Borrower's Defense to Repayment it is not only possible but also easy to qualify for the University of Phoenix student loan forgiveness program.
Short information about Phoenix University
The University of Phoenix was established in 1976. A couple of years later, the university spread to other cities like San Jose, California and ultimately the university started its online program in 1989 "US Today" added the Phoenix University to the list of universities called "red flag" institutions in 2013. The universities were commonly added to this list because of fake operations. The Phoenix University informed the public that its graduation rate was 26 percent but indeed it was 17 percent. The University of Phoenix owns 91 campuses and over 440,000 enrolled students.
The University of Phoenix is the second largest university all over the country, but its graduation rate is awful. In the last ten years, millions of Americans trapped by the University of Phoenix's great advertising campaigns and enrolled in university's higher education classes. As a result, students buried themselves in the University of Phoenix student loan debt. One of the former employees' of the University of Phoenix revealed all kinds of illegal activities of the university.
How to get lawful right for the University of Phoenix Student Loan forgiveness program
Most probably, the University of Phoenix student loans will be covered in the scope of this program. US Ministry of education promised to alert all borrowers about loan cancellations on 14 December in 2018. The University of Phoenix infringed State and Federal laws to take out money from not just individual Americans, but also the Federal Government. Under the Borrower's Defense law if university committed fraud, failed to realize promises, or misrepresented their services or violated other state laws concerned with your student loans, you have legal right to discharge student loans.
In the situation of the University of Phoenix, it is undeniable that you will do.
The University of Phoenix persuaded students to take out loans by giving false information about graduation rates and job opportunities. Fundamentally you will accuse the University of providing false advertisement. By this way, you are saying that you wouldn't have participated at the university and never would have borrowed the student loans. The good news is that if your appeal is confirmed, your all loan will be forgiven. If the applications are approved, the massive number of students will be benefited from the University of Phoenix student loans forgiveness or the University of Phoenix loan discharge program.
What was the fault of the University of Phoenix?
In the case, we revealed that the University of Phoenix had submitted false information about its student support statistics to the Federal Government. With this wrong information, the school was able to get additional fund, but in fact, that was impossible to get extra money. When you complete your application, we advise you to concentrate on the false advertisement. High graduation rate and job finding opportunities encouraged students to receive the student loan. The other details below will be helpful for everybody to get all the information about the dirty activities of The University of Phoenix. Through this knowledge, you will understand why you can get back your student loans in the first attempt.
The University of Phoenix infringed the Federal False Claims
The University of Phoenix infringed the Federal False Claims Act by lying about complying with the U.S. Higher Education Act's 90/10 Rule. The University of Phoenix did all kinds of illegal activities. They forced their employees to sign up for the University of Phoenix classes. The University of Phoenix violated the 90/10 rule by pushing employees to say the Federal Government that they were paying full tuition rates. These acts allowed them to get tens of thousands of dollars in Federal financial aid. But most times employees weren't using the fund for classes. The University of Phoenix management said to employees that this was their contribution to University.
Reportedly the University of Phoenix trained recording advisors, consultants, and potential students to falsify student loan applications. When the workers returned their computers. all kind of proofs of violations had been removed from their hard discs. Because of this kind of clear illegal reasons, all students of the University of Phoenix can claim Borrower's Defense Discharge. It is calculated that as a result of unlawful activities of the University of Phoenix damaged billions of dollars to the US government. No need to feel sorry for the University of Phoenix or the Apollo Education Group and they deserve to be punished.
Where Do I file My Borrower's Defense Application?
It is pretty simple because there's just one formal way to file your Borrower's Defense appeal for student loan forgiveness.
Do not submit a Borrower's Defense to Repayment Application on any other site. Because your information could be gathered by anyone else online or by phone. In that situation, you could be tricked in a common Student Loan Forgiveness Scam. In this issue, the federal government has taken specific steps on the University of Phoenix Student loan Forgiveness program. But there are still thousands of people trying to make money from hopeless student loan borrowers. So you have to be immensely cautious about receiving help with your student loans and with the Borrower's Defense application.
When Will I Find Out If My Application is Confirmed?
It is unknown how long it will take if your application is approved. According to the comments of students, it takes over one year, and still, they wait for an answer. Recently tones of articles have been published about student loan forgiveness program. The Secretary of Education of USA Betsy DeVos tried to close the entire program down. Now all of us must know that the University of Phoenix student loan forgiveness program is a controversial and one day could be closed. Nobody knows about President Trump's plan for student loan forgiveness and discharge program, and it will be undercover until it reveals. We have to be ready to lose Borrower's Defense process at any time.
Will I Owe Taxes On My Forgiven Student Loan?
Yes, and it's unlucky because it's the one huge pitfall to the Borrower's Defense process. If you win the case for Borrower's Defense discharge and get University of Phoenix student loan forgiveness, at next stage you will count the amount forgiven as income on your subsequent IRS filing (IRS- Internal Revenue Service). Student loans can be a significant investment in your future or can be a huge burden if not thoroughly thought out or abused. If you think about taking out a student loan, be careful about the university you want to attend. Before signing up in a university, it is vitally important to do in-depth research.


