text:
NYC Hotspot Find: Uncle Boons
Let's say you're reminiscing about your last trip to Thailand, when you were nursing that ice-cold beer and grazing on Thai food with that unmistakable fresh, dynamic flavor. You want to recreate that, but you're stuck in Lower Manhattan, that concrete jungle we all know lacks quality Thai, considering every other cuisine it does so well. Enter Uncle Boons, one of the latest cult Asian restaurants to hit Nolita serving up ice-cold beers and traditional home-style, yet exciting and forward-thinking Thai food.
Best Bit: Once you taste the food for yourself, you'll surely detect the fact that it's cooked by someone who has grown up around Thai home cooking. It won't surprise you either, that the owners are experienced fine dining chefs for choice NYC establishments like Per Se.
7 Spring St, New York, NY 10012
(646) 370-6650
Follow meltingbutter.com on the social web to keep up to date with new posts and get daily inspiration on food, travel, music, fashion, culture and lifestyle:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/meltingbutterdotcom
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/jennynoowyn/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/meltingbutterdotcom
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jennynoowyn
(Feature Photo: Mieng Kum (betel leaf wrap with ginger, lime, toasted coconut, dried shrimp, chilies & peanuts) by Evan Sung, Courtesy of Uncle Boons)


text:
Vander Heide, the current president of the Michigan Cider Association, said the cider industry fought hard to be included specifically in the new law's language outlining the council's governing board.
An update to Michigan law is bringing a more equitable approach to how license fees from craft beverage producers are spent.
Muskegon's Pigeon Hill Brewing Co. is embarking on ambitious expansion plans as the company wrestles with how best to compete in the highly volatile industry.
Until last year, state law barred alcoholic beverage makers and wholesalers from using social media to promote their products at the retailer level, even though many of them did anyway.
Proposed federal budget cuts have the potential to wipe out key hop and barley research programs that have helped improve the quality of the raw material supply chain for craft brewers.
Thirsty Michigan craft beer consumers bought the equivalent of around 59,000 more pints of Brewery Vivant's beer in 2016 than they did the year before.
A new bill proposed in the Michigan Legislature could more than triple the state's excise tax on beer.
A new law passed earlier this month modernizes a provision in Michigan's liquor control code that many craft beverage producers were unknowingly violating in recent years.
While new bills seek to grow the membership of an agriculture industry council funded by licensing fees from Michigan alcoholic beverage makers, the changes still exclude one key sector and its supply chain from the group
Michigan-based craft brewers want to change state law so the annual licensing fees they pay can go to benefit research and promotion for their industry rather than support a competing craft beverage sector.
Earlier this month, the first six-packs of Lucky Girl Brewing Co.'s signature products started rolling out to Meijer stores and other retailers across Michigan.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
A Prairie Oaks home will be coming on the market next week. This is a 4/3 with 2434 square feet. It has a 3 car garage, on a… read more →
Just a note to thank all of you who participated in the annual Prairie Oaks Garage Sale. We had great traffic through the neighborhood and lots of deals… read more →
Prairie Oaks now has 5 homes pending and only 4 for sale. Our price per square foot for pendings is averaging $177.34, with about 56 days on market… read more →
The home at 811 Travis was sold in foreclosure on March 25. I suspect we will see it hit the market within 30 days. This is the 3631 square… read more →
493 Fisher Circle just went pending. Currently Prairie Oaks has three home pendings, the most we have had in quite a while. The average price per square foot… read more →
The past few days have given the our Prairie Oaks neighborhood a couple of pending sales. Both within a stone's through of each other. 784 Travis Street and… read more →
The home at 764 Keefer is active with a release clause. Typically what that means is that someone made an offer on the home, and both the Seller… read more →
The bank owned property, 734 Agostini Circle, closed this week. The sold price was $350,000 or $160.55/sq.ft. Wow! Even with the needed repairs on the home some family… read more →
It has been almost six weeks since the house at 734 Agostini went pending. That is the bank owned property that started at $449,900 and went pending at… read more →


text:
Deviled Eggs – Roe & Dill Variation
As you can probably guess, I love deviled eggs, so I'm always coming up with easy variations to dress them up. Try this version for brunch or to add a fancy touch to your dinner party
Deviled Eggs – Roe & Dill Variation
In Paris deviled eggs are often served with caviar, which is decadent and beautiful but a little pricey for a weekend brunch (although you should definitely try it for a special occasion). A great alternative to caviar is using roe.
Roe is more affordable and I really like the way it looks since roe is bigger than caviar and adds a lovely pop of color.
This recipe is for 4 eggs, which will yield 8 deviled eggs, if you're having a party just scale up as needed!
- Peel 4 hard boiled eggs* and slice them in half.
- Gently scoop out the yolks into a bowl. Mash up the yolks.
- Add the mayo and mustard and keep on mashing. Add the vinegar, some salt and pepper and sprinkle in the chopped dill. Stir to incorporate.
- Pipe the yolk mixture into the whites. Use a piping bag if you have it or just use a food storage bag with the corner cut off.
- Garnish with a few fish eggs (Salmon roe) and a touch more dill.
Yum – right?
*Hard boil the eggs by placing them in a pot and just covering them with water. Bring the pot to a boil, cover it and turn the heat off. In 12 minutes you will have hard boiled eggs
Peeling the eggs can get a little annoying. There are lots of good tips out there. I find that making a tiny crack in the egg does the trick best,
Marc at www.norecipes.com really blew my mind with this one!
If you're worried you'll break through the membrane and ruin it you can try this technique demoed here by Tim Ferris: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PN2gYHJNT3Y


text:
Smart Idea Of Utilizing And Repurposing Your Unused Surfboards Into Indoor Or Outdoor Nice Decorative Surfboards Benches
These decorative surfboards benches are definitely imaginative and creative fancy ideas. You can utilize your unused surfboards, and repurpose them into something more functional as well as decorative accents. These attractive surfboard benches can be placed to your home indoor or outdoor seating spaces – dining room, bedroom, garden, outdoor bar, or even pool side.


text:
Home > Back to Search Results > Confederate Vice President & cabinet members paroled...
Show image list »
Confederate Vice President & cabinet members paroled...
Item # 620522
October 12, 1865
NEW YORK HERALD, Oct. 12, 1865
* Post Civil War Confederate Leaders Paroled
The front page has column heads including: "Important Executive Order", "Alexander H. Stephens, John A. Campbell, John H. Reagan, George A. Trenholm, & Charles Clark Released on Parole" and more. Executive order granting parole to the aforementioned individuals, all former members of Jefferson Davis' cabinet (except Clark), is signed in type: Andrew Johnson.
Eight pages, nice condition.
Category: Post-Civil War


text: So, I've looked, fairly intensely, at the Tesla 'findus' web-pages to figure out to what extent I can count on them. My sampling suggests that there are 1-2% errors in their data. They are not alone. The Alternate Fuels Data Center (operated by the U.S. government) has at least one GPS coordinates error, I can tell from first hand experience. Other data stores have a modest error rate about on the same level. What is surprising about Tesla, is some of the errors are self-evident in the data itself. For example, the Tesla Topeka Kansas entry identifies an alternative charger in Indiana in case the local Kansas charger is inoperable. Shoot, I've even told Tesla personnel, over a month ago, that the following street address is not correct: NYLO Irving / Las Colinas | Tesla Google the address to see for yourself. Any bets that the error will remain through the end of 2016? Any ideas why Tesla is so lackadaisical about their DB? If they want to improve the user experience, I would think that the integrity of their DB would be low-hanging fruit. Of course, I suppose this is not unexpected from a company that doesn't know what the correct PSI in its stock tires should be.


text:
Vas Promotions Contemplates Trip to America
Having only recently announced plans to travel to Australia at the end of the summer, Vas Promotions are now also considering making a business trip to the U.S.
Vasile Topciu, the passionate CEO of elite sales and marketing firm Vas Promotions, last month divulged details of the company's upcoming trip down under, scheduled for September. As the company's prospects grow and interest continues to increase, Vasile Topciu is now also considering a visit to America later this year.
With his mentors in the industry advising him to make the trip across the pond, the CEO has been discussing how great an opportunity a trip to America would be. The CEO recognises it would provide the company with a golden opportunity to raise brand awareness over in the U.S. market, as well as providing the business owner with the chance to set up meetings with fellow sales and marketing innovators from around the country.
As he contemplates making the journey around October time, the CEO has noted how pride he is of the position he finds himself in; able to fill his calendar with consecutive business trips and networking opportunities overseas.
"If this plan comes together, I will be taking two contractors along with me," he explains, "I want to encourage the most ambitious members of my workforce to stay committed to their goals, by showing them just how big things can get if you stay on task. This trip will open their eyes to the many possibilities this industry provides you with if you work hard enough and stay motivated."
In a similar style to the Australia trip, the two individuals asked to fly with Mr Topciu to the U.S. will be picked based on performance. "I will take two A* players with me; the type of individuals performing to the highest possible level, giving 100% effort, 100% of the time," he said.
It seems Vas Promotions has a potential plan in the works, and a lot of exciting prospects ahead of them.
Based in Birmingham, Vas Promotions is an outsourced direct sales and marketing agency. The firm has become one of the industry's market leaders and believes that one of the main reasons for their success is their company culture that inspires motivation and encourages people to achieve their goals to reach their full potential. Aiming high, Vas Promotions is planning to open up in further UK markets in the coming years. The firm's plans to expand internationally are in effect.


text:
Adorable arctic animal key toy rattle made for babies 5 months and up, made of 100% food-grade stainless steel, featuring Pippi the Polar Bear, Scout the Snowshoe Hare, and Otto the Snowy Owl. Eco-friendly, non-toxic, and dishwasher safe. From Kleynimals, founded by Kirsten Chapman, class of 1996
Made in the USA.


