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Tim McGraw and Faith Hill - Soul2Soul Tour
After a ten-year layoff from touring together, husband and wife superstars Tim McGraw and Faith Hill have announced one of the largest tours of 2017. Discover tour dates near you, learn about the stage setup and find the best seats for the Soul2Soul Tour.
Published October 28, 2016
Venues and Tour Schedule
The Soul2Soul Tour is one of the largest tours in recent memory. Currently, the tour is scheduled to make 68 stops beginning April 7th in New Orleans (Smoothie King Center) and concluding October 27th in Brooklyn (Barclays Center).
Photo Credit: etonline.com
While some of the biggest acts of 2016 made long residences at a select number of cities (we're looking at you, Adele), Tim and Faith are doing all the traveling themselves and getting as close to your hometown as possible. They'll do two shows in five different cities (Minneapolis, Nashville, L.A., Uncasville, CT, Bozeman, MT), and are visiting a number of smaller cities that barely register on the radar for most artists. For example, the second show of the tour is at BancSouth Arena in Tupelo, MS - a town of just 35,000 people. The similarly sized cities of Bozeman, MT (two shows) and Moline, IL, will also see a visit. Meanwhile, fans in Southern California will have their choice of seeing the pair in Bakersfield, Fresno, Ontario, L.A. or San Diego.
Although ticket prices for the tour begin at about $90, the wide array of cities being visited is helping to keep ticket prices relatively modest when compared to other artists (see, again, Adele in 2016).
Seating and Stage Layout
For nearly every show, the seating arrangement is a standard end-stage setup with a reserved floor. There is; however, one small wrinkle when compared to most traditional setups. The stage is larger than usual and is shaped with a small hourglass runway/catwalk. Within the notches of the hourglass are two reserved floor sections that are being sold as the most expensive tickets on the tour.
Soul 2 Left and Soul 2 Right
The small floor sections near the stage are labeled as Soul 2 Left and Soul 2 Right at most venues (some venues are using traditional floor numbering instead). These intimate sections are placed just mere feet from the stage and typically include just six rows of seating. For example, at Philips Arena in Atlanta, these sections have rows A-F with row A being the absolute closest row to the stage. Given the exclusivity of these seats, they are rarely available and are being listed for $500+ when offered for sale.
VIP Tickets and Packages
Photo Credit: faithhill.com
A number of ticket packages are being offered for the Soul2Soul Tour. There are four different levels of packages, ranging from Silver and Gold to Signature and Ultimate. For the two lower-priced options, fans will receive small gifts including a lithograph and tour lanyard - in addition to reserved tickets. For the more expensive packages, guests will have access to a private Soul2Soul Lounge with dinner buffet, full bar and a private entrance. The best tickets for the tour are also being reserved for guests who purchase one of these packages.
For fans who purchase the Ultimate package, they'll receive all the benefits of the Signature option, along with a meet and greet with Faith and Tim, a photo opportunity, and an exclusive signed lithograph. All tickets in the Ultimate Package are in the front row of their respective sections.
Tickets for all shows are available now at RateYourSeats.com or through the T!ckets App


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Welcome to Cookery-Online! A handy site where you can find out all you need to know to become a mastermind in the kitchen.
Here at Cookery Online we give you all the information on various cooking techniques, plenty of recipes to try your hand at and lots of extra information to help with your cooking.
Cooking Techniques
Find out all about many different methods of cooking, and get ideas on how you could try new ideas in the kitchen, or make your life easier with new techniques.
Find out about lots of recipes and get new ideas for your old favourites.
These cookies are delicious, fast, and easy to customize...Campfire Trout
This method can be used at home with trout purchased at the fish market...Fairy Cakes
Fairy Cakes are cup cakes that are decorated to look like fairies...
You can also use our handy online cookery store so you can quickly order any items you might need around the kitchen to help you with your cooking. All the products come straight from Amazon.co.uk so you know you will be getting the best price available, and be safe in the hands of the largest online merchant.

subset: commoncrawl


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Clitoral Restoration
We proudly support Clitoraid, a foundation that empowers FGM victims to regain their sexual freedom. Clitoraid also provides training for doctors to perform FGM reversal surgeries and assists women around the world to travel in order to get the surgery. It also established a pleasure hospital in Burkina Faso, a fully equipped facility in order to perform surgeries however it was unable due to religious restrictions from the government.


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Sometimes you don't know where to begin.
OK, let's start with AIG.
Remember when the mega-insurer was on the brink of collapse and the government bailed it out to the tune of billions?
Remember how the loan saved the company, along with thousands of jobs?
Remember the television commercials AIG has been airing recently in which the company thanks the American people for saving their ass-ets?
Well, the guys currently running AIG apparently didn't.
Until they succumbed to public outrage this past week, the company's board was thinking of joining a lawsuit against the government (aka the hand that fed them), alleging the terms of the bailout were unfair to...


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The Smashing Pumpkins at Revolution Live; Ft. Lauderdale, FL; July 20
I have approximately one thing in common with Billy Corgan: I, too, tire of answering the same questions over and over again. Let me first, then, address the rhinoceros elephant in the room so that we can move on to the rock 'n roll.
Yes, the Smashing Pumpkins are still around.
Sort of.
Corgan – the band's founder, de facto leader, songwriter and visionary – is the only remaining member from the '90s juggernaut that revolutionized alternative music/penned Rat In A Cage!!! Some would say that the Thin Bald Duke has always been and will always be the Smashing Pumpkins, that the other original members – James Iha, D'Arcy Wretzky, Jimmy Chamberlin – were just cogs in the Corgan wheel.
Others would argue, rightfully, that James, D'Arcy and, particularly Jimmy – a force of god behind the drumkit and BC's longtime creative foil – contributed to the band's look, feel and presence, regardless of the musical contributions they brought to the table.
Discussions of are they/aren't they (or rather, is he/isn't he) worthy of the SP monikor are qualified – or offset altogether, depending on one's perspective – by the simple fact that Billy Corgan continues to crank out typically worthwhile, occasionally brilliant pieces of music irrespective of his supporting cast.
And since I've never seen the Billy/Jimmy reincarnation, let alone the original lineup, I can safely attest without the baggage of preconception that this new bastardized ensemble
Absolutely f*cking rocks.
Perhaps the most striking aspects of Wednesday's show were the evident dichotomy between new and old and the paradoxical notion of a humbled Billy Corgan. A worldbeater confined to the cramped confines of a tiny club in a city where music goes to die, the Pumpkins – and Corgan in particular – tore into their post-2000 material with a tempered ferocity that said something to the effect of, "We want you to know we're too good for this. But we'll shut up and let the music tell you."
They opened with "Teargarden's" Song for a Son, a mammoth cut that sounds much less of a classic rock cliche when stripped of its cheeseball piano intro and sterilized studio production. This version – delicate guitar interplay interspersed with freakout soloing – sounds much more a part with the SP canon than the one put to tape. It is vintage Corgan – big, bold, melodic and laced with heavy Fender tones, although wingman Jeff Schroeder (w/Gibson) took many of the leads, as he did all night.
Today was Today, which is to say it hit home with the oily muscle guys in the VIP lounge and the 30-somethings sporting Zero tees. The band played it – as they did with heyday classics Stand Inside Your Love, Tonight Tonight and Bullet With Butterfly Wings – by the numbers and with hands tied behind back.
Which only made the hellfire assault of As Rome Burns all the more deliriously thrilling. The song was the night's easy highlight for me and probably something of a revelation for those unfamiliar with the band's post-"Zeitgeist" material. Still unrecorded, Rome is a punishing, lighting-fast rocker in the Tales of Scorched Earth mold that showcases Corgan's classical soloing and a steady diet of firing-squad fills via Karate Kid/drummer Mike Byrne.
(Obligatory Byrne mini-bio: he's 20, used to flip burgers at McDonald's, caught Billy's attention by internet audition (seriously), and works a kit like a manic octopus. He's everywhere – super busy, always looking for a spot to cram another THWACK… Mike's also a bandana enthusiast. Seems to me like an all-around great human being.)
As for this dichotomy… Corgan seemed to thrust himself into the newer tunes as if with something to prove. Though he ran through Today, SIYL, Hummer and Bullet like obligatory retreads, the band injected the pummeling likes of dirge-epics United States and encore Gossamer with a visceral energy and an unabashed grandiosity that screamed for something more than these cramped quarters. Likewise, the frantic dual-soloing in set closer Tarantula one-upped the virtuosity in nearly everything before it.
With a hits-loaded set, Corgan threw bone after bone to a crowd that didn't need bones in the first place. The place was loud, appreciative, receptive and tightly packed (so much so that I lost bassist Nicole Fiorentino to obstructed view… sorry Nicole. You sounded great in Gossamer). They also responded really well to the shows only quiet moment – a duet of '20s lullaby Love Is The Sweetest Thing between Billy and little niece Ava. Kudos to the audience for the (com)passionate reaction and special shoutout to the moshers on the floor, who… were being total douchebags.
Other highlights included heavy, sexed-up renditions of electro-faves Eye and Ava Adore – the latter the beneficiary, along with fellow "Adore" cut Perfect, of a crunching rock makeover. New single Freak also stood out for its awkward-on-paper Sabbath riffing + "la la la" chorus. The song, like the rest of the "Teargarden" entries, trumped its studio counterpart in its distortion-laden live form.
Freak is a pop song. Here, it rocked.
"Zeitgeist's" Bleeding The Orchid, as an out-of-tune variant to its album version … sucked, actually. Owata did no such thing. Another unreleased post-'07 gem, this one reminds me of 1979 in its effortless melodicism and lush propulsion. It recalls Zwan in its airy optimism, packs an impossibly catchy refrain and, in general, sounds like a future Pumpkins hit.
The Mighty SP was on its game Wednesday. They held a candle to their vaunted legacy. Succeeded on their own merits, too. And while it was great see BC and Co. in an 1,100-person dive, I got the overwhelming impression that this band – as it was from the very beginning – is built for something much bigger.
– Robbie
Note: all videos and pics are SC exclusives. Enjoy.
Bullet With Butterfly Wings
Bleeding The Orchid
Cherub Rock
Love Is The Sweetest Thing