text:
Growing up in Cleveland, OH, with a mother in cosmetology and a father who was a tailor and dry cleaner, Mr. Carver says, "I had no choice but to pay attention to fashion. The motto around our house was: 'If you look good, you feel good; if you feel good, you will do good.'"
Mr. Carter has put that family motto into action, by donating profits from his popular bow ties to charity.
When Mr. Carter opened his men's retail store, Empire Ltd. Haberdashery, in downtown Greer, he felt he was finally in a place – geographically and existentially – where his sense of style and business expertise could be maximized to its fullest potential. He explains that his store "was created specifically for men with exquisite taste. But we've found that men from all forms of work and play enjoy our products and we're very happy to serve them!"
But it wasn't enough. He was looking for a way to help give back to his community.
"Along with my love for fashion, I also have a passion for non-profit organizations, which includes Meals On Wheels, Goodwill Industries and Pendleton Place Children Shelter, to name a few. I was determined to find a way to support and assist non-profit organizations in raising more funding and at the same time share my love for fashion."
Voilà! Empire Bow Ties was created to help support several non-profit organizations raise money for their cause while at the same time provide custom, hand-made bow ties for the discerning man who loves to wear them. Online shoppers can input a code at checkout to specify their chosen non-profit organization from a list, and half of all profits from that sale are donated.
Please join us in congratulating this 2019 Upstate Black History Maker, James Carter!
Sponsored by:


text:
Opposition calls fresh 72-hour blockade across Bangladesh
Police filed a case against 16 BNP leaders, including the party's acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, in connection with yesterday's arson attack on the bus during a 71-hour protest in which two persons were killed and 16 others injured.
Twenty two people have died since Tuesday, when the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its allies launched the nationwide rail, road and waterways blockade after rejecting the poll schedule. The 18-party opposition alliance wants the polls to be held under a neutral caretaker government, saying they will not be credible under the multi-party interim set-up, headed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
"The countrywide 72-hour road, rail and waterways blockade will start from 6:00 am tomorrow and last until Monday 6 am," BNP's joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi told a hurriedly called press conference.
He said the fresh blockade was called, demanding cancellation of the election schedule setting January 5, 2014 for voting and mount pressures on government to release their detained leaders and activists. The opposition alliance, with fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami being a major partner, wrapped up its 71-hour blockade at 5 am today. The opposition denied allegations of setting afire the bus, attributing the act to government supporters. State minister for home Shamsul Haque Tuku called the arsonists "animals in human disguise".
Meanwhile, BNP chief Khaleda Zia in a statement demanded immediate withdrawal of the cases against party leaders. "I strongly condemn and protest suing the 18-party combine leaders for instigation," Khaleda said.
The latest standoff between Hasina's Awami League and the BNP began after the Election Commission announced the poll schedule on Monday. According to the schedule, December 2 is the last date for submitting nomination papers, meaning the opposition must decide its stance on the polls and nominate candidates in the next three days.