text:
Along with the iPhone 5S, Apple introduced its lower-cost smartphone iPhone 5C at its headquarters in California on Tuesday evening (September 10, 2013). At 4.65 ounces, the latest model is made from a lacquer hard-coated polycarbonate material that gives it a glossy look. It also has the same 4-inch Retina display screen and A6 processor as the iPhone 5. Besides, steel reinforced and having a multi-band antenna, the iPhone 5C will function on most 4G networks. It features BlueTooth 4.0 LE and dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n, too. Especially, the smartphone will also feature Apple's new operating system, iOS 7.
Moreover, it includes an 8 megapixel iSight rear camera and an improved FaceTime HD camera at the front that's designed for improved video calls and self portraits.
Additionally, tech giant Apple has created custom cases for the long-rumored iPhone 5C with a "soft-feel silicon rubber. These cases, priced at $29 each, come in 6 colors ranging from coral pink to yellow.
As for battery life, the iPhone 5C offers 10 hours for Internet browsing on LTE while standby time is rated at 250 hours.
The iPhone 5C will cost $99 for a 16GB model and $199 for a 32GB version, with a two-year wireless contract. It will be available for purchase on September 20 in the U.S with options for green, white, blue, pink, and yellow colors.
Apple unveiled the iPhone 5C at its headquarters in Cupertino, California on Tuesday night (September 10, 2013). The new device is the first of its kind, coming in a variety of bright colors rather than just white and black, coming in white, green, blue, pink, and yellow.
The iPhone 5C measures 4 inches diagonally and has an 8-megapixel camera like the iPhone 5.
The new smartphone is said to be compatible with more LTE bands than any other smartphone in the world.
The handset's casing is made of plastic, rather than the high-strength metal that protects its more expensive cousin, the iPhone 5S.
With a better front-facing FaceTime HD camera and a slightly larger battery, the iPhone 5C appears to be a slight upgrade over the existing iPhone 5.
Related articles:
iPhone 5: Outstanding Specifications Leaked
iPhone 5 vs Samsung Galaxy S3: Which one is better?


text:
Have I mentioned yet that I'm loving these pine cone crafts? The materials…virtually free. The fact that I can decorate my home with stuff my kids created…love it. Today's craft is no different. We decided to try painting pine cones to just see how it would go. It was an interesting experience because the only time we had to do it today was when Brian was at church and I was putting Baby D to bed. I got everything all set up and then…left…the…room. I know. Bad idea, right? It totally could have been the worst idea ever. But it all worked out fine! When I came back, M was done. Totally typical for her. She's only 3 and still has a fairly short attention span. H on the other hand, was not even halfway done. She was painting each individual scale, front and back. She was switching colors with every scale and it turns out, when you do it that way, painting pine cones can take a veeery looooooooooooong time. I wouldn't have complained except it was time for bed, I hadn't had dinner, and she had to finish TONIGHT so I could get this post out to all of you this morning. 🙂 So I stepped in and helped her. I didn't take over, but I held her pine cone to make things easier for her and I helped her get the paint on the q-tips and find the scales that still needed painting. It was fun! We had one of those really bad, mommy meltdown kind of days yesterday, so we needed some good time together today.
Painting Pine Cones Made Easy
Preparation time: None!
Project time: ~15-7549 (if you're as meticulous as H was) Minutes
Project cost: $ Low
Parental involvement: Low
Inspiration: Pretty Painted Pinecones from House by Hoff
- Pine cones
- Paint
- Scrap paper
- Q-tips or a paint brush and water to rinse it in
- Raffia
Preparation instructions:
- None!
Step by step instructions:
- On a piece of scrap paper, put out LOTS of colors of glue. In each color, put a q-tip and remind your child to try to not mix colors. You want the pine cones to stay nice and bright!
- Let your child go! See what they do on their own. Will they be like M and finish in 10 minutes or like H and very carefully paint each individual scale? Let me know in the comments what you think your little one would do!
- Tie raffia to the top of your child's pine cone and hang in a pretty place. We'll be putting ours on our Christmas tree when it goes up next month!
If you decide to try painting pine cones with your child, be sure to come back and tell me about it! Take pictures and share them on my Facebook sharing post! I'd love to see what you and your little ones are making together!
This post is part of my 31 Days of Easy Crafts for Kids series. Be sure to check out the rest of the crafts I'm doing this month!


text:
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
7 Years
Jas- Thank you for being my husband. I know I can count on you to be there for me, to be a listening ear, a person to bounce ideas off of, a shoulder to cry on, someone to motivate me and a partner in everyday life. You have not only been a wonderful husband to me but you have also been my best friend. You have walked hand in hand with me through the ups and downs of these seven years and it is so comforting to know that I always have you to run to. We have had so much fun since we were married and I can't wait to see what forever has in store for us.
I think about our first date and I was nervous and excited. I think about the day we moved away for college and I was a little scared...excited, but scared. I think about the night you proposed to me and I was shocked and excited and a little overwhelmed. But when I think about the day I walked down that aisle to become Mrs. Brick I had no insecurities, no nervousness and I wasn't scared at all. I was confident, happy and certain that this would be the best decision I could ever make. I've always known you were the one for me.
I love you.
Posted by The Bricks at 3:15 PM
0 comments:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Hi, had a HOLEP operation six years ago and had my first major bleeding a few months after the op.
I have been in hospital three times since with blood in my urine and had to have my bladder irrigated and had to stay catheratised for a few days until l am clear of bleeding.
Thing is l have not heard of anyone else getting this and wondered if l have just been unlucky?
I can pee a lot better and don,t spend all my time looking for a toilet like l used to but l do wonder if this has been worth it.


text: Recognised for Excellence Application Form Organisation * Organisation Address * Telephone Number * Member of Quality Scotland? * Yes No Key Contact * E-mail Address * Sector * Private Third Public Organisation Size * Less than 250 employees 250 - 1,000 employees More than 1,000 employees If you have multiple sites please state how many: Other Addresses If you are applying as part of a larger organisation, please state the company's name if different from above: Please describe the relationship between your business unit and the whole organisation: If you have an organisation chart showing the relationship please forward it to the Awards Manager, firstname.lastname@example.com. I understand that we will be required to refund Assessor expenses separately. * I Agree Select which R4E process your organisation will be going through; * Within the Quality Scotland Awards Cycle Independent of the Awards Cycle Please select which payment option you would prefer: * Pay the full fee Pay half of the fee on an agreed date and the remaining amount upon submission Pay the fee upon submission Unless paying the fee in full, there will be a £1000 deposit invoiced after completing this application. This deposit will be deducted from the total R4E cost and will cover a 2 year period. E-mail Address for Invoices * Please provide the relevant e-mail address to send invoices to. PO Number * Please include a PO Number for the deposit invoice. Insert N/A if your organisation does not require these.


text:
Can dogs eat peanut Butter? Yes, dogs can eat peanut butter.
For healthy dogs with no obesity or allergies issues, peanut butter in very small amounts (a few of licks for a small dog and a tablespoonful for a large dog) can be a tasty treat.
Moreover, it can be an easy mechanism for pills administration.
When you have to give your dog an oral medicine, you can completely bury the medicine in peanut butter.
It will be a "peace of cake" to give your dog a pill.
My advice is that you should only feed your dog 100% natural, organic and raw peanut butter free from sugar, salt, and preservatives. All these elements are toxic for your dog.
Puzzle toys for dogs can be filled with peanut butter.
There are many vitamins, minerals and other healthy components in peanut butter, such as vitamin B3, protein, magnesium, vitamin H, vitamin E, fiber, folate and antioxidants.
Additionally, dogs just love the taste of peanut butter.
Xylitol, sometimes labeled as "natural sweetener" or "sugar alcohol", is safe for humans to ingest, but it's dangerous for dogs.
Which Peanut Butters contain Xylitol?
Peanut butter brands it can be found in are Nuts 'N More® and Krush Nutrition.
Remember that it is vital that you always read labels.
So, is peanut butter harmful to dogs? No, as long as it doesn't contain Xylitol!
Related articles:


text:
BILL | Stool
Aluminium stool
Leather, Aluminium
This seat may be small in size, but character-wise, its huge! Bill is streamlined and chic, revealing the ease with which functionality and style can be combined. Bill makes an easy addition to any contemporary interior, providing a functional form essential for every office and home. Bill is suited to entrances, hallways and storage areas, where it can double as short-term seating or be used as a stool. Several pieces can be placed side-by-side to form a long bench. Crafted in aluminum, Bill can be used in both indoor and outdoor applications. Material: The frame is made in 4 mm aluminium sheet powder-coated in standard colours green RAL 6015, black RAL 9005 and white RAL 9010. The seat is made in leather, or alternatively in neoprene. Measurements: Length: 38 cm. Width: 40 cm. Height: 56 cm. Seat height: 45 cm.


text:
I will spend today taking photos and uploading all of the pictures and shall update this evening.
May i also use this post to talk about my husband. Unfortunately last week he was assaulted by four strangers on his way home from work. Thankfully he is ok now, but at the time he was in a bad state. When he arrived home, i honestly thought he had been stabbed because of his many cuts and bloody face and shirt. He hadn't been, and i am still shook up over what could have happened.
It opened my eyes to what sort of world we do really live in. People do get beaten up innocently, and many people are killed. We think it will never happen to those we love, or us, but it can and it does. Everytime i look at my husband now, i breath a sigh of relief that he is ok and cherish every moment i'm with him.
We should all make a special note of telling those we love how we feel. Not just husbands or wives, daughters or sons, sisters or brothers, but even our dearest friends.
Speak to you this evening,
Lea x


