text:
I mentioned a while back that the previous weeks had been some of the most difficult I had had in a long time. Things have actually not gotten any easier since then, but that's a story for another time. One of the difficult things we went through a few weeks back was having to dismiss two of our mission training school students. I was not very directly involved in that situation, but I learned a lot by watching how the leaders around me handled it. Even though it's older news now, I have wanted to come back to it so I could make a couple of comments.
The issue didn't seem like a big deal in the beginning. We have rules against guys and girls getting into romantic relationships just for the seven months they're going through our mission training school. This is so they can devote themselves to ministry and to spiritual growth. We had a guy and a girl who began to break some of those rules – being alone one-on-one, communicating via e-mail and instant messanger, etc. I am going to share a couple of Scripture passages dealing with the confrontation of sin here, so that you can look at them as you follow the process that happened with these two students:
"If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
Matthew 18:15-17
My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
James 5:19,20
When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.
1 Corinthians 5:4,5
A couple of the guy students saw their brother getting into sin with the young lady by breaking the relationship rules, so they went and confronted him on it. They did not go to anyone else; they handled it themselves.
The guy did not repent. Leadership the rules being broken and also found out those two students had confronted the guy with no change. So a couple members of leadership then went to the guy and the girl, confronted their sin, warned them of the danger of rebellion (the Bible puts this sin on the same level as witchcraft in 1 Samuel 15:23), and called them to repent. This couple was taking advantage of some gray areas in the rules to deepen their romantic involvement, so leadership made those gray areas black and white by saying, "You can't do this, this, or this anymore."
The rule breaking continued. The couple was caught doing the "this, this, or this" they had been told they couldn't do. At this point, leadership took the confrontation to the third and final level. This meant bringing the couple before the church, which in our context was the entire student body. The couple was called out in front of the student body, their sin was rebuked, and they were told that if they rebelled again they would be asked to leave the school.
In the days following that third and final confrontation, the couple was once more caught in several instances of doing precisely the things they were told were against the rules. We had no choice but to ask them to leave the school. I was in the meeting where this news was broken to the couple, and I was powerfully impacted to see how much love leadership exhibited, the tears they shed, and the way they pled with these two students to repent of their rebellion. Leadership's goal was always repentance, and never anything else. There was no vengeance on their part, only hurt.
Immediately following telling those two the news, we went to the student body to let them know. The scene that followed was to me a true picture of the Body of Christ. Upon hearing the news, the students and staff wept; there was hardly a dry eye in the room. There was some anger and frustration, but the overwhelming feeling was one of brokenness over those two students who refused to repent. The love for them was tangible. A soberness about the seriousness of sin also gripped the room. It seemed to me like a lot of us were realizing that it was only by the grace of God that we weren't in the same boat. It just takes a couple of sins left in darkness to lead us into a spiritual bondage that can eventually make it impossible for us to receive correction. For maybe half and hour, the students cried, hugged one another, and huddled in small groups to pray. Many encouraging words were spoken to leadership about their handling of the situation and their refusal to allow sin to go on unchecked in the Body.
Here are some things I learned through the whole experience:
Not meaning to be cliché, sin is far more dangerous than I ever thought. It's deadly. A few simple sins of pride and unsubmissiveness can lead a person down a road into so much bondage that it's almost impossible for them to hear the Holy Spirit. If you get to that point, you're at the mercy of Satan. The problem there is that he doesn't have any. Now I understand why the Bible uses such harsh language, like "hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed". The purpose there, of course, is so that his spirit may be saved. Proverbs 29:1 warns of the incredible danger of not receiving a rebuke: "A man who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed–without remedy."
Christians who confront sin in others are often criticized as being unloving, but confrontation is actually the most loving thing you can do for someone in sin (see my previous point if you don't agree). I learned how much grace God has through the pattern He gave us in Matthew 18. The escalating levels of rebuke give the person in sin every chance to humble themself and repent. It takes an incredible amount of pride to be brought before the entire church Body and still not humble yourself. The Matthew 18 model is not mean; it is a loving way of trying everything possible to alert the sinner to grave danger.
It's all about the heart. You could argue that the outward acts of the two students who were dismissed were somewhat trivial. We have dealt with "worse" sins at different times committed by students who have stayed. The problem had much less to do with their visible actions and everything to do with the pride and rebellion in their hearts.
I think most of us would agree that the rebuking of sin and church discipline is under-applied in much of the Western church. But why is that the case, if sin is so incredibly deadly? Is it because we don't understand the true power of sin? Or could it be that we fear man more than we fear God? Whatever the cause, I hear God calling us back to a practice that was commonplace in the Bible. Will we love our brothers and sisters enough to do it?


text:
Gottlieb, J. (2011) Body fascism in Britain: building the blackshirt in the inter-war period. Contemporary European History, 20 (2). pp. 111-136. ISSN 0960-7773
In recent years scholars have devoted a great deal of attention and theorisation to the body in history, looking both at bodies as metaphors and as sites of intervention. These studies have tended to focus on the analysis of bodies in a national context, acting for and acted upon by the state, and similarly the ever-expanding study of masculinity continues to try to define hegemonic masculinities. But what if we direct our,gaze to marginal bodies, in this case Blackshirt bodies who act against the state, and a political movement that commits assault on the body politic? This article examines the centrality of the body and distinctive gender codes in the self-representation, the performance and practice, and the culture of Britain's failed fascist movement during the 1930s. The term 'body fascism' has taken on different and much diluted meaning in the present day, but in the British Union of Fascists' construction of the Blackshirted body, in the movement's emphasis on the embodiment of their political religion through sport, physical fitness and public display of offensive and defensive violence, and in their distinctive and racialised bodily aesthetic illustrated in their visual and graphic art production we come to understand Britain's fascist movement as a product of modernity and as one potent expression. of the convergence between populist politics and body fixation.
|Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information:
|© 2011 Cambridge University Press. This is an author produced version of a paper subsequently published in Contemporary European History. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy.
|Union-Of-Fascists; British-Union; Olympia Debate; Violence; Masculinity; Fear; War
|The University of Sheffield
|Academic Units:
|The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Arts and Humanities (Sheffield) > Department of History (Sheffield)
|Depositing User:
|Miss Anthea Tucker
|Date Deposited:
|21 Jun 2011 08:16
|Last Modified:
|08 Feb 2013 17:32
|Published Version:
|Cambridge University Press
|Identification Number:

subset: commoncrawl


text:
UserIQ's Customer Growth Platform™ is a revolutionary new way of understanding and communicating with your customers so you can guide them to success at each stage of the customer journey. For more, read 7 Reasons SaaS Companies Can't Live Without a Customer Growth Platform™ on the blog.
A Customer Growth Platform gives your team comprehensive visibility into your customers as they move through each stage of the customer journey. Customer data lets you find the connection between customer interactions with your product and how to engage with them based on the data collected. A great Customer Growth Platform allow you to achieve just that and more.


text:
The world of crypto currencies is intriguing and complex. It arouses curiosity among the common people as to how this paperless currency is making people rich. Crypto currencies are effectively few lines of a database that cannot be changed once confirmed. There are people who argue that this form of currency is going to pave way to an advanced paperless banking practice. There have been conflicting views about the acceptance and use of this virtual currency. However, then number of people getting attracted to its success go a long way to prove that this new system is here to stay.
Crypto currencies are digital assets that exist only on the network and this network is decentralized making it impossible to hack or steal data. It is a medium where users transact directly without the need of an intermediary or central bank. Personal identities are also highly secure and only he participants often get to see what the transactions are. This makes it a favorite among people who care a lot for privacy.
Trading Bots – The latest tool
Trading robots have been used extensively in the field of crypto currency trading. The high volatility and uncertain markets require the investors to be updated of the current market trends to be able invest profitably in these assets. They should also act fast as the profitable opportunities do not last long as it can be identified and utilized by others traders. It is very important to act fast based on the predictions of price fluctuations. Hence continuous research in this field by many developers and financial experts gave rise to the trading robots that can deliver great results by executing timely trades on behalf of the trader. This has made the process on trading crypto currency more simple and easy. It also offers better returns as the systems are highly accurate in their predictions.
Crypto CFD Trader
The Crypto CFD Trader is one such trading robot that provides excellent trading experience to the user based on his preferences. The System has combined machine and artificial intelligence to obtain better results in the investment trading field. Lenny Hyde is the brain behind this software; he is a known software developer with profound interest in crypto currency mining. It offers trading in Bitcoins, Ethereum and Litecoins. The main aim of this system is to profit from the price differences of the underlying asset. The system identifies the potential price changes and also projects the financial outcome as positive or negative which in turn helps in the timely placement of trades.


