text:
Imagine spending 18 days in the Kruger National Park? That's what we did during May this year, staying in eight Kruger campsites on our way from north to south. If you're thinking of doing it yourself, here's our advice on the campsites you should book and the routes you simply can't miss.
Also read: See the best of Kruger National Park in a 7-day road trip
We wanted to cover as much ground as possible, so our itinerary was as follows: two nights at Punda Maria Rest Camp, two nights at Shingwedzi Camp, two nights at Tsendze Rustic Camp, one night at Sable Hide, two nights at Balule Satellite Camp, three nights at Satara Rest Camp, four nights at Skukuza Rest Camp and two nights at Crocodile Bridge.
Punda Maria Rest Camp
We had a good look around at the different camping spots at Punda Maria (as it works on a first come, first served basis) and found a wonderful stand right next to the fence – our closest camping neighbours were 100 metres away.
Tips for Punda Maria campsite
- You can NEVER have enough extension cords. We truly had the best campsite of all, having enough extension to camp at any distance and still have power!
- While you're in this area you should visit the fever tree forest, which is close to the Pafuri port of entry into Mozambique (S63).
- Don't miss the Mahonie Loop (S99), which is well known for leopard and lion sightings. It truly felt like paradise. You're completely surrounded by lush big trees and an abundance of bird life. It's not really suited to seeing the Big 5, but a wonderful place to completely get away from it all.
- We stopped at Babalala picnic spot, which was the cleanest picnic area (with the best ablutions) of all the sites we saw in the park.
Shingwedzi Rest Camp
In the two days of travelling around Shingwedzi, we saw the elusive tsessebe antelope on the Old Main Road (S144). The campsites at Shingwedzi are quite nice, but it's very dry and does not have many trees for shade. It does however have a lovely swimming pool to cool down in the summer months, and the day visitor area and restaurant overlooks the beautiful Shingwedzi River.
Tips for Shingwedzi campsite
- 'Red Rocks' on the S52 Road is one of best places to spot elephant, lion as well as leopard: it's best to go there first thing in the morning to see animals drink water.
- Visit Tshanga Lookout just down the road, which overlooks a huge portion of Kruger.
Tsendze Rustic Camp
Amazing! This was our first time camping at this rustic campsite and it won't be our last. Tsendze has no electricity, but offers a communal gas freezer. The ablutions operate on solar power and have lovely outdoor showers.
Tips for Tsendze Rustic Camp
- All the campsites are amongst beautiful trees making you feel completely isolated from the rest of the world: but campsites three, 26, 27 and 28 were the best. You can pre-book an allocated campsite by contacting Mopani reservations.
- The camp manager, Rodger Hobyane, is also known as the 'Owl Man:' ask him where to find the resident scops owls and African barred owlets.
- The Shongololo Loop (S142) and the Tropic of Capricorn Loop (S143) are both great roads to see sightings of elephant, buffalo and lion.
Sable Hide
Did you know you can sleep in a bird hide? There are two – Shipandani Hide and Sable Hide. We found that Sable Hide is prettier, more spacious and we could park our car in the boma area (at Shipandani you have to park outside). The hide overlooks the beautiful Sable Dam, home to many waterbirds, hippos and has occasional visitors like leopard, lion, elephants and buffalo.
Tips for Sable Hide
- It can only be booked telephonically through SANParks – it's a little more expensive than the normal campsites, but so worth every cent.
- It can accommodate up to nine people at a time (you'll have the whole place to yourself though, even if you're just two).
Balule Satellite Camp
This scenic rustic camp is close to the main Olifants Rest Camp and right beside the Olifants River. The Balule campsite is clean, well maintained and all sites are offered on a first come, first serve basis. We travelled on the H8 from Olifants Camp and were lucky to find the elusive leopard, as well as buffalo, elephant, zebra and lots of different bird species. Balule is a lot like Tsendze also being quiet and so blissful and one really feels like you're deep in the African bush.
Tips for Balule Rustic Camp
- We were lucky to get camp 11, which was right next to the fence and overlooked the water.
- Keep your eyes peeled for wild dogs: there's a resident pack here, though we didn't have any luck spotting them.
- I recommend the S89, S91 and S92 to see a variety of wildlife.
- There's also a communal fridge and freezer and they make use of paraffin lamps in the ablutions for light.
Satara Rest Camp
For at least three months prior to our visit to the Kruger National Park, we were dreading what Satara and surroundings would look like because of the severe drought, but we were pleasantly surprised. We saw the Big 5 at least three times during our three days there! We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Satara and it was one of our top three campsites during our stay at Kruger.
Tips for Satara Rest Camp
- Do a sunset drive: you get half-daylight and half-night drive in one – and it's not freezing! We went along the H1-3 to Kumana Dam and back, where we saw a beautiful lioness with nine cubs lying on the road; leopard, elephant, buffalo; and many nocturnal animals such as black-backed jackal, porcupine and bushbabies.
- I also recommend travelling on the H7 and surrounding roads for the best sightings.
- For lunch, either stop off at the scenic Timbavati Picnic Spot, which is always brimming with birds, or N'wanetsi Picnic spot, which has a lookout at the picnic spot.
- The S100 has always been the number one road to travel on to see a good variety of wildlife. We came across a big pride of lions here, including the only white male lion in the whole park.
Skukuza Rest Camp
Skukuza campsite is the hub of the park, a small Johannesburg if you will. It's often full of foreign tourists that enter the park with the game vehicles from the surrounding private lodges that border the Kruger Park. The camping grounds were nice, but we were disappointed in many ways. For the first two nights we heard the singing and shouting of a staff party, there's a large number of vehicles driving around at night (sometimes until 11 or 12) and we also had the misfortune of having campers next to us who partied for three days straight. All bad things aside, it was wonderful that my mom could fly into Skukuza Airport, which was so beautiful and the staff are all so friendly and happy to assist.
Having my mom around as a first time visitor was wonderful, but we won't hurry to stay at Skukuza again.
Tips for Skukuza
- The highlight of our stay at Skukuza was our early morning drive to Mathekanyane Lookout where we had a lovely cup of coffee with Ouma rusks, while watching the sunrise.
- We drove on many of the roads, but the river road (H4-1) towards Lower Sabie is the best for sightings. It's like a highway as there's plenty vehicle traffic, but still worth doing.
Crocodile Bridge Rest Camp
Crocodile Bridge has always been a favourite to us. It's small, intimate, quiet and green – plus there's the vast variety of wildlife. After 16 days of camping, we decided to stay in a safari tent. The campsite is beautiful and lovely, but we were so excited to sleep in a soft bed again. The tent had a braai stand outside and a fridge inside with fresh clean linen. One of the most popular roads is definitely the S28 where multiple sightings of leopard, lion, wild dog as well as cheetah have been reported. Another great road to take is the road to Duke's Dam (S137) where a resident python has been seen eating an impala and a big pride of lions. On a previous visit we saw at least 37 lions at Duke's Dam of which 19 were cubs.
Our advice for visiting Kruger
We had a wonderful 18 days in the Kruger National Park traveling from north to south. If anyone wants to do a trip like we have, we truly recommend staying at our five favourites: Tsendze, Sable Sleepover Hide, Balule, Satara and Crocodile Bridge. They are all different, in many ways, and it will be a trip to remember. If you are passionate campers like we are then I suggest staying at least three nights at each with the exception of Sable Hide. Make sure to pack in some long six-inch nails and washers instead of tent pegs – we've learnt after struggling to hit the pegs in to the hard ground and they've also come in handy for the braai stands that don't have pins to adjust the level. We were very sad to leave Kruger and pass out over the Crocodile River back to reality, but it will most definitely not be our last trip.


text:
Weekends are my favorite.
For no particular reason. I don't necessarily have more time.
In fact, I generally have less time than I do on weekdays.
I also manage to get less done, which ends up bothering me more that it should.
But! The possibility of vast stretches of free time is intoxicating.
Or I've just been conditioned by societal rhythm.
Either way.
- -- - -- - -- - -- - --
The only picture I took this weekend, drunkenly in a parking lot somewhere in Northern Virginia.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Sacramento/Mark Twain
"The radical invents the views. When he has worn them out the conservative adopts them." (all quotes by) Mark Twain
"Whenever you find that you are on the side of the majority, it is time to reform."
"The rule is perfect: in all matters of opinion our adversaries are insane."
"Loyalty to petrified opinions never yet broke a chain or freed a human soul in this world — and never will."
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts."
"I remember when I was a boy and I heard repeated time and time again the phrase, 'My country, right or wrong, my country!' How absolutely absurd is such an idea. How absolutely absurd to teach this idea to the youth of the country."
"None but the dead have free speech."
No comments:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
|Property type
|Minimum Stay
|0 - 7 nights
Property details
3-room apartment 80 m2, on the ground floor, south facing position. Spacious and bright, practical and modern furnishings: open large living/dining room 40 m2 with dining table, cable TV, international TV channels, radio and CD-player. Exit to the patio. 1 large double bedroom 20 m2 with 1 double bed (2 x 90 cm, length 200 cm), bath/WC. Exit to the patio. 1 double bedroom 11 m2 with 1 french bed (1 x 160 cm, length 200 cm). Large, open kitchen (4 hot plates, oven, dishwasher, 4 ceramic glass hob hotplates, microwave, electric coffee machine). Sep. WC. Floor heating. Patio, garden, lawn 40 m2. Terrace furniture, deck chairs. View of the mountains and the resort. Facilities: iron, children's high chair, baby cot for up to 2 year olds (extra), hair dryer. Internet (WiFi, free). Please note: suitable for families. Non-smokers only. 1 pet/ dog allowed.
building and outdoor:
Child friendly 2-family house von Allmen, detached. In the centre of Wilderswil, in a central, quiet, sunny position in the residential district, south facing position. For shared use: well-kept garden (fenced) with lawn and trees. Private: terrace, garden furniture, parking (for 2 cars) at the house. Grocery, restaurant 50 m, railway station Wilderswil 100 m, outdoor swimming pool 4.3 km, indoor swimming pool 1.8 km, bathing lake 6.5 km. Golf course (18 hole) 6.5 km, indoor tennis centre 1.2 km, mountain railway 17 km, gondola lift 17 km, skisport facilities 17 km, ice field 2 km. Nearby attractions: Interlaken 4 km, Jungfraujoch, Schilthorn. Well-known ski regions can easily be reached: Grindelwald/Männlichen/Lauberhorn, Schilthorn. Well-known lakes can easily be reached: Thuner- und Brienzersee.
This partner has demonstrated and is committed to fast response times, the best rates, and a great guest experience.
*Plus compulsory or optional charges based on actual occupancy or consumption. The payment has to be made in the currency offered by the property manager, before use of conversion tool. Payments in other currencies have to be negotiated beforehand with the property manager. The currency conversion tool is provided for your convenience only and is non-binding.