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The 'What Do You Mean' hitmaker and the 'Transformers: Age of Extinction' actress were spotted visiting the iconic landmark CN Tower on Sunday, June 12.
Things are seemingly heating up between Justin Bieber and Nicola Peltz. The "What Do You Mean" hitmaker and the "Transformers: Age of Extinction" actress were spotted together in Toronto on Sunday, June 12.
In some photos shared by fans on Twitter, Justin and Nicola could be seen visiting the iconic landmark CN Tower. The "Love Yourself" crooner sported a yellow hoodie, ripped jeans and white sneakers. The star of "The Last Airbender", meanwhile, donned an all-black outfit.
In one photo, the rumored couple was seen standing facing each other on the tower's famous glass floor. They left the place together and entered an awaiting black car.
Justin shared on Instagram two photos of him, taken during his outing with Nicola. He was seen enjoying the view from a large round window. "#sadboyz," he captioned one of the snaps.
Rumor has it, Justin flew Nicola to Canada for his concert. "Justin and Nicola are definitely dating and it's really heating up," an insider tells HollywoodLife.com, "He flew her to Canada so she could watch his show and so they could enjoy a little vacation. Everyone really likes Nicola and thinks she's good for Justin… and he's totally infatuated with her!"
Justin and Nicola first sparked dating rumors after they were spotted on a dinner date at Mastro's Steakhouse in Beverly Hills on May 25.


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The Prestige 2 Twin-wall is the full greenhouse package! The house itself features twin-wall polycarbonate panels that diffuse the light and increase insulation. The weatherproof frame features simplified assembly with the pin & lock system, while the roof panels now simply slide into place. Double doors and included roof provide excellent ventilation.
Warning: Last items in stock!
Availability date:
The Prestige 2 Twin-wall is the full greenhouse package. It has all of the great features you need and comes fully loaded with accessories like benches and kits for both drip irrigation and trellising. The house itself features twin-wall panels that diffuse the light and increase insulation. Weatherproof frame now features simplified assembly with the pin & lock system, while the roof panels simply slide into place.
Double doors, included roof vent, automatic vent openers and side louver window create optimum ventilation and help you maintain correct temperature. The heavy duty resin frame improves both insulation and durability. Barn style roof provides ample headroom, giving you more space to garden. Included base kit for additional height and stability. Secure to concrete pad or heavy timber foundation.
Limited Warranty:
7 Years
Size (Rounded):
8' x 8' x 7'
Square Feet:
Head Room:
103.9" L x 105.1" W x 93.5" H Peak
Sidewall Height:
Door Opening Dimensions:
47.5" W x 76.4" H
Total Product Weight:
303.8 lbs
Roof Color:
Roof Material:
4mm Twin Wall Polycarbonate
Sides Material:
6mm Twin Wall Polycarbonate
Frame Color:
Dark Green
Frame Material:
100% UV-protected resin
Ship Method:
Small Parcel
Total Box Quantity:
5 Boxes
No customer comments for the moment.


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SRINAGAR, JULY 04: Minister for Horticulture, Hajj and Auqaf, Mr. Abdul Rehman Veeri today inspected the progress of repair work on irrigation gauge at Chachkoot, the gauge was damaged due to recent flashfloods in the area. He also took stock of repair works of flood channel Bijbehara and inspected the site identified for construction of AMT School at Akura, Mattan.
The Minister directed the concerned engineers to redouble their efforts for early completion of the repair works of the gauge, flood spill channel Bijbehara and protection bunds on the rivers. He exhorted upon the concerned to ensure that farmers of the district do not face any inconvenience with respect to irrigation of their farmlands.
Mr. Veeri also visited Akura, Mattan and inspected the site proposed for construction of AMT School there. He instructed the concerned officers for timely completion of all codal formalities for construction of the said School.
Addressing various public meetings during his extensive tour at Akura, Chachkoot, Godhanjipora and other villages, the Minister enumerated several measures taken up by the Government for comprehensive development of the area. He said besides upgradation of infrastructure under core sectors, horticulture potential has also been given focused attention, adding that several pioneering initiatives are under way to give further boost to horticulture sector in the State.
Mr Veeri said the coming years would bring a turnaround in socio-economic milieu of the State. He said every possible resource is being mobilized and pooled to provide basic facilities to the people with focus on equitable development and uniform justice to the poor and backward areas.
Mr. Veeri reaffirmed that being the local representative equal development of all the areas was his priority and no injustice would be done to any area of the district on the developmental front. He assured the people that all their genuine developmental needs would be addressed in a phased manner. He also impressed upon the officers to solve the people's genuine developmental needs on priority.
The Minister appealed people to cooperate with the Government in its efforts to bring a developmental turnaround in the State. He said Government is abreast with the problems of the people and no stone will be left unturned to redress their grievances. He exhorted the people to benefit from various schemes launched under innovative programmes by the government for their economic emancipation.
On developmental sector, the Minister said that the promises made by the Mufti led government are being fulfilled one after the other. "We have made new strides and laid edifice for peaceful and economically sound Jammu and Kashmir", he said, adding that though everything has not been achieved in full yet, the march on road to progress is firm and the intension of government to take the State to new highs of prosperity and stability is sincere and clear.
2015 Kashmir Despatch


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I already had big feet but they have grown and have yet to shrink back!
I always loved olives and such, however I now can eat various pickled items that the old me would have overlooked...mmm yummy pickles.
Needless to say this is gone (sorry if this is T.M.I.). That's all I will say about that.
This was a huge no-no before, but now after coming home from an event, some days I just want to pass out after putting the kids down, so yeah...disgustingly it happens. I am sure this will eventually go back.
Basically if I can be there for you I will, but my kids come first and if that bothers anyone, where the old me would lose sleep over how to make it work, now I expect understanding or c'est la vie. Time is too precious to waste it on worrying about everything else and everyone...don't worry be happy is no longer a cliché.
It is bigger, yes, however what I refer to here is my ability to have a stronger stomach when it comes to disgusting things such as vomit, diaper messes and so forth. You truly have no choice as a parent, it is something I feared I would be a tad grossed out by...but even the biggest of poop messes has kept me unphased.
Dear lordy lordy lordy...please help me remember where I put my keys, phone and any item I was holding onto 5 minutes ago. I used to be on top of the ball, knew where all my stuff was and everyone else's, now I am lucky if I can remember anything at all. I literally forget why I came into a room and as such make a list of everything I must do each day. Admittedly I am a but ditzy...I used to be smart...I swear it.