text:
jhwalker wrote:another long post lost #$%*&&^%$
As a person known for long wordy posts, I have found that some sites time out, and sometimes there are keystrokes that unreliable fingers head right for that wipe out one's work. If there is any chance of this, when I want to compose a long post, I open Notepad, and I compose my post so that I can copy and paste it. This really does not take much more time, and it eliminates losing long posts.


text:
|Silverhawk Capital Partners Invests in Paloma Resources
August 18th, 2006 – Silverhawk Capital Partners ("Silverhawk"), a private investment firm based in Greenwich, Connecticut, today announced that it is has invested in Paloma Resources ("Paloma"), through Paloma Partners I, LLC, a newly formed oil & gas exploration and production company.
As part of the transaction, Silverhawk and Macquarie Bank ("Macquarie") invested with management to fund expansion opportunities, acquisition of leases, drilling and production. Detailed financial terms of this transaction were not disclosed.
Paloma is focused on exploration, exploitation, acquisition, and production of oil and gas reserves. Paloma's focus areas are; (i) The Lobo / Expanded Wilcox trend in Webb and Zapata Counties, TX, (ii) The Gulf of Mexico Shelf, (iii) The Barnett Shale trend in North Texas, and (iv) various other areas within the Tertiary section of the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast. The company's owners have an extensive and successful track record of creating value for its stakeholders.
The Silverhawk principals previously invested successfully with Paloma Co-Founder & President Chris O'Sullivan in San Juan Partners. San Juan Partners was an oil and gas production company formed in 1998 to develop gas wells in the Northeast Blanco Unit of the San Juan Basin in New Mexico. In 1999, San Juan Partners was sold to Dominion Resources generating an attractive return for its investors.
"We are excited to partner again with the Silverhawk team. We have had great success with them in the past, and look forward to another great chapter with both Silverhawk and Macquarie." says Paloma's Co-Founder & President Chris O'Sullivan.
Paloma is based in Houston, Texas, and is led by Chris O'Sullivan, John Hastings (Vice-President of Exploration), and John Whiting (Vice-President of Operations).
About Silverhawk Capital PartnersSilverhawk Capital Partners is an independent investment firm established in 2005 to investment in middle market transactions in the Growth Industrial, Energy/Natural Resources and Business Services sectors. Silverhawk typically invests between $10 million and $50 million of equity capital in growth oriented businesses with revenues typically ranging from $25 million to $250 million. Silverhawk currently manages $150 million as the result of an initial close on its debut fund. Silverhawk expects capital under management for Fund I to be approximately $200 million. Silverhawk has offices in Greenwich, Connecticut and Charlotte, North Carolina.
|< Prev
|Next >