text:
101) Planescape: Torment
Year of Release: 1999
Developed By: Black Isle Studios
Published By: Interplay
Platform: PC
"The game that breaks all the rules. Far too wordy, far too grim, far too peculiar, steeped in cynicism about humanity and absolutely determined to give you a hard time at all stages. That's exactly why Black Isle's dark opus works so well. The game of heartbreak, the game of mortality, the game of treachery, the game of philosophy, the game of life. The mentality of the most determined, individualistic fan art game, somehow given a budget and dozens of hours of playtime. The impossible game, the greatest cRPG ever made." - Rock, Paper, Shotgun, 2011
102) Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Year of Release: 2001
Developed By: Konami Computer Entertainment Japan
Published By: Konami
Platform: Sony Playstation 2
"The massively-hyped Metal Gear Solid 2 doubled down on everything that made the series' first installment an instant classic: laser-precise gameplay, top-shelf work from a stellar voiceover ensemble, and a mind-bending storyline. Purists decried the dearth of playtime (speedrunners can technically complete the game in under two hours) but those criticisms largely missed the point. With MGS2, director Hideo Kojima executed a dexterous fusion of cinema and gaming that encapsulated our post-9/11 paranoia of surveillance and censorship. And the oft-criticized bait-and-switch of the lead characters served Kojima's wildly subversive purpose: a massive social experiment that toyed with the audience's expectations of what a sequel-and indeed, a game-should be." - Paste, 2009
103) UFO: Enemy Unknown
Year of Release: 1993
Developed By: Mythos Games
Published By: MicroProse
Platforms: Amiga, PC, Sony Playstation
"While many players may be more familiar with the series' fantastic modern reboot, XCOM: Enemy Unknown, UFO Defense is where it all started. The game tasked players with managing X-COM, a black-ops paramilitary organization set up to defend the Earth from alien invasion.
Gameplay has two major components: turn-based tactical strategy when commanding individual soldiers in battle, and real-time resource management when commanding the X-COM project as a whole. The game spawned several sequels and a cult following. Simply, it's one of the best strategy games ever made." - Popular Mechanics, 2014
104) The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
Year of Release: 2002
Developed By: Bethesda Game Studios
Published By: Bethesda Softworks
Platforms: Microsoft Xbox, PC
"The Elder Scrolls' first foray into 3D (we're not counting Redguard) is still a classic, despite how far the sequels have moved on. It remains unique among Bethesda's open worlds, a genuinely alien fantasy landscape populated by people, creatures and factions that take time to truly understand. It offers the experience of being a stranger in a strange land, and over time the modding community has fixed almost everything that you might take issue with." - PC Gamer, 2015
105) Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4
Year of Release: 2008
Developed By: Atlus
Published By: Atlus
Platform: Sony Playstation 2
"While Persona 3 was the game that pushed the series furthest forward, this fourth instalment just did everything so well. Visually, it had no right to be running on PS2, and the soundtrack perfectly suited the mood and feel of the action. The fish-out-of-water characters struck a chord with many fans too, which is perhaps the best explanation for the game's enduring appeal." - Gamesradar, 2013
106) Mario Kart 8
Year of Release: 2014
Developed By: Nintendo
Published By: Nintendo
Platform: Nintendo Wii U
"While some players will spend hours perfecting time trials and improving their standing online, that's not really what these games are for. Mario Kart is a vehicle for fun with all your friends and family, no matter their individual skill, and Mario Kart 8 is the best, most versatile version of that yet." - The Guardian, 2017
107) Ms. Pac-Man
Year of Release: 1981
Developed By: General Computer Corporation
Published By: Midway
Platforms: Arcade, Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Atari 7800, Atari Lynx, Commodore 64, Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Nintendo Game Boy, Sega Game Gear, Sega Genesis, Sega Master System
"Ms. Pac-Man built on the popularity and success of the original Pac-Man with new and varied level designs and mechanics, selling more than 115,000 machines to take its place as the best-selling American-made arcade game of all time. And the game introduced one of the first female protagonists ever seen in a video game. Aside from Mario, it's hard to think of a more iconic character than that little hairbow-wearing yellow disc. Ms. Pac-Man, we salute you." - Popular Mechanics, 2014
108) NBA Jam
Year of Release: 1993
Developed By: Midway
Published By: Midway
Platforms: Arcade, Nintendo Game Boy, Sega CD, Sega Game Gear, Sega Genesis, Sega Mega Drive, Super Nintendo (SNES)
"NBA Jam remains the perfect antidote to a world of too-realistic sports video games. The game took all the things that make basketball exciting - the stars, the dunks, the buzzer-beating three-point lobs - and exaggerated them.
Even the players' heads could be blown up to freakish proportions. You might still hear some of the game's catchphrases ("Boomshakalaka!") today, but more remarkably, the action itself holds up - a testament the game's beautiful simplicity." - TIME, 2012
109) Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Year of Release: 2008
Developed By: Kojima Productions
Published By: Konami
Platform: Sony Playstation 3
"Metal Gear Solid 4 is a masterpiece, arguably the best in the series and - though many will fiercely disagree - ever so slightly disappointing. About 40% through, our notepad was scarred with breathless superlatives like 'Genius', 'Amazing' and 'Wow!!!' but by the game's conclusion, they'd given way to considered criticism and stark cries of 'WTF?'" - Gamesradar, 2008
110) Starcraft 2
Year of Release: 2010
Developed By: Blizzard Entertainment
Published By: Blizzard Entertainment
Platform: PC
"Much of the core gameplay of the original has been preserved, yet with plenty of tweaks, additional units and new abilities for veteran players to toy with and devise new approaches to competitive battles. Anyone intimidated by the notion of playing against live opponents will find a lot to enjoy, with a fantastically presented single-player campaign featuring impressively varied mission design supported by a memorable, though often cheesy, cast of characters." - IGN 2010
111) Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2
Year of Release: 2000
Developed By: Neversoft
Published By: Activision
Platforms: Nintendo 64, Nintendo Game Boy Advance, Nintendo Game Boy Color, PC, Sony Playstation
"When Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 came out, I felt like gaming had peaked. In my mind it was close to being the perfect video game, and the reason was simple - the manual. With that deft design decision, levels were no longer a series of single trick opportunities, but one connected canvas with any number of creative trick lines to discover.
112) Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Year of Release: 1992
Developed By: Sonic Team
Published By: Sega
Platforms: Sega Genesis, Sega Mega Drive
"Launched amid a barrage of international hype, Sonic 2 would become a standard of Genesis players' collections as the pack-in game for the redesigned system. So fruitful was the title's development that many of the more ambitious elements intended for Sonic 2 (before getting cut) would end up forming the backbone of later entries in the series. Meanwhile the bits you did get--Tails, the Spin Dash, increasingly inventive uses of the Genesis hardware--are what made this one an easy choice to rank as the best Sonic game ever made." - Gamesradar, 2013
113) Final Fantasy Tactics
Year of Release: 1997
Developed By: Square
Published By: Square
Platform: Sony Playstation
"As tactical roleplaying games go, Final Fantasy Tactics owes a debt to its predecessor, Tactics Ogre, but nothing else (including the latter) can match this 1998 PlayStation game's complexity.
Manipulating mages, warriors, monks and more across fields, towns and forests divided into chess-like tiles, players squared off in turn-based duels linked by intricate storytelling. Characters could be trained in exotic professions, ranging from chemists and orators to time mages, geomancers, arithmeticians and mimes, and an astrological "Zodiac" system, which conferred bonuses or penalties based on character sign matchups, added chance twists to encounters." - TIME, 2012
114) Shenmue
Year of Release: 1999
Developed By: Sega AM2
Published By: Sega
Platform: Sega Dreamcast
"The game's gone on to become a relic, a reminder of Sega's long lost status as dreamcatchers and of the Dreamcast's status as the ultimate cult console. In Ryo's quest for vengeance there's what's likely to remain gaming's greatest untold tale, but for me in Shenmue there's something else. In the grounded fantasy of Yokosuka, there's proof positive that video games can transport you wholesale to distant lands and faraway places, no matter how drab they may be." - Eurogamer, 2015
115) Contra
Year of Release: 1987
Developed By: Konami
Published By: Konami
Platforms: Amstrad CPC, Arcade, Commodore 64, Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Sinclair ZX Spectrum
"Long before the Master Chief and Marcus Fenix became icons of video game badassery, there were Bill and Lance, two shirtless, muscle-bound dudes who took the fight to an entire army of nasty aliens - well, perhaps with the help of 30 lives apiece.
Although Contra only had two dimensions to work with, its twitchy action, grotesque monsters and pulsing soundtrack laid the foundation for generations of male power fantasy shooters to come." - TIME, 2012
116) Wolfenstein 3D
Year of Release: 1992
Developed By: id Software
Published By: Apogee Software
Platforms: 3DO, Atari Jaguar, PC, Super Nintendo (SNES)
"Play a bit of Wolfenstein 3D today, and you'll be astounded by how thoroughly id figured out a genre on what amounted to their first try. So much could have gone wrong, but the core game play didn't rely on the game's first-person perspective; it merely used this viewpoint as a means of displaying some otherwise simple 2D combat. And thanks to the technical trickery of id, Wolfenstein 3D's sleight-of-hand adapted gamers to the ins and outs of exploring a (relatively) 3D world. And lucky for us, not all of them would be full of Nazis." - 1up, 2012
117) Bloodborne
Year of Release: 2015
Developed By: FromSoftware, Inc.
Published By: Sony
Platform: Sony Playstation 4
"Dark Souls is typically the game of choice for insanely tough action, and rightfully so, but we actually prefer the PS4-exclusive sister game, Bloodborne. Similarly, it's intensely difficult and refuses to hold your hand - in fact, it'll bat your hand away and chide you for even assuming you'd be assisted. It's dark and massively atmospheric, as you battle through gothic scenery to take down huge bosses and other grim foes. Given its tone, Bloodborne won't be for everyone, but there's deep satisfaction to be found, if you're willing to work for it." - Stuff, 2017
118) Beyond Good & Evil
Year of Release: 2003
Developed By: Ubisoft Montpellier and Ubisoft Milan
Published By: Ubisoft
Platforms: Microsoft Xbox, Nintendo GameCube, PC, Sony Playstation 2
"When you first encounter it, spending half an hour photographing animals and chatting with creatures around a lighthouse feels like some form of madness. Later on, as you're rescuing your pig-uncle from space, it created a tone that's inescapable throughout - a brilliant third-person action platformer where the relationships between the protagonists actually matter. That it was released for PC makes it something of a rare treat. If it influenced anything, it was the continuing works of those producing the console's finest examples. And if the much-delayed sequel doesn't come out on PC, expect riots." - Rock, Paper, Shotgun, 2012
119) Donkey Kong Country
Year of Release: 1994
Developed By: Rare
Published By: Nintendo
Platforms: Nintendo Game Boy Advance, Nintendo Game Boy Color, Super Nintendo (SNES)
"With Donkey Kong Country, the DK made his transition from villain to hero, and by doing so, solidified his position as one of Nintendo's most iconic characters. The game itself was great fun too: a side-scrolling platformer like its Mario brethren that was much more fast-paced and chaotic (in a good way) than many gamers were used to." - Popular Mechanics, 2014
120) Advance Wars
Year of Release: 2001
Developed By: Intelligent Systems
Published By: Nintendo
Platform: Nintendo Game Boy Advance
"Advance Wars is full of so many little details that make it an absolute joy to play, even a decade later, but the greatest of all is activating a CO power. It creates such a powerful rush of pure bliss - the music blaring, the enemy troops exploding... and most important of all, the knowledge that you'd finally broken through an entrenched enemy position." - IGN, 2015
121) SoulCalibur
Year of Release: 1999
Developed By: Project Soul
Published By: Namco
Platforms: Arcade, Sega Dreamcast
"You know a game has done something spectacular when most of the people who love it forget its predecessor ever existed. Considering Soul Edge is one of the best PS1 games in its own right, that should say everything about how far SoulCalibur pushed the envelope: full 3D movement, stunning environments, one of the best, rousing scores ever composed, and, of course, the fast, fun, and fluid combat. Not since the first Samurai Shodown's heyday had a developer managed to make epic swordfights feel like, well, epic swordfights, and yet SoulCalibur's brand of flying-spark chaos manages to deliver that experience to everyone, regardless of skill." - Slant, 2014
122) Star Wars: TIE Fighter
Year of Release: 1994
Developed By: Totally Games
Published By: LucasArts
Platform: PC
"Improving on the successful gaming engine put forth in Star Wars: X-Wing, TIE Fighter set the standard for space combat simulation. The game featured remarkable graphics for the time, as well as intelligent enemy AI and many other groundbreaking features. From a story standpoint, TIE Fighter offered a unique glimpse into the Star Wars universe. As the player character fights for the Imperial Forces - the undisputed bad guys of any and all previous Star Wars outings - TIE Fighter was a chance to see events play out from an alternative point of view. As such, the Empire is seen as much more of a peacekeeping, governing body than the conglomerate of pure evil we're so accustomed to." - Popular Mechanics, 2014
123) Banjo-Kazooie
Year of Release: 1998
Developed By: Rare
Published By: Nintendo
Platform: Nintendo 64
"The attempt to free the word "Jiggy" from the dastardly clutches of Will Smith may have failed, but pretty much everything else about Banjo-Kazooie succeeds. Boasting platforming action that rivals Super Mario 64 at its best, along with incredibly expansive worlds bursting at the seams with secrets and hidden treasures, Rare created a title in which aimlessly exploring offers just as much joy as problem-solving. Throw in memorable characters and crackin' one-liners, and you've got yourself a guaranteed classic." - IGN, 2014
124) Psychonauts
Year of Release: 2005
Developed By: Double Fine Productions
Published By: Majesco
Platforms: Mac OS, Microsoft Xbox, PC, Sony Playstation 2
"This is one of the most wondrous games we've ever been lucky enough to play, and almost no one did. The tale of a summer camp for psychic children let us explore a vivid and gorgeous world, between explorations of the minds of its residents, uncovering psychological disorders in bright, Nickelodeon colours. Each brain entered wasn't only thematically different, but also changed the way the game was played. Each could have been a satisfactory game of its own, but Psychonauts threw them aside as if they weren't a masterstroke that most developers would sell their legs to think of, making room for the next." - Rock, Paper, Shotgun, 2012
125) Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings
Year of Release: 1999
Developed By: Ensemble Studios
Published By: Microsoft
Platforms: PC, Sony Playstation 2
"As a game, it did nothing less than take Civilization and hit it into the side of the Warcraft/C&C-esque RTS. When we live in a world where we laugh at yet another WW2 RTS, it's worth remembering what that actually means. Age was the first really successful RTS which had a quasi-realistic take on a realistic setting. Before it, it was all fantasy and Sci-fi. In a real way, Age of Empires was the Call of Duty of its genre. Not realistic, but thematically evocative of a real time and place, and so gaining a whole different sort of appeal." - Rock, Paper, Shotgun, 2012
126) Dragon Age: Origins
Year of Release: 2009
Developed By: BioWare
Published By: Electronic Arts
Platforms: Microsoft Xbox 360, PC, Sony Playstation 3
"Dragon Age is one of the finest RPGs of all time. Bloody brilliant 100 hour epic constructions of passion and emotion, war and death, romance and religion - they don't come around very often. The scale, the depth, the history - it's all a remarkable work, and one that seems to far too often be taken for granted. And that's the issue with Dragon Age. It feels like the last of something, rather than a pioneer of anything. It's such a stunning example of the genre, and a massive pleasure to play, but is it the final word on the matter?" - Rock, Paper, Shotgun, 2011
127) Myst
Year of Release: 1993
Developed By: Cyan
Published By: Broderbund
Platforms: 3DO, Atari Jaguar CD, Nintendo 3DS, PC, Philips CD-i, Sega Saturn, Sony Playstation
"There's another important reason we remember Myst: It helped usher in the CD-ROM era, perhaps more than any other game (including Trilobyte's The 7th Guest), prompting users to upgrade their desktops to experience the game's lavish, unparalleled and still today impactful visuals." - TIME, 2012
128) Diablo
Year of Release: 1997
Developed By: Blizzard North
Published By: Blizzard
Platforms: PC, Sony Playstation
"Battle.net brought players together in a way that few games ever had before. The ability to venture forth from Tristram with a party of buddies extended the life of Diablo to wild proportions, and created a depth of play that is usually reserved for the much larger worlds of an MMO experience.
Diablo wasn't a game with a concrete beginning and end. The goal wasn't to simply reach the credits and call it a day, far from it. At no point could you walk away from the game feeling satisfied by your experience in the world. Diablo created a hunger that could simply not be satiated. There was always more to see. Always more to kill and more to collect. At no point could you say that you were finished with Diablo, because Blizzard created a game designed to call the shots. And here we are, 15 years later, and Diablo still isn't done with us." - 1up, 2012
129) Sid Meier's Civilization II
Year of Release: 1996
Developed By: MicroProse
Published By: MicroProse
Platforms: PC, Sony Playstation
"This epic, history-straddling strategy series has an unreal knack for gluing PC owners to their mice and monitors. Part of that was always down to it being a great strategy game that dropped an intriguing decision at your feet every minute, but I'd argue that the real appeal was in watching something grow. Unlike most base-building strategy games where you put something together, win or lose, wipe the slate clean and start again within 30 minutes, Civilization had you growing your nation for dozens of hours, right up to its endgame. The reason those intriguing decisions were so intriguing is that they affected the shape of your holdings for thousands of years. If you conquered somewhere it would sit there, the ultimate trophy, for every future turn. Likewise, if you built a road or discovered a technology, you were laying the foundation for future development. It's exactly like how unlockables have revolutionised the online FPS in recent years. It's hopelessly addicting to load up a game and be playing off the back of all your past experiences." - Rock, Paper, Shotgun, 2011
130) Burnout 3: Takedown
Year of Release: 2004
Developed By: Criterion Games
Published By: Electronic Arts
Platforms: Microsoft Xbox, Sony Playstation 2
"This was one of those games you could easily lose hours playing, either alone or with friends. Among our nerdy cadre, there was no greater source of joy, sorrow or white-hot rage than Burnout 3. Few things could ruin a friendship faster than wrecking someone's ride just before the finish line - though thankfully all was (usually) forgotten during the next round of Crash Mode." - IGN, 2015
131) Metroid
Year of Release: 1986
Developed By: Nintendo Research & Development 1
Published By: Nintendo
Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
"The lonely, moody experience of playing through Samus Aran's adventure created an intimate relationship with the gameworld. Exploring and memorizing planet Thebes' non-linear yet cunningly interconnected design ingeniously paid off in the game's play mechanics, which you wouldn't have known while playing. And after all that, to learn that the bounty hunter armor concealed gaming's first-ever heroine gave Metroid a surprise ending for the ages.!" - TIME, 2012
132) The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
Year of Release: 1993
Developed By: Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development
Published By: Nintendo
Platform: Nintendo Game Boy
"Criminally underrated, Link's Awakening is the most undeservedly overlooked entries in the Legend of Zelda series, despite having sold over 6 million units worldwide. The series' first outing on a mobile platform, Link's Awakening was a beautifully trippy adventure on Koholint Island, a location with many ties to Hyrule that may or may not have all been the dream of a 'Wind Fish'. Told you it was trippy." - WhatCulture, 2014
133) Limbo
Year of Release: 2010
Developed By: Playdead
Published By: Playdead
Platforms: Mac OS, Microsoft Xbox 360, PC, Sony Playstation 3, Sony Playstation Vita
"Creativity thrives in limitations, and Limbo is rigorous in its self-imposed limits. It has no colour, no dialogue, minimal music, no cut-scenes, no on-screen health meters or other clutter. Yet you can't expect limitations alone to make your masterpiece for you. After cutting away the fat, the obligation is to use what remains as convincingly as possible. That's what Limbo accomplishes. The game steps back from audio-visual sensory overload so it has room to make inroads to other senses: a sense of wonder, say, or of compassion and vulnerability." - Eurogamer, 2010
134) Guitar Hero
Year of Release: 2005
Developed By: Harmonix
Published By: RedOctane
Platform: Sony Playstation 2
"Guitar Hero turned mild-mannered, non-gamers on to a more immersive, interactive style of game than they had previously known existed. You were part of the game. The game didn't work without you. You were a performer. People - regular people - might have even been impressed to watch you do what amounted to little more than beating a level of a video game, but since it was a musical performance, it seemed so much cooler." - TIME, 2012
135) Sid Meier's Civilization V
Year of Release: 2010
Developed By: Firaxis Games
Published By: 2K Games
Platform: PC
"As with every game in the 20 year-old series, the idea is to use every ounce of strategic skill to conquer the world, even if that means changing the course of history to suit your own ends. But while its heart remains the same, Civilization V has been given a much-needed overhaul that widens its appeal and makes the combat more fun and compelling than ever before." - Empire, 2010
136) Dead Space
Year of Release: 2008
Developed By: EA Redwood Shores
Published By: Electronic Arts
Platforms: Microsoft Xbox 360, PC, Sony Playstation 3
"Dead Space was a prime example of the cinematic storytelling experience that drove many of the best games in the 2000s. The game's detailed setting was both atmospheric and terrifying, a perfect background to the survival-horror storyline of undead space monsters.
The game's combat uses a system called "strategic dismemberment," where Isaac must use his improvised arsenal to slice off the arms, legs, and other extremities of his alien assailants." - Popular Mechanics, 2014
137) Dune II
Year of Release: 1992
Developed By: Westwood Studios
Published By: Virgin Interactive
Platforms: Amiga, PC, Sega Genesis
"The first real-time strategy game?
Okay, not the very first - but 1992 PC game Dune II deserves credit for putting real-time strategy on the map.
Instead of plunking pieces around boards taking chess-like turns, players in Dune II directed units across maps in continuous or "real" time, thus melding slower strategic planning with quick-click tactics." - TIME, 2012"
138) Left 4 Dead
Year of Release: 2008
Developed By: Valve South
Published By: Valve Corporation
Platforms: Mac OS, Microsoft Xbox 360, PC
"Getting FPS players to work together towards a common goal isn't exactly easy, but Valve made it look like it was in Left 4 Dead by making cooperation simple, fun, and absolutely necessary for survival. There was nothing quite like knowing that your life was in the hands of the person manning the back door of the house you were holed up in, or the rare feeling of solidarity when some stranger named z0MbeePWNR420 fought through a horde of undead just to revive you instead of jumping on the chopper and leaving you to your doom. Such was a typical late night of playing Left 4 Dead." - IGN, 2013
139) Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Year of Release: 2008
Developed By: Nintendo
Published By: Nintendo
Platform: Nintendo Wii
"It's consistently satisfying over long periods, fulfilling its usual role of dominating a willing crowd's evening into the early hours, and now allowing you to sustain that after everyone's gone home using the Internet. Really the only reason you wouldn't feel that way would be if you didn't stick with it past the dizzying first quarter of an hour, or if you don't like Nintendo characters - and if you don't in either case then you probably aren't reading this anyway, and the prospect of Triforce-smashing your friends to death won't mean anything. Otherwise, persist, and enrich yourself, and wonder where on earth it all goes next." - Eurogamer, 2008
140) Dance Dance Revolution
Year of Release: 1998
Developed By: Konami
Published By: Konami
Platforms: Arcade, Sony Playstation
"When I think of arcades, I think of DanceDanceRevolution (DDR). Its intense, rhythm-based gameplay not only helped uncoordinated gamers exercise, but it also served as our window into the delightful oddities found in Japan's gaming world." - IGN, 2010
141) Final Fantasy IX
Year of Release: 2000
Developed By: Square
Published By: Square
Platform: Sony Playstation
"FFIX's initial cutesiness masks a surprisingly gripping tale of fate, focusing on an empathetic cast who struggle to find hope in the face of forces much greater than themselves. A gorgeous and bittersweet score (if Melodies of Life doesn't make you well up at least a little, you are wrong) completes the picture. When the credits roll, it feels like saying goodbye to an old friend--one that's well worth remembering, and keeping close to our hearts." - Gamesradar, 2015
142) BioShock Infinite
Year of Release: 2013
Developed By: Irrational Games
Published By: 2K Games
Platforms: Microsoft Xbox 360, PC, Sony Playstation 3
"BioShock Infinite is a masterclass in narrative and game design but most importantly, it's incredible fun to play. Sure, at its core BioShock is still very much a shooter in terms of game design, but Elizabeth anchors you so brilliantly to this wondrously fleshed-out world that you'll want to take the time, not to shoot, but to discover and absorb every element of Columbia." - Empire, 2013
143) Fallout
Year of Release: 1997
Developed By: Interplay Entertainment
Published By: Interplay Entertainment
Platform: PC
"The lasting impact of Fallout is a testament to its remarkable creativity. After numerous sequels its setting feels largely unexplored. After fifteen years its approach to quest design is still reflected in games that offer player agency. After more than a hundred years in the game's timeline since the apocalypse, you'd think that someone would have taken a few minutes to sweep the street and pick up some overturned furniture." - 1up, 2012
144) Rock Band
Year of Release: 2007
Developed By: Harmonix
Published By: MTV Games
Platforms: Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Sony Playstation 2, Sony Playstation 3
"I like to think that the almost self-consciously generic quality of Rock Band's title is a subtle attempt to further coax players to project themselves into the game's fantasy. The designers at Harmonix bravely turned their backs on the cartoony animation style of the popular Guitar Hero series they originally developed and created a surrealistic, laser-lightshow visual style that looks like it could easily be an artsy '80s music video. Also Rock Band deserves props for allowing legions of air drummers to pick up sticks for the first time. Seriously, who hasn't fantasized about doing that thing where you start a song by hitting the sticks together four times?" - Paste, 2009
145) Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Year of Release: 1996
Developed By: Square
Published By: Nintendo
Platform: Super Nintendo (SNES)
"Imagine a Mario game in which a powerful enemy threatened the Mushroom Kingdom, prompting Mario and Bowser to put aside their differences and form a supergroup to battle their common foe. Now imagine this game was a turn-based RPG developed by Square (now known as Square Enix), the famed Japanese developer known for the Final Fantasy series. That's Super Mario RPG in a nutshell. And it's awesome." - Popular Mechanics, 2014
146) Maniac Mansion: Day of the Tentacle
Year of Release: 1993
Developed By: Lucasarts
Published By: Lucasarts
Platform: PC
"Clearly everyone has their own favourite point and click adventure, and this one happens to be mine. But why do I consider this to have such importance? Because while it was not seminal, beyond a much improved SCUMM layout, it was hilarious. Funnier than any other game in the genre had been, and I'd contend has been since. Also, it was damned clever. Solving puzzles across three time zones, affecting the future to complete challenges. The voice acting was utterly wonderful, the character design still gorgeous to look at. It's stupid to call it a "masterpiece", obviously. It's a masterpiece." - Rock, Paper, Shotgun, 2012
147) Gran Turismo
Year of Release: 1997
Developed By: Polys Entertainment
Published By: Polys Entertainment
Platform: Sony Playstation
"Offering a "simulation" experience vastly more demanding than the arcade-like controls of kart racers, GT introduced to a whole generation of console gamers such Racing 101 concepts as "understeering" and "drafting" and the increased speed and handling when accelerating out of a turn. Just as noteworthy was the exacting level of visual and sonic detail (which included the developers recording the engine sounds for each in-game vehicle) and a "replay" feature that let you admire your brilliance on the asphalt." - TIME, 2011
148) Duke Nukem 3D
Year of Release: 1996
Developed By: 3D Realms
Published By: GT Interactive
Platforms: PC, Sega Mega Drive, Sega Saturn, Sony Playstation
"For a medium vetted in stomping goombas and slaying dragons, video games tend to forget just how ridiculous they're allowed to be. Duke Nukem 3D doesn't exactly have that problem though. In fact, it unapologetically embraces everything outrageous about film and video games, leaving no absurdity unexplored. Pig-men in police uniforms? Sure. Fully functional shrink rays? Why not? Duke is the kind of overblown action hero that can only exist in video games. Scientists are still trying to calculate the amount of bubblegum required to keep this man from kicking ass. No known quantity seems to be enough." - IGN, 2013
149) Tekken 3
Year of Release: 1997
Developed By: Namco
Published By: Namco
Platforms: Arcade, Sony Playstation
"Widely regarded as one of the best fighters of all time, Tekken 3 landed in PlayStation gamers' homes a year after it first entered the world in arcade cabinet-form. Its side-scrolling fighter action threw in an element of 3D depth, allowing players to dodge attacks by jumping towards the background, and its roster of characters was about as diverse as you can get." - Stuff, 2015
150) Lemmings
Year of Release: 1991
Developed By: DMA Design
Published By: Psygnosis
Platforms: 3DO, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari Lynx, Commodore 64, Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Nintendo Game Boy, PC, Philips CD-i, Sega Game Gear, Sega Genesis, Sega Master System, Sega Mega Drive, Sinclair ZX Spectrum, Super Nintendo (SNES), TurboGrafx 16
"One of the all-time classic puzzle games, Lemmings' works on a very simple premise: guide a flock of unintelligent, wayward lemmings to the end of each stage with as few casualties as you can manage. Lemmings are inherently witless, and require explicit instructions if they're to do anything besides move forward, and with a number of jobs at your disposal-any lemming will happily build a bridge, stop other lemmings from moving or punch through a wall if you give them proper instruction-you can do just that. Still great after all these years." - Complex, 2013


