text:
September 2000
Check out past editions here.
Duncan Werth, 2nd Vice President
Greetings, Orchid Fans! I hope the Plant Clinic went well, I was out with a summer cold and was not able to make the class. Thanks to everyone who helped diagnose the orchids. For Septembers Novice Class, I have convinced Loren Batchman to tell us all about Cymbidiums. Hell talk about general culture and care of cymbidiums. Come learn from one of the best!
George Kenner, First Vice President
For September, we have been able to convince another world recognized orchid authority to grace our podium. He is a Past President of the California Riverside-San Bernardino Counties Orchid Society; so many times over that I think he has lost count. He is the author of several "Best Selling" orchid culture manuals and has a new tome out entitled GARDEN WRITING: FOR NEWSLETTERS AND MAGAZINES. I am sure that, after reading this biographical sketch, he will insist that I purchase and memorize his latest effort!!
This gentleman is a retired United States Air Force Officer, currently dividing his time between the mountains and the sea; depending on the season. (I will mention, with admitted malice, the Air Force always gets the goodies.)
I am speaking, of course of the redoubtable Phalaenopsis Evangelist - BOB GORDON. This will not be Bobs first visit to our society and I certainly hope it wont be his last.
The title of Bobs presentation for the evening is a two-parter. Part #1: Some Problems with Phalaenopsis Culture. Part #2: How to Solve Them. (The "couldnt- do -without it" part.)
Bob has graciously agreed to bring along some copies of his Phalaenopsis culture book series. They will be available for purchase. He will be happy to autograph the new copies - or old ones if you have one on the shelf.
The plant table will be furnished by one of our own Phalaenopsis propagandists - Charlie Fouquette. Charlie mentioned that he had some real nice "Reds" coming along. Buy some raffle tickets. You just might get lucky.
Note: Until we return to our usual meeting room #101 please DO NOT bring plants for show to the meeting. There just isnt enough space. Hopefully well be back by the September meeting but you will find out right here. Thanks
Members and Advertisers
If you have monthly meetings or announcements related to orchids, make sure the information gets to the Editor by the Second Tuesday of each month for publishing in the next issue of this newsletter. To contribute articles or to advertise your orchid-related business, please contact Rebecca Lawrence, Editor, 820 Ocean Crest, Cardiff, CA 92007, Phone: 760-943-8860 or E-mail: email@example.com .
An Introduction:
My name is David Graham and I am one of four people interested in working together becoming editors or co-editors of the newsletter.
I was editor of the San Diego Epiphyllum Societys newsletter for two years, several years ago, so have a good idea of what it will require to publish the newsletter every month. (Lots of hard work!!!)
Here are some ideas and thoughts that I have in mind for the newsletter. I would like to receive comments and input from fellow members to make it happen.
Color Photo edition perhaps once a quarter. If there is enough interest, I will contact the board of directors for the funding to make it happen. I would like to use some of the pictures of the orchids that have won awards at the flower shows. If there is enough interest, I will again do some research and find out what it would cost to put a color photo as the cover to the newsletter.
Members Classified / Want Ad Page. Members can inform others about plants that they have available, as well as plants that they are looking for. I, for one, have a large greenhouse that I have just finished and want to find others that have divisions available.
Question Page where members can send in questions that they have on orchids. Members can send in tips and suggestions on how to help others. Shortcuts to make things easier. Found a good place to get supplies, WEB sites for interesting articles, let others know via the newsletter. Other comments always welcome.
Remember that this newsletter is Your Newsletter and is made available to present information to you and other members.
I did articles on several of the local Epiphyllum hybridizers (I am not a journalist), so the articles were done on an amateur scale. If there is enough interest, I may contact some of the local hybridizers and growers to do short articles about them.
My email address is email@example.com . Thanks, Dave
SDCOS Conservation Committee
Awards Over $6,100 in Grants
This July the SDCOS Conservation Committee met to evaluate 16 grant applications for orchid conservation projects to be considered for this year. We received applications from Asia (Russia, Ukraine), Africa (Tanzania, Kenya, Cameroon), and, on our own continent, North (Illinois, Hawaii), Central (Mexico, Belize), and South (Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil) America. While it was at times a very difficult job, in the end our committee narrowed the list of those to receive funds to four. Here are brief descriptions of those four projects.
ECUADOR: Orchid field biologist Lou Jost is surveying volcanic mountains of what is likely the most orchid-diverse country in the world, Ecuador, to determine what habitats make for especially rich orchid populations. His goal is to be able to identify criteria that will allow a government agency or landowner to select orchid-rich areas for protection from logging or agriculture, without having to spend their limited time and funds to first evaluate which orchids, in what numbers, live in each area. This could provide a practical, straightforward model for other countries to adopt in their own conservation efforts, and hopefully protect habitat sooner, rather than much too late. This part of Ecuador is the home range of many amazing orchids, especially cool-growing Masdevallias, Draculas, and Lepanthes. Jost is an excellent botanical illustrator, and is working with Carlyle Luer, Stig Dalstrom, Cal Dodson and Robert Dressler on the identification and illustration of numerous new Pleurothallid species. His project was awarded a grant of $2325 to support 3 months of field work.
BRAZIL: Our committee voted to award $2400 to the Rio Atlantic Forest Trust for a second year, to help continue its work in documenting orchids and their habitats in several large areas of coastal rainforest. This area is home to many popular genera, including Sophronitis, Zygopetalum, Oncidiums, Cattleyas and Laelias. Scientists Richard Warren and David Miller formed the Rio Atlantic Rainforest Trust over 20 years ago, and have worked effectively for two decades to protect almost 7000 acres of pristine rainforest from development. They have published a field and hobbyist guide, "Orchids of the High Mountain Atlantic Rainforest in Southeastern Brazil" (a copy is in our SDCOS library), and are working now on a second volume.
ILLINOIS: An award of $858 went to support a study of symbiotic mycorrhizal (fungal) associations of two species of terrestrial orchids native to Illinois. Dr. Laurence Zettler and his student, Scott Stewart, are working to isolate the mycorrhizal fungi of Platanthera leucophaea and Spiranthes brevilabris. Terrestrial orchids are notorious for being difficult, or even impossible, to germinate and cultivate in a nursery, and often die once removed from the wild. As such, they are at great risk of extinction from loss of habitat. These studies are directed at better understanding the unique relationships that orchids share with fungi during their life cycle, and to thus to more easily cultivate terrestrial orchids in vitro. Dr. Zettler is an internationally recognized authority on these highly specialized mycorrhizal associations.
PERU: Our grant of $580 will be used to purchase books and other essential reference materials for the Vargas Herbarium of the University of Cusco, and for the personal library of a most promising young University student, William Nauray. Nauray is actively studying the orchids of Wiñay Wayna, an orchid-rich, cloud-forest portion of the Historical Sanctuary of Machu Picchu. In addition, these resources may encourage other Peruvian students to become involved in orchid research, education and conservation. Mr. Nauray is working with the guidance of orchid taxonomist Eric Christenson, who frequently publishes in Orchids magazine, and who is author of a forthcoming book on the genus Phalaenopsis from Timber Press.
In the last two decades our society has raised, and donated, $64,050 to support worthwhile conservation efforts worldwide. While this certainly is only a tiny drop in the bucket compared to the requests we receive, and to the need that exists, we believe that even a small amount can make a big difference in encouraging public education and enabling hands-on conservation. This is especially true in less-developed parts of the world where a U.S. dollar goes much further than in more highly developed areas, and/or where local funds and focus on conservation are completely absent and the situation unlikely to change.
The projects our society has supported include helping to build a new, state-of-the-art greenhouse at the San Diego Zoo, habitat protection in the Ecuadoran rainforest and in Belize, cultivation and reintroduction of native ladyslippers in New Hampshire and studies of the population genetics of Epipactis gigantea here in San Diego County. This last study was carried out by high school student Arietta Fleming-Jones under the direction of Neal Biggart. Her work garnered several major prizes in the California State Science Fair, including the Sweepstakes Prize, and will be published in the near future.
This is a truly remarkable record of support for orchid conservation. It has been possible only with the hard work of volunteers in our society, beginning over 15 years ago up to today, and through the generous donation of many plants for sale by members, donors, and friends. And lets not forget to thank all those wonderful customers who continue to buy the donated plants!
For our good work to continue, your plant donations must continue as well. The next SDCOS conservation plant sale will be October 14 and 15 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. NOW is a good time to round up those extra divisions, duplicates, or simply those plants you have run out of room for. No plant is too big, no plant is too small! We only ask that it be an orchid. We will clean them up, stake them, price them, repot them if necessary, so dont hold off calling us because they are not picture-perfect. If you can, please include the name tag in the pot, or at least the flower color, as unidentified mystery plants are harder for us to sell. We will come right to your house to pick up any donation whenever it is convenient for you! Call us between now and October 14th to donate for the fall sale. Remember We accept donations for conservation year-round! All donations, whether plants or cash, are fully tax-deductible; you will receive an official society receipt for your records.
To arrange a plant pick-up, call one of these conservation committee members: Ron Kaufmann (858-270-7584), Peter Tobias (760-753-3173), Cindy Hill (858-481-5782), Siv Garrod (858-483-8787), Paul Tuskes (858-274-5829), Helmut Rohrl (858-452-0976), or Moti Bodner (858-484-2917).
Thank you for participating!!
Dates to Remember
September 2000
September 2, 9:00 am
SDCOS Species Group Meeting
First Saturday each month
Paul or Ann Tuskes (858) 274-5829
September 5, 7:30 pm
General Meeting
Note different room this month
Room 101, Casa del Prado, Balboa Park
Gary Pierwola (619) 426-9108
September 8, 7:30 pm
Palomar Orchid Society Meeting
Second Friday each month
Vista Community Center
Greg Luetticke (760) 724-4711
September 12, 7:00 pm
SDCOS Board Meeting
Second Tuesday each month
Balboa Park
Siv Garrod (619) 483-8787
September 15
Zoo Orchid Greenhouses Open House
Third Friday each month
Janette Gerrity (619) 231-1515 ext. 4306
September 20
Cymbidium Society Meeting
Third Wednesday each month
Carlsbad Womens Club
Larry Phillips (619) 746-5518
October 14th and 15th
San Diego International Orchid Fair
Del Mar Fairgrounds
John Walters