text:
Train travel in Taiwan...
Taiwan is a large island south of Japan and east of the Chinese mainland. When the communists took over in China in 1949, ousted leader Chiang Kai Shek retreated to Taiwan with his government, defiantly retaining the name 'Republic of China' (ROC). It should not be confused with The People's Republic of China (PRC) on the mainland!
Taipei to Kaohsiung by 300 km/h high-speed train.
Keelung - Taipei - Kaohsiung (western main line)
Taipei - Hualien - Taitung (eastern main line)
International travel to & from Taiwan...
Europe to Taiwan via the Trans-Siberian railway
Useful country information
Train operator:
Taiwan Rail Administration, www.railway.gov.tw (normal trains)
Taiwan High-Speed Rail Corporation, www.thsrc.com.tw (high-speed trains).
Time zone:
GMT+ 8 hours all year.
Dialling code:
£1 = 39 New Taiwanese Dollars, $1 = 32 NT$. Currency converter
Tourist information:
Visas for stays of up to 90 days are not required by UK, EU, US, NZ, Australian and some other nationalities. A return air or ferry ticket must be held.
Page last updated:
11 June 2019.
Train travel in Taiwan...
A modern rail system links most large towns and cities in Taiwan, and a new high-speed (300km/h) railway opened in January 2007 between the two biggest cities, Taipei and Kaohsiung. Map of Taiwan rail network.
Taipei - Kaohsiung (by 300 km/h high-speed trains)...
A brand-new high speed (300 km/h) train service using Japanese bullet train technology started running in January 2007 between Taipei and Kaohsiung. It is run by the Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation, www.thsrc.com.tw (English button top right).
300km/h trains link Taipei and Kaohsiung every 15 minutes throughout the day, at times more frequently;
journey time 1 hour 40 minutes on the limited-stop trains, 1 hour 55 minutes on other services;
There are 3 classes: Unreserved economy, reserved seat economy, & business class;
The fare is 1,490 Taiwan dollars (£31 or $44) in reserved economy, or 1,950 Taiwan dollars (£41 or $61) for business class, although if you book between 8 and 28 days in advance, 'Early Bird' tickets may be available offering either 15% or 35% off the regular fare.
The station in Kaohsiung is actually at Zuoying in the north of the city. You can take a frequent Taiwan Railway Administration local train from New Zuoying station (in the same building as the Zuoying high speed station) to Kaohsiung main station in the city centre, journey time 10 minutes, or you can take the Kaohsiung Metro (red line), also taking 10 minutes, metro website www.krtco.com.tw (English button top right). You can buy tickets for the local train from the ticket machines or staffed kiosks, and metro tickets from the machines near the metro platforms. Buses & taxis are available to the city centre. An extension of the high-speed line to a station in Kaohsiung city centre is planned for the future.
In Taipei, the high-speed trains use the same station as the Taiwan Railways Corporation conventional trains. Taipei metro: http://english.trtc.com.tw.
For times, fares & online booking, see www.thsrc.com.tw, change it to English using the drop-down arrow at upper right. After booking you collect tickets at the station or (for a small extra fee) at a designated convenience store. Feedback appreciated if you book this way.
Alternatively, you can buy at reliable agency 12go.asia. After booking you get a PDF voucher which you print out and exchange for a ticket at the station. However, as they only sell unreserved economy, there is little advantage compared to buying at the station. www.thsrc.com.tw sells both classes with reserved seats.
Taiwanese high speed train
Inside Taipei's main station...
Business class
Economy (standard) class
Photos above courtesy of Shigeyuki Kaneko & James Chuang
Keelung - Taipei - Kaohsiung (by conventional trains, western line)...
The western main line links Keelung, Taiwan's capital Taipei and its second city and major port, Kaohsiung. For a route map, see http://service.tra.gov.tw/EN/index.aspx or http://johomaps.com/as/taiwan/taiwanrail.html, for train times, fares & online booking see the official Taiwan Railways Administration website, www.railway.gov.tw (English version available, online booking only available 06:00-21:00). The best trains are the 'Tze Chiang' expresses which run at up to 130 km/h (80mph), are fully air-conditioned and take as little as 4 hours. Only one very comfortable class of seating is provided on these trains, with an at-seat trolley refreshment service. The Tze Chiang train fare from Taipei to Kaohsiung is NT$ 845 (£14 or $27) one-way.
A Tze Chiang train on the line to Su Ao. Photo courtesy of Peter Voelger
Inside the Tze Chiang train
Photo courtesy of Peter Voelger
The next best train type, with slightly less comfortable seating but also air-conditioned, is the Chu Kuang train service, Taipei-Kaohsiung fare NT$ 544 (£9 or $17), journey 6.5 hours. The next train type down the range is the Fu shin, with less legroom.
Taipei to Hualien & Taitung (Eastern main line)
Taiwan Rail Administration provides generally hourly express trains on the scenic eastern line. From late 2007 new 'Taroko express' high-speed (130km/h) electric tilting trains were introduced, providing an hourly service between Taipei and Hualien, with several services continuing along the scenic valley to Taitung. All seats must be reserved. For times, fares & online booking, see www.railway.gov.tw.
A Taroko Express between Taipei & Hualien. Courtesy of James Chuang
Inside a Taroko Express...
Photo courtesy of James Chuang
Other scenic routes...
3 scenic railway branches are worth a visit. The Neiwan Line takes in a river, Hakka museums, temples, Hakka culture cafes and restaurants. The Pingsi line takes in waterfalls, a river, tourist coal mine, cafes and restaurants and various culture festivities. The Jiji line passes mountains, historical village and houses, cafes and restaurants, several through services available from Taichung TRA railway station and Taichung high speed rail station. These three lines offer a special tourist ticket, allowing tourists to get off where they like and reboard any train throughout the day for 80 Taiwan dollars. This special tourist ticket is available at all major railway stations across Taiwan. All branch line trains are air conditioned.
Ferries from Japan to Taiwan
Currently no ferries available...
Sadly, the twice-weekly ferry run by Arimura Sangyo Lines links between Japan & Taiwan was discontinued in June 2008. For the record, the Arimura website was www.arimuraline.co.jp, but it was in Japanese only and now seems to be down, sailing times in English used to be posted on www.tokai-kyowa.co.jp which may have info on alternatives or any resumption in service, though this seems unlikely. It's reported that Star Cruises (www.starcruises.com) may have occasional cruise sailings between Japan & Taiwan, you fill out a form and they contact you if they have anything suitable. But they're not cheap, and it's not clear if they will allow one-way voyages.
Ferries from China to Taiwan
There are several ferries now between mainland China and Taiwan. If you've any information or photos that would help improve this page for future travellers, please e-mail me. For overland travel from the UK & Europe to China, see the Trans-Siberian page.
1. Overnight ferry from Xiamen (China) to Keelung (Taiwan)...
A new weekly ferry started between mainland China at Xiamen and mainland Taiwan at Keelung in 2010. The website is www.coscotw.com.tw/cht/asp/star-main.asp but it's in Chinese only.
Xiamen (China) ► Taiwan
Taiwan ► Xiamen (China)
Cosco Ferry service...
Cosco Ferry service...
Xiamen International Cruise Centre depart:
Keelung (mainland Taiwan) arrive:
Keelung (mainland Taiwan) depart
Taichung (mainland Taiwan) arrive:
Xiamen International Cruise Centre arrive
Fares: The fare is around NTD3,500 ($112 or £70) per person in 6-berth 'luxury' cabin. RMB 620 ($96 or £62) for a berth in a 4-berth cabin.
How to buy tickets: For info & booking contact firstname.lastname@example.com or try the emails on www.coscotw.com.tw/cht/asp/star-cont.asp. Try calling (0592) 2616737 or faxing (0592) 2392018. If you have any problems, it's reported that you can also arrange tickets for a $30-$40 fee via www.absolutechinatours.com.
Traveller Adrian Clemmens reports: "I took the the Cosco ferry from Taichung to Xiamen last week (24/7/2013). All went well with the stock standard 10 other guests on the boat, comfortable beds and very nice staff. I had a bit of trouble getting in contact with the Taiwanese side of the operators. I ended up emailing both offices and only communicating with the Chinese side before calling the Taiwan office the day before departure and organising my reservation, having to go to the office to show my passport and Chinese visa before they gave me a reservation. Ryan (a blogger who helped me on the Chinese side) was as friendly as one can be via e-mail with swift responses and happy replies and helpful tips. The lady in the Taipei office had little English skills but was incredibly caring and tried her hardest to make sure I understood where and when I had to be at the port. I had what she has written down translated by a girl into hostel just to be 100%. The offices at the passenger ferry terminal in Taichung don't open until 7pm so there is absolutely no need to get there early and wait out in the stifling heat just to pick up your ticket. I'm pretty sure a 4pm bus from Taipei arrives around 7:30 at the port and gives you plenty of time before departure to sit and watch the empty car park..."
Traveller Janis Putrams reports: "I took the ferry from Xiamen to Taichung in the end of 2012 and it was very good. The staff did not speak much English in the terminal and wanted to offer me an option where part of the trip is done by ferry and the other part by plane. Though after some communication difficulties and using Google Translate we understood each other. Before the trip I actually managed to make a reservation by email. We were only three passengers on the whole ship but the staff was very helpful and actually gave me a better cabin than I had paid for. The restaurant had 4 choices if I remember correctly where one was vegetable rice and the other ones were meals with pork, beef and chicken. The breakfast was included. There is also a very nice cafe/lounge on the top deck that was open in the evening.
Traveller Amaya reports: "The ferry is very comfortable and clean. Breakfast is included and there is a free Sauna and bathing area."
Traveller Armin Cebron reports: "The ferry is indeed operational but with limitations. I just booked a ticket from Xiamen (China) to Taichung (Taiwan) for the 11th January 2011. The limitation is that you can only buy the ticket on the day of departure. You can reserve the ticket before but not buy it until the day of departure because if there are not enough passengers the ferry simply stays put, for both directions! Prices are as follows:
CYN for a Standard cabin - 60 passengers and shared
bathroom (I guess the bathroom in the hall)
620 CYN Luxury cabin - 16 passengers shared bathroom (I guess the bathroom in the hall)
690 CYN Superior Luxury cabin - 6 passengers private bathroom (private for the 6 passengers)"
They don't answer any e-mails, not even on the Taiwan pages! Phoning them is also a waste of time as they do not answer and if they do they just tell you to come to the terminal in person. The only way to buy or reserve the ticket (from China to Taiwan) is in person at the International ferry terminal Pier 2, Xiamen [May also be called the Xiamen International Cruise Centre]. Actually you don't even need to go to Pier 2, because they sell the tickets at all the windows. Don't take the bus, take a taxi for about 13CYN from city centre. Bring an interpreter or make sure they understand you want to go to mainland Taiwan by ferry otherwise they will sell you a combo ticket for a ferry to one of the islands and then by plane to Taipei!"
Cabin on the ferry. Courtesy of Janis Putrams
Restaurant on the ferry. Courtesy of Janis Putrams
2. Fuzhou (China) to Matsu (Taiwanese island) & Matsu to Keelung (mainland Taiwan)
You can travel between mainland China and mainland Taiwan in two stages, by first taking a short ferry ride from Fuzhou in China to the Matsu island group (part of Taiwan), then a ferry from Matsu to Keelung on mainland Taiwan. With Trans-Siberian trains linking Europe with China, you can travel all the way between Europe & Taiwan this way. Here are the ferry timetables and fares for these two services:
Train connections to/from Beijing: For train services between Beijing & Fuzhou, see www.chinahighlights.com/china-trains. A modern Z-category sleeper train leaves Beijing West daily at 15:08, arriving Fuzhou at 10:51 the next morning. Northbound, the train leaves Fuzhou at 16:52, arriving Beijing West at 12:38 next day. For train service between Europe & Beijing via the Trans-Siberian Railway, see the Trans-Siberian page.
Fuzhou (China) ► Matsu (Taiwan)
Matsu (Taiwan) ► Fuzhou (China)
Ferry service...
Ferry service...
Fuzhou (Langqi ferry terminal*) depart:
Matsu (Fu-ao on Nangan island) depart:
Matsu (Fu-ao on Nangan island) arrive:
Fuzhou (Langqi ferry terminal*) arrive:
Fare: NTD 1,300 one-way, NTD 2,500 return. Board the ferry at least 30 minutes before departure.