text:
Sponsored Post
Bremont is the quintessentially British Brand that was founded in the great history of British watch-making and steeped in the love of aviation and all things mechanical. Every watch leaving the workshop is a certified chronometer, with every movement reworked, modified, tested and finished to aviation standards. The watches are functioning works of art and history. The watch of choice to the last bastion of adventurers and the first choice of select unique individuals and organizations.
They were named winner of 'Watch Brand of the Year' at the 2011 UK Jewelery Awards among many other accolades. The most important recognition though is the recognition others show at seeing the exquisite taste and individuality of the wearer of these chronometers.
Start your ownership experience with a purchase from a place equally steeped in tradition and excellence, Watts1858. They offer free delivery and 0% finance which makes them an obvious choice on where to acquire such an extraordinary timepiece. W.E.Watts (Jewelers) Ltd is a family owned business established in 1858 by William Edward Watts who specialized in the production and selling of branded pocket watches and provision of time keeping equipment to the sailors and coast guards of Gloucestershire. What could be better than owning a piece of British history as famed as the heroic actions of the Royal Air Force then purchasing this from a jeweler with 154 years of British tradition and excellence? Let their professional assistance help you choose the perfect Bremont.
Bremont Submarine Watch and Bremont Victory Watch
Disclosure: We have been compensated for this post. Opinions expressed here are our own.


