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Next week is Apple's annual developer conference, where in all likelihood we'll get a preview of iOS 8, the next version of Apple's mobile OS. With the help of our Twitter followers, we've been publishing lists of the features and changes we'd like to see in iOS 8—so far, we've covered Notification Center, Mail, Calendar and Reminders, Photos and Camera, accessibility, and Safari. Today we cover a smattering of leftover apps: FaceTime, Maps, Messages, and Music. (Stay tuned tomorrow for our hopes for the OS in general.)
When FaceTime first debuted, it was a cool technology demo, but once we'd showed it to our friends, many of us sort of forgot about it. Then, a few months (or longer) later, we used it to talk to the kids while we were on a business trip, or to chat with a relative who just got an iPad, and it suddenly became an indispensable way to keep in touch with loved ones. And now that it supports audio-only chats, we can even use it in place of traditional voice calls.
But "family chat" is pretty much the niche FaceTime has been relegated to for many people, thanks to one significant restriction: Unlike Google Hangouts, Skype, and other video-chat services—many of them with their own iOS apps—FaceTime doesn't do group chats. Which is a shame, because those services all require yet another account, and yet another set of procedures for configuration and use. FaceTime, on the other hand, is easy to use, it's automatically configured when you set up your Apple ID on your Mac or iOS device, and it integrates with your existing contacts. Here's hoping we'll eventually be able to use FaceTime for chats with more than two people.
And speaking of FaceTime contacts, more than a few of our Twitter follows are hoping iOS 8 will automatically sync FaceTime favorites between devices.
We could write an entire article on changes and improvements we'd like to see in Maps, but we'll focus on a few of our biggest complaints. The first is, as you might guess, accuracy. Though Maps has improved dramatically since its inauspicious debut, we're still frustrated by how often map data is incorrect, especially when it comes to businesses and points of interest. For example, a fellow Macworld editor noted that on a recent trip, Maps claimed that the closest 76 gas station was 15 miles away, even though there was one less than a mile from his current location. And every Macworld editor has at one time or another tried to follow a Maps route only to discover that it couldn't actually be followed, or to realize that they'd been taken to the wrong place.
Even more worrisome is that this isn't just an issue of Apple licensing map data that's inferior to what other vendors are using, or using that data incorrectly. The Maps app provides a way to report incorrect map data, but users have found that map errors reported years ago—many of them multiple times—have never been corrected. We'd like to see Apple improve its map data, devote more attention to user-submitted corrections, and tweak Maps to use that data better.
Maps could use a visual makeover, as well, especially when it comes to map presentation. Although Apple has improved the readability of maps over the past year or so—most notably by adding a night mode—it can still be frustrating to use Maps in the car for anything other than listening to voice directions. For example, contrast is poor in both day and night modes—if it's bright outside, day mode makes it hard to even differentiate between streets and the surrounding areas. And street labels are either hidden or too small to read, even if you zoom in, at times making Maps nearly useless for on-the-fly navigation.
We'd also like to see better integration of traffic data with routes. If there's an accident or other issue that's slowing traffic on your route, many other map apps will tweak the route to get you around it, if possible. Until Maps includes such a feature, we often turn to "real" navigation apps, such as Navigon, for longer trips or when driving in unfamiliar areas.
Of course, like many people, we'd like Apple to add transit directions, rather than dumping us off to a third-party app. And though it's not a must-have, it would be nice to be able to see elevations in maps and routes.
Finally, a big frustration with Maps is that if you're out of Wi-Fi or mobile-data range, the app often doesn't work at all. Your iPhone (or GPS-equipped iPad) has the hardware to roughly determine your location without a data connection, but often can't. And even when it can, it can't actually obtain and display, well, a map without a data connection. A recent update to Google's Maps app brought downloadable maps for just such situations. We'd like to see Apple's offering do the same.
The biggest request we and our readers have for the Messages app is more of an issue with the underlying iMessage service: We just want it to work. Specifically, we want messages to go through every time, rather than some messages disappearing into the ether; we don't want to have to worry about the difference between iMessage and SMS; we want all messages to be synced across all devices; and we want to be able to follow any exchange, regardless of the device or protocol that initiated it. We're frustrated when we try to view, on our iPad, a conversation we had on our iPhone, only to find a bunch of the messages missing.
We'd also like an easier way to remove or purge images from Messages conversations. On my iPhone, Messages is currently using over 400 MB of storage space, most of it due to images contained within conversations. But the only way to remove those images is to either delete entire conversations (which is overkill, and I might want to keep the text components of those exchanges), or to painstakingly scroll through each conversation and manually delete just the messages containing images—a major hassle. A simple way to strip images from a conversation (after optionally saving them to the Photos app) would be welcome. Or even just a way to delete those images on a particular device, with the option to later re-download one or more on demand.
Related to this, it would be great if we could somehow see how much storage space each conversation is using on a device, either from within Messages itself or by using the Usage screen in the Settings app. If it turns out that most of my 400 MB of Messages data is in a single conversation, I could choose to delete only that conversation.
It would also be nice if we could quickly and easily mark multiple conversations as read on the main Messages screen. (The Edit button currently offers only a way to delete individual conversations.)
Despite myriad third-party alternatives, many of us keep coming back to the built-in Music app for listening to our own tunes. Part of this is because many third-party music apps have problems with iTunes Match—or don't let us access cloud-hosted music at all. Another is that we like being able to listen to iTunes Radio. Whatever the reason, we use the Music app daily, so we'd really like it to become a bit more polished.
For example, though Music is currently the best iTunes Match-compatible music app out there, many people still have problems playing music that hasn't already been downloaded or synced to the device. And we regularly experience issues where Matched tracks and playlists simply don't appear—we've at times had to disable iTunes Match and then re-enable it just to see all our playlists.
Those of us who regularly use the Music app in the car would like to be able to use swipe gestures for control: left and right to skip tracks, up and down to adjust volume level. We've tried third-party apps that provide this feature, and because you can use gestures without even looking at the phone, they're a great way to safely control playback while driving. Why not just use those apps? Because of the aforementioned issues with third-party apps and iTunes Match, we'd rather get this obvious feature in the built-in Music app. (We've also found that most gesture-driven third-party music apps go overboard, requiring us to remember a slew of similar swipes to be able to do anything.)
We'd also love to see Apple bring the Up Next feature of iTunes 11 from the Mac to iOS. Other desktop features we'd like see on the iPhone and iPad include the capability to rename playlists; to sort playlists; and to add lyrics to tracks. (Speaking of which, wouldn't it be great if Apple could strike a deal with publishers so the Music app and iTunes on the desktop could automatically find and add lyrics?)
Finally, one minor interface request: The Show All Music toggle, which lets you decide whether the Music app shows all your music, local and iCloud-stored, or just the tracks that have been downloaded or synced to your device, can be really useful. In fact, we use this toggle switch frequently enough that we'd like easier access to it, right in the Music app.


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Title: Perfect Obsession
Author Name & Publisher: Lucien Grey (Less Than Three Press)
Publication Date & Length: June 29, 2016 – 37 pgs
Son of a mad cloth merchant, William inherited his father's eccentricity, obsessed with fashion and his quest for perfection. When he is insulted by the Prince Regent himself, Will is distraught.
Determined to comfort Will and restore his good spirits, George commissions a new suit for his lover that is certain to cause a stir, even if it seems more and more like the only thing Will loves about him is his money and the lavish lifestyle it affords.
What do you do when your lover is obsessed with perfection?
Naval officer, Lord George Beswick would do anything for his lover, William Rohen, who desires nothing but the finest clothes. He sets out to help William create the perfect wardrobe, though his insecurities and William's threaten to tear them apart.
I've always been a fan of regency romances, and this one did not disappoint. Even though this was a novella, I was impressed at just how well formed the characters were. I felt as though I had spent an entire book with them, getting to know their quirks. Their relationship was incredibly well written, and incredibly human. They both grappled with insecurities about their relationship and how much they meant to one another, but they dealt with them in healthy, mature ways.
On top of that, the sex was really hot. The novella focuses a lot on clothing, and that definitely added a sexy element to all the erotic scenes. The term 'clothing porn' comes to mind!
Overall, a great look into this relationship. I would love to read more about them!
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon CA
Barnes & Noble