* = It's reported the ferry terminal has been moved from Mawei to a new terminal at Langqi, although I have been unable to confirm details.
Matsu ► Keelung (mainland Taiwan)
Keelung (mainland Taiwan) ► Matsu
Taima-Iun Ferry service...
Taima-Iun Ferry service...
Matsu (Fu-ao on Nangan island) depart:
Keelung (mainland Taiwan) depart:
Keelung (mainland Taiwan) arrive:
Matsu (Fu-ao on Nangan island) arrive:
Fares (one-way, per person): Keelung to Matsu in 1st class 2-berth cabin NTD 1,890, in business class 4-berth cabin NTD 1,575, economy dormitory NTD 1,050, economy seat NTD 630.
For more information about this ferry, try this link: www.matsu-nsa.gov.tw/User/Article.aspx?a=128&lang=2.
Keelung on the Taiwanese mainland. Courtesy of Sam Tucker
Sailing from Matsu to Fuzhou... Courtesy of Sam Tucker
Fast ferry between Fuzhou (China) & Matsu (Taiwanese island). Photo courtesy of Sam Tucker
Berths on the ferry between Matsu island & Keelung on mainland Taiwan. Courtesy of Sam Tucker
Traveller Damien reports (2019): "The ferry terminal from Fuzhou is no longer in Mawei. It has been replaced by the brand new Langqi Terminal (浪歧码头). Unfortunately, it is way more remote from Fuzhou centre than the other already was. There are now 2 departures a day to Matsu (Nangan island): 09:00 and 16:00. Arrive one hour in advance to get the tickets. It cost me 170 yuan at the terminal, not 270. It is impossible to catch the first ferry by public transportations from Fuzhou center, but it's possible to arrive at 15:00 and make it for the second. Be careful with time though because buses in Mawei and Langqi are scarce and tend not to respect their schedule. I couldn't find a way to book the tickets in advance, but the ferry was nearly empty so there shouldn't be a problem getting a ticket last minute on the spot."
Traveller Jessica Davies reports (2017): "I took the overnight ferry from Keelung (基隆) to Matsu, booked the ticket a week in advance by phone (your hotel or hostel should be happy to help if you don't speak Chinese). Received a text with a bank a/c and made a transfer, paying in cash, from a Taipei bank. Mine (cheapest bunk on offer) cost 1050 NTD. Definitely worth booking the day tickets go on sale as they get busy. Ticket collection starts around 8pm on day of departure from upstairs ticket hall in Keelung West Passenger Ferry Terminal - a short 5-10 minute walk from where the bus drops you off if you come from Taipei. Boarding is 9/9:30ish. Took "economical" bunk and perfectly fine - privacy curtain, berth lamp, pillow and blanket provided. Had my own sleeping bag liner. Arrived at about 8:30am at Nan Gan (南竿) island, the largest of the Matsu archipelago. Check when you board, though, as I've read that the order of the stops rotates and the first stop (at another Matsu island) was about 06:00. From Nan Gan there is one fast ferry a day to Fuzhou at 2pm (but check as times change). Tickets go on sale from midday in the ticket hall (also has air con, free WiFi and charging points) - to get there just follow the main terminal building round to an entrance on the left. Mine cost 1300 NTD (July 2017). There is apparently an additional ferry to the mainland from Bei Gan 北竿, earlier in the day (10:00-ish) which goes to a different mainland port which is a bit further way from Fuzhou. You can get a fast ferry across on arrival on Nan Gan and may be able to make it - I didn't find out about this option until later. The ferry takes about 1.5 hours and goes to Mawei (马尾), a suburb of Fuzhou. Can be difficult to get taxis from here and it is some 30-40km into town. There are buses which are slow (search using Baidu maps - a Chinese Google maps equivalent). Some kind people let me share their lift. Fuzhou taxi drivers are notorious for wanting to rip you off - it should cost you between 80 and 100 RMB."
Traveller Matt Gauthier reports: "I took the ferry from Fuzhou to Matsu, and then Matsu to Keelung in September 2011. It was a simple process, but there were some quirks. The ferry terminal in Fuzhou is a bit of a lengthy walk from the terminus of the closest bus terminal. It is much faster to go there by taxi - especially when it is hot. Boarding the ferry in Fuzhou was easy - it was 300RMB though, which is not exactly cheap for the short ferry ride. It is pretty much impossible to make the connection to the Taiwanese mainland-bound ferry in time so you will have to spend a night on Matsu. The ferry to the Taiwanese mainland leaves early in the morning, and on alternating days it makes a brief stop in Dong Yi - Taiwan's northernmost island - on the trip. The strange thing about the ferry is that you have to buy a berth (1000NT) unless all the berths are full - they won't even let you buy a seat if there are available berths."
Traveller Kevin Goold reports: "I travelled Fuzhou - Matsu - Keelung. As the timings in this direction necessitate an overnight stay in Matsu, I was a little concerned that there might not be anywhere to stay there. Fortunately there are rooms available upstairs of the building next to 7-11, and there is a hotel just at the end of the port road as you reach the village (5 mins walk). Failing that the tourist info desk in that building was open when we arrived and they can arrange homestays. In terms of getting cash, there are no exchange facilities there. There is an ATM in the same building, but it only accepts Taiwanese cards. The hotel were willing to accept RMB in payment in an emergency however."
Traveller Simon Grove-White reports: "Restrictions on sea travel for foreign nationals were lifted around March 2009. You can now take the Taima ferry from Keelung to Nangan Island in the Matsu group, then a small ferry from here to Mawei near Fuzhou. Worth noting that it's impossible to change Taiwanese dollars in China and there are no cash points near the port so changing money in advance is a must. The last section between Matsu and Mawei is an awesome first view of China - gorgeous coastline giving way to a dystopian nightmare of smokestacks, cranes and unfinished concrete, as you travel up the river. And our captain was so excited at having a pair of foreigners on board that he burst into a spontaneous rendition of Tom Jones. The Taima leaves from the northern terminal of Keelung harbour at 11pm [see timetable above for current times] and takes around 10 hours to reach Nangan Island - this is the second stop after Dongquan. In May 2009 this cost around NT$500 (£10) for a 3rd-class bed alongside the military conscripts. At the time we went it wasn't possible to do the journey the other way but this was set to change as diplomatic relations continue to thaw. There was also talk of a direct ferry between Kaohsiung and Xiamen but I don't think that's materialised yet.
The Macau-Taiwan ferry has been permanently suspended. There are also ferries between the Taiwanese outlying island of Kinmen to Xiamen in southern China (30 minute crossing, as the islands lie just off the Chinese coast), and also from the island of Matsu, although there are now no ferries between mainland Taiwan and Kinmen, over 200 kilometres away.
3. Fast ferry from Pingtan (China) to Taichung (Taiwan)...
This is a large fast SeaCat, originally in service in Australia, which now links the Chinese island of Pingtan with the Taiwanese mainland at Taichung at up to 35 knots. Pingtan is 132km by road from the Chinese city of Fuzhou, which is connected by rail to the rest of China. The crossing is 160km and takes about 3 hours. Two classes are provided, VIP seats and Standard seats, and there is a cafe, gift shop, children's play area & lounges. Check-in minimum 90 minutes. The CSF ferry company website is www.csf.com.tw, in Chinese only. For information about the vessel, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HSC_The_Cat.
Pingtan (China) ► Taichung (Taiwan)
Taichung (Taiwan) ► Pingtan (China)
Cross-Straits Ferry Corp (CSF)
Every 1 to 3 days*
Cross-Straits Ferry Corp (CSF)
Every 1 to 3 days*
Pingtan (China, near Fuzhou) depart:
Taichung (mainland Taiwan) depart:
Taichung (mainland Taiwan) arrive:
3 hours later
Pingtan (China, near Fuzhou) arrive:
3 hours later
* Days of operation: She sails every 1-3 days, you can check sailing dates using www.csf.com.tw in Chinese using Google's Chrome browser with built-in translation, manipulating the online booking system to show departure dates for the month that interests you.
Fares: NTD 2,500 ($80) in Standard seat, NTD 6,000 ($193) in VIP seat.
How to buy tickets: You may be able to book journeys starting in Taiwan (but not starting in China) online in Chinese at www.csf.com.tw with help from Google's Chrome browser with built-in translation. Feedback would be appreciated.
Europe to Taiwan without flying
London to Taipei by Trans-Siberian Railway...
This is perfectly feasible, and not even hugely expensive. The whole trip will probably take about 14 days, unless you choose to stop off in Moscow, Siberia or China for longer.
Travel by train from London to Moscow as shown on the London to Russia page. Journey 2 nights, fare around £200.
Take the Trans-Siberian Railway from Moscow to Beijing, as shown on the Trans-Siberian page. Journey 6 nights, fare from around £555.
Travel by train from Beijing to Fuzhou by train. A modern 'Z' category sleeper train leaves Beijing West daily at 15:08, arriving Fuzhou at 10:51 the next morning. In the other direction, the train leaves Fuzhou at 16:52, arriving Beijing West at 12:38 next day. Fare around £70 for soft sleeper. See the China page for more information on Chinese train travel.
Take the ferry from Fuzhou to the Taiwanese Matsu island group, then the next day the ferry from Matsu to Keelung on mainland Taiwan. See below for details of these ferries.
Travel by train from Keelung to Taipei, see above for train information within Taiwan.
You can also travel via the new weekly ferry from Xiamen on mainland China direct to the Taiwan mainland at Keelung, see below.
Naturally, you will need visas for Belarus, Russia, Mongolia (if you take the Trans-Mongolian train), China.
Accommodation in Taipei & Taiwan
Other hotel sites worth trying...
www.tripadvisor.com is the place to find independent travellers' reviews of all the main hotels.
www.booking.com is my own preferred hotel booking system (Hotels Combined being a search/comparison system). It has a simple interface, a good selection in most countries worldwide, useful online customer reviews of each hotel, and decent prices, usually shown inclusive of unavoidable extras such as taxes (a pet hate of mine is systems that show one price, then charge you another!).
Backpacker hostels...
www.hostelworld.com: If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels. Hostelworld offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in most cities at rock-bottom prices.
Travel insurance & health card...
Take out decent travel insurance, it's essential...
Never travel overseas without travel insurance from a reliable insurer, with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover. It should also cover cancellation and loss of cash and belongings, up to a sensible limit. An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheaper than several single-trip policies even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I have an annual policy myself. Here are some suggested insurers. Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.
In the UK, try Columbus Direct or use Confused.com to compare prices & policies from many different insurers.
If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over 65, see www.JustTravelCover.com - 10% discount with code seat61.
If you live in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the EU, try Columbus Direct's other websites.
If you live in the USA try Travel Guard USA.
Get a spare credit card, designed for travel with no currency exchange loading & low or no ATM fees...
It costs nothing to take out an extra credit card. If you keep it in a different part of your luggage so you're not left stranded if your wallet gets stolen, this is a form of extra travel insurance in itself. In addition, some credit cards are significantly better for overseas travel than others. Martin Lewis's www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money explains which UK credit cards have the lowest currency exchange commission loadings when you buy something overseas, and the lowest cash withdrawal fees when you use an ATM abroad. Taking this advice can save you quite a lot on each trip compared to using your normal high-street bank credit card!
Get a VPN for safe browsing when you travel. VPNs & why you need one explained...
When you're travelling you often use free WiFi in public places which may not be secure. A VPN means your connection to the internet is encrypted & always secure, even using unsecured WiFi. In countries such as China where access to Twitter & Facebook is restricted, a VPN gets around these restrictions. And lastly, you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geographic restrictions which some websites apply - for example one booking site charges a booking fee to non-European visitors but none to European visitors, so if you're not located in Europe you can avoid this fee by browsing with a UK IP address using a VPN. VPNs & why you need one explained. ExpressVPN is a best buy and I use them myself.