text:
I'm A Cyborg, But That's OK
Warning: I was watching this film on crappy Youtube picture. Also, I imagine translating Korean to English is not very easy, but at times the subtitles were completely nonsensical. That being said, here we go.
This, I imagine, must've been Park Chan-wook's stroll to the other side of cinema. Made in 2006, right after completion of his Vengeance trilogy with Sympathy for Lady Vengeance, it is the complete opposite of his previous works. While, yes, it does retain the general themes of his--particularly, revenge--it is done through absurdity, surrealism, and humor.
"A girl who thinks she is a combat cyborg checks into a mental hospital, where she encounters other psychotics. Eventually, she falls for a man who thinks he can steal people's souls."
Starring Im Su-jeong, from A Tale of Two Sisters , as the almost-titular Young-goon, the girl who thinks she's a cyborg. She is admitted after, at her factory job, cutting her wrist open, putting a wire in, and plugging it into a socket. This is interpreted as a suicide attempt, but, to her, she was just following the instructions of her transmitter radio, who tells her, among other cyborg-related business, that this will recharge her.
She soon meets a young man named Il-sun, played by Rain (apparently a Big Deal in Korea, a pop star crossing over into acting, but I don't suppose he ever got big over here, except I think he was in Speed Racer, and I know he starred in Ninja Assassin, which my sister saw, and now she's in love with him or something). Anyway, he is described as an anti-social, kleptomaniac schitzophrenic who frequently steals not only people's things, but their traits and attributes, until he is done with them. He also thinks he's going to shrink into a dot, prompting him to manically brush his teeth when nervous or upset, because, as he puts it, "When the teeth start to go, it's all over". Or something to that effect, I'm paraphrasing. And he wears homemade bunny masks a lot, something I will assume Park got from Donnie Darko, because honestly, that is my fangirl fantasy.
Yeah, she approaches him one day, begging him to steal her sympathy (one of the 7 Deadly Cyborg Sins) so that she may kill the 'men in white', who took her grandmother, also mentally ill (she thought she was a mouse), away.
Dude, this movie is, for lack of a better word, precious. Adorable, really. It's how quirky-couple comedies should be. Performances from the two main leads are whimsically weird, absolutely sweet and innocent, in a twisted way. Im, especially, has a permanent look of confused wonder on her face, that can only be expected from womanchilds of Young-goon's calibre. Rain is more game than you'd expect of a pop star crossing over (though, I can only speak for the American sort), and is absolutely good as a guy spending most of his time being actively despised by the rest of the equally demented, anarchic patients, each portrayed delightfully and ridiculously by their actors, as they all atribute every lost item, talent, or trait to him, even the ones he didn't steal.
Overall, funny and sweet and kind of heartbreaking, surreal and extremely weird.
PS Have you ever heard yodelling in Japanese? It's probably the greatest thing ever.


text:
- To explore the creativity of the students in creating best out of waste
- To generate "Cash out of Trash"
- To teach students on the creative and practical solutions to the burning problem of solid waste management
Friday, May 17, 2013
My Sustainable Dream: Trash Art
11 comments:
creativity and cash out of trash while saving environment, awesome !!ReplyDelete
Great initiative Anjany. I look forward to seeing the things the children create!ReplyDelete
Awesome concept...mobilization of students (the young minds) and exploring their creativity.. and what better than turning cash out of trash...all the best.ReplyDelete
Continuation of cool initiation.Great!! Count me in for this campaign.ReplyDelete
This is awesome, good luck! :)ReplyDelete
creativity, environment friendly, economic turnout along with a good culture to build up among the upcoming generation...a cool and innovative idea...keep it up anjani... :)ReplyDelete
"CASH OUT OF TRASH" plus "ART" some thing brilliant and interested topic for both students and those who will teach 'em..... Today's ENVIRONMENT will definitely say "Thankyou for keeping me as beautiful as I am..... :)"ReplyDelete
great work, make it happenReplyDelete
Wow great initiation! I am also part of your campaign! I know some devotees in 3R,Mr Bijay Prajapati and Mr. Raju Khadaka, who can be a great help, , for this project. Guess you know them. If not let me know:)ReplyDelete
'cash out of trash'= 'best out of waste'ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJune 22, 2013 at 9:38 AM
Great idea Anjani ! I also feel that young students are the best target group to initiate such activities because they are the future of nation. If they are taught in young than surely the future Nepal will be more clean. I think it would be better to develop thrash arts and educational equipments that can be use in the schools and class rooms. Students can create arts and display them in the classrooms or they can demonstrate in the school exhibition day where parents and other people can see and appreciate their arts. Similarly it would also be appreciable to teach teacher to develop educational and teaching maters from thrash.ReplyDelete
Keep it up


text:
Providing the world with our high class Amusement Equipments, like Roller Coaster, Ferris Wheel, Big Pendulum and Travel to Space that give a euphoric feeling and long-lasting experience...
About Us
Amusements parks, theme parks, fairs and adventure hotspots witness greater footfall than any other tourist attractions worldwide. People give equal importance to enjoyment in life as much they give to their work. In a quest for a place where they can relax, escape the stress of daily life, enjoy, have great food experiences and make memories to cherish for lifetime, people prefer to visit amusement parks with their family and friends, for a perfect one day getaway.
The rides of these parks are adventurous and give the craziest adrenaline rush. Furnishing these parks with engineering marvels, we, Xinjiang Huatong Taike Amusement Equipment Co. Ltd. are serving the clients with extensive variety of Amusement Equipments. Established in the year 2003, we have managed to become the most reputed name in the industry. We are prominent Manufacturer and Exporter dedicated to supply the clients with a vast assortment of Amusement Equipments such as Ferris Wheel, Roller Coaster, Low Trailing Cableway, Sounding Shuttle, Luxury Turn, Magic Carpet, etc., these
equipments have special steel elements that provide them with
earthquake protective cover. Further, these possess high safety
features. They are available with different sizes, each of which gives a
thrilling experience, which we can go find nowhere else.
In this business environment which is full of competition, our company is striving hard to become the market leader. Through our motivated workforce and technologically advanced production methods, we are continuously making efforts to come up with an innovative equipment that gives differentiated and more interesting experience. The company is also adding more and more machinery in its well-equipped infrastructure to strengthen and expand the manufacturing capacity of the plant. Our equipments are widely demanded in the international market due to the following reasons:
- Strict adherence to the quality standards and safety measures.
- Prompt delivery of orders worldwide.
- Customizations as per customer specifications.
In order to achieve organizational objectives, the employees of our company cooperate and coordinate with one another to work as a team and accomplish their goals effectively. The combined efforts of each member of the company enables smooth and timely completion of all the tasks with ease and manufacture a fault-free range of amusement equipments. Their unified efforts help in satisfying the customers by overlooking their desires and fulfilling them efficiently. The sense of unity in our organization increases the morale of the employees and they work with greater zeal and dedication to manufacture excellent range of equipments.


text:
By John Gruber
Strong words from Wincent Colaiuta:
This is not the first security disgrace for WordPress and it's exactly this kind of flaw which makes it impossible to recommend WordPress as a public-facing web application. In fact, it's not just that I can't recommend installing it; it's that it would be irresponsible to do anything but recommend that people uninstall it.
★ Thursday, 21 June 2007


text:
I tried to set aside some time over the last few days to get the Christmas stuff strewn around the house.
I haven't done it though, for some reason I just haven't felt like it.
I did a little, but I should probably do more, but meh….
You know that feeling?
I'm going to go into my daughter's elementary school tomorrow and help wrap for the Christmas bake sale that's scheduled for this weekend. Maybe that'll help get me in the holiday mood.
If that doesn't work I think I'll go and buy some egg nog.
Because with egg nog? There's rum.
And if rum and egg nog can't get one in the mood for the season, then nothing's gonna work.
Happy holiday preparation, everyone….