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The Secret Life Of Hedgehogs By Elena Eremina
Ever wondered what a casual day in the life of a hedgehog looks like? Well, now you can find out, as photographer Elena Eremina has created an adorable series featuring the little spike balls.
Elena Eremina is a St. Petersburg-based budding photographer, gradually progressing to becoming a pro. From hamsters to pugs to hedgehogs - she is the master of photographing small animals in miniature settings. Even though most of the photos have probably been edited, her most recent series features hedgehogs doing everything from taking a bath to baking cookies and it's too cute. You can buy Elena's hedgehog photos in the form of posters and stickers here or hedgehog calendars here.
P.S. Don't do this at home without consulting a veterinarian.
More info: Facebook | 500px | Redbubble (h/t: designyoutrust)


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Keeping mum / Alyse Carlson.
Electronic resources
View other formats and editions
Record details
- ISBN: 9780698137974 (electronic bk)
- Publisher: [Place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified], 2014.
Content descriptions
|Summary, etc.:
Roanoke, Virginia, is home to some of the country's most exquisite gardens, and it's Camellia Harris's job to promote them. But when a political fundraiser turns deadly, everyone's a candidate for murder... Cam and her best friend, Annie, are planning a gala for a local Senate candidate—a murder mystery themed silent auction where the guests bid on who will be the night's "victim." Coordinating a beautiful display of fall flowers and planning the perfect fake crime is hard enough, but with a guest list that is a "who's who" of the Roanoke elite, Cam has her hands full navigating the egos and grudges of her high society guests. When local financial tycoon Derrick Windermere is found dead next to a shattered pot of chrysanthemums, the night's fun and games quickly turn serious. Half the guests had good reason to want Windermere dead, but only one is suspiciously missing in action—Annie's father. Now Cam will not only have to figure out...
|Reproduction Note:
Electronic reproduction. New York : Berkley, 2014. Requires Adobe Digital Editions (file size: 1223 KB) or Amazon Kindle (file size: N/A KB) or OverDrive Read (file size: N/A KB).
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|Electronic books.


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Friday, August 25, 2006
Mini to the Max
(in no particular order)
1 Spiral notebook
24 Bic ballpoints
1 Apple laptop
1 250 Gig hard drive (Porsche design)
1 DVC unit
1 AA coin/chip for year one
3 Polaroid sticky shots of H
1 Big Book
12 pairs of underwear
6 pairs of jeans
4 tennis shirts
4 long sleeve button down shirts
2 Sweatshirts
1 NY Yankee Cap
1 alphabet, hardly used
1 Tennis raquet
1 pair of tennis shoes
1 pair of cowboy boots
1 pair of Bass Weejun loafers
1 airmattress
1 Nano iPod
1 Thomas Guide of LA
3 maps of Southern Cali
1 set of towels
1 bottle of sun screen (spf 35)
1 copy of Shakespeare's sonnets
3 advertising portfolios and tv reels
1 copy Beyond the Owing (latest play)
1 draft of a to-be-named screenplay for Yes, Brothers Towing Company productions
1 bag of toiletries (toothbrush/paste, asprin, etc)
1 copy of Jon Steel's "Truth Lies and Advertising"
1 rolodex
1 HP printer
5 sticks of gum
58 cents
1 roll of black tape
1 Nokia 6230
Can you see the complete sonnets of Shakespeare in the picture at left?
Mr Fancyshirt has commented that he didn't know what a "tennis shirt" was versus a "T-Shirt". I offer the picture below as a visual aide to the explanation in the comments section.
4 comments:
Is "tennis shirt" just the formal term for T-shirt? If so, I have to admit to not knowing that and enlightened with a deeper understanding of the world.
- Malachy Walsh said...
Well, I thought maybe a tennis shirt and a t-shirt might be the same thing - until I was given a tennis shirt.
Basically, the tennis shirt is it's own thing - made of breathable cloth or synthetics and having a real sense of style, you'd hesitate to wear it beneath something else.
A t-shirt is more utilitarian and less styled. It's meant to be an undergarment that is worn for it's own sake ONLY when you're too lazy to wear/wash anything else.
I'm still not sure what it is though. Is it like a polo shirt? Does it have a collar? How is it different than a polo? I'm also curious because I have known you many years and can't think of you in anything but a blue oxford button down or a bowling shirt.
- Malachy Walsh said...
Sometimes there's a collar. Sometimes there's not.
But it's not so much about the collar as it is about the overall style and material (breathable synthetic) combined with the way it's worn.
I'll post a picture of a couple of the ones I have for you at some point.


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When: Mondays, 6 p.m. Continues through May 29 2017
The National Alliance on Mental Illness builds understanding between individuals struggling with psychological health and their loved ones. Call for details.
Price: Free; preregister.
Select a star to rate.
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© 2018 Seven Days


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I don't believe:
In the Tooth Fairy.
In ghosts.
In astrology.
In miracles.
In magic.
In the supernatural.
In a supernatural deity.
In the Pledge of Allegiance.
In mindless patriotism.
That I am still alive.
That I am single at age 60.
That we will ever meet space aliens.
That we will ever hear from space aliens.
That television is still so much crap.
That fuels are so expensive.
That cars are so expensive.
That cars are still the primary means of US transportation.
That idiots still question the imminent dangers of global warming.
That Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas are on the Supreme Court.
That the President does not accept the basic validity of Evolution.
That Jesus would be a Christian if alive today.
Anything that Pat Robertson or Jerry Falwell says.
Anything that the present government says.
That the President and NASA are pissing money away trying to mount a Mars mission.
That most of the press corps are so credulous.
That the courts have not yet put a stop to US detention and torture of Muslims.
That Democrats are still supporting the President's brutal, mindless pseudo-war in Iraq.
That Democrats are such worthless pussies.
That bigotry and overt hostility directed at homosexuals are still legally valid and acceptable.
That a majority of citizens still supports organized prayer in public schools.
That a majority of citizens still supports government subsidy of religion.
I do believe in the primacy of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, and that they apply to everyone worldwide.
I do believe in Santa Claus as the spirit of Christmas.
I don't believe this is being published on NPR.
If you enjoyed this essay, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to This I Believe, Inc.


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AMD A8-3850 Llano APU Review
By ajmatson -
Office 2007 Excel Big Number Crunch: This test takes a 6.2MB Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and performs about 28,000 sets of calculations that represent many of the most commonly used calculations in Excel. The measure of this test is how long it takes to refresh the sheet.
Lower Is Better
POV Ray 3.7: This program features a built in benchmark that renders an image using Ray Tracing. The latest versions offer support for SMP (Symmetric MultiProcessing) enabling the workload to be spread across the cores for quicker completion.
Higher Is Better
The APU held up strongly again in the Office and POV Ray tests. When overclocked, the APU almost matched the faster i7 2500K.