subset: commoncrawl


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Thinking about God is a lot like thinking about organ donations.
In 2008, behavioral economist Dan Ariely gave a TED talk in which he showed a graph comparing organ donation rates in countries throughout Europe. Morbid. But amazingly interesting when he dove into the numbers. Some countries, like Austria and France had organ donation rates of close to 100% while in similar countries, like Germany and the UK, rates were well under 20% – a fascinating comparison. What could cause such crazy discrepancies? On one end of the graph, scores were low and variable, while on the other end, the countries were maxing out at full participation.
Even with the cultural differences between these countries, most were similar in size and all had overarching European socialist ideals. There really shouldn't have been that much of a difference. Ariely gave a few ideas before finally discharging his theory.
In all of the countries with the highest rates of participation, the organ donation program was opt-out. By doing nothing, the individual was enrolled in the program as an organ donor. In the other countries, their organ donation program was opt-in. By doing nothing, those individuals would not be enrolled in the program. Only after they checked a box would they get added to the list of organ donors.
Surely, this can't be it! Dan's pretty adamant and makes a good case. There are a couple of really neat implications. First, Ariely says that, in both cases, it's not that people don't care. Instead, he attributes it to the the complexity of the question. When people are faced with complex questions – like those involving life or death or what to do with your various body parts in the event of a tragic car accident – people simply don't want to think about it. It's too big of a question to be reduced to a check box on an application. Faced with that kind of complexity, our default is to do nothing.
The second implication is that people who design the forms have an enormous amount of influence in shaping behavior of entire nations. Sure, a lot of considerations go into these decisions – we hope. Political ideologies, cultural norms, state legislation all have an impact. But, essentially, whatever the default is determined to be, it has the power to shape our behavior and how we see the world. In some countries, people assume that they're going to be organ donors and I've got to believe that impacts how they talk about car accidents and organ donations. Here, the process is opt-in and sometimes people comment when they see my license, "Oh, you're an organ donor?" In countries where there every participates by default, I've got to assume that this is not a question. Maybe the question becomes, "Really, you're NOT an organ donor?"
When it comes to complex ideas, we just seem to accept the defaults.
I used to believe that faith was an opt-in process. At some point, you were presented with a question about whether you wanted to follow Jesus and you had a decision to make. That decision was much more than just am I in or am I out?
Think about it. By most accounts of faith today, opting-in is how you get to participate. If we do nothing, we are out. In order to get into the in-group, we have to check a box. Doing nothing means that someday down the road we would be sent to hell to burn forever. On the other hand, if we opted in, the choice seemed to be in favor of a mansion on a hilltop situated by streets of solid gold.
On the surface, the question seems like an easy one to make.
But there's more going on here. By checking the box to get in, we agree to the implicit idea that the God who is orchestrating this entire thing is entirely too pissed off at the people he created but who he also knew would not check the box and would elect to go to hell anyway.
Unless you're in the 20% or so that would opt in, then damn you.
Opting in is agreeing that God is angry and his wrath can only be satisfied by blood. It's either yours or that of God's own son. Someone has to die.
It is an undeniably complex idea that most people simply ignore. They're out. They're doomed.
It's also worth noting that whoever designed or perpetuates this system wields a significant amount of power to influence what people do. How often will they come to church? How often will they volunteer? How much money will they give?
I no longer believe that faith is an opt-in process.
As much as getting a mansion on the hillside is compelling, the idea of spending eternity worshipping a God who is selectively compassionate towards the people who are supposed to be his children is more than a little off-putting. Much more compelling is the idea that God is the ultimate expression of love and inclusion – that there is limitless grace and mercy – that God welcomes people whether they spent his riches on hookers and booze or not (Voila! A thinly veiled Prodigal Son reference). I want a God that can be a model of caring – a God that is loving by default.
That's a God whose love you have to opt-out of.
Don't be fooled – opting out of an infinite amount of love is also a complex undertaking. You might not believe that there is a personified god in a mystic place called heaven. You may not believe that such a god intervenes in our lives to heal diseases or find parking spots close to the door. Opting out is effectively saying that you don't want to believe in the idea that there is goodness and compassion at the heart of the universe.
Sure, you can opt out. But most people won't.
And when most people don't opt out, it changes the whole culture. It changes the types of questions we ask. It changes who has power. It changes ideas about God and judgement and guilt. It is an equally complex idea but the idea that everyone is in has an impact on how we live our lives, how we treat others, how we think about things like competition and disagreement.
I don't claim to know what God is or how to describe the idea using any sort of language. What I do believe is that, whatever is out there, it is most compelling when it is open, and accepting, and loving.
By default.
How do our ideas about God change when we believe that everyone is in by default?
Who stands to lose power or money or control if this were the dominant view?
Who stands to gain?
This post is part of a series of reflections that I wanted to create to help people who are deconstructing their views about faith make sense of what they're experiencing. It can be lonely and scary. But this series is meant to be a safe place to experiment with what it means to go a little deeper. Find the whole series here.
Photo Credit: "Love" by Thomas Hawk is licensed by CC BY-NC 2.0.


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|Home > Guitar Riffs > Shred Guitar > Pantera
Pantera - Mouth for War
This free shred guitar riff is "Mouth for War" by Pantera. Here's the intro to the song. Notice that the 2nd measure is played twice as fast as the 1st measure. Start off this shred guitar riff with some palm muted single notes and B5 power chords. Then do some more power chord and a few slides. Remember to play measure 3 the 1st 3 times and then play measure 4 the last time.
Keep practicing this Shred Guitar riff until you can play with the audio labeled "Faster" because this is the riff at actual speed. With this lesson you can learn to play "Mouth for War" by Pantera.
Pantera Shred Guitar Riff - "Mouth for War"
Faster (Acutal Speed)
Backing Track
Faster (Actual Speed)
|Previous Shred Guitar Riff
|Next Shred Guitar Riff
|Pantera - Cemetery Gates
|Pantera - Walk
See all Shred Guitar Riffs
|Related pages: Zakk Wylde Shred Guitar, Lead Guitar Lessons


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to ISN homepage
Indian Storytelling Network
Yogita Ahuja.
Yogita is the founder of "I Nurture Me" Learning Services, an educational consulting and corporate training organization. She comes with 15 years of training and consulting experience. She is an accredited Storyteller, certified by the International Institute of Storytelling, USA, and Kathalaya, Bengaluru. She likes to work with adults -- corporate leaders, teachers, trainers, and parents -- to help them gain insights into different aspects of storytelling for communication and leadership.
She has now partnered with Kathalaya to offer Kathalaya's Story Space programs for children in Ahmedabad.
Yogita is a post-graduate in Training from the Indian Chapter of American Society for Training and Development (ISTD). She is a certified English language teacher from TESOL, USA.
Yogita has personally trained more than 5,000 young and mid-senior level leaders representing leading Indian and Multinational companies in the corporate sector. She has worked with around 500 students and teachers in the education sector. Her vision is to help each one discover the joy of learning through storytelling.
Yogita has worked with and trained senior leaders in companies such as Adani Gas Ltd, DB Schenker India, Pavit Ceramics and Tiles, Bajaj Finserv, Colgate India, Lodha group, and Mahindra Group companies.
Schools she has worked with in Ahmedabad include Udgam School for Children, Red Bricks Foundation, Zydus School for Excellence, and HB Kapadia - The 9 Kids.
Contact info:
98119 01858
Facebook page: I Nurture Me


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Dr John Freeman will be reflecting on his career from his PhD onwards, including advice to students interested in similar trajectories.
Dr John Freeman is a diplomat with global experience during service with the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office and in the United Nations system. International security has been a core focus of his career (e.g. Ambassador to the IAEA and other Agencies in Vienna; Ambassador for Multilateral Arms Control; Deputy Ambassador to NATO) including initial service with the UK Ministry of Defence and thereafter with the FCO covering the full gamut including nuclear policy, chemical and biological and conventional arms control, as well as NATO operational issues in the Balkans and Afghanistan when in Brussels.
Dr Freeman has also held positions with responsibilities for international counter-terrorism, Eastern Europe, South Africa, Singapore/South East Asia as well most recently as Ambassador to Argentina. Within the UN system he served as Deputy Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and was the UK's nominated candidate for the position of Director-General of the OPCW.
John Freeman obtained his PhD in War Studies and has maintained active academic involvement at various times with the Centre of International Studies at Cambridge, the Utrecht Centre for Conflict and Security Law, the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, as well as most recently as a Visiting Professor at King's College, London. He has published a number of articles and books, mainly on arms control-related themes.