text:
Does your BlackBerry need a health assessment? Are you considering a repair? If so, check out the BlackBerry Virtual Expert (BBVE), a simple, self-guided diagnostic app for BlackBerry smartphones.
Depending on what type of smartphone you are using, you can run tests to help identify if an issue is occurring and get recommendations on how to solve the problem.
To help you get started with BBVE, here's a quick overview of how to use this app and what to do if a tests fails.
How to use the BlackBerry Virtual Expert
If you are using BlackBerry 10 OS version 10.2.1, BlackBerry Virtual Expert is built in and can be found by opening the Help app followed by tapping Testing along the bottom toolbar. Within this screen, tap Try this now to open BBVE.
For smartphones running BlackBerry OS version 10.2 or earlier, or BlackBerry OS version 7.1 and earlier, to use BBVE you need to install it first.
To do this, open BlackBerry World on your smartphone and search for "BlackBerry Virtual Expert," or use the following steps to scan a barcode. After installation is complete, look for the BBVE icon that appears on your home screen.
After opening the BBVE, the Health tab appears by default which allows you to identify basic details about your smartphone and quickly access specific settings.
If you select Tests along the bottom toolbar, you can run all of the available tests at once or test a specific feature. To test everything at once, tap All Tests or select a specific feature or function you'd like to test.
If you have concerns about your headphone jack for example, select Audio Test to run a variety of audio-related tests, or optionally select Choose A Test followed by tapping on the specific test you'd like to run.
When you start testing a feature, follow the instructions displayed on your smartphone and complete the required actions followed by recording a result: Pass , Skip , or Fail . When all of the selected tests are completed you are shown your results indicating what passed, what tests were skipped, and of course, any tests that may have failed.
One of the BBVE tests failed! Help!
Should a test fail while using BBVE, after reviewing the suggestions on the Results tab, here are a few things you can do to help get an issue resolved efficiently.
Step 1 – Summarize the issue
Creating a summary of the issue you are encountering and recording what troubleshooting steps you have already taken is a great step that helps our support teams better assist you. In addition to creating a summary, obtain your BlackBerry smartphone details using the steps below.
Step 2 – Back up your device
When you contact support for a potential repair issue, they will guide you through this process, so doing this before you contact support can help speed things along.
If you are using a BlackBerry 10 smartphone, download and install BlackBerry Link for PC or Mac so you can back up your smartphone. For help backing up and restoring your smartphone data, please review the BlackBerry Link User Guide for PC or Mac.
If you are using a BlackBerry OS device, download BlackBerry Desktop Software to back up your smartphone. For help backing up and restoring your data, review the BlackBerry Desktop Software user guide (PC, Mac).
Step 3 – Use self-service support options
Step 4 – Contact your service provider or visit a BlackBerry Expert Center
If you are still unable to resolve the issue, consider contacting your service provider or BlackBerry Expert Center for additional assistance. As mentioned earlier, having your smartphone details and a summary of troubleshooting performed will help out whoever is assisting you with the issue.
For help contacting your service provider, search using your favorite browser for your service provider's support website.
Depending on where you are located, you may have the option of visiting a BlackBerry Expert Center. For help finding a BlackBerry Expert Center near you, check out the following link: Find help at a BlackBerry Expert Center.
Frequently asked questions
Why does BlackBerry Virtual Expert need permission X, Y & Z?
For BBVE to perform specific tests, select permissions must be enabled the first time you open BBVE. You can optionally disable some or all permissions but keep in mind any tests requiring disabled permissions will not work. If you run a test that requires a specific permission such as the ability to use the camera, you will receive a notification to update your permission settings.
What tests does BBVE include?
Depending on which type of BlackBerry model you are using, available tests include:
Where can I learn more about BlackBerry Virtual Expert?
If you are using a BlackBerry 10 smartphone, check out our web-based training for an interactive overview of how to use this application or use the Help app on your smartphone and search for "BlackBerry Virtual Expert."
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Troubleshooting issues using the BlackBerry Virtual Expert
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Hi, can anyone tell me if there is a mobprog patch for 3.0bpl1 ? If not, can you tell me how to get the one for 2.2 working on a 3.0? thanks :) Nic Suzor +-----------------------------------------------------------+ | Ensure that you have read the CircleMUD Mailing List FAQ: | | http://cspo.queensu.ca/~fletcher/Circle/list_faq.html | +-----------------------------------------------------------+
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : 12/18/00 PST


text:
This is a travel post about a trip I haven't taken yet.
But I know how it's going to go. It will be more or less the trip of a lifetime, in fact (another trip of a lifetime, as it were). I know already what I will savor, and it won't be the monuments or the special museum tours or even really the scenery.
I am going to a place where I need no friends, no itineraries, where I need nothing more than people in the streets speaking the native language, which feels at once thrillingly novel to me and cozily familiar.
I am going, but of course, to Italy -- where I once lived (and thrived, as only one can in Italy). And I plan to feast on every encounter with every barista, every bite of my favorite ciambellina pastry, every tinkle of spoons as I stir a cappuccino in a caffe, every moment at the bus stop chiacchierando with an older signora about what's keeping the bus from arriving.
I wouldn't normally be so cocky about the future – as anyone knows, life has a way of surprising you, especially life on trips.
But two years ago, I spent 5 days in Italy and the mind-blowing, mind-altering success of the trip was evident within a few hours on the ground, when a man holding a motorcycle helmet walked into a coffee bar by the Campidoglio in Rome. Clearly a regular, he jutted out his chin and exchanged a look with the barista that wordlessly conveyed, "Do you see what I'm saying?" and "Can you believe that?" Where both parties knew exactly what "that" referred to. For his part, the barman, drying a glass behind the counter, shot the customer one quick glance that seemed to say, "Oh finally you're here!" and "What a day we're having!"
I nibbled on my schiacciata with prosciutto crudo, and watched, in hopes the conversation-cum-afternoon chronicle would continue.
Then I returned to the hotel in Rome where I would be staying just a single night, and sitting in the window sill of my second-story room, I looked out over the narrow, cobblestone street below as a Roman toddler biked back and forth in front of his mother's shop. I wondered for a moment, what could someone do with only 24 hours in Rome? That was all the time I had given myself in the Eternal City before moving on to Florence.
Watching through the spaces of the 'H' and the 'O' in the vertical hotel sign attached to the building, as the toddler wheeled around on his bike and his mother and grandfather offered commentary, I concluded you could do so much in 24 hours.
As for the particulars, well, I am going to Torino (with quick stops in Milan and the countryside outside of Torino). I've kept the trip largely secret from American friends -- what I call a 'pearl in my pocket,' an idea I trot out for a precious audience of one, savoring the thought that I will soon be there -- largely because any time I am going to Italy, it feels impossible. Impossibly wonderful, impossibly special, impossible that it will really happen. When you want something so much, you fear anyone could pry your little dream from you. Italy will never be a casual tourist destination for me -- like that old boyfriend of yours whom you cannot see without wondering what could have been (in my case, quite literally, the 'boyfriend' in question IS Italy. Hence the analogy).
In any event, I will be going there in May to attend one of Italy's biggest book fairs, il Salone del Libro.
But really I will be going there to eavesdrop on conversations, to saunter through the streets, to wait expectantly at the counter of a caffe in the hopes a man holding a motorcycle helmet comes by to entertain me with a little display of the Italian national character. It's worth the plane fare, alone.


text:
As usual after a spell of hot weather it is raining and the wind has got up. My tiny roof room is rocked by the gusts of wind and the rain thumps on the glass of the windows asking to be let in to whip and soak the curtains. Behind the glass the fields are black despite the moon and the sheep huddle in corners under the hedges. I can't see them either, but I know they are there just as I know that the hares are leaping in the field as they catch raindrops in their wide open pink mouths.
The chimney stack looks so lonely made stark by the moon. It's a lonely night, so it fits in well, and I can hear the plings as the raindrops fall on the new tin roof of our neighbours new shed. They must have put it up while we weren't here and it sits invisible in their garden below. I can't see the shed any more than I can see the fox or the seals, the sheep or the hares, but I know it is there just as I know that on a night such as this the villagers from long ago go about their business on the lane beneath my window.
Yes tonight, just as on so many nights, I am struck by the moonlight and my head turns. Reality and imagination become one as I drift on the wind – one minute a leaf tossed and scattered, the next an owl seeking a vole for my dinner. I become part of the landscape as I drift, a raindrop running down my window watching me as I doze under the covers, a gust of wind as I whip around the chimney stack and am blown away to the mountain, then on to the moon.
This place always does this to me. It makes me open, that is why I came here and I wonder what it will be like when I leave? Will the hares still leap and the seals still roll? Will I still tumble and toss on the wind and find myself in every drop of scattered rain that smashes against that window? Will I join the villagers in the lane stoically going about their business?
Will I?


text: I know, we didn't need IDEO to tell us that. These are really interesting interaction concepts that were done as studies by IDEO into the future of reading. There seem to be plenty of opportunities to augment and enhance your reading experience, now that books are digital. I also really love the quality and flavor of this simple movie.


text:
This collection documents the life and activities of Russian émigré journalist and social worker Irene Graham (1910-1996) and Russian émigré composer Arthur Lourie (1892-1966). The papers are organized in five series.Series 1: Correspondence, 1921-1996, 1 linear foot, contains correspondence of Irene Graham, which is further divided into four subseries: Cataloged Correspondence; Arranged Correspondence; Outgoing Correspondence, and Professional Correspondence. This series contains Graham's correspondence with leading Russian intellectuals, such as Ivan Bunin, Aleksei Remizov, Nikolai Evreinov, Viktor Mamchenko, and many famous musicians, such as Alain Malreaux, Gidon Kremer, and others. These subseries are organized alphabetically by correspondent and each folder is arranged in chronological order. Most unidentified correspondence has been placed in the beginning of the subseries. Series 2: Writings, 1942-1996, 1.75 linear feet, reflects Irene Graham's journalist's career both in Shanghai and the U.S. This material is organized by type and consists of drafts and research notes, published and unpublished essays, short stories and libretto arranged in alphabetical order. Clippings are arranged in chronological order. This series also includes one folder with writings by other authors. The series is further divided into four subseries.Series 3: Personal Materials, 1948-1996, 0.2 linear feet, consists of Irene Graham's financial statements, copyright statement and personal documents. Series 4: Photographs, 1930s-1990s, 0.3 linear feet, contains cataloged and arranged photographs of Irene Graham and her contemporaries, as well as slides and negatives. Series 5: Arthur Lourie Papers, 1941-1996, 0.75 linear feet, consists of correspondence related to his family and professional activities, music scores, mostly copyists' manuscripts, personal documents, photographs, published music and writings about him. The series is organized alphabetically and each folder is arranged in chronological order.
Menu Tools


text:
Yes, put your sun shades on. This project is a little "blingy" for my liking.
Stampin Up used to run these contests for future publications on how their products could be used. Karina keeps encouraging all of us to enter these contests. So, this month I even planned on doing it! I had this project finished by the middle of September and planned to post it to SLC.
Well, this morning, the last day of September I thought I will post it today and that way it will have the September 30, 2012 postage stamp on it and all will be good! However, while reading the fine print on the entry submission I find out it had to be in SLC today, not leaving Edmonton (oooops).
So here is my project:
- the card stock color is gumball green
- the tree is made from the Petal Cone Bigz Die
- the snowflakes are stamped with Versa Mark from the Snowflake Soiree Stamp set and embossed with Silver Embossing Powder
- rhinestones in the center of the snow flakes
- the tree decoration is made with the Snow Flurry Bigz Die - the big snow flake is cut from Very Vanilla paper and then Dazzling details rubbed over it, the smaller snow flake is cut from Silver Glitter paper
Hope this inspires your own creativity...


text:
Remember those ADORABLE tepees I posted about a few weeks back? They are now available to purchase and even better, you can get some at a discount today on Brickyard Buffalo! Quantities are limited so act fast.
If you have any products you'd like cute pictures of, contact me today! I would love to create beautiful pictures showing off your designs.