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Man dies in Birmingham 'stolen car' crash
A man died when a suspected stolen car hit a wall in Birmingham.
An Audi A6 crashed near the junction of Clifton Road and Lime Grove in Balsall Heath shortly after 02:30 GMT.
A 24-year-old man in the vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene. Three other men, aged 21, 22 and 25, were freed from the car and arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle.
The 25-year-old was also detained on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and drink driving.
The men are being questioned by officers.
Insp Paul Bennett, from West Midlands Police, said the vehicle was believed to have been stolen from the Hodge Hill area of the city on Sunday night.
He said the investigation was at an early stage and asked anyone who saw anything suspicious around Brockhurst Road to come forward.
"This is a tragic incident where a young man has lost his life and a family has woken to the most horrific news this morning," Insp Bennett added.


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The Nintendo 3DS handheld gaming system got off to a rocky start, but it seems to be finding its stride as time goes on. In my opinion, the reason for this is that there are finally games on the platform worth playing. The system launched with an abysmal lineup that featured gems such as Steel Driver, a rehash of Super Street Fighter IV and a terrible excuse for a Madden game. Times have changed, and Nintendo has taken things into their own hands, pushing some of their biggest first party games to the platform just in time for this past holiday shopping season.
Nintendo 3DS XL - Blue/Black [Old Model] Nintendo 3DS XL - Blue/Black [Old Model] Buy Now At Amazon $199.95
Nintendo platforms tend to be fueled by first party games, and it seems like the 3DS is no exception. That is not a knock against them, while they have a hard time getting many solid third-party games, having a loyal fan following that purchases anything with Mario or Zelda on the box nets Nintendo tons of money. These three games fall under that category, and the fact of the matter is, they are insanely good. They all have a Metacritic rating of over 85, with two having 90 or better. If you own a 3DS, you must play these games.
Super Mario 3D Land
It took Nintendo longer than expected to bring a proper Mario game to the 3DS, but when they did, they did it in style. Super Mario 3D Land shows exactly what the 3DS can do. You would think that after nearly 30 years the Mario formula would be tired, but you would be wrong. Nintendo consistently finds new ways to tweak and change the gameplay, keeping it fresh and exciting while still maintaining the feel that gamers expect from Mario.
What makes this game so special is the way it uses the 3D. Instead of just being a cheesy visual gimmick like it is for most games, it is actually integral to the gameplay. In making 3D a mechanic of the game, instead of just a visual trick, they have shown other developers what the 3DS can really do. They took what appeared to be a gimmick and made it essential for solving puzzles and navigating the world.
Super Mario 3D Land Super Mario 3D Land Buy Now At Amazon $17.78
The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time 3D
What can I say about The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time that has not already been said? It is arguably (almost factually) the best video game ever made for any platform, and now it is available on the 3DS for gamers to bring the adventure wherever they go. The remake received universal praise, and has a Metacritic rating of 94 out of 100. Personally, if I was to review it, I would give it a 95, it really is that damn good, even all these years later.
Nintendo Selects: The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time 3D Nintendo Selects: The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time 3D Buy Now At Amazon $15.99
The controls on the 3DS work well, and while it does not do anything groundbreaking with 3D like Mario, it is still an awesome remake of the one of the best video games ever made. It looks beautiful on the 3DS screen and is just as much fun to play as it ever was. If you own a 3DS, you need to play this game. For a new generation of gamers who may not have experienced Ocarina of Time on the Nintendo 64, this is their chance to have the time of their life.
Mario Kart 7
It is hard to believe that Mario Kart has been around for seven games, but here we are. Essentially, Nintendo releases the same game repeatedly with Mario Kart, and yet, it is still good every time. Mario Kart 7 does not do anything to revolutionize the cart-racing genre, but the thing is, it does not need to. Nintendo has the perfect formula, and changing it too much would just make it worse. As the old saying goes, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Mario Kart 7 Mario Kart 7 Buy Now At Amazon $23.91
Of course, Nintendo made small tweaks that take this Mario cart to a new level. There are new tracks and items to play with. They also implemented a well-made gyro control system so you can steer your cart by tilting your 3DS. Nintendo added a gliding mechanic that can really shake up a race if used properly. They threw in some new modes to keep things fresh and fun. They did not take anything that made Mario Kart great away from the game; they just added some fun to new layers to make it even better.
If you own a 3DS, you need to play these games. They have made the system actually worth owning. They are Nintendo staple franchises and they are all done right. They remind me of why we all were so excited when the 3DS was first announced at E3 a couple of years ago. Go to your local games shop and get these games; you will not regret it.
What games made it worth owning a 3DS for you? Let us know in the comments!
Leave a Reply
I guess James Bruce was wrong in the end.
2015 still no mario kart on ios or android.
The wii u has had a great year (2014)and getting even better game line up this year.
3ds keeps going from strength to strength.
Oh well I guess time always irons out the arguments in the end :)
Nintendo 3ds is really cool gaming console and I would love to buy one. Currently I am using Nintendo DS lite.
DS lite is BEAST!!!!
@muo_jamesbruce:disqus If you are thinking it's all about graphics, you are soo wrong. Why do you think the wii has become such a popular console, because everyone has retro love for Nintendo?
Mario has been around for almost 30 years and he is not slacking down.
The graphics of this game are beautful for handheld games. No 90s graphics at all, you definitely dont know how games looked back then.
Not a single iOS game can stand in the shadow of one of these three games...


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Sunderland agree M'Vila deal
Yann M'Vila has become Sunderland's latest close-season signing as Dick Advocaat looks to improve their fortunes in the Premier League.
Sunderland have completed the season-long loan signing of France international Yann M'Vila from Rubin Kazan, their fifth new arrival ahead of the Premier League campaign.
The 25-year-old midfielder spent last term on loan with Inter, making 14 appearances for Roberto Mancini's side as they struggled in Serie A.
Sunderland have the option of making M'Vila's transfer permanent at the end of the campaign.
"I'm very happy to be a Sunderland player," M'Vila told the club's official website. "I had a very good feeling training with the team; every player welcomed me and the feeling was very good with them so I'm excited for the start of the season.
"I've wanted to play in the Premier League for a long time so I'm very happy to be here.
"I've played in France, Russia and Italy so I have good experience and I've also played against England with the national team.
"I'm a midfielder who has good vision and I'm a good passer of the ball; I like to play box to box but I can also sit in front of the back four and protect the defence.
"Many people spoke to me before I joined the club and I believe Dick Advocaat can improve me and help with my progression, and I also know the assistant coach Zeljko Petrovic very well.
"I'm very excited to play against Leicester City and I'm looking forward to playing my first game in the Premier League, before playing match after match and having good results."


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Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson has been playing this season in limbo, after preseason reports emerged of a 10-game suspension for a second PED violation.
But today, he could begin to get some clarity.
According to Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News, Johnson's appeal of his performance-enhancing substance policy suspension is scheduled to be heard today in New York.
Of course, an announcement usually takes a week or so, so Johnson could continue to start for the Eagles this week in Detroit.
There was a point in training camp after the reports surfaced when the Eagles practiced with the former first-rounder as a backup, to prepare for what seemed inevitable. If/when he is suspended, left guard Allen Barbre would move to right tackle, and Stefen Wisniewski would slide into Barbre's spot.
Johnson said he tested positive for banned peptides, which he didn't realize were in a supplement he was taking. He served a four-game suspension in 2014.


text: Friday's are always great! We are off for a jewelry haul this morning! My favorite time! I am looking for some interesting chain for a couple of things I have been working on. I love finding vintage chains to work with. Things at the studio are winding down as we get closer to Christmas. Please take a few minutes and check out our Etsy Shop. We have several of our gypsy bracelets up and also a few of our necklaces. You can also see us next weekend at the East Palestine Elementary School 9-5. Hope to see you there! Wish me luck!