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Chapter 1
IN THE BEGINNING, nearly two decades ago……
Thick dark gray smoke continued to billow from deep within the castle walls. Joy had quickly turned to despair for inhabitants of the magical kingdom. Just hours before, during Beltane—a liminal time when active spirits and fairies can more easily come into our world—celebration and jubilation had been the order of the day, for their divine queen had birthed newborn twins, Princess Tianna and Prince Tristan.
The queen and her new vampire husband, whom some had considered an unlikely and extremely uncommon choice for her, had shared a love that was strong and true; now both lay dead on the nursery floor. The kingdom's alluring, golden-haired fairy queen was no more; and to make matters worse, the royal twins had vanished along with the scroll that contained the queen's will, complete with the inked revisions she made immediately after the birth, as mandated by royal protocol. Neither servant nor royal was any match for the unexpected violent attack carried out by the truly malicious Dagda, his evil Unseelie Court, and their loyal supporters.
In the mayhem, no one noticed the queen's personal servant, a loyal gnome named Bob, scoop up the little princess and the royal scroll. He hurriedly exited their world, choosing to enter this world instead, in a gallant effort to keep the little princess safe until her nineteenth birthday, when her secret powers would be ignited, and she would be eligible to take over her late mother's throne. It seemed only fitting that she be abandoned on the doorstep of one of Bar Harbor's respected, influential, and wealthy families where Bob trusted that, in her innocence, she would remain safe and go on to live a life deserving of a princess until he would, ultimately, one day return for her.
And now that day has come.
Chapter One
My nineteenth birthday was going great until the gnome showed up.
Imagine my surprise when I got into my taxi after a wicked party with all of my friends, only to find a dwarf (no, I'm not being mean here, he really was a dwarf), complete with pointy hat and long white beard looking back at me from the rear view mirror.
"Hi, Tianna." Except it sounded like Tee-ah-na. A British dwarf, who would've guessed?
"I'm sorry, I think you have the wrong person." I rolled my eyes and wished he would put the pedal to the metal, so to speak. The numerous strawberry daiquiris were going straight through me.
"I believe that in this world you are addressed as Melanie?"
Okay, now he was getting creepy.
"Look buddy, I'm not sure how you know my name or how you think you know me but could you please just get this thing moving now?"
As requested, the taxi lurched forward. So did my stomach. Ugh. I noticed the driver was sitting on not one, but three thick, yellow phone books.
"My lady, you will require my assistance in adjusting to your new life now that you are nineteen years of age."
Wait, how did this guy know I was nineteen? I eyed the door and calculated the estimated time it would take for another cab to pick me up.
"You have much to learn and I'm afraid I'm the only one who is aware of your secret. Your body will be going through many changes in the next short while—"
"Hold on now buddy, enough talk of my body. Just get me home or I'll report you to the police and get a restraining order or something."
He turned around and I got a full view of his small, bearded face. It wasn't pretty.
"As you desire my lady (mah lady), but I shall leave you with my contact information."
I took his business card and glanced at the writing.
"Bob? Your name is Bob? You're a British dwarf named Bob?"
"Gnome, my lady. Dwarves are an entirely different race, as you will soon learn."
That was when I passed out.
I don't remember getting home, but I woke up in my apartment the next morning with a brutal headache. I was convinced the whole event had been a dream until I found the business card on my kitchen table. I promptly threw it in the garbage. That was three days ago.
A lot of unusual stuff has happened since that night. At first, I thought I was just having really bad PMS. I mean, usually I crave chocolate or salty french fries, but craving raw meat? That was just weird. Let me explain.
I was at work, applying a fresh coat of lipgloss while admiring my new eyeshadow color in the mirror in the hallway, when I caught a whiff of something delicious coming from the kitchen. I should mention I am a waitress at a seafood and steakhouse restaurant here in Bar Harbor (might as well earn money for looking good and being popular). Anyways, I followed the scent into the kitchen and hovered over the fresh cut steaks. Not the cooked steaks, or even the marinating ones. Nope, the raw ones.
As soon as I saw the pool of juice and blood under the meat, I started to drool.
And then I licked it.
Yep, I bent over the counter and licked the uncooked steak. That was when the first red flag went off.
Then there was the paranoia. I could've sworn I was being followed everywhere I went. And I don't just mean that guys were watching me as I walked past them. That I was used to.
This was a creepy, deep in your stomach, gut feeling that made me look over my shoulder every ten seconds.
But the thing that really made me question my sanity was my appearance this morning when I woke up. Being a brunette all my life (and proud of it, thank you!), you can imagine my shock when I looked in the mirror and discovered that my long, luscious locks were blonde. Not just "I got a little bit of sun" blonde highlights, but BLONDE. Just slap a dress on me and call me Barbie!
Which was why I was now digging through a dumpster in my pajamas, looking for a business card that a British dwarf—sorry, gnome—gave me. Talk about a bad Monday morning!
I caught a glimpse of myself in the hallway mirror when I swung my apartment door open. The blonde hair disgusted me even more than the twenty minutes I spent in the dumpster.
Business card in hand, and with a used baby wipe on the bottom of my shoe (gross!), I made my way over to my cell phone. I briefly wiped my hands on my pajama bottoms, making a mental note to burn them instead of washing them, and then dialed the number on the card.
I waited. No dial tone, no ringing. I glanced at the display, then shook the phone.
"You called mah lady?"
I spun around so fast my phone went flying across the room.
"Jesus! What the hell?" A hint of a smirk appeared on Bob's face before he composed himself and bowed down in front of me. "Why, exactly, are you bowing? I am not the fucking queen. Oh, and you owe me a new cell phone. And how on earth did you get in here? And why is my hair blonde??"
Bob raised a single eyebrow. "Charming. Actually, mah lady, you are the queen. I got inside your residence with simple retrieval magic. I'm not sure why this world is so attached to these cell phones, but I will be sure to locate a new one for you immediately."
"You're on crack Bob. Anyone ever tell you that?"
"No, mah lady."
I could tell I was going to need every ounce of patience with this little dude.
"So, Bob, back to this queen business. If you think I'm the queen then you're not as British as you think you are. In case you haven't noticed, this is not a palace, I do not wear stuffy pastel-colored suits, and if you look outside you will not find any men in furry hats guarding me."
"Would your majesty like men in furry hats guarding you? It can be arranged."
"Would I like men in furry hats?" I paused for a second, distracted by the temptation of men in uniform…no, don't go there Mel.
I was seriously doubting my decision to contact this bearded weirdo.
"Okay Bobby, my patience is wearing out. Tell me what the hell is going on or your midget-sized ass is going to be tossed out my window."
"I suppose it is time to inform you about your situation." He dramatically cleared his throat before continuing. "You, mah lady, are our queen. Your mother was our queen until her untimely death, and now that you are of the age of maturity, you will return to our world and take your rightful place on the throne."
"Uh HUH."
"There is, unfortunately, a bit of a glitch in this plan. Your mother bore another child, your twin brother, who was taken by Dagda and raised in our world. He is…not a nice person. Our only hope for a happy future rides with you."
"Uh HUH."
"To everyone in our world, you are only a legend—a myth that our people want to believe in. Only I have been privileged with the truth, the knowledge that you exist and that you would come back to save us when you reached your age of maturity. Your parents entrusted you to me when your brother was stolen. I brought you to this world and left you on the doorstep of a very wealthy family who would provide a home and upbringing worthy of a queen."
"Uh HUH."
"Given that your brother is unaware of your existence, I suggest that we keep him in the dark until you have fully changed and come up with a brilliant plan to banish him, but I urge you to plan quickly mah lady, as our world is suffering under his reign."
"Uh HUH."
"Truly mah lady, I expected more of an elaborate response from you."
"How's this for an elaborate response, jackass," I made my way over to the front door, opened it, and pointed outwards with my finger.
A sigh and another arched eyebrow were the only reactions from Bob as he made his way towards the door.
"Mah Lady."
His bow was interrupted by with a swift kick from my foot.
"Don't forget to replace my cellphone Bobby. Pronto."


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Bombyx Partners with University of Leeds to Provide Software to the Innovators of Tomorrow
Press Release from C4DI. Written by Courtney Farrow of Bloom Creative
C4DI-based Bombyx PLM has partnered up with the University of Leeds to add PLM to its curriculum and give students a taste of the reality of the fashion industry today, as well as its digital future.
From November 2019, the platform will be available across BA and MA fashion courses at the University of Leeds, giving students a real-life glimpse at what their jobs could be like after graduating.
"Bombyx provides fantastic training, with a fully-functional PLM system that our students can use and experience," enthuses Pammi Sinha, Associate Professor of Fashion Management, University of Leeds.
"The students will fully understand the contexts for how the business of fashion product development happens in the way that it does," says Muriel Rigout, Associate Professor, Textile and Printing and Design, University of Leeds.
Leeds University is one of the largest higher education institutions in the UK, with more than 38,000 students from 150 different countries. A member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities, Leeds is a top ten university for research and impact power in the UK and recognized as one of the top 100 of the QS World University Rankings 2020.
"The system is intuitive in nature and user-friendly for students and tutors alike. This experience of PLM is invaluable for our students as they search for careers within the fashion and textile industry," Pammi adds.
Founder of Bombyx, Lucy Blackley, started her career in the fashion industry and is a former garment technologist and product development lead.
Over the past decade, she has worked with several household names, including Arcadia Group, Very, and Next. She has experienced first-hand how product development teams work and believes the current software available isn't designed around the people using and relying on it every day.
"We help people get back to what they do best, so they don't have to spend hours of their day (and night) poring over tedious admin tasks," Lucy tells us.
Recently winning Best Tech Startup at the Hull and Humber Tech Awards, the Bombyx brand continues to take on a life of its own, advocating wellbeing in the workplace, environmental sustainability, and ethical manufacturing, all while offering an effortless, user-centric software to product development teams.
On top of all of this, Lucy has been shortlisted for the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award by the Digital Entrepreneur Awards, nominated for Barclays Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and a headline speaker at the inaugural Tech Expo Humber.
"Partnering with Leeds University is brilliant for us, as it means we can work with students who are about to enter the industry and continue to develop our product around the next generation of the industry."


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US $850.00Final Sale
US $850.00Final Sale
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Color — White Diamond
Ships to
Made to order. Diamond ready to ship in 2-3 business days. All other stones ready to ship in 7-10 business days.
There may be no piece of jewelry as storied as the signet ring. However, this bezeled riff is distinctly modern. Set in Bondeye's signature 14-karat gold, it has an elegant subtle sheen and is meant to be customized with your birthstone or any precious gem of choice. Best of all, the teeny centerpiece is surrounded by an etched starburst motif that's celestial in a super cool way. Just right for Mother's Day, graduation, and beyond, it makes for the perfect generation-spanning gift.