text:
This week the "usual suspects" are Counterfeit Chic and China Law Blog. Their postings about intellectual property in China were concentrated on Tuesday.
Monday, September 25
Tuesday, September 26
Counterfeit Chic' Knockoff News 33 supplied a mer à boire for IPR in China:
Alex Littlefield wrote for Radar Online the article Knockoff Nation with great pictures, here.
Oupa Segalwe reported for All Africa about South Africa Revenue Services' Commissioner Pravin Gordhan and the Chinese Minister General Administration of Customs Mu Xinsheng, signed an agreement to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two countries' customs administrations in order to combat the smuggling of counterfeit goods. Read here.
The European Union and China increase customs cooperation to fight terrorism and counterfeiting. To hasten checks at Rotterdam in the Netherlands, Felixstow in Britain and Shenzhen in China, a pilot project with container screening technology will be set up with the participation of Hutchison Whampoa of Hong Kong, a conglomerate controlled by Li Ka- shing, Hong Kong richest business man. Read Bloomberg and Reuters story that was run by the International Herald Tribune here.
Dan Harris of China Law Blog has a good post about Trademark Law and refered to his article he wrote for the China Trade Law Report here.
China Law Blog had also a post about the US-China Business Council (USCBC) 2006 survey about the perception of American companies on the operating and investment climate in China, as well as China's progress in implementing its WTO commitments, including IPR enforcement, see here.
"IPR enforcement ranks as third most important operating issue. IPR propetection's dip in this year's rankings may reflect the greater immediate concerns confronted on the human resources and licensing fronts. It may also reflect the business community's view that the PRC central government now acknowledges the importance of IPR enforcement and is taking steps to address it, although problems remain in the implementation of laws at the provincial and local levels."
"For the second straight year, most respondents (57 percent) reported that China's IPR enforcement had remained unchanged, though 33 percent reported some progress. The remaining 10 percent of respondents said enforcement had deteriorated. These results are slightly better than 2005, when 59 percent of respondents reported no change in China's IPR enforcement, 26 percent noted some improvement, and 11 percent indicated deterioration in enforcement."
"The survey further asked respondents about specific legal changes that China has made in the past year. In April 2006, China issued new rules for transferring IPR cases fro criminal prosecution. Thirty-five percent of survey respondents indicated that these rules, plus the Supreme People's Court 2004 judicial interpretation on IPR, had not improved the prospects for criminal prosecution of IPR violations. Thirteen percent of companies noted that it was easier to effect criminal prosecutions. Another 30 percent indicated it was too early to assess the new rules."
"The legal framework for IPR, as distinct from enforcement of those laws, ranked among the top 10 concerns in 2003, 2004, and 2005, but fell to 11th place in the 2006 survey, reflecting the continuing build-up of IPR regulations. Enforcement of those regulations, however, will likely remain among the top priorities for companies doing business in China for the foreseeable future."
Source: USCBC 2006 report pages 4 and 5, here (pdf).
Wednesday, September 27
Thursday, September 28
Friday, September 29


text:
Sep 15,2006
Community Ice Cream Social Kicks-off School Bond Campaign
by Bend Weekly News Sources
Central Oregonians for Responsible Education (CORE) invite the public to an ice cream social to celebrate the pay-off of millions in school bonds and to kick-off the 2006 Bend-La Pine Schools construction bond campaign.
The event will take place Tuesday, September 19 from 5:00--6:00 p.m. on the lawn at the Bend-La Pine Schools Education Center located at 520 NW Wall Street. Former Bend Mayor Oran Teater will address attendees at 5:30 pm.
Organizers say community support for the event has been fantastic. "There will be a DJ, live music and root-beer floats for all attendees," said CORE Co-chair Peggy Kinkade. "We'll also be burning the retired bonds that taxpayers have paid off -– it's just like putting a match to a paid mortgage."
Attendees can also pick up car window signs and yard signs at the event and volunteer to help with the campaign.


text:
Still a child, chasing my destiny.12:26 AM
It is comforting to realize that my heart is still young; that I am a child yet.
The world is cold and terrifying and unfriendly. Life is a complicated thing, ever so much more confusing that I once thought it would be. Sometimes the days wear me out so that I want to fall into the deepest of slumbers and never wake up. The dreams I built for years seem even farther away, perhaps unattainable, and I am tempted to settle for less. For security, for comfort, for the ease of normality.
But then words touch my heart. The lines of a poem. The prose of an artist. And I can hear the wind talking to me through the window pane, and the sun beats down on my head with the pressure of a warm embrace, and the raindrops pelt my skin and send shivers up my spine. And I want nothing but to walk the road, run the secret pathways, and lie down in the tall, tangled grass and feel the comfort of the earth beneath me. I shut my eyes and listen to stories that have never been told, and would be sacrilege to repeat. And when I open my eyes, there are pictures in the clouds.
My heart soars. I am alive. And life IS a beautiful thing. And I will work, and wait, and chase the dreams I have been given, with the fire that is burning in my heart. I will not settle. My soul will not grow old. I will be a child, who dreams, and laughs, and dances.
I owe my God my life and breath. He is indescribably glorious, and He has given me a destiny. And I am ready for it.


text:
AutoZone 1 ReviewsCar auto parts
Hello, I bought car parts in kudzu. Really your services is good. I am very happy. I suggest you to get your car accessories here https://goo.gl/HExzVy.
Z Auto Parts 1 ReviewsCar Cover
the Car Cover very important to buy a heavy duty car cover to preserve a vehicle from sunlight and moisture. Visit Us @ https://www.carcover.com/
AutoBerry 10 ReviewsBest convertible top company
purchase a top from a different company and had to return it, then purchased one from AutoBerry and what a quality, wish i went with them first! Excellent product and service
Crazy Stereo 19 ReviewsFast service
The speed of the service was incredible, done in a few hours and at a great price. I had a 10" subwoofer installed and got tints on all my windows. Again, can't say enough about this place, my Bass is bumping through the streets.
I & R Auto Accessories 1 ReviewsAutomotive Mechanic Tools
I & R Auto Accessories offers wide range of all kind of quality automotive special/professional mechanic tools, car diagnostic tools, testing gauge and shop equipments for technicians/mechanics at affordable prices.I have already taken their services to repaired my car. If you are looking for any other Automotive service center, there is Tech Pro Auto & Tools situated at Toronto, Ontario, Canada offers in retail and wholesale all kinds of automotive professional mechanic tools. Check out huge range of Cooling System Tools, including car diagnostic tools, testing gauge and shop equipments for technicians/mechanics online with in your budget. Source : techprotools dot blogspot dot com


text:
The October 2010 Daring Bakers challenge was hosted by Lori of Butter Me Up. Lori chose to challenge DBers to make doughnuts. She used several sources for her recipes including Alton Brown, Nancy Silverton, Kate Neumann and Epicurious.
I've rejoined Daring Bakers, and this month's challenge, hosted by Lori of Butter Me Up, was called Lets Go Nuts for Doughnuts. I'd been tempted by a mini doughnut pan a week before, so this was a perfect opportunity to indulge! A number of recipes were suggested, but I ended up a basic cake doughnut recipe from the Wilton Mini Doughnut pan (the recipe was very similar to the Buttermilk Cake Doughnut recipe provided.) I used Better Batter gluten free flour mix instead of the cake flour called for in the recipe, and they turned out great. I kept it simple -- glazed them with chocolate and sprinkled them with colorful sprinkles. Many doughnuts were consumed that night, but I froze the rest -- they defrost easily, but I confess I later discovered that they are quite tasty frozen as well!
Thanks for a fun challenge!


text:
Starcrossed #3
Published May 28th, 2013
Young Adult Paranormal Fantasy
Premise:After accidentally unleashing the gods from their captivity on Olympus, Helen must find a way to re-imprison them without starting a devastating war. But the gods are angry, and their thirst for blood already has a body count.To make matters worse, the Oracle reveals that a diabolical Tyrant is lurking among them, which drives a wedge between the once-solid group of friends. As the gods use the Scions against one another, Lucas's life hangs in the balance. Still unsure whether she loves him or Orion, Helen is forced to make a terrifying decision, for war is coming to her shores.In Josephine Angelini's compelling conclusion to the masterfully woven Starcrossed trilogy, a goddess must rise above it all to change a destiny that's been written in the stars. With worlds built just as fast as they crumble, love and war collide in an all-out battle that will leave no question unanswered and no heart untouched.
Get your copy!
My thoughts:
Warning: This is the third and last installment in the Starcrossed trilogy. If you haven't read the previous books in this series, I strongly advice you to go read them first before reading this review, because you might get spoiled.
This is a decent conclusion to the amazing world of Starcrossed. And that is precisely what I always loved most about this series, the world and the mythology element surrounding the story which is predominant in this last book to my delight.
This installment focuses primarily in figuring out the ancient prophecy that's been repeating itself for several Scion generations. So, our characters are trying to find out who the hell is the Tyrant and which of the other roles the rest of them have to play. The other roles available besides the Tyrant are: The Hero, the Lover, The Shield, and The Warrior.
This series was always kind of different for me, because I think this is the first time that I really enjoy a trilogy where I find the main characters kind of unappealing and unintentionally funny. The thing is that every plot line surrounding the mythology and the prophecies was great, but every time the plot took a turn for the development of a character and such I found it absurd.
For example, how in the world is it possible that no one in the whole Delos family is capable of doing math! Lucas and Helen could've been together at least since the middle of book 2, but oh no! They're all too busy to do math and figure out that it's impossible for them to be cousins. If you have time to brush your teeth, you have time to do simple math, no excuses!
Then, there's Jason, who used to be one of my favorite characters in book one, now he HAS to be bipolar, because I can't find any other explanation for his behavior. In book one, he was the nicest, in book two he wanted nothing to do with Helen for no apparent reason, and now he's pissed because other people are pulling apart from Helen and can't understand how they can call themselves their friends. REALLY? Make up your mind, goddammit!
And what is it with Lucas and Helen that they absolutely love each other, but can't spare a freaking minute to actually talk about what they're going to do, and both have to rush to do something incredible stupid without listening to the other first. It's ridiculous! Half of their problems would've been solved in like book one if they just talked to each other.
And of course, the insta-love justified by the prophecies is everywhere. Now Hector and Cassandra fall in love after a few glances with their respective "significant other", because that's totally how love works...
And the parenting... good God! I don't think you could make one decent parent even if you combine Daphne, Castor, Palas and Deadalus together. They all suck.
But whatever, I didn't even care about the messed up dynamics between them, I only cared about the big battle and the fulfillment of the big prophecy. But even then it wasn't really that amazing. The solution was way too easy for my liking and Helen grew to be nearly invincible without her doing anything which didn't help her at all as a character, because she already had that "Mary Sue" quality to begin with.
Normally I would rate this lower, because there's only so much the world building can do for you when you hate the characters, but in this case I just found everything kind of funny, the things the characters did and say were so ridiculous that I couldn't help but laugh. I know this is not supposed to be a "funny book" but I enjoyed it that way nonetheless, and that's what's important, right?
About the author
Josephine Angelini is a Massachusetts native and the youngest of eight siblings. She graduated from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts in theater, with a focus on the classics. She now lives in Los Angeles with her husband.