October 28th and 29th
East - West Orchid Show
New Otani Hotel, Los Angeles
September / October To Do Checklist
Cattleya Despite the shortening days and lowering angle of the sun, September can still be one of the hottest months.
Water and fertilizer need to be in balance with heat and light. The alert grower will notice, however, that his or her plants are beginning to slow down a bit. Growths are maturing, and the sheaths are giving the promise of the next six-months' bloom.
Check plants for potting needs for the last time this season. Any in dire need should be potted, even some that may be on the cusp, as there is just enough of the growing season left to allow the plants to establish before the days start to get really short and cold.
This is the month for purples derived from Cattleya labiata breeding to flower. If you are short on flowers, look into this group. There is nothing that can quite match this type for beauty and fragrance. They are easy to grow, too.
Plants summered outdoors should begin to be prepared to be brought back into the winter growing area. Clean the plants up and be on the lookout for any pests they may have picked up during the summer. Treat as necessary.
Cycnoches This little-known and under-appreciated genus, which can have male or female flowers, is at its best in the autumn. Two of the spectacular varieties are Cycnoches loddigesii, with its large brown flowers resembling a prehistoric bird, and Cycnoches ventricosum, the swan orchid. This last one has large, fragrant green flowers. The biggest problem, culturally, will be red spider mite infestations that require immediate attention. Plants are quite seasonal, requiring heavy watering in the growing season and then a drier dormant winter season.
Cymbidium Through diligent modern breeding programs, the cymbidium season gets stretched longer and longer. Now we can expect to have flowers open as early as September and October. Stake inflorescences and move the plants to a shadier location to help the flowers develop successfully. Because the plants will have warmth tolerance "built in" genetically, keeping the plants as cool as possible will help prevent bud curl. For the midseason varieties, inflorescences should be initiated by now. Feed plants on a regular schedule with a balanced fertilizer (20-20-20) and shade the plants lightly.
Dendrobium This is a good season for hybrids of the Dendrobium phalaenopsis and Dendrobium canaliculatum types. Both are capable of putting on tremendous shows of long-lasting flowers. Fertilize with a low-nitrogen formula to promote the best flowers. Dendrobium phalaenopsis can get tall and top heavy, suggesting an attractive and heavy container would be appropriate for this type.
Lemboglossum bictoniense Both Lemboglossum (syn. Odontoglossum) bictoniense and its hybrids bloom in this season. Lemboglossum bictoniense is a showy speciesfrom Mexico that has three different color forms: sulphureum (green Odcdm. Bittersweet and Odm. bicross) ease of culture, warmth tolerance and eye-catching patterns. They make a prime candidate for odontoglossum beginners and advanced alike.
Paphiopedilum Standard, green-leaved paphiopedilums begin to show their bloom sheaths this month. Late-season heat waves can blast these early sheaths, so be observant about proper cooling and air circulation. As with the rest of your plants that may have been summered outdoors, it is time to prepare for their move inside. Clean each plant and implement pest-control practices. Repotting, if necessary, is appropriate.
Phalaenopsis The bulk of this season's growth is being ripened this month, with growers in cooler climates seeing the first emerging inflorescences. Some night heating may be necessary in the cooler areas. Begin to watch watering more carefully, and reduce feeding proportionately with reduced watering needs. An extra dose of phosphorus and potassium, such as a bloom-booster or high-acid-type fertilizer, is beneficial.
Rossioglossum grande Once known as Odontoglossum grande, this is a spectacular orchid with six to eight flowers up to 8 inches across. Often known as the tiger orchid, it has bright golden yellow flowers heavily marked with chestnut brown barring. The plants are beautiful with a grey-green cast to the foliage, which is borne on succulent pseudobulbs. It prefers hot and wet summers with cooler, even down to 40 F, dry winters. Grow under filtered light. Watch for snails and slugs that eat the flowers, pseudobulbs and leaves.
Prepared by Ned Nash and James Rose.
SDCOS Conservation Grant Recipients 1984 2000
Did you realize... our Society of Volunteers has raised and donated over $64,000 to support orchid conservation here and abroad? Funds come from the sale of your DONATED PLANTS* at our twice-a-year sales booth. A full 100% of the proceeds go to support worthwhile conservation efforts. You Go, San Diego!!!
1984 San Diego Zoo Orchid
Greenhouse construction $15,000
1991 Rio Bravo Habitat Conservation Belize $4,640
1992 Rio Bravo Habitat Conservation Belize $4,570
1993 Rio Bravo Habitat Conservation Belize $4,950
1994 San Diego Zoo Orchid Viewing / Education $4,500
1995 Los Angeles County Arboretum Orchid Program $2,000
1996 UC Irvine Arboretum Orchid Research $2,000
1997 Quail Botanical Gardens Outdoor Orchids Displays, Signage, and Maintenance $3,600
1997 Orchid and Habitat Research, South Africa $1,700
1997 Native Ladyslipper Propagation & Re-introduction, New hampshire, USA $1,706
1998 Survey of Native Orchids, New South Wales, Australia $750
1998 Genetic Diversity of Epipactis gigantea, San Diego County $1,050
1998 Vegetative Propagation of D. anosmum, Hawaii $300
1998 Grant to 16th World OrchidConference, Vancouver, B.C., Canada $1,000
1999 Habitat protection and survey of native orchids, Rio Atlantic Forest Trust, Brazil $2,400
1999 Survey of Last Remaining Paphiopedilum habitats, North Vietnam $3,000
1999 Habitat Conservation - Ceiba Foundation, Ecuador $2,000
2000 Relationship Of Species Diversity To Habitat Type, Ecuador $2,325
2000 Study of mycorrhizal associations in Platanthera sp, Illinois, U.S.A. $858
2000 Reference books & materials for University, Machu Pichu, Peru $580
2000 Habitat protection, Rio Atlantic Forest Trust, Brazil $2,400
Due to space limitations, these project descriptions are of necessity short. If you would like to learn more details about any of these projects, or how they were selected by the committee, please contact Peter Tobias, conservation committee chairman, at (760) 753-3173, or e-mail email@example.com .
* all donations, whether plants or cash, are fully tax-deductible.
You are Invited to Dine with the Speakers
The society hosts a dinner for the scheduled speaker prior to the monthly meeting each month. You are all welcome to join us at that dinner, Its a perfect opportunity to socialize with some of the foremost orchid authorities of our day - and pick their brains FOR FREE!! Well, the brain picking is free but the dinner will cost you. The society picks up the tab for the speaker, his wife / companion and the assigned host. All others are "Dutch Treat."
Last month we utilized the new restaurant in the park named "The Prado" - the old "Cafe Del Rey Moro.", and I have decided to repeat "The Prado" for future dinners. It is handy to the meeting place, easy for the speakers to find and early arrival for the dinner (approximately 5:45 pm) practically ensures a good parking spot.
Reservations are strongly recommended by the restaurant management and I would encourage all who wish to join in the festivities to call me at (619) 660-0161, at least a few days before the meeting.
Lets make it a monthly ORCHID EVENT!!
See you there! George Kenner
One good ant bait is made from technical grade boric acid. Do not use medicinal boric acid as it is too easily confused with sugar or salt.
Mix 3 cups of water with 1 cup of technical grade boric acid formulated for pest control. Wrap 3 or 4 jam jars with masking tape.
For a large infestation pour a half cup or so of bait into each of the jars, which have been loosely packed with absorbent cotton. If you have kids or pets screw the lids tightly onto the jars, and seal with adhesive tape. Then pierce the lids, making two or three small holes, and smear the outside of the jars with some of the baited syrup. Place the jars where the ants forage and where the kids and pets cant disturb them. It will take a few days but eventually the ants will be swarming the jars. Some of the ants will die near the jars, but most will carry the poison back to the colony. Do not kill the ants massed around the jars. Just let the bait work and you shouldnt have any problem.
The Bug Man (Richard Fagerlund) http://www.askthebugman.com
To make Ant Bait pellets: Purchase powdered borax from a grocery store or cleaning supply store. Mix the borax powder with evaporated or condensed milk (such as Carnation) until you have a stiff paste. With a spoon, drop teaspoon-sized portions onto wax paper and let stand 24 hours or until pellets are formed. Place pellets on orchid pots and remove when ants have disapppeared.
This should work for all small ants, but does not usually help with carpenter ants.
A warm hello to all of the folks who recently joined as new members. Hope to see all of you at our upcoming meetings!
Our society thrives on membership participation. We hope you will let us all get to know you better by participating at meetings and at the various events throughout the year.
And to our current members, introduce yourselves to our newest members and be sure to make them feel welcome--after all, each of us were new members once upon a time!
Barbara Cala
Ellen Leeuwen
Valerie Felts
EllaMarie Hirsch
Eksie and Roldan Mislan
E. T. Kemper
Teresa St. John
SDCOS Board of Directors Meeting
August 8, 2000
Meeting called to order at 19:00
Present: Gary Pierwola, George Kenner, Duncan Werth, Barbie Mays, Dave Mays, Sam DeMaria, Loren Batchman, Ben Machado, Fred Weber, Alma Marosz, Genie Hammond, and Siv Garrod.
1. Last meetings minutes were read, and approved by motion.
2. Treasurers - Barbie Mays - Report for July was presented and filed for audit.
3. First vice president - George Kenner - The speaker at the September meeting is Bob Gordon. He will talk about Phalaenopsis orchids. The plant table will be provided by Charles Fouquette or Carmela Orchids.
4. Second vice president - Duncan Werth - Loren Batchman will discuss Cymbidium culture.
1. The by-laws committee, chaired by Paul Tuskes, has not had a chance to organize a meeting due to heavy traveling.
2. The proposal to the Garner fund to fund books for the University in Peru is under consideration.
1. John Walters informed the board the running of the San Diego International Orchid Fair founded by Greg Luetticke and Bill Baker will be done by the Quail Botanical Garden.
2. A search for a new Show Chair is underway.
3. Sam DeMaria made the motion not to have a theme for next years show. S. Garrod seconded and no one opposed.
4. The next Show meeting is after the September Board meeting.
Meeting adjourned 19:55 Submitted by Siv Garrod
The SDCOS offers this service to members who seek cultural information about their orchids. Here are some friendly hobbyists with a great deal of experience about certain types of orchids, and who have kindly volunteered to answer your questions.
Cattleyas, Oncidium/Odontoglossums, Vandaceous, Greenhouse grown, West SD County
Forrest Robinson - (619) 270-6105
Species, all types, Indoor and Outdoor
Ann & Paul Tuskes (858) 274-5829
Ann Tuskes - (858) 274-5829
Bob Hodges - (619) 461-4915,
Phalaenopsis, Cattleyas and Dendrobiums
Alma Marosz (619) 583-0334
Vandas, Ascocendas
Edith and Leno Galvan - (619) 441-7503
Encyclias, Epidendrums, Laelias
Tom Osborn - (760) 787-0282
Don van Kekerix - (619) 224-4938
Loren Batchman - email@example.com
Sam DeMaria - (619) 295-2951
Northeast County, all types
Dave Reid - (760) 728-7996
San Diego West County, all types
Jean Beck - (619) 435-8211
San Diego Central, Outdoor, all types
Jim Wright - (619) 276-5295
Fred Tomaschke - (619) 276-3225
San Diego East County, all types
James Masst (619) 443-2800
Bud Close (619) 444-8839
South County all types
Genie Hammond -- (619) 426-6831
Ed Marty (619) 470-7175
Photography ©Greg Allikas