text:
By … [Read more...]
Archives for April 2013
vCenter Operations Manager 5.7 – What's New and How to Upgrade
Is Spanning VMDKs Using Windows Dynamic Disks a Good Idea?
I've had several folks ask me recently about how to support very large NTFS volumes on vSphere virtualized Windows servers. The current limitation for a VMDK in vSphere 5.1 is 2TB minus 512B. FWIW, a Hyper-V virtual disk in Windows Server 2012 can be up to 64TB. Those asking the question want to support NTFS volumes greater than 2TB for a variety of purposes - Exchange databases, SQL databases, and file shares. Windows (depending on the version and edition) can theoretically support NTFS volumes up to 256TB (depending on cluster size and assuming GPT), with files up to 256TB in size (see … [Read more...]


text:
Magical mystery tour a few weekends ago
Sonoma hosted an event called the Health and Wellness Festival. I, like you, preferring good health to bad, decided to check the thing out. I figured these folks, professional health mavens, might know a thing or two about feeling great. I expected a platoon of super fit specimens cornering the market on joie de vie, dewy-faced Gumby's sans cellulite and arthritic knees.
I gave the bio-electric magnetic energy regulation – or BEMER – a try, a black mat that was supposed to recalibrate my capillaries. The rep turned it on and I lay there just waiting. When I told her I couldn't feel anything, she smiled and said, "Most people don't." At three thousand dollars, that's a whole lot of nothing. I thanked her and went on my way.
PEMF Prices >


text:
Jan 26, 2017
During the start of the new year the Student Government Association unleashed their new logo. See below for the various versions.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Student Government Office (Cranford Campus) at 908-709-7074 or stop by C-102. Or call the office of College Life (Cranford Campus) at 908-709-7017 or stop by C-104.


text:
Alright, the weather's gettin' warmer and that means it's time to play some music! Here are some Summer festivals and show dates which are fast approaching. Hope to see some of you there!
June 6th - Screamin' Festival, Calella, Spain (with Hi-Fly Rangers and special Starday guest Rudy "Tutti" Grayzell!)
June 13th - Iltatori, Salo, Finland (with The Fab. Fontanaires)
June 28th - Puistoblues Festival, Järvenpää, Finland (with Hi-Fly Rangers, showtime 16:45)
July 13th - Ruuhijärvi Hepcat's Hop, Ruuhijärvi, Finland (with Eino Rastas and Mika Liikari)
July 19th - Emilia Klubi, Hamenliina, Finland (with special guests!)
July 20th - Big Wheels, Pieksämäki, Finland (with Hi-Fly Rangers)
Aug. 3rd - Private Wedding, Järvenpää, Finland (with Hi-Fly Rangers)
Aug. 17th - Real Gone Rock'n'Roll Weekender, Sastamala, Finland (with Hi-Fly Rangers, 2 shows)
Photo by Tall and Small Photography www.tallandsmallphotography.com


text:
Blog Tour: Felix Faust by Dexter Morgenstern
Washington, 21 May, 2014 - The Arcane Insurrection Continues
Dexter Morgenstern, author of "Felix Faust" has announced the release of a sequel. In "Felix Faust," readers were introduced to an arrogant, intelligent young-adult, gifted with psychic abilities that attract a few friends and many foes, many of whom share Felix's fundamental abilities.
In the contemporaneous sequel, which is scheduled for release in summer 2014, readers are set to be introduced to Byron Bishop, a psychic ex-convict with a ghostlike companion, who incidentally draws attention from foes before finding many friends. This places him on the opposite side of the playing field as Felix, and seeks to answer several questions about the previous book, while introducing new ones.
Byron is desperate to find a way onto the good side, but Baron isn't, so how does the situation play out when tensions rise, and they grow closer to combating each other? Find out in the latest installment of The Arcane Insurrection.
Dexter Morgenstern has already received numerous positive feedbacks for his debut novel.
One reader said: "From tragedies, deaths, kidnappings, daring rescues, powerful enemies and allies the book keeps you reading eager to know what is going to happen next.
I can't wait to find out more about the other characters and just see where the story will lead in the next book.
Another said: "...Morgenstern has a great handle of plot and keeping the pace going, and you'll hardly ever encounter a dull moment in this book. His magic system is well thought out and is very in depth, and he does a great job explaining the intricacies instead of just walking over it, which makes the battles -- when everything finally comes together -- feel all the more real.
About Dexter Morgenstern
Dexter is a writer and game-enthusiast from North Carolina. He was home-schooled by his parents after being diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. Being a creative, highly-motivated individual, Dexter officially began writing books at the age of fifteen, and published his first novel "Felix Faust" at seventeen. When he is not writing, Dexter spends much of his time gaming, studying, or contemplating new plot details and stories in his head. Dexter's ultimate goal is to get a degree in Robotics and contribute to the subjugation of humanity by artificial intelligence.
The Arcane Insurrection: Felix Faust
Blurb: "Felix Faust is a nineteen-year-old semi-genius who has just been accepted into a prestigious college. He discovered telekinesis at an early age and has used it discreetly for his own entertainment. Felix finds himself displeased and malcontent with everything he encounters in the school, except for one student. This other student shares Felix's gift, and is much stronger, capable of abilities Felix never thought possible. Now a new door opens for Felix as he is mentored and develops his psychic abilities, but this door also brings danger as malevolent forces set their eyes upon him. Tragedy and destruction follow Felix, leaving him no choice but to continue growing and fight back, but danger follows him every step of the way, and failure means death..."
Website: http://dextermorgenstern.com/books/felix-faust/
Amazon: http://amazon.com/gp/product/B00896N19E/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15958171-felix-faust


text:
Puig Teix or Es Teix sits above Valdemossa and between Valdemossa and Soller, the high point on a wonderful limestone ridge. The Soller end is quiet and rarely visited and the entire ridge great day out but it requires a bus to Valdemossa from Port de Soller that runs only in summer. A repeat of the entire ridge isn't going to be possible which is perhaps just as well. Sunday was a bitterly cold day with a strong wind making conditions almost unpleasant – we didn't know at the time but the local 'fell top' weather forecast had suggested the possibility of snow. We saw rain the night before but it had cleared through before the temperatures dropped. Sunday is a market day in Valdemossa and although it attracts tourists it attracts a greater number of locals, at least at this time of year, and that was where we started.
Looking across the island to Palma Bay
Looking along the island to the Alfabia ridge and Puig Major
Path down through the woods (one of ones we couldn't find the last time)
Like others we came down from the hills for coffee or hot chocolate
The high winds, as we have seen before, can produce spectacular seas which you may want to look at but only from the safety of dry land so we went down to the port to see what they were like and we weren't disappointed.