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This was another jam packed episode of Heroes, with several storylines furthered, and some very exciting character interaction along the way. First let's deal with one of the weaker aspect though, which was Hiro and Ando. The storyline, with Ando being conned by Hope, and Hiro chasing after him with the corrupt gaming commission officer, dragged and really seemed to be an unnecessary part of the episode. It was a bit amusing to have a big gun fight between Hope and the officer, complete with the sound of an explosion, occur mostly offscreen, as we held on Hiro and Ando's faces. And there was at least Hiro's cool move of using his power in a new way, as he reversed time and caused Hope's gun to misfire. But Hiro deciding that a partner was a burden, and leaving Ando, seemed forced. It was all based on the advice of a creepy guy who would later shoot Ando in the arm himself, and it seems inevitable Ando and Hiro will be reunited, so why bother with this? At least we got a quick cameo from Stan Lee as the bus driver.
However, all the other elements of the episode were very strong. Mohinder and Sylar found the next person on the list; Dale, a woman with superhearing. Sylar snuck off and killed the woman, before Mohinder could really question her. In a nice touch, it lead to some rather negative experiences for Sylar, as he found himself unable to control her power and suffering from some rather agonizing reaction as a result. It remains to be seen how long before Mohinder figures out he's driving a serial killer to each of his next victims, but one would presume he'd have to get suspicious soon, as he already realizes Sylar must be working from the same list they have. Kudos to Zachary Quinto, who is doing his best work yet so far on Heroes, portraying both the vicious Sylar, and the fake nice guy persona he has created around Mohinder.
After his brief cameo a couple episodes back, Ted made a big return this week, approached by a new character, who can pick up and transmit internet information with her mind. Her name is Hana, AKA Wireless (Stana Katic), and it's fun to have one of our first genuine superhero sounding names on the series. We'll forgive the somewhat clunky dialogue in the scene in which the two met, since their storyline then hurtled forward to some very cool places. Their recruitment of Matt into their group, as three people wronged by Mr. Bennet, was very cool, and set up a small little team dynamic we haven't seen except among Bennet's own group so far. And it was interesting to discover that the markings several of the characters have on their shoulder are a tracking system Bennet has implanted them with.
The Bennet household meanwhile got plenty of its own drama, with Claire daring to bring up the idea to her mother that her father shouldn't be trusted. When her mom collapsed and was briefly hospitalized, thanks to brain damage caused by the frequent mindwipes, Claire confronted Mr. Bennet, revealing she remembers everything and was aware of what he was doing. It was great to see this all come out now, rather than prolonged further, as Claire finally let her dad know just how dangerous she felt he was, and that she would run away, except that she felt she had to protect her own family from him. This however was interrupted by the appearance of Matt, Ted and Wireless, and again, we're impressed with how quickly things move on this show: In the very same episode that this trio decides to take the fight to Bennet, they do just that, instead of several episodes of planning and talking about it, as one might imagine could occur.
However, the character that got the most forward momentum, both psychologically and physically, was Peter. Peter really came into his own this episode, as he showed time and again the ability to reuse the powers he'd previously absorbed from others. The jaw dropping moment of the episode came when he first stopped Bennet and the Haitian's tasers in mid air, then grabbed Claude's unconscious body, pushed him over the side of a roof, flew down, caught him and flew them both away. It was incredibly impressive, and just plain kick ass, and though it's hard not to worry that in the long term it might be a problem having a character this powerful as a lead, for the time being, Peter's become awfully cool to behold.
The episode culminated with Peter confronting Isaac, realizing Isaac led Bennet to him. Once more Peter got to show off his powers, using Claude's invisibility and Sylar's telekinesis to hide from a gun brandishing Isaac and send Isaac flying across the room. Alas, Isaac fired a wild shot when he heard a sound, and it was Simone who he accidentally shot and killed. We're not too sorry to see her go; the character never was that interesting or necessary to the storyline. But we sure are curious to see what the fallout from this will be.
It's also worth noting that Simone was in Peter's dream, in which he blows up. Does her death mean the events of that dream may not be as literal as they seem, or that at least part of that future is already changing? We're certainly curious to see how it all plays out.


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Metro Vancouver Home Search
Search all homes for sale in Downtown Vancouver using the Google Maps property search. Find your new condo, apartment, loft, penthouse or townhome in Coal Harbour, Crosstown, Downtown, False Creek, Gastown, Yaletown or the West End.
Downtown Vancouver Condo and Townhome MLS® Search
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Oh My!
Posted June 29, 2012on:
Its been a while since I posted!! The last few months have been a blur! Big milestones to talk about! The boys turned 1 year on June 5th! We almost bought a house( we finally DID NOT, but that's a long story)…and we took our 1st vacation!
The BIG ONE
Cant believe my babies are already one!! It felt like just yesterday that we were rushing to the hospital when my water broke, and holding them soon after, so tiny and beautiful in my arms. Now, Adi walks around, and Aru shows us the squirrels in the yard… They babel and scream, cry and laugh, get angry and hurt, fight and share… they are growing up so quickly!
We celebrated their 1st birthday with an outdoor party at the apartment's pavilion. It was a HOT HOT day… almost 95 degrees, but we somehow managed to survive it! We decorated the place, ordered food from outside, got smash cakes for them and called a bunch of friends. It was a LOT of work! My SIL was able to come down from California, and it was really nice to have at least some family representation. We really missed having thier grandparents, aunts/uncles and cousins! I guess we have to have another party when we go back to India!
I think the highlight of the party were the smash cakes, and how each of them approached it…Adi went all out, smashing the cake, and taking mouthfuls of it. Aru on the other hand was suspicious, as is his nature, treading slowly, before he figured it tasted yummy and he could do whatever he wanted with it…lol! It was super fun to watch them… Cleaning up all the butter and cream after this… NOT so much FUN for us!
I still have to sort thru all the pics and send them out to relatives and friends. Hopefully I can get to that this weekend.
Beach VACATION
We took our 1st official vacation a couple of weeks back to Rehobeth Beach, DE. We had some friends join us at the townhouse we all rented. It was a lot of fun and kids had a good time! They were the center of attention, and I think they have become naughtier since we returned, resorting to all sorts of mischievousness.
The house was big and spacious, facing a pretty lake. The kitchen was well-stocked, and i thought we did a really good job, grilling and cooking in the house. The only downside was that the kids fell a little sick, especially Adi, and there was one night when R and me slept for like 2 hours. That sucked! Adi had a bad case of constipation which led to a lot of pain for him, it was so difficult to watch him… we forced some juice and fluids into him, and he recovered in a day.
The beach was a little chilly, but it was so nice! the kids loved playing in the sand, though they were scared of the waves and water. Spending time and catching up with friends was great, felt like that was long due.
The only sad part of the trip was that both R and me lost our glasses, almost 700$ worth of glasses lost…Now we have to shop for 2 pairs, and that's not something we needed at this time.


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Cosmopolitan magazine – Snow White
Last month I had the great great pleasure to cover the Oscars live in exclusivity for Vogue Spain, and even that the favourite colour of the night for the 84th edition of the ceremony was said to be green, the white ended up being THE absolute winner. Sported by the nominee Rooney Mara, or Gwyneth Paltrow (wearing the most talked Tom Ford dress of the night), to a sexy bootilicious J.Lo. The time is perfect to share this scan from my feature on Cosmopolitan magazine(Spain) where I wore a gorgeous white dress from spanish designer Roberto Torretta a few months a go...READ MORE


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Floating buttons for mobile web and applications
New advertising format. Additional layer on top of the page. Easy to move with a thumb. Unfold into the full screen with one click.
New advertising format. Additional layer on top of the page. Easy to move with a thumb. Unfold into the full screen with one click.
New way of users interaction with mobile devices. Add new feature without changing design or script of the app.
You install the button script once. It is white labeled. You can change design and appearance settings on our user-friendly administration platform.
Our customers are surprised with the button's metrics that are a lot more interesting than traditional mobile ads.
It is less costly and less time consuming to add new functions while using floating buttons.
Floating button is available for iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Web and Mobile Web.
You can collect usage data and set up different targets and parameters.
You would reasonably want to see it in action. Now you can do it by using a demo app. We show you three most popular scenarios with the highest demand - survey button, e-shop button and pure AD button. You can change the logo, design, the website and the content of the button.
High quality image on any mobile devices. Variant mechanics to introduce information. Easy setting and fast creatives preparation. Awesome way to draw attention to your brand!
Please see our deck if you like the feature and need more info.Open
Three different kinds.
Nine click to action scenarios.
Key metrics.
More examples of the real campaigns.
Feel free to ask anything about our product.