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Kanai's Cube is a versatile tool, that allows you to create and modify items, obtain their special powers, convert crafting materials and gems, and more.
Before Kanai's Cube can be accessed, it must be unlocked (once per game mode). For that you need to head to The Ruins of Sescheron, proceed into Elder Sanctum and finally move to the dead end at the northeastern edge of the map. After that Kanai's Cube will become accessible in every town in Adventure mode.
To use any of Kanai's Cube recipes, you need to put all the required ingredients into the Cube and click the "Transmute" button. For ingredients, that are not physically present in your inventory, such as Reusable Parts, Forgotten Soul or Arreat War Tapestry, you need to choose the appropriate Recipe and click on "Fill". Finally, you can click "Accept" to remove the result of transmutation from the Cube, but you don't have to do it; you can just walk away and you won't lose anything.
Kanai's Cube Animation Skip
The Cube plays a 2 second long transmutation animation, when you use it. This can be annoying, especially when you want to use the Cube many times in a row. There are two ways to skip that animation: completely closing the cube window, or switching to a different Recipe. The first method is useful for the recipes that don't require usage of the "Fill" button (Darkness of Radament and Caldesann's Despair). The second is the most useful one, as it can be used to mass upgrade items via Skill of Nilfur. In that case your sequence of actions should be:
- Right click the item
- Click "Fill"
- Click "Transmute"
- Go to previous recipe
- Go to next recipe
- Repeat
With a little practice, the entire sequence can be performed in less than 2 seconds, potentially saving you up to an hour on lengthy end-season upgrading session.
Archive of Tal Rasha
- 1x Khanduran Rune
- 1x Caldeum Nightshade
- 1x Arreat War Tapestry
- 1x Corrupted Angel Flesh
- 1x Westmarch Holy Water
- 5x Death's Breath
- 1x Item with an extractable Legendary Power
This recipe allows you to use the extracted power of an item as a passive ability. Nearly all special affixes on Legendary and Set items can be extracted with this recipe, the most notable exception being Hellfire Amulets. The extracted power always comes with the highest possible value. Extractable powers are marked by an empty orange gem in the item's description. The gem becomes filled with yellow color if this particular power has already been extracted.
You are limited to 3 powers in total: one that comes from a weapon or an off-hand item, one from armor, and one from jewelry. You can only use the powers from items that are equippable by your class, even if the power itself is not class-restricted. For example Demon Hunters cannot equip two-handed maces, and thus cannot use the legendary power of The Furnace, which just provides 50% Elite Damage.
In Season 22 an additional slot is added to the Kanai's Cube, it can contain any item (Weapon, Armor or Jewelry), but you cannot equip the same power twice.
Note, that this recipe is indifferent to the level of the items. Save Legendaries with useful powers, that you find while leveling, so that you don't have to find them a second time.
Law of Kulle
- 5x Khanduran Rune
- 5x Caldeum Nightshade
- 5x Arreat War Tapestry
- 5x Corrupted Angel Flesh
- 5x Westmarch Holy Water
- 50x Forgotten Soul
- 1x Legendary or Set item
Rerolls all the stats on the item. For not class-restricted items, the resulting item is smart-looted to your character, meaning that the rolls such as Main Stat, Increased Skill Damage, Maximum Resource etc. are always for your class. Reforged item has the same level as the original and has a chance to be Ancient or Primal (if solo Greater Rift 70 has already been completed). This recipe cannot be used with crafted items.
The best usage for this recipe is upgrading your hard to obtain items. While nearly all items have the same drop chance, some are easier to Gamble or Upgrade then the others. For that reason, it's best to use this recipe on items that can't be easily obtained by other means. Mostly that includes weapons and jewelry, but, depending on the build, some other items can also be very hard to find.
Sometimes it's best to do your reforges on a different class, because of smart-loot. For example, if you are trying to obtain The Travelers Pledge with Socket, Critical Hit Chance, Critical Hit Damage, and Physical Damage for your Barbarian, then you have better chances of getting it on a Necromancer, because Necromancers can only have Physical, Cold or Poison damage, while Barbarians have Physical, Fire, Cold, and Lightning.
Hope of Cain
- 50x Reusable Parts
- 50x Arcane Dust
- 50x Veiled Crystal
- 25x Death's Breath
- 1x Equippable Rare level 70 item.
Upgrades the quality of the item, producing a Legendary or Set item with the same item type. Except for the class-specific item types (e.g. Ceremonial Knife, Cloak, Phylactery), the upgraded item always comes from your class' drop table and all the stats on the item are appropriate for your class. The upgraded item can be Ancient or Primal (if solo Greater Rift 70 has already been completed).
There are two main use cases for this recipe. You can use it to quickly throw together a build when you make a new character late in the season. It usually costs you less than 2000 Death's Breaths to get a complete build, and even if the rolls on the items are not very good, you can instantly farm Nephalem Rifts and find upgrades there.
The second usage of this recipe is getting an upgrade on some specific items. For some item types on some classes there's very few options in terms of what you can get. That makes it very easy to upgrade Rares into these items. For example, getting a Karlei's Point for your Impale DH is extremely easy, because there's only 2 daggers that can drop for a Demon Hunter.
Sometimes it's best to do your upgrading on a different class. For example, if you are trying to get a Pig Sticker for your Wizard, it's better to upgrade daggers on Witch Doctor or Necromancer, because those 2 classes cannot drop Wizardspike. Consult the drop table to see which class is the best for you.
Skill of Nilfur
- 10x Forgotten Soul
- 10x Death's Breath
- 1x Set item.
Converts an item to another item from the same set. Does not work with sets, that only have 2 items. Does not work with crafted sets. The resulting item cannot be Ancient or Primal.
This recipe is useful for completing your set, when you get unlucky and find only boots over and over. And you can convert your Set items around to get acceptable rolls on them quickly. It can also be used as a way to reforge Set items, without using Law of Kulle, which requires Bounty materials. However, this is not recommended, even if you don't care about Ancients, because it costs 60 or 70 Forgotten Souls on average, which is more than reforging.
Work of Cathan
- 1x Level 25+ Gem of Ease
- 1x Equippable Item
Removes level requirement from the item. This recipe is largely useless, because it only helps you to level your second and beyond characters to 70, and that only takes 2-5 minutes with a little help.
Darkness of Radament
- 9x Gem
- 1x Essence of Amethyst or Essence of Emerald or Essence of Diamond or Essence of Ruby or Essence of Topaz
Converts gems to another color. All the Essence items can be purchased in unlimited quantity form Squirt the Peddler in Hidden Camp for 500000 Gold. You need to put at least 9 of the same gem into the cube, the transmutation will fail if you have less.
Pleasure, Regret, and Wrath of Iben Fahd
- 100x Reusable Parts or Arcane Dust or Veiled Crystal
- 1x Death's Breath
- 1x Equippable Rare or Common or Magical Item
These 3 recipes convert regular crafting materials into each other at 1:1 ratio for a small Death's Breath fee. It's useful when you have too much of one and not enough of the other.
To convert a lot of materials, you need a bunch of Items of certain rarity. Magical items can be easily purchased from any vendor, Common items too, but they are a lot more rare. Check all the vendors in each Act and remake a game if necessary. The Rare items are the most problematic, as you can't purchase them in unlimited quantity. The best way is just to run Nephalem or Greater Rifts for Blood Shards and then buying items from Kadala, around 80% of them will be Rare.
Caldesann's Despair
- 1x Ancient Items
- 1x Level 30+ Legendary Gem
- 3x Flawless Royal Amethyst or Flawless Royal Emerald or Flawless Royal Topaz or Flawless Royal Ruby
Adds an extra affix to the item, also known as Augmenting. The type of the affix is determined by Gem color: Ruby—Strength, Emerald—Dexterity, Topaz—Intelligence, Amethyst—Vitality. The amount is equal to Rank of the Legendary Gem times 5. This recipe can be applied to the same item multiple times, each time a new Augment replaces the old one. Weapons require at least a Rank 30 Legendary Gem, Jewelry—Rank 40, and Armor—Rank 50. However, this restriction rarely comes into play, because even the weakest builds can do GR 70 and above.
Augmenting is the vital part of Diablo III end game. Full set of items can be Augmented to increase your mainstat by as much as 9,750, providing a significant DPS and toughness boost. The usual strategy with augmenting is to level your gems to whatever GR tier you can speedrun in less than 3 minutes, and then use these gems to augment your speedfarming gear. Later on you will level a new set of gems and maybe use a 4-man group to push them higher than speedfarm tiers. These high-rank gems will be used on your pushing gear.
When choosing which gems to level, to be later used for Augmenting, you should avoid the following gems:
- Iceblink, Boon of the Hoarder: Rank capped to 50
- Legacy of Dreams: Rank capped to 99
- Esoteric Alteration, Mutilation Guard: Rank capped to 100
- Gem of Ease: one missclick can waste a gem on a Work of Cathan recipe
If you need an extra gem to level, you can make the Rift Guardian in any Greater Rift drop a new Rank 0 gem by removing all the Legendary Gems with the same name from your Equipment, Inventory and Stash. The safest way to do that, is to put your gems into Inventory of different character. But if you are not afraid of disconnecting, you can just drop them on the ground.
Hidden Recipes
There are also 3 recipes that are not shown in the recipe list:
- Puzzle Ring: opens a portal to The Vault - a dungeon full of Gold, Gems and Treasure Goblins, very useful in the start of the season, but eventually becomes barely worth the time. Still, can be useful if you need Gold or Gems, especially with Gold Find gear and Broken Crown.
- Ancient Puzzle Ring: opens a portal to Ancient Vault - a dungeon full of Gold, Gems and Treasure Goblins, with a lot more of everything than a regular Vault. Great source of Gold, Gems, Death's Breaths and Legendaries.
- Bovine Bardiche: opens a portal to Not The Cow Level - a relatively big map with Fields of Misery tileset. Contains a lot of Resplendent Chests, one of each Shrines and 2 Pools of Reflection.
Written by Northwar
Reviewed by Raxxanterax
Aktualisiert für Saison 26 / Patch 2.7.3