text:
After being admitted to Illinois Masonic Medical Center this morning for an "evaluation," the man who has allegedly stolen tip jars and signage, thrown coffee on a security guard, and broken car windows with a baseball bat did the nearly-impossible.
He escaped from Illinois Masonic.
Officers searched area streets and two possible residences for the man without success.
Illinois Masonic describes him as male, white, in his 30's, with long blonde dreadlocks and painted fingernails. He may be nude or in a hospital gown.


text:
How do I place an order?
All orders must be submitted in writing, via fax or email. Verbal or handwritten communications will not be accepted. Please call to confirm receipt of purchase order.
Do you have samples?
Yes! Blank or random samples of most items are available to be shipped using the distributor's or third party's shipping account number and are billed at end quantity prices. When available, dummy samples can be shipped using the distributor's (or third party's) shipping account number at no charge.
Where is your pricing?
Pricing is available by logging into the website or by contacting a KTI representative. Pricing is updated on a regular basis, but may change without notice.
Each order placed will be based on current market value of flash memory as quoted at the time of your order. If memory pricing should fluctuate after your order is received, acknowledged, and approved, you will not be charged the increase or refunded if the price decreases. Your accepted PO price will not be affected. We can not offer price protection on memory products.
What are my Payment Options?
We accept check and ACH payments for net term customers, or credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express) for prepaid customers. Credit terms may be extended after a credit check is complete. First time orders must be charged on a credit card or paid for in advance. You have the option to keep credit cards on file. Our Credit Card Authorization Form can be downloaded here.
Note: Orders paid for with foreign checks may be subject to additional fees.


text:
Feb. 25, 2006
Tallahassee, FL – Legendary Florida State Head Coach Mike Martin continues to reach milestones and set records. Earlier this year it was announced he would be inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. After his club downed Minnesota 12-4 Saturday, the Seminole head coach is in even rarer company. Martin became just the eighth coach in collegiate baseball history to record 1,400 wins and he is just the third coach in DI baseball to reach that milestone and have a career winning percentage of .700 or better.
"This program is about our team," said Martin after the historic win. "I am just very blessed and proud to be a part of the Florida State team. We have a great administration. We have a great staff. We have been fortunate to keep everybody around and I am just fortunate to be a part of it."
Martin is now 1,400-473-4 in his 27 seasons in Tallahassee. His winning percentage of .747 trails only retired Texas coach Cliff Gustafson (.792) and current Wichita State boss Gene Stephenson (.754) among DI coaches. Only three coaches in the history of college baseball have won more games and have a higher winning percentage than Martin, who is now sixth all-time in all divisions for wins by active coaches.
"It feels really good one a day like this versus a team like Minnesota," said Dennis Guinn on being a part of Martin's 1,400th win. "It felt great to be a part of getting him that win. I know he will smile for the rest of the day and it feels good to play a part in that."
"Getting the win today for Coach Martin gave us tons of motivation," said FSU winning pitcher Michael Hyde. "Of course he never brought it up because he isn't that type of guy. It was just another ballgame for him that he wanted us to go out and get the win. It doesn't matter to him if it is win 1,400 or just the second of his career. I was glad to be a part of it as was the rest of this team."
Guinn and Hyde both played the biggest roles in getting that 1,400th win for Martin as FSU improved to 9-1 on the season and Minnesota fell to 0-2. Guinn had a career day going 4-for-4 with four RBIs, two runs scored, a double and his first career grand slam. The sophomore also drew a walk and didn't strike out once. He set new career highs for RBIs and hits in a game and is now tied for the team lead with three homeruns.
"I can't remember the last time I had four hits in a game," said Guinn. "I tried to stay focused throughout the game against a good team like Minnesota."
Hyde, who was now 2-0 and making his first start of the year, went five innings and after allowing two runs in the first didn't allow another run to score the rest of the way. He struck out four batters and walked two as he upped his record to 2-0 on the season.
"I was a little shaky in the first inning but I was able to settle down and start throwing more around the zone," said Hyde when asked about his performance. "I was making my pitches a little
better and just letting my defense work behind me. I finished pretty strong but just started losing gas towards the end."
"Michael had a good outing after that shaky first inning," said Martin. "That is to be expected. He was enjoying his first start of the year versus a very good baseball team. Minnesota is going to contend for the Big Ten title. We are getting them at the right time."
The Golden Gophers got off to a good start early versus Hyde. After a leadoff single and stolen base, Hyde got the next two batters before Minnesota staged a two-out rally. An RBI single and an RBI double staked the Gophers to an early 2-0 lead.
Minnesota starter Cole DeVries (0-1) ran into trouble in the bottom of the second when he gave up a hit and walked back-to-back batters on nine pitches. With the bases loaded the Seminoles were unable to close the gap though as DeVries got out of the jam on a grounder to short.
In the bottom of the third FSU threatened to get on the board once again. Jack Rye drew a walk and Ryne Malone then singled to put two on with just one out. Another walk, this one to Guinn, loaded the bases for the second straight inning. DeVries fifth walk of the game brought in FSU's first run making it a 2-1 game with the bases still juiced. Buster Posey then singled in two runs putting FSU in front 3-2. Designated hitter Kyle Maxie then drove in another run on a single to left knocking DeVries out of the game. New pitcher Kyle Carr couldn't stop the rally though as Tony Thomas, Jr. drove in two more runs on a sharply hit single up the middle.
Walks continued to haunt Gopher pitchers as the staff's eleventh of 13 walks on the day loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom half of the fifth. Guinn then unloaded them with just one swing of the bat as he hit FSU's first grand slam of the year making the FSU lead 10-2. It was the first FSU grand slam since May 7, 2005 when Gibbs Chapman did it versus Maryland in a 7-2 Seminole win.
"It was a full count and I battled and fouled a couple pitches off," said Guinn of the grand slam. "He threw me a full count curve ball. It is my job to make guys pay when they make a mistake. He left it over the plate."
"Dennis has played very solid baseball," said Martin when asked about his first baseman who is hitting .351 and slugging .676. "He has to continue to get better. That ball he ran into in the fifth inning was a big lift for us. It certainly kind of closed it out."
In the top of the seventh the Golden Gophers looked to cut the FSU lead as they loaded the bases off reliever Jimmy Marshall. Marshall walked in the first run of the inning and the Gophers got their fourth of the game on an out but that was all they could muster off Brent Marsh who came in with one out and shut down the potential big inning.
The Seminoles got a run back in the bottom of the seventh as Rye singled, Malone walked and Guinn continued with his big day knocking a double off the screen in right. A double into shallow center field by pinch hitter Josh Spivey brought in another run for FSU as they went in front 12-4.
Florida State and Minnesota conclude their series at 1:00 pm Sunday. Game Tracker will be available for all the contests along with a live radio broadcasts available on WFLA locally and free on the Internet at seminoles.com.