text:
What do I do when it's hard for a loved one to accept the need for a carer
Helpd.co.uk is a Provider of Live-In Care Across the UK
'I'm fine! I don't need any help!' Why some people may find it hard to accept or ask for help and how you can address this.
It can be very difficult to watch a loved one struggle with difficulties that you know could be reduced with a little help or with a little domiciliary care. This can be particularly frustrating if they dislike talking about their difficulties, or plainly refuse to do so. Any attempts to bring things into the open may be met with an irritable response or arguments that we would sooner avoid. For family members, this can be very stressful, particularly if you feel the person is at risk in some way, or you are just trying to keep them safe, to prevent an accident or a fall for example. In the first place, it may help to try to understand why they dislike or are unable to engage in a fuller conversation about their situation with you. There may be several reasons:
- The person may not know, or be fully aware of their difficulties. Depending on their 'cognitive' or thinking abilities, a person may not be fully aware of the presence of difficulty. They may not be remembering instances when they have struggled or their struggles may be masked by a helpful well-meaning loved one. They may not be remembering your discussions with them about their struggles or they may not be fully processing what was said. They may also acknowledge their difficulties but fail to reason through how this might leave them vulnerable.
Click here to view the profiles of our carers: www.helpd.co.uk/find-now/
- They may be 'in denial' about the whole thing. For example, they may find it too painful or anxiety-provoking to even consider that things are changing or that they may require a carer or care assistant. It might feel better to simply avoid thinking about this altogether. There may be a strong sense of embarrassment or shame about their difficulties, particularly if they have valued being independent most of their lives. In their lives, they may have been unfamiliar with (or even have strongly disliked) receiving care and they may perceive care from others in a rather negative way (such as feeling that their privacy is being invaded).
- It is possible that the person may also feel patronised by the discussion, particularly if they are older than you, or previously responsible for you or others.
- Older people may dismiss their difficulties as just an inevitable part of 'getting older', rather than seeing them as something they can do something about. Or they may feel guilty in asking for help and not want to be a burden on their loved ones. They may also be worried about the reactions of others: people may have all sorts of fears – such as being 'carted away' or disregarded by others as 'on the scrap heap'. After all, it was not all that long ago that people were 'sent to the madhouse' for problems like dementia.
So how can this be managed or approached?
Overall, it is going to be useful to try to adopt a patient, gentle, non-confrontational approach to this. Here are some potentially helpful things to bear in mind:
- Safety will need to be thought about initially, and doing what you can to keep the person safe and prevent accidents is likely to be a priority (e.g. picking your battles!). This might mean aiming simply to set up aids around the house that need not make the person feel patronised. For example, handrails in the bath or by steps, or a 'falls-alarm' system such as a pendant that alerts help if it detects a fall. Or arranging for friends and neighbours to check in at regular times.
- If you believe that cognitive (e.g. memory or thinking) difficulties are impacting on your conversation with them about difficulties:
- Be patient and reduce the overall pace of conversations: talk at a slower or more 'relaxed' pace and be prepared to deviate during conversations and to repeat things – but be mindful not to infantilise or belittle
- Provide written information or leaflets about the problem or what care might be like
- Be mindful that a lack of awareness can simply be how things are and that this can fluctuate over time or as problems persist. It might be more useful to leave a topic and return to it after some time rather than trying to be successful at one attempt
- Try to ask directly why they might not like the idea of extra help with things or what they might be concerned about. Try to listen and validate their concerns, rather than quickly 'jumping in' with solutions. Suggest options and help with thinking through the pros and cons perhaps. Give them the choice and control over decisions. It might also be useful to emphasise that setting up care at home will be for your peace of mind, or simply to keep the person company. Try to avoid getting into 'confrontational' discussions that may only serve to put you in opposition to your loved one
- Finally, it might be useful to talk to someone else about your concerns. This could be with a friend or with the home care company to get some advice. Or it might help to talk with friends simply to vent and to help manage the understandable stresses involved in trying to help a loved one.
- You might find that introducing a carer for only a few hours per week to do some basic tasks such as cooking, cleaning and ironing to begin with is the ideal way for your loved one to get used to the idea of accepting domiciliary care or a care worker in their home. If you decide that you would like to hire your own carers instead of going direct to a more expensive care agency, using Helpd will help you to find a carer in Reading or Nottingham quickly and easily. It is also a hassle free way for you to gradually get to know what type of care worker best suits the needs of your loved one.
If you liked this post why not read:


text:
Badewelt St. Johann with indoor swimming pool, high speed Wi-Fi and much more: free services included
Services included at the COOEE alpin Hotel in St Johann
Our additional free extras are our gift to you. At COOEE alpin Hotel Kitzbüheler Alpen you can enjoy a number of services included free of charge - such as the free use of Badewelt St. Johann for three hours a day. What a pleasure!
Please note that in our sports hotels smoking is only possible on the terrace or outdoors in front of the hotel. For safety reasons smoking is not tolerated on the balconies.
Included Services
Your stay includes the following services:
- COOEE alpin RELAX with sauna and spacious relaxation room
- COOEE alpin Welcome Check-in Beverage Voucher
- Fitness room
- Bicycle room
- Heated ski room with ski spinds with integrated boot dryer for a warm and cosy skiing experience
- Free parking directly in front of the hotel or underground (subject to availability)
- Free charging station for your e-car
- Free high-speed W-Lan throughout the hotel is available for your use during your entire stay
from 139€ per person
⛰ Hiking at Kitzbüheler Horn ⛰
Hiking Package incl. 2 nights, half board and one up and downhill ride with the Harschbichlbahn I+II. You save 10% on the overnight price incl. half board.


text:
One item has been added to your favourites

The Best Rate

Get up to 25% off with our Best Rate offer. Perfect for those with fixed travel plans.
Terms & Conditions:
- Tax rate/inclusion dependent on location
- Full Pre-Payment Required and Credit Card used for payment must be presented at check-in
- Non-refundable and no changes are allowed
- Excludes our hotels in China


text:
Our preferred Irish B&Bs are places I've stayed
personally or have been recommended by clients, assuring you that we've enjoyed our stay and would return again. You will find a
P next to preferred properties.
Luxurious residence - all rooms having panoramic views of Lough Eske/Bluestacks, Guide de Routard, Dumont, Michelin Green Guide, McQuillans Ire. Recommended.


text:
I've been doing a lot of associating lately. Every time I see a butterfly I think of her. Or a rose, or a gladiola, or anything purple. I constantly ask myself what I would be doing right this second if she was still alive. It truly is constantly. I've been doing a lot of baking to help me keep my mind off of her but it doesn't work. Just makes me wonder if I'd have her in the kitchen with me, helping me "clean" the bowls. I guess the good thing about all the baking is that I've found a new love and talent in making cupcakes. Maybe a future business? Who knows...
|Strawberry Lemonade Cupcake...sorry about the poor pic quality, took the pic with my phone.
I continue to work on my memory boxes too which makes me wonder even more. Would I have even thought to do something like this if she hadn't died? Probably not. But, its another thing that makes me happy. I feel so much closer to her when I work on them. Over the last couple of weeks, I've gotten some more donations. Still, there's so much more I need and her birthday is coming up fast. If anyone wants to help out (or has some advice!), please let me know. You can read more about my project here.
|Matching hats and blanket made by a family friend
|Picture frames donated by former coworker and friend
Lastly, I'm sorry I haven't been commenting on many posts lately. I just haven't felt up to reading them. Some days my sadness is just too overwhelming and I just can't seem to find the right words. Please know that I think about all of my blog friends daily and hoping that our struggles get a little easier.