subset: commoncrawl


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by JJ Mackwood
While active and healthy my entire life, I had never been a runner. At the age of 31, seemingly overnight, it became increasingly difficult to breathe without pain, escalating to where simple daily tasks such as blow-drying my hair would leave me out of breath. Multiple appointments with physicians left me without answers and on one unforeseen day of hemorrhaging, ambulance transport, admittance to ICU, multiple tests and treatments I was left with a diagnosis of extensive bilateral pulmonary embolisms.
Fast forward seven years, and life had returned to a new normal. I had resigned myself to seeing a specialist yearly, taking blood thinners for the rest of my life and accepting that any amount of cardio activity would result in pain from the scarring in the top of my right lung. Still, it seemed like a small price to pay so long as I was alive. I mean, who needs cardio anyway?
And yet…on a day no different than any other, I made the decision to go for a short (and I mean short) run. This unexpected resolution initiated a metamorphosis of sorts to where I find myself today. I would like to tell you it was a beautiful and graceful process…like becoming a butterfly…but I'm sure if you asked anyone who was within earshot of me, they will tell you it was not an easy journey for me, or for them. I complained a lot. It was painful, I didn't feel like it would ever get any easier, and I'm pretty sure my mantra was along the lines of "I hate running." Nevertheless, perhaps due in part to my stubbornness, and in part to positive influences, the transformation was happening with or without a constructive attitude. I began experimenting with my breathing. The "trick" to bypass the pain was to focus on breathing deep into the base of my lungs. This was significant in shifting my beliefs about my lungs' limitations. I became a buff connoisseur, as running in the cold (or even crisp) air was not an option initially. As time went on, I found myself being able to remove the buff for shorter and then longer periods of time.
Metres turned to kilometres and kilometres turned to long runs in knee-deep snow, blistered feet, missing toenails and "real runner" type injuries. Every finished run felt surreal. Somewhere along the way, I can't say exactly where, I began to embrace running, and in turn, it began to restore me.
Over the last few years, I have achieved personal best times and distances, and continue to set new ones. This year, the year I turned 40, I committed myself to Running Room's sub-two-hour half marathon training plan and in May accomplished this goal in 1:56:25. When I crossed the finish line, I recognized that I am no longer merely grateful to have lived. The pain in my chest has been replaced with a sense of fulfillment and love for a life well lived.
Thank you to my running (and life) partner for encouraging me every day just by example, and thank you to all of the incredible people I have had the honour of meeting at the Red Deer Running Room. They have inspired me with their own stories of accomplishment. What an extraordinary gift this journey has been.


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Pierre Pringuet to step down from Pernod board
Former Pernod Ricard CEO Pierre Pringuet has offered to resign from the French group's board of directors as it looks to "improve governance".
Pringuet joined Pernod Ricard in 1987, becoming joint-CEO with Richard Burrows in 2000 and later group CEO in 2008. He was succeeded by Alexandre Ricard in 2015.
Along with academic Martina Gonzalez-Gallarza, Pringuet has volunteered to resign from Pernod Ricard at the group's next annual general meeting (AGM) on 8 November 2019. Meanwhile, independent director Nicole Bouton has elected not to stand for reappointment.
Aerospace technology executive Philippe Petitcolin and consumer goods executive Esther Berrozpe Galindo have been appointed to Pernod Ricard's board of directors – a move that will be submitted for shareholder approval at the AGM.
The board reshuffle follows the acquisition of a 2.5% stake in Pernod Ricard by activist investor Elliott Management Corporation at the end of last year. The US-headquartered hedge fund accused the distiller of having "inadequate" corporate governance and a "lack of outside perspectives".
The Jameson and Absolut maker said it has been working to "increase diversity, independence and the international and female representation" on its board of directors for a number of years, and that the initiative started under Pringuet's leadership.
Alexandre Ricard said: "For me, Pierre Pringuet will always be a brilliant and visionary mentor. There is no question that the group would not have become this French leader without his boldness and his exceptional work capacity. Pernod Ricard is, and will forever be, grateful to him."
He added that the appointment of Petitcolin and Berrozpe Galindo would "enhance the collective expertise" of the board of directors. Former Christie's CEO Patricia Barbizet joined Pernod Ricard as its lead independent director shortly after Elliott's move.
At the same time as announcing a 6% organic lift in its full-year sales earlier this week, Pernod Ricard revealed its plans to acquire US spirits firm Castle Brands for US$223 million, and pledged US$150m to build China's first malt whisky distillery.


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16 July 2013
Author Article: Veronica Henry
Ok, so no prizes for originality. I can't ignore the fact that one of the most successful and best-selling books in the world is Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie. But when I was casting about for the setting for my next novel, I knew I wanted it to be somewhere special. And one day the idea jpopped into my head out of nowhere and I got the tingly feeling that all writers will be familiar with - when you know you've hit on the device that brings all your characters together: a trip on the Orient Express.
Of course, the one flaw at that point was that I hadn't actually been on the train, and so I steeled myself - ha! - to undergo some rigorous research. My husband and I arrived at Victoria one Easter weekend, ready to embark on the journey from London to Venice. I had a stash of notebooks and pens at the ready. And as soon as I saw the other passengers in the departure lounge, all dressed in their finery, I knew it wouldn't be a question of finding inspiration, it would be knowing when to stop.
Over the next twenty four hours, myriad tales unfolded in front of me. Everyone on board was there for a reason - whether it was a landmark birthday, an anniversary, a reconciliation, an illicit encounter ... My imagination went into overdrive.
And that was before I had even begun to capture the splendour of the train itself, the sumptuous food, the spectacular scenery.
Writing the book was a dream. I've explored many different kinds of love: passionate, unrequited, unexpected ... And the train arrives safely in Venice without a single murder.
Posted by chicklitchloe at 9:00 am
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Sacramento Beer & Chili Festival
Annual event taking place in April
Roosevelt Park
1615 9th Street
Sacramento, CA
April 18, 2020
It's a Chili Cook-off! The Sacramento Beer and Chili Festival is an annual event that features a chili cook off competition (industry, individual, vegetarian, People's Choice), beer tastings from local breweries and good times. Benefits a selected local Sacramento charity each year.