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The man who made perhaps the most famous shot in cinematic hoops history never played high school basketball.
"I tried out three years in a row," Maris Valainis says, "and I got cut three years in a row."
But as Jimmy Chitwood in the venerated 1986 film "Hoosiers," Valainis calmly sinks the game-winning jumper to give the Hickory High Huskers the 1952 Indiana state title.
Movie fans haven't forgotten.
Valainis says he's still recognized from his portrayal of Chitwood, whose shy, reserved personality is similar to his own.
"When I'm playing, yes," says Valainis, whose picture-perfect shooting form can still be seen in Southland pickup games, "and when I'm out sometimes too.
"If I'm in a social situation, I'll get a lot of, 'You look really familiar to me.' And then finally someone will figure it out, which is amazing to me that 25 years later people would remember.


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Make a Difference
Our interns are charged with managing substantive work from day one.
We offer interns a supportive environment to learn and excel, working alongside
some of the industry's most talented professionals to make an immediate impact.
Our interns are charged with managing substantive work from day one.
Working hands-on with our teams, interns put their education to work in areas such as treasury, technology, accounting, risk management, and operations.
In addition to a manager, all interns are assigned an individual mentor to guide them in their work, teaching them our culture and helping them fulfill their goals.
Interns enjoy excursions with trips to sporting and cultural events and employee after-hours events.


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Wednesday, April 2
The Terrors of Being an [ALMOST] Senior in College.
4 comments:
Senior Year is terrifying and exciting. Figuring out what you want to do is hard and applying for grad schools is a pain. In the end make sure to enjoy and never be afraid to ask for advice when your about to take the 'next' step!ReplyDelete
Seriously! Good advice. :) I may come to you when I need it! Haha.ReplyDelete
Hi Allison! I just stumbled across your blog - so glad I did! I look forward to getting to know you more via blogland! :)ReplyDelete
Emily from www.embergrey.com
Senior year was definitely my favorite year of college. I LOVED my classes (and still miss them so much). I learned a ton, but actually had time to relax and hang out with friends too. Ah, those were the days.ReplyDelete
xo Megan, Lush to Blush
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As Demand for U.S. Wood Pellet Production Grows
(RALEIGH, NC – July 12, 2012) Producers of wood pellets in the United States will need to meet or exceed sustainability standards set by the European Union and individual European countries to protect the health of forests, while accessing expanding export markets, according to studies released today by Environmental Defense Fund and the Pinchot Institute for Conservation. The growing European demand for U.S. wood biomass requires buyers to demonstrate enhanced sustainability of North America's forest resources.
Some European utilities depend on trees grown in the United States to make electricity. Processed wood is shaped into small wood pellets that are shipped to the E.U., mainly the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Denmark and Belgium. The pellets are burned with coal or in biomass boilers to produce energy. A video explains the journey from forestlands to power plants.
The new reports examine economic, environmental and public policy implications of the expanding wood pellet market. European Power from U.S. Forests (report PDF) documents how the E.U. policy is shaping the transatlantic trade in wood biomass. Pathways to Sustainability evaluates the programs and practices available to U.S. pellet producers to meet European buyers' sustainability expectations and policy requirements, concluding that few of the pathways completely meet the standards.
"The E.U. has a strong renewable energy policy, but countries don't have enough forest or agricultural land to meet the increasing demand for wood biomass," said Will McDow, EDF forestry conservation manager. "The U.S. has the biomass resources and sustainable forest management programs. The two must be linked. Landowners and biomass producers on both sides of the Atlantic can encourage market development and meet environmental objectives."
"Expanding wood pellet export markets present new opportunities for landowners, but meeting the expectations of buyers overseas can be a significant hurdle," said Brian Kittler, project director with the Pinchot Institute. "While there appears to be a call for sustainability from Europe, it's not necessarily a straight line between policy level guidance in the E.U., and the supply chain decisions of U.S. biomass producers. As markets grow, investments are made, and terms of delivery negotiated. Dialogue on what the many approaches to sustainability offer is essential."
A webinar will be held July 17, 2012 at 12 pm EST. Please join Will McDow (EDF), Brian Kittler (Pinchot Institute) and Jamie Joudrey (University of Toronto) for a discussion of E.U. policies, the growing demand for wood pellet exports and options to meet Europe's sustainability requirements.
Please visit:


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These Cars 3 Featurettes Have Entered The Race!
Cars 3 is everywhere! It's online, in stores, and now in theaters! There's also a few cool official Cars 3 featurettes for you to watch and enjoy (I've embedded them below), so check them out! We've got more Cars content for you! The Race Begins Here: Cars 3 Concept Art Watch TheRead More


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Build powerful 3D Potential field models
Geosoft GM-SYS 3D Modelling, an Oasis montaj extension, is an interactive tool for building more insightful 3D layered models from potential field data.
Quickly and easily design 3D earth models that more accurately depict the variation and irregularity of subsurface structures.
Learn how you can use GM-SYS 3D to:
• Integrate gravity and magnetic, and seismic data for the creation of more powerful models
• Plot 3D displays in one simple step, while retaining control over each element
• Automatically visualize 3D models, as they are built
• Combine wells, seismic sections or volumes, or other vector or raster information to 3D model visualization
This video covers the new features in GM-SYS 3D 8.3. It is intended for potential field Geophysicists who want to build and improve their models by incorporating potential field data into a 3D environment.
Presented by Dima Amin on November 6, 2014.


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Buy Harley Davidson spare parts online
Are you looking for Harley Davidson parts? Having difficulty locating the store that sells those important parts around your place or city? As silly as it sounds, why not order the parts online from Surdyke.com?
With a vast collection of parts for Harley Davidson, you can search for the exact part numbers or the keywords. Add those parts to the shopping cart and checkout. Pay with Paypal or credit card and just wait until the parts arrive at your doorstep.


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Delaware Antitrust Lawyers
Find Delaware Antitrust Attorneys by City
Lindsey Gauthier
Wilmington, DE Antitrust Law Attorney
(302) 892-8052New Jersey and Pennsylvania
The LII Lawyer Directory contains lawyers who have claimed their profiles and are actively seeking clients. Find more Delaware Antitrust Lawyers in the Justia Legal Services and Lawyers Directory which includes profiles of more than one million lawyers licensed to practice in the United States, in addition to profiles of legal aid, pro bono and legal service organizations.
Researching Attorney Discipline


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Playing Cards Rembrandt
Playing Cards Rembrandt in red or blue. As set 8,75 euro.
€4,95 Incl. tax
Playing Cards Rembrandt in red or blue. Each deck contains 55 cards. On the Aces, Kings, Queens and Jacks are different etchings by Rembrandt, on the playing side. The back, in red or blue, has two logo's of the museum The Rembrandt House. Top or bottom of the back is equal. The Joker is the Self-portrait of Rembrandt Open-mouthed. The card paper weighs 320 grams.
Available in red or blue. As set of 2 packs, red and blue, for 8,75.
No specifications found
No reviews found...


