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Today we'd like to introduce you to Bonnie Achariyakosol.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Bonnie. So, let's start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Interior Design from Texas Tech University in 2006. After graduation I started work at an award winning hospitality design firm in Dallas and was fortunate to cut my teeth on multi million square foot casino projects in Macao, China. It was incredible! I learned how to push the limits of design and how to create spaces that were experiential and a worldwide draw. After several years at that firm, I moved on to be the Director of Design at another Dallas hospitality firm. The projects were smaller and hyper-local which allowed me greater autonomy and a much deeper connection to my work. I'm a boss lady so I like that! It was here that I first ventured into residential projects, designing the personal homes for some of our larger clients. I always enjoyed residential design and kept some small residential clients for my own. As my personal life matured from the hospitality scene to nights at home my design interests followed suit. I got the bug to dive deeper into residential design and devote my time to working to enhance the lifestyles of my clients. I did a year stint at a high end residential firm to understand the inner workings and in 2012 went out completely on my own. I love it and have never looked back!
Has it been a smooth road?
The road has been relatively smooth! I learned so much from my early work experience and I feel like every new client teaches me something new too! I've been so fortunate to build a great client base on referrals alone and am in a position to be choosy when it comes to the projects and people I interact with. My biggest challenge in the early days was putting myself out there for new clients because I'm not particularly extraverted. I've grown a lot from that experience and am thankful for it.
So, as you know, we're impressed with BR Interior Designs – tell our readers more, for example what you're most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
The design for every space starts with my clients' goals and how they see themselves engaging the space. If you look through my portfolio the common theme isn't "my style" but the reflection of my clients' personalities just refined through my eye for tailored lines and a favor of mixed elements. It's the part of my process that I'm the most proud! My clients end up with a space that is really not like anyone else's because they aren't like anyone else! The variety of every project keeps me so excited about the work. Residential interior design is so personal and I appreciate the trust my clients give me to work in their homes. I strive to make sure my clients feel that respect throughout the process.
Let's touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love that there is always something to do in Dallas and I feel like I moved here at such a cool time! I watched the W hotel being built from my first apartment here and a few years ago had the opportunity to work with a family on their penthouse condo there. Total full circle moment. I also love that it's a pretty tight community. It's easy to run into people I know or after first meeting someone to realize that we have friends in common. Traffic is by far the worst thing about Dallas!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.BRInteriorDesigns.com
- Phone: 2147998823
- Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
- Instagram: BR_Interior_Designs
Image Credit:
Andrew Slaton Photography
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it's how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.


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last time I trained like this…October 31st, 2008
I can't say that I'm bagged, pooched, self-imploded, worn-down, spent (or whatever) right now, but I can tell you I've felt like this at some points over the last couple days. My training load over the past 3 weeks have been steady, with consistent solid efforts, with frequent strong efforts mixed in. I've had nights where my body is so tired and irritatable that the only place where I can sleep is a hard floor,…not to mention nights where I moan myself to sleep. But I've kept on track, and haven't had one crappy workout yet – my body seems to be boucing back well and able to get the work done.
Last time I trained like this was in May 2005,…for 3 weeks I trained with no days off, almost everyday I ran, 30-50min tempo runs was part of my staple diet, I did one 40km TT (or threshold) bike each week, I rode long one/two times per week, and averaged over 30hours of training each week. Three weeks later, I won the Canadian Long Distance Triathlon Championship title in Victoria, BC. I've never quite felt as good as I did following that training cycle. It was a race where I felt invincible and super-human strong,…it was tied with a feeling that I have missed in subsequent races.
This training block is a whole lot familiar with my 2005 loading,…that's all I can say.

subset: commoncrawl


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When it comes to being extra there is no one in Bollywood to beat Ranveer Singh. Right from his level 1000 energy to his eccentric dress sense, there is something about Baba that has everyone's attention. Of course, his fans try their best to capture that spirit too. Like this Ranveer fan that his best friend Arjun Kapoor bumped into at the airport.
While it's not a very clear picture, this Ranveer aka Baba fan went up to Arjun and got someone to click a picture of the two of them posing. Arjun then took to Insta stories to share that same picture, tagging Ranveer and captioning it "Baba I met your doppelganger!!!"
Knowing how excited Ranveer is to meet his fans, we bet this is one picture that is making him grin. Recently, he was mobbed by his fans and one of them handed him a painting of him with girlfriend Deepika Padukone. He took the picture and thanked the fan but then, in peak Ranveer style, he also posed with it close to his heart, letting his appreciation for the fan and love for Deepu known to all.
So, over to you, Ranveer. Do you have any special message for this doppelganger?


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Outsource your testing with Randox Clinical Laboratory Services
Randox Clinical Laboratory Services (RCLS) is a state-of-the-art IS0 17025-accredited laboratory built upon Randox's 35 years of experience. We hope to provide a clinical laboratory service designed to meet the time sensitive, bespoke requirements of research and clinical projects globally. We currently have clinical laboratories based in Antrim, Holywood, Liverpool and London and we plan to expand further across the world.
Within each of the locations there is a knowledgeable and experienced team of scientists to provide additional guidance and support, to accelerate your project to completion – allowing for precise and accurate data results.
Randox Clinical Laboratory Services has a variety of multiple platforms available across each of its clinical laboratories, including the RX series of clinical chemistry analysers, along with our Evidence Series of multiplex immunoassay/molecular diagnostic systems which utilise our intelligent Biochip Array Technology. Each site also offers alternative third-party analysers.
We offer many tests – over 220 clinical and safety tests, 300 biomarkers and 80 Biochip Array Technology multiplex panels built in-house. We also offer molecular arrays such as sexually transmitted disease, cardiovascular disease, familial hypercholesterolemia and respiratory infection, across a variety of diseases to allow a wide range of choice for your projects.
We have the ability to collect your samples via our third-party courier service with the samples then arriving at your chosen facility. The samples will be labelled with a unique identifier and uploaded onto our 21 CFR Part II compliant LIMS system. Results will be secure and confidential through our integrated LIMS system which guarantees full sample traceability. Additionally, short/medium-term sample storage at -20 and -80 will also available.
Once each sample has been tested you will receive your results. There are different data transfer options available, which include couriered CD/USB, a secure email or alternatively uploaded to a sponsor database or server. Your sample results can be sent via a method which is convenient for you. We offer full flexibility ensuring each person has full control with their project. There will be a team available to support your project at each step to guarantee deadlines are met, whilst ensuring high quality data is produced and delivered.
If you would like to find out more information about RCLS or have a research project you are interested in, contact us at: email@example.com


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A recent image I received contained the heading: 'Reinventing the wheel'. Clichés can be overused but this was excusable in the circumstances. Where it fell down was the image: it showed a car wheel, and end on so all you could see was the tyre.
Here are eleven things to consider when picking images for marketing emails:
1. Have an idea of what you want
You should not just look for pictures, but for something that will add to the email. In other words, never view an image in isolation. Ask yourself it is goes with the text and headings. Does the colour clash?
2. Consider its function
You would instantly delete gibberish from the text so an image that serves no purpose should be seen in the same way. Just being pretty is not enough. If it doesn't support the email and increase the information given to the reader then cut it.
3. What concerns the reader
If you are promoting a residential course for instance then feedback from previous students will give you an idea of what they looked for when booking. If accommodation was of concern, then show an image of the bedrooms.
4. Delete your favourites
As you flick through a series of images, some will stand out as being particularly interesting, attractive or thought provoking. Whatever you do, don't use one of them. You want the reader to click through, not admire the view.
5. Alt text comes first
This is the text that is presented when the image doesn't load. Work out the alt text first and then pick an image to fit. Consider the example of the wheel, above. If the alt text had just been 'A wheel' you would have wondered what it was there for.
You want the description to read something like: 'There are beautiful views from all our balconies'. What image you want will then be clear.
6. Location, location, location
Place the first image below the heading and leave a gap. In most case I would advise having text before it as well.
7. Don't overpower
If you have a nice big button for your click through, then keep images away from it.
8. Spam
One specific difficulty regarding the use of images in email marketing is deliverability. If there are too many or they are too large then this can excite the spam filter, although it is probably not enough on its own to divert it. An email that is all images is too much of a risk.
9. Test
See how the image will appear on a smart phone. Detail is normally lost so subtlety is not an option.
10. Shock, horror
The image should not take interest away from the rest of the email. So do not make the image the most memorable part of it.
11. Photographs are not the only fruit
Pie charts, graphs, drawings, CGI and other graphic art are all images for a purpose. Do not ignore something just because it didn't come from a camera. Experiment a little. Or a lot.


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Reported by Simone Collins
The newest member of the Cricut family is the Cricut Mini. Provocraft's Cricut Mini is a small, lightweight, ultra-portable way to make almost anything you want – out of many different types of materials, including thick and thin paper, fabric, vinyl, magnetic material, craft foil, and lots more. With Cricut Mini, it's easier than ever to make projects and be more creative!
Also in the Provocraft booth at the show was Jinger leading attendees through Cricut classes right on the showroom floor.
Plus, there are cupcake inserts. Anything that is cupcake compatible is good in my book.
Plus cool new flower cartridges.
And a really cute new cartridge for the Cricut Imagine that will please your little pirates:
And if you are a fan of space (and who isn't?!), you're in luck with robots, space ships, and planets in this new cartridge.
And a gorgeous frame cartridge that is sophisticated and delicate.
So, what do you think of what ProvoCraft has in store for you? What do you think of the new Cricut Mini? What cartridges do you hope they come out with next?