text:
I am so lucky to have this house just around the corner from me, literally. One day not too long ago my husband was off on an errand. He called me and told me to meet him outside and that he had a surprise for me. I was smack dab in the middle of making a mess while trying to clean up a mess, and was more than a little irritated. But I did as he said.
He then proceeded to drive me around the block. I had been eyeballing the goings on at this house ever since it had been sold but had no idea that renovations had been completed or that an open house was now taking place. I was no longer irritated.
Close up of one of two stained glass windows in the front doors, original to the house. These have since been replaced by clear beveled glass panes.
Most of these photos were actually taken way back in May 2011. I started to post them but never finished. It has since come to my attention that the house may have once again changed hands and that a new website showcasing this beautiful home has been established. Click HERE to visit.
Also! If you happen to be in the area tomorrow, an open house will take place on Sat beginning at 11 a.m. If you have ever driving by this stunning place and daydreamed about it (like I did) now is your chance to to take a peek.
Following are some photos I took of the garden back in 2008. These were taken at a time when the home and gardens were being lovingly cared for by the preivous owner.
View from a second foor bedroom, facing the school.
Beautiful (massive!) antique garden urn.
Main stairway. Photos taken during 2009 estate sale.
I've been lucky to get to know this house close up over the years. It holds a very special place in my heart, as does the previous owners who loved this house dearly. I have more pictures taken over the last few years and will try to post them in the coming days. My fingers are crossed that this wonderful place winds up in caring and deserving (loving and respectful of old homes please) hands.
Zoom to the end of this post to view a couple of short videos of Ames-Westbrrok House.


text:
|#top-section row-start col-md-7
About the course
This one day course will focus on understanding and supporting autistic children with eating challenges.
Don't miss out!
Places are limited so book now to avoid disappointment.
|col-md-5 row-end image
|colour-section row-start col-xs-12
Course overview
Using knowledge from academic and clinical fields of typical feeding development and childhood feeding disorders this one day workshop will examine and explain the common patterns of eating in autism. It will address a range of difference across the spectrum including specific issues relating to females.
- Taking a developmental approach and using the new diagnosis of 'Avoidant and Restrictive Food Intake Disorder' (DSM IV, 2013) the first half of the workshop will discuss how eating issues in autism relate to the characteristics of the condition itself.
- The second half will concentrate on evidence and practice-based strategies for intervention. The workshop will take an interactive approach with opportunity for experiential based learning and discussion of participant's own case or family examples.
|center quote-section col-xs-12 row-start quote
|row-start col-md-6
Benefits of attending
- Gain increased understanding of the causes of feeding and eating issues for autistic people
- Increase your awareness of the impact of typical and atypical development on the acquisition of the skills for successful feeding
- Develop knowledge of specific issues facing autistic individuals with food
- Increase your confidence in the application of management and intervention strategies
- Opportunity to share experiences and strategies with colleagues/other participants.
|col-md-6 row-end
Who should attend?
This course is suitable for anyone who works with an autistic child who is having difficulties with food. To get the most out of this training course, it is advisable to have a prior understanding of autism.
Although the course will focus on children and young people, the information is also relevant to those working autistic adults as the developmental characteristics that cause the eating patterns in autism can persist into adulthood.
Although the course will focus on children and young people, the information is also relevant to those working autistic adults as the developmental characteristics that cause the eating patterns in autism can persist into adulthood.
|quote-section row-start row-end col-xs-12
The trainers were so informative and the course content was so interesting. The course will help with my working role
|info-section row-start col-xs-12
The course costs just £185 + VAT and includes:
- training materials and information provided for each delegate
- certificate of attendance
- signposting to relevant literature and resources
- lunch and refreshments.
Don't delay - book now to secure your place on this unique training course.


text:
Viewers Like You: Emergency Edition
by Zac Bertschy,
ANNCast 083 - Viewers Like You: Emergency Edition
Get the Flash Player to see this player.
So it's Saturday afternoon and it suddenly dawns on me that there's no way in hell I'll have enough time between Monday and Tuesday to set up, record, edit and produce a podcast episode before I have to leave for San Diego Comic-con on Wednesday morning.
...or is there??
The call went out on Twitter and the episode was full before an hour had passed. That's how great you guys are! So this week we have a 2-hour callout show!
WARNING: The entire first 30 minutes of this episode are about Harry Potter, which is off-topic, as promised in the opening bit. We discuss in full the final film and how it compares to the end of the book, so if you're trying to avoid spoilers, don't listen. Also I guess if you don't care about Harry Potter at all, skip to the 29-minute mark. All of you other mudbloods can enjoy!
Then we talk to Steph about Canadian anime conventions, Christian about Makoto Shinkai, Nick about Fullmetal Alchemist, Ted chimes in on the crazy prices of out-of-print DVDs, and Brian talks about why people still complain about anime being too pricey. It's fun! I PROMISE!!
You can listen to the show on our player here, direct-download the MP3 version here, or you can just use these handy links:
Also: if you like the show (or don't like the show, I guess) be sure to write us up a review over on iTunes! It'd be a big help!
NSFW Language Warning: Some swearing. Cover your virgin ears.
ANNCast Episode 83 Breakdown
01:50 SPOILER-FILLED Harry Potter chat with Corey and Evan! DISCOVER WHAT GIGANTIC NERDS WE ARE, IN CASE YOU WERE NOT AWARE
29:00 POTTERCHAT ENDS and we talk to Steph, who was volunteering as we spoke at Ai-kon in Manitoba. What are Canadian cons like?!
47:00 Christian wants to talk about his favorite anime director, Makoto Shinkai
01:08:00 Nick noticed some key differences in all the different versions of Fullmetal Alchemist, and hey why didn't Brotherhood set the world on fire anyway
01:18:50 Ted is flabbergasted by the Amazon prices on out-of-print DVDs
01:30:40 Brian, who wonders why people still complain about the cost of anime
And that's it! See you next week!
Have questions for the ANNCast crew? Tweet 'em to @ANNZac! Or check out the community forums thread about the show, or send email questions to [email protected] dot com!
Theme Song: "Bucharest" by The New Division. Check them out on iTunes!
Special thanks to Phillip Harrington for designing and creating the ANNCast logo.
discuss this in the forum (38 posts) |
this article has been modified since it was originally posted; see change history