text:
|Thread Tools
|Search this Thread
|11th November 2016, 18:06
Senior - BHPian
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Jaipur
Posts: 1,755
Thanked: 7,582 Times
Volvo mulling over bringing hybrid range to India
Volvo is reportedly planning to launch its entire hybrid range in India by the year 2021. This new brand strategy is likely a result of satisfying response that the automaker has received from its first hybrid offering in the country - the Volvo XC90 T8.
Media reports suggest that Volvo has received 50 bookings for the XC90 T8 hybrid SUV. Through this successful launch, the Swedish automaker seems to have concluded that hybrid cars in the luxury segment can be a big differentiator between Volvo cars and those from its rivals. Thus the company is now eager to enhance its hybrid portfolio gradually, while studying the market response and characteristics.
Volvo Auto India's Managing Director, Tom Von Bonsdorff has mentioned that all cars built on the company's new SPA and CMA platforms can be offered with a hybrid powertrain. The SPA platform can house a hybrid system where the front wheels are driven by the internal combustion engine, while the rear axle is connected to electric motors. The smaller CMA platform was revealed recently under the 40 Series concepts, and will make it into production in 2017. It has been designed for three-cylinder petrol-electric hybrids, and can even be developed as a full electric vehicle.
If the plans to introduce the hybrid range do come out to be true, the next major launch will be the S90 hybrid. Chances of Volvo introducing the V90 estate hybrid can't be ruled out either.
Source: Autocar India
Link to Team-BHP News
Last edited by dZired : 11th November 2016 at 18:09.
|(3) Thanks
|The following 3 BHPians Thank dZired for this useful post:
|14th November 2016, 10:32
Team-BHP Support
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Bombay
Posts: 50,472
Thanked: 108,745 Times
Re: Volvo mulling over bringing hybrid range to India
One thing I'm incredibly impressed with is how Volvo prices its cars on par with the CKD Germans, despite being a CBU! That also says a lot about how overpriced German cars are.
I think Volvo might be onto something big here. The Camry Hybrid's success proves that customers will go for the greener version if the price difference is realistic, and the hybrid has some more goodies to sweeten the overall package.
Volvo (and Lexus) might not have a wide range of fast diesels, but they can certainly make up with a strong hybrid offering.
|(3) Thanks
|The following 3 BHPians Thank GTO for this useful post:
|14th November 2016, 13:48
Senior - BHPian
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: !!!!
Posts: 2,025
Thanked: 1,086 Times
Re: Volvo mulling over bringing hybrid range to India
A relative of mine is with Volvo and he mentioned to me that if the s90 also clicks in India then local assembly will commence by 2020.
|(1) Thanks
|The following BHPian Thanks himanshugoswami for this useful post:
|14th November 2016, 14:29
Senior - BHPian
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Mumbai
Posts: 1,478
Thanked: 1,107 Times
Re: Volvo mulling over bringing hybrid range to India
Hybrids are an interesting way for Volvo to pique the market's interests. But any strategy they adopt has to also involve aggressively expanding their dealer footprint. 15 / 16 odd dealers just doesn't cut it in this country. I was recently in Pune and saw that even the very well located SB Road dealership seems to have shut down. Not sure if its being replaced by another dealer in Pune. That's a big city we're speaking of.
On another note, I find the design language of the Volvo stunningly elegant. Would love to see them emerge as a more prominent player in the luxury scene here.
|(1) Thanks
|The following BHPian Thanks Axe77 for this useful post:
|Thread Tools
|Search this Thread
|Similar Threads
|Thread Starter
|Last Post
|Rumour: Hyundai mulling Ioniq plug-in hybrid for India!
|The Indian Car Scene
|8th August 2017 07:15
|Mahindra Electric mulling over a China entry
|The International Automotive Scene
|12th October 2016 12:37
|Rumour: Changan Auto (China) mulling entry into India
|The Indian Car Scene
|11th July 2016 10:05
|Volvo to introduce Hybrid buses in India
|Commercial Vehicles
|30th November 2015 22:00
|Volvo launches new truck range in India
|Commercial Vehicles
|28th October 2014 16:21