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- Jan 6 Patent for reducing zinc ore granted to Samuel Wetherill, Penn
- Jan 8 Dion Boucicauly's "Poor of NY" premieres in NYC
- Jan 9 7.9 earthquake shakes Fort Tejon, California
- Jan 15 1st first-class game in Sydney, NSW v Vic at The Domain
- Jan 24 University of Calcutta founded as the first full-fledged university in South Asia
- Jan 26 Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville delivers his design for a phonautograph, which created visual images of sound, to the French Academy
- Feb 7 French writer Gustave Flaubert is acquitted on a charge of obscenity for his work "Madame Bovary"
- Feb 16 Gallaudet College (National Deaf Mute college) forms in Washington, D.C.
Historic Event
Feb 18 Chinese residents in the fledging state of Sarawak rebel against the "White Rajah" James Brooke
The Case of Dred Scott in the United States Supreme Court
Mar 6 Dred Scott Decision: US Supreme Court rules Africans cannot be US citizens
- Mar 8 British seismologist John Milne is hired by the Japanese government as a foreign adviser (oyatoi gaikokujin)
- Mar 25 Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville receives a patent for his phonautograph, a device which created visual images of sound
- Mar 25 Frederick Laggenheim takes 1st photo of a solar eclipse
- Apr 12 French novelist Gustave Flaubert's first novel and masterpiece "Madame Bovary" is published in book form
- Apr 21 Alexander Douglas patents the bustle
- Apr 27 Establishment of Jewish congregations in Lower Austria prohibited
- Apr 29 US Army, Pacific Div HQ permanently forms at Presidio (San Francisco)
- Apr 30 San Jose State University forms
- May 1 William Walker, conqueror of Nicaragua, surrenders to US Navy
The Indian Mutiny
May 10 Indian Mutiny against rule by the British East India Company begins with the revolt of the Sepoy soldiers in Meerut
Historic Event
May 26 US slave Dred Scott and family freed by owner Henry Taylor Blow, only 3 months after US courts ruled against them in Dred Scott v. Sandford
- Jun 1 Charles Baudelaire's Les Fleurs du Mal (The Flowers of Evil) is published.
- Jun 2 James Gibbs of Virginia, patents the chain-stitch single-thread sewing machine
- Jun 5 Walter Woodbury and James Page open photo studio in Batavia (Jakarta)
- Jun 10 Britain passes an act putting Canada on the decimal currency system
- Jun 15 San Francisco Water Works organized
Historic Event
Jun 26 The first 62 recipients are awarded the Victoria Cross for valour in the Crimean war by Queen Victoria
- Jun 27 Bibighar massacre of 120 British women and children following the siege of Cawnpore
Historic Event
Jun 27 James Donnelly becomes engaged in a drunken brawl with Patrick Farrell, who suffers a fatal blow to the head. Farrell dies two days later, which makes James Donnelly a wanted man and draws the Donnelly family into the notorious feud
- Jun 29 Battle at Chinhat (Indies rebel under Barkat Ahmed beat British)
- Jul 16 Sir Henry Havelock arrives at Battle of Cawnpore
- Jul 18 Louis Faidherbe, French governor of Senegal, arrives to relieve French forces at Kayes, effectively ending El Hajj Umar Tall's war against the French
- Aug 24 The Panic of 1857 begins, setting off one of the most severe economic crises in U.S. history.
- Sep 11 Mountain Meadows Massacre, Mormons dressed as Indians murder 120 colonists in Utah
- Sep 12 423 die when "Central America" sinks off Cape Romain SC
- Sep 15 Timothy Alder of NY patents a typesetting machine
- Sep 16 Mexican constitution of force (fiercely attacked by Pope Pius IX)
- Sep 23 Russian warship Leffort disappears in a storm in the Gulf of Finland; 826 die
- Sep 25 Relief of Lucknow by Havelock & Outram begins
- Sep 30 US occupies Sand, Baker, Howland & Jarvis Island, south of Hawaii
- Oct 5 Mormon pioneer Captain Lot Smith and members of the Utah militia destroy US army supply wagon train in Wyoming during Utah War
- Oct 5 The City of Anaheim is founded
- Nov 9 Atlantic Monthly magazine 1st published
- Dec 16 Earthquake in Naples, Italy
- Dec 31 Queen Victoria chooses Ottawa as new capital of Canada


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Patrick P. Malone, 67 of Sciotoville, passed away on December 3, 2018 at his residence. He was born on January 15, 1951 in Portsmouth the son of the late Elbridge and Juanita Piatt Malone. Pat was also preceded in death by 3 brothers, Charles, Elbridge, Jr., and Derrick Malone and one sister, Catherine Taylor. He was a 1968 graduate of West Portsmouth High School, an Army Veteran and retired from N&W Railroad.
Patrick is survived by one daughter, Taryn (Mark) Mirabello; 3 brothers, Michael (Diana)Malone, Daniel (Chris) Malone and Timothy (Roberta) Malone and sisters, Donna (Dwight) Rickey and his guardian angel whom he adored, Caroline "Jackie" Malone.
Funeral services will be held at 3 pm on Friday, December 7, 2018 at the Adkins Family Funeral Home in Portsmouth, with interment to follow at Scioto Burial Park in McDermott. The family will receive friends from 1 until the funeral hour on Friday. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.adkinsfamilyfuneralhome.com
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Patrick P Malone, please visit our floral store.


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Squeeze a ball between hands. Inhale and slowly roll spine down to the floor, one vertebrate at a time. When bottom rib touches the floor, exhale and roll back to the starting position. Repeat 10 to 20 times.
For more challenge: Slowly roll spine down to the floor, one vertebrate at a time, to the point of abdominal muscle activation. Inhale; rotate from core, bringing ball to the right. Exhale and return to starting position. Switch sides. Once you have mastered the movement, speed up the action to a more explosive movement.
Benefit: This move works your transverse abdominus, which is critical for stabilizing the back. "This helps you get the posterior pelvic tilt, which is what helps generate power through your hips at the point of impact. If you aren't able to create that, it will deplete your body of generating power," says Roberts.


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[quote="Steve4nLanguage"]Thanks all. It's still a year away, and I'll definitely check with the NIA before starting to gather all of the paperwork.
I was just curious if anyone knew about the 5th year. For example, if someone arrived on Jan 2, 2008, then their 5 years would be up on Jan 2, 2013, but they wouldn't have been in Taiwan for 183 days yet in the 2013 calendar year.[/quote]
It's based on years here, not calendar year. I reached my five year mark on March 28th last year. I went in that same day with my docs and got my APRC about a week later, definitely less than 183 days in the calendar year. The one thing to keep in mind with this is that if your five year day comes after the new year, but prior to the tax deadline, you may still need to show the tax forms that are due in that year.


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With Indians baseball fast approaching, it's time for fans to start getting excited and ready for their 2014 adventures to Progressive Field. Half the fun of a baseball game is experiencing the action amongst a group of excited fans, down at the stadium with the energy and atmosphere of the live game surrounding you. But what makes the experience even more enjoyable? The added bonuses that come with being at the game in person – the promotions.
As we discussed earlier this off-season, the Indians seemed to suffer from an attendance issues in 2013. For those fans who chose not to come to the field opting instead to watch games at home, at a bar, or simply not watch at all, they missed out on those significant extras that are included with each ticket during a giveaway night. For those complaining that ticket prices may be too high, the promise of an extra gift upon entrance adds another layer of value to the price. And, in 2014, the Indians are doing all they can to ensure that that value is not lost.
Promotions are things that can make or break a game for those in attendance who are not as dedicated to the actual sport happening on the field. They are also, many times, targets for diehard fans and memorabilia collectors, looking for the newest bobbleheads to add to their collections. And for those who can't necessarily afford a jersey from the team shop, promotions are the perfect time to snatch up the coveted uniform worn by their favorite player.
But there are other promotions, too, aside from obtaining objects. A baseball game is nothing without food and entertainment. The Indians treat fans to exciting opportunities such as Dollar Dog Nights, fireworks nights, the ever-popular Rock N' Blast, among others. The Indians also bring in opportunities for fans to get involved, with fan-centric promotions such as fan-designed shirts and gear giveaways.
This season, fans can expect the same sort of giveaways and gifts that have been distributed in years past. Announced on Saturday, January 25, at Tribe Fest, this season's promotional schedule is headlined by memorabilia recognizing past and present Indians greats, both in bobblehead and jersey form.
The season begins will all fans in attendance receiving an opening day magnet schedule.
On May 31, the first 12,500 fans will receive a "Brohio" and Nick Swisher-themed bobblehead, feeding off the popularity of Section 117 and the Brohio governor elections (for which, by the way, voting ends on Friday, February 7 – so make sure you vote for your favorite!). The first 12,500 fans will also receive giveaways in the form of a Jason Kipnis bobblehead on July 8, as well as an Omar Vizquel replica jersey on June 21 and a Jim Thome replica statue on August 2. The Thome statue will also be part of the Indians' celebration of 20 years at Progressive Field and the unveiling of the Thome statue on the same day.
The first 10,000 fans will be on the receiving end of giveaways on June 3 with a Michael Bourn bobblehead, May 3 with a bobblehead of former pitcher Orel Hershiser, August 23 with a Terry Francona replica jersey, July 12 with a Kenny Lofton replica jersey, and July 5 with a Larry Doby replica jersey.
The Vizquel replica jersey giveaway on June 21 is set in conjunction with the Indians' Hall of Fame weekend, in which Vizquel is to become the 40th member of the Indians' Hall of Fame.
Should fans not like the jersey and fashion designs of clothing giveaways, they will have the opportunity to design their own shirt to be given away during the promotion on September 6, which is the final promotional night of the season. Fans can submit their designs on Indians.com.
Furthermore, local designer GV Art + Design will unveil a new t-shirt design for fans that will be given away at the game on June 18, which will likely be a popular promotion. GV Art + Design are known for popular local favorite shirts, such as last season's Goon Squad shirt and the design commemorating everyone's favorite rally chicken from 2013.
Fans will again be able to bring their pets to the ballpark on June 17 for Puppypalooza, and can enjoy Rock N' Blast on August 15 and 16.
Rally Alley will be back in action for 15 games throughout the season, including Opening Day, and there will also be 10 Sunday Kids Fun Days, which begin on May 4, as well as 13 Dollar Dog Nights starting May 2. Crafting at the Ballpark will occur on June 22.
Fireworks Nights will begin on May 17, which also includes a giveaway of an MLB Network bag. Other giveaways throughout the season aside from bobbleheads and replica jerseys include a 20th Anniversary Commemorative Poster on May 20, and aviator sunglasses on August 13.
Slider's birthday will be on August 3 this season.
To say that all you get at a baseball game is a ticket to watch the action is, as the Indians demonstrate with their promotional schedule, a difficult statement to make. Whether fans are into the sport, its history, supporting local artists, fashion, food, or family adventures, the Indians make sure that everyone is covered throughout the season. Fans can come in with a ticket, and leave with memories and memorabilia that can last a lifetime. So it's time to sit down with your calendar, the Indians promotional schedule, and a pen, and starting planning your season as an Indians' fan.
For the Indians complete promotional schedule, visit Indians.com.
Photo: Jason Miller/Getty Images