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Cartoon Network readies new 'Powerpuff Girls' & 'Ben 10' series for 2016
MUMBAI: New series of Cartoon Network's The Powerpuff Girls featuring Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup as well as Ben 10 are slated for a global launch in 2016.
Cartoon Network has unveiled the first look of character artwork featuring the original arbiters of girl power. It also includes a new television series, produced by Cartoon Network Studios, and a full licensing program that will roll out across all domestic and international regions.
The new series will be executive produced by Nick Jennings, who won an Emmy Award for his work on Cartoon Network's Adventure Time. Bob Boyle, creator of Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!, will co-executive produce. Rounding out the creative team is a diverse group of talented artists and writers, many of whom grew up watching the original series and come with a special affinity for the characters and overall project.
On the other hand, Ben 10, the new animated series, based on the successful franchise about an alien-powered kid hero, is being produced by Cartoon Network Studios and will premiere on Cartoon Network in the autumn of 2016. Man of Action will executive produce for Cartoon Network Studios and John Fang is on board as supervising producer.
Cartoon Network's fresh take on Ben 10 will center upon a new animated series re-introducing the energetic, fun-loving, 10-year-old Ben Tennyson. At the core of the new Ben is a healthy serving of action, excitement, and all-around fun. Featuring many new and fan-favorite aliens, the series kicks off with the adventures of Ben, his cousin Gwen, and Grandpa Max as they travel the country during summer vacation. When Ben finds the mysterious Omnitrix, a world of alien superpowers opens up to him.
Talking about The Powerpuff Girls, Cartoon Network chief content officer Rob Sorcher said, "It has been wonderful to see this new show team bring such passion and positive creative spirit to this iconic property. We know that fans of every age will appreciate this new take on saving the world before bedtime."
On Ben 10, Sorcher said, "We decided it was time to introduce Ben to a new generation of kids. Ben 10 has been an overwhelming success story across all media platforms, and we know kids around the world will be eager to see the reinvention of this beloved character."
To support the worldwide launch in 2016, Cartoon Network is assembling an all-star roster of licensing partners to create a full consumer products program for the franchise. Spin Master will anchor the program, creating a line of toys including plush, figures and playsets, dolls and more available worldwide in autumn 2016.


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FOX hunts across the region rode out in force today (Friday, December 26) - despite hunting with dogs being banned for almost a decade.
North-East and North Yorkshire huntsmen and women say they continue to operate within the law in the hope the Hunting Act 2004 will one day be overturned.
According to the Countryside Alliance, since the act came into force on February 18 2005, not a single hunt in the region has folded - contrary to initial fears.
And Andrew Spalding, joint master of the Zetland Hunt, says hunts now have more public support than ever and still attract large fields of riders.
The Zetland, which hunts in the County Durham and North Yorkshire borders, meets regularly during the hunting season, with hounds tracking an artificial scent rather than foxes.
"There's still strong support for hunting from a wide range of people in general and there will be an awful lot of people out on Boxing Day," says Mr Spalding, who describes the Hunting Act as "illogical" and believes far from improving animal welfare, it has a detrimental impact.
"There are just as many foxes being killed and some of them by snaring which is very cruel - we saw a fox recently that was hung up in a snare and looked like it had trying to bite itself to get out.
"There's also a lot of lamping going on at night.
"Farmers are telling us they are seeing a lot more people on their land illegally and they're causing a lot of damage."
Gary Watchman is joint master of the South Durham Hunt, which covers a large area from the Wear to the Tees, extending to Bishop Auckland in the west and the coast in the east.
He says that thanks to the farmers and landowners which allow access to the horses and hounds, his hunt is still going strong.
However, he admits to feeling "embarrassment" that the hunt is unable to carry out the task it was formed in 1870 to do - catch foxes.
"We're still here ten years after the ban but I'm not sure we are that much further forward in getting it overturned," he says.
"I've been a master right through the ban and my son Gareth is coming into mastership now, so I'll continue for another 15 to 20 years and he will carry on for maybe 30 years after that - we're still going to be here whether the legislation changes or not."
Mr Watchman believes that one consequence of the ban is the sharp rise in County Durham's fox population.
"If you have a mild summer like we've had recently, vixens can have two litters.
"At the moment foxes are everywhere and I think in ten years time there will be a plague of them in towns like Darlington, Stockton and Middlesbrough.
"I think it's going to be a serious, serious problem - bairns wont be able to play in the street."
But while hunt supporters call for the ban to be lifted, the League Against Cruel Sports (LACS) wants to see changes to the Hunting Act to tighten the legislation.
LACS' main recommendations include prohibiting the use of dogs below ground, inserting a 'reckless' provision to ensure the killing of wild mammals during a trail hunt cannot be passed off as an unfortunate accident and increasing the punishments available to the courts to those found guilty of breaking the law.
Joe Duckworth, LACS chief executive of the League Against Cruel Sports, said the Hunting Act was an "effective and popular" piece of legislation.
However, he added: "Since its introduction, the act has been the target of considerable attack from the pro-hunt lobby which has waged an on-going and concerted campaign of disinformation to publicly discredit the legislation and promote their campaign for repeal.
"The problem is not with the law. It's with those that flout it. It is time to now build on the successes of first ten years and strengthen the Hunting Act to ensure the spirit of the act is fulfilled."
Tim Bonner, director of campaigns at the Countryside Alliance, said the Hunting Act had done nothing to protect foxes, but had wasted hundreds of thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money and thousands of hours of police time.
"The hunts across the North-East are still here and still hunting and will continue to do so as we push for repeal of this illogical and illiberal act," he says.


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Ultra-flat high tonnage lifting cylinders with stop rings for reliability and safety are being introduced by Enerpac to bring the power and precision of high-pressure hydraulics to applications involving limited space and often harsh operating conditions
The compact and robust CULP Series 700 bar lift ring cylinders – in capacities from 10-100 tons, with 6mm stroke – are designed for applications where high lifting forces and extremely low starting heights are required in confined spaces, starting at 2.8mm.
Weighing from 1-11.5kg for easy placement and operator convenience, the robust cylinders offer up to 4 per cent side load at maximum capacity, as well as incorporating stop ring protection for maximum stroke limitation to avoid damage and downtime.
The new cylinders also feature nitrocarburised surface treatment for harsh conditions, such as those encountered on applications such as construction and civil engineering, infrastructure, mining and energy, oil and gas, road and rail, tunnelling and safe lifting of heavy plant in electrical, manufacturing, maritime, water and waste water and fabrication projects.
"One of the big advantages of high-tonnage ultra-flat cylinders is that operators can stably and progressively lift the load from beneath, keeping it precisely balanced. Cylinders such as these also provide a lifting solution where access for overhead lifting is restricted or non-existent," says Enerpac National Sales Manager Mr Darryl Lange.
Another major advantage is that the cylinders feature the ultra-flat cylinder design proven for harsh conditions in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea in the complementary series of CUSP cylinders, in capacities from 1-1000 tons and with lifting strokes of 7-17mm (or 6-10mm with tilted stroke).
The new cylinders' nitrocarburised protection is also shared with CUSP cylinders, providing sideload resistance and corrosion protection for safe use in the harshest conditions. The protection is also shared by Enerpac's new RLT low-height telescopic cylinders, which provide longer cylinder strokes of 17-40mm in confined spaces.
"The new cylinders are complemented by Enerpac pumping solutions in more than 1000 configurations, proven throughout Australasia for applications prioritising speed, control, intermittent or heavy duty.
Pumping solutions include P series Hand Pumps, XC series Cordless Pumps, XA series Air Driven pumps, ZU4 series portable electric pumps, ZE series Electric Pumps and SFP series Split Flow pumps for multi-point lifting and lowering applications where uneven loads need to be positioned equally.
In order to operate ultra-flat cylinders safely, a solid lifting surface is required for correct support. Operators can learn more about safety operating instructions at the Enerpac Learning Centre on enerpac.com."


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Free Shipping! Take an additional 50% off FINAL SALE SECTION with code: EXTRA50 at checkout. Contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com for a shopping appointment or if you have any questions.
Regular price
Choose from 2 styles, you stack the way you want. Colors of blue, yellow, pink, plum and cream. Looks great mixed together and also adding a bangle.
Large Rectangle Block or Medium Triangle.


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Lovely Ricki White is a lady who services prick just like every sitter should. Look at her deal with the needs of perverted Tommy Gunn's big fat weapon in this myhotnanny.com one-on-one nanny encounter. Enjoy as her tight asshole gets stretched to the limits!
Click here and see this teen sitter losing her anal virginity!