text:
The Jacomo Cruiser Fleet is a membership driven organization made up of sailors interested in the cruising aspect of sailing. The club encourages friendship, camaraderie, and seamanship among like minded sailors.
So what does the Fleet do you ask?
The Fleet holds a monthly business meeting on the third Saturday of each month at the shelter house at Sailboat Cove from March thru October.
A dinner follows each monthly business meeting hosted by a volunteering member with the main dish provided by the Fleet.
The Fleet hosts a mid season Pig Roast as well as an annual Holiday Party in December.
We provide educational workshops on a regular basis for Fleet members.
Serve as a liaison with Jackson County Parks and Recreation promoting interests and needs as they relate to sailing.
Publishes Scuttlebutt our bi- monthly newsletter.
Maintains and provides a Fleet Roster to each member.
Membership card with discounts at Boat US and participating yacht clubs and retailers.
The Fleet has adopted and maintains Sailboat Cove.
Maintains the mast crane located at Sailboat Cove Dry Storage.
The Fleet represents sailors from Sailboat Cove and Jacomo South Docks as well as those who dry sail. Boat ownership is not a requirement and those who are interested or aspiring sailors are welcome members.


text:
As part of the ongoing series "The Spirit of the Artist" (a monthly exploration of the interesecton of creativity and spirituality), we present the Wind in the Leaves Collective, a troupe of dancers and spoken word artists.
From their artistic statement: "The collective's inter-disciplinary approach allows for such engagement at several intersections, visceral, sensual, emotional, intellectual and spiritual. In this way, the collective seeks to be a multi-textured illustration of the concerns of our times and how these are expressed through diverse artistic mediums working collaboratively to connect to individuals and communities in a multicultural, multiracial society and a global community. The themes the collective is working on echo those of transnationalism, diaspora, globalization as well as the use/abuse of power and the marginalization that results from it and wounds both individual and collective psyches."
The Spirit of the Artist is a salon series which aims to bring together lovers of the arts and conversation together for a discussion of where the spirit and the creative spark meet and overlap.
Tickets for the event are free, but donations are welcome. All donations received go directly into the continuation of this series.
Cash bar service will be available and desserts will be served.
We regret that there is no parking available at the venue, but the TTC is close by (we are directly on the number 5 bus route, and a 15 minute walk from Museum, Rosedale, and Dupont stations). There are also parking lots within short walks of the corner of Avenue and Dupont.


text:
Jones offers a true all-mountain board with the Twin Sister. Whether your cruising the park, floating in pow or looking for something to jump off of this board can take you anywhere you like.
Type: All-Mountain
Camber: Hybrid
Core: Poplar and Beech wood
Base: Sintered
Shape: Twin
Flex: Medium
Available Sizes: 146, 149, 152 cm
Test Size: 149 cm
What SBC testers are saying
Selling Factor:
Jones offers a 2-year warranty on their boards, almost unheard of in the snowboard world!
Board Tester Quotes:
This is a really solid board that is good for all-mountain rippin. It also cuts through rough terrain like no ones business thanks to the magna-traction. – Andrea R
I took this board for a little hike and it felt amazing in powder. It's a nice charger and made me want to push it. – Jessica
Get more info on the Jones Twin Sister HERE
Check out the other Women's Boards we tested HERE
And check out the 2014 Grade EH test video:
Grade EH 2014 from SBC Media on Vimeo.
Snowboard Canada's 2014 Grade EH Board Tests were graciously hosted by:


text:
DIY Kitchen Reworking And RTA Cupboards
Download the Price Vs Worth Report to search out out the typical prices for a transforming challenge in Portland. Flooring prices differ by materials, but you should count on to spend from $3,000 up for an average sized kitchen. The National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) has a advice for the value of a kitchen transform to help householders set an applicable funds.
Larger, complete kitchen remodels usually price between $20,000 and $40,000 and entail an entire tear-out of the previous '¦ nicely, everything. The cost of new cupboards varies relying on whether or not you go for customized or inventory cupboards. Using fixtures instead of recessed lights or, together with recessed lights, may add prices over basic lighting but may also add significantly to the distinctive look of your kitchen.
And again, a sincere thanks to the professional kitchen designers, remodelers and HVAC experts who took the time to provide us detailed suggestions for this submit – to insure accuracy. Although it is vital to not do too much kitchen purchasing before you've got determined your price range, it is a good idea to know what you need.
Granite is still a preferred selection and its sturdiness make it … Read more


text:
Federal law requires that employers hire only individuals who are authorized to be lawfully employed in the United States. In compliance with these laws, Science Central will verify the status of every individual offered employment with the Company. In this connection, all offers of employment are subject to verification of the applicant's identity and employment authorization, and it will be necessary for you to submit such documents as are required by law to verify your identification and employment authorization.)
Word or PDF Documents Only


text:
Abercrombie & Kent Ltd
St Georges House, Ambrose Street, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
Ambrose Street Cheltenham GL50 3LG GB
First Name
Last Name
Eynsham Hall, North Leigh, Witney, Oxfordshire, OX29 6PN 45.98 km
Set in 3,000 acres of glorious countryside, an hour from London, Eynsham Hall is possibly the ult...
Blenheim Palace Woodstock Oxfordshire OX20 1PP 49.82 km
A masterpiece of 18th Century Baroque architecture set in more than 2000 acres of 'Capability' Br...
Bromham, Chippenham, Wiltshire 57.46 km
Have you ever seen a shepherd working with a dog, he blows the whistle a few times and the sheep ...
SAID Business School Park End Street Oxford OX1 1 HP 58.17 km
Conference@OxfordSaïd is one of the UK's leading conference, meeting and event providers. Located...
travel.cloud, Alpha Tower, Suffolk Street, Queensway, Birmingham, B1 1TT 65.13 km
07963 26282807963 262828
travel.cloud is a completely free, online business travel tool which allows you to book hundreds ...
Faraday Wharf, Innovation Birmingham Campus, Holt Street, Birmingham Science Park Aston, Birmingham, B7 4BB. 66.49 km
A dynamic venue with a vibrant atmosphere the Innovation Birmingham Campus offers modern meeting,...
Corporate Event Venues Corporate Hospitality Conferencing Accommodation Solutions Event Management Event Organising Venue Finder
Watling House, 1 Watling Drive, Hinckley, Leicestershire, LE10 3EY 83.91 km
At Conference Care we've been providing award-winning venue finding and event management services...
Manor Farm Courtyard Manor Road Rowsham Buckinghamshire HP22 4QP 90.14 km
Red Eye Events is a dynamic company dedicated to providing discerning clients with the best in be...
Haslette House, Haslette Way, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire 3.29 km
19 haslette way, up hatherley, cheltenham, glos. GL51 3RQ 3.33 km
The Reddings, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire 3.9 km
Unit 11 Mitre Farm, Course Lawn, Gloucester, Gloucestershire 14.6 km
Manor Farm, Longdon, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire 17.37 km
Inches Lane, Evesham, Worcestershire 23.68 km
Salters Lane, Lower Moor, Pershore, Worcestershire 24.23 km
Douglas Bader House, Horcott Hill, Fairford, Gloucestershire 31.09 km
7 Threshers Yard, West Street, Kingham, Oxfordshire 31.32 km
Down Farm, Westonbirt, Tetbury, Gloucestershire 33.21 km
New Venture House, Weir Lane Worcester 34.86 km
01905 67644401905 676444
PO Box 1216, Malmesbury, Wiltshire 35.18 km