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Lightening Strikes Twice (I.P.)
By grover
- 1783 reads
The storm raged outside the office, rain pounding against the windows in a thousand fingers tapping to be let in from the cold. Lightening flashed and illuminated the car park where there was only Steve's car because everyone else had gone home to loving families and the warmth of late night telly. There had been lightening on the night he'd killed his wife.
It was the graveyard shift for Steve. He'd read once that they used to watch graveyards at night in case they'd buried someone alive, so the term still stuck centuries later. Imagine sitting in a deserted graveyard with a full moon rising over crooked gravestones covered in weeds with only the dead for company. Steve could imagine that just well enough as he had sat next to the freshly dug grave in the woods behind his house, listening to Pam's muffled cries from beneath. Thought she was dead. When you smash a person in the head with a hammer and see the gore dripping from it onto your clean beige kitchen tiles, you assumed that would've taken care of it.
Can't even get murder right, Stevie. I told you to smash her head again, make sure you see the brain.
It was his dad's voice, surfacing from the darkness swelling within. Had that chiding tone, the one he always used on his mum when she'd mess up. Mum was always messing up, normally when dad was drunk. But Pam had looked dead to Steve when he threw her in the hole and began to shovel the dirt over her. When her eyes flicked open and stared at him with wild terror, he'd jumped back in fear. She moaned out, tried to raise a hand through the dirt like a zombie rising from the grave. But she was weak, as good as dead already. So he'd continued piling the sodden dirt on top of her as rain lashed around him, watching it fall onto her glassy blue eyes, fall into her mouth. When he patted the earth with the shovel, he could still hear her. Soaked through, he fell back against a tree and listened as the thunder rolled in from the night, drowning Pam's cries out. He'd counted the time between the bangs and the flashes. Dad had taught him that light travelled faster than the sound, so if you counted the gap between the flash and the thunder, you could work out how far the storm was.
Lightening tore through the air. Steve counted ten seconds and there was a rumble of thunder. For every five seconds, his Dad had told him, the storm was a mile away. His old man was both smart and wicked. When Pam was dying, the storm was two miles away.
"Steve!" Her cries were growing weaker, but he was surprised how clearly he heard his name screamed from beneath the dirt. A flash streaked through the air, lighting up the entire woodland for a second. Steve counted the seconds, got as far as eight before there as another rumble and the storm grew closer as Pam's life drew further away from her. How long did it take to suffocate when you were buried alive with the dirt filling your throat?
There was a flash of light outside the office and it made Steve jump. He turned from the window as he tried to turn his mind from Pam. There were rows of computers stretching out before him in an office that was white and sterile like the hospitals he'd been in when he was younger. Troubled boy, they'd called him, but they'd be able to fix him. And so they had. His feet clicked across the tiles as he went to the servers where he had to back up the precious data stored on a hundred little hard drives. There was a risk of system failure in a storm so the backups had to be completed before a power outrage. The generator should kick in, but you never knew. Just maybe there was a fault and the lifeline to the computers would be severed. Just maybe there was no recent backup and when they pulled him in to ask how they'd lost millions in data, poor old Stevie would have to explain how he'd been watching the storm, too busy thinking about his dead wife.
The one he'd killed.
As he started the backup, there was another flash of lightening. No rumble, he thought. That meant the storm was over fifteen miles away because you couldn't hear thunder from that distance. That was smart old dad again. Storm was probably moving away, unlike the night he'd buried Pam alive and it had drawn closer until there was a two second gap between flash and rumble. That was when Pam had finally gone quiet and checked out of the world. It was just as well, because the storm had moved right over head and the trees groaned and creaked in the wind, the rain slashing fresh scars of water across his cheeks. He'd trudged back to the house as the lightening struck the tree that stood over Pam's grave, sending it crashing down over her. Burying her further. If Steve had lingered a moment longer, he'd have been fried for sure, another body out in the woods.
The computer's drive clicked into action as a backup started. Steve looked up at the ghostly image of his reflection in the window and the lightening came again. This time, Steve counted up until he got to twelve and there was a distant rumble out in the night. Storm was growing closer. As he turned around to walk back down the computer room, the fluorescents flickered, threatening to plunge into darkness. He walked among the computers, unable to shake the feeling that he was in a morgue and walking amongst the dead. Felt like he was being watched and he didn't like it. When the lights gave another flicker, he stopped, hoping they'd stay on. When they went out, Steve let the breath out he hadn't realised he was holding. In a few moments, the back up generator would pick up and take over. In just a few seconds, there would be light again.
Lightening flashed, throwing cold light into the office. And he saw someone stood at the door to the computer room, a figure blocking his only exit. The office fell into darkness again and without thinking, Steve began to count the seconds.
Five, Mississippi, six, Mississippi, seven Mississippi.
He thought about the figure who had been stood at the door, wondered if someone had come back to do a little late night work and thought they'd have a little laugh at scaring Steve.
There was a rumble of thunder. Storm was closer, alright. "Hey, who's that?" He tried to see through the darkness, but the curtain was too thick. A shiver of coldness ran down his spine. The hair on his arms stood up and prickled as though there was static. He didn't like it one little bit. If there was a joker out there, he'd get the last laugh. Oh, yes, Stevie Long didn't like to suffer fools, didn't like to be poked fun at. Just like Pam had poked at him, continued on in that whiney voice until he'd snapped. He'd been fixing the car, smashing the stuck oil pump with a hammer and getting nowhere near to budging it loose. She was on at him about something, but couldn't remember what. He'd tuned her out, listened to the roar of a waterfall in his mind. He sort of phased out for a moment, his mind going foggy. When he came back he found himself on top of Pam, bringing the hammer down on her head. The first blow had made a terrific cracking noise and he'd liked that.
Do it again, his dad said from somewhere really deep inside. So Steve had until he staggered back from her, dropping the hammer into a pool of blood. And the lightening had flashed outside, just like it did again now. And Steve saw the dark figure, halfway down across the office. It stood stiffly, shoulders at angles, head bent to the side as though studying Steve. When darkness came again, he counted the seconds after the flash, waiting for the rumble.
"Steve!" a muffled cry came from ahead. There was the sound of dragging feet, a raspy breathing that sounded like someone was choking. "Steve!"
The rumble came on five seconds. The storm was just a mile away and the dark, twisted figure was even closer. He held his hand out in front of him, tried to part the night. "Who is that?" he called out, hearing the tremor in his voice. The shuffling continued like a dead thing dragged itself towards him. He backed away, thumped into the edge of a desk.
Lightening flashed again and lit the entire office, revealing a woman covered in dirt. Her clothes were rags hanging over a skeletal body which the flesh clung uselessly to. Her feet were bare, dragging mud behind her all the way to the exit. Her head was tilted to the side, a hole in her left temple dripping black oil like blood onto the floor. Before the office went dark again, Steve saw her mouth open into a twisting snarl, spilling mud down her chin. In the dark, her voice came out in a strangled cry. "Stevie, you killed me!" She shuffled across the floor and he felt her breath somewhere right in front of him. "And now I'm back!"
This couldn't be happening, he thought. Pam was dead, had been for the last year. He was dreaming, would wake up and find himself alone with the storm. He felt boney hands claw around his neck, beginning to squeeze. Lightening flashed again and he saw her cloudy eyes staring into his as she drew in close for a last, muddy kiss. They were plunged into darkness again and Steve didn't think he'd come up again. But the lightening flashed and the rumble followed almost immediately. It was overhead as it had been when Pam had died exactly a year ago, Steve realised. He wept as he felt dirt in his throat. He spluttered and coughed, fell to the floor in a heap at the feet of the dead woman and he begged forgiveness. The storm began to pass overhead, moving out into the night. As Steve cried, he counted the gaps in the seconds until the storm had passed. The lights came back on in the office and Pam was gone. Only the muddy footprints remained, leading all the way to the door.
Whenever there was a thunder storm, Steve always counted the gaps between, waiting for it to move away and take his dead wife with it.
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late-night office, o[n] the
late-night office, o[n] the night.
breathed the breath [is a little clunky]
Don't know what the inspiration point was, but gritty story.
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Horrible in all the breath
Horrible in all the breath-held but good ways. The gap counting feels very nostalgic and ramps up the tension.
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Classic horror tale Grover,
Classic horror tale Grover, enjoyed it very much. R
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This tutorial can help you learn how to draw a duck created from oval shapes and simple lines. If you tried another tutorial on how to draw ducks before, you may have noticed that this animal is usually drawn from a side view. It's certainly easier to draw the beak and make sure that the animal does look like a duck, but how about working a front version? Let's give it a try!
A front version is indeed a little bit more challenging, but using this simple design it should be relatively easy to duplicate. Two major elements must be drawn properly to end up with a recognizable duck: The beak and the feet. Once these two parts of the body are sketched with great precision, the rest is easy to achieved.
Great. Let's move on and create the head. You will need to illustrate this important element using a circular shape. However, this circle needs to be slightly narrower on top and just a little bit wider on the bottom. It should look like an egg, but much wider.
Our goal is to draw a cute and funny version of a duck. That's why drawing a smaller body can be a good idea. To do so, you also need to use a circular shape. Legs are drawn with a rectangular shapes while the feet are made from small triangles.
Next, you can add the wings using long curved lines. Make sure that the wings are slightly pointed on the bottom. The tail is made from a simple circle.
Once again (if you are familiar with characters from this series) you can use large circles to form the eyes. The beak is a little bit more tricky because a large oval shape with a small curve in the middle is needed for the top part. The bottom part of the mouth is simply created from a small circle.
Finally, you can complete this cartoon character by adding the pupils. They can be made from large circular shapes. Don't forget to draw some kinds of reflection inside the pupils using small oval shapes.
Cool! This is the final version of our cartoon duck. It's simple, easy to read, clean and very recognizable. You can now try a more complex version in the advanced series if you prefer to create a side version. :)
Did you enjoy this lesson on how to draw a duck? I hope so! This is truly one of the simplest version you can start with. Practice and practice even more if needed. This is the only way you can duplicate this cute character and impress friends and family. Enjoy!
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News Wheel
Walking with Holly gains momentum
By Amanda | 11-04-2016
Just a couple of weeks away is the Walking with Holly weekend, when teams of walkers will tour the region's sports stadiums in memory of little Holly price who died aged 4 of a brain tumour.
Just a couple of weeks away is the Walking with Holly weekend, when teams of walkers will tour the region's sports stadiums in memory of little Holly price who died aged 4 of a brain tumour. Today we were delighted when Holly's family, dad Gareth and sister Megan, came to our Huddersfield depot with Steve Wood from Redwood events. We wish them all the best with their fantastic fund raising event for Candlelighters and Forget Me Not. Here they are with our regional manager Craig Kelly. If you would like to support this great cause or want to find out more visit www.redwoodevents.co.uk.
If you've enjoyed this article please help us share it with the rest of the world - Thank you
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Alzheimer's: Education Helps but Stigma Remains
Friday, June 26, 2015
There shouldn't be any more reluctance for people with Alzheimer's disease to relate news of their dementia than if they had a cancer diagnosis. Yet the stigma that surrounds dementia as well as most mental illnesses is regrettably alive and well, often forcing people to erect a protective wall of denial around their symptoms rather than seek help.
Read more on HealthCentral about the stigma of dementia:
Find local resources for walk-in tubs:
Purchase Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories – paperback or ebook
"I hold onto your book as a life preserver and am reading it slowly on purpose...I don't want it to end." Craig William Dayton, Film Composer