text:
What others are saying
- Have always gotten fuel from them and always had a great experience. Very polite and courteous staff and delivery driversKevin Neumayer
- Hands down the best oil company EVER! They are so nice, super friendly and always helpful. I recommend them to everyone I know!!Alicia Servey
- Once again, when we needed their help, they were there! Thank you! Always considerate, polite and affordable!!!!!!!!Tracy Culley-Smith
- Great company! Great staff! Highly recommend!! They work great with their customers too!!Dawn Sampsell
- I own a collision repair shop and wasn't paying attention to my fuel level and ran out.. of all days with a bad storm.. I called and they were actually closed because of the weather today.. I told the answering service I was out and I'll be ok until they open up tomorrow.. within a couple hours they were here and filled me.. this isn't the first time for this.. I will never go elsewhere for fuel delivery.. these guys are top notch.. highly recommendedKyle Bachman
- Affordable Fuels is wonderful! I realized Saturday I was low on Fuel and by Monday morning my tank has fuel in it. From owner to secretary to driver to service guys they are wonderful!Jennifer McWilliams
Affordable Fuels: Selinsgrove Heating Oil for Residential Homes
If you're one of nearly 10 million Americans who depend on heating oil to stay comfortable during the long Pennsylvania winters, you know how important it is to find a dependable and economical home heating oil company that you can rely on.
That's where Affordable Fuels' Selinsgrove heating oil team comes in.
Thanks to Affordable Fuels you can keep your family warm and cozy from the fall through the spring, and forget about the logistics.
Once a customer, you will be added to a delivery schedule based on your home's energy needs. However, if you need an additional delivery, they can take care of that too – they will even deliver just 100 gallons. Most local companies require a 150 gallon minimum.
Because the company focuses on Northumberland, Union, Snyder, Montour, Dauphin, and Juniata Counties, they are able to provide more efficient service for their customers.
Since 2000, Affordable Fuels has grown their customer base to over 5,000 customers in the region. To meet the needs of the community, Affordable Fuels has three delivery trucks, so whether it's a scheduled delivery or an emergency on a Sunday afternoon, they will be there when you need them the most.
They will also work within your budget. As a LIHEAP vendor (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program) they will work with customers on a one-on-one basis to determine a payment plan that is within your budget, even stretching payments over the entire year. This eases the burden of very high heating bills in the coldest winter months, when demand is at its peak.
They promptly and professionally deliver the following:
- Heating oil
- Premium diesel
- Gasoline
- Dyed Kerosene
They don't stop at delivery, though. They also offer a range of maintenance and repair services, including:
- Full HVAC service
- Installation of furnaces, boilers, and HVAC systems
- Repair of furnaces, including seasonal cleanings
- Emergency service
- New and used heating oil tanks
- Skid tanks
Heating Oil Has Made Great Strides in Emissions Standards
Classified as #2 heating oil, this petroleum-based product can be used to power oil furnaces, boilers, generators and even swimming pool heaters. New oil heat systems on the market can generate heat using water or steam, warm air or hydro-air and can be integrated into air conditioning and radiant heat systems.
Many consumers believe the oil heat industry had made little progress during the past 50 years. Others have the misconception that petroleum oil is an outdated, expensive and environmentally unhealthy heat source. Nothing could be further fro the truth.
The fact is that oil heat meets all standards of the Environmental Protection Act due to its lower production of sulfur and ability to burn cleanly. Burner emissions ratings are approaching near-zero levels thanks to the work conducted by the National Oil heat Research Alliance (NORA). Established by Congress in 2000, this organization governs the research, development, training and regulations of the oil heat industry.
Selinsgrove Heating Oil Customers Prefer Fuel to Electricity or Natural Gas
Cozier Homes
Many Selinsgrove heating oil customers report their oil-heated homes feel consistently warmer and cozier than homes that use electricity and natural gas. And there's a good reason for that. Oil produces the hottest flame, which means the home is heated more quickly while consuming less fuel. Heating oil can also provide faster, less expensive, and hotter water than gas or electric.
Safer Energy
There are also a few safety factors that Selinsgrove heating oil customers like to point out. Unlike natural gas, oil heat is not combustible, which makes it a safer alternative. Additionally, an oil system will warn you of dangerous carbon monoxide levels by issuing smoke and soot, unlike a gas system. To address other safety concerns, some new boilers are being installed outside the home.
Lower Cost
Selinsgrove heating oil customers also benefit from a variety of buying methods that suit their unique needs, including cash on delivery, automatic delivery, will-call and full-year contracts. Budget plans can also be calculated into manageable monthly payments so that higher winter costs do not become financially burdensome. Customers also appreciate the simple usage statements they receive since oil heat is measured in gallons instead of difficult to comprehend gas terms.
Affordable Fuels will also work within each customer's budget. As a LIHEAP vendor (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program) they will work with customers on a one-on-one basis to determine a payment plan that is within your budget, even stretching payments over the entire year. This eases the burden of very high heating bills in the coldest winter months, when use is at its peak.
Selinsgrove Heating Oil Customers Save Money
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, heating oil is not only 16 percent more efficient than natural gas, but it has also been cheaper in 12 out of the past 18 years.
You can also combat costs by making simple improvements to your system, such as replacing an old thermostat, insulating pipes and ducts or scheduling a tune-up to check for proper adjustments and clogged ignition parts. These low-cost strategies can sometime knock 25 percent off your energy bill.
If your home is not already equipped with an energy efficient oil heat system, upgrading your equipment will also help you get the most out of each gallon of oil. Depending on your old appliance, this investment could cut oil fuel consumption by a substantial 30 to 50 percent. The federal government has extended the personal tax credit for energy efficient appliances that are purchased in 2011. These include water heaters, furnaces, boilers, heat pumps and central air conditioners.
Delivery Options for Selinsgrove Heating Oil Customers
In addition to reliable, 24-hour emergency service, Affordable Fuels offers two delivery options for Selinsgrove heating oil customers.
With the Automatic option, you receive regularly-scheduled deliveries. This is a hassle-free way to ensure your system never runs out of the fuel it needs. Although we monitor your oil usage, should your tank somehow become empty, you will receive priority service.
Selinsgrove heating oil customers who want to have a more active role in monitoring their own fuel usage levels can sign up for Will-Call deliveries. You should contact us when the fuel level decreases to a quarter tank. A run-out will require system priming, which incurs an additional fee. You will also need to contact us at least 48 hours in advance. Will-Call deliveries can be made for less than 100 gallons and customers must be home to accept the delivery.
Affordable Fuels: Choosing a Fuel Oil Company in Selinsgrove
One of the benefits of using oil heat is that it offers you the flexibility to work with the supplier of your choice. By partnering with Affordable Fuels, Selinsgrove heating oil customers can count on prompt service, a dependable supply of fuel and personal attention. Our knowledgeable team can also work with you to ensure your system is operating efficiently and economically.
Before choosing an oil heat supplier, you should check the company's reputation for quality and dependability, as well as their ability to provide innovative products and custom solutions for your unique needs. You should also look for a company that provides clearly outlined repair and service agreement policies, as well as transparent pricing. The Better Business Bureau offers a comprehensive checklist to help you choose the fuel oil company that is right for you.
As a trusted leader in the Selinsgrove heating oil industry, Affordable Fuels is a one-stop company that cares about it customers. We are passionate about what we do and have the integrity to guarantee every system we service.


text:
I have Challenge #2 and #3 to show you today. Fist up is the second challenge from the Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog is a matching Card and Tag and I have a couple of Birthdays coming up so this is the perfect challenge for me.
Each balloon has a matching embroidery yarn or floss string going into the bag.
My second project is for challenge #3 - Get your Stamp on! I made a 8 1/2x11 and a 12x12 layout for this challenge. I definitely need to stamp more on my layouts. I used a stamp of an ice cream truck to make a couple of layouts. I stamped it on a diagonal with black ink then stamped an extra one on a piece of scrap cardstock, cut it out and colored it in with sharpies.
I again used foam tape behind the ice cream truck to make it stand off the page.
I layered a piece of black cardstock on the diagonal and created white film strip mats for the pictures..
Your next stop on the hop is Julene who always has something wonderful to share.
If you want to start at the beginning of the hop or get lost along the way:
Thanks for stopping by.
January 2016 Counterfeit Kit - Fresh Start
9 - 12x12 Layouts
3 - 8 1/2x11 Layouts
1- Card and Tag
January Counterfeit Kit - Fresh Start: DCWV - Heirloom Stack; Recollections cardstock; Kraft, tan, black and white; unknown off white
Ink: Color Box - Marigold, Scarlet, Lime and Chestnut; Stazon - Timber Brown; Ranger - Jet Black
Stamps: Unity KOTM March 2011 {from head to soul} the balloons and July 2012 {Ol' Bag of Fun} bag; Unity KOTM June 2012 {sweet summer love} the ice cream truck
Embossing Folder: Cuttlebug - Birthday
Misc.: Adhesive, embroidery floss and yarn, foam tape, pop up dots, scissors and sharpies


text:
A Wodonga dentist has called for an expansion of fluoridation after tooth decay rates in the Murray Primary Health Network were revealed as worse than the Victorian state average.
Statistics from Dental Health Services Victoria on clients presenting at public dental health clinics showed decay was worse in every age group except those aged over 65.
More than 65 per cent of patients aged 25 to 44 presenting at clinics had at least one decayed tooth – 10 per cent higher than the average.
Daintree Family Dental Clinic's Jahnavi Shah said, in her nine years in practice, she had seen a growing number of people presenting with the complication.
"It's alarming – we see cases day in and day out and they're mostly untreated," she said.
"I understand there is a huge waiting list to get into the public health system but the awareness is also not there.
"It takes many years to get to that stage of tooth decay, which could have been treated easily early on."
The Murray catchment scored highest in the state for service access, with 30 per cent of the 275,000 people eligible for public oral health services receiving care.
Rates of tooth decay were limited to the 0-17 age groups in local government areas, but Wodonga and Indigo both scored better than the state average in all brackets.
The report commented "only a handful" of suburbs across the Murray catchment were fluoridated.
Dr Shah said there was a need to introduce fluoridation in the North East's outlying towns.
"We see a lot of patients coming from out of town who are on tank water and what we see is a high amount of cavities with those patients," she said.
"There's a huge amount of studies that have been done in Australia and overseas that show fluoridation in water reduces the chance of tooth decay.
"We don't want a lot but the correct amount is definitely important."
Dental Health Services Victoria's report showed the majority of the Murray primary health network local government areas had zero or only partial levels of fluoridation.
Dr Shah said additional to increasing levels of fluoridation, residents in the North East needed to understand the importance of regular check-ups.
"Dental health is one of the only types of health you can be in control of and if you look after your teeth, you will be reward," she said.
Dr Shah said it was crucial medicare schemes were continued for dental care despite the outcome of the federal election.
"I've seen so many kids that may not have come if they were not covered by Medicare," she said.
"If that was taken away, I can tell you many parents would stop bringing their kids to the dentist."