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There is an endless list of reasons people choose to move to Queen City. Whether you have your eyes focused on a lucrative career opportunity with a major corporation headquartered here or you simply can't wait to live somewhere with an extensive number of museums and performing arts centers, you are probably looking forward to being able to call yourself a "Charlottean." If you are moving to Charlotte, NC, this guide will fill you in on everything you need to know to help make the transition as smooth as possible. After all, making the decision to move is hard enough, moving shouldn't have to be! Be sure to consider Flatrate and put our experience to work for you.
Sunshine and Four Seasons
"Hello, Sunshine!" is something you will be saying a lot if you are moving to Charlotte, North Carolina. Clear blue skies and an abundance of sunshine are two things this city is known for. The winters are mild, rarely dropping below 30 degrees for a low, but you may need to deal with a few bad hair days with the hot, humid summers. Of course, you can always just throw on a hat and not worry about it! Snow primarily falls in January and February, so if you are planning a move in the middle of winter make sure you are ready for changing weather and road conditions.
Cost of Living
One of the most attractive things about Charlotte is the low cost of living. The city is about 23 percent lower than the national average, with inexpensive housing playing a leading role in this figure. If you are moving to Charlotte, NC, you will also be thrilled to know that healthcare and utilities are priced considerably below average, as well.
Getting Around North Carolina
You can easily have a car in Charlotte. Unlike in some major cities, parking spaces are plentiful here. That being said, the public transportation system is fantastic enough to rely on, if you choose not to drive a car. Bus and rail are provided by the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS). Both of these networks are quite extensive and thoughtfully designed, so getting around the city is a breeze, even for a newcomer. There are even historic streetcars that you may want to ride occasionally for a special treat.
The city also has a number of highways that intertwine. After moving here, you definitely want to spend a day driving around and getting lost. At the very least, make sure you know your route for work on the first day, so you're not late. The sooner you get out and explore the fast Charlotte will feel at "home."
Some of the highways and streets can get beyond congested during certain times of the day. If you hire experienced movers in Charlotte, they will likely be well aware of what routes they need to avoid at certain hours of the day. As a rule, I-77, I-85, and I-485 are highways to stay clear of between 8 am and 9:30 am and 4:30 pm and 7:00 pm Also, you definitely do not want to schedule your move during NASCAR events.
Popular Areas in NC
Moving to Charlotte, NC means having to select a neighborhood to move to, which is not easy to do. The good news is there are many fantastic neighborhoods to choose from. The bad news is you have to manage to pick one.
- Dilworth – Known for its tree-lined streets and main strip with retro shops and great restaurants, Dilworth is a historic neighborhood with lots of renovated homes.
- Elizabeth – There are actually homes in this neighborhood listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is a hotspot for those who work at Mercy or Presbyterian hospitals.
- Matthews – Do you dream of a rural environment where your neighbors are a little farther away and there is plenty of room for a garden? Matthews is just outside of the city and an area you would likely be interested in.
- Myers Park – Tree-lined streets and oversized houses make up this affluent area.
- Steele Creek – This is one of the fastest-growing areas of Charlotte. Four years ago this community was barely developed. Now it has become one of the most preferred places to live in the city.
- Southern Charlotte – This previous farmland has been thoughtfully developed in the past 25 to 30 years. It echoes classic charm.
- University City – "The University of North Carolina at Charlotte" is the only six words you need to know about this area.
- South End – This neighborhood offers an intriguing blend of old and new. Older factories and mills have been renovated to create this moderately new community. There's a harmonious blend of new and old here that work together to give South End a unique feel.
- South Park – Known as one of the most bustling areas of the city, South Park is home to a huge business district and several Fortune 500 companies.
NC Employment Options
Charlotte is the country's second-largest banking center. It is beat only by New York City. There are also eight Fortune 500 companies, including Bank of America, Duke Energy, Lowe's, Family Dollar, SPX Corporation, Sonic Automotive, and Domtar. Of course, an abundance of jobs is created through Coca-Cola, Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Cardino Foods, and Chiquita Brands International. Search for Charlotte jobs.
Setting Up Utilities
Prior to actually moving to Charlotte, NC, you want to have your utilities transferred or connected, depending on your service. If you are only moving from the next city over this may not be a big deal, but if you are moving from far away, you do not want to arrive after a long journey to find your utilities aren't turned on.
- Electric – All electricity in Charlotte is provided by Duke Power some suburbs outside the city use Union Power and the city of Concord Electric.
- Gas – Piedmont Natural Gas will be your gas company in the city. Otherwise, you may have York Natural Gas Authority or Public Service NC.
- Water – The Department of Water and Sewer through the City of Charlotte provides water within city limits. Folks living outside the city will have the City of Concord Water Department, Union County Public Works, and Carolina Water and Sewer to choose from.
- Sanitation – Solid Waste Services provide curbside trash removal to city residents. If you move to one of Charlotte's suburbs, Action Garbage or the City of Concord Solid Waste Services will take care of your trash removal.
Cable and Phone
Time Warner Cable is the most popular cable option. It also bundles Internet through Road Runner. There is also Dish Network and DirecTV. For phone service, you can choose between Bell South and Wind Stream.
License and Registration
After moving to the area, you need to obtain a North Carolina license within 60 days. You will have to apply at a branch office. You will need proof of residency, liability insurance, social security number, and age. You will have to take a written road test, as well as a vision test.
Registration needs to be done within 30 days or when employment is accepted. Some feel you may need to pay including cleared title, license plate, registration for transfer of plate, and highway use. In North Carolina, you are required to carry a minimum of $30,000 for bodily injury in insurance.
Ready to Move to Charlotte, NC?
You're in the right place. Click here to get a free no-obligation moving quote with FlatRate Moving & Storage.


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Qantas Darwin to Melbourne is part of the TPOL Down Under Trip Report.
How do you measure the value of Avios? Most will assign a dollar value of 1.5 cents. From Sydney to Darwin, I flew business for 20k Avios and took advantage of the never-ending shiraz. From Darwin to Melbourne, business was not available forcing me to fly Peasant Class for 10k Avios. Since I was not wise enough to download the Qantas App before take off and since there was no WiFi on board, I had to entertain myself by the only way possible : drinking.
Like most US carriers, Qantas charges for alcohol in peasant class. It costs $5.50 for a baby bottle of wine which is good for two glasses. Not factoring in comfort, service, and slightly better food, I would have to order 29 bottles of wine to justify the 10k additional Avios required to fly business. While that may not be feasible to consume during a 4hr 15 minute flight, I still think it's worth burning Avios for business because of devaluations and because there are so many Avios transfer partners and bonuses.
What about you? How long does a flight have to be for you to double up your Avios for business?


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Wouldn't it be nice to stroll out your front door and grab coffee with a friendly neighbor? What if you could amble over to the community garden and choose some fresh vegetables for tonight's dinner? Not every community in today's car-centered world offers these options. But choose to live in a walkable community, and you'll not only enjoy the convenience but health benefits as well.
Walkable communities are becoming more prevalent in cities as well as the suburbs. The blog CITYLAB reports, "a recent slew of studies provide increasingly compelling evidence of the positive effects of walkable neighborhoods on everything from housing values to crime and health, to creativity and more democratic cities."
Walkable Community Wellness
Living in a community where you can walk to things safely and comfortably benefits your family's health. Regular walking improves a number of health factors including weight, cholesterol, and blood pressure. This article from Harvard Medical School illuminates many of these benefits. Exercise also releases endorphins, benefitting your mental state.
Fresh air means breathing easier, too. According to at least one source, the air inside your car is the worst you'll breathe all day. Meanwhile, trees and plants help scrub the air and generate oxygen.
In a community specifically designed for walking, pedestrian safety is prioritized. Features like sidewalks, crosswalks, bike lanes, and speed deterrents (for cars) all boost safety.
Social Connection and Safety
Different sources report that one-third to one-half of Americans don't know the people living next door. A Pew Research survey shows that people increasingly rely on the internet to learn what's going on right outside their door.
When you walk from place to place and your community offers shared spaces, you reverse the trend. If you walk your dog, you might chat with a fellow dog owner. Your children might encounter other children who go to a different school or are homeschooled. You may find yourself sharing gardening tips or recipes. Such social connections improve your quality of life. They also improve safety, as we mentioned above. And who couldn't use more friends?
You may worry about your child interacting with strangers. However, in a neighborhood where people commonly walk around outside, they get to know each other. That means if–heaven forbid–someone does intend harm, a whole community is watching out for your child. They will notice unusual visitors or behavior. Knowing your neighbors increases safety not only for your children but your property and pets, too.
Mental and Emotional Health Benefits
Just going from place to place free of traffic eliminates a major life stressor. Without having to negotiate traffic, your mind is free to for other things. A simple five-minute walk to a friend's house equals five minutes to unplug and unwind.
You reap further benefits if nature surrounds you. Exposure to natural surroundings, including plants, animals, water sources, and sunlight, offers numerous benefits. It lowers stress and boosts mood. It even speeds recovery from illnesses and surgery.
There is vast research showing the benefits of nature for children specifically. It builds confidence, promotes creativity, teaches responsibility, and sparks a sense of wonder. Furthermore, caring for plants in a garden or taking an interest in wildlife builds empathy. Early experiences in nature can even lay the foundation for future STEM careers!
Benefits for the Planet
Over time, as carbon dioxide from coal and gas build up in our atmosphere, they add to a growing layer that acts like a thick blanket to trap the Earth's heat. Every time you leave the car in the garage, you avoid releasing more fossil fuels into the air. By walking or biking, you keep the air immediately around you cleaner for you and your family. But you're even helping places far beyond your own backyard.
Plus, kids growing up in regular contact with nature tend to want to protect it. The Nature Conservancy reports that "exposing kids to nature is a crucial step to getting kids to care about environmental issues."
If all of this sounds great to you, look for a walkable community for you and your family to live in. If moving isn't in the cards right now, explore how to make changes in your own community. Organize a block party or lobby your town council for improved safety features. Start taking positive steps right now!
PHOTO: Freestocks.org / CC0 Public Domain


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3D Games
Play 3d games online in high quality in your browser! No download required! With our emulator online you will find a lot of 3d games like: Doom, Sonic 3D Blast, Star Fox and Star Fox 2. Click on game icon and start game! Feel free to comment best of 3d games collection.