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"Bloom Where You're Planted"
Published on February 23, 2017
NRG Retail and Reliant President Elizabeth Killinger Shares Perspectives on "Career Refresh"
Businesses benefit from allowing employees to navigate through life transitions during their careers, giving their workforce a richer perspective and renewed energy for collaboration — that was the message shared earlier this week at "Career Refresh: Creating a New Season in Your Career," hosted by the C. T. Bauer College of Business Working Families Initiative.
The lunchtime event, held at the Greater Houston Partnership's new Partnership Tower in downtown Houston, was part of the college's Practices That Pay discussion series and included a conversation between Associate Professor Dusya Vera and NRG Retail and Reliant President Elizabeth Killinger, along with remarks from Dean Latha Ramchand.
The first Practices That Pay event, held in 2016, focused on how organizations in a range of industries have responded to a changing workforce's needs related to leave, childcare and personal and professional development. The second event in the series gave insight on how to create a new season in your career, whether re-entering the workforce after an extended leave (including maternity/paternity leave or caring for an elderly relative) or making a change in industry, role or location.
"With the Practices That Pay series, Bauer College and our Working Families Initiative is here to help organizations empower their employees to bring their best selves to work," Ramchand said. "It's about the diversity of experiences we bring, which informs the decisions we make and helps us all to grow."
In their conversation, Killinger and Vera discussed topics ranging from staying motivated during a transition to defining success, also taking questions from the audience during the working lunch.
Elizabeth Killinger's Perspectives On…
Being Intentional
"Be thoughtful in advance." Killinger shared her experiences on balancing priorities in a demanding career with an equally demanding role as mother and wife, noting that she relies on planning and scheduling time where it's important for her. Another tip? Don't try to do it all on your own. "One step at a time. Measure your progress. Ask for help — learn what others are good at and leverage those skills. Success is a team sport."
Staying Motivated
Change can be daunting, especially if you're leaving behind a "safe" career for one where you find more personal passion. "You can find things that are wonderful. You need to be deliberate in order to find what is best for you. Take action so your life is consistent with your passions."
Finding Success (Even When It's Hard to See)
When Killinger took on a leadership role with NRG Retail and Reliant, she wasn't sure she could do it — it was the confidence of her boss that inspired her to take the career risk. "You don't have to have a map to succeed. Sometimes the confidence a leader has in you can give you the fuel to succeed."
She added: "I encourage each of us today, in our different states, to bloom where you are planted. Get the most out of your current situation. We have a great opportunity to do a great job."
Diversity of Experience and Thought
The "us vs. them" attitude in an organization does no one any favors, Killinger said. Millennials should work alongside baby boomers and other generations in between —"Bringing diverse sets of people together is a good idea. The perspective alone is valuable."
Organizations benefit from employees who have the opportunity to experience life events, like raising children and volunteering in the community, she said. "Your whole self is absolutely good enough…and can be used as fuel to make you a better leader."
Navigating Change
Embrace the uncertainty that comes naturally with transitioning in your career and personal life, Killinger said. "With any change, there is a transition. Allowing yourself to go through these transitions are healthy. Be diligent and focused on getting involved and find ways to stay productive. Don't let yourself get into a place where negativity rules." Instead, she said, evaluate your skills and leverage what's transferable among most positions, even if they're in different industries or categories, including a positive attitude, willingness to make a difference, optimism, integrity and problem solving.
For more information about Bauer College's Working Families Initiative, click here.
By Amanda Sebesta and Jessica Navarro


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Is addiction a disease? Most people think so. The idea has become entrenched in our news media, our treatment facilities, our courts and in the hearts and minds of addicts themselves. It's a potent concept: if you're an alcoholic or a drug addict, then you're ill. And you're going to remain ill. According to Nora Volkow, head of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, "addiction is a chronic, relapsing brain disease," and that definition has been adopted by medical researchers and policy makers everywhere.
Two huge benefits of the disease concept are frequently touted by Volkow and others. First, addicts need treatment, and if we don't define addiction as a disease, they won't get the help they require. Second, addicts don't deserve to be scorned or denigrated: they have a disease, and we don't put people down for being sick.
Recently, the supremacy of the disease model was highlighted by an article in the New England Journal of Medicine. Volkow and colleagues proclaimed that "research has increasingly supported the view that addiction is a disease of the brain". But they also inserted a caveat: "Although the brain disease model of addiction has yielded effective preventive measures, treatment interventions, and public health policies to address substance-use disorders, the underlying concept of substance abuse as a brain disease continues to be questioned ... " Those words triggered an allergic reaction in me. Effective? Could anyone deem society's response to addiction effective? As you might guess, I'm one of the questioners.
There is good reason to ask whether addiction actually is a disease. If it is, then we might expect it to have a specific cause or set of causes, an agreed-on repertoire of treatment strategies, and a likely time course. We might wonder how the disease of addiction could be overcome as a result of willpower, changing perspectives, changing environments, mindfulness or emotional growth. There is evidence that each of these factors can be crucial in beating addiction, yet none of them is likely to work on cancer, pneumonia, diabetes or malaria.
Neuroscience is a young discipline, and the distinction between brain development and brain pathology remains muddy (think ADHD, autism, depression) – ideal terrain for drawing arbitrary lines in the sand. For example, the brain changes observed in long-term substance abusers are nearly identical to those seen in people struggling with obesity, porn aficionados, gamblers, internet "addicts", compulsive shoppers and simply those involved in intense romantic relationships. They involve overactivation of a part of the brain that directs goal pursuit (the striatum) in response to cues predicting their preferred rewards, and long-term desensitization in response to rewards more generally.
Along with an assortment of other psychologists and neuroscientists, I've been challenging the disease model for years. One result has been a volley of counter-attacks: how dare I pull the rug out from under the feet of addicts who rely on the disease label to get help and avoid stigmatization? So, I'm going to put the scientific debate aside for now and challenge the idea that calling addiction a disease is beneficial for addicts. On the contrary, I think it increases their burden.
Do people have to have a disease in order to get help?
People in today's world face a vast array of problems, including violence in all its forms (for example, child and spousal abuse, bullying), unemployment, poverty, obesity, social isolation, unplanned pregnancy, and plain old unhappiness. But we don't need to call these problems diseases in order to tackle them. Instead of medical interventions, we implement inventive, humanistic, often community-based measures, including education, social and psychological support, financial aid, access to special programs, specialized personnel, and other public resources. Nor must we call these problems diseases to justify funding for prevention and intervention. For example, anti-racism policies and bullying prevention initiatives embody extensive, often expensive means for confronting pervasive social ills. The equation help = medical care only makes sense for medical diseases.
It's true that health care systems in the US and Europe provide various services for people struggling with addiction. However, patient advocates, judges, clinical researchers, and those seeking help almost unanimously point out the inadequacy of these services. In the US system, such inadequacies seem directly tied to the profit motive. The majority of patients relapse, not once but repeatedly, following residential programs that typically run between $10,000 and $100,000 per month. (State-run facilities are notorious for long waiting lists, inadequate resources, and a shocking absence of supervision.)
Volkow and others argue that discarding the disease label would cut addicts off from the services presently available to them. However, not only are those services generally inadequate and financially ruinous. They also embody a profound logical flaw – the idea that the current healthcare landscape should determine our definition of addiction. Shouldn't it be the other way around?
What about reducing stigma?
If we don't call addiction a disease, don't we risk going back to the bad old days of denigrating addicts as self-indulgent, spineless pariahs? Not necessarily. Despite the anger and confusion many feel when confronted with the ravages of addiction, we've gotten better at recognizing that life circumstances can dictate personal suffering and tragedy. Many of our favorite public figures have crossed the line into addiction, from Elton John to Philip Seymour Hoffman to Robin Williams to Prince. Social norms seem to be advancing (rather than regressing to Victorian settings) as personal struggles are made public in the internet age. We are also starting to recognize addiction as a consequence of social ills rather than individual flaws. Yet the disease label locates the problem of addiction in the individual. It's hard to see how that counteracts stigma.
Why do we even imagine that a medical diagnosis makes addicts feel better? Being diagnosed with a chronic brain disease is hardly something to celebrate. Pointing to a disease doesn't necessarily diminish stigma, as exemplified by attitudes toward Aids patients. Even the designation of "mental illness" provokes stigmatization. Apparently, emotional associations color people's judgments far more than rational reflections on health v illness.
I have heard from hundreds of addicts who recoil at the notion that they have a life-long disease. Especially addicts who are determined – and successful – in galvanizing their willpower and rejigging their habits, their personal goals, and their capacity for self-control. Once they recover, as most addicts eventually do, it becomes confusing and debilitating to be told they are chronically ill. Recovered addicts want to feel that they have developed beyond their addiction and become better people as a result. Many would prefer respect for that achievement over the pity bequeathed by the disease definition.
Where do we go from here?
A remarkable solidarity has emerged between some addicts and the authorities responsible for treating them (as sometimes occurs between doctors and their patients, regardless of treatment quality, and more generally between those who have power and those who lack it). These are the addicts who insist that they have a disease and any attempts to dislodge that definition are hurting them. Other addicts and, importantly, former addicts, see their problems in an entirely different light. For them, the disease label is a damaging sentence and an additional cross to bear.
I don't expect this debate to be resolved any time soon. But until it is, I urge anyone who has struggled with addiction or who loves or cares for someone who has to keep an open mind. Calling addiction a disease has had its benefits (like the discovery of new drugs that help a subset of addicts, often temporarily). And the disease label continues to simplify our conceptualization of an extremely messy issue, making it appear easier to understand and resolve. But the net value of the disease definition needs to be questioned. It may be time to move on.