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One woman who created an Instagram feed for her son explained:
I think everything [he] does is cute and I would love to post pictures all day
long of what he does—but, I didn't want him to hijack my page… I'm still me
—I'm a mom, but I'm also a daughter, girlfriend, employee. Although [name
omitted] is the most important thing in my life, it's a step I took to make sure I
remained me.33
Other moms disagree on the posting-as-the-child front:
I would never create any social media profile in my child's name and update it
as if I were him. My son should have the choice as a young adult about if he wants
a social media presence, and what that presence will look like. I don't think it's a
parent's place to make that decision on behalf of their child.34
Ironically, despite this astute reasoning, this same mother actively posted pictures of her
child on her own Instagram account, and even created a hashtag for her son during pregnancy.35
She missed the point: privacy issues do not come from only setting up personal accounts for kids
but rather from posting about them online at all.36 Parents should be concerned not only about the
privacy issues, but also with preserving the child's self-image and preventing them from future
Looking forward, one disconcerting reality is that mothers are not the only active socialmedia users. Millennials dominate social media, and as they reach childbearing age, their increasedsocial media use does not slow down.38 Pairing that with the general trends of parents to post a lotonline about their kids, it is safe to say that with the introduction of the first Millennials' babies, itis full steam ahead with over-sharing. Unfortunately, this has consequences that many do notanticipate when posting online:Unlike in a democracy, Facebook is unilaterally redefining the socialcontract—making the private now public and making the public now private.Private information about people is readily available to third parties. At the sametime, public institutions, such as the police, use social networks to privatelyundertake activities that previously would have been subject to public oversight.Even though cops can't enter a home without a warrant, they scrutinize Facebookphotos of parties held at high school students' homes. If they see the infamous redplastic cups suggesting that kids are drinking, they prosecute the parents for
37 Id. Specifically, privacy issues surrounding potential predators or identity theft. However, the author points out that
the biggest risk of setting up an account for their child is that "Your children might be embarrassed later." (quoting
security specialist Bruce Schneier).
38 Social Networking Fact Sheet, supra note 18. This source shows that 18–29 year-olds use social media at higher
percentages than other age groups, and these numbers have been steadily increasing over the last few years.


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Are you in the market for a new drill for your home? How about a cordless drill? You're probably like me and thinking that your only option is to buy a big power drill and plug it into the wall, however actually you're wrong as now you can buy a cordless drill with the same performance and power statistics as a plug and play drill.
Cordless drills also have a massive degree of flexibility and versatility to take your electric drill to where you need it. The problem comes when you have decided that you want to buy a cordless drill but are not sure what is the best cordless drill for your needs.
First up, we talk a lot about Brand Names on this website and here's another review where actually it's important to buy and brand named cordless drill's and not a cheap import. We have tested hundred's of cordless drills over the years, and typically cheap imported cordless drills firstly simply cannot generate the power needed and secondly you find the batteries simply do not last. Before you know it, you have ten minutes in your cordless drill is flat
If you stick with the Brands such as Black&Decker and Bosch you know that you're buying a quality cordless drill that has been designed, manufactured and built to last for years to come.
Best Cordless Drill
In this section we have gone onto the market and reviewed the top performing models and decided which are the best electric cordless drills and therefore ones you should buy and more importantly which are the drills that you need to avoid.
Best Cordless Drill
If you don't want to read the whole review and would prefer to simply pick up our best cordless drill, then check out the Black & Decker, EPC 18V NiCd Cordless Drill. It's a brilliant drill thanks to it's powerful light-weight design, 18 Volt electric engine, 24 torque clutch system that allows you to control the amount of torque you use with your cordless drill. Review's across the internet are all positive and we agree - Check It Out Here.
What To Look For In A Top Cordless Drill
When you have decided that you want to buy a cordless drill, you're next job is to decide what do you need to look for in a top performing cordless drill to meet your needs. The best cordless drills, offer high speed, an abundance of power, a lightweight design, a long lasting battery and at least a one year warranty
- Design - The key with the top designs of cordless drills is that they offer the right power, but also come with a fantastic lightweight design that is well balanced. Generally you need to look for a drill that is less that 2 kilos as this is about the heaviest weight that the average person can use all day.
- Type - Basic or Full Scale? Basic are great for use at home where you're doing some basic homework or putting furniture together. Full Scale are typically the best cordless drills, however they will also come with the highest prices and most amount of useful features to help you get the most out of your electric drill.
- Power - This is very important and the difference between a drill that will keep up with your handiwork and one that is simply going to annoy you. The power of the drill comes from the voltage of the batteries meaning that a higher voltage equal more power and therefore what you can drill into. Given the range is from 6 to 40 Volts, if you only want to drill in wood and brick, then get yourself a drill with a voltage around 15, however if you are going to be a handyman and want to use your drill everyday then make sure that you buy a drill in the 35-40 range.
- Chuck Size - Chuck sizes are important as they are the part of the drill that holds the drill bits and therefore determines what sizes of drill you can use.
- Types of Battery Packs - Probably the most important part of buying a cordless drill is to make sure that you get the right battery otherwise you're going to be spending more time charging that you're using. Typically there are three types of battery packs on the market with a range of different cost's and performances.
- NiCAD - These are cheap to buy, but at the same time do not hold their charge over a long period of time, and suffer from memory effect where the battery starts to remember its charging limits meaning that if you do not properly use the battery the performance is drastically reduced.
- NiMH - These are typically the middle range batteries and offer performance and value for money at the same time.
- Lithium-Ion - These are small light batteries that offer high charge capacity and no memory effect, however they are drastically more expensive.
- Drill Speed - Drills have the ability to change the speed of their operation through the power button, however many drills can operate themselves at a low speed, typically around 300RPM which makes it great for screwing in screws whilst at the same time having the ability to switch to a fast speed, typically around 1500RPM for drilling wholes on concrete.
- Extra Features - Look out for great extra features such as LED lights that illuminate the area in front of you meaning that you can see where you're drilling or those that come with extra long warranties. As a minimum you want to buy a drill comes with a warranty of at least one year.
Cordless Drill Reviews
We firmly believe the best cordless drill is the Black & Decker EPC 18V NiCd Cordless Drill thanks to it's powerful lightweight design and great long term performance. That all said, if we had one concern, it's the longevity of the battery which is an NiCAD battery which adds the lightness of the design, but the problem with this type of battery is that they do not hold their charge for long periods of time.
As a result we have three other models that we think are great and you should look at when you're looking for the best cordless drill on the market.
DeWalt 18V Cordless Drill
- Lightweight Design
- 18 Volt Electric Engine
- Li-Ion Battery
- Two Speed Metal Transmission
- 14 Position Adjustable Torque Control
- Great Reviews On Amazon.co.uk
- More Expensive
Bosch 18V Cordless Drill
- Lightweight Design
- 18 Volt Electric Engine
- Li-Ion Battery
- Two Speed Metal Transmission
- 20 Position Adjustable Torque Control
- Great Reviews On Amazon.co.uk
- More Expensive
Makita 18V
- Lightweight Design
- 18 Volt Electric Engine
- Li-Ion Battery
- Two Speed Metal Transmission
- 16 Position Adjustable Torque Control
- Great Reviews On Amazon.co.uk
- More Expensive
BLACK+DECKER EPC18CAK 18V NiCd Cordless Drill
We firmly believe that the Black & Decker EPC 18V NiCad Cordless Electric Drill is the best cordless drill on the market right now for you to use at home given that it offers performance and more importantly value for money.
As we mentioned above, the Black & Decker above is great for a cordless drill at home for the few times a year that you're going to use it. We must point out, if you're going to use your cordless drill professionally, i.e. you're going to use it everyday, you really need to spend a little more and get yourself a Li-Lon Battery such as the Bosch model below.
The Drill is one of the few drillers that come with the unique 24 torque clutch. This helps a lot in controlling that the user would like to generate from the drill. It also has a versatile reverse switch which help in taking the driller out quite easy even it has drilled quite a distance.
The keyless chuck is another option which perhaps finds favor with many uses. The unique and highly stylish plastic storage and carry case is again something that can become the cynosure of all eyes.
It is very suitable for medium to hard drilling and it is perhaps one of the best DIY drills available in the market today. It is capable of handling any surface and this is again something which finds favor with most users.
The drill also comes with a special NI-CD battery which is housed in spring loaded side pack. This makes it easy to change the battery unlike many other drills where it could be a tedious task.
It is quite smartly and ergonomically designed making it easy to easily drill surfaces like plastic, metal, plasterboard, wood, metal and other surfaces. It is perhaps one of the best that is available in the market when it comes to hanging pictures, shelf fittings, assembly of furniture and other such things.
The battery charger is also of the best quality and it does not take more than two hours to reach full charge. It is lightweight and easy to handle and offers good value for money.
Bosch PSB 18 LI-2 Cordless Lithium-Ion Hammer Drill Driver
As mentioned above, we love the Black & Decker given that it offers performance and value for money. That all said, it comes with one problem, the battery is slightly limited meaning that if you're going to use your cordless drill more than a few times a year, you need to buy an Li-Ion Battery.
Bosch is a very trusted and reputed name for various types of mechanized equipments and gadgets. This particular model is one more successful addition as far as quality drilling options are concerned. It is considered by many to be the best for various types of tough drilling, hammer drilling and screw driving.
The 2 gear speed features helps take care of various surfaces quite easily. The power supply can also be regulated because of this two gear facility that is available.
The forward and reverse movement can easily be monitored with the help of a powerful LED. The power light is perfectly suitable for drilling in areas where light is not easily available or even absent totally.
The lithium ion battery is a proven source of energy supply and therefore the driller will be ready for use almost any time. The battery has longer life when compared to others because of the unique Bosch electronic cell protection technology or ECP as it is also known.
The unique 18-volt family technology is compatible with a range of Bosch tools which are regularly needed for use in the garden and inside the home. It also comes with a power4-all label on the tools.
This helps a lot to easily identify the various tools within the system. The tools also come packed with a punch because of the new PowerPacks feature that has been added to it. The charger is also quite brilliant enabling charging within 1 hour. All in all a great driller, which is ergonomically designed from all points of view.
Makita DHP456RMWX 18V Li-Ion Cordless LXT Combi Drill
Much like the Bosch above, the Makita DHP 18V Li-Ion Cordless LXT Combi Drill is a power packed combination drill which is feature rich apart from being ergonomic in looks and appearances. It comes with a four pole motor which is able to generate enough power to drill different types of surfaces.
The 2 speed gear box also helps in selecting the right speed of drilling depending on the surface that is being drilled. It also comes with forward/reverse rotation which helps in removing the drill whenever necessary. It has especially been found to be very useful for concrete surfaces, where the drill might get stuck against strong concrete surfaces.
The ergonomic design also aids a lot in proper gripping of the machine and puts less strain on the arms and shoulders. It also comes with a LED job light which goes a long way in helping customers to find the various operational stages of the drill.
Weighing around 6 kgs it without any doubt is quite easy to operate. The lithium ion battery that comes included with the driller makes it possible to operate the machine without any electric cord.
Hence it is easy to move the drill around where power connection points are quite some distance away. It operates on 18 volts and therefore power consumption is quite reasonable even when operated on a regular basis.
It is very versatile, flexible and one of the best takeaway perhaps is the powerful motor and the big battery life. The lighting that this drillers offers is quite good except for dark corners because the light focuses a bit below the actual place where the drilling is taking place. The case in which the driller can be carried is also very sophisticated and trendy.
DeWalt 18V XR Lithium-Ion Cordless 2-Speed Drill
The DeWalt 18V XR Lithium-Ion Cordless 2-Speed Drill has been designed for those who are looking for the right battery-operated twin speed drill driver have many reasons to look at this from close quarters. It is one of the latest models that have been brought into the market by DeWalt.
Amongst the various important things the latest generation XR Li-Ion battery technology is something that has won the appreciation of many customers. It goes a long way in drilling for significant amount of time, without the need to recharge the battery.
The design features and ergonomic style go a long way in helping trouble free drilling putting little strain on hands, arms and shoulders. The driller also has a proven two speed all metal transmission feature.
This helps a lot to give increased runtime and enhances the life of the tools quite significantly. It also has a 14 adjustable torque controls available. This certainly helps a lot in regulating the speed of the driller to suit specific needs and requirements.
The intelligent trigger design helps the user to take total control of the application. The 13 mm sleeve keyless chuck with spindle lock that is automatically operable is also worth mentioning. The charger is also of the best technology and the battery can be recharged within 30 minutes.
The heavy duty carry case not only is attractive but is also very tough and very durable, made from high quality material. Last but not the least the 3 year limited warranty against manufacturing defects when bought online is also something that makes this driller quite unique and an attractive buying proposition.
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The papers in this volume were, with a few exceptions, presented at the third Island Invasives conference, held in Dundee, Scotland in July 2017. The papers demonstrate up-scaling in several aspects of eradication operations – not least in ambition, land area, operational size, global reach and of course financial cost. In the space of a few decades, the size of islands treated for invasive species has increased by five orders of magnitude – from a few hectares to over 100,000 ha or 1,000 km2.
During the 45 years that the Raoul Island weed eradication programme has been underway, eleven species have been eradicated. To complete the restoration of Raoul Island's unique ecosystems supporting signi?cant seabird biodiversity and endemic biota, nine further transformer weeds must be eradicated. In this review of progress to date, we examine the feasibility of eradication of these transformers and identify that four species are on target for eradication: African olive (Olea europaea subsp.
Invasive weeds are one of the most serious threats to biodiversity and sustainable development in the Pacific region. Biocontrol is likely to be the only feasible way of managing many widespread weeds, but is not always appropriate or successful. With so many weed species to tackle and inevitably limited resources, prioritising where to direct control efforts most effectively is of key importance. Landcare Research recently developed a framework for the Australian government that allows the best and worst weed targets for biocontrol to be identified.
This report outlines the work carried out to control Red Passionfruit (Passiflora Rubra) on the island of Mauke. Treatment methods used in controlling Red Passionfruit on Mauke, monitoring and analysis of data collected throughout the last 2 years were highlighted.
This document is to report on the work carried out to assess the status and the possibility of controlling beach burr (Cenchrus Echinatus) on the island of Pukapuka. This work was conducted by the National Environment Service and funded under the Regional Invasive species program.