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As the media industry continues to be upended and traditional publishers search for ways to survive, those of us who've chosen journalism as our craft are left wondering what the future holds. The Knight Foundation, as it happens, appears to be one of those entities exploring that very question. So it's no wonder that many in the industry look to Knight for answers.
When it comes to the Knight News Challenge grants, of course, the first question that pops up is, so uh, how do you go about nabbing one?
I get to read a lot about the winners, but I'm not always privy to what goes on before the awards are doled out. Dan Schultz, a 2007 Knight News Challenge winner and tech wizard extraordinaire for our MediaShift and Idea Lab sites, has written about how to brainstorm for ideas when applying for a Knight News Challenge grant. You can read more about that here. But I also reached out to some other Knight News Challenge winners to get their thoughts on the application process and how winning the award was a game changer for them.
The reality is that lots of folks in the journalism industry have brilliant ideas for the future of news, but a lot of those concepts aren't going to go anywhere at all without the right backing. After all, it's one thing to have an idea, but to build it into a business takes a lot of hard work — and money. So once you have an idea, where do you go from there?
How to Get Started
The application process itself is relatively simple, said David Cohn, a 2008 winner and the founder of Spot.Us, an open-source project to pioneer community-powered reporting. All you need is an idea and to answer some very basic questions about it. "I had an idea, and in truth, no real way to implement it in a massive scale. The Knight News Challenge represented an ideal opportunity," he said. "There is absolutely no reason not to apply in the first round and submit several ideas. The process at that stage is very easy." In fact, at that stage, you can submit as many ideas as you'd like.
There are various rounds, and each one requires more information about yourself and your concept. At each stage, it's "worth it to invest the time/energy to really think through and answer the questions as best you can because each stage [makes] winning more of a potential reality," Cohn said.
So the first thing you'll need to do is draft a submission. "Be as clear and concise as possible," said Jose Zamora, the journalism program associate at Knight. "Once you have the draft ready read it a few more times and edit it. Try to get rid of jargon and technical terms. Make it simple and to the point." Once you think it's all set, let some friends read it over and get their opinions on it.
Where to Go From There
To get your project to the full proposal phase, you should take three steps, according to Zamora:
1. Do your research — Look at past projects to find out what Knight is looking for, but don't replicate them. It's all about innovation.
**2. Develop an accurate budget**— You'll need to create a budget, and that budget needs to be as accurate as possible.
3. Be reasonable — When it comes to how much you're asking for, you need to make sure that it's reasonable for what you're proposing to do.
A lot of times, you might have a project in mind but no idea how much money to ask for, so that second step can present one of the most formidable challenges. "You've surely talked over various aspects of your project hundreds of times with friends and colleagues, so answering most questions about your goals and methods should be easy," said Christina Xu, a 2011 winner and the chancellor of the Institute on Higher Awesome Studies, a nonprofit that promotes microgranting as an alternative to traditional funding. "But when's the last time you had a conversation about what you'd spend this year on printing costs? Working through the budget is daunting for a number of reasons, especially as an organization that's just starting out, but it's actually a great opportunity to think through your plans in a very concrete way."
What Is Knight Looking for?
The Knight Foundation is looking for a number of things in your application, and the main thing is that you'll need to meet those criteria. Try to remember that the foundation isn't just looking for innovative ideas. It's also looking for a dependable record, name recognition, technical proficiency and collaborations, said David Sasaki, a 2007 winner for Rising Voices, a global citizen media outreach initiative of Global Voices Online. "Create a website with more information than what you can put on your application," he said. "Perhaps show support for the concept with a Kickstarter campaign. Name recognition never hurts."
In 2011, Knight asked applicants to apply in one of four categories: Mobile, Authenticity, Sustainability, and Community, although the next iteration will have even more categories. If your project fits well into one of those categories, you'll then need to ask yourself if this is something that's going to advance media innovation and serve the information needs of a geographic community. "We are looking for projects that have a good strategy for audience growth, engagement and sustainability," said Knight's Zamora. "We are looking for projects that inform and engage citizens in communities — projects that create new audiences, new modes of communication or new types of information, different approaches for advancing the future of news and digitally informing communities."
The biggest hurdle you'll face is that because it's a much-coveted award, the contest is extremely competitive. On average, Knight receives 1,600 applications a year. In the first five years of the contest, the foundation received around 12,000 applications and funded approximately 70 projects.
Once you've swallowed that bit of hard news, you'll want to focus on innovation. Can you come up with a transformational idea — something that isn't a clone of past projects — that will push the future of journalism? Considering the amount of information that's already out there, that's hard to say. As Cohn put it simply, "What some people think is innovative others do not."
How it's a game changer
Getting a Knight News Challenge grant can be a game changer, not just because of the funding, but as validation that your project is a viable concept — and that in itself can go a long ways. "The Knight News Challenge — even beyond the funding of our research and civic media experimentation — has been like the wind in our sails," said Andrew Whitacre, a 2007 winner and communications manager for the MIT Center for Future Civic Media. "Its mission has helped shape our own, obliging us to be radically inventive at the same time that we work with communities, on equal terms, to meet their information needs."
Sasaki had a similar experience. The grant allowed his team to launch Rising Voices, which is still ongoing and "has trained dozens of under-represented communities how to actively participate in global citizen media, and has helped diversify the reporting in countries like Madagascar, Ukraine and Senegal."
Of course, sometimes what happens once the funding is over can be the most important steps that a project makes. "What we did after funding ended is far more interesting than what we did while funded, if you ask me," said Dan Pacheco, a 2008 winner and CEO of BookBrewer. "The grant set us on our path, but we weren't able to really hit our stride until it was over."
The main thing to remember is that there are no hard and fast answers to winning a grant, particularly in the current economic climate. When the economy is in doubt, awards become even more competitive, so even a brilliant idea may be left to simmer quietly on the back burner, unless you're willing to seek out other ways to get it started. As Pacheco put it, "With the economy teetering on going a double-dip, getting any kind of funding in the next few years is doubtful. Learning how to bootstrap is more realistic. At face value bootstrapping isn't fun and it's not for everyone, but it's great if you can make it work."


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Identifying and managing risk is something every business should do at least once every six months. Identifying risks is a moving goalpost that changes as the marketplace changes, patient health demographics change, new regulations pass, and new competition moves in down the street.
Carving out some time twice a year to sit down and target the top five or six risks your business might be facing down the road not only puts the control back into your hands, but makes your business more stable and valuable. When it comes to risk, I like to think about creating value in terms of earnings and multiples. If you want to create value in your business, you will either want to increase the earnings or increase the multiple. One of the best ways to increase the multiple of any business is to 'de-risk' it – ultimately making it more valuable.
There is a structure you can use to help you anticipate and mitigate risks. In addition to this, learning how to handle the inevitable events that will come out of left field from time to time is key to ensuring your business can survive virtually anything.
Identify Risk With These Two Questions
Often, the events that will catch us unawares are those we don't see coming. When I want to identify risk with my dental practice, the first question I ask myself is, "What don't I see?"
Our vulnerabilities are found in spots where we've made assumptions whether that's from values we hold close, unchallenged thought processes, habits, unconscious biases, or anything else that might unconsciously guide the way we do business. You can stop here and make a list of the top five or six risks you think might be in this area.
The next question to ask yourself if you want to identify risk is, "If I was my competitor, what would I do to trip myself up?" In other words, if I was going to launch a dental practice across the street tomorrow, what would I do to beat the competition? How would I approach that? How would I compete?
I find that when I ask myself this, very quickly I start to see a picture that draws out the ugly bits, the unattractive parts of the business – and that's where risk is.
These two questions – 'what don't I see?' and 'how would I compete with myself?' – are designed to identify risks. You will likely find you have potential risks in a number of categories like personal risk, debt or leverage risks, legal risks, risks around competition and loss of business, risk of fraudulent activity, regulatory risks, and more.
Quantify Risks With A Risk Matrix
Now once we've established what our risks might be, it's important to quantify them so we know which ones to target immediately and which ones are less urgent.
To do this, I use a risk matrix to plot the risks. The most important thing to determine is, "What's the likelihood of that particular outcome? Is it likely or unlikely?"
You can also determine the cost associated with each risk. Should this happen, how much will it cost me? And when thinking of costs, you don't just want to consider monetary risk, but other kinds of costs as well. It might be a time risk, a reputation or brand risk, or something else.
Finally, I will determine the degree of control I have over each risk. Is this something I can control or manage?
When I have the answers to these questions for each risk, I plot them on a risk matrix. Here you can determine the severity of each risk from severe to insignificant.
Once you've done all this work, congratulate yourself. You now have the clues you need to focus your energy and use risk mitigation strategies to reduce the cost of risk, reduce the likelihood of risk, and overall make your business a more stable, profitable enterprise.
Of course, it is important to keep in mind your tolerance for risk. If there is something that is going to keep you up at night with worry, it needs to be addressed. Everyone will have different thresholds for determining what is an acceptable risk versus what is an unacceptable risk. You need to figure out, "Can I live with the downside?"
"It's really easy for you to feel knocked off your course. It doesn't mean that you're weak in any way. It just means that you're human." – Dr Jesse Green
Not All Risks Can Be Predicted
Sometimes, no matter what risk mitigation you have in place, something will knock you off course. Even the best laid plains of mice and men will go astray. Unfortunately, unless you have a glass ball, no one can predict the future or everything that might come your way.
However, being hit with an unexpected situation isn't what matters. What matters is how you handle it. If this happens to you, don't react from a place of emotion, seek outside counsel, and then make a decisive choice. Being thoughtful about your reaction to a negative situation can make all the difference.
When something happens to your business, it can be quite stressful. Make sure you are taking the time you need for self-care, whether that's eating well, going to the gym, or making time to unwind with the family.
Final Words…
This is a very brief overview of risk identification and mitigation. Identifying potential risks, plotting them on a risk matrix, and then taking steps to reduce their impact is to safeguarding your business for the future. Good risk analysis and the right mitigation strategies are important for every business.


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Agricultural Diesel Solutions by PSI designs, manufactures and tests power modules that help farmers get the performance and fuel savings they need from their tractors. With a lifetime warranty, ADS power modules are built from quality components and each module is factory inspected before being shipped. If you want to cover more acres per hour, pull larger implements, and save fuel while doing it, you owe it to yourself to make the investment in an ADS performance enhancing module.
Agricultural Diesel Solutions modules are easy to install and come with complete installation instructions with color photos. The module has a sealed design to protect against non-uniform temperature gradients, humidity, corrosion and vibration. Only electronic components meeting industrial temperature performance are incorporated. Electronic design methodologies, technologies, and materials are selected to achieve minimal susceptibility to voltage spikes and glitches induced by environmental electromagnetic interference and severe duty environments.
The above module is shown in the stock position. Stock is all the way to the left (counter clockwise). Move the rotary switch to the Middle for the Low Position and to the far right for the High Position.
Agricultural Diesel Solutions is the best choice in aftermarket power modules for your tractor. They have listened to the needs of tractor owners, and have created a true solution to get the job done right with more power and less fuel. All electrical connections between circuit boards, switches, and wire harnesses are directly soldered. This eliminates potential corrosion-induced high-impedance connections, like opens, shorts, and partial or intermittent connections. Electronics are potted in a slow-cure epoxy compound. All selector switches which are not potted are of an inherently sealed design.


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Somalia's government says it is closely following with concern the "dangerous" decision by President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
"We are urging the US government to seriously reconsider the risks that its decision could have on the future of the Middle East and the world in general," Somalia's foreign ministry says.
The statement by the Horn of Africa nation also calls for Arab, Muslim and other nations to redouble their efforts to find a solution to the Palestinian issue in order to end the crisis in the region.
It says Somalia's government and people are prepared to support Palestine's struggle for its "rights."