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You wait ages for the next gen of pro-privacy smartphones to come along and then a couple of contenders start making noise at once…
Today, Silent Circle's Blackphone 2 has gone on sale — with an RRP of $799 (excluding taxes). The company started taking pre-orders for the device last month, having first announced the phone back in March at the Mobile World Congress trade show.
Meanwhile, on Friday, BlackBerry CEO John Chen finally confirmed the various leaks pointing to a forthcoming Android-powered BlackBerry, due to go on sale by the end of this year in "major markets." The BlackBerry Priv — as it's called — runs "Google," as Chen put it, while demoing the Qwerty slider to BNN. There's no word on the Priv's price tag at this point.
Silent Circle's Blackphone targets the enterprise segment where BlackBerry used to dominate, before it fell behind the Android and iOS curve. Blackphone 2 runs the company's security-hardened flavor of Android, now called Silent OS. And although this is an Android fork it now includes Google services — such as the Play Store — as well as support for Google's Android For Work program, to check the IT department's 'mobile device management' box.
Silent Circle says the handset is the first component of its cloud-based Enterprise Privacy Platform — which comprises a suite of services, software and devices all aimed at appealing to enterprise users by baking in privacy. It's also certified with existing MDM systems, including MobileIron, Citrix, Good and SOTI.
And while, on the surface, the phone's OS now looks more like A N Other standard Android handset, a spokesman for Silent Circle asserts that under the hood key security-focused differences remain. "They've worked closer with Google than they did before, which is why you'll see that the Android platform is a much truer version. But SilentOS… is built deep into the phone so everything that sits on it is very much an enhanced version of Android," he says.
The Blackphone hardware offers a vehicle for Silent Circle's existing encrypted comms apps, such as Silent Phone — which are also available on other company's hardware — but the handset also includes additional features such as Security Center, where users can granularly tweak app permissions, and a sandboxing feature called Spaces that offers separate secure environments to put barriers between personal and business data.
The original Blackphone included subscriptions to a variety of pro-privacy third party services. But SilentOS now bakes in more features so, while there's a one-year subscription to Silent Circle's services included in the price-tag, there's no longer the range of third party subscription services that were included with the debut handset.
"What has been developed a lot more is actually what is available on the phone itself," says the spokesman, discussing the shift away from bundling in third party subscription services. "Before you didn't have access to things like Spaces, the Security Center, these aspects of the phone have been directly built into the new phone, which didn't exist before.
"The wi-fi manager is more than simply managing connections — it provides you with an extra layer of security where if you're in an area where there's an insecure network it helps prevent making a connection, unless you specify you're comfortable with allowing it to happen, which you wouldn't get with any other traditional wi-fi systems."
And whereas the original Blackphone bundled a subscription to secure cloud storage and file transfer service SpiderOak, the spokesman notes that secure file transfers can now be done via the Silent Phone application — which allows for files of up to 1GB to be transferred via its encrypted network.
As well as Google Play on board Blackphone 2, there's also a Blackphone app store which aims to offer a curated selection of apps security reviewed by Silent Circle staff. As yet there aren't many apps in this store but the spokesman says the aim is to start fleshing that out now. "They're going to begin filling that over the next few months," he notes. "There's also going to be applications available on Google Play that get put through a rigorous series of tests by the security team and engineering team within Silent Circle.
"And then you're going to almost have applications that sit in that store which although they're linked directly through to Google Play, [you'll have] the peace of mind and knowledge that they've gone through a thorough testing process. And any applications that would sit in that store are ones which are highly secure, unlikely to be leaking any of your data."
Specs wise, the Blackphone 2 beefs up the original handset's hardware with a larger, 5.5inch screen, an Octa-core Qualcomm processor, 3GB RAM, 32GB of internal storage plus a Micro SD card slot for user expandable storage, and a 13-megapixel camera.


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Friday 13th November
A world first event on 2 front's
The first time we have ever turned over ALL 21 of our taps to a single Brewery!
The first time Modus have ever taken over 21 taps!
So be prepared for plenty of flavour in your glass, you will get to sample some one off beers never been done before & never to be seen again!
$50 gives you a Wing & Ribs plate PLUS 4 x Tulips (320ml) of your choice from the 21 taps!
Online Tickets via – https://events.ticketbooth.com.au/event/BLACKFRIDAYModusOperandiTA


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In my quest to make as many things homemade as possible, I began searching for a Thousand Island recipe since it is my husbands favorite. It took a few to find one that we both liked and a few modifications to the one that I finally decided on. This one is worth the few minutes it takes to prepare. It is important to let it sit in the refrigerator for a while for the flavors to blend together. You can also make this dressing low-fat/fat-free and lower calorie by substituting the mayonnaise with light or fat-free and using relish sweetened with Splenda.
Thousand Island Dressing
1/2 Clove Garlic, minced
1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
3/4 cup Prepared or Homemade Mayonnaise (I prefer Hellman's)
1/4 cup Bottled Chili Sauce
2 Tbsp Ketchup
1 1/2 Tbsp Minced Onion
2 tsp Sweet Pickle Relish
2 tsp Sugar
1. Combine the garlic and kosher salt and mash in to a paste with the back of a knife.
2. Mix the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together.
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add more sugar if you prefer a sweeter dressing. You can also add some hard-boiled egg, finely chopped, if you prefer an egg in your dressing.
4. Refrigerate to allow the flavors to blend. Serve over your favorite salad. This will keep in the refrigerator for several days.
Recipe based on Thousand Island Dressing from Food Network Kitchens.


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Mastiff Launches Remington Super Slam Hunting Africa for OnLive
One of the first titles on the OnLive Game Service to feature in-game A achievements; first 10 OnLive subscribers to achieve "High Roller" Win Wiley X Revolvr Sunglasses.
San Francisco, CA –-(Ammoland.com)- Leading video game publisher Mastiff today announced its best-selling hunting game, Remington Super Slam Hunting: Africa, is coming to the OnLive Game Service.
Remington Super Slam Hunting: Africa will be one of the first games on the OnLive Game Service to feature in-game achievements, which players can share with their friends via OnLive Brag Clip videos.
To celebrate the OnLive launch of Remington Super Slam Hunting: Africa, Mastiff and OnLive will be awarding the first 10 players to win the "High Roller" achievement a pair of Wiley X Revolvrsunglasses-just like the ones that can be unlocked in the game.
Players earn the High Roller achievement for amassing 5 million points cumulatively. Each pair of Wiley X Revolvr sunglasses has a suggested retail price of more than $100.
Remington Super Slam Hunting: Africa will take players across the jungles and Revolvr Sunglasses savannahs of Africa to hunt leopards, rhinos, elephants, Cape buffalos, lions, and more with more than 20 real weapons and accessories from top manufacturers such as Remington, Wiley X, and Magnum Research, Inc. Up to four players can compete against each other or team up to hunt on safari, earning medals and awards based on their progress. Online leader boards allow worldwide competition.
About Mastiff
Mastiff is a leading publisher of outdoor action and licensed products for consoles, PC and all mobile platforms including iPhone and iPad. Mastiff has offices in Tokyo, San Francisco and Orlando, Florida. Titles from Mastiff include outdoor hits such as Deer Drive, Remington Great American Bird Hunt, and Shimano Xtreme Fishing for Wii™ as well as the award winning Moon for DS and critically acclaimed Gurumin for PSP®. For more information please visit www.mastiff-games.com.
About OnLive
OnLive is the pioneer of on-demand, instant-play video game services, delivering real-time interactive experiences and rich media through the Internet. With groundbreaking video compression technology, OnLive harnesses cloud computing to provide the power and intelligence needed to instantly deliver the latest, premium game titles to any HDTV via the OnLive Game System or nearly any PC and Mac via a small browser download. The OnLive Viewer app is available for the iPad and is coming soon for Android tablets. OnLive technology is backed by hundreds of patents and patents pending. The company is headquartered in Palo Alto, California. OnLive investors include Warner Bros., Autodesk, Maverick Capital, AT&T, British Telecommunications (BT), The Belgacom Group and HTC. More information is available at www.onlive.com.
About Remington Arms Company, Inc.
Remington Arms Company, Inc., headquartered in Madison, N.C., designs, produces and sells sporting goods products for the hunting and shooting sports markets, as well as solutions to the military, government and law enforcement markets. Founded in 1816 in upstate New York, the Company is one of the nation's oldest continuously operating manufacturers. Remington is the only U.S. manufacturer of both firearms and ammunition products and one of the largest domestic producers of shotguns and rifles. The Company distributes its products throughout the U.S. and in over 55 foreign countries. More information about the Company can be found at www.remington.com.
About Wiley X
To learn more about Wiley X's full line of high-performance, ANSI approved eyewear including, the "new" Black Ops Collection, Changeable Series, Active Series, Street Series and the world's best tactical gloves, visit www.wileyx.com.