text:
Can you believe we are celebrating
4 years at the ART CLINIC?!!
Please come help us eat, and make art
FRIDAY, FEB 11, 4 till 8ish
There will be cupcakes as well as other eatables,
Valentine making, paper flower bouquet making, a haiku contest,
ATC making and you can even make a little love shack.
So stop by and join in the fun.....
1576 Copenhagen, Solvang
Email- firstname.lastname@example.com phone 588 0876
Are you suffering from chronic creative anemia? Having an Art Attack? Get your fix at the ART CLINIC. Now open for ongoing contemporary, state of the art, creativity infusions. Check out the pre-op classes, one day procedures (workshops) and afterschool therapies to learn new techniques and projects. Let the ART CLINIC be your art shot in the arm!! LOCATED AT 1576 COPENHAGEN DRIVE, BETWEEN ATTERDAG AND FOURTH PLACE in SOLVANG, CA Our front door is next to Sevtap Wine.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Valentine's Day/ anniversary @ the Art Clinic
Posted by Art Clinic at 12:14 AM No comments:
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Michael deMeng is coming to teach
The amazing and "deMented" assemblage artist,
Michael deMeng
will be teaching not one, but two assemblage workshops here in Solvang!
Michael deMeng
will be teaching not one, but two assemblage workshops here in Solvang!
Saturday,July 9, 2011 9:30 to 4:30
"Cold Blooded Journal"
"Sssssssssssssss" –translation from snake language: "Howdy".
This class is all about reptiles and snaky things, and the reason is that I recently came across a product that creates a nice scaly surface. Ssssso it dawned on me that this would be an interesting technique to use one a semi-sculptural surface, and to make it even more interesting I thought that it would be interesting to make that surface an object that could be used everyday. That surface? A sketchbook, for the cold-blooded. Of course you can fill the sketchbook with whatever you like but the exterior is going to be built up and scaled up to the point in which if you're not noticed walking down the street with this…well…there probably isn't anyone on the street. Ssssssounds sssssssswell doesssssssn't it? Yesssssssssssss!
Sunday,July 10, 2011, 9:30 to 4:30
"Pretty Vial Things"
When I was a kid I loved the idea of magic potions. Remember how Alice drank from the bottle to become very very tall, and of course Dr. Jekyll turned into his hairy eye-browed buddy Mr. Hyde the same way…different recipe apparently. There must be some very interesting mojo in those little containers …some good…some not so good. In this class we are not going to be making the elixirs (that might be illegal in some states) but rather we are going to be designing the little bottles that house these strange liquids. We will be using various assemblage techniques to create some pretty vial things; part of the fun is deciding what they are going to hold and coming up with the appropriate housing. Whether it for turning into hairy monsters (which comes in handy), a potion for invisibility (also very handy), or a place to store the water from the fountain of youth (send me two right away), the containers will be as rich and strange as the contents. Down the hatch!
The details:
Each class is $125. Space is limited so send an email to get on the list and then send a check payable to Carol Kemp 1216 Jason Drive, Lompoc,CA 93436, or if you prefer PayPal email your name and contact info to firstname.lastname@example.com and you will be sent an invoice. Your payment holds your spot and when received, you will be emailed the supply list. For your convenience, you may pay a nonrefundable deposit of $50 to hold your seat with the remainder due by June 9, 2011. If we do not receive the remainder by this time you forfeit your seat. When spaces are full we will start a waiting list.
The Art Clinic is located at 1576 Copenhagen...between Sevtap Wine tasting and the Wine Valley Inn.
For those not familiar with Michael here is his website...enjoy. http://www.michaeldemeng.com
for more info email Carol Kemp firstname.lastname@example.com
or Syd McCutcheon email@example.com
Posted by Art Clinic at 9:12 PM No comments:
Labels: art, art clinic, assemblage, fun, journals, michael deMeng
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)


text:
Software Details:
Version: 8.64
Upload Date: 12 Dec 14
Developer: JAMF Software
Distribution Type: Freeware
Downloads: 14
In an increasingly compliance-driven world, immediate access to accurate information is critical to driving down costs and maintaining obligations. The Recon Suite provides a simple, low-cost way to inventory your network devices and computers, including Mac OS 9, iPhone, Mac OS X, and Windows machines. Every application, font, plug-in and computer on the network communicates with, and is documented to, the JAMF Software Server (JSS).
What is new in this release:
- Support for iOS 6. The Recon Suite includes support for iOS 6.


text:
Happy Mother's Day
Jake and his mom Rhea collaborated on The Gift, the last project of the Mixed Media class. 10 am on Sunday we were invited to show up wearing pajamas. First of all, no one has pajamas and I don't think that students can get up that early on a Sunday. We all came, some of us wearing pajamas and watched Jake's video and ate Ria's famous pancakes with berries, scrambled eggs with mushroom and cheese, bacon and drank Mimosa. Happy Mother's Day and it was a win win situation for everybody. Thanks Ria and Jake!!!
The early birds
The Pancakes
The eggs
The video
The crew
Posted by The Lab at 10:49 AM No comments:
Labels: 064, Alternative, Class Pic, The Gift
What happened to Lucas' Site Specific Project
Lucas created a beautiful space under the stone circle in the Arb and before he can document the project, the police cleaned it up and dumped it in the trash by the golf course. So the crew loaded up and went in search of Lucas' project and miraculously Lucas found it after digging around in the dumpster. As a bonus Sophie found a bag of dog droppings sitting on top of Lucas' mirror
Sophie is helping Lucas while Jake is videotaping
Lucas was elated to find his mirror
Sophie is helping Lucas while Jake is videotaping
Lucas was elated to find his mirror
Posted by The Lab at 10:34 AM No comments:
Labels: 064, Alternative, Class Pic, Site Specific
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)


text:
A commentary on the case of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, convicted of the murder of 270 people in the Pan Am 103 disaster.
Friday, 30 October 2015
Questions that demand an answer
4 comments:
Well, he's certainly changed his tune.ReplyDelete
Or, does he actually have a tune, personally? Most of what I've seen him write about Lockerbie seems to be channelling someone else. At one point it was Bill Taylor, not being especially helpful to his former client. Magnus was at pains to tell us that Bill was writing a book about the case. That was two years ago. I wonder how that's going, and in particular how he's going to explain how he failed to spot the bleedin' obvious in the Heathrow evidence.
More recently Magnus seems to be channelling Frank Mulholland. Frank doesn't really need to say anything himself, Magnus makes sure the Times or the Scotsman carries his thoughts.
Difficult to know who he was channelling above. Probably not Tam Dalyell. Someone without Magnus's own boasted "deep famiiarity" with the evidence, as he seems to be mixing up Abu Nidal and the PFLP with Ahmed Jibril and the PFLP-GC. Abu Nidal was suspected of involvement in Lockerbie, but he and his group weren't the main suspects of the investigation for many months. Jibril's group was.Replies
Remember, the appeal allowed by the SCCRC was in the offing. Magnus Linklater has good contacts within the higher echelons of the legal profession and the judiciary. I suspect he was hearing from them that the appeal was highly likely to succeed. Once that appeal was abandoned on Megrahi's compassionate release, Magnus was able to revert to the (for him) more comfortable position of everything being for the best in the best of all possible criminal justice systems.Delete
Good point. That certainly does appear to explain the observed facts.Delete
Mind you, how he thinks that a terminally ill prisoner being pressurised to drop his ongoing appeal during the negotiations for compassionate release squares with the best of all possible criminal justice systems, I don't know.Delete


text:
September 29th, 2013, 1:54 pm
Greetings, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome! You nominated the best comics on SmackJeeves and then ranked them to vote on the BEST of the BEST! Now, here are your results.
There were thirteen comic categories in this year's awards, as well as a new "Kudos" system so that you could highlight strong aspects of the comics you voted on. Every category will be showcased for two pages here- one to show off the top three winners and the highest "Kudos" scores, and a second page to show the other finalists!
Each day, a new page will be added. By clicking "Info" in the navigational menu, you can see the full schedule of upcoming updates.
We hope you've had fun voting in this year's awards! Enjoy exploring the top user-voted comics, and thanks for your participation!
(And, just as a reminder- discussion in the comments is welcome, but abusive comments will be removed. Be respectful of the artists showcased and of your fellow Smackers-Jeeves!)
July 20th, 2018, 7:10 pm
godmoderncommander [October 1st, 2013, 11:52 pm]
Sagat the Tiger [October 6th, 2013, 5:29 am]
Oh, IT'S ABOUT TIME! XD
Leave A Comment »


text: Pownal Elementary School has an extensive Guest Artist Program. Each year we host several performances and at least one major residency. Past artists have included: Bread and Puppet Theater, No Strings Marionette Company, Oldcastle Theater Express, Banjo Dan and the Midnight Ploughboys and The Vermont Symphony Orchestra. Guest Author/Illustrators include: Natalie Kinsey Warnock, Traci Campbell, Iza Trapani, Steven Kellog and many others. Funding for this program comes from our school budget, PTG and Ms. Nat's annual "Original Works" fundraiser.


text:
" I don't want to be a passenger sitting on the bench…"
Lingerie: erratic – Delice lingerie (exclusive for Collabor88)
Shoes: KC Couture – Andria heels
Hair (also drawned): Zalea Hair – Fiona (store gift)
Bench: PILOT – Flyaway bench (exclusive for Collabor88)
Pose: Bauhaus Movement – The Revolution
Zalea Hair opened and for the grand opening give beautiful long hair with bangs. Truly nice gift
Kc Couture shoes are a fatpack with 40 colors. There are two styles and all is modify with a simple HUD. Love these heels …
and remember, shopping is cheaper than a psychiatrist!