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Pritchards Of Shrewsbury
- Telephone:
- 01743 365612
- Hereford Road, Meole Brace Island, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY3 7QZ
Key factsPrint summary
Outstanding low mileage Peugeot 2008 1.4 HDi Active Estate 5dr diesel in metallic red with full Peugeot service history and only £20 per year road tax. Call 01743 365612 today to arrange a viewing/test drive , 3 months warranty, Next MOT due 24/04/2020, Last serviced on 25/04/2019 at 31,504 miles, Full service history, Excellent bodywork, Grey Cloth interior - Excellent Condition, Tyre condition Excellent, Metallic Red, 2 owners, Over 40 quality used cars in stock, Finance available subject to status, Open 7 days a week, £5,995 p/x welcome
This car comes with
Metallic Paint, Power steering, Remote Control Central Locking, Electric windows, Electric mirrors, Manual Air Conditioning, Cruise Control, Five speed manual gearbox, ABS with Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBFD), Alloy wheels, Colour coded bumpers, Rear Sports Spoiler - Colour Coded, LED Daytime Running Lights, DAB Digital Radio, Multifunction Colour Touch Screen ( 7in Touchscreen), Steering Wheel Mounted Controls, Trip Computer, External Temperature Gauge, MP3/AUX input, USB connection, 12V Power Socket, Bluetooth, Front fog lamps, Cloth upholstery, Driver Seat Height Adjustment, Height and Reach Adjustable Steering Wheel, Folding rear seats, 3 x 3 point rear seat belts, Rear Seat 3 Point ISOFIX Location Mounts x 2, Child Safety Door Locking, Drivers Airbag, Passengers Airbag with Deactivation Switch, Front Side Airbags, Front and Rear Curtain Airbags, Tinted windows, Roof rails, Parcel shelf, Thatcham Approved Cat 2 Immobiliser
- 201910083087972
- 2014
- 14
- £5,995
- 600
- 34,572
- Cars
- 2008
- f4KiJd7zMFk=
Vehicle summary
|Body style
|Engine size
|1398 cc
|Fuel type
|Number of doors
|Number of seats
|Gearbox type
|CO2 emissions
|104 g/km
|Insurance group
|Standard manufacturer's warranty (miles)
|No details available
|Standard manufacturer's warranty (years)
|3 years
|Standard paintwork guarantee
|3 years
Performance & economy
|Fuel consumption (urban)
|61.4 mpg
|Fuel consumption (extra urban)
|78.5 mpg
|Fuel consumption (combined)
|70.6 mpg
|0 - 60 mph
|14.9 seconds
|Top speed
|99 mph
|Engine power
|70 bhp
|Engine torque
|118.02 lbs/ft
|1556 mm
|Height inclusive of roof rails
|No details available
|4159 mm
|2538 mm
|2004 mm
|Width including mirrors
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|Fuel tank capacity
|50 litres
|Minimum kerb weight
|1090 kg
|Interior features
|Exterior features
|12V Power Socket
|16in Hydre Alloy Wheels - Gris Dilium
|2 Front and 2 Rear Speakers Plus 2 Tweeters
|Body Coloured Bumpers
|2/3, 1/3 Rear Bench with One Touch Fold
|Electrically Operated and Heated Door Mirrors
|Rear Sports Spoiler - Colour Coded
|Cloth Interior Trim
|Rear Wash Wipe
|Cruise Control
|Space Saver Spare Wheel
|DAB Digital Radio
|Driver Seat Height Adjustment
|Electric Front Windows with One Touch
|External Temperature Gauge
|Height and Reach Adjustable Steering Wheel
|Leather Effect and Chrome Gear Knob
|Leather Trimmed Steering Wheel
|Manual Air Conditioning
|Multifunction Colour Touch Screen ( 7in Touchscreen)
|Passenger and Driver Sunvisors with Vanity Mirrors
|Radio/CD with USB/3.5 mm Jack
|Steering Wheel Mounted Controls
|Tokyo Black Trim
|Trip Computer
|ABS with Emergency Brake Assist (EBA)
|Centre Rear Seat Belt
|Child Safety Door Locking
|Drivers Airbag
|Electrically Assisted Power Steering
|Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBFD)
|Fog Lamps with Bright Chrome Surrounds
|Front Side Airbags, Front and Rear Curtain Airbags
|Head Restraints Front and Rear
|LED Daytime Running Lights
|Passengers Airbag with Deactivation Switch
|Rear Seat 3 Point ISOFIX Location Mounts x 2
|Remote Control Central Locking
|Thatcham Approved Cat 2 Immobiliser
|Third Brake Light
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This includes MPG figures which are calculated under European Standards, in test conditions, and will vary under normal driving conditions. The information displayed above describes the typical specification of the most recent model of this vehicle. It is not the exact specification for the actual vehicle being offered for sale which may vary. Specifications for older models may also vary. Please contact us prior to purchase to confirm the exact specification of this vehicle.
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LEXINGTON, Ky. — Quade Green scored 17 points in sunglasses, Kevin Knox bounced back from a horrible game by scoring 21 and Hamidou Diallo delivers a fourth straight strong performance with 20 points. Kentucky basketball hit 11 of 22 3-pointers, a season high, and the Wildcats won a shootout with Virginia Tech's potent offense, 93-86 at Rupp Arena on Saturday.
There was a lot to like — albeit not as much on defense — as eighth-ranked Kentucky (9-1) picked up its best win of the season. The Hokies (9-2) entered the day 29th in Ken Pomeroy's stat-based rankings. Next up: UCLA in New Orleans on Dec. 23 and rival Louisville at home on Dec. 29. Here's everything Kentucky coach John Calipari said about Saturday's game and what looks like an increasingly bright future for the young Wildcats:
Q. What did you learn about mental toughness and guys you can count on down the stretch from this game?
JOHN CALIPARI: I'm gonna watch the tape. I usually learn more from the tape than I do just watching the game because I'm in a dogfight and very rarely say anything to the officials or anything, but everything else I'm in a dogfight out there, so I'll miss a lot of stuff. But let me start by saying that the job Buzz is doing, how — what I love about him as a coach, they're playing a way they have to play to win. It's different than we're playing. We were posting; they were driving and shooting threes. And defensively he was switching it up, going some man, going some zone, and you know, I like the fact that we had to go against his team, well-coached. I expected them to press a little bit more, but I can see that he did the right thing for his team. They had a chance to win really the whole game.
But terrific players. You know, still made 10 threes on us, and we made 11 on them. How about that? We don't shoot that many threes. We shot 22? Wow.
RELATED: Quade Green goes off on Hokies … wearing shades
Is this the best game you've ever had by a player in sunglasses?
JOHN CALIPARI: He was really good. Let me just say this —
What was going on there?
JOHN CALIPARI: There were a couple things. I thought Quade — I put him in quick because I didn't like — I like the rotation with him starting and Shai coming off the bench. It's just a better rotation for our team. He's playing the way I want him to play, which is score baskets, kid. Score baskets, that's what you do. But by doing that, he's getting five assists and one turn. So instead of being like watch me with the ball and bouncing it 12 times, he's either trying to score it, and if you stop him from scoring it he'll give it to somebody because he's a good enough passer.
I thought Shai was good today. Wenyen, nine rebounds today was really good. I thought Hami was good. Look, individual players are getting better. Nick struggled, Sacha struggled, but that's okay. They're not machines. They're not going to be great every night out. But you saw that I put in a press. That's what I worked on last week.
It was okay for three days' work. Now we're going to have another four days and try to add some stuff to it. That's my old press from 10 years ago. When you've been doing this 40 years, you can go reach back in the basket 20 years ago and come up with something you used that still can work.
They shot 58 percent —
JOHN CALIPARI: Yeah, it was pretty good defense.
How do you factor that in, and how do you take account for this game?
JOHN CALIPARI: If we didn't turn them over, they win the game. Then you look and say, well, how did you get them turned over? Probably the press more than anything else. If they don't turn it over, they beat us. And again, I'm going to have to look at exactly what they were doing, but they're like a typical team that comes into this building that has talent that plays loose. They had nothing to lose, and that's how they played. They only made three threes in the second half. One was the last three throwing it up the court, and one was where Wenyen didn't know the guy was standing right next to him, he made a three, so from that they made one. But they made three threes in the second half compared to what they did to us in the first half.
You know, we had talked about tough twos and not giving up threes, and we gave up a bunch. But it's what a young team does.
What was the difference in the three-point defense in the second half? Why were you more effective then?
JOHN CALIPARI: I told them if you don't run through, I'm taking you out. So if I see a guy go at a three-point shooter and not run through him, not to foul, just make him bounce the ball, you're out, I'm taking you out. That's mean, I know, and probably it's a mean thing to say, take a guy out every time he gives a guy a three. We're trying to win.
Are the sunglasses now mandatory for Quade going forward?
JOHN CALIPARI: I don't know if they're mandatory, but just so you know, because I kind of felt bad for him, I was going to wear sunglasses today, too. I told the team I was going to. I thought, if he has to do it, I'll do it with him, we'll both have sunglasses. But I didn't want to be — it would have been a national story, and there he is, he wears jeans on the plane, this bum, this guy. Who does he think he is, he thinks he's at the beach, who is this guy. But that's why I didn't do it.
Could you talk about Hami's shooting today?
JOHN CALIPARI: Shooting much better. He's working at it. Kevin Knox, I told him after the game, I went at Kevin for three or four straight times and it was unbelievable, and then you look at me and say, well, you went away from him after that. Well, he had played seven straight minutes and what I do is normally is just keep going. If that guy gets it going, he'll get it 15 straight times. But I didn't because this is not a normal team for me. This is all freshmen. So then I shifted, I wanted PJ a little bit, and I'm forcing him to make baskets, make fouls. He's got to be that guy for us. And then I like whom my away from the ball as a secondary scorer because he gets baskets that way as well as anybody.
But it was — I thought we rebounded a little bit better. Nick still — we didn't two-hand rebound. Nick went after the ball one hand probably five times that cost him five rebounds. So he could have had — I don't see him on here. He had six, he could have had 11 or 12 rebounds, and he went after balls with one hand. He didn't bring any of them in. Some of them were late that almost cost us.
Why is a press you dusted off from 10 years ago best for this particular team?
JOHN CALIPARI: Because I've got to figure out something that disrupts the game and something that they don't get into a rhythm. A zone normally is going to get a team to make eight, ten passes. If you want to speed up a game, how do you do that and be disruptive? You either trap out of a zone or trap out of a man or press, and this is a simple — it's not that hard a press, but it's one that I think could be effective for this team. Part of it is when the front line of your press is 6'9″ and 6'6″ and that guard is looking at that and you put interceptor in the middle and the other guy is 6'9″ and you've got an interceptor deep who's seven-foot, Nick, who can come up with balls; kind of makes you think like what are we doing.
Now, what they did, and again, Buzz was pretty smart, he said, look, we're putting shooters in the deep corners, throw it to anybody, just get rid of it and we're going to find somebody in the corners, which is what they started doing in the first half at the end of the first half.
What was it about the way Tech defended you that led to those 11 three-pointers and the 22 three-point attempts?
JOHN CALIPARI: Well, they're a three-point shooting team and a fast team. Man, did they start the game fast. I mean, I'm sitting here saying, are they this fast the whole game. We're more of a post-up team. So now when we throw it in there you've got to make choices. If we can score on you, you're going to trap. You're going to do something, and the minute you trap, it should open up our shooters. Now, what was happening is we couldn't get Nick to dive, so Nick's man was going to double-team, and Nick wanted a jump shot instead of that run to the basket. When Wenyen ran to the basket, that's when Hami got shots, that's when PJ got shots. You just need that guy out of there.
But I think that's what did it and where we got most of the threes.
When you're pressing and you're limiting their possessions, are you willing to live with a higher shooting percentage because
they have fewer shots?
JOHN CALIPARI: Well, if you know my career, I cannot stand giving up baskets. I want them all contested. And when you're doing this, you have it a little different mentality, which is let's get into their legs. Let's be the aggressor. If we let Virginia Tech be the aggressor, we lose this game. We don't have a chance. And what I've learned in my career, you're playing a pressing team, you always press the pressing team. And that makes you the aggressor versus them.
And so the issue becomes can we play eight and nine guys playing that way, you know, and I thought PJ got tired in the second half. You know, and that's — you start playing — we haven't played in a week, so you start playing twice a week and we're trying to play this way, it may be in spots, may not be much but it'll be in spots.
You talked yesterday about guys not getting (indiscernible)?
JOHN CALIPARI: Well, the thing I've said is people evaluating my players individually. It's not the team. We're all freshmen. Everybody knows it. We're hoping by January we become one of those kind of teams. We're not there yet. But when you look at whether it be Hami or Kevin or even Nick, who was not real good today, or Shai, and you start saying, well, they're not this and he's not that and that's not John Wall or that's not — well, there's only one John Wall, and I want to tell you, there's only one Anthony Davis, who has one eyebrow. There's only one — these kids are good, really good players, and are going to have professional careers. They are. I don't know who's watching them to think they're not, and they're all 6'9″ and 6'10" and seven-foot and head on the rim, now nose on the rim. I mean, yeah, they may not have this, but what they have is special and sets them apart.
The question becomes when we're fatigued how do we play. Do we learn how to win in close games. That's why this game was important for us. Do we really become servant leaders to each other to where we're worried about the other guy more than myself? We still have guys that want the ball so bad they can't play. I keep trying to explain. You set a great screen, you will get open. We've got guys that won't set a screen because they're looking at the ball, and it affects them.
Do you think with this win your team is going to finally get some respect?
JOHN CALIPARI: I think we've gotten respect. I mean, everybody knows we're playing all freshmen. Wenyen didn't play much last year and Sacha didn't play much last year and everyone else is a freshman. This is the youngest team in the last 11 years, this is the youngest team to play college basketball, and I bet you it's the youngest team in the last 30 years to try to play this young and really compete for something. You know, a team this young usually goes 7-30 and they fire the coach. No, we're getting respect. We are.
Justin Robinson had 19 and 9 tonight, most out of screen-and-roll situations. What makes him so difficult in that situation?
JOHN CALIPARI: Well, you know, what I saw with him, he was good coming off, getting him the ball, physically being able to finish. We couldn't get guys to come across the lane. And again, when you're a young team and they're over there and your man is over here, you're more concerned with your man than coming over here and helping, and that was a lot of it. I mean, I started like saying, let's just switch. I can't get the weak side off. That's what you do when you have freshmen. Just switch. Just play zone. They're not listening.
But no, they're good. I mean, this team, you know, not only is he good and he's a great lay-up shooter, so if you get him near the rim, he's making baskets. But they've got guys that if you leave them open, they're making threes. They're going to make shots. And that's why they're going to be dangerous. Any team that's willing to take 25, 30 threes and has a chance to make 15, you will win games. You will win games. And Buzz is letting them go. They're playing fast. He's doing a heck of a job with that team.
I know you're not looking for excuses or making —
JOHN CALIPARI: I always look for excuses. Give me a couple.
But this time of the year you talk a lot about distractions, final exams, family, friends, girlfriends, NBA scouts, media.
How do you think this particular team is going to be able to respond to all those distractions later on down the line?
JOHN CALIPARI: Well, we've got — they've got two days off. They've got today off and they have tomorrow off. We're coming back Monday to practice. Tuesday will be individual work. Then we go Wednesday, do some stuff before we leave. We leave — we practice here Thursday, leave to go to New Orleans. It's been good for our team. This team needed this kind of schedule. We did not need to play top-5 teams early — we don't even know who's who. I don't, they don't, we're trying to learn about each other. But this schedule has been good for us.
Look, I coach at Kentucky; there are no excuses here. You're supposed to win every game by 20. If you win by 13, they want to know what the heck is wrong with the Cats. And all I worry about is how do I get individual players better. How does each guy, like I'm looking at Sacha and Nick, they're more on my mind than these other guys because I've got to get them right for them. Wenyen was better today. Second thing is how does this team have to play to win. I don't know yet. We've got guys saying we should be playing all zone. We've got guys saying why aren't they pressing. Why didn't he just do what he always has done: Play man-to-man. That's why I'm the coach and you're sitting in the seats. So I will try to figure that out, and we're experimenting, honestly, offensively. We're experimenting. Like we don't have this system that — we're like trying stuff, I don't like it, it's out. If I like it, we do it. You know, I'll say this: A bunch of good kids, and they're trying to please me and the staff. What else can I ask for? And they're smart. They're like — I say it once, they're pretty good. The only thing that happens is they get fatigued, and when they get fatigued, they revert back to their old self, and their old self — when they're doing it the way they did it at times today, they look pretty good.
The post Kentucky Basketball: What John Calipari said after a 93-86 win over Virginia Tech appeared first on SEC Country.
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A WEEK of wall-to-wall sunshine is in store for nearly all of the UK — but high temperatures reaching the mid-twenties risks sparking dramatic thunderstorms.
The mercury will hit 25C in parts of Central and Southern England tomorrow as Britain basks in a spring scorcher.
But muggy conditions raise the chance of stormy downpours as heat and high pressure stirs up moist air in the atmosphere.
Craig Snell, Met Office meteorologist, said: "There will be a risk of thunderstorms in places, most likely in central and southern England and possibly into east Wales."
But away from the isolated storms millions will enjoy days of endless sunshine stretching into the Bank Holiday weekend.
Even parts of Northern Ireland and Scotland — where the rain has persisted over the weekend — will see sunshine sweep in as clouds push out to the North West on Tuesday.
Morning mist along the East coast through the week will quickly clear as the sun bursts through the cloud cover.
Coastal temperatures will only hit the high teens owing to the sea breeze but strong sunshine will make it feel more balmy.
High levels of UV are predicted across the country — reaching very high in the South West on Wednesday — meaning a run on suncream is predicted.
Forecaster Mr Snell said: "For many parts its going to be a very dry and sunny week ahead with calm conditions and temperatures reaching the mid twenties.
"Tomorrow will be a repeat performance of today for many of us, with sunshine and clear skies for central and southern parts.
"Temperatures will reach highs of 24C to 25C in the Midlands and southern England, with slightly lower temperatures on the eastern coast owing to the sea breeze.
"For the rest of the week it will be a very similar story.
"The only real change in weather is a positive one for Scotland and Northern Ireland going into Tuesday as the rain clears out into the north west.
"Morning cloud will burn away quickly in Eastern parts, and then it will be a case of strong sunshine with risk of thunderstorms in the South.
He added: "Surprise surprise, going into Wednesday and Thursday it will be a similar picture.
"The further North you are the likelier it is you will stay dry throughout the day, as the South will still see a risk of thunderstorms.
"There will be similar temperatures thorough the week, with central and southern parts reaching the mid twenties and coastal areas more likely to see the high teens.
"The good weather is looking like it will continue into the Bank Holiday weekend."
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text: Saturday, 5 July 2008On Sunday, 5th July, 2008, AIDA CYPRUS organised a Meeting Competition on Free Diving at the Governor's Beach. The participation was high by many athletes from all over Cyprus. George Vassiliou broke the Pancyprian record on Constant Weight Without Fins at 37m. Mercury Divers Co. Ltd. is an Official Sponsor to AIDA Cyprus since 2005, the year of its foundation. ... read more