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About Us
Boden Projects is an established hospitality industry specialist with Directors Mark Denton and Bruce Bouchard having 28 years and 17 years respectively, with constant experience on a vast range of challenging and successful projects.
Boden Projects employ an experienced, skilled and dedicated team of 20 people with combined experience exceeding 100 years.
All Boden employees and the majority of subcontractors have worked on numerous and varied hospitality and commerical projects, all in operating and continuous trading environments.
All projects are personally overseen by either Mark or Bruce to emphasise our commitment to ensuring that all aspects of the projects specific requirements are implemented and maintained.
Our project management teams and site co-ordinators have extensive experience and work collaboratively with the Clients nominated personnel and project consultants to ensure effective communication and implementation of all on-site activities.
What our customers say about us
- "The ability ..to work around our ..trading customers has been exceptional" – CEO, Shellharbour [read more]
- "It has been a pleasure working cooperatively with Boden Projects" – CEO, Bankstown City Aged Care [read more]
- "Boden Projects have demonstrated an ability to be attuned to …our constantly changing and evolving club…completing multiple and diverse projects simultaneously, promoting and encouraging a cohesive team approach, communicating effectively across all levels of the business whilst maintaining high levels of accountability.." – CEO, Club Rivers [read more]


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After Pompeii, what you do is up to you. Here are some options to get you started--or ask the advice of your experienced driver, who is there to make your day the best!
Descend the winding one-way road that leads to the heart of Positano, a pretty village of seaside villas, covered in orange blossom and roses. Explore the busy central Piazza dei Mulini, connected to a narrow downhill path and some occasional flights of steps that lead to the seafront. Follow the streets to the shops selling ceramics, lemons, shoes, and "Positano fashion" clothing, and don't miss the lovely Church of Sant Maria of the Assumption, with its characteristic majolica tiled dome and bell tower.
Next you will reach the town of Sorrento, where you will experience spectacular views of the entire bay of Naples and the Island of Capri as the Amalfi coast road emerges from over the mountain cliff. A short drive through the town before you arrive in the centre--a major shopping mall for locals, as well as tourists.
This itinerary may be reversed due to traffic on the particular day you are in port.
Departures: 07:30 AM,
Meeting instructions: Specific pick up or taxi instructions will appear on your voucher after you purchase your trip.
Special instructions: - This tour is with a great, English-speaking driver. In Pompeii, you will be met by a private, local, licensed guide for a 2-hour tour.
- Lunch, gratuities, and entrance fees (including the 13€ per person entrance fee to Pompeii) are not included in the price of this tour.


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Customer Reviews
All reviews are from people who have redeemed deals with this merchant.
What You'll Get
Choose from Three Options
- $89 for Climb Zip & Dine package for two and $40 towards dinner at Slopeside Pub and Grill ($130 value)
- $$25 for Summit Aerial Park High Ropes Course for one ($45 value)
- $49 for Summit Aerial Park High Ropes Course for two ($90 value)
Four Things to Know About Adrenaline
1. Adrenaline kind of gives you superpowers. In an emergency—whether real or perceived—the release of adrenaline causes a cavalcade of changes in the human body. Heart rate and blood pressure increase, pupils dilate and vision sharpens, and muscles contract. If there's an injury, the blood coagulates quicker, and gets directed away from the internal organs and skin in order to go to the muscles and the brain. Adrenaline injections even can help counteract otherwise-deadly allergic reactions by opening constricted airways and raising blood pressure.
2. It might not improve your memory—but that could be a good thing. The release of adrenaline during an emergency situation stimulates the vagus nerve, which causes a release of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine. A little norepinephrine actually boosts memory, but too much can destroy memory formation. Trauma victims often suffer from memory loss immediately surrounding the event, and scientists at the University of Texas have speculated that this could be a mode of self-preservation. Further support for the notion comes from studies showing that highly stressed individuals display selective hearing and pay attention to different things than nonstressed individuals.
3. When you're feeling butterflies in your stomach, it's because of adrenaline. The hormone rears its head when people are cold, frightened, or all aflutter because they've just seen the love of their life and don't know what to say. The release of stress hormones disrupts digestive processes and shifts energy away from the stomach to the muscles, which can result in mild nausea.
4. "Adrenaline junkie" is more than a figure of speech and the most-common phrase embroidered on custom parachutes. While many people actively avoid the situations that leave them in such an agitated state, adrenaline seekers crave this rush, which can become habit forming. Neuroscientists have shown that habitual thrill seekers really do have to keep upping the danger of their adventures in order to achieve the same natural high.
The Fine Print
Promotional value expires Oct 30, 2015. Amount paid never expires. Must sign waiver. Limit 3 per person, may buy 3 additional as gifts. Valid only for option purchased. Valid Tuesday-Sunday, Check website for hours. Ages 8 & up with a reach of at least 60 inches. Weather permitting. Merchant is solely responsible to purchasers for the care and quality of the advertised goods and services.