text:
CHICAGO ARGUS: We made it through the 100-day mark; only 1,360 more to go for Trump
SO TRUMP ISN'T exactly wrong when he says the 100-day standard is kind of trivial, and really shouldn't mean much of anything.
But then again, he's accomplished so little that the Trump presidency is bordering on truly pathetic – even though Trump's view of the world claims he has achieved significant goals that will forevermore change mankind. There are those who say he has the worst presidential start ever – although most would have said that regardless of what Trump actually accomplished.
Then again, even Trump can't really be specific about what those goals were!


text:
my mom gave me this bag for Christmas and I meant to write about it because I thought it was so cool. but i forgot. i was just reminded when i saw it in lucky magazine-they are giving away two of them here. there are four different styles and each bag goes to feed children in a different part of the world. the one that i have is the white cotton bag above. . .it folds into the burlap case that fits anywhere each of these bags will provide 100 school meals to children in Rwanda through the UN World Food Program. You can buy the bags at Whole Foods Markets nationwide or at the FEED shop online. super functional, earth friendly and feeding children. sounds good to me.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
feed bags
Posted by be gifted at 7:22 PM
Labels: giving back
No comments:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
- Home
- Weather
- News
- Partyline
- Sports
- Events
- Streaming Audio
- Contests
- Programs
- Stations
- About Us
Phone: (509) 826-0100
Email: email@example.com
All 911, Local, Long Distance and internet is in working order in Omak, Okanogan, Oroville, Mallot, however trunks are extremely busy so people may be receiving "fast busy" connections. We ask customers for their patience as calls are getting through but it may take several re-dials, and to limit use as necessary to allow for emergency calls.
All 911, local and long distance phone as well as internet services remain down in Mazama, Pateros, Twisp and Winthrop due to extensive fire damage throughout the area. With destroyed fiber cables and equipment, we cannot provide an estimated time for restoration and anticipate services to be down for an extended period of time. Our crews continue to work around the clock to reestablish connectivity throughout the Methow Valley area.
If calling 911 or another number from a cell or other phone connection in Mazama, Pateros, Twisp or Winthrop please use 10 digit calling: (509) plus the 7 digit number.


text:
ISIL Suffers Heavy Casualties in Syrian Airstrikes in Raqqa
The Syrian Army aircraft bombed the ISIL gatherings and concentration centers in al-Mansoureh, the town of al-Tabaqa and al-Tabaqa airbase, which not only left at least 30 terrorists dead but destroyed their strongholds.
In relevant developments in the province on Saturday, the Syrian Army troops and the country's Air Force pounded ISIL's positions and military equipment in Western Raqqa.
The Syrian fighter jets targeted the ISIL strongholds at al-Tabaqa airbase, which ended in the destruction of the Takfiri terrorists' weapons and armored vehicles.
In the meantime, the Syrian army troops, backed up by the Syrian warplanes, continued to hunt the ISIL terrorists in Western Raqqa.
The Syrian arm aircraft also bombed the ISIL centers in the Northern side of Zakiyeh crossroad and Southern side of al-Tabaqa.
The Syrian jets also targeted the ISIL bases in al-Khows tower in the town of al-Tabaqa.


text:
Tropicana Field is the stupidest, silliest ballpark in the Majors. The park's ground rules are like backyard wiffle ball rules. I remember in my backyard our porch jutted into the field of play, slicing across the imaginary foul line. So if a ball landed in the fair part of the porch, it was a ground-rule triple. It was a stupid, silly rule and we knew it. Tampa Bay is a Major League facility with stupid catwalks. If a ball hits them in foul territory, then the ball is dead. If a ball hits some of them in fair territory, it's a homerun. What the hell?
Then the white roof. What was wrong with a darker shade?
Fenway Park has its own weird set of nooks and crannies. But those have history, and were often out of necessity. There's a story behind each one of Fenway's quirks. The story behind each of the Trop's annoying oddities is that the stadium is poorly designed. Plain and simple.
Then there's the onslaught of noise pumped through the speakers. Listening on the radio and the artificial sound generation is obvious. The music blares, and it's relentless in both volume and frequency.
Everybody clap your hands...
Finally, the fans suck. The Oakland Athletic removed tarps in their park to accommodate the demand for tickets to their recent playoff games. The Rays didn't have to do that with their tarped off sections. For Game 7 of the 2008 ALCS, the biggest game in their franchise's history, a friend of mine was able to get tickets at face value the day of the game. That shouldn't be possible for a game of such magnitude.
Everyone always said that when the Rays became competitive, the people would come. That hasn't really happened. The people come when the Red Sox and Yankees come. The Rays were dead last in attendance this year. 18,645 per game. 900 more people per game went to see the 100-loss Marlins play. On average, 45.3% of Tropicana Field's seats are empty. And that doesn't include the tarped sections.
Worst ballpark in the country, worst fans in baseball.