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There's something about two-time National Award Winning Pradip Kurbah's films that leave a permanent impression on the mind, particular films like 'Onaatah' and 'Ri: Homeland Of Uncertainty'. 'Ri' was the first film in the Khasi language to win a National Award.
One of my very first works includes working as the chief assistant director of Raju Chacha… After so many years I'm collaborating again on a Bollywood project for 'The Maya Tape' as the executive producer
Pradip's journey as a filmmaker started nearly two decades ago when he was cast as the chief-assistant director of the Ajay Devgan starrer 'Raju Chacha'. He has worked under the tutelage of various directors in Bollywood and Tollywood with a motive to come back to Northeast and make films. He is on board with Nawazuddin Siddiqui starrer 'The Maya Tape' directed by Nikhil Allug. The shooting of the film took place in Shillong and Guwahati. The project seems interesting with Pradip as the executive producer.
While being familiar with his oeuvre, the filmmaker's passion for cinema reflects in his films and the way he talks about them. To average town-bred Northeasterns, even if they're not exactly cine buffs — Pradip Kurbah needs no introduction.
The Moviean tried to dig out the real man behind celluloid. Excerpts:
There are high expectations from the talented director and now, he is focusing on his film 'Iewduh' that is slated for a release next year.
The director remarks, "It's a little early to talk about the project. I'm portraying human emotion and relations and it has a very personal touch to it. The whole setting of the film is inside the largest market of Meghalaya. It's more about people inside the market, their relationships, their stories, and their decisions. The market is just at the backdrop of the film. We haven't even decided on the cast. We'll be taking a last call sometime around March."
For a change, I'm planning to make the film with no music this time and we're going to sync the sounds in the market itself. Going for synced sounds for such a film will be a challenging task for us, but we are enthusiastic about it. I collaborated with Amrit Pritam because I can trust him on this.
Pradip further mentions that 'Iewduh' will explore similar concepts like 'Ri' and 'Onaatah'. In a world where every filmmaker wants to touch glamour and explore and own a common favourite haunt of the glitterati, Pradip Kurbah is a rarity. He prefers to stick to simplicity and carve out a niche of his own.
"I believe in simplicity, so even 'Iewduh' will have a very modest appeal to it. The market will be adding a different feel to the film. I'm going to keep the plot very upright and uncomplicated. In fact, most people are wondering if I am making a documentary film. For a change, I'm planning to make the film with no music this time and we're going to sync the sounds in the market itself. Going for synced sounds for such a film will be a challenging task for us, but we are enthusiastic about it. I collaborated with Amrit Pritam because I can trust him on this."
'Iewduh' will be Pradip's first collaboration with award-winning sound designer Amrit Pritam who works closely with Resul Pookutty. Pradip remains close-knit with his professional crew and has a history of repeating his creative team with people like Paulomi Dutta Gupta, Merlvin Jude Mukhim, Pradeep Daimary and Anurag Saikia. He states,
"We understand each other so well and I never felt the need to branch out. Ater the formation of a team once you start working with a set of people and start understanding each other for so long, then the entire process becomes a lot easier. Merlvin is not working in this film. I know Pradeep since the time he was working as a light man, then he became an assistant cameraman. His first film was also shot with me. I am also going to work with the noted film exhibitor, distributor and producer Shankar Lall Goenka, under the banner of his film production house 'Shiven Arts'. Shankar is very supportive and has been a part of National Award winning movie like 'Ajeyo' and the much acclaimed 'Dau Huduni Methai. Goenka is also recipient of the Dada Saheb Phalke Academy award for his contribution to cinema in the northeast and this will be his first Khasi film. I would also want to collaborate with Raja Ghosh again because I really like him as an actor. It all depends on timings. I would want to collaborate with artists from Nagaland, Assam, Manipur but the budget is a huge disadvantage. "
The screening of my film in Manipur was dream come true and it was a big deal for me. I had Aribam Sir in Shillong watching Onaatah, and that accounted as one of the most memorable moments in my life.
While 'Ri' and 'Onaatah' were shot using a DSLR camera, the director firmly believes that technology can never interfere with what you want to create. You might have limitations, but that will never stop you from giving a voice to your story and in creating good compositions.
He adds, "We haven't decided on what camera we'll be using yet. With the kind of budget we work in, we can't opt for high-end cameras because cost determinants become cumbersome for us. At the end of the day, I believe if you have a good man behind the machine, no matter which camera you use, your job gets done. "
Pradip prefers to wait and watch, read and write. And then finally make a film. He doesn't rush into projects without proper analysis and research. He confesses,
"I spend a lot of time on my scripting and pre-production because that's very important to me. The entire process of scripting and pre-production takes me about eight months. Whereas shooting does not take time and I complete it within a month's time. The proposed timing is higher than the time we actually consume. So I give more time to pre-production. For 'Iewduh' the planning has been going on for the last one year. This year we are finally going ahead with the shoot. I go for rehearsals with my artist because our budget doesn't allow us to sit idle during the shoot. Once we go for the shoot, that means we have to go ahead as planned. 'Iewduh' took time because I was not very happy with the script. Now, we have locked the script."
…the deal is we cannot make films for ourselves, we have to make it for the people. You need to share your stories, you need to take the film out. Most of the creative bunch make films, but they do not screen it anywhere and prefer keeping their films to themselves.What is the point of making a film then? If you make films, sit in cafes and screen it there for your friends, then it remains there and ultimately the film dies.
He created headlines after announcing that he'd base his next project on the noted criminal and jailbreak mastermind Fullmoon Dhar. This is what the noted filmmaker had to say when we questioned him about it.
"The project got shelved because a majority of people were not in favour of it. My producer suggested not getting into any kind of controversy and it's better to call it off for the meanwhile and focus on another project. For now, the project wont be taken forward. There is a possibility that it might happen again, but not with the same title. Perhaps the story and concept are likely to stay the same. "
In our earlier interview with Haobam Paban Kumar, he had mentioned that there is a dearth of "film literate" filmmakers in Northeast and we asked much-feted director notes,
"Paban is very right about the statement. We need to look beyond Meghalaya, and beyond Northeast. I screened 'Onaatah' almost thrice in Manipur. I believe that as people in Northeast, we don't want to watch each other's films. We don't have the culture of exchanging films and carrying these stories throughout the region. From Manipur to Assam to Assam to Nagaland and likewise. If we don't watch each other's films then how do we expect the mainland India to watch our films? We need to bridge the gap among ourselves and that's very important. We should try to look for means to open a market for the exchange of our own films. Because filmmakers like us can't depend on people from our own state to watch our movie. We all have to look for other avenues to recover our money. How long will I travel with my film from village to village to screen my films? I have done that for a long time now. But it's time, we look beyond this."
He gives us another interesting insight and mentions,
"My film 'Onaatah' has been picked up by a company from Bombay where they are remaking the film in Marathi, and it has already been shot. It's being produced by Satish Kaushik and it's being made in Hindi and Marathi. The shooting of the Marathi version is completed and a couple of records are left. They are planning on releasing the film somewhere around June-July, from what I have heard. The shooting of the Hindi version is yet to start. They are an experienced team, I know they will come up with a good film."
We asked Pradip about his relation to Bollywood and he replies,
"I came to Mumbai with the intention of learning filmmaking. I wanted to learn but I didn't want to stay here. I wanted to come back to Meghalaya and make films here. I had done a lot of work with various directors. I've also done Telugu films. One of my very first works includes working as the chief assistant director of Raju Chacha, starring Ajay, Kajol, Rishi Kapoor and Sanjay Dutt. After so many years I'm collaborating again on a Bollywood project for 'The Maya Tape' as the executive producer."
I'm so keen on bringing Paban's film to Shillong on the screens. I want people here to watch the films. I have tried but I don't know how to go about it. I can't do all of this alone but I need a support from the government. I feel the right people should get into this and intervene is the NEC. We have people who are looking after the development of the region, why don't we address this aspect of development as well.
Speaking to Pradip is an intriguing experience. He knows a lot about his subject and where he is coming from. He beams when we speak of culture and collaboration. He has a dream of uniting the people back in North-East and creating a united filmmaking fraternity.
"Someone has to take the step, that initiative should start from somewhere. I'm so keen on bringing Paban's film, Loktak Lairembee, to Shillong on the screens. I want people here to watch the films. I have tried but I don't know how to go about it. I can't do all of this alone but I need a support from the government. I feel the right people should get into this and intervene is the NEC. We have people who are looking after the development of the region, why don't we address this aspect of development as well. Paban pitched in the idea that South East Asian countries could be a good market for North-Eastern films, but again, someone has to take a step and take the movies from one place to another. Most filmmakers are making good films but they don't look beyond their respective states. There are few filmmakers who are trying different things and trying to make an appeal to a wider audience. Dominic and Wanphrang make films and take it to other places outside North-East and the country as well. Rima Das' 'Village Rockstars' is doing many festival rounds across the country and the globe, but how many people from North-East have actually seen the film. Not a lot, because it's not screened in the region."
Despite all the constraints that the filmmakers from the region face, they still make films because they are passion driven and the love cinema. It was a big deal for Pradip when 'Onaatah' was screened in Manipur. It was the first Khasi film that was ever screened in Manipur.
"We grew up watching and talking about Manipuri and Assamese films; about Aribam Sir and Jahnu Sir's films. The screening of my film in Manipur was dream come true for and it was a big deal for me. When I had Aribam Sir in Shillong watching Onaatah, that accounts for one of the most memorable moments in my life. We should start looking at ourselves. People all over India are making great films but it's not like we are lagging anywhere behind. There are many good filmmakers who deserve opportunities.
"And does Meghalaya lack content-driven cinema that discourages people from watching regional films?", we ask.
He replies, "There's cable, satellite channel, youtube and there is a knowledge boom. There are so many options for the audience to choose from. When you are making a film, you need to keep in mind what the audience is actually watching. If you don't live up to the expectations of what the audience wants then things get difficult. So when you are screening your film in the Shillong city, then your target is your city crowd. The villagers like earlier days cannot come to the city to watch your films. There's the cost reason, the ticket prices are high and then there is travelling and food expenses. So the villagers prefer to watch it at their own space, which I am trying to do. If you can't come to watch my films, then I will bring my film to you."
He further went on to narrate how the people in Meghalaya wanted to watch 'Kamon Bajwat' again. The director seemed to have a conversation with the distributors and they decided that would screen the film again after nearly twenty years. About five Khasi films release yearly.
Pradip mentions the obstacles faced by the filmmakers, "In totality, there are only three multiplexes in Shillong and they lie close to each other. How will people from the village areas come here? It's the same scenario in Assam as well. The audiences know by the look of the trailer if a film is good or not. You can't blame the audience, if you are not making a good film, then they will not watch the film."
We then asked him about the underground creative society in Shillong.
He quotes, "There are lots of good filmmakers here. But the deal is we cannot make films for ourselves, we have to make it for the people. You need to share your stories, you need to take the film out. Most of the creative bunch make films, but they do not screen it anywhere and prefer keeping their films to themselves.What is the point of making a film then? If you make films, sit in cafes and screen it there for your friends, then it remains there and ultimately the film dies."
As a conclusion, some words of wisdom for young filmmakers from the region, "Nothing comes easily, you have to really work hard for it. Whatever you do, do it honestly and do it from your heart, because that reflects on the screen. The rest depends on luck."
WATCH the trailer of Onaatah:
WATCH the trailer of Ri:


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Hello lovely people! John Green's long awaited return to the book world is finally here, and I'm here with my 2 cents to throw in, especially since I will be interviewing this AWESOME man very soon for Justine Magazine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YES, YOU READ THAT CORRECTLY, IN A FEW DAYS I WILL BE INTERVIEWING JOHN GREEN!
Title: Turtles All the Way Down
Author: John Green
Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers
Release date: October 10, 2017
Edition: Hardcover, US, Signed
My rating: 5/5 stars
Sixteen-year-old Aza never intended to pursue the mystery of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett, but there's a hundred-thousand-dollar reward at stake and her Best and Most Fearless Friend, Daisy, is eager to investigate. So together, they navigate the short distance and broad divides that separate them from Russell Pickett's son, Davis.
Aza is trying. She is trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good student, and maybe even a good detective, while also living within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts.
In his long-awaited return, John Green, the acclaimed, award-winning author of Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our Stars, shares Aza's story with shattering, unflinching clarity in this brilliant novel of love, resilience, and the power of lifelong friendship.
I wrote this in a bit of a craze after finishing the book:
My feelings hurt and I'm not okay but also I'm okay because I LOVE this book so much. I feel so much right now and it's a lot to unpack that I simply don't have time for right now. So many things to feel, and it's only Tuesday.
Say what you will about JG, but 5 years does a lot for a writer and this book is proof. Give Aza a chance. Give him a chance.
Even a day after reading this book, I cannot fully create coherent sentences around this, however I will do my best to try.
Aza is a deep, well developed character. She breaks the third wall and speaks to the reader, however it seems that while she may be addressing the reader she may just be addressing her self. It may seem a bit confusing from my previous statement, but I promise once you read it you'll understand what I'm saying.
This story isn't about Aza championing her mental health issues. It's about how she struggles to live with it and still have a successful life and healthy relationships with other people. While there are few people that she feels that she can trust about these, Daisy is her best, and most loyal friend. It captures how Aza's spirals affect the way she relates to people around her, and the difficulties that arise because she can become so trapped inside her mind. While I cannot speak to the truth of this experience, I know that due to the personal nature of the book to John Green, it is.
It's full of existential crises, and I like that aspect. I feel as though JG and Aza took a peek into my brain to extract some thoughts, and that made it all the more personal. Despite my age, I have had several instances where I wonder who is truly in control, and debate free will vs. destiny. I follow some of Aza's thought spirals, and seeing that I'm not alone in it gives me a sort of comfort.
Going into my first reading of this book I didn't even know much of a description. It wasn't until I got into the first three chapters that it was about a mystery. I liked that element. In an interview with Time, I read that it was important to JG that he show that not all obsessive compulsions result in someone who can intensely focus their energies to detective work. I thought it fascinating that he chose to tell this story in that way, and I think it does nothing but enhance the quality of it.
The literary and pop culture references throughout the book are phenomenal and well placed. They bring in clarity to characters like Davis and Aza that would not have been there otherwise. They speak a lot on the way that the two of them think — the similarities and differences. One of the ways that Davis and Aza relate to each other is through their existential and random but deep discussions on life. It reminded me of some of the friendships in my life where we sit and contemplate things in silence sometimes, and often share our thoughts with each other.
I cannot stress the importance of reading this book and books like it. I recommend it to everyone who loves to get their nose stuck between the pages (or want to get back into reading!).
Happy reading,
Sophie 🙂