text:
View Record
|Ammonia removal from water by ion exchange using South African and Zambian zeolite samples
|Mwale, M.
|SH Aquaculture. Fisheries. Angling
|One problem of intensive fish culture systems is the progressive build-up of toxic wastes such as ammonia. The possibility of improving aquaculture water quality using two kinds of zeolite is discussed. Zeolites are alumino-silicates whose framework allows them to exchange cations. Ion exchange has been demonstrated to be competitive with other methods of ammonia removal due to the high selectivity for ammonia exhibited by zeolite materials. In this study an unknown Zambian zeolite (identified as laumontite by X-ray diffraction techniques) and Pratley clinoptilolite (a South African zeolite) were tested under laboratory conditions and in a fresh water recirculating system. Ammonia cation exchange capacities (CEC) and suitable application rates for efficient water treatment were determined using the batch and column ion exchange procedures. Estimated ammonia uptake, the most important criterion used to assess performance of zeolite filters was strongly influenced by zeolite type, particle size, pre-treatment, regeneration and ion exchange method used. Statistical analysis showed significant differences in average ammonia CEC values between clinoptilolite (14.94 mg g[superscript -1]) and laumontite (2.77 mg g[superscript -1]), with the former displaying a higher Na[superscript +] -> NH4[superscript +] exchange rate especially in the early reaction stages. This difference accords with the higher purity of clinoptilolite, 47% as opposed to 4.7% for laumontite, which makes it a better zeolite for ammonium removal. CEC increased linearly as particle size of the clinoptilolite was reduced resulting in a linear regression model (y = 18.29 –3.704 x; r[superscript 2] = 74 %). Pre-treatment of clinoptilolite using 1N NaCl significantly improved the ammonia CEC of clinoptilolite. Overall performance of both the batch and column methods achieved after regeneration (18.3 mg g[superscript -1]) was 25% higher than the estimated CEC values (13.0 mg g[superscript -1]) for the unregenerated samples of clinoptilolite. Comparison of CEC estimates using Pratley clinoptilolite, showed that average batch CEC estimates were significantly lower than the column method estimates. The average ammonia CEC values estimated in a fresh water recirculating system (5.80 mg g-1 and 4.12 mg g-1 for the 0.7-1.0 and 1.0-1.4 mm particle sizes, respectively) were significantly lower than the column and batch estimates for the same particle sizes (P < 0.05). Some nitrite (NO[subscript 2]) and nitrate (NO[subscript 3]) build up was experienced probably due to the growth of autotrophs in the filters. Mass balance of nitrogen (N) for the three treatments of the fish trial (0.7-1.0 mm, 1.0-1.4 mm and the control treatment that had no zeolite in the filter) indicated that less that 10% of the N was retained for growth. It was found that 60 % of the NH[subscript 4]-N present associated with the soluble N was available for absorption by the zeolite filter or biological nitrification and that a total of approximately 22 % of NH[subscript 4]-N available was absorbed by clinoptilolite. The results indicate that the rate of nitrification can be deductively estimated by allowing a zeolite filter to become a biological filter. It is concluded that water treatment by ion exchange using natural zeolites, provides a reliable and efficient method for ammonia removal and appears to be a viable supplementary water treatment method for fresh water systems.
|Mwale, M. (2000) Ammonia removal from water by ion exchange using South African and Zambian zeolite samples. Masters thesis, Rhodes University.


text:
BANK of England deputy governor Charlie Bean said yesterday that there was "reason for some optimism" going forward, but warned against getting overexcited about the latest GDP figures showing Britain pulled out of recession in the third quarter.
"We should avoid getting overexcited," Bean told Sky News, adding that growth could be weak in the fourth quarter.
"We do think there's reason for some optimism going forward. Some of the headwinds that we've been struggling against in the past couple of years will be abating somewhat," he said.
"There's been some progress in dealing with the Eurozone problems – still a long way to go there but again slightly better picture – and also some signs that maybe conditions are improving in the banking system."
Bean's remarks came alongside a defence by chief secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander of the government's spending cuts on the BBC's Sunday Politics show. Alexander said "the judgement we made when we started out was the right one, and it's a judgement we've got to stick with".
City A.M. Reporter


text:
Apparently this is the first time Argyle have scored in the first half this season.
Last edited by Hants_red; 03 October 2017 at 19:37.
No problems with Tisdale's choice of line up. Although having said that Argyle may have made a poor start to the season but they are in league one so a win tonight with virtually a second team would certainly be a bit special.
I wouldn't say it's a second team. Other than Jay and Edwards all these players are starters?
Yeah I was thinking that if you added up their minutes between them this season it would come to a fair bit, although only McAlinden, Croll and James have started more than one League game I would reckon.
Last edited by antman; 03 October 2017 at 19:45.
Who's the ******** co-commentating for Argyle? Totally stupid!
1-1 Half time


text:
The suspected hoodlums were attacked by an angry mob after they caught them allegedly stealing today. Jungle justice was delivered on them.
Sunday, 18 June 2017
Suspected Thieves Lynched And Burnt To Death in Edim Otop, Calabar
Two suspected thieves were lynched and burnt to death at a street in Edim Otop Market, Calabar, Cross River state.


text:
SMS Studio 2.0
Stand-alone SMS software that gives you the power to create your own SMS gateway, SMS server or SMS router, and also run and distribute various SMS events and services, such as SMS Voting, SMS TV Chat, SMS Info, SMS Survey, SMS Quiz, etc.
SMS Studio is capable of using various SMS protocols (SMPP, HTTP, ODBC, CSP, GSM AT, Nokia FBUS, etc.) for exchanging SMS messages with a wide range of SMS gateway entities (SMS center, SMS server, SMS...


text:
05 Apr Welcome to RichmondTV Repairs
Posted at 08:58h in Uncategorized 0 Comments
We are excited to offer you quick and reliable service at an affordable price. We proudly serve both residential and commercial customers in the greater Richmond and surrounding communities. We believe that you, our customer, deserve quality repair and service for your televisions and other electronic devices.


text:
Album Review: Street Chant - Hauora
When questioned by UTR on the ever-elusive release date of Street Chant's second full-length record back in 2013, frontwoman Emily Littler cited a "bad combo" of laziness and perfectionist tendencies as a reason for the long gestation process. Almost three years on from that interview, the "def. not Means 2.0" follow-up is finally upon us in the form of Hauora. So what definitely does it sound like?...
Click here to read the review, and listen to lead single 'Insides' + check out tour dates below....
Street Chant 'Hauora' Release Tour
Friday 1st April, The Manor, Auckland (limited entry)
Saturday 2nd April, Golden Dawn, Auckland
Friday 8th April, Caroline, Wellington
Saturday 9th April, Great Job, Palmerston North
Friday 15th April, The Crown, Dunedin
Saturday 16th April, Darkroom, Christchurch
Saturday 29th April, Kings Arms, Auckland


text:
Dismissed teacher carries Teaching Service Commission to court – 2nd Jan 2013
The Teaching Service Commission is being dragged before the courts in a case being brought by a dismissed teacher who believes the commission went way too far into her personal life to determine her suitability as a teacher.
The teacher was dismissed after private cellphone photographs surfaced with her topless and some in a nude state. The photographs were apparently taken out by the teacher in the comfort of her home and sent to her husband via phone who lives overseas.
The husband apparently had another woman on the side where he lived and that woman gained access to his phone and the photographs and decided to upload the photos to a social media website.
The photographs caught the attention of education officials and one very senior official decided to push for the teacher's dismissal and the TSC followed that request and the teacher was fired.
The attorney for the teacher is contending that the TSC acted outside of its responsibility when it decided to fire the teacher for what was essentially a private matter between the woman and her husband and a situation that she was not directly responsible for, referring to the leaking of the photographs. If anything, she is the victim and became the victim twice another legal mind said.
This court case is expected to be an interesting one as it raises the issue of right to privacy in the social media age and an employer's reaction when dealing with that privacy.
Related posts
Comments (2)
concerning the recent posting of the preliminary list of appointments for 2013 i have observed that the teaching service commission has breech the criteria set out by them when they placed the DHM of Rose Hall Town Primary at Port Mourant Primary . this individual has not met the criteria required by the tsc. she was appointed to the post of DHM in september 2012. this mistake needs to be corrected.
This bit of writing is genuinely a fastidious one it assists
new internet viewers, that are wishing to opt for blogging.


text:
Presentado por
by Anna Haug
If you've reduced as many of your expenses as you can to save money but are looking to save more money and you own your own home, have you considered looking at your mortgage? Payments on that loan are most likely your biggest monthly expense. You may consider doing something now while interest rates remain very low.
Here are ways to reduce your home loan expense:
Refinancing at a lower rate can cut your monthly payments by hundreds of dollars. Refinancing a home loan is paying off the original mortgage and then applying for a new one with different terms with the same or different financial institution.
If you are thinking about refinancing your home mortgage loan, it's critical that you understand the average costs associated with refinancing, because this will help you determine whether or not to refinance your home loan. Some things to think about are the length of time you plan on spending in your home, the cost of refinancing that the financial institution charges and what you might save in interest.
For example, a $100,000 mortgage with a 5% interest rate you would be paying $537 in principal and interest monthly. By refinancing that same mortgage at a 3.92% interest rate your monthly payment would reduce to $472. Your monthly savings would be $65. However, it is important to remember the cost of refinancing which is usually about 3% of the loan amount. In our example, the cost would be about $3,000. It would take 4 years to break even on the amount paid on those closing costs.
Many financial institutions offer an even lower rate if you set up automatic mortgage payments from your account. It's an easy step and one less check to write each month. To pay bills automatically, you will have to have a checking or savings account. To set up payment, you will need to give certain information to the institution that you you're your mortgage with, such as the account number and routing number of your financial institution. Also, it is important to make sure that there are funds in that account to cover the bill monthly.
It is a good idea to ask the loan officers at your financial institution if lower fees are available on some mortgage costs. If you have good credit, the lender may even waive a few charges or offer lower charges. Some examples of fees charged are mortgage application fees, origination fees, attorney fees, appraisal fees along with several others.
If either you or your spouse has a low credit score (a common indicator to determine borrower risk) or if one of you is self-employed with not much income, consider taking the loan out only in the name of the person with the higher credit score or with more income. You still can have both names on the title, but only one name on the loan.
Also, check what you're paying in private mortgage insurance (PMI), if you have to pay it. PMI is insurance that lenders require from most home buyers who obtain loans for more than 80% of their new home's value. The Homeowner's Protection Act of 1988 requires mortgage lenders or servicers to automatically cancel PMI coverage on most loans once you pay down the mortgage to 78% of the value and are current on your loan.
Talk to a loan officer at your credit union for help with these decisions.
Published 07-05-2012.