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Just 3km (2 miles) east of Pointe-à-Pitre is the tourist area of Le Bas du Fort, near Gosier. This is the best place to stay if you'd like to be near (but not in) the capital and if you'd like a location near the international airport. Although it has some good sandy beaches, there are far better ones farther out from the center. One drawback is that the area is rather built up and you may not find the tranquillity here you'll enjoy in other parts of Guadeloupe.
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|Please don't go!
Not Happy
Would you like to comment?
Yeah, I can tell ya ain't happy bout it!ReplyDelete
Well, that's a bummer! At least your human will meet up with some other blogging kitties' humans!ReplyDelete
Travel away from you is never any fun. We hope she gets to meet up with some blogging friends to make the time away from you go by a little faster!ReplyDelete
I hate it when the woman leaves. Did you know she is leaving at the end of the week to be gone for 10 days?! I could die of neglect.ReplyDelete
She will be back before you know it. At least Gramma Faye will be there to spoil you girls.ReplyDelete
You don't look very happy, Brulee.ReplyDelete
Poor kitties. I am sure your Grandma will take good care of you though.ReplyDelete
well, hopefully she is someplace good and meeting up with other bloggers is always fun! She will be home before you know it! catchatwithcarenandcodyReplyDelete
We know she'll miss you girls. Let's hope she's home before you know it.ReplyDelete
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Eight Considerations for Utilizing Big Data Analytics with Hadoop
About this paper
Organizations with massive volumes of data stored in Hadoop need a way to extract value from all that information. And that's where analytics comes in.
With big data analytics, you can implement data mining, predictive analytics, text mining, forecasting and optimization to explore options and make the best possible business decisions.
This paper gets you started, laying out eight considerations to think about when it comes to Hadoop and big data analytics, including:
- The importance of in-memory analytics.
- How to optimize your data preparation processes.
- Uncovering insights through big data exploration.
- The skill sets needed to derive benefits from Hadoop.
- And more!
About SAS
SAS is the leader in analytics. Through innovative software and services, SAS empowers and inspires customers around the world to transform data into intelligence. SAS gives you THE POWER TO KNOW®.
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Back in the early days of Speedhunters, one of our first 'Retrospective' posts featured Nissan at Le Mans. Given that its Nissan month and the Speedhunters community has grown quickly this year, we have decided to republish this feature. Enjoy!
- Andy
A comment regarding the lack of Nissan's in our Cars of >> Le Mans – GT2 post made me think back to Nissan at Le Mans in the 80's and 90's. They didn't attain the success of Mazda or Toyota, but Nissan's media site has a great collection of images, which we can now share with fellow Speedhunters!
Nissan R85 (above)
In 1986 Nissan (NISMO) entered two cars at Le Mans, the first time they had taken part. While one of the cars retired, the No 23 car finished 16th, not bad for its first attempt
1990 Nissan R90CP
The Lola built R90 was relatively successful in Japanese Sports Car championship and based on the older R89C. Two derivatives, CK and CP, ran at Le Mans in 1990. NISMO Calsonic team ran a R90CP 1990. Qualifying 3rd , it finished 5th in the hands of Hasemi, Hoshino and Suzuki.
1990 Nissan R90CK
Five R90's took part in the 1990 Le Mans with various teams. Mark Blundell qualified the YHP car on Pole,while reaching 226.9mph on the Mulsanne Straight. Although quite competitive, early in the race, only one finished in a lowly 17th place.
1995 Nissan Skyline NISMO GT-R LM
This NISMO team ran this Skyline 'NISMO GT-R LM' race car in 1995 and 1996, powered by the RB26DETT in-line 6cylinder engine. 5th overall in class in 1996 and 10th in 1996
1996 Nissan Skyline NISMO GT-R LM
1997 Nissan R390
Developed by TWR and Nissan, NISMO entered a purpose built racecar in 1997 using the older R89/90 engine. Three cars started, but only the Hoshino/ Comas/ Kageyama car finished, in 12th position. Two production R390s were built.
1998 Nissan R390
NISMO continued with the R390 in 1998 and finished on the podium in 3rd place with the car pictured. The other three cars finished 5th,6th and 10th. Major changes were limited to the livery and the longer tail.
1999 Nissan R391
With a change of rules, Nissan entered the open cockpit R391 at Le Mans. The cars were developed by G-Force in the UK, which is now part of Panoz. Both cars failed to finish, signalling the end of Nissan works involvement at Le Mans, other than some limited support for Rollcentre Racing in 2005, but that was quietly dropped when the engine was not competitive
Photos: NIssan Japan
8 comments
now time to see old mazda that went to lemans
what class was the R390 raced in? GT or Prototype?
what wheels are they in the first pic, or something similar to it.. I went a set..
@lil timmy: any bbs mesh racing wheel?
@ProTreeCRX. The R390 were built to the GT1 Regs. of the day. Basically for a car to be eligible in GT1 they needed one "production" version of the car built with enough onboard storage space for a single suitcase.
Nissan doit revenir au Mans and as soon as they can please!!!!
3 r390 are build bacause in le mans 1999 are three nissan r390 cars those black and blue car bit i see in video one green r390 three cars not 2
Nissan have finally confirmed their participation, as an engine supplier in the Intercontinental Le Mans


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Greydon is a thirteen-year-old boy who loves the sea and the creatures in it. He volunteers at Marine World and becomes convinced that the dolphins should not be kept in captivity, and devises a plan to help free them.
While surfing he gets a glimpse of an exotic creature that he thinks is a mermaid, and when he tells his friends they act like he's crazy. His brother tells him to drop the mermaid idea. He withdraws from his brother and friends and continues his search to find what he saw. He encounters the mermaid and realizes her safety depends on her never being discovered, especially by Marine World. He tries to protect her from the fate of the dolphins by keeping her a secret. The secret becomes a wedge between him and his friends and brother.


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Apple built a name for itself railing against Big Brother. Apple the upstart positioned itself as the underdog alternative, offering the computer for the rest of us, the quirky company with the quirky name that became the voice of a generation fighting against the establishment.
Flash forward 30 years and near death experiences by both the company and the CEO who co-foundedit have spawned a competitive urgency that has at once transformed Apple into one of business history's all-time success stories, and maybe into the corporate monolith it originally tried to displace.
It is no secret that I marvel at Apple's fundamental strengths and execution.
Far from a "fan boy," I'm a "fundamentals fan," deeply appreciating this company's ability to grow and innovate and defy the economic odds. And while it's easy to use Apple's Mac sales and market share as the linchpin to its "underdog" status, make no mistake: Apple has near monopolistic control of mobile, digital media thanks to iPod, iTunes, the App Store, and the increasing momentum of iPhone, iPad and Apple's overwhelmingly successful retail strategy. Nothing wrong with any of that. Apple built a better mousetrap, consumers beat a path to its door, and the company is wildly successful and deserves those spoils.
Remember that monopolies aren't illegal. Abusing them is. And that's where some say the Apple story starts to get a little murky. There are many who won't begrudge Apple's marketplace bullying, arguing that Apple has finally ascended the mountain and is now up there enjoying the view. After years of being bullied by the likes of Microsoft and others, it's payback time.
Apple needs to tread carefully.
Unlike Reagan and Bush, and even Clinton for that matter, in President Obama's administration, Apple faces an increasingly activist, regulatory climate. A victim of timing and circumstance, had Apple come of age during another administration, at another time, we probably wouldn't be having this discussion. Instead, the confluence of digital media, innovation, the consumer's rabid appetite for all things Apple, Steve Jobs' brush with death, and what appears to be his "making-up-for-lost-time/don't-just-beat-but-destroy-the-competition" are all sliding Apple under the microscopic lens of federal regulators. Just as there's nothing wrong with monopolies so long as you don't abuse them, there's nothing wrong with a little federal scrutiny to keep companies honest as long as it doesn't turn into a witch-hunt.
Look, I could care less whether Apple bends the law. You can't fault a company for maneuvering through the legal system. Stock options come to mind. Health disclosures too. You can argue that Apple has bent the law, but to date no one has determined that Apple broke the law.
It's a critical difference.
Which brings me to the latest flap about Apple, Adobe and reports that Apple may have run afoul of anti-trust law. If I'm to understand this, developers are angry that Apple prevents them from developing cross-platform apps by refusing to allow them to use Adobe's Flash software (for reasons detailed in an earlier post.)
Developers are arguing and the Feds are apparently examining whether this is an abuse of Apple's power. Spare me. This is Apple's marketplace-Apple's platform. And if developer's want to develop for the App Store, and the iPad and the iPhone and the iPod, they have to play by Apple's rules. Some developers complain that they have to go out of their way to develop one app for Apple, and then a different version for everyone else. Too bad. Walmart sets the rules for products sold in its store. Same with Barnes & Noble. Costco. If companies don't like it, they can sell their wares across the street.
But they won't, because they can't ignore the Apple marketplace. Apple says in a mere 28 days, consumers downloaded 12 million apps on the 1 million iPads they bought. Stunning. So if a developer has to go out of his way to take advantage of all this, then so be it. If he doesn't, he can take his app somewhere else. I sense Adobe is behind this, not necessarily the developers, but that's just me.
The problem here isn't this particular issue, but the fact that Apple is attracting the interest of regulators at all. Apple has to walk that fine line of enjoying its size, not abusing it. Working in Apple's favor: Google, Microsoft, Research in Motion, even Palm all tout their own app stores. Google faces anti-trust questions over its acquisition of AdMob, but Apple has Quattro. We can all throw around big words like monopoly, regulation, investigation, illegal, and anti-trust. But real competition trumps them all in this country. Critics charge Apple might somehow have become "anti-competitive." I'd argue that given what all the other companies in Apple's universe are doing to take Apple on, Apple isn't anti-competitive, it's hyper competitive.
Apple isn't shutting out developers; it's telling them to play by Apple's rules, which is Apple's right. Apple's original mission is alive and well, but the bigger it gets, the more careful it needs to be that it doesn't become the Big Brother it set out to destroy. Apple might in fact be a bully. But I don't see shareholders complaining. Apple saved the music business. And plenty of apps developers playing by Apple's rules are getting rich.
Tread lightly, Apple.
Just not too lightly.
Questions? Comments? firstname.lastname@example.com


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Thoughtful Amenities Make Hotel Union Square Feel Like Home
Choose Hotel Union Square and enjoy beautiful guest rooms and a host of amenities.
Whether you're traveling for business or pleasure, comfort is key. While nothing can truly take the place of home, the management at Hotel Union Square tries to make you as comfortable as possible when you're a guest in our San Francisco Hotel. From small touches like bottled water in each guest room to impressive extras such as our nightly wine receptions, when you're our guest, we treat you like family.
From small touches like bottled water in each guest room to impressive extras such as our nightly wine receptions, when you're our guest, we treat you like family.
Guest Rooms
Our beautifully decorated and well-appointed guest rooms and guest suites are reason enough to choose Hotel Union Square the next time you visit the Bay Area. Each room has its own special touches. Some of the amenities you can expect, depending on your choice of room, include:
- Flat-panel TVs
- Coffeemakers
- Ceiling fans
- Rainfall showerheads
- iPod docking station
- Mini-refrigerators
- Feather down pillows and comforters
- Workstation
Other Hotel Amenities
It's true that our San Francisco accommodations are so comfortable that you may not want to leave your room, but we offer other amenities, some of which make it worth venturing out. They include:
- Unlimited high-speed internet
- Unlimited local and domestic long-distance calls
- Use of nearby 24-hour fitness center
- Unlimited copy and fax services
- On-site parking ($55 and $65 for oversized vehicles)
- EQ3 custom furnishing
- Same-day laundry and dry cleaning
- On-site currency exchange
- Great location (just 4 blocks from Moscone Center)
Explore the City
Because we want you to make the most of your time at our San Francisco accommodations, some of our amenities are meant to help you explore. We offer full concierge service, a discount to California Academy of Sciences, and shopping discounts for nearby retailers.
When in San Francisco, choose the iconic San Francisco hotel that is Hotel Union Square. We look forward to having you as our guest and helping you enjoy all the best the city has to offer!
As you plan your stay, browse our San Francisco FAQs to read about Dining, Shopping, Attractions, and more. Also, view Hotel Union Square's well-appointed Guest Rooms & Suites and our current list of Special Offers.