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Thursday, January 8, 2009
Home Grown!
Who'd have thought I'd come to love the month of January?! Having grown up in New England, and being a person who always hated the cold, this is still nothing short of a miracle for me to say that January is wonderful! But it is! Living where the temperature is typically in the upper 60's (and often warmer) in January, what's not to love? And another thing I love? My little orange tree! But I have to tell you an embarrassingly funny story about it:
A few months ago I walked by the little fruit trees my husband planted not too long ago. I have wanted fruit trees since we moved here, and he finally planted some. We had not seen much sign of fruit at that point , and I had been anxiously awaiting an actual lemon, lime or orange that did not have the word Sunkist printed on it! Mmmm... real honest to goodness home grown citrus! I could hardly wait!
Well, one day several weeks ago, I walked by our trees and noticed the biggest, most beautiful limes I have ever seen in my life! Oh, was I thrilled! I grabbed on to one of them and pulled- then yanked pretty hard; the stubborn little bugger didn't seem to want to part from the branch. Well, I got that one, and a second one too. I was so excited to show them to my husband when he came in the door. I sure hoped they'd taste good. I was surprised at how little fragrance they had.
Well, my husband was certainly surprised, too. Because my big limes were not limes at all, lol! They were oranges! Silly me- they didn't smell because they were not fully grown, hahaha! Oh what a fool I felt like! Yep- just a city girl from the North East who can't tell an orange from a lime!
So, a couple of months pass by and finally! I picked a couple of beautiful, ripe oranges! Check them out! (Oh how I wish you could smell- and taste- these beauties! Yummo!!
9 comments:
- Debbi said...
I love oranges! Wish I could have an orange tree. I'm sure I wouldn't know the difference. I think I would have to label the trees so I could remember what was supposed to be growing on them. Great story Sarah! Oh, I and I say yummy. I don't do Rachael-isms.
- January 8, 2009 at 1:02 PM
- Sarah Bennett said...
Ha ha! Thanks for making me feel better about my ignorance, Debbi! Actually I didn't think I was using a "Rachael-ism". I think I've just heard my youngest DD say that so much that it just came naturally, lol!
- January 8, 2009 at 1:08 PM
- sharonw05 said...
I loved your story--and I'm sure I would've done the same thing, LOL!
The oranges look awesome! How fun to just walk outside and pick one off the tree!
- January 8, 2009 at 5:42 PM
- Betty: Reflections with Coffee said...
Mouth drooling at the photo.
You could give P.W. a run for the money!
Good thing I have some oranges in the fridge .... that's where I'm heading now.
- January 8, 2009 at 6:38 PM
- Unknown said...
mmmmm...oranges...they look delish Sarah!! Cute story too - something I'd totally do too
- January 8, 2009 at 6:59 PM
- Barb said...
YUMMMM - that orange looks good!!! Enjoy it!!
Thanks for the chuckle this morning.
- January 9, 2009 at 5:38 AM
- Laura said...
Since this story is so funny, I'll forgive you for having such great weather. Homegrown oranges. Sigh. I need to go back to CA.
- January 9, 2009 at 8:41 AM
- ~*Joni said...
Sarah! Look at how beautiful your blog is. Those oranges look soooo yummy, I love homegrown fruits and vegetables. I just joined the world of blogging too, what a wonderful way to connect with friends. Finally I can use the computer for something else besides online shopping.;)
- January 9, 2009 at 7:12 PM
- Susan Joyce said...
Hi Sarah
This organge looks so juicy and delicious, I bet you enjoyed every mouthful.
- January 10, 2009 at 8:02 PM