text:
Last week, while watching a new series on Animal Planet entitled Into the Pride, I was impressed by the aggressive behavior of Cleo, the dominant matriarch of a pride of lions who was not about to let a human make contact with her cubs. While many mothers are fiercely protective of their offspring, not all of them settle for growling and charging at strangers.
- Some strive for martyrdom.
- Some use the silent treatment.
- Some erupt in temper tantrums.
- Some try to micromanage their children's lives.
- Some stay in the kitchen, repressing their anger.
- Some make misguided decisions out of sheer desperation.
Are these mothers horribly dysfunctional women or primitive minds doing the best they can with the rudimentary tools at their disposal? Are they brutally honest or has one little white lie blossomed into such a web of familial deceit that they can no longer see straight? The cliches of maternal monsterdom include -- but are hardly limited to -- statements like the following:
- "I only did it for you."
- "As God is my witness....."
- "Everything you got, you owe to me."
- "Haven't I suffered enough already?"
- "Because I'm your mother and I said so."
- "How could you be so cruel to your mother?"
- "When you pay the rent, you can make the decisions."
- "I only hope I live long enough to see your children do to you what you've done to me."
Outrageous behavior can be found in many a family. Whether one watches outbursts of dysfunctional behavior in a reality show (The Real Housewives of Orange County, Trading Spouses) -- or in one's own extended family -- the histrionics are rarely pretty. That's why so many family dramas have inspired major works of stage and screen:
- Stella Dallas (book, stage, several films, and an 18-year radio series) focuses on a woman who dedicates her life to giving her daughter all the opportunities she never had.
- I Remember Mama (1944) by John Van Druten, recalls the sacrifices Marta Hanson frequently made for her children.
- The Glass Menagerie (1944) by Tennessee Williams features an overly protective mother (Amanda Wingfield) who would go to any extremes for her daughter to get married.
- All My Sons (1947) by Arthur Miller features a wife in an extreme state of denial, who knows that her husband's bad business dealings led to the deaths of 21 soldiers. Kate Keller also refuses to believe that her son, who has been missing in action for three years, is dead.
- Long Day's Journey Into Night (1956) by Eugene O'Neill focuses on a morphine-addicted mother who has made too many promises to her sons that she knows she cannot keep.
- Gypsy: A Musical Fable (1959) by Arthur Laurents, Stephen Sondheim, and Jule Styne features the ultimate monster of a stage mother (Rose Hovick).
- The Gingerbread Lady (1970) by Neil Simon features a cabaret singer (Evy Meara) whose alcoholism has destroyed her career, her family, and taken a terrible toll on her health.
- Torch Song Trilogy (1982) by Harvey Fierstein features an angry Jewish widow (Mrs. Beckhoff) who refuses to accept her gay son's relationship with his dead lover as having had any legitimacy.
- August: Osage County (2008) by Tracy Letts features a pill-popping matriarch (Violet Weston) who has lived through generations of family lies and occasionally resorts to nasty outbursts of "truth telling."
The curse of being an unhappy, under-appreciated mother is often due to unreasonable expectations on the part of the parent and/or seething rebellion on the part of her child. Nowhere has this been as brilliantly encapsulated onstage as in the psychological meltdown that provides the shattering finale to Gypsy: A Musical Fable. Because one can never watch it enough times (this number has the morbid fascination one feels while watching a train wreck in slow motion), here is Tyne Daly's furious interpretation of "Rose's Turn."
In two of the families portrayed in recent dramas, the mothers had radically different boiling points (no doubt due to the cultures in which they were raised). One mother was an unbearable shrew, wildly lashing out at anything and anyone who crossed her path. The other was the quiet type, who knew how to inflict guilt in more subtle ways but with the searing precision of a paper cut.
* * * * * * * *
Originally produced by The Group Theater in 1935, Awake and Sing! looks in on a Jewish family whose life in a cramped Bronx apartment is in a constant state of turmoil. The original production of Clifford Odets' family drama was directed by Harold Clurman and starred Luther Adler, Stella Adler, Morris Carnovsky, and Sanford Meisner (all of whom have since come to be regarded as giants of the American theater). It's interesting to compare these two show posters from productions nearly 70 years apart:
Berkeley's Aurora Theatre Company is now offering an extremely intimate production of Awake and Sing! performed in its three-quarter-round auditorium. The proximity to the actors makes the drama all the more intense, especially when one considers the seething levels of discontent within the Berger household.
- Grandpa Jacob (Ray Reinhardt), the patriarch of the Berger family, once dreamt of revolution but is now at the tail end of a life filled with regrets. He loves to listen to old opera recordings -- in particular Enrico Caruso's rendition of "O Paradis" from Giacomo Meyerbeer's opera, L'Africaine. Increasingly aware of his impending mortality, Jacob has secretly changed the name of the beneficiary on his insurance policy to that of his young grandson, Ralph.
- Jacob's son Morty (Victor Talmadge), who is in the garment business, knows how to visit the Bergers, bathe in the glow of his sister's devoted attention, and enjoy her food. Curiously, he does little to help his struggling relatives cope with their meager finances.
- Jacob's grandson Ralph (Patrick Russell) is an optimist who has grown sick and tired of his mother's brazen prejudices and blazing insecurities. Having fallen in love with an orphan named Blanche, he is acutely aware that he lacks the kind of money which would allow them to wed.
- Jacob's granddaughter Hennie (Rebecca White) is a desperately unhappy young woman who gets knocked up by a family friend, Moe Axelrod (Rod Gnapp). Rather than be a source of embarrassment to the gossiping neighbors, Hennie gets pushed into a loveless marriage with a recent immigrant who is naive enough to think that their child might be his own.
- Jacob's son-in-law, Myron (Charles Dean), is a henpecked husband who lets his wife tyrannize their family.
And then there is Jacob's manipulative monster of a daughter, Bessie. A rabid control freak with horrifically unjustifiable delusions of grandeur, she has become an abusive termagant with a vitriolic streak. Bessie rules over the extended Berger family like a malevolent hurricane that methodically and melodramatically destroys everything in its path. She is the classic meddling Jewish mother turned family bully/bitch, whose never-ending threats, tears, insults, heartburn, and constant worrying are effective ploys guaranteed to make her the perpetual center of attention. She, of course, would vehemently deny this.
For all of Bessie's ranting and raving, she is no match for the cynical, realistic Moe, who is impervious to her outbursts. Moe would like nothing more than to marry Bessie's daughter but, because one of his legs was shot off in World War II, he has been deemed ineligible for consideration as a potential suitor by the sneering Bessie (who knows what she likes, what she doesn't like, and especially knows what she does not want to hear).
Ellen Ratner and Charles Dean (Photo by: David Allen)
As directed by Joy Carlin on the superb unit set designed by Nina Ball, Aurora Theatre's ensemble struggles to keep the Berger family afloat as Bessie screams the blues (Oy, how she suffers, and whose fault is that, anyway?) Like a vicious alcoholic, Bessie stomps on everyone else's dreams, determined that her vision of life remain the only possible interpretation available to the Bergers. When Moe and Hennie finally decide to run away and escape Bessie's stranglehold on their lives, Ralph dutifully remains behind, determined to work toward a better future.
Patrick Russell (Photo by: David Allen)
Awash in thick Bronx accents, Awake and Sing! is a throwback to an era when first generation Jewish immigrants were intoxicated with the thought of political power, desperate to break through the shtetl mentality in order to assimilate into American society, and yet crippled by their own fears and prejudices. While the cast works tightly as an ensemble, Rod Gnapp shines with a burning sarcasm as Moe Axelrod. The production runs through September 27 at the Aurora Theatre in downtown Berkeley.
Family tensions are more subtly referenced in Hirokazu Kore-Eda's quiet new film, Still Walking, which focuses on a family reunion taking place on the 15h anniversary of the accidental death of Junpei, the family's number one son. A brilliant young man who was supposed to take over his father's medical clinic, Junpei drowned while trying to save another boy. Although much of the action in Still Walking seems (and is) surprisingly mundane, it's easy to sense the source of each character's internal conflict.
* * * * * * * *
Yui Natsukawa and Hiroshi Abe
In his director's notes, Kore-eda explains:
"Still Walking is a film launched by the experience of regret that we all share. In the past five or six years, I lost both my parents. As an ungrateful eldest son who used the demands of his profession to excuse my long absences from home, I find myself troubled by regrets to this day. "If only I'd been more...." "Why did I say that then...," etc. Because Still Walking started from a place of regret, I was determined to make it a film brimming with life. Rather than portray how my parents made their way towards death, my intent was to capture a moment of life itself and fold into that moment all the ambiguities of family memory (just like the photos in an old family album).There are no typhoons in this film. Unlike in an American TV drama, nothing of consequence happens over the course of their rare, overnight family reunion. Only the "before" and the "after" of dramatic events are revealed. In other words, I have focused on the premonitions and the reverberations of life because I believe that is precisely where the essence of life can be found. The characters are utterly ordinary people and the film takes place over the course of a single summer day. Yet, over the course of their day (as deceptively tranquil as a calm sea) the tide flows in, then out, and wavelets constantly ripple the surface.In this film, more than in my others, I believe I have managed to portray human beings and our behavior in a specific and nuanced way. This film is a work of fiction, but I relied heavily on my mother's actual personality and vocabulary in shaping the character of the protagonist's mother. I wanted to make a movie where I could immediately recognize my mother: not to cry over her loss, but to laugh with her again."
Kirin Kiki and Hiroshi Abe
If you've ever visited a home prior to a big dinner and stood on the sidelines as women fussed in the kitchen and men tried to find something to say to each other, you'll have no trouble grasping the Yokoyama family's dynamic. The house looks a little shabbier, the neighbors are dying, and one's parents may seem a bit more frail when seen through the eyes of:
- Ryota Yokoyama (Hiroshi Abe), now 40 years old, has recently married a widow who has a 10-year-old son from her previous marriage. Guilt feelings about not spending more time with his parents -- as well as his father's scorn for Ryota's chosen profession as an art restorer -- cause Ryota to make promises to visit them that he knows he will not keep. He also knows that he can never measure up to the ghost of Junpei, who was the family's golden child.
- Ryota's wife, Yukari (Yui Natsukawa) is caught between a needy child from a previous marriage, a husband who dreads visiting his family, and her own need to be accepted as Ryota's wife.
- Ryota's stepson, Atsushi (Shohei Tanaka) is having difficulty understanding how or why Ryota will ever find a place in his heart.
- Ryota's sister, Chinami (You) often visits her parents and is a very "perky" type of woman. While her children are outside playing (and attempting to break open a watermelon), she spends time in the kitchen gossiping with her mother, who is busily mashing radishes and preparing corn tempura.
- Ryota's brother-in-law, Nobuo (Kazuya Takahashi), is a car salesman who would very much like to inherit the Yokoyama home when Ryota's parents pass on.
- Ryota's father, Kyohei (Yoshio Harada) regrets that he has no one to carry on his medical practice. Like many retired physicians, he likes to be seen as an authoritarian figure and often retreats to his office rather than participate in family moments.
- Ryota's long-suffering mother, Toshiko (Kirin Kiki), desperately misses her favorite son, Junpei. Like many mothers, she thinks Ryota's choice of a widowed single mother as a bride means that he has settled for used goods, which is why she urges him to have a child of his own ("Once there are children, it's harder to divorce"). Toshiko finds a perverse measure of satisfaction in always inviting the man whose life Junpei saved to the family reunions just so she can watch him suffer the humiliation of still being alive while her son is dead. Along with other members of the family, she is quick to criticize him for his weight, his slovenly appearance, and his lack of ambition.
Yoshio Harasda, Shohei Tanaka, and Kirin Kiki
If parts of Still Walking seem a bit boring, that's because long stretches of family life are also boring. Many moments in the heat of the summer day are quiet, lonely, and spent in solitary thought rather than brilliant conversation. Here's the trailer:


text:
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Odds -n- Ends
First off, I just finished reading The Exception and wanted to throw in my two cents on top of Rhian's buck fifty from last week. This is really a terrific book, and I highly recommend it. As soon as I realized it was a novel about workplace bullying, I was instantly envious--this is an amazing subject, and Jungersen cleverly uses the microcosm of the office to explore big truths about the nature of evil. He also employs the bizarrely direct tactic of including little essays on the topic in the text of the novel, ostensibly written and published by the main characters. I must say I appreciated it; the essays were fascinating. My only complaint is that the ending, while it certainly satisfies as the culmination of a thriller, imposes itself from without, and I couldn't help but wish that the book had managed to wrap itself up without leaving the hothouse of its setting. In any event, a great read, and very scary.
Second, I wanted to recommend the Drawn & Quarterly Showcase series, a kind of short-fiction literary magazine for cartoonists. I've got books two and three and now need to go back and find the first one--great little stories from up and coming artists and writers, brimming with the vitality that this new art form seems to have an endless supply of.
Finally, and OK, this could have been its own post, but I can't think of enough good examples to support it, I'd like to say that product manuals just aren't what they used to be. Time was, you could buy something, and the manual would include a concise little history of that thing, and put the item into some kind of practical context. These days it isn't unusual for manuals (often poorly translated) to actually serve as an impediment to using the item, as is the case with the documentation for the Oregon Scientific WMR968 Cable Free Complete Weather Station, a great item that is almost impossible to install. I got this thing for Rhian for her birthday, and it is now working great, but it took me weeks to buckle down and figure it out, and the manual was no help at all, packed as it was with references to nonexistent parts, incorrect assembly techniques, and misleading usage tips.
On the other end of the spectrum, if you're into home audio recording, there are some great product manuals out there, like the free-to-download Mastering With Ozone guide, from iZotope, Inc. "Mastering" is the process music is put through before being committed to CD and sold in stores; it seeks to eliminate errors in the recording and give it greater impact when heard on your stereo. It's a rather arcane science, difficult and many-faceted, and this guide not only explains Ozone, the mastering software it serves as the manual for, but what mastering is, why it's done, and whether it's even necessary. It might be the best product manual I've ever read.
This is probably not likely to be very interesting to the average reader, but why can't your hammer come with something like this as well? Your toaster? Your coffee maker? Why can't manufacturers go the extra mile and provide a context for the stuff you own, making the experience of owning and using it more rich and interesting? Perhaps they feel that this would prevent you from throwing it out and buying another one in six months.
5 comments:
- the individual voice said...
Obviously, manufacturers need to hire real writers and pay them real writers' salaries. They would sell more product just for the bonus of getting a manual written by a Real Writer that might include mystery, character, conflict, tension, plot that help to not bore the reader to death plodding through the instructions.
- September 1, 2007 at 5:41 PM
- ybonesy said...
The Exception sounds good. Workplace bullying. Maybe that's the term for what I see happening in my corporate environment. I have wondered for a long time if moving up the ladder means you leave behind common courtesy. Our VPs are lethal. Maybe it's a corporate culture thing.
p.s., I found your blog via the individual voice. She seems to have good taste ; - ).
- September 2, 2007 at 5:49 PM
Thanks, Indy!
Of course manufacturers are not going to hire real writers...but it would be nice to live in a world where they did. I think the experience of buying and owning something has in general been degraded, with the focus shifting away from having and using the thing, and toward the act of buying, which is supposed to be cathartic or something.
- September 3, 2007 at 8:52 AM
- the individual voice said...
You are absolutely right. Nothing is meant to last very long. Everything we buy is disposable, including cheap paperbacks that aren't so cheap anymore.
- September 3, 2007 at 11:03 AM
- the individual voice said...
Oh, and thanks for the compliment ybonesy. I think of my blog tastes as very eclectic.
- September 3, 2007 at 11:17 AM