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Highway to Hell – Commercial Vehicles Have Crashed
November has just ended and a look at the sales figures of Buses & Medium & Heavy Commercial Vehicles (B&M&HCV) manufacturers indicates that it's not going to be a merry Christmas & Happy New Year for anyone. Sales numbers are bad, catastrophically bad. In fact, the numbers are so depressing that in some ways they challenge the logical and mathematical models that the entire industry believes in. As we shall see…
Number, Down Under…
To sound sincere, let us put the numbers out in the open. As per data from the Society of Indian Automotive Manufacturers (SIAM), in the first eleven months of 2013, B&M&HCV sales were down 29% over the year-up-to-November sales of 2012. In the first eleven months of 2012, 283,663 units of B&M&HCVs were sold. In comparison, sales up to November 2013 were only 201,565 units.
Breaking this mayhem down to segment levels, it seems the Buses segment is doing relatively well. Bus sales were down only 16% from 2012 levels (39,432 units vs. 47,222 units). This is not surprising as the Bus segment runs on government dole (read JNNURM and similar schemes). In recent quarters, some more JNNURM dough has been released in the system, making Tata and Ashok Leyland sales appear pink.
However, it is the M&HCV truck segments that have red painted all over them. The Medium truck segment (below 16.2T in SIAM classification) saw sales go down by 27% (89,350 units vs. 122,1431 units) in the first eleven months of 2013.
In comparison, Heavy Commercial Vehicles (above 16.2T) saw sales decline by 36%. Sales in the year-to-date (November) 2013 were 72,783 units. Sales in the first eleven months of 2012 were 114,310 units.
Such a steep fall in sales is a vertebrae snapping event for the industry. That it comes after 2012, which itself saw a 12.23% decline in B&M&HCV sales is fate reversing the car truck and running you over once again, making sure that you really are dead.
Putting a Spoke in the Hub-and-Spoke
The steep fall also puts a big question mark against the much paraded hub-and-spoke model that commercial vehicle manufacturers often discuss at their sales meetings. As per the model, as cities increase in size and highways become bigger, longer & better, fleet operators will need Heavy trucks to connect cities and Light Trucks to support intra-city or city-to-suburbs transport.
What this model means is that sales of LCVs should grow fast; ditto for sales of HCVs, and all of this would mean that MCVs sales would grow at a slower pace.
However, with highways not growing at the speed they were forecasted to, and the economy under stress, the whole model has been checked. And mated.
For a fleet operator, MCVs still make a lot of sense as they are cheaper to acquire and cheaper to operate. With double digit lending rates prevalent in the market, fleet operators are still finding MCVs more attractive than HCVs. This double dip in sales in 2012 & 2013 is just another reason for fleet operators and independent truckers to not ditch MCVs in a hurry.
The History of Double Dips
However, such a double dip in sales is not an aberration for the industry. On the contrary, it is something of a regular happening. So frequently have double dips happened in the past that executives at Tata's CV skunkworks at Jampot wouldn't even have started sweating under their tees. Instead, they would likely be rubbing their hands in glee, waiting in anticipation for 2014 to come and then an automatic rebound in sales.
Such rebounds are extremely sharp and are driven partly by pent up demand in the system. In most of these rebounds-after-double-dip cases in the past, sales have improved by 40%-50% in a year. So why should 2014 be any different?
It may just be.
Let's look at the historical cases of double dips in B&M&HCV sales. Emerging Markets Automotive Advisors (EMMAAA) traces SIAM data from 1973 and the first instance of double dip happens in 1992-93. For technical purposes, this was also a triple dip since sales in 1991 had already declined by 1%, over 1990. Sales in 1992 declined by 10.7% over 1991 and sales dipped by a further 9% in 1993, over 1992. Post that it was sheer fireworks as sales grew by 43% (over 1993) in 1994 and a further 28.3% (over 1994) in 1995. There was another significant increase in sales of 14% (over 1995) in 1996.
We entered the second double dip in 1997 as sales dipped by 21% over 1996. This was followed by a further decline of 31.3% in 1998, over 1997. In percentage terms, this was the most significant dip in the market ever as the B&M&HCV segment lost a cumulative 46% between 1996 & 1998.
Surprisingly, the first double dip in B&M&HCV sales came right after the start of liberalization indicating that commercial vehicle sales are very directly related to the economy and not that much to the sentiment.
Recovery was sharp and sales jumped 40.6% in 1999. This recovery was driven by pent up demand, impending emission norms and an upturn in the economic growth. However, with the economic conditions deteriorating again in the year 2000, B&M&HCV sales entered a double dip again. Sales declined by 15.4% (over 1999) in the year 2000 and a further 4% (over 2000) in the year 2001.
This double dip was followed by the best growth period in B&M&HCV history, as sales grew by 229% in the six-year period between 2001 & 2007.
Then came 2008 and another double dip in sales. Sales fell 14.4% (over 2007) in 2008 and by another 13.75% (over 2008) in 2009. As anticipated, the market rebounded very sharply in 2010 with a 57.6% growth in sales, over 2009.
Sales stayed flat in 2011 with hardly a 1% growth over 2010 before we entered another double dip in 2012. Sales between 2011 and 2013 are expected to decline by a cumulative 37%.
So this is not the worst double dip ever in the history. Why are you guys so worried?
Analysts at EMMAAA are of the opinion that the economy hasn't bottomed out yet. Inflation has not been controlled and there seems to be little political will to counter the economic headwinds that the country faces.
As we publish this on Wednesday, 18th Dec 2013, the Reserve Bank of India has come very close to increasing the interest rates once again. The RBI has only avoided the increase by keeping its faith in the seasonal decline of vegetable prices controlling inflation. That in itself is a shaky foundation.
In any case, we are still looking at double-digit lending rates and a sub 5% growth in the economy in 2014. Add to that the political uncertainty, a liquidity-sapping General Election in 2014, and uncertainty everywhere, and we have the recipe for a B&M&HCV market that may not be in a hurry to bounce back.
EMMAAA feels that the market may not have a bounce-back till elections are over, effectively wiping out the first half of 2014. Any jump after that is still expected to be subdued and checked by the slow economic growth and high lending rates.
2015 may then be the year to pop the champagne…
Macroeconomic Forecasts are Running Low
A look at FocusEconomics* consensus forecast for Dec 2013 reveals that Indian GDP 2014 is forecasted to grow at 4.8% in FY 2014 and by 5.5% in FY 2015. This is not a strong growth and may be too feeble to affect a strong rebound in the B&M&HCV segment.
In comparison, the GDP growth rates in the years where a strong rebound happened have been typically high. In 1994 and 1995, GDP growth was 6.7% and 7.6% respectively. The economy grew by 8.5% in 1999, 7.9% in 2003 and 7.8% in 2004. The nearest strong rebound year was 2010 during which the economy grew by 10.5%.
The above data indicates that the next two years may not bring the bounce-back that the B&M&HCV segment is so used to.
Fleet Operators are Under Stress
In a preliminary survey of fleet operators carried out by EMMAAA, many stated that residual rates (used vehicle rates) are at an all time low and are down by 25-30% from this time last year. Many stated that while fleet utilization is low, it is not too low. However, abnormally low residual rates are pushing them to hold on to their existing fleet (and not buy new trucks) for now.
At the same time, operators are facing pressure on the operational cost side as well. While diesel prices have been rising regularly, an economy under stress has kept the overall freight rates under check. Many operators are working under wafer thin margins to preserve their business and this is likely to keep them away from the new truck market.
The Finer Aspects of Segment Sales
Traditionally the Indian B&M&HCV market has been a two horse race, one much bigger than the other while the weaker one had a problem with Hindi. Together they defended their meadow well, relegating every other foal to the periphery.
That fairy-tale story is coming to an end, fast.
While Tata still enjoys a 55% share of the market in Heavy trucks, 51% share in Medium Trucks and a 37% share in buses, its grasp on the B&M&HCV market is weakening. In every segment, the company is losing market share.
The beneficiary often has been Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles (VECV). However, others too have been nibbling. The Buses segment is the most keenly fought contest – in 2005, Tata had a 43% share of the market and a number two position behind Ashok Leyland, which had a 49% share of the market. Over the next five years, Tata's hard work and Ashok Leyland's distractions meant that Tata had become the market leader with a 48% share of the market while Ashok Leyland now accounted for only 41% share of the market.
Since then Ashok Leyland has clung on to its 41% market share but Tata has slipped badly and is now placed second with only a 37% share of the market. Worse, Eicher now has 10% share of the market while SML Isuzu has another 9% share.
The Medium Truck segment has traditionally been Tata's stronghold and accounted for the company's bread-and-butter and chicken-and-cheese. Tata controlled 67% of the segment in 2005 but has steadily lost market share since then. In 2010, the company had a 58% share of the Medium commercial vehicle segment, which in 2013 is expected to come down to 51%.
Rival Ashok Leyland will manage to increase its share of the market to about 21%, from 16% in 2010. However, Medium commercial vehicles has also been Eicher's stronghold and the company is likely to end 2013 with a near 25% share of the market from 22% in 2010 and 15% in 2005.
The story is the same in the Heavy Commercial Vehicles segment with Tata's share of the market declining from 66% in 2010 (it was 62% in 2005) to 55% in 2013. This is a segment, which has seen a number of new entrants and all together are nibbling at Tata's share of the market. So VECV accounts for a 4.5% share of the market, AMW has 5% and Mahindra has a 2.3% share. The surprise package has been BharatBenz, Daimler's made-for-India-made-in-India brand that has an estimated 7% share of the market.
However, the overall winner is Volvo-Eicher Commercial Vehicles (VECV) – the Pithampur based manufacturer seems to have stuck a deadly combination of international technology, international quality standards and a local understanding of the market. VECV is steadily gaining market share across all segments and its speed of gobbling up competition may just increase even more with the coming launch of its completely new range of trucks.
A recent visit to VECV plant outside Indore (Disclaimer: This analyst was hosted at Indore by VECV who had invited him, as part of a media delegation, for the launch of VECV's new range of commercial vehicles) reveals that the company is investing a large amount of money – INR 1.8 bn (USD 300m) – towards plant, product development and service network. With the money, VECV has a brand new plant, a new cab manufacturing line and a cutting edge paint shop.
Oh, it also has an entire range of trucks ranging from five-tonne to 49-tonne GVW and a couple of buses as well.
In the company's words, "(We) have been gaining market share in a falling market and would be much better prepared to enjoy the gains when the market does rebound."
VECV's rise has been remarkable in the last two years. In a falling market, the stronger player (Tata) often has the upper hand, as dealers are able to push new vehicles in the market more effectively. Often in situations like a falling market, the strong player ends up stronger and the weaker and new entrants have to wait for sunny days to gain any market share.
However, in case of VECV, the manufacturer has been able to take away market share from Tata and Ashok Leyland.
Any resurgence in the market, whenever that happens, may not be great news for Tata Motors then…
* The FocusEconomics Consensus Forecast is a monthly publication that contains economic forecasts from the leading international investment banks and top national financial institutions


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