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Patent Infringement Damages May Now Be Calculated Differently
Insight Michael Moradzadeh · January 12, 2011
In Uniloc v. Microsoft, an appeals court issued a decision that may change how infringement damages are calculated by precluding the use of the "25 percent rule of thumb" which has been used to calculate damages in most patent cases for the past fifteen years. This decision marks an important step towards requiring patent plaintiffs to rigorously prove damages with facts connected to the value of the patented invention, and it is likely that future courts will more strictly scrutinize patent damages evidence.
The ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington upheld the validity of a patent owned by Uniloc but ordered a new trial to reassess the amount of damages Microsoft will pay.
Uniloc, founded in Australia in 1993, owns an early patent covering a mechanism for combating "casual copying" of software. Simply put, Uniloc's patent deters unauthorized copying of software by allowing it to run only after a licensing procedure is completed, thereby "locking" the software to one user.
Uniloc launched its suit against Microsoft in 2003 alleging the Product Activation feature for Microsoft's Word XP, Word 2003, and Windows XP software programs infringed its patent. The jury agreed. Finding that Microsoft willfully infringed the patent, the jury awarded Uniloc $388 million. This award was the third-largest jury verdict in 2009 and the second-largest patent verdict, behind a $1.67 billion award that Johnson & Johnson won against Abbott Laboratories.
At trial, the jury relied on the testimony of Uniloc's expert who opined that damages should be approximately $564 million based on a hypothetical negotiation between Uniloc and Microsoft using the 25 percent "rule of thumb." Commonly used to calculate damages in patent infringement cases, the 25 percent rule of thumb approximates the reasonable royalty rate a manufacturer of a patented product would be willing to offer to pay to the patentee during a hypothetical negotiation. Under this rule, licensees pay a royalty rate equivalent to 25% of the expected profits for the product that incorporates the IP at issue.
Using an internal Microsoft document which put the minimum value of each product key at $10, Uniloc's expert applied the 25 percent rule of thumb to obtain Uniloc's royalty rate of $2.50 per key. Multiplying this value by the number of new licenses to Office and Windows products, the expert arrived at his $564 million value. He confirmed his valuation by "checking" it against the total market value of sales of the Windows XP operating system and some versions of Word. Showing jurors a pie chart representing this $19 billion in revenue, the expert noted that his damage figure represented only 2.9% of Microsoft's gross revenue.
On appeal, the court first rejected use of the 25 percent rule of thumb to calculate infringement damages. Noting that a general theory is only admissible if an expert adequately ties it to the specific facts of the case, the court wrote, "[T]here must be a basis in fact to associate the royalty rates used in prior licenses to the particular hypothetical negotiation at issue in the case." As "an abstract" and "largely theoretical construct" which "does not say anything about a particular hypothetical negotiation or reasonable royalty involving any particular technology, industry, or party," the court found the rule failed to satisfy this essential requirement. While acknowledging it had "passively tolerated" the 25 percent rule of thumb in past cases, the court held that the rule "is a fundamentally flawed tool for determining a baseline royalty rate in a hypothetical negotiation," thus precluding its use for damages calculations.
The court also rejected the expert's application of the entire market value, stating, "[t]he entire market value rule allows a patentee to assess damages based on the entire market value of the accused product only where the patented feature creates the 'basis for customer demand' or 'substantially create[s] the value of the component parts.'" Here, however, the court saw no evidence that the patented component created the requisite basis for customer demand. Siding with Microsoft, the court instead found that Uniloc should not have been able present the pie chart or the $19 billion revenue figure to the jury. "The disclosure that a company has made $19 billion dollars in revenue from an infringing product cannot help but skew the damages horizon for the jury, regardless of the contribution of the patented component to this revenue," Circuit Judge Richard Linn wrote for the court.
While yesterday's decision was directed at the methodology for calculating damages instead of the amount awarded, it will likely reduce the amount Microsoft ultimately pays to Uniloc. However, it was still a good day for Uniloc as the Federal Circuit's decision to uphold the validity of its patent may boost Uniloc's efforts to collect royalties from additional companies such as Symantec Corp. and Adobe Systems Inc. Since launching its case against Microsoft, Uniloc has taken action against almost 100 other firms including Sony and McAfee.