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The event when the Tirthankar's soul gives up all his/her worldly possessions and becames a monk/nun. (Digambar sect does not believe that women can become Tirthankar or be liberated.)
One of the five major events in the life of a Tirthankara:
- Chyavana Kalyanak
- Janma Kalyanak
- Diksha Kalyanak
- Kevaljnana Kalyanak
- Nirvana Kalyanak


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Dr Stephen Njoroge Mwaura, the deputy country director of Medical Teams International, a non-governmental organisation, has reportedly sneaked out of the country after allegations came public that he raped Rosemary Nakamya, a former office assistant at the organisation's offices on Katalima Road in Naguru, Kampala.A letter addressed to the Meical Teams International board chairman and copied to various offices including the Labour ministry, a copy of which PML Daily has seen, indicates that in February 2017, while in office, Nakamya was raped by Mwaura.
The letter, written by Ms Nakamya's lawyers, Kateera & Kagumire Advocates, indicates that the matter was reported to the MTI management but no action was taken against the perpetrator.
According to the expose' by Kampala based social media activist Jeanette Mugisha, Ms Nakamya was instead later sacked from her job.
When reports of the matter were exposed on social media, Wednesday morning, Nakamya was reportedly summoned to a meeting with MTI's country director Andrew Hoskins. The meeting took place at Lavinia cafe in Naguru. By press time, the details of the discussion were still unknown.
Meanwhile sources indicate that Dr Mwaura has, following the fanning revelations, asked for leave and was at the airport by the time of filing this story.
Efforts to get a comment from MTI management were futile.


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Why FedRAMP?
Network and Information Security. That's the stuff many of us hope others are keeping a keen eye on as we go about our day-to-day emailing, launching attachments, clicking random web links. Our collective thoughts are that a team of experts are steadfastly monitoring most every possible scenario to avoid a data breach that can put good data in bad hands. The general consensus is that we do not need to think in terms of 'if' a data breach occurs, but 'when' in fact one does.
The fight to keep data protected is an ongoing one, and one that the U.S. Government takes quite seriously. Enter the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program, (FedRAMP). FedRAMP is a government-wide program that provides a standardized approach to security assessment, authorization, and continuous monitoring for cloud products and services. This program is the result of deep and meaningful collaboration among cognizant Federal groups, as well as private industry organizations, and is designed to raise the standard by which our Federal Government data is managed and protected.
Software vendors who wish to enjoy a relationship with the Federal Government must adhere to these ever-evolving security standards, if only to demonstrate a commitment to the data safeguarding that we as end users have come to demand.
The FedRAMP authorization process is daunting, and requires significant resources, time, and cost to navigate the 3 basics steps in the FedRAMP authorization process, so it makes sense that the companies we work with engage a 3rd Party Assessment Organization (3PAO) that has expertise in navigating the processes.
The Marick Group has been partners with SAP SuccessFactors and Blackboard supporting learning initiatives with Federal agencies for several years. Both organizations are required to be certified with the FedRAMP, and each are pursuing FedRAMP certification:
SAP National Security Services Inc. (SAP NS2) – SAP NS2 Secure Node with SuccessFactors Suite
The organization has completed the first step in the FedRAMP compliance process, which means they are officially "FedRAMP Ready". They are now navigating the "FedRAMP In Process" phase and are in the final stages, right before they go to "FedRAMP Compliant"
Last August Blackboard partnered with the Army, Medical, Education and Training Campus to (METC) to submit their application. Blackboard is also in the "FedRAMP In Process" phase.
Stay tuned for the next announcement, when both of these vendors will be "FedRAMP Compliant". To check the status of any organization pursuing FedRAMP Certification, or to learn more about FedRAMP, follow this link: https://www.fedramp.gov/


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We all know how challenging it can be to create content for our social media.
Researching what to post, creating the images or videos, then finding the time to get the posts onto your different platforms, when all you want to be spending your time doing is working on your business!
I get it, as I feel the same way too!
What I do to make this easier for me, is to schedule 2 hours out of my week, usually on a Sunday, to create and schedule the content for the following week.
When I first started doing this it took, of course, longer than 2 hours. But after a few times getting used to doing it, and being consistent with it, I am able to get a weeks worth created and scheduled in around 2 hours.
That's 1 piece of social media content per day, on 3 platforms for 4 days – making that 21 pieces of content in 2 hours!!!
So how do I do this?
- Buffer
- Buffer Chrome Extension
- Pablo Chrome Extension
Check out this short video I've recorded that shows you exactly how to do this.
What do you use to create and schedule your social media content?


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How we make the natural flowers last for several years? This is the most asked question. Here you will find the answers for our major products. Please, click on the circles to find the answers.
Our Flowers Features & Benefits
Other preserved flowers do not undergo the same detailed preservation process we developed internally starting in 2005. Our Flower Secret Process is the result of testing over 20 different methods before finalizing this truly outstanding process. Our Preserved Rose can last up to 5 years, our competitor's cannot. Our advanced technology let us preserves the flower at the individual cell for the longest lasting results.
We use various preservation methods for the different type of product. We match the preservation method with how the product will be used rather than preserving all our flowers in the same way. We specialize in long lasting flowers and plants.
Our flowers will stand up to any climate, no matter how harsh. We also developed and work to improve the process in our labs. Also, our flowers are grown by authorized growers that are carefully selected. Each step is controlled to make sure it is up to our high standards.
We, Flower Secret, are proud to announce our 10th anniversary! After around 3 years of research and development in...
We are pleased to announce the launch of our new website design. We did several improvements on the look and pages...


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WesternZagros Resources Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:WZR) ("WesternZagros" or "the Company") is pleased to provide an operational update for its Kurdamir and Garmian Blocks and a corporate update.
Kurdamir-2 Exploration Well
Testing of three separate intervals within the approximate 500 metres of gross pay in the Cretaceous reservoir commenced on July 28, 2012. However, the operator, Talisman (Block K44) B.V. ("Talisman"), has experienced a number of operational issues that have introduced delays into the program. The Company anticipates that results will be released when the testing of all three Cretaceous intervals has been completed later this month. In addition, the Company is working with the operator to prepare for testing of the interpreted 275 metres and 118 metres of gross oil pay in the Eocene and Oligocene reservoirs respectively. The results from these two intervals are now anticipated in October.
Kurdamir-3 Appraisal Well
WesternZagros and Talisman are finalizing the location for this next well to appraise the oil discovery in the Oligocene reservoir. The operator is expected to commence site construction in September in preparation for a drilling start date in December. The well is expected to require approximately 140 days to drill to a total depth of 2,860 metres.
Kurdamir 3D Seismic Survey
WesternZagros and Talisman have agreed on the parameters for a 3D seismic survey which will extend from Kurdamir into the neighbouring Topkhana Block in order to better define the areal extent of the Oligocene, Eocene and Cretaceous reservoirs. The survey encompasses 160 square kilometres on the Kurdamir Block alone. Recording of data for this survey is expected to start at the end of December and be completed in mid-April 2013. The data from this survey will be used to decide on future appraisal well locations and refine resource assessments of the existing discoveries.
Simon Hatfield, WesternZagros's Chief Executive Officer, commented:
"While the delay in the Kurdamir-2 testing program is frustrating, it in no way diminishes the optimism we feel towards the potential of the Cretaceous Reservoir at Kurdamir. Similarly, we continue to look forward to the testing results of the Eocene and Oligocene intervals and we are excited to be able to advance the Kurdamir 3D seismic program and the Kurdamir-3 well to continue the appraisal of the Oligocene reservoir that now carries prospective resources of over 1 billion barrels of oil."
Sarqala 3D Seismic Program
The contract has been awarded for a 3D seismic survey encompassing 325 square kilometers over the Sarqala, Mil Qasim and Zardi Complex structures. In addition, the seismic program also includes four 2D seismic lines to be acquired over the Chwar prospect. The crew is anticipated to start recording in late October 2012. Completion date is expected to be in March, 2013.
Sarqala-1 Extended Well Test
WesternZagros continues discussions with the Kurdistan Regional Government("KRG") to recommence the extended well test at Sarqala-1. KRG approval remains pending.
WesternZagros is pleased to announce the launch of its new website at www.westernzagros.com. The new website is part of the Company's ongoing efforts to enhance the quality and availability of information. The aim of the revised site is to allow visitors to gain a comprehensive understanding of WesternZagros and provide a leading resource for information regarding the Company's operations in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
Upcoming Conferences
WesternZagros will be participating in a panel discussion at the Goldman Sachs Global Natural Resources Conference on September 12 and presenting at the FirstEnergy/Societe Generale Global Energy Conference on September 18. Greg Stevenson, CFO of WesternZagros, will discuss the Company's latest developments and future plans.
Details of the events are as follows:
-- Goldman Sachs Global Natural Resources Conference - London
Wednesday, September 12, 2012 at 2:00 PM (GMT)
-- FirstEnergy/Societe Generale Global Energy Conference - London
Tuesday, September 18, 2012 at 11:00 AM (GMT)
Picture: Kurdamir-1