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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
I am trying to design a vented box for a DIYMA 12" sub using WinISD. I read threw the tutorial that this site offers which helped out alot. I have few questions that it did not cover though. I am trying to tune it at 30Hz and it seems to want 30L for volume. Which is really small, evidently these subs like small enclosures. So now for the port, I am wanting to build a rectangle rear port. I understand I want to keep the port resonance at or above 120Hz and the port air velocity needs to be no higher than 25 m/s. But I am not sure what the "cross area" should be at or what the "end correction" number means. Also why is it that the bigger W and H I make the vent the longer it has to be, you think it would be the opposite.


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Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, announced the development of Dubai Harbour, a unique new waterfront destination that will feature the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region's largest marina.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid made the announcement in the presence of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council; Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman of Emirates Group; Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai International Marine Club; Khalifa Saeed Sulaiman, Director-General of Dubai Protocol Department, and Abdulla Al Habbai, Group Chairman of Meraas.
The project, located on King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street, in the area between the Jumeirah Beach Residence and Palm Jumeirah – also known as Mina Al Seyahi – will be developed by Dubai's leading holding company Meraas.
The iconic luxury waterfront destination, spread over 20 million sq. ft, will include a 1,400-berth marina, the biggest in the MENA region, as well as a cruise ship port and terminal, a shopping mall covering 3.5 million sq. ft – the largest one in the area – an events arena, luxurious residential buildings, hotels, offices, retail stores, public service facilities, restaurants, cafes and the Dubai Lighthouse.
The master plan of the new project also integrates Skydive Dubai, Dubai International Marine Club, DIMC, and the Logo Island into a single community.
To be developed in phases, the Dubai Harbour project will be completed in four years after the ground has been broken.
Commenting on the project, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed said, "We are happy that this new project, which represents a unique and innovative new addition to the region's tourism landscape, opens up a range of new opportunities to investors. Dubai Harbour creates a venue for new investments that support our vision for this important sector and promise to further accelerate the expansion of the tourism industry in the UAE, which is already growing rapidly. I am confident that the project will have a highly positive impact on the entire region's tourism sector. We are keen to encourage new projects and promote investments that will contribute to bringing to the region more tourists interested in experiencing this part of the world."
He also noted that this project is inspired by the Gulf's long maritime tradition, which has been inextricably linked to the evolution of trade and commerce in the region. More info
By Staff www.emirates247.com


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PurposeTo determine whether vitamin B12 testing is appropriate for MBS reimbursement, considering the safety, efficacy, effectiveness of the tests and the effect that the results of the test have on treatment.
FindingsItems 66599 and 66602 linked testing of folate and vitamin B12 levels. The review found that there had been a substantial increase in the number of claims for folate/vitamin B12 testing over the past ten years and it appeared that the majority of these tests were requested for the purposes of screening or testing, rather than follow-up monitoring.
There are no Australian clinical practice guidelines that either advocate or recommend against routine testing for vitamin B12. The international clinical practice guidelines vary widely in their recommendations. While some recommend vitamin B12 test as screening tools in commonly encountered illnesses such as dementia, others suggest restricting testing to patients who have already undergone pre-test investigations such as a full blood count or blood film examination. There are no recommendations on the frequency of vitamin B12 testing and there is no direct evidence regarding the clinical utility of vitamin B12 testing in any population.
RecommendationsSplitting current MBS items which include both folate and vitamin B12 testing, and the creation of two separate MBS items for:
- testing serum vitamin B12 – benefits payable once in a 12-month period; and
- quantification of vitamin B12 markers such as holoTranscobalamin or methylmalonic acid when the initial serum vitamin B12 test is low or equivocal.
Vitamin B12 testing Protocol (PDF 1526 KB)
Vitamin B12 testing Protocol (Word 725 KB)
Vitamin B12 testing Review Report (PDF 1722 KB)
Vitamin B12 testing Review Report (Word 824 KB)


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(written by Nancy)
If anybody is looking for vacation ideas, Kotor would be a nice place to spend some time – there are lots of hikes to do in the area and it would be easy to spend hours just looking at the scenery and relaxing. Based on the crowds that are already there in June, I'd recommend going a bit earlier, perhaps sometime in May. There also seemed to be quite a bit of property for sale, if anyone is looking for a vacation home in a unique destination!
We had a beautiful ride around the Bay of Kotor this morning, working our way toward the small town of Lipetani to catch a ferry for a short ride across the neck of the bay to Kamenari. The southern side of the bay isn't anywhere near as developed as it is in Kotor and feels very laid back. The small quiet road is lined with stone buildings, some looking quite derelict and others looking very quaint with green shutters on the windows that look out across the bay. We had to stop at one point to wait for a freshly cleaned and painted fancy boat to be winched across the road from a small boat builder's yard into the water. A fellow with a good sense of humor stood by the side of the road with a red t-shirt hooked over the edge of a long stick, acting as the temporary flagger.
Once we got off the ferry we had about 23k or so before we reached the Montenegro/Croatia border. This border crossing took a bit longer than we have experienced for a while. Perhaps we have just been going through small crossings, but on both the exit of Montenegro and the entry into Croatia we had to wait for quite a long time the in queue (no separate queue for walk-throughs this time). But we finally got our stamps out and stamps in and there we were, in our 16th country!
We hit brand new pavement just after passing the Croatia border but, as in Montenegro, it didn't last. We quickly hit road construction, with the road in various states of preparation for paving for about 15k. Not much fun riding with the dust swirling about but we made it through and finally hit pavement again. Just after we hit the pavement we ran into our first touring cyclist of the day, Lee from Korea who was on a 3-month tour from London to Istanbul. We chatted for a bit and we gave him our Albania/Montenegro map as he had no maps.
The road got progressively busier and the shoulder wasn't great but cars were generally polite, other than a few trucks and buses. We stopped for a cold drink about 15k out from Dubrovnik and finally got use some of the Croatian kuna that we got from the two London boys a few days ago. Great, more standing stupidly at checkout counters while I stare at coins trying to figure out just what they are! At least we will be in Croatia for more than a couple of days so we can get some practice.
We continued on and then ran into some more touring cyclists parked in a small pull-out having a rest. Gini and Yong were also from Korea and have been on the road for a year, working their way down to Turkey from Korea, up to Serbia and now back down through Croatia. They were also headed toward Montenegro and hadn't met Lee, their fellow compatriot, who was now just ahead of them. We chatted with them for a bit and they kindly gave us one of their Croatia maps. Neither of them had blogs but hopefully they can meet up with Lee on the road ahead, as Lee mentioned how loneliness was a bit of a problem when riding on your own.
We actually saw three loaded cyclists ride by as we stood and talked to the Korean couple but they did not stop. And, we also saw two loaded cyclists this morning as we stopped for a coffee – they didn't stop either. So that makes a total of 8 touring cyclists – I think our days of not seeing fellow tourers are over and we have to get used to not stopping every time we see someone. We are normally both so excited by sighting that just riding past and waving seems wrong.
The last final push into Dubrovnik was not too pleasant with the heavy traffic on the main highway, particularly in the heat. We had read about an old disused road into the city that took you off the highway and saved a bit of a climb so we were keeping our eyes peeled to see if we could see it. Sure enough, we spotted the road leading off the highway on the left hand side of the road. The only problem was how to get across the busy road and get our heavy bikes over the guard rail. We did it, but it was not fun! Those bikes are dang heavy to lift up over a guardrail. Anyway, once we got on the old road it was a lovely ride right down to the gates of the old city.
We stopped at one of the gates to the old city where we saw a tourist agency advertising rooms. Dave went into check and came out with some directions to a place we could take a look at. Dubrovnik is basically built up on a hillside so everything is either up or down. Of course we were on the down side, so we followed the instructions and rode up the hillside a bit, stopping to check out a couple of rooms along the way. There were a lot of 'rooms/apts to rent' signs in the one street we were on so it looks like there is a lot of options here, though nothing is very cheap (and yes, Dave has already pointed out that I shouldn't have been worried…).
None of the rooms along the way were stellar and when we found the one the agency had sent us to Dave said it wasn't super. There was, however, a lovely place right next door at the Ingrid Apartments, thought the price was a bit out of our range. While we stood there a lady across the street came out to ask us if we were looking for an apartment. I went in to look at the first place while Dave was convinced to go into the second place. I was ready to take the nice apartment but the other apartment Dave looked at was 15€ less – a significant amount and he said it was almost as nice as the other apartment. After a bit of friendly discussion the gal with first nice apartment agreed to come down 10€ so we took that one. It is bright and cheery and even has a washing machine!! The woman who helped us is the daughter of Ingrid and is very nice so it made it easier to take this one.
After getting cleaned up a bit we headed down into the old city to check it out and see if we could get the phone sorted out. It's a pretty stunning place and we only saw a bit of it before we decided we better get something to eat, as we hadn't really had lunch and had only snacked on muffins during the day. We ended up at a restaurant and had the daily special – a tasty piece of fried fish, potatoes, salad and a glass of wine. We then went around the corner to a great ice cream shop and got an ice cream cone that was the best we have had since we left Italy. I think we may go back there tomorrow…
Finally we had satisfied our hunger enough to go find a SIM for the phone, which we did with the help of very friendly salesperson at VIP mobile. It seems to be working so far and will hopefully be enough to last us through Croatia. After a final stop at the grocery store for supplies we headed back to the apartment, where we are now both bushed and ready for bed. Though, the Poland/Russia game in Euro2012 is now on TV so Dave may be able to keep his eyes open for a little bit longer.
Tomorrow we'll try to see a bit more of the old city and try to figure out the plan for Croatia. I might even be able to convince Dave to stay an extra day here, since he got such a great deal on the apartment…