text:
Deals on products Kasey Kollman likes
My Lists
My Likes
Oster - 10-cup Multiuse Rice Cooker - Stainless-steel/white
This rice cooker features a removable nonstick pot that enables easy serving and cleaning and a condensation collector cup that keeps drips from creating a mess.
Best Buy
Lighthouse Ball Oil Lamp by Menu
A modern, Scandinavian interpretation of a traditional American road torch. The Menu Lighthouse Ball Oil Lamp was designed by Christian Bjorn as a spherical outdoor floor torch, weather-resistant and easily filled with lamp oil to burn like a mini bonfire near an entrance or out in the garden. Part of the Lighthouse collection of outdoor oil-burning lamps.
Jura - Cappuccino/Espresso Maker - Black
Brew delicious hot beverages with this cappuccino/espresso maker that features 3 heat settings. The professional cappuccino frother makes preparing milk specialties simple.
Best Buy
Fire Sense Stainless Steel Wall Mounted Electric Fireplace
Wall-mounted fireplace heater with remote controlBuilt-in 1350-watt heater with internal safety shutoff sensorPlugs into any standard wall outletTempered glass surrounded by stainless steel frameDimensions: 31W x 5.75D x 19.7H inches. Plug the Fire Sense Stainless Steel Wall Mounted Electric Fireplace into any standard wall outlet and enjoy the unmistakable ambiance of glowing embers and dancing flames. This Wall Mounted fireplace transforms any ordinary room into something special. The unit includes a 1350-watt heater with internal safety shutoff sensor. Extending a mere 6 inches from any wall, this versatile electric fireplace is perfect for bedroom, office, or den. Comes with multifunctional remote control. About Well Traveled LivingWell Traveled Living is a designer, importer, and distributor of outdoor living products. Established in 1998, they introduced clay chimineas to the United States, and now offer a full range of innovative outdoor heating, patio, and garden products under the Fire Sense and Patio Sense brand names. Their Florida customer service center provides unsurpassed service and support for all of our products.
J-Class Performance Bath Sheet
Performance towel with 100% cotton aerospun technology.


text:
Casas Delight
Self-Catering Resort
The name says it all – Casas Delight embraces every visitor to Mozambique with its long white beaches, pristine mangrove estuary and natural sand dunes edged with tall palm trees. Island bliss in Inhambane, one of the best stretches of coastline in Africa. Come to the Barra Peninsula, only 27km from Inhambane town and 465km from Maputo.
This gorgeous self-catering accommodation has Mozambique flair with every comfort imaginable. Created from entirely natural materials in the region, find plenty of space, plenty of styles and a fantastic choice of bar and restaurant if you don't feel like cooking. Casas Delight is ideally situated right on the beach along the beautiful Barra peninsula.
CASITAS: (Includes breakfast, 2 people)
- Open plan bedroom (2 single beds or 1 double bed)
- Bathroom with shower
- Bed linen/bath towels on request
- Small fridge, kettle, cups for tea/coffee
- Patio with braai area
CASAS (Fully serviced, self-catering, 2-4 people)
- Main Bedroom (2 single beds/1 double bed)
- Lounge area – 2 single sleeper loungers
- Kitchen – 3 plate gas burner, fridge, pots and pans, cutlery and crockery
- Bathroom with shower
- Bed linen/bath towels on request
- Patio with braai area
- Two en-suite bedrooms (2 double beds)
- Open plan lounge (4 single sleeper couches)
- Open plan kitchen, fully fitted
- Covered patio
- Car park
- Fully serviced
- Scuba Diving
- Snorkelling
- Deep Sea Fishing Charters
- Horse riding
- Tours of the Mangroves
- Canoeing
- Evening Cruises
- Quadbike outings
- Evening Cruises
- Quadbike outings
- Wedding venue
- bar/cocktail lounge
- Boat/marine slipway (within 5km)
- braai / barbecue – onsite
- kitchen (fully equipped)
- laundry facilities onsite
- parking all onsite
- restaurant onsite
- Tea/coffee making facilities


text:
Anson Wong, an industrial designer, successful entrepreneur and founder of simpogoods.ca, has announced that he has launched a Kickstarter campaign for funding Simpo Chopsticks project. Simpo chopsticks are one of the best quality chopsticks available and made of environmental friendly materials.
"We are delighted to be back on Kickstarter to fund our latest venture, Simpo Chopsticks," says Anson Wong while providing more details about the venture and funding process. "Simpo chopsticks are different because they satisfy all key quality parameters and environmentally friendly as well. It does not contain any chemicals and is 100% natural."
There are hundreds of varieties of chopsticks available on the market, both generic and branded. Simpo chopsticks is committed to set the quality standards in chopsticks by using environmental friendly and sustainable materials and a manufacturing process that ensures perfect finishing.
Simpo chopsticks are made of high quality sustainable hardwoods and finished with 100% pure Tung oil in multiple coats. The final coating is done with Beeswax. The best part is that they are not overtly decorated and no harmful chemicals are used at any stage of the manufacturing process. The pricing is also affordable so that everyone can buy high quality chopsticks at the most competitive price.
The back to basics design philosophy of Simpo Chopsticks ensures that they are not unnecessarily industrialized and complicated. Simple design and high functionality is the core of this unique brand of chopsticks. The design process takes into consideration traditions as well as modern day knowledge and combines them to create the best chopstick available today. Quality and affordability have been maintained by incorporating the latest manufacturing technologies and processes.
According to Anson Wong, most of the chopsticks sold on the market do not specify details such as the quality of wood or finishes used because there is no standardization. They do not even mention that the chopsticks are food safe which is a basic requirement. Customers are probably unaware that the chopsticks they use with their sumptuous meal could be a health hazard. Simpo chopsticks bring accountability and transparency with its brand as they very clearly specify all the details. The chopsticks they create come with the unmistakable mark of quality and trust.
Another key advantage the Simpo chopsticks enjoys over others is that these are bespoke chopsticks but without the premium price tag. The brand is cheaper over the nearest comparable bespoke chopstick brand by over 20 per cent. This is achieved by leveraging the latest technologies that helps improve quality while reducing production time. The company is on a mission to create a chopstick brand that becomes the standard chopsticks for every family.
Simpo Chopsticks has set a financial goal of raising CA$ 3,000 through their Kickstarter campaign. The deadline is 8 August, 2017.
About Simpo Chopsticks:
Simpo Chopsticks is a venture by entrepreneur Anson Wong with the mission of creating the finest brand of chopsticks that can be used safely by every family. The high quality chopsticks are made of sustainable hardwoods and come with the best finish. The bespoke chopsticks are easily affordable.
Media Contact
Company Name: Crowdfund Food
Contact Person: Bob Marco
Email: Send Email
Phone: 800-284-1830
Country: United States
Website: https://goo.gl/5B4nk5


text:
The concert house was full (about 700 persons) and being the proud mother I am, I have to tell you her dance group got the longest and strongest applause from the audience. I tried to take photos during the show, but since there were no lights except on stage, and we weren't allowed to use the flash, the camera decided to go artistic instead (if you look very closely, you can see Mari dancing to the left).
This weekend we'll be visiting family, so rather than showing the miniscenes I don't have, I thought I'd show you some photos from our holiday in Stockholm, Sweden. With all you folks out there with a new or old Lundby Stockholm dollhouse, I think it's appropiate you should get to know the eponymic city a little bit better :-)
For those who didn't get enough pomp and circumstance last Friday, here's the Royal Mounted Pageantry of Sweden.
(Seen in one of the many antique shops)
One of Stockholm's many islands; Kastellholmen (Castle Island).
We went for a walk around that and its neighbouring island, Skeppsholmen (Ship Island)
At Moderna Museet (the Museum of Modern Arts) anything older than 50 years is considered garbage and thrown away.
While the Vasa ship, which capsized and sank the minute is was launched is rewarded with a museum of its own.


text:
LibraryPoint Blog
The England Run Library (named the Falls Run Library in the early stages of the project) is featured on the American Institute of Architects web site. Find out more about the innovative design of our newest library.
By Sue Lawson
Although it may seem like a cold weather craft, felting is a great project for kids in the summertime.
Questions on felting have become very popular over the last several months at our library. People of all ages are now using this method to change the texture of a yarn or fur item to cause it to become matted or felt-like.
Thousands of kids and hundreds of teens have already signed up for this year's summer reading clubs at the Central Rappahannock Regional Library. Now that schools are letting out, librarians are bracing for even more eager readers swarming into our branches.
Summer means the youth services librarians get to turn their attention form homework help to one of their very favorite jobs: matching readers with books. Getting kids started on a great series is a special thrill as kids fall head over heels into characters and stories that continue in book after book.
If you'd like to be among the first to learn about the newest books, DVDs, and CDs on hand and on order at the Central Rappahannock Regional Library, you should consider signing up for Wowbrary. It's free and very cool!
One of the main goals for the design of the England Run Library was to achieve a high level of sustainable design. We've done this through the use of recycled and non-toxic materials and energy-efficient lighting and design.
After bouncing all night in cold, cramped steel boats, then waiting all day in broiling heat, the men of the Allied Expeditionary Force got the word: shortly after sundown, they would finally be getting off their floating, seasick prisons.
All they had to do then was run straight into machine gun fire, smash the Nazi army, and liberate Europe.
The newest member of the CRRL family, England Run Library, is scheduled to open in the fall of 2010. Visit the England Run branch page for more information.
View the library's annual Teen Art Show, co-sponsored by It! Magazine, through June 29, in the Headquarters Atrium Gallery. The show is open to students in grades 9-12, who live in the city of Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Stafford or Westmoreland counties.
See winning works below:
Grades 11-12
1st Place: "Rockstar" by Hillary Inman
With summer almost here, it's time for kids to find a cozy seat, a tall glass of lemonade and a good book, and read till the fireflies come out. This kind of leisurely, just-for-fun reading is at the heart of the summer reading club at the Central Rappahannock Regional Library, "Be Creative @ Your Library!"
Netbook use is on the rise everywhere--including your local library! Find outwhat you need to know about these tiny, affordable computers before you purchase.