text:
I LOVED seeing you at the reunion, the one thing I felt really bad about was that we got a quick hello in and then as I was leaving, I realized you had been down stairs all night and I could have come talked to you! Anyway, I think it is amazing how much you have been though and accomplished over the last 10 years- really amazing. You are so great (see over a blog comment, you don't have to respond to a compliment!). And if it makes you feel any better, I have never had amnesia but the reunion made me realize what a blur high school is now. I could recall names and recognize faces but I can hardly remember details about my favorite groups I was a part of. I haven't decided if it is sad or just a fact of life- new things replacing the old things and making those old things harder to remember. Thanks for the work you put in to make the reunion happen, I for one appreciate it!ReplyDelete
In the name of many affordable Louis Vuitton handbags in front of some people with the big slip, but in vain to back the brand Chanel handbags name is still aunt street; and smart fashion fine they will know how to use the same money to buy the noble fashion Rolex Air King section .If you have determined to get rid of Aunt, promotion of fashion fine, then first look at the luxury entry five best?Original Rolex Watches?and the most worthwhile investment in five international Omega Watches Replica big bar.As if the brand of Replica Tag Heuer had to recommend, can not find a reason not recommended.?
Louis Vuitton handbags
Rolex Air King
1:1 Replica Breitling Watches
Chanel handbags
Original Rolex Watches
Omega Watches Replica
Replica Tag Heuer


text:
Booking Flights
Just days after returning from Rome we've already begun planning for our next trip to Europe. I remember twenty-five years ago planning trips to Africa and Asia, doing the "hard travel" while I was young, and intentionally leaving Europe for when I was older. Now that time has arrived, and I am determined to enjoy staying in comfortable places, leaving the nights spent on the decks of lake steamers or in kimchi dens and nomiya as memories.
But in some ways travel has gotten harder. Sure the destinations we are picking like Ireland and Rome are much more suited for middle class, middle aged folk like us, but getting there is almost tougher today than traveling to Dar es Salaam was 25 years ago. And in surprising ways.
Take for example booking a flight. Today with the Internet and dozens of travel websites booking a flight should be easy, and it is – if cost or time aren't issues. In 1991 I exchanged emails with a travel agent that specialized in Japanese air tickets. I spent about 30 minutes total and had a round trip ticket booked from San Diego to Osaka for $630.
This past weekend the Wife spent about 2 hours bouncing from one travel site or airline website to another, trying to find flights to Europe that didn't break the bank or involve 16 hour layovers in Chicago for less than $1300. When she did find something, she looked at the available seats and discovered the fare was only for seats in the middle of the plane. Aisle seats and window seats were $60 more each leg of the trip. Adding that up for the two us made our tickets to Ireland from the East Coast close to $1,500 each. The ex-Navy enlisted Wife let out a string of sailor "language" that could peel paint, ending with the plaintive cry "How can the airlines get away with that?"
Competition, I said, or lack thereof. While the international market is relatively deregulated, American law prevents foreign carriers from flying domestic routes. This situation is made worse by the creation-by-merger of three mega-carriers within the USA. The result of that lack of competition is a textbook example of what happens when monopolies appear: prices rise and service declines. US carriers like that of course, which is why they have fought the European push to open the US market. Yes, the "Euroweenie socialists" are pushing the "capitalist running dog Americans" to free our markets. Of course the crony capitalists like United and American airlines won't give up so easily, so until they do we will suffer with rude airline attendants, overpriced flights and shrinking seats. But maybe it's time to forget our "freedom fries" (and honestly, after what happened in Paris, it definitely is time) and support our European cousins to save us from the American carriers (suggested American Airlines motto: "We suck but we don't care.")
The Byzantine booking systems on the Internet have resurrected a dying profession: travel agents. In fact for the first time in about 20 years we plan to visit one to book our next vacation. We'll gladly pay someone to find us the flights that fit our needs and our budget and skip the frustration.


text:
I recently wrote a simple PHP web app for creating Twitter data collection campaigns. It allows you to download hundreds of thousands of tweets [tested upto 1.2 million tweets on an Amazon EC2 instance] based on a specific set of keywords. The data it produces is stored in a MySQL database which can further be converted to a CSV or any other format of your choice.
The data collected is properly formatted and stored in a MySQL database, here are the fields that are recorded:
Fields per Tweet
Fields per Twitter User
The source code/app can be downloaded from here.
The instructions for its usage are detailed in this blog post.
Step 1: Create a database
Step 2: Create a new Twitter App [link]. Get your apps credentials from Twitter and add them up in db/140dev_config.php.
Step 3: Edit db/db_config.php to match your own MySQL database server settings
Step 4: Go to your MySQL database and import the database structure [mysql_database_schema.sql] inside the db folder into your database.
Before proceeding forward make sure that you have libssh2 installed on your server, if you haven't you'll have to install it now since the script requires the ssh2 library to create a new ssh session to its host machine and run the data collector script in a new screen session.
Ubuntu: sudo apt-get install libssh2-php
OPTIONAL: If you don't want the script to SSH into your machine you'll have to run your campaign yourself by running the following commands via a terminal on your host machine:
_php gettweets.php
_php parsetweets.php
Important : Don't forget to restart your webserver once the installation is complete.
Update SSH credentials to match those of your server in the file NiceSSH.class.php
Step 5 [the last step!]: Open up your Webserver to the directory of the TFDC project, and click on create a new campaign.
comments powered by Disqus


text:
Back to Manila
Hard to believe it's been a year since my last update. A lot has happened this year, which is why I spent more time living it than writing about it, but as I'm arriving back in the Philippines at this moment, it's clear the story must continue.
After returning home last January, Dr. David Ahearn from LaGrange College, Bill Duncan from (the church formerly known as) Druid Hills UMC, and I vowed to continue working with KKFI to further develop our bridge partnership with the United Methodist Church in the Philippines. It was clear after last year that the most efficient and transformative way we could help was to spread the word about sponsorships to get more kids into school. When Filipino children get scholarships, they're more likely to stay in school, gain an education, receive the nourishing meals that help them focus and grow physically, and avoid the dangerous work of trying to make money for their family by sorting through garbage for something of value to sell, or worse, selling their own bodies.
We have worked to continue our relationship with KKFI in Manilla by staying in contact and working together on their sponsorship brochures and creating a General Board of Global Ministries Advance number that directly supports KKFI. The more directly we can send funds, the quicker it goes to help transform the lives of Filipino students. It has been long and slow work, but progress is being made.
I was thrilled when my new church (yup, I moved churches this year…getting reappointed as associate pastor at Peachtree Rd UMC in June) agreed to sell "gift cards" at their annual missions fair. The purchase of these cards supported scholarships for elementary, high school, and college aged kids in the Philippines. With the church's generosity, we raised $750 to support 20 elementary/high school students and 7 college students for a month. That includes transportation, high protein meals, and school supplies or uniforms needed to help the students succeed. What's even more amazing is that every dollar raised is being matched by a generous donor from David's church, which doubles the number of students being helped.
Today, I'm excited to return to Manila and KKFI to reconnect with friends made and meet new faces along the way. My hope is that by sharing stories and bringing my readers along on the journey, even more people will gain a heart for supporting the ministry of KKFI and the amazing people in the Philippines, so more families will be able to break the cycle of poverty and dream of a future they never thought was possible.


text:
Now I've gotten smarter, I eat organic food cooked from simple, fresh ingredients. No more processed food laden with salt, sugar and chemicals. No thanks!
Have you heard of the "Daniel Plan"? It's a great way to get in shape and the cookbook features some really tasty recipes.
No diets, no feeling of depravation, but rather the best food you've ever tasted. When you eat clean, wholesome, nutritious food you eat less and lose weight without trying.
A plant based diet with all the colors of the rainbow that you've made from scratch is delicious. The only thing that can top that is when you grow the produce you cook. You don't know what you're missing if you haven't tasted a home grown tomato.
I'm going to share with you recipes and tips on how to cook delicious, nutritious food. I'll have resources for you to learn more about which foods to eat for optimal health. Subscribe to my blog to keep updated on the scrumptious things I'll be cooking in my kitchen. Talking about it is making me hungry. How about you?
10 Ways to Conquer Your Cravings


text:
Burn Permits
Open burning is allowed January 15th through May 1st of each year from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. All permit fires shall be out at 4:00 p.m.
If you need to obtain a burning permit, call or come into the fire station located at 95 High School Rd. Ext. Hyannis, MA after 9:30 AM.
The decision to burn is not made until after 9:30 a.m. each day depending on weather conditions. Do not call or come in until after 9:30 a.m.
Telephone number for permits is (508) 775-1300.
Open burning will be allowed only between the hours of 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and under atmospheric conditions specified by the Air Pollution Control District. Adverse meteorological conditions include rainy, foggy or snowy days when smoke would tend to stay on the ground. As the fire danger increases in April, burning permits may be limited from 10:00 a.m. until 12 noon.
In accordance with the regulations issued by the Southeastern Mass. Pollution Control District regarding open burning, the following applies:
The following material IS ALLOWED to be burned:
- Domestic tree trimmings and pruning
- Domestic garden preparation
- Commercial tree trimmings and pruning
- Maintenance of existing access ways
- Removal of driftwood from beach and shore areas
The following IS NOT ALLOWED to be burned:
- Articles during rain, fog or snowing conditions
- Grass, hay, leaves and pine needles
- Residential, industrial or commercial land clearing for site or road development
- Reduction of whole trees and stumps
- Reduction of material other than natural wood
- Reduction of construction or demolition materials
Open burning must be accomplished in accordance with the following:
- Without causing a nuisance
- With smoke minimizing starters
- On land proximate to the place of generation of such material or a at a place specifically designated on the permit
- At a location greater than 75 feet from any dwelling
- This permit is valid for the burning season and verbal authorization must be obtained by phone on the day you wish to burn
- A responsible person must be in attendance at all times while the fire is burning
Infraction to the above regulations may result in revocation of a permit and cancellation of open burning for the remainder of the open burning season for any violators.
The current staff of the Hyannis Fire DepartmentView Staff
The Chiefs Message
A special message from Chief Burke of Hyannis Fire DepartmentRead More
Photo Gallery
See what Hyannis Fire Department has been doing lately.View Photos


text:
Guangzhou Easyfun Animation Technology Co., Ltd is a professional manufacturer of 5d /7d cinema, 9d VR (9D virtual reality) cinema equipment, VR battle, HTC VR Space, VR Gatling, VR racing car simulator, VR horse, VR vibration, VR walker, , kid's VR and other VR Theme Park equipment. We have strong development team for producing cinema and movies and other animation products. Our factory is located in Guangzhou - the largest game machine production base in China.
Guangzhou Easyfun Animation Technology Co., Ltd was established in the year of 2005, located in Guangzhou –the largest animation production base in China. Easyfun is an enterprise which integrated development, design, production and sales, aiming to discover new technology and develop new products in both the entertainment and edutainment.


text:
As we drive on this road for the 300th time I notice ahead the open sky; it's really dark except for our headlights and the occasional string of Christmas wire wrapped around the old twigs of a windbreak near a farmhouse; actually it is probably more like the 100th; but ahead of us, so many thousands of miles north, patterns form like green ice in the sky, a projected forest so high and wide in scale it throws me back into the primeval. And then, as if to say this is what you're missing, a white falling star, like a single snowflake, disintegrates and dies up there, and I almost don't notice the six brown does crossing one by one from right to left at nearly midnight, moving while the hunters sleep.
thor progeny blog
[ the art of nature ]